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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2015)
OPINION 6A T HE D AILY A STORIAN Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager SAMANTHA MCLAREN, Circulation Manager Water under the bridge Compiled by Bob Duke From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers 10 years ago this week — 2005 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 Our nightmare has begun P OLITICS DOES NOT bring human happiness. Oregonians are learning that lesson. ‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said, ‘To talk of many things; Of shoes — and ships — and sealing wax — Of cabbages —and kings —’ An economics professor told me that elections only allocate power; they do not promise policy outcomes. The November election re-elected *RY-RKQ.LW]KDEHU-XVWWZRPRQWKV LQWR KLV IRXUWK WHUP .LW]KDEHU KDV become a walking apparition. For those of us who believe in unmarked boundaries, it seems clear WKDW .LW]KDEHU FURVVHG RQH RI WKRVH spiritual demarcations when he tempted fate by seeking an unprece- dented fourth term. .LW]KDEHU DOVR EXLOW D WUDS IRU himself by insisting that his girl- IULHQG &\OYLD +D\HV EH FDOOHG ³¿UVW lady.” The New York Times referred to then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s girlfriend Diana Taylor as the mayor’s “companion.” That’s what Cylvia Hayes was. By elevating KHUWR¿UVWODG\DQGJLYLQJKHUDQRI- ¿FHLQKLVVXLWH.LW]KDEHUVHWXSSURI- it center for Hayes and he baited the trap for the rest of us. Through the Looking-glass of Cabbages and Kings AP Photo/Don Ryan Oregon and Washington gillnetters may be allowed to snare more wild, threatened steelhead this season, to make more room for commercially valu- able Columbia River Chinook salmon this spring. %XWWKHSURSRVDOIURP¿VKDQGZLOGOLIHPDQDJHUVLQERWKVWDWHVLVVSDUNLQJ GHEDWHRYHUKRZPXFK¿VKLQJVKRXOGEHDOORZHGZKHQPRUHWKDQDKDOIGR]HQ endangered salmon and steelhead runs return to the Columbia from the ocean. Boaters docked at the West Mooring Basin could have new bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities next year, in a build- ing that also houses 3ort of Astoria marina of¿ces and other ma- rine-related business. Glenn Taggart of C.A. Taggart Construction has proposed building a 20,000-square-foot building at the northeast edge of Pier I, bordering the West Mooring Basin. The project is valuable for both the company and the port, said Taggart, who is also a port commissioner. Speakers Tuesday decried the way in which the Port of Astoria leased War- UHQWRQSURSHUW\WR&DOSLQH&RUSIRUDOLTXH¿HGQDWXUDOJDVUHFHLYLQJWHUPLQDO ZKLOHUHVLGHQWVH[SUHVVHGFRQFHUQVWKDWLWZRXOGVTXHOFKWKH¿VKLQJLQGXVWU\ and create a “climate of fear.” People for Responsible Prosperity, which is opposed to Calpine Corp.’s SURSRVHGOLTXH¿HGQDWXUDOJDVIDFLOLW\KHOGLWV¿UVWPHHWLQJLQ:DUUHQWRQWR explain its position and hear from people concerned about the project’s im- pacts on the community. 50 years ago — 1965 Flood the rivers with heavy rains, jam smaller ones with logs and throw in other various obstacles, but the wily steelhead still will ¿ght their way to the spawning areas. Unique demonstration of this was observed by Warren Knis- pel, Warrenton, biologist for the Oregon Game Commission. Knispel reported that during recent high waters he was check- ing tributaries of the Necanicum River and at one point watched two 9-pound steelhead slithering up a muddy, rutted logging road. Knispel’s report, released through the Game Commission, said the nearby stream had been blocked by debris, so the ¿sh appar- ently Àipped out of the banks and found enough water in the road- way to keep going. Water in the rutted roads was only about three inches deep at the time, Knispel said. I would cost about $500 million to build a ship canal from Puget Sound to Grays Harbor and from Grays Harbor to the mouth of the Columbia River, Col. C.C. Holbrook, Seattle district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of En- gineers, has estimated. Holbrook said Congress could be expected to put up $300 million of the cost but the state would be required to come up with the other $200 million. Holbrook said the proposed legislation was desirable. But he said addition- al bills must be passed to assure the federal government that the state would pay its share of the cost of the proposed canal. Holbrook said the $200 million state expenditure could be “spread over the period of construction of the canal.” He said that would be several years. The Corps of Engineers is now studying the proposed canal. The state must keep the Canal Commission in operation if it wants the study to continue, Hol- brook warned. 75 years ago — 1940 The eastbound S.P.&S. Freight train plunged into tons of mud and trees about 1,000 yards west of the Ivy station 12 miles east of Astoria at 1:30 a.m. today, throwing the locomotive, tender and the freight car from the tracks and stalling rail traf¿c on the Asto- ria-Portland route. From a high, steep slope that reaches up south of the tracks, tons of earth bearing 2-foot trees plunged over the right-of-way when loosened from the lip of an old slide that occurred some time previously. The westbound freight had passed the spot only a few minutes previously and it is thought possible the train’s tremor hastened the slide. The eastbound locomotive cut a swath in the wall of mud, which left its mark half-way up on the derailed engine’s boiler, tore away the pilot and smashed cylinders along the front. The tender was wrenched from the track and from the engine and the ¿rst freight car was likewise derailed. No one was hurt. ILWACO — A 1942 international exposition commemorating the discov- ery of the Columbia River 150 years ago and the completion of Grand Coulee and Bonneville dams was projected today by three small southwestern Wash- ington towns — Ilwaco, Long Beach and Seaview. Plans for the exposition — tentatively titled “The Columbia River Interna- WLRQDO([SRVLWLRQ´²ZHUHGLVFXVVHG\HVWHUGD\DWDFRQIHUHQFHRIRI¿FLDOVRI the three communities. Mayor Norman A. Howerton of Ilwaco said the fair would be held at the mouth of the Columbia River, and that all Columbia valley cities and towns would be invited to participate. The city of Astoria today issued a call for bids for 300 or more parking meters and their installation in one or more districts with- in the city. One of the speci¿cations provided that 20 meters may be placed on Taylor Avenue, west of Columbia. Streets on which the other meters are to be located are not identi¿ed, but they will be in one “compact district.” The call for bids states that the city is interested in dealing with only those meter manufacturers which have made one or more successful installations. Bidders are asked to name the locality where its meters have been put in use and also to mention if any were removed after being found unsatisfactory. źźź WHILE KITZHABER LEAKS blood as he walks the halls of the state Capitol, the rest of us are condemned to live through a bad dream as investigations creep forward. State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has begun an investiga- tion. But Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week on Monday night noted the AG may lack full statutory authority to conduct a criminal investigation. (see wweek.com for “Gov. John .LW]KDEHUDQG$*(OOHQ5RVHQEOXP disagree on scope of investigation.”) WW has reported that the FBI has opened an investigation into .LW]KDEHUDQG+D\HV%XWWKH)%,¶V similar investigation of the governor of Virginia and his wife took years to reach prosecution. The Oregon Ethics Commission is a fairly toothless tiger, with no his- tory of aggressive investigation. And the commissioners were appointed E\.LW]KDEHU When a group approached Sec- UHWDU\ RI 6WDWH .DWH %URZQ¶V RI¿FH DERXW ¿OLQJ D UHFDOO SHWLWLRQ DJDLQVW .LW]KDEHUWKHDWWRUQH\JHQHUDOSRLQW- ed out that recall cannot be mounted XQWLODQRI¿FLDOKDVEHHQLQRI¿FHDW least six months. If the momentum of investigative journalism continues at the current pace, by June there should be con- siderable residue on which to launch a recall election. At that point, how PDQ\.LW]KDEHUPRQH\EDJVZRXOG fund his defense? Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber kisses fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, after he is sworn in for an unprecedented fourth term as governor in Sa- lem, Jan. 12. Big political scandals are rare in Oregon, but there’s a huge one swirling around Kitzhaber and Hayes as she faces alle- gations that she used her access to the governor’s office to secure contracts for her consulting business and that she hasn’t report- ed all of her income to tax authorities. Oregonians are condemned to watching Gov. Kitzhaber leak blood as he walks the halls of the Capitol. źźź KITZHABER’S DIMINISHED stature is already showing. When a statewide education JURXS YLVLWHG RXU RI¿FHV ODVW ZHHN I asked whether they were suffering EHFDXVH.LW]KDEHUZDVXQDEOHWREH their advocate, as he was in the 2013 Legislature. “Yes,” was the answer I received. anticipation of a Brown administra- tion. As secretary of state, Brown has been underwhelming. During her 2012 re-election campaign, Brown was not endorsed by a single Oregon newspaper. źźź ALL OF THIS WILL SET UP A 'HPRFUDWLFSULPDU\FRQWHVWLQ which Treasurer Ted Wheeler will take on an incumbent Gov. Kate Brown. The smart money will be on Wheeler. — S.A.F. źźź AT THE END OF THIS process is the prospect that Brown will become governor before the end RI.LW]KDEHU¶VWHUPLQ Except for her die-hard Portland constituents, I doubt there is great The act of rigorous forgiving By DAVID BROOKS New York Times News Service T here’s something sad in Brian Williams’ need to puff up his Iraq adventures and something barbaric in the public response. The sad part is the reminder that no matter how high you go in life and no matter how many accolades you win, it’s never enough. The desire for even more admiration races ahead. Career VXFFHVV QHYHU UHDOO\ VDWLV¿HV Public love always leaves you hungry. Even very famous people can do self-destructive things in an attempt to seem just a little cooler. tion for everything, regard- less of right or wrong. But many writers — ranging from Hannah Arendt and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther .LQJ -U WR PRGHUQ ¿JXUHV like Jeffrie Murphy and L. Gregory Jones — have tried to think hard about rigorous forgiveness, which balances accountability with compas- sion. They’ve generally de- scribed four processes in- volved in forgiveness: David Brooks FULPHWKH\FDQEHUHFWL¿HG only by slowly reweaving relationships. Some sins like vanity — Williams’ sin — can be treated only by ex- treme self-abasement. During the judgment phase hard questions have to be asked so that in for- giving we don’t lower our standards. Confession and Penitence At some point the offender has to get out in front of the process, being Pre-emptive Mercy more self-critical than anyone else King argued that forgiveness isn’t around him. He has to probe down to an act; it’s an attitude. We are all sin- the root of his error, offer a confession QHUV:HH[SHFWVLQHPSDWKL]HZLWKVLQ more complete than expected. He has to and are slow to think ourselves superior. put public reputation and career on the The forgiving person is strong enough back burner and come up with a course The barbaric part is the way we to display anger and resentment toward that will move him toward his own respond to scandal these days. When the person who has wronged her, but emotional and spiritual recovery, to be- somebody violates a public trust, we she is also strong enough to give away come strongest in the weakest places. WU\WRSXUJHDQGRVWUDFL]HKLP$VRUW that anger and resentment. Reconciliation and Re-trust of coliseum culture takes over, leaving In this view, the forgiving person After judgments have been made no place for mercy. By now, the script PDNHVWKH¿UVWPRYHHYHQEHIRUHWKH it familiar: Some famous person does offender has asked. She resists the natu- and penitence performed, both the of- something wrong. The Internet, the ral urge for vengeance. Instead, she cre- fender and offended bend toward each most impersonal of me- ates a welcoming context other. As King said, trust doesn’t have diums, erupts with con- in which the offender can to be immediate, but the wrong act is When no longer a barrier to a relationship. tempt and mockery. The confess. The offender endures his season of offender issues a paltry somebody Judgment shame and is better for it. The offended half-apology, which only A wrong is an oc- are free from mean emotions like ven- LQÀDPHVWKHSXEOLFPRUH violates a casion to re-evaluate. geance and are uplifted when they offer The pounding cry for res- What is the character of kindness. The social fabric is repaired. ignation builds until ca- public trust, the person in question? Community solidarity is strengthened pitulation comes. Public we try to Should a period of stu- by the reunion. passion is spent, and the I guess I think Brian Williams pidity eclipse a record of spotlight moves on. purge and shouldn’t have to resign, for the rea- decency? I’ve only spoken with It’s also an occasion to VRQWKDW'DYLG&DUUHPSKDVL]HGLQThe Williams a few times, ostracize him. investigate each unique Times: Williams’ transgressions were and can’t really speak circumstance, the nature not part of his primary job responsibil- about the man (although I often appear on NBC News’ Meet the of each sin that was committed and the ities. And because I think good people Press), but I do think we’d all be better implied remedy to that sin. Some sins, are stronger when given second chanc- off if we reacted to these sorts of scan- like anger and lust, are like wild beasts. es. But the larger question is how we dals in a different way. The civic fabric They have to be fought through habits would be stronger if, instead of trying to of restraint. Some sins like bigotry are build community in the face of scan- sever relationships with those who have like stains. They can be expunged only dal. Do we exile the offender or heal done wrong, we tried to repair them, if by apology and cleansing. Some like the relationship? Would you rather be- we tried forgiveness instead of exiling. stealing are like a debt. They can be come the sort of person who excludes, Forgiveness is often spoken of in UHFWL¿HGRQO\E\UHSD\LQJ6RPHOLNH or one who offers tough but healing sentimental terms — as gushy absolu- adultery, are more like treason than like love?