Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 28, 2015)
NORTH COAST THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 3A Pot ads can promote product, not buzz Two hikers rescued By ZANE SPARLING Capital Bureau SALEM — The recreational marijuana market that will ma- terialize in January will likely bring with it another strange new sight for Oregonians: rec- reational marijuana marketing. But regulators say legal pot ads almost certainly won’t con- tain images of users inhaling the product, or praising its “in- toxicating” effect. If that seems paradoxical it shouldn’t. The same provisions govern the promotional mate- rial for alcohol, which never shows consumers explicitly imbibing. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will regulate legal pot businesses, and their adver- tising. The agency is engaged in a dif¿cult balancing act as it ‘These are businesses and we want them to succeed.’ — Becky Voelkel staffer, Oregon Liquor Control Commission writes the rules that will gov- ern recreational cannabis. Too much regulation could stiÀe the nascent industry and divert millions in tax revenue from state coffers to the ev- er-present black market. Too lit- tle, and the commission would fail the legislature’s mandate to keep consumption safe and out of the hands of minors. The Retail Establishments subcommittee, a subsection of the commission’s Recreation- al Marijuana Rules Technical Committee, has unanimously recommended duplicating the agency’s liquor ad regulations for the cannabis market. “:e have real speci¿c rules on the liquor side. We present- ed that to (the committee) and they were like, ‘Gosh, let’s just mirror that,’” commission staff- er Becky Voelkel said after the subcommittee’s ¿nal meeting on Monday. That would mean no state- ments that “encourage exces- sive or rapid consumption” or suggest usage “causes athletic or artistic success.” LeaÀets, handbills, and “two-for-one” specials would also be banned. Advertising a “happy hour” would likely be permissible as long as those ads don’t indicate speci¿c price reductions. There’s a small chance that pot ads won’t exist at all. Measure 91 gives the com- mission the ability to prohibit all advertising, but doing so would violate the agency’s im- plicit promise to treat the indus- try like any other. “These are businesses and we want them to succeed,” Voelkel said. “I don’t know what the decision-makers are going to do with the rules, but I personally would be very sur- prised if they said no advertis- ing.” The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Me- dia Group and Pamplin Media Group. Bonamici backs maritime training bill The Daily Astorian Clatsop Community Col- lege, Oregon’s of¿cial mari- time institute, could stand to bene¿t from a bill introduced late last month by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. House Resolution 2923, the Maritime and Energy Workforce Technical Train- ing Enhancement Act, would require the Secretary of Ener- gy to award grants to expand programs in maritime and energy workforce technical training. It would create a ¿rst-ev- er community and technical college Centers of Excellence program. The college, one of a hand- ful of community and techni- cal colleges in the U.S. that provide a maritime program, has been identi¿ed as a po- tential Center of Excellence in light of the growing capa- bilities of its maritime career training programs. The bill was originally in- troduced by U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, and co-spon- sored by Bonamici and Reps. Pete Olson, R-Texas, Bobby Scott, D-Va., Brian Babin, R-Texas, and Reid Ribble, R-Wis. According to government transparency website gov- track.us, the bill has an 11 percent chance of leaving committee, and a 3 percent chance of being enacted. “We have a surplus of mar- itime and energy jobs, and not enough people with the skills and training to ¿ll them,” Rep. Green said following the bill’s introduction. “Industry is con- tinuing to invest and grow, and we want to make sure that our constituents have the op- portunity to take these high- skilled jobs. This bipartisan legislation will help bridge the gap.” “A skilled maritime work- force is essential to the long- term sustainability of the lo- cal and national economy,” Bonamici said. “Port opera- tions, shipping, ship building and repair, maritime com- merce and trade all require skilled technical and profes- sional workers. “Oregon’s North Coast has a rich maritime history. I’m proud to advocate for legis- lation to help Clatsop Com- munity College enhance its maritime education program so people can gain the knowl- edge and skills needed for these important jobs.” OSU to recruit slug researcher, other experts Additional state funds will pay for several new positions By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Farmers in Oregon will soon get some much-needed assis- tance with battling the slugs that are devouring their crops. Oregon State University plans to recruit an entomologist who specializes in slug research as part of a broader hiring spree made possible with added mon- ey from state lawmakers. Earlier this year, the uni- versity held a “Slug Summit” with farmers who complained that the pests have grown more problematic in recent years. Theories abound as to why slugs are more prevalent — increased restrictions on ¿eld burning and reduced tillage were among the reasons proposed — but concrete proof is scant. Methods of controlling the mollusks, such as bait contain- ing the pesticide metaldehyde, aren’t reliably effective, growers reported. The new research position will focus on the best ways to kill slugs or otherwise disrupt their life cycle, said Dan Arp, dean of OSU’s College of Agri- cultural Sciences. The Oregon legislature re- cently approved 1 million in additional funding for OSU’s agricultural experiment stations, extension service and forest lab- oratory over the next two years. Agricultural experiment sta- tions will receive more than $6 million of that amount, which will fund 16 new assistant pro- fessor positions and six support positions, said Arp. OSU will begin trying to ¿ll the positions as soon as possible, but the recruiting process usual- ly takes about eight months, he said. Courtesy of Robin Rosetta, OSU European red slugs are quite common in gardens and landscapes. “We’re really grateful to the legislature for making this pos- sible,” Arp said. Following is a summary of the other research positions that OSU’s agricultural experiment stations will be looking to ¿ll: • Rangeland ecology with a focus on conserving the sage grouse, a bird species that’s a candidate for federal protection. Ranchers fear that threatened or endangered status for the spe- cies could result in grazing re- strictions. • Integrated management of cropping systems, focusing on managing nutrients, water and pests for crops with intensive rotations. • Weed and pest management primarily for horticultural crops like vegetables and berries. • Water management and ef¿cient use, such as examining innovative tools for irrigation. • Fertilizer rate and transport, which involves the study of how much fertilizer is consumed by crops and where surpluses end up. • Near-shore ¿shery and oceanography, looking at sus- tainable practices. • Food processing and safety, researching new technology and food safety concepts such as im- proving shelf life. • Food microbiology, study- ing ways to prevent contamina- tion with pathogens. • Pesticide management, in- cluding the best management of rates and timing. • Integrated pest manage- ment response to climate and weather, with a focus on model- ing how changes will affect pest control. • Consumer demands and marketing, which involves the study of how people make buy- ing decisions and how to inÀu- ence them. The main focus will be on products of fermentation like alcohol and cheese. • Brewing microbiology, which will examine how to use microbiology to improve Àavor. • Quantitative plant genetics, which requires the use of mod- ern molecular tools to improve breeding. • Vegetable and specialty seed breeding and management. • Seafood processing and innovation, which will include new methods and safety com- ponents. • Two pollinator biology technicians, one focused on lab work and the other on ¿eld work. • An experiential learning coordinator who lines up intern- ships for students. • Supplemental funding for three positions in fermentation science. OSU’s Forest Research Lab- oratory will receive $3. million of the additional funding, which will be spent on a two-year study of the marbled murrelet, a threatened bird species that nests in coastal forests. The birds will be banded with radio transmitters so re- searchers can ¿nd out more about where they travel and how far inland they lay eggs. “We really don’t understand much about their behavior. They spend most of their lives out at sea,” said Thomas Maness, the laboratory’s director. near Hug Point Coast Guard performed airlift Monday By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria aircrew hoist- ed two female hikers to safety early Monday morning near Hug Point after the hikers became stranded on an out- cropping of rock when the tide rolled in and cut them off from the beach. The hikers — Annie Finch and Tara Van Ness, two 20-year-olds from Canby — were taken to local emergency responders on scene without visible injuries, Petty Of¿cer 1st Class Levi Read said. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Columbia Riv- er Command Center received the request for assistance from the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Of¿ce at 11: p.m. Sunday after Van Ness’ mother, Tracy Casillas, reported them lost and needing assistance. “The girls had wandered pretty far down the coast from where they were originally supposed to be,” Petty Of¿cer 3rd Class Jonathan Klingen- berg said. Finch and Van Ness had be- came disoriented and trapped on a cliff by the incoming tide. An MH-60 Jayhawk he- licopter crew rescued them at 2: a.m. Monday. When air- lifted, the hikers were roughly 10 feet up a cliff on the north side of Cape Falcon in Tilla- mook County, about 2. miles south of Hug Point (the hik- ers’ intended destination). It is unknown why Finch and Van Ness became disori- ented, but “we believe that they just lost their way,” Klin- genberg added. “We get a lot of these (inci- dents),” Clatsop County Sher- iff Tom Bergin said. The weather at the time was reported as clear skies and calm winds. “The skilled pilots and crews (of Sector Columbia River) certainly saved sig- ni¿cant time in locating and rescuing Van Ness and Finch from a dangerous situation,” Sgt. Matt Phillips, search and rescue coordinator of Clatsop County Sheriff’s Of¿ce, said. New Àood maps ‘overwhelmingly good’ for Cannon Beach By DANI PALMER EO Media Group CANNON BEACH — The city doesn’t want to wait to adopt new Àood plain maps. Despite delays in the North County in Àood-prone areas af- fected by the Columbia River, Cannon Beach of¿cials say they like the federal government’s new maps and the city could see cost savings. Flood insurance rates rose signi¿cantly two years ago and subsidies were phased out last year. At the City Council’s July 1 work session, planner Mark Barnes said it could take months to solve the issues up north while changes are “overwhelm- ingly good” for Cannon Beach. Flood plain maps have two signi¿cant uses, to set Àood insurance rates and to provide cities with guidelines for reg- ulation. New construction in the Àood plain is required to be above reach of the 100-year Àood level. “The entire downtown area comes out of the Àood plain,” Barnes said. “The cost savings there are tremendous for those property owners.” The city is urging accep- tance of the Standard Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map drafts from the federal govern- ment despite accuracy concerns in Àood-prone areas affected by the Columbia River, near Warrenton and Astoria. These concerns have stalled adoption of all Federal Emergency Man- agement Agency mapping work throughout Clatsop County, in- cluding Cannon Beach. The map changes wouldn’t be good news for all, though. Councilor Melissa Cadwal- lader asked about the impacts on those living along the wa- terfront. Barnes is still waiting on that particular map, but an- swered it would likely be a 0-0 split. Some insurance rates for waterfront area home- owners would rise and others would lower or remain the same. Oceanfront homes are most affected by velocity Àooding, caused by storm surges, as op- posed to downtown Àooding which would come from over- Àows in storm drains. The new maps show poten- tial risks from velocity Àood- ing that could impact homes on the beach. This could result in higher insurance rates for homeowners and new regula- tions regarding construction or rebuilding. “I think if we’re going to be helping a majority of our citizens, then we should do it,” Councilor George Vetter said of the map revision request. But he also sought more information and numbers on those affected ¿rst. Barnes has requested the new maps and plans to bring them to the August work ses- sion for review. “If I haven’t made that clear, the map is going to be effective at some point in the future, the only question is whether we try to take mea- sures to put it into effect soon- er rather than later,” he said. Of¿cials are exploring the possibility of sending a map revision request to FEMA to allow it to begin using the new Àood plain maps, possibly within 90 days if approved. W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Fre e as Est F ima t t es ll Ca ime yt n A • Residential • Commercial •Cedar Roof Treatments • Interior & Exterior IN ASTORIA Over 20 years local experience 503-440-2169 Jeff Hale, Contractor SHANGHAIED LICENSED BONDED INSURED CCB#179131 3 1 ST SEASO N SHOW RUNS THRU SEPT. 12, 2015 Thursdays to Saturdays 7pm (July 9th-Sept. 12th) and Sundays 2pm (7/19, 8/16, 9/6) Tickets on sale ONE HOUR before all shows! RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED For discounts to Shanghaied in Astoria, go to our website Gu ess w hat d ay it is! It’s Hump’s Day!!! www.astorstreetoprycompany.com AT HUMP’S RESTAURANT EV ERY W ED N ESD AY 5 -8 PM 14 OUN CE N EW Y ORK STEAK & BAK ED POTATO M ust present coupon to server. N ot va lid w ith other offers. Z All You Can Eat Chicken & Dumplings $6.95 Every Thursday 5-8 pm No reservations, please $9.95 Video Just 15 m in. from the Lew is & Cla rk Bridge on H w y. 30 Hump’s Restaurant 50 W. Columbia River Highway Clatskanie, OR. 503.728.2626 YEAR ROUND THEATER! 129 W. BOND ST (UNIONTOWN) ASTORIA (Behind the Chamber of Commerce) INFO: CALL 503-325-6104