Record coho returns boost Columbia River restoration

(photo: A female coho hovers over a redd in Washington's Methow River in November. It's one of a record number of coho to return to the upper Columbia this year. Photo courtesy Tom Scribner, Yakama Nation )


Portland, Ore. – Record returns of coho salmon to the middle and upper Columbia River this year signal the comeback of fish that 20 years ago were virtually extinct in upriver tributaries.
Reintroduction programs led by the Yakama Nation and funded in part by the Bonneville Power Administration combined with restored habitat, improved dam passage and positive ocean conditions to bring unrivaled numbers of coho back to the rivers and streams, according to recently concluded annual counts.
Ten years ago, 12 adult coho returned past Rock Island Dam near Wenatchee, Wash. This year, 19,805 passed the dam. Returns past McNary Dam near Hermiston, Ore., climbed from 4,736 coho a decade ago to 33,385 this year – by far the most since counting began at the dam in 1954.
The rise in adult coho returning past seven or more mainstem Columbia dams to spawn this winter in upriver tributaries exceeds all expectations, said Tom Scribner, the Yakama Nation’s project leader. While most of the returning fish came from hatcheries, an expanding share comes from natural spawning that biologists hope will resurrect self-sustaining wild stocks.
The return of spawning coho to the upper Columbia reflects the success of a pioneering reintroduction strategy that no one had attempted before. The program is funded by BPA, Chelan County Public Utility District, Grant County Public Utility District and NOAA-Fisheries.
Biologists began rekindling the upriver runs in the 1990s with hatchery-bred fish from the lower Columbia, since no local coho adapted to the upper Columbia were left. Some wondered whether lower river fish, after many generations in hatcheries, could rebuild runs that would have to migrate hundreds of miles farther up the Columbia, past several major dams.
“There was a question whether it was really possible to do this so far above the dams,” said Roy Beaty, BPA’s project manager for upper Columbia coho restoration. “We really didn’t know whether the fish could swim that far.”


Irrigation diversions and development wiped out some 90 percent of native coho from the middle and upper Columbia during the late 1800s. A remnant population hung on but largely vanished by about 1980. Upriver coho did not receive protection under the Endangered Species Act, since none were left to protect.
“Coho are a kind of Rodney Dangerfield of the Columbia River anadromous fish world – they don’t get much respect,” said Nancy Weintraub, a BPA project manager who works on coho. “It’s great to see them succeed.”
BPA now funds the coho restoration program through the Columbia River Fish Accords and is completing an environmental impact statement assessing the construction and long-term operation of program facilities.
BPA is a not-for-profit federal electric utility that operates a high-voltage transmission grid comprising more than 15,000 miles of lines and associated substations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. It also markets more than a third of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest. The power is produced at 31 federal dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation and one nuclear plant in the Northwest and is sold to more than 140 Northwest utilities. BPA purchases power from seven wind projects and has more than 2,300 megawatts of wind interconnected to its transmission system.

Clatsop Homeless Count in January

(photo: Dignity Advocate Blog)

Clatsop Community Action along with 30 local and state social service agencies are hosting the First Annual Clatsop County Project Homeless Connect on Thursday, January 28th from 10-4 at Calvary Assembly of God in Warrenton. This is a one-stop, one day, direct services event for homeless individuals and families. Homelessness is defined as individuals living on the streets, doubled up in crowded housing, couch surfing, paying for a hotel by the week or month, awaiting foster care, living in a travel trailer, being incarcerated, or residing in a treatment center. Individuals/Families that participate will have the opportunity to receive a free haircut, hot meal, personal care items, warm clothing, and access to several agencies allowing them to sign up for food stamps, medical insurance, birth certificates and Oregon IDs as well as receive hearing and sight testing, immunizations, and much more. We expect to serve 100-200 homeless individuals and families.

We still need volunteers to participate on the day of the event as escorts, sitting with families and individuals while they have lunch, staffing the personal care/warm clothing area, doing intakes, etc… More information is on the attached volunteer form. Also, during the month of January we would like to work with your food pantry to help us get the word out about the event by having flyers available as individuals pick up food boxes.

If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact Jess Maclay (Homeless Case Manager/Coordinator for Project Homeless Connect) at 325-1400 ext 104 or jmaclay@ccaservices.org.

Special Election Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet

SALEM -- More than 1.7 million Voters’ Pamphlets for the Jan. 26, 2010 special statewide election start going in the mail today (Tuesday).

Every Oregon household will receive a copy, reaching the state’s 2.1 million registered voters.
On the ballot are Measures 66 and 67, referenda asking voters whether to uphold two tax measure approved by the 2009 Legislature. The 92-page Voters’ Pamphlet contains 204 arguments; 68 in favor of upholding Measure 66, 68 arguments favoring Measure 67, and 34 arguments opposed to Measure 66 and 34 opposed to Measure 67.

The online version of the Voters’ Pamphlet can be read by going to “What’s New” at Oregonvotes.org. An audio version and a Spanish version of the Voters’ Pamphlet will also be available online.

The deadline for registering to vote in the special election is Jan. 5. Ballots will start going in the mail Jan. 8.

EXTENDED HEALTH INSURANCE SUBSIDY WILL HELP UNEMPLOYED OREGONIANS

Oregonians who have been laid off from their jobs can continue to receive help paying for health insurance into 2010. The Insurance Division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services is adopting emergency rules to ensure that eligible Oregonians can continue to get the subsidies past the original December 31 expiration date.
President Obama signed legislation this week to extend the health insurance subsidies that are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The program originally included nine months of subsidy, and the new legislation provides an additional six months for people already receiving help (bringing the total to 15 months). The new law also extends the eligibility period for two months (the program was scheduled to end Dec. 31), so people involuntarily terminated through Feb. 28, 2010 can receive 15 months of subsidy.

People who worked for employers with more than 20 employees and are keeping their insurance under COBRA law can find additional information at: 1-866-444-3272 or by visiting www.dol.gov/cobra.
People who worked for employers with 20 or fewer employees can call their insurance company or the Oregon Insurance Division. The division's consumer advocates can be reached at: 1-503-947-7984 or toll-free at 1-888-877-4894.

Columbia Estuary Christmas Count

For Sunday's Columbia Estuary Count, the weather was better than expected, with temperatures in the high 40's, showers and manageable amounts of wind. We also had a fair turnout of participants an got most of the areas covered.We had trouble finding gulls. Duck hunters were so thick that all the ducks had moved out to the middle of the bay. This combined with the aftermath of the cold snap from a week ago made for a real find-the-birds challenge. We finished the count with 116 species and about 44,000 individuals, plus 6 additional species seen during the the count week window.


The most unusual species seen were a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW at Wireless Rd that has been cooperative enough that many folks have been able to get a look at it and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER.The Baird's Sandpiper is a regular fall migrant, but the peak movement is in August and September. Most have moved on to South America by now. Lee and Evan Cain found the bird mixed in with Dunlin and Western and Least Sandpipers. They saw it at close range and heard the distinctive call notes. The bird was relocated the next day in a flooded field on Wireless Rd. This is the first convincingly documented occurance on a Christmas Count in Oregon. There are only a very few additional records from California.We once again recorded very late BROWN PELICANS on the count though the numbers seen on the Friday before the count were much higher than 5 reported on count day.A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen at Astoria Airport. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was at King Avenue. Five EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES were seen at a feeder near the Skipanon Boat Basin.In other Christmas Count news: Tillamook Count reported 135, Coos Bay 152. Leadbetter Point has not yet reported numbers.

Oregon, Washington adopt 2010 sturgeon, smelt fishing rules

Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington adopted 2010 sturgeon and smelt fishing regulations Thursday during a joint state hearing in Kelso, Wash.

Current rules regulating the harvest of white sturgeon on the Columbia River were left unchanged from 2009 while representatives from the two states negotiate an agreement on 2010 harvest objectives. The new agreement is expected to lead to a reduction in the harvest guidelines due to reduced abundance of legal and sub-legal sized fish. Following adoption of the 2010 objectives, managers plan to revisit sturgeon regulations at their next joint state hearing, which is scheduled for Feb. 18, 2010.

Until the states modify the sturgeon rules, retention of sturgeon with a fork length of 38-54 inches is allowed three days a week – Thursday, Friday and Saturday – on the Columbia from Bonneville Dam downstream 105 miles to the Wauna power lines. These rules also apply on the Willamette River and Multnomah Channel. Below Wauna, retention of 38-54” fork length sturgeon is allowed seven days a week beginning January 1. Above Bonneville, retention is allowed seven days a week beginning January 1. Sport fisherman may retain one legal-sized sturgeon a day and up to five sturgeon for the year.

Oregon disabled parking permit law changes

Applicants will need to show DMV medical certification each time they renew

Oregonians who have a disabled parking permit must provide DMV with a medical professional’s certification of their disability each time they renew their placard after Jan. 1, 2010.

Oregon residents who use parking spaces reserved for disabled individuals are required to display a disabled parking placard in the vehicle. A placard user may be either the driver or passenger of the vehicle.

Applicants for disabled parking permits must hold an Oregon driver license or identification card in order to apply for the parking permit, and they must provide certification by a medical professional that the applicant is a person with a disability. There is no DMV fee for the disabled parking permit.

Card holders must renew their placards when it’s time to renew their driver license or ID card

NEW METAL THEFT-RELATED LAW INFORMATION AND TRANSPORTATION CERTIFICATE FORM AVAILABLE ON OSP WEBSITE

One of several new laws taking effect January 1, 2010 addresses the continuing metal theft problem that impacts communities throughout Oregon. Senate Bill (SB) 570 was passed by the 2009 Oregon Legislature making a number of changes and amendments to state statutes, and creating several crimes including one related to the transportation of metal property to a scrap metal business.

Under the offense of "Unlawfully Transporting Metal Property", most persons transporting metal property on a public highway or on a premises open to the public with the intent to deliver to a scrap metal business must possess a Metal Transportation Certificate.

As part of a requirement of SB 570, Oregon State Police (OSP) was required to create the Metal Transportation Certificate form and make it available on the Department's website at www.oregon.gov/OSP. A link is now available through the OSP website "Related Links" section. The accessible form may be printed for completion to have in one's possession when transporting metal property as required.

"Unlawfully Transporting Metal Property" is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,250 and / or a maximum of 30 days in jail.

Clatsop County Holiday closures

Clatsop County offices will be closed beginning noon Thursday, Dec. 24 and on Friday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.

Oregon Tax Break Deadline Looms

News Release from: Oregon Cultural Trust

Cultural Supporters Have Just Two Weeks to Make a Donation that will earn a 2009 Oregon Tax Credit.

Any Oregonian who belongs to a public broadcaster, museum or historical society is a cultural donor. Everyone who makes cash donations to a school music booster group, library friends society, an Oregon college foundation, or any performing arts group is a cultural donor.

In Oregon, cultural donors can make a matching gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust to earn the state's unique cultural tax credit ­ a 100%, dollar-for-dollar, bottom line savings on what you owe the state of Oregon. The cultural tax credit may be claimed for a gift to the Cultural Trust of up to $500 by individuals, $1,000 by couples filing jointly, or $2,500 by corporations ­ as long as that gift is matched by equal or greater contributions to any of Oregon's nearly 1,300 arts, heritage and humanities by nonprofits. A searchable database of qualifying nonprofits can be found at www.culturaltrust.org.
But, like any charitable contribution, gifts must be completed by December 31.

Here's how it works. Say, you're a member of a public broadcaster at $60; you joined the historical society for $50; and you supported the local schools foundation at $50. Your cultural donations total $160. Make a matching gift to the Cultural Trust of $160 by December 31 and, when it comes time to do your 2009 taxes, the cultural tax credit will reduce your tax bill by…$160.
A tax credit is easier to claim than a deduction. It can be claimed by anyone who owes Oregon taxes; you don't have to itemize deductions, and the cultural tax credit can be claimed on the short form, or long.
The money raised through the cultural tax credit returns to the community as grants that benefit every county in Oregon.

If you donate online, you have until 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 31, 2009 to make a gift that will save significantly on your 2008 Oregon taxes.

Lewis and Clark River Bridge closed overnight Monday, Dec 21

The Lewis and Clark River Bridge on US 101, will be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. on Monday, December 21th until 6 a.m. Tuesday, December 22nd.
During the closure, ODOT bridge workers will replace two large wooden posts that are in urgent need of replacement.
A detour route will be established using the New Youngs Bay Bridge and Old Youngs Bay Bridge. (photo: Lyn Topinka 2005)

COUNTY LEASES OLD JAIL FOR OREGON FILM MUSEUM

A popular 1980s movie that helped put Astoria on the Hollywood map will be showcased in a new permanent location thanks to a deal between Clatsop County and a local historical group.
The county is giving the Clatsop County Historical Society the use of the historic old Clatsop County Jail in downtown Astoria as a museum dedicated to “The Goonies” and other made-in-Oregon films.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16 the board of county commissioners voted unanimously to lease the first floor of the building to the historical society for $1 a year.
The society plans to have the new facility up and running by June 2010, in time for the 25th anniversary of “The Goonies” release, according to its executive director, McAndrew “Mac” Burns.
Locations in and around Astoria were used for several scenes in the popular 1985 film, which follows the adventures of a group of treasure-seeking kids. Many of those sites, including the old jail, remain popular attractions today for Goonies fans from around the world.
With the lease approved, the society will begin a thorough examination of the jail space and begin drawing up plans for the new museum as soon as possible, Burns said. All the displays will be created in-house.
“We have some talented staff, some very creative people,” he said of the society, which also owns the historic Flavel House next door to the old jail.
“The Goonies” brings its own “built-in” audience, Burns said, but the society decided to broaden the scope of the museum by including information on the many movies filmed entirely or in part in Oregon ? more than 300 dating back to 1908’s “The Fisherman’s Bride,” shot in Astoria.
The popularity of movie settings was demonstrated recently by the hordes of fans of the 2008 film “Twilight” who’ve descended on the tiny town of Forks, Wash., Burns said. “There’s a market out there ? people want to see where these movies are filmed.”
Oregon has provided locales for notable films such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Drugstore Cowboy,” “Animal House” and “The Shining.”
Along with “The Goonies,” Astoria and Clatsop County have been seen in such movies as “The Black Stallion,” “Kindergarten Cop” and “Free Willy II.”
“We want to explain how Oregon is portrayed in films,” Burns said.
The old county jail dates to 1914, and was in use until 1976. It was the setting for the exciting opening scene in “The Goonies” featuring a break-out by the film’s villainous Fratelli brothers. Some of the original jail cells have long been removed to create workspace, but all the cells on the building’s south side ? including Cell #2, seen in “The Goonies,” are still all intact, bars, bunks and all.
As part of the arrangement with the historical society, the county will lease, also for the same $1 yearly rent, the former Morris Glass building located kitty-corner from the jail at Seventh and Duane streets. That building, owned by Historical Society board member Randy Stemper, will become the new location for the county’s Building and Grounds workshop now located in the old jail.
The county estimates it will cost approximately $5,000 to equip the Morris Glass building to hold the Buildings and Ground shop. New offices for the staff will be set up in the county public services building at 800 Exchange St.
The upper floor the jail, currently used for storage, will remain in the county’s possession and will not be open to the public.
Before casting his vote in favor of the lease, Commissioner John Raichl admitted he still doesn’t “get” the whole Goonies phenomenon, but knows just how devoted the film’s fans are. The former Clatsop County Sheriff recalled how he fulfilled a special request from a group from England to tour the old jail, which is normally closed to the public.
“They came all the way out here just to see where ‘The Goonies’ was filmed,” he said.
The 20th anniversary Goonies celebration in 2005 drew hundreds of fans to Astoria to meet some of the film’s stars and watch special viewings of the movie. Burns said a special Goonies exhibit set up at the historical society’s Heritage Museum brought the group its “busiest weekend, busiest month and busiest summer ever.”

Small amount of H1N1 influenza vaccine for children under three voluntarily recalled

There are no vaccine safety concerns and kids don’t need to be revaccinated

Vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur has voluntarily recalled a small amount of H1N1 vaccine intended for use in children under 3. No safety issues with the vaccine have been identified. Routine testing revealed that this batch of vaccine has become slightly less potent over time. Despite this, children who received this vaccine are still protected from H1N1 flu, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.

“Children who have already received the recalled vaccine don’t need to be revaccinated. Parents just need to make sure that their kids 9 and younger receive two doses of H1N1 vaccine at least 21 days apart,” said Gary Oxman, Multnomah County Health Officer.

This recalled product represents a very small percentage of the total amount of vaccine received in Washington and Oregon. Washington received 5,100 doses of the recalled vaccine, a tiny fraction of the 1.6 millions doses of H1N1 vaccine the state has received to date. In Oregon, these figures are 7,600 and 1,066,450 respectively.

Any health care providers who have the recalled vaccine should stop using it, keep it refrigerated, and wait for instructions on how to return it.

More information about the recalled vaccine is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/syringes_qa.htm. Additional vaccine information, as well as tips on how schools, businesses, and others can avoid getting sick is available at http://www.nwflunews.info/ or http://www.flunewsswwashington.org/.

H1N1 vaccine is now available for everyone in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

LNG projects: FERC authorizes Jordan Cove (Coos Bay, OR), reaffirms AES Sparrows Point

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today authorized a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and related pipeline proposed by Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP.
Separately today, FERC reaffirmed its Jan. 15, 2009, order authorizing the AES Sparrows Point LNG LLC (AES) import terminal near Dundalk in Baltimore County, Md., and the related Mid-Atlantic LLC (Mid-Atlantic) pipeline project The Jordan Cove LNG import terminal would be located in the North Spit of Coos Bay in Coos County, Oregon, and would provide up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day (Bcf/d) to customers in the Pacific Northwest through interconnections with several existing pipeline systems.
The 234-mile Pacific Connector pipeline would transport the gas from the terminal to a point near Malin, Klamath County, Oregon, on the Oregon/California border. The AES terminal would send out gas at a rate of up to 1.5 Bcf/d, which would be transported through the 88-mile Mid-Atlantic pipeline to Eagle, Pa., where the new pipeline would interconnect with several existing interstate pipelines serving customers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The Commission denied late motions to intervene, requests for a supplemental environmental impact statement and requests for stay because the petitioners raised no new specific issues or facts that had not already been addressed in the previous orders or in FERC staff’s environmental analyses. The Commission votes on both projects were 3-1. Chairman Wellinghoff dissented on both votes.

North Beach Water District (Ocean Pk, WA) Water Conservation Advisory Cancelled

North Beach Water District in Ocean Park Washington has canceled its Water Conservation Advisory as of Thursday morning, December 17, 2009. Reservoir levels are returning to normal levels and system demands from broken pipes have been reduced significantly.
North Beach Water District would like to thank the staff and volunteers of Pacific County Fire District No. 1 who provided incalculable assistance in going door-to-door searching for leaks. With their assistance, approximately 1,300 properties were inspected and over eighty broken lines were found, a majority of them flooding vacation homes. Total demand on the water system was reduced by about 600 gpm, or close to 900,000 gallons of water per day. The District also thanks the State of Washington’s Department of Health Office of Drinking Water for their assistance and monitoring of our situation.
This canceled water conservation advisory was a precautionary step to keep the District from running out of water. Customers can now resume normal water usage.
If you have any questions, please call North Beach Water District at 360-665-4144.

CLATSOP COUNTY PUTS CARLYLE APARTMENTS UP FOR SALE

Clatsop County is placing the Carlyle apartment complex in Seaside up for sale.
The Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to place the property plus three tax lots totaling 1.3 acres containing the 26-unit facility located on Necanicum Drive up for public auction next month.
The auction will take place Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St.
The property is appraised at $1,596,917. The minimum bid that will be accepted at auction is $1.5 million.
The county took ownership of the Carlyle in June following a five-year legal dispute with the former owner over a decades-old clause in the original property deed.
Since taking possession in June the county has continued to operate the complex through a property management company. But efforts to sell the facility to the Clatsop County Housing Authority in order to maintain it as an apartment complex have failed, and county officials have determined that the best course of action is to sell the property.
“We weren’t able to reach an agreement with the housing authority,” County Manager Duane Cole said. “The county is not in the housing management business, and we felt the best course of action was to turn it over to the private sector and get it back on the tax rolls.”
Carlyle tenants will be able to stay in their apartments through the sale process, and any purchaser must give the residents 30-day notice to vacate if the buyer intends to close the apartments.
The Carlyle property was one of several lots the county sold to the City of Seaside in the early 1960s for the construction of new city streets. In 1967 the city instead sold the property to a private party who built and operated a nursing home on the site. In 1993 Jesse Autry Ehler purchased the facility and converted it into a low-income apartment complex.
In 2004 the county discovered that the Carlyle property deed carried a reversionary clause requiring that the land revert to the county’s ownership if the city did not use it for the road project. The county went to court to pursue its claim, and in 2006 a judge ruled that the county could take ownership of the property provided it paid Ehler for the value of the building and other improvements.
In June 2009 the board of commissioners approved a supplementary budget appropriation of $823,183 to cover the required payment to Ehler and satisfy the legal ruling, and the county took formal possession of the property. It also hired Income Property Management Company to manage the facility and ordered a number of minor repairs.
The county originally signed a sale agreement with the Clatsop County Housing Authority in early 2007, but the purchase was put on hold after Ehler appealed the original 2006 judgment.
The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the 2006 ruling last March, but in October the housing authority informed the county it was not able to purchase the property.
If no bids meeting the minimum $1.5 million are received at the public auction next month, the county can then entertain sealed bids for the property.
The county is entitled to reimbursement for the $832,183 payment out of the sales proceeds, as well as payment for any repairs and the cost of holding the auction. Any remaining money from the sale will be distributed to other local taxing districts.
For more information on the property, contact Land Sale Specialist Sirpa Duoos at (503) 325-8522.

Coastal Flood Advisory today (Wed, Dec 16th)

South Bend, Washington – The National Weather Service, Portland Office notified the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency of a Coastal Flood Advisory, which is in effect until 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.

A Coastal Flood Advisory means that there may be minor tidal overflow along low lying sections of the southwest coast, including low lying areas within the City of Raymond, Washington.

A predicted high tide of 11.5 feet combined with strong offshore winds, significant swell and high astronomical tides due to the new moon, may produce minor tidal overflow along the south Washington coast at midday today. The tidal anomaly is expected to be 1’ – 1.5’ producing a high tide possibly greater than 12.0’. This may result in the closure of lanes of State Route 101, in the central Raymond area. The National Weather Service indicated that minor flooding is expected near the city.

This event will is accompanied by a High Surf Advisory. Seas will reach 19’ – 20’ early this evening and hold around 10’ tonight. The large swell will cause hazardous conditions in the surf zone and beachgoers should use caution if venturing near the water.

COUNTY HOSTS H1N1 FLU CLINC AT CAMP RILEA TODAY, Wed Dec 16th

Clatsop County Health and Human Services is hosting an H1N1 flu vaccine clinic at Camp Rilea today (Wednedsay, Dec. 16 ) from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The clinic will be held at the Simulation Center. Take the main entrance to Camp Rilea and follow the signs to the center.
The vaccine will be offered to anyone ages 6 months and over. On Friday, the Oregon Public Health Division announced that the H1N1 vaccine will no longer be reserved for priority target groups and will now be made available to the general public.
The supply is limited and the vaccine will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
While illnesses associated with the H1N1 virus have declined since a peak in late October/early November, public health officials are still recommending the public to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
For the most up-to-date information on where to get vaccinations for both the H1N1 and seasonal flu, call the county’s recorded information line at (503) 338-3600 ext. 4921 or go online to www.co.clatsop.or.us and click on “The Flu.”
More information on H1N1 and seasonal influenza is available at the Oregon Public Health Division Influenza hotline, 1-800-978-3040 or online at

Astoria Gateway II awarded additional funding.

The Oregon State Housing Council has approved additional funding to housing developers throughout the state, Victor Merced, director of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), the state agency that oversees the distribution of the funds, says that this latest round of approval will assure stable funding for more than 450 affordable living units across the state. One of the projects is ­ Astoria Gateway II, sponsored by Shelter Resources. The project will receive up to one point seven million dollars for new construction of 33 apartments for low-income families. The total project cost is seven point two million dollars.

Mt. Hood avalance evaluation - Search for climbers

Members of the 304th Rescue Squadron prepare to conduct avalanche evaluation on Mount Hood, Ore., Dec. 15. The 304th is assisting the Clackamas County Sheriff's office in the ongoing active search for missing climbers. Clackamas County is the lead agency in the search, which is being assisted by aerial assets from the Oregon Army National Guard, and personnel from the Portland Mountain Rescue. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Eric Rutherford, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

OREGON BALLOT MEASURES 66 & 67 FORUM

Astoria, Oregon –

On Thursday, January 14, 2010, local residents are invited to a Forum featuring Ballot Measures 66 and 67. This Forum is co-sponsored as a public service by the Astoria branch of the American Association of University Women and Clatsop Community College.

Speaking in favor of these measures will be Steve Novick, a former candidate for the United States Senate, and speaking against will be a representative from Oregonians Against Job Killing Taxes.
This event will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center, 12th and Franklin, Astoria. The speakers will be invited to give an opening statement and will answer questions submitted by the audience. Written questions for these representatives will be accepted both at the door and during the forum. The questions will be collected and read by a representative of AAUW.

Measure 66 provides for a tax increase of 1.8% to 2% on that portion of income which begins at and is greater than $250,000 for households and $125,000 for individual filers. This measure does not result in a tax increase for incomes up to $250,000 for households or $125,000 for individual filers. The measure reduces income taxes on unemployment benefits received in 2009. It also maintains funds currently budgeted for education, health care, public safety and other public services. A "YES" vote will approve these measures; a "NO" vote will reverse them.

Measure 67 raises the current $10.00 annual corporate minimum tax established in 1931 to $150.00. Sole proprietors are not subject to the minimum tax. This measure also raises the tax rate some corporations pay on profits by 1.3% and increases certain business filing fees. If passed, this measure raises an estimated $255 million to maintain funds currently budgeted for education, health care, public safety and other services. A "YES" vote will approve these measures; a "NO" vote will reverse them.

Water Advisory for North Beach Water District in Ocean Park, WA

North Beach Water District in Ocean Park Washington is advising all water customers to conserve water after water breaks caused by frozen pipes thawing are draining the District’s water storage reservoirs. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has been notified and the North Beach Water District is working closely with the Office of Drinking Water to monitor the situation. The water conservation advisory will remain in effect until further notice.
“Until further notice, tap water remains safe for drinking, bathing and brushing teeth,” says Teresa Walker, the Department of Health engineer assisting North Beach. “Assuring safe drinking water is our highest priority, and we’re working the District officials to achieve that goal. We’ll monitor the District’s water quality and work with them to notify customers if the situation changes.”
According to the state Department of Health, customers are also advised to be extra careful with any unapproved sources of water that are available on their property. This includes agricultural wells or streams. Such water should not be used for drinking, cooking or brushing teeth.
Please check your house and your neighbors’ houses for broken pipes.
The water conservation advisory is a precautionary step that customers should take to keep the District from running out of water. The advisory will remain in effect until the District is able to maintain adequate water levels in its reservoirs. Once this happens, the District’s customers will be notified that the advisory has been lifted.
If you have any questions, please call North Beach Water District at 360-665-4144.

Public Affairs - Discovery Recovery, for Monday, December 21st

"Discovery/Recovery with Michel Meiffren will air Monday December 21.
Michel's guests are Julie Sodeberg, Prevention Specialist and Jessica
Johnson, Americorps member. The topic is: "Prevention programs
currently available in the community". Three programs are discussed:
Peersuasion, Strengthening Families and Making Parenting a Pleasure.
Prevention Programs provide key knowledge that helps individuals and
families face challenges such as potential teen drug and alcohol use,
poor communication within the family and dispensing love while
maintaining strong boundaries. Do not miss a very informative half
hour with Discovery/Recovery, Monday December 21 at 9:30 am on KMUN/KTCB".

LOCAL GROUP TO RESTORE OLD COURTHOUSE CANNON

After a six-decade vigil, the Clatsop County Courthouse cannon is receiving some overdue TLC.
On Thursday the County Board of Commissioners gave its approval to allow a local group of history-minded citizens to remove the historic weapon for a volunteer-driven restoration project.
The Japanese-made howitzer, a war trophy from World War II, has stood sentinel at the northeast corner of the courthouse since the 1940s. But time, the elements and vandals haven’t been kind to the old landmark. Rust has set in where the paint has flaked off, fixtures have been cracked, bent or broken off, and several spokes from one of the wooden wheels are gone.
“There was just growing embarrassment about it,” said Jerry Ostermiller, one of the project organizers, about he and the others’ dismay over the cannon’s deterioration.
The group decided that the dilapidated landmark reflected poorly on Clatsop County, particularly in a revitalized Astoria, but recognized that restoring old cannons is low on the list of the county’s spending priorities, Ostermiller said. They decided to take on the task of organizing a restoration campaign themselves, relying on volunteers and donations.
Ostermiller, the former executive director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, researched the gun’s history and determined that the piece is most likely a Japanese Type 91 105-millimeter field howitzer. Designed in the early 1930s, it equipped Imperial Japanese forces in China and at most of the major battles of the Pacific Theater. It’s one of a number of artillery pieces captured by American troops and shipped to the United States after the war.
Despite its dilapidated appearance, the old gun is actually in relatively good condition, Ostermiller said. “They were built to take a lot of abuse,” he said of the 4,000-pound piece. “It’s pretty stout.”
The restoration effort will involve moving the piece to a sheltered location, disassembling it, stripping off the many layers of paint down to the bare metal, repairing or replacing damaged or missing components, then repainting it and returning it to the courthouse site.
“It should be simple enough, and with a little bit of supervision it should go well,” Ostermiller said.
The biggest challenge will likely involve fixing the iron-rimmed wooden wheels, one of which has lost half its spokes.
The project will also include providing some proper labeling for the gun. A bronze plaque affixed to the concrete bench in front of the cannon states that the piece was presented to the county in 1934 by the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War. But the plaque actually refers to another artillery piece ? a bronze Civil War cannon ? that formerly occupied the site.
According to local lore, the original cannon was removed and melted down for its metal during World War II, Ostermiller said, and the current gun was given to the county by the U.S. military as a replacement after the war.
Displaying weapons ? particularly those of defeated enemies ? in public places is a tradition going back centuries, Ostermiller said. In the United States, especially on the East Coast, it was customary to place small artillery pieces in front of county courthouses as a symbolic sign of defense.
Some details of the restoration project are still being worked out, but the group hopes to have the cannon moved and the work underway within a month.

From the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Fishery managers predict 470,000 Columbia River spring Chinook in 2010

SALEM, Ore. -- The technical committee advising Columbia River fishery managers has released its forecast for the 2010 spring Chinook run. If the fish show up as projected, the forecast of 470,000 spring Chinook would be the largest return to the Columbia since 1938.

The forecasted run is up significantly from last year’s final run of 169,300 fish.

Because of challenges in forecasting the spring Chinook returns in recent years, members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) had to reconsider the model they have used in past years to predict the number of returning fish.

According to Stuart Ellis, current chair of the TAC and fisheries scientist with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), committee members were leery of the record number of spring Chinook “jacks” counted at Bonneville Dam in 2009. Jacks are immature, precocious males that return after just one or two years in the ocean.

In the past few years, forecasts relying heavily on jack counts from the previous season had overstated the actual return of adult fish by an average of 45 percent. An accurate preseason forecast is necessary to set commercial and recreational harvest levels that meet treaty obligations under U.S. v Oregon and conservation mandates to protect fish runs listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Ellis said this year the committee considered several additional models that took into account other factors such as ocean conditions.

“The number of jacks that returned in 2009 was four times greater than anything we’ve seen before, which made the number a statistical anomaly,” Ellis said. “At the same time, we know the environment for young salmon appears to be changing and we need to account for that.”

“We’re still projecting a strong return for upriver spring Chinook salmon next year, but we needed to temper last year’s jack return with other indicators of spring Chinook abundance,” he added.

The seven models chosen by TAC generated a range of predicted run sizes from 366,000 to 528,000 adults. The committee members agreed on 470,000 as an average of the models. This forecast will now be used by the managers to develop preseason fishing plans.

The Technical Advisory Committee was established under U.S. v Oregon and includes representatives from Oregon, Idaho and Washington fish and wildlife departments, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (on behalf of the Nez Perce tribe, the Umatilla tribe, the Warm Springs tribe and the Yakama Nation), the Shoshone-Bannock tribe, the National Marine Fisheries Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

NOAA asks for Public Comment on Catch Shares

NOAA Encourages Use of Catch Shares to End Overfishing,
Rebuild Fisheries and Fishing Communities

NOAA released today for public comment a draft national policy encouraging the use of catch shares, a fishery management tool that aims to end overfishing and rebuild and sustain fishing jobs and fishing communities. In doing so, NOAA recognized that catch shares are not a panacea or one-size-fits-all solution, but are a proven way to promote sustainable fishing when designed properly at the fishing community level.

“We have made great progress in rebuilding many fisheries, but more than 20 percent of our fish stocks have not been rebuilt, and an even larger proportion of our fisheries are not meeting their full economic potential for the nation,” said Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. “Catch shares are a tool that can help us realize the full economic and biological benefits of rebuilt fisheries.”

Catch share programs, which include Limited Access Privilege programs and individual fishing quotas, have been used in the U.S. since 1990 and are now used in 13 different commercial fisheries. Four new programs will begin over the next year. NOAA estimates that rebuilding U.S. fish stocks would increase annual commercial dockside values by an estimated $2.2 billion, a 54-percent increase over current dockside values of $4.1 billion, and help support jobs in the seafood industry and across the broader economy.

“From Florida to Alaska, catch share programs help fishing communities provide good jobs while rebuilding and sustaining healthy fisheries and ocean ecosystems,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Although this is a national policy, our emphasis is on local consideration and design of catch shares that take into consideration commercial and recreational fishing interests.”

A catch share program differs from traditional fishery management by dividing up the total allowable catch in a fishery into shares. These shares are typically allocated based on historical participation in the fishery. They may be assigned to individuals, cooperatives, communities or other entities, who would be allowed to fish up to their assigned limit. Catch share participants also agree to stop fishing when they have caught as much as they are allowed.

Under traditional management programs, fishermen compete for a total allowable catch. This has lead to fishermen racing each other to catch as many fish as they can before the total catch limit is reached. This results in more boats and gear than necessary, quotas being exceeded, increasingly shorter fishing seasons, unsafe fishing and high levels of bycatch. It also may result in too many fish brought to market at once, reducing their market value to fishermen and coastal communities.

“Catch shares allow fishermen to plan their businesses better and be more selective about when and how they catch their allotment, because they know their share of the fishery is secure,” said Dr. Jim Balsiger, acting administrator of NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “They can plan their fishing schedules in response to weather, market, and individual business conditions. Catch share programs help eliminate the race to fish, reduce overcapacity and bycatch, enhance the safety of fishermen and their vessels, and improve economic efficiency. They also help ensure fishermen adhere to annual catch limits because the value of their share is directly linked to the overall health of the fish stock and its habitat.”

While catch shares are not always universally embraced when they are first introduced, their benefits have been well proven. “We fought against the program right up until the time it passed,” said Alaska fisherman Rob Wurm, referring to the halibut and sablefish catch share program, which began in 1995. ”But to my surprise, it really has worked well. It has created a lot of stability, stopped the race for fish and changed the fishing environment in ways that have made it safer and allowed us to avoid bycatch.”

Halibut fishermen had been reduced to a fishing season of less than a week just before the North Pacific Fishery Management Council introduced an individual fishing quota program. Under this catch share program, fishermen have a quota they can catch over a season that now runs from March to November. The program has dramatically reduced fishing accidents, extended the sale of fresh halibut for a premium price, given fishermen time to avoid bycatch of undersized halibut and other bycatch and promoted sustainable management of the fishery. The program has reduced the number of people holding fishing permits while providing those in the industry with more stable and sustainable jobs.

Members of NOAA’s Catch Shares Policy Task Force, which includes participants from each of the eight councils as well as NOAA experts, provided significant input on the draft policy.

Among the policy’s components:

Development of a catch share program is voluntary. NOAA will not mandate the use of catch shares in any commercial, recreational, or subsistence fishery.

• The individual fishery management councils will consult fishing communities to evaluate the data, effects, and enforceability of any potential catch share program before moving forward. In some cases, councils may find catch shares not to be the most appropriate management option.

• NOAA will provide leadership and resources and work in partnership with fishery management councils, states and members of the public to help with the implementation of catch shares. This includes assisting fishing communities as they make the transition, and conducting regional workshops, online seminars, and other educational and outreach programs.

• Well thought-out and developed catch share programs will promote sustainable fishing communities by supporting good jobs, and promoting preservation of wharfs, processing facilities, and fuel and ice suppliers.

• Catch share programs can be designed to set aside shares to allow new participants into the fishery, including new generations of fishermen, small businesses, or others.

NOAA encourages those councils adopting catch shares to consider a royalty system to support science, research and management as fisheries become more profitable under the program. NOAA will also seek appropriated funds to supplement what may be collected through cost recovery and royalties to assist in the design, transition period and operation of catch share programs.

“I commend NOAA and its National Marine Fisheries Service on the inclusive makeup of the Catch Share Task Force and its willingness to openly address the concerns of task force members,” said George Geiger, a recreational fisherman from Florida who served on NOAA’s Catch Share Task Force. “From my personal perspective, I do not see catch shares as the secret for ending overfishing, especially in the reef fishery in the South Atlantic. But certainly it is a tool which could be considered for controlling fishing effort. I also encourage the public to take a look at the draft policy and make comments to help improve this national policy.”

To read and comment on the draft policy, go to http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/catchshares. The public may submit written comments until February 28. After reviewing and considering comments, NOAA will issue the final policy.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.