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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2021)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 A STARLING MURMURATION IN BRIEF Winter storm watch issued for North Coast A winter storm watch is in effect for the North Coast from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. A heavy mix of rain and snow is expected. The conditions may make travel challenging. — The Astorian Ilwaco enacts moratorium on vacation rentals in residential zone ILWACO, Wash. — The Ilwaco City Council voted Monday to enact a 60-day moratorium on new vaca- tion rental applications within the city’s Restricted Residential (R-1) zoning district. The unanimous vote is a precursor to a likely per- manent ban on vacation rentals in the city’s single-fam- ily residential zoning district. The council will hold a public hearing on the issue within the moratorium’s 60-day time frame, and conduct additional research into the matter. The city’s municipal code allows for vacation rent- als in R-1 zones as a conditional use, requiring those interested in operating a vacation rental to apply for a permit that must ultimately be approved by the council. Vacation rentals are also allowed as a conditional use in R-2 zones, and are allowed as a permitted use in the rest of the city’s nonindustrial zones. With the adoption of the moratorium, Ilwaco is following in the footsteps of Pacifi c County, which enacted a ban on new vacation rentals in R-1 zones last September after a lengthy moratorium and monthslong process. — Chinook Observer Feds uphold state's ruling on Jordan Cove LNG project In another setback to the Jordan Cove liquefi ed nat- ural gas export terminal proposed in Coos Bay and its Pacifi c Connector Pipeline, federal authorities on Monday upheld Oregon’s fi nding that the project is not consistent with its coastal zone management plans. Jordan Cove’s backers, Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corp., had appealed the state’s fi nding to the U.S. Department of Commerce, hoping to get a sympa- thetic hearing before the Trump administration ended and override the state’s federally delegated authority to determine if projects are consistent with the Coastal Zone Management Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration, part of the Commerce Department, declined to do so, saying the company had failed to show that the project is consistent with the law. It’s the latest of several roadblocks the controversial $10 billion terminal and pipeline project have encoun- tered. On Jan. 19, federal regulators upheld the state’s earlier decision against granting the project a clean water certifi cation. The state has also denied a nec- essary dredging permit for the project. Without those approvals, the project, which has been on the drawing board for more than 15 years, cannot move forward. — The Oregonian Bill would make Oregon appliances more energy effi cient State lawmakers are considering a bill that would save Oregonians money on their utility bills by requir- ing home appliances to be more energy effi cient. House Bill 2062 would increase energy effi ciency standards for things like dishwashers, water heaters, refrigerators, televisions and lamps in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to cli- mate change. The Oregon Department of Energy created the bill in response to Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order on climate change, which calls for raising Oregon’s appliance standards to match Washington state and California. “So basically, the governor wanted to make sure that we’re keeping up with our neighbors,” Oregon Department of Energy Director Janine Benner said. “Appliance standards are increasingly important as buildings get more effi cient, but an increasing share of energy consumption goes to the products and appli- ances that are plugged in. And those aren’t included in building codes.” — Oregon Public Broadcasting A Monday night earthquake was felt in the Port- land area. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 4.0 quake occurred about 9:34 p.m. just southeast of Parkdale. KOIN reported the epicenter was about 21 miles west-southwest of The Dalles. The Pacifi c Northwest Seismic Network reported the quake was felt in both Portland and Vancouver, Washington. There were no reports of damage. — Associated Press PUBLIC MEETING THURSDAY Warrenton Planning Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 225 S. Main Ave. PUBLIC MEETINGS (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, 2021 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. More virus testing options available OHSU offers mobile testing By NICOLE BALES The Astorian People in Clatsop County now have more options for coronavirus testing. Oregon Health & Science University’s m obile t esting v an began offering drive- thru testing Monday at the c ounty’s h ousehold h azard- ous w aste f acility. OHSU will provide poly- merase chain reaction tests to people 2 months and older from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m every Monday, with the exception of Presidents Day . People can register and schedule a test online or drop in and register at a booth. Once registered, peo- ple will be asked to set up a MyChart account through OHSU’s online portal, which is where test results will appear. OHSU will bill health insurance for people who have insurance , but the test will cost nothing for those who don’t. When people drive through they will be met by OHSU medical personnel who will take a nasal swab from the vehicle. The pro- cess is quick, and the team can test 10 people every 15 minutes. After the testing event, Printed on recycled paper Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian ABOVE: Tirilee Cassel with Oregon Health & Science University prepares a coronavirus test at the Clatsop County household hazardous waste facility on Monday. RIGHT: The Oregon Health & Science University mobile testing van off ers coronavirus testing to county residents. OHSU delivers the samples to its laboratory. Test results are usually available within 24 hours, but may take up to 48 hours. OHSU will call people who test positive to help guide them through next steps. The c ounty continues to offer drive-thru rapid anti- gen tests and PCR tests on Tuesdays and Fridays at the h ousehold h azardous w aste f acility. By R.J. MARX The Astorian GEARHART — Fire Chief Bill Eddy will be step- ping down from his role. Eddy has served as chief since 2000 and has been with the fi re department since 1981. No fi rm retire- ment date has been set. City Administrator Chad Sweet announced Eddy’s retirement at a City Council meeting last week. “I’m getting a little bit up there in age,” Eddy, who turns 67 in April, said. “It’s probably time to let some- body else take it to the next level.” The Eddy family arrived in Gearhart in the 1960s when Eddy’s father, William Lloyd Eddy, was named Gearhart police chief . The younger Eddy worked as a beverage account man- ager before joining the fi re department, serving under chiefs Bruce Malt- man, Randy Curs, Pres- ton Devereaux and ing, constructed in Jim Pesonen before 1958 and consid- being named chief . ered vulnerable in “Back then, it an earthquake and was a lot differ- tsunami. ent than it is today,” Gearhart vot- Eddy said. “As long ers turned down a Bill Eddy as you were a warm request for a fi re sta- body, they took you. tion in 2006 when We didn’t even run a hun- the city wanted to con- dred calls a year back then. struct a municipal building I don’t even want to guess that combined the fi rehouse what the numbers were. with City Hall. A new pro- Somebody pretty much posal at the High Point site sponsored you or brought on North Marion is undergo- you in. They said, ‘Here’s ing review. your gear, here’s the truck While Eddy said he is and here’s how you use it.’” saddened that a new fi re- During his years as chief, house has yet to be built, he he faced several challenges, has hopes his successor will including the 2007 storm . be able to fulfi ll that goal. He responded to an air His successor will be crash in Gearhart in August chosen by a committee, with 2008 that killed fi ve fam- ily members and partici- pated in countless beach res- cues, fi reworks and mutual aid calls throughout Clatsop County and beyond. He traveled with crews to wildfi res in Oregon three times and to Santa Rosa, California, in 2017. Eddy spent many years advocating for a replace- ment to the fi rehouse build- 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 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.25 The tests are available to residents 15 or older, and priority is given to people with virus symptoms. People must call the coun- ty’s Public Health Depart- ment at 503 -325-8500 to schedule an appointment. Some health insurance may cover the cost of a PCR test from the county, but people without insurance may be charged a lab pro- cessing fee. PCR test results are usu- ally available in a few days, but can take up to 7 days. The county will contact peo- ple about their rapid test results the same day. Testing is also available fi ve days a week at Colum- bia Memorial Hospital in Astoria and Providence Sea- side Hospital. Gearhart fi re chief plans to retire Eddy has served as chief since 2000 Quake felt in Portland Established July 1, 1873 Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian Starlings swoop across the sky over Astoria on Tuesday. WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 input from Eddy. The City Council will discuss next steps before their regular March meeting. “It’s been an interest- ing ride, I can tell you that,” Eddy said. “I’ve seen a lot of things changed in the fi re service, a lot of things for the good, some of the things not for the good. “Volunteerism is not what it used to be, that’s probably not one of the good things. But as far as the quality of volunteers that we have now across the county, vol- unteers are a lot more edu- cated and trained than we were when I fi rst started, not only for fi re but for the EMS (Emergency Medical Ser- vices) side.” Wishing COACH HAGLUND a Happy Birthday!
