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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2019)
T he C olumbia P ress 1 50 ¢ C latsop C ounty ’ s I ndependent W eekly n eWspaper www.thecolumbiapress.com February 1, 2019 Vol. 3, Issue 5 Bert and Debbie Little named High school’s career training center gets sparked by grant for welding Warrenton citizens of the year The Columbia Press The Columbia Press Bert and Debbie Little were named War- renton’s citizens of the year during last weekend’s Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet. The couple were instrumental in finish- ing plans made decades ago to bring a vet- erans memorial to downtown. They spent time speaking to groups, raising funds and ensuring everyone was on the same page. They didn’t let the momentum drop. “The veteran’s memorial is perhaps the most obvious example of this couple’s ded- ication and heart for their community,” Peggy Yingst/The Columbia Press Mayor Henry Balensifer said in presenting Debbie Little speaks at the vet- the award. “They worked with the city of erans memorial dedication in Warrenton and ODOT to get the project late August. approved, raised funds and in-kind dona- tions, transported pieces of the monument back and forth from the artist’s home in Seaside to the foundry in Damascus and collected names of area residents who served in the military to add those names to the memorial. “They poured their souls into this proj- ect as a way to recognize all the men and women who have served our nation and our community.” The 2018 Richard Ford Distinguished Service Award is named for a former city building inspector and fire chief who vol- unteered his time helping residents and was established by his family after he died. About 230 people attended the annu- al banquet at the Clatsop County Fair- grounds, which included awards for As- toria’s top citizens and an outstanding Bert Little stands, shovel at the ready, at the ground-breaking business. The Littles were recognized not only for for the veterans memorial in early 2018. their dedication to the veterans memorial, but their service with the state and local VFW, where he is quartermaster and she is auxiliary president. He serves on the board of the Warrenton Warming Center and the city’s Parks Advisory Committee. She wrote the grant for the veterans memorial, runs the concession See ‘Citizens’ on Page 4 Warrenton High School has two new welding stations for its Career Tech Center, which is being built this spring. The Pacific Power Foundation awarded the Warrenton Hammond School District a $2,000 grant to help purchase the MIG/TIG welders. Next school year, Warrenton High School is excited it can offer welding and automotive technology classes on campus, said Vice Principal Josh Jan- nusch, who is in charge of career train- ing and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Jannusch wrote a grant application on behalf of the high school that won $436,286 from the Oregon Depart- ment of Education to help revitalize career and technology programs on campus. The grant allowed the school, among other things, to remove a shed on cam- pus and seek bids for construction of a prefabricated career training building in its place. The new career training building, a 120-foot by 60-foot steel building Two new welders sit in Warrenton High School’s library, waiting for installation in the campus’ new Career Tech Center. worth $76,000, was donated by the owner of R&M Steel of Caldwell, Ida- ho. Four district teachers have been or are in the process of being certi- fied to teach career-oriented classes in graphic design, natural resources and manufacturing/technology and others will be hired and certified for auto and welding to meet state STEM require- ments. “The Pacific Power Foundation grant has helped to provide much needed funds to begin to fully stock the build- See ‘Welders’ on Page 4 Tillamook woman named Miss Clatsop academic accomplishments and speaking skills. Ranisha Speed, a 24-year- Other contenders for the old college student from spot were Viola Soprano, 18, Tillamook, was named Miss of Seaside; Kayla Worwood, Clatsop County 2019 during 22, of Astoria; Samantha the competition held last Wozniak, 20, of Seaside; and weekend. Katie Zagata, 18, of Seaside. Speed, is working on a The Miss Clatsop County master’s degree in busi- Scholarship Competition is Speed ness administration from the official preliminary for the University of St. Mary the Miss Oregon Pageant in Leavenworth, Kansas, and works and is part of the Miss America Or- in the human resources department ganization. for Near Space Corporation in Tilla- Speed will represent Clatsop Coun- mook. ty at the state pageant in June. See ‘Pageant’ on Page 5 Speed wowed the judges with her The Columbia Press
