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CHEESEMAKERS PLAY HARD FOR THEIR LAST NON-LEAGUE GAME, PAGE A8
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Headlight Herald
TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM • SEPTEMBER 25, 2013
County, state disagree over clam harvests There are only six commercial clam harvesters working Netarts Bay (three from Oregon Cockle clams are not being and three from Washington), overharvested in Netarts Bay, said state officials, which is the Oregon Department of Fish fewer than the 18 in 2011 and and Wildlife has advised the 10 in 2010. Tillamook County commissionWhat’s more, said ODFW, ers. the number of clams the comThe county commissioners mercial harvesters are taking discussed – and disagreed with has declined since 2011. By – OFDW’s conclusions during contrast, said the state agency, a regularly scheduled meeting recreational clamming harvests Sept. 18. have remained relatively conIn a letter stant. dated Sept. 12, “Consequently, Is Netarts Bay ODFW officials we believe that overharvested? responded to a cockles are currentLet us know what you ly being harvested letter written think at our online poll in a sustainable August 14 by Tillamook Coun- at www.tillamookhead- manner,” ODFW ty’s commissionsaid in the letter. lightherald.com. ers that ex“Fishery manpressed concern agement strateabout the level gies” – commercial of commercial clam harvesting harvest permits, quotas, moniin Netarts Bay. The commistoring commercial landings sioners questioned whether and daily catch limits, and current harvests are exceeding monitoring for “sport” clamthe ability of the clam populamers – “will ensure that we will tion to reproduce. be alerted to a change in cockle Not so, the ODFW asserted. harvest sustainability, should that occur,” said the ODFW. ODFW officials acknowledged the “public perception of unsustainable harvest” in Netarts Bay, yet “we are also conClassified Ads...............B5-8 cerned that public perception is Crossword Puzzle............ B2 different from our quantitative Fenceposts....................B3-4 assessment and conclusions.” Letters.............................. A4 Cockles are the only clam Obituaries......................... A6 species allowed to be harvested Opinions........................... A4 commercially in Netarts Bay. Sports...........................A7-8 Commercially harvested cockles are used as crab bait. 1908 2nd St. Said Commissioner Bill Baertlein, “I have friends tell503-842-7535 ing me it’s not the same as it www.TillamookHeadlightHerald.com was two or three years ago. VOL. 124, NO. 39 “Somewhere, science and observation are diverging. $1.00 People out there clearly are saying there are fewer clams and [that they are] smaller.” Carpenter urged a two-year moratorium on commercial clamming. The county doesn’t have the authority to impose such a moratorium, said Commissioner Tim Josi.
LONGEST RUNNING BUSINESS IN TILLAMOOK COUNTY • SINCE 1888
7-year-old digs deep to help fund bike, skate park “Hopefully, others will want to donate to this cause.” – Allyn Berry
By Joe Wrabek
jwrabek@countrymedia.net
by Sayde Moser
smoser@countrymedia.net
INDEX
Courtesy photo
Austin Ray Berry Killian, 7, left, donated a shoebox of cash to Noah Palter, 15, right, to help raise money for a bike and skate park in Tillamook.
Cornelius Police Department may be hiring local deputy
County commissioners opt to reorganize the fair board By Joe Wrabek
jwrabek@countrymedia.net
The Tillamook County Board Of Commissioners has voted to expand the county fair board and make it more geographically representative. That recommendation was made by commission chair Mark Labhart, who serves as the commissioners’ liaison with the fair board. Labhart said the commissioners conducted a
See FAIR, Page A5
Courtesy photo
Following a review of the 2013 Tillamook County Fair, county commissioners have agreed to restructure the volunteer fair board.
tillamook farmers’ co-op Tillamook’s Country Store
serving tillamook county since 1935 503-842-4457 • Fax 503-842-7684 1920 Main Street North Tillamook, Oregon 97141
All Men’s and Women’s Slippers
Seven-year-old Austin Ray Berry Killian is doing all he can to ensure the Tillamook builds a new bike and skate park. During a recent bike and skate park committee meeting, Austin showed up with a shoebox full of cash – $78, to be exact. Austin, who frequents the skate park in Bay City with his mom, had read about the efforts of Noah Palter, 15, and friends to prompt construction of a similar park in Tillamook. In May, the Tillamook City Council agreed to dedicate a 22,000-square-foot portion of Goodspeed Park for construction of a bike and skate park. An ad-hoc committee was appointed in June to take over the park’s design and fundraising. Austin’s mom, Allyn Berry, said her son had been saving up his allowance for a year. “He gets an allowance every weekend,” she said, “and he has to divide it three ways. A third of it is his spending money, a third he has to put away for savings and a third he has to donate back to the community.” “Hopefully, others will want to donate to this cause,” Berry said. “I was born and raised here,” said Berry, “and if you’re not born on a farm and busy all day long with chores, there aren’t a lot of ways to keep your kids involved. So this skate park would be a really good thing.” “Austin always has a great time at the Bay City park. As he gets older, it would be nice for him to be able to go someplace that’s not a drive away.”
Tillamook County SherTillamook County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Harris iff Andy Long said Harris has been tentatively hired “has assured us he will give by the Cornelius proper notice, but Police Departat this time he’s ment, said Cornenot been offered lius Police Chief the job [with the Ken Summers. Cornelius Police Harris, who Department] yet.” also serves on the As for his Tillamook City position as a Council, could Tillamook city begin in Cornelius councilor, City as early as Oct. Recorder Abigail 1 if he passes Donahue said Matt Harris a background Harris has not check, said Summers. resigned. He said Harris would Despite repeated efforts, be the city’s 13th police Harris was unavailable for officer. comment.
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