OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016
GUEST COLUMN
Founded in 1873
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
Lessons for beating
the learning gap
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Time to fi nish
Riverfront vision
p and down cycles in development are familiar to all who
have lived for any length of time on the North Coast and
vicinity. Knowledge that upward trends in real estate eventually
lose momentum is a perennial factor that discourages long-term
planning.
There is a tendency among rules as essential in providing
elected offi cials, planners and prospective investors with an
the real estate industry to let assurance they will not have
development pressures run views blocked, neighborhood
their course, secure in the values degraded or detract-
belief that booms all too soon ing changes of use allowed
nearby.
run their course.
Still awakening from a
Earlier this week, Astoria
City Councilor Cindy Price protracted slumber, Astoria
warned that the city is fl irt- is a place that stands on the
ing with loss of mutually trea- threshold of change. We are
sured attributes unless it takes inundated with positive pub-
charge by fully implement- licity. Oregonians know
ing its Riverfront Vision Plan. many examples of cities that
She faced direct push back have previously undergone
from Councilor Russ Warr, rapid surges in popularity
who sees the riverfront plan and development. Places like
and similar efforts as getting Bend have been transformed,
in the way of needed develop- not in every way for the better.
ment and associated employ- Astoria has the advantage of
ment. Other counselors didn’t witnessing these nearby real-
overtly side with either Price life case studies. These can
or Warr on the issue this week, perhaps teach us how to allow
but cited competing priorities development that adds to liv-
for a fi nite amount of staff and ability and a healthy econ-
omy, while avoiding blocking
council attention.
Looking at all that has off our waterfront, pricing-out
changed in Astoria in the past long-term residents or creat-
decade, it can hardly be accu- ing gridlock on our streets.
Cursory study of a map
rately argued that onerous
restrictions have frozen devel- reveals Astoria is a small pen-
opment. In fact, completion insula surrounded by water
and implementation of the riv- and forest. If we choose to,
erfront plan might expedite its scale will allow us to con-
future development by pro- trol our destiny to a much bet-
viding clearcut procedures and ter extent than would be pos-
expectations for future down- sible of an unbounded city. Its
size also means that any mis-
town development.
Uncertainty is always a big- takes we make or allow will be
ger enemy to development than with us, up close and personal,
simply having understandable for many years to come.
The Riverfront Vision Plan
rules to follow. Far from being
anti-zoning, most real-es- deserves wide discussion,
tate professionals regard such support and implementation.
U
Award honors one of
Astoria’s best values
H
istoric preservation is
one of Astoria’s best
values. For 29 years, the
Astoria City Council has
recognized those who toil
and spend to restore signifi -
cant properties. First given in
1987, the Dr. Edward Harvey
Award is a window on one of
the town’s most signifi cant
impulses.
Harvey pioneered in mark-
ing the town’s signifi cant
homes. Some of his historic
house markers remain visible.
Last Monday, the coun-
cil gave the Harvey Award to
Laura A. Rogers for her work
on the Andrew Young House
in Uppertown. Andrew and
his brother, Benjamin, arrived
from Sweden in 1874. In the
following year, Andrew built
the home Ms. Rogers now
occupies. Benjamin subse-
quently built a larger, nearby
home, which has become a
bed and breakfast.
The honored Young
Home is one of the older
houses in Uppertown. In the
style of Gothic Revival It is
an intact example of a kind
of vernacular house that
was once common in the
area. Vernacular refers to a
low style, done without pre-
tense. The home’s relation-
ship to the early salmon can-
ning industry also makes it
signifi cant.
Here’s to Laura Rogers,
to all those who came before
her and those who will fol-
low her in restoring Astoria’s
architectural heritage.
By U.S. Sen. RON WYDEN
For The Daily Astorian
ith the school year nearing
its end, students and fam-
ilies all over Oregon are begin-
ning to think about the upcoming
summer and their time outside of
school.
W
I want to take a moment to stress
the importance of providing young
people with safe places to learn
during the summer months, because
not all Oregon families can afford
summer camps and summer tutors.
This is especially important
because increased evidence shows
that students who experience sum-
mer learning loss start the school year
behind. Simply put, the long summer
break should not be a long break from
learning.
With Oregon’s four-year high
school graduation rate at an alarm-
ingly low 74 percent, it is long past
time we shine a spotlight on sum-
mer learning loss and its impact on
our students’ path toward graduation.
That’s especially important in our
state where 1 in 4 teenagers doesn’t
make it to graduation.
Most students lose math and read-
ing skills during summer break, as
research by the National Summer
Learning Association shows. Stu-
dents from low-income families fare
even worse. The sad truth is that the
lack of access to learning programs
for underprivileged kids in the sum-
mer widens the achievement gap
between those students and their high-
er-income classmates. Most students
lose about two months of grade-level
equivalency in math computation
skills over the summer months, and
children for a free lunch,
low-income students also
and stay for the free books.
lose more than two months
This year I hope to see
in reading achievement.
even more communities
As parents, community
come out and support our
leaders, educators and poli-
students by hosting sum-
cymakers, we must provide
mer learning activities.
every resource possible to
Summer Learning Day is
bridge that gap for disad-
July 14, so mark your cal-
vantaged and low -income
endars. Even if you cannot
students. I have long fought
attend one of these great
to close the achievement
U.S. Sen.
events to serve lunch and
gap and support all stu-
Ron Wyden
read stories to class-
dents on a path toward
rooms full of children,
high school gradua-
The long remember that support-
tion and beyond. In the
summer learning is
recently passed Every
summer ing
easy. Volunteering your
Student Succeeds Act, I
time, or donating books
ensured the bill requires
break
or crayons to neighbors
that states improve stu-
is another way to sup-
should
dent learning at low-per-
port young learners.
forming schools and at
not be
As I have traveled
schools with low-per-
around the state hav-
forming student groups.
a long
ing conversations in
Now, the state of Ore-
high school auditori-
gon can provide fed-
break
ums and school gyms,
eral funding to school
from
I have heard so many
districts to hire men-
good ideas on how
tor-teachers or create
learning. to help students suc-
afterschool and summer
ceed in school. Orego-
learning programs to
support underperforming schools and nians agree that we must support all
aspects of a student’s life to improve
struggling students.
I know so many great education their outcomes, and I will add that
advocates in Oregon who share these this rings true all year long. I have
goals, and I want to commend Ore- seen fi rsthand that our communities
gon’s tremendous educators who are ready to come together and sup-
work on this effort every single day. port students who need it. This is
My good friends at Oregon After- truly the Oregon way.
I am committed to helping more
school for Kids have made a com-
mitment to keep kids learning all of our students get their high school
summer long. Their efforts to open diplomas and increase the rate at
up school libraries and school cafe- which our students are graduating
terias in Woodburn, Salem, Eugene from high school. Fighting summer
and around the state have truly made learning loss is one way we can keep
a difference in children’s lives by pro- all students on a path toward a bright
viding them with a safe and welcom- future.
Democrat Ron Wyden is the senior
ing learning environment during the
summer. I saw parents bring their U.S. senator for Oregon.
GUEST COLUMN
Kids are a worthwhile investment
By MAX WILLIAMS
For The Daily Astorian
e shouldn’t be pointing
fi ngers; we should be
offering helping hands.
W
This was the theme when New
York Times columnist Nicholas
Kristof spoke recently at The Oregon
Community Foundation annual
meeting.
He was there to educate, support
and inspire us to do better in our
efforts to give all Oregon children
the opportunity to succeed in school
and, ultimately, in life.
Although our state has many
accomplishments, our performance
in educational outcomes is consid-
erably below our aspirations. Many
Oregon children lack the opportuni-
ties that lead to economic prosper-
ity — and subsequently diminish our
overall state economic and social
health as well.
At the foundation, we strive to
tackle these issues with grant pro-
grams and partnerships that tar-
get education, parenting, children’s
dental health, and the economic
strength of communities. We focus
on early childhood education —
including parenting — because
that’s where we can make the big-
gest impact.
Because brain architecture is
90 percent complete by age 6, par-
ents play a deeply infl uential role
in early childhood development. By
age 3, children with college-edu-
cated parents or primary caregivers
have vocabularies two to three times
greater than those whose parents did
not complete high school. By the
time they start school, children who
have limited exposure to vocabulary
there are also economic
are already behind their
issues at play. Economists
peers. Many never catch
who have looked at the
up.
cost-benefi t equation say
Our concern at OCF is
that dollars spent in the
that this opportunity gap
early years pay off many
for children and youth is
times over. We can save
widening. We know that
anywhere from $3 to $17
effective parenting and
for every $1 invested in
early childhood reading
early childhood programs
and vocabulary have a
because of lower costs for
huge impact on preparing
Max
remedial education, lower
children for kindergarten
Williams
crime and incarcera-
— and that readiness
costs and higher
affects their ability to
Oregon is tion
productivity over a
succeed later in life.
Here’s where the
poised to lifetime.
The bottom line:
Oregon
Parenting
Kids are a worthwhile
Education Collabora-
play an
public
investment.
tive comes in. A part-
important Oregon is poised to
nership between four
play an important role
of Oregon’s largest
role in
in the early childhood
foundations
(OCF,
education discussion.
The Ford Family
the
early
In 2015, the Oregon
Foundation, Meyer
Memorial Trust and
childhood Legislature enacted
House Bill 3380,
The Collins Founda-
education which created a new,
tion) and Oregon State
funded pre-
University, the col-
discussion. publicly
school system. Called
laborative supports
Preschool Promise,
parenting education
the system leverages high-quality,
programs.
These combined efforts have local and culturally relevant early
also resulted in the development child care and education programs,
of regional “hubs” to coordinate allowing families with incomes up
resources and make parenting edu- to 200 percent of the poverty level to
cation easily accessible. These hubs access and choose the preschool pro-
now operate in 29 counties, includ- gram which best meets their needs.
Providing equal access at the
ing Clatsop, with the goal of cover-
ing every county in the state within starting line is exactly what we need
a few years. In Astoria, the Clatsop to do. It is ultimately only by clos-
County Juvenile Department has ing what Kristof calls our “collective
just received a $90,000 grant from effort gap” that Oregon can — and
the foundation to support Northwest will — be better than it is today. And
Parenting, providing coordination by not pointing fi ngers, but by offer-
and delivery of parenting education ing helping hands.
Max Williams, president and
programs in Clatsop, Columbia and
CEO of The Oregon Community
Tillamook counties.
Beyond social equity concerns Foundation.
Where to write
• U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
(D): 2338 Rayburn HOB, Washing-
ton, D.C., 20515. Phone: 202- 225-
0855. Fax 202-225-9497. District
offi ce: 12725 SW Millikan Way,
Suite 220, Beaverton, OR 97005.
Phone: 503-469-6010. Fax 503-326-
5066. Web: bonamici.house. gov/
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D): 313
Hart Senate Offi ce Building, Wash-
ington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-
3753. Web: www.merkley.senate.gov
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D): 221
Dirksen Senate Offi ce Building, Wash-
ington, D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-
5244. Web: www.wyden.senate.gov
• State Rep. Brad Witt (D):
State Capitol, 900 Court Street N.E.,
H-373, Salem, OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1431. Web: www.leg.state.
or.us/witt/
Email: rep.bradwitt@
state.or.us
• State Rep. Deborah Boone (D):
900 Court St. N.E., H-481, Salem,
OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1432.
Email: rep.deborah boone@state.
or.us District offi ce: P.O. Box 928,
Cannon Beach, OR 97110. Phone:
503-986-1432. Web: www.leg.state.
or.us/ boone/
• State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D):
State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-314, Salem, OR 97301. Tele-
phone: 503-986-1716. Email: sen.
betsy johnson@state.or.us Web:
www.betsyjohnson.com
District
Offi ce: P.O. Box R, Scappoose, OR
97056. Phone: 503-543-4046. Fax:
503-543-5296. Astoria offi ce phone:
503-338-1280.
• Port of Astoria: Executive
Director, 10 Pier 1 Suite 308, Asto-
ria, OR 97103. Phone: 503-741-3300.
Email: admin@portofastoria.com
• Clatsop County Board of Com-
missioners: c/o County Manager, 800
Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria, OR
97103. Phone: 503-325-1000.