Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 13, 2024 -- SEVEN
Oregon reports rise in avian flu cases
among migratory birds, public urged to
report sick wildlife
SALEM, Ore.— With
migratory waterfowl back
in Oregon for the winter, the
state is again seeing an in-
crease in cases of avian flu
and mortality in wild birds,
especially among cackling
geese congregating in the
Willamette Valley. Oregon
is the first state to report
a new spike in detections
this fall.
Highly Pathogenic
Avian Influenza (HPAI)
was first detected in wild
birds in North American
in December 2021 and
in Oregon in May 2022.
Unlike previous outbreaks
of HPAI in 2005 and 2014-
15, this specific strain of
the virus (H5N1) did not
disappear by the following
spring. The H5N1 strain
continues to change and
circulate in wild birds and
is also infecting backyard
poultry flocks, dairy herds
and other livestock includ-
ing pigs in Oregon. It has
also infected farm workers
in 14 states.
Waterfowl are the nat-
ural host of avian influen-
zas and the virus moves
throughout North Amer-
ica during spring and fall
waterfowl migrations. In
Oregon, most mortality in
wild waterfowl occurs in
cackling geese, especially
juvenile birds, however
the virus is also commonly
detected in wild ducks har-
vested by hunters.
Although many Low
Pathogenic strains of avian
flu naturally occur in wild
waterfowl, detections of
Highly Pathogenic strains
in wild birds are less fre-
quent. Typically, HPAI does
not cause large-scale mor-
tality in wild waterfowl or
other groups of wild birds
but often causes severe ill-
ness and death in domestic
chickens and turkeys.
However, the current
H5N1 strain has caused
increased mortality for
wild waterfowl (especially
geese), shorebirds, raptors
and scavengers such as vul-
tures. Currently, there have
been 10,400 confirmed
detections in 153 species
of wild birds throughout
the U.S. This strain has also
been detected in at least
20 wild mammalian spe-
cies including three marine
mammals and scavenging
carnivores such as coyotes,
foxes and skunks that have
likely fed on infected birds.
HPAI has been confirmed
in dairy cattle in 14 states,
including California and
Idaho. Oregon has con-
firmed HPAI in poultry
and recently in a pig from a
noncommercial farm.
According to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, humans
appear to be at low risk for
infection with the current
H5N1 strain.
Wildlife managers con-
tinue to monitor for the
virus by testing wild birds
found dead and sampling
live birds and birds harvest-
ed by hunters.
What do to if you
encounter groups of
sick or dead birds
ODFW asks that members
of the public report groups
of sick or dead wild birds
to the Wildlife Health lab at
866-968-2600 or wildlife.
health@odfw.oregon.gov.
ODFW staff are monitor-
ing and tracking continued
mortalities. Samples may
be collected in cases of
large groups of dead birds
or when multiple different
species are involved.
Typical symptoms in
wild waterfowl include
cloudy eyes, head shaking,
swimming in circles, and
incoordination. However,
HPAI can occur in dabbling
duck species that show no
signs of disease. These are
the carrier host species that
spread the virus to other
birds and wetlands. Infect-
ed wild mammals may be
found sick, dead or acting
neurologically abnormal
after consuming an infect-
ed bird and should also be
reported.
ODFW veterinarians
recommend that you do
not handle wildlife that is
sick or found dead. If it
is necessary to dispose of
a carcass, use a shovel or
wear impermeable gloves,
wash hands with soap and
water and change clothing
before having contact with
domestic poultry or pet
birds.
W h a t
h u n t -
ers need to know
Hunters may come in con-
tact with infected water-
fowl during the hunting
season and should always
practice the following safe
bird handling and cook-
ing techniques, especially
this season due to HPAI:
• Do not harvest or con-
sume birds that are obvi-
ously sick or found dead.
• Field dress and prepare
gamebirds outdoors or
in a well-ventilated area
• Wear rubber or latex
gloves and eye protection
when handling and cleaning
game birds. A N95 respira-
tor or well-fitting facemask
(e.g. surgical mask) is an
optional extra layer of pro-
tection and is referenced in
the current CDC guidelines.
• Do not eat, drink,
smoke or touch your face
when handling birds.
• Keep the game bird and its
juices away from other foods.
• Thoroughly clean knives
and any other equipment
or surfaces that touch birds.
Use a solution of one third
cup of chlorine bleach
per one gallon of water.
• Wash your hands with
soap and water for at least
20 seconds after handling
birds (or with alcohol-based
hand products if your hands
are not visibly soiled).
• Cook all game meat thor-
oughly (up to at least 165°
F) to kill disease organ-
isms including bacteria,
viruses and parasites. Use
a food thermometer to en-
sure the inside of the bird
has reached at least 165° F.
• Do not feed dogs raw
meat, organs or other tissue
from harvested waterfowl.
Falconers are advised
to avoid hunting waterfowl
and other waterbirds during
the HPAI outbreak because
of the risk it presents to
raptors. HPAI continues
to sicken and kill raptors
that come into contact with
infected avian prey or car-
casses.
Mustangs defeat Waldport Irish 58-0
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
Broker
Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
177 N Main St.
Heppner, Or 97836
O: 541-676-9228
E:sykeschris@hotmail.com
Price Reduced
$170,000
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– A Unique Opportunity! Step into history with this
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of Heppner, Oregon. This two-story home offers
4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Classic Victorian
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N COURT ST Heppner MLS#:24426505
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
-Continued from PAGE ONE put together a drive. That M u s t a n g t o u c h d o w n . line. The Mustangs were
Stadium.
The Waldport Irish
tried an onside kick off
to open the game that the
Mustangs recovered. The
unsuccessful try by the
Irish gave the Mustangs
great field position at the
Waldport 45-yard line.
On the first play from
scrimmage, Quarterback
Mason Orem handed
the ball off to Hayden
McMahon and he sprinted
45 yards for a Heppner
touchdown. Hayden then
ran the ball in for the 2-pt.
conversion to make the
score 8-0 just ten seconds
into the game.
Waldport couldn›t
move the ball on their first
possession and had to punt
the ball from their own
9-yard line. The Mustangs
got the ball to start their
second drive of the game
at the 50-yard line. On
the first play for Heppner,
Orem completed a pass to
Caleb George that covered
23 yards and then Hayden
McMahon ran the ball for
11. The Mustangs scored
on the next play when Zach
Brown took the handoff and
powered his way into the
end zone from 16 yards out.
That made the score of the
game 14-0 just four minutes
into the game.
The Heppner defense
forced another Waldport
punt that gave the Mustangs
the ball at the Irish 45-yard
line. On the very next play,
Alakae Rodriguez took
a handoff and with some
fancy footwork scampered
to the end zone for another
touchdown. The score was
20-0 with five minutes left
in the first quarter.
Waldport seemed to
settle down a little bit and
was until Ryan Haugen
sacked the Irish quarterback
for a 10-yard loss. It forced
a Waldport put that Keaton
Coiner returned 10 yards
to the Heppner 33-yard
line. The Mustangs then
put together a 5-play drive
that was highlighted by a
Orem to George pass play
that covered 14 yards and a
Zach Brown run of 43 yards
to the 10 yard line. Heppner
scored the touchdown when
Brown pounded the ball in
from 5 yards out for the
score. Orem passed the ball
to George for the 2-pt. con-
version to make the score
28-0 early in the second
quarter.
On their next drive,
the Irish turned the ball
over on downs at their
own 41-yard line giving
the Mustangs great field
position. Four plays later
the Mustangs scored when
Tripp Stewart ran the ball
in from 29 yards out for the
touchdown. Orem called his
own number and scored the
2-pt. conversion to make
the score 36-0 with six
minutes left until halftime.
Just two plays into
the next Waldport drive,
Keaton Coiner put a big hit
on the Irish running back
and he fumbled the ball.
Nick Wenberg jumped on
the ball and recovered it
to give the Mustangs a
great field position again
at the Waldport 39-yard
line. Rodriguez then ran
the ball for 9 yards, Stewart
went for 3 and then Orem
hit George with a 14-yard
pass completion for a first
down. Wenberg finished
the drive, that he started
with the fumble recovery,
when he ran the ball in from
13 yards out for another
Orem then threw the ball
to Keaton Coiner for the
2-pt. conversion to make
the score 44-0 at the half.
The second half of the
game would be played with
a running clock because of
the Mustangs being ahead
by more than 35 points.
Heppner kicked off to start
the second half and forced
the Irish to punt the ball on
their first drive. Heppner
then went on a 12-play, 62-
yard drive that ate up over
six minutes of the game
clock to get another score.
Caleb George scored the
touchdown on a 3-yard run.
That made the score 50-0
with just over a minute to
play in the third quarter.
On the ensuing
Heppner kickoff, the Irish
fumbled the ball right in
front of the Mustang bench
area. Joseph Albitre picked
up the ball and ran it in for
the touchdown on a 34-
yard scoop-and-score. The
new quarterback Caylan
Proudfoot scrambled and
then found Jackson Coiner
open in the end zone and hit
him with a perfectly placed
pass that Jackson caught for
the 2-pt. conversion. That
made the score of the game
58-0 as the third quarter
ended.
The Heppner
coaches put many of the
younger Mustang players
in to gain some valuable
playoff game experience.
The teams traded several
more possessions and
then Albitre made an
acrobatic interception of
the Waldport quarterback.
Albitre jumped high and
spun in order to catch the
ball, then when he came
down, he took it back 35
yards to the Irish 10-yard
content to let the clock run
out and end the game with
a 58-0 victory.
Heppner dominated
the game with the Irish. The
Mustangs finished with 18
first downs to only 4 for
Waldport. Heppner had
385 total yards in the game
compared to 63 for the
Irish. The Mustangs ran
the ball for 334 yards and
passed it for 51.
Orem finished the
game 3-5 by passing the
ball for 51 yards and George
caught all 3 of the passes
with a long of 23 yards.
Brown led the team in
rushing with 80 yards on 5
carries and he also scored
2 touchdowns running the
ball. Hayden McMahon
was next with 67 yards
and a touchdown while
Rodriguez finished with
54 yards and a rushing
touchdown. George ran
the ball for 44 yards and
a score, Orem had 37 and
Stewart 36 yards and a
touchdown. Wenberg had
a carry for 13 yards and a
touchdown, Zion Ramos
had 1 carry for 4 and John
Lindsay rushed for 2 yards.
Keaton Coiner led
the team in tackles with 8.
Next were George, Jaime
Cavan and Kaden King
with 6 tackles each. Landon
McMahon followed with 5
tackles and with 4 tackles
each were Wenberg and
Stewart. Ryan Haugen had
3 tackles and Brown had 2.
Finishing with 1 tackle each
were Hayden McMahon,
Lane Critchlow, John
Lindsay, Owen Guerra,
Andrew Lindsay, Albitre
and Rodriguez.
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For sale: Prime commercial lot on Main Street,
Heppner, Oregon. Property presents a golden
opportunity to establish your presence in a vibrant
community. Embrace the potential and seize this
chance to make your mark in Heppner, Oregon. Act
now and turn your visions into reality. Main St MLS#:
23022056
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
Broker
Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
For Sale
$220,000
This cozy 1950s home, located in a peaceful
community, offers a blend of classic charm
and modern comforts. The 3-bed, 2-bath
property features a finished basement with two
bedrooms and a bonus room, perfect for extra
space or an office. The well-maintained yard,
complete with mature fruit trees, provides a
relaxing outdoor space. Essential appliances,
including a fridge, range, washer, and dryer,
are included, making it move-in ready. Sold
as-is or with conventional financing, this
charming home is ready for you to make it
your own! 285 W ARCADE ST
Lexington MLS# 24676541