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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1998)
Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, November 18,1998 The 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. Û M I* / Wfc’t L /i ru n T -J-4Ê- A*EIOCAA> fcjfco S IT OAt tT il l W t 6£7 OuK ; - t O fi y lfr UAO TO Jfeut PftaCt is t U g V>eCAot$ Revisit the phone phantom On page two of this issue of The INDEPENDENT, is a letter from GTE regarding a brief editorial in the Opinion column of Oct. 7, 1998, about the “phantom calls" that are plaguing Vernonia telephone customers. GTE’s response is remarkable because it’s a nearly perfect example of responding to something without addressing it. So readers can look at both the original and the response, we’re reprinting the editorial that triggered the response: “Vernonia telephone customers are getting phantom phone calls, calls they answer only to find that there is no one on the line. These aren’t deliberate nuisance calls, they are the result of equipment malfunctions. GTE is aware of the problem but won’t fix it be cause Vernonia telephone customers haven’t complained enough, according to an employee who will remain anonymous in order to keep his/her job. Well folks, there’s a simple solution to that: Every time you get one of these phantom calls, COMPLAIN!” Nowhere in those four sentences is there any indi cation of discontent with GTE’s employees. Nowhere in those four sentences does it mention the Vernonia switching system, only “equipment mal functions.” Nowhere in those four sentences do we question the legality of the calls. All those four sentences say is that, according to a GTE employee, if you don’t complain about the phan tom calls, nothing will be done. Many projects and event keeping things hopping i- iw a t y STAGING P&OPue -ruaouit,. out rw e w o ftL b P L E A S E -? 4s*> Rep invites citizens to visit in Salem To the Editor: I want to express my appre ciation to the voters of House District 1 who sent in their bal lots or went to the polls on No vember 3rd to vote for legisla tors and other elective offices and to make their preferences known on the numerous mea sures. It indicates to me that voters were studying the long-term effects of the deci sions they make at the ballot box. Democracy can only work when there is vigorous participation of the electorate in the process. Thank you, District 1 vot ers, for your trust in me. I will go to Salem with your issues in my mind and heart and do my best on your behalf to make sure they are fairly con sidered. Call me there after January 11th at 503-986-1401. Plan to come down to the capitol and bring your children during the session. It is always an honor to have visitors from the dis trict to introduce to the assem bly. Sincerely, Jackie Taylor Astoria Columbia County residents have in their local govern ment. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received in this election. I look forward to serving the people of Colum bia County with integrity, hon esty, and with a completely open door. For those who supported other candidates for Commis sioner, I would like to thank you for taking an active role in this campaign. The open discus sion of various points of view is perhaps the greatest blessing of living in America. Columbia County has set a marvelous example for the rest of the State by conducting a hotly contested race with civility and courtesy. Be assured that I will work hard to earn your trust and your respect regardless of whom you supported. We have many difficult challenges ahead of us, and we are going to have to work together to meet them. I intend to do my part, and I urge you to help me with your opinions and sugges tions. I am extremely proud to have been chosen to serve Co lumbia County and all of its cit izens. Sincerely, Rita Bernhard Scappoose There are so many volunteers working on the old Scout cabin building project that, at times, it seems to be a whole village in Hawkins Park. The really exciting part of that effort isn’t that the building is being brought up to date, but that the volunteers are doing it so there will be a good place for youth and community activi ties. No individual will profit from the work; their effort is an investment in caring about and caring for their community. The footings are being prepared-however slowly -fo r the new city hall and library buildings. It has taken a long time to get this far but, with a lot of planning and a little bit of luck, the new buildings will be in use be Bernhard expresses fore next summer ends. The city hall building will also thanks for opportunity Thanks for taking house a Visitors Information Center staffed by volun time to write in vote teers from the chamber of commerce; a good example To the Editor: I would like to take this op To the Editor: of cooperation between city and community. portunity to publicly thank the I wanted to take a moment Footings have been poured for a new building on the people of Columbia County for to thank all of you who took comer of Bridge and Madison, too. This is probably the all of the courtesies I have re time to write in Mike Sykes for first new commercial building in Vernonia in more than ceived these past few months Commissioner. This past elec 20 years and, in a really great decision by owners Dan as I campaigned for County tion was a gratifying experi and Heidi Brown, it will appear to be a replica of the Commissioner. The com ence for me. I truly enjoyed the ments, questions and obser chance to meet with so many building that originally stood there. diapfuj. JhjnnkAqwinq •• V • • vations that have been shared further convince me of the high level of interest ■ «*; ■ * fine people from all comers of this County. The opportunity to listen to people’s hopes and ' - * * . . Ail*» » x - • rr* dreams for their families and our communities truly helped give me a better understanding of our county and the unique challenges we all face. I have spent my career working for the people of Co lumbia County and have found this experience very rewarding. I am sorry I will not have the privilege of serving as your County Commisioner next year. I would also like to con gratulate Rita Bernhard for win ning this election and wish her the best of luck. Sincerely, Michael J. Sykes Scappoose GTE response re: phantom phone calls To the Editor: An editorial in the October 7 issue of The INDEPENDENT contained some serious misin formation about GTE. Here is what we would have told the writer had we been given the advance opportunity: • “Phantom ringing” is NOT caused by a malfunction in our Vernonia switching system. It happens in other communities and has nothing to do with the type of switching equipment in use. • As many of our Vernonia customers know, two of our lo cal technicians, J.J. Favale and Merle Gillespe, care deeply about service quality. They have done extensive research on these calls — work that started well before the editorial was published. Their profes sional judgement is that the phantom rings are caused by a telemarketer’s computer that has been programmed to dial several Vernonia numbers at the same time. The first cus tom er who answers hears a sales pitch while the others
