Truckload Meat Sale Will Be Back! Contact March 11Th and 12Th
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First responders Public safety facility vaccinated Page A2 recommendations Page A2 Wednesday, .50 January 13, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 ecial Repo Open Oregon rally in St. Helens Sp rt JEREMY C. RUARK 2021 [email protected] T e An Open Oregon rally at he Chronicl Plaza Square in the Old Town District of St. Helens drew ap- proximately 75 people Saturday Country afternoon, Jan. 9. The featured speaker, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, told The Chronicle following his address perspective: that the movement’s message is simple. “These business owners Magruder in these small communities throughout Oregon are really to the end of their rope and it is maps 2021 time that they open,” he said. Pulliam said the businesses MONIQUE MERRILL should reopen under high re- quirements one level beneath the [email protected] Courtesy photo from OSP governor’s mandate with proper Oregon State Police K-9 Jaxson has Editor’s Note: retired. face coverings, social distancing and sanitation. “What we don’t understand is This is the second in a series where is the science that shows of special reports you’ll read only OSP K-9 that these local business owners in the Wednesday print editions of The Chronicle and at thechroni- contribute to the spread of CO- Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle VID more than big box stores?” Several people attending the rally held signs to express their opinions. See more cleonline.com in the weeks ahead Pulliam said. photos with this story at thechronicleonline.com. providing insight from members According to Pulliam, Gov. of our community into what we Jaxson might expect in 2021. Kate Brown has not provided cerning the reopening push. CEO of the Oregon Restau- such information. He said the “I’m hoping that the major- rant and Lodging Association, The following report focuses followers of Open Oregon will ity of Oregon and our businesses provided the following statement on a viewpoint from Columbia continue to support business will abide by these safety proto- after The Chronicle’s request for County. retires operators who decide to defy col and do what’s right to keep the association’s reaction. the state mandated health and themselves safe, family members “Restaurants in Oregon On the first county commission STAFF REPORT safety requirements and decide to safe, and community members located in extreme risk coun- meeting of the year Wednesday, [email protected] reopen. safe,” Brown said. ties as defined by the Oregon Jan. 6, Margaret Magruder was “We have to support these Brown also issued a full Health Authority have officially voted the new chair of the com- Oregon State Police (OSP) main street businesses throughout statement in December about reached their breaking point. The mission. She was reelected to announced the retirement of K-9 Oregon,” he said. “They are the the reopening push and possible economic restrictions putting serve a second term in November Jaxson. heart and soul of our commu- penalties facing violators. Read employers out of business is the and is joined on the council by OSP outlines Jaxson’s distin- nity.” that statement at thechronicleon- Henry Heimuller and Casey Gar- guished career in a Facebook post, Brown issued the following line.com. rett. Magruder said she is hopeful which states that Jaxson provided statement on Friday, Jan. 8, con- Jason Brandt, president and See RALLY Page A9 a valuable service to the State of that 2021 will bring a return to Oregon in criminal interdiction normalcy to the lives of county residents. during his service. “Hopefully the coming year Jaxson started his career with will see COVID-19 cases dimin- OSP in March of 2015. While ish and a successful vaccination working with his handler, Jaxson Lions Club donates benches program implemented so citizens has been responsible for the fol- can get back to work, restaurants lowing total career finds and sei- gyms, bowling alleys and other zures: types of closed businesses can • U.S. Currency: $1,721,275.50 open and students can get back to • Methamphetamine: school,” she said. 257,307.39 grams (567.26 pounds) The county public health • Cocaine: 48,917.59 grams department is busy coordinating (107.84 pounds) vaccination and testing programs • Heroin: 51,711.08 grams (114 for the COVID-19 pandemic, she pounds) said. • Marijuana: 142,782.06 grams The effect of the pandemic (314.70 pounds) 200 Plants and associated restrictions and • Marijuana Extract: 3,628.74 safety guidelines have disrupted grams (8 pounds) the normal procedures for county • Psilocybin Mushrooms: business. 20,348.00 grams (44.80 pounds) “The social distancing require- • Fentanyl: 3,813.79 grams (8.4 ments of the pandemic made us pounds) even more aware of the need to • Ecstasy: 836.24 grams expand our working space for • Ketamine: 148 grams the safety and convenience of • OxyContin: 615 grams our employees and the public,” • Xanax: 1,000 tablets Magruder said. That awareness • Firearms: 24 led the county to lease the John • Total K9 field applications: Gumm School building to house 174 the public health department and The OSP Facebook post states create a new meeting space for the that Jaxson’s life will continue Courtesy photo from Kathy Syrstad Board of Commission and other This is one of the two benches that will soon be placed in McCormick Park. The benches are donated by the St. Helens Lions Club, committee meetings. The meet- to be with his handler enjoying which recycles plastic bags in exchange for the benches. family time and spending summers ing space will allow for improved camping and traveling with the ates composite decking. intends to keep going. Every school audio and visual functions as well MONIQUE MERRILL as updated virtual meeting tools, family. The local group collects, sorts in St. Helens has a bench from the [email protected] and weighs plastic bags. When they project, and the most recent site in she said. In its Facebook post, OSP The need for reliable broad- wished Jaxson a comfortable and have 500 pounds of plastic bags, the area to receive a bench donation Two new benches will be in- they turn the bags into a collec- was Dalton Lake Nature Preserve. band service has become clear happy life in retirement. stalled in McCormick Park, thanks tion site that turns them in to the Each bench includes a plaque that over 2020 when schools starting to an ongoing effort by the St. company. Then, TREX sends out a says the bench is part of a service online learning and people began Helens Lions Club. a 4-foot bench in return. project of the Lions Club. to work from home. She said the Opinion ..................... A4 The service organization started The club has donated 27 bench- Poll ............................ A4 a recycling project two years ago es to various spots around St. Hel- through TREX, a company that cre- Cartoon ..................... A4 ens since starting this project, and See BENCH Page A9 See MAGRUDER Page A5 Obituaries ................. A6 TV Guide ................... A7 Classified Ads ......... A8 Legals .................... A8-9 Truckload Meat Sale will be back! Contact March 11th and 12th. Also, check your mailbox for valuable coupons for the month of January. The Chronicle Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 Email: chroniclenews@ countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051 Vol. 139, No. 2 7 AM - 10 PM EVERY DAY • (503) 397-2288 1111 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 • marketfreshonline.com A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, January 13, 2021 Oregon landslide risk rises Drawing courtesy of the City of St. Helens This is a conceptual drawing of what the new St. Helens public safety facility might look like. Courtesy photo from the Oregon Department of Transportation Debris from the hillside slid down and covered a portion of Highway 30 east of Astoria last week. The high- way was fully reopened late Friday. Jan. 8. flows are rapidly mov- has been affected upstream. JEREMY C. RUARK ing, extremely destructive You should immediately [email protected] landslides. They can contain leave the area because a boulders and logs trans- debris flow may soon be The Oregon Department ported in a fast-moving soil coming downstream. of Geology and Mineral In- and water slurry down steep • Travel with extreme dustries (ODOGAMI) issued hillsides and through narrow caution. Assume roads Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle a landslide advisory for the canyons. They can easily are not safe. Be alert when The current St. Helens Police station is located at 150 S.13th Street. region Monday, Jan, 11. travel a mile or more. driving, especially at night. The advisory followed the A debris flow moves Embankments along road- National Weather Service’s faster than a person can run. sides may fail, sending rock Public safety facility recommendations (NWS) Flood Watch posted People, structures and roads and debris onto the road. expanded building was clear, sources: a general obligation earlier Monday. The NWS is located below steep slopes in A landslide closed High- MONIQUE MERRILL and that the project engineers bond supported by property forecasting a prolonged pe- canyons and near the mouths way 30 three miles east of [email protected] riod of rain through Wednes- of canyons may be at serious Astoria for a time last week. recommended a building 10 taxes or a public safety fund. day morning. Four to eight times the size of the current “It’s never an easy issue risk. Crews were able to remove Plans to build a new facil- inches of rain is expected police station. when you’re asking people the rocks, mud and other de- ity to house the St.