The St. Helens Chronicle
Police Blotter: Multiple DUI arrests made
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 April...
Sports Update: Lions, Tigers, baseballs, oh my!
The spring sports season is rolling along, and student-athletes playing baseball and softball at St. Helens and Clatskanie are competing to be the best in their respective leagues. Let’s catch up with how St. Helens High School (SHHS) and Clatskanie Middle/High School (CMHS) have been plotting the base paths, and how their seasons have been going so far. St. Helens High School ...
More Progress: Clatskanie receives additional funding for aging sewer plant
The City of Clatskanie is halfway to its funding goal for a new sewer plant after receiving $3 million in federal funding through the Congressional Directed Funding program. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden recently secured funding for 139 Oregon community-initiated projects in fiscal year 2024, including $3 million in funding for the Clatskanie Wastewater Treatment Plant. The funding request for the city started about a year ago when the...
New Business: American Market opening in St. Helens
Options for a late night snack or refreshment in St. Helens are pretty limited, but after years of development, a new market has opened and it aims to serve the community at all hours. American Market, located at 115 N 18th St. in St. Helens, opened April 24 and will be open 24 hours a day. Once the home of an arcade, the space will now feature one of the only all-day operations in St. Helens. ...
Happening Now: Food drive benefitting Columbia County
To support a hunger-relief program that is vital to Columbia County, InRoads Credit Union will host a food drive from Monday, April 22 - Friday, May 3, across its three branches in Scappoose, St. Helens and Rainier. The food drive will benefit the Columbia Pacific Food Bank (CPFB), a food pantry whose mission is to empower the community and nourish those who lack access to essential resources. In addition to food donations, InRoads will accept cash donations that the credit union will match up to...
U.S. Supreme Court appears to lean toward Oregon city in complex homelessness case
How Cottage Grove and cities across Oregon and the national handle homelessness could be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. A majority of U.S Supreme Court justices Monday, April 22, seemed inclined to side with an Oregon town’s law that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, in a case that could have broad implications for local ordinances related to homelessness across the country. During oral arguments in City of Grants...
Renewed commitment to state’s wildfire response urged
Members of the Oregon Congressional delegation are calling for a renewed long-term commitment to the Western Oregon Operating Plan (WOOP). Set to expire June 30 of this year, the WOOP serves as the agreement that governs fire response for BLM, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and Forest Protective Associations all over western Oregon. Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today led U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and...
$10M for early childhood education, affordable housing opportunities
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and BuildUp Oregon have announced the launch of the OHCS Co-location Fund aimed at expanding access to early childhood education and affordable housing across Oregon. “Families face a pile of cost burdens that limit their access to afford housing, and one of these burdens is the high cost of early childcare," OHCS Director Andrea Bell said. "These investments set out to change the trajectory for Oregon families, allowing for increased stability and a better quality of life.” ...
Updated Equipment: Georgia-Pacific investing in Wauna mill
The Georgia-Pacific mill in Wauna will be seeing substantial investment, as the company recently announced an investment of more than $150 million to rebuild a paper machine at that location. This investment will rebuild a 1965-vintage paper machine into a “world-class machine” to make paper for Angel Soft® and strategic private-label bath tissue. The Chronicle & Chief reached out to Georgia-Pacific to understand the scale of the investment and what...
Happening Now: Coastal Conservation Association’s Salmon Derby
Already underway, the Columbia County Chapter of Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Oregon is holding its annual Joe Schwab Memorial Fishing Derby on the Columbia River, Willamette River and Multnomah Channel. The two-month long salmon derby ends Saturday, May 11. “This derby not only recognizes Joe’s legacy as an Oregon State Trooper, but it provides a friendly competition with some impressive prizes,” derby director Mindy Sass said. First prize is $2,000...
Recognized: Rotary Student of the Month is Olivia Beck
he Columbia County Rotary Club and St. Helens High School are pleased to honor Olivia Beck as the April Rotary Student of the Month. Olivia Beck exemplifies the qualities of a well-rounded individual who strives for excellence in all areas of life. Academically, she maintains an impressive 4.19 weighted GPA while taking advanced courses, zero-period weight lifting, and participating in activities like AVID and golf. Her teachers and peers admire her hard work, integrity, and positive influence, making her a role model both in and...
U.S. Attorney's Office launches carjacking task force
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced recently that it will join 10 other U.S. Attorney’s Offices in establishing a multi-agency task force to address carjacking, an important public safety threat impacting communities in Oregon and beyond. In keeping with the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, the District of Oregon carjacking task force will focus federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting individuals responsible for committing carjackings and related crimes throughout the state. ...
Oregon DEQ under resourced to face enormity of climate change challenges, audit finds
Oregon’s environmental regulatory agency needs more staff and funding to keep up with growing demand for its services as climate change escalates, according to a new state analysis. Auditors from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, who published their findings Wednesday, said Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality is understaffed and lacks resources to take on what is becoming an already large workload as drought, wildfire, flood and air pollution risks increase. ...
Marine Board issues waterway advisory
The Oregon Marine Board has issued a safety advisory concerning waterway obstructions. Heavy wind and rain from winter storms cause trees to plunge into Oregon rivers. Trees become obstructions, a risk for all boaters, including paddlers, rafters, and drift boats," according to the Marine Board. Some of these obstructions will become more dangerous as river levels drop, requiring boats to portage around the obstructions for safe navigation. ...
Column: Drug education can help young people during 4/20 Day
Oregon decriminalized small amounts of cannabis in 1973, and by 1998, the state approved cannabis for medical use. In 2014, Oregon became the fourth state to legalize adult-use cannabis. By 2022, the sitting Governor pardoned over 47,000 possession of cannabis convictions and forgave more than $14 million in fees and fines. 4/20 Day is a big celebration in the state. Portland has been known as one of the top cannabis...
Coming Soon: CMHS’s upcoming spring play
The Clatskanie High School Theatre Department proudly presents “Don’t Tell the Secret” by Stephen Gregg. The play is a psychological thriller rated PG 13. Set in Menchamp, CA, an incomprehensible event: every person in the audience of a high school play falls unconscious--every person but one. Using interviews with witnesses, loved ones, first responders, and the investigators pursuing the case, our theatre ensemble brings the story of the strange event to life, documentary-style. But as the strands weave together into an increasingly dangerous web, it becomes clear that this phenomenon might not be entirely in the past. Unnerving, exhilarating, and wildly inventive, you’ve never walked into anything quite like it. Please join us May 10, 11, 17, and 18 at 7 p.m. in the Donavon Wooley Performing Arts Center at Clatskanie High School. $8 General, $5 Student/Senior.
Recognized: St. Helens receives budget presentation award
The City of St. Helens has received a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 budget. St. Helens City Administrator John Walsh gave more information about the criteria and how the city was considered for the award. “We submitted our budget document to the award program. States, cities, counties, special districts, school districts, and other qualifying agencies must apply...
Photos: Inside the John Gumm Renovation and Improvement Project
There has been substantial progress in the John Gumm Renovation and Improvement Project. In preparation for a fall move Columbia County hosted a media briefing to provide an update. The event featured speakers including Columbia County Commissioner Casey Garrett, St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl, Paul Vogel, Executive Director of the Columbia Economic Team, and Brandon Sundeen, Vice President of the Columbia County Museum Association Board of Directors. Each speaker highlighted the importance of revitalizing the John Gumm School Building, a vital part of the downtown St. Helens National Historic District. Following the guest speakers' address, the group was taken on a tour of the building to see the extent of the progress. A full story will be in the April 27 edition of the Columbia County Chronicle & Chief. Below are photos from the event:
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