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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2021)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 IN BRIEF State discloses virus cases at local schools The Oregon Health Authority has disclosed three new coronavirus cases at schools in Clatsop County. All three cases were students from the Seaside School District, according to the health authority’s weekly outbreak report. Two cases were from Seaside High School, while one case was from Pacifi c Ridge Elementary. On Thursday, the health authority reported 12 new virus cases in Clatsop County. The state also reported 16 virus cases for the county on Wednesday. Since the pandemic began, the county had recorded 2,830 cases and 36 deaths as of Thursday. FIRE AND SNOW Neon sign returns at Custard King The owners of Custard King have repaired the restaurant’s iconic neon sign, relighting the landmark on Marine Drive after nearly two years of darkness. The repair came from a recent Craft3 small-busi- ness loan that also helped Jamie Gerlitz and her daugh- ter, Tara Gerlitz, acquire the property. “It was nice to be able to get that (sign) up and run- ning again,” Jamie Gerlitz said. Gerlitz said it will be business as usual for the custard and burger joint, though with a new shake machine. She takes pride in its made-from-scratch food menu. “We wanted to keep the name alive, and hopefully it’s a family business that we can pass on to the grand- children,” she said. — The Astorian llwaco adopts consumer fi reworks ban ILWACO, Wash. — After months of discussion and debate, the Ilwaco City Council narrowly voted to adopt an outright ban on the sale and discharge of con- sumer fi reworks at its meeting on Monday. By a 3-2 vote, the council adopted an ordinance banning consumer fi reworks . The vote came after rig- orous discussion among councilors over the past sev- eral meetings that got heated at times. Councilors Missy Bageant, Dave Cundiff and Jonathan Quittner voted in favor of the ordinance, while councilors Matt Lessnau and Kristen Mathison voted to oppose the ordinance. The ordinance, which will not go into eff ect until 2023 per existing state law, prohibits the sale, use, transfer, discharge, ignition or explosion of any fi re- works within Ilwaco city limits — with the exception of authorized public displays, such as the annual fi re- works show held at the Port of Ilwaco on the fi rst Sat- urday in July. — Chinook Observer Parts of Santiam State Forest to reopen after 2020 fi res The Oregon Department of Forestry will reopen 4,000 acres of the Santiam State Forest for the fi rst time since the 2020 Labor Day wildfi res. The forestry department says on its website that post-fi re road repairs, timber harvesting and hazard tree removal in this part of the forest are complete. The area was set to open on Saturday. The area along Highway 22 near Niagara includes the popular Rocky Top Trail. Another well-known trail, Natural Arch, will remain closed. Fires torched about a third of the 47,000-acre San- tiam State Forest east of Salem in 2020. Portions of the forest spared from the worst of the Beachie Creek and Lionshead fi res have already opened. Even after Saturday’s reopening, a large chunk of forest will remain closed to the public, with a pro- jected reopening of next fall. — Oregon Public Broadcasting DEATHS Dec. 28, 2021 Deaths PALMROSE, Wal- ter Vernon, 87, of Sea- side, died in Seaside. Caldwell’s Luce-Lay- ton Mortuary of Asto- ria is in charge of the arrangements. Dec. 20, 2021 STAUF, Harry Wil- liam, 77, of Albany, for- merly of Olney, died in Albany. Fisher Funeral Home of Albany is in charge of the arrangements. ON THE RECORD Assault On the Record • Justin Thomas Peterson, 38, of Hammond, was indicted last week for assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence and harassment. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in June. PUBLIC MEETINGS MONDAY Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St. TUESDAY Clatsop County Fair Board, 5:30 p.m., 92937 Walluski Loop, Astoria. Cannon Beach City Council, 6 p.m., (electronic meeting). PUBLIC MEETINGS 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: 800-781-3214 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, 2022 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. Printed on recycled paper Luke Whittaker/Chinook Observer Firefi ghters battled a blaze on the F/V Tlingit Princess on Sunday at the Ilwaco marina. No injuries were reported. County to end monoclonal antibody treatment against virus By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian Coronavirus patients will no longer be able to get monoclonal antibody treat- ment in Clatsop County to stave off the worst symptoms of the virus. The treatment has been found not to be eff ective against the omicron vari- ant, which may soon replace delta as the county’s domi- nant variant. “We don’t have tests that can tell us within a day or two, like, ‘OK, you have omi- cron,’ and, ‘You have delta,’” Chris Laman, the director of pharmacy and cancer center services at Columbia Memo- rial Hospital in Astoria, said in an interview. “Once you get to a point where it’s the dominant vari- ant, you just assume that everyone has omicron, and then you only allow treat- ments that basically work for both of them, not that work for some but not all.” Since mid-fall, patients — roughly four to seven at a time — have been given the treatment at clinics on Tues- days and Fridays at Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center, the site of the coun- ty’s virus operations hub. The clinics were a joint oper- ation of Columbia Memorial , Providence Seaside Hospital and the Clatsop County Pub- lic Health Department . The last clinic was set for Friday. Monoclonal antibody treatment, which involves four subcutaneous injections in the patient’s abdomen, uses lab-generated proteins that slow the virus’ replica- tion and prevent cases from turning severe. A diff erent monoclonal antibody treatment could be eff ective against omicron, but the set up is more complex, involving an IV infusion that must be administered by a nurse with advanced certifi - cation. The injection-based treatment could be given by a pharmacist. The intravenous itera- tion of monoclonals may be administered in Tillamook, and Columbia Memorial Hospital anticipates sending some patients there, Laman said. T he U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two oral antiviral medica- tions, developed by Pfi zer and Merck, that patients can take at home. The drugs are not yet widely available — Oregon has received less than 700 courses of Pfi zer’s, Laman said — but more are expected to arrive . “If we have access to those medications, that should replace the need for the monoclonal treatments,” Chris Strear, the chief med- ical offi cer at Columbia Memorial , said in a news conference on Wednesday. DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.25 By ETHAN MYERS The Astorian WARRENTON — Conditional approval from the P lanning C ommission will allow a new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to open in the coming year. The fast-food restau- rant will be located along Ensign Lane, adjacent to Walmart and Fibre Fed- eral Credit Union. The 2,100-square-foot build- ing will contain dine-in seating, along with a drive-thru window. Because the plan pro- posed a drive-thru , a pub- lic hearing was held at a P lanning C ommission meeting in December . Police and p ublic w orks expressed wor- ries about the potential for increased traffi c in an already-busy area, Scott Hazelton, the city’s plan- ning director, said at the meeting. Several planning com- missioners echoed similar concerns. “The traffi c seems to me to be a pretty import- ant issue with this — with all the roads and this being a pretty popular restau- rant,” Planning Commis- sioner Christine Bridgens said. “(It) will create a lot of traffi c.” Popeyes plans to have 17 parking spots and the ability to stack 13 vehicles in the drive-thru . PM Design, repre- senting the restaurant, answered questions during the meeting to alleviate concerns about traffi c. Charlie Patton, the director of construc- tion for Ambrosia QSR, which is a franchisee for Popeyes, said they con- sidered previous issues regarding traffi c in the area . “We spent quite a bit of time designing this space … We were very aware of the issues that occurred with Wendy’s when it opened up and why the city is concerned likewise,” Patton said. “We went through prob- ably eight diff erent itera- tions of site plans to get to the point where we would least impact the backup on Ensign.” Patton agreed with the idea that traffi c miti- gation would be needed during the fi rst few weeks of opening, but added that more than 20 cars can be stacked in the drive-thru before reaching Ensign Lane. The concerns brought up by police and p ub- lic w orks will need to be addressed prior to plans being submitted to the building department, Hazelton said. Boating deaths across the state drop in 2021 By SAVANNAH EADENS The Oregonian The year 2021 was a safer year for recreational boating than 2020, according to the Oregon State Marine Board, but the number of deaths remained above historic levels. The board’s annual review of the boating season found that 19 people died in 2021 compared with 26 in 2020. 2020 was an outlier with the most deaths in boating accidents since 1985. Nation- ally, more people fl ocked out- doors as they practiced social distancing during the pan- demic, and with that came risks for those who weren’t skilled boaters or didn’t fol- low basic boating safety, said Randy Henry, an Oregon State Marine Board boating safety program manager. In 2021 , the deaths remain high but are more in line with the past decade, which aver- aged 16.7 per year. The low- est number was seven in 2014, but most years range in the teens. The deaths are calculated according to a U.S. Coast Guard defi nition of boats and does not include people who drown while swimming or on inner tubes or pool toys, for example. As more people are boat- ing, deaths increase, Henry said. But much of the increase involves casual recreational boating, like in canoes, paddle boards and kayaks, because they are cheap to buy and eas- ier to use — but don’t require safety courses or licenses. Victims ranged in age from 5 to 79 years old, and deaths occurred in the ocean, inland rivers, large and small lakes and reservoirs. Half the fatal- ities were in non-motorized or small electric-powered boats, but others were in larger boats designed for open water, according to the state agency. “We’re headed back in the right direction,” Henry said. “But it would be a great reso- lution for more boaters to sim- ply wear their life jackets in 2022.” Five of the boating victims were wearing life jackets, four of whom were caught in surf. Two of those suff ered seri- ous injuries in the surf, and two others, including a child, Subscription rates Eff ective January 12, 2021 MAIL EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$10.75 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 Popeyes receives conditional approval for Warrenton restaurant were trapped in the cabin of a capsized boat. The fi fth per- son had a medical event that contributed to their death, the agency said in a news release. Three double-fatality inci- dents happened in the Ore- gon surf zone or at coastal bar crossings in 2021 . In some cases, people died in swift outgoing tides, others after falling overboard. A few boats capsized after mechanical equipment problems. Two young children died in boating incidents in 2021 , including one who was in a small infl atable raft on the edge of a river who was not wearing a life jacket. “It breaks your heart to see these incidents,” Henry said. “Occasionally there is an inci- dent where the life jacket isn’t enough, but most of the time, it is. Parents should always put their child in a life jacket, even if just playing on a tube or small infl atable boat at the edge of a pond or other water- way. Things happen so fast.” When using an infl atable life jacket, be sure to test it before boating, Henry said. “When you look at the individual incidents, you see so many that could easily have been prevented if the opera- tor had taken a very simple, basic safety precaution, such as waiting until the outgoing tide cycle fi nished, wearing a life jacket, or checking the weather,” Henry said. “Safe boating is easy if you take the time.” Please ADOPT A PET! MADDIE 5 year old Staffordshire Terrier With a joyful spirit, hardy vitality, and ready devotion, Maddie is a wonderful dog to love. See more on WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Petfinder.com CLATSOP COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER • 861-PETS 1315 SE 19th St. • Warrenton | Tues-Sat 12-4pm www.dogsncats.org THIS SPACE SPONSORED BY A-TOWN COFFEE
