The INDEPENDENT, April 4, 2012
Hit and Run on hydrant closes school
This was the scene Monday morning when school should have resumed after Spring break.
Damage to this fire hydrant kept school closed for one more day.
Vernonia schools were
closed Monday, April 2, after a
fire hydrant near the cafeteria
building was hit by a vehicle on
Sunday night, leaving the
school without fire suppression
or water service for part of the
day.
Anthony G. Bellingham, 26,
Vernonia, was identified as the
driver of the vehicle that dam-
aged the hydrant. He left the
scene, but witnesses gave Ver-
nonia police the description of
his vehicle. After being contact-
ed by Vernonia police, Belling-
ham went in and gave the po-
lice a statement.
Bellingham was cited for
Failure to Perform the Duties of
a Driver (Accident/Property
Damage) and Driving with a
Suspended License.
School resumed on Tues-
day, April 3, after students all
got an extra day of spring
break due to the closure.
Page 7
Senior Center News
As mentioned briefly in the last issue, the Vernonia Senior Cen-
ter will hold its annual plant/garden sale on Friday and Saturday,
June 1-2. Jack Harvey, who did a great job heading the sale last
year, will again coordinate the tasks involved in soliciting, collect-
ing and organizing the event. Please look over your own collec-
tion for plants, bulbs, yard art, etc. that you would like to donate.
The center’s board of directors meets on the second Friday of
each month at 10 a.m. Your questions and suggestions are wel-
come, so why not attend the April board meeting — unless you’re
wary of Friday the 13th! Naah, the directors aren’t at all scary.
This is the first week of the month, so everything in the senior
center thrift shop is half price. Take advantage of this monthly op-
portunity because you won’t find better prices anywhere else. The
thrift shop is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m.
You don’t have to be a member to enjoy companionship and
good food at the center. Lunch is served Monday through Friday
at noon, with a $4.00 donation suggested for those 60 and older,
and $5.00 for those under 60. If you prefer lunch to go, call ahead
and place your order. Meals to go are $5.00.
Breakfast is available every Friday at the Senior Center, from
7:30 to 9:00 a.m., at $3.50 per person regardless of age. Maple
bars made fresh daily are $1.00 each. If you want maple bars for
a gathering of any kind, call 503-429-3912 a day or two ahead
and place your order.
Foot Care is scheduled on the second and fourth Fridays of
each month, at $15 per person. Call Marilyn Albro, R.N., for an
appointment, at 503-429-0406.
Every Friday after lunch is game time. Relax with others while
you sharpen you poker or pinochle skills. You can also bring along
your suggestions for other Friday activities.
Vernonia Senior Citizens Center: 446 Bridge Street
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thrift Shop Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Phone: 503-429-3912
Disability panel to discuss safety and services
The Advisory Counsel for
Columbia County’s Develop-
mental Disability Program, with
Columbia County-based social
services providers, will be host-
ing an annual free information-
al panel discussion on services
available to individuals with any
type of disability(ies). Individu-
als, parents, teachers, care-
givers, professionals and any-
one interested, are all invited to
attend. The goal of this effort is
to increase awareness of the
services available locally, re-
gionally, and statewide for
those with any type of disability.
Topics will include employ-
ment services (such as job
coaching and accommoda-
tions), safety in the home and
community; school, legal, and
housing advocacy; supports for
Seniors, supports for parents,
supports for children, health
care, mental health services,
veterans benefits, and other
community resources. There
will a question and answer
time, as well as time to discuss
and evaluate the needs of each
community in Columbia Coun-
ty.
The first panel discussion
will be held in St. Helens on
April 10, from 7-8:00 p.m., at
Columbia Community Mental
Health’s Community Room,
58646 McNulty Way. The sec-
ond panel discussion will be
April 17, from 7-8:00 p.m., in
Vernonia at the Vernonia Mid-
dle School Cafeteria, 249
Bridge Street. The third and fi-
nal panel discussion will be
held in Clatskanie on April 24,
from 7-8:00 p.m., at the
Clatskanie PUD, 495 E. Co-
lumbia River Hwy.
Register now for parenting class
Parenting Now! classes will
be held each Tuesday from
6:00 to 8:00 p.m., starting April
10 at the St. Helens Head Start
Community Room (next to
McBride School), 2750 Colum-
bia Blvd., off of Tice Rd.
Learn:
• to manage stress in
healthy ways,
• to develop realistic expec-
tations of parenting,
• the latest about your child’s
development, temperament
and personality,
• tools for positive discipline
and how to set your children up
for success, and
• how to enjoy your children
and strengthen your family life.
The program is sponsored
by Northwest Parenting Educa-
tion with support from Commu-
nity Action Team, Inc.
Register now, as space is
limited. Sliding scale fee and
child care available. Call 503-
556-3736 to register.
Author Lesley will speak April
14 at Vernonia Public Library
Craig Lesley, author of four
novels and a memoir, along
with numerous other works, will
be reading from and discussing
his books – especially The Sky
Fisherman – on Saturday, April
14, at 4:00 p.m. in the Vernon-
ia Public Library.
Mr. Lesley is the recipient of
three Pacific Northwest Book-
sellers Association Awards, the
Western Writers of America
Golden Spur Award for Best
Novel, and an Oregon Book
Award. Two of his novels,
Storm Riders and The Sky
Fisherman, were nominated for
the Pulitzer Prize.
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
The discussion with Mr. Les-
ley will be the concluding event
of the adult portion of Vernonia
Reads for 2012, which was
made possible through a grant
to the Friends of the Library
from Columbia County Cultural
Coalition.
Refreshments will be served
and the public is invited to at-
tend this free event.