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The St. Helens Chronicle
Grand Opening Soon: Sunsations in St. Helens
The sunny months are ahead in the northwest, but for those looking to catch a tan in any season, Sunsations Tanning & Boutique is expanding to St. Helens. It’s been over a year and a half since Sunsations Owner Samantha Slater opened her first location in Scappoose, and she’s ready to start a new chapter. Slater will open her new location in St. Helens on May 11, at 351 Columbia Blvd, right next to Kozy Korner. ...
Raising Awareness: Honoring the missing and the murdered
In remembrance of missing and murdered indigenous relatives, women, brothers, and children, more than 60 people dressed in red took to the streets of St. Helens to raise attention ahead of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s (MMIW) Day of Awareness on May 5. The march on May 3 started at Medicine Wheel Recovery Services at 115 Church St. in St. Helens and went in a loop. The marchers consisted largely of clients and staff of Medicine Wheel Recovery Services. The marchers carried signs bearing the...
Police Blotter: Arrests made for assault and DUI
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 April 21 ...
Q&A: Candidates for Position 1 on the Columbia County Commission
The 2024 Oregon Primary Election is approaching, and in Columbia County there are two positions on the ballot for the county’s commission. The election will be on May 21, and two incumbent candidates are seeking to retain their seats. Casey Garrett is running unopposed for Position 3. Margaret Magruder is seeking reelection in Position 1, but is running against Brian Brust and Alex Tardif for the seat. The Columbia County...
A year after the end of the COVID-19 emergency, Oregon among top states keeping people covered
With more than 90 percent of the state’s 1.5 million renewals complete, more than 4 out of 5 Oregonians are keeping their Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or other Medicaid benefits. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), which ended one year ago in April 2023, the federal government allowed states to keep people on Medicaid benefits. This ended when the pandemic emergency ended, so over the last year Oregon has been making sure everyone on OHP is still eligible. ...
Frances Online Unemployment Insurance, Paid Leave Oregon benefits update
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is now in its ninth week of using Frances Online for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. In that time, the new system has paid out $111.3 million dollars in benefits, and there has been a significant increase in customers successfully using Frances Online. The number of timely weekly claims has leveled out to roughly 30,000 for each of the past six weeks. This aligns with seasonal...
Hunters urged to apply early for controlled and premium hunts – Deadline May 15
Hunters should apply for their controlled and premium hunts as soon as possible and before the deadline of Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. An application is required for most deer and elk hunts in eastern Oregon and for all pronghorn, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat hunts. Many hunters wait until the last minute which increases the chance for problems that can ruin a hunting season. For example,...
Recognized: SHHS earns Gold Council Award
St. Helens High School (SHHS) has received recognition for having a high achieving leadership program, earning a Gold Council Award from the Oregon Association of Student Councils (OASC). SHHS was one of 21 high schools and 5 middle schools in the state that received recognition at the OASC Spring Leadership Conference on April 27, according to an announcement from the OASC. The award, sponsored by the OASC, sets high standards...
Recognized: SHHS earns Gold Council Award
St. Helens High School (SHHS) has received recognition for having a high achieving leadership program, earning a Gold Council Award from the Oregon Association of Student Councils (OASC). SHHS was one of 21 high schools and 5 middle schools in the state that received recognition at the OASC Spring Leadership Conference on April 27, according to an announcement from the OASC. The award, sponsored by the OASC, sets high standards...
Recognized: SHSD’s April Community Impact Awards
During the St. Helens School District (SHSD) board meeting on April 24, School Board Chair Melody Killens, fellow School Board members, and Superintendent Stockwell presented Community Impact Awards to Abby Jauron, Kristin Fastabend, and Jeremy Howell. The awards are presented to a student, a staff member, and a community member to recognize their contributions to the St. Helens School District. Abby Jauron ...
Recognized: SHSD’s April Community Impact Awards
During the St. Helens School District (SHSD) board meeting on April 24, School Board Chair Melody Killens, fellow School Board members, and Superintendent Stockwell presented Community Impact Awards to Abby Jauron, Kristin Fastabend, and Jeremy Howell. The awards are presented to a student, a staff member, and a community member to recognize their contributions to the St. Helens School District. Abby Jauron ...
Column: Comparison surveys in presidential election year often questionable
You may receive, as I do, emails and reports from online organizations about research purporting to show how Oregon stacks up to other states in various ways. Don’t trust them. One recent report said that among the 50 states, Oregon has the fifth highest rate of religious discrimination – a topic that’s emerged in presidential politics. ...
Letter: Supporting Magruder
I have known about the public service and integrity of Margaret Magruder and her family for many years, and during the past couple of years I have experienced it first hand. The Rainier Cemetery District board of directors, on which I serve, has experienced a lot of changes recently. Margaret has gone beyond the call of duty to attend many of our meetings, and has been very helpful and supportive. I have truly appreciative her willingness to make herself available, especially when she has so many other obligations. She is not only knowledgeable and experienced. She is incredibly dedicated to the people of Columbia County, and very kind. We are lucky to have her as a county commissioner, and I urge all voters to join me in re-electing her to another four-year term. Delyla Laughlin, Rainier
On The Ballot: St. Helens City Council Election Information
At the 2024 General Election on November 5, 2024, the St. Helens Mayor and two councilor positions will appear on the ballot. The mayoral position is a 2-year term and is presently held by Rick Scholl. The councilor positions are 4-year terms, and a currently held by Jessica Chilton and Russell Hubbard. Serving as an elected official certainly requires a significant time commitment but is extremely rewarding and enriching. The...
2024 Season: Oregon wildfire, smoke experts weigh in on future risks
Oregon’s getting better at preventing and responding to wildfires, experts said Thursday, but much more still needs to be done. A panel of University of Oregon professors who study climate change, smoke and wildfire discussed the 2024 wildfire season in an online forum with journalists as the West braces for summer fires. Wildfire risk in the West and in Oregon this year is not abnormally higher than in recent years,...
Happening Soon: Columbia Chorale of Oregon performing locally
Columbia Chorale of Oregon and the River City Children’s Choirs will perform their pre-Carnegie Hall concert locally on May 19, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. at the Christian Church of St. Helens, 185 S. 12th Street, St. Helens, OR. We invite the public to hear The Magnificat and other selections by composer John Rutter. Columbia Chorale of Oregon will be performing Magnificat on May 27, 2024 in Carnegie Hall in New York City. ...
Coming Soon: CMHS set to thrill with spring production
The Clatskanie High School Theatre Department proudly presents “Can I Tell You A Secret?” by Stephen Gregg. A psychological thriller rated PG-13. “This is a very different kind of a production,” says director Jaime Erwin, “I’ve never quite seen anything like it before.” The play is set in Menchamp, CA, an incomprehensible event: every person in the audience of a high school play falls unconscious--every person but one. ...
Recognized: Cris Gwilliam named 2024 Middle School Principal of the Year
At a recent staff meeting at St. Helens Middle School, Principal Cris Gwilliam was surprised with the announcement that he was the 2024 recipient of the Oregon Middle School Principal of the Year Award. Gwilliam was nominated by St. Helens School District Superintendent Scot Stockwell for his outstanding leadership, collaboration, and innovation in leading St. Helens Middle School through significant transitions over the last year. “It’s an honor to be...
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