The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current, February 04, 2020, Image 2

The daily Astorian., February 04, 2020, Page 2, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextA2 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020 IN BRIEF Goodding vigil on Wednesday SEASIDE — A remembrance ceremony will be held on Wednesday for Seaside Police Sgt. Jason Goodding, who was shot and killed while attempting to make a fel- ony arrest in 2016. The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at the Bob Chisholm Community Center. County hazardous waste facility hosts business drop off Clatsop County’s new household hazardous waste facility is hosting its ﬁ rst collection day for businesses on Friday. The collection center is located off of Williamsport Road next to the Recology Western Oregon waste trans- fer station in Astoria. It is designed to receive and handle toxic, ﬂ ammable and otherwise hazardous products that should not be thrown out in the trash or poured down the drain. The drop off day is for businesses that generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month, known as conditionally exempt generators. Businesses need an appointment with the Clatsop County Public Health Department prior to visiting the facility. Contact Annette Brodigan at 503-338-3681 for more information. A public collection event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Visit the county’s website for a list of materials the facility will and will not accept. 911 operator graduates from Oregon Public Safety Academy New data shows areas at high risk of radon levels Clatskanie, Scappoose, Banks among cities By MONICA SAMAYOA Oregon Public Broadcasting New data from the Ore- gon Health Authority indi- cates some areas around the state, including areas around the Willamette Val- ley, are at high risk of expo- sure to a radioactive gas called radon. The state’s Oregon Radon Awareness Program collected data from test kit manufacturers to under- stand which areas of the state have the potential for high radon levels. They found that Clats- kanie, Columbia City, Dundee, Scappoose, Banks, North Plains, Boring, Park- dale, Milton-Freewater and La Grande were among the areas with the highest levels of radon. The ﬁ ndings also rein- forced earlier ﬁ ndings that a large portion of the Portland metro area is at high risk. “In the Portland met- ropolitan area, a lot of the rocks and soil underneath the Willamette Valley were carried down from parts of Idaho and Montana and the rocks that came from there are contributing to the higher radon levels that we’re experiencing in the Portland area,” said Cur- tis Cude with the Oregon Health Authority. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that’s odorless, tasteless and invisible. Radon occurs as uranium naturally decays into radium, which further breaks down into radon gas. It then comes up from the soil and is drawn into build- ings where it can build up to dangerous levels. The Environmental Pro- tection Agency recom- mends removing radon if levels are 4.0 picocuries per liter of air. Picocuries are a measurement of the radio- activity in a liter of air. But according to the EPA, there is no safe level of radon and long-term exposure poses the most risk. “If the level is between 2 and 4 picocuries per liter, you ought to consider miti- gating and ﬁ xing your home regarding radon. Now, if it’s at 4 picocuries per liter or greater, we recommend that you ﬁ x your home,” Cude said. The state is recommend- ing people take steps to reduce their exposure by conducting their own radon tests in their homes. The best time to test is during the winter months. Test kits can range from $15 to $25. Reducing radon in your home can cost around $1,700. “It really boils down to the rocks below your home and the condition of your foundation, so the ﬁ rst thing to do is test,” Cude said. “Now, if you ﬁ nd that you do have actionable levels, then you can work with a certiﬁ ed radon mitigation professional and they will come in and do a certain type of procedure that will pull the radon from below your home and then direct it out above your home.” The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung can- cer deaths per year, mak- ing it the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after cigarette smok- ing. It’s also the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. Seaside Police Department dispatcher Jennifer Scher- merhorn is graduating from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s 117th Basic Tele- communications Class. The three-week course includes emergency call han- dling techniques, stress management, civil liability, eth- ics, criminal law, an overview of ﬁ re-rescue and law enforcement operations, among other topics. — The Astorian DEATHS Jan. 31, 2020 In EDGAR, Brief Patricia Ellen, 69, of Seaside, died in Sea- side. Caldwell’s Funeral & Cremation Arrangement Center of Seaside is in charge of the arrangements. CORRECTION Bill purpose incorrect — A bill co-sponsored by state Rep. Tifﬁ ny Mitchell, D-Astoria, addresses the prevailing wage and beneﬁ t standards of health care workers funded by people’s Medicare and Medicaid beneﬁ ts. An A1 story on Saturday incorrectly stated that state House Bill 4080 addresses Medicare and Medicaid beneﬁ ts of health care workers. ON THE RECORD Sex abuse • Brandon Mickel Phillips, 30, of Nampa, Idaho, was indicted Fri- day on ﬁ ve counts of encouraging child sexual abuse in the ﬁ rst degree. Theft • Joey Norberg, 35, of Clatskanie, was arrested Saturday at Walmart in Warrenton for theft in the second degree. DUII • Mireya Conrad, 40, of Seaside, was arrested Sunday in Seaside for driving under the inﬂ u- ence of intoxicants, fail- ure to drive within lane, reckless driving, crimi- nal mischief in the sec- ond degree and driving while suspended. Her blood alcohol content was 0.18%. • Ronald Doss, 55, of Clackamas, was arrested Friday on First Avenue and N. Holladay Drive in Seaside for DUII, failure to drive within lane, fail- ure to signal for turn and reckless driving. PUBLIC MEETINGS TUESDAY Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, 12 p.m., work session, 800 Exchange St., Suite 430, Astoria. Seaside Library Board, 4:30 p.m., Seaside Library, 1131 Broad- way. Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District, 5:15 p.m., workshop, Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Astoria Library Board, 5:30 p.m., Flag Room, 450 10th St. Port of Astoria Commission, 5:30 p.m., 10 Pier 1 Suite 209. Miles Crossing Sanitary Sewer District Board, 6 p.m., 34583 U.S. Highway 101 Business. Astoria Planning Commission, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St. Seaside Planning Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. WEDNESDAY Seaside Improvement Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Gearhart City Council, 7 p.m., 698 Paciﬁ c Way. THURSDAY Seaside Parks Advisory Committee, 7 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Established July 1, 1873 (USPS 035-000) Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by EO Media Group, 949 Exchange St., PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 Telephone 503-325-3211, 800-781-3211 or Fax 503-325-6573. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Astorian, PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103-0210 DailyAstorian.com Circulation phone number: 503-325-3211 Periodicals postage paid at Astoria, OR ADVERTISING OWNERSHIP All advertising copy and illustrations prepared by The Astorian become the property of The Astorian and may not be reproduced for any use without explicit prior approval. COPYRIGHT © Entire contents © Copyright, 2020 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. Printed on recycled paper Subscription rates Eﬀ ective May 1, 2019 MAIL (IN COUNTY) EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$11.25 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 Out of County Rates available at 800-781-3214 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.00 Andy Tullis/Bend Bulletin A Sierra Nevada red fox wanders near Mount Bachelor. Red fox study uncovers new species in central Oregon By KYLE SPURR Bend Bulletin Three years into study- ing the scarce population of Sierra Nevada red foxes in c entral Oregon, wildlife biologists found a second, equally mysterious mammal. The discovery of a second rare subspecies living in the region, the Rocky Mountain red fox, was a surprise. Genetic testing of hair and scat samples conﬁ rmed a c entral Oregon population of Rocky Mountain red foxes, which were believed to only live in the Rocky Mountains and the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. “We have not one, but two rare subspecies of the red fox in c entral Oregon,” said Jamie Bowles, an Ore- gon Department of Fish and Wildlife technician in Bend. Bowles, who is leading the state ﬁ sh and wildlife’s effort to study Sierra Nevada red foxes in Oregon, said she kept receiving reports from people who spotted the foxes in areas around Tumalo and Terrebonne. That is a lower elevation than where the Sierra Nevada red fox usu- ally lives, which includes Mount Bachelor, Mount Jef- ferson, Mount Washing- ton and in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Bowles wasn’t sure what type of foxes were being spotted until she tested their genetic material. It was a sur- prise to have the result point to the Rocky Mountain red fox. “These are native foxes,” Bowles said. “It’s something to really be treasured.” The Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain red foxes are both petite compared to other red fox species, weigh- ing as little as 8 to 10 pounds. Each has similar coats with red, black and silver fur. Biologists are learning about each species and how many live in c entral Oregon. grammed to stay on the foxes for one year. Bowles hopes to place collars on at least two more foxes this year before mov- ing on to the next phase of the study, which focuses on analyzing all of the data col- lected from the collars over the past three years. Even before going through the data, Bowles has learned new information about the Sierra Nevada red fox. Speciﬁ cally, Bowles learned the foxes roam a far ‘THESE ARE NATIVE FOXES. IT’S SOMETHING TO REALLY BE TREASURED.’ Jamie Bowles | Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife technician in Bend Neither fox species was thought to be in the region three years ago. Biologists suspected they might be here, but had little proof. In May 2017, the ﬁ rst Sierra Nevada red fox was trapped and given a radio collar to track its movements. Since then, a total of 14 foxes have been captured and given collars. Three still have collars on and are being tracked through the Oregon Cas- cades. The collars are pro- WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 distance, up to 54 square miles. That is impressive for a small mammal, she said. As they roam, Bowles found the foxes are attracted to the lava ﬁ elds in c entral Oregon, where they make dens and hunt for prey, such as yellow-bellied marmots. “That is something that c entral Oregon has that is very unique to these spe- cies,” she said. The foxes are also more tolerant of humans than orig- inally thought, Bowles said. “That has become a con- cern,” she said. “Do not approach a fox, and do not feed a fox.” Tim Hiller, execu- tive director of the Mon- tana-based Wildlife Ecology Institute, partners with state ﬁ sh and wildlife to study the Sierra Nevada red fox. Hiller joined Bowles on the newly formed Sierra Nevada red fox Conserva- tion Advisory Team, a mul- tiagency organization of Ore- gon and California ofﬁ cials to develop a wide conserva- tion strategy for the species. Hiller said the team dis- cusses threats to the spe- cies and ways to combat those threats. Possible threats include the effects of cli- mate change on the high-alti- tude landscapes the foxes call home and the threat of coy- otes moving into the foxes’ territory. “The team has really helped get everybody con- stantly in communication and sharing ideas and getting on the same page and getting us down the path of having a great impact,” he said. Sierra Nevada red foxes in California are on a wait- ing list for protection under the federal Endangered Spe- cies Act. In Oregon, there is not enough information about the foxes for federal protec- tion. But the foxes are an Oregon Conservation Strat- egy Species, which means the population could be at risk and also may be in need of conservation efforts. The future goal is to study more locations in Oregon and California to learn more about the species. Any new information would beneﬁ t the efforts in both states and help manage the populations, Hiller said. “I could foresee this con- tinuing on,” Hiller said, “and changing direction as we learn more.”