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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2016)
OPINION 6A Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Water under the bridge Compiled by Bob Duke From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers 10 years ago this week — 2006 The U.S. Coast Guard has an important job when it lies low over local houses, Capt. Michael Farrell jokingly told people at the Seaside Chamber of Commerce meeting Friday. “That’s because we’re on a mission from the CIA,” he revealed. “We are spying on you!” Still joking, Farrell, the Coast Guard commander for Air Station Astoria and Group Astoria, advised residents to wear aluminum foil hel- mets … to foil the spying. He became more serious as he related that the efforts of the Coast Guard at Grays Harbor, Tillamook Bay, Cape Disappointment and Air Station Astoria save 1,750 lives and $1.5 million in property each year. Cape Disappointment alone averages more than one search-and-rescue case a day, he said. “What does the Coast Guard do for you? We spend your tax dollars,” Farrell said. Sending boats and helicopters out is expensive, especially since every hour a helicopter lies requires 20 hours of maintenance, he said. But he asked the assembled when they were stranded in the ocean, “do you really care how much it costs?” Mark Youso believes condominiums and expensive houses may replace low-income housing in Seaside, to the point where some poorer people have to leave. “Cannon Beach is slowly moving north, is my take,” he said. Youso, the president of the Clatsop County Rental Owners Association, said increasing interest rates and property taxes are making it harder to own an apartment building. And baby make three. The bald eagle pair that make their home in a tree next to Astoria’s Skyline water tower have hatched a new offspring. “It’s kind of a gray color,” said Georgia Forrester, who lives across the street and keeps a close eye on her avian neighbors. She irst noticed the eaglet Monday. “Every once in a while it sticks its little head up,” she says. “It almost looks like a little ostrich.” 50 years ago — 1966 A red granite shaft mark- ing the site of the irst post ofice west of the Rockies, established in 1847, was for- mally dedicated Friday fol- lowing the chamber of com- merce luncheon. Chamber members, a del- egation from the Daughters of American Revolution and other citizens attended the ceremony, which included remarks by Ed Ross, donor of the shaft and of the lot where the 1847 post ofice stood, and presentation of a U.S. Flag by the DAR chapter to the city. Northwest states’ representatives appear to have won a preliminary battle last week in the war over water that may be fought bitterly for the next several years. Hearing on western water use before a congressional committee ended in a recommendation for a federal study. Efforts by southwestern states to get a recommendation for importation of water were thwarted. The importation would of course be from the Columbia River. This water war will be a tough one. We in the northwest have little numerical strength against such populous states as Texas and California. We will have to make logic and justice stand up against the angry pres- sure of thirsty folk who want water and intend to tolerate no obstacles in the way of quenching their thirst. 75 years ago — 1941 The third of a series of the six 42-ton four-motored Boeing clippers being built for Pan American Airways landed on the Columbia River off Tongue Point at 12:11 this afternoon for formal delivery to Pan Ameri- can representatives here and took off for San Francisco at 1:18. Measurements made by the national park service of the large Douglas ir tree in Queets valley, which lies in Jeffer- son County, Washington, reveal a diameter of 17 feet one inch. Press reports from Aberdeen disclose that the thickness of the tree is several inches less than it was several years ago. This reduction in girth is not attributed to shriveling old age or deliberate reduction, but rather as a result of bark scaling off. If it continues for some time, the Clatsop ir will end up the bigger of the two. A possibility that midget auto races might be staged on Gyro ield this summer was revealed Wednesday when Bobby Rowe, Portland sports promoter who heads Bobby Rowe incorporated, met with Astoria Regatta association and city oficials here. President Roosevelt disclosed today that a new civilian defense program so wide in scope that it may profoundly affect every man, woman and child in America ‚ is about ready for his inal approval. Administration oficials charged with developing the pro- gram have been secretive on its ramiications. Indications have been that the scheme may permeate the American com- munities in months to come almost as thorough as did the NRA (National Industrial Recovery Administration) in the early days of Mr. Roosevelt’s administration. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016 Tired of campaigns’ negativity? Go to a graduation ceremony A graduation ceremony is an antidote to the ugliness and cynicism of this presidential campaign season. The constant negativity on the airwaves is all about the past. Graduations are about the future. They cele- brate accomplishment. ‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said, ‘To talk of many things; Of shoes — and ships — and sealing wax — Of cabbages —and kings —’ Through the Looking-glass of Cabbages and Kings We traveled last week to our son’s graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno. Harrison’s fascination with aquatic science and the outdoors was ignited by Lee Cain and his salmon biology program at Astoria High School. That experience eventually led to a graduate degree in natural resources and environ- mental science with an emphasis on hydrology. Contrary to my preconcep- tion about Reno’s desert environ- ment, the graduation was held in a tree-bordered quadrangle that lies at the heart of the old land-grant campus. As the early morning light played through the groves of old Wikimedia Commons trees, the audience drifted in to rows The Pittock Mansion in Portland. of white chairs. All around us were families anticipating their sons’ We mainly know of and daughters’ moment. A young black man in academic gown came Henry Pittock because of to the row where his family sat. One by one, he embraced siblings, his Portland mansion. mother and father, grandfather and grandmother. Behind us was an Indian family who embraced their uct of the Dominican Republic. gence as a major voice at a time graduate. The Aces played with less than when the Newhouse family of Brass from the Reno Symphony a full deck on Saturday night, New York City is dismantling the played the processional. fatally mufing ielding opportuni- once dominant journalistic engine. The university president, Marc ties. They lost by the dismal mar- Johnson, acknowledged the con- gin of 17-2. In true baseball fash- ▼▼▼ trast between America’s politi- ion, on the following day the Aces cal carnival and the reality of this beat the Cubs. President Obama’s pending trip event. to Hiroshima has ignited the com- ▼▼▼ mentariat of historians and politi- ▼▼▼ cians. The Wall Street Journal’s edi- Henry Pittock is one of those torial writers last week published a Minor league baseball is like Oregonians who was once enor- speech they wished Obama would a treasure hunt. You come to the mously prominent, but now deliver. ballpark knowing that somewhere recedes from view. Portlanders When my wife, daughter and during that game you are likely to know of Pittock’s mansion atop I visited Hiroshima in 2001, two see a future Major League star. On Willamette Heights. Rescued months following the attack on the Saturday night, we watched the in 1968, the magniicent home World Trade Center, we were the Reno Aces play the Iowa Cubs. became an iconic historic preser- only Americans in sight. The Aces are an Arizona Dia- vation moment. Restoration of the The exhibits that Obama will see mondbacks farm team. The Iowa Old Church would be next. in the Hiroshima Peace Museum team is a progeny of the Chicago Thanks to prodding from Chris- may provide a fuller story than we Cubs. The Cub’s Japanese player tine Lolich, I went to the Pit- saw. When we visited, there was Munenori Kawasaki had the slight tock Mansion last week to see its scant acknowledgment of Japan’s proile of Ichiro Suzuki, Like exhibit about Pittock as a pioneer culpability or its conduct in Asia Ichiro, Kawasaki was an impres- printer. There was a painful irony during the war, such as the Rape of sive hitter. I love baseball names. in the exhibit’s celebration of The Nanking. The Aces’ Socrates Brito is a prod- Oregonian’s 19th century emer- — S.A.F. Making repairs one community at a time it’s the loss of community way to change behavior. leaders. Every town used At the nut plant I met to have its small-business men and women who’d lost more than 100 pounds. OST HILLS, Calif. — What owners and bankers. But now those businesses and One of the workers gets is the central challenge fac- banks are owned by invest- up at 2:45 every morning, ing our era? My answer would ment funds far away. so he can hit the gym by 4 be: social isolation. Either way, social isola- and be at work by 6. This guy wants to be around to Gaps have opened up among par- tion produces rising suicide rates, rising drug addiction, watch his kids grow, and tisan tribes, economic classes and widening inequality, politi- his self-disciplined health David races. There has been a loss of social cal polarization, depression regime has led to a whole Brooks capital, especially for communities and alienation. life transformation. He’s down the income scale. Fortunately, we’re beginning to now taking business and law courses Take, for example, the town of see the rise of intentional commu- online. Lost Hills. Lost Hills is a farming nity instigators. If social capital isn’t The new institutions here are town in the Central Valley, 42 miles going to form spontaneously, people intensely social. When you go to the northwest of Bakersield. It is not and groups will try to jump-start it health center, you don’t sit silently in a rich town, but neither is it a deso- into existence. the waiting room before going into a late one. There are jobs here, thanks Lost Hills is the home of a prom- small room for your 15-minute visit. to the almond and pistachio process- ising experiment. The experiment is Many of the patients have group vis- ing plants nearby. When you go to the being led by Lynda Resnick, who, its (sort of like Al Anon groups) to pre-K center and look at the family with her husband, Stewart, owns Won- meet communally with doctors and photos on the wall, you see that most derful Co., which includes FIJI Water, encourage one another’s health- of the families are intact — POM juice and most of the ier behavior. The medical staffs per- a mom, a dad and a cou- pistachios and almonds you form as teams, too. Staff members sit ple kids standing proudly What’s eat. You should know that together in a central workroom col- in front of a small ranch I’m friends with Lynda and laborating all day. the house. Many of these fam- Stewart and am biased in Finally, there are more cross-class ilies have been here for their direction. But what connections. Dr. Maureen Mavrinac right they are doing is still worth moved here from the UCLA Fam- decades. But until recently you level to learning from. ily Medicine Department. Dr. Rishi didn’t ind the community First, they are looding Manchanda was the lead physician organizations that you’d pursue the zone. They’re not trying for homeless primary care at the Los expect to ind in such a to ind one way to serve this Angeles VA. These are among the social population. The problems dozens who have come to Lost Hills place. There’s still no per- manent church. Up until are so intertwined, they are not to save the place from outside, but now there has been no repair? trying to change this com- to befriend it. Their way of being rip- library and no polling sta- munity from all directions ples. I met several local women who tion. The closest police station is at once. In Lost Hills there are new said they were shy and quiet, but now 45 miles away. Until recently there health centers, new pre-K facilities, they are joining community boards were no sidewalks nor many street- new housing projects, new gardens, and running meetings. lights, so it was too dangerous to go new sidewalks and lights, a new com- What’s the right level to pursue trick-or-treating. munity center and a new soccer ield. social repair? The nation may be too Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that Through the day, people have more large. The individual is too small. The Americans are great at forming spon- places to meet, play and cooperate community is the right level, picking a piece of land and giving people a taneous voluntary groups. But in with their neighbors. towns like Lost Hills, and in neigh- Second, they’ve created a prac- context in which they can do neigh- borhoods across the country, that tical culture of self-improvement. borly things — like the dads here who doesn’t seem to be as true any more. You can talk about social reform came to the pre-K center and spent Maybe with the rise of TV and the in ways that seem preachy. But the six hours building a shed, and with Internet people are happier staying emphasis here is on better health it, invisibly, a wider circle of care for in the private world of home. Maybe and less diabetes, a nonmoralistic their children. By DAVID BROOKS New York Times News Service L