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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2018)
T he C olumbia P ress 1 50 ¢ C latsop C ounty ’ s I ndependent W eekly n eWspaper www.thecolumbiapress.com Man faces auto theft charges for taking scooter The Columbia Press A man who used one of Walmart’s motorized carts for his personal transportation discovered he’d com- mitted a fairly serious crime. Raymond Clark Heath, 66, of As- toria was arrested Monday on suspi- cion of vehicle theft. The electric scooters are worth $900 and considered motor vehicles under Oregon law. Walmart employees called police about 11:30 a.m. July 27 when a shopper told them they’d witnessed a man riding one of their carts down Highway 101, according to a police report. Police searched the area and even- tually found the scooter parked on the side of Alternate Highway 101 west of Ensign Lane near the Ski- panon River Bridge, about a half mile from Walmart. Officers could hear voices in the nearby brush and found three men. “I asked which one of them drove the scooter from Walmart to its rest- ing location,” the officer wrote in his See ‘Scooter’ on Page 6 Vol. 2, Issue 31 August 3, 2018 Don’t mess with forest ‘orphans,’ OSP warns Oregon State Police of a group and how to escape Put it back. That’s the advice predators. Usually this leads you’re likely to hear if you to a shortened life span for the bring a young wild animal animal. home to “take care of it” — if Removing an animal from the you don’t, you could get a tick- wild is a violation of state law. et from Oregon State Police. “Wildlife may not be captured Oregon’s deer and elk give from the wild and/or held,” the birth from May through July statue reads. and many other wildlife spe- Doing so is a class A misde- cies also bear young this time meanor that carries a maxi- of year. It’s natural for mother mum fine of $6,250 and one animals to leave their young year in jail. In 2017, Oregon alone for extended periods as State Police issued seven warn- they go off to feed, so never ings and one citation to people assume a young animal is or- who had picked up deer fawns, phaned when you see it alone. bear cubs, a baby turkey, a baby The mother will return when raccoon, nine baby opossums it’s safe to do so — when peo- and an injured osprey. ple, pets and predators aren’t If you’re certain a young around. animal is orphaned because Unfortunately, every year you saw its mother die, or if you ODFW offices, licensed wild- see an injured animal or one in life rehabilitators and even Or- distress, call one of Oregon’s egon State Police are flooded licensed wildlife rehabilitators. with calls from people who’ve Rehabilitators are trained and picked up a deer fawn, elk calf, Oregon State Police have facilities to properly care Trooper Christopher Boeholt holds a black-tailed fledgling bird learning to fly, for young wildlife and eventual- or other young animal they as- deer fawn picked up by someone near Salem. It was ly return them to the wild. sumed was orphaned because turned over to a wildlife rehabilitation center. You can also call the Oregon it was alone. Department of Fish and Wild- learn important survival skills from Animals taken from their natural life at 503-842-2741 or local law their parents such as where to feed, environment miss the chance to enforcement. what to eat, how to behave as part Regatta’s century-plus tradition livens local waters The Columbia Press Astoria Regatta, one of the West’s oldest festivals, re- turns next week for five days of sea-centered activities. The Regatta is so old and sig- nificant in the region’s history that the Oregon State Historic Commission has named it a His- toric Cultural Tradition. “It’s definitely the oldest festi- val in Oregon. It started in 1894,” Scott Docherty/Redhare said Melissa Grothe, Regatta Queen Megan Postlewait (left) and Regatta princesses sail secretary and a former Regatta off at the beginning of the 2017 Highwater Boat Parade. court member. “It’s just neat to be a part of the tradition and, in my case, to give back.” The 2018 Regatta includes three parades -- two by land and one by water -- receptions for royalty, children’s activities and sailboat races. This year’s theme is “Making Waves!” Regatta Square, at the center of activity, will have a fun zone, food booths and a beer garden. Columbia Memorial Hospital has taken on Regatta Square’s management and has added a health fair. On the first day of Regatta, four young women will compete for the title of queen. They are Catherine Tapales of Warrenton High School, Danielle Morinville of Knappa High School, Katie Zagata of Seaside High School, and Nikkole Sasso of Astoria High School. All members of the court re- ceive scholarship money from the Regatta Foundation, which is matched by the Riedel Foun- dation. The queen receives a See ‘Regatta’ on Page 4