Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at D River Beach in Lincoln County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.
Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems should use extra caution, as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.
Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and should stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.
Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources, including:
Storm water runoff. Sewer overflows. Failing septic systems. Animal waste from livestock, pets, and wildlife. Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.
Ocean waters will be re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.
While this advisory is in effect at D River, state officials continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk, even during an advisory.
For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).
Tolovana State Park Beach health advisory lifted May 30
UPDATE:
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) today lifted a public health advisory for contact with ocean water at Tolovana State Park, located in Clatsop County.
The health authority issued the advisory on May 29, after water samples showed higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters.
Results from follow-up tests taken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) showed lower bacteria levels. Contact with the ocean water no longer poses a higher-than-normal risk. Officials recommend staying out of large pools on the beach that are frequented by birds, and runoff from those pools, because the water may contain increased bacteria from fecal matter.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has issued a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at Tolovana State Park in Clatsop County. They advise that people should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.
Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems should use extra caution, as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.
Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and should stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.
Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources, including:
Storm water runoff. Sewer overflows. Failing septic systems. Animal waste from livestock, pets, and wildlife. Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.
Ocean waters will be re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.
While this advisory is in effect at Tolovana State Park, state officials note that other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach pose no health risk, even during an advisory.
For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).
The community is invited to join Siletz Tribal members and friends on Friday thru Sunday, May 31 thru June 2, for the 29th Annual “Run to the Rogue.”
This event, originally held in September, was moved to late spring to avoid being canceled again due to wildfires.
This is the first Run to the Rogue event since 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022 and 2023, the event was canceled due to wildfires.
This event is a 213-mile relay run/walk in memory of the Siletz Tribal ancestors who were forcibly removed from their homeland in Rogue River country in the mid-1800s and marched north to Siletz and the confinements of the Coast Reservation. This annual relay run is the closest today’s Tribal members can come to their ancestors’ experience on the journey from their homeland.
Participants may register at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 31, or at any time on the run. The run begins in Siletz on May 31 at 8:30 a.m. at the Tribal Community Center and ends Sunday, June 2, at Oak Flat on the Rogue River.
Lunch then will be served at Cougar Lane Lodge, 4219 Agness Road; turn right when leaving Oak Flat onto Agness Road.
Organizers noted; Volunteers are welcome to run, walk or help out with camp setup, cleanup, cooking and other areas. One does not need a relay team to participate. Individuals are welcome. Youth can participate but need a designated adult committed to traveling and camping with the youth. Camping sites, meals and runners’ support and refreshments are provided along the route. An orientation session will be held May 31 at 8 a.m. at the Tribal Community Center in Siletz, when Run to the Rogue T-shirts will be distributed to participants. For more information, contact Buddy Lane, cultural resources manager, at 800-922-1399, ext. 1230; 541-444-8230; or [email protected].
PORTLAND, Ore.—An outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning that sickened at least 20 people is prompting health officials to urge those who harvested mussels from a stretch of Oregon’s coast since Saturday to discard the mollusks.
Officials at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division also recommend people who experience any symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) – numbness of the mouth and lips, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and in severe cases, shortness of breath or irregular heartbeat – immediately contact a health care provider. They can also get advice by calling the Oregon Poison Center at 800-222-1222.
All 20 people who fell ill reported recreationally harvesting mussels Saturday or Sunday at Short Beach near Oceanside in Tillamook County, and Hug Point and near Seaside in Clatsop County. Some of the cases have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
On May 23, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) closed a stretch of Oregon Coast to mussel harvesting from Seal Rock State Park north to Cape Lookout due to high levels of PSP. On Sunday, the mussel harvest closure was extended from Seal Rock State Park north to the Washington border.
“We have two messages: If you have any mussels gathered since Saturday from beaches within the area of coastline that ODFW and ODA closed to harvesting – that you are preparing for a meal or keeping in the freezer for a later time – throw them out now and do not feed them to pets,” said Emilio DeBess, epidemiologist at the Oregon Public Health Division’s Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention Section. “And if you have eaten any of these mussels and are feeling ill, see a doctor right away.”
DeBess added the recommendations only apply to mussels harvested by private individuals, not those harvested commercially and purchased in a grocery store or at a restaurant.
PSP is a foodborne illness caused by saxitoxins produced by marine algae and caused by eating shellfish contaminated with the naturally occurring biotoxin, including scallops, mussels, clams, oysters and cockles, as well as some fish and crabs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is no antidote for PSP – treatment involves supportive care and, if necessary, respiratory support.
PSP is the most common and most severe form of shellfish poisoning. It occurs worldwide but is most common in temperate waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America.
Signs of illness usually appear 30 to 60 minutes after a person eats toxic shellfish and include numbness and tingling of the face, lips, tongue, arms and legs. Patients also might have diarrhea and vomiting, headache, and nausea. Severe cases are associated with ingestion of large doses of toxin and clinical features such as poor muscle control, clumsiness or slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, loose or floppy limbs, mental status changes, and respiratory failure.
PSP can be deadly, especially for children. Appropriate medical care can lessen the risk of death.
Shellfish poisoning can be prevented by avoiding potentially contaminated shellfish, which is particularly important in areas during or shortly after algal blooms. Marine shellfish toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing, and shellfish that carry them do not necessarily taste different from uncontaminated shellfish.
Avoid harvest and consumption of seafood from beaches with biotoxin closures.
Treatment for paralytic shellfish poisoning is symptomatic and supportive. Severe cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning might require mechanical ventilation.
For additional information:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/environmental-hazards-risks/food-poisoning-from-marine-toxins Oregon Department of Agriculture Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closure: https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClosures.aspx Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Shellfish and Biotoxins: https://myodfw.com/articles/shellfish-and-biotoxins#:~:text=Paralytic%20Shellfish%20Poisoning%20(PSP)%3A&text=People%20who%20eat%20shellfish%20that,occur%20within%20hours%20of%20consumption. Oregon Health Authority Fish and Shellfish Consumption Resources: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/healthyenvironments/recreation/fishconsumption/pages/seafood-shellfish.aspx
Get ready Lincoln City! Here come the visitors! After a fairly calm winter/early spring we can look forward to many travelers choosing Lincoln City and surrounding coastal towns as their destinations of choice this Memorial Day weekend.
Thankfully (for Lincoln City at least) there are no large road improvement projects happening on Hwy 101. Much concern has been expressed about the coming traffic problems that may arise once two new multi-unit housing projects are completed on the edge of Wecoma and Oceanlake districts and become open to tenants. But for now, the projects are still unoccupied though nearing completion.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) projects 43.8 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Memorial Day holiday travel period. “This year’s total number of travelers is a 4% increase over last year and comes close to matching 2005’s record of 44 million Memorial Day travelers.
We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional one million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”
Road trips are expected to set a record. AAA projects 38.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, the highest number for that holiday since AAA began tracking in 2000. The number of drivers this year is up 4% compared to last year and 1.9% higher than in 2019. Traveling by car is appealing for many people because of the convenience and flexibility it provides. AAA car rental partner Hertz says Orlando, Denver, Atlanta, Boston and Las Vegas are the cities displaying the highest rental demand, with the busiest pick-up days projected to be Thursday, May 23 and Friday, May 24.
Gas prices in Oregon still exceed the national average by nearly seventy cents per gallon so that may hamper some day trip travel and possibly encourage 3 day weekend stays.
Either way-we’ve invited them. Let’s show them our best.
First and foremost, this was a tragedy that should have never happened and my heart goes out to the family of the victim and the witnesses.
I would like to respond to the narrative that blames homeless shelters and homeless people, as a whole, for the actions of one individual.
I’d like to emphasize that the actions of one individual does not represent an entire group. Just as we shouldn’t generalize about other groups based on the actions of one person, we shouldn’t do so with homeless people either. Recently data shows a lot of our homeless population are families and elderly individuals, not the stereotypical drug addicted people. I won’t deny that those type of homeless do exist and are often the most visible. A large percentage of our population is one unexpected expense away from possibly being homeless. As a renter, I understand I, like so many others, are one decision, one broken pipe, or one electrical fire away from being in a similar situation.
What we should be highlighting is the need for better mental health services and support systems. The issue is not homelessness itself but the lack of adequate mental health care and support for vulnerable individuals.
Homeless shelters and support centers often provide crucial services, including safety, basic needs, and support to help individuals get back on their feet. A lot of these services work with local law enforcement, which can give our police and sheriff a heads up about potential problems. Without these shelters, many more people would be in dire situations, potentially increasing public safety issues.
I would like to stress the importance of addressing the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, and inadequate mental health care, rather than scapegoating the homeless population.
We need to advocate for solutions that enhance community safety while maintaining compassion and support for all residents. We need community programs that focus on rehabilitation, mental health care, and integration of homeless individuals into society.
We, as a community, need to understand the complexities of homelessness and advocate for more constructive and compassionate solutions. This is a national problem, not just a local one. If we truly want to solve this issue, it is going to take all of being involved.
The more people are genuinely involved in our government and community, the more potential solutions there are. We can’t keep throwing our hands up and withdrawing when our side, candidates, or party doesn’t win. I know it frustrating when we feel unheard but giving up only guarantees that you won’t be heard. As a local leader, I know our local governments listen to our communities but most of the time it is a small vocal group showing up. If you want to be heard email your comments instead of just putting them on social media, or better yet show up to a meeting and take part.
SALEM, Ore. – House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) today called
for the Secretary of State to appear before the Rules Committee for a hearing on May 31
to answer questions about the chain of custody issues surrounding the return of
completed ballots.
Earlier this week, county clerks and the SOS engaged with the US Postal Service to
determine why the USPS held completed, mail-in ballots instead of turning them into
the elections offices. Despite multiple inquiries, the SOS has failed to answer precisely
how many ballots were affected, how many counties were affected, and what election
officials are doing to prevent the problem from happening in the future.
“Oregonians deserve to have full faith and trust in our elections system, and it is the
Secretary of State’s job to establish and maintain that faith and trust,” said Helfrich.
“However, as of this writing, the Secretary of State’s office has yet to share precise
details of both the problems that occurred and the planned remedy. The people of
Oregon deserve answers in full view of the public to these fundamental questions.”
You can read the full letter to House Democrat leadership here.
Dear Speaker Fahey and Chair Bowman:
As Vice-Chair of the House Rules Committee, I am requesting that you invite the Oregon
Secretary of State to the committee hearing on Friday, May 31, 2024.
In light of the recent issues arising over completed ballots not being delivered to county elections offices by the United States Postal Service, I feel it is necessary to hear directly from the Secretary of State.
Oregonians deserve to have full faith and trust in our elections system, and it is the Secretary of State’s job to establish and maintain that faith and trust. Even today, as I write this letter, the Secretary of State is using the hashtag #TrustedInfo2024 on social media.
However, as of this writing, the Secretary of State’s office has yet to share any details or plan to prevent these same delays in the November general election. How can we trust their silence?
In a recent Oregon Public Broadcasting article, Molly Woon, the state’s elections director said “In no uncertain terms, they [USPS representatives] have said, ‘We will fix this. This should not be happening.’ We continue to have complete faith in the vote-by-mail system.” I look forward to hearing how the SOS and USPS will fix this. Unless I hear a specific plan to prevent similar delays, I find it hard to blindly have the same “complete faith” in the vote-by-mail system.
At a bare minimum, we wish to hear answers to the following questions:
How many ballots were affected and which counties experienced delays?
Specifically, what actions were taken to remedy the current situation?
How will the SOS ensure these same delays don’t occur for the November
This letter is in response to the recent article by Mr. Williams regarding the tragic murder that took place at the Ashley Inn.
As person who knows a similar loss I offer my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by this tragedy. As a person who has spent their professional life in social work and mental health I hear both sides of the concerns being expressed.
I believe there is room to be a community that operates from mindfulness, logic, compromise and compassion. A concern that I have regarding Lincoln County’s approach to address the houseless crisis is as follows:
Lincoln County being a rural county lacks the resources and infrastructure needed to adequately, ethically and justly serve our most vulnerable populations.
We struggle to have adequate housing for our community members which is a huge issue for attracting the specialized professionals needed to serve those in need.
We see this in our current special education system. We don’t have the professionals needed to provide services to our children and adults with special needs. We don’t have robust and cutting edge education programs or specialized services.
We see similar concerns in our medical services. We do not have the number of medical professionals needed to serve our county. SHS is forced into a position to hire agency nurses (at an extremely expensive rate), borrowing doctors and specialists from the valley to serve our community a few days a month in hopes it will be good enough.
Lincoln County has an aging population. We have minimal supports in place for people to age in place. The rates of dementia related illnesses is in the rise and we have limited supports for such individuals and their family. Many times families having to make the painful decision to have their loved one leave their life long community for the valley. Again, where is the investment in such infrastructure for our community?
We don’t have reasonably priced housing for working professionals to choose to stay and invest in building and strengthening our community by becoming permanent residents.
We have minimal resources to support those needing quality addiction related services. People are shipped to the valley and those resources are often at capacity as well.
We may have some shelter options for those who are houseless yet we lack the specialized professionals needed to properly support such individuals. Without such wrap around supports and infrastructures we are simply engaging in a band aid approach.
We don’t have the infrastructure needed in law enforcement either. People who are struggling with mental illness, addictions and traumas require specialized approaches when dealing with law enforcement. Where is the support law enforcement needs? Where are their supports of specialized crisis staff to support them when encountering such individuals? The Emergency Room is no answer, it’s at capacity and is not the place for mental health services. One or two on call crisis workers serving the entirety of the county is not realistic.
A more robust system would need to be in place to adequately, ethically and compassionately serve our entire community especially those with significant needs and disabilities. It feels reckless that the county officials would authorize the building of more shelters at this time without first properly investing in the infrastructure needed to properly support those in need.
The senseless assault and murder that recently occurred is horrific on many levels. It is horrific that a man lost his life so tragically and far to young, that his family has lost such a vital member. It is tragic that a man who has been identified as mentally ill was not in a place/situation in which he was being properly treated for his illness and being kept safe himself. It seems to me that this tragic murder has given us all space to pause, to hold those we love dear close to our hearts and to ask ourselves as a community, “what type of community do we want to be?”
We have the power of our voices and our votes. Let us take a beat, breathe and speak mindfully about the change we want to see in our community, our county.
Bradley Jay Cole (photo from Adam Rasmussen gofundme page)
This week, Bradley Cole and his wife, Debbie came to Lincoln City to celebrate 37 years of marriage. He was murdered while walking his dog. He died in a motel parking lot with his wife at his side.
Roland Evans-Freke, a transient, was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree assault and second-degree robbery. He is accused of killing Bradley Cole and is being held at the Lincoln County Jail. He is known to Oregon law enforcement.
According to Lincoln City Police they “responded to the Ashley Inn off Hwy. 101 just after 8 p.m. after receiving a report of an assault in the parking lot. Authorities arrived to the scene to find Cole badly injured and unconscious. Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate him, but Cole would later be declared dead. “
Reports have stated that Evans-Freke attempted to steal Cole’s dog. Evans-Freke is alleged to have beaten and kicked Cole to the ground. Reports state that Evans-Freke left the scene for a moment and then returned to continue the beating.
This tragic story has been covered in countless news sources and we have nothing new to add to this story.
However, Lincoln City Homepage received a note about the event asking that it be attached to a previous story about emergency shelters slated to be opened in Lincoln City. Instead of attaching as a comment that might never be seen-we have chosen to attach it to this story. The author did include their name on the original submission but we have chosen to withhold it for now.
The comment is as follows: “Any kind of homeless shelter, whether for mental health, or housing alone, should be rejected by everyone living in Lincoln County. On Tuesday, 5/14/24, a 69 yr. old man was killed in (a motel) parking lot in Lincoln City by a transient. The man was walking his dog outside when the transient man attacked him & stole his dog saying the dog would be better with him! The man died & was lying face down in the parking lot. He & his wife were…celebrating their 37th anniversary!
So, County Commissioners & Housing Authorities & all who would be involved in the decision making process regarding housing the homeless, we say, “No, we don’t want any temporary or permanent housing in Lincoln County!
It is dangerous to people living here & visiting! It will ruin our coastal towns. The crime, drugs, & everything else that comes along with supporting homeless housing will keep people from visiting & diminish quality of life for those that live here! NO TO ANY PROPERTY PURCHASE FOR HOMELESS SHELTER!”
Editorial note: While there has been no connection stated between Evans-Franke and any shelters and Homepage is not implying that there is, it is clear that many residents are either skeptical or outright fearful about the placement of these types of facilities and the types of people it might attract to our city. One may agree or disagree but we believe all voices have a right to be heard when it affects them personally.
There has been much movement to locate homeless and emergency shelters in Lincoln City. One can appreciate the desire to help others but Lincoln City is not Portland or Salem.
In larger cities with higher crime rates it is almost a given that one must be aware of one’s surroundings at all times. However, we do not live in a town where we and those that we invite to visit us must have their heads on a swivel, fearful to walk their dog near a stranger.
On the contrary, we invite people to come here and relax. We invite others here to forget their troubles and enjoy not just a beach, but a vision of a small town where we aren’t fearful of each other-friends or strangers.
Perhaps it is time for the people and agencies involved to pause and consider if their good intentions are a bit misplaced and they have let their hearts (and for some their public profiles) blind them to the realities of the world that so many in a small town such as Lincoln City would prefer to not participate in.
The question must be asked; is Lincoln City the appropriate place for the shelters now in place and still more proposed? Does the introduction of an unstable population of people, with little to no support from state or private agencies into a sleepy coastal community help those in need more than it hurts those forced to host?
One can no longer choose their neighbors. Zoning won’t protect you. Your elected local officials can’t protect you.
It seems the only choices remaining are to take a chance with a stranger in a parking lot or don’t visit or live in Lincoln City because nobody will be there looking out for you.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at D River Beach in Lincoln County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.
Get ready Lincoln City! Here come the visitors! After a fairly calm winter/early spring we can look forward to many travelers choosing Lincoln City and surrounding coastal towns as their destinations of choice this Memorial Day weekend.
First and foremost, this was a tragedy that should have never happened and my heart goes out to the family of the victim and the witnesses.
