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The INDEPENDENT, August 24,1994
INDEPENDENT
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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
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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