The INDEPENDENT, July 20, 2006
Page 3
Letters
Objection to county
house-moving site
To the Editor:
The week of July 3, the Co-
lumbia County Planning Com-
mission approved on a 4-3 vote
an application to site a house
moving business at the corner
of Highway 30 and Gilmore
Road, just north of Scappoose.
The business would involve
moving older stickbuilt houses
(not manufactured homes)
down Hwy 30 during daylight
hours with many coming down
Cornelius Pass Road. These
houses would then be stored
on the Gilmore Road property
until they are moved again to
their final destination. The esti-
mated number of house mov-
ing trips per year was approxi-
mately 40. Recall that Cor-
nelius Pass is 2 lanes only and
Hwy 30 north of Columbia City
is only 2 lanes. These struc-
tures can be 36 feet wide and
would require 2 lanes of traffic
plus the center divider area.
Objections were raised as to
the impact on normal traffic
flow of moving these houses on
Hwy 30 and Cornelius Pass but
these were overruled.
Users of Hwy 30 and Cor-
nelius Pass having concerns
about the impact of moving
these large structures down the
middle of the highway on a con-
tinuing basis, or the ability of
citizens and other businesses
to get back and forth may wish
to call the County Commission-
ers at 397-4322.
Yours truly,
Michael F. Sheehan
Scappoose-Spitzenberg
CPAC
Scappoose
Safety restrictions on
Parade participants
To the Editor:
The Jamboree Committee,
along with the VPD have come
to the conclusion that starting
this year, due to liability, insur-
ance and safety issues, any
person 18 years of age and
younger will not be permitted to
ride a three wheeler, quad, four
wheeler, dirt bike or motorcycle
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
It was great to know the
library was in competent
hands while Errold and I
were gone. Orissa, Cam-
rin and Susan are the
ladies deserving the credit
for keeping the library run-
ning efficiently during the
month we were in Alaska.
Our trip was wonderful;
the scenery was spectacular; the weather was
perfect; and of course some books by Alaskan
authors were purchased and added to the li-
brary’s collection. These were found at Mary’s
McKinley Lodge near Mt. McKinley. The first,
written by Mary Carey, is Ms. Carey’s own story
of pioneering—teaching, flying Mt. McKinley with
bush pilots, homesteading, winning prestigious
awards for her photojournalism, and building and
operating Mary’s McKinley Lodge, where she
resided until her death. Entitled, Alaska-Not for a
Woman , this is just one of Ms. Carey’s ten
books, mainly about Alaska and Texas. The oth-
ers are books for children written by Jean
Richardson (Ms. Carey’s daughter, who is an
award winning author and lives and hostesses at
the Lodge during the summer).
The Summer Reading programs will end in
early August. Youngsters are encouraged to at-
tend the Wednesday, July 26th and Wednesday,
August 3rd programs at 11 a.m. (Preschoolers at
the library and school age youngsters at Ander-
son Park—the covered picnic area.) Included
each time are some stories and fun
activities/crafts. Don’t miss these last two ses-
sions and don’t forget to complete your reading
records and choose prizes as goals are met.
The library hours have been increased to add
an additional hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Tuesday and Thursday hours are now 1-7.
Hopefully this will make the library a little more
accessible to patrons. Friday evening, July 28th
at 7:00 p.m. will be a Family Movie night. The
movie shown will be either Mr. Hobbs Takes a
Vacation with James Stewart and Maureen
O’Hara, or Beach Blanket Bingo with Annette Fu-
nicello and Frankie Avalon. Mark this on your
calendar and join us for a cool evening of sum-
mer entertainment in the library. The next movie
matinee will be Friday, August 11th at 2:00 p.m.
with the movie Because of Winn Dixie being
shown.
The annual Book Sale sponsored by The
Friends of the Library will be held Saturday, Au-
gust 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the li-
brary. There will be lots of books from which to
choose at a very low price. Be sure to take ad-
vantage of this sale while getting some great
books and supporting library projects. Anyone
with books to donate may still drop them off at
the library from now until the sale. Please do not
bring text books, old encyclopedias, books in
poor condition, outdated reference books, or
magazines.
Several interesting new acquisitions are cur-
rently available. These include Water for Ele-
phants by Sara Gruen (memories of circus life
during the Great Depression), The Girls by Lori
Lansens (conjoined twins linked at the side of
the head with separate bodies and brains), Cage
of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard (a young Mor-
mon girl trying to resolve her feelings toward the
man who killed her two sisters), Sandcastles by
Luanne Rice (husband and father trying to re-
connect with his family after having served a
prison sentence for killing a man), and Proof
Positive by Phillip Margolin (role of forensic evi-
dence in linking suspects to crimes).
Keep reading, and remember the library is air-
conditioned for the comfort of patrons.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
Tues., Thur. 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30
a.m., when school is in session.
Phone: (503 ) 429-1818
in the Jamboree parade. So, if
you or anyone you know was
planning to do so, be fore-
warned that this cannot hap-
pen.
We want to get the word out
now so you won’t be disap-
pointed on parade day.
Thank you,
Robb Wilson and
The Jamboree Committee
Timber Junction will
fall to modernization
To the Editor:
It’s time to say “Goodbye” to
an old friend. I had lunch at the
Timber Junction Cafe, and
owner Donna Herr told me it
has been sold and will close
Friday, July 14.
George and Donna Herr
bought the cafe four years ago,
intending to resell it. Donna,
however, did not want to close
the restaurant, so kept it open,
serving good, high-quality food.
She and George have made a
number of improvements over
the years, including the fish
ponds. Donna is concerned
about the fate of the trout and
large-mouth bass in her ponds,
and also about the humming-
birds she has faithfully fed over
the years.
Donna says she has met
many nice people at the cafe,
and will miss everyone. George
and Donna thank their friends,
neighbors, and customers for
the support they received. Don-
na and George have no imme-
diate plans; however, Donna
says she will continue to teach
oil painting.
Unfortunately, this old land-
mark cafe will be razed and be
replaced by a wine-tasting cen-
ter and art gallery.
So, Goodbye, Good luck and
God bless to George, Donna
and the Timber Junction crew.
We’ll miss you!
Judith Stefan
Vernonia
Where to Find Them
US Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat-OR)
700 NE Multnomah St, Suite 450 • Portland OR 97232
Phone: 503-326-7525
516 Hart Senate Ofc. Bldg. • Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Website: http://wyden.senate.gov
US Senator Gordon Smith (Republican-OR)
One World Trade Center • 121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-3386 • Fax: 503-326-2900
404 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg. • Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Website: http://gsmith.senate.gov
US Representative David Wu (Democrat-01)
620 SW Main, Suite 606 • Portland OR 97205
Phone: 503-326-2901 • Fax: 503-326-5066
1023 Longworth Building • Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-0855 • Fax: 202-225-9497
Website: http://house.gov/wu
Senator Betsy Johnson (Democrat-16)
PO Box R, Scappoose, OR 97056
Phone: 503-543-4046 • Fax: 503-543-5296
900 Court St. NE, S-314, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1716 • Fax: 503-986-1940
E-mail: sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.us/johnson
Representative Brad Witt (Democrat-31)
21740 Lindberg Road, Clatskanie, OR 97016
Phone: 503-728-4664
900 Court St. NE, H-373, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1431
E-mail: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.us/witt
Representative Deborah Boone (Democrat-32)
PO Box 637, Cannon Beach, OR 97110
Phone: 503-717-9182
900 Court St. NE, H-375, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1432
E-mail: rep.deborahboone@state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.us/boone