T he C olumbia P ress
April 20, 2018
Male gray whale strands on peninsula
Researchers from the West
Coast
Marine
Mammal
Stranding Network’s north-
ern Oregon and southern
Washington section complet-
ed a necropsy Sunday on a
yearling male gray whale that
stranded on Long Beach Pen-
insula after becoming entan-
gled in lines from a crab trap.
Ropes from the trap wound
through the whale’s mouth,
around one of its pectoral
flippers and its tail, and likely
caused the whale’s death, the
research team from Portland
State University and Casca-
dia Research Collective con-
cluded.
The young whale suffered
extensive
hemorrhaging
where the ropes had rubbed
against its body.
The whale stranded on a
remote beach at Ledbetter
Point and was reported to the
West Coast Marine Mammal
Stranding Network a week
ago. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
Fisheries coordinates the
network, which is made up of
nonprofit and state agencies,
biologists and volunteer or-
Event celebrates transit district’s 25 years
A ribbon-cutting and open
house for Sunset Empire
Transportation
District’s
Transit Center is set for 11:45
a.m. Thursday, April 26, at
the transit center on Marine
Drive.
The transit center is cele-
brating its 25th anniversary.
On Jan. 27, 1993, the Clat-
sop County Board of Com-
missioners held a hearing
Volunteers work with the gray whale that stranded last week.
ganizations.
“The whale was in good
body condition,” said Debbie
Duffield, a professor of biol-
ogy at Portland State Uni-
versity who coordinates the
Stranding Network. “The en-
tanglement appears to have
caused its death.”
The lines entangling the
whale were attached to the
buoy from a crab trap, which
carried a tag issued by the
Washington
Department
of Fish and Wildlife. NOAA
Fisheries will work with
WDFW to identify the own-
er of the trap to learn more
about where the trap was and
for how long the whale was
Day of Caring seeks volunteers for projects
The 2018 United Way Day
of Caring offers residents a
variety of projects in which to
participate to help the com-
munity on Saturday, April 21.
Projects include working
at Tapiola Park in Astoria,
along the Warrenton water-
front, at Seaside Heights Ele-
mentary School and at Camp
Kiwanilong.
All volunteers will be treat-
ed to a free barbecue from
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Camp
Kiwanilong.
Event sponsors are Home
Depot, Recology, SOLVE,
Pacific Power, NW Natural,
Clatsop Community Bank,
Columbia Memorial Hospi-
tal, Astoria Co-op, Van Du-
3
sen Family, Aquafina, Baked
Alaska and Hits 94.3 KRKZ.
Residents can show up be-
tween 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to
work on the Warrenton river-
front trail; park on the north
end of the Lewis and Clark
Bridge.
To work at Camp Kiwan-
ilong, pressure-washing cab-
ins, show up from 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. and, if possible, bring
your own pressure washer.
Others can clean cabins
in preparation for summer
youth programs.
to consider formation of the
proposed transportation dis-
trict to encompass all of Clat-
sop County (excluding the
city limits of Gearhart at that
time).
The final public hearing was
March 10, 1993, and the dis-
trict was created March 24,
1993.
The first election was in
June 1993.