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
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