Thursday March 26,1981
Page 2— Vernonia Freedom
ESD candidate support announced
Ashcraft thanks audience
To the Editor:
Monday night, March 23, the
Vernonia Chamber of Commerce
invited me to speak to a group of
adults at the I.O.O.F. Hall. I
welcomed the opportunity and was
very pleased at the large number of
people from the community who
attended. The topic of discussion was
the alcohol and drug abuse problem
that exists among the young people
in our community.
The large attendance at the
meeting Monday night indicated to
me that there is a definite interest in
this and other local problems. Most of
the people in attendance appeared to
be looking for some answers and
viable programs to deal with some of
these
problems
within
our
community.
I sincerely hope that Monday night
was just a beginning and that there
will be many more such gatherings in
the future. This meeting was an
opportunity for a lot of people to
identify a few problems and if nothing
else, a chance to be vocal and “Blow
off some steam” publicly. This is
great and I hope it continues. It is
now time to plan future meetings and
to make every effort to make these
meetings productive.
The problems in our community
PUBLIC FORUM
and on our streets are problems that
we must deal with as a unified group,
not as individuals going in separate
directions and looking for someone
else to blame. We all must take an
active part; parents, police, the
schools and the community as a
whole.
We have made a start and I hope
that this will not end in a lot of
“wheel spinning” and just talk and
griping but will result in good solid
planning and affirmative action.
My sincere thanks to the people
that took the time to attend this
meeting. It showed that a lot of
people really are interested in the well
being of our community.
Howard “Bud” Ashcraft
continued from page 1
Drug talk captivates group
Ashcraft had set to smoldering in a
dish. “Sort of like when the candle in
a Halloween pumpkin starts to bum
the pumpkin meat inside,” said
another. A small sample of marijuana
and a cigarette were lit so that those
who had never smelled the burnt
maple leaf odor of marijuana before
might have a chance to and could
compare it against the smell of a
cigarette.
Some members of the audience were
quite vocal in their charges against
the
Oregon
Liquor
Control
Commission (OLCC) for what they see
as lax enforcement of purchasing
laws. Many appeared to feel that it
was all too easy for minors to obtain
beer and wine by purchasing them
from friends working in stores where
it is sold, from obliging adults;
(Teenager
lounging
against
convenience store doorway says to
adult about to enter the store: “Hey,
would you mind buying me a six pack
of beer? Here’s the money.”) or by
stealing ir from a store' or their
parents.
After explaining to his audience
that a three man police force, and
especially one that is known on sight
to virtually every member of the
community, just can’t keep up with
To the Editor.
The members of the Columbia
County Support Group for the
Handicapped want to announce our
support for Betty Kreigh for ESD
Board Member at large position.
Many of us have regularly attended
the ESD Board and Budget meetings
increasing drug use and sales,
Ashcraft asked the audience to get
involved and to support police efforts
to curb the problem. “We can’t do it
alone,” he told the group. “It’s going
to take involvement from the schools,
the churches and particularly from
parents,” he said. “At this point,” he
said, “it looks like we may start to get
some of the support we need.”
Options
ranging
from
a
Neighborhood Watch system to
parents making citizen’s arrests when
they see something illegal going on
were discussed.
Although nothing definite was
decided upon at Monday night’s
meeting, the general feeling seemed
to be one of ‘Well, we’ve started, now
let’s keep going.’
It is hoped that this meeting was
only the first of many and that
enough people will stay interested
and involved to actually accomplish
something.
“It’s a start,” said Ashcraft. “But
what happens now depends largely on
how involved these people and their
neighbors stay,” he added.
NEXT WEEK: We'll take a look at
audience response to the program and
at some of the proposed changes and
remedies.
for the past two years and so has
Betty Kreigh. While we were there
because of our interest in our
handicapped children’s education
through the ESD, Betty Kreigh was
there as a concerned citizen and
taxpayer. She has been an asset as a
non-board member as she always “did
her homework” and often offered the
board valuable opinions on ESD
matters. She was usually better
prepared for the budget meetings
than some board members were
because she had read and studied the
available material.
When electing a board member, we
as voters, need to choose a person
who will be reliable - someone who
will attend all meetings. We need to
choose a person who will weigh issues
fairly, who will not be influenced by
politics or game playing. We need
Betty Kreigh as our next ESD Board
Member at large.
Members of the Columbia County
Support Group for the Handicapped.
Darlene Mattila
Warren, Oregon
Petersen supported for ESD post
To the Editor:
On Tuesday, March 31 voters will
go to the polls to elect a board
member to the Education Service
District (the former IED).
Agnes Petersen is a candidate for
the position-at-large. Mrs. Petersen
has attended ESD board and budget
meetings for the past two years. She
understands the functions and
responsibilities of this public agency.
Mrs. Petersen worked with a
parents group last year reviewing
films provided to local districts by
the ESD. This group them made
comments and recommendations to
the ESD board regarding film
selection.
Mrs. Petersen and her husband
John are parents of one college age
son, John, and three St. Helens
School District students, Al, Mary
and Jim.
Mrs. Petersen, a local attorney,
would do an excellent job in
representing the people of the
Columbia ESD.
Join us in voting for Agnes
. Peterson next Tuesday. She’ll do an
outstanding job.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Aubuchon
I
NOTICE
The track meet scheduled for April
16, 1981 has been cancelled and
rescheduled for April 10, 1981 at
Seaside at 3 pm.
PUBLIC NOTICE
This is to notify all residents of this
area who are using city water that the
water charge will increase by $1.00 on
April 1st, and again by $1.00 on July
1,1981.
This increase has been made
necessary by increasing costs of
electricity and supplies
Don Dunaway
City Recorder
3-19,3-26
Hansen’s Country Garden
Member, American Floral Services
NOW IS THE TIME TO:
• Treat for cane borer, scab on fruit
trees, slugs & snails
• Feed Rhodies & other evergreen shrubs
*
STOP BY FOR YOUR SUPPLIES
WE ALSO FEATURE:
Our first bedding plants & shrubs
•
Soil conditioners & lawn care supplies • Gardening products,
including seeds
• And our regular FLORIST SERVICES
HAPPY SPRING 1981
Vernonia Freedom
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