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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2002)
The INDEPENDENT, September 95, 2002 — — - .........................I, I .1.1 - Letters to tbe Editor . ? Sunnyside Cafe is closing its doors To the Editor: We are sorry to say that we will be closing our doors at Sunnyside Cafe on September 27 at 2:00 p.m. Most of you know that we have been strug gling for some time. We just wanted to be able to thank all of you who have supported us for the last 2-1/2 years. We have had a great time and made some wonderful friends, but it is just not possible for us to re main open any longer. We will miss all of you! Sincerely, Kelly Sohler Melissa Hunt Vernonia ■ —■—........ ........................?■-. . —■"——' ' ■........' ...... ............................................... > ? celebrating our nation’s inde pendence. We would also like to ex press appreciation to Gardner’s Feed Store and Vernonia Hard ware. These companies sup ported us at the Columbia County Fair this year by pur chasing a market pen of rab bits. Finally, last, but not least, thank you to Grandpa and Grandma Saunders for all of the behind-the-scenes work you do for all of us. Sincerely, D’Lisa Watts, Leader Amanda Watts, Jr. Leader Billi Avila, Marissa Clement, Torie Clement, Elliott Graf, Kim Stringfield, Mikeal Walter Vernonia 4-H Club appreciates Riders invited to try community support out new BMX track To the Editor: All Creatures Great and Small 4-H Club would like to thank the following people for all their help and support this year. Thank you, Billy Leach, for supplying the music for the 4th of July parade, Kody Watts for the use of your truck, and Jessica Bergstrom, Linda Graf and Larry and Judy Clements, for your help with the decora tions. We all had a great time To the Editor: I am writing to let everyone know that Columbia County now has a real live BMX racing track for the youth of our com munity. We at Columbia River BMX would like to take this op portunity to invite everyone to come to St. Helens’ McCormick Park and check out Columbia County’s latest attraction for the youth of this area. We are very ' f r. fr..? ............... .. excited at being able to bring to this County not only a BMX track, but an American Bicycle Association Sanctioned Track. In just 4-1/2 months from the time the City of St. Helens gave us the green light to build the track, we were running our first races. In just a little over 4 weeks time, we have already signed up over 70 riders, most ly from St. Helens and Scap poose. We know that there are kids all over this County that have not heard about this track. We would like to take this op portunity to invite them, as well. We really would like to see all of the different communities within Columbia County get ex cited about this. Once again, thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you at the track shortly. Sincerely, Paul M. Barlow St. Helens We watch movies and read books where (for the most part) the good guy tri umphs. Harrison Ford, por traying Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy’s thrilling novels of espionage, always out- thinks and out-maneuvers the enemy to save his fam ily and his country. James Bond, in Ian Fleming’s novels and movies al ways (through the use of all kinds of ingenious devices and maneuvers) wins the struggle and the girl. Lucas Davenport and Lincoln Rhyme, protagonists created by John Sandford and Jef fery Deaver, respectively, solve crimes and save lives time after time. In books and in movies peo ple walk across narrow logs spanning wide and deep chasms, are rescued from burning build ings by grabbing lines attached to helicopters, and escape man-eating sharks. The events of this past week have shown that we live in a real world and that even the most extraordinary indi viduals cannot always find ways to prevent tragedy. At times like this, though, fantasy may help by interjecting some diversion from thoughts and news coverage of this horrible event and its pos to all who suffered from the ef fects of that horrible terrorist at tack. A special thanks to Sheriff Phil Derby, Chief George Dunkel, Chaplain John Stetzer, Mayor Don Kalberg, Diane Dil lard from Boise-Cascade, Trevor Hall and Forest Viles from the VFW, and many other law enforcement, emergency responders and military per sonnel, along with private indi viduals who helped organize this event. We would also like to ac knowledge Steve Atchison, who played taps, bagpiper G.N. Thoen, and Lisa Sigler for singing the Star Spangled Ban ner. It was gratifying to see such overwhelming public par ticipation. Thank you everyone. Board of County Commissioners Commissioner Anthony Hyde Commissioner Rita Bernhard Commissioner Joe Corsiglia Sept. 11 ceremony Members sought for was gratifying bike advocacy group To the Editor: The Board of County Com missioners for Columbia Coun ty would like to thank all those who made the September 12th Remembrance at Columbia View Park a huge success. The ceremony was a fitting tribute Between the Bookends By Nancy Burch, Librarian Vernonia Public Library Page 3 1111 sible consequences. If this is the case, the li brary has some recent acquisitions that might fulfill this need. These include Envy by Sandra Brown, The Associate by Phillip Margolin, The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans, Tell No One by Harlan Coben, Love Among the Ruins by Robert Clark, and Comfort Me With Apples by Dean Harding McGarity. Remember that, in ad dition to the books of fiction and non-fiction, the library has a nice collection of audio and video tapes that may be checked out, as well as cur rent issues of 35 magazines. The latest issue of Northwest Travel features drives that may be taken to enjoy the beautiful fall leaves, Family Fun has some great ideas for Halloween cos tumes, Better Homes and Gardens highlights ideas for fall decorating, and Crafting Traditions is full of autumn craft ideas for both inside and outside your home. The next scheduled meeting for the Friends of the Library will be October 9th, at 1:00 p.m. in the library. Suggestions are still being accepted for the project or projects to best benefit the li brary with the funds raised during the Jamboree book sale/raffle. Vernonia Library 701 Weed Avenue Hours: Mon., Wed., F it 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues., Thur, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone: (503)429-1818 To the Editor: Columbia County has its own bicycle and pedestrian ad vocacy group. We are the Co lumbia County Chapter of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. All of our active members are centered along Highway 30 from Scappoose to Rainier. That is unfortunate because we are not aware of local problem areas around Vernonia, Mist and Clatskanie. We are having our first meeting of the fall sea son on Thursday, September 26, 2002. We meet at the Co lumbia Tech. Center in St. He lens, and we would like to ex tend an invitation to the walk ers, runners and bicyclists of these communities to join us at this meeting. Perhaps in this age of chat rooms and other electronic communication devices we can figure out a way to unite people in the far flung corners of our county into an effective lobby and educational group. Our meetings are from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M., and they really do start and end on time because they throw us out if we run over. The Tech. Center is located at 375 S. 18th. You can also contact me via e-mail at gdinsmore® columbia-center.org Gary Dinsmore, Chairman Columbia County Bicycle Transportation Alliance Scappoose Picnic fun for foster, adoptive families To the Editor: On August 24, 2002, Colum bia DHS Child Welfare held its annual picnic for foster, relative and adoptive families. The hamburgers, hotdogs and soft drinks provided for the families were supplemented by potluck dishes brought by the families and agency staff. All of the chil dren received prizes for partici pating in fun games and there were raffle prizes for the fami lies. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many local businesses whose gener ous donations helped to make this event a success. Those businesses include Blue Moon Gifts, Don’s Rentals, El Tapatio Restaurant, Friesen Lumber, Grammy’s Used Books & Espresso, Oregon Trails Lanes, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Red Ap ple, Rite Aid, Safeway, St. He lens Book Shop, Dollar Tree and What’s Upstairs. We would also like to thank Melody Killens for once again organizing the children’s games, which is always a high light of the picnic. It is heart warming to see how our com munity values children. Sincerely, Sandy McMillan Columbia Branch Child Welfare, Community Human Services Gail Mitchell Foster Home Certifier Promises, promises, time for promises To the Editor: Bring your children indoors, lock the doors, and shutter the windows! Possibly you should turn off your radios and televi sion sets as well. "Why", you may ask. The political season is once upon us, that’s why. It is once again “promise season." It’s the time of year when many (but not all) political candidates will be telling us how much they will do for us and how we won’t have to pay for it. They’ll tell us that others should and will pay for what we receive. Who are these others? We will be told that “they” are nasty, profiteering businesses and greedy rich folks. The truth is quite different. We all pay for current govern ment programs and will pay for Please see page 16
