TCC22820

CASA

Al-Anon

Clatskanie Farmer’s Market

Habitat for Humanity

ReStore

Columbia Pacific Food Bank

Caples House Museum

Columbia Health Services Columbia County Cultural Coalition

Presented by The Chronicle & The Chief

NONPROFIT GUIDE 2020 Clatskanie Foundation

Columbia Community Mental Health

HOPE

of Rainier

lifeempowered

Kiwanis Club of St. Helens

NAMI St. Helens Day Breakers Kiwanis

River City Singers

Clatskanie Arts Commission

Nonprofit Guide 2020 INSIDE

South Columbia County

Chamber of Commerce

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020

Children’s Theatre Page A2

The Chief

$1

VOL. 128, NO. 42

Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891

Clatskanie girls take title, head to state

Photo courtesy of Luke E. Roth

Clatskanie has received the number 1 seed for the OSAA Class 3A Girls Basketball state tournament. They will host 16th-seeded De La Salle at Clatskanie Middle/High School at 6 p.m. Friday night, Feb. 28.

LUKE E. ROTH For The Chief

The Clatskanie Middle/High School Lady Tigers varsity basketball team is heading to the OSAA/ OnPoint Community Credit Union

3A Girls Basketball State Championship.

The Lady Tigers are seeded number one after capturing their third straight district title beating Willamina 61-41 at McMinnville High School on Saturday night, Feb. 22.

After splitting the season series, Clatskanie left no stone unturned this time around.

The Lady Tigers jumped out to an early 12-0 lead and never looked back. They would lead from the opening tip to the final whistle.

There were points in the game

where Willamina would cut it to single digits, but Clatskanie’s talent and experience would prove to be impossible to overcome for the Lady Bulldogs.

At the half, Willamina had cut it to 26-20, but the Lady Tigers opened up with a press that allowed

them to put the game on ice.

Clatskanie’s transition offense was an x-factor in the district title game.

School lockout

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See BASKETBALL Page A8

Bus driver saves a life

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Two public schools in Clatskanie went into a lockout Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, after school officials said a threat was discovered at Clatskanie Middle/High School.

The hand-written threat was discovered on a bathroom wall in the elementary school and it was aimed at the high school, according to Clatskanie School District Superintendent Cathy Hurowitz, who said Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies were called and arrived quickly to investigate.

“The hand-writing of the threat was different than what we had found with the two threats at the high school earlier this month,” she said. “There has been no suspect identified in this new threat.”

School officials put the lockout in place at both the elementary school and at Clatskanie Middle/ High School at 1:34 p.m.and it was lifted at 2:12 p.m.

This is the third threat in the school district in the past three weeks. Two other threats occurred on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and Wednesday, Feb. 12. Both threats were

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See LOCKOUT Page A7

Calendar...............A3 Obituaries............A4 Viewpoints...........A4 Meetings...............A4 Police Blotters.....A5 Market Place........A6 Public Notices......A6 Church News.......A7 Sports...................A8

Christine Menges / The Chief

CC Rider bus driver Roy Hettinga saved a scheduled passenger’s life after discovering she was having a medical emergency.

Courtesy photo

CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Democrats and Republicans continue to be at odds over cap and trade during the Oregon Legislature’s short February session at the capitol building in Salem.

Cap and trade triggers GOP boycott JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

The debate over a cap and trade bill designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions continues to keep Oregon Senate Republicans and Democrats at odds and has slowed the pace of work in the 2020 Oregon Legislature’s short session.

This week the GOP Senators and House members staged a walkout from the capitol building over the cap and trade legislation.

Opponents claim cap and trade will increase costs to consumers and damage Oregon’s rural economy, while supporters said it is needed to ensure a healthy environment in Oregon in the years ahead.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and change the Earth’s climate. The Oregon Global Warming Commission has reported that greenhouse gases have triggered earlier and longer lasting forest fires, which produces more harmful and intense smoke. The Commission also stated that Oregon is seeing less snowpack, which can results in droughts, according to published reports.

The Oregonian reported that the amendments to the cap and trade legislation Senate Republicans of-

fered up Monday and were voted down by Democrats included sending the bill to the voters. State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) was the only Democrat who supported a citizen vote on the bill.

Johnson and State Rep. Brad Witt (D-Clatskanie) issued a statement as the news of a walkout broke, in part the statement reads: “The politics surrounding SB 1530 are deeply disappointing. The proponents are desperate to pass a bill that will result in no significant environmental gains but will greatly burden the pocket books of our constituents.”

“Democrats refused to work with Republicans and denied every amendment that was presented,” Senate Republican Leader Senator Herman Baertschiger said in the statement. “Pay attention Oregon – this is a true example of partisan politics. Instead of referring this legislation to let the people decide, the Democrats are willfully ignoring 26 counties and one district, representing nearly two million Oregonians that have signed proclamations against cap and trade, to push their agenda.”

House Speaker Tina Kotek (DPortland) called out Senate Republicans for walking off the job a third time in a year. She said legislators shutting down the government is a crisis for Oregon’s democracy.

“This is not a game,” Kotek said.

“Voters elected us to do our job. The members who refuse to show up and do their jobs are saying to a large majority of Oregonians: your vote doesn’t matter.”

If 21 of the 22 Republicans don’t show up for a session, that denies Democrats the two-thirds quorum needed to carry out lawmaking and meet deadlines.

The Republican walkout marks consecutive legislative sessions in which Senate Republicans have blocked the passage of a law capping greenhouse gas emissions by walking out.

Despite the state Republican Senators walkout from the Oregon Legislature, the public’s business is continuing at the capitol building in Salem, according to Senate President Democrat Peter Courtney’s communications director Lisa Taylor.

“We are continuing with our committees and important legislation,” Taylor said.”We have a lot of good legislation and budgets that we keeping working on.”

The legislative session is set to end March 8.

St. Helens resident Thelma Bonar is thankful to be alive and credits a CC Rider Bus driver with saving her life.

The life-saving incident happened on Valentine’s Day after Bonar had scheduled a ride through CC Rider’s Dial-A-Ride service in advance to get to a personal appointment. Bonar regularly uses Dial-A-Ride to get to and from errands and various appointments and she is always consistent with confirming the appointment and the ride day of.

When the driver, Roy Hettinga, arrived at Bonar’s house and knocked, nobody answered the door.

He then called the CC Rider office to let them know no one had answered, and the dispatchers called the appointment place to confirm Bonar was not already there. They also then realized Bonar had not confirmed her ride that morning like she usually does. Realizing this, CC Rider called for a welfare check through the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

When the sheriff deputy arrived, Bonar was discovered to be having a medical emergency. Through quick action by the deputy, she was able to get the emergency medical attention she needed.

Dial-A-Ride is a curb to curb service and doesn’t follow the same route every day. Instead, the driver

Reporter Cody Mann contributed to this update. Read a series of reports about the cap and trade debate and follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

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See DRIVER Page A4

A2

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, February 28, 2020

Coronavirus monitoring STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

On Stage Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Children follow the lead of the Missoula Children’s Theatre tour director during a rehearsal at Clatskanie Middle/High School this week for the production of The Emperor’s New Clothes. The Hans Christian Andersen classic will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 and at 3 p.m. Saturday at Clatskanie Middle/High School. Tickets are available at the door for $5 per person per show. Clatskanie Arts Commission, with support from Scout Lake Fund, Kiwanis of Clatskanie, PGE Beaver and Port Westward Plants is sponsoring the The Missoula Children’s Theatre residency in Clatskanie. See more photos at thechiefnewscom.

School district receives $431,000+ Clatskanie Foundation representatives presented a check for $379,601.45 from the Portland General Electric (PGE) Strategic Investment Program (SIP) to the Clatskanie School District at its February Meeting. That check followed on a $51,727.41 SIP payment paid to the school district in early December, totaling $431,328.86 which will be applied to the 2020-21 school district budget.

History This is the fifth year that Clatskanie schools have benefited from the PGE SIP agreement, after officials of Columbia County, Columbia 4-H and Extension Service District, Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District, Columbia Vector Control District, Rainier Cemetery District, Clatskanie Parks and Recreation District, Clatskanie Library District, the Port of St. Helens (now Port of Columbia County), the Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District agreed to lessen their share of the SIP payments paid by PGE, in exchange for a partial property tax exemption.

Agreement Under the state’s SIP policy, the school district was left out of the distribution payments because of the state school funding formula. However, the other local taxing districts, wishing to bring some of the benefit of PGE’s development to the cashstrapped Clatskanie schools agreed to sacrifice some of their own shares. In order to meet legal requirements, the SIP payments to the school district are filtered through the Clatskanie Foundation, which is allowed to keep three percent to meet administrative expenses.

In presenting the last check at the school board meeting, Clatskanie Foundation vice president and fundraising chair Deborah Hazen asked the district to announce how the money is being used, and suggested that instead of it being absorbed into the district’s general fund, the majority of which meets the costs of salaries and benefits, that the SIP money be used for special projects and

As concerns mount concerning the worldwide cases of coronavirus, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has announced plans to begin providing weekly updates about the virus in Oregon.

In a statement issued Monday, Feb. 24, the OHA said it will begin weekly updates about persons under monitoring and persons under investigation for novel coronavirus, COVID-19, as state epidemiologists, local public health officials and federal partners continue their investigation of the disease that has sickened tens of thousands of people worldwide.

Each Tuesday beginning March 3, OHA will post data on persons under monitoring (PUMs) and persons under investigation (PUI) on its website, http://healthoregon. org/coronavirus. PUMs are individuals who do not have COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, but who may have been exposed through a close contact with a confirmed case or travel to mainland China.

PUIs are individuals with COVID-19 symptoms -- but not necessarily the virus -- who have had one of these exposures.

“We recognize people are very worried about COVID-19, particularly given that we don’t know everything we wish we could know about how it’s transmitted,” OHA Public Health Division Director Lillian Shirley said. “People need to understand their real risks and

feel confident the state and their with soap and water for 20 local health departments are seconds. If soap and water are working hard to ETERSEN protect their not readily available, use an LARKE LLC LARKE LLC health. We hopeETERSEN sharing these alcohol-based hand sanitizer PUM and PUI data willA help A tt tt oo rrthat nn eecontains yy ss at least 60 percent do that.” alcohol.

(503) 556-4120 While the OHA is currently556-4120 • Avoid close contact with (503) monitoring 76 people in the people who are sick. state, Shirley emphasizes there • Avoid touching your eyes, Columbia County’s Premier Columbia Premier still are no cases of COVID-19County’s nose and mouth with unwashed in Oregon asPersonal of Feb. 24.

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AA tt tt oo rroutside nn ee yyofssthe U.S.A. If a person under inves(503) 556-4120 556-4120 tigation tests positive(503) for For more information: COVID-19, OHA will notify the public through a•Personal statewide • OHA Emerging RespiraAccidents •Personal Injury Injury •Wrongful Death Accidents •Wrongful Death press release along with the tory Disease page. person’s county of residence.

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Foundation secretary Elsa Wooley, a retired longtime Clatskanie Middle/High School teacher, suggested that one important project that the money could be used for is the replacement of the 40-year-old malfunctioning lighting system in the Donavon D. Wooley Performing Arts Center auditorium at Clatskanie Middle/ High School. The auditorium is named for longtime music director Dee Wooley, Elsa’s husband.

One of the authors of the idea to include the school district in the SIP benefits, Robert Keyser, a board member of both the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District and the Port of Columbia County, confirmed that the concept was to focus the money on maintenance projects and programs not covered under the general fund.

Tracking Cyndi Warren, who serves as administrative manager for the Clatskanie Park and Recreation District and the Rainier Cemetery District, said that she believed the taxing districts which had sacrificed funding to include the school district, and the public at-large, should know how the funding was being used. She agreed that the intent of the original agreement was that the funding should go to projects and programs not covered by the general fund.

Hurowitz said that while she understood why the previous administration had deposited the SIP money into the general fund to meet shortfalls there, she agreed that it should be moved to its own fund, “so we can use that money for its intent - to benefit the district to supplement educational programs, opportunities, and projects.”

While the SIP money received in recent months is already projected as general revenues for the 2020-21 school year, Hurowitz said she would be working towards moving it out of the general fund in the future. She also discussed with Foundation representatives the idea of presenting proposals for the usage of the funds prior to distribution from the Foundation to the school district.

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www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, February 28, 2020

A3

4th candidate files for County Commission CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

A fourth person, Casey Garrett, has filed for candidacy for county commissioner in the Tuesday, May 19 Oregon Primary Election. Garrett filed on Feb. 24 for Position 3, against incumbent Alex Tardif, who had previously been running unopposed.

There are two positions up for re-election on the Columbia County Board of Commissioners, Positions 1 and 3, currently held by Margaret Magruder and Tardif, respectively.

For Position 1, the two candidates running are incumbent Margaret Magruder and Brandee Dudzic, who both filed for the position in September of last year.

Tardif filed for candidacy in September of last year as well.

Position 3 Garrett currently serves as General Services Director for Columbia County,

where his primary responsibilities involve overseeing maintenance, capital projects related to county facilities and generally keeping the buildings in order.

“I’m a big believer in doing what we can to keep our local taxes and fees lower, increasing access to public lands, rooting out waste where there is waste and improving public service and strengthening existing relationships.”

Garrett said about his decision to run for commissioner.

Garrett said he has a lot of experience in the public sector as a general contractor and project manager, as well as five years’ experience working with the county.

“I have a solid understanding of how things work and how to improve what we do,” Garrett said.

Tardif, Garrett’s opposition, is a tax accountant and lifelong resident of Columbia County, who currently resides in Scappoose, as The Chief previously reported.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Brandee Dudzic, who filed for Position 1.

Commissioner Margaret Magruder, who filed for Position 1.

Commissioner Alex Tardif, who filed for Position 3.

Casey Garret, who filed for Position 3.

According to his biography on the Columbia County website, Tardif’s areas of focus for the commission include maintaining and expanding agricultural opportunities in the county, creating transportation infrastructure, parks and expanding recreational use of the county’s natural areas through tourism.

elected to the board of commissioners in November of 2016. Her biography lists her primary focus on the board of commissioners as being on economic development, natural resources and infrastructure.

Magruder is a lifelong Clatskanie resident who owns and manages a wool insulation company in Rainier, Oregon.

Opposition, Brandee Dudzic is the Columbia County Law Librarian. She has a masters degree in me-

diation and dispute resolution and also teaches free, community-based classes on Bystander Intervention and Nonviolent Communication.

If elected, her goals are to lead for the next generation, demonstrate that transparency, involvement and access are essential to functioning of good government, leverage tourism opportunities in Columbia County and to protect the environment.

“We are surrounded by

natural beauty to share with a wider community and we are missing out on substantial revenue and opportunities for job creation,” Dudzic said.

The four candidates are so far the only ones running for the two positions. The deadline to file for candidacy is March 10.

Position 1 Position 1 incumbent Margaret Magruder was

Follow the May Primary Election candidates and issues online at thechiefnews. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief

Global Partners Open House STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Global Partners, LP will be hosting an open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. March 10 at Meriwether Place, located at 1070 Columbia Boulevard in St. Helens.

The event will give the public an opportunity to ask questions and is designed to encourage discussion about the company’s proposed switch from ethanol to renewable diesel.

The switch, should it occur, would take place at their transloading facility at the Columbia Pacific BioRefinery, which the company owns and operates at Port

•

Photo courtesy of CRFR

Pinned man rescued STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The man became stuck helped to extricate him from after cutting a portion of a the lift. tree that fell inside the lift The name of the man resColumbia River Fire basket. cued has not been released. & Rescue crews were The incident happened As a safety reminder, dispatched at 10:32 a.m. along Ward Street in St. Columbia River Fire & on Sunday, Feb. 23 to a and relax Good timesRescue officials are encourMeet your friends Helens. technical rescue after aand relax Good times ROLL the First responders said at aging people to use caution at this neighborhood Meetclassic yourcall friends manat was reportedly the man was not injured when cutting trees during ROLL at the this classicpinned neighborhood watering hole! inside the baskethole! of a lift. and fire crews successfully windy conditions. watering

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Now - May 1 • Accepting applications for Don Coin Walrod Scholarship: The Deer Island Grange is now accepting applications for the Don Coin Walrod Scholarship.

This is a scholarship created for a Columbia County High School senior. Applicants may attend a trade school, community college or university of their choice, but must major is agriculture, education, forestry or animal science. Applications are available from each of the Columbia County High School Counselor offices and must be

post marked by May 1, 2020.

They should be mailed to: Don Coin Walrod Scholarship, 64556 Columbia River Hwy, Deer Island, OR 97054.

March 5 • Wake Up for United Way: Grab a coffee and help raise funds for local children to receive free books from Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Each coffee shop partner is donating a portion of proceeds for local children in our county to receive books: Brown Butter Bakery, 51320 SW Old Portland Rd., Scappoose, B Street Coffee, 319 W B Street, Rainier, Farmhouse Coffee, 305 E Columbia River Hwy, Clatskanie and Flowers N’ Fluff, 45 E Columbia River Hwy, Clatskanie. You can also text DOLLYP to 41444 to make a donation.

March 7 • Columbia Pacific Food Bank

Hunger Run 5K/10K Event: 9 a.m. at 1421 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens. Calling all walkers and runners! Sign up to walk or run and help Columbia Pacific Food Bank fund improvements to our future building.

March 13 • Columbia County Job Fair: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Columbia River Four Square Church, 555 Commons Dr. St. Helens.

April 4 - 13 • 44th Annual Spring Art Show: Call to Artists - The Columbian Artists Association presents the 44th Annual Spring Art Show at the Red Lion Inn, Kelso, Washington. This event is open to artists in 2-D and 3-D medial. All work will be juried at entry. Prospectus available at: columbianartists. org. For questions, contact Eileen Thompson at 206949-9811 or webster9821@ comcast.net.

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throughout the market in a safe and reliable manner,” Slifka said.

To make the change, the company needs approval from the Port and from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Renewable diesel is similar to traditional diesel but is derived entirely from plant and animal by-products.

Renewable diesel helps reduce current levels of greenhouse emissions and is utilized to meet state and federal climate standards.

The logistics for handling the product would largely remain unchanged.

Read more about the proposed switch at thechiefnews.com.

•C ommunity C alendar • •

Now - February 29 • United Way of Columbia County Leap of Kindness Diaper Drive: Help us by dropping off disposable diapers, wipes, and diaper creams to partner locations: Discounts and Deals in Clatskanie, El Tapatio in Rainier, Rose Street Boutique in St. Helens and Columbia River PUD in Deer Island.

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Since 2016, the company has only transloaded ethanol, a first-generation renewable biofuel. The company is looking to move to the next generation of renewable biofuels, which is renewable green diesel.

Eric Slifka, CEO of Global Partners, announced the desire for the change at the Feb. 12 commission meeting of the Port of Columbia County.

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•

Friday, February 28, 2020

•V iewpoints • •

Quiet at the Oregon Legislature

BRAD WITT Chief Guest Column

Cap and Trade The Capitol has become very quiet, as most Republicans from both the Senate and House have left the building.

The GOP Senators began the walkout Monday after SB 1530 the Cap and Trade Carbon Tax bill was voted out of the Ways and Means Committee and scheduled for a Senate floor vote. On Tuesday, the House Republicans joined them which resulted in denying quorums in both the Senate and House Chambers.

I believe the walkout over the Cap and Trade bill could have been avoided. I introduced a compromise amendment to the House version of the Cap and Trade, HB 4167.

My plan would lower the state’s carbon output, while incentivizing individuals and businesses to

DRIVER From Page A1

comes to passengers’ homes, often taking senior citizens and the disabled to medical and other appointments.

The service receives ride requests in two ways. One is through a brokerage called Northwest Rides, which helps people covered by Medicaid.

CC Rider’s dispatchers offer the second way through a shared online portal. Rides can be used for medical appointments or for other personal appointments.

“Our priority is medical, because there’s a huge demand for it,” CC Rider administrative assistant Angela Garrett said.

Bonar’s appointment on the bus was a regularly scheduled ride in the south county, Garrett said, describing Bonar as a long-time passenger who is well-liked and who often chats with dispatchers when she makes calls. She is consistent and reliable, always making

work toward carbon reduction without putting an undue financial burden on rural Oregonians. Instead of creating an additional bureaucracy to implement the carbon legislation, my proposal creates a Carbon Sequestration Investments Fund and Commission.

The Commission members would be Oregonians, appointed by the Governor, and would award grants for programs, projects and activities that support innovations in research, science, technology and natural resource management for carbon reduction.

Grants could be awarded to businesses, schools, even individuals.

I worked with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to come up with this amendment, and I know it had bi-partisan support. Unfortunately, my amendment and the other amendments proposed for HB 4167 were, in my opinion, never seriously considered and my Republican colleagues felt it was necessary to leave, to block a vote on a Cap and Trade bill they could not support.

Unless we have some Republicans return to the Capitol, we have many issues we cannot address this Session. When we began the Session, we received the positive news that Oregon’s tax revenues had exceeded the economist’s projections.

We were taking a close look to determine if some of Oregon’s most criti-

cal needs would receive funding. It’s disappointing to me that health care, homelessness, affordable housing, and shoring up the financially troubled Department of Forestry, are all issues that may have to wait either for a Special Session, or the 2021 Session to be addressed.

But I was heartened when Rep. Rob Nosse extended courtesies to House Democrats on Wednesday.

“It is because of all of you that we have passed historic funding for our public schools, expanded access to health care, protected the rights of every Oregonian, and made progress on our state’s affordable housing crisis,” Rep. Nosse said.

sure to call and confirm her appointment the day of with the dispatchers, Garrett added.

On this day, Bonar hadn’t done that and the bus driver was not able to get Bonar to come to the door. Hettinga immediately knew something was off.

“I knew something wasn’t right when my passenger didn’t come out to the bus. I gave a her few minutes and then went to ring her doorbell.

There was no answer and so I contacted dispatch and they then called her phone. I had also knocked on a different door and wondered why her dog wasn’t barking. All of it was not normal and knew from past contacts with her that she had been having problems with falling,” Hettinga said.

As the sheriff’s deputies arrived they and Hettinga entered the house and found Bonar unresponsive.

“I’d had a collapse or something and they had to revive me, and give me sugar because I’m diabetic,” Bonar said.

Bonar said she was very grateful for Hettinga’s quick action.

“I haven’t seen Roy yet, but when I do, I’d like to give him a big kiss,” Bonar said.

“To know that he was the one that opened the door to find me, otherwise I would have been here all day or all month or whatever. To know that he saved my life….” Bonar trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

• Mondays: • Oregon Hunters Association Columbia County Chapter membership meetings are held the second Monday of each month at the Kozy Korner Restaurant in St. Helens.

Meetings start at 7 p.m. or come early at 6:30 p.m. for some good food and visiting.

• Community Action Team Board of Directors meetings take place on the fourth Monday of every month unless the meeting would fall on a holiday, from 2 – 4 p.m. in the CAT boardroom, 125 N. 17th St., St. Helens.

• The American Legion Post 68 meets the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Legion Hall, 930 SE 5th St., Clatskanie.

Tuesdays: • The VFW meets on the

Be engaged While legislation is currently not moving in either Chamber, my office is here to assist my constituents.

If you need help on a state issue or have a concern regarding a state agency, contact my office and we will see what can be done.

Rep. Brad Witt serves House District 31. He may be reach at: • Email: Rep.BradWitt@ oregonlegislature.gov • Telephone: 503-9861431 • Capitol Building: 900 Court St NE, H-382, Salem, OR, 97301 • Website: http://www. oregonlegislature.gov/witt

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patcher who called to do the welfare check for Bonar, had a few words to share about the incident.

“The three of us all had a little part in the resolution of helping this resident,” Cain said. “Working here for four years (being a driver and dispatcher) you build a rapport with the regular riders and when something is out of routine with them, it starts you thinking and you just go

into action. I think any human being would do the same.”

CC Rider made a Facebook post about the incident, and Garrett said it has been their most-viewed post in recent memory, with their analytics showing over 5,000 people reached.

To Garrett, this incident shows how important CC Rider is to the community.

“I just think it’s important to realize this stuff does happen and there are people who don’t drive for a reason,” Garrett said. “It sort of illustrates the need for it out here, illustrates the relationships people form with each other after working with each other so long.”

CC Rider has been struggling to close the gap between revenue and expenses, and the transit agency has been running in the red for a few years now. One of the lines that is the most expensive and has undergone the most cuts is the Dial-A-Ride service, with operators now only allowed to drive within a mile away from their regularly scheduled route. Columbia County has declined CC Rider’s request to raise the rate for MTR Western, the outside agency contracted to work with the transit service.

Along with being the most expensive service, Garrett said Dial-A-Ride also is the most popular service.

“We get more requests than we can fill every single

•C ommunity M eetings • •

second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at 960 SW 5th St., Clatskanie.

• The Columbia County Law Library will be holding Court Forms Clinics every Tuesday from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. (weather permitting). Get help filling our court forms commonly used in the Columbia County courthouse. The forms are free and the clinic is free. Sign up is required and is available at the courthouse Mon. – Fri. from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. or at the Law Library Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 270 S. First St., St. Helens. Questions: 503-396-5344 or ccll@ columbiacll.org or davis12000@ aol.com.

Wednesdays: • Rotary Club of Columbia

County – St. Helens meeting is held at the Warren Country Inn at 12 p.m. For more information, call 503-397-2341.

• Columbia SWCD meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., 35285 Millard Rd., St. Helens. December’s meeting will be held at 6 p.m.

• Lawyer in the Law Library is a series of talks about common legal problems. Meeting are on the second Wednesday of each month from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. A lawyer will provide basic information and answer your questions about the topic of the evening. Columbia County Law Library, 270 S. First St., St. Helens. Call 503-396-5344 with questions.

• Port of Columbia County Board of Commissioners hold meetings at 8:30 a.m. on the

The Chief

27% No

Vote online at thechiefnews.com

“With so many baby boomers reaching the age where they can no longer drive, this service quite literally is their lifeline.” ~ Roy Hettinga “I think it was worth saving,” she said.

Dispatchers are usually in charge of scheduling the routes, basing them on where their passengers are going.

They make schedules every day, scheduling routes five days out, and every once in a while, people can slip in on a last-minute basis.

Adrienne Cain, the dis-

No

second and fourth Wednesday of the month at the Port of Columbia County office, 100 E St., Columbia City.

speakers will discuss topics that are important to local Veterans and their families. All veterans are welcome to attend.

Thursdays: • The Veterans breakfast is held the first Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Legion Hall, 930 SE 5th St., Clatskanie.

• The regular monthly Rainier Chamber of Commerce meeting is held on the second Thursday of every month at 12 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. Lunch is provided for a suggested $6 donation.

Saturdays: • NAMI Columbia County Support Group, National Alliance on Mental Illness, meets on the second Saturday of every month from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at the Elks Veterans Bunker, 125 S. 13th St., St Helens, Oregon.

For more information, contact Judy Thompson 503-397-6056 or contact NAMI Oregon at 503230-8009.

• The Rainier Historical Museum is open every Saturday from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. It is located inside Rainier City Hall.

Please enter the side entrance and take the elevator to the 3rd floor.

Fridays: • Veteran’s Breakfast at the Village Inn in the Banquet Room the first Friday of every month.

Doors open at 7 a.m. and the meeting starts at 8 a.m. Guest

The Chief (USPS 116-360) is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. 148 N. Nehalem St., P.O. Box 8 Clatskanie, Oregon 97016 Periodicals postage paid at Clatskanie, OR 97016

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chief PO Box 8 Clatskanie, OR 97016

day, but there isn’t the money to pay for it,” Garrett said.

Hettinga also reflected on a CC Rider Facebook post about the incident, claiming the CC Rider Dial-A-Ride service in particular is important for elders in the community, and encouraged Columbia County residents to do more to support the service.

“With so many baby boomers reaching the age where they can no longer drive, this service quite literally is their lifeline. We need to step up to the task of supporting one another, for we are all part of this community,” Hettinga said.

Along with being a regular passenger on CC Rider, Bonar has been active with trying to get CC Rider more funding, including voting “yes” on the most recent failed ballot measure to create a service district for the transit agency.

“I’d do anything to get that thing funded, because it’s such a wonderful service,” Bonar said.

D eath N otice Thomas Henry Lawrence Feb. 16, 1957 ~ Feb. 23, 2020

Thomas Lawrence, 63, of Clatskanie, passed away on Feb. 23, 2020 at his home.

Contact The Chief at 503-728-3350 or chiefnews@countrymedia.net to place an obituary or death notice

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One Year Columbia County & Eastern Clatsop County: $52/year One Year Out of County: $72 $3 senior discount for yearly sub

Contact Us • Phone: (503) 728-3350 • Fax: (503) 308-6791 • Email: www.thechiefnews.com Editorial Email: chiefnews@countrymedia.net • Advertising Email: atrull@countrymedia.net

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENT LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255 • suicidepreventationlifeline.org Columbia County’s trusted local news source

OREGON YOUTH LINE: 877-968-8491 • Text “teen2teen” to 839863

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, February 28, 2020

A5

New active shooter training

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

During one of the drills, teachers and staff at Clatskanie Middle/High School positioned a table in front of a door as protection from Dan Porter, acting as the active shooter.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

With heightened concern about active shooter events across the nation, the Columbia County’s Department of Emergency Management is providing new security to local agencies, organizations and schools.

The latest training occurred late this month at Clatskanie Middle/High School and followed two threats in two days at the school.

The school threats resulted in a lockout and lockdown to protect students and staff. The person or persons responsible for the threats written on a school bathroom wall had not been identified as of press time and the investigation continued.

Columbia County Department of Emergency Management training coordinator Dan Porter is conducting the active training classes. The following is his insight about the training and what it is designed to accomplish.

ASHER Training Porter: I became interested in active shooter response when my daughter was in first grade. She came home from school and talked about a drill where (putting it bluntly) they hid and hoped, under

a table, when a threat was near. Having a background in firearms and tactics, I started researching what was being taught. The model being taught in schools was based on the atomic bomb drills of the 1960s. The duck and cover approach did nothing to protect anyone during a nuclear bomb blast but it gave people “something” to do which made them feel better and made it simple to keep track of everyone. This same approach does nothing to protect anyone during an active shooter event and yet, it was the accepted standard.

Thus started my path to find a better response option to keep my kids safe.

The Chief: Briefly give us the range of drills conducted during this training (like what I observed at the high school) and how those specific drills could save lives.

Porter: Today, most active shooter response training methodologies utilize variations of the same skill set.

They all capitalize on using fear and anxiety as a student motivator. The problem with this approach is people are already frightened; this confirms how horrible these events are, and they mentally check out. Most of the skills taught under these conditions are seldom committed to long term memory and

not available for recall under stress. I am certified as an instructor in four different models and I have developed a different approach.

By using guided discovery, coupled with non-fear-based activities, participants learn principle-based skills that increase the survivability of a hostile event.

One key difference in what I teach is using principles in place of tactics.

Principle-based skills are constant. A tactic is a preplanned response designed to achieve a goal. The problem with tactics is they continually change based on the situation and are perishable if they are not practiced continuously. Principles are fundamental truths that are consistent and don’t change based on where and what the threat does.

A simple way to summarize the difference between principles and tactics is tactics are always about the threat. Principles are always about you.

Another significant part of my training is participants are taught how to exploit the human acute stress response.

This is critically important to schools and businesses because the threat will most likely be known and have knowledge of the procedures.

The Chief: What is your hope that those receiving

• The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Information printed is preliminary and subject to change.

Rainier Police Feb. 15 • While on routine patrol, an officer noticed a vehicle and subject that was reportedly involved in an earlier theft at the Alston Pub and Grub. The driver was contacted and subsequently taken into custody and lodged at the jail.

• An officer assisted parties exchange information in a non-injury motor vehicle fender bender.

Feb. 16 • A caller reported that an employee had not shown up for work. The party was contacted and found to be okay.

Feb. 18 • A dog was roaming the neighborhood. The dog was caught and returned to its owner.

Feb. 20 • A caller reported seeing a suspicious person attempting to sell tools from their vehicle in a parking lot. An officer responded to the location and the male fled the scene. Stolen property was recovered and some was returned to the owners. The case is pending investigation.

• A motorist was concerned about a person on the bridge looking over the side. The person was checked and determined to be fine.

• An officer responded to three false alarms at a building. It was found to be secure each time.

Feb. 22 • A firearm was turned in as found property.

• An officer responded to an alarm at a local business. The building was found to be secure.

• Some signs and saw horses were taken from a residential yard. The property that belonged to the complainant was recovered and returned.

St. Helens Police Department Feb. 2 • At approximately 6:47 p.m., Jesse Barba, 72, was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender in St. Helens.

Feb. 4 • At approximately 3:31 p.m., Zachary Hendrickson, 28, was arrested on a St. Helens Municipal Court warrant at Salmon Street near Sunset Boulevard in St. Helens.

• At approximately 4:21 p.m., Justin Carr, 22, was arrested on a St. Helens Municipal Court warrant at 175 S. Columbia River Highway in St. Helens.

• At approximately 11:05 p.m., Daniel Hobson, 23, was arrested on an outstanding municipal court warrant while at his residence, located at 2475 Columbia Boulevard #11 in St. Helens.

Feb. 5 • At approximately 11:24 a.m., Joshua Housley, 38, was arrested for disorderly conduct II and menacing at 150 South 13th Street in St. Helens.

Feb. 6 • At approximately 11:22 p.m., Kelly Rader, 34, was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants near 1844 Columbia Boulevard in St. Helens.

Feb. 7 • At approximately 10:54 a.m., Robbie Hawkins, 56, was ar-

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Columbia County Department of Emergency Management training coordinator Dan Porter uses a tape measure to describe safe distances inside and out of a classroom during an active shooter event.

this training take from their experience?

Porter: My hope is that this training will provide people with empowerment of their options and dampen some of the fear. In addition, to realize and start thinking that they are their own first responders. They are first on the scene, and they need to have the skills to deal with the event. Doing nothing more than locking the door and waiting for help is giving the threat all of the control.

The Chief: Why is such training necessary now?

Porter: Violence doesn’t discriminate on where it can take place. You don’t get to pick the event; the event picks you. It could happen anywhere, anytime. Still, the odds of being involved in a hostile encounter is about the same as getting struck with lightning. And yet, when we experience an electrical storm, even though the odds are low, we still seek shelter.

Why? Because it’s not about the odds, it is about what’s at stake. This training provides participants with options and tools that empower and prepare them to act if faced with such an event.

This training was scheduled months before the events that occurred at the high school. As stressful as

the events where they are really a gift in the sense that what worked and what didn’t work can be reviewed and adjusted, without the loss of life. Not many organizations and communities get that opportunity.

One change I will recommend is how response drills are utilized. Currently, we are frightening students and parents with misguided drills intended, paradoxically, to make them safe. Drills are not training. Drills are a validation of current knowledge and performance. Exercises, without stress, should be used to teach responses.

The Chief: Summarize what anyone should do, and why, if they find themselves in harm’s way during an active shooting event?

Porter: Using principles taught in training: try to be where the threat is not. If you can’t get out of the area, make it difficult for the threat to get to you (barricading). If you can’t keep the threat out of your space, do something the threat does not expect (proximity to the threat determines your options). During this training, participants get to problem solve in real-time and explore the organic results of their decision making with low-stress and lowimpact exercises.

Porter also said that Co-

lumbia County is fortunate to have a Homeland Security and Emergency Management Commission (HSEMC) established by the Board of County Commissioners in 2007.

The county works closely with members community, jurisdictional, and private sector partners on all aspects of resilience in Columbia County and the training is available to all our participating partners at no charge.

The county also offers an enhanced Stop the Bleed program, provide consulting services on emergency and COOP planning, other preparedness training, and exercises.

The county provides monthly community outreach during the free Pints and Preparedness outreach hosted

by Running Dogs Brewery in St. Helens.

Porter said the ASHER training has been provided to several partnering agencies in Columbia County, including mental health professionals, city staff, financial institutions, school districts, and armed agencies. Approximately 350 people have been trained since fall 2019.

For more information, contact Porter at dan.porter@columbiacountor.gov, or Steve Pegram, at steve. pegram@columbiacountyor. gov.

•B lotters • •

rested for domestic assault near 415 S. 2nd Street in St. Helens.

Feb. 8 • At approximately 2:40 p.m., Scott Flinn, 53, was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants outside of 454 South 3rd Street in St. Helens.

Feb. 9 • At approximately 8:18 p.m., John Haagenson was arrested for violation of a restraining order at 635 S. 10th Street in St. • At approximately 8:18 p.m., John Haagenson was arrested for violation of a restraining order at 635 S. 10th Street in St. Helens.

Feb. 10 • At approximately 10:17 p.m., St. Helens Police were dispatched to 297 S. 6th Street on suspicious bones being located at the property.

Feb. 11 • A man reported his cell phone had been stolen.

• At approximately 11:36 p.m., on Pittsburg Road near Commons Drive in St. Helens, Taylor Almer, 21, was arrested for unlawful possession of methamphetamine – felony and a parole violation. Dante Good, 20, was arrested at approximately the same time for unlawful possession of methamphetamine – misdemeanor.

Feb. 13 • William Wolfe, 22 was arrested for driving while suspended – misdemeanor in the 100 block of North 5th in St. Helens.

Feb. 14 • At approximately 5:38 p.m., Anthony George, 37, was arrested for Criminal driving while revoked – misdemeanor near 62900 Columbia River Highway in Columbia City.

• At approximately 11:31, Jadi Porter, 34, was arrested for a

warrant near 225 S. 13th Street in St. Helens.

Feb. 15 • A person received a call from a male identifying himself as Brooke McDowell with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Oregon State Police Feb. 14 11 a.m.

• Oregon State Police assisted Columbia County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation and documentation of a two-vehicle critical injury collision on Delena Mayger Road near Cox Road in an unincorporated area of Columbia County. The collision occurred when a northbound passenger car crossed the centerline while negotiating a tight right-hand curve and collided head-on into a southbound straight truck. The operator of the car was transported by air ambulance with critical injuries.

The operator of the straight truck was not injured.

Feb. 14 2:46 p.m.

• Troopers responded to a multiple vehicle injury crash on Highway 30 near milepost 26.5.

One driver was transported for injuries and the other driver left with no injuries. The at-fault driver, Kacie Jean Churchill, was issued multiple citations.

Feb. 15 4:07 p.m.

• OSP Troopers observed an altercation between a man and a woman off of Highway 30 near milepost 64. It was discovered that the involved female, Lorraine Byrd, had an active warrant for her arrest. The warrant as confirmed and she was transported to the Columbia County Jail.

Feb. 15 11:30 p.m.

• Troopers stopped a white pickup near milepost 27 on Highway 30 for a speed violation. During the traffic stop the driver showed numerous indicators of

impairment. The driver admitted consuming alcohol prior to driving and consented to performing the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. The driver, Fortunate Vasquespacheco, was subsequently placed under arrest for DUII. He was transported to the Columbia County Jail where he provided a breath sample which resulted in a BAC pf 0.10%. He was booked and released and the vehicle was towed.

Feb. 16 3:34 p.m.

• A citizen located a large bag of trash on Smith Road in Columbia County. He found mail in the garbage from a residence in Saint Helens. A State Trooper investigated the garbage also and found discarded mail belonging to the same person in Saint Helens. Contact was made with the resident who admitted that one of her adult children had made a dump run for her while she was out of town. She was given two days to find out which adult child had done it. It was suggested that the garbage get picked up and taken to the Columbia County Transfer Station.

Feb. 17 6:32 a.m.

• Oregon State Police responded to a two vehicle, with reported injury, crash on Highway 30 near milepost 55.

Investigation revealed the driver of westbound Unit #1, a red Ford pickup, was driving too fast for conditions and subsequently lost control and collided with westbound Unit #2, a loaded log truck. The driver and passenger of Unit #1 were transported

by EMS to a local hospital for suspected injury. Unit #1 was towed by Drakes Towing. The driver of Unit #2 was not injured.

Unit #2 was repaired on scene and driven away.

Feb. 17 7:15 a.m.

• Oregon State Police respond-

ed to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 30 at milepost 54.5. Investigation revealed westbound Unit #1, a black Dodge pickup, was traveling too fast for conditions when it lost control, went into the ditch, and then flipped onto its roof. All six occupants were uninjured. Unit #1 was towed by Grumpy’s Towing.

Feb. 17 7:16 p.m.

• The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 30 near milepost 54.5. Investigation showed westbound Unit #1, a dump truck, lost control and collided with a concrete barrier.

CCSO determined the crash was not reportable. ODOT was notified about the barrier that had been pushed out.

Feb. 17 11:57 a.m.

• Oregon State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on Highway 30 near milepost 49. Investigation revealed the driver of eastbound Unit #1, a maroon Subaru wagon, was not paying attention and following too closely to eastbound Unit #2, a black Nissan pickup, that had stopped for congested traffic. Subsequently, the driver of Unit #1 was unable to stop and rear-ended Unit #2. No injuries were reported. Unit #1 was by the owner. Unit #2 was driven away.

Feb. 18 5:53 a.m.

• Oregon State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on Highway 30 near milepost 49. Investigation revealed the driver of westbound Unit #1, a white Chrysler passenger car, failed to safely merge onto Highway 30 and subsequently sideswiped westbound Unit #2, a commercial motor vehicle. No injuries were reported. Neither involved vehicle required a tow truck.

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

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

CCB# 217173 Lic., Bonded & Insured.

503-440-0723 or 503-543-8274.

will be on seniors but is open to the public. You do not need to be a member of the RSC but will need to come in to put your name on a list. Rainier Senior Center 48 W. 7th St. Rainier, OR 97048. Questions call 503-5563889.

Free event!

Foundations of Life Creation Conference (Ninth annual). Friday evening and Saturday, March 6-7, 2020.

Kid’s Program (ages 5 - 11) on Saturday.

Castle Rock, WA. See details at www.

FoundationsCon ference.org. Come learn about aliens, climate change, archaeology, giants and more, while the kids are experiencing a Time Lab adventure!

RSVP for free at FoundationsCon ference.org for an opportunity to get resource tables (books and videos) coupons. See you there!

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The Rainier Senior Center Will be having a free AARP tax clinic in conjunction with the IRS to assist low to middle income tax payers on March 13th.

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by InRoads Credit Union and presented by The Chronicle and Don’s Rental. Show Dates Saturday-April 18th 10 am-5 pm, Sunday-April 19th 11 am-3 pm. Location: Columbia County Fairgrounds in St. Helens.

Contact Amy to reserve your booth 503397-0116 or atrull@ countrymedia.net

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Vendors Wanted Clatsop Fairgrounds Saturday March 14th 8AM - 2PM Contact Fred 503-440-9481 or Dorothy 503-468-0006

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CountyOR.gov LIFEGUARD Clatskanie Park & Recreation District is now accepting applications for Lifeguard positions. You can obtain and turn in the application at the following locations: Clatskanie Middle/High School Office, Dennis R. Conner, CPA, 365 S. Nehalem St. and Clatskanie Elementary School office.

Required: Applicant must meet the requirement of being 15 years of age by the last day of the Lifeguard Training/ Certification Course.

Training will be provided.

Any questions, please contact Cyndi Warren, 503728-2038 OR Becki Horness, 503-3082363. Applications will not be accepted after 3:00 p.m. on

Thursday, 19, 2020.

March

HEAD LIFEGUARD Clatskanie Park & Recreation District is now accepting applications for Head Lifeguard positions. You can obtain and turn in the application at the following locations: Clatskanie Middle/High School Office, Dennis R. Conner, CPA, 365 S. Nehalem St. and Clatskanie Elementary School office. Required: At least 2 years Lifeguard/CPR/AED experience.

WSI certified desirable.

Any questions, please contact Cyndi Warren, 503728-2038 OR Becki Horness, 503-3082363. Applications will not be accepted after 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

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CC20-1174

NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF BALLOT TITLE Filed in the Office of County Clerk 2/20/2020 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a ballot title for a measure to be referred by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners has been filed with the Columbia County Clerk on February 20, 2020. A measure election will be held within the boundaries of Columbia County on May 19, 2020. The election will be conducted by mail.

The ballot title caption is: Renewal of Columbia County Jail Operating Levy Caption Renewal of Columbia County Jail Operating Levy Question Shall Columbia County renew a levy of $0.5797/$1000.00 of assessed value for four years beginning in 2021 for Jail Operations? This measure renews current local option taxes. Summary In 2014, voters approved a three year levy for all Jail operations.

In 2017, voters approved a four year renewal levy for all Jail operations which will expire in 2020. The three primary funding sources for the Jail are the County’s General Fund, Federal bed rentals, and the existing Jail Operating Levy. Since the 2014 Levy passed, the County General Funds support for the Jail has remained consistent. Federal bed rental revenue has also remained stable but is not a

guaranteed revenue source.

The County cannot fully fund operation of the Jail without renewal of the Levy. Prior to the 2014 Levy, the County was required to reduce Jail beds for local inmates to 25, and anticipated a full closure of the Jail without the Levy.

The operating Levy currently supports a total of 100 local beds, and funding for the constitutionally required food, clothing, management, and health care for inmates.

CC20-1175

Renewal of the Levy will pay for continued operation for the Jail through 2024.

The estimated money raised will be $3,179,844 in FY 2021-2022, $3,282,306 in FY 2022-2023, $3,388,069 in FY 2023-2024, and $3,497,240 in FY 20242025, for an estimated total Levy of $13,347,459. Any elector of the proposed district may file a petition for review of this ballot title in the Columbia County Circuit

Court no later than 5:00 p.m.

March 2nd, 2020 (which is the 7th business day after receipt). The challenger must notify the Columbia County Clerk’s Office in writing not later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day following the day the petition for review is filed (ORS 250.195). This notice is published pursuant to ORS 250.175(5) by Elizabeth E. Huser, Columbia County Clerk.

CC20-1176

Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District MEETING NOTICE Rainier Cemetery District The regular meeting of the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District board of directors will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at 555 SW Bryant St., Clatskanie, OR, Port of Columbia

County Offices (the Old Middle School). Items on the agenda, but not limited to: Updates on daily Fire and EMS operations.

Board President, Robert Keyser. A workshop of the Clatskanie Rural Fire

Protection District board of directors will be held on, Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 6:00pm (before the regular monthly meeting) at 555 SW Bryant St, Clatskanie OR, Port of Columbia County Offices

(the Old Middle School); the purpose of this workshop will be to discuss Quincy and Delena Station Update Projects. No public comment and no action will be taken at this workshop.

MEETING NOTICE The regular meeting of the Rainier Cemetery District will be held on Monday, March 9, 2020, at 5:00pm at the Rainier Cemetery Office, 24952 Alston Rd,

Rainier, OR. Items on the agenda include, but are not limited to: Monthly updates on cemetery operations.

Janice Carstensen, Board Chairman

CC20-1178

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING RESCHEDULE

The Clatskanie Library Board of Directors will hold a rescheduled monthly meeting of Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 7:00 pm at the

library located at 11 Lillich St. Items on the agenda include, but are not limited to the following; approval of the minutes, approval of

the financial report, board vacancy, technology update, budget calendar and any other business brought before the board. Jim Gibson, Chairman.

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

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

2020 CHRONICLE

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Friday, February 28, 2020

A7

Rainier House Fire

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

RSVP Volunteer of the Month Jeff Green in the center with, from left to right, My Fair Lady Princess Judy Brown (Rainier 2019), Princess Jeanne Kangas (Clatskanie 2018), Princess Sandy Davis (Clatskanie 2015), Queen Ruth Donaldson ( Clatskanie 2017), Queen Patti Younts (Clatskanie 2019) and RSVP Director Monica Cade.

RSVP Volunteer of the Month STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Photo courtesy of CRFR

Smoke rises above this house on Davis Road in Rainier as arriving fire crews located a fire extending from the first floor to the attic. Two occupants escaped the home without injury, according to Columbia River Fire & Rescue. Investigators said it appears the fire started near the home’s fireplace, however the exact cause of the blaze had not been determined at press time. Rainier, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Clatskanie Fire and Longview Fire responded to the scene.

LOCKOUT From Page A1 written on a girls bathroom wall in the high school commons. Authorities said the threats were similar, but it is unclear if the elementary school that is linked to the high school incidents.

The Feb. 11 incident prompted a school lockout with students and teachers kept in their classrooms, but allowed to continue working.

Deputies arrived to investi-

gate within five minutes.

The Feb. 12 incident resulted in a school lockdown, in which students and staff are locked in their rooms, shades drawn and ordered to take precautions. Deputies were not able to arrive at the school during that threat for 45 minutes.

Authorities had not identified the suspect or suspects in the Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 incidents as of press time Thursday, Feb. 27.

Hurowitz said the threats are disturbing.

“It is terrible,” she said.

“It is very stressful for our students, staff and families in our community. We are very concerned about the rising stress level.”

School officials had scheduled a community town hall on Thursday night at the high school to discuss current and future school security.

Read the continuing reports about the school threats and follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday editions of The Chief.

Jeff Green is the RSVP’s Volunteer of the Month for February.

Green was honored with the award during a lunch at the Clatskanie Castle on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Green has been volunteering at the Clatskanie Senior Center for 11 years where he coordinates the Meals on Wheels program.

When he’s not delivering meals to the homes of seniors and individuals with disabilities, Green serves meals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to seniors coming to the senior center for lunch. Green is also a handyman for the center who takes care of various projects.

“Volunteering has been a big part of my life for a long time,” Green said.

“Being in contact with these seniors gives me a different perspective on life. If anyone wanted to volunteer at a senior center,

it would be very rewarding.

It’s well worth it.”

Clatskanie Senior Center director Joy Green said Green is quite dependable.

“He always fills in,” she said. “If a driver for the home delivered meals can’t do it, he does. When school is closed on snow days, we come in and deliver - no matter the weather.”

Congratulations, Jeff!

Columbia County Retired Senior and Volunteer Program (RSVP) is a nonprofit senior support organization located at 270 Columbia Blvd. in St. Helens. The office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Thursday.

Call 503-397-5655, or see RSVP’s Facebook page at, www.facebook.com/columbiacountyrsvp.

JOIN US FOR LUNCH AT THE FLIPPIN CAFÉ 12 noon • Center • 620 Tichenor St

Monday, Mar. 2 - Hamburger Stroganoff, w/ noodles, and vegetables

Wednesday, Mar. 18 - Ham, w/ Scalloped Potatoes, and vegetables

Wednesday, Mar. 4 - Sweet & Sour Chicken, w/ Lemon Rice & Oriental Vegetables

Friday, Mar. 20 - Fish, w/ Red Roasted Potatoes, and Coleslaw

Friday, Mar. 6 - Mac & Cheese, w/ ham, and Green Salad

Monday, Mar. 23 - Pork Loin, w/ mashed potatoes, and vegetables

Monday, Mar. 9 - Chicken Broccoli Bake, w/ vegetables

Wednesday, Mar. 25 - Fajita Lasagna, w/ Green Salad

Wednesday, Mar. 11 - Hearty Beef Stew, w/ rolls

Friday, Mar. 27 - Membership/ Birthday Dinner: Chicken, w/ mashed potatoes, vegetables, and Birthday Cake

Friday, Mar. 13 - Sweet & Sour Meatballs, w/ rice, and vegetables

Monday, Mar. 30 - Teriyaki Meatballs, Monday, Mar. 16 - Cabbage Rolls, w/ salad w/ rice, and vegetables

Above 60 suggested donation - $5, Below 60 - $6 | 503 728-3608

•Area Churches••

• CLATSKANIE

Clatskanie Baptist Church 415 South Nehalem St., 503-728-2304 Senior Pastor Kirk Bennett Clatskanie Presbyterian Church 215 South Nehalem Street Clatskanie, OR 97016 Phone: 503-728-2300 Clatskanie Presbyterian Church is a community of Christian faith that expresses a relationship with God, and the Holy Spirit for everyone individually and collectively.

Pastor: Erik Huget Old Testament: Proverbs 1: 1-7 New Testament: Matthew 4: 1-11 Sermon Title: Standing Firm Adult Bible Study is on Sunday at 9:15 a.m. in the Fireside Room Mayger-Downing Community Church 80071 Life Lane, 503-728-2305 Pastor John Thomas St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 100 SW High Street 503-556-5641 Great Vow Zen Monastery 79640 Quincy-Mayger Road, Clatskanie, Oregon 97016 Sunday Morning Program 10am 503-728-0654 Faith Lutheran Church 1010 5th Street, Clatskanie, Oregon 97016. 503-728-4604 Pastor - Mary Anthony

RAINIER

Alston’s Corner Assembly of God 25272 Alston Rd. 503-556-1961 Pastor Steve Berry Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin 204 C St., E Rainier 503-556-5641 Rainier Assembly of God 74950 Rock Crest St., 503-556-8211 Pastor Jeff McCraken Rainier Community Church of God 321 W C St., Rainier, 503-556-5661 Rainier United Methodist Church Corner of 1st & ‘C’ St., 503-556-3440 Pastor Michele Holloway Riverside Community Church 305 West C Street, Rainier 503-556-1216; Pastor Paul Rice

Columbia Bible Church 10:30 a.m. Sunday 407 East Second St. Rainier, OR 97016 Robert Klukas 360-501-4060 Heritage Bible Church, Rainier Senior Center, 48 W 7th St., Rainier, Oregon 97048

ST. HELENS

Ascension Evangelical Lutheran Church 1911 Columbia Blvd., 503-312-1072 Pastor Burkhardt Calvary Lutheran Church 58251 Division Rd., St. Helens 503-397-1739 Pastor: Mark Dennis Columbia River Foursquare Church 555 Commons Drive, St. Helens 503-397-0069 Senior Pastor Mike Cooke Christ Episcopal Church 35350 E. Division Rd., St. Helens 503-397-1033 Rev. Jaime Sanders Columbia Christian Center 235 S 15th St., 503-366-8028 Pastor Terry Luttrell St. Helens Community Bible Church 35031 Millard Rd., St. Helens Pastor Max Snook www.sthelensbiblechurch.org Christian Church 185 S. 12th St., St. Helens 503-397-2151 Pastor Justin Bruner First Lutheran Church 360 Wyeth St. 503-397-0090 Interim Pastor Randy Sinn First United Methodist Church 560 Columbia Blvd., 503-397-0061 Pastor Jared Maddox Plymouth Presbyterian Church 2615 Sykes Rd., 503-397-0062 Pastor David Hutchinson St. Frederic Catholic Church 175 S. 13th St., 503-397-0148 Father Nicolaus Marandu The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2755 Sykes Road, St. Helens St. Helens 1st Ward Bishop Kent Dery 971-225-8727 St. Helens 2nd Ward Bishop Paul Erickson 971-813-

4000 Scappoose Ward Bishop Lorin Fielding 503-987-2179 Sunset Park Community Church 174 Sunset Blvd, St Helens Pastor Aaron Hiller St. Helens Church of Christ 295 S. 18th St., St. Helens Pastor Ivan Bissell 503-366-0967

SCAPPOOSE

Grace Lutheran Church 51737 Columbia River Hwy., Scappoose 503-543-6555 Joshua Wiley Scappoose Foursquare Church 33404 SW JP West, Scappoose 503-543-5069 Pastor Daniel Schmoll St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church 51555 SW Old Port Rd., Scappoose 503-543-2110 Chuck Wood

WARREN

Bethany Lutheran Church 34721 Church Rd., Warren 503-397-2050, Ingrid Aderhold Grace Baptist Church 58690 Ross Rd., Warren 503-397-0405 Pastor Dean Christensen Warren Baptist Church 56799 Columbia River Highway, 503-397-1005 Pastor Randy Thomas Warren Community Fellowship 56523 Columbia River Highway, 503-397-4387 Pastor Cary Wacker

VERNONIA

Nehalem Valley Bible Church 500 North St., 503-429-5378 Pastor Gary Taylor Vernonia Christian Church 410 North St. 503-429-6522 Pastor Sam Hough St. Mary’s Catholic Church 960 Missouri Ave., 503-429-8841 Father Dale Waddil, Father Luan Tran

GOBLE

Cornerstone Baptist Church 70024 Goble Rd. 360-562-6201 Pastor Fred Mathews

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A8

www.thechiefnews.com

• Athletically Speaking:

•S ports • •

Rainier varsity boys head to State

Photo courtesy of Luke E. Roth

The Rainier High School varsity boys basketball team.

Friday February 28 • 4 p.m. High School Wrestling State Championships at Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

• 6 p.m. High School Girls Basketball 1st Round State Playoffs vs. De La Salle: $8 adult/$5 student [OSAA Passes Only] Gates open to the public at 5 p.m.

Saturday February 29 • 10 a.m. High School Wrestling State Championships at Memorial Coliseum.

Monday March 2 • 3:45 p.m. High School Spring Sports First Practices: Baseball/Softball/Track. All athletes must have an active physical, $100 user fee and register online.

March 5-7 • High School Girls Basketball at State Championships in Coos Bay.

Friday, February 28, 2020

LUKE E. ROTH For The Chief

The Rainier High School varsity boys basketball team, ranked 8th, will host Oregon Episcopal, ranked 9th at 6 p.m. Saturday night, Feb. 29, in the first round of the OSAA / OnPoint Community Credit Union 3A Boys Basketball State Championship.

The State contest follows Rainier’s first District title victory in over a decade Feb. 22, beating Warrenton 53-50.

A Brennan Tompkins three-pointer with 6.8 seconds left would prove to be the difference in that contest.

Warrenton started the game

BASKETBALL From Page A1 “I feel like that’s where we separate from some teams,” Tigers Head Coach John Blodgett said. “We waited to imply the press until the second half, and it spurred a lot of offense for us.”

The Lady Tigers had four of five starters reach double figures.

Junior post Shelby Blodgett scored a game-high 21 points, along with 19

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

off strong, with freshman Dawson Little scoring the teams first 10 points. After the end of the first period, Warrenton led 13-6.

Rainier’s defense stepped up in the second period forcing turnovers and transition baskets. Heading into the break, Rainier was able to knot the score at 21.

The second half featured the two teams exchanging baskets and scoring sprees.

Rainier would gain a lead, then Warrenton would grab it back. This script would continue throughout the rest of the contest.

With a little over a minute left, Warrenton led 50-46.

Rainier defense then took center stage, stealing two straight inbounding passes and converting them into scores.

Warrenton called a timeout with 42 seconds left and the score knotted at 50. With the opportunity to take the final shot, Warrenton’s press for a bucket was unsuccessful. Rainier took the final possession, and a Connor Rea kick out to Brennan Tompkins won the game.

Rea would finish with a team-high 14 points, Kenney Tripp would add 10.

On the other side, freshman Dawson Little, who was left off of any all-league se-

rebounds and three assists.

Junior Alexis Smith scored 12 points, along with four rebounds and four steals.

Junior Olivia Sprague scored 10 points, along with six rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Cloee McLeod scored 10 points, and Junior Kaity Sizemore had 6 points along with ten rebounds.

Following the game, the all-league selections were made.

Shelby Blodgett won Coastal Range League Player of the Year and joined Olivia Sprague on all-league first

team.

Alexis Smith and Cloee McLeod received 2nd team honors.

Kaity Sizemore and Senior Annabelle Martin would round out the all-league selection with Honorable Mention honors.

The Tigers will spend this week preparing for now State competition hosting De La Salle Catholic at 6 p.m.

Friday night, Feb. 28.

Follow Clatskanie Middle/ High School sports at osaa. org, thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

lection, scored a game-High 24 points.

Following the victory, Rainier Coach Logan Nelson was selected as Coach of the Year.

“This is a great personal achievement, but I’ve gotta give credit to these kids, man,” Nelson said. “When I took the job over three years ago, we were nowhere close to competing for league titles, but these kids have worked extremely hard. Being able to host a state playoff game means so much, and I can’t wait to get going in practice.

Nelson also added that the “grit” of his group of

players is what gave them the x-factor in the victory.

Following the game, allleague awards were presented.

Senior Connor Rea won Player of the Year (POY) for the Coastal Range League, and Kenney Tripp joined him on the first team, along with Clatskanie senior Dawson Evenson.

“It’s been such a great feeling accomplishing one of our biggest team goals, the District Championship,” Rea said. “We’ve really been coming together on the court in the most important part of the season! Our hard work has really been starting to show, but we know that this is just the start of what we truly want to accomplish.

Getting chosen as POY has also been a great feeling but that would not have been possible without my teammates beside me!“ Senior Easton Crape received 2nd team honors, and Josh Brittain and Eli Parmley received Honorable Mention.

Follow The Rainier High School boys basketball team at State competition at osaa. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

TREE SALE – (RAIN OR SHINE)

WHEN: Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 8:30 am - 1:30 pm WHERE: Lawrence Oil (Pacific Pride) Hwy 30, St. Helens, OR

Columbia County Small Woodlands Association 22 different species of deciduous & conifer trees and shrubs available. Douglas fir, western red cedar, coast redwood, giant dogwood, purple lilac, katsura, and 16 others.

1,000s of seedlings available.

Prices range from $1.50 to $6. Cash and checks only.

Come early for best selection. Questions: (503) 708-9066 Proceeds support best management forestry practices in Columbia County