SHC315

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Tracking your tax refund

7th Grade basketball team

Candlelight Vigil for Sarah Zuber

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

Acandlelight vigil hosted by the Zuber family and the Justice For Sarah Zuber group was held at Ranier City Park at 6 p.m. Monday, March 13. More than 50 people were in attendance for the event. Though it had been a rainy day, the sun broke through the clouds, and a rainbow appeared as the group gathered for a statement from Sarah Zuber’s parents, Randy and Rebecca Zuber.

“In difficult times, we have a tendency to revert into one’s own self. To pull away from our loved ones, our friends, family. To hide, to withdraw, to seek to be alone, often we don’t know who to turn to even though there are people all around us. Maybe it is trust, or oftentimes it is that we just don’t have the energy to seek someone out,” Rebecca Zuber said. “It has been four years today, and yet it was yesterday in the heart of those closest to her.

When Sarah was killed, our family was shattered. Our family was shattered in slow motion; we didn’t even realize the depths of that brokenness until recently.”

On March 13, 2019, Sarah Zuber’s body was found by her sister Katie Zuber, on the side of Neer City Road in Rainier, less than 400 feet from her home. After an investigation by a major crimes team, Oregon State Medical Examiner Rebecca Millius ruled that the death was accidental and caused by

City reviewing options for public camping locations

The St. Helens City Council and the city’s Planning Commission are discussing city laws and procedures regarding sleeping and camping on public property.

Like many cities across Oregon, dealing with issues of homelessness is at the forefront of city government, as local officials seek to be in accordance with House Bill 3115.

House Bill 3115 states:

“Provides that local law regulating sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property that is open to public must be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness.”

The key points here are the “time, manner, and place” regula-

tions. People who will rest or camp on public property must be provided “objectively reasonable” guidelines that dictate when, where, and how they can reside.

Conversations during a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission revolved around a draft proposal of public policy that focuses on ensuring “the most humane treatment for the removal of homeless individuals from camping sites on public property.”

Planning Commission Chair

Steve Toschi said he wants the public to know that ordinance 195.530 allows for lawsuits against the city concerning differences of opinion on the issues of time, place, and manner of people sleeping in public places. In accordance with ORS 195.500 and ORS 195.505, the Planning Commission is recommending to the city the adoption of regulations that recognize the social nature of houselessness and

sleeping on public property.

“The major issue is, that is, where we’re discussing what to do, is where would sleeping be allowed in the city, and how would it be allowed: time, place, and manner restrictions,” Toschi said.

Toschi believes that studying the effect of camping and resting near residences and businesses will give a better understanding of where the city should allow people to rest publicly. The operative date of the statute is July 1, and so the Planning Commission is hoping to give the council their recommendation by April.

St. Helens has a prohibition against all camping in public places. Camping is only allowed at Sand Island and at the city docks for a fee. As the city considers its option for providing camping in public places, Toschi said the issue is finding a location with the appropriate space and time restrictions.

“I think it’s very important to

select the place because I think there will be a lot of unmeritorious lawsuits filed against cities. And once you allow one place, then people are just going to say they want all these other places. So I think it’s important that we choose the places carefully, and with the goal of protecting our citizens and our businesses,” Toschi said. “And then secondarily, finding a place that we can maximize, within our means, humanely and fairly helping people to the extent that we can.”

According to Toschi, the law has put cities in a difficult position because cities are required to offer a safe location where people can rest, but the cities are also liable for the goings on at those locations.

“The way the is written is if you disagree with any aspect of the time, place, and manner restrictions, you can file a lawsuit and seek attorney’s fees,” Toschi said.

Toschi’s end goal for this issue is to put in place resolutions that

address and recognize the social nature of the problem. Approaching the regulations surrounding public rest and camping with a focus on humane solutions will “insulate” the city from lawsuits. Toschi also emphasized that the selection of locations where people can and cannot sleep must be well-founded so they can be defended in court as “reasonable.”

Through analysis of other cases in Oregon, Toschi said the Planning Commission is creating a policy for the city council that will meet regulations while also sheltering the city from lawsuits.

“Every city right now is trying to work on a solution on a very challenging problem, and the Planning Commission is working with the city closely to devise a legal solution that is going to be upheld by the court,” Toschi said.

Follow this developing story at thechronicleonline.com.

School district seeking bond to secure state grant

The St. Helens School District hopes to secure a $4 million matching grant from the State of Oregon to help fund the construction at St. Helens High School. However, the district must pass a $4 million bond in the May 16 Special Election to secure the matching

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grant.

Superintendent Scot Stockwell said the district is in a unique position because if voters approve the bond, the district will receive a 1:1 matching grant from the State of Oregon that will not increase taxes for voters. This is a result of the increasing population of St. Helens.

“Due to the fact that we have been paying off our bonds (much like a loan) and our community has grown (more people/business to help pay), we have space to add a $ 4 million bond without increasing what is currently being paid,” Super Intendent for the St. Helens School District Scot Stockwell told the Chronicle.

If the bond is not passed, the $4 million matching grant will be awarded to another school district that did pass their bond.

St. Helens High School construction project

Construction on the project began last spring, but a number of factors have resulted in delays and adjustments to plans to stay within the parameters of the original budget. COVID work stoppages, inflation costs, labor shortages, and supply chain issues have contributed to delays and issues with the project. Some examples of what

have caused delays were provided by Stockwell.

“What’s created delays is mainly due to supply chain and inflation issues. An example of inflation impact, we delayed construction of the science wing while lumber prices were at an all-time high. When lumber prices dropped, we made purchases and started construction,” Stockwell said. “In regards to supply chain issues, we tried to order a major electrical switch box 39 weeks ahead of time knowing there were potential delays. When we placed the order we were told it would now be 59 weeks.”

What is important, Stockwell said, is that the high school project will be completed and be on budget. The original budget was based on a $55 million bond that voters approved in May 2021. Due to inflation and supply chain issues, components of the original design have needed to be augmented.

“As part of the process, we go back to the plans and remove expensive items or replace high-cost items with lower cost. When you do this it is called ‘Value Engineering,’” Stockwell said. “We’ve had to value engineer the project to stay within the budget we have to spend.”

If the $4 million bond is approved on the May ballot, and the

district secures the matching grant from the state, the $8 million would be used to add back some of the features that have been ‘value engineered’ out of the project.

Where would the additional money go?

The following items are some potential add-backs to the project the district would consider with an additional $8 million, according to Stockwell:

• Updating HVAC throughout

• Paving the Parking lots

• Updating CTE Programs

• Covered area outside the commons

• Updating the Auditorium

• Updating the locker rooms

• Turfing the Baseball and Softball Fields

One of the topics that people ask Stockwell most about is the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Updating the HVAC system in parts of the original school would be one of the critical priorities if the grant and bond are secured. “We do have HVAC in the school being both updated and replaced. In newly constructed areas, we will install new HVAC systems,

but in areas like the old Building B, where we have HVAC, and it is still working, only essential items to keep it running will be updated,” Stockwell said. “We know it is at the end of its life expectancy and needs a complete update, so if the bond is passed it is one of the top priorities.”

While the additional money would help expand the additions to the school, Stockwell emphasized that the project will remain on budget with or without the additional $8 million. The most significant variable is what the renovations will include. Regardless, after the construction, St. Helens High School students will enjoy a brand-new facility. The question is how many of the ‘value engineered’ features will be included without further funding.

“When it is all said and done, we will have a great new facility our community will be proud of for many years regardless of whether the bond passes or not,” Stockwell said. “As a School District, we would be remiss if we didn’t provide our community with an opportunity to choose to add back $8 million of construction that evaporated with inflation at essentially no additional cost.”

Follow this developing story at thechronicleonline.com.

Serving Columbia County since 1881

Crowd gathers beneath a rainbow at Rainier City Park for the candlelight vigil for Sarah Zuber.

Oregon’s top 10 consumer complaints

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has released the Oregon Department of Justice’s (DOJ) list of 2022’s top ten consumer complaints.

For the third year in a row, auto sales and repairs, telecommunications and imposter scams took the top three spots.

2022 top ten consumer complaint list

• Auto Sales and Repairs (1,050 complaints)

• Telecommunications (778 complaints)

• Imposter Scams/Fraudulent Entity (697 complaints)

• Financial, Credit and Lending (554 complaints)

• Health and Medical (475 complaints)

• Travel Services and Products (191 complaints)

• Towing (190 com-

plaints)

• Construction Contractors (187 complaints)

• Grocery, Food and Beverage (184 complaints)

• Real Estate (178 complaints)

This year includes — for the first time — a new category: Towing. In 2017 the Oregon legislature passed towing reforms that prohibit towing vehicles from parking facilities, with limited exceptions like blocking an emergency vehicle, unless the towing company received signed authorization to tow the specific vehicle from the owner of the parking facility or the owner’s agent. Earlier this year, the DOJ Consumer Protection Section filed a lawsuit against one of the largest towing operators

in Oregon, Retriever Towing. The lawsuit alleges the company illegally towed vehicles from parking facilities without signed authorization from the owner of the parking facility.

“We hope this lawsuit will send a message to all towing companies around the state that they’ll be held accountable for violating the law,” Rosenblum said.

“Especially when it snows, — as it recently did — tow trucks are out in force due to the number of abandoned vehicles. If your car was towed during this time and you feel you were overcharged or otherwise unfairly treated, please call our consumer hotline at 1-877-877-9392 for help.”

The Top 10 List issued was in association with National Consumer Protection

Week March 5-11. Rosenblum also issued the following highlights concerning the state’s consumer protection work in 2022.

• $1.85 billion national settlement with one of the nation’s largest student loan servicers, Navient. In Oregon, that means 5,488 federal loan borrowers received $1,462,937 in restitution and 864 borrowers received $22,454,017 in private loan debt cancellation.

• $701.5 million for Oregon to fund opioid abatement and recovery from eight settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies.

• $391.5 million national settlement – led in part by Oregon – with Google over its location tracking practices. The settlement is the

How to track your Oregon tax refund

The Oregon Department of Revenue is now issuing refunds due to taxpayers who have filed their 2022 tax returns.

Through March 3, the department had received and processed 681,099 returns and had issued 495,606 refunds.

The agency began processing returns January 23 in the order they were received. However, each year, the department waits until after February 15 to issue personal income tax refunds as part of its tax fraud prevention efforts. The delay allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers report on Forms W-2 and 1099, according to a release from the Oregon Department of Revenue.

Taxpayers can check

Where’s My Refund on Revenue Online to see the status of their refund. To check the status of their refund, taxpayers will need their:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

• Filing status

• The exact refund amount shown on:

Line 46 of their Form OR-40, or Line 71 of their Form OR-40-N, or Line 70 of their Form OR-40-P

The Department of

Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

Where’s My Refund will tell taxpayers whether their refund has been issued electronically, a check has been mailed, their refund has been adjusted, there are questions about their return, or their return is being manually processed.

E-filing and requesting direct deposit is the fastest way for a taxpayer to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund 34 days sooner than taxpayers who mail their paper returns and request paper refund checks.

All Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns in 2023 can file electronically at no cost using one of Oregon’s free file options.

Taxpayers can check the status of their federal tax refunds on the IRS website.

Six common reasons refunds take longer and what to do about it

• Filing a paper return. Paper returns take longer to process and, as a result, it takes longer to issue related refunds. File electronically instead.

• Filing electronically and requesting to receive a refund via a check takes longer. Request direct deposit instead.

• Filing more than once. Sending a paper return through the mail after e-filing will a delay a refund. Taxpayers should file just once.

• Filing during peak filing periods. Refunds are also issued slower during peak filing periods, like the last few weeks before the April 18 deadline. Filing well ahead of the deadline will help taxpayers get their refunds sooner.

• Refunds can also be delayed when errors are identified on returns. Taxpayers who receive a letter requesting additional information are urged to respond promptly through Revenue Online to speed the processing of their return.

• Taxpayers who check Where’s My Refund one week after they file and receive a message saying their return is being manually processed should watch their mailbox for correspondence from the department.

If it has been 12 weeks or more since they filed their return and they haven’t received a letter from the department, taxpayers should call 503-378-4988 or 800356-4222 to speak with a customer service representative.

largest attorney general-led consumer privacy settlement ever.

• $2.1 million from TurboTax (Intuit Inc.) to Oregon consumers who were deceived into paying for tax services that should have been free.

• $805,799.88 returned to Oregon consumers who filed complaints with the DOJ Consumer Protection Section.

• $309,234 in data breach settlements to Oregon with Avalon, Carnival Cruise, TMobile and Experian.

• 10,032 phone calls to the DOJ Consumer Protection Hotline.

• 7,791 written consumer complaints received.

In addition, DOJ travels the state to teach Oregonians how to stay safe from fraud

If you feel you may have fallen victim to a fraud or scam, contact the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov or call our Consumer Complaint Hotline at 1-877-877-9392.

Repair work to close Fern Hill Road

The Columbia County Public Works Department, in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Transportation, is conducting repairs to Fern Hill Road south of the intersection with Townsend Road. Due to the work, Fern Hill Road will be closed

from Townsend Road south approximately 1,865 feet from Monday, March 20, through no later than Monday, April 03, 2023.

The official detour route redirects traffic past the construction site.

No other road closures in this area are planned as

part of this construction. No driveways will be obstructed as part of this closure.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Columbia County Public Works Department at 503-397-5090 or by email at publicworks@columbiacountyor.gov.

Courtesy from Columbia County

State’s respiratory virus hospitalizations continue to decline

Following the worst respiratory virus surge Oregon has ever seen, the state’s top health official today painted an optimistic picture for spring, explaining conditions with COVID-19, RSV and influenza are better overall than they have been in months.

“As we prepare to move into spring in the next couple weeks, my sense of optimism is growing,” Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said during a media briefing Thursday, March 9. “Today, I’m here to report that the near-term outlook for our state in the battle against COVID-19 and the other respiratory pathogens is good.”

My sense of optimism is growing.

~ Dr. Dean Sidelinger OHA

By the numbers

Sidelinger said his encouraging outlook is driven by high vaccination rates – nearly 87% of adults 18 and older received at least

one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, and more than 25% got the bivalent booster shot – and downward-trending test positivity rates for COVID-19, influenza and RSV. He said, “rates for influenza and RSV (are) now consistently below the thresholds at which we would consider circulation to be a growing concern.”

“And although hospitalizations for respiratory infections in Oregon have stubbornly remained above 200 per day – with a brief increase in the last month driven by a rise in COVID-19 activity – they, too, are declining overall,” Sidelinger said. “Even with recent increases in community transmission of COVID-19, we are not seeing a subsequent increase in hospitalizations.”

Sidelinger pointed to recent state actions as a reflection of the strong outlook for respiratory viruses, including:

• Lifting Oregon’s mask requirement for health care settings effective April 3, which OHA announced March 3. Sidelinger called it “a positive step in our ongoing response to COVID-19. Indicators of COVID-19, RSV and influenza spread have significantly decreased in the last several months and continue to decline.”

• The March 6 expiration of Executive Order 22-24, which former Gov. Kate Brown issued Dec. 7, 2022, expired this past Monday, March 6.

“We’re relieved to have gotten through this very challenging period, but grateful to have had the opportunity to support our health care partners in ensuring continuity of care for their sickest patients,” Sidelinger said.

• A shift from a statelevel response to a focus on individual risk assessment, as Oregonians move forward in living with COVID-19 and “manage the constant, but low-level presence of the virus in our communities,” Sidelinger said.

Next steps

People in Oregon “now have access to tools we didn’t have at the start of the pandemic,” he said, including safe and effective vaccines; antiviral medications for preventing severe illness; information on how the virus affects people with certain medical conditions; and resources for understanding the level of transmission in communities.

Sidelinger said it’s especially important for people with chronic conditions or

who are immunocompro mised – therefore at higher risk for severe illness from a COVID-19 infection – to continue to take steps to pro tect themselves. That goes for caretakers and household members of people with these conditions as well.

“As Oregon’s health care system prepares for the end of the state’s mask require ment, I want to ask everyone in Oregon to show support, acceptance and kindness for workers, patients and visi tors in health care settings, regardless of whether they require masking or choose to wear a mask in these set tings,” he said. “The same goes for anyone, in any indoor or outdoor public space. Wearing a mask offers significant protection and should never be stigmatized.”

OHA to launch new hospital capacity tracking data system HOSCAP, Oregon’s web system used for tracking hospital capacity and COVID-19 hospitalization data, is being replaced this month by the new Oregon Capacity System (OCS).

OHA’s hospital capacity dashboards will begin using data from OCS instead of HOSCAP April 1. Because OCS categorizes some types

Hospitalizations for respiratory infections in Oregon have remained above 200 per day – with a brief increase in the past month driven by a rise in COVID-19 activity, but the OHA reports there has not been a subsequent increase in hospitalizations.

of hospital beds differently from HOSCAP, the adult non-ICU bed counts OHA reports from OCS will reflect adult medical/surgical and adult progressive care unit beds. The adult non-ICU beds currently reported reflect the medical/surgical and “other” bed categories in HOSCAP.

With the transition to OCS, and in response to the changing needs of hospitals, OHA will no longer report hospital personal protective equipment (PPE) data.

Metro Creative Connection

The final update to the COVID-19 PPE summary dashboard will be published March 29. The remaining hospital capacity dashboards will continue to be updated weekly on Wednesdays. These changes will be seen on the dashboards April 5. For more information about the transition from HOSCAP to OCS, visit https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ PH/PREPAREDNESS/PARTNERS/HEALTHALERTNETWORK/Pages/updates.aspx.

Oregon to use $17M for harm reduction system

Two key resources in Oregon for preventing and treating substance use disorder and overdose will receive a total of $17 million over the next two years.

The funding has been approved by the Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board (OSPTR).

“Oregon’s share of the national opioid settlement funds is intended to provide better tracking of substance use disorder and support harmreduction programs — which have never been more vital than in this time of accelerating fentanyl-driven overdoses,” Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said. “I am grateful to know the Board has designated the first allocations of these funds for these purposes.”

An allocation of $4 million funds the development of a

unified statewide data system to collect, analyze and publish data on substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services, with a focus on their availability and effectiveness.

The remaining $13 million

goes toward the Save Lives Oregon (SLO) Harm Reduction Clearinghouse to keep people alive and support safer communities. This ensures SLO’s ability to provide lifesaving supplies to entities

and local harm-reduction pro wide harm reduction practices,

Background

In 2022, the Oregon Legislature created the OSPTR Board, administered by Oregon Health Authority and overseen by a board of health policy experts and state and local government representatives. The board will administer the state’s 45% share of opioid funds exclusively for addressing substance use. The remaining 55% will go to local cities and counties with populations larger than 10,000 people.

several years, and the state anticipates getting $149.7 million through 2038, all of which goes to the OSPTR fund,” the release states. “Under House Bill 4098, the OSPTR Board can then use that money to support statewide or regional programs identified in settlement agreements or applicable judgments. Additional funding from at least five other opioid-related settlements is anticipated.”

organizations that serve people who use drugs.” The OSPTR Board states in a release. The funds awarded will allow the Harm Reduction Clearinghouse to continue and expand its support for schools, Special Districts and public buildings.

The money comes from monumental multi-state settlements in 2022 involving pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies and distributors that either produced, sold or distributed opioids. This was the result of a years-long effort by Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) and its investigative team working opioid-related cases.

“For the most part, settlements will be paid out over

The OSPTR Board members are scheduled to continue discussing both the data system and clearinghouse in upcoming monthly meetings in April, May and June.

To learn more about SLO, visit its official page. Those who are part of an organization looking for harm-reduction resources can apply for the SLO harm-reduction clearinghouse at https:// www.savelivesoregon.org/ apply-form.

High opioid overdose risk for former prisoners

People recently released from prison in Oregon face a risk for opioid overdose 10 times greater than the general public, according to a new study led by an Oregon State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy scientist.

The research by Dan Hartung of OSU, Elizabeth Needham Waddell of the Oregon Health & Science

University-Portland State University School of Public Health and Katherine A. Kempany of the Oregon Department of Corrections underscores the need to help adults formerly in custody stay safe – especially during the first two weeks after release from incarceration when their opioid overdose risk is double that of any other time period.

Death rate

Drug overdose, particularly opioid overdose, is a leading cause of death among people who have recently been in prison, not just in the U.S. but around the world. The new study is one of the few that takes into account not just fatal overdoses but also non-fatal ones, which often are accompanied by burns, seizures, neuropathy, infections and fall-related injuries, the authors note. The findings, which showed women were more at risk of opioid overdose than men, were published in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment.

Hartung, Waddell and Kempany analyzed a dataset that combined Oregon death statistics from 2014 to 2018

with corrections, Medicaid, and hospital admission and discharge information.

“We used Medicaid claims data as our main way of detecting overdose events identified in the emergency department or through a hospitalization,” Hartung said. “Nearly 90% of people released from the Oregon Department of Corrections are enrolled in Medicaid.”

Medicaid is a state-administered health insurance program for low-income and disabled individuals, and the Oregon Department of Corrections submits Medicaid enrollment applications for almost all adults in custody prior to their release, Kempany said.

By the numbers

The integrated data enabled the scientists to estimate the number of opioid overdoses among people recently released from prison, and the researchers found the frequency of overdose was “exceedingly high” –1,086 overdoses per 100,000 “person years,” a statistical metric for describing rate of incidence within a population.

The rate of 1,086 per 100,000 person years far exceeded that of the general public in Oregon – 93 overdoses per 100,000 person years – and also a Medicaid population of new prescription opioid users, whose rate was 247 per 100,000 person years.

“And taking everything into account, the risk estimates we developed for

the recently incarcerated are likely conservative,” Hartung said. “Many people with substance use disorders end up in the criminal justice system, and prisons and jails have historically not been equipped to manage the health care needs of high-risk individuals.”

Nearly two-thirds of all adults in custody in the United States have a documented substance use disorder, Kempany said. According to data from 2019 cited in this research, roughly 1.4 million people in the United States are housed in state and federal prisons, and more than 600,000 are released from custody each year.

“There is a lot of research that provides insights into specific factors that might modify overdose risk, but much of it is based on vital statistics data – i.e., fatalities – and those make up a minority of all overdoses,” Waddell said. “The objective of our

study was to estimate risk of both fatal and non-fatal opioid overdose, and also to examine differences in the risk profile by sex.”

What the research shows

In Oregon, more than 18,000 individuals left prison from 2014 through 2017. More than 80% of those people were males in the 26-64 age range, two-thirds had a documented substance use disorder treatment need, and one in five demonstrated the need for mental health treatment.

The adults released during that span experienced a total of 579 opioid overdoses, including 65 that were fatal.

“The overdose risk was highest in the first two weeks – 2,286.7 per 100,000 person years,” Waddell said. “The risk was highest among women and those with mental health or substance use disorder treatment needs.”

Women who had been incarcerated suffered opioid overdose at a rate of 1,582.9 per 100,000 person years, and the rates for those with mental illness and substance use disorder were 1,624.3 and 1,382.6, respectively. Among women released from prison, the higher rate is related to a greater mental health burden, Waddell said.

“There is wide consensus that medications for opioid use disorder are highly effective at reducing the risk of overdose and other addiction-related negative health outcomes,” she said.

“However, providing those medications for individuals in prison is still fairly uncommon nationally.”

In recent years, Kempany said, the Oregon Department of Corrections has significantly expanded its medication program to include continuing established treatment upon incarceration and offering eligible patients a medication protocol when they are within 13 months of their predicted release date.

“Studies indicate that type of medication program contributes to improved outcomes,” Kempany said.

“Evidence from several randomized clinical trials suggests that people treated with medications for opioid use disorder while in prison are substantially more likely after release to engage with treatment in the community.”

What’s needed

The heightened risk of opioid overdose among people recently released

from prison highlights the need to develop, implement and expand strategies and interventions to protect those individuals when they are at their most vulnerable, the researchers say. “Prisons and jails need to do more to ensure incarcerated individuals have access to lifesaving medications for opioid use disorder, and other harm-reduction interventions such as Narcan, during and after their release into their community,” Kempany said. This research was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also participating in the study were Caitlin McCracken of the OSU College of Pharmacy and Thuan Nguyen of the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health.

Steve Lundeberg is a researcher and writer for Oregon State University Relations and Marketing. He may be reached at steve. lundeberg@oregonstate.edu

Fast Fact

In Oregon, more than 18,000 individuals left prison from 2014 through 2017. More than 80% of those people were males in the 26-64 age range, two-thirds had a documented substance use disorder treatment need, and one in five demonstrated the need for mental health treatment.

Metro Creative Connection Oregon’s share of the national opioid settlement funds is intended to provide better tracking of substance use disorder and support harmreduction programs following accelerating fentanyl-driven overdoses.

Courtesy photo from OSU

Drug overdose, particularly opioid overdose, is a leading cause of death among people who have recently been in prison, not just in the U.S. but around the world. This photo shows the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem.

Oregon doesn’t need an R&D tax credit

Following the expiration of its research and development (R&D) tax credit, businesses in Oregon have spent more on research and development than their counterparts in nearly all states — adding further evidence that reinstating the R&D tax credit would be a waste of public resources.

In 2017, the Oregon legislature chose not to renew the Qualified Research Activities tax credit. The legislature’s decision stemmed from the lack of sufficient evidence that this R&D tax credit resulted in companies undertaking activity that otherwise wouldn’t occur.

Since 2018, Oregon has had no R&D tax credit.

Even without the tax credit, industry’s spending on research and development in Oregon, adjusted to 2020 dollars, has continued to strengthen. In 2017, the last year the Qualified Research and Activities

tax credit was in place, businesses spent nearly $8 billion dollars in R&D in Oregon. In 2020, the year with the most recently available data, that figure had risen to over $10 billion, a 30 percent increase. Oregon consistently remains near the top of industry R&D rankings. In 2017, Oregon ranked fifth in the nation in terms of business R&D spending as a share

of the state’s private-sector economy. Oregon’s ranking had risen to fourth place by 2020, trailing only research powerhouses Washington, California, and Massachusetts. Washington, the state that ranked first, let its High Technology Business and Occupation Tax Credit expire in 2015. Oregon’s continued strong performance in business R&D spending even

CommuniTY eVenTs

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day at The Caples House Come by for dinner: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, Black Beer, Irish Whiskey and more.

$25/Adults and $5/Kids. 1925 1st Street in Columbia City. Reservations required. Call 503-397-5390.

March 23 Scappoose Garden Club Meeting

11 a.m. at 51555 SW Old Portland Road. Program is on Herbs presented by Charlotte Hart. Business meeting will follow. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Ongoing events

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Meets at 7 p.m. every other second Tuesday. Meetings are currently held electronically by Zoom. For more information, contact Council Coordinator Henry Franzoni ar 360-3530937 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, Christ-centered 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 714-768-9327, 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. to 1 p.m. every Thursday. Call 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

VoiCes of THe

Favors Greg Pettit for Port Commission

There are no statewide elections in Oregon for May of 2023, but we have local elections to look forward to.

Casting a ballot for Port Commissioners is probably one of the most important elections decisions you can make this year.

I have a personal favorite candidate that I would like to promote as a Commissioner, Greg Pettit. Greg is an extraordinary person.

The Port of Columbia County is responsible for millions and perhaps even billions of dollars in new jobs and businesses for our county. Port Commissioners play a very important role in what new businesses establish themselves here.

Greg is a former Manager and Administrator for the State of Oregon. He has been part of the National Governor’s Association task force on Non-Point Source Pollution, U.S. Department of Interior National Water Monitoring Council, and Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Committee.

Greg is smart, person-

Scappoose. Call Fred 971757-6389.

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.

Watch Spring on Fridays 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Have tea and a sweet in Caples’ Cottage, 1925 1st Street in Columbia City. $5.

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

CommuniTY

able, and capable. He is a person who cares about his neighbors, his community and our State.

Don’t let anyone fool you. The Port election is a very important election. We need to be sure that we elect the very best people for this job. Greg Pettit is by far our best choice.

Please remember him when you vote in May.

Bill Eagle St. Helens

Lack of affordable housing

For some time now city, county, state, and federal politicians have been whining about the lack of affordable housing, but really, what’s causing it?

Why are people allowed to buy homes with monthly payments more than 25% of their monthly income? Why are couples allowed to purchase a home based on two incomes? Why are people allowed to to buy, remodel, and resell homes just to increase their personal wealth and drive housing costs up?

Why are banks allowed to

manipulate interest rates to stimulate the economy to encourage people to spend more money than they can’t afford?

Maybe it’s time for Americans to take a long look in the mirror. America is a capitalistic republic yet very little is taught in public schools and universities unless a person is majoring in accounting or business. The average American buying a home is at the mercy of their banks’ loan officers.

Banks are in the business to make money by providing banking services for a fee. If you have less than $5000 balance you have a monthly fee; have a mortgage, you have monthly interest added to your balance.

In Oregon 22-25% of a person’s paycheck is withheld for taxes, social security, union dues, etc.; and by the time you pay rent/mortgage half your check is gone. It’s time for Americans to learn how to manage their own money.

Did you know Social Security is a Supplemental Secured Income (SSI) not a retirement program?

Joe Turner Columbia City

after its Qualified Research Activities tax expired shows that reinstating the tax credit would be a mistake. Senate Bill 55 proposes to reinstate and significantly expand the R&D tax credit. Enacting this

legislation would reduce funds that could be used to build affordable housing, invest in workforce development, or improve the infrastructure that serves businesses and Oregonians — factors that help boost

private investment.

Nhi Nguyen is the Policy Analyst for the Oregon Center for Public Policy. She may be reached at 971279-4732.

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 possible. If you don’t want your letter printed under those conditions, just let us know. Thank-you letters are limited to a general thanks and summary of an issue or action. We

reserve the right to exclude lists of people, organizations and businesses. Letters received after noon on Friday may not be in time for the following Wednesday’s paper. To verify authenticity, all letters must be signed and include your address and daytime phone number. We won’t print your street address or phone number (just your city of residence). Submissions may be emailed to chroniclenews@countrymedia. net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office.

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Unsubstantiated or irresponsible allegations, or personal attacks on any individual, will not be published. Letters containing details presented as facts rather than opinions must include their sources. Writers are limited to one published letter per month. All submissions must include the author’s full name, local street address and telephone number (only the name and city of residence will be published). By submitting a letter, writers also grant permission for them to be posted online.

Opinions expressed on this page are the writer’s alone and do not represent the opinion of the newspaper or its parent company, Country Media, Inc.

Courtesy photo

Nhi Nguyen

Joseph McDonald 1945 ~ 2023

Valerie Sue Violette Goodwin went home to Jesus on Thurs., Feb. 23, 2023, in La Grande, Oregon. Her final days were filled with love, family, friends, reminiscing, and laughter.

She was born in St. Helens, Oregon on June 12, 1943, the middle child of Gerald Albert and Thelma Alice (Johnston) Violette.

The family lived in McNulty until they purchased 13 acres and built Violette’s Villa Mobile Home Park in St. Helens.

Val attended Saint Frederic Catholic School until her eighth-grade promotion in 1957, after which she graduated from St. Helens High School in June of 1961.

On July 22, 1961, she married Ralph Goodwin, Sr. and they made their home in St. Helens. They welcomed their first daughter, Michelle Marie (Goodwin) DesJardin in May of 1962, followed by another daughter, Marguerite Anne (Goodwin) Powell in September 1963. The birth of two sons, Ralph, Jr. and James Christopher, followed in 1967 and 1971, respectively. In 1977, Ralph and Val sold their businesses in St. Helens and purchased a ranch in Dayville, in Eastern Oregon. They moved the family there in April 1978 and embarked on the adventure of ranching for nearly 20 years. In April 1983, they welcomed another son, Matthew Daniel. Valerie was a very devoted wife and mother. There were benches, not chairs around her table, so Mom would tell us to “schooch” together and make room for anyone who happened to drop by at mealtimes. Val’s family fostered

many children over the years, both officially and unofficially. Charley Moore, Keith Lund, and Skip and Cindy Inscore, were welcomed into the family in the 1980s. Val was preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Andrew James. She is survived by: her siblings, Memory Antoinette “Toni” (Violette) England and Gerald “Brent” Violette; Ralph Goodwin, Sr.; Children, Michelle (Chellie) and grandchildren: Marc (Brenna), Daniel (Lucinda), Chantal, David and Jonathan Luc; Marguerite (Margee) and grandchildren: Hunter (Sabrina), Walker (Daryl Ann), and Skylar (Corey); Ralph Jr. and grandchildren: Blaine (Telisha), Jordan, and Kirsten; James Sr. (Christy), and grandchildren: Sarah (Derek), Danielle (George), James Jr., and Elizabeth; and Matthew (Kylee) and grandchildren: Gregory, Ethan and Cecilia; Charley Moore and granddaughter: Colby; Michelle and Chav; and Keith (Cathy) Lund. As well, Val is survived by her many great-grandchildren: Khloe, Claire, Josiah, Maddox and Amelia; Easton, Greylyn, Parker and Owen; Shylah, Briar, Arden and Macoy; Willow and Olliver; Jorge and Sofia; Aubree and Avery. She also is survived by numerous family, lovedones and friends.

With an unquenchable curiosity and a gift for teaching, Valerie enrolled at Eastern Oregon University in 1995, where she thrived. She graduated with honors, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in art and education in 2000. Val then taught in Union County until 2013, when she retired.

Valerie would say that the greatest decision she ever made was accepting the free gift of eternal life in the 1970s and becoming a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. She dedicated the remainder of her life to sharing the love of Jesus. A celebration of Valerie’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on March 18, 2023 at New Song Church in La Grande, Oregon, where she was an active member of the congregation.

Crossword soluTion

Solution for the March 8, 2023 crossword puzzle

Albert (Al) Joseph McDonald, 77, of Wheeler, Oregon, passed away on Jan. 29, 2023. Al was surrounded in love by his family and faithful rescue dog Toby.

Al was born in Portland, Oregon to Raymond and Katherine McDonald. The eldest of six children, Al graduated from Central Catholic High School and honorably served in the United States Navy.

Al met the love of his life Janice (Jan) in 1970. They built their home on a farm in Deer Island, Oregon. Al was a devoted husband and father. In early years, Al worked multiple jobs in manufac-

turing and construction to provide for his family. Later in his career, Al worked for the St. Helens School District and retired from NeahKah-Nie School District as Grounds and Maintenance Supervisor.

Al found joy in entertaining and making people laugh!

An ardent collector of 45 records since he was young, Al and Jan took his passion for music and entertainment and created “AJ the DJ.” They performed throughout Oregon and Washington.

Al was preceded in passing by his loving wife Jan in

Irene Ruth Gibson

Jan. 16, 1933 ~ Feb. 24, 2023

Born Irene Ruth Jacob on Jan. 16, 1933 in Livingston, Montana and went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Feb. 24, 2023 at the age of 90. Irene was the oldest of seven children born to Elmer Nelson Jacob and Ruth Almina Jacob (Roggow). The family moved from Montana to Oregon while she was just a child so her father could find work.

Irene’s childhood was a new adventure to the Northwest where they found a place to call home in the Taylorville and Westport area and later moved to a place called Alston’s Corner where she grew up and attended Delena Grade School and one year at Rainier Union High. Life was not easy in the 1940s and many young people had to help their families to survive.

Around 1950, Irene met Bobby E. “Gene” Gibson who traveled to Oregon from Oklahoma and the two were married on Sept. 18, 1951 in Astoria, Oregon. Gene was a quick learner and worked in sawmills and later became a painter like Irene’s father Elmer. They traveled around the North-

west to places where Gene was painting bridges, grain silos and other commercial structures until Gene developed lead poisoning and had to quit painting. They then moved back to the Alston’s Corner area where they began farming. Irene was instrumental in the success of the farming business keeping books for it and keeping the boys supplied with food and soda. They also raised prized Polled Hereford cattle and she traveled to Reno Nevada with two of the boys where they were going to show the cattle. During that trip they were in a serious car

accident that took months for her to heal.

Irene was very active in 4-H and with anything to do with helping kids to learn and read. She attended and was a member of Clatskanie Baptist Church for roughly 50 years and most recently attended Rainier Community Church of God. She loved to read her Bible.

Irene did love to travel, and she noted some memorable trips to Alaska to see family, as well as trips to Disneyland with family.

Irene and Gene traveled to Montana to see family when one of their grandsons was born. Irene also booked a cruise and went along with other seniors.

In 2006 she realized the big house was just too much for her to manage anymore and she moved to an apartment in Rainier where she then got involved in the Senior Citizens group and began volunteering her time at the center. She made many friends at the Senior Center and loved going to play cards and bingo on a weekly basis. She was also selected as a Senior Princess to represent Rainier at

Theresa A. Gaffney

May 28, 1936 ~ Feb. 26, 2023

to be their home base.

Theresa A. Gaffney, age 86, passed away Feb. 26, 2023.

Theresa, the eighth child of nine, was born on May 28, 1936, to her parents, Clarence and Leah Fletcher, in Brewer, Maine. The large family eventually moved to Connecticut. This is where Theresa graduated from East Hartford High School in 1954. It was during high school that Theresa met the love of her life, Bernard (Larry) Gaffney, deceased (2019). The two shared a love for music and sang together in their high school choir and performed on local radio. On July 2, 1955, Theresa and Larry were united by marriage. They would be together for the remainder of their lives, sharing in great joys and sorrows. They originally settled in Glastonbury, Connecticut. It was there they started their

lic Church, the Lioness Club and at the local Red Cross. Grants Pass is where they finished raising their children and is where she will be laid to rest with son, Dennis, and husband Larry.

Theresa retired after serving as an Office Manager in the Grants Pass School District. In their retirement years, Larry and Theresa were professional Santa and Mrs. Claus at

2001. Al is survived by his three daughters, Tricia Wilson (Aubrey), Tami Mandery (Paul) and Trinity Nelson (Jason). Al was extremely proud of his four grandchildren, Callie and Seth Mandery, and Jessica and Tyler Nelson. A celebration of life will be held later this summer. To pay tribute to Al, please consider making a donation to the Oregon Humane Society. Please visit www. oregonhumane.org/donate/ memorial-celebration-gifts or contact OHS at 503-2857722.

the Columbia County Fair. Irene enjoyed watching her grandkids in their numerous activities. Survivors include sisters, Mary Ann Caulfield, Beatrice Caulfield, and Barbara Miller as well as brother Frederick Jacob, all of Rainier; daughter Beatrice Harrison; and sons Terry Gibson, Michael Gibson (wife Polly), Fredrick Gibson (wife Susan), and Roger Gibson (wife Jolynn) all of Rainier, as well as James Gibson (wife Leona) of Clatskanie; numerous grandchildren; great grandchildren; and great-greatgrandchildren. Preceding her in death were: her parents; husband Bobby E. (Gene) Gibson; sons, Elmer Benjamin and Allen Eugene Gibson; daughter Donna Kay Gibson; brothers, Nelson M. and David E. Jacob; son inlaw Jerry Harrison; grandson James Paul Gibson; and Aaron J. Howe. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on March 25, 2023 at Rainier Community Church of God, 321 West C Street, Rainier, OR 97048.

Their life path eventually brought them to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they lived close to their son Brian (Rose) and family. It offered warmth to their bones while still being close to family. They found a wonderful community at the Morning Star United Methodist Church. As always, they embraced their new church community. They sang in the choir and helped wherever they could. They also participated in local plays. They could often be found dancing together at local ‘music in the park’ events.

Eventually, Theresa and Larry’s health became an issue. Larry having heart issues and Theresa was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Their daughter, Margaret (Brad), invited them to spend their remaining years in their home in Warren,

in church choirs and plays with her husband. She also enjoyed reading, crocheting, crossword puzzles, traveling, camping and hiking. She found much peace in coloring in her last years.

Theresa is preceded in death by son Dennis (1979); husband Larry (2019); and six siblings, Phyllis (1986), Victor (2010), Anna (2017), Keith (1992), Allan (1992) and Rachel (2005).

Theresa is survived by children, Debbie Pariera (Mike), Brian (Rose), Margaret Ryan (Brad Green) and Gary (Mary); two sisters, Charlotte Cunningham and Myrtle Paulman; eight grandchildren, Heather (Chad) Kimmerling, Courtney (Jon) Dinkins, Jessica (Erik) Borg, Josh (Lona) Ryan, Tyler (Stefanie) Ryan and Haley Gaffney, Brian Lemly, and Jennifer (Jeff) Smythe; seven great-grandchildren; two

Family will be holding a

Albert

Valerie Sue Violette Goodwin

Alcoholics Anonymous Info-line, (503) 366-0667 www.pdxaa.org

502 Help Wanted PORT OF COLUMBIA COUNTY

The Port is hiring the following positions: Finance Manager. Facilities Maintenance fulltime. Scappoose Bay Marina summer part-time staff.

To learn more and apply, please visit our website www. portofcolumbia county.org/jobs.

EOE. Seasonal Recreation Assistant

The City of St. Helens is hiring a Seasonal Recreation Assistant. 18+ years old. Temporary Part-Time. $14.70 per hour.

Apply online www. sthelensoregon. gov. Open until filled. Equal opportunity employer. Utility Worker I The City of St. Helens is hiring a Utility Worker I. Regular full-time. Starting at $3,780/ month. Apply online at www.sthelensore gon.gov. Deadline to apply: 3/31/23. Equal Opportunity Employer. Sweeper Truck Driver To the local retired, night owl’s, and those with extra time who want a simple income: Help keep our local lots clean by driving sweeper truck routes at night! We offer a set and predictable schedule, consistent income, and a relaxed and independent job with nothing to worry about! All

that we ask for is an insurable driving record, a minimum age of 25, consistency and attention. Please send your information to anoasphalt@gmail. com and we will follow up.

Work Crew Supervisor PT-Temp Columbia County, OR. EOE. Open until filled. Apply at ColumbiaCountyOR.gov.

702

Garage Sales

GARAGE SALE

59280 Alderwood Drive, St. Helens, Saturday, March 18, 8am-4 Lots of tools: yard, hand, power & antique. Rototiller, lawn seeder, ‘76 6hp Johnson o/b, new tire 225/65 R17, hall tree, dishes, decoys, book shelves & more!

ESTATE SALE: entire household of furniture, piano, collectibles, small appliances, women’s plus size clothing, scrapbooking supplies, much much more! 35530 Millard Rd. Friday & Saturday, March 17 &18, 9:00-4:00

St. Helens

Estate Sale Sat & Sun March 18 & 19 from 10 am - 4 pm at 184 River St. Packed condo, kitchen, tools, nautical, records, 2 stressless chairs, books, 2005 VW Passat diesel wagon w/ 119,000 miles and more. Cash only. Sale starts promptly at 10 am. Cemetery plots for sale Yankton Hillcrest Cemetery. Two plots, block C, lot 40 and 41, Valued $1,500, selling for $1,200. Jerry 503-941-8399.

Clatskanie People’s Utility District is seeking a Controller/Finance Manager

To help extend the life of Clatskanie PUD power poles, Davey Resource Group has been contracted to conduct our pole test and treat program for 2021. They will be working on our poles on the following roads and the surrounding areas: Swedetown Rd, Olson Rd, Alder Grove Rd, Lindberg Rd, Cedar Grove Rd, & Lost Creek.

For questions or concerns, please call 503-728-2163.

Position depends on experience. This position will be responsible for providing leadership for general accounting, budget, and auditing functions, as well as, payroll and accounts payable processes. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence the strategic direction and fiscal performance of our hydro-powered, locally-owned electric utility and will be given the chance to develop professionally. The District is seeking someone detail oriented, professional, collaborative, and has an analytical disposition; experience in the electric utility industry is desired, but not required.

We’re looking for someone who is driven, organized, and passionate about handling the numerical storybook of a mission-focused organization! Are you a CPA? Do you love Excel unconditionally? Are you looking for a 4/10 schedule in the beautiful PNW in an industry that provides essential services to its local community? Give us a chance, apply today!

You’ll be joining Clatskanie PUD’s management team which is focused on executing both strategic initiatives and operational imperatives of the District. We strive to be Insightful, Professional, Collaborative, and Driven!

Compensation and position will be based on qualifications and experience with the pay range between $120,000 and $200,000, plus a generous benefits package. An application and full job description may be found on our website under About Us/Employment Opportunities at clatskaniepud.com. Submit completed application, résumé, and cover letter to Human Resources, PO Box 216, Clatskanie, OR 97016, secure fax 503-308-4884, or email: hr@ clatskaniepud.com. This position remains open until 5:00 pm PDT, March 27, 2023 or until filled, with a flexible start date in April 2023. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Lynn Donner: ldonner@ clatskaniepud.com or 503-728-2163.

Clatskanie PUD is an equal employment opportunity employer, following all necessary federal and state employment laws required. Clatskanie PUD will make reasonable accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Veterans will receive hiring preference as required by law.

‘Goldilocks effect’ in wildfire management

Oregon State University research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect – unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn’t very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions.

The study led by Skye Greenler, a graduate research fellow in the OSU College of Forestry, and Chris Dunn, an assistant professor in the college, has important implications for land managers charged with restoring ecosystems and reducing fire hazard in dry forests such as those east of the Cascade Range.

The findings, published in PLOS One, shed light on the situations in which managed wildfires, as well as postfire efforts such as thinning and planting, are likely to be most effective at achieving restoration goals. Wildfire has shaped ecosystems for millennia, the researchers note, but its impacts have become an increasing social, economic and ecological concern across the western United States. Aggressive fire exclu-

sion policies, forest and resource management practices and climate change have altered forest structure and composition – increasing forests’ vulnerability to extreme wildfires and drought. “As wildfire activity continues to intensify in the West, it’s becoming clear that a variety of management activities are necessary to make ecosystems healthier and to lower wildfire risk,” Greenler said. “Fuel reduction treatments like mechanical thinning and prescribed fire can reduce community and ecosystem risk, but in most places, the pace and scale of treatments are way below what’s needed to substantially alter fire effects and behavior.”

In an independent project, Greenler and Dunn in a collaboration with College of Forestry colleagues James Johnston, Andrew Merschel and John Bailey developed a new way to predict the fire severities that are most apt to help eastern Oregon forests return to their historical density, species composition and basal area, a measure of how much ground in a specific area is occupied by tree stems. “We built probabilistic tree mortality models for 24 species based on their characteristics and remotely

sensed fire severity data from a collection of burned areas,” Greenler said. “Then we looked at unburned stands in the Ochoco, Deschutes, Fremont-Winema and Malheur national forests to model postfire conditions and compared the results to historical conditions. That let us identify which fire severities had the highest restoration potential.”

The research team, which also included scientists from the University of Washington, the U.S. Forest Service and Applegate Forestry LLC of Corvallis, generally found that basal area and density targets could be met through fire within a fairly narrow range of moderate severity.

However, one blaze can’t restore species composition to its historical norm in a forest that evolved amid frequent, low-severity fires, the scientists found.

“Landscapes have likely passed thresholds that preclude the effectiveness of managed wildfire alone as a restoration tool,” Greenler said. “In a large number of fire-prone western landscapes, forest structure and composition are no longer resistant or resilient to natural disturbance processes like fire, drought, and endemic insects and pathogens, and interactions among all of

those.”

Although more and more wildfires are burning large areas and at high severity, the majority of fires in the West still burn at low or moderate severity, the authors note. They cite a recent analysis that found about half of the burned area in Oregon and Washington from 1985 through 2010 did so in lowseverity fires – in systems characterized historically by

low- and mixed-severity fire regimes.

“Low severity may be ‘too cold’ to meet restoration objectives in areas where significant tree density reduction or big shifts in tree species composition are needed,” Greenler said.

“For a better understanding of the fire severities that are the most restorative, we need empirical modeling that can be applied beyond indi-

vidual fire events and across a broad range of conditions. Our study lets managers and researchers link forest restoration goals with maps of predicted post-fire conditions.”

is a

Courtesy from OSU

Aggressive fire exclusion policies, forest and resource management practices and climate change have altered forest structure and composition – increasing forests’ vulnerability to extreme wildfires and drought, according to the OSU research.

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA

LINE, Deceased. Case No. 23PB00214 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons

CH23-1281

having claims against the estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice to the personal representative at 52490 SE 2nd Street, Suite 100, Scappoose, OR 97056, or the claims may be barred.

All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative. DATED and first published, March 1, 2023. Patricia J. Olson, Personal Representative.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY PROBATE DEPARTMENT CASE NO. 23PB01861

In the matter of the TEUBNER LIVING

TRUST dated October 16, 2014, as amended NOTICE

IS HEREBY GIVEN RE: COLUMBIA COUNTY

CASE NO. 23PB01861:

Eric Strecker is the acting Trustee of the Teubner Living Trust dated October 16, 2014, as amended.

All persons having claims against Trustor, Herbert

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Martin Teubner, or against the Teubner Living Trust dated October 16, 2014, as amended, are required to present them to the Trustee in care of Caress Law, PC, 9400 SW Barnes Road, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97225, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice or the claims may be barred. All persons whose

rights may be affected by this proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the Trustee, or the attorneys for the Trustee. Dated and first Published March 8, 2023. Eric Strecker, Trustee Tasha Lyn Cosimo, OSB# 116120, Caress Law, PC Attorney for Trustee, 9400 SW Barnes Road, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97225.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DEPARTMENT

In the Matter of the Estate of CHRISTINE LOUISE DEASON, Deceased. No. 22PB10485 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE is hereby given that the undersigned, Eric Dane Nelson, has been appointed personal representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present the same within four months

Public Notice deadline is Fridays by noon.

Submit legal notices to The Chronicle at: chronicleclassifieds@ countrymedia.net or mail to PO Box 1153, St. Helens, OR 97051.

Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper. Call 503-397-0116 for any questions.

from this date at the office of VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, Oregon 97051; and if not so presented, they may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative or the attorneys for the personal representative.

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First published: March 15, 2023. Erick Dane Nelson Personal Representative. Personal Representative: Eric Dane Nelson c/o VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson P.O. Box 748 St. Helens, OR 97051 Attorney for Personal Representative: Mary Anne Anderson VanNatta, Petersen & Anderson P.O. Box 748 St. Helens, OR 97051 Phone: (503) 397-4091.

NOTICE OF MEETING

The CC Rider Transit Advisory Committee will be holding a hybrid meeting on March 21, 2023, at 4:00PM at 1155 Deer Island Rd, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet

or smartphone. https://meet. goto.com/799679725 You can also dial in using your phone. Access Code: 799679-725 United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 United States: +1 (571) 317-3116 The public is welcome.

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CIRCUIT COURT OF OREGON FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY

Estate of EUNICE M. CHASE, Deceased. No. 23PB01176 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS ORS 113.155. The Personal Representative named below has been appointed as Personal Representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in ORS Chapter 115 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative

CH23-1287

or the Personal Representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court. All persons having claims against the estate must present them within four months after the date of the first publication of the notice to the Personal Representative at the address designated in the notice for the presentation of claims or they may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceeding may obtain additional information from

the records of the court, the Personal Representative, or the attorney for the Personal Representative. Date of First Publication: March 15, 2023. DANIEL F. CHASE Personal Representative, 18 Gibbs Lane, Longview, WA 98632. Attorneys for Personal Representative: MICHAEL A. CLAXTON OSB #961375 WALSTEAD MERTSCHING PS, Civic Center Building, Third Floor, 1700 Hudson Street, PO Box 1549, Longview, Washington 98632-7934, Telephone: (360) 423-5220.

BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on March 22, 2023, at or after 10:00 a.m. at the Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, Room 310, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. The purpose of this hearing is to consider an APPEAL of the Columbia County Planning Commission’s February 6th, 2023, decision to DENY Zack Watson’s application for a Type 1 Home Occupation Conditional Use Permit in the Rural Residential (RR-5) zone off Berry Hill Drive on the 5.00 acres associated with current Tax Map ID Number 5226-D0-01700, Application File No. CU 23-06. This hearing is to afford interested parties an opportunity to appear and be heard on the above matter. Any comments you wish to provide will be appreciated; however, Oregon law

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the ______________________________ _______________________, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 20_____ to June 30, 20_____, will be held at _____________________________________. The meeting will take place on__________________________at __________________________.

The purpose of the meeting is

requires that testimony and evidence must be directed toward the decision criteria. You may present testimony at the public hearing or provide written comments to the Board of County Commissioners to jacyn.normine@ columbiacountyor.gov prior to 5:00 p.m. on March 21, 2023. Applicable decision criteria are contained in CCZO Sections 600, 1503, 1507; 1701; 1703; and any other statute or ordinance determined to apply. The specific criteria applicable to this request is listed and evaluated in the staff report. This hearing will be held in accordance with the provisions of the Columbia County Zoning Ordinance and ORS 197.797. For more information contact Jake Renney, Assistant Planner at Jake.Renney@ColumbiaCountyOR.gov or phone 503-397-1501. A copy of the application, all documents

and evidence relied upon by the applicant, and the staff report will be available for at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/Hearings at least 7 days prior to this hearing. Written comments on the issue can be submitted via email to Jacyn.normine@ columbiacountyor.gov or you can send comments via U.S. Mail to Columbia County, Board of Commissioners c/o Jacyn Normine, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051. You may participate in this hearing in person or virtually. To attend virtually go to https://global.gotomeeting. com/join/357054141 or call United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679. The meeting access code is: 357-054-141. The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to continue the hearing to another date and time. If the hearing is continued, no further public notice will be provided.

between the hours of ______________________ and __________________________. (Rev. 11-19-21)

New council to address Oregon’s housing needs

As Oregon take steps to meet the challenge of homelessness, a new leadership council is in place and is scheduled to conduct its first meeting March 10. The Council is scheduled to provide a recommended framework for their action plan by April 1.

Background

On her first full day in office, Gov. Tina Kotek signed an executive order that set an ambitious housing production goal of 36,000 homes per year and established a council of leaders charged with developing an action plan to meet the new construction targets. Kotek announced her appointments to the Housing Production Advisory Council (HPAC) March 6.

“I know too many Oregonians are struggling to find stable housing or on the verge of losing it,” Kotek said. “Employers, particularly in

rural and suburban areas, are struggling to hire and keep staff because there is nowhere for them to live or they are commuting from hours away. This is not sustainable. We must build more housing.”

The HPAC will bring robust experience in a broad set of disciplines and represent Oregon’s diverse demographics and geography, according to Kotek.

“We had an incredible list of qualified Oregonians interested in serving on the Council, which reflects not only a shared concern about our housing crisis, but more importantly, the dedication to solve it,” Kotek said. “I am grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to their recommendations.”

The order established an annual housing production goal of 36,000 additional housing units at all levels of affordability across the state to address Oregon’s current housing shortage and keep pace with projected population growth.

That’s an ambitious target, according to Kotek – about an

80 percent increase over current construction trends – and would set Oregon on a path to build 360,000 additional homes over the next decade.

This goal was accompanied by the establishment of the HPAC to help get the job done. The members include a range of housing leaders, local government representatives, bipartisan legislators, a Tribal member, and relevant state agency directors:

Gubernatorial Appointments:

• Co-chair J.D. Toveyrural Oregon and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation - land use, building codes and housing development

• Co-chair Damien HallMetro- land use, and affordable and market housing development

• Daniel Bunn - Southern

Oregon - land use and financing market housing

• Thomas Cody - Metro area - affordable and market housing development

• Deborah Flagan - Central Oregon - market housing development and construction

• Ernesto Fonseca - Metro area - affordable and market housing development and financing affordable housing

• Elissa Gertler - Oregon Coast - land use and financing affordable housing

• Riley Hill - rural Oregon - land use and market housing development

• Natalie Janney - Willamette Valley area - land use, market housing development

• Robert Justus - Metro area - affordable and market housing development

• Joel Madsen - Columbia Gorge - affordable housing development and financing

• Ivory Mathews - Metro area - affordable housing development and financing

• Erica Mills - Southern Oregon - financing affordable and market housing

• Eric Olsen - Willamette

Valley area - construction, market housing development

• Gauri Rajbaidya - Metro area - affordable and market housing development

• Karen Rockwell - Oregon Coast - affordable and market housing development

• Margaret Van Vliet - Metro area - financing market and affordable housing, and affordable housing development

• Justin Wood - Metro - construction and market housing development

Legislative appointments and agency members:

• Senator Dick Anderson (R - Lincoln City)

• Senator Kayse Jama (D - Portland)

• Representative Jeff Helfrich (R - Hood River)

• Representative Maxine Dexter (D - Portland)

• Andrea Bell, Oregon Housing and Community Services Director

• Brenda Bateman, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development Director

Oregon’s unemployment rate holding steady

The state unemployment rate is a key economic indicator of the Oregon economy.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.8% in January, matching Oregon’s revised 4.8% unemployment rates for October, November, and December 2022, according to the Oregon Employment Department. The last time Oregon’s unemployment rate was more than 4.8% was in July 2021

when the rate was 5.1%. In January, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.4%, its lowest level in more than 50 years. Annual revisions to the data, released this month, indicate that Oregon’s unemployment rate was higher than originally estimated last year, and payroll employment growth was slightly slower. In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 9,900 jobs in January, following a gain of 5,600 jobs in December. Monthly job gains in 2022 averaged 5,600.

Gains and losses

The gains in January were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,200 jobs); professional and business services (+1,800); and leisure and hospitality (+1,400). The only major industry with a job loss in January was private educational services (-600).

Health care and social assistance expanded its workforce rapidly during July 2022 through January 2023. During that time, it added 4,500 jobs, to reach a total of 271,800 jobs. Prior to that

there had been little net job change compared with early 2021. Over the most recent 12 months, social assistance was the component industry that grew the most, adding 5,000 jobs since January 2022.

Professional and business services continued its rapid expansion of the past more than two years. It added 13,000 jobs, or 5.0% since January 2022. Job gains in this broad industry—that makes up 14% of Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll jobs— have been relentless and

consistent throughout 2021 and 2022.

Leisure and hospitality rose in January, consistent with its steady expansion and partial recovery from the recession of nearly three years ago. It added 12,500 jobs, or 6.5%, in the 12 months to January. Despite these gains, it is still 10,600 jobs below its pre-recession peak reached in February 2020. Private educational services slipped to 34,800 jobs in January, following stability since May 2022.

$4.6M to support Ukraine immigrants, refugees in Oregon

Lincoln City and Newport, as well as other Oregon communities now have a funding source to help Ukraine immigrants and refugees.

Since February 2022, over 3,100 individuals from Ukraine have resettled in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Refugee Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $4.6 million in funding that is available to provide services and support to certain individuals from Ukraine or those who entered through the Uniting for Ukraine program.

The deadline to apply is March 27, and the application can be found online.

The U.S. Resettlement Program is operated by the U.S. Department of State through contracts with national non-profit organizations called resettlement

agencies. These organizations have local affiliate offices throughout the nation.

The ODHS Refugee Program is responsible for some of the services that are outside of the initial resettlement provided by the resettlement agencies. The

Refugee Program provides cash, medical, employment and acculturation services to refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) who are within 60 months of gaining their eligible immigration status. State officials said the purpose of the request is to ask for applications from culturally and/or linguistically responsive organizations who provide services to immigrants or refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) to increase services and supports.

Funding is available to support:

• Housing and food assistance services: $2 million

• Statewide outreach,

sponsor coordination and connection to existing case management services: $200,000

• Employment services assistance: $221,800

• Health and mental health services: $675,000

• Child care: $100,00

• Legal services: $800,000

• Youth mentoring: $100,000

• School assistance: $515,000

• Senior services: $50,000

Organizations may express interest in supporting more than one service area. Community organizations are eligible to submit proposals for the funding.

More information about the ODHS Refugee Pro -

gram can be found online. About the Oregon Department of Human Services

The mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.

Since February 2022, over 3,100 individuals from Ukraine have resettled in Oregon.

11. Operatic solo

Vaulting prop 47. Fencer’s blade 48. *Animated story of Elsa and Anna

50. Greek salad ingredient

52. Make #26 Down

53. Look through a book

55. Good times

57. *Global surveillance

whistle-blower

61. *Swedish audio streamer

65. BBQ spot

66. Words at the altar (2 words)

68. Beneficiary

69. Anti-seniors sentiment

70. Ides mo.

71. Bone hollow

72. Prepare potatoes

73. Tide’s backward flow

74. City in France

DOWN

1. Having the means

2. Land of Israel

3. *____-cutting, broadcast TV phenomenon

4. Opposite of alpha

5. Not owner

6. Something ____

7. Opposite of paleo

8. “Saturday Night Fever”

music 9. Pal

10. Between trot and gallop

12. Actor Sean 15. Healthcare facility

20. *Bill de Blasio, e.g.

22. England’s airforce 24. Recite rapidly (2 words)

25. Walking stick 26. Fielding mistake

27. Part of TNT

29. *BTS’ genre 31. *Home to Blue Devils, 2015 NCAA winners 32. Complain 33. Downy duck

Policeman’s shocker

Court of law opener 38. Mark for omission

Frame job

Not often

*Amal Clooney ____ Alamuddin

Naturally footless

Japanese cartoon art

Expressionless

Junk e-mail

Hindu serpent deity

Singer-songwriter

Item on Santa’s list

Acidic kind of apple 62. A fan of

*Plant in Zach Galifianakis’ 2019 movie

Courtesy photo The Oregon Employment Department reports 2,056,653 employed and 108,086 unemployed in the state in January.

Courtesy photo

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Refugee Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $4.6 million in funding.

7th Grade basketball team back from State

ment occurred in Redmond, Oregon, on March 10, 11, and 12.

St. Helens Clutch, a local 7th-grade tournament travel basketball team, competed at the Oregon State Basketball Championship this past weekend after qualifying for the fourth time. The tourna-

Coached by Jared Motherway and Jeremy Dueck, the team played 29 games in their regular season before playing an additional four games in the tournament. The team competed in the 7th-grade Silver Bracket against 27 other teams.

Elks Teen of the Month

SUBMITTED BY SHHS Chronicle Guest Article

St. Helens High School

(SHHS) is pleased to announce that Colton Freeman has been selected as the Elks Student of the Month for February.

Colton said he was “Honored and excited,” when he found out that he had been selected.

“I have worked so hard towards this, and I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to have been bestowed this award,” Colton said.

Colton is described as an outstanding student, leader, community member, and allaround great human being. He has played football for four years and track and field for three. He is the captain of the SHHS robotics tea, been a part of the high school leadership team since freshman year and is currently the Senior Class President.

Colton has also been the treasurer of the National Honor Society for the last two years and if that is not enough, he is also the student representative to the St. Helens School Board!

As for other activities, (which seem impossible with all that he is involved in), he does find time to volunteer at the Columbia Humane Society, worked as a counselor at Camp Invention and a 4-H summer camp, helped with the Oregon Battle of the Books competition and participated in various town clean-ups.

Colton is the type of person who wants to do it all and works hard to be a part of everything all while making sure that everything is done well!

Colton is planning on attending Oregon State University Honors College this fall for civil engineering to pursue his dream to get a Masters and then Doctorate and becoming a professor in engineering.

When asked about his best attribute, Colton said his ability to effectively interact with a wide range of people from different backgrounds and personality types is something he really enjoys and feels good about.

Overall, Colton is just an outstanding person and someone that St. Helens High School is proud to call their own.

The team finished with a 3-1 record in the tournament. Their first two games were pool play. After beating the Trinity Saints in their first game 49-44, Clutch fell to the eventual state champions, North Marion, 26-47. Their loss filtered them into a consolation bracket, where they won their next

two games. They beat Lakeridge 52-27 and then topped South Albany in a close game that ended 40-38. Clutch finished 8th overall with their victory over South Albany.

Early season results

Their first weekend of competing was in Novem-

created to bring awareness to the ongoing plight of the family, now has around 2,000 followers.

ber when the team won the Turkey Shootout in Kelso, Washington, with a 4-0 record. Since then, the team played tournaments traveling between November and March from Kelso, WA, to Canby, Oregon. They finished their regular season with an overall record of 19-10.

The players on the

take. If they think we missed something during the first investigation, we will promptly conduct any follow-up they recommend.”

team are Keegan Motherway, Carter Dueck, Danny Moore, Noah Bigham, Kellen Wroblewski, Colin Wentworth, Christian Rund, Cole Pence, Weston Hancock, James Eder, and Gavin Phillips. For results, visit https:// www.statebasketballchampionship.com/oregon.

“combined deterious effects of acute ethanol (beverage alcohol) intoxication and hypothermia due to exposure.”

In a letter issued to Columbia County media outlets in October of 2022, Rebecca Zuber outlined that the family had reservations about the findings of the investigation and how the investigation was handled.

“From the beginning, Sarah’s suspicious death investigation was handled incompetently,” the letter read. “Because no trained special investigative crime team is available in Columbia County, Sarah’s case suffered a plethora of mishaps, missed opportunities, miscommunication, half-completed interviews and lost evidence.”

The Justice For Sarah Zuber Facebook page, a page

Now, four years later, because of public interest, the case has been reopened by the Columbia County District Attorney. District Attorney Jeff Auxier stated to the Chronicle in early February that he believes the original outcome of the case was correct, but that the investigation has been reopened and turned over to the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Based on recent requests from the public, I have reopened the investigation and have turned over the investigative materials to the Oregon Department of Justice so they can independently review the case,” Auxier said. “We are currently waiting to hear whether they agree with our conclusion, or whether they have recommendations for us in terms of additional investigative steps we could

Auxier said that having a group of independent and experienced attorneys and investigators review the case was the best way to start reopening the investigation.

With the DOJ investigation underway, Auxier hopes that will bring the four years of disquiet for the family to an end. In her address to the gathering at the vigil, Rebecca Zuber thanked those who have continued to help the family in their time of need.

“In 2019, we were too withdrawn to notice all the ways the community loved on us. And again now, we

have a new movement to draw out answers and closure to this very personal, yet public tragedy. Today, we want to say thank you. Two small words for such a huge emotion,” Rebecca Zuber said. “Many are gathered tonight, and thousands more online who have spent hundreds of volunteer hours and given personal testimony, opinions, specific tips, and information regarding Sarah’s investigation. This in itself is a major testimony of what happens when a community gathers together around a family in mourning and a daughter whose young life was taken.”

Follow this developing story at the thechronicleonline.com.

Courtesy photo from Jennifer Motherway

The St. Helens Clutch team members suited up, from top left, Carter Dueck - 2, Danny Moore - 4, James Eder - 25, Christian Rund - 14, Noah Bigham - 1, Colin Wentworth - 10. Bottom left - Weston Hancock - 12, Keegan Motherway - 24, Gavin Phillips -21, Cole Pence - 3, and Kellen Wroblewski - 20.

Courtesy photo from Jennifer Motherway

The St. Helens Clutch pose for a photo after winning the Turkey Shootout in Kelso, Washington.

Courtesy photo