http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/index.php Portland and surrounding area community news and information http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121071699145479700 Part of the mystery surrounding Sterling Blades’ disappearance has been revealed. His truck was found Friday, May 9, behind a locked gate on a Longview Fibre road off of Meissner Road, a long way from his home on Logie Trail Road in Multnomah County. Blades’ truck was discovered by ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121072932179158300 A temporary pay raise that members of the St. Helens City Council approved for themselves effective at the beginning of the year is working out well and likely will be extended when it comes up for review next month. The pay raise, which more than doubles prior year salaries, on Friday survived ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121072640247941900 Tom Henderson is a tall man with a great sense of humor. With a twinkle in his eyes, he claims everything he needed to know about journalism he learned from “Superman.” Henderson joined The South County Spotlight staff on May 7 as the news editor. Henderson began his journalism ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121072601481442300 Will Hobbs hopes to be the David to Rep. David Wu’s Goliath. Now if he could just afford a slingshot. Slingshots are expensive these days, especially in congressional campaigns. The Cornelius Democrat has come up with $12,000 so he can challenge Wu in the May 20 primary. Wu, by comparison, ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121020497230080900 One person died and four others were injured Wednesday afternoon when a passenger car collided head-on with a school bus on Highway 30 near St. Helens. Luis A. Tellado, 62, of Scappoose was pronounced dead at the scene. Ambulances rushed two school children and the bus driver to Legacy Emanuel ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121071616182078900 Don’t look down upon the lowly snake. You might want to trade places with one — provided you could live in a cage in Misty Clark’s dining room in St. Helens. It’s quite the life. Sure, there’s the whole caged thing. However, your hostess warms you with a heat lamp ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121071582117501800 “Mom, he died,” Kristin Perry said to her mom, Doris, as she burst into her family home Thursday evening. Kristen cried. Perry and her daughter were stunned and in shock. What had started out to be an exciting day at the AAA band competition ended in sadness. At eight o’clock in ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121071520777827100 Buddy poppies have been a staple of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for more than 75 years, and this year is no exception. Starting Friday, members of VFW Post No. 4362 will join their comrades from across the country in the annual fund raising drive to help disabled veterans and their ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121070804485792500 Patrick ‘Ricky’ Gayken Jr. Patrick “Ricky” Gayken Jr. of Portland died April 16, 2008, at a care center in Portland surrounded by his family. He was 40. Mr. Gayken was born Sept. 19, 1967, in Klamath Falls to Patrick Gayken Sr. and Linda (Wiggins) Gayken. Growing up in ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121034668091153100 Loretta G. Knight Loretta G. Knight, formerly of Scappoose, died May 7, 2008, at Avamere in Hillsboro. She was 73. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, May 12, at the Moose Lodge, 57317 Old Portland Road, Warren. A full obituary will appear in our next print and online ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121010779004345700 Driving around a few rural backroads in Columbia County reminds one of scenes from Third World countries: piles of trash and yard debris, tires and rejected furniture by the side of the road, dead animals or parts thereof, all in a disgusting mess. This isn’t the scenery local boosters want ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121011022713619200 Employees and members of St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union are celebrating the appointment of Jeff Schwarz as their new president and chief executive officer. Schwarz has been the chief financial officer at SHCFCU for the past four years, as well as a valuable asset with excellent public ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121002193418105300 A building trade union has rescinded its endorsement of Joe Corsiglia and thrown its support behind Earl Fisher in the race for Columbia County commissioner. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) #48 took the unusual action last week, according to Joe Esmonde, political ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121011242645077400 A kayak on steroids is how Steve Gibons describes the Hobi Cat trimaran that will anchor the St. Helens Adventure Center in Olde Towne St. Helens. Gibons, who, along with Bonnie Shoop, started Scappoose Bay Kayaking eight years ago, have turned their high-energy drive and creativity loose on this ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121010979252910500 Drug-sniffing dogs were brought in, lockers were sniffed, four rooms were searched, and students were caught with drugs during a search recently at the Scappoose High School campus. “We’ve had an ongoing problem with people bringing illegal drugs to Scappoose High School,” said ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121010892814562500 What will Columbia County look like 10 years from now? How can the community leverage assets like the airport and the Columbia River to bolster the economy and improve quality of life? Is there a strategy that can help the thousands of commuters who are driving to work in Portland every day stay ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121010815266786400 The doors of the new seven-screen movie theater in Scappoose opened early last week to give local officials, community leaders, and friends a special look at the state-of-the-art facility south of Fred Meyer. Owner and developer Chuck Nakvasil welcomed guests to the catered event by thanking ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=121010805541018700 During the 2007 session, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 111 that requires each Oregon county develop a plan about the use of deadly physical force. Last Wednesday, county commissioners approved such a plan for Columbia County. In approving the plan, commissioners said the bill is a ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120977960887799300 For St. Helens wrestling coach Keith Meeuwsen, the letter from the Oregon Department of Justice clearing him of accusations of misusing charitable donations was bittersweet news. The letter, written by DOJ Civil Enforcement Investigator Fiona Harpster, arrived two days after Meeuwsen was told that ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120950202367009400 Members of the Scappoose City Council this week received the biggest budget in the history of the city. On Monday, City Manager Jon Hanken delivered his 2008-2009 budget message to the council. The budget weighed in at $19,856,666, the largest city budget ever. Personnel services in the proposed ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120950332342116300 Corn-based ethanol is being touted by many as an important alternative fuel of the future, and on Monday, more than 70 area decision-makers boarded a train and rode the rails to Port Westward while listening to Portland & Western Railroad (P&W) and Cascade Grain officials explain the ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120916944065219700 The Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday approved a stipulated order in which St. Helens High School wrestling coach Keith Meeuwsen agreed to pay $600 in civil penalties for violating state ethics laws on four occasions. The seven-member panel unanimously approved the settlement agreement ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120829908152196800 With the prospect of at least four unit trains (two each way) traveling the length of Columbia County every week, local residents have recently been paying a lot more attention to rail traffic rolling through their towns. Cascade Grain will be receiving corn from the Midwest in 110-car unit ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120890629236250300 Two Columbia County residents have joined the staff of the South County Spotlight. Linda Jewell of Warren has accepted a position as an advertising sales representative, and Cecelia Haack of Scappoose is the newest member of the editorial department. Jewell, 44, is an exuberant addition to the ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120890375567542500 Corporate trainer and motivational speaker Rick Olson has some simple suggestions for people who want to succeed in business: • Assume people like you • Live by the Golden Rule • Choose to bring a positive attitude to work • Hire solution-oriented employees • Tap the creative talent of the ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120890322026400600 Two of the three candidates for Columbia County sheriff brought very different styles to the first major political outing leading up to the May 20 election. Gerry Simmons read a long typewritten statement, citing his leadership and experience during his 27 years with the Sheriff’s Office, ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120890261820978300 Columbia County voters got their first face-to-face look at most of the candidates for county commissioner whose names will appear on Oregon’s May 20 ballot. More than 100 interested citizens crammed into Rainier’s “big green building” Thursday to hear stump speeches by ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120890198723231200 Judge Steven Reed sentenced Scott Nolan Scott to life imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years during a sentencing hearing on his conviction for murder Tuesday afernoon. Scott told family members of the victim that he was remorseful and took responsibility for the March 2006 shooting death of ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120830060247914500 Gerry Simmons wants to be your county sheriff. He is a quiet man, serious and dedicated to law enforcement. “We have a mission to provide public safety,” he said. “That means changing tires, moving sandbags, help the public, working with all agencies.” “It’s ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120829972529130200 While Oregon’s high school dropout rates for 2007 showed a disturbing increase to 4.4 percent, Scappoose High School posted a near perfect rate of only 0.6 percent of its students who quit school before graduating. “It’s our perspective and commitment to know our students,” ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120829886522811100 A St. Helens Middle School student, Mikayla Langley, 14, collapsed and died Friday afternoon at the school. Columbia River Fire & Rescue paramedics responded to a call at 2:49 p.m. and administered aid before transporting her to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland. The student had apparently ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120829856536616000 Kids learn better when they’re not sick. Working from that basic premise, school health nurse Robin Loper embarked eight years ago upon a journey that has since changed the face of health care in St. Helens. It’s called school-based health care. With the backing of Northwest Health ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120821939592965900 The St. Helens Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in identifying a rape suspect. On Saturday, April 5, at about 1:30 a.m. a young woman was near the intersection of Oakridge Street and Helens Way when she was contacted by a man driving in a dark-colored vehicle. The victim was ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120769712159609400 If your pocketbook is smarting from $3.50 a gallon gas, just wait until Oregon’s clean energy initiative kicks into high gear. The Oregon law, coupled with proposed climate change legislation at the national level, will likely send energy prices into the stratosphere, according to Mark ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120769695247258000 Scappoose attorney Michael Sheehan doesn’t think he got his money’s worth in the stack of papers and arcane electronic data given to him in response to his public records request filed in January. In that request, Sheehan was seeking Columbia County Commissioner Joe Corsiglia’s ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120769562693123700 The Taija Belwood Foundation hosted a town hall meeting at Scappoose High School Monday, April 7 to update the community on the progress the foundation is making toward promoting a safer Cornelius Pass Road. “We also want and need the public’s input on how to make this dangerous road ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120769513265117500 St. Helens city councilors got their first look at an urban renewal feasibility study on Wednesday, April 2, bringing the city one step closer to its crafting of an urban renewal district. The 10-page study, drafted by the Portland-based company Spencer & Kupper, identifies a tax base around ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120735063339801300 A Rainier police officer on Saturday had taken into custody a man wanted on several felony charges and believed to have been armed and dangerous. The man, Patrick Allen McMillan, 41, had crashed a car he was driving on Heath Road in the Alston Corner area of Rainier at around 4:26 a.m. Saturday. ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120716424131387500 Movie makers from Summit Entertainment, a major film production company out of southern California, and its subdivision, Maverick Films, will be shooting a scene for a spooky new production in St. Helens next week. The movie, called “Twilight,” is based on a series of best-selling ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120716569787554800 Americans have never had greater access to business products and services, which are now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At the same time consumers have never felt worse about the customer service they get — or don’t get — from American businesses. Perhaps more than ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120716562641744400 Jennifer St. John’s alleged attempted murder of her newborn girl on Valentine’s Day in the restroom of a St. Helens assisted care center, and her incarceration on charges for that offense, exposes long-term questions about the custody of her two children. Lee Coleman, who directs the ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120716458360125200 Firefighters with Columbia River Fire and Rescue saved an elderly man from a burning home early Saturday morning in St. Helens. The fire broke out just before 6:30 a.m. a two-story home located at 385 North 17th St. in St. Helens. Two other occupants were home at the time of the fire and were ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120716442810155800 Columbia County Circuit Judge Steven Reed on Monday postponed by a week the arraignment of a Rainier woman who in March was indicted on multiple criminal counts, including sex abuse of a minor. A grand jury indicted Jan Gleaves, 39, on March 13 of 30 criminal counts, including felony delivery of ... http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=120715158770933100 Shannon Davis, the mother of Shane Davis, the 10-year-old boy who was killed in a murder-suicide at the Oregon coast in March, said last Friday that in the aftermath of the tragedy she believes there were judicial failures that contributed to her son’s death. First, Shannon said she believes ...