The INDEPENDENT, June 20, 2012
Page 5
Vernonia Police Department
May 2 – Criminal Mischief
reported on California Ave. af-
ter a burned envelope and cig-
arette butts were found on the
deck of the Head Start. No
damage was reported to the
building.
May 4 – Jason Minor, 24,
Vernonia, arrested for Criminal
Trespass on California Ave.;
taken to CCSO jail.
May 5 – Death investigation
on Mist Drive.
May 6 – Agency assist with
Major Crimes Team Search
Warrant in St. Helens area.
Vernonian helps keep wheels
rolling in Afghanistan
Andrew Shepherd, a contractor with AECOM-CACI Field and
Installation Readiness Support Team, and native of Vernonia,
works on a M9 pistol at Forward Operating Base Wright.
Members of AC FIRST provide maintenance for vehicles and
weapons to military members on the FOB. U.S. Air Force
photo by Tech Sgt Christopher Marasky
From page 1
the team’s Cougars, just one of
the variations of the MRAP. Re-
placing the starter would have
taken Brys five or six days, but
with the assistance of the mo-
tor pool, the job was completed
in only three hours and the ve-
hicle returned to duty the same
day.
Vehicles aren’t the only area
in which the maintenance shop
assists the FOB and other mili-
tary members passing through,
as the base houses a weapon
repair shop as well.
“As far as our weapons
area, that’s our biggest con-
cern,” said Marrero. “Some of
the weapons can jam up or
have other issues, and peo-
ple’s lives depend on those, so
that’s our biggest priority.”
The team has a pair of for-
mer military members, one
Army and one Marine, who
work in the weapons mainte-
nance shop. According to Mar-
rero, they excel at fixing all
types of weapon systems
“These guys have been do-
ing what they do for a long
time,” said Marrero. “They can
tear down a complete weapon,
repair it, and put it back togeth-
er and get it back to servicea-
ble.”
Being civilians working
alongside the military in a com-
bat zone such as the Kunar
Province is a rewarding effort,
according to Marrero.
“I love it, I’ve been around
the military all my life,” he said.
“Working with the military out
here gives you a good feeling
in that you’re helping out the
soldiers. I helped these sol-
diers stay safe since I made
sure that their vehicles were
good.”
It’s an effort that is greatly
appreciated by the team, par-
ticularly Brys, who says he’d
have a difficult time without his
civilian counterparts.
“If we didn’t have these
guys, it’d take us a great deal
of time to get things done, such
as getting various parts or do-
ing repairs,” he said. “Without
them there, if I was doing it by
myself, it’d take forever.”
“Working with the guys is
awesome, I could trust them to
do anything I need, but we all
work as a team,” he said.
“They’re awesome and they do
a great job.”
Reprinted by permission
May 7 – Three juveniles re-
ferred to Columbia County Ju-
venile Dept. for Disorderly Con-
duct and Harassment after a
fight on Weed Ave.
– Theft of $15.00 reported
on Cougar St.
– iPod reported stolen near
Hawkins Park; later located
and returned to owner.
May 8 – Janet L. Gray, 47,
Vernonia, arrested on Wash-
ington County Warrant for DUII,
Reckless Driving and Reckless
Endangerment; taken to CCSO
jail.
May 9 – Hit and Run report-
ed on Bridge St.
May 10 – Theft and Unau-
thorized Entry into a Motor Ve-
hicle reported on Adams St.
Items stolen included 6 CDs, a
golden locket, and Xbox
games.
– Agency assisted OSP with
MVA on Hwy 47 near MP 66.
May 12 – MVA reported on
1st Ave. after a vehicle backed
into a parked vehicle.
– Phillip Aronhalt, 18, Ver-
nonia, cited for Possession <1
oz. Marijuana at Hawkins Park.
– Juvenile male referred to
Columbia County Juvenile
Dept. for Possession <1 oz.
Marijuana at Hawkins Park.
– Theft reported on Bridge
St. included a Ruger .22 hand-
gun, a diamond ring, a sap-
phire bracelet and diamond
earrings stolen from a home;
ongoing investigation.
May 13 – Nathan F. Alwin,
21, Vernonia, cited for Posses-
sion <1 oz. Marijuana near
Hawkins Park.
– Agency assist on Restrain-
ing Order Violation.
May 15 – Criminal Mischief
reported at Anderson Park,
where a faucet was broken off
and shooting water.
– Theft reported on Weed
Ave. after 2 chainsaws, 2 split-
ting malls, a shop vac., 2 hoes,
Council okays
Jamboree items
From page 4
den to be open during Jam-
boree, August 3-5.
• approved the usual street
closures for Jamboree activi-
ties.
The next council meeting
will be July 2, starting at 7:00
p.m., at city hall.
2 rakes were stolen.
May 17 – Jerid J. Chelby,
22, Vernonia, arrested for Ha-
rassment Warrant; taken to
CCSO jail.
May 18 – Sex Abuse report-
ed on Fairway Lane; ongoing
investigation.
May 19 – Burglary and Theft
reported on Heather Ct. after
someone entered home and
stole $200 from wallet on
kitchen table.
– Theft and Unauthorized
Entry into a Vehicle reported on
Bridge St, after credit/debit
cards and about $250 in cash
was stolen from vehicle parked
at the fire station.
May 20 – Agency assist with
Major Crimes Team in St. He-
lens area.
May 21 – Theft reported on
Mississippi Ave. after jewelry
stolen from home.
– Nathan F. Alwin, 21, Ver-
nonia, referred to DA for Theft
of knives on Fairway Lane;
knives recovered and returned
to owner.
– Juvenile male, Vernonia,
referred to Columbia County
Juvenile Dept. for Theft of
knives on Fairway Lane; knives
recovered and returned to own-
er.
May 23 – Two Burglaries re-
ported from the Snack Shack at
Vernonia Lake after $45 and 2
pairs of needle-nose pliers
were stolen.
May 24 – Hit and Run re-
ported on Bridge St.; ongoing
investigation.
– MVA reported at Bridge St.
and Madison Ave. after a vehi-
cle ran into a fire hydrant.
May 26 – 2 juvenile males
referred to Columbia County
Juvenile Dept. for Minor in Pos-
session of Tobacco.
– Animal Abuse reported on
Heather Lane after cat was
shot by an arrow; referred to
Columbia County Animal Con-
trol for follow-up.
May 27 – Tyler D. Bernardi,
22, Vernonia, cited and re-
leased for DUII and Reckless
Driving.
– Criminal Mischief reported
on Madison Ave. where vehicle
tires were damaged by screws
or similar objects.
May 29 – Jerid J. Chelby,
22, Vernonia, arrested for Ha-
rassment Warrant; taken to
CCSO jail.
May 31 – Criminal Mischief
reported at Snack Shack at
Vernonia Lake after someone
tried to enter through a window,
damaging the screen; did not
appear that the building was
entered.
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