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.