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Tillamook County
INSIDE
Tillamook County Fair Tab and Schedule
Tillamook County Rodeo Royalty selected
Inside
Pages A8
Headlight Herald Aug. 7-10, 2019
Headlight Herald
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019
Live video feed catches theft in progress Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
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n Sunday, July 21, Tillamook 911 received a call about a burglary in progress. The victim, who lived near MP 10 of the Wilson River Highway reported that he was in Tillamook but that he could see on a remote camera that an unknown individual was attempting to kick in the door to his shop. He was also able to give a description of the individual and the involved vehicle. When Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the residence, they cleared the area and upon his arrival, spoke with the owner who was able to provide additional information. The vehicle identified in the security camera footage was observed by law enforcement a short time later turning east onto Keening Creek near MP 17. The vehicle, a silver Dodge Durango, was stopped in the day use area of Cedar Butte and the driver, later identified as Jeffery Metzer, 42 years old from Portland, who matched the individual in the security footage, was arrested. Also located in the vehicle was drug paraphernalia and methamphetamines. Passengers in the car included Amber White, 36, also from Portland, with her 6-year-old son. Metzer was arrested and lodged at the Tillamook County Jail. Charges for him included alleged: Violation of Probation, Criminal Mischief III, Criminal Trespass II, Reckless Endangering, Burglary II, and Unlawful Possession Methamphetamine. Amber White was cited for alleged reckless endangering and released on scene.
INDEX Classified Ads....................... B4-8 Crossword Puzzle.....................B3 Fenceposts...............................B3 Letters...................................... A5 Obituaries............................. A6-7 Opinions............................... A4-5
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
VOL. 132, NO. 31 • $1.00
Reaching new heights
EXCLUSIVE
Kite Fest soars into Rockaway
ORIGINAL
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he Rockaway Beach Kite and Art Festival is slated for Friday through Sunday, August 2-4, at Ocean’s Edge Wayside, 103 1st Avenue. The theme this year is “Where Art Soars to New Heights.” The festival is sponsored by the American Kite Fliers Association and has been held for 43 years. Amateur and professional kite fliers participate in the festival. The skies will be dotted with colored kites in various shapes that create a marvelous view. Flying competitions are held as well as diverse children activities where they can learn how to build and fly kites. Visitors can enjoy live music, kites exhibitions, diverse stalls, food, and more. Quad Squad North West (QSNW) will be participating. Katrina Bruland and Gerry Ralls will be joining their team. Steven Kline (original #3 pilot) is also back in the lineup. They will be making their debut. With three new flyers, along with the core members of Sandy Letson, George Meredith, Wayne Dowler, and Terry Rowley, they will put up seven kites in the air. “We plan on putting an awesome show for the folks at Rocka-
Sen. Betsy Johnson.
Sen. Johnson visits Tillamook Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
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way Beach,” said Terry Rowley on the Facebook page. QSNW is sponsored by, and proudly flies Phoenix Pro Kites by Kites and Designs by Bazzer from Australia. The Phoenix Pro sails they fly are framed with Sky
Shark Air frames. Kite flying is dependent on the wind. A vendor item auction will be held Friday and Saturday afternoon. See complete schedule on page 2 of this issue.
HB 3309 allows public structures to be built in tsunami zones O
Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
n June 25, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill 3309 into law. This law repeals the restriction that new essential facilities and new special occupancy structures may not be constructed in tsunami inundation zones. It also repeals the requirement that State Department of Geology and Mineral Industires (DOGAMI) Board adopt tsunami inundation zone parameters. The law overturns a
1995 prohibition on constructing new public facilities within the tsunami-inundation zone. When the law goes into effect on January 1, 2020, municipalities will be able to build schools, hospitals, prisons, other high-occupancy buildings, firehouses, and police stations in areas that will be destroyed if a tsunami strikes. According to DOGAMI’s Interim Legislative Coordinator, Robert Houston, HB 3309 removes the
n See TSUNAMI, Page A3
enator Betsy Johnson has been busy. The Legislative Session ended at the end of June. Senator Johnson is getting reintegrated into the District and is busy with meetings, events, and public appearances. Senator Johnson is also one of three writing the budget for the state. She will also have meetings in Astoria that will span for a couple of days. Johnson was able to attend the June Dairy Parade and was thankful for this. The capitol had been closed, which allowed her to attend the event instead of working in Salem. Johnson also attended the Garibaldi Days parade on Saturday, July 27. Johnson says that this past Legislative Session was very difficult and unlike any others. Seasoned lobbyists and staff said they never attended a session like this. The political landscape has changed, she says. She saw evidence in this with protests for House Bill 3063 and House Bill 2020. House Bill 3063 removes the ability of a parent to decline required immunizations against restrictable diseases on behalf of a child for reason other than the child’s indicated medical diagnosis. House Bill 2020 would introduce a statewide cap and trade system to reduce carbon emissions. Hundreds of log trucks came down to the capitol with Timber Unity to protest House Bill 2020. For House
n See JOHNSON, Page A3
Multiple agencies react to manure spill at Port’s digester operation Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@ countrymedia.net
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n Monday, July 22 the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) received notification from the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) that a release occurred from the Regenisis anaerobic digester, at the Port of Tillamook Bay. First Strike Environmental responded and has been on site since noon on July 22. According to a release from DEQ, upon further investigation, it was discovered that approximately 300,000 gallons of partially digested manure, digestate, was released and travelled from the digester to Anderson Creek. There is a 4-foot berm surrounding the digester with two entrances. According to Andrea Cantu-Schomus, Director of Communications for the ODA, the Port of Til-
lamook Bay bulldozed the entrances closed to contain the digestate. According to Michele Bradley, General Manager of the Port of Tillamook Bay (POTB), “the bulk of the manure was contained on the digesters,” she told the Headlight Herald. “Manure that was at the digester made it into the system – the POTB does not know how much, but there was 6 inches of standing manure in portions of the digester slab area that was then pushed and recycled into the digester, lessening the impact of what might have made it into the stormwater system.” Bradley could not confirm how much that may have been. “The POTB does not have a total gallon number on what might have made it into the stormwater system,” she said. “It was tank two, which is a finishing tank of the bay. The manure came from an overflow tank after a technical malfunction. The Port is almost 6 miles via
waterway to Tillamook bay. It is not a source of drinking water.” The POTB is the owner of the tank and is responsible for the Stormwater system via a DEQ General Permit, so it is in charge of all stormwater discharge within the industrial park. “There has been testing from the DEQ, ODA, and Oregon Fish and Wildlife, among others,” Bradley said. “A vacuum A manure release occurred from the Regenisis anaerotruck was brought to the bic digester, at the Port of Tillamook Bay Monday July 22. Photo provided by POTB. location and has been Creek, joins with South at this time.” As sampling sucking water out of the Prairie Creek, and enters the results are completed, ODA bay. The POTB doesn’t Tillamook River, then into will decide whether to issue know the impact of the Tillamook Bay. any restrictions. ODA has downstream yet but DEQ “DEQ and ODA have tak- reached out to all produces tested on Tuesday, July 23.” en and will continue to take in the area to share informaThe POTB’s stormwater samples from various location about the release of the system was built by the tions in and around the site. digestate. Navy when they built the According to the release, Naval Air Station for WWII. The analysis of the samples is expected soon,” Canturesults of water samples takIt includes groundwater as Schomus said. “Because en from Tillamook Bay indiwell. The Port has a settling cate there was no impact on pond near the outfall and be- the material is digestate and water quality in the bay from fore Highway 101 that holds now raw sewage, there are the release of treated manure no restrictions for shellfish millions of gallons of water. operators or recreational From there, it travels under n See MANURE, Page A6 harvesters in Tillamook Bay the highway via Anderson