Fire in St. Helens and the St
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YEAR IN REVIEW Wednesday, January 1, 2020 $1 TheThe ChronicleChronicle thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 100 Year old sequoia cut down CHRISTINE MENGES [email protected] It had stood tall and proud for 100 years towering over Scappoose. Today, it is gone. On Dec. 24, The Chronicle received word from a Scappoose resident that a 100-year old giant sequoia was in the process of being chopped down. The sequoia and other trees on adjacent property located next to Dealers Market, LLC were in the way of the used car lot’s expan- sion and remodeling. According to Gregory Taresh, Dealers Market finance manager, the owner of Deal- ers Market had the tree tested, and results showed the tree had already rotted through. “They said we need to get rid of the tree, because we’re liable,” Taresh said. Southwest Sequoia Street in Scappoose is named for the tree. The street is catty-corner to Dealers Market where the tree is located, the official address of which is Columbia River Highway. According to an information page on the Sequoia & Kings Can- yon National Parks website, giant sequoias can live up to 3,000 years and can grow up taller than 300 feet. They usually grow along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where the periodic dry heat of the mountains allows the cones on the tree to open and release seeds. Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle As of Dec. 26, the tree had been On Dec. 24, workers began stripping the giant sequoia, and other trees on the property, of limbs and branches in the take down process. completely cut down. Authorities release gas station shooting video Michael Veatch on Oct.9. evidence, Auixier ruled that the STAFF REPORT The deadly force happened St. Helens Police Department’s [email protected] after investigators said Veatch deadly use of force against Veatch pulled a gun on an employee and was justified. The St.Helens Police and the fired shots with an AK-47 into In the video link below, the Columbia County District Attor- the Chevron gas station 115 N incident unfolds at the gas station ney’s Office have released video Columbia River Highway. where employees and customers of a shooting incident and the use At approximately 5:26 a.m. duck for cover as the shooting of deadly force by officers against on Wednesday, Oct. 9, St. Helens begins. The Chronicle has chosen officers responded to the report of not to publish the video showing the shooting. other aspects of the incident due According to the findings of to the sensitivity of this case. the incident by Columbia County https://www.dropbox.com/ District Attorney Jeff Auxier, a sh/wthbhgsjb386ntn/AABBClh St.Helens police officer used his DTf8JnxyWPP5emSFPa?dl=0 patrol car to strike Veatch as he &preview=_Extraction_1_1___ fled the scene and began shooting Clip_1_1___Extraction_2_1__ at people in their vehicles. ch02_20191009050959_veatch_ The Chronicle first reported on shows_gun_and_fires_into_build- Chronicle photo (503) 232-7292 Dec. 3, that after reviewing the ing.mp4 The Oct. 9 shooting incident unfolded at this Chevron gas station in St. Helens. HEAT AND COOL UP TO 1000 SQFT. INSTALLED FOR AS LITTLE AS $2800 AFTER REBATES AND INCENTIVES Year in Review RX18NMVJU/FTX18NMVJU FEBRUARY 13 Flood 2019: Overwhelmed, underwater JULIE THOMPSON [email protected] As Columbia County braced for incoming flooding on Tuesday morning, Feb. 12, there appeared to Year in review:......A1-6, be no end to the rain in sight. “Unfortunately, there’s a rain Year in review:...A10-12 band sitting right over you,” meteo- rologist Will Ahue with the Na- Poll: ...........................A4 tional Weather Service said. “We’ve Cartoon: ...................A4 been watching it, and unfortunately, we think right now that it may last TV Guide: ................A7 for the next several hours.” Classified Ads: .........A8 Ahue predicted an additional one to two inches of rain by the Legals: ...................A8-9 end of the day. “It’s one of our wet, wintery events that we get every so often,” Ahue said. “We’re not expecting snow at lower elevations, Kelli Nicholson/The Chronicle Waters of Milton Creek rising quickly towards bridge level on Old Portland Road. See FLOOD Page A4 Vol. 138, No. 1 Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from your friends at Saint Helens Market Fresh! 1111 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 • 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. • (503) 397-2288 A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 1, 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW JANUARY 2 MARCH 20 Charming Twilight house to become St. Helens Airbnb things popped up unexpect- so I’m not touching them,” he JULIE THOMPSON edly. The inspection of the said. “As long as they work, [email protected] house had already turned they’re staying.” potential buyers off, and the The most common ques- When the house known sewer inspection turned up tion they get asked by locals across the country as Bella some interesting things. “The is if they’ll be taking the sign Swan’s house from the Twi- way they built houses on top down in front of the house that light films went up for sale, it of sewer lines,” she said, “So warns away trespassers. Am- appeared in Amber Neufeld’s after negotiating that, we ber said they may add their search. She and her husband just kind of went through the own sign with some friendly Dean live in Hillsboro and motions. I don’t think it even wording, but they would like had already been looking fully sunk in until we were the home to continue to be for properties. Amber had here for a week.” treated as a private residence previously been out to the At first, they weren’t sure and for visitors to respect their home just to take a peek as a what they were going to do neighbors. longtime Twilight fan, but had with the place. Would they “Every time someone only seen it from the outside. sell their place in Hillsboro runs up on the porch to take “We actually had our real- and move in? Would they set a photo, we get emotional,” tor arrange a showing kind the house up as a rental? For Dean said, who has a camera of knowing it would be our a time, they almost moved set up out front so they can only chance to see the inside,” in, but their other house in see what happens from their Amber said. “So, if she reads Hillsboro still needed work phone. “It’s like, ‘Come on this, apologies!” and they eventually decided guys, I’m watching you take But when they came out the Swan House would be Julie Thompson/The Chronicle selfies.’ That’s happened a lot. to get a proper look, they their home away from home – Swan House owners Amber and Dean Neufeld. We’re thinking about making started seeing the “neat old one they could share with the a ‘bad fan album’ one day house” for what it was, with Twilight fandom. “He’s pretty supportive of One fan tracked down an artist house sale,” Amber said. because we have a lot of them its unique 1935 construction. Amber has been an avid my crazy, huh?” Amber asked. in Canada and purchased an When renovations are fully late at night.” “They didn’t make rooms this Twilight fan since the books “Eh, it’s fun,” Dean identical print that can be seen complete, the couple plans to But mostly, Amber said, big,” Dean said. “It’s got a lot were released, then, of course, grinned. hanging in the living room in open the house to fans as an locals and fans alike have of interesting quirks to it that the films, but where she re- “I started off collecting Twilight. Christmas orna- Air bnb rental, with ten per- been very supportive. “I think are different from anything in ally found a home was in the things like clothing and things ments sent from fans adorned cent of the rent going towards they’re just appreciative to its era.” fandom community and the from the movies just because the Christmas tree, and cards the city’s tourism bureau. For have a fan in the house,” she The couple decided to friends she’d met along the it was fun. Someone jokingly from others were proudly dis- now, they are focusing on said, and mentioned Con- make an offer. They said there way. The first time she’d come said, ‘well I guess this is the played on the mantle beneath what Amber calls “re-Twi- cerned Citizens as a resource were a lot of boxes that had to the house, she’d researched biggest item that you’ve got- a screen-accurate ship. lighting” the home, working that’s always helpful when to be checked for someone to filming locations and trav- ten,’” Amber said of the house Another fan group, ‘The to get everything inside as they need something. “A lot buy the house: you had to live eled to St. Helens with some with a laugh. “Definitely the Ladies of Isle Esme” pulled close as it was during the time of us were just afraid of what close enough to it that you girlfriends. star of the collection.” together funds to offer a dona- of filming as possible, right would happen to the house. could travel back and forth, Dean fully embraced his The fandom has gratefully tion to The Swan House to down to the wooden bear Who’s going to buy it? Are you had to be healthy enough wife’s love of Twilight, pick- embraced the new couple via go towards ongoing improve- that sits on the front porch.