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Wednesday, April 8, 2020
The Chronicle
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thechronicleonline.com
Serving Columbia County since 1881
Distance Learning launched The Chronicle: How many Chrome Books has the district purchased and sent to students?
JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Columbia County has recorded eight cases of the coronavirus as of Monday. April 6, according to Columbia County Public Health Administrator Michael Paul. The COVID-19 has claimed four additional lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 33, and the state’s total number of coronavirus cases to 1,181, according to the Oregon Health Authority’s April 7 report. Follow the latest case reports daily at thechronicleonline.com. Teachers and staff in St. Helens and other Columbia County school districts are now sending out Distance Learning materials to students at home under Gov. Brown’s Stay at Home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Class learning tools and work sheets are included in the materials, along with Chrome books for any student that needs one for the home work. School buses are transporting the materials to parents waiting at the students’ bus stop locations. On specific days, parents were also
Stacey Mendoza: We have not purchased additional chrome books for distribution to families. We currently have 2300 in the district and plan to distribute them to families that have indicated they need a device at home next week. The greatest challenge is connectivity. We are working to identify local wireless “hotspots” for families to drive their cars to and connect to the internet. The Chronicle: What is the price of the District’s Distance Learning project and how will that be funded? Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
Teachers and staff at Clatskanie Middle/High School carry containers full of Distance Learning materials onto waiting buses. The materials are being distributed to students’ bus stops were parents retrieve them. Similar pickups and deliveries are being conducted at St. Helens schools.
allowed to pick up the materials at local schools using the state’s social distancing practices. Under Brown’s orders, all K-12 schools are closed until at least April
28. Schools are following the Distance Learning project ordered by the Oregon Department of Education. Graduation decisions were still pending as of Monday afternoon,
April 7. The following is more specific details from St. Helens School District communications representative Stacey Mendoza.
Mendoza: The price is still truly unknown because we are getting new guidance from the state on a daily basis. Every organization is working to figure out how best to fulfill the Governor’s Executive Order from meals to childcare and packets of work; it is difficult to put
See LEARNING Page A9
Oregon Ethics Commission decision CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The Oregon Ethics Commission has released a portion of its findings regarding a complaint by St. Helens City Councilor Stephen Topaz against the city council. Topaz filed the ethics complaint on Aug. 23, 2019 regarding a May 21, 2019 executive session conduced by the St. Helens City Council in Portland. Topaz claimed that the closed session concerned the St. Helens
wastewater lagoon and “had nothing to do with real estate transactions.” In his complaint, Topaz charged that the city meeting violated Oregon Public Meetings laws because it was held outside the bounds of St. Helens and that the topic of the meeting was outside what is allowed for an executive session. The ethics commission has reached stipulations, or settlements, with two St. Helens City Councilors, Doug Morten and Keith Locke. The stipulations mandates, among other steps, that the councilors will receive a letter of education in order to settle and compromise the matter and also mandates that the councilors will not initiate any
counter-litigation or other action against the commission as a result of the proceedings. Under the state ethics commission’s policy concerning financial penalties, if a violation is found, the general penalty can include a fine of up to $1,000 per violation. However, in its investigation concerning Morten and Locke, the commission did not issue any fines. The stipulations for Morten and Locke were released on Friday, March 27. Because negotiations for stipulated settlements are still in progress with Carlson and Scholl, the commission has moved action from its March 27 meeting to its
next regularly scheduled meeting on May 15. Even though Topez triggered the state investigation of the St. Helens City Council’s actions, he himself faces investigation by the ethics commission because he joined the other city councilors and Mayor Scholl at the Portland meeting, according to investigators. Under the state process, once the ethics commission formally notifies Topez by letter of its investigation, Topez and will have 21 days to request a contested case hearing, or he may negotiate a stipulated final order, or if he does neither, the commission could seek a default judgment. The default judgement could
involve a letter of education and or a fine of up to a $1,000. The Background The city council meeting conducted May 21 at the Portland office of environmental engineering and consulting firm Maul Foster Alongi, was held under ORS 192.660 (2) (e) Real Property Transactions and ORS 192.660(2)(h) Consult with Counsel/Potential Litigation, according to the St. Helens City Council agenda.
See ETHICS Page A4
St. Helens wins Blazer park funds JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
(503) 232-7292
HEAT AND COOL UP TO 1000 SQFT. INSTALLED FOR AS LITTLE AS $2800 AFTER REBATES AND INCENTIVES RX18NMVJU/FTX18NMVJU
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Courtesy photo
The new all-abilities playground is expected to be placed in this area of McCormick Park in St. Helens.
See PARK Page A8
To our valued customers,
At St. Helens Market Fresh, we are committed to always to serving the needs of our community during this crisis. In an effort to be safe and proactive, we have adopted a enhances sanitation procedures including disinfecting bathrooms, cart handles and carry baskets multiple times daily. In additions, we are offering customers the opportunity to order groceries and pick up curbside. Customers who would like to utilize this method may call, text, email or Facebook Message their orders to the store. Curbside pick up will works as follows: 1. Orders placed before 2 pm can be pick up the same day by 4 pm with curbside payment. 2. Orders placed after 2 pm will be scheduled for pick-up the next day by 4 pm with curbside payment.
Vol. 138, No. 15
The Portland Trailblazers and Moda Health have selected St. Helens to receive funding for an all-abilities playground at McCormick Park. The selection follows public voting and competition between St. Helens, Astoria and Sandy for the partnership park project. St. Helens won with a final tally of 48,094 votes.
“We are very honored to win this competition and would like to thank Moda Health and the Trail Blazers for this opportunity to provide such a wonderful resource to the children in our community,” St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl said. “We would also like to thank our amazing community members who took time each day to vote.” Scholl said the City recognizes
3. Orders paid via phone may be picked up anytime.
5. Customer name and contact information must be included in all orders
4. Customers will be notified of completed orders using the same method used to place the order.
7. Curbside pick-up will be available Monday through Friday.
6. Customers specify whether substitutions are acceptable.
Customers may contact the store to place orders using the following: Phone: 503-397-2288 • Text: (To be added soon) • Email: sthelensmarketfresh@yahoo.com • Facebook Messenger St Helens Market Fresh
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept EBT and WIC benefits for curbside orders. We appreciate the health and happiness of our community and wish to thank for you continued support! Sincerely, Brian Brame, Vice President Kirby Company
NEW HOURS: 7 AM - 9 PM EVERY DAY 1111 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 • (503) 397-2288