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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2015)
NORTH COAST THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2015 3A A rebel salute Civil War re-enactment draws about 1,500 visitors The Daily Astorian During Labor Day week- end, the Northwest Civil War Council’s annual Civ- il War re-enactment drew about 1,500 visitors both Saturday and Sunday, ex- ceeding last year’s turnout, according to early estimates from Jim Munson, the event coordinator. However, the number of re-enactors dropped about 40 percent, down to between 350 and 400, be- cause of the now-discon- tinued county ban on open flames. The Clatsop County Fire Defense Board lifted the ban Thursday, thanks to the recent rains and cooler weather, but many re-enac- tors had already canceled their appearances. Had the ban remained, it would have precluded battle re-enactments and camp- fires, two signature fea- tures of the living history event. But the battles carried on as usual, as did the oth- er mainstays, including the battalion dress parades, the artillery demonstration, the medical demonstra- tions, the Sunday morn- ing church service and, of course, the stirring history lesson by Abraham Lin- coln impersonator Steve Holgate. Erick Bengel/The Daily Astorian While galloping away, a group of Confederate soldiers salutes a Union army on the battlefield at Fort Stevens State Park — a mighty friendly greeting, considering that the Yankees had just licked those Rebels in battle, and in full view of the public, Sunday afternoon. Milestone: A century mark for Seaside High School Staff, students hope to highlight special occasion throughout the year By KATHERINE LACAZE EO Media Group SEASIDE — All impending school years carry some sense of trepidation, excitement or an- ticipation for incoming students, teachers, administrators and staff. For Seaside High School, the 2015-16 school year is a milestone, Principal Sheila Ro- ley said. The class of 2016 will be the 100th class to graduate. Throughout the school year, students and staff look forward to making a big deal out of the “100th class” celebration, Roley said. “In general, students are the ones with the really good ideas,” she said. She designated Associated Student Body President Alie Zagata to lead a team in put- ting together a history of the school and planning activities and events throughout the year, Beach each had their own dis- trict for elementary students, but educators and community members determined it would be best to start a high school run by a separate uni¿ed school district with its own board of di- rectors. In November 1916, after several delays, the communities dedicated a recently ¿nished $35,000 Union High School in Seaside. “Seaside can well feel proud of this excellent educational building, and those instrumental in the building of this valuable adjunct to this great resort can feel highly elated at the result of Katherine Lacaze/EO Media Group their labors,” the Seaside Signal A photo at the Seaside Museum depicts the Union High wrote Nov. 16, 1916. School built in 1916 that served students from Gearhart, Another Signal article de- Seaside and Cannon Beach. scribed the new school as “big- ger in its enrollment” and “bet- including a community event “it’s going to be a big project,” ter in its equipment, broadened next spring. Students are con- Roley said. till it stands second to none in sidering a time capsule to store the county.” Regional high school memorabilia and messages to J.W. Branstator was the About 100 years ago, Sea- principal at the time. Under his future generations. They are in the early stages of planning, but side, Gearhart and Cannon direction, the district planned Putting the maps in order in Seaside By KATHERINE LACAZE EO Media Group SEASIDE — Seaside City Council is considering a limited expansion to the city’s Down- town Maintenance District boundary. During a work session Aug. 31, council members re- viewed businesses and organiza- tions within the district and their assessments. While they stopped short of an overhaul of boundary lines, councilors could “clean up” the district’s northern border straight across Oceanway. Any change would not go into effect until ¿scal year 2016-1. Established in 1983, the dis- trict has not changed since then. The boundaries are uneven, but in general, include businesses in the downtown core from Roo- sevelt Drive to the Promenade located along Broadway and portions of Avenue A, Avenue B, Columbia Street, Oceanway and Franklin Street. Businesses are charged based on the number of frontage feet. For 2015-16, nearly 10 tax lots within the boundaries were assessed at a rate of about $8.84 per front foot to generate more than $92,000. After the assess- ment is completed, it is sent to Clatsop County, which adds the fees to the property owners’ county taxes for the year. The dollar per front foot rate, according to the city’s Adminis- trative Assistant Kim Jordan, is based on two contracts the city pays for downtown landscaping and litter removal. Only when those contracts increase does the assessment rate go up, she said. Otherwise, the rate stays the same. The city does not make money off the assess- ment. At the work session, coun- cilors discussed in particular a spring request by the Seaside Elks Lodge, which has two large parking lots along Avenue A, to receive reduced rate or relief al- together from the assessment. Representatives of the lodge said the funds could be returned to the community through the organi- zation’s scholarship fund or var- ious projects. The organization pays a little more than $1,000 for one lot’s front and $1,400 for the second, 160-foot lot. If the organization’s lots were removed from consideration, it would require an approximately 2. percent rate increase per lot for other property owners, ac- cording to city staff. Councilor Randy Frank said he was open to a reduction, add- ing, “I don’t think there’s any- thing wrong with them chipping in here.” Councilor Dana Phillips did not agree since the street in front of the lodge is landscaped and maintained through the city’s contracts, and the Elks bene¿t from it, she said. “They’re getting a service from the city, and I don’t think what’s being charged for that ser- vice is out of whack,” she said. If the city were to make an ex- ception in the future, Frank said, the language should be broad- ened so it applies to a whole group, such as all nonpro¿t organizations, rather than a sin- gular entity. No decisions were ¿nalized at the work session. The councilors expressed a desire to extend the district’s northern border straight across Ocean- way, which would incorporate a handful of new tax lots, including those occupied by Ashore Hotel and Pizza Harbor, the parking lot next to Quatat Park owned by Beach Development and a piece of land that was owned by Donn Bauske. Charges go to property owners, not businesses, Jordan said. Gather the chorus Strike up the band Sing H appy 50th Birthday To Under-Pant M an! W e Love You, XXOXO City of Astoria SERVICE FAIR Thursday, September 10, 2015 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Barbey Center, 20th and Marine Drive • • • • Meet City officials, employees, and volunteers Find out what’s happening in City departments through displays and demonstrations See big construction equipment, police cars, and fire trucks up close Enjoy free hot dogs!! to expand its curriculum so the caliber of Union High School would equal that of Astoria High School. Union High School was lo- cated directly west of the cur- rent facility, along what is now North Holladay Drive. Some time in the 1950s, the district constructed a new building that became the core of the current high school. That facility was expanded in 1962, increasing the capacity of the school to 600 students. A gymnasium large enough for two basketball courts and fold- ing bleachers was a highlight of the upgrade. Fast forward to today Fast forward to now, as the school prepares for its 100th year of serving high school stu- dents in South County. Roley, Assistant Principal Jeff Roberts and other staff members and teachers are pre- paring for the arrival of approx- imately 450 students for the 2015-16 school year. Freshmen and new students will come Tuesday for a pro- gram called Link Crew. Junior and senior crew leaders will show the new students around the school and put on several team-building exercises to help them get acclimated before the remaining students arrive Wednesday. “It’s a great transition pro- gram,” Roley said. Incorporated about 20 years ago, she added, it is “one of the most signi¿- cant changes for setting a posi- tive school climate we’ve ever made.” Personally, Roley is entering her 30th year as an educator, and she said the “excitement and an- ticipation has never diminished one bit for me.” “I anxiously await the arrival of the staff and kids each year,” she said. Each year, she anticipates leading the high school into the future. Educators are never sat- is¿ed, she said, because “they know there is growth we can continue to make.” For online updates: www.dailyastorian.com 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 Clatsop NAMI ACC (National Alliance on Mental Illness) will meet September 8th at 7 pm in the Astoria Seafood Center upstairs conference room. Guest speaker will be Joell Archibald, RN, MBA, Innovator Agent serving Columbia Pacific CCO, covering Mental Health issues and projects in Clatsop County. Drew Herzig, Astoria City Councilman, will speak about the new Astoria Warming Center project at the October 13th meeting. The public is invited. CITY O F A S TO RIA NO TICE O F PUBLIC HEA RING T he City o f As to ria Pla n n in g Co m m is s io n w ill ho ld a p u b lic hea rin g o n W ed n es d a y, S eptem b er 16 , 2015 a t 6 :30 p.m ., in the As to ria City Ha ll, Co u n cil Cha m b ers , 1095 Du a n e S treet, As to ria . T he p u rp o s e o f the hea rin g is to co n s id er the fo llo w in g req u es t(s ): 1. W ireles s Co m m u n ica tio n F a cilities W CF 15-02 b y S ha ro n Gretch, L exco m fo r Verizo n W ireles s (VAW ), L L C d b a , Verizo n W ireles s to co n s tru ct a 150’ high w ireles s co m m u n ica tio n fa cility a t 3850 Res ervo ir Ro a d in the L R, L a n d Res erve zo n e. 2. W ireles s Co m m u n ica tio n F a cility W CF 15-03 b y S ha ro n Gretch, L exco m fo r Verizo n W ireles s (VAW ), L L C d b a , Verizo n W ireles s co n s tru ct a 150’ high w ireles s co m m u n ica tio n fa cility a t 1580 S hively Pa rk Ro a d in the IN In s titu tio n a l zo n e. F o r in fo rm a tio n , ca ll o r w rite the Co m m u n ity Develo p m en t Dep a rtm en t, 1095 Du a n e S t., As to ria OR 97103, p ho n e 503-338-5183. T he lo ca tio n o f the hea rin g is a cces s ib le to the ha n d ica p p ed . An in terp reter fo r the hea rin g im p a ired m a y b e req u es ted u n d er the term s o f ORS 192.630 b y co n ta ctin g the Co m m u n ity Develo p m en t Dep a rtm en t a t 503-338-5183 48 ho u rs p rio r to the m eetin g. T he As to ria Pla n n in g Co m m is s io n res erves the right to m o d ify the p ro p o s a l o r to co n tin u e the hea rin g to a n o ther d a te a n d tim e. If the hea rin g is co n tin u ed , n o fu rther p u b lic n o tice w ill b e p ro vid ed .