10A
)LOPUHPLQGVRIHYHU\GD\ULVNV
Lifesaving technology has drastically
improved since daring 1952 rescue
By BERIT BOYLE
Special to The Daily
Astorian
WARRENTON — Upon
earning my commission in the
8 6 &RDVW *XDUG WKH ¿UVW
search and rescue mission I
experienced was as a deck
ZDWFKRI¿FHUDERDUGDIRRW
FXWWHU SDWUROOLQJ LQ WKH &DULE
EHDQ :KLOH FRQGXFWLQJ FRXQ
ternarcotics operations, we
were diverted to aid a vessel
in distress. As we made our
DSSURDFK,UHPHPEHUWKLQNLQJ
“Yes! This is what I want to do.
This is why we are here — to
help people.”
7KH FUHZ RQERDUG WKDW
cutter and the Coast Guard
crews around the country are
committed to performing their
GXWLHVWRWKHEHVWRIWKHLUDELOLW\
This summer, I reported to the
Incident Management Divi
VLRQ DW 6HFWRU &ROXPELD 5LYHU
LQ:DUUHQWRQ6HFWRU&ROXPELD
River’s personnel ensure mari
time safety, security, and envi
ronmental protection from the
³*UDYH\DUG RI WKH 3DFL¿F´ WR
inland waters throughout the
&ROXPELD 6QDNH DQG :LOOD
mette river systems. The sector
DQG LWV HLJKW VXERUGLQDWH XQLWV
FRQGXFWRIWKH&RDVW*XDUG¶V
11 statutory missions, including
maritime law enforcement,
aids to navigation maintenance,
pollution response, and search
and rescue coordination.
Coast Guard men and
women work hard; they study
DQG WUDLQ VR WKH\ FDQ EH TXDOL
¿HGWRKDYHDSRVLWLYHLPSDFWRQ
someone’s life. It is an oath we
take when we join the service.
,W LV WKH UHVSRQVLELOLW\ %HUQDUG
:HEEHU DQG KLV FUHZ KRQRUHG
ZKHQ WKH\ EUDYHG IRRW
seas during a 1952 nor’easter
WR UHVFXH FUHZ PHPEHUV
RQERDUG WKH 66 3HQGOHWRQ DQ
oil tanker that was ripped in half
off the coast of Massachusetts
during one of the worst storms
to ever hit the East Coast. As
GHSLFWHGLQWKH¿OP³7KH)LQHVW
+RXUV´ :HEEHU GH¿HG JUHDW
odds to reach the Pendleton and
save 32 men from the storm
that threatened to take them all.
)RU KLV LPPHQVH EUDYHU\ DQG
DGPLUDEOH OHDGHUVKLS :HEEHU
was memorialized as the name
VDNH RI WKH &RDVW *XDUG¶V ¿UVW
IRRW 6HQWLQHO FODVV SDWURO
ERDW ZKLFK EHDUV KLV QDPH RQ
its stern.
A surf station
Coast
Guard
Station
&KDWKDP ZKHUH :HEEHU ZDV
assigned at the time of the
rescue, is a surf station.
However, fully half of the
&RDVW *XDUG¶V FDSDEOH VXUI
KRXUVWRFRPSOHWHLVVLPSO\
astounding,” said Lt. Tom
&RQGLWWKHFRPPDQGLQJRI¿FHU
at Station Cape Disappointment,
which features some of the most
experienced “surfmen” in the
entire Coast Guard. Condit and
some of his crew recently took
LQ D VFUHHQLQJ RI ³7KH )LQHVW
Hours,” and for many of them,
WKH WDOH RI :HEEHU¶V UHVFXH
reminds them of the risks they
take day in and day out.
In the past week alone, Coast
*XDUG OLIHERDW DQG KHOLFRSWHU
FUHZV LQ WKH 3DFL¿F 1RUWKZHVW
pulled eight mariners from the
3DFL¿F 2FHDQ¶V FROG FOXWFKHV
when their vessels capsized near
FRDVWDOEDUV
If you thank a Coastie for
their service, they will likely
respond, “You’re welcome,”
or “Anytime,” and they will
mean it. When help is needed,
the men and women of the
Coast Guard will respond, and
they will continue to evaluate
and improve those responses to
HQVXUH WKH\ DUH GRLQJ WKH EHVW
they can to serve and protect the
maritime community.
Lt. j.g. Berit Boyle is a
Coast Guard Academy grad-
Honor hero’s legacy
The men and women of the uate assigned to the Incident
&RDVW *XDUG KRQRU :HEEHU¶V Management Division at Sector
legacy as they conduct missions &ROXPELD 5LYHU 6KH TXDOL¿HG
WRGD\³7KHZRUNWKDWRXUERDW DV D GHFN ZDWFK RI¿FHU RQ WKH
FUHZV LQ WKH 3DFL¿F 1RUWK cutter Valiant before reporting
west are doing day in and day to Sector Columbia River in her
out, from intensive training, to second tour in the Coast Guard.
exhausting rescue and assistance She has begun working on a surf
missions, some taking more than VWDWLRQERDWFUHZTXDOL¿FDWLRQ
stations are
located right
here in the
3DFL¿F 1RUWK
west. Three
DUH VXEXQLWV
of
Sector
& R O X P E L D
Berit Boyle
River, which is
KHDGTXDUWHUHGDWWKH:DUUHQWRQ
DLUSRUW 7KH WKUHH VXEXQLW VXUI
VWDWLRQV QHDUE\ DUH ORFDWHG LQ
7LOODPRRN %D\ &DSH 'LVDS
pointment, Washington, and
*UD\V+DUERU:DVKLQJWRQ6XUI
VWDWLRQV DUH UHTXLUHG LQ DUHDV
where surf conditions greater
WKDQ IHHW RFFXU GD\V RU
more each year.
Designation as a “surfman”
LV WKH KLJKHVW TXDOL¿FDWLRQ D
coxswain can achieve in the
Coast Guard, and takes years to
earn. While the mission remains
WKHVDPHLQWKH\HDUVVLQFH
:HEEHU¶V GDULQJ UHVFXH OLIH
saving technology has drasti
cally improved. Surf stations are
QRZHTXLSSHGZLWKWKHIRRW
PRWRUOLIHERDWZKLFKFDQULJKW
LWVHOI LQ VHFRQGV LI NQRFNHG
RYHUE\VXUI
Movie: ‘Certainly was entertaining’
Continued from Page 1A
“It’s good to see our heri
WDJH´VDLG&KLHI:DUUDQW2I¿FHU
Jeremiah Wolf, a surfman
trainer at the National Motor
/LIHERDW 6FKRRO LQ ,OZDFR WKH
only such school in the U.S. “It
PDGHPHSURXGWREHDVXUIPDQ
DQG SURXG WR EH GRLQJ ZKDW
I’m doing today at the motor
OLIHERDW VFKRRO WUDLQLQJ IXWXUH
surfmen, training people to do
ZKDW%HUQLH:HEEHUGLG´
Elite coxswains
Surfmen, the elite coxswains
ZKRFUHZOLIHERDWVDQGSURYLGH
rescues and other assistance on
the water, originated with the
U.S. Life Saving Service, which
merged with the Revenue Cutter
6HUYLFHLQWREHFRPHWKH
Coast Guard.
Today’s surfmen can go
through up to six years of
training to earn their insignia.
The school at Cape Disap
pointment teaches them how
WR KDQGOH WKH IRRW PRWRU
OLIHERDW LQ URXJK ZHDWKHU 7KH
VFKRRO¶V ¿UVW DQG OLNHO\ RQO\
class of the year includes nine
RSHUDWRUV IURP WURXEOHVRPH
EDUV DURXQG WKH FRXQWU\ ZKR
ZLOOVRRQ¿QLVKXSWKHLUPRQWK
long training.
Lt. Tom Condit recently
replaced Lt. Scott McGrew as
commander of Station Cape
Disappointment, the largest
search and rescue station on
WKH 3DFL¿F 1RUWKZHVW FRDVW
FRYHULQJQDXWLFDOPLOHVIURP
WKH HQWUDQFH WR WKH &ROXPELD
River.
“It certainly was enter
taining,” Condit said of the
movie, which he said depicted
an extraordinary situation, with
WZRWDQNHUVEUHDNLQJLQWZRRQ
the same night and the Coast
*XDUGUHVFXLQJSHRSOH
Condit said the rescue, made
DPLG IRRW VHDV DQG NQRW
PSK ZLQGV SUREDEO\
ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ PDGH ZLWK D
helicopter today.
7KH XQRI¿FLDO &RDVW *XDUG
motto, uttered in the movie, is,
³<RX KDYH WR JR RXW EXW \RX
GRQ¶WKDYHWRFRPHEDFN´7KH
PRWWR VWUHWFKHV EDFN WR WKH
regulations of the Life Saving
6HUYLFH EXW &RQGLW VDLG WKH
pervasive attitude has changed
to one of risk mitigation as tech
nology has advanced.
“You have to keep the crew
together, you have to keep our
ERDW WRJHWKHU EHIRUH ZH¶UH
DEOH WR UHVFXH DQ\ERG\ HOVH´
Wolf said. “We take great care,
EHFDXVH ZH ZDQW WR EH DEOH WR
effect rescues, and not have to
EHUHVFXHGRXUVHOYHV´
Rosecrans
0RUH WKDQ \HDUV DJR
UHVFXHUV IURP WZR OLIHERDW
crews on either side of the
&ROXPELD 5LYHU ZHUH DZDUGHG
the Gold Lifesaving Medal after
EDWWOLQJ JDOHIRUFH ZLQGV DQG
monstrous seas and losing their
vessels during a daring rescue
of the crew of the grounded
steamer Rosecrans.
The Rosecrans grounded
on Peacock Spit, a shoal at the
HQWUDQFH WR WKH &ROXPELD RQ
-DQ $IWHU JURXQGLQJ
the ship made three or four
626 FDOOV EHIRUH WKH FDSWDLQ
ordered them halted, fearful
VSDUNV ZRXOG VWDUW D ¿UH RQ
ERDUG 7KH 5RVHFUDQV GLG QRW
EORZ LWV ZKLVWOH HLWKHU DQG LW
took several hours for rescuers
WR ¿QG WKH VKLS LQ WKH EDG
weather.
2I WKH FUHZ PHPEHUV
RQ ERDUG GLHG 7ZR ZHUH
rescued from the steamer’s
ULJJLQJ E\ WKH OLIHERDW 'UHDG
naught from the Point Adams
Lifesaving crew several hours
DIWHU WKH VWUDQGLQJ 7KH ¿QDO
survivor drifted ashore on a
plank. Oscar S. Wicklund,
one of the rescuers from Point
Adams, said most of the crew
FRXOGKDYHEHHQVDYHGKDGWKH
5RVHFUDQVEHHQIRXQGHDUOLHU
7KH OLIHERDWV 'UHDGQDXJKW
and the Tenacious from Cape
Disappointment, with help from
WXJV EDWWOHG WKH VWURQJ ZLQGV
and high waves trying to locate
and rescue the remaining crew
from the Rosecrans.
The Tenacious was eventu
ally capsized, its hull cracked
DQG VWHHULQJ GLVDEOHG 7KH
Dreadnaught towed the Tena
FLRXV WR WKH QHDUE\ WXJERDW
)HDUOHVV EHIRUH UHWXUQLQJ WR
the wreck of the Rosecrans to
UHVFXHWZRFUHZPHPEHUVVWLOO
clinging to the rigging. The
crew rescued a third, who later
died from a severe concussion.
%RWK WKH 7HQDFLRXV EHLQJ
WRZHG DFURVV WKH EDU E\ WKH
WXJ )HDUOHVV DQG WKH 'UHDG
naught, tethered to the light
VKLS &ROXPELD DIWHU LWV FUHZ
ZDV EURXJKW RQ ERDUG ZHUH
destroyed in the Graveyard of
WKH3DFL¿F
Buehler: +RVWLQJDORYHWKHPHGUHFLWDO
Continued from Page 1A
John was a singer, she was his
accompanist.
“We had what was called a
‘practice room romance’; we
met in the practice room,” she
said, chuckling.
The couple later taught
together in the music department
DW %DNHU 8QLYHUVLW\ D SULYDWH
OLEHUDODUWVVFKRROLQ.DQVDV,Q
WKH\WRRNHDUO\UHWLUHPHQW
DQGPRYHGWR&DQQRQ%HDFKWR
EHFORVHUWRWKHLUJUDQGFKLOGUHQ
LQ)RUHVW*URYH
“Given the world today,
WKDW¶V QRW D EDG WKLQJ WR EH
focusing on,” Schwend said.
Cary Lewis, the director of
FKDPEHU PXVLF DW WKH$VWRULD
0XVLF )HVWLYDO LV VODWHG
to accompany the singers
on piano.
Repertoire
7KH VHW OLVW VSDQV WKH WK
DQGWKFHQWXULHVIURPFODV
VLFDO WR PRGHUQ %UDKPV WR
%HUQVWHLQ6FKXPDQQWRVKRZ
WXQHV 7KH EXON ZLOO EH ³DUW
songs,” pieces composed
VSHFL¿FDOO\ IRU YRLFH DQG
piano, and consisting of clas
sical music set to classic
poetry.
“We’re all singing such
a variety of repertoire that it
gives you a whole new perspec
WLYHDQGSHUKDSVPD\EHHYHQ
DEHWWHULQWURGXFWLRQLQWRFODV
sical music for those who think
classical singing is just opera,”
Guidi said.
+H DQG %XHKOHU ZLOO VLQJ
the comedic duet “Carried
Away” from the musical “On
the Town.”
³,W EDVLFDOO\ LV WKHVH WZR
SHRSOH ODPHQWLQJ DERXW WKH
fact that they can’t just do
anything normally. Everything
that they do, they are so impas
sioned that they just kind of
go crazy every time they do
something,” she said.
$QG IRU WKH ¿QDOH WKH
singers will perform a trio
Play on
Erick Bengel/The Daily Astorian
Susan Buehler, a piano and voice teacher living in Can-
non Beach, plays her baby grand in her home studio.
from a Verdi opera.
³,W¶V EHDXWLIXO PXVLF ,W¶V
fun music. And I think there
ZLOOEHVRPHWKLQJVSHUIRUPHG
that people have not heard
EHIRUH´ VDLG %XHKOHU ZKR
will hand out program notes
she wrote herself. “We’re just
eager to do it ... and then get
the heck outta there so that we
FDQJRVHHWKH%URQFRVZLQWKH
6XSHU %RZO´ VKH DGGHG ZLWK
a laugh.
away in the corner.
“I really do think music
speaks to the inner self,” she
said. “More than anything,
music kind of feeds the soul.”
%RUQDQGUDLVHGLQ.DQVDV
%XHKOHU EHJDQ OHDUQLQJ SLDQR
DW DURXQG \HDUV ROG DQG
played in three to four piano
recitals a year.
She discovered in high
school
that
“saxophone
SOD\LQJZDVQRWP\WKLQJ´EXW
joined the school choir, earned
KHU EDFKHORU RI PXVLF GHJUHH
‘Practice room
DW)RUW+D\V6WDWH8QLYHUVLW\
romance’
%XHKOHU¶V KRPH VWXGLR LV and received her master’s and
OLQHG ZLWK ERRNFDVHV VWRFNHG doctorate degrees at Univer
with vocalist literature, all of it VLW\ RI 0LVVRXUL.DQVDV &LW\
written for solo performance. Conservatory of Music.
,WZDVDW)RUW+D\VWKDWVKH
1HDUWKHZDOOVLWVDEDE\JUDQG
piano covered with sheet PHW KHU KXVEDQG -RKQ ZKLOH
music. A pump organ is tucked they were undergraduates.
%XW HYHQ LQ UHWLUHPHQW
PXVLF LV DQG DOZD\V ZLOO EH
ZKHUHLW¶VDWIRUWKH%XHKOHUV
7KH\ERWKSDUWLFLSDWHLQWKH
&DQQRQ %HDFK &KRUXV 6XVDQ
as the pianist, John as the
director. Meanwhile, Susan
plays the organ at the Cannon
%HDFK &RPPXQLW\ &KXUFK
and Seaside Calvary Episcopal
Church.
“I feel very fortunate that
P\ KXVEDQG DQG , ERWK KDYH
EHHQDEOHWRGRPXVLFIRUOLWHU
ally all our lives,” she said.
As for her private lessons,
%XHKOHUQRZKDVQLQHVWXGHQWV
DQG EHKLQG WKHP LV D ZDLWLQJ
list, she said. Her youngest, a
piano student, is 9 years old,
and her oldest, a voice student,
LVDOPRVW
³,W¶VDPXFKEURDGHUUDQJH
than what I had at the univer
sity,” she said. “And I don’t
have to give grades anymore;
that’s kind of out the window.”
— Erick Bengel
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Chief: %DO]HUFODLPV
wrongful discharge
reviewing the contents of this
UHYLHZ , EHOLHYH LW¶V EHVW WR
FULWLFDO FRPPHQWV PDGH E\ not comment on how things
his wife, Colleen, on social were said and written.”
$VL[PRQWKUHYLHZZDVWR
PHGLD 7KH ¿ULQJ ZDV PRWL
YDWHG E\ ³SHUVRQDO DQLPXV´ EHKHOGLQ1RYHPEHU³)DLOXUH
the amended complaint WR DFKLHYH WKH VL[PRQWK
states, and “did not consti goals may result in termina
WXWH WKH JRRG IDLWK VXI¿FLHQW tion,” directors wrote.
cause under the employment
agreement.”
Board recall sought
According to the amended
%DO]HU ZDV WHUPLQDWHG
FRPSODLQW %DO]HU ZDV three weeks prior to the
³XQZLOOLQJ DQG XQDEOH WR VL[PRQWKUHYLHZSHULRG
restrict his wife from speaking
Since that time, many
her mind, despite the threat &DQQRQ%HDFKUHVLGHQWVKDYH
WKDWKHFRXOGEHGLVFKDUJHGLI defended the former chief
she continued to express her and sought his reinstatement.
opinions.”
Resident Susan Neuwirth
The complaint states it launched a petition to remove
LV DJDLQVW SXEOLF SROLF\ IRU D WKUHHRIWKHERDUG¶V¿YHGLUHF
SXEOLFERG\OLNHWKH¿UHGLVWULFW tors, President Sharon Clyde,
ERDUGWR¿UHDQHPSOR\HH³IRU *DUU\6PLWKDQG/LQGD%HFN
KLV LQDELOLW\ WR UHVWUDLQ KLV Sweeney, in a recall election.
spouse’s speech, particularly
Neuwirth accused the
when the expressions are crit ERDUGRIODFNLQJWUDQVSDUHQF\
LFLVPVRISXEOLFRI¿FLDOV´
DQG EHLQJ ³XQSURIHVVLRQDOO\
run.”
Recall proponents need
Performance review
125 signatures to force a vote
shows warnings
%RDUG GLUHFWRUV GHVFULEHG E\ $SULO D QXPEHU GHWHU
WKH¿ULQJDV³VWULFWO\EXVLQHVV PLQHG E\ WDNLQJ SHUFHQW
of the votes the district cast in
not personal.”
Documents
provided the last election.
$V RI )ULGD\ 1HXZLUWK
E\ WKH ¿UH GLVWULFW DIWHU
DQ RSHQ UHFRUGV UHTXHVW VDLG VKH KDG WKH UHTXLUHG
LQFOXGH D HYDOXD QXPEHU EXW ZDV VHHNLQJ DW
WLRQRI%DO]HU¶VSHUIRUPDQFH OHDVWDGGLWLRQDOQDPHVLQ
%DO]HUZKRHDUQHGPRUHWKDQ the event some signatures are
LQDQQXDOVDODU\DQG dismissed on technicalities.
“We’re well within the
compensation as chief, was
said to demonstrate “poor time period,” Neuwirth said.
leadership,” “poor communi “We’re just gleaning people
FDWLRQ´DQG³OLHG´WRWKHERDUG who were out of town and
when he agreed to leave the were missed. People are
chief’s truck on district prop seeking me out.”
erty and failed to do so, direc
,I DQ LQVXI¿FLHQW QXPEHU
tors said.
RIVLJQDWXUHVDUHVXEPLWWHGLW
“This continues to seri proceeds no further, Clatsop
RXVO\HURGHWKHWUXVWWKHERDUG County Clerk Valerie Crafard
has for the chief,” they wrote. VDLG ³,I D VXI¿FLHQW QXPEHU
,Q DGGLWLRQ UHPDUNV E\ RIVLJQDWXUHVDUHVXEPLWWHG,
%DO]HU¶VZLIHRQVRFLDOPHGLD LQIRUPWKHSXEOLFRI¿FHUWKDW
H[KLELWHG ³SRRU MXGJPHQW´ WKH\ PD\ VXEPLW WKHLU UHVLJ
E\ %DO]HU ³LQ DOORZLQJ KLV nation or a statement of justi
spouse to continue to interact ¿FDWLRQ´ VKH VDLG ³,I WKH
inappropriately online via SXEOLFRI¿FHUGRHVQRWUHVLJQ
VRFLDOPHGLDFULWLFL]LQJERDUG ZLWKLQ¿YHGD\VWKHHOHFWLRQ
PHPEHUVDQGVWDII´GLUHFWRUV PXVWEHKHOGQRODWHUWKDQWKH
wrote in their evaluation.
35 th day after the last day for
,QIRXURXWRI¿YHFDWHJR WKHSXEOLFRI¿FHUWRUHVLJQ´
ULHV ² DFFXUDF\ MRE NQRZO
If the three commissioners
edge, productivity and time named in the recall petition
OLQHVV ² %DO]HU¶V ZRUN FKRRVH WR ¿JKW WKH RXVWHU D
“needed
improvement,” VSHFLDOHOHFWLRQZRXOGEHKHOG
according to the directors.
DW D FRVW RI DERXW WR
,QWKH¿IWKFDWHJRU\WKRU the taxpayers, Neuwirth said.
RXJKQHVV %DO]HU UHFHLYHG D
“If they step down, there’s
“satisfactory” rating.
no cost,” she said. “There’s
%DO]HUZKRVLJQHGRIIRQ that to factor in. Do they
the evaluation in March, told want to cost the district more
WKH ERDUG DW WKH WLPH ³$IWHU money?”
Continued from Page 1A
Pot: 3 percent local tax
EULQJVOHY\WRSHUFHQW
Continued from Page 1A
Under state law, cities —
with voter approval — can
add a 3 percent local tax on
WRS RI WKH SHUFHQW OHY\
from the state once recre
ational marijuana retail
outlets are licensed.
Since January, consumers
KDYH EHHQ SD\LQJ D WHPSR
rary 25 percent tax on recre
ational pot at medical mari
juana dispensaries that are
allowed to sell the drug to
recreational users through the
end of the year.
Johnston, after talking
with the four medical mari
juana dispensaries in Astoria
that are selling recreational
pot, estimates that a local
WD[ FRXOG EULQJ LQ URXJKO\
LQDQQXDOUHYHQXH
6WDWH ODZ SUHVFULEHV WKDW
state tax revenue from mari
MXDQD EH GLVWULEXWHG E\
IRUPXOD ZLWK SHUFHQW
JRLQJ WR SXEOLF VFKRROV
percent to mental health, alco
holism and drug services, and
smaller shares directed to the
state police, city and county
enforcement, and alcohol and
GUXJDEXVHSUHYHQWLRQ
The state has estimated
PLOOLRQ LQ QHZ WD[
revenue over two years.
/RFDO WD[ UHYHQXH E\
FRQWUDVWFDQEHVSHQWDWFLW\
discretion. “I think the city
should do it,” Johnston said.
“I think it’s a revenue source
DYDLODEOH´
0DQ\ LQ WKH EXUJHRQLQJ
marijuana industry antici
pated that cities would likely
take advantage of the local
tax option.
³/LNH , WROG %UDG -RKQ
VWRQKH¶GEHIRROLVKQRWWRJR
after that,” said Oscar Nelson,
WKH FRIRXQGHU RI 6ZHHW
Relief Natural Medicine in
Astoria. “It’s expected. It’s
logical. It’s nothing that’s
JRLQJWREHDSDLQLQRXUDVV´
The retail price of mari
MXDQD ZLOO OLNHO\ ÀXFWXDWH
for a few years as outlets
compete for customers,
perfect growing, supply and
GLVWULEXWLRQ WHFKQLTXHV DQG
adjust to tax and regulatory
EXUGHQV
Marijuana’s
transition
from a widely used illegal
GUXJVROGRQWKHEODFNPDUNHW
WRDOHJDOJRYHUQPHQWWD[HG
SURGXFW ZLOO OLNHO\ EH FKDO
lenging. The Oregon Depart
PHQWRI5HYHQXHVDLG)ULGD\
IRU H[DPSOH WKDW RI
WKH PHGLFDO PDULMXDQD
dispensaries selling recre
ational pot had not registered
with the department. Just
¿YHDFFRUGLQJWRWKHGHSDUW
ment, had scheduled appoint
ments to pay the taxes owed
on January sales.
Raja Afrika, a shift
manager at Hi in Astoria,
worries that if prices get too
high, some consumers might
return to “Joe on the couch”
² WKH EODFN PDUNHW ² IRU
their supply. He said he has
seen a decline in customers
since the temporary 25
percent tax was imposed in
January.
Afrika also cautioned that
KLJKHUSULFHVFRXOGEHDKDUG
ship on people who use mari
MXDQDIRUPHGLFDOUHDVRQVEXW
do not have medical mari
MXDQDFDUGVWKDWHQDEOHWKHP
to purchase the drug tax free.
“I think I would ask them
to consider the patients,”
he said of the City Council.
“Consider the people who are
WKHPRVWYXOQHUDEOHEHFDXVH
WKH\¶UH IUHTXHQWO\ WKH RQHV
WKDW DUH KDUGHVW KLW E\ DOO RI
these changes.”