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
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