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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1998)
The INDEPENDENT, January 7, 1998 Letters to the Editor Between the Bookends By Charlene Bechen Volunteer, Banks Library The annual meeting of the Friends of the Banks Library will be held Saturday, January 10, 1998, at 10:00 a.m. in the library. Election of offi cers will take place. The fund raising efforts of the Friends have made it possible for our com munity to have a library. Anyone who is interest ed in the workings of this group is welcome to attend. The Friends have provided a large selection of new books for our shelves this month. They include John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr, The Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts, Cat and Mouse by James Patterson and two of Oprah’s Book Club picks by Kaye Gibbons, Ellen Foster and A Virtuous Woman. Thanks to the efforts of Ann Fulton, the Friends of the Library have received a grant from the Oregon Council of the Humanities to present four lectures beginning in early 1998. Sponsors include the Friends of the Library, Banks Area Merchants Association and several other community groups. Topics will include Steam Whistle Logging, an expanded history of the City of Banks and surrounding area, the his tory of the Japanese-American community, and the social history of quilting. Details of dates and times will be released soon. Save your non-foil holiday gift wrap to include with other recyclables for Recycle Saturday, January 10. The recycling center is located at the SWATCO service yard, 15945 NW Sellers Road, just south of the Sunset Highway. The Friends are always looking for volunteers to help staff this monthly event. If you can donate an hour or two of your time once a month, or even once a year, please call Donna at 324-3404. Bond issue triggered by safety concerns To the Editor: The volunteers, the chief, and the board of Vernonia Rur al Fire are asking the voters to approve, on the mail ballot of March 10, 1998, a bond mea sure of approximately $320,000 to fund the purchase of a new fire engine, and remodeling another. Our primary reason for this is safety. The leading cause of injury to volunteer firefighters is riding the “tailboard,” the area at the back of the fire truck Banks Library 111 Market Street. where they stand while riding Hours: Tues, and Thurs,, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to a fire. (Professional firefight Wed., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ers don’t get hurt this way Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 because they don’t use tail boards. They’re illegal and have been for at least a dozen years.) The proposed new engine, and a new chassis for By David M. Jones our existing rescue vehicle, our juvenile native salmon and trout. Instead of would both be crew cabs. Izaak Walton League, Nehalem Valley Chapter having legal seasons on these species, perhaps Support your volunteers! Anglers in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest they need to be fished out, if that is possible. Vote for the bond issue! are facing a bleak future, but not as bleak as the Further introductions of exotic and non-native Cordially, future of our cold water-loving native species certainly need to be stopped in all Frazier Rohm species...the salmon and trout of our once pris waters that hold sea-run cutthroat trout, Pacific Vernonia tine streams. The agencies on all levels of gov salmon and steelhead. Here are some of fish conservation organiza ernment that should be working to protect our Breakfast fundraiser fisheries are, all too often, subject to the “politi tions you may be interested in joining: The Izaak Walton League of America, typifies community cal realities" of our times, ie., the pressures of a political system strongly biased by a legalized Nehalem Valley Chapter, care of Ralph Berger- bribe system built into the election process with son treasurer, 54375 Timber Road, Vernonia, To the Editor; My wife and I celebrated the campaign money. Both parties are guilty of this 97064. The dues are $30 to become a “defend first day of winter by treating process and hopefully there will be progress er of soil, air, woods, waters and wildlife.” Oregon Trout, a non-profit organization with a ourselves to breakfast at made in the future to right these wrongs in the mission to protect and restore native wild fish Leonetti’s restaurant. Mr. and government of one of the greatest countries on and their ecosystems, can be reached at 117 Mrs. Leonetti donated 100 per Earth. The use of the initiative process by citizens is SW Naito Pkwy., Portland, 97204. Call for dues cent of all the proceeds to help one of the few remaining methods of direct amount (503) 222-9091. After you join, I would in the restoration of the Scout democracy left to the common man and there is encourage you to participate in the Riverkeeper Cabin. Delicious pancakes and a move to make that the resource of special or program run by Steve Hinton. This is a program eggs were served in generous corporate interests in the future. I will have more of citizen involvement in fish-positive projects proportions from 6:00 a.m. to on that at a later date. [Anyone who has perti throughout the state. Hinton has been working 1:00 p.m. The service was excellent, nent information on this can contact me, care of with our local watershed council, too. Anyone familiar with Oregon Trout knows that none of the customers had to The Independent] Bill Bakke was a force in that organization. Now make eye contact nor rattle It occurred to me as I walked around trying to find my glasses, that those of us who are con Bill has formed the Native Fish Society, P.O. Box their cup to attract their wait cerned and want to do something about the 19570, Portland, 97280. (503) 977-0287. Dues ress’ attention. The young problems facing our fish and fisheries, too often are $50; $25 for students and seniors. In this ladies who served us were are walking around blind or at least sight new organization, Bakke is continuing the work constantly filling our coffee cups, water or juice glass. We impaired. This doesn’t have to be the case. he began at Oregon Trout. Another fish-friendly organization is the Fed could not have received more, There is a way to work on the problems and pre sent a unified front to often uncaring or political eration of Fly Fishers. The local chapter is the nor better, service had we gone ly correct agencies, and that is to join a conser Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers, to breakfast at one of Port vation organization and work within it to improve P.O. Box 40276, Eugene, 97404. The group’s land’s finest hotels. In addition to Mr. and Mrs. mission is to “improve fly fishing in Oregon by habitat and our fisheries. It is also possible to work with different agen providing information to fly fishers to improve Leonetti, all of the following cies while not agreeing with all of their policies. their skills, by preserving and expanding flyfish donated their resources, time For example, I have worked with the Oregon ing opportunities and by improving fish habitats." and effort to make the break Department of Fish and Wildlife for years on dif Membership dues are $29 per year for individu fast a great success for a worth-while cause: ferent projects, but I opposed the introduction of als, $35 for families, $22 for senior citizens. Shirlee Daughtry, Deborah Any other fishing, hunting, or conservation largemouth bass into the Tenmile Lake system in Coos County, where I grew up. I also opposed organizations that would like to be included in Brown, Christie Brown, Synda the subsequent introduction of the hybrid bass future articles may contact me through this Allen, Kortni Hyde, Malorie Baker, Megan Baker, Mary into that system. It is notable that, following the newspaper. Kunkel, Katy Taylor, Katelyn Get involved and join a fishing organization introduction of largemouth bass into the Tenmile McWhirter and Doreen system, the numbers of native coho salmon ...or look for your fishing to go down the tube. Tip for this month: It is possible to use shrimp Richards. declined from a high of 70,000 to below 10,000 This was a classic example and they have never gotten above 10,000 since scent or other attractants on your K-16 Kwikfish that time. The decline occurred within a few instead of a wrap of herring. On a recent trip on of people working together for years of the introduction of the non-native large the Sixes River I hooked two nice Chinook flatlin a stake in the future. This is Vernonia, did you mouth bass. During that low population period ing a K-16. Subsequent trips using a wrap did really expect any thing less? not produce a fish or a hook up. I'm going to tie ODF&W also allowed harvest of coho within the Respectfully, Tenmile system and it was one of the last areas up some Comets and shrimp patterns and try Larry Doppke statewide where harvest was curtailed. The them on Southern Oregon Chinook and steel Vernonia head. I recently read in one of Roderick Haig- problem with this harvest mentality, that I think is brought on by this agency getting such a large Brown’s books that he brought king salmon to a part of their budget from license and tag sales, silver brown fly on a number of occasions. So Thanks for help with is that it makes it quite difficult for ODF&W to be we will see..... Happy New Year to all of our readers and Christmas decor a conservation organization and work to help here’s hoping there are salmonids in our future. To the Editor: our native species of fish. Sometimes a species of fish is introduced ille Vernonia Pride would like to Izaak Walton League meetings are on the gally, then ODF&W rewards that introduction thank Terry Schaumburg, third Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m. with legal status by opening seasons on the Randy Anderson, Butch Scott The public is welcome. For meeting loca species. Many of these species are major and Jim Brunsman for getting tion, call (503) 429-7193. predators like the smallmouth bass, largemouth Ike Says *•' / \ u i ' *'.4- • -• ■ I ¡ D tM S K r . • -i. si AEOC • • L’ - • Page 3 -5 Ü 3 Ä > • ■ * • Aj* .r <*>»/* ¿ • * ‘.A V ' ggaBfciaBBBBBMMWaBWBBMBMBBWI •’ < ju . T f Kk“ * */ . » btrf» * *• < / * 5 » and putting up the lighted com munity Christmas tree. It is a beautiful tree. Thanks to Mike Pihl for the space and the electricity We would also like to thank Meyer’s Tree Farm for the donation of the tree that was lighted at Shay Park. People like all of you help make Vernonia the special place that it is. Your contributions are appreciated. Shirlee Daughtry Vernonia Pride Dislikes publicizing bad hunter behavior To the Editor: I’ve been a fan of sports man’s outdoor mags for years. Always anxiously awaiting next month’s edition. Only to find out that none of the feature articles are on our species, or our area. So when our local little paper found room for local citizens to read about our own neck of the woods, I was elated. You see, I’ve been here for the better part of 25 years so I’m going to boldly step forward as a Ver- nowhere local. We are all, as sportsmen, aware of the Hunters Rights Activists and the Animal Rights Activists. What a can of worms. I won’t name all of my favorite outdoor authors, but every single one has stressed that, as sportsmen, we should not do anything to add fuel to our opponents’ already too brightly burning fires! So, to get to the point, every time (almost) that I read our local sportsman’s article I end up throwing it on the floor in disgust. You see it’s always full of fuel for Animal Rights Activists. Enough is enough. I’m talking about lecturing us fellow hunters about ethics, while in the same breath sling ing buckets of gas on those brightly burning fires. To me, when someone prints things like everyone aim, on the count of three we’ll all shoot, guaran teeing the boy fills his antelope tag so we can be proud of a three generation success! And just another trip to the woods for meat! And like 400 yard run ning head shots, and like Jerkowski families, and like blowin’ off tails, legs, and like snot slingers, and compare themselves to our best outdoor writers. Come on clean it up. So please, if you can’t put out a more positive article, give it up. I’m ashamed when I think of outsiders reading these arti cles. I most certainly hope they don’t think all Vernonians are this way. Patrick McManus created Rancid Crabtree with class, however backwoodsy class none the same. I find this like stacking cases of 50 caliber hollowpoints, handed to our enemies on a sil ver platter. Robert Keller Vernonia More Letters on page 16 ■ * , • ♦ «•J > Í V.'»
