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FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023
VOL. 131, NO. 45 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
School board selects new superintendent JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
The Clatskanie School Board has selected Dr. Danielle Hudson as the district’s new superintendent. The board made the decision during its regular monthly meeting March 14 and Board Chair Megan Evenson released the following statement. “The Clatskanie School Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Dr. Danielle Hudson as our new Superintendent of Schools beginning July 1, 2023. After an extensive search and interview process, with the help of the OSBA (Oregon School Boards Association) team, we were able to find a highly qualified Superintendent. We want to thank all of the community members who participated in our “Meet the Candidates Day” and provided their input. Dr. Hudson comes to us with a wealth of experience that will help Clatskanie schools continue to improve and provide a quality educational experience for all of our students. We look forward to working with her! Throughout the spring Dr. Hudson plans to spend some time in our district with our interim Superintendent, Ken
Parshall, to meet students and staff and familiarize herself with our community, please join us in welcoming her!” Hudson statement Dr. Danielle Hudson also released a statement following her appointment as the new Clatskanie School District Superintendent. “I am so excited I have been selected to serve as the Superintendent of the Clatskanie School District. In the short time that I have spent in Clatskanie, I have been impressed with the way the school board elevated student voice throughout the hiring process, the board’s commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience for every student, the sense of community that has been cultivated by the dedicated staff at the schools, and the investment by the city in the future of our youth. I am looking forward to becoming an active member of the Clatskanie community and working alongside Clatskanie students, educators, and families to enhance the educational experience and social-emotional well-being of Clatskanie youth as they prepare for post-secondary success.”
Background
The Clatskanie School Board and Screening Committee interviewed five superintendent candidates, Tuesday, Feb. 21. The five were selected from the 13 candidates who initially applied for the open position that has been advertised through OSBA (Oregon School Boards Association). Immediately following the interviews, the school board selected David Marshall and Danielle Hudson as the two finalists for the position. In a published interview with The Chief in November, Evenson defined the qualifications for the new superintendent. “We are looking for a leader that is going to put kids in our community first, that is our priority, and to empower the district administration and staff to do their very best for kids,” she said. The pay range for the Clatskanie School District Superintendent’s position is between $135,000 and $150,000, according to district officials. Hudson replaces Cathy Hurowitz, who resigned in November after serving the district for five years.
Courtesy photo
Dr. Danielle Hudson
I am looking forward to becoming an active member of the Clatskanie community and working alongside Clatskanie students, educators, and families to enhance the educational experience and socialemotional well-being of Clatskanie youth as they prepare for post-secondary success.
Read more about this transition in previous stories at thechiefnews.com.
Community gathers to support Zuber family WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
As a Columbia County family seeks closure for the loss of a loved one, community members gathered for a candlelight vigil hosted by the Zuber family and the Justice For Sarah Zuber group. More than 50 people attended the 6 p.m. event at Rainier City Park Monday, March 13. Though it had been a rainy day, the sun broke through the clouds, and a rainbow appeared as the group gathered for a statement from Sarah Zuber’s parents, Randy and Rebecca Zuber. “In difficult times, we have a tendency to revert into one’s own self. To pull away from our loved ones, our friends, family. To hide, to withdraw, to seek to be alone, often we don’t know who to turn to even though there are people all around us. Maybe it is trust, or oftentimes it is that we just don’t have the energy to seek someone out,” Rebecca Zuber said. “It has been four years today, and yet it was yesterday in the heart of those closest to her. When Sarah was killed, our family was shattered. Our family was shattered in slow motion; we didn’t even realize the depths of that brokenness until recently.” On March 13, 2019, Sarah Zuber’s body was found by her sister Katie Zuber, on the side of Neer City Road in Rainier, less than 400 feet from her home. After an investigation by a major crimes team, Oregon State Medi-
Obituaries ................. A3 Crossword ................ A3 Opinions ................... A4 Classified Ads ......... A5 Legals ....................... A5 Community Events ... A6
Contact The Chief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051
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Community members gather beneath a rainbow at Rainier City Park during the candlelight vigil for Sarah Zuber.
cal Examiner Rebecca Millius ruled that the death was accidental and caused by “combined deterious effects of acute ethanol (beverage alcohol) intoxication and hypothermia due to exposure.” In a letter issued to Columbia County media outlets in October
of 2022, Rebecca Zuber outlined that the family had reservations about the findings of the investigation and how the investigation was handled. “From the beginning, Sarah’s suspicious death investigation was handled incompetently,” the letter read. “Because no trained
special investigative crime team is available in Columbia County, Sarah’s case suffered a plethora of mishaps, missed opportunities, miscommunication, half-completed interviews and lost evidence.” The Justice For Sarah Zuber Facebook page, a page created to bring awareness to the ongo-
ing plight of the family, now has around 2,000 followers. Now, four years later, because of public interest, the case has been reopened by the Columbia County District Attorney. District Attorney Jeff Auxier stated to the Chief in early February that he believes the original outcome of the case was correct, but that the investigation has been reopened and turned over to the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ). “Based on recent requests from the public, I have reopened the investigation and have turned over the investigative materials to the Oregon Department of Justice so they can independently review the case,” Auxier said. “We are currently waiting to hear whether they agree with our conclusion, or whether they have recommendations for us in terms of additional investigative steps we could take. If they think we missed something during the first investigation, we will promptly conduct any follow-up they recommend.” Auxier said that having a group of independent and experienced attorneys and investigators review the case was the best way to start reopening the investigation. With the DOJ investigation underway, Auxier hopes that will bring the four years of disquiet for the family to an end. In her address to the gathering at the vigil, Rebecca Zuber thanked those who have continued to help the family in their time of need.
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Beer, wine price boost proposed STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.
Prices for beer and wine could be temporarily increased to help fund immediate access to detox and treatment, under a proposal at the Oregon Legislature. The Alcohol Harm Reduction Act (HB 3312) has been introduced by Oregon State Rep. Tawna Sanchez, a licensed social worker, Rep. Travis Nelson, and Rep. Lisa Reynolds. Additional funding will be used to educate consumers and children about the adverse health impacts of alcohol, fentanyl, cannabis, and methamphetamines, according to a release from the legislators. “As too many Oregon families know, excessive alcohol use destroys lives, families, and relationships,” Sanchez said. “Alcohol addiction cuts across income level, race, culture, geography—and politics. That makes reducing the harms of alcohol in our state an issue that should unite
everyone. There are over 450,000 people struggling with addiction across Oregon, primarily addiction to alcohol. I believe their lives are worth more than a dime a drink, and I hope my colleagues do too.” “The out-of-state alcohol industry is trumpeting that this is a 1200% increase, which is intentionally misleading. What they don’t want consumers to know is that it’s just a ten-cent-a-beer increase, spread out over five years,” Oregon Recovers Executive Director Mike Marshall said. “This bill was specifically designed not to negatively impact Oregon’s breweries and wineries; their customers won’t even notice a two-cent-a-year increase. Those who will notice are people who engage in binge drinking and underage drinking—two behaviors predictive of lifetime alcohol addiction. Those folks simply aren’t the customer base of breweries and wineries. Let’s keep the focus on what this bill is all about: addressing Oregon’s alcohol crisis
and saving lives.” By the numbers Excessive alcohol use is Oregon’s third-leading cause of preventable death. Six people die each day here due to alcohol. In 2020, alcoholrelated deaths increased 73%. Oregon ranks 5th nationally in alcohol addiction and 12% of Oregonians have alcohol use disorder, according to the release. Oregon ranks 50th in access to addiction treatment, with 18% of Oregonians needing but not receiving treatment. Each alcoholic drink sold in Oregon costs local and state governments $2.08 in lost workplace productivity, health care expenses, criminal justice costs, and motor vehicle crashes. The total economic costs of excessive drinking in Oregon were $4.8 billion in 2019, the release
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The temporary measure to increase beer and wine prices will reduce alcohol addiction from 12% to 5% and fund immediate access to addiction treatment, according to the state representatives.