January19 2017
free
VERNONIA’S
volume11 issue2
www.vernoniasvoice.com
reflecting the spirit of our community
Vernonia Police Offi cer
Assists in Fire Rescue
In the very early
morning hours of January 10,
2017 local fi rst responders
and the Vernonia Rural Fire
Protection District (VRFPD)
responded to a structure fi re
on Lone Pine Road.
According to a re-
port posted by VRFPD
Public Information Offi -
cer Robert Schattscheinder,
“The fi rst fi re engine to ar-
rive reported seeing smoke
and fl ames coming from the
Photo courtesy of VRFPD PIO Robert Schattschneider
front door. The resident was
re-enter the structure in an
able to get out with some as-
attempt to save her dogs,
sistance from an offi cer from
offi cer Pesio restrained her
the Vernonia Police Depart-
and brought her outside
ment. Firefi ghters were able
the home. Moments later
to knock down the fi re rather
the structure fi re fl ashed
quickly... but the home was a
and blew out the windows
complete loss.”
of the home.
Vernonia
Police
Offi cer Pesio was treat-
Chief Michael Conner told
ed for smoke inhalation
Vernonia’s Voice that Offi cer Cody Pesio and was released and is recovering from
was the initial fi rst responder to arrive his injuries. The occupant of the home
at the scene and found an elderly fe- was also treated and released. The dogs
male calling for help from the doorway. were unable to be saved.
Conner said there were fl ames visible
The cause of the fi re remains un-
and smoke coming from the doorway. der investigation.
When the occupant of the home tried to
Church Invites
Community to Breakfast
Volunteers cook breakfast on
Sunday mornings for every-
one, with no expectations.
The Grace Family Fellow-
ship Church has been hosting Sunday
morning breakfasts for the past several
months as a way of reaching out and
trying to help the community at-large.
Mark Brown is the Associate
Pastor and Music Director at Grace
Family Fellowship and is coordinating
the weekly get-togethers that are pre-
pared by volunteers each week. The
breakfast provides an opportunity for
anyone in the community to receive
a hot meal and also provides church
members with a chance to meet casu-
ally. The meals are served with no ex-
pectations for those attending, contains
no religious overtones, and are free to
anyone wishing to partake. Of course,
everyone is invited to attend the church
service immediately following the
breakfast.
“We certainly believe that there
is a need,” says Brown. “If you look
at, not just the mission of the church,
but what is in the heart of anyone who
wants to serve their community, that
is the underlying root, to meet people
where they are at, with no expectations.
If I have the ability to do that, or the
church has the ability to do that, then
we should be doing it.”
Brown says the church used to
offer Sunday morning breakfasts but
got away from doing it the last couple
of years. He said when he started think-
ing about re-starting the weekly break-
fasts he had three goals. “We wanted to
see some people that we haven’t seen
before and provide a meal for some
continued on page 10
Plans for Salmonberry
Someone’s Day a Little Bit Better Trail Move Ahead Slowly
Love Rocks: Making
By Scott Laird
The highly ambitious new trail
would connect the coast to the
Metro area, and Vernonia, but
will likely take decades to fully
complete.
Maybe you’ve heard about the Love
Rocks that people are fi nding around Verno-
nia, or read about it on Facebook. Maybe
you’ve actually been lucky enough to fi nd one
yourself while eating or shopping, or visit-
ing a local park, or wandering around town.
Maybe someone handed one to you as you
watched the 4 th of July or Jamboree parade in
Vernonia this past summer. Or maybe you’ve
never heard of Love Rocks and don’t know
what I’m talking about.
Love Rocks have been shared around
inside
7
good ol’ days:
boys and trains
12
vhs winter
sports report
12
eyrrick named
all state band
19
where do you
read the voice?
By Scott Laird
Mason Hummel handed out
Love Rocks during last year’s
Jamboree parade.
Vernonia this past year by Wendi Liv-
engood, her daughter Mason Hum-
mel, and Mason’s friend Hayden Rau.
The rocks are meant to be found by
folks around town as a way to help
brighten their day and spread some
love to everyone.
“We like leaving them around town
and see people smile and maybe
make someone’s day who is having a
bad day,” says Livengood.
“I like to see how people respond to
them and it’s nice to see how it bright-
ens up their day,” adds Mason. “It’s
fun to see if they set it back down for
someone else to fi nd, or keep it.”
Born in a moment of tragedy and
unparalleled grief nearby in Forest
Grove, Love Rocks have become a
small way of sharing love and joy
continued on page 11
The heavy rains that brought
fl ooding to the town of Vernonia in
December of 2007 did damage to much
more of the region than just the town
itself. The historic Southern Pacifi c
Railroad line that connected the Oregon
Coast with the Willamette Valley was
severely damaged during that winter
storm which dumped rain and washed
out signifi cant sections of the rail bed.
While Vernonians pushed
forward with recovery efforts following
the fl ood, the cost to repair the damage
to the rail line, now owned by the Port
of Tillamook Bay (POTB), was deemed
too high, and a large portion of the rail
line has sat unused for the past decade.
The rail line had previously
been heavily damaged during the
1996 fl ood and was repaired at great
expense. When FEMA offi cials balked
at the idea of repairing the rail line
again following the 2007 fl ood, rails-
to-trails enthusiasts and advocates got
active almost immediately and began a
push to turn the damaged rail line into
a multi-use trail open to hikers, bikers,
and equestrian riders. This ambitious
continued on page 3