T he C olumbia P ress
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50 ¢
C latsop C ounty ’ s I ndependent W eekly n eWspaper
www.thecolumbiapress.com
March 8, 2019
Vol. 3, Issue 10
Introducing the brand
new automated library
B y C indy y ingst
The Columbia Press
Cindy Yingst/The Columbia Press
Above: Site director Nettie-Lee Calog and library
patron and volunteer Zach Fukuda, 15, look over the
automated receipt he got after checking out his books.
Below: Stickers, such as a cactus for western and a
heart for romance, indicate each book’s genre.
Warrenton Community Li-
brary began a new chapter
this month.
New computers. New li-
brary cards. New shelving.
And, finally, automation.
There’s a website now
where patrons can look up
books and -- just like Fred
Meyer and Walmart – have
their selections ready for pick
up without having to walk up
and down the aisles.
And then check out “An-
swerland,” a reference ser-
vice on the website that’s
linked to librarians across
the state. They’re available
to provide research guidance
24/7.
“It’s just come such a long
way from Hammond,” said
Nettie-Lee Calog, the li-
To learn more
The library’s new hours
are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
weekdays and 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
The new website is
warrentonlibrary.org.
brary’s site director.
The former library was
housed in a small building
in Hammond until struc-
tural problems required the
city to find a new location.
In the summer of 2017, the
library moved downtown
to a larger more accessible
site.
“It’s still kind of a work
in progress,” Calog said.
“Have you ever remod-
eled your house and lived
in it? That pretty much
sums it up. I haven’t been
See ‘Library’ on Page 5
Regatta court includes two from Warrenton High
Two Warrenton High School students
are among the four young women named
to the 2019 Astoria Regatta court.
They are Serena Moha and Mara Dow-
aliby from Warrenton High School,
Kayla Helligso of Astoria High School
and Caitlin Hillman from Seaside High
School.
One of them will be crowed queen on
the first day of Regatta, which will be
held Aug. 7-10 at locations throughout
Astoria and Warrenton.
Serena serves on the Student Council
and participates in the National Hon-
or Society, CommuniCare Club, drama,
and band. Other activities include track,
cross country, and dance. After gradua-
tion, Serena plans to attend a four-year
college majoring in civil engineering.
Mara is a junior at Warrenton High
School, the youngest of four girls, and
a lifetime resident of Hammond. She
enjoys spending time with her family,
being outdoors, writing, and golfing. At
school, she is a member of Communi-
Care, National Honor Society, and is vice
president of the Student Council. She is
a longtime member of the Viking Nor-
dic Dance Group, as well as Vasa Lodge
215. Mara has a passion for service and
leadership and hopes to become a pedi-
atrician.
Kayla is from Astoria High School,
where she is involved in the Business
Leaders of Tomorrow and Commu-
Serena Moha
Mara Dowaliby
See ‘Regatta’ on Page 6
Kayla Helligso
Caitlin Hillman
City could put
up a parking
lot to increase
business traffic
B y C indy y ingst
The Columbia Press
The top downtown projects that
should be completed using special
tax money include placing power
lines underground, building a park-
ing lot, and renovating the public pier
at Warrenton Marina.
Those were the top three choices
selected Wednesday afternoon by
members of the Warrenton Urban
Renewal Advisory Committee.
The seven-member panel advis-
es the city’s Urban Renewal Agency,
which currently is made up of the five
city commissioners.
The agency is tasked with spending
money raised within the boundaries
of the urban renewal district – pri-
marily downtown Warrenton -- on
projects deemed most likely to revi-
talize downtown.
The agency was responsible for the
major overhaul of Warrenton Marina
during the past decade. And several
additional urban renewal projects are
in the works, including a plaza-like
park with landscaping at all four cor-
ners of the four-way stop and a façade
improvement grant program.
The request from city officials to
prioritize the next set of projects will
help determine what will be accom-
plished in the next three years.
The undergrounding of utilities
along South Main Avenue “is a carrot
to try to find a partner,” Community
Development Director Kevin Cronin
told committee members.
The street falls under the jurisdic-
tion of Oregon Department of Trans-
See ‘Downtown’ on Page 6