Aug. 11-14, 2021
Fair Section and info.
Headlight Herald
northcoastcitizen.com
North Coast
Citizen Inside
Tillamook County
Serving North Tillamook County since 1996
August 12, 2021
Organic support Organic farmer’s house burns community supports with donations Staff Writer
ehalem Valley organic farmer Jeff Trenary, of Kingfisher Farm, lost all his belongings after his home was destroyed in a fire July 24. A GoFundMe page has been set up with a goal of $50,000. As of Friday, Aug. 6, $39,694 has been raised. Jeff has been supplying much of the local fresh regional produce for almost 30 years. He was the first organic Nehalem organic farmer Jeff Trenary with his daughter, Lucy. Jeff lost all his belongings after farmer on the Oregon Coast. The family moved to the prop- his home was destroyed in a fire on July 24. erty in 1986. The house was a I could live with that but all city for a year. has been helping out with the small house that Jeff built a large the family photos, things that I Jeff plans to build a new strucManzanita Farmer’s Market. addition on. collected traveling all over the ture to live in on the property. “I’m really happy they want to Jeff said an electrical fire had world. My dad traveled all over “The house literally burned to do this,” Jeff said. “My children started in the basement. He woke the world too and he left me a lot the ground,” Lucy said. “It had have gone on to become other up and smelled smoke. of things.” a basement and two stories. All professions.” “As soon as I saw there was Jeff also lost all of his farm of that debris is basically in the Jeff has two other children: an actual fire, I went outside and records and tools. The farm basement.” Clinton and Mercedes. His chilcalled 911,” Jeff said. “The only records are important to look back Jeff had been doing the Astoria dren were hoping to continue with way into my basement is from and see data from year to year. Farmer’s Market for 20 years. the house. outside so I opened the base“That’s really a big loss itself,” Lucy Trenary said her dad rallies “From my personal experience, ment door and I could see where Jeff said. around people with food. If there really be aware of the danger there was some wires that were Jeff’s daughter Lucy, born is a fundraiser or potluck, he of fire,” Jeff said. “The fireman burning.” Megan, grew up in the house. always shows up with produce. told me that at least 80 percent of He grabbed a fire extinguisher She is now living and attending “He has a strong, incredible house fires are bad wiring.” and tried to put the fire out. He college in Portland. It is the only presence,” Lucy said. “He’s just a Jeff said he has known a couple had a two-foot fire extinguisher home she knows. She had lived very cool guy.” of people who have burned their and said it hardly did anything. there off and on since she was 6 Before COVID-19, Jeff had 25 houses down by a barbecue. His advice to everyone is to have years old, farming with her dad. restaurant accounts, co-ops, stores Lucy said the love and support multiple fire extinguishers. Lucy said losing the home has and did business in Portland. He the family has been receiving has “I tried to get the garden hose been one of the biggest losses she has been running a big operation been truly humbling. Jeff said going but there was too much has experienced. She spent the for 30 years. He said a lot of people have poured out so much smoke by then,” Jeff said. “I gave last few years there and it was people call him the godfather of love to him and he feels so loved it my best.” going to be her home. Everything organic farming. Even after his by the community. The community has been she had throughout her life was in house has burned down, he still To donate to Jeff Trenary and rallying around Trenary and his the house: photos from growing calls people up for orders. his family, visit the GoFundMe family, donating and supporting up, newspaper clippings, journals, When Jeff retires in a few page at https://bit.ly/3fzWZnG him, via a GoFundMe page at items her grandma gave her when years, the O’Dea family will take https://bit.ly/3fzWZnG she graduated, and everything over the farm. Jeff has been menSend comments to: headlight“It’s a really hard experience,” else she did not need to live in the toring Brian O’Dea. The family reporter@countrymedia.net Jeff said. “Just losing my house,
Preparing for the next heat wave T
Staff Report
he Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has submitted an After-Action Review (AAR) of the June 2021 excessive heat event to Gov. Brown’s office. The AAR assesses government efforts to prevent and prepare for extreme weather events and outlines recommendations for immediate and future implementation. Brown directed OEM to lead the expedited review following the excessive heat that occurred June 25 to June 30, in which at least 83 Oregonians tragically lost their lives to heat-related illness. With potential triple-digit temperatures expected again this weekend, OEM is working with local emergency management partners and fellow state agencies to immediately implement recommendations from the report to help ensure Oregonians are prepared for the extreme heat. The AAR analyzed collaborative actions by federal, state, tribal, local agencies and non-profit organizations to respond to the unprecedented heat event. Topline results found that partners moved quickly to assess regional needs and align outreach to provide information and resources to their communities on how to stay safe. “While these efforts undoubtedly saved lives, it is unacceptable that so many were unable to access the available resources,” OEM Director Andrew Phelps said. “Oregon lives were lost to the heat, highlighting gaps where improvements are needed to reduce the impact of future extreme weather events” Phieps said the OEM is calling on state, local and regional 7 29467 70001 8 governments,
Volume 27, No. 16
Two workplace outbreaks as COVID-19 cases rise Hilary Dorsey
Hilary Dorsey
N
$1.50
community organizations and the public to pull together and prepare for the hot summer months ahead -- and the inevitable effects of our changing climate. The review presents 16 recommendations for immediate and long-term implementation. The state is working swiftly with partners to implement immediate recommendations; four of which have already been put into action. Those include: • Increased and earlier health information sharing with local leadership. • Ensuring 211 is resourced to provide 24/7 coverage to respond to inquiries and requests for assistance. • Ongoing conversations with local partners to waive public transit fares during extreme heat events. • Prioritizing the importance of readiness for Oregonians and communicating the importance of checking on neighbors, relatives and coworkers. Long-term recommendations advise governments to prepare for future climate-driven events by identifying communities in need, enhancing early communication around the risks of extreme weather and implementing infrastructure-level policy changes to mitigate the effects of climate change. Oregon’s Public Health Director Rachael Banks said OHA is looking at innovative approaches to help Oregonians protect themselves during extreme weather conditions like excessive heat, including working on new strategies that will make existing housing healthier and safer. “Simple steps such as weatherizing a home can help keep cool temperatures in and hot temperatures out.” Banks said. “Such improvements can also help people avoid wild-
fire smoke that has become a common part of our summers.” Gov. Brown’s statement Brown issued the following statement following the Oregon Office of Emergency Management released its after action report on the June extreme heat event, and in advance of extreme temperatures this weekend: “Because of the impacts of climate change, it’s clear that we will face very high temperatures in Oregon again. What we learned from June’s extreme heat wave is that we all must do more at every level––state, county, local, and individually––to prepare for extreme weather events. “With triple-digit temperatures expected this weekend, I am directing state agencies to work proactively with local emergency management partners to implement the recommendations in this report immediately. “We all have a role to play in emergency preparedness. Lives were saved in June by neighbors checking on neighbors, and friends and family making sure vulnerable Oregonians had a place to go to cool down. As we head into another very hot weekend, please make sure your family has a plan, and sign up for emergency alerts at ORAlert.gov today.”
T
Staff Writer
illamook County Health Department reported during a Tillamook County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday, Aug. 4, 52 COVID-19 cases from July 18 to July 31. The previous two-week period had 30 cases. “Our one-week case count is also something we monitor pretty closely,” Administrator Marlene Putman said. “We had 42 cases in this past week with 15 of those on the weekend from Friday through Sunday this week.” Putman said the majority of individuals testing positive in the county are not vaccinated. The county has had nine breakthrough cases out of 100. The health department is looking at seven potential workplace, public gathering and event outbreaks, Putman said. There are two confirmed official workplace outbreaks, with five or more COVID-19 cases. Oregon Health Authority confirmed Tillamook Youth Correctional Facility has six reported cases and Tillamook County Creamery Association also has six reported cases. “The delta variant continues to be the prevalent variant circulating Oregon and across the United States at this time,” Putman said. “There are 179 cases being tracked in Oregon at this point.” As of Aug. 4, there are 20 delta variant cases in our region, which includes Tillamook, Clatsop, Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah and Washington counties. Even if you are vaccinated, you can still carry the virus and pass it on to others, Putman said. The increase is cases began after the removal of masks, but there were also other things happening at the same time, Putman said. The health department is encouraging people to wear masks in public indoor spaces. “We’re still learning across the country and across the world if people are fully protected with the vaccine,” Putman said. “We know they don’t get as sick.” If you’re feeling ill, stay home. COVID-19 testing is available at no cost. “If you need to get tested, you can come in to your 8th Street annex,” Putman said. “Give us a call at 842-3900 so we can schedule you.” For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, call the health center’s nurse information line at 503842-3940. A vaccine walk-up event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Tillamook High School, located at 2605 12th St. in Tillamook. Vice-Chair David Yamamoto said in the courthouse, in the state of Oregon, circuit court areas are requiring masks. Masks are also required in public areas of the courthouse. People are required to wear a mask when entering the courthouse, vaccinated or not. When the courthouse meeting rooms are used for jury assembly, masks will be required. Gov. Kate Brown also mandated masks in all state offices, such as the DMV. Schools this fall will require masks for all students and personnel. Places such as health care facilities and transportation continue to require masks as well. Commissioner Erin Skaar said the commissioners are not voting on a mask mandate. These are recommendations being made by OHA. Some folks are against wearing a mask or getting vaccinated. Social distancing and staying away from large gatherings are other ways to help. Yamamoto said the universal masking is about personal choice. Even if you have been vaccinated, if you have underlying health conditions or are elderly, you should consider wearing a mask in public indoor spaces, he said.
n See COVID, Page 5