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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2015)
BUSINESS 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015 Clemente’s moves ... but not far By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian After a special farewell New Year’s Eve dinner, Clemente’s Restaurant, which has been a staple at the corner of 12th and Commercial streets for the past seven years, closed its doors. But Gordon Clement and Lisa Tarabochia Clement hope to reopen by Valentine’s Day in their new space just blocks away in the 14th Street Pilot Station building on the Astoria Riverwalk. “We have about 1,500 square feet wasted here,” said Lisa of the current location, where they’ve been since 2008. They moved there after closing New Year’s Eve 2007 in the space currently occupied by Charlie’s Chowder House and moving to the Carruthers Building. “We have too much space for the type of food we make.” The elegant facade and white tablecloths of Clemente’s Restaurant also intimidated people, she said, belying the fresh, locally sourced food she and Gordon make and try to of- fer at a reasonable price. And it keep the restaurant area heated. The new location will be named Clemente’s Cafe and Public House, an homage to their effort to create a more ap- proachable atmosphere and ex- panded menu with more beers, fresh meats and pub fare. It will sit at the eastern edge of the Columbia River Pilots building, joining Reef’s Barbershop, the River Pilots’ training and endurance cen- ter, gourmet ice cream parlor Frite & Scoop, Easom Property Management Inc. and Winde- bookend space similar to theirs remains vacant on the western side of the building, marketed by Tonquin Resources on be- half of the River Pilots. Gordon, walking through the empty, cavernous suite Monday, envisioned a small, roofed-in kitchen area on the southwest corner, surround- ed by seating to the east and a bar facing Pier 14 and the Columbia River. Before signing on to the location in September, Lisa said, she and Gordon brought in architects, kitchen design- ers, historians, plumbers and other contractors to make sure the space would work for the restaurant. “We felt like the River Pilots wanted us there,” said Lisa, adding that she and EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Gorden Clement, center, said the new Clemente’s Cafe & Public House location at the foot of Pier 14, while half the size, will seat the same number of people and provide a cozier, more approachable atmosphere. Gordon had always wanted their restaurant on the water- front. The building dates to the early 20th century, said Gale EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Marie Gager runs Modern Girl Friday, providing a personal assistant to those in need of help in Clat- sop County. for the River Pilots, and was restored in 2005. It’s on the National Historic Register, she added, limiting what can be done with it. It’s been used for festivals and markets, but hasn’t had a permanent tenant for at least a decade. For much of the new Cle- mente’s woodwork, Gordon said, they’ll have a contrac- tor beating and running over it to produce an aged look that matches the existing timbers. The industrial-style - Making the Dollar INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES BY EDWARD STRATTON touch will be a canvas pho- to on the kitchen wall of Li- sa’s father, John Tarabochia, gillnetting. Lisa comes from a fourth-generation Astoria “It’s going to be more ca- sual,” said Lisa, who hopes opening by Valentine’s Day will allow the restaurant time to settle in and host Fisher- Poets starting Feb. 27. “It’s going to be more approach- able.” EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Lisa and Gordon Clement closed Clemente’s Restaurant, top, New Year’s Eve and plan to open Clemente’s Cafe & Public House at the 14th Street Pilot Station by Valentine’s Day. Marie Gager is taking appointments for her services as a girl Friday, a personal and business assistant. A native Swede in the U.S. since the 1980s and Astoria since 2006, Gager has worked for the Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation as an administrative assistant and the Clatsop Community College bookstore as a merchandise buyer. Her availability is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lisa Tarabochia-Clement takes a brief respite from the Election Night crowd gathered at Clemente’s to visit with husband Gordon Clement behind the scenes in their restaurant’s kitchen. Tarabochia-Clement won the District 3 seat. ALEX PAJUNAS The Daily Astorian 2015 changes affect Oregon workplaces JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian The Daily Astorian’s new reporter Derrick DePledge. Reporter DePledge covers Astoria, Warrenton, Coast Guard The Daily Astorian DePledge was the top lead- Derrick DePledge, a vet- eran government and poli- tics reporter, has joined The Daily Astorian. He will cover Astoria, Warrenton and the Coast Guard. “We are exceedingly pleased to add a journalist of Derrick’s caliber and ex- perience to our top-notch newsroom crew,” Managing Editor Laura Sellers said. “We are starting 2015 at full force with a goal of excep- tional news coverage for the coast.” DePledge spent the past decade as the state govern- ment and politics reporter for the Honolulu Star-Ad- vertiser and the Honolulu Advertiser in Hawaii. Based at the state Capitol, he cov- ered the governor, the state Legislature and state and congressional elections. He was also the co-author of a daily politics blog. For the past four years, Media Workers Guild, a labor union that represents journalists, union staff and interpreters in Califor- nia, Hawaii and Arizona. He represented about 200 newspaper workers in Ho- nolulu, Maui and Hilo. DePledge also served for a decade as a Washing- ton, D.C., correspondent for newspapers in Hawaii, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylva- nia, Tennessee and Califor- nia. A Los Angeles native, he began his reporting career at newspapers in Napa and Anaheim, Calif. DePledge, 48, and his wife, Linh, a marketing executive, chose to relo- cate to Astoria for lifestyle reasons and to be closer to family. Reach DePledge at 503- 325-3211, ext. 213, cell at 503-791-7885, at dde- pledge@dailyastorian.com or on Twitter @ddepledge. Marie Gager Modern Girl Friday Astoria 503-791-2282 or marie@moderngirlfriday.com PORTLAND (AP) — A handful of big changes are com- ing to the Oregon workplace in 2015, though not all employers will be equally affected or even at the same time. The short list of major is- sues includes an increase in the minimum wage, the Affordable Care Act employer mandate, legalization of recreational marijuana, and the expansion of paid sick leave. The new laws and require- ments come from all directions, as a result of state and federal laws, local ordinance and vot- er-approved initiative. Amy L. Angel, a partner with Barran Liebman, a Port- - ployment and labor law, says the coming changes are rela- tively few in number, compared to previous years. “It’s somewhat typical, maybe a little on the short side,” she said. “It’s in line with the Legislature having had a short session this year.” Here’s what to look for in 2015: • Minimum wage: Ore- gon’s minimum hourly wage is second highest in the nation at $9.10 and due to go up an- other 15 cents to $9.25 on Jan. 1. Across the river, Washington sets the pace at $9.32 an hour, and a 15-cent increase will push have laws requiring an annual • ACA employer mandate: After a one-year delay, small businesses with more than 100 employees must offer their workers health insurance start- ing Jan. 1. Small employers, those with 50 to 99 employees, have until Jan. 1, 2016, to comply. • Recreational marijua- na: Oregon voters approved Measure 91 in the November general election, allowing the personal use and possession of cannabis, starting July 1, 2015, and giving the Oregon Liquor Control Commission power to tax, license and regulate its sale. In theory, the new law doesn’t affect employers be- cause marijuana is still classi- Controlled Substances Act, said Angel, the employment lawyer. Clatsop County Property Transactions Sellers: David Nygaard and Judy Nygaard Buyer: Warrenton Fiber Company Address: Vacant land off of Lewis and Clark Road Price: $900,000 Seller: Bruce E. Ritchie Buyer: Stonegate Invest- ment Trust, LLC Address: Vacant land on Avenue S and Wahanna Road, Seaside Price: $875,000 What do you do? “I’m a personal and business assistant, really just helping people getting through the day, doing the tasks that they don’t have time to do. For instance, it could be a single mom needing help picking up kids or grocery shopping or organizing a closet or anything like that, to a business. Especially what I’m gearing it toward are small - Whatever they don’t have time to do, because they can’t really afford to hire someone full-time, just like the single mom probably wouldn’t be able to. I offer to do tasks by the hour, by the day or by the job, so to speak.” How did you get into this? “My own idea, having been a single mom in the past, raising children and knowing how busy life gets. Often you need another person to help you, and if you don’t have family around, for instance, or again if you can’t afford to hire somebody full-time. (I’m) kind of doing for them what I needed help with, raising my children and being by myself.” Who are your clientele? “Inquiries that I’ve had and the clients that I will be starting in January are pretty a wide range. I have a busi- ness owner. I’ve had inquiries from a single mom with several children. I’ve had a retired couple who needed help with some organization inquire about the business. That’s exactly what I was looking for, is to help anyone who needs help. I guess I will go from Astoria down to Cannon Beach and Knappa, in the other direction.” What are some of the quirks or challenges of run- ning your business? “One of the challenges would be somebody deciding to hire me and then backing out the last minute without (canceling) the appointment or the task or whatever it may be. Then me, as a small business owner, is losing out on much-needed work without having the notice and the time to reschedule with somebody else. Another thing that could possibly happen, because the feedback I’ve gotten back so far … is in the future, possibly hiring another person. Wanting to stay busy but not getting myself stressed out.” Seller: David A. Nygaard Buyer: Warrenton Fiber Company Address: Vacant land off of Oregon Highway 202 Price: $600,000 Sellers: Christine L. Ham- mond and Sylvia A Zelnys Buyer: Donn C. Bauske Address: 810 Broadway St., Seaside Price: $400,000 Seller: Mary A. Furrow Buyers: Steven P. Sanders and Nancy K. Sanders Address: 80441 Carnahan Road Price: $575,000 Seller: Olstedt Construc- tion, Inc. Buyer: Gayle E. Robinette Address: 1440 S.E. Wil- low Drive, Warrenton Price: $385,000