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Horsing around in Clatskanie

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020

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The Chief

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VOL. 129, NO. 13

Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891

Fair offering limited events upkeep, according to fair board president Jamie Carr, who said the sale usually raises about $34,000.

This year, the sale brought in just under $24,000, according to Carr. However, the fair board members said they are calling that a win, even though it is three-quarters less than what they usually raise.

“Our first day, we did $11,000, which is the most the sales have ever done in one day,” Carr said.

Those sales occurred in spite of having less plants to sell this year, which was done intentionally due to uncertainty of how many people would come out, Carr said. While Means Nursery typically brings out eight truckloads of plants, this year they brought four, according to Carr. However, those items were bigger, more costlier items, like trees, rather than flowers, Carr said.

The sales were done in a drive-in style, while keeping social distancing rules in place. Carr said about 18-20 cars would come in at a time to pick up shrubbery they had ordered. Live bands were also present during the sale, including local band The Decades, Carr said.

CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Fair goers enjoy slices of the traditional Columbia County Fair cake as the gates opened on Wednesday, July 20, in this photo from 2016. This summers fair was canceled, but now limited events are scheduled.

Although the 105th annual Columbia County Fair & Rodeo did not occur this summer, there will be limited entertainment at the fairgrounds in the upcoming months.

Those activities include a plant sale, which has already occurred, a drive-in concert on Aug. 22, and potentially another drive-in concert in September, according to the fair board.

The fair board decided to cancel the annual Columbia County Fair at its May 7 board meeting after receiving guidelines on the reopening of the state from Oregon Governor Kate Brown in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the fair board has been in discussions since then about possible events to hold instead, according to fair board vice president Julie Pelletier.

One of those events has already been held, on July 17, 18 and 19, the last three days the fair would have been held this year, and that was the annual plant sale, which features plants donated by Means Nursery in Scappoose.

The plant sale occurs every year during the fair. Proceeds go toward fairgrounds

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See FAIR Page A3

County health outlines pandemic numbers CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Sobering statistics about COVID-19 have emerged during Columbia County Public

Health Director Michael Paul’s weekly briefing before the county board of commissioners.

Statewide, Oregon has 19,979 COVID-19 cases and 338 people have died from the disease, as of Wednesday, Aug. 5, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

There has been a rise in cases, with about 6.1 percent of all cases being positive, which is up from last week, where about 5 percent of all cases were positive, according to Paul.

“That shows the virus is continuing to spread,” Paul said during the county commission meeting, Wednesday, Aug., 5.

The number of pediatric cases reported since June has risen sharply, Paul said. Pediatric cases are far less likely than adult cases to develop severe symptoms.

“Just 26 cases have been hospitalized out of 1,700, that’s 1.5 percent of cases, in comparison to adults – almost 1,500 adult cases and almost 10 percent of all cases hos-

pitalized,” Paul said, adding the report includes numbers through mid-July.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, headache, loss of smell, chills, diarrhea, nausea and shortness of breath. Pediatric cases report fewer symptoms across all those categories, according to Paul.

Those who want to know about access to testing locations, can go to the Oregon Health Authority website for a statewide testing locator. Additionally, Paul said there is a

testing location in Longview, Washington.

Testing is mostly for individuals who are symptomatic, Paul said, with limited testing for people without symptoms.

Those without symptoms are usually tested because they have had known exposure to someone with COVID-19, or they are in a certain demographic group that is known to have increased risk for getting COVID-19, such as those with disabilities.

While Columbia County has not recorded any deaths

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related to the pandemic, Paul told the county commissioners that the county has 86 COVID-19 cases with 8 presumptive cases and 78 confirmed cases. There are also a number of people that Columbia County Public Health is monitoring, mostly due to known exposure. Paul said the county is completing daily monitoring calls for those people.

See PANDEMIC Page A2

PPE storage potentially Backin’ the Blue Cruise is back coming to Clatskanie

Backin’ the Blue Cruise is BACK! Courtesy photo

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) include face masks.

CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Obituaries............A4 Letters..................A4 Clatskanie Grows..A4 Market Place........A5 Public Notices......A5 Sports...................A8 About Town.........A8

A CONEX storage unit full of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), like masks and gloves, is in the works to be installed in both Clatskanie and Vernonia.

The request comes from Columbia County Emergency Management Director Steve Pegram, who stated in a report to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners that the storage unit will be needed in anticipation of additional PPE coming from the state and federal partners over the next one-to two-year period.

Should the request be approved, it will be funded with $20,000 from CARES Act Funding. Each unit costs $10,000, with one to be established in Vernonia, and one in Clatskanie.

“We recently added a second CONEX storage

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container at the EOC [Emergency Operations Center] in addition to the unit already in place,” Pegram stated in the report. “Both will be full with the next push from FEMA.” The purpose of the storage containers and influx of PPE is not just for the current pandemic, but is also in preparation for any potential catastrophic event that would require PPE, Pegram said.

“We don’t envision it being temporary. We want to establish a cache of public health supplies that’s permanent,” Pegram said.

In outlining his report to commissioners on Wednesday, Aug. 5, Pegram noted that when catastrophic See PPE Page A2

The support by our citizens was amazing the last cruise and this time we are combining efforts with Cowlitz County to demonstrate solidarity by crossing the state lines. This is an opportunity to show your support and gratitude to all Law Enforcement Officers & K9’s who risk their lives every day for the people of Oregon, Washington, and across the Nation.

Join us for TWO separate events, the MORE people to show support the better. Both County’s will join efforts in full force to show support for our law enforcement.

Routes will vary depending on the starting location, but both will cross the Oregon/Washington border.

Both Cruises will be approximately two hours. You can cruise a few miles or the whole route. Based on our initial response between the two events, we are hopeful to reach a couple hundred support vehicles/ motorcycles.

Each will have a 50/50 raffle. The proceeds for the raffle will go to create individual plaques for each of the law enforcement agencies in the counties we cruise through to memorialize the event and serve as a daily reminder that we appreciate their efforts.

For more information please visit the applicable event page, share the info, and bring as many people as you can. See you there!

• Backin’ the Blue Columbia County: Sat August 8th 12pm @ Scappoose High School - Facebook: Columbia County Rednecks: Backin’ the Blue Hwy 30 Cruise 2 • Backin’ the Blue Cowlitz County: Sun August 16th 12pm @ Cowlitz County Fairgrounds - Facebook: Caleb Ryan Knight:Backin’ the Blue Cruise Cowlitz County

Please note: This is not a political event, our purpose and intent is to Back the Blue, so get those Blue Line and American Flags aflying!

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Friday, August 7, 2020

Governor reviewing possible travel restrictions JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Oregon Governor Kate Brown is in active conversations about the potential of travel restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus between states.

Brown’s press secretary Liz Merah told our sister publication The Curry Coastal Pilot in Brookings that the discussions follow Brown’s statements in press briefings that in recent weeks, doctors, health experts, and case investigators have reported seeing cases linked to interstate travel.

“The issue of travel restrictions was raised by members of the Governor’s Medical Advisory Panel based on COVID-19 cases linked to travel in southern Oregon, which is troubling based on the spikes in case counts California is currently experiencing,” Merah said.

“County-level COVID-19 data from across the country likewise shows increasing case counts between linked communities across state borders.”

Merah said Brown is asking health experts at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Medical Advisory Panel for more data on travel-related spread of COVID-19, as well as recommendations for health and safety measures to address such cases.

“In conversations with legislators today, our office also discussed the reality that many Oregonians in communities on the state’s borders often cross those borders for work, and that any restrictions must take economic and supply chain implications into account,” Merah said.

“As the Governor has stated previously, our focus is on restrictions related to tourist travel from hotspot states and communities. Conversations are ongoing about how those restrictions could work.”

Columbia County Economic Team interim executive director Paul Vogel told The Chief that it’s important that Brown is talking with public health and scientific experts.

“At the very, most basic level, decisions around this

must be science-driven,” Vogel said. “Regardless of intent, however, the practicality of restricting border-crossing travel has to be carefully considered. Is it even possible to marshal the resources (personnel, vehicles, etc.) to set up at every border crossing? Oregon’s eastern and southern borders have countless roads into and out of the state; is it possible to be on every road? And how would it be done, checkpoints that stop traffic based on license plate?”

Vogel said on the northern border, except for the far northeast, the Columbia River creates a natural barrier with traffic choke points at bridges and locally, in Columbia County, those choke points already cause immense traffic delays to traffic crossing at the Rainier/ Longview Bridge.

“It’s not difficult to imagine the chaos that would result from adding checkpoints to that chokepoint - which would impact businesses by delaying workers and customers, let alone freight traffic,” Vogel said.

Rebalancing Oregon’s budget

Bridge crossings are a part of everyday life in the northern part of Columbia County, according to Vogel.

“That sort of system, if you will, could multiply the effect of the pandemic and economic crisis exponentially – which simply has to be considered, especially since that traffic flow has occurred every day since the pandemic began, yet Columbia County has among the lowest confirmed infection rates in the state, and zero deaths due to COVID,” Vogel said.

“The citizens and business community here certainly understand the challenge and the importance of taking practical measures to contain COVID. But, as ever, let’s be sure that the problem we’re trying to solve is both solvable, and doesn’t create unnecessary additional economic dislocation or outright contempt for COVID measures as its primary outcome,” Vogel said.

Follow this developing story online at thechiefnews. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

PPE

From Page A1 events occur, such as floods, storms or wildfires, Columbia County is often isolated into three different islands, with Scappoose, St. Helens, Columbia City and Rainier located in one island, Clatskanie in another, and Vernonia and Mist-Birkenfeld in another.

“We already have this capability in place for the Scappoose-Rainier corridor,” Pegram states in the report. “We have no capacity for storage in Clatskanie or Vernonia.”

The desire for a more permanent stock of PPE supplies is in response to the current situation, when it was discovered that the Strategic National Stockpile had an inadequate cache of Public Health Commodities, according to Pegram.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Oregon Governor Brown is asking health experts at the Oregon Health Authority and the Medical Advisory Panel for more data on travel-related spread of COVID-19, as well as recommendations for health and safety measures to address such cases.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Strategic National Stockpile is stocked to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies. Pegram told commissioners that public health workers were not able to pull supplies from the stockpile due to failure from the federal government to replenish supplies over the last three presidential administrations.

“It’s imperative we not put Columbia County in that position again,” Pegram said.

However, the board of commissioners said they wanted to see more detailed plans for the storage units before approving them.

“Virtually, the only things you have nailed down is where you would put it,” Commissioner Margaret Magruder said to Pegram.

Pegram said he wanted to wait for approval before

Workers in the Area

Oregon’s legislators are expected to make difficult decisions during the special session concerning Oregon’s budget shortfall.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Governor Kate Brown will convene a special session of the Oregon Legislature at 8 a.m. Monday, August 10.

The effort will be to rebalance the state budget by addressing the state revenue shortfall created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

School districts, cities, counties and state agencies are all bracing for a significant loss of funding from the pandemic impact, which officials said they fear will directly impact public services across the state.

Brown issued the following statement Friday, July 31: “This crisis has impacted all of us—Oregon families, businesses, non-profits, and local governments have all had to cut costs. The State of Oregon has been tightening its belt as well. With a nearly $1 billion budget deficit in the current biennium, there is more work to do.

“These decisions will not be easy. Oregon has been smart with our reserves and saved for a rainy day, preparing us to weather this economic storm. But if we use too much of our savings now, then we’ll be stuck with an even bigger budget gap for the next biennium. Putting off tough decisions this

PANDEMIC From Page A1 There have been a total of three hospitalized cases and 16 are considered infectious in Columbia County, according to Paul.

“You’re considered infectious from 10 days after symptom onset,” Paul said.

In addition to a rise in cases, Paul said there has been an increase in the number of people enrolling in the

summer will only leave us with impossible choices next January.

“Unlike the federal government, Oregon must balance our state budget.

State and local governments have been left reeling from the economic downturn. For months, we have waited for Congress to take action, and it is still my hope that they will include aid for states and local governments in the coronavirus relief package currently being negotiated.

“We need to preserve critical services like health care, education, and senior services during this pandemic. And, we must do more to address the disparities in state support for Oregon’s underserved communities, particularly our Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. I would like to thank legislators for beginning this work already, and I look forward to rolling up our sleeves and crafting an updated budget that serves all Oregonians.”

In her proclamation calling the special session, the Governor also noted her support for urgent legislation that builds on matters considered in the first special session, including additional police accountability reforms.

Brown has already proposed $150 million in General Fund savings for the biennium. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, state agencies have worked to find efficiencies by reducing non-critical spending, delaying new programs, halting non-essential travel, and leaving positions unfilled.

Brown is convening the special session under her authority pursuant to Article V, section 12, of the Oregon Constitution.

Oregon Health Plan, health insurance which is covered by the state for those who are low-income. The plan has experienced an increase of over 100,000 members since the emergency declaration on March 8, according to Paul.

Commissioner Alex Tardif asked if the increase in enrollment was due to the spike in unemployment rates, and Paul said he did not know, but said he would assume it is because of people who are now unemployed.

Commissioner Henry Heimuller also asked if there had been any improvement on the reports of both false negative and positive tests, which had been around 3040 percent.

Paul said he could not answer that question, and that it would be better directed to the state labs.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

nailing down the specifics of the plans – such as a site plan, delivery and setup, HVAC, wiring and insulation.

Commissioner Alex Tardif said the commissioners would grant Pegram “tentative approval,” provided that Pegram would come back the following week with a site plan. Pegram promised to do so.

The units are expected to be completed within 60 days of approval.

Other efforts to supply the county with PPE have been ongoing through the Columbia County Economic Team (CCET). CCET set up a PPE pop-up store on Fridays at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. CCET purchased PPE in bulk to make it affordable and available for small businesses to use. That program is a collaborative effort between the Columbia County Board of Commissioners and CCET.

Clatskanie PUD is conducting a verification of power pole attachments and pole test & treat work in our service territory. Our field workers may need access to our customers’ private property where overhead power lines run to be able to complete this important verification process.

Reaction Oregon Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (RStayton) issued the following statement following Brown’s announcement.

“Senate Republicans have been willing to work on the budget since before the governor called the first special session earlier this summer.

If we diverge from the stated purpose of addressing the budget, this second special session will make a mockery of the legislative process yet again.

“Policy bills should be off the table. The focus should be on the budget.”

For questions or additional information contact Josh Custer at 503-728-2163.

Notice of Unclaimed Funds

Follow this developing story online at thechiefnews. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

Follow the daily pandemic updates online at thechiefnews.com with in-depth reports in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

If you know one of the former Clatskanie People’s Utility District customers listed here, please have them contact the Clatskanie PUD staff immediately. They can call the office at 503-728-2163 or email cpud@clatskaniepud.com to discuss their unclaimed funds.

We appreciate your assistance in helping us locate the following former customers:

Arista Keevy Jessica Marie Davis Jon Treber Randall J Elbert Brook Waits Joshua Sprague

Dana Haney Marcellus Lucero Nicole Walker Hannah Alwine Garrett Alton Patricia Bernard

David Teufel Kathy Richardson Sandra Sohler Sean Macqueston Wendy Kondro

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Friday, August 7, 2020

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Price road repairs halted CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Columbia County Public Works had launched repairs along the aging Price Road in Rainier but the effort has hit a legal snag due to a confusing right-of-way dedication that has halted the project.

County Public Works had been planning to patch-pave a portion of the road this summer. According to Columbia County Public Works Director Mike Russell, records dating back decades exist of having done maintenance on the road, but they need to determine the legal status of the road in order to spend road funds.

A map shows where the road was first dedicated in 1924, which shows it moving in a zig-zag fashion when compared to the existing Price Road, which shows it running straight back. This means that the county road department has been maintaining a large portion of Price Road that has no dedicated right-of-way and is therefore not under the jurisdiction of the county.

It is necessary to get the road legalized where it exists today in order to get the work done, as Russell explained to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners in late July.

Before the legal issues were apparent, crews started digging out sections of old pavement at Price Road and replacing it with gravel, scraping vegetation from the edge of the pavement, cleaning ditches and replacing culverts, according to Russell’s report to the commissioners.

The road is now left unfinished, something Russell said would be unfair to neighbors.

“I think if we just walk away and say, ‘you know, we don’t have right of way, so we’re just going to walk away,’ I think we would leave the neighborhood with a liability.

And I don’t think that would be the fair thing to do,” Russell said.

Russell said he approached the board of commissioners in order to figure out the best plan of action to move forward.

Assistant Columbia County Counsel Robin McIntyre said there would be a straightforward process to legalizing the road, but because Price Road was established decades ago, they would be held to the road width standard of the time.

McIntyre said in order to do that, there would need to be a

FAIR From Page A1

“It was a good experience to get our feet wet with social distancing outdoors,” Carr said.

That social distancing experience is going to help with drive-in concerts coming up in the near future, like the one scheduled for Aug. 22.

So far, the fair board has planned for three bands to come, with anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours given to each band. Tickets will be $30 per car. Those who wish to sit up front in their own chairs can pay $5 extra in order to sit closer to the band. Bands scheduled for the concert include Grumpy Old Men, Decades and Hit

Courtesy photo

State officials have released specific details about pandemic health and safety inspections at businesses across Oregon.

Map courtesy of Columbia County

This map shows where Price Road is located and used present-day.

Map courtesy of Columbia County

A map indicates where Price Road was located in 1924.

30-day public notice period, cleaner,” McIntyre said. “It as well as a survey of the road, does provide a public hearing and a dedicationETERSEN of the road process.

So people could ETERSEN LARKE LLCstill LARKE LLC would have to take place. come in and testify and be AA tt ttisoo rrheard.” nn ee yy ss Once the new Price Road established, a possible solution The next steps are to meet (503) 556-4120 556-4120 (503) to getting rid of the former with neighbors living along the portion of the road would road, with Russell saying he be to vacate it, Columbia according to County’s would like Premier to talk to them in Columbia County’s Premier McIntyre. person. Then, a letter will be Commissioners and Russell sent out to residents informing Personal Injury Attorneys Personal Injury Attorneys agreed that the most them next steps of the ceennse sedd in in OOrreego gonn &&of Wathe ash shin ingto gton n LLi icexpedient W way to get work done would process. be to dedicate Price Road Road work will likely rewhere it is currently used, sume on the road this month. rather than stick to the dedication that was used in 1924.

Follow the Price Road McIntyre recommended the developments at thechiefnews. dedication process. com and in the Friday print “It is much faster and editions of The Chief.

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Businesses largely complying with COVID-19 requirements STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Since July 4, Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) inspectors have spot checked over 3,600 licensed establishments to make sure they are following Oregon’s pandemic prevention requirements.

The inspections have been conducted at bars, restaurants, breweries, tasting rooms and other establishments that serve alcohol as an effort to enforce state face covering and physical distancing requirements.

More than 93 percent have been found to be in compliance with physical distancing and face covering requirements. Of the small number found not to be in compliance, the vast majority took steps to implement corrective measures when given instructions by OLCC about how to achieve compliance.

Only about one percent of spot-checked business were referred to Oregon OSHA for further investigation.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fielded over 3,400 COVID-19 related complaints from the public and others about businesses

and workplaces since the week of July 4 and found only a small number of businesses to be in violation of COVID-19 health and safety requirements.

Since March, Oregon OSHA has conducted over 5,000 spot checks of businesses, initiated more than 60 inspections based on COVID-19 related complaints, and have found it necessary to issue 14 citations and five Red Warning Notices. Red Warning Notices apply to businesses that appear to be in willful violation of Oregon’s COVID-19 health and safety guidance or who refuse to take corrective measures.

Such businesses are closed until the hazardous condition is remedied. Violation of a Red Warning Notice results in stiff penalties.

Governor Kate Brown issued a thank you on July 5, to Oregonians and the vast majority of business owners she said have helped to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“One month ago, at the beginning of the July 4th weekend, I told Oregonians that we stood at a crossroads: we could either stop the spread of COVID-19, or watch infections and hospitalizations rise across Oregon, leading

to the closure of businesses and counties again,” Brown said. “We still have a long road ahead of us. Infections continue to rise. But I’d like to thank Oregonians, business owners, and local officials for stepping up to the plate to help make sure we are all wearing face coverings, keeping our physical distance, and working together to keep our friends, neighbors, loved ones and fellow Oregonians safe.”

OLCC inspectors have reported some business owners are continuing to choose not to follow health and safety requirements. For those businesses, OLCC has the ability to suspend licenses for failing to follow face covering and physical distancing requirements. OLCC took action yesterday and suspended the liquor license of a Rogue River bar and restaurant.

“Let me be clear: businesses that do not follow the health and safety guidance established by the Oregon Health Authority are putting their employees, their customers, and their communities at risk, risking community-wide closures for other businesses as well if a COVID-19 outbreak starts to spread out of control,” Brown said.

ETERSEN LARKE LLC LARKE Machine as theETERSEN headliner. will dictate whether LLC or not In addition to the music there will be a September s AA tt tt oo rrconcert, nn ee yy sCarr performances, fair board said. If there vice president Pelletier is is a September (503) 556-4120 556-4120 drive-in (503) working on bringing food concert, it will be Sept. 12, vendors, with six vendors according to Carr. Bands Accidents •Personal Injury •Wrongful Death Accidents •Personal Injury Death already lined up, and two have not•Wrongful yet been chosen for more in the works. Carr said that concert. the fair board is also Other activities are also in Notrying Fee Until Until Recovery Recovery No Fee to set up the beer garden the works, and the fair board gonn && W W shin in gtonn more details as rreego aash gto run by the Elks LodgeOOthat will release typically happens at the fair they become available.

FREE INITIAL INITIAL CONSULTATION FREE CONSULTATION every year, although those The Columbia County plans are not for certain at Fairgrounds is located at this point.

58892 Saulser Road in St. Whether or not the Helens. Contact fair repreAugust concert is successful sentatives at 503-397-4231.

PETERSEN ETERSEN CLARKE LARKE P C Stephen D. Petersen Petersen llc Stephen D. llc A tt tt oo rr nn ee yy ss Aattorney attorney

LLC LLC

(503) 556-4120 556-4120 (503)

Estate Planning

Specializing in in Accident Accident Injuries Injuries Specializing reego gonn && W WaWashington ash shin ingto gtonn IInnin OOrOregon Licensed &

Clatskanie Swimming Pool (503) 728-2757 clatskaniepool@cni.net

Morning

August 10th through 14th

6:00 - 7:00 AM: Deep End (6) & Shallow End (4) Water Exercise 7:15 - 8:15 AM: Deep End (6) & Shallow End (4) Water Exercise 8:30 - 9:00 AM: Levels 4 through 6 9:15 - 9:45 AM: Levels 1 through 6 10:00 - 10:30 AM: Levels 1 through 6 Things to remember: 10:45-11:15 AM: Tots through level 4 • Register only by phone or email 11:30-12:00 PM: Family Lesson

Afternoon/Evening

3:30 - 4:00 PM: Tots through level 4 4:15 - 4:45 PM: Levels 1 through 6 5:00 - 5:30 PM: Levels 1 through 6 5:45-6:15 PM: Family Lesson 6:30-7:00 PM: Family Lesson

Prices

• Enter through lobby only • 1 person (family) in lobby at any time • Lockers are not in use • Take a cleansing shower • Take your belongings on pool deck • After program, exit through side gate, no showers.

Water Exercise: All this is very new for us. Please be Daily Fee: $3.00, Weekly: $10.00 patient and don’t hesitate to ask Family Lessons*: questions about our new protocols.

2 children: $35.00 Each additional child is $5.00 Lessons*: $20.00 per child *A family member is required to be in the pool with each child for Levels Tots through 2.

Registration for the above programs begins Monday, August 3rd.

Call or email to register for your program!

Please note that the weekly/daily schedule is subject to change at any time.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, August 7, 2020

Clatskanie Grows: Summer tomatoes CHIP BUBL Chief Guest Column

Excellent tomato weather

and deposit what they don’t use as “honeydew” on the leaves and cars and furniture below them. When we talk about trees “sapping” in the summer, that rain of sugar water is from aphids (or some similar insects) feeding on tree leaves.

Aphids tend to concentrate on the undersides and on the stems of the newest leaves.

Control strategies:

We have had very nice weather lately. Tomatoes will be ripening soon if they haven’t started already.

I don’t think the hot days were hot enough to reduce fruit set and the nights have been just perfect for tomato pollination.

We are all watering now.

Tomatoes need even watering to minimize blossom end rot. This poorly named problem is not a rot or disease but a calcium deficiency at the bottom end of the tomato.

The calcium-poor cells are weakened and then collapse, creating a black to brown circle of dead cells on the bottom of the fruit. Medium to large tomatoes are susceptible, rarely cherry type fruit. You can cut that portion away and eat the rest of the tomato. Consistent watering keeps calcium flowing to all parts of the plant.

Peppers can also develop blossom end rot.

I have gotten a few reports of sunburn on peppers. It usually shows up on the southwest side of the fruit near the shoulder.

It can be far worse if a pepper plant falls over in the middle of a hot day and fruit that had not become adjusted to the intense sun are now exposed. So, stake your peppers firmly and water evenly as well.

Where did all those aphids come from?

Aphids are pests of a variety of ornamental crops like roses, street trees, certain flowers like dahlias, and vegetables like corn, beans, cabbage family, tomatoes, artichokes and others.

So, what do aphids look like? First, they are small.

Second, they come in a variety of colors including pink, orange, green, black, and brown. That is confusing to people who have an idea of what aphids look like, but they only know one of their many colors. And, third, there will be lots of them. You might ask, why are there so many? It is because they are reproductive machines. With sex, without sex, the result is the same in the aphid world. More aphids and fast.

Aphids damage their hosts by their voracious feeding and sometimes, by passing along plant viruses from infected to uninfected ones. They have little piercing tubes that they insert into the sugar water conducting pipes of the plant. They draw the sugar out, use some of it

Let nature take its course. Lady beetles and other predatory insects feed on aphids and can control many infestations over time.

This is probably the best solution for trees where aphid sapping wouldn’t affect cars, patios or furniture.

Some ant species protect

We are developing plans for re-opening that will have to be approved by the University and ultimately, the Governor. In the meantime, all of us (faculty and staff) will still be working, mostly out of the office, answering phone calls left on our answering machines, email messages (chip.bubl@oregonstate. edu), writing newspaper columns and newsletters, and working to develop programs that can reach you online.

We are really committed to helping our communities in any way we can, especially in our areas of subject matter expertise (farming, gardening, forestry, food, food safety, and nutrition, healthy decision-making, and youth education) and any other way we can enrich your life and/or make you safer in these challenging times. Please do not hesitate to contact us. And please, take all steps necessary to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe.

Clatskanie Grows

aphids from predators so that they can harvest the “honeydew.” Yellowjackets consume aphids after fighting off the ants.

Washing off aphids repeatedly. This clearly won’t work on big trees and is a somewhat marginal strategy unless done often.

Spraying with insecticidal soaps can be helpful on vegetables and flowers.

These soaps work best on soft-bodies insects like aphids, but must get on the aphids themselves.

Thus, you must get the spray under the leaves, in the new growth and on the stems where the aphids are.

Otherwise, you just clean their feet.

There are several insecticides, both organic and conventional, that provide decent aphid control. However, they may damage pollinators or other beneficial insects so use thoughtfully.

Call me if you have questions.

The bottom line on aphids is to be vigilant and treat beginning infestations before they get out of hand.

Hazardous waste collection event on August 29 Due to COVID19, three earlier Household Hazardous Waste Collections were canceled. The County will offer a collection event from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Aug. 29, at the Transfer Station in St. Helens. These are important events if you have accumulated household quantities of hazardous materials that need a proper (and free) disposal. Please check the Columbia County website for further information on what they take and updates in case of COVID cancellation: http://www. co.columbia.or.us/HazardousWaste.

The OSU Extension office is closed to face-to-face public contact but you can still reach us

Pressure Gauge Testing:

Pressure canners with a dial gauge need to be tested every year before you use them for accuracy. Canning with a gauge that is off can result in under-processing of home canned foods, which is unsafe. For complete instructions on this opportunity go to: https:// extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia/events/pressurecanner-dial-gauge-testingservice COVID restrictions are still in place at our office which is located at 505 N. Columbia River Highway, St. Helens, Or 97051 Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) writ-ten/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you.

Call 503 397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http://extension. oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters.

Many Extension publications available online Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting grapes?

OSU has a large number of its publications available for free download. Just go to https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu. Click on publications and start exploring.

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

Contact information for the Extension office Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway St. Helens, OR 97051 503 397-3462 Email: chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu

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•

•O bituaries • • Joseph “Joedy” W. Oliva Sept. 13, 1935 ~ July 23, 2020

Joseph “Joedy” W. Oliva 84, of Rainier, Oregon, passed away on July 23, 2020 at Canterbury Inn in Longview, Washington due to natural causes. He was born on Sept. 13, 1935 in Longview, Washington to Joseph and Lois (Rader) Oliva.

He was the first-born of four children.

Joe resided in Rainier, Oregon his entire life. He was a graduate of the Rainier High School class of 1953 and briefly attended Oregon State University before entering the workforce. On Jan. 5, 1957, Joe married the love of his life, Joyce Salmi. Together they had three children, Rodney, Cindy and John.

Joe worked at Longview Fibre Co. for 22 years before he and Joyce purchased Rainier Hardware (Coast to Coast) in 1975. They successfully owned and operated the hardware store, now Rainier True Value through 2017, for 42 years! They truly enjoyed running the store and cherished the relationships built with the wonderful people of Rainier over the years.

Joe and Joyce enjoyed many trips to Reno, Nevada and visited many cities around the United States while on business trips for their store. Wherever they went, they appreciated each other’s company and valued meeting other people that had

The Chief (USPS 116-360) is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. 1805 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens, OR 97051

similar experiences running a small-business.

Joe loved sports, especially golf. He enjoyed playing the game with many of his friends, many of whom are now gone. He had two career hole-in-ones and played the game into his eighties. He was an avid Oregon State Beaver fan and enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in all sorts of athletics. He rarely missed a game.

Joe was a lifetime member of the Longview-Kelso Elks as well as the Rainier Eagles.

He was honored to be named the Grand Marshall of the 2017 Rainier Days in the Park.

Joe is survived by his wife Joyce Oliva; three children, Rodney (Jody) Oliva of Sandy, Oregon, Cindy Oliva of Tacoma, Washington and John (Tammy) Oliva of

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Longview, Washington; brother Steven (Janice) Oliva of Vancouver, Washington; sisters, Janet (Russ) Moon of Rainier, Oregon and Jeanine Hayashi of Maui, Hawaii; six grandchildren and three great grandchildren, Matthew (Kimberly) Oliva (Gavin and Ruby), Zachary Oliva, Sara (Joe) Kiyohara, Shane Oliva, Derek Welsh (Russell) and Alex Welsh.

A graveside service will be held for family only at 11 a.m. on Thurs., Aug. 6, 2020 at Hudson Cemetery in Rainier, Oregon. At noon, following the service, the family invites anyone who wishes to pay their respects to Joe to drive through the cemetery and meet the family from a distance. The family would like to provide this option to honor Joe while respecting the health and safety concerns of our family and friends. Following the events at the cemetery, some of the family will gather at the Rainier Eagles and would like to invite anyone who is comfortable to come visit, share a memory or two, and enjoy a beverage on Joe. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Rainier Senior Center, 48 W 7th St, Rainier, Oregon 97048 or Rainier High School Athletics, 28168 Old Rainier Road, Rainier, Oregon.

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Because of space limitations, shorter letters have a better chance of being printed. We may edit your letter for style, grammar and clarity, although we do as little editing as possible. If you don’t want your letter printed under those conditions, just let us know. Thank-you letters are limited to a general thanks and summary of an issue or action. We reserve the right to exclude lists of people, organizations and businesses. Letters received after noon on Friday may not be in time for the following Wednesday’s paper. To verify authenticity, all letters must be signed and include your address and daytime phone number. We won’t print your street address or phone number (just your city of residence). Submissions may be emailed to chiefnews@countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office.

Letters Policy The Chief welcomes letters of 250 words or fewer. Letters are subject

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to editing for length, clarity or grammar. They should be concise, to the point and original. Letters dealing with disputes or containing criticism of private individuals or businesses will not be published. All letters must be signed (unless emailed) and include the author’s full name, address and daytime telephone number (for verification purposes only).

Letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Letters also may be published on our website.

Obituaries Obituaries received after noon on Wednesday may not be in time for that Friday’s paper. Obituaries may be emailed to chiefnews@ countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office. We also accept obituaries written by funeral homes. Include the address and daytime phone number of the person who submitted the obituary, so we can verify information as necessary.

Guest Commentary We welcome all variety of community viewpoints in the newspaper. These longer, guest opinions might be columns written by newsmakers, public officials or organization representatives. Or you might just have interesting thoughts to share and a penchant for writing. If you’d like to submit a guest column for publication, contact us at (503) 397-0116 or chiefnews@ countrymedia.net.

All columns are subject to editing for style, grammar and clarity.

However, views expressed in guest columns are independent and do not represent those of The Chief, its staff or Country Media, Inc. Editorial Policy Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chief views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

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Public Notices licensed-bonded-insured CCB#185602

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC20-1283

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA No. 20CV02279 SUMMONS Constance D. Budge, Plaintiff, v. Jackie L. Gump, Trustee, or his successor(s) in trust, under the Evelyn B. Boursaw Revocable Living Trust dated August 8, 2012, an individual, Defendants. To; Jackie L. Gump, 28997

Hirtzel Rd., Rainier, OR., 97048. You are hereby required to appear and defend the complaint filed against you in the above entitled action within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this summons upon you and in case of your failure to do so, for

CC20-1290

want thereof, plaintiff(s) will apply to the court for relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT: READ THIS CAREFULLY! You must “appear” in this case or the other side will win automatically. To “appear” you must file with the

court a legal paper called a “motion” or “answer.” The “motion” or “answer” must be given to the court clerk or administrator within 30 days along with the required filing fee. It must be in proper form and have proof of service on the plaintiff’s attorney or, if the plaintiff

CC20-1291

does not have an attorney, proof of service upon the plaintiff. If you have any questions, you should see an attorney immediately. If you need help in finding an attorney, you may contact the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service online at www.oregonstatebar.org or

by calling (503) 684-3763 (in the Portland metropolitan area) or toll-free elsewhere in Oregon at 9800) 4527636. STATE OF OREGON: County of Columbia, Steven D. Petersen, OSB# 73235, PO Box 459, 612 West B Street, Rainier, OR 97048.

503-556-4120.

CC20-1288

NOTICE OF REGULAR Clatskanie School District 6J NOTICE OF BOARD OF PO Box 678 Clatskanie, OR DIRECTORS MEETING BOARD MEETING Clatskanie Library District Regular Board Meeting Tuesday August 11, 2020 AGENDA 1. Call to order 7:00 PM 2. Reading and approval of previous meeting minutes 3. Reading and approval of the financial report and payment of the bills 4. Library closure update/reopening 5. Library Executive Director Job Description & Application A. Sub-committee report on Library Executive Director Job Description 6.

Other Business 7. Adjourn Clatskanie Library District Regular Meeting 08112020 Tue, Aug 11, 2020 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (PDT) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet

or smartphone. https:// global.gotomeeting.com/ join/883795125 You can also dial in using your phone. (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States: +1 (571) 317-3122 - Onetouch: tel:+15713173122, ,883795125# Access Code: 883-795-125 The Library Board may meet in person if possible but the Public and Others will need to attend via remote access using one of the above methods. New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting. com/install/883795125

CC20-1285

NOTICE OF REGULAR BOARD MEETING The Rainier School Board will hold a Regular Board meeting on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. A

livestream will be available on the district’s YouTube channel.

97016. PUBLIC NOTICE

The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold a Board meeting, Monday, August 17th, 2020, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Please see our website at www.csd. k12.or.us on the main page for directions to join the meeting via Zoom. The

agenda includes but is not limited to: Superintendent and Principal’s reports, a presentation on electric car chargers at CMHS, financial report, organization of Clatskanie School District and the consent agenda.

The public is encouraged to attend.

CC20-1286

Rainier Cemetery District MEETING NOTICE The regular meeting of the Rainier Cemetery District will be held on Monday, August 17, 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. ALL SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES IN PLACE AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING WILL BE STRICTLY FOLLOWED. Janice Carstensen, Board Chairman

A workshop of the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District board of directors will be held on, Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 6:00pm (before the regular monthly meeting) via GoToMeeting unless the Stay At Home Order restrictions have been lifted, then the meeting will

be held 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 updates on the District’s stations.

No public comment and no action will be taken at this workshop.

CC20-1287

Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District MEETING NOTICE The regular meeting of the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District board of directors will be held on, Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 7:00 via GoToMeeting unless the Stay At Home Order restrictions have been lifted, then the meeting will be held at 555 SW Bryant St, Clatskanie, OR, Port of

Columbia County Offices (the Old Middle School).

ANY AND ALL SOCIAL DISTANCING RULESIN PLACE AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING WILL BE APPLIED DURING THIS MEETING. Items on the agenda, but not limited to: Updates on daily Fire and EMS operations. Board President, Robert Keyser

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

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

Oregon State Fair online celebration STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Children and teens, moms and dads and grandparents from Columbia County and across the state have for decades participated in events at the annual Oregon State Fair in Salem.

It has been a family tradition for many to raise livestock and other animals and create crafts, vegetables, jams, pies, cakes and flowers to show at the fair.

Even though the 2020 Oregon State Fair in Salem has been canceled due to the pandemic, fair organizers have unveiled a creative way to celebrate Oregon and Oregonians through an online event.

The grandeur of the shire horses. The intoxicating smell of elephant ears. The L.B. Day Amphitheater filled with cheering crowds. They are unmistakable markers of the Oregon State Fair experience, and ones that will

welcome crowds back to the fairgrounds in 2021, according to state fair officials, who said the Oregon State Fair is building anticipation and opportunities for fairgoers to celebrate and win their way to 2021.

“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to provide a much needed celebration of Oregon — and Oregonians, this year,” Oregon State Fair CEO Kim Grewe-Powell said. “We’ve created an endof-season event with a nod to our history and future as a resilient state.”

Fairgoers can win their way to the 2021 fair through contesting, starting now, with opportunities to share and

highlight their favorite parts of Oregon: scenic scapes, brave heroes, favorite teachers, resilient grads, cute pets, and of course, memories of the Oregon State Fair, according to a release.

E-Fair Entertainment begins August 28 There are many attractions attendees to the E-Fair will be able to enjoy from the comfort of their own home.

“We’ll showcase some of your favorite animals, food, live music, and family entertainment - plus the lineup and pre-sale for the 2021 Columbia Bank Concert Series,” said Grewe-Powell.

A few of the attractions will include: • NW Challenge K9 Heroes/Dock Diving Dogs • Dia de la Familia dances

by Ballet Tianese and Danza de Los Viejitos • GASCAR Animal Racing • Paul Bunyan Lumberjacks • iFlip trampoline acrobats • 4-H interviews • Taste-of-a-Fair food truck tour • Gerry Frank Chocolate Cake Fairgoers are encouraged to sign up for the Oregon State Fair E-newsletter for timely updates and contesting information on the Oregon

State Fair website.

About the Oregon State Fair The Oregon State Fair began in the year 1861 in Oregon City during the Civil War. Since 1862, the Fair has called the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem home, hosting thousands of visitors from near and far with premier concerts, art, culture, rides, agricultural exhibits and livestock. In 2019, the Oregon State Fair celebrated the century mark of the Historic Horse Stadium.

For more information, visit oregonstatefair.org.

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A6

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Friday, August 7, 2020

Statewide cleanup launched STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

SOLVE is encouraging Columbia County residents and those across Oregon to join a 15-day statewide cleanup effort during SOLVE IT for Oregon.

From Aug. 1– Aug. 15, Oregonians are invited to take part once again in cleaning up and caring for Oregon during this collective effort.

The effort replaces SOLVE’s Earth Day cleanups, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteer registration is currently live on solveoregon.org. Anyone who wants to get involved is encouraged to browse the list of over 45 volunteer opportunities and sign up.

SOLVE has also created

a list of safety guidelines for volunteers and volunteer leaders that include eliminating the use of shared equipment, maintaining at least six feet of distance, and always wearing a face covering.

Participants can think globally and act locally with SOLVE while removing litter from city streets, marine debris along the coast, invasive plants in our parks; or planting native trees. Each project time will vary and will take place in parks, natural areas, beaches, and neighborhoods.

The basic effort is to clear away litter, which, according to SOLVE, is a serious problem. It flows down from storm drains, into rivers, and out to our beaches and ocean. Wildlife confuse tiny bits of plastic and other

litter with food, resulting in malnutrition, entanglement, or strangulation. Oregon’s water, wildlife, and economy are threatened by invasive species. Plants brought from areas outside Oregon can spread quickly and damage entire ecosystems.

The presenting sponsor is Portland General Electric.

Other event sponsors include: Metro, Clean Water Services, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Washington County, the City of Beaverton, Holman Enterprises, Genentech, Advantis Credit Union, K103fm, and KOIN 6.

Visit solveoregon.org, or call 503-943-2835 to get more details, pick your project, and sign up.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

SOLVE is well known for engaging volunteers for annual beach and river cleanups, such as this effort along the Siletz Bay in Lincoln City.

Bonamici pushes for child care in coronavirus relief package On Aug. 5, 59 members of Congress, including Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR – 1) called for the inclusion of both the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act in the next coronavirus relief package.

The two bills were passed by the House of Representatives last week and would improve access to affordable, quality child care for working families and support a robust economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis through the creation of a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund and other critical federal investments and tax subsidies.

“Child care is foundational to our economy and

working families, and I’m proud to be fighting to save the child care system,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Right now, working parents, many of them women, are desperately trying to find safe care for their kids so that they can continue working and keep food on the table and a roof overhead. It doesn’t have to be this way: The House has already passed two bills that would help families, providers, and early childhood educators tremendously. These bills must be included in the next relief package to support the millions of working families and thousands of child care providers who are hanging on by a thread.”

In the letter to House

Courtesy photo

leadership, the members write: “Child care is too essential to fail. The upcoming

stimulus must invest in child care so that we can stabilize and secure American

families and our economy.

In order for our economy to recover, and for working families to return to work, the next supplemental package must include at least $50 billion in immediate child care stabilization funds and long-term investments to ensure access to quality, affordable child care for workers. The House passed H.R. 7027, the Child Care is Essential Act and H.R. 7327, the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act in a bipartisan manner. This was a monumental first step.

Passing those bills as part of the upcoming stimulus package must be a top priority so that we can begin the hard work of rebuilding and revitalizing our future.”

The COVID-19 reces-

sion has had a devastating impact on the child care industry, our economy, and working parents. Since March 2020, 60 percent of all child care providers across the nation were forced to shutter completely and have lost months of revenue. Now, 70 percent of all child care centers are incurring substantial, additional costs for staff, cleaning supplies, and personal protective equipment. This dramatic shortfall in revenue has disrupted the nation’s child care sector to such an extent that the National Association for the Education of Young Children estimates 40 percent of child care providers could close permanently without federal assistance.

PERS court ruling

The Hiroshima tree planting at Tillamook.

Courtesy photo

Oregon’s Peace Trees STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Courtesy photo

The Oregon Supreme Court has issued a ruling dealing with the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) funding.

STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The Oregon Supreme Court has upheld amendments by the state legislature enacted to deal with the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) funding issues.

The following is a release from the Oregon Supreme Court concerning the PERS decision.

On petition for review under Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 355, section 65.

Petitioners’ requests for relief challenging Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 355, sections 1-19 and 39-40, are denied.

Today, the Oregon Supreme Court denied claims brought by petitioners challenging two amendments to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) enacted by the legislature in SB 1049 (Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 355).

The first challenged amendment redirects a member’s PERS contribu-

tions from the member’s individual account program -- the defined-contribution component of the member’s retirement plan -- to a newly created employee pension stability account, used to help fund the defined-benefit component of the member’s retirement plan. The second challenged amendment imposes a cap on the salary used to calculate a member’s benefits. Petitioners primarily argued that the redirection and salary-cap provisions in SB 1049 unconstitutionally impaired their employment contracts in violation of the state Contract Clause, Article I, section 21, of the Oregon Constitution.

In the alternative, petitioners argued that the amendments violated the federal Contract Clause, Article I, section 10, clause 1, of the United States Constitution, breached their contracts, and constituted an unconstitutional taking of their property without just compensation in violation of Article I, section 18, of the Oregon

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Constitution, and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. In a unanimous opinion authored by Chief Justice Martha L. Walters, the Oregon Supreme Court denied petitioners’ challenges.

The Court held that the challenged amendments did not impair petitioners’ contract rights under the state Contract Clause, 2 because the amendments do not operate retrospectively to decrease the retirement benefits attributable to work that the member performed before the effective date of the amendments.

The court further explained that, although the amendments operate prospectively to change the offer for future retirement benefits, the pre-amendment statutes did not include a promise that the retirement benefits would not be changed prospectively. The Court resolved petitioners’ other claims on similar grounds and denied their requests for relief.

Significant milestones with an Oregon tree planting connection are occurring over the next few weeks.

Thursday, Aug. 6 marked the 75th anniversary of the atom bombing of Hiroshima, followed in a few weeks by the 75th anniversary of the close of World War II. Just in time for these commemorations, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has launched a new online map showing the locations of 45 Oregon peace trees grown from the seed of Hiroshima trees that survived the atom bomb. While none of the trees were planted in Columbia County, 30 other communities across the state, including Tillamook and Seaside, had the seedlings placed.

The ODF online site tells the story of how the trees came to be in Oregon, which now has one of the largest plantings of Hiroshimaorigin peace trees outside of Japan. View the new site at https://www.oregon.gov/ ODF/ForestBenefits/Pages/ Hiroshima-peace-trees.aspx.

From Hiroshima to Oregon Hiroshima survivor Hideko Tamura-Snider, co-founder of the Medfordbased peace group One Sunny Day Initiatives, launched the effort to bring peace trees to her adopted state when she convinced Oregon Community Trees (OCT) Board

Member Michael Oxendine to obtain and grow seeds from her native city.

Oxendine contacted Green Legacy Hiroshima, which collects the seeds from trees known to have survived the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima.

After the seeds arrived in 2017, Oxendine germinated them and potted up the seedlings. With no facility to grow them on, Oxendine reached out to fellow OCT board members in late 2018 to find homes for the seedling ginkgo and Asian persimmon trees.

OCT board member Jennifer Killian along with Corvallis Parks and Recreation volunteered to care for the young trees for 18 months while OCT board member Jim Gersbach worked with Kristin Ramstad in the Oregon Department of Forestry to find permanent homes for the trees.

“We offered the trees first to Tree Cities USA and Tree Campus USA communities,” Ramstad said. “We had a gratifying response from all parts of the state – the coast to eastern Oregon, and from the Columbia Gorge to near the California border.

About three dozen entities, including schools and colleges, churches, cemeteries, parks and arboretums, were eager to obtain the trees and received them at no cost.”

Ramstad said the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting ban on public gatherings curtailed the many elaborate public ceremonies that were to be held by communities to mark the plantings.

“Although planting ceremonies had to be canceled, dedicated staff or volunteers got the trees safely in the ground,” Ramstad said.

“Most communities are vowing to hold dedications after it’s safe to again hold public gatherings.”

OCT also provided funds to OSDI to make commemorative plaques for the trees, some of which may be unveiled at the future dedications.

Symbols of resilience, hope and peace Gersbach said the project is a reminder that beyond the environmental benefits tree canopy provides in cities, trees also can bring a community together to reflect on life’s more meaningful aspects and values.

“We are again in a time of widespread loss of life and uncertainty due to the novel corona virus,” Gersbach said.

“These seedlings’ parents leafed out from scorched trunks in the months following the atom bomb, giving hope to the bereaved survivors in Hiroshima. Their progeny serve as hopeful symbols in our current pandemic of the resilience of life.”

After learning how many communities embraced the Hiroshima seedlings, Tamura-Snider wrote that the numerous plantings “filled me with joy, remembering the long journey for both the tree[s] and myself. Thank you, people of Oregon, for your enduring faith in the future, in the resilience of life.”

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, August 7, 2020

A7

Horsing around in Clatskanie

Christine Menges / The Chief

Pony Cadence and rider, Scarlet Harris took first place in the pet parade.

CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net

A global pandemic did not stop Clatskanie residents from turning out for the city’s fifth annual Clatskanie City Festival, which included, among other things, a petting zoo and pet parade.

The events were held at Clatskanie’s Poysky Park, a lot right next to Johnson Family Feed. The location was

different from previous years, where many events were held at Clatskanie City Park.

Tressa Harris, who owns Tressa Harris Small Farm Animal Care in Clatskanie, conducted the pet parade and petting zoo. Harris brought her brood of animals from her farm just outside of town for festival-goers to pet before the parade.

Animals available for petting included four ponies, two poodles and a rabbit. Families

Christine Menges / The Chief

Christine Menges / The Chief

Ponies Huck and Watusi and rider, Ginger Harris took second place in the pet parade.

Pony Willows Chief Flying Feathers and accompanier Linda Phillipps won third place in the pet parade.

brought their small children to the animals between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to pet and enjoy their company.

Afterward, local families were invited to bring their own pets and dress them up for the pet parade. Awards were given out for first, second and third place according to how decorated and dressed up the animal was, according to festival organizer Lori Sherman.

The parade, which began at 2 p.m., was scheduled to go

petting zoo. The ponies were dressed up in patriotic themes.

Coming in at first place was the pony Cadence and her rider, Scarlet Harris. The pony was decorated with an American flag harness and a wreath of red, white and blue flowers, while Harris held an American flag.

The second-place winner included two ponies pulling rider, Ginger Harris sitting in a wagon. The wagon was decorated with star-spangled

from the park, turn right on Highway 30, right again on Nehalem Street, and right on Northeast Fifth Street, and end up back at the Park.

However, the day of the parade, the route was shortened, and the parade of roughly 10 animals turned around halfway through the route, spending a short amount of time on Highway 30, and turning back to end up at the park.

The pets that won awards all belonged to Tressa Harris’

banners, and ribbons of a similar decoration were tied on the ponies.

Third-place winner was pony Willows Chief Flying Feathers, led by Linda Phillipps, who was touting a bouquet of red, white and blue flowers, perched atop a starspangled banner draped on the pony.

The festival also include a city wide garage sale, a cake walk and an all-school class reunion.

Onions linked to salmonella outbreak STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

State health officials are warning people not to eat onions from Thomson International, Inc., of Bakersfield, California, after 76 people in 13 Oregon counties fell ill with matching strains of salmonella bacteria.

Eighteen of the cases have been hospitalized, and none have died.

Epidemiologists at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Public Health Division said the Oregon cases are part of an outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people in about 40 states as well as consumers in Canada.

U.S. and Canadian public health officials implicated consumption of red onions; and the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) traced the onions to Thomson International, Inc. Although red onions are the likely source, Thomson will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have been cross-contaminated.

“People who believe they’ve gotten diarrhea from consuming red onions might want to contact a health care provider,” Oregon Public Health Division Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention Section epidemiologist Emilio DeBess, D.V.M. said “However, most people with salmonellosis will recover

Courtesy photo

Onions, similar to these, have been linked to an Oregon salmonella outbreak.

without antibiotics.”

People who have eaten red onions but not gotten sick do not need to seek or notify a health care provider.

“If you have any of these potentially contaminated

onions, discard them and wash your hands afterwards,” DeBess said.

According to the OHA, 400 to 500 cases of salmonellosis are reported in Oregon each year. Most people infected

with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps one to seven days after exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Although most people recover without treatment, some have severe infections. Infants, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness. Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and, in rare cases, can be deadly.

• For information about the national salmonella outbreak, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ salmonella/newport-07-20/ index.html.

• For information about the

recall of onions, visit https:// www.fda.gov/food/outbreaksfoodborne-illness/outbreakinvestigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020.

• For general information about salmonella, visit the CDC website at https://www. cdc.gov/salmonella.

Other resources: • https://www.canada.ca/en/ public-health/services/publichealth-notices/2020/outbreaksalmonella-infections-underinvestigation.html • https://www.inspection. gc.ca/food-recall-warningsand-allergy-alerts/2020-07-31/ eng/1596169910818/ 1596169916854.

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Friday, August 7, 2020

•S ports • •

Fall school sports to begin in March STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) shifted its traditional Fall sports season contests to begin in March under a new 2020-21 school activities calendar approved by the association’s Executive Board.

The Board also voted on Aug. 5 to waive current outof-season coaching policies to allow for student participation during the Fall (Season 1). Participation will be at the discretion of the local school district in those activities allowed per directives from the Governor’s Office, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE).

“Today’s decisions by the Executive Board provide a framework to maximize the potential opportunity for stu-

dents in Oregon to participate in three seasons during the 2020-21 school year,” OSAA Executive Director Peter Weber said. “The Board recognized that a one size fits all approach isn’t what’s best for students across the state. By waiving policy to allow regional participation this Fall, local school districts will have the discretion for participation in those areas that are able to do so safely per state directives.”

The OSAA Executive Board took the action following last week’s release of school reopening health metrics by the Governor’s Office and OHA. These metrics will result in nearly all OSAA member high schools starting in a Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) format this Fall which presents challenges for the resumption of school activities. Shifting the season calendar later in the school year provides additional time for more schools to return to a hybrid or on-site learning format while providing flexibility for local school districts to make decisions this Fall that are best for their school communities as health metrics and state guidance in this area continues to develop.

Photo courtesy of Rob Hilson

This photo shows fall football action between Clatskaine and Seaside during the 2019 season.

The OSAA’s new calendar provides for three distinct seasons from late December to late June with limited overlap between seasons. Traditional Winter activities will take place in January and February (Season

•

2), followed by Fall activities in March and April (Season 3), with Spring activities occurring in May and June (Season 4). Each season will feature an equitable 7-week regular season, with adjusted contest limitations, followed

by an OSAA Culminating Week. Specific plans for culminating week events will be developed in conjunction with member schools in the coming months in alignment with large group gathering guidelines issued by the state.

The OSAA Association Year will officially begin on August 31 in Season 1 where policies restricting out-of-season coaching have been removed. This allows member school students and coaches, at the discretion of the local school district, to participate in any OSAAsanctioned activity permitted by directives from the Governor’s Office, OHA and ODE. This participation may include conditioning, practices and interscholastic competitions in those permitted activities provided schools adhere to OSAA policies.

The OSAA will continue to work with the Governor’s Office, OHA, and ODE, along with our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) to provide information to member schools.

Guidance from these entities continues to evolve, along with the pandemic itself, and will impact future OSAA decisions regarding the 2020-21 school year.

See the 2020-21 OSAA Calendar with this story at thechiefnews.com.

Visit http://www.osaa.org/ coronavirus for the latest OSAA information regarding the Coronavirus pandemic.

•A bout T own • •

Clatskanie Library awarded Pilcrow grant Though the building has been closed since mid-March, the Clatskanie Library has been able to expand its collection through the generosity of friends, patrons, and grants.

In April, Clatskanie Library District Interim Director Becky White received the news that the library was awarded a Children’s Book Project grant that she had applied for through the Pilcrow Foundation. With the promise of matching funds in the amount of $400 from the Friends of the Clatskanie Library, White was able to secure $800 additional funds and order a total of

71 new books for the children’s collection.

When the books arrived last week, White learned that the library had been gifted 22 additional math and science titles from Laura Ackerman and Hal Berenson of Colorado, and two additional titles from Shout Mouse Press, whose mission is “to empower those from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories.”

In June, White was contacted by library patrons Stephanie Vesik and Shawn Lenderman, who expressed desire to donate books about social and racial justice issues. Vesik, who grew

up in Clatskanie and remembers being introduced to the library as a child, and her mother donated over 20 books for children ranging from board books to young adult titles. Lenderman and her husband Paul donated numerous fiction and nonfiction titles for adults.

On behalf of the Clatskanie Library District, its youth patrons, and the entire community, White said she would like to thank the Friends of the Clatskanie Library for their willingness to sponsor her grant request, and for all that they do ongoing for the Library. White said she is also sincerely grateful for the

generosity of patrons like Vesik and Lenderman. The ability to update and expand the collection comes at a critical time and will especially help to expose the youth of Clatskanie to contemporary titles and topics that many of them would not otherwise get to experience.

According to White, the library has enjoyed the opportunity to unveil the new books during this year’s Summer Reading Program, and they will certainly be a welcome addition as the library begins to reopen after the unprecedented and extended closure caused by COVID-19.

Courtesy photo

The Clatskanie Library District has added 71 new books at the children’s section following donations and a grant.

State processes 70,000 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims The Oregon Employment Department officials announced on Thursday Aug. 6 that they met their FOCUS PUA goal of processing 70,000 remaining initial Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims on Aug. 4, several days ahead of the Aug. 8 deadline the department set for itself.

The department is now current with processing regular and PUA unemployment claims, and processing new ones that come in at a record rate, so Oregonians

can start getting paid the benefits they are owed.

“We hope that more Oregonians are now starting to feel relief,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department. “The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program’s new online form has also helped in processing weekly claims, so more Oregonians will start getting their benefits much more quickly.”

In the past week, the department processed more

than 20,000 initial PUA claims, as with the week prior, signaling the increased speed at which the department is now working.

The department has already redirected employees to other work needed to get people their benefits.

“It’s important to remember that while some claims may need more attention for benefits to be sent, that initial processing is a critical first step. I am happy to report that the department has removed

one more barrier to Oregonians getting their critically needed regular unemployment or PUA.” Gerstenfeld noted that additional barriers still remain, but that the department is moving in the right direction and is continuing to build positive momentum.

“We have turned a corner in getting Oregonians their benefits more quickly.

It has certainly taken more time than we’d like. But we’re getting there, and

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2020/2021

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that the department is committed to getting the modernization of the department’s computer system back on track.

“We are well-positioned to modernize in a way that will help Oregonians get the benefits they deserve in a timely fashion. We now have a talented team of employees. I am now responsible for the success of this project and intend to do everything I can to make real progress—and quickly.”

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we are committed to doing everything we can to make this easier for everyone,” said Gerstenfeld in his weekly media briefing.

Last week the department announced they had found a way to pay tens of thousands of Oregonians “Benefits While You Wait.” The Department is proactively reaching out to Oregonians who may be eligible for those benefits while their claims are being reviewed by an adjudicator.

Gerstenfeld also shared

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