Hood To Coast Relay Route Change Announced

Friday, Aug. 12, 2011

HOOD TO COAST RELAY ROUTE CHANGED

Organizers of the Hood to Coast Relay event, scheduled for Aug. 26-27, have changed one leg of the race route south of Astoria due to a conflict at a traditional exchange site.
Leg #35 of the race will now go down Logan Road and Lewis and Clark Road, instead of the Lewis and Clark Mainline route used in prior years. The route was changed due to the renewed log-sorting activity at the Westerlund log handling facility at Fort Clatsop Road and Loukas Lane, which was used as a team exchange point in previous years.
The new exchange point for the leg will be the Netel Grange on Logan Road. From there runners and walkers and team vans will head south eight miles on Logan Road and Lewis and Clark Road to the next exchange near Crown Camp Road.
Clatsop County is sending letters to all affected property owners on Logan Road and Lewis and Clark Road to inform them of the route change.
The rest of the route through Clatsop County remains the same – Oregon Highway 202 from Birkenfeld to Olney; Youngs River Road from Olney to Miles Crossing; Lewis and Clark Road from Miles Crossing to Logan Road. The final leg runs from the Crown Camp Road exchange to the finish in Seaside.
The view the complete route, go the event website at www.hoodtocoast.com.
1,300 running teams and 400 walking teams will participate in this year’s event, an increase in 250 teams from 2010. Runners and walkers will be on the route through most of the day Saturday, Aug. 27. Motorists are reminded to watch for race participants and support vehicles along the route.

-Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Astoria, Oregon Bicentennial Celebration Kicks-In To Full Gear Through Sunday With The Astoria Regatta

Official Bicentennial Program Book

Go To Bicentennial Site For Schedule

Two New E.Coli Cases Reported to Clatsop County Health Department!

Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011

TWO NEW E. COLI CASES REPORTED TO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Two additional cases of E. coli infection possibly linked to tainted strawberries have been discovered in Clatsop County.
The Oregon Department of Health issued a warning Monday after 16 people in northwest Oregon, including four in Clatsop County, were sickened with the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria strain believed to have come from strawberries from a Newberg-area farm. One of the people infected, a woman in Washington County, died.
The two new suspected cases were reported to the Clatsop County Public Health Department on Wednesday. At least one of the people is known to have eaten strawberries traced to Jaquith Strawberry Farms, the source of the tainted berries. Specimens from the two people have been sent to a laboratory for confirmation.
Both people have been treated at a local clinic and did not require hospitalization. The four other local cases were also relatively mild.
E. coli is a common inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract and is usually harmless, but E. coli O157:H7, a strain carried by some animals, often produces toxins that can cause mild to severe intestinal illness, including severe cramps and diarrhea. Severe cases can include complications such as kidney damage.
The suspect berries were sold at a variety of farmers markets and road-side stands throughout northwest Oregon and southwest Washington prior to Jul 29, when Jaquith farm ended its strawberry harvest.
Local and state health officials urge anyone who may have purchased strawberries from one of these vendors to dispose of the fruit, including berries stored in the freezer. Freezing does not kill the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture Food Safety Division has posted a listing of all the known outlets where berries from Jaquith farm were sold. To see the list go to www.oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/strawberries.shtml
The department notes that the list is not all-inclusive – Jaquith berries may have been sold by other vendors. As a result, consumers are still advised to dispose of any berries they purchased prior to July 29 at any farmers market or road-side stand.
Strawberries purchased after Aug. 1 or at supermarkets, or other types of berries, have not been implicated in the outbreak.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Audio Transcript For August 10, 2011 Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners Meeting

Full Audio Meeting Transcript

Meeting Highlights

Arch Cape panel bylaws updated
The board of commissioners approved amendments to the bylaws of the Southwest Coastal Citizens Advisory Committee, which reviews land-use applications in the unincorporated community of Arch Cape. The revisions clarify the number and length of terms, and allow both permanent residents and property owners to serve on the committee.

Hood to Coast permit approved
The board approved an addendum to the special event permit granted last month to the Hood to Coast Relay to account for an increase in the number of participating teams at this year’s event. Founder Robert Foote explained that a clerical error resulted in the original permit application containing the incorrect number.
The number of teams in the event, scheduled for Aug. 26-27, will increase from 1,450 to 1,700. Foote told the board, however, that organizers have altered the start times for the running and walking events alleviate some of the congestion that occurs at the race’s finish in Seaside.

Other Business
In other business the board:
-Received the official StormReady and TsunamiReady designations from representatives of the National Weather Service. The designations signify that Clatsop County has taken a number of measures to increase readiness for tsunamis and severe weather events.
-Received recognition from top officials of SAIF Corporation for the county’s 97 years of business with the worker’s compensation insurance carrier.
-Took a straw poll of the commissioners’ stance on the gillnet ban ballot measure proposed for the November 2012 ballot. Most of the commissioners indicated they opposed the measure.

SAIF(State Accident Insurance Fund) Honors 97 Year Relationship With Clatsop County

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011

SAIF HONORS 97-YEAR LINK WITH CLATSOP COUNTY

Top officials of SAIF Corporation honored Clatsop County Wednesday with a plaque recognizing its nearly 97-year relationship with the county.
Clatsop County was just the fourth customer of SAIF when it signed up with new worker’s compensation insurance provider on Sept. 29, 1914. Today the not-for-profit, state-chartered corporation covers more than 600,000 workers in Oregon.
“We have truly developed a partnership with them,” Dean Perez, the county’s human resources director, told the board of commissioners.
Perez noted that SAIF has worked with the county on safety and return-to-work programs that have reduced accidents and allowed county personnel to come back to their jobs more quickly following illness or injury, saving the county thousands of dollars in claims and lost time. “We get a lot of value for the money we put in,” he said.
SAIF Senior Account Representative Jarren Swazo told the board that Perez’ efforts have helped Clatsop County achieve the corporation’s lowest available rates.
SAIF CEO Brenda Rocklin, Return to Work Consultant Lynn Speidel and Claims Director Steve Snyder also attended the presentation.
Clatsop County employs 211 personnel.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners Says "NO" To Columbia River Glllnet Ban Ballot Measure!!

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OPPOSE GILLNET-BAN BALLOT MEASURE

The Clatsop County commissioners stated their opposition to a proposed statewide ballot measure that would ban the use of gillnets from Oregon waters.
At Wednesday’s board of commissioners meeting members of the board said they oppose the measure. One board member(Commissioner Birkby) suggested postponing taking a position until after more discussion and information can be shared. The other board members indicated they are familiar enough with the proposal to state their position now.
Chair Dirk Rohne said he hopes to have a formal letter stating the board’s position prepared for action at a later date.
The measure, sponsored by the Oregon chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association and Oregon state Sens. Fred Girod and Rod Monroe, would prohibit the use of gillnets and tangle nets from all Oregon waters, including most of the lower Columbia River. It would instead direct the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to allow the use of seine nets, which are currently banned on the Columbia.
The draft measure is currently under review by the Oregon Attorney General’s Office. Supporters plan to place it on the November 2012 ballot.
Measure supporters say the new rule would reduce mortality levels of wild salmon and steelhead inadvertently caught in gillnets and returned to the water. Opponents have argued that this measure and other past legislation limiting gillnet fishing are part of a campaign by sport fishing interests to increase their share of the Columbia River salmon harvest at the expense of gillnetters.
“We support an equitable sharing of the salmon harvest by all user groups,” Rohne said.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

National Weather Service Declares Clatsop County Tsunami And Storm Ready!

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011

COUNTY DESIGNATED TSUNAMI- AND STORM-READY BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

The National Weather Service has recognized Clatsop County for its ambitious emergency preparedness program with the official TsunamiReady and StormReady designations.
Tyree Wilde, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, and NWS meteorologist Steve Todd announced the designation to the board of commissioners Wednesday. He presented Chair Dirk Rohne with a plaque as well as informational signs for posting around the county.
The agency’s TsunamiReady and StormReady programs recognize local governments that have worked to reduce the risk from tsunamis and severe weather events through education, communications upgrades and planning.
“It’s a pretty hard designation to get,” Wilde said.
Among the criteria that potential designees must meet are:
· Establish an Emergency Operations Center
· Have multiple avenues for receiving storm warnings and disseminating information to public
· Have a system for local weather monitoring
· Host community seminars for promoting public preparedness
· Create a formal hazardous weather plan including training and exercises
Additional requirements for the TsunamiReady program include identifying hazard zones and developing evacuation and response plans.
Wilde said the designation is the result of hard work by Emergency Management Director Dean Perez, Deputy Emergency Manager Gene Strong and Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning. Strong added that Transportation and Development Services Director Ed Wegner and Planner Jennifer Bunch made contributions, including development maps, for the county’s preparedness program.
Clatsop County joins Coos, Douglas and Tillamook counties as county governments in Oregon designated under the programs. The City of Cannon Beach has also earned the designations.
The county has taken several steps to improve its emergency readiness. They include securing funding for communications upgrades and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. In April the board of commissioners approved an update of the county’s Emergency Operations Plan, which details the roles and duties of various county departments’ and personnel during emergencies. As part of the plan the Emergency Management Division is organizing training for county staff under the National Emergency Management System/Incident Command System program.
A centerpiece of the county’s efforts is the planned construction of a Communications Wing onto the Emergency Operations Center at Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton. Located at the camp’s Warrior Hall, the EOC is reserved for the county’s use during major natural disasters or other events. The county recently received a federal grant for construction of an addition on Warrior Hall to permanently house the EOC’s communications equipment, reducing set-up time and allowing for more frequent training exercises.

PHOTO CAPTION: Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Chair Dirk Rohne, Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning, Emergency Management Director Dean Perez, Deputy Emergency Manager Gene Strong and National Weather Service Meteorologist Steve Todd at Wednesday’s StormReady and TsunamiReady designation presentation.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

39 Riders Complete ATV Course At Clatsop County Fair

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011

THIRTY-NINE PEOPLE COMPLETE LOCAL ATV SAFETY COURSE

The Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the successful completion of five days of Public ATV Safety Training held in conjunction with the Clatsop County Fair, Aug. 2-6.
Over the five days, 39 ATV enthusiasts received ATV safety training under two separate programs, one developed by the ATV Safety Institute, and a brand new ATV Youth Evaluation Program developed by Oregon State University and 4H. The ATV Safety Institute training is a 4-hour session and is available to youth and adults. The OSU/4H program takes two hours to complete and is available to youth under age 16 only.
Of the 39 completing the training, 26 were youth under age 16. These youth are now in compliance with a new Oregon law that becomes effective January 1, 2012 requiring youth under 16 operating an ATV on public lands in Oregon to have completed a Hands-on ATV training.
The Sheriff’s Office will continue to offer these ATV Safety Training opportunities periodically as the new laws approach and become effective.
Members of the public have an opportunity to become volunteer ATV Youth Evaluators under the 4H/OSU program. Interested persons may contact Deputy Michael Nelson at the Sheriff’s Office or by phone at (503) 791-4978 for further information and a volunteer evaluator application.
The Sheriff’s Office thanks the Clatsop County Fair Board and Fair Manager Gary Friedman for their commitment to this program, without which these opportunities may not have been offered. Also thanks to Sean Duncan, a local youth and ATV Ridercourse graduate who volunteered his time all five days of training to assist and demonstrate key skills for the students.
Congratulations to all those who completed the training and are taking a proactive approach to safe, fun, and sensible ATV riding.

PHOTO CAPTION: Young riders participate in the ATV safety course at the Clatsop County Fair.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

From The Daily Astorian: And How Are Those Reba Ticket Sales Going?

Anonymous Donor To Subsidize Tickets To Active Duty Military Families! Read Story In The Daily Astorian

By CHELSEA GORROW
The Daily Astorian
July 21. 2011
In less than a month, country superstar Reba McEntire
will grace the stage at Camp Rilea in Warrenton for
the 2011 Astoria Regatta and Bicentennial celebrat ion
weekend.
But thousands of tickets are still left to be sold to the venue that could hold 12,000.
“At this point, we’re anticipating 6,000 and we’re not
quite there yet,” said Astoria Regatta Association member
Paul Mitchell.

The goal for the event is to break even, Mitchell says, and with 6,000 tickets sold, the
Association will do just that. But there are still a few thousand left before that will happen.

Competition in neighboring communities may be the explanation for the lag of expected sales.
“The reception is good and people are excited,” Mitchell said, although noting country
superstar Toby Keith, as well as Lady Antebellum, Willy Nelson and several other bigname
country stars will be performing within days of McEntire at county fairs and
music festivals around the area.

“But it doesn’t get any better than Reba,” Mitchell said.
No matter for the tickets already sold, however. McEntire will perform for any number,
Mitchell said. There is nothing in her contract that says the show won’t go on for
lack of sales.

McEntire was paid $300,000 for the event. The concert begins at 1 p.m. with the Oregon Army
Band and Phil Vassar.

Tickets are available starting at $52 at http://www.ticketswest.com/, as well as the Liberty Theater.

Mitchell says organizers have entered the home stretch in sales. Most tickets are sold
in the four weeks before a concert. Tickets will be available the day of the event at the
venue. But there are advantages to buying tickets early.
On the day of the event, parking
passes will increase by
$5.

Advert ising continues from Lincoln City to Seattle, in print, on the radio and on television.
For more informat ion, visit www.rebaconcert.com

Four Clatsop County Residents Sickened By Strawberry-Linked E Coli Outbreak

Monday, Aug. 8, 2011

FOUR IN COUNTY SICKENED BY STRAWBERRY-LINKED E COLI OUTBREAK

The following is from Oregon Public Health and the Clatsop County Public Health Department

Oregon Public Health officials have identified fresh strawberries from a Newberg farm as the source of a cluster of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections that sickened at least 10 people last month, including one person who died.
Four of those people affected are from Clatsop County. None required hospitalization.
The strawberries were produced last month by Jaquith Strawberry Farm located in Newberg. Jaquith finished its strawberry season in late July, and its strawberries are no longer on the market. Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmers’ markets.
Jaquith has recalled its products and is cooperating fully with the investigation.
Health officials are urging consumers who may have purchased strawberries grown on this farm to throw them out. Strawberries that have been frozen or made into uncooked jam are of particular concern.
“If you have any strawberries from this producer — frozen, in uncooked jam or any uncooked form — throw them out,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., from Oregon Public Health Division. He says people who have eaten the strawberries, but remain well need take no action. The incubation period for E. coli O157:H7 is typically two to seven days.
None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:
• Berries other than strawberries;
• Strawberries sold since Aug. 1;
• Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County;
• Strawberries sold in supermarkets;
• Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.
Ten people have confirmed an E. coli O157:H7 infection caused by a single strain. These individuals include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak.
Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection. There were 12 females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.
The Clatsop County Public Health Department recorded three local confirmed cases of E.Coli O157:H7 and one presumed case believed to be linked to strawberries from Jaquith Farms. All the local cases were relatively mild, and all four people recovered without hospitalization.
Cieslak, manager of the Oregon Public Health’s communicable disease section, said his team has been working with county public health officials and the Oregon Department of Agriculture on tracking the infection cases. When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask a slate of questions of those who have been sickened, family members and health care providers. The questions are to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.
“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said. “The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmers’ markets supplied by this one farm last month.”
E. coli is a common inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract and is usually harmless. But E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of the bacterium carried by some animals, that can contaminate food and water, and that produces toxins that can cause mild to severe intestinal illness, including severe cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody.
Some patients develop complications that require hospitalization. Approximately 5 percent of infected persons, especially young children and the elderly, suffer serious and potentially fatal kidney damage.
Antibiotics are not recommended for treatment of an E. coli O157:H7 infection, and they may actually make kidney failure more likely. People infected with E. coli O157 should rest and drink plenty of fluids to reduce fatigue and dehydration.
Clatsop County Public Health has confirmed that berries from Jaquith Farms were sold from at least two local sites during the month of July, including the farmers market in Ilwaco, Wash. and a temporary produce stand in Warrenton. But, due to the fact that local berries can pass through multiple suppliers before reaching the consumer, it is possible that Jaquith berries were sold by other local vendors, and local and state health officials are recommending that the public dispose of any remaining berries they purchased from any farmers markets or stands prior to July 29, including berries they have frozen. Freezing does not kill the e coli bacteria.
Public health officials emphasize that fruits and vegetables are still important to a healthy diet; at least five servings per day are recommended. However, people need to take the following precautions with any uncooked produce:
1. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
2. Keep fruits and vegetables separated from raw animal products and away from cooked foods.
3. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling raw foods, as well as before eating, after using the toilet, and after changing diapers.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Clatsop County Home Rule Charter Timeline

TIMELINE

1970 – League of Women Voters came to town and raised the idea. The Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in February calling for a nine-member citizen committee to draft a charter and gave the panel $500 to do it. The committee debated for 20 months before presenting a proposal to voters.

Nov. 7, 1972 -- Voters rejected a proposed charter by a 9-percent margin.

May 1973 -- County commissioners appointed another charter writing committee but it didn’t produce a proposal that made it to the ballot.

1981 – A 10-month study by a citizen group ended with a recommendation that a committee be appointed to draft a charter.

1986 – A charter committee formed after a countywide study again found interest in home rule.

Nov. 4, 1986 – Voters rejected the proposed charter by a 0.5 percent margin.

May 17, 1988 – Voters approved a charter that’s virtually the same from the 1986 proposal except for the additions of a provision explaining how citizens can amend the charter and the requirement that the commissioners endorse the county manger’s choice for department heads.
Nov. 9 1988 – Charter survived an appeal attempt.

August 10, 2011 Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners Meeting Agenda

Work Session at 9:00 AM

Regular Meeting at 10:00 AM

Read Full Agenda