A1
Playoffs take shape
Last coal shipper
for Rainier Page A7
pulls out Page A3
Church News-A2 • Classified Ads-A6 • Legal Notices-A6 • Neighborhood News-A3 • Obituaries-A5 • Opinions-A4 • Sports-A7-8
Friday, October 21, 2016
The Chief
$1 Vol. 125, No. 23 8 Pages
Serving the Lower Columbia Region Since 1891
Candidate Profiles: From Their Hearts: Students Margaret learn life lessons in school choir Wayne Mayo
Magruder
COURTESY PHOTO
COURTESY PHOTO
Wayne Mayo
Editor’s Note: The following is a profile of Wayne Mayo, candidate in the Columbia County Commissioners Position one race in the Nov. 8 General JEREMY C. RUARK / THE CHIEF Election. Members of the Clatskanie Middle/High School choir during a recent rehearsal at the school. See video of the choir practice at Scappoose resident and businessthechiefnews.com. man Wayne Mayo is a long-time Nelson said over her four years Erwin said everything about music resident of Columbia County. Having been an outspoken critic of county BY JEREMY C. RUARK in the choir she has leaned there are helps her students. government, he is no stranger to county jruark@countrymedia.net challenges. Besides choir, Erwin teaches 4th politics and has run for county com“It’s not always easy,” she said. – 6th grade band, concert band, “But as you progress it does get a lot symphonic band, middle and high missioner in the past. In May 2014, he They sing from their hearts. They contested incumbent Henry Heimuller better and you get better at it.” school drama and high school sing for the enjoyment of it and they for position two, coming within 59 Nelson said she gets support from guitar. She also helps with the sing to learn. votes of unseating the first-term comher classmates. schools’ JV basketball program. Students taking the choir class at missioner and forcing a recount. “I do have a team of people who The following is the schedule Clatskanie Middle/High School are The Chief: A depletion fee inare actually able to help me,” she said. for school’s choir performances. busy preparing for a number of comcrease appears on the coming ballot. Nelson’s advice to the new choir munity performances. Past proposals have been defeated students is simple. • Nov. 10 Veteran’s Day school There are 14 students attending handily. Why has the fee been un“Take it slow,” she said. “You will assembly the school’s chamber choir and 28 popular with voters given that they catch on.” • Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. Music Constudents in the concert choir. won’t be on the hook for the extra Clatskanie Middle/High School cert at CMHS auditorium Clatskanie Sophomore Bryan cost? choir teacher Jamie Erwin said she • Jan. 27-28 (could change Points is one of the choir students. Mayo: When you look at the past hopes her students come away from to Feb 3-4) Honor Choir at St. “I enjoy singing and they had a campaign budgets of each side, you their experience with singing skills and Helens class that offer it,” he said. see that the anti-depletion fee benefited a lifelong love of music. • March 14 District Choir Fest Points said the class has helped his from deep pockets. The measure was “I also hope they come away with at Scappoose learning. structured to mainly benefit CC Rider added confidence and love of perform• April 5 League Choir Fest at “I have gotten better at reading with little offered in road repair as the ing,” she said. CMHS sheet music and I am learning new Erwin said the school choir experi• May 2 at 7 p.m. Choir Concert original measure was intended. I was songs,” he said. “And I have learned surprised it did as well as it did. ence also helps the students in their and Awards CMHS auditorium teamwork.” The Chief: Columbia County Jail • May 4-6 State Choir if Clatskanie Senior Megan Nelson is overall learning. seeks to renew the jail-operating levy “Choir is team building in the CMHS qualifies a four-year veteran of the choir class. for a period of four years. Do you fullest extent,” she said. “You have to “I like singing and when there is support the levy and would you sugwork together. This translates to all For more information, call a class that offers singing, I am going aspects of life. I also emphases comCMHS at 503-728-2146. to take it,” she said. “I aspire to be a munication, working hard and setting singer.” See MAYO Page A2 goals.”
Margaret Magruder
Editor’s Note: The following is a profile of Margaret Magruder, a candidate in the Columbia County Commissioners Position 1 race in the Nov. 8 General Election. A Clatskanie-area farmer, Margaret Magruder is the owner and manager of a wool insulation manufacturer in Rainier. She has served as a member of county’s budget committee for almost 20 years and has volunteered on numerous agricultural boards. She has acted as coordinator of Lower Columbia River Watershed Council since 1996. The Chief: A depletion fee increase appears on the coming ballot. Past proposals have been defeated handily. Why has the fee been unpopular with voters given that they won’t be on the hook for the extra cost? Magruder: I can say that I have heard many people express their opposition to any new taxes. There is also a sentiment that citizens want to support local industry and local jobs, not burden businesses with additional taxes, nor do they like the fact that the fee targets a specific industry. The Chief: Columbia County Jail seeks to renew the jail-operating levy for a period of four years. Do you support the levy and would you suggest any funding alternatives that
See MAGRUDER Page A2
Clatskanie Senior Center facing uncertain future BY JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The Clatskanie Senior Center is facing a financial crisis and might be forced to shut down. Clatskanie Senior Citizens, Inc. President Ernest Carman said the nonprofit group has been struggling over the years to maintain services and expand operations at the center’s headquarters in The Castle, a west Clatskanie historic building. “The senior center administration actually collapsed in 2007 due to a loss of board members, so we reorganized in 2008,” he said. “We
had purchased The Castle about 25 years ago and have been offering meals and activities here for the area seniors.” Center attendance Attendance at the Clatskanie Senior Center has dwindled over the years. “People are living longer and retiring later and they are staying more active in life,” Carman said. “Not many of our activities are attracting them, and like across the nation, many seniors prefer to stay at home.” Carman said the senior center has been working to try to bridge the gap by offering new activities that include mother-daughter teas and promoting popular events at the center including a Christmas program offering activities for children, families and seniors, and senior trips to various locations in Oregon. Clatskanie Senior Citizens, Inc. also contracts with Columbia County as a Meals on Wheels distribution point. “We serve about 40 meals a week to seniors and the disabled in the Clatskanie area,” Carman said. The center also offers lunches
for seniors Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. But attendance has also declined for such service. “We’ve tried to go to a five day schedule offering the lunches, but we haven’t been able to find the resources to do that yet,” he said. The contract with Columbia County and money available for the center’s operation is based on the attendance at the center. Carman said due to the changes in staff, he was unable to provide the center’s annual operating budget. JEREMY C. RUARK / THE CHIEF “We are doing an The Clatskanie Senior Center operates out of this historic mansion in west Clatskanie. audit to find that out right now,” he said. meals for a total of 136 people. tions and support of $14,134 in According to the Columbia She said the Clatskanie Senior the fiscal year from July 1, 2015 to County Community Action (CAT) Center received $10,966 in state June 30, 2016. Team Senior Program Manager and federal funds, or an average of “Clatskanie has been juggling Juliann Davis, Senior, the Clats$3.07 per meal. kanie Senior Center over the past Davis said the Clatskanie Senior fiscal year served a total of 3,741 See SENIOR CENTER Page A6 Center reported income from dona