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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2014)
letters to the editor/events Readers Lend Their Voices... continued from page 4 celebrate their GRAND OPENING, it is time to thank the many people who volunteered their time and energy to make the OUTSIDE of the Health Center beautiful too. When Chip Bubl taught his 2nd Master Gardeners Class here in Vernonia this Summer, the students were encouraged to “pay-back” their time by helping landscape the Health Center ground. From that class, Stephanie Scandlyn solicited a very generous donation of many beautiful shrubs and trees from Farmington Gardens. Stephanie also, along with Randal Harvey, Dr. Theringer, Julie Prohaska and Heather Lewis worked up the plans for the layout. Gotta have a PLAN!! Dr. Thiringer and Heather Lewis picked up those bushes and trees and hauled them to Dr. ‘T’’s farm where he lovingly watered them twice daily! (remember our long, hot, dry summer?) Then on the 1st day of planting, Dr. “T”, Brett Costley, Daniel Huggett, Jim Krahn all met and started THE WORK! And work it was! Old-timer Master Gardeners such as Rachel Langmaid, Heather Lewis, Penny Costley, Marie Krahn, were joined by newbie Master Gardeners, Doc “T”, Bill Langmaid, and Randal Harvey. We were also joined by Vernonia Health Board Members, Darlene McLeod, Erika Paleck, Bob Wagner, Ralph Keasey, Daniel Huggett, and Olin Younger. Additionally we felt blessed by the small but busy helping hands of Henry and Calvin Langmaid, Master Gardeners –in-the-making. We put down ground- cover, chips, and finally put in the plants. It was a lot of hard work, and took us the better part of 6 days. We did have guest appearances by two lovely ladies who wandered too near to our fun. Linda Perry (wife of new WOEC administrator) and Angela Hadley who also works at WOEC pitched in and helped us with planting. Lorna Poetter also very generously donated trees to help beautify our Health Center grounds. Thank you one and all! After the planting came the watering!! No rain meant lots of watering by hand. We thank our dedicated group of people who watered and loved those little plants and trees into life. Those watering ministers were Randal Harvey, Julie Prohaska, Heather Lewis, Ginger Lee, Stephanie Scandlyn, Darlene McLeod, Brett Costley, Bob and Audean Wagner, and Jim and Marie Krahn. When the rains start, all the extra effort of watering, pulling those hoses by hand and then tidying the chips all back into place again will be a distant memory. A big THANK YOU to all of you for keeping our plants green. A big thank you goes to WOEC for the prompt and generous delivery of chips. Those two loads of chips will hopefully stay put with the logs that were generously donated by the city. Jim Krahn, who has a wicked scavenger-eye when it comes to landscaping, I-spied some logs at Hawkins Park, left there after Jamboree. He politely asked if he could use them for the landscaping project and the city politely said, “Yes, take them!” So Jim began his artistry in earnest. He hauled log after log over to the new site and sometimes had to balance his precarious load on his tiny tractor by shifting his whole weight to one side of his tractor seat to keep three of the four tires on the road. He thought that was fun, his wife didn’t agree. His favorite “find” was the huge stump/root that he placed by the drive. So now we have a new and completed Health Center, out of the flood plane, ready to facilitate health and healing to the people of Vernonia and surrounding area. The new building was built with the grants received and is debt- free. It has been a long and winding road, and finishing the landscaping has put the last finishing touch on this noble project. We hope you will all join us this 25th day of October for our Grand Opening to help us celebrate. Marie Krahn VP of VHCB To the Editor, I have volunteered with Cathleen Callahan and the local Special Olympics for two years and have found her to be fiercely dedicated not only to the organization but to the athletes as well, including my son Evan. She has earned the trust of the athletes, their families and the caretakers. Cathleen values the right of every person to develop and succeed in life, no matter the challenges, and there are challenges! Cathleen coaches the athletes who need one to one assistance and who are often unpredictable. Like all of us, she has been yelled at, hit, spit on, slapped….and loved unconditionally. Cathleen’s temperament and ability to connect with everyone is exactly what we need on the bench. Her willingness to step up and assist the City of Clatskanie when their City Prosecutor abruptly resigned, while continuing her volunteer work, her law practice, and running for Circuit Court Judge should give you an idea of her organizational skills and work ethic. Having compassion means fairness follows. You need to have compassion and understanding to identify with all parties and ensure a fair outcome. Cathleen is fair, but she is also tough. She knows the law and will enforce it. Cathleen is trusted by the community, and she is fair to everyone regardless of their status. She is ready for this position, and she has my vote. Cathleen Callahan deserves your vote too. Rhonda Kirtland St. Helens, OR To the Editor, I support the Honorable Judge Martwick. She handily won the primary and you should vote for her again. Her experience and expertise have both been proven to us, by the Governor’s Expert Committee on Judge Appointments and endorsed by her peers in both the Spring and Fall Oregon State Bar polls. Like the rest of the voters in Columbia County, I know nothing about the judicial process, so when it comes to her qualifications, I will default to the experts. I can tell you about the person, Jean Martwick. When she first moved into her new chambers it needed painting, instead of calling the maintenance department and complaining, HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted. We will print letters space permitting. Deadline is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064. she went out and bought paint and supplies paid for from her own pocket and painted it herself after hours. This tells me a lot about the person and her personality. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with her on numerous charity functions for Veterans and for kids, and being a Veteran, that hits home. I also feel she makes a great addition to our community. She will get my vote and I hope yours too! Keith Forsythe St. Helens To the Editor, My wife and I were staying at Stub Stewart and on Tuesday, 9/23, we drove to Vernonia around midday. In the opposite direction a loaded lumber truck came around a bend. Behind him was another truck. We were shocked to watch him cut the curve and into our lane. About one third into our lane. Our small car had just enough room between the truck and the shoulder. And we were not above the speed limit. Just sharing so that if this is accepted driving, you might think differently if a family member could not get out of the way in time. Robert O. Portland, OR october16 2014 5 Upcoming Events Vernonia Health Clinic Grand Opening -Saturday, October 25, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM, 1005 Cougar St. 503-429-0622 Car Seat Clinic - Saturday, October 25, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM at the Vernonia Fire Station, 555 E. Bridge St. For more information call 503-556-3736. Halloween Activities - Friday, October 31. Kids Parade 4:30 PM, starts at City Hall. Hot Dog Feed from 5:00-7:00 PM at Grace Family Fellowship, 957 State Ave. Fall Carnival at Vernonia Christian Church, 410 North St, 6:30- 7:00 PM for special needs children only, 7:00-8:30 PM for everyone. Mist Helping Circle Fall Festival - Saturday, November 1, 6:00 PM at the Mist Grade School gym. Nob Hill Nature Park Volunteer Work Party - Saturday, November 1, 1:00- 4:00 PM at Nob Hill Nature Park in St. Helens. Preregistration is requested, call 503-397-7904. Timberbound Concert & Swing Dance, Saturday, November 15, 8:00- 11:00 PM at the Vernonia Grange, 375 North St. Historic Keasey slide show by Cory Colburn 7-8 PM. Tickets $10 at the door or call 503-396-2046. To the Editor, Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia - In letters to the editor over the Saturday, December 6, 10:00 AM- past 3 elections that Wayne Mayo has 6:00 PM. run for County Commission, Wayne has changed his position pandering for votes. He’s changed his voter’s Mistake in the voter's pamphlet pamphlet on the same issues. Mayo regarding an entry on Wayne Mayo's has been a far right conservative, but page. How it reads: "Wayne authored is currently embracing far left ideals. and was chief petitioner on 6 ballot Flip flopping back and forth on coal, measures." It should have read, "Wayne oil, trains, jobs, and taxes. authored 6 and was chief petitioner on 3 In his letter posted on 9/17/13 ballot measures." Wayne supports the rezoning of the land at Port Westward for industrial considered several other candidates use even if it was for coal rail/ship. In his 7/06/12 letter he supports coal and including Cathleen Callahan. Before Ambre Energy. Wayne’s letter of 1/21/14 Judge Martwick’s appointment she completely switches track and tells us had an office in St.Helens where she demonstrated her dedication to public how dangerous the trains are. Mayo’s letters of 8/25/10 and service representing children and 9/02/10 speak to the serious need to change adults in criminal and civil matters. She tax policy to give tax breaks to businesses. demonstrated this commitment even in He is now running his campaign on a 65- her off work volunteer hours. As a divorced mother she cent per-ton depletion fee on gravel for supported herself and her three children as our County and for the State! Does Wayne support tax breaks a waitress while attending college and law for business to bring more jobs or does he school. Thus I believe she understands want to tax businesses more to generate modern day issues families often find more tax revenue? Which is it? Financial themselves involved with. Please vote to retain Judge Accountability with two opposing Martwick. economic philosophies does not add up. Most of these hot button issues, including the jurisdiction of trains, Sally Ann Marson are not within the scope of the County Columbia City, Oregon Commissioner position. Which Wayne Mayo will show up if he is elected? Do To the Editor, “As judge, I hold offenders we really want a commissioner that accountable and protect the most doesn’t have a clue? This Republican will vulnerable: children, seniors, and be voting for a Democrat. victims,” says Judge Martwick in her bid to be reelected. I was in her court for the Michael Stewart sentencing of the woman who had been Goble, OR hitting my infant son with a wooden spoon, leaving more than seven red welts To the Editor, I ask that you retain Jean on his little back. The woman’s attorney Martwick as Circuit Court Judge. I asked for the sentencing to be done after believe she has the desire, knowledge, and she completed the parenting class she was commitment to continue serving us well taking and Martwick agreed. Immediately afterwards, Martwick, still in her robes in that capacity. Judge Martwick was appointed and in the courtroom, walked over and by the Governor of Oregon after he continued on page 18
