Warrenton High School’s head football coach, Ian O’Brien, is excited about the upcoming football season. The Warriors were 5-4 last year and, even though they lost in the first round of the state playoffs, their most important achievement was the experience players gained, O’Brien said. The five returning seniors on this year’s squad -- Jake Morrow, Devin Jackson, Mark Warren, Austin Little, and Kenzie Ramsey -- have been through a lot of ups and downs. O’Brien wants to assure them (continued)
Warrenton High School’s Mara Dowaliby was named 2019 Astoria Regatta Queen and for the first time ever, the Junior Regatta Parade was held in Warrenton. “It was a huge honor; I was beyond excited,” said Dowaliby, 17, who will be a senior in the fall as well as student body president. She and three other local teens (Serena Moha of Warrenton, Kayla Helligso of Astoria High and Caitlin Hillman of Seaside High) spent eight months preparing for last weekend’s big event, which included boat (continued)
Mayor talks change in state of city address
It’s time Warrenton asks for better and demands more of itself, Mayor Henry Balensifer said during his State of the City speech Tuesday night. “It’s time we invest in ourselves; not for others, but for our own sakes,” he said. “It’s the difference between having a house and having a home. … I’m not interested in chasing tourists. I’m interested in shaping our future for ourselves immediately and in the long term.” Balensifer talked about ways the city has changed in the past (continued)
As the cost of attending college increases, student loan debt continues to grow at nearly all schools in the country, according to a study released this month. Fifty-five percent of Oregon’s 2018 college graduates borrowed money to attend and those students walked away with an average debt of $28,627. Nationally, outstanding student loan debt sits at $1.52 trillion, making it the second largest form of consumer debt trailing only mortgages. It’s the fourth year that LendEDU has conducted (continued)
Researchers are using a centrifuge that once tested Apollo astronauts’ resistance to G-forces to better understanding how a tsunami could devastate the Oregon coast. They hope to pave the way toward greater safety for coastal residents and infrastructure by developing a better means of modeling the destructive force of tsunami waves. Rare but potentially devastating, tsunamis can cause huge damage to coastal infrastructure, with part of the problem tracing to unstable soil around th (continued)
A Warrenton resident was among the eight recipients of 2019 Workers’ Memorial Scholarships. The awards program helps finance higher education for family members of Oregon workers fatally injured or permanently disabled on the job. Alannah Rudduck earned three associate’s degrees at Mount Hood Community College and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene at Augusta University in Georgia. She plans to pursue a minor in business. Rudduck’s father, Robert “Bernie” (continued)
Kelly Braaten has been named director of Clatsop County’s Juvenile Department.
Braaten has more than 20 years of experience in juvenile justice, including juvenile detention and Oregon Youth Authority.
He replaces Greg Engebretson, who retired after 31 years with the county.
The Juvenile Department supervises offenders who are younger than 18 and oversees diversion and mentoring programs, the law library and the NW Parenting education program. (continued)
** If you go What: Open house on amendments to the Warrenton Urban Renewal Plan When: 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 Where: Commission chambers at City Hall, 225 S. Main Ave. Info: Kevin Cronin, community development director, at 503-861-0920 Warrenton has had success funding its multi-year plan to improve downtown and is doubling down on efforts to raise even more during the final years of the plan. With plenty more to do and more tax money coming in than originally expected, the city must take (continued)
A lack of oversight is contributing to one of the biggest health threats facing Clatsop County’s teenagers: vaping. Oregon requires a license to own a dog or sell Christmas trees, but retailers selling tobacco and nicotine aren’t regulated. Oregon is one of just nine states without a licensing system. “This is something we know as a tremendous problem among our young people,” County Commissioner Pamela Wev told Warrenton city commissioners recently. “It’s become an epidemic,” (continued)
** CTE Building on track The new Career and Technical Education building at Warrenton High School remains on track to open in the upcoming school year. Steel girders for the roof were set this week and walls and the exterior protection will be finished in the next few weeks. “The goal is to get kids in classes in there sometime in September,” said Mark Baldwin of Mark Baldwin Construction. Principal Rod Heyen “is like a kid in a candy store. He’s here every day.” ** Apartments on (continued)
Five local students have been named to the spring semester dean’s list at Pacific University in Forest Grove and five local students recently graduated. Those making the dean’s list are Patrick Ingmire, Brittany Nyberg, Kaneah Owen and Hailey Ranta, all of Astoria; and Emily Spalding of Gearhart. To qualify, students must achieve a grade-point average 3.7 while completing 12 or more graded hours. Those graduating are Ingmire, with a bachelor’s degree in French; Owen, with a bachelor’s (continued)
Columnists & Other Opinions
Food for thought: If thieves wear sneakers and artists wear Sketchers, do linguists wear Converse? I don’t remember who gave that to me, but I promised to share it. Sneakers relate just a tad bit to our subject this week: exercise. I won’t speak as an expert on this subject. In fact, I am a bit of a “dropout,” as I suspect many of my senior compatriots are, too. Just remember that using the handle on your recliner does not qualify as exercise. Neither does using your fingers on th (continued)
A look back at Warrenton's top stories from The Columbia Press annals
I’m not very sentimental. I don’t save Valentine’s Day, birthday or anniversary cards from my husband unless he made them by hand or wrote something really thoughtful, sweet and of substance inside. Yes, there’s a file in my cabinet with letters from my son, my mother, friends and former suitors. But it’s small and filled with only the best. So I cringed when town historian and neighbor Diane Collier dropped off three boxes stuffed with old Columbia Press editions. I did not inherit (continued)
I was in a discussion recently about expiration dates on food. I looked it up on a Consumer Reports site, plus a few others, to help answer our question. Many won’t drink milk, for instance, if it’s even one day over the date stamped on the container. Consumer Reports says milk usually can be consumed at least a week past its expiration date. Foods such as yogurt or eggs will keep more than one week beyond the date listed. But if a food smells or tastes bad, or the seal has been broken when (continued)
Events
“Mary Poppins Returns” is the free featured movie at dusk Friday, Aug. 24, in McClure Park, corner of eight and Franklin streets, Astoria.
The Parks after Dark feature is hosted by Astoria Parks and Recreation. Estimated start time is 7:30 p.m. (continued)
The annual Hood to Coast Relay comes to Clatsop County this weekend with teams of 6 to 12 runners making the 199-mile course from Mount Hood to Seaside. More than 12,000 runners and 3,600 volunteers will wind their way through mostly rural roads in this popular event, now in its 28th year. Groups leave Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood on Friday, Aug. 23, and arrive throughout the day Saturday. There will be live musical performances beginning at 1:45 p.m. Saturday and throughout the afternoon and (continued)
National roots/blues/soul artist Seth Walker returns to Astoria at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 on the KALA stage, 1017 Marine Drive.
Walker has been on tour with his latest album, “Are You Open,” and recently performed on KALA’s intimate stage to a sold-out crowd.
Tickets are $20 and available at libertyastoria.showare.com. (continued)
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park will celebrate Founders Day with a paddling event from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Founders Day celebrates the establishment of the National Park Service on Aug. 25, 1916. Participants in Paddle Quest will paddle along the Lewis and Clark River and find clues to solve a puzzle. After the paddle, ecologist Tara Chestnut will talk about bats of the northwest. The quest starts and ends at the Netul Landing kayak launch, one and a half miles south of the (continued)
Coastal ecologist Stewart Schultz will speak on “The Natural History of Northwest Beaches” at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 at Fort George Brewery in Astoria and at 5 p.m. Aug. 31 at the North County Recreation District, 36155 Ninth St., Nehalem. The free talks are sponsored by the CoastWatch program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition. Food and drink are available for purchase from Fort George. Following the Nehalem lecture, Schultz will lead a beachwalk on Manzanita Beach, starting at 7 pm. (continued)
Angora Hiking Club has scheduled two hikes in August. The first, a 3.5-mile Coffenbury Lake hike led by Fort Stevens State Park Ranger Dane Osis, will take participants around the forested areas of the lake and through the dunes near DeLaura Beach. Hikers should meet in the North Coffenbury parking area at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. A $5 daily use fee or annual State Parks pass is required. A 2.6-mile hike on Neahkahnie Mountain will take participants to the 1,600-foot summit, the highest (continued)
A free back-to-school night health fair, complete with free sports physicals, plus hearing and vision testing, is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at James Chiropractic, 139 S. Main Ave.
The event is sponsored by VFW Post 10580, which is providing a free barbecue.
All students from kindergarten through college are welcome.
For more information, contact post surgeon Robert James at 503-454-6176 or rljdoc@yahoo.com. (continued)
The public is invited to learn to play mah jong. A new 8- to 10-week class will be held Wednesdays beginning Sept. 11 at Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St.
“The Game of Mah Jong,” a rules book by Max Robertson, will be used and available for purchase.
Sign up at the senior center. For more information, contact Kay at kmb3421@hotmail.com. (continued)
Columbia Memorial Hospital and its Cancer Collaborative are sponsoring two lunchtime health chats later this month. The informal and informative conservations include provided light bites. Presentations are 11 a.m. to noon in the activity room at the Knight Cancer Center, 1905 Exchange St., Astoria. ** Tuesday, Aug. 20: Learn how to perform hand reflexology and aroma-point therapy using essential oils from certified reflexologist and holistic aromatherapist Angela Sidlo. ** Wednesday, Aug. 28: (continued)
The Marin and Erin Show, a musical comedy event, will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center, 588 16th St., Astoria. The show is presented by Partners for the PAC and is a collaboration of Marin Donohue and Erin Grauff, 2019 recipients of scholarships for music lessons from the Friday Musical Club. Both also have participated in musicals at Astoria High School. They’ll be accompanied by Susan Buehler and Dawby Barnes. The performance is Mari (continued)
A moth safari, a botanical drawing workshop, and other free walks and workshops are scheduled in August at Circle Creek Conservation Center, a nature preserve open to the public at the south end of Seaside. Registration is open now. North Coast Land Conservancy acquired Circle Creek 15 years ago. Naturalist Mike Patterson will lead an early morning birding walk through a variety of habitats along Circle Creek from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2. Patterson will lead the moth safari from 8 to 10 (continued)
Seth Walker, a national roots/blues/soul artist, performs at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at KALA, 1017 Marine Drive, Astoria.
Tickets are $20 and available online at libertyastoria.showare.com. Will call tickets will be available at the door.
The KALA center has a full bar and is open to ages 16 and older; minors must be accompanied by an adult. (continued)
Pan flute artist Sean Koreski will perform classical music accompanied by a chamber organ at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center, 588 16th St., Astoria. Koreski’s shows feature an unusual interpretation of Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Purcell and others. He’ll use a variety of pan flutes from around world. Joining him will be guitarist Alberto Benitez and organist Gary Becerra. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for those 15 to 17 and will be (continued)
Police and Public Safety
** Thefts and burglaries Shoplifting, 2:30 p.m. July 12, Fred Meyer. Nicholas H. Middleton, 25, of Astoria was cited for third-degree theft and criminal mischief. Attempted theft and forgery, 12:45 p.m. Aug. 9, 200 block Northwest Cedar Court. A man reported receiving a $5,000 check for a $2,600 item he was selling on eBay. The purported buyer wanted him to give the remaining $2,400 in cash to someone who would ship the item, which the seller didn’t agree to do. The original check was (continued)
Warrenton Police Chief Matt Workman has been named to the four-member executive committee for Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police. The association represents 140 police agencies that serve 5,600 police officers in the state of Oregon. Current president is Central Point Police Chief Kris Allison. Workman is second vice president and also serves as co-chairman with Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn on the membership committee and as co-chairman with Klamath Falls Chief Dave Henslee (continued)
** Assaults Physical fight, 10:28 p.m. Aug. 4, 400 block North Main Avenue. Joseph Wade Taylor, 22, of Warrenton was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. He was booked at Clatsop County Jail. ** Warrants Warrant service, 2 p.m. July 30, Ridge Road near Parkview Apartments. Randy R. Shumaker, 61, no known address, was arrested on a probation violation warrant. Warrant service, 9:10 p.m. Aug. 4, Walmart. Natasha I. Ackerman, 35, of Nehalem w (continued)
Education
