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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2003)
The INDEPENDENT. Columbia County Parks meeting on Jan. 8 The Columbia County Parks Advisory Commission will hold a public meeting on Wednes day, January 8, at 6:00 p.m., in the Columbia County Parks Department office, 1054 Ore- gon Street, St. Helens. Paj? those Gludstmas bills... with a G U bin pager Ioan Don’t let high credit card interest ruin the new year. Call or come in to see how we can help. VERNONIA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 622 Bridge Street, Vernonia 503 429-8031 Effective January 1, 2003, Oregon’s minimum wage rose to $6.90 per hour. In November, Oregon voters passed a ballot initiative to in crease the minimum wage. The initiative also indexed the mini mum wage to inflation, which means it will continue to grow each year. “Over the long-term, Ore gon’s minimum wage has not kept up with inflation," said Jeff Thompson, economist and an alyst with the Oregon Center for Public Policy. “Each year families working at or close to the minimum wage find it hard er to make ends meet because prices go up. Indexing the min imum wage to inflation stops UNLIMITED 56K INTERNET F o r i n f o r m a t i o n c a ll 503-429-2701 w w w .a g a lis .n e t Pant» R the erosion of its value.” Making sure the minimum A full-time worker at the new wage keeps up with inflation minimum wage will earn about ensures that the amount of $14,300, which is below the food on the table doesn’t get poverty level for fam ilies of smaller.” three or more. “Many families Many workers with incomes with full time workers will con above, but close to the mini tinue to struggle to make ends mum wage, will also likely see meet,” said Thompson. “Rais increases as employers revise ing the minimum wage eases their wage schedules. “Increas that burden, and indexing it ing the minimum wage doesn’t means families won’t have to just help those at the very bot work more hours each year just tom,” said Thompson, “but it to stay in place.” boosts others on the income In Oregon, housing costs ladder.” continue to be high relative to Thousands of Oregon fami income. “Landlords don’t wait lies depend on incomes near to increase rents just because the minimum wage. “Minimum their tenants haven’t had a wage employment isn’t just for raise," Thompson said. In Ore teenagers earning spending gon, over 150,000 renters are money,” said Thompson. “It is paying more than 35% of their for the waitress with the child at income as rent. home, the fast food worker sup Thompson noted that Ore porting his family or the janitor gon has likely the highest who left welfare for work." hunger rate in the nation, and “Oregonians have chosen that work does not necessarily not just to raise the minimum prevent hunger. “Raising the wage, but to improve it, to help minimum wage makes it easier ensure that low-income families for thousands of Oregon fami aren’t falling behind,” said lies to put food on the table. Thompson. JANUARY S M T W r A 5 12 19 26 ........ VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays Alcoholics Anonymous Saturdays American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday Arts & Crafts Society 2nd Thursday Boosters 2nd Wednesday Boy Scout Troop 201 Tuesdays Boy Scout Troop 860 Wednesdays Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday Chamber of Commerce 2nd Wednesday Cub Scout Pack 201 Scout Cabin Doll Club 4th Tuesday Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays Nehalem Valley Car Club Preschool Story Hour Mondays T.O.P.S. Wednesdays Upr Nehalem Watershed Council 4th Thursday Vernonia Airport Committee 3rd Wednesday Vernonia Cares Directors Vernonia City Council 1st & 3rd Mondays Vernonia Comm. Dev. Corp 2nd Tuesday Vernonia Grange 4th Saturday Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday Vernonia Planning Comm. 1st Thursday Vernonia Pride Vernonia Ridge Riders Last Thursday Vernonia RFPD Board 2nd Tuesday Vernonia School Board 2nd Thursday Vernonia Sr. Center Board 1st Friday Vem. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Thursday Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters 2nd Monday WOEC Directors 3rd Tuesday 9001 New minimum wage is $6.90 per hour ■ 1- •* J a n u a rv 9 6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg. 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. 627 Adams Ave./ 503-429-4000 2:00 p.m., City Library 7:30 p.m., VHS Library 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. 7:00 p.m., LDS Church 7:00 p.m., Leonetti’s Grill Noon, Lew’s Place For Info Call 503-429-0188 1:00 p.m., Senior Center 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library For location call 503-429-7193 6:30 p.m., Lew’s Place For Info Call 503-429-4074 10:30 a.m., City Library 6:30 p.m., First Baptist Church For location call 429-2401 7:00 p.m., City Library For location call 503-429-1414 7:00 p.m., City Hall Noon, City Hall 10:30 a.m., Grange Hall 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. 7:00 p.m., City Hall For Info Call, 503-429-5201 7:00 p.m., City Library 7:00 p.m., Fire Station 8:00 p.m., District Office 1:00 p.m., Senior Center 7:00 p.m., Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Fire Station 7:00 p.m., WOEC 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 1 2 8 15 22 29 9 16 23 30 3 10 17 24 31 FEBRUARY r w r r m 3 10 17 24 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 MIST-BIRKENFELD M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg. 2nd Tuesday M-BRFPD Board Workshop 4th Tuesday M-B Ambulance Assoc. 1st & 2nd Thurs. M-B Firefighters Assoc. 1st & 2nd Wed. M-B Rescue 3rd Wednesday M-B Helping Circle 2nd Wednesday Natal Grange 2nd Wednesday T.O.P.S. Sundays BANKS Alcoholics Anonymous Banks City Council Banks Planning Commission Banks School Board Banks Youth Group Chamber of Commerce CPO14 Friends of the Library Lions Club Sunset Park Assoc. T.O.P.S. Tri-City RFPD Board Women’s Aglow s S ** 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 3 10 Í6 17 8 24 31 1 MARCH T W T 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 F a 1 6 8 13 20 21 22 27 26 29 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 10:00 am, 755-2346 for info. 7:30 p.m., Grange Hall 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station Fridays 8:00 p.m., Methodist Church 2nd Tuesday 7:30 p.m., City Hall Last Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall 2nd Monday 7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library Sundays, Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg. 1st Thursday 12:30 p.m., Brown Derby 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., City Library 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., Schlegel Hall 3rd Wednesday 8:00 p.m., Gun Club Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg. 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., Station 13 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Library CO LUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.) Board of Commissioners Citizens for Senior Justice COLCO Transportation County Council of Seniors County Fair Board County Parks Commission Historical Society Wednesdays 2nd Tuesday 2nd Friday 2nd Friday 2nd Monday 3rd Monday 4th Wednesday 10 a.m., Courthouse 7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church 10:30 a.m., Courthouse 1:00 p.m., Courthouse 7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg. 6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St. _________ Noon, location call 429-3713 Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.
