The INDEPENDENT, April 7, 2005
Page 3
Letters________
This approach really holds the ax into the forest, the trees
whispered among themselves,
some irony, doesn’t it?
I live at the end of B St. My “Look, the handle is one of us!”
Sincerely,
property is right next to the hill
To the Editor:
Kim Sebring
side. I have enjoyed the view of
I was totally blown away by
Vernonia
the beautiful trees for the entire
the unelected Senator Betsy
10 years I’ve lived here.
Johnson's update. You have to
Today, the smell of death Clean up day is near,
tally sabotaged your fellow de
and tree sap is in the air. The
join in the day’s fun
mocrat by allowing her to make
scrub jays and crows are flying
a fool of herself in print. You
around confused and scared as
also reduce the credibility of
their homes are being de To the Editor:
The INDEPENDENT for not
Vernonia Pride wishes to in
stroyed. Why? I’ve been told
having fact checked and or cor
that the trees are being taken vite members of the community
recting her errors.
down so some lots can be sold to come out and join us for this
Issue one: unless it has
year’s clean up day. It will be
Ed. note: Senator Johnson is not a on top of the hill. Apparently
moved in the last two weeks. columnist for The INDEPENDENT those lots will sell for more May 7, registration at the Prov
Oregon Institute of Technology so we do not edit her copy; it is money if they have a view - so idence Health Center starting
is still in Klamath Falls, not Ash printed as we receive it, on a the trees have to go. What at 9:00 a.m. Penny Costley of
land. Issue two: the Bend cam space-available basis. A ll state leg about the view of our children, Vernonia Jazzercise will be
pus of OSU opened about two islators who represent this area are as they gaze at yet another kicking off registration with a
years ago. If the UO or other allowed the same opportunity. We raped hillside? How will they demonstration to get you all
school has a new bill to which do not edit their submissions be view us years from now?
pumped and ready to go.
cause
area
residents
should
be
al
Please bring your yard tools,
the Senator refers as having
Not much is left, people. It’s
lowed to read what their represen
weed
eaters are especially
been recently introduced, she
tatives in Salem say without inter time to realize that this “de
should have listed the OSU-
struction for profit” party is over. needed. If you are a group or
pretation from us.
Bend campus with OIT and
You’ve successfully destroyed organization or have a specific
OHSU. Issue three: Just how
much of this area. It’s time to area or project in mind, please
Nature’s
gifts
being
many U-Cal/Cal State campus'
stop. I’m taking a moment now pre-register by calling Donna
are within one hundred miles of destroyed for a view
to mourn the loss of yet anoth Webb at 503-429-5201.
Plan on a free lunch and an
San Jose?
er of Mother Nature’s gifts at
To
the
Editor:
opportunity for a massage by
Having read your page two
the hands of greedy men.
Wiping
out
majestic
trees
for
report from the Senator, it
When the woodsman carried Heather Lewis of New Day
a
VIEW?
Massage at the Scout Cabin at
would follow that The INDE-
1:00 p.m. Heather will be do
nating all proceeds to Vernonia
Walker, as well as other residents of Thornton, Pride.
By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant
Come join the fun and make
l nu isia na . For those who have read Wells’ other
Banks Public Library
tales of the Ya-Ya sisterhood, this book will be a Vernonia Shine.
Donna Webb
April’s Preschool Story known delight. For the uninitiated, Ya-Yas in
Vernonia
Pride
Time at the Banks Library Bloom is a brand new adventure to be relished.
started on the 6th with
Nevada Barr’s latest mystery, Hard Truth, is
“What Is It, Anyway?”
set in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Three Uncaring person hits
April 13th will feature days after marrying Sheriff Paul Davidson, Anna
boy, then drives away
“Picky People."
Pigeon moves from Mississippi to the Colorado
April 20th will have Rockies to assume her new post as district
To the Editor:
“Ducklings on Parade.”
ranger in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
This letter is to the man
April 27th will be an in Three girls have disappeared during a religious
whom
on March 10, 2005 while
triguing “Eggs Got Legs!”
retreat. Two of the girls show up after a month -
turning onto Bridge Street off of
dirty
and
bedraggled,
but
alive.
They
claim
they
East Ave., hit my son while he
The date of the Annual Friends of the Library
remember nothing of the abduction or anything was crossing in the crosswalk.
Plant & Book Sale has been scheduled for Fri
that has happened over the past month. Sinister
Thank you for not stopping
day, May 6, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Satur
signs of evil plague Anna.. .slaughtered small an after your car and you hit him.
day, May 7, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is an ex
imals, and the workings of a paranoid religious Thank you for not seeing if he
cellent time to purchase flowers, shrubs, trees,
was okay before you fled the
vegetable and herb starts, and yard and garden sect bent on keeping its secrets.
The Washington Post calls Elizabeth Peters scene. And last, Thank you for
art. If you want to make donations of plants or
“Grande Dame of historical mystery.” Her newest not taking the time of a respon
books please call the library at 503 324-1382.
mystery is called The Serpent on the Crown, sible driver and reporting it to
If you want the latest information on the City
and, once again, she brings ancient Egypt to life the authorities.
of Banks and all of its departments, go online to
with a story of intrigue, suspense and danger.
My son is in a lot of pain and
< CityofBanks.org >. There you’ll find a link to
discomfort due to your negli
the library, the police, the planning commission,
gence. It is uncaring people like
etc. There is also a link to the new Friends of the
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
you that make me afraid to be
Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 12 - 7:00 p.m.;
Banks Library web page.
on the road.
Some new titles just arrived at the library! Re
Fri. and Sat. 12 - 5:00 p.m.
To all of the responsible driv
becca Wells” newest work of fiction, Ya-Yas in
Preschool Story Timo: Wednesdays,
ers, thank your for your safe
Bloom, should be on the shelves by the first
10:15 a.m„ through July.
ways.
week in April. This book tells the story of the be
Phono: (503 ) 324-1382
Sincerely,
ginnings of the Ya-Ya sisterhood. It all started
Internet: www.WILInet.wcds.lib.or.us. to
Elana M. Brasure
when Teensy gets a big old pecan up her nose.
browse library resources or to reserve
Vernonia
The story is told in the alternating voices of Vivi
materials electronically.
and the petites Ya-Ya, Siddalee and Baylor
Shouldn’t print errors
in Johnson’s update
PENDENT should at the very
least demand an explanation
for all this misinformation. If you
are truly doing your job and
standing for journalistic excel
lence, you should call for Sena
tor Johnson's immediate resig
nation for being incompetent,
because your newspaper has
done such a wonderful job of
demonstrating just how incom
petent she is.
Thank you,
Bergh Bechen
Banks
New school building
doesn’t meet needs
To The Editor:
I am compelled to voice my
opinion regarding the new
school building that is planned
for construction on the grounds
of Washington Grade School; I
think it will be a mistake to pro
ceed with the current building
plan.
A few years ago we, as a
community, voted against a
bond that would have provided
money to build new schools.
As a concept, I am in support of
new schools and am more than
willing to pay the extra taxes
associated with a school bond.
It was a difficult choice to vote
against the bond but I did not
agree with the proposed build
ing concept nor did I feel that
the plan for the delivery and ex
ecution of the building was ad
equately developed to con
vince the public to vote for the
bond. I know that many people
did a lot of work to get that
school bond on the ballot and
as a citizen I thought when it
got defeated that they would re
fine the concept and try again.
Unfortunately this did not hap
pen.
Now the decision for a new
school building has been re
moved from the hands of the
public that our school system
services and kept within the cir
cle of influence of the current
administration of our Vernonia
schools. It is my opinion that
this circle of influence would in
clude the school board. Fortu
nately, this circle does not ex
tend into the City of Vernonia
Planning Commission. Thanks
to some forward thinking indi
viduals on the planning com
mission, the city approval for
the new building has not yet
been acquired.
After reviewing the building
design drawings, this building
does not fit aesthetically with
the existing school buildings. A
big part of Vernonia’s charm is
the wonderful brick school
buildings that we have. This
new building would dictate the
look of future school buildings
since we would want our future
schools to all have the same
style of construction. Since the
proposed building is a metal
fab building, any future build
ings would also be metal tabs.
Please see page 17