THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015
Voter’s pamphlet
D
o you find it difficult
to obtain factual infor-
mation about candidates in
local elections when there is
no voter’s pamphlet? Would
you like to have a voter’s
pamphlet for the May 2015
election? It could happen,
but your help is needed.
The Clatsop County
Elections Office has sent a
letter to the 39 districts par-
ticipating in the May 2015
election, asking them if they
would like to help fund the
publication. The letters pro-
vide an estimate the cost
to each district, which is
apportioned by the number
of voters. The total cost in
1999 was $15,000, or an
average of $384 per district
— a small price to pay for a
foundational component of
democracy.
Please contact the boards
in the May election and ask
them to support the publica-
tion of a voter’s pamphlet.
The boards include the Port
of Astoria, Clatsop Com-
munity College, the school
districts, the Sunset Em-
pire Transportation District,
among many others. If you
know board members, give
them a call. The response
from the boards to the Elec-
tion’s Office must be re-
ceived by Feb. 6.
Clatsop County last pub-
lished a voter’s pamphlet
for odd-year elections in
1999. Clatsop County In-
terim Elections Clerk Val-
erie Crafard said the county
stopped publishing the vot-
er’s pamphlet because there
was no demand.
However, without a vot-
er’s pamphlet, the elector-
ate is left to the discretion
of the local newspapers or
whatever campaign litera-
ture the candidates choose
to distribute.
“Democracy cannot suc-
ceed unless those who ex-
press their choice are pre-
pared to choose wisely. The
real safeguard of democra-
cy, therefore, is education.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
LARRY TAYLOR
chairman, Clatsop
County
Democratic Central
Committee
Logs encroaching
I
am concerned over the
degradation of the envi-
ronment at Smith Point in
Astoria owing to the expan-
sion of the log-sorting oper-
ation and the creation of a
truck-servicing yard there.
I have walked my dog
there twice a day for more
than two years. I have no-
ticed a wide variety of crea-
tures in the grassy meadow
near the tip of Smith Point
and the adjoining wetland.
Many birds frequent
the area, including a small
shore bird — something
like a sanderling — that
nests in the grass and com-
plains when I walk by. It
bravely attempts to lure me
away from the meadow side
of the Riverwalk where the
nests are.
Great blue herons over-
night in the tall grass.
At various times of the
year, Canada geese and a
variety of ducks and terns
inhabit the area. At least one
eagle fishes from the area.
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
Thank you, Astoria City Council
D
uring the Astoria City Council meeting
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long controversy over where to prosecute
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Intoxicants (DUII) offenders was brought
to an end. By a vote of 4-1, Astoria Police
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Circuit Court, as do all other law enforce-
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Thank you, Councilor Drew Herzig,
who was elected in 2012 after campaigning
to end this controversy and who was the
lone voice on council advocating that posi-
tion — until now.
Thank you newly elected Councilors
Zetty Nemlowill and Cindy Price, who each
also campaigned in favor of ending this
controversy, and voted in accordance with
Many amphibians live
there, a chorus of frogs each
twilight.
Thousands of slugs and
snails help to keep the
meadow clean.
Small groups of deer oc-
casionally browse there.
It has been a place rich
in life.
Since the expansion of
the log-sorting operation
and the addition of the
truck-service yard (which
has become a mud hole), I
have seen almost none of
the critters I met there.
The logs keep encroach-
ing on the meadow and the
wetland. Heavy log-han-
dling vehicles are stored on
the wetland.
Now, a large number of
huge pipes (I believe they
are dredge pipes) have been
moved onto the meadow and
the wetland, further reducing
the inhabitable space while
likely killing little critters
that were in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
The Port of Astoria
should explain why they
have allowed this and
whether they have weighed
the environmental impact of
the commercial activity.
Maybe the economic
advantages of the activity
outweigh the impact on the
critters’ home. Personally,
I don’t think so, nor, I sus-
pect, would the critters.
We should be mindful
that the land belongs to us
no more than it does to the
critters. The logs and pipes
should be removed from the
meadow and wetland. The
log and truck operations
should be kept on the areas
already paved without fur-
ther paving to the west be-
ing allowed.
The meadow and the wet-
land are or were a treasure.
PAUL HAIST
Astoria
Pushback
T
he recent Astoria Plan-
ning
Commission’s
town hall meeting left me
with significant concerns.
What characteristics of
Astoria matter the most?
There’s the stimulating mix
of cultures: fishers and log-
gers work with skill and
cleverness, physical cour-
age and brawn. Artists and
intellectuals work with skill
and cleverness, social and
cultural courage and sensi-
tivity. There’s a vital down-
town business community.
Visitors love this, and their
spending helps us thrive.
their stated positions.
Thank you newly elected Mayor Ar-
line LaMear, who cast the toughest vote.
LaMear read a prepared statement at the be-
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listed arguments in favor of keeping DUII
prosecution in Astoria Municipal Court, but
then went on to explain that she had become
convinced it was in the best interest of Asto-
ria to put this behind us, and that this was an
important part of her wish to be inclusive in
her administration.
I believe the council’s decision was the
right one, for many reasons. Therefore,
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and foremost.
SHEL CANTOR
Astoria
Every day we’re im-
mersed in awesome beauty
of the river and sky, and in
dramatic and melancholy
weather. Best of all, views
of this are available from
affordable homes as well as
from the Riverwalk.
The planning process
proposes standards for ma-
jor construction on the Co-
lumbia between Second
Street and the bridge. Such
buildings would destroy
many views from homes
and from the Riverwalk.
The views from homes mat-
ter immensely: they’re why
many of us are here. David
Carter asked about views of
ships. It was then admitted
that views from homes were
not considered, and his que-
ry about ships was never
even acknowledged. There’s
a problem here. Please pro-
tect all of the views.
It was explained that the
proposed restrictions for
new buildings north of the
Riverwalk are for smaller
and lower structures than
now allowed. That’s great.
But why allow any? No mo-
tivation was given in the
presentation, but in discus-
sion afterward, I heard ref-
erence to a state requirement
that 125 acres be available
for development for wa-
ter-dependent uses. We have
such uses already. In fact,
NOAA recently reported
that the Astoria area topped
the West Coast in pounds
of fish landed. We’re doing
enough. It’s time for major
pushback against require-
ments to do more.
Reassurances were heard
that there won’t be any de-
velopment anyway, because
building over water is too
expensive. I hope that’s
true, but it sounds like a
sucker deal to rely on that.
For another issue, con-
trary to a proposed standard
of concealing machinery
along the Riverwalk, one
of the great things about a
working waterfront is see-
ing interesting operations
and equipment. I watch fish
in the chutes between 11th
and 12th streets. I love see-
ing machinery. The brew
pubs all have windows and
glass doors so we can see.
Are they making a mistake,
or are they on to something?
DAVID LEE MYERS
Astoria
Obama is MIA
A
over the fact that he failed
to attend the massive an-
ti-terrorism demonstration
held in Paris recently. That’s
when the leaders of some 40
nations joined the unprece-
dented display of solidarity
against the horrific mass
murders there by Muslim
extremists aka terrorists.
There was wide-ranging and
myriad number of reasons
and/or excuses as to why the
community organizer turned
up MIA (Missing In Action)
from that stunning show of
civilized-world solidarity.
Based on a reading of sev-
eral public pronouncements
he has made in the past and
actions he has taken, I would
venture that the empty suit
in the Oval Office either is a
closet Muslim himself or, at
least, a strong sympathizer
of the “Religion of Peace.”
That’s the opinion of one
American citizen — me —
given freely in a nation that
still protects the right of
freedom of speech.
E. ROBERT NASSIKAS
Astoria
Doomsday letter
T
he “Polluters should
pay” letter in the Jan.
16 Daily Astorian is about
as biased, untrue and hyper-
bolic a doomsday article as
any I have ever read.
According to the writer,
in 10 years the oceans are
going to be destroyed by
acid. The rising oceans will
flood most of the world’s
coastlines. War, pestilence,
economic disaster, star-
vation, homelessness and
more will be everywhere.
Society as we know it will
be gone, forever.
But, the writers miracu-
lously have a solution. They
say lil’ ol’ Oregon will save
the world.
How? Gas is too cheap.
They want polluters (i.e.
gas companies) to pay to
pollute. They don’t have
to stop polluting, just pay
a fine. Then, we will have
carbon fees, carbon mitiga-
tion fees, higher taxes and
on and on and on.
Al Sharpton-style shake-
downs of so-called polluters
by extorting money from
them for things that are
never going to happen on
that scale is coming soon.
A company like Oregon Cli-
mate has got to get funds
from somewhere. Why not
just try to scare everybody
to death?
The only solution that
I see that will work in all
honesty for such a predic-
tion is to ban all internal
combustion autos from our
highways. Ban lawn mow-
ers, weed eaters, barbecues,
outdoor fires, generators,
trimmers, heavy equipment,
fertilizer and so on. Dire
predictions require dire
consequences. The problem
of underpriced fossil fuels
is a joke.
Please, Oregon Climate
go away!
I worry more about our
sun going super nova in
a few million years. Now
that’s societal disruption.
STEVE SIMMONS
Astoria
Sense of place
I
am a born-and-raised
Astorian, 32 years old,
living there as recently as
August. I just moved to
5A
Wyoming to attend gradu-
ate school for the next two
years, studying historic
preservation and sense of
place. I would like to move
back to an Astoria that val-
ues historic buildings, fos-
ters sustainable develop-
ment, provides low-income
housing and encourages
community trust. These ide-
als were loosely in place as
I came of age in the 1990s.
After the recent demolition
of the historic Darigold
building at Ninth and Duane
streets, to make way for an
expanded parking lot hole, I
have begun to lose trust in
Astoria’s leaders.
Now they want to de-
molish the historic Merwyn
Hotel (aka Waldorf Hotel)
in order to expand the pub-
lic library. The proposed
demolition of this historic,
soundly built structure runs
counter to every popular
movement in Main Street
USA. Demolishing histor-
ic buildings erases a col-
lective memory — erases
it for all eternity. Adaptive
reuse is smarter and green-
er, but takes more thought,
more dreaming. Buoy Beer
Company is one recent ex-
ample of Astorians daring to
dream.
Right now, the city lead-
ers seem to value turning As-
toria into some overpriced
community for retirees.
I’ve witnessed these same
values turn Ashland, into
a country club for the rich.
This does not bode well for
the future of Astoria. Young
professionals will lose their
sense of place in the city and
look elsewhere for progres-
sive small towns that value
cultural heritage and social
diversity over real-estate
profits. Yes, the Merwyn sits
empty. As does the haunted
Flavel house on 15th and
Franklin. What these vacant
properties give Astorians is
an imagination to dream. To
ponder the “what ifs. …” A
demolished building is noth-
ing to dream about.
CHUCK ADAMS
Laramie, Wyo.
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PUBLIC NOTICE
CMH ENT/Cosmetic Surgery Clinic to close Feb. 20, 2015
After two years of dedicated service, Dr. Christopher Nyte
will be leaving Astoria and the CMH ENT/Cosmetic Surgery
Clinic will be closing.
Dr. Nyte will continue to keep scheduled appointments until
Feb. 20, 2015, and will ensure that his patients have alternative
options if they have been under his care. Any patients who
have seen Dr. Nyte in the CMH ENT/Cosmetic Surgery
Clinic in the past 2 years will be able to access their records
through the CMH Medical Records department; the phone
number is 503-338-7528.
FREE! Fun for the whole family!
Community Health Fair
February 14, 9am-2pm
Clatsop County Fairgrounds
92937 Walluski Loop, Astoria, OR
Join the CMH/OHSU Cardiology Clinic on Valentine’s Day for a fun
and informative, heart-friendly Community Health Fair.
< Get basic health screenings.
< Get advice from experts on heart health, medication interactions,
orthopedic surgery and more.
< Learn about local health & fitness programs.
< Talk with local medical specialists.
< Test your strength and balance.
< Win prizes hourly! Fun for the whole
family!!
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