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The St. Helens Chronicle
Scappoose horse heading to Germany
A horse who has spent the last two years plodding the land at Happy Heart Acres rescue farm in Scappoose will soon be galloping in the fields of Germany, having been adopted by a nonprofit called American Mustang Germany. “Lil’ Buck” is a three-and-a-half-year-old Roan Mustang gelding who has been raised by Happy Heart Acres and “Chief Executive Wrangler” JJ Duehren since he was one year old. “When we rescue...
35 years of bringing the arts to Clatskanie
For the 35th time, the Clatskanie Arts Commission (CAC) will present its Annual Performing Arts Series, once again inviting the community to share and enjoy the arts. Elsa Wooley is a board member and organizer for the (CAC) and is proud to have kept this series going year after year for three and a half decades. “We are very proud of the accomplishment,” Wooley said. “As we see arts organizations...
St. Helens’ challenging 2024-2025 budget
The City of St. Helens approved its 2024-2025 budget earlier this summer, and the city has needed to rely on “one-time” sources of revenue to avoid undue stress on budget reserves. The St. Helens budget is $84.7 million, which marks an $8.4 million decrease from last year’s $93 million. The city has been put in a difficult position with the exodus of its biggest taxpayer Cascades Tissue. One area of concern for the city is the dwindling funds in the budget’s general fund. ...
Statement released on managing invasive barred owls to protect at-risk spotted owls
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing its final environmental impact statement analyzing proposed barred owl management alternatives to protect northern and California spotted owls in Washington, Oregon and California from invasive barred owls. The Service’s preferred alternative is the implementation of a proposed Barred Owl Management Strategy, which would result in the annual removal of less than one-half of 1% of the current North American barred owl population. Northern spotted owl populations are rapidly declining due to competition with invasive barred owls and...
Flying flags for the community
Residents or visitors in the city of St. Helens have enjoyed seeing US flags displayed on patriotic national holidays for many years. This past Independence Day was no exception as the Stars & Stripes proudly waved in the warm breezes on July 4th. On seven national holidays each year, the St. Helens Lions Club of Lions International faithfully places over 230 flags along the primary streets of St. Helens. Teams put the flags out early in the morning and remove them by evening. The Lions...
Photos: 4th of July celebrations
Despite the heat, residents and visitors in St. Helens and Clatskanie celebrated Independence Day with the spirit of the July 4 holiday. In Clatskanie, hundreds lined the street leading from Clatskanie Elementary School to the city park to watch the annual Heritage Day’s Parade. This is probably my fifty-third time watching the parade,” long-time Clatskanie resident Elsa Wooley said. “Some years, there are more log trucks and horses than other...
Members of Congress condemn violence after shots seemingly fired at Trump rally
Members of Congress rejected political violence Saturday after a shooting at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania left at least one rallygoer dead and forced the Secret Service to rush the former president off stage. Local authorities confirmed the shooter was killed, according to The Associated Press. The shooting at a crowded outdoor rally in Butler, just an hour outside Pittsburgh, occurred less than 48 hours before the Republican National...
Study illustrates how footwear options may increase risk of injury in youth runners
An abrupt switch to minimal shoes or barefoot running can put youth at greater risk for injury, according to a new study from researchers at Oregon State University – Cascades. While numerous clinical studies have focused on how footwear influences running mechanics in adults, few have looked at how different footwear affects running patterns in pre-adolescents and youth. “This is an important area for future research because, unlike in adults,...
Analysis of Northwest, other salmon hatcheries finds nearly all hurt wild salmon populations
More than 200 studies across 40 years revealed large-scale salmon hatchery programs weaken wild salmon diversity and lead to wild population declines For much of the last century, fish hatcheries have been built in the Northwest, across the U.S. and around the world to boost fish populations where wild numbers have gone down. But an analysis of more than 200 studies on hatcheries programs meant to boost salmonid numbers across...
Columbia Pacific Food Bank's "Gleaner Program"
Columbia Pacific Food Bank has announced the launch of its new Gleaning Program. This "innovative initiative aims to combat food insecurity and reduce food waste by harvesting surplus produce from local farmers, gardeners, and orchardists, ensuring fresh, nutritious food reaches those in need." What is a Gleaner Program? A Gleaner Program is a dedicated resource to rescuing surplus produce from local farms and gardens, ensuring that fresh, nutritious food makes...
Letter: Why no 4th of July fireworks show?
I don’t know what the actual reason was behind the decision to not have a fireworks show this year was, but the reason given was pretty lame. I have lived in St Helens almost my entire life and I cannot recall a 4th without a fireworks show until now. Parking was an excuse not a reason. For decades the parking was limited. It was only recently the old mill property was used for additional parking which by the way they charged for, City government has...
Letter: Thank you
It isn’t really news. I just wanted to say thank you to Raymond of the Food bank. He was very helpful the day I fell on my face. He was right there to comfort me. And right on, calling the medics. Thank you, Raymond, and I will be there for my ice cream. Nancy Courser, Rainier
Governor extends state of emergency due to wildfire danger
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has extended the State of Emergency issued last week due to the increasing danger of wildfires. Kotek first issued the declaration due to the extreme hot weather. The extended state of emergency took effect Friday, July 12 and runs through October 1, 2024. “Wildfires are active across Oregon and are growing at a concerning pace,” Kotek said in a statement. “Hot and windy conditions this weekend,...
Nominations for St. Helens Sports Boosters Hall of Fame open
You can nominate someone for the St. Helens Sports Booster Club’s Hall of Fame. Nominees can be made in one of four categories: • Modern athletes. This category is for athletes who graduated from St. Helens High School four to 15 years ago that were named first- or second-team all-state in their respective sport. • Veteran athletes. This category is for athletes who graduated from SHHS at least 15 years...
Change ups at Columbia County courts
Governor Tina Kotek announced that she will appoint James Gibson to the Columbia County Justice Court. Gibson will fill a vacancy created by the upcoming resignation of Diana M. Shera Taylor. Gibson received nearly 98% of the vote in the May primary running unopposed. The appointment reflects the will of the majority of voters in Columbia County, according to a news release from the governor's office. The appointment is effective July 31. ...
Letter: On voting
Since passing the motor voter rule into law in 2015 the Non Affiliated Voters have become the largest voting block in the state of Oregon yet the state retains a closed primary election system which allows the Democrat and Republican political parties to seemingly dictate which candidate appears on the ballot. During the first 2024 presidential debate I saw a pale and frail democratic president mumble and struggle to answer questions in a controlled studio environment. I also saw an arrogant and angry former republican...
River City Speedway season update
Local competitors Austin Beaudoin, Anthony Brinster, Dick Gaboury, Lanette Phillips, Brad Korpela, Stephen Kaptur, and Bernie Lujan are each leading their respective division point standings after five events on the 13-race schedule at the Columbia County Fairgrounds motorsports facility. The sixth race of the year is Saturday at 5 p.m., and race fans can arrive at the track when the gates open at 3 p.m. Gaboury of Rainier and Brinster...
A secured five-year commitment to state’s western wildfire response is announced
Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle—along with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, and Lori Chavez-DeRemer—and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announce today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and Forest Protective Agencies (FPAs) reached a renewed five-year commitment to the Western Oregon Operating Plan (WOOP). The WOOP serves as the long-term agreement that governs fire response for the BLM, ODF, and FPAs all over western Oregon. As the previous...
Police Blotter: Arrest made for attempted murder
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 June...
100 human-caused wildfires since June; lightning in forecast for record dry forests
Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region. “We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” said Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest Assistant Fire Director for Operations. “Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests and now we’re preparing for the...
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