TCC107

Councils review transient RV’s, street repairs

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

HERB SWETT

The Clatskanie City Council’s move to step up regulation of aban doned and transient recreational vehicles RVs) has stalled.

The council was to conduct the first reading of a new ordinance to better regulate the RV’s in the city, however, Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said the effort has been tabled and will likely be discussed during a city council workshop later this month.

“The reason for the tabling of the ordinance is there was some concern raised by citizens about the length of stay provision,” Hinkel man said. “The ordinance states that an RV can stay parked for no longer than 14 days in a calendar year. There was concern that this was too long. It was brought up that with the new RV park, people visiting could stay there and not plug up the streets. So, we will have a workshop to amend the proposed ordinance to take into account some of the concerns raised.”

In a published interview in the Chief last August about the RV issue, Hinkelman said he has been reviewing consistent complaints about transient and abandoned RVs.

“The transient RVs park at different places all over town,” Hin kelman said. “They move around so that are not technically violating

city law, but they are parking and not hooking up to required services. There is also the issue of abandoned RVs.”

Hinkelman said the city wants to take a proactive approach in addressing the citizens’ concerns and that the city is concerned about public safety related to the RVs. Hinkelman said his city was pat terning its ordinance after the City

of Rainier’s RV ordinance, which limits the use of camper vehicles and other nonpermanent structures for permanent human habitation.

Rainier City Council

Several Rainier residents have petitioned the Rainier City Council to fix their street.

The residents sent a petition to

Rainier City Hall, which reads in part, “We are asking for the im mediate repair of the street from C Street to West 2nd Street with removal of the sidewalk and to make transition as soon as possible to West 2nd Street.” The petition notes that the council received a bid for such a project three years ago but rejected it as too high.

The Rainier City Council dis cussed the petition and the street repair issue along with the city’s street priority agenda at the regular monthly public session, Monday, Oct. 3.

“The council agreed that what these folks wanted was doable and should be a priority,” Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said. “That project will be done in house by public works, and we would like to get the work done within the year.”

In other street matters, Rainier Public Works Director Sue Law rence said she had applied in July for a small cities allotment grant for work on Fox Street. The city staff is looking to update the municipal code to add an ordinance to recu perate city costs if streets are cut into.

Lawrence asked the council to prioritize streets for repair. Mayor Jerry Cole said C and Second should be fixed. Most of the dam age there was from equipment used to fix the culvert, a trip hazard. Lawrence said the city’s public works crew could remove the asphalt, put in a patch, and level it out. Lawrence said the entire street needs to be fixed.

Comparisons offered at Candidates forum

HERB SWETT chronicle1@countrymedia.net

Columbia County voters had the opportunity to learn more about six candidates for local and state offices during the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce candidate’s forum.

Candidates participating in the forum were Sheriff Brian Pixley and challenger Terry Massey, Kelly R. Niles and Kellie Jo Smith for county commissioner, Anthony Sorace for representative from House District 31, and Melissa Busch for Senate District 16.

Sorace and Busch are Demo crats. Prior commitments kept the Republican candidates, Brian Stout

for the House and Suzanne Weber for the Senate, from participating.

Following opening remarks, each candidate answered three questions from the Chamber and several ques tions from the audience. Here are the questions and their responses.

Sheriff Massey, an officer in the St. Helens Police Department who is a former businessman, said in his opening remarks, that leading his business taught him to lead people to their fullest potential.

Pixley began by saying, “I’m running for re-election because of everyone in this room.” He said that in his 3-1/2 years in office, he had obtained grants, trained deputies, re duced crime, and improved transpar ency, all with “a meager budget.”

The candidates were asked about county Sheriff’s Office deputy response times to service calls. Massey said that responses were slow and that he would provide 24-hour coverage. Pixley said he has repeatedly asked the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for funds to hire more deputies, but funding resources have been limited.

Asked how, with population increasing, how the Sheriff’s Office could make business owners feel safe, Massey said 24-hour coverage would be the answer. Pixley pointed to lack of resources to help the homeless and said that the best way for anyone to help them would be to drive them to Portland.

Another question to Massey and

Pixley concerning meeting the needs of customers, Massey noted that the Sheriff’s Office is creating a reha bilitation center for walk-in patients and is planning a detoxification center. Pixley responded that the department keeps asking for more deputies at a time and that it cooper ates with police departments.

County commissioner Niles opened by saying that he would focus on communication, col laboration, and reliability. He point ed to his background in government and state budgeting. Smith, who with her husband owns Oregon Trail Lanes, a bowling alley, said that she was experienced in customer service

and pointed to her nine years on the St. Helens School Board.

The first question was what the candidates knew about the busi ness community and how they would support it. Niles replied that he would collaborate with the Columbia Economic Team and its offshoots. Smith, calling the cur rent Board of Commissioners “a bit siloed (not in frequent enough communication),” said she would “definitely be in the community.”

Oregonians at work: Wage gains, job distribution

GAIL KRUMENAUER Chief Guest Article

Oregon had 1.99 million people working in jobs covered by the state’s unemployment insurance system during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Those workers earned a total of $32.5 billion, with an average wage of about $16,325 per worker for the quarter. The median hourly pay dur ing the quarter was $24.83.

Employment distribution across sectors

Oregon experienced rapid job re

covery in 2021. Wage records show a gain of more than 128,400 jobs, or 6%, between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021. However, this growth was not evenly distributed across industries. Job growth dif fered enough to change the dis tribution of jobs across sectors of Oregon’s economy over the year.

While some sectors lost jobs over the year, most had substantial growth. Nearly one-third (32%) of the large overall job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality. Leisure and hospitality grew by 41,400 jobs and shifted from making up 9% of all jobs to 11%. Professional and business services – particularly professional and technical services –

have also seen strong growth during the jobs recovery. Professional and business services grew by 24,800 jobs and increased their share of all jobs from 13% in the fourth quarter of 2020 to 14% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Despite overall gains, some sectors saw declines. There were small job declines in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-1,300) and natural resources and mining (-1,500). Natural resources and min ing decreased their share of all jobs between the fourth quarters of 2020

Don Puckett, Al Guist, Tracy

Hunt, Brenna Croft, David Hill, Lorna Snider, Byron Vermeulen, Georgella Ryan, Sue Ellen Briggs, Mitchell Travis, Kathy McCollam, and Jennifer Criswell signed the petition.

Courtesy photo

Clatskanie has been reviewing the need to tighten regulations concerning transient and abandoned recreational vehicles.

Metro

Oregon

Rebuilding salmon, steelhead runs

•

NOAA Fisheries, with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has final ized the Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead report.

The report identifies a comprehensive suite of ac tions with the greatest likeli hood of making progress toward rebuilding Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead to healthy and harvestable levels.

The final report fol lows the draft, which was released in July, and incorpo rates feedback from state and tribal fishery co-managers. Read the report with this story at thechiefnews.com.

The recommended suite of actions to rebuild Colum bia Basin stocks include:

• Increasing habitat res toration

“This is a crucial time for the Columbia Basin’s salmon and steelhead. They face increasing pressure from cli mate change and other long standing stressors including water quality and fish block ages caused by dams,” said Janet Coit, assistant admin istrator for NOAA Fisheries and acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA. “The report identifies goals for the recovery of salmon and steelhead that will require a sustained commitment over many decades.”

The actions reflected in the report convey the urgency behind the Columbia

Basin Partnership’s 2020 recommendations that merely avoiding extinction of native salmon and steelhead is not enough. Instead, the Part nership called for healthy and harvestable numbers that contribute fully to the culture, environment and economy of the region. The report is not a regulatory doc ument but rather is intended to inform and contribute to regional conversations and funding decisions.

The Columbia Basin Part nership expressed the hope that in 20 years, the people of the Columbia Basin would view the Partnership’s work and the resulting efforts as “a turning point for the return of healthy and abundant salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River.” The report represents one step toward that important goal.

The final report will inform ongoing dialogues about salmon restoration and

decisions regarding alloca tion of resources for recov ery actions. The rebuilding actions can also help restore fish populations to meet long standing commitments to • Final Report: Rebuild ing Interior Columbia Basin

ODFW cautions hunters about bird flu

with domestic poultry or pet birds.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has issued an advisory concerning the bird flu in Oregon.

With many duck and goose seasons set to open Oct. 8, the ODFW cautions waterfowl hunters to be aware that Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI) has been circulating in wild birds in North America since De cember 2021.

The current strain of the virus was first detected in Oregon in May 2022 and continues to be found in wild birds and backyard poultry flocks. More detections are expected during fall and winter as waterfowl migrate through Oregon or spend the winter here. Hunters are also likely to come in contact with infected waterfowl during the hunting season.

Although Low Pathogenic strains of Avian Influenza naturally circulate in wild waterfowl, detections of HPAI strains in wild birds are less frequent, with the last occurrence during the winter of 2014-2015. Typi cally, HPAI does not cause large-scale mortality in wild waterfowl but often causes severe illness and death in other groups of wild birds and in domestic waterfowl

and poultry, according to a release from the ODFW.

However, this strain has caused increased mortality for wild waterfowl, shore birds, raptors, and scavengers such as vultures. This strain has also been detected in some mammalian carnivores such as coyotes, foxes, and skunks that have likely fed on infected birds.

Wildlife managers are continuing to monitor for the disease by testing birds found dead and sampling live birds and birds harvested by hunt ers for the disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven tion has reported that humans appear to be at low risk for infection with the current H5N1 strain, although indi viduals who have frequent close contact with wild birds,

especially waterfowl, may be at higher risk for exposure and should take precautions.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ flu/avianflu/avian-in-humans. htm,

The ODFW urges hunters to practice safe bird handling. The agency has issued the following safe bird handling and cooking techniques, es pecially important this season due to HPAI:

• Do not harvest birds that are obviously sick or found dead.

• Wear rubber or latex gloves when handling and cleaning game birds.

• Do not eat, drink, smoke or touch your face when handling birds.

• Keep the game bird and its juices away from other

foods.

• Thoroughly clean knives and any other equipment or surfaces that touch birds. Use a solution of one-third cup of chlorine bleach per one gal lon of water.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after handling birds (or with alcohol-based hand products if your hands are not visibly soiled).

• Cook all game meat thoroughly (up to at least 165° F) to kill disease organ isms including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Use a food thermometer to ensure the inside of the bird has reached at least 165° F.

• Do not feed dogs raw meat, organs or other tissue from harvested waterfowl.

ODFW asks that hunters

Performing Arts series opens Oct. 9

The Clatskanie Arts Commission’s 33rd Per forming Arts Series opening performance is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 9.

With so much great local talent, the Clatskanie Arts Commission couldn’t resist “kickin’ off its season” with the Brownsmead Flats and Astoria Tuba Quartet.

The performance is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9 at Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem in Clatskanie.

The Astoria Tuba Quar tet’s lush warm sounds, blended from tubas and tenor tubas, surprise most audiences who expect brash,

Courtesy logo

brassy, bombastic sounds. In contrast, audiences hear a mellow, surprisingly soft mixture of musical instru ments playing jazz, ballads, Latin, and classical music by composers of comfortable and familiar music.

At the Clatskanie perfor mance, you will hear play such favorites as Low-Down Hoe Down, Wabash Can non Ball, Over the Rainbow, Hungarian Doo Dah and

much more.

The Brownsmead Flats play acoustic music that may be best described as “crab grass” which they liken to a folk/bluegrass style with a maritime flavor. The band has a strong focus on vocal harmonies, and many of their songs are composed by members of the group and reflect on living in the Pacific Northwest.

This group will be enter taining you with favorites such as Sheetrock Waltz, My Old Kentucky Home, The Gator in Old Blind Slough and many more area favor ites – how about Astoria’s

Evelyn “Jeanette” (Rickert) Elliott

Bar?

The Arts Commission said it guarantees the per formance will be a kneeslapping, hand-clapping good time.

Tickets are $15 for adults. $13 for seniors (60+) and students. $10 for children. Tickets may be purchased online at clatskaniearts.org, by calling Elsa at 503-7283403. If tickets are available, you may also purchase them at the door the day of the performance.

Check out the Clatskanie Arts Commission website for other performances this season.

and the public report groups of three or more sick or dead wild birds to the Wildlife Health lab at 866-968-2600, odfw.wildlifehealth@odfw. oregon.gov so they can be investigated and tested for avian influenza.

Typical symptoms in wild waterfowl include cloudy eyes, shaking or swinging the neck around, swimming in circles, and incoordination.

In areas where birds have been infected, sick, dead, or neurologically abnormal wild mammals also may be cause for concern and should be reported.

Do not handle wildlife that is sick or found dead. If it is necessary to do so, use a shovel or wear impermeable gloves, wash hands with soap and water, and change cloth ing before having contact

Falconers are advised to avoid hunting waterfowl and other waterbirds during the HPAI outbreak because of the risk it presents to raptors. HPAI is killing raptors that come into contact with infect ed avian prey or carcasses.

Danger to domestic poultry

This strain of HPAI (H5N1) is also deadly to domestic birds (chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl). The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) strongly encourages backyard poultry producers to prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Any sick domestic birds should be reported to the State Veterinarian’s Office at 1-800-347-7028 or AHHo tline@oda.oregon.gov.

ODFW is part of the State of Oregon’s multi-agency response to highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza, along with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Oregon Health Authority and the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspec tion Service (USDA-APHIS).

For information on avian influenza in domestic birds, visit ODA’s website: https://www.oregon.gov/oda/ programs/animalhealthfeed slivestockid/animaldiseases/ pages/avianinfluenza.aspx.

Evelyn “Jeanette” (Rick ert) Elliott, 79, passed away on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Woodburn, Oregon.

Jeanette was born to the late Elihu Gideon Rickert and Evelyn Ruth (Smith) Rickert Oct. 7, 1942, in Port land, Oregon. She graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1961. Jeanette married Harry “Roger” Elliott on April 15, 1961.

Jeanette moved to Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband, Roger, and worked

at the Boston Button Fac tory. They moved to El Paso, Texas, where Roger served in the U.S. Army and was trans ferred to Okinawa, Japan in 1966. They then moved to Spanaway, Washington, where Jeanette supported her husband while he went to Northwest University, and throughout his 30 years of ministry.

Jeanette and Roger owned three adult foster care homes in St. Helens, Oregon, for seven years.

Jeanette is survived by

her mother Evelyn Ruth Sayles; sister Mary Linn; brother Fred Rickert; and her four children, Brian Elliott, Annette Perkins, Denise Mc Ghie and Scott Elliott.

She is preceded by her father, Elihu Gideon Rickert; husband Harry Roger Elliott; and great-grandchildren, Jacy Elliott, Skylar Elliott and Kylie Elliott.

Memorial service is at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2022, at Alston’s Corner Assembly of God, Rainier, Oregon.

ODOT

Solution for the Sept.

2022 crossword puzzle

•C rossword s olutions

• A Vision for Salmon and Thriving Salmon and Steel head to the Columbia River Basin

Courtesy from Oregon State University

The report identifies a comprehensive suite of actions with the greatest likelihood of making progress toward rebuilding Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead to healthy and harvestable levels.

Courtesy photo

HPAI (H5N1) is a highly contagious virus that transmits easily among wild and domestic bird species.

HOPE moving forward in Rainier

for quite some time to meet the community’s growing need.

“We help anywhere from 90 to 120 families a month,” she said. “There is a growing need for affordable meals.

The new equipment has helped tremendously.”

Before the new appli ances, the food was stored in an array of refrigerators and freezers.

“They are the backbone of our organization, and we could not do it without them.”

“I saw an ad in the paper and started volunteering nine years ago and have loved it ever since,” area resident Shirley Pryor said.

HOPE’s partnerships

Volunteers are a key ele ment of local social service, in Clatskanie and Rainier and the volunteers at HOPE of Rainier were recognized at a public open house, Oct. 1.

HOPE of Rainier, or Helping Our People Eat, is a food pantry that has been an institution in Rainier since 1988, helping those who face food insecurity.

The goal of the nonprofit agency is simple: to make

sure no resident suffers from hunger.

Mission not impossible

HOPE Board President Lisa Soule said the mission has been made much more convenient due to the food pantry’s recent upgrades, an industrial sized walk-in refrigerator and freezer. The new equipment was formally introduced during HOPE’s open house at the food pantry located at 404 E 8th Street in Rainier.

Soule said the kitchen equipment has been needed

HOPE Executive Director Kelly Miller worked to access funds for the new equipment. The 100 + Women Who Care Lower Columbia chapter pro vided approximately $8,000, while the remaining funds were acquired through vari ous grants and proceeds from the Picnic in the Park, held in August 2021.

Miller said that the popu lation in Rainier is growing with a food insecurity rate of 11.4%, which is why the new equipment was sorely needed.

The equipment was ordered and delivered all in a relatively short period of time in July and August. Volunteers helped install the equipment.

Recognizing HOPE’s volunteers

“We have many wonder ful volunteers,” Soule said.

HOPE of Rainier is affiliated with the Colum bia Pacific Food Bank and operates on donations, fun draisers, grants and resale income, such as the HOPE Chest Neighborhood Thrift Store, located at 107 East 1st St. in Rainier. Miller also oversees Turning Point Community Services Center, the nonprofit social service outlet at 220 E Columbia River Highway in Clats kanie.

Most of the food received for the food banks in Rainier and Clatskanie comes from the Oregon Food Bank network and generous donations from the public. All donations to HOPE of Rainier are tax-deductible.

To donate, or to volun teer, contact HOPE of Raini er at 503-556-0701. Turning Point may be reached at 503-728-3126.

Household hazardous waste collection Oct. 22

ture-proof, OSHA-approved

Columbia County will host a county-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Columbia County Transfer Station at 1061 Railroad Avenue in St. Helens.

You can drop off various toxic and unsafe household materials at no cost.

Trained household haz ardous waste technicians will unload materials from your vehicle. Items must be in containers of less than five (5) gallons and should be secured safely during transport.

Examples of acceptable items are:

(latex and acrylic paint, oil-based paint, enamel, stains, lacquers, shellacs, varnishes, prim ers, etc.)

• cooking oil • medical sharps in OSHA-approved, punctureproof containers

Additional resources

Unwanted paint, used motor oil, and used cooking oil can be disposed of free of charge at any time dur ing the Transfer Station’s regular business hours.

The normally-charged disposal of automotive batteries, antifreeze, and fluorescent tubes at the Transfer Station is also free during this event.

Medical sharps in a sealed, self-closing, punc

ers Exchange Program at the Transfer Station Scale House.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office accepts expired or unwanted medi cation at 901 Port Ave., St. Helens. They are open 7 days per week, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Place items in the MedReturn collection box.

Please check the Colum bia County website for the 2023 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Schedule https://www.columbiacoun tyor.gov/departments/Solid Waste/hhw-schedule.

For more information, contact Mike Russell at 503-397-5090 or email at michael.russell@columbia countyor.gov

Metro Creative Connection

The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event is scheduled from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Columbia County Transfer Station located at 1061 Railroad Avenue in St. Helens.

LAUREY WHITE Chief Guest Article

Courtesy photo from Laurey White

HOPE of Rainier is located at 404 E 8th Street in Rainier.

Courtesy photo from Laurey White

A look inside one of the new freezers at the food pantry.

Fruit fly season is here so be prepared

portant for younger trees on vulnerable sites (open southwest exposure). And they will also need plenty of water until our soil has received enough rain to sup port the newly transplanted trees.

Fruit flies lay their eggs in discrete cracks in fruit or portions that have started to rot. It is so easy to bring eggs into your house when you harvest grapes, tomatoes, apples, and other late season fruit. Eggs quickly develop into energetic fruit flies that breed, feed, and die at a dizzy pace. Fruit fly lives are short. You can reduce fruit fly numbers with thought ful management. Only keep undamaged fruit on your counter. Fruit flies hate re frigerators, so store what you can there. And most impor tant, take out your kitchen scraps to the compost pile (or dig it into garden soil) daily. We briefly used a five-gallon bucket for kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps. Even though we never let it fill, it became a breeding ground for fruit flies. An extension agent from a neighboring state once discovered an inadver tent fruit fly trap. She left a bottle of wine uncorked but partially consumed on the counter. She said, the next morning, “the kitchen became livable; the wine undrinkable.”

Endorses Debbie Klug

I would like to take this opportunity to formally endorse Debbie Klug for the County Clerk position.

Debbie has been a valued member of the clerks office for over 15 years. Debbie is a skilled manager with an incredible attention to detail. Debbie’s dedication to our county her attention to detail along with her great integrity are just a few of the many key reasons Columbia County needs to retain her as our county clerk.

I have known Debbie Klug my entire life and can’t think of anyone more honest and upstanding than her. Thank you.

Melinda R. Hilts Columbia County resident

Supports Logan Laity

Logan Laity is running to represent our House District 32 in Salem.

Fall planting

It is an excellent time to divide herbaceous perenni als like day lilies or rhu barb. It is easier to work the soil now. Fall rains (when they finally start) will help ensure divided plant por tions aren’t too stressed while they are getting rooted. But water the new plants until then.

Trees can also be planted now. This is a little riskier since they will be margin ally less resistant to the coldest winter temperatures (less than 20 degrees F) we sometimes get. One garden er is replanting a Japanese maple into a site where she just removed a less than 10-year-old tree that had lost bark from succes sive winter (sun scald) and summer (sun burn) damage. She has decided to paint the base of the new tree with white latex paint mixed 50-50 with water to reduce potential repeat of the dam age cycle.

This can be very im

Lawns can also still be planted but in crease the seed

ing rates to about 7-8 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet and have the work done by October 15 at the latest. Sooner is better. Water until serious rain starts.

Finally, plant garlic this month.

Yellow jackets and hornets wound tight

In the late fall, things start to fall apart for these social insects. By late No vember, most of the workers are dead and the nest will be destroyed by the rain and wind. Nests in wall voids of houses may last, in rare cas

es, into late January Before a colony collapses completely, a few queens-to-be fly into the air, mate (the males die after mating), and hide out until next spring. You often see them in your woodpile in the winter, large and very sluggish.

or mud nests under your eves. The gentle narrow waist wasps will come back to their old sites but build new nests each year.

It is greatly appreciated.

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

Cole said he and staff have been looking at the street cut ordinance recently passed in Longview, Wash ington. He said that permits to cut into newer streets cost more and that the money goes to the street fund.

Jorgensen said he could have a draft ordinance pre pared for the Nov. 7 council meeting. Lawrence said she is also looking to make im provements at First to Third streets on C and E streets between Second and Fourth streets.

Lawrence asked for council direction on im provements to Rainier City Hall. She said that there is no emergency exit from the main offices, that a restroom and a break room should be added for city staff, that the computer server should be moved back to the more secure location in the police department, and the gutters need to be fixed. The council directed city staff to obtain

Logan, like most Orego nians, supports reproductive freedom. Logan has worked in health care; he understands abortion care and birth control are part of comprehensive health care that is best deter mined by a patient and health care professionals. https:// www.loganfororegon.com/.../ comprehensive-healthcare

Logan’s GOP opponent says he will “protect...free dom” by trying to deny access to abortion care. We don’t need someone in Salem who will take away more of our freedoms.

Vote to protect Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, one of the strongest in the nation. Vote for Logan Laity for HD 32. https://www. loganfororegon.com

Laura Alen Seaside

Support for Cyrus Javadi

I’m voting for Dr. Cyrus Javadi for the Oregon State Legislature and would en courage you to vote for him also.

While I served on the Tillamook Urban Renewal Agency, our panel reviewed a loan request presented to the agency by Dr. Javadi. We ap proved his request, with con ditions. Dr. Javadi met every condition of the proposal... and more.

He keeps his promises.

With this loan, he devel oped a beautiful commercial building in Tillamook we can all admire. This is where he located his dental practice. In addition to this improvement to the neighborhood, he was able to provide well-paying jobs while increasing the number of staff on his payroll.

He is a “job creator” and you don’t see that in many politicians.

In addition, the increased value of the commercial prop erty resulted in more property tax revenue to Tillamook County.

He is a “producing mem ber” of the community.

These are just a few of the reasons why I support Dr. Cyrus Javadi for the State Legislature. Now how about you?

Tom Connaughton Tillamook

Clatskanie Grows

also work way into wall voids wiggle

warmed by house hold heating. As spring weather improves, queens (ready to lay eggs) start nest building, larvae rearing, and the cycle begins again. They don’t use their old nest sites. Bumblebees share this cycle as do the narrow-waist wasps that build tiny paper

So, if yellow jacket nests aren’t in a place where they bother you, you can leave them alone to die on their own. If they are a problem, nests can be treated with aerosol hornet and wasp insecticides, if you can find the opening to the nest and spray it directly. Treatments (spray the aerosol for about five seconds) should be ap plied at dusk and you should leave quickly after spraying. Follow all instructions on the insecticide container and don’t put yourself at risk by spraying from a ladder or other awkward positions. Observe the nest entrance for signs of life next morn ing.

Food safety and preservation hotline:

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

Important notes

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

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

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/ or farm questions, please contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension Office in St. Helens, at 503397-3462 or at chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Free newsletter

The Oregon State Uni versity Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming top ics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it, and it will be mailed or emailed to you. Call 503397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http:// extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia/ and click on newsletters.

Contact resource

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

estimates for the proposed projects.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a two-year extension of Jorgensen’s contract with a $300 monthly pay increase. Cole said Jorgensen’s evaluation was positive.

• Put an application by Nina Pogue to return to the Planning Commission on the November agenda. She

Rainier.

• Approved Lawrence’s request to replace her department’s 1997 Ford Ranger with a small Chev rolet Colorado pickup, for which there are funds in the department budget.

• Lawrence told the council that the Fox Creek Feasibility Study to miti gate flooding should be completed soon.

ficer Phillip George will go to the state police training academy soon and is set to graduate in February.

The next Rainier City Council session is sched uled for Nov. 7, but Cole said if the Fox Creek Feasi bility Study is done before that meeting, the council may meet sooner to discuss the study.

policy

policy

Kelli Nicholson / The Chief

This photo illustrates the damage along 4th and C streets in Rainier.

Chocolate Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

Taffy Candied Apples All of the above

150 Misc Services

Attention Landowners

we buy branches of red cedar, Port Orford-cedar, and noble; we will be paying per pound. We will be buying from September to November. For more information, contact us. Cell: 360-560-8488 or 360-703-2736

ATTENTION LAND OWNERS

We buy CEDAR and NOBLE boughs. What we pay depends on the quality of your trees. We do all the work and won’t damage your trees.

For more information contact

Martinez (360) 751-7723

It’s easy

Marketplace

Wanted

Camp Host and/or Hosts wanted

At the BRAND NEW Rivers Edge RV Resort in Clats kanie. Tasks would include greeting new registered guests as they arrive, up keep of restrooms, checking/cleaning the site once regis tered guests have left, if interested please email riv ersedgervresort oregon@gmail. com or call 503-957-5005.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Columbia 9-1-1 Communications

District (C911CD) is conducting a hir ing process for a Chief Financial Of ficer. Apply online at www.columbia9 11.com/careers. Additional informa tion can be found on our website

No Weekends. Paid Holiday & Vacation Rainier, OR. Respond to BCX1996@gm ail.com or Craig 360-431-5599

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Misc Wanted

ATTENTION LAND

Wanted cedar boughs and noble fir. Willing to pay for branches only. Do not damage trees. Call Cesar 360-241-6889 or 360-425-0738 Kelso.

CLATSKANIE Mini Storage

CDL DUMP TRUCK DRIVER”

Top Pay, MonFri 7:00 - 3:30p.m.

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at 75566 Homeaway Rd #1, Rainier, OR 97048, in Deer View Cooperative. This will be a private sale with a minimum bid of $10,400.00. Bids accepted until October 21, 2022.

Send/submit bids to 18150 SW Boones Ferry Road, Portland, OR 97224, Attn: Kassandra. Please call the Cooperative Board at: 503556-3337

appointment

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING

Board of Directors

Board meeting,

Bryant St.

the zoom meeting. The agenda includes but is not limited to:

and Princi pal’s reports, financial report, and the consent agenda. Please see our website for an official agenda. The public is encouraged to attend.

CC22-1685

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BEAVER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, INC.

Notice is hereby given that there will be a special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Beaver Drainage Improvement Company (BDIC), Columbia County, Oregon. This meet ing will be held Wednesday, October 12th, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. at the Quincy Grange #321 located at 78314 Rut ters Road in Clatskanie, OR. This meeting is being held to review and discuss potential settlement of BDIC’s pend ing appeal of the Department of State Lands removal fill permit approval for NEXT Renewable Fuels Oregon, LLC under Application No.

63077-RF. A draft proposed Release and Settlement Agreement will be available for review during the special meeting. Prior to adjourn ment of the special meeting, the BDIC Board may, in its discretion, convene an executive session pursu-ant to ORS 192.660(2)(h), for consultation with counsel concerning BDIC’s legal rights and duties under the pending litigation and in connection with the pro posed Release and Settle ment Agreement. Special Meeting Agenda I. BDIC Board/Counsel Presentation (approximately one-half

hour) · NEXT’s proposed wetlands mitigation area and BDIC’s appeal. · Proposed Release and Settle-ment Agreement II. Public Com ment (approximately one hour) · Depending upon participation levels, com ments may be strictly limited to three minutes. III. BDIC Board Executive Session (as necessary) IV. Adjourn ment · To include announced date for final Board vote on proposed Release and Settle ment Agreement. Dated this 27th day of September 2022. Beaver Drainage Improve ment Company, Truett Stolzenburg, Director

cannot cover everything but that he would support them if they had sunset dates. Smith, admitting that she knew little about them, said they were not the responsibility of the board.

Asked how he would con tribute to the economy, Niles, who has had a long career in forestry, said he supported bringing in businesses as long as they were “the right fit” for the area. Smith said she would “keep reaching out” to collaborate with businesses.

Oregon Legislature

“I want to make sure there is progress in the things we have been doing all our lives,” Sorace said in his opening remarks. He ex pressed concern for providing the educational and health resources for his son, now three years old.

Busch pointed to her experience as a home health nurse and a mother of three children, and to having put a baby out for adoption when she was 15. She said, “I know what makes our community sick, and it’s not just germs.”

They were asked what they knew about urban renewal districts. Sorace said

that the state sets parameters, which districts use to set things up, and that the state needs to make sure districts set the right priorities. Busch said, “They’re generally not a purview of the Legislature.”

The next question was what each candidate saw as the Legislature’s role in sup porting businesses.

Calling it “a broad ques tion,” Sorace said that tax policies are “really complex” and that his priorities are housing costs and mental health services. Busch, saying she had met with small busi ness owners throughout the district, replied that housing, healthcare, and education were their priorities.

They were asked what the role of government should be in establishing business poli cies. Sorace said that the job of government is to “set the floor and make sure people don’t fall through the cracks.”

He called medical debt the biggest problem. Busch, calling fair wages, benefits, and working conditions “the backbone of communities like ours,” said government should hold them account able.

Audience takes over

Then it was the audi ence’s turn. The candidates for sheriff were asked how they would ensure transpar

ency. Massey said he would require an audit of jail funds. Pixley said that his depart ment reports to the Board of Commissioners, which has replied, “You’re doing a great job.”

The legislative candidates were asked about strate gies to help people become independent. Busch replied that the Legislature should see that people have the tools to they need to become selfreliant. Sorace said that the Legislature should provide the tools and that the specif ics depend on the problem.

Both were asked how they would set the priori ties for schools, safety, law enforcement, and prisons.

Sorace answered that those things are almost always interconnected and that for him, schools would head the list. Busch called the issue complex and said there was no one-size-fits-all solution, rather that we should look at every angle.

The candidates forum was held Sept. 29 at the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce office in St. Helens.

see home.

and 2021 from 4% to 3%.

Health care and social as sistance also decreased their share of all jobs over the year from 15% to 14%.

More jobs paying higher wages

Changes in the distribu tion of Oregon’s jobs was even more pronounced across wage categories. Employ ment moved up the pay scale over the year. Between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, the number of jobs paying less than $15 per hour fell by 125,700, drop ping 33%. At the same time, the number of jobs paying between $15 and $30 rose by 131,700, and those earning between $30 and $50 per hour increased by 59,300. That’s a gain of 14% in each of those categories. Jobs earning $50 per hour or more rose by 63,100, or 20%.

Employers competing to hire workers in a tight labor market put upward pres sure on wages in 2021. Jobs shifting up the wage scale could also be due in part to scheduled minimum wage increases that occurred in the third quarter of 2021. On July 1, 2022, minimums rose to $14 per hour in the Portland urban growth boundary, $12.75 standard, and $12 in nonurban counties. Rising minimums could potentially push increases further up the pay scale too.

There are a few notable trends across wage categories by sector. Jobs moving out of the under $15 per hour category and into the $15 to $30 per hour category were most notable in health care and social assistance, retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services.

In the top wage category, the biggest nominal gains between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021 in jobs paying at least $50 per hour occurred in professional and business services (14,400), local government (10,600), and health care and social as sistance (9,400). The number of jobs paying at least $50 per hour grew by 55% in leisure and hospitality but represented a smaller number of jobs (2,200).

Real wage gains in service sectors

Between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation grew by 6.7%. Yet, the overall median hourly wage in Oregon saw a slight gain over the year. After adjusting for inflation, real median hourly pay grew by $0.39 to $24.83 per hour. That was a gain of 1.6% over the year.

Eight industries saw real wage gains between the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021. The largest gain occurred in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which rose by 11% to $26.85 per hour. Health care and social assistance (7.2%)

and leisure and hospitality (5.8%) also had notable, real increases in median hourly wages. However, wages in some industries struggled to keep pace with inflation. The largest decline occurred in private educational services, which fell which fell by $1.61 per hour, a loss of 6.2%.

Increasing wages and shifting sectors of employment

Oregon experienced rapid jobs recovery in 2021. Changes in job growth across sectors resulted in the redistribution of jobs across some sectors of Oregon’s economy. That included a larger share of jobs in leisure and hospitality as it recovered from the largest pandemic recession losses of any sector, and a greater share of jobs in professional and business services. Be tween the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2021, eight broad sectors saw real wage gains. There was also a broad shift to more jobs paying higher wages, as evidenced by the increase in the median hourly wage by 1.6%, the decline of jobs paying less than $15 per hour, and even larger in creases in jobs paying higher hourly wages.

Gail Krumenauer is an employment econo mist with the Oregon Employment Department. She may be reached at gail.k.krumenauer@employ. oregon.gov or at 971-3013771.

Student loan fraud alert

The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) is warning people about the uptick in student loan scams.

With recent changes to federal student loan programs, scammers are bombarding borrowers with fraudulent of fers for loan forgiveness and refinancing.

The DFR is encouraging people to ignore phone calls, emails, social media mes sages, and other unsolicited messages from people claim ing they can help you get your student loans forgiven faster or telling you that you should refinance your loan.

“Do not accept these un expected offers without first checking to see if the offer is legitimate,” the DFR advisory states. “Chances are it is a scam.”

Scammers may use the phrases such as “pre-enroll ment for all loan forgiveness” or “you must apply within the next 24 hours.”

“There are no fees as sociated with signing up for student loan forgiveness, so don’t fall for these scams,” DFR Administrator TK Keen said. “Everyone will have the same opportunities and there are no ways to cut in line and get loans forgiven faster.”

There are recent and upcoming changes to federal student loans and forgive ness of loans, as well as the Biden Administration’s one time cancellation. With those changes, unfortunately, there are people who will prey on

those seeking help, according to Keen.

“There is not yet an appli cation available for President Biden’s relief plan,” Oregon Student Loan Ombuds Lane Thompson said. “People can get alerted once the program is live by visiting the U.S. Department of Education website and check the box title ‘NEWII Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates.’”

Lane suggestions as a re minder, that if it is not a .gov website, it is not an official site of the federal govern ment. The key signs to watch out for are if they tell you there is an urgency, a guaran tee, and any secrecy.

“Any time the Depart ment of Education announces changes to the student loan program, scammers come out

of the woodwork,” Thompson said. “The advice remains the same: if it seems too good to be true, it likely is.”

If you have questions regarding your student loan’s eligibility, it is best to go to studentaid.gov. If you believe you received incorrect infor mation from your servicer, email dfr.bankingproduc thelp@dcbs.oregon.gov or call our consumer hotline at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).

About Oregon DFR

The Division of Finan cial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.or egon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.

Courtesy photo

The DFR is encouraging people to ignore phone calls, emails, social media messages, and other unsolicited messages from people claim ing they can help you get your student loans forgiven faster or telling you that you should refinance your loan.

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department