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Affordable housing development proposed for Arch Cape area

Bob Atiyeh For the Gazette

The chronic shortage of affordable housing has been plaguing Clatsop County employers, workers and residents for years, with the problem only growing worse as real estate prices and rents continue to climb.

The shortage of affordable housing is especially acute in popular tourist destinations like Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach; along with hundreds of other small tourist-oriented towns scattered throughout the country.

Some have found solutions, while many others have not.

In recent years, Tillamook and Lincoln counties have taken steps to build affordable workforce housing.

A non-profit Clatsop County group called North Coast Housing Solutions is proposing to build up to 50 affordable workforce homes on 12 acres of surplus Clatsop County property, NE of Shingle Mill Lane off Highway 101 in the community of Arch Cape.

The two-phase proposal is for a total of 25 two-story cottages, with 530 square feet on each floor. This would be a low density development, with a large portion of the forested land preserved for community open space. These dwellings would be deed-restricted in perpetuity for longterm affordable housing, which prevents them from being converted to short-term rentals in the future.

Clatsop County Commissioners have the authority to donate surplus County acreage to local cities, special districts, local social service non-profits, or non-profit housing developers who submit a plan to construct affordable housing. Otherwise, this Arch Cape property will be auctioned off this spring, and could end up being purchased by a developer who would likely maximize their

investment by building for the second-home and short-term rental markets, resulting in higher density development and the removal of many more trees on this forested property.

The Arch Cape property meets the State requirements for any new construction of affordable housing to be built outside of a flood plain or geologic slide zone.

In an emailed statement, Chet Moritz, Board President of North Coast Housing Solutions, said that “North Coast Housing Solutions is committed to the people who work in our community, and ensuring that everyone has a place to live. We are particularly excited about Clatsop County’s generous offer of this surplus land because we have a vision for housing the working members of the north coast community while having minimal impact on the forests.”

Arch Cape resident Kate Merrell says that “the acute need for affordable workforce homes affects every employer who struggles to find enough employees for their business; the workers

who make your coffee, bake your bread, the folks who work in the hotels and restaurants and grocery stores, along with the firefighters and police officers who can’t find a place to live in the communities they serve.” Merrell adds that she is heavily invested in and cares passionately about her Arch Cape community, and wouldn’t mind this development in her backyard.

Merrell says “the elephant in the room is that many folks are worried that something like this will devalue their property. Our housing stock is very non-homogenous, which is why our home values are not determined by our neighbor’s property.

A great example of this is the workforce housing SeaLark development on Larch Street in Cannon Beach; neighboring homes are worth over $2 million.” The City of Cannon Beach currently has 3 affordable housing clusters within city limits.

A recent article in the The Atlantic by Jerusalem Demsas about the nationwide housing crisis stated that “housing markets have

been broken by a policy agenda that seeks to reap the benefits of a thriving regional economy while failing to build the infrastructurehousing - necessary to support the people who make that economy go.”

North Coast Housing Solutions is engaging with the Arch Cape community through a series of public meetings to answer questions, hear concerns, and get ideas from residents. The heavily-attended first public meeting was held at the Arch Cape fire station on Sunday afternoon, January 15th.

For more information about North Coast Housing Solutions, visit NorthCoastHousing.org. Comments can be emailed to info@northcoasthousing.org

To express your opinion to Clatsop County Commissioners on the proposed Arch Cape housing project before their February 1st meeting, send comments before January 25th to: clatsopcounty.gov/county/page/ public-comment

Go wild and get hooked at Ecola Seafood Restaurant and Market

Deb Atiyeh Reporter

There is a local treasure for seafood lovers in downtown Cannon Beach that sells high quality seafood fresh from the ocean. Jay and Cindy Beckman, owners of Ecola Seafood, serve up wild, local seafood sourced fresh from their very own boats, along with other local fisherman. They use “line and hook” to catch fish (no nets) Ecola Seafood sells in-season halibut, salmon, crab, steamer clams, oysters, scallops, and prawns. It is the freshest you can find it.

Jay and Cindy first met in the summer of 1978. While Jay was attending Beaverton High School, at the age of 15 he and his friend John purchased a dory and began commercial fishing off the beach at Gearhart. They had no idea what they were doing, but followed a group of local fishermen as they launched into the surf. After living in other states, Cindy’s love of the north Oregon coast led her back to this area. They were married in 1991, with their first child Ashley born in 1994. Another daughter Shawna followed in 1996, and a son CJ in 1999. Thus, the beginning of a family and a future family-owned business. Their three children grew up in the seafood market, and Cindy loved the help she received from the community, with locals often stopping in to help care for their young children.

In 1993 they were selling their catch to various businesses,

including Ecola Seafood in Ecola Square Mall on Hemlock Street. The owners were tired and ready to call it quits. Jay and Cindy became the new owners of the small Ecola Seafood fish market and restaurant. Jay and Cindy were the perfect match; Jay would catch the fish, and Cindy would sell it and cook it for customers. In 1996 they purchased the vacant property at their current location at 2nd and Spruce and built a new restaurant.

Jay continues to fish using his own boat, expanding his operation to include other species while fishing the waters of Washington, Oregon, and California. 45 years after Jay and Cindy met, their children are grown, with children of their own. The adult children now help run the business, and have come up with many great new ideas. They have had to grow and adapt to the changes in the seafood industry, but with the focus always remaining the same: bringing fresh, high quality, wild seafood from their boats to your table.

You will find the Beckman children and their spouses preparing your fresh, hot fish and chips, and they will advise you on the catch of the day for you to prepare at home. They also sell ready-made crab cakes and pre-breaded razor clams for you to cook at home.

Daughter-in-law Heaven manages the front counter, and like her name, she is a heavenly presence.

The family has a love for their customers and they take pride in serving the best and healthiest seafood. They love their employees and they have become like family

to them. They love the Cannon Beach community and the safe, village-like character that remains.

They have been a family-run business for 30 years and intend to keep it that way.

Check out their new outdoor

New City Hall project hits major snag

Will Chappell Gazette Reporter

Planning progress for Cannon Beach’s new city hall appears to have a major new obstacle, the city council learned at a January 12 meeting.

Structural Engineer Curtis Gagner from CIDA, the firm leading the project, told councilors that a November 2022 code update will require the new police station meet higher tsunami safety standards, complicating plans to reuse the current city hall’s location.

The November code update added a new requirement that certain emergency service facilities, including police stations, be built to withstand a maximum tsunami inundation event.

Previously, the code had requirements for seismic, fire, storm and other emergent events, but the extent of tsunami preparation was left to the discretion of local leaders.

Preliminary plans for the new city hall included the police department and would have placed the entire facility at a second story level, above parking.

After years of debate, the city council seemed set to approve building the new city hall on the same site as the current one in midtown.

That site sits 33 feet above sea level and, even before the news about the code updates, tsunami danger was a major point of community contention surrounding the site selection.

The projected maximum water level rise from a major Cascadia Zone subduction event in Cannon Beach is 59 feet.

The requirement that the new police station be situated above that level would require a 26-foot floor, meaning the site would need to stand at least three stories.

City Councilors and City Manager Bruce St. Denis immediately noted that this would pose a huge hurdle for the project.

St. Denis, who is also acting as project manager for the new city hall, said that the height increase would lead to a sizeable bump in the projected $17.5 million budget.

Councilors noted that it would require a zoning variance, as the maximum allowable height for buildings in the city is 28.5 feet.

They also said that the height provision would give them serious reservations about the new city hall fitting in with Cannon Beach’s “village character.”

Maintaining that character is a priority according to public feedback on the proposed project gathered by CIDA in fall 2022.

St. Denis said that he was skeptical that the code would be so stringent. He repeatedly noted that he was more concerned about seismic events than tsunamis and wanted to know if there was latitude to reflect that assessment in the plans.

Cannon Beach residents crowd a North Coast Housing solutions meeting to listen to the plan. Gazette photo by Bob Atiyeh

dining area, with a partial ocean view from the upper deck, and gas fire tables to keep you warm while you dine outside. They also

CJ Beckman and Heaven Barrett display some of the fresh caught bounty in their market. Courtesy photo.

Project has to conform with higher tsunami safety standards

Narcan saves lives in narcotic overdoses, use on the increase

Atiyeh For the Gazette

Opioids, commonly referred to as narcotics, are strong analgesic (pain relief) medications that include prescription drugs such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl, as well as illegal street drugs like heroin. The past several years have seen a surge in the supply of illegally manufactured Fentanyl, which is 50-100 times stronger than morphine, leading to the majority of overdose deaths in the U.S. Taking too much of an opioid like Fentanyl can cause someone’s breathing to slow down to a point where breathing stops, causing death within a few minutes.

The medication Naloxone, better known as Narcan, rapidly reverses the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. If Narcan is given quickly, it can save a life. Narcan works by blocking the

effects of opioids on receptor sites in the brain. This allows someone who is suffering an opioid overdose to begin breathing normally again. Most people usually wake up within 1 to 3 minutes after receiving Narcan. However, it only reverses an opioid (narcotic) overdose and will not reverse overdoses from other drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine.

Narcan can be administered by an injection with a needle and syringe, an auto injector device, or as a nasal spray.

Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn reported that the police department pays almost $50 for each dose of Narcan carried by officers, but noted that people addicted to opioids can obtain it for free. The past year is the first time the police department has had to pay for Narcan. Previously, they were able to obtain it for free from

the Clatsop County Health Department. Each police officer carries two doses of Narcan; the first for anyone who overdoses and the second for the officer in case of an accidental exposure to opioids. Fentanyl can be a liquid or powder (ground up pills) that can be accidentally inhaled or absorbed through the skin, so officers have to be very careful when dealing with a fentanyl overdose. No Cannon Beach police officers have suffered an exposure, but one of the officers used Narcan to save a person who had overdosed.

If you, or someone you know has a problem with opioids, the “National Harm Reduction Coalition” website is intended for people to access Naloxone in their community. The “Find Naloxone” tab provides a map to help find Naloxone and other harm reduction resources in your community.

According to Patty Jo Angelini, a public affairs officer with Clatsop County, there are some doses available to first responders right now. Agencies are encouraged to contact the Clatsop County Health Department to see what is available because the department has access the drug through sources at the Oregon Health Authority.

“Currently, the Naloxone that Clatsop County Public Health Department receives is from the Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse has restrictions that only allow us to provide doses to those receiving services through our harm reduction programs,” Angelini said through email. “First responders can request Naloxone from the Oregon Health Authority Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse at no-cost to

Bob

A recent scientific study published in the journal “Advances in Atmospheric Sciences” reported that in 2022, the world’s oceans reached the hottest temperature every recorded.

Last year’s record warmth

was the fourth year in a row of records previously set in 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Driven by anthropogenic (human caused) greenhouse gas emissions, 90% of the excess atmospheric heat is absorbed by the world’s oceans. Records going back to the late 1950’s have shown a relentless rise in

BellaAs one volunteer says, “Bella is a sweet smoosh-machine who wants nothing more than to curl in your lap and give you a tongue shower.”

This six-year-old female hound/pit mix walks well on leash, knows sit and takes treats gently. Bella is happy around kids (especially when they drop food) as long as they are old enough to not be knocked over by her friendliness.

Bella loves her people and wants her pack all to herself, so she’ll need to be an only pet, but she’ll reward her family with lots of affection. http://clatsopcounty.animalshelternet.com/adoption_animal_details.

ocean temperatures, with the warming trend accelerating after 1990.

Though the ocean warming trend is consistent, it’s not uniform, with the North Pacific, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Southern Oceans experiencing the most rapid warming.

The rising ocean temperature is affecting ocean circulation patterns, salinity, and nutrient levels, while increasing the stratification of layers of ocean water. As a result of the warming

ocean, there is less “vertical mixing.” In normal conditions, water from the top layers of the ocean transfers heat and valuable oxygen to the bottom layers as it sinks, while water from the bottom layers moves up, carrying vital nutrients. The decreased vertical mixing of ocean water is leading to die-offs of marine life.

Warmer ocean surface water also provides more energy and moisture which can fuel rapid intensification of storms, leading to higher

winds, more intense rainfall and floods.

Extreme weather linked to climate change led to at least 474 deaths and caused $165 billion in damage in the U.S. in 2022.

Michael Mann, a U.S. climate scientist who was one of 16 international researchers who authored the study, said “that until we reach net zero emissions, we’ll continue to break ocean heat content records.” According to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,

“even if humanity take the drastic, necessary actions to avoid the worst effects of climate change, ocean warming is likely locked in for the next 75 years.” In October, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that the atmospheric concentration of the three main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, had reached record highs. “We are heading in the wrong direction” said WMO head Petteri Taalas.

ers and OHA has provided Clatsop County Public Health Department with a one-time supply of Naloxone to ensure first responders can replenish their Naloxone supply right now. At this time, we have 240 doses available.” Contact  Data:  Summer  Visitors  VS  Locals

service

the summer. This above graph provided

we

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over

Since our beginning in 1990

Phyllis Bernt Library Board President

Despite the beauty of the Oregon coast, the short, dark, rainy days of winter can get pretty monotonous. The library has an antidote for that.

Library Office Manager Jen Dixon has designed “Locked in the Library,” a board game that challenges patrons to escape the monotony of winter by expanding their reading choices, while collecting prizes along the way.

The game board consists of a range of challenges, including reading different types of books, visiting a local bookstore, returning books on time and other challenges.

Participants, after completing a challenge, come to the library (131 N. Hemlock) to spin the wheel to determine how far to move ahead to another challenge. Participants who make it around the board to the finish line, win a grand prize.

Participants can pick up a game board at the library or download a game board from the library website: www.cannonbeachlibrary.org. There is also a youth/child version of the game. The game will be available from January 11 through March 22.

“Lost in the Library” is a way to battle monotony,

Gagner and CIDA colleague and project lead Jennifer Beattie said that the city could choose to build their city hall and emergency operations center to a lower risk standard, but that the police department must be category 4 certified.

Councilors asked if it would be possible to build the police department and emergency operations center at a separate site.

St. Denis said that this solution would not only be much more expensive, but also cause logistical challenges for city staff.

Beattie and Gagner said

n Seafood

Continued from Page 1

have a small private room upstairs that will seat 12-15 for special occasions when reserved ahead of time. The outdoor dining area was created in response to Covid,

At the Library

Avoiding monotony all year long

discover entertaining authors and explore stimulating ideas during the winter months.

The Cannon Beach Reads book club offers those same benefits all year long.

Cannon Beach Reads has been a fixture at the library for 17 years, with participants meeting on the third Wednesday evening of each month to discuss a wide range of fiction and nonfiction.

The book club began its 2023 season on January 18, with an American literary classic, John Steinbeck’s “The Wayward Bus.” The next 11 selections on the club’s schedule include books about Oregon; studies regarding social, scientific and economic developments; a child’s fantasy adventure; and a multi-century work of historical fiction.

Books discussed by Cannon Beach Reads are selected by the group’s participants, who each nominate titles for a ballot that is then voted on by all participants. Participants this year seemed particularly interested in books about Oregon or by Oregon writers.

On June 21, the group will discuss “Wildmen, Wobblies, and Whistle Punks” by Stewart Holbrook. This book, subtitled “Stewart Holbrook’s Lowbrow Northwest,” is a collection of colorful accounts of this region’s history, including forgotten scandals and murders, stories about

that they could contact the state government to ask clarifying questions about the new code and what it would allow.

St. Denis asked that they allow him to consult with the city’s legal counsel to decide which questions to ask and how to phrase them before proceeding.

The complication arose at an inopportune time for the project, which was set to move into the planning phase with council approval.

CIDA had gathered public feedback on the project throughout the fall and identified top priorities for the design phase of the project.

Community members were most concerned about the safety of the site, followed by improving working conditions for city staff and

and has served everyone well over the past few years with a safe dining experience. The extra seating has given their business a boost and created a more comfortable dining space for their customers.

Halibut season arrives at the end of March, and you can tell the amazing difference in taste and texture when

Phyllis Bernt

floods and tales of logging camps, collected by a journalist who believed in “non stuffed shirt” history.

The following month, on July 19, Ken Kesey’s “Sometimes a Great Notion” is scheduled for discussion. Set in a fictional Oregon coastal community, the novel tells the story of the Stamper family, owners of a small sawmill who stubbornly outrage the unionized loggers in the local community.

Works of fiction by two more Oregon authors are listed on the schedule for later in the year. “The Plover,” by award-winning author Brian Doyle, is slated for October 18. In the novel, Declan O Donnell puts out to sea to escape other people and their problems, only to collect an array of odd passengers and then engage in a sea battle with a mysterious enemy.

On November 15, the topic for the meeting will be “The Bridge of the Gods: A Ro-

incorporating a welcoming and transparent design.

Now, councilors await further feedback on the new code from state authorities before discussions can begin on how to proceed.

Siting the new city hall in the same location was a compromise that councilmembers repeatedly described as the “best of the worst.”

Other sites in the city, including one near the RV park, were considered before public backlash led to their rejection.

Another potential site located off Highway 101 and referred to as Southwind, was investigated but rejected due to the high cost of remediating landslide concerns.

Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia.net.

eating fresh halibut. They make their fish and chips with halibut, salmon or cod, served up with their amazing fries. They also serve grilled salmon and halibut, accompanied by their clam chowder, garlic bread and homemade coleslaw. Know that when you eat their wild, fresh seafood you will be hooked.

mance of Indian Oregon” by Frederic Homer Balch. Balch was the first Pacific Northwest fiction writer to cast Native Americans as major characters. Writing in 1887, Balch created the character of Cecil Grey, a New England Puritan minister who comes to the Columbia River region in 1690 as a missionary to the local tribes led by Chief Multnomah.

In addition to fiction about this region, Cannon Beach Reads participants have chosen a work of nonfiction that explains a critical element of life on the Oregon coast. In “The Next Tsunami: Living on a Restless Coast,” Bonnie Henderson explains how scientists came to understand the Cascadia Subduction Zone and explores how ordinary people cope with the possibility of someday experiencing a devastating earthquake.

Henderson’s book, which includes the experiences of Seaside native, geologist Tom Horning, will be discussed on February 15.

Four more books of nonfiction are slated for discussion, each of them examining important aspects of modern life. On March 15, the group will learn what Nicholas Carr has to say about the impact of the Internet in “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains.” According to Carr, Internet use promotes the shallow, speedy collection

of bits of information, instead of contemplation and deep reflection.

May 17 will see a discussion of “The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened” by Bill McKibben. Humorist McKibben explores why the belief in patriotism, religious faith and prosperity during his youth has been replaced with visions of racism, economic inequality and environmental crisis.

On August 16, Cannon Beach Reads will discuss “All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation” by Rebecca Traister. In this heavily researched book, Traister examines the massive social changes that occur when women have options beyond marrying at an early age.

Climate change will be the topic on September 20, with “The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here” by Hope Jahren. Jahren explains the science behind inventions like electric power, automobiles and large-scale agriculture; the impact of these technologies on climate; the consequences of global warming; actions that could improve the situation; and why she has moved her research program to Norway.

Not all the books chosen for this year’s Cannon Beach Reads are serious analyses of social or scientific trends or works of adult fiction.

On April 19, the group will discuss a work of fantasy and adventure with “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. When Milo, a bored, ten-year-old, finds a large toy tollbooth, he embarks on a journey to the Kingdom of Wisdom, where he discovers the love of learning—and an abundance of puns and other wordplay.

Finally, the group will end the year on December 20, with “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks. Brooks bases this work of historical fiction on the true story of Lexington, a record-breaking thoroughbred. She tells a tale that spans three centuries, creating the stories of an enslaved groom in Kentucky in 1850, an art gallery owner in New York in 1954 and, in 2019, an Australian scientist and a Nigerian American art historian.

Participation in Cannon Beach Reads is free and open to everyone. Meetings are in person at the library, with a Zoom link provided for those who would rather participate online. The schedule for Cannon Beach Reads can be downloaded from the library website at www.cannonbeachlibrary.org. Questions should be directed to Joseph Bernt, berntj@ohio.edu.

Reader photo of the Week

Quote of the Week

What Is Success?

betrayal of false friends;

appreciate

played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the

to

beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have

is to have succeeded.”

King Tides and storm surge combined with high winds to drive waves and debris into a Cannon Beach about 4 p.m. Tuesday Dec. 27. No damage was reported but trees were downed by winds.  Power was out in the city from downed lines from about 3 p.m. until after 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Hannah Cowden.

Ecola Seafood Restaurant and Market is truly a family owned and operated business with future family waiting in the wings to learn the ropes.

Courtesy photo

Immigrants pave their road to success in Cannon Beach

Miska Salemann For the Gazette

This is one of a three-part series featuring the incredible stories of those who have fought for their well-earned positions in Cannon Beach’s legacy.

Despite the modest population, Cannon Beach continues to attract and retain talent from across the world.

U.S. Census data indicates that roughly 5% of Cannon Beach residents are foreign-born individuals. While they are certainly a small group, the immigrant community has left an incredible mark on the development of Cannon Beach’s shops, restaurants, and hospitality industry.

Emiliano Alvarez expressed the sentiment of many immigrants when he said that he “considers himself born on the border.”

Before settling down in Cannon Beach, Alvarez spent his early life in the quaint coastal town of Michoacan, Mexico.

Between the long stretches of sand and bustling arts scene, Michoacan and Cannon Beach might share more in common topographically than one would imagine. However, culturally, the two places could not be more different.

“I got the best of both

Featuring Emiliano Alvarez, Mi Corazon Mexican Cuisine

countries,” Alvarez explained. He was born in Michoacan in 1973, and spent his formative years like many other children; working hard in school, spending time with his close-knit family, and having some fun on the side. The ambitious teenager had big dreams.

It wasn’t long before some of Alvarez’s family members began moving up to the United States in search of higher paying work. From what he recalls, his relatives began taking jobs in parts of rural Oregon, working on various agriculture farms. “It was hard work,” Alvarez suggested.

Then came their saving grace. One day, one of Alvarez’s family members saw an ad in the local newspaper.

Cannon Beach was looking to fill more jobs. According to the reports, the restaurant industry was booming.

After taking a drive up the coast and seeing a landscape strangely reminiscent of their home, his family decided to quit their laborious field jobs and give the service industry a shot.

Alvarez said he was fifteen or sixteen years-old when he left his hometown for Cannon Beach. He was able to land his first job as a dishwasher at Lazy Susan Cafe, the popular brunch spot on HemlockStreet.

There was one problem

though: he knew nothing at all about dishwashers. He had never seen one in Michoacan, so the first time he met the miraculous cleaning machine was in the back of the Lazy Susan Cafe. Fortunately, with the help of some coworkers, it didn’t take long for him to become an expert.

“It was like a game for me,” he recalled. “And I was being paid for it!”

Alvarez spoke quite fondly of his first opportunity, noting that everyone treated him with kindness and respect.

“I don’t really have a good memory with people,” Alvarez said, “But perhaps the people who gave me the first opportunity, I will never forget those people.”

The young man had no English skills when he arrived in Cannon Beach, but that changed quickly when he began working.

“One of the people who taught me English was one of the cooks at Lazy Susan,” he explained. “She was the reason I could communicate with other staff and my bosses.”

After spending some time in the service industry and saving up money, Alvarez went on to attend beauty school in Las Vegas. It was there that he met his former significant other, and decided to show him the small town in Oregon that he came to know and love.

“He fell in love with Cannon Beach,” Alvarez said. After their visit, his partner convinced him to move back down permanently.

Alvarez opened his first hair salon in Seaside, where commercial rent was much more affordable.

The couple spent some years pursuing their own passions, before deciding that they wanted to open a business together that tied back to their roots. That is when they birthed the concept for Mi Corazon Mexican Cuisine.

Alvarez credited his partner for coming up with many of the creative takes on authentic dishes that can be found on the menu. “Lots of people think Mexican food is everything big and full of cheese,” said Alvarez. “We want to bring something that is actually from Mexico, not everything is spicy and full of cheese.”

The idea behind Mi Corazon was to bring out the flavors of Michoacan by utilizing the plentiful natural resources found on the Oregon coast.

“In Mexico we also use lots of organic products, when you come from a small town, everything grows organically,” explained Alvarez.

For Alvarez, the goal is to correct the perception that Mexican culture is more than deep-fried chimichangas, flying sombreros, a mariachi

band, and nachos swimming in cheese. Mi Corazon takes pride in their Pacific Northwest sourced seafood, unblended margaritas, and corn tortillas made from scratch.

He admitted that it can be challenging when someone walks through his doors expecting “Tex-Mex food,” but he hopes that his customers leave the restaurant with a truly authentic experience,

one that might even inspire them to travel to Mexico and taste the original food for themselves.

The business owner has one piece of advice for eager individuals who come to Cannon Beach from different walks of life. “Cannon Beach is a great town,” he encouraged. “If you do everything right, you will succeed.”

Massive Cascadia earthquake hit NW Coast in January 1700

Atiyeh For the Gazette

It’s a January night on the north Oregon coast. The sun has been down for several hours and it’s dark. A quarter moon hangs in the winter sky, with the rhythmic sound of waves breaking on the beach. A slight tremor shakes the ground; barely noticeable. Then an unusual sound that gets louder as it approaches. Suddenly, the ground begins to violently roll and shake. This lasts for almost 5 min-

utes. As suddenly as it began, the shaking stops. The noise recedes into the distance. For a short period of time, all is quiet. Strangely, the ocean has pulled away from the shore, followed by a wave that pushes onto the beach, like a very large sneaker wave. 20 minutes have passed since the shaking stopped when another sound like distant thunder is heard, rapidly getting closer and louder. A massive wall of water 50 feet high crashes onto the beach, destroying everything in it’s path as it

quickly sweeps inland. It’s just after 9:00 PM on January 26th, 1700.

There has just been a full rupture of the offshore Cascadia Subduction Zone, and the entire coastline of the Pacific Northwest has been hit with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and massive tsunami, with the devastation extending for hundreds of miles up and down the coast from Vancouver Island to Northern California.

The 700 mile-long Cascadia Subduction Zone is the result of the oceanic Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates subducting (sliding underneath) the much larger North American plate. These plates don’t slide smoothly past each other; they lock together and slowly build up pressure for centuries until a sudden, explosive release.

The long chain of inland Cascade volcanoes extending from southern British Columbia to northern California is a result of this subduction zone. Wherever you find a chain of volcanoes, you’ll find a subduction zone, whether it’s the southern coast of Alaska, the western coast of Chile, or

Indonesia. Subduction zones produce the planet’s most powerful earthquakes. The magnitude 9.5 Valdivia subduction zone earthquake that hit the coast of Chile in May of 1960 was the most powerful quake ever recorded. The second most powerful quake ever recorded was the magnitude 9.2 “Good Friday Earthquake” that struck near Prince William Sound on the south coast of Alaska in March of 1964. The magnitude 9.1 subduction zone earthquake and tsunami that struck SE Asia in December 2004, killing over 225,000 people in 14 countries, was the third most powerful quake ever recorded. And the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku subduction zone earthquake and tsunami that struck the east coast of Japan in March of 2011, killing almost 20,000 people, was the fourth most powerful quake ever recorded.

For years, geologists didn’t think the Pacific Northwest was affected by large earthquakes, until the mid-1980’s, when a young geologist named Brian Atwater began digging around in the coastal marshes and stream banks of

the Washington coast; discovering convincing evidence of massive earthquakes and tsunamis that had devastated coastal areas in the past.

Using dendrochronology (tree rings) the date of the last great earthquake was an estimate, but the exact date was elusive, until old Japanese tsunami records were examined by seismologist Kenji Satake.

In late January of 1700, the coast of Honshu Island in Japan was hit by an “orphan tsunami”; a 16-foot tsunami with no accompanying earthquake, which had traveled thousands of miles across the Pacific ocean from the west coast of North America, the result of a monster subduction zone quake 60 times more powerful than the earthquake that would destroy San Francisco in 1906. This 1700 date fit squarely in the middle of the tree ring estimates, and agreed with the oral histories of several native Northwest tribes, including the Makah, Hoh, Quileute, Duwamish and Yurok, which told of this violent event happening on a winter night.

Thursday, January 26th marks the 323rd anniversary

of this massive earthquake and tsunami. By drilling into turbidites (undersea landslides) geologist Chris Goldfinger has determined that there have been 41 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes over the past 10,000 years, with intervals between quakes as short as 110 years, and as long as 1,050 years. 19 of these have been full ruptures of the subduction zone, while the other 22 have been partial ruptures. There is no way to predict when the next one will hit, but research by Goldfinger hints that Cascadia quakes come in clusters, and that southern sections of the subduction zone rupture more frequently than northern sections. Compared to countries like Japan, the Pacific Northwest is woefully unprepared in terms of hardened infrastructure, emergency preparedness and general earthquake resiliency. 80 miles off the north Oregon coast, at the toe of the continental slope, the Cascadia Subduction Zone sits silently, with plates locked and pressure building. Some day it will rupture. We need to be ready when it does.

Free household hazardous waste drop off Sat.

said Lucas Marshall, environmental health supervisor for Clatsop County.

Improper disposal of household hazardous waste can contaminate drinking water supplies and public waters, damage wastewater treatment systems and onsite septic systems, expose sanitation workers and firefighters to hazardous situations and negatively impact in the environment.

Clatsop County Environmental Health sponsors Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events eight times per year at the Household Hazardous Waste collection facility.

Emiliano Alvarez seated with his crew at Mi Corazon Mexican Cuisine. Photo provided.

Bob

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Dungeness Crab season now reopened for recreational fishers, Feb. 1 opens from Cape Falcon north to Wash.

Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery season reopened from Cape Falcon to Cape Arago on Jan. 15 after having passed all tests for the crab being ready to harvest. The season opens Feb. 1 from Cape Falcon north to Washington State in accordance with the Tri-State Protocol.

Meat fill now meets or exceeds criteria in all areas of Oregon, and biotoxins are below alert levels in all crab tested from Cape Arago north. Domoic acid testing of crab will continue from Cape Arago south to the California border as test results today showed elevated levels of the biotoxin in that area.

ODFW works closely with

the crab fishing industry, the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture on testing and season openings. ODFW also coordinates with California and Washington to help create an orderly start to the season within the Tri-State region.

Tim Novotny with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission stressed the importance of being able to deliver a level of certainty in the product to the marketplace to start the fishery, both for industry and consumers to have confidence in the product. That comes through rigorous preseason testing and only opening regions where crab

are ready for consumption.

“Oregon’s Dungeness crab fishery has been recognized worldwide for its sustainable fisheries practices for generations now. The work we do with ODFW and the hard work and cooperation of the fleet helps us continue to work to solidify our reputation on sustainability, which is a huge benefit for the fleet and coastal communities yearround,” Novotny said.

Novotny and Caren Braby, ODFW’s Marine Resources Program Manager, say generally the fleet and industry support later season openings when necessary to ensure crab are ready. This season has been just such a situation and industry has overwhelmingly supported waiting until now for the season to start.

“Look, everyone wants to start Dec. 1,” Novotny said. “But the fishermen know that

this process sets a high bar on purpose, so consumers know they’re getting the highest quality and safest product possible,” he said.

Braby agrees. “I’m proud of the crab fishery and our management of this iconic symbol of the Oregon coast,” she said. “By working with industry on the problems we’ve faced – from biotoxins, whale entanglements, and climate change – we’re crafting a stronger fishery that will stand the test of time. Steady collaborative management fostered an environment in which the fishery’s value and reputation continue to grow.”

The earliest the commercial crab season can open by regulation is Dec. 1 pending meat fill and biotoxin results. In recent years, that has been rare – 2021 was the first time since 2014 the fishery opened

Dec. 1. During 2020-2021, the season opened in stages (Dec. 16, 2020 south of Cape Falcon; Feb. 15, 2021 north of Cape Falcon). Fishermen brought in 12.2 million pounds of Dungeness crab coastwide with an ex-vessel value of $60.6 million. The 2021-2022 season brought in just over 17 million pounds of crab with a $91.5 million ex-vessel value.

Coastwide recreational ocean and bay crabbing

reopened

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and ODFW reopens all recreational crabbing (ocean, bays, and estuaries) along the entire Oregon coast. Two consecutive tests show domoic acid levels are under the closure threshold.

Recreational bay clam and

mussel harvesting also remain open along the entire Oregon coast. However, razor clamming is still closed coastwide. ODA tests for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.

It is recommended that recreational crab harvesters always eviscerate crab before cooking. This includes removing and discarding the viscera, internal organs, and gills.

For more information, call ODA’s shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800)4482474, the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720, or visit the ODA shellfish biotoxin closures webpage.

Contact ODFW for recreational license requirements, permits, rules and limits.