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Landslide closes Highway 30 between Clatskanie, Astoria

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

Highway 30 remained closed Thursday, Dec. 1 while crews clear landslide debris and make temporary repairs to the highway, according to the Oregon Depart ment 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 re lease. “US Highway 26 is the best alternative, and OR Highway 47 and 202 are options for passenger vehicles. Don’t use less developed

Late Thursday morning, Dec. 1, ODOT said Highway 30 will re main 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 re opening a single lane, but expect it will be no sooner than Friday, Dec. 2.”

ODOT said the work will con tinue 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. Ma terial still was sliding down from the hillside as of Thursday, Dec. 1.

“This section of US Highway 30 crosses an area where land slides 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.

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 inci dents that happened within weeks of each other earlier this year, ac cording 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 Clats kanie 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

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

removal system, also known as the headworks, that required adjust ments 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,” Hin kelman 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 re ceived $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 require ments,” 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

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 increas ing 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 Dol lar 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 Wat son 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 artisti cally inclined family, who always encouraged her to use self-expres sion. 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.

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, blos som 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 chil dren; 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 chal lenges.

“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

Courtesy from Rachel Dollar

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

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

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

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

LAUREY WHITE Chief Guest Article

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.

New report outlines Oregon’s timber harvesting economics

Editor’s Note: The fol lowing 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 aver age of the previous 10 years. Employment in the timber industry decreased a bit in 2019 and was about 20 jobs below the average employ ment of the previous 10 years.

Columbia County

The timber harvest in Columbia County dropped by 9% in 2019. The total har vest 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. Colum bia 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

was 9% higher than the aver age 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 employ ment 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 log ging, forestry, and lumber and wood product manufac turing industry was essen tially 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

Metro Creative Connection

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 recov ery, 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 coun ties in Northwest Or egon. Benton County is the second-smallest county in the region and about 57% is forested.

Employment in the

county’s logging, forestry, and lumber and wood prod uct 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 contin ued a long-term trend of de clining timber industry jobs in the county and Northwest Oregon. By way of compari son, a similar level of har vests supported nearly 1,050 jobs in 1996. The county remained home to 10 wood product mills and 27 forestry and logging businesses.

Economic recovery

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. Techno logical 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 employ ment fell sharply during the pandemic recession and has rebounded, but not com pletely back to pre-pandemic levels. The story is similar with wood product manufac turing.

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.

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

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

Weaving together modern and traditional styles of blue grass and americana, Never Come Down is a based fivepiece composed of Joe Sus kind (guitar), Crystal Lariza (vocals), Brian Alley (banjo), Kaden Hurst (mandolin), and Ben Ticknor (bass). Their dedication to thoughtful songwriting and dynamic arrangements

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

Formed in 2018, the band’s self-titled debut ar rived shortly thereafter, and their second album “Bet ter 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 win ners in 2021.

Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (60+) and students and $15 for children. Tickets may be purchased on line at clatskaniearts.org or by calling Elsa at 503-728-3403.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

541-351-

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

ERIK KNODER Chief Guest Article

The year 2020 was difficult for many types of businesses.

The COVID-19 pan demic dramatically altered the way we engage the economy.

Breweries and brewpubs had been posting slower rates of growth before the onset of the pandemic, but the closure of in-person din ing dealt a blow to demand 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 beer. A portion of these are manufacturing facilities that produce their beer to be distributed to retailers or restaurants. However, many of the state’s brewing estab lishments are brewpubs that both brew beer and serve that beer onsite in a more typical restaurant environ ment.

The dramatic impacts of the pandemic were first seen in April 2020 when cov ered employment dropped by a staggering 3,700 jobs (-50%) from the month be fore. The drop is even more shocking when you consider

the highly seasonal nature of the industry. Typically, the spring is a time of hir ing 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 recov ery 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

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 clo sures and openings, but we do know if an establishment stopped reporting employ ment or began reporting employment for the first time and this is likely to indicate a closing or open ing. A few of these were documented permanent clo sures, 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 pay roll 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 challeng ing environment.

Despite the challenges faced in the past three years, there is reason for optimism as we move fur ther 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 brew ers, alcoholic beverages are considered recession resistant products, although the mix of what and where beverages are consumed may change.

Erik Knoder is a region al economist with the Or egon Employment Depart ment. He may be reached at 541-351-5595.

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 syn thetic 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 smug gling, 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 com bined in person and online.

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 ad dicts created by the nation’s opioid epidemic.

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 rehabili tation 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.

During his talk, Qui nones, who for 35 years has written extensively on im migration, gangs, drug traf ficking, 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 Epidem ic” and “The Least of Us:

“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 cer tainly 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

“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 some body. You most likely will kill somebody.”

In his book “The Least of Us,” Quinones describes a new reality created by fen tanyl and methamphetamine as a backdrop to tell tales of many Americans’ quiet at tempts to reclaim their com munities 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

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

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

Myers ended the discus sion by asking Quinones what he was hopeful about. He recounted working as a

writing instructor and en couraging 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 psychol ogy professor and host of the popular podcast, “The Hap piness 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 Re lations and Marketing. She may be reached at michelle. klampe@oregonstate.edu or at 541-737-0784.

North Columbia County’s trusted

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.

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

Metro Creative Connection

Seasonal topics include keeping Christmas trees fresh

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

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

First, it is worth not ing 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 characteris tics. 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 longev ity of the tree. Smaller trees (sold as “table tops”) have a

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)

• 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 spad ing 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 loosen ing.

• 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 gar den centers and/or Feed and Seed stores: This is always useful.

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

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

ommunity E v E nts

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 Christ mas tree. Free pictures and refreshments will follow at the Rainier Eagles Lodge. The public is welcome.

December

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

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 Com mons.

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 read ing The Night Before Christ mas.

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.

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

Lower Columbia River Watershed Council Meets at 7 p.m. every other second Tuesday. Meetings are currently held elec tronically 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.

The Rainier Oregon Histori cal Museum (ROHM) is open from noon to 4 p.m. Satur day (except major holidays weekends). ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street. For more infor mation, 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.

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 wheel barrows.

• Bird houses and feed ers.

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

• Mason bee shelter with replaceable tubes.

• Garden benches.

Some winter gardening ideas

• 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 com posting process. Piles that are water saturated will compost, just slower.

• Cover edible her baceous perennials like rhubarb and asparagus with compost or “strawy” ma nure. 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) through out 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 appreci ated.

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

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 re moved 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

Ongoing events

Caples Evening Programs

The cost for this evening and all our Fireside Chats will be only $5. Caples will be offer ing a different program the

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 pave ment 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 devel oping story at thechiefnews. com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

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

North Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Metro Creative Connection

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

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 or by calling 503366-6978.

Pool

Manager

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

Manager. Respon sibilities: Train, manage and evalu ate approximately 20 lifeguards; be ginning in February and continuing into September. Plan, organize and schedule programs offered at our sea sonal outdoor pool. Be responsible for scheduling ad equate staff for the safety, supervision, cleanliness, wa ter chemistry and mechanical opera tion of the pool for youth and fami lies in our District. Maintain pool and employee records.

Perform such other duties as assigned by the District Man ager and/or Board of Directors from time to time. Knowledge and Skills: Strong ad ministrative skills, recreational aquat ic programming skills, leadership and managerial skills, pool main tenance and wa ter chemistry skills and good public relation skills are a must. Thorough knowledge of poli cies, procedures and equipment used in daily out door pool opera

tions helpful. Work with pool related chemicals and be familiar with State and Federal regu lations regarding outdoor pool op erations. Experi ence and Training: Experience pre ferred. Or the will ingness to work within an agreed upon time frame between applicant and Board of Di rectors to obtain the required and suggested certi fications for the position; First-Aid, CPR, AED certifi cations, Lifeguard Instructor and

Training, Water Safety Instructor and CPO (Certified Pool Operator) cer tifications. You can request an appli cation 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 Dis trict, PO Box 737, Clatskanie OR 97016 or by email to csp@cni.net. If you have any questions, please

Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC22-1000

Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, JENNIFER L ELWOOD as Grantor to CLEAR RE CON CORP. as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRA TION SYSTEMS, INC. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for GUILD MORT GAGE 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 Coun ty, Oregon to-wit: APN: 17950 LOT 5, BLOCK 36, MOECKS ADDITION TO THE CITY OF RAINIER, IN THE CITY OF RAINI ER, COUNTY OF COLUM

CC22-1001

BIA AND STATE OF OR EGON. Commonly known as: 422 W C ST, RAINIER, OR 97048 Both the Benefi ciary, 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 de fault for which the foreclo sure 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

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Before the Clatskanie City Council DATE OF NO TICE: November 18, 2022

TYPE: Lease Entry LOCATION OF HEARING: Clatskanie City Council Chambers, 75 S. Nehalem St. HEARING TIME & DATE: Wednesday Decem ber 7th, 2022 NOTICE: Citizens of the City of Clats kanie, 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 equip ment 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 INFORMA TION: The City Council meeting packet will be avail able on the City’s website (www.cityofclatskanie.com) or at City Hall the afternoon of Friday December 2nd, 2022.

leave message at 503-728-2757.

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

702 Garage Sales

Rummage Sale at Westport Com munity Church (Westport, Ore gon), 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.

CLATSKANIE Mini Storage

(Texas Best Buy) Just released (3) 20 acre prime parcels. Now only $495 per acre, $150 per month. Call 1-800875-6568.

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

ity at Port Westward.

Columbia Riverkeeper has sent a letter to the Or egon Department of Envi ronmental 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 certifi cate exemption.

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

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 inter est which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execu tion of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obliga tions thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reason able 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 proceed ing dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by pay ment 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

CC22-1703

costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tender ing 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 warran ties, 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 metham phetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospec tive 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 Corpo ration 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

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING

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

CC22-1701

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 of ficial agenda. The public is encouraged to attend.

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).

of Appeals (LUBA) deci sion reversed the land use approval required for both permits,” the letter states. “DEQ and ODOE should immediately revoke NEXT’s air permit and site certifi cate exemption. Addition ally, we request meetings to discuss the implications of

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.

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

County land use approval

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

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

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

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.

Donna Jane Carver Oct. 28, 1938 ~ Nov. 25, 2022

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, accord ing to a release from Oregon Moms Union. A few of those candidates joined the Salem event Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“Many parents across

MOSAIC

From Page A1

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 work shops 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 thou sands 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.”

Oregon have made progress working with their school boards to implement posi tive 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 legisla ture will be working hard to respect our kids, to respect our parents, and to respect our families in the education process,” House District 21

The 2023 legislative session will begin in Janu ary, and there will be several bills introduced addressing education, including online transparency in curriculum, a parents rights bill and expanded school choice op tions. 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 stu dents’ 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.

Donna Jane Carver was born on Oct. 28, 1938, in Moscow, Idaho. She mar ried 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 daugh ter 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

Gerald Carver

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. Flow ers or donations can be sent to the Westport Community Church in her honor.

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 me chanic for many years and served in the Army during the Korean war. After rais ing 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 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 West port 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 dona tions can be sent to Westport Community Church.

Patricia Ann Erickson

April 15, 1940 ~ Sept. 8, 2022

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 Clats kanie 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.

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

Mosaic Art Galley states that the oldest mosaics the gallery’s researchers have found date to the 3rd millen nium, in a temple in Meso potamia.

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

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

She became a travel

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

CROSSWORD THEME: HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Courtesy photo

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

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Courtesy from Rachel Dollar

The front entrance of Marvelous Mosaic in Rainier.

The Chief, in partner ship 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 fam ily and friends, spread cheer and goodness, and Shop Lo cal whenever you can.

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

December 3 Clatskanie Tree Lighting

The community is invited to celebrate the season on Saturday, Dec. 3, with free events, beginning at 3 p.m., at the Clatskanie Cultural Cen ter, 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

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.

December 4 Rainier Christmas Tree Lighting

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 Christ mas 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

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 chil dren. 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 Pa rade is operated by Christmas Ships, Inc., a non-profit orga nization. The parade started in 1954 and is an annual holi day 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.

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 Museum1925 First St, Columbia City

• Pixie

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 Camp ground.

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 Scap poose Annex Gym, 52265 Columbia River Highway in Scappoose.

North Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Park - Columbia City.