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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2015)
city/community news april16 2015 P.E.O. Spring Tea On Saturday, April 25 women and girls will gather at the First Christian Church to enjoy some “girlie” time together. Sponsored by P.E.O. as a fun way to raise some dollars to be used for college scholarships for women. The event will feature entertainment, a light luncheon and refreshments, a “photo-op,” a raffle, and more… So, ladies, dress up in your Sunday best, bring friends and relatives, and enjoy a couple of hours of fun and food. Here are the details: What: Spring Tea Party Who: Women and girls of ALL ages Where: First Christian Church, 410 North St., Vernonia. When: Saturday, April 25, 2015, 1:00 – 3:00 Why: To support P.E.O.’s ongoing program of “women helping women” meet their educational goals. And to enjoy some time and fellowship. How: Tickets are available at R&S Market in the Video Department. Cost per person is $7.00. Don’t Litter, Spay/Neuter! On Earth Day feral cats living in Columbia County qualify for free spay/neuter services In honor of Earth Day on April 22, the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) is offering FREE spay/neuter services for stray, feral and barn cats living in Columbia County. The non- profit spay/neuter program is also of- fering assistance to transport cats to its clinic in North Portland. Springtime’s warmer weather means outdoor cats have started breed- ing and soon there will be a kitten population boom. Spay/neuter prevents kittens, curbs unwanted mating behav- iors like fighting and spraying, and im- proves a cat’s overall health. Residents of Columbia County feeding outdoor feral or stray cats are encouraged to call the Feral Cat Coali- tion of Oregon to set up an appointment for the special clinic on April 22. Ser- vices for feral cats include spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, treatment for fleas, ear mites and tapeworms; antibiotics; pain relief medication; and an ear-tip for identification. To contact FCCO, call 503- 797-2606 or fill out an online applica- tion at www.feralcats.com. Council Discusses Marijuana Dispensaries continued from page 6 does allow time, place and manner re- strictions on recreational retail--some cities are considering not allowing them near parks, libraries, and churches. The City cannot outright ban recreational retail sales, it would have to be done by a Citizen Initiative and voted on. The City can limit where businesses can be placed through Land Use/Development Code Restrictions. Any change to zoning would have to go through a public hearing process. The Council decided to do nothing on the medical moratorium they have in place and Cleaveland told them he believes they are protected from al- lowing medical marijuana dispensaries under Federal laws that classify mari- juana as a controlled substance. The City already has a rule which prohib- its activities in violation of federal law written into their business license ordi- nance. Citizen Mike Buffum was rec- ognized by the mayor and told Council that if they try to ban medical marijuana it will be challenged in court. Accord- ing to City staff there are already medi- cal grow operations in the area provid- ing product to customers The Council asked staff to be- gin creating maps that would show where in the commercial zone a recre- ational retail business could be located if they were to put in place various types of restrictions. Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday. Our next issue will be out May 7th. The VHS Class of 1975 invites you to the Pat Curl Memorial Sports Benefit August 8, 2015 (Jamboree Weekend) At the New Vernonia School in the Commons Area Featuring Tickets on Sale NOW! “The Ultimate Performer” www.patcurlbenefit.bpt.me “The man with the voice who just happens to be funny!” 1000 Missouri Avenue VIP Event: 5:00 PM - $150 (limited to first 54 who purchase) Tony Pace www.tonypace.com Includes VIP Pre-show performance, hearty appetizers on the patio, gift bag, raffles & VIP Section Seating at the Main Event Main Event: 6:30-8:00 PM Preferred Seating - $50 General Admission - $25 Questions? PatCurlBenefit@gmail.com 7 New City Hall Hours At the April 6, 2015 City Council meeting the Council approved changing the hours of City Hall operations and approved closing City Hall from 12:30-1:30 PM for lunch. Starting Monday, May 4th, 2015 City Hall will be open 8:00 AM-12:30 PM / 1:30 PM-5:00 PM. New Computer and Internet Use Policy at the Library On Monday, March 16, 2015, City Council approved the Computer and Internet Use Policy now in effect at the library. The policy was drafted by the Library Director, Shannon Romtvedt, based on policies used at other libraries and a great deal of input and research from the Library Board. One rule that is a significant change from the previous policy is stated here: “Children under 10 years of age must be directly supervised by a parent/legal guardian or adult caregiver when using the computer. Parents/legal guardians who wish to restrict computer access for a minor (age 17 or younger) may do so at any time by requesting a Minor Internet Access Restriction form.” The previous policy required written parental permission for minors to use the computer. Children under the age of 13 needed direct parental supervision to use the Internet. Reasoning for the change is as follows: 1) Many libraries are revising their Internet Policy and are no longer requiring parental permission for minors. Sandy Public Library made the change in November 2014, stating that “A lot of libraries made the decision (to require formal parent permission) when the Internet was very new.” 2) More efficient for staff to check for minors specifically restricted from using the computers (versus checking a long list of minors permitted to use the computers and maintaining that list). Most parents sign the permission form and as minors reach the age of 18, the list needs regular updating. 3) Removing the requirement for permissions is less of a barrier for students coming to the library to use the computers for homework. In the past, a child or teen would have to take the form home and return it to the library before using the computer if a parent/ guardian was not present to sign the form. While parental permission is no longer required for minors to use the computer at the library, parents/ legal guardians may at any time fill out a Minor Internet Access Restriction form if they do not want their child(ren) using public computers. Forms are available at the library. For questions or concerns, please contact the Library Director, Shannon Romtvedt, (503) 429-1818 or shannonr@vernonia-or. gov. The Vernonia Community Theater (VCT) regrets that its planned summer drama program for children has to be canceled due to scheduling conflicts and other factors. VCT apologizes for having to do this but is still committed to finding a way to offer theater opportunities for younger children at some point in the future. VCT is also working towards another adult and teen production this fall or early spring. Kinnell Steward, VCT Coordinator, will continue to add names of interested participants to the contact list. If you’d like to act, direct or work behind the scenes, please email her at mtskys@frontier.com or contact her on Facebook. Thanks for your interest in community theater and hope to hear from you soon. Community Theater Cancels Summer Drama Program Columbia Humane Society Featured Pet Please meet Yum Yum. She came to the shelter as an owner surrender after her Dad passed away. She does not do well with cats, and is probably going to need a family that doesn't have a lot of young kids. She loves to cuddle in your lap and be your friend. Her adoption fee is $90.00. If you have any questions please 2084 Oregon Street don't hesitate to call or St. Helens, OR 97051 email. Web: www.columbiahumane.org Phone: 503-397-4353 Email: animalwelfare@columbiahumane.org