The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Frost Advisory in effect from October 12, 12:00 AM PDT until October 12, 09:00 AM PDT
Today– Rain likely, mainly after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday– Showers likely, mainly after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. South southeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
Friday– A 20 percent chance of rain after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Saturday– A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.
Temperatures fell overnight into the 30s across Western Oregon “bringing us our first night of near-freezing temperatures of the season,” the National Weather Service said.
“There is a Frost Advisory out for all locations lower than 2,000 ft west of the Cascades,” forecasters said. “Take precautions with any crops or plants left over from this last growing season. Clouds will begin to fill in early Tuesday morning with rain on the way in the afternoon.”
Florence to Celebrate ‘Dune’ Over the Next Few Weeks
Frank Herbert wrote the Dune anthology series. The universe he created around the planet Arrakis and the mind-bending intrigue that took place there and in space influenced at least three generations and created legions of obsessed fans all started as Herbert was visiting the Oregon National Dunes Recreation Area and Florence back in 1957, studying the movement of the dunes and the beachgrass of the area, and that planted a seed in his mind. A few years later, it culminated in being much of the inspiration behind his book series, with the first Dune book getting published in 1965.
In 1957, Frank Herbert was a northwest-based freelance writer of fiction, non-fiction, and speeches living paycheck to paycheck. He had published a book called “The Dragon in the Sea,” a novel about futuristic nuclear submarines. This was a mildly successful novel but wasn’t making enough for Herbert to support his family. Though he had made a foray into science fiction with “Dragon” and some short stories, in Herbert’s mind, this was not where the money was.
Herbert had sold the movie rights to “The Dragon in the Sea” to Universal Pictures for $4,000. Soon that money was nearly gone. With countless projects half done or sent out to editors and awaiting their decision, Herbert needed to find a financially lucrative project that would be of guaranteed interest to publishers.
A friend of Herbert’s, Phil Hitchcock, a professor from Lewis & Clark College and a former Republican state senator for Oregon, had heard about an interesting project being undertaken by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and Lane County in a small town on the Oregon Coast called Florence.
The sand dunes were putting the entrance to the Port of Siuslaw in peril, encroaching on Highway 101 and reducing valuable timber acreage in the Siuslaw National Forest. Nothing could stop them. Not cement. Not wood. Not trenches. Nothing. Something had to be done. At the time, residents felt they were in a race to save their town and livelihoods.
In the late 1940s, a solution was found — European Beach Grass, or poverty grass as it was mostly called at the time, would be planted along roadways, streams, along property lines, anywhere it was deemed necessary to stop the dunes. The project was undertaken. Large amounts of funds were allocated by state senators. The project began. Using various methods beach grass was planted liberally, everywhere.
By the time Herbert had heard of the project, it had already been deemed successful and was being emulated by communities dealing with encroaching sand all over the world.
During the early years of the project, visitors came to Florence from Israel, Chile, India, Pakistan and Great Britain to view the project with hopes of bringing the idea back home with them. The idea intrigued Herbert and seemed like something that would interest others, specifically magazine editors who would pay him for pictures and an article investigating the project.
“The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.” -Frank Herbert, “Dune”
In June 1957, Herbert chartered a Cessna 150 single-engine plane and pilot and flew to Florence. There, he spent a day taking notes, photos and video of the dunes and beach grass planting project.
As he flew away from the Oregon Coast and looked down upon the dunes, Herbert left knowing two things, that they had, in fact, stopped the sand and, more importantly, there was something about those sand dunes that he couldn’t get out of his head.
Herbert returned to his family, who had just relocated from Portland to Brown’s Point, Wash., just north of Tacoma, and began work on his essay that he entitled, “They Stopped the Moving Sand.” Soon he realized, though interesting, this nonfiction exploration on man’s attempt to reclaim what nature was trying to take back was only the tip of iceberg of his imagination.
In an interview in 1969. Herbert described when he realized he had something bigger than an essay on his hands.
“The way I accumulated data is, I start building file folders and before long I saw that I had far too much for an article and far too much for a story, for a short story,” said Herbert. “So, I didn’t know really what I had but I had an enormous amount of data and avenues shooting off at all angles to gather more. And I was following them. … I finally saw that I had something enormously interesting going for me about the ecology of deserts, and it was, for a science fiction writer anyway, an easy step from that to think: What if I had an entire planet that was a desert?
“During my studies of deserts, of course, and previous studies of religions, we all know that many religions began in a desert atmosphere, so I decided to put the two together because I don’t think that any one story should have any one thread. I build on a layer technique, and of course putting in religion and religious ideas you can play one against the other.”
Herbert did eventually finish “They Stopped the Moving Sands,” though it wasn’t published until many years later in a book called “The Road to ‘Dune.’”
“Dune” is considered by some critics the greatest work of science fiction ever written. It has been translated into a dozen different languages and has sold over 20 million copies.
Herbert’s connection to the Oregon coast and Florence will be celebrated in a large way in town, starting October 12 and going through November 4. The celebrations will include screenings of both the 1984 David Lynch movie and the new film debuting on October 22.
City Lights Cinemas and the Siuslaw Public Library will present a series of screenings and discussions during the “Frank Herbert Dune Celebration,” honoring the historical ties between the Florence dunes and the seminal science fiction classic that influenced a generation of books, music, and films.
Visitors to the library and City Lights Cinemas will be able to see rare items from the Frank Herbert collection including books, film memorabilia, and art, all of which were donated to the library by Herbert’s family.
Event organizer Jared Anderson said that even the plains of Saturn’s moon, Titan, are named after the book, as well as a crater on Earth’s moon, adding, “Because of Herbert’s work, and that of his family, friends, and all those who love great writing, the inspiration of the Florence dunes has spread into the stars.”
“We are so excited to invite the science fiction-loving public to Florence for this series of special events,” said Bettina Hannigan, president/CEO of the Florence Chamber of Commerce. “Florence will proudly embrace its place in the saga’s history over the next several weeks at City Lights Cinema, the Oregon Coast’s leading arts film theater, and at our amazing library’s ‘Dune Room’, with special screenings, lectures, and discussions.”
Visitors can see both the 1984 Universal picture directed by David Lynch, and the greatly anticipated 2021 Warner Brothers adaptation directed by Denis Villeneuve, while learning the rich history behind Dune and the Oregon coast.
Here is the schedule of events:
October 12 (3:30 and 6:30 p.m.) A special screening of the 1984 “Dune” with an informative presentation by the inspired and knowledgeable film experts at City Lights Cinemas. Discover the tumultuous journey to bring “Dune” to cinemas along with its ties to some of the biggest sci-fi hits in cinema history. A special standalone film plays at 12:30 p.m. without a presentation.
October 21 & 22 (7:00 p.m.) A premier screening of the brand new “Dune” movie and an exclusive filmed intro with Byron Merritt, Frank Herbert’s grandson, who will talk about the legacy of Dune and its connections to Florence. Merritt was a consultant on the new Dune film.
October 23 (3:30 p.m.) “Dune” (2021) and presentation by Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative. Learn more about Herbert’s history with Florence’s dunes and the effort to restore them.
October 24 (3:30 p.m.) “Dune” (2021) with an intriguing in-theater book club event contrasting the book and film from page to screen presented by the Siuslaw Public Library director Meg Spencer. Both the novel and the new graphic novel are available at the library and City Lights Cinemas.
November 4 (10:30 a.m.) Online book club with the Siuslaw Public Library discussing the themes and meanings of the book. Get details at ref@siuslawlibrary.org or call 541-997-3132.
Tickets on sale now at https://www.citylightscinemas.com/dune-celebration/, or in person at City Lights Cinemas, 1930 Highway 101, Florence, OR.
Gold Beach Hires New Police Chief
Chief Jordan White became the newest member of the Gold Beach Police Department when he was sworn in by Gold Beach Mayor Tamie Kaufman during the city council meeting on October 4.
Before joining the Gold Beach Police Department, White spent three years with the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, where he served as a patrol sergeant. He is also a home builder in his off-time and has been developing property in Gold Beach to increase the inventory of workforce housing.
White’s public safety career spans over 25 years and has included emergency medicine, firefighting, search and rescue, law enforcement, and public safety aviation. White spent most of his life and career in northwest Montana where he began serving his community when he was 18 years old. The excitement of helping people led him to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office where he served as a patrol supervisor, SWAT team member, rescue diver, search and rescue coordinator and was appointed as the undersheriff.
White co-founded a first of its kind public/private philanthropic helicopter rescue program in 2012. He is a dual-rated commercial pilot, rescue specialist and served as the programs director prior to moving to Oregon. The program continues to provide philanthropically funded rescue operations across Montana and Idaho.
White says that he and his wife, Natalie, fell in love with Gold Beach and the southern Oregon coast while vacationing through the area in 2018. He was raised with stories of living on the ocean from his mother who had grown up in Carmel, California. After her unexpected passing, White and Natalie decided it was time for a change and Sheriff John Ward offered Jordan a job during their visit.
Jordan and Natalie are deeply ingrained in the Gold Beach community and look forward to meeting even more people and finding new ways to serve. White has an extensive background in emergency management and preparedness and looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with our community and neighbors on the southern coast. White said collaboration has been the key to his success and our limited resources are the perfect catalyst to working together as entities families, and individuals to achieve our greatest potential.
Oregon reports 2,895 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 20 new deaths
There are 20 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,002. The Oregon Health Authority reported 2,895 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 343,993.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (8), Benton (86), Clackamas (212), Clatsop (15), Columbia (57), Coos (43), Crook (10), Curry (13), Deschutes (275), Douglas (62), Gilliam (2), Grant (4), Harney (8), Hood River (30), Jackson (126), Jefferson (50), Josephine (69), Klamath (58), Lake (6), Lane (259), Lincoln (26), Linn (181), Malheur (35), Marion (277), Morrow (13), Multnomah (374), Polk (37), Tillamook (14), Umatilla (94), Union (26), Wallowa (7), Wasco (12), Washington (322), Wheeler (11) and Yamhill (73).
COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon top 4,000 over the weekend
“Today, Oregon has now recorded more than 4,000 deaths,” said Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen. “That’s two short months since we last paused to mark the painful milestone of 3,000 COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon. Our condolences go out to everyone who has lost a loved one, a family member, a friend or a neighbor.
“These two milestones tell the story of how swiftly and severely the Delta variant has moved through our communities.
“This is even more heartbreaking because many of these deaths are preventable. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available throughout Oregon, and the vaccines are our best protection against serious illness and death from this virus. My message to Oregonians today is simple: The Delta variant has changed everything. Please, get vaccinated as soon as you can.”
Wildfire season winding down now, however, if you’ve noticed there has been a rash of structure fires now that the weather has cooled down.
October Is Fire Prevention Month in Oregon
Nationally and in Oregon, firefighters respond each year to structure fires that injure or kill people where the smoke alarm is not functioning or is missing altogether. Residents understanding the sounds their smoke alarms make and what actions they can take to protect themselves can make all the difference. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms make different beeps and chirping noises to let us know that maintenance is needed. Everyone needs to know what each noise means and what actions you should take to keep your alarms in safe working order.
According to the ten-year data collected from the Oregon Fire Service for the National Fire Reporting System, 250 people have died, and more than 1,400 have been injured in structure fires. In addition, out of the structure fires reported since 2011, over 1,400 incidents reported smoke alarms missing, without adequate power, or disabled. Statistics from the past year show a working smoke alarm in 42% of the structures fires across the state, and 14% of the incidents report no smoke alarm at all.
Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are good at telling us what they need. We just have to listen.
- One chirp or beep means there is an issue with the alarm getting power.
- Recurring beeps or three beeps in a row is the smoke alarm telling you it needs to be replaced.
- If you noticed your smoke alarm is only activated when you’re cooking or using your shower, it might need to be moved to a better location.
- If your smoke alarm is beeping continuously, get low, use your family escape route, and call 911 from a safe place outside.
“This year to mark Fire Prevention Month, the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal asks Oregonians to learn the sounds of their alarms,” says State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “Knowing the different sounds of your smoke alarm and what to do when it makes a certain sound is the key to saving lives; working smoke alarms save lives.”
On Monday, October 3rd, 2021, the OSFM and its fire service partners will be launching a four-week social media campaign #KnowYourBeepingAlarm to illustrate the importance of knowing what your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are saying. Each week takes an in-depth look at the sound and what actions people can take.
The OSFM has also put together a smoke and carbon monoxide installation guide, which is available in six different languages and can be found on OSFM’s website.
For more information on the sounds smoke and carbon monoxide alarms make and proper installation, please visit the OSFM’s website. To get help installing a smoke alarm, contact OSFM at egonsfm@osp.oregon.gov“>oregonsfm@osp.oregon.gov.
Two Women Inmates Walk Away From Work Crew In Salem
Police are searching for two armed women who walked away Monday from a work crew at the Oregon Department of Corrections commissary facility in Salem.
Brandy Woodward and Shelly Radan, who are both incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, walked away around 9:10 a.m. and were last seen on Amber Street Northeast headed toward Dick’s Sporting Goods on Lancaster Drive Northeast, according to a Monday news release from the corrections department.
Jennifer Black, a state corrections spokesperson, said the department’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit has been investigating the walkaway since they left the facility with a boxcutter and a “heavy lock that could be used as a weapon.”
The department said in the news release that the women should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
Woodward, 45 of Long Creek, weighs 145 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue T-shirt and a sweatshirt all with the word “inmate” stenciled in orange, the news release said.
Woodward pleaded guilty to two counts of delivery of methamphetamine and three counts of possession of methamphetamine over three cases in Grant and Umatilla county circuit courts, according to court records . She has been in custody since April 29 and her earliest release date is Jan. 14, 2024.
Radan, 43 of Otis, weighs 174 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree burglary in Lincoln County Circuit Court, court records showed. She has been in custody since Nov. 3, 2020, and her earliest release date is Sept. 2, 2024. Radan’s previous name was Michael Price Crawford.
The corrections department’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Oregon State Police are investigating the walkaway and asked anyone with information to contact the state police at 1-800-452-7888, their local police department’s non emergency number or the Fugitive Apprehension Unit at 503-569-0734.
ONA Statement on OFNHP’s Kaiser Strike Vote
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) supports our colleagues at the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) who are fighting for safe staffing and quality patient care at Kaiser Permanente facilities. The results of their strike vote are unprecedented, with 96% voting in favor of staging a strike; a clear and unequivocal message that Kaiser administration must settle on a fair contract and listen to the voices of their frontline healthcare workers.
In a recent survey, more than 42% of Kaiser’s nurses and other healthcare professionals indicated they are considering leaving the healthcare workforce because of the treatment they have received at Kaiser. These numbers support ONA’s position that Oregon’s healthcare system is facing an existential crisis; one that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic but which was caused by decades of failures by hospital systems like Kaiser.
OFNHP’s members are joined by tens of thousands of other workers who are part of the 21-union Alliance of Health Care Unions, many of which have now authorized strikes as well. Across five states, over 40,000 of the 52,000 workers in the Alliance have local contracts allowing them to strike (38,000 were able to strike as of October 1, with another 2,000 able to strike November 1).
The primary issue for OFNHP’s members is safe staffing. Again, Oregonians must listen to the concerns of nurses and other healthcare workers who have been saying for years that staffing must be a priority or we will see a worsening of already crisis-level problems across the state.
OFNHP and ONA are in 100% agreement: health care systems like Kaiser must do more to address safe staffing. This is a crisis they caused and Kaiser’s failure to reach an agreement is putting even more pressure on an already overstressed nursing workforce.
It is time for Kaiser to put patients before profits and settle a fair contract.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents 15,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. Our mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Republicans Sue Over New Oregon U.S. House Redistricting Maps
Former Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno and three other Republicans have filed a lawsuit to challenge new congressional districts recently passed by state lawmakers. They say the new maps are partisan gerrymandering, unconstitutional, and contrary to state law.
The suit, filed Monday in Marion County Circuit Court, is the first such attempt to alter the six-district map that Democrats pushed through during a contentious special legislative session last month.
That session nearly ended in a Republican walkout after House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, reneged on a deal to grant the GOP an equal say in new congressional and legislative maps. Instead, Republican lawmakers showed up on the last possible day and allowed Democrats to pass a map that could lead to Democratic control of five of the state’s now-six seats in Congress.
Oregon picked up an additional U.S. House seat because of population gains recorded by the recent U.S. Census.
State receives federal grant to continue developing Habitat Conservation Plan for western Oregon state forests
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Forestry are pleased to announce the state has received an additional $750,000 federal grant to continue developing a Habitat Conservation Plan for state-owned forests west of the Cascades.
This is the third grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support ongoing development of the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The Oregon Department of Forestry has engaged federal, state and county partners, as well as Tribes, stakeholders and members of the public in this project since 2018. In October 2020, the Board of Forestry reviewed the first administrative draft of the HCP and directed ODF staff to move into Phase 3 of the project, which is review through the National Environmental Policy Act process. This involves substantial opportunities for public review and feedback, with the next meeting open to the public scheduled for October 12, 2021. Under the current timeline, the HCP would return to the Board of Forestry in 2023 for a final decision.
By law and administrative rule, lands owned by the Board of Forestry must be managed for social, environmental, and economic benefits to Oregonians. The HCP would apply to 639,489 acres of state forestlands west of the Cascade Mountains and represents a holistic process for protecting threatened and endangered species. It would establish 70-year commitments for conservation with long-term assurances that other uses could continue, such as public recreation and timber harvesting to benefit counties and local taxing districts that provide important public services. The agency is also developing a companion Forest Management Plan that would guide implementation of the HCP. Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Troon Vineyard One of Only Two Worldwide to Earn Regenerative Organic Certified Label
Troon Vineyard announced it’s the first farm and winery in Oregon to receive the newly launched Regenerative Organic Certification (R.O.C.).
Troon Vineyard in Oregon‘s Applegate Valley is located on the Kubli Bench, high above the Applegate River in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon.
It is a biodiverse farm of almost 100 acres. Life on the farm includes cider apples, a vegetable garden, re-wilded honeybees, sheep, chickens, wildlife, dogs, humans and, of course, grapevines.
Purchased in 2017 by Texas natives Dr. Bryan and Denise White, and helmed by industry veteran Craig Camp, the trio set out to reinvigorate Troon by transforming the farm into a Demeter Biodynamic Certified vineyard and winery deeply committed to regenerative agriculture, according to a news release from the company. Troon has rapidly evolved by replanting their vineyard with ideal varieties and intertwining cutting-edge agriculture science with biodynamic practices to craft viticulture that best serves the land and their wines. Becoming Regenerative Organic Certified was the next milestone in the process.
“At Troon we do not simply consider ourselves environmentalist, rather stewards of the planet. The basic principle of regenerative farming is restoring the ecosystem of our vineyard back to a place of natural balance,” White said.
Regenerative agriculture is a way of farming that reverses climate change through rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring biodiversity. First, to even apply for the R.O.C. certification you must be certified organic by the USDA. Then there are three pillars of the Regenerative Organic Certification that producers must achieve to be certified: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. “We seek to be an organization where all of our co-workers can expand their knowledge through education, participate in our organization’s trajectory and planning, and be part of the holistic approach that defines regenerative farming,” said White.
“The focus on regeneration is what is key to me. We have to put back more than we take to establish a natural food growing system. As the R.O.C. slogan says, ‘Farm like the world depends on it” — because it does. My search for a framework for regenerative viticulture soon transformed into the broader view of the “whole farm” concept that defines biodynamics. Practicing regenerative agriculture is more than simple organic viticulture. Biodiversity creates more biodiversity and is the key to regenerative agriculture,” Camp said in the news release.
Troon Vineyards is also Demeter Biodynamic Certified, a rigorous holistic farming certification that is used in over 50 countries to signify the highest standards and practices when it comes to natural farming and winemaking, according to the news release.
To further showcase Troon’s commitment to biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, it has redesigned its labels to show the biodynamic preparations produced from essential botanicals used to enliven soils, vines, and wines. White wines are now adorned with biodynamic preparation 502, yarrow; amber “orange wines” feature biodynamic preparation 506, dandelion; and red wines highlight biodynamic preparation 507, valerian.
“Our vision since the beginning is to produce the exceptional, individualistic wines in a regenerative way that gives back to the earth. By choosing to include our biodynamic processes on our labels now, we are hoping to bring an even greater focus on these practices to help spread the word and, in turn, help heal the earth one farm at a time — farm like the world depends on it,” Camp said in a news release.
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