Warrenton-Hammond Healthy Kids is partnering with Warrenton Grade School and Warrenton Christian Church for its third annual Holiday Toy Drive. Donations of cash, checks or toys can be dropped off at the grade school. Also stop by the grade school to adopt a child or family. Toys also can be dropped off at Columbia Bank in Warrenton, the Warrenton Branch of Wauna Credit Union, Warrenton Christian Church and Darlene Warren Farmers Insurance. All donations must be turned in by Wednesday, Dec. 19. (continued)
The Warrenton boys basketball team was riding a high going into its second week of play, with two opening season wins: 48-37 against Nestucca, and a nail-bitiing 56-54 against Gaston. The week will culminate in away games at Neah-Kah-Nie and Vernonia this Friday and Saturday. “When Austin Little fouled out close to the end of the fourth quarter, everybody thought it was a bad call,” Coach Nate McBride said after the Gaston win. “But it wasn’t and I told my bench so.” The call did (continued)
Warrenton High School’s wrestling team had some great match-ups at the Jamboree in Knappa on Nov. 28. Leonard Thompson won both of his matches; Alex Tapia also went 2-0. Sam Irwin, a returning wrestler who went to state, had a good match-up against Isaac Goozee, who is expected to place at state. Giovanni Martinez wrestled up a weight class to get a good match against Trent Bernsten. Although Martinez lost, he fought hard. Armin Rodriquez also wrestled up to face Robert Pina. Rodriquez also (continued)
There’s something for nearly every mood this Christmas. Those who love animals, Warrenton students and classical music will find activities to boost their spirits this year. There are things to do for those who need to get that lovin’ holiday feeling back and those who prefer to give to others. Here are some of the best holiday events, with many of them free. ** Featuring Warrenton choirs The Columbia River Symphony’s annual holiday concert features Warrenton High School and Warrenton (continued)
Two potential property transactions were on the agenda Tuesday night. One piece the city may sell to a local auto dealer and the second involving the placement of county-owned property into a land conservancy. Warrenton Kia approached the city about purchasing a parcel that’s owned by the city but is leased to the business as part of its new vehicle parking area. Warrenton Kia pays $225 per month to lease the triangular-shaped parcel, which runs along Highway 101 south of Marlin Avenue. “We (continued)
Warrenton won’t have a warming center with cots and blankets on the coldest nights this winter, but those needing help still can find it. Volunteers with Warrenton Warming Center have developed more of a helping network this year to meet the needs of homeless residents where they are. “There’s a lot of things changing this year,” said Darlene Warren, board president. “This would be our full-on open time if we were doing an overnight lodging this year.” For the past two years, (continued)
Clatsop County Emergency Management will conduct a countywide test of the ClatsopALERTS! emergency notification system today, Nov. 30. The test will occur between noon and 3 p.m., and will go out to all residential and business landline phones, as well as to all cell phones and email addresses whose users have registered for ClatsopALERTS! ClatsopALERTS! is designed to provide residents with immediate information and warnings about storms, floods and tsunamis, water contamination, missing (continued)
Sometimes being underwater is a good thing, especially for Columbia River salmon nests, called redds. This fall, federal agencies are increasing river flows below Bonneville Dam to ensure the redds of spawning chum salmon stay covered with water. The agencies have conducted these “chum operations” every fall since 2000. Earlier this month, the river was being held between 11 1/2 to 13 feet above sea level to ensure chum could spawn at the mouth of Hamilton Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. (continued)
Clatsop County’s commercial salmon fishers began receiving payments this week for impacts caused by changes to Columbia River commercial salmon harvesting policies. The state set aside $500,000 in the Columbia River Transition Fund to provide compensation for direct economic losses and reimbursement for fishing equipment purchased to comply with the policy change. Payments ranging from $56 to $8,750 have been mailed to 126 commercial salmon permit holders eligible for compensation. The (continued)
Creative minds at 121 Oregon arts organizations, including two in Clatsop County, will receive $1.031 million in grants next fiscal year. The Oregon Arts Commission announced the 2019-20 Operating Support Grants this week. The grants range from $3,000 to $ 29,750 and are available to nonprofit organizations with arts at the core of their mission and budgets over $150,000. “We often hear that these are the most important grants we award,” Arts Commission Chair Christopher Acebo said. “They (continued)
Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District received one of 23 Travel Oregon Grants from the state tourism commission to purchase and install weatherproof beach wheelchair lockers in downtown Seaside.
The district began its beach wheelchair program earlier this year, but found recurring issues with rolling the wheelchairs on concrete.
The grant will allow storage of the wheelchairs closer to the beach.
The lockers will be ready for use in the spring. (continued)
A new 4-H Club for those interested in aerospace and electricity is forming in Warrenton. The club is for young people ages 9 to 19 and members will learn about electrical circuits, conductors, magnets, the science behind planes and rockets and more. Participants will experience hands-on learning and activities and have a chance to make like-minded friends. Another 4-H Club for dog lovers is looking for members and there are youth interested in photography and art who need a club leader. Adult (continued)
A six-mile section of the Historic Columbia River Highway reopened last weekend.
The stretch of road between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth State Park has been closed since Sept. 4, 2017, at the start of the Eagle Creek Fire.
The recovery included removing 9,000 trees in danger of falling on the road and installation of more than 3,000 feet of protective fencing. (continued)
Oregon’s new licensing system launches Saturday, Dec. 1. Hunters and anglers should use their hunter/angler identification number to verify their account in the new system, which can be done either online at MyODFW.com or at a license sales agent. The ID number is printed on all licenses and tags and stays the same from year to year. It will be known as the “ODFW ID#” in the new licensing system. Hunters and anglers can enter a phone number or email associated with their Oregon Department (continued)
A new program will provide big game preference points in lieu of a cash reward to people who turn in poachers. The program builds on the longstanding Turn in Poachers Program, a successful collaboration between the Oregon Hunters Association and Oregon State Police. Until now, it provided cash-only rewards for information about poaching. This year, a person who provides information that Oregon State Police determines leads to an arrest or citation for the unlawful taking, possession or waste (continued)
New board members were elected earlier this month to govern Coast Community Radio and station KMUN in the upcoming year. Elected to the board were Jack Harris, president; Jenn Crocket, vice president; Lisa Smith, secretary; John Stevenson, treasurer; and board members Sarah Lu Heath, Josh Marquis, Victoria Stoppiello and Tom Duncan. Annual awards were given for outstanding volunteers from the station. Carolyn Wells of Astoria was honored as Volunteer of the Year, John Stevenson of Clatskanie (continued)
Emergency responders from Vietnam toured several of the state’s emergency operations centers late last week, including the U.S. Coast Guard air station in Warrenton. The visitors were part of a delegation from Vietnam’s National Committee for Search and Rescue and were hosted by the Oregon National Guard. The visit included discussions on the relationship between the Vietnamese and the Oregon National Guard, each acting as their country’s primary emergency managers. The visit also (continued)
Warrenton United Methodist Church has been raising funds to help young ones in times of extreme stress. They bought teddy bears for Warrenton Fire Department and delivered them Monday morning. The church has donated the bears for several years. The tiny bits of comfort are given to children who are present when tragedies occur, such as vehicle crashes and home fires. “You wouldn’t believe how many of these bears we give away a year,” Fire Chief Tim Demers said. “We are called out on (continued)
Construction of a new research ship for Oregon State University began this month in Houma, La. The 199-foot vessel is expected to help the school’s researchers and students advance the science of coastal environments and support research on topics such as ocean acidification, hypoxia and sea level rise. A student and a teacher from Warrenton High School joined OSU scientists in September aboard another of the campus’ research vessels, the Oceanus. The ship that’s under construction will (continued)
Take care of yourself and your family first. Next, do the greatest amount of good for your neighbors while using the fewest resources. Such are the standing orders for responding to a local disaster, according to last weekend’s training by CERT, the Community Emergency Response Team, a federally funded Citizen Corps program. Residents from throughout Clatsop County gained the community survival training at Camp Kiwanilong in Warrenton. CERT, a FEMA program, is offered throughout the United (continued)
Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club donated and helped install an amateur radio at Gearhart City Hall last week.
The radio allows city CERT teams to practice with a more powerful radio and coordinate exercises with Community Emergency Response Teams in other areas.
In an emergency, licensed amateur radio operators on city staff, including local CERT volunteers, can use the system to obtain assistance from outside the immediate area. (continued)
Columnists & Other Opinions
It’s been said that nothing you wear is more important than your smile. Recently, the Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article about changing the way we feel about aging. I was reminded that getting older is really a mindset that encompasses our well-being. We can change the way we feel about aging, the article’s author, Anne Tergesen points out, and that can result in healthier senior years. Negativism results in depression, which has become a “public-health issue,” according to (continued)
Nov. 30, 1864: More than 700 Colorado volunteers attack Black Kettle and his Cheyenne and Arapaho followers using four cannons at Sand Creek in southeastern Colorado. The Indians had been told to camp in the area while awaiting a peace conference with Colorado authorities. Fourteen soldiers die and 40 are wounded. The exact number of Indians killed in the Sand Creek Massacre is widely disputed, with estimates ranging from 70 to 500 men, women and children. Leader White Antelope is killed while (continued)
Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. I’m sure most of us are thankful for the big and the little of it. How many times have you heard the parallel of big and little? We find that we like to say big or little in describing a happening. Like I find myself saying I need to take a little nap whereas, if time permits, I’d like to take a big nap. My friends know I go to two different churches, a little church and a big church. Usually, I go to both churches in the same day. My big and my little (continued)
Nov. 23, 1877: While authorities in Nalad City, Idaho, attempt to arrest Naught, an Indian accused of shooting two teamsters, other Indians become agitated. One of them shoots Alex Rhoden, who is walking across the street. The shooting leads to the Bannock War. Nov. 24, 1999: American Indian farmers file a $19 billion class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Agriculture Department alleging a 20-year history of loan-granting discrimination. Nov. 25, 1712: Col. Thomas Pollock, commander of the (continued)
Events
Liberty Theatre and the North Coast Symphonic Band present the “Festive Winter Holiday” concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, at the theater, 1203 Commercial St., Astoria. Admission is $15, with those 18 and younger free. The concert features the symphonic band, its trombone ensemble, the North Coast Chorale and Astoria’s own opera star, Deac Guidi. “It is a privilege to sing with the North Coast Symphonic Band,” Guidi said. “They are one of the most thriving arts organizations in (continued)
“Sharing Space with Wild Things” is the topic of this month’s Nature Matters talk. The presentation is at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Lovell Showroom at Fort George Brewery, 1483 Duane St., Astoria. Josh Saranpaa, executive director of the Wildlife Center of the North Coast, and Pauline Baker, rehabilitation coordinator, will give the audience an inside look at what wildlife rehabilitation is, its importance, and the impact people have on wildlife. The Wildlife Center is a nonprofit (continued)
The Astor Street Opry Company’s 12th season of the holiday musical melodrama “Scrooged in Astoria” opens Friday, Dec. 7. Tickets are $20 for the front row with all other seats $15 and children $10. All Friday shows are $10 for any seat. All performances are at the troupe’s playhouse, 129 W. Bond St., Astoria. Doors open half an hour before performances and the box office opens one hour before performances. The play is on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22. Sunday matinees (continued)
Clatsop Community College is offering GED orientations from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at the college’s South County campus in Seaside, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, in Room 114 of Columbia Hall on the main campus in Astoria. Those younger than 18 should bring a parent or guardian. General education diploma classes are free and take place at various times and locations throughout the week, so most people can attend around their work schedule. GED classes are offered (continued)
North Coast Symphonic Band returns to the Liberty Theatre for its 38th season in October. The community band, with Dave Becker as conductor and musical director, is a self-supporting nonprofit group with 50 volunteer musicians. The group provides two of its four annual concerts for free. The first concert of the season is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28. “Dances of Enchantment” will feature a collaboration between the North Coast Symphonic Band and 3 Leg Torso, a well-known ethnic folk band from (continued)
Police and Public Safety
** Warrants Warrant service, 10:45 a.m. Nov. 26, 300 block Alternate Highway 101. Kathleen Louise Edwards, 35, of Warrenton was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant out of Clatsop County Circuit Court. ** Thefts and burglaries Identity theft, 5:40 p.m. Nov. 12, Walmart. Tia A. Wieckowski, 29, of Astoria was arrested on suspicion of identity theft, forgery, criminal mischief and unlawful possession of a personal identification device. Shoplifting, 1:29 p.m. Nov. 16, Fred Meyer. Daniel Bradley (continued)
** Thefts and burglaries Burglary, 9:19 a.m. Nov. 9, 1400 block Snowberry Lane. Two contractors reported $2,435 in tools and microwaves were stolen overnight from an apartment complex under construction. Vehicle burglary, 3:17 p.m. Nov. 10, 1600 block Northwest Warrenton Drive. Stolen were two cell phone chargers. Shoplifting, 10:20 p.m. Nov. 11, Walmart. Hali Kristine Murray, 21, of Long Beach, Wash., was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft and third-degree criminal mischief. (continued)
