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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2015)
ƙȼΎȽȺȲ˹ȴȯɁȶȷȽȼȳȲΎƛȶɀȷɁɂȻȯɁ COAST WEEKEND 143rd YEAR, No. 122 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015 ONE DOLLAR Sue the feds over sea lions Port of Astoria commissioner wants WR¿OHDJDLQVW12$$ By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Key Juan Smith, left, and La’Braye Franklin, right, smile as they listen during the South Jetty High School graduation ceremony Wednesday. Behind bars, graduates take big step forward Future in sight after inmates earn high school diplomas Port of Astoria Commission- er Bill Hunsinger said the agency should do something — potentially litigation — against the federal gov- ernment regarding California sea li- ons in the Columbia River. ³6RPHERG\KDVWREH¿UVWDQG, think it’s time for the Port of Astoria WR EH ¿UVW DW VRPHWKLQJ´ +XQVLQJ er said, after adding sea lions to the agenda of Tuesday’s Port Commis- sion meeting. +XQVLQJHU D FRPPHUFLDO ¿VK erma n, said the agency needs to do something before the smelt start run- ning early next year. The small, oily eulachons are a popular diet for male California sea lions migrating by the thousands north between breed- ing seasons, along with endangered salmon runs and anything else sea- sonal and abundant. The pinnipeds have been show- ing up in the Columbia in increasing numbers, including more than 2,300 counted in March at the Port’s East End Mooring Basin. The Port has said the sea lions, which can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, are causing See SEA LIONS, Page 7A By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian W ARRENTON — For 18-year- old La’Braye Franklin, gradua- tion came with the greatest gift of all: freedom. )UDQNOLQZDVRQHRI¿YHVWXGHQWVZKR graduated Wednesday from South Jetty High School, run by the Warrenton-Ham- mond School District inside the North Coast Youth Correctional Facility. ³(DFK RI WKHVH ¿YH JHQWOHPHQ KDV climbed a very high mountain,” South Jetty Principal Richard Glinert said of the troubled youth who come to the prison in need of guidance and an education. While providing drug and alcohol treatment, the youth authority partners with the school district in a credit recov- ery program to help students earn their diplomas, in hopes of catching them ear- ly and keeping them away from a life of Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian La’Braye Franklin reacts as he opens the door to the outside during his release from the North Coast Youth Correctional Facility Wednesday. Franklin also re- ceived his high school diploma Wednesday after completing his credit require- ments at the South Jetty High School inside the facility. Franklin plans to help with outreach to disadvantaged youths and focus on making music. crime. Since the 2010-11 school year, about 90 inmates have earned their di- plomas. They each leave with a diploma from Warrenton and a dictionary. During his address to graduates, Glinert said they also get opportunity to start off with a new identity as a high school graduate. “Use this opportunity like no other, and sail off into a sunset of your choice.” )UDQNOLQ D JDQJDI¿OLDWHG WHHQDJHU from Portland who violated parole, said he came to the prison a boy looking to get his GED. But Glinert said he saw a See GRADUATES, Page 10A ‘Each of these fi ve gentlemen has climbed a very high mountain.’ Richard Glinert South Jetty principal, speaking of the troubled youth who come to the prison in need of guidance and an education. Postal Service draws line on pot ads National policy triggered by ads in Chinook Observer By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian The U.S. Postal Service has issued a national pol- icy declaring it illegal to mail newspapers with mari- juana advertising but instructing local postmasters to continue to accept the mail. The guidance, issued after the Postal Service in Portland raised questions in late November about marijuana ads in the Coast Weekend section of the Chinook Observer, places the legal burden on news- papers to decide whether to risk the mailings. Local postmasters are not authorized to determine whether the mailers are illegal or to reject the mail. The policy instructs postmasters to advise newspapers See POT ADS, Page 10A Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Jars of marijuana sit in a display case at Sweet Relief in As- toria in October. The U.S. Postal Service has ruled that news- papers with marijuana ads are unlawful to mail, but has in- structed local postmasters to continue to accept the mail. Submitted Photo Storms caused erosion that place the trees at risk. Trees on Riverwalk to fall after storms Stand of locust trees offers shade, scenic views By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian A small stand of locust trees on the Astoria Riverwalk will likely have to come down because of storm damage. The trees, just east of the Colum- bia River Maritime Museum near the Barbey Maritime Center, offer shade during the spring and summer and picturesque views of the river and an ROGSLOH¿HOG “The last storm, we had a swell come from the east, which was at the very high tide and it washed up above the rocks and behind it — washed away the soil under it — so we have some erosion,” said Dave Pearson, the maritime museum’s deputy director. See TREES, Page 10A
