Date Night in Columbia County PAGE A10
Clatskanie wrestling prepping for districts | PAGE A9
Chronicle & Chief THE COLUMBIA COUNTY
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 | Columbia County, Oregon
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Victorico’s pitches in for Community Meals WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
Attendees of the weekly community meal at the First Lutheran Church enjoyed a special treat Jan. 30, with Victorico’s stepping up to provide food for those in attendance. In a gracious move, part owner of Victorico’s, Yesenia Sanchez, worked with organizers of Community Meals of St. Helens to donate a full dinner for a recent meal. “We decided to get involved with Community Meals after volunteering a couple of times and witnessing first-hand all the hard work, heart, and dedication that volunteers and First Lutheran staff put into making a meal for all to share week after week,” Sanchez said. “I was very impressed and simply wanted to give them a thank you, and thought, what better way than with food? While volunteering at Community Meals during Thanksgiving week, one of the patrons shouted at us, ‘Hey, when are we doing tamales or tacos?’ and I thought, what a great idea!” Community Meals of St. Helens is a 501(C)3 tax-deductible organiza-
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Yesenia Sanchez (black apron) and Victorico’s donated dinner to feed attendees of Community Meals’ weekly meal.
tion that aims to provide free meals to people in need in the community. Community Meals provides free meals weekly at the First Lutheran Church at 360 Wyeth Street in St.
Helens. Sanchez said that seeing the satisfied faces of the dinner’s patrons was a rewarding experience. “It was so neat to see people’s
of the cart have stopped for the moment, Gregory still offers “artisan heat and eat soups.” “For winter, we moved it here. Now, I’m not doing the cart day-today, like the tacos and the gyros and cooking to order; I’m doing graband-go soups,” Gregory said. “Like, think of Safeway signature soups; I do that. Some bread, and I’m doing cooking classes which is my true passion.” While Gregory needed to close the cart temporarily, her soup idea allowed her to cook for the community while dealing with the cart’s challenges. Gregory said she may reopen the cart in the spring or summer. While circumstances partially dictated Gregory’s transition to offering soups, she also wanted to offer something unique to the community. Though she got discouraged at the lack of engagement from the community when she first made the leap to making soup, Gregory said she’s seen an uptick in business in recent weeks. The recipes for the soup are all Gregory’s creations, and she strives to come up with new and creative options.
“My ideas for soup, I’ll come up with an idea based off an entre,” Gregory said. “Yesterday’s soup was chicken parmesan soup. You take the components of that dish and make it into a soup. So it was a tomato-based soup with diced chicken, and I served it with some crispy breadcrumb topper so you would get the crunch of the breading. It had mozzarella cheese and fresh basil on top, just like chicken parm would.” Other soups that have been offered recently are Swedish meatball, chicken tortilla, clam chowder, and lemon chicken soup with orzo, among others. Gregory makes about eight quarts of each soup. She sells 16 oz bowls for $7.50 and a quart of soup for $14. Soups are available until they sell out. Gregory said she offers soups on a “two-week schedule.” Pick-up times for people who have ordered soup are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday. She said she does this so people can see what soups are on the menu for the coming weeks and order ahead.
faces light up when they saw our logo or our name on the board, some didn’t expect we were coming,” Sanchez said. Though they needed to pause in
March 2020 because of the pandemic, Community Meals resumed offering meals in March of 2023. Currently, each meal now averages 80 guests, but Bauska hopes more will attend because there is room for 100. To date, over 113,000 meals have been served. Currently, there are 40 active volunteers serving one meal per week every Tuesday night from 5:306 p.m. However, the doors at First Lutheran open at 5 p.m. Kathy Bauska is one of the key organizers of Community Meals and a member of the First Lutheran Church. Bauska said that in May of 2009, a group came together at the church and resolved to help people going through the hardship of the Great Recession by feeding them. Bauska was grateful for Sanchez and Victorico’s contribution. “[Sanchez] was a server at our Thanksgiving meal, and Yesenia helped; they saw what was happening, and fell in love,” Bauska said. “She just thought the Community Meals was the cat’s meow, and so she wanted to volunteer. She offered See VICTORICO’S, Page A5
Chef Court’s offering soups, classes WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
F
or people looking for a quick artisan soup or wanting to learn some new skills in the kitchen, Chef Court’s is focused on delivering quality food and lessons to the Clatskanie community. Courtney Gregory is the owner and operator of Chef Court’s, and what started as a food cart coming out of the pandemic has turned into a business venture that aims to deliver good food to the community while expanding to offer culinary classes. Gregory opened her food cart in 2021 and quickly began offering tacos, gyros, and healthy food items. Gregory said she’s had great community feedback on her food, but she moved her cart to the driveway of her home when it became known that water would be unavailable at the cart’s location for the winter. Gregory lives at the Evenson house at 580 NE Poplar St. in Clatskanie, which has a professional kitchen. With that being the case, Gregory now cooks out of her home kitchen. Though the daily operations
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See CHEF, Page A5
Learn to make tacos just like these with classes offered by Chef Court’s.
Bethany Lutheran Church’s 43rd Annual Quilt Show WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
People from around Columbia County and beyond will flock to Bethany Lutheran Church as the parish’s 43rd Annual Quilt Show returns. The show is on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 and will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. It is located at 34721 Church Road in Warren. All funds that the show raises are used to help support the church in the coming year. Chris Mollenhour is one of the show’s organizers and a parish member, and she said it’s an event that brings people together year after year. “It’s a really fun big event,” Mollenhour said. “It brings people in. People drape quilts on the benches upstairs, fill the whole church. It’s beautiful to come see. Quilters love it.” The show will see the church pews covered with quilts from attics and trunks, rescued, remade, old, new, and unique quilts from around the area. Organizers didn’t have an exact number of people who display
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People come from all over Columbia County to check out the unique quilts on display at Bethany Lutheran Church’s Quilt Show.
their quilts, but the church will be filled with original works and the quilters who made them. The quilt show has cross-generational connections, with many of the organizers becoming part of the event because their parents were part of it previously. In addition to the quilts on display, this year’s show will allow quilters to sell quilts they are willing to part with. Organizers said there was a demand for purchasable
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quilts in years past. The show will also have food and refreshments. There will be chicken soup, sandwiches, and clam chowder made with Valerie Lotter’s famous recipe. There will also be a bake sale, including homemade pies made by Vi Brown, Virginia Erickson, and Pat Lang. “The social aspect is a big thing,” Mollenhour said. “People come, look at the quilts, they have lunch, they visit. I mean, people
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will sit here forever just visiting and having coffee.” In recent years, the quilt show has also featured vendors selling locally-made art, crafts, books, and puzzles. Mollenhour said they have lined up about seven vendors for the event this year. The show will feature a raffle, and attendees can buy tickets for a chance to win three handmade quilts & a Valentine’s Basket. Drawings will be held Feb. 10 at 2:30 p.m. In a good year, organizers said they typically raise about $2,000 on the lower end and about $4,000 in good years. Organizers also said that if attendees are curious about Bethany Lutheran Church, Pastor Ingrid Aderhold will be at the show to speak with people about the parish and assist with the event. Featured quilter Each year, the quilt show has a featured quilter who displays their work at the front of the room. Organizers said it is an honor to be selected for the role and that in the 43 years the show has been going
on, they have never had the same featured quilter twice. “It’s really nice because we have the featured quilter who is sitting up in the front, and then quilters that have questions can go and ask her,” Organizer Deanna Grogg said. “Many times, she shares how she came up with some of the ideas. The women really like that because, well, your creativity keeps growing if you can hear someone talking about how they came up with their ideas.” Sharon Walker is the featured quilter this year. She is a recent transplant from Washington, and is a retired message therapist. Walker gave up her short-arm computerized machine & started hand quilting when she and her husband began traveling in an RV. Now, they have settled in St. Helens to be near family. Walker has made mostly patterned quilts for her family but recently took up Artistic Quilting after meeting a fellow Art Quilter in Bremerton, WA. Walker is also a member of Columbia River Piece Makers. Twice a week, she delivers Meals on Wheels for St. Helens Senior Center.
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The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
School spirit and giving back at SHHS WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
St. Helens High School (SHHS) recently wrapped up its “Winter Ball Week,” bringing to a close a month of school spirit and studentled philanthropy efforts. Throughout January, SHHS students competed in “class competitions,” voted for the members of the “Winter Ball Court,” and collected clothing donations for the family resource center at the St. Helens School District Office. The month of school spirit was capped with a dance on Jan. 27 that was planned by SHHS leadership and had more than 250 students in attendance. The dance was presided over by the Winter Ball Court, which is comprised of eight seniors who have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and have not served on a previous court (like homecoming). The members of this year’s Winter Ball Court were Megan Cobabe, Lucie Polvogt, Bridget Kishpaugh, Ayla Clark, Judah Olson,
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The SHHS Winter Ball Court from Left to right: Megan Cobabe, Lucie Polvogt, Bridget Kishpaugh, Ayla Clark, Judah Olson, Isaac Rogers, Cole Leader, and Braden Ellis
Isaac Rogers, Cole Leader, and Braden Ellis. SHHS staff member Noelle Freshner said that the court is decided by the staff and students in two rounds of voting. This year, the Winter Ball Court raised $446 for the Humane Society in an effort to give back. In addition to being a
member of the Winter Ball Court, senior Lucie Polvogt is the Associated Student Body President and the brains behind the class competitions. As part of the class competitions, SHHS students participated in a social media challenge, school spirit dress-up days, and the clothing and blanket drive.
While the winter weather disrupted the schedule for Winter Ball Class Competitions, Polvogt said that they still went well. “This was the most active participation I had seen in a while from the students. I could feel their excitement and enthusiasm build--which was the entire point of this
event,” Polvogt said. “Even though I didn’t get as much participation as I might have thought, I truly am proud of all the students at SHHS for getting involved in one way or another.” The clothing and blanket drive was a partnership with SHHS’s National Honor Society (NHS) chapter.
Items were collected from Jan. 22 through Jan. 26, and Freshner said that students donated almost 1,000 items to the family resource center. The winners of the Winter Ball Class Competitions were SHHS’s seniors, and as a reward, the seniors will be given an extended lunch period on Feb. 9. Polvogt gave some insight into why being part of student government is important to her and how she hopes that this year’s activities will inspire more engagement and school spirit. “Being involved in student government is one of my biggest priorities because it’s my way of contributing to my school. I enjoy seeing plans and ideas coming into reality as actual events. I love seeing visions come to life, not just on paper but in real life,” Polvogt said. “I hope to see my ideas grow and blossom into a tradition at St. Helens High School. I’m so grateful to have been a part of this process and can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”
Wauna Mill donates funds to Clatskanie RFPD SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA-PACIFIC WAUNA MILL
The Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill has contributed $10,000 to Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) to be used towards the purchase of an electrical switch to repair the emergency generator at Clatskanie Middle High School (CMHS). This project supports the Clatskanie Middle High School as the evacuation center for Clatskanie, Westport, and surrounding communities. This 350-kilowatt generator provides power to allow the school staff, volunteers, and the American Red Cross
a location to prepare meals for the communities and the emergency workers during a natural disaster or sustained power outage. This facility also supports emergency management and gives the National Guard a place to rehabilitate during emergencies. “In September of 2023, the generator experienced a mechanical failure and a new switch is required. The Georgia-Pacific Wauna mill was one of the original seven partners to install the generator,” states Chief Sharek. “We appreciate the Wauna mill’s continued support to keep this evacuation center a viable option for the Clatskanie and Westport residents if ever needed.” “Safety is a core value for
Georgia-Pacific, and we are grateful for all that Clatskanie RFPD, Clatskanie PUD and CMHS do to keep our community safe and resilient,” notes Kristi Ward, Wauna mill public affairs manager. About Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill Located near Clatskanie, Oregon, the Wauna mill has been providing careers in the community since 1965. Employees produce nationally branded consumer products that you use in your homes every day. The Wauna Mill is a proud manufacturer of Angel Soft™ bath tissue, Brawny™ and Sparkle™ towels, Vanity Fair™ and other commercial brands.
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Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill Plant Emergency Organization Team Member Shawn Winton presents a check for the Emergency Generator Switch to Clatskanie RFPD Chief Steve Sharek, Clatskanie High School Principal Laurie Maughan, and Clatskanie PUD Team members Brian Fawcett and Sarah Johnson.
Apps open for Columbia County HUB’s business competition SUBMITTED BY COLUMBIA COUNTY HUB
Columbia County HUB is proud to announce the commencement of the application process for the 2024 Business Development competition. The contest will officially launch on June 1 of this year, but the training program, which is a prerequisite, is starting the first week in April – so sign-ups will close on April 1, and are available now at: http:// tinyurl.com/cchubcontest. The competition will be comprised of five weeks of training, which feature all the topics you need to master your business plan. These classes will be offered online and in person, so you can join in from anywhere in the County. We have also identified our training facilitator, and we are eager to announce that Samuel Ketcham is joining our team in that capacity. Sam comes to us as a business competition veteran, having taught the business classes which were offered around SHEDCO’s competition.
Sam brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience with that prior version of this program, and we are excited to have him bring his flare to our program. If you want an opportunity to come and network with our board to learn more, we are planning on being at Crooked Creek Brewery on Sunday, March 3, from 3 – 7 p.m. Crooked Creek is partnering with CCHUB to raise money for this event
by hosting a Bunco night. There will be two sessions: a family one held from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. and an adultsonly event from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., with 50/50 raffles and silent auctions being available throughout. Come join us to learn more about this awesome program and to win prizes from Addicted Fishing, Nike, and Victorico’s. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for pre-sale tickets.
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The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
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POLICE REPORTS The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change. For specific details about cases listed, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. Rainier Police Department January 25 • A homeowner called to report an unwanted person at their residence. An officer responded to the location and assisted. • A boater who was moored in excess of the time limit agreed to leave after being given a warning. • A stalled vehicle was removed from the bridge. • Officers checked on a reportedly suspicious vehicle. • A caller was upset about a business having their flood lights on. The caller was upset that officers did not respond. January 26 • A stray dog was picked up by animal control. • A suspicious vehicle checked out okay. January 27 • An officer responded to a verbal family argument. The parties agreed to separate for the night, and peace was restored. • A caller was concerned about the mental health of another individual. The person was determined to be fine. • A caller reported his neighbors were playing music too loud. January 29 • A dog was running at large on West E Street. The canine was able to elude officers. January 30 • A patron at a local business was concerned about a man who came into the establishment wearing a mask. The man was wearing an old man mask and a big hat. The gentleman removed the mask and explained he bought it because it reminded him of an old television show, and he thought it was funny. January 31 • A suspicious-looking Ford Ranger checked out fine. • A couple of women surrounded a car in the drive-thru at a credit
union and shook the vehicle. The reporting party was concerned about their behavior. Scappoose Police Department January 1 • Officers responded to a welfare check near the intersection of South East 3rd Street and South East Santosh Street. Following the contact, a 74-year-old female transient of St. Helens was taken into custody for an outstanding warrant out of Washington County. The subject was cited and released per Washington County’s request. • Police were dispatched to a walk-in at the Scappoose Police Department. It was reported that a subject at the location was turning themselves in on an outstanding warrant. The 50-year-old subject, of Portland, was taken into custody on a failure to appear warrant out of Columbia County Circuit Court and State of Oregon Parole Board warrant. The subject was transported to jail without incident, where he was lodged on his warrants. • Police took a report of a possible stolen vehicle at the 33000 block of South West Sycamore Street. It was reported that the stolen vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run in Hillsboro. The owner of the vehicle was contacted and informed of where to pick up the vehicle. January 2 • Police made contact with a group of juveniles in Heritage Park; during the contact, it was determined that the juveniles were smoking marijuana. Parents of the juveniles were contacted and told to come pick up the juveniles. This case has been referred to the Columbia County Juvenile Department. • Police were dispatched to the call of a suspicious circumstance at the 33000 block of East Columbia Avenue. It was reported that a possible intoxicated driver was at the location and getting back into their vehicle. Officers instructed the driver to turn their car off. Instead, the driver placed the car in reverse and slowly backed their vehicle into the patrol car that was parked behind them. The driver then placed their vehicle into drive and drove forward approximately 10 feet. The driver, a 61-year-old female subject of Scappoose, was cited and released for reckless driving, criminal mischief III, and driving while revoked – MISD. The subject was cited and released to
the care of medics. January 3 • Police responded to the report of a runaway juvenile at the 33000 block of South East Maple Street. It was reported that a female juvenile was last seen at the Scappoose Public Library. The missing juvenile was later located and returned to their guardian. January 4 • Police were dispatched to the report of a disturbance at the 52000 block of South West 4th Street. Following the investigation, all parties were separated, and the scene was cleared. This case was referred to the Columbia County DA’s office for further review. • Police took a report of a stolen trailer at the 33000 block of South East Oak Street. The victim reported that the trailer was last seen the evening before and noticed it was missing the next afternoon. The trailer was entered as stolen and later recovered by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office after it was discovered to be for sale on social media. January 6 • Police responded to a death investigation at the 33000 block of East Columbia Avenue. Following the investigation, it was determined to be caused by natural causes. • Police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious circumstance at the 52000 block of Columbia River Highway. It was reported that a male subject was seen looking into the windows of parked cars at the location. Following the investigation, no arrests were made, and the scene was cleared. January 7 • Police responded to a traffic accident near the intersection of Columbia River Highway and Scappoose-Vernonia Highway. It was reported as a two-vehicle accident where one vehicle rearended another. Minor injuries were reported, and no citations were issued. January 11 • Police were dispatched to the report of a possible DUII at the 33000 block of East Columbia Avenue. It was reported that while out of the vehicle the driver was stumbling around and attempting to get into the vehicle. Following a traffic stop, a 62-year-old male subject of Scappoose, was taken
Columbia County Circuit Court changes jury summons format STAFF REPORT
into custody for DUII. The subject was transported to Columbia County Jail, where he was booked and released.
was determined to be caused by natural causes. January 24 • Police responded to the report of a road rage incident involving a firearm. Following the investigation, a 37-year-old male subject of Portland was taken into custody for felon in possession of a firearm, with possible pending charges of reckless driving, reckless endangering, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing. A 27-year-old female subject of Hermiston, who was a passenger in the suspect’s vehicle, was also arrested on two outstanding felony warrants.
January 12 • Police responded to a hit-andrun at the 33000 block of East Columbia Avenue. It was reported that the suspect backed into the victim’s vehicle and then drove away. The suspect later turned himself into the Scappoose Police Department. Following the investigation, a 20-year-old male subject of Scappoose, was issued a citation for fail to perform the duties of a driver. • Police were dispatched to the report of a hit-and-run at the 33000 block of North East Kern Court. Following the investigation, a 34-year-old female subject of Scappoose, was issued a citation for fail to perform the duties of a driver and reckless driving, after leaving the scene of an accident. The driver lost control of the car and hit a fence and tree.
January 25 • Following a traffic stop, a 61-year-old female subject of Scappoose, was taken into custody for DUII. The subject was transported to the Columbia County Jail, where she was booked and released on her charge. January 26 • Police are investigating a sex abuse involving two juveniles. This case is considered open and still under investigation.
January 14 • Police took a report of a stolen license plate at the 52000 block of South West Keys Road. The license plate was entered as stolen, and the case is pending further investigation and suspect identification. January 17 • Police took a report of harassment at the 52000 block of South West Chinook Way. The victim reported the suspect had shoved her and had threatened them the day before with a knife. Following the investigation, a 76-year-old male subject of Scappoose, was taken into custody for harassment. The subject was transported to jail, where he was lodged on his charges. January 22 • Police responded to the report of a disturbance at the 51000 block of Columbia River Highway. It was reported that the suspect was refusing to pay for an item and then assaulted the employee. This case is pending further investigation and locating the suspect. January 23 • Police responded to a death investigation at the 33000 block of South East Frederick Street. Following the investigation, it
January 29 • Police responded to the report of a traffic crash that occurred in the intersection of East Columbia Avenue and Columbia River Highway. Minor injuries were reported, the drivers exchanged information and no citations were issued. St. Helens Police Department January 22 • Police investigated a hit-and-run that occurred in the parking lot of Gable Road in St. Helens. January 24 • Police arrested a 49-year-old male subject on a fugitive warrant at Maplewood Drive. • Officers arrested a 33-year-old female subject on a fugitive warrant near 7th Street. January 25 • Police arrested a 40-year-old male subject on multiple outstanding fugitive warrants near Gable Road. January 26 • Police conducted a death investi-
gation in St. Helens. • Officers arrested a 28-yearold male subject for failure to register as a sex offender and a probation violation near Old Portland Road. • Police were notified of a cold theft that took place near Gable Road in St. Helens. • Officers arrested a 43-year-old male subject for driving while suspended and a probation violation near Old Portland Road. • Police officers responded to a death investigation near Cowlitz Street. January 27 • Officers responded to a cold burglary near Oregon Street. • SHPD recovered a stolen vehicle in St. Helens. January 28 • Police arrested a 60-year-old female subject for failure to perform duties of a driver near Oregon Street. • Police responded to a cold theft at 16th Street. • Officers arrested a 29-year-old male subject for DUII-alcohol, reckless driving, driving while suspended, and a probation violation near South 6th Street. January 29 • Police took a report of stolen license plates near Columbia Boulevard. • Police took a report of a missing person. • Officers investigated a stolen license plate near Old Portland Road. January 30 • Police arrested a 65-year-old female subject for DUII-undetermined near Columbia Boulevard. • Officers arrested a 24-year-old male subject for DUII-alcohol, reckless driving, reckless endangering, and a probation violation near Old Portland Road. January 31 • SHPD responded to a theft call near Columbia River Highway. • Police arrested a 40-year-old male subject on a fugitive warrant near South Columbia River Highway. February 1 • Police arrested a 28-year-old male subject on a fugitive warrant at South 12th Street.
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The Columbia County Circuit Court has adopted a new format for jury summons that seeks to make the process easier, faster, and more convenient. In January, the court began mailing out jury summons in a new postcard format, according to interim Trial Court Administrator for Columbia County State Court Toria Fraser. Fraser said the court is now sending prospective jurors postcards with instructions for accessing online information and resources, making jury service response and communication easier, faster, and more convenient. The goal is to simplify the response process, streamline communication, and improve the juror experience, according to Fraser. “The new approach provides more flexibility to update information online, gives potential jurors more options for contact, and saves on printing and postage,” Fraser said. “The Juror eResponse portal is part of the Oregon Judicial Department’s efforts to use technology to improve and expand court communication, accessibility, and engagement in innovative ways.” The postcards include the
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The front and back of the new jury summons post card
essential information jurors need to respond for service and communicate with the court. They direct potential jurors to a new online portal, Juror eResponse, where they can complete juror forms, optin for text or email notifications, and request deferral or excusals. Prospective jurors have the option of simply scanning the QR code on the back of the postcard to be taken straight to the jury page to complete their eligibility. Prospective jurors who do not have access to the Internet can complete a questionnaire when they report for jury service, and jury clerks are on hand to walk them through the process. In Columbia County, over 8,000 jurors are summoned for service annually. “Jury duty is not as awful as you think,” said Presiding Judge Michael Clarke. “Most people who have served on a jury remember it as a positive experience. Come enjoy your
jury service in beautiful downtown St. Helens and contribute to your community. And hey, it’s the law.” The court also gave information about what people should look out for regarding potential scams. “The courts will never contact you by phone, email, or other means to ask for personal or financial information, demand money for failure to respond to jury service, or threaten you with arrest,” Fraser said. “Those are indications of a scam.” If you have any questions about contacts that claim to be from the court, look up the contact information for your local circuit court at www. courts.oregon.gov/courts and give them a call to report the contact. For more information about Columbia County Circuit Court jury service, visit our website at www.courts. oregon.gov/Columbia.
SHPD seeking info in sexual abuse arrest
William Bigley
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On Jan. 24, St. Helens Police Department officers and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested St. Helens man William Bigley, 49, in the 700 block of Maplewood Drive in St. Helens. Bigley was arrested for an outstanding warrant for three counts of sexual abuse I and a single count of unlawful sexual penetration I. Bigley was lodged at the Columbia County Jail. Bigley’s arrest was the result of a three-week inves-
tigation, which started from a report made to the St. Helens Police Department. Investigators presented the case to a Columbia County Grand Jury, which indicted Bigley on all charges. Detectives are seeking additional information regarding Bigley’s activities. If you have any related information, the St. Helens Police Department would like to hear from you. Please contact St. Helens Sergeant Matthew Smith at 503-397-1521.
Reporters Country Media has immediate openings for Reporters to cover the news that matters to our communities. Successful applicants will have an enthusiasm to cover enterprise journalism, civic meetings, school news, community events, and more. You’ll be writing for multimedia platforms including print, social media, and websites. If writing is your passion, this is the job for you! Positions are Full-time. We will also consider applicants for freelance work. We offer an above average wage with paid holidays, health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and more! Submit your resume and cover letter today to Executive Editor, jwarren@countrymedia.net.
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OPINION
The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
VIEWPOINT
Court case could affect public access to trails RANDY STAPILUS Oregon Capital Chronicle
If you take your dog for a walk from your home, walking some distance to a local park and then back, you’re engaging in recreation. But does your recreation begin when you leave your house, start en route to the park or only after you get there, or does it start after you’ve reached some designated part of the park? Determination of that issue may decide whether a bunch of Oregon cities will be closing part or all of their park areas to recreation in the months ahead. But that could be averted if the Oregon Legislature changes a vague section of a law that puts courts, local governments and recreating citizens in a bind. The law is not new, but the issue erupted last year with the case of Nicole Fields v. City of Newport, decided by the Oregon Court of Appeals in July, with some questions returned for consideration to a lower court. (The state Supreme Court has declined to review it.) Fields was walking her dogs, with a friend, along the ocean at Agate Beach in Newport. When she reached a wooden bridge on the trail, she slipped and fell, and her leg was broken. The slipperiness of the bridge seems clear, because a rescue team who came to get her, and even one of their vehicles, also slid around the bridge. The city of Newport manages the area, and Fields sued it for damages. The city’s defense was “recreational immunity,” which is described in state law: “It is the public policy of the state of Oregon to encourage owners of land to make their land available to the public for recreational purposes … by limiting
their liability toward persons entering thereon for such purposes.” A little more specifically, the law says, “The limitation on liability provided by this section applies if the principal purpose for entry upon the land is for recreational purposes … and is not affected if the injury … occurs while the person entering land is engaging in activities other than the use of the land for recreational purpose.” The shield against liability, then, applies if you’re using the property for “recreational purposes” — as Newport argued that Fields was — but not if you’re using it for some other purpose. Fields’ argument was that she was using the bridge simply to get to Agate Beach, and her intent was to recreate there with her dogs and friend. Oregon law lists some activities that can specifically be considered as recreation, but others could be included as well. All of this put the courts in the position of deciding what “recreation” is and isn’t, and because of a specific provision in the immunity statute, deciding whether a specific spot was an “unimproved, non-recreational” trail. The Court of Appeals weighed in on Fields’ side, but its decision seemed to struggle with the vagueness in the statute. A trial on some of the facts, ordered as a follow-up by the Court of Appeals, is expected this year. Does this matter outside of Newport? At least one plaintiff’s attorney suggests the impact is not likely to be large, that the facts are specific enough to the Newport case; the fact that the trail was adjacent to the ocean also has a specific connection to the state’s law on liability. Property owners, includ-
ing local governments, are less sure. CIS Insurance Services, which insures many Oregon local governments, warned that the Court of Appeals decision effectively ended recreational immunity for improved trails: “Public and private landowners of improved trails are no longer protected from lawsuits,” a CIS lawyer said. CIS even advised local governments to close improved trails used to access a recreational areas: “This especially includes trails, walkways and stairs used to access bodies of water, such as the ocean, lakes, rivers, streams and reservoirs.” That warning has been heard. The cities of Waldport and Oceanside and the Port of Garibaldi have shut down trails near the ocean, and other trail plans have been put on hold. Other cities, including many far from the coast, are weighing their options, which may include shutting down park access. The uncertainty over immunity grows out of the peculiar phrasing of the state’s recreational immunity law, which was crafted at the Oregon Legislature and could be revised there to create greater clarity. The issue is likely to come up at the February short session, which usually takes up only a limited number of nonfinancial issues. If lawmakers don’t act, and lots of constituents this spring and summer find their access to local parks curtailed, they may wish they had. Oregon Capital Chronicle (oregoncapitalchronicle.com) is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Crossing the road
kid almost get hit because people are running the stop lights.
I am legally blind and must cross highway 30 by Safeway in Ace Hardware. Unfortunately. The curbs are not painted. And the traffic does not stop and let you cross when the intersection is talking and telling you to cross. It would be nice. Since we have all this city planners planning things downtown. They would paint the curves uptown. And squeeze some money out of the budget to hire another Police officer. Are police officers shorthanded? They’re doing an excellent job but they can’t be everywhere. I watched a ten-year-old
Diana Robinson St. Helens
Community services Our community has excellent services working for us, too many to mention. Recently, five have my attention. I’ve had the occasion to meet Brandee Dudzic, our Law Librarian. She advises so many people, giving 150%. I’m thankful for her assistance with small claim issues. Our local library is a tremendous resource center to many. I want to give a shout out for the personnel, skilled,
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helpful and friendly. Cameron has assisted this senior with “cell phone” and computer problems. The Food Bank – It’s staff and the many business and other contributors, thank you. First responders, firefighters and EMT’s – I became aware of their professionalism in 2009 with my husband’s death. Then again in 2017 and 2019 transporting me to Good Sam when I was in such distress. I’ve watched them help people into their homes that were so weak. Wonderful people. Law Enforcement, depending on the experience good, bad or indifferent, thank God for their service. Zoe Ann Pease Warren
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Community Events February 8 Hometown Heroes of Columbia County Meeting 5:30 p.m. in the lobby at the Sheriff’s Department, 901 Port Ave., St. Helens. For questions, contact Malinda at 503-366-4611. February 9 Beyond The Forest events presents: give, live, laugh, love - A fundraiser for lifempowered 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at 105 Port Ave., St. Helens. Enjoy dinner, drinks and comedy (ages 21+) featuring Todd Basil, Jaren George and Marietje Hauprich. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities please contact Cassie at cassief@lifemp.org or 971-708-3767 or Hayley at beyondtheforestevents@ gmail.com or 503-9844456. February 9 & February 10 Quilt Show 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 34721 Church Road, Warren, OR. This is a free event. February 11 Valentine’s Tea at Caples House 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. $35 per person at Caples House, 1925 First St, Columbia City. For questions call 503-3975390. Bring a loved one for something wonderful. February 18 3 Leg Torso Performance 3 p.m. - 3 Leg Torso formed in 1996 as a violin, cello and accordion trio with the mission of creating original modern chamber music for their unique instrumentation. Ticket prices: Adults $25; Seniors (60+) and Students $23; Children $20. Tickets are available online at clatskaniearts.org or by calling Elsa at 503-7283403. If available, tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the concert. February 22 Scappoose Goodwill Job Connection Job Fair 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Job Connection is holding a Job Fair at the Scappoose Library, 52469 SE 2nd Street. February 25 Leapin’ Louie Performance 3 p.m. – Free family performance of Leapin’ Louie who uses circus, cowboy tricks, a six-foot unicycle, and lots of comedy to explore all those wild critters, including us, who fly. Presented by The Clatskanie Arts Commission, Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. March 10 Skamokawa Swamp Opera 3 p.m. - Skamokawa Swamp Opera – definitely not an opera! Presented by The Clatskanie Arts Commission, Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. April 14 Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters 3 p.m. - Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters featuring a 6-piece band. Tickets available at clatskaniearts.org. Presented by
The Clatskanie Arts Commission, Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. April 26 Updated Event - Spencer Day tribute to Frank Sinatra 7:30 p.m. - Due to visa problems, Will Martin performance has been canceled and will be replaced by Spencer Day and his tribute to Frank Sinatra. Will Martin tickets will be honored for this performance. Presented by The Clatskanie Arts Commission, Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. Ongoing Events Until February 10 Rainier Oregon Historical Museum, located inside Rainier City Hall, will be closed until at least February 10 while the City of Rainier does emergency repairs in the City Clerk’s office. The city clerk’s office was moved into the museum a week before Christmas, and they are set-up and operating out of the museum until repairs are finished downstairs. Anyone with questions can contact me at kay-lynn2@hotmail. com. Tuesdays Community Meals serves free community dinner 5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 360 Wyeth St., St. Helens. Door open at 5 p.m. Fridays 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Caples House offers Tea and Sweets: a bottomless cup of tea with a homemade dessert. Cost is $5. In The Cottage, 1925 First Street in Columbia City. Call 503397-5390 for more details. Fridays - Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Caples House Museum Tours, 1925 1st Street in Columbia City. Cost is $5. Stop by and see what has changed. Caples House Museum Tours are closed except by reservation until Friday March 1. If you’d like a tour, please call 503-397-3590. Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Lower Columbia Watershed Council meets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Clatskanie PUD building. Zoom links are also available. Visit the council’s website for agenda postings and Zoom at www. lowercolumbiariver.org/ events-page. Resonate Recovery Meets at 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday - Sundays. This is a Bible based, 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. For more information call Debbie at 503-560-0521, Daniel Grant at 714-7689327 or check the Resonate Facebook page.
Columbian Toastmasters Promoting positive learning and leadership through public speaking. Anyone is welcome to visit! Lunch meetings at Warren Country Inn, 56575 Columbia River Hwy, Warren, OR 97053 from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. every Thursday. Call 503-3690329 for more information. Overcomers Outreach Meetings are held every Saturday at 9 a.m. at Creekside Baptist Church, 51681 SW Old Portland Road in Scappoose. Call Fred 971-7576389. Celebrate Recovery For anyone struggling with addiction, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. The first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. the doors open for a free dinner. Yankton Community Fellowship, 33579 Pittsburg Road in St. Helens. 503-396-7091. Childcare is available. www. yanktoncommunityfellowship.com. Storytime on Mondays 11 a.m. at the Columbia City Library, 2000 Second St. in Columbia City. For questions call, 503-366-8020. Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches Clatskanie Senior Center lunches Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches now served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon at the Castle Cafe, 620 SW Tichenor. Call 503-728-3608 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 503338-8268. 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 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 for anyone that might have questions, to chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.
OBITUARIES Cameron Wesley Rice Aug. 31, 1952 ~ Nov. 18, 2023
Bring Someone Special to Our Valentines High Tea Feb 11 $35 2 - 4 pm (You won’t miss the game) Call for reservations 503-397-5390 Save the Dates: March 1 Museum Opens for the Season Friday - Sunday 1-5, $5 to Tour March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Dinner 2-4pm, Food, Beer, and Song $30 Reserve now for summer weddings and parties.
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Bill Barton was 89 years old when he passed away in his sleep in the company of friends and family on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2023, at his home in Eureka, California. He was born on Oct. 14, 1934, to Harold and Edna Barton, in Saranac Lake, New York. Bill graduated from Rainier Union High School in 1952.He worked at a rock crusher for the Columbia County Road Department in 1951. He enrolled in the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He excelled in boiler operation and heavy machinery repair. Bill served in the Coast Guard
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from 1954 to 1958. During that time, he serviced the St. George Lighthouse and was assigned for two years
to Coast Guard on a Buoytender/Icebreaker Bulsam WLB-62 on the West Coast and in the Arctic. In 1964, he was assigned to Bizzrd Matthews in Eureka. Shortly after, he married Ann Sherman. They were married for 41 years when she passed away in 1998. Then he married Betty Mowrey. They were married for 17 years when she passed in 2017. After retirement, Bill established the Barton & Caruso Winery in Eureka, specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties. He never sold the grape, but only gifted the wine to family, friends and the Eureka Elks
Lodge. Bill is survived by two stepsons, Mark Mowrey and Dan Mowrey, his brother Harold A. Barton, a step grandson, Donald Mowrey, his cousin, Duane Bernard and sister-in-law Jane Sherman Frasher and many friends. He was a member of the Eureka Elks and the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum. Memorial donations may be made to the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum building fund, PO Box 762, Rainier, OR 97048. A memorial service was held at the Elks Lodge in Eureka on January 13, 2024.
Norman Vincent Mueller Sr. June 26, 1939 ~ Jan. 30, 2024
Norman Vincent Mueller Sr. was born on June 26, 1939 to Frank Paul Mueller Sr. and Charlotte Cecilia (Hogland) Mueller in Portland, Oregon. Norman was active in the US Navy from 1956 – 1960. He married his wife Elizabeth on Dec. 29, 1962 in Oregon City, Oregon. Norman and Elizabeth moved to Clatskanie, Oregon in 1972, where Norman worked for Columbia City Road Department before retiring in 2002. Norman was an active member of the
American ion VFW, Ocean Park Eagles, Peninsula
Moose Lodge, Long Beach Elks, and St. John’s Catholic Church of Clatskanie. Norman was on the original committee who actively organized the Veterans Memorial Wall, organized the Mist Rural Fire Department where he was the first EMT and Fire Chief of Mist – Birkenfeld Fire Department. Norman was predeceased by his parents; two brothers; and one sister. Norman is survived by his loving wife of 61 years Elizabeth Mueller; sons, Norman Jr. (Karen) and
Dale Mueller; special nieces, Kathy Mueller Gesh (Mitch) and Kim Mueller Baron (Mike) as well as several other nieces and nephews; grandchildren, Heidi Wayne (Tyler), Ben Mueller (Allison) and Erika Schlund; great grandchildren, Lucy Wayne, Dottie Wayne, River Mueller and Eva Mueller. There will be a Catholic Mass Service at 11 a.m. on Fri., Feb. 9, 2024 at St. John Catholic Church in Clatskanie, Oregon followed by burial at Murray Hill Cemetery.
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A5
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Cameron Wesley Rice, a resident of Rainier, was born on Aug. 31, 1952 and passed away on Nov. 18, 2023.
1925 First Street, Columbia City www.capleshouse.com (503) 397-5390
The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
On Feb. 1, United Way of Columbia County announced the launch of this tax season’s MyFreeTaxes. com site. For the 12th year, United Way is providing online tax filing software, accessible through MyFreeTaxes.com, to help taxpayers easily and accurately file their taxes from their computer or smartphone. MyFreeTaxes® is a free and easy way to file federal and state tax returns for free. More than 1.3 Million
Chef
Court’s offering soups, classes From Page A1
Making pick-up convenient for people is a high priority for Gregory. She said that often she’ll see people pull up to the house to get their soup; she goes out and delivers it before they even have to leave their vehicles. Cooking courses While Gregory enjoys cooking, she said that teaching is her true passion. Gregory said she is offering cooking courses because there aren’t many cooking classes in Clatskanie. Gregory has a background in teaching culinary classes.
Victorico’s pitches in for Community Meals From Page A1
to cater the whole meal, and I could hardly believe my ears. Not only that, but she said she would be interested in doing this more than once.”
Bethany Lutheran Church 43rd
Annual Quilt Show Quilt Raffle • Bake Sale • Fresh Brewed Paintings • Craft Vendors Feb. 9 & Feb. 10 • From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day Enjoy homemade, soups, salads, sandwiches, & pie for donation or takeout for a fee. Display Quilts accepted at the church Sun, Feb 4th 3-5pm or Thurs, Feb 8th 10am-3pm. 34721 Church Rd, Warren, OR 97053
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She was a culinary instructor in Seattle at Washington Technical College for five years. She also went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu. “I loved my teaching job. Teaching something you love doing, you can’t have someone in a better position,” Gregory said. “I get excited about food, and then people get excited with me.” Gregory hopes to transition to teaching full-time because it is her passion. She has even considered possibly teaching some classes at Clatskanie Middle/High School. Right now, Gregory offers classes out of the professional kitchen that came with her house. Gregory holds a ServSafe certification, and she has ensured that her business is held to high sanitary standards. The classes that Gregory
has offered so far have been a taco and barbacoa cooking demonstration and a “knife skills 101” class. Gregory’s first taco class sold out “within an hour.” The second taco class she offered filled up on the same day she announced it. As things stand, the size of the classes is seven, but she may expand capacity in the near future. Her knife skills class was inspired by feedback from the taco-making class, where attendees said they wanted to learn those technical abilities. Gregory said she hopes to have courses “a couple times a month,” and hopefully develop a series of classes to offer the community. Attendees don’t just get to learn at the classes; Gregory said she also makes people a meal and provides refreshments as well. At the taco demonstration, people get to
eat the tacos they make, and she even provides them with something to walk away with. “I just want them to have something. I’m a giver, and I want them to walk away with something,” Gregory said. Attendees of Gregory’s Feb. 3 taco class walked away with three extra tacos and a plant. The taco demonstration is $65. The first knife skills class will be on Feb. 24. The class costs $55, but people will also walk away with a free beginner’s knife. “I love cooking, and it’s gratifying to share food with people. It’s such a staple to our life,” Gregory said. “When you see someone eat something good, and they’re appreciative of that, it’s just the best feeling.” Register for classes at ChefCourtsMenu.com or call 503-396-7988 for more information.
St. Helens Roots
communities it serves, it is also gearing up for some exciting developments. Sanchez said Victorico’s is working on new menu items, planning more community engagement events, and they have a Super Bowl commercial that will be shown during the game on KOIN 6 on Feb. 11. Sanchez said they will be offering “Vic’s Party Pack,” which will be available for purchase that weekend. Sanchez also said they are working on hosting a cooking class with a low-income housing community and more opportunities for everyone to get to know them and learn about our Mexican-American culture and food. Though Victorico’s has expanded beyond the boundaries of St. Helens, Sanchez expressed gratitude to the community for getting them to where they are now. “I would like for the community to know that whenever they see our name on billboards on the highway or see us opening up new locations across the state, to remember that they had a part in our growth, that whatever big things we do is because
of them, and to feel proud that they are our hometown,” Sanchez said.
Though Victorico’s has 18 locations across Oregon and Washington, the restaurant and family have St. Helens roots. “St. Helens saw us grow up. We moved here when we were little and went to Elementary, Middle School and High School in St. Helens,” Sanchez said. “So many community members from different cultures and faiths lent us a hand, cheered us on throughout the years, and provided us with the resources to succeed.” Victorico’s is named for Yesenia Sanchez’s father, Victorico Sanchez Sr. Sadly, he passed away due to COVID-19, and Sanchez said that donations like this one are a way to pay forward the fortune they have enjoyed despite the heartache of their loss. “One way that we wanted to honor my dad’s legacy was to embody his spirit of giving. My dad taught us to have a love for service and for humanity,” Sanchez said. “This community has supported us so much for so many years, and we want to give back.” While Victorico’s is committed to giving back to the
MyFreeTaxes is free for all returns and includes Schedule C options. A list of the tax forms included in this free offering is available by visiting MyFreeTaxes.com. MyFreeTaxes users can also contact United Way Columbia County for additional resources or to find ways to volunteer to support the community.
More information on Community Meals Community Meals started in 2009 in the face of the Great Recession. Community Meals’ goal is “to increase food assistance to our neighbors, especially to those facing tight budgets, job loss, housing loss, frailness or loneliness and for anyone who wants to be part.” Community Meals is a member agency of the Columbia Pacific Food Bank and the first of its kind for Columbia County. Community Meals is staffed completely by volunteers. It has been operating as a kitchen at First Lutheran Church in St. Helens since June 2009. It is a member agency of the Columbia Pacific Food Bank and the first of its kind for Columbia County. Community Meals has a restaurant license with the County Health Department for use at First Lutheran Church’s kitchen, and they have received all perfect scores from inspections.
The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
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St. Helens Estate Sale 2/9, 2/10 & 2/11 from 10 am - 4 pm. Estate of Diane Dillard Multi generations, 3 floors packed full, pre 1900- present. No early sales, security on site, see photos at estatesalefinder.com and craigslist. N 2nd St., follow signs.
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To help extendPeople’s the life of Clatskanie PUD power poles, Clatskanie Utility District is requesting Daveyproposals Resource (RFP) Group for hasthe been contracted toand conduct reorganization ourinventory pole test barcoding and treat program for 2021.warehouse. They will be of the District’s working on our poles on the following roads and the surrounding areas: Swedetown Rd, by Alder Sealed proposals mustRd, be Olson received Grove Rd, Cedar Grove Rd,District & Lost Creek. 2:00 Rd, pmLindberg PDT, March 5, 2024, at the office For questions or concerns, please call 503-728-2163. 495 E. Columbia River Hwy, Clatskanie, OR, 97016.
Complete information can be viewed at clatskaniepud.com
Columbia County
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PUBLIC NOTICES CC24-1035
The Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
A7
CC24-1033
The Columbia County Development Agency (Agency) has published the FY 2022/2023 Annual Report. It is on file at the offices of the Board of County Commissioners located in the Columbia County Courthouse, Room 331, at 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051 and with the Agency. The full information is available to all interested persons. In FY 2022/2023, the Agency received $119,475 in current and prior year property tax revenue. Expenditures from FY 2022/2023 were $8,499,049. The County terminated this urban renewal area in FY 2022/2023. Foregone Revenue From Taxing District
Foregone Revenue as % of Total Permanent Rate Levy
$11,498
0.13%
$0
0.00%
Col 9-1-1 Comm District
$1,916
0.12%
Columbia Vector Rainier Cemetery
$1,095
0.16%
$780
0.72%
$312
0.45%
Clatskanie Park & Rec
$2,980
0.83%
Clatskanie Library Columbia SWCD
$2,364
0.79%
Clatskanie RFPD
$638
0.10%
$14,754
0.86%
NW Regional ESD
$1,278
0.01%
Clatskanie 6J School District
$39,525
0.76%
Taxing Jurisdiction Columbia County Columbia 4H & Extension
Rainier Cemetery Local Option
CC24-1030
NOTICE OF DEQ SEEKING COMMENTS DEQ Seeks Comments on Proposed Consent Judgment for Former St. Helens Fiberboard Plant. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality seeks comments
on a proposed prospective purchaser agreement in the form of a consent judgment with RestorCap LLC for the former St. Helens Fiberboard Plant at 645 Railroad Ave.
in St. Helens. Comments due Friday March 8, 2024. For more information and to comment, see the public notice at ordeq.org/publicnotices.
CC24-1032
PUBLIC NOTICE - INVITATION TO BID SUBSTATION POWER TRANSFORMER COLUMBIA RIVER PUD Notice is hereby given that Columbia River People’s Utility District (PUD) will receive sealed bids for the purchase of a 20/26.6/33.3 MVA substation power transformer with LTC. Bids will be received by the PUD, 64001 Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054 until 3:30 p.m., pacific prevailing time, on March 13, 2024, at which time the bids will be publicly opened. The bids will be available for public inspection at the
PUD office after the bid opening. No bids will be received after 3:30 p.m., pacific prevailing time, on the 13th day of March, 2024. All bids shall include a statement that those parties named in the bid are the only parties with an interest in the bid and that the bid is made without any collusion with any other bidder, official or employee of the PUD. The bid documents and specifications may be examined at the office of the PUD, 64001
Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054. Electronic copies of the bid documents may be obtained by visiting the PUD website at https://www.crpud.net/ my-pud/bid-documents/ . Columbia River PUD reserves the right to reject any and all bids that are not in compliance with the bid documents and prescribed public bidding procedures and to reject for good cause any or all bids upon a finding by the PUD that it is in the public interest to do so.
CC24-1034
PUBLIC NOTICE - INVITATION TO BID SUBSTATION CONTROL ENCLOSURE COLUMBIA RIVER PUD Notice is hereby given that Columbia River People’s Utility District (PUD) will receive sealed bids for the purchase of a 12’ x 20’ Substation Control Enclosure. Bids will be received by the PUD, 64001 Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054 until 3:30 p.m., pacific prevailing time, on March 13th, 2024, at which time the bids will be publicly opened. The bids will be available for public inspection at the PUD office after the bid opening. No
bids will be received after 3:30 p.m., pacific prevailing time, on the 13 th day of March, 2024. All bids shall include a statement that those parties named in the bid are the only parties with an interest in the bid and that the bid is made without any collusion with any other bidder, official or employee of the PUD. The bid documents and specifications may be examined at the office of the PUD, 64001 Columbia River Highway, Deer Island, Oregon 97054. Electronic
copies of the bid documents may be obtained by visiting https://www.crpud.net/ my-pud/bid-documents/. Columbia River PUD reserves the right to reject any and all bids that are not in compliance with the bid documents and prescribed public bidding procedures and to reject for good cause any or all bids upon a finding by the PUD that it is in the public interest to do so. Dated: February 5, 2024 at Columbia River People’s Utility District.
TS No. OR08000158-23-1 APN 24732 TO No 230490730 -OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, THOMAS R CHELBY AND TABBETHA CHELBY, TENANTS BY ENTIRETY as Grantor to FIRST AMERICAN TITLE COMPANY OF OREGON as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS INC. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of July 28, 2016 and recorded on July 29, 2016 as Instrument No. 2016006547 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit: APN: 24732 LOTS 18 AND 19, BERNDT`S CREEK SUBDIVISION, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON Commonly known as: 15332 CREEK VIEW LN, VERNONIA, OR 97064-9425 Both the Beneficiary, Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 1 Monthly Payment(s) from 06/01/2023 to 01/01/2024 at $12,751.79 Monthly Late Charge(s): 1 Monthly Late Charge(s) By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said
Trust Deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $209,325.56 together with interest thereon at the rate of 3.62500% per annum from May 1, 2023 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed. Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on June 10, 2024 at the hour of 12:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, at the west entrance to the Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand St., Saint Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together
with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any. Dated: 1/25/2024 By: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Order Number 99661, Pub Dates: 2/7/2024, 2/14/2024, 2/21/2024, 2/28/2024, THE COLUMBIA COUNTY CHRONICLE & CHIEF
CC24-1031
NOTICE OF PROPOSED BALLOT TITLE Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of St. Helens is referring to the voters, for approval at the May 21, 2024 General Election, a measure requesting to impose a city tax for police protection services staff funding. The City Council has approved the following ballot title for consideration by the voters in the May 21, 2024 Election: Caption: (10 words) Creation of Police Protection Services Staff Funding Local Option Tax Question: (20 words) Shall City assess five-year operating levy for police at rate of $0.69 per $1,000 assessed value beginning 2024-2025? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent. Summary: (175 words) The City’s current tax revenues cannot support quantity of officers needed to protect
and serve our city. The City will use the levy to create an Enhanced Law Enforcement Operating Fund. This will be used exclusively for increasing law enforcement presence throughout St. Helens and increasing police officer presence within the city. This fund would add four additional officers, necessary equipment, necessary training, and enable the police to continue to provide 24/7 law enforcement coverage in St. Helens as well as reduce response times. In order to provide these basic services, the City is requesting a new five-year levy at a rate of $0.69 per $1,000 assessed property value. The City will use the tax revenue from this measure to fund additional police officers. The levy will raise approximately $802,007 in 2024-25; $834,087 in 2025-26; $867,451 in 2026-
27; $902,149 in 2027-28; and $938,235 in 2028-29. The levy would then expire. For a home assessed value of $200,000 the annual cost of this levy would be an estimated $138 per year. The estimated tax cost for this measure is an ESTIMATE ONLY based on the best information available from the County Assessor at the time of the estimate and may reflect the impact of early payment discounts, compression, and the collection rate. Any elector may file a petition for review of the ballot title with the Columbia County Circuit Court within seven (7) business days of the day the ballot title is filed with the City Elections Official. Such petition must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024. Kathy Payne, City Elections Official
CC24-1025
NOTICE OF MONTHLY BOARD MEETING The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold their monthly Board meeting, Tuesday, February 13, 2024 @ 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.
CC24-1017
TS No. OR14000001-22-2 APN 435142 TO No 2902849 TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, TONI ORNIE AND JEFFREY J TSCHIDA, AS TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY as Grantor to WFG NATIONAL TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC (“MERS”), as designated nominee for COLUMBIA STATE BANK, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of October 31, 2017 and recorded on October 31, 2017 as Instrument No. 2017-010200 and the beneficial interest was assigned to FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION and recorded March 1, 2022 as Instrument Number 202201892 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon
to-wit: APN: 435142 LOT 9, BLOCK 3, COREY ADDITION, IN THE CITY OF VERNONIA, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON Commonly known as: 914 6TH AVE, VERNONIA, OR 97064 Both the Beneficiary, FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 9 Monthly Payment(s) from 05/01/2023 to 01/15/2024 at $1,514.25 Monthly Late Charge(s): $184.24 By this
reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said Trust Deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $224,578.22 together with interest thereon at the rate of 3.62500% per annum from April 1, 2023 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed. Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on May 28, 2024 at the hour of 01:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, Front Entrance, Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at
public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not
then be due had no default occurred), together with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing
this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any. Dated: January 4,2024 By: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Order Number 99172, Pub Dates: 1/17/2024, 1/24/2024, 1/31/2024, 2/7/2024, THE COLUMBIA COUNTY CHRONICLE & CHIEF
The Public Notice deadline is Fridays by 5 p.m. Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper.
A8
The Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
GAMES & PUZZLES
Solution for the Jan. 31, 2024 crossword puzzle
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: SUPER BOWL ACROSS
1. Desert bloomers 6. Request for tailor 9. Paul Bunyan’s companion 13. Delivered by plane 14. Boiling emotion 15. Match play result? 16. Like the North vs. the South war 17. Bag, ‡ Paris 18. Nymph of lakes and springs 19. *Team that never made it to Super Bowl 21. *Last year’s Super Bowl winner 23. *Safety value 24. Disfigure 25. *Birthplace of NFL 28. Roofed colonnade 30. Dr. Seuss’ Yertle 35. Auctioneer’s final word 37. Sea eagles 39. Popular winter boot brand 40. Largest ethnic group in Rwanda 41. User’s destination 43. Like Twiggy’s skirt 44. Former anesthetic 46. Not all 47. Death notice 48. Like r in American
English 50. Luau souvenirs 52. Opposite of WSW 53. Vatican’s head 55. Cattle prod 57. *AFC’s top seed 60. *Host state of this year’s Super Bowl 63. Like allergy spray 64. Second person of be 66. Pleasant odor 68. Fervent 69. Grazing ground 70. “When pigs fly!” 71. Modeling material 72. *NFL Honors’ announcement 73. Trento’s Council of ____
DOWN
1. Chlorofluorocarbon, abbr. 2. Alight, past tense 3. Boat mooring spot, e.g. 4. Short for betwixt 5. Wife’s parents 6. Serpentarium noise 7. Time period 8. Hajj destination 9. Hillside, in Scotland 10. “Dream on!” (2 words) 11. Constricting snakes 12. *____ zone 15. Bad blood
20. Post-it user 22. Not miss 24. Street opening 25. *Half-time show entertainer 26. Compass point 27. In spite of the fact, arch. 29. Loads from lodes 31. *CBS announcer and former QB 32. Native American group 33. Famous Bolshevik 34. *Like the Super Bowl players 36. Sonny & Cher, e.g. 38. Ditto 42. Neutral shade 45. With mature appearance 49. Bamboozle 51. Learned one 54. Religious song 56. Defier 57. Not top-shelf 58. On the ocean 59. Deviate 60. Type of tide 61. Peace symbol 62. End of grace 63. *49ers’ conference 65. Short for one time around 67. Short for Arthur
Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of the newspaper.
SPORTS
The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
A9
Clatskanie wrestling prepping for districts WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
January Les Schwab Tire-less Teacher SUBMITTED BY ST. HELENS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Scott Thompson exemplifies an unwavering commitment to assisting others, consistently prioritizing the needs of his colleagues and the McBride community. Despite his own responsibilities, he willingly drops everything to help those around him, even if it means shouldering an additional workload. This is a testament to his genuine concern for others and speaks volumes
about his character and selflessness. With a tireless work ethic, Scott maintains a cheerful demeanor that uplifts those around him. His hardworking nature, coupled with his reliability, makes him an indispensable team player. Scott’s loyalty to McBride and those around him is admirable, as he consistently goes above and beyond his duties. Scott is a vital asset to both McBride Elementary and the entire St. Helens School District. Congratulations, Scott!
Wrestling season is wrapping up, but the most important competitions of the Clatskanie Tigers season are still to come. While Clatskanie Middle/ High School (CMHS) has performed well in recent tournaments, Head Coach Zach Davis and his wrestlers are turning their attention to the upcoming district and regional meets. “Our district tournament will be held in Toledo, Oregon on Feb. 10. We are hoping to qualify in at least three weight classes for the state tournament,” Davis said. “Natalie Baker will compete in the girls’ regional tournament on Feb. 16 and 17 to try and earn her way back to the state tournament for the 2nd year in a row.” Davis and his squad have hopes of sending some wrestlers to the state tournament, and that belief is well founded, with many wrestlers placing well in recent tournaments. At the Dayton Invitational on Jan. 6, Brett James placed first at 106 lbs, Ben Blackwood placed 3rd at 144 lbs, Cameron Rowles took 2nd,
COURTESY PHOTO
The Clatskanie wrestling team following the Rubber Chicken meet in Kalama, Washington.
weighing in at 175 lbs, and Taylor Crawford placed 2nd at 190 lbs. Following his performance, Cameron Rowles was CMHS wrestler of the week after earning his first podium appearance of the year. CMHS’s next competition was the Rubber Chicken meet in Kalama, Washington. Brett James placed 4th at 106 lbs, Ben Blackwood placed 2nd at 138 lbs, Price Martinez placed 4th at 157 lbs, and Cameron Rowles narrowly missed a podium finish, placing 4th at 165 lbs. Other notable results from the tournament were Ethan
Rigsby taking 6th at 175 lbs and Taylor Crawford placing 2nd at 190 lbs. Natalie Baker continued her slew of strong performances placing 3rd in the combined 125/130-pound weight class. For their last regular season tournament, the Tigers traveled to Yamhill-Carlton to compete in the Golden Yam Challenge on Jan. 27. Clatskanie’s boys boasted competitive results, with Brett James placing 4th at 106 lbs, Lucas Andreasen placing 6th at 126 lbs, and Taylor Crawford placing 2nd at 190 lbs. Natalie Baker took home top honors at 125 lbs and was
rewarded with the Golden Yam trophy after winning her bracket. With Baker’s strong results, she seems ready to qualify for a return to the state tournament when she competes at regionals Feb. 16 and 17. For Davis and his teams, it’s all about preparation now. “Our focus is on conditioning and eating healthy to make sure we are prepared for the state qualifying tournaments,” Davis said. Follow results for CMHS wrestling at https:// www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100057257156304.
BIG GAME SQUARES Wayne Mayo Construction 503-396-1114 SERVING COLUMBIA COUNTY SINCE 1979
135 N Nehalem Clatskanie OR 97016 • 503-728-4122 www.versieats.com/menu-colvins-clatskanie
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Team Name:
How to Play There are many different ways people can play Big Game Squares, we’ve have tried to sum up an easy option for everyone to play.
Step 1:
Simply assign one team to the columns, and one to the rows.
Step 2:
Randomly assign numbers 0 through 9 to each gray column square, followed by doing the same for each gray row square. Each square represents a specific score in the game based on the column and row numbers.
Chronicle & Chief THE COLUMBIA COUNTY
Step 3:
Partygoers should fill in their initials one per open square.
Example: Team A 23 - Team B 14. The last number for Team A is 3, and the last number for Team B is 4. The square on the grid that has Team A with a number of 3, and Team B score of 4, would be the winner.
Team Name:
A winner will be determined at the end of the 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, 3rd quarter, and Final Game score. The winner is determined by looking at the last number in each teams’ score, and then matching those numbers on the grid and seeing which square intersects those two numbers.
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PIZZA 503-397-3211 SunShine 2124 COLUMBIA BLVD., ST. HELENS
A10
The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief • February 7, 2024
Date Night in Columbia County
Valentine’s Day in Columbia County WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and for people looking for activities or something special for that special someone, there are options locally to make Valentine’s memorable this year. One tradition steeped option in Columbia County is the annual Valentine’s Day High Tea at the Caples House Museum and Knapp Center in Columbia City. This year’s event will be on Valentine’s Day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A “high tea” comes out of an English tradition, according to organizer and board chairperson for Caples House Terry Maloney. Caples House has been hosting the Valentine’s Day High Tea for more than a decade. Maloney
described what attendees should look forward to. “When we have a high tea, we have four little sandwiches, then we have scones with clotted cream and jam, and then we have four little desserts,” Maloney said. “We start with soup, which is a little unusual, but I did it one time, and everybody thought it was great, so we still do it.” The Caples House hosts two high teas open to the public each year—one near Thanksgiving and one on Valentine’s Day. They also do high tea events for people who call in by special reservation. Maloney said that the capacity for the event is 50 people, and they take reservations for the occasion because spots fill up fast. There are still spots avail-
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able. Tickets are $35, and can be reserved by calling 503-397-5390. Each year, Caples House books entertainment for the event, and this year, the Columbia County Children’s Chorale will perform for guests after the meal and tea are finished. “I love doing the high teas, they’re just so much fun,” Maloney said. Maloney said that events like the Valentine’s Day Tea are important to the Caples House because the money they raise with the event goes back to maintaining the house and museum. The Caples House, built in 1870, was the residence of Dr. Charles Caples. It is located at 1925 First Street in Columbia City. Finding local flowers Flowers and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand. For those looking to support local businesses when getting floral arrangements this year, Beyond the Forest in St. Helens has a special offer for customers. “We’re partnering with a chocolatier in Columbia County called ‘All Sugared Out.’ With every purchase of a flower arrangement, you get a free chocolate truffle box from them, or your choice of homemade caramel. And if you call in, you get free delivery for your arrangement,” Beyond the Forest owner Hayley Starkey said.
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Starkey clarified that the free chocolate is available for people who place orders in person, and the free delivery is for people who call in orders. Starkey said that Beyond the Forest already has a “full board” of preorders, which is unusual. Normally, orders begin pouring in three days before the holiday. Right now, they already have more than 24 preordered arrangements. Last year, for Valentine’s Day, Starkey said Beyond the Forest filled 33 online orders and 64 “call in or wire” orders. Starkey gave some insight into the popular options the store can supply. “We always keep every main color of rose. So pink roses, red roses, yellow roses, white roses, in stock for Valentine’s Day. Carnations are another good option,” Starkey said. “You’ll see peonies, which are more of an irregular order from Japan, and sweet peas, which are more of a high-end flower.” Starkey said they offer arrangements varying from the $10 arrangements to $120 mixed base arrangements. The two most popular arrangements ordered are a dozen roses for $69.99 and a $50 mixed base arrangement. When discussing the importance of supporting local businesses rather than going to a larger commercial chain, Starkey said it comes down to the way the money stays in the community. “My biggest point that I always make to people is not only do we support other local businesses in our shop, but we donate back to our community a ton,” Starkey said. “One of our big events that’s coming up for Valentine’s Day is our lifempowered dinner, all that money goes to support adults with disabilities. Last year, we did over $6,000 in donations to school charities and fundrais-
COURTESY PHOTO FROM BETH MOODY
The tables will be set for the Caples House Valentine’s Day High Tea.
COURTESY PHOTO FROM HAYLEY STARKEY
One of the most popular arrangements Beyond the Forest fills is a dozen roses for $69.99.
ers, as well as, County Fair children that were raising animals.” Starkey said those are just some of the initiatives they support. Beyond the Forest will be catering and bartending lifempowered’s “Give,
Laugh, Love” event at 105 Port Ave. in Saint Helens. The event will be Feb. 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and tickets are $50 for singles, and $75 for couples. One thing Starkey wanted to emphasize for people who want to keep their business local for Valentine’s Day is that there are options in the downtown Riverfront District. “I just want people to know that everyone downtown is open,” Starkey said. “There’s a service for everyone downtown. Just to not be scared of the construction, because we are all open.” For questions about Give, Laugh, Love event, contact lifempowered Development Director Cassie Fellabaum at cassief@lifemp.org or 971-708-3767 or Hayley Starkey at beyondtheforestevents@gmail.com or 503984-4456.
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Our season starts in early march with fancy spring bloomers like narcissus and tulips. Then May comes with the flush of peonies and iris. Before you know it, the dahlias have taken center stage and everything after that is just a wild and beautiful frenzy of blooms. www.barefootflowerfarm.com