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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 2009)
The INDEPENDENT, March 5, 2009 Library talk on Chinese Diaspora The Chinese Diaspora in the Americas: The First “Illegal Aliens” is the title of the next presentation at the Vernonia Li- brary, on Thursday, March 12, starting at 7:00 p.m. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese arrived in the U.S. in the mid-nineteenth century to work on railroads and sugar plantations. Elliott Young, As- sociate Professor of History at Lewis & Clark College will dis- cuss the journey of the Chinese once they were here and the way they were treated by the government here. There will be refreshments after the discussion. This pres- entation is brought to you by the Vernonia Library, the Friends of the Library and fund- ing from the Oregon Council for the Humanities. Sign-up for Safe Driving Class An AARP Safe Driving Class will be held at the Ver- nonia Senior Center on March 30 and 31, starting at 12:45 p.m. The cost is $12 for mem- bers of the Center and $14 for non-members. The class provides informa- tion on rules of the road, how to operate a vehicle safely, han- dling a vehicle in a crisis situa- tion and how to overcome age- related reaction time decreases. For more information, or to sign-up for the class, call Karen at 503-429-9112. Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay I know. I under- stand. It is the be- ginning of a new year. A n e w Presi- dent and all State, County and City budgets are being shuffled and cut. But, now my phone is run over by other cities in my county calling me for funds to help with their local costs. I know we trade fire and police protection and well we should, it is necessary. It is mid-winter (and yes all of us on S.S. got an 20 Years Ago This Month The March 30, 1989, issue of The Independent included the following news story on page 3: In a magnanimous gesture last week, the local Veterans of Foreign Wars, Smith-Chris- tensen Post #3763, signed over the deed to the VFW Hall on Bridge Street to the Vernon- ia Senior Citizens. For one dollar! Under terms of the sale, the VFW reserved the right to use the facility one night and two weekends a month in the event that the now dormant VFW Post should be reactivated. The seniors have leased the building for a nominal amount for many years, and wanted to expand, but without holding the title they couldn’t apply for fed- eral funding for maintenance, remodeling or expansion. Though that barrier has now been removed, another is yet to be overcome. According to member Henry Anderegg, the property encroaches by about seven and a half feet on the MiniMart property west of the Center. When that glitch is re- solved, the seniors will be able to work on their plans for ex- pansion. Also in the March 30, 1989, issue of The Independent was this news story on page 24: The Vernonia City Council approved an ordinance allow- ing the placement of manufac- tured homes in residential ar- eas of the city, following a pub- lic hearing with people speak- ing both for and against the proposal. Those who favored the ordi- nance felt it would make it eas- ier for middle and lower income people to own a home, and would put some under-utilized properties back on the tax roll. Opponents felt the struc- tures were substandard, would rapidly deteriorate, and should- n’t be allowed in the city. City attorney Tom Kohl ex- plained that the ordinance can Page 9 only regulate the type of manu- factured homes allowed, site preparation requirements, and similar details, because state law prohibits the exclusion of manufactured homes in resi- dential areas. The ordinance does not al- low the use of mobile homes in the city, but only manufactured homes that meet federal stan- dards set in 1974. The ordinance was prepared by the planning commission af- ter many months of study. NEED CASH?? I can help you get TOP-DOLLAR for your FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, KNIVES and ACCESSORIES It’s Simple, It’s Fast and… I do all the work for you! Contact me so I can start helping you right away… Murray Carter Federally Licensed Class III Firearms Dealer. 503-429-0447 or 503-816-6556 www.cartercutlery.com murray@carter cutlery.com. increase in our living wage) but personally food has gone up, along with heat, power and all medical expenses. Doesn’t anyone think of how it makes a person feel when they “call” and ask, “Can’t you give even $3.00?” Something else on my mind – all of these raised homes. All of those steep steps. Have none of the builders or possibly the homeowners ever heard of a “California Step”? The step is 18” wide (not 12”) and 4-1/2” to 5” rise (to the next step). Yes, the length of steps is longer but an easier incline for those with bad knees, backs, legs and for toting stuff up and down. I don’t even see any with what I call a “porch step” halfway up. I’d never make it up or down those I’ve seen. All folks get old, or won’t there be any old folks liv- ing here in years to come? Now to the happy side of life. If you stayed away from “Golden Oldies” Wednesday at the Senior Center – your loss. There were three “dropped by to join in making music” fellows; Bob, Everest and Larry. We hadn’t seen them in about a year. They added songs and tunes some of us had forgotten – Good to bring back Old Mem- ories. Come back soon or of- tener if you can. It was also good to see sev- eral of our own off the sick list and back with us.