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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 30, 2015)
14A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2015 Legislature looks to sSeed uS traf¿F on highways By JONATHAN J. COOPER The Associated Press AP Photo/Noah Berger Jason Wurtz campaigns Sweepee Rambo, a 16-year-old Chinese crested, in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair Friday in Petaluma, Calif. Sweepee won the runner-up award. Deformed mutt is crowned World’s Ugliest Dog The Associated Press PETALUMA, Calif. — A 10-year-old mutt named Quasi Modo, whose spinal birth de- fects left her a bit hunchbacked, is the winner of this year’s World’s Ugliest Dog contest. The pit bull-Dutch shep- herd mix and her owner took the $1,500 prize Friday night, besting 25 other dogs com- peting in the contest that ap- plauds imperfection, organiz- ers said. Quasi Modo was aban- doned at an animal shelter before being adopted by a veterinarian in Loxahatchee, Florida, according to her bi- ography posted on the con- test’s website. “My appearance can be a little unsettling to some (I have had grown men jump on top of their cars to get away from me because they thought I was a hyena or Tasmanian devil) but once they get to know me I win them over with my bubbly personality,” her biography said. Two Chinese crested and Chihuahua mixes named Sweepee Rambo and Frodo took the second- and third- place prizes, respectively. An 8-year-old Chihua- hua named Precious received the “spirit award,” honoring a dog and owner who have overcome obstacles and/or are providing service to the community. Precious, who is blind in one eye, is trained to monitor smells related to low blood sugar levels and alert her owner, a disabled veteran, of the problem, her biography said. The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 27th year. The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, person- ality and natural ugliness. SALEM — Slow-poke driv- ers in passing lanes on Oregon freeways would sometimes have to make way for motorists with heavier right feet under a bill approved Monday in the state Senate. The measure would desig- nate the left lane on highways as a passing lane when there isn’t congestion, reTuiring slow driv- ers to move over for faster-mov- ing traf¿c. Lawmakers, who have plen- ty of experience commuting to Salem, made clear that they were knowledgeable about the subject. “We have all experienced in our commuting life the terrible frustration of having someone get in the passing lane and ba- sically park there,” said Sen. Ginny Burdick, a Portland Democrat who sponsored the bill. “This morning, this very morning, when I was commut- ing there was somebody in the left lane going just a little under the speed-limit reading.” When confronted with a left- lane hog, frustrated drivers often tailgate, pass on the right or zig- zag through traf¿c to get around, creating dangerous conditions, she said. Sen. Alan Olsen, R-Canby, said he worried the bill would increase congestion in other Sexuality: Group plans to host conference in the fall for educators Continued from Page 1A the Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force In an email to participants, the task force mentioned how “current conditions have shifted the setting and our ability to offer open, safe and honest conversations about sexuality.” The organizers also stated they value their relationship with the Seaside community and could not “in good conscience, hold a conference when we believe conference participants and our Seaside partners may be put in uncomfortable or un- pleasant situations.” A small group calling it- self the “Stop the Seaside Sex Conference” protested the event last year, and “it’s no se- cret to anyone” the conference and portions of its content re- ceived some negative media coverage starting in late fall 2014, said Tiffany Tucker, treasurer for the Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force. The task force responded the content was aligned with Oregon’s Comprehensive Sexuality (ducation reTuire- ments as laid out in the Or- egon Administrative Rules. Additionally, the conference was intended for educators, health personnel, adminis- trators, counselors, social and youth service workers, parents, clergy, teens, com- munity members and others wanting “to increase their knowledge and skills in ad- dressing adolescent sexu- ality issues,” according to the task force. The negative press, however, “seeming- ly impacted” those making decisions on behalf of orga- nizations, agencies and dis- tricts about whether to send people to the conference, Tucker said. “There were a lot of peo- ple who were not able to attend because people in their school districts or de- partments had decided not to participate in the conference this year,” she said. The conference organiz- ers set a benchmark for how many registrants were need- ed by a certain date in March for the conference to take place, since the conference primarily is paid for by reg- istration fees. “The day we called it, it was because there weren’t enough people registered,” Tucker said. A number of people had unregistered, she added. The conference was “can- celed period this year,” Tuck- er said, adding they did not just move it from Seaside. What is next? The Oregon Teen Preg- nancy Task Force — whose name still is tied to the group’s original mission, although its focus has since evolved — remains the main sponsor for the conference. The group, which is run by a five-member board mostly based in the Portland area, is “still very much trying to figure what to do in future years,” Tucker said. She did not speak as to whether or not the confer- ence will be held in Seaside again. Calculating the econom- ic impact on Seaside of the conference not taking place is difficult, Convention Cen- ter General Manager Russ Vandenberg said. The esti- mated economic impact in 2014 was about $284,375. That report is based on the number of event days — which was two — and the number of attendees — 260. The direct impact was cal- culated to be $81,250, and indirect impact was about $203,125. “The fact they did not hold the conference in 2015 makes this difficult to calcu- late because we don’t know Protesters stand outside the Seaside Civic and Convention Center in April 2014. The group gathered to protest the Adolescent Sexuality Conference, which group spokesman Michael Kelly called “in- appropriate for children.” Protest organizers asked protesters not to disclose their names or speak to the press. how many attendees would have attended, and the im- pact is based on attendees and number of days, not just by holding a conference in Seaside,” Vandenberg said. In 2015, the convention’s April numbers were low in comparison to last year, ac- cording to convention center staff. Daily Astorian File Teen Wellness Community members had a different opportunity to learn more about health and wellness during the recently formed Clatsop Teen Well- ness Coalition’s Adolescent Mind & Body Health Semi- nar, hosted at Clatsop Com- munity College in May. The free conference’s mission was “to inform par- ents and educators about evidence-based information concerning teen health,” according to a press re- lease.“The intention behind this is to educate those who hold a position of authority in the lives of teens in Clat- sop County, be it parents, teacher, counselors, etc. The hope is to create healthy dia- logue in the community that will foster good choices in young minds.” According to Meredith Payton, the coordinator of the Clatsop Teen Wellness Coalition, the formation of the coalition and subseTuent seminar “was to fill a void in the absence of adolescent sexual health information within Clatsop County.” “The cancellation did play a role in our formation, but our goal isn’t to replace that conference,” she said. “We hope to be the resource in the community for par- ents, educators and adminis- trators about all things relat- ing to teen sexuality.” The group plans to host another conference in the fall for educators throughout the coast, she said. 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The right-of-way debate Tuickly moved into the back- ground after Ames determined the straw posed a ¿re hazard. “I was expecting a small pile of straw,” Ames said of his ¿rst impression. “And I found pretty much a sizable mountain of bales of straw.” The ¿re chief feared some- one might accidentally Àip a cigarette or match and set the straw on ¿re, potentially threatening homes and other property. lanes by discouraging people from using the one on the left. The bill encourages people to speed, he said, and would in- crease accidents. “To inÀict this injury be- cause you can’t get to work on time because you get frustrated with someone in front of you is ludicrous,” Olsen said. The bill would allow police to ticket drivers in the left lane who refuse to move over for faster-moving traf¿c. It applies to highways with a speed limit of at least 55 mph and at least two lanes in each direction. The measure passed in a 23-6 vote. It returns to the House, which approved it earlier this year but must agree to changes made in the Senate. Another speed-related bill is also still alive as lawmakers near the end of the legislative session, which could come as soon as this week. The bill would raise the speed limit on rural stretches of freeway in eastern Oregon. The state’s top speed limit would become 70 mph, up from 65, on Interstate 84 between The Dalles and Idaho. It would also be 70 mph on Highway 95, which connects Nevada and Idaho through far southeastern Oregon. That bill, which includes $735,000 for new speed limit signs, is awaiting action in the Ways and Means Committee. “That’s what they pay me to do, is look at things like that,” Ames said. “And it was a hazard based on what we were expecting for weather.” Asked whether, in hind- sight, he would still make the same determination, Ames was certain: “I would make the same call again.” Reitman thinks the city made the wrong call. “It’s categorically obvious that they were in the wrong on this,” she said. Find out more at columbiabank.com or call 877-272-3678. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender