The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2011
CAT gets grant to lift Blue Heron Hollow
With the help of a generous
grant from the Meyer Memorial
Trust, the Blue Heron Hollow
(BHH) apartment complex is
one step closer to being elevat-
ed above the flood plain. Com-
munity Action Team (CAT) an-
nounced today that it was
awarded a $200,000 grant from
the Meyer Memorial Trust. The
funds will be combined with
awards already received from
Oregon Emergency Manage-
ment, Oregon Housing and
Community Services, insur-
ance proceeds and CAT’s own
resources to pay for the cost of
elevating the 6-building apart-
ment complex above the flood
plain.
The 26-unit BHH apartment
complex was flooded to a
depth of approximately 14 inch-
es when the Nehalem River
and Rock Creek overflowed
their banks in December 2007.
All six buildings were substan-
tially damaged in one of the
worst storms in Vernonia’s his-
tory. Although the damage
caused by the flood was re-
paired and the residents re-
turned to their homes in April
2008, the buildings are now in
Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency’s (FEMAs) 2008
revised flood plain. As a result,
the buildings must be either el-
evated above or removed from
the flood plain.
“This grant fills the final
funding gap for the elevation
project. It insures that Blue
Heron Hollow will continue to
provide much needed afford-
able housing to the residents of
Vernonia. We thank Meyer
Memorial Trust for their gen-
erosity and continued invest-
ment in helping Vernonia re-
cover from devastation caused
by the flood,” said CAT Execu-
tive Director, Jim Tierney.
CAT is reviewing bids from
elevation contractors now.
They are uncertain whether the
proposal review and contract
negotiations process will com-
plete before Office of Emer-
gency Management declares
the end of the construction sea-
son for this year. If so, eleva-
tion of two of the six buildings
will begin before November
1st. If not, elevation of all build-
ings will begin in the spring of
next year.
24 Years Ago This Month
The September 1987 issue
of The Independent, published
on October 1, 1987, included
the following news story on the
front page:
Sykes Mitchell, a Vernonia
realtor and appraiser, asked
the city council in September
for either a conditional use per-
mit or a zone change for the 97
acres of property owned by In-
ternational Paper alongside
Vernonia Lake.
Mitchell said he is represent-
ing a potential buyer for the
property, and that his client is
interested in seeing the
acreage used for a retirement
facility and adult mobile home
park. It is currently zoned for
light industrial use so would re-
quire change. Mitchell was di-
rected to the planning commis-
sion.
Mitchell’s client doesn’t pro-
pose to develop the property
himself, he said, but will put a
package together and try to
find a sponsor. The client, orig-
inally from Oregon, is a con-
tractor in California who plans
to return to northwest Oregon,
Mitchell added.
The October 1, 1987 issue
of The Independent included
the following story on page 7:
Vernonia’s sewers are going
to be given a close look in an
attempt to define and locate ex-
isting problems, and determine
what is required to make re-
pairs.
The council this month
awarded a $70,000 contract to
HGE Engineers to uncover the
causes creating the system’s
problems – leaking pipes, inad-
equate pumping stations and
periodic discharge of insuffi-
ciently treated sewage into the
Nehalem River. HGE will also
make recommendations for re-
pairs and/or replacement of the
system.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency will pay 55
percent of the total cost of the
study, the city has $4,500 avail-
able at this time for the project,
and a HUD grant will take care
of some of the cost. The re-
mainder will have to be raised
from various sources, and the
city can reduce the total cost by
having public works employees
do some of the work.
Timberlands closed due to fire danger
Longview Timberlands prop-
erty lying East of I-5 in Wash-
ington and all of their timber-
lands in Oregon were closed to
all public-recreational entry
starting September 7, because
of the high forest-fire danger in
both states.
Ed Hendrix, General Man-
ager of Oregon Operations,
said, “We have decided to
close our forestlands in Oregon
and part of Washington to pub-
lic access until substantial rains
reduce the wildfire threat. Con-
ditions are very dry and long-
range forecasts indicate the
overall dry weather will contin-
ue for some time. The public’s
cooperation in staying out of
the tree farms during this haz-
ardous forest-fire period will be
much appreciated.”
Hendrix said Longview
foresters will be closing gates
and posting closure notices at
timberlands entry points this
week. Company woods securi-
ty patrols will be increased for
the duration of the fire season.
Longview’s timberlands in
Oregon include 333,000 acres
and 316,000 acres in Washing-
ton.
For up-to-date information
on land closures go to the
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Have you ever said, “I’d never want to
go back to the ‘Good old years’”?
Yes, I’ve said it many times but in read-
ing my Raisin Bran “with raisins” box (I
have to pick out the raisins, they are bad
for my kidney), just a side-bar note. (May
be more info than you wanted.) Anyhow, a
gallon of milk was 60¢, a postage stamp
was 3¢ and a loaf of bread was 9¢. Oh, for
the good old prices when I go to the gro-
cery store.
Oh dear – someone did not see my article on half done proj-
ects. I picked up a couple of unfinished, out of thread, no hooks,
no directions and one had a bad goof, 5 rows back. Does anyone
have an OLD Pineapple Doily book I could borrow or have. No di-
rections, as I said, “They are at present trash.” Contact Pauline
or Rosie at Vernonia Senior Center, please.
Onward. Have you a sunburn or a suntan? Are you ready to go
or dragging your feet? School is in session. Me, I’m pale and
wiped out, but I did a “sticktoativity” and picked a rough 4 gallons
of blackberries, used those up in blackberry cobbler.
Only the smell and the dirty pan came home. So, went pickin’
again, with Jim’s help, we have about 2-1/2 gal. in the freezer.
Whoopee.
I’m not mentioning this to upset your day, but I’m watching a
lady that just last week helped herself in and out of her wheel-
chair. Today she is using the sling to be lifted out and into her
chair. It pains me greatly, she has such a great outlook, but it also
makes me so grateful. I’m not using my cane yet, only use my
Rolls when I walk the dog more than four blocks. Pick blackber-
ries and can enjoy coming and going on my own, so to speak.
Oh, by the way, those page numbers in a book – the Bible –
the 23rd Psalm. There is so much “good advice” in the world to-
day. You need it to fall back on.
Here is a big P.S. for you folks. Early on I said no Old Days for
me and I was not kidding. I was in your town a couple of weeks
ago and caught the chatter on the new power company building.
I can’t say, “Shame on you,” because money is tight, but would
you want to pay the 75% of the cost? You are a Co-op. Check the
Big Book for the meaning. Could you really give up your electric
stove, microwave oven, washer, dryer, air condition or fans. Your
hot water, heating system, electric iron for clothes or hair, T.V.
and all the fancy games to play on your T.V.?? Me, I don’t think
so. When I married in 1942, I washed clothes in the bathtub on a
scrub washboard. Now a country band makes music on them. My
iron was 1 handle and 3 flat irons heated on my wood burning
stove (like great-grandma on a covered wagon). I did have a
1930s refrigerator (that was cool). Didn’t own a T.V. until around
1950. Oh yes, I had a dial telephone on a 2-party line also. Any-
how, review your priorities. Were I living there I’d still be cutting
costs too. Now I just cut back on fast food and dining out and
don’t keep up with the Joneses or the Browns or whoever.
Longview Timberlands website
at www.longviewtimber.com.
Health fair, Sat.
The Clatskanie Health &
Safety Fair will take place on
Saturday, September 24, from
10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m, at the
Clatskanie PUD, 495 E Colum-
bia River Hwy., Clatskanie.
Some of the activities at the
Fair include a Prescription
Drug Drop-off, Smoke Trailer,
Bicycle Rodeo, a Fun Run, pet
microchipping, blood pressure
and sugar screenings, and
weatherization information.
Page 9
Ladies...
JOIN us for an afternoon of scentsational,
sparkling, self-nuturing and savory somethings...
Please support local businesses and girl time.
Sept. 24th from 4 to 7pm
Indulgence Nail Salon, 859 Bridge St Vernonia,
Lee Anne Krause
Kimberly Ragsdale
Sara Wold
Joni Jackson