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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2006)
The INDEPENDENT, August 3, 2006 Camp Wilkerson sign burns down Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay First, let me s a y t h a n k you to all t h o s e folks that called to see if I w a s o k a y On Thursday, July 20, a 1999 Ford diesel four-wheel- drive truck, driven by Andrew Hawks of Monmouth, lost pow- er and caught fire near the Camp Wilkerson sign on Apiary Road. The fire spread from the vehicle to roadside vegetation and then to the Camp Wilker- son sign. The truck and the sign were both total losses. Crews from the Oregon De- partment of Forestry, the Mist- Birkenfeld and Clatskanie Fire Districts, and Columbia River Fire and Rescue all responded to the fire. during our hot spell. I had sense enough to draw the drapes, open windows and doors early then close up and turn on my fans, but it took Shadow a day-and-a-half to fig- ure out that the noise of the fan wouldn’t attack her. So, she came in to the front room with me. Life didn’t really stop but it felt like it. I hope you were able to take in the Vernonia Cares BBQ Chicken Feed at the Senior City Council holds workshop on wastewater plan The Vernonia City Council held a special meeting, July 31, before a public workshop to discuss Preliminary Investiga- tion and Opportunities for the Waste Water Project. The items on the special agenda were street closures for Jamboree and a request from Jay Barber for a beer garden beside the Lyons Den. After be- ing assured by Chief of Police, Mat Workman, that the police had no issues with either re- quest, the council unanimously approved both requests, then adjourned to the workshop. Mayor Sally Harrison told those in attendance that she, Councilor Randy Parrow, and County Commissioner Tony Hyde had met last week with Senator Betsy Johnson, Mark Elsworth from the Governor’s office and Ann Richardson from Congressman David Wu’s office on the wastewater plan, and that Vernonia now has more support for sending a letter to DEQ outlining in a very clear way what the situation is with funding and planning the waste- water upgrade and the impact it might have on Vernonia. Witt will hold next forum in Rainier Representative Brad Witt, (D-Clatskanie), will be holding his third Community Forum on August 15, at the Rainier Se- nior Center. The forum will be- gin at 6:30 p.m., and the topic will be Public Safety. Two previous forums were held in Astoria and St. Helens, and covered health care and education issues. Citizens from both communities participated in lively discussions regarding the need to improve access to health care and improve the quality of education in Oregon. The forum in Rainier will al- low constituents to discuss with Rep. Witt their concerns about personal and public safety. Such issues as the metham- phetamine epidemic, the lack of funding for law enforcement in some communities, what to do about predatory sex offend- ers, and the growing incidence of personal ID theft and credit card fraud will be discussed. Anyone interested in these is- sues is encouraged to attend. Locally Grown F RESH F LOWERS Vernonia has now been re- classified as being primarily low to moderate income residents, which will allow for expanded grant and low income loan pos- sibilities that should be evaluat- ed before proceeding with the wastewater project, according to Harrison. The next regular meeting of the Vernonia City Council will be August 7, at 7:00 p.m. at Vernonia City Hall. The waste- water upgrade project will be discussed at this next meeting. C a m e lo t C ar e Ce nt e r Medicare / Medicaid Certified VA , HMO and Insurance Contracts Sub-Acute Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitative Therapies Respite & Hospice Care Long Term Intermediate Care Dedicated & Caring Staff C UT TO O RDER Julie Prohaska Behind Vernonia Inn 503-429-7055 Page 9 3 9 0 0 P ac if i c A ve . , F or es t G ro ve ( 5 03 ) 3 59 - 04 4 9 Center on July 29. Thanks to those who did. What’s happened or is about to: Vernonia’s 50th Jamboree, August 4, 5, 6; Vernonia Cares Bear Creek 10K Run, August 19; Old Timers’ Picnic, August 20; City Night Out, August 22; then the Senior Center Picnic, August 25. Our town is having growing pains. Folks moving in and out of town – weddings, babies, and several of our number have passed away. They will be sorely missed. Have you been watching the remodeling going on in town? Especially Bridge Street? It’s quite puzzling to me. They pour concrete, let it dry, then break it out in spots and change or redo it, differently. This saves time and money?? Question: How do you teach people to drive in high sun and dappled spots of dark shade? Common sense tells me – slow down, turn on your head- lights and keep all four of your tires on your side of the yellow double line. A higher speed does not mean you will be cooler. Kennedy picked for queen Shirley Kennedy, represent- ing the St. Helens Senior Cen- ter, was selected as the 2006 My Fair Lady Queen at the Co- lumbia County Fair, on July 19.
