Columbia County Since 1881 Schools Pandemic Cases Remain Stabilizing
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Real Estate Guide Real Striped in Estate St. Helens Page A5 Fall 2020 North Coast Guide A Special Publication of CITIZEN Headlight Herald Wednesday, .50 August 26, 2020 $1 TheThe ChronicleChronicle thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Schools Pandemic cases remain stabilizing CHRISTINE MENGES closed [email protected] new restrictions possible While COVID-19 numbers remain fairly consistent across MAX KIRKENDALL Oregon, there is encouraging [email protected] information about the cases in Columbia County. On Jan. 21, Oregon established “We’re no longer showing a the Incident Management Team to prepare for the possibility of CO- rapid increase of positive cases,” VID-19 infections in Oregon. Columbia County Public Health Five week’s later the Oregon Director Mike Paul told the Co- Health Authority (OHA) reported lumbia County Board of Commis- Oregon had it’s first case. sioners on Aug. 19. Since then, Oregon has had over 25,000 cases and 420 COVID-19 related deaths as of Aug. 24. Fortunately, new OHA modeling Wildfire State of Emergency We’re no longer showing a rapid shows that cases in Oregon are lev- increase of positive cases. eling off, but not at the rate needed Courtesy photo ~ Michael Paul, Columbia County for Oregon to reopen schools for The extended forecast in Oregon calls for continued warm and dry conditions, resulting in the imminent threat of fire in Columbia Public Health in-person education, Governor Kate County and over a broad area of the state. Brown announced today. Brown held a press conference August 21 with OHA Director Pat As of Aug. 24, Columbia Allen and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state Dangerous mix heightens fire danger County has a total of 124 CO- epidemiologist and state health of- said. infrastructure, and destroyed homes VID-19 cases since the begin- ficer, to discuss Oregon’s efforts to JEREMY C. RUARK Outdoor burning is banned in the and other structures. One person was ning of the outbreak. The number stop the spread of COVID-19. [email protected] county and residents should avoid killed while fighting a wildfire on includes both confirmed and mowing to help prevent wildfires, Aug. 24 in Wasco County, according presumptive cases. Within the Balancing act The summer wildfire season Smythe said. Much of the state is to the U.S. Forest Service. county, one zip code, 97048, is here and Columbia County fire now in extreme fire danger and red The extended forecast in Oregon stands out as having more cases “Today, after six months, some agencies are urging everyone to be flag warnings are common for hot, calls for continued warm and dry than others. The area includes say my orders are too restrictive, cautious of the danger. dry, windy conditions and dry thun- conditions, resulting in the imminent Rainier, across from Longview, that the virus isn’t dangerous or Drying conditions, the continued derstorms. threat of fire over a broad area of the WA, according to Paul. Their case even that it’s a hoax,” Brown said. heat and winds are adding to an On Aug. 19, Governor Kate state. rate is the highest for the county, “Others say I haven’t done enough, explosive mixture, according to the Brown declared a State of Emer- Oregon continues to respond but still below the state average that we should shut down the entire agencies. gency due to the imminent threat of to the COVID-19 outbreak, which of 48 per 100,000 in Oregon. economy immediately and start “Until we get substantial rain for wildfire across Oregon. However, it is still high for a rural from scratch, regardless of the cost four, five or six days, we have to be Oregon has experienced wild- area, according to Paul. to people’s livelihoods. The truth vigilant,” Columbia River Fire & fires this season that have resulted “We need to watch that zip is, those commenting on the far Rescue interim Chief Eric Smythe in evacuations, threatened critical See FIRE Page A10 code closely,” Paul said. ends of this debate, well… They are Paul also said there are metrics missing the point. This has always been a balancing act.” that need to be met in order for Brown said she and her staff Local race car driver enjoying his laps schools to fully reopen, which are worked hard to follow medical put forth by the Oregon Depart- data when making decisions about ment of Education. There are two restrictions and so far, they have metrics that must be met in order been successful in flattening the to reopen schools, and that is a curve, as Oregon has one of the test positivity rate of less than 5% lowest mortality rates in the entire and a case count of less than 10 country. However, Brown said their per 100,000 people. The county efforts have not been enough to is still meeting one, but not the open schools anytime soon. other metric, according to Paul. “Our infection rate is still too Per Oregon Health Authority high to get all of our kids safely (OHA) data, the county is under back into our classrooms in most of the 5% test positivity rate but our schools this fall,” Brown said. within the last few weeks has had “To keep students, teachers and a case count varying from 15 to staff safe in our schools across the 28 cases per 100,000. This means state, we need to see a much more that Columbia County is far off rapid decline in case numbers, and from that metric and being able to we need to see it quickly.” reopen schools, Paul said. There are additional indicators Two paths set by the OHA that can indi- cate how well a county is faring Oregon is considering two paths with the virus. These indicators to slow the spread to levels where include: percentage of emergency they can safely reopen in-person department visits per case, trend education. in positive case results, percent- The first option is to call on local age of cases traced to a known communities to step up efforts to source and percentage of cases greater enforce existing guidelines, that receive follow-up by public such as face covering use, physical Photo courtesy of Mike Weber St. Helens race car driver Bob Berg shows off his green Neon. health officials within 24 hours of distancing, sanitation, contact trac- receiving a positive diagnosis. ing and compliance with isolation/ people have had to endure in order “Everything has been going “Statewide numbers show quarantine. The second option MIKE WEBER to compete on the quarter-mile clay pretty good, but with no points we’re meeting most of those indi- would be to create further business Chronicle Guest Article oval track, drivers are making the and without fans, it’s not really restrictions, as well as creating cators,” Paul said. best of the trying circumstances in as fun as would be under normal So far, Columbia County is travel restrictions for people enter- With the unfortunate circum- the pandemic affected season. circumstances,” said Berg, owner of ing Oregon or returning from trips stances caused by the COVID-19 well below 1.5% for emergency A few of the competitors have Cozy Lawn Maintenance. “Having department visits for COVID-19, outside the state. pandemic, it seems rather amaz- enjoyed tremendous success, such fans here makes it a more exciting “I believe, and the data in- ing that there is some normal local and there is a slight downward as Bob Berg of St. Helens, who has atmosphere for everyone, but all trend in positive results in the dicates, that either one of these cultural events taking place such as helped lead his Cozy Lawn Mainte- the drivers are still having lots of stock car races at River City Speed- nance sponsored race team to three way in St. Helens. Columbia County Racing Associa- See SCHOOL Page A5 Despite all the challenges that tion (CCRA) main event victories. See SPEEDWAY Page A10 See PANDEMIC Page A7 Viewpoints: .................A4 Poll: ..............................A4 Letters to the Editor: ...A4 Order Obituaries: ..................A6 SAVE THE DATE TV Guide: ...................A7 forms Classified Ads: ............A8 available Legals: ..........................A9 Aug 26th Crossword: ..................A9 HUGE! CASE GOODS SALE Vol. 138, No. 35 STOCK UP AND SAVE! WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! 7 AM - 10 PM EVERY DAY • (503) 397-2288 1111 Columbia Blvd, St Helens, OR 97051 • marketfreshonline.com A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, August 26, 2020 Addressing Oregon’s vaping epidemic CBD device regulations STAFF REPORT [email protected] The CBD market is one of the fastest-growing sectors Recommendations to of the cannabis industry. address the epidemic of Because they do not contain vaping-related illness and THC, CBD vaping products youth vaping in Oregon are are not subject to the same now public. regulations as other cannabis According to the Oregon vaping products. As such, no Health Authority (OHA), regulations currently pre- youth e-cigarette use jumped vent youth access to these 80 percent between 2017 and products. 2019. Gov. Kate brown estab- Audit testing of cannabis lished the Oregon Vaping products Public Health Work Group to establish recommenda- A state lab to conduct au- tions to deal with what state dit testing of marijuana prod- health officials call a vap- ucts would help to prevent the ing epidemic. The group’s sale of prohibited substances membership includes doctors and verify ingredients and and experts in pulmonology, additives. Recognizing that a pediatrics, and public health, state lab would be a signifi- as well as state legislators cant expenditure, the work and state agency representa- group recommends that the tives.