September 11, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 5A How can we be better prepared for the ‘Big One’? G UEST C OLUMN A lot of people read “The Really %ig One,” .athryn Schulz’s New Yorker article about the Cascadia earthquake and tsunami that are forecast to strike the Paci¿ c North- west. The article caused shockwaves of its own across our region. The information is not new to most of us here at home, but the viv- id description of the risk to lives and the regional economy has generated a really big amount of anxiety in Or- egon. It’s alarming to read that the larg- est natural disaster to hit North Amer- ica might happen right here at home. %ut as a lawmaker, I am also deeply concerned about the article’s remind- er that we are nowhere as prepared as we can and should be given how much we know about this threat. In the article, OSU earthquake expert Chris Gold¿ nger discusses the grow- ing gap between what we know and what we should do about it. I have made closing this gap a priority in my work in Congress. I’ve supported additional research, advocated for federal investment in resilience, and raised awareness among my colleagues in Congress. %ut there is still work to be done. Many Oregon communities are already taking action. For example, Cannon %each set up cache sites in By U.S. REP. SUZANNE BONAMICI evacuation areas where residents can store food, water, and supplies in barrels. Last year, I participated in their Race the Wave . walkrun, which followed the tsunami evac- uation route from the beach to the cache site so residents and visitors are familiar with the route. At the state level, Oregon law- makers authorized The Oregon Re- silience Plan. This comprehensive plan recommends policies to pro- tect lives and the economy during and after a Cascadia event. Oregon Emergency Management is working with FEMA on Cascadia Rising, an earthquake and tsunami function- al exercise that’s planned for next summer. And the Legislature just passed several resilience-building bills, including provisions for seis- mic rehabilitation of schools and other critical infrastructure. The state is making progress, but the federal government can and should do much more. FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration are engaged in earthquake and tsunami research Boac’s Bird Notes ERICK BENGEL/THE DAILY ASTORIAN FILE U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., explains the importance of invest- ing in tsunami preparation to the fun run participants in October. Tak- ing measures now, she said, will not only help to ensure that more peo- ple survive, it will make it easier for cities to rebuild aft er the disaster. and education, but these efforts are not nearly enough. Oregonians face the complicated task of needing to prepare for an event on a scale not experienced in more than 315 years. Unfortunately, federal funding for hazard mitigation and resilience is generally limited to events that have already occurred and caused damage, like Hurricane .atrina or Superstorm Sandy. This tendency to be reactive rather than proactive is shortsighted, and I’m committed to doing what I can to work on prevention. We can start by providing fed- eral funding for research and de- velopment. The U.S. Geological Survey just awarded $4 million to universities in the Paci¿ c North- west and California for an earth- quake early warning system. And I am pleased that one of the ¿ rst bills the U. S. House passed this session was my bipartisan Tsunami Warning, Research and Education Act. Once it passes the Senate, this Act will support NOAA’s tsunami research and community-speci¿ c outreach and resilience activities. It’s a good start, but only a small part of a long list of research and outreach needs. Local and state governments also need resources to assess, plan, and respond to a Cascadia earthquake. At an implementation meeting for the Oregon Resilience Plan last year, we discussed the importance of planning and response training for communities. The disruption to transportation and communications systems will likely mean that many communities, particularly in rural areas, will be cut off from relief ser- vices. Communities need to be able to react and respond so people are safely evacuated, able to shelter in place, and endure winter weather, ¿ re, medical emergencies, or food and water shortages. The scope of what we face can seem overwhelming, but it is not insurmountable. I will continue to advocate for preparing for a Casca- dia earthquake and tsunami. Smart investments now will save lives, property, and money later, and will help the regional economy recover faster. Join me in building on this momentum toward a more resilient future for Oregon and the Paci¿ c Northwest. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., represents the 1st District. SUSAN BOAC How to identify the immature song sparrow, cowbird Paradoxically for me, identifying birds is the tricky part of birding and it’s the most interesting part of birding. Not only are some species very very similar in certain regards, they can be especially challenging to tell apart as juveniles and during molt. Sometimes Song Sparrows don’t look like song spar- rows to me at this time of year! I had moments of won- der this breeding season, watching momma birds feeding their babies. Like on the ¿ rst Sunday %ird :alk in &annon %each Aug. 2, I saw an adult spar- row feeding an immature cowbird! %rown-head- ed cowbirds don’t build SUSAN BOAC nests, they lay eggs (up to three dozen a summer) in others with the hopes they get adopted, like the one I saw. The size difference was comical! Cowbirds are much larger than most spar- rows. In our area, song spar- rows and friends start SUSAN BOAC PHOTO A song sparrow in Cannon Beach. molting about mid-August, sometimes through Sep- tember. Researchers have found that females start LET TERS Mental health outrage Regarding the article “In Clatsop County, gaps in mental health safety net” (The Daily Astorian, Aug. 24): My professional life has been spent in the area of human social services, pub- lic and private. I am very aware of the signi¿ cant and complex issues with institu- tionalization pre-1960s, as well as de-institutionaliza- tion from the 1960s to to- day. I understand the heavy burden and heartbreak lack of services and fund- ing causes for individuals, families, neighbors, cities, counties and states. Clatsop County, tragi- cally, is typical. I am writ- ing this letter, however, because of my newest out- rage resulting from reading the second to the last para- graph of the above article. It follows: “On Sunday af- ternoon, four days after he was picked up by the state trooper for having a mental cannonbeachgazette.com to molt a little later than males. I start to notice a lot of little brown birds with no tails at my feeding stations. These little guys are able to À y during molt, but without a tail, landing can some- times be rather comical! That makes me smile even more than usual. I take a plethora of pic- tures this part of the year, in my attempt to identify and become familiar with all these little friends. And I keep hoping I am seeing something new. Mostly, I ¿ nd that by will alone I cannot transform a molting adult or juvenile into a new species no matter how hard I try. First Sunday bird walk Something new! Please join a group of people on the ¿ rst Sunday of the month for birding in the Cannon %each area. :e will meet at the Lagoon Trail parking lot on Second Street at 9 am and bird until about . %ring binoculars and wear appropriate cloth- ing. Everyone is welcome! Susan has spent her life enjoying the great outdoors from the lakes and woods of Northern Minnesota, Mt. Adams in Washington and now the Oregon beach environs. After spending many pleasurable hours driving her avid birder parents around, she has taken up birding as a pas- sion, to the mixed emotions of her husband Scott. The Boacs reside on the Neawanna Creek in Sea- side where their backyard is a birder’s paradise. LOC AL HAPPENINGS IN BRIEF breakdown on Highway 26, the man was given a courte- sy ride to the Astoria Transit Center. Police bought him a bus ticket to Portland.” The untreated (the lack of services was clearly de- scribed in previous para- graphs), ill person was placed, apparently alone, on a public bus for a 2-hour, 100-mile ride to Portland. What does this “solution” say for the welfare of the man, the bus driver and passengers, as well as other motorists on the road at that time? I thought public safety was the primary concern of sworn of¿ cers in our cities and counties. What would be the city’s liabil- ity if an “accident” had occurred? Granted, a cour- tesy drive to Portland by an of¿ cer would be costly, but consider the possible alternatives. Melissa Cadwallader Cannon Beach New volunteer training at the Harbor Volunteer training with the Harbor begins Tuesday, Sept. 29. Class will be held Tues- days and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Come learn the basics in compassionate com- munication, crisis intervention, active listening, the impact of oppression on individuals and communities, domestic vio- lence and the law and more. The training includes educa- tors from the Harbor as well as experienced guest speakers from the community. Volunteer opportunities are available at the shelter, during community events and special projects. Some volun- teers work in the Harbor’s cli- ent service of¿ ce, Dpjj Vu’s donation center, and as ongo- ing advocates for individuals accessing services. All volunteers will need to attend the first training. Training requirements vary depending on the type of volunteer posi- Cannon Beach’s Largest Selection of Oregon and Washington Wine! U P C O M IN G TA STIN G S Sept 12 • N orthw est C ellars Sept 19 • W alnut C ity W inew orks Sept 26 • S ineann O ct 3 • H olloran V ineyard s O ct 17 • E lk C ove V ineyard s “Best W ine Sh op on th e O regon Coa st.” - W ine Ju lia Sh ack H ou rs D aily • 11am to 6pm Tastin g R oom H ou rs Sat • 1pm to 5pm 124 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach 503.436.1100 - www.beachwine.com tion. Contact Chris, volunteer coordinator, at 503-325-3426, or visit 1361 Duane St, Astoria to pick up a volunteer packet. Add your voice to Cannon Beach Chorus The Cannon %each Cho- rus, under the direction of Dr. John %uehler, will begin the fall 2015 performance season on Monday, Sept. 14, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cannon %each Community Church, 132 E. Washington St., Cannon %each. Enter- ing their 27 th year, the chorus will begin rehearsing choral literature representing music from the 1800s to the present and includes Mass in G by Franz Schubert with organ and string quartet; a collec- tion of carols by %ritish com- poser, John Rutter and a col- lection of seasonal favorites, all of which will be presented at the December concerts. The 55-voice chorus is open to singers age 16 and be- yond. For more information about the Cannon %each Cho- rus, visit cannonbeachchorus. org or call 503-436-0378. Bereavement support at Providence Seaside A six-week bereavement support group, “Journey through Grief,” for family and friends of those who have lost a loved one takes place at Providence Seaside Hospital Mondays, Sept. 21-Oct. 26 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The group will meet at Providence Sea- side Hospital Family Consult Room. There is no charge for the sessions but pre-registra- tion is recommended. The hospital is located at 725 S. Wahanna Road. Call Cynthia Livar at 503-717- 7233 to register. Workshop will teach how to use Excel Clatsop Economic De- velopment Resources will hold a workshop Sept. 15 on using Microsoft Excel. The workshop will teach participants how to navi- gate worksheets, organize data into rows and columns, format text and cells, write formulas and create charts. The workshop costs $15, payable at the workshop by credit card. The ¿ rst in- stallment takes place at the South Count Center, 1455 N. Roosevelt Drive in Sea- side, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sept. 15. The second runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Towler Hall Room 105 on the college’s main cam- pus, 1651 Lexington Ave. Visit http:tinyurl.com qy78tjn for more informa- tion. :HOFRPH'U:LVEH\0DUWLQ Erin Wisbey Martin, MD Obstetrics/Gynecology Family Medicine Dr. Wisbey Martin specializes in Women’s Health (Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Family Medicine. She is accepting new patients and looking forward to building a practice in North Tillamook County. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Wisbey Martin and her husband to the community. To make an appointment, call: (503) 368-2292 Manzanita Primary & Specialty Care 10445 Neahkahnie Creek Road, Manzanita adventisthealth.org/trmc