Police Investigate Suspicious Death According to CCSO, a Con- JEREMY C
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2021 COVID-19 2021 Winter Blues Winter blues cases dips activities for you activities for you Coloring, puzzle, and crossword fun Page A9 brought to you by local businesses. INSIDE Presented by The Chronicle & The Chief Wednesday, .50 January 27, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Renovation to begin for new food bank Jeremy C. Ruark /The Chronicle The Columbia Pacific Food Bank expects to start renovation construction at its new location in February. The food bank purchased the old feed and seed building on Columbia Boulevard in 2018 and hopes to be moved in by fall. ates at 474 Milton Way in St. Hel- new facility when the pandemic opment Block Grant, as well as current space, and will feature MONIQUE MERRILL ens, a space the organization has swept across the state, prevent- fundraising efforts and donations a shopping-style pantry with [email protected] outgrown after over 20 years of ing in-person fundraising efforts. from businesses and individuals. produce, nonperishables and both operation in it. In 2018, the food Despite the setback, progress has Donations are still welcome, he frozen and refrigerated goods. Columbia Pacific Food Bank bank purchased the old Columbia continued. said. Construction plans also include will have a new home by the end Electric Feed & Seed building on “The internal timeline had to “Additional donations will space for a community room, of year. Columbia Boulevard in St. Helens be extended due to the pandemic, help reduce the overall cost to office spaces, distribution and The nonprofit anticipates start- with the aim of renovating the but our public timeline is still on the food bank for the project,” packing areas, both a walk-in ing renovation construction on its larger space to serve the nonprof- target,” Wheeler said. Wheeler said. “Additional dona- freezer and refrigerator and a new space in February with the it’s growing needs. The food bank is contributing tions will help us replace these bottle return. goal of being fully moved in by Columbia Pacific Food Bank an additional $175,000 from its funds that would go to paying for fall of this year, Executive Direc- was in the midst of a capital cam- reserves to the project— which food.” tor Casey Wheeler said. paign to raise money for the costs has been largely funded through a The new facility is approxi- The food bank currently oper- associated with outfitting the $1.5 million Community Devel- mately five times the size of the See RENOVATION Page A2 Public safety facility funding decision pending MONIQUE MERRILL [email protected] A three-month public engage- ment period concerning St. Helens plans to build a new public safety facility is underway— A building project that could may raise utility bills. A specific cost for the new pub- lic safety facility has not yet been established by the city. The St. Helens City Council voted to accept recommendations from the public safety facility ad hoc advisory committee. The recommendations include Jeremy C. Ruark /The Chronicle Courtesy photo from the City of St. Helens carving out time to engage with the The current St. Helens Police Station (left) is nearly 50 years old. The city is proposing to build a new public safety facility (right) to expand space for the police department, community on facility plans, creat- and include rooms for council meetings and courts. Funding for the facility may raise utility bills. ing a public safety fund, increas- ing funding for utility assistance virtual engagement sessions will community. the area, he said. Rick Scholl pointed out is smaller programs, selling the current station be held over the next three months, “I will tell you that our police “It’s not because we need a than some residential homes in the and continuing to seek grants and including tours of the current police department urges our city council to fancy police station, it’s because we area. outside funding opportunities. facility to demonstrate the need impose an administration fee to cre- need to serve our community better “We are absolutely in desper- The public safety fund has not of an upgraded facility. Feedback ate a public safety fund so we can and we need to ensure we have the ate need of a police station,” Scholl yet been created—that will happen from the public engagement period continue down the road to continue resources to continue to do that on said. after the engagement period— but will be presented to the council at to recruit, attract, develop and retain a continual basis,” Greenway said. The proposed new facility monthly increases to utility pay- its April 7 meeting and a vote to good employees for our commu- “Our officers have been there for would increase the square footage ments could range from $6-11 if approve a resolution or ordinance to nity,” Greenway said. the community and been there for by 10 times, to 22,000 square feet, approved by the council. A public create a public safety fund will be The department has been look- the city since day one.” and include space for city council safety fund was recommended as a held at that time. ing to fill a vacancy for over a The current facility is nearly meetings, municipal court rooms more equitable option of spreading At the council work session Jan. month, and will soon have another 50 years old and the needs of the and police areas. the cost of the facility, according to 20, St. Helens Police Chief Gre- vacancy, Greenway said. One hope department have outgrown the facil- the ad hoc committee. enway said the new facility would is that a new public safety facility ity, Greenway said. The building A mixture of in-person and impact future generations of the will attract qualified applicants to is 2,200 square feet, which Mayor See FUNDING Page A5 Police investigate suspicious death According to CCSO, a con- JEREMY C. RUARK cerned neighbor called to have the [email protected] resident checked on after they no- ticed the front door had been open On Jan.18, Columbia County for several hours. Sheriff’s (CCSO) deputies were dis- When deputies arrived on patched to a welfare check at 34180 scene, they searched the home and Smith Road in rural St. Helens. the surrounding property where they located a body that was later identified as the homeowner, Stacey Letters ....................... A4 Marie Erpelding, 43, of St. Helens. Deputies immediately called for Poll ............................ A4 medics and began rendering aid. Police Reports ......... A4 When medics arrived, they advised Obituaries ................. A5 the female was deceased. The Co- lumbia County Major Crimes Team Classified Ads ......... A6 (MCT) was called to investigate. Legals .................... A6-7 On Jan. 19, the Oregon State Po- lice Crime Lab responded to assist TV Guide ................... A8 the MCT with the investigation. As of Monday, Jan. 25, Sheriff Brian Pixley said the medical exam- Courtesy photo from CCSO iner’s office had not determined an The death investigation began after deputies were dispatched to a welfare check Jan. 18 at a house on Smith Road. Vol. 139, No. 4 official cause of death. “Since this was an unwit- tion, it is treated like a homicide case obtains samples, which Pixley or a natural death based upon the nessed death of a younger woman investigation unless and until we can said would be tested for drugs and investigation and the result of the and there were no obvious signs prove otherwise.” alcohol, as well as other substances medical examiner’s examination,” of trauma, it was determined to Pixley said the deceased was present in the blood of the deceased Pixley said. warrant additional investigation,” transported to the medical exam- at the time of death. Pixley said. “That is why it was iner’s office where an autopsy was “We will continue to conduct fol- Follow developments at thechron- determined to be a suspicious death. to be conducted. During the autopsy, low up interviews and investigations icleonline.com and in the Wednesday In the early stages of the investiga- the medical examiner assigned to the until we can either call it a homicide print editions of The Chronicle. A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 27, 2021 City forwards riverfront redevelopment MONIQUE MERRILL [email protected] Portland-based architect firm Mayer / Reed has been selected for the design and construction of the St. Helens riverwalk project. The St. Helens City Council approved the selec- tion committee’s recommen- dation of the firm as most qualified to do the work, in- structing city staff to prepare a contract. Redeveloping the river- front property into public and commercial space has long been on the agenda of the city, and this selection inches the city closer to breaking ground. In 2015, the city pur- chased 225 acres along the river, including the 22-acre Veneer Property that was once the site of a plywood veneer plant. That site plays a key role in the develop- ment due to its proximity to downtown. In a letter to the city, Mayer / Reed outlined its project approach, which in- cludes seven major tasks. The first is project start-up and management which will work with the city project manager Flyover photo courtesy of the City of St. Helens. Inset photo by Jeremy C. Ruark to iron out the schedule and The riverwalk extends along the Columbia River in the Old Town District of St. Helens. details. Task two involves the of the design phase should back in May of 2020, but ing those steps will be the and award a contract. Mayer potentially span from 2022 public, and the firm recom- be complete and one when Mayer / Reed will be design- preliminary design, including / Reed is partnered with civil to 2023.