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St. Helens gets into the Spirit of the Season

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

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Gas prices soar over $5 a gallon, again

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Gasoline prices in Oregon rocketed up by nearly $1 a gallon at some locations in the past two weeks, pushing the average price over $5.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

You may have noticed prices at local gasoline stations increased significantly over the past several days. In some areas, the prices rose

from 50 cents to as high as $1 per gallon.

This rapid price jump is occurring at a time when the price of gasoline usually declines as summer travel slows.

After 14 weeks of declines, gas prices are on the rise, soaring on the

West Coast and in the Midwest with more moderate increases in other parts of the country, according to the latest American Automobile Association (AAA) price survey.

The average price per gallon in Oregon rocketed up 50 cents to $5.14 last week and continues to

climb. The average price reached $5.42 this week, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

“Multiple refineries in the Los Angeles area and a refinery in Washington State are experiencing either planned or unplanned refinery work which could last several more days,” Oregon/Idaho AAA Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds said in a release last week. “This has put a significant crimp in supplies and sent pump prices soaring in this region.

Dodds said another price factor will be scheduled maintenance work at the Olympic pipeline in Washington.

Hurricane Ian also has the potential to cause problems, depending on the storm’s track, Dodds said. The storm could disrupte oil production and refining and transportation in the Gulf of Mexico.

Until last week, the national and Oregon averages had been declining for 14 consecutive weeks, backing away from record highs set in mid-June. The national average reached its record high of $5.016 on June 14 while the Oregon average reached its record high of $5.548 on June 15.

“Lackluster demand for gas and lower crude oil prices should take some pressure off of rising pump prices,” Dodds said. “But drivers can expect a very volatile couple of weeks due to the refinery issues as

well as Hurricane Ian slamming the Gulf Coast.”

Crude oil prices have tumbled from recent highs due to fears of economic slowdowns elsewhere around the globe. Crude reached a recent high of $122.11 per barrel on June 8 and ranged from about $94 to $110 per barrel in July. In August, crude prices ranged between about $86 and $97. In September, crude prices have been between about $76 and $89 per barrel. Last week, West Texas Intermediate fell below $80 per barrel for the first time since January, according to the AAA report.

Crude prices rose dramatically leading up to and in the first few months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia is one of the world’s top oil producers, and its involvement in a war causes market volatility, and sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and other Western nations resulted in tighter global oil supplies. Oil supplies were already tight around the world as demand for oil increased as pandemic restrictions eased. A year ago, crude was around $75 per barrel compared to $77 as of Sept. 27, the AAA report states.

Fast Fact The Oregon average is the third largest weekly jump in the nation.

Oregon to see $1.1B in Medicaid funding HERB SWETT chronicle1@countrymedia.net

Courtesy from St. Helens Police

Investigators are asking anyone with information about Billy Gene Fabiano having contact with minors to call detectives at 503-397-1521.

Sexual assault investigation in St. Helens

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An Oregon City man faces multiple charges related to a sexual assault investigation that was reported to the St. Helens Police Department.

Officers arrested Billy Gene Fabiano, 51, of Oregon City Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, after St. Helens Police received information alleging that Fabiano had sexual contact with an underage victim.

After St. Helens officers

Oregon will receive $1.1 billion in new federal funds to pilot first-in-the-nation changes to the state’s Medicaid program.

Oregon became the first state to receive federal approval for continuous health coverage for children under six years old. Also, all Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members six and older will have two years of continuous OHP enrollment, ensuring continuous coverage and access to medical, dental, and behavioral health care.

The waiver will expand healthrelated social-needs coverage for certain food assistance and housing support and invest in resources to help reduce risks of climate change. It will make Oregon the first state to use Medicaid funding for climate-related needs.

This package of services, called health-related social needs, includes food and housing supports such as rental assistance for up to six months for marginalized

groups such as youth in foster care, homeless people, and lowincome older adults. State health officials sought federal approval to cover housing and nutritional support services to reduce health inequity and stabilize the circumstances of OHP members whose health is endangered by life disruptions.

Also, the state will supply air conditioners, air filters, and generators to people at high risk who live in regions with extreme weather events.

“Healthcare does not occur in a vacuum,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said. “It’s clear we must look beyond a traditional, siloed approach to truly meet the needs of people, particularly those experiencing complex changes.”

OHP, which is Oregon’s Medicaid program, provides comprehensive health coverage to about 1.4 million Oregonians, more than one-third the state population. States may request federal approval to test innovations in their Medicaid programs. Wednesday’s agreement between Oregon

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The waiver will expand health-related social needs coverage for certain food assistance, housing support, and invest in resources that will help mitigate the health risks of climate change.

and federal agency Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services renews the state’s waiver through 2027.

“Thanks to this demonstration,” Centers for Medicaid

Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said, “eligible children in Oregon will be able to

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See MEDICAID Page A7

See ARREST Page A3

Opinion ..................... A4 Poll ............................ A4 Community Calendar A4

Classified Ads ......... A5 Crossword ............... A5 Legals ....................... A6 Obituaries .................A7 Halloween Parade .. A8 Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 Email: chroniclenews@ countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051

Your FIRST VOTE for St. Helens City Council

Steve Toschi www.toschiforcitycouncil.com

• 33 years of St. Helens experience • Planning Commissioner

• Safe Streets, Smart Growth, Econimic Prosperity • Oregon Attorney with business success

Vol. 140, No. 40

Paid for by Pixley for Sheriff (19374)

Paid for by Elect Steve Toschi

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Oregonians at work: Wage gains, job distribution GAIL KRUMENAUER Chronicle Guest Article

Oregon had 1.99 million people working in jobs covered by the state’s unemployment insurance system during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Those workers earned a total of $32.5 billion, with an average wage of about $16,325 per worker for the quarter. The median hourly pay during the quarter was $24.83.

Employment distribution across sectors Oregon experienced rapid jobs recovery in 2021. Wage records show a gain of more than 128,400 jobs, or 6%, between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021. However, this growth was not evenly distributed across industries.

Job growth differed enough to change the distribution of jobs across sectors of Oregon’s economy over the year.

While some sectors lost jobs over the year, most had substantial growth. Nearly one-third (32%) of the large overall job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality. Leisure and hospitality grew by 41,400 jobs and shifted from making up 9% of all jobs to 11%. Professional and business services – particularly professional and technical services – have also seen strong growth during the jobs recovery. Professional and business services grew by 24,800 jobs and increased their share of all jobs from 13% in the fourth quarter of 2020 to 14% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Despite overall gains, some sectors saw declines.

There were small job declines in transportation, warehousing, and utilities

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Oregon experienced rapid jobs recovery in 2021. Wage records show a gain of more than 128,400 jobs, or 6%, between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021.

(-1,300) and natural resources and mining (-1,500).

Natural resources and mining decreased their share of all jobs between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021 from 4% to 3%. Health care and social assistance also decreased their share of all jobs over the year from 15% to 14%.

More jobs paying higher wages Changes in the distribution of Oregon’s jobs was even more pronounced across wage categories. Employment moved up the pay scale over the year. Between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, the number of jobs paying less than $15 per hour fell by 125,700, dropping 33%. At the same time, the number of jobs paying

between $15 and $30 rose by 131,700, and those earning between $30 and $50 per hour increased by 59,300.

That’s a gain of 14% in each of those categories. Jobs earning $50 per hour or more rose by 63,100, or 20%.

Employers competing to hire workers in a tight labor market put upward pressure on wages in 2021. Jobs shifting up the wage scale could also be due in part to scheduled minimum wage increases that occurred in the third quarter of 2021. On July 1, 2022, minimums rose to $14.00 per hour in the Portland urban growth boundary, $12.75 standard, and $12.00 in nonurban counties. Rising minimums could potentially push increases further up the pay scale too.

There are a few notable trends across wage categories

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

by sector. Jobs moving out of the under $15 per hour category and into the $15 to $30 per hour category were most notable in health care and social assistance, retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services.

In the top wage category, the biggest nominal gains between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021 in jobs paying at least $50 per hour occurred in professional and business services (14,400), local government (10,600), and health care and social assistance (9,400). The number of jobs paying at least $50 per hour grew by 55% in leisure and hospitality but represented a smaller number of jobs (2,200).

Real wage gains in service sectors Between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation grew by 6.7%. Yet, the overall median

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

hourly wage in Oregon saw a slight gain over the year.

After adjusting for inflation, real median hourly pay grew by $0.39 to $24.83 per hour.

That was a gain of 1.6% over the year.

Eight industries saw real wage gains between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021. The largest gain occurred in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which rose by 11% to $26.85 per hour. Health care and social assistance (7.2%) and leisure and hospitality (5.8%) also had notable, real increases in median hourly wages. However, wages in some industries struggled to keep pace with inflation. The largest decline occurred in private educational services, which fell which fell by $1.61 per hour, a loss of 6.2%.

Increasing wages and shifting sectors of employment Oregon experienced

rapid jobs recovery in 2021.

Changes in job growth across sectors resulted in the redistribution of jobs across some sectors of Oregon’s economy. That included a larger share of jobs in leisure and hospitality as it recovered from the largest pandemic recession losses of any sector, and a greater share of jobs in professional and business services. Between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, eight broad sectors saw real wage gains. There was also a broad shift to more jobs paying higher wages, as evidenced by the increase in the median hourly wage by 1.6%, the decline of jobs paying less than $15 per hour, and even larger increases in jobs paying higher hourly wages.

Gail Krumenauer is an employment economist with the Oregon Employment Department.

She may be reached at gail.k.krumenauer@employ. oregon.gov or at 971-3013771.

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

State, local candidates present views at Chamber forum HERB SWETT chronicle1@countrymedia.net

Six candidates for local and state offices spoke Thursday, Sept.

29, at a South Columbia County Chamber of Commercer candidates forum, which produced no heated exchanges or audience protests.

Candidates participating in the forum included Sheriff Brian Pixley and challenger Terry Massey, Kelly R. Niles and Kellie Jo Smith for county commissioner, Anthony Sorace for representative from House District 31, and Melissa Busch for Senate District 16.

Sorace and Busch are Democrats. Prior commitments kept the Republican candidates, Brian Stout for the House and Suzanne Weber for the Senate, from participating.

Following opening remarks, each candidate answered three questions from the Chamber and several questions from the audience.

Here are the questions and their responses.

Sheriff Massey, an officer in the St. Helens Police Department who is a former busi-

nessman, said in his opening remarks, said that leading his business taught him to lead people to their fullest potential.

Pixley began by saying, “I’m running for re-election because of everyone in this room.” He said that in his 3-1/2 years in office, he had obtained grants, trained deputies, reduced crime, and improved transparency, all with “a meager budget.”

The candidates were asked about county Sheriff’s Office deputy response times to service calls. Massey said that responses were slow and that he would provide 24-hour coverage. Pixley said he has repeatedly asked the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for funds to hire more deputies, but funding resources have been limited.

Asked how, with population increasing, how the Sheriff’s Office could make business owners feel safe, Massey said 24-hour coverage would be the answer.

Pixley pointed to lack of resources to help the homeless and said that the best way for anyone to help them would be to drive them to Portland.

Another question to the Massey and Pixley concerned meeting the needs of customers, Massey noted

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that the Sheriff’s Office is creating a rehabilitation center for walk-in patients and is planning a detoxification center. Pixley responded that the department keeps asking for more deputies at a time and that it cooperates with police departments.

County commissioner Niles opened by saying that he would focus on communication, collaboration, and reliability. He pointed to his background in government and state budgeting. Smith, who with her husband owns Oregon Trail Lanes, a bowling alley, said that she was experienced in customer service and pointed to her nine years on the St. Helens School Board.

The first question was what the candidates knew about the business community and how they would support it. Niles replied that he would collaborate with the Columbia Economic Team and its offshoots.

Smith, calling the current Board of Commissioners “a bit siloed (not in frequent enough communication),” said she would “definitely be in the community.”

They were asked what they knew about urban renewal districts and enterprise zones. Niles said that

“they can be good or bad” and cannot cover everything but that he would support them if they had sunset dates. Smith, admitting that she knew little about them, said they were not the responsibility of the board.

Asked how he would contribute to the economy, Niles, who has had a long career in forestry, said he supported bringing in businesses as long as they were “the right fit” for the area.

Smith said she would “keep reaching out” to collaborate with businesses.

Oregon Legislature “I want to make sure there is progress in the things we have been doing all our lives,” Sorace said in his opening remarks. He expressed concern for providing the educational and health resources for his son, now three years old.

Busch pointed to her experience as a home health nurse and a mother of three children, and to having put a baby out for adoption when she was 15. She said, “I know what makes our community sick, and it’s not just germs.”

They were asked what they knew about urban renewal districts. Sorace said that the state sets

parameters, which districts use to set things up, and that the state needs to make sure districts set the right priorities. Busch said, “They’re generally not a purview of the Legislature.”

The next question was what each candidate saw as the Legislature’s role in supporting businesses.

Calling it “a broad question,” Sorace said that tax policies are “really complex” and that his priorities are housing costs and mental health services. Busch, saying she had met with small business owners throughout the district, replied that housing, healthcare, and education were their priorities.

They were asked what the role of government should be in establishing business policies. Sorace said that the job of government is to “set the floor and make sure people don’t fall through the cracks.”

He called medical debt the biggest problem. Busch, calling fair wages, benefits, and working conditions “the backbone of communities like ours,” said government should hold them accountable.

Audience takes over Then it was the audi-

ence’s turn. The candidates for sheriff were asked how they would ensure transparency. Massey said he would require an audit of jail funds. Pixley said that his department reports to the Board of Commissioners, which has replied, “You’re doing a great job.”

The legislative candidates were asked about strategies to help people become independent. Busch replied that the Legislature should see that people have the tools to they need to become self-reliant. Sorace said that the Legislature should provide the tools and that the specifics depend on the problem.

Both were asked how they would set the priorities for schools, safety, law enforcement, and prisons.

Sorace answered that those things are almost always interconnected and that for him, schools would head the list. Busch called the issue complex and said there was no one-size-fits-all solution, rather that we should look at every angle.

See more information about the candidates in the Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet and follow Election 2022 at thechronicleonline.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Oregon to use $3.3M for safety, violence prevention STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

Gov. Kate Brown has dedicated $3.3 million for school safety and violence prevention throughout Oregon.

The funding will come from federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) dollars, which were reserved for allocations by governors through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA).

IN addition, the U.S. Department of Education also informed the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) that Oregon is eligible for over $8.2 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. “Oregon schools should be safe, welcoming, and inclusive places for every student who walks through their doors,” Brown said.

“Every student in Oregon deserves to be safe from gun violence. Every parent should be able to send their child to school knowing they will come home safe. Every teacher and school employee should be able to go to work without fear for their safety or that of the students under their care.”

“With this $3.3 million, school districts can build on their existing violence prevention programs and safetybased crisis intervention systems, as well as their programs to prevent bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation, and to pro-

mote student mental health and well-being. Combined with incoming funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, school districts will have new resources to keep students safe.”

“Taking steps to ensure schools are welcoming and inclusive to all is key to making them safe places for students to learn and educators to teach,” said ODE Director Colt Gill.

“Through Governor Brown’s investment and this federal funding Oregon can amplify its efforts to make sure every person on school grounds feels included, cared for and ready to learn or teach.”

School Safety and prevention specialists increased to 19 full-time positions across all 19 education service districts (ESDs)

Combined with Student Success Act dollars and funding from Adi’s Act, the GEER funds will be used to fund new School Safety and Prevention System (SSPS) specialist positions in education service districts serving all 197 school districts across the state. These positions will continue to expand support to bolster the areas of the state in need of additional resources.

This vital funding will result in eight new fulltime positions for those who currently rely on other regions for support and nine regions will utilize additional staffing to make their positions full time, according to

GEER may reflect those priorities. The ESDs are developing staffing plans to make the most of this opportunity.

Additional background on safe and inclusive schools, school safety and prevention specialists

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Education Service Districts will add 19 more full-time safety specialists.

Brown. Two ESDs will continue with their existing fulltime positions unchanged.

The overall result includes an increase from 2 full-time positions and 9 part-time positions across the state to the equivalent of 19 full-time positions at all 19 education service districts that serve Oregon districts and schools statewide.

Over the past several weeks, ODE has worked with education service districts (ESDs) across Oregon to answer questions about how this new funding can be spent, and agreements with the ESDs will be finalized this month. Both ODE and the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts

(OAESD) jointly held conversations with ESD teams to learn how best to support implementation of the GEER funds. These sessions were established to provide a clear understanding of how the current SSPS positions have developed and how the potential new staffing will support expansion.

The team learned from each ESD about their ongoing challenges, their priorities for the coming year, how they intend to utilize the additional FTE, and any support they may need from ODE and OAESD. Given the unique needs of each region of the state, the identified areas of need may differ and the additional funding from

The Safe and Inclusive Schools team at ODE, in partnership with the current School Safety and Prevention Specialists (SSPS), have supported initiatives to address school culture and climate.

These initiatives include: an integrated model of mental health with guidance to support centering mental health, collaboration with OHA on Strengthening Mental Health in Education project and supporting the implementation of “Every Student Belongs” to address threats to school safety related to biased or discriminatory behavior. A bias incident response guide was designed to center equity and restorative practices in instances of bias-based behaviors.

In collaboration with ODE and Oregon Health Authority (OHA), School Safety and Prevention Specialists (SSPS) have also supported the statewide implementation of ODE’s suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts, including Section 36 of the Student Success Act (SSA) and Adi’s Act. These efforts have included implementation of the School Suicide Prevention and Wellness (SSPW) Pro-

gram through Lines for Life with 5 positions statewide to provide technical assistance and training to districts to improve their suicide prevention efforts through the development of Adi’s Act plans and toolkits for districts of all sizes. The SSPSs have also established crisis response teams of trained staff in ESDs across the state, designed to respond to behavioral or mental health crises in schools and have developed a three-year school suicide prevention research project to identify and develop statewide best practices for policy andimplementation frameworks alongside a resource map of state initiatives, services, and supports in partnership with the Alliance to Prevent Suicide.

The SSPSs will continue to work collaboratively across regions, districts, schools, and community organizations to provide the most well-rounded and relevant practices and support available–now with a full-time staff member leading efforts at each of the 19 ESDs, according to a release from Brown.

This regional-based team of specialists continues to serve as the primary conduit to support districts and schools as well as an immediate resource to districts and schools that require real-time crisis intervention.

The network of care, relational trust, and support are the cornerstones of Oregon’s School Safety and Prevention System, Brown said.

Celebrating with a Cannon Blast Kelli Nicholson / The Chronicle

The Oregon Army National Guard at The Scappoose / Milwaukie Homecoming football game field dedication with a cannon shooting in honor of the renovated athletic filed and the naming of the location as the Sean McNabb Field in honor of the high school’s head football coach. New turf had been recently installed at the field. The cannon event and naming of the filed took place Friday evening, Sept. 30.

OSP launches poaching investigation

Courtesy from OSP

The large bull elk was shot and killed with a rifle on private property off Stoney Point Road in Vernonia.

Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish and Wildlife Troopers are asking for public assistance in locating the person or persons who allegedly shot a bull elk and left it to waste in Columbia County.

OSP reports that at ap-

proximately 6:40 a.m. Sept.

23, OSP Troopers received information that a large bull elk was shot and killed with a rifle on private property off Stoney Point Road in Vernonia.

OSP Fish and Wildlife

Division is urging anyone with information about this case to call the Oregon State Police Tip-line at 1-800-4527888, *OSP (*677), or email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov.

Please reference case number SP22256433.

ARREST

had not been disclosed by investigators.

St. Helens officers lodged Fabiano at Columbia County Jail on 17 counts of Rape in the Third Degree, 17 counts of Sodomy in the Third Degree, Unlawful Delivery of a Schedule I Controlled Substance to a Minor and Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor.

Fabiano’s bail was set at $2 million.

Police said the investigation is ongoing Fabiano has used the name Billy Roberts in the past. Police are asking anyone who may have any information related to Fabiano having contact with minors to contact St. Helens Detectives Gaston and Smith at 503-397-1521.

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investigated the claim and presented evidence to a Columbia County Grand Jury, Fabiano was indicted on Sept. 29 and taken into custody, according to the St. Helens Police Department.

The location of the arrest

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Opinion

Garden Plots: Fruit fly season is here CHIP BUBL Chronicle Guest Article

Fruit flies lay their eggs in discrete cracks in fruit or portions that have started to rot. It is so easy to bring eggs into your house when you harvest grapes, tomatoes, apples, and other late season fruit. Eggs quickly develop into energetic fruit flies that breed, feed, and die at a dizzy pace. Fruit fly lives are short. You can reduce fruit fly numbers with thoughtful management. Only keep undamaged fruit on your counter. Fruit flies hate refrigerators, so store what you can there. And most important, take out your kitchen scraps to the compost pile (or dig it into garden soil) daily.

We briefly used a five-gallon bucket for kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps. Even though we never let it fill, it became a breeding ground for fruit flies. An extension agent from a neighboring state once discovered an inadvertent fruit fly trap. She left a bottle of wine uncorked but partially consumed on the counter. She said, the next morning, “the kitchen became livable; the wine undrinkable.”

Fall planting It is an excellent time to divide herbaceous perennials like day lilies or rhubarb. It is easier to work the soil now. Fall rains (when they finally start) will help ensure divided plant portions aren’t too stressed while they are getting rooted. But water the new plants until then.

Trees can also be planted now. This is a little riskier since they will be a marginally less resistant to the coldest winter temperatures (less than 20 degrees F) we sometimes get. One gardener is replanting a Japanese maple into a site where she just removed a less than 10-year-old tree that had lost bark from successive winter (sun scald) and summer (sun burn) damage.

She has decided to paint the base of the new tree with white latex paint mixed 50-50 with water to reduce potential repeat of the damage cycle.

This can be very im-

portant for younger trees on vulnerable sites (open southwest exposure). And they will also need plenty of water until our soil has re-

Before a colony collapses completely, a few queensto-be fly into the air, mate (the males die after mating), and hide out until next

ceived enough rain to support the newly transplanted trees.

Lawns can also still be planted but increase the seeding rates to about 7-8 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet and have the work done by October 15 at the latest. Sooner is better. Water until serious rain starts.

Finally, plant garlic this month.

spring.

You often see them in your woodpile in the winter, large and very sluggish. They can also work their way into wall voids and wiggle out into your rooms, warmed by household heating. As spring weather improves, queens (ready to lay eggs) start nest building, larvae rearing, and the cycle begins again. They don’t use their old nest sites. Bumblebees share this cycle as do the narrow-waist wasps that build tiny paper or mud nests under your eves. The

Yellow jackets and hornets wound tight In the late fall, things start to fall apart for these social insects. By late November, most of the workers are dead and the nest will be destroyed by the rain and wind. Nests in wall voids of houses may last, in rare cases, into late January

gentle narrow waist wasps will come back to their old sites but build new nests each year.

So, if yellow jacket nests aren’t in a place where they bother you, you can leave them alone to die on their own. If they are a problem, nests can be treated with aerosol hornet and wasp insecticides, if you can find the opening to the nest and spray it directly. Treatments (spray the aerosol for about five seconds) should be applied at dusk and you should leave quickly after spraying.

Follow all instructions on the insecticide container and don’t put yourself at risk by spraying from a ladder or other awkward positions.

Observe the nest entrance for signs of life next morning.

Food safety and preservation hotline: You can get up-to–date and accurate answers to your food preservation questions by calling our office at 503-397-3462 and ask to speak to Jenny Rudolph.

It is greatly appreciated.

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

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/or farm questions, please contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens, at 503-3973462 or at chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Free newsletter 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 http://extension.oregonstate. edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters.

Important notes

Contact resource

• The OSU Extension Office is fully open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• Donate extra garden produce and/or money to the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs.

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

Voices of the Community One has to wonder

A breath of fresh air

Two interesting facts came out in the news this week.

One was an article on OPB that “Phil Knight spends big to help Oregon Republicans regain power in state legislature.”

The other is the 2022 governor’s poll, with the poll showing Betsy Johnson behind by 17% and Kotek and Drazen neck to neck.

One has to wonder what Phil Knight’s objective was for funding Johnson’s campaign. Was it to take votes from the Democrats?

That strategy looks to by working.

Sorry Betsy, this voter can’t vote for you if it means that it would put Drazen in office.

Robin Smith Deer Island

I’m in my 70s and thrilled when younger people share their ideas and perspectives about life in Oregon.

I’m especially pleased that Logan Laity is running for the Oregon House of Representatives because he will be a breath of fresh air in Salem.

He’s already proved himself to be a true public servant.

Logan was at a Zoom meeting I attended. I was impressed with his hands-on experience about policies and government, including how to get things done in the legislature.

He’s a small business owner and community volunteer in the Tillamook area, putting his values and communication skills to work serving people every day.

He has seen first-hand that government can be a force for

good. He’s committed to protecting rights for all people.

Logan knows that a rising tide lifts all boats, especially in our north coast rural communities. He’s running for office to make life better for Oregonians with better schools, day care, and elder care. He will work for stable and affordable housing, common sense gun laws, and comprehensive health care.

I hope you get to talk with Logan. He goes door-to-door to hear your concerns. Please check out his website, www. loganfororegon.com.

Democracy is on the ballot in November. Update your voter registration by October 18 if you have a name or address change.

I’m excited to vote for Logan Laity to be our state representative. I hope you’ll vote for him, too.

Laurie Caplan Astoria

Weekly Online Poll

Last Week’s Results

Will you be passing out candy from you home on Halloween?

With inflation so high, are you still donating to nonprofits and community organizations?

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40.7% Yes 59.3% No

Vote online at thechronicleonline.com Clarification In the Sept. 28 Chronicle, the report about filmmaking stated $2 million in revenues are generated annually, when in fact it should have stated the state brings in over $200 million annually in filmmaking revenues. The film incentive is not administered by Entertainment Partners, it is administered by the Governor’s Office of Film. We are happy to set the record straight.

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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

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Community Events October 6 School District Listening Session 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. St. Helens Middle School Library, 354 N 15th Street in St. Helens.

This is the first of four district listening sessions with Superintendent Scot Stockwell. The sessions are designed to be open-ended without an agenda allowing community members the opportunity to provide feedback about what is going well in the district and what are challenges to overcome. For more information, call 503397-3085.

October 8 All Native Plant Sale 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sale will be behind Scappoose High School off Highway 101. The sale is a presentation of the Scappoose Watershed Council. Great plants, grown by great volunteers at great prices. Proceeds help support local restoration projects. For more information, visit scappoosebay-wc.org.

October 13 State of the Port Port of Columbia County Executive Director Sean Clark delivers the State of the Port, looking at the challenges and accomplishments over the past year, and the projects and opportunities ahead. NEXT Renewables CEO and Chairperson Chris Efird will provide an update on the $2 billion renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel facility being developed at Port Westward.

Presentations from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.at Meriwether Place 1070 Columbia Blvd. St. Helens Zoom link available at www.portofcolumbiacounty. org/calendar

October 22 Garden Club Sale The St. Helens Garden Club Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Helens Public Library, 375 S 18th Street. Trees, berries, shrubs, succulents, home grown plants.

Ongoing Events Vaccine Clinics Columbia County Public Health is providing primary and booster COVID-19 vaccinations from Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax, as well as monkeypox. Vaccines also will be available at times to be determined Oct. 13, 18.

19, 20, and 27; Nov. 10; and Dec. 1 and 15. Vaccines are available from noon to 7 p.m. today through Friday at the Columbia County Fairgrounds 4-H Building, 58892 Saulser Road, St. Helens. People needing transportation may call 503-366-0159 or email CCRiderinfo@columbiacountyor.gov.

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 503-789-9240 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, Christcentered spiritual recovery

meeting for those struggling with addictions and compulsive behavior at 220 S. 1st St., 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.-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 Rd., 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 Rd., St. Helens. 503-3967091. 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.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Classifieds Listings are updated daily at thechronicleonline.com

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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

312

[Your ad here] Call 503-397-0116 to advertise

502

502

502

706

804

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Estate Sales

Apts Unfurnished

St. Helens Bible Church seeking vendors for holiday bazaar & bake sale Sat, Nov.12 9am3pm $25.00 table fee will go to food baskets to benefit those in need.

Contact Melissa for further details: 503-724-6888

Chief Financial Officer. Apply online at www.columbia911 . c o m / c a r e e r s .

Additional information can be found on our website or by calling 503366-6978.

availability will be considered.

Full benefit packages available for full time employees, including health, dental, & eye insurance, 401K, and vacation time.

Call 503-397-7861 Mon-Fri 7:30-3:30 for details.

The City of Scappoose is accepting applications for a Utility Worker SALARY: $20.94 - $35.06 per hour depending on experience.

REQUIREMENT: See full position description at www. ci.scappoose.or.us/ jobs. BENEFITS: The City of Scappoose provides a complete package of employee benefits. APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open Until Filled. First review of application: October 24, 2022 Applications can be picked up at Scap-

poose City Hall, 33568 E. Columbia Avenue or downloaded from our website at http:// www.ci.scappoose. or.us//jobs.

The City of Scappoose is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Estate Sale Sat. & Sun. Oct 8th & 9th in St. Helens.

Follow signs off Gable RD. Address will be posted Friday night on estate s a l e - f i n d e r. c o m .

Hours 10am-4pm both days. Cash Only.

Apartment for rent 55+ in St. Helens.

1 bedroom. Quiet, very clean, no smoking, no pets. $970/month. 971757-5235.

502

Help Wanted

Health & Nutrition

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

502

Events

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for a

Community Health Nurse Supervisor Columbia County, OR EOE Deadline 10/26/2022 Apply at ColumbiaCounty OR.gov Eagle Star Rock Products seeking addition to bookkeeping & clerical staff. Position is full time, although part time

EXPERIENCED CDL DUMP TRUCK DRIVER Top Pay, Mon-Fri 7:00 - 3:30p.m.

No Weekends.

Paid Holiday & Vacation Rainier, OR. Respond to BCX1996@gmail. com or Craig 360-431-5599

702

Garage Sales

Garage Sale Antique glassware, household, fishing gear, 14 ft boat, jewelry, guy stuff, rototiller, records, tons more. One day Fri., 10/7. 10 am.

No earlies. 34372 Bachelor Flat Rd.

Classified Ads Deadline: Mondays by noon. Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper.

790

Misc Wanted

ATTENTION LAND OWNERS! Wanted cedar boughs and noble fir. Willing to pay for branches only.

Do not damage trees. Call Cesar 360-241-6889 or 360-425-0738 Kelso.

Got Cedar and Noble trees?

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

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

Columbia County

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

www.thechronicleonline.com

Waterman Garage Doors

CCB#204858

SALES, SERVICE INSTALLATION

Scott Waterman Owner

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YOUR AD HERE

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

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THEME: GREEK MYTHOLOGY ACROSS 1. Food-contaminating bacteria 6. *Meliae are nymphs of the ____ tree in Greek mythology 9. Chris Hemsworth’s superhero role 13. Come by without warning (2 words) 14. Type of patrol 15. You are 16. “That is,” Latin 17. *Half man, half goat 18. German surrealist Max 19. *One-eyed giants 21. *One part human, part divine 23. Eastward compass bearing 24. Gauche or Droite, in Paris 25. Bar bill 28. Convenience 30. “Stop right there!”

35. 15th of March 37. Loot 39. State indirectly 40. *Collected by the mythological ferryman at the River Styx 41. *Winged symbol of Zeus 43. Copied 44. Give or take

46. Indian Lilac tree 47. Close by 48. Inexperienced newcomer 50. Beaks 52. Genetic info carrier, acr.

53. Swamp stuff 55. Bo Peep’s follower 57. *She opened an infamous box 61. *Poseidon’s spear 65. Distant 66. Bit of sun 68. Tea variety 69. Font embellishment 70. Econ. indicator 71. Make improvements or corrections 72. Email folder 73. Hurry 74. Carpentry grooves DOWN 1. “Beowulf,” e.g.

2. Buffalo Bill’s last name 3. Petroleum exporters’ org.

4. Type of cotton thread 5. Chant 6. Pharaohs’ vipers 7. Reggae’s cousin 8. Indic vernacular 9. Actress Spelling 10. Like undecided jury 11. Approximately (2 words) 12. Retired, shortened

15. Saudi’s southern neighbor 20. Peas, in Middle English 22. Adam’s biblical partner 24. Chemical agent in a reaction 25. *Cronus or Oceanus 26. Hacienda brick 27. Under 29. *One of Zeus’ disguises 31. Arabian Peninsula country 32. Stimulant 33. Gather 34. *Hercules’ Lernaean foe 36. Lump in yarn 38. High school club 42. Hot coal 45. Alert (2 words) 49. Ever, to a poet 51. Used a credit card 54. Frustration, in a comic book 56. Swelling 57. School hallway permit 58. Sheltered, nautically 59. Female Norse deity 60. “I dare you!” (2 words) 61. Use a Smith Corona 62. Squeezed or ____ out 63. Faux pas 64. Koppel and Turner 67. “Wheel of Fortune” request (2 words)

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

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A6

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Public Notices

S

United States Postal Service

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications)

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

1. Publication Title

2. Publication Number

St. Helens Chronicle

3. Filing Date

10/01/2022

610-380

4. Issue Frequency

5. Number of Issues Published Annually

1x/ Week

6. Annual Subscription Price

52

$60.00

7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4)

Contact Person

PO Box 1153 Addr 2: St Helens, OR 97051 City, State ZIP: United States Postal Service

Telephone

Addr 1: CH22-1197

Jeremy Ruark 503-397-0116

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer)

Box 670 Statement of PO Ownership, Management and Circulation (All Periodicals Except Requester Publications) Salem,Publications OR 97308

Addr 1: Addr 2: City, State ZIP:

1. Full Publication TitleComplete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor (do not leave 2. Publication Number 9.

Names and blank) Publisher and complete mailing address) St. Helens(Name Chronicle 610-380

Name: 4.

Issue Frequency Addr 1: Addr 2: City, State ZIP:

Jeremy Ruark PO Box 1153 1x/ Week St. Helens, OR 97051

3. Filing Date

10/01/2022

5. Number of Issues Published Annually

52

$60.00

7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4) Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

Addr 1: Name: Addr 2: Addr 1: City, State Addr 2: ZIP:

6. Annual Subscription Price

Contact Person

PO Box 1153 Jeremy Ruark PO Box 1153 St Helens, OR 97051

Jeremy Ruark

Telephone

503-397-0116

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer)

St Helens, OR 97051 City, State ZIP: PO Box 670 Addr 1: Addr 2: N/A Name: Salem, OR 97308 City, State ZIP: Addr 1: 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor (do not leave blank) Addr 2: Publisher (Name and complete mailing address) City, State ZIP: Jeremy Ruark Name: 10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the Box 1153 Addr 1: and addresses of all PO names stockholders owning or holding 1 Percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the Addr 2: and addresses of all the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give it's name and address as well as those of names eachState individual published by a nonprofit organization, give it's name and address.)

St.publication Helens,isOR 97051 City, ZIP:owner. If the Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

Full Name Editor (Name and complete mailing address) Country Jeremy Ruark Name: Media Inc.

Complete Mailing Address

PO Box 670 Salem, OR 97308 PO Box 670 Salem, OR 97308 PO Box 2308 Scottsbluff, NE 69363 5210 SW 18th Portland, OR 97239 230975 County Rd. "J" Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Steven PO Box 1153 Addr 1:Hungerford Hod Kosman-Kosman Investments Addr 2: S.Ward GreeneInvestments Helens, OR 97051 City, State ZIP: SWG St James D. Massey Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address) Name: Addr 1: Addr 2: City, State ZIP:

N/A

10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 Percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of all the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give it's name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give it's name and address.)

Full Name Country Media Inc.

Complete Mailing Address

Steven Hungerford Hod Kosman-Kosman Investments S.Ward Greene- SWG Investments James D. Massey

PO Box 670 Salem, OR 97308 PO Box 670 Salem, OR 97308 PO Box 2308 Scottsbluff, NE 69363 5210 SW 18th Portland, OR 97239 230975 County Rd. "J" Scottsbluff, NE 69361

11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or more of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box Full Name

Complete Mailing Address

x

11. Tax Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or at nonprofit rates) (Check one) 12.

Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail Holding 1 Percent or more Total Amount ofthis Bonds, Mortgages, The purpose, function, and of nonprofit status of organization andorthe exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Other Securities. If none, check x Has Notbox changed During Preceding 12 Months Full Name Complete Mailing Address

x

Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement below)

13.PS Publication TitleJuly 2014 Form 3526,

14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

St Helens Chronicle

09/28/2022

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

15.

Extent and Nature of Circulation

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to filing Date

a. 12.

Total Number Copies (Net press 2,500 Tax Statusof(For completion byrun) nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates) (Check one) Mailed Paid Subscriptions Stated The purpose, function, andOutside-County nonprofit status of this organization andonthe exempt status for federal income tax purposes: (1) PSxForm 3541 distribution above Has Not(Include changedpaid During Preceding 12nominal Months 59 rate, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies) b. Paid and/or Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement below) (2) Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal 935 Requested rate, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies) Circulation Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales (3) Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter 1,015 Sales ,and Other Paid Distribution Ouside USPS Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through (4) 2014 PS Form 3526, July the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail) 10

c. Total Paid Distribution

2,100 57 929

1,003 10

2,019 5

[Sum of 15b. (1), (2), (3), and (4)] d.

Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County (1) Free or Nominal Copies Included on PS Form 3541 Rate Free or Nominal In-County Copies Included (2) Distribution (By on PS Form 3541 Mail and Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other (3) Outside the Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail Mail) (4) (Carriers or other means) e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d. (1), (2), (3) and (4))

1,999 5

25

25

0

f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c. and 15e.) g. Copies not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4 (page #3)) h. Total (Sum of 15f. and g.)

Percent Paid i. (15c. Divided by 15f. Times 100)

0 30 2,029 71 2,100

98.54%

98.52%

16. Electronic copy Circulation

x

If present, check box

87 2,106 2,136 98.60%

b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15F) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) d. Percentage Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies (16b divided bt 16c x 100)

87 2,086 2,116 98.58%

x I certify that 50% of all my distribution copies (electronic and Print) are paid above a nominal price 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership

X Publication required. Will be printed in the

10/5/2022

18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner

Kelli Nicholson

Trustee’s Notice of Sale The Trustee under the terms of the Trust Deed described herein, at the direction of the Beneficiary, hereby elects to sell the property described in the Trust Deed to satisfy the obligations secured thereby. Pursuant to ORS 86.771, the following information is Provided: 1: Parties Grantor: Stanley B. Meyer Trustee: Ticor Title Company of Oregon Successor Trustee: Robert P. Van Natta Beneficiary: Ronald L. Russell 2: Description of Property: Lot 3, Block 8, Central Addition, In the City of Vernonia, Columbia County, Oregon. 3: Recording: The trust Deed was recorded as follows: Dated recorded: April 21, 2016 Recording No: 2016-002839 Official Records of Columbia County, Oregon 4: Default: The Grantor or any other person obligated on the Trust Deed and Promissory Note secured thereby is in default and the Beneficiary seeks to foreclose the Trust deed for failure to pay: Monthly payments of $400.00 for each of 9 successive months beginning with January 2022 through and including September 2022 due on the 21st of each month; plus late charges and unpaid real unpaid property taxes, or liens, plus interest. 5: Amount Due: The amount due on the Note which is secured by the Trust deed referred to herein is 28,615.68, Together with

interest at 5% per annum from December 21, 2021, Plus advances, late charges, and foreclosure attorney fees and costs. There are also 3 years outstanding property taxes Amounting to $4984.47 plus interest.

6: Sale of property: The Trustee hereby states that the property will be sold to satisfy the obligations secured by the Trust deed.

A trustees notice of Default and election to Sell under the terms of the Trust deed has been recorded in the Official Records of Columbia County, Oregon. 7: Time of Sale Date: February 13, 2023, Time 10:00 A.M. 8: Right to reinstate: Any person named in ORS 86.778 has the right at any time that is not later than five days before the Trustee conducts the sale, to have this foreclosure dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the Entire amount then due, other than such proportion of the Principal as would not be then due had no default occurred, by curing any other default that is capable of being cured by tendering the performance required under the obligation of the trust Deed and by paying all costs and expenses actually incurred in enforcing the obligation and the Trust Deed and by paying all costs and expenses actually incurred in enforcing the obligations and Trust Deed, together with the Trustee’s and Attorney’s fees not

0

0 30 2,049 451 2,500

* if you are claiming electronic copies, go to line 16 on page 3. If you are not claiming electronic copies, skip to line 17 on page 3.

a. Paid Electronic Copies

CH22-1194

issue of this publication.

Publication not required

Title

Date

Office Manager

9/30/2022

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties)

PS Form 3526, July 2014

CH22-1195

exceeding the amount in ORS 86.778 Notice regarding Potential Hazards (This notice is required for notices of sale sent on or after January 1, 2015) Without limiting the trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the trustee to state ST chr in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufactur- de wh ing methamphetamines, Nu the chemic components of which are known to be (SN toxic. Prospective purchas- em ers of residential property Oc should be aware of this ly potential danger before deciding to place a bid for wi this property at the Trust- $6 ee’s Sale. You may reach be reg the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service at mo 503-684-3763 or toll free in Oregon at 800-452-7636 ha or you may visit its website all at www.osbar.org. Legal sin assistance may be available giv if you have a low income dit and meet federal poverty CO guidelines. For more infor- em mation and a directory of tem legal aid programs, go to eg http://www.oregonlawhelp. the org. Any questions regard- he ing this matter should be directed to Robert P. Van go em Natta, Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 748, St. Helens, be OR 97051. Phone 503-397- to 4091. Dated September 28, Ho be 2022. Signed by Robert wh P. Van Natta, Successor trustee. Dates of Publica- he tion: Oct. 5, 2022; Oct. 12, 2022; Oct. 19, 2022 & Oct. rel em 26, 2022. ge the lie of Se Int lan ma persons whose rights may be str affected by the proceedings ne the in this estate may obtain additional information from at the records of the Court, the Ba personal representative, or mu the attorney for the personal sup representative. Dated and tim first published October 5, ho 2022, October 12, 2022, ge October 19, 2022.

Em be for

IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of: Sheri J. Bean, Deceased.

Case No. 22PB08066 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS Notice is hereby given that Steven C. Kai has been appointed as the personal representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the

estate are required to present them to the personal representative in care of his attorney David B. Brownhill at: 8555 SW Apple Way, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97225, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, as stated below or such claims may be barred. All

CH22-1193

TS No. OR07000106-22-1 APN 9580 || 4N1W03BC00408 TO No 220264009-OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, BRIAN CLINE, AN UNMARRIED MAN as Grantor to TICOR TITLE as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for BANK OF ENGLAND, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of March 30, 2016 and recorded on March 30, 2016 as Instrument No. 2016002311 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit: APN: 9580 || 4N1W03BC00408 LOT 18, JOHN GUMM SUBDIVISION, IN THE CITY OF ST. HELENS, COLUMBIA COUNTY OREGON. Commonly known as: 300 S. 4TH

ST, SAINT HELENS, OR 97051 Both the Beneficiary, U.S. Bank National Association, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.735(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 3 Monthly Payment(s) from 12/01/2021 to 02/01/2022 at $1,389.75 7 Monthly Payment(s) from 03/01/2022 to 09/01/2022 at $1,399.56 Monthly Late Charge(s): By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said

Trust Deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $170,798.46 together with interest thereon at the rate of 4.50000% per annum from November 1, 2021 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed. Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on January 24, 2023 at the hour of 01:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, Front Entrance, Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at public auction to the highest bidder

CH22-1190

for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.753 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default

occurred), together with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic.

Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing this

notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any. Dated: 9/22/2022 By: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-2528300 Order Number 85851, Pub Dates: 10/5/2022, 10/12/2022, 10/19/2022, 10/26/2022, CHRONICLE

CH22-1191

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF PUBLIC LIEN SALE U-STORE SELF STORAGE Auction to be held tive bidding. 1st Location: Porter G-054, Katelyn LouOREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA online at Storageauctions.

Scappoose 53567 Columbia ise Taylor C-011. GOODS [Probate Department] In the Matter of the Estate of: JOHN LAVELLE BECTON JR., deceased. Date of Death: May 2, 2022. Case No. 22PB06906 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned personal representative at Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, 8455 SW Beaverton Hills-

dale Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97225 within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims will be barred: All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, the lawyers for the personal representative. DATED AND FIRST PUBLISHED ON September 28, 2022. Mark D. Ropp Attorney for Personal Representative PERSONAL

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

REPRESENTATIVE: James Becton 3568 NE Tillamook Street Portland, Oregon 97212 Tel: 503.750.5101 jamesbec-ton@gmail.com ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Mark D. Ropp, OSB No. 124386 Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy Portland, Oregon 97225 Tel: 503.206.6401 | Fax: 503.214.8962 In the Matter of the Estate of: JOHN LAVELLE BECTON JR., deceased. Date of Death: May 2, 2022.

com. Auction will run from 10/11/2022 10:00 am & end on 10/21/2022 10:00 am.

Unclaimed storage lockers to be sold by competi-

River Hwy. James Smith E022. 2nd Location: St. Helens 445 Port Ave, Suite D, Julie Crawford 0-017, John Freeman R-144, Jadi

OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SOLD BY STORAGE LOT. Cash and Credit Cards.

CH22-1196

NOTICE OF HYBRID MEETING The CC Rider Transit Advisory Committee will be holding a hybrid meeting on October 18, 2022 at 6:00PM at 1155 Deer Island Rd, St. Helens, Oregon 97051.

Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto. com/181584997 You can also dial in using your

phone. United States (Toll Free): 1 877 309 2073 United States: +1 (646) 749-3129 Access Code: 181-584-997 The public is welcome.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Obituaries

$69 million in increased SNAP benefits for October

Charles “Chuck” Eugene Whittick Jan. 6, 1939 ~ Sept. 24, 2022

Metro Creative Connection

SNAP is an assistance program designed to help approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities, with emergency food allotments and other benefits.

STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

Columbia County residents and most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in October.

In October, approximately 432,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $69 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits this month.

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

Because the federal government approved these emergency benefits for October, Oregon will also be able to issue them in November.

However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.

“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Self-Sufficiency Programs Interim Director Jana McLellan said. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on Oct. 11.

Emergency allotments will be issued Oct. 29 or Nov. 2 for households who did not

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keep their Medicaid coverage continuously until age six, eliminating potential gaps in coverage and care.

The demonstration also invests in the services that people need to address their health-related social needs, such as medically tailored meals and housing supports.

We encourage all states to follow Oregon’s lead supporting a whole-person approach to care.”

“Oregon is committed to eliminating health inequity and ensuring that our healthcare system provides optimal health and well-being for everyone in Oregon,” Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen said during a media briefing about the federal

receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.

More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/ FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/ Emergency-Allotments.aspx.

Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-6999075.

If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits. It is important to make sure ODHS has the most up-to-date information.

You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways: • Online at: Oregon.gov • By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309 • By fax at: 503-378-5628 • By phone at: 1-800-6999075 or TTY 711 Resources to help meet basic needs • Find a food pantry: oregonfoodbank.org • Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or adrcoforegon.org.

• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, 211info. org • Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: caporegon.org/findservices/ • Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center funding. “This agreement gives us more tools and resources to tackle the problems in people’s lives that undermine their health.”

Allen said the federal program will “eliminate a burden on Oregon communities.”

Danielle Sobel of the Oregon Primary Care Association and Mercedes Elizalde of Central City Concern, a nonprofit that provides housing for the homeless, said the federal funding “ensures that ongoing treatment can be more easily matched.”

“Housing is healthcare,” Elizalde said.

Brown and BrooksLaSure announced the $1.1 billion Medicaid project Sept. 28. Allen and other state health officials conducted the media briefing shortly after the governor’s announcement.

ODOT is hiring! Join our team in Warrenton as a field technician.

In this role, you will work independently to perform repairs on heavy equipment specialized for highway maintenance and construction.

To apply, please visit www.odotjobs.com and search for REQ-108131.

Charles “Chuck” Whittick, longtime educator, Coach and community friend passed away on Sept. 24, 2022, at the age of 83. Chuck was born in North Bend, Oregon on Jan. 6, 1939, to Eugene and Signie Whittick.

Chuck attended North Bend High School, where he lettered all four years in the varsity sports of Football and Basketball. They didn’t have baseball in high school until his senior year, but he still garnered an athletic scholarship for Baseball to Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. While in high school he was active in many clubs and was Senior Class President.

Chuck attended Pacific University and proudly wore the Varsity Boxer uniform all

four years while pursuing a degree in education. While attending college, he met his future wife, Barbara Haglund. They married in August of 1961 just two weeks before he started teaching at the Junior High School in St.

Helens.

Through the years in St. Helens, Chuck coached Football, Baseball and Softball at various levels. He was the first coach when Girls Softball got off to a very successful start. He gave 32 years to the St. Helens young people as a teacher, coach, athletic director, mentor and loyal friend and then extended that help another 29 years after retirement. He also served as a Commissioner for the Fire District Civil Service Commission.

His main interest was the St. Helens Sports Boosters Club. He was chair of the committee dedicated to getting a new grandstand for the football field and was especially proud of how the community got behind their

many projects. Working for the “kids” was his motto.

Chuck is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara; son Michael (James Dingman) of Keller, Texas; sister Shirley (Doran) Tolliver of Boise, Idaho; several nieces and nephews; and many extended family friends.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Maureen Whittick Beckman, who died in 1997.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Helens Sports Boosters Club, P.O. Box 321, St. Helens, Oregon, 97051 or a charity of your choice.

The memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sun., Oct. 9, 2022 at the St. Helens Elks Lodge No. 1999.

Evelyn “Jeanette” (Ricker) Elliott Oct. 7, 1942 ~ Sept. 26, 2022

Evelyn “Jeanette” (Rickert) Elliott, 79, passed away on Mon., Sept. 26, 2022 in Woodburn, Oregon.

Jeanette was born to the late Elihu Gideon Rickert and Evelyn Ruth (Smith) Rickert Oct. 7, 1942, in Portland, Oregon. She graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1961. Jeanette married Harry “Roger” Elliott on April 15, 1961.

Jeanette moved to Boston, Massachusetts with her husband, Roger, and worked

at the Boston Button Factory. They moved to El Paso, Texas, where Roger served in the U.S. Army and was transferred to Okinawa Japan in 1966. They then moved to Spanaway, Washington, where Jeanette supported her husband while he went to Northwest University and throughout his 30 years of ministry. Jeanette and Roger owned three adult foster care homes in St. Helens, Oregon, for seven years.

Jeanette is survived by

her mother Evelyn Ruth Sayles; sister Mary Linn; brother Fred Rickert; and her four children, Brian Elliott, Annette Perkins, Denise McGhie and Scott Elliott.

She is preceded by her father Elihu Gideon Rickert; husband Harry Roger Elliott; and great-grandchildren, Jacy Elliott, Skylar Elliott and Kylie Elliott.

Memorial service is at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2022 at Alston’s Corner Assembly of God, Rainier, Oregon.

Kenneth D. Vance

Jan. 23, 1935 - Aug. 17, 2022 Kenneth Dale Vance was born on Jan. 23, 1935 in Medford, Oregon to Cecil Leroy Vance and Merle Louise Hunt, the second of their two children. He passed away Aug. 17, 2022 at age 87.

He met Karen Steiner in her senior year in Rainier, often driving up to the high school during his lunch hour at just the right time to pick up Karen and her girlfriends as they climbed up the hill returning from their lunch walk to town. Her friends understood they should let Karen have the front seat.

They married in October after she graduated. They made their home in Rainier during the 65 years of their marriage.

Ken graduated from Medford High School in 1953 and moved to Rainier, Oregon, where he had been visiting his father and stepmother during summers and working at Goodat Crushed Rock and continued there full time, driving truck and operating many types of heavy equipment including road graders, front-end loaders and caterpillars. He became proficient on any new piece of equipment on

which he climbed quickly mastering the subtle skills needed to get maximum performance from the machine.

He drove heavy equipment on the maintenance crew for the Port of Longview for over 20 years until retiring in 1997. He was a hard-working perfectionist, and any job he did was done right.

Ken and Karen enjoyed raising their two boys outside of Rainier in a country atmosphere with a yard large enough for football or baseball games and a good place for family gatherings around the campfire.

When he bought a front-end loader and dump truck and went into business for himself for a while, he

started his boys operating the equipment when they were quite young and was always ready to give the grandkids, nieces and nephews a ride when he had equipment available.

He played sports very little in school, but he enjoyed playing Rainier town basketball and on some Longview softball teams. He enjoyed handball, water skiing and downhill skiing for many years and loved cheering for our boys, grandkids and great-grandkids at their games and any other events in which they were involved.

Camping was always the main family vacation. After much nagging, in 1976 he gave in, and he and Karen traveled to Europe, the first of many enjoyable trips overseas. In retirement they enjoyed traveling by motor home.

His family and friends were so important. Ken was a friend to all and never passed up an opportunity to speak to those he knew any time he saw them. He always enjoyed when he could “coffee down” or have lunch with his buddies, and thoroughly enjoyed all the visits from friends and fam-

ily when he was unable to get out any longer.

Ken is survived by his wife Karen; son Ronald (Susan), and grandsons, Wyles (Claire) and Connor (Arianne); son Rick (Saundra); granddaughter Desiree Gamble; great-grandsons, Tyeson and Beau Gamble; granddaughter Monica (Matthew) St. Onge; great-granddaughter, MacKenzie St. Onge, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and Merle; stepmother Jean; brother Elbert; and sisters, Jerrilee Vale and Marilyn Fisher.

Our special thanks to both Community Home Health & Hospice and Ullmann Family Homes and staff for their loving care.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 at the Rainier Assembly of God Church. Guests are encouraged to bring their stories to share. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Home Health & Hospice, Longview, Washington, Rainier Oregon Historical Museum Building Fund, or a charity of your choice.

Winnifred “Winnie” Ann Lokken Jan. 31, 1937 ~ Sept. 28, 2022

Winnifred “Winnie” Ann Lokken, 85, passed away at home surrounded by her family. She was born to Floyd and Rachel Griffith on Jan. 31, 1937, in Shiloh Basin, Oregon.

After graduating St. Helens High School in 1955, she married John “Larry” Lokken in April 1957. They had three children together.

Winnie was a homemaker majority of her life. She was a goddess in the kitchen and had many passions including her farm and restoring her childhood farming equip-

ment. She loved gardening,

bird watching, traveling to the grandchildren’s sporting events, the annual tractor show, swimming at the community’s pool, and traveling through the United States, especially Hawaii. Winnie also loved her time being a “snowbird,” during the winter.

Winnie truly adored her grandchildren and greatgrands. Family was everything to her.

Winnie is survived by her daughter Tami (Ron), grandchildren, Christopher, Andrew (Lindsay), Bobby,

Brandon (Tia), Shauna, Matthew (Bethany), and Shandee (Brandon), 11 greatgrandchildren; sister Debbie (David), brother Scott (Kate), and sister-in- law Judy.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry; sons, Timothy and David; sisters, Dorthea and Crystal; and brother Sonny.

A graveside memorial will be held at noon on Fri., Oct. 7, 2022 at Columbia Memorial Gardens.

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

WARREN GRANGE BREAKFAST Saturday Oct. 8 2022, 7:30 am - 10:30 am

$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

CHRONICLE OBITUARIES

Pleases submit obituaries to The Chronicle at chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net or call 503-397-0116 if you have any questions.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

St. Helens gets into the Spirit of the Season The Big Halloween Parade 2022 Goblins, ghouls, witches, and pumpkins filled Columbia Boulevard early Saturday evening, Oct. 1, for the first Big Halloween Parade since 2019. It was warm and sunny with no rain as St. Helens ushered in its biggest and longest celebration of the year, The Spirit of Halloweentown. Crowds lined the street as parade participants tossed candy to children watching the event.

See a schedule of the month-long Halloweentown events at thechonicleonline.com.

Photos by Herb Swett and Jon Campbell of The Chronicle

Virtual fencing for cattle may aid in wildfire fighting SEAN NEALON Chronicle Guest Article

The use of virtual fencing to manage cattle grazing on sagebrush rangelands has the potential to create fuel breaks needed to help fight wildfires.

That is the conclusion of an Oregon State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service study.

Virtual fencing involves placing collars on livestock.

The collars communicate with GPS and reception towers to form a virtual fence set by the rancher. Auditory stimuli emit from the collar when the livestock reach the limit of the virtual fence, and they receive a benign shock if they pass the fence limit.

“We’re seeing the challenge related to wildfires that land managers, particularly on public lands, are facing in the western U.S.,” said David Bohnert, director of Oregon State’s Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center in Burns. “They just don’t have the tools to manage those public lands in a way that is timely, particularly related to wildfire. This new study should help begin to change that.”

Wildfires on sagebrush landscapes, which cover much of the interior landscape of the western U.S., have increased dramatically in recent years, with more acres burning, the size of fires increasing and more federal dollars being spent to fight fires, USDA statistics

show.

These changes are in part due to the expansion of nonnative annual grasses on the sagebrush landscape, the researchers note. The increased prevalence of these nonnative grasses, which dry out earlier in the growing season and grow faster than native perennial bunchgrass, leads to an increase in fuel for wildfires.

Most methods to reduce fuel for wildfires have focused on cutting or burning shrubs or trees. Recently there have been efforts to strategically place a network of fuel breaks across sagebrush landscapes to provide space where firefighters can safely seek to contain the spread of fires.

The new study from Oregon State and Agricultural Research Service scientists, published in Rangeland Ecology & Management, looked at whether cattle grazing and virtual fencing could be an effective tool to create those fuel breaks by eating the grass that fuels fires.

Virtual fencing has been around for decades, but in recent years, with advances in satellite, battery and GPS technology, it has gained more attention in the agricultural community, Bohnert said. It allows ranchers to control livestock distribution in rangeland landscapes without physical fences, which are costly to construct and maintain and also may be harmful to wildlife.

In this study, the researchers set up a 200-meter-wide

by 3-kilometer-long fuel break in a roughly 1,000-acre pasture at OSU’s Northern Great Basin Experimental Range, about 35 miles west of Burns in southeastern Oregon. The fuel break area was bounded by a series of four virtual fences, each 35 meters apart.

In June 2021, 16 cows and 23 cow/calf pairs were placed in the fuel break area with several water sources inside it. All the cows, but not the calves, were fitted with virtual fence collars that use GPS positioning to contain them in the fuel break boundaries and record their locations every five minutes.

After 30 days, the cows were removed.

After that, the researchers analyzed the data. Findings included: The daily percentage of the cows without calves in the fuel break area was 98.5%.

The daily percentage of cow/calf pairs in the fuel break was 80.6%. The researchers believe the difference is due to the calves not wearing collars and being more likely to walk outside the fuel break to forage.

Their mothers were then apt follow.

The cows consumed 48.5% of the grass fuels inside the fuel break and only 5.5% of the grass fuels

Courtesy from OSU

Virtual fencing involves placing collars on livestock. The collars communicate with GPS and reception towers to form a virtual fence set by the rancher.

outside the fuel break.

The findings complement a growing body of evidence that indicate virtual fencing can successfully be used for a variety of livestock management applications, said Chad Boyd, a research leader for the Agricultural Research Service in Burns who has a courtesy appointment at Oregon State.

Additional research underway by the authors is evaluating the ability of virtual fencing to keep cattle out of riparian areas to protect critical salmon and steelhead spawning habitat.

They also are studying the potential to mitigate wildfire

risk by identifying high fuel load areas on rangelands through remote sensing and then strategically employing virtual fencing and grazing to meet fuel management objectives.

“Grazing shouldn’t be seen in absolutes,” Boyd said. “It’s one tool that can be used along with everything else. It requires knowledge of the land management objectives, and the grazing needs to be managed appropriately. Virtual fencing helps do that in a sustainable, strategic and defensible manner that helps not only the producer and land management agency but also has beneficial impacts

on society.”

In addition to Bohnert and Boyd, co-authors of the paper were Juliana Ranches and Dustin Johnson of Oregon State’s Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences; Rory O’Connor, Jon Bates and Kirk Davies of USDA; Todd Parker of Vence Corp., a San Diegobased virtual fence company; and Kevin Doherty, U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

Sean Nealon is a news editor at Oregon State University’s University Relations and Marketing Department.

He may be reached at sean. nealon@oregonstate.edu

Crossword Solution Solution for the Sept. 28, 2022 crossword puzzle

Tickets: Adult $15, Senior $13, Child $10 Birkenfeld Theater Clatskanie Cultural Center 75 S. Nehalem St Clatskanie, OR

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