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4 The Columbia Press August 21, 2020 Guard members returning from deployment Oregon National Guard citizen soldiers from across the state are returning home from overseas deployment. The latest group arrived in Medford on Tuesday and included a team of 100 Or- egonians who had deployed to Djibouti, Africa, for nine months. Other units de- ployed to Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Dji- bouti and Kosovo. The mobilizations of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team are part of the second largest mobilization of Ore- gon troops since World War II. The last mobilization of Oregonians this size was in 2009-10. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., along with Forest Grove Mayor Peter B. Truax, greeted the troops Wednesday as they arrived in Portland. The McGowan triplets, L-R, Sgt. Ian Mc- Gowan, Spc. Aiden McGow- en and Rand McGowan pose for a selfie with their mother, Stephanie Salas, after returning from Africa. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department “On behalf of all Orego- nians, I thank the members of the Oregon Army Nation- al Guard for their service, commitment and sacrifice,” Merkley said. “The support they provide allows the rest of us to live in a safer, more secure country. I know the loved ones of our brave ser- vice members will be over- joyed to have them home.” Oregon National Guard members will arrive home throughout the month of Au- gust. The final group of sol- diers from the 41st, who are in Kosovo, are expect- ed to return shortly before Christmas. Each group goes through a two-week quaran- tine at a demobilization site in Fort Bliss, Texas. Airport: Manager replacement must wait Continued from Page 1 comes down to dollars,” said Will Isom, the Port of Asto- ria’s executive director. Kobes has agreed to stay on for a few more months. On Tuesday, port commissioners approved extending his con- tract through Dec. 1. After that, Kobes could be retained as a consultant one or two days a week for up to a year, Isom said. Duties such as billing and bookkeeping would move to the main of- fice. “Because of Gary’s exper- tise, the airport is probably the area of the port I’ve spent the least amount of time on,” said Isom, who became ex- ecutive director in Decem- ber. “From our side, over the last few years, we’ve really streamlined and digitized a lot of the processes we do here at the port, and the air- port has been left out of that.” Commissioners James Campbell and Robert Stevens both wanted to begin search- apron, establishment of the ing for Kobes’ replacement first business in the industri- immediately. al park, and facilitating the “Twelve to 18 months with- Federal Aviation Administra- out an airport man- tion grants the port ager is too much,” recently received, Stevens said. Isom said. “I think at this Also on Tuesday, period in time we Isom announced the need to start look- promotion of port ing for someone Operations Manag- who knows the er Matt McGrath to ropes,” Campbell assistant executive said. “We need to director. make sure we don’t McGrath was Isom let this thing fall hired by the port in back into the gutter where it 2014, only to resign five years was before.” later after calling then-Ex- Development of the indus- ecutive Director Jim Knight trial park is vital to the port’s incompetent, dishonest and future stability, he added. incapable of managing the “Stay on top of it, Campbell agency. When Knight left in said. “Once you get one thing December, McGrath was re- in there, I think it will attract hired to his former post. another and another and an- The promotion, effective other.” immediately, reflects the in- It makes more sense to keep creasing role McGrath has Kobes on in an interim basis taken on, Isom said. No pay to complete projects, such raise accompanies the new ti- as renovation of the runway tle, however.
