Vernonia
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Columbia County sheriff disappointed at failure of jail levy, wants to try again in November
Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley is reacting to the rejection of a jail levy Tuesday, May 21, saying he will give the levy another go at November’s general election. The measure aimed to provide a new and higher tax to fund jail operations. The latest numbers Thursday morning, May 23, show the levy being defeated 64% to 36%. “I am very disappointed by the outcome of the jail levy," Pixley...
Early Results: Columbia County's 2024 Primary Election
Election Day has come and gone in Columbia County, and though the election results won't be certified until June 17, initial returns indicate that many across the county were not willing to approve measures that would add to their tax bill. Levies for the St. Helens Police Department, the Columbia County Jail, and Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District all fell short of a majority approval. The only levy that has been approved by a majority of voters at this time is Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District's...
Search Intensifies for Missing 14-Year-Old Girl in Washington County
The community in Washington County is caught in a fervent search for Anaya Singh, a 14-year-old girl who was last seen on the morning of Wednesday near Stoller Middle School. The Beaverton School District and local authorities are seeking assistance from the public to locate the missing teenager who seemingly vanished after leaving school grounds.
Newly opened food carts offer round-the-world cuisine in Scappoose
On-the-go international cuisine is now as close as Scappoose with the opening of The Lodge, a combination food pod and tap house adjacent to U.S. Highway 30. The ambitious project, partnered by Jeff Schultz, Nick Hurliman and Matt McHugh, is an 11-cart pod containing an inside tap house-eating area of approximately 2,200 square feet in size. In planning and developing the Scappoose complex, the three developers traveled outside Columbia County,...
Garden Plots: Garlic and gardening this summer season
Events: June 6 Columbia County Beekeepers Monthly meeting. Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Dr. Dewey Caron will give a report about the PNW Honeybee Survey. Linda Zahl will also talk about the blackberry nectar flow. 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. Prime time for garlic ...
Washington County Fair announces country artists, tribute bands for main stage performances
Summer is just around the corner, and the Washington County Fair is preparing to turn up the volume with a jam-packed lineup of performers. Taking place July 19-28, the annual fair will feature everything from electrifying rock shows to uncanny tribute performances at the West Side Commons in Hillsboro. Kicking off the mainstage lineup, North Plains vocal powerhouse Jacquie Roar will belt out country songs on the first night of...
Lights, Camera, Action: Movie filming to cause sporadic road closures
Due to movie filming in the Riverfront District, South 1st Street will be closed May 22 through the morning of May 25 from approximately 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. each day. This closure is from the Plaza Square intersection to Cowlitz Street. Outdoor work includes actors portraying police, a bank robbery scene, and firearms. There will be no audible firearm noise during this time, according to the city. Movie filming in the St. Helens Riverfront District is currently taking place and will continue through June 7, 2024. Filming will take place during the day and at night. The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief have contacted production members of the film for details of the movie. It has been relayed that filming is for a "feature film," but no other details are available at this time. Stay tuned for updates as they become available.
Recognized: CMHS receives Gold Council Award
Clatskanie High School has received the Gold Council Award, a recognition for having a high-achieving leadership program. Clatskanie High School was one of 21 high schools and five middle schools in the state that received recognition. The school was awarded the Gold Council Award at the OASC Spring Leadership Conference in April. The award, sponsored by the Oregon Association of Student Councils (OASC), sets high standards for student councils and...
Police Blotter: 7 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 May...
Not over 'til it's over: Columbia County commissioner race likely heading to a November runoff
Columbia County Commission candidates Margaret Magruder and Alex Tardif are headed to a probable runoff election this November, but it’s not the first time the Columbia County Commission has faced a runoff. Neither Magruder nor Tardif captured the majority of the votes, which would have granted the winner the Position 1 seat outright. In results as of Wednesday morning, May 22, Magruder was grabbing 48% of the vote, Alex Tardif registering 39.6% with Brian Brust trailing at 12% support. ...
Early results Wednesday still show Columbia County public safety levies failing
As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, the Columbia County jail levy and the St. Helens police levy are being rejected by voters. The vote, however, remains evenly split in the Columbia 911 emergency dispatch election. St. Helens police levy falls behind Votes Wednesday morning show the police levy being turned down by 42.9% to 57.1%. Oregon law allows for ballots postmarked on election day to be counted if received...
OPINION: You can help your Columbia County community by donating to GLOW
Our GLOW Fund provides emergency bill payment assistance to families in need. Through April, we have helped 178 families in our community, providing $17,800 in assistance toward their electric bills. In 2022 and 2023, we provided an average of more than $40,000 in assistance each year. Unfortunately, our GLOW Fund account balance is running low. GLOW is funded by generous contributions from our customers, employee fundraisers and surplus scrap metal...
Winner Winner: Scappoose student wins second place in statewide mayors contest
Catania Fenstermaker, a 6th grader at Otto Petersen School, won the second-place prize for her essay in the Oregon Mayors Association’s (OMA) “If I Were Mayor…” civic awareness contest. Each year, students statewide compete in three age groups using different media, describing what it would mean if they were the mayor of their city. Posters are designed by 4th and 5th-grade students; 6th through 8th-grade students write essays; and 9th through 12th-grade students produce a short video. ...
In One Ear: Astonishing
The Mount St. Helens volcano erupted 44 years ago, on May 18, 1980, blanketing a wide area, including Astoria, in a snow storm of ash. A 2013 story in the The Columbian of Vancouver, Washington, told of the discovery of a roll of film of aerial shots taken of the smoldering crater about five weeks before the eruption by one of the paper’s photographers, Reid Blackburn (pictured).
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