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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2009)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, January 1, 2009 Policy expert will head Merkley’s staff Senator-Elect Jeff Merkley announced the appointment of several individuals to serve in senior positions in his Senate office. His new Chief of Staff, Michael Zamore, is considered one of the top policy minds on the Hill. Zamore served for sev- en years as Policy Advisor to Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI). He also created the House 21st Century Health Care Caucus, helped build bipartisan majori- ties in support of landmark mental health parity legislation, and was recognized as a lead- ing House staff person on is- sues of health care reform. “I’m looking forward to im- mediately getting down to the hard task of putting our nation back on track as soon as I am sworn in,” said Merkley. “It is critically important to have a strong team in place to serve the people of our state. I’m very excited that Mike Zamore will be heading up my staff, he will be an effective and knowledge- able advocate for Oregon.” Zamore most recently served as Policy Director at the Democratic Senatorial Cam- paign Committee. He was also the DSCC’s primary liaison to the Senate leadership. Merkley also announced several other members of his Senate team: Maribeth Healey will serve as Merkley’s Deputy State Di- rector. Currently Executive Di- rector of Oregonians for Health Security, she is the 2008 recip- ient of the Families USA Con- sumer Health Advocate of the Year Award and was appointed in 2006 to the Oregon Senate Commission on Health Care Access and Affordability. Claire Griffin will serve as Constituent Services Director. Griffin was Merkley’s Legisla- tive Aide for eight years and served the last two years as his Special Assistant in the Speak- er’s office. Jessica Adamson, currently with the Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter, will be Business Liai- son. Before joining AGC, Adamson was Chief of Staff to Representative Lynn Lundquist (R-Powell Butte) and Legisla- tive Assistant for Senator Jean- nette Hamby (R-Hillsboro). Two of Merkley’s transition staffers will continue with the Senator-Elect. Jon Isaacs will serve as the Oregon State Di- rector and Julie Edwards will be Communications Director. Storm: Food and heat appreciated From page 1 “The coordinated response between military and emer- gency management was phe- nomenal,” said Vicki Harguth, Director of Emergency Man- agement for Columbia County. A shelter was set up at Ver- nonia Middle School on De- cember 24. Only three people stayed all night at the shelter, though a number of people came down for warmth and hot food. Beginning on the after- noon of Christmas day, the shelter saw a steady flow of over 100 people, for dinner and warmth. As of 8:00 p.m. Christ- City starts administrator hiring anew Vernonia’s City Council held a special executive session and meeting on December 26, at 10:30 a.m. in City Hall. After the executive session, held to consider employment of a pub- lic officer, council announced that none of the applicants they have been considering for the city administrator position would be hired and that the job would be re-posted for new ap- plications. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Janu- ary 5, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. mas night, a handful of people were bedding down at the shel- ter, though most were going home to bundle up under as many blankets as they could find. Eric Urban, a teacher at Washington Grade School, vis- ited the shelter on Christmas for a hot dinner. He said friends told him to put in a supply of wood in case of power out- ages. He bought enough for a few hours, not knowing that outages can last for three days or more. “I’ll be looking to get a cord of wood, now that I know,” Urban said. He found out about the shelter after seeing lights there when he ventured out to see if any stores were open in town. A good Samaritan gave him enough wood to get through a couple of days. The shelter closed the evening of Sunday, December 28, after power had been re- stored to most homes. Community Calendar VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Monday 6:30 p.m., 410 North Street American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue Arts & Crafts Society 2nd Thursday 2:00 p.m., City Library Booster Club 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., VHS Library Boy Scout Troop 201 Tuesdays 7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin Boy Scout Troop 860 Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., LDS Church Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday 6:30 p.m., City Hall CERT 4th Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-3018 Chamber of Commerce 2nd Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-6081 Community Coalition 2nd Monday 12:30 p.m. School District Ofc. Cub Scout Pack 201 Scout Cabin For Info Call 503-429-4250 Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2 For Info Call 503-819-0143 Hands On Art Committee 1st & 3rd Thursdays 4:00 p.m., City Hall Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday For location call 503-429-7193 Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant Municipal Airport Committee 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Narcotics Anonymous Saturdays 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street Pioneer Museum For Info Call 503-429-3713 Public Works Committee 4th Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Cares Directors For Info call 503-429-1414 Vernonia City Council 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Community PTA 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., WGS Library Vernonia Grange 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. Vernonia Learning Center 1st Wednesday 6:00 p.m., VLC Vernonia Parks Committee 3rd Wednesday 6:30 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Planning Comm. 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Pride 3rd Thursday 1:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Ridge Riders Last Thursday 7:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia RFPD Board 2nd Tuesday 6:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia School Board 2nd Thursday 6:00 p.m., District Office Vernonia Sr. Center Board 2nd Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia Transfer Station 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Behind VHS Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st, 3rd & 4th Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station WOEC Directors 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., WOEC MIST-BIRKENFELD M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg. 2nd Tuesday M-BRFPD Board Workshop 4th Tuesday M-B Ambulance Drill 1st & 2nd Thursdays M-B Fire Drill 1st & 2nd Wednesdays M-B Helping Circle 2nd Monday M-B SAR Drill 3rd Wednesday M-B Volunteer Assoc. 1st Tuesday Natal Grange 2nd Wednesday T.O.P.S. Mondays Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-2401 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall 6:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station BANKS Alcoholics Anonymous Fridays 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church American Legion Post #90 2nd Tuesdays 7:30 p.m., Main Street Post Banks City Council 2nd Tuesday 7:30 p.m., City Hall Banks Fire District #13 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., Station 13 Banks Library Commission 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library Banks Planning Commission Last Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Banks School Board 2nd Monday 7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library Banks Youth Group Sundays, Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg. Chamber of Commerce 1st Thursday 12:30 p.m., Fire District Office CPO 14 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., City Library Friends of the Library 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library Lions Club 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., Brown Derby Sunset Park Assoc. 3rd Wednesday 8:00 p.m., Gun Club T.O.P.S. Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg. COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.) Board of Commissioners Wednesdays 10 a.m., Courthouse Citizens for Senior Justice 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church Columbia Soil & Water District 3rd Wednesday 7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes County Fair Board 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg. County Parks Commission 3rd Monday 6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St. Mental Health Advisory Comm. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Comm. on Children & Families 3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30 Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.