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The INDEPENDENT, February 1, 2012
BLM county payment will help Columbia County
The Bureau of Land Man-
agement (BLM) announced
January 20 that it has issued
payment to 18 counties in
western Oregon eligible under
the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination
Act extension, (Public Law 110-
343). The amount paid to the
Oregon & California (O&C)
counties was $40,037,160.
This included $767,193.60 to
Columbia
County
and
$172,506.86 to Washington
County.
The Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self-Determi-
nation Act was reauthorized as
part of the Emergency Eco-
nomic Stabilization Act of 2008
signed into law in October 2008
(Public Law 110-343).
The reauthorized act pro-
vides declining payments to 18
westside Oregon Counties
from Fiscal Year 2008 through
2011. Eligible counties in Ore-
gon and several other “transi-
tion” states received declining
payments from Fiscal Years
2008 to 2010 based upon their
Fiscal Year 2006 payments.
For Fiscal Year 2011 the
counties will receive payments
based on a new formula de-
tailed in the Emergency Eco-
nomic Stabilization Act of 2008.
The reauthorized Act provided
transition payments to the O&C
counties through Fiscal Year
2010 and established another
formula for calculating O&C
county payments for Fiscal
Year 2011.
Over the years, Secure Rur-
al Schools and Community
Self-Determination Act projects
have provided trail mainte-
nance, culvert replacement or
removal, soil improvement,
vegetation/density manage-
ment, wildfire hazard reduction,
stream channel enhancement,
control of noxious and exotic
weeds, and opportunities for
youth training and employ-
ment.
Additional information about
the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination
Act is available online at: http://
www.blm.gov/or/rac/ctypay
payments.php .
The
Columbia
County
Women’s Resource Center
(CCWRC) is the grateful recipi-
ent of a $223 donation from St
Helens Market Fresh IGA. Our
local market hosted a raffle
over the holidays to benefit the
Women’s Resource Center
programs and services. “Red
Apple is an outstanding com-
munity partner working with us
to meet needs here in our com-
munity. Thank you to all in-
volved!” says Rachael Barry-
Dame, Executive Director.
The market offered a 40
pound chocolate Santa as a
raffle item over the holidays.
There is no word on what the
lucky winner did with the
chocolate Santa, but the
Women’s Resource Center
thanks all of our neighbors who
bought the $1 raffle tickets.
CCWRC is the only agency
of its kind dedicated to serving
survivors in our community.
The 22-bed shelter serving Co-
lumbia County is much more
than
temporary
housing.
CCWRC provides wrap-around
services to women and chil-
dren.
For information on how you
can help change lives by volun-
teering or donating to the Re-
source Center call 503-397-
7110.
December job
CCWRC receives donation from rate remains flat
St. Helens IGA from Santa raffle
Columbia County’s season-
ally adjusted unemployment
rate was 9.9 percent in Decem-
ber essentially unchanged from
the previous month (10.3%) but
lower than the year before
(11.8%). The rate was higher
than the statewide rate (8.9%)
and the national rate (8.5%).
Total employment dropped by
124 to 22,400 and the number
of unemployed people rose by
159 to 2,407. Total employment
this December was 623 more
than one year before and there
were 531 fewer people unem-
ployed this year.
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., VHS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
6:30 p.m., Library
CERT
4th Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-3018
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-4250
Emerg. Preparedness Comm.
4th Wednesay
6:30 p.m., WOEC
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2
For Info Call 503-819-0143
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869 7:00 p.m.,Vernonia Grange
Public Works Committee
4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Community PTA
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Comm. Learning Center 1st Wednesday
5:00 p.m., VCLC
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
6:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
2nd Friday
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
2nd Tuesday
M-BRFPD Board Workshop
4th Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:00 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia 9-1-1 Board
3rd Thursday
9:00 a.m., 9-1-1 meeting room
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
2nd Thursday
4:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St.
Mental Health Advisory Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.