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First child monkeypox case in Oregon

$44M to clear abandoned vessels Page A2

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FRIDAY, AUGUST. 19, 2022

VOL. 130, NO. 33 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891

Fire roars through Goble Landing trailers Jeremy C. Ruark jruark@countrymedia.net

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ire has damaged two trailers at Goble Landing.

As Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) crews arrived on the scene of the fire Wednesday morning, Aug. 17, they reported one trailer fully engulfed and fire spreading to the second trailer.

“There was one travel trailer within the Goble Landing property that was the origin of the fire and unfortunately it spread to the trailer next to it,” CRFR Information Officer Jennifer Motherway told The Chief.

Multiple fire agencies from surrounding communities sent additional crews to the fire scene on Columbia River Highway at Rainier.

Both trailers were unoccupied at the time of the incident, according to Motherway. Two homeowners and one dog have been displaced due to the fire. The American Red Cross also arrived at the scene to aid the fire victims.

The cause of trailer fire is electrical in nature, according to CRFR Fire Marshal Pedsersen.

CRFR crews also on Wednesday, Aug. 17, responded to four additional brush and bark dust fires in Rainier and Deer Island that are believed to be caused by discarded cigarettes.

“CRFR would like to remind our citizens to use an ashtray, make sure cigarettes are put out and make sure they are placed away from anything that could potentially burn when discarded,” Motherway said. “Dousing a cigarette in water or sand is one of the best ways to ensure the cigarette is completely put out.”

Wildfire danger persists Local fire district officials are urging public awareness and caution about the mid-summer wildfire season following the Wednesday fires and two additional brush fires in the Rainier area on Sunday, Aug. 14.

CRFR rushed crews to the first blaze on Wonderly Road in Rainier.

Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District firefighters also responded to assist. The crews were quickly able to knock down the fire that was approximately 30-by-100 feet, according to CRFR. A short time later, CRFR crews responded to a second brush fire on Meserve Road in Rainier.

The cause of both of the fires remained under investigation as of presstime.

CRFR officials stress that open burning is banned in the county due to the wildfire danger.

The danger

Courtesy photo

James Donald Cooley

County man sentenced following kidnapping Staff report chiefnews@countrymedia.net

PHOTO Courtesy photo from CRFR

A firefighter spays water on the bellowing smoke and flames at Goble Landing.

Scappoose Rural Fire Protection District (SRFPD) Chief Jeff Pricher warned there is still a significant wildfire danger in Columbia County and throughout the Pacific Northwest. He said he is most concerned about additional significant summer heat waves.

“There is potential for large fire growth,” he said, “We did see a large amount of precipitation over spring and early this summer, and while there is still some moisture retained in the ground fuels moisture, with a lot of wind, increasing humidities and the steep terrain, which would allow fires to move quickly, we not out of the woods yet.”

Pritcher said fire agencies are taking a wait and see approach.

“We are just waiting to see what will happen next, but we are prepared,” he said.

Using a $35,000 state grant, the SRFPD has hired two additional firefighters to staff an additional brush engine for increased community protection.

“The two firefighters will be utilized Friday, Saturday and Sunday, able to respond over 12-hour periods during the day,” Pritcher said.

“Historically, the majority of the fire starts that we have are human caused and more people are recreating and are out and about throughout the weekend.”

The CRFR brush rig crew has been on the job since earlier this month. Mist and Vernonia fire districts also received such a grant for additional fire protection.

Even with the stepped-up fire protection, Pritcher and other fire agency administrators caution that the public needs to be aware of the wildfire danger.

County burn ban A ban on open burning debris was ordered July 11 by Columbia County Fire Districts.

The fire districts include Clatskanie Fire District, Mist-Birkenfeld Fire District, Vernonia Fire Distirct, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Scappoose Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The burn ban affects private, county, state, and local government lands within the fire districts of Columbia County’s boundaries. Open burning within the city limits of the

fire districts are regulated by those local government entities.

The penalties for violating the open debris burning ban will vary by the authority having jurisdiction, and could include the cost of suppressing the fire, including the fire apparatus costs, water, foam usage, administrative time preparing the bill, and damage to equipment and employee costs of all the employees suppressing the fire and involved with the response, according to the SRFPD. Be prepared Pritcher said the best prevention plan is to be prepared for wildfire before it strikes. He urges residents to take steps to protect their homes and property, have and practice an escape plan, and to be ready to quickly leave their home or office if the danger escalates into evacuations.

See additional fire safety prevention information at thechiefnews.com and at the Oregon Fire Marshal’s office website. Call your local fire district or fire agency for more information.

Johnson delivers voter signatures Jeremy C. Ruark jruark@countrymedia.net

Obituaries ................. A6 Opinions ................... A4 Classified Ads ......... A5 Legals ....................... A5 Police Blotters...........A7

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

I

ndependent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson and her supporters have delivered 48,214 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office in an effort to qualify her for the November General Election.

Johnson needs to collect 23,744 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

“Coming onto the ballot through the power of people’s signatures is one of the most meaningful – and foundational – elements of my campaign,” Johnson said. “As I’ve been traveling the state talking to Oregonians, one thing is very clear – they are ready for a real change, and there’s no bigger change than electing an independent governor loyal only to the people of Oregon.”

Over the past several weeks, Johnson and her supporters have been collecting the needed voter signatures, including conducting such an effort at a community event at the fairgrounds in St. Helens in June. She and her supporters delivered the voter signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office Tuesday, Aug. 16.

“By delivering more than twice the number of signatures needed, we’ve made it very difficult for the political establishment to imagine ways to keep me off the ballot,” said Johnson. “We’re going to put

Courtesy photo

Independent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson, left waving, and her supporters, deliver boxes containing sheets with voter signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office in Salem. the people back in charge of the state we love.”

Oregon law ORS 249.008(2) and OAR 165-0110 allow the Oregon Elections Division to verify petitions based on a random or samples of the signatures rather than verifying all of the signatures.

The number of random signatures selected is based on the number of signatures turned in for verification.

The Oregon Elections Division staff will compare the petition signature to signatures on file in the signer’s voter registration record, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.

If the signature does not have sufficient points of similarity, it is rejected.

The Secretary of State has until Aug. 30 to verify the signatures submitted by Johnson.

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Rainier, Oregon man has been sentenced to federal prison for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend and transporting her from her home in Ilwalco, Washington to Rainier.

James Donald Cooley, 61, received 120 months in federal prison and three years supervised release during sentencing Monday, Aug. 15.

According to court documents, on May 18, 2020, Cooley traveled from his home in Rainier to his ex-girlfriend’s home in Ilwalco without notice or invitation. After parking his vehicle on the side of Highway 101 near his ex-girlfriend’s home, Cooley approached the woman and a confrontation ensued. Cooley grabbed the woman’s arms, tied her hands with zip ties, and began pulling her toward the highway. Cooley drug the woman several hundred feet to his vehicle, put a knife to her throat, shoved her into the backseat, and began driving back to Rainier, threatening to kill her several times en route.

When Cooley arrived at his residence, his sister, who also lives in Rainier, spotted Cooley’s exgirlfriend at his residence. The exgirlfriend told Cooley’s sister that she feared Cooley was going to kill her. Cooley’s sister immediately contacted the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident. Sheriff deputies responded and arrested Cooley.

On June 17, 2020, Cooley was charged by criminal complaint with kidnapping. On February 11, 2022, Cooley waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

It was prosecuted by Greg Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Oregon.

Domestic violence involving a current or former partner is a serious crime that includes both physical and emotional abuse, according to a release from the Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Sometimes these crimes are hidden from public view with survivors suffering in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn,” the releases states.

“The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members and communities.”

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call 911.

If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting “START” to 88788. Many communities throughout the country have also developed support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.

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Friday, August 19 , 2022

$40 million to address abandoned vessels Jeremy C. Ruark jruark@countrymedia.net

Removing abandoned and derelict vessels from Oregon’s waterways will be a focus in coming months, according to state officials, who addressed the issue during the Aug. 9 meeting of the State Land Board meeting.

Safety concerns Abandoned vessels along the Columbia River present a myriad of safety concerns including water, navigational, and environmental hazards, according to Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Shaun McQuiddy.

McQuiddy said that vessel-abandonment cases have tested officer capabilities on a state level.

“These abandoned and derelict vessels have increasingly robbed our resources and time, statewide,” he said in previously published interview with The Chief.

The majority of abandoned and derelict boats are located in South Columbia County waterways from the Multnomah County line on the Columbia River down to Goble and the Multnomah channel, according to McQuiddy.

Penalties The penalties for vessel abandonment range from

$440 on the low end to thousands of dollars on the high end. If the vessel becomes submerged, it becomes an even greater expenditure to remove the vessel that, for one boat owner, came out to a total of $55,000.

The most common types of offenders of abandoned vessels range from people living on their boat, to scrappers and owners of “fixer uppers,” he said. $40 million In June, the State Land Board directed the Department of State Lands (DSL) to request $40 million in general funds during the state budget process to address the hundreds of commercial and recreational vessels littering Oregon’s waterways.

Abandoned and derelict vessels are a serious threat to waterway health and safety, and they create both environmental and navigational hazards, according to DSL Director Vicki Walker.

For years, DSL has been working with state, federal, and local partners to clean up and remove vessels, Walker said. Collaborative efforts have resulted in removing hazardous vessels from waterways, said Walker, but lack of a statewide abandoned and derelict vessel program with dedicated funding has meant ongoing impact to the

Common School Fund. Since 2017, the Common School Fund has expended $12.9 million removing commercial and recreational vessels from public waterways.

“Oregon’s schoolkids foot the bill for cleaning up abandoned and derelict vessels,” Walker said. “Every dollar spent cleaning up these messes is a dollar out of the classroom.”

During the State Land Board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 9, DSL officials outlined how the $40 million in general funds would be used, with emphasis on removing the 19 known commercial vessels of concern statewide, as well as hundreds of recreational vessels. Read the removal plan memo.

Collaborative work DSL is currently working with federal, state, and local partners to remove four commercial vessels from waterways. Emergency removal of the Tourist No. 2, a former river ferry built in the 1920s, is underway in Astoria. Pollutants have been removed from the vessel, according to Walker, but the vessel’s poor condition, proximity to a fuel dock and the navigational channel, and the continued impact of tides on the vessel’s structural integrity present an imminent threat to public health and safety.

Courtesy from CCSO Lt. Shawn McQuiddy

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol reports abandoned vessels are a continuing hazard along the Columbia River.

“Not taking action to remove this hazard from the water is not an option,” Walker said. “But Oregon’s schoolchildren are paying yet again to clean up a mess created by an irresponsible vessel owner. The Department will take every action to recoup the more than $1 million this cleanup will cost.”

Collaborative work is also continuing to remove the Sakarissa, Alert, and Tiffany,

three vessels the Land Board in June directed the Department to address. The goal is to have all three vessels removed from the Columbia River by the end of 2022.

Walker emphasized the importance of collaboration to successfully remove these and other vessels – and the importance of engaging widely to refine the resources requested for the upcoming 2023-25 biennium.

“This is complex work, and the importance of ongoing collaboration to identify problems, priorities, and solutions cannot be understated,” she said. “DSL is committed to working with legislators, state and federal agencies, local governments, ports, and other partners to develop long-term comprehensive solutions for addressing abandoned and derelict vessels.”

OHA reports first pediatric case of monkeypox Staff report chiefnews@countrymedia.net Oregon Health Authority (OHA) officials have confirmed the state’s first pediatric case of monkeypox virus (hMPXV).

The case is linked to an adult monkeypox infection that was confirmed last month.

“We have a known connection to a previously diagnosed case,” OHA Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dean Sidelinger said. “This child did not get the virus at school, child care or another community setting.”

To protect patient confidentiality, OHA is not disclosing the child’s sex, age, county of residence or how the child is connected to the previously diagnosed case, according to Sidelinger.

The Oregon child was tested for monkeypox Aug. 11, and the test results were reported to public health

Aug. 15. Since receiving test results, the local public health authority, with support from OHA, has been conducting a case investigation and contact tracing to determine whether there are other exposures. During these investigations, public health provides guidance on how to avoid spreading the virus to others and offers vaccines to close contacts.

The pediatric case is one of 116 presumptive and confirmed cases of monkeypox in Oregon, which also includes 112 men and four women.

Illness onset ranges from June 7 to Aug. 9.

The cases are in seven of Oregon’s 36 counties: • 4 in Clackamas • 1 in Columbia • 1 in Coos • 20 in Lane • 1 in Marion • 73 in Multnomah • 16 in Washington About 27.6% Building Bridges of cases to Self Sufficiency identify as Hispanic/ Community Action Team

Are you a veteran?

You may be entitled to benefits for serving your country.

Contact your Veteran Service Officer • 503-366-6580 Call CAT at (503)397-3511 to find out if you qualify. Rental and energy assistance applications are available at 125 N. 17th St., St. Helens, OR. Also available on our website at www.CAT-TEAM.org

Latino.

Nationwide, there are nearly 12,700 cases in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. They are among more than 38,000 cases in 93 countries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sidelinger acknowledged concerns of parents who are preparing to send their students back to school in the coming weeks, as monkeypox cases continue to rise in Oregon and other states. But he emphasized that risk of monkeypox spreading in school settings is low, since the most common means of person-to-person transmission is direct contact with the rash, scabs or body fluids of a person with the virus.

“Monkeypox is not COVID-19,” Sidelinger said. “This virus is not easily spread unless you have that prolonged, close, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.”

Symptoms of the virus can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue.

Not everyone will have these symptoms, but everyone will experience

a rash or sores. The rash can affect the skin of the face, arms, legs and torso, as well as the genitals, in and/ or around the anus (butthole), or in the mouth.

Initially, the rash can look like a pimple with an area of red skin underneath it. From there, the pimples can get a little bigger, form indentations, and fill with fluid or pus. Typically, they then scab. It usually takes two to four weeks to heal over with fresh skin.

OHA recommends people who test positive for monkeypox or who are awaiting test results isolate at home to avoid spread of infection to others.

There are additional precautions they and household members can take to further reduce transmission risk that can be found on OHA’s If a clinician recommends that you receive an Orthopoxvirus test page. The CDC also has information on its Preventing Spread to Others page.

People who suspect they have monkeypox should contact their health care provider to let them know before going in to be seen. Those who don’t have a health care provider can call 2-1-1 to get help finding a clinic or health care provider, or reach out to their local public health authority to find a clinic or provider.

$277,777 for fairgrounds building Jeremy C. Ruark jruark@countrymedia.net The Columbia County Fairgrounds is set to receive $277,777 for building renovations.

The funding will come from Business Oregon and is

expected to be used to build a pole barn or to repair the fairground buildings’ roofs.

“The pole barn is a barn supported by poles with a roof,” Columbia County Fair representative Hanna Russell said. “Each year we have to rent a tent to conduct the annual youth livestock auction

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during the summer fair. With the pole barn, we would not have to rent the tent.”

Russell said the Columbia County Fair Board is expected to review whether to use the $277,777 for the pole barn, or to repair aging roofs on all the fairgrounds buildings. That decision could come within the next few months.

Where the cash comes from Business Oregon received $10 million in tax-exempt lottery bond funding during the 2019-2021 legislative session to provide grants for capital improvement projects to county fairground facilities.

Each of Oregon’s 36 counties celebrate a countyspecific fair which is either hosted at the fairgrounds or at a venue that contracts with the county fair board to host the fair.

The first bond sale supporting the lottery bond funding took place in spring 2022 and provided $5 million, with the remaining $5 million to become available with the next bond sale, anticipated in spring of 2023.

Some of the grantees will receive funding in 2022 and

the remaining grantees will be funded after the spring 2023 bond sale.

Following discussions with the Oregon State Fair Association and legislative representatives associated with the appropriation, it was agreed the funds would be distributed evenly to the applicants, yielding $277,777 for each grantee.

The projects completed with this funding must be used for direct capital improvement project costs.

Capital construction includes, but is not limited to: • Construction, modification, replacement, repair, remodeling, or renovation of a structure or addition to a structure.

• Acquisition of land, or a legal interest in land, in conjunction with the capital construction of a structure.

• Planning and design-related activities may be eligible provided they are directly related to the capital construction activity.

The Columbia County Fairgrounds is located at 58892 Saulser Road in St. Helens. For more information.

Call 503-397-4232.

Read The Chief online... wwwthechiefnews.com Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Friday, August 19, 2022

Oregon to get $333 million in opioid settlement funds Staff report

chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Oregon will receive approximately $333 million from a historic $21 billion settlement with the three largest distributors of opioids — Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has launched a new website to share updates and information on opioid settlement funds, which will be used to support opioid prevention, treatment and recovery efforts around the state.

Specifically, the settlement agreement outlines that the funds will be used for: • Prevention programs.

• Naloxone distribution and education.

• Syringe services.

• Medication-assisted treatment, treatment and services for pregnant and postpartum people.

• Treatment and services for incarcerated populations.

• Neonatal abstinences syndrome treatment.

• Warm handoff recovery programs and services.

• Leadership, planning and coordination.

• Data Collection and Research.

The Oregon Opioid Settlement Funds site, at www. oregon.gov/opioidsettlement, has background on the multi-state litigation against the pharmaceutical industry of which Oregon was a party and links to national settlement agreement sites. It also describes how the settlement funds will be distributed in Oregon, how much money is available and what it can be used for.

In addition, the site offers people the opportunity, if interested, to apply to serve on the Oregon Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board, which will determine how the state uses its share of funds from the settlements with the opioid industry.

“These settlement funds will provide much-needed opportunities for cities and counties in Oregon to help their communities begin healing from the ravages caused by the pervasiveness of these drugs over the last decade,” OHA Health Systems Division state opioid treatment authority’s John McIlveen, Ph.D., said. “We’re looking forward to working with our local partners to get these funds distributed as soon as they become available.”

The lawsuits hold opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers accountable for their role in creating and fueling the opioid epidemic and for aggressively marketing prescription opioids while simultaneously downplaying their risks to health care providers and the public.

The State of Oregon reached resolution with four of these companies in July 2021.

The resolution consists of two agreements and is referred to as the Distributor and Janssen Settlement Agreements.

The 18-member, governorappointed Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery (OSPTR) Board will be responsible for making funding decisions that align with approved opioid prevention, treatment and recovery strategies listed in Exhibit E of the settlement and Oregon’s Strategic Plan

for Substance Use Services developed by the state Alcohol & Drug Policy Commission (ADPC).

A portion of the state’s funds must go toward a unified and evidence-based state system for collecting, analyzing and publishing data about the availability and efficacy of substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services statewide.

The governor will appoint the board based on the OSPTR Board membership requirements defined in House Bill 4098. The OSPTR Board is expected to begin meeting in late fall 2022.

About $333 million will be awarded to Oregon from the Distributor and Janssen Settlement Agreements over the course of 18 years, beginning this year. Forty-five percent of the opioid settlement funds will be allocated to a new Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment & Recovery fund managed by OHA; 55% will be paid directly to cities and counties with populations of more than 10,000.

About $503 million is going directly to tribes from the Distributor and Janssen Settlement Agreements. All federally recognized tribes are eligible to participate in the Tribal Opioid Settlements, regardless of whether that tribe filed an opioid lawsuit.

Oregon’s tribes are eligible to receive a portion of the $503 million settlement.

Oregon followed the model developed through the national opioid settlement to determine how much funding each eligible city and county would receive. This allocation formula is based on population and public health metrics.

Oregon anticipates

PHOTO Metro Creative Connection

Oregon drug overdose deaths more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, an alarming trend driven largely by misuse of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, an OHA analysis found. Preliminary data indicates this trend continued in 2022. receiving additional opioid settlement funds from other lawsuits. However, the timing, amount and allowable uses of these funds have yet to be determined. Generally speaking, the funds must be used for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery strategies that are listed in the settlement. They may not be used for other purposes.

Cities and counties will decide how their funds are used.

Oregon drug overdose deaths more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, an alarming trend driven largely by misuse of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, an OHA analysis found. Preliminary data indicate this trend continued in 2022.

A review of State Unin-

tentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) and Oregon death certificate data by analysts from OHA’s Injury and Violence Prevention Section found that unintentional/undetermined drug overdose deaths increased from 496 in 2019 to 1,072 in 2021. The 2021 figure doesn’t include all fourth-quarter overdose deaths, which are still being tallied and analyzed.

The number of unintentional/undetermined fentanyl overdose deaths jumped more than 600% between 2019 and 2021, from 71 to 509, respectively.

Of all unintentional/undetermined drug overdose deaths in 2021, 47.5% were due to fentanyl; in 2020, fentanyl caused 32.1% of

overdose deaths; in 2019, the drug was responsible for 14.3% of overdoses.

Overall, unintentional/ undetermined overdoses from opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, also rose sharply during that time, from 280 to 739 deaths – a 164% increase.

Unintentional/undetermined stimulant – methamphetamine – overdoses doubled, from 325 to 658 deaths between 2019 to 2021.

The Oregon Department of Justice provides additional information about the settlement below: https://www.doj.state.or.us/ media-home/news-mediareleases/oregon-receivesfirst-payment-from-historicopioid-settlements/?utm_ medium=email&utm_ source=govdelivery

SOLVE Cleanup registration opens in Columbia County Staff report

chiefnews@countrymedia.net

If you are interested in volunteering to clean up waterways in Columbia County, you have an opportunity to join a statewide effort.

Registration is open for SOLVE’s annual statewide river and beach cleanup scheduled for Sept. 17.

Partnering with the Oregon Lottery, SOLVE is offering the volunteer registration live, and all Oregonians, from Astoria to Brookings, Pendleton to Sunriver, are encouraged to sign up for the cleanup event.

For nearly four decades, SOLVE has hosted the annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup.

With the support of SOLVE, community leaders and partner organizations host restoration events, urban litter cleanup projects, and beach cleanups.

“Each volunteer project is aimed at caring for one of Oregon’s most precious resources, our water, from

source to sea,” according to a SOLVE release.

The nonprofit group said over 60,385 pounds of trash and marine debris were removed, and 32,717 square feet of invasive plants were cleared by more than 3,000 volunteers in the 2021 fall cleanup.

Removing invasive plant species, nurturing native plants, and collecting litter are all easy ways volunteers can positively impact Oregon’s water quality, according to SOLVE. “Each piece of litter collected removes the possibility of it entering a nearby river, waterway, or storm drain, where it can eventually make its way to the sea and contribute to our global marine debris crisis,” the release starts.

“Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and typically have shallow roots, leading to increased erosion and poor water filtration.”

Since 1969, SOLVE has been mobilizing volunteers to restore and preserve Oregon’s

natural spaces.

“The Oregon Lottery is proud to continue supporting SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup,” Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack said. “Now more than ever, it’s important for Oregonians to come together for a common cause.

SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup provides the perfect opportunity.”

Interested community members are encouraged to visit solveoregon.org to see a list of volunteer projects and sign up. To create a culture of sustainability around litter cleanups, it is suggested that you bring your own reusable gloves, buckets, and safety vests. The Beach & Riverside Cleanup is a great way to bond with family members, coworkers, and neighbors, all while collectively giving back to some of Oregon’s most beautiful places.

SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup is in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, with additional support from Metro, Oregon Parks and

Recreation Department, Oregon Department of Transportation, OnPoint Community

Credit Union, Rogue Ales & Spirits, Chevron, Fred Meyer, Bamboo Sushi, Clean Water

Services, City of Beaverton, Next Adventure, and Deep Blue Pacific Wind.

Courtesy photo

SOLVE volunteers stop for a photo while working together to cleanup litter.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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•

Friday, August 19 , 2022

•V iewpoints • • Weekly Online Poll

Last Week’s Results

Do you plan on end-ofsummer get-away?

Do you favor a two-year ban on psilocybin products within the city limits of Clatskanie?

Yes

No

53% Yes

47% No

Vote online at thechiefnews.com

Why was Libertarian candidate not invited to gubernatorial debate Editor’s Note: The following has been submitted by Set Free Oregon.

• •V oices Question Betsy Johnson Residents of Columbia County don’t have the wool pulled over your eyes by Betsy Johnson’s ads.

She gets things done all right but not for you and I. Read the Willamette Week articles about her self-serving bills she introduced to benefit her husband and their family businesses or her self-deal scam at the Scappoose airport.

Ask Betsy who her major donor is, the out of state billionaires, the Koch Brothers.

One of the biggest corporations in the country that support union busting.

of the

C ommunity • •

If you really want to see Oregon go to hell in a hand basket as her ad say vote Betsy. By the way she is not from the working class. She comes from a multimillionaire family.

Do research before you vote.

The articles are all on the web from Willamette Weekly.

Patrick Klein St. Helens

Dumbfounded Today as I watched the news I was dumbfounded.

For our current worthless President Joe Biden to green light a raid at a former President’s home speaks volumes.

This is nothing more than to

• August 20 Clatskanie Garlic Festival The 70th Edition of the Clatskanie Garlic Festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Clatskanie Famers Market in Copes Park on Lillich Street in Clatskanie.

For more details, visit www.clatskaniefarmersmarket.com, or our Facebook page.

Ongoing Farmers Market Clatskanie Farmers Market

discredit President Trump.

At this point if you are a Democrat who voted for Joe Biden, you should be embarrassed. Come November, the worthless Democrats in Washington will be decimated. I encourage every voting citizen to vote Republican.

Our current President cannot even string 2 sentences together without stumbling.

As far as I am concerned, our current President is an embarrassment, along with his cocaine and pornographyaddicted son.

Russell Spaulding Columbia County

Dear Editors of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association: I am writing to thank you for hosting the first Gubernatorial debate of this campaign season.

I was watching the debate you hosted and noticed something, or rather, someone, was missing. Of the multiple candidates running for Governor of Oregon, only three of them were invited to attend. A duly elected Libertarian candidate, R. Leon Noble, had been excluded and I would like to know why.

Mr. Noble earned the nomination of the Libertarian Party of Oregon during their Primary Election held last June. Unlike other “minor” parties, Libertarians do not need to spend millions of dollars on a primary campaign in order

to ensure ballot access. With our closed primary rules, we are able to develop personal relationships between candidates and constituents, not just throw dollars around trying to buy votes.

Was R. Leon Noble excluded because he is not a woman? Oh, I have your attention now, don’t I? Or was he excluded because in this day of “Pay to Play” politics, he has yet to raise the millions of dollars already in the coffers of the three female politicians who appeared on the ONPA stage.

Furthermore, Ms. Johnson is still in the process of collecting signatures (as of the writing of this letter) in order to appear on the ballot in November. As mentioned above, Mr. Noble has no such hurdle to overcome, yet he was excluded from the debate.

Could it be in this age of political correctness, white privilege, and toxic masculinity, that the ONPA

doesn’t want to hear from a white man? Are you trying to silence candidates who haven’t “paid their way” into the Governor’s Race? Or is it Mr. Noble’s ideas that you are afraid of? Are you concerned that the people of Oregon might hear a message that disturbs the status quo?

Most Oregonians can agree that neither Ms. Kotek, Ms. Drazen, nor Ms. Johnson represent them. Why can’t those disenfranchised voters hear from a candidate who will?

I don’t know about you, but the platform of Safety & Security, Liberty & Equality, and the Economy sounds to me like just what Oregon needs to hear right now.

If you would like to learn more about the Libertarian candidate for Governor, R Leon Noble, please visit his website: SetOregonFree.com Sharlyn Cox Set Free Oregon

•C ommunity E vents • •

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through September 24 at Cope’s Park in downtown Clatskanie.

Movies by Moonlight Scappoose Public Library and the City of Scappoose offer free Movies by Moonlight each Friday in August at Heritage Park, 52469 SE Second Street, in Scappoose. A series of four family friendly movies will be shown with thematic activities and events each night. For up-to-date

information about the events, visit the Movies by Moonlight website link, Facebook page, or contact Jeff Weiss 503543-7123. Food vendors will be on site with snacks and full meals available for purchase.

All movies start at dusk with pre-movie events beginning at 7 p.m. In the event of rain, the showing will be rescheduled.

Alcohol and smoking are not permitted in the park.

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.

The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum (ROHM) is open from noon - 4 p.m.

Saturday (except major holidays weekends). ROHM is located inside Rainier City Hall at 106 W B Street. For more information, call 360751-7039.

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

Avamere at St. Helens hosts a Virtual Dementia Support Group – 3rd 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 503397-0116.

Retail employment dips, leisure, hospitality sector gains

Oregon’s 3.5% unemployment rate has tracked very closely with the national unemployment rate for the past two years, with both rates declining rapidly during May 2020 through early 2022 as the economies recovered.

Over the past five months, unemployment rates for the U.S. and Oregon have averaged 3.6%, near record lows dating back almost 50 years.

The labor market is tight, and many people have gotten back to work. Over the past two years, Oregon’s labor force participation rate rose rapidly.

The share of the population 16 and older that is either employed or unemployed reached 63.5% in July, its highest rate in a decade.

In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment grew by 4,200 in July, following gains averaging 6,300 jobs in the prior eight months. Monthly gains in July were largest in leisure and hospitality (+1,500 jobs), other services (+1,400), manufacturing (+1,300), and private educational services (+1,300). Retail trade (-700 jobs) was the only major industry that shed a substantial number of jobs.

As of July, Oregon has regained 94% of jobs lost at the onset of the pandemic. The U.S. has regained 100%.

Oregon’s private sector is close to a full jobs recovery, having regained 99% of pandemic recession losses.

However, Oregon’s govern-

ment sector has only regained 49% of the jobs it lost during March through June 2020.

Professional and technical services was one of the fastest growing industries over the past two years. It added 1,900 jobs in July and has grown by 10,400 jobs since February

2020.

Over the past 12 months, architectural and engineering services added 1,700 jobs, or 9.4%, which was the highest growth rate of the component industries within professional and technical services.

Retail trade has inched

downward since late last year.

In July, it dropped to 209,000 jobs, which is back to where it was inlate2016. Over the past 12 months, the weakest retail trade sectors were building material and garden supply stores (-1,700 jobs) and general merchandise stores

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(-2,400 jobs).

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 3.5% in July, unchanged from 3.5%, as revised, in June. The U.S. unemployment rate was also 3.5% in July.

Friday, August 19, 2022

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Listings are updated daily at www.thechiefnews.com

Public Notices

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

702

Yard Sale

Yard Sale @ Westport Church Parking Lot, Saturday August 20th 9AM till 4PM & Sunday 21st 10AM till 2PM. Proceeds will go to the Clatskanie Class of 2025!

CLATSKANIE Mini Storage

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

CC22-1184

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Qualifications Due 4:00 pm, September 6, 2022 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS SOLICITATION The City of Rainier (City) is soliciting proposals for an Integrator of Record (Integrator) to provide water and wastewater control system and instrumentation integration services as an independent contractor to the City. Services typically conducted by the

Integrator include, but are not necessarily limited to the items listed in Section 2 of this RFP. Work shall be provided to City on an as-needed basis, as authorized by the Public Works Director or Public Works Lead Person. Proposer services will be managed by Public Works Director. Proposers are invited to submit a proposal outlining their experience and qualifications in performing

work directly related to the services requested.

Proposals shall be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked: “Confidential: City of Rainier City Integrator of Record Proposal”.

Proposals shall meet the requirements set forth in Sections 3.4 Proposal Format, and 3.5 Proposal Contents. Proposals shall be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on September 6, 2022 to: Sue Lawrence Public Works Director,

106 W B Street, Rainier, OR 97048. The City of Rainier assumes no responsibility for delayed or undelivered mail or express packages.

Proposals which are not received by the above specified time and date will not be considered.

Faxed or emailed proposals will be rejected as non-responsive. Solicitation packets may be downloaded from www. cityofrainier,com or may be obtained at the ad-

dress listed above or by calling the City Hall at 502-556-7301. Proposers are required to certify non-discrimination in employment practices in accordance with Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 279A.110(4), and identify resident status as defined in ORS 279A.120(1). Pre-qualification of Proposer is not required. All Proposers are required to comply with the provisions ORS of and City

of Rainer code. The City of Rainier reserves the right (1) to reject any or all proposal not in compliance with public bidding procedures, 2) to postpone award of the contract for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from date of proposal opening, (3) to waive informalities in the proposals, and (4) to select the proposal which appears to be in the best interest of the City.

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

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

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Last week’s puzzle answers

14. Rocks at mountain base 15. Reading helper 16. Serve soup 17. Clean & ____, in a workout 18. *QB’s target 20. Wholly engrossed 21. Religious ritual table 22. Scot’s woolen cap 23. Relating to milk 26. Oil-producing plant 30. Shakespearean “fuss” 31. Crowd 34. Like the White Rabbit 35. Chip feature 37. Mozart’s “L’____ del Cairo” 38. Asian goat antelope 39. Turn sharply 40. Yield 42. Compass bearing 43. *When QB changes play at line of scrimmage 45. ____ identity 47. Failed Molotov cocktail 48. Alicia Keys’ instrument 50. Final notice 52. *It results in change of possession in football 55. Off-white color 56. Actor Pitt 57. Type of ore 59. Classic TV’s “lovely lady” 60. Stiff hair 61. Vegetative state 62. Distinctive elegance 63. Prior to, prefix 64. *Tom Brady’s 2008, 2018 or 2021 award

#40 Down 7. Imitator 8. *QB’s run 9. SAT or ACT ____ course 10. Catch one’s breath 11. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” band 13. Malfunction 14. Hair product 19. Chosen few 22. Dress like Ancient Greeks 23. Butterfly, premetamorphosis 24. Bye, to …lisabeth Borne 25. Encrypted 26. *a.k.a. hike 27. Dog-____ pages 28. Do penance 29. Not as old 32. Casanova, e.g.

33. Two before Dec. 36. *NFL playing field 38. Shorthand 40. Antediluvian 41. Idi Amin’s country 44. Butane derivative 46. Not an expert 48. Less adulterated 49. All worked up 50. Like Joe Biden’s office 51. ____ Bora 52. Chef ’s amt.

53. Son of Aphrodite 54. Boisterous play 55. *____ the kicker 58. “Uh-uh”

DOWN 1. *Professional football org.

2. Relating to armpit 3. Not all 4. Jazz subculture hipster 5. Tropical juice flavor 6. Comparative form of

The Chief

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Write to us We want to hear from you and encourage you to write letters to the editor.

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

Guest commentary We welcome all variety of community viewpoints in the newspaper. These longer, guest opinions might be columns written

by newsmakers, public officials or organization representatives. Or you might just have interesting thoughts to share and a penchant for writing. If you’d like to submit a guest column for publication, contact us at (503) 397-0116 or chiefnews@ countrymedia.net. All columns are subject to editing for style, grammar and clarity. However, views expressed in guest columns are independent and do not represent those of The Chief, its staff or Country Media, Inc. Obituaries Obituaries received after noon on Wednesday may not be in time for that Friday’s paper. Obituaries may be emailed to chiefnews@ countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office. We also accept obituaries written by funeral homes. Include the address and daytime phone number of the person who submitted the obituary, so we can verify information as necessary.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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•

L

•O bituaries • •

Lee Berta Irene Walker Nov. 16, 1951 ~ July 19, 2022

ee Berta, a resident of Clatskanie, was born on Nov. 16, 1951 and passed away in Clatskanie, Oregon on July 19, 2022.

She was born to Bill Titus and Lottie Titus of Mist, Oregon and was raised in Vernonia, Oregon. She attended and graduated from Vernonia High School.

Lee married Robert E. Walker in Kelso, Washington and was a stay-athome mom. She loved her pets, grandchildren, being around family, being outdoors, gardening, and attending her grandkids sports games.

She leaves behind her children, Raeberta Lynn Ostrand of Rainier, Oregon and Debbie May Calvert of

Friday, August 19 , 2022

Clatskanie, Oregon; brothers, Donnie Titus of Lyons, Oregon and Tim Titus of Vernonia, Oregon; sister Sue Rondo of Banks, Oregon; grandchildren, Katie Ostrand, Peter Ostrand, Jared Abbott, Brittney Abbott and Mitchell Calvert; and great-grandchildren Mia Ostrand, Marissa Ostrand, and Gracee Abbott.

A celebration of life will be held from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2022 at 23275 Swedetown Rd., Clatskanie, Oregon. It will be a potluck, so please bring a dish if you can.

•

Linda Jean Roberts May 30, 1944 ~ Aug. 12, 2022

L

inda Jean (Stennick) Roberts,78 of Rainier, Oregon, was born May 30,1944 to John and June Stennick. She passed away Aug. 12, 2022. She lived in Rainier, Oregon her whole life.

Graduating from Rainier High School in 1962, she became a hairdresser in Clatskanie in her younger years.

She worked for Bell Studio until retirement. She married Alvin Roberts on Nov. 28,1968. He was the love of her life!

He preceded her in death in 1989. They had two children, Bill Roberts and Lori Loran.

Along with being a great

wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, she loved working in her yard, collecting rocks, quilting, knitting, and going to the beach.

She leaves behind two children, Bill (Jill) Roberts and Lori Loran; eight grandchildren, Micheal (Lisa) Jacobs, Aspen and Alvin Roberts; Brad Bright, and Hannah, Matt, Emma, and Page Loran; six greatgrandchildren; two brothers, Larry (Janet) Stennick and David (Linda) Stennick; one sister Betty Stennick; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Alvin Roberts in 1989; and grandson Byron Jacobs in 2018.

At her request no service will be held. Guestbook online at Dahl-McVicker Funeral Home.

•S ports • •

Drivers race towards division championship pole position of the 13-car Pure Stock main and she led the 40-lap race from start-tofinish to get her second main Midway through River event win this year in her City Speedway’s stock car Ross Diesel & Auto sponracing season a number of sored 1979 Buick Regal. area drivers are enjoying suc“This is the 15th race of cess and are contenders for my career and I’ve won two a Columbia County Racing straight now, so I’m very exAssociation (CCRA) division cited,” said Phillips, who won championship. the last Pure Stock main on A quartet of local competitors recorded top-five finishes July 16. “I just love Theresa and Brock Ross, owners of Aug. 6, including St. Helens Ross Diesel & Auto. They’ve drivers Lanette Phillips, Bob been super helpful and they’re Berg and Stephen Kaptur very supportive and they’re and Austin Fox of Rainier. also on my pit crew somePhillips won the Pure Stock Division main event and Berg times as well. I’m currently second in the point standings, notched a fifth place in the so I’m hoping to win the Tuner Division main. Fox championship. I’m compettook third in the Tuner main ing against a very talented and Kaptur was fourth in competitor, Tom Zywicki, the Modified Division main who won the championship event. last year and he’s ahead of The four drivers are also me in the standings and he’s a ranked in the top-five of the phenomenal driver.” season point standings and Berg, 58, took fifth place in have a shot at winning a title the 14-car, 40-lap Tuner main at the Columbia County Fairwith his Cozy Lawn Maintegrounds motorsports facility nance sponsored 1997 Dodge in St. Helens. Other drivers who are also focusing on pos- Neon. Berg is ranked fifth in the standings, just ahead of sibly winning a title include St. Helens drivers Kasey Lee, sixth place St. Helens driver Anthony Brinster, who drives Christopher Lee, Sean Fox the Economy Auto Parts and Bernie Lujan who are sponsored Nissan. Berg leads each ranked in the top-five of 05-02-12 1x9D SootBusters:Layout 4/30/12 11:31 AM the Four1 Cylinder Division the point standings too. point standings and he’s seekPhilips, 48, started on the MIKE WEBER Chief Guest Article

05-02-12 05-02-12 1x9D 1x9D SootBusters:Layout SootBusters:Layout 1 1

4/30/12 4/30/12

11:31 11:31 AM AM

ing to win the fifth title of his 30-year motorsports career.

“It was a good race, the track conditions were nice and smooth, but I lost my brakes for the last 10 laps and they caught on fire and we had exited the track and put the fire out,” said Berg, whose wife Tiffany is sixth in the Four Cylinder standings, while driving the Eaton’s Tire & Service Center sponsored Dodge Neon.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to maybe win another championship,” said Berg. “I don’t have a big lead in the point standings, but I think I’ll have a good shot at winning the Four Cylinder Division title.”

Berg currently has 319 points for first place, with Sam Simmet of Vancouver in second with 311 points.

Myke Landis of West Linn, who leads the series standings, won the Tuner Division main in his Landis & Landis Construction sponsored 2003 Ford Focus. Fox, 15, took third place with his Economy Auto Parts sponsored Volkswagen GTI. Fox had an outstanding performance on the quarter mile clay oval track as he also won the trophy dash Page and he 1took second in the heat race for a total of three top-

Page Page 1 1

Courtesy from Mike Weber

Stephen Kaptur, of St. Helens, driving the number 90 yellow car competes in the Aug. 6 modified division main event. three finishes.

“It was a good race, I had lots of fun and hopefully, this will help me move up in the point standings a little bit,” said Fox, who is a Rainier High sophomore and he plays on the Columbians OSAA Class 3A basketball team. “I competed in the Tracer class last year, but there wasn’t much competition there for me. It’s a lot more fun in this class, because you get to race for the lead other cars and there’s lapped cars and more traffic to deal with, which makes it more exciting.”

Fox is the fourth generation of his family to compete

in stock car racing. His dad Sean competes in the Modified class and is ranked fourth in the standings. Sean’s dad Dan is a former driver who competed for many years in CCRA events and Dan’s father raced at Portland Speedway, which closed in 2001.

In other events last Saturday, Street Stock Division leader Dustin Wilkinson of Milwaukie, won the 40-lap main in the Tri-Pod Development sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Vancouver’s Don Jenner won the Modified Division main.

Jamieson Johnson, 16, of Olympia, WA, won the Tracer

Division main. Kasey Lee of St. Helens, took second in his Grumpy’s Towing sponsored Dodge Neon. Lee, 12, won the trophy dash on Saturday and he leads the division standings as he seeks to win the series championship. Lee’s dad Christopher competes in the Tuner class and he’s ranked fourth in the standings.

The ninth round of the 14race schedule was set for Aug. 20 followed by an Aug. 27 race. Races are also scheduled for in Sept. 3, 4, 10 and the Championship Night season finale on Sept. 24.

The Commissioners earmark $5,000 for local food bank The “Soot “Soot Busters” Busters” Inc. Inc.Shop & Fireplace Columbia County Commissioners have presented the Columbia Pacific Food Bank (CPFB) with $5,000.

“The Columbia Pacific

Chimney Services Retail Store closed, Fireplace Shop & Fireplace Shop & 1370 Col. Blvd. moved to home office.

Chimney Services Chimney Services 503-397-0390 Call for Col. appointment 1370 Blvd.

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Columbia Pacific Food Bank Executive Director Alex Tardif and Columbia Pacific Food Bank Board Chair Carol Ford, left, pictured with Columbia County Commissioners Casey Garrett and Columbia County Commissioner Henry Heimuller.

Food Bank does a tremendous job of working closely with the local food pantries and charitable organizations to help our neighbors struggling with hunger. We are pleased that this donation will help them continue to help families,” Columbia County Commissioner Henry Heimuller said.

The presentation was made during the food bank’s grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at the CPFB’s new location Friday, Aug. 12 in St.

Helens.

CPFB is Columbia County’s regional food bank, delivering food to 38 food pantries, meal programs, and produce distribution points throughout the county, including Rainier and Clatskanie.

The food bank also operates the Barbara Bullis H.E.L.P. Food Pantry in St. Helens.

The $5,000 is the county’s annual contribution to the food bank.