Klondike evolving
SHHS Sports
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Wednesday, May 24, 2023
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SHHS Jazz Band takes State Championship WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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Courtesy photo from Noelle Freshner
The St. Helens High School Jazz Band.
he St. Helens High School Jazz Band has been crowned state champions after their performance at the OMEA State Jazz Championship. Performing at the Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham on May 19, the St. Helens Jazz Band beat out Estacada High School, Molalla, and Stayton High School to take first place. Band Director Noelle Freshner was ecstatic about the performance and the result that was earned through each of the musician’s hard work. “There was, for sure, a nervous energy the whole time. They were well prepared and had every reason to be confident, but when you are playing in a new hall, on equipment you are not used to, and surrounded by microphones, you can get in your head and make mistakes,” Freshner said. “We were also excited to see a good size audience when we got on stage. A perk of
being the last band on before the award presentation. There is a different energy when you have a full audience versus at some festivals where you have just a couple of bands and the judges.”
For this group of amazing seniors, it is a great way to go out. ~ Noelle Freshner, Band Director
With the exception of one musician, the entire Jazz Band is made up of students who are also part of the Wind Ensemble, who finished second in their state competition. The band is made up of six saxes (three altos, two tenors, and a bari),
See BAND Page A9
Homeless camping ordinance still under discussion WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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he St. Helens City Council is coming closer to adopting a camping ordinance to come into accordance with Oregon state law House Bill 3115, which was passed in 2021. House Bill 3115 provides “that local law regulating sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property that is open to public must be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness.”
Even if you don’t agree with the law and don’t like it, the city has to comply with it just like all other cities and counties. ~ Crystal King, St. Helens Communications Officer
“HB 3115 impacts ALL Oregon cities and counties and is a mandatory law,” Communications Officer for the City St. Helens Crystal King said. “Even if you don’t agree with the law and don’t like it, the city has to comply with it just like all other cities and counties.” The bill requires all cities and counties in the state to review their public space rules and adopt laws that are objectively reasonable to
people experiencing houselessness when it comes to regulating the act of sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property open to the public, King said. The key points are the “time, manner, and place” regulations. People who will rest or camp on public property must be provided “objectively reasonable” guidelines that dictate when, where, and how they can reside. Adjustments being made A major development in the city’s approach to the law is that they will center their ordinance around restricting where camping is allowed, as opposed to outlining locations where people who need to camp can go, as originally proposed by the planning commission. At the city council regular session on May 17, the council directed staff to move forward with developing an ordinance to be ready for review and adoption at their next meeting. “The council stated their desire to move away from a designated location option. Instead, they asked staff to create an ordinance that restricts locations such as parks, rights-of-way, near residential areas, and away from waterways,” King said. “Staff will draft an ordinance that blends some of the recommendations presented by the Planning Commission to the City Council with recommendations from the city’s legal
Courtesy photo
counsel.” The city’s mission is to provide quality, effective and efficient service to its citizens, King said. According to King, the city is committed to: • Developing and preserving the highest possible quality of life for our residents, businesses, and visitors, • Providing a safe and healthy environment within a sound economic framework, and • Providing leadership that is open and responsive to the needs of the community and works for the benefit of all. King said that the city has been “proactive” in reviewing its rules since the state passed HB 3115. The city began meeting to discuss HB 3115 and its effects on St.
Helens in 2021. In 2022 and 2023, the city reached out to community partners such as Community Action Team (CAT) and Columbia Community Mental Health (CCMH), law enforcement, and relevant boards and commissions to gather feedback, King said. Additionally, the City Council has worked with specialized legal council and received recommendations from the city’s Planning Commission to ensure that whatever rules we change continue to provide a safe and livable community while complying with the new law, according to King. “From the start, the St. Helens City Council has expressed opposition to creating encampments in St. Helens. St. Helens does not have the same issues that are seen in larger cities across the state, and we are committed to
keeping it that way,” King said. “We support our law enforcement and empower our officers to address crime. We support creating reasonable rules that ensure a safe and livable community. We support clean streets and parks where people feel safe to shop and play. We want businesses to feel supported and confident to move to our community.” King said that local police work closely with CCMH and the CAT to find solutions to address houseless needs in the community and that the city will support these organizations’ efforts to do so. In recent months, the City of St. Helens has been reviewing and refining proposals of what the St. Helens rules should be. The consensus from City Council has consistently included keeping camping out of our City parks and away from residential areas, King said. Planning Commissioner sparks controversy Another recent development with HB 3115 has been some controversy surrounding St. Helens Planning Commission Chair Steven Toschi’s comments regarding the city of Rainier’s camping ordinance. Toschi recently held an independent town hall meeting separate from the city of St. Helens, where he criticized the
See ORDINANCE Page A6
State taxpayer to see $5.5B kicker JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
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he Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has issued the latest revenue forecast, projecting an additional $1.96 billion in state revenue. The outlook for personal
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Vol. 141, No. 22
and corporate income taxes has risen by $1.5 to $2 billion over the forecast horizon due to the updated model methodology. The 2021-23 personal kicker is now estimated to be $5.5 billion, and the corporate kicker is now estimated to be $1.8 billion. The kicker tax credit goes into effect when the actual state revenue exceeds the forecasted revenue by at least 2%. An amount is then returned to the taxpayers through a credit on their tax returns. Inflationary economic booms have not traditionally ended well, meaning not without a recession. As such it is easy to be pessimistic about the outlook for the economy, according to the Oregon Revenue Forecast Summary. “Economic developments like last year’s goods recession, and the banking turmoil earlier this year add more fear to the outlook. However, a near-term recession is far from a slam dunk. The reasons include some nascent signs that inflation is cooling and the Federal Reserve is looking to pause its interest rate increases which limits the potential for overtightening. Furthermore, the economy is showing some signs of renewed strength as housing and manufacturing stabilize, and income growth is again outpac-
ued partnership with legislative leaders to deliver results for all regions of the state.” The Governor restated her call for focusing on the state’s top priorities:
Metro Creative Connection
The 2021-23 personal kicker is now estimated to be $5.5 billion, and the corporate kicker is now estimated to be $1.8 billion.
ing inflation. All of these indicate a sudden stop in the economy in the short- term is unlikely,” the Oregon Economic Forecast Summary states. The Forecast’s Revenue Outlook states: “Available resources are expected to be up sharply relative to what was assumed in the March 2023 forecast, both in the near term and over the extended horizon. The upward revision in the outlook is based both on a stronger than expected tax filing season, as well as methodological changes made in light of fundamental shifts seen in recent years.”
Reaction Gov. Tina Kotek said the Oregon Legislature must use the incoming revenue to address the pressing spending needs of the state. “Oregonians have clear expectations for legislators to address our housing crisis, ensure that our behavioral health system is accessible in every part of the state, and set up our youngest students for success,” Kotek said. “The revenue forecast lays the path for bold leadership. We cannot afford to squander this opportunity, and I look forward to a contin-
• $316 million to continue and expand on the state’s response to homelessness prevention and unsheltered homelessness, and $1 billion in bonding to build and preserve more affordable housing. • $280 million dollar investment to address the behavioral health crisis playing out across Oregon communities and support a more accessible, better staffed system of care no matter where people live. • $120 million to improve early literacy by delivering the science of reading across all 197 school districts in Oregon to help our students learn to read and write. In addition, the forecast provides the opportunity to address a range of other urgent issues that are impacting Oregonian’s daily lives. The figures below are in addition to those originally proposed in the Governor’s Recommended Budget:
See TAXES Page A9