Seeking Everyday more hero Page A2 deputies Page A3 Wednesday, .50 June 16, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Salmonberry Close to timber sale AURORA BIGGERS reopening [email protected] In St. Helens, timber is a valu- DAVID RUPKALVIS able commodity for the city and Victory [email protected] the sale of the city-owned timber plots bring in cash to sustain and AURORA BIGGERS boost community and economic [email protected] development. Following a successful Milton Columbia County remained Creek Watershed timber sale in at High Risk as of June 14, under February, St. Helens has awarded the state’s COVID-19 health and a bid to sell more timber this year. cheer! safety category because the county’s The St. Helens City Council vaccination rate remains low, but approved preparing a Douglas fir Oregon is close, at 67.9% as of June timber sale of around 92 acres in 14, to reaching the 70% vaccination the Salmonberry property. The rate established to reopen the state’s Salmonberry property is a sustain- economy. ably managed tree farm off Pitts- Gov. Kate Brown announced burg Road and the cut represents June 11, that fewer than 100,000 approximately 3.8% of the 2,500 more vaccines are needed to reach acre property. the 70% threshold by June 21. That The city received four bids on is the date Brown set to fully reopen the timber price and approved the the state’s economy and discontinue sale to the highest bidder on May most restrictions and requirements, 2. such as wearing face coverings and following social distancing. Climbing prices “Thanks to the vaccine, our case rate and hospitalizations continue to During the last timber sale, decline,” Brown said. Brent Keller, associate at the city- At least 2.3 million Oregonians contracted forest management firm had received at least one dose of the Mason, Bruce & Girard, told city vaccine, as of June 11, according to councilors the price for timber is Brown. higher now than it has been in the “We are so close to reopening past. our economy,” she said. “Prices right now are well above the five-year average,” Aurora Biggers / The Chronicle Columbia County’s challenges Keller said, and that prices were Graduate Tyler Roady yells victoriously after receiving his diploma during the SHHS drive-through graduation at the Colum- at an all-time high last summer. If bia County Courthouse in St. Helens, on June 11. See more photos at thechronicleonline.com. ‘We’ve been plagued over the the city chooses to sell 50 acres last two months by outbreaks at of timber, he said there could be schools — we had over a dozen out- $625,000 in income. breaks at almost every school in the A 2020 timber sale, which county, and that has really pushed spanned 66 acres, netted just un- Library open, expands programs our numbers up,” Michael Paul ex- der $1.4 million in income. Mills plained during the Columbia County in the small log market are paying Board of Commissioners meeting competitive timber prices, Keller June 9. “As school comes to a close, said, largely due to the strong and our overall infection rate in the housing market. Small logs are state and the region has declined, typically produced into dimen- I hope that very soon, we’ll move sion lumber that is used in the down from high risk.” construction industry. Most of St. Another way for the county to Helens timber is small Douglas fir move out of high risk, according saw logs. to Paul, is for the county to reach The city councilors and Mayor 65% of the population being vac- Rick Scholl agreed that it would cinated—with residents 16 years-old be good for the city to take advan- and older having one dose of the tage of the competitive market and COVID-19 vaccine. sell off the city’s excess timber “We’re making progress. We’re plots. growing at about 1%, but we still “We have so many big projects have a little ways to go,” Paul said. going on, and the market seems To reach the 65% mark, 20,000 right,” Scholl said. “I’m not say- residents will need to be vaccinated ing cut all the timber and not all with at least one dose by that June the watershed, we’re talking a 21 re-opening date. small fraction of the watershed. “The good news is that if the He recommended two cuts of state reaches the 70% threshold, about 100 acres, and I would like then the entire sate restrictions will to go with what he recommended be lifted,” Paul said. “I don’t want knowing we have projects in us to be left behind, and then be a mind.” pocket or a harbor for the corona- virus. Aurora Biggers / The Chronicle History The St. Helens Library underwent remodels inside in 2020, updating the library’s interior with fresh coats of paint and new fixtures. The outside retains its Gaudí-esque character. Dramatic shift The Salmonberry plot is an labeled as well. much more to the community than extension of the city’s plan to AURORA BIGGERS State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Still, the return to a physical a room with books. The library also Sidelinger said that cases in the state sell 100 acre plots, and the bids [email protected] represent the predicted market. library experience is a welcome hosts Nature Buddies, a nature ac- are directly in line with the increase As a recovery timber sale, the The St. Helens library is buck- one, said Jeffries. “There are so tivity program for kids, hosts a ge- in vaccinations. buyer will be responsible for the ing the curve for most libraries many people who are glad to have a nealogy conference (which will run “Daily cases, COVID-19 related total amount of dollars, which is these days. chance to browse the books.” for two days in mid-September), hospitalizations and the percentage obtained by multiplying the bid While many libraries were But books aren’t the only re- and recently renovated one of the of people testing positive continue to price per thousand board feet by forced to close during the pandem- source the library offers. The library rooms into a Library of Things—a decline,” Sidelinger said. the volume recovered, accord- ic, and in general are waning from offers computer services, a space STEM geared portion of the library. Over the past week, 1,725 new ing to the bid announcement. lack of interest and support, the St. for clubs and groups to gather, COVID cases were announced in the The highest and winning bid was Helens library is open and expand- online databases, and the occasional Community engagement state, the lowest number since Sep- from Interfor US Timber Inc, a ing its programs. guest speaker. tember. Hospitalizations were down “Libraries are, in many cases, The city councilors praised the 24% and only 20 new deaths linked Challenges a very central part of the commu- library for its efforts to engage the to the virus were reported. nity because they offer a place for community. “The library didn’t See TIMBER Page A9 “The landscape of the virus has For the past year, the St. Helens people to gather. You wind up being close while others have. It contin- shifted dramatically,” Sidelinger Library has been offering drive-up not just a source for knowledge ues to be a powerful incentive for said. “The virus is overwhelm- window service for patrons looking and entertainment but a source for people to come live in our commu- ingly impacting those who are not Police Reports ......... A3 for a bookish fix. engagement. It’s an extension of nity and invest in our community,” vaccinated when those who are our ability to take information that Councilor Birkle said. vaccinated are safe. Virtually every Opinion ..................... A4 “I think it’s been a real lifeline for people who had to isolate at we have and synthesize that for Councilor President Morten person infected right now is not TV Guide ................... A5 home,” said Library Director Mar- people,” Jeffries explained. “It’s a agreed. “What I really appreciate fully vaccinated.” Classified Ads ......... A6 garet Jeffries. productive thing because we get to is the cultural hub that the library Sidelinger said the vaccines are learn from each other. I’m looking represents. It’s a wonderful icon for all proven safe and effective, and the Legals ....................... A7 Per state and county guidelines, inside the library was closed for forward to the day when we can get our community and it reaches out to best way to beat COVID-19 is to get Crossword ............... A7 most of the past year as well, but back to doing more of that.” so many aspects of our culture and the vaccine. The library made its annual pre- does that very well.” Obituaries ................. A9 the library recently re-opened for “In order to decisively defeat limited browsing. Currently, the li- sentation to the city council in May, In addition to offering a drive-up Sports ...................... A10 presented by the library’s board brary is open during business hours Phone: 503-397-0116 for 35 people to browse at a time. chair Melisa Gaelrun-Maggi. Maggi explained that the library provided See LIBRARY Page A9 See COVID-19 Page A5 Fax: 503-397-4093 Each room has its own capacity Email: chroniclenews@ countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051 Vol. 139, No. 24 ColumbiaCountyOR.Gov/Vaccine | 503-397-7247 A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Everyday Hero Award presented of the baskets to selected Don Patterson said.