SHC830

Scappoose REMS to the rescue

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Fighting fires is perilous, and firefighters constantly put themselves in danger when in the line of duty. But while the nature of the work itself is dangerous, special units like the Rapid Extraction Module Support (REM or REMS) team at Scappoose Rural Fire District (SRFD) offer critical emergency support in difficult-toreach spots.

The Scappoose REMS team returned Aug. 20 from a 14-day deployment at the Bedrock Fire outside of Eugene. The REMS unit specializes in emergency medical and rescue operations and provides rope rescue services and medical support on large wildfire incidents and remote rescues.

rescuing people with ropes, I bet you it would be really good for us to have some ropes and rope rescue guys on wildland fires where you gotta pull somebody up a cliff,’” Pricher said. “And that was how the idea was hashed.”

Pricher said that SRFD saw and heard about what other agencies around the country were doing and decided that it would be worth getting into because they have strong medical personnel and saw a need in the local area as well.

In an emergency

Pricher said there have been incidents where mountain bikers have crashed on trails near Scappoose, and special equipment is needed to extract them.

In addition to wildland fire training, unit members are certified paramedics and emergency medical technicians and have undergone rope rescue certification.

When on duty at a scene, the REM unit is constantly assessing risk and adjusting positioning so they can quickly provide help to firefighters or people in need.

“One of the things that is awesome about REM is you are truly thinking outside the box. So the first thing is trying to figure out what resources you have, how to integrate those, and what processes you’re going to implement, step-by-step, based on what you see,” Pricher said. “Because no two rescues are going to be the same.”

Paul Liebig is a member of the REM unit, and he was the person in charge of the unit during the deployment to the Bedrock Fire. Liebig handled communications for the crew and assigned the other members to their tasks.

“Constant reevaluation every day,” Liebig said. “Keeping one person available to do only communications, someone’s doing systems, and I have one to two rescuers.”

Chief

SRFD started the unit in 2020 as ideas about providing medical support during wildfire response changed. SRFD Fire Chief Jeff Pricher said that following the death of wildland firefighter Andy Palmer in 2008, more thought has been put into creating units that can help extract people in need, even in the most challenging terrain.

“At some point, someone was like, ‘Wow, these structural fire agencies, they’re really good with

In concept, the crew for the unit is a four-person team. To carry out rescues, the team uses a custom Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) that has been designed to hold rescue equipment and provide safe transport for patients who are rescued. The UTV was paid for through donations to SRFD.

The unit is equipped with two full rope rescue kits, a GPS and monitor, and battery-powered extrication equipment, among other lifesaving tools. Communication during incidents is a constant key for the members of the REM unit.

Within SRFD, Pricher estimated that about 75% of the organization is trained as rope technicians. The remaining members are at the “operations or awareness level.”

Pricher said that this unit is most commonly deployed in difficult terrain or Type 1 or Type 2 fires, which are “incidents of national significance.” Locally, the REM unit has been deployed to help the sheriff’s department with search and rescue calls or extracting mountain bikers who have crashed. The deployment of the REM unit largely comes down to risk assessment, according to Liebig and Pricher.

Fortunately, Liebig and his team did not have to perform any extractions during their deployment at the Bedrock Fire. However, when offering support to the units fighting the fire, the REM unit is in constant communication with those fighting

See REMS Page A5

Fairgrounds raising money for roofs

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Now that the summer months are coming to a close, and the Columbia County Fair has come and gone, fairgrounds officials have focused on addressing some of the much-needed repairs for the aging fairgrounds infrastructure.

Fair Board President Peggy Howell said seven barn roofs need replacing at the fairgrounds. In 2022, it was announced that the fairgrounds would receive grant money to support building a pole barn and repairing the rusting metal roofs.

Howell said that by the time the grant money came through, prices had increased so much on materials that repairing the roofs would not be possible. Howell said the cost of repairing each roof was about $56,000 when the project was initially bid about two years ago.

Howell is a realtor with John L. Scott Real Estate, and she said that

the company will host a fundraiser

Oct. 14 at the Fairgrounds Pavilion to try and raise enough funds to replace one of the seven roofs in need.

“John L. Scott is having ‘Back to the West with John L. Scott,’ and it’s all a western theme,” Howell said. “We’re selling tables or individual [tickets], we’re having dinner and an auction, and we’re having a mechanical bull, and just trying to raise money. All the proceeds will go to the fairgrounds.”

Howell said the roofs have been “rusting through” and that there are holes in some of them as well. Fair board member Henry Heimuller said that the roofs on the barn are the original roofs from the fairground’s initial construction.

“The fairgrounds was built in the late ‘60s, and those barns have been there some time since then. They were maybe built in the late ‘60s or early ‘70s, and they’re the original roofs,” Heimuller said.

The metal roofs are at least 50

years old, and Heimuller said they are all very rusted. Though they are still watertight “for the most part,” Heimuller said that the westwardfacing sides of the buildings are seeing their nails and fasteners wear out.

One of the challenges for repairing some of the roofs now is that the metal is so old that it is precarious for workers to make repairs from the rooftops, according to Heimuller.

Heimuller said getting the funds for the repairs will require “concerted effort” on a variety of fronts. Heimuller said securing grant funding would be a solution, in addition to smaller individual fundraisers to “chip away at it, a little at a time.” Heimuller said that while the current board is “relatively new,” he said that they are focused on addressing years’ worth of “deferred maintenance.”

See FAIRGROUNDS Page A4

Fresh start for St. Helens boys soccer

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

St. Helens High School (SHHS)

students will be back in classrooms

soon, but for the athletes participating with the boys soccer team this fall, the work has already begun.

Under the leadership of new Head Coach Jim Cole, SHHS boys soccer will be heading in a different direction stylistically, and Cole hopes that positive results in the win column will follow.

While Cole is new to the head coaching position, he has coached at SHHS before and was the JV Head Coach for boys soccer from 2008 to 2012, when he left to coach his two younger sons in youth soccer.

“Fast forward to this year, and that youngest [son] that I stopped at high school to go coach in youth, he’s a freshman now,” Cole said. “This year’s 28 years of either being the head coach or assisting at some phase of the game.”

Cole said he’s been setting up “mostly winning” teams at the 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade years, and he felt that now was a great time to take his decades of experience and apply them at the high school level.

Preseason

Cole said that getting his team together began in early June with

a lot of scrimmage-type play and some conditioning so Cole could evaluate where the players were at and assess their strengths.

The summer practices were largely focused on getting plenty of reps playing to instill the love of the game before focusing on the technical aspects of the game.

“I’m a big one about controlling the ball, possession play, a lot of

more Barcelona, Real Madrid type,” Cole said. “We want a little bit more ‘Messi,’ where we’re passing the ball, we control it, and we fight for every inch if we need to, to move the ball, but we really prefer to look around, find the open space and move into it.” That possession-type offense is contrasted with a more play-the-ball forward with big kicks and try to

get athletes on the end of the long passes type of offense.

Cole wants his players to play more of a “thinking person’s game,” using their clever ball movement and space of the field to create chances. The quicker passing style of play will make it difficult for teams to play physically with Cole’s team.

“We have a young team. We have four outstanding freshmen that are playing on varsity. Because they’re freshmen, they’re not very big, but they’re fast, they’re in shape. So that level of possession and moving the ball quickly plays very well into them,” Cole said. Making adjustments

With a young team, Cole hopes they will be competitive for years to come. However, the team is also led by outstanding seniors, including Antonio Ramos and Captain Cole Leader.

Since Cole has taken the helm, he’s shifted players into different positions that better suit their skills within the new system. Cole said

Jon Campbell / Country Media, Inc.

The metal roofs on the fairgrounds barns are at least 50 years old.

SHHS boys soccer compete at practice following their preseason Jamboree.

Courtesy photo from Paul Liebig

The REM unit’s UTV during its deployment at the Bedrock Fire.

Lessons learned from 2020 Oregon wildfires

The 2020 Labor Day wildfires strained understaffed state and local agencies and highlighted a need for more communication so people can recover and access services, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management concluded in a report released Aug. 24.

The 147-page report, based on surveys and interviews, offers a window into the state’s work to recover from the wildfires that scorched an area the size of Rhode Island and left communities across the state reeling as thousands of Oregonians lost homes, jobs and their way of life. It detailed shortcomings in the state’s response and included suggestions so officials can better prepare for the next disaster that strikes Oregon.

The wide-ranging report includes examinations of how homeowners received financial assistance for their damaged houses, private fundraising and efforts to provide battered communities with drinking water.

The 2020 wildfires scorched more than 1 million acres in 20 counties, destroyed or damaged more than 5,000 buildings and inflicted more than $500 million of damages across the state. That wildfire season was Oregon’s worst on record.

They coincided with the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The confluence of the pandemic and the wildfires partially shaped the state’s response, as officials from across different agen-

cies coordinated virtually at times to share information and map out the recovery. In some cases that helped, but collaboration might have been quicker had agency members been able to meet in person instead of relying on emails and video calls, the report concluded.

Due to the scope of the disaster, more than $550 million has poured into Oregon through Federal Emergency Management Agency programs. That includes nearly $40 million for individual households in Oregon, much of it housing assistance.

The state Department of Emergency Management plays a key role in coordinating resources after disasters, a mammoth undertaking that can involve numerous state and local agencies, community organizations, nonprofits and shelters. The report will provide guidance as the state updates and revises its disaster recovery plan, a document

for a variety of disasters, not just wildfires. That work will take months, but officials are already putting lessons learned into practice.

Now, for example, state officials monitor wildfires before they are within striking distance of populated areas so they can respond quicker if necessary.

“Prior to 2020, we would wait for damages to take place,” said Stan Thomas, OEM deputy director and Mitigation and Recovery Section Division director. “Today we are tracking wildfires that are within what I would consider a fair distance of populated areas.”

Report findings

The report’s findings include:

• Several agencies needed to work together better to respond to shortages of drinking

water. Initially, local and state officials had little information about public drinking water systems, how they operated and who regulated them, causing delays in restoring potable water to communities. The agency soon set up a task force across several state and local agencies to restore drinking water, sewer systems and watershed protection to burned areas.

• Economic recovery work among agencies was hampered by requests from different sources, often for the same information but in different formats.

• Economic recovery personnel also reported confusion with directives from multiple sources and competing priorities without a clear command structure. This led to delays, the report said.

• Agencies struggled to reconcile data from different sources, such as property tax records and state records. This led to delays in recov-

ery assistance for property owners. “It also slowed down the initial stages of recovery at the local level, frustrating residents and diminishing trust between survivors and their local government,” the report said.

• The state didn’t have strong connections with local nonprofits and other community organizations, partly because COVID-19 restrictions hampered their ability to meet groups in person. “This led to some inexperienced, unvetted local organizations and organizations outside the impacted area receiving large donations,” the report said.

Next steps moving forward

The report makes a variety of recommendations, including:

• Developing improved ways to share data and information between organizations.

• Creating clear guidelines on what agency takes a lead role in temporary housing and shelter needs and what agency is responsible for long-term housing needs.

• Identify how water needs will be addressed in future recovery efforts and list potential agencies that could play a role depending on the situation.

Challenges related to information-sharing also unfold on a national level during disasters, Thomas said, adding that there are ongoing efforts about how to centralize data collection.

That way, survivors won’t need to repeat their accounts.

“When a survivor talks to

the Red Cross or a survivor talks to FEMA or a survivor talks to a state agency, those individual organizations can’t share that personal information without written consent from the survivor,” he said.

“We had so many organizations that were getting involved, what we ended up doing was the survivor had to repeat their story 20 times, which is not healthy for the survivor.”

Thomas said the work of putting the recommendations and rewriting the state’s plan could take about a year and involve input from different agencies and people.

The plans are important to prepare Oregon for the next disaster and help communities be resilient, he said. Another fire season like 2020 is possible, as is any other type of natural disaster, he said.

“As we look to the future and we look at our climate changing, I think that we will have more disasters, and I think the disasters that we have will be more severe,” he said. “I don’t want to look at the crystal ball and see dark skies. However, yes, we could have another straight line wind event and firestorm like we had in 2020. We could have more severe ice storms and winter storms.”

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.

Columbia County seeking guest hosts for parks

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

Volunteer Guest Host opportunities are available at many Columbia County Parks, including Scappoose RV and Dibblee Beach.

Guest Hosts monitor park activities, accept fees and donations, and perform onsite custodial and maintenance work (raking leaves, lifting items, emptying garbage cans, walking over uneven terrain, etc.) as

required.

Hosts ensure positive relations with park users, campers, and staff. Some related experience is preferred, and candidates must be able to provide stable and consistent oversight

of the park. The county provides Guest Hosts with a free RV or fifth-wheel site; water, electricity, and garbage are included.

To be considered, submit a fully completed volunteer application online

at https://columbiacounty. info/ParkHost. Applicants will undergo a background check, including a criminal history check. If a couple is applying jointly, each person must fill out a separate application and authoriza -

tion to release information form. This recruitment is an ongoing recruitment with candidates considered as opportunities in the various parks occur.

Amanda Loman/Oregon Capital Chronicle

Greg Wentzel, of West Salem, searches through the remains of his vacation home in Detroit, Oregon with his children, Ozzy, 13, and Destiny, 8, in September 2020 after wildfires.

Multi-State Court Action

Prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded schools

Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded schools, requires that schools act to prevent discrimination and harassment on campus.

A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia, led by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, announced Aug. 29, that the states have filed an amicus (also known as a friend of the court) brief with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a class-action case entitled Hunter v US Department of Education.

The brief supports arguments that a 2020 rule adopted during the tail end

of the Trump administration is invalid. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of students opposing the Department of Education’s implementation of a new regulation governing Title IX’s religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws. The new regulation significantly weakened protections from discrimination on religious grounds, according to a release from Rosenblum.

“When Congress enacted Title IX, it included a narrow exemption for schools controlled by religious institutions that have tenets incompatible

with Title IX,” the release stats. “However, during the Trump administration, the Department of Education used administrative rulemaking to vastly expand this narrow religious exemption.”

One such rule, adopted in August 2020, makes it more difficult for prospective students to tell which schools are claiming a religious

exception,” According to Rosenblum. The DOE eliminated the requirement that educational institutions advise the Office for Civil Rights in writing if they wanted to invoke a religious exemption. As a result, schools could invoke the exemption, without notice, in response to a student’s complaint.

“During the Trump ad -

ministration his Department of Education gutted protections for women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and other classes of students that had been in place for four decades,” Rosenblum said. “Title IX needs to be strengthened, not systematically weakened. Students ought to know before they get to campuses whether their academic institutions will protect their rights or undermine them.”

As the brief states, students “… should not have to wait until after they become a victim of discrimination to learn that their school considers

itself exempt from Title IX’s anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and antiretaliation rules. Nor should schools be allowed to wait to assert their exemption from Title IX until after a complainant comes forward with an allegation.”

The amicus brief was led by Rosenblum, and joined by the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

FDA approving drugs after fewer trials

MOLLY ROSENBACH

Chronicle Guest Column

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is approving more novel pharmaceutical drugs based on single clinical trials and with less public disclosure about those trials than was the norm just a few years ago, a pair of studies from Oregon State University found. Researchers agree it is important to minimize delays in making treatments for diseases such as cancer available to patients, but they say their findings point to a need for greater transparency around how drugs receive approval.

For many drugs that have been tested in multiple clinical trials, pharmaceutical companies are only required to share the results from two trials, leaving questions about why they chose those two for submission and what happened in the other trials, study co-author Veronica Irvin said.

“We’re not saying that cancer drugs need a lot more studies; just that they should show all the results or trials that are completed,” said Irvin, an associate professor in OSU’S College of Health. “It doesn’t mean they wouldn’t get approved, but it means we’d have a more complete picture.”

The research team focused on the period after implementation of the federal 21st Century Cures Act, passed with bipartisan support in 2016 and meant to accelerate approval of new medicines so patients could gain access to life-saving drugs that would otherwise take years to become available.

As part of that law, the FDA relaxed some standards to allow treatments for priority health conditions such as cancer to be approved with fewer supporting studies, and placed less emphasis on

randomized clinical trials, allowing pharmaceutical companies to rely on surrogate markers instead of clinical outcomes in certain cases. Surrogate markers are used as substitutes when the direct clinical outcomes take a long time to study, and they should be related to the clinical outcomes.

For example, Irvin said, it might take years of following patients in a long-term clinical trial to determine if a drug reduces their risk of a heart attack, so measuring the surrogate marker of blood pressure enables the drug to move through the approval process more quickly. However, reduced blood pressure does not assure reduced risk of death from heart disease, she said.

The studies, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open and Health Affairs Scholar, reviewed FDA approvals for novel drugs in in 2017 and 2022 to determine how many trials were used to evaluate each drug prior to receiving approval from the FDA.

Researchers also looked at the availability of drug trial results on the public-

facing ClinicalTrials.gov, a database maintained by the National Institutes of Health that patients can use to learn more about drugs they may be prescribed.

By the numbers

Of the 37 drugs approved by the FDA in 2022, 24 (about 65%) were approved based on a single study. Four of the 37 drugs (about 11%) reported three or more studies before approval. Roughly half of the 413 studies available for analysis were classified as randomized clinical trials, while results were publicly posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for only 103 of the 413 studies.

In 2016, prior to the Cures Act, only four of 20 novel drugs (20%) were approved based on a single trial.

In the Health Affairs Scholar article, researchers found that of the 46 novel drugs approved in 2017, 19 (41%) were approved based on results from a single study — though the drugmakers conducted an average of 2.2 studies per drug, including 165 studies for the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic. Despite drugmakers

completing an average of 5.82 studies per drug prior to FDA approval, results were disclosed on ClinicalTrials.

gov prior to approval for only 1.42 studies on average.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the FDA is denied access to those full results, Irvin said, but the public cannot read the results until they are posted publicly.

For 33 of the 46 medications (72%), at least one brand-new result was posted on ClinicalTrials.gov within nine months after approval had been given, but in many cases the studies had been completed prior to FDA evaluation.

“Everything is supposed to be transparent with this FDA process,” Irvin said. “The purpose of ClinicalTrials.gov was to have a way for the non-scientific community to access the trials and their results, in a way that people can understand.”

When the FDA states that it has reviewed drugmakers’ two submitted studies, consumers are missing information about how many other studies were conducted, what those results showed and why those specific two studies were chosen for evaluation, Irvin said. “We want doctors and patients to be able to see the whole picture,” she said.

The lead author for both papers is Robert Kaplan from Stanford University, with co-author Amanda Koong, a medical student at the McGovern School of Medicine in Texas.

Molly Rosbach works at the OSU Department of Marketing and Research. She may be reached at molly. rosbach@oregonstate.edu.

Courtesy photo

For many drugs that have been tested in multiple clinical trials, pharmaceutical companies are only required to share the results from two trials, leaving questions about why they chose those two for submission and what happened in the other trials.

News and Views

The magic of life

MICHELLE PIERSON YOUNG Chronicle

Guest Column

Everyone knows a magician never tells their secrets.

Middle aged women are the true keepers of the magic of life. Since this is a wellkept secret, I’ll elaborate.

Everyone, upon entering the stage of life, was given a sometimes looser or sometimes very specific role to play. Once women hit middle age and mother nature eases off the accelerator on the estrogen bus, we begin to see life doesn’t exactly work the way we were told it would, so we might begin to consider NOT working the way we were told we should. We start looking around the world and, hopefully, we stop affording toward what we were told, and we realize the cost of things. Not dollars. Energy.

Doing anything takes energy. Doing things we don’t want to do, don’t serve us,

or doing things that are in reality other’s to do, is very expensive energy. The fortunate middle-aged woman, and let’s not be sexist here, and man, knows the most important resources we have are our time and our energy. Used unwisely, our outcome is a life of quiet desperation. No thank you.

Perhaps it’s heresy to say, but what if our greatest successes come when we use less energy, but that energy, time and thought we do use, is focused, precise and targeted toward our best outcomes?

Not only did I hit the Wall of Middle Age going 60 miles an hour, but I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. I didn’t just have an existential crisis because I likely have more life behind than ahead, but I’d worn myself out by driving in everyone’s lane but my own. I was trying to be and do and experience other people’s views and values and live on their outcomes. And then

one day I found I couldn’t do anything at all.

Since then, I’ve had a proper timeout, considered what I’ve done, and realized the error of my ways. More importantly, I know what I’ll do that’s different than I did before.

Whatever your age or sex, here’s the magic of understanding life isn’t joking around: You will best serve the world, your relationships and yourself when you stop doing the things that take so much energy from you, and start doing those that fill your tank up.

And watch then, the world just might respond with, “Thanks, we’ve been waiting for you.” While this may not be a secret, it does feel like magic. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself and see what happens.

Michelle Pierson Young is a Lincoln City life coach. She may be reached at Michelleatplay.com or at 503-957-0821.

Community eVents

August 31 13 Nights on the River 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Macey Gard Band is playing at Columbia View Park.

September 9 Work Party with Friends of Nob Hill Nature Park 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Come help pull ivy, blackberry, and other weeds and help put in native sedges and rushes along the Fifth Street Right of Way trail. Pre-registration is required. Call the Scappoose Bay Watershed Council at 503-397-7904 or email info@ scappoosebay-wc.org.

September 11 9/11 Remembrance

8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Hometown Heroes of Columbia County is hosting “Reading of the Names” of those who perished on 9/11/2001. Event is free and will be held in front of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at 901 Port Ave. in St. Helens.

September 19 2nd Annual Columbia County Senior Health Fair 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Columbia River Four Square Church, 555 Commons Dr., St. Helens. Come by and check out the 70+ vendors. This event is free. For more information visit www.understandingmymedicare.com or contact Beth Moffett at 503-9871113.

October 7 The Big Halloween Parade

6:30 p.m. Parade starts at Columbia Blvd. at the Chamber office and will end at the intersection of 1st St. and Saint Helens St. To apply to be in the parade email www.

thebighalloweenparade.com. Applications due by July 31, 2023.

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 503-3975390 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. Fopr more information, call 503397-5390.

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council

Lower Columbia Watershed 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.

SOCCER

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.

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.

Watch Spring 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.

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.

The Chronicle

CONTACT

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From Page A1

that the style of St. Helens soccer in the past had been more of the kick-the-balland-chase style, so this year is bringing an adjustment to what many of the players are used to.

Last year, there was a heavy contingent of seniors and exchange students on the team, so there are many players on the team who are stepping into more prominent roles. As the players have gotten more comfortable with the new responsibilities and Cole’s style, they are starting to grasp the concepts Cole is teaching about possession.

“I always tell the kids, you can’t score if you don’t have the ball,” Cole said. Cole said that the formation and style that his team plays will largely be dictated by what the opponent is doing. Cole noted that teaching flexibility and adaptability are significant components of what he wants his team to do. Cole teaches that positions on the field are fluid, and it doesn’t matter who plays what but that somebody is there. Looking ahead

FAIRGROUNDS

From Page A1

With partners in the community and volunteers like John L. Scott and others, we’ll just do them the best we can,” Heimuller said. “Whatever funds we can make this year for a roof replacement, we’ll pick the worst one, and do it, and then move on to the next one if that’s the way we have to get it done.”

Emergency utility

While the fairgrounds are home to one of the highlights of the year during the Columbia County Fair and Rodeo, they are also the emergency evacuation site where people can gather. Many will remember that the fairgrounds hosted livestock and people during wildfire evacuations in Sep-

competing in the Cowapa League again this year, which is a level he said St. Helens should be competitive in. Last year, the team finished with a record of 1-12-1 and ranked last in the Cowapa League, but with the same record as Astoria.

In their two preseason games, they lost 3-0 and tied their second game 2-2.

Cole isn’t concerned about the loss, as it was a friendly preseason game, and he just wants to see that the players are trying to implement the system.

Cole is not alone in coaching the team and relies upon several assistant coaches and volunteers to help get the group ready to compete.

“My assistant coach of many years now is Jose Ramirez, a long-time resident of St. Helens. He is highly recognizable to anyone playing adult soccer in the local area,” Cole said. “His well-respected soccer skill set in playing the game is a huge asset to show the kids how to move on the field as well as the tactics of the game.”

In addition to Ramirez, Cole is aided by other player

tember of 2020.

Howell said that one of her concerns is that there would not be enough restroom facilities in the case of an emergency use of the fairgrounds. Howell also said they would need generators to support services in case of evacuations as well.

“I’ve been looking online for grants because we need so much. We need generators and we need more restrooms,” Howell said. “FEMA, if they came in, if they were to ever consider us doing a covered arena, we need full hook ups for RVs, because that’s what they bring in.”

Heimuller said that the fairgrounds, the county, and the county fair board are often called into service at fairgrounds across the nation during floods, fires, snow emergencies, or even when somebody’s barn collapses at home.

Are you ready for the change of season from summer to fall? Yes

Helens High School players. Cole said that it’s critical to recognize that there are a lot of people contributing to the team this year. Between JV and varsity, there are 25 players in the program, and the varsity squad will consist of about 14 or 15 players in a given week.

Ultimately, while Cole is very competitive and wants to win, the experience and life skills the kids take away from their time is the most important aspect of Cole’s coaching.

“Yes, it’s competition, and yes, we want to win games, but I just want to see the kids develope and become good human beings out in the world,” Cole said. “I’m here to help you get not only skills on the pitch but life skills. How to overcome and adapt: give yourself permission to make mistakes, but figure out why you made that mistake. Learn from them, get better. These are all life skills we all need to learn. At the end of the day, it’s a game: somebody wins, somebody loses, but if you gave your all out there, you just have to feel good about the effort you gave.”

During the fire in 2020, Heimuller said the fairgrounds housed “livestock, personnel, people, campers, and everything else.” Because of that emergency need, it is critical to keep the fairgrounds in tip-top shape.

“The fairgrounds, I always say, is the living room of the county. It’s where everybody comes for fun, and it’s where everybody comes for emergencies,” Heimuller said. “We do all as citizens have an obligation to do what we can to keep our fairgrounds in really good shape. We’re very fortunate that we have probably the most beautiful and one of the largest, if not the largest, fairgrounds in the state of Oregon. But with all of that said, it takes a lot of money to keep those facilities up. So, anything that anybody can do to help us with that is very important.”

What are your plans for Labor Day?

Will Lohre / Country Media, Inc.

In Jim Cole’s new offense, he wants ball movement to create the chances.

Richard Gerald Murray

Sept. 19, 1950 ~ Aug. 15, 2023

Lifelong St. Helens resident, Richard Gerald Murray, passed away at age 72 on August 15, 2023, in St. Helens, Oregon. He was born to Bob and Mabel Murray on Sept. 19, 1950, in St. Helens, Oregon. Rich attended St. Hel ens schools and was a 1968 graduate of St. Helens High and then attended Portland State University. He worked at Boise Cascade, Trojan, and the shipyards before becom ing a pipefitter with Local #235 and then Local #290, where he was a member for 47 years.

He played Little League baseball and then carried that through to high school.

named “Wheels” and made many friends during that time. He was an avid golfer

Charlotte Burkett Cross

Oct. 2, 1930 ~ Aug. 10, 2023

floor. Charlotte always enjoyed family gatherings at her home, especially Christmas Eve, which became a tradition. She had a love for books and in later years you would find her happily watching her game shows and enjoying her glass of wine.

and played for many years on the Men’s League. He loved boating, fishing, crabbing, and clamming while spending time at the family’s beach house in Ocean Park, Washington.

He enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and those memories we will cherish forever.

Rich and his wife had many travel adventures: Caribbean Cruise (Miami, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten), Cabo, Cancun, Australia, Tasmania, and Hawaii.

Rich was a member of the St. Helens Elks Lodge for 16 years. He is survived by his

loving wife, Tracie Murray, of 45 years, which was celebrated on August 12th of this year; son Kyle Murray of Columbia City; daughter Leah Brunell of Yankton; siblings, Peter Murray of Tasmania, Roberta (BJ) of St. Helens, Glen (Buzz) of Scappoose, and Rex Murray of St. Helens; grandsons, Avery and Silas; granddaughters, Violet and Ivy; and numerous nieces, great-nieces, nephews, and great-nephews. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2023 at the St. Helens Elk Lodge. Please sign our online register book at www.columbiafh.com.

Imogene Ruth Bigger

Feb. 15, 1932 ~ Aug. 1, 2023

Imogene Ruth Bigger of Scappoose, Oregon passed away on Aug. 1, 2023. She was born on Feb. 15, 1932, in Priest River, Idaho.

Charlotte was a graduate of Scappoose High. In 1947 she met the love of her life Kenneth Cross, whom she married in 1948 and celebrated 51 years together, before his death in 1999. Charlotte was an amazing mom who raised four children along with Ken. Charlotte loved to travel, read and had a love for dancing, and it was hard to keep her off the dance

REMS

From Page A1

the fires to assess which areas may need more support.

When not actively performing life-saving operations, careful planning is critical to the team being prepared to jump into action. The REM team uses a “PACE” model. This acronym stands for “Primary,” “Alternate,” “Contingency,” and “Emergency.”

“Those are kind of the core functions that any team leader focuses on in their work cycle because you can pretty much guarantee that nothing is going to go as planned,” Pricher said. “You need to have backups, and it’s just an easy way of remembering.”

“It’s all in the pre-plan,” Liebig added.

Collaboration

One notable aspect of the deployment at the Bedrock Fire was it was the first time

Charlotte is survived by three of her four children, including daughters, Linda Bolen, Marsha Cross and her youngest son Rex Cross; grandchildren, Jerry Glasscock, Kye Bolen, Wendy Bolen, and Lisa Cross; as well as great grandson Riley Bolen. Her oldest son Richard Cross preceded her in death.

The family would like to thank Spring Meadows Assisted Living in St. Helens, Oregon for the compassionate care of Charlotte during her time in their care. She was an amazing mom and grandmother and will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Imogene was married to Bobby Bigger, and together they had three children: Scott, John, and Sharon. From there, she had three grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren, and one greatgreat-grandchild. She was laid to rest beside her husband in Rest Lawn Memorial Park in Junction City, Oregon.

March 17, 1961 ~ Aug. 19, 2023

Julius Ray Pritchett was born on March 17, 1961 and passed away on Aug. 19, 2023. A celebration of life will be held from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 2, 2023 at Yankton Grange, 33065 Pittsburg Rd., St. Helens, Oregon. This will be a potluck style event.

poose,’ you don’t go out on those big incidents,” Pricher said.

Pricher said this experience gives the teams excellent knowledge of the Incident Command System and evaluating a large-scale emergency response.

Pricher estimated that there are likely less than six agency REM teams in the state of Oregon. Liebig said there are private REM teams but that SRFD’s team was one of the first agency units of its kind.

that SRFD partnered with Clackamas County Fire District (CCFD). CCFD recently received a grant so they could purchase a special rig similar to SRFD’s.

CCFD sent people to the Bedrock Fire with SRFD’s REM unit to gain knowledge of their function and operations to use in their program. Pricher said that SRFD has partnered with “everybody in Columbia County.”

“If they have folks that

they want to send out with our REM unit, we’re glad to go out as a team, like a county team. Columbia County representing for sure,” Pricher said. In a given year, Pricher said that the unit gets deployed at least a dozen times a year, between search and rescue operations, fires, or other incidents. Pricher said that the experience that the team members get when responding to large fires is invaluable.

“They are seeing largescale incident management in a way that they might only see once or twice in a career if it was just ‘little old Scap-

During downtime on wildland fires, the crew is constantly training to be ready when they are called into action. Another point of emphasis for Pricher about the value of these units is the collaboration that this unit promotes.

“The only other thing to highlight is how specialty units like this can truly help build camaraderie and teamwork. Because nobody can do this by themselves, whether it’s internally, working amongst our staff, but externally with our other agency partners,” Pricher said. “It actually facilitates and forces you to want to work with your neighbors to be better at what we do.”

List of Leagues

Julius Ray Pritchett

Will Lohre / Country Media, Inc.

Paul Liebig with the UTV in the safety of the SRFD garage, following the 14 day deployment.

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CH23-1423

NOTICE OF TEMPORARY LANE CLOSURE

Notice of Temporary Lane Closures on Gable Road (East of Hwy 30) adjacent to Walmart. Anticipated dates of temporary

CH23-1405

lane closures – Monday August 28th – Tues October 31st. Number of days – 47 working days. Expect single lane traffic control

on Gable Road intermittently between Monday August 28th and Tues Oct 31th during normal working hours.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of GARY GENE DUNCAN, Deceased. Case No. 23PB05616 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Proceedings

COLUMBIA

representative. Dated and first published on: August

16, 2023. Wendy L. Etienne, Personal Representative, 33392 Wikstrom Road, Scappoose, OR 97056, Phone: (218) 324-0477. Attorney for Personal Representative: Aaron J. Trukositz, OSB No. 204618 LOWER COLUMBIA LAW GROUP LLC, 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, Oregon 97056, Phone: (503) 543-4800, Fax: (888) 543-4806, Email: aaron@lowercolumbialaw. com.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DEPARTMENT

P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, Oregon; and if not so presented, they may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative or the attorneys for the personal representative. Dated and first published: August

16, 2023. Date of second published: August 23, 2023. Date of final publication: August 30, 2023. TERRY LANEY c/o VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, Attorneys at Law P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. Attorneys: VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, Attorneys at Law, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, Oregon 97051, Telephone: (503) 397-4091.

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CH23-1417

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Monday September 11, 2023 NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Agnes Marie Petersen, has applied for a Subdivision in a Forest Agriculture FA-80. This property is having 45 acres and is located at 33625 Tide Creek Rd Deer Island, OR 97054.

SAID PUBLIC HEARING will be held before the Columbia County Planning Commission on Monday, September 11, 2023, starting at 6:30 p.m. This meeting will be hybrid in nature, allowing participants to log into a digital Go-To-Meeting (link provided below) or attend in person at Healy Hall within the Columbia County Public Works Department, addressed at 1054 Oregon Street in St. Helens. Columbia County Planning Commission Meeting Link https:// meet.goto.com/880602597

You can also dial in using your phone. Access Code: 880-602-597 United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 United States: +1 (571) 3173116 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 197.763; 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

CH23-1418

report. A copy of the application, all documents and evidence relied upon by the applicants, and the staff reports are available for inspection at no cost and will be provided at reasonable cost, at the Land Development Services office, at least 7 days prior to the Planning Commission hearing. Written comments on the issue can be submitted via email to Planning@ columbiacountyor.gov or you can send comments via U.S. Mail to Columbia County, Department of Land Development Services, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051. If additional documents or evidence are provided in support of the applications, prior to or during the hearing, any party shall be entitled to a continuance of the hearing to allow review of the new evidence. If a participant requests a continuance before the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing, the record shall remain open for at least seven days after the hearing. The hearing will be held in accordance with the provision of the Zoning Ordinance. At each hearing, the applicant has the burden of presenting substantial evidence showing that the application meets all of the applicable criteria. Following presentation of the staff report, the applicant and other persons in favor of the application will be allowed to address the commission,

explaining how the evidence submitted meets the applicable criteria. Following the applicant’s presentation, any person in opposition to the application may present evidence and argument against the application. The applicant will then have the opportunity to rebut any evidence or arguments presented in opposition. After the presentation of evidence and arguments, the public hearing record will be either left open or closed by the Planning Commission. The Commission will then make a tentative decision to be followed by approval of a written order and a statement of findings and conclusions supporting the decision, which will be mailed to all parties at a later date. The Commission may, at its discretion, continue the hearing from time to time at the request of the parties or on its own motion as necessary to afford substantial justice and comply with the law. Additional information about this application may be obtained from the Planning Division of the Land Development Services Department, at (503) 397-1501. If you have any questions or concerns regarding access to the meeting or need accommodation, please call the Land Development Services office at (503) 397-1501. September 11, 2023 THE PLANNING COMMISSION, Dan Magnia, Chairman.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON

FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DEPARTMENT

In the Matter of the Estate of CLAYTON GODFREY DUHAIME, Deceased. No: 23PB07124

NOTICE TO INTERESTED

PERSONS NOTICE is hereby given that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present their claim(s) within four months of the first publica-

CH23-1422

tion of this notice to the Personal Representative at the office of VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, Oregon 97051; and if not so presented, they 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 the attorneys for the personal rep-

resentative. First published: August 23, 2023. Michelle E. Fitzgerald, Personal Representative. Personal Representative: Michelle E. Fitzgerald, c/o VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, OR 97051. Attorney for Personal Representative: Mary Anne Anderson, VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, OR 97051, Phone: (503) 397-4091.

FAIR HOUSING RESOLUTION

LET IT BE KNOWN TO

ALL PERSONS of the City of St. Helens that discrimination in the sale, rental, lease, advertising of sale, rental or lease, financing of housing or land to be used for construction of housing, or

County does hereby pass the following Resolution: BE IT RESOLVED that within the resources available to the City/County through city, county, state, federal and community volunteer sources, the City/County

developers, home buyers and home or apartment renters to become aware of their respective responsibilities and rights under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and any applicable state or local laws or ordinances.

CH23-1411

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of RUBY MARIE CARTER, Deceased. Case No. 23PB05580 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Proceedings for this estate have been commenced. Claims against the estate may be presented to the personal representative listed below. Any person who has a claim against the estate must present the claim to the personal representative not later than four months after the

CH23-1414

date of the first publication of this notice at the following address: 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, OR 97056. Any claim not presented within this time period may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the estate proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published

on: August 23, 2023. Mark Carter, Personal Representative, 9161 NW Germantown Road, Portland, OR 97231, Phone: (503) 860-1402. Attorney for Personal Representative: Aaron J. Trukositz, OSB No. 204618 LOWER COLUMBIA LAW GROUP LLC, 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, Oregon 97056, Phone: (503) 543-4800, Fax: (888) 543-4806, Email: aaron@ lowercolumbialaw.com.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of KENNETH JAY TICE, Deceased. Case No. 23PB06541 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Proceedings for this estate have been commenced. Claims against the estate may be presented to the personal representative listed below. Any person who has a claim against the estate must present the claim to the personal representative not later than four months

CH23-1419

after the date of the first publication of this notice at the following address: 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, OR 97056. Any claim not presented within this time period may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the estate proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and

first published on August 23, 2023. Stacey Tice, Personal Representative, 1908 223rd Place, Ocean Park, WA 98640, Phone: (503) 7501015. Attorney for Personal Representative: Aaron J. Trukositz, OSB No. 204618, LOWER COLUMBIA LAW GROUP LLC, 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, Oregon 97056, Phone: (503) 5434800, Fax: (888) 543-4806, Email: aaron@lowercolumbialaw.com.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA

Probate Department

In the Matter of the Estate of HELEN BERNICE SMITH, Deceased. Case No. 23PB05949 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Proceedings for this estate have been commenced. Claims against the estate may be presented to the personal representative listed below. Any person who has a claim against the estate must present the claim to the personal representative not later than four months

CH23-1421

after the date of the first publication of this notice at the following address: 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, OR 97056. Any claim not presented within this time period may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the estate proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and

first published on: August 30, 2023. Theresa M. Smith, Personal Representative, 374 North 8th, St. Helens, OR 97051, Phone: (503) 3961535. Attorney for Personal Representative: Aaron J. Trukositz, OSB No. 204618, LOWER COLUMBIA LAW GROUP LLC, 52490 Southeast Second Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, Oregon 97056, Phone: (503) 5434800, Fax: (888) 543-4806, Email: aaron@lowercolumbialaw.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE - INVITATION TO BID

Trench / Bore Grey Cliffs Drive Notice is hereby given that Columbia River People’s Utility District (PUD) will receive sealed bids for Trenching and/or Boring on Grey Cliffs Drive in St. Helens. Bids will be received by the PUD, 64001 Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054 until 3:30 p.m., pacific prevailing time, on September 26, 2023, at

publicly opened. The bids will be available for public inspection at the PUD office after the bid opening. The bid documents may be examined at the office of the PUD, 64001 Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054. Paper or electronic copies of the bid documents may be obtained by sending a written request to Columbia River PUD. P.O. Box

97051, or by visiting the PUD Website at https:// www.crpud.net/my-pud/ bid-documents/. Columbia River PUD reserves the right to reject any and all bids that are not in compliance with the bid documents and prescribed public bidding procedures and to reject, for good cause, any or all bids upon a finding by the PUD that it is in the public interest

Road, Clatskanie, OR 97016,

sentative: Aaron J. Trukositz,

Spirit of Halloweentown celebrates 25th filming anniversary

The following is a press release from the City of St. Helens:

Since 1998, the city of St. Helens, Oregon, undergoes a magical transformation each fall, decking out its historical Riverfront District in all things Halloween. The city pays homage to two movies that were filmed in the town: Disney’s “Halloweentown” and the vampire-novel-turned-movie “Twilight.”

Each Spirit of Halloweentown weekend offers a unique Halloween-inspired theme with attractions and celebrity appearances to delight the entire family. The 2023 event takes place each weekend from September 16 – October 31, 2023.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the filming and release of the Disney Channel Original Movie “Hal

loweentown.” The majority of the movie was filmed in the St. Helens Riverfront District, and Spirit of Halloweentown is celebrating this milestone anniversary with special events happening on October 21-22, 2023. The Spirit of Halloweentown 2023 themed schedule includes:

September 16-17: Twilight Weekend with special guest appearances.

September 23-24: Hocus Pocus Weekend with special guest appearances.

September 30: Spirit of Halloweentown Mayor Election and Pumpkin Lighting Ceremony. Help vote for your favorite representative to rule the 2023 festival, then join the mayor-elect at our one-of-a-kind Pumpkin Lighting Ceremony.

October 7: The Big Halloween Parade and Pumpkin

Lighting Ceremony. Watch the annual Big Halloween Parade presented by Heather Epperly Agency of American Family Insurance, then attend our most popular event: the annual lighting of our giant Halloween pumpkins (yes, we will be lighting the pumpkins two weekends in a row this year.)

October 14: The Haunted Hot Rods. Start your engines and race to Spirit of Halloweentown to see our streets lined with spookily-decorated hearses, trucks, classic cars, and other unique vehicles!

October 21-22: 25th Anniversary Celebration of the “Halloweentown” Movie. Snag tickets for a celebration of “Halloweentown” in the same location where the movie was filmed.

October 28-29: Witchy Weekend with Beer Fest

and Little Trick or Treaters Parade. Witches will be everywhere this weekend, including a few famous names you probably know. We will even have paddling witches floating down the Columbia River! The weekend will also include a Beer Fest, The Ghouls Gambol Rally, and The Little Trick or Treaters Parade presented by The Chronicle.

Spirit of Halloweentown also features regular attractions that are available every weekend. Be sure to enjoy our free Halloweenthemed photo opportunities in the Plaza Square. Come in costume to get your Instagram-perfect fall photo, then participate in our costume contest held every Saturday and Sunday to win cash prizes. Stop by our Vendor Village for shopping, dining, and face painting. Visit the pirate crew of the Outrageous Fortune on our waterfront for cannon

Crossword puzzle

and pistol demonstrations, storytimes for little ones, and other shenanigans. We also have roaming street entertainers and free street performances every weekend, a haunted house, and multiple performances every Saturday and Sunday by our famous Caldron Sisters, who delight crowds with their witchy dances.

Take a boat ride adventure on the Columbia River and hunt for Bigfoot on Sand Island, jump aboard our train ride to see our enchanted mermaids sculpture, and visit with our resident live mermaid, Una, who is now accompanied by magical unicorn guests!

Will you dare to believe, after attending our Alien Interview event, the only visiting alien that appears to chat with you in a holodeck? Learn the haunted histories and magical tales behind our display pieces in the Museum of Peculiarities and Oddities. Be the first to

explore our new attraction this year: The Great Big Halloween Exhibit. Inside our big tent, you will stroll through Halloween past and present. Enjoy seeing the displays of traditional decorations paired with big symbols of the holiday, showcasing the styles and traditions that have made Halloween one of the most celebrated holidays in the modern world. Discover all our Spirit of Halloweentown attractions, purchase general admission tickets, and see our full list of celebrity engagement events at www.spiritofhalloweentown.com. Due to waterfront construction, parking for the 2023 season is located at 1810 Old Portland Road, where a shuttle will take you to our event. Event dates and times are subject to change. Be sure to check our website at www. spiritofhallowentown.com before visiting for the most up-to-date information.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: HEALTH & FITNESS

11. Sailor’s assent

13. *Uncontrollable movement disorder

14. Retire from military

19. Deprive by deceit

22. *”All the rage” diet, e.g.

23. Way to curl hair

24. *Pertaining to kidneys

25. Manila hemp

26. *H in HIIT

27. Type of fishing net

28. Eagle’s nest

29. Easily irritated

32. Naive, alt. spelling

33. Excavated

36. *Annual exam

38. Not our

2. Moonfish

3. Infamous Roman Emperor

4. Between triad and pentad

5. Flora’s partner

6. Umbrella-like inflorescence

7. “The Untouchables” leader

8. *Richard Simmons’ workout

9. Deliver a tirade 10. Lake north of Cleveland

40. Young newt

41. Maid to a maid

44. Desert mirage

46. L. Carroll’s and J. Heller’s characters

48. Chose between competitors

49. Funereal bell sound

50. Wild goat

51. Loan attribute

52. Lime-rich soil

53. Dirty money

54. Greek portico

55. Legal grp.

58. *Heart test acronym

Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of The Chronicle.

County issues phone scam alert

Country Media, Inc.

Columbia County officials are issuing a telephone scam alert to area residents.

This latest scam is an oldie, but apparently a goodie, Columbia County Public Information Officer Mark Pacheco and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) states in

release. “We have received reports of citizens receiving phone calls from ‘deputies’ advising them they have a warrant for their arrest for missing jury duty,” Pacheco said. The callers allegedly ask for payment over the phone to avoid arrest.

“Please know that if you have a warrant out for your

arrest, we will just show up with a shiny pair of handcuffs. We won’t give you a call and an offer for you to take care of it over the phone,” Pacheco said. The advisory urges citizens to always remember whenever someone calls you and asks for money, hang up and call the utility, police department, or the Columbia County Sheriff’s

Office directly to verify, then make the payment in person.

“If you receive such a call informing you that you have a warrant for your arrest for missing jury duty, it is a scam,” the advisory states.

Please report these scam calls to CCSO Dispatch at 503-397-1521.

Audit finds lack of transparency in Medicaid prescription system

State regulators can do more to help Medicaid patients access medication by providing better oversight of an obscure but influential step of the prescription drug supply chain that starts with the manufacturer and ends with the pharmacist, auditors found.

An audit released

Monday by the Secretary of State’s Office found the state’s regulation of pharmacy benefit managers is lax and limited, even though the organizations play a central role in the prescription medications of nearly 1.5 million lowincome Oregonians enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid plan. That’s about one in three Oregonians. Pharmacy benefit managers are middlemen in the prescription drug industry. They manage prescription drug plans for insurers, negotiating prices with manufacturers and pharmacies. They play a major role in the cost of drugs –Oregon Medicaid insurers spend hundreds of millions on medications a year – and patient access to crucial medications.

“Pharmacy benefit managers play an important role in delivering pharmacy benefits to millions of Oregonians, but as the audit shows, they operate in a complex structure that lacks transparency,” Oregon

Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said in a statement. Their business practices can determine the financial health and viability of an independent pharmacy in rural Oregon – regardless of its distance from other pharmacies. Pharmacy benefit managers also influence whether a patient needs to travel to a specialty pharmacy to pick up a certain type of medication or what drugs an insurer will cover.

They can own pharmacies, too. That means that the pharmacies they own can get better reimbursements – and more money – than independent pharmacies, many in small rural towns with limited health care access.

“Pharmacists can help patients better manage their medications and their

in turn can help them lead healthier lives, reduce hospital admissions and save money for the state, so that is a critical component,” Ian Green, the audits manager for the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, said in an interview with the Capital Chronicle. “We found that generally speaking, independent and community pharmacies have lower reimbursements than national pharmacy chains or specialty and mail order pharmacies.”

Auditors: Vague financial information

In Oregon, Medicaid insurers reported spending $767 million on prescription drug benefits in 2021. The state’s Medicaid insurers, also called coordinated

with the Oregon Health Authority to provide health benefits. They also subcontract with pharmacy benefit managers. But auditors found that because pharmacy benefit managers are complex organizations with trade secrets it makes it close to impossible to gauge their profits and how much of the money comes from Oregon and U.S. taxpayers who pay for the Oregon Health Plan.

“This opaque system makes it impossible to understand the actual costs of prescription drugs and has garnered attention at multiple levels of government,” auditors wrote, noting that the Federal Trade Commission announced in 2022 it would launch an inquiry into pharmacy benefit managers.

Other findings of the audit are:

• An Oregonian on Medicaid who qualifies and uses a prescription drug can lose access if they move from one part of the state to another. This means they may need to try an ineffective medication first and jump through red tape to get qualified for coverage again. This is because Medicaid insurers assigned to various parts of Oregon have different agreements with pharmacy benefit managers.

“They should have the same access to medications, no matter where they live in Oregon,” Green said.

• Low or unfair reimbursement rates have led to a decline in local independent pharmacies, reducing access in rural regions.

• Other states require pharmacy benefit managers to disclose more, including information about their payments and fees.

• The Oregon Health Authority, which oversees Medicaid, performs “minimal monitoring” of prescription benefit managers.

Audit recommendations

Auditors recommended the Oregon Health Authority require its Medicaid insurers to conduct annual independent audits of prescription benefit managers. Those audits are now optional, the report said.

Auditors also recom-

mended the health authority assign employees to monitor compliance who don’t have a conflict of interest.

Currently, the authority has limited staff for compliance because employees with the necessary expertise work with the authority’s Oregon Prescription Drug Program, which purchases prescription drugs for programs including Oregon Health and Science University and the Oregon State Hospital.

The Oregon Health Authority agreed with the recommendations. In a response letter, the authority said it should have more staff assigned by mid-2024 and enact requirements for independent outside audits of pharmacy benefit managers by January 2025.

Auditors also recommended lawmakers pass bills that would change the system, including a universal list of covered prescription drugs for all Medicaid insurers to ensure fairness and equal access, and requirements for pharmacy benefit managers to provide data annually, including information about its fees and profits.

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.

Getty Images Oregon needs to provide better oversight of pharmacy benefit managers so people on Medicaid can have equal access to medication, state auditors found.

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