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The INDEPENDENT, April 7, 2005
Thn
INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published on the
first and third Thursdays of each month, by Public Opinion
Laboratory Ltd., 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064, as a
free newspaper. Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen. Editor,
Noni Andersen. Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410, email: noni@
the-independent.net Display Advertising, Clark McGaugh,
email: clark@the-independent.net Classified Advertising,
Rebecca McGaugh, email: rebecca@the-independent.net
Opinion________
More activities than ever
fill Vernonia’s calendar
The Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Logging
Show will celebrate its 49th year this summer.
Jamboree increases the population of Vernonia during
the first full weekend of August from 2000 people to as
high as 10,000 people. It is a fun-filled event.
Over the past few years, additional activities and
festivals have been initiated to help attract visitors to
Vernonia and provide both residents and newcomers
with more opportunity for fun at other times of the year.
The Salmon Festival, “spawned” in 2003, will cele
brate its third year this October, and Riverfest will pad
dle into its second year of water-related fun and frolic
later this month. Also, word has it, that an annual sum
mer barbecue cook-off is being planned. There are,
undoubtedly, many other ideas being planned to
increase the attractiveness of our town for those who
live here and for the many people seeking new adven
tures and activities in Oregon’s northern coast range.
These festivals have always been - and still are -
nonprofit and volunteer driven. Any net revenue real
ized is donated to community programs and groups
which benefit our town.
Those who take part in the planning and operation of
these events meet new people, learn about Vernonia’s
past, share ideas and, by helping to create the family
fun that these festivals provide, give something back to
the town. And volunteer groups always need fresh
faces, ideas and enthusiasm.
So you have an open invitation to join a group of fel
low citizens for the good of your town. The only special
talent needed is a desire to contribute some energy to
a group effort. Of course, if you happen to possess fes
tival-related experience or talent that is very welcome.
Students can add civic participation to their college
resumes by being involved in one of these activities.
Parents can provide ideas or help for more kids’ activ
ities. Bored seniors can change their routines.
For more information, call Vernonia Chamber of
Commerce at 503-429-6081 or Vernonia City Hall at
503-429-5291. On the internet, go to the Chamber
website at <www.vernoniachamber.org> and click on
Activities, or the City website, <www.vernonia-or.gov>
and click on Events.
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By Dale Webb, member
Nehalem Valley Chapter, Izaak Walton League
Finally some rain!
Even with the rain, the
Nehalem River is running
about a third of normal. I
am starting to get kayak
withdrawal
syndrome!
Things are looking better
and with more rain in the
forecast, I expect to get on
the river soon.
This is the time of year for Spring Chinook
fishing over on the big Columbia. So far, the fish
ing has been average, which means slow, but
things should turn on in the coming weeks. A
few fishermen have had close calls with sea
lions. Some have had the fish, and net, torn
away from them while landing salmon. A couple
of guys thought they were going in the drink with
the net. It is probably just a matter of time before
an incident happens when somebody gets hurt.
The sea lions are getting bolder every year. It
has been suggested by many fishermen that it is
time to allow at least non-lethal deterrents to
make the sea lions wary of people in boats.
Recently, the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife undertook a management objectives
review for Mule deer and both species of elk that
reside in Oregon. The way the system worked
was by having a group of people, representing
different regions around the state, hold meetings
and propose any changes that they felt were
needed in each management unit. In most
instances, few, if any, changes were proposed.
Most encouraging were proposals to increase
elk or deer population management objectives in
units where ODF&W has admitted their number
were off in the past. This has reflected in signifi
cant increases in a lot of units on the Eastside of
the state. While this is good news, it is tempered
somewhat by the realization that most of these
units are struggling to maintain their current pop
ulations, due primarily to habitat and predation
issues.
One proposal that has caused a stir, though,
is in a unit where a lot of Vernonians have hunt
ed over the past years. In the Murderers Creek
unit, it was proposed that the Rocky Mountain
elk population be reduced from 1800 animals to
1300, and that the bull escapement manage
ment objective be raised to 20 bulls per 100
cows. If these proposals are approved by the
commission, the effect on rifle bull elk hunters
will be about a 50 percent reduction in tags. This
is disturbing since the tag numbers in this unit
are only about half of what they were in the late
‘80s. The wait period for drawing a tag is project
ed to extend to 7-8 preference points, but I think
it could go longer because the unit will basically
be turned into a trophy unit and a lot more peo
ple will apply for it.
I made a few phone calls and got to the bot
tom of how this proposal came about. First, the
members of the working group who made this
proposal are all from the local area in Grant
County. Secondly, five of the eleven voting posi-
Piease see page 23