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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2012)
The INDEPENDENT, September 19, 2012 Tree City designation has benefits From page 7 atic management of its tree re- sources. Additionally, a Tree Board with a school partner- ship, as is envisioned in Ver- nonia, will be able to provide educational opportunities for people of all ages. By becoming a Tree City, Vernonia will join other Oregon towns, from metropolitan Port- land to tiny Echo, as well as our neighboring cities of Banks and Scappoose, which already have had great success in revi- talizing their urban forests. Some of the many benefits of becoming a Tree City USA are: Public Image: A community’s public image is important in many ways. Being a Tree City USA helps present the kind of image that most citizens want to have for the place they live or conduct business. The Tree City USA signs at community entrances tell visitors that here is a community that cares about its environment. It is also an indication to prospective businesses that the quality of life may be better here. Citizen Pride: Gaining and retaining Tree City USA recog- nition is an award to the tree workers, managers, volun- teers, tree board members and others who work on behalf of better care of a community’s trees Financial Assistance: When allocations of grant money are made for trees or forestry pro- grams, preference sometimes goes to Tree City USA commu- nities over others because there are invariably more re- quests than available funds. If requests are equally worthy, grantors tend to have more confidence in communities that have demonstrated their com- mitment by becoming a Tree City USA. Publicity: Presentation of the Tree City USA award and the celebration of Arbor Day offer excellent publicity opportuni- ties. This results not simply in satisfaction for those involved, it also provides one more way to reach large numbers of peo- ple with information about tree care. As one forester put it, “This is advertising that money can’t buy—and it is free!” For more information about the program, go to treecityusa. com. Anyone interested in be- ing involved should contact Michael Calhoun by phone at 503-704-7837, or by email at sunny2008vhs@yahoo.com Page 9 Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay Thursday, September 13, I was awak- ened by the sound of the honking of a rather large band of Canadian geese. The first ones of the season for me. Is this an omen for the true start of fall and the fore- runner of the winter we are about to have, or just a bunch of birds out for an early morning test flight? It has been cold enough at night for me to pull up the blan- ket. My driver did tell me yesterday that he awoke to frost at his place Wednesday, so I guess the geese might know something we don’t. They do get around a little bit more than I do. Do you know or realize that it doesn’t really take long for your brain to put something you enjoy doing in a niche in the recess- es of your brain? I got an urge to dig out my drawing tablets and pencils to take with me to dialysis the other day, so I’d have an- other time killer to occupy the time I just sit. (I read, knit, write, do crosswords, eat lunch, and just think, but I still get tired of just sit- ting.) Yes, I do have my own T.V., but I do not watch day-time re- runs. Anyhow – I’ve lost my perception angle. I can draw the wall, but can’t seem to put the floor down so I can set a chair, etc. on it. Think it’s funny, it’s frustrating to have had it once upon a time and now I’ve lost my notes of Art (how to bend an arm, extend a tree branch, or turn the head of a flower). It’s what makes draw- ing so much fun and enjoyable. To create something from within yourself that you didn’t think you were capable of. Anywhoo…I’m off to Blue Grass again Saturday night. Yip- pieeeeee. Talk to you all later. 24 Years Ago This Month The September 29, 1988, is- sue of The Independent includ- ed the following news story on the front page: A request by Justice of the Peace Marilyn Van Winkle to use the Vernonia Library on the second and fourth Fridays of each month raised strong ob- jections from the city’s Library Board, at a meeting of the Ver- nonia City Council this month. Van Winkle, who uses the li- brary as a courtroom on Thurs- days, said in a letter that extra time is needed for a backlog of jury trials. The Columbia Coun- ty District Attorney’s office, which prosecutes cases for the Justice Court, can send a deputy to Vernonia only on Fri- days, she added. She estimat- ed that the library would have to be used through the begin- ning of the year in order to complete the jury trials. Speaking on behalf of the li- brary board, Delores Webb said that Friday is the library’s busiest day, and the board strongly objects to changing a schedule that works well for li- brary users. After discussion of alterna- tive locations that may be use- able as a courtroom, Coun- cilmember Mario Leonetti said he would investigate and report to the council at the next meet- ing on October 3rd. Resource Recovery, a Washington firm, asked the council for permission to use Vernonia Lake to test a system it has developed for recovering sunken logs. They would clean up the lake, company repre- sentatives said, in return for re- coverable materials. In a spe- cial meeting on the matter, con- cerns were raised about dam- age to the clay seal on the bot- tom of the lake, and to the fish that have adapted to the former mill pond. Though Resource Recovery said they would restock the lake if necessary, the council tabled the matter until they can get more information. A request for an increase in garbage collection rates was approved for Nehalem Valley Sanitary Service, which has had no increases for several years. Bob Prohaska made the request, explaining that new equipment is needed and his costs have increased greatly, too. The new rates, which will become effective in November, will be $8 a month for picking up one can weekly, and $13 monthly for two can service. Commercial and container rates will also be adjusted. Glen Higgins of Community Action Team informed the council that the facilities plan for a new sewer system hasn’t been completed as scheduled. That may cause problems in fi- nancing, he said, because 1988 is the last year for grants. After that, financing will come from a revolving loan fund, Hig- gins said, adding that he will try to get an extension for the city. HGE, the city’s consulting engineer, couldn’t complete the facilities plan because of inade- quate wet weather flow meas- urements, Higgins said. City Director of Public Works Mike Smith, whose crew has done the flow measurements, said “we gave them everything they asked for,” but will do the measurements again. Open Daily 11 a.m. Biker Friendly Sept 22 nd Third Member th Step Child Sept 29 th th Oct 5 & 6 Karaoke All Bands & Karaoke start at 9 P.M. Ladies Night: Wed. 5 pm - Midnight Happy Hour: Mon - Fri 4 pm - 7 pm Open until midnight Sun-Thu & until 2:30 a.m. Fri, Sat. 733 Bridge St., Vernonia 503-429-9999