The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Thursday, November 3, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ISSUED: 9:00 AM NOV. 3, 2022 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 2 AM PDT FRIDAY... ...HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM FRIDAY TO 5 AM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the first Small Craft Advisory this morning, seas 9 to 10 ft at 12 seconds. For the second Small Craft Advisory, southwest winds 20 to 30 kt with gusts to 35 kt and steep seas 6 to 9 ft at 11 seconds expected. For the Hazardous Seas Warning, steep to very steep and hazardous seas 10 to 17 ft at 12 seconds expected. * WHERE...All areas. * WHEN...For the Hazardous Seas Warning, from 2 AM Friday to 5 AM PDT Saturday. For the Small Craft Advisory, until 11 AM PDT this morning. For the Small Craft Advisory, from 8 PM this evening to 2 AM PDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds and steep to very steep and hazardous seas could capsize or damage vessels. Bar crossings will become especially treacherous. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Another very high and steep northwest swell will build over the waters this weekend with the potential for seas near or in excess of 20 ft and a dominant wave period of 14 seconds Saturday into Sunday. Mariners should plan accordingly for the high swell event. * View the hazard area in detail at https://go.usa.gov/x6hks PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Recreational boaters should remain in port. Commercial vessels should prepare for very steep seas and consider remaining in port until conditions improve.
OSU Researchers Win $4.2 Million Grant To Study Ocean Changes Affecting Dungeness Crab And Krill Along The West Coast
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded Oregon State University and its research partners $4.2 million to investigate how multiple climate change-related stressors are impacting marine ecosystems off the coast of Oregon, Washington and northern California.
The researchers will focus on two key species — Dungeness crab, which plays a significant economic and cultural role in coastal communities and is considered the most valuable single-species fishery in Oregon; and krill, which are tiny crustaceans that play a critical role in the ocean’s food web and serve as a bellwether for ocean health.
The nine-month 2021-22 Dungeness crab season in Oregon was valued at nearly $91 million.
Both species are facing threats from ocean acidification, low oxygen conditions known as hypoxia, marine heat waves, rising ocean temperatures, and algae blooms.
The goal of the new project is to better understand the direct and indirect impacts of those stressors and help commercial fisheries and Oregon and tribal resource managers prepare for the changes ahead, said Francis Chan, the principal investigator. Chan is a marine ecologist and director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
“We know that the climate is changing, and it is impacting our marine resources,” Chan said. “This work is all about how we can best position the Dungeness crab fishery to be more resilient to these changes. At the conclusion of this work, we hope to have answers to help fishermen and managers get to a climate-ready fishery.”
The work will focus on the northern California Current, the span of waters along the West Coast from Washington to northern California, including NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and longstanding tribal fishing areas.
Researchers will use existing and new ocean data, ocean and climate models, laboratory experiments and fisheries management evaluation techniques to learn more about the relationships between the different stressors and the potential cascading impacts that may result.
A key component of the project is the integration of “traditional ecological knowledge”, which is the accumulation of Indigenous science, including information, practices and beliefs about relationships and environmental functions, including all elements, species and processes within ecosystems.
Siletz Tribal member Samantha Chisholm Hatfield, an assistant research professor in OSU’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, will lead that aspect of the project.
The work will include interviews with tribal members to better understand changes to shellfish populations and ocean patterns they have orally documented over generations.
“We want to provide context around what changing ocean conditions might mean for the future, not just for the commercial industry, but also the cultural impacts for tribal communities on the West Coast,” Hatfield said.
Tribal fishers also will contribute to the collection of scientific data on ocean conditions in their areas. The research team also will work closely with tribal and commercial fishery leaders through an advisory board.
“The involvement of an advisory board is essential,” Chan said. “We want to make sure that our science will provide answers to questions that people working the fishery are looking for and can use.
“ … we hope to give people a clear view of what the future will look like for the fishery in this region,” he said. “We will also look at how current resource management tools, such as size limits and seasonal closures, as well as other options that fishers and managers identify, might be used in the future to safeguard the fishery.”
OSU researchers on the project include Maria Kavanaugh of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; Bob Cowen, Su Sponaugle and Moritz Schmid of Hatfield Marine Science Center; and Nina Bednarsek of the Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies. Other research partners are from universities in Washingon and California and from NOAA.
The Port Of Astoria Commission Approves Enterprise Zone Assistance For Tongue Point Development
The Port of Astoria Commission states they have approved an application by WCT Marine and Construction that will grant the company local property tax breaks as it eyes development at Tongue Point.
The Astoria-based company will likely become the latest addition to the Clatsop Enterprise Zone. The agreement, under the long-term tax incentive, will give the company nearly $5.5 million in tax abatement over 15 years.
In order to receive the tax breaks, the company must get approval from the four enterprise zone sponsors. The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the application last week. It will go before Astoria and Warrenton in the coming weeks.
The Port Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the application.
“The Port of Astoria is supposed to be all about supporting economic development, and to me, this is the easiest possible exercise for the Port to be involved with that would help support what is proven to be very successful,” Dirk Rohne, the president of the Port Commission, said. “Understanding that there is a tremendous outlay and investment, and anything that can be done to help improve the successes of everyone’s best interests, I certainly fully support it.”
Enterprise zones are intended to help foster job opportunities, increase competitiveness and attract businesses to regions experiencing economic hardship. The Clatsop Enterprise Zone was established in 2015 and expanded in 2018 to include more areas across the county, including a section of North Tongue Point.
WCT Marine and Construction will be leasing a 34-acre shipyard at Tongue Point from Hyak Maritime. The development of the boatyard is expected to include the arrival of an all-electric, 1,500-ton mobile lift, which would allow the company to haul out, repair and maintain large boats. Hyak believes it is the only one of its kind in the country.
Robert Dorn, the CEO of Hyak, spoke at the Port meeting, expressing gratitude to commissioners for their continued support in the development at Tongue Point.
Dorn said the project recently reached large milestones in the permitting process. He predicted that the development of the boatyard and the arrival of the lift will be transformative.
“It’s really happening and a lot is going on,” he said. “With everybody’s help in the community, we’ve been able to almost get it fast-tracked.”
Hyak Maritime secured nearly $14 million from Connect Oregon to help cover the cost of the lift, $7 million from the state’s share of the federal American Rescue Plan Act and $350,000 from the Governor’s Strategic Reserve. The total investment in the project at Tongue Point reaches approximately $35 million with a projected in-service date in August 2024.
The Port previously managed North Tongue Point until Washington Development Co. sold it to Hyak in 2017.
“My thoughts a long time ago — I didn’t think the Port would ever be able to do anything with Tongue Point and I have always favored private ownership of that and I think it’s coming to reality now — I’m sure it is,” Commissioner James Campbell said.
Fort George Brewery, Scoular Co. and Buoy Beer Co. have previously received approvals to participate in the Clatsop Enterprise Zone. In the standard program, qualifying businesses can receive tax breaks for up to five years, but Fort George, like WCT Marine and Construction, was granted long-term incentives under the state’s rural enterprise zone, which offers tax breaks for new investments that meet more rigorous requirements.
Under conditions of the agreement, WCT Marine and Construction must meet a minimum investment of $12.5 million, employ a certain number of new full-time employees and provide wages of a particular percentage above the county’s average annual wage.
$2.6M Federal Funds Allotted For Anti-Hunger Projects In Oregon
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Oregon Food Bank (OFB) have announced the federal investment in anti-hunger efforts through local food purchases. Local food banks across the state could benefit from a $2.6 million federal grant.
ODHS and OFB said part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, the grant will significantly expand the food bank’s Community Grower Support Fund — investing in historically underserved producers while also addressing rising food insecurity in urban, rural and remote communities that have faced disproportionate hunger and poverty for generations.
“As communities in Oregon continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and the rising cost of food, we know that many are experiencing hardship and are struggling to get enough healthy food for themselves and their children,” ODHS Self-Sufficiency Program Interim Director Jana McLellan said. “We are grateful to play a part in connecting individuals and families with fresh, nutritious food grown by local producers.”
Authorized by the American Rescue Plan, Local Food Purchase Assistance provides opportunities for state and tribal governments to strengthen local and regional food systems.
Through grants like the $2.6 million awarded to the Oregon Department of Human Services in partnership with the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon Department of Agriculture, the program supports farmers and producers to establish or expand partnerships with area food distribution networks.
“This grant is a triple win for Oregon communities: it allows us to strengthen local food systems, support producers of color and provide fresh, locally-grown food to people experiencing hunger,” Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan said. “With as many as 1.5 million people seeking food assistance this year, government investments like these are critical to our shared effort to end hunger and its root causes.”
The grant funds will provide a boost to local economies through expansion of the Community Grower Support Fund, which purchases food directly from socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers — a U.S. Department of Agriculture classification that includes groups that have been subject to systemic racial or ethnic prejudice.
This locally produced food is distributed to urban, rural and remote underserved communities throughout the state. Funds will also improve storage and transportation infrastructure, helping to build more resilient local food systems for the long-term. https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/
Oregon to Receive $35+million to Fund Rural Broadband Internet
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a total of $35,588,796 million in funding to deploy high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in Benton, Lane, Lincoln, and Polk counties. These awards are part of the round three investments through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Program, which received new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law .
“I’ve worked for years to increase access to broadband around Oregon, and with the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, reliable and affordable broadband has become more crucial than ever to the success of our workforce, students, and communities,” said Merkley. “Improving and investing in access to high-speed internet will help support the economy, education, and quality of life for folks in Benton, Lane, Lincoln and Polk counties. I’ll continue doing all I can to secure the resources needed to keep Oregonians connected in every corner of the state.”
“Rural quality of life throughout Oregon demands high-speed Internet links that connect children to educational opportunities as well as doctors to their patients, and small businesses and farms to their customers,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified that the Oregon Coast and the Willamette Valley will benefit from these federal investments, and I’ll keep fighting to connect all of rural Oregon to quality Internet access that’s so crucial to modern commerce, telehealth and convenience.”
“High-speed broadband fosters economic development, allows rural communities to remain vibrant, and enables people to work and live wherever they choose,” said James Rennard, General Manager of Pioneer Connect. “Telehealth, remote learning, and changes in working arrangements all require broadband access. This project will make all this possible. Building fiber in rural areas is challenging due to the terrain and expense of infrastructure. Fiber is the gold-standard and enables Pioneer to meet our members’ broadband needs for decades to come. FTTH means our customers don’t have to make compromises on speed or quality, share a connection with their neighbors, or worry about things that impact service like weather, trees, or terrain with other technologies. This Reconnect 3 award allows us to begin building this gold-standard network for our members today.”
“Our mission at Hyak is to give the rural communities we serve on the Oregon coast a leg up when it comes to high speed internet. With help from the USDA’s ReConnect program, Hyak is expanding our multi-gigabit fiber internet, making a long-term impact in our coastal communities, ” said Robbie Wright, CEO of Hyak. “Supporting our rural communities with long term investments can only be accomplished with the effort of many, including our local employees and resources who assisted with our application, our elected officials who are helping to prioritize infrastructure investment at the state and federal level, and our local USDA field representatives.”
Award recipients and amounts can be found below:
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative – $24,952,007 grant : This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 3,570 people, 558 farms and 72 businesses to high-speed internet in Benton, Lane, Lincoln, and Polk counties in Oregon. Pioneer Telephone Cooperative will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs.
Siuslaw Broadband, LLC – $10,636,789 loan : This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 1,407 people, 28 businesses, 21 farms and two educational facilities to high-speed internet in Lane County, Oregon.
Study Finds Elderly Inundated By Aggressive and Misleading Marketing Driven By Medicare Advantage Plans
Trucks painted red, white and blue to look like U.S. government issue. Marketing materials designed to look like official communications from Federal agencies. Pushy salespeople who won’t stop calling. False information to portray a product in a positive light.America’s elderly are being “inundated” by people trying to prey upon them under the aegis of a federal program, according to a 
new report.
With Medicare enrollment in full swing, members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Ron Wyden, the Oregon Democrat, are putting a national spotlight on marketing tactics and scams by firms in the Advantage program based on data from around the country.
Medicare Advantage plans are available through private companies as an alternative to traditional Medicare.
The 27-page report, issued by the committee using information from 14 states, found “evidence that beneficiaries are being inundated with aggressive marketing tactics as well as false and misleading information … painting a consistent national picture.”
The report highlighted the case of an Oregon man who was eligible for both the Medicare program that’s available to the elderly and people with disabilities, and for Medicaid, which is restricted to the poor.
Specifically, he had their MA plan enrollment changed — without his consent — to a plan that did not include his primary care provider. He also delayed needed care due to confusion, and blamed himself for the problem.
The report included several other “vignettes” drawn from actual complaints:
- Seniors shopping at a grocery store are approached by insurance agents and
- asked to switch plans.
- Insurance agents tell seniors a new Medicare Advantage plan covers their doctor, but it turns out months later that was a lie.
- Marketing mailers designed to look like official business from a Federal agency
- An insurance agent calls Medicare members 20 times a day, trying to get them to change plans.
- Celebrities claim on TV that some Medicare members are losing out on higher Social Security payments to generate calls.
Earlier this year state officials said that its consumer assistance program, known as SHIBA, had heard from more than 16,000 people, and received 700 complaints in 2021. Oregonians who need help with the Medicare open enrollment process can call SHIBA at 800-722-4134 (toll-free) or visit the SHIBA website at SHIBA.Oregon.gov.
The new federal report urged the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to issue special warnings to Medicare members urging them to use caution if calling a television “helpline,” to “be careful what you click” and also to call 1-800-MEDICARE if they think they’ve been enrolled in a plan that does not work for them.
It also urged federal officials to step up enforcement and better regulate sales tactics for the program, while increasing funding toresources for seniors who need help choosing a plan.
Wyden said the report showed the need for change.
“Older Americans and those living with a disability count on Medicare to deliver dependable and high-quality health care when they need it most,” Wyden said. “It is unacceptable for this magnitude of fraudsters and scam artists to be running amok in Medicare and I will be working closely with CMS to ensure this dramatic increase in marketing complaints is addressed. Medicare Advantage offers valuable plan options and extra benefits to many seniors but it is critical to stop any tactics or actors that harm seniors or undermine their confidence in the program.”
ODOT Reminds Drivers Of Road Hazards As Heavy Rain And Low Snow Levels Hit Oregon
As we head into the winter months the Oregon Department of Transportation wants to remind drivers to take safety precautions before they hit the road. With heavy rain and low snow levels many driving hazards can catch drivers off guard.
You always want to make sure you know how to put chains on your car – because conditions can change
quickly in our area in Southern Oregon according to ODOT. Have your vehicle winter-ready and budget extra time to get to your destination. ODOT has crews ready and prepared for winter weather with snow plows and resources such as de-icer and cinder.
ODOT says elevation crews will stage equipment, people, and resources accordingly. If the snow starts getting really bad sometimes, they will stage snow plows right when you’re going up the summit so they can respond very quickly to changing conditions to make sure the roads are clear. CHECK ROAD CONDITIONS: tripcheck.com
County clerks throughout Oregon are seeing many forms of media that are incorrect and misleading voters regarding Oregon elections
Election Day is fast approaching and sadly so is all of the misinformation. The county clerks throughout Oregon are seeing many forms of media that is incorrect and misleading voters regarding Oregon elections. This includes but is not limited to texts, emails, calls and social media posts. Some are even made to look like they are from a trusted source.
Be cautious, know your trusted source. If you hear or see anything from a source other than the County Clerk’s Office or the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, please verify the information with your County Clerk’s Office. Do not be misled.
Turnout this year could be crucial to the results. Voters have key races to decide and several are highly competitive, including the three-way gubernatorial contest between Democrat Tina Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson. Three congressional races also could be tight, including for the 4th, 5th and 6th districts. Those results could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Oregon voters are also deciding the makeup of the state’s next Legislature, which Democrats have dominated for years. “There are a lot of close races, and they could be won very narrowly,” said John Horvick, senior vice president and an elections expert at Portland-based DHM Research. “Every vote matters. And though that’s a cliche, it really is true.”
All Oregon Voters Should Have Their Ballots by Now – Warned of Disinformation and Lies about Voting
Now that November election ballots are blanketing the state, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is sending out the message that voting here continues to be fair and secure. She says that Oregon has a robust system for ensuring the integrity of elections, including regularly updating voter rolls and checking voter signatures to validate the vote.
“Every single signature is checked. Every one. Not just a sample, not just a statistical amount. Every single signature is checked to make sure that’s the person who actually did vote.”
Former president Donald Trump and his supporters are continuing to repeat lies and disinformation about widespread fraud in U.S. elections and specifically about the security of mail-in voting, which Fagan says is affecting the job of county-level election officials here in Oregon.
“Sadly it’s a conspiracy that’s believed by about one in five Oregon voters and that’s a significant amount of our population,” she said. “We know it’s safe and secure here in Oregon. But yes, those conspiracy theories definitely are wearing on our county elections officials.”
Earlier this week, the Siuslaw News reported on a conservative group called the “Florence Liberty Alliance, which put up a post on its Facebook page asking for volunteers for a “Ballot Box Watch Team.” Fagan’s office is encouraging Oregon voters to “know their rights” and urging anyone who feels someone is trying to intimidate them at the ballot box or elsewhere to report it to her office online, by calling 503-986-1518 or emailing elections.sos@sos.oregon.gov.
“Intimidation can include aggressive or harassing questions about whether someone is qualified to vote that are intended to interfere with the right to vote … questions about citizenship status, criminal record, residency or other personal information or questions about how you intend to vote.”
Fagan says she hopes that their education campaign “Voting in Oregon Feels Good,” will resonate with Oregonians and encourage voter turnout. Ballots in the November election must be turned in or postmarked by Nov. 8.
All registered voters in Oregon should have received their ballots in the mail by now. Those who have their ballots must be sure to get them turned in or postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, in order to have their votes counted. Ballots put into any official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that night will be counted.
Anyone who did not get a ballot or received a damaged ballot should contact their county’s elections office to get a new one right away. Find your county elections office
According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, if someone requests a new ballot, their old ballot will be canceled, to prevent any attempts at voting more than once.
Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan assures Oregonians our upcoming election next week will be safe and fair. She outlined the process they are going through to assure election credibility. It starts with accurate voter registration records.
Oregon works with Federal, State and county elections officials to keep the list up to date and accurate. With accurate voter registration records we know only eligible voters are sent a ballot. Next, they take steps to prevent fraudulent voting. Every ballot envelope gets a unique barcode matched to a voter, and every signature on every returned ballot is verified.
These and other measures ensure that voter fraud in Oregon is exceedingly rare. When it happens, we catch it and the votes don’t count. Finally, they conduct post-election audits to verify the accuracy of the results. That’s how we know the results of the election match the will of the voters.
You can find this information in an infographic on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and I encourage you to share it. Knowing these basic facts helps prevent people from falling for false information they may encounter online. Learn more at http://Oregonvotes.gov/Integrity
Voting in Oregon feels GOOD
It’s time to get #VoteReady: Just grab your ballot and a blue or black pen!
You don’t even need a stamp It’s not a test: you can vote on every candidate and measure, or leave some blank How you vote is private. Make a plan to vote! http://OregonVotes.gov#TrustedInfo2022
