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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2003)
The INDEPENDENT, March 20, 2003 Make Vernonia Shine Suspicionless drug event April 26th testing is a violation To the Editor: Make Vernonia Shine day this year will be Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration will be at the Prov idence Health Center. The an nual event is sponsored by Ver nonia Pride and there will be a free barbeque afterward at the Scout Cabin for everyone who helps make Vernonia shine. If you have any questions or sug gestions call 429-5201. Large groups are encour aged to register early. We have some openings for site leaders to take charge in certain areas. Anyone interested may call the number above. As usual, we will be looking for weedeating to be done, mainly at Vernonia Lake. We will also be cleaning at the Mu seum grounds and around Shay Park. Donna Webb, for Vernonia Pride To the Editor: I am writing you concerning the issue of random drug test ing in schools. I think it is an in credibly invasive act and vio lates a student’s fourth amend ment right of search and seizure. According to cases past, courts have ruled that drug testing is considered a search. A search of a student through a urine sample violates his/her locker was searched. In 1985, in the Supreme Court Case of New Jersey v. TLO, the court ruled that a school may only search a stu dent with “reasonable suspi cion." A random drug test of student athletes and those who participate in extra-curricular activities demonstrates no such suspicion whatsoever. The only argument posed is that athletes have diminished privacy rights and people involved with clubs are setting an example for the community. Extra-curricular ac tivities, said by the National Ed ucation center, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, are the best way to keep your child from using drugs; instead of putting up obstacles like drug testing, schools should engage in more useful activities. In the case of Vernonia School District v. Acton in 1995, the Supreme Court said that the drug testing was justified because there was a perceived drug abuse problem in the school. What about all the schools that random drug test students with no suspicion? Random drug testing in schools is not justified. It is nothing more than a violation of student’s rights to privacy. Thanks, Katelyn Applegate Mount Tabor High School Winston-Salem, N. Carolina Between the Bookends By Nancy Burch, Librarian Vernonia Public Library Have you noticed the new “OPEN, CLO SED” sign at the library? This at tractive, eye-catching, book-shaped sign was made and donated by Midge Skene. The Saturday, March 8th, event featuring Ann Fulton was a huge suc cess. The long-time residents of Vernonia were anxious and willing to share their memories of earlier days. The new speaker system, pur chased for the library by The Vernonia Study Club with proceeds from their last Silver Tea, en abled all in attendance to hear Ms. Fulton as she related the history pertinent to some of the more notable buildings in the community. Plans for National Library Week (April 6-12) are being finalized. Special presentations during the week will include an appearance by Muggins the Clown, a reading and activity by Susan Blackaby (the author of Rembrandt's Hat), and story telling by local resident Clark McGaugh. Parents are encouraged to attend with their chil dren. Activities will include coloring contests and guessing the number of items in special contain ers. Prizes will be awarded for these activities. Book bags will be presented to each person checking out three or more books during the week. Watch for flyers with more information about National Library Week. New acquisitions include The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun, Flashback by Nevada Barr, Aunt Dimity Takes A Holiday by Nancy Atherton, The Secret Hour by Luanne Rice, and Someone to Watch Over Me by Judith McNaught. The highly anticipated book by Edward and Gregory Kamholz and Jim Blain, The Oregon- American Lumber Company, Ain't No More, has recently been added to the library’s collection. This illustrated history of one of the most impor tant lumber firms in the Pacific Northwest, oper ating from 1922 until its closure in 1957, is based on fifteen years of extensive research. Included in the book as sidebars are engaging oral histo ries related by employees of Oregon-American. In memory of their fathers, both of whom who worked in the mill, Owen and Claudine East have donated a copy of this book of local histor ical importance to the library. The next meeting of The Friends of the Li brary will be Tuesday, April 1st at 7:00 p.m. in the library. Persons wishing to support the library through this organization are encouraged to at tend. The Shipping News by Annie Proulx is the book chosen by the book discussion group for this month. This group meets on the third Tues day of each month at 7:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to join this informal group is certainly welcome to attend. Pre-school youngsters and their parents are encouraged to attend the regular Monday morn ing story time at 10:30 and grade school children are invited to the after-school Reading Enrich ment program on Monday afternoons at 3:30. This group will be finishing the reading of Char lotte's Web (the last portion to be presented in the form of a play.) Both of these groups meet only when school is in session. Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave. Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Tues., Thur. 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10.00 a.m., when school is in session. Phone: (503)429-1818 Page 3 Voters thanked for Thanks to many for defeating M5-103 helping feed others To the Editor On behalf of Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity (CCCHD) and Protect All Oregon Kids (PAOK), we would like to thank the voters of Columbia County for their par ticipation in the March Special Election. We are especially grate ful and thankful to our friends, neighbors, volunteers and sup porters for their efforts in defeat ing Measure 5-103. Thanks to all of you, the kids who could not vote will continue to receive the county services that state law and social service agencies have deemed are important for them to have. Columbia Coun ty can be proud of the voter turnout and our participation in an inclusive democracy. Sincerely, Kathy Grimes, St Helens Craig Frasier, Scappoose To Vernonia Cares Food Bank Supporters: Due to the generosity of over 75 people and businesses in November and December of this past year, 121 Christmas holiday boxes (serving 434 people) were dispensed. This project was above the food bank’s regular monthly food boxes. I was extremely pleased to see so many people assisted with their Christmas dinner gro ceries. Cares was able to pro vide all the basic food for the meal, as well as a turkey or ham in every box! The food al lowed households to enjoy a holiday meal together. Thank you, contributors, for your openhanded assistance to the hungry in and around Vernonia! Sandy Welch, Director Vernonia Cares Food Bank Candidates busy filing papers for school and fire board positions With a day left to file nomi nation papers for the May Spe cial District elections, it appears that there will be several con tested seats. The Vernonia Rural Fire Board has six candidates for three positions. Incumbents Don Skinner and Steve Roberts are being challenged by Tim Bamburg and Jeremy Woodall, respectively, for posi tions 2 and 4. Position 3, an open seat vacated by Frazier Rohm, also has two candi dates, Joseph Batty and Bill Cota. The Mist-Birkenfeld Fire Dis trict, with four positions, has at least one race forming,with in cumbent Ray Kyser challenged for Position 1 by Stephen But- sko. Trish Wright and Troy Hor- ton have filed for positions 4 and 5, but Position 2 remained vacant with only one day to file. Vernonia School District in cumbents Randy Hansen, Po sition 2; Tim Titus, Position 3; and Darrell Hamblet, Position 7, have filed nomination pa pers, but Position 1 remained vacant. Kathy Denckla has filed for reelection to Position 4 on the Colum bia Com m unications District. Connie Budge is run ning unopposed for Position 2 and Dee Wooly will meet Jeff VanNatta in a contest for Posi tion 1. Thus far, Candace Cole is the only candidate for Position 2, the county-wide seat on the Northwest Regional ESD. TH O U G H TS O N MONEY Could I climb to the highest place in Athens, I would lift my voice and proclaim, Fellow citizens, why do you turn and scrape every stone to gather wealth and take so little care o f your children to whom one day you must relinquish it all.” Socrates (470-399 B.C.) Greek Philospher Bernard Baruch went to his father to tell him he had made his first million. His father did not seem impressed. “ I am not even thirty and I already have my first m illion— and you’re not even happy?” Baruch asked. His father replied, “ No my son, I am not impressed. What I want to know is how you w ill spend it.” Bernard M . Baruch (1870-1965) American statesman and financier
