Columbia

MOSES LAKE — Construction could start in 2024 on a long-delayed project to replace the railroad tracks running through downtown Moses Lake with a new line between Wheeler Road and the Port of Moses Lake.

Milton Miller, director of port facilities, said about five miles of track will be built. The project also will include the rehabilitation of about 3.5 miles of existing track near Patton Boulevard leading to the port.

“We’re currently in right of way purchase. So between actual real property and temporary construction easements, there are roughly 18 easements and/or parcels that we have to purchase. Currently, there are three under port ownership,” he said.

“We’re hoping to have that process this calendar year, to have it out to bid by the first quarter of next year and hopefully have construction begin in June of next year,” Miller said.

Once the new railroad is completed, the existing line through Moses Lake will be taken out of service.

“That was the fundamental essence of the project, to eliminate the safety concerns from having train cars go through downtown, as well as congestion issues. And bring rail viability back to the port for economic development,” Miller said.

The existing line isn’t in use, but can’t be repurposed either, at least not now.

“Due to certain federal regulations that line can’t be abandoned until we have a different service connection,” Miller said. “So the (owners) can’t sell, repurpose or (do) anything with the line downtown until we have a new service connection out at the port,” Miller said.

The new rail line will reconnect Moses Lake with the BNSF lines at Connell.

“That opens up this whole Wheeler Corridor,” Miller said.

The new section of rail line will run south of Wheeler Road, cross Wheeler about 1 to 2 miles west of State Route 17, run along Road 4 NE and connect with the existing line. The new section will require a bridge across Crab Creek and a rail crossing on Wheeler Road.

Construction should take about two years.

“With the in-water work and (irrigation) canals, we’re hoping less than 24 months (to completion),” Miller said. “Worst case scenario, we’re thinking 36 (months), but we’re shooting for 24.”

Environmental and other restrictions mean that some construction is confined to winter months when Crab Creek is at low flows and the irrigation canals are not in use, he said.

Miller said the new rail line would give Moses Lake businesses the opportunity to ship supplies and products in and out nationally, making Moses Lake more attractive to businesses looking for a site.

“There have been several industries that have sited, or are interested in rail service out here,” Miller said. “There are a lot of companies that need rail as part of their business model, to bring in their precursor or ship out their end product.”

The rail lines through Moses Lake are owned by the Columbia Basin Railroad, and port officials would contract with CBRR for service once the new line is complete, Miller said.

Port officials received a $20 million grant from the state in 2016 for the new and rehabilitated rail line and a $10 million federal grant in 2018. But the federal grant required updated environmental studies, Miller said, and the COVID-19 pandemic delayed progress further. Most of the original customers have made other plans or no longer need rail, he said, but rail still could be a valuable attraction to business.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

Originally Appeared Here

HEALTH & SAFETY …

MU Extension offers behavioral and mental health resources, workshops, suicide prevention classes and teletherapy counseling for farmers and ranchers

PUBLISHED ON September 4, 2023

Drought affects more than plants and livestock. September – National Suicide Prevention Month – is a painful reminder that life is tough in rural America, especially after major events such as drought and flood. (Courtesy Photo)

COLUMBIA, Mo. – During drought, plants and livestock suffer.

So do farmers. Life in rural America can be rough, especially when weather-related events such as drought and flood put crops and livestock at risk.

University of Missouri Extension agronomist Valerie Tate knows this all too well. Tate has lost some friends and neighbors to suicide, a topic that still breaks her heart.

She’s not alone. September – National Suicide Prevention Month – is a painful reminder that life is tough in rural America. Tate says it is a good time to #BeThe1ToAsk, keep them safe, be there, help them connect and follow up.

MU Extension safety and health specialist Karen Funkenbusch reminds farmers and their families that MU Extension offers behavioral and mental health resources, mental health workshops, suicide prevention classes and teletherapy counseling sessions for farmers and ranchers.

Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death among Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that rural residents are at a higher risk of suicide than urban residents. The CDC also reports that more than half of U.S. counties don’t have a social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 98% of the state’s rural counties are designated “mental health professional shortage areas.”

It’s time to change those statistics, says Funkenbusch.

In addition to a shortage of mental and behavioral health services, workers in rural communities often face other barriers such as difficulty obtaining health insurance, she says. There also may be sociocultural factors such as stigma against seeking help, especially for men. A lack of nearby medical services often hampers emergency care for those suffering from serious self-inflicted injuries or overdoses.

MU Extension works with numerous groups to provide resources to farmers and ranchers, especially those who live in underserved areas.

One is the AgriStress Helpline. MU Extension, in a partnership with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, is promoting the free, confidential service, which is available to Missouri producers and rural families seeking mental health support. Call or text 833-897-2474 for help. Health care professionals answer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The MU Psychological Services Clinic offers free teletherapy sessions for farmers and ranchers and members of their immediate families. Learn more at muext.us/PSCFarmRanch, or contact the clinic at adpsc@missouri.edu or 573-882-4677.

MU Extension is part of Iowa Concern, which provides stress counselors, an attorney for legal education, information and referral services for farm families. The toll-free number is 800-447-1985.

These services are supported through Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network grants from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Another option is the 24-hour National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides free, confidential services. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org.

Find other resources in the Mental Health Awareness Toolkit at muext.us/MHtoolkit.

— MU Extension

Originally Appeared Here

Posted:
September 3, 2023

Solid results equal support for the basin

Columbia Basin Trust releases its annual report; attend AGM to learn more

With solid performance of its investments, Columbia Basin Trust was able to deliver $82.2 million in direct benefits to the Basin. Results are now available in its 2022/23 Annual Service Plan Report.

“The Trust strives to generate predictable, sustainable and appreciating investment returns to support residents’ efforts to make their communities better places today, and into the future,” said Johnny Strilaeff, Columbia Basin Trust President and Chief Executive Officer.

“This past year, we’re proud to have partnered with residents, non-profits, businesses, local governments, First Nations, and others on over 2,700 projects. Your success is our success—congratulations and thank you for all your hard work!”

In 2022/23, the Trust’s revenues exceeded targets and totaled nearly $96 million thanks to the performance of its investments, including the hydropower facilities it jointly owns with Columbia Power Corporation.

The Trust delivered a total of $82.2 million in direct benefits to the Basin, including $56.8 million in programs and initiatives, plus $3.6 million in capital investments in areas such as broadband infrastructure and economic programs, $15.7 million in new business loans, and $6.1 million in new real estate.

The Trust continued a focus on its Columbia Basin Management Plan Strategic Priorities by launching several new programs and evolving many others. As these priorities expire at the end of 2023, the Trust has been undertaking an extensive public input process to renew the Plan; members of the public are currently invited to provide feedback on the draft Plan by September 20, at ourtrust.org/draftcbmp.

The Trust invites the public to attend its Annual General Meeting, where participants can hear more about the Trust’s work and celebrate the achievements of people and communities over the past year.

This will take place online and in person in Kaslo at the Legion Hall on September 14, from 4 to 5 p.m. PT / 5 to 6 p.m. MT. Learn more at ourtrust.org/agm.

During the event, Board Chair Jocelyn Carver and President and CEO Johnny Strilaeff will share highlights of the annual report with examples of how the Trust supported projects and initiatives that impacted the region.

“Through the Our Trust, Our Future engagement process, we’ve had many chances to connect with people in the Basin, and we’re pleased that the AGM offers us yet one more,” said Strilaeff. “Whether you join us in person or online, we look forward to being able to share the accomplishments of the past year and celebrating the many community successes.”

Read the annual report at ourtrust.org/annualreport and watch for Our Trust Magazine, a collection of stories celebrating the accomplishments of people and communities in the region, coming to households and businesses in September.

In 2022/23, Columbia Basin Trust provided $82.2 million to support the efforts of Basin communities and residents, including 2,700 projects.

 

Columbia Basin Trust supports the efforts of the people in the Columbia Basin. To learn more about the Trust’s programs and initiatives, and how it helps deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the Basin, visit ourtrust.org or call 1-800-505-8998.

Lead image: Board Chair Jocelyn Carver and President and CEO Johnny Strilaeff will share highlights of the Trust’s annual report at the Trust’s Annual General Meeting on September 14, online and in person in Kaslo. Columbia Basin Trust photo

Columbia Basin Trust

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Originally Appeared Here

Interviews are a required part of the MBA application process. They are also a fantastic opportunity to connect with the admissions committee, and to showcase your candidacy. In order to ace your MBA interview, you need to think strategically.

• Nail the Foundational Questions.

At a minimum, you need to be able to answer the foundational MBA questions. Can you walk the interviewer through your resume, highlighting progression, seniority, impact, leadership, and skills that are transferable to your future career? Speaking of which, are you ready to clearly articulate your short and long-term goals? Why do you want to go to this school, and how will you contribute? How do you handle failure, team situations, conflict?

In addition to having refined answers to the foundational questions, the most successful candidates are overprepared. (I overprepare my clients for every aspect of the application process.) In an interview context, this means going beyond the expected preparation and understanding the interviewer’s framework. What qualities are they looking for, and do your answers showcase them? Have you practiced, a lot, even if you think of yourself as a great interviewee? Are your answers deep enough, and have you chosen illustrations that highlight your strengths and mitigate any concerns? Are you super well-versed in the courses, clubs and special features of this program? Can you handle tough behavioral questions, and are you able to demonstrate vulnerability?

Once your content is ready, it’s time to practice sharing the optimal level of detail. Sometimes, the interviewer will accept surface-level answers, or ask superficial questions. Although this can feel pleasant in the moment, it will be problematic if the interviewer doesn’t have enough information to advocate for you in their write-up. In these situations (or if the interviewer is disengaged, and not asking follow-up questions), you will need to choose key moments in which to elaborate. For instance, if you are asked to share 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses, instead of just listing them you can explain and illustrate key attributes. If they ask you about the best team that you have ever been on, don’t just describe it. Explain what you contributed to the dynamic and why this is your ideal. 

This seems like an obvious point, but dress appropriately (ideally in a suit), show up on time, make sure that your technology is working, and send a thank you note. Also, don’t blow it in the last 5 minutes by asking weird questions like “Will I get in?” or by telegraphing doubt. “Isn’t the small class size a problem?” is NOT a good question.

Many business schools are now offering guaranteed interviews, if you apply in a certain round or early enough in a given round. Absolutely take advantage of these opportunities. The interview is an important component of the application process, and it’s totally worth investing the time to make sure that you ace your MBA interview.

Karen has more than 12 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Clients have been awarded more than $50 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.

Comments or questions about this article? Email us.

Originally Appeared Here

A popular Kansas City area restaurant known for its Hawaiian plate lunch-inspired menu now is officially open in Columbia. Hawaiian Bros Island Grill wants to bring its core tenets of ohana, or family, and the aloha spirit to Columbia, said Josh Roan, launch manager.

“We had a lot of great feedback in the Kansas City market to bring one to Columbia,” he said, adding that he has heard stories of people driving to the Blue Springs location from Columbia just for the food, or on the way to events in Kansas City. “We are excited to be here in Columbia. The community has been very welcoming. We know it has taken a while to get to this point.”

The restaurant held soft opening events Friday and Saturday for first responders, teachers, students and other local business owners. There was a mix of about 60% who knew of and had eaten at a Hawaiian Bros before and the rest were first-time visitors, Roan said. Visitors at the head of line Monday, which wrapped all the way around the building, also had a smattering of those who already knew what the restaurant offered and brand new guests.

The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.

“There aren’t many places open (in Columbia) after 10 p.m. (We can) give a guest a chance to get fresh food fast at late night, with no freezers or fryers, that is a quality product at an affordable price for the amount of food you get,” Roan said.

Hawaiian Bros can take orders online, through its app as well as in-person and the drive-thru. For those who order ahead for pickup, staff members will bring the food out to your car, Roan said. The restaurant also will be available through delivery apps Grubhub, Door Dash and Uber Eats.

The Columbia location at 1401 Grindstone Parkway had a slightly bumpy road from property acquisition to Monday’s opening. This partially was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the company having trouble finding people to complete the remodeling work, Roan said. It is the 45th location and is owned by the company instead of being a franchise. The building formerly was a Jack in the Box and before that a Taco Bueno.

“We can only find so many people to build a Hawaiian Bros. It is kind of what we ran into,” Roan said. “… The shell is all the same, but we have new everything in the building. We repaved the parking lot and we have some things still in progress. As far as everything else, it’s brand new.

“We like the outside to look just as good as the inside.”

Hawaiian Bros was created by brothers Tyler and Cameron McNie. The first location was in Belton, Missouri. The McNies originally come from the West Coast, but Midwest friends from Kansas City inspired them to bring a version of their family’s Hawaiian grill restaurant here, Roan said.

The McNie family took trips to Hawaii when they were young and often ate plate lunches. That is what they wanted to bring back to the contiguous U.S., Roan said. About 200 staff took a trip to Hawaii last year.

“We went to a taro field. We did a lot of charitable work on the islands,” Roan said. “(This was when) we were at about 30 locations. That trip showed why our values are our values,” Roan said. “We call ourselves island-inspired, because we are not Hawaiian. We are trying to create that vibe. To do that, our menu consists of the island-inspired cuisine of the plate lunch.”

The core components of a plate lunch are a protein, rice and macaroni salad.

“We have no freezers. No fryers. Everything is fresh. It comes off the grill and goes to your plate,” Roan said.

There are different styles of teriyaki chicken, including a couple of spicier varieties, slow roasted luau pork, or seasoned steamed vegetables. A mix of two proteins can be selected for an additional charge.

“Ingredients are Hawaiian as much as we can. The teriyaki sauce was developed in Hawaiia. Numerous testings,” Roan said.

Guests can get additional sides if they desire and in case of a gluten allergy can replace the macaroni salad with a different side. Additional options are pineapple chunks, a small portion of steamed vegetables or a spam musubi, a glazed slice of spam with rice and wrapped with a strip of nori seaweed. Dessert is a fat-, gluten- and dairy-free pineapple soft serve. Beverages include Hawaiian Sun tropical fruit drinks or typical fountain drinks.

“Right now, we are the fastest, fast-casual restaurant in the nation to date. Our drive-thru times start to finish are (90 seconds) if you know what you are ordering. Our goal is to keep that going,” Roan said, adding if there ever is an issue, there is a customer satisfaction team to address it. “Before, it was Cameron and Tyler reaching out when we had five locations.”

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

Originally Appeared Here

DAYTON — Committees tasked with condensing into 250-word statements their arguments for and against dissolving the Columbia County Rural Library District have completed their work.

The groups filed their arguments and rebuttals with the Auditor’s Office earlier this month. Auditor Will Hutchens shared the statements with the Union-Bulletin on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

The statements offer a stark look at how and why the issue ended up on the ballot and the potential impact of the November election, when county voters will decide whether to dissolve the library.

Columbia County Auditor’s Office

The library’s Board of Trustees, which still meets monthly to conduct business and take comments, appointed Seth Murdock, Marcene Hendrickson and Judith Strode to argue to dissolve the library and Tanya Patton and Deb Fortner to argue against.

The statements, attached in full, will appear in a voters’ pamphlet sent to residents in early October.

Argument to dissolve

In their statement asking county voters to dissolve the library, Murdock, Hendrickson and Strode argue that the library makes books — challenged because of their topics of gender, sexuality and race — too accessible to children, describing them as age-inappropriate sexual material.

“Challenging books proved fruitless,” the statement read.

Columbia County Auditor’s Office

The library board voted to keep 11 books dealing with issues of gender identity, sexual identity or anti-racism in October 2022 after requests for their removal.

In their rebuttal, Murdock, Hendrickson and Strode said they now take issue with more than 100 books in the library. They also disagree with the library’s public comment process and with the role of the American Library Association, the statement said.

“Whether there can be short term appeasement on this issue is immaterial, because in the process of dealing with it, a greater truth has been revealed that this public library is an irretrievably compromised entity, and it needs to be removed from our midst,” the statement said.

In their rebuttal, Patton and Fortner argue the library is a vital resource that residents depend on.

“Do not recklessly sweep it away,” the rebuttal read.

Argument not to dissolve

In asking residents to vote against dissolving the library, Patton and Fortner emphasized the impact of dissolving the library: The library would close, and printed materials would be sent to the state library in Olympia.

“Citizens of Columbia County would lose the library services they now rely on,” the statement said.

Columbia County Auditor’s Office

Patton and Fortner also argued the rural library district — formed in 2005 to provide Dayton Memorial Library with a stable funding source through county property taxes — was a way for residents to keep a valuable resource whose finances were threatened.

They said in the statement that the November election is a chance to reaffirm that decision.

“Their commitment to the greater good sent a clear message: To strengthen the social and economic fabric of our community, Columbia County makes literacy and lifelong learning a priority for all its citizens,” the statement said.

In their rebuttal, Murdock, Hendrickson and Strode said the library has not met that commitment.

“This is not the library we need,” the rebuttal said.

Columbia County Auditor’s Office

“Keep rowing” 

While the Auditor’s Office prepared the voters’ pamphlet and accompanying ballot measure that will decide the fate of the library at 111 S. Third St. in Dayton, it was business as usual for board members at the Monday, Aug. 21 meeting.

Board Chair Jay Ball and members Karin Spann, Sharon Mendel, Chuck Beleny and Kevin Rust discussed carpet cleaning and repairs, new furniture for the Delany building meeting room, finances and the employee weapons policy.

A suggestion from Rust about restricting new library material purchases until after the election was taken up for discussion but didn’t gain traction from the board.

“I’m wondering if we need to spend as much monthly on printed material as we have in the past, or if we can get by with some of the books that she gets regularly, or ones that have been requested by people that come in,” Rust said.

Library director Ellen Brigham previously said the library budgets about $2,721 per month for new materials, including books, audiobooks, movies, TV shows and items for the Library of Things.

Ball said he understands the suggestion came up because the library’s materials would go to the state library if voters decided to close the library. Still, he said the library should keep offering services to people.

“We’ve still got this place to run,” he said. “We should do it. We have a budget, let’s work with it … We’ll see where we stand pretty soon, but in the meantime, I say just keep rowing the boat the way we’re going.”

Spann agreed.

“Let’s give people a reason to keep us,” she said.

Rust asked if Brigham had any ideas for things that didn’t need to be purchased. She said the library probably would not add anything more to its Library of Things in coming months.

Other comments 

Giving her director’s report, Brigham also told the board that parents can put controls on their children’s library accounts, leaving a note for the library staff that their kids can only check out books on their school reading list, PG or G movies, or any other restriction they choose.

“If that is something that you need to happen, just come in and we’ll get it done,” she said. “Quick and easy.”

During public comment, Dayton resident Jessica Ruffcorn, who led the effort to get the dissolution on the ballot, said the board has put more focus on issues like carpets and employee policies that it has on the library’s collection development policy.

“Clearly we have our priorities mixed up,” she said. “You guys were presented (with) an opportunity to show that you guys are going to be good stewards of our tax dollars and spend wisely while we decide whether we need to have a library or not. You guys have decided to continue to recklessly spend.”

Another resident thanked the board for keeping the carpets, ramps and chairs in mind.

“(Those are) issues that are important for keeping our library running, keeping people safe … and making sure we have the resources available. … It may not be exciting, but it’s necessary.”

Originally Appeared Here

The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges in many aspects of life around the globe, and in Columbia County, businesses did not escape the impact of the Coronavirus.

There were many challenges that the pandemic presented small businesses, but people may be surprised to learn there were positives coming out of the pandemic as well.

Paul Vogel, the Executive Director of the Columbia Economic Team (CET), detailed the mixed developments businesses experienced during the past several years.

“No question, the pandemic was too much for some businesses to survive. Between emergency pandemic restrictions, employees afraid or unable to work due to illness or childcare issues, the challenges were myriad, and some businesses couldn’t adapt,” Vogel said. “Positive impacts, however, include changes in many peoples’ work circumstances that motivated them to branch out on their own and start new businesses… businesses of all types. That’s good for our small business economy and diversity of goods and services in our communities.”

Small Business Development Center

One of the initiatives the CET took to support small businesses and growth in the county is the development of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The CET started the SBDC during the year 2021/2022.

It was borne out of reviewing the business finances of hundreds of small companies and organizations throughout the process of running four grant rounds of emergency relief funds, Vogel said.

“None of those grants turned a business around, but combined with other relief, certainly kept many going. But the important thing was the clear discovery that investing in solid, credible, accountable basic business advising was the best possible investment,” Vogel said. “Every city invested; the county invested; we recruited the statewide small business network as nearly a 50% investor, and we set a responsible start-up period to get established.”

Vogel and the CET were told they shouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t have clients within the first 12 months. Vogel said the SBDC exceeded expectations and that within the first year, they had over 100 contacts and “scores” of registered clients. Vogel expects that it is a number they will “probably double this year.”

SBDC Director Jason Moon said that their clientele base is strong and that they’ve continued to grow in the months since it was founded.

“Following the easing of shutdowns and the implementation of the Columbia County Small Business Development Center and resource center, we’ve witnessed the revitalization of existing businesses and the emergence of new ones. Currently, over 120 SBDC clients and averaging around ten new clients each month,” Moon said.

The SBDC has hired an additional business advisor and administrative support to increase capacity to meet needs and demand and continue to offer the service and recourse to all small businesses across the county, according to Vogel.

Vogel and Moon noted that while they have supported numerous businesses, there are also small businesses and start-ups outside of their network, so the actual number of businesses that have come out of the pandemic is higher than its membership.

The SBDC helps clients prepare to start and maintain their businesses with various services tailored to succeeding in Columbia County.

“We offer free 1:1 confidential business advising, and are your business resource for helping you start, run and grow your best business, so you can thrive in our local economy,” Moon said. “This includes business plan development, navigating business regulatory processes, helping you manage cash flow challenges, just to name a few.”

Challenges for small businesses

Vogel said the CET has seen consistent start-up and expansion across many sectors. The hospitality industry (i.e., Restaurants, coffee shops, cafes, specialty shops, and food trucks) is on the rise, and there is a resurgence in Rainier, St. Helens, and elsewhere, according to Vogel.

“We hope for success for all. With small businesses, statistically, a high percentage fail in the first three years; if you’ve made it four years, your chances of success are significantly improved,” Vogel said. “We’re still inside that four-year window, but between the new SBDC and now the Growing Rural Oregon (GRO) entrepreneurial ecosystem initiative – we have substantial new tools in place – at no charge to business owners.”

In Clatskanie, Vogel said the SBDC and CET would be able to help over time because it is difficult to tell if business closures in Clatskanie are a result of the pandemic or just failed or untested businesses.

“Clatskanie has lost many storefront businesses recently including The Clatskanie Market, Clatskanie Floral Shop, The Clatskanie Mercantile, and Singing Dogs Jewelry. Plus, Grannis Square remains vacant; 2 major buildings are for sale, and Colvin’s is for sale. Some have ventured to say at least 40% of Clatskanie storefronts are vacant,” Vogel said.

One of the biggest challenges businesses faced during the pandemic was the changing regulations and criteria that customers and employers needed to follow.

“What I can say is that our Clatskanie businesses struggled through COVID by trying to keep up with the restrictions and be compliant with the ever-changing regulations,” Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Johnson said. “Many had staffing issues and were negatively impacted financially.”

The challenges that new businesses face begin with getting started, but the real test is being able to maintain what has been built and continued growth.

“Knowing your market, developing a customer base, building a brand, hiring the right team, brick and mortar space in the county, having a plan in place for cash flow, and how to access capital are the biggest challenges I see here at our center,” Moon said.

With COVID restrictions lifting in the past two years, it is difficult to attribute their closures to the pandemic.

“The specific impact and ripple effect of COVID on cities within Columbia County is still unfolding. However, each city was resilient in their own way,” Vogel said. “Small business support resources of all kinds were distributed countywide. At this point on the continuum, businesses that are closing either may or may not be related to the pandemic, more than a year out from restrictions being lifted.”

One recent closure was Cherry Bomb’s Cafe in Rainier, which was forced to close just months after opening its doors. Before they could open, they needed to do a host of renovations to bring the business up to code. When asked whether Moon has seen similar cases, he said, “The short answer is yes, unfortunately.”

“Many times when a business signs into a lease agreement, there are tenant improvements to make it fit their vision for the business and space. These improvements can be very costly and not fully realized ahead of signing a contract with the building owner,” Moon said. “In Cherry Bomb’s case, they put in over 25k in plumbing upgrades, and 15k in electrical. This was in addition to paying $2000 each month to the building owner in rent; since November 1, 70k in total upgrades and repairs, and 16k in rent, and an agreement couldn’t be reached to keep this brand new business in place and the time needed to establish itself. Our hope is that our building owners within Columbia County are supporters and proponents of our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.”

In the coming years, Vogel expects Columbia County to continue to grow. Vogel said that there are a number of large industrial tracts that are now fully platted, served by utilities, and are ripe for development.

For their part, the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce waived membership dues for 2020 and 2021 and only charged half-price membership dues for 2022 to help provide a little cost relief, according to Johnson. In addition, the Chamber adapted to virtual meetings to continue providing guest speakers and networking opportunities for our local businesses during the pandemic.

The GRO initiative, for which CET has contracted with the City of St. Helens (and is funded by the Ford Family Foundation), will be instrumental. It will be important for both entrepreneurial, high-growth scale business start-ups and for developing key resource and asset inventories and maps for funders, lenders, commercial properties, and professional service providers, according to Vogel.

CET, as the Travel Oregon Destination Management Organization (DMO), has obtained multiple tourism funding grants for beautification, asset improvement, and destination development in communities across the county, Vogel said.

“Additionally, we applied for and were accepted as one of a few DMOS for Travel Oregon’s ongoing Destination Development and Destination Downtown workshops. We held a series of workdays in June and July with volunteer leaders from all over the county, developing manageable downtown development strategies, techniques, and projects that can be executed in any of our communities,” Vogel said.

Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools is working on more than two dozen projects to renovate or build new buildings across the district as another academic year starts.

School begins Tuesday, with work still taking place on some of them.

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said the district counted 32 construction projects this summer in various buildings.

CPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood told ABC 17 News last week that the district has been busy preparing for the new school year.

“Lots of planning going into place,” Yearwood said. “Getting ready to make sure that, No. 1, our schools are properly prepared, cleanliness and making sure that repairs are done.”

Yearwood said the student population is continuing to grow. Yearwood said CPS has a 10-year plan for projections for its increasing enrollment.

“We never want to be stuck where we have overcrowded schools,” Yearwood said. “That’s no good for anyone.”

According to the district, CPS had a total of 18,213 students in the 2020 fall semester. By fall 2022, that number had risen to 18,800 students. In April 2022, Yearwood told ABC 17 News he predicted the student population to be over 20,000 students by 2032.

CPS parent Amanda Hamlin has three children in the district and said it’s important class sizes aren’t too large because that can hurt students’ learning.

“It isn’t as effective as it could be if there weren’t as many children in one classroom,” Hamlin said.

That’s why the district is planning new projects including at Russell Boulevard Elementary School. Work there is nearing completion and the elementary school located on the John Warner Middle School campus is in the design phase.

Work on an addition to Battle Elementary is set to start in early 2024. This project will install additional classrooms and bring the student capacity up to around 650 students. It will also provide a storm shelter.

According to CPS online records, the district has spent or allotted $52.7 million in building renovations from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2023.

$80 million bond issue

Columbia voters overwhelmingly passed an $80 million dollar bond issue in April 2022 to help fund two new elementary schools, renovations to the Columbia Area Career Center, an addition to Battle Elementary School and other capital improvements.

Yearwood told ABC 17 News the Career Center is in need of a “major facelift”. Baumstark said updates to the Career Center are in the design phase. According to CPS, the new section of the Career Center will add 20,000 square feet and is set to be complete in December 2024.

These funds are issued in two $40 million increments. The first was issued last year and the other will be given to CPS next year.

Boone County Nature School

The Boone County Nature School is a partnership between Columbia Public Schools and the Missouri Department of Conservation. According to the MDC, the school will feature four nature-themed classrooms along with lab space and offices.

Boone County Nature School Design Image from MDC

Yearwood told ABC 17 News the Boone County Nature School has seen a slight delay in construction but it should be completed close to prediction. Yearwood said the project is having difficulty with access to materials and it has been an ongoing issue.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website, the school is set to be completed by March.

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-Messenger file photo

The city of Fort Dodge will again take ownership of the Warden Plaza building as the result of a settlement with KDG LLC, of Columbia, Missouri, which was reached Monday evening, according to City Manager David Fierke.

-Messenger file photo

The city of Fort Dodge will again take ownership of the Warden Plaza building as the result of a settlement with KDG LLC, of Columbia, Missouri, which was reached Monday evening, according to City Manager David Fierke.

The vacant Warden Plaza in downtown Fort Dodge will soon be owned by the city government once again.

The city will take ownership of the building as the result of a settlement with KDG LLC, of Columbia, Missouri, which was reached Monday evening, according to City Manager David Fierke. The fate of the building was to be the focus of a trial in Webster County District Court, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.

The City Council gave the building at 908 First Ave. S. to the firm in December 2016. The developer proposed renovating the building to create commercial space on the first two floors and about 100 apartments on the upper floors. It was projected to be a $30 million investment. But nothing ever came of those plans.

Fierke said after the city takes ownership of the building again it will begin contacting other developers who had previously expressed interest in it.

“We can finally start moving forward instead of being stalled,” he said during a Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance Meet and Eat session held Tuesday at the Community Orchard.

The city was set to go to court Tuesday to ask a district court judge to declare the building abandoned and transfer its ownership to the city. That was the technique the city used to acquire the property from a previous owner, Coralee LLC, of Oakland, California, in 2016.

Fierke said KDG LLC agreed that it would not contest the abandonment proceeding in court. He added that as a result, the city could get ownership of the building in about 60 days.

The renovation of the Warden Plaza was to be part of a major overhaul of part of First Avenue South which was also to include a parking ramp and a new recreation center. None of those projects advanced.

The eight-story building was developed by Theodore Warden, an Ohio coal mining investor. The original part of the building, constructed in 1914, consists of four stories and a mezzanine. Three more stories were added in 1916. Apartments, including a penthouse with a swimming pool, were added from 1924 to 1926. The building has housed a hotel, stores and apartments before becoming vacant in the late 1990s.

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Musicians swap stories from their time within the eye of the pandemic. Get an artist on the phone, and they talk of dried-up touring income, doubts and precautions, and taking their show, well, home — streaming to fans online and writing through the solitude. Optimists among them now stake their claim to a more innovative, sustainable future on whatever side of the pandemic we’re on.

Staff at The Blue Note can sympathize. The Ninth Street rock ‘n’ roll palace and sister venue Rose Music Hall know the upheaval of the past three years. They speak of closed doors and cancellations, starts and stops and restarts, with recency in their voices.

The venue’s not-so-distant past also includes turnover and a sort of musical chairs. But The Blue Note’s staff is moving through 2023 with a sense of forward progress, the sort of motion that comes from finally being at full strength.

“After weathering the pandemic, this team is now whole,” senior director of market operations Mike Nolan said earlier this summer.

The difference between spring 2020 and summer 2023 is hard to miss.

“We went from zero confidence in anything to an extremely high level of confidence that we’re doing what’s good for our venues, our community, our business, ourselves. It’s a complete 180,” Nolan said.

Risks and rewards at The Blue Note

Nolan describes the live music industry as a form of legalized gambling. So many factors surround a show that almost nothing is guaranteed, he said.

He recalls walking toward 2020 ready to take more risks, facing the music on an exciting concert calendar laid out for the year. The pandemic stripped away any illusion of certainty.

When concerts more or less came back, venues like The Blue Note placed their bets on sure things — in a market like Columbia, that often means country music.

As a certain confidence returned, sure things opened doors for greater gambles, Nolan said.

Now he again sees a promising calendar reaching into more genres. That excitement is reflected in a pair of upcoming shows to be held outdoors on Ninth Street: Sunday’s Modest Mouse/Cat Power double bill and the pairing of Father John Misty and The Head and the Heart exactly one week later.

One force behind those shows is talent buyer Melissa Roach, who split time between marketing and booking upon starting at The Blue Note in 2019. After longtime talent buyer — and beloved mid-Missouri songwriter — Pat Kay stepped away to pursue his own music full-time, Roach assumed responsibility.

Roach enjoys being the venue’s first pair of hands, reaching toward an artist.

“Without you, the show isn’t happening,” she said.

Roach feels increasing freedom to diversify the venue’s calendar. She weighs what might work in Columbia, in part, by talking through lists of prospective artists weekly with staff. Roach also is quick to take the pulse of people she meets out in the community, asking what bands they want to hear loud and up close.

Among the risks paying off: indie-rock acts who emerged in the 1990s and early 2000s. Last summer’s appearance by The Breeders rewarded Roach’s faith; that trend only continues, she said, with a recent Bright Eyes date and this weekend’s Modest Mouse show.

Recently Roach took a chance that Canadian rockers Peach Pit would do well at Rose Park, the green space outside Rose Music Hall. The band holds a definite youthful appeal, but a Monday-night show with most of Columbia’s student population still miles away changed the stakes, she said. Roach bet right — the July 31 show sold out.

She hopes to keep nudging in the direction of hip-hop, metal and EDM, believing the more of these genres she books, the better shows will do.

The Blue Note’s human resources

A more experienced staff makes Roach’s life easier, she testified. While settling into her job, newer colleagues in marketing and technical areas also faced a learning curve, she said. With more shows under their collective belt, staffers know their roles and more easily collaborate.

Hearing co-workers with other responsibilities describe a show from their perspective helps Roach think about how to approach similar bookings in the future, she said.

The ideal Blue Note staffer is no less than a music fan, Nolan said, but needs something more. The venue can present a national touring band one night, then host a wedding or nonprofit event the next, he said.

Adapting to the personality of the next event is key, he said. And staff can rest assured — if they ever feel lost in a certain rut, a chance to get unstuck waits around the corner, Nolan added.

Carrying The Blue Note’s culture through changes

Nolan is the first to acknowledge The Blue Note has been through a steady stream of change.

On the smaller but still noticeable end, policies related to bags and chairs fluctuated recently in response to COVID protocols and factors like perceived comfort and personal space. Considering moves like these, staff look to what other venues are doing — and if it makes sense for Columbia — as well what they deem the best interests of artists and concertgoers.

“Those are the two people that we care about the most,” Nolan said.

Changes in ownership and proximity are most obvious. The venue opened — first on the Business Loop — in 1980, a creation of Columbia transplants Richard King and Phil Costello. In its early days, The Blue Note earned a trendsetting reputation, booking eventual icons such as R.E.M., the Pixies and Hüsker Dü.

King grew The Blue Note, and what would come to be known as Rose Music Hall, into a Midwest music institution before selling the venues to Matt Gerding and Scott Leslie in 2014. FPC Live, the Wisconsin-based company they forged with Frank Productions, now holds the rights.

Nolan, who started at The Blue Note under King’s watch, said his staff maintains an artist-friendly culture set by its founder. The tech team accepts its responsibilities as the first faces an artist sees; and rather than just tell an artist “no” if a request doesn’t quite work, they seek creative solutions, he said.

Other venue staff naturally ask good questions, showing they care about artists as people, Nolan added.

As proof, he points to now-bonafide roots-music stars like Whiskey Myers and Tyler Childers, who have stuck with Columbia’s venues at each stage in their careers. Childers first played the Rose patio on a barstool, Nolan said, before moving inside and eventually selling out both Rose and The Blue Note. Charting his latest tour, Childers worked with a booking arm of FPC Live.

Ultimately, the care shared by The Blue Note team resonates with artists and is returned by them, Nolan said.

Relationships loom large for Roach’s work too. Picking up the phone or meeting artist representatives in person does wonders in a job mostly conducted over email, she said. Making one show work often means 10 shows come back to you, Roach added.

Despite her responsibilities, the luster of live music has yet to dim in Roach’s eyes.

“No matter how stressful every week is … then I go to a show and I’m like ‘OK. This is it. This is why we do it. This is worth it.’ And that’s what brings it all back for me,” she said.

As someone who came here from St. Louis for college, then stayed for the small city feeling, Roach embodies what Nolan wants his staff to be and do.

“I just want to bring cool things to this cool town,” she said.

Learn more about upcoming shows at https://thebluenote.com/ and https://rosemusichall.com/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

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