The INDEPENDENT, November 7, 2001
tetters to the Editor
ward them across the center excitement is the obvious fact
line? Tell me, is there really any that several drivers are drinking
purpose to the center line if no beers, as evidenced all along
the road by the empties. Now,
one respects it?
To the Editor,
A 15-mile drive averaging 60 that’s adding stimulation.
While the city is formulating mph (65 on the straights, 55 on
Yes, I can see that people
appropriate signage on High the curves) takes 15 minutes. who would otherwise not come
way 26 to lure people into Ver The same drive at a more rea this way would truly be en
nonia, perhaps we should con sonable average speed of 50 thralled by the thrill of the drive
sider appealing to their sense (45 on the curves, slow enough and the beauty of the trash. I’m
of adventure and the need for to stay in your own lane) would sure they’ll want to come back,
an adrenaline rush. Driving take 12.5 minutes. Is the two aren’t you?
Highway 47 gives me a rush and one-half minutes you save
Love it here, love the drive,
don’t
want to share the center
every time I take it.
by speeding worth risking the
Is there anyone living out lives and psyches of everyone line.
Susan Foster
here without a horror story else on the Highway?
Vernonia
about a car or truck coming to
And, of course, adding to the
Thrill seekers would
love driving Hwy. 47
lliro a n tho BookewM
.......... ......... .
By Cindy Stanley, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
Many thanks to the Friends of the Banks Public
Library for on-going contribution of new books.
Our most recent donation from the Friends in
cludes Black House by Stephen King and Peter
Straub, Mercy by Julie Garwood, The Wild
Blue: the Men Who Flew the B-24’s Over Ger
many by Stephen Ambrose, and Envy by San
dra Brown.
Also among our new books is a new title by
Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer.
His latest book, The Smoke Jumper tells the sto
ry of three people’s quest for happiness and self-
fullfillment, played out against the heroism of fire
fighting in the wilderness. This mesmerizing ad
venture for the spirit is told in the grandest tradi
tion.
Don’t miss the next Saturday for recycling on
November 10th from 9:00 am to 3:00 at the sol
id waste transfer station on Sellars Road. This is
a great time to clear out the garage before the
holidays. The Friends of the Banks Public Li
brary continue to need support for the monthly
recycling Saturday. Volunteers are needed to
work two-hour shifts once or twice a year. Inter-
From page 2
at Vernonia. The only fishery would be in the
north fork of the Nehalem and the estuary. What
would happen if a natural event, disease or haz
ardous chemical release wiped out the only fish
at the hatchery? At the least, a whole year class
would be gone forever.
There is one aspect of this debate that has
been ignored: Who is paying for these artificially
propagated fisheries? Sportsmen almost totally
support the hatchery fish programs that were ini
tially created to produce supplemental fish. We
have ignored the fact that wild, natural hatch
eries have been decimated and that the people
who are responsible, and have profited from this
destruction, have not been held fiscally respon
sible. The only real solution to this problem is to
get the natural hatcheries functioning again,
which will cause fiscal pain to the people who
were responsible in the first place. Isn’t this fair?
Oregon sportsmen should not have to bear total
responsibility for ensuring the continued exis
tence of Coho salmon in Oregon, by supporting
hatcheries.
! i
IS
!
—
ested persons please contact the library!
Fall is a great time to take advantage of the
Cultural Pass to Adventure program. This pro
gram, sponsored by Banks Pharmacy, Banks
Chamber of Commerce, Bighorn Logging,
Brown Derby Restaurant, City of Banks Tree
Board, Gookin Plumbing, the Linus Hermens
family, and the North Plains Chamber of Com
merce, allows library patrons to reserve free ad
mittance passes to cultural institutions. Passes
are available for the Children’s Museum, the
Portland Art Museum, the Japanese Garden, the
World Forestry Center, the End of the Oregon
Trail Interpretive Center and the Washington
County Museum, the Portland Chinese Garden
and the Oregon Historical Society. Registration
forms and program guidelines are available at
the library. Please note that this program is avail
able only to Washington County library card
holders.
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.;
Fri. and S at 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Preschool Story Time, Weds., 10:15 a.m.
Phone: (503)324-1382
Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us.
Hunting season is in full swing and there have
been a few problems and controversies so far
this year. Like many of you, I was surprised to
find the vast tract of land to the west and south
of Vernonia locked up behind gates, even when
the surrounding lands were open. I talked to Tom
Budge of Longview Fibre Company, who ex
plained that this tract was closed to vehicular
traffic because the State of Oregon had a log
ging sale off the Eastside Grade road and they
feared trouble from timber activists, so Longview
Fibre closed vehicular access to the back side of
the sale. Tom made it clear, though, that the land
was open to walk-in hunting, with the exception
of the mainline on weekdays and active logging
sites like the one in the bottom of Clear Creek. I
also asked Tom about the mainline blockage to
large tracts of land beyond them. He explained
that walking directly across the mainline is okay.
What is not permitted is walking along the main
line, which would put a walker in danger of being
hit by tree length-carrying trucks. I took Tom up
on this walk-in access and enjoyed almost exclu-
Please see page 13
Renters pay share of
property taxes
To the Editor,
I have been a homeowner in
Vernonia for a little over a year.
I support the school measure,
but I must respond to Darrell
Hamblet’s letter ¡n the October
17th issue.
Mr. Hamblet believes that he
and his parents did not pay
property taxes, as they did not
always own a home. Unless
rental units and rental homes
are exempt, Gust ask your land
lord about that one) you can be
assured that a portion of your
rent check is applied to the
property taxes. Indeed, you
could even see rents increase
due to the tax liability increases
on the owners of these proper
ties.
So be assured Mr. Hamblet,
you and your parents have paid
your fair share of property tax
es, as do all renters of apart
ments and homes. There are
many good reasons to approve
the school measure, but paying
too few taxes is not one of
them.
Steven A. Loders
Vernonia
Vandalism is also
self-destructive
Open Letter to Cathy Ward,
via the Editor:
There are two types of peo
ple: Those who are honorable
and those who are not. Both
types live among us. Thieves
and vandals are similar to ter
rorists in that they strike without
warning at a time and place of
their own choosing. If you and I
catch them in the act and pun
ish them, we go to jail but they
do not. This is part of an up
side-down system in which a
police officer aims his gun at
schoolchildren riding a motor
bike, an entertainment reported
earlier in The Independent.
There are consequences for
everything we do. The person
who stole Cathy’s flag gave
away a small part of himself as
he did so. The person who
pulled my gate apart with a
truck and chain sacrificed part
of himself on the altar of van
dalism.
It takes a long time to regain
the portion of their innermost
selves that they lose while
committing dishonorable acts.
Some never recover, blaming
other people for their problems.
Page 3
They all suffer from an absence
of respect for themselves,
brought about by their lack of
integrity. They know this in their
own hearts, and they dislike
themselves because of it, nev
er knowing that the path to their
recovery is just a step away.
Why don’t they catch on? I’m
unable to answer that. All I can
tell you is that a continuous rit
ual of self-destruction is depen
dably noted on the Police Re
port page in every issue of this
newspaper.
Walt Ferguson
Mist
WGS is a good place
for kids and parents
To the Editor:
As a father of a wonderful
6th Grade girl, I would like to
take a moment and thank
Washington Grade School for
giving my daughter a great
place to go to school. I have
watched her grow scholastical
ly, socially and as a young lady.
I would also like to thank the
faculty for treating me as a par
ent, citizen and Father; re
specting me every time I have
dealt with them.
Great Job!
Ron Wright
Vernonia
Can’t afford to vote
for new schools
To the Editor:
Just finished reading the lat
est Independent from front to
back. Very impressed by all the
letters and paid advertisements
in support of the School Bond
Issue. Not a dissenting word, in
fact.
Well, here it comes, folks!
Yes, I believe they are right
when they say the Grade
Schools need to be replaced.
Even though I’d hate to see the
buildings go, I know it’s time. I
think all fairminded people want
a safe, nurturing environment
to raise and educate our chil
dren.
And yes, I’m willing to make
financial sacrifices to see this
happen.
Oh, but the stickler!
Have you sat down and fig
ured out just how much the pro
posal is going to cost you at tax
time? $3.00 per $1,000 as
sessed value for 21 years. As
sessed value that goes up
every year? To some of you
Please see page 16