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Chronicle & Chief THE COLUMBIA COUNTY

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024 | Columbia County, Oregon

Clatskanie, Scappoose and Rainier looking ahead WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

W

ith 2023 in the rearview and 2024 ahead, cities across Columbia County are gearing up for a new year.

The Chronicle & Chief reached out to city representatives from around the county for their insight on what the accomplishments and challenges were of 2023 and what they see as the big issues going into 2024.

In last week’s edition, the Chronicle & Chief gave an overview of what the City of St. Helens accomplished in 2023 and the priorities for 2024. In this article, we will take a closer look at what Clatskanie, Scappoose, and Rainier achieved last year and what they hope to address in the coming 12 months.

Clatskanie In Clatskanie, much of the progress and goals for 2024 are tied to the same issue: the sewer system and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

City Manager Greg Hinkelman said the city had completed “a number of small projects for our infrastructure, specifically the sewer system.”

“We have been, and will continue to refurbish, major pieces of equipment like our lift stations to bring the entire sewer system up to as modern a system as possible prior to building the new Wastewater Treatment Plant,” Hinkelman said.

Another area of success and continued development is addressing the need for housing within the community. Hinkelman said they have seen “the start of housing development,” and that will continue in 2024.

When asked what challenges the City of Clatskanie has, Hinkelman

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Clatskanie City Hall.

said that finding qualified candidates for two job positions has been difficult. There are two permanent positions that have been difficult to fill in particular.

“We have been needing a Wastewater Treatment Plant operator for over a year, and it is difficult to hire someone as there is a chronic shortage of qualified operators statewide,” Hinkelman said. “The other position I need to fill is a permanent Public Works Director.”

Hinkelman said Clatskanie has been without a Public Works Director for six months, and they are still seeking to fill the position. As to finding a Wastewater Treatment Plant operator, Hinkelman simply said their search for a candidate “will continue.”

Going into 2024, Hinkelman said “the big goal” for 2024 is to start construction on the new Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“This has been a big project and continues to have its challenges as the cost of the plant continues to rise, requiring us to continue to

seek other funding sources from the Legislature and possibly a loan from the state revolving fund,” Hinkelman said.

Scappoose The Chronicle & Chief reached out to Scappoose Mayor Joe Backus for his insight on what the positives and emphases for the city from 2023 have been and what to look for going forward.

The big accomplishment for the city in 2023 was the finalization of the Parks and Stormwater Master Plans. Backus said that the Master Plans “provide a long-term vision for our city’s development.”

One of the challenges Backus highlighted for the city is a recent shake-up in city staff.

“Our biggest challenge of 2023 was the resignation of our City Manager, Alex Raines,” Backus said.

“While we wish her luck in her new endeavors, it will be challenging to replace such a talented individual.”

With an eye toward 2024,

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Rainier City Hall.

Backus said that the city and staff will be developing goals for the new year at its “goal setting meeting” on Jan. 27. The retreat is where the city staff will come together to define and prioritize their goals for the coming year.

While many of the goals will be finalized there, Backus was able to say that the city will be prioritizing “livability and smart growth.” With those elements in mind, the city will work on the “50-year visioning plan” it initiated a few years ago.

“In 2024, we will be finalizing this plan that includes updates to our building and zoning codes to help our city grow smartly,” Backus said.

Addressing the community, Backus said he is committed to working for the city’s best interests and asked citizens to get more involved with their local government.

“I’m proud and honored to have been elected by the citizens of Scappoose as Mayor. I pledge to continue working with you and our partners throughout the county as we continue to grow the opportunities for

our city,” Backus said. “I welcome and encourage Scapposians to get involved within our community.

Join a committee, get involved with the library, or bring your ideas to a city council meeting. This is our city. Get involved and be a part of its growth.”

Rainier Rainier City Manager Scott Jorgensen detailed a variety of the highlights for the city in 2023.

The city took on a variety of new initiatives that were sources of joy for the community. One of the recent highlights was the development of the Rainier Winterfest by City Councilor Mike Kreger.

To bring more holiday spirit to the City of Rainier, Kreger and his wife started a nonprofit to create a more grand tree lighting each season. As part of the festivities, a new Christmas tree was bought, and

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See LOOKING AHEAD Page A9

Crooked Creek Brewery ribbon cutting WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Crooked Creek Brewery held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its new location in the St. Helens Riverfront District.

Crooked Creek is now housed at 343 S. 1st St., which was the previous location of Dockside Steak and Pasta. While the brewery has been open downtown since September, the ribbon cutting is the cherry on top of the brewery’s successful transition to its new digs.

David Lauridsen opened Crooked Creek Brewery in St. Helens in 2021 but always had aspirations to be in the historic Riverfront District. Since starting out in September, Lauridsen said the move has lived up to the expectations of what he wanted.

“It has absolutely, 100%. We’ve got 80 seats down there in the new space indoors, and another 80 outside. So compared to the 30 we

had at our other location, that’s a big improvement to say the least,” Lauridsen said. “We have space to do live music, and events are easier to hold there. It’s really been what we hoped it would be.”

The brewery has partnered with food cart Hery’s Tacos to offer a food option at the business, which allows Lauridsen and his staff to focus on the brewing component.

As residents know, the business does have a kitchen, but Lauridsen said they are still renovating the building, so running the food side themselves has gone on the back burner. When renovations are complete, Lauridsen said they will revisit the idea.

Business in their new location has been “fantastic” for the brewery. Lauridsen said that they have hosted private events and that the brewery has been filled on a regular basis. Crooked Creek hosts trivia

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See BREWERY Page A10

Crooked Creek Brewery operators and community members gather outside the business as the red ribbon is cut.

Free lunch for Clatskanie School District students WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Metro Creative Connection

The Clatskanie School District (CSD) announced that starting Jan. 16, all Clatskanie School District students will be eligible to receive free breakfasts and lunches.

In a letter to the community on Jan. 3, CSD Superintendent Danielle Hudson said the Oregon Department of Education found that Clatskanie Elementary School and Clatskanie Middle High School were eligible as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) sites. This finding allows students to receive breakfast and lunch meals at no charge.

“Clatskanie School District is very excited that all students, regardless of income, will have access to free breakfast and lunch through Jun. 30, 2027,” Hudson told the Chronicle & Chief. “We believe that no child should ever

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go hungry, and this opportunity ensures that students are able to get the food they need while in school.”

In the letter to the community, Hudson thanked Nutrition Services Coordinator Hali Cruz “for championing our application for this program” and Board Secretary Shannon Emerson “for gathering all the required data to apply for the program.”

One important component Hudson emphasized was that families who have deposited funds in their MealTime accounts to purchase future meals may contact the school district and request a refund, or they may leave the funds in their account to pay for ala carte items.

The following information was taken directly from the letter Hudson sent to the community: As we prepare to move forward with free breakfast and lunch for all students, here are a few things to keep in mind:

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• All students in the Clatskanie School District will have access to free breakfast and lunch from Jan. 16, 2024, until Jun. 30, 2027.

• Until Jun. 30, 2027, families no longer need to complete Free and Reduced lunch applications and submit them to the school.

• SNAP and Medicaid direct certifications have allowed all CSD schools to become CEP eligible, so families should continue to apply for SNAP and Medicaid benefits as they always have.

• If you have a positive (prepaid) lunch balance, you may maintain that lunch balance in order to purchase ala carte items, or you can ask for a refund.

• In order for a school breakfast or lunch to meet the USDA free meal criteria, the student must accept the whole meal, which

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Contact The Chronicle & CHief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 Email: chroniclenews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd.,St. Helens, OR 97051

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

The giving season in Clatskanie WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Residents at The Amber Assisted Living Senior Community in Clatskanie received gifts this Christmas, and it wasn’t Santa Claus but through the generosity of a local citizen.

Toni Dowrey has been living in Clatskanie for five years, and to spread holiday cheer, she started a giving program, which she hopes will become an annual initiative.

“The Amber Assisted Living Giving Program was developed this year on a whim.

I wanted to do something.

They have the Giving Tree and other programs in the area, but Amber Living kind of gets pushed to the side,” Dowrey said.

The inspiration came from Dowrey’s own experience working at an assisted living home years ago in high school. Dowrey said that in the home she worked

Courtesy photo from Toni Dowrey

These bags of gifts were donated to the Amber Assisted Living Senior Community.

in, some residents would not get visitors or gifts during the holidays.

“We did see a lot of people who didn’t have family come by for the holidays, and they would be there

alone. And then the families that did have residents there that they would go to visit, it kind of hurt the other people because their families wouldn’t come,” Dowrey said. “I just wanted to make

everybody feel like they had people knowing that they were there, that we still cared about them, and they’re not forgotten.”

To gather gifts for the residents, Dowrey set up a

time for the community to drop off donations in the Safeway parking lot on Dec. 10. Dowrey said that not everyone knew about the dropoff zone, so some donations were dropped off directly to The Amber.

Dowrey said they collected hats, beanies, gloves, socks, lap blankets, personal hygiene items, arts, games, pillowcases, and crafts supplies. Dowrey said they collected enough items to give all 30 residents gifts.

Dowrey wasn’t able to be there to distribute the donations, but she did get to hear a bit about the difference she made.

“On the Facebook page, I did get feedback from a community member who said, ‘My mom got her gifts and she was so excited to get them!’ And that right there was like the reason I did all that in the first place,” Dowrey said. “That really made me happy, and want to continue on next year.”

Local business Dandelion Wishes contributed to the project by providing handmade cards for each guest that accompanied the gift bags they received.

Next year, Dowrey wants to try to get more exposure to the donation drive. Dowrey got feedback from the community that many people had known the project was happening. Ultimately, she was happy with how the program went in its first year, and is grateful for all who helped make it a success.

“Next year, if people are aware of it, we’ll be able to contribute a little bit better.

It’s nice to let them know that they’re not forgotten; we still care about them.

They’ve been members of this community, and we appreciate them,” Dowrey said. “I just want to thank everyone again, who did donate, and who did put time into this. And the people at Amber for letting us do this and who helped.”

Looming 2024 election poses big questions for Oregon voters JULIA SHUMWAY Oregon Capital Chronicle Chronicle & Chief Guest Article

Oregon won’t elect a governor or U.S. senator this year, but a presidential race, three congressional elections with national importance and court battles that could reshape the Legislature will mean 2024 remains a big election year for Oregonians.

With mere months until the May primary, here’s a look at some of the biggest questions Oregon voters will decide this year.

Will Republican senators be allowed to run for reelection?

Oregon voters frustrated with frequent legislative walkouts passed a constitutional amendment in 2022 to prevent lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences from serving another term. Ten Republican senators promptly decided to test the new law when they participated in the longest quorum-denying walkout in state history.

Six of those senators represent districts with elections in 2024. Two – Sens. Bill Hansell of Athena and Lynn Findley of Vale – have decided to retire, while the remaining four are still trying to run for another term. Two ongoing lawsuits, one in federal district court and one in the Oregon Supreme Court, will determine whether Sens. Tim Knopp, R-Bend; Brian Boquist, RDallas; Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls, and Art Robinson, R-Cave Junction, can run for reelection.

Knopp, Linthicum, Findley and Sens. Suzanne Weber of Tillamook and Daniel Bonham of The Dalles filed the state lawsuit, arguing that the law was written poorly and that a plain-text reading means they’d be ineligible to run for the term after their next term. The Oregon Supreme Court heard oral arguments in December and is weighing its decision. Boquist, Linthicum and Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, are involved in the federal lawsuit, which is based on First Amendment objections. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken dealt them a

blow in December by denying a preliminary injunction, a decision the senators are appealing.

A final decision is expected ahead of the March 12 filing deadline. Linthicum and Robinson hedged their bets by recruiting family members – Linthicum’s wife and Robinson’s son – to run in their stead, while Dundee City Councilor and former lawmaker Bruce Starr, a Boquist supporter, filed to run for Boquist’s seat.

A court ruling affirming that the senators are ineligible for reelection would reshape the 30-member Senate and leave voters, mostly in rural Oregon, to choose new representatives even if they would prefer to keep their current senators.

Will Donald Trump appear on Oregon ballots?

Oregon is one front in a multistate effort by the group Free Speech for People to disqualify the former president and current Republican frontrunner from appearing on primary ballots because of his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s secretary of state disqualified him from the ballot in their states because of a clause of the 14th Amendment that prohibits anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection from holding federal office. Trump is appealing those rulings.

In Oregon, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade followed advice from the state Department of Justice and declined a request by the group to bar Trump from the primary ballot, noting that the state’s presidential primary election selects delegates for a national convention rather than actually electing a candidate. A coalition of voters sued over that decision, and the Oregon Supreme Court is accepting written briefs this month.

Will Oregon’s three vulnerable members of Congress keep their seats?

After redistricting in

2021, Oregon ended up with three competitive congressional districts represented by three first-term members of Congress. Democrats Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas and Republican Lori ChavezDeRemer are on the defensive this year, with national Democratic and Republican groups planning to spend big in Oregon in efforts to keep or flip the House.

Democrats outnumber Republicans in the 5th Congressional District, which stretches from Bend to the outskirts of Portland, and Chavez-DeRemer won in 2022 by about 7,300 votes in a race that had more than 351,000 cast. Her 2022 Democratic opponent, Terrebonne attorney Jamie McLeod-Skinner, is looking for a rematch. State Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, who beat Chavez-DeRemer twice in legislative races, and Metro Council President Lynn Peterson are also fighting for the chance to face ChavezDeRemer.

Salinas had a close race against Republican businessman Mike Erickson in the new Salem-based 6th Congressional District, due in part to lower-than-expected voter turnout. Erickson has not yet announced a 2024 campaign, though his attorney said he intends to run again. Former Republican state legislator Denyc Boles is also in the race.

On paper, Hoyle should be the safest of the three new members of Congress after handily winning her election in 2022. But Republicans, including challenger Monique DeSpain, are bullish about their chances of unseating her by tying her to a troubled cannabis company and hammering on her record as commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. She’s one of many Oregon Democrats who accepted and later returned campaign contributions from the owners of the cannabis company La Mota, and she pushed for a nonprofit organization founded by the La Mota co-owner to receive a $550,000 grant for an apprenticeship program. BOLI also lost one racial discrimination lawsuit and settled another with employees who worked for the bureau during her tenure.

Who will replace U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer?

In late October, Blumenauer, a Democrat from Portland, announced his plans to retire after 27 years in Congress. The Portland-based 3rd Congressional District is solidly Democratic, so the next member of Congress is all but certain to be chosen in the May primary.

So far, the race has three main contenders: state Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland; former Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal and Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales.

Jayapal and Morales entered the race with high-profile national support – U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, is backing her sister, while Morales has the endorsement of the progressive darling and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Dexter, meanwhile, has racked up endorsements from a host of local leaders, including former Govs. John Kitzhaber and Ted Kulongoski.

The three must file their first campaign finance reports

by Jan. 15, which will give a clearer picture of the depth of their financial support and how intense the campaign will be.

Will Oregon elect its first female treasurer?

Sen. Elizabeth Steiner certainly hopes so. The Portland Democrat and physician, who has spent the past five years crafting the state’s budget as co-chair of the powerful Joint Ways and Means Committee, is running for treasurer, the only statewide office that hasn’t been held by a woman.

Her main opponent so far is Jeff Gudman, a former Lake Oswego city councilor who was the Republican nominee for the office in both 2016 and 2020. Gudman re-registered as a Democrat and will face Steiner in the May primary. He has yet to update his campaign website, which still boasts an endorsement praising him as an “authentic and principled type of moderate Republican.”

Will voter unease with crime and drugs give Republicans a statewide office?

It’s been eight years since a Republican, former Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, won a statewide election in Oregon.

No Republican has won an election for attorney general since 1988.

But with increasing unease around crime, drugs and homelessness and a newly open attorney general election, Republicans are gearing up for a fight. Newberg attorney Will Lathrop raised more than $300,000 last year for his campaign for attorney general and has spent months marshaling support for his run for attorney general. He’ll face a formidable opponent in Democratic House Speaker Dan Rayfield, an attorney from Corvallis who opted to leave the top role in the state House to try to succeed retiring Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

was moonlighting for La Mota hurt public trust in the agency in charge of audits and elections. State elections officials were already struggling to rebuild trust in the wake of baseless claims of election fraud following the 2020 election.

Two high-profile candidates – term-limited state Treasurer Tobias Read and Sen. James Manning – are vying for the Democratic nomination and both have pledged to focus on restoring integrity to the office.

So far, the only Republican candidate is Brent Barker, a property broker who finished a distant fourth in last year’s race for labor commissioner. https://oregoncapitalchronicle. com/2024/01/08/looming2024-election-poses-bigquestions-for-oregon-voters/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@ oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Who will take on the unenviable job of restoring trust in the Secretary of State’s office?

Former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s stunning fall from grace following revelations she

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Kiwanis Club gives away thesauruses SUBMITTED BY BILL EAGLE

A Thesaurus is not a prehistoric animal, but a wonderful tool that can be used throughout one’s life.

The Kiwanis Club of St. Helens has delivered thesauruses to all third graders in the St. Helens School District.

This includes third graders at McBride, Lewis and Clark and Columbia City elementary schools.

Kiwanis gave Thesauruses to the teachers and teachers assistants as well as the students.

Pictured is Kiwanis Club Vice President, Dr. Margaret Trenchard-Smith discussing with the third Graders at Columbia City School how Thesauruses can help them with their lives as well as poetry projects.

Interestingly enough, the

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The Kiwanis Club of St. Helens presented free thesauruses to St. Helens schools third graders.

third graders at Columbia City were studying and writing poetry.

The Kiwanis club of St. Helens had been a long-time supporter of child literacy and

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

has been active in helping establish the county wide Dolly Parton imagination library (now run by United way of Columbia County) for children ages newborn to five,

and a First Book program for children in kindergarten.

Bill Eagle is a member of the Kiwanis Club of St. Helens.

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

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The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

Police Reports The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change. For specific details about cases listed, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Rainier Police December 28 • A caller requested an officer

conduct a welfare check on a relative. The individual was contacted and found to be fine.

December 29 • Officers responded to a report of people fighting in a parking lot. Peace was restored.

December 30 • An alarm was accidentally activated at a local business.

• An officer responded to a two-vehicle, non-injury ac-

cident on the Lewis & Clark Bridge.

• A former resident inquired about retrieving personal property from a previous residence.

• An anonymous caller reported seeing a man smoking drugs in his car in a parking lot. The caller was worried that the man might drive his vehicle and cause an accident. Neither the man nor the vehicle was observed in the reported area.

December 31 • A pack of dogs was running loose on Debast Road.

A warning letter was issued to the owner.

• Additional caller concerned about the dogs running at large.

• A business owner reported unwanted subjects remaining on the premises after an employee refused to sell alcohol to one of the men who appeared to be intoxicated. The people drove away before officers arrived they were not able to locate

the vehicle.

they need it.”

There are three other projects across the state that will receive funding to add psychiatric residential treatment beds for youth.

They are:

liam, Wheeler and Umatilla counties.

January 1 • A business was having issues with a person that was reportedly having behavioral problems. The person was trespassed from the premises at the owner’s request.

• An officer assisted a couple that had a misunderstanding regarding a custody exchange.

January 2 • An officer assisted a woman who said her vehicle had

been stolen in Longview and later sold to an unknown individual. The caller said the vehicle was parked near a bar in Rainier. Records check indicated that the vehicle had not been reported as stolen.

January 3 • A resident reported that their scooter had been stolen.

• A caller reported that their vehicle was broken into.

It is not known if anything was taken.

$25M partnership to expand behavioral health funding

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Oregon Medicaid insurers have agreed to pay $25 million from their profits toward youth behavioral health projects across the state.

BEN BOTKIN Oregon Capital Chronicle Chronicle & Chief Guest Article

Medicaid insurers have agreed to pay $25 million from their profits to help fund behavioral health projects focused on youth, Gov. Tina Kotek announced on Thursday.

Kotek had asked Oregon’s 16 regionally based Medicaid insurers – also called coordinated care organizations – to reinvest $25 million of their profits into community projects in part because of record amounts the organizations reaped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medicaid insurers are paid taxpayer dollars from the state and federal govern-

ment to pay for health and dental care for about 1.45 million people on the Oregon Health Plan, which serves low-income Oregonians.

The insurers are allowed to pocket any surplus money after they’ve met their obligations as profits.

After Kotek’s request, the coordinated care organizations decided to put a one-time allotment toward four projects across the state to help address the gaps in behavioral health care coverage. The coordinated care organizations, their providers and Oregon Health Authority all signed an agreement on Thursday, the governor’s office said.

“Oregon needs more treatment options to help young people in our state

who are struggling with serious behavioral health issues,” Kotek said. “The state and CCOs developed a plan to reinvest surplus Medicaid dollars into Oregon communities, and this partnership will support youth behavioral health projects that we desperately need.”

Details for most of the projects – including how many beds they will add to the state’s behavioral health facilities for youth, weren’t immediately available on Thursday. But the money will help projects across the state add dozens of beds to projects, some of them already underway.

For example, $7.5 million will go toward a project based in Douglas County through Adapt Integrated Health Care, a southern Oregon provider. The campus project, already underway on 40 acres east of Roseburg, will more than triple its capacity from 40 beds to about 118 beds.

“Adapt has developed plans for a Recovery Campus and with the generous support of the CCOs, under Governor Kotek’s leadership, we now have the funding to move forward on construction,” Dr. Greg Brigham, CEO of Adapt Integrated Health Care, said in a statement.

He said the funding will help the project replace antiquated facilities and grow.

“This resource will result in access to life saving care for those who need it, when

• $13.2 million to the Trillium Family Services for expansion in the Portland metro area.

• $2.3 million for a project overseen by Looking Glass Community Services in Lane County to expand capacity.

• $2 million to Community Counseling Solutions, an eastern Oregon provider that serves Morrow, Grant, Gil-

In a statement, Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke said the work will help address statewide challenges.

“These investments will help spur and close projects that will propel the state forward in closing key program gaps that have been exacerbated by fentanyl in recent years,” Larke said. “I look forward to this partnership making a real difference in Oregon communities.”

Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization CEO Sean Jessup said in a

statement they came together collectively for the “benefit of all members.” https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/ governor-kotek-announces25-million-partnership-withcoordinated-care-organizations.

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@ oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Detecting and preventing radon gas can improve health, save lives SUBMITTED BY THE OHA

As colder temperatures fill the air and people stay indoors to keep warm, public health experts encourage homeowners and tenants to test their homes for radon— an odorless, tasteless, and invisible gas.

While radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes up from the ground through cracks and gaps, long-term exposure to high levels can harm health. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the U.S. Radon buildup can happen in any home, often reaching its highest levels during the winter months and putting many parts of Oregon at risk of exposure. That’s why testing homes for the gas during National Radon Action Month in January is key in detecting radon early, according to Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Radon Awareness Program.

“Testing your home is the only way to know if you have high radon levels. Testing every two to five years gives you the knowledge to plan ahead, and if necessary, hire a professional to reduce your radon levels,” said Brett Sherry, the program manager for OHA’s Healthy Homes & Schools Unit. “Radon test kits are simple to use and inexpensive, with many of them available online or at your local hardware and home improvement store.”

Many home radon test kits cost between $20 and $30, though people may qualify for free kits if they live in ZIP codes that have fewer than 20 radon test results recorded. Free test kits are available while supplies last.

Courtesy from the OHA

There are many different ways for radon to enter your home.

Some of the ways include: • Cracks in solid floors • Construction joints • Cracks in walls • Gaps in suspended floors • Gaps around pipes • Cavities inside walls • The water supply

More information, including application details, are available at this page: https:// www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/ HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/HEALTHYNEIGHBORHOODS/RADONGAS/ Pages/zipcode.aspx.

The Oregon Radon Awareness Program collects radon test data from test kit manufacturers to understand which areas of the state have the potential for high radon levels and to identify opportunities for education outreach.

Some regions with notably high risk of elevated radon include Boring, Columbia City and parts of northern, northeastern and southern Portland, according to data published in 2023.

If testing results show a significant buildup of radon in any given home, EPA recommends finding a qualified radon mitigation contractor to lower those levels. The cost

of mitigation may be similar to that of common home repairs such as painting or installing a new water heater.

For more information on known moderate-to-high-risk areas of elevated radon levels in Oregon, ordering and using radon test kits, and radon mitigation, visit: • OHA’s Radon Awareness Program website, www. healthoregon.org/radon.

• EPA’s radon website, www.epa.gov/radon.

Fast Fact The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the U.S.

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

News and Views

NXT opponent’s commentary confused, conflated, fabricated DEBORAH HAZEN Chronicle & Chief Guest Column

The “guest commentary” in the Jan. 2, 2024 edition of the Chronicle & Chief entitled “NXT Rail Yard Proposal: Unacceptable risk and wasted taxpayer resources” would have been more accurately headlined: “NXT Opponent Confuses, Conflates, Fabricates.”

Scappoose resident Greg Pettit’s arguments against NXT Renewables’ permit for a rail branch line - not a “rail yard” as defined by the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) - at the Port Westward industrial site near Clatskanie are based on his totally erroneous assumption that NXT has changed its operational plans in a “bait and switch” move from transporting nearly all feedstock and product by water, to using “mile-long jumbo manifest trains.”

That’s a lie.

The whole reason for NXT choosing Port Westward (PW) is because the site is the best developable deep-water port on the Lower Columbia. If NXT was going to use trains primarily, it would have located somewhere else. Somewhere that anti-job-creation activists haven’t targeted for nondevelopment.

NXT always has been forthcoming that it needs a backup plan in the very rare cases when the Columbia River is closed to commercial maritime traffic, as occurred during the 2015 wildfires, or when the dock is damaged and temporarily shutdown such as on Nov. 12, 2023 when a tugboat freakishly hauled a gravel barge between the Port Westward dock and the land.

NXT has said some materials needed for the distillation of renewable diesel, including some considered “hazardous,” will be brought in by train on a regular basis.

That will amount to about 30 additional rail cars per month added to the trains already coming to PW - not the new “mile-long jumbo manifest trains,” Pettit has fabricated.

Additional unit trains would be used only temporarily in the WORST CASE scenarios of a river and/or dock shutdown in order to keep the plant operating, fill orders, and avoid layoffs.

Regular use of the rail at the 30-car level has always been a part of the plan. Local farmers, including Mike Seely, Jasmine Lillich and Brandon Schilling, expressed concern that rail cars could block a nearby roadway intersection and requested that NXT figure out a way to avoid that potential impact.

The rail operator, Portland & Western, also requested that NXT design its branch line to avoid any potential impacts to the rail cars that need to reach Global Partners PW operation. NXT listened to those concerns and redesigned its plan to accommodate them. Then Seely, Columbia Riverkeeper and 1000 Friends of Oregon, appealed it to LUBA which overturned the permit on Oct. 21, 2022.

So now, NXT has redesigned the planned track again to comply with LUBA’s demands. That is what this week’s county commission hearing is about.

Roughly a quarter mile of the branch line crosses land that is zoned agricultural, which is allowed under county zoning codes. The rest of the line is on industrially-zoned property.

That is the truth about the rail saga. Pettit and other opponents have dreamed up these ideas of NXT’s “everchanging plans,” eroding promises, and jumbo trains.

They are serving up baloney, hysteria and paranoia.

Apparently, Pettit also considers himself an expert on renewable diesel market conditions, declaring “it is highly unlikely they’ll acquire their touted feedstocks to be brought in by ship.” In fact, NXT has memoranda of understanding in place for

feedstock sources. Even if NXT were to rely on “virgin seed oil crops,” the renewable diesel made from it is still “greener” than fossil fuel. In opposing NXT, are the self-proclaimed environmentalists advocating for the status quo of fossil fuels?

Using his erroneous information and assumptions, Pettit hurls mud at the hearing process, and insinuates that someone is being paid off.

That’s libel. If you believe his insinuations, consider this: the federal, state, and county permits specifically dictate what can happen. It is the law that if the permits aren’t followed, steps will be taken to ensure they are.

Since Pettit is a retired, longtime employee of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), he knows this.

Pettit also takes aim at the location of the proposed plant behind levees on the Columbia River flood plain.

The Department of State Lands (DSL) have in-depth studies of the levees of the Beaver Drainage Improvement Company (BDIC) and have determined they are adequate for additional industrial development. That is why the environmentallyconscious DSL issued NXT permits.

The maintenance of the levees, by the way, is the responsibility of the BDIC, which turned down an agreement not to oppose the NXT project. That agreement would have led to millions of dollars in additional funding for the BDIC. Speaking of permits, one current claim by opponents is that the DEQ issued NXT’s air permit without sufficient study. In fact, the DEQ, with the reputation of being one of the toughest regulating agencies in the world, issued the permit after an 18-monthlong exhaustive process which included a host of new requirements. After NXT worked to meet and exceed those requirements, the DEQ acknowledged that the facility does not have an appreciable impact on local air resources. NXT, according to the DEQ, “is not a major source of EPA-listed hazardous air pollutants,” and “the potential emissions meet health risk standards for the community and do not require additional controls to be protective of public health.”

Pettit claims that NXT couldn’t get insurance.

More baloney! The Portland General Electric (PGE) and Global Partners facilities at Port Westward are insured.

Does he honestly believe that investors would put up $2 billion for an uninsurable facility?

Outrageously inaccurate statements about money spent by the county and the port district for improvements to PW and the roads leading to it, are also made

by Pettit. The fact is that PGE and Global Partners paid the vast majority of the cost of those improvements through their huge tax valuations and fees. At present, the two existing PW industries pay over 20 percent of all Columbia County’s property taxes - industrial, commercial, farm, forest, and residential combined.

Currently, the tax valuation within the Clatskanie School District boundaries is roughly $1 billion. NXT’s $2 billion-plus valuation will triple that. We won’t know the exact figures until NXT goes on line, now estimated at 2027, but with the two PW industries now paying over 20 percent of all property taxes in the county, the tripling of the tax valuation will bring huge benefits to all of the county-wide tax supported districts, as well as the Clatskanie School District, Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District, Clatskanie Park and Recreation District, Clatskanie Library District, Rainier Cemetery District, etc. In a partial breakdown provided by NXT, which has declined any tax exemptions, it will be paying Columbia County itself $16 million

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PER YEAR, and the Port (in fees and taxes) $5.5 million, plus millions more to the 911 Communications District and the local districts listed above.

Pettit talks about Columbia County’s low unemployment rate and relatively high income average. Yes, but 70 percent of employed persons who live in Columbia County have to travel outside of the county to their jobs. A large majority of NXT’s 240 permanent family-wage jobs can be filled by people who already live in the area. Instead of commuting to Portland, Longview or elsewhere, and adding to the carbon-emitting problem, they will be working close to home and will have time to serve on local boards and councils, coach youth sports, volunteer for community service projects, and grow gardens. The construction period will bring a good deal more traffic to the area, but as a resident along the PW route, I am willing to make that sacrifice for the well-being of the community I love.

Pettit suggests that the county and port should be concentrating their efforts for more local jobs on agriculture and other natural resources.

Over-regulated forestbased jobs are struggling to survive. Commercial fishing on the Columbia, once an important industry, is virtually gone. The Wauna paper mill has about 300 fewer employees now than it had 50 years ago.

Beginning in 1907, about 12,000 acres of farmland were created by building levees in the Clatskanie area. Prior to that it, today’s dikelands were considered to be swamps. Now, they would be valuable wetlands, and would never be allowed to be drained. Ironically, some of those opposing NXT, also oppose the restoration of 450 acres of wetlands that the DSL is demanding NXT create in order to fill a few puddles on the industrial site. What is now PW was farmland for only about 30 years, between the diking and the U.S. Army acquiring it as an ammunition shipping and storage point in 1942. It has been a military/industrial site for over 80 years.

Despite all this agriculturally-zoned dikeland acreage, only a handful of full-time, commercially-viable farms exist in our area. Agricultural is great - some of my fondest childhood memories were spent on my Uncle George’s farm on the BDIC. The Saturday Farmers Market and the Food Hub are fine additions to our community, and provide a market for local small farmers and gardeners, and a draw for tourists.

However the number of jobs they create, the impact they have on the economy and the tax base which funds the services we need, are minuscule compared to what NXT will bring.

Last week’s guest commentary opened with a statement that NXT developers had promised “a renewable diesel and aviation fuel refinery” which “would bring high-paying jobs, a green economy, and a huge tax base for the county. Who wouldn’t support that?”

Right - who wouldn’t support it? People who believe the lies and fears spread

by Columbia Riverkeeper, Pettit, and the relatively small group of locals and “Not In My Backyard” activists who share his beliefs that’s who.

I stand with the former and current elected state officials, the mayors, council members, port and county commissioners, education leaders, business owners, labor leaders, non-profit organizations, environmental groups which appreciate the very green nature of this project, and the hundreds of other local residents who support NXT and all the benefits it will bring to our community and county.

Deborah Hazen is a Clatskanie resident.

Voices of the Community

Thank you

The P.E.O. Sisterhood, St. Helens Chapter BO would like to thank everyone who purchased poinsettias from us this year. The proceeds from this annual fundraiser provides scholarships to local women pursuing their education. For the 2023/2024 school year, 11 Columbia County women were given a total of $24,560

in local, state and international scholarships. We are currently working on the scholarship applications for the 2024/2025 school year for which this poinsettia sale will help fund.

P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College; and

motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.

Again, thank you to our friends, family and local businesses who support our Poinsettia Sale, which makes these scholarships possible.

We are looking forward to selling poinsettias to you again in 2024!

Karen Van Winkle P.E.O. St. Helens Chapter BO

Viewpoints

New Year, same you MICHELLE PIERSON YOUNG Chronicle & Chief Guest Column

It’s widely acknowledged that achievable, measurable goals are important if we want to succeed.

It’s a moving target as to whether or not New Year’s resolutions have any merit.

My assistant, Sophia, and I were having a discussion about this topic when she revealed to me in 2023, she’d done things just a little different.

“I realized I had the same things, like virtually everyone, on my list. Lose weight, exercise, stop smoking…

So, this year I decided I was going to spend time making friends with myself. You know, liking me.”

Boomza! There we have it. What better bliss than to walk through our days knowing and liking ourselves.

Our thoughts are constantly shaping our world and if we like the person, we’re spend-

ing literally all our time with, well, those are going to be happy thoughts. And happy thoughts make a happy life.

This is science.

In all my decades on this planet, the best thing I ever did for my health, for feeling young and vibrant, for losing weight, but not caring what size I am the best thing was getting my thoughts sorted.

Learning about me, what makes me tick and what, on the other hand, hasn’t worked well for me, gave me the room I needed for both encouraging thoughts and the discomfort to change.

We get excited when a friend walks in looking vibrant and we have been looking for exactly the program to give us that, only to discover they’ve been doing the selflove, self-work thing and we lose interest. We’d rather be told to stop eating carbs or start running marathons, or fill in the blank of the latest and greatest that caught your fancy. Following a strict diet or new exercise program can

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sometimes be a distraction from what’s really bothering us.

When I got myself sorted (it’s part of my job, I can’t help others if I haven’t done my own stuff), I lost interest in dieting, or drowning in ice cream or what size my dress was, and then I lost weight.

But let’s let the words of my 21-year-old assistant inform our decisions, “This has been the most amazing year of my life. I’m so excited for everything that I made happen this year and for what is coming in the years ahead.”

Incidentally, she lost weight too, but it’s definitely not the lead in her story. She’s happy. That’s a big deal.

I wish you the happiest of New Years and I wish you the one, where you discover, you are already wonderful, and that this is a lot to work with already.

Michelle Pierson Young is a Lincoln City life coach. She may be reached at Michelleatplay.com.

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

A5

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

Obituaries Rob Swanberg

Rhiannon Amelia Meyer

July 11, 1954 ~ Dec. 25, 2023 2023. He was born on July 11, 1954.

Rob is survived by his children, Joshua, Marie, and Kristina; siblings, Jerry, Jim, Susan, Janet, and Dennis; and his beloved dog Steve.

Rob will be missed for his jokes, laughter, cooking, and love.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thurs., Jan. 11, 2024 at St. Therese Church at 1260 NE 132nd Ave., Portland, OR 97230. Rob’s final resting place will be at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery following a private family burial.

Rob Swanberg, 69 years old, of St. Helens, Oregon, passed away on Dec. 25,

Jan. 23, 1989 ~ Dec. 19, 2023

Rhiannon Amelia Meyer, 34, a resident of Scappoose, Oregon, died Dec. 19, 2023.

Rhiannon was born in Cottonwood, Idaho on Jan. 23, 1989. Her family moved to Oregon when she was just three years old. Her love for helping people led to her work as a home health care provider.

She is survived by her

Dec. 12, 1948 ~ Dec. 13, 2023 Barbra Jean Mason, of Warren, Oregon, age 75, passed away Dec. 13, 2023 after fighting idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for ten years.

Barbra was born Dec. 12, 1948 to John Mayes and Josephine (Giovanni) Mayes in Miami, Florida.

Barbra went on to study pre-med at Fordham University, graduating magna cum laude in 1982. After graduation she worked in biomedical research at such

April 22, 1934 ~ Jan. 1, 2024

(and shop steward) in the AWPPW Local 153 for many years, He had been a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Rainier, and later Faith Lutheran in Clatskanie He traveled extensively, especially to the old homestead in Minnesota.

He and Kathy enjoyed stays at the Oregon coast, and also spending time with their grand (and later greatgrand) children.

He was preceded in death by his wife Kathleen; father William; mother Selmi; brothers, Harvey, Dallas, Clifford and Michael; sisters, Laverna and Patricia; son Corey; and grandson Daniel Malone.

He is survived by his brother Russell Siltala of Goble; son Mark (Patricia) of Puyallup, Washington; daughter Kirsi Siltala Malone of Kalama, Washington; four grandchildren, Abby and Elizabeth Siltala, Kevin (Chelsea) and Ryan Malone; two great grandchildren, Samuel and Walter Malone; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 13, 2024 at Faith Lutheran Church in Clatskanie, 1010 NE 5th St., Clatskanie, OR 97016. Burial will take place on Mon., Jan. 15, 2024 at Green Mountain Cemetery in Rainier.

Maria Gilberta Escobar July 2, 1941 ~ Dec. 6, 2023

Maria Gilberta Escobar, of Scappoose, Oregon, passed away on Dec. 6, 2023. She was born on July 2, 1941.

Maria’s memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Sat., Jan. 20, 2024 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Scappoose, Oregon.

Sharon Gortler

June 3, 1949 ~ Dec. 30, 2023

• • • •

Medicaid SNAP SSI WIC

• • • •

Veterans Pension Survivors or Lifeline Benefits Tribal Assistance Program Housing Assistance

institutions as Harvard Medical School, UCSD, Salk Institute and OHSU. After more than 20 years at OHSU, she retired in 2017.

While at Salk she met her long-time significant companion, Steve Pfeiffer.

Barbra had numerous interests, such as flower gardening, collaging and grew to enjoy fishing, mushroom hunting, razor clamming and crabbing. She loved her Vizsla dogs, having had seven of them over a span

of 50 years.

Barbra is survived by her sister Fran Bearse of Orlando, Florida; two Vizsla’s, Copper and Seven; and her companion Steve.

At her request no services will be held, and ashes will be scattered at sea.

Springer & Son of Aloha, Oregon will be handling arrangements.

At her request no services will be held, and ashes will be scattered at sea.

Colleen C. Burns

Dec. 14, 1932 ~ Dec. 24, 2023 Colleen C. Burns went to be with our Lord on Dec. 24, 2023. She was 91 years old.

Colleen was born on Dec. 14, 1932, to Al and Lucy Hymer in Williston, North Dakota.

She attended grade school in Williston, North Dakota, Camas, Washington, and St. Helens, Oregon. She graduated from St. Helens High School in 1950.

In 1950 she married Frank Hoyt and together they had three children: Sherrie, Michael, and Mark. They lived in St. Helens for approximately four years then moved to Pocatello, Idaho, then Shelby, Montana, and from there to Pendleton, Oregon, where she spent 15 year raising her family.

Colleen worked for Columbia Irrigation for seven years. She was a bookkeeper in Pendleton, then spent one year with Yergen & Meyer Accounting before moving back to St. Helens, where

she went to work as a bookkeeper for Scappoose Sand and Gravel.

She was active in a Junior Women’s Club and Jaycette’s, serving as vice president of Jaycette’s. She was a member of the Baptist Church in Pendleton, so after moving back to St. Helens, she joined Grace Baptist Church.

In 1975 Colleen married Robert Burns. Together they had three homes built and enjoyed every minute of the building process. They loved the outdoors, doing much hiking in the Mount Rainier area. They also travelled to Hawaii, Canada, and Wyoming many times, enjoying the beautiful landscape of each area.

The Lord blessed them with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which they enjoyed immensely.

Family was so important to them.

Colleen was preceded in death by her beloved son, Mark Hoyt; and her beloved husband of 42 years, Robert Burns.

She is survived by her children, Sherrie Dobyns of John Day and Michael Hoyt of Warren; stepchildren, Patsy Steinfeld of Portland and Stan Burns of Scappoose; nine grandchildren; and twenty-one great-grandchildren.

No services will be held according to her wishes.

Donations may be made to Grace Baptist Church.

David Finley Crawford Oct. 18, 1949 ~ Dec. 30, 2023

David Finley Crawford passed away on Dec. 30, 2023. He was 74 years old.

He attended Mist Elementary and graduated from Vernonia High School in 1968.

His hobbies included four wheeling, camping, traveling and photography.

He was considered a talented mechanic. He owned and operated an auto repair shop, Nehalem Automotive, in Mist.

He also volunteered as a firefighter at the Mist

Sharon Gortler passed away on Dec. 30, 2023 in Clatskanie, Oregon.

A funeral was held at 10 a.m. on Sat., Jan. 6, 2024 at Alston Corner Assembly.

Connect Anywhere, Anytime.

grandparents, Tony and Bernice Jenkins.

Although we mourn Rhiannon, we will gather to celebrate her life, and funloving, carefree spirit; we invite fun colors, no black clothing please, to honor that.

Join us from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2024 at the Elks Lodge, 350 Belton Rd., St Helens, OR 97051.

Barbra Jean Mason

Bernard James Siltala Bernard James “Buddy” Siltala passed away on Jan. 1, 2024, at the age of 89.

He was a longtime Rainier resident.

Bernard James Siltala was born to Selmi (Lom) and William Siltala in Good Hope, New Mexico on April 22, 1934. In the early 1940s, his family moved to the Portland area, his father going to work in the shipyards.

He graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1952 after also attending Rainier High for some years. He married Joan Hildula and they had one son, Corey. They later divorced.

After two years in the Army, serving in Germany, he started work at the Longview Fibre (now Westrock). After many years in the Bag plant there, he transferred to another department and became an Instrument Mechanic. He retired from Fibre in 1996.

He married Kathleen Spitzer on April 4, 1959 and lived in the house at the corner of Fern Hill Road and B Street in Rainier until the winter of 2021, when he suffered an accident and went into assisted living in Longview.

He was active as a Boy Scout leader in Rainier, and as a strong union member

daughter Amelia Stencil; mom Debi Meyer; sister Keziah (Jeremy) Ford; sister Erin Rotter; nephew Tristen Williams; niece Jadzia Ford; nephew Jaxon Howard; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Rhiannon is preceded in death by her dad Roger Meyer; grandparents, Ken and Dorothy Meyer; and

Birkenfeld RFPD where he served in various leadership roles. He accepted the Fire Chief position in 1986 until retirement in 2013. He continued to volunteer in an administrative role and on the board of directors. He was also a member of the Oregon Fire Mechanic’s Association, Columbia Emergency Management and Columbia County 911.

He is survived by his wife Mary Louise; daughters, Jacquline Crawford, Mary Anna Crawford, Terri

Baier, and Tanya Wammack; son David (DJ) Crawford; eleven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and brothers, Charles Crawford of Clatskanie, Norman Crawford of St. Helen’s, and John Crawford of Roseberg.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Mary and David, and his brother Leon (Rocky) Crawford.

A service will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2024 at the Birkenfeld Community Church in Birkenfeld.

Gerald Caudill

Jan. 13, 1943 ~ Dec. 19, 2023 Gerald “Jerry” Caudill, of St. Helens, passed away due to health complications Tues., Dec. 19, 2023. Jerry was born in Ashland KY on Jan. 13, 1943 to Hazel and John Caudill. Jerry has three brothers John, Bob and Sam Caudill.

Jerry is survived by his two sons, Mike and Daniel Caudill of California; three grandchildren, Alicia, Corey and Katelyn; two great grandchildren, Cooper and Camden; three stepchildren, Keith, Kent and Kitty Huffstutter of Oregon through his late wife Marilyn Caudill (Nov. 7, 1943- Dec. 22, 2014); and step-grand-

children, Hayley, Zack, Kyle, Kelsey and Olivia.

Jerry served in the military, enlisting at the age

of 18, just after graduating high school. He proudly served in the Navy as a plane mechanic, where he learned skills that would serve him throughout his career as an electrician and small business owner. Jerry enjoyed telling stories of his travels while he served in the military. One notable story was when he earned a medal from helping several Naval officers survive a plane crash after quickly discarding any baggage and equipment necessary to keep the plane in the air.

Jerry was an excellent host and enjoyed cooking, baking and making freezer jam as a hobby. He was

famous for his lasagna and cinnamon rolls and always had a jar or two of jam to give away. He was proud of his grandchildren and always had a great story to tell. You could often find Jerry chatting with folks around St. Helens at one of his favorite watering holes or trying to score the best deal on food at Safeway.

Rest in peace Dad, you will be deeply missed by all who have had the privilege of knowing you.

For friends and loved ones who would like to pay their respects, details of his celebration of life will be published at a later date.

Mary Zentner

Aug. 31, 1940 ~ Dec. 29, 2023

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Mary was born in Ashland County, Wisconsin, Aug. 31, 1940, to Ruth (Warren) Pardee and Lee Pardee. When her father left for World War II, Mary, her mother, and her brother Doug moved to the farm owned by her Warren grandparents. Her formative years were spent milking cows, loading and hauling hay, and other chores required of a child of the 1940s on a farm in the Midwest.

Mary’s parents divorced, and Ruth married Leonard Suni. Leonard and Ruth provided Mary with sisters Christine and Pauline. The

Suni family relocated to Oregon, living briefly in Molalla and McMinnville before moving to Scappoose.

While living in McMinnville, Mary met her future husband, Brownie (Lowell) Zentner. They married, moved to Scappoose, and raised their family of five children on Dutch Canyon Road, where they lived for 44 years. Mary was mostly a stay-at-home mom but would occasionally supplement the family income working at the Scappoose Café or as a cook for the Scappoose School District.

After selling their house in Scappoose, they moved to Clatskanie. Brownie succumbed to emphysema in 2008, and Mary lived with various family members until her passing.

Mary passed away from the effects of a massive stroke. She is preceded in death by her sister Pauline; her brother Doug; and her husband Brownie.

She is survived by her sister Christine; her children: Ruthie, Shirley, Karen and son-in-law Doug, Janet and son-in-law Jack, and Steve and daughter-in-law Lisa; 18 grandchildren; and

17 great-grandchildren.

Mary was a force of nature known for her amazing culinary skills, her quick wit, and her infectious laughter. She will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2024 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Warren, Oregon.

A reception will follow at the St. Helens Elks Lodge, St. Helens, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to donate to the Bethany Lutheran Church building fund. If you wish to share a memory, please visit Legacy.com.

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Public Notices CC24-1004

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, Plaintiff, vs.

UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF BEVERLY J. GILMORE-BRINSTER; MARAINE PALMER; ANTHONY BRINSTER; DREW BRINSTER; EVIN BRINSTER; PARTIES IN POSSESSION Defendants.

No. 23CV35977 CIVIL SUMMONS TO THE DEFENDANTS: Unknown Heirs and Devisees of Beverly J. Gilmore-Brinster NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: READ THESE PAPERS CAREFULLY! A lawsuit has

been started against you in the above-entitled Court by PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, Plaintiff. Plaintiff’s claim is stated in the written Complaint, a copy of which is on file at the Columbia County Courthouse. You must “appear” in this case or the other side will win automatically. To “appear” you must file with the court a legal paper called a “motion” or “answer.” The “motion” or “answer” must be given to the court clerk or administrator within 30 days along with the required filing fee.

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It must be in proper form and have proof of service on the plaintiff’s attorney or, if the plaintiff does not have an attorney, proof of service on the plaintiff. The object of the complaint is to foreclose a deed of trust dated March 13, 2020 and recorded as Instrument No. 2020-02422 given by Beverly J. GilmoreBrinster, a single woman on property commonly known as 2558 Columbia Blvd, Saint Helens, OR 97051 and legally described as: PARCEL 1 OF PARTITION PLAT NO. 1999-22,

RECORDED JUNE 30, 1999, FEE NO. 99-09300, IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON. TOGETHER WITH A NON-EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS OVER PARCEL 2 AS DISCLOSED ON THE FACE OF PARTITION PLAT NO. 1999-22. The complaint seeks to foreclose and terminate all interest of Unknown Heirs and Devisees of Beverly J. Gilmore-Brinster and all other interests in the property. The “motion” or “answer” (or “reply”) must

be given to the court clerk or administrator within 30 days of the date of first publication specified herein along with the required filing fee.

The date of first publication of the summons is January 10, 2024. If you are in the active military service of the United States, or believe that you may be entitled to protection of the SCRA, please contact our office. If you do not contact us, we will report to the court that we do not believe that you are protected under the SCRA. If you have questions, you should

see an attorney immediately.

If you need help in finding an attorney, you may contact the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service online at www.oregonstatebar.org or by calling (503) 684-3763 (in the Portland metropolitan area) or toll-free elsewhere in Oregon at (800) 4527636. Attorneys for Plaintiff, LOGS LEGAL GROUP LLP By: James A. Craft #090146 [jcraft@janewaylaw.com] 1499 SE Tech Center Place, Suite 255, Vancouver, WA 98683 (360) 260-2253; Fax (360) 260-2285.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

A7

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC24-1006

BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY 2024 ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE 1 Notice is hereby given that the Columbia County Board of Commissioner will hold their regularly scheduled hybrid meetings every Wednesday, at or after 10:00 AM. These meetings will be held from the Columbia

County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/357054141 United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 Access Code: 357-054-141 2. Additionally, the Board will hold their reg-

ularly scheduled hybrid Work Sessions the first (1) and third (3) Wednesday of every month at or after 1:00 PM from the Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR. https://global.gotomeeting.

com/join/357054141 United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 Access Code: 357-054141. 3. Any changes and/or cancellations to this schedule will be noticed. 4. This is a public meeting except during the Executive Session.

Columbia County does not discriminate on the basis of disability and will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the County’s ADA Policy. To request accommodations or to review the County’s

ADA Policy, please contact the Board of Commissioners Office at 503-397-4322.

Dated this 3rd day of January 2024. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY, BY: Jacyn Normine

CC24-1010

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Wednesday January 24, 2024 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Agnes Marie Petersen, applied for an eight (8) lot Subdivision (Lupine Meadow) in a Forest Agriculture (FA-80) Zone on tax map ID number 6225-0000400 (Account No. 16380).

This property contains 44.96 acres and is located at 33625 Tide Creek Rd Deer Island, OR 97054. This hearing is an APPEAL of the Planning Commission’s final decision to Approve S 23-01 with conditions, mailed on 11/15/2023, pursuant to the provisions in Section 1703 of the Zoning Ordinance. SAID PUBLIC HEARING will be held before the Columbia County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday January 24, 2024, starting

at or after 10:00AM. This meeting will be hybrid in nature, allowing participants to log into a digital GoTo-Meeting (link provided below) or attend in person at 230 Strand St, Room 310, St Helens, OR 97051. Columbia County Board of Commissioners Meeting Link https:// global.gotomeeting.com/ join/357054141 You can also dial in using your phone.

Access Code: 357-054-141 United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 Interested parties may appear and be heard. If you have any questions or concerns regarding access to the meeting or need accommodation, please call Jacyn Normine in the Board of Commissioner’s office at (503) 397-4322. The criteria

to be used in deciding these requests will be found in some, or all of the following documents and laws, as revised from time to time: Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 197.797; Oregon Administrative Rules; Columbia County Comprehensive Plan; Columbia County Zoning Ordinance. The specific criteria applicable to this request is listed and evaluated in the staff report. The specific criteria applicable to this request is listed and evaluated in the staff report.

A copy of the staff report will be available for inspection at no cost at least one week prior to the public hearing.

Copies of these materials will be provided at a reasonable cost upon request. All ap-

plication materials will also be available for inspection in person or on the Columbia County Board of Commissioner’s webpage at: https:// www.columbiacountyor.gov/ departments/BoardofCommissionersOffice/Hearings The hearing will be held according to the procedures established in the Columbia County Zoning Ordinance and in accordance with ORS 197.797. Under state law, the failure to raise an issue at the hearing, in person or by letter, or the failure to provide statements or evidence sufficient to afford the decisionmaker an opportunity to respond to the issue, precludes the ability to appeal the decision based on that issue. You received this notice

because you own property located near the property that is the subject of this notice.

Columbia County is required only to notify the applicant, owner, owners of record of property of adjacent properties per the most recent property tax assessment roll, and other persons identified.

You may want to share this notice with others in your neighborhood as some may not be aware of the proposal.

Notice to mortgagee, lien holder, vendor, or seller: ORS Chapter 215 requires that if you receive this notice, it must be promptly forwarded to the purchaser. Failure to raise an issue in a hearing, in person or by writing to or failure to provide statements or evidence sufficient to af-

ford the Approval Authority an opportunity to respond to the issue precludes raising the issue in an appeal to the Land Use Board of Appeals.

Additional information about this application may be obtained by calling Debbie Jacob at (503) 397- 7260.

Written materials may be submitted prior to the public hearing. Those submitting written materials are encouraged to submit their materials prior to the date of the public hearing. Please submit written materials to Planning@ ColumbiaCountyOR.gov You can also send written materials via US Mail to: Columbia County Land Development Services Attn: Planning 230 Strand Street St. Helens, OR 97051.

CH23-1493

CC24-1000

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF The Columbia Soil & Water Conservation District will be holding their Annual

Meeting on January 17, 2023 at 4:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the SWCD office,

35285 Millard Road in St. Helens, OR 97051 and via Zoom.

CC24-1005

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA [Probate Department] In the Matter of the Estate of: GERALD WAYNE WALKLEY, Deceased. Date of Death: September 11, 2023. Case No. 23PB09766 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of the above-captioned estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned personal representative at Southwest Portland Law Group,

LLC, 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97225 within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims will be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court; the personal representative; or Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, the lawyers for the personal representative. DATED AND FIRST PUBLISHED ON January 10, 2024. Yvonne W. Cham-

bers, Personal Representative. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Yvonne W. Chambers, 954 SW Westwood Drive, Portland, Oregon 97239, Tel: 503515-9071, yovogo@gmail. com. ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Lindsey Daniel, OSB No. 192115, Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97225, Tel: 503206-6401, Fax: 503-2148962, lindsey@swpdxlaw. com.

CC24-1008

CITY OF SAINT HELENS INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER PRETREATMENT PROGRAM INDUSTRIAL USERS IN SIGNIFICANT NONCOMPLIANCE CALENDAR YEAR 2023 The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) requires publicly owned treatment works with approved pretreatment programs to publish annually the names of permitted industrial users that were defined as being in significant noncompliance with the local pretreatment program. The City of Saint Helens has an approved pretreatment program and has the responsibility to

comply with the reporting requirements. The following industrial user presently discharging wastewater to the City of Saint Helens Wastewater Treatment Plant was in significant noncompliance (SNC) as defined by the US EPA during the calendar year 2020: ORPET, 58144 Old Portland Road, Saint Helens, Oregon 97051.

Analytical results from samples collected in April 2023 demonstrated that

this industrial user failed to meet discharge limitations set in the City of Saint Helens Technically Based Local Limits and has met the criteria for significant noncompliance as defined in 40 CFR 403.8 (f) (2) (viii). The City of Saint Helens defines return to compliance as the industrial user demonstrating continued compliance for at least two months after a permit violation based on sampling results.

OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of: Marietta Vivian Smets, Deceased. No. 23PB10234 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Notice is hereby given that John S. Smets has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons having claims against the estate are hereby required to present their claims, with

proper vouchers, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this Notice, as stated below, to the personal representative at 1677 St, Helens Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights are affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court,

the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative.

Dated and first published: December 27, 2023. MARK A. GORDON, P.C. /s/ Mark A. Gordon, Esq., Mark A. Gordon, OSB No 81242 Attorney for Personal Representative, 1677 St. Helens Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051, 503-397-9066, mark@markgordonpc.com.

CC24-1003

PUBLIC NOTICE COLUMBIA RIVER PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT Regular Meeting Time Change The start time for the January 16, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors for Columbia River PUD has been changed. The Board of Directors for Columbia River PUD will hold their Regular Board Meeting on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of training members on a new Board Meeting Applica-

tion in a workshop format.

This meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for further accommodations should be made at least 48 hours in advance by contacting the Administrative Assistant at 503-3971844. Columbia River PUD Board meetings are conducted pursuant to the public meeting laws of the State of Oregon and anyone wishing to attend is welcome.

Please visit our website at https://www.crpud.net/ my-pud/board-of-directors/ board-meetings/ for more information on attending this meeting electronically.

If you wish to submit a written public comment for the Board to review during the meeting, please submit it to comments@crpud.org prior to 5:00pm on the day of the Meeting. By: Michael J. Sykes, General Manager.

CC24-1007

NOTICE OF STREET VACATION Notice is hereby given that on Monday, February 5, 2024, at 6 p.m. a Public Hearing will be held at Rainier City Hall, located at 106 W. B Street, before the Rainier City Council to

receive testimony regarding a petition for vacation of a 20-Foot Alley Lying Within Block 39, Plat of Unit “C” in West Rainier. The petition was filed by Wilson Oil Inc. d.b.a. Wilcox & Flegel. If

there are any objections or remonstrances, these may be filed in writing with the City of Rainier by February 2, 2024. Oral testimony may also be provided during the hearing.

CC24-1011

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE CC24-1009 OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DEPARTMENT OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department.

In the Matter of the Estate of DONNA J. HARMON, Deceased. No. 23PB10654 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned have been appointed personal representatives of this estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to

present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of publication of this notice to the personal representatives at P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of

the Court, the personal representatives or the attorney for the personal representatives. Dated and published: January 10, 2024. Linda L. Sewald, Co-Personal Representative, Joanne J. Calcagno, Co-Personal Representative. STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C. Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

In the Matter of the Estate of BARBARA JEAN ADEBAER, Deceased. Case No. 23PB10571 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that David G. Ade has been appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of Barbara Jean AdeBaer. All persons having claims against the Estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached to the Personal Representative

at: PO Box 12814, Salem OR 97309, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the Personal Representative, or from the Attorney for the Personal Representative. Dated and

first published: January 10, 2024. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: David G. Ade, 69746 Marcott Road, Rainier, OR 97048. ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Andrew W. Sprauer, OSB No. 081245, Andrew Sprauer Law, PO Box 12814; Salem, OR 97309, Telephone: (503) 910-2050, Email: andrew@ awslawyer.com.

CC24-1013

CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT MEETING NOTICE The Clatskanie People’s Utility District Board of Directors has scheduled the next regular Board meeting for Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 6:00 pm in the community room of the District’s administration building located at 495 E

Columbia River Highway, Clatskanie. A Board Workshop will be held at 5:30 pm. An executive session may be called at the workshop and/or meeting, pursuant to: ORS 192.660 (2) (f) information or records that are exempt from

disclosure by law, including written advice from an attorney. AGENDA CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT BOARD WORKSHOP Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 5:30 P.M. I. BOARD TRAINING & WHA INSURANCE

REPORT: Jeff Griffin, WHA Insurance II. NEW DISTRICT OPERATIONS POLICY: 322 Power Resource Management III. STAFF REPORTS UPDATE CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 6:00 P.M. I. PUBLIC COMMENTS II. CONSENT AGENDA · Minutes of Board Workshop, December 20, 2023 · Minutes of Regular Board Meeting, December 20, 2023 · Review payment of bills for De-

cember 2023 III. ACTION ITEMS · Funds Request for Energy Efficient Window Project Augmentation IV. DISCUSSION / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS · Board Comments & Calendar V. EXECUTIVE SESSION VI. ADJOURNMENT

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A8

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Wednesday January 10

7 DAY FORECAST The sun this week

A9

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

High 42° Low 33°

Thursday

Friday

January 11

High 42°

January 12

Low 28°

Rain

Rain

Sunrise Sunset 7:51 a.m. 4:46 p.m.

Sunrise Sunset 7:51 a.m. 4:47 p.m.

High 32°

Low 18°

Snow Showers

Sunrise 7:50 a.m.

Sunset 4:48 p.m.

Saturday

Sunday

January 13

High 24°

Low 15°

January 14

High 28°

Snow Showers

Sunrise 7:50 a.m.

Sunset 4:50 p.m.

Low 16°

Snow Showers

Sunrise 7:49 a.m.

Sunset 4:51 p.m.

Monday

Tuesday

January 15

High 30°

January 16

Low 20°

Snow Showers

Sunrise 4:49 a.m.

High 36°

Low 26°

Snow Showers

Sunset 4:52 p.m.

Sunrise 7:48 a.m.

Sunset 4:53 p.m.

Community Events January 11 Grand Opening of Mee Maws Attic and 2nd Mouse Studio 11 a.m. - noon at Mee Maws Attic, 113 East 1st Street and Mouse Studio, 111 East 1st Street in Rainier. Each location will have a ribbon cutting and a time to tour inside.

January 13 Unite in Prayer 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Columbia City Community Center, 1840 2nd St., Columbia City. Come unit in prayer for our community. For questions, email uniteforprayer@gmail.com.

January 25 Scappoose Garden Club Meeting 11 a.m. at 51555 SW Old Portland Rd. in the St. Wenceslaus Parish Hall. Program presenter will be Sean Hogan from Cistus Nursery. Business meeting to follow. Anyone is welcomed to attend.

For more information email, Scappoosegardenclub@ gmail.com.

February 9 Beyond The Forest events presents: give, live, laugh, love - A fundraiser for lifempowered 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at 105 Port

LOOKING AHEAD From Page A1 the tree lighting was moved from in front of City Hall to A Street Plaza downtown.

Jorgensen said that attendance was good, and he looks forward to more participation in the coming years.

Another event Jorgensen highlighted was a mock murder mystery fundraiser that was hosted by the Rainier Library Board in February of 2023.

“This was the first time they ever did it, so it was a test run, but it was a massive success. The weather was just absolutely miserable that day; it was raining sideways, but we had a line of people around the block, in costume, enthusiastic,” Jorgensen said.

“The whole thing was a lot of fun. I got to play the governor of Louisiana, and I got killed.

So I died, but they were trying to solve the mystery of

Ave., St. Helens. Enjoy dinner, drinks and comedy (ages 21+) featuring Todd Basil, Jaren George and Marietje Hauprich. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities please contact Cassie at cassief@lifemp.org or 971708-3767 or Hayley at beyondtheforestevents@gmail.com or 503-984-4456.

Ongoing events Fridays 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Caples House offers Tea and Sweets: a bottomless cup of tea with a homemade dessert. Cost is $5. In The Cottage, 1925 First Street in Columbia City.

Call 503-397-5390 for more details.

Fridays - Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Caples House Museum Tours, 1925 1st Street in Columbia City.

Cost is $5. Stop by and see what has changed. For more information, call 503-3975390.

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Lower Columbia Watershed who killed me and why.”

The success of the fundraiser has paved the way for similar future events, and Jorgensen said they are hoping to do something similar around St. Patrick’s Day. While Rainier is proud of its parks, Jorgensen said the City Council adopted a Park Masterplan update, which outlines what future improvements to Rainier’s parks could be. Jorgensen said the master plan will help develop neighborhood parks and interconnected trails, as well as make it easier to obtain grants for park projects.

The city also received a donation of a 25-acre property from the Dibblee family.

The land is adjacent to Dibblee Park, and Jorgensen said it is for trail expansion and recreational opportunities.

Jorgensen also highlighted the ribbon cuttings for Birdie’s Divine Delights and In Harmony Movement Studio as positive additions to

Council meets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Clatskanie PUD building. Zoom links are also available. Visit the council’s website for agenda postings and Zoom at www.lowercolumbiariver.org/events-page.

Resonate Recovery Meets at 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday - Sundays. This is a Bible based, Christ-centered spiritual recovery meeting for those struggling with addictions and compulsive behavior at 220 S. 1st Street in St. Helens. Everyone is loved and welcomed. For more information call Debbie at 503-560-0521, Daniel Grant at 714-768-9327 or check the Resonate Facebook page.

Columbian Toastmasters Promoting positive learning and leadership through public speaking. Anyone is welcome to visit! Lunch meetings at Warren Country Inn, 56575 Columbia River Hwy, Warren, OR 97053 from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. every Thursday.

Call 503-369-0329 for more information.

downtown.

Patrick McCoy has been a strong addition as the Public Works Director since Sue Lawrence resigned from the position in the fall. McCoy took on the position after previously serving as the city’s Forester.

The city has also hired two police officers to help meet its police staffing goals.

Jorgensen said that will be a priority in 2024 as well.

Another example of a process that started in 2023 and will be ongoing in 2024 is working with regional partners and ODOT to address Highway 30 safety concerns.

“We’re seeing crashes, we’re seeing fatalities, and we think that we’re overdue for some investment in those areas,” Jorgensen said. “So that’s been our big push as ODOT puts together its transportation funding plans and priorities for the next few years.”

Jorgensen also said that

Overcomers Outreach Meetings are held every Saturday at 9 a.m. at Creekside Baptist Church, 51681 SW Old Portland Road in Scappoose. Call Fred 971-7576389.

Celebrate Recovery For anyone struggling with addiction, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. The first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. the doors open for a free dinner. Yankton Community Fellowship, 33579 Pittsburg Road in St. Helens. 503-396-7091.

Childcare is available. www. yanktoncommunityfellowship.com.

tions call, 503-366-8020.

Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches Clatskanie Senior Center lunches Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches now served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon at the Castle Cafe, 620 SW Tichenor. Call 503-728-3608 for reservations. Use ground floor entrance to the left of front stairs. Good parking in back off of SW Bryant Street.

Castle Tours available by appointment, includes Clatskanie Historical Society museum. Call Debbie at 503-338-8268.

Tea and Sweet on Fridays 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Have tea and a sweet in Caples’ Cottage, 1925 1st Street in Columbia City. Cost is $5. 503-3975390.

Caples Evening Programs The cost for this evening and all our Fireside Chats will be only $5. Caples will be offering a different program the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at 1925 First Street in Columbia City. For more information, call 503-397-5390.

Storytime on Mondays 11 a.m. at the Columbia City Library, 2000 Second St. in Columbia City. For ques-

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Lower Columbia Watershed Council meets the second

the city made changes to the municipal code to encourage more investment and other code updates to create more flexible housing options.

Jorgensen said that the council’s “number one goal” is to get in compliance with the Department of Environmental Quality. The city was handed a $31,550 fine in the fall for wastewater violations.

“We’ve spent a lot of money on tests and engineering to identify what the problems are, but we’re at the point now where it’s time to do the actual work to solve the problems,” Jorgensen said.

Other challenges relate to the long-term planning priorities Jorgensen has. Jorgensen said decisions were made decades ago that limited the growth of the city’s tax and employment base. Jorgensen said that getting more “shovel-ready” industrial land would be a good way to make way for more growth on those

fronts. The city also hopes to secure more land for housing.

Other cities throughout Oregon share some of the challenges Jorgensen said the city has had. Those challenges are tied to Measure 110 and Measure 3115. In November, Rainier joined other cities in requesting that the legislature make changes or repeal Measure 110 due to the challenges of enforcement and the risks to public safety.

Regarding Measure 3115, Jorgensen said the city would be monitoring court decisions in the coming months to see if changes to their camping ordinance will be necessary.

Going into 2024, Jorgensen said the city has a number of projects they are hoping to accomplish. Rainier Chamber of Commerce is hoping to establish a visitor center in Rainier for people passing through.

“It would be really nice to have come next summer. One of the goals is ultimately to

Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Clatskanie PUD building. Zoom links are also available. Visit the council’s website for agenda postings and Zoom at www. lowercolumbiariver.org/ events-page.

The Rainier Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. It will be closed Sundays and Mondays.

Avamere at St. Helens hosts a Virtual Dementia Support Group – 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. For more details, contact Jenny Hicks/Avamere at St. Helens at 503-366-8070.

To list an event in the Community Calendar, email details with a phone number that may be published for anyone that might have questions, to chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.

become less of a pass-through town. Make it the kind of place people want to stop,” Jorgensen said. “I’d still like to see more art and culture, and we’ve thrown around the idea of having some murals on some buildings.”

In addition to getting more points of interest downtown, Jorgensen said he aims to set the city on a positive path for years to come.

Though the work won’t be flashy, Jorgensen said that he hopes to put in place policies that will improve the quality of life for the citizens of Rainier.

“It’s one of those things that doesn’t typically get a lot of attention, but it’s very, very important, and it needs to be done right, and I’m homing we can get there,” Jorgensen said. “I’m hoping that 20 years from now, people can look back and say good decisions were made and that we were trying to be as forwardthinking as possible.”

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: GEOGRAPHY 101 ACROSS

1. Village People’s “____ Man” 6. Certain tray content 9. Little bit, in Mexico 13. Ammo in a quiver, sing.

14. Geological Society of America 15. Young eel 16. Song of praise 17. Snowy ____ or great horned ____ 18. Must-haves 19. *Strait between Russia and Alaska 21. *Smallest of the Great Lakes 23. Crime scene evidence 24. Peter the Great, e.g.

25. Consumer-protecting org.

28. Skiing helmet manufacturer 30. Mother-of-pearl, pl.

35. Type of sail, pl.

37. #29 Down anagram 39. Like Raphael’s cherubs 40. Face shape 41. Tie with a morning coat 43. Dwarf buffalo 44. Short version 46. “At ____, soldier”

47. Supposed giant Himalayan 48. Drool 50. Swimming hole 52. D.C. V.I.P. 53. Jim Acosta’s announcement 55. *Baltic ____ 57. *0∫ latitude 61. *Bay east of India 64. Cuban dance 65. John Keats’ “To Autumn,” e.g.

67. Fortune teller’s card 69. Jeered 70. China’s drinkable export 71. Bird-related 72. Dick and Jane’s dog 73. “Slippery” tree 74. Lean, past tense

DOWN

1. *Atlas page 2. Speedy steed 3. First Nation nation 4. Squirrel away 5. Possessing 6. Full of excitement 7. *Opposite of NNE 8. Saintly rings 9. Guilty, e.g.

10. Last word on walkietalkie

11. Ghana money 12. Guesstimate phrase (2 words) 15. Catch in a snare 20. Nigerian money 22. A Bobbsey twin 24. Steel on boots, pl.

25. *Inlet in Norway 26. Abalone seeker 27. Olden day calculators 29. *Compass ____ 31. TV personality Aiken 32. Ancient Scandinavian characters 33. What actors do 34. *Iberian Peninsula country 36. Serb or Croat 38. Comme ci, comme Áa 42. Past or present 45. Group of five 49. Actor DiCaprio 51. Like floss 54. “That’s all she ____” 56. Tequila source 57. Work units 58. Wisecrack 59. Rounded protuberance 60. Aid in crime 61. Show pleasure 62. Cantatrice’s offering 63. Student aid 66. *Tierra ____ Fuego 68. Big bang maker, acr.

Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of the newspaper.

A10

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Sports

St. Helens wrestling update WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

St. Helens High School wrestling is in the heart of their season, and with a host of athletes in the program this year, the Lions have had a roaring start.

Paul Connelly is the Head Coach for the boys wrestling team, and he’s excited about how the season has gone for his team this year.

“We have had a great year so far,” Connelly said. “We won the Molalla Mayhem tournament and have competed extremely tough in each tournament and dual.”

Part of the program’s success this year is tied back to the booming partici-

Courtesy photo from Paul Connelly

A photo of the St. Helens team after they won the Mollala Mayhem tournament.

pation St. Helens wrestling has experienced this year.

Connelly said they have a “full wrestling room,” with 56 boys and 24 girls taking

part this season.

Connelly said that the roster has a strong mix of stalwart returning wrestlers and promising young

up-and-comers. One of the important aspects of coaching for Connelly is making sure that both groups get the support they need to

improve.

“It is very important to me to get the freshmen and new wrestlers to develop fundamental skills while at the same time challenging our seasoned wrestlers to improve and develop new and more complex technical skills,” Connelly said.

St. Helens has a great group of returning wrestlers with a lot of experience and talent, according to Connelly. He expects that Michael Cobabe, Carson Jackson, Evan Willis, and Greg Hall will all “place well” this year. Connelly also described wrestlers John Hubbard, Kyle Dye, Tyler Smith, Colton MacDonald, Austin Stockwell, and Daylen Beranek as a “tough team.” And those weren’t the only wrestlers Connelly

shouted out.

“We have two really good heavyweights, Mason Erickson and Everett Moore,” Connelly said. “We also have some outstanding freshmen this year with Tavin Mauck, Robert Leonard, Owen Brockmueller-MacKinnon, and Isak Daniel.”

With a mix of new and experienced talent, Connelly is looking at the rest of the season with anticipation.

“I hope for continued development and growth for the program, and I am looking forward to the rest of the season,” Connelly said.

Follow St. Helens High School sports at OSAA.org and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle & Chief.

Clatskanie’s Phil White Classic WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Clatskanie’s wrestling programs had strong showings at their home tournament, with one Tiger taking top honors in her weight class at the Phil White Winter Classic Wrestling Tournament.

The tournament took place Dec. 28 at Clatskanie Middle/High School, and Natalie Baker took home 1st in the 130 weight class. Brett James also wrestled well, taking 2nd in the 106 weight class. Head Coach Zach Davis said Baker and James’ performances were a credit to their preparation.

“Both Natalie and Brett have been working hard and putting in the extra effort it takes to succeed in these larger tournaments,” Davis said.

While Baker’s performance was the headline result, the programs competed well, and Davis said

Courtesy photo

Natalie Baker

that everyone who “competed wrestled very well.” Davis said that Ethan Rigsby, at 190 lbs, wrestled exceptionally well in the B bracket and won 3 out of 4 matches. Overall, Clatskanie placed sixth of the 18 teams in attendance.

“It was a very full day with 18 teams and over 200 boys and 50 girls. This was the largest turnout for our holiday tournament since it was started by Coach Phil White,” Davis said. “Banks and Scappoose were the two

From Page A1

LUNCH From Page A1 includes at least a 1⁄2 cup of fruits and/or vegetables.

• The student is not eligible to use their free or reduced status for the purchase of a la carte items such as milk. If a student only accepts milk rather than a complete meal, the milk is not free, and the student will be charged $0.50.

• If your student has an unpaid lunch balance, we are asking that these fees get paid for as soon as possible.

Following Jan. 16, as long as your student accepts a whole school meal, they will no

largest schools that competed and had extremely good wrestlers in all weight classes.”

Courtesy photo

Ahead of the tournament, Davis said he wanted to make sure the community came out to support the program, as the

Follow CMHS sports at OSAA.org and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle & Chief.

How many drinks do you have in a week?

BREWERY nights on the second, third, and fourth Thursdays of the month.

They have also seen good turnouts for their Pints for Nonprofit fundraisers, which they host on the first Thursday of each month. As part of the fundraiser, the beneficiaries get $2 from every beer that they sell for the entire day. Lauridsen detailed what the Pints for Nonprofits events have looked like this year.

“The beneficiary this month is the Columbia City Elementary’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). We do a lot with the high schools and elementary schools, typically with their PTOs,” Lauridsen.

“Typically, we raise between $250-$350 a month on average. We’re really looking forward to the warmer weather when we can expand to the outdoor seating and hopefully start bumping that up a little bit more.”

Now that the winter season has settled in, Lauridsen is excited about some of the seasonal beers they have on tap, and they will be coming soon. Lauridsen said they

Brett James

Phil White Classic is the only home competition they had this year. The community did not disappoint.

“The community support this year was great,” Davis said. “We had a lot of parents and grandparents in the stands.”

The Tigers will have a couple more meets before they try and make their push for state. Davis is looking forward to seeing how the team does the rest of the season.

“We are most excited to see how the team does at the district meets,” Davis said. “Most of the kids have kicked it up a notch and are excited to continue wrestling.”

Jon Campbell / Country Media, Inc.

The interior of the Crooked Creek Brewery.

have more barrel-aged beers on tap and other options.

“We’ve got a barrel-aged version of one of our flagships, which is called the barrel-aged Rusty Bucket.

The style is a Bière de Garde, which is a little bit of an obscure style, but it’s been one of our flagship

beers since we opened,” Lauridsen said. “We have a barrel-aged barley wine, and then in about a month, we’ll be putting out this year’s version of our barrel-aged imperial stout. Those are all seasonal-type things. We’ve always got a lot of IPAs going.”

longer have to pay for their food, but payment for past balances is still required.

grain items like rolls or sandwich bread • Meat or meat alternate – White meat chicken, bean chili, lean beef

Every school breakfast includes five choices • Milk – Fat-free or 1% flavored or regular • Fruit and/or vegetables • Grains Every school lunch includes five choices • Milk – Fat-free or 1% flavored or regular • Vegetables – From salad to fresh carrot sticks • Fruit – Everything from kiwi to locally grown apples, often fresh • Grains – More whole

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

“We are so grateful that students in the Clatskanie School District will have access to food on a regular basis. No child should ever go hungry, and from Jan. 16, 2024, through June 30, 2027, students will have access to breakfast and lunch free of charge at both CSD school sites,” the letter concluded.

Clatskanie School District 660 Bryant St., PO Box 678, Clatskanie, OR. 97016 Office: 503-728-0587, Fax: 503-728-0608

Excessive drinking has a way of sneaking up on us.

A few drinks, a few nights a week — it adds up.

And suddenly we’re at greater risk for long-term problems, like heart disease, cancer and depression.

Is it time to rethink the drink?

rethinkthedrink.com