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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2015)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015 Revue: Saturday’s event raised about $14,000 Continued from Page 1A Immortalized as part of Astoria’s wicked past, Barnes has been both mocked and celebrated by historians as WKH ³¿UVW ODG\ RI 2UHJRQ´ Whatever the truth of her sto- ry, she most surely was more fetching than the “Gentlemen Jane” impostors Saturday night. The revue — which raised about $14,000, according to the historic district associa- tion — featured a string of impossibly named characters, with many in need of dance lessons, another stiff drink, or a shave. “Midnight Dawn” — Seth Tichenor, a philosophy in- structor at Clatsop Commu- nity College — was a futur- istic black, purple and silver techno mess who rocked to “I Fink U Freeky” by Die Ant- woord. “Danessa Rosewood” — Jorge Gutierrez, the executive director of the Lower Colum- bia Hispanic Council — was resplendent in a strapless wedding gown, veil — and full beard — as he cavorted to “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals. “Opal Sunrise” — Brad Blaser of Fort George Brew- ery and Public House — shimmied in a teal number to “Single Ladies” by Beyonce DQG WKHQ EHQW RYHU WR ÀDVK pink underwear that read: “Let’s Do It.” Not all the performers were novices. The Browns- mead Flats, in drag, opened the revue as “The Browns- mead Floozies.” Marco Davis, a chef at The Columbian Cafe and an accomplished dancer and drag queen, stunned as “Daylight Cums” to the song “Big Spender.” “We live in a crazy town that is so open-minded and progressive,” Davis said af- terward. “And you get here for moments like this and you realize how lucky we are.” Jannusch, a Farmers Insur- ance agent, was what Taylor referred to as a “catwalk vir- gin.” In the weeks before the revue, he had some trepida- tion. But he said the experi- ence turned out better than he thought it might. “I don’t consider myself an attractive woman, so it was kind of weird having them put money down my dress,” Jannusch joked. “Yes, it was awkward.” Photos by JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Rodney Merrill, performing as Taffy Ammonoosuc, dances down the stage during the Jane Barnes Revue at the Astoria Event Center Saturday. The money from the event went to the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association. ‘We live in a crazy town that is so open-minded and progressive.’ — Marco Davis a chef at The Columbian Cafe and an accomplished dancer and drag queen ‘Daylight Cums’ Brad Smithart, performing as Lady Terrar, reacts while be- ing motorboated by an audience member during the Jane Barnes Revue at the Astoria Event Center Saturday. ABOVE: As the Jane Barnes Revue came to a close, a dance party broke out on the catwalk. LEFT: Jorge Gutierrez, performing as Danessa Rosewood, dances in a wedding dress during the Jane Barnes Revue at the Astoria Event Center Saturday. Lobby: ‘Coal to clean’ bills are next focus for group Continued from Page 1A A decade ago, the co- alition decided to stop playing defense and be- gan proposing more new legislation. Rhett Law- rence, conservation di- rector for the Oregon chapter of the Sierra Club and a registered lobbyist for the group, said coali- tion members started to come up with annual lists of bills they could agree upon called “priorities for a healthy Oregon.” The environmental lob- by’s top priorities today are two bills they describe as “coal to clean” — Sen- ate Bill 477 and House Bill 2729. Both would require utilities to stop generating or purchasing electricity from coal power plants by 2025. The Senate ver- sion would also require companies to replace coal power with electric- ity from sources “at least 90 percent cleaner than coal-derived generating resources,” according to a legislative summary. Splitt said other pri- orities this year include a bill to require private for- estland owners to provide notice to the state and keep other records of their use of pesticides, a bill to ap- propriate money for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to spend on conservation and leg- islation that would allow the state to end a mandate to generate revenue from timber harvests on some public forests. Environmental groups are also pushing for the Mogenson:&ROXPELD3DFL¿F chapter relies completely on grants and fundraisers Continued from Page 1A Pamplin Media Group Activist protest against coal trains in the file photo. Environmental groups are taking advantage of Democratic majorities in both houses of the Oregon Legislature to advance their agenda this session. Top priorities are two bills described as ‘coal to clean’ — Senate Bill 477 and House Bill 2729. passage of legislation that would preserve or create incentives for a range of solar projects, from res- idential to utility scale facilities. Lawrence said solar energy “still needs a little bit of a hand in the next step in putting it on a level playing field with fossil fuel.” Splitt said environmen- tal groups also want mon- ey for public transit to be included in any funding package for street mainte- nance and other transporta- tion projects. The outlook for that package is unclear, since Republicans stopped participating in talks af- ter Democrats passed the low-carbon fuel bill. Some groups lobbying on the coal power bills and other environmental issues are not strictly environ- mental groups. Bob Jenks, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Oregon, said the group supports the coal legislation because governments will eventu- ally regulate carbon emis- sions and ratepayers could save money if utilities be- gin to more aggressively reduce carbon now. “We’ve got to work hard because we don’t have the money,” said Jenks, who is not the utility board’s reg- istered lobbyist but was in Salem to testify in favor of the coal bills on Wednes- day. “But we’ve got people. We can organize people.” the clothes were brand new. Another boy joyfully jumped down the hall in his new Spi- der-Man tennis shoes. “It’s so cute,” Mogenson said. “They are so excited.” Almost always the children are not embarrassed, but rather excited and love receiving their new clothes, Mogenson said. They often check with their counselor every day between the time they are measured for new clothes and the time they receive the clothes. “Having appropriate school FORWKHV KHOSV WKH NLGV ZLWK ¿W- ting in and with their self-esteem and we think it helps keep them in school,” Mogenson said. 7KH&ROXPELD3DFL¿FFKDS- ter relies completely on grants and fundraisers. The nonprof- it’s budget is about $60,000, or about $100 for each of the 600 children that are clothed each year. The groups hosts a variety of fundraising events throughout the year. On Super Bowl Sunday in February, the group hosts “Accessorize with Assistance League,” a large one-day sale with thousands of gently used items. In May, the annual “Golf Ball Drop” is held at the Astoria Golf Club. A helicopter drops 2,000 golf balls that are played for prizes. In the fall, locals open their homes for the Home and Chef Tour. The public is invited to tour local homes while enjoying appetizers from local chefs. Other programs include the athletic participation program, where funds are provided for sports fees and gear, and the duffel bag program, where fos- WHUFKLOGUHQDUHJLYHQEDJV¿OOHG with items they can call their own. Next month, the local chap- ter will host Cinderella’s Closet, a program that provides more than 200 gowns for high school girls to use during their school dances. The chapter also hosts shop- ping nights during the year for middle and high school students to pick out their own clothes. One of the nights is held at the Nike outlet store in Seaside and features a DJ and pizza. Plans are in the works to add even more events in the future. “We are trying to get our fundraising up so we can help more kids,” Mogenson said. “We are thinking about a new event for next year.” $V WKH &ROXPELD 3DFL¿F Chapter continues to grow in Clatsop County, the group is al- ways actively looking for more volunteers. A membership meet- ing will be held at 11:30 a.m. May 7 at the Astoria Golf Club for those interested in joining. The chapter meets at 5:30 SP RQ WKH ¿UVW 7KXUVGD\ RI each month at Englund Marine & Industrial Supply in Astoria. Those interested in donating or joining, can visit www.assis- tanceleaugecp.org or contact the chapter at PO Box 596, Astoria, OR 97103. Mogenson joined the As- sistance League four years ago after a friend kept telling her about it. “Now all my closest friends are doing it,” Mogenson said. “It is such a great idea for people if they are new to the town. I have met so many people working in this organization.” — Kyle Spurr