ELECTION 2020
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Wednesday, May 27, 2020
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The Chronicle Serving Columbia County since 1881
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St. Helens State of Emergency JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The St. Helens City Council has approved re-opening city offices but is not yet ready to lift the State of Emergency declaration made in March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the state. Reopening the City
Who We Are
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
Bert and Sue Mueller joined other St. Helens Lions Club members placing 232 American flags along the city’s main streets on Monday, May 25, Memorial Day. See more photos at thechronicleonline.com.
Locals maintain Memorial Day traditions JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Bert and Sue Mueller said they couldn’t remember how many years the St. Helens Lions Club has been placing America flags along the main streets in the city. “At least 30 years,” Sue said. “I think it started with the Kiwanis.” “We’ll place 232 flags today,” Bert said as he and Sue carefully placed the flags along Columbia Boulevard just after 6 a.m. on Monday, Memorial Day. Local businesses help support the effort. “About a third of them donate
$35,” Bert said.”Some of them donate $50. Some donate $100.” The St. Helens Lions Club purchases the flag poles from local lumber yards and order the flags from regional companies. Bert and Sue said they don’t mind the early morning trip though town and the work to place the flags. “It’s nice to see the town decorated and it s a patriotic gesture,” Bert said. The Muellers and other members of the Lions Club team up and place the flags during seven national patriotic holidays of the year, including Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Martin
Luther King Day, Veterans Day and President’s Day. “We usually have seven crews, so it only takes us about half an hour, but we had some members that didn’t want to get involved today for understandable reasons,” Bert said. “Today we only have three crews, so its going to take a little longer.” The Muellers said they face a few challenge with the flag placing project. “There are small holes placed in front of the businesses along the sidewalks to hold the flag poles and we have to keep those holes clean,” Sue said. “It’s amazing what we find in the holes.” “And of course we have to repair
the flags, wash them and store them,” Bert said. “We are just really thankful the businesses donate for the project,” Sue said. “We really appreciate their help.” “And it all looks nice when all the flags are lined up, particularly when the wind or a breeze comes up and the flags are all fluttering,” Bert said. For more information abut the St. Helens Lions Club, visit https:// www.facebook.com/pg/StHelensLionsClub/posts/?ref=page_internal.
See MEMORIAL Page A7
COVID-19 impact on county justice system Auxier: The Chief Justice was not willing to hold a trial unless it was absolutely necessary. That meant that if you were out of custody while your case was pending the court continued the case into the summer. If you were in jail as you waited for your trial, we did not delay it at all, as I describe above.
JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Is it law and order as usual at our courts and district attorney’s office during the COVID-19 pandemic? To find out the true impact of COVID-19 on our justice system, we sought insight from Columbia County District Attorney Jeff Auxier.
Jeff Auxier: Yes, that’s right. Shortly after the pandemic first hit the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court issued an order that reduced court activity down to “essential functions.” For prosecutors, that meant that most of our cases were postponed, but that we could still hold court hearings for defendants that were in jail. Since you are innocent until proven guilty, the Chief Justice felt that it would be unjust to force someone to sit in a jail
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cell without a trial for the entire duration of coronavirus. In order to protect their rights, we couldn’t wait for the pandemic to be over to have their cases heard. So if you were a dangerous individual who needed to be held in jail until your trial date, we treated their cases the same way we always did and held hearings throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Another important thing to mention
is that the court was also open during this time to issue restraining orders. If you were or are being abused or stalked the courts would hear your case even during the crisis. The Chronicle: What trials are postponed or canceled due to the pandemic and why?
Auxier: Our office is small, and our employees work in a tightlypacked physical space. It isn’t safe for all of us to be working in the office at the same time. Early on I ordered my staff and prosecutors to work from home. My office manager Dawn Hunt and I physically staffed the office, and other employees were only
See JUSTICE Page A6
See RE-OPENING Page A6
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. 22
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
The St. Helens City Council is expected to decide in early June if the State of Emergency declared in March should be lifted.
“We want to ensure that our staff and the community remain safe as we reopen,” King said. “We appreciate the community’s patience as we wait on the arrival of these necessary supplies and make our buildings safe to welcome the community in once again.” King said that since the way employees interact with the community varies drastically from city building to building, city offices will reopen individually. “Once the necessary safety equipment has arrived and been installed, we will announce reopenings as they take place,” she said. “The city will remain consistent with state guidelines as we make reopening decisions.” Due to the pandemic and efforts of public safety, the St. Helens Recreation Program’s summer camp
The Chronicle: What are the challenges that your team faces with continuing daily operations under the state’s Stay Home order and social distancing guidelines?
The Chronicle: Earlier, you had told us that the most urgent trials are continuing through the pandemic. Specifically, what are the range of those trials and how are they proceeding?
The Council will consider terminating the local State of Emergency declaration at their June 3 City Council meeting, City of St. Helens Communication Director Crystal King told The Chronicle. During its regular public session Wednesday, May 20, the city council instructed staff to open the public restrooms in the city parks as soon as possible. “The restrooms will be open as soon as staff make the necessary arrangements for additional cleaning requirements under the Governor’s order,” King said. City offices will begin to reopen as soon as necessary personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, such as masks, gloves, countertop sneeze guard shields, etc, arrive and physical distancing measures and crowd limitation plans are implemented, according to King.
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