Swim School team at lockdown district Page A10 Page A12 Wednesday, February 19, 2020 $1 TheThe ChronicleChronicle thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Fraud Flood alerts help JEREMY C. RUARK [email protected] CHRISTINE MENGES [email protected] Local law enforcement and the Oregon Department of Justice In response to massive flooding are issuing new consumer alerts in Umatilla County, the Columbia about scams designed to steal your County Road Maintenance crew has money. sent six members to volunteer to help The first fraud warning involves with recovery efforts. an 80-year old widower who lost The six members, Ryan Allen, Ter- $200,000 in a catfishing, or fraud ry Miller, Mark Shafer, Jeremy Tull, incident. According to Division Jeff Goodman and Kelley Lungberg, officials, the unidentified fraudster will be stationed there until Friday, stole a Florida woman’s identity to Feb. 21, was helping to rebuild a road befriend the Oregonian through an that wiped out by the flood, which online dating service and persuaded will give access to a bridge, according him to send money for a business to Mike Russell, Columbia County opportunity. Public Works Department Director. Over several months, the con Gov. Kate Brown declared a State artist convinced the elderly man of Emergency in the county and on that they were in a long-distance Friday, Feb. 15 she toured the dam- romantic relationship, and proposed aged areas to talk to those affected an opportunity to support an art gal- by the levee breach which flooded a lery in Florida. large part of Pendleton and other parts The scammer pretended to of Umatilla County. Sen. Ron Wyden seek investors to cover $5 million also visited the county on Saturday in in transportation costs to ship a a separate visit. 500-ton marble lion sculpture from Russell said the Columbia County China. The con artist promised that Public Works Department initiated investments would be returned plus Cocoa with Cops contact with Umatilla first, on Feb. 10, a percentage of the profits from the knowing they would need help due to sale of the sculpture. Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle flooding. From there, Russell asked The widower even received Officers from the St. Helens Police Department, Columbia City Police Department, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office vis- for volunteers to go to Umatilla, and fabricated documents detailing the ited with community members on Wednesday evening, Feb. 12, during Cocoa With Cops. The event was held at the St. Helens about 12 employees stepped up. contract with the museum and bank Burgerville, which provided free cups of hot cocoa. Organizers said the event is an opportunity for community engagement statements. Relying on the docu- and trust building in a relaxed setting with law enforcement officers. See more photos on A11. ments and his romantic relation- See FLOOD Page A9 ship, the victim made a series of payments over five months to various individuals and overseas bank accounts totaling more than $200,000. Next steps for riverfront development The widower lost his entire investment and investigators have “It was a better way to have a re- been unable to locate the scammer. lationship with the developer before “Romance scams typically target asking them to put a lot of effort older individuals, gain their trust, into planning a proposal,” she said. then ask for money through social “They thought we would get more media and dating websites,” Oregon responses back.” Division of Financial Regulation Councilor Keith Locke agreed Division Administrator Andrew with Dimsho, saying that putting Stolfi said. “Unfortunately, victims out another RFQ would give the city often wire funds overseas or to additional options. third-party transfer agents, making “We only got one, so we haven’t it difficult to track the money and had a chance to go out and see identify the con artist.” what’s out there yet,” Locke said. The Division encourages “And that’s really what we need be- consumers to do their homework cause you’re right, this is our most before making any investment. To important thing and then we’ll make protect yourself from getting cat- sure it’s the right thing.” fished or falling for an investment Walsh told the Chronicle on scam, follow these tips: Tuesday that the city ultimately • Do not send money to anyone chose to do an RFQ/P in order to you have not met in person, and be understand both the qualifications of cautious about sharing personal or the potential developer and what the financial information. developer is thinking of doing. • Do not transfer money to A draft RFQ/P is in the works, unknown people or intermediaries. which is expected to be finalized If you need to use a third party to soon, according to Walsh. send money, use a licensed money After listening to Tokola’s pre- transmitter. sentation, the council will determine • Keep copies of all communi- Photo courtesy of the City of St. Helens next steps. cations with scammers and report This is an earlier rendering of the proposed St. Helens Waterfront development. “If they want to proceed with Tokola, if they want to go out to bid, them to the division, the online lected Tokola Properties as the city’s of boardwalk and trail across the dating site, the local police, the CHRISTINE MENGES we’re at their pleasure,” Walsh said. [email protected] chosen riverfront developer, signing Columbia River. During his State of the City ad- Federal Bureau of Investigation, an exclusive negotiating agreement Regardless of the chosen de- and the Federal Trade Commission. with the business. Since then, that veloper, the redevelopment project dress in January, St. Helens Mayor City of St. Helens officials are agreement has been terminated, will require funding and options are Rick Scholl said the riverfront St. Helens phone scam focusing in on what will best fit which Walsh said was a mutual ac- in the works, according to Walsh, development would be one of top along the city’s riverfront. tion by both the city and Tokola. which could be trying for a third issues facing the city in 2020. In St. Helens, local police are Tokola Properties is scheduled Walsh said a key reason the time to secure the federal grant, “The waterfront is not a chal- alerting consumers of the latest to present a second development council is seeking another RFQ/P is using a portion of the city’s urban lenge, but it is a continuation of a telephone scam in which the person proposal on Wednesday, Feb. 19 due to the changing landscape in the renewal district funding to match the theme,” he said. “First and foremost at a city council work session. The development world, and he added federal funds. the waterfront needs expansion of Gresham-based development, con- the new proposal from Tokola is a “We’re really hopeful to be the park and a boardwalk. It needs struction and management company to be open to the public.” See FRAUD Page A3 little bit different from the comp- landing this big grant and meet the delivered its first presentation to the nay’s original proposal. match to the grant to build the ex- Scholl also said he hopes the St. Helens City Council in October “This time it’s a different order- tension and the construction of the waterfront development includes 2018. ing of the buildings,” Walsh said, roads,” Walsh said. buildings three to four stories, all Opinion: ...................A4 The city council is also sending with the 120-room boutique destina- During a Feb. 5 city council with commercial businesses below out another Request for Qualifica- tion hotel being in the second phase work session, associate city Planner and perhaps housing above with Poll: ...........................A4 tions/Proposals (RFQ/P) to see if rather than the first, and mixed-use Jenny Dimsho said putting out an rooftop viewing. Cartoon: ...................A4 any other developers could qualify buildings in the first phase, as RFQ would be preferable to putting “That property is absolutely a to re-develop a portion or all of the well as minor changes to the street out an RFP because of the ability to selling point for the city of St. Hel- Out & About: ...........A5 city’s waterfront properties. ens,” he said. In 2017, the City issued a Re- design. develop a better relationship with Obituaries: ...............A6 The new Tokola presentation and a potential developer beforehand quest For Proposals (RFP) for the second RFQ/P follows the city’s in order to do what she termed the Join the conversation. Take The Blotters: ....................A6 riverfront development but it did not second federal grant rejection. The “most important project in the his- Chronicle’s online poll at thechroni- receive any responses, according to grant would have secured $11.1 mil- tory of the city.” ceonline.com about what the river- TV Guide: ................A7 St. Helens City Administrator John lion in funding to develop a portion Dimsho said that effort was front development should be. We’ll Classified Ads: .........A8 Walsh. Following the October 2018 of the streets going into the water- something a consultant had advised let you know what readers suggest presentation, the city council se- in the next edition of The Chronicle. Legals: .......................A8 front property, as well as 1,500 feet the city to do in 2017. Garden Plots: ...........A9 Sports: .....................A12 4 MORE WEEKS! Vol. 138, No. 8 Truckload Meat Sale Save the date March 12th and 13th 1111 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 • 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. • (503) 397-2288 A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Global Partners switching from ethanol to renewable diesel continue to move the same have good answers for the CHRISTINE MENGES quantity of fuel.