THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015
Puffing about nothing
5A
Frank and his magic tricks
T
he scenario being played
to recall Gearhart Mayor
Dianne Widdop, and the hi-
larious cast of characters who
are staging it, prompts me to
recall the popular TV show
Seinfeld. A clever comedy
with a consistent theme; each
episode was about nothing.
This local sitcom amounts
to be nothing more than some
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ing. Vote no on the recall.
DOROTHY WELL
Former Gearhart City
Council member
Gearhart
B
orn April 13, 2009, the handsome
black and tan bloodhound named
Frank, passed quietly into the night March
1, 2015, in the arms of his best friend,
George Gideon.
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his folks in Warrenton, and it was there
that he met the love of his life, George.
With his droopy red tinged eyes, foot-long
ears and size 12 paws, he was a superb ex-
ample of doggy handsomeness. Frank and
George went on long trips together, and
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the time he was 3 years old. It was called
to his attention at one point that only three
states counted because he did love the
occasional snooze and George felt one
should actually be conscious for the state
to count.
A lifelong carnivore was by no means
a snob about food. His general philosophy
was that if he could get it past his volup-
tuous jowls, it was worth the effort. The
only time I ever saw him hesitate to eat
something, his friend remembered, was
when someone had given him a large eel.
I watched him play with it for some time,
but never saw him swallow the thing. I
found it about three weeks later buried in
the back of my van. Frank acted like he’d
never seen it, but I think he was lying.
Though not formally educated, Frank
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ball was (although, he could care less be-
cause he had no intention to run after it or
carry it around in his mouth). He could sit
on demand, wag his tail without thinking
and drool on cue. When his registration
Abuse of master plan
T
he Port of Astoria com-
missioners are deaf to
anything but their own, nar-
row vested interests. Un-
less they hear from more of
us, they will continue their
abuse of the balanced master
plan, and some of their lon-
gest and most authentic ten-
ants, who invested millions
under it.
The most recent insult is
the threatened closure of the
boatyard. It is clear to most
of us, and to state agencies,
that Port commissioners are
intent on using the need to
clean up their own historic
toxics to serve themselves.
They blame the boatyard so
they can eliminate it, and cov-
er the area with yet more logs
to ship to foreign users. The
commissioners have insulted
— and abandoned all pretense
of supporting — Englund Ma-
rine and the Bornstein opera-
tions.
Had the voters under-
stood that those who ran
for the commission were in
thrall to local lumber ex-
port interests, or to a sin-
gular focus on the needs of
longshoremen, things might
have been different now
for the future of the Port. It
has been hard to find solid
local people to run for Port
commissioner, as the forces
for these two interests are
so thoroughly enmeshed
and direct staff priorities,
as staff must do as they’re
told.
Particularly for those of us
who live in Astoria, we sup-
port growth and development
that recognizes and honors
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This city welcomes appropri-
ate and mixed industrial and
commercial uses, and sees
them to be of immense value.
Yet the Port pursues the nar-
row and short-term self inter-
est of a few.
What will it take to make
any impression on this Port
Commission? They’ve made
the western end of the com-
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to access and unpleasant, and
seem to be doing everything
to drive people away. Maybe
that’s so we won’t see what is
happening?
Take a walk, citizens of
Clatsop County.
JAN MITCHELL
Astoria
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
walking on eggshells, the only
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of course, then money steps in
and runs the show. We seem
to be taking a cue from the na-
tional playbook.
Unfortunately, The Dai-
ly Astorian chose to fan the
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headline coverage to the innu-
endos and petty accusations,
long before bothering to give
Mayor Widdop a decent ar-
ticle. Soon enough, people
were so confused, that we
now have to have a divisive
and expensive recall election.
I guess creating the circus
sells papers?
If Mayor Widdop is re-
called, it will not stop there.
Other wonderful Gearhart
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because of this very type of
intimidation. It’s time for us
to stand with our mayor and
say: No. No more bullying.
No special favors. No recall.
Please vote no.
CAROL LUCAS
Gearhart
Submitted photo
George Gideon and his friend, Frank.
papers came from the American Kennel
Club, they had sent along a pamphlet on
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tled, “Welcome to the Wonderful World of
Bloodhounds,” you’ll never have a clean
house again.
Frank was very good at magic tricks,
which he occasionally would demon-
strate. By my count, three whole pies, a
couple dozen steaks and a 5-pound meat
loaf that had been cooling on the count-
er, had all disappeared. I don’t remember
them ever reappearing!
Putting all of these achievements aside,
Frank’s greatest quality was his ability to
show me love. Pure and simple, basic and
overwhelming love for his pals. That love
was gratefully returned in kind.
Mayor Widdop has her
own hidden agenda: New,
and/or pending ordinances;
burning permits for resi-
dential fire pits, short-term
rentals, mandatory garbage,
a new pending recreational
vehicle parking ordinance.
All unnecessary. All of
these are a “solution” where
there is no problem.
The “Restore Trust”
movement to recall May-
or Widdop has been based
on full facts and integri-
ty supported by Oregon’s
secretary of state. These
values are not going away
in the last few days of this
recall election, and need to
be re-established with the
Frank also had the uncanny ability to
make me feel like Einstein, even though
my IQ can hover around room tempera-
ture. At times, he could also make me feel
like a superhero if I got my boots tied cor-
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You see, Frank wasn’t just a dog; he
wasn’t a pet or possession, a conversation
piece or a burden. Frank was my friend.
I’ve had some great (human) friends in
my life, and they know who they are.
Frank knew who I was, it was like he was
put on this earth to make me happy, and he
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It was a bit hard in the recession like a
lot of us were: lost some property, stock,
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lifetime, but through it all, I like to think
I handled it well — it’s one of life’s little
tsunamis that you either give up or you
survive. This is something that did matter.
I mean, who else is going to look at me
like I’m a genius or a superhero. You were
my hero, Frankie. It was my great fortune
to know you and to love you, and you will
live in my heart and in my memories for-
ever. Adios, my friend.
In lieu of milk bones, Frank would
want you to take some time each day to
give a gentle pat or a loving hug to your
friend, and maybe, occasionally leave the
room while a meatloaf is cooling.
A special thanks to Dr. Hasse at Safe
Haven Vet Hospital and her staff for their
kindness and help at the worst of times.
And thank you to Laroy and Katie Smith
for their love and support.
GEORGE GIDEON
Seaside
election of a new mayor in
Gearhart.
You can read more at Re-
storeTrustGearhart.com, We
spoke to residents for three
full months. Most want a
successful recall — we’re
called the “Silent Majority.”
Please join all of us and
vote yes to recall Mayor Di-
anne Widdop.
HAROLD T. GABLE,
DMD
Gearhart
Insulting behavior
N
o one can deny that
Astoria has been bless-
ed with great abundance
— scenery, activities, good
people, etc. However, abun-
dance is not always benefi-
cial.
For example, we seem
to have an unending pool
of incompetent, self-serv-
ing, uncooperative political
hacks ready to run for a po-
sition on our Port of Astoria
Commission. Once there, it
appears that whatever ex-
pertise they might have had
immediately
disappears,
leaving the voters to ques-
tion why they ran.
This is not a new phe-
nomenon. It has been going
on for years.
For some obscure rea-
son, our commissioners
cannot seem to recognize
a good money-making deal
when they see one; for ex-
ample, existing business ex-
pansion. And yet they cling
with a death grip to money
losers like the Astoria Riv-
erwalk Inn.
Beyond the incompe-
tence of the commission is
the issue of trust. The com-
mission said it wanted a
strong maritime service —
including a boat lift — and
on the strength of this plan,
it sweet-talked England Ma-
rine and Columbia Pacific
Marine Repair into moving
nearer to the boatyard.
Moving these businesses
could not have been conve-
nient, nor inexpensive, and
the commissioners should
have been grateful to have
solidified their plan for
the maritime hub, but that
has not been the case. Like
small children with shiny
toys, the commission was
distracted by the offer of
more money from another
source: logging companies.
Lord knows, I’m not
against the Port making
money. In fact, that would
be an unexpected and un-
precedented experience for
local taxpayers, but I don’t
believe it must be “logs or
nothing.” I believe that di-
versity is the proper direc-
tion, and keeping promises
is key to having good oper-
ations.
If the Port of Ilwaco,
Wash., can have a success-
ful boatyard, there is no rea-
son that Astoria cannot have
one, too.
Our new Port manager
has not had an opportuni-
ty to show his capacity for
leadership, but he is not off
to a very good start when
he practices a “smoke and
mirrors” and a misdirec-
tion campaign to unilateral-
ly remove our boat lift and
yard. He will not last long
by insulting us with the be-
lief that we are too stupid to
understand what he and the
commissioners are up to.
“The DEQ made me do
it” is not an acceptable an-
swer.
KEN CHAPMAN
Astoria
ReÀections and
going forward
I
have been coming to
Gearhart with my family
to visit my stepmother, El-
eanore Latourette since the
early 1970s. We’ve had our
own home in Little Beach
since the mid-1980s, so I
feel I have inherited the
long-standing
Gearhart
mindset that I love: Unwind
and enjoy the quiet lifestyle
beach.
Are you confused? of the
After attending Gearhart
re you confused? It’s re- City Council meetings for
ally simple. If you live in the past year, I have pieced
Gearhart, and love it like it is, together the bigger picture.
you must vote to keep Mayor In summary, this wonderful
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me tell you why.
under the administration of
Much more is at stake Mayor Dianne Widdop. We
here than the mayor’s of- really need a new mayor.
fice. Gearhart has a com-
In 20 years of city gov-
prehensive plan, laws and ernment, the last two as
elections; all of which mayor, Mayor Widdop has
are threatened. Unfortu- learned very little about
nately, Gearhart has some city council and how it
mean-spirited people, let’s functions. She has no un-
just call them the Barn Bul- derstanding of, or the im-
lies, who, when it became portance of, following Rob-
clear they would not be al- ert’s Rules of Order, making
lowed to operate outside the many in the audience won-
law, joined forces and chose der: “Was that done correct-
to attack. They have resort- ly?”; “Is this going to be le-
ed to lies, innuendos, legal gal?”; “What are they doing
threats and martyr behavior. up there?” Gearhart’s city
I have attended a number of attorney offers little, if any,
city meetings and seen these guidance to help sort out the
folks in action.
chaos.
We are a very small town.
There is a repeated vot-
2XU HOHFWHG RI¿FLDOV LQFOXG- ing pattern consisting of the
ing Mayor Dianne Widdop, same individuals in a 3-2
are unpaid volunteers. May- decision each time. It’s as
or Widdop is both dedicated if the decisions were made
and intelligent. She believes ahead of time, in what’s
strongly in keeping the Gear- called in the corporate world
hart that we know and love, a “daisy chain.” All perfect-
alive and well.
ly legal, but it doesn’t pass
I am concerned about a cli- the smell test. It has become
mate where political correct- clear that we have a major
ness masks as a front for keep- blockade in service to the
ing politicians from having citizens of Gearhart. Resi-
any opinions. By effectively dents’ comments are not re-
gaging them, by censoring spected as valuable during
their every word and keeping City Council meetings, or at
them constantly on guard and coffee with the mayor.
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