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FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023
VOL. 131, NO. 49 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Clatskanie Heritage Days 2023 theme
Courtesy from Nikole Young
Kaydence DeCaro receives her award from the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce for the winning Heritage Days theme logo. WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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he Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce has announced Kaydence DeCaro as the winner of the 2023 Heritage Days theme design contest. The theme will be: The Best Show In Town, according to Chamber Board Director Nikole Young. This theme was picked to “celebrate Heritage Days’ popular and enduring history.” The Heritage Days planning committee also selected the theme to complement DeCaro’s artwork. “We have a cultural center in Clatskanie we refer to as the Birkenfeld Theater. It has I.O.O.F Hall letters and is also the location of our City Hall. The Birkenfeld Theater is a community hub we’re lucky to have in Clatskanie,” Young said. “Kaydence’s artwork incorporates this building along
Nehalem Street with elements of our annual Heritage Days parade heading north toward Highway 30, which is the direction our parade takes every year to kick off July 4. The celebratory nature of Kaydence’s submission, as well as her talent, are the reasons we chose her artwork.”
The celebratory nature of Kaydence’s submission, as well as her talent, are the reasons we chose her artwork. ~ Nikole Young, Chamber Board Director
The Heritage Days planning committee, which the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce oversees,
began the design contest last year as part of a new tradition to engage local teen artists between the ages of 13 and 19 with the Heritage Days celebration. “The planning committee is a small group of dedicated volunteers who do their best to give back, coordinating all the festivities by reaching out to vendors, companies, and governments to ensure a safe and fun summer kickoff,” Young said. “Donations fund the event, and planning committee members oftentimes donate their own money to cross the Heritage Days finish line.” Young said that to incentivize students and pay artists for their hard work, they present a professional art kit and a $150 cash prize to the winner. Because they are such a small committee that is learning on the fly, they have only been able to coordinate the contest with the public school district and spread the word through social media, according to Young. They hope to increase participation in the coming years. The Heritage Days include a series of events, starting with a car show and other activities on June 25. The next weekend includes more activities, starting with a dog parade on Friday, July 1. Throughout the weekend, there are more activities for the community. The Heritage Days celebration culminates with a parade, fireworks, and more than a dozen activities in the town.
They have had an average of 30 submissions between the two years, and both years’ winners have been in middle school, according to Young. Students living in Clatskanie’s public district may submit
That 2022 design inspired a lot of great ideas by student artists for this year,” Young said. “We had a Veterans Memorial illustration and a drawing of Nehalem Street’s Highway 30 intersection. These were very thoughtful and beautifully done.” The winner of the contest was announced at the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce Mixer April 6. The event was attended by local business owners, local government officials, members of the community, and the theme design winner’s family and friends. History of the Heritage Days celebration
Courtesy photo from Nikole Young
The winning design depicts the Heritage Days Parade which takes place every July 4th.
artwork, regardless of where they attend school. There were many designs considered for the winner. “There were several contenders. Last year’s winner set the precedent of focusing on community landmarks by submitting a lovely design of our own Clatskanie Castle, also known as the Thomas J. Flippin House.
The Heritage Days celebration originated in 1959 in an effort to raise funds for the Clatskanie pool, according to Young. “There had been multiple drownings, including drownings of children, in the Columbia River, so bringing a pool into town was a top priority for all citizens. The result was barbeque and baseball fundraiser,” Young said. Originally named the Clatskanie Scramble, the celebrations have evolved into a multi-day celebration over the years, and it now includes games, races, fireworks, logging demonstrations, and more. Read more about Heritage Days at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of the Chief.
CCSO Levy aims to add new deputies WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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oters will be asked to approve a four-year property tax that will appear on the May 16 Election ballot that would support seven new Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies.
If this levy is not passed in May, then we will be unable to provide additional deputies. In addition, limited coverage hours, slow response times, and reduced citizen safety will continue to be an issue. ~ Brian Pixley, Columbia County Sheriff
The new tax would be 29 cents
per $1,000 in assessed value. A home taxed on a $400,000 assessed value would see $116 added to the home’s yearly property tax bill if the levy is approved. What the levy would mean for public safety
Columbia County Sheriff Pixley believes the measure will address what he says has been a chronic staffing issue for a long time. “For years, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has been chronically underfunded and understaffed,” Pixley said This puts our Columbia County residents at risk as well as our Deputies and city police officers. Our deputies are dealing with over twice the number of calls for service per deputy per year as the officers in the busiest city in Columbia County. This levy would decrease that individual call load, provide for faster response times, and increase the safety for Columbia County residents.” The CCSO Enforcement Divi-
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The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is located at 901 Port Avenue in St. Helens.
sion encompasses eight distinct service units with a total staff of 15 deputies, one detective, and one K-9, according to the CCSO website. Pixley saoid that the need for more deputies will help provide 24/7 coverage for all of Columbia
County. “Currently, St. Helens Police Department is the only 24/7 law enforcement in the county, which doesn’t help residents outside of the city limits,” Pixley said. “This levy would allow for county-wide
24/7 coverage. During the busiest hours of the day, deputies would be assigned to specific districts in the county (north county, south
See LEVY Page A3
Majority of houseless funds misses county Obituaries ................. A3 News and Views ..... A4 Classified Ads ......... A5 Legals ....................... A5 Sports.........................A6 Roadside Safety ...... A6
Contact The Chief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051
that will reduce unsheltered homelessness,” Governor Tina Kotek said. “The state will continue to provide technical assistance and partner with local communities to make sure this money makes a difference on the ground.” The following funding amounts are based on many factors, including the appropriation made available by the legislature, detailed plans that local communities submitted, and a detailed formula developed by Oregon Housing and Community Services, according to a release from the Governor’s Office.
JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
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regon Gov. Tina Kotek has announced how much funding each region within Oregon’s homelessness state of emergency will receive from the state, as well as the specific outcomes local communities are expected to achieve with the emergency dollars. Columbia County is one of the counties that did not receive an express amount of money in the governor’s plan however, rent assistance will be available statewide through community action agency networks and their partners. The state will also make $26 million available to help address houseless needs across the state, including Columbia County. “There’s the $26 million that will go out in July that will serve the balance of the state for shelter capacity and other things. So, those communities should be planning now on how those additional resources can help them ramp up as well as sustain in the years ahead,” Kotek said in a news conference earlier this week. On her first full day in office, the Governor declared a homelessness state of emergency and urged the
Portland/Gresham/Multnomah County: $18.2 million to rehouse 275 households and create 138 shelter beds.
Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc.
Gov. Kotek’s funding plan is linked to specific goals to rehouse more than 1,200 households and to create over 600 new shelter beds in emergency areas by end of the year.
legislature to pass an early investment package to meet specific goals in reducing unsheltered homelessness by January 10, 2024.
“Oregonians are demanding urgent action and accountability. That’s why this emergency funding is tied to specific, local action plans
Eugene/Springfield/Lane County: $15.5 million to rehouse 247 households and create 230 shelter beds. Central Oregon: $13.9 million to rehouse 161 households and create 111 shelter beds.
See HOUSELESS Page A3