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