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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2012)
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid Vernonia, OR 97064 Permit No. 37 Vol. 27, No. 20 THE FREE INDEPENDENT The Voice Voice of of the Upper Nehalem River The River Valley Valley for for Over Over 25 27 years years November 7, 2012 Unofficial early election results for city and county Because of printing dead- lines, The Independent cannot provide the final tally of votes for yesterday’s general election in this issue. Following are the available results for local elections as of 4:06 a.m., with 48 of 54 pre- cincts counted. Columbia Co. Commissioner Position 1 Earl Fisher Wayne Mayo Position 3 The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the participants of the Vernonia Costume Sidewalk Pa- rade, held downtown. An estimated 300 children came trick or treating and collected good- ies along Bridge Street. “The thousand foot mission” needs you If your heart is burdened with the need to help out a local mission, then opportunity is knocking! The Vernonia Seventh-Day Adventist Church has served the Vernonia community for 75 years. Whether members are in the community passing out water to a parade watcher at Jamboree, or making children smile with a grab bag from the Jamboree “fishing pond”, or helping those in need by show- ing Christ’s love, members em- brace the community and look for ways to serve. So now op- portunity is knocking at your door. It all began in 1935 in an old deserted store on Bridge Street in downtown Vernonia, where a small group of Christians gath- ered to worship and listen to a sermon preached by Pastor Ray Bagley. The church mem- bers saw a need for a church and began the provisions for building it. It was then that the ladies came together to make and sell Fudge to raise money. The lumber was donated by Mr. Bennett, who at that time owned and operated The Ore- gon - American Sawmill. The church was completed in 1936. It was a state-of-the- art building at that time, with its 10 foot ceilings, a bell tower and a wood burning stove to maintain a warm, comfortable environment. Now, 75 years later, the church building is in need of major repair. The cedar logs that were placed as a founda- tion have decomposed and a major overhaul is needed. In addition, the siding needs to be replaced, as well as the old windows, carpets, doors and interior walls. The members of the Ver- nonia Seventh-Day Adventist See Church on page 14 Seventh-day Adventist Church building needs some TLC. 7,258 6,930 Tony Hyde Tammy Maygra 8,376 5,314 Columbia Co. Sheriff Jeff Dickerson 8,655 Dave Fuller 5,665 Vernonia Mayor and Council There were no contests for Vernonia Mayor or City Coun- cil. In the absence of a write-in campaign, the incumbents – Mayor Josette Mitchell, Coun- cilor Randy Parrow and Coun- cilor Kim Tierney – will be re- elected. Cutright to be honored for heroism at house fire Seth Cutright, the 12-year- old Vernonia youth who res- cued his grandmother from their burning home, will be hon- ored with a Life Saving Award from the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association. Cutright was nom- inated by Columbia County Sheriff Jeff Dickerson, and will be recognized at the associa- tion’s awards banquet in Bend on December 5. Seth and his grandmother, 64-year-old Rose Cutright, were the only ones home, Oct. 12, when the house burst into flames. He grabbed his grand- mother, whose clothes were on fire, and carried her outside, re- ceiving serious burns to his hands and face. By the time he got his grandmother outside, the flames on her body had gone out. He then ran to a neighbor’s home and told them to call an ambulance. When Vernonia Rural Fire District arrived about 2:45 p.m. the garage of the family’s home on E. Bridge Street was fully engulfed in flames, and the house and shop were burning. Seth and his grandmother were outside. Firefighters rescued the family’s kittens from the home, as well as chickens in a coop attached to the house. One of the family’s dogs died in the fire. The explosion may have been caused by a leaking propane tank. Seth said he smelled gas just before his grandmother lit a cigarette. They were both taken to the Oregon Burn Center at Eman- uel Hospital in Portland. Vernonia Rural Fire was as- sisted by Mist-Birkenfeld, Banks and Scappoose fire dis- tricts, as well as law enforce- ment for traffic control. Seth’s father, Roger Cut- right, called his son “a hero”, a sentiment echoed by Sheriff Dickerson, who said, “Seth Cutright’s valor and fearless- ness in braving the inferno to save his grandmother’s life is an inspiring story.” Veteran’s Day is November 11