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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2001)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, M arch^l^O O l ■ I ..- __________________________ _ - J m M , business Notes Redistricting Committee seeks input from citizens around state The state Senate and House committees charged with re drawing legislative and con gressional district boundaries have outlined their schedule for taking public comment on re districting. In addition to taking public testimony during com mittee meetings at the State Capitol, the committees will be traveling around the state to get input from Oregonians. The two committees are working in a bi-partisan manner to receive public testimony over the next two months and will travel to at least 11 different locations around Oregon during that time. The 2000 Census shows that Oregon grew by nearly 600,000 people since the 1990 census. The legislature is re sponsible for redrawing legisla tive and congressional district boundaries to reflect both pop ulation growth and the move ment of people from somfe parts of the state to others. According to committeb members, they want to hear suggestions and reasons for moving legislative and con gressional district lines from as many members of the public as possible. Rep. Carl Wilson, (R-Grants Pass) is Chair of the House W yden puts to g e th e r g u id e to loans and grants for rural areas Senator Ron Wyden un veiled a new publication, The Information Superhighway: Building a New Oregon Trail. Subtitled “A Road Map to Tech nology Grants for Rural Com munities,” the guide is de signed to assist communities across Oregon in their efforts to obtain technology grants for business, health care, educa tion and other purposes. “Just as the original Oregon Trail linked our state to the rest of America, a New Oregon Trail can link our small rural commu nities with the rest of the world,” said Wyden. “This guide gives folks specific information need ed to make successful grant applications and join the telecommunications revolution right alongside America’s larg er cities.” The guide provides listings and background facts for gov ernment and non-government agencies offering technology grants. Its easy-to-follow for mat also includes information on how grant monies may be used, deadlines, the dollar amounts of similar grants Ore gon has received in the past and contact names and num bers. Wyden’s guide to technolo gy grants has been more than a year in the making. It sprang from a Rural Infrastructure Conference hosted by the Sen ator. Among other topics, the conference highlighted the growing gap in telecommunica tions access between Oregon’s rural communities and more populous areas. Wyden’s staff compiled the grants guide to help communities from John Day to Vernonia “cut away the red tape” to grow small busi nesses, offer distance learning opportunities, improve health care with telemedicine and use telecommunications technolo gy in ways routinely found in more urban settings. The Asso ciation of Oregon Counties and the Oregon Rural Development Council have endorsed the guide, calling it a “valuable tool for communities.” The 1999 Rural Infrastruc ture Conference brought to gether leaders of technology and rural development, along with county commissioners, city managers, members of pri vate industry and Federal and State agency officials. Communities represented at the Conference will receive a copy of The Information Super highway: Building a New Ore gon Trait, other communities and organizations may request the guide by calling Senator Wyden’s Eugene office at 541- 431-0229. Business Expo plans underway Saturday, June 2, has been chosen for a Vernonia Busi ness and Community Groups Expo. Though still in the plan ning stage, the Expo will pro vide a forum for businesses of all types - in-home, commer cial, contractor, etc. - and civic organizations to promote their products and/or services and, at the same time, raise funds for Vernonia Cares Food Bank. Each participating business will also be urged to raffle something at the Expo, with the proceeds from each raffle go ing to a local non-profit organi zation or activity of their choice (Scouts, Churches, Vernonia Pride, Memorial Cemetery, for example.) Suggestions for the tables or booths include brochures, busi ness cards, posters, back drops, sign-up sheets, mer chandise lists, and other adver tising that will help the public become familiar with the prod ucts and services available in this area. Only the date has been se lected; location and times will be decided soon. Space may be reserved by calling (503) 429-1414 and leaving a message. The cost will be $25.00 and payment may be sent to: Vernonia Cares P.O. Box 126 Vernonia, OR 97064 (please include name, address, phone number and e-mail ad dress) Expo Committee members include Ben and Lisa Edgar, Lauri Jerman, Cindy Smejkel, Patty Fogel and Sandy DeWe- ber. For further information, call Lisa Edgar at (503) 429-4013. Committee on Rules, Redis tricting and Public Affairs. Oth er House members are Rep. Richard Devlin, (D-Lake Os wego) Vice-Chair, and Rep. Dan Doyle, (D) Vice-Chair. Sen. Steve Harper, (R-Kla- math Falls) chairs the Senate Committee on Rules and Re districting, with Vice-Chair Sen. Peter Courtney, (D-Salem). The committees will meet at different locations around the state as follows: March 23 in Medford March 30 in Bend April 3 in Newport April 6 in Coos Bay April 10 in Eugene April 13 in Hillsboro, Beaver ton, Gresham, Portland April 17 in Oregon City April 20 in Woodburn Time has also been set aside each week to accept public testimony during the regularly scheduled committee meetings on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. in the House Committee on Rules, Redis- Radio club elects officers for year tricting and Public Affairs, and on Thursdays from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Rules and Redistricting. Contact committee staff for ad ditional information on proce dures to submit testimony at any of the above meetings. The legislature will use the criteria outlined in law for redis tricting legislative and congres sional districts including conti guity, equal population, use of Jamboree theme contest starts up The Vernonia Friendship Jamboree Theme Contest is open and waiting for your sug gestion. If you have an idea for the 2001 Jamboree theme, mail it to Vernonia Friendship Jamboree, P. O. Box 244, Ver nonia, OR 97064. The winning entry will receive a $50 savings bond. The winning theme will be announced in the May 2 is sue of The Independent. The next meeting of the Ver nonia Friendship Jamboree Committee will be on March 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room at Lew’s Place. Please Patrick Murphy was elected Feb. 20 as the new President of the Vernonia Amateur Radio Klub. The new Vice President is Lee Seibert; secretary will be Norm Roberts. Ed Johnson and Mike Fudge were re-elect ed. VARK meets at the Vernonia Fire Hall on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Anyone interested in “ham” ra dio is invited to attend the meetings. For more informa tion, call Norm Roberts at 503- 429-2405. They study fire command techniques for control and ex tinguishment of fires ranging from small, residential struc tures to multi-occupancy, com mercial complexes. Special emphasis is placed on firefight er safety. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) promotes the professional de velopment of our nation’s emer gency personnel through pro grams offered by the United States Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Insti tute. FEMA’s training goals are to enhance the capability at the community level and to better prepare for emergencies by im proving technical competence and public policy perspective of key emergency managers and staff. mark your calendars and plan on attending. The agenda will include election of president and vice- president, Grand Marshall and Citizen of the Year nominations, committee assignments and new business from the floor. The Jamboree Committee would like all businesses that directly benefit from the Jam boree to have an active role in the planning and execution of this year’s festivities. Civic groups and other interested parties are also invited to take an active role. Sunnyside Cafe Daily B re a ite t Specials ORDERS TO GO: 5 0 3 -4 2 9 -4 8 1 0 Open Daily 5 am-2 pm • 58360 Nehalem Hwy. S., Vernonia fa & ja iw s i ¿ a / zaaaajd & n A Berg com pletes FEMA course Ann Berg of the Mist-Birken- feld Fire Department complet ed the National Fire Academy’s Command and Control of Inci dent Operations course in Em mitsburg, Maryland, this month. In this course, volun teer fire officers are introduced to the Incident Command Sys tem. existing geographic or political boundaries, not dividing com munities of interest, and con nection by transportation links. The criteria also specify that no district may be drawn for the purpose of favoring any politi cal party, incumbent legislator, or other person, and that a dis trict may not be drawn for the purpose of diluting the voting strength of any language or ethnic minority group. & (D s d i HOT, ICED & BLENDED DRINKS & TEA PASTRIES • M UFFINS • COOKIES • BAGELS SANDWICHES • SALADS • SOUPS • CHIU • CHILI DOGS DELI OPENS 11:00 A.M. N a // & Tanning A p p o in tm e n ts Available • Walk-ins Welcome REG HOURS: M on 6a-12:30p *Tu-F 6a-5p • Sa 7a-5p • Su 8a-2p 854 BRIDGE ST., VERNONIA • 503-429-9011 r Serenitu Sardens Oder bals © _ d U nique S b o p Selebratiny O u r S p i r i t '[dditki Full Size Batiks <■ Crystals < Dream Pillows New Selection of Beaded Curtains Beautiful Amber Jewelry < Handmade Pillows Candles < Evening Bags for Prom < Rune Sets Custom Cloaks < Tie-Dye Clothing < Sarongs <—------------------------ - —— ■ V Custom Blended Bath Salts Essential Oils < Soothing Herbal Balms S a e r ie SfoiuerS O d e r b a fO J a r ia fS c r u b _____ Large Variety of Incense & Burners Teas and Herbs Garden Statuary and Fountains Oil Paintings by Christine More Unique Items (hominy ~^oon: J'Jcindmadp (jjfaAA iddvach Mon - Fri 8 am - 4 pm • Sat 10 am - 6 pm 998 Bridge Street, Vernonia • 503-429-4064
