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House fire claims local’s life

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

A house fire at 520 NE Spring Street in Clatskanie has claimed the life of local woman Rena Norman and resulted in a total loss of the structure.

The fire was reported at 11:54 a.m. on Oct. 3, according to Clatskanie Rural Fire District Fire Chief Steve Sharek. Before Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputies arrived, neighbors attempted to alert the homeowner by opening doors and yelling to attract their attention.

Unfortunately, flames immediately erupted from the doors, causing the neighbors to leave the property, according to a release from the CCSO.

The Clatskanie Rural Fire District quickly contained the fire but notified CCSO that a deceased woman had been located in the home. Norman was identified following an autopsy by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal and Oregon State Police Arson Investigators completed their in -

vestigation, and they determined the fire was not suspicious and appeared to have started accidentally in the house’s living room. The exact cause of the fire has not been released at this time.

Responding agencies included Clatskanie Fire District, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Mist Birkenfeld Fire District, Knappa Fire District, CCSO, Oregon State Police, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to Sharek.

Sharek said that incidents like these put a spotlight on fire safety and preparedness in case of emergency.

“These fire incidents are a reminder that every home needs a working smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher,” Sharek said. “For multiple level homes, a fire escape ladder is necessary to provide two ways of escape from upper levels.”

Follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of the Chief.

Rainier fined

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has once again fined the City of Rainier for wastewater violations, an issue that has been recurring for the city in the past six years.

In a Sept. 28 release, the DEQ issued 19 penalties, with Rainier incurring the highest fine amounting to $31,550. According to a DEQ letter to the city dated Aug. 11, the civil penalty was due to violations of the National Pollutants Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit by the city’s wastewater treatment plant and discharging untreated sewage “into the waters of the state.”

“The main issue with the wastewater treatment facility, it’s basically a lack of separation between stormwater and wastewater,” Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said. “What happens is stormwater, especially during heavy rain events, infiltrates and gets into the wastewater system. What [that] does is it gives you an exceedance. Under your permit, you’re allowed a certain threshold, and that puts you over the threshold once you’ve got that stormwater infiltration.”

Violations

In the letter to the city, the DEQ stated that the reason for this penalty was because Rainier “continues to have significant ongoing issues maintaining compliance” with its NPDES permit. In the past six years, the city has experienced more than 100 Class I violations

at its wastewater treatment plant, resulting in three prior enforcement actions.

with the NPDES permit is essen tial to protecting water quality and discharges of untreated sewage that pose a “significant threat” to public health and the environment.

Between December 2022 and June 2023, Rainier exceeded its permit limits for Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 26 times and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) concentration twice.

TSS “means solids in wastewater that can be removed readily by standard filtering procedures in a laboratory,” according to the DEQ website. Examples of TSS could be

for DEQ violations

us to solve it, and it will be solved.”

The city has entered into an agreement with DEQ that would see them come into compliance with DEQ by 2027, according to Jorgensen.

One of the steps the city has already taken is an “inflow and infiltration study.” This is a comprehensive look at the entire system to see what the sources of inflow and infiltration are.

“When you have aging infrastructure like we do, there’s parts that have root intrusion. We’ve been talking with a company that specializes in that, where they put together this liquid, and it goes, and kind of reseals the areas that the root has gotten into the system and the line,” Jorgensen said. “So, some of it’s just repair of portions of lines that needs to be done.”

Jorgensen said that the city has already had a 25 percent reduction in stormwater that is infiltrating their sewer system.

down organic matter in water.

In addition to the permit violations, the letter noted that the city discharged undisinfected sewage into the Columbia River on Jan. 3, 2023, and a sanitary sewer overflow event on Jan. 15, 2023, that resulted in the discharge of approximately 20,000 gallons of raw untreated sewage into Fox Creek.

On July 6 of this year, the DEQ conducted an inspection of the wastewater treatment plant, and though they found no violations, they noted a “lack of regular maintenance and housekeeping through

Finding solutions

Something Jorgensen noted about the recurring issues with Rainier’s compliance with DEQ is that the department is willing to work with cities found in violation to mitigate the problems.

“This is something that we take very seriously. We know that there’s a problem, we’re working to take care of it, and DEQ has been great to work with on this,” Jorgensen said. “It’s not an adversarial situation. They know that we have a problem, and they’re working with

The DEQ also allows those who receive fines to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Rainier has a recent example of a mitigation project with their construction of a bioswale near the city’s boat launch.

The bioswale is a trench that filters and treats rainwater before it enters the stormwater and wastewater system.

“Our hope is to be able to do a couple more of these. So, we’ll take this; we’re not going to appeal

Clatskanie Harvest Festival closes out summer season

Contact The Chief

expanded the celebration to a full-on harvest festival.

While the event was expanded this year, the most popular event at the festival was still the apple press. People came from far and wide bringing their supply of apples and patiently waited in line for their turn.

The rooster calling contest had several contestants, with Dick Craig and Sandy Moilen in a squawk off. Sandy just squeaked by, adding to her display with an impressive flourish of wing flapping.

The ClatskaKnight, aka Ken Tucker, and his trusty apprentice, his wife Liz, took center stage as he began to slay the vegetables presented. Lillich and the Farmers Market are hoping that the Harvest Festival will become an annual event in the community. Lillich already has ideas about what the festival could add in the future and wants community input to better form festivals in the coming years. Let us all raise a glass of apple cider to another great summer!

apple pressing station was pumping out cider all day long.

Courtesy photo from Laurey White The Clatskaknight did not meet a veggie that he could not slay during the Harvest Festival.

Courtesy photo from Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership

The City of Rainier has experienced more than 100 Class I violations at its wastewater treatment plant in the past six years.

Courtesy photo from Greg Hinkelman

The scene of the fatal house fire at 520 NE Spring Street.

CMHS makes repairs to electrical panels

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Students returned to school Oct. 5 after Clatskanie Middle/High School (CMHS) and Clatskanie Elementary School were forced to close Oct. 4 due to an unexpected issue with the emergency generator that supports Columbia County.

Clatskanie School District Superintendent Danielle Hudson announced the closure on Oct. 2, and gave details about why it was necessary given the issues with the generator.

“The generator, which plays a crucial role in the event of a natural disaster, has encountered a significant problem which has resulted in the inability to restore power at Clatskanie Middle/ High School. The electrical panel adjacent to the generator has ceased functioning, prompting the intervention of the Public Utility District (PUD). Upon investigation, it was discovered that there is a faulty wire within the electric panel. Until this issue is rectified, it is deemed unsafe to restore power to CHMS.

Additionally, CMHS is the hub for all internet access, which has caused the district to lose internet and phone ac cess at all school facilities,” Hudson said in a Facebook post on Oct. 3. The issue was discovered when the Clatskanie Fire Department conducted its monthly safety check. The issue was fixed, and power was restored on Oct. 4 at 2:20 p.m., according to Hudson.

“We are glad that the Fire the district immediately,” Hudson said. “We are thankful the Clatskanie PUD was able to inspect the area in a timely manner so that we could quickly repair the damage before there were further problems.” The safety of the students,

staff, and community was the primary motivation for closing the schools, according to Hudson’s Facebook post, and Hudson ensured that there are procedures in place to mitigate problems happening in the future.

“Clatskanie School District has a Safety Committee that does monthly safety checks. With regard to the generator, the fire department also does monthly safety checks,” Hudson said. “It is the result of these practices that we were able to identify the problem and correct it. We plan to continue to implement these practices to help mitigate any future accidents.”

The Oct. 4 closure is the second time this year that Clatskanie Middle/ High School has had to keep students out of the classroom for repairs after delays completing renovations forced the district to start the school year a week later than anticipated.

Follow developing stories at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of the Chief.

New dates for Bonamici Town Hall Meetings

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released new November dates for the Town Hall meetings previously announced in Portland, St. Helens, and Hillsboro.

The new dates are necessary because changes to the schedule of the U.S. House of Representatives now require the Congresswoman to be in Washington, D.C. during the previous Town Hall dates and times.

The date and times for the weekend Town Hall meetings in Seaside and Tillamook are unchanged and will go forward as scheduled on Saturday, October 7.

Seaside Town Hall Meeting

Saturday, October 7, 2023 –11 a.m.

Bob Chisholm Community Center 1225 Avenue A, Seaside, OR 97138

Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici answers questions from the audience at an 2019 town hall in Clatskanie.

Country Media, Inc.

Tillamook Town Hall Meeting

Saturday, October 7, 2023 –3 p.m. Tillamook Bay Community College 4301 Third Street, Tillamook,

CCSO’s Annual

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) will hold its fourth Annual Trunkor-Treat event at the St. Helens Middle School at 354 N. 15th Street in St. Helens.

Unlike in previous years, CCSO will hold this event on Sunday, October 29, instead of Halloween. The hours of the event will remain the same, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. This will be a walk-in event, rain or shine, this year.

We are grateful to the St. Helens School District for allowing us to use one of their facilities, as it will allow us to hold a walk-in event for the first time.

“We look forward to this event every year, and it will mean so much more to us this year because holding a walkin event will allow us to have more personal interactions with all of the little ghosts and goblins that visit us,” Event Coordinator Malinda Duran said.

Trunk-or-Treat is one of several ways for the sheriff’s office to build positive relationships and connect with the community, particularly the youth. Other events include participation in many of the parades offered throughout the county, the fair, the Prepare Fair, and hosting a National Night Out event in August.

At our 2022 Trunk-orTreat event, we passed out over 400 goody bags to trickor-treaters. We are planning to see 500 this year. The St. Helens Middle School offers plenty of parking for the trunk-or-treat “booths” and those attending the event.

In order to hold the event, the sheriff’s office needs the participation of other county businesses, agencies, organizations, and individuals to host a “trunk” or booth. Since this year’s event is going to be more traditional, it means that any group or individual participating would be able to plan a game or activity in which the children can participate. Some examples of activities that were offered

at other Trunk-or-Treat events include pumpkin bowling, witches hat ring toss, fishing game, etc. Any activity that participants can complete reasonably quickly would be great for this event. One of the really fun parts of the event is seeing all of the creative decorations and costumes

OR 97141

Members of Bonamici’s staff will be at the Town Hall meetings to assist anyone who is experiencing problems with federal agencies such as the VA, Social Secu-

rity Administration, or IRS.

Updated: Portland Town Hall Meeting

Monday, November 6, 2023

– 6 p.m. Multnomah Arts Center 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219

Updated: St. Helens Town Hall Meeting

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 – 6 p.m. St. Helens Senior Center 375 S 15th St., St. Helens, OR 97051

Updated: Hillsboro Town Hall Meeting

Thursday, November 9, 2023 – 6 p.m. Evergreen Middle School 456 NE Evergreen Rd., Hillsboro, OR 97124

Note: There are no changes to the October 7, 2023 Town Hall Meetings

individuals come up with, and the costumes worn by the trick-or-treaters. Last year, we saw decorations with a Breakfast Club theme, a disco theme, a sea creature theme, and a witch theme, among others. The internet and Pinterest have some great ideas for trunk decorations.

your organization want to host a trunk or booth at this year’s event, please contact Malinda Duran at the sheriff’s office. She can be reached by email at malinda. duran@columbiacountyor. gov or by phone at 503-3664601.

Courtesy of Danielle Hudson

A photo of the problematic electrical panel which forced CSD to close Oct. 4.

PUD customer rates increasing

Country Media, Inc.

Columbia River PUD customers are facing increased rates for electrical service from the Columbia River PUD.

Residential customers’ bills went up $4.50 per month taking effect October 1.

This is the PUD’s first rate adjustment since October of 2021. The driving force behind

the increase is the recent rise in material costs. Since the PUD last adjusted its rates, the cost of pole-mount transformers has doubled while padmounted transformers have more than tripled in that same timeframe. The price for cable used for distributing electricity has also gone up in recent years.

“Across the board, everything has seen increases,”

said Operations Manager Kurt Nasshahn. “Prices are going up fairly quickly.”

With these factors in mind, the Board of Directors and Rate Advisory Committee were pleased to be able to limit the overall increase to 5% across the PUD’s entire system.

“I’m really pleased to see you’re exercising restraint,” said Committee Member Bill

Eagle during the Rate Advisory Committee meeting in June. “Every utility everywhere is going through the same fixed cost increases. It’s hitting everyone, and I think we’ve done a really good job. On top of this, the thing that really pleases me is we don’t have to pay dividends to stockholders.”

Residential customers will see a $4.50 increase on their

monthly base charge, from $18 to $22.50. The energy charge will remain at 7.19¢ per kilowatt hour.

Other rate classes will be affected differently.

Small general service customers will have their monthly base charge go from $28 to $36. Irrigation bills will also have a $36 base charge, up from $20.

Large general service

customers’ base charge will go from $50 to $68, and their demand charge will increase slightly, from $6.38 per kW to $7.40 per kW.

Industrial customers will face a 3.7% overall increase. Specific amounts vary based on which particular rate schedule they fall under.

The PUD board approved the rate increases during its July meeting.

Disaster loans available to Oregon small businesses

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

Small nonfarm businesses in 21 Oregon counties, including Columbia, and neighboring counties in Idaho and Washington, are now eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began Aug. 1, according to SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center West Director Jeffrey Lusk.

Primary Oregon counties:

Clatsop, Lincoln, Morrow, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Washington and Yamhill.

Neighboring Oregon counties:

Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Gilliam, Grant, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah and Wheeler;

Neighboring Idaho counties:

Adams, Idaho and Nez Perce;

Neighboring Washington counties:

Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Garfield, Klickitat, Pacific, Wahkiakum and Walla Walla.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Lusk said.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these

loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for businesses and 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Lusk said. Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Sept. 25.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made

Darlene Tiniakos Kratky

May 30, 1937 ~ Sept. 28, 2023

Darlene Tiniakos Kratky, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother died of natural causes Sept. 28, 2023, at age 86, surrounded by her family at her residence in Sherwood, Oregon.

Darlene was born in Westport, Oregon. She attended Clatskanie High School and Oregon State University. Darlene worked in the wood products industry for most of her professional career. Darlene was a passionate Beaver fan and avid walker, especially later in life. Darlene would walk

Terry passed away on Sept. 21, 2023, at Peace Health St. Johns Hospital. She was born May 4, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa to Harold and Margaret Stinton. She was raised in Toutle Lake, Washington until she met her first husband and had two children.

In 1974 she started working at Crown Zellerbach in the shipping department, now known as Georgia PacificWauna Mill. She divorced in 1974 and later moved to Clatskanie, Oregon. She met and married Dale Leino in the early 90’s, where they managed two farmlands. She retired in 1994 and stayed busy with her farm life over the next several years.

Terry loved to cook, fish, garden, sew, canning and spending time with her family. She was a member of a women’s only fly-fishing

VIOLATIONS

From Page A1

this fine. We’re going to use it as an opportunity to do another mitigation project,” Jorgensen said. “There’s another area, right in the boat launch area, that we can do right next to [the bioswale] that saves some design work. Because now that we’ve got that [bioswale] in place, we can essentially do the same thing but right next

her three miles to Trader Joes almost every day of the week.

Terry L. Leino

Darlene married Joseph Kratky in 1984. Darlene was preceded in death by her husband in 2005. Darlene lived on her own until May 2022 when she moved to The Springs in Sherwood. She is survived by her daughter Michele Hager; three grandchildren, Nicole Anderson, Joshua Hager and Chelsea Martin; and nine great-grandchildren. Please join us for a celebration of Darlene’s life at 1 p.m. on Mon., Oct. 16, 2023 at Tumwater Ballroom, 211 Tumwater Drive, Oregon City, Oregon.

available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

The application process

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is May 28, 2024.

She moved to Longview, Washington in 2019 where she was under the care of her sister Kathy until her passing. There she found love for Bunco.

Terry was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers; and her husband Dale.

Jorgensen said that the issue with the wastewater management system has been a constant focus for the city since he came on board three years ago. The city has been working with its engineer of record and staff to choose the projects that best address the existing issues.

Some of the steps DEQ outlined the city could take to address its issues would be to thoroughly clean the facility, repair or replace the

She is survived at home by her two children, Janet Elf, and Glenn (Shannon) Elf; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Gina (Lynn) Labrum, and Kathy (Danny) Shine; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is also survived by her special group of friends who shared her love for camping and the outdoors. They created, “The Old Farts Campout”, where they camped on the Nehalem River every summer. The wives started a monthly luncheon as a continuance to their annual campouts. She will be missed by all.

A celebration of life will be held from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at The American Legion Hall in Clatskanie on Oct. 14, 2023. Please bring your favorite dish, as we all know she loved a great potluck.

dissolved oxygen meters in aeration channels, and add an alarm to the polymer feed system.

“DEQ has actually been really great to work with on this. Their approach hasn’t been entirely punitive, they want to work with us, and they want to get us into compliance,” Jorgensen said. “We view it as a partnership with them; we’re working with them to address the issues that we know that we have in our system.”

Bronze birch borer damaging local birch trees

CHIP BUBL Clatskanie Grows Chief Guest Column

eventually kills the tree.

Don’t confuse woodpecker holes for those of the bronze birch borer. The woodpecker makes a “cribbage board” like pattern with holes in rows. Their work rarely harms trees. They are feeding on the sugary sap that exudes from their holes and the small insects attracted to it.

The bronze birch borer, a North American native, has been a problem in the eastern United States for some decades. The slender, metallic-bronze beetle was first detected in Oregon in 2003, appearing in Portland and soon showed up in Columbia County.

The beetle lays its eggs on the European “paper” birch (Betula pendula), prized by landscapers and homeowners for its slender white trunk and papery bark. When the larvae hatch, they burrow into the bark and feed on the cambium layer, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients and leaving a crisscross network of larval “galleries” under the bark. Limbs in various parts of the tree suddenly die from the tunneling and water blockage. As the beetles mature, they dig their way out through the bark, leaving fairly large holes. If unchecked, larval feeding

The bronze birch borer is part of the Buprestidae family of wood-boring beetles. It is olive to brown in color with coppery metallic wings and body. Adults are about half an inch long. Larvae are creamy white, about an inch long when fully developed, with a distinct flat head. Both larvae and adults are hard to spot. Most people don’t know they’re there until they see damage to the tree. We are also facing a similar concern with the emerald ash borer which isn’t here yet but probably getting closer. The two insects don’t overlap in what trees they like but are very similar in many ways.

The bronze birch borer has been hard to control. But there are measures homeowners can take to slow the damage and halt the spread of the pest. Some affected trees can be saved with appropriate treatment.

One key tip: Wellwatered birch trees seem to be better at resisting the borer. Nicole Sanchez, an Extension horticulturalist in Klamath County observed that the worst-looking trees

tended to be in the driest patches of ground, whereas those in moister areas, such as near watered lawns, were in better condition.

“Most people don’t think about watering their mature trees,” she said. “But even mature landscape trees may need water in areas with low summer rainfall. Birch particularly prefer moist soils; they’re not ideally suited to our climate. So, your first line of defense against this pest is keeping your trees watered.”

Additional recommendations:

• Before you do anything, assess the level of damage. Slightly or moderately damaged trees have a good chance of recovery. Severely damaged trees are probably a lost cause.

• Before you spray, think about collateral damage to beneficial insects. Sprays, injections or drenches with systemic insecticides can be effective (although expen-

Lawmakers failed Culture and Arts in the Oregon 2023 Legislative Session

KAY HEFLIN

Chief Guest Column

We need your help. Are you aware of the blow that the 2023 Oregon legislative session dealt to cultural institutions in Oregon?

There were 16 capital projects evenly represented throughout the State of Oregon that were vetted by the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon and recommended to be funded by the Cultural Resources Economic Funds (CREF) in the 2023 session.

This is the first time in ten years that all projects put in front of the Oregon capital Ways and Means Committee were not funded. Only two projects located in the Portland area were funded for a total of $4 million dollars. As a result, capital investments in arts and culture around the state of Oregon have been stalled. All 14 capital projects (totaling $7.8 million) not funded by the 2023 session were adversely affected. Each of the projects CREF put forward for legislative consideration has been identified as meeting all criteria for funding, including the significant positive economic and community impact the projects will have for the area

it serves.

Two local museums, The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) and the Columbia County Museum Association (CCMA) of St. Helens, were two of the 14 capital projects that were not funded. ROHM had to delay groundbreaking when a donor who had pledged a large matching donation, learned that our project wasn’t funded.

The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum is located in one small room inside Rainier City Hall. ROHM is seeking funding to build a much-needed museum to preserve, display, research and house its growing collection.

The Columbia County Museum Association (CCMA), is located inside the old county courthouse up two flights of stairs without wheelchair or handicap access. The (CCMA) has had to modify its plans to move into the historic John Gumm school building, Columbia County is remodeling for County offices and the museum to relocate to.

The Oregon Childrens Theatre has paused main stage productions, the Oregon Shakespeare festival is struggling to stay afloat and the Portland Artists Repertory Theatre had

to suspend its 2023-24 season, due to lack of recovery funding by HB 2459, a recovery bill that wasn’t funded in the 2023 legislative session.

There is still hope. Funding for the remaining CREF slate of 14 capital projects and the HB 2459 recovery funding for the arts and cultural sector bill will be addressed again in a special 2024 winter session in January and February.

Please contact Oregon State Representative Rob Nosse and the Oregon State Senators and Representatives and let them know how important funding the remaining 14 CREF slate of capital projects is to the cultural and arts health of Oregon. Oregon Arts and culture is a $9.3 billion industry---3.4% of the state’s economy.

Donations for the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum building fund can be sent to ROHM, PO Box 762, Rainier, Oregon 97048 or through Venmo-Rainier Historical Museum.

Kay Heflin is the president of the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum, and can be reached at kay-lynn2@ hotmail.com or 503-556-4089.

The Chief

Editorial policy

Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chief views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

Letters policy

This newspaper’s letters to the editor are limited to a maximum of 250 words and will be edited for grammar, spelling and blatant inaccuracies. Unsubstantiated or irresponsible allegations, or personal attacks on any individual, will not be published. Letters containing details presented as facts rather than opinions must include their sources. Writers are limited to one published letter per month. All submissions must include the author’s full name, local street address and telephone number (only the name and

Columbia County’s trusted local

other pollinators. Always follow label instructions, or hire a reputable licensed pesticide applicator.

• Before you cut down a dead tree, think about how to dispose of the wood. Many pests, including bronze birch borer, lurk in downed wood. It is okay to use it for firewood, but don’t transport it to another location, and don’t stack it near your neighbors’ healthy trees.

• Before you replant, consider a more-resistant birch species, or another species of tree altogether.

• For more complete information, see https:// pnwhandbooks.org/insect/ hort/landscape/hostspests-landscape-plants/ birch-betula-bronze-birchborer and https://extension. oregonstate.edu/catalog/ pub/em-9189-homeownerguide-managing-bronzebirch-borer Adapted from an article by Nicole Sanchez, OSU Extension Horti-

Fall gardening projects

It is still possible to plant or renew a lawn. But you need to get right to it. You should up the seeding rate to 8-10 pounds of lawn seed per thousand square feet to produce a good, weed competitive turf.

You also can prepare landscape areas that you plan to plant and/or transplant trees, shrubs, and/or herbaceous perennial flowers and food crops like rhubarb into. The transplanting can start now.

Garlic can be planted anytime. Lime the soil if you haven’t, add any organic matter you have on hand, add some all-purpose fertilizer, and plant. Spacing for normal garlic is 4 inches within the rows with rows 12 inches apart. Elephant garlic needs a much wider in row spacing and between row spacing. Keep leaves off your lawn. Grass loves sun and does not like to be shaded by leaves. Use leaves to cover vegetable garden areas. They can be worked into the soil next spring.

Important notes

• Donate extra garden produce and/or money to the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs. It always is

greatly appreciated.

• The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

• The OSU Extension Office is fully open from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/ or farm questions, please contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503397-3462 or at chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu. The office is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Free newsletter

The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you. Call 503 397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http:// extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia and click on newsletters.

Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway St. Helens, OR 97051 503-397-3462

city of residence will be published). By submitting a letter, writers also grant permission for them to be posted online. Opinions expressed on this page are the writer’s alone and do not represent the opinion of the newspaper or its parent company, Country Media, Inc.

Guest commentary

We welcome all variety of community viewpoints in the newspaper. These longer, guest opinions might be columns written by newsmakers, public officials or organization representatives. Or you might just have interesting thoughts to share and a penchant for writing. If you’d like to submit a guest column for publication, contact us at (503) 397-0116 or chiefnews@

countrymedia.net. All columns are subject to editing for style, grammar and clarity. However, views expressed in guest columns are independent and do not represent those of The Chief, its staff or Country Media, Inc.

Obituaries

Obituaries received after noon on Wednesday may not be in time for that Friday’s paper. Obituaries may be emailed to chiefnews@countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office. We also accept obituaries written by funeral homes. Include the address and daytime phone number of the person who submitted the obituary, so we can verify information as necessary.

culturalist, Klamath County.

Photo: Robin Rosetta, OSU Entomologist, NWREC

Metro Creative Connection

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We buy CEDAR and NOBLE boughs. Do not damage trees. What we pay depends on the quality of your trees. We do all the work.

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Connect to the best wireless home internet with EarthLink. Enjoy speeds from 5G and 4G LTE networks, no contracts, easy installation, and data plans up to 300 GB. Call 866-857-2897.

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Public Notices

CC23-1851

CITY

port our veterans!

Schedule a FAST, FREE vehicle pickup and receive a top tax deduction! Call Veteran Car Donations at 1-866-695-9265 today!

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Get more! Free Towing. Tax Deductible. Plus a $200 restaurant voucher and a 2-night/3-day hotel stay at one of 50 locations. Call Heritage for the Blind to donate your vehicle today - 1-844-5339173.

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804 Apts Unfurnished Rainier 1 bedroom, W/S/G paid River view, nice neighborhood. 2nd story, no pets. $1050/month, $1500/deposit. 503-369-4576. 860 Storage

CLATSKANIE Mini Storage

Hoarder’s Paradise! 20 sizes, Inexpensive RV Storage, Carports, Hand trucks, Locks, Fully-lined, Insulated, Condensation free, all units lit. On-site Manager 503 728-2051 503 369-6503

The Port of Columbia County is seeking proposals for a new 10,320 SF maintenance building with site improvements in St. Helens, Oregon. Bid packets containing the RFP with plans and

CC23-1852

specifications for this project may be found on the Port’s website, www.portofcolumbiacounty.org; obtained from the Port Offices located at 100 E. St., Columbia City, from 8:00 to 5:00, M-F;

or requested via e-mail at house@portofcolumbiacounty.org. Submissions must be received by 4:00 PM on Friday, October 6, 2023. For questions, please call 503928-3259.

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING

The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold their monthly Board meeting, Tuesday, October 10, 2023 @ 6:30 p.m. at the Clatskanie Elementary Library, 815 Nehalem or via Zoom. In addition there will be an executive session

following the board meeting. Executive Session ORS 192.660 (i) To review and evaluate the employmentrelated performance of the chief executive officer of any public body, a public officer, employee or staff member who does not request an

open hearing. Please see our website at www.csd.k12.or.us for a zoom link. The agenda includes but is not limited to: Superintendent and Principal’s reports, financial report, policy updates and the consent agenda. The public is encouraged to attend.

October 14 & 15 Arts & Crafts Sale Noon - 4 p.m. This event will be held upstairs at the Birkenfeld Theatre at 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. Locally produced, handmade arts and crafts. Stop by for holiday gifts and to support local artists. For questions, please contact Roni at roni@ quackedglass.com.

October 28 Little Trick or Treaters Parade 1 p.m. It’s kids, costumes, and a whole lot of fun. For over 100 years, The Chronicle has sponsored a children’s parade. This year will be no different. Once again, The Chronicle (The Chief’s sister paper) is partnering with St. Helens Grocery Outlet. The Little Trick or Treaters Parade will be held

at 1 p.m. on 1st Street in St. Helens. Line up begins at 12:30 p.m. at the corner of 1st Street and St. Helens Street. Bring a bag to hold your candy. If you would like to donate a bag of candy to a business downtown, you can take it to the business or drop it off at The Chronicle and we will get it to them.

For questions, please call Kelli at 503-397-0116. Hope to see you there!

October 28 – Rainier Eagles Trunk or Treat

1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Rainier Eagles 4022, 109 W A St. in Rainier.

October 28 - House of the Twisted and Bizarre presented by Beaver Home Grange #518 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Walk

through haunted house. There is full scare and no scare depending on age. This is a no touch haunted house and is family friendly. Also available, kids’ games, Bingo, snacks for sale, and meals to buy. $6/adults, $4/ ages 6-10, and free for kids under 6.

October 29 5th Annual Trunk or Treat by Hometown Pizza

1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at 109 E A Street Plaza, Rainier, Oregon. There will be raffles and prizes for costumes and best decorated vehicles. This event is free. Any vehicle is welcomed to show up an hour before the event to decorate their vehicle. Please bring your own candy to hand out. For questions, please contact Nina Pogue at 503-556-3700.

submit a letter of interest to Mayor Bob Brajcich at City Hall by close of business Friday October 13th. Further OF CLATSKANIE CITY COUNCIL POSITION OPENING

CC23-1853

details regarding filling the vacancy will be posted on the city website, www.cityofclatskanie.com.

PUBLIC LIEN SALE U-STORE SELF STORAGE

Auction to be held online at Storageauctions. com. Auction will run from 10/10/2023 10:00 am & end on 10/20/2023 10:00 am. Unclaimed storage lockers to be sold by competitive

bidding. 1st Location St. Helens 445 Port Ave, Suite D, Allyson Kuntzmann R-155, Bobby Rightner G-012, Jason Earl Warner G-046. 2nd Location Scappoose 53567 Columbia

River Hwy., Tamra, Bongolan CY77, CY85, Brittney Hinkle Y125. GOODS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SOLD BY STORAGE LOT. Cash and Credit Cards.

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon. Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper. • •C ommunity e V ents • •

Ongoing

Clatskanie Senior Center lunches

Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches now served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon at the Castle Cafe, 620 SW Tichenor. Call 503728-3608 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.

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.

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.

The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) is open from noon - 4 p.m. Saturday (except major holidays weekends). ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street. For more information, call 360751-7039.

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, to chronicleclassifieds@ countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.

Clatskanie Middle/High School sports

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

October is upon us, and Clatskanie Middle/High School’s teams are getting into the back half of their fall seasons. With less than a month remaining until the state playoffs start across each sport, here’s a round-up of where the Tigers stand and the upcoming games on the docket.

Upcoming games:

Friday, October 6

• High School Varsity Football vs. Knappa, 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 7

• High School Varsity Volleyball @ Seaside Tournament, 9 a.m.

Monday, October 9

• High School Junior Varsity Football @ Nestucca, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, October 10

• High School Volleyball @ Portland Christian, Junior Varsity 5 p.m., Varsity 6:30 p.m.

• High School Girls Soccer @ Seaside, 6:30 p.m. (to Rainier)

Thursday, October 12

• High School Volleyball @ Vernonia,Junior Varsity 5 p.m., Varsity 6:30 p.m.

• High School Girls Soccer @Astoria, 6:30 p.m.

• Cross Country @ Vernonia, 3:30 p.m.

Friday October 13

• High School Varsity Football vs. Nestucca, 7 p.m.

Volleyball

The Tigers have continued their strong season and entered Thursday night’s game against Mannahouse Academy with a 10-5 overall record and a 7-3 record in league play. At the time of press, the score of the Mannahouse Academy game is unknown.

Since our last update, Clatskanie scored wins against Faith Bible/Life Christian and Knappa, while dropping a game against Gaston. Gaston is the secondranked team in the 2A-1 Northwest League, and the Tigers put up a fight, losing 3-2.

“We have improved so much since the last time we faced the Greyhounds in their gym. These girls are figuring it out and kicking it into overdrive for the second half of the season,” Head Coach Amanda Baker said after their loss to Gaston.

Despite the loss, the game featured standout individual performances from several of the Tigers’ players.

“Natalie Baker broke her season-high kills from her last match with 25! She also threw up six stuff blocks for points and had a season-high for successful digs as well with 28. She was everywhere in the back row and relentless at the net,” Baker said.

Other defensive standouts include Lacey Willis, with 19 successful digs and three impressive saves. Willis also contributed five kills and two stuff blocks. McKinsey Doyle, the libero, had 16 digs. Joey Sizemore dished out 19 assists, put up seven kills herself, and had 15 suc-

cessful digs. Olivia George contributed eight kills. translated well to their game against Knappa, and Baker had 14 kills, to go with 12 from George, 11 from Willis, and six from Mya Jensen. While the game was a little closer than Baker wanted it to be, defensive excellence from the team saw the match through, with Doyle doing an excellent job serve-receiving as the libero. Other standouts on serve receive were Jensen and Baker.

“We had a lot more hitting errors tonight than I’m used to seeing from this team,” Baker said. “However, they were being more aggressive at the net and working on speeding up the offense, which was what we have

momentum toward the state playoffs in their final five games of the regular season.

Football

The Clatskanie Middle/ High School football team will look to carry the positive momentum of two victories into their clash against Knappa tonight. Head Coach Sean Gorley’s team has strung two wins together now after they beat Neah-Kah-Nie 41-22 on Sept. 29.

The Tigers are currently ranked fourth of the eight teams in the 2A-SD1 Special District 1, and their game

against Kanppa promises to be a challenge, as Knappa currently sits atop their league with a perfect 3-0

Knappa is coming off a grinding 18-6 win over Nestucca, and the Tigers will hope to harness the energy of the two victories that saw them beat their opponents by an average of 23.5 points.

Despite the 2-1 record in league play, Clatskanie’s 2-3 record sees them ranked twenty-seventh of the 35 teams in the 2A classification. Knappa has an overall record of 3-1, and is currently ranked 17. If Clatskanie can steal a win tonight, the Tigers will feel confident that a playoff berth is still well within reach with only three games on the schedule after tonight.

and Clatskanie girls soccer team has continued to try and find its feet, and they are six games without a win. As it stands at the time of press, the Tiger and Columbian alliance has a 2-7 record overall and a 0-4 record in league play.

They are currently ranked 27 of the 32 OSAA 4A programs, and fifth of the six teams in the 4A-1 Cowapa League at the time of press. They will next take the field against Seaside on Oct. 10, a team who they previously lost to 3-0. The Rainier/Clatskanie team will hope to end the season on a high note with five remaining games.

Phone scam threatens warrant for arrest

Country Media, Inc.

Over the past several weeks, law enforcement agencies across Oregon have issued alerts concerning a circulating phone scam.

The call usually starts with the scammer identifying themselves as a member of a local police department or sheriff’s office. They generally pick a rank that sounds authoritative, such as “Captain” or “Lieutenant,” but is not as easily as identified

as “Sheriff” or “Chief,” according to law enforcement officials.

How the scam works

The scammer combines the rank with the name of an actual law enforcement officer from a previous media release or social media post so it might be recognized.

After establishing their fictitious identity, the scam-

mer will tell the target of the scam that they have a warrant for their arrest for something that appears to be an oversight: missing a subpoena, jury duty, or non-payment of fines. The scammer then tells the target of the scam that they will be arrested if they don’t pay money to them via wire transfer, online payment service, or pre-paid cards. Law enforcement of-

ficials caution that scammers are creative and resourceful. They will try to convince you they are with a legitimate agency. “They will try to convince you they are with a legitimate agency,” the officials state in the alerts. “They will sometimes create a fake, professional-looking profile or a website that looks very similar to the organization’s actual page. “Scammers may

try to use your emotions against you, such as pretending to be a family member in jail or threaten legal consequences if you do not pay immediately.”

The law enforcement agencies urge, that when in doubt, hang up without providing personal or payment information and contact the organization to verify the request is really coming from their office.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: CHEMISTRY 101

ACROSS

1. “Planted” customer

6. Pie and mode connection (2 words)

20. Period in history

22. Mouth piece

24. Designer’s studio

25. *____-Mariotte Law

26. Dined at home

27. Late Princess of Wales

29. Defect

31. Two halves of two

32. Discussion intended to produce agreement

33. Galactic path

34. Demanding attention

36. Like a barred door

38. *Aurum, in English

42. Type of grave marker

45. It loves company?

49. PC “brain”

51. Limited in scope

54. Gelatin

1. Health resort in BadenBaden, e.g.

2. River islet

3. Hip bones

4. To-do enumerations

5. Bingo and keno

6. Imitator

7. *Chemistry classroom

8. Fly in ____, or a reminder of the past

9. Hat-tipper’s word

10. Highest point

11. Splints site

12. Assigned spot

15. Rids of obstuction

56. Like one with high BMI

57. Artist’s model, sometimes

58. Application utilizer

59. Keep it up?

60. TV classic “____

Make a Deal”

61. Jealous biblical brother

62. Fairy-tale opening

63. Less than average tide

66. *Sn, or stannum, on periodic table

68. Like dry humor

Courtesy photo from Amy Mustola Libero McKinsey Doyle has been a stand out during the Tigers’ strong season.

Courtesy photo from Amy Mustola The Tigers have been focusing on being aggressive at the net and speeding up the offense.

Metro Creative Connection

dims the sky

Don’t miss the rare and otherworldly sight of October’s annular

eclipse

BY SARAH KELLY For Country Media, Inc.

On Saturday, Oct. 14. 2023 grab your protective eyewear and look to the sky where you will witness an extraordinary event, weather permitting. The rare celestial phenomenon, known as an annular solar eclipse, will brie y take place above Oregon, dimming the sky. The eclipse will travel on a path through the U.S., starting at our beautiful coast and ending in Texas, before it continues to pass other parts of the world.

cross over to the middle of the sun. Once there, it will brie y block a large portion of it before taking over an hour to nish moving away. The moon will be in the optimal position for viewing around 9:18 a.m., with slight time variations depending on where you are viewing from. So be sure to get out there early to watch it all happen and to ensure you don’t miss any part of this awe-inspiring natural event. Once the moon is in place it will only last a few minutes. The eclipse will take a path from the Oregon coast to the Texas

Gulf Coast, crossing Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and parts of California, Idaho, Colorado and Arizona. After crossing North America, the eclipse will pass Mexico and Central America. It will then cross over into Colombia in South America and nish its land crossing in Northern Brazil. The annular solar eclipse will conclude at sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

What is an annular eclipse?

An annular solar eclipse is a unique occurrence, happening when the moon is so far away on its elliptical orbit around the Earth that it appears relatively small while passing in between the Earth and the sun. The moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle, therefore its distance from Earth varies. As it moves along its orbit the moon will appear slightly smaller and larger than normal.

Oct. 14 will be a new moon, which means it will appear smaller and only capable of obscuring approximately 90 percent of the sun’s disk when viewed on its annular

path. The term annular refers to something that is ring-shaped. During the annular eclipse, the smaller-looking moon will cross in front of the sun. When this occurs, a ring-shaped sliver of the sun will still be visible, known as a “Ring of Fire,” brightly peeking out from behind the silhouetted moon. This thin ring will only remain that way for around four minutes before it will lose its annular appearance.

People viewing the eclipse from anywhere outside of the annular path will not see a complete ring, as the moon is not covering it the same amount. As you travel farther away from the annular path, the moon will obscure the sun less and less, granting those outside of the path only a partial solar eclipse.

Oregon is rst Oregon will be the rst of the states to see the annular solar eclipse, with the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area being lucky enough to be in the perfect location to see this amazing natural phenomenon as it crosses land. A large portion of the Oregon coastline will be capable of viewing this event at its maximum, as will some other parts of the state as it travels past.

There are approximately 6.6 million people in the U.S. who are living within the path of the annular solar eclipse. Out of those millions, about 1 million of them reside in Oregon. While this time of the year does tend to be a bit cloudy in the mornings, that shouldn’t stop you from going out to see the event. Should the

clouds obscure the sky, you may still be able to experience the eclipse through them.

Extra effects to watch for

The “Ring of Fire” is not the only thing to look out for. During the eclipse be sure to take a moment to look at the shadows cast on the ground, buildings and everywhere else that you can. You will notice something very unusual. The sun will be casting the moon’s shadow down onto Earth and as the moon travels across the sun you will see strange crescent-shaped shadows all around, instead of the normal shapes you are used to. The strange shadows will dance across the ground as the moon moves quickly overhead, making this equally as fascinating to watch as the

eclipse itself. Philip Daly, who has worked for more than 35 years in the professional astronomy eld building instruments on major telescopes and is currently part of a research team at the University of Arizona, stated that the speed at which the moon’s shadow moves “is variable as the eclipse progresses.” Daly cites the Great American Eclipse website, saying that “When annularity covers most of Oregon at 9:20:06, it will be traveling at 4862 mph.”

For those at the edge of the eclipse’s annular path, like Siletz Bay in Lincoln City or near Floras Lake in Curry County, while watching the eclipse, try to spot something called Baily’s beads. If you see what looks like a “broken ring,” you’ve found it. Light, streaming through from the sun, passes between

the gaps of mountains, valleys and uneven surfaces on the moon, causing what looks like a broken ring. Those on the northern and southern limits of the annular path, called the “grazing zone,” will be able to catch a glimpse of these “edge effects.”

Proper eye protection

If you do go out to watch the eclipse, you must have proper eyewear. Sunglasses, while appearing to help decrease the sun’s brightness, will not protect your eyes when looking directly at it. Looking directly at the sun without the correct protective wear could result in permanent eye damage and should never be done under any circumstances. There is, surprisingly, a variety of protective wear available for viewing an eclipse. While glasses may be the most known, there are also handheld solar viewers. You can purchase a special solar lter for your camera lens, binoculars and telescopes. The lter secures over the optic lens on the front, allowing you to safely look through it to view the eclipse. Never look at the sun through your binoculars, telescope or camera lens while wearing eclipse glasses as they send concentrated solar rays to your eyes, causing severe eye damage. Eclipse glasses are not needed when viewing through your lens as long as you have a proper solar

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lter attached.

It is imperative that you ensure whatever you’ve picked to view the eclipse through, is safe and complies with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Some places may print that label on their products wrongfully. Safe viewers are specially designed to be thousands of times darker than standard sunglasses and to block most of the solar UV and IR radiation. Not all products may properly comply. The best way to make sure what you have is sun-safe is to check that the supplier has made it onto the American Astronomical Society’s safe lters and viewers list.

Additional means of viewing

If you are unable to get proper eye protection, you can still view the eclipse using an indirect method. You can create a pinhole projector. Punch a small hole into something sturdy like a piece of cardboard and, with your back to the sun, you can now safely look at the projected image on a nearby surface. Never look at the sun through the pinhole.

For those who may not be able to get out and experience the eclipse rst-hand, NASA will be hosting a virtual viewing from their YouTube channel, where they will be showing the eclipse from locations all over the country.