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FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021

VOL. 130, NO. 12 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891

Bomb scare triggers evacuations

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

As postal service inspectors watch, a member of the Oregon State Police bomb squad is suited up with heavy protective equipment to prepare to enter the post office.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

A suspicious device discovered inside the Rainier Post Office, at 207 W A Street, brought the Oregon State Police (OSP) bomb squad and U.S. Postal Service inspectors to the scene Monday morning, July 26.

Post office employees notified

Rainier Police of the suspicious device shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, according to U.S. Postal Service Inspector Team Leader for Oregon Adam Sale.

“We received a call from the postal service employees at the Rainier Post Office that there was something suspicious in their lobby,” Sale said. “So we responded

with a team of specialized dangerous training members along with the Oregon State Police bomb squad and arrived after police got there. We identified an item of concerned in the lobby.”

The post office was closed to the public and the employees were evacuated a short distance away after police arrived. Officers placed

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

As evacuated post office employees in the background watch, a member of the Oregon State Police bomb squad walks toward the Rainier Post Office entrance during the investigation.

yellow caution tape around the entrances of the building to keep everyone out while an investigation was conducted.

A member of the OSP bomb squad suited up in protective gear and entered the post office to investigate. A short time later the bomb squad member re-emerged from the building carrying a brown paper bag

with the device safely inside.

Officials closely examined the device, which they said was not explosive.

“We were able to clear the item and determined that there was no danger or threat to the post office or ­­­­ See THREAT Page A7

COVID-19 Delta variant concerns heighten JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

The Oregon Health Authority reports that the Delta variant now accounts for at least 80% of all of Oregon’s new COVID-19 cases. Health officials continue to urge those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccination, to do so, as a protection against the variant.

In responses to a large jump in cases and hospitalizations and new national guidance calling for masking measures to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is now recommending universal mask use in public indoor settings throughout the state to protect Oregonians from COVID-19.

“The reported sharp rise in cases and hospitalizations in Oregon are sobering reminders that the pandemic is not over, especially for Oregonians who remain unvaccinated,” Oregon Epidemiologist and State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger said.

The highly contagious Delta variant has increased tenfold in the past two weeks in Oregon, and it is now estimated to be associated with 80% of the new cases in Oregon, according Sidelinger.

“The use of face masks provides significant protection for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as an additional level protection from a small but known risk of infection by the virus for persons who have already been vaccinated,” he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who are vaccinated with currently available vaccines are protected from the virus and the circulating variants, including the Delta variant that is now seen in the majority of Oregon’s new

cases.

OHA’s recommendation aligns with the CDC’s new guidance issued today that everyone, including fully vaccinated persons, wear a mask in public indoor settings.

OHA’s recommendation applies statewide, and not just areas with higher infections and high transmission, as cases have increased across the state in recent weeks due to the Delta variant.

OHA is continuing to call on local community and public health leaders, and businesses, to encourage vaccination and masking to prevent new outbreaks in areas of substantial and high transmission. ­­­­ See COVID-19 Page A5

Heritage Days: Clatskanie celebration coming back full

Chief photo

The annual Clatskanie Heritage Days draws many to the downtown for a community parade from Clatskanie Elementary School to the Clatskanie City Park.

Community Events A2 Obituaries ................. A3 Viewpoints ............... A4 Classified Ads ......... A6 Public Notices ......... A6 Crossword ................ A6 Blotter ....................... A7

Contact The Chief

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

“It is with great sadness that due to the ongoing COVID restrictions situation; we will be unable to hold Heritage Days events this summer,” the Clatskanie Heritage Days Committee stated in a released issue in early May.

The poplar community celebration, which includes a citywide parade, car show, the Clatskanie City Park filled with food booths and other vendors and a fireworks display at dusk on Independence Day, were all cancelled this summer due to the pandemic.

All that will change in the summer of 2022, as Heritage Days returns in full force.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Becki Horness serves up a slice of pie during the Heritage Days Celebration in 2019 at Clatskanie City Park.

What’s ahead “We want to bring as much of Heritage Days back to the community as we can,” Heritage Days Committee Chair Debi Smiley said. “Our planning typically begins starts in January and we work towards the event in July.

This year, our plan is to start in the beginning the school year because

it is a large community activity and we wanted to get all the community, including the schools, involved.”

That school involvement could resurrect the Heritage Days Court, made up of Clatskanie High School students. A lack of interest ­­­­

Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051

ColumbiaCountyOR.Gov/Vaccine | 503-397-7247

See HERITAGE Page A3

A2

Friday, July 30, 2021

www.thechiefnews.com

Bel Air paving to begin

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

A $225,000 paving project along Bel Air Drive in Clatskanie is scheduled to begin in late August.

JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

A major street improvement project is set to begin in late August along Clatskanie’s Bel Air Drive.

“We expect to do the paving over two days and we hope to have it done before the start of the school,” Clatskanie City Manager Greg Hinkelman said.

The paving will stretch from Highway 30 along Bel Air Drive west to the entrance of Clatskanie Middle/ High School. The scheduling of the work and having the needed equipment could be challenging, Hinkelman added.

“If we can’t get it down before school starts, we’ll likely have to do the paving as school begins and that will mean there will be traffic disruptions,” Hinkelman said.

The cost of the Bel Air paving project is $225,000 with $100,000 of that cov-

ered by an Oregon Department of Transportation grant.

“This is a key transportation improvement project because it is a key access to a large residential neighborhood, the high school and the adjacent shopping center,” Hinkelman said.

During the Wednesday Aug. 4 Clatskanie City Council public meeting, the council is expected to review a request by Hinkelman to continue a $14,000 improvement project for the city’s sewer system lift stations.

Rainier Council The Rainier City Council is expected to hear a presentation, Monday evening, Aug. 2, from the city’s public works director concerning street improvements. The presentation is designed to help the council prioritize future street projects.

According to Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen, Rainier is to receive

$446,199.00 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding enacted

by Congress and signed by President Biden. That money will likely be targeted for sewer and water infrastructure improvements.

“It will help us come into compliance with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality,” he said.

Jorgensen said there are limits in what the money can be spend on, so the Rainier City Council is looking at more water, sewer and storm water projects.

“We certainly have the need for such projects,” he said. “Like most cities, we have aging infrastructure, so it is a matter of getting the safest and cleanest system possible.”

For more information about the City of Clatskanie projects, call 503-728-2622.

For information about City of Rainier projects, contact 503-543-7301.

USDA offering financial relief STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing financial relief for industries and businesses in Columbia County, across Oregon and the nation impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires.

The USDA is providing up to $200 million in relief funds to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that experienced losses due to COVID-19.

Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021.

Timber harvesting and hauling businesses that have experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% from Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, when compared to Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2019, are encouraged to apply.

The funding is part of USDA’s “Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, and was authorized in the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Wildfire impact relief U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson

has announced that USDA is making priority funding available for coastal National Scenic Areas that have been devastated by wildfires.

National Scenic Areas are environmentally protected, federally designated locations that have outstanding natural and scenic value.

“Under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, USDA is committed to getting help to rural communities that have been impacted by wildfires in many parts of the country,” Maxson said. “As severe weather and natural disasters continue to threaten the livelihoods of residents and businesses in rural America, we want the communities we serve to know that USDA stands ready to help.”

USDA is reserving $2 million under the Rural Business Development Grants program for eligible projects in rural communities located on a river or ocean coastline.

Priority is being given to National Scenic Areas impacted by wildfires.

Projects must be consistent with any USDA Rural Development state strategic

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plan, local and area-wide community and economic development strategic plans and support other economic development activities. Funds may be used to create business support centers, finance job training and support leadership development.

Eligible entities include rural coastal towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized tribes, institutes of higher education and cooperatives.

Applications will be scored, reviewed and selected on a competitive basis. They must be submitted to the applicant’s nearest USDA office by July 6, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. local time. Additional information is available on page 27365 of the May 20, 2021, Federal Register (PDF, 245 KB).

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas.

The assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas.

For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

SNAP is an assistance program providing emergency food allotments and other benefits designed to help approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities.

SNAP benefits for August STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in August.

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020, to give SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August, approximately 417,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $66 million in emergency allotments in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.

“We are grateful to have the opportunity to provide emergency benefits to most SNAP households in Oregon,” Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Self-Sufficiency Program Director Dan Haun said. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we encourage them contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time.”

Emergency allotments will be available on Aug. 11 for current SNAP households. New SNAP households will receive the emergency allotments Aug. 31 or Sept. 2.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.

More information about emergency allotments is available at www.oregon. gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/ FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/ About-SNAP.aspx.

Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to local ODHS offices or by calling the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.

If you are a SNAP household and your income or the number of people in your household has changed that could impact your benefits.

It is important to make sure we have the most up-to-date information.

You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways:

• Online at: ONE.Oregon. gov

July 31 - Aug 1.

Clatskanie Festival A pet parade, petting zoo, lawnmower races, motorcycle races, library book sale, farmers market, free movie and popcorn, free swimming, cake walk, petting zoo are part of this annual event. See the schedule at the Clatskanie Festival Facebook page.

Call 360-431-7910 for more information.

ment presents National Night Out from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Rainier City Park. Police describe the event as a community building campaign designed to promote police-community relationships and to make the city a safer place to live by conducting a fun filled family friendly event. For more details, call 503-5563644.

Aug. 3 National Night Out The Rainier Police Depart-

Aug. 20-21 Class Reunion Clatskanie Class of 1966,

• By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309 • By fax at: 503-3785628 • By phone at: 1-800699-9075 or TTY 711 Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank. org • Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www. adrcoforegon.org.

• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid.

Learn more at govstatus. egov.com/or-dhs-benefits.

For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-

together with classes 1965 and 1967, are celebrating their 55th reunion Aug., 20 and 21. Casual get together at 4 p.m. Aug., 20 at Colvins. Aug. 21 dinner at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, including live music, 4 to 10 p.m. $55 per person. Please send your check and dinner choice (chicken, salmon, flank steak) to Linda Ward 22424 Swedetown Road Clatskanie 97016. For more info call Jack Minzey at 503-477-3631, or Cindy Wolf,at 360-673-2823.

Friday, July 30, 2021

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www.thechiefnews.com

‘Oregon leading the way’ in clean energy STAFF REPORT chiefnews@countrymedia.net

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed into law a comprehensive clean energy bill package that includes House Bill 2021, the 100% Clean Energy bill, which sets the most aggressive timeline in the country for moving to 100% clean electricity sources by 2040.

House Bill 2021, House Bill 2165, House Bill 2475, and House Bill 3141 address the climate crisis head on by accelerating the clean energy transition in Oregon and centering the needs of Oregon’s most vulnerable communities.

“With these policies, we will create jobs in a 21st Century, clean energy economy,” Brown said. “We will reduce carbon emissions. And, we will make sure the economic, environmental, and health benefits of our clean energy economy reach all Oregonians, especially those who have been disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution.”

Brown said the legislation shows that Oregon is leading the way.

Careen Cay Jump

May 18, 1955 ~ July 18, 2021

Metro Creative Connection / The Chief

“This comprehensive legislative package helps ensure that Oregon achieves its greenhouse gas reduction goals while protecting electricity customers,” a statement fro Gov. Brown’s office reads.

“I’m so proud that we have taken steps forward to address climate change and build a more sustainable Oregon,” Brown said. “All the while, growing our economy and creating green jobs. I want to thank the legislative leaders, advocacy groups, community groups, utilities, renewable energy developers, and other businesses who worked tirelessly to see these bills become law.”

Collectively, these bills

will reduce emissions, expand clean energy access, enhance energy efficiency programs, and create good paying clean technology jobs in Oregon, according to a statement from Brown’s office.

“This comprehensive legislative package helps ensure that Oregon achieves its greenhouse gas reduction goals while protecting electricity customers,” the statement reads.

A car show has been a tradition of the annual Clatskanie Heritage Days.

HERITAGE From Page A1

about five years ago cancelled the court, but Smiley believes there could be new interest from current high school students to bring the court back as part of the community celebration.

Smiley said the Heritage Days Committee is also reviewing other activities and events for the 2022 celebration.

“We want to bring activities to the city park and so we are looking for opportunities in that area,” Smiley said.

“We had a few ideas that didn’t take place in 2020 and we will revisit those ideas, which include donkey basketball, magicians, a roaring 20s band.”

Smiley said she is hopeful all of the traditional Heritage Days events, including the citywide parade will be back.

“We are looking to see if the military flyovers could be part of the Fourth of July to start the parade,” she said.

The Heritage Days signature beginning, according to Smiley, is the annual car show conducted the last Saturday of June that fills the city park with a variety of vintage vehicles. There is also the All Class Reunion to be held at Clatskanie City Park the Sunday following the car show.

During the Fourth of June

weekend, the city park fills will food booths, including the popular local pie selling booth, family games, vendors and displays and a fireworks display above the park at dusk on Independence Day. Smiley said she and the Heritage Days Committee are working to bring back all of those favorite events and activities.

We want to bring as much of Heritage Days back to the community as we can. ~ Debi Smiley, Heritage Days Committee Chair

Heritage Days history Heritage Days began in 1959 following drownings in the Clatskanie River.

“It was a sad loss for the community,” Smily said.

Soon after the drownings, a fundraiser was held on July 4 with a community barbecue to raise money to build a city swimming pool.

“They raised enough money to build the pool and the event went over so well that they began holding Heritage Days each summer,” Smiley said. “Now it is a celebration of the community.

The Clatskanie Chamber of

Chief photo

Commerce took it over and has been organizing it since the 80s. It has always been a community function under different groups.”

Smiley said she and her husband has been involved in Heritage Days for years.

“It is important to us,” she said. “I am a fourth generation of the community. It was an event that was important to me as a child. I enjoyed it and now I just wanted to do my part to give back. My husband and I work hard with a great group of people to make it all work.”

Smiley said the work to produce Heritage Days each year is rewarding.

“I do it to see the people enjoy themselves and it has always been a time for us to come back to the community and see the kids enjoy themselves,” she said. “The fireworks is a nice grand finale to the event.”

Fundraisers are held annually, such as a bark dust sale, to help raise the funding needed to continue Heritage days each year.

“It is a community celebration totally supported by donations and vendors,” Smiley said.

Careen Cay Jump, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, very proud great grandmother, and friend to many, passed away July 18, 2021. Born May 18, 1955, Careen successfully fought many personal battles. She had nearly 30 years of sobriety at the time of her passing.

She survived cancer and remained hard working until disabled by heart disease and COPD. She survived many friends and family members and was fond of saying her life was largely dependent “upon the kindness of strang-

ers.” Her family extends their deepest sympathies to all

those strangers who shared and received kindness with Careen.

She is survived by her son Justen Jump; two grandchildren, Amara and Devon; great grandchild Willow; sisters; brothers; and longtime living companion, Stan Harris.

The great love of her life, husband James H. “Son” Jump, preceded her in death, February 6, 2001.

By Careens specific request, there will be no funeral or memorial. Her ashes will be placed with her husband’s.

Gary Niemi

March 21, 1943 ~ July 9, 2021

Gary Niemi was born on March 21, 1943, in Astoria, Oregon to Harold and Lillian Niemi. He passed away peacefully in his home in Westport, Oregon on July 9, 2021 at the age of 78.

He met the love of his life, Helen Nygaard, when he was a freshman at Astoria High School in 1957. Gary was always a hard worker and paid his own way through college by helping his dad in his machine shop, longshoring and logging for his future brother-in-law, Martin.

He was always resourceful.

While just getting by in college, one side of his suitcase read: “ASTORIA TO OSU” and the other side “OSU TO ASTORIA.” He married Helen in 1965 and graduated from Oregon State University in 1966 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After college Gary accepted a job with The Boeing Co. in Seattle and they moved to Bellevue, Washington.

His love for hunting and fishing drew him to Sitka, Alaska in 1969 where he worked at Alaska Lumber & Pulp Mill. As much as Gary loved Alaska, family always came first, and they moved

back to Oregon with their three children in 1973 to be closer to family and friends.

Helen and Gary raised their three children in Westport where he worked at the Wauna Paper Mill until retiring in 2004. He made a lot of good friends at the mill. Gary was a repeat champion in the mill’s annual pool tournament and a member of their bowling team.

He built their dream home on the Columbia River in 2007 and was able to stay there enjoying a view of the great Columbia River until his passing. He always enjoyed anything family related, especially attending

sporting events for his kids and grandkids, hunting and fishing. He spent 20 years making an annual elk hunting trip to Idaho with his sons, son-in-law, brothers and many close family friends. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Clatskanie.

He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Helen Nygaard Niemi; brother Dennis; half sister Judy Wiley and three children: Sean, Erika and Andrew and their spouses: Heather, Miles and Kristin and eight grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his dad; mom; and brother Warren. His ashes will be spread at the family Duck Shack where he loved spending time with friends and family. Gary will be missed; his welcoming personality and love will be cherished by the many lives that he touched.

Donations may be made in his honor to Faith Lutheran Church in Clatskanie or to Lower Columbia Hospice in Astoria.

Please join family and friends for an open gathering at 5:30 p.m. on Fri., Aug. 6, 2021 at the Clatskanie City Park.

Follow planning for the 2022 Heritage Days at the Clatskanie Heritage Days Facebook page and read updates at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

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Friday, July 30, 2021

Clatskanie Grows: August gardening CHIP BUBL Chief Guest Column

Hot topics for August • Tomato late blight can develop after several days of rain or misty weather. Watch weather forecasts and protect your plants by spraying a copper fungicide (considered “organic”) ahead of a rainy cycle. Blossom end rot can be slowed by consistent watering.

• Caterpillars in your cabbage: A common butterfly in the garden is the white winged species called the imported cabbage worm. As the name implies, this in-sect is not native to North America but comes, as cabbage does, from Europe. The butterfly winters over as a chrysalis and emerges as an adult in May. Females lay yellow eggs on the undersides of cabbage family leaves. She can lay as many as 200 eggs on multiple plants. Caterpillars hatch and eat. Sometimes they are hard to see within a broccoli head before cooking but disgustingly obvious after. Good controls are floating row covers, the organic insecticide spinosad (several trade names) and the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis. Make sure you buy the B.t. for caterpillar control. B.t. has virtually no mammalian toxicity and only kills larvae in the butterfly/ moth family. B.t. does not migrate off target. It needs to be applied when the larvae are small to be most effective and should be reap-plied after a rain or overhead irrigating.

• Spider mites are often blamed for more problems than they actually cause. But hot, dry weather favors the spider mite. We have had

•

that in abundance this year.

To see if your skimmias, arborvitaes, or other plants might have mites, shake a limb over some white paper.

If the specks move, the plants have mites. You can hose plants down with a strong blast of water or spray with insecticidal soaps or summer spray oils.

• Annual flowers tend to fade without a fertilizer boost. You can apply a blended fertilizer granule or water with liquid fertilizer solutions. The liquid fertilizer doesn’t last as long so more applications will be necessary. Organic gardeners can use bloodmeal or chicken feather meal.

• Dripping trees. There have been more calls about “sap” dripping from trees this season. The sticky stuff is actually “honeydew” which is excreted by aphids, scales, and other similar sucking insects. It is a bit of a puzzle why it is worse this year.

Speculation is that the warm April moved the aphids into high reproductive gear early.

Alternatively, it is possible that the Harmonia lady beetle (a magnificent aphid predator) didn’t fare well through the winter.

• Irrigation is so important in August. Subsurface moisture is depleted by now, temperatures are hot and plants are at crucial stages of growth. We get very little rain in August. Most gardens and lawns will need an inch of water or more per week to keep going. In the hot cycles we have been having, it is often closer to two inches per week that is needed. Trees or shrubs planted this spring need more water because their root systems are not well developed, and we started the growing season

with very low soil moisture.

• Sunburn has been a problem on apples and both needled and broadleaf evergreens. The 114º weather was too much to handle.

Most of the damage is on the south or west side of a plant. Damaged apples will not mature normally and will often fall off before ripening.

Damaged leaves are browned at the tips, midribs, or margins. They look bad but generally don’t constitute

able is the key. A dampwood termite requires continuously wet wood. If there is no dirt piled up against your house or leaking pipes in the walls, you don’t have to worry about the dampwood termite. They can’t live there.

The subterranean termite is more devious. It must have moisture. But it can conduct moisture up mud tubes from the earth into your house structure.

Crawl under your house once a year to look for

Clatskanie Grows more than a cosmetic concern. If all the leaves on a particular plant were affected, the plant was grievously short of water or something is wrong with the roots.

these tubes.

Do watch out for carpenter ant infestations. They cause most of our structural damage and they are less picky about the wood they carve out to live in.

• Flying termites generally don’t require sprays or exterminators. The reproductive forms of the termite fly this time of year to mate. Fertilized queens drop to earth, shed their wings and look for a suitable home. Suit-

If the density of fresh fruit and vegetables trimmings is attractive to them, they will spend much time in the pile.

Unfortunately, they will also explore your garden itself or your house if they think there is food or shelter to be had.

You can reduce your problems by having a tight cover your compost pile and some barrier like expanded metal or a rock base underneath. Turning the pile often to mix food waste with landscape trimmings or grass clippings reduces the piles attractiveness and actually speeds the composting process. Some gardeners choose to use worm bins for their food waste and compost their yard waste separately. That is generally a safe (from a rat invasion perspective) procedure. I know at least one gardener that puts their vegetable and fruit waste into a blender every day and makes a “compost smoothie” out of it. The blended liquid is poured into the compost pile, adding both moisture and readily available nutrients for the compost microorganisms but leaving little for the rats to scavenge.

Important notes Plant an extra for the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs.

Cash do-nations to buy food are also greatly appreciated.

The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people.

Rats and compost Rats can be a problem in compost piles. Vegetable and fruit wastes are the lure.

Have questions?

If you have questions on any of these topics or other home garden and/or farm questions, please contact

Chip Bubl, Oregon State University Extension office in St. Helens at 503-3973462 or at chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu. The office is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and will be fully open in August.

Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed or emailed to you.

Call 503-397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters.

Many Extension publications available online Are you putting up salsa, saving seeds, or thinking about planting grapes? OSU has a large number of its publications available for free download.

Just go to catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu. Click on publications and start exploring.

The OSU Extension Office will fully re-open on Aug. 2.

Contact Information Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway St. Helens, OR 97051 503-397-3462

•V iewpoints • •

‘Pandemic among the unvaccinated’ BRAD WITT Chief Guest Column

Federal and state health officials are reacting to a disturbing uptick of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta Variant.

Health officials are describing this surge in infections and hospitalizations as a “pandemic among the unvaccinated.”

The Delta Variant is a highly contagious strain of COVID-19, and is now the dominant strain, as tests show that Delta is the cause of 80% of all new COVID-19 infections in Oregon. We have not put the pandemic behind us.

In recent forecasts released by OHSU and the University of Washington, it is predicted that we are heading back to infection and hospitalization levels similar, if not exceeding, last year’s winter peak.

In response to the increasing infections the Oregon Health Authority is recommending universal mask use in public indoor settings throughout Oregon. This recommendation aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that everyone, including fully vaccinated persons, wear a mask in public indoor settings.

The Oregon Health Authority is continuing to call on local community and public health leaders, and businesses to encourage vaccinations and masking to prevent new outbreaks.

The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to get fully vaccinated, which means if you get the two-dose vaccine you must get both shots and then wait the recommended two-week period for these shots to take effect.

We have not put the pandemic behind us. ~ Brad Witt, State Represententative

The vaccination rate goal to achieve “herd immunity” is to get 70% of those eligible to be vaccinated. In Columbia County, we are on the low side, with 51% currently vaccinated. People who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are the most at risk for infection. If you would like to schedule an appointment for a vaccination, you can follow this link: COVID-19

Vaccine in Oregon Virtual Town Hall Next Tuesday, August 3 at 6 p.m. I will be holding a virtual town hall meeting to share information about the 2021 Legislative session.

If you are interested in participating, please email me at: Rep.BradWitt@oregonlegislature.gov. We will send you a link to the town hall, and I hope to connect with you there.

Even when I am not in Salem, I’m still working with constituents, community leaders and other elected officials on matters that impact our lives. We check our messages daily, so if you have a concern, comment or need help regarding a state issue or agency, please contact my office. I am honored to represent you in the Oregon House of Representatives, and look forward to hearing from you.

Rep. Brad Witt serves House District 31. He may be reached at: • Email: Rep.BradWitt@oregonlegislature. gov • Telephone: 503-9861431 • 900 Court St NE, H-382, Salem, OR, 97301 • Website: www.oregonlegislature.gov/witt

CRFR partnering with the community JOEL MEDINA Chief Guest Column

Columbia River Fire & Rescue also provides in-home vaccination services with our Community Paramedic to those members of the community who are immobile and unable to get to a vaccination location.

At this time we do not have an exact tally on how many vaccinations our Community Paramedic has done, however we estimate between 50 and 100 by the use of the vaccine in inventory.

As you know, the time is critical to continue to support the vaccination efforts in Columbia County and our medical providers are making a difference in that effort.

After an incredibly hard and stressful year, it is extremely important to us to get members of our community

Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) in partnership with Columbia Health Services administered 54 COVID-19 vaccines between both Rainier Days in the Park July 10 and 11 as well as at Columbia County Fair & Rodeo July 15 through 18.

We will also be hosting an additional clinic at the National Night out at Rainier City Park on August 3, along with Columbia County Fairgrounds on August 17.

We have also reached out to St. Helens High School and Rainier High School along with other local primary care agencies to offer their staff access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

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vaccinated.

Members of Columbia River Fire & Rescue take pride in their work and have the skill and know how to get vaccines in arms. It has been a huge community effort and has gained invaluable relationships with external organizations, especially Columbia Health Services, Columbia County Public Health and many of the other fire districts in Columbia County.

The team effort won’t go unnoticed, we have incredible support from our community, and that is what makes our organization stronger.

Joel Medina is the Columbia River Fire & Rescue Chief. He may be reached at 503-397-2990.

Weekly Online Poll

Last Week’s Results

Should all school students attending K-12 classes be required to wear face coverings in the new school year ahead for best health and safety protections?

Yes

No

Are you worried that the COVID-19 variant virus and those not seeking immunizations will lead to new face mask and social distancing requirements?

86% Yes

14% No

Vote online at thechiefnews.com

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Friday, July 30, 2021

COVID-19 From Page A1

Weekly report The OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released Wednesday, July 28, shows an increase in daily cases and hospitalizations and a decline in COVID-19 related deaths.

OHA reported 3,098 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, July 19, through Sunday, July 25. That represents a 53% rise over the previous week.

New COVID-19 related hospitalizations rose to 146, up from 123 the previous week.

There were 12 reported COVID-19 related deaths, down from 29 reported the previous week.

There were 54,566 tests for COVID-19 for the week of July 18 through July 24.

Reported cases increased despite a 12% decrease in testing, while test positivity rose from 4.2% to 5.0%.

As of July 27, 2,477,608 Oregonians — 58.1% of the state’s total population — had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Case rates have generally been higher in counties with lower COVID-19 vaccination rates. During the week of July 18–25, the 10 counties with case rates in excess of 100 per 100,000 had population vaccination rates below 50%.

The COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 28 active COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed cases and one or more COVID-19 related deaths.

Columbia County Columbia County continues to see rising COVID-19 cases and one new death over the past few weeks. Across the country, health officials are expressing concern that the rising cases, and the COVID-19

variant, which could lead to new public restrictions.

An online poll by The Chief shows nearly 86% of those responding are worried that the COVID-19 variant virus and those not seeking immunizations will lead to new face mask and social distancing requirements. On Monday, July 26, health officials in Multnomah, Clark and Washington counties issued a recommendation that everyone, with or without the COVID-19 vaccinations, start wearing face coverings in all indoor public spaces again to slow the sharp surge in COVID-19 cases.

Gov. Kate Brown has directed the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education to create a rule to require masks indoors for K-12 schools statewide for the 2021-22 school year.

In the following conversation, The Chief talks with Columbia County Public Health Director Michael Paul about the COVID-19 variant and what might be ahead as the county continues to navigate through the pandemic.

Fast Fact According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who are vaccinated with currently available vaccines are protected from the virus and the circulating variants, including the Delta variant that is now seen in the majority of Oregon’s new cases.

The Chief: What is your concern given the continued number of COVID-19 cases in the county and the rise across the nation?

Michael Paul: You are correct that we are seeing another increase in new cases, locally, regionally and statewide. The latest Oregon Health Authority

COVID-19 Weekly Report, which was released Wednesday, shows an increase in daily cases, hospitalizations and COVID-19 related deaths. Specifically, the OHA reported 2,026 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, July 12, through Sunday, July 18, which is a 54% rise over the previous week and the highest tally in seven weeks.

Our immediate concern is for the eligible residents who have not yet taken advantage of the available vaccines; we know this virus is so contagious that small upticks in new cases can lead to uncontainable outbreaks. We still have a little less than half of eligible residents who are not vaccinated, and Oregon had less spread than other states and regions of the country, so there are many susceptible residents out there.

And now that the economy is open and mask usage is limited, we hope this news incentivizes those residents who have been waiting, or who have been on the fence about getting vaccinated.

At a minimum, I hope that eligible, unvaccinated residents will discuss it with their health care provider or pharmacist. In short, now is the time for unvaccinated individuals to review their questions and concerns with a trusted health care provider.

Our other major concern is the capacity of our hospitals and health care systems. Another wave of hospitalizations is not only a huge staffing and financial challenge for hospitals, it also leads to delays in elective procedures and reduces the availability of routine and non-COVID emergency care. These surges are a major disruption to the delivery of other important health care and social and public health services.

Last, we don’t have a hospital in Columbia County so we need to constantly take a regional view when it comes to hospital capacity; we need to heed the warnings of our

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regional health care leaders who are telling us that they are seeing another increase in cases, and the cases are overwhelmingly unvaccinated individuals.

The Chief: Will this mean we need to return to mask wearing and social distancing, even if we are vaccinated?

Paul: Increasing our vaccination rate will prevent a return to mask wearing and social distancing. We continue to make vaccination as accessible as possible, by offering vaccine at events and through employers and pharmacies, and now in many primary care offices. The vaccines will also be available at every school-based health center when school reopens.

Second, the statewide recommendation for unvaccinated individuals to wear a mask and distance is still in place.

Additional measures are a last resort, and I appreciate the deference to local public health authorities in making these decisions, but we don’t live in a vacuum.

For one, the percentage of Columbia County residents who are unvaccinated is a small slice of the regional pie of unvaccinated persons. Second, the virus doesn’t pay attention to political boundaries and a very large chunk of our residents travel out of the county for work and services every day, and people are traveling for vacations and family reunions at record numbers.

The virus travels with unvaccinated residents so close attention to risk levels beyond the Columbia County border is essential, and quite frankly, our local surveillance efforts don’t include modeling and projecting cases, which are tools to help select policies.

Last, we don’t have a hospital in the county so we need to pay close attention to regional recommendations.

If additional measures are necessary, masks and distancing recommenda-

tions are certainly the preferred method of controlling outbreaks versus any type of “shutdown” that calls for reduced capacity in businesses or school closures. It would be unfortunate to recommend masks and distancing for vaccinated individuals without evidence that masks on vaccinated persons will reduce the number of new cases, but I think other local authorities may consider the step of recommending masks for all in some settings as opposed to requiring proof of vaccination.

The Chief: Why aren’t people getting the COVID-19 vaccinations?

Paul: There are a variety of reasons why eligible people are not getting vaccinated. There are some remaining access issues to address to engage those who have been complacent or weary of a mass vaccination site. We have to continue offering convenient and free appointments in a variety of settings.

Second, many people still have questions about the vaccine they need to review with a health care provider. Third, some residents have received false information about the virus and the vaccines. Fourth, there are other consumers who resist vaccination solely because they feel it is an infringement on individual liberties.

Fifth, distrust of government is another reason. We remind all the community that the virus has caused severe and long-term illness in individuals in all age groups, and we encourage these individuals to have a discussion with their health care provider.

The Chief: Is it the variant COVID-19 that is surging and how are those who have been vaccinated protected against the variant?

Paul: According to the CDC, yes, the Delta variant is responsible for this new wave of cases. It’s not yet

reflected in state’s variant dashboard if it is the Delta variant. I don’t have any further information because sequencing is not a locally run program.

The state and national data are showing the vaccines have been effective against variants, including the Delta variant. According to the Oregon Health Authority’s Monthly Update on Breakthrough Cases, the majority of vaccine breakthrough infections are asymptomatic, mild or moderate, and infections are much less likely to result in hospitalization or death.

Their data shows that fewer than 11% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized within two weeks of their positive test results, and fewer than 2% have died.

The Chief: Looking ahead, how is Columbia County better prepared following the COVID-19 pandemic to deal with such medical crisis?

Paul: First, we know what to expect and we have vaccines and the capability to administer them on a large scale. Second, we have a stronger workforce and a list of volunteers.

Third, we have funding available for supplies and to complete investigations and to respond to outbreaks.

Fourth, and most importantly, we have developed close partnerships with local agencies to assist with everything from testing to wraparound services to translation.

The Chief will continue to check in with Columbia County Public Health and the Oregon Health Authority for updates about the COVID-19 cases, the Delta variant and the immunization process.

Read more about the Delta variant at covidblog. oregon.gov/updates-on-thedelta-variant and follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.

Columbia County Fairgrounds presents

Cale

Moon

Price: 17 & Under $20, 18 and Up $25

Cale Moon with a opener of Catherine Loyer.

August 7th starting at 8PM!!

BEER GARDENS AND FOOD VENDOR ON SITE! Purchase tickets here:

www.columbiacountyfairgrounds.com/p/purchase-tickets 58892 Saulser Rd, St Helens, OR 97051

LOVE LODE REUNION will be playing August 20th starting at 8 PM-11PM! BEER GARDENS AND FOOD VENDOR ON SITE! Purchase tickets here: www.columbiacountyfairgrounds.com/ events/2020/love-lode-reunion-band 17 & Under $20, 18 and Up $25 58892 Saulser Rd, St. Helens, OR 97051

Jurassic Empire Schedule Weekdays, July 29-30 | 3 pm-4 pm | 4 pm-6 pm | 6 pm-8 pm | The exhibit starts at 3 pm on Thursday and Friday *2 hour time slot increments*

Weekend, July 3,1 Aug 1 10 am-12 pm | 12 pm-2 pm | 2 pm-4 pm | 4 pm-6 pm | 6 pm-8 pm | *2 hour time slot increments* Attend anytime within the time slot selection. If you choose the 6 pm- 8 pm time slot, please make sure you come in before 7:30pm. The whole drive-thru takes anywhere from 20 minutes to more than 1 hour depending on how many cars show up at any given hour. If you order the optional Dino Pack online you will receive it after we check you in at the gate.

SLICKER WILL BE PLAYING AUGUST 21ST STARTING AT 8 PM-11PM! BEER GARDENS AND FOOD VENDOR ON SITE!!

Purchase tickets here: www.columbiacountyfairgrounds.com/p/purchase-tickets Price: 17 & Under $20, 18 and Up $25

58892 Saulser Rd, St. Helens, OR 97051

Order tickets here: jurassicempire.ticketspice.com/columbia-county-fairgrounds WEEKDAY Per Vehicle With 1-7 Passengers General Admission. Drive-Thru Tour of the Dino Exhibit.

Price is per vehicle, not per person: $49.00 WEEKDAY Per Vehicle With 8-14 Passengers General Admission. Drive-Thru Tour of the Dino Exhibit.

Price is per vehicle, not per person: $80.00

58892 Saulser Rd, St. Helens, OR 97051

Let us know what YOU think

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Marketplace

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It’s easy to place a classified ad in The Chief.

Friday, July 30, 2021

Just call 503.397.0116

Listings are updated daily at www.thechiefnews.com

Paul’s Tree Service Inc. No bush too small, no tree to tall- Call Paul! Specialized in danger trees, take downs, storm clean-up.

Time to prune- pruning Lace Leafed Maples & ornamental shrubberies, chipping, senior or veterans discount, free estimates.

CCB# 217173 Lic., Bonded & Insured.

503-440-0723 or 503-543-8274

Join us in celebrating Reino Lehto’s 100th Birthday!

Light refreshments will be served 2-6 pm August 8th at

Reino and Thelma’s residence.

Please plan on wearing a mask while indoors if not fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Clatskanie High School classes of 1955 and 1956 reunions are meeting at Colvin’s in Clatskanie on September 18th, 2021 starting at 1 pm.

For information call Dale Hooper 503-728-3887 or Stan Erickson 503735-1454.

Please recycle paper after use

9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is conducting a hiring process for fulltime Dispatchers (Communications Specialists). Additional information and job description can be found on our website at www.columbia911. com/careers or by calling 503366-6978. Online applications will be accepted until 11:45pm on August 30th, 2021.

IMMEDIATE OPENING: St. Helens Chronicle and Clatskanie Chief, has an opening for a general assignment reporter in Colum-

bia County. Primarily responsible for writing day-to-day news stories for the two weekly newspapers and accompanying websites. Reports to the publisher.

The successful applicant will produce content featuring local businesses, government, schools, and community events.

Country Media, Inc. offers highly competitive newsroom wages and a variety of employee benefits, including group health insurance; paid holidays, vacation and sick leave; mileage reimbursement; and others. Send resume and cover letter to jruark@ countrymedia.net.

Northwest Regional ESD is currently hiring full time Instructional Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists in Columbia County. Work in Early Childhood Special Education classrooms with children age 3-5.

Several open positions (inc. bilingual). Apply at NWRESD.org; job 2136, 2137, 2138.

Livestock and equipment Cash paid for unwanted horses, livestock and equipment. Call 503-601-9768.

Hosting a

garage sale?

Let everyone know with an ad in The Chief.

Call 503-397-0116.

Need a job? check the classifieds online at www.thechiefnews.com to find your perfect job offer

Public Notices PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

CC21-1492

IN THE CIRUCIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA Probate Department In the Matter of the Estate of JOYCE ANN RYAN, Deceased. No. 21PB03656 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons having claims against the

estate are required to present their claims, with vouchers attached, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the personal representative at P.O. Box 4589, Rainier, OR 97048, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain

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additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative of the attorney for the personal representative. Dated and first published July 16, 2021. JoAnna R. Thompson, Personal Representative. STEPHEN D. PETERSEN, L.L.C., Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 459, Rainier, OR 97048.

NOTICE OF MEETING CC21 1500

Notice is hearty given that the landowners of Woodson Water Association, Columbia County, Oregon will be held on Saturday August 7th at 4pm, at the

Sloderbeck home, 77521 Woodson Rd. Notice is further given that all proxies must be in writing and signed by the owner. The meeting is to adopt a budget,

and any other business that comes before the landowners Dated this 28th day of July 2021 Jeremy Maul, President, Woodson Water Association

www.thechiefnews.com

Friday, July 30, 2021

• The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies.

and Canon digital camera and a black vinyl purse. At this time there are no suspect leads in this case.

All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change.

July 26 • At approximately 2:39 p.m.

OSP Troopers stopped a vehicle near milepost 47 on Highway 30 for speeding. The driver showed numerous indicators of impairment and consented to performing the standardized field sobriety tests. The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for DUII. The driver was transported to the Columbia County Jail and provided a breath sample resulting in a BAC of 0.22% The driver was booked and released for DUII and the vehicle was towed from the scene

For specific details about cases listed, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Oregon State Police July 25 • At 4:04 p.m. OSP was contacted at the parking area for Collins Beach #5 on Sauvie Island regarding a theft from vehicle. When the owner of the car returned from the beach, he found one of the windows had been broken out and items stolen from inside. The items taken included a black laptop bag containing a Dell computer

St. Helens Police July 14 • Police responded to 2200 block of Gable Road on a report of a violation of restraining order.

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•B lotter • •

• Police recovered a stolen vehicle in the 35000 block of Helens Way. Following an investigation police arrested a male suspect for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.

July 15 • Police investigated a telephonic harassment in the 500 block of N 10th Street.

July 16 • Police arrested a 39-year-old individual near the intersection of Emerald Loop and Fairfield Court for theft II, driving while suspended and driving uninsured.

• Police responded to the 500 block of Columbia River Highway on a report of an assault.

July 17 • A 44-year-old male was cited and released for an active warrant at the intersection of Columbia River Highway and Wyeth Street.

• A 24-year-old male was arrested for an outstanding warrant at the intersection of Wyeth Street and N 7th Street.

July 19 • A 35-year-old male was arrested for burglary II, criminal trespass II and theft II near the intersection of S 14th Street and Tualatin Street.

• A 63-old-individual was arrested on an outstanding warrant while in the 59000 block of Isabella Lane.

July 20 • A 33-old male was arrested for failure to perform the duties of a driver following a traffic accident in the 2000 block of Columbia Boulevard. The male was also cited for driving while suspended and driving uninsured.

Scappoose Police July 15 • While assisting an outside agency near the intersection

of Columbia River Highway and Johnson’s Landing Road, a two-vehicle accident occurred nearby. No injuries were reported and no citations were issued.

July 17 • Police were dispatched to the report of a domestic in the 52000 block of SE 3rd Street.

Following the investigation, A 37-year-old male from Clackamas was taken into custody for Assault IVDV, Harassment DV and Criminal Mischief II. The male was transported to the jail where he was lodged on his charges.

July 20 • Police responded to the report of a disturbance in the 52000 block of SW 3rd Street.

It was reported that a verbal argument was taking place between a male and a female.

During the investigation, police determined that no crime had been committed and the subjects decided to separate

for the evening.

• Police assisted the Columbia County Community Corrections with an arrest and confiscation of evidence in the 51000 block of SW Creekview Place.

July 21 • Police responded to Dairy Queen to the report of a counterfeit $100 bill that was received through the drive-thru.

The counterfeit bill was turned over to police who placed it in evidence. This case is closed until further suspect information is obtained.

July 23 • Police responded to the report of a motor vehicle accident on SW Havlik Drive. No injuries were reported and no citations were issued.

The Rainier Police and Columbia County Sheriff’s logs were unavailable at press time.

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

As a Rainier Police officer stood by, far left, caution tape was streamed across the post office building to keep people out during the investigation.

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Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief

Authorities look into the paper bag containing the device brought out by the bomb squad member. The device turned out not to be explosive.

THREAT

like this,” Sale said. “We make sure that we protect our customers and our employees to the best of our ability. If From Page A1 we identify something that our customers,” Sale said. “It is concerning, we will also err on the side of evacuation was something that someone until we can identify if there had thrown away. It was still is a concern or not.” making audible noises. We The authorities response aren’t quite sure what is it, to the Rainier Post Office but we determined nothing incident was conducted for was dangerous.” caution, Sale said.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m.

“To make sure everybody the employees and the public stayed safe,” he said. were allowed back into the Sale added that if anyone building and business at the has concerns about criminal post office resumed. activity at their local post “I don’t remember office, or mail theft,LLC they ETERSEN LARKE LLC ETERSEN LARKE anything significant at the should contact the U.S. Rainier Post Office over t tt oo rrPostal AA tthe nn ee yyService ss Inspectors past that has caused concern Service at 877-876 2455.

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Friday, July 30, 2021

Tree disease threatens timber industry DAVID RUPKALVIS worldeditor@coutrymedia.net

State and federal agencies are carefully monitoring a fast spreading tree disease along the Southern Oregon Coast that could adversely impact Oregon’s timber industry.

Sudden oak death is nothing new to residents of Curry County, but despite decades of work to keep the pathogen that kills tanoak trees isolated, it appears to be moving.

Earlier this year, a researcher with Oregon State University noticed tanoaks dying at a site on Highway 101 just north of Port Orford. When the trees were tested, they came back positive for sudden oak death.

Since then, the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State University have been working to find other tanoak outbreaks in the Port Orford area. What they have found is troubling at least. Hundreds of trees and close to 400 acres have been verified as infected, leading to an emergency quarantine area around Port Orford.

Eradication plan Sarah Navarro, a forest pathologist with the U.S. Forest Service, has been leading the research in the area. She recently led a tour of the infected area, showing what she has found and laying out plans to eradicate the pathogen.

While sudden oak death is a threat in both regions of the county, there is a difference. In the Brookings area, the trees are under attack from a variant called NA1. In Port Orford, a new variant called NA2, is responsible for the trees that are dying.

“This is the first time the NA2 variant has been found in the forest,” Navarro said. “They have been

in nurseries since 2012, but the incidents in nurseries have been declining.”

The experts on the tour said it is possible the new variant came from the county transfer site, which sits just feet from the earliest outbreaks. While mostly home garbage is dumped at the site, it has accepted yard waste, including tree clippings for years.

While the research in Port Orford is new, Navarro said the outbreak is not. She said based on the damage seen on trees in the forest, it likely has been around for at least four years.

“It was most likely cooking in the area, and the reason we caught it was along the highway,” she said.

Site photos Navarro said the U.S. Forest Service hired a contractor, who flew the entire area this month to take high-definition photos of the forest. When those pictures are reviewed, it will give a greater idea how widespread the outbreak is.

“We still have a lot of looking to do in this area,” said Randy Wiese with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The new outbreak is 21 miles north of the quarantine area near Brookings and only 17 miles from the Coos County border. Sudden oak death has also been found in Del Norte County across the California border. It appears to be moving north, likely following the wind patterns.

When trees are infected, the first sign is leaves begin to die and turn reddishbrown. In time, the entire tanoak will die.

“They’ll turn that reddish color in about three months,” Wiese said.

“They’ll have it for up to four years. Eventually, they’ll go leafless and fall over.”

David Rupkalvis / The World

U.S. Forest Service forest Pathologist Sarah Navarro shows a tree impacted by sudden oak death while leading a tour near Port Orford.

While 127 different tree species can carry sudden oak death, the tanoaks and rhododendron are impacted the most.

Treatment The only way to treat an outbreak is to cut down and burn infected trees.

Generally, all tanoaks and rhododendron trees near an outbreak are also destroyed.

Property owners can safely cut down their own tanoaks and use the wood for burning.

Navarro said there is concern the spread could continue moving north.

SOD is a mold-like pathogen. Right now, there are no spores because it takes moisture to reproduce. But after rain, SOD can make new spores, which are carried by wind to areas not impacted.

“We know natural spread can be up to five to six miles, and we know tanoaks go into Coos County,” Navarro said.

To determine how widespread the impact is, forest pathologists like Navarro hike through the forests, mostly on private land.

They look for signs on SOD on trees and cut chunks out of the trees that are sent to Oregon State University to be tested.

The Asian market, where most local timber is sold, will not allow imports if SOD is in the region.

State Rep. David Brock Smith has been working on SOD issues since he become a Curry County commissioner is 2013. He said the future of Oregon’s South Coast is on the line if SOD can’t be stopped.

“If we can’t get a handle on this stuff, it’s going to have long-term impacts on the industry,” Brock Smith said. “Thanks to all the good work of everyone here, I have been able to move forward to really elevate this and the need at the state. We have gotten $1.7 million every biennium. Sen. Merkley has gotten even more money.”

And the money is desperately needed. With the Port Orford site estimated at 388 acres, and a cost to treat and destroy infected trees averaging $5,000 an acre, the full $1.7 million from the state will be needed just to slow the spread near Port Orford.

Air-curtain incinerator One thing the researchers would like to get is an air-curtain incinerator. With burning in the deep forest challenging and threatening due to wildfire danger, the

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Community Action Team

Long-term impact Long-term, if not stopped, the spread of SOD could impact the timber industry and export industry throughout the whole region. While SOD does not kill Douglas Fir, the most cut tree from the timber industry, it does infect the tree and it can be spread from the Douglas Fir.

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incinerator could be used to safely burn nearby. The equipment would also limit smoke and other particulates from entering the air.

“If you need anything, I’ll call the governor and say this is what we want to do,” Brock Smith told Navarro.

With SOD moving across Curry and Del Norte counties and threatening Coos County, Navarro said the key to finding and stopping the pathogen is property owners. In the Port Orford area, SOD has likely been present for at least four years, but it was only located when it infected trees along Highway 101.

Navarro said property owners can keep an eye on their trees. If they notice tanoaks or rhododendron with leaves turning brown, they should contact the Oregon Department of Forestry, which can determine if SOD is present.

Norma Kline with Oregon State University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension in Coos and Curry counties plans to provide information sessions about the disease to the public this summer in Port Orford. This will help local residents identify symptoms of sudden oak death so they can report any signs of it on their property.