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Wednesday, October 16, 2013
2/21/12
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Scappoose football scores 7 straight TDs in win over Tillamook, Page A13 Page 1
The Chronicle
TODAY’S WEATHER Mostly sunny Highs to 64 Page A12 Lows to 38
$1.00 Vol. 131, No. 42 16 Pages
www.thechronicleonline.com
Middle schools sports, gun policy tops school board agenda BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle
It seems the past has become the present for the St. Helens School District. During the school board’s Oct. 9 work session, two issues dealt with previously have once again moved to the forefront. Just two years ago, funding shortages at the school district ended with the defunding of middle school sports. A plan brought forward by Mark Janke, dean of students at St. Helens Middle School, just may resurrect the now defunct program.
PGE is top taxpayer in Columbia County
“I hear the board may consider reinstating middle school sports. There are a lot of benefits to school sports, one of them is that a large number of students involved in school sports is… they have to meet behavioral and academic standards,” said Bert Mueller, president of the St. Helens Sports Boosters Club. “They also exert themselves physically, which has certain benefits. Competition intensifies their dedication.” Under the plan brought forward by Janke, cross-country, volleyball, girls’ basketball, wrestling, boys’ basketball and track would be reinstated. Football, however, was ruled
out as being too expensive to fund. By reinstating the six sports programs, the school district would incur an estimated $6,700 in transportation costs, $18,000 for coaches and an athletic director and $5,000 for officials. Supplies and uniform rotation costs would be covered by the Sports Boosters with those costs not to exceed $5,000. Under the proposed plan, all of the expenses picked up by the school district would be covered student user fees set at $100 per student per sport along with a $3 gate fee. Janke’s proposal estimates 23 students for cross-country; 45
students for volleyball; 57 students for girls’ basketball; 30 students for wrestling; 60 students for boys’ basketball and 130 for track. The total estimated student fees collected is just over $29,000. The total gate fees – based on 40 spectators at each home contest (five per season) and 100 spectators at two home track meets – are estimated at $3,000. Mueller wasn’t the only one at the school board meeting backing the proposal. “By not having middle school sports, we have eliminated a group of students who can’t afford athletics… when I was in school, I was
one of those kids. I didn’t have parents to pick me up from games but my coaches were there, the teachers were there, the team was my support group,” said Rich Bailey. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here. We all know the good that sports can do. We just have to think of we can help those kids.” Because the proposed coaching fees are reduced from the rate negotiated by the St. Helens Education Association, the union would have to approve the reduction before the school board can move forward with reinstating the sports program. See SCHOOL, Page A7
October pickings
BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle
Columbia County’s tax rolls for 2013 were recently released and heading the list of top taxpayers was Portland General Electric with $3.7 million in taxes paid. Last year, PGE was the third highest taxpayer with $1.08 million in taxes paid. According to Jennifer Cuellar-Smith, finance and taxation director for the county, the bulk of that tax increase came from nearly $2.5 million in taxes paid to the Columbia County Urban Renewal Agency, which pertains to the Port Westward I plant. “PGE came off of their five-year enterprise zone status. This is their first year back paying tax,” said Cuellar-Smith. “For the last two tax years, the market rates fell below the frozen rate, which is why there were $0 tax dollars the prior year and the year before.” Cuellar-Smith said the tax revenues would be used to help pay down existing debt. “There’s debt out there,” said Columbia County Commissioner Henry Heimuller. “There’s an $8 million water loan.” In addition to the water See TAXES, Page A7
INSIDE Classified Ads . . . A10-11 Legal Notices . . . . . . . A11 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Out & About . . . . . . . . A9 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . A13-16 TV Guide . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . A12
SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle
Recent warm weather meant lots of great opportunities to get out to anyone of several local pick-your-own pumpkin farms in Scappoose and Sauvie Island. Check out all the Halloween fun around the county in our Spirit of Halloweentown special section inside.
9-1-1 upgrades should Burglary attempt leads to chase, crash improve system reliability BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle
Columbia 9-1-1 recently completed a critical upgrade to its public safety radio system in Columbia County. On Sunday, Oct. 13, Day Wireless from Longview, Wash., installed and configured new hardware at most of the district’s radio sites. The upgrade is intended to automate and improve the
system controlling the timing of the radio transmitters at each site. According to Steve Watson, technical manager for Columbia 9-1-1, the upgrade was critical to ensure all radio transmitters at the radio sites activate at precisely the same time. The current system requires that the system be timed by a manual process and that the See 9-1-1, Page A7
It seems an alert neighbor interrupted an attempted burglary that ultimately led to a highspeed police chase and landed two suspects in jail. Just after 10:30 p.m., on Oct. 10, St. Helens Police Department responded to a report of a burglary in progress at 59440 Alderwood Drive. The alert neighbor Randy Parker reportedly watched as two men attempted to break into the garage and then leave the scene in a Subaru. “An attentive neighbor – which we just love – said ‘that doesn’t look right, what are those guys doing over there.’ He confronted
these guys and then called the police,” said St. Helens Police Chief Terry Moss. “The officers showed up in the area and saw the vehicle driving away.” The responding officers then followed the vehicle as it traveled on North Vernonia Road near Columbia Boulevard. According to Moss, Tomas Schlickeiser the officers attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver and his passenger fled at a “very high rate of speed” towards Scappoose. After reaching speeds in excess of
See CHASE, Page A7
Plans for pot farm go down in flames BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle
File photo
An indoor marijuana nursery being operated out of the old Midway Electric building on Columbia Boulevard is closed now after police removed several plants and cited the operator, David Mighell, with possession and manufacture of a controlled substance.
ST. HELENS — It seems an indoor marijuana farm won’t be joining the business community along Columbia Boulevard. A city council public hearing scheduled for Oct. 16 was cancelled after applicant David Mighell, who applied for a conditional use permit to establish an indoor marijuana nursery and workshop at the former Midway Electric building at 1271 Columbia Blvd., withdrew his application. Mighell applied to the city’s planning commission
earlier this year, which was reviewed by the commission at a July 9 meeting and approved on Aug. 13. The permit allowed Mighell to operate an indoor marijuana nursery under the business name of Destination Farms. Mighell has now found himself in legal trouble as well. Police were called to the building in mid-September after receiving complaints from nearby business about odors coming from the location. “One of our detectives went over and asked if he could look around. We had See FARM, Page A7