A2
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021
IN BRIEF
SKYLIGHT
Salmon fi shing restricted
on the Columbia River
Oregon fi shery managers announced closures to all
salmon fi shing on the Columbia River below Bonneville
Dam to protect tule Chinook salmon.
Beginning Saturday, all angling for and retention of
salmon and steelhead is closed from Tongue Point to War-
rior Rock. Beginning Tuesday, the same rules will go into
eff ect from Warrior Rock upstream to Boneville Dam.
Fishing has been good, according to fi shery managers,
but fi shermen used up available tule Chinook allocations
below the dam, leading to the closure.
“Coho and upriver fall Chinook are doing well and are
a bright spot for Columbia River runs this year,” Tucker
Jones, Columbia River manager for the Oregon Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife, said in a statement. “We will
monitor and update fi sh runs, and, if possible, will strive to
reopen these areas for salmon fi shing as soon as we can.”
Oregon closed Chinook retention in the popular Buoy
10 fi shery last week because of impacts on tule Chinook.
Coho fi shing remains open from Buoy 10 to Tongue
Point.
On Thursday, Washington state fi shery managers
announced further conservation-related restrictions on
steelhead fi shing amid record low returns to the Colum-
bia River basin.
Jewell School District
reports coronavirus case
The Jewell School District reported that a staff mem-
ber had tested positive for the coronavirus.
In a post on the school district’s website, Superinten-
dent Steve Phillips said the school conducted contact trac-
ing and notifi ed people who may have to quarantine. Stu-
dents returned to school for in-person classes on Monday.
Offi ces close for Labor Day
In observance of Labor Day on Monday, all federal,
state, county and city offi ces and services, including Asto-
ria, Warrenton, Gearhart, Seaside and Cannon Beach city
halls, are closed. All U.S. post offi ces are closed, and there
is no mail delivery.
Astoria, Jewell, Knappa, Warrenton/Hammond and
Seaside school districts will be closed. Clatsop Commu-
nity College is also closed.
The Astoria Library, Seaside Library and Warrenton
Library will be closed.
The Port of Astoria’s business offi ces will be closed,
but the marina will remain open.
The Astoria Aquatic Center is open from 9 a.m. to 2
p.m. The Sunset Pool in Seaside will be open from 6 a.m.
to 1 p.m.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum, Seaside
Museum, Clatsop County Heritage Museum, Oregon
Film Museum, Flavel House and Carriage House will be
open. The Uppertown Firefi ghters’ Museum is closed.
The Sunset Empire Transportation District (“The
Bus”) will be running.
Lil’ Sprouts is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
— The Astorian
DEATH
Sept. 2, 2021
In VAN Brief
ESS, Connie, 83, of Astoria, died in Asto-
ria. Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge of the
arrangements.
Death:
Sept. 4, 2021
BIRTH
Aug. 11, 2021
Birth
CRUZ, Christopher and Jocelyn, of Olympia, Wash-
ington, a girl, Penelope Camille Cruz, born at Provi-
dence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. Grandparents are
Joe and Heather Jenson, of Astoria, Telisa Bustamante
and Eddie Alder, of Longview, Washington, Chris
Cruz, of Bend, and Glen Burnett, of Myrtle Creek.
ON THE RECORD
DK Window Works helped place a skylight on top of a Buoy Beer Co. building along the waterfront.
Gearhart drafts fi reworks ban
Police and fi re
offi cials oppose idea
By R.J. MARX
The Astorian
GEARHART — The City
Council heard a plea to sup-
port a ban on fi reworks .
“Yes, fi reworks could be a
tradition. But fi reworks cause
harm to many in our commu-
nity,” Bebe Michel, a resident,
said at Wednesday’s meet-
ing. “Our freedom to shoot off
fi reworks ends when it causes
harm to others. W ith free-
dom comes responsibility and
consideration for each other.
Let’s look for better ways to
celebrate.”
Michel’s comments echo
those heard from other resi-
dents in July. In response, city
staff put together a draft ordi-
nance banning fi reworks.
Violators could be subject
to a maximum fi ne of $500
per day.
Possessing or discharg-
ing any fi reworks would be
prohibited without the writ-
Jeff TerHar
Fireworks on the beach in
Gearhart on the Fourth of July.
ten permission of the Oregon
Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment manager of the beach
area.
The ban would not extend
past the urban growth bound-
ary. That would mean the Pal-
isades, the Highlands and the
beach would not be aff ected ,
City Administrator Chad
Sweet said.
The ban could prohibit
sparklers, wheels and torches,
along with aerial devices
like rockets and Roman can-
dles. Firecrackers, noisemak-
ers and “chasers” that travel
along the ground could also
be prohibited.
In correspondence, police
and fi re offi cials opposed the
ordinance.
“The City Council can
pass an ordinance or not, but
it will not stop the discharging
of illegal fi reworks,” Police
Chief Jeff Bowman said. “The
logic of making something
illegal so it will stop illegal
actions does not make sense.”
F amilies normally are not
reckless in nature as they don’t
want any of their family mem-
bers or friends injured, Bow-
man said. “Nor do they want
their neighborhood catching
on fi re,” he said. “The fi re-
works are generally set off in
the street with little chance
that anything will catch on
fi re. And since the discarded
fi reworks are in front of their
residence, they generally
clean it up.”
Interim Fire Chief Josh
Como said fi refi ghters and
police cannot seize or write
fi nes for fi reworks unless wit-
nessing them being set off .
“Creating this ordinance
will only hurt the core of the
city of Gearhart, the peo-
ple that are recreating safely,
where legal fi reworks have
not been a threat or harm to
the public or had fi re depart-
ment issues with legal fi re-
works,” Como said.
This year, out of 25 calls
on the Fourth of July, none
were directly related to illegal
fi reworks, he said.
“Placing a fi reworks ban
into eff ect will create a greater
strain in which we will not
be able to handle the extra
threat dune grass fi res, as well
as structure fi res, present,”
Como said.
Mayor Paulina Cockrum
and City C ouncilor Dan Jesse,
Councilor Kerry Smith and
Councilor Brent Warren voted
to consider a proposed draft of
the ordinance at a work ses-
sion tentatively scheduled for
November . City Councilor
Reita Fackerell voted against
considering the draft.
Strangulation
22 on two counts of sexual
Military: Surge continues to take toll on health care workers
On
the John Record
• Mitchell
Bye, abuse in the fi rst degree.
30, of Warrenton, was
sentenced to fi ve years
in prison for strangula-
tion and unlawful use of
a weapon. He committed
the crimes in April 2020.
Sexual abuse
• Luis Alberto Rodri-
guez Ramon, 30, of Asto-
ria, was indicted on June
Unlawful entry
•
Vincent
David
Davidson-Gilbert,
32,
of Brownsmead, was
arrested Wednesday at his
home on Anderson Lane
for unlawful entry into a
motor vehicle in Aldrich
Point. The break-in was
reported the day before.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
TUESDAY
Seaside Community Center Commission, 10 a.m., 1225
Avenue A.
Port of Astoria Commission, 4 p.m., 10 Pier 1, Suite 209.
Seaside Library Board of Directors, 4:30 p.m., 1131
Broadway.
Seaside Planning Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989
Broadway.
Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St.
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,
2021 by The Astorian.
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF
CIRCULATIONS, INC.
Printed on
recycled paper
Continued from Page A1
In August, Gov. Kate
Brown
announced
the
deployment of up to 1,500
National Guard personnel to
support health care workers
across the state.
Columbia Memorial will
place the National Guard in
environmental services, the
emergency department, secu-
rity, materials and food ser-
vices, according to Nancee
Long, the hospital’s director
of communications.
Some of the National
Guard will also be used at
Clatsop County’s virus test-
ing site at Camp Rilea, Long
said.
At Providence Seaside,
areas of support will include
access monitoring, tempo-
rary screeners, transporters
and environmental services.
The arrival of the National
Guard at Seaside’s hospi-
tal is “just part of the rollout
that’s been initiated in phases
— support went to the areas
most in need fi rst,” said Mike
DIGITAL
EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.25
with COVID symptoms gets
admitted, but it is every day,
all day, that we care for this
population, and yes, most are
unvaccinated,” Romanaggi
said. “We’re tired and short-
staff ed. I would welcome the
National Guard.”
The
Oregon
Health
Authority reported six new
virus cases for the county on
Friday and 27 new virus cases
on Thursday. Since the pan-
demic began, the county had
recorded 1,913 virus cases
and 21 deaths as of Friday.
Deaths: Coronavirus case count continues to climb
Continued from Page A1
the county had recorded 21
virus deaths as of Friday.
“The state is getting over-
whelmed with having to pro-
cess death certifi cates, which
is why some of these are tak-
ing a while to get posted,”
said Tom Bennett, a county
spokesman.
The county said a 67-year-
old woman died Aug. 28 at a
local hospital.
A 91-year-old woman who
tested positive for the virus on
Aug. 4 died on Aug. 25 at her
residence, according to the state.
An 88-year-old man died
of the virus on Aug. 24 at his
residence.
A 95-year-old man tested
positive for the virus on Aug.
12 and died on Aug. 22 at his
residence, according to the
state.
A 97-year-old woman
tested positive for the virus on
Aug. 10 and died on Aug. 21
at her residence, according to
the state.
A 75-year-old woman died
of the virus on Aug. 13 at her
residence.
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
Antrim, a spokesman for
Providence Seaside.
The surge of virus cases
continues to take a toll on
health care workers, said
Mary Romanaggi, an emer-
gency department nurse in
Seaside.
“As far as the atmosphere
at the hospital with all of the
caregivers, we are spent,” she
said.
People with symptoms of
COVID-19 come daily to the
emergency department. “Not
every patient that we see
A 72-year-old woman died
of the virus on Aug. 13 at her
residence.
A 44-year-old man who
fi rst became positive on Aug.
3 died on Aug. 11 at a local
hospital, according to the state
and county.
Please ADOPT A PET!
KAI
Young silver Tabby Blend
Kai is where
artistry meets whimsey,
how a good day
starts and ends.
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