TCC1225

Financial relief on the way

Schools seek family input STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The Clatskanie School District is looking ahead to the new year and seeking input from families on their children’s educations.

In a letter sent to district families, Superintendent Cathy Hurowitz told families that questions will soon be sent in survey form or over the phone to ask about families’ preferences for their student’s educations. She also said there will be important Zoom meetings for families on Jan. 6, and details about he meetings will be sent shortly.

“It is critical that you respond to the survey so that we may plan for continued improvement in our practice,” Hurowitz wrote in the letter.

The winter break started this week and classes will resume on Jan. 4.

“I want to close by thanking you for your support and understanding during these unprecedented times.

We look forward to a time when we can all gather together in our schools with our students,” Hurowitz wrote in the letter. “We miss you and wish you a safe and healthy holiday break.”

The letter also outlined ways to celebrate the holiday season while reducing the risk of COVID-19 infections, including wearing masks, limiting travel, keeping surfaces clean, maintaining personal hygiene and following physical distancing guidelines.

Information for students and families is available at the district website, www.csd.k12.or.us or on schools’ Facebook pages.

MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net

Oregonians impacted by the pandemic and fall wildfires will see additional financial relief following a one-day special session of the state legislature held Monday, Dec. 21.

The $800 million package will provide relief for tenants and landlords, keep roofs over people’s heads by extending the eviction moratorium and provide support for restaurants and bars.

“I called for a special session because it is absolutely critical we get the help to Oregonians who have made the necessary sacrifices to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Kate Brown said in a release about the special session.

Oregon legislators also passed a wildfire relief package during the special session.

Congressional relief

2020 Year in Review in Photos A year of challenges, changes

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Through photography, The Chief takes a look back over the past 12 months to the challenges, the changes, the celebrations and the rewards that we, as a community, shared and endured together. See this special photo spread with a chronological review of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pages A8-10.

Vietnam Memorial Wall STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Columbia County residents and those statewide are being asked to comment on a memorial for Vietnam veterans to be established at the Oregon Capitol building grounds.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking public feedback on the proposal from a nonprofit, the Vietnam War Memorial Fund, to construct a memorial in the southwest corner of the State Capitol State Park in Salem.

The site is just south of the World War II memorial and west of the Capitol building in an area

called Willson Park.

The deadline for public feedback is Jan. 22.

The project proposes to install sculptures, plaques, benches, and walkways to memorialize different aspects of the war and military service.

The memorial would be just south of the World War II memorial, the Parade of Animals play structure, and a gazebo. Nearly all the trees in this area would be incorporated into the proposed design. Three trees would be removed.

One part of the memorial honors Gold Star Families using a standard design, and the nonprofit has identified three possible locations in the park for its installation.

One option would require moving the Parade of Animals to a different part of Willson Park. A Gold Star Family is one that has lost an immediate family member in the line of duty of military service.

A draft plan of the memorial is online as is a video walk-through.

OPRD is collecting feedback through Jan. 22. You can comment by email, or attend a virtual open house at 6 p.m. on Jan. 20 (free registration required).

After collecting public feedback, a committee will submit a report to OPRD Director Lisa Sumption with recommendations.

After Sumption’s review, the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission could act on the proposal at its Feb. 25, meeting.

Jeremy C. Rurk / The Chief

Clatskanie School District officials are planningtosurveydistrictparentsandhold Zoom meetings Jan. 6 as part of the planning for the remainder of the school year.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Pillars bearing soldiers names would be part of the memorial wall.

Brown acknowledged the $900 billion pandemic relief package that passed through the United States Congress this week that includes direct stimulus payments to Americans. The bill includes $600 to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000, with payments phased out for higher incomes.

An additional $600 payment will be made per dependent child, similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring of 2020.

There is also a $300 per week jobless benefit that will be distributed to individuals on unemployment, which will last until March 2021.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici issued a release addressing the federal relief package Tuesday.

“It is far from perfect, but the relief and funding bill Congress passed contains many items that I fought for, informed by your priorities,” Bonamici wrote. The highlights of the package include funding to distribute vaccines, the extension of unemployment, the $600 direct payments to individuals and families, expanded support for small businesses and funding to support broadband access.

“When the new Congress begins in January, I will continue to fight for more robust and frequent direct payments to help individuals and families during the pandemic,” she wrote. “I’ll also be advocating for funding to help state and local governments, and other unmet needs.”

Brown said the federal and state relief packages will aid Oregonians throughout the next months of the pandemic. “(Both packages) will help carry us through the coming months as we continue to gain traction with our vaccine campaign,” Brown said.

The next steps on that vaccine campaign includes widening distribution of the vaccine to people over 75 and essential workers. Brown noted on Tuesday that educators and various school staff members will be at the top of the list in Oregon’s next round of vaccines.

“Our kids need to know they are number one, and we are doing

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

This is a simulated view of the memorial wall entrance.

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

The Oregon Legislature approved an $800 million package to provide relief for people affected by COVID-19 and the wildfires. Congress also passed a $900 million pandemic relief package this week, including a $600 direct payment for individuals and families.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

The memorial wall would include an honor point for wartime nurses.

­­­­

See RELIEF Page A4

A2

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

Flower from 100 million years ago STEVE LINDENBERG Chief Guest Article

Courtesy photo

The privately owned vessels come from Portland, Vancouver, Longview, Salem and Camas.

Christmas Boat Parade

Courtesy photo

The boats are colorfully decorated to light up the Columbia River during the night time parade.

STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The third annual Lower Columbia Christmas Boat parade is scheduled for New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31 in Rainier and Friday, New Year’s Day, Jan. 1 down Fisher Slough and in front of Willow Grove.

On New Year’s Eve, the decorated vessels will depart the Rainier public dock at approximately 5:30 p.m. The parade will start at 6 p.m. and proceed upriver to the mooring buoy then circle downriver to the Rainier Park and Senior Center.

Security and safety assistance are provided by Columbia County and Cowlitz County Sheriff Marine patrol boats.

On New Year’s Day, the Port of Longview will keep Willow Grove Park open for viewing the Christmas Boat parade in front of Willow Grove. The parade route departs Longview Yacht Club at 5:30pm and parades down Fisher Slough, reaching Willow Grove park around 6:15 p.m. The fleet will make

multiple loops in front of the park before proceeding down river to the homes on Taylor Sands Rd and finally returning to Longview Yacht Club.

The privately owned vessels come from Portland, Vancouver, Longview, Salem and Camas. All parade participants volunteer their boats, decorations, fuel, and time and are excited to give back to the community. Some members of the parade have been doing Christmas Ships for over 35 years.

“This event happens after the Christmas bustle and this year is welcoming in the New Year with joy and hope,” a release from the parade organizers stated. “The ship captains love coming to the Longview area and enjoy the beautiful Lower Columbia scenery.”

Organizers Kat Pettersen and Tom Meek said they appreciate the excitement and support shown by the Port of Longview and the city of Rainier. Parade leaders Pete and Kat Pettersen are fifth year Portland Christmas Ship participants. Tom Meek, 2020 Longview Yacht Club Commodore and a Christmas Skipper, is also a member of the Port of Longview Willow Grove Park Advisory Committee and has been working with the Port to open Willow Grove Park for the public to enjoy this event.

The parade organizers remind everyone that social distancing and other methods to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 should be followed when watching the parade. The organizers ask that spectators be safe and courteous to fellow community members.

Oregon State University researchers have identified a spectacular new genus and species of flower from the mid-Cretaceous period, a male specimen whose sunburst-like reach for the heavens was frozen in time by Burmese amber.

“This isn’t quite a Christmas flower but it is a beauty, especially considering it was part of a forest that existed 100 million years ago,” OSU College of Science professor emeritus George Poinar Jr. said.

“The male flower is tiny, about 2 millimeters across, but it has some 50 stamens arranged like a spiral, with anthers pointing toward the sky.”

Poinar is an international expert in using plant and animal life forms preserved in amber to learn more about the biology and ecology of the distant past.

A stamen consists of an anther – the pollen-producing head – and a filament, the stalk that connects the anther to the

For more information and pictures, visit Facebook @ CBLYC1932, Christmas Boat LYC. Contact parade organizers at LYCLCCB@gmail.com.

STAY SAFE & HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAYS Rod Murray Principal Broker

Cell: 503.936.5294 • Office: 503-728-0161 Email: rmurray5294@gmail.com Ark Real Estate, Inc. 200 E. Columbia River Hwy. Clatskanie, Or. 97016

On behalf of

Kynsi

CONSTRUCTIONInc

the family would like to thank our community and friends for your continued support. Your loyalty to our company is surely a blessing.

We wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- See you in 2021 Columbia County’s trusted local news source

flower.

“Despite being so small, the detail still remaining is amazing,” Poinar said. “Our specimen was probably part of a cluster on the plant that contained many similar flowers, some possibly female.”

The new discovery has an egg-shaped, hollow floral cup – the part of the flower from which the stamens emanate; an outer layer consisting of six petal-like components known as tepals; and two-chamber anthers, with pollen sacs that split open via laterally hinged valves.

Poinar and collaborators at OSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture named the new flower Valviloculus pleristaminis. Valva is the Latin term for the leaf on a folding door, loculus means compartment, plerus refers to many, and staminis reflects the flower’s dozens of male sex organs.

The flower became encased in amber on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana and rafted on a continental plate some 4,000 miles across the ocean from Australia to Southeast Asia, Poinar said.

Courtesy photo of OSU

A stamen consists of an anther – the pollen-producing head – and a filament, the stalk that connects the anther to the flower.

Geologists have been debating just when this chunk of land – known as the West Burma Block – broke away from Gondwana. Some believe it was 200 million years ago; others claim it was more like 500 million years ago.

Numerous angiosperm flowers have been discovered in Burmese amber, the majority of which have been described

by Poinar and a colleague at Oregon State, Kenton Chambers, who also collaborated on this research.

Angiosperms are vascular plants with stems, roots and

leaves, with eggs that are fertilized and develop inside the flower.

Since angiosperms only evolved and diversified about 100 million years ago, the West Burma Block could not have broken off from Gondwana before then, Poinar said, which is much later than dates that have been suggested by geologists.

Joining Poinar and Chambers, a botany and plant pathology researcher in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, on the paper were Oregon State’s Urszula Iwaniec and the USDA’s Fernando Vega.

Iwaniec is a researcher in the Skeletal Biology Laboratory in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences and Vega works in the Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.

Findings were published in the Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.

Steve Lundenberg is a news and research writer at Oregon State University’s Relations and Marketing Department.

He may be reached at 541737-4039.

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

A3

AG presses for ‘ghost gun’ regulations STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum wants the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to properly regulate untraceable, partiallyassembled ghost guns.

Rosenblum has joined has joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general urging a New York federal court take action.

The coalition argues that since 2015, the agency has relied on an improper reading of the Gun Control Act to allow unlicensed online retailers to sell nearly-complete firearm kits that are easily converted into fully-functioning firearms.

Because the guns are unregulated and untraceable, they put the public’s safety at risk in the amici states and hamper the ability of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminal activity, according to

the attorneys general coalition.

“Untraceable, easilyassembled ghost guns make it too easy for people prohibited from having guns to skirt the law,” Rosenblum said. “They pose a grave danger to our communities. It’s time to require the federal government to regulate these lethal weapons.”

From the 1980s through the early 2000s, ATF classified the core components of handguns and rifles — frames and receivers — as “firearms” subject to federal regulation if the components could be quickly and easily converted into functioning guns. In 2015, however, the agency reversed course without explanation and issued an interpretive rule stating that these rifle receivers and handgun frames were not considered firearms under the Gun Control Act. The about-face has spawned an unlicensed and unregulated online industry in which these ghost guns,

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

The attorneys general coalition argues that because the guns are unregulated and untraceable, they put the public’s safety at risk.

so-called because they have no serial numbers and leave no identifying marks on bullet casings, can be sold to any consumer without a background check.

On August 26, Everytown for Gun Safety and four cities filed a suit against the ATF and the U.S. Department of

Justice alleging that the agencies’ interpretation of the Gun Control Act is unlawful. In their amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs’ claims, the AG coalition asserts that: Ghost guns are prohibited by federal law: The Gun Control Act requires “firearms” to include serial numbers and

purchasers of those weapons to pass a background check, among other requirements.

Specifically, the statute defines “firearm” as “any weapon which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projective by the action of an explosive” or “the frame or receiver of any such weapon.” This clearly describes the nearly assembled guns these companies are selling – unmarked, and with no required background checks.

Untraceable weapons threaten public safety: ATF’s unexplained interpretation emboldened the ghost gun industry and allowed it to rapidly expand across the country.

Ghost guns were virtually absent from many jurisdictions prior to the adoption of the new interpretation.

Now, according to a recent report, there are 80 online sellers of partially unfinished frames and receivers, and the increase in ghost gun sales is

readily apparent on the local level.

Ghost gun dealers are using the ATF’s rule to mislead consumers: Companies that sell ghost guns have pointed to the ATF’s rule to bolster their claim that they are selling a legal product, disregarding numerous state laws that specifically ban the sale of these firearms.

In filing the amicus brief on Thursday, Dec. 17, Rosenblum was joined by the attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Join the conversation.

Should there be tighter regulations against ghost guns? Post your comments with this story at thechiefnews.com.

Merkley calls for climate emergency declaration STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley is urging the incoming Biden administration to declare a national climate emergency, he said would unlock powerful tools to address the climate crisis.

Merkley outlined his recommendations in an op-ed published Dec. 21 by The Washington Post.

“Too many Americans are experiencing the wrath of climate-related disasters firsthand,” Merkley wrote.

“These disasters are killing our citizens, bankrupting businesses, endangering our national security and threatening to leave our children a world of growing scarcity and conflict. The climate crisis is an emergency, and Presidentelect Joe Biden needs to treat it that way. That means using every tool available to him, including declaring a national

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Sen. Jeff Merkley signs an autograph and meets with citizens during a previous Oregon town hall meeting.

climate emergency and using emergency powers to take unilateral executive action.”

According to Merkley, declaring climate chaos a national emergency under

the National Emergency Act (NEA) would unlock powers that would allow the United

States to take significant, concrete actions, regardless of congressional gridlock.

Specifically, the declaration would allow the president to redirect spending to build out renewable energy systems, help put large-scale clean transportation solutions in place, and finance distributed energy projects to boost climate resiliency. Each of these steps would help safeguard communities across America and slash the harmful pollution that continues to drive the climate crisis.

Merkley also explained in his op-ed that the Defense Protection Act (DPA) would help address the national security threats posed by our climate crisis and strengthen emergency preparedness in America by supporting the construction of resilient energy infrastructure and mobilizing domestic industry to ramp up the manufacturing of clean energy technologies. These are necessary steps to protect

Americans from the coming deluge of violent storms and extreme weather events on the horizon, and can also spawn a robust clean energy industry can generate millions of high-quality American jobs vital to rejuvenating our postCOVID economy, according to Merkley.

Over 500 environmental, health, faith and labor groups have also called for a climate emergency declaration. Earlier this month at the summit marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on every country to declare a climate emergency.

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change.

Merkley serves on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and is a member of the Senate Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the Environmental Justice Caucus.

Hoping you have a happy and safe

New Year’s

495 E Columbia River Highway Clatskanie, OR | 503-728-2163 www.clatskaniepud.com | www.facebook.com/clatskaniepud Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A4

www.thechiefnews.com

•

Friday, December 25, 2020

•V iewpoints • •

Legislators, Congress deliver relief BRAD WITT Chief Guest Column

It is a busy time as we approach the holidays, but we received some great news from Washington, D.C., as Congress approved $900 billion dollars in much needed Coronavirus relief.

Relief package The package includes $284 billion for another round of small business aid through the Payroll Protection Program, $300-per-week federal unemployment boost for 11 weeks, $600 stimulus checks for those making up to $75,000, more money for schools and hospitals and an extension of an eviction moratorium.

No one wants to exacerbate the housing crisis and put thousands of Oregonians out of their homes in the middle of winter, and that is why I joined other Oregon lawmakers on Monday to approve House Bill 4401 which extends the eviction moratorium and creates a $200 million fund to support small landlords and tenants.

Landlords can apply to the new landlord compensation fund, and receive money to cover some missed rental payments. However, they are required to forgive 20% of their tenants’ past-due rent.

While 80% repayment is helpful, it seems unlikely that landlords can maintain financial stability while giving up one-fifth of their income for an extended period of time.

That’s why I believe we need to make support for landlords a priority as we move forward in our efforts to provide relief for pandemic-related impacts.

HB 4402 We also approved HB 4402 to provide limited liability for schools, administrators and teachers that follow the pandemic-related directives and best practices.

The education of our children is vitally important, and for many that can best be accomplished in-person. But at the same time we need to safeguard the health of our students, faculty and staff members until the Coronavirus is under control.

Senate Bill 1801 will allow cocktails-to-go which should provide another funding stream for independent restaurant owners who are struggling to keep their doors open during these trying times.

Finally, the Legislature approved $600 million for additional COVID-19 and Wildfire recovery. This money will be distributed by the Legislative Emergency Board in the coming weeks.

Capitol protest In what the media has labelled an anti-shutdown protest by the far right, various militia followers, conspiracy ideologues, and Patriot Prayer adherents stormed our State Capitol during Monday’s Legislative Special Session.

• Donate to Habitat for Humanity Every month, my husband and I donate to Habitat for Humanity. We thought many other people did, but a Habitat worker reminded me recently of a surprising fact: we are among only four monthly donors in Columbia County.

RELIEF From Page A1

everything we can to get them back in our classrooms,” Brown said. “This pandemic has shown us the hard truth that in person instruction is so much more than what we take for its face value. School is where our kids connect with their community, it’s where many kids get meals and much needed support from caring adults.”

The bills passed by the Oregon legislature address housing, schools, restaurants and wildfire recovery.

Oregon bill summaries • House Bill 4401 extends the eviction moratorium through June 30 if renters can’t pay their rent due to the impacts of COVID-19. It also provides $150 million in funding to cover overdue rent payments and aid eligible renters from falling further behind and compensate landlords.

Several of the protestors brandished firearms while others wore body armor, gas masks or helmets and pepper-sprayed Oregon State Police Troopers who were trying to maintain order. I support the right of assembly and lawful protests, but it stretches the imagination to think that people who don protective gear, and arm themselves with firearms, metal pipes, pepper spray and other chemical weapons are attending a demonstration with good intentions.

As a result of the unlawful assembly four people were arrested and another person is being sought on various charges.

Looking ahead In the coming weeks, I will be working with other lawmakers, community leaders and constituents to prepare for the upcoming 2021 Legislative Session. Even when I’m not in Salem, I’m still working on issues that impact our lives. We check our messages daily, so if you have a comment, concern or need help with a state issue or agency, please contact my office. I look forward to hearing from you.

Rep. Brad Witt serves House District 31. He may be reached at: • Email: Rep.BradWitt@ oregonlegislature.gov • Telephone: 503-9861431 • 900 Court St NE, H-382, Salem, OR, 97301 • Website: www.oregonlegislature.gov/witt

•V oices

of

Weekly Online Poll

Last Week’s Results

Should there be tighter regulations against ghost guns?

Have you finished your Christmas shopping?

Yes

No

41% Yes

59% No

Vote online at thechiefnews.com

T he C ommunity • •

Habitat has helped many people in our community. It is known for building new homes for deserving people and their families, perhaps the only way some of these people will ever own a home.

Among other projects, Habitat also builds wheelchair ramps for the elderly and helps to rehabilitate homes.

We are told that we have been donors longer than any other family. Our commitment began not long

after the Columbia County organization began doing its work in 2001. We don’t give hundreds of dollars a month.

But over the years, we have donated almost $5,000.

Because of the pandemic, the Habitat Restore has lost a great deal of business and a number of volunteers like my husband and me. We are 72, prime coronavirus candidates, so we stick close to home and avoid most public contact.

At this point, our monthly donation is all we can give.

It’s not much, but it’s far better than nothing.

Many families now are struggling financially, but not everyone is. We have been financially careful and so we are okay. Other residents of Columbia County might feel the same.

I wish that other fortunate members of our community could become regular Habitat donors. If even 100 more

local families donated $20 a month, $24,000 more a year would be available to help people gain warm, safe quarters.

That small sum per family per month would also help make up for the loss of revenue from more normal sources like the Restore and fundraisers that we can’t have now because of the pandemic.

We’ve been at several Habitat housewarmings and

can testify that the mood is joyful and relaxed at these events because yet another deserving family is comfortably housed. And that’s reward enough for me.

It would be great if more members of the community joined us. Even donating a little bit each month could improve the homes and lives of our neighbors.

• House Bill 4402 provides temporary liability protections for schools complying with COVID-19 emergency rules, adding incentive for schools and school authorities to follow health directives. It also provides whistleblower protections to third-party contractors like bus drivers, custodians and food service providers.

• Senate Bill 1801 provides restaurant relief by allowing the sale and delivery of mixed drinks to-go if the drink is sold in a sealed container. It also puts a cap on fees charged by third-party delivery services, only allowing a 15% fee.

• Senate Bill 5731 includes $600 million to allow the state to fund pandemic-related programs and make up for the federal CARES Act funding that expires at the end of this year. It also provides more support for residents affected by this year’s wildfires, and $150 million for the Landlord Compensation Fund and $50 million for rental assistance, as seen in House Bill 4401.

Over two dozen states have adopted similar policies

allowing restaurants to provide to-go mixed drinks, as passed in Senate Bill 1801, to help restaurants recoup some of the loss of not allowing in-house service. Alcoholic drinks, like cocktails and wine, are where restaurants typically see their highest profit margins.

“Despite our success today, I’m frustrated that we couldn’t do more, including an extension of foreclosure protections that expire next week,” House Speaker Tina Kotek said in a release. “We need to do all we can to avoid the mistakes of the Great Recession and keep people housed. This means recognizing that income inequality has been magnified by the pandemic, especially for communities of color and low-income workers.”

Brown said the special session was called to provide more resources for residents who have made sacrifices to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“These funds are critical to protect Oregon families and small businesses,” Brown said in a release. “I am so glad

they took up critical, COVID19-related policy bills that will provide relief for tenants and landlords, extend the eviction moratorium and create avenues to support restaurants and bars.”

the vestibule area. There they were contacted by troopers and asked to leave. As troopers attempted to keep them from entering the main area of the capitol, the altercation became physical, which included pushing. A protester sprayed some kind of chemical irritant (mace /OC / bear spray) into the vestibule.

Troopers used inert pepper balls to keep the crowd back.

The pepper balls are essentially a paint ball filled with an inert powder. Salem Police officers were able to keep the crowd contained in the vestibule.

OSP troopers and Salem Police officers gave everyone in the vestibule several warnings to leave or they would be arrested for trespassing.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. a protester again sprayed a chemical irritant at police.

Police arrested Ryan Lyles, 41, for felon in possession of body armor and unlawful use of mace. Protesters also deployed a device, which emitted smoke during the engagement.

Two people remained in the vestibule and were ar-

rested, Ronald Vanvlack, 75, and Jerry Dyerson, 53, and charged with Criminal Trespass and Disorderly Conduct.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. the crowd again attempted to gain entry through a door on the west side of the Capitol. The window to the door was broken, but the building was not accessed.

Police arrested Jeremiah Pruitt, 35, for Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct.

Jeremy Roberts, 40, was also identified as a person that attempted to gain access through the west door and an attack on two reporters.

Troopers were attempting to locate Roberts and he was not currently in custody at the time of the OSP release.

All arrested were lodged at the Marion County Jail and charges will be referred to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office for consideration.

According to OSP, the third special session of the 80th legislative assembly was able to continue and conduct legislative business throughout the day.

The Chief

Protest Oregon State Police (OSP) declared an unlawful gathering during a protest Monday, at the capitol building in Salem, and arrests were made.

OSP issued the following release concerning the protest.

On Monday, at approximately 8:30 a.m. a group of people attempted to enter and protest inside the Oregon State Capitol, which is closed due to COVID precautions.

The Capitol had set up televisions outside of the building for people to monitor the proceedings inside.

Oregon State Police troopers had checked and secured the doors to the capitol building. A door on the northwest corner of the building was opened by a person exiting the building.

Several protesters entered

The Chief (USPS 116-360) is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. 1805 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens, OR 97051

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chief PO Box 1153, St. Helens, OR 97053

Martha W. Sipe St. Helens

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 month in/out county: $8 One year in county: $60 One year out of county: $80

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

Editorial policy: Opinions expressed on this page are independent of The Chief views and are solely those of the writers expressing them.

Letters policy: This newspaper’s letters to the editor are limited to a maximum of 250 words and will be edited for grammar, spelling and blatant inaccuracies. Unsubstantiated or irresponsible allegations, or personal attacks on any individual, will not be published. Letters containing details presented as facts rather than opinions must include their sources. Writers are limited to one published letter per month. All submissions must include the author’s full name, local street address and telephone number (only the name and city of residence will be published). By submitting a letter, writers also grant permission for them to be posted online. Opinions expressed on this page are the writer’s alone and do not represent the opinion of the newspaper or its parent company, Country Media, Inc.

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

A5

COVID-19 fraud alert STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

These empty crab pots sit idle until the commercial crabbing season begins from Cape Falcon to the Washington border along the North Oregon coast.

North coast crab season delayed STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season from Cape Falcon northward to the Washington border is further delayed until at least mid-January, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).

The area, which stretches along the North Oregon coast at Nehalem to Washington, will remain closed to commercial crabbing to coordinate an orderly start with the Washington coastal Dungeness crab fishery.

Results from recent domoic acid testing of crab viscera (guts) conducted by the state of Washington continue to be elevated, and Washington delayed their coastal fishery until further testing is conducted. The rest of the Oregon coast opened to commercial crabbing on Dec. 16.

All crab tested from all Oregon’s crab harvest areas have been well below alert levels and all Oregon crab product on the market is safe to eat. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) will continue to regularly test crab and shellfish to ensure

levels in all areas remain below alert levels.

For more information about Oregon’s shellfish marine biotoxin monitoring, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448‐2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page.

Commercial Dungeness crab is Oregon’s most valuable fishery. The 2019 season opening was delayed to Dec. 31 and still brought in the second highest ex-vessel value ever ($72.7 million) with just under 20 million pounds landed, about 12 percent above the 10-year average.

Rainier School District outlines PETERSEN ETERSEN CLARKE LARKE P C salary range for superintendent AA tt tt oo rr nn ee yy ss LLC LLC

STAFF REPORT (503) 556-4120 556-4120 (503) chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Columbia County’s Premier Premier Columbia The Rainier School Dis- County’s trict is continuing contract Personal Injury Injury Attorneys Attorneys Personal negotiations with LInterim sedd in in OOrreego gonn && W Waash shin ingto gtonn L i icceennse Superintendent Joseph Hattrick to move him permanent superintendent.

The board voted in October to begin negotiations with Hattrick and offer him the position instead of seeking a nationwide search for a new superintendent. Hattrick Courtesy photo was hired as the interim ETERSEN LARKE LLC ETERSEN LARKE Interim SuperintendentLLC Joseph superintendent following the Hattrick came to the Rainier A t t o r n e y s A t t o r n e y s departure of the district’s School District in June of this former superintendent, Mi- 556-4120 (503) (503) 556-4120 year. In October the board voted chael Carter, who left to take a position in the Lake County to offer him the permanent positions and•Wrongful contract negotiations Accidents •Personal Injury •Wrongful Death Accidents •Personal Death School District after 17 years Injury are ongoing. in Rainier.

The board discussed No Fee Fee Until Until Recovery Recovery A few different camps No salary ranges to negotiate emerged within the board gonn && W Wabout shin ingto gto OOrree14 go aash nn salary range with Hattrick at its Dec. what meeting. Board chair Kari should be presented to HatFREE INITIAL CONSULTATION FREE CONSULTATION Hollander and boardINITIAL memtrick, based on the former bers Darren Vaughn and Rod superintendents salary, other Harding are the committee superintendent salaries in handling ongoing contract the state and the district’s negotiations with Hattrick. finances. The board passed

P P

C C

a motion to present Hattrick with an annual salary range of $140,000 to $150,000.

For comparison, former Superintendent Carter had an annual salary of $147,000.

The district outlines the position to have 260 working days a year, but board chair Hollander acknowledged that the work day often exceeds the standard eight hours worked at other jobs.

“You get what you pay for,” she said.

The lower salary range suggestions hovered around $125,000 a year and the highest suggestion capped at $155,000 a year.

Contract negotiations between the board committee and Hattrick are ongoing.

Other board business included the addendum to the student handbook concerning distance learning guidelines, the acceptance of the proposed budget calendar and the declaration of a vacancy on the budget committee.

The next board meeting in January.

PETERSEN ETERSEN CLARKE LARKE P C Stephen D. Petersen Petersen llc Stephen D. llc A tt tt oo rr nn ee yy ss Aattorney attorney

LLC LLC

(503) 556-4120 556-4120 (503) Specializing in in Accident Accident Injuries Injuries Specializing gonn && W Waash shin ingto gtonn IInn OOrreego

Property & Casualty Services Your Local Independent Insurance Agency

503-397-0714 Call us for ALL of your insurance needs!

Auto • SR-22’s • Home Renters • Business Trucking • Bonds Worker’s Comp

The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are warning the public about several emerging fraud schemes related to COVID-19 vaccines.

The three agencies have received complaints of scammers using the public’s interest in COVID-19 vaccines to obtain personally identifiable information and money through various schemes. The agencies said they continue to work diligently with law enforcement partners and the private sector to identify cyber threats and fraud in all forms.

The public should be aware of the following potential indicators of fraudulent activity: • Advertisements or offers for early access to a vaccine upon payment of a deposit or fee • Requests asking you to pay out of pocket to obtain the vaccine or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list • Offers to undergo additional medical testing or procedures when obtaining a vaccine • Marketers offering to sell and/or ship doses of a vaccine, domestically or internationally, in exchange for payment of a deposit or fee • Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or personal contact from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company, or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal and/or medical information to determine recipients’ eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine

Courtesy photo

Federal agencies have received complaints of scammers using the public’s interest in COVID-19 vaccines to obtain personally identifiable information and money through various schemes.

trials or obtain the vaccine • Claims of FDA approval for a vaccine that cannot be verified • Advertisements for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources • Individuals contacting you in person, by phone, or by email to tell you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine Tips to avoid COVID-19 vaccine-related fraud: • Consult your state’s health department website for up-to-date information about authorized vaccine distribution channels and only obtaining a vaccine through such channels.

• Check the FDA’s website (fda.gov) for current information about vaccine emergency use authorizations.

• Consult your primary care physician before undergoing any vaccination.

• Don’t share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and

trusted medical professionals.

• Check your medical bills and insurance explanation of benefits for any suspicious claims and promptly reporting any errors to your health insurance provider.

• Follow guidance and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other trusted medical professionals.

General online/cyber fraud prevention techniques: • Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites, and email addresses that look trustworthy but may be imitations of legitimate websites.

• Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.

• Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.

• Do not enable macros on documents downloaded from an email unless necessary and after ensuring the file is not malicious.

• Do not communicate with or open emails, attachments, or links from unknown individuals.

• Never provide personal information of any sort via email; be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate.

• Use strong two-factor authentication if possible, using biometrics, hardware tokens, or authentication apps.

• Disable or remove unneeded software applications.

If you believe you have been the victim of a COVID-19 fraud, immediately report it to the FBI (ic3.gov, tips.fbi.gov, or 1-800-CALLFBI) or HHS OIG (tips.hhs. gov or 1-800-HHS-TIPS).

Returning to historic splendor STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

A new set of doors at the front entrance of the courthouse, at 230 Strand St., have been installed marking the building’s original historic splendor.

The installation follows a two-year discussion when Columbia County Director of General Services Casey Garrett had local Bob Ekstrom of The Door Works, come to look at the aluminum doors that had been in place at the courthouse for some time, but did not fit the building aesthetically.

“We thought, ‘Why don’t we just get rid of this stuff that’s really inappropriate for the building and get the doors back on here that are more historically accurate?’” Ekstrom said.

They then tapped local builder Jim Mask, of Storyline Fabrication, and with the help of the Columbia County Historical Society and Museum Association, set about determining what the original courthouse doors would have looked like when the building was first constructed. According to Garrett, the museum unearthed some old photos to send to Mask so he could get started on the designs.

“We couldn’t tell from the pictures if the doors were made from fir or oak, so we actually went and looked at some of the older buildings that were original around town and found that oak was not abnormal,” Garrett said. “It’s a much stronger material, so we decided to go with the oak.”

Mask and Esktrom said they mimicked the old photos to the best of their ability.

They wanted to ensure the hardware looked as close to the photos as possible, and Mask was able to locate door handles from a building in

971-340-8660 WWW.BRIBECKTRAVEL.COM

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

May your holidays be joyous and filled with love. Best wishes for a bright future in 2021!

BECKI BOZART CRUISE PLANNERS “COLUMBIA COUNTY’S TRAVEL ADVISOR”

Photo courtesy of Columbia County

Columbia County Director of General Services Casey Garrett, Jim Mask of Storyline Fabrication, and Bob Ekstrom of The Door Works, stand in front of the newly refurbished Columbia County courthouse doors constructed from white oak.

Portland constructed during the same time period. Additionally, the shelf on the door and the weather strips on the front are from a tree Mask cut down himself.

“The current requirements for security and access control, you know, the fob card and the door locks release electronically – that all had to be set into the door pretty much to the ultimate capacity of what the door even allowed,” Mask said. “So, we have something that looks like it’s back in 1906 and works for 2020 with access control. They’re pretty high-end locks.”

Mask said he’d visited the building six or seven years prior and thought the doors didn’t fit the building and it had been bothering him ever since. So, the endeavor became a true passion project for each of them. Mask and Ekstrom donated all of the man-hours they contributed to the project, and Ekstrom was able to spec out the hardware so that the county didn’t have to pay a markup, which Garrett said saved the county thousands of dollars.

“They’re highly skilled craftsmen” Garrett said. “The main cost was the technology

for the locks. There are four magnets now that keep the door locked, and when you walk down the stairs, a censor recognizes you and unlocks the door.”

Garrett said when the county returns to normal operating hours, the doors are designed to automatically lock and unlock for business hours.

The project became a passion for Ekstrom and Mask.

“We live in Columbia County, and we think the county should have first-rate everything and those doors were definitely not first-rate,” the two said. “Now things are as good as we can see they should be.”

In the future, Garrett said there are more plans to restore the Columbia County Courthouse to a more authentic, historically accurate design. The next project will be to open the original ceiling back up in the main lobby of the courthouse, where the original millwork will be restored to look as it did when the building was first constructed.

Follow the courthouse projects at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

Clatskanie Mini Storage

Hoarder’s Paradise!

20 sizes, Inexpensive RV Storage, Hand trucks, Locks, Fully-lined, Insulated, Condensation free, all units lit. On-site Manager

503 728-2051 503 369-6503 Visa/MC/Amex

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A6

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

Marketplace

It’s easy to place a classified ad in The Chief.

Just call 503.397.0116

Listings are updated daily at www.thechiefnews.com 150

502

Misc Services

Help Wanted

Paul’s Tree Service Inc. No bush too small, no tree to tall- Call Paul! Specialized in danger trees, take downs, storm clean-up.

Time to prune- pruning Lace Leafed Maples & ornamental shrubberies, chipping, senior or veterans discount, free estimates.

CCB# 217173 Lic., Bonded & Insured.

503-440-0723 or 503-543-8274

on our website at www.columbia911. com/careers or by calling 503-3666978. Online applications will be accepted until 11:45pm on December 31st, 2020.

At Berry, we are committed to our mission of ‘Always Advancing to Protect What’s Important.’ With $13 billion in revenue, we are a leading global supplier of a broad range of innovative nonwoven, flexible, and rigid products used every day within consumer and industrial end markets.

We operate over 290 manufacturing facilities worldwide, on six continents, and employ over 48,000 individuals.

Are you looking for an inclusive organization with a fast-paced environment?

We work with many of the world’s leading brands to bring them value-added protection solutions. We foster an environment of team players who embrace our strong ties to the communities in which we work and serve. Become part of a place where your work is valued. Join our growing team today.

860

Storage

NEW HIRES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A $300.00 SIGN-ON BONUS

CLATSKANIE Mini Storage

We are currently seeking individuals for:

502

Help Wanted

9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for fulltime Dispatchers (Communications Specialists). Additional information and job description can be found

Advertise with Hoarder’s Paradise!

20 sizes, Inexpensive RV Storage, Carports, Hand trucks, Locks, Fully-lined, Insulated, Condensation free, all units lit. On-site Manager

503 728-2051 503 369-6503 Visa/MC/Amex

The Chief

Reach out to potential customers. Get your ad in the paper today.

Call 503-397-0116

PACKER HANDLER (entry level) - No Experience Required MOLDING TECHNICIAN - Mechanical Exp. Required & Leadership Exp. Preferred MAINTENANCE MECHANIC – Previous Exp. Required with Pneumatics, Hydraulic, Electrical, Electronic Technologies, HMIs and PLCs QUALITY ASSURANCE TECH – Previous quality exp. preferred APPLY AT: www.berryglobal.com/careers

Read the news online

The Chief 1805 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens www.thechiefnews.com 503-397-0116

Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC20-1351

BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON In the Matter of the Application by the Port of Columbia County for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Zone Change and Goal 3 Exception to Reclassify and Rezone Property from Primary Agriculture (PA-80) to Resource Industrial Planned Development (RIPD) for an 837 Acre Expansion of Port Westward on Remand from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

NOTICE OF REVISED SCHEDULE FOR REMAND PROCEEDINGS (PUBLICATION) 1. Notice is hereby given the Board of County Commissioners (the “Board”) has revised the schedule for remand proceedings in this matter.

2. The Board will conduct remand proceedings on the Port of Columbia County’s application for a Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment, Zone Change and an Exception to Statewide Planning Goal 3 for an 837-acre expansion of the Port Westward

Rural Industrial Area (Port Westward) (see County File No. PA 13-02 and ZC1301). The subject property is located at the Port Westward Industrial Site in Clatskanie, Oregon. It is identified in the County Assessor’s records as Tax Map Nos. 8N4W1600500; 8N4W2000 200, 300; 8N4W2100300, 301, 400, 500, 600; 8N4W2200400, 500, 600, 700; 8N4W2300900; and 8N4W23B0400, 500, 600, 700. 3. The applicant seeks to change the Comprehensive Plan Map designation of the expansion area from Agricultural Resource to Resource Industrial and to change the zoning from Primary Agriculture (PA80) to Resource Industrial Planning Development (RIPD). An exception to Goal 3, which provides for the preservation of agricultural lands, is required to change the Comprehensive Plan designation from an agricultural use to an industrial use. The County approved the Port’s original

application in 2014. The County’s decision on the Port’s original application was appealed to LUBA, which affirmed parts of the decision and remanded others (see LUBA Final Order 2014-17/18). In response to the remand, the Port modified its application.

The County approved the modified application in 2018 (see Ordinance No. 2018-1).

The County’s decision on the modified application was appealed to LUBA, which affirmed parts of the decision and remanded on a single issue (see LUBA Final Order 2018-020). LUBA remanded Ordinance No. 2018-1 for the County to “adopt more adequate findings, supported by substantial evidence, regarding the compliance with the requirement of OAR 660-004-0020(2)(d).” 4.

The purpose of this remand proceeding is for the County to determine whether the proposed uses are compatible with other adjacent uses or will be so rendered through measures designed to reduce

CC20-1352

adverse impacts pursuant to OAR 660-004-0020(2)(d). 5.

Written evidence, arguments and testimony shall be limited to the single issue of whether the proposed uses are “compatible with other adjacent uses or will be so rendered through measures designed to reduce adverse impacts” pursuant OAR 660-004-0020(2)(d).

Any evidence, argument or testimony not related to this issue will be rejected and not entered into the record.

6. The Board has extended the period for submission of written evidence, arguments and testimony, as follows: a.

The open comment period for interested parties to submit written evidence, arguments and testimony is extended to January 27, 2021. b. Interested parties may submit written evidence, arguments and testimony in rebuttal of evidence beginning January 28, 2021 and submitted no later than February 17, 2021. c. Unless waived by the applicant, the applicant shall have until

March 3, 2021 to submit final written arguments in support of the application. 7.

All evidence, argument and testimony must be submitted to the Board of County Commissioners’ Office, Room 338, 230 Strand Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 or by email to Jacyn Normine by email at jacyn. normine@columbiacountyor. gov on or before the applicable deadline identified in paragraph 6, above. 8. Failure to raise an issue accompanied by statements or evidence sufficient to afford the Board and the parties an opportunity to respond to the issue precludes appeal to LUBA based on that issue.

9. Failure of the applicant to raise constitutional or other issues relating to proposed conditions of approval with sufficient specificity to allow the Board to respond to the issue precludes an action for damages in circuit court. 10.

The staff report is available at this time. 11. A copy of the staff report, applicable

criteria, applicant’s request for remand proceeding and compatibility study, and written materials will be available for inspection at no cost. Copies of these materials will be provided at a reasonable cost upon request. Additional information about this application may be obtained from Jacyn Normine at (503) 397-4322 ext. 8400.

12. Following the period for the applicant to submit final arguments, the Board will schedule a meeting to deliberate towards a decision. The Board may announce a tentative decision at the meeting or carry over the matter for consideration to a later date. The decision will not be considered final until it is put in writing and notice of the decision is sent out to all of the parties to the proceeding. Dated this 18th day of December, 2020.

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON. By Alex Tardif, Chair.

CC20-1350

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of NEVA JUNE WIESSENFLUH, Deceased. No. 20PB08310 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS. NOTICE IS HERERBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate.

All persons having claims

against the estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the personal representative at P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain

additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published December 25, 2020. Steven Weissenfluh, Personal Representative.

STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C. Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of BONNIE ENBUSK, Deceased. No. 20PB08416 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate.

All persons having claims

against the estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the personal representative at P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain

additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative or the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published December 18, 2020. Yvonne A. Hogan, Personal Representative.

STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C. Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

•Christmas Church services 2020••

• CLATSKANIE

Clatskanie Baptist Church 415 South Nehalem Street 6 p.m. & 6:45 p.m. Christmas Eve Service Live and online 503-728-2304 Senior Pastor Kirk Bennett Clatskanie Presbyterian Church 215 South Nehalem Street Phone: 503-728-2300 Faith Lutheran Church 1010 N.E. Fifth Street 7 p.m. Christmas Worship Call Church for Zoom link

503-728-4604 Pastor Mary Anthony Mayger-Downing Community Church 80071 Life Lane 503-728-2305 Pastor John Thomas St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 100 SW High Street 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Vigil Mass Sign up needed. Please call Kathy at 503-728-3149 Masks required.

503-556-5641

RAINIER

Alston’s Corner Assembly of God 25272 Alston Road 10:30 a.m. Candlelight Christmas Service on Sun., Dec. 20 503-556-1961 Pastor Steve Berry Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary 204 C Street E 10 a.m. Christmas morning Mass Sign up needed. Please call Ron at 503-396-1212 Masks required.

503-556-5641

Rainier Assembly of God 74950 Rock Crest Street 503-556-8211 Pastor Jeff McCraken Rainier Community Church of God 321 W C Street 503-556-5661 Pastor Allison Rainier United Methodist Church Corner of 1st & ‘C’ Street 503-556-3440 Pastor Michele Holloway Riverside Community Church 305 West C Street 6 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight

Service 503-556-1216 Pastor Paul Rice Columbia Bible Church 407 East Second Street 360-501-4060 10:30 a.m. Sundays Heritage Bible Church Rainier Senior Center 48 W 7th Street

GOBLE

Cornerstone Baptist Church 70024 Goble Road 360-562-6201 Pastor Fred Mathews

VERNONIA

Nehalem Valley Bible Church 500 North Street 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service 503-429-5378 Pastor Gary Taylor Vernonia Christian Church 410 North Street 503-429-6522 Pastor Sam Hough St. Mary’s Catholic Church 960 Missouri Avenue 503-429-8841 Father Dale Waddil Father Luan Tran

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

A7

Vaccine distribution underway MAX KIRKENDALL

newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net

MONIQUE MERRILL

chronicle2@countrymedia.net

Oregon exceeded 100,000 cases of COVID-19 and recorded over 1,300 virusrelated deaths. Despite the consistent increase, Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) remain optimistic the coronavirus spread is slowing.

During a press conference Tuesday, Brown was joined

by OHA Director Pat Allen to update Oregonians on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, financial relief and more.

“It’s really, really tough to be heading into a time where traditional celebrations are once again hindered by the virus,” Brown said.

“Every single family that has lost a loved one to this virus and every Oregonian that has suffered emotionally, financially or physically from COVID-19, I want you to know that you are in my thoughts.”

Brown said there is light at the end of the tunnel, however, and nearly 4,500 healthcare workers in Oregon have received the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Oregon received the full 35,100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine allocated by the federal government and distributed doses to 16 hospitals across the state last week.

“I’m grateful for the healthcare workers who have been heroes throughout this pandemic,” Allen said. “It’s fitting, truly, that they are the ones among the first to be vaccinated who will light the path for all of us to follow out of this dark terrible forest that is the coronavirus pandemic.”

This week the state received less than the amount

of doses than it was expecting. Brown tweeted on Dec. 17 that the state’s allocation of does for the week of Dec. 20-27 had been cut by about 40%.

Jonathan Modie, lead communications officer for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), said it was because the CDC provided states with allocation numbers in advance of the actual doses being made available to them by manufacturers. The initial numbers given to the state on how many doses to expect were always subject to change, he said, and this week’s allocation was adjusted to “ensure consistent availability of vaccine.”

Modie said it is important to understand the numbers can change at any time.

“The reduction in this week’s Pfizer allocation is proof of the volatility of these data,” he said. “That said, even with the reduction, if estimated allocations for Oregon are received, we expect health systems in Oregon will have a sufficient amount of vaccine to provide first doses to more than 100,00 health care workers and longterm care facility residents by the end of the month.”

Moderna vaccine The Moderna vaccine was granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Friday, Dec. 18 allowing it to be distributed and used in the U.S. The vaccine was also reviewed by the Western States Scientific Review Workgroup on Dec. 19, which concluded that the vaccine is safe and efficacious, according to a release from the governor’s office.

The workgroup is made up of scientists with expertise

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced that 4,475 health care workers had been vaccinated in the first week of the state’s COVID-19 immunization program.

in immunization and public health.

“After thorough scientific review, here is what the doctors and health experts have told us: the Moderna vaccine is safe. It is effective. And, it gives us the ability to reach communities across rural Oregon and the west that don’t have easy access to cold storage,” Brown said in a statement released on Dec. 20. “This last week has made clear that we also need accurate information from our federal partners about vaccine distribution.

With these first vaccinations comes a great sense of hope,

but we still have a long road ahead before we’re out of this pandemic.”

An issue with distributing the Pfizer vaccine is that it must be stored in ultracold temperatures (-94) and not every facility is equipped to store it. The Moderna vaccine only requires standard freezer temperatures to be stored. Allen said this gives the state an advantage to distribute the Moderna vaccine easier, especially to more rural areas.

Over 12,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine arrived in Oregon this week and the state is expecting an

additional 25,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Later in the week, Allen said over 72,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine are due to arrive in Oregon.

By the end of the month, OHA expects to have received over 92,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 97,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine. However, Allen said these allocations are often ever-changing due to supply and demand across the United States.

“That means we have to be prepared for months of limited supplies and the need to prioritize who gets the vaccine and when,” Allen said.

Oregon has also begun administering the vaccine to residents and staff of longterm care facilities. OHA reported that 10,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been distributed so far statewide as Brown noted the care facilities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic.

“It feels really good to be able to start these vaccinations with the hope that these folks can reunite with their families once again and feel safe from the virus soon,” Brown said.

Brown also noted that daily case counts have tapered off a bit lately. The state is attributing some the decrease to the two-week freeze and additional safety restrictions that Brown said “blunted the virus surge.”

“Thanks to the decisions you, and the majority of Oregonians continue to make, we are slowing the spread of this disease,” Brown said. “While our case counts are still up, we are avoiding many worse case scenarios. This is proof that we determine how the next few months play out while we work to swiftly distribute the COVID vaccine far and

wide across the state.”

Both Brown and Allen encouraged Oregonians to continue following safety guidelines and to rethink their Christmas and New Year’s Eve plans.

“Don’t let the memories of this holiday turn into painful regrets because of a careless gathering that led to a tragic outbreak,” Allen said. “We can enjoy each other’s company without being in each other’s presence. We can celebrate the season together in different locations. We can show we care about one another be keeping each other safe and healthy.”

Cases in the county From Dec. 9-16, there were 73 new COVID-19 cases reported in Columbia County. Of those 73, all but four were confirmed with testing and the remainder were presumptive cases. A case is presumed when the person presents COVID19-like symptoms and has had close contact with a confirmed case.

There were 74 people considered currently infectious in the county as of Dec. 16, meaning it has been less than 10 days since the onset of symptoms. During the week from Dec. 9-16, there were also eight new hospitalizations, according to data from the Columbia County Public Health Department.

As of Tuesday, the number of cumulative cases in the county totaled 766 with a death toll of 10. Across the state, the total number of cases was 105,073 and death toll was 1,382.

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

Clatskanie Grows: Seeds, hero of Bordeaux CHIP BUBL Chief Guest Column

Vegetable seeds in 2021

The Pandemic has taught us a lot but at a terrific cost in lives and economic stability. When the first shutdown came in mid-March, there was panic buying of staples like toilet paper, flour, sugar, meat, and beans. Soon it became clear that supply chains for almost everything that wasn’t digital were under stress. Meat prices spiked as packing plants slowed or had to close as their labor force got COVID. In response, farmers killed hogs and chickens because they couldn’t sell them and they cost too much to feed.

By early April, people started to become seriously concerned about food. Many decided that, with more time on their hands and room for a garden, this was the year to get serious about home grown and preserved food. Almost overnight, vegetable seeds disappeared from most stores. The stores found that they couldn’t restock because there were more important items to be transported. That amplified the perception that this was a serious crisis. Vegetable starts disappeared equally fast. And again, nursery businesses were unable to get more seeds to quickly grow extra starts.

But eventually many gardens got planted. It turned

out to be a relatively good gardening year. Parts of May and early June were a cooler than was good for peppers and tomatoes but ultimately, harvests were abundant.

So, what about seed supply for 2021? After talking to people in the vegetable seed industry, seed should be plentiful this year. Transportation infrastructure is back up. The U. S. Postal Service is rapidly recovering from the holiday rush. That said, ordering seed early will ensure you get your first choice of the vegetable varieties you want. Seed catalogs for 2021 are either out or will be out soon. Almost all are online. It is time to think about what you want to grow more of or less of and what new crops and/or varieties you might like to try.

If you have seed left over from last year, put them in the refrigerator (in a tightly closed container so they stay really dry) or freezer. That will prolong their value by slowing their loss of vigor.

But don’t use seed that is more than two years old if it hasn’t been stored cold. It may germinate but the vigor of the seedling won’t be as good as it should be.

You might think about saving some seeds from your 2021 garden. Tomatoes, peppers, green beans, peas, and lettuce are easy to save, assuming that the variety you grew wasn’t a hybrid (check the seed packet or go on line to be sure). Chard, beets, and spinach can be saved if they aren’t blooming at the same time. The cabbage family is a challenge since many types can readily cross with each other. Same with winter squash.

But if you do get in the seed saving mode and there was another seed shortage, you would at least have the basics of a good garden already.

Underutilized native plants

Some years ago, the Digger, the magazine of the Oregon Association of Nurseries polled its members about which native plants deserved wider planting. I think the list still holds.

The following were their selections: Bulbs: Iris tenax (Oregon Iris) – grows 12-14 inches tall with purple flowers with yellow and

Clatskanie Grows white accents.

Lilium parryi (Lemon lily)native to California but does very well in the planted landscape in the Pacific Northwest. Bright yellow and fragrant flowers.

Perennials: Asarum caudatum (wild ginger)- can function nicely as a shade ground cover. Evergreen heart-shaped foliage and very exotic flowers in the spring. Tellima grandi-

The Chief ONLINE

flora (fringe cups) – another shade-loving evergreen ground cover with small urn-shaped white flowers that extend above the foliage. Tiarella trifoliata (foam flower) – not evergreen but a pretty ground cover in the shade with interesting leaf variations.

Shrubs: Philadelphus lewsii (mock orange).

Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub 4-10 feet tall with highly scented white flowers (see picture). Holodiscus discolor (oceanspray).

Deciduous 4-8 foot multistemmed shrub that is common on drier sites in the St. Helens area and tolerates a mix of sun and shade with nice panicles of flowers in mid-summer. Symphoricarpos albus (snowberry) – maybe it is too common in the wild but it grows 3-4 feet in most settings with tiny flowers and large

DESKTOP COMPUTERS • MOBILE • TABLETS

white longlasting berries. Deciduous. Physiocarpus capitatus (ninebark) -hardy deciduous shrub with peeling bark and both green and purple leaf forms. There have been some disease issues with the purple forms.

Trees: Pinus ponderosa – Ponderosa pine. Maybe more adapted than Douglas fir and tolerant of many soil types.

The hero of Bordeaux

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/ or farm questions, please contact Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503397-3462 or at chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu.

Free newsletter

The most famous fungicide in the world is the Bordeaux mixture. It was discovered when a French botanist in the late 1880’s noticed that certain grape vines weren’t suffering from powdery mildew, a devastating disease of wine grapes. He questioned the farmer and was told that the grapes, which had a bluish tinge on their leaves, had been sprayed with a mixture of copper sulfate (“bluestone”) and lime to cut down on fruit pilfering that, apparently, was a problem in his neighborhood.

The copper in the mix was toxic to downy mildew and the lime helped hold it on the vine and also reduce any chance of copper toxicity to the leaves. The Bordeaux mix is still an excellent fungicide and bactericide and is considered an “organic” spray. Peach tree certainly benefit from such a spray this month and the next. If you don’t want to mix your own (bluestone can be hard to find) fixed copper sprays like “Microcop” and others will work reasonably well.

Millardet has a statue in his honor in a park in Bordeaux, France. He was a great scientist and one of the first plant pathologists.

And he became a hero to all those that enjoy wine.

The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you.

Call 503-397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at extension.oregonstate. edu/columbia and click on newsletters.

Many Extension publications available online Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting grapes? OSU has a large number of its publications available for free download. Just go to catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu. Click on publications and start exploring.

The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

Contact information • Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County • Address: 505 N. Columbia River Highway St. Helens, OR 97051 • Phone: 503-397-3462 • Email: chip.bubl@ oregonstate.edu

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 503.397-0116 www.thechiefnews.com Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A8

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

The Chief presents a year in photos 2020 Moving forward together The Chief has compiled a selection of photos taken throughout the year to give our readers a chance to look back and reflect on 2020. Despite a year mostly defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbia County and the many communities within it, found ways to celebrate the big and small and move forward together.

CERT in Clatskanie - Jan. 31

In the event of an earthquake, flood or other natural disaster, Clatskanie residents can look toward members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for guidance. The volunteer team attends trainings to assist after first-responders are called upon during emergencies.

Valentines for veterans - Jan. 24

Volunteers Carla Bodenhamer, Sharon Brown and Mary Ann Shaw displayed the valentines they made for Columbia County veterans at a special craft night at the Scappoose Senior Center.

High school lockdown - Feb. 14

Library storytime - Feb. 7

Clatskanie Public Library employee Becky White read to children during a story time reading event at the library on Feb. 5. The children also made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for themselves as the craft time.

State victory - March 13

Tensions and fear escalated twice during this week in February at Clatskanie Middle/High School following two separate threats written on a school bathroom wall. Principal Jim Helmen announced a school lockdown in response to the threat and Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene about 45 minutes later. Earlier in the week, the school issued a lockout when other threats were discovered.

Umpqua Bank volunteers - Feb. 21

The Clatskanie Middle/High School girls varsity basketball team stood proud with a large image of the Oregon School Activities Association State 3A bracket of their path to victory after winning the Class 3A state championship game against Sutherlin March 3. The celebration for the team had to be postponed due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic.

Hose down - March 27

Schools remain closed - April 10

Kid birthday procession - April 17

A fire engine training exercise shot streams up water high into the air at the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District station in March. The exercise was for the district’s new engine acquired in 2019 and tested the pressure of the water flow in the hoses and truck.

matter where you live rill or No spend the holidays, we hope

&G b u P s in’

Colv

Teachers and staff at CMHS carried containers full of distance learning materials onto school buses to be distributed to students when the statewide school closure was extended through June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley launched a program to help celebrate local children’s birthdays (ages 3-13) during the pandemic in the form of processions. Tristan Pomazal waved to the sheriff deputies during a procession for his 10th birthday.

May your Holidays be Merry & Bright.

We’re proud to serve this community and are grateful

Wishing you a very merry holiday season from the staff at

Colvin’s Pub & Grill

Merry Christmas our ys from y a d li o H Happy

ike Road 29191 D ros.com vinb www.tee .0410 503.556

1620 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 | (503) 397-0123

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

t..

friends a

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

A9

The Chief presents a year in photos 2020

Businesses prepare to reopen - May 15

An employee with gloves and a facial covering checked a pizza at the Clatskanie Fultano’s, which had been only been offering take-out since the pandemic hit the state. Fultano’s Pizza owner Toby Harris said the Clatskanie location was already geared toward delivery and pick-up and wasn’t as severely impacted as other restaurants or the Scappoose location.

Pumped for retirement - May 29

After 29 years of service, 87-year-old gas attendant Howard Hummer retired from the Chevron in Rainier on May 29. Longtime customers wished Hummer well on his last week at work, and the gas station’s marquee was changed to a message wishing him well and celebrating his service.

Live burn exercise - June 4

Clatskanie and Knappa fire district crews got up close and personal training during a live fire exercise May 31. An older, vacant house along Beaver Creek Road was used for the burn-to-learn and crews spent six hours reviewing lessons before engulfing the home in flames.

Rodeo parade - July 17 Graduation 2020 - June 12

A Clatskanie senior walks down the red carpet placed in front of the high school for the 2020 graduation ceremonies adjusted due to the pandemic health concerns.

Hump’s still empty - Aug. 28

2020 Columbia County Fair and Rodeo Queen Jessica Lincoln smiled while participating in the Rainier Days Parade on July 11. Dozens of others in decorated vehicles and on foot took part in the modified parade that raveled down the east hills of Rainier to the waterfront park. Spectators gathered along the street with facial coverings to view the event.

Fairground shelters evacuees - Sept. 18

Tents were set up at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in St. Helens to shelter people forced out of their homes from regional wildfires.

Clatskanie Mural Project - July 30

Volunteer artists painted a large mural along the west wall of the former Hazen Hardware store in downtown Clatskanie in July. The mural, ‘Homeward Bound,’ is the creation of Seaside artist Mark Kenny and features Chinook salmon swimming up river to spawn.

Back in the game - Sept. 25

The combined Clatskanie Middle/High School and Rainier Jr/Sr girls soccer team gathered to stretch and run practice as part of the limited student conditioning allowed under the state’s pandemic health and safety guidelines on Sept. 23.

Seasons Greetings

From home to home and heart to heart, we at Berry, wish you a Merry Christmas.

Located on Rock Quarry Way off of Hwy. 30 just North of Tide Cr. Rd. 503-397-5180•customerservicetca@gmail.com

SCAPPOOSE Sand & Gravel Co.

P.O. Box AF • 33485 E. Crown Zellerbach Rd. Scappoose, OR 97056 Phone: (503) 543-8821 • FAX: (503) 543-7997 Email: scappoosesg@centurylink.net

www.scappoosesandandgravel.com

START YOUR NEW CAREER in MANUFACTURING! Visit www.berryglobal.com to apply.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Columbia County’s trusted local news source

A10

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, December 25, 2020

The Chief presents a year in photos 2020

History’s future - Oct. 29

Library reopens - Oct. 23

Abby Sullivan was one of the first people welcomed through the doors of the Clatskanie Public Library when it reopened on an appointmentonly basis Oct 19. The facility had closed March 11 as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across Oregon. The library removed seating, added hand sanitizer stations, sneeze guards and other protective features.

Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole took a photo marking the first step of the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum expansion project on Oct. 28.

Museum President Kay Heflin and Vice President Duane Bernard held a sign at the site of the new museum headquarters on West A Street to commemorate the day. The museum has most recently operated out of a room at the Rainier City Hall.

Local businesses restricted again - Nov. 20

The state entered a two-week ‘freeze’ on social gatherings and certain business operations starting Nov. 18. Local restaurants, like Colvins Pub & Grill were forced to provide take-out only during this time to comply with the restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Cemetery District making the best with what it has Nov. 27

Faced with an increasingly tight budget, aging equipment and no support from its voting district, the Rainier Cemetery District is making cuts to make ends meet. The district owns and maintains 12 cemeteries in Rainier and Clatskanie and is supported in part through property tax funds. A measure to increase funding did not gain enough votes to pass on the Nov. 3 election, forcing the district to cut the hours of its only staff member.

On the rise - Dec. 11 Public health launches free COVID-19 testing - Dec. 4

Columbia County’s Public Health Department launched free, drive-thru testing at St. Helens High School on Wednesdays in December. The drivers self-administered tests with nasal swabs.

•

• a year of covid STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

As the end of 2020 draws near, and the pandemic wages on, The Chief has compiled a timeline tracing the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon.

The Chief’s first coverage of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, was on Jan. 18.

At that time, just over 170 people had died from the virus— mostly in China— and there were just six cases reported in the U.S. One of the first cases in the U.S. was just north of Oregon in Seattle. By Jan. 21, the state had established the Incident Management team to prepare for possible outbreaks in the state.

Feb. 25: The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) began weekly updates about people under monitoring or investigation in connection to the disease. At that point, the OHA was monitoring 76 people who had exhibited symptoms n the state.

Feb. 28: The OHA reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state: A resident of Washington County had started to experience symptoms on Feb. 19 and a sample was collected and sent to be analyzed which confirmed that the person had the virus.

March 3: A second case of COVID-19 was reported in Oregon, and a third was reported the next day.

Oregon received $500,000 from the CDC to battle the virus, announced March 4.

March 8: Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of

emergency when the total number of cases in the state rose to 14. By declaring a state of emergency, the OHA was given more ability to expand its virus response.

March 10: The OHA and the Department of Human Services issued restrictions to protect longterm care facilities from outbreaks.

Visitations were limited to only essential individuals, screenings to all visitors for symptoms were required and virtual visits were encouraged.

March 11: The World Health organization announced that COVID-19 is a global pandemic.

March 12: Brown orders all K-12 schools close starting March 16.

March 13: COVID-19 outbreak declared a national emergency by the president.

March 14: The first Oregon resident with COVID-19 died, a veteran in Multnomah County with underlying health conditions.

March 16: Mayor Bob Brajcich declared a state of emergency in Clatskanie and closed city offices. At that time there were 47 cases in the state, and none yet in the county.

The declaration was made to free up resources to respond to the health crisis.

March 17: Brown issued an executive order to cancel all events and gatherings larger than 25 people, restrict restaurants and bars to providing take-out only with no on-site consumption. She also extended the closure of K-12 schools to April 28.

March 23: Brown issued a “stay at home” executive

order, directing residents to limit time with others outside of their household as much as possible and temporarily closing additional businesses.

March 27: Columbia County reports its first case of COVID-19. The state total number of cases was 414.

April 10: The Oregon Employment Department reports it received 269,900 claims for unemployment benefits in three weeks time. By comparison, net job losses in Oregon totaled 147,800 for the duration of the Great Recession. Federal aide started to pay an additional $600 per week to those eligible for unemployment.

April 24: Non-urgent medical procedures are reallowed by state.

May 1: The statewide state of emergency is extended through July 6.

May 5: Brown reopened certain outdoor recreation facilities and some state parks.

May 8: Brown announced her Oregon reopening framework, starting with Phase 1 allowing counties with few or no COVID-19 cases to enter Phase 1 starting May 15. Phase 1 allowed certain businesses to reopen.

May 13: Columbia County was approved to enter Phase 1 of the state’s three-phased reopening plan, starting May 15.

June 6: Clatskanie Middle/High School seniors graduated via a drive-thru ceremony held at the school in lieu of a traditional commencement ceremony.

June 6: Columbia County, and 25 other counties in

Workers assembled a new maintenance building adjacent to the Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District headquarters on SE Third Street in Clatskanie. The district offers maintenance and repair for adjoining fire districts in the region and the new building will make those operations more convenient and efficient.

- 19 • •

the state, entered Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan, allowing the return of recreational sports, indoor and outdoor entertainment, faith services and pools.

June 30: Columbia County hit 30 total COVID-19 cases. The governor extended the state of emergency through Sept. 4.

July 1: Brown issued new restrictions requiring face coverings to be worn in indoor public spaces statewide.

July 15: New state mandates ban social indoor gatherings larger than 10 people and require masks to be worn in outdoor public settings as well.

July 24: Brown issues new restrictions limiting indoor capacity to 100 for all venues and restricting restaurants and bars to close at 10 p.m. statewide. Face coverings are also required for people ages 5 and older in indoor and outdoor settings.

Aug. 9: The first pandemic-related death occurred within the county.

Aug. 12: Columbia County surpassed 100 cumulative COVID-19 cases.

Sept. 1: The statewide state of emergency was extended through Nov. 3.

Sept. 8: First day of school is held online for students at the Clatskanie School District.

Oct. 5: The county surpasses 200 total COVID-19 cases.

Oct. 6: Second COVID-19 death occurs in the county.

Oct. 27: Brown extended the state of emergency through Jan. 2.

Oct. 30: State eases back-

to-school metrics across the state, requiring certain case positivity rates to be met by each county and sustained for three weeks.

Nov. 11: A COVID-19 outbreak was reported at Columbia Care Center with 17 total cases.

Nov. 17: An executive order was issued to enact a two-week, statewide “freeze” across the state in response to growing COVID-19 case rates. The freeze put limits on in-home social gatherings, capacities for stores, restricted all dining establishments to provide take-out only, required workplaces to mandate work-from-home as much as possible and closed certain businesses.

Nov. 18: An outbreak was reported at Brookdale Rose Valley Scappoose care facility, with 33 cases.

Nov. 19: A third pandemic-related death occurred in the county.

Nov. 25: Brown released a new framework for countyby-county restrictions based on case rates and test-positivity rates. The framework separates counties based on risk levels: extreme risk, high risk, moderate risk and lower risk. Columbia County was categorized as high risk and under continued strict restrictions.

Nov. 27: Both a 75-yearold Columbia County man who tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 22 died and a 97-year-old man in Columbia County who tested positive on Nov. 22 died.

Dec. 1: A 68-year-old Columbia County woman who tested positive on Nov. 20 died on Dec. 1. The

county death toll rose to six.

An outbreak was reported at Meadow Park Health and Specialty care, with 38 associated cases.

Dec. 2: Columbia County Public Health launched drive-thru COVID-19 testing to be held weekly from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays in December (except Dec. 23) at St. Helens High School.

Dec. 4: State death toll surpassed 1,000 and the statewide case count topped 80,000. Within the county, the case count totaled 552 and a 64-year-old county man died.

Dec. 5: Columbia County reported its highest-to-date single-day case count at 25.

Dec. 12: A 52-year-old Columbia County man who tested positive on Dec. 11 died. The county death toll rose to eight.

Dec. 14: The first doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Oregon.

Dec. 15: An 83-year-old man in Columbia County who tested positive on Nov. 12 died and the county death toll rose to nine.

Dec. 16: The first COVID-19 vaccinations were administered to frontline health care workers in Oregon.

Dec. 17: The statewide state of emergency was extended through March 3, 2021.

Dec. 19: The FDA granted emergency use authorization of the Moderna vaccine, with Oregon expected to receive 103,800 doses by the end of the month.

Dec. 20: The state’s Pfizer vaccine dose allocation was cut by 40%. Read more about this on A7.

Happy holidays from your friends at

16245 Hall Rd, Clatskanie, OR • 503-728-9116 Columbia County’s trusted local news source

Season’s greetings from Steve, Lindsay, Tena and Brandy.

Stephen D. Petersen, LLC Attorney & Counselor at Law Rainier, Oregon