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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2021)
The Columbia Press 1 Clatsop County’s Independent Weekly www.thecolumbiapress.com State sells last piece of Tongue Point 50 ¢ Vol. 5, Issue 25 June 18, 2021 Guard focuses on response after a dirty bomb The state is selling the last piece of land it owns on Tongue Point to Berg- erson Construction. At a June 8 meeting of the Oregon Department of State Lands, mem- bers voted unanimously to sell the 15.23 acres to the Astoria marine and land construction company for its ap- praised value, $188,000. The property had been part of a na- val station there during World War II. The southernmost portion was used as a landfill for paint and petroleum products during the war. In 2013, the area was covered with an earthen cap that will be maintained and monitored by the Army Corps of Engineers in perpetuity. At one point, the state owned 154 acres of Tongue Point, most of it ac- quired from the Department of De- fense in 1980. Several warehouses and shipping piers were sold in 2000. Most of the other acreage was sold to Clatsop Community College. The property Bergerson is buying is zoned marine industrial and general development shorelands with a dredge spoil overlay on the noncontaminated portion. Other than dredge spoils, the only other use for the property is in- dustrial materials storage, so the sale to Bergerson makes sense, said Vicki Walker, state lands director. ‘Victim’ Martin Adams is tested for radiation contamination following a sce- nario at Camp Rilea involving a dirty bomb. Below: A re- sponse center set up again each day at Camp Rilea. D.B. Lewis The Columbia Press By D.B. Lewis The Columbia Press Citizen soldiers are preparing for the worst this week. More than 100 members of the Ore- gon Army National Guard, Oregon Air Guard, and Washington Army Guard have gathered at Camp Rilea for chemi- cal, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) disaster excercises. The hands-on training was enlighten- ing to me as a local volunteer for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), the Red Cross, and AuxComm. I know how important it will be to have help for our remote county. “When those bad days do occur, we will be here to help,” said Lt. Col. Evan Hessel, deputy director of Oregon Na- tional Guard and commander of CER- FP, the acronym used to describe the enhanced response force package for the specific disasters. “Be proud of what your soldiers and airmen are doing,” he said. Each morning of the training, the guard members set up the dozen or so tents and all the equipment, a 2 1/2 -hour exercise. Rather than leave it up throughout the week, set-up is a daily part of the training. The team arrived Sunday. Monday was the sarin gas exercise, Tuesday’s See ‘Disaster’ on Page 5 Class of 2021 bids adieu to most uncertain year By Cindy Yingst The Columbia Press The past year has been like no other and few people will remem- ber it as vividly as the class of 2021. “A third of our high school years were spent in the midst of a pan- demic,” Co-Valedictorian Aaron Cote said in his address to class- mates and their families. “We have seen many successes throughout our career. We saw the baseball team go to the state championship, our wrestling ma- chine, Sam (Irwin), win the state title, the volleyball team win league for three years in a row, the football and basketball teams make complete turn-arounds. … No matter what you decide to do, I encourage you to persevere through any obstacles that come at you.” Co-Valedictorian Caleb Spren- geler was equally encouraging. “As this chapter of our lives draws to a close and we stand be- fore the uncertain path of our fu- ture, I ask you not to focus on the chapter that is ending but to focus on the one that is beginning,” Ca- leb said. “I’ve learned that your time is your most valuable asset, worth more than any stock or cryptocur- Senior Class President Caleb Sprengeler leads class- rency. That is why I want to im- mates in moving their cap tassels from one side to the See ‘Class of ‘21’ on Page 4 other, signifying the moment of graduation has arrived.
