The INDEPENDENT, July 20, 2011
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
LifeFlight takes off from the Vernonia School football field, on July 10, after picking up a man
critically injured in a motor vehicle accident, on Keasey Road, that took the life of Vernonian
Josh Watson.
Vernonian loses life in car accident
Joshua G. Watson, 34, Ver-
nonia, died July 10 in an early
morning, single-vehicle crash
on Keasey Rd about 1 mile out-
side Vernonia. Another man
was taken by LifeFlight to the
hospital with critical injuries. No
update on his condition is avail-
able. A third occupant was also
taken to the hospital with un-
known injuries.
Columbia County Sheriff’s
deputies responded to the
crash after a call came in at
5:42 a.m. advising that a vehi-
cle had struck a tree. It was not
immediately known at what
time the crash occurred, but a
neighbor reported hearing
something around 3:30 a.m..
The neighbor said she did not
investigate the cause of the
sound.
When deputies arrived, they
found a white, 2001 Dodge
Ram Pickup beside a large oak
tree, where the vehicle had
crashed. The one-ton pickup
struck the tree with enough
force to send debris flying over
50 feet. One large piece off the
trunk of the tree (over 50
pounds in weight) traveled ap-
proximately 50 feet. One of the
occupants was inside the pick-
up, unconscious, and two were
outside the vehicle. Watson
was found outside the vehicle,
and was pronounced dead at
the scene. Kasey L. Cooper,
22, from Yamhill, was taken by
LifeFlight helicopter to OHSU
Hospital in critical condition.
Ryan B. Rowlands, 32, from
Newberg, was transported by
ambulance to Emanuel Hospi-
tal with unknown injuries.
The crash appears to be re-
lated to speed and the con-
sumption of alcoholic bever-
ages, and it remains under in-
vestigation. Sheriff's deputies,
with the help of an Oregon
State Police crash reconstruc-
tionist, are investigating the
crash. The Oregon State Police
and Vernonia Fire departments
also assisted at the crash
scene.
24 Years Ago This Month
The July 30, 1987, issue of
Vernonia Independent included
the following news story on the
back page:
The Vernonia City Council
this month dealt with com-
plaints about lack of parking
places, overtime parking and
parking on sidewalks.
Vernonia Police Chief Phil
Jacobus told the council that a
safety problem existed on Park
Avenue, alongside the city
swimming pool. According to
Jacobus the narrow street
doesn’t allow safe passage for
two cars if there is another car
parked on the block-long
street. He also said the side-
walk is often blocked by cars
parking on it, forcing pedestri-
ans into the street.
The council agreed with Ja-
cobus’ analysis of the prob-
lems, and decided to post the
street for “No Parking” in order
to eliminate some of the con-
gestion.
In response to complaints
about lack of parking in the
commercial area of Bridge
Street, and concurrent com-
plaints about people parking
longer than the 2 hours posted,
the council instructed the Ver-
nonia Planning Commission to
hold a public hearing on the
complaints.
The hearing, held July 27,
dealt with those complaints and
with a plan proposed several
years ago to make a one-way
traffic loop of Madison, Shady
Lane and Jefferson streets, on
the north side of Bridge Street,
and to install angled parking to
create more parking spaces.
Many people attended the
hearing to express their feel-
ings about the one-way street
proposal.
The angled parking proposal
was also discussed, with a con-
sensus reached by those in at-
tendance at the hearing that
there is no parking problem in
the business district other than
a lack of enforcement of the
two-hour parking ordinance.
About the weather – Wait a minute and
it will change.
About Vernonia – All I can say is think,
think twice and then pray.
Now, the topic on my mind and heart.
Thank you, thank you to anyone, and
those I know, that have given me person-
ally and through the Senior Center yarns
for my “Knit for Kids” project over the
years. It is a God-sent gift. I have acquired
such a bounty I have been able to pass some of it on to a couple
of my friends who knit or crochet for “Children’s Closets” “Robes
for Nursing Homes” or “Toes for Orthopedics”. It is all free will,
therefore, if you don’t want it, I’ll take it, but I also know right there
in Vernonia, the Wilkerson Summer Camp can use scrap craft
stuff, also someone has a group of children knitting for other kids,
in Vernonia. Now a note to those who take items of knit or cro-
chet to the Senior Center unfinished. Thank you. But, please, if
possible, include instruction pattern and, most of all, the hook or
needles that are used to do the job. I have taken two afghans to
finish for the Center but had one HECK of a time finding the size
hook it took to finish (or work) the beautiful afghan someone’s
mom, grandmom or aunt has started and couldn’t finish. Do you
want an unfinished Love gift just tossed aside as “Oh, Well” or
would you like to know it was finished and given a loving home?
Thanks again and keep giving.