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Letters to St. Helens Update
Letters to the Update are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Bill Eagle, or that of his wife, children, mother, father, sisters , brothers, domestic pets etc..
Send all letters to eaglew@sthelensupdate.com or eaglew503@gmail.com From: Stephan Webb (Acting SH School Superintendent) 12/6/24 Dear St. Helens School District Students, Staff, and Community, There's an old adage that it takes a long time to build trust; but only a short time to lose it. It has been nearly a month since our tight-knit community was rocked by news of alleged sexual abuse and professional misconduct by members of the St. Helens School District staff. This resulted in drastic upheaval in District leadership, anger and uncertainty among families and civic lead ers, and a lot of soul-searching within our school system.
St. Helens School District is facing a crisis in confidence. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to rebuild trusting relationships with our parents, the public, and each other. I have been on the job as Acting Superintendent for just ten days, and it has been a whirlwind experience. As I work to read myself into the situation one thing has become very clear – our community has many ques tions, and they want and deserve answers. More specifically, they want us to find out exactly how this hap pened, what we are doing about it, and how we can move forward to ensure that our students are safe at school.
The St. Helens School District Board of Directors has tasked me with the following priorities over the next 90 days:
· Stabilize the District and high school administration while managing the day-to-day operations of the school district. Superintendent Scot Stockwell and SHHS Principal Katy Wagner are on adminis trative leave pending the resolution of these matters. On December 4 we named Dr. Charlotte Ellis as the acting principal at St. Helens High School. She will be assisted by retired school superintendent Mr. Ken Parshall, who will serve as an advisor to the high school administrative team.
· Request an independent, third-party investigation to examine objectively what happened and how. That investigation is already underway. It is being led by retired Superintendent and experienced investigator Dave Novotney, Ph.D. His scope of work includes (a) reviewing district policy implementa tion on mandatory reporting, suspected misconduct harassment reporting, staff ethics, and related areas, (b) evaluating district training processes and accountability systems, and (c) assessing district culture and its fidelity to these policies. Findings and recommendations will be shared with the community, as per mitted by law, with the final report expected within 45 to 60 days. This timeline is subject to change based on what is learned through the investigation. The district is committed to taking corrective action and holding people accountable.
· Cooperate fully with criminal investigations by law enforcement, DHS, and other agencies regard ing employees or former employees accused of criminal sexual abuse, failure to report abuse or miscon duct. I have met with the acting police chief and other civic leaders to strengthen mutually supportive communication partnerships.
· Launch a comprehensive community engagement plan to improve communication and listen to the community about steps the district should take moving forward. In that regard, I have been meeting with school site staff. We are also conducting school-based Listening Sessions to give voice to the con cerns of our families and employees. Two sessions at our Middle School and High School are being held the week of December 16-20. Two more sessions for our elementary families will be held right after the Winter Break. Additionally, the district will host a Spanish-speaking listening session after the Winter Break. Our team, with assistance from the Northwest Region Education Service District, is working on developing a plan, format, and schedule for these. For the latest updates, we have created a designated “Responding to Controversy” link on our district home page (www.sthelens.k12.or.us). We are also hosting weekly virtual briefings with reporters and news outlets up until the winter break and that infor- mation will be shared with families and employees
Be assured, that if the employees under investigation are found guilty, they will be held accountable, con- sistent with due process outlined in employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable laws. At the same time, we must let the investigations run their course in fairness and respect to all parties. Leaders in the St. Helens School District are committed to earning back your trust by being more transparent in our processes, forthcoming with timely communication, and dependable in our actions to keep all students safeguarded while they are in our care. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and support as we navigate these difficult times.
Acting Superintendent, St. Helens School District
From: Nancy Whitney 9/16/24 Tracing back to 1880, the last of the great small town newspapers in Columbia County - which published the events of our lives for the past 144 years - will print their final issue on September 25, 2024. names and owners throughout the many years - will print the last newspaper in St. Helens. It’s heartbreaking. However, I thought I might take the opportunity presented to write my last “Letter to the Editor”.
to be alive when the first woman president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, is sworn in next January.
the St. Helens City Council. I would very much like to tell each of you for whom you should or should not vote but I will not do that.
the city limits of St. Helens. Large campaign signs with bright lighting cannot be directed into private homes. We have waited three years for the destruction in lower St. Helens to be completed.
be claimed on this questionable means of communication. However, I do know this is happening during the current local campaign. I believe there should be strong monetary consequences for those telling untruths on any public media.
not partake in this type of campaigning. Vote for those who have an honest desire to return St. Helens to a state of normal habitation and enjoyment.
to hasten the total lack of progress in historic downtown St. Helens.
From: Steve Toshi 6/5/24 Dear Citizens of St. Helens and Friends: The campaign for our future is heating up! June 5 is the first official day for candidates to announce. I’ll be turning in my bid for Mayor of St. Helens. This email is to encourage all of you to hit this link and say something positive about me: Steve Toschi - hapigood It’s also to send you a link for my fundraising: Support - Steve Toschi for St. Helens (anedot.com) It’s time for a positive change for our City!
Why Am I doing this? Bottom line: It’s needed. St. Helens is growing up! Big changes are ahead for our people. The next 4 years will determine the future here for generations to come. Steve Toschi to get St. Helens back into a WINNING, positive position. Steve Toschi for a government that has a credible presence to our people and to people everywhere. Out with: dishonesty, bad land deals, industries leaving, financial irresponsibility, and suppression of speech. In with: a credible Mayor that represents our people well, honesty, free speech, collaboration, fiscal responsibility, good planning and most of all SUCCESS. These positive changes are ONLY going to come if you, and others stand with me, and we move together publicly to make them happen in November! It’s time for leadership change and a positive, lasting change of direction for our City. Volunteers needed: June 22, 2024 – Citizens Day at the Park. We need people to greet and help serve Snow Cones. Please come and show your support. Volunteer needed: for the campaign. Your participation will make a difference. Please send an email to Steve@stevetoschi.com with your contact information. Before you go to your next email, please send your endorsements! Steve Toschi - hapigood Thank you.
From: Wayne Mayo 5/06/24 “I believe that we should try to avoid a situation in which Russia could say that it was provoked by NATO,” (Polish President Andrzej Duda) said. “So far it is Russia which has been provoking and everybody can see that.” President Duda’s careful reaction to at least 3 missile incursions many see as provocative is instructive; Not just because of the hit Duda is taking with a large contingent of defense advocates within his party, but what it should speak to the rest of NATO. Whether intentional or not, these were probes. NATO members beyond Poland, The US, and the UK shouldn’t wait for any more wake-up calls; Invest in your own army; stockpiles; infrastructure; Get ready. You were lulled to sleep by the Gorbachev pivot. Things have changed; no more so than by Russia’s premediated invasion of Ukraine. Russia didn’t lose their position on the UN Permanent Security Council; But they did lose their moral high ground as a Charter Member; Read the charter. Everything has changed.
From: Ted M. Rice 4/29/24 I thank superintendent Tim Porter, board member Pat Kessi and Adam Strachan for the informative tour of Scappoose Middle School. We understand firsthand the improvements that need to be addressed. In my opinion, the Middle School has need for some major repairs. Although I believe the maintenance issues have increased over the years, I also believe that these problems can be upgraded over a couple years, without the multi-millions of dollars required to rebuild in a new location. Some of us on the tour have discussed individual projects with a few contractors and feel that the buildings problems needing addressed are a pittance of the millions a new school building will cost. As an example, after gaining a little knowledge from a HVAC contractor, we found that other districts are installing the latest HVAC technology in their schools for approximately $15,000 per classrooms. This is not millions of dollars. There are some major things that need to be addressed in the middle school, but they can be managed over a few years, with common sense and leadership.. The kids, teachers, and taxpayers deserve better than being used as pawns in the push for a new school, which we can not afford.
From: Bill Eagle 4/22/24 Sometimes it is worth while taking a moment to count our blessings and realize how fortunate we are, We are not perfect, but here are somethings that I like about St. Helens. We are a small city and we are still able to maintain rural atmosphere We are a safe place to live. We have very little in the way of violent crime. We have a well-trained and professional police department. An agency that is willing to serve the public on an “around the clock” basis. We have parks where anyone can play Pickleball, Tennis or Basketball, and trails for people to walk. We have a City Council that thinks it more important to improve our city than personally enrich themselves. We have a Public Works Department that really works for the public. The people in our community are willing to improve and support our school system. Our Schools are turning out educated and responsible people. Young citizens who can make us all proud. We have clean air, good water and a place where our children can grow up healthy I am sure that there are many things that others could add Including ways to improve. We are not perfect, but it is right to be thankful for what we have.
From: Dave Molony 4/11/24 The St. Helens City Administrator, John Walsh needs to be more open and honest with Columbia County residents when promoting a new manufacturing plant in St. Helens. American Hyperion Solar is not a well-established California manufacturing company. American Hyperion Solar is owned by China. It is a subsidiary of Runergy, located in Zhahai, China. All Chinese companies are under control of the Chinese Communist Party (C.C.P.). The C.C.P. agenda is to control the United States of America and have global domination. China now owns almost 400,000 acres of land in the U.S.A., most near military bases in the Midwest and Texas. In the last year, over 34,000 Chinese men of military age have crossed the Mexico/US border. How many shipping containers loaded with military supplies are being unloaded at our ports to supply this army? Do not forget that between 1967 and 1973, we fought the Vietnam War in Asia, which cost the lives of 58,000 servicemen, with 250,000 more wounded, of which I was one. Now, China kills over 120,000 Americans annually with Fentanyl they are bringing across the Mexican border with the Chinese and Mexican Cartels. C.C.P’s illegal drug trafficking is killing our military age youth without firing a shot. We do not want or need a Chinese solar panel manufacturing plant in St. Helens, or any another location in The United States. China is taking over our power grid with their windmills and solar panel farms. They are destroying our farm land and killing migratory birds, including Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles- and the Audubon Society is completely ignoring this fact. When China invades Taiwan and if the United States tries to intervene, China will be able to shut down our electric grid and all Chinese made electronics with their electromagnetic pulse weaponry. This includes all China manufactured windmills and solar panels. The St. Helens and Scappoose area does not have enough power from the B.P.A. main line to furnish power to the Chinese solar panel facility and the industrial zoned ready to build on development property by the Scappoose Airport owned by American citizens. If the Chinese solar panels and windmils are so efficient, they should be able to furnish electricity to their new manufacturing plant and have power to sell. The truth is, wind and solar farms are not efficient and will not supply the electricity needs for the U.S.A. to stay a competitive world power in manufacturing and militarily. We need to keep and appreciate our clean, green renewable power provided by the Columbia and Snake River dams, which we are so fortunate to have and use.
From: Wayne Mayo 4/7/24 According to a report filed in The Wall Street Journal, 29 March 2024, there are 8 Bridges in the United States that are vulnerable to catastrophic failure if hit by a ship like the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore was this week. Two of them should greatly concern all of us in Cowlitz, Columbia, and Multnomah counties. The first is the Lewis and Clark Bridge between Longview, Washington and Rainier, Oregon; The second is The St. John’s Bridge in northwest Portland. Both bridges are critical to our intertwined economies. But of much greater concern is for the lives that would be lost without a watchman, like the Keys Bridge had, that halted the traffic. One night, years ago when I lived in St. Helens, I was looking out the window and saw a ship lose steerage in the Columbia Channel adjacent to the mouth of the Lewis River. It took a strong turn and went aground on the north end of Sauvie’s Island. I called 911; They called the Coast Guard who responded immediately with a helicopter. The Scappoose Spotlight got a picture of it grounded in the sand. If I remember, it was carrying grain. It all happened fast; there was nothing the captain could do. That’s how it would be if steerage or power was lost approaching either of those bridges. A plan needs to be engineered, funded, and executed quickly to retrofit large gravel cushions around the vulnerable supports extending at least 8’ above the high water mark on all 4 of the major supports of these bridges before our accident happens. Until then, bridge-tenders with crossbar drop authority need to be added; Something akin to railroad crossing lights and a guard bar need to be installed; 4 directional sensors programmed to detect the threat of a collision need to be added. The 24-hour bridge-tender could then make the call. In light of the vulnerability and speed of this catastrophe, we can’t move fast enough.
From: Stephan R. Topaz 4/2/24 The St. Helens City council voted to turn the cooling lagoon into a waste dump this last council meeting. MFA will be paid $88K for preparing the necessary material and obtaining the permits for the transformation from cooling/sewer treatment to a waste dump facility. This is after years of no public meetings, and a few illegal executive meetings as determined by the OGEC.
This will mean that St. Helens will have one of the only waste dumps between two of the future development areas of any city in the country. The hoped for solar panel plant and the riverside apartment complex will surround the 39 acres dump after a new location for our present sewer plant is found. This finalizes administrations years of effort to bring a dumpsite to downtown St. Helens.
No discussion took place at the council meeting discussing the fact that to fill this waste dump over a ten-year period, trucks will be arriving and leaving 24/7. The costs of moving the sewerage plant, building the dump facility, and possibly building the docks needed for unloading were not discussed. Could this be another police station type project?
From: Joe Turner 3/27/24 Alphonse Gabriel Capone, sometimes known by the nicknames ``Scarface” and “Snorky,” was an American businessman and gangster who gained a reputation during prohibition as the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1925 to 1931. His crime boss years ended when he went to prison. Was he sent to prison for hitting one of his employees with a baseball bat? No. Was he sent to prison for running illegal liquor during prohibition? No. He was charged with 22 counts and convicted on 5 counts of tax evasion. President Donald J. Trump built a real estate dynasty by overstating the size and value of his holdings by 300% yet filed property taxes on their actual size thus ‘gaming’ the system to attain preferred loan and tax rates. Although the banks and customers were paid in full, was a crime committed? Yes, he lied. He wasn’t qualified for any special loans or tax rates. Should President Trump go to prison? Should President Trump pay his fair share with interests? Should the wealthy play by the same rules as other Americans? Should a candidate for president be allowed to use campaign contributions to pay for his lawyer’s fees and fines? The 2024 election sounds more like the title of the 2007 movie “No Country for Old Men”, neither candidate is fit to hold the office of president but does either political party care? Nope, as long as their candidate gets elected.
From: Sean P. Clark 3/26/24 I want to recognize the advocacy work of Columbia Economic Team (CET) in helping to secure over $381,000 in Travel Oregon Grants to fund accessible and inclusive tourism projects in Columbia County. Out of six projects that were funded in the Portland Region, four of them are in Columbia County. This is outstanding! ln addition to their role in driving economic development, CET is also the Destination Management Organization (DMO) for Columbia County. CET plays an essential role in promoting Columbia County tourism, attracting tourism dollars, and supporting our local businesses. CET is a tireless cheerleader for county tourism projects and funding at both the regional and state levels. Their support and expertise are the reason why we are seeing more tourism investment in Columbia County than ever before. Recent awarded projects include $100,000 for the Port of Columbia County to install an ADA accessible kayak platform at Scappoose Bay Marina, $100,000 for the City of St. Helens’ Riverwalk Project, $100,000 to the St. Helens Main Street Alliance to install an elevator tower for ADA accessibility in a historic building, and $81,610 to the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce to advise and implement mobility-friendly projects in Clatskanie’s downtown. Recognition of CET’s efforts seems appropriate and well deserved
From: Chrissy Marquart 3/12/34 We are thrilled to invite you to another year of Empty Bowls!
From: Bob & Betty 2/27/24 My wife Betty and I run a small computer repair business in Rainier, Oregon. Computers, especially laptops, are harder to repair. Batteries are no longer removable, hard drives and memory are not easily accessible. These are just examples of electronics that are more challenging to repair due to design. This year, Oregon lawmakers could help change that. Legislators are considering an issue known as Right to Repair. Put simply, Right to Repair would require tech companies to make parts and tools more accessible for people and repair professionals like me, making it easier and more affordable to fix devices. The bill would also address something called “parts pairing” which is when manufacturers require that parts are ordered and installed through them or an “authorized technician”. Oregonians work hard to pay for their devices. They deserve to be able to easily fix them and have freedom of repair options. And small repair business owners like me should have access to the parts and tools to fix peoples phones so that we can better serve our customers. We urge Sen. Weber and other representatives to vote yes on the Right to Repair bill this year. It puts small businesses and consumers first, helping Oregon families save money and giving them greater control of products they already own. Dave and Betty Weinberg Owners, Zapponet Computer Services Rainier, Oregon
From: Nancy Whitney 2/14/24 I attended the City of St. Helens council meeting last Wednesday to ask under what “principles of governing” they have the right to add $10 per month to my water bill and then to use these funds in whatever fashion they choose.
From: Chuck Custer 12/24/23 Why does the city of St. Helens willfully allow/condone violations of zoning restrictions for private contractors or parties. As an example, commercial equipment has been stored/parked on property that is zoned residential, for the past few weeks. This includes dumping sludge and rinsing tanks onto the ground that is adjacent to two wetland sites.
I have been informed that these vehicles belong to a contractor who works for CRPUD and that the plans department of the City of St. Helens is not “too concerned” as it will be a short term project. This was the same response from CRPUD along with “why are you concerned, it’s not on your property.” I would think that the zoning regulations that were initiated by St. Helens would be enforced by St. Helens.
From: Brian Pixley 12/01/23 There are several inaccuracies in the Spotlight’s recent article “Death in Confinement” that I feel must be addressed. The first inaccuracy I need to clarify pertains to the cause of death of Brian Lee Miles. I emailed Ms. Biggers on November 1, 2023, informing her that the Oregon State Medical Examiner listed the cause of death for Mr. Miles as natural causes—a far stretch from “died of causes that remain unclear” that the Spotlight’s article reported.
Secondly, I want to elaborate on the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association’s (OSSA) jail inspections. The OSSA may perform jail inspections twice yearly but currently only inspects each jail in the state every other year. OSSA inspections are voluntary, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has allowed our jail to be audited every other year for the past several years. OSSA inspections examine over 300 jail standards covering intake, housing, medical, release, and everything in between. The Sheriff’s Association continuously reviews these standards to ensure that participating Oregon jails are held to very high standards.
Finally, I want to point out that the Spotlight’s article lists pending litigation in its “Successful Lawsuits” section. In no way can pending litigation be considered successful, and I would appreciate it if the Spotlight would accurately list pending litigation vs. “successful” litigation. The pending litigation cases include Brown, Dearden, and Michelle Derby. In the future, I hope to have the information I provide reported correctly. I am now patiently waiting to read the follow-up articles that the Spotlight has promised. Hopefully, their reporters will demonstrate more professionalism than they did when composing this article.
From: Joe Turner 11/25/23 On the third Monday of August 1979, nine years before receiving my accounting degree, I was volunteered by my battalion commander to assist Senators Phil Gramm and Warren Rudman and six accounts from the Congressional Budget Office to investigate Pentagon budgets.
Prior to starting I asked one question, “Do I follow Army Regulations or can I tell the truth?”
President Trump is on trial for fraud for overstating the size and value of his assets on his financial statements. Did he make misstatements, yes, but did he commit fraud? America’s entire economic system is based on perceptions and deceptions so just what is on trial?
In 2010 I asked my bank for preapproval for $175,000 to purchase a house with a payment of $1125 a month, the bank responded with an offer of $250,000 with a payment of $1500 a month. In 2012 the Federal Reserve and Obama White House kept interest rates near 0% to encourage citizens to continue to spend and grow the economy out of the recession.
Interest income for my bank would have tripled had I purchased a house on their terms but I didn’t. Because most of the country fell prey to near 0% interest rates set by the Federal Reserve and White House and went into a spending frenzy we now have unaffordable housing, cars and trucks, and inflation. So who is defrauding whom?
From: Richard Ellmyer 10/22/23 Your support is needed to continue the important work started by Portland State University. This public research institution Is currently unable to provide continued support, updating and maintaining the Metro/Oregon Public Housing Location Maps. These maps are the only free, easily accessible and understandable, online interactive source of data for elected officials to determine if their jurisdictions are overloaded or underserved by Public Housing Units. It is a valuable, unique public asset which allows jurisdictions to develop Equitable Distribution of Public Housing as their official Public Housing Policy. Portland city commissioner Dan Ryan has acknowledged the usefulness and importance of the Metro/Oregon Public Housing Location Maps by placing them on Portland’s Civic Life website. Thank you Dan. If you have not yet examined them go here now and check them out: Metro/Oregon Public Housing Location Maps . Help your constituents and fellow Oregonians by placing a pointer URL on your personal, group or jurisdictional webpage. From: Robert Tromletz 10/14/23 The city determined (a belief) that an Epoxy paint job would be a satisfactory repair to correct a 16,100 gallon per day 2 MG leaking reservoir. Kennedy/ Jenks was providing the Plan. Plan A failed, so Plan B was the Plan that would require a Geotextile mat, 2500 stainless steel bolts, and two coats of Epoxy. This required drilling a blind hole to hold a socket for the 1/4-inch bolts and washers. When repair was completed, the reservoir was leaking 74,000 gallons per day. The city then repaired the reservoir’s leaking drain line. I was given emails of pictures of the fractured drain line dated May 1, 2017, with drawings of the repair. I believe this was repaired in 2017.
Using simple math with the city’s numbers and the repaired reservoir’s drain line, there was a correction of water loss.
The city hired Bear Investigation and Consultants in 2017 to find the source of the reservoir’s leaking 42,000 gallons per day. The City’s fixing the drain line reduced the reservoir’s leaking by 32,000 gallons per day. The pipe repair resulted in a 32,000 gallon per day improvement to the water loss of June 23, 2016, when the water loss was 16,000. The improvement of 32,000 gallons is more than double the original loss of 16,000.
The city neglected the due diligence of testing and the repairing of the drain line. The numbers proved there wouldn’t have been a need for the 2 MG reservoir rehabilitation at this time. The rehabilitation construction resulted in a damaged reservoir.
Someone is just ignoring the facts. This proves that if the city had earlier done their testing, there wouldn’t be an empty damaged 2 MG reservoir.
From: Patrick Klein 10/16/23 Legislature forms committee to address concerns. What a joke. They form committees, they have town halls, they discuss it they write about, and they have even allocated money for it but not a damned thing gets done. How about you open up some real long-term treatment centers that house people for more than a week then kicks them back out on the street. The approach that is being taken now doesn’t and will not work for any extended period of time. It so far has been nothing but a bunch of bureaucrats getting in front of camera talking about how they are devoted to solving the problem while people die on the streets in Oregon from overdosing daily.
Quit discussing the problem to death and do something about instead of taking photo ops pretending like you care to gain support for your next election. Every problem has a solution just do it.
From: Dixie Rae Smith 10/1/23 This evening I noticed someone(s) has created a welcoming bicycle lane between Gable and our Chevron Gas Station (on the west side of Hwy 30). At sundown I noticed: One cigarette butt, one piece of unopened taffy, and one scrap of paper.
Flat repair runs around $10.00 - $20.00 (or more) depending on the tube, tire, wheel damage. Also, Road debris, in bicycle lanes create serious and deadly situations for a bicyclist and motorist. All can be prevented by simply clearing our bicycle lanes.
Here’s a big thank you to the bike lane angels of Columbia County!
Also a shout out to Barlow and the crew at our local bicycle shop.
From: Kristin Edmark 7/22/23 Proposed large rail yard for NEXT diesel facility would be disruptive The Planning Commission should deny the modified proposal by NEXT Renewable Fuels to build a 400-car rail yard.
The community was promised that trains would be kept short and would have minimal impact on roads and businesses. The current proposal is a clear bait- and-switch broken commitment. The long trains would disrupt local road access on Kallunki Road and traffic along the Highway 30 corridor. Miles of tracks are required leading to water, air, and noise pollution.
Many are speaking out about impact on nearby farms, wetlands, the drainage district, pollution, noise, and lack of adequate buffer areas. This large diesel facility could produce up to 50,000 barrels per day. NEXT has not yet committed to using low-carbon or waste product feed stocks. No contracts have been signed for the large amounts of feedstock which would be needed.
NEXT has shown it cannot be trusted.
From: John Riutta 7/21/23 As one who regularly praises small town life, I was curious about all the fuss over a country song called “Try That In a Small Town” by some fellow named Jason Aldean. I’d not previously heard of him or heard the song, so I listened to it.
It’s not a well written song. The video is even worse. It’s not a country song; much closer to frat-rock in my opinion. He’s clearly trying to make hay on popular right-wing talk show buzz words and themes. The song isn’t about community; it’s about fear — fear of people not from small towns.
Interestingly enough, Mr. Aldean is not from a small town; he’s from Macon, Georgia (population 156,197), the fourth-largest city in that state. He presently lives in Nashville, Tennessee (population 692,587), the 21st-largest city in the U.S.
As Mr. Aldean doesn’t, judging by his song, seem to understand — and from his biography, how would he? — living in a small town isn’t about violence and vigilantism. It’s about knowing your neighbors, helping out in the community, and learning to get along with people, whether you personally like them or not.
As our daughter so correctly says, you may not like someone there, but when they’re seriously ill or hurt, you still show up with a casserole and offer to help walk their dog.
From: Tom Ford 7/13/23 I live near the “30 Freeway.” You may never have known there is a 30 Freeway, it was called “Highway 30” for years, but now it is a freeway.
The newly designated 30 Freeway starts at the Cornelius Pass signal and runs north through Scappoose and St Helens on toward Warren. The ignored and obviously outdated speed limit signs read 55 mph, but the standard vehicle speed is 70 and 80 is not uncommon. Driving at 65 in the right-hand (slow) lane and being passed by a dual trailer log hauler or a tandem gravel truck is an adventure, especially in the rain. Windshield glass insurance is a must. When attempting an entry onto the 30 Freeway at any signal, it is prudent when getting the green light to pause and count to three before entering the intersection as the before-mentioned heavy haulers will sometimes make no effort to slow as the signal for them turns yellow, there is no way they can stop that loaded truck and they will blow right through the intersection They might blow their horn, but don’t bet your life on that happening.
What could be the possible expense to the cities of Scappoose and St Helens to have a traffic officer whose singular duty is traffic control? There would be no doubt the cost of that officer would be covered by the tickets issued. Do the Oregon State Troopers perform this duty? If they do, I haven’t seen flashing lights on the 30 Freeway in months. I remain amazed no one has been killed recently on that stretch of freeway.
From: Ron Trommlitz 7/12/23 Again the City of St Helens shows a lack of concern for transparency.
On June 6th 2023 and June 7th, I suggested the City should give an updated report on the failed 2 MG reservoir. I got replies of no intention and it's not necessary. The Spotlights, Scott Keith was given the Pittsburg Road 2 MG reservoir statement on June 28th. The newspaper's request seems to have received an overdue update. This is lack of transparency, and this information should have been shared voluntarily with The Chronicle.
The City has possessed a lot of information that the City failed to utilize when trying to determine the cause of the leaking reservoir, especially when the Rehabilitation repair work caused increased leaking. The reservoir condition was plagued from the beginning with not knowing what was the source of the high volume leak.
The City failed to identify the leaking from 2009--2016, then hired Kennedy/Jenks as Engineer. I haven't determined what investigation Kennedy/Jenks performed, but provided the Plan for Rehabilitation. BIC noted water infiltration, and there was a lack of oversite inspection performed during the Geotextile mat and Carboline reactamine application. The project was to be inspected by the City of St. Helens. The City claims it was workmanship that caused the failure. BIC assessment was that the Geotextile- epoxy liner couldn't account for leaking 44,000 gallons per day. So Walker Consultants was hired to investigate the failure.
This action results in the Walker Report being withheld by the City claiming Client Privilege.
From: Bill Eagle 6/28/23 Last night I got to sit through a CRPUD rate setting advisory committee meeting. The PUD staff pointed out that although Bonnyville Base rates and Transmission costs are relatively stable, other fixed cost have risen. The cost of Transformers have tripled (and in some cases quadrupled). Wages have increased, power line transmission wires, poles, and all other parts have increased. In addition the cost of gas and fleet expenses have also increased. These fixed increases are not just limited to one utility but have affected all the electric utilities in our region. Despite these increases, the PUD made an effort to keep consumer costs to a minimum and decided to limit their rate increase to 5%, They also do not plan to see any other increase for the next two years. We thankfully have a utility owned by rate payers, and we don’t have to worry about paying corporate dividends. We should all be thankful that our Columbia River PUD is still able to offer to its’ users some of the lowest rates in the region.
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