The INDEPENDENT, February 15, 2012
CASA gets new volunteer coordinator
Debi Sakamoto of Portland
has joined the staff of Columbia
County Court Appointed Spe-
cial Advocated (CASA) for Kids
as its new part-time volunteer
coordinator.
Sakamoto had volunteered
as an advocate for two years
with the CASA program serving
Multnomah and Washington
counties. She previously was a
regional vice president for pub-
lic affairs with Key Bank. “We
are so excited to have some-
one with Debi’s diverse experi-
ence as a CASA, a volunteer
coordinator and in the corpo-
rate world,” said executive di-
rector Kathryn Bourn.
Hiring a part-time volunteer
coordinator was made possible
by a grant from the Oregon
Community Foundation.
Sakamoto will enable the
program to support more Court
Appointed Special Advocates
(CASAs), Bourn said. CASAs
are trained volunteers as-
signed to advocate for one fos-
ter child or siblings. In order to
comply with National CASA As-
sociation standards, local pro-
grams have to provide the
equivalent of one full-time coor-
dinator for every 30 CASAs,
Bourn explained. The program
currently has 21 CASAs serv-
ing 57 children.
“While we have doubled our
number of CASAs in the past
year, we are still struggling to
keep up with the need to pro-
vide advocates to foster chil-
dren,” Bourn said. The number
of Columbia County children
entering foster care skyrocket-
ed in the last half of 2011,
Bourn noted.
“We have so many children
coming into foster care that the
Department of Human Ser-
vices is having to place them in
foster homes outside the coun-
ty. That’s unusual. Columbia
County used to have enough
non-relative foster homes to
take care of all of its children
coming into foster care and
even take foster children from
surrounding counties,” she
added. The increased number
of foster children also resulted
in Columbia County Circuit
Court adding additional hearing
days for its juvenile-dependen-
cy cases.
Columbia County DHS cur-
rently has more than 150 open
cases affecting 250 abused
and neglected children.
“Foster children who have a
CASA have the best chance for
a successful life,” Bourn said.
She cited studies showing that
children with a CASA are more
likely to experience stability if
they return home to their par-
ents and more likely to be
adopted if they aren’t able to
safely return home.
CASA for Kids is currently
recruiting new advocates for its
upcoming training. The 30-hour
training begins Tuesday, Feb-
ruary 28, in St. Helens and
Wednesday, February 29, in
Rainier. The free training con-
tinues on Monday and Wed-
nesday evenings and on Satur-
days through March 12 at the
Riverside Community Church
in Rainier.
Bourn emphasized that
CASAs come from all walks of
life and no special education or
career experience is required
to become an advocate. “We
currently have CASAs who
have been mechanics, EMTs,
educators, nurses, realtors,
homemakers, and business
persons,” she said.
For more information or to
apply to become a CASA, visit
the program’s website at www.
casaforkidsinc.org, email info
@casaforkidsinc.org or call
503-366-4133.
Turn in fish tag for chance to win
Anglers who turn in their
2011 combined angling tag be-
fore May 18, 2012, could win
one of 100 outdoor products,
including a complete drift boat
package.
Oregon Department of Fish
& Wildlife (ODFW) is sponsor-
ing the promotion to try to in-
crease the number of returned
tags. Currently, the department
See Fish on page 19
50 Years Ago This Month
The February 25, 1988, is-
sue of The Independent includ-
ed the following news story on
page 7:
Howard Hopkins was ap-
pointed by Mayor Wally
Vaughn to fill the vacancy cre-
ated on the Vernonia City
Council by the resignation of
Tom Buffington in January.
A commercial tree farm
manager, Hopkins was also
given his first assignment for
the city – assess the city’s tim-
ber and determine where the
city can log in order to raise
$10,000 toward the addition to
the fire hall. The addition will
house the city’s ambulance.
The non-profit corporation
that operates the Vernonia
Medical Center asked permis-
sion to use a city owned lot be-
hind city hall, either by lease or
donation, to build a new facility.
After discussion, council
members declined on the basis
that the lot is too small for a
medical center and that the
space is needed for city hall
parking. Long-term plans to
move the police department
into the space now occupied by
ambulances, when the ambu-
lances are moved, will also cre-
ate a need for more parking
space, the council agreed.
City Recorder Don Dunaway
was instructed to inquire
whether the city could lease
property given to them by the
state, for construction of a new
city hall, to the medical center.
In other business, the coun-
cil:
Approved increasing the fee
for a building permit to $10;
Approved
payment
of
$11,048.75 to C-Com for am-
bulance and fire department
dispatching;
Agreed to donate fencing to
the Cemetery Committee for
use at Pioneer Cemetery;
Directed Dunaway to send a
letter to Rep. Les Aucoin ex-
pressing concern over the FCC
ruling that removed control of
cable rates from local govern-
ment.
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Gee Whiz, here it is Feb. 1st, 2012.
Just think of all the folks that will be able to
have a REAL birthday this year. I’ve never
met anyone with their birthday on the
29th, but I do know a couple of girls born
on April Fools day, both are quite smart.
I suppose I am getting better now be-
cause my surgeon gave me my freedom
papers the other day, but I seem to have a
problem with my tongue. Jim asked me,
“What’s for dinner” last night, and without the blink of the eye I
said, “Thumbstick and Dries.” Okay we both heard it and Jim
says, “What?” I started laughing and answered (though my brain
registered correctly) again, “Thumbstick and dries.” Haven’t fig-
ured out yet what language it is, but it’s not even close to pig
Latin. I am now checking my brain wave oftener before I speak.
(I ate the thigh and my granddaughter ate the drumstick.) That
was more than a trip of the tongue.
Took my walk by the forsythia bushes recently and they are full
of buds of all sizes, so a word for you folks that are lucky enough
to live where the pussywillow grow, run out and see how they are
coming along. I’d sure love to tromp out in the woods to see them
and maybe cut a few for a vase full of them.
It’s now 2/8/12 and I’m just home from Vernonia. The Golden
Oldies (all 13 of them) sure thrilled my soul. So here I go again
on a “sing me a story trip.”
Have You Ever Been Lonely? Well take a trip and Sail Along
Silvery Moon for Just a Little Lovin’ in Your White Sport Coat, but
if you are worried about Your Cheating Heart and the Devil
Woman, well relax and listen to La Bella Roma, then you can
start worrying about the Blues, Stay Away From My Door, Don’t
Think Twice about Ridin, Hidden Tear Drops in My Heart. Now
you can reminisce with Maggie, When You and I Were Young and
just being Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue, while sitting beside Cool
Water. You may be Crazy to think about Will The Circle Be Un-
broken while visiting with Mexicali Rose and The Rose of San An-
tone while you are walking the Country Roads down to meet The
Robert E. Lee and you and a friend are harmonizing to You Are
My Sunshine and listening to the Alley Cat cry as you Walk
Across Texas to the Milk Cow Blues. I got to thinking you’re No-
body’s Darling But Mine As Far As I’m Concerned. It’s Night Time
in Nevada with my Heart Over Mind. In the distance we heard the
Cattle Call, along with the strains of Bonaparte’s Retreat and the
Sheik of Araby. It got us to thinking of the Blue Moon of Kentucky
and Randy, The Rodeo Clown while we Were Gathering Flowers
For The Masters Bouquet. The
Swiss Miss was singing Chime
Bells, after which every one
got up and did the Sugar Foot
Blues.
Good Night Ladies, Til We
Meet Again.
Pre s ide n t ’ s Day is Fe br u a r y 20
Made in Vernonia
Bit of something handmade for everyone!
805 Bridge Street 503-429-0111
Open Tue., Thu. & Sat.
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
G OOD F OOD
G OOD F RIENDS
G OOD T IMES
831 Bridge St.
Vernonia, OR
503-429-0214