Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, September 16, 2010
Most State offices close tomorrow, Sept. 17 Local farm working with Vernonia Cares
Because of budget reduc-
tions for state agencies, most
state offices will close on Fri-
day, September 17, requiring
26,500 state employees to take
mandatory unpaid furloughs on
that day, the Oregon Depart-
ment of Administrative Services
(DAS) announced Wednesday.
The closure on September
17 is the seventh of 10 closure
dates the state has scheduled
over the current two-year budg-
et period. Each day of closure
will save an estimated $2 mil-
lion in personnel costs, said
DAS Director Scott Harra.
While the closures affect both
management and non-man-
agement employees, many
state workers will take up to
four additional days of unpaid
furlough on a floating basis
over the remainder of the bien-
nium.
“We apologize for any incon-
venience these closures might
cause to the public, and we
look forward to restoration of a
full work schedule for all state
agencies when the economy
returns to its normal strength,”
said DAS Director Scott Harra.
State agencies will do every-
thing possible to minimize any
hardship the closures might
cause, Harra added. Cus-
tomers can still do business
with DMV and some other state
agencies online, even though
the offices are closed. Harra
encouraged the public to check
agencies’ websites to find out
whether online transactions are
possible on the closure day.
Harra emphasized that cer-
tain state employees who pro-
vide essential services in public
safety will remain on the job as
usual—State Police officers,
corrections officers and certain
state hospital workers, for ex-
ample.
The Oregon Department of
Administrative Services has
published information about
Friday’s closure and furloughs
on the state’s website (www.
Oregon.gov), along with a
schedule of the remaining clo-
sure days. Members of the
public can also find out which
state offices will remain open
on the closure days. Harra
urged the public to check indi-
vidual agencies’ websites for
additional information.
Corps of Engineers is
seeking comments
The U.S. Army Corps of En-
gineers is seeking comments
on an application for a permit
submitted by the Vernonia
School District to conduct work
in Columbia County.
The comment period closes
September 27.
Public Notice NWP-2009-
631 is available at http://www.
nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/pub
lic.asp.
Ancient Earth Farms is now
working together with Vernonia
Cares Food Bank to offer a
voucher program. Patrons of
the food bank will be able to
obtain a voucher, redeemable
at Ancient Earth Farms for free
produce.
Brenda Skeels-Yontz at An-
cient Earth Farms said they
“hope to help bridge the gap,
for those going through hard
times, between the food avail-
able at the food bank and fresh,
nutritious produce.”
Fresh produce currently
available at Ancient Earth
Farms includes tomatoes, cu-
cumbers, peppers, potatoes,
lettuce and celery.
Ancient Earth Farms will
switch, on the second week of
October, to their fall/winter
hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays. They will be
closed the first week of October
for winter planting. They are lo-
cated at 18209 Keasey Rd.,
Vernonia and can be reached
by phone at 503-789-5597.
Learn about apprenticeship opportunities
Want a career where you
are NOT stuck behind a desk?
Plan to attend an open forum
on apprenticeship programs to
learn about rewarding careers
with the building trade unions.
The forum will be held Fri-
day, October 1, starting at
10:15 a.m. in the Loo Wit Room
at St. Helens High School,
2375 Gable Rd., St. Helens.
Building trades include: Boil-
ermakers, Bricklayers, Carpen-
ters, Cement Masons, Dry
Wall, Electricians, Floor Cover-
ers, Glassworkers, Insulators,
Ironworkers, Laborers, Mill-
wrights, Operating Engineers,
Painters, Plumbers/Steamfitters,
See Job programs, Page 5
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Thursday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., VHS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
6:30 p.m., Library
CERT
4th Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-3018
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-4250
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2
For Info Call 503-819-0143
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Wednesday
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Public Works Committee
4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Community PTA
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Learning Center
1st Wednesday
6:00 p.m., VLC
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Pride
2nd Thursday
1:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
6:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
2nd Friday
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st, 3rd & 4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
2nd Tuesday
M-BRFPD Board Workshop
4th Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
3rd Tuesday
Times vary, 1054 Oregon St.
Mental Health Advisory Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.