Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2020)
4 The Columbia Press November 13, 2020 Deer: Animals on runways pose safety risk Continued from Page 1 probably do them at night so they’re easier to spot and when no one will be on the trail late at night.” In 2002, a Navy Learjet struck an elk while landing at the airport. “Everybody got out, but the plane and elk suffered pretty badly,” Kobes said. The crash led to taller fenc- es and other measures to pre- vent wildlife from walking into the area. Yet somehow a herd or at least a pregnant doe managed to get in and create a new group inside. Commissioners were wor- ried about jeopardizing peo- ple who use a trail that runs along a dike between the air- port and some of the area’s natural areas, and the possi- bility of an errant bullet ric- ocheting off a runway toward traffic on Highway 101. Kobes said he’ll coordinate with Police Chief Matt Work- man every time they go out to cull the deer. Any deer that’s shot or trapped will go to a Til- lamook meat processor for dis- tribution to nonprofit groups. “I’m sure calls will come in,” Workman said. “While the volume of people is very min- imal, the dike is not closed and there could be people out there.” He suggested posting fluo- rescent signs at both ends of the trail warning of possible nighttime shooting. And he vowed to ensure hunters ar- en’t positioned in a way that bullets could fly toward the highway. Commissioners voted unan- imously to adopt a resolution authorizing the discharge of firearms on Astoria Regional Airport property for the pur- pose of “wildlife mitigation in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration and state of Oregon regulations.” They also designated the port as the city’s agent, plac- ing the liability for public safety on the agency. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife also issued a permit to the airport for the culling of wildlife, deeming it the best way to protect the health, safety and welfare of the traveling public. The organized hunt is ex- pected to begin within the next week, Kobes said. In other business Tuesday night, city commissioners: • Agreed to cooperate with the Oregon Department of Transportation on plans for safety improvements on Highway 101, at the southern entrance to town. A couple months ago, commissioners had criticized plans to elim- inate left-hand turns at Per- kins Road and Highway 104, saying the plan would create safety hazards at other al- ready taxed intersections. • Gave final approval to a citywide leash law. The city’s current dog laws al- low dogs to be off leash as long as they are under voice control of their owners. The new law allows them to be off leash only in their homes or fenced yards, in designated dog parks, under direct su- pervision during a legal hunt, while in use controlling or protecting livestock, or while engaged in a professional training activity. The new law goes into effect Dec. 10. Abandoned: The high cost of derelict vehicles Continued from Page 1 broke down or their useful lifespans ended, their owners pushed the hassle and cost of disposing of the vehicle onto the public,” ODF Astoria District Forester Dan Goody said, adding that the number of abandoned vehicles had steadily increased for the past five years. ODF has not typically bud- geted for this type and volume of cleanup. Like other state forest management costs, abandoned vehicle cleanup costs are derived from the roughly one-third share of net revenue ODF receives from timber harvests on Board of Forestry lands. When funds are used to re- move abandoned vehicles, it reduces the money available for other public priorities, such as improving recreation- al facilities. Not only are abandoned ve- hicles unsightly and expensive to clean up, they pose envi- ronmental hazards and public health risks. Oil, battery acid, and other fluids can leach into the soil and eventually reach groundwater and bodies of water. The vehicles also represent an attractive nuisance for children and adults to use drugs or engage in other illicit activities. In the past, they’ve been a target for arson – a risk that becomes magnified during fire season. Violators can be charged with offensive littering, which carries up to $1,250 in fines, said Deputy Shawn Copp of the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office. But determining a vehi- cle’s true owner can be tricky by the time it’s found aban- doned. “Just because a named per- son is registered as the owner doesn’t necessarily mean they are the person who actually abandoned the vehicle,” Copp said. “More often than not, the registered owner on file with Oregon DMV is two, three, or even four owners ago, es- pecially with the old vehicles who have been scrapped and left abandoned.” Even when ownership is de- termined, contact informa- tion can be outdated, making the owner difficult to find.
