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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2008)
The INDEPENDENT, June 5, 2008 Page 3 Letters Protect yourself from the bully at City Hall To The Editor: Tape recorder required: Any- time a person enters Vernonia city hall and has to deal with Aldie Howard, you need to car- ry a tape recorder with you for protection to save your integri- ty. Howard will do whatever it takes to ruin your integrity if you don’t agree with him or roll over for him. He will intimidate you by using our police or former employees of the city or even threaten you into Justice Court with false billings just to say he won. Anytime a city employee will insult, bully and intimidate one of the finest of our senior females just so he can show his power over her, it’s past time for him to go. Mayor Harrison, Between the Bookends By Susan Cackler, Library Assistant Banks Public Library The school year is winding down and that means it’s time to sign up for the summer reading program at the library. All of the 14 libraries in the Washington County coop- erative will be offering fun, free activities to educate and entertain kids. Prizes are also available for children who sign up and meet their reading goals. Summer reading events will be held at the Banks Public Library on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. starting June 19 and continuing through July, ex- cept for July 3. Check out all of the events at wc- cls.org. Each child should sign up at only one Wash- ington County Library, but may attend events at any library. Sign-ups began June 2 and continue until July 15. August 1 is the first day that read- ing records can be turned in and they must be turned in by August 30. Summer reading is open to pre-readers on up through teen-agers. Join us for Preschool Story Time, Wednes- days at 10:15 am. This event is geared toward 3- 6 year olds, but younger siblings are welcome. Miss Cathy will read stories about “Daddy-o” on June 11. The themes for the rest of the month haven’t been decided yet. Story Time will contin- ue through July, but will not be held during Au- gust. There will be no Friends of the Banks Public Library craft night in July or August. The Friends of the Banks Public Library can always use your support. You can make a tax deductible donation, become a member, volun- teer, or bring your recycling to Swatco on the second Saturday of each month. Money that the Friends raise helps the library purchase Cul- tural Passes, upgrade equipment and purchase books and movies. On the Shelf: Homecoming, by Bernhard Schlink. In this first novel since the best-selling The Reader , this is the story of one man’s odyssey and another man’s pursuit. Peter Debauer grew up with his mother and scant memories of his father, who died in World War II. As an adult, Peter embarks upon a search for the truth of his mother’s histo- ry and the possibility of finding his missing father after all these years. He searches across Europe to the U.S. and back, finding clues to his father through a long chain of disguises. He ends up in New York City, struggling to hold on to the woman he loves and find the truth behind his family history. Wit’s End , by Karen Joy Fowler. In this novel set in Santa Cruz, Rima Lanisell arrives at her godmother’s old Victorian mansion, mourning the recent loss of her father. She soon finds her- self immersed in a household of eccentrics, in- cluding two quirky dog walkers, a stalker and her godmother, a secretive and feisty bestselling mystery writer, who knew Rima’s father very well. Rima sets out to find out what that relation- ship really was. This book is both a jaunt into the past and firmly rooted in the present, as it ex- plores the effects of an internet fan base on a reclusive author. The characters are oddball and endearing and the circuitous story is sure to en- tertain. The Host, by Stephanie Meyer. Meyer steps away from her Twilight series for teens with this, her first novel for adults. Melanie Snyder has been taken over by an unseen enemy that is in- vading the world, but she won’t give up and fade away. Soon, her host is overwhelmed by the hu- man’s emotions and memories and an unlikely alliance forms as host and hostage search for the man Melanie loves. Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane. This novel, by the author of Frenemies, features three sisters who are as different as can be. No- rah, the oldest is a type A who hasn’t forgiven the middle sister Raine for ruining her wedding day six years ago. Raine is a wild-child hippie chick who ran off to California. The only thing the two have in common is their ability to drive Courtney, their youngest sister, crazy. Courtney decides it’s time for a truce when she is about to be married. But reuniting isn’t easy and neither is overcom- ing first loves. Courtney finds herself examining all the choices in her life and realizing she needs her sisters more than ever. Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberg- er. From the author of the Devil Wears Prada, this novel is the story of three best friends who vow to change their entire lives, fast. Nearing 30, the three have been friends for nearly a decade. But now they’re looking to the future and not sure they like what they see. They’re all single for different reasons and two of them vow to make some serious changes. They give them- selves one year to pull it off and see what they can accomplish. Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street. Hours: Mon., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. There will be no Story Time in August. Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 for information Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us Browse library resources, reserve or renew materials online. Call for information. you should be ashamed of yourself for allowing this to hap- pen. I know you are aware of this happening. It’s time for you to stop protecting Howard. If the council is aware of what is going on, shame on you also. I have been contacted by several fine citizens since I opened the door on Howard and all have expressed their fear of being slandered or threatened by this bully if they disagree with him or report him to city hall. Better luck next time, Howard!!! Your Honorable Citizen, Leonard Simmons Vernonia Mindful clarity needed To The Editor: An uncluttered mind: Young people and children have amazed me with their clarity of thought. Naive I suppose, but then bigotry is more so. The brain is like a hard drive, overload it and it does not func- tion well. Be careful what you save, Eddie Peters Vernonia Policy on Letters The INDEPENDENT will not publish letters that include per- sonal attacks on private citizens. Because of space limitations, preference will be given to brief letters, 300 words or less. All letters must be signed and include a verifiable address or phone number. Where to Find Them US Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat-OR) 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 585 • Portland OR 97232 Phone: 503-326-7525 230 Dirksen Senate Office 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-277, 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 926, 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 Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving. — O Henry (William Sydney Porter)