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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2020)
T he C olumbia P ress l cia Spe ation du gra issue www.thecolumbiapress.com 1 50 ¢ C laTsoP C ounTy ’ s i ndePendenT W eekly June 5, 2020 Vol. 4, Issue 23 New principal named for Warrenton High Painting the town purple Tonight’s graduation is a first-of-its-kind citywide celebration The Columbia Press B y C indy y ingst Isabella Morrill The Columbia Press Warrenton High School’s Class of 2020 is the first to participate in a drive-through graduation that will be streamed live to friends and rel- atives who can watch from the com- fort of their armchairs. “It’s a tough situation we’re in right now and we want to honor them in some fashion,” Principal Rod Hey- en said. “The drive-throughs, other districts have done them. It keeps us socially distanced and gives the kids a chance to be honored and, with the live-streamed part of it, al- lows grandma and grandpa to watch it.” For this evening’s graduation cer- emony, students begin lining up in their vehicles at Hammond Mari- na. At 5:45 p.m., they’ll be escorted by police and fire vehicles along B y C indy y ingst Kaisa Liljenwall Valedictorians Thomas Atwood Salutatorian Inside: Special pull-out section with photos of all 56 graduates. Page 8: Scholarship and award winners. Pacific Drive and toward downtown Warrenton. At the four-way stop they’ll turn right and head to the high school. How to wish them well The community can cheer on graduates as they make their way in cars from Hammond Ma- rina to the High School between 5:45 and 6 p.m. tonight, June 5. The drive-through ceremony at Matilla Field will be streamed live on gowarrenton.com. See ‘Graduation’ on Page 10 Port can’t expand at airport without fixing sewer situation The Columbia Press Development of industrial land at Astoria Regional Airport will be quashed unless the Port of Astoria can solve a sewer problem. “We’ve reached the point where, if we don’t resolve this problem, we can’t develop portions of the industri- al park or put any new structures at the airport,” Airport Manager Gary Kobes told port commissioners Tues- day. “Simply put, the city doesn’t have the capacity to take additional sewage from us.” are equally problematic. In March, the city of War- For every gallon of water renton stopped approving the airport uses, it sends 5 new hookups from devel- gallons of sewage to the treat- opments outside the city. A ment plant. 2018 study showed the city’s Rain runoff goes into the water supply could be inad- sewer system, which means equate during peak summer the treatment plant works months to meet the needs Kobes overtime treating “sewage” of water customers in 15 to that isn’t all that dirty. 20 years. And the sewage treatment In 2005, the port signed an inter- plant is nearing capacity. governmental agreement with War- Warrenton has 89 miles of pipes in renton to develop a joint solution. its water system and as much as 40 The solution has yet to be found. percent need to be replaced, accord- ing to the study. The airport’s pipes See ‘Airport’ on Page 11 Josh Jannusch, Warrenton High School’s assistant principal, has been named principal for the 2020-21 school year. Rod Heyen, who has been high school prin- cipal since 2004, will be principal of Warrenton Grade School. He had been serving as princi- pal of both campuses since the resignation of Robbie Porter in Febru- Jannusch ary. “While I appreciate his willingness to take on both roles during the current school year, I also recognize the ef- fort and energy needed to lead both schools are Heyen simply not sustainable,” Superintendent Tom Rogozinski wrote to employees. “This makes the most sense for us moving forward into next year,” Ro- gozinski said in a phone call Wednes- day. “They’re both outstanding ad- ministrators.” Rogozinski described it as a move in which all three men collaborated to determine what would be best for the district. Jannusch began teaching science and other STEM (science, technolo- gy, engineering and math) courses at WHS in 2003. He was named assis- tant principal in 2016 and has served as regional STEM hub coordinator for several years. He secured the grant that helped build the school’s new CTE (career and technical ed- ucation) building and has been its See ‘Principals’ on Page 11