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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2010 Get ready to Make Vernonia Shine Make Vernonia Shine Day will be April 17. Each year, Ver- nonia Pride organizes this op- portunity for the community to come out and help spruce up Vernonia. Registration this year will be at the Vernonia Middle School starting at 9:00 a.m. A free Lunch will be served to volun- teers in the school’s cafeteria from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. This year the focus will be on cleaning the moss from the bricks downtown, digging out from around the trees and re- barking, removing ivy from some of the trees by the river, and some general litter picking up. A new feature this year will be informational tables, which will be set up in the school’s covered play area. Look for a line-up of participants in the April 15 issue of The Indepen- dent. Many volunteers are needed to Make Vernonia Shine. Whether you are part of a group of volunteers, or a family, or just one person, you will be welcomed. Put April 17th on your calendar and plan to come out and help Make Vernonia Shine. Homebuying class offered by CAT The ABC’s of Homebuying will be presented at a seminar on April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Community Action Team, 125 N. 17th St., St. He- lens. Learn how to: • decide if you should buy a home, • prepare financially for homeownership, • understand mortgages and the closing process, • shop for a home, • protect your investment, • use the Self Help Building Program. The cost of the program is $25.00 and registration is re- quested by calling 503-325- 9215, ext. 2303 or via email at cindkp@cat-team.org. The following events will take place in April at Stub Stewart State Park: • The Discovery Depot will be open Thursday - Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • A SOLV IT event will be happening for Earth Day on Sunday, April 17, starting at 9:00 a.m. Volunteers must register at www.solv.org • A Friends of Stub Stewart State Park and Banks-Vernon- ia Rails-to-Trails meeting will be held at Stub Stewart State Park Dairy Creek Meeting Hall at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. Everyone is invited to at- tend. • Saturday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. an OMSI Star Party will take place at the Hilltop Day- use Area. There will be a $5 parking fee for non-registered campers, the event is free. Telescopes and expertise pro- vided by the Rose City As- tronomers and OMSI Planetar- ium Director, Jim Todd. Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay Ahh, Easter is upon us once more. A few things to remember – after the dy- ing, hiding, finding of all those eggs, comes the eating of deviled eggs, po- tato or macaroni salad, pickled eggs and lunch box eggs. Yum, yum. Just remember to keep them in the fridge until the last shell is cracked and tossed. At this point, 5:10 p.m. on March 29th, it is pouring. Is your swimming pool full enough to float a boat? I’ve a wading pool of mud at the edge of my patio. Moxie (the cat) has spent most of the day bobbing her head as she watches the rain drops hit the puddle. Shadow does not care for the rain at all. Sunshine or rain on Easter, I hope your day is filled with Joy. Perusing the last issue of The Independent, I noticed a few hmmmms spots. I have to com- ment on of them. (I am not the only person alive that feels this way.) I might raise your blood pres- sure so maybe you should stop reading about now. “The Cartoon.” How can anyone that has listened to the news on TV or radio for the last year think it was a “slap in the face” (Or not the truth) (or read books and newspapers)?? Maybe I’m so old I don’t understand freedom of expres- sion. But – Yes, means yes and no means no. We (the people) voted people into office to speak for us. Right? So, how come they didn’t listen to the masses? Now that the Bill, with its pork trail- ers, has passed, here’s a thought or two for you to think about. First, let me make it clear – yes, we all have a right to have the assurance of health care, but as it is if you don’t have (or get) some insurance “They” will fine you. You’ve no job, not your fault, and no hidden assets, so, you are out all the way around. Right? What does it mean if you are a senior, maybe in good shape for the shape you’re in? Take me for instance. At present late 80s – high blood pressure, heart murmur, bad feet, legs and hips and back problems. One kidney, the one I have left is deceased and I’m on dialysis 3 days a week. I’ve had many elective surgeries to keep my health. But, in the future something goes awry or I acquire diabetes or cancer or on and on. Someone other than myself or my doctor will step in and decide my age, my chance of not making a total recovery (or needing expensive extended care) and a myriad of other unknowns – I don’t count, nor will the wishes of my family. Someone younger and more able will take my place. You doubt me – then you have not lis- tened or read the same TV and radio or newspa- pers I and many others have. This won’t happen overnight but this is where it is headed.If you’re living with Social Security – see you later. The Bill was bought and/or sold at our ex- pense by people that changed their minds to do whose bidding?? Scouts help out at Vernonia Cares Four members of Boy Scout Troop 860, plus two of their leaders, spent one of their Spring Break days performing badge-related community serv- ice and good citizenship serv- ice at Vernonia Cares Food Bank. On Tuesday, March 23, they helped stock shelves, as- sisted clients as they loaded the groceries into their cars, and cleaned up the area April events at Stub Stewart Page 9 Left, Boy Scout Jacob Lev- enseller helps sweep up around Vernonia Cares. Oth- ers who worked that day in- cluded Leader Todd Mar- tinez, Daniel Rice, Drew Ch- eney, Jacob Perry and his fa- ther Craig Perry. around the building. “These Scouts really helped us. They worked very hard and were ex- amples of what earnest Scouts do,” said Vernonia Cares Direc- tor Sandy Welch. The Scouts who participated in this community service proj- ect were Jacob Perry, Drew Cheney, Daniel Rice and Jacob Levenseller. Troop leaders Todd Martinez and Craig Perry were also present. “We’re glad they came,” said Cares Presi- dent Rosie McCoy. Vote Shawna Sykes Columbia County Commissioner Shawna will work toward: State Farm ® Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710 • More local family wage jobs • More recreational opportunities Bunny Girt, Agent • Improved access to governmen t 1229 N. Adair PO Box 543 Cornelius, OR 97113-0543 Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667 bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com Vote for Shawna, she'll work for you! www.ShawnaSykes.com Paid for by the Committee to Elect Shawna Sykes, P. O. Box 1256, Scappoose, OR 97056