The INDEPENDENT, May 5, 2005
The subject was meth at April Coalition
“The Effects of Meth,” a pro
gram on methamphetamine
use, presented by the Vernonia
Police Department at the Ver
nonia Drug Free Community
Coalition meeting in April, was
so well-received the depart
ment presented it at a special
meeting requested by mem
bers of the Community PTA.
Vernonia Police Chief Mat
thew Workman included in the
presentation “The Faces of
Meth,” photos which showed
people before and after they fell
victim to meth use.
Officer Mike Kay described
ways drugs are smuggled us
ing a vehicle’s “natural voids,”
and added that having a K9
dog on the force has made a
vast difference in the depart
ment’s ability to identify drug
traffickers. Officer Kay also dis
cussed the problems in dealing
with meth addicts, which can
include paranoia, hallucina-
tions and aggressive/violent
behavior.
Meth is a cheap, powerful
stimulant that causes physical
reactions in the brain. It can in
crease heart rate, blood pres
sure and respiration, and even
cause a dangerous spike, up to
107 degrees, in the body tem
perature of a user. In addition
to being cheap, meth may be
eaten, smoked, snorted or in
jected.
At the Coalition meeting,
Vernonia High School junior
Mackenzie Bassett, Project Co
ordinator for OSSOM (Oregon
Student Safety On the Move)
spoke about projects planned
for VHS. OSSOM hopes to
present “15 Minute” day; a vivid
program on the substance
abuse-related
death
rate
among teenagers, and is work
ing toward a presentation by
LifeFlight.
For more information about
combating meth use in our
community, call Chief Workman
at Vernonia PD, 503-429-7335.
For information on intervention
or treatment options, call Jill
Dale at Columbia Community
Mental Health, 503-397-5211.
Lions buy tent,
public can rent it
The large tent you saw in
Hawkins Park during River
Fest was provided by the Lions
Club of Vernonia. It is 30’ x 45’,
1,350 square feet, with a 19
foot peak and 8 foot sides and
is available for rent at a nomi
nal fee. Lions Club members
receive a discounted rental
amount. Call 503-704-3588 to
rent the tent.
The Lions Club serves the
community by providing glass
es and hearing aids to those in
financial need, and supports
other community projects, such
as the Skate Board project. To
become a member, call 503-
819-5636.
Public invited to
Silver Tea May 11
The public is invited to enjoy
the annual Silver Tea to be
held Wednesday, May 11, at
the Vernonia Public Library
from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. In addi
tion to delicious refreshments,
there will be a display of tea
pots, plus musical entertain
ment provided by Madeleine
Gendron and Group, and Bar
bara and Burt Tschache.
Sponsored by the Vernonia
Study Group, proceeds from
the Silver Tea will benefit the li
brary.
Help ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ May 14
On Saturday, May 14, the
National Association of Letter
Carriers, in conjunction with the
United States Postal Service,
will be collecting non-perish
able food items such as
canned meats and fish, canned
soup, juice, pasta, vegetables,
cereal and rice, to help families
in need in our community.
You can help by placing your
food donation at your mailbox
on May 14 before your letter
carrier arrives. Pickup will be
available only for customers on
city routes (with letter carriers
in blue uniforms). Donated food
will be taken to the Post Office
for delivery to Vernonia Cares
food bank. There will also be a
box in the Vernonia Post Office
lobby for other customer dona
tions.
Please do not include out-of-
date items or items in glass
containers.
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Flash
from the
lake
-
It’s time
to fish,
but be
warned.
T h e
ducks
have ba
bies in the grass and reeds.
They are cute. Baby ducklings
mean the big mouth bass are
going to be up off the lake bot
tom so catch a few of them,
please.
There is a lot going on
around the lake that needs to
be addressed. I know, “catch
the fish is all a fisherperson
thinks of, rain or shine,” but
Shadow found the wad of line
you threw in the grass. It tied
up three of her feet. I had to cut
her loose. Had it been a duck,
who knows where it would
have wound up. Those of you
who use fake black worms,
when dumped on the path in
the sun they become a gooey
trap for duck feet and beaks. I
cleaned up your mess but be
warned I’m not your mother,
Left, above; Lynn Kyser on
the left is a blur as she helps
serve, along with Hope Koch
on the right, at the Natal
Grange Roast Beef Dinner
on May 1. About 75 dinners
were served this year. Pro
ceeds are used for grange
scholarships, repairs and
other grange projects.
$5.00 for senior citizens; kin-
dergarten/preschool children
are free.
The dinner will be followed
by an oral auction, silent auc
tion, multi-raffle, plus Jewell’s
famous quilt raffle. All proceeds
will be used to provide scholar
ships to Jewell School gradu
ates.
For more information, con
tact Laura Seeley at 503-755-
2456.
nor your maid. I care about
sharing the lake with folks that
care - Keep your space clear
of trash that you make. Please.
While I’m in the griping
mood - a word to those folks
that stand on the curb, facing
traffic just to think. If you don’t
want to cross the street, don’t
act like you are going to. Cars
use the streets and should not
have to stop every time a per
son is gaping across the street
with no intention of crossing.
I’m not alone in this line of
thinking.
It’s nice the state is putting in
rough crosswalks - easier
walking in rain and ice, but -
when are they going to finish
the stop-go-turn markings at
Bridge and Rose? That is an
accident waiting to happen.
People are cutting the left turn
space until even a right turn
onto Bridge might get clipped -
yes, I’ve seen this. For my car’s
safety I’m using the back
streets to get onto 47.
I’m sure glad it quit raining -
I finally got my lawn mowed -
so it can grow again.
See you for Mother’s Day
Luncheon, May 8 from 1 to 3
p.m. at the Senior Center -
sponsored by Vernonia Cares.
$6.00 per meal.
KARMEL’S FLOWER PATCH
Floral, Silk & Dried
Arrangements, Plants,
Books, Gifts For All
Occasions & More
859 Bridge St., Vernonia
503-429-9273
You are the bows from which your
children are as living arrows sent forth.
KAHLIL GIBRAN, The Prophet
the
junction
In Beautful Downtown
Birkenfeld
Good eats at Smorgasbord May 21
This year’s Jewell Smorgas
bord will be held Saturday, May
21, at Jewell School. Dinner
will be served from 4 to 6:00
p.m.
The Smorgasbord consists
of an all-you-can-eat buffet in
cluding roast beef, ham, turkey,
meatballs, potatoes and gravy,
salads, rolls, side dishes, and
many delicious desserts. The
cost is $7.00 for adults, $3.00
for children 12 and under,
Page 9
Original Music
Performed By:
CPN
Saturday M ay 7th
9:00 to 11:00 P.M.
R estaurant
ano
B ar
503-755-0900
11126 Hwy. 202
Birkenfeld, 0R 97016