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The INDEPENDENT, July 18, 2001
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n. 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. Phone/Fax:
503-429-9410, e-mail: noni@vernonia.com
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Opinion
Conservation plans
are sensible, not fun
Like people who know they will be miserable if they
overeat— and do so anyway, our culture knows we
need to be sensible about over-indulging in wasteful
water and energy use—but we do so anyway.
In Vernonia, we’re “fortunate” that the city is provid
ing us with incentive...a pain in the pocketbook...to re
duce water usage, and when we reduce water usage
we also reduce the amount of electricity used to trans
form surface water into something we can safely drink.
In the Northwest, people are not accustomed to
conserving either water or power. We have always
had more than enough of both and, though we com
plain about electric rates because we have one of the
highest rates in the Northwest, water and power are
cheap and plentiful here when compared to much of
the U.S. and most of the world.
Because there is major concern about a lengthy
spell of less-than-usual precipitation, the city has insti
tuted summer water rates in an effort to hold water us
age to a reasonable amount. We really don’t need to
wash our cars and trucks every few days and we real
ly don’t need to keep our lawns green year-around.
Now the city has accepted a plan to reduce electric
usage by, initially, eliminating some streetlights.
These are sensible strategies; they may not make
us comfortable, but they’re sensible...like not overeat
ing. Until we force ourselves to look at what we’re do
ing and really sort out what is important and what is
merely habit, we will continue on our wasteful way.
The percentage of people in Vernonia who are
wired into today’s technology is probably about the
same as in any community in the Northwest. At this
time, that technology requires electric energy and, if
reduced precipitation continues in the Northwest, that
energy will become increasingly scarce.
Whether we like it or not, conservation planning
makes sense.
It is counterproductive to
seek an unwanted office
Volunteering to be a candidate for an unpaid elec
tive position takes a lot of courage. Running for that
same position when you really have no interest in do
ing the job is harmful, even if that was not the intent.
It has been instructive to watch Rick Hobart, a nice
guy who was talked into running for a school board po
sition he didn’t really want. It was painfully obvious
that his heart wasn’t in it: First he filed, then he
dropped out, then he dropped dropping out and con
tinued to run.
When other candidates attended school board
meetings and workshops, his absence was conspicu
ous. After being elected, he attended one of three
months of meetings, workshops and budget sessions.
It has been painful for everyone involved and, no
doubt, especially Hobart. It’s a good reminder: We
should not let ourselves be talked into trying to be
what we’re not. Being ourselves is job enough.
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Many street lights will be turned off
The following street lights ei
ther have been turned off or will
be turned off. All citizens who
have questions or concerns
about the selection of street
lights are asked to call city hall
at 503-429-5291 or public
works at 503-429-6921. Ex
plain what your concern is, or
why you feel a particular light
should remain in use. Your
concerns will be considered.
Residents who have been
using street lights as security
lights for their property, will be
able to keep those lights on by
paying the cost of operation.
Call for information.
• H St. and State Ave.
• 1523 East Ave.
• End of F St.
• End of G St.
• E St. and State Ave.
• E St. and East Ave.
• D St. and State Ave.
• Middle & End of C St.
• B St. & State Ave.
• End of B Street
• End of A Street
• A St. and East Ave.
• End of North St.
• A St. and Washington Ave.
• North St. and Washington
• A St. and Grant Ave.
• Park Dr. and Bridge St.
• Bridge St. at Senior
Center
• 374 Bridge St.
• Bridge St. at East of Napa
• 186 Bridge St.
• Center of Louisiana Ave.
• Louisiana Ave. and North
St.
• Louisiana Ave. and Alley
to Oregon Ave.
• Alley between Louisiana
Ave. and Arkansas Ave.
• Alley between Arkansas
Ave. and Mississippi Ave.
• Alley behind Mississippi
Ave.
• Texas Ave. and Arkansas
Ave.
• Alabama Ave. between
Missouri Ave. and Texas
Ave.
• End of Missouri Ave.
• 680 Bridge St.
• 833 Bridge St.
• Bridge St. and Vernonia
Lake entrance
• Riverside Dr. - two lights
• Two at end of Alabama
Ave.
• End of Spencer Ave.
• Two at end of Pebble Cr.
Rd.
• Middle of Alder St.
• End of Alder St.
• Middle of Birch St.
• Mist Dr. between Birch St.
and Cherry St.
• Two on Cherry St.
• Mist Dr. and Douglas St.
• End of Douglas St.
• Mist Dr. and Fir St.
• End of Fir St.
• 3 lights on Grove St.
• 5 lights on Heather Ln.
and Heather Ct.
• Mist Dr. between Juniper
St. and Knott St.
• 3 lights on Knott St.
• Knickerson Ridge Sub
division
• Mist Dr. north of Knott St.
• 2 lights at end of Mist Dr.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 st Ave. and Bridge St.
1467 Bridge St.
3rd Ave. and Bridge St.
1950 Bridge St.
2032 Bridge St.
End of 6th Ave.
1483 Nehalem St.
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
End of 2nd Ave.
1st, 2nd and 3rd Ave. and
Columbia St.
• Rose Ave. and Nehalem
St.
• Ruth Ave.
• 1236 Rose Ave.
• 1539 Rose Ave.
• 1st Ave. and Clatsop St.
• Rose Ave. and R & R
Auto.
• Cougar St. and 1st Ave.
• 2nd Ave. and Umatilla
• 391 1st Ave.
• Cougar St. and Rose Ave.
• Weed Ave. and Maple St.
• Madison Ave. by Mortuary
• Madison Ave. and Cougar
St.
• End of Madison Ave.
• End of Jefferson Ave.
• Jefferson Ave. and Post
Office
• Jefferson Ave. and Mason
ic Temple
• 3 lights on Weed Ave.
north of Bridge St.
• Adams Ave. and D & R
Auto.
• End of Adams Ave.
• Various downtown and
City Hall/Library lights,
between Adams Ave. and
Rose Ave.
If there is a school bond issue on the ballot this
fall will you be able to vote on it? If you
are not registered to vote, the answer is “No.”
Register to Vote — Speak for Yourself