WINTER SPORTS
Witt investigation report released
SCHEDULE
Page A2
Page 8-10
$1.50
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021
VOL. 130, NO. 2 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Businesses wrestle with new COVID-19 guidelines
$10 million renovation for local schools JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
AURORA BIGGERS chronicle2@countrymedia.net
Oregon’s first real grappling with the pandemic hit in mid-March — a perfect spring weekend, which drove Oregonians to the coast like Floridian spring breakers with arguably better coffee. Up until that point, Gov. Kate Brown had largely appealed to the good nature and sense of her fellow Oregonians. “I asked and urged Oregonians to stay home,” Brown said in a conference call with reporters, following the spring breaker weekend. “On Friday night, I frankly directed them to stay home. And now I am ordering them to stay home.” All over the state, businesses were shuttering — to follow mounting COVID-19 guidelines and Brown’s executive order. Bowling alleys, gyms, gift shops, malls, spas, senior centers, and theaters were all scrambling, with virtually no alternate means of operating. The exception: restaurants. Restaurants and bars were left in a space of liminality. Most had closed several weeks prior, via an earlier order from Brown, but were still operating with pick-up and delivery services. Still, the guidelines were constantly shifting. Restaurant owners and managers were caught in a perpetual cycle of innumerable calculations. Open for dining outside? Closed until dinner? Open just on weekends? Close indefinitely or shut down permanently? No matter how they sliced the numbers, the options just weren’t in their favor. Restaurants with patios were in luck, those without were less so. Quaint little breakfast cafes were dwarfed by larger facilities. And all across the industry, restaurants were scaling back — guidelines or no — as a new wave of home cooking emerged in every socially distant and quarantined home. In Columbia County, the restaurant industry’s own unique struggle perfectly encapsulated the ecliptic cycle presented by COVID-19, changing restrictions and guidelines, and the individual navigation of each restaurant. In Rainier, Cornerstone Café benefited from a generous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, which owners Viki and Mark Overbay used to give “The Stone” some remodels. “Having been restricted to outdoor and to-go only is rough!” Viki Overbay said. “For to-go orders, even with guests going out of their way to support us which we are so grateful for, we certainly don’t get as much in sales as when we have dine-in.” Cornerstone isn’t located on the main street, which Viki Overbay said makes business a bit more difficult to generate. Add in the unpredictability of Oregon weather, Overbay said, and restaurants are in a difficult spot. “Oregon weather, especially in the Spring, is not good for outdoor dining,” she said. “We did set up seven outdoor tables with umbrellas and plants. But it is pretty chilly to eat outside.” Then the weather flipped. “We had recently hired three new employees to seat folks and keep track of the amount of guests, so we See COVID-19 Page A3
Obituaries ................. A3 Viewpoints ................ A4 Clatskanie Grows .... A5
Classified Ads .......... A6
Legals .................... A6-7 Crossword ................ A7
Sports ........................ A7 Sports Schedules A8-10
Work is expected to start in in 2022 on a $10 million dollar improvement project for Clatskanie schools, following voter approval in the Tuesday, May 18, Special District Election. The Clatskanie School District’s general obligation bond was approved by a vote of 677 yes to 488 no. The vote
Illustration courtesy of the Oregon Health Authority
As the early voting results came in showing the school improvement bond measure passing, Clatskanie School Board President Megan Evenson told The Chief that she is excited to see the community support. “Our kids need updates to the schools and need safety and security,” she said. “I am really excited that our community is coming through for us. This is a tight community and our schools are open to the community. People have been in the schools and they see that they have not been updated since they were built in the late 70s and its time for a facelift.” Evenson also pointed out that increasing community concerns about security within the schools has heightened due to school shootings in Oregon and across the nation. “We have some serious campus upgrades that we need to make both schools safer,” she said. Evenson said separating the middle school from the high school will also be a key element of the renovations. “The district had promised that the two schools would be pretty separate but over time those lines have gotten pretty blurred, so I think people are really excited to have the real separation between the middle and high schools, so that the middle school kids have their own identity and their own program.”
New face mask guidelines the issue came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced fully vaccinated individuals can safely remove their masks in many instances. “Under the updated guidance, people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear a mask indoors in most public settings where vaccination status is checked. In indoor public settings where vaccination status is not checked, masks will still be required,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger.
ZACK DEMARS world3news@countrymedia.net JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Oregon businesses, employers and faith institutions must review proof of vaccination in order to ease up on state masking and social distancing rules, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced Tuesday. The state’s newest guidance on
Sidelinger addressed questions about the new policy in a press briefing Tuesday. Here are some answers to a few top questions about the seismic shift in state policy, according to Sidelinger and the state’s guidance. Who counts as “fully vaccinated”? Anyone who’s more than two See MASK Page A5
Chamber presents annual awards
We’re going to make it something that everyone is proud of. Megan Evenson, Clatskanie School Board Chair
Next steps
Aurora Biggers / The Chief
Evenson said the district has already selected the needed contractors and architects for the school renovations. “We will start having community meetings to share the staff’s vision of what a remodel and update are going to look like, specifically at the high school because that is where most of the funding is going to be going,” she said. “As soon as those meetings are hammered out and we put our vision together than they can start the process of designing and the school board will approve it.” Some updates will begin right away at Clatskanie Middle/High School and at Clatskanie Elementary School, according to Evenson.
Rainier Chamber of Commerce award winners, left to right, Kelly Miller (HOPE of Rainier), Mark and Viki Overbay (Cornerstone Café), Claire Catt (United Way of Rainier), and Amy Trull (The Chronicle/The Chief). AURORA BIGGERS chronicle2@countrymedia.net
The Rainier Chamber of Commerce has recognized local individuals and businesses with its annual awards. The chamber conducted the award presentations during an informal ceremony Thursday, May 13, at Rainier City Park. It was the first inperson event for the chamber since the beginning of the pandemic. Members who were fully vac-
cinated were unmasked, because the event was held outside, as allowable by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and presidential guidelines. Chamber President Meagan Fawcett and Chamber Vice President Natasha Parvey presented the awards. HOPE of Rainier, a social services nonprofit, and the agencies executive director Kelly Miller received the chamber’s 2020 Nonprofit Business of the Year Award
for efforts to help the community during the pandemic — including the organization’s partnership with Columbia Pacific Food Bank; opening a thrift store to provide communities members with access to clothing and homewares; and partnering with the local school district to offer resources and food to students and families. United Way of Columbia County
See AWARDS Page A7
See ELECTION Page A4
10th Annual 2021 Columbia County
Business
Guide The 2021 Columbia County Business guide is a full color, glossy magazine that showcases local business and highlights current news events. It is the go-to reference for visitors, newcomers, residents, and potential customers of Columbia County. The Chronicle
The Chief
PUBLICATION DATES: CHRONICLE: JUNE 23, CHIEF: JUNE 25 AD DEADLINE: JUNE 9
For space reservation, contact Amy: 503-397-0116 or atrull@countrymedia.net