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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2018)
january18 2018 www.vernoniasvoice.com reflecting the spirit of our community Vernonia’s Natural Choice: More Than Just Weed Vernonia’s local pot shop sells a wide range of cannabis prod- ucts that can offer therapeutic effects for a variety of ailments free VERNONIA’S volume12 issue2 smoked it decades ago when they were young. They’re coming in now, people in their 60s and 70s, and are looking for re- lief. So we’re really trying to help people with the medical part of it.” By Scott Laird Two years after Oregon voted to approve Measure 91, which legalized recreational mari- juana and allowed dispensaries to begin selling cannabis products to the general public, consumers and manufacturers are still discovering new uses for this versatile plant. Vernonia’s Natural Choice, located at 886 Bridge Street in the heart of Vernonia’s downtown, opened its doors to customers as soon as recreational marijuana was authorized on October 1, 2015 and the state began taxing and regu- lating it. Owners Wendy Brisbin and Mike Buffum initially started selling marijuana that Buffum had been growing as a registered medi- cal marijuana provider in the state. Oregon’s legal cannabis business has expanded to include both THC infused products (THC is the psy- choactive compound in marijuana that gets you “high”) along with hemp and non-infused products Vernonia’s Natural Choice manager Dawn Scott, that only contain CBD which do and owners Mike Buffum and Wendy Brisbin. not get you high. Vernonia’s Natu- ral Choice has expanded their product line Brisbin says, while Oregon law to offer numerous products that can help does not allow marijuana dispensary work- those suffering from a variety of ailments ers to diagnose illnesses or diseases, and including pain, nausea, inflammation, in- they certainly can’t prescribe a particular somnia, anxiety, PTSD, and much more. brand or product, they can make recom- “We opened with all our own mendations of products they think might grown product and have slowly expanded, help someone with particular complaints. as the state approved concentrates and the She says Vernonia’s Natural Choice has full spectrum of CBD products like topi- helped local customers minimize effects cals, oils, capsules, and tinctures,” says from diabetes, and helped with insomnia, Brisbin. “We’re finding that we’re now anxiety, and pain. starting to get a lot of customers who have “We didn’t realize how much we never smoked weed before, or may have were going to be able to help people,” says Brisbin. “It’s really nice when they come back and tell us how we’ve been able to help them with this service. There’s noth- ing better than being able to help people enjoy life more.” Vernonia’s Natural Choice has seen a wide variety of customers walk through their doors including one in their vote yes on mid-80s and caregivers for the elderly. measure 101 “It’s fun to help people and it’s fun to see people try things that they like,” adds store manager Dawn Scott. “We’ve keep it local heard from a lot of people that they’ve columbia county been able to quit their other medications, especially opioids, and have gone to CBD and THC products.” vhs senior projects Brisbin says she had a background in retail sales and management, with eight years experience managing a liquor store among other retail jobs before getting into the marijuana dispensary business. She vhs winter sports says she and Buffum were exploring the idea of opening a retail dispensary almost as soon as Oregon started talking about inside 3 10 11 12 continued on page 9 Vernonia’s Green Bridge Scheduled for Repairs in 2021 While bridge aging is the biggest threat across the state, ODOT has no plans to replace Vernonia’s bridge The State of Oregon has sig- nificant issues with aging infrastruc- ture, including state highways and bridges. One of those bridges in need of replacement, or at least repairs, is Vernonia’s “Green Bridge,” a steel structured bridge over the Nehalem River on the north end of Vernonia that was built in 1938. Oregon Department of Trans- portation (ODOT) recently released their 2017 Bridge Condition Report which shows that, due to transpor- tation investments over the past 16 years, the 2,742 bridges on the state highway system are in pretty good shape when judged by federal and state performance measures. Fewer than a quarter of ODOT’s bridges are rated as dis- tressed, meaning they have structural or other deficiencies that limit their function or require attention. Any bridges deemed unsafe for travel are closed immediately. Still, state highway bridges are aging — nearly 50 percent of ODOT’s bridges were built more than half a century ago. With age comes a growing need to replace and repair bridges. Vernonia’s Green Bridge has been deemed Structurally Deficient in ODOT’s Bridge Condition Report, yet ODOT is currently only planning to do basic repairs to the bridge, rather than a full replacement. Former Vernonia Mayor Sally Harrison is campaigning to get ODOT to change their plans and replace the bridge now, rather than make repairs. Harrison was the Mayor in 2007 when Vernonia suffered serious flooding on Rock Creek and the Nehalem River, with waters reaching the substructure of the Green Bridge. “That bridge is extremely im- portant to this community,” says Har- rison. “It’s been eleven years since the last flood and that bridge is very susceptible. I’m afraid the next step, if it isn’t replaced, is they will place load restrictions on the bridge, which could really impact the economy of this community. And I really don’t think we should wait until it fails. If it’s a matter of it needing to be replaced, and I think it is, then let’s just do it.” Vernonia, along with the rest of Columbia County, are included in ODOT’s Region 2. Vernonia’s Green Bridge, was identified as a prior- ity for repairs and listed on the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) in 2016. STIP is a capital continued on page 5 4 th of July Fireworks Display in Jeopardy Each year the Vernonia Vol- unteer Fire Association (VVFA) and the Vernonia Volunteer Ambulance Association (VVAA) have funded the Vernonia 4 th of July Fireworks show through donations, fundraisers, and incentive money from Intel for volun- teer hours by their employees. Over the past two years there has not been any money received from Intel that was anticipated and there- fore the $5,000 show has been fully funded by the two volunteer associa- tions. At this time the VVFA and the VVAA do not have the funds to put on the show this year. The fireworks need to be ordered by February 15. The VVFA and VVAA are asking for the community’s help in collecting donations so they can put on the show the community has appre- ciated for so many years in the past. Donations can be made to Vernonia Volunteer Fire Association and can be dropped off at the Fire Station or mailed to them at 555 E. Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.
