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Unveiling set for renovated performing arts center

LAUREY WHITE Chief Guest Article

The new and improved Donovan Wooley Performing Arts Center at Clatskanie Middle/High School will be unveiled Feb. 23.

History

Donovan, or “Dee,” as he is called, came to teach in Clatskanie in 1968. When he first started teaching in this area, he taught classes at Quincy Grade School, Westport Grade School, Clatskanie Grade School and Clatskanie High School.

Dee taught beginning band, band and choir and traveled among the schools each day. As the music program grew, other teachers were hired to cover the grade and middle school. Dee then taught band and choir in the high school along with Stage Band (Jazz Band) at 7 a.m. each morning.

He also had a pep band at all the games and a marching band in the local parades.

The bands won several awards during his years of teaching and his stage band competed at festivals in Oregon, in Vancouver, British Columbia and at the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington. He retired in 1994.

The last concert before his retirement was a surprise as the music students met with the school board and requested the auditorium be renamed in his honor. It became the Donovan Wooley Performing Arts Center.

During the concert the various hair and clothing styles of Dee were lovingly revisited. Students talked about the impact he had on their lives and their love of music. The choir and the band ended the concert with a joint musical piece and the announcement of the renaming of

the auditorium. This event was held in May 1994.

very supportive of the new audito rium when a bond levy was passed for the new high school. Before the auditorium, concerts were held in the grade school gym and all equipment had to be taken down the afternoon of the concert and loaded back up afterwards.

Supporters of the school’s music program said the auditorium was a

But as years went on, the sound and lighting systems badly deteriorated and much more advanced systems were available. However, there was no budget for a total upgrade, according to school officials. Gels (color filters) were replaced

impressed by the auditorium, but the lighting system was failing,” CMHS teacher Jaime Erwin said.

“I had a student and his father go through as many lights as possible to try and salvage what we could. But the reality was they didn’t make the

lights anymore. It was time to start investing in a new system.”

Donation drive

A new sign with a donor wall is in the works as part of the renovations, according to Ewrin.

“The donor wall started about five years ago and we raised about $5,550,” she said. “Then the COVID shutdown happened, and the project went on hold.”

The Clatskanie School District was successful in gaining voter approval of a bond measure for district building improvements, which Erwin said is helping with the performing arts center’s renovation costs.

“Teachers Ken Kamppi and Beney Flatz, along with their Career Technical Education (CTE) classes are creating the music notes with each donor’s name (for the donor wall) plus a new Donovan Wooley Performing Arts Center sign,” Erwin said. “The sign design was created by student Hannah Isaacson, a sophomore. There is a pretty cool artistic surprise too. I am so excited to see the outcome.”

Erwin said the renovated auditorium space is almost completely transformed.

An unveiling concert in the improved space will be held 7 p.m. February 23. A dedication ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. The event is free to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door.

The Clatskanie Arts Commission has announced that the Oregon Symphonic Band will be performing on the stage in April.

The Donavon Wooley Performing Arts Center is located inside Clatskanie Middle/High School at 471 SW Bel Air Drive. For more information, call CMHS at 503-728-2146.

SNAP emergency food allocations ending

Most residents in Columbia County and across Oregon who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments this month.

Approximately 416,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $71 million in extra food benefits during February in addition to their regular SNAP benefits. This will be the final emergency allotment provided to Oregonians.

March 2023 will be the first month since April 2020 that most people on SNAP in Oregon will only receive their regular SNAP food benefits.

“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) Director Fariborz Pakseresht said. “As Oregon continues to be impacted by COVID-19 and the rising cost of food, we know that without these emergency food benefits some in Oregon may experience hardship and hunger.”

Obituaries ................. A3

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Contact The Chief

Phone: 503-397-0116

Fax: 503-397-4093

chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051

Fariborz said he is encouraging people who are concerned to start planning for this change today.

“Having a plan ahead of time will reduce the chance of experiencing an emergency or crisis later,” he said.

“There are food supports available to everyone in Oregon, you can find what is available in your community

by contacting our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank or by visiting needfood.oregon.gov.”

“It’s critical that Oregonians facing reduced support for groceries know that food remains available to all who need it,” Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan said. “Across rural, urban and suburban com-

munities, more than 1,400 free food markets, pantries and meal sites are moving mountains to make sure families have the resources we need to fill the gap. And everyone is welcome — regardless of race, gender, religion or immigration status.”

“The end of the emergency allotments, as we all know, will be a very

hard time for many folks and families, but we know there are great people at 211, ODHS and our partner agencies who stand ready to help and will lead with compassion to help the community navigate this change,” 211info Emergency Management Director Kerry Hoeschen said. “At 211info we are available 24/7 to provide information and referrals to agencies offering support for a wide variety of needs such as rent and utility payment support”

The services includes more than 1,000 food resources across Oregon and Southwest Washington such as food pantries, farmers markets, community gardens, fresh food distribution and summer food programs for all Oregonians. To find out more about general resources and food programs contact 211info. Language interpreters are available.

Preparing for the change

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on Feb. 10. Emergency allotments will be issued Feb. 27 or March 1

See FOOD Page A5

State Supreme Court issues Measure 114 ruling

C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

Courtesy photo from Jaime Erwin

The CMHS performing arts center renovation in the works.

Courtesy photo from Jaime Erwin

The center seats became a holding place during the project.

Oregon’s health care workforce ‘crisis’

MOLLY ROSBACH Chief Guest Article

Oregon needs to improve the supply and distribution of health care providers, enhance the resiliency and well-being of health care workers and increase diversity among the health care workforce to provide more culturally and linguistically responsive care, a new report by Oregon State University (OSU) researchers found.

If we want to make sure that everyone in Oregon can get good health care, we definitely need to invest in the strong foundation of the health care workforce.

~ Dr. Tao Li, OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences

The report was developed by OSU for the Oregon Health Policy Board as part of a contract with the Oregon Health Authority, fulfilling a 2017 law that requires biennial assessment of the state’s health care workforce for the purpose of informing the state Legislature. It

includes recommendations for how state agencies and legislators can address the most pressing problems.

The findings

Though the findings were not surprising, they did paint a dire picture, said lead author Dr. Tao Li, an assistant professor in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

“We all understood that burnout among health care providers would be high, especially during the pandemic,” said Li, who also holds a medical degree. “When we really dug into the report and compiled the existing data from different areas, we noted that ‘wow, there is a severe health care crisis.’ Health care workers really need support, because the burnout level is just higher than I expected.”

The 111-page report discusses how the health care sector saw significant job losses during the first two years of the pandemic, which have been largely regained over the past year, and how employment trends varied within the health care sector. However, Li said researchers do not yet have enough data to analyze the long-term physical and emotional impacts the pandemic has had on providers.

“If we want to make sure that everyone in Oregon

can get good health care, we definitely need to invest in the strong foundation of the health care workforce,” he said. “When they don’t get enough support and they get burned out, it will have many negative consequences — it will cost us money and quality of care. We need to address this problem, both nationally and in Oregon.”

Recommendations

The report’s recommendations are grouped into seven main categories. Along with calls to improve the supply, distribution, diver-

sity and resiliency of health care workers, researchers highlight the need to expand and clarify career pathways and training for many segments of the workforce.

They also recommend expanding telehealth and integrated care models and increasing the use of community-based care providers like health interpreters and peer wellness specialists to connect on a more personal level with their local communities.

“We believe all health care professionals need more support around resiliency and well-being, and many

professionals with unclear career pathways need clearer pathways. And some professionals will need increased compensation,” Li said.

“These are the three things we would like to prioritize.”

These priorities align with the overall goal of the biennial health care workforce report, which is to eliminate health inequities altogether, Li said.

The well-being of all health care providers is interconnected, such that negative experiences for one type of provider have a domino effect on other providers, he said. For instance,

if a physician quits, all their responsibilities and heavy lifting shift to the nurses.

Health care workers need greater structural supports like more flexibility in scheduling, more available and affordable child care and a reduction in administrative paperwork, the report found. Less tangible workplace supports such as showing providers that their work is valued were also important.

Larger socioeconomic forces compound the pressures health care workers are facing, such as housing affordability, availability of quality education for workers’ children and employment opportunities for workers’ partners and spouses, Li said.

Next steps

“To address the health care workforce crisis, it’s not something one sector can do,” he said. “Government and nongovernmental entities from different areas need to work together.”

Co-authors of the report were OSU associate professors Jeff Luck and Veronica Irvin, doctoral student Collin Peterson and research analyst Alex Kaiser.

Molly Rosbach works at the OSU Department of Marketing and Research. She may be reached at molly. rosbach@oregonstate.edu.

Local schools to share in $72.2M state funding

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

Oregon’s K-12 public schools will receive a record $72.2 million from the Common School Fund this year.

Where the money goes

Every one of Oregon’s 197 public school districts receives money from the Common School Fund every year. How much each district receives depends on the number of students served.

The Clatskanie School District will receive $84,059.

The Rainier School District will see $106,031.

Portland Public Schools, the state’s largest district, will receive $6.4 million.

The average 2023 distribution is approximately $367,000. Baker School District, with about 1,700 students, will receive $237,422 in 2023.

“The Common School Fund is valuable in sustaining all of our efforts across our district,” Baker School District Superintendent Erin Lair said, “everything from maintaining facilities to instruction.”

The Common School

Fund has supported Oregon schools since statehood, when the federal government granted our new state nearly 3.4 million acres “for the use of schools.” The State Land Board was established to oversee these school lands, which generate revenue for the Fund.

Now valued at $2.1 billion, the Common School Fund is invested by the State Treasurer and the Oregon Investment Council. The Fund earned an average 4.42 percent rate of return over the three-year period ending

in 2022. “We’re incredibly pleased with the Common School Fund’s performance in recent years under Treasury’s management,” State Treasurer Tobias Read said.

“These sustained returns will allow us to send a record-setting amount to Oregon public schools. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on students across the state, from increased resources in the classroom to facility improvements.”

Annually, 3.5 percent of

Members sought for Housing Production Council

Gov. Tina Kotek is accepting applications for her newly created Housing Production Advisory Council.

The council was established through an executive order on January 10, Kotek’s first full day in office.

The order established an annual housing production goal of 36,000 additional housing units at all levels of affordability across the state to address Oregon’s current housing shortage and keep pace with projected population growth. That’s an ambitious target – about an 80 percent increase over current construction trends – and would set Oregon on a path to build 360,000 additional homes over the next decade, according to a release from Kotek’s office.

The Housing Production Advisory Council will be responsible for proposing an action plan to meet the state’s housing production goals.

It will be composed of 25 members, including the Governor or her designee, bipartisan members of the Oregon House and Senate, relevant state agency directors, and a Tribal member. The largest share of members (18) will be appointed by the Governor with the goal of assembling a highly effective, diverse and representative council, ready to get to work for Oregonians. The Governor is look-

ing to appoint housing developers with expertise in permanent supportive, affordable, and market rate housing, representatives of rural and coastal communities, communities of color, local government representatives, and experts in land use, fair housing, permitting, workforce development, and construction.

Oregonians interested in applying for the Council are encouraged to submit an application. Applications are due February 15, 2023. Appointees will begin work on the Council in early March.

The executive order dictates that two co-chairs be appointed, one living or working in an urban area and the other in a rural area. The Council is scheduled to provide a recommended framework for their action plan by April 1, 2023.

the Fund is distributed to schools. The 2023 distribution of $72.2 million, the highest-ever distribution,

is $8 million more than the 2022 distribution of $64.2 million and $12.1 million more than the 2021 distribution of $60.1 million.

Today, approximately 772,000 acres of school lands are managed by the Department of State Lands on behalf of the Land Board. $1.38 million in net income from school land leases, sales, and other land management activities was added to the Fund in fiscal year 2022.

“Generation after generation of Oregon students have been supported by school lands,” Oregon Department of State Lands Director Vicki Walker said. “My grandchildren now benefit from the $2.4 million going to Eugene schools in 2023, just as my children did from past Com-

mon School Fund distributions.”

About the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands

The State Land Board consists of Governor Tina Kotek, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and State Treasurer Tobias Read. Established by the Oregon Constitution in 1859, the Land Board oversees the state’s Common School Fund. The Department of State Lands is the Land Board’s administrative agency, managing the lands and resources that help fund Oregon’s public schools and protecting the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide.

Health care workers need greater structural supports like more flexibility in scheduling, more available and affordable child care and a reduction in administrative paperwork, the report found.

Metro Creative Connection

The Clatskanie School District will receive

Starting new garden beds with no dig method

During the next four to six months, the organic matter will decompose and shrink and the grass underneath will suffer from lack of sun. Some gardeners cover the entire bed with black plastic to speed the process. The compost must be moist, though not saturated, to decompose.

Columbia County Extension office).

February 18

Learn how to prune fruit trees & grapes and set mole traps, too

Whether you are thinking of a vegetable garden or new flowerbeds, there is a no-dig method that has proven very useful in the Pacific Northwest. Be warned that this process takes four to six months to work well, so it might be a little late for an early spring garden.

If you want to sharply define the outline of the bed, take string and lay it out. Then take a sharp shovel (those square bladed ones are great) and dig a small trench four inches wide by four inches deep following the string outline. Throw the excavated material into the future bed.

Cover all the bed area with about one-half inch of newspaper. This will help to suppress perennial weeds, especially grass. Then cover the entire area with eight to twelve inches of compost, manure or mulch mixed with compost or manure. Sprinkle about 10 pounds of lime per 100 square feet into the compost/manure as you are shoveling it onto the future bed.

Four months later, you can plant potted perennial plants directly into the bed and top with a layer of nutrient rich compost. Remove the black plastic prior to planting, of course.

For vegetable gardens that you will seed, the entire mass can be tilled in. The grass crowns underneath should be largely dead, though seeds of both grass and broadleaf weeds will return. Add organic or conventional fertilizers to feed the vegetables.

Gardening-related events

February and March

February 18

Annual grafting workshop

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, February 18 in the OSU Extension office in St. Helens.

Participants will receive instruction on grafting and have five rootstocks that they can graft a number of different apple varieties onto their rootstocks in the workshop. Cost: $20. We can only accept 15 people since knives will be in use and we need space to keep everyone safe. You can pre-register by calling 503-397-3462 (the

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, February 18 at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Bring your clippers.

February 23

Growing the good stuff: from sweet potatoes to bitter melons

Columbia County Master Gardener Chapter meeting. Program, which is first, is open to the public. OSU Extension office, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 23.

Feb. 25

Hazardous Waste Collection Day

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Take your leftover solvents, brake fluids, antifreeze, fluorescent lights, house-hold cleaners, batteries, miscellaneous chemicals, and household and garden pesticides to the hazardous waste collection day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, February 25. The event will be held at the St. Helens/Columbia County Transfer Station, 1601 Railroad Avenue in St. Helens. These are great events that can help keep our wonderful state cleaner. See link for more information: https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/media/Public%20

Oct. 9, 1953 ~ Jan. 23, 2023

Donald Michael Foultner, passed away, Jan. 23, 2023 at home. Don was born Oct. 9, 1953, in San Diego, California, to Wesley and Nancy Foultner. Don married Tamara Enbusk on Aug. 25, 1978 in Clatskanie, Oregon.

He attended Clatskanie High School in Clatskanie, Oregon, and later attended Treasure Valley Community College, where he played football.

Don enjoyed fishing, hunting, and riding his Harley. He was a member of the Eagles, and attended St Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church. His favorite memory in life was his wedding day,

when he married the love of his life, Tammy. Don is survived by his father Wesley Foultner; son

Shawn Foultner; daughter Ashleigh Foultner; sister Sharon McGlone; brothers, John Foultner, Daniel Foultner, Wesley Foultner, and Kevin Foultner; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his wife Tammy Foultner, and his mother Nancy Foultner.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thurs., March 2, 2023 at St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church, S.W. 14th & Hwy 101, Lincoln City. All are welcome to join family and friends for a light lunch after the service.

Works/HHW%20Schedule%202023.jpg.

March 1

Columbia County bee school 2023

Columbia County Oregon

Beekeepers will hold a class for beginning beekeepers.

First, you need to become a member of the club ($25 individual or $30 family) and then Bee School is $25. It includes three two-hour online classes March 1st, March 2, and March 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Then an afternoon in the hive educational visit will be held on either April 8 (or April 15 if the weather is bad April 8) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the St Helens area address to be announced to participants. Contact Linda Zahl to register 503-799-7073.

March 11

Columbia County small woodlands tree sale

The Columbia County Small Woodlands Association has an annual tree sale in St. Helens. You can purchase a variety of trees in very small quantities. The sale this year will be Saturday, March 11 at the Lawrence Oil parking lot (845 N. Columbia River Highway) in St. Helens

from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They sell both forest tree seedlings, some native shrubs, and some ornamental tree seedlings. Get there early for the best selection. It is very well attended.

Food preservation

You can get up-to-date and accurate answers to your food preservation questions by calling our office at 503397-3462 and ask to speak to Jenny Rudolph.

Important notes

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

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

State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503397-3462 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 503397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http:// extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia/ and click on newsletters.

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

John was born in Portland, Oregon, on April 14, 1947. He graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1965. John continued his education at Lower Columbia Community College until he was drafted into the Army, where he served from 1966 until 1972. He was stationed in Germany from 1966 until 1968 where he worked with computers. John was married to Lynn’e on June 28, 1975.

John had sons, Erik (Tess) of Oakland, California, and Tim of McMinnville, Oregon. He had brothers Ron (Barbie) Svenson of Scappoose, Oregon, Gary (Sandy) Soderstrom of Clatskanie, Oregon, and sisters Marie Greenwalt of Happy Valley, Oregon, and Susan Shaw of Albuquerque New Mexico. John had 4 grandchildren (JJ, Gabriel, Kaylie and Alayna), numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

John worked for Wauna Mill for over 30 years and retired in 2004 as the Prop-

erty Protection Supervisor. He lived most of his life in Clatskanie, except for a few years early in his childhood where he lived on the Oregon Coast.

He was preceded in death by his father Clarence Soderstrom in 1999 and his mother Ruth Soderstrom in 2022.

John dearly loved his wife Lynn’e of almost 48 years, and was proud of his two sons Erik and Tim. He enjoyed the outdoors and would spend many days

Aleesha

clam digging on the Oregon Coast, or salmon fishing on the Columbia River. John was part of the Northwest Bounders Motorhome Club. He enjoyed traveling with his wife, taking trips in their motorhome across the United States and into Alaska, as well as cruises. He also had a love of cooking and could always be found in the kitchen. John was an avid sports fan and loved watching any sporting event, either in person or on TV. John quietly touched many hearts and will be greatly missed by many. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 17, 2023 at the American Legion Hall, 930 NE 5th St., Clatskanie, OR 97016, followed by fellowship with coffee and light refreshments. A private family inurnment is planned. Donations can be made to Clatskanie Middle High School Athletics in John’s name. Mail check to CMHS Athletics, PO Box 68, Clatskanie, OR, 97016.

Nov. 22, 1996 ~ Jan. 26, 2023

Aleesha Heidmann, 26, of Clatskanie, Oregon, passed away Jan. 26, 2023 in Longview, Washington. There will be a celebration of life at 3 p.m. on Fri., Feb 10, 2023 at Groulx Family Mortuary.

• •C rossword s olutions • •

Solution for the Jan. 27, 2023 crossword puzzle

Monte Ramvick

June 22, 1954 ~ Dec. 12, 2022

Donald Michael Foultner

Heidmann

John Svenson April 14, 1947 ~ Jan. 17, 2023

Improving butterfly habitat ‘wrong for Oregon’

Editor’s note: The following letter sent to Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley has been submitted by Clatskanie resident Sharon Coates.

Dear Senator Merkley, Well-meaning people sometimes do the wrong things. The attempt to improve habitat for the Monarch butterfly in Oregon by encouraging the propagation of milkweed is the wrong thing for Oregon.

I lived my childhood on a cattle, hay and mint farm west of Clatskanie. As the oldest child, who was needed

to help out, one of my jobs was to pull up milkweed by the roots and place the plants in a burn barrel; not to leave them on the ground to dry and become mixed with the hay and mint cuttings.

Why? Like tansy ragwort, introduced in the US in the 1600s, milkweed is invasive, deemed toxic, which can severely reduce pasture capacity and desirable forage. I believe these sources give you a sense of why milkweed is not a simple issue:

(1) search ‘milkweed’ on the site of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at aspca. org;

(2) https://hort.extension.

wisc.edu/articles/milkweedornamental-plants-toxic-toanimals;

(3) www.monarchjointventure.org/resources/faq/ are-all-milkweed-speciestoxic.

I provide the web addresses because algorithms behind popular search engines seem to make it difficult to find the first two quickly. I have two initial questions about the total $1 million taxpayer-funded Monarch butterfly project.

First, is the butterfly really endangered? We’re told it is. I’ve become skeptical of the claims by “researchers”, under the umbrella of climate

change, who come up with numbers not supported by real evidence. I believe the American people have heard too much ‘persuading’ and not enough ‘informing’.

We’re told that the evidence for the butterfly population decline is obtained by ‘sampling’. For some, sufficient sampling is the counting, re-counting, and counting again until the “researcher” arrives at the desired result. But trustworthy sampling is a serious statistical tool that requires careful design supported by mathematical rigor. It can be an expensive task. Is true statistical sampling the underpinning of the butterfly project? Please share the

results.

Second, have the groups and individuals who graze cattle, sheep, or horses, produce crops grown for animal feed, cultivate turf grasses or crops like mint, on Oregon soil, been fully informed about this butterfly project? Your own website says this about you, “He’s fought to protect Oregon’s coastal and agricultural economies from the effects of climate chaos, . . .” I fail to see how introducing invasive plants, potentially toxic to animals, ruinous to animal feed crops and other crops like mint that make up historic Oregon agricultural economies, can help the planet.

Ruining land for food

production can bring about real chaos. The million-dollar butterfly project appears to have been mobilized quickly, perhaps too quickly, where the impact on Oregon’s agricultural economies has not been assessed properly and fairly. Farm kids, like me, helped put out hotspots of milkweed and tansy without herbicides, but the purposeful large scale altering of habitat could become out of control and ruinous. Please lead your team for all of us by instructing them to slow down and think things through.

Sincerely,

Sharon Coates Clatskanie

Develop small business backbone in this economy or the next

JASON MOON

Chief

Guest Article

It’s often observed – accurately – that small business is the backbone of our economy, and that is no exception to that here in Columbia County.

The pandemic exposed an extreme need for small business access to resources and business resiliency planning.

Less than a year since establishing Columbia County’s first-ever Small Business Development Center (SBDC) under the Columbia Economic Team (CET), and partnered with Keep it Local, we can confidently state that we’ve been able to connect our core business community with valuable tools for success.

Already, we’re working directly with more than 80 of your neighboring business owners and start-ups in our county’s economy.

Strong local economy

Currently, based on local indicators our county’s economy is strong, with local spending up from years past, and the entrepreneurial spirit alive. However, with nagging inflation, persistent interest rate hikes, and speculation about a looming potential recession knocking on our door, how can we be prepared? Given our county’s resiliency through the memorable recent COVID restrictions, variants, and related challenges, in many ways we are better prepared than ever before. But there are solid, fundamental measures we can all take to ensure our businesses sustain growth and best weather any storm.

A sobering statistic that varies slightly in different regions but rings true here in Columbia County is that 75% of businesses fail in their first five years. A better statistic, however, is that when a business takes the time, effort, and discipline to set up a business plan

and seek business advising, there’s a 65% success rate for that business thriving and making it past five years.

The Columbia county SBDC is your resource center to help start, run and grow your best small businesses through any economic climate. We do this by providing free, absolutely confidential one-on-one business advising on everything from business plan development and management, loan application packaging with access to capital, marketing plan strategies, connecting to accounting resources, navigating business regulations, hiring, managing, and retailing your team, succession planning, and much more. Looking ahead and planning for both seen or unforeseen challenges is what you need to do, and what we help you do.

Challenges

Local business expansions and start-ups are hap-

Respond, recover, look to

Editor’s note: The following first appeared in the Winter edition of the Business Oregon Newsletter.

Prosperity for all Oregonians. That has been the driving vision of Business Oregon since we released our five-year strategic plan back in 2018. As 2022 has come to a close, Oregon’s economy has certainly seen it’s share of accomplishments and challenges. But adaptability, innovation, and perseverance of our businesses, our communities… our people have seen us through the more uncertain times. It is these challenges that can put an organization and its strategic plan to the test. Our team — and all of you as our partners — worked together to respond, recover, and look to the future in ways that stayed true to our vision and mission.

As laid out in our strategic plan, our agency’s priorities include:

• Innovate Oregon’s Economy

• Grow small and Middlemarket Companies

• Cultivate Rural Economic Stability

• Advance Economic Opportunity for Underrepresented People

• Ensure an Inclusive, Transparent, and Fiscally Healthy Agency

This past year we invest-

the future

ed more than $8 million in innovation funding through signature research centers, the Small Business Innovation Research program, the Commercialization Gap fund, and the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center. These programs in turn leveraged more than one billion dollars in additional funding coming into Oregon. We also released the Innovation Index, an analysis of Oregon’s innovation economy compared to other states.

Under our priority to grow small and middle-market companies, our funding programs helped Oregon companies retain 9,011 jobs and create 378. Of the jobs retained, 97 percent were at small and medium enterprises, as were 93% of the jobs created. Our regional teams worked with Oregon’s small businesses from breweries to metals manufacturers to keep Oregon businesses growing in Oregon.

In cultivating rural economic stability, Business Oregon funded $219.3 million of projects in rural communities, representing 76% of our total project funding. Rural areas accounted for 43% of the jobs created tied to our projects, and 52% of the jobs retained. From supporting clean water systems, to seismic upgrades to schools, to small business loans, our work is intentionally focused on rural areas.

In advancing opportunities for underrepresented communities, we expanded our pilot technical assistance

program of funding culturally focused organizations to in turn provide culturally competent, linguistically appropriate, and geographically aligned resources to small businesses. We now have 33 providers in the program cohort. For direct awards, recipients of our small business financing, export grants, and innovation awards that filled out our demographic survey, 17% were owned by people identifying as a race or ethnicity other than white, and 22% were women-owned businesses.

And lastly as we continue to ensure we maintain an inclusive, transparent, and fiscally healthy agency, we’ve built on our quarterly investment reports available online, sharing where our money is going each quarter. Internally, we’ve strengthened our diversity, equity and inclusion lens and efforts that continue to provide an opportunity for our team to seek out equitable outcomes for Oregon communities.

We start this new year ready to take on new challenges and new opportunities. We will embark on a new strategic planning journey, maintaining our vision of prosperity for all Oregonians, while taking a fresh look at how to best use every resource available to us to serve our customers, the people of Oregon.

Sophorn Cheang is the Oregon Business Director. She may be reached at 503986-0123.

Weekly Online Poll Last Week’s Results

What is you favorite Valentine’s Day candy?

How much time do you spend on social media?

pening all over, with plenty of potential for more growth throughout the county.

One particular challenge we’ve found in our business community is being able to attract, cultivate, and properly market to customers and clientele consistently, sustainably, year-round – in all economic climates. Recognizing this need, we’ve collaborated with Keep it Local and other partners to bring back the highly anticipated Marketing For Success Series, which hits all the core elements challenging businesses in an uncertain consumer climate. The classes kicked off Wednesday, February 8. This weekly series invites you gear up and polish up with topics like Create a Marketing Plan For The New Year, Marketing 101, Social Media Tips & Tricks, Get The Most Out Of Your Website, Advice For Selling Online, and even 1:1 Workshops With a Marketing Professional. And there’s

Fiscal responsibility

Today I was in Clatskanie and decided to pay my utilities. First, I paid my water bill at Clatskanie City Hall. I then ventured to Clatskanie PUD to pay my electric bill. After paying my PUD bill I sat in my truck and stared at the “chalet style ski resort building,” better known as Clatskanie PUD. I thought, what in the world was the PUD board and Mark Farmer thinking when building the PUD “complex.” I then drove past Clatskanie City Hall again and

no charge, at all, for any of it – courtesy of Keep it Local and sponsors.

Not only do these classes offer highly usable strategy, techniques, tips, and expertise for being able to take your business, or start-up, to the next level, they also offer the connections and resources needed to thrive here in Columbia County and beyond. Classes are filling up quickly, however, you can still sign up via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/ cc/winter-2023-marketingfor-success-series-1668339.

Congratulations

We’ve all come through the unprecedented times of a pandemic. The result of workplace and other changes is that more people are going out on their own to provide, and sell, products and services of many kinds – as their own boss. If that’s you, congratulations! If you’ve been at this awhile but are feeling stagnation or

competition – congratulations to you, too! Especially as we look toward a sluggish economy, either way you can position to navigate through. Do the right things: Have a plan; Minimize or manage risk and debt; and take full advantage of resources and help that are offered.

Why would you not?

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. It’s a good feeling when you are part of that and when your own ideas and initiatives succeed. Our communities provide you with the SBDC, and the customers, to weather this or any environment. Feel free to ask us for a hand; Always ask customers for the sale.

Jason Moon is the Director of Columbia County Small Business Development Center. He may be reached at 503-410-1506 or at jason@columbiacountyoregon. com.

asked myself the same question. What was Greg Hinklman and the powers that be at city hall thinking by remodeling and creating yet another ivory tower in Clatskanie, better known as City Hall.

Please keep in mind that both of these utilities are nothing more than a “regulated monopoly”. I wondered what a signal mother with children thinks when she pays her utilities and walks into the city hall building only to see a grand ballroom and a shiny elevator. Ah, but the building also doubles as a cultural center. What does this same mom think when she walks

into the PUD lobby only to be met by a 30 foot custom wood ceiling with custom iron handrails.

It’s obvious Greg Hinklman and Mark Farmer have no regard for fiscal responsibility. Its time for city hall and the Clatskanie PUD to evaluate their priorities and put the people of Clatskanie first rather than sitting in their plush offices patting themselves on the back for creating the nicest utility facility experience in order to take more of our money.

Russell Spaulding Utility Customer

CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT MEETING NOTICE

The Clatskanie People’s Utility District Board of Directors has scheduled the next regular Board meeting for Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 6:00 pm in the community room of the District’s ad-ministration building located at 495 E Columbia River Highway, Clatskanie.

A Board Workshop will be held at 5:30 pm. An executive session may be called at the workshop and/or meeting, pursuant to: ORS 192.660 (2) (f) information or records that are exempt by law from

CC23-1715

In the Matter of the Adoption and Change of Name of DESTINY LEE NICHOLS, a Minor Child.

No. 23AP00011 To: CLARISSA MCATEE You are hereby required to appear and defend the petition for adoption and change of name filed in Columbia County, Oregon, United States, involving your child within THIRTY (30) DAYS from the date of service of this summons upon you, and, in case of your failure to do so, for want thereof, petitioner will apply to the court for the relief demanded in the petition

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

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

FOOD

From Page A1

for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

Oregonians who receive SNAP are encouraged to prepare for this change in the amount of food benefits they receive. Having a plan ahead of time will reduce the chance of experiencing an emergency or crisis later.

Find out what your regular SNAP benefit amount is.

Knowing your regular SNAP benefit can help you budget.

You can check how much your regular benefits are by accessing your EBT account online at www.ebtEDGE.com or by logging into your ONE ac-

public inspection. AGENDA CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT BOARD WORKSHOP

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 5:30 P.M. I. GRANT COUNTY PUD PROJECT

UPDATE: Kevin Nordt, Chief Resource Officer II. BOARD

TRAINING & WHA INSUR-

ANCE REPORT: Jeff Griffin, Chief Executive Officer III.

STAFF REPORTS UPDATE

CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, February 15,

for adoption and change of name. NOTICE TO THE RESPONDENT: READ THESE PAPERS CAREFULLY! You must “appear” in this case or the other side will win automatically. To “appear” you must file with the court a legal paper called a “motion” or “answer”. The “motion” or “answer” (or “reply”) must be given to the court clerk or administrator within THIRTY (30) DAYS of the date of first publication specified herein, along with the required filing fee. It must be in proper form and have proof of service on the petitioner’s attorney

CC23-1725

2023 6:00 P.M. I. PUBLIC COMMENTS II. CONSENT AGENDA · Minutes of Board Workshop, January 18, 2023 · Minutes of Regular Board Meeting, January 18, 2023 · Review payment of bills for January 2023 III. ACTION

ITEMS · Policy Review: #103 Budget Payment Plan Policy and #319 Record Retention Policy IV. DISCUSSION / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS · Board Comments & Calendar V. EXECUTIVE SESSION VI. ADJOURNMENT

or, if the petitioner does not have an attorney, proof of service upon the petitioner. The date of first publication of this summons is February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, you should see an attorney immediately. If you need help in finding an attorney, you may call the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service at (503) 684-3763 or toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-4527636. Stephen D. Petersen, OSB #73235 Attorneys for Petitioner. STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C., P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, (503) 556-4120.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF SESSION MEETING

The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold an executive session meeting, under ORS 192.660(2a); To consider the employment of

count at Benefits.oregon.gov.

Questions about your SNAP benefits can also be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-6999075. The ONE Customer Service Center is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Regular SNAP benefits are added to EBT cards between the first and the ninth day of the month.

Tell ODHS if your income has decreased. A decrease in your income may mean you qualify for more SNAP benefits.

Tell ODHS if there are more people in your household. An increase to the number of people in your household may increase your SNAP food benefits. You can report changes to

a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent on February 15, 2023 at the Clatskanie Elementary Library, 815 Nehalem, at 6:30 PM.

your income or household in many ways:

• Online at: Benefits.

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, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Know what food supports are in your area. There are many different organizations providing food support in communities throughout Oregon:

• Find food resources in your community: needfood.

oregon.gov

• Find a food pantry: food-

CC23-1724

PUBLIC NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING

The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold a Work Session/ Board meeting on Monday, February 13th, 2023. The Work Session will begin at 5:30 PM at the Clatskanie

CC23-1716

Elementary Library (in person only), followed by the regular Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Clatskanie Elementary Library and via Zoom. Both meetings are open to the public. Please see

our website at www.csd.k12. or.us on the main page for directions to join the regular meeting via zoom meeting. Please see our website for an official agenda. The public is encouraged to attend.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN RFP

The Port of Columbia County is seeking proposals to assist the Port in updating its Strategic Business Plan. Interested and qualified firms may obtain the RFP documents

CC23-1722

on the Port’s website at https://www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/rfps; from the Port Office located at 100 E Street, Columbia City, OR, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday; or via

email at sisco@portofcolumbiacounty.org. Submissions must be received by 5:00 pm on Monday, February 13, 2023. For questions, please call 503-397-2888.

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

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of RICHARD ALLAN FORREST, Deceased. No. 23PB00329 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons having claims against the

CC23-1720

estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the personal representative at P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may 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 the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published February 3, 2023. Monica F. Forrest Personal Representative. STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C. Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

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

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of GERALDINE ANDERSON, Deceased. No. 22PB11076 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons having claims against the

finder.oregonfoodbank.org

• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org

SNAP background

Remember that SNAP has changed since April 2020.

In addition to the temporary emergency food benefits due to COVID-19, SNAP has experienced other permanent changes that will support people’s ability to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families.

On October 1, 2021, regular SNAP food benefits were permanently increased by an average of about $36 per person, per month.

In January 2022, Oregon increased the income eligibility limit for SNAP up to 200%

estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the personal representative at P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain

of the federal poverty level. This means that an individual with up to $2,265 in income per month, or a family of three with up to $3,838 in income per month, are eligible to receive SNAP food benefits.

Why emergency food benefits are ending after February 2023

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since April 2020. The 2023 federal spending bill ended funding for emergency allotments. Due to this change, the federal government will no longer allow Oregon to issue emergency food benefits after February 2023. This means that February 2023 is the final month that

additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published February 3, 2023. Jon Anderson, Personal Representative. STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C. Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

ODHS is allowed to provide these emergency food benefits to people receiving SNAP in Oregon.

These emergency food benefits have provided people in Oregon with $1.86 billion in additional money for food since April 2020.

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

Learn more at https://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-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.

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

Winter sports winding down for Clatskanie

Throughout February, winter high school sports wrap their regular seasons up, and the state tournaments and competitions become more of the focus. According to Athletic Director Ryan Tompkins, winter sports this season have been largely a success for Clatskanie High School.

“Within the game, there’s always goals the teams are setting. Overall athletic programs, for the health and viability of the programs, we want them to start, we want them to finish, we want kids to pass their classes so they can participate, we want kids showing up to school, all those things,” Tompkins said. “Big picture, we want the programs to be successful, for kids to have the opportunities to not lose opportunities, and I think that’s been successful.”

It was Clatskanie’s first year in the 2A-1 Northwest League, and the teams have been adjusting to their new opponents. Previously, Clatskanie has competed in the 3A-3 Coastal Range League.

Tigers on the hardwood

For Clatskanie’s boys and girls basketball teams, this

MEASURE 114

From Page A1

action challenging Ballot Measure 114 (2022), enacted by the voters at the November 2022 General Election.

Measure 114 made several statutory changes pertaining to firearms, including requiring a permit to purchase a firearm (“permit-to-purchase requirement”); requiring completion of a criminal background check before a firearm may be purchased, acquired, delivered, or transferred (“backgroundcheck requirement”); and imposing restrictions regarding “large-capacity” magazines (“large-capacity magazine restrictions”), generally defined as fixed or detachable ammunition feeding devices with a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Shortly after the election, plaintiffs filed in the Harney County Circuit Court a declaratory judgment action against three state defendants (“the state”), asserting that Measure 114 was unconstitutional under Article I, section 27, of the Oregon Constitution. Plaintiffs also sought

season was successful for both programs for different reasons. While the boys team has had a tough year in the results col umn, with an overall record of 5-16 at the time of publication, they have exhibited strong growth over the season.

certainly had a lot of partici pation; we had 25 plus kids, so numbers were good, kids were excited to be playing,” Tompkins said. “It’s our first year in the new league, and it was competitive. We were in a bunch of games. Competitive, but we didn’t always pull out the victories.”

The team is comprised of a mix of primarily juniors and seniors, with a couple of sophomores competing at the varsity level.

preliminary relief, which the trial court granted in two orders: (1) a temporary restraining order as to the permit-to- purchase and background-check requirements, restraining their enforcement until state notification that the permitto-purchase requirement is ready to implement and further preliminary hearing; and (2) a preliminary injunction as to the large-capacity magazine restrictions, enjoining their enforcement until a full hearing is held on plaintiffs’ complaint.

The state filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to vacate those two temporary and preliminary orders.

In a unanimous, per curiam opinion, the Court denied the state’s petition, but without prejudice as to any future petition for writ filed by any party. The Court explained that, at this juncture in the proceedings, and given its understanding that the trial court was proceeding as expeditiously as possible to resolve the issues, it declined at this time to exercise its discretion to grant the extraordinary

Tompkins also noted that the girls JV team “saw a ton of improvement throughout the course of the season.” So with

remedy of mandamus.

The Court recognized that the legal status of Measure 114 is of significant concern to many Oregonians and that the judicial branch’s role is to resolve disputes such as challenges to laws enacted by the legislative branch, including the people exercising their initiative power. But, the Court continued, it had determined that “now [was] not an appropriate time to exercise [its] authority in mandamus in connection with the trial court’s temporary and preliminary rulings.”

The Court’s decision had no bearing on the parties’ respective positions as to the underlying proceeding, including the merits of plaintiffs’ complaint, and it did not bar any future challenge arising from the underlying action.

The Court relatedly dismissed as moot a motion to stay the trial court proceedings that the state had filed with its petition for mandamus relief.

Read a series of reports about Measure 114 and follow developments at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

and Saturday at Scappoose High School, and two of our girls qualified for the state tournament,” Tompkins said. “Senior Joss Penber, she won

first place and was the district champion. And then we had another student, Natalie Baker, got second place.”

According to Tompkins, girls wrestling is the fastestgrowing sport in Oregon, and the rise in individual girl specific meets is a significant positive for girls’ wrestling programs.

The boys will compete in a one-day district tournament at Knappa this weekend to determine if there are any representatives on the boys’ side at the state tournament.

Community support

One thing that has been refreshing this season is the community support for the high school programs. There have been good turnouts at wrestling matches and basketball games.

“We’re starting to see more bake sales and 50-50 raffles, and a lot of kids are doing fundraisers at the events, so it’s been a real positive atmosphere for high school basketball and the wrestling as well,” Tompkins said. “In small towns, a lot of times, your schools are your community centers where people, if they’re looking for something to do, they’ll head to the school. There’s been a lot of that, which is nice to see.”

Something that has been a challenge for the programs this year is the rash of sickness that has hit different teams at different times. Clatskanie High School has also had difficulty ensuring that there are officials to ref games.

“Having enough officials has been a challenge, which usually the lower-end teams get the short end of that stick. So, if there are not enough officials, we have to cancel the JV games or the freshman games,” Tompkins said. “So that’s one of the big things that happen, which is super frustrating.”

Something that Tompkins emphasized is that the athletics at Clatskanie High School sports teach students lessons that can make them “better citizens and family members.”

“We require more of our student-athletes. They have to be passing their classes; they have to show up to school every day; they have to make good decisions; we have a code of conduct in terms of their behavior, on and off school campus. They’re held to a higher quality of standard,” Tompkins said. “It teaches them skills they can’t necessarily learn in the classroom.”

Follow Clatskanie High School Sports at osaa.org.

• •C ommunity e V ents

February 10 and 11 Quilt

Show Bethany Lutheran Church’s

Annual Quilt Show is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 and 11 at 34721 Church Road in Warren. Bring quilts to display from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. Call Chris Mollenhour at 503-888-7540 for more information.

March 4 Rodeo Fundraiser

Join the Columbia County Rodeo Committee for dinner, dancing, and a live auction at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Tickets are $35 per person or reserve a corporate table for eight people for just $300. Contact any Rodeo Committee member or call 503397-1800. Tickets are limited. 5 p.m. Social Hour. 6 p.m. Dinner. 7 p.m. Live Auction. 8-11 p.m. Live Music.

March 21 Ladies Motivational Night Out 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Clatskanie Library. This event is free. Toni Dowrey will be the guest. Dowrey is a motivational speaker, published author and certified life coach.

March 25 – April 15 Colum-

bian Artists Associations 45th

Annual Spring Art Show

10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum, 405 Allen Street in Kelso, Washington. Eileen Thompson is the featured artist. Admittance is free. For questions, contact www.columbianartists.org or columbianartists/longviewwa on Facebook. There will be opportunity to purchase original art from local artists, starting at $35.

Ongoing

Caples Evening Programs

The cost for this evening and all our Fireside Chats will be only $5. Caples will be offering a different program the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at 1925 First Street in Columbia City. For more information, call 503-397-5390.

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 Henry Franzoni ar 360-3530937 or email to hjfranzoni3@

gmail.com. Visit the council’s website for agenda postings and Zoom at www.lowercolumbiariver.org/events-page.

The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) is open from noon - 4 p.m. Saturday (except major holidays weekends). ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street. For more information, call 360751-7039.

The Rainier Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. It will be closed Sundays and Mondays.

Avamere at St. Helens hosts a Virtual Dementia Support Group – 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2 to 3 p.m. For more details, contact Jenny Hicks/Avamere at St. Helens at 503-366-8070.

To list an event in the Community Calendar, email details with a phone number that may be published, to chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: U.S. PRESIDENTS

ACROSS

1. Biased perspective

6. Male sibs

10. Monday Night Football audience

14. Tapiridae representative

15. Rock opera version of “La BohËme”

16. Object of worship

17. Opposite of alpha

18. ____ Spumante

19. Novice

20. *Unanimously elected

President

22. Gusto

23. Eggy drink

24. Jig music, pl.

26. Stashed in a hold

30. Penniless

32. Wood turning device

33. Toll payment, e.g.

34. Not slouching

38. Like nay-sayers

39. Of many years

40. Malaria symptom

41. Instagram post

43. River, in Spanish

44. Bell-bottoms bottom

45. Dodge

47. Unexpected

48. The Cat in the Hat’s headgear (2 words)

51. Campbell’s container

52. International Civil Aviation Organization

53. *President Hayes’ first name

60. “Through” in a text?

61. Pelvic bones

62. Plural of #54 Down

63. Andrew Sean Greer’s 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner

64. Reverse action

65. Mother-of-pearl

66. *Lake off Ohio, the state known as “the Mother of Presidents”

67. Baseball’s “The Say Hey Kid”

68. Navigate

DOWN

1. *Present tense of #26

Across

2. Tibetan priest

3. “Singes” in “La PlanËte des singes”

4. Nearly

5. Apprentice

6. Name on apple cider vinegar bottle

7. R in R&R

8. Cognizant of

9. “Sophie’s Choice” protagonist

10. *F in JFK

11. Bye, to Emmanuel Macron

12. Relating to Scandina-

via

13. Casino bandits

21. Sign of assent

25. *Civil Rights Act of 1957 signer

26. Dueler’s blow

27. Hyperbolic tangent

28. Football great Graham

29. *Executive Mansion, colloquially (2 words)

30. Misrepresent

31. Make over

33. *One of four presidents to have never been elected

35. “Goodness gracious!”

36. “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” band, The ____

37. High school student, usually

42. Spermatozoa counterparts

44. Not marathons, pl. (2 words)

46. Central court in domus

47. Certain frat house letters

48. Ownership document

49. Autumn color

50. Zoroaster follower

51. Pandemonium

54. Elbow-wrist connection

55. Not a slob

56. Like certain Stanley

57. A third of thrice

58. Steak choice

59. Whitetail, e.g.

Courtesy photo from Ryan Thompkins Boys Basketball seniors, from right to left, Jordan Maertens, Miles Carter, Coach Deshaun Combs, Koulun Reed, Anthony Sebastiani, Horacio Encabo take a photo on Senior Night, Tuesday Feb. 7.

Date Night in

County

For those looking to get flowers for their special someone, whether it’s a date night or the fast-approaching Valentine’s Day, look no further than Clatskanie Floral. The family-owned floral shop specializes in offering custom arrangements that befit any occasion. Certified florist Linda Depersis, who owns Clatskanie Floral, is the person to call for all things flower related and is more than happy to work with customers to get them the perfect arrangement.

“Everything is special; I do everything custom order. So just go ahead and give me a call, and I can talk you through what color pallets you might like, or he might like,” Depersis said. “We can do pastels, bright, anything, if you like something kind of funky. I love things that are a little out of the box. So, my signature is I usually tuck in something that you don’t normally see or you wouldn’t expect to see in the arrangement.”

Linda Depersis never thought she would become a florist, but she always had a passion for gardening and growing flowers. Growing up, she loved growing flowers with her grandmother and found that populating her garden with flowers was always a priority whenever she moved into a new home. Then, in 2008, Depersis’ passion for cultivating flowers hit a new height when she and her husband purchased and started Barefoot Farm and Flowers in Clatskanie.

“I knew that I was just going to start growing flow -

ers. So, we started putting in more and more flowers, and then somewhere along the way, I kind of stumbled into that flower farming is a real job. There’s actually flower farmers out there,” Depersis said. “So we jumped into that, we just kept expanding, and I started growing flowers for the Portland Flower Market.”

As Depersis began working with more florists and flower shops in the area, an opportunity arose for her to purchase Clatskanie Floral, which has been around since 1967 under various owners. In

tended the Floral Design Institute in Portland and became a certified florist.

About a year ago, Depersis relocated the floral shop onto the same property as Barefoot Farm and Flowers at 77568 Erickson Dike Road in Clatskanie. They deliver to Portland, Rainier, St Helens, Clatskanie, Astoria, and Longview, Washington.

According to Depersis, Valentine’s Day is one of

popular in previous years and what’s trending recently, then she needs to get the right flowers in and prep them for the big day.

“You get all the flowers in, you have to go through, and you process them. You’re cleaning up all the stems, you’re giving them fresh cuts, putting them in a solution to help them drink up so they hydrate. A lot of organizing, getting your vases ready. It’s a lot; it’s a

lot of production,” Depersis

During other parts of the year, Clatskanie Floral sells on-site; however, because it is “shoulder season,” they need to bring in flowers to fill their orders. Some of the most popular flowers to order around Valentine’s are rose lilies, roses, and anything with a nice scent.

Depersis said she wishes that Valentine’s fell at a time in the year when there were opportunities to get flowers in season.

“I wish Valentine’s day was in maybe August

because everyone loves our specialty dahlias and a lot of other flowers we have out there, but they’re not available until the summer,” Depersis said.

With Valentine’s Day being a busy time for flower shops and florists, Depersis said that orders come in different waves. Repeat customers or those who have struggled to get flowers on Valentine’s in the past order well in advance. However, Clatskanie Floral is no stranger to filling lastminute orders for those who had Valentine’s Day sneak up on them.

For those wanting to put together an arrangement for their next date or this Valentine’s Day, Depersis urged potential buyers not to wait to get their order in.

“I would say call ahead and get your order in because we will run out of flowers; we always do,” Depersis said. “I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to put your order in. The earlier you do it, the better because then you have the best choice for your favorite colors, your favorite design.”

While Depersis loves every aspect of working with flowers and customers, she always enjoys seeing the reaction of those she’s arranged the flowers for.

“If I ever get to be part of the delivery for Valentine’s Day, which is usually towards the end, just surprising someone and seeing the look on their face when they get this really beautiful arrangement, or just to know that someone was thinking about them; it always makes me feel like the Easter Bunny,” Depersis said.

Scappoose Creek Inn gives patrons the perfect

Scappoose Creek Inn, outside of St. Helens, offers the perfect weekend retreat if you’re looking for a getaway but don’t have the time to jet off to an exotic destination.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Scappoose Creek Inn could be the perfect setting for a romantic date night. Located seven miles from St. Helens, 25 miles from downtown Portland, and 70 miles from the coast, Scappoose Creek Inn offers guests the perfect home base for a weekend getaway, with plenty of day trips just a short drive away.

The inn has been operating since 1997, and owners

Sherry Quarry and Jeri Anderson have owned the quaint bed and breakfast since 2007. The five-room house on the corner of W Lane Road offers cozy country-style rooms with distinctive antiques and freshly made-from-scratch breakfasts. Their customer service and top-notch food have made them a spot that customers come back to time after time.

“We’ve got what we call our ‘Scappoose Creek Inn family;’ we have a lot of regulars that return because they have family here or business here in the area, so

they want to stay with us,” Quarry said. “They love, usually, our breakfasts are the things they comment the most about, and how clean our rooms are, and just how they feel like they’re coming home when they’re here.”

If they keep coming back, that speaks volumes. We’ve had guests here coming back year-afteryear for 10 and 12 years.

~ Sherry Quarry, Scappoose Inn Co-owner

For breakfast, what’s on the menu depends on what’s available seasonally and how many folks are staying at the inn. Just a couple of things they offer for breakfast are huevos rancheros, Eggs Benedict, homemade biscuits and gravy, and Nutellastuffed French toast with berries. They are also offering complimentary Mimosas with breakfast all of February. For people looking for activities around town, Scappoose Creek Inn is happy to provide some ideas.

“We kind of look at ourselves as the county concierge. It just depends on why they’re here and if

they’ve got time,” Quarry said. “If they’re driving through, or they’re looking to maybe move here in the area, we give them the run down as to where they can go, and what to do, and where to have some fun.”

While they aren’t as big as a Best Western or something like that, Quarry is happy to provide guests a “home away from home,” with home cooking that accommodates dietary requirements and gives people a “comfortable, welcoming place to rest their head.”

As a small business, one of the things that Scappoose Creek Inn is proud of is the number of customers who return again and again. When you stay at Scappoose Creek Inn once, it may become an annual destination.

“Just being able to know that we have a lot of repeat business. So that means that they’re comfortable here and enjoy what it is we’re able to provide them,” Quarry said.

“If they keep coming back, that speaks volumes. We’ve had guests here coming back year-after-year for 10 and 12 years.”

So, if you are looking for a place to stay with someone special, look no further than the Scappoose Creek Inn, where the homey feel and delightful breakfast will make any weekend away a unique experience.