The INDEPENDENT, January 2, 2003
Lottsrs to the Sditoi
As individuals, we can
make a difference
To the Editor:
It has been a most difficult
year for many individuals and
families in Columbia County.
Our Federal and State funding
shortages have stripped many
jobs and opportunities from lo
cal residents. For many, times
are not the best.
What might separate our
county from other impacted ar
eas of the country is the high
level of local concern that is ex
emplified this holiday season
by many of our residents, com
munity leaders and service
clubs. It did, indeed, make the
season bright for many less for
tunate than ourselves. But, the
work has just begun.
The downturn in our state
and local economies is far from
over. Our resolve, as citizens,
must continue in seasons yet to
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come. There is not a time in
memory when caring and shar
ing has been more necessary.
We must continue our commit
ment to our fellow man. If you
have never donated your time
or helped in a time of need,
please ask to work and serve in
any way possible. It is said that
adversity introduces us to our
selves. You may find the joy of
volunteerism and giving does
the heart good.
Debi and I want to thank you
for all you do. Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year to all.
Joe Corsiglia
Columbia County
Commissioner
Name change reflects
group’s services
To the Editor:
For many years The Retired
Officers Association (TROA)
has represented the interests
of all military personnel (active
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By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
Nothing is Impossible,
by Christopher Reeve, is
one of many new books
available at the library.
Written in a very conversa
tional style, Mr. Reeve re
lates the tragedy of his ac
cident that severed his
spinal cord and how he felt
afterward. Ultimately he made a promise to his
wife that he would try life as a quadriplegic for 2
years before deciding whether to continue living.
Different than an autobiography, Nothing is Im
possible tells the story of just how Reeve adjust
ed to his new life. He credits humor as the best
tool for dealing with the deep anger and despon
dency that followed his spinal cord injury. He
also relates the development of new therapies
for quadriplegics that gives hope for regenera
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duty, reserve, and retired) re
gardless of grade or rank.
Membership in TROA has been
open to active duty, retired, and
former military officers and war
rant officers.
It has been recognized for
some time that the name of the
organization has given the im
pression that only retired mili
tary officers could belong to the
organization. This has created
a problem in recruiting new
members. And recruitment has
become more important as
World War II and Korean War
personnel get older and even
tually pass away.
For that reason members
decided to change the name of
the organization to one which
more accurately reflects the el
igibility for membership in this
group. The new name, effective
on January 1st, is the Military
Officers Association of America
(MOAA). The mission and the
services of the organization will
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tion of spinal nerve tissue. Mr. Reeve never
makes the reader feel as though his lot in life is
worse than any of our own struggles. He creates
a basis for understanding, a bond between the
author and the reader. This is a compelling book
of hope about rejuvenation, both physically and
spiritually.
Don’t forget Recycle Saturday, sponsored by
the Friends of the Banks Library on the second
Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m., at the Swatco service yard on Sellers
Road.
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.;
Fri. and S a t 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Preschool Story Tim e: Wednesdays, 10:15
a.m., when school is in session.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382
Internet: www.WILlnet.wccis.lib.or.us.
to browse library resources or to
reserve materials electronically.
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From page 2
age, behind the old Ellson’s Cedar Mill site. The
obstruction at Fred Skidmore’s has had the
North side cut out and is easily passed with a
kayak, but might be interesting in a drift boat. I
had a new toy on this trip— a helmet camera.
This is a video camera that hooks to a cam
corder. I had to buy a waterproof case to keep
the camcorder dry, but the camera is water proof
and mounts on the side of my helmet. It shot
good pictures and I can’t wait to take it on a good
run with big waves.
What’s new for hunting and fishing this year?
Not a lot. There are very few changes for hunters
and it will be the usual routine for fishermen.
One hunting change that caught my eye is al
lowing landowners to purchase one leftover tag
in units that have spike-only hunts.
The catch here is that landowners don’t have
to go by the same rules as the general public -
their tags are for any bull, while the general pub
lic has to draw for very limited any-bull tags or
the liberal spike-only tag. What this is doing, es
sentially, is giving the landowners another high
dollar tag to sell, which furthers the commercial
ization of public resources. This is just another
example of why ODF&W commissioners should
be selected by the hunters that support the
agency, not the bureaucrats who are capitalizing
on it. Slowly, but steadily, we are being convert
ed into another Texas, where the wildlife belongs
to the landowners and the public pays.
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.
i i IS H U h .: I
not change as a result of the
name change.
Should anyone be interested
in learning more about MOAA,
membership, or services of
fered, they are encouraged to
call the national office at (800)
245-8762 or go to its web site
which
is
currently
www.troa.org. (I assume that
the web site address will
change in the not too distant fu
ture.) Or, they may contact e-
mail me at mcdaniel@ pacifi
er.com or call me at (503) 325-
8933.
Don McDaniel, VicePresident
Lower Columbia Chapter
MOAA (TROA)
Astoria
New schools, yes,
but more is needed
To the Editor:
I agree with The Indepen
dent and Michelle Blum when
they call for new schools. Just
as the buildings are destined
for failure, during times of phys
ical stress; the district itself is
vulnerable to failure because of
an outmoded design. When the
physical buildings were de
signed, post and beam con
struction with masonry sheath
ing was reflective of the best
public building architecture.
Now we have seen this style
tested and it fails. Would we re
build the exact same physical
structure? Of course not, that
would be foolish.
Consider the public school
district system we have that
uses this building. It is reflective
of a past era. Schoolchildren no
longer bring in the harvest with
their families and yet we have
the time off from learning that
was established to accommo
date that bygone period. Sum
mer vacation is the shutdown of
learning for a quarter of the
year; fall is a relearning of les
sons forgotten during the sum
mer. Students are either not
learning or relearning for at
least one third of the year. Does
your com pany shutdown for
three months and then spend
another three starting back up?
That would not be efficient and
you would be put out of busi
ness by someone willing to
work smarter and harder.
In a year-around school, a
facility can educate a larger
number of students by rotating
student vacations so that 75 to
80 percent of students are in
school at one time. Shorter va
cations would mean less re
Page 3
learning time. If student time off
was decreased from current
levels, the rate at which they
graduated from grade to grade
would
increase.
Students
would graduate earlier and en
rollment would drop. Students
could begin college classes at
an earlier age, including PCC
extension classes supported by
PCC funding here in Vernonia.
Students may also develop bet
ter study habits and work ethics
with a more constant and sta
ble school year format.
The teachers bring a more
m alignant vestige to our
school’s future. The Public Em
ployees Retirement System is
15 BILLION dollars in debt and
will attempt to make up that
debt by pulling money from
every public budget in the
State, including school district
47J. The teachers’ Union has
resisted every effort to consider
modifications that reflect the
changes in the real world.
Summer vacations for teachers
are an abominable perk that
the rest of us would never con
sider demanding of our em
ployers. As previously stated,
summers off do more than tan
teachers. Summer vacations
set back students academical
ly. With the liability of PERS,
and the unwillingness of the
Teachers’ unions to be a part of
the solution, the public school
system seems like a bad in
vestment.
If the school was locally con
trolled and not union controlled,
and if the m ission of the
schools was to educate accord
ing to a modern business blue
print and not in the style of
decades past, then a new
building would be a good in
vestment. The district only uses
the current buildings three
quarters of the year, they give
their employees three months
of summer vacations and every
single holiday, they operate
during the winter when utilities
are highest, and they spend an
other quarter of the year catch
ing up on forgotten curriculum.
Blum and other concerned
parents would be advised to
consider that the relic that
needs replacing isn’t just brick
and mortar. There are home,
charter, and private school op
tions. Students must pass a
Certificate of Initial Mastery to
graduate, and if these alterna
tive options can educate stu
dents to achieve that level, then
they should be considered
valid. The Federal government
Please see page 17