The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Oregon Beach Weather
ISSUED: 4:09 AM FEB. 15, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
…SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON… * WHAT…Seas 10 to 12 ft at 14 seconds. * WHERE..All areas. * WHEN…Until 4 PM PST this afternoon. * IMPACTS…Gusty winds and/or steep seas could capsize or damage smaller vessels. * View the hazard area in detail at https://go.usa.gov/x6hks
The Oregon Ocean Science Trust Awards $884,578 In State Funding For Ocean Research
The Oregon Ocean Science Trust has awarded $884,578 in state funding to ocean researchers to help Oregon better understand and monitor its nearshore resources.
The funding was made available from HB5202, which passed during the 2022 legislative session, and allocated the funds to the Oregon Ocean Science Trust to conduct science and monitoring on nearshore keystone species, including sea otters, nearshore marine ecosystems, kelp and eelgrass habitat, and sequestration of blue carbon. Through competitive grants, the funds have been disbursed to nearshore marine researchers.
For more information about these projects, and to track the progress of each project during the next two years, visit https://www.oregonoceanscience.org.
Lakeside Man Arrested After Pouring Accelerant On Woman And Trying To Light Her On Fire
According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, a woman is in the hospital after she was almost lit on fire in Coos County. Deputies responded to the Lakeside area at about 10:47 a.m. on Tuesday 2/14, to a report of a woman who had accelerant poured on her and was nearly lit on fire.
The victim was treated at the scene and transported by ambulance to a local medical facility.
Officials said during the investigation, they determined the suspect was 61-year-old Peter Sialaris of Lakeside. Officers said they surrounded Sialaris’ home at one point, and the Emergency Response Team (ERT), which is a multi-agency team, was activated and responded to the suspect’s address inside the city of Lakeside.
They said a search warrant was obtained and subsequently, Sialaris’ home was searched, however, he wasn’t found.
A short time later Sialaris returned to his home and was interviewed by law enforcement about the incident. Sialaris was taken into custody and is now in the Coos County Jail where he was booked on the charges of Attempted Assault I, Attempted Arson I, and Menacing Domestic.
Art Quilt Show: A Tribute To Diana – Feb.18-20, 2023 in Yachats
The “Diana” quilt show comes to the Yachats Commons from Saturday, Feb. 18, through Monday, Feb. 20.
The exhibit will feature 100 quilts paying tribute to Princess Diana.
The show is available to view from 10 am to 4 pm each day, with a suggested donation of $5 for entry. The Yachats Commons is located at 441 Hwy. 101. For more information, go to pollyplumb.org.
Get Set for Three Capes Marathon Relay
Three Capes Marathon Relay, which can be run solo or as two or five-person teams. The marathon race “with a view” will be hosted Saturday, Feb. 25, in Tillamook County.
The spectacularly scenic 26.2-mile course starts at Cape Meares Lake. The course cruises over Cape Lookout and finishes at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City, passing through or running adjacent to six state parks, two national wildlife refuges, multiple Tillamook County parks and offering stunning vantage points of the Tillamook Bay, Netarts Bay and the Pacific Ocean along the way.
The course is separated into five legs of distances from 4.37 miles to just under seven miles. Team categories include: family, business, school and Clydesdale. Starting and ending at sea level, there is nearly 2,400 feet of climb within the course, offering a challenging race that is great for building team camaraderie.
The cost for registration is $79 for the solo marathoner, $129 for a two-person team and $249 for a five-person team. Every participant will receive a Three Capes Relay medal when crossing the finish line and those who register by February 15 will also receive a race t-shirt.
Teams of high school runners can receive a 30-percent discount by using the code, “High School Runner” when registering. For more information and registration: http://threecapesrelay.com
Governor Orders Flags Flown Half-Staff For Gresham Firefighter Til Sunset Today
Governor Tina Kotek has ordered flags at public institutions flown at half-staff until sunset on February 15th to honor Gresham Firefighter Brandon Norbury. He died suffering cardiac arrest while on duty.
Here’s more from the announcement from the governor’s office.
Norbury dedicated his life to serving others. He was a member of the elite U.S. Navy SEAL Team 2, he was a Gresham Police officer for seven years and a Gresham Fire Department firefighter for nearly 15 years.
Norbury’s memorial service is planned for Wednesday. https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=87669
House Bill Seeks Funding To Train Dental Workforce Due To Staffing Shortages
House Bill 2979 aims to address a major staffing shortage in Oregon’s dental industry, specifically among dental assistants and hygienists. It would put $20 million toward funding, training, and education programs for college and high school students as well as on-the-job training. It would also expand existing incentives for dental professionals serving in high need areas.
According to The Oregon Health Authority dental offices lost 56 percent of their staff during the first year of the pandemic. For perspective, physician offices lost 11 percent. The problem according to many in the industry, is not enough aspiring dental care professionals in the pipeline.
“I can speak to how difficult it is to hire a dental assistant because I have had advertisements out for the last three years without much success,” said Representative Hai Pham (R-Hillsboro).
Pham is the bill’s chief sponsor as well as a pediatric dentist. On Tuesday, he and others testified before the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care.
“Creating a publicly accessible training module for dental assistants will help create more opportunities for individuals who want to enter the dental profession, particularly those in rural areas,” said Pham.
Representative Cyrus Javadi (R-Astoria) also testified in support of the HB 2979. Javadi practices dentistry on the north coast and also stressed how much more difficult the staffing crisis is in rural areas without access to training programs in their communities.
“The closest training program is two hours away,” said Javadi. “It’s too much of an ask for people interested in the dental profession to change their entire life to move closer to these training programs.”
For providers like Dr. Zeller their concerns always go back to what it means for patients.
“Having to cancel or schedule them months later has massive effects not just on how they’re feeling today but what their oral health is in the future,” said Zeller. Some dental professionals are concerned HB 2979 doesn’t do enough to address dissatisfaction over pay, specifically among dental assistants. They believe that’s one of the main reasons people aren’t filling open positions and that improving access to training isn’t enough to address that frustration.
Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation Awards Grants to 56 Nonprofits
Latest round of grants helps organizations create economic opportunity in communities across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Nevada
PORTLAND, Ore., (February 14, 2023) The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, has awarded 56 grants to local nonprofits across its footprint totaling $331,500.
Umpqua’s latest round of grants support nonprofit organizations across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Nevada, and are part of the bank’s overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested more than $17 million since the foundation was formed in 2014.
“We’re deeply committed to helping nonprofits provide critical community services that improve the economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families and small businesses,” said Randy Choy, Umpqua Bank vice president of community giving and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. “We look forward to continue aiding organizations through volunteerism and grants throughout 2023 and are grateful for all the hard work by these nonprofits in our regions that help better the lives of others in need.”
These nonprofits, selected from among hundreds of applicants in the final of three grant cycles in 2022, demonstrated a steadfast commitment to serving low-to-moderate-income populations in at least one of eight categories: family engagement and resiliency; financial competency; housing stability and home ownership; college, career or technical readiness; entrepreneurship and business expansion; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; technical and digital connectivity; and small business support and financial guidance.
The next deadline for community grant applications is 5 p.m. PT on Fri., March 3, 2023. Learn more at www.UmpquaBank.com/Community.
The following Oregon organizations received grants of $5,000 to $15,000:
Free Fishing Weekend This Weekend In Oregon
Make fishing part of your three-day weekend plans. Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday of President’s Day Weekend, Feb. 18-19, 2023.
No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free.
All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in season regulation changes at the Recreation Report especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the zone where you want to fish and then click the “Regulation Updates” tab to see the in-season changes.
The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. For beginners, Easy Angling Oregon is a great guide to getting started fishing in Oregon, and if you live near Portland, Bend, Medford, Roseburg or in Lane County, there are lots of nearby options.
Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing. Remember to check ocean conditions and take safety precautions—always clam with a friend and never turn your back on the ocean.
As of Feb. 14, crabbing is open coastside but razor clamming is closed along the entire Oregon coast due to biotoxin levels.
Remember to call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish page before you go clamming or crabbing. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat. MORE INFO: https://myodfw.com/articles/2023-free-fishing-days-and-events
BLM Waives Day Use Fees For Washington’s Birthday
In honor of George Washington’s birthday and to increase recreational access to public land, the Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees for visitors on February 20th.
A release said the BLM is inviting the public to visit unique and diverse natural landscapes and visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands to celebrate the life of the first U.S. President George Washington.
This marks the second of the BLM’s fee-free days of 2023. Fee-free days refer to the waiver of standard amenity fees and day-use fees, such as visitor centers, picnic/day use areas, and National Conservation Land units where fees are charged. Expanded amenity fees and other fees, like group day use, overnight camping, cabin rentals and individual special recreation permits, will remain in effect unless the authorized officer determines it is appropriate to waive them.
MORE INFO: Winter adventure in the Pacific Northwest – Our top locations for recreation in the snow, rain, or ice https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/766c58075f574db2b52f3d2e13b75bb8
83-year-old Clarence Edward Pitts walked away from his home in Bandon on Tuesday, January 31 at around 1:00 p.m. Pitts is described as:
- 6′ 00″
- 150 lbs
- Gray hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing an orange beanie, plaid jacket, tan pants and white shoes
- May have a walking cane
- Has dementia and PTSD
Pitts may be in a vehicle that was also found to be missing from the home:
- 1999 Toyota Van
- White
- Oregon license plate: WYN 788
If you see Clarence or have any information pertaining to where he may be, please call the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 541-396-2106 or the Bandon Police Department at 541-347-3189.
