Columbus
The Chief
St. Helens Elks Lodge donates over $7,500 from Annual Car Show
A summer tradition returned to St. Helens on July 13, 2024, when the St. Helens Elks Lodge #1999 proudly hosted its 16th Annual Car Show. Car enthusiasts from across the region gathered to celebrate a stunning lineup of vintage street rods, custom cars, hot pickups, and custom motorcycles. The event featured 46 awards sponsored by local merchants, with 19 judging classes and five spectator choice awards. The highlight of the...
Driver-by shooting suspects caught in portable toilet
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies are being credited with catching two drive-by shooting suspects found hiding in a portable toilet. The case unfolded at approximately 6:50 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, as Kelso Police responded to a shooting in West Kelso. Kelso Police arrived on scene and found 31-year-old Cody Tamayo suffering from a gunshot wound, according to Kelso Police Department Capt. Rich Fletcher. Tamayo was transported to a trauma...
Gearing up for the Garlic Festival
The Clatskanie Garlic Festival is returning this weekend, and organizers are expecting a strong turnout after drawing thousands of clove-craving visitors last year. The 9th Annual Garlic Festival will be in Copes Park on Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and promises to bring garlic growers and thousands of bulbs of their harvest to bear. Darro Breshears-Routon and her husband, Steve Routon, started the event in 2016 and...
Clatskanie resident achieves Navy dream
For Clatskanie’s Nikole Young, the path to serving her country has been a winding road, but after years of preparation and effort, Young has been commissioned to join the Navy as a Public Affairs Officer (PAO). Young held a commissioning ceremony to mark the occasion at the Veterans Memorial in Clatskanie on Aug. 2. She was commissioned by her officer recruiter, Lieutenant Commander Blake Hendrick, among friends and family. To reach this point, Young submitted her application, was selected by the Navy Board, was appointed...
Oregon legislative Democrats join governor, Republicans in opposing rebate ballot measure
Democratic leaders in the Oregon House and Senate have come out swinging against a November ballot measure that would hike taxes on corporations to send checks to every Oregonian. Top Democrats in the House and Senate joined their Republican colleagues and Gov. Tina Kotek in opposing Measure 118, also referred to as the Oregon Rebate. The ballot measure, one of five statewide questions that will appear on the November ballot, would increase by 3% the corporate minimum tax on sales above $25 million and distribute...
Health officials urge measles vaccination
With the start of the new school year around the corner – and as a measles outbreak continues in three Oregon counties – health officials are urging parents and guardians to get their children vaccinated against the highly infectious virus before classes begin. As of Aug. 8, total of 25 confirmed cases of measles have been reported in Clackamas, Marion and Multnomah counties, all among unvaccinated individuals. Two people have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths. Ten of the cases are 9 and...
OSU app brings wildflower identification to your fingertips
Information about the Pacific Northwest’s wide array of wildflowers is just a swipe away with a new mobile app designed in part by botanists at Oregon State University. Available for download on both Apple and Android devices, the Oregon Wildflowers app provides multimedia and information on nearly 1,000 wildflowers, shrubs and vines common in Oregon and adjacent areas in Idaho, Washington and California. For each plant, the app offers photographs, natural history, range maps and more. It works without an Internet connection once downloaded. ...
Merkley, Wyden announce $900,000+ grant to improve water quality
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden recently announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership $909,000 for the implementation of their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The CCMP aims to improve water quality, protect natural habitats, and support infrastructure for increased public use in the lower Columbia River area. The announcement was made on July 30. “The health of Columbia...
Guest Column: Sandra Capusan joins South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Sandra Capusan as a new member of the Board of Directors! Sandra began her term in July 2024, and she brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to community service that will undoubtedly benefit the Chamber and its members. Sandra is the owner and medical esthetician at The Beauty Lounge, a business she has successfully run for the past six years. Located inside Freebird Salon in downtown St. Helens, OR, The Beauty...
Flag football growing quickly in Oregon high schools
It didn’t take long for girls flag football to take off in Oregon high schools. After debuting in the spring of 2023 with eight teams, the sport blew up this year with 575 players from 32 schools. It is making steady progress toward being considered as an officially sanctioned OSAA sport. Flag football has become wildly popular at some schools, with South Salem, St. Mary’s Academy and South Eugene fielding...
Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Logging Show
Vernonia’s signature summer event has come and gone, as people flocked to the small logging town to enjoy the hullabaloo of the annual Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Logging Show. The logging show has been around since 1956, and though it is steeped in traditions, this was Jamboree Board President Roby Brewer’s first go as one of the organizers. “It went really well. We had more craft vendors than we’ve had...
Port approves new Port Westward agricultural lease
The Port of Columbia County has finalized an agricultural lease agreement with Craig F. Coleman for 118 acres at the Port Westward Industrial Park. The property, previously under timber rights retained by Lower Columbia Tree Farm since the Port’s acquisition in 2009, is available for agricultural use following a recent timber harvest. Over the first year of the lease, Coleman will focus on improving the land for agriculture by grinding...
Apiary Road reopens
After months of repairs, Apiary Road has been reopened for use. Columbia County announced the opening of the road on social media on Aug. 8, saying that the paving had been completed at the site of the closure at Milepost 11.8. The county said the road will be open, but that some work is still in progress. Drivers are advised to drive slowly through this section because the county is...
Multiple wildfires in Pacific Northwest likely to burn until fall rains arrive
Fire Managers in the Pacific Northwest predict that many wildfires currently burning in Washington and Oregon, and potentially new ones, will persist until the region experiences significant rain or snow this fall. Firefighters are actively battling these fires. With widespread lightning expected this month, fire managers will be adopting a strategic approach to integrate risk management, ecosystem resilience, and community involvement on long-duration fires before typical east wind events potentially...
Myth vs. reality: What’s the truth behind some common gardening practices?
Reality can get skewed when there are so many sources of information - books, magazines, newspapers, nurseries and, most of all, the internet and social media open up lots of room for contradiction. So, how do you find the right answer for gardening questions? Experts from Oregon State University Extension Service stepped up to bust some common gardening myths. Read on to get some research-based answers to 10 common misconceptions. ...
Police Blotter: 18 arrests made by SHPD
The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change. For specific details about cases listed, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. St. Helens Police Department July...
Students at RJSHS raising funds
Students at Rainier Jr/Sr High School (RJSHS) will soon be holding fundraisers to support educational trips and learning experiences like the Rainier Revisited that the RJSHS History Club hosts each year. RJSHS social studies teacher and advisor Andrew Demko is a key part of organizing and leading trips and experiences for RJSHS, and though Rainier Revisited took place only a few months ago, in April, he is already getting momentum rolling for next year. ...
Lawn mowing service comes to St. Helens
If people in St. Helens notice their grass has gotten a bit long and it’s time for a trim, there’s a service that aims to connect customers with “local lawn care professionals.” GreenPal is an app that Founder Gene Caballero says connects homeowners with local, vetted lawn care professionals. The platform aims to be the “Uber of lawn care.” The Nashville-based app has launched in about 250 other markets around the United States. ...
Highway 30 crashes raise safety concerns
Two serious car crashes that took place within a mile of each other on Highway 30 on July 26 and July 30 caused people to speak out on social media about concerns over safety on that stretch of road. Both accidents were revealed to be “head-on collisions.” The July 26 accident claimed the lives of two Scappoose residents, and the July 30 accident resulted in serious injuries for three people, including two victims who needed to be flown to a trauma center via LifeFlight helicopters. ...
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