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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 2015)
community bulletin board november19 4 2015 PCC Columbia County Update This fall has certainly been a busy one and with only seven weeks until the end of the year, there are no signs of slowing down. The Rock Creek Campus recently hosted a breakfast for 59 PCC employees who live in Columbia County and who help support our activities in their home towns. We asked these folks to help us connect more actively with County residents about opportunities for learning, both credit and non-credit, ways to get involved with us and how we may be a more effective resource to County stakeholders. We received some great feedback and will be rolling out some new communications in the near future. At the end of October, Oregon’s Court of Appeals ruled that the proposed urban growth boundary expansion by the City of Scappoose is able to proceed. It was a legal battle about land use issues that lingered for more than four years and tied up about 480 acres of property - some of which PCC had considered as a site for a potential regional public services training center. While the college opted not to pursue a regional training center some time ago, PCC remains committed to opening an educational center in Columbia County by fall 2017. Potential sites - not tied to the disputed urban growth boundary property - are currently under consideration. While we are not yet in a Vernonia Weather October 2015 DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Ave/Tot HIGH 74 63 67 79 82 76 62 74 71 67 67 71 68 67 79 60 60 60 60 62 66 62 61 68 56 61 62 58 63 61 59 66.0 LOW 46 41 34 33 36 53 53 44 47 46 44 49 35 34 37 53 53 53 52 43 38 33 44 45 49 40 39 49 50 54 47 44.7 PRECIP 0 T 0 0 0 .14 .10 0 0 .41 T 0 0 0 0 .07 .04 .05 .15 0 0 0 0 T .80 .01 .16 .21 .26 .31 1.21 3.92 Weather data is collected at the U.S. Weather station at the Vernonia Water Plant permanent facility in Columbia County, we are present and active in a number of ways. For example PCC employees serve on a number of committees and groups including: • ColPac - Columbia Pacific Economic Development District • South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce • Scappoose Economic Development Committee PCC employees live and play in Columbia County: • 59 PCC employees live in Scappoose, St Helens, Deer Island, Rainier, Goble, Vernonia and unincorporated Columbia County • They are employed as faculty, support staff, administrators, student service specialists, grant officers, human resources specialists, technical staff, and food services and more • They work at all four of our campuses and several centers • The Associated Students of PCC have participated in various community service activities in Columbia County • PCC participates in many community events, including the annual Employment and Resources Fair, Wings & Wheels, the Sacagawea dinner auction, Black Tie & Blue Jeans and many more • A list of Columbia County events and festivals is sent to PCC employees and students who are encouraged to participate PCC is a sponsor of the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, directly supporting their events and activities: • In October PCC provided a truckload of furniture, recently pulled from service on PCC campuses, to the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce We continue to offer classes, both credit and non-credit, in Scappoose and St Helens. We have a few new classes beginning this winter, including Sewing and Job Finding Skills. Please take a moment to look at the list and share with your friends and networks. Stay up to date with current class offerings, news and resources at http://www.pcc. edu/about/locations/columbia-county/ This fall, 19 students enrolled in a free College Success class offered by our Future Connect program in partnership with the Ford Family Foundation. These students are learning how to successfully maneuver higher education systems, explore funding opportunities for college and how to seek out resources to support their ongoing success in college. We are investigating the possibility of offering this class again. The Future Connect Program staff have been meeting with a group of community stakeholders to develop a model to better serve students who are low income and/or the first in their families to attend college, supporting them in their path to and through community college. This past month, all St. Helens High School seniors learned about PCC opportunities and approximately 75 students completed PCC admissions applications for summer/fall 2016 enrollment. Many thanks to Amber Horne and the senior English teachers at St. Helens High School for their coordinating efforts. Rock Creek Outreach also met with students at Scappoose and Vernonia High Schools. An introduction to PCC’s 100+ degree and certification options, plus the new Oregon Promise community college tuition grant, spurred conversation in each of Upcoming Events Christmas in the Country Bazaar - Saturday, December 5, 10:00 am-5:00 pm, and Sunday, December 6, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Vernonia Schools Commons. The Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia - Saturday, December 12. See page 19 for more details. Vernonia Ballet presents Frozen - Saturday, December 12, 7:00 pm at the Vernonia Schools Commons. these meetings. For those interested in learning more about PCC, register to attend Rock Creek’s Preview Day to be held on January 22, 2016. Those unable to attend can contact Heidi Edwards, Outreach & Orientation Coordinator, for more information about getting started at PCC. Many of you have probably heard about the Oregon Promise and the opportunity for “free” college. This is a new state program offered to new high school graduates and GED recipients providing an opportunity to have some or all of their community college tuition covered. Grants are for students entering a community college in Oregon in fall 2016. There are some conditions, including that the student must be graduating from an Oregon high school or completing the GED in spring or summer 2016. To learn more or to apply, please visit www.oregonpromise.org. Vernonia High School Blood Drive December 2nd All Day FREE Pancake Breakfast for those who participate! Friends of the Vernonia Public Library Family: Minimum: Membership Dues: $10.00 Individual: $5.00 $1.00 plus 2 hours minimum of work in the library Make checks payable to: Friends of the Vernonia Public Library Mailing Address: 701 Weed Avenue, Vernonia, OR 97064 Name Address City Phone Date State Zip Amount Enclosed $ I am interested in helping with the following committees (optional): Please Circle •Membership •Endowments •Book Sales •Publicity & Public Relations •Fund Raising •Library Services •Finance-Budget-Legal Matters 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.
