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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 2016)
4 letters to the editor/community bulletin board april7 2016 Readers Lend Their Voices... To the Editor, I am somewhat dismayed that the discourteous discourse that we see in our national politics has seeped into our little community of Columbia County in letters that have recently appeared in your paper. It saddens me to see so many angry women coming out against Tony Hyde with such vitriol. I don’t understand where it comes from. I have lived in this community for almost 27 years and I can attest to the fact that things have gotten much better than they were 20 years ago – dramatically so. Despite two major devastating floods in our town, there are more jobs than ever, incredible bike paths that bring countless riders to our towns, restaurants and stores. You couldn’t even imagine these businesses being here 20 years ago. I thank Tony Hyde for his help in making our community a better place. I believe he works tirelessly to make all of Columbia County a better place to live and work. These negative letters are about there being no jobs here. Every time I go to St. Helens and Scappoose, I see a new business that wasn’t there before. I plead ignorance when it comes to the jail and port that never materialized, but I am sure it had more to do with the Great Recession that plagued the entire country not just Columbia County. If you are going to criticize the current County Commission on all of our County’s problems, you must realize his successes as well. Of which there are many. I worry when I read this new candidate Alex Tardif will change everything for the better. That is what angry people in the Tea Party said. And we all know what happened there. We have a lot of inexperienced members of Congress who came in to change things for the better and we have ended up with the most ineffective Congress since the Truman Administration. I don’t want to go down the negative road, but this young man, who is going to transform Columbia County into greatness, with five years of tax preparation experience and a term on the Scappoose School Board’s Budget Committee, sounds like he is around 28, maybe 29. There is no person I have ever met at that age that could ever do the job of meeting with Governors, Mayors, U.S. and State Senators with the finesse, intelligence, leadership qualities, and Upcoming Events the ability to bring both sides together as Tony Hyde. Please don’t let our beautiful and vibrant community be turned over to an amateur and join me in voting for Tony Hyde for County Commissioner this May. here, in Vernonia, and will be the recipient of the funds raised by the levy. That firefighter will buy power, water, groceries, beer, food, and gas right here in Vernonia. Harlem Crowns Basketball - Saturday, April 9, 6:00 pm We benefit twice from passing at the VHS gym. $10 at the this levy. First, and most obviously, we door. Fundraiser for VHS Girls double our paid staff of firefighters and Basketball program. Rosemary Curtis increase our capacity to recruit and train Vernonia volunteers. Second, the money stays in Meet Alex Tardif, Candidate for Vernonia, helping to boost the economy, Columbia County Commissioner To the Editor, creating more jobs. I urge everyone to Position #3 - Saturday, April 9, I would like to encourage vote yes on the VRFPD levy this May. 10:00 am at Blue House Café. people to think about the many services It’s the right thing to do. Writing to Create Ourselves - provided to the community by our fire Sunday, April 10 at the Vernonia department. They extinguish house Bill Langmaid Library. Workshop and reading fires, rescuing occupants. They attend Vernonia with Oregon Poet Laureate auto accidents to save lives and prevent Emerita Paulann Petersen. further damage. They protect our open To the Editor, Workshop 12:30-4:30 pm. spaces from wildfire. They help reduce My name is Jim Kinkead and Reading 6:00-7:30 pm. our homeowners insurance bill. Yup, the I have had the pleasure of hosting the VHS Alumni Basketball Games presence of a staffed fire hall is one of Vernonia boys team at the 2A state - Saturday, April 16, 6:00 pm at the tools that insurance companies use to tourney a couple weeks ago. This was my the VHS gym. No admission, set our rates. 3rd year hosting this school at Pendleton. donations accepted. We currently spend a little less I am on the steering committee for than one dollar per thousand dollars of the organization of the tournament in Meet Margaret Magruder, assessed value for the services of the Pendleton. I wanted to write a short note Candidate for Columbia County fire department. This buys us a building, about a few things about your coaching Commissioner Position #1 - a chief, an office manager, equipment staff, students, fans. Saturday, April 23, 10:00 am at maintenance, and training for a group of Your coaching staff and team the Black Iron Grill. dedicated volunteers. The problem right were a pleasure to work with. The team Meet the Candidates - Monday, now is that volunteerism is dropping was fun to be around and well mannered. April 25, 7:00 pm at the Cabin in and there have been occasions when Your school should be proud of the way Vernonia. A political forum with the only person able to respond to a 911 everyone conducted themselves. They candidates for Columbia County call has been the fire chief. Aside from are, in my opinion, a class act. Commissioner Positions #1 and the safety issue, this means the chief David and Matt are great guys #3. Hosted by Vernonia’s Voice. has been unable to spend much time on and when I showed up at the gym in Spring Fair and Plant Sale - training, recruitment, grant writing, and Vernonia earlier this year to watch the May 7, 9:00 am-3:00 pm at the myriad other tasks to which he must Knappa game David and Matt made it a the Vernonia Schools. Vendor attend. point to visit with me and my daughter booths and 800+ certified organic Last year he came to the and grandson. tomato plants. Presented by the taxpayers with two levies. The first, I did make an observation after Vernonia Community Garden. for a replacement fire apparatus, was the first game against Burns. When thankfully funded, but the second, for a the game was over several players and Second annual Spring Tea Party second paid firefighter was not funded. students went up into the bleachers and - Saturday, May 14, 1:00 pm at Chief Smith is coming to us again for were helping the staff of the convention the Cabin in Vernonia, 901 Park Dr. Hosted by P.E.O. help on this matter. I urge everyone to center clean up all the garbage left consider a few things before deciding behind not only in their seating section Pet Fair - Saturday, May 21, Yes or No. Failing to pass the levy but the whole gym. Again after the 10:00 am - 3:00 pm at Creatures will mean you keep $32 per $100,000 Championship game several players Pet Shop parking lot, 998 Bridge assessed value in your pocket, but you were up in the bleachers again picking St. This is a fundraiser for might see your insurance bill go up. up trash left behind. Bailey’s Pantry. More information Mine did recently by $100. Not sure I’ve been working at the to follow. why, but some out of state company is a tournament for 20 years and I’ve little wealthier now. never seen this before, even after the A passed levy means the fire continued on page 6 department will have a staff person who HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR is dedicated to recruiting and training Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Please include volunteers. A firefighter, obviously, your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s but also someone that creates new 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: firefighters. This firefighter will live Columbia Humane Society Featured Pet Hi! My name is Pretty Penny, and I was a transfer from another shelter. I am a black, white and brown spayed female and weigh about 35 lbs. I am a really sweet girl. I love to go out in the play groups and make new friends. I'm a never ending bundle of energy and need a family that is going to be very active with me. I am crate trained and I need to be left in my crate when no one is home or I have a tendency to get into trouble. Stop in and meet me today, I will be sure to make you smile. Web: www.columbiahumane.org Phone: 503-397-4353 2084 Oregon Street Email: animalwelfare@columbiahumane.org St. Helens, OR 97051 scott@vernoniasvoice.com or mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064. Upcoming Election Info Oregon’s Presidential Primary: May 17 (including local and County elections) You can find a voter registration card at Vernonia City Hall, Vernonia Library or county elections office. You can also ask the Columbia Last day to register by mail: April 26 County elections office to mail you a card: 230 Strand St., To register to vote online or to update your voter St. Helens, OR 97051 registration go to: http://sos.oregon.gov/voting/ (503) 397-7214, (503) 397-7266 fax, Pages/voteinor.aspx Office Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (M-Th) Non-discrimination Statement West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www. ascr.usda.gov/complaint filing cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866)632- 9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202)690- 7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
