SNAP clients to receive emergency allotments
Clatskanie football challenges Page A6
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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
VOL. 129, NO. 44 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Sea lions return to the Columbia River in Rainier
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief
California sea lions have taken up space on this dock at Rainier along the Columbia River. They can be heard from miles as they bark back and fourth. JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
If you live in Rainier, or visit the city, you likely will hear them. Dozens of sea lions have taken up residency along a small portion of the docks at Rainier’s riverfront. “The sea lions have been frequent visitors here for the last four or five years, at least,” Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole said as he watched the large animals congregate on a portion of the docks along the Columbia River at Rainier. Cole said the sea lions can
cause damage to the docks, so the city has taken steps to mitigate the damage. “We put up electric fences along the docks because they were causing several thousands of dollars worth of damage,” Cole said. “They were destroying part of the docks, making it unsafe for everyone.” Cole said the electric fences, small pole-like devices approved for such prevention, are secured to the dock railings and have helped lessen the damage done by the sea lions. “It gives the sea lions a zap, but
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief
The sea lions are frequent visitors to this dock at Rainier, feeding on several different species of fish along the Columbia River.
They are smart enough to return to good fishing spots such as the Columbia. ~ Michael Milstein, NOAA Fisheries they get over it,” he said. While Cole said the sea lions can cause structural damage to the dock and eat away streams of fish, they are a public draw. “Yes, people like coming to the
docks to see them,” he said. Cole said he’d like to see the city take advantage of the sea lions appearances by, perhaps, setting up a special area as some costal cities have done to enhance tourism. The California sea lions are a federally protected species, according to NOAA Fisheries Public Affairs Officer Michael Milstein, who said the sea lions at Rainier and other parts of the Columbia River are virtually all male sea lions that spread out across the West Coast and as far north as Alaska during the winter and spring in search of food.
“California sea lions breed in the Channel Islands off Southern California,” Milstein said. “While the females stay to feed their growing pups, males fan out in search of food to put on weight until they return to the Channel Islands for the next breeding season. They are smart enough to return to good fishing spots such as the Columbia.” According to Milstein, the California sea lions are a conservation success. See SEA LIONS Page A3
How the $1.9T stimulus bill benefits Columbia County JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Columbia County is expected to receive $10 million in stimulus relief under the $1.9 trillion package approved by the U. S. House Wednesday, March 10. Individual cities will see a portion of the relief legislation. Clatskanie would receive $370,000, Rainier $410,000, St. Helens is expected to receive $2.8 million, Scappoose $1.4 million and Vernonia $460,000. Individual citizens are also expected to receive $1,400 checks. See the full list with this story at thechiefnews.com. In total, Oregon will receive an estimated $4.262 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds, according to Oregon U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, who said the American Rescue Plan will help the people of Northwest Oregon. “It will help the senior citizen in Seaside who needs a vaccine but doesn’t have access to the internet,” Bonamici said in a statement. “It will help the new mom and her husband, both paramedics, who
Metro Creative Connection / The Chief
Under the stimulus relief legislation, Clatskanie would receive $370,000 and Rainier would receive $410,000. See the full Oregon list with this story at thechiefnews.com.
Spring forward March 14 Obituaries ................. A3 Clatskanie Grows .... A4 Opinions ................... A4 Classified Ads ......... A5 Legals ....................... A5 Sports.........................A6
don’t have access to paid family leave and can’t afford child care. It will help restaurants like a beloved Portland eatery that has been shut down for months but could finally reopen thanks to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.” Bonamici said the legislation also will help school leaders in districts big and small who want to bring students back to classrooms but don’t have the funding to do so safely and the arts industry worker in Portland who has relied on unemployment benefits since last June and can’t afford to lose them now. “I’ve fought hard for this aid based on these and so many other compelling stories, and am grateful the American Rescue Plan will now become law,” she said. Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said the bill puts checks in Americans’ pockets, shots in arms, kids back in classrooms, and ‘open’ signs in windows across Main Street America and it addresses a huge number of other critical issues throughout our nation. “It’ll mean getting urgently
needed resources to our state, local, and tribal governments so they support the health of our communities and can also pay firefighters, first responders, and other critical employees,” he said. “It’ll mean investing in our schools and educators so we can safely get students back into classrooms. It’ll mean getting personal protective equipment in the hands of our frontline health heroes, and getting shots into arms with a massive, national vaccine distribution plan.” President Biden signed the legislation into law Thursday, March 11. Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman and Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said the city councils have yet to hold specific discussions about the federal funding. Hinkelman added that Clatskanie’s council first wants to verify how much it would receive under the legislation before discussing what the money could be used for. Follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.
Who We Are: Bank staff conducts acts of kindness JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
It’s not just taking money at the teller window and wishing you a nice day. Employees at the Clatskanie branch of Umpqua Bank have been conducting random acts of kindness throughout the city. In the latest community care project conducted in late February, the bank staff collected fresh flowers and handed them to strangers outside the Safeway Grocery store, assemble gift baskets with snacks and toys and distributed them to Clatskanie Grade School, Clatskanie Middle/High School, Clatskanie PUD, city hall and to Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District offices. The staff also presented a gift bag to the bank’s cleaning lady. Umpqua Bank’s Monica Seidl said the bank has been involved with Random Acts of Kindness for about 15 years. “I love the idea of giving back to my community and spear headed the project,” she said. “Umpqua
Bank’s culture is giving back to the community through volunteerism, grants, and other efforts. I think it is important to show gratitude and kindness and to get your community involved with the efforts to continue that infectious Pay-It-Forward attitude.” The bank staff volunteers over 100 hours annually. “We also have washed people’s car windows in the drive-thru, Seidl said, “hidden prizes around town in random locations and we have given gifts to the Amber residents and participate with many fundraising events. No that is not a typo, we need to have fun too.” According to Seidl, that fun includes giving away 300 hot dogs and ice cream every summer during the bank’s annual customer appreciation day BBQ while supporting the library book sale. The Umpqua Bank employees also help with Scholastic Book Fairs, Heritage Days, hold board Courtesy photo from Umpqua Bank
See UMPQUA Page A3
Savannah Gentry and Misty Roberts hand out flowers to strangers outside the Safeway grocery store in Clatskanie.