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FALL SPORTS SCHEDULES Pages A11-14

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Wednesday, September 8, 2021

thechronicleonline.com

Serving Columbia County since 1881

High school renovations a ‘community dream’ JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

The St. Helens School District launches the new school year this week with new details about the estimated $67 million renovations planned at St. Helens High School at 2375 Gable Road. Demolition of portions of St. Helens High School, originally scheduled for this past June, is now planned for early next year, according to St. Helens School Superintendent Scot Stockwell. The delay comes from the extended design process and to allow the district to start the new school year without construction going on. “We need to start with abatement and that will begin in November,” Stockwell said. “Removing all hazardous materials will go from November through January. The last part of January and the start of February is when we plan to start the teardown of building A.” Stockwell said the gym, the auditorium, and the cafeteria will be the portions of building A that will be retained. “The bones of those areas are still good, it’s the other areas, the hallways and some of those classes on the side that all need to be removed, so those will come down and construction will start,” he said. Stockwell said the district’s contractor is projecting 30 months to complete the project. “It is pretty significant and we are working really hard to bring that timeline down to more like a 22 to 25 month project,” he said. Budget is a moving target According to Stockwell, the

This flyover conceptual drawing shows what the renovated high school campus could look like when completed.

estimated $67 million dollar school renovation budget is a “moving target,” and he said the district is still working to determine the best time to seek individual contract bids. “You never want to build a building that is well under budget, not put money in, and think that’s what you could have had, so you design it for what you dream to have, and then you pair that back into what you can afford,” he said. So, we re in the process of finalizing what we can afford. We’re pretty close.” The funding for the high school project comes from two voter approved bonds, including about $5

million from the bond that was used to build the district’s middle school. Stockwell said the vision of the renovated high school is so far what he, the school board and the community hope for. “I think it is hitting the mark pretty darn well,” Stockwell said. “Each time we work and refine, it gets better because we are able to start drilling down into what exactly we had in our conversations. This is pretty close to the dream that we are hoping for our community.” Stockwell said the renovated high school will provide new security for students, staff and visitors beyond

the security that comes from technology. He pointed out that the windows of the building are a key part of that security. “Our research tells us that bad guys don’t like to be seen,” he said. “So, we have it situated so that the office has a good view of the school and the windows along the outside of the building allow views from inside of anyone approaching the building.” Stockwell said the current high school is composed of four buildings that students walk in between during the transition of each class period. “That was a big drive for us to go out for a bond so that we can

Courtesy from the St. Helens School District

connect all those buildings, A, B and C,” He said “Build D is a career tech program location, we just couldn’t connect it up, so we will still have security protocols around that building. By connecting the buildings, all students can remain in the school moving back and fourth rather than having to go outside.” The building connect effort also reduces the number of doors at the high school. “The current high school has 80-plus doors in it,” Stockwell said. ­­­­ See RENOVATIONS Page A5

Witnesses sought in alleged child kidnapping attempt

Courtesy from St. Helens Police

Andre Aldapa

St. Helens Police. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges related to the alleged kidnapping may be forthcoming. Anyone who witnessed a male approaching children in the Campbell Park area (McMichael Avenue) on the morning of Sept. 1 is asked to contact the St. Helens Police Department at 503-397-1521. According to the Nemours Children’s Health website, About 2,100 missing-children reports are filed each day in the U.S. Many cases can be solved more easily when parents can provide key information about their kids, like: height, weight, eye color, and a clear recent photo. The website offers these safety recommendations for parents:

STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at approximately 10:22 a.m., St. Helens police were dispatched to the area of Highway 30 and McBride Street on the report of citizens detaining an individual who had allegedly attempted to abduct a child. After ensuring the safety of the child and conducting an investigation, St. Helens police took Andre Aldapa, 24, of St. Helens, into custody and lodged him at Columbia County Jail for an outstanding warrant, according to a release from Opinion ........................ A4

Poll ................................ A4 Classified Ads ............. A6

Legals ........................... A7 Crossword ................... A7

TV Guide ...................... A9 Obituaries .................. A10 Sports Schedules A11-14

Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 Email: chroniclenews@ countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd.

• Make sure custody documents are in order. • Have ID-like photos taken of your kids every 6 months and have them fingerprinted. Many local police departments sponsor fingerprinting programs. • Keep your kids’ medical and dental records up to date. • Make online safety a priority. The Internet is a great tool, but it’s also a place for predators to stalk kids. Be aware of your kids’ Internet activities and chat room “friends,” and remind them never to give out personal information. Avoid posting identifying information or photos of your kids online. • Set boundaries about the places your kids go. Supervise them in places like malls, movie theaters, parks, public bathrooms, or while fundraising door to door. • Never leave kids alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute. ­­­­ See KIDNAPPING Page A8

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

This drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic was conducted in June at Clatskanie City Park in Clatskanie.

Employee vaccination mandates not likely here JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

The City of Portland and Multnomah County are mandating that their public employees be vaccinated to help slow the surges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the City of Portland’s case, employees can be fired for refusing, according to media reports. Would such a vaccination mandate be the next step for the City of St. Helens and Columbia County’s public employees? “No, the City of St. Helens is not considering a vaccination mandate at this time,” the city of St. Helens Communications Office Crystal King said. “As we have done from the beginning of the pandemic, we continue to rely on the guidance of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and any statewide mandates issued by the Oregon Governor’s

Office to shape our policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” According to King, as specific recommendations and mandates, such as mask wearing and physical distancing are updated, the city follow the recommendations issued by public health officials. “We encourage the community to stay informed about the latest guidance issued by the OHA and CDC,” King said. Official OHA updates and guidance about the pandemic can be found online at govstatus.egov.com/ OR-OHA-COVID-19. Resources in multiple languages, including Spanish, can be found at OHA’s Safe + Strong website at www.safestrongoregon.org/ or by calling 1-800-923HELP (4357). Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said his city is also not ready to mandate city employee vaccinations. “All but one city employee is

vaccinated, and I think the one will be getting his soon,” Hinkelman said and added that Clatskanie continues to encourage people to follow the issued mandates and recommendations. “Get a vaccine,” he said. Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said his city is not considering such a vaccination mandate. “Staff has not been directed by council to implement such policies,” Jorgensen said. “The city was awarded grant funds to make improvements to city hall that limit the physical interactions between staff and the general public. Citizens should continue to wear masks, engage in social distancing and limit their contact with others if they are sick.” The Columbia County Board of Commissioners have not publicly discussed whether such a vaccination mandate for county employees is ­­­­

Vol. 139, No. 36

ColumbiaCountyOR.Gov/Vaccine | 503-397-7247

See MANDATE Page A2


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