Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 11/24 – Chinook Salmon Brood Stock Increases at Bandon Hatchery Thanks to the Work of Coquille Indian Tribe, Voters Approve Food Tax For Cannon Beach

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

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Oregon Beach Weather

Today– Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Northeast wind around 7 mph.

Thanksgiving Day– A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. South wind 7 to 9 mph.

Friday– Rain. High near 55. South wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday– A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.

Sunday– A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.

Chinook Salmon Brood Stock Increases at Bandon Hatchery Thanks to the Work of Coquille Indian Tribe

The Bandon Hatchery is seeing a big increase in Chinook salmon broodstock this year after hundreds of hours of work are coming to fruition.

According to the Coquille Indian Tribe, the state-owned hatchery secured only three breeding pairs of the iconic but increasingly scarce fish. This year, with help from Coquille Tribal employees and community volunteers, the number rose to 34 pairs.

The Coquille River’s fall run of Chinook salmon is an ancient and treasured resource for the tribe, but numbers of fish returning from the ocean have crashed in the past decade. After the Coquille Tribal Council declared an emergency this summer, the tribe partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in a campaign to rescue the fishery.

“The project missed the tribe’s goal of 70 breeding pairs, mainly because female salmon were in short supply,” the tribe said in a press release. “Many of the 88 captured males will die as bachelors.

Still, this year’s increased broodstock is encouraging. With 34 female fish averaging 3,400 eggs each, the hatchery will produce dramatically more juvenile fish – known as “smolts” – than in recent years.

To make that possible, tribal staff members and community volunteers spent long hours in and on the river. They herded and netted adult salmon, they worked alongside ODFW’s hatchery staff, and they “electrofished” for invasive predators, to create a more hospitable home for smolts.

This year’s spawning season will end soon, and Linnell’s team is looking toward 2022.

Voters Approve Prepared Food Tax For Cannon Beach

Unofficial results of the Cannon Beach prepared food tax question on the November ballot are counted and the tax had more “Yes” votes than “no,” meaning the tax passed.

With all votes counted, it was 379 “Yes” to 375 “No.,” according to Sheryl Holcom, an election technician at Clatsop County.

On November 22, the elections department will certify the election to make these results final, Holcom said.

The results were not close enough to trigger an automatic recount, she said. However, someone can demand a recount. The cost of the recount would be charged to the person making the request. A demand for a recount can be filed any time after November 22 but no later than December 7.

She said the cost would be “anywhere from $100 to $500.”

The recent additional votes were challenged votes, she said. They came from updated signatures and ballots that were not initially signed.

Three councilor positions will become available and on the ballot in the November 2022 election, she said. These are councilor-at-large positions held by Mike Benefield and Robin Risley.

Mayor Sam Steidel’s position will also be on the November 2022 ballot, she said.

According to the city recorder Jennifer Barrett, Resolution 21-25 that called for the election states the tax would become effective on July 1, 2022.

The Gazette asked the city if the council has the power to end the prepared tax.

According to Barrett, the city’s attorney Ashley Driscoll recently said: “If the tax passes, the code section becomes like any other section of the City’s code. The council may amend, modify, repeal, etc. with an ordinance.”

Two Strange Incidents in Siuslaw

Siuslaw Outreach Services (SOS), 1576 12th St., was the target of a strange incident on Monday, Nov. 21, as a driver drove a vehicle into the building housing the nonprofit family support organization.

In a statement posted on social media, SOS stated there were no injuries to staff or clients and SOS will close this week to repair the damage to allow staff to return safely.

A sign on the door states, “We will not allow for drop-ins until repairs can be made.”

SOS plans to return staff to the building on Monday, Nov. 29.

If someone is confronted with an emergency situation related to sexual or domestic violence, they should call the SOS crisis line 541-997-4444. If an individual or family is in need of a housing or utility advocate, call the SOS office at 541-997-2816.

A student suspect has been identified by authorities in the bomb threat message found at Siuslaw Middle School on Monday afternoon. As per local school board policy, the individual is suspended from school, pending a threat assessment and a disciplinary hearing that may result in expulsion.

Additional information is still being reviewed and the school district is cooperating with law enforcement in all aspects of the investigation.

“Student safety is a priority of all district personnel,” said Siuslaw Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak. “When a potential threat is known, relevant and accurate information is released as soon as possible. Any person specifically named as a target of a potential threat is notified.”

If groups of students are stated to be potential targets, the community is informed and the incident is taken as a potential threat to the entire campus. During the investigation, as more information is discovered and confirmed, it is also released so that families can make the decision that is best for them.

The Siuslaw School District, in coordination with local law enforcement, uses the bomb threat screening protocol outlined by the Department of Homeland Security.

In the case of this bomb threat, there was:

  • No individual person or group of persons named as potential targets
  • No specific information was given about the nature of any possible device
  • No specific information was given about a time, date, or location of any possible device
  • No demand or grievance was listed in the message

“At no point in time would students be allowed to be on campus if law enforcement determined that there was a credible threat to their safety,” Grzeskowiak stated.

Schools would be closed until deemed safe by law enforcement to resume operations. With the culprit being identified last evening it was possible to continue with operations today as there was no active threat to students, transportation or facilities.

Law enforcement will determine the proper criminal charge for this act. There will be disciplinary action from the school, in line with law and policy, which could result in expulsion without services for up to one calendar year.

As the person in question is a minor and a student, there are restrictions preventing the disclosure of their identity and the exact consequences of discipline.

The Siuslaw School District takes threats and rumors seriously. All avenues are explored to determine the credibility and validity of potential threats to student safety. Please know that the district will always investigate any threat, or rumor of a threat, to the fullest extent possible in cooperation with the police.

For more information, visit Siuslaw.k12.or.us.

Expect Busy Roads over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend

If your holiday travel plans this year include heading over the mountains make sure to use extra caution and watch out for changing weather. We always need to be especially alert when traveling over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. But wet weather and the potential for snow at higher elevations this year could spell problems.

AAA Oregon/Idaho projects 652,000 Oregonians will hit the road over the Thanksgiving holiday this year, an increase over 2020 and close to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. That’s a lot of vehicles on the road, especially on the busy
holiday weekend travel days Wednesday and Sunday.

Holiday travelers on Interstate 84 should expect rolling slowdowns Wednesday in both directions between Cascade Locks and Memaloose State Park, east of Mosier, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. These slowdowns create 20-minute windows with no traffic during rock blasting for the new 655-foot Mitchell Point Tunnel. The Wednesday work is the only scheduled slowdown during the Thanksgiving weekend.

If there’s snow, ODOT’s current staffing shortages mean we may need a little more time to clear roads. This is a continuation of a trend we saw last year. We’re working hard to fill vacant positions and will shift resources as
needed when we see significant snow on our roads.

Our crews will be on duty through the weekend to keep the roads safe and ready to clear problems as quickly as possible.

Here are some travel tips for the weekend.

  • Know before you go. Visit com and find out conditions all along your route, start to finish.
  • Remember that many Tripcheck cameras include temperature, elevation and other critical details about road conditions.
  • Drive for conditions. Rain, snow, or extra traffic – slow down and give space for stopping time.
  • Keep your vehicle in good operating shape, checking brakes, lights, tires and wipers regularly.
  • Watch out for bicyclists and pedestrians. In wintry conditions, visibility drops.
  • Pay attention to roadside message signs. They contain critical information about conditions on the road ahead.
  • Use patience, wear your seat belt, pay attention to conditions and keep a sober driver behind the wheel to help ensure a safe arrival for holiday activities.

And remember that Oregon and Oregon State will play football in Eugene on Nov. 27, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Expect slow traffic along Interstate 5 Saturday in the Willamette Valley both before and after the 12:30 p.m. game.

TRIP CHECK: https://tripcheck.com

Oregon reports 869 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 51 new deaths

There are 51 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,066, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

OHA reported 869 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 386,634.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (11), Benton (3), Clackamas (68), Clatsop (5), Columbia (10), Coos (22), Crook (16), Curry (6), Deschutes (58), Douglas (43), Grant (1), Hood River (11), Jackson (50), Jefferson (3), Josephine (16), Klamath (40), Lake (3), Lane (68), Lincoln (11), Linn (23), Malheur (6), Marion (105), Morrow (2), Multnomah (83), Polk (54), Sherman (2), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (15), Union (16), Wallowa (5), Wasco (7), Washington (71) and Yamhill (30).

Media briefing on COVID-19

OHA Director Patrick Allen; Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education; and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon State Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist answered media questions and provided an update on the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon.

Effective immediately, the Oregon Health Authority is lifting the outdoor mask mandate for outdoor settings. 

Additionally, The Oregon Department of Education released the following information regarding a lessening of quarantine requirements from students.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced changes to Oregon’s COVID-19 prevention measures today: state health officials will lift outdoor mask requirements for large public gatherings and state education officials announced that an adequate and stable COVID-19 test kit supply has
been acquired for all public and private schools in the state to be able to implement test
to stay protocols.

Health officials at the Oregon Health Authority have lifted the requirement for outdoor mask-wearing in crowded settings, effective immediately. The rule was implemented in August at the onset of Oregon’s most recent surge. Health officials noted that the outdoor mask rule was among the actions the state took to combat Oregon’s most recent and deadly COVID-19 surge, which has been fueled by the spread of the Delta variant, largely among unvaccinated Oregonians.

The outdoor mask rule, a rule that requires people to wear masks indoors in public settings and a slow but steady rise in vaccination rates, have helped reduce transmission rates. Health
officials lifted the outdoor masks requirement in light of the overall progress Oregon has made to curb new infections and stabilize hospitalizations.

The Oregon Health Authority is offering to pay pharmacies $35 for each dose of COVID-19 vaccine they give, a move that possibly could help pharmacies hire employees to deal with the growing workload that has resulted in long lines across the state.

The program, which launched this month, also is intended to boost vaccination rates and to ensure that vaccines are available to all residents, said Rudy Owens, a public affairs specialist for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

To qualify for the payments, pharmacies must meet certain standards for “vaccine equity,” including such things as
offering multilingual signing for COVID-19 vaccinations, “expanded vaccine-related counseling aimed at boosting vaccine confidence,” and “a plan for ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement to ensure equitable access,” according to a flyer from OHA. The agency’s other program more directly addresses the staffing shortages that have plagued pharmacies, as the state will pay temporary pharmacists to bolster workforces.

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Oregon State Parks annual parking permit $5 off in December

Spice up your holiday gift-giving this season by selecting from three new parking permit designs. The new permit hangtag designs feature the whimsical work of Portland artist El Tran. Holiday shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25 each–that’s $5 off the regular price of $30, Dec. 1-31.

“Give the gift of unlimited access to Oregon’s state parks during our 100th anniversary in 2022,” said Lisa Sumption, director of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

“The new permit designs showcase iconic park views, plants and animals, and the visitors who cherish state parks.”

Purchasing passes is easy–buy them online at store.oregonstateparks.org. Parking permits are also sold at some state park friends’ group stores and selected local businesses throughout the state. For a complete list of vendors, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Parking costs $5 a day at 25 Oregon state parks unless you have a 12- or 24-month parking permit or a same-day camping receipt. The 24-month pass is $50 and are also available at store.oregonstateparks.org. The permits are transferable from vehicle to vehicle.

Oregon State Parks are primarily funded by camping and day-use fees, the Oregon Lottery, and a portion of state recreational vehicle registrations. Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. 

State of Oregon to hold Hearing on Prescription Drug Prices Dec. 8

Division of Financial Regulation logo

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services will be hosting a public hearing on prescription drug prices on Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 1 to 3 p.m. via Zoom.

Oregonians are encouraged to participate in two ways.

  1. Make your voice heard. The department set up a brief survey – http://dcbspage.org/RxStories – for consumers to ask questions and share their stories about rising prescription drug prices. Drug prices play a major role in health care decisions of Oregonians and the cost of many prescription drugs have steadily increased in the past 10 years. The department wants to know what questions you have about the cost of prescription drugs and how has it affected you and your family.
  2. Tune in to the hearing. The Department of Consumer and Business Services will host the public hearing via Zoom: http://dcbspage.org/RXDRUGPRICEHEARING2021. There will be opportunities to provide public testimony during the hearing. There will be invited panels on these topics: 
  • Approval of Aduhelm for Alzheimer’s 
  • Patient assistance programs and co-pay accumulators 

The Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act (ORS 646A.689) directed the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services to establish a transparency program to accept reports and disclose certain information from prescription drug manufacturers, health insurance carriers, and consumers on drug prices.

The goal of the program is to provide accountability for prescription drug pricing through the notice and disclosure of specific drug costs and price information from pharmaceutical manufacturers, health insurers, and consumers.

The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.  Oregon Dept. of Consumer & Business Services

CMS seeks public input on plan to expand Oregon Project Independence, create Family Caregiver Assistance Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking public comment on an Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) application to apply for Medicaid funding to expand Oregon Project Independence and create a Family Caregiver Assistance Program. Both programs serve older adults and people with disabilities.

The application, which is being made through the Oregon Health Authority to CMS, is an 1115 demonstration waiver. The programs to be expanded and created are offered by the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities.

The federal comment period on the application extends through Dec. 16, 2021. To learn more about how to comment visit the CMS web page on the comment period.

Oregon has a track record of innovating programs to serve older adults and adults with disabilities, but gaps remain in Oregon’s system, especially for individuals with limited income. These Oregonians are at risk of requiring Medicaid when they need long-term care services and supports.

Nearly 800,000 Oregonians are age 65 and older. By 2030, this population is projected to increase by 25 percent. For those age 85 and older, and most at risk of needing Medicaid long-term care services and supports, the population is estimated to increase by 33 percent in the next 10 years, according to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis.

The 1115 demonstration waiver would provide the following service expansions with Medicaid funding beginning in July 2022 for a five-year period:

• Oregon Project Independence would expand to serve 4,500 Oregonians, up from about 2,350 currently served. The federal matching funds will also permit local programs to serve additional younger adults with disabilities, whose participation has been limited to only one-third of Oregon counties.

Oregon Project Independence services include case management, in-home support and personal care services, adult day services, home delivered meals, assisted transportation, assistive technology, and other supports.

About $5 million in general funds that have been allocated by the Oregon Legislature for this program would not be matched. This ensures that the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities can continue to serve Oregonians who would not be eligible for the Medicaid-funded program introduced with the 1115 demonstration waiver.

• A Family Caregiver Assistance Program would be created to support qualifying Oregonians, whose family members provide them with care in their own homes, through a combination of state and federal funds. Oregonians who receive this assistance would be eligible to receive services and supports totaling no more than $500 per month, with an annual increase for inflation.

Oregonians served by this program would be able to choose from a list of services including caregiver respite, adult day services, transportation, assistive technology, caregiver training and education, and other services that the consumer finds compatible with the caregiving relationship they have with their caregiver.

This program would not replace the Older Americans Act funded Family Caregiver services. Instead, it would build on that program to serve additional individuals.

Additional information about the application may be found on the ODHS 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver webpage. Included on the page are fact sheets that provide more information on the hypothesis being tested, the methodology, and the projected cost savings. — Oregon Department of Human Services
 

Chiloquin Man Dies After Crashing into Cow

A Chiloquin man died Nov. 19 after crashing into a cow on Modoc Point road. David Eugene Pelton, 57, was driving about 12:30 a.m. when he struck the bovine in the roadway near the intersection of Modoc Point and Toqua roads, according to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office. Pelton died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

Police Officer and Suspect Shot in Gladstone

Authorities say a police officer and a suspect were shot in Clackamas County, Oregon. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office says both the officer, a Gladstone police sergeant, and the suspect were expected to survive. The shooting happened late Monday.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating, including the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police and the Gladstone and Happy Valley police departments.

State Report Finds Oregon’s Aging Workforce Trend Expected To Accelerate

An October report by the Oregon Employment Department found the share of aging workers age 55 and older has tripled across the state over the past three decades — while the total number of jobs grew only about 50%.

According to the report, these aging workers held slightly more than 10% of jobs in the state in 1992, but by 2019, that number increased to 24%. The report cited that the large Baby Boomer generation, now 55 and over, are more likely to continue in the labor force at that age than previous generations.

“It’s important to consider the implications for businesses’ future ability to find enough workers,” Gail Krumenauer, state employment economist and author of the report, told the Business Tribune. “We’re already in a situation, with an unemployment rate at 4.4%, that is really low by historical standards. Employers are currently having widespread difficulty finding all the workers that they’d like to hire or need to hire.”

Many of these aging workers do plan to retire within the next decade — retiring their skillsets and knowledge, as well — and business owners will need to replace them somehow.

“Even though we should see some of that current (hiring) difficulty get alleviated in the coming months, in the longer-term with more workers hoping to retire in the coming years, that’s going to create a different but ongoing source of difficulty for them to have enough available workforce,” Krumenauer said.

The report found this aging workforce trend can be expected to accelerate in the near future. It also found the pace of retirements will quicken in industries that have higher shares of aged workers. In Oregon, the healthcare industry has the most aged workers, the report found — and rural counties have even more aged workers.

Oregon Auctioning Off Contents Of Unclaimed Safe Deposit Boxes on Black Friday

The Oregon State Treasury hopes you’ll see what Oregonians have left inside their old safe deposit boxes this Black Friday.

Pre-bidding for the state’s Online Auction of Unclaimed Property is happening now until 11 a.m. on Black Friday. That’s when the live auction kicks off, hosted by Capitol Auction & Estate Services.

The auction will feature 89 lots of unclaimed property, items once cherished but now unclaimed or forgotten. Included in the auction is a five-piece silver coin set featuring members of the Portland Trail Blazers’ 1990-91 team. There are also gold watches, silver bars, collectable stamps and graded baseball cards.

“We’ve had these for almost four years now and the banks had them for two to five years before they send them to us,” said Claudia Ciobanu, trust property director at the Oregon State Treasury. “So at some point it’s just unmanageable to hang on to all of them, but our preference is that we give the owners their contents intact.”

Past auctions have fetched $120,000. Money raised goes into the state’s Common School Fund. There, the principal amount from each sale is held for the rightful owners. Interest earned goes to Oregon’s K-12 public schools.

One thing the state will never sell or dispose of are military medals. Instead, they’ll post photos on the treasury’s website where people can search for them.

“We really hope that either the medal earners themselves or their families come forward and get those,” said Ciobanu.

Around $80 million in unclaimed funds are reported to the state every year. To see if any of it belongs to you, just go to treasury’s website and look up your name

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