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)
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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
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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!