Did You Know...

06-15-06 Congratulations to the Vernonia High School Girls Softball team on an outstanding season and League Championship! If you did not get to see them play you certainly missed out. The team was one of the most exciting teams I have had the privelege to watch. Thank you girls for all of your efforts and sportsmanship! Thank you to everyone who donated items for the Teddy Bear/Backpack Campaign. We received several bags and boxes full of items that I will be forwarding on for distribution to needy foster children. It continues to amaze me how giving our community is to those in need. I want to remind everyone that school is now out and we all need to be aware that children will now be out and about all through the day. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be significantly greater so be alert for children in and around the roadway. As a reminder, the Vernonia Police Department will be doing enhanced patrols throughout the summer for crosswalk and bicycle violation in and around the downtown area. These patrols will include some pedestrian decoy operations looking for vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians and other violations. I recently completed training as an instructor for "The Internet and Your Child" instructional series and will be providing training on several topics to protect you and your children from being a victim on-line. One of my fellow students just emailed me an article from California where someone is videotaping underage cheerleaders at sporting events then selling the videos on eBay. Though no crime is being committed by videotaping a public event they are not getting permission of the girls or their parents to use their image. The larger issue is why would someone be purchasing copies of these tapes? More then likely they are being purchased by sexual predators or pedophiles. If you see suspicious activity around juveniles or see suspicious activity you can call the police and we can check into the situation to make sure everything is all right. Make sure your children know to tell you or the police if a stranger asks to take their photo or wants to videotape them.