2021 Almanac

ALMANAC 2021 DAILY RECORD COVID Life

COVID-19 disrupted lives whether in work, school or the community.

We share some of those stories.

THE ALL NEW

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110th

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These businesses were voted the

Best Of Kittitas County Thank you Kittitas County!

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State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

Scott Rollins Ins Agcy Inc Scott Rollins, Agent Scott Rollins, President 400 North Pearl Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1483 Bus: 509-925-1483 415 E 1st St Cle Elum 509-674-5107

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Thank you for voting us BEST SALON!

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Welcome

to a place where you can be yourself.

At Central Washington University, welcome is more than a greeting. It’s realizing you’ve found a place where you belong. It’s becoming part of a community where you’re encouraged to be yourself and explore diverse ways of thinking.

CWU is proud to be the only university in Washington to receive the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award six of the last seven years. Named one of Sierra magazine’s “Cool Schools” for 2020 because of its commitment to civic engagement, the environment, and diversity, CWU ranks top in the state for safety, affordability, and value.

At Central, you’re always welcome.

CWU is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution.

For accommodation email: DS@cwu.edu.

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cwu.edu

ALMANAC 2021 DAILY RECORD

Table of contents

SAFE SETTING ............................................................................Page 7 ADAPT AND EDUCATE ...........................................................Page 11 BEST PARTS MISSING ............................................................Page 16 IN SEARCH OF A COURT .......................................................Page 17 RESILIENT AND CREATIVE....................................................Page 18 NEW CHALLENGES .................................................................Page 20 THE PUBLIC’S BUSINESS......................................................Page 22 OPEN/CLOSE REPEAT ...........................................................Page 24 THANK YOU KITTITAS COUNTY FOR VOTING US #1!

Voted the best setting for your special events.

Discover History Today

A unique setting for all your special events.

Free Admission

Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm

114 E. 3rd Ave., Ellensburg,WA 98926 • 509-925-3778 • www.kchm.org

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7820 Hwy Hwy. 97 Ellensbur Ellensburg, WA

McIntosh Ranch McIntosh Ranch

4,300 sf enclosed heated and air 7820 Hwy 97 conditioned Ellensburg, WA building

(509)

(509) 929-3675

929-3675

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2001193

Discover the amazing past of Kittitas County

2021906

KITTITAS COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

2043358

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almanac 2021

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Students in the Kittitas Environmental Education Network’s Earth Explorers program learn about predators during a day session at Helen McCabe State Park.

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Students in the Kittitas Environmental Education Network’s Earth Explorers program paint landscapes during a day session at Helen McCabe State Park.

SAFE SETTING Outdoor education proved good fit for pandemic

By KARL HOLAPPA staff writer With the pandemic raising concerns about the safety of congregate settings and group activities, one local organization has fallen back on what they know best: getting outdoors.

The Kittitas Environmental Education Network scrambled last spring to make modifications to its existing plans and develop new programs to engage the children of Kittitas County by getting them out of their homes, off their

computer screens and engaged in nature, but the process of change did not always come easily, and the nonprofit has struggled throughout the year while operating at a deficit.

NEW PLANS ON THE FLY When the pandemic made its way to Kittitas County, KEEN Director Jill Scheffer said the organization quickly began to make adjustments to its existing programs, while still remaining hopeful that the issue would be tackled quickly.

“When we went into the spring, I think everybody was hopeful that

it would be short and we would be over it quickly,” she said. “I remember sending emails saying hopefully we’ll be back to normal

by April. Now, I look back and think about how silly it was to think that.”

The organization was forced to cancel multiple events, including their annual Windfall Cider Fest and had to pivot their annual Get Intimate with the Shrub Steppe event to a virtual format. Scheffer said the loss of the annual events drastically affected the group’s income for the year, but they

continued to forge ahead.

“It was probably about May when we realized we needed to substantially modify our summer camp program and our Science in the Park program, which is a free environmental education program held in the city parks around town,” she said.

KEEN developed a COVID policy in response to the pandemic, relying heavily on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities to create guidelines that kept staff continued on page 9 7

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A student in the Kittitas Environmental Education Network’s Earth Explorers program paints a landscape during a day session at Helen McCabe State Park.

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continued from page 7 and students safe. Unlike indoor congregate activities that were all but prohibited during that time, Scheffer said KEEN was fortunate to be able to find modified ways to continue its programs throughout the summer.

“We were lucky enough that we don’t have indoor facilities,” she said. “It’s probably the first time we were thankful we don’t have any indoor facilities. We’re outside 100% of the time, so it makes social distancing and safety a lot easier.”

During the summer, the KEEN camps were limited to eight campers each week, compared to the average 30-40 students in a normal year.

Regardless of the significant change in student numbers, Scheffer said the program was successful. The group also worked with FISH Community Food Bank to put on a brown bag science program where children could take lesson plans home along with the food bank’s free summer lunch program.

“We did that all summer in partnership with Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group,” she said. “They were activities that families could do at home together, and I think that went over pretty well.”

KEEN also hosted a program called Summer Camp in a Bag, a weekly subscription-based program co-hosted with Washington Outdoor School. With both organizations affected by low enrollment numbers, Scheffer said the goal was to continue to give families activities to enjoy that got them outdoors during the summer.

CREATING NEW PROGRAMS As it became clear that students would be staying home for the beginning of the school year, Scheffer said KEEN decided it was time to develop a year-round camp program to help get the kids outdoors. The Earth Explorers program was rolled out, which now allows students to enroll in educational programs hosted at Helen McCabe State Park on a quarterly basis. The program is the first of its kind for the organization.

“There’s the saying that you’re building the track as the train is coming 100 miles an hour down the track at you,” Scheffer said.

“That’s very true. We hired staff on the fly, and we created the program on the fly. We didn’t have time to put a lot of thought into it, and it was sort of an extension of summer camp in the first quarter in fall.”

The camp hosts a different theme each week, with students coming to two five-hour sessions each week.

Scheffer said the students were split into separate pods that stay together, and that the program fits in directly with the local school Students in the Kittitas Environmental Education Network’s Earth Explorers program district’s hybrid schedule. learn about predators during a day session at Helen McCabe State Park.

“If a kid went to school Monday A s i t n e a r s i t s o n e - y e a r co-educational opportunities to and Thursday, they came to us on Tuesday and Friday, or the other anniversary, Scheffer said the Earth fit with environmental education way around,” she said. “Older Explorers program is now quite classes held at local schools. She and middle school kids came on substantial, with many students said the pieces for future plans being enrolled in the program are falling into place due to the Wednesdays.”

Scheffer said the group kept that since it began, although she said planning process of staff members model going into winter, developing enrollment numbers are beginning over the past year. a snow camp to buffer between to drop as school schedules regulate “The educational leaders have had quarters over the traditional winter closer to normal and athletics start back up. She said the goal time to develop a curriculum, and break period in local schools.

“That was really fun, even though is to transition the program to an have been thoughtful about play we didn’t really have any snow,” she afterschool schedule next fall, and space learning,” she said. “There continued on next page said the organization is looking at said.

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A student in the Kittitas Environmental Education Network’s Earth Explorers program paints a landscape during a day session at Helen McCabe State Park.

continued from previous page are kids that have been with us the whole year that are really beginning to become connected to both park and place, and just having a great time. They’re learning a lot, but they’re still having fun.”

Scheffer said the organization has heard feedback from parents that the programs have been a lifesaver for them while navigating changing school schedules amidst the pandemic, and she said that has always been part of the goal.

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“We knew kids were going to be inside and on computers all the time during the lockdown, and how much that kills their spirit,” she said. “It really makes learning difficult. The idea of getting them outside and getting them moving in all kinds of weather, doing handson activities was the goal, and I think we’ve been pretty successful.”

HOPE FOR THE SUMMER As congregate restrictions begin to ease, especially in outdoor

settings, Scheffer said KEEN is excited to look at the possibility of resuming its normal summer programs. She said the goal is to have tents set up at Helen McCabe State Park during the Get Intimate with the Shrub Steppe and Bird Fest events, which are held in conjunction with each other.

“We want to see people getting out again,” she said. “We’re just not going to do the full-on Bird Fest where we have a dinner and an auction. We don’t really want

to encourage a lot of people to travel long-distance yet, but we can still do some smaller local stuff, I think. It’s going to be a different model this year, and it’s all going to be free.”

She said the group is also actively planning to hold the Windfall Cider Fest this year and is moving ahead on their plans for its traditional summer camp and Science in the Park events.

“We’re feeling pretty confident,” she said. v

The school year at the Kittitas School District started with temperature checks and face masks, just a couple of the ways schools have had to adapt during the pandemic.

ADAPT AND EDUCATE

Schools faced multitude of challenges during pandemic

By JACK BELCHER staff writer Of all the institutions affected by the coronavirus pandemic, schools have arguably been hit the hardest.

Kittitas County school districts have had to adapt to and overcome the dangers of the virus while providing education to children during their formative years.

Schools across the state were

required to move to some form of remote education just over a year ago on March 17. The announcement was made to schools on Friday the 13th of that month, giving schools just a handful of days to make the switch.

“We thought, ‘this is temporary, we will just come back before the end of the year,’” said Cle ElumRoslyn Superintendent Michelle Kuss-Cybula. “I never, ever thought it’d last this long.”

Schools had to move quickly to find ways to teach students remotely, something that had never been done before on such a large scale. Jinger Haberer, superintendent of the Ellensburg School District, said they got everyone in a meeting together to map on an immediate plan of action.

Most classes would move to a virtual format, usually through Google Classroom. However, many students lived without a connection

to the internet, and couldn’t learn remotely. Schools built weekly learning packets for these students, who would complete the assignments and turn it back in, usually without much teacher support.

“If you think about the history of public education in the United States, we’re almost 400 years old, the public education system itself. Although continued on next page 11

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Teachers, students and parents have become very familiar with the Schoology online education program during the course of the past school year.

continued from previous page many things have changed in our world and our society the structure of public education, the brick and mortar, really hasn’t changed,” KussCybula said. “It was flipping the switch over night and trying to figure out how to do hundreds of years of public system virtually, overnight.”

Andrew Perkins, Superintendent of the Thorp School District said they were not surprised when the announcement came. He and others at Thorp had expected the virus would shut down schools and had supplied families with what they needed in advance. This is not to say it wasn’t difficult for Thorp, getting internet access to students was still a challenge, as was managing an online education system.

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PROVIDING ONLINE ACCESS Getting devices such as laptops to students was very important to school districts. Kuss-Cybula said the CERSD was thankful to the community for supporting the capital levy before the shutdown. This levy provided all students in the district with the devices they needed to work remotely, provided they had access to the internet.

All districts had to constantly adapt to new rules and protocols designed to keep students and staff safe. Mike Nollan, superintendent with the Kittitas School District, said they didn’t know what to expect with the virus, and kept uncovering new layers of protocols.

“We had never done this before, so it just drastically changed our work to management and organization

and trying to get information from the state and sharing different information with superintendents in different districts,” Nollan said.

The Ellensburg School District had planned on returning to fully in-person learning by the start of fall, back when the social distancing guidelines were set at three feet.

However, a new update moved that to six feet, and the district had to re-evaluate its back-to-school plan.

PULLED TOGETHER One thing all school districts agreed on was that Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Larson was a fantastic help.

Haberer said he would constantly meet with ESD, and since the outbreak, has scheduled Wednesday Zoom meetings with the staff.

“I think that we pulled together

in Kittitas County like no other county, and I think that’s because of the county commissioners and Dr. Larson, working together with the superintendents,” Perkins said.

Most districts that thought they would be able to open in full in the fall found themselves continuing the online learning, only now having the experience and knowledge to improve the system. ESD had started using programs such as Schoology, something its likes enough it will likely continue its use even after the pandemic.

One district to start the year in-person was KSD with its hybrid learning model. Students would be split up into two groups, “A” and “B” and attend class with that group in-person two days out of the week, the other group would attend a

different two days. The last day out would alternate groups every week.

When a group was not attending class in-person, it was learning remote.

The exception was grades K-2, which came back in full from the very start.

This was possible for KSD due to its relatively small class sizes.

Thorp, another relatively small district, also had some in-person learning. While the school was mostly online, they were offering learning pods. Students who were struggling with the online learning would come in-person and study at school.

By November, most other districts in the county had adopted some version of the hybrid model. There were slight changes, like ESD using the extra day as a study and virtual learning day for all students.

COVID KEEPERS ESD sticking with Schoology when things return to fully in-person is not the only benefit schools have learned since the lockdown. In what CERSD is calling, “COVID Keepers” many technologies and educational methods will continue when students return full time, and masks are no longer required in class.

“I think that the technology tools are some we want to consider continuing to use,” Haberer said.

“Zoom is a tool that, for example, we have more people attending our board meetings than we ever have.”

Schools also learned that a smaller class size can improve a student’s education. It seems students are able to keep up with classwork, even though they have less in-person time, because the time they have face-toface with their teachers is being used to its full potential.

“Really, we are not seeing that learning loss, and teachers have noted that kids who are normally quite in the classroom when there are 20, 25 kids, when we have 10, 12 kids in a classroom, those quiet kids, it’s a lot easier for them to speak out,” Nollan said. “It’s a lot easier for them to speak out verbally and to contribute.”

It has been over a year since schools had to adapt to remote education.

When schools started in the fall, they learned what it took to learn in-person and taught students to be careful and wear their masks. Due to these lessons, the Kittitas and Thorp districts are preparing to open in-person, full time.

“It’s because we’re small. I don’t know how a large school would be able to do it (open full), in their high school or middle school,” Perkins said.

Moving to fully in-person is impossible for larger districts like ESD simply because they cannot fit all students in the building while following the six-foot spacing guidelines. On March 19 the Center for Disease Control lowered the recommended spacing requirement to 3 feet. At the time of publication of this product, school district officials had not had the opportunity to respond to this change.

Perkins said Thorp schools are planning to open in full April 19, they are waiting a month for a couple of reasons, one of which is that it gives the staff time to get vaccinated against the virus.

The Kittitas Schools District has started third- and fifth-grade full time and has always had K-2 full time.

Nollan said the plan is to bring forth grade back by March 29 after their

Ellensburg High School junior Teanaway Nale gives a tour of the school to incoming freshmen in October 2020. Students returned to in-class instruction under a hybrid schedule in mid-fall in the Ellensburg School District.

spring break. By that date, anyone who wants to be back in full in K-5 will be back.

For KSD, the tricky part is bringing back students in the secondary levels.

They have brought back about 70 students for everyday learning but spacing is going to be difficult.

“High school, I think we can bring some back, it’s going to be a big challenge to bring all of them back before the end of school just because of the space and the distance,” Nollan said. “We are probably going to end

up doing that slowly. As long as we keep that six-foot distance, we have to abide by that and that’s what the challenge is.”

All districts expect to return fully in-person by the start of the next school year, however it is impossible to say what that will look like. Even if everyone is vaccinated, it’s possible students will have to return wearing masks and keeping distant. It’s simply not possible to say when things will return to some sort of normal. v 13

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2021 KITTITAS COUNTY

BUSINESS HERITAGE SINCE 1896

SINCE 1940

114 W 4th Avenue 925-9828

1791 Vantage Hwy 962-4000

SINCE 1909

SINCE 1945

401 N. Main Street 925-1414

Herbert Snowden Insurance

SINCE 1911

SINCE 1946

602 N Pearl Street 925-1911

512 N. Pearl Street 925-1475

SINCE 1923

SINCE 1946

426 N. Pine Street 925-6174

SINCE 1934 710 W. 8th Avenue 925-2827

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920 E 1st Street, Cle Elum 674-2430

Certified Public Accountants

Bivens & Wilson

Certified Public Accountants

209 E. 5th Avenue 925-9876

SINCE 1948 208 W. 9th Avenue 925-5357

SINCE 1936

SINCE 1961

211 S. Main Street 925-3777

114 E. 3rd Avenue 925-3778

SINCE 1995

2021 KITTITAS COUNTY

BUSINESS HERITAGE

111 E 4th Avenue 925-2273

SINCE 1998

SINCE 1967

101 W. 5th Avenue 925-1477

603 S Chestnut Street 962-9841 • A MOHLER FAMILY ESTABLISHMENT •

SINCE 1968 1492 Thomas Road 925-4613

SINCE 2001 500 E. Mountain View Avenue 925-2902

Because We Care

SINCE 2004

SINCE 1969

119 W 5th Avenue, Ste 102 962-6246

201 Alpha Way, Cle Elum 674-5331

SINCE 1977 111 W. 6th Avenue 925-2505

THANK YOU KITTITAS COUNTY FOR VOTING US #1!

Voted the best setting for your special events.

118 W. 5th Avenue 925-4134

SINCE 2012

SINCE 1986

306 S Main Street 925-2253

216 E 1st Street, Cle Elum 674-5755

101 Main Street, Kittitas 968-9111

Nicely landscaped lawn

McIntosh Ranch

4,300 sf enclosed heated and air 7820 Hwy 97 conditioned Ellensburg, WA building

(509)

929-3675

SINCE 2013 2021906

SINCE 1994

SINCE 2010

7820 Hwy 97 929-3675

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BEST PARTS MISSING

From no graduation to online college, changes kept coming

By JACK BELCHER staff writer The coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of many people, especially students. While deaths are low for the younger generations, they are still missing out on once-in-alifetime opportunities.

Brinley Hagemeier and the rest of her Ellenburg High School class of 2020 had a virtual senior graduation. Other districts in the county had either a virtual, or a modified graduation.

“Everything just kinda happened so quickly. At first we were just going to take two weeks off of school and I know a lot of us were just excited to have a little break, and then all of the sudden it was like everything was shut down,” Hagemeier said. “We kinda missed out on the best parts of our senior year.

The most important parts. The most exciting parts.”

Hagemeier’s class was suddenly moved completely online when the lockdown started, and they had to learn on the fly how everything worked. She said this was a new experience and a big change for herself and many of her peers.

The challenge faced by many students at the time was balancing their schoolwork. With classes online, students were left without the strict classroom setting, and were given much more freedom. Hagemeier said it was easy for schoolwork to quickly pile up.

She was able to complete the state tournament for EHS basketball where the team placed sixth. When the season 16

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ended Central Washington University asked if she wanted to come and play for the college.

“Central is just really where I wanted to be. I wanted to play at a high level, and I just felt like this was a really good fit for me,” Hagemeier said. “They have had a really good program for a long time now so I just wanted to be a part of the team here.”

UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE Her freshman year of college was, and still is, an unusual one as a result of the pandemic. CWU also had to move classes to a virtual setting to limit the amount of people on campus. They still had limited in-person classes, but everyone was required to wear masks.

“It was different for sure. Everything was still online for me, I had one class that was still in-person, but I think the end of my senior year being online actually zzzhelped me be ready for the online environment at Central,” she said.

Hagemeier missed the transition from high school senior to college freshman. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was severely different from anything she imagined.

“I thought I would be able to meet a lot more people, which I wasn’t able to do this year because of COVID,” she said.

She likes to look on the bright side, and said she might not have learned as much about herself if the pandemic never happened. Now she knows to never take things for granted, and to enjoy things when they happen.

Ellensburg High School’s Brinley Hagemeier (1) smiles after receiving a medal for sportsmanship against Liberty-Issaquah High School during the WIAA Hardwood ClassicMarch 4, 2020 at Yakima Valley SunDome. The tournament was the last high school sporting event held before schools and sports were shut down in mid-March.

“It was kinda of a bummer that it ended up carrying over from the end of my senior year into my freshman year, but I know that I have a few more years left under my belt so I will just have to take what I can get from those and hope for the best,” Hagemeier said.

“You never know what’s gonna happen, but I’m excited.”

As for athletics, the basketball season was canceled in the fall. These games were rescheduled for February and March, but most were postponed and canceled. The team was able to play two games, on March 12 and 13. Unfortunately they lost both of these games, and ended the season 0-2.

Hagemeier didn’t play in the games, as she had ankle surgery the week before.

The team has spent most of the year practicing for games it never got to

play. In the fall they practiced until it was announced the games would be postponed. They took winter break off, then came back in January to practice some more.

“Obviously the situation is kinda a bummer, it’s not ideal,” Hagemeier said.

“But it really has taught me a lot. Both as a basketball player and as a person.”

She said next year the team will be looking to make up for lost time. They now know how much these games mean to them, and what it’s like to not have them.

“When we missed out on the opportunity to play this year, it just makes us more grateful for the time that we will get to play. I think we will be anticipating that,” she said. “I think we are going to be more excited than ever to get back out there and compete.” v

IN SEARCH OF A COURT Player with hopes of playing college ball travels for hoops

By LUKE OLSON For the DAILY RECORD Gavin Marrs would find a way.

As the coronavirus ravaged the country in March of 2020, just after the high school basketball season finished, it halted any organized practices or games and access to gyms for personal use. And just after a promising season for the 6-foot-9 forward of Ellensburg High School, seeing plenty of minutes off the bench, he had to go months without finding a gym.

But Marrs, who plays select with Friends of Hoop Seattle (FOH), didn’t let it stop his progression.

“I would shoot outside, and workout outside, mostly by myself,” he said.

“And then lots of weights – tons of weights over the spring and summer.

It was basically all I was doing.”

Surely helps to have a court in the backyard, especially when all the parks in Ellensburg removed the rims to keep people from gathering last spring and summer.

Even last fall and winter when restrictions eased up, Marrs would have to make a two-hour trip over the Snoqualmie Pass to the West Side to find an open gym, often using Bellevue College’s. And his parents would drive him over at least twice a week to make that happen.

Dedication for the sophomore who gained interest from a few Division I and II programs over last summer.

pretty crazy,” Marrs said. “And that’s how it was for everyone, not just me.

That’s the biggest challenge, even now Ellensburg High School is letting us in a couple of days a week, but still, whenever I want to get into a gym I’ve had to drive two hours over to Seattle.”

Finally, in August, his FOH 16U team was allowed practices at Bellevue College and then began vying in tournaments out of the state in Idaho (Boise), Utah (Salt Lake City) and Arizona (Phoenix).

And it surely helped him gain recognition.

Marrs received offers from Cal Poly University and Point Loma Nazarene University and said he’s heard from Portland, Pepperdine and UC San Diego.

In the beginning, he worried that the pandemic would hurt his recruitment, but put it into perspective: that every recruit is dealing with the same issues.

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT “Going into summer after freshman year, that would have been big to play in the NCAA live period tournaments, have some coaches there watching — that would have been big, for sure,” he said. “It’s been alright, either way, same thing everyone’s going through.

The coaches are adapting and watching film online.

Marrs’ height is the obvious advantage, with plenty of touch around the rim and mid-range. You can only imagine his ceiling if he grows even NO GYM TIME more and continues to gain strength.

“I had a solid five months where I He’s one of the top players in the state didn’t get into a gym at all, which is for the 2023 class and ranks No. 22

Ellensburg High School’s Gavin Marrs (40) shoots against Grandview High School in the EHS gymnasium during the 2019-2020 season. With sports shut down, the EHS sophomore, with hopes of playing college ball, had to travel to find a gym.

according to Scorebook Live.

“One of the first things that jumps out at you in Marrs’ length,” it says in Scorebook Live’s post about the EHS sophomore. “And then once you watch him play his athleticism is quickly apparent. He has the ability to run the floor well and should be good as a transition big. He isn’t a tremendous jumper but is quick off the floor, allowing him to be active on the glass and in contesting shots at the rim.”

With Washington state approved for advancement to Phase 3, it means high school basketball will be set to begin

this spring. While no tournaments will occur, it’s still a chance for players to get back on the floor.

Since the Bulldogs’ last game, a loss in districts of March 2020, Marrs believes his skills have grown tremendously.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” he said.

“I had a lot of time to work on my body, work on my skills because we didn’t play, so I was able to get stronger, get more fundamental work on stuff.

I feel like I’ve taken a pretty big leap from freshman year to now sophomore year.” v 17

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RESILIENT AND CREATIVE Businesses find ways to survive during pandemic

By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer It might not ever be business as usual again with the economic havoc and financial burden the coronavirus pandemic has placed on American business owners. But Ellensburg business community responded with new and creative ways to operate since Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” directive during 2020.

The healthcare restrictions led to a number of closures, re-openings, changes and fallbacks since March 17, 2020. According to a news release from the state Employment Security Department, Kittitas County’s leisure and hospitality industry was hit especially hard.

Over the course of 2020, the county’s unemployment rate spiked. Between

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March and April of last year, the rate jumped from 5.5% to 15.9%. Over the spring and summer, the rate gradually declined to a low of 5.5% before climbing again at the end of the year as restrictions were once again tightened, the report stated.

The county rate climbed to 8.5% in December, up from 6.4% in November. The year-to-year increase was ever more dramatic. In December of 2019, the county’s unemployment rate was 5.2%.

Even with all of that, local businesses found a way to stay afloat, Ellensburg Downtown Association director Karin Green said.

“From what I’ve seen, people are really resilient,” she said. “Businesses have been extremely creative whether it’s the downtown Streeteries or putting up décor in their storefront windows to create an interest.

“It’s nice to see, from my perspective, to see business owners being creative and trying new ideas in their business approach to stay afloat.”

Despite changing regulations in the restaurant industry, open to a 25% capacity, closed back down to carryout, open air indoor dining, the Early Bird Café moved from its long-time location on Water Street to the old Iron Horse taproom on

Early Bird Cafe owner Jeannie Bayless moved her business from South Water into the old Iron Horse Brewery taproom on Main Street.

Main Street. The Iron Horse Brewery, on the other hand, is setting up shop at 201 N. Pearl St. with the idea of moving its taproom into the 60 x 120, 3,600-square foot building in the heart of the historical downtown district.

“We intended to move out of the Main Street building two years ago, but there was a shift in the craft beer market.

We decided to wait a little longer, then along came the COVID-19 pandemic,” Iron Horse managing partner Greg Parker said. “So, it was a lucky thing for us. Now we’re ready to move forward and we’re really excited.”

Local restaurants and businesses created outside dining by setting up in the parking space in front or other available space. These “Streeteries” for lack of a better term, started popping up all over town. The outside dining or drinking areas opens up more seating, gives customers a chance to kick back

in the Central Washington sunshine or evening, while meeting the stay safe health regulations.

“Right now, we might add an extra server on high-volume nights. So far, it’s been great,” Pearl Bar & Grill owner Blake Collins said. “We’re already seeing a 20% increase in revenue.

“In seeing the response, I’m surprised that it’s taken this long to do something like this, honestly. Cities all over the Northwest have been doing it for over a month now. Bend, Walla Walla, Leavenworth have been doing it on their main drag for a while now.”

OPENING DURING A PANDEMIC Even in the midst of the pandemic and difficult business climate, there were several new businesses cropping up. Seng Tong Thai Cuisine opened up at 1713 S. Canyon Road. SV’s Curry Masala opened its doors at 303

Erica Hart opened the 3,000-squarefoot House of Hart Boutique at 118 East Fourth Ave.

N. Main St. to serve authentic Indian food to Ellensburg.

Clean Cut the Men’s Shop at 415 N. Pine St was a nice addition to a downtown street looking for its own identity, just one block east of Pearl Street.

“I’m invested in GG’s over on Main, but this is my first business on my own,” said owner Crystal Gansereit.

“This space is the perfect size for what we’re doing. I feel like the timing is right and we need something like this.

“Our community’s growing and there’s a need for a full-service barber shop. The other thing is that I like the potential of Pine Street. Pine Street is great place for new businesses and we’re seeing quite a bit of foot traffic so far.”

Devine Wellness and Relaxation relocated from its previous location on North Dolarway Road to 200 E.

Fourth Ave., which is another addition to historical downtown. It offers a multitude of services in the way of massage (both Swedish and deep tissue), BodyTalk, Reiki, cranial sacral therapy, myofascial release, pregnancy massage, nutrition consultations, reflexology, yoga and hypnotherapy.

Designer Erica Har opened the 3,000-square-foot House of Hart Boutique at 118 East Fourth Ave. She set up shop on Fourth Avenue with anything from jewelry to handbags, clothing and candles. Her boutique, which opened four weeks ago, features handmade items and home décor.

“I’m a designer. I design anything from jewelry to clothing to accessories.

I’m a creator. I like to make things,” said Hart, who graduated with a degree in Apparel Design from Seattle Pacific University. “It’s been a life-long dream

to be able to design my own pieces and bring them to your front door.”

TOUGH QUARTER Building owner Ross Anderson owns four buildings in town, including the Democratic Headquarters (409 N Pine St ), Early Bird Café (412 N. Main St.), Mattress Firm (400 N. Main St.) and the New York Café building (116 W. Third Avenue). He is currently looking for a tenant for the retail portion of the New York Café building, but other than that, he has 100% occupancy.

“It’s probably been a $20,000 hit during the pandemic so far,” the Seattle-based architect said. “It’s been a tough quarter, but I think it’s going to get better in 2021. It’s still been better than what others have gone through.

“The business climate before the COVID-19 was good. Then it hit and

I was worried because I was just getting my building (at Third and Main) done and I was worried about getting tenants for the apartments upstairs. But it’s been better than I thought it would be.”

Ano Delivery opened for business in April of 2019. The delivery service took off during the pandemic, serving a need as people stayed at home. It will celebrate its second anniversary in a month and business has been so good co-owners Dante Palmisano and Juan Zamorano have taken time off from their studies at Central Washington University to focus on the business plan.

It has been a trying business climate for the past 15 months. Some have struggled, some have flourished, but the reality of it is, most have adapted to the new normal under the safety protocols. v 19

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New Challenges Kasey Knutson distributes critical pandemic information

By KARL HOLAPPA staff writer Staffing the front lines throughout the pandemic has been a gargantuan task, every day holding new challenges for those tasked with the challenge. While some frontline individuals are front and center during the fight, others are getting equally critical work done behind the scenes.

Providing accurate, timely and dependable information on the public health aspects of the pandemic has been one of the most critical aspects of the fight against the virus, and Kittitas County Public Health Department Public Information Officer Kasey Knutson has been working overtime during the past year to ensure the information gets delivered to local media outlets, agencies, and residents of Kittitas County.

Knutson has been working at KCPHD since October 2008, and she said there’s never been a dull moment in those 13 years. Prior to her time at the department, she said he had no knowledge of public health, nor did she have any intention of working in the field.

“I went to school to be a high school English teacher,” she said. “I student taught and decided that wasn’t what I really wanted to do. I started working with at-risk kids who had dropped out of school or were maybe struggling in school, and as a result of that community partnership I met some of the people that worked at public health.”

Knutson started her public health career in health promotion, education, and community outreach. She worked on programs including tobacco prevention, child dentistry and immunization work. Since then, she has run the gamut of pretty much every task known to 20

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Kittitas County Health Department Public Information Officer Kasey Knutson stands in from of the health department’s building on North Nanum Street.

the department.

“If we have it at health department, I’ve probably dipped my foot in there,” she said.

Knutson eventually got into the field of public health emergency preparedness and response, which gave her the first taste of what she now does every day during the pandemic.

“That was really where it started with public information,” she said. “I remember the first time I ever made phone calls for an emergency during the Taylor Bridge fire. That’s when I was in training, and it has blossomed since then.”

Although the job comes naturally to Knutson at this point, she said it wasn’t always that way, especially in the beginning while she was training for the position.

“I remember getting my hand slapped for using the wrong terminology about air quality,” she said.

Since taking the lead, Knutson said the most common public information responses from KCPHD prior to the pandemic involved flooding and wildfires.

“Sometimes in public health we have

notifications of boil water advisories,” she said.

“It’s anything and everything.”

PANDEMIC PIVOT Over the last year, the vast majority of the daily workload for Knutson involves pandemic response as part of the county’s Incident Management Team. One characteristic she said many on the IMT share is that they still have other jobs aside from the tasks related to pandemic response. As the Developmental Disabilities Coordinator for KCPHD, she still needs to take on that workload along with that related to the pandemic.

“I still have those tasks that I need to complete,” she said. “The majority of my day is COVID-19related. I’m either pushing paperwork through for volunteers because I help assist with that, or I’m writing a press release, or I’m responding to concerns and questions that we have. I live, eat, breathe COVID-19, and I have for a year.”

Although things have leveled out a bit as the IMT has gotten into a consistent workflow, Knutson said it was not always that way.

“Especially in the beginning, it would be any

Kittitas County Health Department Public Information Officer Kasey Knutson works with Candi Blackford of the health department, and Dede Utley (in blue scrubs) from KVH during a health department event.

hour, at any point, I could get a text message or a phone call, and I would need to get information out,” she said. “It was all the time, round the clock.”

In addition to the initial nonstop workload, Knutson said the situation was compounded with the stress of not knowing what would come next for the county and its residents.

“We went from a positive case in Snohomish County to a lot of change really quick,” she said.

“We’ve seen it all. We’ve seen the fight about masking, we’ve seen the fight about closing schools. To look back in hindsight, it’s almost hard to remember because there’s so much and we’ve acclimated to a lot of it.”

FORGING AHEAD As the county hits a year of dealing with the pandemic, Knutson said there is sometimes the feeling that the life-work balance has leveled out at times since the pandemic began. Then again, sometimes it all still seems overwhelming on certain days.

“I think we all feel like we’re doing OK, but I think that the majority of us are feeling like our glass is full,” she said. “It doesn’t take a whole heck of a lot to make that glass spill over.”

One anchor Knutson attributes to the quest for stability is the people she works with within KCPHD and the IMT. Since the pandemic began, she said not one employee has left public health, with the exception of one employee that

already had plans to retire prior to the pandemic.

“Everybody that was here when this whole thing started is still here,” she said. “I’m not the only person that has that kind of workload, believe me. There’s others here that are working hard 24/7, and they’re still here too.”

Looking back on the last year, Knutson said after seeing the county rally during catastrophes like Taylor Bridge and the death of Deputy Thompson, she is not surprised that the county rallied to work through the challenges related to the pandemic.

“I think this community is amazing,” she said.

“We’ve made national headlines, and I think others are wondering how we keep doing it.” v 21

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The Ellensburg City Council has conducted its public meetings via Zoom during the pandemic.

THE PUBLIC’S BUSINESS

Pandemic has wide impact on how public business conducted

By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer As America works to dig out from under the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Ellensburg is no different. The local economy took several hits over the course of 2020 and it has affected how the city does business.

The Ellensburg Rodeo was canceled for the first time in 78 years, creating a substantial economical loss. The annual three-day Jazz in the Valley was also canceled.

The governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe,” impacted everything from 22

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restaurants to hotels to businesses across the state, but city officials buckled up for the long haul, Ellensburg City Manager John Akers said.

“We’ve had a lot of uncollected utility accounts because of the governor’s orders,” said Akers, who is scheduled to retire in May. “We have a fairly (large) accounts receivable that we may or may not ever be able to collect.

“We’re thinking about a 30% loss.

The biggest hit to the city tax base so far is in the hotel and restaurant sectors.”

The three big pieces to the sales tax puzzle are retail commerce, construction and food services. City Finance Director Jerica Pascoe said back

in May, city sales are the major portion to the business structure. In focusing on the sales tax, the city will manage.

“There’s going to be other taxes and areas of funding where we’re going to take a huge hit, but we’ve been focusing on sales tax. There’s three largest pieces of sales tax,” she said. “Retail trade is our biggest. Construction goes up and down every month. That one’s going to be volatile, then there’s food services.

“We’re trying to take a peek at what they’re going to do to see what’s to come. Construction will be helpful, but it just depends on how much and how long. Construction is all about the timing about when the projects are

done and paid.”

CITY SHUT DOWN The city offices shut down for three months in the beginning, but have been re-opened since July. But it’s a far cry from business as usual with mask requirements, social-distancing and the various safety protocols in place.

“I don’t even have in-person meetings with staff anymore. Everything is a Zoom meeting,” Akers said. “The biggest thing I notice when I walk in the building is the masks and people standing apart.

“No one eats or has lunch together.

It’s better now with the vaccines

available, but it’s still very visible.”

Like other city staff meetings, the Ellensburg City Council has been conducting business via the Zoom connection.

“I think there have been more positives than negatives with the council meetings,” Mayor Bruce Tabb said.

“We’re not able to have any in-person public input, but through the Zoom we have more community statements in the conversations now since I have been on the council.

“With the virtual meetings, people can call in and comment on a topic and get off. So, we have more voices being heard in public input.”

City operations like the public library, the adult center and the public swimming pool have been closed off and on throughout the year. The Ellensburg Public Library was one of 11 libraries across the state that re-opened to the public, even though it did run as

a curb-side operation for several weeks.

Parks have been closed at various points as part of the governor’s office safety regulations. But as America moves forward, people are starting to see more opportunity to be active and get out more.

Despite the cancelations of major events like the rodeo and Jazz in the Valley, there have been some adjustments by the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce and the Ellensburg Downtown Association to help with business owners.

“There has been a lot of creativity during the pandemic like the Streeteries that are opening up around town to serve customers in outside venues,” Tabb said. “People are supporting local businesses as best they can. So, it looks like we’ll get through this as best we can.” v

Eat Local, Drink Local, Play Local, Support Local To learn more about some of the great ways to experience downtown, visit

ellensburgdowntown.org

The EDA works to strengthen our downtown by events, beautification projects, general promotion of local businesses, and more!

Join us as a volunteer or contributor.

Contact (509) 962-6246 and get involved today.

Like other city of Ellensburg departments, the Ellensburg Library had to alter the way it does business during the pandemic, including offering curbside pickup for library materials.

@EllensburgDowntown 2044660

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Kelley and Mitch Cook have owned and operated the Dakota Cafe on Pearl Street for the past 17 years.

OPEN/CLOSE REPEAT

It has been a roller coaster year for restaurant business

By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer The Dakota Café is like a harbor light on the shore, guiding ships to a safe harbor. It just seems to belong on Pearl Street in the middle of the historic downtown with the John 24

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Clymer Museum/Gallery across the street and the iconic Davidson Building down the block.

The for sale sign in the front window is a bit ominous, but Mitch and Kelley Cook had plans to move on to the next chapter long before the pandemic.

As they sat in the dining room of the

business they’ve developed over the past 17 years, highlighted by the Western photos taken by Ellensburg and PRCA photographer Molly Morrow, they could only reflect and wonder what’s next?

To say the last 12 months have been a rollercoaster ride didn’t even begin

to describe the emotional upheaval of sweeping change across America.

Mitch and Kelley have been working together 25 years, having run a catering business in Seattle, a bakery here in town and eventually as owners and operators of the Dakota Café on Pearl Street, so they know the ups and downs

of the business climate. But this was different.

The year of the pandemic is not over by any stretch of the imagination and the past 12 months has been like a cork bobbing in the ocean with its great levels of despair over safety regulations and precautions factoring into every business decision. There have been closures, reopening at various capacity levels and everything in between.

“Oh, heavens yes, it’s been stressful” Kelley said, eyes rolling toward the ceiling just thinking about it. “We shut down completely for three months, then opened for carry out, but that’s not who we are.”

Mitch agreed, “From a business perspective, there was a certain amount of fear when we shut down the first time,” he said. “The restaurant business is stressful enough, but it was disheartening when we shut down the second time.”

A year ago at this time, it was in fact, business as usual. They were coming off a successful Valentine’s Day, one of the biggest dinner nights of the year.

They booked Kyle Bain and Tyler Leavitt to play during a festive St. Kelley Cook cooks at The Basalt. She became the executive chef of the restaurant inside the Hotel Windrow in May of 2020.

Patrick’s Day dinner. Later that week, they intended to expand the dining EVER CHANGING more piece of local talent to the $15.5 dining two weeks ago and Kelley is room to allow local band Chuck Boom In the months that followed, million hotel and restaurant with its running a scaled back kitchen staff to come in and provide a night of they shut down the Dakota Café rooftop dining called Top of the Burg. for the time being. Mitch continues to live music in historical downtown completely from March 2020 to June, Mitch moved over with her, joining the work at the Dakota, offering breakfast Ellensburg. eventually reopening for carry-out wait staff, and they worked together and lunch.

But the coronavirus pandemic only. Just saying the timeline out loud through the summer under the 50% “I will have to say this community struck and all that was canceled is exhausting and the ever-changing capacity regulations. has been amazing,” he said. “They when Gov. Jay Inslee issued his safety regulations coming out of the They continued to keep the Dakota continue to come in and support us “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” directive, governor’s office made every business open under the direction of house as much as possible, and it helps us restricting individual activity and decision even more critical. manager Jack Cohen as they settled stay afloat.” enforcing safety protocols and They were able to eventually reopen into the daily routine at The Basalt, Kelley agreed. She’s running her social-distancing. to in-house dining under Phase 3 with serving dinner four days a week. But kitchen over at The Basalt, doing a little “We came to this location in 2000 social distancing and safety protocols one more time, regulations changed more cooking than she did previous. with the idea of providing an enhanced in place. Kelley, who studied at the and the governor’s office scaled back to But she is back to preparing a dinner dinner menu. That was our specialty,” acclaimed culinary arts program at Phase 1 and The Basalt opted to close menu with an exquisite steak program, said Mitch, who has since scaled back South Seattle Community College, was for a second time during the pandemic as well as other dishes that allow her to his hours to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., not even offered a position as executive chef at in November. utilize her culinary talents at the first serving a dinner menu. “We serve The Basalt in The Hotel Windrow in “It’s just so emotionally draining,” downtown hotel in Ellensburg in the breakfast and lunch, but the dinner February of 2020, but had to decline. said Kelley, who was laid off along with past 38 years. v menu was something we take great She eventually joined the Basalt the rest of her staff. pride in.” team on May 18, 2020, adding one The Basalt reopened to in-house 25

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Empowering the community.

(509) 925-1414 • 401 N Main Street • Ellensburg, WA 98926 dailyrecordnews.com 26

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Matt Boast

Philip Sotelo

Danae Cramer

General Manager – in our conference room, where we hold virtual and/or social distance Board meetings

Warehouseman – who is our only employee who has never worked from home, because his job duties require him to be on-site

Work Order Clerk – in her home office (in her motorhome)

2044687

Working together to protect the health of our communities.

2021 COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics

Location photo: Mass vaccination site at the Fairgrounds in Ellensburg.