The INDEPENDENT, July 2, 2009
Where to Find Them
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
(Dem)
1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 585
Portland OR 97232
Phone: 503-326-7525
223 Dirksen Senate Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510-0001
Phone: 202-224-5244
E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/
contact
Website: http://wyden.senate.
gov
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
(Dem.)
One World Trade Center
121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-3386
107 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
E-Mail: senator@merkley.sen
ate. gov
WebSite: http://merkley.senate.
gov
U.S. Representative David Wu
(Dem) OR District 1
620 SW Main, Suite 606
Portland, OR 97205
Phone: 503-326-2901
2338 Rayburn House Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-0855
Website: http://house.gov/wu
Senator Betsy Johnson
(Dem) Senate District 16
PO Box R,
Scappoose, OR 97056
Phone: 503-543-4046
900 Court St. NE, S-314
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1716
E-mail: sen.betsyjohnson@
state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/johnson
Representative Brad Witt
(Dem) House District. 31
21740 Lindberg Road,
Clatskanie, OR 97016
Phone: 503-728-4664
900 Court St. NE, H-373
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1431
E-mail: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/witt
Representative Deborah
Boone
(Dem) House District 32
PO Box 926
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
Phone: 503-717-9182
900 Court St. NE, H-375
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1432
E-mail: rep.deborahboone@
state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/boone
Page 3
Letters
Better training, yes;
more officers, no
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to
the June 18, 2009, Letter to the
Editor entitled, “Questions are
okay, but know the facts.”
At the time this letter was be-
ing written, June 21, at 3:15
p.m., I called the local police
station and dispatch to talk to
an officer and surprisingly none
were on duty? We employ 4,
and they want to employ anoth-
er officer? My question is why?
I have lived in this communi-
ty now for 6 years and as of to-
day with the above information
strongly believe we do not need
another officer in our town!
Over the past several
months I have called our local
law enforcement to report
speeding up and down Rose
Avenue heading towards High-
way 47 and no officer has re-
sponded. I have been told they
are too busy, but yet they are
sitting at the station doing
what? But when someone
wants to file a false police re-
port, they go running and with-
out conducting a thorough in-
vestigation and obtaining all of
the facts, they write their re-
ports and forward to the D.A.
The writer of the letter goes
on to state that his children
were subject to threats and ver-
bal abuse while living in the
community, what about the chil-
dren and adults that live in this
community that have been
threatened
and
verbally
abused by out local law en-
forcement? Or threatened to
have our drug dog let loose if
they don’t cooperate? My chil-
dren have been subjected to
this threat several times, why
do they need to be so aggres-
sive? We are a small town and
do not need such aggressive
police tactics like big cities!
And, why should it matter
how many times police have re-
sponded to someone’s home
as the writer stated when
speaking of another writer of
another letter? How is that rele-
vant to the duties of our law en-
forcement?
Our tax dollars should be go-
ing to better train the officers
we do have and not to employ-
ing another one or buy new ve-
hicles. Let’s get real now when
today no officer was on duty
when I called, why in the world
do we need another one?
Elaina Brasure
Vernonia
Reward offered for
Don’t be careless bike stolen from park
with your fishing gear To the Editor:
To the Editor:
Fishing at Vernonia Lake
can be fun, peaceful and relax-
ing. When I fish, I make sure
nothing is left behind, please
can’t you? When I walk around
the lake I wish I didn’t feel the
need to continually stop and
pick up after negligent fisher
people. Please, when you are
finished fishing make sure that
you don’t leave fishing tackle
behind. In the walking path I
have found tackle with hooks
attached, those do wonders for
dog paws. And on my morning
walk today I found a bird hang-
ing from the lamp post high
above our Welcome to Vernon-
ia sign in front of the lake en-
trance. It saddens my heart to
think of what that poor little bird
went through as it fought to its
death to free itself from some-
one’s fishing line. Please be-
An Oregon Perspective
By Senator Jeff Merkley
Developing Real
Health Care
Reform
Our nation faces a
number of daunting chal-
lenges: high unemploy-
ment, skyrocketing fore-
closures, and a credit
freeze which is crippling businesses. Each of
them is contributing to another long-simmering
crisis: the unavailability and unaffordability of
health care. Forty-seven million Americans do
not have health insurance and millions more are
under-insured. Seniors have to pick and choose
which medicines they can afford and people skip
needed medical visits because they can’t afford
the payments. Folks who have health insurance
are afraid of losing it and people without insur-
ance are afraid of getting sick. We need a better
way.
Over the last several months I’ve been work-
ing nonstop with my colleagues on the Senate
Health Committee to develop legislation that will
provide affordable, quality health care for every
American.
The plan we are working on will expand ac-
cess to health care, bring down costs and invest
in prevention, while ensuring that seniors and the
disabled are not left behind.
First, I firmly believe that Americans should
have a choice of either keeping their existing
have responsibly with your fish-
ing gear. Thanks ever so much.
Roxana Sherman-Heath
Vernonia
coverage or choosing a public option that would
provide affordable health care coverage. A public
option must be included in plans for reform be-
cause it will reduce costs, encourage competition
and keep insurance companies honest.
Second, we need to spend our health care
dollars more wisely. America spends more than
any other industrialized nation on health care,
but those dollars are not translating into better
outcomes for patients. One sure way to reduce
costs for families, businesses, and government
is to invest in prevention. By making sure that
every American has access to preventive care,
we can catch diseases early and prevent finan-
cial hardship. We also need to invest in disease
management, affordable prescription drugs, and
wellness strategies like exercise and healthy
school lunches.
Finally, one of my biggest concerns is that
we look out for seniors and disabled Americans.
Long-term care has become prohibitively expen-
sive for many folks and I’ve spoken to Oregoni-
ans all over the state who are struggling to cover
sky-high costs for their family members. Ameri-
cans should not have to worry about their parent
or grandparent receiving the quality care they
deserve as they get older.
Doing nothing is not an option. We must
seize this extraordinary opportunity to pass real
health care reform and help improve the health
of our citizens by investing in prevention. Presi-
dent Obama has made health care reform a pri-
ority and I’m confident that we can work together
to provide coverage for all Americans.
I can’t believe it! Someone
cut the chain holding my grand-
son’s bike that was chained to
a trailer at Anderson Park and
took it. My grandson, D.J.
Grady, is 12 years old. Why
would someone steal a young
boy’s bike? It was a tan Redline
bike, with new red sprocket,
chain, and handle bar grips. It
also had new tires, a new seat,
and white pedals. I feel like who
ever took it should return it
without question, but we will of-
fer a reward for the bike’s re-
turn, because we do want it
back, please. Please don’t dis-
appoint me anymore than you
already have. If you have any
knowledge of this theft, please
let me know.
Ilene Grady
Vernonia
Professional auto
service in Vernonia
To the Editor:
Several weeks ago my pick-
up was damaged in an out-of-
town hit & run incident. I want-
ed to have it repaired as quick-
ly as possible and was, of
course, interested in a profes-
sional job for the restoration.
After visiting with Gary Meyer
at Meyer’s Auto Body, I decided
to put my pickup in his shop.
The damage was to one whole
side and involved two-tone
paint, a vehicle decal emblem
and minor hood damage.
Gary Meyer and his crew of
excellent craftsmen not only re-
paired the vehicle, but when it
was returned to me it looked
like it just came off the show-
room when it was first pur-
See Letters, page 22
Policy on Letters
The INDEPENDENT will
not publish letters that in-
clude personal attacks on
private citizens. Because of
space limitations, preference
will be given to brief letters,
300 words or less.
All letters must be signed
and include a verifiable ad-
dress or phone number.