community
june16
2016
County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol Readies for Busy Summer
With summer around the corner the
Columbia County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol
Unit is in full operation preparing for what
they believe will be a busy summer on waters
within Columbia County.
Over 100 miles of waterways
scattered with sandy beaches, flourishing
fisheries, and ideal recreational water bodies
make up the patrol area for the Marine
Patrol Unit, which consists of two full-time
Marine Deputies, and a part-time Marine
Safety Officer. Four additional volunteer
Reserve Deputies, specially trained in Marine
operations, assist with patrol and emergency
operations. The Marine Patrol is equipped with
three boats and two PWC watercrafts, supplied and
maintained by the Oregon State Marine Board which
also carries much of the cost of the Marine Patrol
Program for the Sheriff’s Office.
The Marine Patrol Unit’s main responsibility
is to promote boating safety through education and
enforcement. Deputies routinely respond to emergency
situations and conduct boat examinations to insure
that boaters possess required safety equipment and
are licensed to operate vessels on Federal and State
waterways. Where shore-based patrols insure the safety
of those on land, the Marine Patrol Unit acts similarly
to insure that those using the waterways are also safe.
The waterways in Columbia County are some
of the most popular in the Pacific Northwest, bringing
in boaters from around the region to fish, wakeboard,
waterski, kayak, and just cruise the area. The large
number of individuals choosing to recreate these
waters often is accompanied by challenges that must
be anticipated by deputies on patrol. High-powered
boats mixed with non-motorized water craft can be
dangerous, if rules are not closely monitored and
adhered to. While physical driving tests are used to
evaluate and issue licenses to the driving public, only
written tests are currently used in issuing
boating licenses. As high powered boats on
our waterways are increasing, enforcement of
safety rules is a crucial component to creating
a safe boating environment for all.
Boaters are encouraged to pay
particular attention to the basic safety rules
below (a complete listing of all boating
regulations can be found at www.boatoregon.
com):
1. Wear or have available serviceable life
jackets for each person riding in a boat
2. Have a whistle, horn, or US Coast Guard
approved sounding device available
3. Have a serviceable fire extinguisher in your boat at
all times
4. Always operate your boat responsibly, especially
around other boaters and swimmers
5. Be aware of NO WAKE zones where reduced speed
is required
6. Do NOT operate any boat or PWC while under the
influence of any intoxicants
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is
working diligently to ensure the boating public can
enjoy the beauty of our County’s waterways in safety
this summer
Community Action Team: Helping Seniors
services through Medicaid, yet unable to
completely take care of all of their own
needs, so OPI fills in the gap. Through
OPI, Adams received weekly home care
visits for the next year and a half. Work-
ers helped by picking up groceries for
her since she could no longer drive. They
also helped with housekeeping chores,
cleaning, laundry and more. Adams’
eyesight is deteriorating, so her workers
even helped make sure the floors were
clear of anything that might cause her to
trip and fall. Speaking of the assistance
she gets, Adams says she “couldn’t live
alone without it.” Even though she usu-
ally sees her neighbors every day, she
feels safer knowing her care workers are
checking in on a regular basis.
After a couple more health-re-
lated incidents, Adams’ needs increased
to the point that she became eligible for
Medicaid home care. CAT staff helped
her file the necessary paperwork that
gave her the resources to receive addi-
tional care. She now has help five days a
week.
The increased support came
just in time. The apartment at the Vic-
torian Manor she has lived in for 14
years is getting exciting upgrades. To
ensure continued availability of afford-
able housing for seniors and adults with
disabilities, CAT purchased the 17-unit
complex in March, along with four more
units at nearby Olive Court, with the
plans to update all the apartments. Just
last week Adams returned home after
an 18-day stay in a local motel during
the remodeling of her home. Now she
has new flooring throughout, windows,
doors, sinks, faucets, and even sidewalks
that make her comings and goings much
safer. Of course packing and unpacking
all of her belongings would have been
virtually impossible for the 79 year old
without assistance from her home care
workers.
Just a few miles away in War-
ren, Sidney McBride has a different
kind of relationship with the senior pro-
grams at CAT. McBride’s 47 year old
son Michael Lamont has lived with her
and her husband Mike for about eight
years. Lamont is disabled due to a brain
injury that prevents him from living on
his own. At the end of 2013 McBride
learned of CAT’s senior respite care pro-
gram and asked for help. Respite care is
temporary care provided to caregivers
of a child or adult with special needs. In
CAT’s case, the program supports either
a caregiver who is over 60 or someone
who is caring for a loved one who is over
60. The program’s priority is to serve
families of low-income, but is open to
all. It is primarily supported by private
FULL
SPORTS
PACKAGE!
9
continued from page 3
donations, so funding is limited.
Most of the time McBride is
home on her own with her son; he is not
afraid to say in his own sly way that he
gets tired of her sometimes. And, while
she very much enjoys spending time
with him, being on high alert 24/7 takes
its toll. That’s where respite comes in.
McBride admits she has diffi-
culty saying, “no” when asked to help.
She has a long history of providing care
and having a respite worker care for her
son gives her the ability to recharge her
own batteries. She can get out of the
house to do something fun or something
that helps her take better care of herself.
She and her husband might go to dinner
and a movie, or she might go into Port-
land and stroll through a mall.
Those get-aways provide much
more than a little entertainment and
change of scenery. When McBride re-
turns to her son after a break, she says
she, “can better handle everything.” She
wants other caregivers to know it’s nor-
mal to start feeling desperate. Removing
yourself from the situation for a while
can help make the same circumstances
look totally different and feel more man-
ageable.
CAT provides yet another ser-
vice to seniors through preventative
health classes. CAT partners with The
Public Health Foundation of Columbia
County to teach classes on diabetes pre-
vention, diabetes self-management, and
chronic pain self-management. Reneé
Swartz has participated in two courses
in the last few months. Even with a long
ride from Clatskanie to St. Helens or
Scappoose, Swartz received many ben-
efits from both.
Before the diabetes prevention
class, Swartz did not understand how to
count carbohydrates or to make substi-
tutions; now she does. In a small group
setting she learned more about triggers
that contribute to high blood sugar so
she can make better choices. Later, in the
chronic pain self-management class she
learned how to manage her pain better
through strength exercises, stretches and
even meditation. She says the class was,
“a success to me. Now I have the skills
to manage the chronic pain so I can en-
joy my life.” Swartz now paces herself
better and looks forward to continuing
practicing her new tools.
These are just some of the many
resources available to Columbia County
residents who are 60 years old or older
though Community Action Team. To
find out more or to make a donation,
please contact the senior programs team
at (503) 397-3511, option #1.
Cedar Side Inn
Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7
Karaoke
Every 2nd & Last Friday
LIVE MUSIC
• Specialty hamburgers
• 8 Draft beers & mixed drinks
• 5 Craft beers on tap
• Pool tables & satelite TV
• Free Wi-fi
• Beer & Kegs to go
Sun - Thurs 11 AM - Midnight •
733 Bridge St, Vernonia
Taco Tuesday
from opening until 9pm
3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25
Sat, July 9th
Ladies’ Night
Dr. Stahl
“BIKER FRIENDLY”
Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM
• 503-429-9999
every Thursday 6pm-close
• Free Pool • Free WiFi • Specialty Pizzas
iheck our Facebook page for daily specials and upcoming events
756 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-5841
