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NEXT pulls railyard application, plans to refile

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

NEXT Renewables has withdrawn its application for the addition of a railyard to the diesel refinery at Port Westward.

The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) overturned Columbia County’s approval for the Houston-based NEXT Renewables LLC’s proposed 400-car railyard for the diesel refinery at Port Westward in November 2022. NEXT submitted a new application at a meeting with County Commissioners June 26. NEXT plans to refile a new application with an associated conditional use permit.

“The Planning Commission expressed interest in considering both the rail proposal and the associated conditional use permit at the same time, and we can understand why County decision-makers would want to review both permits in a concurrent process,” NEXT Communications Director Michael Hinrichs said. “Therefore, we are going to withdraw this application and refile a new application concurrently with the associated conditional use permit.”

The withdrawal of the proposal came July 14, only weeks after the new application was submitted. The addition of the railyard is heavily opposed by local farmers and conserva-

tion groups who say it will negatively impact the area. They also say that NEXT does not have the right to use the land for the rail system and that it goes against NEXT’s promises when establishing the project.

Railyard concerns

Local farmers, clean water advocates, and uprail communities concerned about long trains bisecting Columbia County cities and towns remain adamant that the Port Westward area is better suited to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries

than a major new refinery that would produce diesel from fracked gas and unknown feedstocks.

A key opponent of the proposed NEXT Renewable Fuels facility is the environmental watchdog group Columbia Riverkeeper, which has been contesting the state and federal permits for the facility.

“NEXT specifically promised for years not to do exactly this. They committed, repeatedly, in public, not to use extensive rail traffic to bring in feedstocks,” Columbia Riverkeeper Conservation Director Dan Serres said. “While they’re trying to pretend

this isn’t a significant change, it’s a huge change. And that’s one of the reasons why the community is speaking up against it.”

Serres said that the inclusion of a railyard is a large departure from the original proposal that stated the primary shipment of materials would be through the port.

According to Hinrichs, a misconception about the issue is that NEXT will use rail as their primary operation. Hinrich said NEXT still fully intends to operate their facility by using ship deliveries - both feedstock supply coming in from global

sources and finished product being delivered to west coast destinations.

“Our proposed rail concept supports 1) modest rail use for deliveries of processing materials like bleaching clay, 2) local delivery to Oregon transit operators like Portland Metro, Port of Portland and TriMet, and 3) rail optionality if the Columbia River maritime channel is temporarily closed (like it was in 2017 as a safety response to the Eagle Creek fire),” Hinrichs said.

Hinrichs said the new design eliminates five siding rail tracks and reduces the number of siding tracks between the main facility and Hermo Road from five to two.

The updated proposal significantly decreases rail infrastructure and moves almost all of the rail entirely onto the previously approved industrial facility property, according to Hinrichs. Critics say that they may not have the approval to use that land.

Community opposition

At the meeting June 26, more than 20 community members offered testimony opposing the addition of the railyard. Columbia Riverkeeper, a conservation group, submitted

See NEXT Page A6

‘Significant increase’ in human caused fires in Oregon

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) reports a “specific increase in human caused fires” across the state this summer.

“The human-caused blazes range from campfires, escaped debris burning, industrial operations, folks working in the forest, and we are also concerned about vehicles, such as RVs and trailers, dragging chains that can spark a fire,” ODF Public Affairs Officer Derek Gasperini said.

Escaped fires of any kind resulting in property damage or requiring suppression efforts from a fire agency, may result in fines and individual financial responsibility for damages, according to the Columbia County Fire Defense Board.

ODF is also anticipating lighting

Level 1: Means “be ready” for potential evacuation. Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information. This is the time for preparation and precautionary movements of persons with special needs, mobile property and (under certain circumstances) pets and livestock. If conditions worsen, emergency services personnel may contact you via an emergency notification system.

strikes that could result in wildfire starts.

One of the state’s largest wildfires this summer has burned over 18,000 near Agnes in southwest Oregon as of this week. The cause of that fire was under investigation and human activity had not been ruled out. Hundreds of fire crews were battling the blaze on the ground and from the air. Public safety restrictions were in place surrounding the fire and evacuations have been made.

Even with rain earlier this week, fire officials said the conditions continue to worsen as the weather pattern of strong winds and high temperatures dries out forest fuels.

Be prepared

Fire agency officials said the wildfires can move rapidly and can

Level 2: Means “be set” to evacuate. You must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice.

This level indicates there is significant danger to your area, and residents should either voluntary relocate to a shelter or with family and friends outside of the affected area, or if choosing to remain, to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Residents may have time to gather necessary items, but doing so is at their own risk. This may be the only notice you receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee that they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Area media services will be asked to broadcast periodic updates.

be dangerous, so visitors and residents need to be aware and pay attention when the fires are close to communities.

“Be aware.” Gasperini said. “Pay attention to local news outlets. The wildfires are a concern throughout the summer,”

ODF recommends that you have a go-bag with essential supplies for your safety if you are forced to relocated due to a wildfire. If evacuations are possible, Gasperini said it’s important that the public pay attention to law enforcement agencies who will coordinate efforts to get people to safety.

“Know the evacuation routes and the backup routes,” he said. Emergency Management agencies across the state list the following evacuation alert classifications:

Level 3: Means “go” evacuate now. Leave immediately! Danger to your area is current or imminent, and you should evacuate immediately. If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand that emergency services may not be available to assist you further. Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home. This will be the last notice you receive.

See WILDFIRE Page A3

Clatskanie Festival letting the light shine

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

The 2023 Clatskanie Festival will let the light shine this year, and organizer Lori Sherman hopes the event will bring the community out for a few days of fun and camaraderie.

The free festival designed with fun for the whole family takes place Aug. 4 to 6. The event features a Light Parade with this year’s theme, “It Takes a Village.”

The community festival was founded nine years ago by Sherman and her husband Steve. Sherman and a small board of volunteers began planning the festival in January.

“It is a free family fun event. And we actually continued through COVID; we found ways to be creative, keep everybody safe, we did not have one COVID outbreak,” Sherman said. “It’s just to get the community together.”

The Grand Marshal for the Light Parade will be any and all volunteers of clubs, groups, and organizations. Sherman said the idea

is to celebrate those volunteers who help make the community special. Sherman said the Clatskanie Parks and Recreation Department has helped make the event possible by allowing Clatskanie City Park and the Clatskanie City Pool to be available for the festival.

The weekend will kick off with a free movie and free refreshments at dusk on Aug. 4 at Clatskanie City Park, be sure to bring a chair or blanket to sit on. There will also be a book sale at the Clatskanie Library District at 11 Lillich Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 4.

Full-on festival

On Aug. 5, the festival kicks into high gear with a full host of activities. There will be festival vendors in City Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as local musicians, a Make A Wish Well, and other fun for all age ranges. Sherman said there are 14 vendors signed up right now, but they are hoping for 20, and the booths are free to sign up for.

The vendors include a couple of enterprising youths who will be selling cookies and lemonade. Of course, the vendors are only part of the fun. “We have free rock painting for kids, we have free face painting, we have free music all day, we have a pet parade and petting

Courtesy photo from

Courtesy photo

This is a conceptual drawing of the NEXT Renewable Fuels biofuels plant at Port Westward.

Water limits proposed on livestock

CHAMERLIN

KLENDRA

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Chief Guest Article

This story was originally published by Columbia Insight.

Large livestock operations will face stricter water rules in Oregon under a bill passed by state lawmakers earlier this year, in the wake of controversies surrounding the now shuttered megadairy Lost Valley Farms.

Oregon Senate Bill 85 aims to impose tighter water regulations for new confined animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, a term that’s usually applied to large meat, dairy and egg farms. Under the bill, new and expanding CAFOs will no longer have unlimited access to water to support their livestock operations and will need to submit detailed water supply plans to regulators as part of their permit applications. New CAFOs will also need to secure appropriate water rights to support their operations.

The bill is currently awaiting the signature of Gov. Tina Kotek. She is expected to sign the bill into law. State Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, said drought was one of the primary drivers of the bill. “It’s bad. It’s very likely

gonna get worse,” Golden told lawmakers during a Senate Rules Committee meeting in April. “Farmers in many of our districts are losing their yearly crops and, in some cases, their farming business altogether. We have wells going dry, we have more and more ag operators getting cut off by their irrigation districts.

“When a farmer dealing with that learns that Oregon has a sector of very large livestock operators that get to pump literally unlimited amounts of groundwater, and asks me why—I don’t quite know what to answer.”

Under the current law, CAFOs are able to use unlimited amounts of water to give to livestock as part of a

“stockwater exemption.”

That’s a privilege no other agriculture sector is afforded in the state, said state Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, during the April Senate Rules Committee meeting.

“Those requirements really were generated at an earlier time when we weren’t as concerned about the state of our groundwater,” said Dembrow.

Legacy of Lost Valley Farms debacle

Under the new law, the stockwater exemption will be capped at 12,000 gallons of water per day for new or expanding CAFOs. Those entities will be required to outline to state regulators where they plan to source the

rest of the water needed to run their operations.

Existing CAFOs will be grandfathered in under the stockwater exemption but will need to file water supply plans over the next year when renewing their existing permits.

The stockwater exemption rules are set to sunset in September 2027.

“We know that there are going to be a lot of conversations going on around water over the next few years,” Golden said, referencing the sunset. “So it makes sense to both leave space for that conversation, but also bring some exigency [to that conversation].”

The bill also requires new and expanding CAFOs to

follow stricter rules around how they dispose of wastewater. “It’s really designed from the lessons that we learned after the Lost Valley [Farms] experience in 2017-2018,” Dembrow told lawmakers during the Senate Rules Committee meeting.

Lost Valley Farms was a 30,000-cow dairy operation that opened in 2017. In just a year and a half, the operation faced nearly $200,000 in penalties from the Oregon Department of Agriculture for violations related to waste mismanagement.

“They started operating before they had secured adequate water rights. The infrastructure that they built was inadequate to prevent contamination to the aquifer,” said Dembrow.

Under the new law, state regulators will no longer issue certain water quality permits to new CAFOs in groundwater management areas, nor will regulators issue permits to new CAFOs located within half a mile of fish-bearing streams.

The bill’s trajectory through the state Legislature reflects steep opposition voiced from the agriculture sector. SB 85 is the evolution of earlier legislative attempts to place a moratorium on new CAFOs in the state.

After three days of public hearings held on proposed

moratoriums earlier in the legislative session, lawmakers worked with the agriculture sector on SB 85 as a compromise.

“I’ve had more meetings than I think I can count with key stakeholders and our regulatory agencies … and the governor’s office to decide what the most constructive path through this challenge would be,” Golden told lawmakers in April. “We decided that a moratorium was not that path. This is a tough issue to solve now, and there’s no good reason to think it’d be much easier after a moratorium.”

Given current trends, those meetings and decisions are only going to get tougher. SB 85 could well represent just the first step in a complete reassessment of water allocation policies across the state and Columbia River Basin.

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/07/25/ historic-change-facingdrought-legislators-imposewater-limits-on-livestock/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@ oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Quick fix at the Lewis and Clark Bridge

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

The Lewis and Clark Bridge is fully reopened after maintenance crews replaced two of the bridge’s three expansion joints and a fractured floor beam during a four-day closure.

The repairs were expected to take up to eight days to complete. Still, Combined Construction, Inc. and Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) bridge maintenance crews finished the work in almost half the expected time.

As part of the closure, there was also scheduled to be a 10-hour full closure that would block pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency responders from using the bridge across the Columbia River between Rainier, Ore. and Longview, Wa.

This portion of the closure was so that crews could replace the fractured floor beam. While WSDOT handled the bridge maintenance, they worked closely with Oregon’s Department of Transportation (ODOT) to navigate the closure.

“This originally was going to be a six-day closure for the expansion joints, and then we had to add two days to the project for the bridge deck problem,” ODOT Public Information Officer Don Hamilton said. “They booked a schedule that was going to be as long as eight days, they got it done early. They got the work done quick.”

Kelly Hanahan, WSDOT’s Assistant Communications Manager, said crews

were able to finish each part of the work ahead of schedule at every turn.

“What we found was, through every single activity for the contractor, was done ahead of schedule. That compounded effect led to a really early reopening,” Hanahan said. “So, that 10hour window was shorter. Obviously, this weather was pretty great for curing concrete; sunny and dry. So that process was also sped up, because that was a large part of the closure, was concrete was curing.”

What was fixed?

Replacing the bridge’s expansion joints was a critical piece of the maintenance that was undertaken. Hanahan said that the “finger joints” are critical to the function of the Lewis and Clark Bridge.

“If the finger joints are not operating correctly, tension, kinks, and stress go to other parts of the bridge that are not supposed to absorb stress and movement. Example: floor beam,” Hanahan said. “Because those finger joints were not healthy, it actually impacts other parts of the bridge.”

Hanahan said that the bridge is designed to “move a lot” in terms of absorbing the vibration of traffic and extreme weather. Hanahan said that heat and cold cause panels to expand and contract, and the expansion joints help facilitate that movement.

“If you have unhealthy finger joints, they’re not going to expand or contract correctly, and it can actually cause damage to the

roadway, the pavement of the bridge,” Hanahan said. “The finger joints being replaced is a huge health upgrade for this bridge. We’re very excited about it.”

Hanahan said that the timing of the closure made sense because it minimized the impact that the closure had on the school districts in the area. WSDOT identified the three most important stakeholder groups through a public survey that received more than 1,400 responses. The three groups that stood out were first responders, individuals with medical appointments, and school districts.

Hanahan said that Rainier School District would likely have needed to close during the maintenance if the repairs were made during the school year.

The life expectancy of expansion joints is about 15 years, and WSDOT did not want to delay the repairs past the summer months due to the increased heat meaning a greater chance of the joints failing.

While large-scale bridge repairs are done for now, Hanahan said WSDOT may do minor upkeep on the bridge during the nice summer weather.

“Because of how narrow the bridge is, when our maintenance crews go out, they tend to have to take a lane. So, for example, there’s 185,000 square feet of bridge deck on this bridge, and we were able to deck seal 115,000 square feet, roughly 70,000 feet left,” Hanahan said.

“So over the course of the summer, while the weather is good, our maintenance

crews will go out there and finish some of that deck sealing.”

Hanahan said there is no future closure scheduled associated with the expansion joints or floor beam work.

During the bridge’s closure, Hanahan said there weren’t any notable incidents that were exacerbated due to the bridge’s closure. Hanahan said that there were no requests from Oregon emergency services to cross the bridge in response to the fire that took place in Longview on July 17.

Hanahan also said that WSDOT was in contact with emergency responders in Oregon, and they “lucked out” because there weren’t many requests for emergency transport over the bridge during the closure.

Respecting the ferry

One thing Hanahan noted was that WSDOT was impressed with the way people adapted to using the ferry as a source of transport across the river.

The Wahkiakum County Ferry between Cathlamet and Westport, Oregon, ran twice an hour, 24 hours a day, while the bridge was closed. This ferry has extremely limited capacity, and the priority for passage was returning emergency service transports and those with medical appointments.

Hanahan said they were concerned that there would be hours of wait times and a backlog of people who needed to use the ferries.

Hanahan said that people being adaptable with their medical appointments or need for the ferry eased the

strain of the project.

“Everyone treated that ferry with so much respect, and a lot of folks really did postpone trips, and that really really helped the entire project go smoothly as well,” Hanahan said. “I think everyone respecting the process made a lot of

folks’ lives easier. We knew of some people who had to take the ferry every single day for radiation, stuff like that. So, that’s probably our biggest feeling moving away from the project, was just how grateful we are of the community and how respectful everyone was.”

Metro Creative Connection

Livestock operations are among those that no longer will have unlimited access to water, provided Senate Bill 85 is signed into law.

Challenges enforcing new camping ordinance

Country Media, Inc.

Rainier faces the same challenges as many of Oregon’s cities as they work to figure out the procedures that accompany enforcing their new camping ordinance.

The camping ordinance was adopted to comply with House Bill 3115, which dictates where, how, and when people can rest in public spaces. The law, HB 3115, was passed in 2021 and provides “that local law regulating sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property that is open to public must be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness.”

Community concerns

Following reports from the community about persons camping illegally, The Chief spoke with City Manager Scott Jorgensen about

concerns with enforcing the ordinance, especially in cases regarding homeless people. Concerns were raised about violations of the ordinance, such as littering, blocking public rights of way, and camping in public parks. Additionally, one citizen said that even after repeated calls to the police, the violations were not being responded to. In such a case, Jorgensen said the answer is not always simple. For example, with the issue of calling the police multiple times about a camping violation, Jorgensen emphasized that those cases must be dealt with through the proper procedures.

“Just because the perception is that nobody is answering or responding doesn’t mean that’s the case,” Jorgensen said. “Sometimes our officers have already responded, and they’re going through the policies and procedures that are spelled out in the ordinance. Again, there are timelines for things like posting a campsite for removal, and that’s the same if you call

once to report it or ten times.”

Under the city’s ordinance, to “camp” means to occupy a campsite for over 24 hours.

“Campsite” means a location on city property where camping materials are placed. According to the city’s ordinance, at least once every 24 hours, an individual that has placed a campsite, camping materials, or personal property on city property must relocate.

Jorgensen said that after court rulings in Grants Pass and Boise v. Martin, Oregon’s passage of HB3115 has opened the door for houseless individuals to bring litigation against cities in Oregon if their public camping ordinances are not “objectively reasonable” with regards to time, place, and manner restrictions.

“There have been multiple court rulings that have limited the ways that local governments can respond to these things,” Jorgensen said.

“Every city had until July first to have their ordinance in place, and we spent months working with the attorney who represented Grants Pass in that

case to draft our ordinance.”

Finding a balance

Jorgensen said that the idea was to not become a target of lawsuits because the city’s laws were too strict. What has followed is a balancing act between limiting exposure and keeping the public areas safe.

“The challenge we faced was limiting our exposure, right? Coming up with something that worked in terms of keeping our public areas safe for kids and families and for the public to use, but at the same time not making it so stringent that it would make the city a target for litigation,” Jorgensen said.

One of the challenges for Rainier, and cities in Oregon, is finding ways to enforce the ordinance because a homeless person does not have the resources to pay fines that would be brought against them.

Under the ordinance, people found in violation of the law can be punished with a fine of no more than $125. Jorgensen gave some details

FESTIVAL

From

II Restaurant’s famous giant cinnamon rolls, Sherman said. The action on Aug. 5 will culminate with the evening Light Parade, which will start at 9:15 p.m. and will travel down Nehalem Street. Registration and lineup will take place from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sherman said they usually have between 18 and 22 floats, but people are welcome to register until the parade.

The festival wraps up Sunday, Aug. 6, with free “froggy races,” a community candlelight remembrance ceremony at City Park, and a community baptism at the Clatskanie River Inn’s swimming pool.

“We do free froggy races; everybody picks a frog and

a number, we dump ‘em in the river, and the first one to cross the finish line, first place is $100, second place is a gift basket from Hi-School Pharmacy and a couple local businesses, and third place is a gift certificate to one of the local restaurants in town,” Sherman said.

The candlelight remembrance is something that started during COVID, but Sherman said they continued it because there is still a need.

“We added that during COVID, we had a lot of people having family members pass, and they had nowhere to remember or honor them,” Sherman said. “Funeral homes were shut, all kinds of things were shut. And so, we’re continuing that because there’s still a need.”

Community coming together

During COVID, Sherman said that they had around 280 people show up, and the event has only continued to grow since then. Since the festival began in 2014, one of the biggest changes Sherman has seen is the community’s involvement.

“We have local people and businesses: Piercing Arrow School, the Presbyterian Church, Safeway, all of the local businesses, Fultano’s, clear down to individual people [who] help and donate money or donate things to where we have free food in the park for the parade,” Sherman said.

Sherman said that people interested in entering the petting zoo, the pet parade, the nighttime parade, or vending during the event should reach out to her. The email for the festival is clatskaniefestival@hotmail.com. Sherman said, “The more the merrier!”

“With this, we just want to bring hope and light in a dark world, because it is getting darker. So that’s probably our main goal; to focus on family, to focus on community, to focus on each other,” Sherman said. “This year’s theme was an amazing one; it does take a village.”

on the difficulty of policing those without the means to pay the fees.

“Citations have been issued, even prior to the passage of that ordinance, for offensive littering. For example, if you or I get a citation, that means we have to go to court, we have to pay a fine,”

Jorgensen said. “That kind of has a limited effect when it comes to someone who literally doesn’t own anything. If you reach the point where that person who is experiencing homelessness feels or can make the case that they are being harassed by the police, then you open the city up to potential litigation.”

Jorgensen that everyone needs to follow the law, especially the police, but that it is not illegal to be homeless. Jorgensen said they have increased patrols in the marina area in response to citizen concerns. While Jorgensen understands people’s concerns about public camping affecting public spaces, recognizing

basic rights is a big component of new camping laws.

“We understand the concerns that people have. We take great pride in our public amenities. The park that we have in Rainier is an absolute treasure, and I would dare say that it’s world-class for a city this size,” Jorgensen said.

“We also have to recognize that people have basic human rights, and the courts have recognized those time and again.”

One way that homeless people who are cited can have the citation dismissed is if they get in touch with a local service provider. Jorgensen said this provision is a compassionate component of the ordinance.

“At the end of the day, we want these people to get help; we want them to get back on their feet,” Jorgensen said.

“Rainier is dealing with it as best we can with the tools we have available at our resources. But we are not going to act beyond the scope of that and do anything that will get

BROKEN GATE WILDFIRE

WILDFIRE

From Page A1

Be vigilant

The public should stay vigilant this fire season, according to ODF Fire Protection Chief Mike Shaw, who said with dry fuels, higher temperatures, and low humidity, now is the time for Oregonians to actively practice wildfire prevention, “We all need to do our part to prevent wildfires from starting throughout the year, but right now everyone needs to be extremely careful,” Shaw said. “With the current conditions, just one spark, cigarette, or open flame could result in Oregon’s next wildfire. Preventing fires from starting helps protect our firefighters and communities from the health, safety, and economic impacts of wildfires and smoke.”

Actively practice wildfire prevention

• Check your local fire regulations. Public use and industry restrictions are put in place to help prevent wildfires. By following these regulations, you can help reduce the risk of a humancaused wildfires.

• Recreate responsibly. If allowed, only build campfires in approved campgrounds, and make sure your

campfire is OUT COLD before leaving. If campfires are banned, consider using a camp stove.

• Check your vehicle. Servicing your car regularly helps reduce the risk of a faulty part throwing sparks into dry grass while you’re driving. Also, make sure to not park or idle over dry grass if you pullover. The heat from your undercarriage or exhaust could ignite the grass below.

• Keep a fire extinguisher on hand. We recommend keeping one in your car just in case you need it while travelling.

• Don’t burn debris. Debris burning is prohibited across Oregon during fire season.

Public and industry fire restrictions are placed for a reason. Fires in the outdoors start for several reasons (vehicles, campfires, smoking, cutting, grinding, and welding metal, power saw use, fireworks, electric fences, mowing dry grass, etc). Years of research has found that these activities are prone to start fires when vegetation dries out, humidity drops, and temperatures rise, ODF said in a release.

Based on these studies, fire professionals impose fire restrictions to alert the public and forest workers of these dangers. Check with your local wildland fire protection agency or rural fire district

for restrictions specific to your area.

Currently, the state remains between moderate and extreme fire danger, depending on where you are.

“Remember, humancaused wildfires can be prevented. It only takes a minute to curb your actions before disaster strikes,” ODF states in its release. As of July 24 in Columbia County, the ODF was monitoring a Moderate Fire Danger classification.

The following are restrictions in place for public safety:

• Debris Burn Permit Required

• Smoking in designated locations

• Campfires in designated location

• Appliances using bottled fuels allowed

• No Fireworks

• No exploding targets, tracer ammunition or sky lanterns

• Equip each power saw with a shovel and fire extinguisher or gallon of water

• Provide a 1-hour fire watch after the use of each power saw

• Cutting, welding or grinding must be done in a clear area with a water supply

Visit Oregon.gov/odf to find local fire restrictions and keeporegongreen.org for more wildfire prevention tips.

Leonard Wayne King, 72, of Rainier, Oregon, passed away July 25, 2023 at home.

Leonard Wayne King Nov. 9, 1950 ~ July 25, 2023

Courtesy photo from Oregon Department of Forestry

Mop up operations were expected to continue through the weekend at the 42-acre Broken Gate Wildfire near Wauna on the south side of Highway 30 milepost 73. The blaze broke out July 23 in rugged, rocky terrain. The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of July 27. One firefighter suffered heat and smoke inhalation.

Courtesy photo from Lori Sherman The petting zoo offers kids a chance to get close with the animals.

Safe summer food preservation

CHIP BUBL Clatskanie Grows

Chief

Guest Column

Summer is here and with it comes garden and farm fresh produce! OSU has resources to help you preserve your foods safely.

ing salsa, tomatoes and tuna. OSU Extension offers publications on each: Salsa Recipes for Canning, Canning Seafood, Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products and Safely Canning Foods: Pressure Canners, Pressure Cookers and Electric Pressure Cookers. (The websites for The Chronicle and The Chief will have these as “hot” links).

All of our OSU Extension Food Preservation recipes and publications can be found online by visiting: Beav.es/4eC.

Monthly food preservation classes are held at the NEW Columbia Pacific Food Bank building on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Check out all the offerings and register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/ cc/columbia-pacific-foodbank-653559.

As canning season gets underway, the Food Safety and Preservation hotline from Oregon State University Extension Service is taking calls. The toll-free hotline, 800-354-7319, runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Oct. 13. When the hotline is closed, callers can leave a message. The hotline is staffed by certified Master Food Preserver volunteers. The volunteers fielded 1,010 calls in 2022. Most commonly, hotline callers ask about preserv-

We test pressure gauges in our Columbia County Extension Office for free. Call Jenny in our office at 503397-3462 for an appointment or drop your canner lid off to be tested and get a call back when it is ready.

Low soil moisture

There is virtually no moisture in our subsoil now unless you have watered persistently. It is only the end of July and we have gotten about half an inch of rain in the last 60 days. It has also been quite warm. That increases the moisture needs of vegetable plants up to landscape trees. Native tree species are generally adapted to dry summers but many of our landscape trees didn’t evolve in a dry summer landscape and may have problems this year.

Even some of the native trees may be in trouble. Often the damage doesn’t show up until next year. This is

very common on Douglas fir. Oak tree leaves often die and drop early in a persistent drought and I expect to see it start happening soon in the St. Helens area. This is an oak tree defensive strategy and the trees rebound well the next spring. This is most obvious with oaks on basalt sites where moisture is scarce. You should deep water your most important trees and your most recently planted ones. Apples trees will need water to produce good quality fruit as will pears.

they should be discarded.

It is difficult to store potatoes for an extended period of time. Our winter temperatures are not cold enough for good storage. I have seen people use small garbage cans with potatoes placed in layers and covered by sand or sawdust. Some store them in a box with a tight fitting lid. The most important advice is to eat the potatoes fairly quickly. They will sprout as the winter progresses. Sprouts from one potato encourage sprouts in neighboring spuds. Check the potatoes at regular intervals to remove sprouts and rotten tubers.

Plan to transplant this fall

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

Metro Creative Connection

397-3462 or at chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Harvesting potatoes

Early potatoes should be ready any day now. When the vines have died, the potatoes are ready for harvest. Dig carefully to avoid bruising or cutting the skins. Potatoes can be brushed off or washed to remove dirt. They should be dried completely before they are put into storage. Potatoes should not be exposed to light. If they develop extensive “greening”,

BBB fake customer warning

LOGAN HICKLE

Chronicle Guest Column

Since 1912, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has guided consumers in finding honest and ethical businesses, and how to keep bad businesses at bay. Let’s flip the script here and ask, how about businesses needing protection against unethical consumers?

Some customers may set impossible expectations when it comes to getting in touch; some customers don’t want to hear that your business doesn’t offer the product they need. And some customers, well, they may not exist at all.

In recent months, BBB

Great West + Pacific has received multiple complaints from businesses regarding fake customers that have initiated a quote request, provided deposits (often paying more than required), and then requested a partial refund of the deposit due to a personal emergency.

Here’s what happens next:

The honest and ethical company grants these refunds as a money order or via payment platforms like Zelle or PayPal.

Unfortunately for businesses, the original deposit, often provided via cashier check, is found to be fraudulent, resulting in lost funds by the business after returning money to the fake customer.

These bad actors use many different names in their tactics.

However, the name Donna Bass has been used in multiple instances across the United States, including at least twice in the Great West + Pacific service area.

In fact, a roofing com-

pany accredited with the BBB reported losing $4,500 to a customer named Donna Bass. But this was no normal Donna Bass. She claimed to be unable to meet the roofers at her home due to undergoing cancer treatment.

So, the honest roofing company went to the home address, visually inspected the roof, and provided a quote to Donna Bass. Donna paid the full $12,000 via cashier’s check, much more than the required one-third deposit. The following day she requested a partial refund due to a family emergency, and the day after that, needed more funds returned. Donna Bass was still well above the required one-third deposit amount, so the business fulfilled both requests.

A few days later the business’s bank notified them that the original $12,000 cashier’s check was fraudulent. The company suddenly realized they’d been taken advantage of. The home they visited had no connection to this supposed Donna Bass.

Trust goes both ways in a business transaction. Customers might not be what they seem in some instances. Look to protect your business and vet your potential customers. The roofing company that was taken advantage of is doing so by now verifying with city public records that the customer who reaches out to them is listed as an owner of the home.

At Better Business Bureau, we encourage all companies to verify who they are interacting with before exchanging any funds, whether the prospec-

tive customer came directly to their website or from a third-party service. If you’re targeted once, don’t think you won’t be targeted again. Since the Accredited roofing company was targeted, they have since been targeted two more times by individuals using other names.

Businesses may want to be cautious of customers that are not able to meet in person or give an unusual sense of urgency. Pay close attention to individuals that request the business accommodate them for family emergencies or other extenuating circumstances. Keep in mind that some of your real customers may have legitimate family emergencies, but if they are bringing this up on multiple occasions and leveraging it against your business, that’s a warning sign. Also, ensure that any payments from a customer clear your bank before returning any funds to the customer.

Other scenarios in which a business can be taken advantage may include fake invoices and email phishing. Build out a vetting procedure for all staff to follow and review it regularly as tactics and technology change. Ensure employees know what to look for in protecting the business.

Logan Hickle is the Public Relations and Communications Manager at BBB Great West + Pacific. The Better Business Bureau (BBB), a private, non-profit organization, has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. For more information, visit BBB.org.

Fall is an ideal time to transplant evergreen shrubs and perennial plants. The trick is to get the beds ready now. Remove the existing sod and work the ground. It may help to water the area at least eight hours before you start to till so that the soil isn’t so hard. Amend the soil with organic matter and lime (if the shrubs or plants like lime). The beds can be covered with clear or black plastic to try and reduce the number of weed seeds.

Then, when the weather starts to turn cool and moist and when the leaves fall off the woody plants, transplant them. You can also divide and transplant herbaceous perennial plants like rhubarb or day lilies.

• Columbia County Beekeepers Monthly meeting is on Aug. 3. Briane Fakler will talk on what to do in the hive during the low nectar cycle and how to prepare the bees for winter survivability.

Thursday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. meeting at the Saint Helens Extension Office or by Zoom. Please email for the zoom link. All are welcome. Columbiacountyoregonbeekeepers@gmail.com

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

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

Have questions?

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

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.

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

Water, coffee and tableware will be provided. Rainier Museum will pay your entry fee into the park, but donations would be appreciated at the sign in table to offset the $300 park rental.

August 4 2023 Clatskanie Festival 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library Book Sale at 11 Lillich St. Free movie (TBA) starts at dusk at Clatskanie City Park on 5th Street. All events are free. For more information visit the Clatskanie Festival Facebook page or call 360431-7910.

August 5 2023 Clatskanie Festival

9 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. Lots of events, vendors, library book sale, Clatskanie Farmers Market, face painting, rock painting, music in the park, pet parade/petting zoo, open swim, cake walk and an evening Light Parade down Nehalem Street. All events are free. For more information visit the Clatskanie Festival Facebook page or call 360-431-7910.

August 6 2023 Clatskanie Festival

4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Froggy races, Community Candlelight Remembrance Ceremony and Community Baptism. All events are free. For more information visit the Clatskanie Festival Facebook page or call 360-431-7910.

August 12 2023 Goble Warming 50/50 Raffle Fundraiser Event This fundraiser benefits the Clatskanie Feral Cat Project. Come by for BBQ ribs, smoked fatties and live bands all day. $5 raffle tickets. Goble Tavern, 70255 US-30, Rainier.

Ongoing

Clatskanie Senior Center lunches

Clatskanie Senior Center Lunches now served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon at the Castle Cafe, 620 SW Tichenor. Call 503728-3608 for reservations. Use ground floor entrance to the left of front stairs. Good parking in back off of SW Bryant Street. Castle Tours available by appointment, includes Clatskanie Historical Society museum. Call Debbie at 503-338-8268.

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council

Lower Columbia Watershed Council meets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Clatskanie PUD building. Zoom links are also available. 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 to 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.

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.

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TS No. OR08000010-23-1 APN 18172 TO No 230012470-OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S

NOTICE OF SALE

Instrument No. 2021-09605 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit:

APN: 18172 LOTS 7 AND 8, BLOCK 37, MOECK`S ADDITION, IN THE CITY OF RAINIER, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON. EXCEPTING THEREFROM THAT PORTION CON-

CC23-1824

VEYED TO RICHARD R. ROTH AND PATRICIA H. ROTH IN BOOK 253, PAGE 810, DEED RECORDS OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON Commonly known as: 313 W 4TH STREET, RAINIER, OR 97048 Both the Beneficiary, Nations Direct Mortgage, LLC, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 1 Monthly Payment(s) from 09/01/2022 to 07/01/2023 at $17,427.30 Monthly Late Charge(s): 1

Monthly Late Charge(s) By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said Trust Deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $296,991.91 together with interest thereon at the rate of 2.75000% per annum from August 1, 2022 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed. Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on November 15, 2023 at the hour of 12:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, at the west entrance to the Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand St., Saint

NOTICE OF COUNCIL MEETING

The Clatskanie City Council will meet on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 75 South Nehalem St. (Clatskanie Cultural Center, 2nd floor). Agenda items include but

are not limited to: approval of the minutes of the July 5th, 2023 regular meeting and a discussion about the County Housing Implementation Plan. An updated agenda will be available at City Hall by August 28,

2023. Access to the meeting on Zoom will be posted on the city website, www. cityofclatskanie.com. Please call City Hall (503) 7282622 at least 48 hours in advance if you need assistance.

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon. Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper.

Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of

CC23-1822

said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic.

Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trust-

ee’s sale. In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any.

Dated: 7/12/2023 By: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300

Order Number 93405, Pub

Dates: 7/28/2023, 8/4/2023, 8/11/2023, 8/18/2023, THE CLATSKANIE CHIEF

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Rainier Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on August 21, 2023, at 6:00 PM to consider adding a new chapter to Title 17, Subdivisions, of the Rainier Municipal Code establishing a planned unit development method as an alternative to conventional subdivisions. The proposed amendment will be reviewed as required against

the applicable provisions of the Rainier Comprehensive Plan and applicable statewide planning goals and/or administrative rules as adopted by the Land Conservation and Development Commission. Draft Ordinance 1093 affecting the proposed amendment and other supporting materials are available at city hall; contact Sarah Blodgett dur-

ing regular business hours at 503-556-7301. All interested persons are invited to submit written comments and/or attend the hearing and present testimony. Only those who make an appearance of record shall be entitled to appeal. The staff report to the planning commission will be available for review by the close of business August 14, 2023.

C O lumbia

The Columbia County Fair & Rodeo has come and gone, but the memories will be with us forever! Take a look back at some of the fun sights and scenes from the 108th annual extravaganza!

comments during the meeting about concerns with the railyard and the NEXT’s right to use the land.

“NEXT has no agreement with PGE to use the land that PGE leases, which overlaps with the railyard. PGE considers the area a ‘buffer’ for its future industrial use. According to NEXT’s 2022 Application to the Army Corps, ‘PGE has informed the applicant that they are not willing to release their long-term lease at either property for further industrial development. PGE indicated that the property would be utilized as a buffer for their facility and for any future PGE expansion,’” the comments stated. The land in question cur-

rently houses a mint farm that Warren Seely and his family have owned for generations. They have approval from PGE to use the land, with the land acting as a “buffer” for future use. Seely addressed the County with his concerns during the meeting.

“County rules require NEXT to consider and mitigate impacts to land uses in the area. Farming is a long-recognized land use in the area,” Seely said. “Our mint can become unusable if not properly handled quickly after harvest. Further, delays in mint processing that could be caused by the proposed modification will impact our ability to fill our orders in a timely manner.”

Seely also has concerns about the pollution from the trains affecting his crops.

Moreover, Seely said that the proposed rail activity could

impact the water supplies and drainage provided by the Beaver Drainage Improvement Company (BDIC).

“The farm will be negatively impacted if the proposed modification alters the drainage infrastructure in our area. The system of drainages and ditches are interconnected,” Seely said. “No alterations to the operations of the BDIC and the distribution of water resources are allowed without permission from the BDIC and two-thirds of its members.”

Jasmine Lillich is a vocal critic of the project and says NEXT has damaged trust within the community through its decision to include the railyard. Lillich said that NEXT is misrepresenting its intentions with its railyard.

When the plant site was approved, Lillich said the original proposal included

only a minor rail component, saying that NEXT ensured there would be maybe 60-70 rail cars and no feedstock coming in.

“If I was a business person and designing one of the world’s largest renewable diesel facilities, I would definitely not make any false promises to a community like that,” Lillich said. “One of the port commissioners did some calculations, and it looks like potentially 40 percent of their feedstock is coming in on rail. They will say that this is mostly for bleaching clay, and they spin it so that it sounds innocent; it is toxic material coming in to clean up toxic material and bring it out.”

Lillich said the hearing on June 26 was an opportunity for the community to bring issues to the County Planning Commission they were

unaware of. Regarding PGE’s land, Lillich said that NEXT applied for a permit on land that they don’t have permission to use.

What’s next?

Lillich and Serres say that the rail component of the project is now critical to the refinery’s success and that without it, NEXT will be put in a difficult position. The refiled proposal will raise many questions about NEXT’s plans and land use.

“They’re trying to put a railyard and massive refinery on some of the most unstable soil anywhere in the lower Columbia River, next to farms, a Buddhist monastery, homes, on land they don’t control that’s leased by PGE, amid drainage systems that they don’t have a right to use or fill,” Serres said. “Nothing

about the project adds up. We’re going to keep the pressure on until NEXT and its investors pull the plug.” For their part, NEXT remains confident that they will secure the proper permits so they can begin construction on the long-developing project.

“We remain confident that we will receive all necessary approvals to bring a clean fuels facility to Columbia County and be a foundational part of Oregon’s green economy,” Hinrichs said.

“We are proud to have the support of local, state, and federal elected officials, Columbia County community leaders, and thousands of local residents.”

Follow developments at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

THEME: FINISH THE LYRICS

ACROSS

1. *”Back in ____ I hit the sack”

6. Lavatory, abbr.

9. Arctic floater

13. Revered Hindu

14. Three, to Caesar

15. Poison ampules, e.g.

16. Neckwear option

17. *”Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman, giving ____ your love to just one man”

18. Most populous country

19. *”It’s going down, I’m yelling ____”

21. *”Sugarpie honeybunch, you know that I

____ ____”

23. Act on IOU

24. Spanish sparkling wine

25. Mel ____, Giant Hallof-Famer

28. Garbage in, garbage out, acr.

30. *”If everybody had an ocean ____ the U.S.A., then everybody’d be surfing”

35. Less than average tide

37. All’s opposite

39. ____, Wind & Fire

40. Gas station brand

41. Bottom-ranking employee

43. *”The future’s not ours to see, que ____”

44. ____ Coffee, whisky drink

46. African river

47. Part of a sweatshirt, sometimes

48. ____-____-tat, drum roll sound

50. Please get back to me, acr.

52. 007, for one

53. Impulse

55. Consume food

57. *”I’m going to ____, I’m gonna mess around”

61. *”And I will ____ love you”

64. Do penance

65. Melvin Purvis’ org.

67. High school balls

69. Goes with shaker

70. Cardinal, color

71. Lock horns

72. Eurasian duck

73. Pop-ups, e.g.

74. Earp of the Wild West

DOWN

1. Undergarment

2. Catalog

3. Fungal spore sacs

4. “____ at the bit”

5. Soldier’s knapsack

6. Pinocchio, e.g.

7. Be unwell

8. Pancho’s last name

9. Like certain print

10. *”Here’s a story of a lovely ____”

11. Assortment

12. Genesis twin

15. Fast and lively, in music

20. Giving a once-over

22. Spermatozoa counterparts

24. Reassert

25. *”Believe it or not, I’m walking ____ ____”

26. Sailor’s cry: “____ firma!”

27. Like an implied agreement

29. *”You’re here, there’s nothing I fear, and I know that my heart will ____ ____”

31. Possible allergy symptom

32. Black and white treats

33. Leather razor sharpener

34. *”Will the real Slim

____ please stand up”

36. Well-mannered Emily

38. Adult elvers

42. Live it up

45. Mooring rope

49. Though, shortened

51. Another name for papaw

54. Below, prefix

56. Be a slowpoke

57. Jellies’ seeded cousins

58. A-bomb particle

59. Sheltered nook

60. Was aware of

61. Gives a hand

62. Lotus position discipline

63. Censor’s target

66. *”I’m friends with the monster that’s under my ____”

68. Salon offering