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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1994)
% Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, August 24,1994 INDEPENDENT LOCK QyT I \jtiA T HAS Y£ T TO ¿UAFAC6 7 TToMbeR ?' The Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published twice monthly on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 1206 S tate A venue, V ernonia, OR 97064, as a free new spaper. E ditors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen, (503) 429-9410. W e tla n d s and w et brains, both squishy V.W. W.V.V The recent announcement that wetlands problems may delay the Hwy. 47 realignment between Beaver Creek and the Nehalem River (The INDEPENDENT Aug. 10, 1994) is distressing to everyone who has worked to eliminate that dangerous stretch of road. Equally distressing, if they weren’t so ludicrous, are some of the comments the announcement triggered. Some people seem to have a mind set that says if PACTS AM) there is a problem, any problem, regarding natural re sources, it must be the fault of environmentalists. This is a foolish reaction in most instances, but when the people saying it also proudly proclaim themselves to be the “true” environmentalists, it’s downright funny to hear them blaming themselves. Iri any case, before rushing to blame someone for M any th anks for the delay, it would be wise to first know the subject help at the art show better. The regulations regarding wetlands that are af fecting Hwy. 47, are federal and they were approved To the Editor: For all the work done be by former President George Bush, who is not gener fo re , d u rin g and a fte r the ally considered a flaming liberal. Jam boree, “T hank y o u ” to Furthermore, the problem will be solved because Beverly Berkholtz, Jean Ann the regulations also allow for “mitigation.” In this case, Borders, A rietta Frace and mitigation will likely be achieved by expanding wet Jennifer Worthington. Another lands in a nearby area, not a very difficult task given “Thanks” to the helpers we recruited-M argaret Aldrich, the terrain. Ruth Ann B row n, A liso n The only real question at this time should be to Dinger, Edna Hailey, Laurel wonder why it took department of transportation em Jensen, Pat Lloyd, Pam Mon- ployees so much time to even notice the potential nin, Faith Reynolds and the Professionals, Dolly Keenon, problem. Beverly Osborn and LaRee In recent conversation with Location Project Man Peters. ager Paul Hailey, he said the delay looks like it will be My thanks fo r the many about 2 months, instead of the six months he first flowers and plants displayed projected, because it really is a minor problem. That by B e v e rly B e rk h o ltz and Jean Ann B orders. A lso a is good news but, in either case, there will be another note of appreciation to any winter with treacherous ice on the s-curves and the one who helped and may bridge—the job still isn’t done. have been inadvertently omit tq is « — o 0» r . r & i > I Letters to the Editor ted. O ur very special “Thank you” to the husbands for all your ideas, muscles and pa tience and also to our families for your support. The Vernonia Society of Arts & Crafts sends thanks to a ll who contributed; we wish to see you again next year. Sincerely, Irene Christensen, Jamboree Chairman Vernonia Society of Arts & Crafts Thoughtful donations help small communities The donation of $10,000 to small emergency medi cal service agencies by Cavenham Forest Industries and their parent company, Hanson Industries, was undoubtedly appreciated by the seven recipients (see article on page 4). It should also be appreciated by the people who live, work or travel in those areas be cause the donations will help many people who aren’t connected in any way to the donors. These well-thought-out donations are really gifts to Preschool greatly entire communities. As a small part of two of those appreciates help communities, we would like to extend a very large thank-you to Cavenham for a gesture that is both To the Editor: I would like to thank the neighborly and is a good example of corporate re following people for all of their sponsibility. hard work and dedication to Vernonia Preschool: Roger Lindsley, Lisa Hard wick, Clyde & Marilyn Tate- man, Ed Joh nso n, Linda Graf, Dawn C arr and Judy King for painting the inside of School is starting soon. Please drive carefully and watch for children on the road. • the preschool building. Also a very special Thank You to Randy and Kelly Ell- son for making and donating our playground equipm ent and to Lisa H ardw ick and Roger Lindsley for all of their time and effort securing the Meyer Memorial Trust grant aw arded to V ernonia P re school. Sincerely, D'Lisa Watts Vernonia Preschool Sheep dog trial was very well handled To the Editor: As a h a n d le r of a fe w years and organizer of the Oregon Trail Championship for 10 years, it was my plea sure to com pete at the 1st Annual Banks Classic S.D.T. All of the many details were handled as if the organizers had been doing this for a few years. I look forward to being a part of the 2nd annual Banks Classic S.D.T. Thank you to the MANY people who made this happen. Kathy Brunetto Oregon City Bureaucracy slows business growth To the Editor: Four and a half years ago my husband and I returned to the U.S. a fte r spending 21 years overseas for his military career. We chose our farm in Oregon to start an agribusi ness partly because we per ceived Oregon to be a pro gressive, econom ically d y namic state intent on foster ing small business. Instead we have found a repressive, bureacratic miasma seriously ...... rivaling that of any underde veloped third-world country in which we lived. We were first “enlightened” on the land use rules and LCDC when we spent months, and quite a bit of mo ney, pu rsuing the right to have a home on our farm from which to direct farming of our labor- intensive Asian Pear orchard. That ordeal fi na lly con clu d e d when the Linn County Commissioners asked me how they could be assured this was not a hobby. My response was that the re sulting 100,000 plus pounds of gourmet fruit would be a bit much for home preserves. Last year we received a grant from the Oregon Eco nomic Development Depart ment to form a netw ork to produce value-added Asian Pear products. My final report to OEDD included the follow ing: “The single, most difficult challenge to creating the network, building the facili ty and establishing a busi ness has been the secur ing of local, state and fed eral permits. ... it is con fusing, tim e-consum ing, and costly...” It is my sincere hope that Oregonians deregulate land use and promote an atm o sphere in which business can prosper. As it is now, many entrepreneurs are choosing other states to begin their en terprises or are considering, as we are, relocating. Isn’t it sad that we drive away the very people who would partic ipate in truly responsible, pro ductive use of our land? Sheila D. Ford, President Gourmet Harvest- Northwest Specialties Sweet Home Please see page 16
