The INDEPENDENT, July 21, 2005
Page 3
Letters_______
Important meeting on
air strip expansion
To the Editor:
Anyone interested in pre
serving the peaceful country
environment in western Wash
ington County from the noise
and hazards of a commercial
airport, needs to attend the up
coming community meetings.
Some information has been
written lately in the local papers
about the planned expansion of
the Apple Valley Airport in Bux
ton, but not much has been
said about how it will effect
more than just the residents of
the Buxton community.
As the county legislature, a few
years ago, legally, but under
the radar (a little airport lingo
there) of most people, adopted
a bill (609), that would grandfa
ther in most existing airstrips, to
be able to expand them into
larger airports with few restric
tions. Not only the people that
live next to an already estab
lished airstrip will be effected
however. So anyone that wants
to protect the investment of
their home and the livability of
their community needs to get
involved and stop this expan
sion of the Apple Valley Airport.
We did not move next to an
airport and then complain
about all the dangers and
noise, but instead, a commer
cial airport is about to disrupt
_______________________
are hoping the public will spend an evening en the quiet community of Buxton,
joying these at the air-conditioned library. We will and beyond. If this expansion is
not stopped, one will likely be
even provide the popcorn.
When purchasing items this year, an effort is coming to a community near
being made to add as many books on CD as the you in the future.
So for anyone that is inter
budget will allow. New acquisitions in this format
currently include "Broken Prey” by John Sand ested, on Thursday, July 28, at
ford, “One Shot” by Lee Child, “The Secret Life 6:00 p.m., at the Banks Christ
of Bees” by Sue Kidd, and “Looking for Peyton ian Academy, Fisher Rd., Bux
Place” by Barbara Delinsky. New books include ton (the old Buxton School), is
“Fire Sale” by Sara Paretsky, “Cross Bones” by the required Washington Coun
Kathy Reichs, “Case of Lies” by Perri O’Shaugh ty community meeting, so any
nessy, “High Plains Tango” by Robert James one that wants to express their
Waller, “Always Time to Die” by Elizabeth Lowell, opinion needs to attend.
Also there is a web site
“No Man’s Land” by G.M. Ford, “Origin in Death”
by J.D. Robb and “Lifeguard” by James Patter (naave.org) for the local action
group if anyone is interested in
son.
Two very different books were chosen by the getting updated information.
Barry Vandehey
discussion group for the next two months. They
Banks
are “The Phantom Toll Booth” by Norton Juster
and “It’s Not About the Bike” by Lance Arm
firew orks
strong. Next meeting will be Monday, August 1st Prettiest
at 5:30 in the library. New members are always display writer’s seen
welcome to join this informal book discussion
To the Editor:
group.
To the*Fireworks Team: First,
For the young baseball enthusiast, we just re
ceived a series of instructional DVDs. These are let me say that I am new to
for youngsters ages 6-16 and focus on proper Vernonia and this was my first
execution of key fundamentals, presented in a Independence Day celebration
clear concise fashion with graphics and video here.
When I lived in Portland,
close-ups to illustrate important points.
Remember, donations are always gratefully quite a number of years ago,
accepted and are added to the collection when my husband and I were active
possible. If not, they are sold by the Friends of in the Coast Guard Auxiliary
the Library with all proceeds to benefit the library. and we spend many Fourth of
July weekends on river patrol
and subsequently had “front
Answers to riddles:
1. A place where people parked their camels! row seats” to the fireworks dis
plays from Fort Vancouver.
2. King Author!
These displays were usually
3. When they had lots of sleepless knights!
touted as being “largest fire
works displays west of the
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Rockies.”
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fit 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
In regards to Vernonia’s dis
Tues., Thur. 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
play this Fourth, Fort Vancou
Sat. 10 a.rri. - 4 p.m.
ver’s may have been larger, but
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30
this was one of the prettiest
a.m., when school is in session.
fireworks displays I have ever
Phone: (503 ) 429-1818
seen. A huge bouquet of roses
With the planned helicopter
flight training and sightseeing
flights, anyone in the flight path
of Hagg Lake, the Flying M, Mt.
St. Helens, or anywhere for that
matter, will have to put up with
the noise of helicopters and the
danger of student pilots. Any
one that has heard or been
around helicopters knows that
they are a great deal noisier
than airplanes. The only limita
tion to the number of aircraft or
helicopters that Apple Valley
Airport can have is how many
that can be put there, and with
over 40 acres, you pick a num
ber. But noise is not the only is
sue, as the new owner wants to
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
Can you answer the fol
lowing riddles from the
Summer Reading theme
of “Dragons, Dreams &
Daring Deeds”? (Answers
at end of article)
1. What was Camelot?
2. What king of me
dieval England was fa
mous because he spent so many nights at his
Round Table writing books?
3. When was King Arthur’s army too tired to
fight?
Youngsters may still join the fun on Wednes
day mornings at 10:30. Registrations and read
ing logs are available at the library. Though the
last session will be Wednesday, August 3rd, res
idents will be able to see the participating young
sters on their float in the Jamboree parade, and
reading goals may be met with prizes awarded
until the end of August.
The Friends of the Library-sponsored book
sale will also be on Saturday of Jamboree week
end from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The only dif
ferences this year, from past sales, are that this
sale will be at the library and a few selected
items will be $1.00 each. Most items will still be
.25 each and items to be raffled will be books—
Stella Satern Bellingham’s “The Nehalem River
Valley,” J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince,” and Jack Kent’s “There’s No
Such Thing as a Dragon.” One last book drop for
those wishing to donate books for the sale will be
at the library on Saturday, July 23 from 10 a.m.
until 4:00 p.m.
Keep in mind that the library is now open un
til 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. This year we will be
trying something new—a Saturday afternoon
movie for youngsters and a family movie night.
We are in the process of applying for the license
to show movies in the library and are excited
about this new activity. The library has a great
selection of old movies, including The Parent
Trap, The Long, Long Trailer, Cheaper by the
Dozen, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and we
put on-site fueling tanks to at
tract more air traffic to this qui
et country community. And all
this on a piece of property that
is zoned EFC (exclusive forest
conservation),and AF 20, and
is also completely, 100 percent
in a flood plane, that also bor
ders Dairy Creek.
Now anyone that lives in
Washington County knows with
zoning like that, one would be
hard pressed to get a permit to
build a dog house, yet this guy
wants to have a commercial
airport, with a jet fuel storage
depot there.
If Apple Valley is successful
however, it will not stop there.
and a giant basket of thank
you’s to the team that chose
the fireworks and put on the
display. You did a fantastic
job!!! Your hard work is appreci
ated!!!
Judith Stefan
Vernonia newcomer
Logging should not
put people at risk
To the Editor:
I am a long-time resident,
homeowner, and taxpayer in
Vernonia. As such, I am well
aware that this is a logging
community. After all, the raising
and harvesting of timber is
what Vernonia and Oregon is
all about. I understand this, and
I don’t have a problem with it.
What I do have a problem
with is the flagrant disregard for
the safety and well-being of the
women, children, and in my
case, senior citizens living on B
and C streets below OA Hill.
The stripping of all the timber
on the back side of OA Hill has
put all of us in harm’s way.
The events of 1996 should
give us all some insight as to
what can happen should Ver
nonia have another wet winter.
Floods and mudslides are very
real possibilities.
The damage has been done.
Our only hope now is that the
people involved will have the
moral conviction to place some
fast-growing ground cover on
this hillside before the winter
rains come.
Sincerely,
Don Sandrich
Vernonia
Thanks for support
of Booster barbecue
To the Editor:
The Vernonia Booster Club
would like to extend a big
THANK YOU to the people
from our community, as well as
those just visiting over the 4th
of July holiday. We had such
great patronage at our barbe
cue that we sold out of food.
We also appreciate the pa
tience of those who waited in
line for their burger or hot dog.
Thank you again to all for
your support of the Booster
Club and Vernonia youth.
Marla Rethwill
Booster Club Secretary
Vernonia
More Letters on page 14