Hyde helps secure funds to complete streetscaping
Completion of Vernonia’s
downtown streetscaping was
made possible when the North
west Oregon Economic Al
liance
(NOEA)
approved
$26,000 for the project, city ad
ministrator Mike Sykes in
formed the Vernonia City
Council at their Dec. 20 meet
ing.
“Thanks to the leadership of
Tony Hyde," Sykes said, the
city is able to complete both the
sidewalk and electrical work
needed for the new light stan-
dards.
Hyde, a member of the
NOEA board, successfully ad
vocated for approval of the
city’s request from funds previ
ously allocated for other pro
jects, but which were unused.
At this time, some sidewalk
and brickwork work remains,
but tree planting and installa
tion of the new light standards
have been completed.
The council also learned
that the council chamber in
Vernonia’s new city hall will
soon be furnished with a dais
and theater-style courtroom
seats. They will be coming to
Vernonia from the old U.S.
Courthouse in Portland, which
is no longer in use.
At the January 3 council
meeting, Mayor Art Parrow in
formed the council that Bob
Curl will transport the furnish
ings at no charge to the city
and, when the truck arrives, the
city has arranged to have the
Vernonia Youth Corps unload
the cargo.
INSIDE:
Vernonia resident Elroy Min
er asked the council to consid
er closing some residential
streets to heavy trucks be
cause of damage that is occur
ring to streets not built for such
use. The city will consider the
request.
The
council’s regularly
scheduled January 17 meeting
will be moved to the following
Monday, January 24, because
it conflicts with Martin Luther
King holiday,
VHS sports....pg. 4
Last baby of the
century........ pg. 6
A look back, and
a look
forward.... pg. 8-9
Assembly honors
academic
efforts....... pg. 11
BULK RATE
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 37
Vernonia. OR 97064
Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley'
Voi. 15, No 1
Fire totally destroyed the Creekview Lane home of Mark and Kathy Plath on Sunday,
January 2. In addition to the loss of their home, the Plath’s motor home and car also
sustained damage from the blaze. The cause of the fire was not yet determined at press
time.
Law enforcement quiet, other
emergency personnel were busy
Local emergency personnel
were prepared for whatever the
new millennium might bring,
but an uneventful New Year’s
eve gave them little to worry
about.
Vernonia Police Chief Jim
Walters said the evening was
"very quiet” and there were no
problems.
New Year’s eve was also
quiet for fire and emergency
medical services personnel,
who spent the night at the sta
tion and had time to actually
enjoy a great pot luck dinner.
Nevertheless, an unusually
busy ten, or so, days have kept
them on the run.
Since December 22, when
the van that delivers mail to
Scappoose rolled on an icy
Scappoose-Vernonia
Road,
January 5, 2000
Skateboards, bikes
on hearing agenda
Not a happy new year.
the department has been busy.
The van was towed back to
Vernonia, the mail was deliv
ered with another vehicle and,
fortunately, no one was hurt.
There were more motor ve
hicle accidents on the 23rd,
25th, three on the 28th, and on
the 30th, all of them caused by
icy roads.
The most serious was Dec.
28 on Keasey Road, when Car
olyn Keasey lost control of her
car on an icy patch and struck
another vehicle coming out of
Creekview Lane. She was tak
en to Tuality Hospital with a
broken pelvis, but is now re
covering at home. The other
driver received only minor in
juries.
In addition to accidents, the
fire district responded to three
FREE
false alarms on Dec. 23, 24
and 25. None of the alarms
was turned in as a prank, they
were sincere reports that
turned out to be unnecessary.
There were also calls for
smoke in a residence and for a
malfunctioning electric heater.
Medical calls over the holi
day period included two car
diac patients and several other
conditions that required atten
tion.
The worst fire call, pictured
above, was the Jan. 2 blaze
that destroyed a home.
In non-emergency business,
the fire board’s bid for property
adjacent to the fire hall was ac
cepted. They plan to develop
additional parking on part of
the property. Various plans are
under consideration.
Restrictions on the use of bi
cycles and skateboards will be
the subject of a public meeting
January 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the
council room of Vernonia City
Hall.
Residents are invited to at
tend and present their opinions
on proposed amendments to
city Ordinance 589. This ordi
nance defines transportation
issues within the city, including
exclusion or restriction of such
things as the use of skate
boards in certain areas and bi
cycle riding on downtown side
walks.
There are concerns about
the safety of bike riders who
must presently travel on Bridge
Street, and about the safety of
pedestrians if bicycles are al
lowed on the sidewalks.
Proposed amendments to
the ordinance would expand
the area barring skateboards,
but would permit bicycles on
downtown sidewalks. As cur
rently proposed, the amend
ments would impose the same
restrictions on bicycle riders as
those listed in Oregon Revised
Statues (ORS 814.410), which
defines unsafe operation of a
bicycle on sidewalk, including
the following:
• To suddenly leave a curb
and move into the path of a ve
hicle that is so close as to con
stitute an immediate hazard.
• To not give an audible
warning before overtaking and
passing a pedestrian and not
yielding the right-of-way to all
pedestrians.
• To operate a bicycle in a
manner that endangers or
would likely endanger any per
son or property.
“Citizens, young and old, are
strongly urged to attend the
meeting,” said Mayor Art Par-
row, “and express their reasons
for support or opposition to the
proposed changes.”
Those unable to attend the
meeting may express their
opinions in written form, mailed
or delivered to the Vernonia
City Council, 1001 Bridge
Street, prior to the meeting.
Free, year-long program will use
flouride to promote healthy teeth
Vernonia and Mist students
in kindergarten to sixth grades
will have the opportunity to par
ticipate in a year-long supple
mental flouride program admin
istered at school.
“King Flouride” is a voluntary
program sponsored by the Ore
gon State Health Division,
which provides the necessary
supplies at no cost to the dis
trict. Each child who partici
pates will receive one flouride
tablet each day that they attend
school, and a toothbrush for
the year.
“We see an average of one
student per week with decay
severe enough to create an ab
scessed tooth,” said Vernonia
dentist Dr. Scott Van Dyken.
“The long range goal is to re
duce decay overall, improve
health and therefore reduce
lost days at school due to den
tal disease."
Studies have demonstrated
that the 60-second swish and
swallow tablet regimen can re
duce decay by 30-40 percent.
It also strengthens permanent
teeth forming in the jaw under
the baby teeth. Parents will re
ceive permission slips to sign
and return to school.
For further information re
garding the “King Flouride” pro
gram, call Dental Hygienist Pat
Stacklie at 429-2675, days, or
429-7563 evenings.