The INDEPENDENT, May 16, 2012
Free climate change presentation
A presentation on climate
change will be held Friday, May
25, at 7:00 p.m., in the Vernon-
ia Community Learning Center,
939 Bridge St. Bring your ques-
tions.
Paul Rippey, who moved to
Oregon in 2007 after spending
20 years in Africa, will give the
presentation. Rippey has pre-
sented this climate information
over 40 times – in the U.S.,
Uganda, Kenya, India, Sene-
gal, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra
Leone, and Switzerland.
The presentation will include
a narrated slide presentation.
Rippey was trained in 2007 to
give the presentation based on
former Vice President Al Gore’s
film, An Inconvenient Truth. He
is among five thousand volun-
teers trained by Mr. Gore to
lead these talks.
The latest scientific findings
and events are included, and
many ideas from diverse
sources will be provided. He
will also talk about how the cli-
mate crisis is perceived in the
developing world, and share
his experiences in Portland, in-
cluding what it’s like living with-
out a car.
Rippey was invited to speak
in Vernonia through the efforts
of local residents, with the help
of The Climate Reality Project.
Buckner dies in single car wreck
A single car accident, May
10, on Hwy. 47 left Rhoda “Lau-
ra” Buckner, 74, Vernonia,
dead.
Just after 2:30 p.m., Mrs.
Buckner’s 1995 Honda Accord
left the road and crashed into a
tree while heading towards
Vernonia. Oregon State Police
(OSP) is investigating the acci-
dent to determine the cause.
Hwy. 47 was closed for
about three hours from McDon-
ald Rd. to Timber Rd. due to
the accident.
An obituary is on page 18.
Dead teen found in backyard tree
Brennen Etheridge, 15, Es-
tacada, was found dead in a
tall cedar tree on his family’s
land, on April 22, after he ap-
parently fell from higher
branches and landed lower in
the tree. He was found about
10:00 p.m. that night by his
mother and brother, Phoenix.
He was a sophomore honor
student at Estacada High
School.
His mother, Mary Etheridge,
was the daughter of Emma
Etheridge, who lived in Vernon-
ia and worked at Sam’s Gro-
ceries after her husband died.
Before that, she and her hus-
band had owned and operated
the Birkenfeld Store. Ms.
Etheridge’s brother is Ray
Etheridge, who, with his wife
Migdalia, produced The Ver-
nonia Incident, a 2003 movie.
UNWC invites community to their
annual meeting Saturday, May 19
The Upper Nehalem Water-
shed Council (UNWC) will hold
their annual meeting on Satur-
day, May 19, starting at 10:00
a.m., at the Vernonia Grange
Hall, 375 North St.
UNWC is a 501(c)3 non-
profit organization with a 16
year track record of achieve-
ment in watershed restoration
and salmon population recov-
ery; community building and
youth development; and sup-
port of the local economy.
Community members are in-
vited to hear and see what the
Watershed Council has ac-
complished in the watershed
over the last year, and to let
them know what you would like
to see done in the future.
The Council will be electing
steering committee members
and are looking for people who
would like to help with:
• Fund development (work
with executive director to de-
velop new sources of funding,
grant writing, getting other or-
ganizations to contribute or
“match” funds and maybe get
involved in holding an annual
fundraising event.)
• Public relations and/or vol-
unteer coordination (promoting
our cause, doing the footwork
on and involving people in
events like the Salmon Festival
etc.)
• Partnerships (people who
would represent organizations
or groups that could provide vi-
able partnership contributions
such as City, County, Timber
companies, State or Federal
organizations, Business own-
ers, etc.)
If you have a little free time
and would like to be involved in
making your watershed a bet-
ter place for all, please step for-
ward. There are four open
spaces on the committee for
new community representa-
tives.
The meeting starts at 10:00
a.m., then there will be a
potluck lunch at noon before
the meeting resumes at 1:00
p.m. and continues until ad-
Page 7
journing at 2:00 p.m.
For additional information
please contact: Executive Di-
rector Maggie Peyton at
info@nehalem.org or by phone
at 503-429-0869.
Senior Center News
Don’t miss the center’s annual Plant & Gar-
den Sale on Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, from
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days. You will find
great prices on herbs, annuals, perennials, pot-
ted plants, baskets, house plants and more. If
you would like to donate some surplus plants,
bulbs, yard art, etc., call Jack Harvey at 503-
429-4080 to arrange for the pick up or delivery of
your donations. This fund raiser helps provide
many services for senior citizens, and for the
community, as well.
Your blood pressure is important, so take ad-
vantage of the chance to get a free blood pres-
sure check on the fourth Wednesday of each
month. The next date is May 23rd from 11 a.m.
to noon.
Hey, area musicians, if you are interested in
playing with the Golden Oldies, come in for more
information. We’re here every Wednesday.
Remember, poker has been added to the
center’s activities. It’s chips only, and the first
deal is right after lunch on Thursdays. There are
other games, including pinochle, on Fridays af-
ter lunch. You can also bring along your sugges-
tions for other activities.
Needleworkers get together every Tuesday to
enjoy conversation while they work on large and
small projects.
Bingo accompanies lunch every Monday
starting at 11:45, and diners play free.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday at
noon. A $4.00 donation is suggested for those
60 and older, and $5.00 for those under 60. If
you prefer lunch to go, for only $5.00 you can
call ahead and place your order.
On the last Wednesday of each month, Wau-
na Federal Credit Union makes a good lunch
even better by providing diners with free ice
cream.
This month’s birthday lunch will be on Friday,
May 25.
The Five Area Lunch, which is usually held on
the last Monday of each month, will be in Ver-
nonia on Tuesday, May 29. This month’s lunch
will have an extra treat in the form of entertain-
ment.
The senior center will be closed Monday, May
28, for Memorial Day.
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