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.