Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 8/23 – Oregon’s First Evacuation Assembly Point (EAP) Equipment Will Be Set Up In Tillamook Today, Hood To Coast Relay Kicks Off Saturday Morning

The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Oregon Beach Weather

Oregon’s First Evacuation Assembly Point (EAP) Equipment Will Be Set Up In Tillamook Today

Oregon’s first evacuation assembly point (EAP) equipment will be set up in Tillamook on Wednesday 8/23

WHAT: Tillamook County and ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management emergency preparedness exercise

WHO: 

• Mary Faith Bell, Commissioner, Tillamook County
• Randy Thorpe, Emergency Manager, Tillamook County 
• Chad Knowles, Operations Chief, ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management
• Kevin Tucker, President, Near Space Corporation
• Eric Waters, Business Development Manager, Near Space Corporation
• Michele Bradley, General Manager, Port of Tillamook Bay

WHEN: 

• Wednesday, August 23, 2023
• The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting in a tent at the evacuation assembly point 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Media is welcome to attend this meeting. If attending the meeting, please arrive by 8:30 A.M. to set up.
• Media availability will occur directly after the meeting, in the same space. 11:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. 
• There will be time to get photos and videos of the various tents that comprise the EAP after 11:30.

WHERE: 5255 Long Prairie Road, Tillamook, OR. See attached map. Look for signs for Able Readiness 4, the name of this emergency preparedness exercise. 

WHY: ODHS’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) supplied Tillamook County with two Conex boxes that contain food, water, tents and medical supplies to support 100 people at the EAP for two weeks in the event of an emergency. Evacuation assembly points are short-term locations for people to gather while emergency responders work to access the impacted area. The Tillamook-area EAP is located at Tillamook Municipal Airport. All 17 EAP tents will be set up on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of an emergency preparedness exercise. OREM, as the lead state agency for mass care (e.g. shelter, food and water), has staged these supplies in Tillamook because coastal communities will be isolated from responders in the immediate aftermath of the Cascadia earthquake. During this exercise, OREM will train community leaders on how to set up the EAP. 

This news release was sent when the containers were delivered to Tillamook. 

HOW: For interviews or additional information please contact Sara Campos (she/her), OREM public information officer at a.k.campos@odhs.oregon.gov“>sara.k.campos@odhs.oregon.gov or 971-208-1947.

41st Annual Hood To Coast Relay Kicks Off Saturday Morning

The Hood to Coast is this weekend, known as the “Mother of All Relays”. Teams will travel 196 miles from the top of Mt. Hood to Seaside on the Oregon Coast.

This is the 41st year of the race. MORE INFO: https://hoodtocoast.com

If you’re not racing, be prepared for some road closures or runners on the road.

Officials are reminding motorists to make sure to stay alert and give plenty of distance to those in the race.

A route map is available on the Hood to Coast website.

  · FATAL SHOOTING News Release from Newport Police Department ***Update***

The deceased in the fatal shooting on August 9, 2023, on the Yaquina Bay Bridge, is identified as Justin Joseph Salisbury, 43-year-old Newport resident. The investigation remains active, and has been forwarded to the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office.

Fleet Advisory For Fixed-Gear Commercial And Recreational Fisheries Thru 9/1

During recent surveys researchers observed aggregations of both blue and humpback, in addition to other large whales in waters as shallow as 20 fathoms (36 m). These sightings were primarily in waters off the southern Oregon coast from Charleston to Gold Beach. However, because these observations only provide information within a small survey area and time span be aware that whale aggregations may exist in un-surveyed areas and may shift over short periods of time.

ODFW is issuing this fleet advisory for both recreational and commercial fixed-gear fisheries from Charleston south to Gold Beach. Fishing vessels should remain vigilant and move or avoid setting gear in areas where whales are transiting or foraging to minimize risk of entanglement as much as possible. This advisory is effective immediately and will remain in effect through September 1, 2023. We want to remind fishery participants about best fixed-gear fishing practices to help reduce risk of entanglements at all times, but especially when higher numbers of ESA-listed humpback whales and blue whales are present off Oregon.

Please remember to:

• Remove any fishing gear that you are not actively tending and promptly remove all gear from the ocean when finished fishing.

• Use the minimum amount of scope required to compensate for tides, currents, and weather.

• Adjust the length of buoy lines when moving gear to shallower water to maintain taut vertical lines.

• Minimize surface gear and ensure no excess line is floating at the surface.

• Avoid setting gear in the vicinity of large feeding aggregations of whales.

• Maintain gear to ensure lines and buoys are in good working condition and clearly marked.

• Report any derelict gear to ODFW by emailing Joel.A.Prickett@odfw.oregon.gov.

• If commercially licensed: o Bring in derelict gear to shore; o Participate in derelict gear recovery by getting a permit to recover gear or reporting locations of derelict gear for permitted vessels to target for removal.

Please share this advisory and reminders about fixed-gear fishing best practices to reduce risk of marine life entanglements with your networks. Also, consider reporting whale sightings using the WhaleAlert app and sharing the locations of unusually high whale or sea turtle activity with ODFW and with other fishermen. All entangled marine mammals or sea turtles should be promptly reported by calling 1-877-SOS-WHALe (1-877-767-9425). Thank you for taking these important, proactive steps to avoid entanglements with fishing gear.

Yachats Lions Labor Day Breakfast on September 3rd

Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation – 08/18/23 9:39 AM
Yachats Lions Club – Pancake Breakfast on September 3rd
Yachats Lions Club – Pancake Breakfast on September 3rd
YACHATS, OR, September 3rd – The Yachats Lions Club will host their Labor Day Pancake Breakfast on September 3rd from 7:30am – 11:00am at Yachats Lions Hall at 344 4th Street, Yachats OR 97498. There’s a $10 suggested donation to welcome folks for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast!

All proceeds from Yachats Lions Club’s annual fundraisers and their Yachats Lions Thrift Store makes giving back to their local community possible. We support Lions community service projects, which include scholarships to graduating seniors, food pantries, school programs, Yachats Youth & Family Services, South Lincoln Resources, Yachats Fire Department, and eyeglasses & exams for children & adults. With the motto “WE SERVE,” Yachats Lions Club is celebrating 73 years of service to Yachats and South Lincoln County.

Together, the Lions Clubs of Oregon, the statewide nonprofit OLSHF, and partners offer access to people for critical sight-saving surgeries and treatments, secure new eyeglasses, help people who can’t afford eyeglasses and hearing aids, and manage the largest vision screening program in the US.

To learn more about the Yachats Lions Club and their work in the local community, you can visit yachatslionsclub.org.

Rod’s N Rhodies Car Show

The annual Rod’s N Rhodies car show event is coming September 8^th and 9^th to the Old Town Area.  The 15^th annual event will feature hot rods and classic custom vehicles from all over the west. 

The annual event goes towards supporting Transportation Solutions which provides car repairs for families in need.  Transportation Solutions works with local families on a referral basis to fix most maintenance problems so that individuals can get to work, transport kids to school, and other activities.  Information on the mission of Transportation Solutions can be found at rodsnrhodies.org/transportation-solutions.

Florence Annual Yard Sale

If you want to participate in the annual City Wide Garage Sale September 8-10, then you have to act quickly.  In order to be included in the map that is distributed in the Siuslaw News the deadline for registration is this coming Monday, August 21^st.  due to print deadlines information has to be in to make the September 1^st and September 8^th publications.  This is the 10^th year the community garage sale has gone on and participants will receive recognition on the map and two signs for their $15 fee.

Federal Energy Agency Seeks Public Comment On Two Oregon Coast Sites Slated For Floating Offshore Wind Farms

Two sites off the southern Oregon coast could soon be home to the state’s first floating offshore wind farms. But first, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will meet with residents and stakeholders in coastal towns, some of whom are concerned about impact to the fishing industry and marine ecosystems.

Officials from the ocean energy bureau announced Tuesday that they had identified two ideal “wind energy areas” near Coos Bay and Brookings. The two areas are 20 or more miles from land, collectively encompass about 344 square miles of ocean and could host enough floating wind turbines to generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power about 195,000 homes.

That would get Oregon closer to a goal passed by the state Legislature in 2021 to generate at least 3 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2030, part of the state’s larger climate strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050. But it’s also raised concerns from some in the fishing industry and some environmentalists who fear unintended consequences to coastal marine life and the effect on their livelihoods.

“Placing giant turbines and anchors in a current system that is largely free-flowing and structure-free could cause irreparable harm to seabirds, marine mammals, fisheries management regimes and more,” said Susan Chambers, chair of the marine industries and fisheries advocacy group Southern Oregon Ocean Resource Coalition, in a statement last year. Chambers was responding to the federal ocean bureau’s interest in an even larger swath of ocean off the Oregon coast that had been identified as having potential for wind energy development. Several environmental groups opposed to the projects did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Federal officials dropped a third wind energy area near Bandon that they were considering after officials did further research on the impact to the commercial fishing industry and to sensitive marine habitats.Public comment on the two wind energy areas announced Tuesday will be accepted online and by mail for the next 60 days. The meetings with residents, which are not yet scheduled, will be open to the public, with one designed to reach people heavily involved in fishing, the bureau said.

“We continue to prioritize a robust and transparent process, including ongoing engagement with tribal governments, agency partners, the fishing community and other ocean users,” Elizabeth Klein, the bureau’s director, said in a news release.

Following public comment, officials could update the plans, and the bureau will prepare to host an auction to lease the sites to companies interested in developing them, potentially by the end of 2023. A similar auction in California in 2022 brought in $757 million in winning bids from three multinational companies and one domestic company developing floating wind farms. President Joe Biden has pledged to develop at least 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035. (SOURCE)

An overdose awareness event to shed the spotlight on lives lost to overdoses is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Thursday, August 31, at the Barbey Maritime Center in Astoria.

“We invite the community to come together to remember and celebrate loved ones we lost to an overdose. Together we can prevent future losses of life,” said Jenna King, Clatsop County Public Health Department harm reduction coordinator.

“Clatsop County Public Health and our community partners are committed to showing people how they can help save the lives of loved ones and to provide those resources. Help us end the stigma of addiction,” she said.

Clatsop County Senior Sheriff Deputy Chance Moore and Sergeant Nate Baldwin will share their experiences saving lives by reversing an overdose with naloxone.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a photo of someone they loved who died by overdose. Photos will be displayed on a memorial wall so their story can be shared at the Overdose Awareness Day event.

Event activities include:

• Music
• Narcan supplies and training 
• Art projects and activities
• Keynote address by Alison Noise, CODA inc. executive director
• Free food and beverages provided
• Community resources available
• Giveaways 
• Candlelight Vigil

For more information, contact Jill Quackenbush at 503-325-8500. (SOURCE)

Newport Oregon Police Department –  · FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Night Time Single Lane Closure – Yaquina Bay Bridge –

Sunday night, August 13 through Friday morning, August 25. Night work is scheduled on Yaquina Bay Bridge for two weeks, starting Sunday night, August 13th and finishing Friday morning, August 25th.

There will be a single lane closure on the bridge, with flaggers, nightly from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.For questions, please contact: Clare C. Paul, PE, Assistant City Engineer541-574-3370Andrea Mather, PE, ODOT Assistant Resident Engineer, Area 4 541-757-4156

Kotek holds signing ceremony for bills on ghost guns, fentanyl and Oregon’s police training backlog

One of bills Gov. Tina Kotek highlighted on Monday, House Bill 2005, was one of the bills that Oregon Senate Republicans targeted with a six-week walkout.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek held a symbolic signing ceremony for seven new public safety bills Monday afternoon, touting legislation aimed at cracking down on “ghost guns” and fentanyl, bolstering Oregon’s overloaded public defender system and clearing a backlog at the state’s sole police academy.

The deadline for Kotek to sign bills from the 2023 legislative session has already passed; all of the bills she mentioned at Monday’s news conference were officially signed back in July, but the governor sought to highlight them as a group, declaring that they “represent concrete steps forward to ensure that Oregonians are safe and have trust in their justice system.”

The ghost gun bill was one of two bills targeted by a six-week walkout led by Senate Republicans earlier this year, which ended when Democrats agreed to scale down both pieces of legislation before passage — something Kotek acknowledged at Monday’s news conference, although she didn’t mention the parts that got cut.

“Because we know House Bill 2005 did generate some controversy in the legislature, and I want to thank the legislators and the advocates for getting that bill across the finish line,” she said. “It wouldn’t be here without your leadership, so thank you very much.”

The more expansive version of House Bill 2005 would have raised the minimum age to purchase most guns from 18 to 21 and given Oregon cities the option to ban firearms in public buildings, in addition to cracking down on untraceable firearms. The final version only maintains the ghost gun ban, establishing fines and jail time for the sale or possession of 3D printed guns with the serial numbers removed or unfinished gun frames and receivers.

Even the smaller version of HB 2005 ultimately passed the Senate on a relatively narrow vote — in terms of the legislature’s quorum rules — of 17-3, with 10 lawmakers absent or excused. Most of the other bills Kotek touted on Monday passed by large margins in both chambers.

The only other relatively close vote was for Senate Bill 337, which passed the Senate 17-8 with five absences. The bill aims to overhaul Oregon’s public defender system, but it made headlines during the legislative session when Kotek sent lawmakers a letter asking for amendments to the in-progress legislation.

The other five bills Kotek mentioned are:

• Senate Bill 5533 provides new funding for training and classes at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Oregon’s only police academy. Mayor Ted Wheeler has cited a backlog at DPSST as one of the factors slowing down Portland’s efforts to fill police vacancies.
• House Bill 2676 updates Oregon’s Victims Compensation Program to expand counseling eligibility and offer compensation for additional expenses such as counseling or funeral expenses.
• House Bill 2732 provides funding for Children Advocacy Centers statewide, which provide services when child abuse is suspected.
• House Bill 2320 creates a Juvenile Justice Policy Commission Tasked with analyzing policy and making recommendations to the legislature about how to improve Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
• House Bill 2645 creates misdemeanor penalties for possession of a gram or more of fentanyl — or five pills — allowing violators to be sentenced to up to a year in jail or a $6,250 fine, or both.  (SOURCE)

Just south of the Oregon border along Hwy 199, the Diamond, Holiday, Kelly, and Prescott fires along with multiple other fires in the area have been grouped together in the “Smith River Complex.” This is along the route from Grants Pass to the coast.

To the west, the Smith River Complex of fires in Six Rivers National Forest totaled 6.25 square miles (16.2 square kilometers). Morning rain had also been expected there.
A section of U.S. 199 closed due to the fire.
The complex fires were among many ignited across the forest and the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation after more than 150 lightning strikes since Tuesday. Most of the fires remained small.

The Smith River Complex is approximately 40,000 acres with zero percent containment. Strong northeast winds affected the fire area overnight, but an inversion settled in, dampening fire behavior on most of the complex yesterday morning. Areas of the Kelly fire aligned with Stony Creek (north of Hwy 199) and Craigs Creek (south of Hwy 199) and made significant movement to the southwest growing approximately 2.5 miles in the early morning hours. The west side of the Kelly fire moved into the North Fork Smith Roadless Area.

Josephine County Emergency Management

  · Notice from Josephine County Sheriff:

Level 1 – BE READY Smith River North Complex FireNotice from Josephine County Sheriff. Level 1 – BE READY notice for: Forested area from Lone Mountain Road to Buckskin Peak.Monitor conditions. Find preparedness resources at RVEM.org. Act early if there is any reason you might need extra time. Leave right away if you feel you are in immediate danger.If conditions change quickly, this may be the only alert you receive.For more information, visit: www.rvem.org

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) resources continue to be proactive by reopening old fire containment features and identifying areas of opportunity in protection of life and property.

Smith River Complex North update for Wednesday, August 23, 2023 Grants Pass, Oregon

Pushed by gusty winds, the Kelly Fire spread further north into the West Fork of the Illinois River valley yesterday. In response, local firefighters and resources from the Smith River Complex North concentrated on structure protection work around Lone Mountain and Elk, Blue, Dwight, and White Creeks. Protecting structures, powerlines, and resources along Hwy 199 are a high priority for this fire. Heavy smoke continues to hamper aerial operations.

Yesterday, smoke prevented helicopters from dropping water or retardant on the north edge of the Kelly Fire. The smoke also made it difficult to monitor the fire’s spread and exact location using aircraft. Winds from the north are expected today, which should reduce smoke along the north edge of the Kelly Fire. When the smoke lifts, aerial resources are ready to support firefighters on the ground. Resources assigned to the Complex will assist with initial attack on fires within the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) and on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Currently assigned resources include seven helicopters for the Complex, nine engines, four crews, and five pieces of heavy equipment for the North, with more on order. With more resources arriving at the fire, the Smith River Complex North has added a night shift. These resources will be working overnight and monitoring the fire vicinity. They can respond quickly if there is an increase in fire activity. Del Norte County has issued a Level 3 evacuation notice from the Oregon/California border south. Specifics of this closure can be found at https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices/.

Josephine County has issued a Level 2 evacuation notice along Hwy 199 south of mile post 39 to the California border, and a Level 1 evacuation for the community of O’Brien south of Rough & Ready Creek. For more information and maps, visit the Rogue Valley Emergency Management site at https://www.rvem.org. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has implemented an area and road closure order for the Smith River Complex. Visit the forest website for additional information https://tinyurl.com/2s4hymku. Cooperatively responding agencies include the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, the Oregon Department of Forestry, BLM-Coos Bay District, BLM-Medford District, Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Josephine County EMS, the Illinois Valley Fire Department and Curry County Sheriff’s Office. There will be a community meeting on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. It will be held at the staging area across from 30159 Redwood Hwy, Cave Junction. The meeting will also be live-streamed on Facebook.

Central Oregon Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

On August 16, 2023, a Deschutes County, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to Oregon for distribution.

Krista Vela, 39, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“Today marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against the scourge of methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking. With the successful arrest and conviction of Krista Vela, we have dealt a decisive blow to the criminal networks that seek to spread destruction in the central Oregon community,” said Sergeant Kent van der Kamp of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “This outcome is a testament to the tireless efforts of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We remain resolute in our commitment to ensure the safety of central Oregon, and this case serves as a powerful reminder that those who peddle in illegal drugs will face the full force of justice.”

According to court documents, in November 2020, as part of a broader drug trafficking investigation, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and CODE identified Vela as a key source of supply for a prominent area drug dealer. In early December, investigators seized several pieces of luggage being removed from a hotel room rented by Vela in Sunriver, Oregon. The bags contained drug packaging materials, a digital scale, a GPS tracking device, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 2 kilograms of fentanyl. One of the bags also contained several pieces of paperwork with Vela’s name on them.

On December 6, 2021, Vela was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Later, on April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Vela and an accomplice with conspiring with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On July 5, 2023, Vela pleaded guilty to both charges.

Vela’s sentence will run concurrent to an 84-month federal prison sentence imposed on March 16, 2023, in the District of Montana for a separate drug trafficking conviction.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and CODE. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. CODE includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI. Updated August 22, 2023 (SOURCE)

Potential Impact of $24.6 Billion Kroger-Albertsons Merger on Oregon’s Grocery Market Competition

Kroger, Fred Meyer and QFC’s parent company, and Albertsons, Safeway’s owner, are on the verge of a substantial $24.6 billion merger. This move promises to reshape the retail landscape of the Pacific Northwest and bolster competition. Concerns are surfacing, though, regarding the potential reduction in shopping options for Oregon residents. Regulatory hurdles such as Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scrutiny over potential monopolistic results and price increases are also present.

Kroger’s CEO, Rodney McMullen, strongly backs the merge. He refers to the grocery industry’s drastic changes over the past ten years to support his point. He believes that the merger will fortify Kroger and Albertsons’ standing against big players like Walmart, Amazon, and Costco. Another objective of the merger is to enhance their online grocery wing in response to the growing trend of online grocery shopping.

However, industry analysts have a cautious outlook on the merger’s approval due to the FTC’s strict perspective on such proposals. They criticize the FTC’s interpretation of the grocery industry which might ignore major players such as Amazon or Costco. They warn that overlapping stores might need to be sold to preserve market competition, raising questions about finding willing buyers. The situation recalls the Albertsons-Safeway merger in 2015 which led to 150 stores being sold to a smaller grocer, who later went bankrupt. Such situations make it unclear whether the proposed merger will encourage competition or create a monopoly in Oregon’s grocery industry. PODCAST: https://www.oregonlive.com/podcasts/2023/08/what-a-kroger-albertsons-grocery-merger-could-mean-for-oregonians-beat-check-podcast.html?outputType=amp

Ticks and mosquitos: More patients buzzing into urgent care

PORTLAND, Ore. (August 22, 2023): In the midst of peak mosquito and tick season in Oregon, Dr. Anne Toledo, Chief of Urgent Care for Kaiser Permanente Northwest, reports she is also seeing more patients coming into urgent care with concerns about insect bites.

Not only did the Oregon Health Authority report that mosquito populations are five times greater in Multnomah County this year, but Portlanders are reporting more ticks, too. The NextDoor neighborhood app is filled with reports of ticks crawling closer into town, latching on to people and pets in Southeast, Montavilla and Mt. Tabor.

Dr. Toledo attributes much of this increase in insects to climate change, which allows pests that carry infection, such as ticks, to live longer and wider ranging.

The good news? “Only some ticks can spread diseases to humans,” said Dr. Toledo. “In Oregon, Lyme disease is very rare and although the western black-legged tick can spread Lyme disease it is important to know what the other risks are and take preventive measures to protect yourself from these summer pests. Many ticks are so small – the size of a sesame seed – that people don’t even realize they’ve been bitten until a mark appears or the tick has grown big.”

Most of the time, all you need to do for a tick bite is relieve any symptoms you may have, which you can do at home. Some people may have an allergic reaction to a tick bite. This reaction may be mild, with symptoms like itching and swelling.

“In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction may occur,” said Dr. Toeldo. “You should seek immediate medical care if you have signs of infection, such as increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the bite; red streaks leading from the bite; pus draining from the bite; or a fever.”

Interviews available
Dr. Anne Toledo, Chief of Urgent Care for Kaiser Permanente Northwest, is available for Zoom interviews with media this Tuesday, August 22 from 4-4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, August 23 at 3 p.m. Additional times available early next week. Contact en.a.vitt@kp.org“>Karen Vitt to schedule.

Dr. Toledo is prepared to discuss:

• What are ticks and what happens if they bite you?
• Can you tell what bug has bitten you just from the bite mark? (Mostly no,but there are some classics I can teach about)
• What you can do to protect yourself from mosquitos and avoid tick bite
• How do you tell a local skin reaction from an infection caused by a bite?
• What you can do to protect yourself from mosquitos and avoid tick bites
• How to remove a tick and treat a tick bite
• When you should see a doctor for your insect bite
• Why Portland is seeing a rise in mosquitos and ticks – is it climate change?

ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE 
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org —–

Governor Tina Kotek is urging Oregonians to apply for over 130 open positions on 12 new boards and commissions that were created by the Legislature.

They include hospital discharge challenges, juvenile justice, cybersecurity, universal health and more. Kotek says true progress requires each and every one to be engaged. Applicants should apply on the state’s website. https://oregon.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/SOR_External_Career_Site

The Shaniko Hotel Reopens

If you’ve driven between Klamath Falls and the Washington border using Highway 97, you’ve driven through Shaniko.

After 16 years of closure, the Shaniko Hotel , located in Oregon’s famous ghost town, has reopened, this time under the management of the town’s volunteer firefighters.

If that sounds like an unusual arrangement, well, nothing in Shaniko is usual.

Shaniko remains a functioning municipality with about two dozen full-time residents. They practically take turns running the city.

Consisting of a handful of buildings dating to around 1900, Shaniko most likely survives because of its location along U.S. 97, which still brings traffic past the town.

Staff will tell you the hotel is definitely haunted, and it’s hard to tell if that’s because of actual spirits or a sales tactic. It does make an overnight stay more exciting.

While the town is small, Julianne Herman, secretary of South Wasco Fire & Rescue (and also employee of the hotel, and also Long’s girlfriend), said the town’s handful of firefighters responded to about 80 calls last year. Most of those were medical calls and highway crashes (such as the semi-truck that barreled through two buildings next to the Shaniko Hotel last fall.)

Visitors might notice a small blue rubber ball in one of the hotel hallways. Staff says this ball seemingly moves around on its own, played with by an unseen girl whom they call Amelia. Room 14, they said, is supposedly haunted by a woman named Nettie.

Thinking about an overnight stay? Shaniko is 215 miles north on U.S. Highway 97 from Klamath Falls. https://www.shanikohotel.com/

Help your wildland firefighters. Most human-caused fires are avoidable. Help your wildland firefighters by actively practicing wildfire prevention. The fewer human-caused fires they have to respond to, the less our resources are strained and the more we can protect our firefighters from fatigue and burnout.

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.

Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com