The INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2010
Between the Bookends
From page 12
traordinary bravery under fire at Guadalcanal, he
toured the nation with movie stars, shared podi-
ums with governors and shook the hands of
thousands of citizens. Why would a man who
had gone above and beyond the call of duty and
was reaping the rewards beg his commanding
officers to send him back in to combat? Leg-
endary columnist James Brady explores this and
other questions in this surprising biography. This
is the tale of a small-town boy who became one
of World War II’s best-known heroes, only to be
forgotten after his death in battle.
Catalyst, a Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne
McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. Cats
have been solving mysteries in books for many
years now. But in this science fiction story, cats
are heading into space and helping to save the
universe. Since the first Maine coon cat showed
what a cat could do for a ship and its crew, the
so-called Barque Cats have become highly-
prized crew members. His progeny, assisted by
humans with whom they share a deep and lov-
ing bond, travel the galaxy and are responsible
for keeping the craft free of vermin, for alerting
human crews to potential environmental hazards
and for acting as morale officers. When an epi-
demic threatens all animal life, it will take some
dedicated humans and some special kittens to
save them, and possibly the universe, from total
destruction.
Sand Daughter by Sarah Bryant. This histori-
cal novel is set in the time of the Crusades. The
Islamic world is divided and the Franks have
captured the Holy Land. As the mighty Saladin
struggles to unite the clans of Arabia against the
invaders, a young Bedouin woman faces danger.
She is Khalidah, a woman set to enter an
arranged loveless marriage at the behest of her
father. She soon finds the impending union
Page 13
County boards seek volunteers
makes her a pawn in a deadly plot involving her
own feuding tribe and the Knights Templar. She
runs away with a man she barely knows and
their journey is an unimaginable adventure. But
she is somehow still connected to the Jinn, mys-
terious Afghan warriors who may hold the key to
winning the imminent battle for the Holy Land.
The Witch Doctor’s Wife by Tamar Myers. The
long-beloved mystery writer tells a tale of duty,
greed, danger and miracles in equatorial Africa,
drawn partially from her own years in Africa.
Young missionary Amanda Brown goes to the
Congo in 1958. Her enthusiasm is countered by
the shock of a very foreign culture. Little by little,
Amanda is drawn into the lives of the villagers in
Belle Vue and she befriends the local witch doc-
tor, who has been forced to take a second job to
support his two wives. When First Wife stumbles
upon an enormous, uncut gem, events are set in
motion that threaten to devastate the lives of
these people Amanda has come to admire and
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
Hours: Mon., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 for information
Internet: www.wccls.org
Browse library resources, reserve or renew
materials online. Call for information.
The following Washington
County boards are currently
seeking applications for new
members:
• Civil Service Commission
has two positions open. Volun-
teers provide a third-party re-
view of the County’s employ-
ment practices. The Civil Ser-
vice Commission is comprised
of five county residents. They
hear and decide appeals by
employees and candidates for
employment. The length of
term for this commission is two
years.
• Farm Board of Review has
one open position. The Farm
Board of Review is an advisory
panel to the County Assessor.
The Board meets once each
year to inform the Assessor re-
garding farmland rents and oth-
er information pertaining to the
valuation of farmland for prop-
erty taxation as provided by
Oregon Law. Board members
serve for two years.
The application deadline is
April 27, 2010 or when all va-
cancies are filled. Applications
may be obtained by visiting the
Web site or by calling 503-846-
8685. Descriptions of all the
boards can also be found on
the Boards and Commissions
web site. Boards, committees,
and commissions advise the
Board of Commissioners on
matters of interest to people
who live and work in Washing-
ton County. Committees them-
selves do not pass ordinances
or establish policy; their pur-
pose is to study issues and
make recommendations. Com-
mission members are volun-
teers appointed by the County
Board of Commissioners.
Members must be residents of
Washington County. Serving
on an appointed board or com-
mission is a great way for
Washington County residents
to participate in decisions that
affect them and to learn more
about how local government
works.
S TRASSEL ’ S A UTO R EPAIR
& H YDRAULIC H OSES
2-4-6 S PIRAL W IRE
S UCTION H OSES
A DAPTORS - 3/16” TO 2”
A MERICAN & M ETRIC F ITTINGS
B ULK O IL P RODUCTS
276 S UNSET , B ANKS
503-324-9808
STIHL KombiSystem
Complete Systems
Starting at
$249.95
One powerhead and numerous “Easy to Switch”
attachments allow great flexibility for grass and
hedge trimming, edging, cleaning, cultivating and
more…saves on equipment cost and storage!
Powerheads
on sale.
See Store
for details.
PRECISION OUTDOOR
POWER EQUIPMENT
Banks Hardware
503-324-5221 • 150 N. Main Street, Banks
Mon - Fri 8am to 6pm
Saturday 8am to 5pm
Sunday 10am to 4pm