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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2010)
Page 10 The INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2010 24 Years Ago This Month The April 24, 1986, issue of The Independent included the following news story on page 5: The Jamboree committee’s request for use of School Dis- trict 47J properties during the 30th Jamboree was not ap- proved at the district’s April meeting, in the absence of Jamboree representatives. The matter will be reviewed at the May meeting. Most critical to the Jamboree has been finding an acceptable site for the carnival. Sue Cavi- nee reported that the carnival had committed to the Jam- boree upon the assurance that either the school property or the new city hall site at the cor- ner of Weed and Maple streets will be available. The school property is most desirable for a number of rea- sons, paramount of which is that the city hall site needs lev- eling and surfacing work to be usable. In other developments, Mario Leonetti, chairman of the concessions committee, re- vealed plans for tightening up the procedures and regulations for issuing permits and control- ling the operations of vendors. “County health officials,” he declared, “have been asking to inspect all food vendors on site. “Care will be exercised to prevent vendors from sneaking in late to avoid inspections and fees,” he continued. A matter of serious concern to all community celebrations, including Jamboree, surfaced in a report by Fred Klinger, who reported that the liability insur- Beware of this new property tax scam Be careful of companies with official-sound names offering to help you reduce your property taxes for a fee. There is no need to pay for such services. Misleading mailers can look like official government agency documents. The mailers seek to trick you into sending them money to lower your property taxes. They also use address- es like “Regional Processing Center” to make you think the mail is coming from a govern- ment agency. A recent mailing reported to the Oregon Depart- ment of Justice includes the misleadingly official-sounds ti- tle: “2010 Property Tax Reduc- tion Form.” Sometimes, mailers threaten to impose a late fee if you don’t send them money by a certain date. Don’t be fooled. Govern- ment agencies don’t charge for tax reassessment — it’s free. If your property has declined in value and you think your prop- erty tax is incorrect, you can re- quest a review of your property from your local tax assessor. For more information, contact your county tax assessor’s of- fice. What you can do to avoid becoming a victim: · Don’t pay money for some- thing you did not ask for. Creatures & Vernonia · Contact your county asses- sor’s office directly, don’t pay for a middleman. Anyone who believes they have been approached by a scammer should call the Ore- gon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877- 877-9392 or go to the Depart- ment’s Web site:www.orego nattorneygeneral.gov. To stay informed about scams, sign up for the Scam Alert Network at: http://www.doj.state.or.us/fin- fraud/scamalertnetwork.shtml Attorney General John Kro- ger recently unveiled a new feature called Be InfORmed, which allows consumers to look up complaints about business- es: www.oregonattorneygener al.gov/beinformed. Library to hold talk about cities From page 7 15 million inhabitants? Come and share your thoughts and ideas on the sub- ject at this free conversation with photojournalist and Ful- bright Scholar Geoffrey Hiller. This program is presented by The Oregon Humanities Conversation Project. Florist Pet Supplies & Grooming (503-429-PETS (7387) www.creaturespetshop.com Plants ~ Antiques ~ balloons ~ Handmade Crafts Stuffed Toys ~ Greeting Cards & More (503) 429-2000 www.vernoniaflorist.com OPEN Mon-Sat 10-6 736 Bridge St. Vernonia Family Owned & Operated Superior Customer Service Mariolino’s B ECAUSE ance quotation for this year’s event was between $2000 and $2,500, with no guarantee that it would not be higher by Au- gust 1. Last year’s premium was in the $600 range. An in- crease of 400% or more threat- ens to eliminate community cel- ebrations. The executive board will research the matter and make a recommendation to the next meeting. Urban legend about 9-1-1 not to be trusted From page 8 nationwide number to get emergency assistance. There is no reason to use another number. That’s it, nothing se- cret, just call 9-1-1. Calling 9-1- 1 is still the fastest way to get professional help in a hurry.” 9- 1-1 should be used only in emergency situations. An Oregon Perspective From Page 3 Consumer protections for fi- nancial products are not so dif- ferent than consumer protec- tions for household goods. Not all Americans are certified elec- tricians — the average person probably can’t tell if his or her toaster has faulty wiring. But the Consumer Products Safety Commission does employ ex- perts who can test toasters and make sure they won’t burn your house down. The reality is that when the Consumer Products Safety Commission cracks down on such a dangerous product, the only companies that are hurt are those selling toasters that burst into flames. Responsible appliance companies that man- ufacture safe products aren’t hurt in the least. In fact, the knowledge that a consumer Please see page 19 Wauna reports on annual meeting From page 4 a member of a federally in- sured credit union. Blumberg reported that em- ployees at Wauna Federal Credit Union have been work- ing hard to provide new and im- proved products and services. Credit union members asked for Shared Branching and, in 2009, that was provided, allow- ing members to make transac- tions to their accounts at Wau- na Federal Credit Union from all over the nation and in other parts of the world. The Vernon- ia Branch ATM was upgraded to the latest technology. and ATMs in Clatskanie, St Helens, and Astoria were modified to accept deposits. Wauna Feder- al Credit Union is working to develop a partnership with lo- Happy Ea ster! OF YOUR REQUESTS W E ARE NOW SERVING P RIME R IB F RIDAY AND S ATURDAY N IGHTS 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018 cal auto dealers to make it more convenient for members to purchase an automobile and finance the purchase through the Credit Union, while still at the dealership. The mortgage program was expanded to in- clude loans on residential home purchases. The focus in 2010 will be adding branch locations for added convenience to every- one in Clatsop and Columbia Counties. The East Astoria Branch will open as an in-store branch within Safeway Retail Store, in the third quarter of 2010. The Scappoose Branch is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2010, in the first LEED (Leadership in Ener- gy and Environmental Design) Certified or green building in Columbia County. Wauna Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Clatskanie, and has branches in Astoria, Clatskanie, St Helens, Vernon- ia and Warrenton. Branches are coming soon in Scappoose and East Astoria. Everyone in Clatsop or Columbia counties is eligible for membership. For more information, call the toll free number 1.800.773.3236.