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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2006)
The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2006 Page 7 September is Preparedness Month September is healthy aging month, too September is National Pre- paredness Month, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Se- curity has joined with almost 1,200 national, state and local agencies and organizations to encourage Americans to pre- pare their homes, businesses, schools and communities for disasters of all kinds. According to FEMA Acting Regional Di- rector Dennis Hunsinger, en- gaging citizens in homeland security and disaster prepared- ness is a critical first step in ef- fective government response and recovery efforts. “National Preparedness Month is a great time to learn how to prepare for natural dis- asters and the ever-present threat of terror-strikes,” said Hunsinger. “This year, the De- partment of Homeland Security and the National Preparedness Coalition are focusing on family emergency preparedness, and urging everyone to help make themselves and their loved ones better prepared.” With summer heat still en- abling wildfires throughout the Pacific Northwest, and flood September is designated as the month to focus attention on the positive aspects of growing older. The older population – people 65 years or older – numbered 36.3 million in 2004, the most recent year for which data is available. They repre- sented 1.4 percent of the U.S. population or about one in every eight Americans. Ore- gon’s older population num- bered more than 600,000. Studies have found that pos- itive relationships can help you stay healthier, live longer, and enjoy life more. A major study found that people with strong relationships had less mental decline and lived more active, pain-free lives without physical limitations. Power “blinks” BPA caused According to West Oregon Electric Cooperative, the pow- er outages, called “blinks,” ex- periences on Friday, Septem- ber 8 through Tuesday, Sep- tember 12, were the result of two bad “insulator strings” on the Bonneville Power Adminis- tration (BPA) lines about one mile out from the Tillamook substation. They were located and replaced on September 12. Republicans to meet Sept. 29 Columbia County Republi- cans will be holding their monthly informal MeetUp at Mr. Joe’s Coffee Cafe, 555 Co- lumbia River Hwy, St. Helens, on Friday, September 29. Come at 6:30 p.m. to order food, with the meeting begin- ning at 7:00 p.m. We will be there for information and lively discussion of issues of interest to those attending. All County Republicans are welcome. Contact Fred Yauney at 503- 543-6271 for further informa- tion. season just around the corner, not to mention the ever-present threat of earthquakes and even volcanic activity, Hunsinger re- minds residents that the time to plan how they’ll respond when disaster strikes, is “before dis- aster strikes!” “No matter how busy or hec- tic your daily routine, now is the time to think about what to do in the event of unexpected in- frastructure failure – or any oth- er major disaster,” said Hun- singer. “A good place to start is by downloading our “Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness” from <ww w.fema.gov>, and there is a wealth of information at <www.ready.gov>. There is also a calendar of National Pre- Please see page 17 Unemployment still at 5.9 percent Columbia County’s season- ally-adjusted unemployment rate was essentially un- changed at 5.9 percent in Au- gust. The rate was near the statewide rate of 5.5 percent but higher than the national rate of 4.7 percent. Total em- ployment in the county rose by 70 from the previous month and the number of unemployed people decreased by 94. Total employment was 22,174 in Au- Schann’s Basket gust and 1,336 people were unemployed. August 2005’s seasonally- adjusted unemployment rate was 7.0 percent. Total employ- ment this August was 569 greater than one year before and 208 fewer people were un- employed. Unemployment rates for oth- er counties can be found at http://www.qualityinfo.org/olmis j/AllRates. Thursdays,10am til the eggs are gone at the pocket park by Black Bear Coffee Co. 831 Bridge St., Vernonia Eggs ~ $2 dozen Plus vegetables and herbs in season Aging experts recommend staying involved in religious and community functions, maintaining a network of friends and family with whom you regularly interact, and vol- unteering in organizations that get you out and among other people. Here are some tips for staying socially connected. • Volunteering for part-time work can contribute to your knowledge and skills. Helping others is good for the body and spirit, improves our mood and well-being and builds strong communities. • Join a club. • Learn a new hobby. Get to- gether with others who have similar interests. • Take advantage of pro- grams offered by your local li- brary, community or senior cen- ter, and county Extension of- fice. • Register for an adult edu- cation or college course in a subject that interests you. You might be amazed at how much you enjoy school. • Stay in close contact with family or friends. Write, e-mail, or call someone daily. • Get connected while you improve your health. Join a walking club, Jazzercise, or the local fitness center, go golfing, or take yoga or cooking class- es. • Pets can also nourish our well-being. Source: Denise Rennekamp, Extension associate, OSU.
