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

Tuesday January 5, 2021

Oregon Beach Weather

Today- A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Wednesday- Rain before 10am, then showers likely, mainly between 10am and 4pm. High near 52. South southwest wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday- A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. East southeast wind around 9 mph.

Friday- Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday- A slight chance of rain after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (10), Clackamas (67), Clatsop (2), Columbia (10), Coos (20), Curry (2), Deschutes (45), Douglas (14), Harney (2), Jackson (40), Jefferson (6), Josephine (16), Klamath (31), Lake (1), Lane (62), Lincoln (4), Linn (10), Marion (79), Morrow (4), Multnomah (92), Polk (16), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (24), Union (4), Wasco (2), Washington (141) and Yamhill (22).

COVID-19 has claimed six more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,506, the Oregon Health Authority reported on Monday. Oregon Health Authority reported 731 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, bringing the state total to 118,456. Oregon had two-thousand-431 new cases of COVID-19
reported over the weekend along with ten new deaths. There are 109 patients hospitalized in ICU’s. There have been 15-hundred deaths and more than 117-thousand cases of COVID-19 in Oregon since the pandemic began. Nearly 49-thousand people have been vaccinated against the virus.

 Oregon is preparing to start using a mobile phone app that will tell you if you came in contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority says Apple inadvertently turned on the app too soon. It’s being tested by Oregon State University. OHA says the project is still under development, and they
haven’t said when the app will go active. Washington, and several other states, are currently using the app.

What’s the best way to build immunity against COVID-19?

Some people may be wondering if getting a COVID-19 vaccine is as effective at building immunity as getting infected by the virus. The answer is that the body will build immunity to COVID-19 in a different way with the vaccine than through infection.

However, infection has the potential to lead to serious symptoms, which may prove to be deadly. Natural immunity, which is gained from having an infection, may not even last very long. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), natural immunity also varies from person to person and there is real potential for re-infection.    

Vaccination is the best tool we have to help us end the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon and across the globe. The mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna give our cells instructions for how to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Our bodies recognize that the protein should not be there and build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 if we are infected in the future.

By getting vaccinated, wearing masks, washing our hands, staying physically distant and avoiding large indoor gatherings, we can help stop the spread of COVID-19. If enough of us get vaccinated, we can achieve community immunity and the virus will not spread so quickly.  

Learn more at Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Vaccine page in English or Spanish.

One Lane Of Highway 30 Reopened Near Astoria After Landslide

The rainy start to 2021 has brought with it the danger of landslides in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington.

One westbound lane of Highway 30 near Astoria is back open after a landslide covered the highway in mud and rock.

One landslide has blocked Highway 30 about three miles east of Astoria. The slide, reported at about 3:30 a.m., covered the highway in mud and rock. There is no detour in place, so drivers are asked to find another route or expect delays.Crews re closed the lane for a short time, but as of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, the lane has reopened .

Flaggers will be controlling two-way traffic through the area for most of the day. ODOT says drivers should expect delays. The slide was reported at 3:30 a.m. Monday morning about three miles east of Astoria. 

Crews say you should still expect delays if you are driving in the area. 

Below is some helpful information from Clackamas County emergency management officials regarding the soggy weather hazards:

Listen and watch for rushing water, mud, unusual sounds

• Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, might indicate moving debris.
• A faint rumbling sound that increases in volume is noticeable as the landslide nears.
• Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, k-rails, boulders or trees move.

During a landslide or debris flow

• Heed all warnings and evacuation notices.
• Never cross a road with water or mud flowing.
• Never cross a bridge if you see a flow approaching.
• It can grow faster and larger too quickly for you to escape.
• If you do get stuck in the path of a landslide move uphill as quickly as possible.
• Avoid river valleys and low-lying areas during times of danger.
• If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow or water that changes from clear to muddy. These can be signs that a landslide or debris flow is coming.

After a landslide or debris flow

• Stay away from the slide area. There may be danger of additional slides.
• Listen to local radio or television stations for the latest emergency information.
• Watch for flooding. Floods sometimes follow landslides and debris flows because they may both be started by the same conditions.
• Check for injured and trapped persons near the slide, without entering the direct slide area. Direct rescuers to their locations.
• Allow trained professionals to check the building foundation, chimney, and surrounding land for damage.

Circles In The Sand Announces Sand Labyrinth Schedule For 2021 On Oregon Coast

The amazing sand labyrinths on the southern Oregon coast will be back in 2021, offering the public a more meditative walk on the beach.

Circles in the Sand will hold 32 labyrinth drawings between April 30 and August 25, all on the beach below Face Rock Viewpoint in Bandon, the group announced in December.

Artist and religious practitioner Denny Dyke started Circles in the Sand in 2015, working alongside a team of volunteers to create labyrinths – which he calls “dreamfields” – on Oregon coast beaches at low tide.

In previous years, Dyke and his team have scheduled as many as 60 drawings in all seasons, occasionally visiting other beaches around the area. In 2020 they scaled back to only 43 events, and have reduced the schedule further for 2021.

Circles in the Sand events tend to draw big crowds, especially once the public is invited to walk through the labyrinths upon completion. Volunteers will be on hand at the beginning of each labyrinth walk to help people keep physical distance, the group said, and while Oregon public health officials don’t mandate face masks outdoors, people are encouraged to wear masks if they come within six feet of somebody from outside of their household.

Circles in the Sand is also warning visitors about parking this year. The parking lot at Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint is small, leading to people park along the narrow road leading to the viewpoint. There are now “no parking” signs along some stretches of the road, which the group asks people to respect.

The timing of drawings is based on the tides, and times on the schedule refer to when completed labyrinths will be open for walking. The Circles in the Sand team begins drawing the designs about two hours earlier, when crowds begin to form. People should allow for about 20 minutes to walk through a labyrinth, the group said.

Here’s the link to schedule for the 2021 draws: https://www.sandypathbandon.com/public-schedule

AROUND the STATE of OREGON

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Cascades, including Willamette Pass and Santiam Pass.

“Heaviest snow expected above 4500 feet, with total snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph,” the National Weather Service said. “Travel could be very difficult.”

Snow levels fell from 5,500 feet Monday morning down as low as 3,000 by midnight last night. That is below pass level on Highway 58 and US 20 over the Cascades.

Meanwhile, The National Weather Service says “dangerous high surf along southern Oregon beaches and shorelines will continue into Thursday morning.” Surf heights will remain near peak values of 23-27 feet. Beach erosion is possible, as well as damage to exposed infrastructure Beachgoers should stay off of jetties, rocks, and logs. Beachcombing is strongly discouraged. An active weather pattern will continue into the weekend with another episode of dangerous surf conditions possibly beginning early Friday.

Over the weekend, Congressman Cliff Bentz was officially sworn in as a member of the
117th U.S. Congress, representing Oregon’s Second Congressional District.

Bentz, a Republican, was elected in November after beating Democratic candidate Alex Spenser. He replaces longtime Congressman Greg Walden, who announced last year that he would retire from politics instead of seeking another term. The massive 2nd District encompasses most of south, central, and eastern Oregon. It has become the
state’s only reliably Republican federal seat in recent years. “It is an honor to represent the citizens of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, and I humbly thank them for entrusting me with this responsibility,” said Bentz. “I will fight every day to protect rural communities and stand up for Oregon values in Congress.” Bentz was accompanied at the swearing-in by his wife, Dr. Lindsay Norman. Bentz formerly served as a state Senator in the Oregon legislature.

The start of a new year brings with it new laws that take effect throughout the state.

The new year means increased taxes on cigarettes and cigars, in addition to a new tax on nicotine vaping products with the passage of Oregon Measure 108 in the November general election. Cigarettes taxes increased by $2 to $3.33 per pack. Taxes on cigars doubled to $1. Vaping products and e-cigarettes are taxed at 65% of the wholesale
price. The money from the new taxes will largely go toward funding the Oregon Health Plan, with 10% of the tax revenue funding smoking prevention programming.

The Oregon DMV will no longer require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency to obtain an Oregon divers license after a bill passed by the state legislature in the summer of 2019 removed the requirement. Those licenses will not include automatic voter registration like other Oregon licenses. To get a license, the person must still show proof of residency in Oregon, pay fees and pass a driving test.

Voters also passed Measure 110 in November which decriminalizes possession of small amounts of Schedule I drugs beginning Feb. 1. Those found in possession of amounts of drugs like heroin and LSD deemed for personal use will only face a $100 fine for a class E violation. The fine can be waived if the person seeks treatment.

More than two dozen Native American and Alaska Native tribes and cultural groups from the Northwest are suing the federal government to stop the sale of the National Archives building in Seattle, a plan that would force the relocation of millions of invaluable historical records to California and Missouri.

The government is planning to sell the vast warehouse under a law aimed at unloading excess federal property, but the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on Monday says the building is anything but “excess.” It contains irreplaceable documents dating to the 1840s and is used all the time for research about everything from tribal history to Japanese
internment during World War II and fur seal hunts on remote Alaskan islands. The National Archives building is one of a dozen properties around the country, collectively valued at $500 million to $750 million, identified for sale by the Public Buildings Reform Board. The board initially intended to sell the properties individually, but has announced
that due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the commercial real estate market, it will offer the buildings early this year for an expedited sale as a single portfolio.

Construction begins on FEMA housing sites for Linn and Marion counties wildfire victims

The Mill City site will hold up to 16 temporary housing units, according to the Federal Emergency Management Association. FEMA is setting up utilities and making sure they are accessible before the mobile homes arrive.

La-Tanga Hopes, a FEMA official, said the homes are expected to arrive in Mill City in three to four weeks, depending on the weather.

In Oregon, 250 families have been approved to receive FEMA Direct Temporary Housing. The agency says that number has decreased over time as many households have located alternate temporary or permanent housing on their own.

In order to qualify for the Direct Temporary Housing program, Hopes said wildfire victims must file a claim, which is then assessed. A person is eligible for temporary housing if FEMA confirms a person owned a home that suffered $17,000 or more in damages, or if FEMA confirms a renter’s home suffered major damages or was destroyed. Wildfire victims must also prove they do not have rental assistance available to them.

Residents approved for temporary housing can remain in the units for up to 18 months, until March 2022.

The Fields Artist Fellowship Now Seeking Proposals For Applications From Oregon – Artists Will Be Considered From January 4 To February 15, 2021

Oregon Humanities, in partnership with Oregon Community Foundation, is now accepting applications for the second round of the Fields Artist Fellowship program, offering two years of financial support to Oregon-based artists who are in a pivotal moment or inflection point in their careers.

Four artists will be awarded two-year fellowships to advance their artistic practice while developing creative and meaningful ways to address and respond to the opportunity gap in Oregon.

The first Fields Artist Fellowships were awarded in 2019 to Crystal Akins of Lincoln City, Mic Crenshaw of Portland, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith of Chiloquin, and Joe Whittle of Enterprise.

Applications will be accepted from January 4 to February 15, 2021. More information on how to apply is available on the Oregon Humanities website (www.oregonhumanities.org). A selection committee will review applications and award the fellowships by July 2021.

During their fellowship terms, Fields Artist Fellows will respond to and explore the opportunity gap in their region, participate in cohort gatherings, and document their experiences and projects. Each fellow will receive $100,000 over the course of the two-year term. In addition, eight finalists will each receive a one-time award of $10,000.

The phrase “opportunity gap” refers to widening socioeconomic disparities across Oregon largely determined by the circumstances into which a child is born, such as family circumstances, neighborhoods, educational experiences, and race and ethnicity.

Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply, including writers, filmmakers, visual artists, multimedia artists, culture bearers, and performance artists. Eligibility requirements include the following:

• At least five years of professional practice in an artistic discipline or combination of disciplines
• At least three years of residence in Oregon (non-continuous) and the intent to reside in Oregon for the majority of the fellowship term (September 1, 2021 to September 30, 2023)
• Demonstrable evidence of artistic practice that can engage with community groups and organizations and/or address community concerns

Oregon Humanities will administer the program and convene gatherings for the fellows. All funding is provided by the Fred W. Fields Fund of Oregon Community Foundation.

Oregon Humanities connects people and communities through conversation, storytelling, and participatory programs to inspire understanding and collaborative change. More information about our programs and publications—which include the Connect In Place, Consider This, Humanity in Perspective, Public Program Grants, Responsive Program Grants, and Oregon Humanities magazine—can be found at oregonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a partner of the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) puts donated money to work for Oregonians. Thanks to the generosity of Oregonians, OCF distributes more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. For nearly fifty years, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. Impactful giving—time, talent and resources from many generous Oregonians—creates measurable change.