The New Era - All about Sweet Home since 1929

By Scott Swanson

Of The New Era

Linn County Commissioners last week determined to step up for local kids by approving a declaration of local emergency in response to Gov. Kate Brown’s July 28 order that students in fourth grade and above in counties failing to meet certain COVID-19 metrics would start the fall online.

The declaration was approved Aug. 4 by Board Chairman Roger Nyquist and commissioners John Lindsey and Will Tucker.

“The three of us really thought kids are getting the short end of this,” Tucker said, adding that youngsters’ lives have been disrupted by the coronavi...