e CLOUDS,Edition RAIN 68 • 57 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 | theworldlink.com Follow us online: facebook.com/theworldnewspaper twitter.com/TheWorldLink instagram.com/theworldlink Natural places wiped out by wildfires DETROIT LAKE (AP) — Or- some of that is (from) growing ashes. point for people traveling to the within various parks had burned. egonians are grieving the loss of up here,” said Eden Dawn, an “My memories of growing up high desert of central Oregon The worst hit was Collier Me- some of their most treasured nat- editor at Portland Monthly mag- are sitting in a river and looking or for those returning from morial State Park near Klamath ural places after wildfires wiped azine who wrote an essay about at the fish go by and spotting backpacking in the surrounding Falls, which lost 400 acres (162 out campgrounds, hot springs the wildfires. “We just didn’t osprey around you,” Dawn said. wilderness, is also gone. hectares) of ponderosa pine and a and wooded retreats that have have New York City. We didn’t ”In this moment, when you’re “It’s a life full of memories historic cabin. been touchstones for generations have Hollywood. We didn’t watching your state and your and history, gone. We used to ski A string of tiny towns along in a state known for its unspoiled have these big fancy things, and childhood burn, it’s utter hope- and boat every single day after I nearby Highway 22 provided a beauty. Portland wasn’t cool until a few lessness. There’s really nothing got off work all through the sum- launching pad for hikers explor- The flames that destroyed years ago.” you can do — and that is the mer,” said Sandi Elwood, who ing the old-growth forests and hundreds of homes and killed at The fires damaged one of the feeling we’re all feeling.” was born and raised on Detroit for fishermen headed to prime least nine people also encroached nation’s last low-elevation, old- Detroit Lake, a state park Lake and worked for nearly a destinations along the North on beloved state parks, scorched growth forests, which includes south of Portland founded in the decade at the Cedars, from the Santiam River and its tributaries. some of Oregon’s best-known Douglas fir trees up to 1,000 1950s, sustained damage to its age of 14. “I learned to swim in Those communities have been hiking trails and raged through a years old. A forest center built on campground, and it’s unclear if that lake all by myself with no largely reduced to ashes. Fish- whitewater rafting mecca. the ruins of an old mining town the tiny town along its shores swimming instructor.” erman’s Bend, a favorite fishing “Nature IS the icon in Oregon. that hosted thousands of Oregon will rebuild. Cedars Restaurant Oregon State Parks said Mon- and recreation area, is gone too. We have this collective grief and children was largely reduced to & Lounge, a famous stopping day that 900 acres (364 hectares) Please see Wildfires, Page 5 Late-stage study of first single-shot vaccine begins (AP) Johnson & Johnson is beginning a huge final study to try to prove if a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine can protect against the virus. The study starting Wednesday will be one of the world’s largest coronavirus vaccine studies so far, testing the shot in 60,000 vol- unteers in the U.S., South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colom- bia, Mexico and Peru. A handful of other vaccines in the U.S. — including shots made by Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. — and others in other countries are already in final-stage testing. Hopes are high that answers about at least one candidate being tested in the U.S. could come by year’s end, maybe sooner. U.S. health officials insist the race for a vaccine isn’t cutting corners. “We want to do everything we Zack Demars, The World Carol Ventgen, left, and Melanie Bloom, members of the League of Women Voters of Coos County, help community members register to vote Tuesday. can without sacrificing safety or efficacy — we’re not going to do that — to make sure that we end up with vaccines that are going to save lives,” Dr. Francis Collins, Tuesday is voter registration day director of the National Institutes of Health, told reporters. ZACK DEMARS “There’s more divisiveness Key dates in 2020 election to process through the mail. The World surrounding the election,” Vent- “Pay attention, watch for the But many vaccine specialists gen said of the residents she’d Oct. 13: Last day to register ballot,” Heller said. question whether the Food and COOS BAY — Carol Ventgen spoken to Tuesday. “Emotions to vote. Check or update your The U.S. Postal Service Drug Administration will stick to and Melanie Bloom were busy seem to be running high.” registration at oregonvotes.gov/ recommends giving voted ballots that goal under intense pressure Tuesday, sitting under a tent For many across the country, myvote. seven days to get through the from the Trump administration. outside the Coos Bay Public much of that emotion stems from Oct. 15: Ballots mailed by mail. Otherwise, the agency President Donald Trump has Library. The two had done this the truly exceptional circum- Coos County elections officials. recommends placing completed consistently presented a faster before — but this year was stances of this election. With a Oct. 27: Last day the U.S. ballots in drop boxes across the timeline for a new vaccine than different. pandemic that’s killed more that Postal Service recommends mail- state. experts say is adequate to fully “I have not seen this amount 200,000 Americans still raging, ing your ballot. After this date, The state also has options for test the candidates. of traffic,” Bloom said. more people than ever before are drop it in a drop box instead. people who might be displaced Trump on Wednesday tweeted Their white folding table was planning to vote by mail. Nov. 3: Election Day. Your because of this month’s wild- the link to a news report about littered with items that have tak- In some states that could be ballot must be received by 8 fires. They can add a temporary the Johnson & Johnson study en on a new importance in 2020: cause for concern, as some on p.m., either by mail or in a drop mailing address to their voter and said the FDA “must move bottles of hand sanitizer, tubes the national level spread mis- box. Postmarks do not count. registration, collect their mail at quickly!” of antibacterial wipes and voter information about the process. The Coos County Elections their local post office or call their Meanwhile, testing of still registration cards. Those cards But Coos County Clerk Debbie division can be reached at 541- county election official for more another experimental vaccine, were the reason they’d come out Heller says Oregon voters need 396-7610. ballot pickup options. made by AstraZeneca, remains in the first place. not worry. Ventgen and Bloom have no on hold in the U.S. as officials The pair, both members of the “We don’t forsee any postal by-mail elections has never concerns about voting by mail, examine a safety question, even executive board of League of issues whatsoever,” Heller said. been supported by substantial either. though studies have resumed in Women Voters of Coos County, “We have a lot of conference evidence. Elections officials “Oregon’s system really lends other countries. was out reminding residents to calls between us and the post have safeguards in place, like itself to both security and ease of Earlier this week, Vice Presi- update their voter registrations office.” comparing every signed ballot voting,” Ventgen said. “Oregon dent Mike Pence urged state gov- in recognition of National Voter The key to Oregon’s success to a registered voter’s signature, has had a lot of years to perfect ernors to “do your part to build Registration Day. This year, that is experience, according to Heller said. it.” public confidence that it will be a annual day of action by civic Heller. Oregon was the first state Voters just need to be aware of The first step — and one of the safe and effective vaccine.” groups falls a month and a half to expand to all-mail elections deadlines and watch the mail for easiest — is to register, they said. And Dr. Anthony Fauci, ahead of the general election on in 1998 and has been voting by their ballots, Heller said, adding The last day to do so is Oct. 13. the top U.S. infectious disease Nov. 3, with offices from U.S. mail ever since. that this September, during the “Every vote matters. It really expert, added in the call to President to city councilors all Misinformation about wide- special election in Bandon, bal- does,” Ventgen said. “That way governors that he is confident in on the ballot. spread voter fraud in vote- lots were taking about two days democracy works.” “a tried and true process” that has checks and balances built in, including an independent board evaluating the progress of each Senate plans to vote on Supreme vaccine trial, as well as “the integrity of the FDA.” A recording of the call was provided to The Associated Court justice before Nov. 3 election Press. WASHINGTON (AP) — under GOP planning, the Senate Mitt Romney of Utah, said Tues- deaths from the coronavirus Senators were scheduled to Votes in hand, Senate Repub- could vote Oct. 29. day he supports taking a vote.