Local stock Ammo car racing shortage Page A10 Page A9 Wednesday, .50 August 4, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 St. Helens School band trailer stolen and parents, we need your help and JEREMY C. RUARK support,” Scholl said. We need vol- [email protected] unteers for marching season, uniform After reports surfaced that the St. fittings, and working fundraising and Helens Band Patrons trailer had been coming to meetings. Marching camp stolen from the parking lot at St. Hel- starts in two weeks and we need to ens High School July 13, community support the kids and program. The members are rallying to help. kids work and train hard for march- The small black trailer and its ing season and they need us to sup- contents are used for the St. Helens port them and cheer them on.” Marching Band and Color Guard Scholl is also encouraging the competitions and has been the main students involved in the marching source of fundraising since the CO- band and color guard to move ahead VID-19 pandemic began. through the camp experience. “We have a great show this year for marching,” he said. “It will be hard work but it will also be fun. Kids just work on training and hav- ing fun and do your best. We will The community support is amaz- make sure one way or another that ing and greatly appreciated. camp will be great as always. “ ~ Ryan Scholl, St. Helens Band According to Scholl, investigators Patrons Chair have received tips but the stolen van and its contents had not been recov- ered as of Monday, Aug. 3. It included two large marching The St. Helens Band Patrons sup- band and color guard changing tents, ports the St. Helens Band Program a large food tent, tent sidewalls, tent through several fundraisers through- rain drains, spare tent pieces, 100 out the year. buckets for students to sit on during The St. Helens Band Patrols performance breaks, shelving, three is operated by an elected board of roaster pans, a microwave, various directors and is a registered nonprofit food service items, bottle and can organization. This organization is drive PVC stands, bags, and sup- open to band parents, alumni, com- plies. The value of the stolen tailer is munity members, or anyone who $10,000. would like to help out, according to St. Helens High School Band Courtesy photo from the St. Helens Band Patrons a statement on the group’s Facebook Director Noelle Freshner said the This message about the stolen trailer has been posted by supporters on Facebook. page. finance impact of the crime is a new challenge for the participating further behind.” morning. Those wishing to make a can/bottle stands that hold the bags students and the supporters of the To help replace the stolen sup- financial donation can do so through as we fill them,” St. Helens Band Band Patrons Fundraiser school band program. plies, the Band Patrons will hold a the group’s GoFundMe account at: Patron Chairman Ryan Scholl said. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “It will financially impact us if fundraiser that will include a bottle www.gofundme.com/f/st-helens- “The community support is amazing Saturday, Aug. 7 and can drive from 10 a.m. to 2 band-patrons-fundraiser. and greatly appreciated.” we can’t acquire more funds specific St. Helens High School to this replacement,” Freshner said. p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 at St. Hel- “There also has been a lot of cans The Band Patrons are reviewing COVID hit our fundraising efforts ens High School parking lot, 2375 and bottles that I have picked up new security for storing the needed Parking Lot hard the past two years. We were Gable Road to help. A GoFundMe from people wanting to donate for supplies and seeking additional com- 2375 Gable Road already behind in where we need to Account has also been established this weekends bottle and can drive munity support. St. Helens be to fund the year and this puts us and had reached $3,540 by Monday along with PVC pipe to build new “For the band patrons members Judge dismisses gun validation ordinance Commissioners to implement the JEREMY C. RUARK intent of the voters following pas- [email protected] sage of the Second Amendment Columbia County Circuit Court Preservation Ordinance in 2018 and Judge Ted Grove has dismissed the the Second Amendment Sanctuary Columbia County Board of Com- Ordinance in 2020. missioner’s request for review of Under ORS 33.710, the Colum- the Second Amendment Sanctuary bia County Circuit Court is autho- Ordinance. rized to conduct an examination The ordinance is designed to of the ordinance and to provide a prohibit law enforcement from judgement as to the legality of the enforcing most federal gun control authority of a county governing provisions. body to enact the Second Amend- Grove ruled that a legal deci- ment Sanctuary Ordinance, accord- sion was not warranted because the ing to a statement from Columbia request from the commissioners did County. not show a justiciable controversy. The County filed the petition in Columbia County Public Infor- late May to clear up what commis- mation Officer Mark Pacheco said sioners said were several important Grove’s decision to dismiss the legal questions about what firearm petition for validation was unex- regulations can be enforced in Co- pected. lumbia County. “His ruling did not provide “To be clear, the county is not us with a resolution to the ques- seeking to invalidate the ordinance, only to get answers to the many tion of the legality of the Second Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance,” legal questions raised by it,” County The renovated playground at McCormick Park at 475 S. 18th Street continues to be a family-fun attraction in St. Helens. Pacheco said. “Without a definitive Counsel Sarah Hanson said when answer to the question, we expect the request was filed with the court. that the dismissal of the petition “As an example, Oregon law gener- will lead to other litigation, result- ally does not permit the county Celebrating McCormick Park ing in additional expenses for the to regulate within the city limits county.” without consent. We have asked the The Second Amendment court to inform us whether the cites Moda Assist grant won through project, we wanted to gear it have consented. JEREMY C. RUARK community voting. The Moda more toward all-inclusive play Sanctuary Ordinance was adopted [email protected] by the Columbia County Board of Hanson said this and many Assist Program is a partnership equipment, based on the fact that other questions arising from the McCormick Park is now home between Moda Health and the we not only competed, but the two voter-passed initiatives and to one of the largest all-abilities Portland Trail Blazers to bring community really supported this the ordinance implementing them playgrounds in the Pacific North- positive outcomes to local com- project and we won the Moda As- Opinion ..................... A4 put the county and its residents in west. munities. The program committed sist grant,” she said. “That kind Poll ............................ A4 legal “limbo,” so the commission- $20 per each Trail Blazers assist of changed the whole outlook on ers sought clarity through the court A grand opening celebration Cartoon ..................... A4 for the newly installed McCor- during their games to install an this project and we really wanted process. all-abilities playground at the end to make it as inclusive as possible Obituaries ................. A5 Columbia County officials said mick Park playground equipment the statutory process enables the at 475 S. 18th Street in St. Helens of the 2020 season. rather than just replace the play Classified Ads ......... A6 county to receive binding decisions is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Aug. City of St. Helens Engineer structure that was there in Mc- Legals ....................... A6 from the court, providing the county 7, before Citizens Day events Sue Nelson said in a release in Cormick Park.” December, that it was important Nelson said there were certain TV Guide ................... A7 begin at the park. Improvements were funded to ensure the new park was acces- Police Reports ......... A8 through money the city sets aside sible to all children. Crossword ................ A8 See ORDINANCE Page A5 for park improvements and a “When we re-pooled this See PARK Page A2 Vol. 139, No. 31 ColumbiaCountyOR.Gov/Vaccine | 503-397-7247 A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, August 4, 2021 Oregon’s new wildfire approach Courtesy photo Crews continue to work for full containment of the 413,762 acre Boot- leg Fire in Southern Oregon. The lightning caused blaze has destroyed Courtesy photo several homes. The Bootleg Fire has scorched 413,762 as of Monday, Aug. 2 acres. It is the largest wildfire in the nation. • Developing safe and ef- is absolutely no question fire-adapted communities, of this new era of wildfire. Fire agencies in Columbia STAFF REPORT fective responses that Oregon has one of the improving the state’s wild- Senate Bill 762 exemplifies County said the continued [email protected] • Increasing the resiliency the best wildfire response fire response, and creating the proposition that by work- dry, hot weather, the overall of Oregon’s landscapes systems in the country. But, healthier and more resilient ing together, we can create a drought and gusty winds Legislation that provides as we responded to these fires landscapes, Brown said, add- safer, stronger, and more fire have heightened the local $220 million to help Oregon Brown said the legisla- over the last few years from ing that for every dollar Or- resilient Oregon.” modernize and improve wild- wildfire danger.