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Umpqua Post
Weekly news from the Heart of the Dunes AN EDITION OF
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014 | Serving the Reedsport area since 1996 | theworldlink.com/reedsport | $1.00
ODF&W claims plan will increase total hatchery fish More than 120 people showed up also concerned with the harvest of wild fish. at a Reedsport meeting to hear and “Harvest also creates conservacomment about the Oregon tion risk,” he said. “Obviously, if you Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Coastal Multi-Species Conservation catch a fish before it spawns, you’re not going to have that fish spawn in and Management Plan. The the wild. That’s kind of an easy one Reedsport meeting on Jan. 29 was to get your head around. But, we the final of six meetings that began believe that both hatcheries and in Salem on Jan. 16. Other meetings harvest, in spite of the risk they prowere held in Tillamook, Newport, vide on wild fish, are necessary for Roseburg and North Bend. The meetings were to discuss the moving forward. They’re a vital part fisheries and management of spring of our coastal fishing economy and culture and we’re not looking at a and fall Chinook, chum salmon, plan that doesn’t fully embrace harwinter and summer steelhead and vest and hatchery as a good piece of coastal cutthroat trout — species that.” not listed under the Federal Bowles acknowledge the large Endangered Species Act. number of volunteers for local Officials with the department Photo courtesy of American Bridge made a presentation of what the Salmon and Trout Enhancement American Bridge constructed a facility in north Reedsport in 2003. The company recently announced it would shut- plan could be and it didn’t include a Programs. “Through those activities,” he ter the facility. Fifty-one people were laid off late last year. The company’s CEO said they don’t know what they will reduction in the numbers of hatchsaid, “I think we’re doing a great job ery fish. do with the property, once all their contracts expire. “You’ll find that, in fact, much to of keeping our programs operating chagrin of some folks, this plan calls in an effective way, with minimal risk associated with hatchery fish on for more hatchery fish on the coast the spawning ground. We want our than what currently is there,” said hatchery fish caught and we want Ed Bowles, the department’s fish division administrator. “You proba- them contributing to the hatchery bly don’t realize that, based on what brood stock.” Fisherman Steve Godin from you’re hearing. But, this actually is Scottsburg was the first to make a an increase in the number of overall hatchery fish. Bowles said the department is “I suspect that’s going to happen in Oregon,” he said. There is a simple explanation to the closure of the SEE ODF&W, PAGE A6 American Bridge plant in Reedsport in December. “It’s beginning to happen in other states ... where “Financial viability,” said President and Chief they’re seeing a shortfall, with respect the federal plan Operating Officer Michael Flowers, who stopped by the and, if they want to maintain the facilities that they Reedsport facility on a recent tour of the West Coast, have, they’ve got to come up with a mechanism to fund which included stops in San Francisco and Seattle. them that simply relying on the federal government.” The company closed two plants — one in Reedsport Flowers knows Oregon could be committed to and one in Ambridge, Pa., near the company’s headspending hundreds of millions of dollars to replace the quarters in Coraopolis. Interstate Bridge between Portland and Vancouver. More than 50 employees were laid off at the The Oregon Legislature, this month, is being asked Reedsport facility. Nearly 80 lost their jobs in Ambridge. for more money to build the bridge, since the state of back of the room that felt he needed After attending three meetings “If I had to handicap the biggest single reason ... in three days regarding the Coastal to be part of every conversation and Washington has backed out. there’s really a couple,” Flowers said, “but the biggest wanted to respond to numerous Multi-Species Conservation and Flower said, if the Columbia River Crossing is single reason is just development of infrastructure in other comments. Management Plan (Roseburg, eventually built, his company will bid on it. Paul Stallard spoke about how Bend and Reedsport), I was North our country.” “We’re part of a team that will bid on it, yes,” he said. many trips were made out of somewhat surprised to find the He said there’s a lack of “federal foresight, strategic Flowers was asked if the closing of the railroad Salmon Harbor Reedsport meeting on plan of what they’re going to do with development of through Reedsport in 2007 had anything to do with (Winchester Bay) during the most Wednesday infrastructure.” the American Bridge closure. The Reedsport facility OUTDOORS the ocean coho salmon heavily attended. But I He said it appears “local political units,” — cities, had a rail siding to allow it to ship some products by AND MORE season, I felt Paul spoke shouldn’t have been. counties and states — are starting to step up infrastrucclearly, but I felt that ture projects. SEE BRIDGE, PAGE A6 After all, the many attendees failed to Reedsport/Winchester realize that many of those Bay community could ocean salmon fishing suffer more economic trips are made because harm under this plan the Umpqua River is a than any Oregon commuviable “Plan B” — a very nity I am aware of. In a important “Plan B” few paragraphs I’ll With the Oregon Legislature in Roseburg, says he will try again would allow school districts with because rough water session for a month a bill that this year, with few changes. Native American mascots, such as explain why. conditions often make I attended the would allow local school districts “To meet the deadline, I just Reedsport Braves and Roseburg Pete meeting on Jan. the ocean unfishable or Roseburg to retain their Native American resubmitted the same bill,” Kruse Indians, to negotiate with local Heley the Umpqua River Bar 27 because Paul Stallard mascot names will again be consaid, “but I’m kind of staying out tribes to keep their names. The uncrossable. arranged for a bus to take sidered. of the middle of this. At this point, Oregon Board of Education has in the proposed reduction on individual A major people interested A bill last year was passed over- negotiations have been going on said schools must change those season harvest limits would plan from our area to the Roseburg whelmingly in the House and between a representative of the nicknames by July 2017 or lose meeting. I was pleasantly surprised remove the Umpqua River as a Senate but was vetoed by Gov. (Confederate Tribes of Grand state funding. The proposed bill viable back-up plan for anglers by how civil the meeting was. The John Kitzhaber, the only veto he Ronde) and the governor’s chief of would allow for an exemption to biggest downer of the Roseburg issued for the 2013 session. staff.” meeting was a fishing guide in the SEE HELEY, PAGE A10 State Sen. Jeff Kruse, RThe bill vetoed by the governor SEE BRIDGE, PAGE A9
Plant closure came down to ‘financial viability’
Meeting was more civil than I expected
Mascots to get more consideration
Reedsport to gain funding under new poverty formula BY CHELSEA DAVIS
AIR-DRYING
Student poverty
The Umpqua Post
It’s a mixed bag next year when it comes to state funding for students in poverty on the South Coast. On Jan. 23, the state Board of Education approved a new way of calculating poverty, one factor in the state school funding formula. Overall, the state allocates the same funding per student, but a district’s count of kids in poverty means extra funding is on the way since those students often need additional help and resources. Previously, the state used U.S. Census Bureau data to determine poverty funding distributions. The bureau stopped collecting poverty information after 2000 but Oregon kept using outdated data to determine funding. Now, the state will use the bureau’s Small Area Income Poverty Estimate, which pulls information
The state’s new method of calculating student poverty will send more money to 80 school districts, while the remaining 117 will see a funding drop. Here’s how the state Board of Education’s decision plays out on the South Coast: Losing funding: Coos Bay: $106,324 Coquille: $33,137 Bandon: $28,720 Powers: $23,533 Central Curry: $18,615 Port Orford-Langlois: $12,768 Gaining funding: Reedsport: $183,881 North Bend: $164,439 Myrtle Point: $56,549 Brookings-Harbor: $47,536
Steve Lindsley
A cormorant dries its wings on a stump in the Smith River just off U.S. Highway 101 north of Reedsport.
SEE FUNDING, PAGE A6
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