A look back at 2020

The year 2020 started as most any other year then, for both Columbia County and the nation, went off the rails.

If February, conditions were right for a flood event which devastated county roads, some properties and did millions of dollars of damage to the county and region.

Then came snippets of information about a potentially deadly virus from China, and by March, schools and most businesses were shut down.

It was a tumultuous year and one which won’t be soon forgotten.

Here we recount the events, week by week, from 2020, continued from the January 21 edition, due to space constraints.

APRIL

16). Convicted child rapist was in U.S. illegally. Jose Guadalupe Flores-Hernandez, who pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a child and one count of child molestation and was sentenced April 1 in Columbia County Superior Court, is a Mexican national and was residing in the United States illegally at the time of the offense, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Public Affairs Officer/Spokesperson Tanya Roman.

Columbia County remains with single recovered case and has had no new positive coronavirus tests, according to Martha Lanman, Public Health Administrator with the County Health Department. Department.

23). The school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the budget for the 2021-22 school year and likely into the following year. The district, as requested by the state, plans to write a minimalistic budget reduced by 10% or more and put money away to possibly prevent cuts from critical areas over the next year or two.

The Dayton Days Parade cancelled for Columbia County, at a meeting The Dayton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors opted to forgo the annual Memorial Day Weekend parade, a springtime tradition here for decades due to the risk of spreading the Coronavirus.

Columbia County is again one of the few Washington counties with just a single case of coronavirus in this 14th week of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The one case has recovered and the county is one of 19 counties yet to count a death attributed to the virus.

30). Rep. Bill Jenkin urges Inslee to work with local governments to restart the economy, Governor Jay Inslee needs to take recent reopening actions a step further.

Washington, Oregon and California Employer Groups Announce Coalition to Assist in Reopening Economies.

With a decrease in sales tax and gasoline tax revenue due to the Stay at Home Order for Washington State, many counties are meeting to look at trimming department budgets by 5-15%.

CCHS experiencing the COVID-19 financial plummet. March net patient revenue, $242,000 for Columbia County Health System (CCHS) is down due to reduced hospital admittance, appointments for the clinic and for various outpatient therapy, labs, imaging and procedures and is expected to continue to fail through the end of April.

Golf Coach Mike McGhan gives recognition to the four senior golf team members, Quintin Rapoza, McKellyn Bradham, Seamus House, and Kiya McCaw. We had four seniors playing their last season of golf this season. “It is for them that makes the cancellation of the gof season so devastating.”

County CoVID-19 free so far. The coronavirus count in Columbia County remains at one positive (recovered) with 67 tested negative and on pending test, according to the County Public Health Department. There have been zero deaths here because of COVID-19

May

7). The Annual High School Reunion of Dayton High School, scheduled for July 17-18, 2020, is canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Alumni Committee regrettably reports.

Like a bull rider who gets a face full of dirt instead of a shiny belt buckle, the Dayton Days with Columbia County Fair Rodeo is yet another casualty of the world wide coronavirus pandemic. After withholding decision-making until the last moment, the Dayton Day’s Inc. officers and board of directors announced this week that the 2020 Memorial Day rodeo is canceled.

Columbia County Commissioners have decided to apply for the variance required by the State of Washington to move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Safe Start” guidelines.

Walla Walla County, the first death was reported Monday of this week. The individual, a male in his 70s with underlying health conditions, succumbed May 4, the department of Community Health reported.

Columbia County’s COVD positive count remains at one recovered with 77 negative tests with zero pending and no fatalities as of May 5, reports the Columbia County Public Health Department.

Columbia REA Contributes $10,000 to the COVID-19 and has partnered with the Providence St. Mary Foundation to help strengthen our community’s response to COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

The Seventieth Anniversary of V-E Day, This Friday and Saturday May 8 and 9, marks the 70th anniversary of the surrender of Germany in World War 11. Few local veterans of World War 11 remain, Fred Gritman, 96, who served as combat engineer with the US. Army’s 91st Infantry, was presented his 60 Year Certificated by American Legion Commander Brian Black in 2015.

14). All Wheels Weekend 2020 canceled over the concern of bringing large crowds into the community during the four-phase reopening of businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.