Mountain View
The St. Helens Chronicle
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. ...
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. ...
Columbia County jury indicts alleged animal abuser
A Columbia County Grand Jury returned an indictment against a Columbia County woman for 38 counts of felony aggravated animal abuse on June 11, following an investigation that yielded grim results. According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), an investigation found that Kathryn Sullivan of Goble had “suffocated and frozen to death 19 newborn puppies.” Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley expressed gratitude to the partnering agencies in the case,...
Unity in the community at the Clatskanie Festival
The Clatskanie Festival returns this year, and organizer Lori Sherman wants to bring free, family-friendly community fun to the Clatskanie community. The event will be Aug. 9 through Aug. 11, and will largely be taking place at Cope’s Park in Clatskanie. Sherman said that this year’s theme is “Unity in the Community.” The community festival was founded ten years ago by Sherman and her husband Steve. Sherman said the festival...
Act now to secure summer food benefits
As summer begins to wind down, families have a limited window to secure essential food assistance through the new Summer EBT program. The program offers $120 per child to help cover grocery costs when school food programs are not as easy to access. With the application deadline quickly approaching on Sept. 2, 2024, it's crucial for eligible families to act now. Thousands of families may be unaware that they qualify...
Column: Legislation on homelessness should start with cities
The widespread take on the June 28 U.S. Supreme Court decision sustaining Grants Pass restrictions on public camping was widely interpreted as kicking the issue, as it did with abortion in the Dobbs decision, to the states.
State council proposes new literacy requirements for teacher training and licensing
Oregon teacher colleges and future and current teachers hoping to get hired at public elementary schools in the state could soon be required to demonstrate a much more robust understanding of how to teach reading and writing than is currently…
Wyden, Jayapal lead effort to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) are leading more than 25 Members of Congress in urging the Federal District Court of Oregon to grant the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction in the Kroger-Albertson’s merger case. The amicus brief outlines three major concerns with the merger: Harm to consumers.Harm to workers.The growing consolidation of grocery chains is leading to monopolistic practices. ...
Column: Legislation on homelessness should start with cities
The widespread take on the June 28 U.S. Supreme Court decision sustaining Grants Pass restrictions on public camping was widely interpreted as kicking the issue, as it did with abortion in the Dobbs decision, to the states. In many states, few of which have state laws on the subject, that may be the effect. Oregon, which does have a state law on the subject, may be different. Here, the effect of the decision, which simply said the Grants Pass rules were not “cruel or unusual,”...
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