State plans for more equitable vaccine distribution faces of our communities,” said Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen. “But we want to do more. Our COVID-19 efforts should be a model for how we’re eliminating health disparities in Oregon.” Allen pointed to a few statistics which show the inequities in Oregon’s vaccine distribution. He said the state’s Latino population has the most pronounced disparities: While Latinos make up 13% of the population and 26% of the state’s COVID-19 cases, Allen said it only accounts for about 5% of the
Zack Demars
O
Country Media
regon is faring better than other states during the COVID-19 pandemic — but not by every measure. During a press conference last week, state health officials discussed plans to address racial and ethnic disparities in who’s getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as other news about the status of the pandemic across the state. “At a minimum, we need to make sure our vaccinations proportionately reflect the
vaccines administered to date. On the other hand, white people make up 75% of the population and about half of the state’s virus cases, but 74% of the vaccines distributed, Allen said. Allen went on to say that the effects of the pandemic have hit communities of color the hardest, particularly because those communities tend to see higher rates of underlying conditions due to uneven access to care and a history of unfair treatment. “I want to be perfectly clear, health inequities are the product of systemic racism,
toxic stress, the targeted marketing of harmful products like tobacco and sugary beverages, and other factors. This is not about personal choice,” Allen said. “This is about the weight of larger social inequities that cut short lives and opportunity more often for people in communities of color.” In response, Allen said the state would promote a more equitable distribution of COVID-19 doses across the state by prioritizing pharmacies and federally qualified health centers which serve communities disproportion-
Creating biodiversity
ately impacted by the virus. OHA officials also expect those rates to become more equitable as vaccine eligibility expands: Most of the groups already eligible for vaccines skew whiter than the rest of the population yet to be eligible, Allen said. “Just by simple virtue of who’s eligible, we’ll begin to be able to start addressing that,” Allen said. Doses up, cases down State officials on Friday shared a number of positive data points which suggest Oregon is trending in a better direction in the pandemic than
many other states across the country. Governor Kate Brown pointed to the number of schools which have reopened in Oregon as a positive. Over 130,000 students are back in classrooms, more than double the number than eight weeks earlier when Brown directed officials to prioritize school reopenings, the governor said. “Our kids will benefit greatly from these efforts,” Brown said. “It’s my expectation that more schools will bring students back for in-per-
n See STATE, Page 4
Vaccine scheduling continues
Pharmacies now able to book vaccines Hilary Dorsey
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Friends of Cape Falcon Marine Reserve provide conservation efforts, research and more Hilary Dorsey
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Staff Writer
riends of Cape Falcon Marine Reserve gave a presentation during a Nehalem City Council meeting earlier this month. Coordinator Margaret Treadwell, marine coordinator for the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve, said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) oversees five marine reserve sites on the Oregon coast. “They were established between 2012 and 2016 from state legislation,” Treadwell said. “They’re in Oregon’s territorial waters, which go out three miles from shore.” A rule for marine reserves is all removal of marine life is prohibited, Treadwell said. This is part of the marine reserve’s goal to conserve marine habitats and biodiversity. “Marine reserves are open to all non-extractive activities,” Treadwell said.
“That includes boating without fishing equipment deployed, beach walking, surfing and tidepool exploration.” Cape Falcon is the northern most marine reserve in Oregon. It is located off Oswald West State Park and is 20 square miles. Treadwell said the second goal of marine reserves is scientific research. That research is teaching Friends of Cape Falcon about Oregon’s ocean environment. “The marine reserve is a little bit too new to draw any conclusions about trends over time,” Treadwell said. “In Oregon, because Oregon’s ocean is so cold, and many species are long-lived and slow to grow and mature, you really need long-term data sets on the order of 20-30 years to start seeing some ocean changes.” Right now, conclusions cannot be drawn but the marine reserve is starting to get those data sets, Treadwell added.
Some fish can live 70 to 100 years or longer. “The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and some of the marine reserve community teams, do some human dimensions research or socioeconomic research,” Treadwell said. “This ties into that third goal of avoiding adverse impacts of ocean users and to coastal communities.” This research shows how marine reserves are perceived by people. Coastal residents are significantly more aware of marine reserves than I-5 corridor residents, Treadwell said. The research is ongoing. “People who visit the Oregon coast often or those of us who are lucky enough to live out here, have a better understanding of current ocean issues in general,” Treadwell said.
n See MORE, Page 4
Governor Kate Brown announces 16 counties improve in risk level G
ov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday, Feb. 23, that 16 counties
Tillamook County remains at ‘low risk’ category improved in risk level, with 10 of those improving from Extreme Risk. County risk levels under the state’s public health framework aim to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. The framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread—Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk—and assigns health and safety measures
for each level. Effective February 26 through March 11, there will be five counties in the Extreme Risk level, 11 at High Risk, 10 at Moderate Risk, and 10 at Lower Risk. Tillamook County will remain in Lower Risk. “For the second time in a row, we are seeing great progress in stopping the spread of COVID-19 across Oregon and saving lives,”
said Brown. “Oregonians continue to step up and make smart choices. While these county movements are welcome news, we must continue to take seriously health and safety measures, especially as more businesses reopen and we start to get out more. As we see infection rates going down and vacci-
n See LEVEL, Page 6
Staff Writer
total of 131 COVID-19 vaccines were administered Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Tillamook County Health Department reported Wednesday, Feb. 17, during a Tillamook County Board of Commissioners meeting. As of Feb. 16, 1,921 Phase 1A primary doses were issued. “We still encourage all who are eligible under Phase 1A, and within those Groups 1-5 of Phase 1B to use our online form, which is available in English and Spanish on our website,” Emergency Coordinator Ed Colson said. “Once they fill out those enrollments, they automatically get put on a list to be contacted for an appointment when available.” Due to high call volumes, the health department is unable to schedule appointments by phone or email. Health center staff or a vaccine partner will contact those individuals who have filled out an eligibility form for an appointment. “The exact site of where vaccinations happen is
n See VACCINES, Page 4
COVID-19 update: 7 new confirmed positive cases, vaccines continue Hilary Dorsey
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Staff Writer
illamook County Health Department reported seven new confirmed positive COVID-19 cases this week, as of Friday morning, Feb. 19. The health department is monitoring 19 people. “We didn’t have any hospitalizations this week,” Administrator Marlene Putman said during a Tillamook County Leadership update Feb. 19. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports 358 confirmed positive cases overall for Tillamook County, as of Thursday, Feb. 18. Putman said Tillamook County is likely to remain in Lower Risk. County risk level adjustments will be announced Tuesday, Feb. 23, and in effect Friday, Feb. 26. Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Ed Colson said the vaccine process continues to follow OHA’s vaccine plan. Vaccine providers are working to vaccinate those in Phase 1B. To date, 3,369 vaccines have been administered in the county since December. “We encourage all eligible under Phase 1A, as well as Groups 1-5 of Phase 1B to utilize the online enrollment form,” Colson said. “That’s available on our website in English or Spanish.” Those eligible for a vaccine are encouraged to utilize on the online enrollment form. Those eligible include Phase 1A and those in Groups 1-4 in Phase 1B, which include child care providers and those 65 and older. For those completed enrollments, they are automatically put on a list to be contacted when vaccine doses are available. The public health team is scheduling around 300-350 doses per week, Colson said. They hope to increase it to 600 vaccines per week.
n See UPDATE, Page 4
2 n February 25, 2021 n North Coast Citizen n Manzanita, Oregon
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ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system comes to Oregon What if you could get a notice of earthquake shaking before it’s felt at your location? The technology exists, is already in place along most of the West Coast and operational for key infrastructure systems such as automatic water valve shutoffs and starting back-up generators. ShakeAlert®, an earthquake early warning system powered by the U.S. Geological Survey, uses science and technology to detect significant earthquakes quickly so alerts can reach people before shaking arrives. These seconds of advance warning allow people and systems to take actions to protect life and property from destructive shaking. In Oregon, ShakeAlert-powered alert delivery to wireless devices such as cell phones via the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System, mobile apps and other technologies will begin as of 10 a.m. on March 11. No specific action is needed for WEA alerts and for cell phones using the Android operating system. The mobile app, QuakeAlertUSA, is currently available in Oregon. March 11 coincides with the 10th anniversary of the M 9.1 Great Tohoku, Japan earthquake, which killed thousands and leveled cities. The Tohoku tsunami inundated coastal communities in Oregon, causing millions of dollars in damages.
Like Japan, a subduction zone lies off the coast of Oregon, capable of generating M 9.0 earthquakes. “This amazing technology could provide valuable seconds or tens of seconds on the front of an earthquake, not only mitigating lives lost by giving people a chance to seek shelter but also helping to drive a more efficient response,” said Andrew Phelps, director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. “The ability for first responders to take protective actions for themselves and their equipment means more resources to help Oregonians once the shaking stops.”
How it works According to Robert de Groot, USGS ShakeAlert coordinator for Communication, Education, Outreach and Technical Engagement, ShakeAlert is an infrastructure of seismic sensors within a regional network that is part of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) and the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN). A network of seismic sensors across California, Oregon and Washington are constantly measuring ground motion. They send this ground motion data to a USGS managed ShakeAlert processing center in Seattle; Pasadena, Calif.; or Menlo Park, Calif.
“When a sensor detects shaking, fast working algorithms and a state-of-the-art network may potentially give you seconds of warning before that seismic wave arrives to your location,” said Robert. Algorithms take just a few seconds to do calculations and issue a ShakeAlert Message containing information about the estimated magnitude and area of shaking of the earthquake. The message is made available to ShakeAlert distribution partners such as utilities, hospitals, transportation systems, schools, emergency management agencies, etc., producing and delivering alerts, thus enabling people to take protective actions, such as drop/cover/hold on. In addition, ShakeAlert protects people and vital infrastructure by triggering automated actions such as closing water valves, starting back-up generators and issuing public announcements. For a ShakeAlert Message to be issued by the USGS, at least four seismic sensors need to detect the same ground motion. What to do When an alert is received, over a mobile device or from another communications channel, drop, cover and hold on. • DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees – this position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter
if nearby. If no shelter nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows. • COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand; if a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl under it and hold on with one hand. If there is no table or desk near you, maintain a crawling position to protect
your vital organs and be ready to move if necessary. • HOLD ON until shaking stops. Why ShakeAlert? Oregon is one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the continental United States. Over the years, Oregon has had a series of earthquakes, large and small. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 600-mile long fault that runs from northern California up to British Columbia and is about 70-100 miles off the Pacific coast shoreline. Oregon has the potential for an M 9.0+ earthquake caused by the Cascadia Subduction Zone and a resulting tsunami of up to 100 feet in height that will impact the coastal area. There have been 41 earthquakes in the last 10,000 years along this fault, occurring as few as 190 years or as much as 1200 years apart. The last M 9.0 (estimated) earthquake that occurred in this fault was Jan. 26, 1700. Earthquakes strike sud-
denly, without warning and at any time of the year. Any and all preventative or warning resources can help to mitigate loss of lives, severe injury and devastating infrastructure damage. “The last 12 months have been extraordinary, especially for us here in Oregon,” said Phelps. “One of the biggest takeaways from our experiences with catastrophic floods, battling a global pandemic, historic deadly and devastating wildfires, and the most recent severe winter storm is that there are things we can do as individuals, families and communities to reduce our risk and lessen the impact of these disasters. Avoiding floodwaters, wearing a mask, heeding evacuation warnings, creating defensible space and preparing for the worst make us less vulnerable. So, too, does earthquake early warning.”
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Communities for watershed protection needs your help North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection needs your help. We were all shocked and angered about the recent clearcut logging by Stimson Lumber in the Jetty Creek watershed, and that has motivated us to take strong actions. In addition to that example of industrial forestry, we have been particularly dismayed by the following: the large clearcuts on steep slopes above Wheeler plus those on steep slopes near the fish habitat of Foley Creek, as well as pesticide spraying of clearcuts that are less than a half mile from Nehalem Elementary School. We were both humbled and energized by the strong response of so many of our members who wrote letters and made phone calls to the Oregon Department of Forestry, public officials, and news media to try to stop that recent clearcutting of one of the last vestiges of older trees in the Jetty Creek watershed. In response, NCCWP is embarking on a new effort to shine a brighter light on what is happening to many of the watersheds on the Oregon Coast. Even though many of us are very aware of what has been happening to these vital sources of drinking water and fish habitat, there are still many people who are not. It
is imperative that we get the word out to a larger group. In order to make this happen, NCCWP is developing a Strategic Communications Platform that will place both state-wide ads produced by groups affiliated with us and our own locally-produced ads in local print and digital media. (A campaign to encourage more people to write letters advocating better forestry practices is also a part of our plan.) Our intention is to use local media outlets to inform more Oregonians about what is going on around the state behind the “beauty” strips that are left next to highways after clearcut logging. Please make a donation to support this new and important effort to protect our forest waters and the true beauty of the places in Oregon that we all love. If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to NCCWP, please make your check payable to Fulcrum Community Resources and write NCCWP on the memo line. Send your check (payable to Fulcrum Community Resources with NCCWP on the memo line) to: North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection PO Box 345 Wheeler, OR 97147 Fulcrum Community Resources is a local 501(c)3 organization created to support local non-profit organizations such as North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection. For more information,
Manzanita, Oregon n North Coast Citizen n February 25, 2021 n 3
Opinion / Letters
visit the Fulcrum Community Resources website. Or if you would like to make a non-tax-deductible donation, you can donate directly to North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection by sending a check payable to NCCWP. Send your check to: North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection PO Box 345 Wheeler, OR 97147
Peter Karnig pkarnig@gmail.com Nancy Webster rockawaycitizen. water@gmail.com 503-355-2516 North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection (formerly Rockaway Beach Citizens for Watershed Protection) is a grassroots group working, through education and advocacy, for better protections of the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the forests that sustain us. healthywatershed.org www. facebook.com/NCCWATERSHEDPROTECTION
Our drinking water sources are in danger “Water Is Life” says a sign in my neighbor’s yard. Lives of people on the North Coast are in jeopardy, because our drinking water sources are in danger. Many previouslyforested areas which provided our sources of drinking water are now bare acres of
stumps, due to clearcutting. In addition, these areashave been sprayed with potentially harmful chemicals which run off into streams that feed our watersheds and are the sources of our drinking water. This past year has had glaring incidents of clean water threats: first, the pesticide spraying of a huge Weyerhaeuser clearcut less than a half-mile from Nehalem Elementary School; next, pesticide spraying immediately above the town of Wheeler; then, the clearcuts on steep slopes above both East Foley Creek and the Trask River, salmon-spawning streams; finally, the Jetty Creek watershed lost a large area of older trees (in an area known as Olympic Line) due to clearcut logging. Jetty Creek provides water to Rockaway Beach, where a new multimillion dollar water filtration system had to be built at community expense due to damage to the watershed caused by clearcuts. In early December 2020, with only two weeks notice, Olympic Line was due to be clearcut. Since this short notice was given right before the Thanksgiving Day weekend, those of us with North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection (NCCWP) asked for letters to be written to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), requesting more time for public comment and investigation before
the operation was approved. Amazingly, 110 people wrote to ODF. Unfortunately, in spite of the large public outcry, no time extension was granted and Stimson was allowed to proceed with the clearcutting of Olympic Line, one of the last vestiges of older trees that remained in the Jetty Creek watershed. All of our coastal watersheds are potentially in danger from the timber companies that log aggressively while reaping benefits of tax cuts that have cost coastal counties at least $3,000,000,000. Many profits from logging are funneled to Wall Street real estate investment trusts that have profited at the expense of rural communities. In the past, for decades, private timber owners had been required to pay a severance tax on the value of the trees they logged, but starting in 1994, that tax was eliminated by the Oregon Legislature. So today, monies that the counties need for education, roads, and other infrastructure have evaporated. North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection is working to shine a light on what is happening to drinking water for our coastal residents. Unlike Portland, that has its primary source of water in the protected Bull Run Reservoir, coastal residents do not have the assurance that our water sources
will be protected. The laws governing forestry practices in Oregon are more lax than in Washington, Idaho, and California, largely because of lobbyists for the forestry industry. Our legislators, the ODF and Tillamook Board of Commissioners need to work for the people of Oregon in demanding that our drinking water be safe! Betsy McMahon Manzanita
We need better info on the vaccine program Why isn’t there a single source of information in tillamook County to covey info about our covid vac program? A daily situation report provided by the tch dept. could alleviate a lot of confusion and anxieaty. Such reports could answer questions and provide basic info such as 1. How many vacs given out by category? 2. What does “randomized selection” mean? 3. Are other sources for vac other than the county available? 4. Will all people in a given group get the vac before the next group? The official reports could be posted on email and facebook. Terry Kandle Garibaldi
Give Seeds a Chance takes on a new look this year
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503-468-6887 wildcoastgoods.com The annualGive Seeds a Chance: Seed Exchange and MORE, is a program of Fulcrum Community Resources who has partnered in the past with the White Clover Grange, the Nehalem Bay Garden Club and Food Roots. For more information you can also contact Barbara McLaughlin at barbaraandchuck@nehalemtel. net
Gifts Galore, Crafts, Raffle, & More!
ATTENTION ALL NE AH-KAH-NIE GRADUATES The Neah-Kah-Nie District #56 Graduate Scholarship Committee will be awarding up to $20,000 in scholarships this coming May. Any graduate of Neah-Kah-Nie High School from 1954 forward who wishes to pursue advanced academic, vocational or technical education can apply. Applications may be obtained at the Neah-Kah-Nie High School Office, by contacting Guidance Counselor Esther Troyer at esthert@nknsd.org, or go to sites.google.com/view/nkngraduatescholarships/home.
Application deadline is April 1st, 2021
H62957
Classified Special!
and these flower, herb and vegetable seeds will be available free for people to take. Individuals can also bring in seeds to share if they desire. Please be sure to label them with variety and date. As seen on a free “little box” of food stuffs in Manzanita: “Take what you need, give what you can.” The free seeds will be available from Saturday, Feb 6 till Sunday, Feb 28th. Wild Coast Goods is located at 35870 7th St. Nehalem and is open Thursday through Sun from 11-4.
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The eighth Annual Give Seeds a Chance: Seed Exchange, like every other live event in recent times, will not be a live event. Instead, Ashley Mersereau and Justin Bailie, owners of Wild Coast Goods, have generously offered a space in their store in downtown Nehalem to house a collection of free seeds. The Tillamook Library and Oregon Food Bank have received their annual shipment of seed packets from various companies
Caring for the whole family Our dedicated team of professionals are here to care for you and the whole family. We have a wide-range of integrated services and providers to care for your overall health and well-being, including: • Patient-centered primary care, where you are a member of your holistic health care team. • Primary and family medicine, mental and behavioral health care and dental care. • In-person, telephone or online appointments are available.
Now accepting new patients
For appointments, please call 503-842-3938 503-842-3900 • 800-528-2938 • TTY 711
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801 Pacific Avenue • Tillamook Covid-19 vaccine information line 503-842-3914 www.tillamookchc.org
4 n February 25, 2021
n North Coast Citizen n Manzanita, Oregon
www.NorthCoastCitizen.com
CLASSIFIEDS/ NEWS
Stranded motorists rescued by sheriff’s office, US Forest Service
Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office deputies Tom Mayne and Billy Cloud, along with US Forest Service (USFS) Forest Protection Officer (FPO) Travis Sisco, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, spent the day cutting their way through hundreds of downed trees on the USFS 8533 Road in south Tillamook County to reach stranded motorists who were stuck behind miles of downed trees. According to the sheriff’s office, the rescuers hiked up the snow-covered road, cutting and removing trees in their way, then drove their trucks up behind them. Cloud’s 16-year-old son, Brody, was riding along with his dad, and was also put to work
“Billy and Travis are cutting machines, so me and Brody cleared the trees and logs from the road after they were cut free,” said Mayne. “There were hundreds of trees down.” As darkness fell, the road got steeper. Deputies had been in touch with the motorists throughout the day. One of stranded motorists had been camping and had several days’ worth of food, supplies
and fire-start remaining. The motorists told deputies they were fine spending another night where they were, the sheriff’s office said. After hours of carving their way nine miles in, it was decided to return in the morning, fresh and ready to resume cutting. On Sunday morning, Feb. 14, Mayne, Griffith, Awe and Greiner were determined to push their way through to
the motorists. After several hours and as many miles on the USFS 1400 Rd, they reached the stranded folks at South Lake. The two men in the pick-up truck were from Hillsboro, and in addition to the barricade of fallen trees, their 4WD system had failed, making a self-extraction impossible. The sheriff’s office said the other motorist was from Texas and had been camping. He had plenty of supplies, but no chainsaw, and a branch had fallen through the rear hatch of his parked Jeep. The mission ended with everyone and all vehicles safely back on the pavement. “Had there been any injuries, or lack of shelter, supplies or loss of contact, our tactics would have been much different. But based on all of that, and freezing rain, darkness, and the danger of cutting at night, we felt it was the best decision to return the next day,” said Mayne. “It’s hard to describe the amount of trees down; it was insane.” And if that wasn’t enough excitement in the woods, later on Feb. 14, Cloud and Griffith responded to the Jordan Creek area of the Tillamook State Forest and had to cut their way several miles in to assist another trapped motorist. The man had gotten stranded behind a seemingly endless wall of downed trees. “Luckily, Blake Miller, a timber faller friend of mine - and a wizard with a chainsaw - was there to assist us. We had to cut about 50-60 trees off of Jordan Creek Rd,” said Cloud. “The man was camping and said that with the number of trees falling, it sounded like a (military) firefight.” The man’s vehicle was also damaged by falling trees. After a few hours, the motorist was successfully returned to the pavement. TCSO reminds you before venturing off into the forest, especially in winter, prepare for the unexpected and plan accordingly.
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Manzanita, Oregon n North Coast Citizen n February 25, 2021 n 5
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Twin Rocks Sanitary District is accepting applications for the position of
HELP WANTED
Part-Time Office Manager
HH21-35
SHELTERED NOOK is looking for a part time housekeeper to help clean our Tiny Homes. Our homes are booked throughout the year so this is a permanent year-round, part time position. Must be available to work weekends. No experience is necessary, we are willing to train the right individual. Our housekeepers are key to our success and we believe attitude is more important than experience. Wages up to $15 per hour. Come join our family. Contact Dee at 503-805-5526 www.shelterednook.com. H62979
Qualifications & Skills: • Must be 18 years of age. • High school graduate or equivalent. • Possess and maintain a current OR driver’s license in good standing. • Possess general office and accounting skills with at least (2) years of community college education or two (2) years work experience in an office. Position will be under the supervision of the Board of Directors and includes normal office procedures (operating fax machine, copier, Word, Excel, and other computer applications to prepare quarterly and annual reports, budgets, etc.) Experience in accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, budgeting, and fund accounting. Position is for a twenty-five (25) hour work week, office hours 8:00 A.M -1:00 P.M. Monday-Friday. Pay dependent upon qualifications, does include benefits.
Let our locally based service help you get your office organized for 2021. We provide
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To apply send a resume to: office.twinrockssanitary@gmail.com. Closing date 3/15/2021 at 5:00 p.m. TWIN ROCKS SANITARY DISTRICT is an equal opportunity employer.
Public Notice Call for Budget Committee Members The Nehalem Bay Health District seeks qualified voters for the Fiscal Year 2021- 2022 Budget Committee. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday April 29th @ 7:00 PM. If a second meeting is required it will be held May 06 @ 7:00 PM. Applicants should reside in the District which is the same boundaries as Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue except for the Riverside Estates Annexation. Statements of interest with contact information should be received prior to March 15, 2021. Send emails to: nbhdistrict@ gmail.com, letters to P.O. Box 6, Wheeler, OR 97147 or deliver to the District office at 278 Rowe Street, Room 218, Wheeler, OR.
280 Rowe Street, Wheeler Oregon 97141 280 Rowe Street, Wheeler Oregon 97141 Are you hard working, friendly, and reliable? Perfect! Join us and get involved! you hard working, friendly, and reliable? We areArelooking for the following positions: Perfect! Join us and get involved! Cook • Temporary Nursing Assistant We are looking the following positions: CNA – Fullfortime & Part time RN – orFull LPN: Part-time RN/LPN time & Part time Aide – Part time CNA: FullDietary or Part time (Ask about our sign on For details, call 503-368-5171 ext 3101, or apply online at bonus!) https://nehalemcarecenter.com/careers/ H62938 For details, call 503-368-5171 ext 3115, or apply online at https://nehalemcarecenter.com/careers/ Walk – Ins welcome!
Experienced Medication Aide
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Kilchis House and Nehalem Bay House
Bus Drivers
Tillamook County Transportation District (TCTD) is looking for customer serviceoriented individuals to join our team of professional drivers. Training provided along with competitive wages and benefits.
Submit completed application to: Tillamook County Transportation District Attn: Driver Position 3600 Third Street, Suite A Tillamook OR 97141 Fax: 503-815-2834 or email: hr@tillamookbus.com
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CNA’s encouraged to apply 30/60/90 day reviews with potential for pay increases. Healthy bonus structure Hero bonuses Outstanding PPE Paid Time Off Delicious meals Experienced long-term management The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others Experience the non-profit difference where Residents are number one! Contact Nehalem Bay House at (503) 368-6445 Tillamook County Transportation Distric or Kilchis House at (503) 801-1529 “Connecting the community through sustainable transit services” email tdelano@careinc.org H49552
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Date 1/2/2019 Attorney
johnaedgar@outlook.com
Tillamook County Transportation District Announces Board Vacancy
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Contact: Doug Pilant Telephone: 503-842-3115 Email: dpilant@tillamookbus.com
The Tillamook County Transportation District (TCTD) Board of Directors Realty is requesting applications from citizens interested in filling the Board’s Position # 5 vacancy. The Di Nehalem Bay Ready Mix Board of Directors are responsible for adopting an annual budget and setting policy for Mohler Sand & operations of all public transportation in Tillamook County. Gravel, LLC
Sand & Gravel
• Hot Water • Prompt Delivery TCTD • Crushed Rock • Fill Material • Rip Rap • Decorative Bounders H40843
was established in July 1997 to provide Tillamook County residents with public transportation services. The District has grown over the years and now operates 7 fixe (503) 368-3362 20890 Foss Road, Nehalem routes 7 days per week providing connecting services to Portland, Lincoln City, Canno 503-368-5157 Beach, Salem and Yamhill County. Cell (503) 812-0830 The District also operates demand response servi Call in advance for Saturday delivery • CCB #160326 called Dial-A-Ride and provides non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) servic Engineering Construction Floor Covering Tillamook County residents to access North to medical Coast services in Portland and Salem. TCT operates the NW Rides NEMT brokerage, which coordinates medical transportation FREE throughout Tillamook, Clatsop and Columbia counties.
Astro & Odie
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Open Tuesday - Friday 10-5 • Saturday 10-4
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The person 20appointed to this position will serve until the next district election in May 20 Years Experience in Tillamook County Directory Applicants are required to reside within the District and be a registered voter. Applicat will be accepted until February 1, 2019To atadvertise 5 PM.
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653 Manzanita Avenue • Manzanita CCB# 128946
picked up at the TCTD Office located at 3600 3rd Street, Suite A, Tillamook. For more
6 n February 25, 2021
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n North Coast Citizen n Manzanita, Oregon
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Futures Council launch survey to collect opinions from community members in partnership with Oregon State University Community members are being asked to shape the strategic direction of Tillamook County. The Tillamook County Futures Council, in partnership with Oregon State University (OSU), has launched a community survey to collect opinions from across the county to better understand what community members want Tillamook County to look and feel like in 20 years. An in-depth community visioning process will help inform the development of a community plan by exploring the positive aspects of our communities and understanding areas where Tillamook County can do better. “We value your input and perspectives, and we encourage everyone’s participation
in this important process,” said Jennifer Purcell, Chair, Tillamook County Futures Council. The survey is now available online in both English and Spanish at www. TillamookSurvey.com and will be open through February 28, 2021. The Tillamook County Commissioners have charged the Tillamook County Futures Council with updating the County’s Strategic Vision. Much has changed in Tillamook County since Tillamook County’s Vision 2020 was developed in the late 1990s. The Tillamook County Commissioners want their priorities and decision-making to reflect citizens’ vision for the future. In order to do a good job of that, the Commissioners need
to know what the community wants. An update to the County’s Strategic Vision will provide a timely shared vision for Tillamook County’s future. The Tillamook County Futures Council was established by the Board of County Commissioners in 1997 as an advisory committee to develop a citizen-based vision for Tillamook County. Today, the Futures Council serves as stewards of the County Vision, encouraging citizen engagement, promoting partnerships, monitoring progress, and updating the Vision through broad-based community input. Over the past 20 years, the Futures Council has heard about priorities in the areas of health and
human services, youth and education, society and culture, the economy, growth and development, and the natural environment. We want to hear from you. What is important to ensuring your vision for the future of Tillamook County is attainable? What are emerging as priorities today? Grounded in citizen engagement, the process to update the County’s Vision seeks to capture a diversity of points of view to ensure that the Vision represents all of Tillamook County. This strategic planning process began last Fall with a series of interviews with community leaders throughout the county. The Futures Council and OSU have also been working with each of the county’s
school districts to solicit student input and participation, ensuring the county’s youth have an active voice in the future of our communities. And recently, OSU launched a community survey distributed to a random sample of Tillamook County households to help the Futures Council better understand what community members want their communities to look and feel like in 20 years. If you would like to participate in this community survey and have not yet been able to do so, the survey is now available to the general public online in both English and Spanish at www. TillamookSurvey.com and will be open through February 28, 2021. The Tillamook County
Futures Council is an advisory committee to the Board of County Commissioners serving as stewards of the county Vision and its ongoing visioning process. The Futures Council is charged with encouraging citizen involvement in issues that relate to Tillamook County’s Vision and communicating the citizen’s priorities and perspectives back to the Commissioners. The Futures Council accomplishes its mission by convening community conversations, facilitating citizen and stakeholder engagement, and assimilating broad-based community input to inform decision-making.
CARE returns to their regular offices beginning March 1 On March 1, Community Action Resource Enterprises (CARE), Inc. returns to their regular offices located at 2310 1st Street in downtown Tillamook. CARE had temporarily relocated to 904 Main Avenue while conducting renovations to its permanent home. With the first round of renovations completed, some in-person services will be resuming shortly. CARE is here to help all our low-income friends and neighbors in Tillamook County experiencing poverty or homelessness, and those who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are someone you know needs assistance, please call CARE at 503-842-5261 to learn about how they can help you over the phone or in person.
n Level Continued from Page 1 nations ramping up, now is not the time to let down our guard.
n State Continued from Page 1 son learning in the coming weeks.” Those classroom returns have largely been driven by significant decreases in the state’s rate of new virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the past several weeks. According to State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the seven-day rolling average of daily cases is down by two-thirds since the beginning of the year, and virus hospitalizations have dropped by more than half in
In November 2020, CARE temporarily relocated to 904 Main Avenue while conducting the first phase of a renovation project. The purpose for this renovation was to implement changes in CARE’s building design and layout that would allow them to safely resume in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CARE implemented a series of protocols designed to keep clients and staff safe from COVID-19. Many of CARE’s services were able to successfully transition to phone and video communication, but not all services could be provided remotely. For those services that required in-person communication, CARE’s offices did not allow for proper social distancing, and so the only safe way
Continue to wear your masks, keep physical distance, and avoid indoor gatherings.” The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. County risk levels will be reassigned every two weeks. The first week’s data will provide a “warning week” to prepare
the same time. The state’s test positivity rate is down to its lowest point since the state changed how it calculates the figure in mid-November, too, Sidelinger said. “The downward data trends in cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity reflect the shared sacrifice of Oregonians, and the collaborative efforts of Oregonians to protect their families and their communities by wearing masks, limiting indoor gatherings and keeping physical distance,” Sidelinger said. One number is steadily increasing, through: The state’s expected allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
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counties for potential risk level changes. The next assignment of risk levels will be announced March 9 and take effect March 12. Updates to Warning Week data and county risk levels will be posted to coronavirus.oregon.gov.
Despite delays in doses of the Moderna vaccine due to winter storms across the country, OHA officials said the state remains on track with its vaccination timetables. That means people over 70 will be eligible for the vaccine starting Feb. 22, and those over 65 will be eligible March 1, according to Allen. “I want to ask people who are newly eligible the same thing I’ve asked everyone who’s come before them: Please be patient,” Allen said. “Vaccines remain limited. We’re getting more doses, but we still don’t have enough to vaccinate everyone on demand.” Allen said the state expects
to receive about 107,000 total doses per week starting next week, up from around 83,000 the week before (not accounting for weather-delayed shipments). As always, the state officials said there’s still risk of the virus spreading faster across the state with new variants or reduced precautionary measures. Individuals should continue wearing masks, social distancing and staying home when sick, and anyone who escaped power outages or winter storms by sheltering in someone else’s home should be vigilant for virus symptoms and get tested if they appear, Brown said.
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to conduct these visits was in the open air of the CARE parking lot. Recognizing this did not uphold the dignity of those they serve, CARE began developing plans to renovate their offices with a layout designed to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19. CARE will now reopen with a new lobby that contains three private client meeting rooms that have ample space for social distancing, a dedicated supply of clean air, and that can be easily disinfected between client visits.
n More Continued from Page 1 Friends of Cape Falcon Marine Reserve supports ODFW with outreach and information about the marine reserve. This includes activities such as hikes, lectures and boat tours. There are Friends groups at each of the five marine reserves on the coast, doing outreach. “We organize community science in the marine reserves, which includes seabird monitoring with Portland Audubon,” Treadwell said. “We do that out at Devil’s Cauldron in Oswald West.” Friends does an intertidal BioBlitz at Neahkahnie Beach in July to record as many species as possible. They also work with Oregon State Parks and are working on making
n Vaccine Continued from Page 1 going to be dependent on our vaccine supply we receive, as well as staffing,” Colson said. “When we call you, details of where that site will be provided when either our staff or when one of the vaccine partners call to schedule.” Colson said the health center and vaccine partners would always identify themselves and the organization they are working with and will not ask for payment information over the phone. The demand for the COVID-19 vaccine continues to grow, Colson added. It will take several weeks to get through the current eligibility groups. Safeway and Tillamook Pharmacy are now able to schedule eligible residents online for the vaccine. You can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine at Safeway online at https://www. safeway.com/pharmacy/ covid-19.html
n Update Continued from Page 1 “The demand for the vaccine continues to grow each week,” Colson said. “We want to ensure each eligible age group gets a priority twoweek period before adding in that new eligibility age group.” When a provider from the health department or a vaccine partner calls you, they will always identify themselves and the organization they are working for. They will not ask for payment information over the phone. Colson said outreach efforts would continue with vaccine partners to reach those eligible groups. Safeway and Tillamook Pharmacy are
interpretive signs. “The marine reserve kind of maintains what makes our area special by creating that refuge for wildlife and enhancing the visitors experience,” Treadwell said. The research increases knowledge of Oregon’s resources. The monitoring for scuba surveys occurs every few years and hook and line surveys take place every other year. “There is also currently the Draft Management Plan for Cape Falcon Marine Reserve,” Treadwell said. “That was released in January and is open for public comment for the month of February.” People can read and comment on the plan at: oregonmarinereserves. com/ 2021/01/14/management-plan-2/ Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia. net People who need help filling out the eligibility form can call the COVID-19 vaccine information line at 503-8423914 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The eligibility form can be found on the health center’s website at https://tillamookchc.org/ coronavirus/vaccines/ or directly at https://bit.ly/3dhCrA6 for those 65 years and older or at https://bit. ly/2ZqPqY2 for all Phase 1A, educators/early learning and child care providers. If someone gets scheduled for a vaccine through one of the pharmacies, they should fill out an eligibility form and select ‘remove enrollment – scheduled elsewhere/no longer need.’ “It’s just a continued message that it will take some time to get everyone in our county vaccinated who’s eligible,” Commissioner Erin Skaar said. “We all need to be patient.” Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia. net
now able to schedule vaccines online for those eligible. You can find more information about scheduling an appointment with Safeway at https:// bit.ly/3k3Z5NH Tillamook County Health Department’s eligibility forms can be found at https://tillamookchc.org/coronavirus/ vaccines/ If you need help filling out the enrollment form, call the vaccine line at 503-842-3914 or email tcchc@co.tillamook. or.us. Adventist Health Tillamook President Eric Swanson said 1,274 vaccines have been delivered. As of Friday, Feb. 19, 82 percent of medical staff have been vaccinated. Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia. net