FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020
The Chief
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VOL. 129, NO. 8
Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Could Oregon shut down again? Local reaction MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
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he Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 281 new confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, July 1. It is the largest spike of cases since the pandemic occurred in Oregon in March. With the Wednesday surge, the count statewide reached 8,931 COVID-19 cases. Thirty of those cases are in Columbia County.
Today, Oregon, you have a choice… What happens next is up to you. ~ Kate Brown, Oregon Governor
Courtesy photo
Governor Brown’s face mask mandate took effect Wednesday, July 1. The statewide face covering requirement is for anyone visiting indoor public spaces.
Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said if the state moves to close down local economies again, in light of the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases, it would be an economic disaster for his city. “Re-closing would be devastating to our service industry businesses, especially our restaurants.,” Hinkelman said. “I hope this does not happen.” It has been 100 days since Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued her ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ order. At the time, there were 14 positive COVID-19 cases in Oregon. Now that total is over 8,600 and is on pace to hit 10,000 by next week.
On June 30, Gov. Brown extended Oregon’s COVID-19 State of Emergency declaration for up to 60 days. On July 1, Brown addressed Oregonians at a press conference. “Today, Oregon, you have a choice… What happens next is up to you,” Brown said. “Now, we find ourselves at a new crossroads. The choices each of us make will decide whether we reduce the spread of the virus and find a way to keep our businesses open, or whether we let down our defenses and allow the virus to take hold.” Brown did take a moment to applaud Oregonians for their work to slow the spread of the virus so far. She noted that their modeling shows Oregon has prevented 1,500 hospitalizations and 70,000 infections in that 100 day period. Oregon also has one of the lowest mortality rates from COVID-19 in the United States. “There is absolutely no question that Oregon has been a leader so far in fighting this pandemic,” Brown said. “In the months of this emergency, Oregon has sured up PPE supplies, hired contact tracers and expanded testing capabilities.” However, Brown said that an uncontrolled spike that threatens hospital capacity, will force the state to take drastic measures which would include businesses closing again. She pointed out that other states are seeing hospitalizations spike and are closing businesses again, but that is not the goal for Oregon. To combat this rise in cases, Brown issued a statewide face
See SHUTDOWN Page A7
Rainier selects interim school superintendent JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The Rainier School Board has appointed Dr. Joseph Hattrick as the new interim superintendent during the 2020-21 school year. Hattrick is currently the superintendent/principal for the Riverbend Prep Academy in Laveen, Arizona. According to a release from the Rainier School District, Hattrick has over 17 years of administrative experience, a doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University and is a published author/ presenter of multiple educational topics including his dissertation on school climate reform. Hattrick
began his career as a trained school social worker in the late ‘90s. “The superintendent search committee and school board were able to work with many district staff and community members to review and narrow down the search to one candidate that we wanted to invite to join our Rainier community,” Rainier School Board Chair Darren Vaughn said. Vaughn added that Hattrick brings professionalism, experience, and new energy to Rainier. “He brings a fresh perspective and an enthusiasm for academic achievement for all of us at the Rainier School District,” Vaughn said. “His past experiences show strength in community engage-
ment, as well as a strong understanding of school operations. At his current position in Arizona, he was able to bring the school’s overall state rating up two full grades while also building a love of school within its students, staff, and parents.” “I am very excited to be joining Rainier School District and look forward to getting to know the staff, parents, students, and community,” Hattrick said. “I am truly honored to have been selected to lead the Rainier School District and plan to serve the District and community with the goal of ensuring every child receives highquality education that will prepare them for a successful future. As
lead learner, I also will strive to ensure all adults in the District grow personally and professionally. Rainier’s small community brings with it many rich traditions, which I look forward to becoming a part of.” “We are pleased to have Dr. Hattrick as our new interim superintendent and look forward to working together in this very important transitional year,” Vaughn said. Hat trick will earn $124,000 annually as the interim superintendent. Hattrick replaces Michael Carter who resigned to take a similar position at the Lake County School District in southeast Oregon.
Photo courtesy Rainier School District
Dr. Joseph Hattrick has been appointed as the interim Rainier School Superintendent.
County job base shows slight improvement JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
A key indicator of the region’s economy shows improvement in the job base. Columbia County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly from last month’s record high. It was 14.2 percent in May, down from 15.0 percent in April, according to the latest Oregon Employment Department report. Comparing the numbers The county’s jobless rate was 4.6
In The County ......A3 Obituaries............A3 Opinions...............A4 Market Place........A5 Public Notices......A5 July 4th..............A6-7
percent the year before. The county’s unemployment rate reached a peak of 14.6 percent during the Great Recession. The statewide unemployment rate was 14.2 percent in May, and the national rate was 13.3 percent. Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 20 in May to 10,150 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes. Job gains A gain of 70 jobs is normal for the month, but the county’s employment rose by 90. The private sector gained 310 jobs, and government shed 220 jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 300 jobs. Local government education shed 220 jobs. Other industries had smaller changes. Job losses May’s total nonfarm employment numbers show a loss of 1,420 jobs compared with one year before, a decrease of 12.1 percent. Almost every major industry lost jobs over the year, though losses were concentrated in leisure and hospitality, which was down 550 jobs over the year – a drop of 37.4 percent. In May, there were 3,312 unemployed and 20,969 employed in Columbia County. IN the following conversation, Oregon Employment Department work force analyst Shawna Sykes gives us insight into Columbia County’s job market.
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief
In May, there were 3,312 unemployed and 20,969 employed in Columbia County. During the same period last year, there were 1,014 unemployed and 23,232 employed.
The Chief: Usually, the demand for jobs heightens in the summer in our region, especially for service industries, such as fast food restaurants. How has the pandemic impacted that demand? Shawna Sykes: Many of the industries that typically see seasonal increases, like leisure and hospitality that includes lodging, food services, arts, entertainment and recreation businesses and retail trade and local government, including city and county parks and recreation, have seen large drops in employment due to COVID. With the pandemic, many of these sectors have suffered shutdowns or slowdowns and may no longer be hiring, while other employers are taking
advantage of the newly-available workforce to hire new staff. The Chief: For teens seeking summer work in Columbia County, what jobs are open, and what would be the pay range? Sykes: Teens may still find entry level job openings at fast food restaurants and those offering takeout options, grocery stores, gas stations, and other retail establishments. To check current job listings just visit the Job Finder tool on our website. The Chief: Overall, what are the jobs in our region that employers have struggled to fill?
Sykes: Prior to COVID-19, unemployment was very low or near record lows, and according to our job vacancy survey, a lack of job applicants made it difficult for 57% of employers to fill their job openings. Two-thirds of the jobs that were difficult to fill required previous work experience. Jobs requiring higher education and previous work experience tend to pay higher wages but also be more difficult to fill. Statewide, the health care and social assistance sector had the largest number of difficult-to-fill vacancies, while construction reported the largest share of all vacancies as difficult to fill (85%). Some top occupations by number of difficult-to-fill vacancies – personal care aides, truck drivers, farm workers – have consistently been among the most challenging job openings for employers to fill for years. This could be due to working conditions, wages, or other reasons. Within NW Oregon, which includes Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties, the jobs that were most difficult to fill according to our 2019 annual survey included, personal care aides, carpenters, cashiers, fast food counter workers, nursing assistants, hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, automotive and watercraft service assistants, and construction equipment operators. Read more about the Columbia County unemployment rate in a series of stories at thechiefnews. com and follow developments in the Friday print editions of The Chief.