Columbus
The St. Helens Chronicle
Introducing 2024 My Fair Lady and Gentleman Court
The My Fair Lady and Gentleman Pageant is held during the Columbia County Fair each year to recognize seniors (55+) for their outstanding community service. The 2024 Annual My Fair Lady and Gentleman Pageant is scheduled to be held at 12:30 p.m. July 17 at the fairgrounds in St. Helens. The 2024 My Fair Lady and Gentlemen Court was welcomed during the tea at the Vernonia Grange on May 23. These five senior volunteers have embraced this opportunity through participation in the St. Helens Kiwanis...
Oregon launches new summer food program for children
Oregon Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) is a new food benefits program to help shrink the hunger gap when children are on summer break and don’t have easy access to healthy meals at school. Summer EBT started in late June and provides $120 per eligible child to buy food. “During the summer, many families must provide another 10 meals per child, per week,” Oregon Department of Education Director Dr....
Senator Ron Wyden to hold Columbia County town hall this weekend
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will be making his way to Columbia County this weekend, in an effort to connect with constituents and hear concerns in a town hall. Heading into this weekend, Wyden will have held 1,089 town halls throughout Oregon – including 24 so far this year -- in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. ...
Oregon joins nearly 30 states with illnesses linked to mushroom-derived candies
The Oregon Health Authority said the state is now part of a nationwide outbreak linked to microdosing products that contain a substance in mushrooms. So far, one person in Oregon has become ill and recovered, the health authority said. It didn’t provide any other information about that person. Nearly 60 people in 27 states – from the East Coast to the West – are part of the outbreak linked to microdosing products, federal officials said. Thirty people have been hospitalized and federal officials are investigating...
Tourism contractor process slows, 13 Nights goes on
Though the process of hiring a new event coordinator remains unresolved, the 13 Nights concerts series will continue, and the city has announced the remaining concerts. On June 17, the City of St. Helens voted to approve a notice of intent to award Treadway Events & Entertainment LLC as the new events coordinator. The notice of intent to award began the negotiation with the selected contractor candidate and also opened a seven-day “objection period.” ...
Transfer station solid waste fees increase
The Board of Commissioners approved a 3.6% increase in solid waste fees at the Columbia County Transfer Station, effective July 1. The increase will see rates rise as much as much as $2.25 in cities across the county. Starting July 1, the commercial tonnage rate increases from $106.12 to $109.94 per ton. Residential customers with a once-a-week curbside collection for a 35-gallon cart will also see adjustments. The new curbside...
Columbia County’s 109th Fair and Rodeo
The Columbia County Fair is returning soon, and the ultra-popular Columbia County Rodeo will be held next weekend, bringing raucous action to the county for its 109th year. The theme this year is “Sew It, Grow It, Show It,” which was submitted by Daisy Smith, and selected as the winner forthis year’s theme contest. The fair will offer a host of activities, including carnival rides, 4-H livestock shows and auctions, food, drink, and, of course, the rodeo. ...
All ODF district are now in fire season
As of, July 3, all Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) districts are in fire season. This means that to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, fire restrictions may be in place where you live or at a destination you plan to visit or recreate. ODF protects over 16 million acres of private, county, state, and federal land in Oregon from wildfire. Fire season is declared at the local level when conditions reach a point where the risk of a fire starting and spreading becomes clear....
New Asbestos/Lead testing drop box in St. Helens
The Columbia County Solid Waste Department is excited to announce the addition of a new drop box at the St. Helens Transfer Station for asbestos and lead testing services. This new drop box offers county residents a convenient and affordable way to access comprehensive testing services. Key Features include: • Multiple Asbestos Testing Turnaround Options. Choose from same-day to 5-business-day results to meet your specific needs. ...
Wyden, Merkley, colleagues call on Postal Service to prepare for upcoming election
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is leading Senate colleagues including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley in calling on Postmaster General DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service to share their plans to accommodate high volumes of mail expected in the upcoming 2024 general election in Oregon and nationwide. “In 2020, the Postal Service overcame a series of challenges, including the onset of a global pandemic, to fulfill this critical mission. Impressively, it delivered 97.9% of ballots within three days, even as a record number of...
OSAA hires Brownrigg as assistant executive director
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has hired Lauren Brownrigg as an assistant executive director. Brownrigg has served as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. since 2012. She was named senior associate athletic director in 2020. Brownrigg replaces Monica Maxwell, who recently accepted a position with the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Ind. ...
Second Veterans Wall nearing completion
A new Clatskanie Veterans Wall will soon be complete to stand in tandem with the black granite wall completed at the beginning of this century. “We already have 1,600 names to be put on the new wall,” said Gerry Simmons, Commander of the American Legion Post 68. Simmons is himself a Vietnam veteran and has been a longtime supporter of honoring Clatskanie veterans. That is in addition to the 27 new names that were announced at the Memorial Day celebration. ...
Scappoose selects new city manager
The Scappoose City Council has taken the next step to hire a permanent city manager, as they have selected Ben Burgener as their preferred candidate for the position, and he has signed a letter of intent. The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief reached out to Scappoose Mayor Joe Backus for an update on where things are in the process and how they landed on Burgener. “We are now putting together...
Alex Tardif withdraws from County Commissioner election
In a surprising turn of events, Alex Tardif has withdrawn his candidacy for Position 1 of the Columbia County Commissioners, taking himself off of the ballot for the runoff election between himself and incumbent County Commissioner Margaret Magruder. Tardif’s exit from the commissioner’s race was confirmed by Columbia County Public Information Officer Mark Pacheco via email June 27. When asked what the result will be for the election, Pacheco said that Tardif’s name will not appear on the November ballot but that “everything else will...
Column: Summer is finally busting out... I think
Columbia County Beekeepers Monthly meeting has been cancelled for July since it would have been on July 4th. The seedcorn maggot can be a real problem with bean, corn, and squash family seeds. By the time the gardener realizes that something is wrong and looks in the seed furrow, the damage is already done. The maggot and seed alike may have disappeared. That happened to me this year with a planting of winter squash. Recent experiments in the Midwest demonstrated that soil temperatures play a...
Democrats, homeless advocates disappointed in U.S. Supreme Court ruling on homelessness
Democratic lawmakers, homeless advocates and legal experts in Oregon expressed disappointment Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Grants Pass homeless case, while conservatives welcomed the decision. In a 6-3 decision split along partisan lines, the court sided with the southern Oregon city in its prohibitions against homeless people using blankets, pillows or cardboard to protect themselves in severe weather while sleeping in public places. The court said that the city’s ordinances against homeless camping did not violate the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition...
The Community Helpers Vehicle Petting Zoo
The Community Helpers Vehicle Petting Zoo attracted 250 visitors to the St. Helens Public Library on June 29 to educate folks of all ages on the people and vehicles that make taking care of the city possible. The St. Helens Police Department, City of St. Helens Public Works crew, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Hudson Garbage Service, and others taught about the safety and maintenance of the city.
Hydropower is ready to step up to the plate against summer heat
Summer is here and the Northwest has sprung to life as the days have grown longer and warmer. It’s an exciting time for many of us as we break free from the cold grip of winter. But in the past few years, we’ve experienced increasingly extreme weather. Hotter, drier conditions during the summer have started earlier and lasted longer, with multiple “heat dome” events leading to record-breaking temperatures across the region. Uncomfortable as it may be, comfort is really the least of our concerns. The...
Columbia County’s 2024 graduates of Oregon Charter Academy
Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) honored its 2024 class of graduating students at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, June 8. Of the nearly 320 graduating students, seven are from Rainier, Clatskanie and St. Helens. Oregon Charter Academy is the state’s first online school, established nearly 20 years ago as Oregon Connections Academy. The tuition-free virtual public charter school became independent in 2020 to better serve K-12 students throughout Oregon with advanced technology and customizable approaches to a standards-based curriculum. ...
SHPD officers seek information in sexual assault case
On June 22, the St. Helens Police Department received the report of a sexual assault that had occurred earlier that day. St. Helens officers immediately initiated an investigation. Law enforcement soon identified 36-year-old Casey Blasier of St. Helens as a suspect. Investigators presented the case to a Columbia County Grand Jury on June 27, and Blasier was indicted. On June 27, at approximately 1:45 p.m., St. Helens officers arrested Blasier...
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