The INDEPENDENT, March 6, 2002
Letters to
Vernonia marketing
plan is exciting
To the Editor:
Having seen the announce
ment in the Independent for an
“open to the public” meeting at
City Hall on February 19 at 7:30
to discuss the Vernonia Market
ing and Business Analysis, I
went, listening, enjoying, and
was able to read the presenta
tion
researched
by Mary
Bosch, of Marketek. My sur
prise was first, not many Ver-
nonians in attendance and sec
ond, I got to read the entire pre
sentation. It is full of creative
ideas for our tow n’s growth and
an excellent critique of some of
V ernonia’s
problem s. Ms.
Bosch did a spectacular job
pointing the way for Vernonia to
assist existing business while
promoting “tourism ” in Vernon
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ia. She encouraged capturing
the essence of our community
and capitalizing on what we al
ready have to offer visitors. Our
town is on the way to Highway
30; we have Jamboree, Larry
S teele’s, Christm as Bazaar,
etc. and all come in from High
way 26 on our Highway 47.
Vernonians, volunteers, all
did it for Shay Park, Anderson,
Spencer Park and our Scout
Cabin, etc. The creative minds
of this community could come
together again volunteering to
implement these and their own
ideas into an actuality that
would really bring business to
Vernonia. The short term visi
tors would be back again and
again for more.
Are you new in town? Do
you have senior extra hours?
Get a copy of this report!
Is it down your alley to head
up this kind of a committee? I’m
By Cindy Stanley, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
The next special program at the Banks Public
Library will feature well-known Portland perform
ers, “ Innisfree,” on Saturday, March 9th at 7:00
p.m. Innisfree will bring us traditional Irish music
with songs, jigs and reels by Brenda Searcy and
Jim Loewenherz. This talented duo performs
and teaches Irish music, using voices, accor
dion, pennywhistles, guitar, concertina, mandolin
and bodhran (Irish drum).
“We offer a blend of excellent musicianship
and neighborliness, knowing the importance of
each of us in making our neighborhood vibrant
and rich,” Innisfree explains. .The program is free
to the public and is brought to you by the W ash
ington County Cooperative Library Service, the
Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Nation
al Endowment for the Arts.
March 9th is recycling day sponsored by the
Friends of the Banks Library at the Swatco Ser
vice Yard on Sellers Road near Hwy. 26, be-
From page 2
year. The bill for this outbreak of TB may be as
much as $100,000 to $200,000. Thanks, elk
ranchers!
The question must be asked: Is it viable to
have wildlife ranching in Oregon? The risks are
inherently high and the costs for such ventures
are not being borne by the people reaping the
profits. It is basically a no-risk operation. To ask
sportspeople to bear the costs of such risks is
not justifiable. If an infectious disease spread
from captive animals into the wild animal com
munity, the economic losses to our state could
be horrendous. Hunting is a big industry in Ore
gon and the spin-off of related purchases (guns,
ammo, clothes, food, shelters, pickups, animals,
etc.) is huge. Is the ranching community willing
to shoulder the economic costs if an outbreak
has a devastating effect on wildlife in Oregon?
Are they liable? This is a question that their in
a volunteer. Join the rest of us,
please.
Isabelle McDaniel
Vernonia
Regional Strategies
program vital to area
To the Editor:
I read your page one article
on C om m issioner Joe Cor-
siglia’s proposed changes to
the Regional Strategies and
your editorial as well. Both
were very well written.
Having served on a number
of local and countywide com
m unity organizations, it as
tounds me that one of our com
missioners could not only have
such little information about the
benefits of this program to all
communities, but would be re
miss in not consulting his fellow
commissioners before submit
tween 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you miss this
date, look for the mixed paper recycling bins that
were near to Main Street in the parking lot of
Dayspring Christian Fellowship. They have been
moved away from the street onto the City of
Banks’ gravel parking lot, next to the paved li
brary parking lot. Proceeds from the bins now
benefit the library. The hauler accepts mixed pa
per (including old paperback books, magazines
and newspapers) but not cardboard.
Remember, Banks Library patrons with Inter
net access can browse the library resources or
reserve materials electronically by going to the
website listed in the information box here.
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.;
Fri. and S a t 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15
a.m., when school is in session.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382
Internet: www.WILInet.wccis.lib.or.us.
surance agents should be asking themselves.
Then there is the question of compensation to
sportspeople who are affected by a loss of hunt
ing opportunity. If a prized captive bull elk is
worth $10,000 dollars, what is fair compensation
to a sportsperson who is denied the opportunity
to hunt for many years into the future? These are
all questions without answers and I personally
do not feel it is fair to have these types of opera
tions in Oregon until they are answered. It is time
to follow in the footsteps of Montana and
Wyoming and remove this threat from our state.
We have too much to lose for so little gain.
Izaak Walton League
Nehalem Valley Chapter meetings are on
the third Thursday of each month at 7:00
p.m. The public is welcome.
For meeting location, call (503) 429-7193.
ting testimony on official county
letterhead.
To destroy a program that is
so vital to this county is not in
the best interests of this voter.
Peter Alotta
St. Helens
Don’t cut music to
balance the budget
To the Editor:
I don’t know exactly how to
say this because it doesn’t (yet,
I think) concern Vernonia
schools, but the 5:00 p.m. news
on Channel 2, Monday, Febru
ary 25, had a spot on an Ore
gon school having to cut some
thing from the budget. They are
considering the school music
program s, starting with the
“lower” grades. But, they will
raise school sports fees to keep
sports. O.K., so the older kids
need their outlets.
But, young children (Grade 5
and lower) don’t have the mus
cle nor drive for such sports.
They can, however, sing,
dance and have the desire to
make music.
My two kids, one of each,
didn’t play sports, they were not
so inclined. In Grade 5, my son
took to the slide trombone. He
could hardly extend the slide
halfway, but he stuck with it un
til his Senior year. The school
sports band, the jazz band
went far in competition, not win
ning first place all the time, but
because of his music, he didn’t
become an alcoholic, does not
smoke (he needed his lung
power), nor did he join the red
neck pack in town. My daughter
sang through school.
Please, if you are faced with
dropping something, don’t let it
be music.
Jacqueline Ramsay
Vernonia
P.S. Thanks for giving me a
place to vent my concern for
the kids.
Senior lunches get
help from community
To the Editor:
C ongratulations, Vernonia!
Once again, you’ve “stepped
up to the plate and made it hap
pen!” When the Senior Center
announced their funding for
lunches two days a week had
been cut, the people of Vernon
ia said “That can’t happen!"
The “wise ones” who lunch and
socialize at the center are the
same ones who made Vernon
ia what it is today. They’re the
people who baked casseroles,
cookies, etc. for those in need.
Now, they need our help and
it’s pay back time.
W ithout the generous PEO
sisters’ encouragement and do
nations, we would be in real
dire straits. Also, Rietta Behnke
spent many hours cooking and
looking for help. She made it
happen when the funding was
first cut. Noni Andersen and the
Independent brought the story
to our attention.
Help is still needed. Dona
tions of canned fruit or vegeta
bles, desserts and cash will be
greatly appreciated. They can
be taken to the Senior Center
and are tax deductible. Please
designate the Tuesday/Thurs-
day Club on any donation. With
your help, we can continue to
support those who have given
so much to this community. If
you have any questions, please
call me at 503-429-9671.
I urge anyone who would
like to get to know these won
derful, interesting people, to
spend some time with them at
the center. They have some in
teresting stories to tell and are
always willing to share their
time with friends. Looking for
ward to seeing you soon.
Carol Davis
Vernonia
Wrong to discredit
regional program
To the Editor:
Many thanks for your article
reporting Commissioner [Joe]
Corsiglia's attempt to discredit
the Regional Strategies pro
gram, and for your editorial. I
support the program and ap
preciate the assistance to rural
counties whose budgets are al
ready stretched to the limit.
Despite his continual claims
to representing “the people," I
am one of the people and he
rarely represents my position or
my beliefs. The use of official
letterhead is an issue that I
hope will be addressed, as it
does give the appearance that
the other two commissioners
concur, which I am certain is
not true.
Thanks again for addressing
these issues rationally and with
an understanding of the bene
fits to rural communities.
Susan Easley
St. Helens
More Letters on Page 16