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Veteran salutes at dedication of Blue Star Memorial marker. (Rainier Riverfront Park)
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Welcome to Rainier, OR 97048 Friends of Rainier Rainier's Public Service Web Site
Business Directories: |
Today is Updated: Monday, June 08, 2009
The Rainier Water Cooler
Click HERE for Columbia County Rider Transit Schedules
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Rainier Chamber of Commerce
Monthly Membership Meeting Thursday June 11 12 noon El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant 117 West A St.
Rainier |
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Beaver Homes Grange BUILDING FUND BENEFIT A BIG SUCCESS On April 25th the Beaver Homes Grange put on a spectacular dinner and silent auction to raise funds for the continued remodel and building projects that our 100 year old building needs. The evening began with 110 or more plates served of stuffed pork loin, mash potatoes and gravy, vegetable, salads, rolls and a cobbler dessert. In between bites we all hit the tables many times to place bids on so many wonderful items. Then with our appetites satiated, the auctions revisited and the raffle tickets all sold; people gathered to visit and laugh and compare loses and wins of some very fine items. It was a delightful evening with lots of friends and new comers surrounded with great donations. The tables were covered with such things as baskets over flowing with themed items, games, tools, toys, art work, bird houses, kitchen accessories and more. The floor around the tables had furniture, yard tools and an antique range each going to the highest bidder. We want to thank not only our members and guests who provided some beautiful and clever items to bid on but we also want to thank the following businesses that added so much to our efforts. We appreciate their generosity and continued support. Thank you to: Rainier True Value, Karol Lee’s Beauty Shop, Aimee’s Beauty Shop, Deer Island Store, Knot-a-Bear, Ol’ Pastime Tavern, and the Cornerstone Cafe.
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Now, here's an idea...a fund-raiser for the City of Rainier Monday, Jun. 01, 2009 Merced's water bottled by Safeway, resold at a profit
By JONAH OWEN LAMB Wells are drying up across the county from an overtaxed and sinking water table. Drought and climate change threaten the future of local water supplies. And Merced has been selling its tap water since 2002 to a water bottling plant, which then sells that water at rates far above what it costs the plant to buy it from the city. The Safeway Inc.'s water bottling plant in Merced -- one of the top five commercial/industrial water users in the city, which bottles Safeway's in-house purified and spring water brand Refreshe -- uses roughly 50,000 gallons a day, five days a week, for its bottling operation. The plant, which provides most Refreshe drinking and spring water to Safeway stores in the state, filters city water, puts it in bottles and sells it as purified water. The bottles note that the water was bottled in Merced, but not that it was pumped out of the ground by the city. (Refreshe spring water is shipped in from a spring and then bottled in Merced.) Some say the operation is just like any other business that buys water from the city. But others claim it represents a troubling trend. Environmentalists and water rights activists contend that the increasing commercialization of public water and the selling of tap water not labeled as such isn't how water pumped out of the ground by cities is meant to be used. They claim that bottled water sells itself as safer and healthier than tap water, but in many cases is not. The Sierra Club's Water Privatization Task Force noted that the growth of the bottled water industry -- spearheaded by companies like Nestle, Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola -- is not only depleting aquifers and springs across the country, but also represents a step toward increasing water privatization. The task force also noted that the industry advertises bottled water as better than tap water -- even though much of the water in bottles comes from the tap. "The bottled water industry promotes bottled water as a healthy, trendy drink, without mentioning that it can cost 500 to 4,000 times more than tap water," commented the task force. In Safeway's case they pay more than $1,000 a month for more than a million gallons of water. The retail cost for that much purified bottled water at Safeway is just under $3 million. Safeway would not say how much it costs them to produce their water. Despite these concerns, the public's taste for the stuff is growing. According to a 2009 report on the industry by Bottled Water Reporter, bottled water sales in the U.S. accounted for more than $11 billion in 2008. Over the last decade bottled water consumption jumped from more than $4 billion in 2000 to double that by 2008. According to Food & Water Watch, over 112 bottling plants exist in the state and over 1 billion gallons of bottled water are sold in California every year. In the report, tap water was distinguished from bottled water. "Clearly," noted the report, "consumer perceptions matter, and consumers regard bottled water very differently from tap water. Even where tap water may be safely potable, many people prefer bottled water, which they regard as superior in taste." Safeway spokeswoman Teena Massingill said that criticisms about commercializing municipal water and replacing it with expensive bottled water are baseless and unfounded. "There will always be critics of products," she said. "We are providing a product that did not exist previously. So I think that the argument that they are making is unfounded," she said. As for the Safeway's operation in Merced, Merced spokesman Mike Conway said the city treats Safeway as it would any other industrial water consumer. "There's no difference between any kind of water user who uses our water to process a product -- whether it's bottled water or anything else," said Conway. "As for some additional perspective," wrote Conway in an e-mail, "if the city pumps about 21 million gallons of water a day, and Safeway uses 50,000, that works out to be 0.238 percent of our total gallons pumped." But the plant doesn't only use water. It also produces waste. The plant's purification process discharges roughly 52,000 pounds of salts a year into the city's wastewater system, according to their permit. Safeway's in-house brand Refreshe, bottled in Merced with well water, doesn't say on its label that it was originally municipal tap water. Massingill's reply is simply that the product that Safeway provides -- fresh water -- isn't tap water. But a new law could force water bottlers to at least let consumers know the source of their bottled water -- not just where it was bottled. Assembly Bill 301 would require bottling facilities to register with the state and disclose the source of their water. Currently, the state's Department of Public Health only requires that bottled water labels list where the water was bottled, not the actual source of that water. Another area of concern with bottled water, says Ruth Caplan, the national coordinator for the Defending Water for Life campaign, is that while bottled water sells itself as better than tap water, it contributes to pollution and has been found to be less healthy than tap water -- at least in some cases. Many of the bottles end up in landfills, Caplan added, and in some cases contain industrial chemicals and bacteria above state and industry standards. According to the Sierra Club, nine out of 10 plastic water bottles end up as garbage or litter. The National Resources Defense Council tested a wide array of bottled waters in the late '90s and found the majority contained either industrial chemicals and other contaminants, such as chloroform, that were above levels set by the state and the industry. The study included Safeway-brand bottled waters whose labels indicated they had gone through reverse osmosis filtration like the purified water in Safeway's Merced plant. Safeway's Massingill declined to comment on NRDC's study, but said that Safeway is fully conscious of its environmental footprint and the healthfulness of its products. The company uses as little packaging as possible in its products. For instance, its plastic bottles are among the thinnest in the industry. In addition, Safeway uses wind and solar energy on a wide scale. "We operate in the most environmentally conscious manor possible," she said. Safeway is one of the largest retail users of renewable energy in the United States as well, she said. On top of the company's efforts to be green, Massingill said it provides jobs for roughly 70 people at its Merced plant. It's also actively involved in the community through the sponsorship of events, among other contributions. The Wild West was founded partly over water wars. It's clear some are still being fought, even inside the bottle. Reporter Jonah Owen Lamb can be reached at (209) 385-2484 or jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.
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Rainier writer pens new play—now playing at Lower Columbia College Center Stage Theatre This Island Earth ...a new play by Leslie Slape of Rainier
Click HERE for more information
Opens this week at the Lower Columbia College Center Stage Theatre Based on creation myths and stories of renewal from around the world the play opens Wednesday, May 27, and continues May 28-30, June 4-6 and 11-13 Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. A special talkback with the actors and designers follows the June 4 performance The small cast includes Rainier actors Emily Soule and Dylan Disch Both LCC students and community members participate in LCC drama program productions. The Center Stage Theatre is located in Lower Columbia's new Rose Center for the Arts, at 15th Avenue and Washington Way in Longview Tickets are available at the door one hour before curtain, and weekday afternoons through the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts box office 360-575-TIXX, 1544 12th Avenue, Suite B.
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Rainier Marina Market 115 East A Street Next to Bank of America Rainier
Join us at YOUR indoor Saturday market, Rainier Marina Market...
See you at the market...every Saturday 'til 3
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Enclosed Saturday Market Open every Saturday, May thru December
Produce - Fruit - Berries- Flowers - Bakery - Gourmet Dogs Smoked Salmon Chowder - Fresh Seafood - Garden Décor Gourmet Foods - Artists - Craftsmen - Entertainment Click HERE for complete schedule of events & other information
Vendor Information: Sue Drummond 503-556-1220 Jan Moon 503-556-9484 |
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Looking for Host Families for International Exchange Students for the 2009-2010 school year.
EF Foundation is looking for Host Families to welcome an Exchange Student for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year in Rainier, Clatskanie, and Kelso... All of our Exchange Students are screened and selected based on English and academic ability, motivation, character, ambition, and maturity level... We have students from over 40 countries that we can personally match to your family... ● ● ● ● ● Please contact Anna Lee-Thompson, International Exchange Coordinator at (503) 556-2620 or Visit the EF Foundation web site for more information
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Rainier Junior/Senior High School History Club Click HERE for newspaper story and photo. Get Involved: If you have historic stories, photos or other information about early Rainier to share, please call Andy Demko at (503) 556-4215 or e-mail him at andrew_demko@rsd.k12.or.us.
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St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union 4th Annual Family Fun Festival Saturday, June 27 Click HERE for more information |
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The Regence Foundation
(Regence BlueCross-BlueShield) recently awarded a $20,000 grant to the Public Health Foundation of Columbia County The grant is to increase the number of school-based health clinics in the community, including a new clinic in Rainier
Click HERE for more information
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COLUMBIA COUNTY CULTURAL COALITION REQUESTS GRANT APPLICATIONS FROM QUALIFIED APPLICANTS
The Columbia County Cultural Coalition (CCCC) requests grant applications for projects that address the priorities identified in the Columbia County Cultural Plan. Grant awards will range from $200 to $1,500; the amount of Columbia County’s 2009-10 allocation from the OCT will be determined in early July. Applicants must provide matching resources (in-kind or cash) and must be 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations or working with one. The Columbia County Cultural Plan and grant applications are available from the Columbia County website, www.co.columbia..or.us; click the Links tab to reach the CCCC link. Applications must be postmarked by July 17, 2009, for projects that will be completed between September 2009 and August 2010. The CCCC has awarded a total of $30,100 in grant funds to Columbia County cultural organizations since 2005 with funds allocated by the Oregon Cultural Trust (OCT). Established in 2001, the OCT is a public/private partnership that makes annual grants to county and tribal planning groups for cultural activities. The OCT Website, www.culturaltrust.org, contains information about its programs and the matching gift tax credit that is available to donors. The CCCC and its Grants Committee are volunteers from Clatskanie, Rainier, Scappoose, St. Helens, and Vernonia, whose mission is to encourage projects and activities in the arts, local heritage and the humanities. Priorities in the Cultural Plan are protecting existing cultural assets, helping people experience a variety of cultural venues, and increasing access to and participation in cultural events. Please direct any questions regarding the plan or the grant process to Janet Wright at 503-397-1035 or email to janet.wright@co.columbia.or.us
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Rainier has "Best Tasting Water" in Oregon says Oregon Association of Water Utilities
Rainier, OR March 6, 2009: Rainier’s municipal water supply has been officially designated the best tasting water in Oregon. At the Oregon Association of Water Utilities conference held this week in Sun River, the City of Rainier received several awards for its water treatment process and the quality of City water. The awards were presented at the OAWU Awards Dinner held on Wednesday, March 4. Rainier public works employee John Dewey was selected as “Rookie of the Year” for 2009, recognizing his achievement as a new operator. Dewey is among three city employees receiving training under an OAWU curriculum administered and supervised by Darrel Lockard, Rainier Public Works Director and Member of the OAWU Board of Directors. In addition, Lockard also received an award as “Water System Manager of the Year” for 2009, recognizing his achievement in bringing the Rainier City Water Treatment Facility from near failure during the December 2007 Storm to its current status as the best tasting water in the state of Oregon. The City also received awards for “Best Surface Water” and “Best Water Overall”, which means that Rainier’s water will compete at the national level later this year. These awards are recognition of the emphasis and resources that the Rainier City Council and Mayor Jerry Cole have placed on providing the best trained people, and most efficient and effective facilities aimed at making sure that the citizens of Rainier have the best drinking water possible.
Editor's Note: Maybe the city could bottle, brand, and sell
to augment the city's tax revenues?
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Get in on the bargains!! Thrift Shop Quality Resale Store
404 East A Street Rainier, Oregon 503-556-0701 Store Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Quality donations accepted
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Bunko Night Fund Raiser Silent Auction and Bake Goods Sale Sunday June 14th at 2:00 p.m. Beaver Homes Grange Beaver Homes Road (Goble) Rainier $10.00 per player Prizes and Cash Awards Potluck (Finger food) RSVP to Wanda at 503-556-9282
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Meets on the 1st Thursday of each month at 5:30pm at Aimee's Flower Shop 212 East B St. Rainier, OR 97048
One of our first projects will be a contest for Rainier Schools The grade that can collect the most eye glasses (spectacles) will get a pizza party If anyone can help with this please let Aimee know You can reach her at 503-556-0127 Rainier Lions will also be working to bring the Sight Bus to the Rainier Schools in the fall If anyone would like to help in this project please let us know We look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting Thank you for your support Rainier Lions Club
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Oregon Department of Environmental QualityFREE e-cycling for your computers, monitors and TVs at participating collection sites near you!
Welcome to Oregon E-Cycles!Oregon E-Cycles, a new statewide program that began January 1, 2009, provides free recycling of computers, monitors and TVs. The program is financed by electronics manufacturers and jointly implemented with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Oregon E-Cycles is FREE!Anyone can bring seven or fewer computers (desktops and laptops), monitors and TVs at a time to participating Oregon E-Cycles collectors for free recycling. The program does NOT provide free recycling of keyboards, mice, speakers, printers, scanners or other types of electronics or appliances. Oregon E-Cycles is EASY!Oregon E-Cycles has statewide collection sites and services that operate year-round. All brands of computers, monitors and TVs are accepted for free recycling. Oregon E-Cycles Recycles RESPONSIBLY!DEQ requires participating recyclers to meet environmentally-sound management practices for safe handling and recycling of collected materials.
Columbia County Collection Sites
For collection sites throughout Oregon call: 888-532-9253
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Cornerstone Café Drop in and meet owner Viki Overbay! OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK 102 A Street Rainier, Oregon 97048 503-556-8772 Monday - Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday - Sunday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Now available: beer, wine & spirits Checkout the new Lottery room
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Rainier Days in the
Park Sponsored by Rainier Eagles #4022 Thursday-Sunday July 9-12 For more information contact Rainier Eagles #4022 at:
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Relay
for Life
