The INDEPENDENT, March 21, 2012
Bits & Bites
Sign up now for Senior Spelling Bee
Many older adults enjoy
playing with words and are
good spellers, but did you know
that there is an Oregon Senior
Spelling Bee especially for
people 50 years of age and
up?
This year will mark Oregon’s
15th annual senior spelling
bee, which will be held on April
14. Although there is a national
competition held each year in
Cheyenne, Wyoming, there are
few states that host such a
contest, which may be one rea-
son why Oregon competitors
have done so well in the Na-
tional Senior Spelling Bee. In
the 16 years the national event
has been in existence, four
Oregon contestants, including
two from Vernonia, have
brought back first place tro-
phies, plus several more for
placing second or third.
This year’s Oregon Senior
Spelling Bee will be held at
Mary’s Woods in Lake Os-
wego. There will be a written
competition consisting of 75
words, followed by an oral
round. Trophies will be award-
ed to the top three spellers,
and the winner is offered finan-
cial assistance if they wish to
attend the AARP National
Spelling Bee in Cheyenne,
which will be held in August,
2012.
The all-volunteer Oregon
Spelling Bee Board hosts this
event, which has proven to be
very entertaining, with an at-
mosphere that is relaxed, infor-
mal and nonthreatening. It’s a
great way for seniors to have
fun while challenging them-
selves.
There is an entry fee of
$12.00. Registration forms are
available at The Independent,
725 Bridge St., Vernonia, or
may be obtained from Julie
Golden by calling her at 503-
287-7831, or by email to
jann.golden 39@gmail.com.
24 Years Ago This Month
The March 31, 1988, issue
of The Independent included
the following news story on the
front page:
Columbia County Communi-
cations Agency Director Penny
Hafeman told the Vernonia City
Council on March 7, that
though she understands their
concern
over
increased
charges for C-Com service,
she has no control over the
rates. Vernonia paid $41,726 to
C-Com during the last fiscal
year, and will be charged ap-
proximately $52,000 for the
1988-89 fiscal year.
The fees for C-Com’s han-
dling of police, fire, ambulance
and 911 communications are
set by the User Committee and
the Executive Board, Hafeman
said, adding that union increas-
es plus one additional commu-
nications specialist made the
raise necessary. Hafeman also
disputed Vernonia Recorder
Don Dunaway’s assertion that
the increase for the next fiscal
year is 25% saying the in-
crease is closer to 16%.
(Ed. note: $10,724, the dif-
ference between $41,726 and
$52,000, is an increase of
24.6%.)
When asked why the
agency is hiring another com-
munications specialist, Hafe-
man said that user agencies
are requiring more service, that
the funding is based on usage,
and that if Vernonia is con-
cerned about the process, it
should attend C-Com’s inter-
governmental Council meet-
ings.
Councilman Mario Leonetti
said that since Vernonia’s use
is less than that of other cities,
it should be rated differently.
“We may be forced to look at
other avenues,” he added.
Councilman Bill Hansen,
Vernonia’s former representa-
tive to C-Com and one-time
chairman of the Intergovern-
mental Council, commented
that until the cities have control
of the agency, the “fox is guard-
ing the hen house,” a reference
to control of the user committee
and executive board by law en-
forcement agencies rather than
by taxing districts.
Hafeman also said that C-
Com will try to become a sepa-
rate taxing district for 911 serv-
ice, and that the dollar amount
to the public would “be very
nominal” with a tax district.
On a more pleasant note,
Marv Meyers, representing the
Vernonia Rural Fire District, an-
nounced that the rural district
had purchases a 1970 tank
truck for the city and gave the
title to Mayor Wally Vaughn.
In other business during
March, the council:
Denied a request from the
Jamboree committee to close
Adams Avenue next to Shay
Park, for a children’s carnival
during Jamboree. Fire Chief
Lanny McDonald objected to
Page 9
the closure because Adams is
one of only two routes into An-
derson Park.
Granted occupations licens-
es to Warner Brothers Con-
struction Co. and Prpich Con-
struction. An occupation li-
cense was also granted to
Weight Control Institute, pend-
ing issuance of an off street
parking variance.
Refuses two bids on con-
struction of a portable dais and
modesty panel for the Justice
Court because one of the bids
was opened prior to the meet-
ing. New sealed bids were re-
quested.
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Duke and Ellie are retiring from the
Golden Oldies (the band that brightens
the dinner of many a diner each Wednes-
day at the Vernonia Senior Center). I (or
possibly every one else) want to know
“What Will I do With Only a Photograph”
“To Remind Me of You”? The heart happy
times I’ve spent enjoying their company?
So, here is their last Song Title Story of
their last gig on March 7, 2012.
“A Little Bitty Tear Let Me Down” when I started wondering
“Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” As I saw “Little Girl” with her “Blue
Eyes Crying in the Rain”, she and “San Antonio Rose” had been
pondering the question of why “Life is Like a Mountain Railroad”?
Meanwhile “Pistol Packin’ Mama” and “The Lady of Spain” were
worried about “Josephine” and the “Sheik of Araby” at “The Ted-
dy Bears Picnic” dancing the “Blue Skirt Waltz” under the “Blue
Moon of Kentucky”. I enjoyed the “Waltz You Saved for Me” as
“The Yellow Rose of Texas” hosted a “Jambalaya and Crawfish
Pie” shindig along with her favorite “White Lightnin’”. As we “Walk
Across Texas”, the “Cowboy’s Sweetheart” with “Jack to a King”
who “Wore a White Sport Coat” and sipped on “Mountain Dew”
advised “Devil Woman” to “Don’t Think Twice” “About Your
Cheatin’ Heart” “Just Because” down on “Blue Bayou” “Slow
Poke” had “Tears on My Pillow” when she heard the “Cattle Call”
and saw the herd rush by. Remember when you danced to the
“Beer Barrel Polka” and “The Sugar Blues”? You’ll find that “Just
a Little Lovin’” will “Take These Chains from My Heart” and you
will understand why “She Walks These Hills”.
The highlight of the day though was when a challenge was
thrown down. Dueling Banjos with Dillen Bloomer on banjo and
Larry Lee on guitar (he answered the challenge). It was a joy to
hear and see. Dillen also played “Cripple Creek” He’s good. I do
hope he comes back soon to join the band. I will close this part
of the column with the regular closing, Necia might sing “Chime
Bells” and then it’s “Good Night Ladies Until We Meet Again”.
Thanks to Ellie and you, Duke, for many very happy hours of my
memories of a younger time.
I must say it was quite a shock to get up to a half-inch of snow,
high wind and rain, the other morning. The temperature dropped,
the house got cold because a tree (helped by the wind) fell on a
power line. I guess winter finally has come to the Concrete Jun-
gle. Sooo…for now I’ll close.
Hope you had a Happy St. Paddies Day.
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