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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

2/21/12

3:24 PM

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Scappoose spreads the ball around for a season-opening win in the Seven Mile War. See page A12

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The Chronicle

TODAY’S WEATHER Freezing Fog, Highs to 33 Sun Later Lows to 27 Page A11

$1.00 Vol. 131, No. 50 14 Pages

www.thechronicleonline.com

Ambre Energy withdraws Texas plans, appeals planned for Port Westward BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com

Proposed developments at the Port of St. Helens’ Port Westward property are once again in the news following recent announcements involving Australia-based Ambre Energy and environmental group Columbia Riverkeeper. Stating it didn’t believe the project was viable, Ambre announced earlier this week that it was abandoning plans to build a coal export terminal at the Port of Corpus Christi, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Agenda minutes from a port commission meeting on Dec. 10 stated, “Wind and solar power driven by regulatory incentives have created additional pressure on coal. The enthusiasm for export terminals among coal producers has diminished.” Ambre Energy North America Inc. entered into the $2.5 million lease in 2011 and will now pay a one-time fee to cancel that lease. This marks the fourth time this year that plans for a coal export terminal have been brought to a halt. Here in the Pacific Northwest, Kinder Morgan announced last May it was dropping its plans to build a rail-based coal terminal at Port Westward that would have shipped as much as 30 million tons of coal from the Powder River basin in Montana and Wyoming to Asia. Another proposed terminal in Coos Bay was shelved in April after the project’s financial backers pulled out. With questions about the viability of coal terminals brought to the forefront, some are left wondering if the company is still optimistic about the Port Morrow project, which has its terminus at Port Westward. “Absolutely. The changes at Ambre are in keeping with our clear focus: to establish a U.S. coal export business through the Pacific Northwest, and to do so as quickly as possible,” said Ambre spokesperson Liz Fuller, of ­­­­ See AMBRE, Page A4

INSIDE Classified Ads . . . . . . . A9 Legal Notices . . . . . A9-11 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Out & About . . . . . . . . A7 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . A12-14 TV Guide . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . A11

SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle

Kip Beebe and Josh Keller inspect the 1995 Ford Escort the two are working to get ready for auction. Proceeds from the auction will go to the school’s daycare program.

Spirit of giving runs student to student BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com

The holiday season is also the season of giving. At this time of year, it’s not exactly unusual to find charitable organizations providing food, clothing and toys to families in need, for a business and its employees to make a donation, or for a school to have a food drive. But it’s not often you find high school students thinking about raising funds for the school’s daycare program. Yet that’s exactly what Mike Herdrich’s automotive skills students are doing. Herdrich’s students are working to raise funds for the always-in-need, often on the chopping block Cubs Corner daycare

program. “I’m trying to get them thinking about something outside of their own narrow, self-interests,” said Herdrich. “It’s almost a community service kind of concept.” Students in the automotive technology classes are repairing and donating a 1995 Ford Escort to be auctioned off to raise funds for the childcare program. For the next few months, the students will be checking each and every part of the car, making repairs and replacing parts – from bumper to bumper – to make sure it is clean, dependable and reliable. The idea to support Cubs Corner was the result of several discussions between students Josh

Keller and Kip Beebe, and Herdrich. “I went to Mr. Herdrich and told him I had an idea for a senior project to repair the car and donate it,” said Keller. “I really wanted to do something that would help the community,” said Beebe. “I’d say Cubs Corner is just as essential as the auto shop. There are a lot teen moms and teachers who rely on this.” The list of parts and features to be checked off runs several pages long. “It should take a month and half, maybe two,” Keller added. Along with the car auction, students are working to raise funds through an upcoming Arts & Craft Fair, arranged to have a portion of proceeds from

sales at Yo Place Frozen Yogurt donated, and are in talks with Burgerville for a similar fundraiser. The Arts and Crafts Fair will be in the high school commons on Dec. 14. It’s all part of establishing a culture of “paying it forward,” the teacher said. “It’s thinking about making a difference for others in need.” The pay-it-forward idea began several years ago with the students installing four electric lifts (replacing the existing 35-year-old units) to be used by future classes. Last year, the class donated a car to the Hillboro High School auto tech program, which had been in danger of closing. Herdrich’s prior students even raised $9,000 to purchase

and install an alignment hoist that brought in additional equipment donations from Les Schwab and Hunter Equipment worth more than $20,000. The spirit of giving isn’t just for the automotive classes. Herdrich said students in the building construction program are helping the horticulture, athletic and automotive programs, while learning real job skills like running heavy equipment, surveying, and site preparation. “Joe Mauck’s Building Construction students are preparing the site and building a storage facility as part of a remodeling project underway at the high school. And all of it at no cost to the district or taxpayers!” Herdrich added.

Snow and ice play havoc with Speed, road conditions are drivers and local schools BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle

Bitter cold temperatures and falling snow seen across most of Columbia County since last Friday created treacherous road conditions, kept police and firefighters busy and left schools in the area closed for days. All school districts in the county were closed on Friday. However, most reopened on Monday, with Scappoose being the exception. On Tuesday though, schools throughout the county were again closed after additional snowfall and more icing on the roadways made travel difficult. But dangerous road conditions weren’t the only contributing factor to the Scappoose district’s closing. A water leak at Scappoose High School on Friday was also partially responsible. “We have heaters that are above the T-bar ceiling that are basically radiators. Hot water is piped through them and they radiate heat. The freeze on Friday night froze some aspect of them and blew a heater in A Wing and a heater in B Wing,” said District Superintendent Stephen Jupe. “Luckily a couple of people were cleaning up when B Wing blew and were able to get to it quickly.” Jupe said firefighters from Scappoose Fire District were

also instrumental in getting the leak shut down. Staff members and volunteers spent the weekend cleaning up the water, which only caused minimal damage. Jupe said that because

the water leak was in the hallway, there was no damage to any of the electronic equipment in the classrooms even though

­­­­ See SNOW, Page A4

Courtesy photo

Firefighters from Scappoose Fire District were at Scappoose High School Friday, responding to a call of a water leak. After helping fix the leak the crew then pitched in to help with clean up at the school.

possible factors in fatal crash CLATSKANIE — Oregon State Police is continuing its investigation into a single vehicle fatal crash that occurred last Friday on U.S. Highway 30 near Clatskanie. The lone occupant of the vehicle was pronounced deceased and the crash closed the highway for about an hour. According to Sergeant Jason Linland, shortly before 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 6, a 2003 Chevrolet pickup driven by David Glatfelter, 39, of Portland was eastbound on Highway 30 near milepost 66. Glatfelter attempted to pass an eastbound commercial truck but lost control of the pickup. Glatfelter’s vehicle traveled across the oncoming lane and into a ditch, where it then rolled onto its top and came to rest in a small creek or stream. Several bystanders stopped after the crash occurred and were able to assist Glatfelter from his vehicle. However, after he was assisted from the pickup, Glatfelter collapsed. Bystanders and first responders performed life-saving measures on Glatfelter without success and he was pronounced deceased at the scene by EMS. Investigators believe speed to have been a contributing factor in the crash. Glatfelter was reportedly wearing safety restraints at the time of the crash. Road conditions included snow and ice with some dry patches. OSP troopers from the St. Helens Work Site are continuing the investigation. OSP was assisted at the scene by Oregon Department of Transportation, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Clatskanie Police Department and Clatskanie Fire Department.


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