The INDEPENDENT, July 18, 2012
Governor sets up new Task Force
Governor Kitzhaber has
signed an Executive Order es-
tablishing a new Oregon Do-
mestic Violence Prevention
and Response Task Force. The
group will be formed over the
next two months and begin
meeting in September.
“Despite efforts around the
state devoted to preventing do-
mestic violence and supporting
victims of abuse, Oregon con-
tinues to see an increase in do-
mestic violence, putting too
many people at risk,” said Gov-
ernor Kitzhaber. “The effect on
individuals and children is a
tragedy, while the overall im-
pact on communities is pro-
found and unacceptable.”
The effects of domestic vio-
lence include personal injury,
homelessness, lost work time
and productivity, alcohol and
other drug abuse, increased
health care costs, adverse im-
pacts on children, and denial of
See Domestic on page 10
24 Years Ago This Month
The July 28, 1988, issue of
The Independent included the
following news story on page
16:
As many Vernonia area res-
idents are signing petitions
asking the state Highway Divi-
sion to straighten two danger-
ous curves on Highway 47, an-
other accident occurred, July
12, at the bridge crossing the
Nehalem River .9 miles south
of town.
Lorna Mae DuPuis, 19, of
Vancouver, Washington, re-
ceived multiple lacerations and
a fractured wrist when her
southbound 1971 Mercury
Capris crossed over the center
line into the path of a north-
bound 1977 Dodge pickup.
DuPuis was transported to
Oregon Health Sciences Uni-
versity Hospital by Vernonia
ambulance and Life Flight, af-
ter she was finally extricated
from her mangled auto by
members of the Vernonia Fire
Department. DuPuis was re-
leased from OHSU Hospital on
July 16.
The driver of the pickup,
David W. Kolko, 32, of Rio
Vista, California, was unin-
jured. His passenger, David
Frost, 30, of Vernonia, was
treated for minor injuries and
released from St. Vincent Hos-
pital.
At the time of the bridge’s
construction, the north end was
aligned with the roadway. The
south end was designed to
connect with a straight road,
but the necessary roadwork
was never done resulting in
narrow, sharp “S” curve be-
tween two stretches of straight
highway.
Larry Bernardi, of Vernonia,
has spearheaded a drive
aimed at getting the road
straightened. The City of Ver-
nonia, Vernonia Area Chamber
of Commerce, Vernonia Chap-
ter of Associated Loggers, and
the local unit of Oregon Forest
Products Transportation Asso-
ciation have all endorsed the
road straightening.
Petitions are available at
several local businesses, in-
cluding Brunsman Hardware,
Western Auto, Sam’s Food
Store, MiniMart and Mario’s
Cafe.
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Mainly this is an open
Goodbye letter to the
Golden Oldies Band at
the Senior Center and all
of my friends there. No,
I’m not ill or moving, it’s
just that my treatment
days have been shifted
to Monday, Wednesday,
Fridays, at my request.
Why? A good question,
but the answer is long and drawn out so I’ll just
say it uncomplicated several things that keep
popping up in my daily scheme of life so I have
hopefully fixed it. I will definitely miss the follow-
ing people; “Sleepy Time Gal”, “From a Jack to
a Queen”, “The Sheik”, “Humpty Dumpty Heart”,
“Gathering Flowers for the Masters Bouquet”,
the Harmonica solos, and “One Tin Soldier
Rode Away”. Plus, the many more songs we all
join in when they played “Roll Out the Barrel”
and many, many more good old tunes that
soothe the soul.
Gee Whiz…A girl just won the Pro Stock Car
Race. First one ever. Now they can’t say it’s a
man’s sport anymore.
The 4th of July has come and gone, T.V. says
it’s going to be HOT for 9 days – time will tell.
Vernonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue Golf Benefit
I’m into my new schedule now, same help but
many new faces fill the chairs around me, but
we all have to adjust to a lot of new challenges
(out of our comfort zone) most every day. Life is
dull, isn’t it? That is, if you let it be. But, I don’t
like Life, cereal that is. Ho Ho.
A group of us ladies took a trip to Multnomah
Falls Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful sight,
even if there were about a million people there
to feel the cool spray of the water as it plunged
down into the
pool.
How
long has it
been since
you just took
a day off and
went out to
see the won-
ders of na-
ture?
Gas ain’t
cheap, but life
can pass us
by too quickly.
I’m off to
hear
blue
grass tonight.
Bye now.
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to purchase toys for local kids for Christmas
VERNONIA FRIENDSHIP JAMBOREE WEEKEND
August 5th 2012 @ 7:30am
Vernonia Golf Course
15961 Timber Road East, Vernonia,
Format: Scramble, Shotgun Start 4 person teams
Entry Fee: $ 95.00 per person or $350.00 per foursome
Due by: July 29, 2012. Before July 1st receive
an additional $10 off per person
Entry Fee includes: Green fees, 1 Cart per team,
Gift Bag, Team Photo,
Surf & Turf Brunch and Raffle Ticket.
Brunch, Raffle & Awards following the tournament.
Individual registrations are welcome.
Make checks payable to the Vernonia Volunteer Fire
& Rescue Association 501c3 Tax deductible
For more information, please contact
Randy Carlton at: 503-429-8252 or 503-791-8309
Email: vernoniagolfbenefit@gmail.com