Environment|WrittenByLAPost
A young man’s evil act and reckless choice to pour harsh chemicals into a fish tank has left the community of Reedsport, Oregon, shaken to its core. The senseless Chinook salmon hatchery vandalism has led to the tragic deaths of 18,000 juvenile Chinook salmon, dealing a devastating blow to local endeavors to protect this iconic Pacific Northwest species. Joshua Alexander Heckathorn, a 20-year-old residing in the nearby town of Gardiner, faces accusations of illegally entering the Winchester Bay Salmon Trout Enhancement Program (STEP) hatchery and purposefully emptying bleach into one of the rearing ponds, snuffing out thousands of pre-smolt Chinook
May 14, 2024