Warrenton High School senior Catherine Tapales was named Regatta Queen during a competition at the Liberty Theatre on the first night of the five-day maritime festival. Tapales, who turns 17 later this month, competed against Danielle Morinville of Knappa High School, Katie Zagata of Seaside High School and Nikkole Sasso of Astoria High School. She succeeds 2017 queen Megan Postlewait. “I was very shocked when they said my name,” Tapales said. “It was such a surreal experience and it went (continued)
Warrenton needs you – yes you – to keep it on the path of economic success. The entire town and its business leaders are being asked to come together to create a vision for economic vitality. The first of four Economic Vitality Roadmap meetings is Monday in Hammond. “You have a very terrific and simple vision,” Mary Bosch told city leaders recently. She is director of rural economic vitality for RDI, a Eugene-based nonprofit company. “Warrenton has an incredibly diverse strong (continued)
A local Brownie troop picked up the tab Monday for seniors having lunch at Warrenton Community Center. The girls donated $250 to cover that day’s meals. The money was a portion of what they’d raised through Girl Scout Cookie sales. The troop also gave everyone having lunch that day a box of Girl Scout Cookies and they stayed to mingle with the seniors, giving both an intergenerational moment, senior correspondent Emma Edwards said. The girls all will enter third grade next month. New (continued)
The filing period is open on two Warrenton City Commission spots and Clatsop County voters also will decide at least seven ballot measures in the November general election. Warrenton’s voters will decide who’ll be mayor and who will fill commission Position 4. Henry Balensifer, 29, first was elected to the City Commission when he was 23. He was appointed to the mayor’s post by fellow commissioners in June 2017 after Mark Kujala resigned the post. Voters will decide whether he should (continued)
Clatsop County will soon disburse a half-million dollars in state money to local fishers impacted by changes to Columbia River commercial salmon harvesting. The changes were required by the Columbia River Reform Policy adopted by the state to protect salmon as a resource while providing optimum commercial and recreational fishing opportunities. The state set aside the money in the Columbia River Transition Fund to provide compensation for direct economic losses and reimbursement for fishing (continued)
The Oregon Cultural Trust awarded $17,114 to Astoria’s Scandinavian Heritage Park, the trust reported Wednesday. The award was part of a record $3.02 million in grants given to 137 cultural nonprofit groups for fiscal year 2019, a 3 percent increase over 2018. The increase is the direct result of successful fund raising and new donors. “We are incredibly grateful to our donors and excited by the increased access this funding will provide to ensure active and culturally vibra (continued)
Gerry Swenson of Astoria was the grand-prize winner of the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival’s $1,000 raffle prize. Swenson, who said she is “Swedish by marriage,” donated the winnings to the Heritage Association for use in constructing the Scandinavian Heritage Park. “I wanted to share the money with the Scandinavian community and the best way to do that was to pass it on to the Scandinavian Park project,” she said. Funds have been raised to cover architectural and engineering fees and (continued)
El Compadre Restaurant on Main Avenue sustained major damage early Tuesday when a suspected drunken driver in a stolen car lost control and drove into the back of the building. The driver, Jonathan Cody Myers, 32, of Warrenton, was arrested and booked at Clatsop County Jail for driving under the influence of intoxicants, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, reckless driving and reckless endangerment of his passenger. His blood-alcohol level was recorded at 0.21 percent, more than 2 ½ times the (continued)
Put it back. That’s the advice you’re likely to hear if you bring a young wild animal home to “take care of it”—and you might get a warning or citation from Oregon State Police, too. Oregon’s deer and elk give birth from May through July and many other wildlife species also bear their young at this time of year. It’s natural for mother animals to leave their young alone for extended periods of time while they go off to feed, so never assume a young animal is orphaned when you see (continued)
Astoria Regatta, one of the West’s oldest festivals, returns next week for five days of sea-centered activities. The Regatta is so old and significant in the region’s history that the Oregon State Historic Commission has named it a Historic Cultural Tradition. “It’s definitely the oldest festival in Oregon. It started in 1894,” said Melissa Grothe, Regatta secretary and a former Regatta court member. “It’s just neat to be a part of the tradition and, in my case, to give back.” (continued)
Columbia River fall salmon seasons opened Aug. 1 with modest forecasts and a few new regulations. The popular Buoy 10 fishery will lead off. Fisheries managers expect a total of 375,500 adult Chinook to enter the Columbia, which is about 80 percent of last year’s actual return and 50 percent of the recent 10-year average. Upriver bright fall Chinook are planned to remain within a harvest rate limit of 8.25 percent, due to a lower forecasted return. The rate is lower than in recent years and (continued)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert this week for several salads and “wraps” sold between July 15 and 18. The Fresh Express lettuce products, distributed by Caito Foods, could be contaminated with cyclospora, an intestinal parasite. The parasite’s incubation period ranges from 2 to 14 days. The products would include “best by” or “sell by” dates of July 18 through 23. While these products are no longer on store shelves, consumers may have them in thei (continued)
Local moms Krista Hicks, Jessica Barrett and Kathryn Olson agree: They might have given up on breastfeeding if they hadn’t gotten help. While breastfeeding may seem like a natural function, the three first-time moms all had problems come up after giving birth at Columbia Memorial Hospital. With the help of the hospital’s Lactation Program and Family Birthing Center staff, each woman had success. The lactation program recently received the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (continued)
The Clatsop County Commission approved an ordinance July 25 that increases the county’s transient room tax. Proceeds would be used to fund operating costs of a proposed new county jail. Tourists and others staying at local hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, campgrounds and other lodgings pay transient room taxes. The increase raises the tax rate in the unincorporated county from 9.5 to 10.5 percent and imposes a 1 percent room tax within the cities of Astoria, Cannon Beach, Gearhart, Seaside and (continued)
Clatsop County and its cities have formed a partnership aimed at finding solutions to the region’s housing crisis. The Comprehensive Housing Study will profile and analyze the countywide housing supply, examine housing and demographic trends and develop projections, review existing plans and data and evaluate housing goals, policies and codes. The completed study will include proposals for initiatives that may encourage more production of needed housing types as well as recommendations on (continued)
Oregon State Marine Board seeks written public testimony to repeal a state administrative rule on issuance and duplicate fees relating to floating home and boathouse title and plate fees. Repeal of the rule will ensure consistency with state statutes following a legislative. Written testimony can be submitted by email to osmb.rulemaking@oregon.gov or by mail to June LeTarte, administrative rules coordinator, Oregon State Marine Board, 435 Commercial St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Testimony will (continued)
Clatsop Community Bank will issue dividends to shareholders for the first time, the board of directors announced Wednesday.
The dividend of 5 cents per share will be paid Aug. 15 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 6.
“Strong community support and the hard work of our talented team have contributed to our consistent profitability, and have made this significant milestone possible,” President Joe Schulte said.
The bank marked its 10th anniversary in April. (continued)
The Clatsop County Commission re-opened a public hearing on an ordinance regulating location, manner and hours of operation of marijuana facilities in the unincorporated county, including recreational and medical marijuana production, processing, sales, research and testing. The new county marijuana code limits retail outlets’ hours to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., imposes minimum distances from schools, public parks and other uses, and prohibits on-site consumption, among other rules. Measures to limit (continued)
Saturday’s Warrenton High School reunion was 100 years in the making. Dozens of people gathered in the WHS cafeteria to celebrate good times, connect with old friends and acknowledge the school’s first century of graduating classes. “To me, this was one of the best educational systems that I’ve been a part of,” said Rod Hardin, whose first teaching job was at WHS from 1968 to 1974. He left to become vice principal of a high school in the valley. “They had great facilities,” Hardin (continued)
A skimming device was found on a drive-through automated teller machine at Wauna Federal Credit Union’s Warrenton branch. Warrenton Police issued a warning last weekend for anyone who may have used the ATM Saturday or Sunday. Credit union officials told police they’d inspected the ATM about 10 a.m. Saturday and it had no device on it then. A motorcyclist who’d stopped to use the ATM at 1 p.m. Sunday spotted an irregularity and called police. Video from the ATM shows a person wearing a (continued)
Making blackberry jam? Canning some salmon? Oregon State University Extension Service’s Food Preservation hotline can answer all your questions. The toll-free hotline, 800-354-7319, takes calls from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays during canning season, mid-July to mid-October. Callers can leave a message during off hours. The hotline is staffed by certified Master Food Preserver volunteers in Lane and Douglas counties, but it’s available statewide. Thousands of callers use the hotline each year (continued)
The Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District has made two free beach-accessible wheelchairs available for the public. The wheelchairs create new opportunities for those with mobility issues. Outfitted with large, wide tires, the wheelchairs make it easy for mobility-impaired people to go on the sand. Manzanita was the first community on the Oregon Coast to provide beach wheelchairs and Cannon Beach followed last year. Randy Anderson, a local painter and advocate for disabled individuals, was (continued)
Members of the Oregon National Guard are being trained for wildfire suppression, now that funds have been allocated by the federal government. On Monday, a group of 200 citizen soldiers and citizen airmen head to the public safety academy in Salem for a weeklong training. Earlier this month, a separate group of 200 received the training at Camp Rilea. The federal funds were allocated at the request of state officials to help prepare members of the National Guard in case their assistance is (continued)
Katharine Chandler of Astoria graduated with a triple major from East Carolina University in May.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history, a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. (continued)
Columnists & Other Opinions
I’m one of those old people who think our youth spend far too much time on their Xboxes and other electronic devices. I used to think it was a kid thing until I realized we’ve joined ranks. A good number of seniors are with it, electronically speaking. No doubt you’ve become aware of all the signals and texting that goes on in most eating places, including nice family dinner settings. Of course, we’re careful to put our gadgets on vibrate once the meal starts, but it’s not unusual to (continued)
Aug. 10, 1861: The first Cherokee death of the Civil War occurs during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Southern Missouri, according to some sources. Stand Watie, the only native American to become a general in the Army of the Confederate States, leads his Cherokee troops to victory. But their collaboration with the south leads to tensions with Cherokees who wish to remain neutral. Aug. 11, 3114 BCE: Creation occurs, according to some Mayan sources. Other sources say creation began Aug. 12 or (continued)
What a pleasant surprise to see our picture on the front page! And what a lovely article you wrote about our many-class reunion. Both Brian and I and our siblings went to school with the Shepherd and the Vollmer children. And yes, Ginny was correct to say that many students were related to one another. During my senior year I was followed by my sister and three cousins in the junior class and two cousins in the freshman class. I also wanted to point out a small error. My family didn't move to (continued)
Do you look at the clock every morning and wonder, “Why do I have to get up”? If you do, volunteer with us at the Tourist Information Center and Warrenton Museum in the Ross and Rite Aid parking lot. We visit daily with lots of nice individuals from all over the states, Canada and Europe. It’s important to know where Fort Stevens and Fort Clatsop are as well as the closest laundromats and the liquor stores. Our time is well spent visiting, drinking free coffee and eating free muffins. (continued)
Crankiness can be caused by a chocolate deficiency. And it can hit the best of us! Maybe today we can partially solve this ailment. At the Warrenton Senior Citizens Inc. meal site, which serves the noon meal on Mondays and Thursdays, we learn all kinds of fun and (once in a while) useful things. Some generous Warrentonians even drop off magazines for others to read. Most are current as of this year and many of us find some interesting things while browsing through them. One item I found (continued)
Aug. 3, 1540: Hernando de Soto reaches southern Georgia and finds Indians raising tame turkeys, caged opossums, corn, beans, pumpkins, cucumbers and plums. Aug. 4, 1813: Five hundred warriors of the White Stick faction of Creeks gather across the river in Alabama from modern Columbus, Ga. They make plans with 200 Cherokees to attack a band of 2,500 Red Stick Creeks who are followers of Tecumseh. The Creek War is often considered part of the War of 1812. Aug. 5, 1570: A Spanish expeditio (continued)
A famous businesswoman, actress and model was quoted as saying, “I really believe in the old expression that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It is through adversity that you find the strength you never knew you had.” Some may ask, “How would she know?” She seems to have a rather perfect life from the outside. The saying is attributed to 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. What did he mean when he said that? Nietzsche had a hard life both physically and (continued)
July 27, 1973: Leaders of the American Indian Movement, or AIM, and 200 activists take over the village of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They announce the creation of the Oglala Sioux Nation. They declare their independence from the United States and define their national boundaries as those determined by the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The siege, which ended May 8, had lasted 71 days. AIM leaders Russell Means and Dennis Banks are arrested, but charges (continued)
First, the Port of Astoria wanted taxpayers to provide bond funding for two new executive hangars and new infrastructure at the south end of the airport for the proposed new Life Flight hangar. There was never any explanation for the new executive hangars that would be part of the new construction. Life Flight has tried repeatedly to obtain permission to develop its new hangar at their expense in their current location and have been denied. In early June, the Port Commission publicly complained (continued)
Events
Research Vessel Falkor from the Schmidt Ocean Institute was expected to pull into Pier 1 at the Port of Astoria late this week. The vessel’s crew is conducting research on the ocean floor with adaptive robotics. “This is one of the first expeditions that will interpret the sea floor in real time and make decisions with underwater robots using AI (artificial intelligence),” said Carlie Wiener, senior communications manager. Free public tours are available at 2 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19. (continued)
Angora Hiking Club has organized a hike at Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery for Saturday, Aug. 18. Those interested should meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot on Marine Drive between Sixth and Seventh streets in Astoria. Participants, who do not need to be club members, first will hike from the hatchery to a camping area and back. A second hike goes from the hatchery, through the woods to a clearing and passes two waterfalls. Following the hike, the group will picnic at the shelter built by Wauna Mill. (continued)
A race benefitting Operation Underground Railroad will be held Saturday, Aug. 18, in Seaside. Registration is $30, which includes a T-shirt, and begins at 8 a.m. at 12th Street and The Prom. The race begins at 9 a.m. and will go from the north end of The Prom to the south end and back. The event is co-sponsored by Sunset Empire Transportation District. Operation Underground Railroad is based in Anaheim. It was founded in 2013 to end child sex trafficking and child slavery around the world (continued)
Angels for Sara, a sanctuary for senior dogs, will have its fifth annual rummage and bake sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 17 and 18 at 269 S. Main Ave. The sanctuary is a small, volunteer-run organization providing care to senior dogs that have been abandoned at the shelter or whose human, for one reason or another, could no longer care for them. All proceeds from the sale go toward care of the dogs. Anyone interested in volunteering or donating gently-used or new items for the rummage sale (continued)
Astoria Parks and Recreation Department has organized three free family movies in the park. The annual tradition provides an opportunity to experience cinematic magic in an outdoor setting. Movies are on Wednesdays and begin at dusk in Fred Lindstrom Memorial Park, Sixth and Niagara streets. Last Wednesday, participants saw “A Wrinkle in Time,” sponsored by Arbor Care. Future movies are: Aug. 15, “Peter Rabbit,” sponsored by Clatsop Power Equipment, Gimre’s Shoes, Aquafina and Astoria (continued)
Plenty of cruise ships will visit Astoria this fall, with 13 expected just in September, according to the Port of Astoria. Their arrival brings thousands of people to downtown Astoria and local attractions, where people spend money buying souvenirs, eating and playing. The schedule: Sept. 4: Celebrity Infinity Sept. 11: Disney Wonder Sept. 12: Silver Explorer Sept. 14: Coral Princess Sept. 15: Celebrity Solstice Sept. 20: Island Princess Sept. 20: SS Mariner Sept. 22: Explorer of the Seas Sept. (continued)
“Wings Over Willapa,” a celebration of the region’s birds and nature, will take place on the Long Beach Peninsula Sept. 28-30. The event will coincide with the start of fall migration. There will be classes, art exhibits, workshops, guided tours and birding events. “Explore the northern tip of Long Beach and spot snowy plovers and thousands of waterfowl,” event organizer David Ryan said. “Cross to Long Island and walk through a native old-growth cedar forest and heat out to sea for (continued)
Pacific Power and Nissan have joined forces to offer a $3,000 incentive to Pacific Power’s customers and employees who purchase a new 2018 Nissan LEAF. The incentive, which runs until Sept. 30, can be combined with federal tax credits and state rebates. “Pacific Power customers can fuel electric cars like a LEAF for the equivalent of about $1 per gallon and eliminate tailpipe emissions, oil changes and trips to the gas station,” said Cory Scott, Pacific Power’s director of customer (continued)
Natural Grocers will celebrate the company’s 63rd anniversary all day Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Warrenton store, 137 S. Highway 101.
There will be free ice cream sundaes and root beer floats from 4 to 6 p.m., plus 33 to 60 percent off selected items. Children will receive a free coloring book and shoppers will get a reusable grocery bag with purchase. (continued)
The Liberty Theatre is selling tickets for its new Classical Series, which begins next month and runs through May 2019. It’s the second year of classical performances and school workshops. The first season included seven workshops within Astoria and Warrenton high schools and reached more than 100 students. Thanks to foundations, corporations and donors, organizers plan to present workshops at more area schools during the 2018-19 season. The Sept. 22 season opener is “The Eight Seasons” (continued)
The 34th Season of Shanghaied in Astoria opened this week and runs through Sept. 1.
Show times for the comedy-musical-melodrama are 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays with three 2 p.m. Sunday matinees (July 22, Aug. 5 and Aug 19).
Tickets are $20 for front-row seats. All other seats are $15 for adults and $10 for children.
All Friday performances are $10.
Tickets are available on the website, asocplay.com. (continued)
Thursdays are Egg Days at the North Coast Food Web.
Farm-fresh chicken and duck eggs will be available for purchase from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Food Web, 577 18th St., Astoria.
Hosts are Brutal Hill Farms, Lazy Creek Farms, Spring Up Farm and Blackberry Bog Farm. (continued)
Artists are invited to compete in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 2019 Habitat Conservation Stamp, Waterfowl Stamp and Upland Game Bird Stamp art competitions. Collector’s stamps, art prints and other promotional materials are produced from first place artwork. Winning artists in each contest receive $2,000. Entries can be delivered or shipped to ODFW headquarters between Aug. 31 and Sept. 28, at 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive S.E., Salem, OR 97302. Habitat Conservation Stamp: (continued)
Police and Public Safety
A man who told officers he was a “homeless broke man” was arrested twice in two days on a variety of theft and weapons violations. Keith Edward Myren, 68, was arrested about 9:30 a.m. Aug. 3 after police received a call that he was pointing a rifle at someone near South Main Avenue and Alternate Highway 101, according to a probable cause declaration from the Warrenton Police Department. Myren was arrested the following day on suspicion of pulling a knife on a Walmart employee and leaving (continued)
**Thefts and burglaries Theft of wheels and tires, 12:32 p.m. July 31, 1000 block Southeast Marlin Avenue. Shoplifting, 7:50 p.m. Aug. 1, Walmart. Michael R. Boyce, 35, no known address, was cited for third-degree theft. Credit card scam, 2:57 p.m. Aug. 6, Fred Meyer. Two individuals have been purchasing high-value items with a debit card and returning the items a short time later for cash. Possession of stolen property, 9:25 a.m. Aug. 6, Warrenton Police Department. Thai Clappe, 36, of Astoria (continued)
A man who used one of Walmart’s motorized carts for his personal transportation discovered he’d committed a fairly serious crime. Raymond Clark Heath, 66, of Astoria was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft on Monday, July 27. The electric scooters are worth $900 and considered motor vehicles under Oregon law. Walmart employees called police about 11:30 a.m. when a shopper told them they’d witnessed a man riding one of their carts down Highway 101, according to a police report. Polic (continued)
A Warrenton man was arrested after an early morning argument turned violent. Police first were called to a residence in the 500 block of Northwest Cedar Court for a domestic dispute about 4:30 a.m. July 24. The parties agreed to separate, but the man returned an hour later. Again, police were called and the male agreed to leave after speaking with officers. But the man returned a third time about 10:30 a.m. and, at some point, the couple physically struggled over a cell phone when he saw her (continued)
** Assaults Assault, 3:56 p.m. July 28, bus stop in front of Fred Meyer. A 58-year-old Warrenton man reported he’d been struck in the face by a man wearing a black hat, red shirt and riding a bicycle. The assailant could not be located. ** Thefts/burglaries Theft of recyclable cans, 3:30 a.m. July 21, Costco. Suzanne K. Snodgrass, 48, with no known address in Warrenton, was cited for criminal third-degree theft after she allegedly took $5 in recyclable cans. Vehicle break-in, 10:23 a.m. July (continued)
An Oklahoma couple was arrested July 19 on suspicion of using credit cards they stole from a car parked at Fort Columbia near Chinook and going on a spending spree in Warrenton. Dylan Cole Deshields, 24, and Shylo Amanda Short, 22, both of Bartlesville, Okla., were arrested in Colorado Springs, Colo., after a nationwide crime spree. They are suspected of stealing a car in Las Vegas on June 14, driving to the Northwest, breaking into the car in Washington state and using the victim’s credit (continued)
Police have asked for the public’s help to locate a motorcyclist who fled from a police officer who pulled him over for speeding. The motorcycle is a sport-bike type with a black gas tank and red stripe running front to back. It bears Oregon license plate MC47260 or something similar, as officers were unable to find it in the Department of Motor Vehicles database. An officer was near Fred Meyer about 9:30 p.m. July 17 when she heard a motorcycle rev its engine and accelerate at high speed. (continued)
Thefts/burglaries Stolen bicycle, 3:42 p.m. July 17, 500 block Northwest Ridge Road. Shoplifting, 7:15 p.m. July 20, Walmart. Daniel Bradley Yates, 31, of Seaside was arrested on suspicion of second-degree theft, criminal mischief, possession of heroin and violation of a previous release agreement. He attempted to leave the store without paying for a radio scanner, locks, vehicle amplifier, watch and socks worth $160. Suspicious circumstances/disturbances Welfare check, 5:27 p.m. July 17, (continued)
