THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
WEDNESDAY EDITION | JULY 29, 2020 | $1.00
Final call
Community
&
Lifestyle
ODFW R EGIONAL F ISHING
R EPORT
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
Local lakes stocked in spring
and/or early summer: Alder
Lake, Buck Lake, Carter Lake,
Cleawox Lake, Mercer Lake,
Munsel Lake, Siltcoos Lagoon,
Siltcoos Lake, Sutton Lake and
Woahink Lake.
SIUSLAW RIVER: Cutthroat
trout:
Trout fishing opened in the
Siuslaw basin (including Lake
Creek) on May 22 and has great
opportunities to catch a trout
throughout the summer months.
ALSEA RIVER: Cutthroat
trout:
Cutthroat trout fishing opened
May 22 on the Alsea River and
trout fishing has been good
throughout the basin. The higher
water and cooler temperatures
have created great spring/early
summer conditions for trout
fishing and will provide good
opportunities through the sum-
mer months.
SALMON RIVER: Cutthroat
trout:
Cutthroat trout fishing opened
on the Salmon River on May 22.
Good cutthroat fishing can be
found throughout the Salmon
River estuary and river through
the summer months.
Tide Tables
Entrance Siuslaw River
High Tide
Low Tide
July 29
8:50am / 4.8
8:21pm/ 7.5
2:34am/ 0.1
2:01pm/ 2.4
July 30
10:09am / 5.1
9:19pm / 7.6
3:39am / -0.4
3:10pm / 2.8
4:37am/ -0.9
4:15pm/ 2.8
Aug. 1
12:06am / 5.8
11:06pm / 7.7
5:28am / -1.2
5:13pm / 2.7
Aug. 2
12:50am / 6.0
11:54pm/ 7.7
6:14am/ -1.3
6:04pm/ 2.5
Aug. 3
1:29pm / 6.1
6:56am / -1.3
6:51pm / 2.3
Aug. 4
12:38am / 7.6
2:06pm / 6.2
In his four decades as a local firefighter, Dave Beck has seen and helped SVFR grow into the department it has become today.
Battalion Chief Beck hangs up his fire hose
After 50 years in the fire service, including 40 years with SVFR, Dave Beck retires his turnouts
By Jared Anderson
Siuslaw News
“Everyone loves a firefight-
er,” Dave Beck said. “It’s one
of those jobs where kids love
you, you show up to a school
in a firetruck. You don’t hear
anyone say, ‘I hate firefight-
ers.’ I have a grandkid who
just loves the fire depart-
ment. You see it in his eyes
when you talk about it.”
On Saturday, community
members gathered at Siuslaw
Valley Fire and Rescue
(SVFR) Station 1 to celebrate
the retirement of Beck, who
was the Battalion Chief for
Canary Station. While he’s
been with the station for 40
years, Beck had already been
fighting fires for 10 years as a
wildland firefighter.
“I’m just thankful I made it
50 years, doing what I call
‘throwing dirt and squirting
water,’” Beck said. “I’m going
out walking and smiling and
Dave Beck with his wife, Sharon, sit on a bench made in his
honor by SVFR Captain Andy Gray, utilizing old fire hose for
the seat and backing.
looking forward to whatev-
er’s left. Between my USFA
career and SVFR, that’s 50
years. It’s basically my whole
life. I’m so glad I had that
career. I’m so lucky to have
gotten into it when I did.”
Beck began his career with
the United States Forest
Service (USFS) in 1970.
“I went to college and took
forestry,” Beck said. “Got
married and moved to
Florence, got a job with the
forest service. That summer,
fire season rolled around and
my first fire assignment was
Tiller, Ore. I was 21 and just
liked throwing dirt, squirting
water and putting out fires. I
thought ‘This is pretty cool,’
and it never ended.’”
That is, until 40 years later
when he retired from USFS.
His last assignment? Tiller,
Ore.
“What are the odds of
that?” Beck asked with a
laugh. “I was on a manage-
ment team. Fires get so big
that the local community
doesn’t have the resources or
the knowledge to handle
these big fires that get thou-
sands of acres. So, there’s
teams of different agencies,
different groups that do map-
ping and computers. We have
a team. When things get real-
ly big, they call in a fire team.
And we go as a group and
you take over for the local
community and say, ‘Here we
See
BECK 2B
OPRD reminds state parks visitors to recreate responsibly
July 31
11:14am / 5.4
10:14pm/ 7.7
PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
7:35am / -1.2
7:34pm / 2.1
COVID-19 is still a reality
in Oregon and Oregon Parks
and Recreation Department
(OPRD) is asking visitors to do
their part to help protect them-
selves and the health of their fel-
low Oregonians.
The state park system has
been slowly reopening since
early May, but nearly every park
is experiencing reduced levels of
service due to a $22 million bud-
get gap.
OPRD is relying on visitors
to help us through this unprec-
edented time.
The best thing way to keep
yourself and others safe is to
“Prepare + Care.” Prepare before
you leave the house, then take
care of yourself and the people
around you while at the park.
Prepare
If you’re not feeling well, stay
home. The parks will still be
here when you recover.
Whether you’re stopping for
the afternoon or camping over-
night, bring the essentials with
you: face coverings, hand sani-
tizer, trash bags (pack it in, pack
it out), water, snacks, and toilet
paper.
Choose a park close to home.
The shorter your trip, the few-
er stops you have to make on
the way there, and the less time
you’ll be in close proximity with
others.
Check the park’s webpage in
advance to learn what ameni-
ties are available. Some may be
closed; read the “reduced ser-
vices” section below.
Make a backup plan for your
outing.
Summer is a busy time at
state parks, and people are extra
stir-crazy this year. If you show
up and the park or parking areas
look crowded, turn around and
follow your backup plan.
Parking may be limited, and
please don’t park on road shoul-
ders or private roads. It’s dan-
gerous and you risk your vehicle
being damaged or towed. If the
parking lot is full, turn around.
Care
Try to maintain at least 6 feet
of physical distance from folks
that aren’t part of your house-
hold.
Please wear a face covering,
especially when in congested ar-
eas like parking lots, trailheads
or restrooms.
Take it easy while at the park:
stick to trails and activities
you’re familiar with. If you get in
over your head and get injured
or lost, that will further strain
our already thin resources.
Take your trash with you
when you leave. Garbage service
has been significantly reduced
and packing out what you pack
in is a huge help to park rangers.
With the weather heating up,
campfire restrictions may be in
effect in some state parks. Check
campground and trailhead no-
tice boards for posted fire re-
strictions, or call ahead to dou-
ble check.
Fireworks are never allowed
in state parks or on the ocean
shore.
Reduced services
We have far fewer staff than
we normally do for the busy
summer season. Park rangers
will be focused on essential du-
ties to keep you safe, so other
typical services may fall by the
wayside. Events and programs
will be canceled, ice or firewood
sales may be suspended, and
grounds maintenance and trash
pickup will be less frequent.
35 EASY STREET
Easy access park model in Coast Village. Property is paved with extra
parking and has an RV hookup. New wood floors recently installed.
Nicely arranged picnic area and sun deck. Great coastal getaway.
$135,000
CCB#11957 MLS#20286681
Lynnette Wikstrom
Broker
100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR • 541.997.7777
“We’re next to the Bridge.”
lynnette@cbcoast.com · Cell: 541.999.0786
COAST REAL ESTATE