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mEGGa Egg Hunt back in full swing

Peter Cottontail will return to St. Helens this weekend as the 2023 mEGGa Egg Hunt gets underway at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, 58892 Saulser Road in St. Helens, Saturday, April 8.

The mEGGa Egg Hunt is a free family event that has become a tradition since its inception 23 years ago. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m., and the fun will last until 12:30 p.m.

The mEGGa Hunt

The main draw for the event is, of course, the hunt. About 36,000 pieces of candy have been bought for the young hunters, accord ing to event organizer Heather Epperly. Organizers spread candy throughout the fairgrounds fields, and children split by age group have the chance to run around in the grass, collect candy, and win prizes.

“The actual hunt starts exactly at 11 a.m., the fire engine will sound its siren, the kids will run out, [and] search for the candy,” Epperly said. “Each field will have 10 prize coins in them, and those coins can be turned in up at the booth to pick a prize.”

There will be five age groups participating in the hunt: 0-2 year olds, 3-4, 5-7, 8-9, and 10-12. The five groups will separated into different fields so kids are hunting with others their age.

“We divide them off, we have a ribbon around them, and then we have a big flag in the middle that has the age on it, and so then each

one is divided,” Epperly said. “We all go at the same time, but they each have their area.”

To help folks get to the event, CC Rider, Columbia County’s bus service, has volunteered to offer a park and ride option from McBride Elementary School.

“Normally, we shuttle people from the St. Helens High School,

but because of the construction the high school has going on, we’re actually going to shuttle people from the McBride School this year,” Epperly said. “We are encouraging people to use that because we’ve had so much rain, we don’t know what the fields are going to be like to park in.”

Shuttles will begin running

from McBride to the fairgrounds at 10:15 a.m., ahead of the gate opening at 10:30. The final shuttle will return to McBride at 12:45, 15 minutes after the gates close.

“It’s not possible without our sponsors and our volunteers,” Epperly said.

The main sponsor of the event is the Samuel S. Johnson

Follow Up

Foundation. An organization also sponsors each age group’s hunting field. Richardson’s Furniture sponsors the 0-2 group, the 3-4 is sponsored by Re/Max Power Pros, the 5-7 by InRoads Credit Union, the 8-9 by Premier Restoration Partners, and the 10-12 is sponsored by Dr. Auto.

Pamona Grange sponsors the plant-a-seed, and Warren Grange sponsors the food booth. Dyno Nobel and Scaptax - Scappoose Business & Tax Service, Inc sponsor the coloring contest.

Activities beyond the hunt

While the hunt for candy is the main attraction for kids of Columbia County, the event will also feature a petting zoo, a scavenger hunt, and even a chance for a photo with Peter Cottontail himself. There will also be a pavilion with food, coloring pages, and a plant-a-seed feature. A special needs area will also be provided, sponsored by Kiwanis.

The special needs area has been expanded this year, something Epperly said they have wanted to do for a couple years.

“In the floral building, the special needs kids are going to have basically the same thing that’s in the pavilion, they’ll just have a quieter area to do it in,” Epperly said. “So they’ll have coloring pages in there, and they’ll have the plant-a-seed in there, and they’ll have a bunny in there that they can take pictures with, and then they’ll have their own hunting area.”

After the event was canceled

Hospital feasibility study nearing completion

A decision about constructing a hospital in Columbia County is still pending after months of resumed discussions about the healthcare needs of the region.

The results of a new study to determine if a hospital is feasible are expected by mid-May, according to Columbia County Public Information Officer Mark Pacheco.

This comes more than eight months since the Columbia County Board of Commissioners directed then Columbia County Public Health (CCPH) Director Michael Paul to enter negotiations for the hospital feasibility study.

While Pacheco could not offer any insight into the study’s findings, he reemphasized the purpose of the study, as was decided by the Board of Commissioners last June.

“It is important to point out that the county is not advocating for a hospital,” Pacheco said. “The study will analyze existing and projected changes to the community’s population and demographics to determine if a hospital would be practical, or

even feasible, in Columbia County.”

California-based Jensen Partners, a strategic, operations, and facilities healthcare planning and project and construction management firm. The

Courtesy photo

tion of services, and growth potential of a new hospital in Columbia County, according to the Jensen Partners CCPH Feasibility Study proposal. Yet to be determined is if the Board of Commissioners decide that a hospital should be built, how construction would be funded, and how the ongoing operation of the hospital would be paid for.

St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl is open to the prospect of a hospital in Columbia County, given the proper timing and need.

“Access to healthcare is a fundamental need of a thriving community. As St. Helens and Columbia County continue to grow, the need for healthcare will also grow,” Scholl said. “When the time is right, we will welcome a hospital to our area. I have spoken with a County Commissioner about the status of the study.”

Background on the county’s hospital needs

The Chronicle reported in

See HOSPITAL Page A10

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media Inc.

Children fanned out over the grassy fields at the Columbia County Fairgrounds to find the hidden treasures during the 2022 mEGGa Egg Hunt.

The market analysis will provide

Workers posed in front of a sign at the site depicting an artist’s rendering of the Columbia River Community Hospital. The hospital was never built.

Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solution now law

Gov. Tina Kotek has signed House Bills 5019 and 2001 into law during her first ceremonial bill signing as Governor after both bills passed with bipartisan support last week.

The legislation will help address Oregon’s housing and homelessness crisis and includes the urgent funding Governor Kotek proposed in response to the homelessness state of emergency that she declared on her first full day in office. The funding is dedicated to homelessness prevention programs, more shelter capacity, rehousing

services and more.

What House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019 will do:

• Fund the governor’s homelessness state of emergency to allow for a statewide and coordinated response to homelessness ($130 million)

• Extend homelessness support to rural and coastal Oregon ($27 million)

• Provide support for homeless youth by connecting them with rental assistance, shelter, culturally specific services, and health care ($25 million)

• Increase production of affordable modular housing in Oregon ($20 million)

• Improve on-site workforce housing for farmworkers ($5 million)

• Grant renters faced with eviction for non-pay-

ment more time to access rental assistance and other services

• Make affordable housing production the state’s

top planning priority and ensure the state will work with local partners to identify effective strategies and tools to increase production

“On my first full day in office, I honored my commitment to all Oregonians by declaring a homelessness state of emergency,” Kotek said. “I said at the time that the declaration needed to be followed by a comprehensive housing and homelessness package this legislative session. These two bills are the down payment on this session’s efforts.”

“Faced with a statewide housing and homelessness crisis, legislators worked across the aisle and with the

Governor to put Oregon on a path toward a future where housing is available and affordable for everyone,” Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) said.

“Today demonstrates that we can deliver on the biggest, most important issues facing Oregonians,” House Speaker Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) said. “Both chambers, both parties, came together with the Governor to tackle our big challenges head on. And we did it in an unprecedented timeframe.”

Kotek was joined by lawmakers and advocates at the signing ceremony in her capitol building office in Salem Wednesday, March 29.

OHA to review health coverage for 1 in 3 state residents

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will review income eligibility for approximately 1.5 million Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) members starting April 1, after federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) protections for continuous eligibility will end. State health officials urge OHP members to review any notices they receive from OHA about their health benefits and respond promptly with any requested information.

State administrators need updated information to determine whether a member remains eligible for coverage for OHP and other Medicaidfunded services and supports.

During the federallydeclared COVID-19 PHE the OHA extended coverage for all Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members. This extension was set to end March 31.

What to expect

When the pandemic began, the federal government allowed states to keep people on Medicaid once they became eligible. During an historic health emergency, OHP grew to nearly 1.5 million people, or one in three Oregonians.

March 31 marked an end to the federally enhanced Medicaid coverage. While most people will continue to qualify for existing benefits, OHA is required to review eligibility for all OHP members by mid-2024. Oregon will begin to notify OHP members starting in mid-April.

“We want to do everything we can to make sure Oregon Health Plan members stay covered as long as they are eligible,” OHA Medicaid Director Dana Hittle said. “It’s important for OHP members to keep their address up to date with us and for people to respond to any notices they receive. We know this process can be stressful for many members. We don’t want anyone to lose health coverage because of a missed notice.”

All OHP households will receive a renewal notice over the next ten months. It is

very important that people understand that everyone will receive a notice and receiving a notice does not mean that action is required, according to the OHA. The notice will tell members what they need to do, or if they don’t need to do anything at all.

If someone is determined to be no longer eligible for OHP, they will have 60 days before their OHP benefits will end. State officials will work to connect people who lose eligibility for OHP to the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace to find other health coverage.

The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) will be sending information to people who are no longer eligible for OHP benefits and advising of potential coverage options and financial help through the Marketplace. People who do not enroll through the Marketplace will receive a second notice 30 days before their Oregon Health Plan benefits end.

The Marketplace Transition Help Center will be available starting April 13 to help people understand their options, how to transition to the Marketplace, and to find help from local health coverage experts.

“We are committed to helping eligible Oregon Health Plan members maintain their coverage,” Hittle said. “We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks. We want to protect and expand health coverage so more children and adults have access to the health care they need.”

Extending health coverage

Oregon plans to allow children to stay on Medicaid until age six and allow everyone else up to two years of eligibility regardless of changes in income and without having to reapply. No other state provides more than one year of guaranteed eligibility.

The state has also created a safety net for those who through redetermination no longer qualify for Medicaid but have an annual income below 200% of the federal poverty level, which amounts to about $29,000 for individuals. This safety net will allow

State workers remote reimbursement ending

someone to keep the coverage they have.

OHP members who have questions about the renewal process can call the ONE Customer Service Center (1800-699-9075 or TTY 711) or local health coverage experts to assist with the renewal process in a free one-to-one visit.

The large number of OHP redeterminations is expected to cause greater wait times, delays, and possible interruptions to people’s OHP

benefits.

OHP members are encouraged to respond as quickly as possible after they receive a request for information to avoid any possible delays. The fastest way members can provide an update is by going to benefits.oregon.gov and logging into their ONE account.

More information may be found at OregonHealthCare. gov/GetHelp.

Courtesy photo State of Oregon remote workers will no longer be reimbursed for commuting to the office as of September.

The Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) today announced its plan to end reimbursement standards for remote work that were established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reinstated policy, which comes at the direction of Gov. Tina Kotek, will end the pandemic-era practice of reimbursing employees who work remotely, including those who work out-of-state to travel to their offices in Oregon.

Under the revised policy, which returns to Oregon’s

remote work guidelines prepandemic, state employees will continue to be allowed to work remotely as approved by their agencies. However, remote employees will no longer be reimbursed for commuting to the office. This policy will go into effect on September 1, 2023, which will enable DAS to properly prepare and provide notice to employees about changes to the remote work policy around reimbursement.

“We must ensure that state resources are used effectively to serve Oregonians and that our policies reflect the evolving needs of our workforce and the public,” the DAS Chief Operating Officer and Interim Director Berri Leslie said. “Employees will continue to be allowed to work remotely as approved by their state agencies. We look forward to implementing this change and continuing to refine our policies to meet the needs of our state employees.”

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Gov. Kotek holds the signed Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solution bills.

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New employees, renovations ahead for pool

Eisenschmidt Pool is back in action after making repairs to their filter pits, but the pool desperately needs employees for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. Pool Manager Anne Scholz said with the busy season coming up, the pool will need all hands on deck. While the overall attendance for the pool is similar to levels they had before COVID, the lack of staff is resulting in irregular pool hours and limitations on classes and programs they can offer.

“Before COVID, I had 25 [staff members], and I now have nine,” Scholz said. “We’re not able to be open very often because my nine are getting tired.”

The pool’s hours are 6 a.m. to noon and 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The pool is closed on Sundays and has limited hours on Fridays and Saturdays. While Scholz would like to hire as many as ten new employees, training the new recruits is also an issue

because of the already shortened staff.

“The problem I’m having is I only have two people that can train, and so I have to hire like four at a time. But I could hire four every month for probably five months,” Scholz said.

Scholz wants to fill lifeguard, swim instructor, and aerobics instructor positions. While summer may still feel aways off, new employees are urgently needed.

“Because we’re entering spring, I need people now, because we try to ramp up so much in the summertime that we don’t have time to train,” Scholz said. “So if people want jobs for the summer, I need to here from them now.”

Pool renovations

While the pool is in need of more employees, it also underwent substantial repairs and was closed from Feb. 20 until Mar. 13. During the closure, the leaking filter pits for the pool were fixed. The repairs cost around $75,000, but costs have not been finalized. Scholz had budgeted

for the project and was happy with the final figures.

a city suction truck vacuum ing out about 6 feet of sand and gravel away from the filter pits. Then waterproof ers came and sealed the floor and the walls. Next, Accurate Concrete came in to drill holes in the walls for the pipes. Plumbers then came in to install the pipes and put in the laterals.

in 3 more (cubic) yards of pea gravel and then 650 50 pound

around Christmas time. This issue will be repaired during the routine September closure when crews will drain the pool that normally holds 230,000 gallons of water and address the 35-foot crack.

Find updates on Eisenschmidt Pool at https:// www.sthelenspool.com, and follow local news updates at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of the Chronicle.

Scappoose Rural Fire District holds annual awards banquet

Scappoose Rural Fire District held its annual awards banquet on Saturday, April 1. This was the first awards banquet to be hosted by the fire district since the COVID-19 pandemic

began. The fire district had approximately 60 of its members and families in attendance, according to a district brief.

Award recipients for the night included:

• Volunteer of the YearHenry Oberbarnscheidt and Battalion Chief Mike

Greisen

• Firefighter of the YearPaul Liebig

• EMS Responder of the Year- Katy Curio

• Officer of the YearLT. Brian Dubois

• Chiefs Award- Division Chief Josh Marks, Division Chief Miguel Bautista, LT. Rob Anderson Finance Administrator

Maria Heath and Finance Administrator (Ret.) Janine Salisbury

The district hopes to be able to continue their annual get-together as they did before the pandemic.

“I wish we had more opportunities to recognize all the efforts from everyone at The Scappoose Fire

District. We are thrilled to be able to recognize these individuals who have gone above and beyond what we typically ask of our membership,” Fire Chief Jeff Pricher said. “I hope that when you see these individuals in our community that you too can take a quick second to thank each one for all their efforts.”

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InRoads Credit Union promotes Juan Mendoza

credit union overall.”

Juan Mendoza

Courtesy

InRoads Credit Union announces it has appointed a new Director of Commercial Services. Longtime lending professional Juan Mendoza has been promoted to the position. Prior to his new role, Mendoza was the InRoads Commercial Manager.

“I am very excited and looking forward to this new opportunity at InRoads,” Mendoza said. “I look forward to continuing to serve our local community with commercial products and services that will help our business members achieve their financial goals.”

“Juan has been an

integral part of our team,” InRoads Chief Lending Officer Stephanie Rollins said. “His commercial lending experience is extensive, and he believes in the value that our credit union brings to the business community. This will be a seamless transition and a positive move for the

Mendoza began his banking career in 2008 as a Jr Commercial Credit Analyst at a regional bank. He joined the InRoads team in September 2020 as a commercial underwriter. Before that, he served in the Marine Corps and graduated from the Univer-

sity of Oregon with a B.S. in Finance. He has quickly advanced in his career, excelling at commercial real estate, construction, and business lending. InRoads serves Columbia, Clatsop, Cowlitz, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.

Courtesy of Anne Scholz

Fixing the 35-foot crack in the bottom of Eisenschmidt Pool will be a priority this fall.

Courtesy of Anne Scholz The new laterals for the filter pits.

photo

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Guest Columns

Late winter, early spring gardening challenges

April 8 Scappoose Bay Watershed Council’s Native Plant Sale

food preservation questions by calling our office at 503 397-3462 and ask to speak to Jenny Rudolph.

Last frost

The average date for the last 32-degree spring frost in the St. Helens/Scappoose area is April 20th. At higher elevations, the last frost date may be as much as three weeks later. This doesn’t say we can’t get one later. Nor does it say that temperatures will start warming up enough so that we can plant tomatoes and peppers. But it does indicate that transplanting tender vegetable can begin (with a little cold protection provided as needed) as soon as the soils can be worked.

For Clatskanie, the average last frost in the dikeland areas is actually a little earlier but in the surrounding hills, at least three weeks later.

Seedcorn maggot

The seedcorn maggot can be a real problem with bean, corn, and squash family seeds. You will almost never see the fly but may, if you dig into the seed row in time, may see the white maggots. By the time the gardener realizes that something is wrong and looks in the seed furrow, the damage is already done. The maggot and seed alike may have disappeared. Some recent experiments in the Midwest demonstrated that soil temperatures played a major role in the degree of damage. At soil temperatures below 64 degrees, seed destruction increased significantly. It will

pay the gardener to wait until the soil is well-warmed to plant these crops or to warm the soil with clear plastic for three to five days before planting and to keep the plastic in place if conditions are overcast until the seeds start to emerge. A soil thermometer can be a useful investment.

Why are crows sometimes seen chasing owls during daylight hours? A roosting crow is quite vulnerable to night predation by owls, so crows certainly view them with a jaundiced eye. When an owl is flushed from its roost during daylight hours, the crows see it as a threat and gang up to scare it away. The owl is no good at aerial combat and so will flee the irritated crows. But will the owl will have the last word? This may sound obvious, but don’t buy bedding plants that have wilted and been revived. How do you know if your particular flat has wilted? You don’t. But if you see others wilted, it is a reasonable assumption that overall care and maintenance is not up to snuff. Wilted plants will never perform as well as ones that have not had their growth checked.

Will cover crops put nitrogen back into the soil?

Without a doubt, the answer is yes. However, much of the nitrogen from cover crops turned under in the spring may not be available to the garden until mid-summer. Thus, the gardener will have to supply enough nitrogen in an available form to get the vegetables and flowers off to a good start. I probably don’t have to remind you that nitrogen deficiencies are the most common nutrient issue that I see in home gardens. Some gardeners and farmers are experimenting with alyssum as a summer cover crop for certain transplanted vegetables, especially cabbage

Community EvEnts

April 6 Columbia County

Beekeepers Monthly meeting 7 p.m. Topic: Swarming and Catching Swarms. Meet in person at the Columbia County Extension Office, 505 N Columbia River Highway in St. Helens and by Zoom. Contact columbiacountyoregonbeekeepers@gmail.com for Zoom info.

April 6 PEO Sisterhood Tulip Sale 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tulips will be sold at the Red Apple. Price is $9 per ten tulips.

April 8 Scappoose Bay Watershed Council’s Native Plant

Sale

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SBWC nursery, located at Scappoose High School. Look for signs – go east on SE High School Way and turn into the parking lot between the high school and the school ball field areas. This is the semi-annual event to get you ready for spring and summer planting.

They have lots of new plants at great prices – all native to our area. Staff and volunteers are available to help chose plants suggest gardening ideas and provide information on establishing and maintaining native vegetation. For more information see https://www. scappoosebay-wc.org/nativeplant-nursery/.

April 8 Scappoose Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt 10 a.m. Scappoose Kiwanis will hold their Easter Egg Hunt at Grant Watts playground, 52000 SE 3rd St. in Scappoose.

April 12 LEGO Free Play at the St. Helens Public Library

3 p.m. - Visit the Library for unstructured, drop-in LEGO play time with the growing collection of donated LEGO sets. DUPLO sets are available for younger children. Come create! Ages 2-17. Children under age 10 must be accompanied by an adult. You do not need to be a resident of St. Helens or need a St. Helens Public Library card to participate in LEGO Free Play. For more information, call the library at 503-397-4544.

April 19 Homeschool Hangout at the St. Helens Public Library 2 p.m. - Families who homeschool are invited to the Auditorium at the Columbia Center

for a special storytime and social hour! Homeschooled children of all ages are welcome and are encouraged to bring a favorite book to share. You do not need a St. Helens Public Library card to participate. For more information, call the library at 503-397-4544.

April 26 LEGO Free Play at the St. Helens Public Library 3 p.m. - Visit the Library for unstructured, drop-in LEGO play time with the growing collection of donated LEGO sets. DUPLO sets are available for younger children. Come create! Ages 2-17. Children under age 10 must be accompanied by an adult. You do not need to be a resident of St. Helens or need a St. Helens Public Library card to participate in LEGO Free Play. For more information, call the library at 503-397-4544.

Ongoing events

Tuesdays

Baby Storytime at the St. Helens Public Library 10:30 a.m. - Join Mx. Aryn in the children’s room for stories, songs, dancing, and more — all designed to help develop young children’s literacy skills. For ages 6 months to 2 years. Storytimes are free and you do not need a Library card to attend. For more information, call the library at 503-3974544.

Wednesdays

Toddler Storytime at the St. Helens Public Library 10:30 a.m. - Join Mx. Aryn in the children’s room for stories, songs, dancing, a craft, and more — all designed to help develop young children’s literacy skills. For ages 2 to 3 years old. Storytimes are free and you do not need a Library card to attend. For more information, call the library at 503-397-4544.

Thursdays Preschool Storytime at the St. Helens Public Library 10:30 a.m. - Join Mx. Aryn in the children’s room for stories, songs, dancing, a craft, and more — all designed to help develop young children’s literacy skills. For ages 3 to 5 years old. Storytimes are free and you do not need a Library card to attend. For more information, call the library at 503-397-4544.

competitive, and it is very attractive to predatory insects (“beneficials”) that may help to control aphids and other insect pests. In addition, it may help to reduce weed growth.

Gardening-related events

Join the Watershed Council at their Spring Native Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SBWC nursery, located at Scappoose High School.

Look for signs – go east on SE High School Way and turn into the parking lot between the high school and the school ball field areas. This is their semi-annual event to get you ready for spring and summer planting. They have lots of new plants at great prices – all native to our area. Staff and volunteers are available to help chose plants suggest gardening ideas and provide information on establishing and maintaining native vegetation. For more information see https://www.scappoosebaywc.org/native-plant-nursery.

April 29 The Columbia County Master Gardeners™ Spring Fair

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will 3,000 tomato plants, 700 peppers, and garden related items by other vendors. It will be at the Columbia County Fairgrounds this year.

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

Have Questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/or farm questions, please contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503-397-3462 or at chip.bubl@oregonstate. edu. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Free Newsletter

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, 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 503-5600521, 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 971-757-6389.

Celebrate Recovery

For anyone struggling with addiction, hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. The first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. the doors open for a free dinner. Yankton Community Fellowship, 33579 Pittsburg Road in St. Helens. 503-396-7091. Childcare is available. www. yanktoncommunityfellowship. com.

Watch Spring on Fridays 2 p.m.to 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@coun-

or call 503-3970116.

April 6 Columbia County Beekeepers

Monthly meeting

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Topic: Swarming and Catching Swarms. They will meet in person at the Columbia County Extension Office in St. Helens and by Zoom. Contact columbiacountyoregonbeekeepers@gmail.com for Zoom info.

Important Notes

• The OSU Extension Office is fully open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

• Food Preservation: You can get up-to –date and accurate answers to your

The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you. Call 503-3973462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http://extension. oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters.

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

or twitter.com/shchronicle Editorial policy: Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chronicle views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

Letters policy: This newspaper’s letters to the editor are limited to a maximum of 250 words and will be edited for grammar, spelling and blatant

inaccuracies. Unsubstantiated or irresponsible allegations, or personal attacks on any individual, will not be published. Letters containing details presented as facts rather than opinions must include their sources. Writers are limited to one published letter per month. All submissions must include the author’s full name, local

street address and telephone number (only the name and 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.

OSU research leads to better batteries

Scientists led by an Oregon State University researcher have developed a new electrolyte that raises the efficiency of the zinc metal anode in zinc batteries to nearly 100%, a breakthrough on the way to an alternative to lithium-ion batteries for largescale energy storage.

The research is part of an ongoing global quest for new battery chemistries able to store renewable solar and wind energy on the electric grid for use when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.

Xiulei “David” Ji of the OSU College of Science and a collaboration that included HP Inc. and GROTTHUSS INC., an Oregon State spinout company, reported their findings in Nature Sustainability.

“The breakthrough represents a significant advancement toward making zinc metal batteries more accessible to consumers,” Ji said.

“These batteries are essential for the installation of additional solar and wind farms.

In addition, they offer a secure and efficient solution for home energy storage, as well as energy storage modules for communities that are vulnerable to natural disasters.”

How batteries work

A battery stores electric-

CARNEGIE

From Page A1

create art and compose music, and plays piano, flute, ukulele, and recorder.

Aside from the joy of making music, her favorite thing about being in the Columbia Chorale is being able to sing with her piano/flute teacher and with her dad.

Aidan Pulito, who’ll be a freshman in 2024, is active in theater and sports. He is slated to perform five roles in Radium Girls in May for the Drama Department at Three Rivers Chris-

ity in the form of chemical energy and through reactions converts it to electrical energy. There are many different types of batteries, but most of them work the same basic way and contain the same basic components. Every battery has two electrodes – the anode, from which electrons flow out into an external circuit, and the cathode, which acquires electrons from the external circuit – and the electrolyte, the chemical medium that separates the electrodes and allows the flow of ions between them.

Relying on a metal that’s safe and abundant, zincbased batteries are energy dense and seen as a possible alternative for grid energy

tian School, is a member of the ShoeString Community Players and has been invited to perform at Disneyland over the Memorial Day weekend with the Oregon City Children’s Theatre Travel Troupe. Aidan also plays soccer with Columbia County United.

Jaedyn Schumacher, a sophomore, loves music, drama, and art. She plays piano, guitar, and ukulele, sang for years with the River City Children’s Choir, and performs in local plays. Jaedyn devotes time to mission work and outreach, and volunteers at a summer camp at Trout Lake in Washington State. She is

Crossword solution

Solution for the March 29, 2023 crossword puzzle

storage to widely used lithium-ion batteries, whose production relies on shrinking supplies of rare metals such as cobalt and nickel. Cobalt and nickel are also toxic and can contaminate ecosystems and water sources if they leach out of landfills.

Additionally, electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries are commonly dissolved in flammable organic solvents that often decompose at high operation voltages. Other safety concerns include dendrites, which resemble tiny trees growing inside a battery. They can pierce the separator like thistles growing through cracks in a driveway, leading to unwanted and sometimes unsafe chemical reactions.

“Zinc metal batteries are

also employed, doing childcare for homeschool groups and working moms.

Kayla Bissell, a senior, is a two-year member of the National Honor Society at St. Helens High School. Kayla has been a Scout for thirteen years, earning her Bronze and Silver Awards. She is a member of the ShoeString Community Players. Kayla’s choral experience includes four years in the River City Children’s Choir, three in her high school choir, and two years with the Columbia Chorale.

“We are a community choir,” Columbia Chorale of Oregon Artistic Director Alice Rice Boyer said, “so

one of the leading candidate technologies for large-scale energy storage,” Ji said. “Our new hybrid electrolyte uses water and an ordinary battery solvent, which is non-flammable, cost-effective and of low environmental impact. The electrolyte is made of a dissolved mixture of inexpensive chloride salts, with the primary one being zinc chloride.” The cost of electricity delivered by a storage facility consisting of zinc batteries can only be competitive with fossil-fuel-produced electricity if the battery has a long cycle life of thousands of cycles, Ji said. To date, however, cycle life has been limited by the poor reversibility performance of the

one of our goals has been to provide music and culture to the children of Columbia County. It’s in our mission statement. So far, we’ve done this from concert to concert. This is different. Singing music about our own county in New York will broaden the horizon for these young singers and allow them to participate in our larger national culture in the ‘people’s concert hall’—which is what Mrs. Carnegie envisioned Carnegie Hall to be when she founded it. The Ford Family Foundation grant will make possible a unique cultural and artistic experience for our

zinc anode. During charging, Ji explains, zinc cations in the electrolyte gain electrons and get plated on the anode surface. During discharge, the plated anode gives up electrons for the workload by being dissolved into the electrolyte.

“This zinc plating and dissolution process is often woefully irreversible,” Ji said. “Namely, some electrons used in plating cannot be recouped during discharge. This is a problem in an area known as Coulombic efficiency.”

Coulombic efficiency, or CE, is a measure of how well electrons are transferred in batteries, the ratio of the total charge extracted from the battery to the charge put in the over a full cycle. Lithium-ion batteries can have a CE in excess of 99%.

The new electrolyte developed by Ji and collaborators including scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Penn State and the University of California, Riverside, enabled a CE of 99.95%.

Passivation layer

“The primary challenge with zinc batteries is that zinc reacts with water in the electrolyte to generate hydrogen gas in what is called a hydrogen evolution reaction,” Ji said. “This parasitic reaction causes a short cycle

high school age choristers, according to Boyer.

“It is a joy, honor, and privilege to be able to facilitate that,” she said. “Standing on that stage, they’ll be part of a living tradition. It will be awe-inspiring. A repeated phrase in the lyrics of The Wisdom of Columbia County is: ‘We stand here now. Others stood here before us. Others will stand here when we are gone.’ It will be like that for them.”

It’s not too late for people of any age who like to sing to join the choir for its world-first performance here in June. Efforts will be made to raise funds to provide scholarships for high

James Byron Steward

July 23, 1942 ~ Jan. 31, 2023

With great sadness we announce the passing of James Byron Steward, age 80, at Belmont Village assisted living in San Diego following a long illness on Jan. 31, 2023. He died peacefully holding his daughter, Malea’s hand. Meghan was also able to be with her father prior to his passing.

Jim was born on July 23, 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in St. Helens, Oregon. After graduating from St. Helens High School, he attended and graduated from the University of Oregon and the University of Oregon Medical School. He was a doctor in Internal Medicine with Kaiser Permanente in Stockton, Cali-

Sandra Pauline Emrick, 61, of Clatskanie, Oregon, passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 18, 2023 after battling years of COPD. Sandra was born on June 3, 1961 to Donna and Joseph “Paul” Buckman. She attended Astoria High School from 1978-1980.

Sandra worked many customer service positions and may be remembered for her warm smile and friendly service from places such as Corkie’s Market in Hammond, Oregon, Dr. Sheila

Vern Timothy “Tim”

Parnell passed away on March 14, 2023, in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 68.

Tim was born on Feb. 16, 1955, in St. Helens, Oregon, to Leonard and Phyllis Parnell. He was the youngest of three children, joining his sister Irene and brother Russell. Tim grew up on the family farm in Yankton and went on to graduate from St. Helens High School in 1973. He started his own business

fornia for thirty years and was often voted favorite doctor by his patients. Growing up on the Columbia River, he loved taking friends and cousins’ water skiing on the family boat and carried this passion for boating into his adult life when his daughters, their spouses, and his grandchildren came to visit in St. Helens. He was a generous uncle and took his nephews on summer trips. He was an avid tennis player and attended annual tennis tournaments. He also enjoyed hiking and spending time outdoors,

Sandra Pauline Emrick

June 3, 1961 ~ March 18, 2023

Landis Chiropractic Clinic, Sporty’s or Dr. Ross’s Dental in Clatskanie, Oregon.

Sandra was married to Brian Emrick for 31 years, marrying in 1992 in Hammond, Oregon. They moved to Clatskanie, becoming members of the community for 26 years, where they raised their three children. Sandra loved gardening, painting, crafting, her pets, and going places with her husband.

Sandra was predeceased by her mother and grand-

life and is also a potential safety hazard.”

The new electrolyte, however, restricts water’s reactivity and nearly shuts down the hydrogen evolution reaction by forming a “passivation layer” on the surface of the anode. A similar passivation layer is what enabled the initial commercialization of lithium-ion batteries in the 1990s.

Ji credits OSU chemistry colleague Chong Fang for uncovering the electrolyte’s atomic structure by using femtosecond Raman spectroscopy and Alex Greaney at UC Riverside for determining the passivation mechanism.

“Also, it is worth noting that the efficiency we measured is under harsh conditions that do not mask any damage caused by the hydrogen evolution reaction,” Ji added. “The breakthrough reported here heralds the near-future commercialization of the zinc metal batteries for large-scale grid storage.”

OSU’s Kyriakos Stylianou also took part in this research, which was supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.

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

school students who join the inaugural performance to sing in New York in 2024. The next rehearsal will take place at 7 p.m. April 13, at the Christian Church of St. Helens, 185 S. 12th Street, in St. Helens. For more information about The Wisdom of Columbia County visit https:// kevinbryantlay.com/thewisdom-of-columbia-county Margaret TrenchardSmith is a member of the Columbia Chorale of Oregon-River City Singers. Read more about the Wisdom of Columbia County with this story at thechronicleonline.com.

as well as gardening and took pride in knowing the names of many different varieties of plants. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jane and Byron Steward.

Jim is survived by daughters Meghan Steward Lang (Jonathan) and Malea Steward Smith (Pete); grandchildren, Nathan, Audrey, Catherine, Annabel and Carlin; sisters, Claudia and Constance Steward; and nephews, Sean and Jebidiah Pinnell. He is also leaving behind his dear friend Bill Pennell.

mother Maymie Phillips. She is survived by her father; husband; sister Terri Killion; sister Dawnya Lucas (Dave); son Timathy McDonald; daughter Kristine Crape (Keyton); son Darren Emrick; multiple nieces and nephews; and multiple grandchildren.

There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. on April 15, 2023 at Alston Corner Assembly Church, 25270 Alston Rd., Rainier, Oregon. Potluck reception to follow. Flowers are welcome.

Feb. 16, 1955 ~ March 14, 2023

Parnell Drywall in 1985.

Tim married Stephanie Phares in 1975 and they had two sons, Garrett, and Keith. Tim enjoyed spending time with his family and friends out on the family farm. He loved being outdoors, flying RC airplanes in the hayfield, driving RC cars on the tracks that he built with his sons, shooting guns down at the pond, riding his four-wheeler, and working on the farm with his tractor.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Phyllis; and brother Russell.

Tim is survived by sons, Garrett (Jennifer) and Keith (Erika); sister Irene (Bob); grandson Juan; granddaughter Bethany; and great-grandson Miguel.

A celebration of life will be at 1 p.m. on Sun., April 16, at the Elks Lodge in St. Helens. Please sign our online guestbook at www. columbiafh.com.

Vern Timothy Parnell

Courtesy from OSU

Researchers said wind and solar power sources would greatly benefit from the new, improved battery technologies.

We haul scrap and that’s no crap! Dump runs $75 and up. Senior discount. Scrap metal hauled free, including appliances. Call 503-550-3184.

301

Health & Nutrition

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

502 Help Wanted

9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Columbia 9-1-1 Comm unications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for full̴time Dispatchers (Communications Specialists). Additional information and job description can be found on our website at www. columbia911.com/

careers or by calling 503-366-6978. Online applications will be accepted until 11:45 pm on April 28th, 2023.

Columbia River PUD A communityowned utility is hiring a Customer Accounts Representative I/II Salary: $23.86$36.05/hr DOQ. Deadline: 4/20/ 2023 by 5:30 p.m.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Columbia River PUD team, please visit our website at www.crpud.net/ jobs to view and apply for open positions or call us at (503) 397-1844 to have an application packet mailed to you.

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.

Technician Columbia County, OR EOE Deadline 4/27/2023

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, Grove Rd, Lindberg Rd, Cedar Grove Rd, & Lost Creek. For questions or concerns, please call 503-728

Requesting proposals for Equipment Testing and Relay & Battery Testing

Clatskanie People’s Utility District is requesting proposals (RFP) for Equipment Testing and Relay & Battery Testing at the Bradbury Substation. Sealed proposals must be received by 2:00 pm PDT, May 16, 2023 at the District office - 495 E. Columbia River Hwy, Clatskanie, OR, 97016.

Full information concerning both RFPs can be viewed at clatskaniepud.com.

Interested parties may also contact: Brian Taylor. P.E. 503-308-4591 or btaylor@clatskaniepud.com.

Crossword PuzzlE

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: ANATOMY

101

52. Tokyo, formerly 53. Alpine transport 55. Cuckoo 57. *Vein to “go for” 61. *Cell body, axon and dendrite

64. Use the other side of pencil

65. Caviar alternative 67. Mafia’s top dogs 69. “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft

70. Fuss

71. Modern correspondence

72. Opposite of want

73. Japanese currency 74. Pep gathering DOWN

1. Annoying pop-ups

2. “Yes, ____!”

3. Beige

4. E-wallet content

5. Resentment

6. Musketeer’s sword

7. *Smallest bones location

8. Work the dough

9. Diamond in a cutting tool

10. “Wonderfilled” cookie

11. a.k.a. Indian Lilac

12. Grammy of sports

15. Like a Haunted Mansion visitor?

20. Minimum

22. Endorsement

24. Alfresco

25. *It contains cerebel-

lum and parietal lobe

26. Big Dipper shape

27. Hiker’s path

29. *Largest organ

31. Fogginess

32. Speak one’s mind

33. *AB+ or B-

34. Vigorous fight

36. Outback birds

38. Dam-like structure

42. Snail trail

45. Like certain Cr¸e

49. Giannis’ league

51. Cup holder

54. Orderly arrangement

56. Popular movie genre

57. J in B. J. King

58. Serve as motive

59. Em’s and Dorothy’s

last name

60. CPO, in auto industry 61. Glowing gas

62. Iridescent gem 63. Byproduct of wool combing

66. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem

68. Canny

CH23-1289

TS No. OR08000009-23-1 APN 16561 TO No 230012276-OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE

Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, DOUGLAS J HAYES as Grantor to NORTHWEST TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC.. as Trustee, in favor of NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION as Beneficiary dated as of August 3, 2017 and recorded on August 4, 2017 as Instrument No. 201707171 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit: APN:

16561 BEGINNING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF PARCEL 3, PARTITION PLAT NO. 1994-37, AS PER PLAT ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE CLERK`S OFFICE OF COLUMBIA COUNTY,

OREGON; THENCE NORTH 6*03`23”

EAST A DISTANCE OF 209.41 FEET TO THE NORTHEAST CORNER THEREOF AND THE SOUTH LINE OF PARCEL 2 OF SAID PARTITION PLAY; THENCE NORTH 69*48`53”

EAST A DISTANCE OF 210.29 FEET TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID PARCEL 2 AND THE WESTERLY RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF OLIVER HEIGHTS LANE; SOUTH LINE OF TRACT 3 OF PARTITION PLAT NO. 1991-02 AS PER PLAT OF FILE AND RECORDS IN THE CLERK`S OFFICE OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON; THENCE SOUTH 66*51`10”

WEST ALONG SAID SOUTH LINE A DISTANCE OF 238.27 FEET TO POINT OF BEGINNING. Commonly known as: 59745

OLIVER HEIGHTS, SAINT HELENS, OR 97051 Both the Beneficiary, NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, 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 86.735(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 06/01/2022 to 03/31/2023 at $40,014.43 Late Charge(s): Late Charge(s) 1283.65

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 $646,325.68 together with interest thereon at the rate of 4.87500% per annum from May 1, 2022 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 July 21, 2023 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 86.753 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: 3/8/23 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 90098, Pub

Dates: 3/22/2023, 3/29/2023, 4/5/2023, 4/12/2023, CHRONICLE

CH23-1312

CH23-1288

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERTA ANNE SEASTONE, LATE OF SAINT HELENS, OR

Any and all claims against above estate, verified by the administrator, must be sent no later than April 15, 2023

CH23-1300

to the following address: Myrna Dorn, PO Box 366, Echo, OR 97826. Administrator of above estate.

NOTICE OF AUCTION

Karlan Mini Storage will be having a public auction on Saturday, April

CH23-1306

8, 2023 at 10 a.m. Amber Kruger #31. CASH ONLY.

Date: 03/09/2023

Cal Huitt: 541­805­6310

Author: K. Smith Project: St Helens ­ P525

Comments:  1st St at Cowlitz closed to thru traffic ­ for utility construction

Closure Dates: April 6, 2023 to May 5, 2023

Conditions:

1) All TCD set in accordance of MUTCD

MON ­ FRI 8AM ­ 5PM

2) Cones minimum height of 28" spacing 20' max, tapers at 10' max corner radius

3) Signs and supports shall not be placed in areas designated for bikes &/or pedestrians

4) Traffic control signage used is secured by pins or sandbags.

5) 10' travel lanes will be maintained.

Conditions:

1) All TCD set in accordance of MUTCD

6) The Contractor shall publish notification of lane or road closures in The Chronicle newspaper

2) Cones minimum height of 28" spacing 20' max, tapers at 10' max corner radius

7) The Contractor shall notify residents and businesses within an affected section of road by door hanger of road closures stating the date(s) of closure, limits of street closure, hours of construction, and detours

3) Signs and supports shall not be placed in areas designated for bikes &/or pedestrians

4) Traffic control signage used is secured by pins or sandbags.

5) 10' travel lanes will be maintained.

8) Agency notification list for road construction/street closures will be contacted.

9) All parking stalls South of the road closure will be inaccessible.

6) The Contractor shall publish notification of lane or road closures in The Chronicle newspaper

10) Residential access to driveways will be available at all times.

7) The Contractor shall notify residents and businesses within an affected section of road by door hanger of road closures stating the date(s) of closure, limits of street closure, hours of construction, and detours

8) Agency notification list for road construction/street closures will be contacted.

9) All parking stalls South of the road closure will be inaccessible.

10) Residential access to driveways will be available at all times.

Notice of road closure on April 6, 2023 to May 5, 2023, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

K. Smith Project: St Helens ­ P525 fic ­ for utility construction April 6, 2023 to May 5, 2023

In the Matter of the Estate of Floyd Kent Mullett, Deceased. Case No. 23PB01627 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that James E. Mullett Jr. and Susan D. Mullett have been appointed personal representatives for the will and estate of Floyd Kent Mullett. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached to the undersigned personal representatives within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims

N  spacing 20' max, tapers at 10' max corner radius 3) Signs and supports shall not be placed in areas designated for bikes &/or pedestrians fic control signage used is secured by pins or sandbags. The Contractor shall publish notification of lane or road closures in The Chronicle newspaper The Contractor shall notify residents and businesses within an affected section of road by door hanger of road closures stating the date(s) of closure, limits of street closure, hours of Agency notification list for road construction/street closures will be contacted. All parking stalls South of the road closure will be inaccessible. 10) Residential access to driveways will be available at all times. ROAD WORK AHEAD ROAD WORK AHEAD ROAD CLOSED LOCAL ACCESS ONLY SIDEWALK CLOSED

may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court or the personal representative. Dated and first published on March 29, 2023. Susan Mullett, CoPersonal Representative. Personal Representatives:

Address: 9201 NE 43rd Ave., Vancouver, WA 98665, Phone No. (360) 281-4154.

S 1st St

THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA CH23-1310 Auction to be held online at Storageauctions. com Auction will run from 4/11/2023 10:00 am & end on 4/21/2023 10:00 am Unclaimed storage lockers to be sold by competitive bidding. St. Helens 445 Port Ave, Suite D Brandon Johnstun G-017 G-019 O-063 Rhonda Kelly R-144 O-027 William May R-176 Kristin Radar R-178 GOODS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SOLD BY STORAGE LOT. Cash and Credit Card PUBLIC LIEN SALE USTORE SELF STORAGE

October of 2021, that CCPH

Director Michael Paul detailed the potential need for a Columbia County hospital and who it would best serve.

“The state rules require the applicant to demonstrate the need for a hospital.

The state will only issue a certificate of need if the application addresses the criteria in the rules so it’s premature to say there is a need until the analysis is completed.

“That said, the county regularly hears from residents, business owners and employees about the availability of health care in our communities. Community health needs assessments identify access to health care as dominant concern in our communities. We need to delve further into these concerns,” Paul said.

The most recent push to assess the county’s need for

such a medical facility is not the first foray into gauging public interest in a local hospital. The establishment of a hospital in Columbia County has been an ongoing subject, with the State of Oregon denying an application for a 12-bed hospital in St. Helens as recently as 2009. Columbia County residents voted in favor of a property levy to fund a hospital in St. Helens.

The taxpayers voted to form a special district in the interest of bringing a conveniently located hospital to the area in 2005. The special district, known as the Columbia Health District (CHD), raised taxes for the project despite legislative hurdles that rendered the project unviable.

While the CHD even went so far as to purchase a property for the hospital on 8.34 acres Millard Rd. for $611,291, in Nov. 2007, as part of a Three-Party Real Estate and Exchange Agreement. The hospital was never built after multiple

denials from the state, and appeals from the CHD. The property is currently owned by the City of St. Helens.

Financials of the CHD

According to The Chief’s special report published in the Chronicle in 2022, the Pauly Rogers & Co. audit showed that $4,349,970 in taxpayer

funds were collected between 2006 and 2010.

Between taxpayer dollars, donations, and grants, the board collected $10,391,314 in total revenues and spent nearly all funds by 2010 in the amount of $10,358,699 without a hospital or a Certificate of Need.

The board spent $3.3 million on acquiring and

developing the Millard Road site, and $4,320,496 more on staff support, gross pay, and benefits. Documentation regarding where the totality of the funds were spent could not be obtained.

In a letter dated Nov. 13, 2009, Columbia County Elections Supervisor Pam Benham gave Warren resident and concerned citizen Thelma Bonar the approval

to collect signatures for Ballot Measure 5-209: an initiative to repeal the permanent tax rate levied by the hospital district and to refund the tax money. The initiative appeared on the Nov. 2, 2010, ballot and was passed by a landslide majority. In response to the election, the CHD board voted in a public meeting unanimously to stop work on the Columbia River Community Hospital. After Measure 5-209 passed in November 2010, the Columbia Health District (CHD) board promised to lower the hospital tax and announced its intent to dissolve.

Read The Chronicle’s special reports about the failed hospital project with this story and follow developments at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle. Join the conversation. Take The Chronicle’s online poll, Do you believe it’s time to build a hospital in Columbia County?

New Mulching Program Helps Wildfire Mitigation Plan

Sponsored content

Over the last few months, you may have noticed a new member of our team out and about. Last October, we hired Jarad as our Vegetation Management Operator to mulch under the power lines.

Since then, Jarad has been hard at work clearing brush and trees as part of our Wildfire Mitigation Plan.

The idea is to reduce the amount of combustible material in the rights-of-way. Because this is a new program that most people aren’t familiar with, Jarad has been going door to door in the neighborhoods he’s working in. He’s talking with the homeowners to let them know what he’s doing, to obtain permission, and to discuss how much vegetation they’re comfortable with him removing. So far, the results have been extremely positive.

From what we have heard from our customers, they’re happy with the work he’s doing. In fact, some have even asked if he’d go out and take care of their fields too!

Recent work has been focused on the Pittsburg Road area in St. Helens. Jarad’s been taking down brush and smaller trees. One particularly noticeable swath he’s cleaned up is along Pittsburg Road near its intersection with Highway 30. He will continue to work

systematically throughout our service area. He’ll primarily be working in wooded areas outside of city limits with a goal of mulching as much as possible within our territory.

Managing vegetation is an integral part of the Wildfire Mitigation Plan we adopted and submitted to the Public Utility Commission in early 2022.

Another major component of our vegetation management strategy, as identified in our Wildfire

Mitigation Plan, is tree trimming. We have contracted tree crews for many years. We are beginning to transition toward having a tree crew in-house. We have ordered equipment and plan to hire tree trimmers onto our staff in the near future.

If you have any hazardous trees on your property, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Call us at (503) 397-1844 or visit crpud.net/ trees to report the threat, and we will have someone assess the situation. This is a ser-

vice we offer at no additional cost to the homeowner. These are some of the efforts we are taking to help keep our community safe and to keep your lights on.

Michael J. Sykes General Manager, Columbia River PUD

Easter in Columbia County

A call for more volunteers

From Page A1

in 2020 due to COVID-19, 2021 saw the mEGGa Egg Hunt return in a limited drive-thru capacity. In 2022, the hunt saw steps toward a return to normalcy, and this year is “kind of back to nor mal,” according to Epperly.

While the overall event has seen a return to normalcy, Epperly said that the event still needs volunteers to help. With the retirement of long-time organizer Evelyn Hudson, Epperly said there is a lack of volunteers this year.

a waiver, and the paperwork must be done before they can help with the event. Epperly said they are still looking for about 15 more volunteers.

“The one thing that I hear constantly is there’s no volunteers to make things happen anymore, so people need to get out there and participate,” Epperly said.

Prior to COVID, Epperly

said the event took more than 200 people to make the event happen. This year, Epperly said they have maybe 100 volunteers.

To volunteer for the mEGGa Egg Hunt, visit https://www. signupgenius.com/ go/508054ca8aa29a1fa7megga#.

MICHAEL J. SYKES

Courtesy graphic

This is a rendering of the Columbia River Community Hospital that was to be built in Millard Road.

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media Inc.

Peter Cottontail and friends pose for a photo during the 2022 hunt.

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media Inc. The children scamper from here to there in search of the hidden candy.

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media Inc.

A wave from Dad and a smile from a child during the 2022 hunt.

Seaweed, it’s not just in the ocean

As you head west to the Oregon Coast, you may be thinking about a nice stroll by the Pacific Ocean, and not about seaweed.

But a new Oregon promotion is underway to highlight seaweed as a commodity.

A series of dining events in Portland and along the Oregon Coast put sea vegetables front and center, shining a light on bottlenecks and opportunities for Oregon’s seafare supply chain, according to the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA).

In February, the Winter Waters campaign, a dining event series designed to introduce Oregon restaurantgoers to locally grown

seaweed, made a bigger splash than the organizers anticipated.

“We had so much more interest in Winter Waters than we could have imagined,” OCVA co-founder of the campaign and food systems value chain coordinator Kristen Penner said. “The series and team did a fantastic job creating market opportunities for producers in the Oregon seafare economy, building distribution pipelines and rallying new buyers.”

Penner teamed up with Alanna Kieffer of Oregon Seaweed and Rachelle Hacmac of Blue Evolution to create the series, who described the partnership as one of the biggest food collaborations to ever take place

between Portland and the Oregon Coast.

Thirty chefs and restaurant partners in Portland and along the coast, from Astoria to Newport, educated diners about how to prepare sea vegetables and created seaweed-forward specials, from crudo and cocktails to ramen and burgers.

Kieffer said one of Oregon Seaweed’s biggest challenges has been consumer education about how to cook the Oregon-grown Pacific Dulse, a deep purple, nutrient-packed seaweed that takes on a different flavor profile depending on how it’s prepared.

“It’s like a land vegetable,” Keiffer said. “There are going to be ways that people cook it and love it, and some

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ways that they won’t. The chefs participating in Winter Waters were remarkable at showing people creative ways to cook with seaweed.”

As Oregon Seaweed was breaking into the Portland market, the company would deliver small orders of dulse to restaurants, one at a time. It was an inefficient use of staff time and had a high carbon footprint, according to Keiffer.

Luckily, Keiffer noted, the market contraced with North Coast Commons, which provides delivery service for Oregon Coast farmers, ranchers, fishers, and makers of locally sourced specialty foods to reach customers along the coast and in Portland.

“Flying Fish was our first retail store in Portland, and we are excited that you will soon be able to pick up our Oregon Seaweed products at New Seasons across Portland,” Keiffer said. The series was scheduled to culminate with the Winter Waters Finale, Sunday, April 2, at The Salmonberry restaurant in Wheeler.

Salmonberry chef Charles Lutka is inviting chefs

Maylin Chavez and Trever

Gilbert into the kitchen to collaborate on Mexicaninspired dishes that celebrate local seafood and sea vegetables.

Winter Waters Partner Organizations

Blue Evolution Regenerative Seaweed is the global leader in regenerative seaweed ingredients for a sustainable future. By farming sea vegetables, they sustainably source nutrition from the ocean, reduce dependence on freshwater for crop production and mitigate ocean acidification.

Oregon Seaweed is the largest land-based seaweed farm in the United States. They produce Pacific dulse in a thirty-tank operation, with locations in Bandon and Garibaldi. The company believes that healthy, fresh ingredients can help our world heal and is working hard to change the way people think about the food they consume.

Oregon’s Ocean Cluster Initiative (OCI), a project spearheaded by the OCVA, focuses on expanding the use of local sustainable seafood

through infrastructure investments, workforce training, and partnership development.

OCI is bringing together dozens of diverse entities who share a vision of strengthening coastal communities by shortening food supply chains. Making local seafood easier to find and buy will positively impact fishermen, processors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers.

OCVA is the official Regional Destination Management Organization for the entire Oregon Coast as designated by the Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon). OCVA inspires travel and strengthens collaboration to create and steward a sustainable coastal economy.

OCVA said it has the honor of working with coastal communities to align partnerships, destination development projects, and destination marketing with the vision of creating “a coastal utopia for all.” This includes coastal stakeholders, new and returning visitors, and the natural resources that make these coveted experiences so magical.

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Courtesy photo Dulse Oyster.

Courtesy photo Rockfish Dulse Sandwich.

Courtesy photo Low Tide Dulse Martini.

Baseball team returns from travel tournament

St. Helens High School

baseball team has returned from the 2023 Coach Bob National Invitational in Arizona after playing a slate of games during their spring break.

Despite going 0-4 on the weekend, the Lions have their heads held high, and Head Coach Matt Lokken is happy with the team’s growth.

“The tournament was great! We have spent over a year planning and raising money to make this happen. It was a group effort, and everyone played a big role - players, parents, coaches, and boosters,” Lokken said. “Overall, it was well worth it, and the experience of being with the team and playing great competition will pay dividends in the future success of our program.”

Development in pre-season

The tournament counts towards the team’s non-league games, so the losses won’t count against their league

record, and Lokken is treating the games as growing opportunities.

“Last pre-season, we were 5-2 going into league, and didn’t feel like we had a lot to work on. We were playing good ball, or so we thought. That didn’t do much for us as we played better competition in the league season,” Lokken said. “Our goal will always be to play the best competition we can possibly play in preseason and non-league games, since league is the only ones that matter. All other games should be developmental.”

Last season, the Lions started their pre-season strongly, but it ultimately resulted in a 2-16 record in their league. This year, Lokken hopes that competing with stronger competition in pre-season will translate to better late-season results.

Despite going winless during their trip to Arizona, Lokken had a positive mindset about the experience, and the team even competed with one of the top 5A programs in Oregon. “We played Ridgeview

(OR), Currently the #1 team in the state for 5a, and had the lead for most of the game. They ended up coming up with the win 11-8 due to our own mistakes late in the game,” Lokken said. “We were really proud of the way these guys competed with a top Oregon team, and it showed we can play with anyone in our area.”

Throughout the week, Lokken was happy with how the team faced up to difficult competition without backing down. While the team struggled to bat runners in, the

team had a bevy of hits against high-level pitchers.

Stand out performances

According to Lokken, many of the schools they were playing against 2,500 to 3,500 students. For St. Helens, a school of around 800, competing with larger programs is a challenge. Because of the tough competition, Lokken feels the game will “slow down” when the team returns to playing schools of comparable size and skill level. Some of the players for

the Lions showed they were already capable of competing with the high-level schools.

Junior Braden Ellis and sophomore Zach Edwards were connecting at the plate all week.

“Braden hit a .545 average, and Zach also hit .545 over the four games,” Lokken said.

“Jayden Dziezyk had our biggest hit of the tournament, a centerfield home run that landed 400ft in distance.”

The team also had players who played exceptionally on the field and on the mound, but the firepower of opposing teams was too much for their valiant efforts.

“Defensively Conner Weiss led the charge at shortstop, and we had good effort on the hill from all of our guys,” Lokken said. “They challenged the zone and, unfortunately, ran into a lot of good hitters.”

Coming together as a group

One of the main goals for Lokken on the road trip was to build camaraderie and chemistry with the group. For a team to gel, the time they spend off

the field is just as important as the time spent on it.

“The goal was to get the kids to travel and spend time together off the field as well as get into good weather and play great competition. We attended an MLB spring training game and ate numerous meals together,” Lokken said.

For a team that has not had a larger travel tournament since 2008, the trip has helped the group become tighterknit. With the results, Lokken knows what the team has to improve, and he is looking forward to the rest of the season.

“Baseball is a game that you learn more from your losses than you do from your wins,” Lokken said. “We now have a bunch we know we need to work on and prepare for situations we may be put into when playing top league teams and hopefully in the playoffs.”

Follow St. Helens High School sports at osaa.org, and follow our coverage at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of the Chronicle.

Courtesy photo from Matt Lokken

The St. Helens Baseball team competed in the Coach Bob National Invitational March 28 through March 30.