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Local students return to limited sports JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Despite a drenching rain shower, a small group of Clatskanie Middle/High School and Rainier Jr/Sr High School girls soccer team players gathered for a limited sports conditioning workout at Clatskanie City Park on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

CMHS Athletic Director Ryan Tompkins said the school’s sports and activities teams have been idled since the pandemic began in March and state health safety restrictions

were ordered. Tompkins said the coaches and players are excited with the new school year to at least have the opportunity for limited sports activities.

“The big part of having the sports practices is about physical and mental health for all of our kids,” he said. “It’s the ability to do some activities with each, even though they can’t physically be with each other in school. That’s a huge part of it. It’s not about winning games, or matches, it is just about interacting with each other.

COVID-19 cases rise

Humans are meant to be around each other and not in isolation.”

Tompkins said he is hopeful that in-class instruction and a return to

full sports will resume soon, but he cautioned that it won’t be rushed.

“We are all kind of getting used to this comprehensive Distance Learning online,” he said. “We’re starting to work out all the kinks.

Our attendance schoolwide is at 93%, so kids are showing up for their online classes. We aren’t going to rush to in-person activities.

We want to wait until things are safe. Once we go back, we want to be back for good.”

Tompkins is closer to the issue than one might realize. He has a

first and third grader at home dealing with the Distance Learning.

“I am excited as a parent to get to bring those students back,” he said.

CMHS senior Lilly Booth is one of the soccer team players. She said the student isolation through Distance Learning has been challenging.

“I am being as active by myself as I can,” she said. “It’s been a lot

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See SPORTS Page A8

Schools issue letter to parents

MONIQUE MERRILL chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Columbia County, following regional and statewide trends said Michael Paul, public health officer at Columbia County, at the Columbia County Commissioner meeting Wednesday.

There are seven known active infections in the county, Paul said.

“Our numbers in comparison to other counties are so small, we can see when we look at a weekly basis, we can see upticks that pretty much mirror larger counties,” Paul said.

The county has moved further away from meeting the metrics required to reopen school for in-person instruction. To reopen, the county must have less than 10 cases per 100,000 people and a test positive rate of 5% or less. Those metrics must be sustained for three weeks.

“It’s hard to predict when we could get to that point, the numbers

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are going back up,” Paul said. “Not sure we’re going to be able to reach that anytime soon.”

The county met the first metric of reporting 10 cases per 100,000 for one week at the end of August, but numbers have since risen. The testpositivity rate has remained under 5% for several weeks.

As of Thursday, Sept. 24, The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported Columbia County had one additional COVID-19 cases, with a total of 162. The county’s only pandemic-related death occurred in early August.

Despite climbing rates, Columbia County has reported one of the lowest case rates in the state.

“We’re in the bottom maybe 10 or fewer counties in the state. We want to keep it that way,” Paul said.

Part of keeping numbers down relies on following public health guidelines including wearing masks in public, keeping six feet of physical distance from others and keeping gatherings small, especially approaching the holiday season, Paul said.

“You can see increases in cases after both reopening and July Fourth,” he said. “Labor Day … you’re seeing that right now.”

In a later interview with the Chief, Paul said it is still almost too early to say if cases have gone up from Labor Day gatherings, and that people who are infected don’t always see a doctor to get tested before it has spread to others which makes it challenging to trace.

“The difficulty with this virus is we don’t always learn about cases right after the gathering,” he said.

As the weather turns colder and more people spend time indoors, Paul said the emphasis on contact tracing becomes more important. Contact tracing involves public health staff

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See COVID-19 Page A7

Courtesy photo

“If the September 2020 forecast proves accurate, not only is the General Fund in very good shape for the current biennium, but there will be additional revenues available to apply to 2021-23,”Summary statement by Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

State revenue forecast shows encouragement, caution JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

The latest report about how the Oregon economy is doing offers encouragement but also caution.

The Oregon Department of Administrative Services opened its summary statement for the September Oregon Revenue Forecast saying “the economy remains in a Great Recession-sized hole.”

The report, issued Sept. 23, finds lower-income households have borne the brunt of the recession.

“The combination of higher-income households being less impacted to date, and the large federal support means consumer spending and tax collections have held up much better than expected,” the report summary states. “The strong economic growth

in recent months is encouraging, as many workers on temporary layoffs are recalled. However, normally it takes a year or two for the recessionary shock to work its way through the economy.”

The report also states that overall, the current state of the economy is much better than feared at the time of the previous forecast. But the economic outlook in the years ahead is only improved modestly. It takes time, even under the best of circumstances to regain lost ground due to recessions. 2020 so far is anything but the best.

Despite the sharp reduction in economic activity, the revenue summary states that Oregon’s primary revenue instruments have continued to grow.

Collections of Personal Income Taxes and Corporate Taxes both set

record highs over the post-shutdown (March-to-September) period this year.

But state officials also caution that the economic pain has yet to be fully reflected in Oregon’s revenue data.

“In the near-term Oregon’s economy is impacted by COVID-19 and the wildfires that destroyed our communities,” the summary states.

“Over the long-term, Oregon’s ability to attract and retain skilled, workingage households is one of our comparative advantages. To the extent the pandemic, wildfires, drought, or protests and clashes of violence impact this advantage remains to be seen, but they all represent downside risks to the outlook. On the other

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www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, September 25, 2020

Local officials outline wildfire preparations JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

New details are emerging from the devastating September wildfires that swept across one million acres.

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management’s latest report issued this week shows grim details.

Nine people were killed, five left missing, 2,669 people were sheltered and the fires destroyed 2,284 homes and 1,575 other structures.

Entire towns were destroyed, or left with millions of dollars in damages.

The reality of the need for quick action when such disaster spreads has been a continuing discussion by first responders, elected officials and community members across Columbia County.

City of Clatskanie reaction Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said his city depends on county and state emergency management agencies to help notify residents and business operators about pending and immediate evacuations.

“They would be the guys to call the shots,” he said.

Hinkelman said the city is a subscriber and participates in the Columbia Alert Network.

“Which is kind of like a reverse 911,” Hinkelman said. “We have the ability to send out an automated phone message to all residents notifying of any potential emergency. We would also coordinate messages with the fire department and the public utility district (PUD). We have been long-time participants in the Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC) to help with disaster response.”

Hinkelman said the city has established planned escape routes for emergency evacuations.

“Escape is either Highway 30 or Highway 47,” he said. “Beaver Falls Road is an alternate along with Swedetown Road. Any evacuation route would be directed by our public works or the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.”

Hinkleman said the City of Clatskanie has been working with county disaster preparedness officials for years to have disaster kits at home ready for both a shelter-in-place scenario and an evacuation.

Hinkelman said it is important that residents, business operators and employees have a shelter in place plan and have a “go bag” in the event of evacuations.

“I would also develop a checklist of items to grab if you have the time,” he said. “Things like important documents, medication, the cell phone charger and those must-save valuables, such as photographs probably being near the top of the list.”

The city also has a siren located at Clatskanie City Park as an alert tool that has been used by the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District (CRFPD).

But Hinkelman said the city hasn’t used the siren for quite some time because when there is a fire or other emergency requiring CRFPD crews, most of the firefighters are alerted though their cell phones now as a more effective communications.

“We do participate in emergency and disaster exercises in coordination with the county,” he said. “We have had evacuations in the past due to flooding, but since I have been here from 2008, we had no evacuations due to wildfires.”

Fire agency reaction CRFPD Chief Steve Sharek said his agency maintains the siren at Clatskanie City Park but due to its limited sound range it isn’t used as a primary alert system.

“The last time we used it was when we had flooding,” Sharek said. “We did use it to wake people up and alert them of what was going on.”

Sharek said while his agency crews have conducted wildfire evacuation training, the actual educations

would be done through law enforcement.

“We count on law enforcement to make those notifications and we would participate in a hurry if we needed to,” he said.

Communicating with Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) is also key in such emergencies, Sharek said.

“We would probably be the fist ones to identify the problem or the threat,” he said. “Law enforcement and fire would then determine what should happen and we would get that message to CRFR’s communication officer.”

Sharek said being prepared is a community wide responsibility.

“It’s all about public and community education,” he said.

As the September wildfires erupted across the state, Sharek said CRFPD coordinated development of an emergency plan with Columbia County.

“We were concerned in the county that the resources were getting drawn way down,” he said. “We had sent a crew to the California wildfires and were on standby for the Oregon fires, so we were watching things and making plans.”

Those plans included notifying private land owners.

“We wanted to make sure we had their phone numbers, what they were seeing, what type of heavy equipment they had, in case there was the need,” Sharek said.

Key elements for effective and quick emergency evacuations will be through social media, Facebook, radio and television, according to Sharek, who said first responders, law enforcement and fire agency crews would also travel into neighborhoods knocking on doors and using vehicle loud speakers to alert people of the emergency.

Sharek said before wildfires occur, residents, especially those in the dense forests of Columbia County need to make sure they have a defensible space around their homes and a clear driveway and have an evacuation plan of their own to allow them to escape the danger.

“We’d rather be working immediately on the fire rather that having to move people out of the way,” Sharek said. “That is where Ready, Set, Go is helping people get to safety. There will be situations where you have to help people and we will help them if we can.”

City of Rainier reaction Rainier Police Chief Gregg Griffith said fire service personnel are responsible for assessing threat hazards posed by fire, radiological materials, and other hazardous materials.

“They also recommend to the on-scene Incident Commander appropriate protective actions for emergency responders, including requirements for personal protective actions and personal protective equipment for emergency responders,” Griffith said. “In addition, fire service personnel are responsible for recommending appropriate protective actions to ensure public safety in the immediate vicinity of a threat.”

Griffith said the City of Rainier’s alert and warning system utilizes the local EAS, reverse 9-1-1, police and fire vehicle public address systems, and door-todoor contact.

“Police and fire vehicle public address systems and door-to-door contact are either last resort or used for highly localized hazards,” he said. “Other local media (TV, radio, newspaper, etc.) may be utilized as appropriate. These methods may be used separately or in combination to alert and warn the public of an emergency.”

Griffith said the escape routes will be determined by the incident command depending on the reason for the evacuation. The routes will then be disseminated with the immediate warning evacuation notification.

According to Griffith, every person who lives or works in the city shares responsibility for minimizing the impact of disasters

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on our community.

“These individual responsibilities include hazard awareness, knowledge of appropriate protective actions, proactive steps to mitigate the impact of anticipated hazards, and preparations for personal and family safety and selfsufficiency,” he said.

Griffith said to the greatest extent possible, the city will assist citizens in carrying out the responsibility by providing preparedness and mitigation information and delivering critical public services during a disaster.

“However, a major emergency is likely to

damage the city’s critical infrastructure and reduce the workforce available to continue essential government services,” Griffith said. “Knowledgeable citizens prepared to take care of themselves and their families in the early phases of an emergency can make a significant contribution towards survival and community resiliency.”

For more information about emergency preparedness, contact your local fire department or fire agency, Columbia County Emergency Management, or your local city officials.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Department of Transportation

The Oregon wildfires swept though entire communities leaving a wide path of devastation and destruction.

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, September 25, 2020

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$25.7 million in cultural grants to be distributed STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Columbia County will receive $22,668 as part of the $25.7 million going to statewide cultural organizations.

The Coronavirus Relief Fund Cultural Support (CRFCS) grant awards will be distributed to 621 cultural organizations across Oregon through a partnership between the Oregon Cultural Trust and its County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions.

The funds, allocated to the Cultural Trust for Oregon cultural organizations facing losses due to the COVID-19 health crisis, were made available through a $50 million relief package for Oregon culture approved by the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature in July.

“Many cultural organizations and institutions have closed their doors to help keep us all safe during this pandemic,” Gov. Kate Brown said. “These grants will mean that more than 600 Oregon arts and culture organizations across our state’s counties and Tribes will be able to keep up their vital creative work. Everything from museums to fairgrounds to the summer events we all know and love can continue to enrich our lives—connecting us to one another and giving us the hope and inspiration we need.”

“These funds are life blood to Oregon’s cultural community,” Oregon Cultural Trust Board of Directors Chair Chuck Sams said.

“While they won’t replace all the losses suffered during the pandemic, they will ensure Oregonone culture ttend ofsurvives our this crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Oregon Legislature for

addition to some for-profit organizations that have significant cultural impact in their communities. Awards will be issued directly to the organizations by their local County or Tribal Coalition.

Funding was determined based on eligible request an award allocaETERSENamounts, LARKE LLC ETERSEN LARKE LLC making this possible.” tion formula that established The largest award is AA tt tt oo rrannbase ee yyamount ss of funds per $1.4 million to the Oregon county or Tribe and the or(503) 556-4120 (503) 556-4120 Museum of Science and ganization’s fiscal size. COIndustry; the average grant VID-19 expenses previously award is $41,458.

Just under County’s reimbursed by other federal Columbia Premier Columbia County’s Premier $90 million in requests were CARES Act programs were received from 751 organizaPersonal Injury Attorneys Personal Injury Attorneys not eligible. tions; 130 organizations were sedd in OOrreego gonn && W Waash shin ingto gtonn LLi icceennse in The intended use of the ineligible for awards based CRF Cultural Support funds on program guidelines. is to provide financial as“Due to the incredible sistance to cultural nonprofit need, we were able to fund a organizations and community percentage of organizations’ venues that have canceled eligible expenses,” Oregon or postponed public proCultural Trust Executive gramming because of public Director Brian Rogers said. health executive orders as“Smaller organizations rewith the COVID-19 ETERSEN LARKE LLC LARKE LLC ceived a higherETERSEN percentage of sociated pandemic. Guidelines for the their eligible expenses.AThe tt tt oo rrfunding nn ee yy ssare in accordance final awards representAa statewith the U.S. Department of wide, equitable distribution (503) 556-4120 556-4120 (503) the Treasury. plan that was approved by The legislation allows our Board of Directors, the Accidents •Personal Injury •Wrongful Death Accidents •Wrongful Death coalitions to be reimbursed Governor’s Office,•Personal Business Injury Oregon and our legislative for up to 5% of their total sponsors.” grant awards for documented No Fee Fee Until Until Recovery No Recovery The organizations to administrative expenses. gonn && W WRequests shin ingto gtonnfrom Coalitions OOrreego aash receive funding include cultural institutions, county for administrative expenses FREE INITIAL INITIAL CONSULTATION fairgrounds, FREE cultural entities CONSULTATION totaled $209,515. within federally recognized Indian Tribes based in OrSee the full list of grant egon, festivals and commurecipients with this story at nity event organizations, in thechiefnews.com.

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ARE YOU CONFUSED WITH MEDICARE?

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OU LOOSING YOUR CURRENT MEDICARE COVERAGE? Ribbon cutting An official ribbon cutting marked a new beginning for the Rainier Public Library and its visitors. The PETERSEN ETERSEN CLARKE LARKE P C Stephen D. Petersen Petersen llc event took place Tuesday morning, Sept. 22, at the library, which is housed inside Rainier City Hall.

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Friday, September 25, 2020

•V iewpoints • •

A different school year

JOSEPH HATTRICK Chief Guest Column

Teachers across the nation are starting their school year in a way they never considered when entering the profession: virtual teaching.

Historically our wonderful teachers would be setting up their new classrooms and decorating their bulletin boards in anticipation of seeing their new students’ smiles light up as they entered through the classroom doors on the first day of school. Now, with the same smiles being broadcast over the internet and virtual hugs being exchanged, it is important for all of us to recognize the sacrifices and hard work that has taken place to start the school year.

In 21 years of education I have never seen teachers work as hard as they are right now to support their students. Some students have computers, some are borrowing computers, some require paper packets, while

others will use a parent’s phone to join their classmates virtually. No matter the situation a child finds themself in, our teachers will ensure students learn.

As the new superintendent at Rainier School District, I wanted to take a short moment out of my day to express my complete gratitude and admiration for our teachers, staff and school leaders for their passion, commitment, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking to make this first week a huge success.

I will admit, it is sad that under our current situation the laughter of our students is no longer heard echoing though the halls. Instead, I find encouragement that those voices have been replaced with educational discussions, enthusiastic stories of success, and the laughter and joy of our staff. I recognize that comprehensive distance learning is challenging for our families. Asking parents to be co-teachers is also something that we never anticipated so I also want to give my heartfelt thanks to our parents and caregivers.

We have all heard that it takes a village to raise a child; this sentiment has never been truer. Schools support homes with warm meals and access to services. Families support education by stepping in as substitute co-teachers. We truly are in this together and as long as we give each

• Cancer research must continue even amid pandemic As the country continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important lawmakers and the public remember research into other diseases must also continue.

That’s why I recently participated in a virtual event to meet with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici as an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer.

I made it clear that people in Oregon are counting on our lawmakers to increase funding for cancer research and prevention. With more than 600,000 Americans expected to die from cancer this year, including an estimated 8,280 in Oregon, now is not the time to take a break. We are at a point where advancements in research are saving

other our best, our children will experience success.

Every May, we are reminded to thank our teachers during teacher appreciation week. I want to encourage parents, students, and community members to not wait until May. The number of hours spent planning for and delivering comprehensive distance learning has been massive. We want nothing more to ensure every child has access to a quality education.

In appreciation for our teachers, administrators, instructional assistant, custodial/maintenance, and all other school staff, I hope you will join me in doing something special and saying “thank you”.

While the beginning of this school year does not look or feel like it has every other year. With the support, patience, and gratitude of our community, parents, and students, we will make it to the end of the school year with students who have improved academically, staff who have improved in their profession and meeting the needs of the students, and a community that is united and always looking for ways to mutually support one another.

more lives than ever. We must keep this momentum going forward and invest in lifesaving cancer research.

By increasing medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health by $3 billion, we can continue to make progress in the fight against cancer.

Margaret (Missie) Kallunki Clatskanie

Support for Alex Tardif Alex Tardif is committed to Columbia County where he was born and raised. He has proposed cutting his own, and the other commissioners’ salaries, to provide resources for an administrator with grant-writing expertise to manage the county’s multiple departments. This would guarantee unified supervision and fiscal responsibility, removing the current three managers operating without liaison and hampered by

of

Because of the pandemic, will you still allow your children to trick-or-treat this Halloween?

Autumn starts Sept.

22. Are you ready for the change of the seasons?

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50% Yes

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T he C ommunity • •

public meeting laws. This is commitment.

Alex Tardif’s Accounting degree and experience in taxes has positioned Columbia County strategically in state and county fiscal matters.

It brings to the county solid analytical qualities, financial assessment for sustainable policies, and future planning.

As three-year Treasurer of the Association of Oregon Counties, Tardif has a perceptive grasp of state and municipal financial policies and laws.

His highly motivated innovation, analyses for long term solutions, and careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars is notable. This is qualification.

Mr. Tardif thinks outside the box, using innovation and technology to cut costs and improve efficiency. Tardif led the effort to transition from outdated technology to improve interdepartmental productivity, and better interact with the community.

In another practical area, after reviewing the Road Department budget, Tardif suggested

The Chief

Last Week’s Results

Yes

Dr. Joseph Hattrick is the interim Rainier School District Superintendent. He may be reached at 503-5563777.

•V oices

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that the county crush rock from its own quarry. This effected savings needed for road maintenance and allowed for the development of a five-year plan to prioritize needs. The county created a strategic road map for future financial stability to meet community needs. This is innovation.

Re-elect Alex Tardif for Columbia County Commissioner.

Hal Ritz Scappoose

Support for Witt I’m supporting Brad Witt for re-election to the Oregon House of Representatives.

I have confidence in Brad because he is open minded, clear thinking and is an excellent spokesperson for the people and interests of Columbia County. In a few words, he gets things done.

If you have a concern that

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affects our community, talk to Brad. He’s accessible and a good listener. Of course, he won’t agree with everyone on every issue but he’ll give you an honest and thoughtful answer on his position or he’ll check it out and get back to you.

Please vote for Brad Witt on November 3rd. He’s my choice for House District 31.

Pete McHugh Scappoose

Thanks RBG The world has lost a treasure in the person, life, and contributions of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She lived her life in true service to this country, as well as to her family and friends.

She exhibited tremendous courage in her fights for those that needed her help – all those suffering discrimination or mistreatment of any kind, racial, sexual, religious, and socioeconomic. She never al-

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lowed differences to get in the way of friendships, i.e. her close friendship with Justice Scalia.

There was no problem or disappointment too big for her to overcome. Her wisdom, courage, and strength, both in her life, illness and career were amazing. An example for all of us. She was fearless and deeply committed to the interpretations of the Constitution that provided equality and justice for all.

She once said she “would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.” And she did.

She was greatly loved and admired and will be deeply missed. Goodbye Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

You will not be forgotten, and I, personal, would love to nominate you for the Nobel Prize.

Ann Morton St. Helens

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 month in/out county: $8 One year in county: $60 One year out of county: $80 $3 senior discount for yearly sub

Contact Us • Phone: (503) 397-0116 • Fax: (503) 397-4093 • Website: www.thechiefnews.com Editorial Email: chiefnews@countrymedia.net • Advertising Email: atrull@countrymedia.net

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Because of space limitations, shorter letters have a better chance of being printed. We may edit your letter for style, grammar and clarity, although we do as little editing as possible. If you don’t want your letter printed under those conditions, just let us know. Thank-you letters are limited to a general thanks and summary of an issue or action. We reserve the right to exclude lists of people, organizations and businesses. Letters received after noon on Friday may not be in time for the following Wednesday’s paper. To verify authenticity, all letters must be signed and include your address and daytime phone number. We won’t print your street address or phone number (just your city of residence). Submissions may be emailed to chiefnews@countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office.

Send Letters To: The Chief Attn: News Editor PO Box 1153, St. Helens, OR 97051 Email Letters To: chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Letters Policy The Chief welcomes letters of 250 words or fewer. Letters are subject to editing for length, clarity or grammar. They should be concise, to the point and original. Letters dealing with disputes or containing criticism of private individuals or businesses will not be published. All letters must be signed (unless emailed) and include the author’s full name, address and daytime telephone number (for verification purposes only).

Letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Letters also may be published on our website.

Obituaries Obituaries received after noon on Wednesday may not be in time for that Friday’s paper. Obituaries may be emailed to chiefnews@ countrymedia.net, sent via mail, or dropped off at the office. We also accept obituaries written by funeral homes. Include the address and daytime phone number of the person who submitted the obituary, so we can verify information as necessary.

Guest Commentary We welcome all variety of community viewpoints in the newspaper. These longer, guest opinions might be columns written by newsmakers, public officials or organization representatives. Or you might just have interesting thoughts to share and a penchant for writing. If you’d like to submit a guest column for publication, contact us at (503) 397-0116 or chiefnews@ countrymedia.net.

All columns are subject to editing for style, grammar and clarity.

However, views expressed in guest columns are independent and do not represent those of The Chief, its staff or Country Media, Inc. Editorial Policy Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chief views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

Let us know what YOU think

EMAIL YOUR LETTERS TO: CHIEFNEWS@COUNTRYMEDIA.NET

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENT LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255 • suicidepreventationlifeline.org Columbia County’s trusted local news source

OREGON YOUTH LINE: 877-968-8491 • Text “teen2teen” to 839863

Friday, September 25, 2020

CC20-1309

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF PIERCE In the Guardianship of: JOAN M. ROGERS, An Incapacitated Person, No. 20-4-00290-1 NOTICE OF PUBLICATION ON SALE OF REAL PROPERTY. COMES NOW the Guardian and hereby publishes the following Notice of Guardianship Sale: In compliance with R.C.W.11.92.115 and the Order Directing Sale entered in this Court on September 21, 2020, the Guardian is causing due and proper notice to be given of such sale by publication as required by law for a sale by negotiation of real property.

Such notice includes the legal description of said property, the selling price, and the

date on which said sale would be presented to the Court for confirmation. Said selling price is $95,000.00 or 105.55% of the appraised value. WHEREFORE, the sale of real property set forth below will be confirmed on October 8, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. at Pierce County Superior Court, 930 Tacoma Ave South, Room 100, Tacoma, Washington, directing the Guardian to execute to the purchasers, James H. Rinck and Kathryn A Rinck, Husband and Wife, a proper deed together with other documents necessary to complete the sale of said real property, which is described below: Commonly known as: 0 Lost Creek Rd, Clatskanie,

CC20-1310

NOTICE OF SCHOOL BAORD REGULAR MEETING The Rainier School Board will hold a regular board meeting on Monday, September 28, 2020

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at 5:30 p.m. A link to the livestream will be available on the district website.

Oregon. Map # 7N3W29-0001000. Assessor Account #: 21741. Tax Assessed Value: $88,520.00. Appraised Value: $90,000.00. Sale Value: $95,000.00. % of Appraised Value: 105.55%. Wherefore, unless there are any additional offers of sale the above described sale of real property will be confirmed on October 8, 2020 at the above time and location. I certify (or declare) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that to the best of my knowledge the statements above are true and correct. SIGNED AT Fircrest, Washington this 21 day of September, 2020. Minta A. Andreve, WSBA No. 53966, Attorney for the Guardian

Columbia River PUD PUBLIC NOTICE Board Vacancy CC20-1308

At the September 15, 2020 Board meeting, the Board of Directors of Columbia River People’s Utility District (CRPUD) declared a vacancy for the position of Director of Subdivision Five beginning immediately.

The Board of Directors is inviting eligible candidates to submit letters of interest and/or resumes to fill the vacancy on CRPUD’s board. This is normally an elected office; the term of this appointment will run through December 31, 2022.

The position will be up for election at the November 2022 general election to serve a four-year term beginning January 2023.

ORS 261.405(3) provides

that candidates must be an elector; must reside within the subdivision which they are running for; and must have resided in the district continuously for two years immediately preceding the date of election/ appointment. Those meeting the above requirements, and who desire to serve the public as a CRPUD Director for Subdivision Five, representing Rainier, Prescott, portions of Deer Island, and Columbia City, are invited to submit letters of interest and/or resumes to fill the vacancy.

The letters of interest and/ or resumes should include current contact information and physical address of

residence. It is anticipated the candidate selected could be appointed by CRPUD’s Board of Directors at Special Board Meeting on October 13, 2020. Letters of interest and/or resumes should be addressed to the Board, and must be submitted electronically at www. crpud.net/boardvacancy no later than 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Columbia River PUD currently provides electric service to 19,590 customers in Columbia and Multnomah Counties. The PUD currently employs 44 people and had 2019 total operating and non-operating income of $35.2 million. By: Michael J. Sykes, General Manager

The Public Notice deadline is Wednesdays by noon.

Late submissions are not guaranteed to make it into the paper.

Oregon’s top 20: Greenhouse and nursery products STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Courtesy photo by Image Source

Greenhouse and nursery products remain Oregon’s leading agricultural commodity with an estimated value of production of nearly $1 billion ($955,166,000) in 2019.

When it comes to what’s tops in Oregon, the state’s greenhouse and nursery products industry are the number one agricultural commodity.

According to the latest estimated data, greenhouse and nursery products lead the agricultural commodity list with an estimated value of production of nearly $1 billion ($955,166,000) in 2019. Hay became the second top grossing commodity at $674,280,000 for 2019 value of production, up from $590,414,000 last year.

Cattle and calves ranked third, recording value of production at $625,158,000.

Milk and grass seed round out the state’s top five spots.

The state is home to more than 37,200 farms and ranches and with the commercial fishing industry, the state produces more than 220 commodities, generating about $5 billion in annual

farm gate sales and services a year.

The data used to create the state’s top 20 agricultural commodities list is gathered using several sources of estimates including, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistic Service (USDA NASS), Oregon State University, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Wine Board.

Note that cannabis (hemp and marijuana) is not included in the agricultural commodities list. Before the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp was not federally recognized as a legal agricultural commodity. For crops such as hemp, survey data is collected by USDA NASS. It is anticipated that hemp will be added to the list of crops surveyed by USDA NASS in the next couple of years.

There is also no farm gate value available for marijuana at this time.

Oregon’s Top 20 Agricultural Commodities 2019

• 1- Greenhouse & nursery $955,166,000 • 2 - Hay $674,280,000 • 3 - Cattle & calves $625,158,000 • 4 - Milk $552,096,000 • 5 - Grass seed $517,406,000 • 6 - Wheat $282,948,000 • 7 - Grapes for wine $237,784,000 • 8 - Potatoes $198,889,000 • 9 - Blueberries $134,254,000 • 10 - Pears $108,774,000 • 11 - Onions $108,409,000 • 12 - Christmas trees $104,451,000 • 13 - Hazelnuts $84,480,000 • 14 - Cherries $75,221,000 • 15 - Hops $71,628,000 • 16 - Dungeness crab $67,671,967 • 17 - Eggs $56,798,000 • 18 - Mint for oil $40,536,000 • 19 - Apples $38,746,000 • 20 - Sweet corn $38,103,000

Having a Garage Sale?

Contact The Chief at 503-397-0116 or chronicleclassifieds@countrymedia.net to get your garage sale in the classifieds.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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Nov. 3, 2020 Oregon General Election

Important dates • Last day to mail ballots to Overseas/military: September 19, 2020 • First day to mail ballots out of state: October 5, 2020 • Voter registration deadline: October 13, 2020 • First day to mail ballots to county at-large: October 14, 2020 • General Election: November 3, 2020 General Information / Advisement • Update or verify your registration easily at www. oregonvotes.gov. Do this early, don’t delay. Your mailing address must be accurate, as ballots are mailed “return service requested” and will

not be forwarded with the yellow sticker.

• Voter’s Pamphlets are delivered approximately the week before ballot mailing en masse to each local post office, after which they are distributed one per household. If you did not receive one inquire with your local carrier or visit your local Post Office.

• You can return your ballot any time after receipt via prepaid mail or using an Oregon elections drop box.

Vote early.

• It is advised you do not mail your ballot after Thursday, October 29. You should use a local dropbox at that time.

Details provided by Columbia County Elections.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Friday, September 25, 2020

Friday, September 25, 2020

REVENUE From Page A1

hand, should telecommuting and remote work increase as a result of the pandemic and changing business practices, Oregon stands to take advantage.”

November General Election Information

The following is a conversation with Columbia County Elections Supervisor Don Clack concerning the November General Election.

The Chief: With the recent national attention about Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, give us the range of protections and safety measures in place for the General Election in Columbia County.

Clack: The national attention seems to be more about widespread mail in voting as opposed to Oregon specific vote by mail. Oregon has a 20 year history of successful vote by mail elections. (See attached statement from State elections regarding recent news regarding USPS operations with this story at thechiefnews.com).

At a county level, we are utilizing resources and services provided by state and federal agencies to enhance our elections physical and cyber security. Also, several in-office ballot boxes with outdoor dropboxes that will promote social distancing and also improve voter accessibility.

The Chief: What are the most important steps voters need to know to ensure their vote is received and counted in the November election?

Clack: Vote and return ballots early. Do not mail ballots after Thursday, October 29. Use a dropbox after that date. You can follow up and see the status of your ballot by using the “MyVote” function at www.

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oregonvotes.gov. However there is a time delay of several days after receipt and visibility here.

The Chief: What is the demographic of the most voters?

Clack: There are significantly higher turnout percentages among those 40+ across the board for all types of elections The Chief: Could you provide us with a list of ballot drop off locations in Columbia County?

Clack: These are the planned dropbox locations.

They are the same as in the past.

• Columbia County Courthouse • Scappoose City Hall • Rainier City Hall • Clatskanie Library • Vernonia Library • Mist RFPD

We are in the process of replacing the Rainier, Clatskanie and Vernonia inside office boxes with outside boxes that are accessible 24/7 and would not be affected by facility closure or COVID restrictions.

The Chief: How many ballots will be sent out for the November General Election in Columbia County?

Clack: Current county active voter count is 39900.

So approximately 40k.

The Chief: What is the deadline to register to vote, the deadline for the voter’s

pamphlet to be sent out, any other critical deadlines?

Clack: October 13 is the registration deadline for new registrants. Existing voters can update their registration up to Election Day. The voter’s pamphlet distributed by the State normally the week before we mail out ballots (So, the week of October 5-9). They will be drop shipped to each local Post Office and delivered one per household. After this drop ship, surplus copies would be located at the local PO. New registrants can register and existing voters can confirm and/or update their registration by visiting www.oregonvotes.gov.

Ballots will be mailed to the county at large beginning October 14. Voters should expect to receive their ballots by the beginning to middle of the following week. If a voter had not received a ballot the following week by the 22/23rd they should request a replacement ballot by contacting the elections office by phone or email. Email: elections@columbiacountyor.gov Replacement ballots will not be mailed out after Thursday, October 29. Arrangements would have to be made to pick one up.

Email: elections@columbiacountyor.gov.

For a ballot to be counted it must be deposited in an official Oregon drop box or received by an Oregon elections office by 8 p.m.

Election day.

For more information, call 503-397-7214.

CandidatesMeasures Look for a number of candidates running for local and county government positions.

Local Measures 5-278: Columbia County Gun Sanctuary Ordinance • Initiative Petition 19-3 filed 4/29/2019 • Notice of Ballot Title 5/10/2019 • Approval to Circulate 6/6/2019 • Measure number and Election assigned 3/4/2020

Governor Kate Brown’s statement Gov. Kate Brown said the latest revenue forecast is a testament to the resiliency of Oregonians.

“And to how we—as a state—have been able to manage the COVID-19 pandemic by working together,” she said in a statement.

Brown said the pandemic impact has been “massive” on Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Tribal communities and those dependent on the service economy.

“While revenue projections are up for this biennium, the revenue forecast did not balance our upcoming budget, and we must tread lightly,” Brown said. “We still face structural inequities, as well as fluctuations in health care spending related to ongoing COVID-19 response, at the same time we face a serious budget deficit. In addition, many of our critical pandemic response efforts, from testing to personal protective equipment, have been funded with CARES Act funding, which

COVID-19 From Page A1

and volunteers notifying those who have spent time around someone who has tested positive for the virus and providing guidance.

Contact tracing information collected at restaurants or shops is only shared with public health officials if there is a positive case. It’s helpful for those who have contracted the virus to be specific about their movements to help officials contain the spread as much as possible.

“The more forthcoming people are, the better our investigations are,” Paul said.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Clatskanie Middle/High School and Clatskanie Elementary School administrators issued a letter to district parents about the COVID-19 cases.

“It is important to know that currently there are two positive cases in our community with students between the ages of 10-19,” the letter stated. “We are partnering closely with local public health officials and they will provide support and direction for managing COVID-19

expires at the end of the year.”

Brown said Oregon urgently needs congressional action to provide direct help to local governments, businesses and families so that we can all continue to provide critical services to Oregonians during this crisis.

“Oregon has a history of being smart with our reserves and saving for a rainy day,” Brown said. “We cannot abandon this approach in the middle of a pandemic, with cold and flu season rapidly approaching. Or while response and recovery efforts to a historic statewide fire emergency continue, and the costs of those efforts to save homes and lives continues to grow. We must prepare for the costs of continuing to provide critical services in the next biennium––from health care to affordable housing to wildfire readiness and response.

“This year, we must celebrate every piece of good news we can get. But even with the welcome news of increased revenue projections, my commitment remains to make prudent financial decisions and position our state to manage unforeseen economic challenges that may come our way.”

Senate Republican Leader Response Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) issued the following statement concerning the revenue forecast. related scenarios that impact our school community.”

The administrators said they would issue information concerning pandemic events through emails and the district’s alert and notification systems.

The administrators also issued the following recommendations for community protection.

• Keep children who are sick at home. Don’t send them to school.

• Teach your children to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.

• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.

• Teach your children to stay at least six feet away from people who are sick.

• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid other people until they are better.

If you have questions, please contact your school nurse, healthcare provider, or your local board of health or check the CDC website.

OHA also reported that the week of Sept. 14 through Sept.

“Thanks to federal action, Oregon has $1.7 billion dollars in its ending balance, and there is absolutely no reason to raise taxes. The corporate and personal income taxes set new tax collection records.

“Governor Kate Brown’s government overreach during the COVID-19 event has deepened the income inequality in the state and lower-income Oregonians have been hit hardest. Hard-working Oregonians have also been impacted by the wildfires. Cities and counties across the state that rely on tourism for income have been decimated and are not recovering quickly, and the perpetual violent riots in Portland have damaged Oregon’s national image for anyone who thought about relocating here.”

Background The Oregon Economic Forecast provides information to planners and policy makers in state agencies and private organizations for use in their decision-making processes.

The Oregon Revenue Forecast opens the revenue forecasting process to public review.

It is the basis for much of the budgeting in state government.

The forecast reports are issued four times a year: March, June, September and December.

See the entire report https://www.oregon.gov/ das/OEA/Documents/forecast0920.pdf.

20 statewide reported new COVID-19 infections rose 17% from the week prior, to 1,511. The number of Oregonians newly tested rose 8%, to 18,840, and the percentage of tests that were positive rose from 5.6% to 6.2%.

Eighteen Oregonians were reported to have died in association with COVID-19, compared to 29 the prior week.

One hundred and sixteen Oregonians were hospitalized, up from 83 in the previous week.

The age group with the highest incidence of reported infection continues to be 20–29-year-olds. People under 30 years old have accounted for 37% of reported cases.

For more information, visit the Oregon Department of Education’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners page, the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 page and http://csd.k12.or.us/?

DivisionID=24336&ToggleSi deNav=ShowAll. Community members with questions may also contact the Clatskanie School District at 503-728-2146.

Follow the daily pandemic updates at thechiefnews.com with in-depth reports in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

5-283: Five Year Local Option Tax for Cemetery Operations • Referred by Rainier Cemetery District • Notice of Ballot Title 7/21/2020 • Notice of Election/ Measure Assigned • Explanatory Statement

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

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“SEE something, SAY something” Awareness Day STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

On Sept. 25, the Oregon TITAN Fusion Center (OTFC) invites you to join the celebration across the national “If You See Something, Say Something” (SEE/SAY) Awareness Day. The campaign is calling on citizens and its public and private sector partners around the country to lead conversations and activities, leading up to, and on Sept. 25.

“This campaign gives our partners throughout the nation and Oregon an opportunity to further promote this very crucial first line of defense against those who would seek to do harm to our communities,” Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers said in a release.

Public safety officials and critical infrastructure owners and operators are uniquely qualified to lead this preventative effort in Oregon, according to Landers.

“As professionals and community members you see and interact with individuals

•

in your area of responsibility that can make a difference in the prevention of criminal activity by reporting suspicious behavior all year round,” Landers said. “Continuing education of your colleagues, local business partners, and citizens will only strengthen our collective preventative efforts.”

Unusual items or situations: A vehicle is parked in an odd location, a package/ luggage is unattended, a window/door is open that is usually closed, or other out-of-the-ordinary situations occur.

Eliciting information: A person questions individuals at a level beyond curiosity about a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures and/or personnel, shift changes, etc.

Observation/surveillance: Someone pays unusual attention to facilities or buildings beyond a casual or professional interest. This includes extended loitering without explanation (particularly in concealed locations); unusual, repeated, and/or prolonged observation of a

building (e.g., with binoculars or video camera); taking notes or measurements; counting paces; sketching floor plans, etc.

Some of these activities could be innocent—it’s up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation, according to Landers, who said the activities listed are not all-inclusive but have been compiled based on studies of pre-operational aspects of both successful and thwarted terrorist events over several years.

“Public safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Landers said. “If you see suspicious activity, report it to local law enforcement or a person of authority.”

Landers encourages you to describe specifically what you observed, including: • Who or what you saw • When you saw it • Where it occurred • Why it’s suspicious For more information visit www.lincolncountysheriff. net, or contact your local law enforcement agency.

Friday, September 25, 2020

Local fire crew to the rescue JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

The Chief is always looking for positive stories about people helping others and making a difference in our community.

We frequently feature those stories in our special series of reports Who We Are. The following story from a Columbia River Fire & Rescue Facebook post, didn’t happen in Columbia County, but it did involved local firefighters.

While on deployment at the Lionshead Fire, A CRFR crew detailed their story: “A disabled fire engine was rescued by our mechanic during deployment to the city of Detroit. We were on a mutual aid response to smoke in the attic of a structure where one of the local Detroit crews responded with a local type one engine resource.

We found a fire in the crawl space which was quickly mitigated by the

Courtesy photo by CRFR

The CRFR crew with the repaired fire engine at Detroit.

crews.

Heavy Brush 476 came in for support during overhaul.

At the end of the incident their type one engine stopped running and they could not get it to work.

This engine was a replacement given to them by Aurora Fire to replace the first out engine lost during the initial fire front in Detroit and is serving as their first line engine for the local fire companies of Detroit Fire & Rescue.

Our mechanic and senior firefighter Jeramy volunteered his expertise and was quickly able to troubleshoot the problem while the local chief and a federal VIP was

on-scene. After the diagnosis Jeramy was able to provide a makeshift repair to get their engine back to their station to await a new part. He took the time to identify exactly what parts would be needed and offered further assistance should they need it.

The local district was extremely grateful and we were so honored to be able to assist their district.”

If you know of someone, an agency or business, or a group, that is making a positive difference in our community and would like to see them featured in Who We Are, email details to jruark@ countrymedia.net.

•B lotters • •

The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change.

Rainier Police Sept. 13 • An officer assisted a disabled motorist.

Sept. 14 • Tina Mills, 52, of Kalama was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant. She was also cited for DWS and driving uninsured.

Sept. 15 • Christopher Kimball, 30, of Rainier, was taken into custody and cited for DUII, failure to perform the duties of a driver and no valid operator’s license.

• A flashlight was turned in as found property.

Sept. 16 • A resident reported missing some money and prescription medication from their home.

Sept. 17 • An officer responded to a single vehicle accident. The occupant was transported with suspected minor injuries.

Sept. 18 • An officer responded to a twovehicle accident at the base of the Lewis & Clark Bridge. The officer facilitated the information exchange and one person was cited for driving with a valid operator’s license.

Sept. 19 • A found wallet was turned in and returned to the owner.

Sept. 20 • A local citizen was a victim of an online scam. The ‘friend’ contacted the victim via Face Book messenger telling her that she had won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes and gave her a phone number to text. The supposed representative had told the victim she had to pay the state tax before she would be able to collect the prize. The representative requested payment in the form of Nike gift cards. The victim became suspicious after the representative kept requesting more gift cards and Publisher’s Clearing House was contacted.

PCH advised they do not collect taxes via Nike gift cards.

Scappoose Police Sept. 12 • Police took a report of vandalism to a neighborhood mailbox station in the in the 33000 block of SW Jenny Ln. This case is pending further suspect information.

• Police took a report of vandalism to a neighborhood mailbox station in the 51000 block of SE 9th St. This case is pending further suspect information.

Sept. 13 • Police contacted a suspicious vehicle near the intersection of West Lane Rd. and McKay Dr. Police noticed the driver of the vehicle was slumped over the steering wheel and appeared to be sleeping. Following the initial contact, Gerald Richards, 31, of St. Helens, was taken into custody for Unlawful Possession of Meth and Unlawful Possession of Heroin. Mr. Richards was transported to jail where he was booked and released on his charges.

• Police responded to a death investigation and it was determined that there was nothing suspicious and was deemed a natural causes death.

Sept. 16 • Police responded to the report of a stolen vehicle in the 52000 block of NE Porter Ln. It was reported that the vehicle was possibly left unlocked. This vehicle was later recovered on September 20th by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

• Police took a report of a criminal mischief at the Scappoose High School. It was reported that unknown suspects had spray painted the walls of the baseball dugout and another building.

This case is pending further suspect information.

• Police are investigating the report of a Restraining Order Violation that occurred in 52000 block of West Lane Rd. It was reported that the suspect in the case left a note for the protected person’s mailbox. This case is pending further information.

Sept. 17 • Police were dispatched to a suspicious person in the 33000 block of E. Columbia Ave. Following the initial investigation, Dennis Ivanoff, 71, of Vancouver, was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant out of Clatsop County. Mr. Ivanoff was transported to and lodged in jail on his warrant.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s and St. Helens Police reports were not available at press time.

Building Bridges to Self Sufficiency

Community Action Team

Are you a veteran?

You may be entitled to benefits for serving your country.

Contact your Veteran Service Officer • 503-366-6580 Call CAT at (503)397-3511 to find out if you qualify. Rental and energy assistance applications are available at 125 N. 17th St., St. Helens, OR. Also available on our website at www.CAT-TEAM.org

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Members of the Clatskanie Middle/High School and Rainier Jr/Sr High School girls soccer team dribble balls around Clatskanie City Park as part of their limited workout.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Clatskanie Athletic Director Ryan Tompkins, far left, reviews the required health and safety procedures with the girls soccer team before the limited conditioning workout at Clatskanie City Park.

SPORTS From Page A1 about learning self-motivation and learning to play for just the love of the game.

When you can’t be around your teammates or your coaches it is really about what you enjoy about this sport and finding out what

makes you happy.”

“Yes, you really have to be motivated to do it on your own,” CMHS junior and soccer player Grace Tallman said. “It is hard sometimes, but it is definitely doable.

You do definitely miss your teammates, that’s why these limited practices are so exciting for us all.”

The combined girls soccer team is comprised of approximately 20 students and the team is part of the

COWAPA League 4A. Tompkins said the Clatskanie School District has created much stricter health safety guidelines than the state and the OSAA, due to the pandemic.

“We are keeping kids in cohort groups of no more than 10, requiring face coverings if less than six feet apart and checking symptoms,” he said. “Prior to practice, we are not permitting sharing of equipment

and we are sanitizing equipment.”

Before the practice on Wednesday, Tompkins addressed the small student gathering with a welcome and a detailed review of all of the district health and safety protocols.

Follow Clatskanie and Rainier student sports at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, September 25, 2020

A9

CDC discouraging trick-or-treating Before you celebrate

STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Hosting a holiday gathering

As we head into fall and winter federal health officials are urging that we continue social distancing and limit large gatherings to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued specific guidelines discouraging Halloween activities, such as trick-or-treating, and other large gatherings.

The following information is from the CDC website.

As many people in the United States begin to plan for fall and winter holiday celebrations, CDC offers the following considerations to help protect individuals, their families, friends, and communities from COVID-19.

These considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which holiday gatherings must comply. When planning to host a holiday celebration, you should assess current COVID-19 levels in your community to determine whether to postpone, cancel, or limit the number of attendees.

Virus-spread risk at holiday celebrations Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household pose low risk for spread. In-person gatherings pose varying levels of risk.

Event organizers and attendees should consider the risk of virus spread based on event size and use of mitigation strategies, as outlined in the Considerations for Events and Gatherings.

There are several factors that contribute to the risk of getting infected or infecting others with the virus that causes COVID-19 at a holiday celebration. In combination, these factors will create various amounts of risk, so it is important to consider them individually and together: Community levels of COVID-19 – Higher levels of COVID-19 cases and community spread in the gathering location, as well as where attendees are coming from,

The CDC is discouraging Halloween trick-or-treating in an effort to slow the COVID-19 pandemic.

increase the risk of infection and spread among attendees.

Family and friends should consider the number and rate of COVID-19 cases in their community and in the community where they plan to celebrate when considering whether to host or attend a holiday celebration. Information on the number of cases in an area can be found on the area’s health department website.

The location of the gathering – Indoor gatherings generally pose more risk than outdoor gatherings. Indoor gatherings with poor ventilation pose more risk than those with good ventilation, such as those with open windows or doors.

The duration of the gathering – Gatherings that last longer pose more risk than shorter gatherings.

The number of people at the gathering – Gatherings with more people pose more risk than gatherings with fewer people. CDC does not

have a limit or recommend a specific number of attendees for gatherings. The size of a holiday gathering should be determined based on the ability to reduce or limit contact between attendees, the risk of spread between attendees, and state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations.

The locations attendees are traveling from – Gatherings with attendees who are traveling from different places pose a higher risk than gatherings with attendees who live in the same area. Higher levels of COVID-19 cases and community spread in the gathering location, or where attendees are coming from, increase the risk of infection and spread among attendees.

The behaviors of attendees prior to the gathering – Gatherings with attendees who are not adhering to social distancing (staying at least six feet apart), mask wearing, hand washing and other prevention

Chief photo

behaviors pose more risk than gatherings with attendees who are engaging in these preventative behaviors.

The behaviors of attendees during the gathering – Gatherings with more preventive measures, such as mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing, in place pose less risk than gatherings where fewer or no preventive measures are being implemented.

General considerations for fall and winter holidays Fall and winter celebrations, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Halloween, Día de los Muertos, Navratri, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and New Year’s, typically include large gatherings of families and friends, crowded parties, and travel that may put people at increased risk for COVID-19.

If you will be hosting a celebration, follow CDC tips for hosting gatherings. Below are some additional considerations for hosting a holiday celebration: Host outdoor activities rather than indoor activities as much as possible. If hosting an outdoor event is not possible, and you choose to host an indoor event, avoid crowded, poorly ventilated or fully enclosed indoor spaces.

Increase ventilation by opening windows and doors to the extent that is safe and feasible based on the weather.

Host activities with only people from your local area as much as possible.

Limit numbers of attendees as much as possible.

Provide updated information to your guests about any COVID-19 safety guidelines and steps in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

Provide or encourage attendees to bring supplies to help you and others stay healthy. For example, extra masks (do not share or swap with others), hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and tissues.

If you are planning inperson holiday gatherings with people outside of your household, consider asking all guests to strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.

Attending a holiday gathering If you will be attending a celebration that someone else is hosting, follow CDC Considerations for attending an event or gathering. Below are some additional considerations for attending an inperson holiday gathering: Outdoor activities are safer than indoor activities.

If participating in an outdoor event is not possible, and you choose to attend an indoor event, avoid crowded, poorly ventilated, and fully enclosed indoor spaces. Increase ventilation by opening windows and doors to the extent that is

safe and feasible based on the weather.

Check with the event host, organizer, or event venue for updated information about any COVID-19 safety guidelines and if they have steps in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

Bring supplies to help you and others stay healthy. For example, bring extra masks (do not share or swap with others), hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, and tissues.

If you are planning to attend in-person holiday gatherings with people outside of your household, consider strictly avoiding contact with people outside of your household for 14 days before the gathering.

Holiday travel Traveling increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. Use information from the following webpages to decide whether to go on holiday travel: Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic • Know your travel risk • Know when to delay your travel to avoid spreading COVID-19 If you decide to travel, follow these safety measures during your trip to protect yourself and others from COVID-19: • Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when in public places.

• Avoid close contact by staying at least six feet apart (about two arms’ length) from anyone who is not from your household.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).

• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Follow the daily pandemic updates at thechiefnews.com with in-depth reports in the Friday print editors of The Chief.

Vogel appointed CCET executive director

Photo courtesy of John Valls

Paul Vogel.

“There is a lot of economic opportunity here.” ~ Paul Vogel, CCET Executive Director

Call Kathy at 503.397.7259 for information

Place your ad in The Chief. Email Amy at atrull@countrymedia.net.

Paul Vogel is now the Columbia County Economic Team’s (CCET) full-time executive director.

Vogel has been leading CCET and its COVID-19 response since April as the interim director since the retirement of former director Chuck Daughtry earlier this year.

“Paul has proven his worth as a dynamic and innovative leader during the recent challenging months,” CCET Board President Robert Blumberg said in announcing the appointment. “He has the skills to work productively with businesses and industries of all sizes, as well as local and state elected leaders. We are excited to have him at CCET’s helm as Columbia County’s businesses rebound from the pandemic, and move into a brighter, more prosperous future.”

Blumberg said CCET has a responsibility and mission for business retention, expansion and economic growth.

“Business retention takes on a whole new meaning during a health and economic pandemic,” Vogel said. “Right

now, helping uplift businesses, local organizations and communities is as important as business recruitment – another part of our job.”

Vogel said CCET is focused on balance in the local economy, recovering, building resilience and coming out of the pandemic different and stronger.

Vogel has instituted a daily email update with information and links to COVID-19 resources and other news of interest to businesses and industries. According to the CCET, with the participation of Columbia County, the county fair board, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and others, Vogel is administering a program in which local businesses may obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) at cost.

More information is available at smallbizhub.columbiacountyoregon.com.

“The impact of COVID to businesses, workers, families and lives is enormous,” Vogel said. “All the more important that we come through this stronger and even better positioned, leveraging the advantages we have here to thrive in the evolving normal.”

Comprised of businesses of all sizes operating in Columbia County, representatives of public entities, and other economic development advocates, Vogel said CCET provides services that support the creation, growth and retention of Columbia County businesses.

CCET also oversees the enterprise zone program, the “Keep It Local” campaign, and the Columbia County Tourism Initiative.

“There is a lot of economic opportunity here,” Vogel said.

“Certain effects of the pandemic even enhance opportunities. I’m looking forward to Columbia County having less opportunity and more actualization.”

To reach the Columbia County Economic Team, call 503-410-1061.

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www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, September 25, 2020

2020 Readers’ Choice Awards PRESENTED BY

The Chronicle &

The Chief

Best in Columbia County Your vote counts. Vote online starting September 14 through October 2 (Vote here)

www.thechronicleonline.com & www.thechiefnews.com

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