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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

The Chronicle

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Serving Columbia County since 1881

COVID-19 vaccines on the way MONIQUE MERRILL chronicle2@countrymedia.net MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net

Photo courtesy of Metro Creative Connections

Volunteers in Scappoose and St. Helens have scheduled neighborhood Christmas Parades which are scheduled to include Santa Claus.

Christmas parades planned to boost spirit, hope congregate but to watch the parade from the safety of their homes in an effort to follow social distancing guidelines,” she said.

The City of St. Helens Communication Officer, Crystal King, said due to COVID-19 restrictions, the city has not approved any public assembly or parade permits this year. The permits are normally required for events that are held in the public right-of-way or with over 50 people present. According to King, The city is not assisting with traffic control or other background support for this parade.

“We understand that this year and the ongoing restrictions have been difficult for everyone,” King told The Chronicle. “People want to celebrate the holidays in a way that creates a sense of normalcy during a typically joyous time of the year. One of the things that makes our city such a wonderful place to live is our community members. We are made up of a community that cares about its neighbors and steps in when they see a need.”

King said the parade organizers contacted the city to ensure the event will be conducted in a way that complies with physical distancing safety measures.

“We encourage anyone who does participate in the event to watch the parade from the safety of their home or yard and follow regular mask wearing and physical distancing guidelines,” King said.

“Cases in Columbia County are currently increasing at a high rate.

We all need to do our part to protect our most vulnerable community members and reduce our risk level so that our local businesses can function normally again.”

Scappoose interim City Manager Alexandra Rains said while the city would normally support such public events, this is a time of

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Angela Wayman is working to spread the spirit of Christmas.

The Scappoose resident has teamed up with other local volunteers, calling themselves Community Members of Columbia County, to put on a holiday parade in Scappoose and in St. Helens this weekend.

“Because of the pandemic everyone is losing their hope,” Wayman told The Chronicle. “We want kids to have Santa. There is not a lot of Santa going on right now, so we are trying to bring the spirit of Christmas to our community the best way we can.”

After Wayman and the other volunteers brainstormed for what events that could conduct under the pandemic health and safety guidelines, a Christmas parade came to the top of their list.

The Scappoose Christmas Parade is set for 5 p.m. Dec. 12 starting at the northwest side of town, moving across area neighborhoods and ending at Scappoose Middle School.

The St. Helens parade is set for 5 p.m. Dec. 13 on the west side of the city, traveling though adjacent neighborhoods and ending at St. Helens High School.

Wayman said so far there are six trainers scheduled that will include Santa Claus, a performing music group and a sleigh-designed trailer featuring the Columbia Pacific Food Bank. Local Boy Scouts, wearing gloves for protection, will be picking up non-perishable food donations Wayman hopes community members will place in bags in front of their homes on the nights of the parade.

Wayman and her group has sent out flyers publishing the parades and encouraging the non-perishable food donations. She is also stressing safety.

“We are asking people not to

Opinion: ......................A4 Poll: ..............................A4 Cartoon: ......................A4 Garden Plot: ...............A4 Obituaries: ..................A5 Classified Ads: ............A6 Legals: ..........................A7 TV Guide: ...................A8 Sports: .........................A9

Vol. 138, No. 51

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See CHRISTMAS Page A2

Columbia County set a new COVID-19 record Saturday, Dec. 5, with 25 new cases and two deaths reported.

Despite surging numbers in Columbia County, and across the state, Gov. Kate Brown said “hope is on the way,” as the state is expecting its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines this month.

Oregon’s statewide, two-week freeze ended last week for most of the state, and the new ‘Risk and Safety’ framework was launched. The framework showed the majority of the state has moved into the extreme risk level, which means the virus is still widespread across 25 counties who remain under tight restrictions, including Columbia County.

“We are not out of this crisis yet.

I know it’s hard to imagine, but in fact, our hardest days still lie ahead,” Brown said during a press conference Friday, Dec. 4. “Oregon hospitals are filling up and many are reducing elective surgeries.”

From Nov. 25 to Dec. 3, there were three new COVID-19 hospitalizations in Columbia County, according to data from the local public health department. In that same time window there were 89 new cases in the county, and 56 people considered currently infectious (meaning it’s been 10 or less days from the onset of symptoms). Those figures don’t include the record-breaking case count from Saturday; from Friday to Monday, Dec. 4-7, an additional 52 cases were reported in the county, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

Photo courtesy of Metro Creative Connections

Oregon Health officials said they expect to receive shipments of two new COVID-19 vaccines before the end of December.

As of Monday, Columbia County’s total case count is 597 with a death toll of six. Across the state, the total case count is 85,788 and a death toll of 1,045.

“Every death represents and empty seat at a holiday dinner, a warm hug that’s missed, a winter morning walk that cannot happen … and we mourn every one of them,” OHA Director Pat Allen said.

Vaccine rollout Although the OHA modeling for the coming weeks looks grim, Brown announced that two vaccines are currently awaiting final United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The two vaccines from pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna, are expected to be shipped to Oregon on Dec. 15.

Brown said they expect to receive 35,000 doses from Pfizer Dec. 15, followed by over 70,000 doses from Moderna on Dec. 22. A second

shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is expected Dec. 22, with 40,950 doses. Oregon anticipates having 127,000 first doses of both vaccines in December and expects an additional 48,750 of Pfizer’s and 31,700 Moderna’s vaccine by Dec. 29 to provide a second dose to patients who received the first dose. These numbers are subject to change.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup will be reviewing and confirming each FDA approval starting next week.

“It’s remarkable that scientific strides have enabled us to get a vaccine in just mere months into this historic pandemic,” Brown said.

“Rigorous clinical trials have not only worked to ensure the vaccines are safe, but that they are safe for our vulnerable and diverse communities.”

Health official said the Pfizer

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See VACCINES Page A6

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

A health worker conducts one of the Columbia County Public Health COVID-19 tests during the drive-by event at St. Helens High School.

The county provides free COVID-19 testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays Dec. 9, 16 and 30 at St. Helens High School. Register online at www.doineedacovid19test.com.

Public health launches free COVID-19 testing JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Columbia County Public Health’s free COVID-19 drive-by testing began on Wednesday, Dec, 2, with several vehicles lined along the driveway of St. Helens High School.

Members of the Columbia County Emergency Response Team (CERT) directed drivers to the drive-thru testing site located at the front of the high school along Gable Road.

Health workers dressed in blue robes, blue gloves and face coverings carefully handed each driver a packet with a nasal swab to be used for the self-administered test.

The drivers used the swab for the test and handed it back to the health worker. The health worker carefully placed each swab in single sterile tube which was placed in a biohazard bag and sealed.

The bags are collected and sent to a medical lab for testing.

Columbia County Health Director Michael Paul said test results would likely be available within

three to five days through emails.

The results will also be reported to the local health department.

“Those being tested will also receive an after-testing guide with instructions of what to do if they test positive or negative and how they should inform other people who they may have had contact with if they do test positive,” he said.

Paul said county health is asking anyone who tests positive for

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CHRISTMAS From Page A1

concern.

“We do want to support the community doing beneficial events and to enjoy the holidays, but our primary concern is that people will come out of their homes and gather in groups,” she said.

“So, we have told them that

Wednesday, December 9, 2020 would could not sponsor or issue a permit for the parade. We don’t feel that we should support anything the goes against the governor’s pandemic-related guidelines and requirements.”

But Rains did give an option for the event.

“If they are traveling through the streets following traffic laws and not impeding traffic, that is fine.” she said.

For more information, contact Wayman at waymanllc@outlook.com.

See the route maps of the Christmas parades at thechronicleonline.com and join the conversation, do you think such an event should be held during the pandemic? Post your comments online with this story.

December metal sale and World’s Largest Stocking raffle LAKEN GORTLER Sponsored content

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

You don’t have to look far to see the natural beauty splendor in our hometown. This was the Monday morning, Dec. 7, sunrise along the Columbia River at St. Helens. Send us your Life in St. Helens photos and we’ll share them at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

Send photos to jruark@countrymedia.net.

Christmas Ships Parade

Photo courtesy of the Christmas Ships Parade

The annual Christmas Ships Parade is scheduled to light up the Columbia River in St. Helens at 6 p.m.

Friday night, Dec. 12 and the following night along the river near Scappoose. See the full story at the chronicleoneline.com. The City of St. Helens will welcome Santa Claus in a limited holiday celebration At 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12, in the Plaza Square on the Columbia County Courthouse steps. To comply with COVID-19 safety and restrictions, cars will be directed into the Plaza area to briefly stop by to see Santa.

Children will receive a treat package from Santa’s Candy Cane Slide delivered straight to their vehicle.

Send us your photos of the Ships Parade and we will share

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Well, we just kicked off our first-ever metal sale because our metal company loves us. We’re running sales on our Delta Rib and Tough Rib metal paneling and have marked them down to $2.65 a linear foot, (compared to the $3.20 we usually run them at.) Delta Rib is the most commonly used for projects. It’s a light gauge for easy handling and it’s great for open framing support conditions, but it’s also good for solid substrate. Tuff Rib is one of the faster growing segments of home improvement, and it’s a great choice for commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects. The sale runs now, all the way through December.

We’ve also got another fun thing going this month we’ve got the “World’s Largest Stocking” drawing, and this thing really is big. If you stop by the store right now, you’ll see it hanging from the ceiling over the middle aisle.

It’s full of toys and children’s books, and anytime you make a purchase between now and December 21, you get an entry to put in for the drawing. We’ll announce the winner on December 22.

And don’t forget, we’re still stocked for all of your energy needs this holiday season. We’ve got wood pellets, propane, energy logs - you name it. And we’re still doing deliveries. Our delivery charge is now $20, and we’ll deliver anywhere in Columbia County. As you

get further out, we’ll still deliver, but the charge will go up a bit. After working everything out, it was just time to change things around a little.

That’s it for now! We hope everyone is having a safe and Covid-free holiday season.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Governor proposes $100 billion in spending MONIQUE MERRILL chronicle2@countrymedia.net JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Gov. Kate Brown has released her recommended budget and policy agenda for the 2021-23 biennium, which focuses on addressing and ending systemic racial disparities, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilding communities affected by the wildfires.

Brown’s recommended budget for 2021-23 proposes $100.2 billion in total funds spending, including $25.6 billion in General Fund and Lottery Funds. The budget includes over $293.8 million in increased revenues and leaves $243.3 million in the General Fund. In addition, by the end of the 2019-21 biennium, the Rainy Day Fund is projected to have a balance of $942.3 million.

Thanks to prudent spending and healthy reserves, Oregon remains in a healthy position to meet future challenges, according to Brown.

Racial disparities “I believe the first step in creating opportunity is recognizing that racism is endemic to our systems, impacting every part of our culture and economy,” Brown said in a press conference addressing the budget Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Brown convened the Racial Justice Council this year to help advise her priorities and root policies in equity. A focus on criminal justice reform is also guiding the upcoming closures of three of the states 16 prisons. Mill Creek in Salem is slated to close at the start of July next year, six months later Shutter Creek in Coos Bay will close and six months after that Warner Creek in Lakeview will close.

“My plan for the future of our prison system is that the state will no longer invest in extensive and expensive buildings, but invest in people,” Brown said.

Pandemic The ongoing impacts of the pandemic are felt through the budget as well, and Brown said there were challenges in creating the plan.

“Let me be very, very clear: The budget does not put enough money into our schools and doesn’t make the investments in public health we need,” she said. “It is a

budget built on sacrifice and hard choices.”

The Oregon Health Authority estimates $252 million in resources will be needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic over the next six months, Brown said. An additional $433 million is expected to be needed for July through December of 2021.

Brown called for a federal stimulus plan to help address the needs of Oregonians, including $350 million for rent forgiveness and mortgage relief, the continuation of $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance for people laid off during COVID-19 closures, a renewed Paycheck Protection Program, increased funding for schools and childcare, among other asks.

“What I think is really important is that Republicans and Democrats in Washington D.C. put aside their political differences and put the American people first,” Brown said.

“That means working together and solving problems.”

At a glance

Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Kate Brown)

Housing and homelessness: • $4.5 million investment to support youth aging our of foster care and facing homelessness • $20 million investment for homeowner assistance, including down payment assistance • $2 million to fund a technical assistance program through Oregon Housing and Community Services for outreach to communities of color • $2.3 million expansion of the Agricultural Workforce Housing Tax Credit for the development of housing for agricultural workers Education • $14.1 million in distance learning grants • $28.1 million in funding for the Student Success Act Early Learning account to support existing child care providers • $5.8 million for mental health consultation for child care providers in need of assistance for behavioral health needs of children • $9.1 billion in funding for the State School Fund Wildfires • $73.7 in additional fire preparedness • $189.5 million to rebuild communities affected by the fires • $170 million accessible to the Governor’s Wildfire Economic Recovery Council for general purpose community

Full text of Brown’s proposed budget and policies are available online.

Visit www.the chronicleonline.com to read the document.

development resources Equity • $20 million investment in equalizing compensation for public defenders • $118 million investment in statewide broadband expansion • $5.8 million to support police accountability plans and training Health care • $17.9 million for a range of strategies to protect assisted living and nursing homes from COVID-19.

The Oregon Health Plan faces a budget gap of $718 million due to the pandemic, and the budget has faced criticism from the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.

Statewide reaction “The Governor’s budget reflects her priorities and choices. She has chosen to propose direct cuts to hospitals in the midst of the biggest public health crisis in a century,” said Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of OAHHS. “Cuts of this magnitude could force hospitals to reduce services to Oregonians during a pandemic. These cuts cannot be justified.”

In the press conference,

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Brown responded to the criticism and said the budget was a starting point and that she plans to work with hospitals to ensure the state has the resources to provide continued care. A challenge of putting the budget together was the uncertainty of not knowing what federal aid the state would be receiving, Brown said.

“This is a really challenging time for our healthcare system. I’m hoping over the next few months we can come together to come up with a package that will sustain funding for the Oregon Health Plan,” Brown said.

Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) released a statement concerning Brown’s proposed state budget.

“Over the last 10 months, families, businesses, and nonprofits across our state have had to tighten their belts and prioritize spending as the economic fallout from the COVID pandemic and wildfires devastated household incomes and robbed businesses and nonprofits of critical operating revenues. We expect our state leaders to do the same,” OBI’s communications director Nathaniel Brown said in the statement.

The state projects a 3.5% to 4% revenue shortfall for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.

That shortfall is minuscule compared to the devastating

financial losses experienced by many Oregon businesses, nonprofits, and households this year. But instead of prioritizing spending to meet available revenue – as many Oregonians have had to do – Brown’s budget includes revenue-raising measures that are effectively tax increases aimed primarily at small Oregon businesses.

Oregon Business & Industry disagrees with that approach.

“In the midst of the greatest economic downturn to hit our state in a century, our focus must be on achieving economic recovery with an equity lens -- and helping employers get back on their feet, so that jobs and household incomes can be restored.

OBI will strongly oppose any budget proposal that includes new tax revenue, and we urge the Oregon Legislature to balance the state’s budget based on the revenues that are available, not on hidden tax increases that will make it harder for businesses to recover and restore jobs.”

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) also responded to Brown’s budget proposal.

“We are in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis and Governor Brown has proposed direct cuts to our hospitals and health care services,” Drazan said. “Oregon’s budget is not facing a structural shortfall, this is public policy choice the governor has made in her proposed spending plan for the state. She is making a mistake by cutting health care and the legislature should reject it.”

Local reaction Brown’s recommended budget is encouraging in several ways, according Rachael Barry, the city of St. Helens Government Affairs and Project Support Specialist.

“Governor Brown has put basic needs at the center of her policy recommendations,” Barry said. “Her focus is on mitigating the impacts on families and small businesses from the ongoing pandemic and the sadly historic 2020 wildfire season. Her policy goals align closely with our city goals in the area of safe and livable communities. She is advocating for additional supports for workers, preserving housing, supporting behavioral health services, investing in expanded childcare, and maintaining stability in the K-12 education budget. These priorities are shared across our city.”

Barry said it is also encouraging to see that the governor

recognizes that not all Oregonians have had equal access to government processes and services and that there is a need for more voices to be included in shaping policy.

“The city of St. Helens prioritizes community and civic involvement to hear the voices from across our community, including voices that have been historically marginalized,” Barry said. “We look forward to working with our legislative representatives as they consider this recommended budget and set direction for our state over the course of the 2021 Legislative Session.”

Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said he is also encouraged by Brown’s proposed budget.

“I am glad to see efforts put forth to aid workers affected by COVID shut-downs, especially those workers in the hospitality and restaurant businesses,” Hinkelman said.

“I didn’t see it but I am hoping there will be some efforts and funding to continue economic development from the state level. And of course, funds to go to those communities that were devastated by the wildfires is much needed.”

Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen told The Chronicle property taxes are the primary source of most local government revenue in Oregon, including the City of Rainier, and the city does receive shared state revenue from marijuana sales and gas taxes.

“But for the most part, the city isn’t hugely dependent on the state government to fund most of its operations,” Jorgensen said. “I’m not seeing anything in there that would largely impact the city directly or immediately one way or another.”

Jorgensen said, being from Southern Oregon, wildfires are a huge issue for him personally.

“I was in Jackson County earlier this month and witnessed firsthand the devastating aftermath of the fire that tore through Phoenix and Talent,” he said. “The place I called home while attending Southern Oregon University in 1999-03 burned to the ground, along with its entire surrounding neighborhood. I think it’s important to help those communities rebuild.”

Read the entire budget proposal at thechronicleonline. com and join the conversation.

Post your comments on this story and follow developments in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

Construction reappraisals launched Columbia County Assessor’s Office appraisers have begun their annual new construction reappraisals.

As they complete their work, appraisers will be visiting properties throughout Columbia County that have procured permits for new homes, remodels, additions, outbuildings, and other new improvements.

Columbia County Chief Appraiser Andrea Jurkiewicz said if measurements and design appear accurate, as shown on the building plans property owners originally submitted to the

planning department, no exterior measurements will be taken.

“Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, County appraisers will remain in their vehicles as much

as possible,” Jurkiewicz said. “If it is necessary to contact the homeowner on site, the appraisal staff is required to wear a mask and keep their distance.

Homeowners will also be required to wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least six feet during the visit.”

If masks and distancing are not possible, all communication must take place by phone or email.

Appraisers can be reached by calling 503-397-2240 or by email at assessor@ columbiacountyor.gov.

A Candlelight Service Pet of Remembrance of the Due to COVID19 Columbia Funeral Home will not be able to hold its annual candle lighting ceremony.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Garden Plots: Vegetable garden value CHIP BUBL Chronicle Guest Column

The value of a vegetable garden I have taught a lot of vegetable gardening classes over the last 40+ years in Extension. I found that the most important motivations for gardeners are food freshness and quality, the ability to grow types of vegetables that you can’t find in a store, the desire to grow food for friends, family, and food banks, and a pure love of gardening.

When I ask them if they can save money by growing their own, they will usually respond in one of several ways, i.e. yes, lots; no way, it costs a lot to garden; or yes, once I learned what I was doing.

I think the last answer is telling. It takes time to learn how to do anything of value well. Once that learning is in place, mistakes decrease and productivity rises fairly dramatically. That is when you can best take the measure of gardening and what it can offer, economically and otherwise.

An economist would view gardening through several lenses. The first question they would ask is “what would it cost to replace from the grocery store what you use from your garden?” This calculation is reasonably straightforward. For example, if you harvested 100 pounds of onions from the garden and were able to consume 90 pounds before some rotted in storage you could compute a grocery store value:

TESTING From Page A1

COVID-19 to stay home and isolate themselves for 10 days from the date symptoms developed.

“We will notify their contacts and ask them to quarantine for 14 days from the date they were exposed,” he said.

Identifying cases According to Paul, it is critical that COVID-19 cases be identified as soon as possible so that health officials can notify people who haven’t been affected but may have had contact with those who have tested positive.

“That gives them the option of getting tested themselves or they can safely isolate themselves,” he said.

Paul said the testing is a critical part of slowing the virus in Columbia County.

“We have a huge number of cases in Columbia County and across the state,” Paul said. “This is eliminating as many barriers as possible to testing and we are bringing it as close to people as possible to make it easy for them to come and get tested.”

According to Paul, isolated pockets of the virus spread quickly.

“People who have the virus and don’t know they are positive are interacting with others and are spreading the virus,” he said.

Additional drive-by testing is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Dec. 9, 16 and 30, at St. Helens High School, 2375 Gable Road. No insurance is required. Paul said additional testing could be conducted into the new year depending on the outcome of the December tests and whether the

90 x $.80/ = $72.00 worth of onions.

But it doesn’t stop there.

To get that $72, you had to work and when you got paid, at the end of the day, you are probably taking home about 75 cents for every dollar earned after taxes, workman’s comp.

Thus, to spend $72 on onions you had to earn (before taxes and other deductions)

$72 x $1.33 = $96.

After the costs of sets, fertilizer, etc. which could total roughly $20 (water bills are a big variable), the difference between cost and avoided grocery expense is your return to your own labor and skills. It effectively adds to the household income, it isn’t taxable, it is a lot more fun and cost effective than watching television, and it is healthier to boot. What a deal!

The second economic test would look at the amount and value of produce you actually eat per square foot planted. If your goal was to replace some of what you buy and if space, time, and/or water were limiting, you would concentrate your efforts on number of case increases.

Surge testing Paul said the December effort is “surge testing.”

“There is a high demand in the Portland-metro area for the testing, and we have so many cases right now we need to increase our testing capacity to meet the demand for testing and so that we can identify more cases,” he said.

According to Paul, a factor in Columbia County’s sharp rise in COVID-19 cases is its link to the metro area with many people commuting back and forth and vice versa, and Multnomah and Washington counties’ high surge in cases.

This week, Columbia County has been ranked in the states ’extreme risk’ category due to the pandemic.

Paul said in order to protect local businesses and people in the community from coronavirus, to safely reopen schools and bring down the case rate to a safe level, the county needs to increase testing capacity and community members need to closely follow the pandemic restrictions and guidelines.

“People are experiencing fatigue from the pandemic,” Paul said. “And the other issue is that there are people who cannot work remotely from home and can’t safely isolate and we have seen throughout the pandemic these people are disproportionately affected. We need to provide support and quarantine for these people and that is part of the effort to bring the numbers down.”

growing those vegetables that have a combination of reasonably high yield/ square foot, fairly fast growth cycle, easier to grow, perhaps fewer insect pests, and have fairly high grocery store replacement costs. Some of the best vegetables in this test include: • greens like collards, chard, kale, lettuce, arugula, etc.

• green onions • radishes • carrots, beets, and other root crops • garlic and onions • specialty potatoes • tomatoes, esp cherry and smaller types • all the annual herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley • woody perennial herbs like

thyme, bay, rosemary, etc. as part of your permanent landscape • zucchini • possibly pole beans Winter squash like butternut would make the list for many gardeners because they are easy to grow, they can be stored for winter use, and don’t take huge amounts of water if you drip irrigate. They do take a lot of space but if you have

contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503397-3462 or at chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu.

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it, they make some sense.

A final look might combine nutrition with some of the cost replacement ideas.

Cornell University Extension released a “nutrition garden” 40+ years ago. And no surprise, it looks a lot like the list above.

If you want a copy of their 10’ x 10’ (now well-

aged) garden plan, email me directly at the address below and I will send it to you.

Apples really are good for you This should come as no surprise to this audience, but apples appear to be a health power-house. Research done in laboratories in Cornell University show that apples

have both anti-oxidant and strong indications of anticancer benefits.

While the vitamin C in apples is important, there are lots of other compounds, called phytochemicals, which appear to do most of the heavy lifting relative to the health benefits.

These compounds, described for the chemists in the audience as polyphenols and flavanoids, were extracted from apple flesh and skin and used against human cancer cells in laboratory tests. Test results were very encouraging. One interesting fact is that the apple skin contained a significant portion of these biologically active compounds. Of equal interest is that when the compounds are isolated and tested individually, they were not as effective as the complex mixture of phytochemicals found together in the apple.

With apples somewhat cheaper this year and the “home remedy” value of apples on the verge of being confirmed by research, there is no reason not to eat them at least once a day.

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/ or farm questions, please

The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you.

Call 503-397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at extension.oregonstate. edu/columbia and click on newsletters.

Many Extension publications available online Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting grapes? OSU has a large number of its publications available for free download. Just go to catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu. Click on publications and start exploring.

The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

Contact information for the Extension office Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County • Address: 505 N. Columbia River Highway St. Helens, OR 97051 • Phone: 503-397-3462 • Email: chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu

Paul said. “We are very optimistic and hopeful about that, but there is going to be some time before that reaches the general population, so we are going to continue to need people to follow all the things that we have put out all year long, limit their gatherings, wear masks and wash hands frequently.”

Paul declined to predict how long the pandemic would last.

“Our job is to respond and to identify cases and we leave the predictions to the state and federal government,” he said. “But we are very hopeful for long-term solutions.”

Paul said it is important that people understand the severity of this health crisis.

“The virus is in Columbia County,” he said. “It’s not just in Portland. It’s not just in Wisconsin. It’s not just in China. It is here in Columbia County, so people need to follow the guidance to protect our community, protect our businesses and so that we can get kids back in school.”

Lesson learned

Looking ahead

Paul said there is a specific lesson learned from the current pandemic.

“What we have learned is that, at certain levels, our systems did not work together appropriately,” he said.

According to Paul, a coordinated federal, state and local system is needed.

“We also need more funding for all levels of public health,” he said. “We cannot protect people from communicable diseases unless we have staff and resources to do so.”

Paul said he is optimistic about what’s ahead.

“We have seen a lot of good news about the potential vaccines for COVID-19.”

Follow daily pandemic updates at thechronicleonline. com with in-depth reports in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

The Chronicle

Weekly Online Poll

Last Week’s Results

Do you believe local Christmas parades should be held during the pandemic?

Are you doing your Christmas shopping online, at local stores, or both?

Yes

No

Both 49% Online 43% Local stores 8%

Vote online at thechronicleonline.com 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

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

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CONTACT US • Phone: (503) 397-0116 • Fax: (503) 397-4093 • Website: www.thechronicleonline.com • Editorial: chroniclenews@countrymedia.net Advertising: atrull@countrymedia.net or chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net • FOLLOW US • facebook.com/sthelenschronicle or twitter.com/shchronicle 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

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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, December 9, 2020

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Law enforcement chase, apprehend suspect in St. Helens

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

Police surround the suspect vehicle in a parking lot along 18th Street in St. Helens. See more exclusive photos at thechronicleonline.com.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Oregon State Police (OSP) said a case that began in the Warren area along

Highway 30 ended with the arrest of a Hillsboro man in St. Helens.

The incident unfolded at approximately 7:41 a.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 1, as OSP Troopers attempted to stop

a gray pickup near milepost 24 on Highway 30 for speeding 90 mph. The vehicle fled at high rate of speed and continued westbound driving recklessly.

Police said the gray

NEXT president facing sex abuse charges STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

Lou Soumas, former president of NEXT Renewable Fuels, Inc., was arrested on child sex abuse charges in Texas in November.

The board of directors fired Soumas at its Nov. 25 meeting and announced the decision Monday, Nov. 30. NEXT is developing a renewable diesel facility in Clatskanie.

“The board’s decision and action was based on information that came to light late last week concerning a personal matter involving Mr. Soumas and is completely unrelated to NEXT,” NEXT’s Executive Chairman and controlling shareholder Christo-

pher Efird said in a statement about the termination on Monday, Nov. 30. “However, we are confident in our decision that immediate termination was necessary.”

Soumas was indicted for two charges in Fort Bend, Texas in January for offenses that occurred in March and May of 2019, according to public records.

On Nov. 13, Soumas was arrested for two felonies: indecency with a child by exposure and indecency with a child by sexual contact.

According to public records, Soumas was issued a warrant for arrest in February, arrested in California with a fugitive warrant in March and posted bond with an April court date. In late October he was again

arrested, on a governor’s warrant seeking extradition and extradited to Fort Bend County, Texas on Nov. 13.

He posted bond on Nov. 14 and filed a motion asking the court allow him to return to Oregon, which was approved.

His court date is set for Dec. 21, according to Fort Bend public records.

Efird said the company’s action was based on reasons completely unrelated to the company’s business or project work.

“I want to assure the community and all our stakeholders that work on the Port Westward project will continue without interruption,” Efird said. “We have very strong teams on the ground in Oregon and Houston and are moving forward full speed.”

Local PUD sets milestone For the first time in its 36year history, Columbia River PUD is debt-free.

On Dec. 1, the PUD made its final bond payment to U.S. Bank in the amount of $853,356.67, according to a release from the utility.

“Since 1984, the people of this district have been investing in our electric distribution system,” PUD General Manager Michael Sykes said.

“Paying off that long-standing debt is a big achievement.

We are excited for all of our customers to finally reach this break-even point.”

Historically, the PUD has only taken on debt to purchase facilities from Portland General Electric (PGE). The PUD issued a $17 million bond in 1984 to purchase the original electric system from PGE so the PUD could begin providing electric service.

In 2000, a $15 million bond was approved for the PUD to

purchase additional service area from PGE to serve more customers in St. Helens, Scappoose, and Columbia City.

The PUD has refinanced its bonds several times to take advantage of lower interest rates. The PUD last refinanced its debt in 2015. Since then, the PUD has made average annual payments of $1.22 million to become debt-free.

The utility’s long-range planning allowed it to factor these savings into its 2019 Cost of Service Analysis.

Knowing the bond payments would be finalized allowed the PUD to keep rates low when instituting a 2019 rate change.

While some utilities use long-term debt to fund system improvement and maintenance projects, CRPUD’s Board of Directors has developed a philosophy where long-term borrowing is only

acceptable to: • Expand the PUD’s service area • Fund large capital projects like power generation • Refund existing obligations to reduce debt service The PUD uses cash to fund capital projects like the construction of new substations.

This helps keep rates down for all customers by avoiding interest and financing fees.

About Columbia River PUD Columbia River PUD provides electric service to 19,590 meters in Columbia and Multnomah Counties.

The PUD currently employs 44 people and had a total operating and non-operating income of $35.2 million in 2019.

Students at St. Helens High School (SHHS) are not letting a pandemic hold them back from helping the needy.

The COVID-19 pandemic

has forced cancellation of the students’ participation in the annual Giving Tree project, but the students’ spirit to help those in need continues.

The students have scheduled a donation drive for families in need sponsored by the SHHS NHS Leader-

ship class is set for Dec. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in from of St. Helens High School at 2375 Gable Road in St. Helens.

Organizers are asking for donations of canned or nonperishable food, toiletries, and gift cards. Brief photos with the SHHS mascot will be available following social distancing guidelines.

For more details, call SHHS at 503-397-1900.

James Radilla, 33, was transported to the Columbia County Jail where he was booked and released for Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, Elude-vehicle, Unauthorized Use of a Mo-

tor Vehicle (UUMV) and Driving While Suspended (DWS)-Misdemeanor.

The vehicle was towed from the scene and the registered owner was contacted.

New park playground design STAFF REPORT

chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

The design for a new allabilities playground at McCormick Park in St. Helens will soon be chosen.

With $37,000 in funding from the 2020 Moda Assist Program competition the city won in April, the city is nearing the final stages of the planning process for the new playground. The $250,000 project will feature an expanded play area, new play structure, all-abilities play equipment and fall protection.

Seven playground proposals from six vendors were received by the city, and

a subcommittee from the St. Helens Parks and Trails Commission and city staff narrowed the proposals down to the top two. Next, the Parks and Trails Commission will review the top two options and make a final selection at its Dec. 14 meeting.

The committee’s selection will then be reviewed by the St. Helens City Council at its Dec. 16 meeting for final approval. Both meetings are available to watch online and public comment is accepted at the beginning of each meeting.

Specific installation dates have not yet been selected, but work is expected to begin in the spring.

Moda Assist Program St. Helens won the annual Moda Assist Program competition earlier this year with over 48,000 votes. The program teams up with the Portland Trail Blazers to raise money for every assist made by the team. Each assist made by the team equals a $20 donation to the Trail Blazers Foundation. Those funds support the construction of all-abilities playgrounds in communities across Oregon.

In 2020, St. Helens went up against Astoria and Sandy and came out of the competition victorious, thanks to the support from the community.

Obituaries Dr. Hazel McCubbin PhD Dec. 2, 1933 ~ Oct. 31, 2020

Hazel McCubbin passed recently from dementia. Hazel was raised in St. Helens, Oregon. Her mother was widowed during WWII and the whole family worked to make ends meet.

Hazel excelled at school and was very outgoing. In her senior year she was voted Most Likeable Senior Girl at St. Helens High School and crowned “Queen of Hearts.”

Hazel worked her way through college. At the University of Oregon (UO) she was awarded a scholarship for being a top female student.

Hazel graduated from UO and married a fellow dorm counselor and they had four children. After a divorce she went on to complete her PhD

For more information, call 503-397-1844.

Students launch local donation drive STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

pickup was spotted shortly after in a parking along 18th Street. Moments after police arrived to check for the truck, the suspected driver was spotted one block east.

The driver, Alejandro

in Psychology at UO. Hazel worked for Multnomah County Mental Health Services with the mentally ill, ran groups and counseled in Teen Clinics in Portland Schools.

She traveled often and volunteered with Earthwatch doing research in India and China. In Rwanda, she climbed up to see gorillas and went on safaris in parts of Africa.

Hazel is survived by her siblings, Audrey Oliver, Keith Forsythe, and Gary Milne; four children, Kristel, Marci, Tim and Douglas; two grandchildren Mariah and Keara; and three great grandchildren, Kateri, Cecilia and Lucy.

She was predeceased by her father Ian Forsythe; mother Virginia Milne; and stepfather Clair Milne.

Hazel was unforgettable and will be dearly missed.

Hazel’s funeral is postponed because of COVID19.

Patricia Jean Anicker

Aug. 8, 1952 ~ Dec. 2, 2020 Patricia “Pat” Jean Anicker of Scappoose, Oregon passed away peacefully on Dec. 2, 2020 at the age of 68.

She was born August 8, 1952 in Portland to Alfred Joseph and Norma Jean Jacober.

Pat was a long time Scappoose area resident after growing up on Dixie Mountain and attending high school in Hillsboro, Oregon. She often spoke fondly of growing up in the country and truly enjoyed animals of all types, but was most fond of horses, cats, and dogs. She could often be found with a good

Amber King

Nov. 17, 2001 ~ Dec. 1, 2020 Amber King 19, of Rainier, Oregon, passed away on Dec. 1, 2020 in Longview, Washington.

Simple Direct Cremation $795 Simple Direct Burial $995 Church Funeral $2,965

Portland 832 NE Broadway Portland, OR 97232 Phone: 503 783-3393

Discounted price, caskets, urns & other memorial items.

Privately owned cremation facility. Locally owned and operated by Oregon families Offering online arrangements - CrownCremationBurial.com

book in one hand, cup of tea in the other, and a cat or dog on her lap.

After many years of staying home as a homemaker and raising her children Pat worked several jobs including Roadrunner and OS Systems.

She established life-long friendships and was always up for a phone call or writing a letter. Her closest friends and family knew that if her line was busy to just wait and she would be calling them soon.

Pat was survived by her children, Becky Anicker, Clyde Anicker, and Brian

Anicker; grandchildren, Orion Stanley, Aurora Stanley, Benjamin Anicker, Wyatt Anicker, and Kennedy Anicker; siblings, Marry Herrod, Helen Hardesty, and Mareta Woods.

Pat was preceded in death by both of her parents; her daughter Audrey Anicker; and her brother Wayne Jacober.

Pat will be laid to rest at Mt. View Cemetery on Dixie Mountain. Regretfully there will not be a service at this time due to COVID-19.

Please sign our online guestbook at www.columbiafh. com.

Diane Richardson Morrow Diane Richardson Morrow, age 72, passed away on Nov. 25, 2020. She was born to the late George and June Richardson and graduated from St. Helens Senior High School in 1966.

Diane lived in Loma Linda, California from 1980s to 2019 when she moved to Vancouver, Washington to be closer to family.

She is survived by his sister Gina Richardson and brother-in-law Rory Lapping of Vancouver, Washington and Judy Klein of Portland, Oregon; and brother Mike Richardson of Napa, California.

Diane will be buried at the Yankton Cemetery.

Come shop at 2Cs for seasonal decor.

YULE be JOLLY!

215 S 1st Street St. Helens • 503-410-5280 • www.2csvendormall.com

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Classifieds Listings are updated daily at thechronicleonline.com

105

502

Cleaning Services

Kell-Clean!!

*Low-Cost* Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • Residential • Apartments • Rentals *Commercial* Fast Dry Times!

Cell: 503-556-2568 Cell: 503-396-6228

FIND US ON FACEBOOK Licensed - Bonded - Insured

150

Misc Services

Paul’s Tree Service Inc. No bush too small, no tree to tall- Call Paul! Specialized in danger trees, take downs, storm clean-up.

Time to prune- pruning Lace Leafed Maples & ornamental shrubberies, chipping, senior or veterans discount, free estimates.

CCB# 217173 Lic., Bonded & Insured.

503-440-0723 or 503-543-8274

301

Health & Nutrition

Alcoholics Anonymous Info-line, (503) 366-0667 www.oregonaa district18.org

502

502

700

706

743

808

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Misc/Trade

Estate Sales

Christmas Trees

Houses Unfurnished

9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for fulltime Dispatchers (Communications Specialists).

Additional information and job description can be found on our website at www.columbia911. com/careers or by calling 503-3666978. Online applications will be accepted until 11:45pm on December 31st, 2020.

limited to regular rotating cleaning of common spaces including bathrooms, kitchens, laundry, lobby, and meeting spaces. Restocking of PPE and cleaning supplies to support manufacturing staff.

Contract position Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Compensation: TBD. Possibility of permanent placement at end of contract. Letter of introduction and resume to hr@rain shadowlabs.com.

Please reference Sanitation Tech in subject line of your email.

Must be willing to work Thurs & Fri as well as be able cover throughout the week when needed. We are a state-of-the-art practice and offer a positive working environment for our employees.

Drop off your resume in person Mon-Wed to our office at 575 S. Columbia River Hwy. in St. Helens, OR 97051.

The Vanishing Heritage is OPEN!!!

By appointment only. We are overflowing with treasures.

Vintage Christmas items, glass collectible, Corning Wear, furniture, saws, old fordge, cast iron, quilts, barber chair, coffee grinders, lamps, trunks, desks and much more. Please call Ruthie or Gene at 503-550-9800. In Scappoose. Masks required.

completely. Let us help you do your estate sale. Please call Darlene @ 503-308-2764 or Dan @ 503-3082759.

200 yds on left.

From Deer Island: Canaan Rd 7 mi., 1st left after Pinkney Rd on S. Canaan, 2.5 mi on right. CASH OR CHECK ONLY OPEN Nov 27th - Dec 20th M-F noon-dark Weekends 9am-dark

security deposit, $1300 last month, $1300 per month.

No smoking. 503939-0673.

Director, Emergency Management Columbia County, OR EOE Deadline 12/31/2020 Apply at ColumbiaCoun tyOR.gov Sanitation Technician Looking for an individual to contract as a Sanitation Technician at our St. Helens Campus.

This position would be responsible for upholding the company sanitation standards, as well as current Oregon State COVID directives. Position will require upkeep/ continuous improvement of 3-buildings. Duties include but not be

690

Wanted Autos

706

Estate Sales

Ca$h 4 Car$

$Drake’s Towing is now paying TOP Cash$ 4 Junk Cars!!!

Looking to Hire Offering full-time Personal Support Worker (PSW)/Direct Support Professional (DSP) services for people with Developmental Disabilities in Columbia Co. Contact Michelle Cullison, owner/ operator of Saturn Supports, at Saturnprovider @gmail.com.

we buy junk/broken cars,

trucks, vans, heavy equip. top $$ paid to $200

we are LOCAL, serving Columbia County same day service.

503-438-6099

Enterprises Inc.

ESTATE SALE HELP 30 years experience with references. No money up front. We work on commission.

We can save you work, help sell your items, or buy it out

743

Christmas Trees

TRENHOLM TREE FARM 503-397-3369 UCUT NOBLE FIR XMAS TREES Hand Pruned Natural Look. Masks and social distancing required.

10 cars in the parking lot at a time.

Consider weekdays. Trees $50 regardless of size.

Bring your own handsaw. Limited manual support.

From St. Helens: Pittsburg Rd to Yankton School, stay on Pittsburg, follow signs 7 mi. to Trenholm Valley, right on S. Canaan,

• Excavation • Site prep • Bush hogging • Blackberry removal • Landscaping

RAINIER 1 bd. on second story, river view.

W/S/G paid. Nice neighborhood, no pets.First and last $750 per month, $700 deposit. 503369-4576.

808

Houses Unfurnished

Oversized 2 Bdrm., Townhouse 33913 Bernet Dr. Scappoose $1300

For Rent: Duplex w/ attached garage in Scappoose. 2 bed/1 bath. W/D hookup, electric range, fridge, dishwasher. $1100/mo plus $ 11 0 0 / s e c u r i t y dep. Includes water/garbage.

No pets. No smoking. Call 503-3485108.

890

Wanted to Rent

Wanted: Looking for Room for Rent.

One bedroom for rent wanted. $400/ month. Ask for David at 503397-6800.

VIEW OUR CURRENT RENTAL PROPERTIES AT:

www.therentalcenter.net

We are a woman owned small business based out of St. Helens and proud supporters of Columbia County

St. Helens Dental Care is looking for a PT Dental Assistant to join our team.

Qualified applicants must have their X-Ray and EFDA license.

804

Apts Unfurnished

810

Duplexes

River City & Rentals Northwest 503-543-4440 Phone

Call 503-397-9013, call or text 503-704-3636 Email: sheena@grasshopperenterprise.com Find us online, on Facebook, or Home Advisor

503-543-7929 Fax

Kristie Flanagan, Licensed Property Manager 51891 Old Portland Road, Suite “A”, Scappoose OR 97056 (next to the scappoose totem pole)

CCB#222987, WA license #GRASSEI829PJ

Columbia County

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY www.thechronicleonline.com Waterman Garage Doors

CCB#204858

SALES, SERVICE INSTALLATION

Scott Waterman Owner

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Reach out to local customers Advertise your business in the Business & Service Directory. Call 503-397-0116 for more information

VACCINES From Page A1

vaccine was found to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 and the Moderna vaccine was found to be 94.5% effective. By comparison, Rachael Banks, OHA Public Health Division Director, said the flu vaccine is 40-60% effective among the overall population.

“I must admit, when we first, as a nation, started talking about vaccine development, I did not think we’d be looking at a 95% effective rate,” Banks said. “While we know that all vaccines may cause some side effects for people, in this case, about one in ten people who take the COVID-19 vaccines may experience some mild side effects. These common side effects include pain, swelling or redness where the shot was given, mild fever, chills, feeling tired, headache and muscle aches.”

Health officials have also learned that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective against severe cases.

Among the small population who received that vaccine, none of the cases progressed to a severe case that needed to be hospitalized.

Who gets the vaccine In line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, priority will be given to front-

line healthcare workers and long-term care residents and employees as the first group to receive the vaccine. All Oregonians in these settings will have the opportunity to be vaccinated by the end of January, Brown said.

According to Allen, the second wave of people who will likely get the vaccine are essential workers, individuals with health issues and adults ages 65 and older. However, that is unlikely to occur until several months from now, he says.

“The introduction of a vaccine, however, doesn’t end this pandemic,” Brown said. “Right now, and into the foreseeable future, the only ways to reduce transmission and slow the spread is to take safety precautions until the vaccine is both widely available and widely administered.

And this is going to take time.

“I know these are the vaccines we have all been waiting for and as we work across Oregon and the entire country to get them widely distributed, I am asking you all to buckle down for just a little bit longer.

We can finally see a light at the end of this tunnel, but we are certainly not there yet.”

When more doses become available, the vaccination program will expand to critical populations and the general public and be administered at healthcare settings, retail pharmacies and public health venues, according to an Oregon COVID-19 vaccination planning update from the OHA released Dec. 4.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Vaccine information The CDC has issued information addressing common misconceptions concerning COVID-19 vaccines. Among them, the CDC assures that the COVID-19 vaccines will not give patients COVID-19, nor will it cause one to test positive on a COVID-19 viral test.

The vaccines in development do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19, the CDC said. The vaccines teach the immune system how to recognize and fight the virus, which can sometimes cause symptoms like fevers, but the CDC said the symptoms are normal and a sign the body is building immunity.

It is possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 right before or right after getting vaccinated and still get sick because it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity following vaccination, the CDC said.

Viral tests test for current infections, which a vaccine will not cause. Antibody tests test for previous infection, and the vaccine may cause a positive result if the body develops an immune response, as is the goal of the vaccines.

The CDC said experts are looking into how the vaccinations may affect antibody testing results.

Even people who have had COVID-19 before may be advised to get a vaccine, due to the health risks associated with the virus and the fact

that reinfection is possible, the CDC said. It is not yet known how long someone is prevented from reinfection after recovering from COVID-19.

How a vaccine is approved The typical process to develop a vaccine begins a lab with scientists conducting research on how the organism causes disease and how a vaccine may intercept, according to information from the FDA. Once the vaccine candidate reaches clinical testing, there are three phases of trials. The first phase involves a small group of generally healthy adults (between 20-100 volunteers) and its goal is to assess the safety of the vaccine. If successful, it moves into the second phase which tests a larger group (several hundred) with a variety of health statuses and demographics. The shortterm side effects and risks are examined.

The third phase of testing casts a larger net, testing thousands of people. These tests are randomized and double blind (meaning neither the clinician nor the participant knows who receives the placebo). The goal of this phase is to test the safety of the vaccine in a large group of people, and also test the efficacy of the vaccine.

If the third phase is successful, the vaccine developers submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA, which will then inspect

Chronicle and News/Ad Classified Ad Deadline is Monday by noon Ads received after the deadline are not guaranteed to be placed in that week’s issue. Call 503-397-0116 for more information

the facilities and review the test results.

During public health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the process can be expedited, according to the FDA. The administration has been communicating with pharmaceutical companies about the the data and information needed for safe and effective vaccines. Companies developing vaccines during the pandemic have requested emergency use authorization to allow the widespread use of the vaccines as quickly as possible to address the pandemic.

On Dec. 10 and 17, the FDA will meet to discuss the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna, Inc, COVID-19 vaccine, respectively.

Portland clinical trial While the state is receiving shipments of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine this month, the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is involved in a Phase 3 clinical trial of a different COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine, known as AZD1222, is developed by the company AstraZeneca and Oxford University. A total of 30,000 participants nationwide are sought to evaluate its safety and efficacy, according to an OSHU release.

The experimental vaccine will be given in two injections administered about four

weeks apart. To qualify for the trial, participants must be over 18, not be pregnant, have stable medical conditions or no medical issues, have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 and live within approximately an hour and a half of the OHSU campus in Portland. Most Columbia County residents live close enough to the facility to qualify should they meet the other requirements.

“Oregon Health & Science university is proud to contribute to the world’s most pressing challenge right now: identifying a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine for everyone,” OHSU President Danny Jacobs said.

“We’re asking Portland-area residents to volunteer for this trial and help bring all of us closer to stopping this devastating pandemic.”

The trial is randomized and two-thirds of participants will receive the experimental vaccine and one third will receive a placebo, OHSU said. Neither the clinicians involved nor the participants will know who receives the placebo or the vaccine, making it a double-blind study.

Participants will be monitored for two years.

People interested in enrolling can visit www.c19vaccinestudy.com or call 888-8227839 for more information.

Follow daily pandemic updates at thechronicleonline. com with in-depth reports in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

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Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CH20-1541

TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain trust deed made by Scot Strandberg and Renae Strandberg, as grantors, to Ticor Title Company of Oregon, as trustee, in favor of Dan J. Molony, as beneficiary, dated August 13, 2018, recorded 8-152018, in the records of Columbia County, Oregon, as Instrument Number 2018-06677, covering the real property in Columbia County, Oregon described in Exhibit A attached hereto, also known as 73962 Columbia River Highway, Rainier, OR 97048. Both the beneficiary and the trustee have elected to sell the said property to satisfy the obligations secured by said trust deed and a notice of default has been recorded pursuant to ORS 86.752. The default for which foreclosure is made is grantors’ failure to pay when due the following sums: 1. The sum of $15,473.88 which represents missed payments of $1,719.32 from December, 2019, through August, 2020; and 2. Real estate taxes for tax year 2018-2019 in the sum of $2,143.66 plus interest and

the sum of $2,036.15 plus interest for tax year 20192020. By reason of said default, the beneficiary has declared all sums owing on the obligations secured by said trust deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, towit: $154,673.79 plus per diem of $20.4188 from August 15, 2020, until paid. WHEREFORE, notice is hereby given that the undersigned successor trustee will, on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at the hour of 1:00 pm, in accord with the standard of time established by ORS 187.110, at the front door of the Rainier City Hall located at 106 West ‘B’ Street, Rainier, OR 97048, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the described property which grantors had, or had the power to convey, at the time of execution by grantors of the trust deed, together with ay interest the grantors or grantors’ successors in interest acquired after execution of the trust deed, to satisfy the obligations secured by the trust deed and the expense of the sale,

including the compensation of the trustee as provided by law, and the reasonable fees of trustee’s attorneys.

Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for the sale, to have this foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the trust deed reinstated by payment to the beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of the principal as would not then be due had no default occurred) and by curing any other default complained of herein that is capable of being cured by tendering the performance required under the obligation or trust deed, and in addition to paying the sums or tendering the performance necessary to cure the default, by paying all costs and expenses actually incurred in enforcing the obligation and trust deed, together with trustee’s and attorney fees not exceeding the amounts provided by ORS 86.778. In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter,

the singular includes the plural, the word “grantor” includes any successor in interest to the grantor as well as any other person owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by the trust deed, and the words “trustee” and “beneficiary” include their respective successors in interest, if any. Dated this 4th day of September, 2020. Robert A. Lucas, Successor Trustee, 118 West ‘B’ Street, P.O. Box 519, Rainier, OR 97048. (503) 556-3741, Fax: (503) 556-0708. Email: lucasatty@yahoo.com.

Exhibit A: Parcel 1: Beginning at a point on the East boundary line of the relocated Columbia River Highway, said point being at right angles to and 60 feet from the center line of said relocated highway as Station 531+27.70 and being the Southwest corner of that tract of land described in that certain contract dated June 1, 1956 in which Charles M. and Ida L. Kelley, husband and wife, are sellers and Leon Lockwood Larson and Mabel Ilene Larson, husband and wife, are purchasers, which contract is recorded

CH20-1547

PUBLIC NOTICE OF A HEARING FOR A STREET VACATION A public hearing before the St. Helens City Council will be held at or after 6:15 PM on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Governor’s declared state of emergency (March 8, 2020) and subsequent Executive Order No. 2016 (April 15, 2020), the public hearing will be held virtually via a phone-andinternet based application instead of the Council Chambers. Testimony from the public in both oral and written form is invited. For

public health reasons, you are strongly encouraged to participate by mail or email (in advance of the hearing), or virtually to attend the hearing. Information to join the meeting will be included at the end of the City Council agenda once available or you may go to our calendar and click on the meeting you wish to attend: https://www.sthelensoregon. gov/meetings. The purpose of this hearing is to receive public input as to the proposed vacation (i.e. giving up a public interest)

CH20-1545

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING The Columbia County fair board will meet on December 14th at 6:30 pm in the Pavilion at 58892 Saulser Road, St.Helens,

OR 97051. Space is limited as the fair board will be following the current OHA in person meeting guidelines.

of the west half of the S. 2nd Street right-of-way abutting Lots 21 and 22, Block 24 (not previously vacated) of the St. Helens Subdivision, City of St. Helens, Columbia County, Oregon. A petition to vacate was filed by Brian Zender on November 13, 2020.

A map of the proposed vacation and affected areas is available for review at City Hall. A copy of the staff report will be available for review at least seven (7) calendar days prior to the hearing. As City Hall is

closed during this pandemic, please contact someone in the Planning Department to make arrangements to review the file. All written comments should be submitted to the City at least six (6) days prior to the hearing. Questions should be directed to the City Planning Department by phone: 503-366-8207, e-mail: jdimsho@ci.sthelens.or.us, mail: 265 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051, or in person (by appointment only) at City Hall.

in Book L, page 647, Miscellaneous Records of Columbia County, Oregon; thence Southeasterly along said East right of way line 100 feet to the true point of beginning; thence continuing Southeasterly along said East right of way line 105 feet; thence Easterly and parallel with the Southerly line of said tract as described in said Book and page, 112 feet; thence Northwesterly parallel with the said East right of way line, 105 feet; thence Westerly parallel with the Southerly line of said Tract as described in said Book and Page, 112 feet to the true point of beginning.

Parcel 2: Beginning at a point on the East boundary line of the relocated Columbia River Highway, said point being at right angles to and 60 feet from the centerline of said relocated highway at Station 531+27.70 and being the Southwest corner of the tract of land described in that certain contract dated June 1, 1956 in which Charles M. Kelley and Ida L. Kelley are sellers, and Leon Lockwood Larson and Mabel Ilene Larson are purchasers, which

contract is recorded in Book L, page 647, Miscellaneous Records of Columbia County, Oregon; thence Southeasterly along said East right of way line 205 feet to a point, said point being the Southwesterly corner of tract described in deed to Harold C. Strong, recorded May 8, 1964 in Book 154, page 1000, Deed Records of Columbia County, Oregon; thence easterly along the Southerly line of said Strong tract, 112 feet to the true point of beginning of the following described tract; thence Northwesterly along the Easterly line of said Strong tract, 105 feet to the Northeasterly corner of said Strong tract; thence North 55°01’ East a distance of 38 feet to the easterly line of tract described in deed to Jack B. Wolf, recorded December 29, 1970 in Book 179, page 830, Deed Records of Columbia County, Oregon; thence South 34°59’ East along the Easterly line of said Wolf tract, 105 feet to the Southeasterly corner of said Wolf tract; thence South 55°01’ West 38 feet to the true point of beginning.

CH20-1546

COLUMBIA RIVER PUD PUBLIC NOTICE Hearing Scheduled 2021 Operating and Capital Budget. The Board of Directors for Columbia River PUD will conduct a Public Hearing on December 15, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room at Columbia River PUD Headquarters in Deer Island, Oregon, to receive public testimony regarding the proposed 2021 Operating and Capital Budget. Interested parties may get more information by contacting the PUD office at (503) 3971844. All interested parties

are invited to attend. Physical attendance is limited. To attend virtually, contact the Board Secretary at hralls@ crpud.org. This meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for further accommodations should be made at least 48 hours in advance by contacting the PUD at 397-1844. The PUD Board meetings are conducted pursuant to the public meeting laws of the State of Oregon and anyone wishing to attend is welcome. By: Michael J. Sykes, General Manager

The Public Notice deadline is Fridays by noon.

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

Comcast future in St. Helens posal to remove the requirement of staffing a store in the city was not in reaction to the pandemic, and he did not have the authority to alter that portion of the agreement.

“It wasn’t closed to save money. It was closed for customer and employee safety reasons alone. No other reasons,” Goodman said.

Scholl advised city staff to continue to negotiate the terms of the agreement before reading and voting on it.

MONIQUE MERRILL chronicle2@countrymedia.net

The Comcast location in St. Helens may soon close permanently, pending further negotiation between the city and Comcast.

Comcast provides video, high speed internet and phone services to residential and business customers.

The city entered into a 10-year franchise agreement with Comcast in 2007 and has extended the term since then. The nonexclusive agreement allows Comcast to operate within the city and outlines the conditions of its operation. The new agreement that city attorneys and Comcast representatives have been working on follows the model used between larger metropolitan areas and the company, said Bill Monahan, city attorney.

However, not all changes were to the council’s approval and Mayor Rick Scholl removed the first reading of the ordinance from the regular sessions agenda, citing dissatisfaction with the terms of the agreement discussed at the work session.

The section at the heart of the decision to prolong discussions with Comcast concerned the company’s customer service requirement. Previous agreements required the company to staff

Other council business

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

Comcast is located at 445 Port Avenue in St Helens.

a customer service office located within city limits and open at least 40 hours a week.

The new proposed agreement has no such requirement, prompting concern and suspicion from the council.

Tim Goodman, a Comcast representative said the change was proposed due to low store visits and the company’s ability to provide home service visits and remote customer service. Council members expressed concern that the company was using state-mandated pandemic closures as an excuse to close the location.

“The proposal for that piece was done well before the pandemic hit,” Goodman said. “It’s a business decision.

Things are changing, things are not the way they were 10 years ago.”

Council member Doug Morten accused the company of taking advantage of St. Helens citizens by trying to close the office.

“I can’t understand why you would enter into conversations that are solely for economic development and not looking out for our customer base who are sorely needing,” Morten said. “It’s absurd to

me that you’re trying to do business and come to us with a continued franchise agreement that would be ongoing.”

The Comcast facility is located on Port Avenue in St. Helens. It has been closed since March due to the pandemic, Goodman said.

Service in the area would still be provided under the terms of the agreement, but the requirement to staff a location would not.

“It’s been closed because of the pandemic— no other reason,” Goodman said. “If the pandemic was not happening, we would still be

having this conversation, but the store closure now is totally, 100% due to the pandemic.”

Scholl said the store would have been able to safely reopen with limited capacity over the last several months, like some of the Comcast stores in larger areas have done.

“You’re using a pandemic because your store has been closed and you realized your store has been closed and you’re using the pandemic as a stepping stone to start operating this way,” Scholl said.

Goodman said the pro-

The council approved $40,000 for updates to the Bennett Building which houses the utility department and municipal court offices. The improvements are to correct exterior work done to the upper windows of the building which were not historically accurate for the building, built in 1929.

The money is mostly out of enterprise funds and utility funds, with a small portion from general funding.

The council also approved a resolution to adopt a universal fee schedule, a resolution to adopt a COVID-19 notification process, a resolution to set 2021 public meetings and holiday closures and a resolution to extend enterprise zone benefits for two more years to the Cascades Tissue Group Oregon.

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Emergency food assistance extended STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

The Oregon Department of Human Services will issue emergency supplemental allotments to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients on Dec. 11.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these additional benefits, as they will be placed directly on their Oregon EBT cards. Households receiving SNAP benefits will see the additional supplement to their benefits based on a maximum allotment scale.

For example, if there are four individuals in a household and that household is currently receiving $500 in benefits, the supplement will raise their benefits to the maximum allowed for households of four, which is $680 per month – or an increase of $180.

Total benefits will be different based on each household’s regular monthly allotment for the month of December. Households already at the maximum allotment will not receive an additional benefit supplement.

Household size and maximum monthly benefit amount 1, $204 2, $374 3, $535 4, $680 5, $807 6, $969 7, $1,071 8, $1,224 Each additional person $153 A second release of emergency supplemental allotments will take place on Dec. 31 for anyone who began receiving SNAP benefits after Dec. 11. Households only receive one allotment.

For more information about emergency supplemental allotments or to review frequently asked questions, visit www.oregon.gov/dhs/ ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/About-SNAP. aspx.

Oregonians who receive SNAP can contact their local Self-Sufficiency Programs, Aging and People with Disabilities, or Area Agency on Aging office for more information. Find a local office at oregon.gov/DHS/ Offices/Pages/index.aspx or call 2-1-1.

This is the eighth month Oregon has issued emergency supplemental allotments.

Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately one million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities.

Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance, and Medicaid.

Learn more at govstatus. egov.com/or-dhs-benefits.

For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-OREADRC or 1-855-673-2372.

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

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Shark attack, rockslide, cliff fall Photo courtesy of the City of Seaside

Crews from Seaside Fire & Rescue, Seaside Police and Medix carefully move the shark bite victim to a waiting ambulance.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

First responders and the U.S. Coast Guard are issuing safety alerts following three separate rescue efforts over the past weekend.

The first incident occurred Saturday morning, Dec. 5, along the North Oregon Coast near Tillamook morning when Netarts-Oceanside Fire and a Tillamook ambulance was dispatched to reports of people trapped in a rockslide.

The slide occurred at the south opening of the Oceanside Tunnel partially blocking

access. As the first responders arrive it was determined that there were approximately 12 people trapped on the north side of the tunnel with an incoming tide that would need assistance.

Rescuers devised a plan bringing those individuals out of the south opening, which was approximately 3 feet in diameter. Victims were removed safely, one by one to the Oceanside beach. The removal took approximately 25 minutes, officials said.

Oregon State Parks representative closed the tunnel access until further notice.

No details had been released

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard

Photo courtesy of Leslie Brown

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Sector North Bend medevacs a man who fell while hiking along the cliffs of Cape Arago on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The rockslide occurred here at the Oceanside Tunnel along the North Oregon Coast.

about what caused the slide.

First responders urge beachgoers to be extremely careful when venturing along the beaches, in tunnels and along coast bank sides.

lenging terrain. The hiker was transported to awaiting emergency medical personnel at Sector North Bend where he was reported to be in stable condition.

The Coast Guard urges public, whether on the water or exploring trails on land, to remain aware of their surroundings and respect your limitations. Always have a reliable means of communication to reach emergency responders.

Cliff fall The second search and rescue Saturday morning occurred along the South Oregon Coast near Coos Bay. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Bend received an agency assistance request at 10:50 a.m. after a hiker near Cape Arago State Park reportedly fell down a cliff and sustained injuries.

Local emergency responders had arrived on scene but were unable to safely transport the injured hiker from his remote location.

At approximately 11 a.m., an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew diverted from a training mission to respond.

The aircrew refueled at Sector North Bend before arriving on scene at Cape Arago and landed on a nearby beach at approximately 11:45 a.m. allowing the rescue swimmer to disembark and assess the situation.

At 12:30 p.m., the aircrew hoisted the hiker into the helicopter due to the chal-

Shark attack A Seaside Fire & Rescue crew was dispatched Sunday afternoon, Dec. 6, to the Seaside Cove following a report of a shark attack.

Both Seaside Fire and a local Medix crew arrived at the Cove and found an adult male surfer being carried to the parking lot by fellow surfers.

The local surfer had sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower leg, according to first responders.

An off-duty Seaside beach lifeguard applied a field tourniquet to the surfer’s injured leg which helped slow the bleeding. Medix crews then transported the surfer to the trauma unit of a local hospital for further evaluation.

The surfer’s identity had not been released by authorities.

The fast response of fellow

surfers was instrumental in providing aid to the victim according to Seaside Fire & Rescue officials, who said the incident serves as a valuable reminder to never recreate alone, in or out of the water.

Lt. Genesee Dennis of Seaside Fire and Rescue said such shark attacks are mostly a case of mistaken identity.

“They (the sharks) would rather be eating a seal than a wetsuit and a surfboard,” he said.

Senior scientist Ben Enticknap, with Oceana, an international organization dedicated to protecting the oceans, said the sharks are looking for prey within the surf zone and from underneath in the water the silhouette of a surfer on a surfboard can appear like a seal.

“Sharks off the Oregon Coast are rare but they do come here,” he said.

The Seaside Cove is a popular surfing area along the North Oregon Coast and that coastline area has been the site of previous shark attacks. In past shark attacks and shark sightings along the coast, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has posted warning signs to alert surfers and the rest of the public of the potential danger.

Correspondent Kathleen Stinson contribute to this report.

OSAA revises sports schedules

The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Executive Board has pushed the season start date for school sports to February and swap seasons around.

The OSAA Executive Board said in a release issued Monday afternoon, Dec. 7, that it was hopeful that the state’s landscape was going to improve when it adopted the current calendar back in August, but that has not proven to be the case as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, county risk level metrics have changed and restrictions on prohibited activities have not been lifted by the Governor’s Office and Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

“Today’s decision by the Executive Board is another reminder of the impact the pandemic has had on Oregon students and schools,” OSAA Executive Director Peter Weber said. “While disappointed that we need to adjust our original schedule, we believe that keeping three distinct seasons, albeit in shortened seasons, maintains potential opportunities for all students moving forward.”

Weber said the OSAA board members made it clear during with comments during the meeting that the OSAA and its member schools are bound by the rules, regulations, and guidance set forth by the Governor’s Office and the OHA. Neither the OSAA Executive Board nor the OSAA Executive Director are able to waive state mandates or provide exceptions for certain activities or counties in the state.

The OSAA staff continues to be in contact with the Governor’s Office, OHA and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to advocate for a safe return to in-person learning and high school activities.

In the revised calendar also adopted on Dec. 7, fall sports are moved to Season 2 and will begin in February with multiple activities permitted by state guidance. This allows time for case counts to decrease in the new year and for counties to subsequently move out of the extreme risk category. cross country and soccer, as outdoor sports, are permitted by the Governor’s Office and OHA in all counties. As an indoor activity, volleyball is tied to the state’s risk and safety framework County Risk Level Guid-

ance and only allowed in those counties deemed as lower, moderate, or high risk.

Full contact football remains on the state’s prohibited list of activities at this time.

Discussions around possibly moving football later in the year were not supported at this time due to concerns expressed by the OSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) regarding the impact that a later contact football season would require modifications to the Fall 2021 football season.

Season 3 features the traditional spring activities (baseball, softball, golf, tennis and track and field), all of which are permitted by state guidance as outdoor activities. These will begin April 5 and extend into the third week in May. The sports calendar wraps up with Season 4 and traditional winter sports (swimming, basketball and wrestling) beginning in mid-May and extending into late June. The shift of wrestling and basketball to the end of the calendar provides the most runway for their prohibition to be lifted by the state. The OSAA has been given no indication that a change will be made in this designation but remains hopeful that a change could occur prior to Season 4. Swimming is currently allowed outdoors for all counties and indoors for those counties not in the extreme risk metric.

The activities schedule was revised to allow more time for school buildings to be accessible to their programs. Activities like choir and band/orchestra have been pushed back to the end of the school year to provide their programs the opportunity to rehearse in person if school district policy allows. cheerleading and dance/drill culminating weeks have also been adjusted to allow more time for facilities to open or have weather improve enough to move outdoors.

The Executive Board also voted to extend Season 1 through February 21, 2021 to allow training, workouts and even competitions to occur in those areas of the state that are allowed per the Governor’s Office, OHA guidance, and local school district policy.

The board plans to revisit participation limitations for all seasons, out-of-season coaching policies for Seasons 2, 3, and 4, and the need for further decisions as a result of updated state guidance or changing risk level metrics at upcoming work sessions.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

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