Columbus
Columbia County Spotlight
OPINION: Kroger-Albertsons merger is the right move for workers and consumers
The proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger needs to needs to be consummated. I like many of you are astounded at the rise in the price of groceries and anything we can do to create a structure so that companies can work to lower them is essential. I believe this merger will do just that. Recently the chorus of condemnation of the proposed merger has grown from government entities from the U.S. Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, the Oregon AG and the Oregon Health Authority. I find it...
Hops set walks record in 6-0 loss to Everett
After taking five-of-six games with Tri-City last week, things started on a different note for Hillsboro this week, with the Hops dropping their series opener with Everett 6-0 on Tuesday night, June 18, at Memorial Stadium in Everett. Despite boasting a pitching staff that ranks fourth in ERA amongst the 120 minor league teams, this night was not theirs, as Hops pitchers walked a franchise record 15 batters, in addition to tallying three more free passes on hit-by-pitches. ...
Places to go, things to do for summer family fun
It doesn't matter if you live in the heart of Portland, west of the hills, east of the river, or south toward Wilsonville and Woodburn — there's always something fun to do! Scroll through this list to see what activities you can get and enjoy! AROUND PORTLAND PEDALPALOOZA — Rides galore are part of the...
Our TV picks for Thursday, June 20: Caught!; Alone; World’s Funniest Animals
Caught! DISC 5 p.m. Smartphones and surveillance cameras catch people in surprising situations. It seems everyone has a wild side when they think no one is looking — and the more that’s seen, the funnier things get. Unsuspecting subjects find unexpected notoriety online. Alone ...
What to know about reseeding or replanting your lawn
Spring marks the return of flowering plants and warm weather. And homeowners know that spring also ushers in the return of home renovation season. Homeowners undoubtedly have an extensive list of projects on their to-do list this spring, and that may include helping their lawns and gardens recover after a long winter. Unpredictable weather, including drought, excessive rainfall, and everything in between, can take its toll on a lawn. In certain instances, the best solution may be planting new grass. However, homeowners can consider these...
A farm-themed reading program awaits youngsters this summer at Topaz Farm at Sauvie Island
A Scappoose School District librarian is blending her love of farm life with a desire to encourage youngsters to read. Keely Nudo, in partnership with Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island, will be hosting “Storytime with Keely” every Thursday throughout the summer, beginning June 27, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. The program is aimed for youngsters from 3 years old to fifth grade, although all families are welcome. ...
Evanson: Is Portland losing interest in the Blazers? And how much does Jody Allen care?
With the NBA Draft just more than a week away and the Trail Blazers desperately in need of a key piece to what they hope will be a successful rebuilding puzzle, I can’t help but ponder one very important question: Who cares? I’m serious. Without a face of the franchise in the wake of Damian Lillard’s departure, just two months removed from what amounted to the second worst season in franchise history, and as interest in the team in and around the city is waning...
EV Roundup: We drive and compare new EVs
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to drive several new electric vehicles on the same day as part of the Midwest Automotive Media Association's Spring Rally. It was a useful chance to compare and contrast EVs from several different automakers to see what each has to offer. I started with the all-new Volvo EX30, which is due at dealers later this year and currently available for reservation. The Volvo is a four-door hatchback starting at about $35,000. It will have about 268 horsepower...
St. Helens City Council decides on a new event coordinator
At a St. Helens City Council special session held Monday evening, June 17, councilors selected Treadway Events & Entertainment as the city’s new events coordinator. Two finalists for the position, Treadway and Cascadia Glamping (from Columbia County) were interviewed at the special session, which lasted for more than two hours. According to Treadway, which is based in Portland, the event firm serves Oregon and Washington by offering “immersive, fun and...
St. Helens City Council decides on a new event coordinator.
At a St. Helens City Council special session held Monday evening, June 17, councilors selected Treadway Events & Entertainment as the city's newest events coordinator. Two finalists for the position, Treadway and Cascadia Glamping (from Columbia County) were interviewed at the special session, which lasted over two hours According to Treadway, which is based in Portland, the event firm serves Oregon and Washington by offering "Immersive, fun and safe environments"...
Our TV picks for Wednesday, June 19: Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics; The Conners; Let’s Make a Deal Primetime
Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics HIST 8 p.m. It was a spectacle of immense proportions when African American track and field athlete Jesse Owens traveled to Berlin for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games. With a backdrop of Hitler’s Aryan supremacy agenda, he proceeded to win four gold medals. The Conners ...
State economist reflects on 14 years on the job
For Mark McMullen, who just wrapped up more than 13 years as Oregon’s state economist, coming to Oregon was both difficult and easy. The hard part was his career path after he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pomona College and a master’s degree in public economics from the University of Pennsylvania. His first job was as a researcher for the Congressional Budget Office, which Congress created almost two decades earlier to provide information and analyses independent of the White House Office of Management...
OPINION: Let’s make sure no one in our community drowns this year
Water + Kids = Fun! (but also Danger) Unintentional injuries have been the leading cause of death for children and adolescents for decades. Among deadly injuries, drowning is a neglected killer. In the last decade, drowning has killed more children ages 1-4 than any other cause of injury death. An average of about nine preschoolers and 10 kids ages 5-19 drown each week. We are into warmer weather now and...
Happy 80-ish birthday Herman the Sturgeon
How do you celebrate turning 80-ish? For a famed fish living in the Columbia River Gorge, it’s by debuting a new IPA and spurring a fundraising campaign. Herman the Sturgeon, who lives at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, 70543 N.E. Herman Loop, in Cascade Locks — take Exit 40 off Interstate 84, is celebrating his 80th birthday (give or take a few years, his caretakers are unsure of his exact age)...
Scappoose students earn drone pilot certificates
Scappoose High School students had the rare opportunity Tuesday morning, June 11, to climb to the dizzying heights of the air traffic control tower at Portland International Airport. It was part of a busy week where students interested in piloting drones were finally awarded Federal Aviation Administration remote pilot certificates. Culminating a year-long fire science program the Scappoose Fire District started this year, students at the high school received FAA...
My opinion: Oregon may be putting patients in the middle of bad policy
In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 844, creating the Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board (Oregon PDAB). Today, the board is charged with annually identifying nine drugs and one insulin product that it determines may create affordability challenges for the Oregon health care systems or high out-of-pocket costs for Oregonians. It is also charged with developing a mechanism for establishing upper payment limits on those drugs it has reviewed. Oregon Bioscience Association — along with the voices of many patient groups and health leaders...
Nurses at six Providence locations set to strike Tuesday, June 18
Nurses at six Providence hospitals are set to strike for three days starting Tuesday, June 18. More than 3,000 nurses are scheduled to strike at Providence Milwaukie Hospital; Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City; Providence Newberg Medical Center; Providence St. Vincent in Washington County; Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital; and Providence Medford Medical Center. The nurses are represented by the Oregon Nurses Association. ONA delivered a 10-day notice...
Oregon ranks middle among states for child well-being in new report
Oregon kids are healthier than average but lag their peers nationwide when it comes to education, according to a new report. The Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation releases annually a report called KIDS COUNT that ranks how well states support kids using state and federal data. The latest report, the foundation’s 35th, was released last week and includes data collected in 2021 and 2022. It shows Oregon is in the middle among states for overall child well-being. ...
Local baseball and softball standouts honored by the Cowapa League
It was a banner spring in Columbia County, with the baseball and softball teams from both Scappoose and St. Helens making their way to the OSAA 4A state playoffs, capped by the Indians baseball team winning a second consecutive state championship. As a result of that success, 28 different local area athletes were honored as part of the Cowapa League’s all-league baseball and softball teams recently announced. Heading that list—at...
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