The INDEPENDENT, December 21, 2011
Hunter education classes now online
Oregon’s hunter education
students can now register for a
class or field day online at
ODFW’s licensing sales web-
site under the “Classes/Work-
shops” tab at www.dfw.state.
or.us .
Students may also register
at any license sales agent or
ODFW office that sells licenses
and tags. Previously, students
or their parents had to sign up
by emailing or calling class in-
structors.
“Students and their parents
have been asking for this for
years, and we’re thrilled to fi-
nally be able to offer it,” said
James Reed, ODFW hunter
education coordinator. “It
should streamline the sign-up
process for students and our
dedicated staff of volunteer
hunter education instructors.
Oregon is the first state in
the U.S. to integrate hunter ed-
ucation registration with its li-
censing sales system,” Reed
added.
To register, students will
need to purchase a hunter ed-
ucation class application fee,
which is $10. When registering,
the student chooses the date
and time of their desired class
or field day. Contact informa-
tion for the class instructor is
printed on their receipt.
Students who do not have
internet access or cannot go to
a license sales agent should
contact the Hunter Education
Department at 503-947-6028
to sign up for a class or field
day.
Hunter education is manda-
tory for all hunters under the
age of 18, and recommended
for any new hunter. The course
covers topics like firearms
safety, hunter ethics, wildlife
identification, hunt preparation
and techniques and outdoor
survival. The program certifies
about 6,000 new hunters each
year. Classes are taught by
ODFW’s network of volunteer
hunter education instructors.
Students may choose to
take the hunter education
course entirely in a classroom
setting or by independent study
(online or by workbook). Inde-
pendent students must pass a
required field day that includes
live fire exercises before get-
ting certified.
More information at www.
dfw.state.or.us/education/hunte
r/index.asp .
Marine Board seeks public opinion
The Oregon State Marine
Board seeks public comment
on proposed rules that would
identify a list of invasive
species that are approved for
removal by groups participating
in the program, along with pro-
tocols to follow and the devel-
opment of best management
practices to guide program ac-
tivity.
The 2011 Oregon Legisla-
ture, through HB 3157 directed
the Marine Board to update the
Adopt-A-River Program. These
rules will clarify program com-
pliance and requirements. The
public meeting, beginning at
4:00 p.m., is scheduled for De-
cember 28, at the Marine
Board office, 435 Commercial
Street NE, Salem. Written com-
ment will be accepted through
December 31.
Written comments can be
submitted via email to osmb.
rulemaking@state.or.us or by
U.S. mail to June LeTarte,
Rules Coordinator, 435 Com-
mercial Street NE, Suite 400,
P.O. Box 14145, Salem, OR
97309-5056. Comments via
telephone cannot be accepted.
To review the proposed rule
language to make public com-
ment on, visit www.boatore
gon.com/OSMB/admin/OSMB
_Rulemaking_Newpage.shtml .
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
A chilly December morn to you. Once in
a while I see the sun. Do you remember
what it looked like? A couple of days ago I
saw it set and five minutes later I saw a full
moon shining a bright cold orange.
The latest on my trip down “the road to
recovery”. I got the brace off, and a bunch
more exercises to do, a week ago. The
good news was they canceled my Friday
treatments, that means therapy only on Mondays. Yippee, but
then I awoke Sunday morning to a pain in my right ear and ooz-
ing goo. So off to the E.R. I go. Blocked ear canal, power pills and
ear drop meds. A trip to an ear specialist. He cleaned out all the
wax, gave me a hearing test, and said, “If it is still not open on the
30th, come back and I’ll punch a hole in the drum so it will drain
out.” At this point, I’m looking to return and get a drain tube. Oh
yes, one more thing, to exercise my fingers I now play with mar-
bles and macaroni. But, I am back to writing, knitting, but no dish-
es, sweep no floors or lift anything over the weight of a glass of
water or a cup of tea. That’s the GOOD (for me), the BAD and the
UGLY (for my grand-daughter). Ho Ho Ho.
One more thing to marvel at – the forsythia (with all the cold)
still has fresh blooms on it.
Christmas is getting too close. Our church had the “Angel
Tree” Christmas for the children. Our Bible Study group had our
Christmas party today. All I have to do now is get some small
nails, dress for the North Pole, go outside and put up my outdoor
lights and set up Santa and Frosty under my Hinoki cypress.
I’ve rattled about me long enough, so how about you all? Are
you sick or well? Cold or not? Bored or happy and on the go?
Ready or not, Christmas is only 13 days away at present (but
when you read this it will be December 21) and then it will be
2012 before you read me again. So…
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours
from,
Jacqueline and Shadow in the Concrete Jungle.
24 Years Ago This Month
The December 24, 1987, is-
sue of The Independent includ-
ed the following news story on
the front page:
Vernonia’s water treatment
plant can pump more than a
million gallons of water per day,
the city’s superintendent of
public works, Mike Smith, told
the city council on December
21 as he contradicted state-
ments at the December 7 coun-
cil meeting that the plant didn’t
meet specifications.
At the earlier meeting, water
superintendent Tom West re-
sponded to a question by say-
ing the plant couldn’t meet the
specifications. The council re-
sponded by requesting more
information from West and
Smith before referring ques-
tions to the city’s consulting en-
gineers.
Smith, who was unable to
attend the early December
meeting, presented mathemati-
cal data that, he said, West
misunderstood
and
that
showed the plant’s capacity.
Smith said West was confusing
data on the plant’s in-line
booster, which pumps water
through the filter, with main
pumps, which run only part of
the time.
If the main pumps ran for 24
hours, Smith added, they
would pump 1,008,000 gallons
of water.
The council instructed city
attorney Tom Kohl to amend
the city ordinance to allow one
citizen from outside the city lim-
its to serve on the planning
commission because, they felt,
that legitimate involvement by
people outside the city should
be recognized.
A separate telephone line for
the city library was approved at
the December 7 meeting. Li-
brarian Sandy Nimz told the
council that a small state grant,
plus a donation from the local
Lions Club, would pay for the
phone for the remainder of the
fiscal year, and requested that
an expenditure be included in
the next budget to continue this
service.
Nimz quoted increased li-
brary usage as one reason for
having a separate line, and
was supported by city recorder
Don Dunaway who said he felt
it would be an improvement.
The recorder’s office and li-
brary have been sharing the
same line.
The December 24, 1987, is-
sue of The Independent includ-
ed the following news story on
page 3:
The rezoning of most of the
800 block of Madison Avenue,
from residential to commercial,
received its second approval at
a public hearing held by the
Vernonia City Council on De-
cember 7, 1987.
The change was requested
by Howard “Pat” Knight, owner
of the first two lots north of
Bridge Street, on the west side
of Madison, so he could rent
one of his properties to a small
laser manufacturing business.
Scott Sword, a resident of
891 Madison, said he had no
objections to the zone change,
but wanted to know where the
cars generated by the business
would park.
David Smith, owner of the
laser business, said he
planned to use an adjacent va-
cant lot, also owned by Knight,
for parking.
The change approved by the
council was for the east side of
the block, and for 3/4 of the
west side of the block. Two res-
idential properties remain un-
changed.
Made in Vernonia
Handmade local crafts
10% off purchases over $20.00
Open:
Thu 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Sat 10:00 to 4:00 PM
Sun 12:00 to 4:00 PM
Expires 12/31/11
Or by appointment Call
Kathy Larsen 503-449-3591
847 Madison Avenue