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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 5, 2012)
The INDEPENDENT, July 5, 2012 New office set up to serve Oregon military members and families Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. military mission is chang- ing, and Operation Homefront is changing to prepare itself to best serve military service members and their families in Oregon – now and beyond the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. As part of its plan- ning for the future, the organi- zation is opening the Oregon Field Office to serve military families and Wounded Warriors in the state. Operation Homefront pro- vides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and Wounded Warriors. Assistance is in the form of grants to meet the most basic of needs like rent, utilities, and food. “Like our military, Operation Homefront has been asking questions like ‘How will our mission need to change?’ and ‘Where will the needs be?’ and ‘What resources will we have and how should those re- sources be best employed to help the most families?’” said Jim Knotts, Operation Home- front’s president and chief ex- ecutive officer. “These are complicated questions, but it would be irresponsible not to take an active approach to making the changes necessary to continue supporting our troops.” The non-profit’s network of staff and volunteers in the state will be led by Portland-based non-profit executive Kari Mc- Clellan. “Military families al- ready know that change is part of the deal when serving our country,” McClellan said. “This is a new day for Operation Homefront, but the families of our service members in Ore- gon can count on us to be there for them, now and after the de- ployments to Afghanistan end.” “With these changes, we will be able to leverage the strength of national support while serving our military fami- lies on the local level,” McClel- lan continued. “Our donors, who have been so supportive, will continue to have the option of supporting our troops at the local level or wherever the need is greatest around the country.” “One of our benefits has al- ways been our forward pres- ence in communities around the country, where we serve our military families face-to- face,” Knotts said. “The change will eliminate some duplication of efforts and costs around ad- ministrative and management tasks, which means more of our donations go directly to serving families.” A national nonprofit, Opera- tion Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers with na- tionwide presence, and has met more than 590,000 needs of military families since its in- ception in 2002. A four-star rat- ed charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 per- cent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to assist service mem- bers. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront. net/Oregon. What to do with tsunami debris From page 7 gon State University and other partners. The following best practices are recommended to anyone who discovers marine debris – especially debris that has living organisms on it. If you find marine debris that W IN has living organisms attached: Take a photo, if possible, and send photo along with details (location, county, date found, description of item, what you did with the item) to beach.de- bris@state.or.us. This informa- See debris on page 13 S HOP L OCAL F IND W ALDO COMMUNITY S CAVENGER H UNT P R I Z E S F R O M S T . H E L E N S B O O K S T O R E Stop in for mor e infor mation Open: Mon - Fri 9 to 5, Sat 10 to 4 2017 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens Phone 503-366-9602 Page 9 Hello. Time is march- ing on (or had you no- ticed?). Too fast, I feel. In my head, I just mailed off the last article. Now, it’s time for the 4th of July. Where did June go? What’s new with you? Are you still knitting? I’ve just started a Tuesday night class. I’d forgotten just how much fun it is to teach folks with two or three thumbs and not enough fingers that know how do what you are asking of them. One gal commented, “It looks so easy when you do it.” My answer, “I hope so, I started knitting when I was a teenager, about 70 years ago (more or less).” I can’t remember that far back but I do know I taught myself out of a Learn How To book, and it’s been quite a pleas- ure trip. All you need is a dose of Stick-to-a-tivity or get mad enough at yourself for being a Dunder- head, you can learn anything (I think). How’s your hanging garden doing? My toma- toes are praying for less rain and more sun, but I do have 1-1/2 blossoms on one plant sooo…maybe I’ll get 1-1/2 tomatoes, ho, ho, ho. This seems to be the year of breakdowns around my place. Last week my bathroom fan said, “I quit”, and the complex replaced it. Two days later the dryer said, “It’s too hot to work so I’ll just run on cold air.” The complex put in a new switch of some sort and replaced a wire. Last spring it was the dishwasher, remember? Now I think the only thing left to go KAPUT is the washing machine, but I pray not. Jim and I have decided we must have rented the oldest apart- ment in the complex, as far as amenities go. Ho. Ho. Anyhow – new is good, isn’t it? I just heard from my Alma Mater. They are go- ing to have our Last Class Reunion in August. 70 years. I hope I can go to this one. The last one I attended was the 50th. Seeing the picture of the Wood duck and ba- bies makes me miss my walks around the lake. More later. 50 Years Ago This Month The July 19, 1962, issue of the Vernonia Eagle included the following news story on the front page: At the meeting of the Vernonia city council Monday evening of this week, members were in- formed through a letter from I.J. Weatherbee, district sanitary engi- neer with the Oregon state board of health, that some action must be taken immediately to make the sewage lagoon operable. According to the letter, local citizens had appealed to the au- thority and as a result, R. E. Caine, assistant sanitary engineer, came here July 6 for an inspection of the facility. He found two-thirds of the lagoon bottom exposed and offen- sive odors resulting. In the letter, Weatherbee stated that in such lagoons, a minimum liquid depth of approximately three feet must be maintained over the entire bottom of the lagoon at all times to prevent it being a pos- sible health hazard and a nuisance. The city council stated Monday evening that action had already Mariolino’s 721 Madison Ave., Vernonia 503-429-5018 been take to effect a correction of the situation. A consultation had been arranged for this week with the consulting engineers who de- signed the lagoon. Steps are being outlined and will be undertaken to make the lagoon effective. The council authorized the is- suance of a Friendship Jamboree proclamation to be published next week asking all citizens to partici- pate in the event and help make it a success. Permission was given to the Home Water association for use of the city backhoe in rebuilding their water line after consultation with the city employees responsi- ble for its use. Scouting authorities asked for clarification of the “reasonable price” mentioned at the preceding council meeting in arranging for cutting of wood by the Scouts for city use. The Scout spokesman suggested a price of $10 per cord and the council countered with an offer of $8 per cord for him to sub- mit for Scout consideration. The Scout cabin committee asked for information concerning Check out Our Daily Breakfast & Lunch Specials We Have Wi Fi Access & Air Conditioned Comfort a walk at the cabin and a decision was reached to lay a crushed rock walkway which might be black- topped later. The council voted to secure the services of Gene Franklin of St. Helens for the annual audit of the city books at a cost of $550. The ordinance providing for salary increases for city employ- ees was given its third reading and passed. Also, the ordinance for the vacation and replatting of “Lin- wood Heights” in Second addition was given its third reading and was approved and signed. A third resolution, a routine one authoriz- ing signatures for banking transac- tions also was approved. A permit has been received by the city from the county permit- ting the placing of a fire hydrant as previously approved in the Stoney Point area.