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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 2011)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, February 3, 2011 Certification of skills is a new tool for job seekers Grant will help fund Council training A skills-based certification is now available across Oregon to help job applicants prove that they are ready to work. Oregon’s National Career Readiness Cer- tificate was formally launched on January 25 by Governor Kitz- haber at an event that included presentations by leaders in the effort to make the NCRC avail- able to all Oregonians. Governor Kitzhaber has in- cluded the NCRC as a key ele- ment in his workforce develop- ment platform, citing the impor- tant contribution that skilled workers make to a company’s success. He noted that the foundational skills proven by the NCRC, “are the skills and abilities that all of Oregon’s re- covering companies need now, more than ever, to become and remain competitive, regardless of whether they are in our rural communities or urban centers.” During 2011, an anticipated 55,000 jobs will open in Ore- gon, and competition for each job vacancy will be fierce. It will be even more important for em- ployers to have tools that help them select and hire new em- ployees. The Governor con- cluded that, “building the econ- omy is essential to all we wish to achieve for our state. As we work our way out of this reces- sion, we will need every tool to rebuild our competitiveness. The Oregon NCRC provides us one more of tool, and I hope that more Oregon employers will ask for it.” During his remarks, Gover- nor Kitzhaber recognized the tremendous work of the local stakeholders who made it pos- sible to bring the program to statewide scale. Oregon’s NCRC has the hallmark of a strong public and private part- nership that includes the Ore- gon Employment Department, Local Workforce Investment Boards, community colleges, economic development repre- sentatives and other communi- ty partners. To earn an NCRC, available at no cost, individuals complete See No cost on page 16 Jobless rate stays mostly unchanged Columbia County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment rate was 12.2 percent in De- cember, essentially unchanged from the previous month (12.3%) but lower than the year before (13.4%). The rate was above the statewide rate (10.6%) and the national rate (9.4%). Total employment dropped by 104 to 21,990 and the number of unemployed people increased by 62 to 2,934. Total employment this December was 799 more than one year before and there were 204 fewer people unem- ployed this year. The City of Vernonia has ob- tained a grant from CityCounty Insurance Service (CIS), the city’s risk management insurer, to help fund training for new council members. In January, the city council asked Interim City Administra- tor Bill Haack to arrange train- ing through the League of Ore- gon Cities. Haack and city staff identi- fied CIS as a potential funding source and, on January 20, made the case to CIS request- ing the grant. CIS agreed to the unusual request, and made an exception to provide the $1500 grant to partially fund the train- ing. The additional $6,000 need- ed for the training will come from the city budget and was an anticipated expense. Merkley meets in every county yearly From page 1 gon’s 36 counties every year. He upheld his pledge in 2009 and 2010 and is continuing that commitment in 2011. Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop and Colum- bia will be his 78th, 79th, 80th and 81st town halls since be- coming U.S. Senator. There will be a town hall in Clatsop County on Saturday, February 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Warrenton Grade School cafe- teria, 820 SW Cedar Ave., War- renton. The town hall in Columbia County will be on Sunday, Feb- ruary 6, starting at 1:30 p.m. at St. Helens Senior Center, 375 South 15th St., St. Helens. Remember Valentine’s Day 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 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.
