area news
2015
Vernonia Health Center
Has New Physician Assistant

A new Physician Assistant has
been hired as the permanent primary
care provider at the Vernonia Health
Clinic. Kimberly Lovato, PA-C began
her position on January 5th. The
Vernonia Health Center will continue
its partnership with Pacific University
and The Public Health Foundation of
Columbia County to provide medical
care. Students in the PA program at
Pacific University will continue to do
january15
rotations in the health center under the
supervision of the PA.

Lovato has practiced rural
family medicine for seven years and
has experience diagnosing, treating,
and providing support and maintenance
of a wide scope of medical conditions
from pediatric to geriatric patients.
She is highly skilled in assisting
patients to reach their goals in chronic
medical conditions such as diabetes,
hypertension,
asthma,
COPD,
endocrine and coagulation disorders.
Dr. Eubanks will continue to supervise
the clinic. Melissa Walsh, who provided
the bulk of coverage at the Vernonia
Health Center during the search for
a permanent provider, will continue
her practice at the school-based health
center at the Vernonia Schools.

To schedule an appointment at
the Vernonia Health Center, please call
(503) 429-0622.
PSU Students to Design
Pedestrian Bridge for Trail

Graduate students from the
Portland State University (PSU)
School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering will be working to design a
pedestrian bridge to cross the Nehalem
River as part of their capstone project.

Four groups of students have
chosen to work on the project under
the direction of PSU instructor Even
Kristof.

The proposed bridge will
connect the Crown Zellerbach
Trail to Vernonia Lake. The trail
currently terminates at Knott Street,
but Columbia County personnel are
attempting to extend the trail to Coon
9
Creek Road and then develop the river
crossing somewhere in that area.

The PSU students received
an introduction to the project from
Columbia County Commissioner Tony
Hyde and Columbia County Parks
Manager Glen Crinklaw and toured
potential sites for the bridge crossing on
January 9. The students will continue to
work in the area during the next several
months. They will work closely with
staff from the Columbia County Roads
Department, including Engineering
Project Coordinator Tristan Wood and
Crinklaw.
Vernonia Man Arrested
on Child Sex Abuse Charges

Columbia County Sheriff’s
deputies, acting on the information
from an alleged 13-year-old victim,
arrested a 62-year-old Vernonia man
on felony child sex abuse charges on
January 8, 2015. Deputies subsequently
served a search warrant at the suspect’s
home, seizing electronic equipment
related to this ongoing investigation.

The suspect was taken into
custody following a traffic stop and
later charged with one count of Luring
a Minor, and one Count of Attempt to
Commit Sex Abuse, First Degree. Both
crimes are felonies. The suspect bailed
out of jail the same evening with a no-
contact order for the victim and her
family. The suspect had at one time
been a police officer with the City of
Vernonia.

The case came to light after a
sexually explicit message transmitted
digitally to the victim was alleged to
have come from the suspect. Deputies
obtained a search warrant to search
for “digital images, motion pictures,
digital videos, photographs, digital
audio recordings, text messages, call
records,” etc. and served the warrant at
the suspect’s home.

This case is an ongoing
investigation. There is a chance that
other victims are out there. Investigators
having any information in regard to this
case are asked to call the recorded Tip
Line at (503) 366-4698 and leave any
relevant information.
Columbia County
Planning Commissioner Sought

Columbia County is currently
seeking applications for a full term
position on the Columbia County
Planning Commission. To ensure
representation from all areas within the
County, applicants from the Vernonia
area would be preferable, however
all applications will be reviewed and
considered. Additionally, there are two
vacant alternate positions that need to
be filled, with no preference on area.
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vi
Na
tu
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n!
Family Dining
Full Breakfast Menu

If you are interested in serving
on this committee, please contact the
Board of Commissioners office at
(503) 397-4322 or you may obtain an
interest form on our website at www.
co.columbia.or.us .

For
further
information
regarding this committee, please contact
Glen Higgins, Land Development
Services, at 503-397-1501 or by email
at glen.higgins@co.columbia.or.us.
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