2A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018
Offices close Monday for MLK Day
DNA samples show salmon
losing their genetic diversity
The Daily Astorian
In observance of Mar-
tin Luther King Day on Mon-
day, all federal, state, county
and city offices and services,
including Astoria, Warrenton,
Gearhart, Seaside and Cannon
Beach city halls, are closed. All
U.S. post offices are closed,
and there is no mail delivery.
Astoria, Jewell, Knappa,
Warrenton/Hammond, Seaside
(including Cannon Beach and
Gearhart schools) and Ocean
Beach School District schools
and Clatsop Community Col-
lege are closed.
The Astoria Library, Sea-
side
Library,
Warrenton
Library and all Timberland
By COURTNEY FLATT
Oregon Public
Broadcasting
Researchers had long sus-
pected salmon have lost huge
amounts of genetic diversity
over the years. But they’d
never tested the hypothesis.
Now, technology has
finally caught up with scien-
tists’ questions.
Researchers were able to
compare ancient salmon DNA
to modern salmon. They col-
lected a wide range of ancient
bones to study the fish’s DNA.
One sample is about 7,000
years old — that’s 3,000 years
older than the first pyramid.
The most recent was about
150 years old.
And thanks to the DNA
from those samples, scien-
tists are able to conclude
that Columbia River Chi-
nook salmon have lost two-
thirds of their genetic diver-
sity since ancient times.
It’s important for species
to be more diverse, especially
as the environment changes,
said lead researcher Bobbi
Johnson.
“Having things that are
different is sort of a protec-
tion,” said Johnson, who
wrote the study as part of her
doctoral dissertation at Wash-
ington State University.
Genetic diversity or varia-
tion is critical for species’ abil-
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard
Research indicates salmon are losing genetic diversity.
ferent points in time. They
tried hard to get fish DNA
from the late 18th century
when the first Europeans
arrived in the region, and the
early 20th century, when the
first dams were built, Johnson
said. But the samples didn’t
work out.
Researchers ended up test-
ing the mitochondrial DNA
from 84 ancient fish, and
compared that with 379 mod-
ern fish DNA samples from
the same areas.
Handling the ancient bone
samples was incredibly chal-
lenging, Johnson said.
The university worked
with the Spokane Tribe of
Indians and the Confeder-
ated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation.
ity to survive. For salmon, it
means that if a disease strikes,
water levels drop, or tempera-
tures rise, some fish will have
the genetic traits to survive,
reproduce, and ensure that the
species persists.
Johnson said they weren’t
able to pinpoint an exact
cause of the decline, but
it started happening right
around the time European set-
tlers reached the area.
“It could be any number of
things: different pressure from
Native Americans, different
exploitation when Europeans
arrived and started fishing, the
dams, all of those things com-
bined,” Johnson said.
The researchers wanted to
learn more about the loss of
genetic diversity during dif-
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
57
45
47
Rain and drizzle early;
otherwise, cloudy
The Daily Astorian
Park entrance fees could
be going up this year at Lewis
and Clark National Historical
Park.
The National Park Ser-
vice is proposing an increase
to the daily entrance fee from
$5 to $7 per person, the fourth
increase in 30 years. An
increase from $20 to $30 for
the annual Lewis and Clark
Pass is also being consid-
ered. The new fees would take
effect in May.
The park is looking for
input from community mem-
bers, stakeholders, visitors and
neighbors about the proposed
increase and will accept pub-
ALMANAC
Mainly cloudy
First
Salem
41/57
Newport
45/59
Jan 24
Coos Bay
42/63
Last
Jan 31
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
TOMORROW'S TIDES
Astoria / Port Docks
Time
4:26 a.m.
5:39 p.m.
Low
3.4 ft.
0.3 ft.
Hi
63
58
25
46
15
35
64
-2
84
28
22
63
72
29
82
35
46
63
36
64
24
48
58
51
65
The Daily Astorian
Astoria’s assistant city
engineer has been promoted
to city engineer, filling a posi-
tion left vacant after Jeff Har-
rington was named public
works director in November.
Nathan Crater has been
the assistant city engineer
for the past six years and has
led infrastructure and capi-
tal improvement projects. He
has also assisted with several
bridge replacements and com-
bined sewer overflow proj-
ects. Prior to working for
Astoria, Crater was a proj-
La Grande
34/45
Baker
27/42
Ontario
29/42
Burns
20/44
Klamath Falls
25/50
W
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Hi
40
53
18
49
13
19
61
16
83
22
20
63
81
29
75
29
45
47
31
48
24
44
61
56
44
Sat.
Lo
23
16
4
27
4
9
32
11
66
6
11
45
56
19
52
17
29
14
19
17
10
26
47
42
18
ect engineer at HLB Otak in
Gearhart.
“Nathan has been doing
an excellent job as the assis-
tant city engineer for many
years and I have confidence
that he will make a great city
engineer,” Harrington said.
“He possesses both the tech-
nical skill set and the common
sense that make him invalu-
able to the department and the
citizens of Astoria.”
Crater said he is looking
forward to working on resil-
iency projects that will serve
the city into the future.
Cindy Moore has been
promoted to fill the assistant
city engineer position vacated
by Crater. With over 17 years
of civil engineering experi-
ence, Moore has been with
Astoria for the past 10 years
working part time as a support
engineer. She has led several
major combined sewer over-
flow projects and helped the
city obtain millions of dol-
lars in grants for public works
projects. In her new position,
she will continue to manage
capital improvement projects
such as the upcoming water-
front bridge replacement
project.
ODFW seeks nominations for fishery council
Lakeview
21/52
Ashland
36/57
The Daily Astorian
REGIONAL CITIES
City
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Eugene
Ilwaco
Klamath Falls
Medford
Newberg
Newport
North Bend
Hi
46
47
55
53
51
46
51
54
52
55
Today
Lo
27
30
44
37
48
25
34
42
45
42
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c
c
c
c
pc
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Hi
42
53
63
54
56
50
53
57
59
63
Sat.
Lo
23
28
47
34
47
24
34
39
46
44
W
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s
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
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s
s
City
Olympia
Pendleton
Portland
Roseburg
Salem
Seaside
Spokane
Springfi eld
Vancouver
Yakima
Hi
50
52
53
56
55
52
37
54
53
48
Today
Lo
44
38
43
39
41
48
35
36
43
36
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c
c
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c
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Hi
54
52
58
55
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58
39
56
57
49
Sat.
Lo
38
32
40
40
36
45
29
36
39
36
W
pc
s
s
s
s
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TOMORROW'S NATIONAL WEATHER
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Lo
30
50
8
21
0
13
34
-8
67
13
7
46
52
20
64
20
31
46
17
47
14
30
47
47
43
Astoria selects new city engineer to fill vacancy
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018
Tonight's Sky: Camelopardalis, supposed to be a
giraffe but it looks more like a pyramid, stands high
overhead early this evening.
entrance fees include the con-
struction of the Kwis Kwis
and South Slough Trails, sum-
mer camps, fort maintenance,
local youth employment and
community outreach.
Comments
may
be
e-mailed to lewi_superinten-
dent@nps.gov, filled out in
person during normal visitor
center hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
daily, sent via mail to Lewis
and Clark National Histor-
ical Park, Attn: Superinten-
dent, 92343 Fort Clatsop Rd.,
Astoria, OR 97103 or submit-
ted through the National Park
Service’s Planning, Environ-
ment and Public Comment
website, https://parkplanning.
nps.gov/FeesAtLEWI
Roseburg
39/55
Brookings
44/65
Feb 7
John Day
33/50
Bend
30/53
Medford
34/53
UNDER THE SKY
High
9.1 ft.
7.5 ft.
Prineville
30/54
Lebanon
38/57
Eugene
37/54
Full
Pendleton
38/52
The Dalles
40/54
Portland
43/58
Sunset tonight ........................... 4:52 p.m.
Sunrise Saturday ........................ 7:55 a.m.
Moonrise today ........................... 4:02 a.m.
Moonset today ........................... 1:58 p.m.
City
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Denver
Des Moines
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Honolulu
Indianapolis
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Memphis
Miami
Nashville
New Orleans
New York
Oklahoma City
Philadelphia
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Francisco
Seattle
Washington, DC
Considerable clouds with
rain possible
Cloudy with a bit of rain
Shown is tomorrow's weather. Temperatures are tonight's lows and tomorrow's highs.
ASTORIA
47/57
SUN AND MOON
Time
10:30 a.m.
11:59 p.m.
51
43
REGIONAL WEATHER
Precipitation
Thursday .......................................... 1.44"
Month to date ................................... 4.24"
Normal month to date ....................... 3.83"
Year to date ...................................... 4.24"
Normal year to date .......................... 3.83"
Jan 16
52
44
Tillamook
46/62
lic comments several different
ways between Monday and
Feb. 18. Feedback will deter-
mine how, or if, a fee increase
would be implemented.
The revenue collected
from entrance fees stays in
the park, going toward proj-
ects and work that preserves
natural and cultural resources,
improves visitor facilities
and provides for educational
and recreational opportuni-
ties. The extra money col-
lected through an increase
would help fund new exhibits,
increase accessibility of park
facilities and go toward the
upkeep of the park’s expanded
trail system.
Past projects funded with
TUESDAY
57
47
Partly sunny
Astoria through Thursday.
Temperatures
High/low ....................................... 54°/47°
Normal high/low ........................... 49°/38°
Record high ............................ 63° in 2010
Record low ............................. 15° in 1963
New
MONDAY
itage Museum is closed. The
Oregon Film Museum and Fla-
vel House are open from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Carriage
House is open from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. The Uppertown Fire-
fighters’ Museum is closed.
Capt. Gray’s Port of Play and
Lil’ Sprouts are open from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Fort Clatsop
is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Columbia River Mari-
time Museum is open from
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Seaside
Museum is open from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
Sunset Empire Transporta-
tion (“The Bus”) is running.
The Daily Astorian offices
are open, and the newspaper
printed and delivered as usual.
Daily fee could increase at Fort Clatsop
FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA
TONIGHT
libraries in Washington state,
including Ilwaco, Ocean Park
and Naselle, are closed.
The Port of Astoria offices
and services are closed.
Garbage collection through
Recology Western Oregon
(covering Astoria, Seaside,
Gearhart and Cannon Beach),
city of Warrenton garbage col-
lection, and Peninsula Sanita-
tion (covering the Long Beach,
Washington, Peninsula) are not
affected by the holiday. Recol-
ogy Western Oregon’s transfer
station and Peninsula Sanita-
tion’s transfer station are open.
The Sunset Pool in Seaside
is open. The Astoria Aquatic
Center is open.
The Clatsop County Her-
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
W
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The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife is looking to
fill a seat on the Pacific Fish-
ery Management Council.
The department is accept-
ing nominations through Feb.
8 and the three-year term
begins Aug. 11. The coun-
cil manages hundreds of spe-
cies of fish including ground-
fish, sardines, tuna, sharks
and swordfish off the Oregon,
Washington state and Califor-
nia coasts.
It includes 14 voting mem-
bers representing tribal and
state fish and wildlife agen-
cies, and private citizens
knowledgeable about sport
fishing, commercial fish-
ing and marine conservation.
Several advisory councils and
council staff members also
participate in the meetings.
The Department of Fish and
Wildlife will send all nomina-
tions to the governor’s office,
which will then forward the
names of at least three candi-
dates to the National Marine
Fisheries Service and U.S.
Department of Commerce for
consideration.
Anyone interested in
being considered, or wish-
ing to nominate some-
one, must contact Cyreis
Schmitt at 541-867-4741 or
cyreis.c.schmitt@state.or.us
no later than Feb. 8.
charged with fourth-degree
assault.
DUII
• At 8:38 p.m. Thurs-
day, Casey L. Schimel, 32,
of Kennewick, Washing-
ton, was arrested by the
Astoria Police Department
on the 100 block of Marine
Drive and charged with driv-
ing under the influence of
intoxicants.
ON THE RECORD
Assault
• At 8:08 a.m. Thursday,
Jose Luis Villanueva Borja,
42, of Astoria, was arrested
by the Astoria Police Depart-
ment on Marine Drive and
PUBLIC MEETINGS
MONDAY
Ecola Creek Watershed Council, 4:30 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy,
sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow fl urries,
sn-snow, i-ice.
LOTTERIES
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OREGON
Thursday’s Pick 4:
1 p.m.: 4-4-3-4
4 p.m.: 6-3-8-7
7 p.m.: 1-1-5-8
10 p.m.: 8-4-3-7
Thursday’s Lucky Lines: 01-
06-09-16-FREE-20-22-28-32
Estimated jackpot: $18,000
WASHINGTON
Thursday’s Daily Game:
5-6-4
Thursday’s Keno: 10-15-18-
20-24-28-29-32-36-38-44-47-
50-51-58-62-65-69-73-80
Thursday’s Match 4: 03-05-
10-22
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• In-stock to men’s size 14.
The Daily Astorian
166
Established July 1, 1873
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