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Season's Greetings

Timber harvesting economics Page A2

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2022

VOL. 131, NO. 30 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891

Landslide closes Highway 30 between Clatskanie, Astoria

Courtesy from ODOT

This photo shows the extent of the landslide along Highway 30. See more photos with this story at thechiefnews.com JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

Highway 30 remained closed Thursday, Dec. 1 while crews clear landslide debris and make temporary repairs to the highway, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

“We don’t have an estimate of when we can reopen the highway, so please use an alternate route if you travel between the Portland area and the north coast the next few days,” ODOT said in a release. “US Highway 26 is the best alternative, and OR Highway 47 and 202 are options for passenger vehicles. Don’t use less developed

roads you may find on your GPS device because these routes are dangerous, especially in wintry weather.”

Late Thursday morning, Dec. 1, ODOT said Highway 30 will remain closed about 20 miles east of Astoria until landslide repairs can make the highway safe enough to reopen at least one lane of travel with flaggers.

“Our first goal is to make the area safe enough to reopen one lane while work continues on lanes closer to the hillside,” ODOT said in a statement. “We have no estimated time for reopening a single lane, but expect it will be no sooner than Friday, Dec. 2.”

ODOT said the work will continue Friday, Dec. 2, and through the weekend if necessary, to reopen the highway as soon as it is safe to do so.

ODOT said heavy rainfall is a suspected cause of the landslide that occurred Tuesday night, Nov. 29. At least 10 truckloads of rock and mud slid onto both lanes of the highway about 10:30 p.m. Material still was sliding down from the hillside as of Thursday, Dec. 1.

“This section of US Highway 30 crosses an area where landslides have long been part of the geology, often triggered by heavy rainfall,” the ODOT release states.

“So, this part of the road has long had landslide warning signs.”

State police Oregon State Police (OSP) were notified of the rockslide and a vehicle crash on Highway 30 near milepost 74 Tuesday night, Nov. 29. Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound commercial motor vehicle (CMV) attempted to drive around the initial slide area / debris field when the remaining debris continued to fall, according to OSP. The debris covered all lanes of Highway 30 and collided with the passing CMV. The driver self-extricated. No injuries were reported. The CMV was left at the scene within the debris, according to OSP.

The repair The slide started about 10:3011 p.m. Tuesday about 100 feet above the roadway, likely due to rain and strong winds on trees with roots deep in rocky hillside, ODOT stated. The slide is about 110 feet wide and sent at least 1,800 cubic yards of mostly rock onto the highway.

Progress toward reopening: • Debris removal has begun on the roadway surface.

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See LANDSLIDE Page A4

City faces sewer plant fine, new costly building issues JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued a $2,800 fine to the City of Clatskanie for violations of the DEQ’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NEPDES) permit that regulates the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

This fine is a result of two incidents that happened within weeks of each other earlier this year, according to Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman.

“The sewer plant experienced failure of a seal within the clarifier that resulted in high levels of E. coli that were discharged into the Clatskanie River in January and March of this year,” Hinkelman said.

Following the discharge, the city closed the Clatskanie River and issued warnings to the public not to use the river on both occasions of the plant failure.

The failure of the seal also

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

A diver prepares to enter the wastewater at the Clatskanie sewer plant during a repair project last spring.

impacted other categories of reporting that showed elevated levels of Effluent limits; Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD’s) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS), according to the DEQ.

Hinkelman said the city conducted a thorough review of each failing and determined that excessive debris was getting into the treatment system, which was caused by issues with the debris

removal system, also known as the headworks, that required adjustments to a screen-cleaning brush and the replacement of a gear box.

“Other issues in procedures for maintenance were reviewed and corrective action was taken,” Hinkelman said. “The corrective and maintenance measures we put into place last spring have been working well and we have not had a repeat of the incidents that happened last winter. Our continued focus is to operate the existing plant within its permit requirements as we move forward with building a new plant.”

The plant is reaching the end of its service life, according to Hinkelman, and in September 2020 the city conducted a facility master plan assessment. Following the assessment Clatskanie was awarded grants to design a new plant and received $10 million from the Oregon Legislature to build the new sewer facility.

Preliminary design of the new plant, which will be constructed at the same location of the current

facility at 100 NW 4th Street in Clatskanie, has been presented to the DEQ for approval before final design can be completed.

“If all goes well, the city hopes to have construction start in the summer of 2023,” Hinkelman said, adding that there is now a new challenge in having the new plant build.

A city-commissioned report shows the soil where the new plant would be constructed shows liquefaction of the soil could occur during an earthquake, meaning that the ground would lose strength.

“If we build on the existing ground, the plant will likely not survive an earthquake, so we have to shore up the ground so that the new plant can meet seismic requirements,” he said. “That means that the costs to build the new sewer plant will increase by a few million dollars more for the construction.”

Hinkelman said he plans to meet with Oregon legislators in January to lobby for the additional needed funding.

New local business offers creative art options Obituaries .................... A3 Clatskanie Grows ....... A4 Community Events ..... A4

Classified Ads ............ A6

Legals .......................... A6 Season’s Greetings A7-8

Contact The Chief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051

LAUREY WHITE Chief Guest Article

There is a new business in Rainier, promising to bring out your most artistic self.

Marvelous Mosaic is owned

by Kory Dollar, described as a world-class artist. This new store and workshop at 315 W. B street is where classes are offered to the public, allowing individuals to learn how to create stained glass, perhaps the most beautiful of art forms.

Long associated with church windows, the beauty produced by stained glass is continually increasing in popularity.

“In 2022, stained glass is a popular trend,” writes Kate Streit for Simplemost publication. “You probably think of stained glass in a church or some ancient structure.

Well, what is old is new again. It has become one of the hottest trends in decorating.”

Sources say there has been an increase of 127% in searches online for stained glass crafts and supplies.

Kory and her sister Rachel Dollar manage the Rainier business.

Both said the rewards of the art and the business have been many.

The ‘delight’

The two said it is “thrilling” for them to see the delight in a student’s eyes when they finish a piece. The camaraderie developed is an added benefit for the artists. It has become quite the hub for social interaction.

“I have met so many wonderful people here,” artist Denise Watson said. “The people I have met have become some of my closest friends.”

This sentiment is echoed by many of the students, according to Rachel.

Kory said her passion for creating comes from nature and nurture. She grew up in an artistically inclined family, who always encouraged her to use self-expression. From a very young age, she began working with her father, and has had practice working in many mediums – eventually mastering the art of stained glass.

Marvelous Mosaic concentrates on the most popular form of mosaic, which is glass-on-glass or GOG. “Kory is intrigued by glass and its dimensional effects it can produce by illumination; she uses light, reflection, and negative space to create her mosaics,” Rachel said.

Courtesy from Rachel Dollar

This stained-glass art piece is one of many on display at Marvelous Mosaic.

Kory up-cycles wood framed windows, creating beautiful mosaic sun-catchers or privacy screens that can be hung in a window or on a covered patio.

Her specialty is flowers, blossom trees, mandalas, and goddesses.

From a very young age, she has had practice working in many mediums such as wood, stained glass, clay, ink, acrylic, and watercolor.

Inspirations for mosaic designs are up to each individual student.

Kory’s inspiration for her mosaics comes from design, texture, and color of the stained glass itself.

“Kory wants to leave a healthy

artistic footprint behind for her children; she is driven by her need to artistically express feelings, desires, and visions,” Rachel said.

As with any new business, the two said there have been challenges.

“The biggest one we have faced is getting the word out about our store” Rachel said “We do have an advantage because Rainier is right off Highway 30, which helps bring in people from surrounding areas.

Facebook has also helped with

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See MOSAIC Page A6

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Friday, December 2, 2022

www.thechiefnews.com

New report outlines Oregon’s timber harvesting economics county’s logging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufacturing industry dropped by 21 in 2019 to 441. Despite having smaller harvests, Benton County is in the middle of the pack in the region for timber-related jobs. The small loss continued a long-term trend of declining timber industry jobs in the county and Northwest Oregon. By way of comparison, a similar level of harvests supported nearly 1,050 jobs in 1996. The county remained home to 10 wood product mills and 27 forestry and logging businesses.

ERIK KNODER Chief Guest Article

Editor’s Note: The following is the most current economic research of the Northwest Oregon timber harvests presented in the article below.

Timber harvests fell for the second year in 2019 in Northwest Oregon.

The 2019 harvest fell by 11% from 2018 and was down 15% from 2017. The total harvest in 2019 was about 9% below the average of the previous 10 years.

Employment in the timber industry decreased a bit in 2019 and was about 20 jobs below the average employment of the previous 10 years.

Columbia County The timber harvest in Columbia County dropped by 9% in 2019. The total harvest was 149,145,000 board feet. It was the worst year since 2011, and 8% below the average of the previous 10 years. During much of the 1980s and 1990s Columbia County used to punch above its weight when it came to timber production. Harvest levels routinely matched or exceed nearby Lincoln and Tillamook counties, but that hasn’t been the case since the Great Recession. Columbia County is the smallest county in Northwest Oregon, with only 657 square miles.

About 75% of the county is zoned as forest land.

Employment in logging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufacturing slid by 11 in 2019 to 457.

Employment in logging and lumber and wood product manufacturing is up by more than 100 jobs from the depths of the recession and

Economic recovery

Metro Creative Connection

was 9% higher than the average of the previous 10 years.

Unfortunately, this is only a little more than half its level of the early 2000s.

In 2019 there were six lumber mills and 28 forestry and logging businesses in the county.

Clatsop County The timber harvest was down 17% in Clatsop County in 2019. The harvest in 2019 was 215,784,000 board feet, which was the lowest since 1998. This also was 20% below the average of the previous 10 years.

Clatsop County is 827 square miles, putting it squarely in the middle of the pack by size of Northwest Oregon counties. About 85% of the county is forest land, and it includes most of Clatsop State Forest.

Logging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufacturing employment in Clatsop County fell slightly with the loss of 15

jobs. Employment was about about 6% jobs below its average of the past 10 years.

Somewhat smaller harvests in the 1990s supported more than 500 jobs.

There were four wood product mills in the county in 2019 and 16 forestry and logging firms.

Lincoln County The timber harvest fell 17% in Lincoln County in 2019. The harvest was 155,354,000 board feet.

The 2019 harvest was the lowest since 2010 when the county was mired in the Great Recession. Lincoln County is the second largest in northwest Oregon at 980 square miles. About 90% of the county is forest lands.

Employment in the logging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufacturing industry was essentially unchanged in 2019 – down eight jobs from 2018 and was just a handful of jobs below its level before

the Great Recession. There were 14 logging and forestry businesses in the county.

Wood product manufacturing is a confidential industry in Lincoln County.

Tillamook County The timber harvest in Tillamook County rose about 1% in 2019. The total harvest was 197,902,000 board feet. The recent low harvest in Tillamook County was 142,018,000 board feet in 2009, so the 2017 harvest remained an improvement over that year and was still above the average for the past 10 years.

Tillamook County is 1,102 square miles and is the largest of the five counties in Northwest Oregon. About 85% of the county is zoned as forest land. The county is also home to the Tillamook State Forest.

Employment in logging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufacturing fell by 23 jobs in Tillamook

County in 2019 to 554 jobs.

The county shed about 240 jobs from the industry during the Great Recession. One reason for the drop was the loss of mills. The county had seven mills in this industry in 2006, only four in 2013, and was back up to five mills in 2019. The logging portion of the industry remained relatively stable during the recession and recovery. The total industry regained about 150 jobs during the recovery, but employment slowly declined from 2015 through 2019.

Benton County Timber harvests fell 13% in 2019 to 109,502,000 board feet, the lowest level since 2014. Benton County produces less timber than any of the other four counties in Northwest Oregon. Benton County is the second-smallest county in the region and about 57% is forested.

Employment in the

Northwest Oregon has recovered some timber industry jobs from the depths of the Great Recession, but the region seems unlikely to regain all the jobs. Technological and market changes are working to reduce timber jobs across the state.

Labor demand was about as strong as it could get in 2019. Logging employment fell sharply during the pandemic recession and has rebounded, but not completely back to pre-pandemic levels. The story is similar with wood product manufacturing.

Although these industries may not grow much in the future, the region will have hundreds of job openings in the timber industry due to turnover and retirements.

Northwest Oregon will continue to produce timber and timber workers for years to come.

See more graphs with this article at thechiefnews.com.

Erik Knoder is a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. He may be reached at 541-3515595.

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

Never Come Down concert at Birkenfeld Theatre Editor’s Note: In the Nov. 25 edition, The Chief listed the musical group as Never Come Home. The name is in fact Never Come Down.

The Chief is happy to set the record straight.

Never Come Down, a Portland-based music group, will perform in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 that the Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S. Nehalem in Clatskanie.

After an amazing national tour and a showcase at the recent IBMA Awards, the

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Clatskanie Arts Commission is excited to present this amazing group as part of its 33rd annual Performing Arts Series.

Weaving together modern and traditional styles of bluegrass and americana, Never Come Down is a based fivepiece composed of Joe Suskind (guitar), Crystal Lariza (vocals), Brian Alley (banjo), Kaden Hurst (mandolin), and Ben Ticknor (bass).

Their dedication to thoughtful songwriting and dynamic arrangements

•C rossword S olutions • •

Solution for the Nov. 25, 2022 crossword puzzle

highlights polished technical skills and a commitment to listening to each other.

Formed in 2018, the band’s self-titled debut arrived shortly thereafter, and their second album “Better Late Than Never” was released in 2021. They’ve toured internationally and have found acclaim from festivals and venues such

as Iceland Airwaves, John Hartford Memorial Fest, Americanafest, FreshGrass and RockyGrass where they were Band Competition winners in 2021.

Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (60+) and students and $15 for children.

Tickets may be purchased online at clatskaniearts.org or by calling Elsa at 503-728-3403.

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North Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Courtesy photo

Friday, December 2, 2022

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www.thechiefnews.com

Report shows COVID-19 impacts on Oregon’s breweries, pubs

- ERIK KNODER

Chief Guest Article

The year 2020 was difficult for many types of n businesses.

The COVID-19 pand demic dramatically altered e- the way we engage the s economy.

Breweries and brewpubs st had been posting slower rirates of growth before the 50 onset of the pandemic, but the closure of in-person dind ing dealt a blow to demand ry for kegs and employment within the pubs themselves.

In the summer of 2019, there were nearly 9,090 jobs in brewing establishments across the state of Oregon.

A brewing establishment is any location that brews hs beer. A portion of these are manufacturing facilities o that produce their beer to - be distributed to retailers or s restaurants. However, many er of the state’s brewing establishments are brewpubs that ut both brew beer and serve that beer onsite in a more typical restaurant environe ment. s The dramatic impacts of the pandemic were first seen mic in April 2020 when covered employment dropped c- by a staggering 3,700 jobs (-50%) from the month bees fore. The drop is even more shocking when you consider

er

the highly seasonal nature of the industry. Typically, the spring is a time of hiring for breweries and pubs, which means the loss of half of total employment in one month understates the true impact to the industry.

As with the economy more broadly, there was an initial V-shaped recovery to employment during summer 2020 in Oregon’s brewing industry. Pubs and breweries added back around 2,700 of the 3,700 jobs lost in April. Even with this sharp rebound, by August 2020 employment in breweries still remained down by around 27% from August 2019.

As you might expect, the COVID impacts to the brewing industry were much more significant than to the overall economy, but job losses were also more significant than the loss in food services and drinking places, where employment was down by 23% over the year. For the overall economy, employment remained down only 8% in August 2020 compared with the previous year.

Employment fell again in the winter of 2021, as it usually does in seasonal industries. The overall trend, however, was, and is, for continued recovery.

The most recent data are

Metro Creative Connection

Some local breweries and pubs in Columbia County and across the state were forced to close or limit operations during the COVID-19 pandemic’s Extreme High-Risk classifications.

from June 2022 and they show that employment in Oregon’s breweries and brewpubs was down only 14% below the level of August 2019. With normal

seasonal growth it’s likely the employment in brewing returned to near its prepandemic level during the summer of 2022.

Behind these higher

level numbers we see some interesting trends. There were 263 establishments that reported employment the summer before the pandemic in August 2019.

The vast majority of these brewing establishments posted job losses during the pandemic, and 109 of them still had lower, but some, employment nearly three years later in June 2022.

An additional 64 of them were no longer reporting any employment at all by June 2022. In June 2022 there were 244 brewing establishments reporting employment. Of these, 116 showed an employment gain over the period, and 31 of these with gains were reporting employment for the first time.

We don’t have a good measure on business closures and openings, but we do know if an establishment stopped reporting employment or began reporting employment for the first time and this is likely to indicate a closing or opening. A few of these were documented permanent closures, including Bridgeport, Lompoc, and The Ram. Interestingly, some of the businesses that announced permanent closures did so before the onset of the pandemic.

Perhaps most impres-

sive are the 31 brewing establishments that began reporting employment for the first time. These weren’t necessarily new breweries, but they began paying payroll employees for the first time during a pandemic and recession recovery. Hats off to these entrepreneurs for getting a brewery up and running in such a challenging environment.

Despite the challenges faced in the past three years, there is reason for optimism as we move further away from lockdowns and restrictions. Fewer public health restrictions helped consumers feel more comfortable going out to public places such as brewpubs. The opening of the economy and the spending of money saved during the pandemic led to an increase in spending on beer. In 2022, an economic concern is whether we face a recession.

Fortunately for brewers, alcoholic beverages are considered recession resistant products, although the mix of what and where beverages are consumed may change.

Erik Knoder is a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. He may be reached at 541-351-5595.

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Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

New Reality, Hope: Addresses the fentanyl crisis MICHELLE KLAMPE Chief Guest Article

Concern, but hope comes from journalist and author Sam Quinones about the grim reality that fentanyl and methamphetamine have caused across the United States.

Quinones offered reasons for hope amid a crisis that he said is killing thousands annually.

In a presentatioin at Oregon State University in Corvallis Monday, Nov. 14, Quinones talked about how an unrelenting supply of synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine has created a new reality for drug use across the nation.

“These synthetic drugs changed everything,” he said.

“That’s an important point to keep in mind. There is nothing about drug smuggling, profit, use, addiction, treatment, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera – there is nothing that remains the same. It’s all been changed by these two

drugs.”

Quinones spoke as part of the Provost’s Lecture Series at the LaSells Stewart Center on Oregon State’s Corvallis campus. The talk was viewed by about 300 people combined in person and online.

These synthetic drugs changed everything. ~ Sam Quinones, journalist and author

During his talk, Quinones, who for 35 years has written extensively on immigration, gangs, drug trafficking, the opioid crisis and challenges along the U.S.Mexico border, focused on his two most recent books, “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic” and “The Least of Us:

True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth.”

“Dreamland,” which ignited awareness of the country’s opioid epidemic, won a National Book Critics Circle award for the Best Nonfiction Book of 2015.

In “The Least of Us,” published in October 2021, he chronicles the emergence of a drug-trafficking world producing massive supplies of dope cheaper and deadlier than ever and marketing it to a growing population of addicts created by the nation’s opioid epidemic.

“We have to understand that this is the new reality,” Quinones said. “A lot of ideas were formed prefentanyl, pre-meth. They are nice ideas. I don’t believe they really help. They certainly don’t help the most hardened, intractable cases of the moment of which you see in the tent encampments.”

He spoke about how tent encampments across the country are due in large part to this new synthetic drug

crisis, and not just because of economic reasons such as the lack of affordable housing.

He argued that drug treatment courts need to be expanded and that jails need to be reimagined as rehabilitation centers and not just as places where inmates watch television, are released and then end up coming back to jail.

He also spoke critically of Measure 110, a ballot measure approved by Oregon voters in 2020 that reduces penalties for drug possession.

“It seems to me, or the evidence shows that we need to begin to arrest and charge with felonies people who are selling fentanyl,” he said.

“Fentanyl is tantamount to firing a gun into a crowd.

You’re going to hurt somebody. You most likely will kill somebody.”

In his book “The Least of Us,” Quinones describes a new reality created by fentanyl and methamphetamine as a backdrop to tell tales of many Americans’ quiet attempts to reclaim their communities through simple acts of helping the vulnerable.

“People on the radio always want to talk about fentanyl and meth,” he said.

“I’m happy to talk about it, but to me the most important

Metro Creative Connection

part of the book is really these stories of Americans in the smallest little ways working at trying to find a way forward.”

Following his talk, Quinones was joined by Allison Myers, director of the OSU Center for Health Innovation in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, who moderated a questionand-answer discussion.

Myers ended the discussion by asking Quinones what he was hopeful about.

He recounted working as a

writing instructor and encouraging a student who was interested in writing a book to first write a story, and then another, and then eventually shape those stories into a book.

“We should be about working in small ways and finding our hope there,” he said. “When we do that, we activate that enormous, very essential part of our brain chemistry that says being around other people can be the most exhilarating thing you have ever done.”

Quinones’ lecture was the first in Oregon State’s 202223 Provost Lecture Series. It will be followed by a virtual lecture on April 4, featuring Laurie Santos, Yale psychology professor and host of the popular podcast, “The Happiness Lab.” The Provost’s Lecture Series is a partnership of the Provost’s Office and the OSU Foundation. It brings renowned thinkers, writers, scientists, artists and leaders to OSU. Recent speakers in the Provost’s Lecture Series include Mary Karr, David Eagleman, Ibram X. Kendi, Mae Jemison and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Michelle Klampe is a writer-news researcher at Oregon State University Relations and Marketing. She may be reached at michelle. klampe@oregonstate.edu or at 541-737-0784.

North Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Friday, December 2, 2022

www.thechiefnews.com

Seasonal topics include keeping Christmas trees fresh CHIP BUBL Clatskanie Grows Chief Guest Column

This one is simple. It’s the water … and the tree.

First, it is worth noting that the Christmas tree growers have been funding research for years on the conifer species and genetic lines within those species that best retain their needles indoors after cutting.

The most popular species are Douglas, grand, noble, and Nordmann fir trees.

They all have excellent needle retention characteristics. When picking out a tree from a lot, check some of the outer branchlets to see if they snap when bent. On the freshest trees, they do.

But most important, if you keep your tree from running out of water, it will last for a long time in all but the driest homes. When you get your tree, especially if it’s from a lot and may have been stored for a time, cut the base at least one inch to open up fresh wood for water uptake.

Place the tree in water and don’t let it go dry. You can keep a tree outside in the shade for a long time before you bring it in. If you do that, cut the base again. Buy a tree stand with a large reservoir, because in the first few days in the house, the tree will take up quarts of water. There is little evidence that any of the preservatives have much of an impact on the longevity of the tree. Smaller trees (sold as “table tops”) have a

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Some winter gardening ideas

much harder time retaining needles and not drying out, even with the most attentive watering.

A number of insects like to winter in the dense cover of Christmas trees. When the trees are brought inside, the tree and the insects come out of dormancy. You may see the brown marmorated stink bug wandering around, perhaps a box elder bug here and there, some spiders, and possibly, queen yellow jackets.

My perspective has been to gently capture them and release them outside. While the yellow jacket queen may be quite drowsy (or not, depending on how long it’s been since she woke up), she can still pack quite a sting, which she can repeat several times. So be cautious.

Christmas gifts for gardeners (mostly modest in cost) Metro Creative Connection

• An assortment of nice gardening gloves, especially those flexible kinds that rose thorns don’t penetrate or nice-fitting leather glove.

• Knee pads or knee benches for gardeners to make close work less of a pain.

• Cast aluminum hand trowels and hand spading forks and/or specially designed “ergonomic” tools for less muscle strain.

• Special shovels like ones for digging ditches or bed edges.

• Full sized spading forks for major soil loosening.

• Pruning tools like Felco type hand pruners, good loppers, or a hori hori knife for up-close weeding or making holes for bulbs and other garden plants.

• Gift certificates to garden centers and/or Feed and Seed stores: This is always useful.

• A soil thermometer is always useful. So are moisture meters with ~10-12inch probes for containers and houseplants.

• A gardening journal (purchased or home-made).

This will help the gardener remember which green bean that they really liked last summer and so much more.

• A good book about garden insects. They are so interesting!

• Garden scissors for flower cutting.

• Garden carts or wheelbarrows.

• Bird houses and feeders.

• Bat houses (placement can be an issue – needs to be 12 feet above ground).

• Mason bee shelter with replaceable tubes.

• Garden benches.

• Stay off your lawn when it is soggy. Wet soils compact with weight on them and the pore spaces that allow drainage and air around the roots get squished.

• Cover your compost pile to speed up the composting process. Piles that are water saturated will compost, just slower.

• Cover edible herbaceous perennials like rhubarb and asparagus with compost or “strawy” manure. Repeat for ornamental perennials like peonies and daylilies.

• Clean and refill bird feeders regularly. High moisture days tends to sprout or mold seed towards the bottoms of the feeders.

Provide hummingbirds with sugar water ( one part sugar to four parts water) throughout the winter. Clean those feeders regularly as well.

• Start looking at seed catalogs and planning your vegetable gardens for next year.

• Water plants under eaves if you haven’t recently Food Preservation: You can get up-to –date and accurate answers to your food preservation questions by calling our office at 503 397-3462 and ask to speak to Jenny Rudolph.

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

Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

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

It always is greatly appreciated.

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 University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly.

All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you. Call 503397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http:// extension.oregonstate.edu/ columbia/ and click on newsletters.

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

•C ommunity E vents • •

Now until December 14 City of Rainier Holiday Home Decorating Contest The winner in each category will receive a gift. Deadline to enter is December 14, 2022.

Entrants must reside in the Rainier City limits. Judging will take place the evenings of December 16 and 17 with prizes and notification to be announced Christmas week. To enter, fill out form and drop it off at City Hall or email it to info@cityofrainier.

December 3 Sunset Park Community Church Annual Bazaar Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 174 Sunset Boulevard in St. Helens.

December 3 and 4 Columbia City Elementary PTO Holiday Bazaar The Holiday Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Columbia City Elementary School, 2000 Second Street in Columbia City. Stop by for holiday décor and gifts.

December 4 Christmas Tree Lighting Christmas tree lighting and Santa’s arrival at 5 p.m. in Rainier. Santa will arrive at Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street to light the Christmas tree. Free pictures and refreshments will follow at the Rainier Eagles Lodge. The public is welcome.

December 5 Holiday Concert 6 p.m. Michael Allen Harrison Holiday Concert at Columbia City Community Hall, 1850 Second Street in Columbia City. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Proceeds from this event will go to Michael’s Snowman

LANDSLIDE From Page A1 • Commercial truck has been removed from the debris but still needs to be towed.

• ODOT geologist found two car-sized sections of hillside that need to be removed because they are large enough to block the highway again when they fall.

Work remaining before one lane can reopen: • Removal of the two large sections of hillside that are on the verge of sliding and large enough to block the entire highway.

• Clearing enough debris

Foundation. Tickets are $20 and will be sold at Columbia City Hall, 1840 Second Street.

Food and beverages will be sold at this event.

third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at 1925 First Street in Columbia City. For more information, call 503-3975390.

December 10 St. Helens Band Patrons Lions Holiday Bazaar The bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Helens High School Commons.

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Meets at 7 p.m. every other second Tuesday. Meetings are currently held electronically by Zoom. For more information, contact Council Coordinator Allan Whiting at E-mail: allan@whitingenv. com, or call 503-789-9240.

Visit the council’s website for agenda postings and Zoom at www.lowercolumbiariver. org/events-page.

December 10 Story Time at Santa and Mrs. Claus 4:30 p.m. Story Time at the Rainier City Library. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be reading The Night Before Christmas.

December 17 Spirit of Christmas in Scappoose The Christmas Market will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Scappoose annex gym. Santa and the Grinch will attend throughout the day.

December 17 and 18 Holiday Bazaar for Columbia River Fire and Rescue Scholarship Fund The Columbia River Fire & Rescue Volunteer Association Holiday Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion, 58892 Saulser Road. in St. Helens. Door prizes on Saturday and a visit from the Grinch from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Ongoing events Caples Evening Programs The cost for this evening and all our Fireside Chats will be only $5. Caples will be offering a different program the

The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) is open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday (except major holidays weekends). ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street. For more information, call 360-751-7039.

The Rainier Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. It will be closed Sundays and Mondays.

Avamere at St. Helens hosts a Virtual Dementia Support Group – third Wednesday of each month from 2 to 3 p.m.

For more details, contact Jenny Hicks/Avamere at St. Helens at 503-366-8070.

To list an event in the Community Calendar, email details with a phone number that may be published, to chronicleclassifieds@ countrymedia.net, or call 503-397-0116.

Would you like to see a white Christmas?

Yes

No

Last Week’s Results Will you be celebrating the holiday with a real Christmas tree or with an artificial tree?

32.6% Yes 67.4% No

Vote online at thechiefnews.com

The Chief

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chief PO Box 1153, St. Helens, OR 97051

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 month in county: $8 1 month out of county: $10 One year in county: $60 One year out of county: $80

CONTACT US • Phone: (503) 397-0116 • Fax: (503) 397-4093 Website: www.thechiefnews.com Editorial: chiefnews@countrymedia.net ADVERTISE WITH US: Advertising Email: chronicleads@countrymedia.net Classified email: chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net

on the road surface to allow reopening a single lane and provide space for crews to continue work and to catch any new smaller rockslides.

• Repairing any pavement damage and setting up a single lane detour with flaggers.

Emergency cleanup began Wednesday, Nov. 30.

After that, ODOT safety engineers and geologist will make sure the highway is safe to reopen.

Check Tripcheck.com for updates for this and other road and weather situations in Oregon. Follow this developing story at thechiefnews. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

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Joe Warren Publisher

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Jon Lowrance Driver

Editorial policy Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chief views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

Courtesy from ODOT

The landslide occurred Tuesday night between Astoria and Clatskanie on Highway 30. The driver of the truck was not injured. See more photos with this story at thechiefnews.com

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Letters policy This newspaper’s letters to the editor are limited to a maximum of 250 words and will be edited for grammar, spelling

and blatant inaccuracies. Unsubstantiated or irresponsible allegations, or personal attacks on any individual, will not be published. Letters containing details presented as facts rather than opinions must include their sources. Writers are limited to one published letter per month.

All submissions must include the author’s full name, local

street address and telephone number (only the name and city of residence will be published).

By submitting a letter, writers also grant permission for them to be posted online. Opinions expressed on this page are the writer’s alone and do not represent the opinion of the newspaper or its parent company, Country Media, Inc.

Marketplace

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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for a Chief Financial Officer. Apply online at www.columbia9 11 . c o m / c a r e e r s .

Additional information can be found on our website or by calling 503366-6978.

Manager. Responsibilities: Train, manage and evaluate approximately 20 lifeguards; beginning in February and continuing into September. Plan, organize and schedule programs offered at our seasonal outdoor pool.

Be responsible for scheduling adequate staff for the safety, supervision, cleanliness, water chemistry and mechanical operation of the pool for youth and families in our District.

Maintain pool and employee records.

Perform such other duties as assigned by the District Manager and/or Board of Directors from time to time.

Knowledge and Skills: Strong administrative skills, recreational aquatic programming skills, leadership and managerial skills, pool maintenance and water chemistry skills and good public relation skills are a must. Thorough knowledge of policies, procedures and equipment used in daily outdoor pool opera-

tions helpful. Work with pool related chemicals and be familiar with State and Federal regulations regarding outdoor pool operations.

Experience and Training: Experience preferred. Or the willingness to work within an agreed upon time frame between applicant and Board of Directors to obtain the required and suggested certifications for the position; First-Aid, CPR, AED certifications, Lifeguard Instructor and

Training, Water Safety Instructor and CPO (Certified Pool Operator) certifications. You can request an application by phone at 503-728-2757, by email at csp@ cni.net or on our website www. clatskanieparksan drecreation.com.

Applications and resumes can be returned by mail to: Clatskanie Park & Recreation District, PO Box 737, Clatskanie OR 97016 or by email to csp@cni.net. If you have any questions, please

leave message at 503-728-2757.

Applications with resumes will be accepted through January 31, 2023.

Pool Manager Clatskanie Park & Recreation District is now accepting applications and resumes for a Pool

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Garage Sales

Rummage Sale at Westport Community Church (Westport, Oregon), Thurs, Fri., & Sat, Dec. 1, 2 & 3 from 9 am - 5 pm.

2 solid wood twin beds, 3 beautiful wedding gowns and much more.

Too much to list.

Hoarder’s Paradise!

20 sizes, Inexpensive RV Storage, Carports, Hand trucks, Locks, Fully-lined, Insulated, Condensation free, all units lit. On-site Manager

503 728-2051 503 369-6503 Visa/MC/Amex

Need a job? check the classifieds online at www.thechiefnews.com to find your perfect job offer

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC22-1000

TS No. OR07000175-22-1 APN 17950 TO No 220473436-OR-MSI TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, JENNIFER L ELWOOD as Grantor to CLEAR RECON CORP. as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of July 3, 2021 and recorded on July 9, 2021 as Instrument No. 2021-08107 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Columbia County, Oregon to-wit: APN: 17950 LOT 5, BLOCK 36, MOECKS ADDITION TO THE CITY OF RAINIER, IN THE CITY OF RAINIER, COUNTY OF COLUM-

BIA AND STATE OF OREGON. Commonly known as: 422 W C ST, RAINIER, OR 97048 Both the Beneficiary, Data Mortgage, Inc., and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.735(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 1 Monthly Payment(s) from 02/01/2022 to 11/01/2022 at $22,233.40 Monthly Late Charge(s): By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said Trust Deed immediately due and pay-

able, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $350,858.38 together with interest thereon at the rate of 3.87500% per annum from January 1, 2022 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed.

Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on March 21, 2023 at the hour of 01:00 PM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, Front Entrance, Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, OR 97051 County of Columbia, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property

which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee.

Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.753 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together with the

costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing this notice, the masculine

gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any. Dated: 11/10/2022 By: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Order Number 87215, Pub Dates: 12/2/2022, 12/9/2022, 12/16/2022, 12/23/2022, THE CLATSKANIE CHIEF

CC22-1703

CC22-1001

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING Before the Clatskanie City Council DATE OF NOTICE: November 18, 2022 TYPE: Lease Entry LOCATION OF HEARING: Clatskanie City Council Chambers, 75 S. Nehalem St. HEARING TIME & DATE: Wednesday December 7th, 2022 NOTICE: Citizens of the City of Clatskanie, Oregon are hereby notified that a public hearing will be held regarding leas-

ing a portion of Tax Lot 7405-00-02600 in Columbia County, Oregon, consisting of approximately 1.9 acres of land owned by the City of Clatskanie, to Spectrum Pacific West, LLC for the purpose of storing equipment and bulk materials for broadband infrastructure installation. COMMENTS: Interested parties are invited to attend and offer either oral or written testimony.

Failure to raise an issue either written or oral may affect your ability to appeal.

All written comments should be submitted to the City by Friday December 2nd, 2022; 5PM. PUBLIC INFORMATION: The City Council meeting packet will be available on the City’s website (www.cityofclatskanie.com) or at City Hall the afternoon of Friday December 2nd, 2022.

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

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

The Board of Directors for Clatskanie School District 6J will hold a Board meeting, Tuesday, December 6, 2022, 6:30 p.m. @ Clatskanie El-

ementary Library and via Zoom. OSBA will conduct the meeting to begin our permanent superintendent search for next year. Please see our website at www.

csd.k12.or.us on the main page for directions to join the zoom meeting. Please see our website for an official agenda. The public is encouraged to attend.

CC22-1701

NOTICE OF COUNCIL MEETING The Clatskanie City Council will meet on Wednesday, December 7th, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall in the Clatskanie Cultural Center, 75 South Nehalem St. (2nd floor).

Agenda items include but are not limited to: approval of the minutes of the November 2nd, 2022 council meeting, the second reading of an ordinance regulating RVs in city limits, and an approval of a long term contract for

leasing city owned property to Spectrum. Access to the meeting on ZOOM will be posted on the city website, www.cityofclatskanie.com.

Please call City Hall at least 48 hours in advance if you need assistance.

Environmental group asks state to ‘immediately revoke’ NEXT authorizations STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

The environmental watchdog group, Columbia Riverkeeper, is asking state agencies to immediately revoke specific authorizations for the proposed $2 billion NEXT renewable fuels facil-

ity at Port Westward.

Columbia Riverkeeper has sent a letter to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODE) notifying the agencies that NEXT is violating its two key permits after the Land Use Board of

Appeals reversed a county land use approval.

In the letter, Columbia Riverkeeper alleges that NEXT is currently violating its air permit and site certificate exemption.

“These permits are invalid after a recent Oregon Land Use Board

of Appeals (LUBA) decision reversed the land use approval required for both permits,” the letter states.

“DEQ and ODOE should immediately revoke NEXT’s air permit and site certificate exemption. Additionally, we request meetings to discuss the implications of

the LUBA decision on the permit process going forward. Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to preventing harm to the Columbia River Estuary, including the surrounding community and farmland, where this project is situated.”

County land use approval

is necessary for NEXT’s air permit and site certificate exemption. Without it, NEXT is violating these permits, according to a release from the environmental group.

See the Columbia Riverkeepers letter to the DEQ and ODE attached to this story at thechiefnews.com.

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Friday, December 2, 2022

www.thechiefnews.com

Oregon Moms Union wants 2023 to be ‘Year of the Student’

Courtesy photo

The Oregon Moms Union announced the effort outside the Oregon Department of Education building in Salem.

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Members from Oregon Moms Union stood outside of the Oregon Department of Education in Salem to discuss what the members said is the opportunity to fix problems within the Oregon education system with the help of parents and elected officials.

Several of the candidates that Oregon Moms Union ranked with an “A Grade” when it comes to parents’ rights and school choice issues were successful in the 2022 election cycle, according to a release from Oregon Moms Union. A few of those candidates joined the Salem event Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“Many parents across

Oregon have made progress working with their school boards to implement positive changes,” Oregon Moms Union President MacKensey Pulliam said. “Parents also helped vote in candidates who will prioritize our students. Now, it’s time for parents to work alongside these legislators to push for positive changes in the school system to prioritize our students, put academics over political agendas, and get our kids back on track.

It’s time to make 2023 the year of the student!”

“I’m here today to make it clear to Oregonians that those of us in the legislature will be working hard to respect our kids, to respect our parents, and to respect our families in the education process,” House District 21

Representative-Elect Kevin Mannix said.

“I’m here to say I’m listening, and my priority in the capitol next year is giving our kids the education they deserve and restoring trust with parents,” House District 22 Representative-Elect Tracy Cramer said.

The 2023 legislative session will begin in January, and there will be several bills introduced addressing education, including online transparency in curriculum, a parents rights bill and expanded school choice options. School board elections will also take place in May of 2023, where parents and community members can help elect candidates who respect the rights of parents and support prioritizing students’ academic needs.

About Oregon Moms Oregon Moms Union, formed in early 2021 in the wake of COVID-19 school shutdowns and distance learning, seeks to empower parents to advocate for a student-first K-12 education system. It currently has more than 90 volunteer School District Captains serving in more than 75 school districts.

Learn more at www. oregonmomsunion.com.

MOSAIC

•

Donna Jane Carver

Oct. 28, 1938 ~ Nov. 25, 2022 Donna Jane Carver was born on Oct. 28, 1938, in Moscow, Idaho. She married Gerald Carver on June 23, 1961 and passed away peacefully at her home in Clatskanie, Oregon on Nov. 25, 2022.

She was a schoolteacher in The Dalles, Oregon.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years; sister Judy Stromer; Judy’s daughter Dalaina Salamun; three children, Linda, James, and Sandra; 16 grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren.

For many years she was an active member of Clats-

kanie TOPS and Westport Community Church. She

received great joy from her social activities with her friends and family and is now enjoying the welcome celebration she received in Heaven. She was much loved by her friends, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who have wonderful memories of her warmth, affection, and great sense of humor.

The celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2022 at Westport Community Church. Flowers or donations can be sent to the Westport Community Church in her honor.

Gerald Carver

July 8, 1935 ~ Nov. 30, 2022 Gerald Carver was born July 8, 1935 in Clatskanie, Oregon. He married Donna Jane Carver on June 23, 1961 and passed away peacefully on Nov. 30, 2022.

He was a diesel mechanic for many years and served in the Army during the Korean war. After raising a family in The Dalles, he returned to Clatskanie to purchase the farm he grew up on and loved.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Donna.

He is survived by his sib-

From Page A1

lings, David Carver, Patricia Black, and Jean Moore;

children, Linda, James, and Sandra; 16 grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren.

He was an active member of the community, serving for many years as a board member of the Westport Water Association. He was loved by his family and well respected by all who knew him.

The celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2022 at Westport Community Church. Flowers or donations can be sent to Westport Community Church.

Patricia Ann Erickson April 15, 1940 ~ Sept. 8, 2022

generating interest.”

Children are welcome to come learn as well, the two artists said. There are classes for kids who want to have fun while learning a new hobby. Call the store to find out more about these classes.

Kory also teaches workshops in Deer Island. These retreats include overnight stays and are very popular, she said.

History “Rather than creating images by adding pigment to a flat surface, some artists created patterns or shapes by arranging hundreds to thousands of tiny, colored tiles, Mosaic Art Galley states on its website. “We call this art form a mosaic; a decorated surface made up of individual pieces. It’s a unique art form and one which can produce incredible results.”

•O bituaries • •

Courtesy from Rachel Dollar

The front entrance of Marvelous Mosaic in Rainier.

Mosaic Art Galley states that the oldest mosaics the gallery’s researchers have found date to the 3rd millennium, in a temple in Mesopotamia.

“These ancient mosaics were made of stones, shells, and ivory, most of which were locally available products,” the website states.

•

For more information about the Marvelous Mosaic retreats, call 360-719-9298.

Marvelous Mosaic 315 W. B Street Rainier 360-910-3377

Patricia Ann Erickson passed on Sept. 8, 2022.

She was born to Agnes and Fred Erickson on April 15, 1940 in Clatskanie, Oregon.

She graduated from Quincy Grade School and Clatskanie High School, attended Oregon State University and then began a lifetime of work. While working for Tektronics, she met and married Marvin May. The marriage ended in a divorce and she later married Jerome Smith.

She became a travel

agent, which afforded her the opportunities to visit much of the world. She and Smith entered into a legal separation. She later developed a special friend in Buddy Olds. This relationship lasted for the balance of his life.

She is survived by son Christopher May; daughter Carrie May-Varas; grandchildren, Shawn May, Raymond May, DesRay Conklin, Shayna Vallejo, Sarah MayVaras, and Nicholas MayVaras; and sister Kay Cook.

CHIEF OBITUARIES Pleases submit obituaries by Mondays by Noon. Late submissions may not make it into the paper. Submit obits to The Chief at: chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net

•C rossword P uzzle • • STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: HAPPY HOLIDAYS ACROSS

1. Result of too much pressure 6. Stir-fry pan 9. Steps to the river, in India 13. Hindu sage 14. Attorneys’ org.

15. *Christmas cookies emanation 16. The Brady Bunch, e.g.

17. Mourner’s wish 18. Mature, as in fruit 19. *Santa’s entryway 21. *Holiday plum treat 23. Foot the bill 24. Hot alcoholic beverage 25. Not transgender 28. *Frosty’s corn cob 30. Attract 35. Bad luck prediction 37. Indian cuisine staple 39. The whole amount 40. “Keep this information” button 41. *Coveted letter on a dreidel 43. Dry as dust 44. Opposite of digest 46. Inconclusive 47. Dirty air 48. Diplomat 50. Tallest volcano in Europe 52. Like a fox

53. Lion output 55. Beholder’s organ 57. *Breaking holiday news 61. *Not coal on Christmas 65. Courtroom excuse 66. Golf coach at a country club 68. Very, in music 69. Make a logical connection (2 words) 70. Promissory letters 71. Pine or long 72. Chows down 73. Hundredweight, acr.

74. Ooze out

DOWN

1. Nile denizen, for short 2. *Like Duke brothers in “Trading Places” 3. *New Year’s Eve option: ____ Spumante 4. Title-holder 5. Take for ransom 6. On one’s guard 7. ____-Wan of “Star Wars” 8. K, in Greek 9. *Rose Bowl field, e.g.

10. Kachina doll maker 11. Answer from the flock 12. Drink for John Glenn 15. Fervent

20. Giving the once-over 22. *”Mele Kalikimaka” strings 24. More sordid 25. Trig function 26. Insect in adult stage 27. *Number of candles in Kwanzaa’s kinara 29. Sacrifice for gain 31. Eighty-six 32. List components 33. *Holiday song offering 34. Lament for the dead 36. Scotland’s famous loch 38. Eagle’s aerie 42. Lid or lip embellishment 45. Go to bed (2 words) 49. *Yule tradition 51. Pirate’s “Yes!” 54. Savory jelly dish 56. English county 57. London art museum 58. Hipbones 59. *It’s sometimes ignored in face of holiday treats 60. Wading bird 61. Displeasure display 62. Biblical birthright seller 63. Backgammon predecessor 64. Prong of a fork 67. Column’s partner

Solution to crossword in next week’s issue of The Chief.

North Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Friday, December 2, 2022

Season's Greetings

A7

www.thechiefnews.com

Celebrating the season in Columbia County The Chief, in partnership with our local business clients, wishes all in our community members and our visitors season’s greetings for a happy holiday!

Take time to be with family and friends, spread cheer and goodness, and Shop Local whenever you can.

Here are just a few of the events throughout our community designed to celebrate the season.

December 3 Clatskanie Tree Lighting

is no admission fee and free popcorn will be offered to all attending.

After the movie, Santa Claus appears from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. to greet youngsters and hear their Christmas wishes. Adults accompanying the children are encouraged to take pictures. At 5:30 p.m., a Christmas Tree Lighting, with music by the Clatskanie Middle/High School choir and jazz band, will take place in the Cultural Center parking lot.

The Dec. 3 events are sponsored by the Clatskanie Cultural Center, owned and operated by the Clatskanie Foundation.

The community is invited to celebrate the season on Saturday, Dec. 3, with free events, beginning at 3 p.m., at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. A family-friendly animated holiday movie will be shown at 3 p.m. in the Birkenfeld Theatre inside the Cultural Center. There

December 4 Rainier Christmas Tree Lighting

Premier Chocolate, Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop

Christmas tree lighting and Santa’s arrival at 5 p.m. in Rainier. Santa will arrive at Rainier City Hall, 106 W B Street, to light the Christmas tree. Free pictures and refreshments will follow at the Rainier Eagles Lodge.

The public is welcome.

Join the Rainier Chamber of Commerce and the Rainier community in welcoming

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Ornaments, Holiday Decor

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Santa to Rainier during our Lighting of the Christmas Tree! There will be coffee, cocoa and cookies as well as the opportunity to snap a photo with Santa!

The Rainier Chamber will be hosting a mixer for those that are 21 and over right after the Tree Lighting at the Big Green Building.

The Library is willing to host a festive story time for those that would like to attend the Mixer but need someone to keep a close eye on their children. Story time will be from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Spirits, appetizers, festive music, and the opportunity to converse with local business community members will be offered during the mixer.

Christmas Ships Parade in St. Helens

The Christmas Ships Parade is operated by Christmas Ships, Inc., a non-profit organization. The parade started in 1954 and is an annual holiday tradition on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

The event draws both first time and past parade participants. Organizers said participants tend to return each year – several have been parading for over 40 years and several have made this a multigenerational tradition, with the children of previous participants returning with their own boats and families to parade.

The Dec. 10 activities begin at 5:30 p.m. with a walk and wave Santa event with his elves. There will be photo opportunities with live holiday alpacas and festive decorations in the Plaza.

The Christmas Ships Parade launches from the City docks at 6 p.m. The full schedule includes: • 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Metro Creative Connection

Walk and Wave with Santa and his Elves at Plaza Square.

• 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. photos with the holiday alpacas at Plaza Square.

• 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. live holiday music with Tom Grant and Alyssa Schwary at Plaza Square.

• 6 p.m. Christmas Ships Parade at the St. Helens City docks.

Parade organizers list the following outdoor viewing locations in Columbia County for the Christmas Ships parade: • Columbia Courthouse - Above the St. Helens City docks.

• Columbia View Park - South of the courthouse parking lot.

• Sand Island - Access the river from St. Helens.

• Caples House Museum 1925 First St, Columbia City

• Pixie Park - Columbia City.

This event is hosted by the City of St. Helens through tourism support from Cascadia Home Loans (Matt McHugh, NMLS#116407), Wauna Federal Credit Union, The Jane Garcia Team of Keller Williams, Big Food Cart and Brew, 503 Distilling, Best Western Oak Meadows Inn, and Sand Island Campground.

More information about the parade can be found at www.christmasships.org.

Scappoose Christmas Parade The public is invited to the Spirit of Christmas Market from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday Dec. 17 at the Scappoose Annex Gym, 52265 Columbia River Highway in Scappoose.

If you’re a loverIf of you’re Noble Firs – Come our farm see thevisit hand-pruning techniques a lover ofvisit Noble Firsand - Come our wefarm use toand retain the Natural Beauty of the Northwest Noble. see the hand-pruning techniques we We have a large selection with many nobles 10/ft./up

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Friday, December 2, 2022

s g n i t e e r Season’s G a i b m u l o C from County

Photos by Jon Campbell / The Chief

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