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Columbia County honors 9/11 fallen WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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hroughout the country, communities gather together each year in solemn remembrance of the terrorist attacks that took place more than 20 years ago on the World Trade Center in New York. In an event hosted by Hometown Heroes of Columbia County, community members gathered outside the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and honored those whose lives were taken that tragic day. During the proceedings, different people took turns reading the names of the fallen. The reading of the names began at 8:46 a.m., the time at which Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s north tower 22 years ago. In all, 2,977 names were read and honored. It’s important to remember that New York was not the only community that experienced loss. The World Trade Center incident accounted for 2,753 lives lost, 343 of whom were firefighters. There were 184 lives lost in the incident at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and 40 people died in the plane crash outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. “It’s not only important but critical to remember an event that changed the history and the course of our country and all of our lives. Our first responders, our military, and the
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It is known that a hero dies twice, once with their death and twice if their name is not spoken again. This event gives us the opportunity to say their names again.” - Vivian Rupe, Hometown Heroes of Columbia County
victims’ loved ones were left with pain and a void,” said Hometown Heroes of Columbia County’s Vivian Rupe. “Honoring the lives lost is something that we hold dear to our hearts, as it reminds us that tomorrow is not promised for any of us. It is known that a Hero dies twice, once with their death and twice if their name is not spoken again. This event
gives us the opportunity to say their names again.” Hometown Heroes of Columbia County is a non-profit organization that supports currently serving military members. The organization was founded by Sheriff Brian Pixley in 2019 and is part of CCSO Volunteers, according to Rupe. To support actively deployed
service members, the Hometown Heroes of Columbia County send care packages “full of love” from the community to help with their time away from home. The 9/11 remembrance day event started in 2021, and Hometown Heroes hopes to establish it as an annual event and grow participation from the community. About 20 people
were in attendance this year. “We plan to continue this annual event, and hope more community members learn about it and join us each year,” Rupe said. “We continue to serve and support our military and first responders, who are heroes to all of us. They sacrifice up to their lives, so the rest of us can live comfortably in freedom. For the love and appreciation of our country and the heroes who serve it, we will continue to honor and remember.” Public Information Officer for Columbia County Mark Pacheco was in attendance and gave some insight as to what these types of events mean in communities across the country. “Events like these are opportunities to connect with the community and to display the unity that bonded us as a nation on that historic day,” Pacheco said. “Hometown Heroes of Columbia County and other similar organizations nationwide are focused on remembering and honoring those who lost their lives on that fateful morning 22 years ago.” Rupe said that Hometown Heroes is making an effort to provide many opportunities for our community to learn about “our heroes” and how we can all support them. For more information on how to get involved, visit the Hometown Heroes of Columbia County Facebook page.
CRFR Update: Withdrawn loan, interim fire chief options WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
The Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) has withdrawn its request for a loan of $1.6 million from the City of St. Helens, a development that was made public during a City Council work session on Sept. 6. The discussion of the potential loan was the third item on the council’s agenda, but there was no discussion to be had, as Mayor Rick Scholl noted that CRFR had pulled their loan request. City Administrator John Walsh met with CRFR Chief of Finance Jimmy Sanchez Aug. 21, and after that meeting, Sanchez made a formal request for the funds needed to help the district operate until tax revenues arrived in November. Following Scholl’s announcement, Walsh stated that the city received an email withdrawing the loan. “Just late last week, we got a letter withdrawing their request, they obviously had another solution; they figured it out,” Walsh said. Council President Jessica Chilton inquired as to what the solution might be, and Walsh said that there had been no indication as to how CRFR would handle its financial challenges. Navigating the shortfall Akin Blitz, who represents both
CRFR and the city in different capacities, said that to the best of his knowledge, Sanchez was able to come to an agreement with U.S. Bank to access funds during the windfall. “I am not certain, and my sense is that Sanchez was able to create agreement with the bank under an arrangement where the county is the repayment agent and satisfies the tax anticipation loan by repayment with first tax revenues when received by the County Auditor/ Treasurer,” Blitz said. Blitz offered comment in the absence of Sanchez, who was on a hunting trip. According to sources familiar with the district, Sanchez filled the role of Acting in Capacity Fire Chief while Deputy Chief Eric Smythe was out on FMLA leave. Smythe took command of the district by default as the highestranking officer following Mike Gorsuch’s resignation from the interim fire chief position after the district board’s termination of former Fire Chief Joel Medina. Smythe returned to work Sept. 11. Smythe confirmed what Blitz said last week. “Chief Sanchez worked with U.S. Bank to secure funds for the shortfall. A new contractual agreement is currently being arraigned and will be presented to the Fire
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The CRFR Board will hear their options for a replacement interim fire chief at their Sept. 19 meeting at the administrative building located at 270 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens.
Board of Directors at the next meeting for consideration/signing,” Smythe said. The CRFR Board of Directors was set to meet Sept. 12, but the meeting has since been postponed to Sept. 19 due to “lack of quorum.” Interim fire chief solutions The search for an interim fire chief has been headed by the Special Districts Association of Oregon (SDAO) and Senior Consultant George Dunkel.
The CRFR Board will hear a presentation from Dunkel during their meeting Sept. 19, and the SDAO has identified two candidates for the position of interim fire chief and one candidate to operate in a consulting role for the district, according to the board’s agenda packet. “We reached out to many individuals (retired fire chiefs) who have shown interest in providing interim fire chief services. We also contacted State and Regional fire service organizations for names,” Dunkel said. “Once we had a good
cadre of names, we contacted each and determined interest and reviewed their experience with organizations under stress. We asked many individuals for proposals; we received two that we determined met the needs of the district.” The candidates for the interim position are Roy O. Palmer and Roy Hari. Retired Fire Chief Scott Weninger declined the role of interim fire chief, electing instead to offer consultation services.
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‘Very strong’ El Niño to bring warmer winter, scorching ocean water Obituaries ................. A3 Police Blotter ............ A3 News and Views ...... A4 Poll ............................ A4 Community Calendar A4
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Vol. 141, No. 39
ALEX BAUMHARDT Oregon Capital Chronicle Chronicle Guest Article
A tropical weather system called El Niño is beginning its march up the coast of Oregon, bringing with it a warmer winter and inescapable heat for some marine life. Oregonians on the coast could experience flooding from high tides and rising sea levels. In the mountains, areas hoping for snow are more likely to get rain, which could accentuate the drought plaguing the West. For aquatic species, warming ocean temperatures could spur a northern migration and could be deadly for plankton vital to salmon and other species up the food chain. Spurred by a change in air pressure over the Pacific Ocean near the equator, El Niño last visited Oregon in the winter of 2018, and has occurred more than 20 times since 1950. It is both an ocean and atmospheric weather pattern that touches
all parts of the West. The latest system, which recently reached the southern Oregon coast, is predicted to be among the fiercest in years, according to Oregon’s state climatologist, Larry O’Neill. There have only been three El Niños since 1970 that have reached the category of “very strong” as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The last one was in 1997. “Generally the rule of thumb is that El Niño leads to drier, warmer weather,” he said. “In strong years, it’s led to warmer, wetter weather. We don’t know yet how robust those relationships are though.” The system typically arrives in early September, reaches its peak in the winter and fades toward the spring of the following year. Andy Bryant, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service, said that it’s likely that due to warmer
Courtesy photo from Erica Harris / Oregon State University
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Waves pound a beach and structure between Depot Bay and Boiler Bay on the Oregon Coast.