Letters to the Editer
From page 2
due to state mandate, but it will
not be available for 1 -2 years at
the earliest. Realistically, we
should not expect any official
documents for 4-5 years.
The letter also addressed
the policies and procedures
O.D.F. uses when involved in
proposed sales/trades of state
land with private industry. The
obvious concern being that
Selders Creek is located in Ver
nonia’s only watershed, yet the
city was not even notified until
just before the deadline for
public input. This lack of notifi
cation was due to many rea
sons. I do not feel any of them
were malicious, but it is very than the city did. Due to the plete watershed assessment of
clear that the policies and pro short notice the city received Rock Creek, as was done for
cedures of O.D.F. need to be and the state's policies on time the Nehalem River a few years
revisited. The fact that negotia frame for public input, we were ago, we have no scientific proof
tions were ongoing for almost “under the gun” to have some of the effects more logging will
three years and the city didn’t thing on record with the state.
have on the water supply real
find out about it until the last
Because of the lack of rain- ized from the headwaters of
few weeks begs for restructur fall/snow pack the past few Rock Creek, Vernonia’s sole
ing of protocol.
years and the generally recog watershed.
Contrary to the belief of a nized shortage of water in the
I was elected to represent
few people, the letter the city northwest area, just having wa the citizens of Vernonia and,
sent to ODF to make them ter, to say nothing of the quality along with my fellow Coun
aware of our concerns, is NOT of said water, is a top priority for cilors, the Mayor, and city staff,
the only reason for the delay in every city. It has been reported I feel we are accomplishing a
this sale/trade. There were recently that, without a large in lot for the short and long term
many other letters from individ crease in rain and snow in the benefit of our community.
uals and groups in Clatsop next couple of months, Oregon
One of my major concerns
County and other areas who will face a drought similar to for many years has been the is
had a lot more prior notification 1981. Without doing a com- sue of water and access to it.
Until we have firm scientific
studies from impartial sources
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
The book discussion group meets the third it would be very irresponsible of
Vernonia Public Library
Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the library me, as a city councilor and a
and all interested persons are invited to attend. concerned private citizen, not
Hooray! January 2003 The two books chosen for reading and discus to question both state and pri
set a new record for circu sion this month were Five Quarters of the Or vate entities whose activities
lation in the library, and not ange by Joanne Harris and A Dream of Wolves might cause undue suffering to
by
some
insignificant by Michael White. As new books and authors are our community.
amount, but by over 350 introduced, not all members are necessarily in
Glen Purvee
items. Circulation for Janu agreement regarding the writing, but each has
Vernonia
ary was 2,172. This was been introduced to at least one author whose
the first month during writings have been an incentive to seek further No deterioration of
which more than 2,000 works by that author.
Rock Creek water
items were checked out and is more than triple
New acquisitions include The First Law by
the circulation of January 1999, the last year in
John Lescroat, The Hours by Michael Cunning To the Editor:
the old building. Isn’t this just incredible?
ham, The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein, The
I would like to comment on
Patron use of the library for other purposes King of Torts by John Grisham, The Best Re
your “Sky is Falling” articles of
has also increased tremendously. With the acti
venge by Stephen White, Silent Partner by 1-16-03 regarding a State tim
vation of the new Gateway computers for Inter
Stephen Frey, and A box of Matches by Nichol ber sale located in the upper
net access, it is not uncommon to find all three
son Baker. My recommendation for the month is reaches of the Rock Creek
public computers in use at the same time. With
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson. This is the story of Drainage.
tutoring, studying, reading, children’s programs,
four children living in northern Ontario as they
Regarding your concern
and meetings taking place in the library, it is a struggle to stay together after their parents die in
about oversight of the logging,
busy place.
an automobile accident. Narrated by Kate (the you must understand that the
Cataloguing is an ongoing process with two next to youngest child) the tale is told in flash
very dedicated library board members, Judy back mode starting with the fatal car accident removal of timber in this State
Thiringer and Myron Lane, regularly entering and climaxing with 26-year-old Kate attending sale will be done by a fully in
sured Logging Company with
data nearly every week. At present the library
the 18th birthday celebration for her nephew. professional credentials. Any
collection consists of 15,676 titles and 16,642 This debut novel by Mary Lawson is a beautiful
copies. When cataloguing was started in mid- ly crafted story of love, death, and redemption timber harvest in the State of
Oregon must comply with the
2000, an estimate of 10,000 items in the collec and I am looking forward to future novels by Ms.
Forest Practices Act, which is
tion was made and was set as the goal for com Lawson.
the most stringent Forestry Law
pletion of the project. The library collection has
Renewals of membership in The Friends of in the world. This law is strictly
thus grown by over 50% in the past three years. the Library may be paid in the library with the
enforced.
Each of these items has not only been entered in next scheduled meeting to be April 1st at 7:00
When discussing water qual
the collection, but has been bar-coded, labeled p.m. Start saving books for the book sale to be
and protectively covered. Volunteers and staff held during Jamboree. All proceeds from this ity for the City of Vernonia, you
must consider the fact that log
are also kept very busy.
sale will benefit the library. The family pass to the
An event to mark on your calendar is Satur Children’s Museum has been renewed for this ging in the area of Rock Creek
day, March 8th. On that day at 3 p.m., Ann Ful year with some of the proceeds from last sum and its tributaries has been on
ton Ph.D. will present a slide program and lec mer’s book sale. This is available to be checked going for 90 years, without de
terioration of water quality. If
ture in the library. Professor Fulton is the author out in the library.
water quality is not now a prob
of Vernonia, A Pocket in the Woods, the history
Reading Enrichment programs will continue lem and has never been a
of Vernonia that was published in 1997. The af through the end of the school year at 3:30 on
ternoon’s presentation is entitled, “Vernonia’s Mondays when school is in session and pre problem in the past, it’s without
Historic Buildings, The Stories Behind the Fa school story/activity times are also on Mondays question that logging activity
cade” and will complement the research being at 10:30 in the library. Youngsters and parents will not create a problem in the
done by Vernonia Pride in their attempt to identi are encouraged to participate in these programs. future.
Rest easy, Mr. Editor, the
fy and label buildings with their original purpose
“Sky is not Falling” and all is
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.m
and ownership. This promises to be a fun, light
well in the watershed.
H ours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
hearted look at Vernonia and refreshments will
Sincerely,
Tues., Thur. 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
be served. A limited number of copies of Profes
Deri Roberts
Sat, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
sor Fulton’s book will also be available for pur
Vernonia
Phone: (503 ) 429-1818
chase at this time.
Between the Bookends
At-risk youth need
County services
To the Editor:
Within the next two weeks,
everyone in Columbia County
will be receiving a ballot in the
mail. Very few people are
aware of this upcoming elec
tion. For most people in the
county there will only be one
measure to vote on...Measure
5-103. For Scappoose voters,
there will also be a school bond
measure.
What is Measure 5-103?
This measure would require
that any person under the age
of 18 be required to have writ
ten parental consent prior to re
ceiving any county service oth
er than life-threatening emer
gency services.
What does this mean?
It means that our most vul
nerable young people under 18
who do not come from loving,
caring families would be de
prived of the very services they
may most need: counseling for
drug and alcohol addiction, sui
cide prevention, treatment for
sexually transmitted disease,
protection from sexual or phys
ical abuse by a parent or other
family member or friend. Cur
rent state and federal laws
mandate that services be pro
vided to those between 15 and
18. Voting NO would keep
those laws as they are, protect
ing all young people, not just
those over 18.
So please, when your ballot
arrives, don’t just recycle it.
Mark No and keep the county
services needed by our most
at-risk youth.
Nancy Federici
St. Helens
Parents should care
for their children
To the Editor:
I’m pleased to see that Co
lumbia County citizens will
have an opportunity to vote for
a truly pro-family ballot meas
ure on March 11. Passage of
Measure 5-103 would affirm
that parents, not the govern
ment, are the responsible deci
sion makers for minor children.
Vote “Yes” to protect your minor
child. Vote “Yes” to ensure a
parent’s right to know.
Sincerely,
Craig Major
Newberg
More letters on page 20