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
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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
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