THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017
COMMUNITY
1B
DEAL HER IN
TOO BIG FOR ‘KEEPERS’
‘BECAUSE OF BIKO’
arrenton resident Dugan Jennings belongs to a Seaside
walking group, and on Monday they made quite a discov-
ery on a North Coast beach: a whale skull. It is pictured, along
with five members of the group, from left, Cathleen Eberly
Crawford, Dugan, Kim Mack and Vanice and Greg Knorr.
Dugan noted that there was a rope attached, and the skull had
been pulled above the tide line. At any rate, it was “very old, fall-
ing apart and stinky.” Not to mention, enormous — too big for
“keepers,” as Dugan observed.
The Ear contacted Bruce Mate, director of the Marine Mam-
mal Institute in Newport, and sent him a photo of the skull, ask-
ing if he could identify it. Of course, he could.
“This is the skull base of a large baleen whale, probably a blue
whale or a fin whale,” he replied. And, that if the MMI is able to
take a small bone sample, the species, and even the sex can be
determined. Which is why the Ear is not revealing the location —
so scientists have a chance to study it.
“I hope it stays on the beach,” Dugan added. The Ear hopes
so, too.
W
WHO IS D.B. COOPER?
n November 1971, hijacker D.B. Cooper (pictured) jumped
out of a Northwest Orient passenger jet somewhere over the
Pacific Northwest carrying $200,000 in cash. He disappeared
into history without anyone figuring out who he really was. The
FBI closed the case last year.
Now a new theory of his possible identity has emerged, thanks
to the work of Citizen Sleuths, a team of scientists recruited by
the FBI to keep investigating the mystery, according to a recent
story on USAToday.com (http://tinyurl.com/DBsleuths).
When Cooper jumped from the jet he left his JCPenney
clip-on tie behind on his seat. New electron microscope analy-
sis of the thousands of particles on the tie revealed the presence
of cerium, strontium sulfide and pure titanium. “These are what
they call rare earth elements,” Tom Kay, Citizen Sleuths lead
researcher, said. “They’re used in very narrow fields, for very
specific things.” Especially in 1971.
One place these elements would have been found was Boeing,
which used them for a high-tech supersonic transport plane. Per-
haps he was a Boeing employee or contractor?
Citizen Sleuths wants to hear your theories on what those ele-
ments could have been used for at the time, and how they could
have wound up on Cooper’s tie. Think you know the answer?
You can contact them at www.citizensleuths.com
I
GONE RAFTING
e have been getting calls from locals who are noticing sea
lions engaging in an interesting behavior and are won-
dering what is going on,” Tiffany Boothe of the Seaside Aquar-
ium wrote. “Sea lions have been seen congregating together, en
masse on the surface of the ocean, just outside of the surf zone.”
Her photo of sea lions “rafting” is shown.
“When sea lions do not want to haul out of the water, they use
this tactic to sleep and rest,” she explained. “The protection of the
group provides safety. We are probably seeing more of this due to
the cold air temperatures. The ocean temperature is much warmer
than the outside temperature at the moment, so the sea lions are
probably just trying to stay warm like the rest of us!”
‘W
ori Sherman of Clatskanie has game show fever, The Daily
News of Longview, Washington, reports (http://tinyurl.com/
lorideal). In 2012, she appeared on the CBS juggernaut “The
Price is Right” and won a prizes worth $32,000, including a new
Dodge Journey. Not a bad haul.
On Jan. 10, she appeared on another popular CBS game show,
“Let’s Make a Deal.” She caught host Wayne Brady’s attention
by wearing a Dr. Seuss “Things 1” costume, replete with a huge
neon blue wig (a photo from her Facebook page is shown). “He
is the sweetest man,” she told TDN. “He’s very witty and very
talented.”
She wound up with a “zonk” — fur plates (which she didn’t
get to keep) and $100 (which she kept) — but she didn’t mind
a bit. “To be honest, I think God is just blessing me above and
beyond,” she said. “I do nothing out of the ordinary except put-
ting together a wacky costume. I’m just happy to be there.”
Even though she can’t be a contestant again on “The Price is
Right” again until 2022, she will go back on “Let’s Make a Deal”
later this year for a “zonk redemption” show. And of course,
there’s always some new game show on the horizon …
L
aura Ray was so deeply moved by the plight of South
Africans she traveled there more than once, then wrote
a book about her experiences, “Because of Biko.”
“When my children were young,” she explained, “I
read a book about a black man named Steve Biko (pictured
inset) that was murdered by white South African police
during apartheid … I felt compelled to travel to King Wil-
liams Town, South Africa, and visit Biko’s grave, to see
the town where he was born, and hopefully meet people
that knew him. I wanted to see South Africa through Biko’s
eyes, and learn why he was willing to die for his country.”
When her youngest child was on his own, she fulfilled
her dream. “I did what tourists in South Africa should
never do, she wrote. “I traveled there alone, rented a car
and drove over 1,000 miles … I fell in love with the Afri-
can people and the incredible scenery.”
She encountered heartbreak with the AIDS epidemic,
and saw starvation and poverty. “It’s important to share
their stories,” she wrote. “This book was written so that
the kind, courageous and hopeful people I met while in
Africa will never be forgotten.”
But there are light-hearted moments, too. She
and her fiancé Glenn, decided to get married in Africa.
On their wedding day, they took a cruise on the Zam-
bezi River. The boat was passing two elephants that were
close by, so the couple happily posed for a photo,
with the elephants in the background. The male pho-
to-bombed them by suddenly deciding it was mating sea-
son. “After all, today there is going to be a wedding!”
Laura quipped.
You can buy the book at her coffee shop, Mochas and
More (1944 State Route 401), and Okie’s Select Market
(1796 State Route 401), both in Naselle, Washington.
Laura hopes to return one day, but it’s not affordable
at this point. “I started buying lotto tickets every week,”
she noted.
L
ROAMING WRECK REAPPEARS
storia’s Maritime Archaeological Society (http://
maritimearchaeological.org) measured and are
attempting to identify a wandering shipwreck in North
Cove, Washington, aka Washaway Beach, according to a
recent story in The Daily World of Aberdeen, Washington
(http://tinyurl.com/roamwreck).
Believed to have originally wrecked in Willapa Harbor,
the 125-foot long 20-foot wide ship first showed itself at
the north end of the cove in 2009. After moving and rotat-
ing 90 degrees, it simply vanished, resurfacing the next
year about 100 yards south. But soon it was off on its trav-
els again, popping up fully exposed at the end of 2010, in
yet another spot.
And so it continued, the ship showing itself now and
then in different locations. Since November, it has settled
in north of Jacobson’s Jetty, where the MAS had a chance
to study it. Some members of MAS are shown at work on
the wreck, courtesy of The Daily World.
At this point, the vessel’s name is still a mystery. A pos-
sible match, however, is the Trinidad, a wooden-hulled
American steam schooner lumber hauler that ran aground
in a 1937 gale on the north spit of the Willapa bar, and
eventually sank. The investigation continues.
A
‘WE HAVE TO SAVE THE CHICKENS!’
fire broke out Jan. 5 in Larkin Stentz’s chicken coop (pic-
tured) at Green Angel Gardens in Long Beach, Wash-
ington. “I didn’t notice, as I was in our kitchen making bread.
Friends driving by saw the flames, and came to the back door
yelling, ‘We have to save the chickens!’
“Rushing out, I saw the entire coop in huge flames. Three
chickens were huddled in a corner, and two had escaped already.
Friends were able to cut a hole in the wire fence, and I was able
to douse a trail into the corner, and I ran in and lifted the three
through the hole. Two were singed, and my grandkids held them
for hours consoling them and putting salve on the burns.” Fortu-
nately, the fire department arrived and put out the fire before it
could spread.
The chickens survived, but the coop, a farm tour highlight for
local students, is a total loss. “The farm and its chicken coop have
been used by the Ocean Beach Elementary Schools for the past
eight years,” Larkin said, “to give students a real world experi-
ence of one of their only local farms.”
Want to help replace it? You can donate at: http://greenangel-
gardening.com; via PayPal to Larkin Stentz, Steward of Green
Angel Gardens; mail a check to Green Angel Gardens, P. O.
Box 1229, Long Beach, WA 98631; or contribute to a “renew
the coop” fund at Great Northwest Federal Credit Union in Long
Beach. If you’d like to put some sweat effort in, call or text Lar-
kin at 360-244-0064. You’ll make those chickens — and the
school kids who enjoy meeting them — very happy.
A
A MILLION REASONS TO CLEAN UP
ot some lottery tickets tucked away
somewhere that you forgot to check?
You’d better see if you’ve got a winner in
the batch before it’s too late.
According to an Oregon Lottery press
release, earlier this month Joemel Panisa
(pictured), who lives near Newport, stayed
home for a snow day. He decided to be
industrious and clean his office, and in the
process found an old Mega Millions ticket he’d bought Friday,
Jan. 15, 2016.
Just for chuckles, he checked the numbers online. Good thing
he did, as it was a $1 million winner, and the ticket was going
to expire in just eight days. Never fear, he made it in time, and
cashed it Jan. 9, making him the fourth Mega Millions $1 million
winner since the game started in Oregon in 2010.
Whoever thought a snow day could be worth $1 million?
G
COMMUNITY NOTES
SATURDAY
Sit and Stitch Group — 11
a.m. to 1 p.m., Custom Threads,
1282 Commercial St. Knitting, cro-
cheting and needle work. For infor-
mation, call 503-325-7780.
Columbia Northwestern Mod-
el Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in
Hammond. Group runs trains on
HO-scale layout. For information,
call Don Carter at 503-325-0757.
Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m.,
Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296
Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel.
For information, call 503-325-5598
or go to http://astoriafiberarts.com
Family Support Group, for anyone
with friend or loved one suffer-
ing from a serious brain (mental)
illness. For information, contact
Myra Kero at 503-738-6165, or
k7erowood@q.com, or go to www.
nami.org
Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m.,
Seaside American Legion, 1315
Broadway. For information, call
503-738-5111. No cost; suggested
$5 tip to the instructor.
MONDAY
Chair Exercises for Seniors
— 9 to 9:45 a.m., Astoria Senior
Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in-
formation, call 503-325-3231.
SUNDAY
National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) Support Group
— 2 to 3:30 p.m., Seaside Public
Library, 1131 Broadway. Family to
Scandinavian Workshop —
10 a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725
33rd St. Needlework, hardanger,
knitting, crocheting, embroidery
and quilting. All are welcome. For
information, call 503-325-1364 or
503-325-7960.
Mothers of Preschoolers —
10 to 11:30 a.m., Crossroads
Community Church, 40618
Old Highway 30, Svensen.
MOPS group is a time for moms
to relax and enjoy each others’
company. For information, call Tra-
cy Wilson at 727-514-1611.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do-
nation $3 for those older than 60;
$6.75 for those younger than 60.
For information, call Michelle Lew-
is at 503-861-4200.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. Cost
is $6. For information, or to have a
meal delivered, call 503-325-9693.
Warrenton Senior Lunch Pro-
gram — noon, Warrenton Commu-
nity Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Sug-
gested donation of $5 for seniors
and $7 for those younger than 60.
For information, or to volunteer, call
503-861-3502 Monday or Thursday.
Astoria Rotary Club — noon,
second floor of the Astoria Elks
Lodge, 453 11th St. Guests always
welcome. For information, go to
www.AstoriaRotary.org
Knochlers Pinochle Group —
1 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community
Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside.
Cost is $1 per regular session per
person. Players with highest and
second highest scores split the prize.
Game is designed for players 55 and
older, but all ages are welcome.
Mahjong for Experienced
Players — 1 p.m., Astoria Senior
Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in-
formation, call 503-325-3231.
Diabetes Class — 1:30 to 2:30
p.m., Providence Seaside Hospital,
Education Room A, 725 S. Wahan-
na Road, Seaside. Free help man-
aging diabetes from certified diabe-
tes educators. All are welcome. For
information, go to www.providence.
org/diabetes or call 503-717-7301.
Line Dancing for Seniors — 3
to 4:30 p.m., Astoria Senior Center,
1111 Exchange St. Not for beginners.
For information, call 503-325-3231.
TUESDAY
Stewardship Quilting Group
— 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., First Lu-
theran Church, 725 33rd St. All are
welcome. Donations of material al-
ways appreciated. For information,
call Janet Kemp at 503-325-4268.
Do Nothing Club — 10 a.m.
to noon, 24002 U St., Ocean Park,
Wash. Men’s group. For informa-
tion, call Jack McBride at 360-665-
2721.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do-
nation of $3 for those older than 60;
$6.75 for those younger than 60.
For information, call Michelle Lew-
is at 503-861-4200.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St.
The cost is $6. For information, or
to have a meal delivered, call 503-
325-9693.
See NOTES, Page 2B