community
november21
2019
17
Bonamici Releases Report on High Cost of Insulin continued from page 5
Northwest Oregon and across the coun-
try. I support the Lower Drug Costs Now
Act to stop these disparities and allow
Medicare to negotiate for better prices.”
“In Oregon, the average Social
Security benefit is only about $1,400
a month – and we know nearly one-
third of people 65 and older rely on this
earned benefit for most or all of their
income,” said Ruby Haughton-Pitts,
State Director for AARP Oregon. “Older
adults take an average of 4.5 prescrip-
tion medications a month. When you
do the math, it’s clearly unsustainable.
For example, the diabetes medication
Lantus has gone from $2,907 in 2012 to
$4,702 in 2017. This impacts the thou-
sands of older adults with diabetes to the
point where we know some people skip
medication – which can land them in the
VHS 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
emergency room or hospital. Americans
should not be paying the highest cost of
prescription drugs in the world. It’s time
to Stop Rx Greed and Cut Drug Prices
Now.”
“Insulin – a drug that was in-
vented 97 years ago – has tripled in price
since the 1990s,” said Max Richtman,
President and CEO, National Committee
to Preserve Social Security and Medi-
care. “There is no way that insulin has
gotten three times better since then. It’s
time to end the pharmaceutical indus-
try’s price gouging of Americans with
serious illnesses. That’s why the Nation-
al Committee to Preserve Social Secu-
rity and Medicare supports Representa-
tive Suzanne Bonamici’s efforts to pass
H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act,
which would leverage the market power
of nearly 60 million Medicare beneficia-
ries by finally allowing the program to
negotiate prescription drug prices.”
Bonamici is a sponsor of H.R. 3,
the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which
would help lower the cost of prescription
drugs like insulin by creating an interna-
tional pricing index that would address
price disparities among the U.S. and oth-
er countries. It would also allow Medi-
care to negotiate with drug companies
for lower prices, and make those prices
available to private employers and insur-
ers that cover people of all ages.
School Board Report continued from page 13
Principal Reports – High School/Mid-
dle School Principal Nate Underwood
reported that both high school and mid-
dle school students are currently above
the required threshold for seat-time
hours. Superintendent Aaron Miller lat-
er reported that the elementary and Mist
schools are also meeting instructional
hour requirements and said an official
report on instructional hours will be pro-
vided at the December meeting.
Elementary Principal Michelle
Eagleson reported that HS/MS band and
choir teacher Ms. Bae is playing music
and singing with elementary students
for 10 minutes during an assembly each
month, and students are very respon-
sive. Eagleson said October attendance
was 94%, which is an improvement. She
said School Houses are working on citi-
zenship in November and are meeting
weekly. She reported kindergarten and
4 th grade students participated in Salmon
Watch activities in October, and said the
Sprouts Carnival was a success. She said
eight staff members attended Enhanced
Core Reading Instruction (ECRI) train-
ing. She reported good participation in
parent conferences. She said VES has
implemented new feedback cards for
parents to utilize.
water issue at Mist School, caused by
the draining of the water holding tank
which was leaking, leaving the school
with no running water. Superintendent
Miller said the District is trying to find
the source of the problem and thanked
the Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire District
for bringing water to fill the tank. Mill-
er said school has not been interrupted.
When asked, Miller reported that paint-
ing work, blind installation, and door
hardware installation at Mist School will
take place over Winter Break.
Juliet Safier spoke on behalf of
the Vernonia Education Association and
said staff is anxious to be part of the
stakeholders discussions planned to de-
termine how the District will spend ad-
ditional funding they are scheduled to
receive through the Student Investment
Account (SIA).
VERNONIA
C H I RO P R AC T I C C L I N I C, I NC.
VernoniaChiro.com
Joseph Dombek, DC
Student Reports – Vernonia senior
Kale Sullivan provided an update on
recent and upcoming school activities,
including: Homecoming events and ac-
tivities, fall sports, a student organized
blood drive, the start of winter sports
practices, Leadership activities that
will focus on school unity, the Winter
Formal in January, and the Presidential
Challenge which will collect food for
Vernonia Cares.
(971) 248-4055
Now Accepting New Patients
610 Bridge Street • Vernonia, OR 97064
Public Comment – Amanda Graham
and Katie Busch, parents of Mist School
students, expressed concerns about the
Church Directory
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 am
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 am
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 pm
Roger Cook, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
Grace Family Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:00 am
Worship Service: 10:30 am
Thursday Prayer: 6:00 pm
Greg “Mac” McCallum, Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Tues. Ladies Bible Study: 9:30 am
Wednesday Service: 7:00 pm
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 am
Gary Taylor, Pastor
500 North Street
503-429-5378
Open Door Gathering Place
Service: Sunday 6:00 pm
Grant Williams, Pastor
375 North Street
503-702-3553
Bible Study:
Sunday 9:00 am at Mariolino’s
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Sunday Mass: 12:00 pm
Fr. Josh Clifton, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service in Youth &
Family Center: 10:00 am
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 11:00 am
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2 nd Avenue and Nehalem Street
503-429-8301