THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015
Inspiring story
Wonders of Oregon
U
.S. Sen Ron Wyden
completed his Won-
ders of Oregon tour on the
Oregon Coast in Astoria,
and it was my pleasure to
accompany him throughout
the state. Wyden is a cham-
pion of Oregon’s public
lands and access to them.
He appropriately calls them
“treasures.”
The seven Wonders of
Oregon are natural trea-
sures, created without help
from us. However, they
would not be what they
are today if it were not for
programs and policies that
Americans have put in place
to protect public lands.
The Oregon coast is a
magnet. People are drawn
here by the beauty of its
rugged beaches and its nat-
ural wonders. It contains
hundreds of places that
have been protected by a
little-known program called
the Land and Water Conser-
vation Fund (LWCF).
From local ballfields
and city parks, to the Lew-
is and Clark National His-
toric Park, Oregon Dunes
National Recreation Area,
Yaquina Head, and Oregon
Islands National Wildlife
Refuge, LWCF has invest-
ed millions of dollars into
public lands on the Oregon
Coast, helping protect and
keep them accessible to all
for generations to come.
LWCF uses no taxpayer
money — only offshore
gas royalty fees. It expires
in September, and we need
Congress to reauthorize it in
its current form if we’re to
continue investing in pub-
lic lands. America’s public
lands are the envy of the
world. They are available to
all. It’s crucial to hunters,
anglers, hikers, birdwatch-
ers, and all outdoor enthusi-
asts that they stay that way.
5A
Reserved parking means just that
I
enjoyed reading the in-
spiring article about
Drew Lynch (“Indiana na-
tive chases new dream after
injury derails plans,” The
Daily Astorian, June 21)). I
have heard of other people
started to stutter after an
injury. In my own personal
opinion, I think that some
people carry the stuttering
genes without having any
difficulty; sometimes an in-
jury can trigger those genes
which have been recessive,
in my own view.
If Drew Lynch makes it
as an actor/comedian, he
will be in good company.
The wesbite of the non-
profit Stuttering Founda-
tion (www.stutteringhelp.
org) has a list of “Famous
People Who Stutter” which
features prominent names
such as Bruce Willis, Mari-
lyn Monroe, Tom Sizemore,
Nicole Kidman, James Earl
Jones, Eric Roberts and
many others.
EDWARD HERRINGTON
Longmeadow, Mass.
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
I
know parking in the downtown
area is tight, that is why I rent
a parking spot. It is aggravating to
find someone in my parking spot,
especially when I am trying to get
to work. Almost every time it is a
local, not a visitor. I have to go into
all the surrounding businesses to try
to find that person, to not have them
towed.
Some in Congress have
proposed selling our public
lands to pay off the deficit,
but public lands support lo-
cal economies and our out-
door heritage. In Oregon
alone, Travel Oregon esti-
mates outdoor recreation
supports over 100,000 jobs.
Public lands are the heart of
that economy. We need to
keep public lands in public
hands.
Some in Congress have
also proposed amending
the Antiquities Act to limit
the president’s authority to
establish national monu-
ments. Presidents from both
parties have used this law to
establish some of America’s
most notable public lands
and any compromise would
be a disservice to Ameri-
cans now, and in the future.
We thank Sen. Wyden
for being a champion of
public lands.
BRIAN JENNINGS
State coordinator, Back-
country Hunters & Anglers
Bend
Need a bypass
O
pen letter to the Sea-
side City Council, the
Seaside Planning Depart-
ment, the Seaside Down-
town Business Association,
the Seaside Chamber of
Commerce, Clatsop County,
and the Oregon Department
of Transportation: Shame
on you. You have consis-
tently abused the very peo-
ple who supply the income
for the city.
The primary source of
money for the city of Sea-
side is the tourist, most
of whom travel over U.S.
Highways 26 and 101 to
bring their cash to you. I
live about three miles out
on Highway 26, or sev-
en miles from the center
of Seaside. On any given
holiday weekend, or when
a special event is happen-
ing in the area, traffic gets
backed up all the way out
past my house. I just experi-
enced the backup first hand,
trying to get from Astoria to
my home, it took over 2.5
hours to get from the Great
Wall restaurant in Gearhart
to my house, a total of about
10 miles.
To the best of my knowl-
edge, there is currently no
plan, or even discussion,
of building a bypass east of
Seaside so that the people
who wish to get to Fort Ste-
vens, Long Beach, Wash.,
So I thought I should inform ev-
eryone what a reserved space means.
These are not inexpensive to rent,
and those who rent the parking spots
work long hard hours to afford these
spaces. We rent them for 24 hours a
day — some of us work nights and
weekends. I repeat, the reserved
spaces are for 24 hours a day. Every
day. You do not get to park in them
after 6 p.m., or on the weekends.
Please have some respect for the
locals who rent these spots. Please.
You know who you are. Yesterday,
I had a girl in a Regatta princess
costume inform me (she was in my
parking spot) that she parks in the
parking lot all the time. Sigh.
VICKI MCAFEE
Astoria
or other points beyond Sea-
side, can avoid the horren-
dous gridlock.
I have heard some local
business people say that
they want the extra traf-
fic. Trust me; people who
are stuck in a lineup, liter-
ally for hours, are not go-
ing to stop at your place of
business, unless that is their
primary destination. I can
imagine the family emo-
tional atmosphere, after
they have endured 2 mph
travel for an hour or two.
Several years ago they
built a bypass around down-
town Cannon Beach. That
town is flourishing. Is there
really a logical reason that
there is not at least a de-
sign on the drawing board
to build a new highway,
east of Seaside, with three
to four access exits to the
city?
I do not live within the city
limits of Seaside, so I have no
say in your planning, but it
amazes me how poorly you con-
tinually treat the tourists travel-
ing to and through your city.
CLEVE ROLFE
Seaside
would go on for pages —
however, suffice it to say
that if you are looking for
anything from an Allen
wrench to a xylophone (not
currently in stock), chanc-
es are that it has been do-
nated. We would also like
to take this opportunity to
thank the many loyal cus-
tomers who make us their
first go-to location when
seeking out items for their
remodel or update. Addi-
tionally, people, even with-
in our own community, are
continually finding our
shop.
We receive visitors from
as far away as Maine and
even some from England,
Germany, and Japan. For
those within the commu-
nity who are still unaware,
PennyWise Thrift Store, a
501(c)(3) charitable orga-
nization supporting those
living with mental illness-
es, is located at 737A E.
Harbor Drive in Warrenton.
We would like to thank
Bethany Lutheran Church
for allowing us to distrib-
ute the lunches that they
prepare for the homeless
and underserved youth in
the local community. We
Not a success
feel that we are truly bless-
hil Knight is no exem- ed to be able to provide
plar of “success” in my this important resource to
book (“Nike co-founder those we serve.
Knight will step down as
We would also like to
chairman,” The Daily Asto- thank the many who make
rian, June 30). If he’d made cash donations of from 50
his fortune manufacturing cents to more than $100 to
cool shoes in Baltimore, help support our transition-
Detroit, Cleveland or Port- al housing (also located in
land, then he would be. And Warrenton) and our mental
maybe then an internation- illness support group, the
al trade deal modeled upon Depression and Bipolar
Nike would deserve our Support Alliance of North
support.
Oregon and South Wash-
He didn’t, and it ington Coast, a local chap-
GRHVQ¶W*HWWLQJ¿OWK\ULFKLQ ter of the DBSA. It is heart-
this country doesn’t require ening to see that our local
or connote character or even community is recognizing
brains. For further proof, the fact that there is a lack
there’s Donald Trump.
of adequate mental health
JOSEPH WEBB facilities and services
Astoria within our county, and are
willing to step up and say
“enough is enough.”
Great support
PETER AND PATRICIA
e would, once again,
FESSLER
like to thank the
Co-owners, PennyWise
many supporters that we
Thrift Store
have within the local com-
Co-facilitators DBSA of
munity. We are continually
North Oregon and South
in receipt of many great
Washington Coast
items that have been gently
Astoria
used by the previous own-
ers, and then donated to our
shop for resale to someone Sympathy and ideas
just finished reading the
else in need of that item at
article about the young
reasonable prices.
The list of people who girl who drowned last year
have made these donations off the Bolstad approach
P
W
I
and would like to offer my
heartfelt sympathy to this
family. The beach can be
such a fun place that some-
times it is easy to overlook
the dangers that go along
with such beauty.
As I try to imagine how
I would feel if I lost my
10-year-old daughter to
a tragedy like this, it just
makes me numb to think of
what these people are going
through.
I have spent my entire
life recreating in the area
and my parents warned me
about the dangers as a child
some 45 years ago as a child,
I passed those warnings to
my child and when we are
at our place in Surfside and
my daughter wants to play
in the surf I keep a close eye
on her and am always on the
alert for dangers.
I have said things to
people on the beach about
swimming and watching
their kids and have been met
with less than appreciative
comments,it does not stop
me from trying to educate
people on the dangers of
playing in the surf.
I think it would be ben-
eficial to put some sort of
information with check in
hotel info and maybe some
bigger signs for people who
are not as tuned in to the
dangers of our coast.
To the family of the girl
who drowned, I sincerely
hope things get better for
you and though I am sure it
has been suggested maybe
join a support group or seek
out help from your local
church so you don’t have to
shoulder this alone.
Again I am truly sorry
for your loss.
PAUL PETTIGREW
Surfside/Vancouver
Cleanup the cleanup
S
ince joining the Long
Beach (Wash.) Peninsula
community a few years ago I
have been involved with the
Grass Roots Beach Cleanup
gang, most recently with the
Friends of Willapa Refuge,
helping to keep their designat-
ed section of beach off Cran-
berry approach clean. Every
July 5, we dutifully sweep be-
hind the visitors from the val-
ley and clean up after them,
content that our small effort
contributes to overall health
of our beach, and continued
livability for us locals.
This year, I have my
doubts. I think our efforts
are only encouraging an in-
crease in the illegal activ-
ity that local agencies say
they cannot enforce. Like
my neighbors who sell fire-
wood when fires are neces-
sarily banned, and those
who sell both legal and
illegal fireworks, we are
sending a message that says
“Come to our beach and
do whatever you want. By
gosh, we need your money
so bad we will let you trash
our environment and dis-
turb our peace. Don’t wor-
ry, we will clean up after
you, and be sure and bring
more friends next year.”
A real eye opener oc-
curred for me when, at the
request of a friend, I took
my new aerial camera to
the Long Beach Bols-
tad approach in hopes of
taking some pictures of
trash, before the cleanup
began. The sight shocked
me to the bone. Tents and
campfires for as far as the
eye can see laid before my
elevated lens. I posted the
photos on Facebook and
discovered that my dis-
may was shared. Many of
us who live on the north-
ern half of the peninsula
were surprised at the ex-
tent our complacency has
progressed. I know this
isn’t original, but “I’m
mad as hell and I’m not
going to take it anymore!”
And everyone who saw
this should feel the same
way.
I think that if all of us
who clean the beach after
visitors trash it put in as
much effort opposing ille-
gal activities, and possibly
banning fireworks all to-
gether, we wouldn’t have
to clean the beach.
There are two main rea-
sons nothing gets done Lo-
cal merchants, including
the nonprofits who prof-
it from fireworks sales,
cry they will lose money,
people won’t come to the
beach. And local officials
insist they do not have the
manpower to enforce the
laws.
When I lived in West-
lake, south of Florence, the
local merchants passed the
hat and put on a tremen-
dous public fireworks dis-
play that attracted tourists
from all over. If we were
to do the same thing, and
donate the money to the
nonprofits who sell fire-
works, they could put on a
display that would attract
the crowds they desire.
We must realize and ac-
cept that we are part of a
delicate ecological system
here on the peninsula, and
people will come here for
that reason alone. Lets in-
vite the world to come to
the peninsula and celebrate
our ecological uniqueness
with the best fireworks dis-
play ins outhwest Washing-
ton, and the cleanest beach
on the entire West Coast.
BOB DUKE
Nahcotta
In defense of Madonna and her farm in the Hamptons
M
adonna, the Queen of
Pop, is a farmer. As
with most of her ventures, her
entry into agriculture is not
without controversy.
There’s a 24-acre plot
next to the Material Girl’s
estate in the Hamptons, the
chic enclave for the rich and
famous at the outer end of
New York’s Long Island.
She bought it for $2.2
million.
Which would have been
a steal in those environs,
had local governments not
purchased the development
rights from the Grabows-
ki family, who once grew
potatoes there, in 2010 for
$10 million. The land came
with restrictions that keep
Madonna from building,
and require that the property
be used for “production for
commercial purposes of ag-
ricultural products.”
/DVW \HDU SODQQLQJ RI¿-
cials approved her plans to
create a nursery, and recently
crews have been planting Ley-
land Cypress, eastern white
pines and Robusta juniper.
That crop will reduce the tax
bill on the parcel to less than
$2,300. If she has $10,000 in
sales over two years, the bill
drops to under $300.
So Madonna is a nursery-
man and her neighbors don’t
like it.
According to the tabloids,
critics around Suffolk Coun-
ty, including some farmers,
think it’s all a sham. They
note that had the original
owners sold the property with
all rights in tact, the acreage
would have sold for $17.5
million and the tax bill would
have been north of $150,000
a year.
Madonna, they say, is
stealing from local taxpayers
— her fellow millionaires.
Besides, they claim she isn’t
really planting a nursery,
she’s building a forest to
block the view from the road
to her estate.
Here we rise to Madonna’s
defense. These development
easements are a common tool
that has become ever more
popular in the West to keep
land in farm or forest. The
town made the original deal
to keep the land from being
sliced up for more mansions.
The Grabowski family ac-
cepted the town’s offer and
must have agreed with its
goals. Whether she’s an hon-
est farmer or a wealthy star
who can afford to guard her
privacy, Madonna paid the
Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File
Photo by John Shearer/Invision for iHeartRadio/AP Images
Madonna arrives at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cos-
tume Institute benefit gala celebrating “China: Through
the Looking Glass,” in New York May 4.
Madonna performs on stage at the iHeartRadio Music
Awards at The Shrine Auditorium March 29 in Los An-
geles.
family a bundle for a piece of
land that came with some fair-
ly restrictive covenants that
prevent her from exploiting
its true economic potential.
As long as all parties make
their choice freely, we think
tax breaks should go only to
“real” farmers producing true
commercial crops. We could
go for that. But until then,
Madonna and thousands of
other landed gentry who meet
the statutory requirements are
these type of deals are a per-
fect way for farmers to real-
ize the value of their property
while keeping it in some type
of productive use.
One might legitimately ar-
gue that agriculture property
entitled to whatever tax bene-
¿WWKHLUVWDWHDOORZV
A thin premise on which to
base an editorial, but likely our
only chance to feature Madon-
na on these pages.
— Capital Press