Remembering K9 success Page A3 Betty Huser Page A6 Wednesday, .50 May 5, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Graduations to follow pandemic guidelines Once at the courthouse the gradu- JEREMY C. RUARK ate will exit the car, be announced as [email protected] they ascend the stairs to the court- School districts in Columbia house, receive their diploma from the County are preparing for Gradua- principal, pose for a quick photo with tion 2021 with COVID-19 pandemic the principal, have a professional pic- restrictions and guidelines in mind. ture taken with Bell Studios before St. Helens High School (SHHS) returning to the vehicle and exiting graduation organizers are preparing the square with their families. for a drive-through ceremony similar More detailed information, such to what was conducted in 2020 due as staging area times and locations to the pandemic. will be provided in advance on the The 2021 SHHS graduation is set SHHS graduation page at shhsasb. for noon Friday, June 11, at the Co- weebly.com/graduation-2021.html. lumbia County Courthouse Square in St. Helens. Other graduation ceremonies Week-long events Rainier Jr/Sr High School Prin- cipal Graden Blue said they expect The graduation organizers are to 50 seniors to graduate during the encouraging graduates and their 7 p.m. June 5 event at the school’s families to decorate their home’s football field, rain or shine. Other front doors and their cars to honor ceremonies include a senior car Who We Are parade at 6 p.m. from the school and showcase the seniors time and Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle activities at SHHS. A senior class through Rainier, senior awards at 7 Kayley Siemienczuk, left, watches as her mother guides a small dog over the obstacle course during the dog show in the Old Town p.m. May 27 and Baccalaureate at District of St. Helens. See more photos with this story at thechronicleonline.com. and community cruise added to the ceremonies in 2020 is again sched- 7 p.m. May 23, all with pandemic- uled for the 2021 graduation. related social distancing. “Decorate your cars, your caps, Blue said Rainier has never Local 11-year-old conducts dog show throw on your gowns and load up the deviated from the idea of having a near normal graduation for the high of those dogs don’t get adopted,” mances. Karley said the location car with your family,” the organizers JEREMY C. RUARK said in the SHHS website post. The school seniors. Over the course of she said. “That’s very sad because for the event is special. the year, the school district admin- [email protected] they don’t have a warm home and a “I’ve always loved this location cruise is scheduled from 8 to 10 p.m. on June 9. istrators’ discussions have been The pandemic hasn’t stopped a special place.” because it has such a pretty view, constantly steered in the direction of Karley decided to put on a dog there is a perfect space for every- Students are directed to attend a St. Helens 11-year-old from help- mandatory drive-through at St. Hel- having as many people as possible ing the Columbia Humane Society. show and have those participating thing, and there is plenty of room attend the event while complying with their dogs to donate dog food for dogs,” she said. ens High School from 12-2 p.m. June Karley Siemienczuk organized 10, to receive required ceremony with mandates and guidelines. a dog show held Friday afternoon, for the animal shelter. Karley said she saved money “With that in mind, we have cho- With the help of her family and for the show supplies and dog food information, name tags and other April 30, at the Columbia View materials. The specific drive-through sen to hold our graduation outside Gazebo adjacent to the Columbia Molly’s Market, Karley produced and her father helped pay the cost this year at the football stadium,” and distributed flyers telling of the of renting the gazebo. route will depend on the scheduled County Courthouse in the Old building renovation project. Blue said. “We have asked families Town District of St. Helens. Friday event and asking dog own- About half a dozen families and to come prepared for whatever the ers to join the fun. their dogs attended the event. Each A Senior Celebration scheduled Karley said she saw photos for 6:30 p.m. at the Doc Ackerson weather presents to us. To assist in of the dogs being cared for at the Karley said she designed plans family represented walked their that we have also asked families to for the show and her dad construct- Stadium on the SHHS campus will Columbia Humane Society and feature all of the annual speakers and bring their own chairs so that they wanted to help them. ed the obstacles placed in the front can distance as families.” of the gazebo used for the perfor- presentations from the school’s tradi- “I felt really bad because some See SHOW Page A12 tional academic award assembly, se- Families and students have nior assembly, and commencement. prepared and looked forward, for at The Senior Celebration activities will least 12 years, for their high school Push back mounts against county classifications be based on the current pandemic graduation, according to Blue. restrictions on that day. “This is a major accomplish- new more contagious variants. She The formal graduation ceremony ment for students and their hard said that Oregon leads the nation for is scheduled to take place at 12 p.m. work deserves to be recognized with the rate of increase in cases over the June 11 at the Columbia County this culminating event,” Blue said. last two weeks. Courthouse Plaza in the Old District “Students and families have worked of St. Helens. closely with the school this year Organizers describe the ceremony to support these students. This is a as the traditional awarding of the celebration of everyone’s hard work diplomas but in a COVID-friendly and commitment to getting through As your Governor, I chose drive-up format. Seniors with their this unusual and difficult year. We families, in one vehicle per graduate, have made it! Let’s celebrate that to save lives. achievement!” ~ Kate Brown, Oregon Governor will stage at a predetermined staging location at a specified time, then in groups will be led downtown to the courthouse. See GRADUATION Page A3 “I was presented with data showing two paths Oregon could take: One in which we took no ad- Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle 18 Columbia County elected officials, including St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl and ditional action and stood by while Scappoose Mayor Scott Burge, have signed and sent this letter Governor Kate Brown more people die from this disease, asking that she reconsider the state’s COVID-19 health and safety county classifica- and another that required a tempo- tions. It follows an earlier letter by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association rary tightening of restrictions for signed by 79 elected officials making a similar request. certain counties but could save hun- dreds of lives and prevent as many missioners singed their names to a as 450 hospitalizations over the next ZACK DEMARS letter by the Oregon Restaurant & [email protected] three weeks, Brown said “As your Lodging Association asking that Governor, I chose to save lives.” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s Brown reconsider the risk classifi- latest mandate that moved Colum- cations due to the adverse economic Columbia County concerns bia County and 14 others into the impact on the Oregon hospitality. state’s pandemic Extreme High The Extreme High Risk means Eighteen elected officials in Co- Risk classification continues to tighter public restrictions and limi- lumbia County, including St. Helens draw fire. tations for businesses, including no Mayor Rick Scholl and Scapppoose The Extreme High Risk move indoor dinning at restaurants. Mayor Scott Burge, sent their own On that same day, Brown met Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle took effect Friday, April 30, the letter to Brown expressing their In 2020, St. Helens High School seniors were driven to the steps of the Columbia same day 79 county commission- with reporters, defending the deci- County Courthouse. As their name was called, each walked up the steps to receive ers across the state, including the sion because Oregon’s COVID-19 their diploma and back down the steps to have their photo taken. The 2021 SHHS Columbia County Board of Com- cases are widespread and driven by See COUNTY Page A12 graduation will be patterned after that event. Opinion ..................... A4 10th Annual 2021 Poll ............................ A4 Columbia County Obituaries ................. A5 Classified Ads ......... A6 Legals .................... A7-8 Business TV Guide ................... A9 Garden Plots .......... A10 Crossword .............. A10 Guide The 2021 Columbia County Business guide is a full color, glossy magazine Vol. 139, No. 18 that showcases local business and highlights current news events. It PUBLICATION DATES: is the go-to reference for visitors, CHRONICLE: JUNE 23, CHIEF: JUNE 25 newcomers, residents, and potential AD DEADLINE: JUNE 9 customers of Columbia County. The Chronicle The Chief For space reservation, contact Amy: 503-397-0116 or [email protected] A2 www.thechronicleonline.com Wednesday, May 5, 2021 Financial relief sought for Eisenschmidt Pool built in 1939 during the AURORA BIGGERS Great Depression as part of [email protected] the Work Projects Admin- The financial challenges istration (WPA), a relief continue at Eisenschmidt program aimed at getting Pool in St. Helens. unemployed people back to Pool General Manager work by having them work Anne Sholz is hopeful for on a wide variety of projects, some relief by the St.