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Up in flames

ELECTION 2022

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

thechronicleonline.com

Serving Columbia County since 1881

Into the Future

City holds waterfront redevelopment groundbreaking HERB SWETT Country Media, Inc.

“Ground” was broken in a Nov. 2 ceremony to start the first major infrastructure project for the St. Helens waterfront redevelopment efforts.

The ceremony, at South 1st and St. Helens streets, marked the start of the $15.7 million Streets and Utilities Extension Project.

That intersection is the gateway to the city’s Riverfront District, and the project is intended to improve traffic flow, create safer pedestrian crossings, and install benches and other amenities.

This is a pinnacle of something we’ve been working on for many years. ~ Doug Morten, St. Helens City Council President

The project will redesign other streets and intersections, extend Cowlitz and South 1st streets onto the Riverfront property, create a plaza for pedestrians and vendors above Columbia View Park, add a trail on the west side of the Riverfront property, and extend underground utilities. It is expected to take two years to complete.

The “ground” was dirt in a backhoe, and several leaders in the

Kelli Nicholson / The Chronicle

St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl, with pickax, poses with city and other dignitaries during the waterfront groundbreaking event.

project inserted golden shovels into the dirt while Mayor Rick Scholl, standing on the pavement in front, brandished a pickax.

“This is a pinnacle of something we’ve been working on for many years,” St. Helens City Council President Doug Morten said right after the ceremony. Once it starts, the momentum builds.

There has been a vision ever since Boise Veneer sold the property.”

St. Helens Public Works Director Mouhamad Zaher calls the waterfront redevelopment, “a game-changer,” transformer the community in three major areas:

• Infrastructure • Transportation • Livability Aging infrastructure will be addressed by upgrading our water and sewer systems, in addition to installing a new pump station,” Zaher said. “The safety of pedestrians and commuters will be enhanced by redesigning intersections and sidewalks and improving rightsof-way. We are connecting and enhancing the community’s access to the St. Helens waterfront through a safe and innovative engineering design.”

The Chronicle also reached out to local business operators and employees for their reaction to the waterfront redevelopment.

“I’m really excited to how this turns out,” Red Eye Zing Art owner Dana Lathrope said. “I think it will increase the beauty of the district and accessibility to the downtown.”

“I think it’ll be great when it’s done, as long as they put adequate parking down here,” Columbia County Bistro owner Kayleith Stano said.

Jason Morris, trainer, at North Lake Physical Therapy and Reha-

bilitation, said it offers St. Helens a new opportunity.

“I think it offers an opportunity to become a self-sufficient city,” Morris said. “Communication seems to be a barrier along the way, and that might be unknown in the early phase.”

Columbia County Economic Team Executive Director Paul Vogel said the City of St. Helens leadership has been very intentional, open, and transparent about the downtown and waterfront master planning.

“This first phase is a long time coming, with a lot of valuable input from citizens and experts alike,” Vogel said. “This first phase will provide the canvas upon which private investment can paint a robust mix of retail, commercial, and residential uses – all framed in the context of an historical district with wonderful public access to one of our most treasured assets, the Columbia River. The most important priority is to develop a community “place” that local residents love, and love to be. What attracts and excites locals will attract and excite visitors, adding greater tourism and hospitality to a balanced and productive economy.”

The projects The Streets and Utilities Extension Project is part of the city’s efforts to redevelop 275 acres of

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See WATERFRONT Page A3

Compliance with mooring time limits improves in St. Helens HERB SWETT Country Media, Inc.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

The changes at the city docks are a response to community concerns.

Efforts by the City of St. Helens to step up enforcement at the docks along the Columbia River appear to be working.

Adherence to mooring time limits at St. Helens city docks has improved greatly since the City Council set new limits in July, city Communications Officer Crystal King told The Chronicle.

“Approximately three to four boats have been tagged to be closed since the new rules were adopted,” King said, “but they were moved by the boat operators prior to the scheduled tow date.”

The City of St. Helens owns the main docks adjacent to Columbia View Park and accessed from the ramp in the park and the Sand Island docks located on Sand Island.

In 2021, The St. Helens City Council began exploring ways to manage and enforce the moorage rules at the city docks after receiving numerous complaints from the

community regarding transient boaters overstaying the time limitations In July of this year, the city released a statement about increasing enforcement at the docks.

In July of this year, the city released a statement about increasing enforcement at the docks.

“The City of St. Helens wants its docks to be a welcoming, safe, and family-friendly destination for responsible boaters visiting the St. Helens community,” the statement reads in part. See the full statement attached.

The council created a Responsible Boating Ad Hoc Advisory Committee and on the committee’s recommendations adopted the following: • Updates to municipal code provisions that vessels must be licensed, registered, and insured to use the docks. Updates include clear conduct expectations and provisions for excluding vessels and removing abandoned or derelict vessels.

• Installing cameras at the docks to monitor compliance and stream a live feed to the city’s website stating conditions and availability.

• Installing a registration kiosk for boaters. Dock use is available for $15 a day, and boaters may use the docks for 72 hours in any 14-day period. Power and water are available for $10 per day.

• A harbormaster to oversee dock use and be available to educate visitors.

• Increased enforcement at the docks, on city waterways, and at Sand Island.

King said the city will continue to coordinate with the harbormaster program and implement training for public officials to ensure that the docks remain a welcoming place.

The city is also working with the Oregon State Marine Board to make further improvements to dock infrastructure, she said.

Herb Swett may be reached at chronicle1@countrymedia.net.

$48.4M to help low-income pay heating costs STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Oregon will receive $48.4 million in funding to help low-income families and individuals pay for home heating costs this winter and

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Vol. 140, No. 45

cover unpaid utility bills.

The funding will be delivered through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), and includes support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and extra funding passed by Congress to address rising energy costs in 2023.

In addition to covering home heating costs and unpaid utility bills, the funds awarded to Oregon will help families make cost-effective home energy repairs to lower their heating and cooling bills.

“Keeping homes warm in the winter is essential to the wellbeing of Oregonians,” Oregon U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said. “Many prices have increased and so has financial pressure for many families and individuals. I am grateful that Oregon will receive extra funding to help low-income households cover energy costs. No one should have to choose between paying their utility bill and other necessities like food or rent.”

“It is unconscionable that families should be forced to ration their essential utilities, especially during seasons of extreme heat or cold,” Oregon U. S. Congressman Peter DeFazio said. “This funding, made possible in part by my bipartisan

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Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will help Oregon families mitigate rising costs and ensure their homes and families are protected this winter.”

“Low-income energy and heating assistance funding is vital for thousands of Oregonians,” Oregon U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer said. “The Biden Administration understands this. For people who are struggling with higher prices for gas and groceries, having extra help with winter heating bills this year is crucial. I appreciate the

timely delivery of these funds so that families can keep their lights on and homes warm this winter.”

“With snow already having fallen here in parts of Oregon and a cold snap in the forecast, this extra help for vulnerable Oregonians to cover home heating costs is timely and important,” Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said. “I’m gratified our state has secured this assistance for Oregonians walking an economic tightrope. And I’ll keep battling to provide all the assistance that low-income Oregon

households need to stay safe this winter throughout our state.”

“As so many Oregonians face rising costs for basic goods and tighter household budgets, it’s critical that we ensure everyone is able to keep their heating on this winter,” Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley saiod. “This crucial federal funding for energy and heating assistance will help give households across Oregon the financial support they need to stay warm and safe in the cold months ahead.”

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at: 1-866674-6327.

A fact sheet about 2023 LIHEAP funds for Oregon from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be found at: https://liheapch.acf.hhs. gov/search-tool/ Throughout the pandemic, Bonamici said, she led her colleagues in efforts to strengthen LIHEAP to prevent debts from piling up during the public health crisis. Bonamici also serves as chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over LIHEAP.

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Fire training includes big flames, intense heat

Courtesy photo from CRFR

CRFR crew members work as a team at the practice burn.

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

The latest training for the members of Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) should help best prepare the firefighters for intense fire emergencies.

A team of CRFR volunteer firefighters conducted multiple training exercises Saturday, Nov. 5, to fulfill requirements, obtain certifications, and hone their skills in fire attack, hose deployment, and team building.

The fire exercises took place the training facility at

Courtesy photo from CRFR

Courtesy photo from CRFR

The CRFR team moves in to extinguish the blaze.

The large container is fully engulfed in fire during the training.

McNulty Way in St. Helens.

“Our volunteers are an integral part of our fire district, augmenting our career staff and providing excellent service to our community,” a CRFR Facebook post states. “Our members are your friends, neighbors, and citizens that choose to help our community

the art of firefighting.

“If you’ve ever considered being a volunteer for a fire district here in Columbia county please reach out to your respective districts and come join us for a ride along,” the post reads. “See if this is something you would like to participate in, stop by a

by sacrificing a portion of their personal time to ensure we have the resources available to respond to any emergency in our fire district and neighboring communities.”

The post also recognized the volunteers’ commitment to the fire district, sacrificing their personal time to train in

fire station and ask to speak to our recruit and retention coordinator or one of the chief officers.”

The CRFR District continues to seek community members as volunteers at any of the eight stations in St. Helens, Columbia City, Deer Island, Goble, and Rainier.

Family dog perishes in fire that destroys local barn STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) responded to the report of a barn on fire in the area of 61000 Gensman Road in St. Helens at approximately 5:51 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3.

As the CRFR crews arrived at the scene they found the pole barn structure fully

engulfed with fire and immediately began suppression efforts. Firefighters from the CRFR Fairgrounds station, St. Helens station and the Rainier station responded to the scene.

The property is a multifamily property, with two travel trailers on site and a loft style living space inside the pole barn, according to CRFR. “The family was living

here while their home is under construction,” CRFR stated. “Thankfully everyone made it out of the structure safely and there were no injuries reported. However, the family dog, named Chip, is believed to have perished inside the building.”

Red Cross assistance was offered to the family. Scappoose Fire assisted with the fire investigation to determine the cause and the origin

of the fire. The specific cause of the blaze and damage estimates were not available at press time. CRFR stated that the pole barn is a total loss.

“We want to thank Scappoose Fire for helping us with medical calls while we were on scene as well as the fire investigation support and Columbia River PUD, who also responded to the incident to provide assistance,” CRFR said.

Fire destroyed this barn on Gensman Road.

Courtesy from CRFR

New Oregon research to ease plastic waste STEVE LUNDEBERG Chronicle Guest Article

Researchers including an Oregon State University College of Engineering faculty member have taken a key step toward greatly expanding the range of plastics that can be recycled.

The findings, published today in Science, are important because plastic waste is a massive problem both globally and in the United States, where only about 5% of used plastic is recycled, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which led the study.

Packaging materials, containers and other discarded items are filling up landfills and littering the environment at a pace so rapid that scientists estimate by 2050 the ocean will have more plastic by weight than fish, according to NREL. A collaboration led by NREL’s Gregg Beckham and including Lucas Ellis, an OSU researcher who was an NREL postdoctoral fellow during the project, combined chemical and biological processes in a proof of concept to “valorize” mixed plastic waste. Valorize means to enhance the value of something.

The research builds on the use of chemical oxidation to break down a variety of plastic types, a method pioneered a decade ago by chemical industry giant DuPont.

“We developed a technology that used oxygen and catalysts to break down plastics into smaller, biologically friendly chemical building blocks,” said Ellis, an assistant professor of chemical engineering. “From there we used a biologically engineered soil microbe capable of consuming and ‘funneling’ those building blocks into either a biopolymer or a component for advanced nylon production.”

Beckham, a senior research fellow at NREL and the head of the BioOptimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment Consortium – known as BOTTLE – said the work provides a “potential entry point into processing plastics that cannot be recycled at all today.”

Current recycling technologies can only operate effectively if the plastic inputs are clean and separated by type, Beckham explains.

Plastics can be made from different polymers, each with its own unique chemical building blocks.

When polymer chemistries

are mixed in a collection bin, or formulated together in certain products like multilayer packaging, recycling becomes expensive and nearly impossible because the polymers often have to be separated before they can be recycled.

“Our work has resulted in a process that can convert mixed plastics to a single chemical product,” Ellis said. “In other words, it is a technology that recyclers could use without the task of sorting plastics by type.”

Researchers applied the process to a mix of three common plastics: polystyrene, used in disposable coffee cups; polyethylene terephthalate, the basis for carpets, polyester clothing and single-use beverage bottles; and high-density polyethylene, used in milk jugs and many other consumer plastics.

The oxidation process broke down the plastics into a mixture of compounds including benzoic acid, terephthalic acid and dicarboxylic acids that, in the absence of the engineered soil microbe, would require advanced and costly separations to yield pure products.

The researchers engineered the microbe, Pseudomonas putida, to biologically funnel the mixture into one of two products – polyhydroxyalkanoates, an emerging form of biodegradable bioplastics, and beta-ketoadipate, which can be used in the manufacture of performance-advantaged nylon.

Trying the process with

other types of plastics including polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride will be the focus of upcoming work, the researchers said.

“The chemical catalysis process we have used is just a way of accelerating a process that occurs naturally, so instead of degrading over several hundred years, you can break down these plastics in hours or minutes,” said co-author Kevin Sullivan, a postdoctoral researcher at

NREL. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Bioenergy Technologies Office, and the work was performed as part of the BOTTLE Consortium.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Oak Ridge National Laboratory also took part in the study.

NREL is the U.S. Depart-

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Columbia County’s trusted local news source

ment of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. It is operated for the department by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. Steve Lundeberg is a researcher and writer for Oregon State University Relations and Marketing.

He may be reached at steve. lundeberg@oregonstate.edu.

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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Caution urged in getting rid of yard debris The Oregon Department of Forestry and other fire prevention experts urge the public to exercise caution when disposing of yard debris this fall.

With the end of fire season, many Oregonians have debris piles ready to be disposed of that cured over the summer. Preferable options for removal, aside from burning, include composting or recycling. Check with your local disposal company for recycling options.

If burning now is the only option to dispose of yard debris, fire prevention specialists ask people to follow safe burning practices.

The following tips can help stop runaway burn piles: Call before you burn – Burning regulations vary by location depending on the weather and fuel condi-

WATERFRONT From Page A1 waterfront property along the Columbia River. After longtime ownership by mills, two of the properties were vacant and fenced off from community access when the mills closed in the early 2000s and remained under private ownership.

Seeing potential for redevelopment, the city bought the two properties in 2015.

They are the 24-acre former Boise Veneer Mill site and the 204-acre former Boise paper mill site. Along with the 50-acre city’s wastewater treatment plant property, which is between the mill sites, they make up the Waterfront Redevelopment

tions. If you are planning to burn, check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry district, fire protective association, fire department, or air protection authority to learn about current burning restrictions or regulations, and if you need a permit.

during the burning process.

When finished, drown the pile with water, stir the coals, and drown again, repeating until the fire is out cold.

Stay with the fire until it is out cold – State laws requires monitoring of debris burn piles from start to finish until it is out cold.

This law is intended to ensure sparks or embers that jump from the fire can be put out quickly.

Know the weather – Burn early in the day and never burn on dry or windy days, because fires can spread out of control more easily.

Clear a 10-foot fuel-free buffer around the pile – Scrape a 10-foot trail down to mineral soil around the perimeter of the pile to keep the fire contained in one place. Make sure there are no tree branches or power lines above.

Keep burn piles small – Large burn piles can cast Project.

The city has selected Moore Excavation, Inc., as the contractor for the first phase of the Streets and Utilities Extension Project.

There are three key areas of the waterfront redevelopment project. From north to south, they are the 24-acre Riverfront Property, the 50-acre Central Waterfront Property, and the 204-acre St. Helens Industrial Business Park.

On the Riverfront Property, the city is working on two major projects, the Riverwalk Project and the Streets and Utilities Extension Project. The Riverwalk Project will expand Columbia View Park, design and construct a new stage for the park amphitheater, and design and start partial con-

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Preferable options for removal, aside from burning, include composting or recycling. Check with your local disposal company for recycling options.

hot embers long distances.

Keep piles small, maximum of four feet by four feet.

Add debris to the pile in small amounts as the pile burns.

Always have water and fire tools nearby – When burning, have a charged water hose, and shovel on hand to put out the fire. Keep the area around the pile damp

Kelli Nicholson / The Chronicle

Recheck burn piles.

They can retain heat for several weeks and restart when the weather warms up and winds blow.

Never use gasoline or other flammable or combustible liquids to start or speed up your fire.

Burn only yard debris –

State laws prohibit burning materials or trash that create dense smoke or noxious odors.

Costs of runaway debris burns– State law requires the proper clearing, building, attending and extinguishing of open fires all year. If your debris burn spreads out of control, you may have to pay for suppression costs, as well as the damage to your neighbors’ properties. This can be extremely expensive.

More tips on wildfire prevention, including campfire safety, motorized equipment use, and fireresistant landscaping can be found on the Keep Oregon Green website. Find public use restrictions for Oregon Department of Forestry protected lands before your burn.

Kelli Nicholson / The Chronicle

Buttons and information cards were handed out at the ceremony.

Gold shovels and a pickax were used in the ceremonial groundbreaking.

struction of a walk that will run from Columbia View Park to Plymouth Street and Nob Hill Nature Park. Construction is expected to start in late 2023.

The Streets and Utilities Extension Project

additional amenities, and increase opportunity for economic development. The city recently received nearly $1.4 million in federal and state funding to continue studying redevelopment possibilities.

For the St. Helens Industrial Business Park, the focus is on attracting industrial and commercial businesses. The intention is to add living-wage jobs, increase the tax base, and spur economic development.

In 2020, the city completed a parcelization plan and an infrastructure funding plan

will include creating safe pedestrian connections, ample on-street parking, landscaped seating, interpretive and wayfinding signage, and more visible crosswalks.

Construction is planned to start this month. The city is considering working with a private developer to construct mixed-use development there.

For the Central Waterfront property, the city is evaluating options for repurposing all or part of the site to expand community access to the waterfront, provide

for dividing this large parcel into smaller properties for multiple industrial users.

The city has established detailed information about the St. Helens waterfront redevelopment at sthelensoregon.gov/waterfront.

Follow the waterfront redevelopment at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

Herb Swett may be reached at chronicle1@ countrymedia.net.

Position: Patient Care Coordinator Position Summary:

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About Us and Who We Want to Join Our Team:

Healthy Smiles of Scappoose is a fixture of the local community. We have been serving patients for over 50 years throughout the area. Our patients know us, and we know them. We are recognized as the go-to family dental practice because of our loyal team and our commitment to health.

Due to growth and expansion, as well as retirement of one of our long-term employees, we are looking for a Patient Care Coordinator to join our cohesive team. This is a full-time position (4 days/week, ~32 hours/week) working Monday through Thursday.

We have long-term employees at our practice. The newest hire has been here for 3 years. Some of our employees have worked for us for decades. This demonstrates our commitment to our employees. This is not just “a job” but rather a livelihood. We are committed to employee appreciation, kindness, understanding, and a positive mindset.

Our overriding goal is to first find a person who will enjoy being a member of our team, both as part of the organization as a whole and specifically with our incredible team of dental professionals. Characteristics that we are looking for include: • Team collaborative outlook, • Patient-centric and solutions/problem solving approach, • Fun-natured and a sense of humor, • Good communication skills (written and verbal), • Self-motivated attitude, • A desire to make a difference We are committed to each employee’s success. As such, we invest time, energy, and money in onboarding and training to ensure competency and confidence with the type and kind of patients we serve. This, combined with your qualifications, represents a winning formula for long-term professional success.

Additional Information:

Our practice offers a relaxed work environment, places a high value on work/life balance, and located in Scappoose.

This position offers an excellent benefit package that includes: PTO, paid holidays, medical insurance, dental services for you and your immediate family, and a retirement plan. Starting salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

If you believe this opportunity represents a fit for you, please send a cover letter and an up-to-date resume to: jessica@healthysmilesofscappoose.com

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Opinion

Viewpoints

Service, sacrifices of Korean War Veteran generation KELLY FITZPATRICK Chronicle Guest Column

Kelly Fitzpatrick

Courtesy photo

Each year, our nation sets aside Veterans Day to remember all the men and women who have defended our liberty through their honorable military service.

American cities big and small celebrate with ceremonies across the nation to honor their service and their sacrifice.

Celebrations return in full strength We are proud to note that even in the wake of devastating and destabilizing world events like the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations that honor our nation’s veterans were among the first to return to full strength. The value that we as Oregonians and Americans place on honoring and showing gratitude toward those who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms and way of life is immense.

This year, while the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs continues to honor all veterans of all eras, we are paying tribute to one particular era of our veteran community: Oregon’s Korean War veterans. Though this war it is referred to as the “Forgotten War,” we in Oregon have never — and will never — forget the extraordinary and heroic veterans who fought for freedom in the Korean War. This theme has a personal significance for me. My father fought as a Marine during the Korean War, where he earned the Purple Heart.

After I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army and asked for my first tour of duty to be in South Korea, my father shared the only thing he ever said to me about his combat experiences there. He half-joked that if I ever traveled near the DMZ, I would surely see his fingernails where he desperately attempted to dig a deeper foxhole as enemy artillery rained down on his Marine unit.

Of course, my own experience of being stationed in the Republic of Korea was vastly different, thanks to those courageous men and women who fought during the Korean War. In fact, I enjoyed my first tour in Daegu so much that several years later, I served a two-year tour in Korea. The Korean people are wonderfully gracious and kind. Whenever I was in uniform outside the military base, older Koreans who remembered the war would

sometimes approach me and thank me as a representative of the American military.

By the numbers In 1950, our nation was weary of war after years of global conflict. Yet, 1.5 million Americans — including 60,000 Oregonians — left their family and friends and their homes to help defend our nation’s friends and allies halfway around the world, in a place they had never been and on behalf of a people they had never met.

Together with men and women from 20 other nations, they joined shoulder to shoulder with the brave people of South Korea to defend their independence, to safeguard other Asian nations, and to protect the freedom that remains our greatest gift. All those who fought in the Korean War endured terrible hardships — deadly cold, unbearable conditions, an enemy of overwhelming numbers, the threat of brutal imprisonment and torture.

But their courage never wavered — not when they were defending the perimeter at Busan, braving the tides at Inchon, confronting the world’s fastest fighter jets in Mig Alley, enduring hand-tohand combat on Heartbreak Ridge and Pork Chop Hill, or even fighting their way back from the infamous Chosin Reservoir.

Honor flight In September of this year, I had the privilege of

speaking at an Honor Flight of Portland, Oregon, send-off event for 24 honored veterans — 19 of whom served in the Korean War. It was an honor to meet them, shake their hands, hear some of their stories, and wish them well as they prepared to fly across the country to visit the fabulous memorials built in our nation’s capital to honor and remember their service and sacrifice. They set a standard of valor and perseverance that may be equaled but will never be surpassed in the annals of American history.

The men and women who served in the Korean War set themselves apart not only by their courage and sacrifice, but by their unity and dedication to one another. It was just before the Korean War, in 1948, that President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 — abolishing discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in the United States Armed Forces.

When war broke out in 1950, our country — for the first time in its history — entered the fray with a fully integrated and desegregated military. These proud service members of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds joined the people of 20 other nations and South Korea to fight this war.

Korean augmentees Earlier this year, we also observe the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Augmentees to the US Army (KATUSA)

program. It was started as a spoken agreement between President Syngman Rhee and U.S. General Douglas MacArthur. At that time, the U.S. Army needed a military force that had the proper knowledge of the geography of Korea, and the abilities to distinguish South Korean allied troops from North Korean enemy troops and communicate better between U.S. soldiers and Korean soldiers. Therefore, some men were drafted as KATUSAs, and others voluntarily applied. After training, they were assigned to U.S. military units. During the Korean War, nearly 44,000 KATUSA soldiers fought for South Korea with U.S. forces. They, too, are heroes, and we honor them today.

This program continued after the Korean War, and KATUSA soldiers would spend 18-months with the U.S. Army learning an occupation and would then return to the ROK Army to train others. The program remains active today, and is a symbol of the ongoing friendship and mutual commitment between the Republic of Korea and the U.S. I was fortunate to have KATUSA soldiers in my organization during both of my tours in Korea. They were among the most dedicated soldiers I have had the honor of serving with.

Finally, on this day, we remember and give thanks for the 40,000 Americans who paid the ultimate price in the fight for freedom and

independence during the Korean War. Among their number were nearly 300 Oregonians whose names are inscribed on the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville. Similarly, we give thanks for the more than 11,000 KATUSAs who went missing or were killed in action.

Better place The world is a better place because of these men and women. Our duty as a nation and people is to remember and honor them, and to always strive to live up to the ideals for which they served and sacrificed.

Please consider joining me and ODVA for our Oregon Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony, which will take place at 11 a.m. Nov. 10 — the day before Veterans Day — at Oregon Capitol Mall, directly across from the front entrance of the Capitol Building.

The event is free and open to the public. It will also be livestreamed on ODVA’s Facebook page at facebook. com/odvavet.

Kelly Fitzpatrick is the director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Governor Kate Brown’s policy advisor on veterans’ issues. She is a retired Army officer. Her military awards and decorations include multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Army Parachutist Badge.

Housing supply in rural Oregon gets a boost amid pandemic ANDREA BELL AND CLAIRE HALL Chronicle Guest Column

More than three years ago, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) set out to expand the supply of quality housing in communities across Oregon with ambitious goals introduced in our five-year Statewide Housing Plan.

It was the first time the state had a strategic, statewide plan for addressing the housing shortage. One of the plan’s goals was to increase housing in rural Oregon by 75%. Achieving this milestone required OHCS to center rural voices and leadership.

Surpassing goal More than a year ahead of schedule, OHCS surpassed the goal of 2,500 homes.

Rural housing leaders and OHCS created 3,612 affordable housing units in rural areas. That’s a 148% increase from the 1,454 homes funded in the prior five-year period.

This is the ingenuity and creativity of rural communities at work.

This means that 3,612 families and individuals will get keys to quality, stable and affordable homes. The number of people who spend more than 30% of their wages toward rent is extremely high in rural areas. Some of these communities have not seen new housing supply in decades and the housing shortage was worsened by the pandemic.

In an environment where housing options are not only scarce but also declining, developing new relationships, and fostering existing ones was key to boosting the

housing supply. Each new home represents the collective labor and commitment of Gov. Kate Brown; the Oregon Legislature; community partners; Tribes; federal, state and local agencies; developers; local businesses; and local communities.

Actions taken These are some actions taken to ensure quality and affordable housing is available to everyone in our rural communities.

• OHCS prioritized strengthening relationships with developers statewide to build more homes in rural towns. This has been done both through setting aside resources specifically to fund projects in rural areas as well as through “scattered site” development. In scattered site development, affordable housing projects are built in an urban area and a rural area by the same developer, who submits a joint application for funding.

• During outreach events, communities voiced the need for permanent supportive housing (PSH). This type of affordable housing connects people experiencing chronic homelessness with additional support services to help them stay stably housed. OHCS has funded 1,255 new permanent supportive homes, surpassing the 1,000-home goal.

Two projects from rural Clatsop County were intentionally selected to participate in the 2022 Oregon Supportive Housing Institute. The PSH projects will serve and house seniors and persons living with serious and persistent mental illness and substance abuse disorder in Astoria.

• Looking forward, OHCS is planning to launch

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additional programs with a rural focus, including the American Rescue Plan’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program resources to create housing for those who are experiencing homelessness.

• In order to support rural capacity building better, OHCS has begun the rules change process to ensure that Tribes in Oregon and local government entities in rural areas can apply for and receive General Housing Account Program (GHAP) Capacity Building funds.

• OHCS extended and bolstered the 2021 NW Rural Preservation Academy contract with Enterprise Community Partners in response to significant staffing losses experienced by participant organizations and subsequent training and technical assistance needs.

• In the GHAP Capacity Building program, OHCS has prioritized addressing the needs of rural communities and rural affordable rental housing developers and operators in upcoming capacity building grants and activities.

It is urgent to keep the momentum going and continue to introduce innovative solutions to build quality housing in every corner of our state. The goals of the next Statewide Housing Plan will require us to dig deeper into capacity building, partnerships, and deliberate resource investment to further meet the critical need for housing the people of rural Oregon.

Andrea Bell is the director of Oregon Housing and Community Services and Claire Hall is the chair of the Oregon and Oregon Housing Stability Council.

Last Week’s Results Have you sent in or dropped off your mail-in ballot for the Nov. 8 General Election?

Yes 60.9% No 39.1%

Vote online at thechronicleonline.com Columbia County’s trusted local news source

The Chronicle The Chronicle (USPS 610-380) is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. 1805 S. Columbia Blvd., P.O. Box 1153 St. Helens, Oregon 97051 Periodicals postage paid at St. Helens, OR 97051 Joe Warren Publisher

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chronicle PO Box 1153 St. Helens, OR 97051-8153

Jeremy C. Ruark Regional Executive Editor

Kelli Nicholson Office Manager

Herb Swett Reporter

James Yang Creative Director

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One month in county: $8 One month out of county: $10 One year in county: $60 One year out of county: $80 Jon Campbell Advertising Sales Jon Lowrance Driver

CONTACT US • Phone: (503) 397-0116 • Fax: (503) 397-4093 Website: www.thechronicleonline.com • Editorial: chroniclenews@countrymedia.net ADVERTISE WITH US: Display ads: chronicleads@countrymedia.net Classified ads: chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net FOLLOW US • facebook.com/sthelenschronicle or twitter.com/shchronicle Editorial policy: Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chronicle views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

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We may edit your letter for style, grammar and clarity, although we do as little editing as possible. If you don’t want your letter printed under those conditions, just let us know.

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lists of people, organizations and businesses. Letters received after noon on Friday may not be in time for the following Wednesday’s paper.

To verify authenticity, all letters must be signed and include your address and daytime phone number. We won’t print your street address or phone number (just your city of residence). Submissions may be emailed to chroniclenews@countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office.

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.

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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Crossword Solution

Obituaries

Solution for the Nov. 2, 2022 crossword puzzle

Richard Martin Holmason Jr. March 21, 1962 ~ Nov. 4, 2022

Richard Martin Holmason Jr., best known as Marty, was born March 21, 1962 at the St. Helens Hospital and after a nine month battle with cancer, he died Nov. 4, 2022 with his wife and daughters by his side. Marty grew up on Sauvie Island and later lived in St. Helens, Oregon.

He went on to raise his family there. Marty attended high school at St. Helens High School and he was then best known as the salesman and GM at Mt. View/Emmert Motors for over 20 years. He later followed his dreams of opening his own car dealership of MAPS Auto Center, with his wife, Laurie. The last few years he had enjoyed his time driving trucks at TFT Construction.

Marty was married to his wife Laurie for 28 years and shared four beautiful children that made him a Papa with thirteen grandchildren, that he absolutely adored.

Marty and Laurie always worked hard but found the time to travel to their favorite destinations throughout all the years together from a variety of places such as Mexico, Jamaica, Arizona,

Hawaii, California and many more.

Marty spent most of his adulthood at the racetrack.

He started racing in the early 90’s and continued as either a driver, crew chief, car owner or your biggest fan until the day he passed.

He was known as Marty McFly and raced a variety of cars from street stocks, sportsman, modifieds and then his beloved dwarf cars.

You could catch him pacing the track cheering for his boys and rubbing those hands together almost every Saturday night. His love for racing was contagious, and

he inspired so many people, including his son Bobby, his daughter Jenae, his sons-inlaw, and even his grandson Chase. He especially loved traveling throughout the western states chasing the checkered and hanging with his McFly racing family.

Throughout the rest of the week, you could catch him checking the scores to all the games going on and keeping in touch with his son Brian, deciding who was going to win, who was going to be over or under and was always glued into it! He could tell you who was going to win until his very last final weeks and most of the time he was spot on!

Marty is survived by his wife Laurie; parents, Dick and Julie Holmason, mother Jennie Brown; brothers, Tim Holmason and Jason Schnoor; and sister Christy Lazz.

He leaves behind his legacy to be passed on by his son Brian Holmason; daughters, Heather Yates and Jenae Brinster; sons-in-law, Kyle Yates Sr., James Brinster, Kyle Frelich; daughter-inlaw Jodi Holmason; along

with his grandchildren, AveriAnn Morley, Kyle Yates Jr., Allyson Morley, Alyssa Yates, Kaelynn Holmason, Karley Holmason, Brooklyn Yates, Chase Frelich, Kenzie Holmason, Ryland Yates, Oaklee Morley, Kamden Holmason, and Addelynn Brinster; and an abundance of extended family that he adopted along the way.

He is preceded in death by his son Bobby Morley; his nephew John Holmason; as well as grandparents.

Gone too soon from those he loved, but death leaves a heartache no one can heal, and love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Marty’s celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Nov. 11, 2022, at the Warren Community Fellowship. He will then be laid to rest at Columbia Memorial Gardens near his son and nephew. Reception to follow at Warren Community Fellowship.

Donations can be made in his name to the St. Helens Toy & Joy because of his love of children in need and playing Santa. Please sign our online guestbook at www.columbiafh.com.

William W. Coy

WARREN GRANGE BREAKFAST

Oct. 16, 1934 ~ Oct. 28, 2022

Saturday Nov. 12 2022, 7:30 am - 10:30 am

A memorial service for William W. Coy of St. Helens, was held at 2 p.m. on Tues., Nov. 1, 2022, at Yankton Community Fellowship.

Mr. Coy died Oct. 28, 2022, at the age of 88.

He was born Oct. 16, 1934, in Fort Collins, Colorado, and moved to the local area in 1952. He was an

$10.00

Pancakes, sausage & eggs, OR Biscuit and Gravy w/sausage & eggs

Kids under 10: $5.00

Pancakes, sausage and eggs At Fairgrounds 4-H Building Space donated by Columbia Funeral Home • Serving Columbia County since the early 1900’s • 503-397-1154

employee at Boise Cascade paper mill, where he retired after 42 years of service.

He is survived by his sons, Mike Coy and wife Teresa of St. Helens, and Chris Coy and wife Brenda of Goble; brother, Dave Coy and wife Jean of Columbia City; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in

death by his father and mother, Arthur and Dorothy Coy; son Steven Coy; daughter Karen Coy; wife Barbara Coy; and brother Virgil Coy. A viewing will be held from noon to 3 p.m., Nov. 3, 2022 at Columbia Funeral Home in St. Helens. Please sign our online guestbook at www.columbiafh.com.

Daniel Monroe Ferguson March 14, 1933 ~ Aug. 13, 2022

Sat. Nov. 12th 9am-3pm

HOLIDAY BAZAAR & BAKE SALE

St. Helens Bible Church 35031 Millard rd.

Festive fun for your holiday shopping!

Hot lunch available for purchase.

Proceeds from table sales & baked goods go to holiday food boxes for those in need.

Daniel Monroe Ferguson “Danny” was born March 14, 1933. He passed away Aug. 13, 2022 with his loved ones by his side, at his home in Scappoose, after a brief hospital stay.

He was born in Portland to Gladys and William Ferguson, however, he and his sister were raised by their grandparents, Lulu and Thaddeus Glass and Aunt Irene, after losing their mother when Danny was 10 months old. He grew up in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood and graduated from Peninsula Grade School in 1947 and Benson High School in 1952. He loved to swim and spent summers at the Columbia Park pool, building forts, putting on comic strip shows which he projected and charged buttons to other neighborhood kids for admission.

He went to work for

Bonneville Power Administration right out of high school and worked there for the next 37 years (this included his two-year military service at the Presidio of San Francisco).

He married his wife Susan on July 20, 1963. They had two daughters, Keri born in 1966 and Heather two years later. He built their family home in North Portland

where they lived until moving to Scappoose in 1972.

They divorced on Jan. 4, 1982.

He kept busy after his retirement in 1989, at age 56, by serving a stint as photographer for the Scappoose Spotlight, creating logos/ signs under the name Penguin Graphics, and driving seniors to various destinations in the Scappoose Senior Center’s van as a volunteer. He put a lot of labor into landscaping his garden and put the carpentry skills learned at Benson High School to good use in remodeling his Scappoose home. He was a very creative person who loved music, photography, and art, especially design and calligraphy. He fueled this interest by taking several Portland Art Museum classes.

In 2003, his sister Lurene introduced him to his soon to be longtime partner, Liz

Detsch, and they spent the next nearly 20 years happily doing projects, traveling, enjoying their families and generally having the time of their life.

All his life he had an affinity for animals, especially dogs, and always had at least one. The latest being his beloved Longhaired Chihuahuas’ Rosie, Teddy and Bear.

Everyone who knew Danny loved his gentle, kind, softspoken way. He is hugely missed and will be in our hearts forever.

In addition to his parents, Danny was predeceased by his sister Lurene, who died earlier this year.

He leaves behind daughters, Keri and Heather; partner Liz; two granddaughters; and three grandsons.

There will be a celebration of his life with family and friends in midsummer 2023.

Community Events November 9 NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Columbia County Support Group Meeting 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Jordan Center, 297 South 1st Street in St. Helens. Group focus is on selfcare for those who have a loved one with mental illness. Offering Support, education, and advocacy to make lives better. For more information contact Judy Thompson at 503-397-6056.

November 11 Veterans Day Memorial Starts at 10:50 a.m. Limited seating reserved for people who will need it. Ceremony will last about 35-40 minutes.

Located at VFW Veterans Memorial at McCormick Park in St. Helens. Please call 503-3690873 with questions. This is the first event to be held in three years.

Our tomorrows are brighter because of your courage.

Thank you Veterans

The Chronicle 503-397-0116 • thechronicleonline.com 1805 Columbia Blvd. St. Helens, OR 97051

November 12 Honoring Local Veterans The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) will honor our local veterans. On display will be over 100 photos of local veterans, war memorabilia, and uniforms from every branch of service. There will also be snapshots of scenes from World War II and The Vietnam War and also a video playing continually during the day.

ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W. B Street in Rainier, Oregon. Use the side entrance and take the elevator

to the third floor.

November 12 Arts & Crafts Faire The 48th Annual Arts & Crafts Faire from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 35350 E. Division Road off Highway 30 in St. Helens. This faire features unique handcrafted items and a bake table with cookies, pies, breads and more.

November 12 Autumn Bazaar hosted by Mizpah OES The Autumn Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Columbia County Shrine Center, 315 N. 18th Street in St. Helens.

November 12 and 13 Caples House Museum Big Holiday Bazaar The Caples House Museum Holiday Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1925 First Street in Columbia City. Two floors and a porch of vendors. Food available for purchase. On Sunday, there will be a wine tasting of wines

by Dauntless Wines. Wines made by Veterans! Profits go to them. 503-397-5390.

November 15 Fireside Chat Historian Brandon Sundeen with a presentation about philanthropist John Gumm at the Caples House, located at 1925 1st Street in Columbia City.

Cost is $5. For more details, call 503-397-5390.

November 16 Community Gathering for Crystal Heil’s Battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Helens Elks Lodge 350 Belton Road in St. Helens. Fundraiser to help provide Crystal with transportation and communication equipment. Crystal’s artwork and other items will be available for purchase. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, Crystal’s birthday cake and no-host bar. Contact: Diane Dillard 503-397-1244, diane@dillardpr.com or Judy Thompson 503-397-6056, judyann2@q.com.

Ongoing Events Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Meets at 7 p.m. every other second Tuesday. Meetings are currently held electronically by Zoom. For more information, contact Council Coordinator Allan Whiting at E-mail: allan@ whitingenv.com, or call 503789-9240 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. Free childcare available. For more information call Debbie at 503-560-0521 or check the Resonate Facebook page.

Columbian Toastmasters Promoting positive learning and leadership through public speaking. Anyone is welcome!

Meeting virtually via Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday. Call 503-369-0329 for more information.

Overcomers Outreach Meetings are held every Saturday at 9 a.m. at Creekside Baptist Church, 51681 SW Old Portland Road in 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 To list an event in the Community Calendar, email details with a phone number that may be published for anyone that might have questions, to chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A6

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Classifieds www.thechronicleonline.com

Listings are updated daily at thechronicleonline.com

150

Misc Services

ATTENTION LAND OWNERS We buy CEDAR and NOBLE boughs. What we pay depends on the quality of your trees. We do all the work and won’t damage your trees.

For more information contact Jorge Martinez (360) 751-7723

301

Health & Nutrition

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

Mondays by noon.

Late submissions may not make the paper.

502

502

502

624

815

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Auto Parts

Rooms for Rent

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for a Chief Financial Officer. Apply online at www.co lumbia911.com/careers. Additional information can be found on our website or by calling 503-3666978.

97231 $25/hr + Benefits. To inquire, please contact us: jobs@naranort hwest.org

sthelensoregon. gov. Open Until Filled. First Review: 1/3/23. Equal Opportunity Employer

front slider, flip up side windows with locks. $800 OBO. Text or voicemail to 360-431-4260.

PORT OF COLUMBIA COUNTY The Port is hiring for the following positions: Finance Manager, Property Manager. To learn more and apply, please visit our website www.portof columbiacounty .org/job. EOE

Room for Rent in house in St. Helens $600.00 a Month. No Smoking. No pets.

503-793-4324.

Finance Director The City of St. Helens is hiring a FINANCE DIRECTOR Regular Fulltime. See website for details www. sthelensoregon. gov.Open Until Filled. First Review: 12/1/22. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Maintenance Workers NARA is urgently hiring full-time maintenance workers at our Residential Treatment Center. 17645 NW St. Helens Highway Portland, OR

Police Officer The City of St. Helens is hiring a POLICE OFFICER Lateral & Entry Level. Regular Fulltime. See website for details www.

624

Auto Parts

For Sale Leer Canopy fits 2018.

Chevrolet with a 6 ft, 6 in. box. White in color,

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Estate Sales

Got Cedar and Noble trees?

Massive Estate Sale Sat-Sun 12th-13th Hours 10am-4pm.

Go to estatesalefinder.com.

Look for Scappoose.

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If so, we want your boughs! Paying 17 cents per pound.

We do all the work, with over 20 years of experience.

Call Crystal at 360-957-2578 or Ricardo 360-751-1045

Apartment for rent 55+ in St. Helens. 1 bedroom.

Quiet, very clean, no smoking, no pets. $970/month.

971-757-5235.

Starting a local business?

Get the word out in the paper and online by advertising with

The Chronicle.

Need a job? check the classifieds online at www.thechronicleonline.com to find your perfect job offer

503-397-0116

Columbia County

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

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Waterman Garage Doors

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Advertise your business in the Business & Service Directory. Call 503-397-0116 for more information

Advertise your garage sale in the paper and online for only $10 for up to 14 lines!

Email chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net to advertise!

Get your ad in the paper and reach out to potential customers.

Call 503-397-0116 to place your ad in the newspaper and online.

Crossword Puzzle

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: THANKSGIVING ACROSS

1. Poet Angelou 5. “Eureka!”

8. *Thanksgiving season 12. Bug-eyed 13. “Tiger Beat” centerfold 14. New York’s ____ Island 15. Simmering feeling 16. Combustible rock 17. Short for Charlotte 18. *Thanksgiving sauce source 20. Singer Redding 21. Old hat 22. Bar in Ireland 23. *Macy’s tradition 26. Gets ready for publication 30. Dr. Cornelius of film, e.g.

31. What’s good for the goose is good for the ____ 34. Paul Bunyan stories and such 35. Parallelogram or heptagon 37. Charged particle 38. More cunning 39. Ant construction 40. Fluffy sweater material 42. Cribbage piece 43. Ancient Mesopotamian

civilization 45. Maltreat 47. Sea, in Spain 48. Fraternity K 50. Hoodlum 52. *Massasoit’s people 56. Do like QA 57. Opposite of written 58. Like watching paint dry 59. Togetherness 60. Move like sludge 61. S squared, e.g.

62. Eliza follower 63. Placeholder surname 64. Like hand-me-downs

DOWN

1. Painter Chagall 2. Lab gel 3. Hatha or bikram, e.g.

4. “To do” list 5. Be gaga over 6. Squirrel away 7. Comrade in arms 8. *Popular Thanksgiving TV entertainment 9. Nay sayer 10. “____ Fall in Love” song 11. Caustic substance 13. Cold brew (2 words) 14. Intangible storage 19. “The Red ____ of

Courage” 22. A pop 23. Turkish bigwig 24. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 25. Brazilian coins 26. Former U.S. Attorney General Janet 27. a.k.a. nutria 28. Elms 29. Military uniform fabric 32. Columbus’ vessel 33. *TV’s National ____ Show on Thanksgiving 36. *1621 celebration location 38. Planktonic tunicate 40. Lungful 41. Small wave 44. Gangly 46. Popular carriage in royal procession 48. Semi-desert region in South Africa 49. Astonish 50. DNA segment 51. Final notice 52. *”Miracle on 34th Street” star 53. Yours and mine 54. Sheltered, nautically speaking 55. Hefty competitor 56. Give a nickname

Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of The Chronicle.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

A7

www.thechronicleonline.com

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CH22-1201

CH22-1207

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department personal representative in tion from the records of the FINANCIAL PACIFIC LEASING, INC., No. 22PB09260 Notice to care of the undersigned atCourt, the personal reprePlaintiff, v. PAUL’S TREE SERVICE, LLC, an Oregon limited liability company; and RONALD P. WITSCHEN, Defendants. No. 22CV18286 SUMMONS FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION Date of First Publication: 10/19/2022 (response must be filed within 30 days of this date) Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc. has filed a Complaint for breach of contract and replevin asking the court to order money judgment of $40,134.10 and return of the equipment consisting of 2020 Vermeer BC1000XL Chipper VIN 1VRY11190L1029872. You must “appear” in this case or the other side will win

automatically. To “appear,” you must file a legal Response, Answer, or Motion.

Forms may be available through the court above or online at www.courts. oregon.gov/forms. Talk to a lawyer for information about appearing by motion.

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: READ CAREFULLY! Your response must be filed with the court named above within 30 days of the date of first publication (noted above), along with the required filing fee (go to www.courts.oregon.gov for fee information). It must be in proper form. You must show that the other party’s lawyer (or the party if they do not have a lawyer) was

formally served with a copy of your response according to the service rules. Service rules are in the Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure (ORCP) Rule 9. If you have questions, see a lawyer immediately. If you need help finding a lawyer, you can call the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service at 503.684.3763 or toll free in Oregon at 800.452.7636, or go to www.oregonstatebar. org. DATED: September 22, 2022. KILMER, VOORHEES & LAURICK, P.C. James P. Laurick, OSB No. 821530 2701 NW Vaughn St, # 780, Portland, OR 97210 971-634-1132 phone; jlaurick@kilmerlaw.com Of Attorneys for Plaintiff.

Interested Persons In the Matter of the Estate of Patrick Slevin, Deceased.

Notice is hereby given that Michael Slevin has been appointed as the personal representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are requested to present them to the undersigned

torney at: 1400 SW Montgomery St., Portland, OR 97201, 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 informa-

sentative or the attorney for the personal representative.

Dated and first published on November 2, 2022. Michael Slevin Personal Representative Steven Parker, OSB #020839 Law Office of Steven Parker Attorney for Personal Representative 1400 SW Montgomery Street Portland, Or 97201.

CH22-1208

SCHEDULED STORAGE AUCTION Please take notice ORS 87.685 et. seq. K & B Storage, 970 Oregon Street, St. Helens, Or. 97051. Intends to hold a sale of the property stored in the Units by the

occupants at the facility as listed below. This auction sale by unit will occur at the facility listed above on the 19th day of November 2022 at 10:00 am. This sale

may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms & conditions apply.

Call 971 203-4616. Pamela Reese Unit #60 5 x 10. Cash Only

CH22-1214

BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN The Columbia County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at or after 10:00 a.m. at the Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, Room 310, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. The purpose of this hearing is to consider an amendment to the Columbia County Zoning Ordinance to develop land use standards in response to Measure 109 and ORS 475A related to psilocybin production, pro-

cessing, and service centers.

This involves amending existing sections of the Zoning Ordinance as well as developing a Special use Section 1804 for psilocybin related uses. Local file number TA 23-01. This hearing is to afford interested parties an opportunity to be heard on the following matter. Any comments you wish to provide will be appreciated; however, Oregon law requires that testimony and evidence must be directed toward the

decision criteria. You may present testimony at the public hearing or provide written comments to the Board of County Commissioners to jacyn.normine@columbiacountyor.gov prior to 5:00 p.m. on November 29, 2022. The Columbia County Board of Commissioners is the final local decisionmaker for all County Plan and Ordinance amendments.

Applicable decision criteria are contained in ORS 475A; ORS 215.495; CCZO 1606;

CH22-1212

CCZO 1607; CCZO 1611; 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 Hayden.

Richardson@columbiacountyor.gov; or phone 503397-1501. A copy of the

application, all documents and evidence relied upon by the applicant, and the staff report will be available for at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/Hearings at least 7 days prior to this hearing. Written comments on the issue can be submitted via email to Jacyn. normine@columbiacountyor.gov or you can send comments via U.S. Mail to Columbia County, Board of Commissioners c/o Jacyn Normine, 230 Strand Street,

St. Helens, OR 97051. You may participate in this hearing in person or virtually.

To attend virtually go to https://global.gotomeeting. com/join/357054141 or call United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679. The meeting access code is: 357-054-141.

The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to continue the hearing to another date and time. If the hearing is continued, no further public notice will be provided.

CH22-1215

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING COLUMBIA OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JOHN Probate Department In having claims against persons whose rights may GUMM REMODEL ALTERNATIVE PROCESS the Matter of the Estate of the estate are required to be affected by the proceedKAREN LOUISE TWEED, Deceased. Case No. 22PB009277 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons

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

ings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative. DATED and first published, November 9, 2022. Angelica J. Hunter, Personal Representative

CH22-1216

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING COLUMBIA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS COURT FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The Columbia County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051.

The purpose of this hearing is to take comment on draft findings to support the use of the Design-Build contracting process for the proposed

Court Facilities Improvement Project. A copy of the proposed findings is available on the County’s website at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/Hearings. Correspondence should be mailed to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners c/o Jacyn Normine, Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 or via email to jacyn.normine@ columbiacountyor.gov.

You may participate in this hearing in person or virtually. To attend virtually go to https://global.gotomeeting. com/join/357054141 or call United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679. The meeting access code is: 357-054-141.

The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to continue the hearing to another date and time. If the hearing is continued, no further public notice will be provided.

CH22-1217

NOTICE OF HYBRID MEETING The CC Rider Transit Advisory Committee will be holding a hybrid meeting on November 15, 2022 at 4:30PM at 1155 Deer Island Rd, St. Helens,

Oregon 97051. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto. com/471648317. You can also dial in using your

phone. United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679 United States: +1 (571) 317-3116 Access Code: 471-648-317 The public is welcome.

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051. The purpose of this hearing is to take comment on draft findings to support the use of the competitive proposals contracting process for the proposed John Gumm Remodel as a poten-

tial alternative to the Energy Saving Performance Contract the County is currently pursuing. A copy of the proposed findings is available on the County’s website at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/Hearings.

Correspondence should be mailed to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners c/o Jacyn Normine, Courthouse Annex, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 or via email to jacyn.normine@colum-

biacountyor.gov. You may participate in this hearing in person or virtually. To attend virtually go to https:// global.gotomeeting.com/ join/357054141 or call United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679. The meeting access code is: 357-054141. The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to continue the hearing to another date and time. If the hearing is continued, no further public notice will be provided.

CH22-1218

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of EUGENE G. HOFFMAN, Deceased. Case No. 22PB09413 ORS 21.170 LIMITED JUDGMENT FOR ADMINISTRATION OF INTESTATE ESTATE AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE WITH FULL POWERS On petition of George G. Hoffman for administration of the abovenamed decedent, the Court finds the allegations of the petition to be true. There is

no just reason for delay in entering judgment. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that: (a) The estate is admitted to administration. (b) George G. Hoffman is appointed as personal representative of the estate with full powers; and (c) The bond of the personal representative is waived, and Letters of Administration will be issued forthwith to the personal representative in the manner provided by law. DATED: 10/25/2022 Circuit Court Judge Cathleen

B. Callahan PETITIONER: George G. Hoffman, P.O. Box 503, St. Helens, Oregon 97051, 503-369-4940. ATTORNEYS FOR PETITIONER: Jakob O. Seegmuller, OSB No. 174622, Kayleigh E. Lindemuth, OSB No. 200295, 1003 Officers Row, Vancouver, WA 98661, Ph: (360) 975-7770, Fax: (360) 838-1123, jake@nwlegacylaw.com, kayleigh@nwlegacylaw.com Of Attorney for Petitioner. Submitted by: Kayleigh E. Lindemuth, Attorney for Petitioner.

The Public Notice deadline is Fridays by noon.

Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper.

Attention Columbia County Photographers

2022 CALENDAR

IMAGES OF COLUMBIA COUN Raul Ochoa

Val Davis

Patti Reinke

Ann Carter

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eir

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nneau

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y

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2022 CALENDAR

NTY IMAGES OF COLUMBIA COU The Chronicle

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TY

The Chronicle and The Chief are publishing the 2023 Columbia County Calendar and we want to showcase your photography! Only 14 photos will be chosen. Submit your photo to chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net for consideration. Please include name and phone number. If selected, you will receive five free calendars along with recognition on the calendar page.

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Submitted photos must be 3.5 mb or larger, 300 ppi., in .jpg format, and be able to fit into a 10.5 x 8 space.

Photos that do not meet these requirements may be rejected or replaced. Submit your photography is Nov. 10 Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Opportunities ahead for Oregon’s youth employment PAT O’CONNOR Chronicle Guest Article

Since the spring of 2020, Oregon’s labor force has been on quite a rollercoaster as Oregon and the nation continue to battle COVID-19.

It is true for the labor force as a whole, but it is particularly true for Oregon’s youth in the labor force.

During the pandemic recession, unemployment rates skyrocketed in the spring of 2020 as many service sector businesses temporarily closed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

By the numbers From March to April, Oregon’s unemployment rate jumped nearly 10 percentage points, reaching 13.3%. A large share of younger workers were employed in leisure and hospitality, which lost the most jobs in spring 2020.

Nationally, the unemployment rate for teens (ages 16-19) jumped to an all-time high of 32% in April 2020.

The unemployment rate was nearly 26% for ages 20 to 24, also an all-time high.

In past recessions, it took a number of years for high unemployment rates to decline. That has not been the case after the pandemic recession. Oregon’s unemployment rate started declining during the summer and fall of 2020 as businesses reopened and began hiring.

By spring 2021, Oregon’s

unemployment rate had already dropped below 6%.

The unemployment rate has continued to decline and

by May 2022 it dropped to 3.5%; essentially the same as the 3.4% unemployment rate in February 2020, prior to the pandemic.

The sharp decline in the unemployment rate occurred for youth in the labor force as well. The national unemployment rate for teens (ages 16-19) declined from 32% in April 2020 to 9.6% in May 2021. The last time the unemployment rate for teens in the U.S. was below 10% was 1953. Since May 2021, the unemployment rate for those ages 16 to 19 has edged up between 10% and 11%. In September 2022, the unemployment rate was 11.4%, nearly matching its pre-pandemic rate of 11.3% in February 2020.

The national unemployment rate for workers ages 20 to 24 has declined from a high of nearly 26% in April 2020 to 7.0% in September 2022. Prior to the recession in February 2020, the unemployment rate for this age group was 6.5%. Even though the unemployment rate isn’t quite back down to its pre-recession level, it is coming down much faster than in past recoveries.

During the Great Recession, the national unemployment rate for those ages 20 to 24 remained above 10% for nearly seven years (80 months).

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Efforts to provide young workers who lack work experience with job opportunities could have a beneficial impact on labor market outcomes and lifetime earnings.

A tale of two recessions The pandemic recession has been a very different recession compared with the Great Recession that began in 2008. The contrast is sharp when looking at labor force statistics of Oregon’s youth.

Although both recessions had steep job losses, the speed of the job loss and the recovery have been very different.

The Great Recession was long and drawn out. It took over two years of job loss before employment bottomed out. From that low point, Oregon employment took more than four years to reach its pre-recession level.

The deep recession and long,

slow recovery adversely impacted youth participating in the labor force. The youth labor force participation rate (LFPR) was already declining prior to the Great Recession, but it reached an all-time low in the wake of the Great Recession.

Prior to our recent pandemic recession, youth labor force participation was trending up in recent years, in particular among Oregon’s teens (ages 16-19), reversing what had been a downward slide for over 15 years. Back in 2000, the LFPR of Oregon’s teens was 57%. Since 2000, teens’ LFPR declined until it reached an all-time low of 34% in 2015 and 2016. Since

2016, a tight labor market has helped participation rates trend upward, which has increased teens’ LFPR to a recent high of 43% in 2020.

In 2021, Oregon’s LFPR for teens took a step backwards and decreased to 38%. Nationally the LFPR for teens was 36% in 2021.

Nationally, the LFPR for teens and young adults has remained fairly steady during and following the pandemic recession. A large number of youth were at least temporarily unemployed, but they did not leave the labor force. We are not witnessing a decline in the participation rate like what occurred during the Great Recession.

As severe as the unprecedented job loss from the pandemic recession was, strong job growth and high demand for workers has occurred much sooner than after other recent recessions.

As of August 2022, Oregon regained all of the jobs lost in the spring of 2020, recovering to its pre-pandemic employment level in just a little over two years. Job vacancies in Oregon remain at a high level as employers struggle to fill job openings due to the low number of unemployed Oregonians to fill those vacancies. Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis is forecasting slow but continued employment growth over the next several years, which will mean continuing strong demand for workers in Oregon.

Opportunities on the horizon The strong demand for workers and the current tight labor market isn’t likely to disappear in the near future, similar to the tight labor market last experienced in the 1990s. Maybe not coincidentally, the 1990s is the last time a majority of Oregon’s teens participated in the labor force. We will have to see if in the coming years a tight labor market, employers struggling to find workers, and a historically low unemployment rate among teens will keep the teen LFPR trending upwards.

Efforts to provide young workers who lack work experience with job opportunities could have a beneficial impact on labor market outcomes and lifetime earnings.

Youth need opportunities to gain initial on-the-job experience and be successful in the workplace so they can illustrate those essential skills to later employers.

With Oregon’s unemployment rate back near historic lows and a growing economy with high demand for workers, that opportunity for young Oregonians would appear to be right now.

Pat O’Connor is a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. He may be reached at patrick.s.oconnor@employ. oregon.gov, or at 503-4004374.

Enrollment opens for Oregon health care coverage

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STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

The annual open enrollment period for health coverage in Oregon is now open.

Open enrollment is the only time when anyone who is not offered coverage from a job or a public program like the Oregon Health Plan or Medicare can enroll in health coverage through the Oregon

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Health Insurance Marketplace, often with financial help, according to a release from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

What to know for this open enrollment • Eligibility rules have changed this year, making health coverage more affordable for thousands of Oregonians. Previously, people offered health coverage through a spouse

or parent’s employer could not access financial help if the least expensive plan offered to only the employee was considered affordable.

New rules allow people who previously were ineligible for financial help through the Marketplace if that coverage is considered unaffordable to the enrollee.

• Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians who applied for financial help qualified in 2022. The average amount

of financial help received was $483 per month.

• Oregonians have choices when it comes to choosing their health plan.

All Oregonians have at least four insurance companies and 26 plans to choose from.

• Free local help is available throughout the state. Licensed insurance agents and trained community groups can be found at OregonHealthCare.gov/ GetHelp.

Sorting through health coverage options can be confusing, but Oregonians should know that there are tools, according to the release.

OregonHealthCare.gov offers a quick and easy-touse window-shopping tool where users can preview what plans and savings are available to them. The tool also allows users to see which plans cover their prescription drugs and are networked with their pre-

ferred doctors or hospitals.

A new tool available at OregonHealthCare.gov can help you figure out if jobbased coverage is considered affordable.

Bottom line

Oregonians who do not currently have health coverage available are being urged to start at OregonHealthCare.gov. There they can see if health coverage offered from a job is considered affordable, preview plans and savings, and find an expert to guide them through the process.

What is the Oregon Health Marketplace?

The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is described as a location of state government that assists people to get health insurance when they do not have job-based coverage, and do not qualify for

the Oregon Health Plan or another program.

The Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov. The open enrollment period opened Nov. 1.

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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Oregon to receive $1.1M to improve air quality monitoring framework for collaborative action. This framework will be used to empower communities- prioritizing underserved, disadvantaged and overburdened communities- to monitor and leverage the data to inform action that will improve their local air quality.

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Oregon will receive $1,116,626 in federal grants to improve air quality monitoring in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities stemming from pollution.

The awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will support the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s work to monitor and use collected air quality data to inform actions for improving local air quality across the state and aid projects by Verde in Portland’s Cully neighborhood, and efforts by the Confederated Tribes of Coos Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians.

Award recipients and amounts headed to Oregon:

Verde $117,830 to collaborate with partners to gather air quality data using air monitors and create actionable community engagement strategies to ameliorate air quality concerns in Portland, Oregon’s Cully neighborhood. Project efforts will result in the development of long-term expertise among the Cully community and unprecedented grassroots involvement in regulatory processes that could significantly improve air quality for Cully residents.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Confederated Tribes of Coos Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians

$498,796 to work with communities, universities, and local and state agencies to co-design an equitable and sustainable community

$500,000 to increase

The federal funding is designed to improve air quality across the state.

community engagement on outdoor and indoor air quality and develop a network of air quality monitors.

Through the use of reliable and accurate monitoring equipment, the project aims to improve data collection on local air quality and mitigate adverse health impacts due to air pollution exposure.

“Every Oregonian in every community across the state deserves to breathe clean air free from hazardous air pollutants that can lead to cancer, neurological disorders and other serious health impairments,” Oregon Senator Merkley said.

Merkley is chairman of the committee that provides EPA with its funding.

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“This EPA funding will go a long way in ensuring communities are able to monitor air quality, collect detailed data on the toxic air pollution, and take meaningful steps to address it,” he said.

“An essential step in reducing air pollution for communities throughout Oregon is to equip them with

modern monitoring tools that provide accurate and timely data,” Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said.

“These federal investments in those tools from legislation I worked to pass will make a huge difference for people living and working in these communities. And I’ll keep battling for similar investments that make similar air quality impacts statewide.”

According to Merkley, with over $30 million in Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) funds and $20 million in American Rescue Plan investments coupled with increases to its annual budget that his committee has provided, EPA has been able to significantly expand its support for projects led by community-based nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and Tribal governments.

The projects are aimed at improving air quality in communities across the United States, and particularly in communities that are underserved and historically marginalized.

$1.5M in federal grants for state habitat conservation Oregon will receive $1,519,627 in federal grants to help support the development of habitat conservation plans to improve the management of state and private forestlands.

this era of mega-wildfires, they’re also increasingly potential hazards if not properly managed. The Private Forest Accord was carefully crafted through collaboration between the timber industry and conservation interests to reduce wildfire risk, improve habitats, protect clean water, and support local economies, and I am pleased that these federal funds will help take that historic agreement and put it into action.”

“The historic Private Forest Accord will go a long way in supporting Oregon’s rural economies, improving forest health and protecting clean water,” Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said.

“Conservation and restoring critical wildlife habitat is also at the crux of this effort,

Funding recipients and amounts can be found below: • Oregon Private Forest Accord Aquatic Species Habitat Conservation Plan: $769, 627 • Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan: $750,000 “Forests in Oregon support rural economies and are also home to countless species including vulnerable salmon,” Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said.“In

and these federal funds will ensure this work becomes a reality.”

On February 10, 2020, 12 forest sector companies, Oregon’s largest small woodlands owner organization, and 13 conservation and fishing organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (the MOU), which laid the foundation for the Private Forest Accord process.

Over a year later, in October 2021, the parties reached an historic agreement to improve the management of state and private forestlands in Oregon. A key piece of implementing that agreement is the development of a habitat conservation plan. Today’s announcement includes funding for the State of Oregon to

development that plan.

The awards are funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and are intended to support land acquisition and conservation planning projects on over 13,500 acres of habitat for 162 listed and at-risk species through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) across 16 states.

CESCF grants contribute millions annually to support implementing state and territorial programs to conserve and recover federally listed and at-risk species on nonfederal lands. The approach to conservations helps further species conservation and economic development, according to Wyden and Merkley, who announced the new federal funding Oct. 31.

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Oregon Private Forest Accord Aquatic Species Habitat Conservation Plan will receive $769,627, and Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan will receive $750,000.

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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Veterans Day Honoring our heroes on Nov. 11

In recognition of America’s veterans, President Joe Biden writes the following in his 2022 Veteran’s Day proclamation: “Today, we honor generations of patriots who have earned the title of “American veteran” — a badge of courage that unites the finest group of former service members the world has ever known.

With their selfless sacrifice, our Armed Forces have forged and defended the very idea of America — a promise of freedom and equality, democracy and justice, possibility and hope. We owe them an incredible debt that can never be fully repaid.”

Read the full Presidential Proclamation at thechronicleonline.com and at thechiefnews. com.

The Chronicle and The Chief also pause and remember the men and women who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their families, for the sacrifices they have given to our nation and to the world.

Joe Warren Publisher Jeremy C. Ruark Regional Executive Editor Herb Swett Reporter Jon Campbell Advertising Sales James Yang Graphic Artist Kelli Nicholson Office Manager Jon Lowrence Driver

Veterans’ service officer offers help HERB SWETT Country Media, Inc.

The veterans’ service officer in Columbia County is Erin Nolan, who is accredited by the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.

At the Columbia County Veterans Service Office (VSO) at 125 North 17th St. in St. Helens, Nolan has been working mostly with veterans seeking serviceconnected disability benefits. She also is involved with pension benefits for low-income combat veterans, burial benefits, and spousal benefits for deceased veterans.

“My job is to assist veterans through the process,” she said.

She assists veterans in preparing paperwork to obtain financial assistance from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VSO also helps homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness to obtain stable housing.

The VSO is available to all qualifying veterans and veteran family members residing in Oregon, with preference for those residing in Columbia County.

To be eligible, one must be a veteran or a member of a veteran family. A veteran

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The Columbia County Veterans Service Office is located at 125 North 17th St. in St. Helens.

must have served and been discharged under a condition other than dishonorable. A veteran is defined as a single person or a family in which the head of household or spouse of the head

is a veteran by the above definition. Also, household income must be no more than 50% of area mean income.

Nolan reports an increase in calls regarding

Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where there was a contaminated water problem from 1953 to 1987.

She attributes the increase to the Pact Act, which Congress passed in August of this year.

The Pact Act expands Veterans Administration benefits for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. It helps veterans who previously were denied benefits in some of those cases, Nolan said.

“The Pact Act opened the door for new conditions and new locations,” she said.

Nolan said hearing loss heads the list of the most service-related conditions reported by the veterans.

For younger veterans, physical issues such as joint problems are more often found. Older veterans tend to report heart trouble, cancer, and diabetes.

Vietnam veterans’ problems tend to be Agent Orange and prostate cancer, she said.

The VSO office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

The office may be reached at 503-366-6580.

Salute to Service Deposit Waiver Thank You!

With respect, honor, and gratitude, Thank you Veterans

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The Board of Directors and staff at Columbia River PUD want to thank military personnel for your service to our country. To show our gratitude, we are waiving the security deposit for new residential accounts for active United States military personnel and United States military veterans effective November 11, 2022.

To Qualify To qualify for a deposit waiver, you must: • Be a new Columbia River PUD residential customer • Be actively serving in the US military or a US military veteran • Be the primary account holder • Have the following documentation: – Current military ID or official military orders, or – DD form 213 or 214 Deposits A deposit may be charged in the future under the following circumstances:

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• Two delinquent notices are issued on your account in any 12-month period.

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To request this waiver or for more information, please call (503) 397-0590.

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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Volunteers help local veterans become civilians again HERB SWETT Country Media, Inc.

Not only government employees but also area volunteers are devoting their time to helping veterans adjust to civilian life.

Ashley Taylor of Scappoose, chief grants officer for the Operation Red Wings Foundation, and Russ Clark, also of Scappoose and a volunteer at the Elks Veterans Bunker, are both Army veterans and members of the Scappoose Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). They want all local veterans to know what they and other volunteers offer.

“We have a hard time recruiting veterans,” Taylor said. “We have to make time for these veterans, or they’ll go away.” Her specialty is veterans’ mental health.

Clark, founding president of the seven-year-old Elks Veterans Bunker, helps veterans find resources and connects them with Erin Nolan, the state veterans’ service officer in St. Helens.

He served 10 years as the veterans’ service officer himself. Before that he worked for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs and before that for the state Veterans Affairs Office in Portland.

Both Taylor and Clark are involved with Together with Veterans (TWV), a committee formed in 2021 through the Department of Veterans Affairs, which serves rural areas to fight veteran suicides. It will bring peer support training to Columbia County Dec. 5 through 8 for veterans who have received help for addiction.

Taylor provided these meeting schedules for area veterans’ organizations: • Scappoose VFW: 7 p.m. first Thursday of month at Scappoose Senior Center.

• St. Helens VFW: 7 p.m. second Friday at Elks Veterans Bunker.

• St. Helens American Legion: 7 p.m. fourth Thursday at Warren Moose Lodge.

• Clatskanie VFW: 8 p.m. second Monday at Clatskanie American Legion.

• Clatskanie American Legion: 7 p.m. second Monday at Clatskanie American Legion Hall.

• Rainier VFW: 6 p.m. second Tuesday at Rainier Masonic Lodge.

• Vernonia American Legion: 7 p.m. second Wednesday at Vernonia American Legion Hall after 6 p.m. free dinner for veterans.

Here are veterans’ breakfasts: • St. Helens/Scappoose: 9 a.m. first Friday.

• Clatskanie/Rainier: 10 a.m. first Thursday at Clatskanie American Legion Hall.

Here are Veterans Day events: • St. Helens VFW Veterans Day ceremony, 10:50 a.m. at McCormick Park.

• Scappoose VFW Veterans Day ceremony, 11 a.m. at Scappoose Veterans Park.

Herb Swett may be reached at chronicle1@ countrymedia.net.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

America flags line Columbia Boulevard in downtown St. Helens honoring veterans. The flags are placed by members of the St. Helens Lions Club.

Caples House hosts event honoring veterans The Caples House Museum hosts its annual Holiday Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.

Three floors, a long porch, and the grounds will host enough vendors of enough of every price to fill every wish on your holiday gift list The day before the event, Nov. 11, is Veteran’s Day and Caples does not forget the veterans and is hosting a very special wine tasting on Sunday, Nov. 12.

The supplier is by Dauntless Wines,” a veteran owned and operated winery whose mission is to serve the

Veteran community” (https:// dauntlesswine.co/pages/ourstory). Dauntless Wines was started by three Iraqi combat veterans who, after their discharge, wanted to continue serving their country by helping other veterans and the diminishing numbers within the private farming community.

In addition, to the wine tasting on Sunday and vendors Saturday and Sunday, there will be multiple raffle chances and terrific food in the Cottage, according to organizers.

Admission to the bazaar is free but raffles, food, are

for purchase. The Caples House Museum is located at 1925 1st Street on grounds overlooking the Columbia River in Columbia City.

“It is an honor for Caples House to be able to provide our community with so many vendors and kick off the Holidays with our Bazaar and a greater honor to be able to recognize our Veterans in this and every capacity,” a release from the Caples House reads.

For more information, call 503-397-5390, or email CaplesHouse@comcast.net.

The Caples House Museum is located at 1925 1st Street in Columbia City.

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022