Rising costs force public safety building redesign
goods, the cost of the project has risen dramatically since it was first calculated.”
City officials in St. Helens are reevaluating plans for a new public safety facility to house the St. Helens Police Department.
Initially proposed in 2021, the 22,000-square-foot facility was estimated to cost $22 million using the original design. The City hopes to lower that cost to approximately $12.6 million.
“The City is currently working with our architectural consultant on a redesign of the building to reduce the project costs,” St. Helens Communication Officer Crystal King said. “Due to numerous factors, including rising inflation, construction supply shortages, and increased cost of construction
Portland-based architecture and interior design firm Mackenzie is working with the city on the project. In their initial plan, city officials wanted to include “flex space” that the community could use as a municipal court, city council chamber, and community room. With new cost considerations, the redesign will not include that “flex space” to reduce the project’s square footage.
Funding the project
When the project was proposed in 2021, the City was planning on taking out a loan for more than $20 million that they would pay back over 20 or 30 years. The project
will be funded by “bonds, fees, and other City revenues.”
“The bonds act as a loan that the City has to pay back, which will be done through fees and other City revenues,” King said. “The bond funds total $12.6 million. After the project is redesigned, the City hopes to bring the cost of construction as close to $12.6 million as possible.”
The city council will consider increasing the public safety fee on utility bills to generate funding, according to King.
“The fee is estimated to be between $6 to $9,” she said. “The Council will attempt to keep the fee as low as possible by using other City funds such as tax revenues and Industrial Business Park revenues.”
In 2021, city officials estimated
the utility fee to be an added $2 to $4.25 per bill. Once the redesign is complete, city officials will reassess the necessary expenses when the cost is finalized.
Aging police station
The project seeks to address the issue of the outdated police station that currently houses the St. Helens Police Department, at 150 S 13th Street. The 2,200-square-foot building was constructed in 1971. The new facility will allow for the continued expansion of the St. Helens police force as population and call volume increases.
In 2021, the City authorized 19 sworn officers. For 2022, St. Helens is authorizing an increase of three officers for 22 sworn officers. The budget for new personnel
has expanded over the last several years to meet public needs.
Construction in the future
In March 2022, the City hoped construction could begin in 2024 and be completed in about 14 months. Just when the new facility will be built is still pending due to the rising costs.
“We do not have an estimated groundbreaking date at this point,” she said. “We will have a better idea once the building redesign is complete, has been approved by Council, and moves into the permitting phase.”
Follow developments at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.
City removes beaver dam over safety concerns
I t is natural for beavers to construct dams at local waterways but one such dam has been removed by the City of St. Helens due to flooding and safety concerns.
“Yes, the City of St. Helens recently removed a beaver dam from McCormick Park,” St. Helens Communications Officer Crystal King told The Chronicle. “The dam was located close to the pedestrian bridge that spans Milton Creek. This bridge provides connection from the main playground and parking lot area of McCormick Park to additional walking trails and disc golf holes
on the opposite side of the creek.”
King said the location of the beaver dam created two concerns if it was left in place: 1. Higher-than-usual flood damage to the main trail and surrounding areas of the park.
2. Significant damage to the structural integrity of the pedestrian bridge.
The City consulted with a state trapper who came to the park in the hopes of trapping the beaver. After examining the location of the dam, the trapper determined that trapping the beaver was not an option because the dam was in an area heavily trafficked by dogs and small children which created a safety risk,” according to King.
“It was recommended that the City remove the dam,” King said. “This would encourage the beaver to move to a different area of the creek where a dam would not pose the same safety or flood damage concerns. In the process of dislodging the dam, the machinery used entered the creek.”
Machinery should not be operated in a creek and the City is taking steps to mitigate possible damage, according to King, who added that the City reached out to Scappoose Bay Watershed Council after the dam was removed for recommendations and assistance in restoring any damage to the
for small businesses affected by COVID-19
B usinesses in Columbia County and across the state affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have an opportunity to access $3 million in federal assistant grants.
Business Oregon has partnered with the CCD Business Development Corporation to offer the $3 million in CDBG-CV Statewide Small Business and Microenterprise Grant Assistance (SBMA).
The program is funded with federal grant funds from the Oregon Community Development Block Grant program CARES Act funding for communities affected by COVID-19.
SBMA grants will be awarded between $2,500 - $30,000 per business. Microenterprises whose owner meets who meet low- and moderate-income (LMI) criteria can qualify for up to $10,000 in grant funding. Small businesses can qualify for $2,500 per LMI employee retained up to $30,000 in funding.
Eligibility requirements
A microenterprise (five or fewer employees) or small business (more than five employees) that:
• Was in business prior to March 8, 2019
• Can document COVID-19 impact (lost revenue, mandated closures, workforce issues, supply complications, etc.)
• Was generally stable/strong prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Has an owner and/or employees who meet low- and moderateincome (LMI) criteria
Limited time
The program will launch 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23, and will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27. Applications for this grant program will be processed on a lottery basis. At the time of ap -
plication closure, all submitted applications will be randomized and processed. To register and apply, visit www.ccdbusiness.org/ oregonsbma. Technical assistance is available to assist with completing the application process. You may use Google Translate on the application registration and program webpages for non-English languages or please contact CCD
Business Development Corporation at 1-888-263-0971 or oregonsbma@ccdbusiness.com for additional assistance. Video tutorials for both small business and microenterprise applications, including helpful tips, are also available. The link to the YouTube playlist for the video tutorials can be found at on the CCD’s website.
Business Oregon, in partnership with CCD Business Devel -
opment
a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The SBMA
2023.
For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/biz.
Corporation, hosted two virtual Q&A meetings about this grant opportunity on Friday, January 13 at 10:00
grant award selections are expected in February 2023 and the funding is expected to be distributed to selected grantees in March
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Left photo by Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media. Right photo courtesy from the City of St. Helens.
The photo on the left shows the aging St. Helens Police station. The photo on the right is the original conceptual drawing of what the new public safety facility might look like.
$3M
Metro Creative Connection
Monday, Jan. 23, and
5
The program will launch 8 a.m.
will close at
p.m. Friday, Jan. 27. Applications for this
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The area of the beaver dam at McCormick Park that has been removed by the city.
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Oregon spent $75 million on hotels for homeless shelters
A handful of hotels across Oregon work a lot differently now than they did three years ago.
In 2020, state legislators committed nearly $75 million to a novel housing strategy aimed at stemming the worst impacts of both the pandemic’s first year and a destructive fire season. Two years later, recipients of that funding are looking to longterm operations while the statewide outcomes of the new services aren’t exactly clear.
The premise of the program was a simple one: The state would give local governments and nonprofits funds to purchase old hotels and motels.
They could then use those buildings as emergency shelter to house people more safely than in large congregate shelters, where disease can spread more quickly.
“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we really had to think about shelter, and sheltering people experiencing homelessness in a very different way,” said Mike Savara, who coordinates the state housing agency’s work with Project Turnkey.
“We saw shelters really trying to distance, spread out, and think about all the different ways they could limit the spread of COVID-19.”
To fund the properties, legislators enlisted the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) to dole out the funding to 19 different sites — moving the money through the private nonprofit instead of the state’s own housing agency because of the program’s urgency, state leaders said.
“You have to remember that when these funds initially came to OCF, it was at a moment when our state was dealing with a once-in-a-lifetime, we hope, pandemic and the loss of 4,000 residential structures because of the many fires that ravaged our state,” said Megan Loeb, who coordinates the Turnkey program for the foundation. “And at that moment in time, our state housing agency was dealing with their programs to really prevent people from being evicted from their home.”
Visible impact
In Central Oregon, the impact of those new shelters is becoming more visible.
The city of Bend, for example, purchased the old Bend Value Inn on Division Street with $2.5 million in state Turnkey funding, sheltering residents in the 28 rooms starting in January.
Those residents moved in May to the old Rainbow Motel on Franklin Avenue, which the city purchased with its own funds as a “swing space” during renovations.
Residents there will move back to Division Street when renovations are completed, hopefully in early February, according to Amy Fraley, who manages the city’s houseless services.
“The building’s going to be better and it’s going to be a place that is providing solutions,” Fraley said of the shelter, which has been named “Stepping Stone” based on public suggestions.
New beds in old buildings came with challengesAll told, Project Turnkey funded 867 shelter beds — an increase of about 20% of the state’s emergency shelter capacity, and likely the biggest single investment in shelter space in the state’s history.
“That actually is a huge investment in our overall landscape,” Savara said.
“Oregon typically ranks in sort of the lower tiers in terms of the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness by capita around the state, so we absolutely need more shelter beds.”
That historic investment
will only last in the long run, though, if the shelter sites keep operating at full capacity — one of the biggest challenges shelter operators are facing.
Project Turnkey funded the initial investments in shelters, allowing organizations to purchase property they likely wouldn’t have been able to without the program.
But the program didn’t fund the operational costs it would take to run the shelters, meaning those organizations have had to find ways to fold the new operations into their budgets.
In Bend, that meant an allocation of up to $900,000 from the city council for operations between May 2022 and February 2023, plus federal grants and other funding for NeighborImpact to implement the program.
The city plans to use federal COVID-relief funding to operate the shelter for three years, but funding beyond that is still unknown.
“We need to have different kinds of shelter for people that is available. But how we do that over the long run is something none of us know, so that’s the piece that’s missing,” Fraley said. “The (city) council has allocated the money for three years to pay for the shelter. But we are looking for a legislative fix for that long-term operational funding as well as upkeep of the facility.”
In other parts of the state, the operational funding problem has gone even further in impacting the new shelters. The $7 million hotel purchased by Central City Concern in Northeast Portland, for example, is still only half filled, because the nonprofit can’t afford to staff the 35 rooms that currently sit empty.
The process of turning old hotels into emergency housing has also carried all kinds of renovation costs. Many shelter operators have highlighted unexpected surprises in the aging buildings and rising costs as a result of supply chain troubles.
“It’s the purpose of the shelter to support a population, so we had to do design making certain assumptions or doing very limited exploratory information,” said Garrett Kaye, a city facilities project manager for the city.
“And pretty quickly (we) discovered that some of the assumptions that we had made weren’t necessarily true, that the condition of the infrastructure hidden from view, literally under the floor, under the concrete slabs, was in pretty poor condition.”
Contractors asked the city council in August for an additional $450,000 for renovations, like fixes for sewer and gas piping discovered under the flooring and upgrades to the electrical system to accommodate for people living in the building.
In Redmond, the Bethlehem Inn shelter faced similar challenges, needing to replace the electrical system, raise the parking lot to make rooms wheelchair accessible and knock out nine rooms to replace with a kitchen and dining room.
“Did I mention it’s a 1960s motel?” Gwenn Wysling, Bethlehem Inn’s executive director, joked, gesturing to the building’s very ’60s exterior.
All told, Bethlehem Inn has budgeted for about $1.75 million in renovation costs — with some funding coming from Project Turnkey but most coming from other donors — for the $2.4 million property. The city of Bend has budgeted a little over $1.5 million for the renovation of the 1950s motor lodge it purchased for $2.5 million.
Another challenge of standing up a shelter in the last few years? A limited amount of open housing to help people move into.
Salem’s Center for Hope and Safety, for example, has felt that challenge acutely.
A family’s average stay at its Turnkey shelter, which focuses on families and individuals escaping domestic violence, is around 140 days
because of how challenging it is to find residents a new place to move to, according to Jayne Downing, who runs the nonprofit.
Local impacts are slowly materializing, but state outcomes are rarely tracked
The sparse data that is available about Turnkey shelters provides some insight into their impact.
The Redmond shelter, operated by Bethlehem Inn, has hosted an average of 40 residents a month since it opened, according to Wysling. Residents stay for an average of 39 days.
What “success” looks like at different shelters can mean different things — and because of a tight housing market, like what the Salem shelter experiences, it sometimes has to look like smaller wins than getting someone into long-term, permanent housing.
At Bethlehem Inn, for example, shelter staff assign each resident a score from 1 to 5 for each of seven areas: shelter, safety, employment, income, health care, mental health and overall wellness. The nonprofit’s data shows that the average resident at the shelter leaves about 4 and a quarter points higher on that scale than when they entered.
In Bend, the Turnkeysupported shelter has housed 69 individuals for an average of about 117 nights each, according to data from NeighborImpact, which operates the shelter. Of 23 who’ve left the shelter so far, a little under half have moved into some kind of more stable housing, like a subsidized rental or housing voucher, and around a quarter moved into some other kind of temporary shelter or homelessness.
“We would expect some of those folks (at the Franklin Avenue shelter) will transition to permanent housing (soon),” Fraley said. “So, there has been movement in between the properties as far as people securing a more permanent housing option through some pretty robust case management and other services provided both by NeighborImpact and by REACH.”
But across the state, the outcomes of Project Turnkey are harder to measure.
While individual shelter operators might track their own data, because the funds were distributed through a private nonprofit on a short-term basis, there’s no consistent reporting across sites statewide about who is using Turnkey shelters, how long they’re staying or where they’re going when they leave.
That’s a major contrast with California’s hotel-toshelter program launched during the pandemic.
There, the state’s housing department administered the grant program and publishes data from its grantees, including dashboards of where funds are going and how many units are occupied, as
well as an early analysis that showed about a third of shelter users entered permanent or temporary housing after they left the shelter.
In this state, Oregon Housing & Community Services is just beginning to fund programs at most of the Turnkey sites, which will require some data reporting to the state. OHCS has also commissioned a study on the impact of Turnkey in the near future, according to OHCS’s Savara.
More in store in new phases of pandemic Project Turnkey isn’t over, either. Legislators in 2022 approved another $50 million for the program, which state officials expect will fund around a dozen additional shelters in early 2023.
The Oregon Commu-
nity Foundation, which is also distributing the second round of grants, hasn’t disclosed which applications it plans to fund, but OCF’s Loeb says officials there hope to include regions and populations that weren’t covered in the original round.
“We’re looking at a broad geographic distribution of funds around the state to support areas that either were not able to fully resolve the shelter needs in their community through the first round or areas that were not able to be supported through the first round,” Loeb said.
And as the pandemic wanes, Savara, with the state housing agency, says Oregon’s Turnkey shelters are beginning to focus less on emergency shelter to prevent the transmission of COVID and pivoting to
longer-term goals in a state that had 6,200 unsheltered households in 2019, according to a state study.
“At the end of the day, (homelessness is) about not having housing, and housing that’s affordable and housing that meets their needs,” Savara said. “Project Turnkey easily can start to become a great opportunity for other types of low-income, permanent housing options for people experiencing homelessness.”
Oregon Capital Insider was launched in February 2015 to provide a convenient source of specialized news for individuals and businesses that require a deeper understanding of the trends, issues and personalities in state government. Contact the Oregon Capital Insider at oregoncapitalinsider.com or at 541-383-0367.
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A2
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At this time of year, in many different cultures, we toast to our health. Yet, heavy drinking raises our risk for liver disease, breast cancer and depression. This holiday season, give some thought to how much you drink and consider drinking less. It could make a big difference…to your health. To your health? rethinkthedrink.com
Oregon’s homelessness challenge
Chronicle Guest Article
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The premise of the program was a simple one: The state would give local governments and nonprofits funds to purchase old hotels and motels.
Bonamici
Oregon
Congressman Bonamici, husband struck by vehicle
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Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and her husband, Judge Michael Simon, are recovering after Portland Police said the two were struck by a vehicle.
According to police, the incident happened in Northwest Portland Friday night Jan. 13, while the two were walking in a crosswalk at NW Everett Street and 129th Avenue. Investigating officers reported that the congresswoman and her husband were struck by a slow-moving vehicle. The driver remained at the scene.
Portland media reports that a spokesperson for
the congresswoman said Bonamici was treated for a concussion and cut on her head and her husband suffered only minor injuries.
Bonamici was released from the hospital and expected to make a full recovery, according to the Portland media reports.
The Congresswoman later released the following statement on her Facebook page.
“Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, and to the first responders and health care workers who provided the care we needed.
My husband and I are continuing to recover at home and are grateful for your kind thoughts and support,” Bonamici said in her Facebook post.
Respiratory surge slows, battle continues
While the surge in respiratory viruses in Oregon has slowed, hospitals are still struggling, according to Oregon Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger.
During the fall, RSV, COVID, and Influenza pushed Oregon hospitals to their breaking point. A situation that Sidelinger labeled a ‘crisis’ in December is now improving, thanks partly to the precautions Oregonians took over the holidays.
“All overall respiratory virus activity in our communities remains high, and our hospital systems are still under extraordinary pressure, with some operating near, or even above 100% capacity, we are seeing some improvements in respiratory virus hospitalizations,” Sidelinger said during a media briefing Thursday, Jan. 12. “Unfortunately, our hospitals are not yet able to resume their normal workbooks.”
Status of respiratory viruses
Sidelinger reported that RSV hospitalization rates have improved most of the respiratory viruses. RSV saw its peak in pediatric hospitalizations November 3. Currently, Sidelinger reported that “hospitalizations are decreasing rapidly.”
Influenza in adults and chil-
Summer internship program offers look at utility careers
MICHAEL J. SYKES Sponsored content
something we take seriously at Columbia River PUD. When lead times on orders for transformers are up to a year or longer, it is imperative to plan ahead.
helped us put our electric distribution system in a good place. It’s also one of the strategies we use to ensure our workforce stays in a good place.
team has retired in the last five years. While jobs continue to open up as the current work force slowly enters retirement, we are looking for the right individuals to help fill those openings.
One of the ways we have addressed this is by hiring an intern in our Engineering Department each summer. We are beginning the search for this year’s Engineering Intern.
This is a paid position for a high school senior or college student studying engineering. It’s a 40-hour per week job during the student’s summer break. Applicants must reside in our service area.
This is a great opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in the electric industry. It provides a close-up look at how our electric system is planned, how it is built, and how it is operated. The intern will work closely with our team of Engineers to analyze data and apply that data for the benefit of our customers.
In addition, they might get
a chance to see how substations are designed and how they work. They may get to see how the linemen construct projects to ensure electricity is delivered reliably throughout the community.
Providing electricity is an undertaking that includes many different aspects. With our internship program, we strive to provide an in-depth sampling of some of those aspects.
Our internship program is one of the ways we are trying to help develop skills in young people as they prepare to enter the workforce. It also serves as a window into what the utility profession is all about. I encourage anyone interested to apply. You can find the application materials on our website at www.crpud.net/
internship.
If you’re on the fence about whether a utility career suits you, you can request a job shadow. We offer half-day job shadows to high school and college students who live in our service area. This is a great way to get a quick glimpse at what working in our industry is really like and help learn whether it’s something you’re interested in pursuing.
dren remains high; however, the flu reached the peak season for adults on December 3. As of now, influenza hospitalizations for children have plateaued, and Sidelinger expects cases for adults and children to continue to decrease.
COVID-19 update
Sidelinger also offered an update on the status of COVID-19 throughout the state. “COVID-19-related hospitalizations increased quickly in November and remain higher than their previous baseline but have dropped in the last week,” Sidelinger said. “National forecasts are predicting that COVID-19 hospitalizations will remain at their current level for the next few weeks. Dr. Peter Graven and his OHSU modeling team, in their statewide forecast published on January 6, are predicting a small increase in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 into February caused by the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant, known as XBB.1.5.”
The forecast predicts that 367 will be hospitalized as of February 4. Oregon health experts are monitoring XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant, which is spreading rapidly in the Northeast United States. Health officials expect a rapid spread of the variant in the
coming weeks.
“While this variant does appear to be the most transmissible COVID-19 variant so far, at this time, there is no evidence that it is associated with more severe COVID-19 infection,” Sidelinger said. “In general, we are not seeing a significant cause for concern about XBB.1.5 right now.”
Sidelinger explained that “variants are expected to emerge over time,” but there is no evidence that it will be more harmful than other Omicron subvariants.
What Oregonians can do to stay safe
Sidelinger offered Oregonians ways to protect themselves from the array of respiratory viruses. Sidelinger emphasized the importance of getting a Flu shot to fight Influenza. Similarly, Sidelinger urged Oregonians to get their COVID vaccinations and boosters.
“Get your COVID-19 booster. And if you haven’t yet gotten the first two primary doses, please do so; it’s the best way to protect you as the highly contagious XBB.1.5 variant makes its way toward Oregon. It will get eventually, and we want you to be ready,” Sidelinger said.
Sidelinger also reemphasized the importance of observing many of the best
practices that helped people during the pandemic.
• Wash your hands frequently
• Wear a mask indoors • Limit exposure to large gatherings
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Stay home if you are sick
Sidelinger said that these precautions will help slow the spread of disease.
Monkey Pox update
Sidelinger also addressed the ongoing issue of Monkey Pox or “M Pox.” After the spike in cases in late October, new cases have slowed to “a trickle.” OHA has seen fewer than five cases diagnosed in the past month.
“We believe these low case counts reflect what we have seen over the last several months and where we are focusing our efforts, he said.
“Preliminary vaccine effectiveness data indicate that the JYNNEOS Vaccine is effective against M Pox. Two doses of the vaccine offer the best protection for those at risk.”
Since the start of the M Pox Oregon outbreak in June, there have been 270 cases of M Pox. While Sidelinger said he expects a “handful” of cases in the next few months, he expressed that Oregon health systems are better prepared to address them.
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A3
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Michael J. Sykes General Manager, Columbia River PUD
253 S. 1st Street, St Helens, OR 97051 503.329.7269 mobile urbanpacificrealestate.com urbanpacific REALESTATE Columbia County Division Pet of the Month Jango is a young, energetic 2 year old Staffordshire Terrier mix. This guy is full of life and full of energy. He will need a family that is patient and who will be willing to work with him. He is your typical two year old puppy & he loves to play Here’s Jango
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U.S. Congresswoman
holds up a personalized gift box made in the Makerspace while visiting the St. Helens Library in 2022.
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WILL
From her first public appearance as governor-elect on Nov. 10 to her first official remarks at the Oregon Business Plan summit Dec. 12, Gov. Tina Kotek has been consistent about her top priorities in her first year:
• Housing and homelessness.
• Mental health and substance abuse treatment.
• Public schools, particularly a focus on lagging reading scores.
But much rests on the two-year state budget she will propose for the cycle. State economists have forecast a “mild” downturn in fall 2023 that may result in $3 billion less in tax collections and lottery proceeds in the next budget cycle, which begins July 1, than in the current cycle.
She also had to deal with competing plans for homelessness money; one offered by Portland Mayor Ted
sets priorities: Homelessness, mental health, public schools
Wheeler, and another offered by mayors from cities across the state.
As of Jan. 13, Kotek had not offered details about her own plans, which are subject to legislative approval.
The Legislature has two more revenue forecasts in mid-February and mid-May before it crafts a final budget for the coming two-year cycle.
Among Gov.-elect Tina Kotek’s three priorities is a plan to being constructing housing units in Oregon. The state has a vast undersupply of housing, which exacerbates everything from homelessness to the cost of living.
Housing
Legislators also expect to take on the question of housing supply. According to one estimate, Oregon has a shortage of 111,000 housing units from the past decade — half needed by people below the area median income — and the number of housing units being built isn’t even keeping pace with current
population growth. Two state agencies are expected to unveil a study soon.
Kotek has said her plan will involve a “land use component,” but will not do
Whale died from ship strike, biologists say
is unclear if this strike occurred before or after death,” the Aquarium’s post
A necropsy conducted Monday, Jan. 16, by biologists confirmed the cause of death, according to the Associated Press.
Crews from the Seaside Aquarium and state parks removed the whale’s lower
The jaw was removed so that the teeth remained intact for scientific purposes, the Aquarium post said.
The whale is believed to be a juvenile male.
away with the urban growth boundaries that separate development from farm and forest land — the basic principle behind Oregon’s 50-year-old land use plan-
ning program.
Kotek said that just as important as new money is a focus on how quickly money goes to government agencies and community providers so they can provide services.
Kotek plans during her first year in office to visit each of Oregon’s 36 counties and listen to what communities have to say.
“I will work to bridge the divisions in our state,” Kotek said in November. “I will spend time in our communities all over Oregon, working to fix problems and partner with Oregonians who want to find solutions.”
Construction and COVID
All of this will take place against a backdrop of major construction at the Capitol in Salem. In the past couple of years, the Capitol has been nearly deserted because of restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those restrictions have been lifted, but the main, 1938 Capitol is closed due to seismic reinforcement. The House and Senate office
wings reopened on Dec. 5. Legislators will still use their offices, and hearing rooms will be available to the public, but it is anticipated that much of business of the 2023 Legislature will take place via video conference.
The House will be able to use its chambers in the main Capitol building; it is not quite as certain for the Senate. Given their smaller number — 30 senators, 60 House members — the Senate could use hearing rooms as chambers, as it did in 1993 an earthquake damaged the Capitol.
But the Senate met only in meeting rooms for a short period of time that year.
Oregon Capital Insider was launched in February 2015 to provide a convenient source of specialized news for individuals and businesses that require a deeper understanding of the trends, issues and personalities in state government. Contact the Oregon Capital Insider at oregoncapitalinsider.com or at 541-383-0367.
The large whale was spotted in the surf near the wreck of the Peter Iredale
The
“There were a few large gashes on the whale believed to be from a large ship strike, however, it
Male sperm whales can reach nearly 60 feet and weigh well over 40 tons. They have been known to live up to 60 years, with males maturing around the age of 50 at a length of approximately 52 feet. They feed on deep water species, such as squid, sharks, skates, and fish, according to the Seaside Aquarium.
While their population is recovering, sperm whales are still considered endangered.
voiCEs of thE Community
Say ‘thanks, but no thanks’
This letter is to all those who said, and continue to espouse the wonders of Next Energy developing a plant in Port Westward near Clatskanie, Ore.
I would like to bring everyone’s attention to the Jan. 7, 2023 edition of the Oregonian. The article, in the business section, details the recent bankruptcy and foreclosure facing the biofuels
refinery in Southern Oregon; Red Rock Biofuels
Please keep in mind the southern Oregon plant was completed while making all the same promises Next Energy has made to the citizens of Clatskanie and Columbia County.
Not only is the Red Rock Biofuels in foreclosure but it could be sold off in parts at auction.
I encourage everyone to Google and read the Oregonians well written and researched article concerning Red Rock Biofuels. It
is uncanny the similarities and pie in the sky promises the small Oregon town of Lakeview, Oregon was given in comparison to Clatskanie and Columbia County.
It seems that the bond holders, the taxpayers and finally the town of Lakeview, Oregon are now SOL.
It’s time for everyone in Clatskanie to just say thanks but no thanks to Next Energy.
Russell Spaulding Landowner/ Rancher
Community EvEnts
January 26 Spaghetti Feed for the Rainier Historical Museum
The event is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Rainier Schools Briacliff Commons Cafeteria. Dinner will be available during the Rainier basketball game with Warrenton. Tickets are on sale at the museum on Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and youth over 12 yrs., $5 for children 5-12; children under 5 yrs. old are free. To purchase tickets, call Sherry Evans, at 503369-8595. Tickets will also be available at time of the event.
January 26 Scappoose
Garden Club Meeting
11 a.m. at 51555 SW Old Portland Road. Guest speaker from Scappoose Bay Watershed Council. Anyone welcome to attend.
second Tuesday. Meetings are currently held electronically by Zoom. For more information, contact Council Coordinator Henry Franzoni ar 360-353-0937 or email to hjfranzoni3@gmail.com. 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, Christcentered spiritual recovery meeting for those struggling with addictions and compulsive behavior at 220 S. 1st Street in St. Helens. Everyone is loved and welcomed. Free childcare available. For more information call Debbie at 503-560-0521 or check the Resonate Facebook page.
Columbian Toastmasters
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 971-757-6389.
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
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www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A4
Gov. Kotek
PETER WORN Oregon Capital Insider Chronicle Guest Article
Courtesy photo from Peter Wong / PMG
Vote online at thechronicleonline.com Are you exercising more or less as you age? Yes No Weekly Online Poll Last Week’s Results Are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2023? The Chronicle The Chronicle (USPS 610-380) is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. 1805 S. Columbia Blvd., P.O. Box 1153 St. Helens, Oregon 97051 Periodicals postage paid at St. Helens, OR 97051 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chronicle PO Box 1153 St. Helens, OR 97051-8153 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One month in county: $8 One month out of county: $10 One year in county: $70 One year out of county: $90 One year online only: $60 CONTACT US • Phone: (503) 397-0116 • Fax: (503) 397-4093 Website: www.thechronicleonline.com • Editorial: chroniclenews@countrymedia.net ADVERTISE WITH US: Display ads: chronicleads@countrymedia.net Classified ads: chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net FOLLOW US • facebook.com/sthelenschronicle or twitter.com/shchronicle Editorial policy: Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chronicle views and are solely those of the writers expressing them. Write to us: We want to hear from you and encourage you to write letters to the editor. Because of space limitations, shorter letters have a better chance of being printed. We may edit your letter for style, grammar and clarity, although we do as little editing as pos-
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Tina Kotek speaks at a post-election event on Thursday, Nov. 10 in Portland.
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A 40-foot sperm whale beached in the sand at Astoria was killed by a ship strike.
Saturday, Jan. 14 at Fort Stevens State Park.
whale had been dead for a while before washing ashore, according to a Seaside Aquarium Facebook post.
Courtesy from the Seaside Aquarium
This 40-foot sperm whale was found beached along the North Oregon Coast at Astoria. In the background is the Peter Iredale shipwreck.
44.7% Optimistic 55.3% Pessimistic
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Shortly after noon on Dec. 10, 2022, Robert E. Snider of St. Helens, Oregon, died at the age of 72. Friends and family knew him best as Bob. Bob was born to W. L. and Joyce Snider on April 20, 1950. He grew up in the community of St. Helens in Oregon and graduated from high school in 1968. Shortly thereafter, Bob joined the Army and proudly served in Viet Nam until his honorable discharge on May 31, 1971. One of his first jobs was working with the Columbia County Road Department. Most of his working years were spent in the paper industry. Over the course of time, he held positions and made many
Frank Van Horn, 96, passed away Jan. 8, 2023 at Kingdom Care in Fulton, Missouri.
Frank was born on April 16, 1926, in Grand Junc tion, Colorado, the son of Oertel and Alta Van Horn. Although Frank dropped out of high school at age 16 to support his mother, he later graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Western Col lege and a master’s degree from Oregon State Univer sity. After college, Frank taught sixth grade for two years before becoming an employment counselor in Portland for the state of Oregon. Later, Frank was the Office Manager for St. Helens Employment division. Frank retired in 1988 from the Oregon Employment Division.
friends in the Weyerhaeuser and Tetra Pak mills in Longview, Washington.
As a young man growing up during the era of the
American muscle car, Bob had developed quite a love for automobiles. In recent years, he acquired a restored 1971 Plymouth Barracuda because it reminded him of one of the first cars that he had owned as a young man. More recently, he added a custom 1939 Chevrolet that has a long history in the local area to his vintage cars. It didn’t matter whether it was old or new, Bob treated every one of his automobiles with care. If you were ever lucky enough to buy one of his used cars, you got a real jewel.
Generosity is a character trait that Bob demonstrated in every possible way. You didn’t necessarily
Frank Van Horn
April 16, 1926 ~ Jan. 8, 2023
have to know Bob well in order to have been blessed in some way by his generosity.
Bob was preceded in death by his father W.L. Snider; mother Joyce; and sister Linda.
He is survived by his brothers, Larry Snider and Mark Snider; sister Diana (Snider) Jones; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A public memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Jan. 28, 2023 at the Columbia River Foursquare Church in St. Helens. Donations can be made to “Feed the Children” at CRFS Church in lieu of flowers.
Frank, who had a powerful tenor voice, spent his free time singing, playing his keyboard, recording his music, and entertaining his family and friends.
In 1998, Frank married Evelyn “Annie” Carroll in
St Helens, Oregon. During Frank and Annie’s marriage, they traveled to all 50 states and to the British Isles. They moved to Fulton, Missouri in 2020 to live with Annie’s son, Robert Carroll and his wife Mary. For two years, Frank serenaded Annie at the breakfast table with love songs from the 1940’s and 50’s. The last few months of his life was under the loving care of the staff at Kingdom Care Skilled Nursing Home where Frank entertained everyone with his songs and jokes. The daily visits of Annie always came with a love song from Frank.
Frank is survived by his wife Evelyn “Annie” Van Horn of the home; daughter Jeanne; five grandchildren, Angela Neumann of West
Robert “Bobby” Wayne Lewis
Aug. 1, 1976 ~ Jan.
Linn, Oregon, Gregory Davidson of St. Helens, Oregon, Thad Davidson of Seattle, Washington, and Spike McCoy of Christmas Valley, Oregon; five greatgrandchildren; and Annie’s three children, Barbara, Robert Carroll and Marcia Baltzell.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Dixie (MacGregor) Van Horn; daughter Evelyn Marie Van Horn; son Oertel Frank Van Horn; granddaughter Miriah Early; and one sister Dorothy Lusk.
Burial will be held in Bethany Memorial Cemetery in Warren, Oregon. Memorial service will be held at a later date.
Please sign our online guestbook at www.columbiafh.com.
3, 2023
Robert ‘Bobby’ Wayne Lewis, of St Helens, Oregon, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 3, 2023. Bobby was born Aug. 1, 1976, in Portland, Oregon to parents, Otto Venus Lewis and Mary Anne Lewis.
Bobby was raised by his maternal grandparents, Helen and Murray Thompson, and was supported for many years by several loving and caring people in his life.
Those who knew him, will miss his quirky humor. Bobby was a fun-loving guy who would crack his silly jokes to get a smile.
He loved his family and had a special place in his heart for his brothers. Bobby visited Montana many times and loved his nephews
When family caregiving follows you to work
Part 7 of 9: I have been answering a list of questions that came via email to the weekly GOING HOME, STAYING HOME virtual seminar that I cohost. In February, we will answer some recent questions that have come as feedback to some of the things we have recently discussed. Here is our next very big question so we will discuss this in 3 parts.
Q: My father seems to be getting forgetful and will occasionally think I am his sister rather than his daughter. He is very strong-willed and has traditional masculine values, so he won’t admit to needing any sort of treatment or help. How can I help him understand we are on the same team?
A: Research shows that over eighty percent of older adults who could be receiving home care services have some amount of dementia. In this context, dementia is not a specific disease. Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Since he sometimes thinks that you are his sister instead of his daughter and won’t admit that he needs help then his memory and his judgement are impaired. There are many older adults with dementia that go untreated because the family members don’t realize that with a little medical attention, there can be significant improvement. First, tell
them that you are worried that their medications are not working and you want the doctor to check.
Using the DEMENTIA mnemonic, you can help the medical professionals to screen and treat him.
D is for DRUGS. Is he on medications that are causing him to mistake you for his sister? E is for EMOTIONS? Is he suffering from emotional conditions like depression?
Depression and what may seem like the early stages of Alzheimer’s (the most common type of dementia) disease are almost identical. If he can be screened for depression and treated, his memory and judgement will improve.
Next time, we will cover what M.E.N stand for.
whom he watched grow up over the years, first their protector and then their friend. He loved to fish, hunt, target shoot, ride the lawn mower and of course
ride his side by side. He would walk miles and enjoyed visiting with his family and friends. There are so many wonderful stories to share about Bobby; his trips to Montana, camping in Yellowstone Park with the wolves, watching the elk, his fascination with buffalo and bigfoot, his goofy joke about the elephant trunk, all the people he “liked”, the time he ripped off the eye cups from a stranger’s binoculars or threw his grandpa’s fishing pole in the river and so many more.
Bobby was an amazing human and those who spent time with him are the lucky few. He will remain in our hearts forever and we will do our best to honor him in laughter, memories and
sharing stories. Bobby was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Mary Anne Lewis and grandparents, Murray and Helen Thompson.
He is survived by his brother Ken (Kim) Lewis; nephews, Kyle, Kage and Kolby Lewis; brother Brian Lewis; and several uncles, aunts, cousins and many friends.
Per Bobby’s wishes he will be cremated. A private celebration of his life will be held later this spring in Montana. We ask that those that knew him, take time to remember Bobby and do the thing he would have done with you, share his memory, laugh, smile and hug your loved ones.
Marleen Kay Haagenson
Marleen Kay Haagenson, 63, of St. Helens, Oregon, passed away at home on Jan. 8, 2023. She was born on Nov. 3, 1959, in Eugene, Oregon, to her parents Kenneth and Alice Anderson.
Marleen grew up in Eugene and moved to St. Helens as a teenager. She enjoyed going to Montana to visit her son and family. She spent her life as a loving and devoted housewife, mother, and grandmother. She will be greatly missed.
Marleen is survived by her husband Van; sister
Nov. 3, 1959 ~ Jan. 8, 2023
Kay Merrill; brother Bruce Anderson; children, Denise Haagenson, Jesse Haagenson, and Cheryle Lalicker; six grandchildren; five greatgrandchildren; and many good friends, nieces, and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her mother Alice Coady; brothers, Russ Ander son and Jerry Anderson; and twin sister, Sharleen Petite.
A celebration of life will be held in the future.
Please sign our online guestbook at www.columbiafh.com.
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Columbia County’s trusted local news source 33520 SW EDWARD LN., SCAPPOOSE, OREGON 503-543-3530 SCAPPOOSECINEMA7.COM ALL SHOW TIMES VALID EVERYDAY, unless otherwise specified All showings before 6pm are Matinees = $8.00 per person All showings after 6pm are General Admission = $10.00 per person Children under 11, Seniors 62 and over, and Military with ID are all $8.00 per person *Specials: On Tuesdays tickets are $5.00 Open 365 days a year, Doors Open 15 minutes before the first show
A 9-part series for family caregivers and employers. When family caregiving roles conflict with work and career obligations
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Robert E. Snider April 20, 1950 ~ Dec. 10, 2022
creek’s bank. After discussion with the Oregon Department of State Lands, King said no further action is needed.
“Generally, beavers in the park do not pose challenges,” King said. “They are a healthy part of our watershed’s ecosystem. The issue with this particular beaver was its dam’s location. The location would have caused significant damage to park infrastructure which would then be a safety concern for park users.”
Facts about Oregon’s beavers
The following information is from the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife.
The American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is the largest living rodent in North America.
Adults average 40 pounds in weight and measure more than three feet in length, including the tail. They have a nose and ears that seal out water. These semi-aquatic mammals have webbed hind feet, large incisor teeth and a broad flat tail. They have poor eyesight, but excellent hearing and sense of smell.
The beaver’s sharp incisors, which are used to cut trees and peel bark while eating, are harder on the front surface than on the back so the back wears faster creating a sharp edge that enables a beaver to easily cut through wood.
The incisors continually grow, but are worn down by grinding, tree cutting and feeding. Beavers are
territorial and to mark their territory by creating small mounds of mud, leaves, and sticks, which they then cover with pungent oil called castoreum.
Once among the most widely distributed mammals in North America, beavers were trapped virtually to extinction in the 1800s to meet demand for beaver pelts. A subsequent decline in demand coupled with proper wildlife management allowed beavers to become reestablished in much of their former range and are now common in many areas, including urban settings.
Beavers are found where preferred foods are in good supply―along rivers and small streams, lakes, marsh es and even roadside ditches that have adequate yearround water flow. In areas where deep, calm water is not available, beavers with
enough building material available will create ponds by building dams across creeks or other watercourses to impound water.
Beaver dams
•Beavers build dams to create deep water for protection from predators, for access to their food supply and to provide underwater entrances to their den. Resultant moist soil promotes growth of favored foods.
•Beavers living on water bodies that maintain a con-
water stimulates beavers to build dams; however, they routinely let a leak in a dam flow freely, especially during times of high waters.
•Beavers keep their dams in good repair and will constantly maintain the dams as the water level increases in their pond. A family of beavers may build and maintain one or several dams in their territory.
•In cold areas, dam maintenance is critical. Dams must be able to hold enough water so the pond won’t freeze to the bottom,
grasses, blackberries and agricultural crops.
•Most foraging is done within 165 feet of the water’s edge. In areas with few predators and a lean food supply, toppled trees and other signs of foraging may be found twice that distance from the den site.
•Foraging levels are most intense during late fall (earlier in cold winter areas of Oregon) as beavers prepare for winter.
•Fermentation by special intestinal microorganisms allows beavers to digest 30 percent of the cellulose they
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A6 Columbia County’s trusted local news source Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW Classifieds Listings are updated daily at thechronicleonline.com
502 Help Wanted
Tax
Immediate Opening
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Room for rent in house in St. Helens. $600 per month. No smoking.
820 Mobile/Manuf. Homes For Rent Manufactured home. 2 bed, 1 bath. Large addition. $920/month. No smoking. No pets. $15 rental application fee. 1st & last months rent due at move in. 32678 Scappoose Vernonia Hwy. One mile from Hwy 30. 503-543-2250 or 503-396-9212. Waterman Garage Doors Scott Waterman Owner Advertise your business in the Business & Service Directory. Call 503-397-0116 for more information YOUR AD HERE Columbia County BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY www.thechronicleonline.com Get your ad in the paper and reach out to potential customers. Call 503-397-0116 to place your ad in the newspaper and online. Garage Sale Special! Advertise your garage sale in the paper and online for only $10 for up to 14 lines! Email chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net to advertise! 502 Help Wanted 502 Help Wanted 815 Rooms for Rent 820 Mobile/Manuf. Homes 301 Health & Nutrition thechronicleonline.com The Chronicle Reach local readers by advertising in The Chronicle’s online classifieds section. Call 503-397-0116 for info. Advertise online check the classifieds online at www.thechronicleonline.com to find your perfect job offer Need a job? CH23-1241 Auction to be held online at Storageauctions. com. Auction will run from 1/10/2023 10:00 am & end on 1/20/2023 10:00 am. Unclaimed storage lockers to be sold by competitive bidding. 1st Location Scappoose 53567 Columbia River Hwy. Zachary Burnight CY52, Frank Hobizal C025 CY23, Francine Wheeler F002. 2nd Location St. Helens 445 Port Ave, Suite D Jessica Alwine R-155, Jackson Bennett R-179, Chelain Christian R-029, Robert Hegre G-046, Heather Moran M-033, Troy Silva G-056 GOODS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SOLD BY STORAGE LOT. Cash and Credit Cards. PUBLIC LIEN SALE U-STORE SELF STORAGE CH22-1242 Rainier Storage Place, LLC will hold a foreclosure auction at 29098 Dike Rd., Rainier OR 97048 of the contents of the following storage units: CY15 (8x40) Robert Killough Warren 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 28th, 2023. NOTICE OF AUCTION
Alcoholics Anonymous Info-line, (503) 366-0667 www.pdxaa.org
Director, Finance and
Columbia County, OR EOE. Deadline: Open Until Filled. Apply at ColumbiaCounty OR.gov.
Sewing Part-time 6-Noon, M-Th. Apply in person only. 33550 SE Santosh St. Scappoose, OR 97056. Public Health Program Manager Columbia County, OR. EOE. Deadline 1/26/2023. Apply at ColumbiaCounty OR.gov.
The City of St. Helens is hiring Administrative Billing Specialist Regular Full-Time Monthly wage: $3,856 (Step 1) Apply online at www.sthelensor egon.gov. Deadline to Apply: 02/10/23 Equal Opportunity Employer.
No pets. Please call 503-793-4324.
BEAVERS From Page A1 Having a Garage Sale? Contact The Chronicle at 503-397-0116 or chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net to get your garage sale in the classifieds.
seldom found where winters
ODVA offering new help to suicidal veterans
lives have a mental health issue.
New efforts to assist veterans in Oregon, and across the nation, who are suffering suicidal issues are now in place, according to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any Veterans Administration (VA) or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost — including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.
The new program began in Oregon Jan. 17.
Veterans do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to use this benefit. This expansion will increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million veterans who are not currently enrolled in the VA system.
The final policy, which takes effect on Jan. 17, will allow the VA to:
• Provide, pay for, or reimburse for treatment of eligible individuals’ emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a VA or non-VA facility for up to 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient care.
• Make appropriate referrals for care following the period of emergency suicide care.
• Determine eligibility for other VA services and benefits.
• Refer eligible individuals for appropriate VA programs and benefits following
the period of emergency suicide care.
Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status, are:
• Veterans who were discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual
If you or someone you know is struggling: Don’t wait. Reach out. Visit www. va.gov/REACH for resources and information, or call 988 (then press 1) to quickly connect with caring, qualified crisis support 24/7.
Background
The following is from the Oregon Suicide Prevention website.
Veterans and military service members are at particularly high risk for suicide. Many services are available to assist veterans to find hope, even though asking for help can be difficult.
Veterans are more likely than the civilian population to develop specific mental health problems, like posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and traumatic
ing associated substance use disorders. Often these conditions remain untreated and all of these conditions contribute to an increased risk of suicide among US military veterans.
VA data from 2016 indicates that the veteran suicide rate in Oregon was higher than the national rate. In 2016, 70.5 % of Veteran Suicides in Oregon, or 86 Veteran suicide deaths, were by firearms.
Veteran suicides by age group
According to the (20052016) VA National Suicide Data Report, the suicide rate among Veterans ages 18–34 increased substantially in recent years, and the rate in 2016 was significantly higher than in 2014. Rates of suicide are highest among
male Veterans ages 55–74.
Despite the increased suicide rate among Veterans ages 18–34, Veterans ages 55–74 represented the greatest share of suicide deaths in 2016, with Veterans age 55 and older accounting for 58.1 percent of suicide deaths.
Suicide and mental health
Ultimately, mental health is about being cognitively, emotionally and socially healthy – the way we think, feel and develop relationships – and not merely the absence of a mental health condition.
Suicidal behaviour indicates deep unhappiness, not necessarily a mental health issue. Many people living with mental health issues aren’t suicidal, and not all people who take their own
Factors contributing to suicide risk are extremely complex and can include mental illness as well as a host of other factors including substance misuse or financial instability. New data from the CDC indicates that more than half of people who died by suicide in 2016 had no known mental health disorder at the time of death, however, it also states, “it is possible that mental health conditions or other circumstances could have been present and not diagnosed, known, or reported.”
Of the total suicide deaths in 2016, 10.3% of individuals had a diagnosed serious mental illness, according to a 27-state sample analysis conducted by the CDC. Extrapolated to the entire United States, this indicates that approximately 4,649 individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder died by suicide in 2016.
About the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members.
ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state.
Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or tribal veteran service office online at www. oregon.gov/odva.
Law enforcement issues unsecured loads advisory
Research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that road debris played a role in more than 50,000 crashes each year in a four-year period. These resulted in over 9,800 injuries and approximately 125 deaths.
Law enforcement agencies across Oregon continue to find drivers hauling items to local landfills not securing the loads.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has released the following advisory.
Tie it down
If you are thinking of making that annual or semi-annual trip to the dump? Ridding your home of unwanted items and trash is a great way to keep it a healthy, safe, and clutterfree place.
Remember also, that we want to keep our environment and fellow motorists healthy and safe. So, take a moment to inspect your cargo. Are there any light, loose items that can scatter and become unsightly litter or pollution along the roadway? Or worse, unsecured larger items that may fall out and cause another drive to swerve or crash?
The National Sheriffs’ Association Traffic Safety Committee is working to raise awareness of the problem with unsecured loads.
To be secured, loads should be:
• Tied down with rope, netting or straps
• Tied directly to the vehicle or trailer
• Covered entirely with a sturdy tarp or netting
• NOT overloaded
• Packed with lighter weight items at the bottom and evenly distributed to prevent them from sliding.
THEME: THE GRAMMYS
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A7 Columbia County’s trusted local news source ACROSS 1. Spencer of Hollywood’s Golden Age 6. Eyeball, e.g. 9. “Tosca” song, e.g. 13. Theater passage 14. Bovine call 15. “____ came a spider...” 16. *Univision’s ____ Grammy Awards 17. Barley bristle 18. Turning token taker 19. *President with a Grammy 21. Diabolical 23. Sold at the pump 24. Russian monarch 25. Back of a boat 28. *”Shallow,” 2018 recipient from “A ____ Is Born” movie 30. *Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran’s nominated song 35. College dwelling 37. Footnote note 39. Shade of violet 40. Huron’s neighbor 41. Head of the abbey 43. Done in a pot 44. City in Bolivia 46. Not manual 47. Mend, healthwise 48. Eye cover 50. Egghead 52. Four quarters 53. Dog in yoga 55. Triple ____ 57. *____.com Arena 60. *”Vegas” and “Woman” nominee (2 words) 64. Unit of electrical energy 65. Hoover’s agency, acr. 67. Discompose 68. Shade of yellow 69. I in T.G.I.F. 70. Small, olive-gray bird 71. “Cheers” regular 72. Inquire 73. Open up DOWN 1. Bath powder 2. Iranian coin 3. ____ Spumante 4. Be needy 5. Gossipy ones 6. Arabian Peninsula country 7. Column’s counterpart 8. Holiday surprise for employee 9. Palo ____, CA 10. Agitate 11. Inwardly 12. *1970 two-time winner “The ____ of Aquarius” 15. Hindu retreat 20. Ancient Rome’s neighbor 22. Nail a criminal 24. Popular newspaper name 25. *”30” performer 26. Pillage 27. Beef ___, dim sum choice 29. *”Don’t Shut Me Down” group 31. Alan Alda’s classic TV show 32. Type of hawk 33. Type of flu 34. Multi-colored dog coat 36. One of three square ones 38. Shower with affection 42. Human trunk 45. Sliding fastener 49. Part of “i” 51. Past-life experience? (2 words) 54. Capital of Bulgaria 56. Airbnb option 57. Chanel of fashion 58. German industrial valley 59. Big Bang’s original matter 60. Disc, alt. sp. 61. Popular dieter’s foe 62. Between ports 63. Chris Hemsworth’s superhero 64. *Award-winning Bon Jovi’s lead singer 66. *Coldplay’s collaborators
Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of The Chronicle.
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD
Crossword PuzzlE
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This expansion will increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million veterans who are not currently enrolled in the VA system.
Metro Creative Connection
Unsecured loads contributed to 50,000 traffic crashes, 9,800 injuries and 125 deaths, in a four-year period, according to the AAA.
New national health support for rural communities
the resources they need.”
A new national effort to assist rural communities, such as those in Lincoln County, with health care is now in place.
The Office of Rural Health (ORH) at the Cen ters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been established, according to Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy HydeSmith.
The ORH will enhance the CDC’s rural health portfolio, coordinate rural health efforts across CDC programs, and develop a strategic plan for rural health at the agency, according to a release from Merkleys office.
The new office will accelerate innovation, making scientific and communication resources tailored to current rural public health needs, build and improve public health functions, and provide public health infrastructure leadership.
After both Merkley and Hyde-Smith advocated for the formation of the office, language establishing the ORH was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus signed into law by President
Biden last year. “Folks living in rural communities deserve national policy makers’ attention to the problems they face,” Merkley said. “I’ve been pushing for action on this with my bicameral Rural Health Equity Act. Too often, we rely on one-size-fitsall solutions for our national health challenges, instead of specific plans to address the
unique challenges to providing and accessing health care in rural communities. With the establishment of this center, I’m thinking of my House partner on the Rural Health Equity Act, Congressman Donald McEachin, who passed away last fall. This is yet another piece of his long and lasting legacy of making sure that every member of our communities can access
“The COVID pandemic highlighted the health care disparities in rural areas, especially, in rural states like Mississippi where the public-health response to the virus was less effective than in more urbanized regions,” Hyde-Smith said. “Senator Merkley and I fought to establish a CDC Office of Rural Health because people living and working in rural areas need to know their health care needs are not secondary to more urban areas. This new office should be empowered to look across CDC programs to ensure the agency’s work properly addresses the needs of the 57 million Americans who live in rural communities.”
In November 2021, Senator Merkley introduced— alongside the late Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-VA-04)—his bicameral Rural Health Equity Act, a piece of legislation to establish a new Office of Rural Health within the CDC and to help address the unique health care challenges and inequities faced by rural communities across America. This vision has now been fulfilled by the provisions included in the omnibus legislation.
To strengthen their
previous calls to action, Merkley then teamed up with Hyde-Smith and they led 11 lawmakers in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Appropriations Committee chairs urging for the creation of the ORH to address the health care service needs of rural communities and to work with public health practitioners in these areas.
Their letter called for a designation of the ORH to identify and improve health disparities and challenges faced by rural communities.
They also urged using the office to serve as the primary contact within the CDC on matters pertaining to rural health, and to coordinate within the agency to develop and promulgate policies, programs, and initiatives to improve health care and services for rural populations.
National reaction
“The National Rural Health Association applauds Congress for establishing an Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease and Control in the FY 2023 appropriations bill,” CEO of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Alan Morgan said. “We appreciate the leadership and dedication exhibited by Senator Merk-
ley, Senator Hyde-Smith and Representatives McEachin and Guest in getting this important provision across the finish line. Given the devastating impact of COVID-19 on rural areas and the CDC’s extensive role in managing the health and disparities of distinct populations, it is essential that rural America’s voice is well-represented within the agency moving forward. NRHA looks forward to working closely with the new office to address the unique health challenges affecting rural Americans.”
Oregon reaction
“The establishment of the ORH in the CDC is moving us in the right direction,” Oregon Office of Rural Health Care Interim Director Robert Duehmig said. “This office will assist the CDC in addressing the disparities and challenges facing rural Oregonians and rural Americans. It will give the CDC the ability to play a pivotal role in supporting our rural public health agencies in responding to and preparing for public health emergencies while identifying and improving health disparities in rural communities. This is a win for rural Oregon.”
It’s all about the label, OSU research shows
side-by-side images of two cheese varieties, with price information as well as some combination of an award sticker or sensory information about the cheese. An example of the sensory information, this for the Cantal: “A tangy and bold cheese with a crumbly, hard texture.”
The award sticker and sensory information were chosen because they are common and relatively lowcost promotional strategies that translate well to the online retail environment.
After being shown the images, participants were asked to select which cheese they preferred to purchase. They also had an option to make no purchase.
The researchers found participants fell into two broad groups:
to adjust your promotional plans to match what they are looking for,” she said. Adding that an additional factor is that sensory descriptions can be costly, depending on the retail outlet, while award stickers can be more easily incorporated in the packag-
ing design, Co-authors of the paper are Sara Maruyama, Susan Queisser, Sherri Cole and Juyun Lim, of Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Science, and Alina Stelick of Cornell University.
The research was sup-
ported by an OSU Dairy Foods Innovation Fund.
Sean Nealon is a news editor at Oregon State University’s University Relations and Marketing Department. He may be reached at sean. nealon@oregonstate.edu
SEAN NEALON Chronicle Guest Article
Consumers are willing to pay more for familiar, versus unfamiliar, varieties of cheese if there is a sticker on the cheese indicating it won an award or if sensory information about the cheese – such as a description of its taste or food pairing suggestions –is included.
That is the finding of a new study from Oregon State University (OSU).
The study also identified two broad groups of consumers whose cheese buying preferences differ. A group that prefers unfamiliar foods is willing to pay a premium for unfamiliar cheeses and an award sticker plays a much more important role than sensory information. The opposite is true for consumers who prefer familiar cheese varieties: sensory information play a much stronger role in willingness to pay more.
The study was in part motivated by the shift to online grocery shopping, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. While online grocery shopping has its notable advantages, the researchers note, the impacts can vary greatly for different food categories.
For example, specialty food products such as wine or cheese that are made on a small scale and have traditionally relied on inperson recommendations or product sampling might be more in need of new marketing strategies because online shopping can’t provide a real-time, in-person tasting experience.
OSU Assistant Professor of Applied Economics said this is an under-studied area that is growing in importance, especially as people shift to buying groceries online and as subscription food boxes
grow in popularity.
“Our study can help specialty food producers, many of whom operate on a small scale with limited budgets, determine best ways to promote their products,” Streletskaya said.
The researchers expect that the patterns they found with artisan cheese consumers could hold for buyers of other specialty foods, such as wine or different milk types, but more research is needed to make that conclusion.
For the study, the researchers evaluated how sensory information and the presence of award labels affected consumer demand for two familiar (brie, cheddar) and two unfamiliar (Coulommiers, Cantal) varieties of artisanal cheeses in the U.S. A total of 488 artisanal cheese consumers from two regions – 270 from Corvallis, Oregon and 218 from Ithaca, New York – took part in the online study.
Participants were shown
• The group that prefers unfamiliar foods, which made up about 44% of the total, look for cheeses not known to them and display a significantly higher willingness to pay for them. The researchers found that such consumers already are willing to pay a premium for less familiar varieties and an award sticker and sensory information further increase their willingness to pay.
• Consumers who don’t appreciate unfamiliar varieties, who accounted for about 47% of the sample, respond especially well to sensory descriptions. In other words, sensory descriptions and food pairing suggestions could compensate for their hesitancy to pay for unfamiliar cheeses.
Streletskaya research broadly looks at how food labeling impacts consumer demand.
“I would say the biggest takeaway of the study for the industry is to think about what type of consumer you are trying to attract and
Position: Dental Assistant
About Us and Who We Want to Join Our Team: Healthy Smiles of Scappoose is a fixture of the local community. We have been serving patients for over 50 years throughout the area. Our patients know us, and we know them. We are recognized as the go-to family dental practice because of our loyal team and our commitment to health.
Due to growth and expansion we are looking for an assistant to join our cohesive team. This is a full-time position (4 days/week, ~32 hours/week) working Monday through Thursday.
We have long-term employees at our practice. Some of our employees have worked for us for decades. This demonstrates our commitment to our employees. This is not just “a job” but rather a livelihood. We are committed to employee appreciation, kindness, understanding, and a positive mindset.
Our overriding goal is to first find a person who will enjoy being a member of our team, both as part of the organization as a whole and specifically with our incredible team of dental professionals.
Characteristics that we are looking for include: • Team collaborative outlook, • Patient-centric and solutions/problem solving approach, • Fun-natured and a sense of humor, • Good communication skills (written and verbal), • Self-motivated attitude, • A desire to make a difference
We are committed to each employee’s success. As such, we invest time, energy, and money in onboarding and training to ensure competency and confidence with the type and kind of patients we serve. This, combined with your qualifications, represents a winning formula for long-term professional success.
Additional Information:
Our practice offers a relaxed work environment, places a high value on work/ life balance, and located in Scappoose. This position offers an excellent benefit package that includes: PTO, paid holidays, medical insurance, dental ser vices for you and your immediate family, and a retirement plan. Starting salary will depend on experience and qualifications.
If you believe this opportunity represents a fit for you, please send a cover letter and an up-to-date resume to: jessica@healthysmilesofscappoose.com
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A8 Columbia County’s trusted local news source
Position Summary: Our office is looking for a friendly, bright, self motivated individual to join our team. You will be responsible for general clinic administrative work and maintenance, as well as completing lab work under the direction of the dentist. Your primary responsibility is to prepare the examination rooms for appointments by sterilizing instruments and ensuring all necessary equipment is ready for the dentist. You would also assist the dentist during their procedures by handing them instruments and anticipating their needs throughout the appointment. You would update and maintain client’s dental records, perform routine dental polishings, and advise patients on recommended oral hygiene.
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The ORH will enhance the CDC’s rural health portfolio, coordinate rural health efforts across CDC programs, and develop a strategic plan for rural health at the agency.
The researchers expect that the patterns they found with artisan cheese consumers could hold for buyers of other specialty foods, such as wine or different milk types, but more research is needed to make that conclusion. Crossword solution Solution for the Jan. 11, 2023 crossword puzzle
Courtesy from OSU
2023 Tax Tips and Financial Planning
Making the tax season less stressful
of Revenue has issued the following advisory about planning now for the tax season ahead.
Taking a few easy steps in the next few weeks can make preparing your 2022 tax return easier in 2023— and it could just lower your heart rate in the process.
“Most people don’t think about their taxes until it’s time to fill out their returns,” The Oregon Department of Revenue’s Megan Denison.
“But doing a few simple things in the weeks before tax season can make filling out your return and filing on time less stressful.”
Simple steps include following the suggestions below, Denison said.
View your account information online
provides access to your tax account at any time.
Gather and organize your tax records
Organized tax records make preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier and avoid errors. Wait to file until you have your tax records including:
• Forms W-2 from your employer(s)
• Forms 1099 from banks, issuing agencies and other payers including unemployment compensation, interest, dividends, stock transactions, distributions from a pension, annuity, retirement plan, or other non-
if you worked in the gig economy
• Year-end receipts or statements from charitable contributions, day care providers, mortgage companies, or property taxes
Use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit
File electronically, choose direct deposit and you will get a refund faster. Information is available at the IRS Web site.
Choose a reputable tax return preparer
Taxpayers should choose a tax return preparer
information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them, according to the Oregon Department of Revenue. The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a Licensee Lookup web site. The IRS has a web site with information.
To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@ oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 tollfree from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), the Oregon Revenue Department accepts all relay calls.
IRS issues tax scam alert
There aren’t many drawbacks to having a high income — but being unable to invest in a Roth IRA might be one of them. Are there strategies that allow highincome earners to contribute to this valuable retirement account?
Before we delve into that question, let’s consider the rules. In 2023, you can contribute the full amount to a Roth IRA — $6,500, or $7,500 if you’re 50 or older — if your modified adjusted gross income is less than $138,000 (if you’re single) or $218,000 (if you’ re married and filing jointly). If you earn more than these amounts, the amount you can contribute decreases until it’s phased out completely if your income exceeds $153,000 (single) or $228,000 (married, filing jointly).
A Roth IRA is attractive because its earnings and withdrawals are tax free, provided you’ve had the account at least five years and you don’t start taking money out until you’re 591⁄2. Furthermore, when you own a Roth IRA, you’re not required to take withdrawals from it when you turn 72, as you would with a traditional IRA, so you’ll have more
flexibility in your retirement income planning and your money will have the chance to potentially keep growing. But given your income, how can you contribute to a Roth? You may want to consider what’s known as a “backdoor Roth” strategy. Essentially, this involves contributing money to a new traditional IRA, or taking money from an existing one, and then converting the funds to a Roth IRA. But while this backdoor strategy sounds simple, it involves some serious considerations.
Specifically, you need to evaluate how much of your traditional IRA is in pretax or after-tax dollars. When you contribute pretax dollars to a traditional IRA, your contributions lower your annual taxable income. However, if your income is high enough to disqualify you from contributing directly to a Roth IRA, you may also earn too much to make deductible (pretax) contributions to a traditional IRA. Consequently, you might have contributed after-tax dollars to your traditional IRA, on top of the pretax ones you may have put in when your income was lower. (Earnings on after-tax contributions will be treated as pretax amounts.)
In any case, if you convert pretax assets from your traditional IRA to a Roth
IRA, the amount converted will be fully taxable in the year of the conversion. So, if you were to convert a large amount of these assets, you could face a hefty tax bill. And since you probably don’t want to take funds from the converted IRA itself to pay for the taxes, you’d need another source of funding, possibly from your savings and other investments.
Ultimately, then, a backdoor Roth IRA strategy may make the most sense if you have few or no pretax assets in any traditional IRA, including a SEP-IRA and a SIMPLE IRA. If you do have a sizable amount of pretax dollars in your IRA, and you’d still like to convert it to a Roth IRA, you could consider spreading the conversion over a period of years, potentially diluting your tax burden.
Consult with your tax advisor when considering a backdoor Roth strategy. But if it’s appropriate for your situation, it could play a role in your financial strategy, so give it some thought.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by Topher Mood, your Edward Jones financial advisor at (503) 397-1125.
Edward Jones, Member SIPC
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The tax filing season is a popular time for scammers to call and try to dupe unsuspecting taxpayers, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
These thieves often make threatening or alarming calls posing as the IRS to try to steal taxpayer money or personal information.
The IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails, phone calls or texts asking for personal information.
The IRS has seen a recent increase in these scams, many of which originate outside the United States. To date, investigations have identified sites hosting hundreds of IRSrelated phishing scams. These scam websites have been found to originate in at least 20 different countries.
Scammers claiming to be from the IRS, tell you that you are due a federal tax refund, and direct you to a website that appears to be a genuine IRS site. The bogus sites contain forms or interactive web pages similar to IRS forms and web pages.
Don’t be fooled! These
sites and forms have been modified to request detailed personal and financial information from the e-mail recipients. E-mail addresses involving users in professional and educational communities seem to be heavily targeted.
The information obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer identity and financial assets. Typically, identity thieves use someone’s personal data to empty the victim’s financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services, or benefits in the victim’s name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
It’s easy for people to recognize the scam by knowing how the IRS contacts taxpayers.
The IRS will never:
• Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.
• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement
groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
• Demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
• Call unexpectedly about a tax refund.
Taxpayers who receive these phone calls should:
• Record the number and then hang up the phone immediately.
• Report the call by visiting the Hotline page of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and using an IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting form or by calling 800-366-4484.
Forms to report fraud are available on the Hotline page of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration website. Taxpayers just click the appropriate option under “IRS Scams and Fraud” and follow the instructions.
Report the number to phishing@irs.gov and put “IRS Phone Scam” in the subject line.
For more information, visit the IRS website, www. irs.gov
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Columbia County’s trusted local news source Stephen
Allen CPA, PC We build strategies, systems, and structures to help clients: • Maintain accurate records • Meet current financial obligations • Comply with tax reporting requirements • Plan for the future • Maximize wealth accumulation 990 Astor Street, Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-2171 steve@allencpas.com 2504 Sykes Rd, St. Helens, OR 97051 • (503) 397-1125 www.edwardjones.com/topher-mood Topher Mood, AAMS® - Financial Advisor
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Open the (Back) Door to a Roth
LIBERTY BOOKKEEPING & TAX 503-397-4527 2264 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens Next to Don’s Rental Patt Johnson LTC 5171 Melissa Clegg LTC 5781 Licensed tax consultants Senior Discount 10% Electronic Filing 2123 8th Avenue Longview, WA 98632 ACCOUNTING • PAYROLL • TAXES Phone: 360-425-4086 Mobile: 360-241-5968 Fax: 360-425-3792 JOHN MANZER john_manzer@msn.com
IRA
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To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov.
Courtesy photo
JEREMY
SHHS wrestlers keeping the competition pinned
This year, St Helens High School wrestling is in the midst of a successful season, and the program’s participation numbers are through the roof.
Though there has been some shake-up with coaching in the program from the previous year, girls wrestling coach Hannah Barber said, “the atmosphere and goals of the program are very much the same.”
I
~ Hannah Barber, SHHS Girls Wrestling Coach
On the mats, the team is already having a successful season. The team has already competed in 5 tournaments, and the competitions have yielded great success.
“We have attended quite a few tournaments with many of our kids placing in the top 5 at each one,” Barber said.
Captains leading the charge
One of the keys to their progress has been the leadership of some of the team’s talented individuals.
Kate Leonard and Cambria Funk are two of the team’s captains and have been instrumental in the group’s success. Of Leonard, Barber said, “She is scrappy but is also tirelessly working on her technical knowledge and it shows.”
Another standout on the team is sophomore Kallee Kester, who has been “making waves” for the program.
In last year’s State Championship, the St Helens boys and girls wrestling team placed 9th out of the 28 wrestling teams. Over the past few years, the program has seen its numbers rise and boasts its most deep squad yet.
“We have 60 kids in the program at the moment. The last few years we have been growing the room steadily, and this year the team was even bigger,” Barber said. “I think that fact that girls wrestling is becoming so illustrious is a big factor in our recent growth.”
According to Barber, Kester has been a locker room leader and has started the season with a scintillating 21-1 record on the mats.
In last year’s State Championships, Kate Leonard and Cambria Funk finished fourth in their respective divisions. This year, the team is already beginning to focus on addressing more minor issues so they can succeed later in the year.
“Our meets have been very successful so far. We are really focusing on mental toughness as it is a big aspect of wrestling,” Barber said. “We have been condition-
ing and drilling hard since the season began so now we are cleaning things up and perfecting our strategies.”
Beyond the mats
While having a successful season is significant to the program, the coaches also hope that there are lessons the athletes will take away beyond competing.
student-athletes can take all the self-discipline and confidence they gain on the mat, out into their personal lives,” Barber said. “They work hard in the room so they can perform well at meets and tournaments. When they are older and they go to work or school, I hope they have the determination and mental toughness to earn their way
Imparting these values is essential for coaches, and the students can use the skills they learn beyond their time at St. Helens High School.
The Chronicle has reached out to the SHHS Boys Wrestling Coach Paul Connelly for his insight. We’ll provide that story in an upcoming edition.
SHHS Game Schedule This Week
Boys Basketball
• 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Astoria
• 7:30 p.m. vs. Hood River Valley at St. Helens Middle School
Girls Basketball
• 7 p.m. Jan. 18 at Astoria
• 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Hood River Valley
Swimming
• 4 p.m. Jan. 19 St. Helens hosts Astoria in Dual BSW Meet at Eisenschmidt Pool
Wrestling
• 5 p.m. Jan. 20 Lady Dragon Invitational at Dallas High School
• 9 a.m. Jan. 21 Tigard Wrestling Tournament at Tigard High School
• 9:30 a.m. Jan. 21 Lady Dragon Invitational at Dallas High School
Game schedule from OSAA.
www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 18, 2023 A10 The state of Oregon has grants available for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Grants for Small Businesses biz.oregon.gov Learn More & Apply
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WILL LOHRE
Courtesy photo from Hannah Barber
Kallee Kester, left, after placing 3rd at Kelso and Kate Leonard, right, after placing 2nd at Kelso.
think that fact that girls wrestling is becoming so illustrious is a big factor in our recent growth.
Let us know what YOU think EMAIL YOUR LETTERS TO: CHRONICLENEWS@COUNTRYMEDIA.NET
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