A2
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019
Oregon reports boom in camping, longer camping season
Associated Press
Oregon set a record for
the number of campers at
state parks last year, and the
number of day-use visitors
was the second-highest ever,
according to a report by the
state’s Parks and Recreation
Department.
The report said 2.9 mil-
lion people camped at a
state park in 2018 and 54
million people in total vis-
ited a park, the second-high-
est number ever after a
blockbuster summer season
in 2016 that attracted 54.5
million visitors, The Orego-
nian reported.
Coastal parks saw the
biggest gain in campers.
Fort Stevens, South Beach
and Bullards Beach — all
along the Pacifi c Ocean —
together accounted for more
than half of the growth in
overnight visits. They col-
lectively attracted 59,300
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Fort Stevens State Park is one of three state parks that collectively accounted for more than
half of the increase in overnight camping stays at Oregon’s parks.
campers last year, the news-
paper said.
The camping season
is also spreading beyond
the traditional busy sum-
mer months. Crowds have
begun to come to camp in
the spring and well into the
fall, fi lling yurts and cab-
ins on rainy days, and tak-
ing advantage of months
with unseasonably warm
weather.
“The camping season is
stretching itself,” state parks
spokesman Chris Havel
said. “The peak time is get-
ting longer and longer.”
Smaller state park camp-
grounds also saw big
growth, from Viento in
the Columbia River Gorge
to Lake Owyhee in East-
ern Oregon. Tiny Jackson
F. Kimball State Recre-
ation Site in southern Ore-
gon saw the highest percent
increase, with an additional
557 campers that added up
to a 64 percent increase.
Those
increases
at
smaller campgrounds are
exactly what the parks
department is looking for.
Last year, the department
launched an initiative to
decrease camping fees at
less-popular state parks,
hoping to spread out the
growing crowds.
Havel said it seems to
have worked, so in 2019 the
department will implement a
one-month trial of increased
camping fees at a few of the
more popular parks, which
could offset the discounts if
made permanent.
As more people move to
Oregon, the agency is work-
ing hard to accommodate
increased demand.
The department’s bud-
get is funded by fees it col-
lects, as well as slices of
state lottery earnings and
RV registrations.
Ninety percent of state
park sites are free of charge
— but Havel told the news-
paper that park offi cials
aren’t considering adding
fees in those locations. Part
of the ethos of Oregon state
parks is ensuring that these
natural public spaces are
accessible for everybody.
“We like seeing a nice,
broad equitable system like
that, but how do you fund
it?” Havel said. “I don’t
know. We haven’t answered
that question yet.”
Pacifi c Power hosts smart meter Regional group seeks input on health care
open houses to answer questions
The Daily Astorian
The Columbia Pacifi c
Coordinated Care Orga-
nization will hold work-
shops Monday and Wednes-
day detailing the results of
a recent community health
assessment and seeking
input to guide future health
care investments.
The organization, which
coordinates health care under
the Oregon Health Plan in
Clatsop, Columbia and Til-
lamook counties, spent Sep-
tember and November sur-
veying and collecting stories
from more than 1,250 mem-
bers about their experiences.
Respondents relayed their
struggle to access and afford
medical, dental and mental
The Daily Astorian
Pacifi c Power is hosting
two free customer work-
shops to share informa-
tion about the new smart
power meters it is rolling
out across Clatsop County.
Installations are taking
place now through May
and are part of a statewide
rollout of 590,000 new
units that started last year.
“Pacifi c Power has a
100-year history of serving
local communities by pow-
ering our customers’ lives
both at home and at work,”
Alisa Dunlap, Pacifi c Pow-
er’s regional business man-
ager for Clatsop County,
said in a news release. “We
are upholding that com-
mitment by upgrading our
metering technology to
smart meters, and by sup-
porting our communities
through this technology
upgrade.
“This upgrade will
provide customers with
greater insights into their
energy usage while help-
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Tylor Olson, an installer with smart meter manufacturer
Aclara, installs a unit on a house in Astoria for Pacifi c Power.
ing us deliver faster more
responsive service, and
we will provide additional
information about these
benefi ts at our upcoming
community events.”
The workshops will
begin with a presentation
by Pacifi c Power, followed
by an opportunity for cus-
tomers to talk one-on-one
with staff and see demon-
strations.
Information
on energy effi ciency and
renewable energy options
will also be available.
The workshops are
from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on
March 5 at Seaside Brew-
ing Co., 851 Broadway St.,
and March 6 in the Lovell
Showroom at Fort George
Brewery, 1483 Duane St.
in Astoria.
For more information,
call 866-869-8520 or visit
www.pacificpower.net/
smartmeter
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
45
34
36
Rather cloudy with a
couple of showers
45
32
Astoria
March 11, 1937 — Feb. 15, 2019
Clouds and sun, a shower
or two; chilly
Chilly with periods of rain
TUESDAY
44
31
43
34
Partly sunny and chilly
suicide in rural areas com-
pared to cities.
“It’s a rural conversation,
and I hope we look at it that
way in health improvement
plans,” Ari Wagner, the direc-
tor of organizational devel-
opment for Greater Oregon
Behavioral Healthcare Inc.,
said during a recent presen-
tation of the data in Seaside.
Columbia Pacifi c will
hold identical presentations
from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday in
the Coho Room of Colum-
bia Memorial Hospital’s
Duncan Law Building at
2021 Marine Drive in Asto-
ria, and from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday in the Education
Center Room at Providence
Seaside Hospital at 725 S.
Wahanna Road.
Myrtle Ann Coffey
FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA
TONIGHT
health care, along with prod-
ucts and services affecting
their health, such as healthy
food and day care.
The results of the stories
will be included in Columbia
Pacifi c’s Community Health
Improvement Plan for com-
munity health investments
from 2020 through 2025.
More than half of the
nearly 8,100 Oregon Health
Plan members in Colum-
bia Pacifi c’s coverage area
rated their health as good
or better. But the 13 percent
at risk of health issues com-
prised more than 50 percent
of the costs .
Researchers also found a
higher rate of health issues
such as heart disease, stroke,
unintentional injuries and
Chilly with rain
Myrtle Ann Coffey was born to Alfred of the Moose Chapter No. 422 in Astoria,
and Mildred (Olson) Johnson on
and a past senior regent, and star
recorder.
March 11, 1937.
She is survived by her husband,
Myrtle Ann was a lifelong res-
David Coffey; Bill and Dolly Cof-
ident of Astoria. She graduated
fey; and many nieces and nephews.
from Astoria High School in 1955.
Myrtle Ann passed away Feb.
On Nov. 18, 1957, she married
15, 2019, peacefully, in Astoria,
the love of her life, David Cof-
Oregon. There will be no service,
fey, in Vancouver, Washington.
at her request. Her family would
Together they celebrated 61 years
like to thank local hospitals for
of marriage.
their wonderful care.
Myrtle Ann enjoyed golf and
Myrtle Coff ey
Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton
trailering with her husband. She
Mortuary is in charge of the
also loved her cats.
She was a life member of the Women arrangements.
CORRECTION
ALMANAC
REGIONAL WEATHER
Tillamook
36/46
Salem
35/47
Newport
38/47
Feb 26
First
Mar 6
Full
Mar 14
Mar 20
TOMORROW'S TIDES
Astoria / Port Docks
Time
10:19 a.m.
10:24 p.m.
Low
0.7 ft.
0.7 ft.
Hi
68
43
38
35
32
38
64
8
81
46
38
50
60
53
85
50
80
46
47
45
47
32
57
44
49
Ontario
28/38
Bend
26/41
Burns
21/36
LOTTERIES
Klamath Falls
22/39
Lakeview
14/34
Ashland
32/47
REGIONAL CITIES
City
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Eugene
Ilwaco
Klamath Falls
Medford
Newberg
Newport
North Bend
Hi
33
41
50
47
46
35
47
44
47
50
Today
Lo
22
26
41
37
39
22
33
32
38
41
W
pc
c
c
r
r
pc
c
r
r
r
Hi
37
41
49
47
45
39
48
45
47
49
Sat.
Lo
28
32
44
38
36
29
39
35
37
43
W
sn
sf
r
r
r
sn
r
r
r
r
City
Olympia
Pendleton
Portland
Roseburg
Salem
Seaside
Spokane
Springfi eld
Vancouver
Yakima
Hi
43
39
43
48
45
46
28
47
43
35
Today
Lo
31
26
34
39
35
38
17
38
33
20
W
r
c
r
c
r
r
sn
c
r
c
Hi
43
38
45
49
47
46
30
46
45
33
Sat.
Lo
31
27
35
42
37
35
18
40
36
25
W
r
c
r
r
r
r
c
r
r
sf
TOMORROW'S NATIONAL WEATHER
NATIONAL CITIES
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
MONDAY
Astoria City Council, 8 a.m., work session on goal setting, City Hall, 1095 Duane St.
Knappa School Board, 5:15 p.m., Knappa High School library, 41535 Old U.S. Highway 30.
Jewell School Board, 6 p.m., Jewell School library, 83874 Oregon Highway 103.
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway
Baker
22/37
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2019
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
Today
Lo
50
28
29
17
28
26
36
-6
64
34
33
33
41
51
75
49
68
33
43
33
39
18
41
36
37
John Day
29/38
PUBLIC MEETINGS
La Grande
25/38
Roseburg
39/49
Brookings
41/49
Tonight's Sky: The bright star Arcturus of Bootes,
the Herdsman, emerging above the east-northeast
after 8:30 pm.
High
9.4 ft.
8.3 ft.
Lebanon
36/46
Medford
33/48
UNDER THE SKY
Time
4:00 a.m.
4:18 p.m.
Prineville
29/41
Eugene
37/47
Sunset tonight ........................... 5:51 p.m.
Sunrise Saturday ........................ 7:06 a.m. Coos Bay
Moonrise today ........................ 10:02 p.m. 42/48
Moonset today ............................ 9:07 a.m.
New
Pendleton
26/38
The Dalles
30/41
Portland
34/45
SUN AND MOON
Last
Last name misspelled — Erin Carlsen works with Filling Empty Bellies, a group that
helps the homeless. Her last name was misspelled as Clausen in a A1 story on Thursday.
Shown is tomorrow's weather. Temperatures are tonight's lows and tomorrow's highs.
ASTORIA
36/45
Astoria through Thursday.
Temperatures
High/low ....................................... 48°/27°
Normal high/low ........................... 52°/37°
Record high ............................ 68° in 1973
Record low ............................. 24° in 1894
Precipitation
Thursday .......................................... 0.00"
Month to date ................................... 6.69"
Normal month to date ....................... 5.43"
Year to date .................................... 11.62"
Normal year to date ........................ 15.63"
W
r
pc
s
sn
pc
pc
pc
c
s
c
pc
s
s
r
pc
r
t
pc
sh
pc
c
c
s
r
c
Hi
61
43
42
37
37
43
56
16
81
54
43
51
61
72
84
68
79
44
55
45
59
38
56
44
44
Sat.
Lo
56
33
34
16
20
39
29
4
63
39
23
35
44
40
73
48
58
39
28
40
33
27
45
35
42
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
W
c
pc
r
c
sh
r
s
pc
pc
r
r
s
s
t
sh
t
t
c
pc
r
t
pc
pc
r
r
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy,
sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow fl urries,
sn-snow, i-ice.
Thursday’s Lucky Lines: 01-
08-09-16-FREE-20-23-27-30
Estimated jackpot: $54,000
OREGON
Thursday’s Pick 4:
1 p.m.: 3-8-5-1
4 p.m.: 6-6-6-0
7 p.m.: 9-3-8-4
10 p.m.: 4-7-8-6
WASHINGTON
Thursday’s Daily Game: 9-8-4
Thursday’s Keno: 01-05-
13-17-19-24-28-29-31-32-
37-45-48-49-56-57-59-61-
70-73
Thursday’s Match 4: 04-
13-21-24
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and, for veterans, a fl ag symbol at no charge. The deadline for all obituaries is 9 a.m. the
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Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper punctuation and style. Death notices
and upcoming services will be published at no charge. Notices must be submitted by
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Obituaries and notices may be submitted online at DailyAstorian.com/forms/obits,
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The Daily Astorian offi ce, 949 Exchange St. in Astoria.
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Eff ective July 1, 2015
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