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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, December 2, 2010 Where to Find Them U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (Dem) 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 585 Portland OR 97232 Phone: 503-326-7525 223 Dirksen Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20510-0001 Phone: 202-224-5244 E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/ contact Website: http://wyden.senate. gov U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (Dem.) One World Trade Center 121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250 Portland, OR 97204 Phone: 503-326-3386 107 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3753 E-Mail: http://merkley.senate. gov/contact WebSite: http://merkley.senate. gov U.S. Representative David Wu (Dem) OR District 1 620 SW Main, Suite 606 Portland, OR 97205 Phone: 503-326-2901 2338 Rayburn House Ofc. Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-0855 Website: http://house.gov/wu Senator Betsy Johnson (Dem) Senate District 16 PO Box R, Scappoose, OR 97056 Phone: 503-543-4046 900 Court St. NE, S-314 Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-986-1716 E-mail: sen.betsyjohnson@ state.or.us Website: http//www.leg.state.or. us/johnson Representative Brad Witt (Dem) House District. 31 21740 Lindberg Road, Clatskanie, OR 97016 Phone: 503-728-4664 900 Court St. NE, H-373 Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-986-1431 E-mail: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us Website: http//www.leg.state.or. us/witt Representative Deborah Boone (Dem) House District 32 PO Box 926 Cannon Beach, OR 97110 Phone: 503-717-9182 900 Court St. NE, H-375 Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-986-1432 E-mail: rep.deborahboone@ state.or.us Website: http//www.leg.state.or. us/boone Page 3 Letters Student ambassador needing some help To the Editor: Hello my name is Megan Ely. I am 11 years old and in the 6th grade. I am a straight A student and am involved in extra activi- ties such as Girl Scouts, bas- ketball, soccer, 4-H and soft- ball. I have been selected to go on an international trip to Eu- rope as a Student Ambassador with the People to People pro- gram. This program lets young people like myself travel over- seas to learn about other cul- tures and perform service proj- ects. President Eisenhower started this program with the goal of “Peace through under- standing”. He believed that if young people acted as ambas- sadors and traveled to other countries they would gain a better understanding of that culture and promote a better understanding of ours. Over a two week period in June of 2011, I will go to England and France and do many different activities like going on the Lon- don eye and eating frog legs and escargot (snails). This trip will give me the opportunity to experience amazing places like Versailles and Notre Dame. I’ll also get to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and one of Shakespeare’s plays in the West End Theatre. We are even planning to visit Euro Dis- ney. I wonder if Mickey Mouse will have an accent? I will also be participating in a community service project. I have been working very hard earning money towards this trip for over a year but still have lots more to earn. Since I have officially been accepted it means I have to increase my efforts to achieve my goal. I will be selling plants in the spring that will make your house beautiful for years to come. I also craft handmade signs and ornaments for both indoors and out, along with many styles of birdhouses that my mom is do- nating to me. Maybe you have a friend or family member who would enjoy a homemade gift this holiday season? I can make pies for you if you are having a family get-together and don’t have time to cook. I will also be having a bake sale at Sentry market on December 20th, from 3:00 to 7:00. Lastly, the easiest of any of these things would be for you to save all of your cans and bottles that have a deposit. I will be more than happy to pick these up from your house. Anything you could do would be very helpful and I would be very grateful. You can contact my mother Su- san Ely at 503-429-5709 (Home) or 503-840-8136 (Cell). Thank you! Megan Ely Vernonia Health District misses message from voters To the Editor: CHD Gets Wrong Message on 5-209. I couldn’t believe my ears when Chairman Jay Tappan said and I quote “We have heard what the people have said in regards to the hospital project” end quote. Then had Mr. Heide read a statement apologizing for their fiasco and promising to submit a recom- mendation to the board to cease and desist any and all work on the hospital and cease appeal of the certificate of need from the State of Oregon. He Ike Says… From page 3 cannon. Soon I was on his tracks. I never got a really good look at the antlers on this bull, but as I followed him, it became apparent that this was a young bull. The bull was making little mistakes like busting out into a clear-cut and getting into a spot where he had to turn around and get out of. He also ran down the middle of the road for a fair distance, which in a more crowded area, would have been fatal. It is interesting following a bull elk, though; they travel differently than a cow. This bull, though being young, still tried all the tricks an older bull would pull. First, he crossed a major creek to leave me behind, of course he should have known I would cross at the nearest bridge, just a short distance away. Then the bull kept try- ing the 90 degree turn trick, which in dryer condi- tions sometimes works, but with snow on the ground, not this time. He also pulled the going vertical trick, and the going through the jungle trick, but I just plugged along behind, glued to the tracks. The mistake this bull made was not find- ing another herd of elk to lose his tracks in; in- stead, he led me into an area where there were no other elk. The bull got himself into a couple more spots where he had to turn around to get out. He had me scratching my head at the jumble of tracks until I saw the road block that caused the about- face. Finally, the bull made another vertical as- cent on a steep hillside, then side-hilled on an old cat road. I reached the cat road and was just starting to move along it after catching my breath, when I heard the bull in front of me. I held tight, trying to figure out where the bull was going, and whether or not he was spooked, or just feeding along. It sounded like he was aware of my presence, but was not really spooked. I followed the tracks, made the turn up the steep hillside and into big timber. I hadn’t gone 40 yards when my eyes spied a bull elk looking down at me from 70 yards away! This time the confirmation of antlers and the shot to the ribs tool only seconds. The bull made a small lunge to his left, then went rolling down the steep hillside; my hunt was over. The bull was a little 4X5, but I thanked him for giving me a great hunt. I had shot the bull at around 3:00 in the after- noon so I had to pour on the coals to get the bull dressed out, then started my long hike out the logging roads to my pickup. Soon I was into elk tracks again; elk tracks going everywhere. Then I was standing in elk in the dim evening light. I could hear the tell-tale sounds of antlers breaking twigs as a bull elk tried to slink away into the timbered edge of the nearby stream. Ah, there are still more bulls roaming in the woods for next year. Izaak Walton League, Nehalem Valley Chapter meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Call 503-429-7193 for location. also reiterated that they have heard and understand that the people did not want a hospital built on Mallard Road. I’m sorry, but if that is what the board of the Columbia Health District heard they must be hard of hearing or they think the voters are stupid! Heide said they may even lower the tax rate at a lat- er date! Huh! The taxpayers voice should have told them that they were through as a health board and a health dis- trict. There is no tax base to lower, because the taxpayers eliminated the tax base com- pletely. The next step is for the County Commissioners to do their jobs and dissolve the health district all together. Until this is done the health district will continue to collect 38 cents per thousand indefinitely. If the County Commissioners fail to do the right thing in this matter the next step will be to start procedure through initiative pe- tition by the taxpayers to dis- solve the health district. You would think the commissioners would save the taxpayers the time and trouble of gathering signatures for dissolving the district after the overwhelming approval of 5-209 (72.44%) and after the health board has wasted millions of the taxpay- ers money on the now defunct venture. Yes the people have spoken and if the Columbia Health District and the Colum- bia County Commissioners did not hear what the people said, then while we gather signa- tures to dissolve the health dis- trict we may as well gather sig- natures to recall Tony Hyde, Earl Fisher and Rita Bernhard. I understand Rita won’t be in of- fice by the time enough signa- tures are gathered, but at least she can retire with the black eye she deserves for helping to establish and perpetuate the unfortunate fiasco known as Columbia Health District. Jamie L. Maygra Deer Island Policy on Letters The INDEPENDENT will not publish letters with per- sonal attacks on private citi- zens. Preference will be giv- en to brief letters, 300 words or less. All letters must be signed and include a verifiable ad- dress or phone number.