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The INDEPENDENT, August 19,1998
INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published twice
monthly, on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 725 Bridge
Street, Vernonia, OR 97064, as a free newspaper. Edi
tors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen. Sports Edi
tor, Caren McGaugh. Phone/Fax: (503) 429-9410.
Ordinance could be
a negative difference
The “Parental Responsibility” ordinance under con
sideration by the Vernonia City Council is one of those
straws that people grasp and cling to as though it had
value. Well, it has, but only as much value as any fad.
It is the current fad in our cultural rush to develop a
new class of law breakers. (See ordinances on page
17.)
Parents are already responsible for the actions of
their minor children; that responsibility is both cultural
and legal. Another ordinance isn’t going to be a
panacea for vandalism, whether it is caused by juve
niles or adults.
If parents are neglectful or abusive, there are ways
to help their children.
But, if juveniles are out of control, if they will not
obey parents who are trying desperately to do their job
right, how will the situation be improved by hauling
those parents into court. Does anybody really think the
parents aren’t already at wit’s end?
The legal mechanisms already exist to do what this
ordinance purports to do. There is no reason for the
city council to pass an ordinance that won’t fix any
thing, but will create more law breakers.
This ordinance and a curfew ordinance will be con
sidered by the council on Monday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
in the city library.
What is good, effective
law enforcement?
A visitor was recently saying how much his children
enjoyed Vernonia’s Rock Creek swimming pool, and
reminiscing about his own visits here as a child.
"I swam in that pool from the time I was 10 until I was
22,” he said. “And then I got kicked out.”
Hq wasn’t complaining, in fact he was laughing at
the memory because he had been caught drinking
tequila and knew the scolding he got from Officer
Sharon Ashcroft was deserved.
“ If a kid did that today,” he added, “He’d be arrested
and end up in jail.”
otThis man is a college graduate, a productive person,
a good family man, and a leader in his community. His
story is an illustration of the best side of lenient law en
forcement.
The whole job of law enforcement would be a lot
easier if only our officers were clairvoyant and knew
when they could use that method; unfortunately, it just
doesn’t work for everyone.
It was a great Jamboree!
The crowds came early and stayed late during Jam
boree, and they had a wonderful time. No doubt the
police presence kept a few people from becoming ob
noxious but it was generally a happy and relaxed
crowd.
Chief Jim Walters said it best: “It was the quietest
Jamboree I can remember.”
\T’$ NOT OHLY FOR THF NIGHT-TIMF ANYMORE
Parrow decides to
file for mayor after all
To The Editor
The last issue of THE INDE
PENDENT indicated that I had
chosen not to become a candi
date for election to the position
of Mayor of Vernonia. This as
sumption was understandable
as I had often expressed reluc
tance to seek another term.
However, with the urging of
some citizens, I have made the
commitment to become a can
didate. Two basic reasons
have influenced me to do so.
The City, under the present
administration, has several ma
jor projects underway. The con
struction of a new city hall and
library buildings is progressing.
Renovation of the water distrib
ution system is scheduled to
begin next spring. Extension of
the linear trail to Vernonia lake
via a bridge over Rock Creek is
planned. A “Streetscape” plan
for revitalizing main street is
also in the works as is a Master
Plan for all of the city infra
structure. We hope to continue
the progress of making Ver
nonia ready for the 21st Centu
ry while continuing to keep it a
most liveable community. I
would like to continue to have a
part in the completion of the
major projects.
The second reason for the
decision io become a candi
date is that, with three city po
sitions open, at the time this
letter was written, no one else
has volunteered for election to
fill any one of them. That is not
in the best interest of the com
munity. I would encourage and
strongly urge any and all public
spirited citizens to become
candidates for all of the open
positions—mayor and two
council positions. The citizens
of Vernonia deserve a choice.
The pay for serving is just
the satisfaction of serving the
community and it offsets the
criticism that comes to any de
cision making body.
Complete packets of infor
mation on how to file for elec
tion are available to all poten
tial candidates at City Hall.
HURRY--The filing deadline is
August 24.
Art Parrow
Vernonia
script was very good, and had I
been able to complete the
movie “as written", it would
have been a good movie. How
ever, I had two major produc
tion problems which nearly pre
vented the movie from being
released at all. Problem num
ber one was the fact that the
film’s negative was developed
after the entire movie had been
shot, and due to a mechanical
Advertised sleep aid breakdown at the processing
lab, over one hour of footage
didn’t work out well
was ruined beyond use. The
movie was pieced together
To the Editor:
with “leftover” footage, with
I haven’t been sleeping too many scenes being modified or
well lately and I received this eliminated completely. Second
catalog from an outfit which ly, a problem with the audio
promises, with each sale, free recorder rendered the sound
gifts of merchandise and mil track completely unusable.
lions of dollars. How could I Every voice, every gunshot,
lose?
every explosion, every piece of
I spotted this bra that I can audio had to be artificially re
sleep in — two for less than ten produced at a recording facility
bucks. So I ordered a couple.
in Los Angeles. (Where I was
I put one on and crawled in living at the time.) There was
to bed and didn’t sleep worth a no budget left to go back and
damn!
reshoot any scenes, nor was
Not only that, next morning I there time or money to fly the
looked in the mirror and what I original actors to California to
saw terrified me so that I may re-record their own voices. I
never sleep again.
produced the film with my own
Anyone out there want an money, and at that point all of it
unused bra? I’ll even throw in was gone...some $325,000.
the slightly used one.
The fact is, nobody sets out
FREE—but don’t blame me with the intention of making a
if they don’t work!
bad movie on purpose. Things
Todd Bowerman sometimes happen that are to
Portland tally beyond our control. Such
was the case with my film.
On the positive side, many,
As written, Vernonia
many people in Vernonia were
Incident was good
paid good money for acting,
special effects, location rentals,
To the Editor:
catering, supplies, and vehi
I am the producer of the
cles...and nobody’s check
movie The Vernonia Incident,
bounced! We all had fun. I nev
which was filmed in Vernonia in
er worked so hard in my life,
1989. In your July 15th issue of
working seven days a week for
The INDEPENDENT you stat
nearly two months. But most
ed that my film was “fun to
importantly, we finished the film
watch being filmed but painful
despite impossible odds, the
to view when finished". Regret
film was released worldwide on
tably, that is true. The original
Please see page 3
M r.
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