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DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021
148TH YEAR, NO. 139
$1.50
CORONAVIRUS
Challengers
make gains
in college
board races
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian
D
riven by concerns about an enrollment decline during
the coronavirus pandemic and the rollout of a com-
puter software system, challengers made gains on the
Clatsop Community College Board in Tuesday’s election.
Sara Meyer, a retired business owner who worked with
job corps and community action and was elected to the
college board in 2019 , led challenger Patrick Preston, a
retired disabled veterans employment representative,
66% to 34% for Z one 2, P osition 2 .
But two other incumbents were behind after
most of the ballots were counted.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to
serve four more years,” said Meyer, who also
served on the college board two decades
ago . She thanked voters for their confi -
dence in her.
See College board, Page A6
Three competitive
campaigns for college board
were on the ballot
in Tuesday’s election.
ELECTION RESULTS
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Follow election results online at: bit.ly/3tUmbtz
Incumbents hold edge in park district board races
By R.J. MARX
The Astorian
SEASIDE — After a bruising campaign
where challengers second-guessed the deci-
sion to purchase the former Broadway Mid-
dle School, the Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District Board held their own in
Tuesday’s election.
Su Coddington, Celeste Bodner, Michael
Hinton, Erika Marshall Hamer and Katha-
rine Parker led their challengers after most
of the ballots were counted. All but Hinton
were appointed to the board after resigna-
tions over the past few years amid turmoil
and infi ghting.
The r apid changes on the b oard and
major developments at the park district
made this year’s election especially signif-
icant. Closures as a result of COVID-19
interrupted services in 2020 and led to lay-
off s or worker furloughs.
When two board members resigned in
July , the new board changed direction and
pursued the purchase of the m iddle s chool,
which had closed after the Seaside School
District relocated students to a new, bond-fi -
nanced campus outside the tsunami inunda-
tion zone. The park district completed the
purchase from the s chool d istrict in January
for $2.15 million.
The b oard saw it as an opportunity to
preserve and utilize a landmark space in the
heart of Seaside.
They ran as ProgressforSEPRD.com and
advocated for the development of the mid-
dle school as a community resource, stress-
ing child care, recreation for all and sports
tourism.
Self-governance, transparency, improv-
ing the board’s connection to the commu-
nity and support for Skyler Archibald, the
park district’s executive director, were
among their goals.
The Facebook group Transparency for
SEPRD Taxpayers helped launch a slate of
fi ve challengers under the slogan, “It’s time
for a change.”
State clarifi es
mask guidance
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
See Masks, Page A6
See Park district, Page A6
Knappa
seeks $14M
bond for
schools
Proof of vaccination
required at businesses
The Oregon Health Authority has
updated the state’s guidance to protect
against the coronavirus, declaring that
people no longer need
to wear masks out-
doors, while those
MORE
who are fully vacci-
INSIDE
nated can stop wear-
Knappa
ing masks in most
school
indoor settings as long
staff er
as they show proof of
reports
vaccination.
virus case
The guidance was
• A6
issued after Gov. Kate
Brown’s
announce-
ment last week that the
state would follow the direction of the
federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Al Hernandez, John Huismann, Patrick
Duhachek , Jackie Evans and Stephen Mor-
rison saw the middle school purchase as an
overreach for an aging building that had lit-
tle value.
They stressed “foresight, insight and over-
sight” in their campaign material, along with
fi scal responsibility and a voice for taxpayers.
Coddington, a nurse, led Hernandez, a
retired accountant, 56% to 44% for Position 1.
Bodner, the executive director of Fos-
terClub, led Huismann, a retiree in sales,
marketing and management, 60% to 40%
for Position 2.
Voters to decide in November
Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
ABOVE: Suen Chang opened Milky-Cha on Commercial Street
in Astoria. RIGHT: Milky-Cha off ers a wide range of teas, milks
and other drinks with the option to add boba.
were thrown into disarray
because of the coronavirus
pandemic.
After school, she soon
returned to Astoria, where
she grew up and her parents
run Tokyo Teriyaki.
Chang had grown up with
bubble tea and missed the
The Knappa School District will
ask voters in November to approve a
$14 million bond to fund major capital
improvements.
The average bond tax rate is estimated
at $2.20 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The bond would mature in 25 years.
The measure is intended to fi nance
capital costs in the school district, includ-
ing improvements to infrastructure at the
middle school.
The money levied would create new
classrooms and a science center at the
middle school to replace portable class-
rooms. The school district plans to create a
“learning hub” that would contain library
resources, technology and group learning
spaces for middle school students.
See Bubble tea, Page A6
See Bond, Page A6
College grad comes
home with bubble tea
New shop on
Commercial Street
By EDWARD
STRATTON
The Astorian
Suen Chang’s plans
after graduating from Port-
land
State
University
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian