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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2016 143RD YEAR, NO. 244 ONE DOLLAR FBI SEARCHES FOR MOTIVES IN ORLANDO BLOODBATH PAGE 10A New ‘We are the Seaside centennials’ interest in Tongue Point Port in talks on a marine terminal By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Photos by Danny Miller/ The Daily Astorian Seaside graduates share a laugh on stage during the Seaside High School graduation ceremony Monday at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center . More photos online at DailyAstorian.com Seniors celebrate accomplishments By LYRA FONTAINE The Daily Astorian EASIDE — Ninety-fi ve graduat- ing students of Seaside High School’s 100th class ascended onstage Monday night in red caps and gowns to cele- brate an array of accomplishments. Taylor Barnes, one of six valedictorians, told fellow students to have “a Muhamma d Ali mindset,” quoting the late boxer, “I’m gonna show you how great I am.” “We all have greatness inside of us,” Barnes said. “I’ve seen it from you. Now it’s the world’s turn to see it.” The Associated Student Body’s efforts to help relocate district schools out of the tsunami inundation zone, and one student’s mission to research and organize a centen- nial celebration, are just two examples of the determination. The students acknowledged exciting events like breaking school records, com- peting in championships, making music and creating plays. They also celebrated small, everyday achievements — making it to school each day, completing homework, overcoming obstacles — that led to them being able to walk out of the Seaside Civic and Conven- tion Center as graduates. “All of us have faced challenges, whether with school life, social life, home life or not knowing if there was going to be food on the table for dinner tonight, the C lass of 2016 has faced it all,” Barnes said. “Not only did we persevere, many of us went on to accom- plish things well beyond our years.” “This is a wonderful and special class,” Sheila Roley, the school’s principal, said. “They are bright, kind, compassionate, car- ing group of young people and they have worked very hard. The road through high school is not an easy one. We put high bars in See TONGUE POINT, Page 10A S See GRADS, Page 7A The Port of Astoria is nearing an agree- ment with retired attorney and entrepreneur Rece Bly to develop a marine terminal and bring unspecifi ed cargo to North Tongue Point. Jim Knight, the Port’s executive director, said the spirit of the agreement is to compen- sate Bly if he can identify cargo to be han- dled at North Tongue Point, an industrial facility the Port has leased from Missoula, Montana-based Washington Development Group since 2009. Knight said Port commissioners are look- ing over a document the Port will send to Bly, who has been attending recent Port Commission meetings. The Port has had diffi culty developing the property. North Tongue Point is entic- ing because of its dual access to the deep- draft channel on the Columbia River and a derelict rail spur owned by Portland & West- ern Railroad, a subsidiary of short-line hold- ing company Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Esti- mates to redevelop the antiquated property into a modern shipping facility exceed $100 million. Cities look for fi x on parks ruling Dánte Still high-fives a friend before the start of the Seaside High School graduation ceremony . State Supreme Court held that city parks workers are not immune from lawsuits By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian Josef Barbic, top, sits on Sam Beaudoin’s shoulders while posing for a celebratory photo on stage . Trip and fall from a dangerous crack on the Astoria Riverwalk? The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that you can sue city mainte- nance workers for negligence. The court held in March that city workers responsible for maintenance at public parks do not have immunity from liability because, unlike cities, they are not owners of the rec- reational land. Cities still have to legally defend main- tenance workers who are doing their jobs, so the court ruling has unnerved city lead- ers and insurers worried that a shield against lawsuits has been pierced. The League of Oregon Cities and others will likely ask the Legislature next session to recognize recreational immunity for city workers. See RULING, Page 10A Strict limits proposed for Gearhart rentals One short- term rental per owner envisioned By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian City Administrator Chad Sweet at a May public hear- ing on short-term rentals. GEARHART — The Gear- hart City Council, under pres- sure from residents to contain vacation rentals, will decide in July whether to limit prop- erty owners to one rental each. The new rules would force owners with multiple vaca- tion rentals to choose one. Owners who do not have a short-term rental would have 30 days after the ordinance becomes law to apply for a permit. “We’re saying there is this one-time period where peo- ple can come in and apply for a permit,” City Planner Carole Connell said. “It’s a 30-day window. After that, nobody can apply for one again. It also says no person can apply for more than one permit.” “One permit, one person,” Planning Commissioner Terry Graff said. “If you have one house, you can apply for one. I f you have fi ve houses, you can apply for one.” The Planning Commis- sion on Thursday forwarded the proposed rules to the City Council, which will hold a public hearing July 5. In addition to the restric- tions, the Planning Commis- sion also exempted certain zones, including the Pali- sades, Highlands and East Pine Lane, which do not pay taxes to the city. A short-term rental unit is described as any property occupied for less than 30 days. The application fee would be $500. Inspection fees would be $125, with a fol- low-up visit without charge if necessary. If additional vis- its are required, applicants would pay $50 for each visit. Vacation rental permits would only be transferable by inheritance to a person as directed in a will or trust. A permit would not be trans- ferable upon the sale of the property. Fees would go to enforce- ment, City Administrator Chad Sweet said. Sweet said the city would have to fi gure out whether permits could be renewed annually or every two years. “It could put a lot of pressure on the city to go through this particular thing every single year,” he said. “If they’re behaving them- selves, they should be able to renew,” Graff said.
