PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. Postage Paid
Vernonia, OR 97064
Permit No. 37
Vol. 24, No. 1
“Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
Vernonia 2008 Year in Review
Snow birds
A Varied Thrush (left) and a Robin enjoy a tree with left over fruit on one of the recent
snowy days in Vernonia.
Heavy snows blanket the Nehalem Valley
Vernonia, most of Columbia
County and many other areas,
saw a very snowy winter storm
come through starting with
snowfall on December 14. Ver-
nonia and St. Helens declared
states of emergency on De-
cember 22 (retroactive to De-
cember 15). After such a decla-
ration, the Governor decides
whether to accept the declara-
tion before funds can flow to
the affected area to help offset
the costs associated with dig-
ging out from such storms.
Power went out in some ar-
eas with the first snowfalls and
was still out in some outlying
areas on Monday, December
29. West Oregon Electric Co-
operative (WOEC) General
January 1, 2009
Manager Marc Farmer said on
Monday that power was still out
on the Lower Nehalem, Hagg
Lake, Timber Rd., Strassel Rd,
Scofield Rd, and Apiary Rd. All
were expected to have power
restored Monday. WOEC antic-
ipates having all smaller out-
ages repaired by the end of
Wednesday, December 31. In-
side the city of Vernonia, power
was off for a few hours, Decem-
ber 20-21, was on Monday, De-
cember 22, then off again the
afternoon of Christmas Eve
and was not restored until the
early hours of December 27.
Oregon National Guards-
men from the 116th Air Control
Squadron provided manpower,
equipment and supplies to help
people throughout Columbia
County during the storm.
Working with civilian agen-
cies in Columbia County, they
responded to 103 fire, medical
and public assistance calls,
conducted 164 welfare checks,
and provided 11 medical trans-
ports.They also delivered
heater meals and cases of wa-
ter to isolated residences in the
Nehalem Valley, and a genera-
tor to provide drinking water for
the Fishhawk Lake community.
Please see page 4
Top 10 Items you
need to survive a
Power Outage
See Page 5
Jan. 4 – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden holds Town Hall.
Jan.5 – Vernonian Mackenzie Carr crowned queen of
2008 Columbia County Fair & Rodeo Court.
Jan. 7 – City Administrator M.R. “Dick” Kline resigns in
letter dated Jan. 7; effective 30 days from Dec.
18, 2007, “voluntarily resigning due to dire
financial circumstances” of Vernonia. Council
immediately puts him on contract as Financial
Manager while Planner Aldie Howard contin-
ues as Interim City Administrator. Planning
Commission and Council hold Flood Public
Hearing.
Jan. 17 – 47J School Board holds Town Hall style
meeting to discuss future of schools.City holds
illegal meeting when quorum of Council attend
study session with Planning Commission with
out following legal notification procedures.
Jan. 22 – Norm Brown, Ben Davis, and Dean Smith
given Lifesaving Award, at City Council meet-
ing, while 31 others receive certificates of ap-
preciation for volunteer efforts following the
flood.
Jan. 24 – 6-inch gas line behind Washington Grade
School accidentally cut while installing modu-
lar classrooms, school evacuated. Gas turned
off without incident.
Jan. 28 – Council announces M.R. “Dick” Kline’s last
day will be February 28.
Jan. 31 – Flood Town Hall at Washington Grade
School with FEMA representatives on hand.
Feb. 6 – All students back at school in Vernonia (after
many attend classes in Scappoose facilities
Please see page 2
Banks area home destroyed by fire
A fire was ignited December
22 at the home of the Barth
family on Pihl Road, when a
tree fell on a power line. Fire
equipment was unable to get to
the home for some time due to
bad road conditions caused by
the snow storm. The family was
safe, although their home was
a total loss.
John and Jill Barth and their
three children, age six to
twelve, spent the first few
nights after the fire at a hotel
and have now moved into a
temporary home.
The Banks Fire Department,
the North Plains Fire Station
and the Hillsboro Fire Station
are all drop-off spots for dona-
tions for the family. They now
have enough clothing, but still
need beds and bedding, blan-
kets, towels, pots/pans, dishes,
silverware and knives, a sofa,
kitchen table and chairs, dress-
er and hangers. Cash dona-
tions may also be made at any
US Bank into the “Barth Fund.”