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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2016)
12A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016 Pierce wins GOP nod for governor Salem physician faces Brown in November By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Salem physi- cian Bud Pierce has won the Republican nomination for Oregon governor. In November he will face Democrat nominee Gov. Kate Brown, who was elevated to the Governor’s Ofice when John Kitzhaber resigned last year. The winner will serve the two years remaining in Kitzhaber’s term. “Tonight’s victory is the result of incredible teamwork and the hard work of many ine people,” he said. Pierce defeated former state GOP chairman Allen Alley, the next highest vote getter in a ield of ive, with 45 percent of the vote compared to Alley’s 29 percent. In Clatsop County, voters gave Pierce 46 percent to Alley’s 33. “Oregonians are tired of empty political promises and puppet leaders who are at the beck and call of powerful interests in our state enrich- ing the connected and power- ful and impoverishing the peo- ple,” Pierce said. “Selma and I have listened to the people’s hopes and dreams and aspira- tions and we are committed to helping To make those dreams come true.” Alley told Pierce he will support him for his run for governor. “I would like to thank the citizens of Oregon for support- ing me,” Alley said. “I have had some amazing experi- ences walking across the state and meeting the people of the Paris Achen/Capital Bureau Bud Pierce addresses supporters in Salem after winning the Republican nomination for Oregon governor. state, and I had a terriic mes- sage to juxtapose against Kate Brown’s.” “I regret not being able to take on Kate Brown,” he said. Alley said Pierce’s cam- paign outspent his and traveled more around the state.“He ran a better primary race, and the results show he ran a better pri- mary race,” Alley said. With experience in state government and as a candidate for statewide ofice, Alley, 61, was the presumed frontrunner in the race for the nomination. The Lake Oswego business- man served as deputy chief of staff for former Gov. Ted Kulongoski and chaired the Oregon Republican Party. But Pierce, 59, invested more than $1 million into his campaign to reach out to vot- ers. When the Salem oncol- ogist entered the race, he had almost no name recognition and no experience as an elected oficial. Alley, in contrast, had sought the GOP nomination for governor in 2010 and for state treasurer in 2008. Brown earned the Demo- cratic nomination with 84 per- cent of the vote. She defeated Ashland physician Julian Bell, Springield professional driver Chet Chance, Walmart pro- duce team member Kevin For- sythe of Newport, Portland home care worker Steve John- son and Portland environmen- tal engineer and attorney Dave Stauffer. Liz Accola Meunier, a spokeswoman for Brown’s campaign, said the gover- nor had been focused on gov- erning and serving the state but would now begin ramp- ing up her campaign to defeat Pierce. “Tonight, we are happy with the results on our side, and the governor is really looking forward to talking about her vision for moving the state forward and looking forward to having a chance to talk about her vision, and we believe when voters gets a chance to compare her to her opponent that they will choose her,” Meunier said. Track: There isn’t much room to expand school’s track complex Continued from Page 1A 10 in both the 100 and 200 meters, along with being on some of Astoria’s top-ranked relay teams. “And you basi- cally can’t set your blocks in certain lanes, because they will just slide” because of loose asphalt. Darian Hageman, Asto- ria’s only individual state champion from last year who is ranked irst in the high, long and triple jumps, said the high school’s athletes rel- ish competing at other tracks, which always seem a lot nicer than home. Garrett Parks, the third- year track coach at Astoria, said the worn-out surfaces deinitely beats up his run- ners and their equipment. “When we go to any other meet or any other facil- ity, it’s fun to hear our kids say, ‘Man, this track is so spongy,’ or, ‘There’s cush- ion,’’” he said. “It’s because we’re so used to running on such a hard surface all the time that we’re just not fortu- nate enough to have that feel- ing. We can tell.” Quick ix or full rehab The differences between minor maintenance and the update of a track can add up to a lot of money. Nine years ago, Business Manager Jus- tine Hill said Seaside School District received quotes that ranged from $21,000 for minor repairs to more than $700,000 for a complete resurfacing of the track. “There are some mini- mal things we know we need to do, versus doing some major projects to have it updated,” Rub said of Asto- ria’s situation. The district is looking at anything from minimal main- tenance to a complete update of one or both of the tracks. “We want places to be safe for kids, and to be something they’re proud of,” said Asto- ria Superintendent Craig Hop- pes of the district’s immedi- ate goal. “It has nothing to do with how well the track team is doing.” Going regulation Part of the question is whether Astoria wants to spend the money for an updated, regulation track that can support district meets. Astoria’s track is shaped like an egg, contains only seven of the usual eight lanes and was originally measured in yards instead of meters. Resur- facing could cost more than $100,000, while making the track regulation could surpass $600,000. “The amount of space we have is a little bit of an issue at the high school,” Rub said. “In regard to the ield events, we would like to have more space.” There isn’t much room for the high school track complex to expand beyond its current footprint, though, with a des- ignated slide zone on one side and U.S. Highway 101 Busi- ness on the other. The school district has looked at moving competi- tions to the middle school, which Hoppes said received a new surface in the early 2000s as part of the bond that remodeled many of the dis- trict’s schools. But he said the school board remains non- committal while the district gathers more information. Column: Most visitors to the park are from out of town Continued from Page 1A are disappointed that teenag- ers in formal gowns and tux- edos had to pay on their spe- cial night. If no students take him up on the offer, he plans to donate the money he set aside to cover the fees to Astoria High School’s safe and sober graduation party. The Column is a city park, but the grounds are managed by the Friends of the Asto- ria Column, a nonproit led by Portland real estate mag- nate and philanthropist Jordan Schnitzer. While the city has wel- comed the time and money Schnitzer and other pri- vate donors have invested in preserving the Column, there is a perception that the Friends have outsize political inluence. The Column is a local trea- Avakian, Richardson win secretary of state nominations sure, yet, according to the city, most visitors to the park are from out of town. The City Council did not consider a $5 annual pass exorbitant when the increase was unan- imously approved in Decem- ber. The city receives $1 from each pass, while the rest of the money goes to the nonproit to help maintain the grounds. Di Bartolomeo does not object to the city charging a reasonable fee for visitors from out of town. “I do have a problem when a private entity essentially takes a private toll to park in a city-owned park,” he said. “I think it would be a good idea to exempt people who live in Astoria and pay property taxes from having to pay a fee.” At a City Council meeting Monday, City Councilor Drew Herzig mentioned the buzz surrounding Di Bartolomeo’s Facebook post and suggested the Friends of the Column con- sider a free pass on prom night. “Because if this is an Asto- ria High School tradition, we might as well let the kids get up there and get their photos taken and not try and shake them down for the parking fee,” he said. Karen Whitman, who serves on the board of the Friends of the Column, said Tuesday that the nonproit can waive parking fees for sanc- tioned events. Prom pictures are not a sanctioned event, but Whit- man, who graduated from Astoria High School and lives in Portland, said charging stu- dents to park was regrettable. “You wouldn’t maybe call it a sanctioned event,” Whit- man said, “but this is the kind of thing that we ought to sup- port for heaven’s sake.” SALEM — Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has won the Democratic pri- mary for Oregon secretary of state. This morning, Avakian had 39 percent of the vote leading state Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Eugene, who had 34 per- cent and state Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, with 27 percent, according to unof- icial vote totals. The Asso- ciated Press called the race for Avakian. Clatsop County gave Avakian 45 percent of the vote. Former state Rep. Den- nis Richardson appeared to be winning the Republican primary with 78 percent, and was declared the winner by The Associated Press. Clat- sop County voters selected Richardson with 83 percent. Lane County Commissioner Sid Leiken had 22 percent of the vote, according to unofi- cial totals. Avakian and Richardson will face each other in the November general election. Richardson said Tues- day night that he was ready to campaign against Avakian based on their different views on the role of the secretary of state. “Brad Avakian wants to investigate and go after pri- vate businesses,” Richard- son said, referring to Ava- kian’s plan to have state auditors begin investigat- ing complaints against state contractors. “My opinion is the secretary of state should be rolling out the red carpet to businesses in other states and countries, as well as in Oregon.” Richardson said the Audits Division in the Secre- tary of State’s Ofice is sup- posed to review state pro- Pamplin Media Group Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has won the Democratic nomination for secretary of state. He will face Republican Dennis Richardson in November. grams in order to and archivist. “show that the peo- Recently, Ava- ple’s money is well kian and Devlin spent and (Avaki- attacked Hoyle an’s) approach will for accepting a be to ignore the $250,000 donation waste that is tak- in April from bil- ing place in pub- lionaire gun control lic departments advocate Michael and programs and Bloomberg. Ava- go after private kian’s campaign Dennis businesses.” accused Devlin Richardson Avakian, who of accepting cam- fought to set himself apart as paign donations from groups the most progressive politi- that beneited inancially cian in the Democratic pri- from legislation Devlin mary, could not be reached championed. for comment Tuesday night. And a week before the pri- In a press release statement, mary, Hoyle also faced an Avakian’s campaign manager attack ad by the Humane Soci- Brad Pyle described Rich- ety that took her to task for ardson as an “extreme right killing a 2015 bill that would wing” politician. have banned sales of ivory The Democratic primary and rhino tusks in Oregon. remained contentious up Earlier this month, a poll until the 8 p.m. Tuesday elec- commissioned by OPB and tion deadline, as the candi- Fox 12 showed the three dates increasingly went on Democrats were in a dead the attack in an attempt to heat. Avakian was expected gain a lead in the tight race. to win 21 percent of the vote, Early on, Hoyle and Devlin Hoyle was second with 16 critiqued Avakian for prom- percent and Devlin had 13 ising to create renewable percent, a margin of error energy and civics education of plus or minus 5.7 per- programs, which are outside cent. 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