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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, May 20, 2010 From the Sheriff’s Desk… From page 19 tion, a fine of at least $1,000. (c) Upon a third or subse- quent conviction, a fine of at least $1,500 and not less than 30 days of imprisonment. As your sheriff, I employ the law to help me do the job you elected me to do: “conserve the peace” in our county by dis- couraging and interdicting vio- lations that are a detriment to that peace. Our deputies have a “zero-tolerance” stance when it comes to enforcing the laws designed to discourage the abuse of intoxicants. I want to encourage the adults reading this column that the safety of our youth begins with the example we set every time we partake of adult bever- ages. I think the reason we call them adult beverages is be- cause they are intended to be for people who will be “adult” in their decision-making while im- bibing. Here are my suggestions for maintaining an adult approach to serving and partaking of adult beverages: 1. Make sure that if alcoholic beverages will be part of your event, don’t allow alcohol, in and of itself, to be the primary focus of the event. Have activi- ties, or discussions, or enter- tainment that everyone can fo- cus on, whether they are im- paired or sober, so that the fo- cus is on more than just “get- ting drunk.” 2. Give more thought to the food you will be eating than what you will be drinking. One study found that subjects who drank alcohol after a meal that included fat, protein, and car- bohydrates absorbed the alco- hol about three times more slowly than when they con- sumed alcohol on an empty stomach, thus mitigating its in- toxicating effects. 3. Be responsible about the amount of alcohol you or others consume at your event. Know your limit and cut yourself off before you reach it. Give your- self time for the effects of alco- hol to wear off before driving. If you are impaired, AT ALL, don’t drive. 4. Know the signs of intoxi- cation and, if you are serving others who appear intoxicated, don’t serve them. Find them a designated driver who can take them home if they insist on leaving the party impaired. 5. Remember that if there are any young people present at your event, they will model your behavior. If drunkenness and a “party-animal” atmos- phere reigns among those at- tending, you can bet your young people will repeat the at- tempt at a later time, with far fewer restrictions than even you have set. They really just want to be like you, but lack the real-world experience to be Page 21 Opinion able to pull it off successfully. Too often, this leads to tragedy and dismay. I’d rather see folks enjoying their spring and summer with family and friends, without all the tragedy and turmoil brought about by succumbing to the abuse of intoxicants. The sheriff’s office stands in support of the many things we do in our communities to cele- brate our rites of passage and enjoy the good things we have as Americans and Oregonians. I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, telling folks that peo- ple coming from those celebra- tions won’t be coming home at all, any more – or, that they can come home after you bail them out of jail. Let’s work together to pro- mote peace and safety and set an example for our young peo- ple by the way we live and the way we celebrate. Have a safe and sober spring and summer! From page 2 this include those spiffy new logo shirts Young has been wear- ing?), $150.00 for a Glock Armorers Course, $468.30 to Net Tran- scripts for “transcripts of VPD burglary…” and $375.84 to the San Diego Police Equipment Co. for ammo. Not included in that amount ($27,765.84) $4,246.94 to install security systems at City Hall and the Library in April, or the $20,465.00 for the City Hall and Police camera systems in May. There’s more but those are the highlights. On page 9, there is an article from 1960 in which the Police Department considered $3,600 for radios so the offi- cers could stay in touch (remember, no cell phones or computers back then), but council decided the benefits would not justify the expense. Wonder if that was a unanimous vote? Speaking of comparisons between 1960 and 2010, the article on page 9 (50 years ago this month) also mentions that the two police officers of the day handled 93 ‘activities’ in April 1960, rang- ing from taking drunks home to investigating burglaries. That’s ba- sically three events per day handled by two officers. The April 2010 police blotter listed 18 ‘activities’ or just over one event every two days to be handled by the five officers on the force. Five officers, by the way, puts Vernonia fourth for the highest number of officers per capita of cities in Oregon with populations of 2,001 to 5,000. The only cities in that category who have more officers than Vernonia: Nyssa, Reedsport and Toledo with 7, 10, and 10 officers respectively. That puts Vernonia at 2.11 officers for each 1,000 residents. That’s from the League of Oregon Cities website. The next budget meeting is May 24, 7:00 p.m., at the Vernonia Community Learning Center. Public input will be accepted at that meeting. More election results, including Washington County From page 1 Position 5, Judge of the Supreme Court, was won by Jack Landau. Measure 68, which allows the state to issue bonds to match voter-approved school district bonds for capital costs, passed easily with over 60 per- cent approval in both Columbia County and the state. State and county voters also approved Measure 69, which amends the Oregon Constitu- tion to continue to allow lowest cost borrowing for community colleges and public universi- ties. In Washington County re- sults, Andy Duyck won the top seat on the County Commis- sion with 54.32 percent of the votes. Mike Niehuser won the Commissioner District 2 posi- tion and Bob Terry will replace Duyck in District 4. All other Washington County results on statewide candidates and issues were the same as given above. worked for ESCO, Shafer’s Bus Services, Gaston and Forest Grove School Districts before re- tiring in 2008. He was preceded in death by his first wife. Survivors include his wife; his mother of Banks; three sons, Michael of Springdale, Washing- ton, Douglas of Buxton, and David of Virginia Beach, Virginia; two stepsons, Rob Ireland of Banks, and Paul Ireland of Beaverton; a brother, Robert of La Center, Wash.; three sisters, Linda Rieben of Banks, Irene Mott of Conifer, Colorado, and Ella Duyck of Parkdale; nine grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Remembrances are suggest- ed to Dayspring Christian Fellow- ship, Banks Fire Department, or Banks Sunset Park Association. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home was in charge of arrange- ments. Please see page 22 Obituary ALICE I. BUCKNER Alice I. Buckner, 99, Vernonia, died May 13, 2010. Private inter- ment has been held. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Vernonia was in charge of arrangements. DOYLE EUGENE FINE Doyle Eugene Fine, 71, Banks, died May 8, 2010. A re- membrance gathering was held May 16. Mr. Fine was born May 17, 1938, in Artesia, New Mexico, to Leo and Dora (Cornley) Fine. His family moved to Buxton when he was young. He attended Banks High School, and served in the U.S. Navy. In 1971, he married Maxine Maller. They made their home in Buxton. He worked as a welder in Portland shipyards. Later he owned and operated several cafes, most recently Maxine Fine Foods in Banks. He retired in 1999. He was preceded in death by his wife; a brother, Richard, and a granddaughter. Survivors include a daughter, Doya Fine-Davis of Banks; three stepsons, Richard, Raymond and Robert Mott; three sisters, Linda Nickel, Mary Walker, and Deloris Conken; three grand- daughters. Duyck & VanDeHey Funeral Home was in charge of arrange- ments. MICHAEL JOHN MOEHNKE Michael John “Mike” Moehnke, 66, Banks, died May 5, 2010. A celebration of life serv- ice was held. Family burial was at Union Point Cemetery. Mr. Moehnke was born July 29, 1943, in Corvallis to Dorman Michael and Helen (Berwald) Moehnke. He was raised in Michael John Moehnke Banks and graduated from Banks High School in 1961. He attended Oregon State Universi- ty, then finished his bachelor de- gree at Portland State University. In 1965, he married Lorraine Dee. They made their home in Tigard, moved to Beaverton in 1967, then to Banks in 1973. In 1993, he married Linda. He State Farm ® Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710 Bunny Girt, Agent 1229 N. Adair PO Box 543 Cornelius, OR 97113-0543 Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667 bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com
