The INDEPENDENT, April 7, 2011
State website offers information access
State government has rolled
out a powerful new website that
lets citizens easily customize
their view of data from state
agencies and comment right on
the site, the Oregon Depart-
ment of Administrative Services
announced March 22.
The website, Data.Oregon.
gov, also lets visitors interact
with state records, create their
own charts, graphs, calendars
and maps, and save them on-
line. Visitors may even suggest
new “datasets” for displaying
information not yet available on
the site.
“Our goal is to enable state
government to interact more di-
rectly with the citizens of Ore-
gon, and this new site is a pow-
erful way to help make that
happen,” said Kris Kautz, act-
ing-director of the state Depart-
ment of Administrative Ser-
vices. “We want to transform
the way government works,
and that means making it easy
for Oregonians to get informa-
tion about agencies and offer
their views about what they
see.”
Kautz also noted that Ore-
gon is among the first states to
employ this new technology.
The White House has used the
technology since 2009, making
available records on visits to
the White House and staff
salaries.
Oregon’s use of the technol-
ogy is more far-reaching, Kautz
said. The site displays informa-
tion in a wide range of
datasets, including state agen-
cies’ expenditures, buildings
leased by state government,
salaries of state workers, state
contracts with private business-
es, and more than 60 others.
Forty new datasets are already
in the testing and evaluation
stage. The offerings will contin-
ue to grow as viewers suggest
more datasets.
“You don’t need to be a tech-
nology expert to use Data.Ore-
gon.gov,” Kautz said. “The site
is easy to use and very flexible.
Countless Oregonians have
said they want more access to
the information that state agen-
cies collect, and this new re-
source gives them that ac-
cess.”
In addition to offering visitors
immediate access to a vast ar-
ray of facts and records,
Data.Oregon.gov lets them do
the following:
• Post comments about the
data right on the dataset.
• Use the data to create
charts, graphs, maps and cal-
endars, which users can share
with others. “Creating displays
is as easy as posting to
YouTube,” Kautz said.
• Suggest new datasets for
the state to display.
• Create or participate in dis-
cussion forums, where visitors
may share their views and con-
cerns with state agencies and
the public.
• Download the data in any
of eight formats, something re-
searchers and scientists will
appreciate.
Users may filter or sort the
data any way they want. They
may also embed it in their own
blogs and websites.
“Pioneering comes naturally
to Oregonians,” Kautz said.
“With Data.Oregon.gov, we’re
blazing a new ‘Oregon Trail’
that leads to more citizen in-
volvement and openness in
state government.”
50 Years Ago This Month
The April 6, 1961, issue of
the Vernonia Eagle included
the following news story on the
front page:
The premiere of the movie,
Ring of Fire, occupied the atten-
tion of the city council Monday
evening when Louis Towne, presi-
dent of the chamber of commerce,
told of plans being made for its
showing here May 14 and pro-
posed to the council that Andrew
Stone, producer of the movie, be
named honorary mayor for that
day and that the star, David
Janssen, be named honorary chief
of police or fire chief. The council
indicated willingness to go along
with the plans and will take defi-
nite action at the next council
meeting.
Representatives from the Ver-
nonia Saddle club appeared to re-
quest a definite agreement be-
tween the club and the council re-
garding the portion of Anderson
park designated for horse show
use so that their interests would be
protected in the matter of improve-
ments they might make. The mat-
ter was referred to the city attor-
ney.
James Johns, general chairman
for this year’s Friendship Jam-
boree, was present to discuss vari-
ous details relating to that celebra-
tion and to ask additional police
assistance with the parade and log-
ging and horse events.
Other matters discussed includ-
ed grass seeding of Anderson park,
reports on survey of timber owned
by city which showed none ready
for cutting now, consideration of
problems relating to the cemetery
upkeep, and various other small
items. Routine paying of bills
completed the business of the
evening.
The April 27, 1961, issue of
the Vernonia Eagle included
the following news story on the
front page:
A meeting was held at Robert
C. Lindsay’s home Monday
evening after the athletic banquet
for the purpose of setting up a
committee which would draw
plans for the refurbishing of the
Boy Scout cabin in the city park.
Those who attended the meet-
ing and the groups they represent-
ed are as follows: E. V. Robertson
and Earl Ray, Explorer Scouts;
Don Cameron, Calvin Bass and
Robert C. Lindsay, Boy Scouts;
Leslie Caron, Scout neighborhood
commissioner; Don Wantland and
Paul Well, Brigadiers; Linn Mich-
ener, Cub Scouts; Dick Nightwine
and Wally Grosche, square
dancers.
E. V. Robertson was elected as
chairman of the committee which
is made up of one representative of
each group wishing to use the
Scout cabin. The committee, with
the help of the organizations, will
make the cabin an asset to the
community and also provide a
very modern meeting place for
civic organizations.
Present plans call for a new
roof, plywood and paint interior,
two new bathrooms, wiring,
plumbing, kitchen and refinish all
floors. The city park department is
providing some of the funds.
All persons who have time,
equipment, or materials to donate,
please contact E. V. Robertson,
HA 9-5379.
Others on the committee are:
Don Wantland, Dick Nightwine,
Linn Michener and Calvin Bass.
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
March 12th – I am reclining in space #16
today, munching on an apple for my lunch.
I’ve worked two crossword puzzles, argu-
ing with about seven of the words. Some I
strongly disagree with, I may have to dig
out my big Red Book when I get home.
There are 16 of us on dialysis this shift.
One is in isolation. That means Hepatitis C.
Eight are men, so that leaves eight women.
Gee, I can count. Three men sleep, one
has a laptop disc movie machine, so he laughs a lot, one brings
his newspaper from home and reads every page, another is a
sports nut – watches any and all sports (rather loudly, I may add).
One has had double foot/leg surgery (he’s diabetic and not doing
so well). The eighth one chews gum all day. Well 3-1/2 hours any
way. Honest. Of the women; two read, three sleep, two others
watch TV, that leaves me. I’m the odd gal out. I read, do cross-
word, eat apples and pretzel mix, and knit and write. If I get bored,
I may watch NCIS on TV.
I do not sleep. If I did, I’d be awake all night. Once in awhile, I
may converse with a neighbor, but mainly each is wrapped in their
own world.
I’ve run dry for now so I’m going to knit again – I’ve only got an
hour and 45 minutes to go.
Oh yes – the wind is blowing, the rain is falling and the sky is
blue, black and grey, it’s bored too.
An update on knitting during dialysis: I was enjoying my new
found freedom and one of the staff came up to me and I thought,
“Uh, oh, I’m in trouble.” No, no way. She asked me if I would teach
her how to knit. Of course, I said, “SURE.” So my next day on “dy”,
I had extra yarn and needles. She was having so much fun one of
the floor nurses came over, “My grandma showed me how when I
was seven.” Said I, “Would you like a refresher course?” Her an-
swer was yes so I said I’d bring yarn and needles (to see if she
was really interested). I could draw this out, but the short story is –
It was contagious. The wife of a patient asked me to teach her
(she’s forgotten what she knew) and one more nurse is joining the
line. So, I have four students to brighten my 3-1/2 hours of just sit-
ting and trying to keep from being bored. Hallelujah.
Meyers
‘ Auto Body,Inc
503-429-0248
493 Bridge St, Vernonia, OR