3B
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016
North Coast Land Conservancy
earns national recognition
The Daily Astorian
SEASIDE
—
The
North Coast Land Con-
servancy, a regional land
trust headquartered in Sea-
side, has announced it was
awarded accreditation by
the Land Trust Accreditation
Commission.
“We are thrilled to have
achieved national accredita-
tion in our 30th year, as we
embark on some of our most
ambitious conservation proj-
ects ever,” said Executive
Director Katie Voelke. “The
rigorous application process
has made us stronger, and
our success demonstrates to
our supporters that we can be
relied upon to effectively do
what we say we do: helping
to conserve Oregon’s coastal
lands forever.”
To date the NCLC has con-
served nearly 4800 acres of
forest, wetland, and coastal
prairie habitat on the Oregon
Coast, most recently acquiring
a 340-acre property known as
Boneyard Ridge, creating a
3500-acre contiguous con-
servation corridor stretching
over Tillamook Head from the
Paciic Ocean to the Necani-
cum River.
For information about
the NCLC, go to http://
NCLCtrust.org
SENIOR NOTES
Alzheimer’s Association Ore-
gon Chapter — Information, refer-
ral and counseling services for fam-
ilies and caregivers of people with
Alzheimer’s, dementia and other
related disorders. For information,
call 800-272-3900 (24 hours a day).
Astoria Alzheimer’s & Other
Dementia Family Support Group
— 2 to 3:30 p.m. third Monday,
Clatsop Care Center, 646 16th St.,
irst loor conference room. Open to
all family members of people with
dementias. For information, call Ro-
setta Hurley at 503-325-0313, ext.
216, or email support@clatsopcare.
org
Clatsop Behavioral Health
After Hours Crisis Line — 503-
325-5724.
Clatsop Community Action
— 503-325-1400. Respite care
services, low-income energy assis-
tance, emergency food assistance,
housing information, emergency
personal care items.
Gene
McGraw
Herald Hugo/PPTO
A giant pearl weighing 75 pound is displayed in the lobby of the Puerto Princesa Tourism
Office in Puerto Princesa city, Palawan province in southwestern Philippines Thursday.
For 10 years, possibly biggest
pearl was hidden under bed
By TERESA CEROJANO
Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines — A
Filipino isherman in western
Palawan island has found pos-
sibly the world’s biggest pearl,
but he didn’t know it.
For 10 years, the 75-pound
pearl was hidden in a bag
under a bed. The isherman’s
family would rub it with their
hands before going out to sea
in the belief it would bring
them luck, said relative Aileen
Amurao.
Amurao, who is also Puerto
Princesa city’s tourism oficer,
said Thursday that the man
gave her the pearl last month
for safekeeping because he
was moving to a new place.
The pearl was sitting on a
bench in her home for weeks
until she found time to check
the internet, and she was
shocked to learn that it could
be the world’s biggest at 2.2
feet long and 1 foot wide.
The isherman, his father
and brothers found the irregu-
lar-shaped pearl inside a giant
clam that stuck to their boat’s
anchor when they sought ref-
uge from a squall on a reef,
Amurao said.
The isherman did not want
to be identiied, she said.
She said that she, the isher-
man and his family decided to
turn over the pearl to the city
mayor, who had it displayed in
a glass case in Puerto Prince-
sa’s city hall to attract tourists.
The isherman will receive a
still-unspeciied reward from
the local government, Amu-
rao said, adding that he never
intended to sell it.
Experts from the Univer-
sity of the Philippines have
expressed interest in inspect-
ing the pearl, but she said no
date has been set for their visit.
It would not be the irst
time giant pearls have been
found off Palawan.
A 9-kilogram (20-pound)
pearl, called Pearl of the King,
was found in Palawan in 1939,
and is on display in a hotel
at the central island resort of
Boracay. Local media have
reported that ishermen had
recovered other huge pearls
in the province, including
one reportedly weighing 54
pounds.
The Guinness World
Records lists a 718.50 carat
baroque abalone pearl as the
biggest of its kind, measuring
5.5 inches in length, 3.1 inches
wide and 1.6 inches thick.
Former
resident
graduates
cum laude
The Daily Astorian
L O N D O N D E R R Y,
N.H. — Gene McGraw, a
76-year-old Londonderry
resident, formerly of
Astoria, graduates cum
laude from the Spring-
field College School
of Professional Stud-
ies on Saturday, receiv-
ing a bachelor’s degree
in human services. His
son, Robert McGraw,
resides in Gearhart. Two
granddaughters, Jenni-
fer McGraw-Murray and
Alicia Vargas, and their
families, live in War-
renton and Hammond
respectively.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m. weekdays, Peace Lu-
theran Church (lower level), 565
12th St. Cost is $5. For information,
or to have a meal delivered, call
503-325-9693.
Exploring New Concepts of
Retirement Education (ENCORE)
— 503-338-2408. Provides a wide
assortment of educational experi-
ences for individuals older than 50.
Elder Friendship Line — 800-
971-0016. Available from 8 a.m. to
11 p.m.; crisis calls taken 24/7.
Food Pantries — 503-325-
1400. Clatsop Community Action
serves six food pantries in Clatsop
County through the Oregon Food
Bank Network. Call for area loca-
tions and hours.
Grief Support Group, Sea-
side — 2 to 4 p.m. irst Thursday,
Bob Chisholm Community Center,
Meeting Room 1, 1225 Avenue A,
Seaside. For information, call Low-
er Columbia Hospice at 503-338-
6230.
training and paid respite for family
caregivers.
National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline — 800-273 - TALK (8255).
A 24-hour, toll-free suicide preven-
tion service for anyone in a suicidal
crisis. TTY users should dial 800-
799-4TTY (4889).
National Alliance on Mental
Illness — 800-950-NAMI (6264)
or locally, 503-717-1835. Separate
support groups for people with
mental illness and families of those
with mental illness are available.
Northwest Oregon Housing
Authority — 503-861-0119. Rent
assistance based on income.
NorthWest Senior and Dis-
ability Services — 503-861-4202
or 800-442-8614. Medicaid ser-
vices, food stamps, information
and assistance, family caregiver
support services, Medicare choice
assistance, home delivered meals,
senior meal sites and senior peer
counseling.
Oregon Aging and Disabil-
ity Resource Connection —
855-ORE-ADRC (673-2372), www.
adrcoforegon.org. Information and
services for older adults, people
with disabilities, their caregivers
and families.
Oregon Home Care Commis-
sion Registry and Referral Sys-
tem — 877-867-0077, https://www.
or-hcc.org. Provides lists of home
care workers available to hire.
Partners for Seniors — 503-
717-7174. Serves South Clatsop
County seniors with volunteer visits,
transportation, light housekeeping,
yard work, minor home repairs, dai-
ly phone calls.
Senior Center, Astoria — As-
toria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange
St., 503-325-3231.
Senior Center, Seaside — Bob
Chisholm Community and Senior
Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside,
503-738-7393.
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
— 888-245-4091. Provides free
services in civil cases to low income
people.
Senior Center, Warrenton —
Warrenton Community and Senior
Center, 170 S.W. Third St, Warren-
ton, 503-861-3502 Mondays and
Thursdays.
Lifespan Respite — 503-325-
1400. Provides information, referral,
Veteran Beneits — 800-827-
1000.
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
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