148tH year, NO. 71
WEEKEND EDITION // Saturday, december 12, 2020
$1.50
CORONAVIRUS
Astoria eyes school reopening
Students could be
back in buildings
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian
T
he Astoria School District board
has approved a reopening timeline
that could put students back into
buildings by late January.
Younger grades would phase back into
classrooms beginning Jan. 25, followed
by grades six through 12 on Feb. 1. Stu-
dents will be split into cohorts based on
grade and geographical area. For some,
there could be staggered start times.
Under the plan, students might only
be in buildings for two hours at a time
initially and will still be required to
complete the bulk of their schoolwork
remotely.
Astoria was the only school dis-
trict in Clatsop County to preemptively
decide to start the school year online
only. Though a few students have been
YOUNGER GRADES WOULD PHASE BACK INTO
CLASSROOMS BEGINNING JAN. 25, FOLLOWED BY
GRADES SIX THROUGH 12 ON FEB. 1. STUDENTS
WILL BE SPLIT INTO COHORTS BASED ON GRADE
AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. FOR SOME, THERE
COULD BE STAGGERED START TIMES.
allowed back into buildings for specific
classes and activities, the district has
proceeded slowly with any changes to
the remote learning model.
“I just want to make sure we are doing
everything we can as a district to ensure
the health and safety of the kids and the
staff when they are in our buildings or
on our buses,” Grace Laman, the school
board chairwoman, said at the close of
Wednesday’s meeting. “That we check
off all of our safety protocols before we
start those things.”
The return to school buildings
depends on coronavirus metrics follow-
ing winter break.
If the local caseload is too high,
reopening will be pushed back. Right
now, with the number of active local
cases, all school districts with the excep-
tion of the tiny Jewell School District
are limited as far as what grades can be
in school full time. Even Jewell had to
take precautions after a student tested
positive for the virus.
Still, Astoria Superintendent Craig
Hoppes told the school board during the
meeting Wednesday, “It feels good that
we’re moving forward, even if the met-
rics don’t feel good.”
See Schools, Page A6
Eviction
battle
ends at
Ross
Settlement clears way
for new projects
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
WARRENTON — Ross Stores and
Atlas Youngs Bay have settled a legal
dispute, clearing the way for a Chipotle
Mexican Grill and an expansion of Prov-
idence Heath & Services’ clinic.
Atlas attempted to evict Ross in
November from the North Coast Shops
— formerly known as Youngs Bay Plaza
— for nonpayment of more than $14,000
in rent. The parties had been headed for
a trial starting next week before settling
the case Wednesday. The details of the
settlement were kept confidential.
Atlas tried to evict Ross for allegedly
not paying more than $14,000 in rent in
October. The action came after the state
Legislature ended a moratorium on com-
mercial lease defaults and evictions in
place since April because of the corona-
virus pandemic, allowing Atlas to resume
collecting rent.
Atlas also claimed that Ross had
racked up more than $70,000 in unpaid
rent during the moratorium. The back-
due rent during the moratorium was not
See Eviction, Page A6
Fish meal
plant near
airport
approved
Hailey Hoffman/the astorian
Two construction workers at Astoria High School have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Workers at Astoria High School contract virus
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian
T
wo workers at the Astoria High
School construction site have tested
positive for the coronavirus.
Astoria School District officials do
not believe the cases affect any students
or school district staff.
The two workers were last at the job
site on Nov. 24 and Nov. 30.
“We have also determined that
the person with COVID-19 and their
co-workers have been working outside
and did not come into the high school
building or have any contact with any
high school staff members,” Superin-
tendent Craig Hoppes wrote in an email
MORE INSIDE
county reports new virus cases • a6
sent to district staff.
Skanska, the general contractor
managing major renovation work on
the district’s school buildings, was tied
to six coronavirus cases at the Asto-
ria Middle School construction site in
September.
Hoppes wrote that he is working with
Skanska to investigate the situation.
In an email to The Astorian, a
spokeswoman for Skanska clarified
that the two workers were subcontrac-
tors. They will not return to the job
site until they are symptom free for
the number of days recommended by
health officials.
“Skanska has continued with all
health and safety measures and precau-
tions to address COVID-19 exposure
risk at the Astoria High School proj-
ect site,” the company spokeswoman
wrote. “At this time, there is no impact
on the construction operations and
work progress.”
The company said it is taking daily
mitigation measures, including con-
tinued training on health and safety
requirements, temperature checks and
screening questionnaires for workers,
and reinforcing remote working or shift
rotations where possible.
Solution reached
on stormwater
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
WARRENTON — The Planning Com-
mission on Thursday approved The Scou-
lar Co. fish meal plant to move forward
at the Port of Astoria’s Airport Industrial
Park after reaching a solution on storm-
water treatment.
Scoular hopes to open the plant next
summer employing about 10 people tak-
ing in scraps from local seafood proces-
sors for use as pet and aquaculture feed.
The project had been held up by worries
over how the plant would avoid attracting
birds near the Astoria Regional Airport
and overloading Warrenton’s wastewater
treatment system during heavy rains.
See Plant, Page A6
County approves climate resolution
A divided vote
by commissioners
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
A divided Clatsop County
Board of Commissioners voted
Wednesday night to address cli-
mate change.
The resolution states the board
will develop a climate change
partnership among cities, spe-
cial districts, businesses, nonprof-
its and the community to improve
understanding of the natural
resource base, educate the public
about local climate change issues
and recommend action.
“Our county, unlike most
counties in Oregon, we’re
kind of at the cusp of climate
change,” said Commissioner
Pamela Wev, who presented the
resolution. “We have ocean acidi-
fication issues. We have increased
winter storm issues. We have sea
level rise. We’ve got to start acting
on things like this sooner rather
than later.
“Climate change shouldn’t be a
political issue. And there’s no rea-
son why taking action on climate
change threatens any of our other
priorities.”
The vote was a statement by a
majority at the final board meeting
before two new commissioners
take office in January. Wev’s reso-
lution was supported by Kathleen
Sullivan and Sarah Nebeker, who
lost their reelection campaigns in
May.
Hailey Hoffman/the astorian
See Climate, Page A6
Rising sea levels are among the concerns with climate change.