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The INDEPENDENT, April 15, 2010
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
It’s budget time again! Though not final-
ized, the budget for 2010-2011, as pro-
posed, will allow the range of materials and
level of library service provided to local citi-
zens to be maintained for another year. As
I’ve written previously, library service in a
small, out-of-the-way community such as
Vernonia is so crucial and particularly im-
perative when jobs and money are in short
supply. This reality is reflected in library sta-
tistics which show that circulation of materials, computer use and
utilization of the library by those attending programs—adult and
youth—is at an all-time high. Having this attractive, functional fa-
cility available to all of the community is something for which we
can truly be appreciative.
Last week’s Conversation Project by Geoffrey Hiller, about
Bangladesh, was the library’s first program since Oregon Human-
ities changed their format. It went very well, was entertaining and
informative. If anyone would like to look at the choices and help
recommend future offerings in this format, the website is
http://oregonhumani ties.org.
The big event this week in celebration of National Library
Week will take place Thursday, April 15 at 6:45 (tonight) with
the return of B.J. the Clown. Bring your youngsters down and
join the fun. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library,
with Vernonia Study Club providing cookies and juice following the
program.
The after-school story/activity time will continue through May
on Tuesday afternoons at 3:30 when school is in session. Jennifer
Moloney has done a fantastic job this year in offering crafts and
stories that have been imaginative and informative. June will be
the time to sign-up for this summer’s reading program, Make a
Splash, READ! As you can guess, the fun this summer will in-
clude a lot of water activities, and Jennifer has been busy arrang-
ing for some really great prizes for those who complete their read-
ing goals.
New acquisitions include several by authors who have been
popular with Vernonia’s readers. These include Down to the Wire
by David Rosenfelt, Caught by Harlan Coben, Hell Gate by Linda
Fairstein, Saddled by Susan Richards, Whiter than Snow by San-
dra Dallas, Nowhere to Run by C. J. Box, The Aloha Quilt by Jen-
nifer Chiaverini, and An Absence so Great by Jane Kirkpatrick.
Movie matinee for youngsters this month will be Saturday, April
Midway
Veterinary
Clinic
Senior
Discounts
Open in Vernonia
Wednesdays and Saturdays
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for appointments
503-429-1612
805 Bridge Street
Vernonia
Small and Large Animals
23 at 2:00 p.m., with The Princess and the Frog. Mature movie
night on Thursday, April 29, will present The Blind Side at 6:30
p.m.
The book for discussion this month is Mutant Message Down
Under by Marlo Morgan. This is the story of an American woman
who accompanies a remote tribe of Aboriginals on a four-month-
long walkabout through the Outback. This informal meeting will
take place Monday, April 26 @ 5:30 p.m.
Remember the library has offerings in materials and programs
for all ages. Be sure to take advantage of them.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Thur. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30 a.m.,
when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
Get your boat ready now
The sun is starting to shine
and the days are getting longer,
which means its time to de-win-
terize your boat. The Oregon
State Marine Board offers
some reminders and sugges-
tions to get ready for the first
excursion this season.
First, make sure you have
your boater education card. “All
boaters who operate a motor-
boat over 10 horse power will
need to take a boating safety
course and carry their boater
education card with them out
on the water,” says Ashley
Massey, Public Affairs Special-
ist for the Marine Board. “Youth
ranging from 12 to 15 years old
will need a card to operate a
boat on their own, if the motor
is under 10 hp. If the boat is
over 10 hp, youth must be su-
pervised directly by a card-
holding adult (16 or older).
When operating a personal wa-
tercraft (PWC), youth 12 to 15
will need a card and be directly
supervised by a card-holding
adult over 18.” For more infor-
mation about mandatory edu-
cation, log onto www.boatore
gon.com/OSMB/BoatEd/ques-
tions.shtml.
Second, make sure your
boat registration is current.
“Renewal reminders will be
mailed toward the end of April.
The renewal notification has a
special identification number
on it allowing boaters to renew
their registration online. It’s
simple and there’s no online
processing fee. The best part is
you can print a temporary per-
mit after ordering online, so you
can go boating right away,”
Massey says. “For folks new to
boating or who didn’t renew for
a few years, contact the Marine
Board and speak with a regis-
tration specialist who can help
you, or simply send your pay-
ment to us.” The cost for regis-
tering a boat is $3 per foot,
rounded to the nearest foot.
Third, make sure your boat
is in good shape before you get
to the water. “Prepare ahead of
time to ensure a stress-free ex-
cursion. There are some excel-
lent de-winterizing, do-it-your-
Creatures
&
Vernonia
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
self instructions online, like
www.basspro.com that give
details about how to take care
of the exterior, interior, motor
and trailer. Mercury Mariner
has detailed information about
engine maintenance and
blended fuels at www.algo-
nacharbourclub.
com/im-
ages/mer_bul.pdf,”
says
Massey. For the not-so-me-
chanically inclined, many ma-
rine centers and boat dealers
can de-winterize your boat.
Fourth, be sure to carry an
aquatic invasive species pre-
vention permit if you’re operat-
ing a paddle craft. The new law
went into effect January 1 re-
quiring operators of boats 10
feet long and longer to pur-
chase and carry an aquatic in-
vasive species prevention per-
mit when the boat is in use.
These paper permits cost $7
and can be purchased through
ODFW license agents, field of-
fices and online at www.dfw.
state.or.us. Motorized boats
with current decals do not need
to purchase a permit. The per-
mit fee is rolled into the cost of
registering your boat with the
Marine Board. For more infor-
mation, visit www.boatoregon.
com/OSMB/programs/09Laws
FAQs.shtml.
Finally, be sure to check
your equipment. “Safety is
paramount,” Massey emphati-
cally states. “Make sure your
life jackets are in good condi-
tion (no mold, tears, etc.) and
that there are enough to prop-
erly fit everyone on board. It’s
strongly recommended to wear
it because even though the air
temperature is warm, the water
is cold. Also be sure to have
fire extinguishers, a sound pro-
ducing device, and visual dis-
tress signals. If you are going
out to fish, be sure to have a
good anchor with plenty of line
and a buoy. Another reminder
is to anchor from the bow, not
the stern, which can be ex-
tremely dangerous and easily
cause a boat to swamp and
capsize.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary
and U.S. Power Squadrons
conduct free vessel safety
checks around the state and
alert the boater if any safety
equipment is needed.
“One last reminder is to
watch the weather and be
ready to head in if the wind
picks up. There’s also a lot of
debris in the water, so keep a
sharp lookout for any hazards.”
Boaters can get all this infor-
mation and more by visiting
www.boatoregon.com or call-
ing 503-378-8587.