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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016
Renewable energy bill clears Senate, heads to governor
By HILLARY BORRUD
Capital Press
SALEM — A controversial
bill that requires Oregon’s two
largest utilities to get 50 percent
of their electricity from sources
such as wind and solar by 2040 is
on its way to Gov. Kate Brown’s
desk for a signature, after the
state Senate voted 17-12 to pass
the measure Wednesday.
Brown has suggested that
she supports the bill, but has
not said publicly whether
she will sign it.
The bill also requires Port-
land General Electric and
PaciiCorp to stop using coal
power to serve their Oregon
customers. Representatives of
Portland General Electric and
the advocacy group Renew-
able Northwest told lawmak-
ers last month the bill might
actually have a greater impact
on utilities’ decisions on
whether to replace coal with
natural gas, because Portland
General Electric already plans
to close Oregon’s only coal
power plant in Boardman by
2020 and stop purchasing coal
power from out of state.
Biomass incentives
At the same time, incen-
tives added to the legisla-
tion last week could ire up
more power plants that burn
wood and garbage. State Sen.
Lee Beyer, D-Springield,
said Wednesday that the bio-
mass incentives would lead
to job creation in rural areas
of the state. But researchers
have also raised concerns that
wood-burning power plants
can generate more pollution
than coal. They have ques-
tioned the carbon reduction
calculations underlying classi-
ication of biomass as a source
of renewable energy.
Beyer, who previously
served as an Oregon pub-
lic utility commissioner, said
he remembered the concerns
raised in 2007 when the Leg-
islature adopted the state’s irst
renewable energy mandate.
The bill that the Senate passed
on Wednesday would double
the existing mandate.
“One of the things I heard a
lot at that time was it was going
to add signiicantly to ratepay-
ers rates,” Beyer said. The leg-
islation passed on Wednesday
allows the utilities to seek rate
increases to pay for renewable
energy that is up to 4 percent
more expensive than traditional
sources such as natural gas.
Utilities can request those rate
increases, which are allowed
under the current renewable
energy mandate, in addition to
broader periodic rate increases.
“We’ve never gotten close to
that cost cap, and it’s unlikely
we will,” Beyer said.
Republican opposition
That did not quell opposi-
tion by Republicans.
The vote Wednesday after-
noon followed more than two
hours of Republican procedural
moves that extended the debate
but had little impact on the out-
come. Democrats had identi-
ied the bill as a top policy pri-
ority from the start of the short
session, and the utilities and
environmental groups also lob-
bied hard for the legislation.
Much of the controversy
around the bill stemmed from
news reports that Brown’s
administration had instructed
the state Public Utility Com-
mission not to go public with
talking points it had drafted
regarding concerns about the
legislation. Public utility com-
missioners raised concerns the
measure would be expensive
for ratepayers yet do little to
reduce greenhouse gas emis-
sions from coal plants.
“What I do object to is
shutting out people who
ought to have a full franchise
in the discussion about an
energy policy like this one,”
Senate Republican Leader
Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day,
said during a loor speech
Wednesday. “The idea here
would be, at least if it’s con-
ducted in the Oregon way
— the way I like to think of
the Oregon way — would
be to gather proponents and
dissenters together, and hear
the best from both of them.”
The utilities, environmen-
tal groups, renewable energy
industry and Citizens’ Utility
Board of Oregon drafted the
original version of the legisla-
tion behind closed doors start-
ing late last year, and that pro-
cess also fueled much of the
criticism of the bill.
After environmental groups
failed to get a bill to end coal
power passed during the ive-
month legislative session in
2015, they began gathering sig-
natures to place measures that
would accomplish this and
other policy goals on the ballot
in November. The environmen-
tal groups agreed to drop their
efforts to get voters to pass sev-
eral new renewable energy man-
dates in November, including an
initiative that would eliminate
coal power, if lawmakers and the
governor approve the legislation.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
College president candidate
an experienced administrator
Liss has
experience in
Ohio, New
Mexico,
Maryland
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Ron Liss, who has worked
in community colleges around
the country since 1982, said he
has at least 10 more years in his
career to give Clatsop Com-
munity College, where he vis-
ited Wednesday as one of four
inalists for the presidency.
Liss, 61, lew in from Cleve-
land, where he was briely vice
president and special adviser
for workforce, community
and economic development at
Cuyahoga Community Col-
lege, the largest community
college in Ohio.
“What doesn’t show on my
resume, is I’m unemployed
right now,” Liss said.
Liss had served as president
of Cuyahoga’s western cam-
pus from 2013 to 2015, but
was removed by the college’s
top president. The change was
not performance-based, Liss
said, but rather part of a shuf-
ling that included replacement
of presidents at three out of the
college’s four campuses over
the past two years. The pres-
ident told him his new posi-
tion was temporary, Liss said,
which got him thinking about
the future.
Liss said he learned about
the post in Astoria through
the Association of Commu-
nity College Trustees, which
conducted the search for can-
didates. His wife, Anita, has
been an adjunct instructor,
along with a bereavement
counselor at the Hospice of the
Western Reserve in Cleveland.
The two have a daughter and a
grandchild.
“I’m looking for a smaller
institution in a smaller com-
munity I can have a personal
connection with,” he said.
As president, Liss said one
of his biggest roles is to rep-
resent the college not just on
campus, but in the community
as well at cultural events and
as an advocate locally and at
the state level.
After starting his educa-
tional career with ive years
as a high school electronics
teacher in Baltimore, Mary-
land, Liss said he was told
about a summer teaching
opportunity at Community
College of Baltimore County
to retrain unemployed work-
ers through the federal Com-
prehensive Employment and
Training Act and quickly
became enamored.
“What we do in commu-
nity colleges is not a step
down from anyone,” Liss said,
adding community colleges
are part transfer degrees, part
career-technical training.
Liss taught at the Baltimore
college from 1982 to 1992 and
served in its administration
until 1997.
He spent the next decade
in various administrative posi-
tions at Montgomery College, in
Rockville, Maryland, ultimately
becoming director of academic
and student services. From 2007
to 2013, he was a vice pres-
ident for academic affairs at
Santa Fe Community College
in New Mexico, before joining
Cuyahoga Community College.
Originally from Buffalo,
New York, Liss said his father
was a lawyer and his mother
a teacher, adding his family
wanted him to go directly to a
four-year institution. He earned
a bachelor’s of industrial sci-
ences from State University of
New York, a master’s in instruc-
tional systems development
from the University of Mary-
land and a doctorate in educa-
tional management and leader-
ship from American University
in Washington, D.C.
Along with Liss, Glenn
Smith, the executive vice pro-
vost for student services and
enrollment management at Con-
cordia University in Portland,
visited this week.
The inal two of the four
inalists for Clatsop Commu-
nity College’s presidency visit
next week. Christopher Breit-
meyer, the vice president for
academic and student affairs at
St. Charles Community College
in Missouri, will have a pub-
lic meet-and-greet from 3 to 4
p.m. March 10 in Columbia Hall
Room 221. Christopher Dyer,
the CEO and president of the
University of New Mexico-Gal-
lup, visits with the public from 3
to 4 p.m. March 11 in Columbia
Hall Room 219.
Erick Bengel/The Daily Astorian
Cannon Beach Municipal Court Judge Ronald Woltjer, left, swears in George Vetter
as a new city councilor.
Municipal judge iles for Circuit Court
The Daily Astorian
Ronald Woltjer, an attor-
ney and Municipal Court
judge, has iled to run for the
Circuit Court judge position
being vacated by Judge Philip
Nelson, who will retire this
year.
Woltjer serves as the
Municipal Court judge for
Warrenton, Seaside, Cannon
Beach and is a pro tem judge
for Astoria.
The longtime Clatsop
County resident has experi-
ence in general private law
that involved domestic rela-
tions, probate, bankruptcy
Associated Press
SALEM — The state Leg-
islature has approved a conten-
tious bill that would uphold last
year’s decision to remove the
gray wolf from the state’s endan-
gered species list. The measure
intends to block an ongoing law-
suit iled by environmentalists.
House Bill 4040 cleared the
state Senate on Wednesday in a
17-11 vote, and now heads to
Gov. Kate Brown, whose ofice
has taken a neutral stance on
the proposal.
The Oregon Fish and Wild-
life Commission delisted the
species in November as part of
its wolf management plan, and
environmentalists sued, seek-
ing to challenge the scientiic
merits of that decision through
judicial review.
But by upholding the del-
isting decision in state law, the
judicial review being sought
in the lawsuit would likely be
rendered moot, subsequently
thwarting the case.
Astoria man sentenced for
shooting deer inside city limits
Olney Avenue early in the
morning of Oct. 27 for a report
of a gunshot in the area. Ofi-
The 20-year-old Asto- cers found a Nissan truck with
ria man who unlawfully shot a dead buck in the bed.
and killed a deer within city
Ogier approached the ofi-
limits last fall was sentenced cers with blood on his hands and
Wednesday in Clatsop County claimed he had struck the deer
Circuit Court.
with his vehicle. However, Ogier
James Lee Ogier pleaded had shot the deer, gutted the ani-
no contest to hunting in city mal and loaded it into his vehicle.
limits and recklessly
Oficers said the
endangering another
backdrop for the gun-
person. A felony
shot was the nearby
charge of unlawful
Bayshore
Apart-
use of a weapon was
ments, and that Ogier
dropped as part of the
appeared to be intoxi-
plea agreement.
cated. At the time, he
He was sentenced
was arrested for driv-
to 18 months proba-
ing under the inluence
James
tion. He must also
of intoxicants, but was
Lee Ogier
complete 80 hours of
never charged.
community service and forfeit
His blood alcohol was mea-
his gun and ammunition. His sured at .04 percent a couple of
hunting license is suspended hours after the incident, accord-
for three years.
ing to the Clatsop County Dis-
Astoria Police were dis- trict Attorney’s Ofice.
patched to Sixth Street and
“Intoxicated driving and the
By KYLE SPURR
The Daily Astorian
use of a irearm inside the city
limits are not only illegal, they
are a recipe for tragedy,” Astoria
Deputy Police Chief Eric Halver-
son said at the time.
The deer was donated to the
local food bank.
Spaghetti
Dinner
Friday March 4 th
4 pm ‘til gone
$7 .00
6PM “Karaoke Dave”
ASTORIA
AMERICAN LEGION
Cla t sop Post 12
1132 Exchange Street 325-5771
standards he established.”
Woltjer and his wife
are the parents of two col-
lege-age children who both
attended Astoria public
schools. He is a former scout
leader, community volunteer
and is a member of the Ore-
gon State Bar and the Ore-
gon Municipal Court Judge
Association.
The other candidates in
the May election are Dep-
uty District Attorney David
Goldthorpe and Dawn McIn-
tosh, an attorney for a Gear-
hart irm who used to work as
a deputy district attorney in
Clatsop County.
County monitoring lu cases
The Daily Astorian
State Senate approves wolf
delisting bill intended to block suit
and criminal defense matters.
He was also an attorney in
the Clatsop County District
Attorney’s Ofice, where we
rose to senior deputy district
attorney.
“I believe I have the back-
ground and judicial experi-
ence to be an effective Circuit
Court judge,” Woltjer said
in a statement. “Judge Nel-
son set the bar very high with
his work ethic, his integrity,
and his commitment to treat
everyone who comes before
the court fairly and with dig-
nity. I understand and appre-
ciate those values and will
strive to maintain the high
The Clatsop County
Public Health Depart-
ment is monitoring a
large number of con-
firmed influenza cases
and as a result is urging
the public to follow pre-
ventative health steps.
Inluenza is a highly
contagious respiratory ill-
ness that is most commonly
spread through coughing
and sneezing.
While most people
who contract it experi-
ence no more than fever,
chills, aches, cough and
congestion, the county
health department said inlu-
enza causes 200,000 hospi-
talizations and 36,000 deaths
nationwide each year, mostly
among people with other
health issues.
The public can prevent the
spread of inluenza by simple
steps such as hand-washing
and getting a lu vaccine.
Vaccines for children and
adults are usually available
at many locations around the
county. The Clatsop County
Public Health Department
also offers vaccines during
lu season, generally Septem-
ber through March.
To ind out where to get
a lu vaccine, the public can
contact their health provider or
local pharmacy, or call Clatsop
County Public Health at (503)
325-8500.
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