A neighborhood was cordoned off after an elk cow began charging at cars and people in an attempt to protect her newborn calf. The first call came in about 7 p.m. May 29 in the 500 block of Seventh Street in Hammond. The elk had given birth in heavy grass in an open lot at Seventh and Fleet streets. As Officer Al Fontana arrived, the elk charged his patrol vehicle, forcing him to back away. Residents reported that the elk was charging at them when they attempted to leave home or drive throug (continued)
Sometimes, spring is hard to spot on the North Coast. Yet would-be gardeners should heed the calendar, not the conditions, and get those flowers and veggies in the ground. Bell pepper, tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, potatoes and some squash are slow growers. Many seeds and bulbs require 60-degree soil to sprout, which has been challenging this year, to say the least. For those with green thumbs but no garden space, Warrenton, Hammond, Seaside and Astoria have community gardens. Space still is (continued)
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife adopted temporary rules allowing anglers to use barbed hooks when fishing for salmon, steelhead and trout in the Columbia River beginning June 1. The agency chose to remain concurrent with Washington state’s fishing regulations since the river is jointly managed. The temporary rule will remain in effect until further notice or until it expires in late November. For it to become permanent, the Fish and Wildlife Commission must approve a rule change, which (continued)
A $608,755 bid was awarded to Bayview Asphalt of Gearhart for projects on Koppisch Road in Knappa, Columbia Beach Lane just south of Warrenton and a bike path on 19th Street near the Clatsop County Animal Shelter.
Construction of the bike path began June 3. (continued)
NW Natural will issue $16.3 million in credits to its Oregon customers this month. The credits are due to efficient pipeline capacity management and use of the company’s underground natural gas storage facility in Mist. The average residential customer will see a credit of about $16 on their June bill. Commercial customers also will see a cost savings. The average small commercial customer in Oregon can expect to receive $72. NW Natural provides natural gas service to 2 million people in (continued)
Two Clatsop County sheriff’s deputies are slated to graduate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s public safety academy on June 14 in Salem.
Graduates are Deputy Ian McNabb and Deputy Daniel Raymer.
DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year. (continued)
An experiment to ensure Clatsop County’s residents can survive a catastrophic event brought the latest in military technology to Sunset Beach on Monday. Two unusual amphibious landing craft, which use powerful turbines to ride above the ocean on a cushion of air, carried supplies to the beach from a Navy ship anchored 3.6 nautical miles off shore. Each LCAC (landing craft/air cushion) can carry 60 tons of emergency equipment. On Monday, the two hovercraft carried trucks and road equipment. (continued)
The center built to handle emergency operations in a catastrophe may itself be vulnerable to a disaster. The county’s Emergency Operations Center is in Warrior Hall at Camp Rilea. “The best science at the time indicated that the EOC was in a good location,” said Vincent Aarts, emergency management coordinator for the county. Shortly after the center’s ribbon-cutting in 2011, a 9.0 quake struck off the coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that devastated that country. “As Tohoku (continued)
Things are rocking down the highway again in Warrenton. After winter hiatus, a project to stabilize North Jetty in Ilwaco is back in full swing. Boulders for the Army Corps of Engineers project are headed through town. As many as 40 truckloads of rocks, weighing 6 to 30 tons each, are making their way through town, courtesy of Big River Construction, which is serving as a sub-contractor for J.E. McAmis, a heavy civil marine contractor from Chico, Calif., which won the jetty stabilizati (continued)
Balancing compassion with the strong arm of the law can be daunting, Warrenton officials have found. A hoarder whose rental property is packed inside and out with bottles, cans and other “collectables” will likely be homeless unless patience prevails in cleaning it up. City commissioners voted Tuesday night to declare a duplex at Main Avenue and Ninth Street a public nuisance. The property at 951-953 S.W. Main Court is strewn with junk cars, rubbish, overgrown vegetation and boxes of junk. (continued)
Life Flight expects to begin construction next week on its new base at the Astoria-Warrenton Regional Airport. Construction contracts were signed last week for the new 7,680-square-foot hangar, which will include offices and sleeping quarters for pilots and medical personnel. Life Flight signed a 20-year lease with the Port of Astoria late last year for land adjacent to Lektro, near the center of the airport. The nonprofit medical transport company received a $665,000 ConnectOregon state (continued)
Columbia Memorial Hospital commemorated Hospital Week May 12-18 by giving Spirit of Caring awards to two employees. Mari Montesano, a social worker in the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative, received the staff award. Jay Reynolds, a nurse practitioner in the CMH/OHSU Cardiology Clinic, received the provider award. Each year, the hospital recognizes caregivers who go above and beyond what’s expected to create a warm and welcoming environment. This year, a record 29 staff members and fiv (continued)
County staff recently joined representatives from other agencies at an open house celebrating the near-completion of a project providing housing for mothers in recovery. The property on Agate Street in Astoria, which was acquired by the county through tax foreclosure, was donated to Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, which partnered with Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare and Oregon Housing and Community Services to rehabilitate the dilapidated building into a four-unit apartment complex. The units (continued)
The Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association has partnered with middle and high school students to produce a public service announcement highlighting SafeOregon, a school safety tip line available to students statewide. The SafeOregon public service announcement will air in television markets throughout Oregon. The tip line gives kids, parents, schools and their communities a way to report safety threats or potential acts of violence. More than 3,000 tips have been received during the two year (continued)
Oregon is an in-migration state. More people move into Oregon each year than move out. The population growth fuels the expansion of cities and brings new brain power to foster the economic engine of Oregon’s future. Workers in some occupational groups are more likely to move than others. Where do these in-migrants come from? And when Oregonians leave, where do they go? The American Community Survey’s data from the years 2013 to 2017 provide information about migration characteristics (continued)
Air Force Airman Scott A. Karbowski graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. The airman completed an eight-week program in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Karbowski is the grandson of Shirley and Robert Miller of (continued)
** Warrenton A project to improve Youngs Bay Bridge on Highway 101 is under way and expected to continue through 2021. A containment structure attached to the sides of the bridge was built and most of the work is being done from a barge beneath the bridge. There will be periodic single-lane closures at night. County crews will be cleaning the Del Rey and Sunset Beach approaches. ** Astoria A project to replace six aging bridges along Astoria’s waterfront will continue through June 2020. (continued)
Columnists & Other Opinions
This week was full of action! Navy ships patrolling the shore with hovercraft landing on the beach with equipment, and quick offload/reload and take-off exercises at the airport with Air National Guard C-130s. It was one to put in the scrapbooks, although it’s my hope we can turn that demonstration into a real exercise someday. If anyone had a chance to watch the KOIN-6 video short that had interviews of U.S. Navy officers, including an admiral, you heard the same statement loud and clear as (continued)
I got to thinking the other day that maybe I could be a “romantic.” I guess it depends on one’s definition, but my preferred take on “romantic” is that I could be called a visionary. I was at a potluck on Friday where there was an energetic youngish couple trying to get everyone to come up and sing into the microphone using background music similar to karaoke. Once before when this happened, I was too bashful. But this time, I decided to do it. We had to choose a song we liked to sing (continued)
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? This tongue twister has been around since the early 1800s and I’m just about positive it’s familiar to most of us seniors. According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, it was a tool used to help with pronunciation lessons. Here’s another: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck (continued)
Events
A dinner and silent auction to benefit a local 7-year-old who has leukemia is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, at Camp Rilea.
The event for Jackson Humpal is hosted by Fort Stevens VFW 10580 post and auxiliary.
Admission is $12, which includes spaghetti, bread, salad, dessert and beverage.
For tickets, contact the post at its website, vfwfortstevens10580.com/contact or call Debbie Little at 503-739-0661. (continued)
Pyxis Quartet will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, at the Liberty Theatre, 1203 Commercial St., Astoria.
Members of the string quartet also are members of the Oregon Symphony. Their classical selections include George Friedrich Haas’ “String Quartet No. 3,” for which the theater will be completely dark.
Tickets are $35 reserved seating and can be purchased online at libertyastoria.org or at the box office from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. (continued)
The Columbia Memorial Hospital Cancer Collaborate is hosting a series of informational lunch-time conversations about improving health. The free presentations are from 11 a.m. to noon in the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Center activity room, 1905 Exchange St., Astoria. A light meal is provided. ** June 13: A speech pathologist will provide tips and tools for those who are experiencing or have experienced cancer and those who support them. This month’s topic is “Difficult Swallowing: Dysphagia and (continued)
Maddox Dance Studio will present three student dance recitals June 15 and 16 in the auditorium at Astoria High School, 1001 W. Marine Drive. The first performance, at 2 p.m. Saturday, features young intermediate students to advanced teenagers and young adults. The diverse program includes a can-can by dancers from Little Ballet Theatre, “Why We Tell the Story” from the Broadway musical Once Upon an Island, and a history of tap dance that includes the waltz clog. The second show at 6:30 p.m. (continued)
The Fort Stevens Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary are raising money to help pay for the medical treatment of the son of a local Coast Guard family.
Seven-year-old Jackson has acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
A spaghetti dinner and silent auction is planned for June 19 at Camp Rilea.
To donate silent auction items, dinner items or cash, contact Debbie Little at 503-739-0661. (continued)
Auditions for the children’s performance of “A Night at the Olios” will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 2, at the Astor Street Opry Company Playhouse, 129 W. Bond St., Astoria.
The play is directed by Ashley Mundel and features a dozen performers ages 8 to 17.
All acts and performances will be appropriate for families and children. No experience or preparation is necessary.
Rehearsals will be mostly weekday afternoons, with a few weekends beginning June 4.
Performances are June 28-30. (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
A Renton, Wash., man was arrested after Hammond residents reported gunfire and screaming near their homes in the middle of the night. Adam Wayne Heinke, 29, was booked at Clatsop County Jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of a weapon with intent to use and reckless endangerment. “The first report was of multiple gunshots and people screaming,” Senior Officer Jeff Dalrymple wrote in a probable cause declaration. He pulled up near the Hammond Post Office and didn’t (continued)
** Thefts and burglaries Burglary, 9:12 a.m. May 25, 1000 block Southeast Marlin Avenue. A business reported a battery valued at $100 was stolen off a trailer. Burglary, 11:50 p.m. May 25, 0-100 block Southwest Birch Court. Kidd Cody Atkins, 24, of Astoria was arrested on suspicion of burglary, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and fourth-degree assault after he allegedly broke into a home and attacked the owner. Burglary, 11:10 a.m. May 28, 1000 block Southeast Marlin Avenue. A business (continued)
A 22-year-old Warrenton man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly strangled his sister for waking him up, according to a police report. Kenneth Leon Standring II was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree domestic violence and strangulation following the 1 p.m. assault at his mother’s home in the 1000 block of Seventh Avenue in Hammond. Standring had been sleeping in a bedroom and wouldn’t answer when his mother and sister attempted to wake him so he could go to work, according t (continued)
** Warrants Warrant service, 8:06 p.m. May 20, Costco. Timothy Dean Yaakola, 47, of Warrenton was arrested on a warrant issued by Clatsop County Parole and Probation. ** Thefts and burglaries Shoplifting, 10:20 a.m. May 23, Rite Aid. Nicholus Allen Lyons, 36, of Astoria was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft after he attempted to leave the store without paying for a $4 bottle of wine. He was taken to Clatsop County Jail when it was discovered he also had a warrant for failure to appear (continued)
Education
** If you go ** What: Warrenton High School’s 2019 commencement When: 7 p.m. tonight, June 7 Where: Warrenton High School gym, 1700 S. Main Ave. Sixty-two Warrenton High School students are expected to walk across the stage tonight during the school’s 101st commencement exercises. They’ve spent hundreds of hours in classes, accomplished sports, scholastic and extracurricular achievement and put in dozens of hours in community service. This week, the graduating class of 2019 enjoyed senior (continued)
Warrenton Grade School wants you. If you’ve got an interest, hobby, skill or experience that’s appropriate for sharing with students consider volunteering for the Warrenton After School Academy. Applications are available on the district’s website and at the Warrenton Grade School office. The academy is run by volunteers as an enrichment program targeting students in grades 5-8. Students select from a schedule of eight-week enrichment classes designed by community members, so they may (continued)
