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The Columbia Press 1 50 ¢ Clatsop County’s Independent Weekly www.thecolumbiapress.com July 31, 2020 Vol. 4, Issue 31 Building a better downtown Volunteers, businesses tackle one property at a time By Cindy Yingst The Columbia Press See ‘Anxiety’ on Page 6 See ‘Streets’ on Page 4 UO developing ways for teens to beat anxiety disorders University of Oregon Sixth grade can be a tumultuous time for youth, and the additions of a global pandemic and intense discus- sions around race have only increased adolescent stress in recent months. With funding from the National In- stitutes of Health, a team of research- ers from the University of Oregon and the local community is working on a The Columbia Press sixth graders that can be rolled out nationally. “The average onset for anxiety-re- lated disorders is around 13 years old, and that’s why we’re targeting this group,” said Kelly, who works in the college’s Counseling Psychology and Prevention Science programs. “Schools are one of the top sources of stress. … We hope to change the over- all school culture and how we talk See ‘Downtown’ on Page 4 way to teach students basic mental health skills as well as give teachers a tool to keep classrooms on a more even keel. The $1.5 million, three-year grant is helping the UO College of Educa- tion’s Nichole Kelly, local licensed psychologists Lori Allen and Shin Shin Tang, and Adam Wendt of ed- ucation technology company Tri- foia develop a curriculum to promote better mental health habits among By Cindy Yingst Streets were all over the agenda Tuesday night. Warrenton city commissioners made decisions about paving 21 streets, talk- ed about state plans to change the in- tersection of Highway 101 at Perkins Road south of town, and issued invi- tations for contractors to bid on two more road-related projects. “We’re just going down the list of projects in our management plan,” Public Works Director Collin Stelzig told commissioners when asked why certain streets were selected. In some cases, a contractor would be hired to pave all selected streets with- in a certain level of decay. So a street that’s in worse shape may not make the list. Work would begin in August and is expected to take place this summer and fall, and possibly next spring. “The plan says we’re going to be completing it in summer 2020,” Com- missioner Pam Ackley said. “Is there a reasonable expectation that will hap- pen?” All three city projects will be com- pleted during the fiscal year, Stelzig said. “Worst-case scenario, if it didn’t get done this summer, it would be ear- ly next summer.” • Pavement plan. All the follow- ing streets will get a 2-inch pavement overlay but one, which will get a 4-inch overlay. The contract is expected to cost about $369,500. Streets in the plan include portions of First Street Southeast, Third, Fifth and Ninth avenues, Seventh Street Southeast, Ninth Street Southwest, 10th Place Southeast, 13th Street A pandemic has slowed the economy nation- wide but the pace of progress in Warrenton’s downtown has quickened. Business owners are polishing their facades, a new restaurant and a brewpub are opening, a walk-to-town apartment complex is nearly complete, and a group of volunteers has put a fresh face on everything. “I think it’s crazy, but awesome that business development is still going on in Warrenton,” Mayor Henry Balensifer said at Above: Members Tuesday night’s city commission of Spruce Up after meeting. installing planter Spruce Up Warrenton, a grass- boxes and topiaries roots group of volunteers, has built at a business on Main and installed flower boxes and Avenue. They are, left hanging flower baskets on Main to right, Jim Dutcher, Avenue. Members have pulled Lucinda Davis, Ken weeds, pressure-washed sidewalks, Davis, Brenda Hox- and removed debris. sey, Norm Hoxsey and The group visited every business Carol Snell. owner last year, encouraging them Left: Ken Davis and to clean up and apply for façade Jim Dutcher fill the grants paid for by their business li- planters. cense fees. Several businesses – a beauty salon, Sanderson Construc- Photos by Kelsey Balensifer By Jim Murez Late summer will be all about the streets