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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2001)
The INDEPENDENT, August 15, 2001 Bstwsen the Bookends By Nancy Burch, Librarian Vernonia Public Library WHEW!!!!!! This exclamation expresses astonishment, dismay, and relief...and is exactly the word to use at the conclusion of another Summer Read ing program. After planning and implementing the program, a big feeling of relief is always felt. As the programs and activities progress, aston ishment at the number of participants and the fun they are having follows. Sometimes dismay accompanies this as the number of youngsters varies and plans go awry or are adjusted. Attendance varied from over 100 to around 20. Taking that into consideration, most parents attending with their children were recruited to help with the activities. The latter activities fea tured music at Anderson Park with Alice Brock, her family and Mr. Isted, as well as a Native American presentation by Bill White Eagle Wil son. Claudia Ryan and Vernonia Police Chief Jim Walters registered bicycles and gave infor mation about bicycle safety. Joe (Avery’s dad) assumed the role of storyteller/reader as did City Clerk Kathy Morrison. Orissa Burghard and Hei di Burch assisted with nearly every activity and Dylan Burch and Travis Baker were exceptional ly helpful also. Errold created the “covered wag on” float and Jeff, once again, saw that it was in place to begin the parade and drove it through the parade route with the loan of a City truck (My family always seems to get recruited.). Randy of Sentry Market donated candy for the parade participants. Again, a great big WHEW!...and thank you to everyone who helped make this summer’s pro gram a success. One idea for summer reading entertainment is Close to Shore, Michael Capuzzo’s historical account of the summer of 1916, when a rogue great white shark attacked swimmers along the Lattsrs ta the Editor New Jersey shore, triggering mass hysteria and launching the most extensive shark hunt in his tory. Capuzzo has presented a vivid, portrait of the era, interwoven with traits of sharks and of the characters involved with the attacks, to cre ate a nonfiction thriller. Other new acquisitions and recommenda tions include The Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver and Desperate Measures by Kate Wil helm. Deaver, the author of The Empty Chair and The Bone Collector, again demonstrates that he is “the master of ticking-bomb suspense” (People), in a stunning cyberspace mystery. Wil helm's latest novel of legal suspense once again takes place in and near her home of Eugene, Oregon. When it becomes obvious that a bril liant, but disfigured young man is going to be ac cused of killing his neighbor, Barbara Holloway agrees to represent him. Complications arise when another suspect and a client of Barbara’s father, Frank, dies under mysterious circum stances. The courtroom battle is the highlight of the novel and the ending of the book is even more satisfactory than a not guilty verdict would have been. Wilhelm commands and holds the reader’s interest without gratuitous sex or vio lence and never fails to surround her gutsy, in telligent and articulate main character, Barbara Holloway, with an equally interesting cast of car- acters. If the hot weather is making you go... WHEW!!, come on in to your wonderful air-con ditioned library. Choose a book or magazine, get comfortable, relax and say, WHEW!! Vernonia Library 701 Weed Avenue Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues., Thur. 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Preschool Story Time, Mondays. 10:30 a.m. Phone: {503)429-1818 — Editor. Women’s Center says thanks for the help To the Editor: Thank You just doesn’t seem to be enough for all the hours of work put in by the many volunteers for the United Way of Columbia County’s first ever Days of Caring held at Women’s Resource Center in St. Helens. After being open for two years and having hundreds of people come through their doors seeking help. They needed some major mainte nance and repair work done. The Day of Caring grew into a whole week of caring and in volved over 24 different busi- nesses. We recorded over 380 hours of volunteer labor during the week and we know that many Georgia Pacific employ ees spent many unrecorded hours before and after the pro ject doing prep work and some last minute replacements be cause supplies didn’t arrive. Of course, I am sure there were several volunteers who didn’t sign in so we weren’t able to count their hours. The Women’s Resource Shelter shut down for one week, July 23 through July 27, and got a complete going over. Volunteers from Georgia Pacif ic, PGE, Fred Meyer, Les Schwab, Columbia County : 1 BBS Youth Corps, Bank of America, RSVP, E. C. Auto Sales of Kel so and many other community volunteers swarmed over the building inside and out. Doors were replaced and repaired, walls were repaired and paint ed, floors, windows and out side of the building were- washed and repaired. Discounts on merchandise, grants to purchase needed supplies and direct donations of supplies were received from Georgia Pacific, Ace Hardware in St. Helens, Ferrell Lumber in Longview, Lumbermens in Longview, Columbia County Transfer Station, PGE, and Boise Cascade. Accidents, fires keep emergency crews very busy From page 1 (State Avenue) by a north bound vehicle driven by Robert W. Hohlfeld, 45, of Buxton. Page 3 Cosnett is in serious condi tion at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, with broken bones and internal injuries. Hohlfeld was cited for dri ving with a suspended license and for driving uninsured. His vehicle was towed. Donations of plants and bark dust to landscape the out side areas were received from Hi-School Pharmacy, Means Nursery, and Chinook Bark Dust. Food, beverages, and all the trimmings to feed these hardy volunteers were donated by Sunshine Pizza, Papa Mur phy’s Pizza, Bank of America, PGE, Subway, Safeway, and Fred Meyer. This was a truly fantastic Days of Caring and is a re minder to all that we are very lucky to live in this county and have such dedicated and car ing people to help when there is a need. By working together, an impossible task became a dream come true. Again, thank you all for mak ing the first DAYS of CARING in Columbia County an out standing success. Kathye Beck Executive Director Columbia County Women’s Resource Center Another successful kids’ fishing derby To the Editor: This year’s fish derby was one of the best ever. We had around 90 kids entered. There were many prizes and every kid got one. A big thanks to all of our sponsors. Chuck Cradit of Bridge St. Bait & Tackle was a great help at getting the prizes. In addition, Steve Lynch donat ed lots of fishing tackle. Also, Paul and Becky Young and The Independent for their do nations. Without them, we would not have had as many prizes. Thanks to Greg Schaumburg for the P.A. sys tem. It helped a lot. It takes many people to han dle this many fisherkids. Thanks to Don Doane, Mag gie Peyton, Dennis Nelson, DeDe Webb, Dale Webb, Don na Gerhke, Kathy Brekken and our auctioneer, Bill Yoe. These people did a great job of keep ing the derby going smooth. I don’t know who has the most fun, the kids or those of us who put it on. Thanks to all of you and I hope we can do it again next year. Don Webb Fish derby chair Izaak Walton League Vernonia New play equipment is very impressive Much to the amusement of visitors and locals, Vernonia Mayor Mario Leonetti made sure the ribbon was thoroughly cut at the dedication of Anderson Park improvements on Aug. 1. To the Editor: A big thanks to the City of Vernonia for the wonderfully impressive play equipment at Anderson Park! This is a much welcomed and needed addi tion to our community. Thank you, guys!! There are so many young children who need this kind of physical development and this is an awesome way of getting it. The new play structure has been fully taken advantage of daily by many parents, includ ing me. I have heard nothing but great comments and thought I’d make sure you heard them too. If you haven’t visited the new play structure yet, I highly recommend it. Our new library is also another fabulous place to visit. Thank you. Dawn Boyce Vernonia Thanks to our great public works crew To the Editor: I wish to thank Robyn and her crew, Jeff, John, Jim and Scott, for the great job they do in keeping our city running. They do an excellent job all year round, but they really put themselves out before the Jamboree, working long hours to complete projects. Anderson Park and the new fence around the Shay look terrific. I know they are very helpful to Vernonia Pride. They are al ways very congenial when asked to hang flower baskets and dig holes for new trees and shrubs, no matter how busy they may be. They also come out on our annual “Clean Up Day” to do a project or help others with theirs. Thanks again to a great group. You are truly appreciat ed. DeDe Webb Vernonia Glad to live in loving, caring community To the Editor: I just want to say I am hap py my family and I live in this community. I can count on oth ers to look out for my boys. It’s nice to know that if anything were to happen to my family or me, there would be love and support from this community. Some people complain about our high electric costs, water and sewer increases and that there is nothing for our youth to do, being so far from “the city." This is a tradeoff our family was ready to make eleven years ago, when we moved here. Witnessing this community coming together time after time, in good times and bad, has reaffirmed my gratitude to be part of Vernon ia. I am unable to name all the people who make this a livable community, but I would like to mention one person, Waylon Buchan. I don’t know him, but if you are lucky enough to have him as a friend, you have found gold. My hat is off to you. Thanks for being part of this community. We just never know how many lives our lives will touch in our lifetime - Robbie and Zack, we will miss you! A grateful community mem ber. Carla Strand Vernonia
