The INDEPENDENT, November 7, 2012
Apply now for holiday food box
Registration began Novem-
ber 1 for the Christmas Holiday
Food Boxes from Vernonia
Cares Food Bank. Those eligi-
ble must register to receive this
free food box. Applications may
be filled out on Tuesday or
Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. at the food bank, lo-
cated within the American Le-
gion Building, 627 Adams Av-
enue. For more information,
call Vernonia Cares Director
Sandy Welch at 503-429-1414.
Welch also wants to remind
Vernonia residents that there is
no Thanksgiving box; only the
Christmas boxes. There is a
limited supply of Christmas
Holiday Food Boxes, so early
registration in encouraged.
Log truck driver crashes truck,
gets arrested for drunk driving
A log truck driver was arrest-
ed and charged with DUII Oct.
4 after crashing his truck on
Highway 47 north of Vernonia.
There were no injuries.
According to Oregon State
Police, at approximately 1:20
p.m., Robert J. Gedenberg, 48,
of Astoria, was driving a 2000
Kenworth truck with a loaded
log trailer, northbound on High-
way 47 near milepost 59, when
it went off the highway. The
truck and trailer damaged two
utility poles, about 100 feet of
fence, and overturned, spilling
logs along the side the high-
way.
Gedenberg’s arrest for DUII
and reckless driving. He was
also cited for refusing a breath
test and failure to drive within a
traffic lane. Gedenberg was not
using safety restraints.
The northbound lane was
closed for about six hours while
crews removed the vehicle and
spilled logs from the highway.
OSP was assisted at the
scene by Oregon Department
of Transportation, Vernonia
Rural Fire District and Mist-
Birkenfield Rural Fire Protec-
tion District.
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Hello again. First off, I
have a question to ask of
you folks that own a cat
or two. The reason – I
went to use my four
wheeled walker the other
day and found it covered
with little gray paw prints.
I have a seat on my walk-
er, VERY hi-tech. Any-
how, the question – Does your cat bathe it’s feet
in it’s water dish after it uses its little house?
That’s the only answer I can come up with.
Anyhow, onward into the Fall days we are
having. As I walked the other afternoon I mar-
veled at the changes I saw in the trees and
shrubs. The Snowberry bush is loaded with
cranberry-sized snowballs and the Holly trees
and bushes are ablaze with all colors of berries.
Even with all the rain we’ve had, the fall flowers
are holding their heads up. It may be raining
cats and dogs and is 60 degrees but I’m happy
to be living here and not on the East coast. An-
other reason I know winter is not far off – I had
to dig out my winter pants liners. I don’t wear
long johns.
Since last we talked my tomato plants have
gone to Never Again Land. I will put hanging
flowers in the bags next Spring. My petunias
said goodbye, the miniature rose (Mother’s Day
potted plant) has been trimmed for winter, not
sure how I’m going to wrap her up against the
winter winds and chill. I did bring in my Thanks-
giving/Christmas cactus, it said Thank You and
is now flowering its heart out for me. Some red
blooms but many many orange blooms. I had
one great surprise among my other pots or extra
starter pots. In one, I saw a fleck of green, al-
most misted it. Moxie (the cat) had devastated
one of my pet cacti, I had tried everything to
save it but gave up hope, but it had heart (it is
the memory of a friend passed on). So, now
Mary lives on.
Halloween is tomorrow, then comes the elec-
tion. I hope the outcome isn’t too big a shock for
us, but I know us older folk are going to have to
regroup our ways and thoughts and figure out if
we will sink or still have to swim in the Lake of
Uncertainty. Then I turn another page in my
book of life. I think I’ll just forget how old I am, it
might be easier than trying to tell folks why I look
sooo young. Ho, ho, ho. But, I am beginning to
feel my age (or someone else’s). I have accom-
plished a couple of projects this year, though
I’ve only worked on it for about two years. I am
wearing my home-designed and hand knit win-
ter jacket. And, it FITS.
My brain’s tired of thinking, my fingers are
tired of hitting the wrong keys and it’s time for
me to get ready to leave for Bible study, so I’ll
say, “So long for now and don’t eat too much
turkey on Thanksgiving.”
24 Years Ago This Month
The November 23, 1988, is-
sue of The Independent includ-
ed the following news story on
page 25;
Negotiations with city em-
ployees, on wages and working
conditions, during the next fis-
cal year, were postponed from
December to January by the
Vernonia City Council this
month.
Councilor Mario Leonetti
urged the change in procedure
so newly elected council mem-
bers can be involved in the
process. He cited problems
created two years ago when a
new council was stymied in its
efforts to institute some
changes because of contracts
signed only days before they
were seated.
Leonetti will be the only
council member remaining
from the current office holders
when the council convenes in
January.
City Recorder Don Dunaway
asked that the change be made
permanent, and be included in
the employees’ manual.
Difficulty in obtaining prompt
building inspections was re-
viewed by the council. City
Building Official Jim Tierney
said that the situation was
worse than usual this month
because Bob Eidam, the coun-
ty building inspector whose
service the city contracts, has
been on vacation. The substi-
tute inspector, Bill Ward of St.
Helens, hasn’t come to Vernon-
Made in Vernonia
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us on
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Bit of something handmade for everyone!
805 Bridge Street 503-429-0111
Open Tue., Thu. & Sat.
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
ia as scheduled, Tierney said.
The city eliminated the posi-
tion of building inspector last
year as a cost cutting move.
The building official is paid for
only ten hours each month, is
primarily an enforcement posi-
tion, and doesn’t require in-
spector’s certification.
In other business during the
month:
The council informed Re-
source Recovery that it was not
going to have any work done
on removal of debris in Vernon-
ia lake at this time.
Dunaway reported the state
Forestry Division’s recommen-
dation that the city scarify and
burn the logged timberland dur-
ing the next dry season, then
reforest during the following
wet season. Approximately 10
acres need to be replanted,
with 3-400 trees per acre;
Approved a change of zone,
from General Residential to
General Commercial, for prop-
erty on the southeast corner of
Grant and North Streets. This
was requested by representa-
tives for the Vernonia Health
Center;
Appointed Mike Kefton to
the Airport Committee, and ap-
pointed Faith Reynolds to the
Library Board.
Clean Teeth are
Happy Teeth!
We now offer Complete
Dental Ser vices for Dogs & Cats
Vernonia Veterinary Clinic
Call for appointments
503-429-1612
Monday, Wednesday
Wednesday & & Saturday
Saturday
Monday,
a.m to
to 4 4 p.m.
p.m.
9 9 a.m
700 Weed Avenue,Vernonia