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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2017)
4 letters to the editor/community bulletin board june1 2017 Readers Lend Their Voices... To The Editor, I appreciate the article about the Library written for the May 18 issue of the Voice. Particularly in a small community, the Library is an incredible resource and the more community members informed about what is offered, the better. I am writing this letter on behalf of a few individuals who were fundamental to the development of the Vernonia Library as it is today. The Library has been much more of a collaborative effort than your article reflects. Corrections I have to the article are as follows: • Library Assistant Brandi Fennell (spelling corrected from article) works hard and helps keep the library running smoothly. I am proud to work with Brandi and appreciate everything she does for the Library. • Stamp Club and Chess Club were introduced before my time, thanks to the efforts of Grant Williams and Robb Wilson. • Free children’s cards for kids who live outside of the city limits were approved many years back by the Library Board, under the direction of Nancy Burch. • Membership passes were introduced by the Friends of the Library. Different passes have been offered year to year depending on the willingness of organizations and funding. • The Books on Wheels program was the work of the Library Board. Thank you in particular to board member Audeen Wagner for organizing this valuable service. • The Vernonia Library joined the Passport Program when Jennifer Moloney was Library Director. Credit should be given to Jennifer and the Library Board. I would also add that as her many years as Library Director, Nancy Burch 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. Online Licensing Available for Dog Owners in Columbia County For the convenience of County dog owners, you may now license your dog(s) online. The Sheriff’s Office web page for dog licensing is located at www.co.columbia.or.us/sheriff. The link to the Dog Licensing page is in large font among the links under the Sheriff’s Greetings on the home page. The online dog licensing form automatically calculates licensing fees. You will need your rabies information to be submitted along with the online form, and licensing is dependent on our ability to confirm that each dog to be licensed has been inoculated against rabies. There is a small fee charged by the card processor that is added to the total cost. Columbia Humane Society Featured Pet Toffee is a beautiful one year old hound mix that recently was trans- ferred into our shelter. She is about 65 pounds and very hound-like. Toffee is extremely playful with other dogs and would enjoy a home with a dog friend. She is not going to do well with cats, however. If you have been looking for a hound, this is your girl! Phone: 503-397-4353 Email: animalwelfare@columbiahumane.org 2084 Oregon Street St. Helens, OR 97051 Web: www.columbiahumane.org laid a solid foundation for library services and support in our community. During her time as Library Director, the Friends of the Library formed and became instrumental in allowing the Library to provide the variety of programs and services we now offer. It takes a strong community, not just a Library Director, to make a Library thrive. We are lucky to have that in Vernonia. Shannon Romtvedt Vernonia Public Library To the Editor, Thank you Vernonia voters for passing the Vernonia Schools Bond! As they say “it takes a village” and over and over this village steps up and keeps Vernonia moving forward. We are sincerely thankful to be a part of this community! Your Vernonia Schools Bond Committee: Sharon, Janean, Scott, Brett, Susan, Laura, David, Sonia, Jim, Marie, Katy Upcoming Events Vernonia High School Graduation - Saturday, June 3, 1:00 pm at the Vernonia Schools Gymnasium The Gospel Sons Quartet in concert, Sunday, June 11, 10:30 am at Grace Family Fellowship, 957 State Ave. Upper Nehalem Watershed Council Annual Meeting - Thursday, June 22, at the Vernonia Grange Hall. 6:00 pm dessert potluck, 6:30 board member elections, 6:45 slideshow, 7:45 business meeting. The Great American Bash - Tuesday, July 4. Parade, concert and fireworks. Vernonia Friendship Jamboree - Friday, August 4 - Sunday, August 6 Columbia County Offers Free Transportation to Seniors and Veterans All veterans and residents age 65 and over can ride CCRider on Wednesdays this summer for free Columbia County is offering select residents a free ride this summer. Beginning Wednesday, June 7 and con- tinuing every Wednesday through Au- gust 30, all fixed routes on CCRider (ex- cept past Rainier/to Astoria*), are free for all veterans and riders age 65 and over. “We know some seniors and veterans can be a bit nervous about us- ing transit,” said Michael Ray, the coun- ty’s transit administrator. “We want to show them that hopping on the bus to go shopping or to visit family is easy.” This is the first time the county has offered the free service on CCRider. Seniors were targeted because the coun- ty wants to build ridership for a popu- lation that has a better quality of life when they get out and about. Wednes- days were chosen because local senior AA Meetings Open Meetings Mondays & Thursdays 6:30-7:30 pm Vernonia Christian Church 410 North Street Women’s Meeting Tuesdays 6:30-7:30 pm Grace Family Fellowship Youth Center 957 State Avenue centers generally have fewer programs on that day, allowing seniors to take advantage of the opportunity to travel somewhere new. Cheryl Young, manager of the St. Helens Senior Center, thinks it’s an excellent idea. “I hope people take ad- vantage of the free service on CCRider,” she said. “It will give our seniors more exposure to different areas. I think after that, after just trying it that first time, they will no longer feel awkward about using the bus.” As an added incentive, CCRider will give away an All-Zone pass for the month of September. Seniors and veter- ans can enter to be chosen for the free pass every Wednesday they use the bus. All-Zone passes for seniors and veterans cost $130 per month. Tickets will not be required for a ride for seniors and veterans during this promotion. Regular stops on CCRider in- clude places in Scappoose, downtown Portland, St. Helens, Longview, Clatskanie, Beaverton and the Verno- nia area. Buses stop at often-visited places such as the Fred Meyer in Scappoose, The Streets of Tanas- bourne shopping center in Hillsboro and the Amtrak Station in Kelso. CCRider also stops directly at the Rainier Senior Center, and the Line 3 South County Flex will flex to the St. Helens Senior Center and the Scap- poose Senior Center. Routes and schedules can be viewed online or by calling the Dis- patch Office at (503) 366-0159. *The free service is not available past Rainier/to Astoria because Sun- set Empire, rather than CC Rider, serves that segment.