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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2011)
The INDEPENDENT, February 17, 2011 ODFW fishing seasons set Fishery managers from Ore- gon and Washington set spring chinook salmon and sturgeon fishing seasons for the Colum- bia and Willamette rivers dur- ing a joint state hearing on February 8. The Columbia River spring chinook seasons are based on a forecast of 198,400 returning upriver spring chinook. Under fishery agreements with Co- lumbia River treaty tribes, the two states adopted a 30 per- cent early-season run size buffer, leaving a combined har- vest guideline of 7,750 fish in the sport fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam. The sturgeon seasons adopted at the joint state hear- ing are based on a reduced to- tal guideline of 17,000 har- vestable fish for 2011, which represents a reduction of near- ly 30 percent from the 2010 guideline and a 40 percent re- duction from 2009. Retention sturgeon fishing is currently open in the Columbia River but was closed on the Willamette in an emergency action adopt- ed earlier this year. During the February 8 meet- ing, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that it will reopen retention sturgeon fishing on the Willamette three days a week beginning today, February 17, and continuing until a harvest guideline of 2,550 fish is achieved. “There has been a great deal of interest on Willamette sturgeon,” said Williams, who announced the Oregon action after the joint state hearing. “We saw a great deal of effort last fall on the Willamette that amounted to over 500 fish caught in three days. We ex- pect the fishery to be good when it reopens on the 17th.” About 60 people including sport and commercial fishers showed up to listen and pres- ent testimony at the hearing, conducted at the Museum of the Oregon Territory in Oregon City. A summary of recreational fishing seasons adopted is available on the ODFW web- site at http://www.dfw.state.or. us/resources/fishing/reg_ changes/columbia.asp. Page 15 Power of the People By W. Marc Farmer, General Manager, West Oregon Electric Cooperative The True Value of Electricity It is easy in life to lose perspective on things until we re- ceive a reminder of reality. Such is often the case when it comes to electricity. It is a daily necessity that we easily take for granted, and we tend to forget what it pro- vides for our lives and the many uses we come to rely on, until the power goes off. Then reality reminds us of the many things we cannot use or do without electricity. My staff and I put together a list of typical household electric uses in an average day, and we came up with 45 different items. The list included lighting, heating and cool- ing, water for drinking and washing or bath- room use needs a pump, refrigeration and freezers, washing clothes and dishes, communication items such as phones, computers, and cell phone chargers, enter- tainment from television, radio, and stere- os, cooking with stoves, toaster and mi- crowaves, vacuum cleaner, clocks, hair dryers and curling irons, power tools, and much more. A utility company wanting to demon- strate the value of electricity has been of- fering a challenge to a couple of individuals or families to go for 60 days without using electricity and write about their experience. They received a check for the amount they would have normally spent if they could successfully go the entire 60 days. What looked like a simple challenge on the out- side became a song of a different story when the reality set in of how much of their daily lives were dependent upon the use of electricity. For one couple who decided to purchase a generator, it was a lesson in the expense of replacing their power source and the time and money spent to operate it was more than they received for going without. The time we most often forget is when the power bill arrives and it is time to pay for all of the things we used over the past month. Think about that. How many prod- ucts or services do you get to use and then pay after you have used it? At the end of the month, we pay for only that amount we have actually used to provide warmth, light, a means to cook food, keep our homes and ourselves clean, be enter- tained and more. What is the real value of the electricity we have used and for which we are now being asked to pay? I think a simple way of recognizing the true value can best be shown this way. Take the aver- age power bill on our system of $135. Di- vide that by a monthly average of 30 days. Dividing $135 by 30 days shows us that it only costs an average of $4.50 per day for all of the many things we use in our homes. That is a small price to pay for all that we receive from the use of electricity during a 24-hour period. To put the daily price of $4.50 for elec- tricity into even more perspective, I went to the store and looked at some things we might spend the same amount or close to that amount to purchase. As you consider these items, think about the total benefits we receive from each and I think you will be surprised about the true value of elec- tricity. For approximately the same amount, I observed people purchasing a frozen piz- za, half gallon of orange juice or bottle of other juices, a carton of ice cream, a six pack of beer, a box of cereal, package of cookies, a pack of cigarettes, a magazine, family size frozen dinner, a bag of chips and a soft drink. I then thought about the fact that if I drove my car I could only make it as far as North Plains for $4.50. It would cost someone that much or more for a fast food combo meal or a latte or espresso. They are all things that some people pur- chase every day and only fill one momen- tary want or need, not a full day and night of needs. It might be an eye opening expe- rience to write your own list of all the items you use that require electricity and see for yourself all that you receive for only $4.50 per day. It definitely puts things into per- spective and helps to better understand the true value of electricity in each of our lives. Oregon Humanities seeks people for conversations Oregon Humanities seeks smart, passionate, and curious people who are willing to step out from behind the podium and lead active public conver- sations. Applicants should be knowledgeable in one or more humanities disciplines and also teachers at heart, regardless of their day job. Apply online at oregonhu manities.org by March 31, 2011. The Conversation Project provides Oregon nonprofits with free, humanities-based public programs about impor- tant issues and ideas. In a cul- ture too often characterized by sound bites and divisive rheto- ric, the Conversation Project in- stead infuses public dialogue with reflection and critical think- ing. By bringing together citi- zens and humanities leaders, the Conversation Project en- courages us all to become more informed and engaged in our communities. Oregon Humanities is solicit- ing proposals on any subject important to the lives of Orego- nians. A catalog is available on our website, but applicants should not feel limited by cur- rent offerings. Programs should be 60-90 minutes and provide participants with a substantive learning experience as well as engaging them in meaningful dialogue – programs that are primarily lecture- or perform- ance-based are discouraged. Leaders can expect to offer 4-8 programs annually and must be willing to travel throughout Oregon year-round. Programs in the upcoming cat- alog will be available to non- profits from November 1, 2011, through October 31, 2013. Se- lected presenters are required to attend a training and orienta- tion program in Portland on July 15-16, 2011. Conversation project leaders receive an hon- orarium, mileage reimburse- ment and meal stipend. Hosts provide lodging when one-way travel exceeds fifty miles. Oregon Humanities con- nects Oregonians to ideas that change lives and transform communities. More information about our programs and publi- cations – which include the Conversation Project: A New Chautauqua, Think & Drink, Humanity in Perspective, Teacher Institutes, Happy Camp, Public Program Grants, Responsive Program Grants, and Oregon Humanities maga- zine – can be found at ore- gonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the Nation- al Endowment for the Humani- ties and a partner of the Ore- gon Cultural Trust. Action Ads INEXPENSIVE – EFFECTIVE 503-429-9410 Save Two Dollars Off Large Combo Pizza With this Coupon! Mariolino’s Coupon expires 3-1-11 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018