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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2012)
The INDEPENDENT, March 7, 2012 CCSWA Tree Sale coming this Saturday Need trees? Trees, trees, and more trees will on sale dur- ing the 14th Annual Tree and Ornamental Sale sponsored by Columbia County Small Wood- lands Association (CCSWA). This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 10, be- tween 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Pacific Pride (Lawrence Oil) parking lot in St. Helens. The address is 845 N. Colum- bia River Hwy (Hwy 30). According to CCSWA Presi- dent Scott Russell, the Associ- ation has been altering the Co- lumbia County landscape by providing more than 1.5 million trees to members, forestland owners, and others over the past fourteen years. Although “Elite” Douglas fir and western red cedar dominate the sales, the ornamental tree sales are contributing to the scenery throughout the county. There are 23 species of seedlings available at a cost ranging from $1.00 to $3.50. These are mostly bareroot de- ciduous and evergreen seed- lings which can be bought indi- vidually while some can be pur- chased in bag quantities. Available species include Im- proved “Elite” Douglas fir, Col- orado spruce, Sugar maple, Dawn redwood, Oregon ash, Coastal redwood, Oregon white oak, Port Orford cedar, Red flowering currant, Grand fir, Scouler willow*, Red Japan- ese maple, Noble fir, Quaking aspen, Ponderosa pine, East- ern redbud*, Western red cedar, Chinese dogwood, Pa- cific madrone*, Indian plum*, Pacific yew, Bald cypress*, and Giant sequoia. (*new for 2012) “Be sure to arrive early for the best selections,” President Scott Russell advises, “Some species were exhausted by 10:00 a.m. last year.” A portion of the income from this sale provides admission fees for all Columbia County public school fifth graders to at- tend the World Forestry Center in Portland. Transportation costs are provided by Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Another educational pro- gram provides grants to Co- lumbia County public schools and teachers. For this school year, three grants were ap- proved. For more information, call Paul Nys at 503-556-8800 or Scott Russell at 503-543-2434. Life & Times in Vernonia Terry Schaumburg shared a memory of recently deceased Vernonia community member Derl Roberts. Schaumburg be- lieves the story clearly gives testimony to Robert’s charac- ter. He added that if he left any- body out who was involved in this episode, he apologizes, but it was a while ago. In 1966, when Schaumburg was twelve, he, Tom Evans, Carl Schaumburg and Randy Schaumburg, were out on Tim- ber Road at the Schaumburg place (where Arcadia Park used to be). All summer differ- ent groups of kids had been building rafts, and this group had just completed a raft of green 1x4s that was about 12 ft. long and 3 ft. wide. One boy on the raft would just float around, but three or four boys was, “perfect, it sank the raft 4 or 5 inches so you could paddle it with your hands and look at the bottom.” They were running the raft down to the golf course, taking it out, and carrying it back up, then doing it all over, again and again. They all agreed the only thing that would make it better would be a motor. Then the raft would be just like Seaview on the television show Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Lo and behold, on one of the trips back to the house, near where Derl Roberts had just starting clear- ing property, they came across a big motor with blower in the bushes. They carried it back to the house, taking turns be- cause it was so heavy. They were going to attach it to the raft and run it down river. Just after arriving back with the raft and motor, Roberts drove up in a truck. He got out and introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Derl Roberts and I lost a motor, have you guys seen anything like that?” The kids replied, “Yes, we found something in the woods,” to which Roberts added, “Give you $20 to show me.” They showed him, he rec- ognized it, gave them $20 and took his motor home. Schaumburg said that meet- ing could have gone many ways, but the way Roberts han- dled it “goes to the character of Derl Roberts,” not getting them all in trouble but just getting his motor back and staying on friendly terms with the kids and neighbors. 50 Years Ago This Month The March 8, 1962. issue of the Vernonia Eagle included the following news story on the front page: At the meeting of the Vernonia city council held Monday evening of this week, plans were made for adding a rear exit from the down- stairs part of the city hall where the jail is located. This has been the recommendation of the grand juries inspecting jail facilities fro the past several years. City em- ployees will dig the approach from the parking lot level to floor level, install steps and make the opening in the wall for the door and a car- penter will be employed to frame and hang the door. Plans also were made for re- pairing the sidewalk at fire truck and parking lot entrance which is breaking down. The public hearing was held on the second addition plat vacation previously petitioned by Robert C. Lindsay. Since no one appeared to protest it, an ordinance is to be prepared for consideration at the next meeting. March 19. A complaint was received from the school superintendent, J. W. Acaiturri concerning sand in water system. The water superintendent explained that about two years ago there was a break in the water plant sand filter which allowed sand to escape into the mains. It apparently has settled in pockets which break loose periodically, causing interference with valve action. The same letter contained a complaint about odor from the sewage lagoon when water is low. The council voted to purchase paint for the Scout cabin with the Scout committee to arrange for its use. A number of minor matters concluded the business of the evening and the council adjourned at 9:45 p.m. Page 9 Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay Greetings to all you folks that have been waiting with bated breath to wel- come back Spring. Here in the concrete jungle it is windy, raining (in sheets some of the time) and 37 degrees. In and out, up and down, I can, I can’t, maybe yes, maybe no, put it on, take it off, listen, don’t listen, yes, no, get up, no don’t get up, put on your jammies, no get dressed – it makes your brain weary, doesn’t it? How was your week? Someone was telling me the Vernonia school complex was built with a flat roof. I sure hope not. Maybe it has a slope that you can’t see. Hearing that has brought back memories of when I was helping out at the senior center (‘95 to, I think, ‘04). Under a flat roof, and of all the fun problems Willie and I had before ‘96. It seems things went along okay. They added a new Colco (now CCRider) office at some time before me and people forgot about rain and snow. Along came the rains and snow for a time, then some smart kids tossed a (bigger than small) ball onto the roof and it rolled into the downspout on the roof. Time passed (more rain, etc.) and a leak developed in the sorting room of the gift shop, sooo…Willie and I got someone up on the roof to take a look. Shakes were curling up and there was water (a wading pool) on the roof. Ball removed and Vernonia had it’s own water- fall for a few hours. Needless to say, shakes were nailed down and tarred and the whole roof was retarred. I believe that solved the problems until 1996 hit. Do you recall when the jewelry was on the back wall of the dining room? The book shelves were in the dining room inside the wall from where they are today? The office was a storeroom and office for the Senior Advocate (who had cases of disposable diapers on hand). The center isle in the thrift shop was the paper rolling station. Most of us took a turn at mostly reading then rolling. The money from the sales went to OHSU for cancer research. Then the rains came along with snow and the problems told us lots about our old home. The flood was over, under and all about and still is. Then clean up, throw out. The fire hall got the pool table before the flood, thank a bunch of words for that. I could go on but ‘07 and ‘08 will be for another time and person to recall. But I could tell of all the little set-tos some of us shared updating, such as carpet, painting and dispos- ing of ideas. It was an interesting and growing time for all of us. We learn and grow and move on to the next phase of our journey of life. I’ll stop rambling now. You can help shape the County Fair by attending work sessions Would you like to help with this year’s Columbia County Fair? Work sessions with the Fair’s board of directors are open to the public and will be held every Saturday from now until Fair, at 8:30 a.m. at the Fair Office on the Columbia County Fairgrounds. The regular monthly meet- ings of the fair board are on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the 4-H Building on the fairgrounds. Help us raise a pot of gold at a Benefit Dinner for Ryan Roberts Kidney Fund At the Learning Center March 17 from12 P.M. to 5 P.M. Featuring Corned Beef & Cabbage Mariolino’s 503-429-5018