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The St. Helens Chronicle
Police Blotter: Arrests made for DUI and disorderly conduct
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...
Highway 30 reopened after fatal accident near Rainier
U.S. 30 has been reopened, according to ODOT, after a 3-vehicle crash that left two dead, and four more injured took place earlier today. The accident took place about 2 miles west of Rainer, near milepost 51. The closure was due to emergency response and investigation into the incident. According to Oregon State Police, an investigation is being conducted into the accident that took place this morning between Rainier and Clatskanie. Further details on the accident are not available at this time, and more information will be released Saturday, July 27.
Columbia County resident competing to be “fittest in the world”
It takes a lot of hard work to reach the top, and Carleen Mathews knows that better than anyone, as she is about to compete in the Masters division of the 2024 CrossFit Games. Mathews owns and operates CrossFit St. Helens on S. First Street and will compete for the prize of being the fittest 40-44-year-old in the world from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 in Birmingham, AL. “When I...
Scappoose Movies by Moonlight returns
Friday nights in August are going to be filled with movie magic in Scappoose as the Movies by Moonlight series returns to Heritage Park. The free program an initiative from Scappoose Public Library and the City of Scappoose Parks department. There will be free movies each Friday in August at Heritage Park at 52469 SE Second Street. All movies start at dusk, with pre-movie events beginning at 6 p.m. Scappoose...
Attorney General candidate visits county fair
Election Day is around the corner, and in an effort to connect with Columbia County voters, Oregon Attorney General candidate Will Lathrop took a trip to the Columbia County Fair & Rodeo. The July 18 visit was the fifth stop Lathrop has made in the county while on the campaign trail. Lathrop, a Republican, is running against Oregon Representative Dan Rayfield for the role of Oregon Attorney General. During his...
Sand Island Sand Castle Competition canceled
As the process of securing an event coordinator continues to unfold, the City of St. Helens has canceled the Sand Island Sand Castle Competition, citing logistical issues and the lack of a tourism contractor. The decision to cancel the competition was made by the St. Helens City Council and was discussed during the work and regular city council meetings on July 16. The council expressed regret over needing to cancel the event, but deemed it necessary due to the lack of planning time as the...
Family's heart broken after hit and run kills Rainier man
Law enforcement is investigating the death of a 21-year-old Rainier man who appears to be the victim of a fatal hit-and-run on the morning of July 21. The incident has the family and community seeking answers over who is responsible. Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley said law enforcement responded to the incident around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. “On July 21, 2024, around 8:30 a.m., law enforcement received a report of...
Campfires temporarily banned at most Oregon state parks
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) temporarily banned campfires at most Oregon State Parks due to dry conditions and the strain on firefighting resources from wildfires burning across the state. Campfires and open flames are banned at all parks east of the Cascades due to the low humidity and risk of wildfires. They’re also restricted at parks in high-risk areas across the state until conditions improve. Most bans impact parks east of the Cascades and in the valley with some restrictions at select coastal parks. ...
DMV phishing scam warning
The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is warning against a phishing scam where hackers are contacting customers and claiming to be from the DMV. "Scammers impersonate the DMV to trick you into giving them personal information or money," the DMV states in a release. "If you receive an unsolicited phone call, text or email claiming to be from the DMV with an urgent matter, like your driver’s license or car registration is about to expire or you are owed money due to overpayment, ignore...
Researchers enhance tool to better predict where, when wildfires will occur
A newly enhanced database is expected to help wildfire managers and scientists better predict where and when wildfires may occur by incorporating hundreds of additional factors that impact the ignition and spread of fire. “There is a tremendous amount of interest in what enables wildfire ignitions and what can be done to prevent them,” said Erica Fleishman, an Oregon State University professor. “This database increases the ability to access relevant information and contribute to wildfire preparedness and prevention.” ...
Campfires prohibited across BLM's Northwest Oregon District
Starting July 23, campfires will be prohibited on all Bureau of Land Management public lands throughout the Northwest Oregon District. BLM leaders encourage all visitors to be aware of active restrictions and closures as hotter, drier weather sets in around the Pacific Northwest. In addition to fires and campfires, the stronger restrictions also prohibit smoking in vegetated areas; using vehicles in unmanaged vegetated areas; operating a chainsaw; welding, cutting or grinding; or using an internal combustion engine without a spark arrestor. These prohibitions will stay...
Action needed to close equity gaps with Oregon's suicide rate
The Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (YSIPP) annual report shows the risk of youth suicide continues to be a concern in Oregon, particularly for youth of color. The report contains new analysis of 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) death by suicide data. By the numbers In 2022,...
Oregon Democrats praise Biden, welcome his decision to drop out
Minutes within the announcement that President Joe Biden is withdrawing from the presidential campaign, Democratic leaders in Oregon reacted to the news. Comments came from U.S. congressional members, candidates for congress, the governor and local leaders in emailed statements and on social media. They sounded a chorus of praise for Biden’s leadership and legacy and stressed their commitment to defeating former President Donald Trump in November. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer...
Boaters reminded of duties after an incident
The Oregon State Marine Board wants to remind boaters that it’s state law to help and render aid in cases where another boat is swamped, capsizes or is involved in another incident with property damage or personal injury. It’s also about being a “good neighbor” on the water. Failure to fulfill the duties of the boat operator (ORS 830.475) could result in a Class A misdemeanor citation. In cases where the boat operator leaves the scene of a boat accident where there is personal injury...
Merkley Monthly: Improving access to rural health care
Rural health care is an urgent challenge in Oregon. Approximately 35 percent of Oregonians live in rural and frontier communities compared to just 15 percent of the U.S. population. But, too often, we rely on one-size-fits-all approaches that don’t work well in rural communities. So, here’s what I’m doing to help improve access to health care on Oregon’s coast and across the state. I worked across the aisle to create...
Guest Column: The chamber is changing… for the better!
Change is in the air, and our local chamber of commerce is proof of that. Not only has our local chamber brought on new board members, but it has also upgraded its staff. We always knew The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce to be a quaint and resourceful membership-based organization, but with our growing economy, the demand for more assistance was imminent. With new Leadership came new ideas, and The chamber board decided to bring on an additional staff member to work side by...
Garden Plots: What the summer heat means for plants and trees
July 17 – 21: Columbia County Fair. August 1: Columbia County Beekeepers Monthly meeting. Thursday, August 1st, at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend. The speaker will be Ryan Williamson of Sourwood Farms, gotakeawalk@yahoo.com. Contact Linda Zahl at ColumbiaCountyOregonBeekeepers@gmail.com for the Zoom link or you can attend in person at the OSU Extension Office in St. Helens. August 8: Saving Vegetable Seeds program. Chip Bubl, St. Helens Library, 5:30...
Police Station a work in progress
Final development plans for a new police station to replace the aging facility in St. Helens continue to elude the city. In 2020, the city council began reviewing a proposed $22 million police station redevelopment plan. The original design included a court, city council chambers and more, but as the costs mounted and limited resources were available, city officials decided in January 2023 to reduce the scale of the project. ...
Photos: Early days at the 2024 Columbia County Fair
It's been hot over the last couple days, but that hasn't stopped folks turning up and having fun at the 2024 Columbia County Fair! The most popular event of the fair will kick off tonight and continue tomorrow as the toughest cowboys and cowgirls from around the area take to the arena in the Columbia County Rodeo. Look through some of the sights from the early days around the Columbia County Fairgrounds, located at 58892 Saulser Rd, St Helens, OR 97051.
Oregon’s Employment sees little change in June
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.1% in June and 4.2% in May and has been in a tight range between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023. Gains and losses In June, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 600 jobs, following a gain of 4,000 jobs in May. June’s gains were largest in health care...
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The St. Helens Chronicle covers local news in the St. Helens and Columbia County areas in Oregon. We focus on local breaking news, general news, community news, sports, and opinions.
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