A2
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021
IN BRIEF
Several contested races in May election
The May 18 election in Clatsop County features sev-
eral contested races for local education and recreation
boards.
The Clatsop Community College Board features
three contested races.
Local businesswoman Trudy Citovic and real estate
agent Christina Secord are challenging Robert Dueh-
mig, the board chairman and a member since 2014.
Suzanne Iverson, a retired farmer and former college
employee, is challenging David Zunkel, appointed to
the board in 2019. Patrick Preston, a retired represen-
tative for disabled veterans, is challenging Sara Meyer,
elected in 2019. Rosemary Baker-Monaghan, who has
been on the board since 2000, is running unopposed.
Electrician David Schaelling Jr. and substitute
teacher Christa Jasper are vying for a spot on the Knappa
School Board being vacated by Craig Weaver. Michelle
Finn, a corporate recruiter with Bank of America, is
running unopposed for the position vacated by Tammy
Goozee. Cullen Bangs, a member of the school board
since 2009, is running unopposed.
All fi ve positions for the Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District Board covering South County are
contested.
Part-time transportation administrator Al Hernan-
dez is challenging Sue Coddington, a nurse appointed
to the board in 2020. Retired salesman John Huismann
is challenging Celeste Bodner, the executive director
of Seaside-based FosterClub appointed to the board in
2020. Wheel Fun Rentals co-owner Patrick Duhachek
is challenging longtime board member Michael Hinton.
Erika Marshall-Hamer, the interim director of global
human resources for Mercy Corps appointed to the
board in 2020, is being challenged by sales associate
Jackie Evans. Retired businessman Stephen Morrison
is challenging Katharine Parker, a board member since
2019 and head secretary at Seaside High School.
The Port of Astoria Commission, Sunset Empire
Transportation Board, Clatsop Care Health District,
Astoria School Board, Warrenton-Hammond School
Board, Seaside School Board and Jewell School Board
each feature several uncontested races.
Groups call for
bird monitoring volunteers
Bird monitoring on the North Coast will proceed
despite the coronavirus pandemic.
People interested in participating in the annual eff ort
to collect information about seabirds like tufted puffi ns
and brown pelicans can learn more through a March
30 webinar hosted by Friends of Cape Falcon Marine
Reserve and Portland Audubon.
“This year, we are planning for more volunteer
involvement while following protocols to keep every-
one safe,” said Joe Liebezeit, staff scientist and avian
conservation manager at Portland Audubon.
— The Astorian
Forest pesticides found
downstream in coastal waters
Pesticides used on forests and in other applications
have been found by researchers in watersheds along
the Oregon Coast, raising concerns that aquatic species
may be exposed to a toxic mixture of chemicals in the
region.
Researchers from Portland State University found
traces of a dozen unique pesticides — a combination of
herbicides, fungicides and insecticides — in water sam-
ples and bivalves collected in downstream rivers and
estuaries.
The study found that the mixing of these compounds
once they enter aquatic ecosystems could have a neg-
ative impact on shellfi sh and other creatures living
downstream — including harm to their hormonal pro-
cesses and their reproduction and development.
— Oregon Public Broadcasting
BREAKING
GROUND
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
From left, Commissioner Courtney Bangs, Commissioner Mark Kujala, Sheriff Matt Phillips, Commissioner Pamela Wev, jail
commander Tom Teague and Commissioner John Toyooka break ground for the new Clatsop County Jail at the former North
Coast Youth Correctional Facility on Thursday in Warrenton.
Astoria High School reports virus case
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian
A volleyball game in
Banks was cancel ed after a
person associated with the
Astoria High School volley-
ball program tested positive
for the coronavirus.
Craig Hoppes, the super-
intendent for the Asto-
ria School District, could
not provide more details
about the case, but said he
believes one more of the
Astoria team’s games may
be aff ected while people
quarantine.
The Banks Post reported
that two virus cases among
athletes on North Coast
sports teams — the Astoria
volleyball team and the Sea-
side High School football
team — resulted in the can-
cellation of games against
the Banks teams originally
scheduled for Thursday and
Friday .
Seaside has had two dif-
ferent confi rmed cases
among
student-athletes
recently, according to Jeff
Roberts, the principal at
Seaside High School. The
fi rst case was reported ear-
lier this week.
“At this point there have
not been any further cancel-
lations in our athletic or aca-
demic schedule,” Roberts
Seventh county resident
dies from coronavirus
The Astorian
A seventh Clatsop County resident has died from
the coronavirus.
The Oregon Health Authority described the per-
son as a 66-year-old man who tested positive on Jan.
3 and died on Jan. 8. The health authority said he
had underlying conditions. No other information was
immediately available.
The county reported six new virus cases over the
past few days.
On Friday, the county reported one new case.
A man in his 70s living in the southern part of the
county was recovering at home.
On Thursday, the county reported fi ve new cases.
The cases include two women in their 40s living
in the northern part of the county. The others live in
the southern part of the county and include a male
between 10 and 19, a woman in her 20s and a man
in his 30s.
All fi ve were recovering at home.
The county has recorded 804 cases since the start
of the pandemic. Eighteen were hospitalized and
seven have died.
told The Astorian.
Hoppes
announced
Thursday afternoon that
there had been a positive
case at Astoria High School.
School d istrict administra-
tors notifi ed students and
staff who may have come
into contact with the person,
Hoppes said.
Hoppes declined specify
whether the person is a stu-
dent or works on staff , but
said the person had not been
on campus this week.
In a letter sent to parents
informing them of the situ-
ation, Hoppes encouraged
people to stay home when
ill and follow other public
health guidelines, such as
wearing face coverings and
frequent hand-washing.
“We know this is a diffi -
cult time for everyone and
our hearts go out to those
who are ill,” Hoppes wrote.
Though the school dis-
trict had allowed some lim-
ited in-person instruction for
certain classes or students
with additional needs late
last year, the bulk of middle
school and high school stu-
dents had only returned to
classrooms in March.
Hoppes and school board
members cautioned that a
return to school could mean
virus cases among staff or
students. While the school
district can ask people to
conform to strict protocols
on campus, they have no
control over what people do
outside of school, Hoppes
has said.
The school district began
the school year remotely
and started the push to
reopen across grade lev-
els this year. School board
members were encouraged
to see recent studies that
suggested in-person school
did not increase the spread
of the virus, and that schools
are rarely superspreaders.
DEATHS
March 17, 2021
In DELPHIA,
Brief Richard
Lucian, 91, of Warren-
ton, died in Warrenton.
Deaths
Caldwell’s
Luce-Lay-
ton Mortuary of Asto-
ria is in charge of the
arrangements.
MALINEN, Cheryl
Jean, 77, of Astoria, died
in Astoria. Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
RUND, Sandra Jean,
77, of Astoria, died in
Portland.
Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
March 16, 2021
McNEILL,
Donald
Thomas, 69, of Seaside,
died in Portland. Cald-
well’s Funeral & Crema-
tion Arrangement Center
of Seaside is in charge of
the arrangements.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
MONDAY
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., (electronic meeting).
TUESDAY
Astoria Planning Commission, 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 1095
Duane St.
Seaside Airport Committee, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broad-
way.
Warrenton City Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 225 S. Main
Ave.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
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New vaccination timeline depends on supply
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
Clatsop County’s corona-
virus vaccine task force has
begun vaccinating seniors 65
years and older and is look-
ing ahead to vaccinating the
remaining priority groups
as more vaccines become
available.
Gov. Kate Brown on Fri-
day rolled out the state’s new
vaccine distribution plan after
the Biden administration
directed all states to lift eligi-
bility requirements for every-
one 16 and older by May 1.
Oregon did not plan on
lifting all eligibility restric-
tions until July .
“Upon learning of the
news, I directed the Ore-
gon Health Authority to
review Oregon’s vaccina-
tion timelines,” the gover-
nor said during a press con-
ference. “Equity has been at
the forefront of our COVID-
19 response and vaccine dis-
tribution. As we open up eli-
gibility to all Oregonians on
May 1 , I remain committed
to the equitable distribution
of vaccines for seniors, front-
line workers and Oregonians
with underlying health con-
ditions. My team is in touch
with the White House for
more specifi cs about when
vaccine shipments to states
will increase.
“The Oregon Health
Authority tells me that, pro-
vided supplies come in from
the federal government as
anticipated, we expect to
have enough doses for every
Oregonian who wants a vac-
cine to have the opportunity
for at least a fi rst dose by the
end of May.”
There is no guarantee
Clatsop County will receive
enough vaccine doses to
complete priority groups
before the new deadline.
Throughout the roll-
out, the c ounty’s v accine
t ask f orce has not received
enough doses to keep up with
the state’s timeline or with
demand.
The task force has stressed
that
vaccine
eligibility
does not necessarily mean
availability.
“We can’t predict today
how many individuals in the
various priority groups will
be vaccinated by May 1 — as
always, everything is depen-
dent on vaccine deliveries,” a
spokesman for the task force
said in an email.
“Our expectation is that
as vaccine supply increases,
local hospitals, clinics and
pharmacy outlets will be able
to play a much bigger role in
the vaccination eff ort, partic-
ularly in serving the general
public.”
As the task force moves
through vaccinating people
65 and older, appointments
will be made for those 69
years old fi rst, then 68 and so
on.
Under the state’s new
timeline, people between 45
and 64 with underlying health
conditions, migrant and sea-
sonal farm workers, seafood
and agricultural workers and
food processing workers will
be eligible by March 29.
People living in low-in-
come senior housing will
also be eligible by the end
of the month, as well as peo-
ple experiencing homeless-
ness, people displaced by
wildfi res, wildland fi refi ght-
ers and women who are
pregnant.
By April 19, people classi-
fi ed as front-line workers by
the federal Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention
will be eligible , including
people living in multigener-
ational households and peo-
ple between 16 and 44 with
underlying health conditions.
As of Friday, 12,431 doses
have been administered in the
county, and 4,176 people are
fully vaccinated. The coun-
ty’s goal to reach herd immu-
nity against the virus is vacci-
nating 27,533 people.
VOLUNTEER
PICK OF THE WEEK
Baxter Black
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Call me
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is our Pet of the week
He is an
American Shorthair
Jeff Hale Painting
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Enjoy this living piece
of sculpture along with
adding poetry and
playfulness to your life.
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Exterior Repaint Specialist
Over 25 years local experience
503-440-2169
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Contractor
LICENSED
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CLATSOP COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
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Noon to 4pm, Tues-Sat