Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016 Drowning: Incident occurred on an ebb tide Oveson: Her ive Continued from Page 1A Apparently, the other child lost sight of the victim, and about 10 minutes trans- pired between the point when both were safe, and the time when the friend realized the girl was in trouble. Accord- ing to Johnson, the child asked a stranger on the beach to call 911. According to dispatch traf- ic, the reporting party said a young girl, who was wearing street clothes, disappeared, and her companion believed she had drowned. Responders from Paciic County Sheriff’s Ofice, South Paciic County Techni- cal Rescue (Surf Rescue), and Paciic County Fire District No. 1 raced to the beach. The Surf Rescue team deployed rescuers on jet skis, while oth- ers served as spotters onshore. The U.S. Coast Guard launched a boat shortly after the call came in and then launched a second boat and sent a helicopter to search for the girl. Around 7:35 p.m., a dispatcher reported that the helicopter crew had spotted the girl roughly 500 yards north of the command post. “They have a swimmer in the water, performing res- cue,” the dispatcher said. Johnson said the Coast Guard worked with Surf Res- cue volunteers to bring the girl to shore. Paramedics performed CPR, and the girl was taken to Ocean Beach Hospital. Johnson said the girl was still alive in the ambulance, but died shortly after reaching the hospital. The incident occurred on an ebb tide, when water was still fairly high. It is likely that the victim was in the water for at least 30 minutes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the water temperature at the time was about 55 degrees. Cormorants: ‘It’s a real mystery for us’ Continued from Page 1A egg oiling activity. Echols said the last time the agents were oiling eggs on the island was May 11. Agents were on the water shooting cormorants on May 16, she said, but they have now stopped all culling activ- ities because the number of cormorants in the colony has dropped below the level where they’re required to stop. “The disturbance resulted in nest abandonment and the loss of all the cormorants’ eggs by avian predators like seagulls, eagles and crows,” she said. “We don’t know yet what the cause of the disturbance was.” Oficials didn’t see any evi- dence of a coyote or any other four-legged predator, but they did see 16 bald eagles on the island. “Bald eagles are known to signiicantly startle and disperse nesting colonies,” Echols said. “We don’t know if that magni- tude of bald eagles could have done this.” Eagles may not be responsible Vocal critic The Daily Astorian/File Photo A double-crested cormorant rests atop of nest of eggs in the colony on East Sand Island. Bald eagles have been blamed for decimating Caspian tern and cormorant colonies on the island in the past. But Dan Roby, a researcher with Ore- gon State University who has studied the tern and cormorant colonies for decades, said he doesn’t think eagles could have lushed so many cormorants off their nests. “I’m pretty conident that’s not what caused the cormo- rants to abandon the colony,” he said. “We’ve seen that num- ber of eagles out there before. We’ve seen them killing cor- morants on their nests, and it doesn’t cause that kind of abandonment.” Roby said researchers on his team did an aerial survey of the island on Tuesday and saw a large group of cormorants on another part of the island. But the nesting area was completely abandoned. “There were absolutely no cormorants anywhere in the colony,” he said. “It’s a real mystery for us. It actually amazes me that any kind of dis- turbance — even people going on the island if that’s what hap- pened — could cause all the birds to leave their nests with eggs and then gather on the shoreline as if they were afraid to go back to their nests. It’s cer- tainly unprecedented in all the years we were out there work- ing on that cormorant colony.” Biologists investigating Echols said about 4,000 birds have returned to the island, but not the nesting area. A team of biologists is investi- gating what caused the birds to lee their nests. Federal agents have been shooting cormorants in the area and oiling cormorant eggs on the island as part of a long- term plan to shrink the cormo- rant colony and reduce how many threatened and endan- gered salmon the birds are eat- ing. They reported killing 209 cormorants between May 12 and Wednesday. Oficials haven’t attributed the disturbance of the cormo- rant colony to any shooting or Bob Sallinger with the Portland Audubon Society has been a vocal critic of the Corps’ cormorant manage- ment plan. He said colony fail- ure has been one of his chief concerns as federal agencies shrink the size of the cormo- rant population. “When you do that, you make a population extremely vulnerable,” he said. “Regard- less of whether this abandon- ment was caused by eagles or their own activities, the fact is they’ve gone in there and delib- erately decimated the popu- lation. Federal agencies have deliberately put the western population of cormorants at direct risk, and it needs to stop.” Echols said federal oficials are monitoring the Columbia River estuary to see where all the cormorants have gone. Roby said it’s still early enough in their breeding season that the birds could still return to their nests and lay more eggs to avoid complete colony fail- ure for the year. state meet athletes earned a few medals Continued from Page 1A coaching when I was in high school (ifth- and sixth-grade Amateur Athletic Union basket- ball). I coached all through col- lege, at an elementary school as a PE teacher, and at the middle school in La Grande.” Oveson did some stu- dent-teaching in Saipan, and again volunteered her time to coach. “That was a fun experience. I got to coach outrigger (a sea- going canoe race), soccer and football, and all kinds of crazy things. If they needed a coach, I was it. They have sports year- round there. It was crazy, but a lot of fun.” On her return to the states, Oveson coached volleyball and basketball for a year at Jewell High School. Then, she was on to the next adventure. Commercial ishing “I started commercial ish- ing, and thinking that if the right job came up, I would go back to teaching,” she said. Oveson just didn’t know that the next teaching opportunity would come from the irst email in her inbox. “I was in Bristol Bay, and I had a day off, so I had a chance to look at my emails (some 800), and the very irst one was an announcement for 635 new teaching jobs that I was quali- ied for. The irst teaching job was in Warrenton, Oregon, and I was like, ‘Warrenton!? That would work out well, because I ish out of Warrenton.’ “The teaching job was for science and PE, two really cool things that I’m interested in. I didn’t have my resume or my teaching license with me (she was still on a ishing boat in Alaska), so I just sent an email to Rod Heyen (the principal), asking to put in my application. “I gave him my satellite number on the boat if he was interested, and the next thing I knew I was doing an interview.” And the next thing Heyen was doing was calling her back, “because I was in between set- ting on the boat,” Oveson said. To wrap it up, Oveson got the job, inished her summer ishing, and arrived in Warren- ton the irst day of school. “I got off the plane at 5:09 in the morn- ing, and school started at 7:30. That was the most awkward thing for a irst day.” And, of course the story of how she came to be a track coach isn’t normal, either. First practice “Kersee Lind, the head track coach, called me into his room and asked me if I would be interested in committing to a coaching position with the track team. “I thought about it and said I was interested. The next thing I knew, Kersee was gone (as coach) and it was mass chaos. And Monday of the irst track practice, they said, ‘Hey, the job’s open, you can apply.’” And just like that, Oveson was named the varsity track coach, literally the irst day of practice. And all in all, it hasn’t been a bad season for Oveson and the track team. Her ive state meet athletes earned a few medals. From Wallowa to Saipan to Warrenton, the journey of life is still in the early stages for Oveson. “I’m a big believer in things happening for a reason, so it’s been a good time for me,” said Oveson, who plans on return- ing to Warrenton High School next year, after Alaska this sum- mer. “I absolutely love commer- cial ishing. It’s been a blast, and (the teaching job) was really the job I was looking for. Mr. Heyen is one of the most supportive administrators. The staff I work with is phenomenal in helping out new people.” — Gary Henley Miracle-Ear Hearing Centers are looking for qualifi ed people to test their latest product, The Miracle-Ear® Mirage for FREE!* Here’s the catch: You must have diffi culty hearing and understanding in background noise, and your hearing must fall in the range of the hearing aid. People that are selected will evaluate Miracle-Ear’s latest advanced digital hearing solution — the Miracle-Ear Open. You will be able to walk in to our offi ce and walk out knowing how much help there is for you. Candidates will be asked to evaluate our instruments for 30 days (risk free*). At the end of the 30 days, if you are satisfi ed with the improvement in your hearing and wish to keep the instrument, you may do so at tremendous savings. But this is only for a limited time! Schedule your appointment today! SOME FEDERAL WORKERS AND RETIREES MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR HEARING AIDS AT NO COST! That’s Right..No Co-Pay! No Exam Fee! No Adjustment Fee! BCBS federal insurance pays the total cost of 2 Miracle-Ear Audiotone Pro aids. Most federal government employees and retirees are eligible. You may even be covered if you have other non-federal insurance coverage. Special factory pricing is available for non-qualifi ers. See store for details & accurate coverage. Save on one of our smallest custom digital hearing aids! NOW BUY ONE GET ONE FREE! Audiotone Pro CIC HURRY! Offer ends 5/27 /16 Valid at participating Miracle-Ear locations only. Limit one coupon per purchase. May not be combined with other offers and does not apply to prior sales. Cash value 1/20 cent. LIMITED TIME ONLY! COME JOIN OUR OPEN HOUSE!!! Now thru May 27, 2016 Miracle-Ear Center Youngs Bay Plaza 173 S. Hwy 101, Warrenton, OR 97146 (503) 836-7921 Visit our websites for more info www.miracle-ear-warrenton.com Another Great Way to Save Make your appointment today! BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF Save on our full line of digital hearing solutions. Don’t miss out on this amazing offer. Hurry Offers ends 5/27/16 Good only from participating Miracle-Ear representatives. One coupon per purchase. No other offersor discounts apply. Discount does not apply to prior sales. Offer valid on ME-1, ME-2, ME-3, ME-4 Solutions. Cannot combine with any other offers. Cash value 1/20 cent. Local Testing Area Hearing Tests are given for the purposes of selection and adjustment of hearing instrumentation. Results may vary related to duration and severity of impairment. Early detection is important. Miracle-Ear Center 2505 Main Ave N, Suite C, Tillamook, OR 97141 (503) 836-7926 Visit our websites for more info www.miracle-ear-tillamook.com Risk Free Offer- The aids must be returned within 30 days of delivery if not completely satisfi ed and 100% of the purchase price will be refunded. **Hearing test is an audiometric test to determine proper amplifi cation needs only. These are not medical exams or diagnoses. Blue Cross Shield, the Blue Cross, the Blue Shield, BCBS, and Federal Employee Program are a registered trademark of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its independent licensees are not affi liated with, nor do they endorse or sponsor, the con- tests of this advertisement. Trademarks referring to specifi c providers are used by Miracle ear for nominative purposes only: to truthfully identify the source of the services about which information is provided. Such trademarks are solely the property of their respective owners.