CLATSOP COUNTY FAIR GUIDE,
PROPERTY
LINES
AND
WHO’S
WHO
SPECIAL SECTIONS • ALL INSIDE
145TH YEAR, NO. 20
ONE DOLLAR
WEEKEND EDITION // FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017
Pacifi c Ocean still reeling
from several rough years
Researchers notice
changes in birds, fi sh
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
Not long into a survey cruise off the
Oregon C oast in June, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration fi sher-
ies biologist Jen Zamon began to wonder,
“Where are all the birds?”
Two seabird species in particular
make up the vast majority of the birds she
expects to see on these near shore research
trips: common murres, a diving bird
related to puffi ns, and sooty shearwaters, a
relative of the albatross that migrates from
New Zealand.
But now long stretches of time would
pass between sightings.
“This seems really weird,” she thought.
“Is it just me?”
Researchers also lowered a net 90 feet
across and down to a depth of 60 feet to
sample what was in the water. This net
can, and does, catch anything: schools of
anchovy, sardines, jellyfi sh. This time, it
kept coming up almost empty: a single
jellyfi sh, one salmon. In Alaska, a group
conducting similar research had yet to
snag a spring Chinook salmon at a time
when such landings would be routine.
The ocean seemed like a desert.
EO Media Group
See OCEAN, Page 7A
A sea lion rests on Buoy 10, which marks the westward
boundary of the popular fishing season that opens Tuesday.
Hi-tech
help in
cancer
battle
Hospital gets
$3M particle
accelerator
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Kratom is being sold in pill form in several dispensaries in the area. The product is relatively new to the local market.
Pills can act like an opiate
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
I
n large doses, the pills can mimic the
effects of opiates. In small ones, and
depending on the strain, the drug can be
similar to coffee or ibuprofen.
Kratom, a natural product originating from
a coffee plant in Southeast Asia, is being sold
at marijuana dispensaries, convenience stores
and smoke shops across Clatsop County.
Southeast Asians have consumed the plant for
hundreds of years, but it has only become pop-
ular in the United States over the past couple
of years.
Medicinal users have pointed to the lack of
prescription drug availability as a reason for
the spike. Recreational users have touted it as
an alternative to more powerful opiates.
Widespread backlash forced the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency to reverse its decision
last year to list kratom as a Schedule I drug,
like heroin and cocaine, meaning its pos-
session and consumption would have been
illegal.
“I was really excited when I found out we
were going to sell it,” said Taylor Florance,
who works at Nature’s Choice Alternative
Medicine marijuana dispensary on Marine
The most expensive piece
of medical equipment in Clat-
sop County is being installed
at Columbia Memorial Hospi-
tal’s new Knight Cancer Col-
laborative, a partnership with
Oregon Health & Science
University.
The Versa HD, a $3 mil-
lion linear particle accelerator
used for radiation treatment,
was recently shipped in crates
to Astoria from a factory
in Crawley, England . The
accelerator is made by Swed-
ish medical supply company
Elekta.
Linear accelerators deliver
high-energy beams of radia-
tion to patients to kill tumor
cells. The faster the treatment,
the less potential for damage
to surrounding, healthy tissue
and the less time a patient has
to remain still.
See KRATOM, Page 7A
See HOSPITAL, Page 7A
Natural Grocers health food chain is coming to Warrenton
Organic chain
hopes to open
store in March
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Submitted P hoto
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Alegis Construction is renovating several vacant store-
fronts in the Youngs Bay Plaza to accommodate a new
location of Colorado-based Natural Grocers.
WARRENTON — Natural
Grocers, a n ational health food
chain, hopes to open a new
store at the Youngs Bay Plaza
in Warrenton in March.
Work began recently ren-
ovating several vacant store-
fronts in the plaza between
Ross Dress for Less and Pizza
Hut.
“We believe that the War-
renton market is a great match
for our type of store,” said
Thank you to our Sponsors:
Natural Grocers, which is
opening a new store at the
Youngs Bay Plaza in Warren-
ton, has more than 140 loca-
tions nationwide, including
nine others in Oregon.
Kemper Isely, co-president of
the company, “and currently
the market area does not have
a grocery store that sells only
organic produce, only pas-
ture-based dairy products, only
free-range eggs, and educates
customers about nutrition so
that they can make informed
decisions on how to eat and
take care of their bodies.”
Natural Grocers’ move into
Warrenton comes shortly after
the Astoria Co-op Grocery
announced it will relocate to a
new, larger location on Marine
Drive.
Warrenton Planning Direc-
tor Skip Urling said Atlas
Investments, which owns the
Youngs Bay Plaza, submitted
building permits in the spring
for a 13,500-square-foot store.
The store will occupy several
recently vacated storefronts
in the 40-year-old plaza. Shoe
See STORE, Page 7A
Astoria Ford
Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce
Clatsop Community Bank –
Astoria & Seaside
Fultano’s Pizza - Astoria
Fultano’s Pizza - Warrenton
West Mart Store - Westport
and at:
ClatsopCoFairExpo.com