Salem-News.com Vernonia articles

State and Federal Leaders Dedicate Vernonia`s New Schools and Community Center on August 21

Businesses and households statewide united to rebuild Vernonia’s schools and community center and to restore the heart of this town.

(VERNONIA, OR) - Vernonia will dedicate its new schools and community center on August 21 at 1000 Missouri Avenue.

This is a milestone in the timber town’s remarkable recovery from two 500-year floods in 1996 and 2007 that damaged all of Vernonia’s schools and destroyed much of the city’s public infrastructure and property.

Log Truck Driver Dies in Crash Near Vernonia

The driver's juvenile age son was extricated by rescue crews and transported by LifeFlight with serious injuries.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers are continuing the investigation of Thursday afternoon's log-truck involved fatal traffic crash on Highway 47 near Stoney Point Road north of Vernonia.

According to OSP Sergeant Larry Lucas, on July 22, 2010 at approximately 1:15 p.m. a loaded log truck driven by 33-year old Joshua Schultz of Vernonia, was northbound on Highway 47 near Stoney Point Road when, for an unknown reason, it traveled off the highway.

FEMA Wants to Evict Vernonia Flood Victims from Trailers

Wyden says these highly resilient and tough people need a little more time; telling feds essentially to back off for four months.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency today to give Vernonia families ravaged by a December 2007 flood another four months to finish fixing their homes before being evicted from their FEMA trailers.

Vernonia Schools Prepare for the Worst

School officials say they will keep a watchful eye on the river levels throughout the night; they also say they can use some financial assistance.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - The Vernonia School District is prepared for the worst. Thirteen months after the flood of 2007 the District is taking no chances on being caught off guard.

Dr. Kenneth Cox, Superintendent, says, "We have been monitoring the weather and the river levels and have made arrangements to deal with whatever comes."

He says that as a safety precaution, there will be no school tomorrow, Thursday January 8th due to the potential for water over the roadways throughout the Vernonia School District.

Columbia County Prepares Declaration of Emergency Over Severe Weather (VIDEO)

Snow levels will range from 500 to 1000 feet through Friday night.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - Today, Columbia County and the City of Vernonia prepared declarations of emergency contingent upon resource depletion, due to the severe winter storm involving heavy snow, ice and heavy rainfall, which has resulted in the imminent possibility of flooding and severely taxing county resources.

One Year Later

Oregonians remember and learn from all the good that was done last year and Oregon Emergency Management is encouraging people to prepare in case something like the Great Coastal Gale happens again.

(SALEM, Ore.) - It has been called "the Great Coastal Gale of 2007". Just two days in December of last year that many of us will remember for a long time.

Death Investigation Underway in Vernonia

Columbia County's Major Crime Team is heading the investigation.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - The investigation into the death of an adult male that occurred Friday night, July 18th, around 11:30 PM in Vernonia, is continuing.

The Columbia County Major Crime Team, with Oregon State Police as the lead investigating agency, is attempting to figure out what happened and who is responsible.

So far, the identity of the victim and additional preliminary investigative details are being withheld. Oregon State Police officials say the identification is pending an autopsy and review with the Columbia County District Attorney's Office.

Vernonia Flood Victims Search for Temporary Housing

The Lions Club as a special project to bring travel trailers to these families as temporary living shelters.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - More than 60 families in Vernonia, Oregon are in need of temporary housing due to the recent flood damage last December. Reconstruction is underway for most of the damaged homes, but financial and housing assistance in the interim is slow or non-existent.

But crews assisting these families say they are in need of used travel trailers to put on their property while the repairs are being completed.

Relief Center Handles Continuing Problems in Columbia County

Weather related problems continue in this Oregon community.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - The town of Vernonia and surrounding communities in Columbia County have been ravaged by recent storm damage and weather conditions are not helping the situation.

Officials reported today that a major slide has occurred on Timber Road, closing it to all traffic in both directions. There has been no reports of any injuries. The slide is located approximately 6 miles from Hwy 47 and Vernonia and about 2 miles from Hwy 26 at Timber Junction.

Vernonia Thanks Inmates and DOC Staff for Flood Assistance

Inmate Work Crews Receive Many Thanks from Community of Vernonia.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - The residents of Vernonia, Oregon say the recent assistance of state prison inmates and staff to their flood damaged city has made a serious difference in their efforts to bring the problems associated with recent flooding under control, and the work continues.

Vernonia's Mayor and City Councilors have joined citizens there to recognize the work of the Department of Corrections' staff supervisors and the 160 minimum security inmates who came to their town to lend a hand.