The INDEPENDENT, April 2, 2009
Easter Concert back for 2009 Vernonia Police
raid MIP party
A scene from the 2006 Easter Concert. After a two year break,
the concert returns in 2009.
The 2009 Easter Concert,
directed by Lynda Cahill, will be
presented on April 3, 4, and 5,
at Washington Grade School in
Vernonia.
This year’s presentation is
“Bow The Knee” written by
popular
songwriter
Chris
Machen, and featuring 10 new
songs in addition to the title
song. The moving story culmi-
nates in the dramatic and joyful
resurrection of Christ.
The Easter Concert is al-
ways free, and includes songs
by a costumed choir. There will
be programs at 7:30 p.m. on
April 3 and 4. On April 5, the
program will be held at 3:00
p.m.
Come enjoy seeing your
friends and neighbors perform
in the Easter Concert.
Peyton re-appointed to OYCCAC
Maggie Peyton, of Vernonia,
has been named to a second
appointment on the Oregon
Youth Conservation Corps Ad-
visory Committee. Peyton
served her first appointment
from February 15, 2006, to
February 4, 2009.
The Oregon Youth Conser-
vation Corps (OYCC) builds on
the strong connections be-
tween positive work experi-
ences, work skills, personal re-
sponsibility, commitment to ed-
ucation and future employment
for youth.
OYCC was established by
the Oregon Legislature to:
• protect, conserve, rehabili-
tate and improve the natural,
historical and cultural re-
sources of Oregon; and
• to increase educational,
training and employment op-
portunities for youth, for the
purpose of improving work
skills, instilling work ethic and
increasing employability.
Youth corps members work
on projects such as construc-
tion of trails, boat docks, dis-
ability access ramps, fences
and picnic tables; restoration/
preservation of wetlands,
stream banks, endangered
species and other wildlife habi-
tat, and historical and cultural
sites; maintaining all of the
above after wind, floods, fire or
normal use; plus plantings, wa-
ter quality testing, removing
non-native plants and weeds,
watershed work, managing
nurseries, landscaping, map-
ping, surveying and recycling
and community stewardship
projects
Please see page 20
20 Years Ago This Month
The April 27, 1989, issue of
The Independent included the
following news story on the
front page under the headline
“Sewer problem will raise
rates”:
The first public hearing, last
Monday, about a proposed new
sewer system for the City of
Vernonia got off to a shaky
start.
The city is working with the
Oregon Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality and the engi-
neering firm of HGE Inc. to de-
velop a plan for relieving pollu-
tion of the Nehalem River by
Please see page 20
According to Interim Chief of
Police Mike Kay, on March 20,
just before 10:00 p.m., Vernon-
ia Police responded to reports
from concerned citizens of ju-
veniles consuming alcohol and
narcotics on E. Bridge St.
When the officers arrived,
they found several intoxicated
juveniles in the driveway. Sev-
eral ran, but were apprehend-
ed in the backyard by other
Vernonia Police Officers.
Inside the residence, sever-
al highly intoxicated adults and
more juveniles were found,
along with a considerable
amount of Marijuana and sev-
eral containers of alcohol, in
addition to a loaded rifle on the
floor.
Elliott S. Graf, 18, Vernonia,
began to fight with officers and
was restrained by use of Taser.
Two Vernonia Police Officers
were struck and injured in the
altercation. Graf was charged
with Assaulting a Public Safety
Officer, Resisting Arrest, and
MIP-Alcohol.
The owner of the residence,
Dallas J. Armstrong, 18, Ver-
nonia, was arrested for Fur-
nishing Alcohol to a Minor x 8,
Endangering the Welfare of a
Minor and Unlawful Delivery of
Marijuana.
Paul Ogden, 20, Vernonia
was arrested for MIP-Alcohol,
and other charges are being
reviewed by the District Attor-
ney. Eight juveniles were re-
ferred to Columbia County Ju-
venile Department for MIP-Al-
cohol.
“The department has taken
a zero tolerance stance for
adults who provide juveniles
with alcohol or drugs. We want
to make it clear to those who
choose to purchase, provide or
allow juveniles to use alcohol
or drugs that they will be ar-
rested and prosecuted for their
decision,” said Kay of the inci-
dent.
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
First
off
–
ques-
tion? If
alcohol,
drugs
and etc.
are sup-
posed to
give
a
person
“a good feeling” why does one
destroy another’s property? If
depression makes you sad and
“I want to be alone” feeling,
why pout and destroy another’s
property? If you’re feeling great
and want something to do for
fun, why go out and destroy an-
other’s property? My point? In
walking the lake lately I notice
Post 15 has been pulled out of
the ground, cement anchor and
all. Also, the seat of a picnic
table is broken in half (cross-
ways). I note that the parks de-
partment wants input from folks
for ideas on how to maintain
our parks. I’ve no suggestions
except to say, “If ma and pa
don’t teach ‘X’ how to respect
their home, places and people,
how can anyone teach any-
body anything?” Even the State
Parks that have signs saying
“take your trash home, please”
do not work. So, I guess the
answer is; if you can, see it and
pick it up for your sake.
Now onward – since I rup-
tured my eardrum (while bark-
ing like a seal) I have had a
revelation. I wish to ask those
hard of hearing folk to forgive
me for not fully understanding
what you go through all of the
time. If you can’t see the car –
you can’t be sure where the
sound is coming from (left, right
or behind). If the alarm clock is
on the wrong side of your head
– you can’t hear it. As for listen-
ing to the T.V. – ho ho – keep
the volume control close – too
loud or too soft. The telephone
is fun, too. I’ve often thought. “if
you’d just pay attention and lis-
ten.” Now I understand what I
have to do – please forgive all
of us who aren’t in your shoes.
Now as for American Idol
Wed. night. Yes for Adam and
Allison, Mat and Kris – the rest
of them can go back to their
day jobs.
Happy Easter ~ April 12
Mariolino’s Happy Easter
From all of us
at Mariolino’s
721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018
Page 9
Available at…
Gardner’s Farm & Home Supply
19340 Biggs Road
Vernonia, OR 97064
(503) 429-6481