The Columbia Press
February 19, 2021
County’s weekly case count drops
Just five cases of COVID-19
were reported during the past
seven days by Clatsop County
Public Health Department.
All five individuals were re-
covering at home Wednesday.
The county had recorded
a total of 768 cases since the
pandemic began. Eighteen
people had been hospitalized
and six had died.
Statewide, there had been
a total of 151,257 cases and
2,143 deaths as of Wednesday.
Oregon had administered a
cumulative total of 707,244
first and second doses of
COVID-19 vaccines as of
Baby killed in
Ecola crash
An infant was killed and her
mother badly injured Mon-
day in a vehicle crash in Can-
non Beach.
The vehicle’s driver was ar-
rested on suspicion of man-
slaughter, assault, reckless
driving and driving under the
influence of intoxicants.
The three were in a Mazda
MZ3 headed south on Ecola
State Park Road about 6 p.m.
Monday, according to Ore-
gon State Police. Driver Rony
Tomas-Garcia, 23, of Seaside
veered
off
the road and
struck a tree,
which caused
the vehicle to
flip onto its
top.
The 3 ½-
month-old
Tomas-Garcia
baby was fa-
tally injured.
Her mother, Esperanza
Martin-Ramirez, 20, of Rose-
burg, was taken to Columbia
Memorial Hospital in Astoria
and later transferred to Ore-
gon Health Sciences Univer-
sity in Portland.
Tomas-Garcia was treat-
ed for injuries at CMH and
booked at Clatsop County Jail.
Wednesday.
Breakthrough cases
Oregon Health Authority
is investigating four “break-
through” cases of coronavirus,
cases in which people have
tested positive for COVID at
least 14 days after completing
their vaccination series.
Two of the cases are in Yam-
hill County and two are in
Lane County. OHA is working
with local public health offi-
cials to investigate the origin.
The symptoms have ranged
from asymptomatic to mild.
Such cases are not unexpect-
ed. Clinical trials of both vac-
cines in use in Oregon included
breakthrough cases. In those
cases, symptoms were mild.
High school football season finally opens
By Bruce Dustin
For The Columbia Press
Warrenton High School’s
football season begins March
5 with a home game against
Corbett.
The idea of a home game
might be enticing to some
people, but, sorry to say, no
spectators are allowed.
The game will be televised
on the NFHS network, which
broadcasts high school sports
from across the country (go
to nfhsnetwork.com).
It’s the beginning of a short-
ened game season, due to the
pandemic, head coach Ian
O’Brien said.
Warrenton will play an away
Fisher Poets ’21 a virtual affair
The Fisher Poets Gather-
ing will be held online this
year and the annual event
begins Thursday, Feb. 25
and runs through Satur-
day, Feb. 27.
There will be two 90-min-
ute shows of poets, short
performances, and original
songs celebrating the com-
mercial fishing industry.
The first show begins at 6
p.m. and is moderated by
Jon Broderick or Cannon
Beach.
5
A second show begins at 8
p.m. with master of ceremo-
nies Peter Munro of Ken-
more, Wash.
Each night of the festival
will have different shows
beginning at 6 and 8 p.m.
Organizers expect one or
two virtual workshops as
well as films and prerecord-
ed performances that par-
ticipants can watch at their
leisure.
To learn more, go to fish-
erpoets.org.
Ethan Green
Hordie Bodden
game at Rainier March 12,
home against Blanchet Catho-
lic on March 19, home against
Yamhill-Carlton on the 26th,
and then finishing out the sea-
son, they’ll play Clatskanie at
home on April 2.
There will be no playoffs,
and the concept of a bowl
game at the end of the season
is tenuous.
I had the opportunity to sit
down and talk to a couple of
the players.
Ethan Green is a high school
senior and a starting running
back for the team.
“This has been different than
other years,” he said. “We’ve
had to take it a lot slower. In
the past, we had daily dou-
•
bles and we got to know each
other real well. This year it’s
only one practice and it’s just
much slower.”
It’s disappointing there will
be no play-offs, he said, but
a minimized season is better
than no season.
“We’re just as competi-
tive as in the past,” Ethan
said. “Before, we were play-
ing to get into the play-offs,
now we’re just playing to win
the game. Yeah, it’s differ-
ent.”
Hordie Bodden Bodden is
a junior. He’ll be the starting
quarterback, but he’s willing
to play running back, receiver
or anything required of him,
he said.
“I’m just happy to get to
play,” Hordie said. “The
shortened season bums us all
out, but maybe, just maybe,
there’ll be a bowl game at the
end.
“I’ve been hitting the weight
room, watching videos, and
working out on a regular
basis. I’m ready for this sea-
son. Bring it on.”
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