SHC524

SHHS Jazz Band takes State Championship

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

The St. Helens High School

Jazz Band has been crowned state champions after their performance at the OMEA State Jazz Championship. Performing at the Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham on May 19, the St. Helens Jazz Band beat out Estacada High School, Molalla, and Stayton High School to take first place. Band Director Noelle Freshner was ecstatic about the performance and the result that was earned through each of the musician’s hard work.

being the last band on before the award presentation. There is a different energy when you have a full audience versus at some festivals where you have just a couple of bands and the judges.”

For this group of amazing seniors, it is a great way to go out. ~ Noelle Freshner, Band Director

With the exception of one musician, the entire Jazz Band is made up of students who are also part of the Wind Ensemble, who finished second in their state competition. The band is made up of six saxes (three altos, two tenors, and a bari), See BAND Page A9 Courtesy

“There was, for sure, a nervous energy the whole time. They were well prepared and had every reason to be confident, but when you are playing in a new hall, on equipment you are not used to, and surrounded by microphones, you can get in your head and make mistakes,” Freshner said. “We were also excited to see a good size audience when we got on stage. A perk of

Homeless camping ordinance still under discussion

WILL LOHRE

Country Media, Inc.

T he St. Helens City Council is coming closer to adopting a camping ordinance to come into accordance with Oregon state law House Bill 3115, which was passed in 2021.

House Bill 3115 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.”

Even if you don’t agree with the law and don’t like it, the city has to comply with it just like all other cities and counties.

~ Crystal King, St. Helens Communications Officer

“HB 3115 impacts ALL Oregon cities and counties and is a mandatory law,” Communications Officer for the City St. Helens Crystal King said. “Even if you don’t agree with the law and don’t like it, the city has to comply with it just like all other cities and counties.”

The bill requires all cities and counties in the state to review their public space rules and adopt laws that are objectively reasonable to

people experiencing houselessness when it comes to regulating the act of sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property open to the public, King said.

The key points are the “time, manner, and place” regulations. People who will rest or camp on public property must be provided “objectively reasonable” guidelines that dictate when, where, and how they can reside.

Adjustments being made

A major development in the city’s approach to the law is that they will center their ordinance around restricting where camping is allowed, as opposed to outlining locations where people who need to camp can go, as originally proposed by the planning commission.

At the city council regular session on May 17, the council directed staff to move forward with developing an ordinance to be ready for review and adoption at their next meeting.

“The council stated their desire to move away from a designated location option. Instead, they asked staff to create an ordinance that restricts locations such as parks, rights-of-way, near residential areas, and away from waterways,” King said. “Staff will draft an ordinance that blends some of the recommendations presented by the Planning Commission to the City Council with recommendations from the city’s legal

counsel.”

The city’s mission is to provide quality, effective and efficient service to its citizens, King said.

According to King, the city is committed to:

• Developing and preserving the highest possible quality of life for our residents, businesses, and visitors,

• Providing a safe and healthy environment within a sound economic framework, and

• Providing leadership that is open and responsive to the needs of the community and works for the benefit of all.

King said that the city has been “proactive” in reviewing its rules since the state passed HB 3115. The city began meeting to discuss HB 3115 and its effects on St.

State taxpayer to see

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

T he Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has issued the latest revenue forecast, projecting an additional $1.96 billion in state revenue. The outlook for personal

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Vol. 141, No. 22

and corporate income taxes has risen by $1.5 to $2 billion over the forecast horizon due to the updated model methodology. The 2021-23 personal kicker is now estimated to be $5.5 billion, and the corporate kicker is now estimated to be $1.8 billion.

The kicker tax credit goes into effect when the actual state revenue exceeds the forecasted revenue by at least 2%. An amount is then returned to the taxpayers through a credit on their tax returns.

Inflationary economic booms have not traditionally ended well, meaning not without a recession. As such it is easy to be pessimistic about the outlook for the economy, according to the Oregon Revenue Forecast Summary.

“Economic developments like last year’s goods recession, and the banking turmoil earlier this year add more fear to the outlook. However, a near-term recession is far from a slam dunk. The reasons include some nascent signs that inflation is cooling and the Federal Reserve is looking to pause its interest rate increases which limits the potential for overtightening. Furthermore, the economy is showing some signs of renewed strength as housing and manufacturing stabilize, and income growth is again outpac -

ing inflation. All of these indicate a sudden stop in the economy in the short- term is unlikely,” the Oregon Economic Forecast Summary states. The Forecast’s Revenue Outlook states:

“Available resources are expected to be up sharply relative to what was assumed in the March 2023 forecast, both in the near term and over the extended horizon. The upward revision in the outlook is based both on a stronger than expected tax filing season, as well as methodological changes made in light of fundamental shifts seen in recent years.”

keeping it that way,” King said. “We support our law enforcement and empower our officers to address crime. We support creating reasonable rules that ensure a safe and livable community. We support clean streets and parks where people feel safe to shop and play. We want businesses to feel supported and confident to move to our community.”

King said that local police work closely with CCMH and the CAT to find solutions to address houseless needs in the community and that the city will support these organizations’ efforts to do so.

Courtesy photo

Helens in 2021. In 2022 and 2023, the city reached out to community partners such as Community Action Team (CAT) and Columbia Community Mental Health (CCMH), law enforcement, and relevant boards and commissions to gather feedback, King said.

Additionally, the City Council has worked with specialized legal council and received recommendations from the city’s Planning Commission to ensure that whatever rules we change continue to provide a safe and livable community while complying with the new law, according to King.

“From the start, the St. Helens City Council has expressed opposition to creating encampments in St. Helens. St. Helens does not have the same issues that are seen in larger cities across the state, and we are committed to

In recent months, the City of St. Helens has been reviewing and refining proposals of what the St. Helens rules should be. The consensus from City Council has consistently included keeping camping out of our City parks and away from residential areas, King said.

Planning Commissioner sparks controversy

Another recent development with HB 3115 has been some controversy surrounding St. Helens Planning Commission Chair Steven Toschi’s comments regarding the city of Rainier’s camping ordinance.

Toschi recently held an independent town hall meeting separate from the city of St. Helens, where he criticized the

See ORDINANCE Page A6

kicker

ued partnership with legislative leaders to deliver results for all regions of the state.”

The Governor restated her call for focusing on the state’s top priorities:

• $316 million to continue and expand on the state’s response to homelessness prevention and unsheltered homelessness, and $1 billion in bonding to build and preserve more affordable housing.

• $280 million dollar investment to address the behavioral health crisis playing out across Oregon communities and support a more accessible, better staffed system of care no matter where people live.

Reaction

Gov. Tina Kotek said the Oregon Legislature must use the incoming revenue to address the pressing spending needs of the state.

“Oregonians have clear expectations for legislators to address our housing crisis, ensure that our behavioral health system is accessible in every part of the state, and set up our youngest students for success,” Kotek said. “The revenue forecast lays the path for bold leadership. We cannot afford to squander this opportunity, and I look forward to a contin -

• $120 million to improve early literacy by delivering the science of reading across all 197 school districts in Oregon to help our students learn to read and write.

In addition, the forecast provides the opportunity to address a range of other urgent issues that are impacting Oregonian’s daily lives. The figures below are in addition to those originally proposed in the Governor’s Recommended Budget:

photo from Noelle Freshner

The St. Helens High School Jazz Band.

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

notable buildings continues to evolve.

Klondike Tavern are work

ing on building a wraparound covered porch to increase seating and other renovations to help revital ize the iconic yellow build ing at 71 Cowlitz Street in the Riverfront District of St. Helens.

June of 2022, the Klondike has continued to evolve with owner Holcombe Waller moving ahead with building renovations to improve the restaurant while keeping an eye on the end goal of having a hotel upstairs.

to the historic committee of the (city’s) land use and planning commission, a covered porch addition that will add ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access for the first time, as a large, covered porch that will connect the restaurant to the patio directly,” Waller said.

The prospective porch

enjoy it out there.”

The porch project would connect the restaurant to its outdoor patio and make it possible to easily go between the indoor and outdoor parts of the restaurant. While Waller said July could be a potential start date, he said they still need to figure out how to

for the upper floors of the building, Waller said they have the designs for the 19-room and bathroom hotel renovations, but the exact timeframe by which it will be started or completed is unclear. The first-floor phase and porch expansion will precede the upper-floor phases, and the additions

the Western frontier vibe as an homage to the history of the formation of St. Helens. Those elements are juxtaposed with an array of gallery art that adorns the walls of the Klondike. “I’d say consistently, most everybody who comes in is impressed with how the place looks and feels,”

Waller said. “The interior vibe has gotten very good

When Waller was getting ready to reopen the Klondike Tavern, his goal was to deliver a “special occasion, date night” restaurant while also keeping it economically accessible.

Waller says that the restaurant is offering a broader range of menu items while also balancing the challenges of food prices and supply

New faces, and challenges

The Klondike Tavern is now open all day, lunch through dinner, whereas they were previously closed between lunch and dinner. They will also be introducing happy hour specials from 2:30 to 5 p.m. daily. They also introduced a digital loyalty program. It’s like a digital “cafe card,” Waller said, and regular customers earn points and get rewards.

The former General manager of the Dockside, Kimberly Adams, has come on board at the Klondike as their General Manager. Waller said she is making revisions to our bar program and cocktails.

Since reopening, Holcombe said that a couple of

challenges the restaurant has faced have been getting the word out that they’re open but also trying to make itself a destination “off the highway.” Waller said that many of the people he talks to don’t know that the Klondike has reopened, even almost a year since the restaurant opened its doors.

Waller stressed that while he is from Portland, he is invested in the community and wants to get around the idea that he is an “outsider business.” Waller said he is thinking about the viability of the restaurant on a decades timeline, not a short-term project.

“We are here to make something special for the community. And to kind of fulfill a dream that I’ve heard many people have shared, which is to do something special with the building and reactivate it and bring it back to life,” Waller said. “I’m confident it’s going to happen; I just hope everyone keeps tabs on what we’re doing and keeps an interest in historic downtown St. Helens because it’s a beautiful place.”

Follow developments at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of the Chronicle.

State to pause Homeowner Assistance Program

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will pause accept ing new applications for the Oregon Homeowner Assis tance Fund (HAF) program at 4 p.m. May 31. This pause will allow OHCS to process current applications in its queue and better project the amount of federal HAF funds remain ing for homeowners. The state previously paused at the end of 2022 for the same reasons and has been reopened to accepting ap plications since March.

“HAF is pausing again to make sure there are enough funds for qualifying homeowners who’ve already applied,” said Ryan Vanden Brink, assistant director of Homeowner Assistance Programs. “The program will likely reopen once we process additional applications already in the queue. If you are a homeowner falling behind, we encourage you to reach out to a stateapproved homeownership center right away.”

Homeowners who are most at risk of foreclosure and housing displacement, socially disadvantaged individuals (as defined by

U.S. Treasury), or otherwise meet one of the additional eligibility criteria listed at oregonhomeownerassistance.org are encouraged to apply for HAF assistance before 4 p.m. PST May 31. If a person has previously applied or begun an application, the pause will not impact them. Those who started their applications will still be able to access and complete them, and those applications that were previously submitted will still be processed. Applicants can continue to log on to the HAF portal to check

the status of their application or scheduled payments. They can opt in to email alerts as their application advances.

To serve the most at-risk homeowners, as an exception to this pause, OHCS will continue to accept new applications submitted by housing counselors on behalf of homeowners who are in a judicial foreclosure or forfeiture action or have a verified foreclosure sale date. If a person is in a judicial action or in a nonjudicial foreclosure and can provide documentation of

a pending foreclosure sale date, they should apply before the pause or work with a free housing counselor to submit their application.

OHCS planned its HAF program to operate as a safety net for the most atrisk eligible homeowners who have no viable workout options, and it will continue to operate HAF this way during the pause. As of May 12, 2023, OHCS approved 1,027 applications, totaling over $30 million of the $72 million budgeted for homeowners. In addition, 1,301 applications are currently being reviewed and 1,320 applications have been started but not completed for processing. At least 219 of the submitted HAF applications were or are in active foreclosure. The average award disbursed is nearly $30,000 per application.

Free help is available

During this pause, homeowners who have fallen behind or are at risk of missing a payment on their mortgage can continue to get free help from certified housing counselors around the state to learn about budgeting tools and evaluation of options to keep their homes, such as modifications, adding

deferred payments to the end of a mortgage, or HAF. HAF may not be the best option for everyone, and it may prevent homeowners from servicer options available for different types of loans. Housing counselors are knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated professionals who can help homeowners communicate with their mortgage servicers. Search the full list of free certified housing counselors by county. Homeowners should be aware that some housing counseling agencies take longer to respond due to the holidays and remote working policies.

In addition to connecting with a certified housing counselor, Oregon homeowners should directly contact their mortgage servicers and lenders to see what types of mortgage assistance and foreclosure prevention programs are available. Homeowners who communicate with their lenders and servicers have some additional protections and usually have more time to figure out their options.

Avoiding fraud

The Oregon Department

of Consumer and Business Services recommends being extremely cautious with offers to help from unauthorized companies or people. Homeowners are urged not to provide financial or personal information unless they verify the company or person’s licensing status. It does not cost anything to apply for the HAF program or meet with an Oregon housing counselor. There are a number of common warning signs homeowners should watch out for that may indicate a scam. If a homeowner suspects they’re being contacted by a scammer, they can report it to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Oregon Department of Justice, or the U.S. Treasury’s Office of the Inspector General.

To verify a lender’s license, visit the Division of Financial Regulation’s license page and compare it with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) license number. This number must be included on all advertising materials and should be easy to find. To verify a housing counseling agency’s status with the state, make sure they are listed on the OHCS website.

ODJ issues fraud alert following bogus calls, emails

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Oregonians are once again being targeted by fraudulent phone calls, emails, or texts threatening them with fines, prosecution, or jail time for failing to comply with jury service.

The most recent fraud reports are from the Willamette Valley, but it is likely that other areas may be targeted as well, according to the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD).

In the latest version of this scam, citizens are being told that they owe fines for not responding to a jury summons. They are then pressured to purchase prepaid debit/gift cards and provide these cards or card

code numbers to people over the phone or in person.

These fraudulent calls and messages are not connected with the state or federal courts, the OJD states in a release.

“State and federal courts do not require anyone to provide sensitive information in a telephone call, email, or text,” the release reads. “Oregon state courts may provide jury notices and reminders by text, but these will not request personal information, make threats, or demand money.”

Here is what to do if you receive a jury-related phone call, email or text that demands information or money:

• Do not provide the

requested information or payment.

• Do not reply directly to the text or email, click on any links, or open any attachments, even if it appears that the message is coming from the court or a local police agency. Scammers often create messages that look like they are coming from a legitimate source.

• If possible, get the caller’s name and number and then hang up.

• Reach out directly to your local circuit court jury coordinator to verify or report the contact.

Contact information for the state circuit courts is available at courts.oregon. gov/courts. For Oregon’s

federal courts, information about jury service and possible scams is available at ord.uscourts.gov/jurors.

If you have received one of these calls, emails, or texts and have given out personal information, monitor your account statements and credit reports carefully.

If any unauthorized charges are made, report the theft to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission at 877-4384338 or www.consumer. gov/idtheft. Also, contact a credit bureau to request that it place a fraud alert on your credit history.

News and Views

How to make the kicker work for all

DANIEL HAUSER

Chronicle Guest Column

Imagine two people. One is a senior citizen who, after a lifetime of toiling in lowpaid jobs, now scrapes by on Social Security income.

The other is a hedge fund manager pulling in millions a year. Which of these two should get a tax rebate from the State of Oregon?

That’s a pertinent question right now, with a recordshattering $3.9 billion kicker rebate on its way. The rich hedge fund manager will get tens of thousands of dollars in kicker money, while the senior citizen will receive nothing.

There’s never been a more important time for policymakers and the public to consider the inequities

embedded in the kicker, and to put forward a reform that makes the kicker work for everyone.

The kicker is a tax rebate triggered when revenue collections come in 2 percent or more above what state economists predicted two years earlier. As state economists will tell you, the kicker “does not mean Oregonians overpaid their taxes, it means our office underestimated revenues.”

Kicker dollars mainly flow to the well-off, and the projected kicker shows that in dramatic fashion. The richest 20 percent of Oregonians are expected to capture nearly 70 percent of the expected kicker.

This gets even more skewed when you look at how much money is going

to the richest Oregonians. To be an average member of the richest 1 percent of Oregonians, you need to make over a million dollars a year. Giving this person a tax rebate is like pouring a glass of water into a pool. It makes no difference in their ability to get by or their level of comfort.

And yet, as things stand, the average member of the top 1 percent will get a kicker rebate of about $42,000.

It only gets worse from there. We estimate, based on Oregon Department of Revenue data, that the richest 100 Oregonians will get kicker rebates averaging more than $600,000. At a time when many Oregonians can’t afford to buy their own home, we’ll be giving the ultra-rich a tax rebate that’s more than 15 times the typical annual

income in Oregon. At the other end of the spectrum, the kicker is paltry. The lowest-earning 20 percent of Oregonians — folks struggling mightily to pay for food and rent — will get a kicker of about $60, on average.

And that’s arguably not the worst of it. Senior citizens and people with a disability whose only source of income is Social Security will see not a dime from the nearly $4 billion dollar kicker rebate. The kicker is a policy choice. It was put into Oregon’s Constitution about two decades ago, at a time when many had not fully understood that trickle-down economics does not work as sold to the American public. Today, most of us recognize

that giving more money to the rich does not trickle down to the rest. Instead, it concentrates economic power at the top.

There are several bills before lawmakers in Salem this session that would fix the kicker. In the short term, lawmakers can suspend the upcoming kicker with a two-thirds vote. Long-term, kicker reform needs a constitutional amendment, and lawmakers have the power to refer a proposal to voters.

What could reform look like? One approach would be to use the funds to address the housing crisis, improve access to affordable childcare, or tackle some of the other serious problems affecting Oregonians. Alternatively, we could still issue tax rebates but change

the formula by which it is distributed. Giving everyone an equal kicker would result in most Oregonians getting bigger kicker rebates. This reform, which we call the Working Families Kicker, would give each tax filer a rebate of about $1,740 from the upcoming kicker — more than double what the typical tax filer will receive under current rules.

It’s time for Oregonians to stand up for working families and people surviving on fixed incomes. Rather than lavish millionaires with massive tax rebates, let’s make the kicker work for all Oregonians.

Daniel Hauser is the Deputy Director for the Oregon Center for Public Policy. He may be reached at 971-279-4732.

Citizen raises city reservoir issues

RON TOMMILITZ Chronicle Guest Column

I have sent many letters and emails to the City of St. Helens concerning the 2 MG reservoir. They were statements and opinions regarding what the city doesn’t want revealed. The city has not contested anything I have produced, so I told them

I considered this material factual. The city had a 74,000 gallon per day leaking reservoir.

The city hired Kennedy/ Jenks to produce a Plan and Specifications for Rehabilitation in 2016. The bidders

were not given the opportunity to tour the reservoirs interior, this didn’t allow the bidders the opportunity to ascertain the true conditions of the reservoir.

The reservoir wasn’t drained because no reservoir was to be taking off line prior to October 1, 2016. The bidders were to familiarize themselves with Plan Specifications, drawings and photos of the interior. The work began October 1, 2016 and failed March 2017, the work produced increased leaking.

The contractor continued working on this issue for 30 months until October

2019, at which time stated to continue would not prove successful. This begins 30 months of no activity and litigation, where the city accomplished nothing.

I have followed this reservoir since July 2016, and stated early on that I believed the city had complicity in the failure. I have collected many documents and records from city files. This was a contract that started bad, it continued and ended worse and unfixable. It became what I referred to as the death of a reservoir, the city’s plan had proved fatal. The city didn’t seem to want to proceed into

Voices of the community

‘Hold the Mayo’

In reading Wayne Mayo’s letter to the editor in the May 17 edition of the Chronicle, I was interested to follow-up on the ‘evidence’ released by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R, Kentucky).

Mr. Mayo was disappointed in the coverage the Chronicle gave to this topic.

While I believe there is likely some impropriety related to Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine during the second term of the Obama administration, I couldn’t find hard evidence of much of anything that has come out of that Committee’s work.

Mr. Mayo discloses a litany of ‘evidence’ in his letter to the editor which I could not corroborate through reading multiple articles related to the press releases made by the Committee.

And finally, the Chronicle is the last place I would want to look to for national news and information (which means I don’t think it deserved a place on any page).

Thank you.

Peter Hanft St. Helens

Overturning the apple cart

On the third Monday of August 1979, I was volunteered by my battalion commander to assist Senators Phil Gramm, Warren Rudman and the Congressional Budget Office investigate military readiness and budgets. When asked if I had any concerns, I had but one, was I to follow Army regulations or could I tell the truth (because I know how things get manipulated in politics)?

One of the most important jobs of the President is to negotiate the budget with members of congress

yet since the end of February President Biden has refused to address the debt crisis with “MAGA” republicans which has now led to the current debt crisis now plastered across local and national television screens.

With time running out President Biden is now blaming our financial mess on republicans even though it was his decision to allow our economic problems to fester and become infected. He failed to do his job which was to negotiate. Because the President wouldn’t do his job the United State will take another hit to its credit rating and again the taxpayers will pay the price.

2024 is an election year and once again Democrats and Republicans are beating their war drums. Yet here in Oregon, the voting majority (non-affiliated voters) can only sit and watch and in the end vote for either a far left communist or a far right fascist. No one dares overturn the apple cart and challenge the two party system.

Joe Turner Columbia City

Grow up, show up

It is past time for Republican Senators to return to work and finish the people’s business.

Throughout the state, and in Senator Suzanne Weber’s 16th District, Oregonians are sick and tired of Republican politicians shutting down the government every time there is proposed legislation with which they don’t agree.

Regarding HB 2002 and the reason for their walkout, the majority of Oregonians want freedom for reproductive health care choices. They want freedom for gender affirming health care. These are the values of the majority of the people in this

court with legal procedures, having the 60 day failure in the W-449 contract. This would have allowed all this information to be revealed, which the city prefers not to be shared publicly. The city wants no transparency and prefers secrecy, silence or no comment The city experienced excess costs totaling $ 89,762.00 beginning on March 2017 failure, ending September 2020.

The city then hired Walker Consultants to investigate the failed 2 MG reservoir for Cause and Responsibility for $2,800.00. This report brought a conclusion to the

years of litigation on April 8, 2022, with a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release. The City claims the failure was the result of workmanship. The Parties of Kennedy/Jenks provider of the Plan, Western Partitions the contractor and Carboline to sign stating no contest and no liability for the failure. They are all returning monies paid them, no penalties required.

I filed for a Right to Information four times, denied last on March 2, 2023. The attorney states its client privilege. The settlement is final. The city claims its workman-

ship, but I see the Kennedy/ Jenks Plan.

I have the belief that the contractor was misled as to the pre-existing reservoir’s conditions. The withholding of the Walker report is seen as city protection from public awareness. This may include due diligence, neglect, embarrassment, and reputations involving the city’s actions.

The community deserves better leadership and transparency, so provide me with a copy of the Walker Consultants report.

Ron Trommlitz is a St. Helens resident.

state, and we have elected a majority of representatives who agree with these values.

Further, Oregonians of all political stripes want Republicans to show up for work, which is why we overwhelmingly passed Measure 113 last November, which penalizes legislators for walking off the job. Democracy does not work when the minority shuts down the democratic process. Whether it’s denying election results, or holding the nation’s economy hostage over the debt ceiling, or not showing up to keep government running, Republican politicians have to stop kicking over the sandcastle like petulant children every time their ideas are not accepted.

It is time for the Republican Senators in Oregon to grow up, show up, and take responsibility for running the government of this state.

Eric Halperin Gearhart

Angry and disappointed

Senator Weber, I am angry and disappointed that you have refused to show up in Salem and do your job.

Oregon voters made it very clear that we want our representatives to show up, get to work and take votes on bills. Your walkout and failure to do your job reveals your disrespect for your constituents and your allegiance to party over people.

You were elected to work for and represent all your constituents, and it is beyond maddening that you and your fellow Republicans have chosen to grind governance to a halt just because you don’t want to take votes on bills you don’t like. There is important work to do, and you are failing us.

Bebe Michel Gearhart

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.

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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.

Lewis and Clark Bridge to close for repairs

The Lewis and Clark Bridge between Rainier and Longview, Washington will close for up to eight days beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 16 for bridge deck repairs, according to a release from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Washington State Department of Transportation. During the closure, crews from Combined Construction, Inc. will replace two bridge expansion joints and a fractured floor beam. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and emergency responders will be able to cross the bridge during the closure except during a small window when the floor beam is being replaced.

Closure of the only bridge across the Columbia River between Astoria and Portland may create hardships for communities along the Columbia River and require residents to reschedule medical and other important appointments.

The bridge must be closed to ensure a long-lasting repair and for the safety of travelers and construction crews in the work zone.

To set the new expansion joints in place, crews will pour concrete which needs four days to cure and strengthen, without movement and disturbance from moving traffic, according to the release. The replacement of the floor beam also requires no traffic on the bridge.

“There is no good time

to close a bridge, and the vital importance of the Lewis and Clark Bridge to Washington and Oregon communities cannot be overstated,” WSDOT Southwest Region Administrator Carley Francis said. “Our goal is to do this repair work right and re-open the bridge to travelers as soon as safely possible.”

Construction work taking place before and after the closure will be done at night using single-lane closures and alternating traffic across the bridge. The fiveweek construction schedule of nighttime lane closures and a bridge closure of up to eight days shortens the construction timeline for this $1 million preservation project. It also avoids months of daytime single lane closures that would create congestion throughout Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon.

On April 12, bridge inspectors discovered a fractured floor beam resulting in an emergency 12hour closure. Prior to that discovery, the bridge was scheduled to close for up to six days for expansion joint replacement work. The closure has been extended to accommodate the additional work of installing a new floor beam.

Construction schedule

Construction is estimated to begin the week of June 12 and travelers should expect traffic delays or detours for approximately five weeks. The full closure of the

Lewis and Clark Bridge for up to eight days begins at 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.

Emergency vehicles –including only ambulances with active critical medical needs or law enforcement emergency response – can use the bridge during the closure except when crews install the new floor beam. The timing of this work will be communicated in advance.

Due to safety, no park and ride facilities are available.

Before and after the closure, crews will reduce travel across the bridge to one lane each night beginning at 8 p.m. and alternate traffic through the work zone.

There will be no single lane closures during the Fourth of July holiday weekend -Friday, June 30 –Tuesday, July 4.

For the safety of travelers and the construction crew, the work zone will have reduced speed limits.

Plan for longer travel times During the following times travelers should expect longer delays and congestion due to nighttime single lane closures:

• 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Friday.

• 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday to Saturday.

• 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday to Sunday.

Plan ahead for lengthy detours

During the closure, all traffic crossing the Columbia River will detour

to either U.S. 101 AstoriaMegler Bridge between Astoria and Megler, WA or the Interstate Bridge on Interstate 5 between Vancouver and Portland.

Ferry service

The Wahkiakum County Ferry between Cathlamet, Washington and Westport, Oregon will run twice an hour 24 hours a day while the bridge is closed. This ferry has extremely limited capacity. Its use should be reserved for urgent matters that do not require an ambulance. Travelers should also be prepared for lengthy wait times and long lines.

Medical access

Depending on where people begin and end their travel, using the detour routes can add upwards of two and a half hours of travel time. People who use the SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge to access scheduled medical services should plan their travel time with this in mind and contact their providers to confirm or reschedule their appointments.

The best way the traveling public can stay up-todate about news and closure dates is to subscribe to email alerts for this project. For real time traffic updates in Oregon, go to www.TripCheck.com.

Follow this developing story at thechronicleonline. com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

1 person killed in Highway 30 crash

On Saturday, May 20, at approximately 9:47 p.m. Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 30, near milepost 35, in Columbia County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, operated by 27-year-old Salina Gable Malynn of St. Helens, crossed the eastbound lane while attempt-

ing to turn onto Butterfield Road. While turning, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was impacted in the passenger side by eastbound 2007 Ford Focus, operated by 34-yearold Steven Bayard Sullivan of Hillsboro, in a “T-bone” type crash.

The driver of the eastbound Ford Focus, Sullivan, was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with serious injuries. The passenger

of the Ford Focus, 36-yearold Danielle Dawn Yoemans of Hillsboro, was declared deceased at the scene.

The driver of the westbound Jeep Grand Cherokee, Malynn, was uninjured. The passenger of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, 24-year-old Katie Ann-Devona Witt of St. Helens, was transported to St. John’s Medical Center in Longview, Washington.

The investigation into

obituaries

Richard Edward Parker

July 4, 1945 ~ May 12, 2023

Richard Edward Parker was born on July 4, 1945, in Portland, Oregon. His parents were Stanley F. Parker and Martha R. Hickey.

He was a jet mechanic in the Air Force from June 27, 1963 through June 26, 1967.

Richard moved to Scappoose, Oregon from San Diego, California in 1969. He worked at Boise Cascade Paper Mill for 36 years as a millwright and a pipefitter. He married his first wife, Helen Baquera, on March 2, 1969. They divorced in 1984. They had one son, Robert A. Parker. He married his second wife,

Sandra D. Badger, on Dec. 28, 1985, and they divorced in December 1997. Richard moved from Scappoose to St. Helens around 1986. He coached

girls’ softball teams for many years. Coaching and golf were two of his favorite things. He was also involved in Junior Olympics Softball and was a former president of the Scappoose JC’s. Richard also enjoyed playing softball in the Over 40 Co-ed League for several years.

Richard is preceded in death by his father Stanley in 1984; his mother Martha in 2002; his brother Robert in 2009; and his sister Evelyn in 2020.

He is survived by his sons, Robert A. Parker (Alesa) and Tom Berg

the cause of the crash is ongoing. The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the onscene investigation. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Columbia City Police Department, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Grumpy’s Towing assisted OSP at the crash site.

(Pauline); daughters, Jamie Parker (Billy), Kristi Bull (Jim) and Jodie Smith; sisters, Dorothy Parker Scholl, Diana Hill Heroux (Dan) and Rosemary Hill Jarvis; brother Michael Hill (Linda); grandchildren, Katie, Ashley, Samantha, Teresa, Carmon, and Danielle; his great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2023 in the Urn Garden at Columbia Memorial Gardens. A reception will be held at Dorothy’s house, 770 Tualatin St., St. Helens, Oregon.

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From Page A1

ordinance passed by the city of Rainier to address HB 3115, and he outlined his concerns about St. Helens City Council passing similar legislation.

“The city of Rainier is seriously considering, and I don’t know if they’ve adopted it or not, an ordinance that will allow 24-hour sleeping, pitching of tents, on all public property,” Toschi said at the meeting on May 16.

Toschi says that these new camping ordinances open up cities to potential lawsuits if they are unable to provide objectively reasonable regulations regarding time, place, and manner for public camping.

In response to the meeting led by Toschi, the City of Rainier issued a letter to the City of St. Helens expressing their “dismay” at the “conduct” of Toschi.

The letter stated: “For the past few weeks, Mr. Toschi has been deliberately spreading misinformation publicly about an ordinance that was recently passed by the City of Rainier. That ordinance was drafted under the advisement of attorneys that we have worked with and seeks to shield the city from potential liability for its policies in dealing with the homeless crisis that we all face.

“Aside from inflammatory social media posts that specifically mention the City of Rainier and misrepresent what its ordinance does, Mr. Toschi even distributed a flyer for a town hall event that was not sanctioned by the City of St. Helens that included the same mischaracterizations.”

The letter did end with the City of Rainier saying they would not allow this “politically motivated attack on our city’s good

faith effort to address a very serious problem” to affect the working relationship between the two cities.

The City of St. Helens responded with a letter of its own, signed by Mayor Rick Scholl. The letter emphasized its desire to maintain a collaborative relationship between cities in Columbia County and acknowledged that each city has its own approach to addressing the needs under HB 3115.

“On behalf of the St. Helens City Council and City staff, we do not condone disparaging our neighboring cities, and we respect your efforts to craft a thoughtful ordinance that is appropriate for your city,” the letter said.

For his part, Toschi maintains that he has not spread any false information about Rainier’s ordinance. Toschi is a trial attorney and says that the law does leave the city open to houseless individuals rest -

ing in all public property around the city through its definitions of camping and their regulations about how long people can be in place.

According to Rainier’s ordinance, to “camp” means to occupy a Campsite for over 24 hours. Under Section 2 of the ordinance, the law says, “It is unlawful for any person to Camp upon City Property unless otherwise authorized by law or by declaration of the City Administrator.”

Also outlined in Section 2 is that “at least once every 24 hours, an individual that has placed a campsite, camping materials or personal property on city property must relocate.”

Toschi says that with this being the case, there is nothing stopping people from staying in a location within the 24-hour time frame and then moving to another site. Toschi says that the ordinance would allow people to reside in all areas of the public property

for up to 24 hours, including parks, rights of way, parking lots, easements, or other lands owned, leased, or managed by the city.

“So what the city has basically done is it has put all of these areas there so people can bring their gear, set it up, and then what the city says is you have to move it every day,” Toschi said. “So you could have ten people walk onto your street and have people put tents right down your sidewalk. If you call the cops, they’re not going to be able to remove them because it hasn’t been 24 hours yet.”

Rainier City Manager Scott Jorgenson responded to questions from various users about the ordinance on Facebook. When discussing camping in private neighborhoods, he said that camping would be unconstitutional in these settings.

“Neighborhoods are private property. Cities have until July 1 to have ordinances in place to ad -

Classified Ads Deadline:

dress camping on PUBLIC property. No city anywhere in the United States has the ability or the authority to tell private property owners that they must accommodate homelessness.

That would be considered a taking and completely unconstitutional.,” Jorgenson said.

Toschi says the only reason that he referred to the Rainier city ordinance was because he was concerned that St. Helens would adopt a similar ordinance when he saw the Rainier ordinance appear on the St. Helens City Council agenda. The St. Helens ordinance draft will be reviewed by the city’s legal counsel before presentation to the council for adoption, King said.

Follow this developing story at thechronicleonline. com and in the Wednesday print editions of the Chronicle.

CH23-1356

NOTICE OF RECONSIDERATION, REOPENING OF RECORD AND ADDITIONAL DELIBERATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN The Columbia County Board of Commissioners has withdrawn

Final Order No. 8-2023, “In the Matter of the Appeal of the Approval of the Application by Timothy and Tamara Carleton for a Single-Family Forest Template Dwelling in the Primary Forest (PF-80) Zone”. The Board of Commissioners will reopen the record to formally receive a single 1966 deed that was attached as “Attachment 1” to Final Order No. 8-2023 into the record, and allow additional written evidence and testimony related to the deed. Deliberations on reconsideration will be held on June 21, 2023, at or after 10:00 AM at the Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, Room 310, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. The Board will not admit additional evidence or testimony unrelated to the deed being entered into the record. The subject property is in the Primary Forest (PF-80) Zone off Price Road on the 17.52 acres associated with current Tax Map ID Number 7315-B0-02500, Application File No. RDF 22-04. The purpose of this notice is to afford interested parties an opportunity to provide additional comments on the deed being entered into the record. Any comments you wish to provide will be appreciated; however, additional com-

CH23-1353

ments must be limited to the deed being received into the record. Oregon law requires that submissions addressing the deed must be directed toward the applicable decision criteria. You may submit written comments to the Board of County Commissioners by emailing them to jacyn.normine@ columbiacountyor.gov prior to 5:00 PM on May 31, 2023. The record will be left open until 5:00 PM on June 7, 2023, to respond to any written submissions received. The record will then be closed to all parties except the applicant, who will have until 5:00 PM on June 14, 2023, to submit final written argument.

Failure to raise an issue with sufficient specificity to afford the Board an opportunity to respond to the issue precludes appeal to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals based on that issue. Failure to raise constitutional issues or other issues relating to proposed conditions of approval with sufficient specificity to allow the Board to respond to the issue precludes an action for damages in circuit court. The Columbia County Board of Commissioners is the final local decisionmaker for the matter. Applicable decision criteria are contained in CCZO 500; the Oregon Statewide Planning Goals; the Comprehensive Plan; 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 Zoning Ordinance. For more information contact Deborah.Jacob@columbiacountyor.gov or phone 503-397-1501. A copy of the deed being entered into the record, the application, all documents and evidence relied upon by the applicant, and the staff report will be available for review at https:// www.columbiacountyor.gov/Hearings on or before May 31, 2023. Written comments related to the deed 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 attend the Board’s meeting where deliberations are to be conducted either 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: 357-054141. The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to continue its deliberations to another date and time. If the hearing is continued, no further public notice will be provided.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Columbia County, State of Oregon, where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, will be held at 58611 McNulty Way, St. Helens OR 97051. The meeting will take place on June 14, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. If needed, a second meeting will take place on June 15, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., should the Budget Committee need additional time to approve the budget. The purpose of this meeting is to receive the budget message and budget docu -

CH23-1341

ment, as well as providing members of the public opportunity to ask questions or comment on the budget document. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee. A copy of the budget document and a link for the upcoming meeting will be made available for review on the District’s website https://www.crfr. com/administrative no later than June 13, 2023. The budget meeting will be a hybrid meeting, with the option to attend in person or via Microsoft Teams.

Should you wish to speak during the public hearing portion of the meeting, you may sign up by completing the form on the District’s webpage at crfr.com or calling 48 hours prior to the meeting. Written comments may be provided in advance of the meeting by sending an email to lehnerk@crfr.com If you desire to participate in the public hearing and are unable to provide written comments at least 48 hours in advance of the public hearing, please contact Kate Lehner, 270 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 (Phone No. 503-397-2990) prior to the scheduled meeting time.

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

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of: James Robert Andre, Deceased. No. 23PB03551

NOTICE TO INTER -

ESTED PERSONS Notice

is hereby given that Brock Robert Andre has been appointed personal representative of this estate.

All persons having claims against the estate are hereby required to present

their claims, with proper vouchers, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this Notice, as stated below, to the personal representative at 1677 St, Helens Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights are 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: May 10, 2023. MARK A. GORDON, P.C, Mark A. Gordon, OSB No. 812424 Attorney for Personal Representative, 1677 St. Helens Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051, 503.397.9066.

CH23-1355

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

NOTICE TO INTER-

STED PERSONS In the matter of the Estate of Robert Eugene Snider, deceased. Notice is hereby given that Jeffrey A. Kotka has been appointed as the personal representative of the above Estate. All persons having claims against the Estate are required to present them to the undersigned personal representative in care of

23PB02365

the undersigned attorney at: 9400 SW Barnes Road, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97225, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, as stated below, or such claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings in this Estate may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the

personal representative or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published: May 24, 2023. Jeffrey A. Kotka, Personal Representative. Tammi M. Caress, OSB# 112962, Tasha Lyn Cosimo, OSB# 116120, Caress Law, PC, Attorneys for Personal Representative, 9400 SW Barnes Road, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97225.

Public Notices

CH23-1351

TS No. OR07000002-23-1 APN 13559 | 0201-13559 TO No 230006303-OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE

Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, JOANNE C YOUNG, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN as Grantor to ATTORNEYS TITLE OF WASHINGTON as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for PIERCE COMMERCIAL BANK, A WASHINGTON CORPORATION, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of December 24, 2008 and recorded on December 31, 2008 as Instrument No. 2008-011507 and that said Deed of Trust was modified by Modification Agreement and recorded October 15, 2012 as Instrument Number 2012-007951 and the beneficial interest was assigned to U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and recorded August 26, 2019 as Instrument Number 2019006837 of official records in

CH23-1352

the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit: APN: 13559 | 020113559 LOT 15 AND THE SOUTH 3 FEET OF LOT 14, BLOCK 2, COLUMBIA PARK, IN THE CITY OF ST. HELENS, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON. Commonly known as: 374 N 5TH ST, ST HELENS, OR 97051 Both the Beneficiary, U.S. Bank National Association, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 4 Monthly Payment(s) from 06/01/2019 to 09/30/2019 at $1,001.41 3 Monthly Payment(s) from 10/01/2019

to 12/31/2019 at $939.39 2

Monthly Payment(s) from 01/01/2020 to 02/28/2020 at $950.36 12 Monthly Payment(s) from 03/01/2020 to 02/28/2021 at $959.34 12

Monthly Payment(s) from 03/01/2021 to 02/28/2022 at $956.40 12 Monthly Payment(s) from 03/01/2022 to 02/28/2023 at $982.92 2

Monthly Payment(s) from 03/01/2023 to 04/28/2023 at $1,030.23 Monthly Late Charge(s): $141.10 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 $113,044.11 together with interest thereon at the rate of 5.00000% per annum from May 1, 2019 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 September 5, 2023 at the hour of 01:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, Front Entrance, Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised

Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should

be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any.

Dated: April 27, 2023 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 91521, Pub Dates: 5/17/2023, 5/24/2023, 5/31/2023, 6/7/2023, CHRONICLE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Monday June 5, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Teresa Davis has submitted an application for a variance to the side setbacks, from 30 feet to 6’4”. This property is zoned Rural Residential (RR-5) has approximately 1 acre, identified by tax map number 7510-00-00503 and is located at 13685 Colvin Rd. SAID PUBLIC HEARING will be held before the Columbia County Planning Commission on Monday, June 5, 2023 starting at 6:30 p.m. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Columbia County Planning Commission will be hosting their public hearing via online webinar. Please use the links below if you wish to participate in the public meeting. June 5, 2023 Planning

CH23-1354

Commission Meeting Jun 5, 2023, 6:30

9:30 PM Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto. com/451416381. You can also dial in using your phone.

Access Code: 451-416-381

United States (Toll Free): 1

866 899 4679 United States: +1 (571) 317-3116 Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

If you have any questions or concerns regarding access to the meeting or need accommodation, please call the Land Development Services office at (503) 397-1501. The criteria to be used in deciding these requests will be found in some or all of the following documents and laws, as revised from time to time:

Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 197.763; Oregon Administrative Rules; Columbia County Comprehensive Plan; Columbia County Zoning Ordinance. The specific criteria applicable to this request is listed and evaluated in the staff report. A copy of the application, all documents and evidence relied upon by the applicants, and the staff reports are available for inspection at no cost and will be provided at reasonable cost, at the Land Development Services office, at least 7 days prior to the Planning Commission hearing. Written comments on the issue can be submitted via email to Planning@ columbiacountyor.gov or you can send comments via U.S. Mail to Columbia County,

Department of Land Development Services, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051. If additional documents or evidence are provided in support of the applications, prior to or during the hearing, any party shall be entitled to a continuance of the hearing to allow review of the new evidence. If a participant requests a continuance before the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing, the record shall remain open for at least seven days after the hearing. The “hearing will be held in accordance with the provision of the Zoning Ordinance” At each hearing, the applicant has the burden of presenting substantial evidence showing that the application meets all of the applicable criteria. Follow-

ing presentation of the staff report, the applicant and other persons in favor of the application will be allowed to address the commission, explaining how the evidence submitted meets the applicable criteria. Following the applicant’s presentation, any person in opposition to the application may present evidence and argument against the application. The applicant will then have the opportunity to rebut any evidence or arguments presented in opposition. After the presentation of evidence and arguments, the public hearing record will be either left open or closed by the Planning Commission. The Commission will then make a tentative decision to be followed by

approval of a written order and a statement of findings and conclusions supporting the decision, which will be mailed to all parties at a later date. The Commission may, at its discretion, continue the hearing from time to time at the request of the parties or on its own motion as necessary to afford substantial justice and comply with the law. Additional information about this application may be obtained from the Planning Division of the Land Development Services Department, at (503) 397-1501 or you can go to the County website www.columbiacountyor.gov/departments/ LandDevelopment/Planning. May 24, 2023 THE PLANNING COMMISSION, Dan Magnia, Chairman

Notice is hereby given that bids for the RFP: Columbia River Fire & Rescue Fire Station second floor bathroom remodel shall be received by the Columbia River Fire & Rescue until 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on June 7, 2023 it is the sole responsibility of the bidder to ensure that Bids are received by the specified date, time and at the specified location. Bids may be hand delivered or mailed to: Columbia River Fire & Rescue 270 Columbia Blvd St Helens, Oregon 97051 Attention: Jeramy Lehner, and clearly marked as: Columbia River Fire & Rescue Fire Station second floor bathroom remodel. All late Bids will be rejected. Bid opening to take place on June 8, 2023 at 2:15 pm at the Columbia River Fire & Rescue. INVITATION

TO BID

The City of Columbia River Fire & Rescue is requesting bids for the second floor bathroom remodel of the existing Fire Station located at 105 S 12 St, St Helens, OR 97051. Bids may be hand delivered or mailed to: Columbia River Fire & Rescue 270 Columbia Blvd St Helens, Oregon 97027 Attention: Jeramy Lehner, and clearly marked as: Columbia River Fire & Rescue Fire Station Remodel. Individual pre-bid site visits will be offered to contractors from May 22, 2023 – May 25, 2023. Appointments will be available during the hours of 9:30am – 2:00pm and may be scheduled by emailing Jeramy Lehner at Lehnerj@crfr.com. Description of Work: Work includes interior restroom remodel, shower room, BC dorm room, painting, flooring, fixtures and casework with limited demolition as required for new finishes. Structural alterations and limited mechanical, fire suppression, electrical or plumbing work are included. Refer to Drawings and Specifications dated January 26 2023 prepared by Robert Evenson Associates for details of Work. Columbia River Fire & Rescue intends to award the contract to a single firm. The term of the contract is anticipated to be June 19, 2023 through July 31, 2023. Qualifications: Contractor must have five or more years of successful experience as a General Contractor in the State of Oregon. Qualifications and references shall be supplied with bid. Columbia River Fire & Rescue reserves the right to evaluate, approve or reject firms on the basis of their review. All bidders and sub-contractors must be appropriately licensed and current with the Construction Contractors Board, all work on this project is required to comply with Prevailing Wage Standards. All bids must conform to the RFP format and be complete including the use of any required forms. Columbia River Fire & Rescue may accept or reject any or all bids, in whole or in part, or waive irregularities not affecting substantial rights if such action is deemed in the public interest. Columbia River Fire & Rescue and its contractors will not discriminate against any person(s), employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, political affiliation or marital status. Columbia River Fire & Rescue extends equal opportunity to all persons and specifically encourages minority, woman, and service- disabled veteran owned businesses and emerging small businesses to access and participate in this and all Columbia River Fire & Rescue projects, programs and services. Full application can be found at crfr.com/administrative.

Berry Bright Preschool celebrating 40th year

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

A lot has changed in St. Helens over the past 40 years, but one of the mainstays in the community is Berry Bright Preschool, which is celebrating its fortieth year of being open.

The preschool, which is housed in the First United Methodist Church at 560 Columbia Blvd. in St. Helens, has served generations of youngsters in St. Helens since 1983. Founder Sally Evans, who is the founder of the preschool, set out with a passion for teaching kids and wanted to start her own.

“I had wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl. I used to bring home leftover worksheets from school and have the neighbor kids be my students, and I was the teacher,” Evans said. “I went to San Diego State College and was in the School of Education when I met my hubby and chose to get married instead of finishing. I had the opportunity to teach preschool, and that’s where my journey began.”

Berry Bright is a private Christian Preschool that teaches 3-year-olds turning 4, 4 turning 5 and will be offering Kindergarten for

TAXES

From Page A1

• $64 million to address urgent water quality and infrastructure issues in communities, particularly those that are small and rural, across the state.

• $207 million to continue advancements in the state’s wildfire protection system.

• $6.3 million to open more training slots so more officers can move through the academy at the Department of Public Safety Standard and Training.

• $6.7 million to address the backlog at the Oregon Board of Parole for updating the state’s sex offender registry.

Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) released the following statement:

“We have an incredible opportunity this session to fund access to health care, stronger public schools, job training and behavioral health treatment that will improve the lives of people

5-year-olds turning 6 this fall. Berry Bright began when Evans split off from another preschool and started her own.

“There was a split from another preschool, and they needed somebody to start a new one. And I didn’t have the full degree, but I had had three years, and I said, ‘Can I try,’” Evans said.

The result has been a preschool that has served the community for almost four decades now. Evans served hundreds of kids in the community, including college star and NFL pro Derek Anderson. Evans taught for 33 years before retiring in 2015.

Enrollment in the school for this year is at about 50 kids for the year. Students come in on different days, but the class size is about 12 students per session. Current teachers Shelly Crafton and Deborah Renee Houben pride the school on giving the kids the social skills and early academics to prepare kids for their future schooling.

“A lot of it is social. We really teach them how to be in an environment with other peers, and how to act, how to be respectful of others, how to play, how to share,” Crafton said. “We get the academic in there, too, because

all across Oregon. It is critical all 30 state senators are here to have a say and vote on how we invest this money to the maximum benefit of Oregonians. Senate Republicans must return so we can seize this momentous opportunity.”

Oregon House Speaker Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) issued the following statement after the release of a healthy revenue forecast:

“We were elected to address the top issues Oregonians care about most: homelessness, behavioral health, education, community safety, and access to healthcare. Today’s revenue forecast affirms our plan to move a responsive, sustainable budget that prioritizes these key issues.

“Despite today’s forecast, we know that working families are still struggling with the lingering effects of inflation. It’s more critical than ever that we use state dollars wisely and in a way that leads to real outcomes.

“We have to stay focused on a budget that maintains existing services,

we’re doing a couple papers a day, doing some activities. But overall, for preschool, bigger than anything else, is to teach [social skills].”

Over the past few COVID-affected years, this social component has been even more critical. When the pandemic shut down the world in March of 2020, Berry Bright had to shut its doors as well, as the First United Methodist Church, where the school is housed, closed. In

and invests in housing, healthcare, good-paying jobs, and education–while at the same time, setting ourselves up well for future needs. I look forward to continuing our work to finalize a budget that responds to the priorities Oregonians sent us here to deliver on.”

Background

The Oregon Economic Forecast provides information to planners and policy makers in state agencies and private organizations for use in their decisionmaking processes.

The Oregon Revenue Forecast opens the revenue forecasting process to public review. It is the basis for much of the budgeting in state government. The forecast reports are issued four times a year: March, June, September, and December.

Read the full Oregon Revenue Forecast May 2023 with this story at thechronicleonline.com.

September of 2021, Berry Bright reopened with smaller class sizes amid the mask mandates of the early phases of post-COVID.

“Those kids that came in, they were just so excited to be around and play with other people and other kids; it was just like this excitement! But yet, they had no clue how to be around other people, you could tell,” Crafton said. “And Deb and I have since then called them

BAND

From Page A1

four trombones, five trumpets, two percussionists, a piano player, and a bass player. Their set features four songs by four different composers.

According to Freshner, their set included Invitation by Bronislau Kaper (a light swing chart that moves into an Afro-Cuban style), Goodbye My Heart by Mike Smukal (a ballad featuring one of the senior alto sax soloists Sam Kent), Late in the Quarter by Mike Dana (a New Orlean’s street beat tune with lots of soloists) and Hard Right by Bret Zvacek (an up-tempo swing chart).

Freshner said that one of the strengths of their Jazz Band this year has been their bevy of soloists. Their creativity and hard work helped get the Lions to a higher note than the competition.

“This is a special group of kids with some really strong musicians and solo-

crossword Puzzle

‘COVID kids.’ Our COVID kids are, we’re still having those kids that all they know is COVID.”

The teachers emphasized the impact that the time spent at home and away from kids their age affected children’s schooling immensely. When asked what their motivation is to continue and what has made the greatest impact on them, the teachers said it’s the connection with the kids and the families.

“It’s not just the students; it’s the families. We get to teach; we’ve had some five or six kids in a family, we get to teach every one of them,” Crafton said. “We get a really strong relationship with that family and the community.”

Each of the teachers had stories about seeing their students in public and having the joy of those kids coming up to the tune of “Hi teacher, hi teacher!” Kindergarten teacher Jani Sakultarawattn told a story of having her mailman, all grown up, still call her “Teacher Jani” more than a decade after she taught him.

Crafton began in 2002, and in her 21 years in the program, she’s already seeing generations of families. She’s now been teaching her “kids’ kids.” One of the benefits of attending Berry

Bright, according to the teachers, is the individual focus that each student receives because of their smaller class sizes compared to the public schools.

“If a student is enrolled in Berry Bright, they get a lot more one-on-one work, and relationship there is built in a different way than when they go to a public school that has a group of 30 kids,” Crafton said. “We do work really closely with the parents, and if there’s a kid that’s struggling somewhere, there’s communication with us and the parents, and we help the parents get the child grounded in wherever they’re at so they can move forward.”

At the end of the day, for the whole Berry Bright staff, their goal is to make a positive change in a kid’s life.

“I would like to think that we all impacted lives,” Evans said. “We knew the kids, we had fun with the kids, we loved the kids.”

Berry Bright is hosting an open house Wednesday, May 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enrollment is open now and will be open until the beginning of the school year.

Find community news at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of the Chronicle.

ists. Usually, we have just a couple of strong soloists, but this year we had MANY! I am so proud of them all for their hard work leading up to this moment,” Freshner said.

“I also know they wanted so much to come out on top this year. I was happy for them that they pulled it off!”

It’s been an incredible spring for St. Helens High School’s music programs as their choir Chor Leonis and the Wind Ensemble band got

cherry on top of an already delicious musical cake. For Freshner, she feels it’s the perfect goodbye for the program’s seniors.

“For this group of amazing seniors, it is a great way to go out,” Freshner said. Follow coverage of SHHS programs at thechronicleonline.com.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: OUTDOOR FUN

ACROSS

1. Bryan of “Summer Of ‘69” fame

6. Lake in Provence

9. ____ ____ good example

13. Hypotenuse/opposite side

14. Fuss, to Shakespeare

15. Pine

16. Filthy dough

17. Marxism or Taoism, e.g.

18. Skylit lobbies

19. *Outdoor repast

21. *Two-wheeling

23. Agreement word

24. *Climbing turf

25. “I wish I ____, I wish I might...”

28. Cracked by yegg

30. Cowardly color

35. Slightly (2 words)

37. Matterhorn location

39. Charles III’s ex

40. She played Carla on “Cheers” 41. Nev.’s neighbor 43. Rotisserie skewer 44. Indianapolis team 46. Underwater “nose” 47. Color of a bruise 48. Trying experience

50. “The Breakfast ____”

52. p in mph

53. Ranee’s husband 55. ____ de plume

57. *Gather berries, e.g. 60. *Water slaloming

63. Soft single in baseball

64. *Sun “kiss”

66. Beau’s and Jeff’s acting dad

68. Cut-down sailing sheep

69. How many “if by sea?”

70. Have effect

71. Gibbons, e.g.

72. Coniferous tree

73. Rejuvenate or renovate

DOWN

1. Knee-related acronym

2. Make pretty (2 words)

3. Mushroom spore sacs

4. Shawn Mendes’ 2016

hit

5. Parts of a play

6. Secular

7. Commercial break clips

8. Fast food option

9. Looking for aliens org.

10. Get bacon?

11. H.S. math class

12. All Nippon Airways, acr.

15. Rattled on

20. Writer Asimov

22. Like icee

24. Not an original

25. *Call to Polo

26. Opposite of adore

27. Triangular road sign

29. *Capture it!

31. Speech defect

32. Drink like a cat (2 words)

33. Chilled (2 words)

34. *Balloon filler

36. U.K. art gallery

38. Place for a house plant

42. Get an F

45. Serape, alt. sp.

49. Jet follower

51. Water-heating apparatus

54. Bulwark

56. Hundred Acre Wood

creator

57. Wing motion

58. Exude

59. Fish eggs, pl.

60. Winter precipitation

61. Person, place or thing

62. Swirling vortex

63. *Part of a bikini

65. Leave speechless

67. Morning condensation

Courtesy photo from Sally Evans Berry Bright founder Sally Evans stands with former pupil and NFL quarterback Derek Anderson.

Courtesy photo from Noelle Freshner St. Helens High School’s newest addition to the trophy case.

St. Helens Track and Field head to state

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

boys and girls track and field teams are sending their best to state after competing in the Cowapa League Championships. The 4A State Championships will be May 26-27 in Eugene at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. There will be six individual representatives competing in the girls division, two representatives competing in the boys state championships, and three of the four relay teams within the program. Head Coaches Neil Ford and Naomi Reedy have been thrilled with the program’s mentality and growth

best of their ability. They have worked hard, performed well under pressure, and will have fun finishing out the season,” Ford said.

“As for potential placers, we have some athletes who we’d like to see high on the podium, but I know that seeding is not the same as placing, so we won’t mention names.”

Sophomore Kallee Kester qualified for state in the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles events. Fellow sophomores Keely Scoville and Bella Meuchel will compete in the triple jump and javelin toss, respectively.

Senior Litia Miller will

have really come on at the end of the season. Coach Lujano is really getting the athletes excited about their own potential,” Ford said. “He has a good eye for the events and gets a lot from his athletes during practice sessions. It also helps that he has his old jumps coach, Pat Logan, as a volunteer coach out helping the team each week.”

The girls 4 x 400 team, made up of Lulu Prussic, Keely Scoville, Hayden Moore, Kallee Kester, Kaeley Brummer (alternate), Darcy Erickson (alternate), will also test their metal

against the state’s best.

The boys program will be represented by seniors Tyler Tolles in the 200m and Noah Vanderzanden in the 110m hurdles and 300m hurdles.

The boys 4x100, made up of Noah Hudspeth, Noah Vanderzanden, Tyler Tolles, Austin Stockwell, Cole Leader (alternate), Nathan Hammond (alternate), and boys 4x400 consisting of Nathan Hammond, Alessandro Bressan, Noah Vanderzanden, Tyler Tolles, Martin Dvorak (alternate), Gerardo Gonzales (alternate), will also represent the Lions.

Ford said that the boys and girls programs are each others’ biggest supporters and are basically just one big team.

“Our boys and girls

teams essentially function as one unit. We all support one another. The different disciplines in our programsprints, distance, and throws - have so many cross-over athletes that we don’t feel isolated from one another,” Ford said. “Many of our best athletes run and compete in field events, so there is a camaraderie and understanding built between all of our athletes.”

Ford and Reedy’s team’s success this year has come down to a collective effort by the athletes, the coaches, volunteers, and parents. All of those components have come together to help the program navigate a successful season. While each is a factor in a program’s success, Ford said that competing at this level

has been a great experience for his young team.

“Track & field is highly competitive - we have a relatively young team in terms of our experience,” Ford said. “It’s been eye-opening for the athletes competing at invitationals and the district meet. To win at this level takes commitment (speed and power help too).”

The Lions will hope they’ve saved their best runs, jumps, and throws for the biggest stage in Eugene this weekend.

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

Best of Columbia County

Courtesy photo from Naomi Reedy

Kallee Kester atop the podium as district champ in the girls 100m hurdles.

Courtesy photo from Naomi Reedy Keely Scoville was district champ in girls triple jump.