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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 2016)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016 FRIDAY EXCHANGE Insanity O nce again our political leaders and the faithful mark a horrifi c tragedy with a moment of silence, and once again we learn that silence equals more death. It’s inexcusable that in 2016, our leaders on the right side of the aisle continue to protect guns over people. I’m not hearing the voices of the god-fearing people stand up and speak out about this atrocity. Is it because it’s a gay nightclub, and, like the Texas lieutenant governor tweeted on the day of that massacre, “that we reap what we sow”? We all have blood on our hands until we, as a society, stand up together and make rational changes in our gun laws and prevent people from buying war weapons that, more often than not, wind up on our streets. I believe the intent of our forefathers was the right to bear muskets and handguns, not AK-47s. This is not the America I wish to see for future genera- tions. It’s past time that peo- ple of rational thought make a stand and try to stop the killings, end the hateful rhet- oric and educate the ignorant. Yes, I feel the pain of Orlando; yes, I’m upset; and yes, I’m gay, and I vote. PAUL FLUES II Astoria Orlando and truth he Bible says in Luke 21:25, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” In context, those words are attributed to an answer given by Jesus Christ when asked by his followers, paraphras- ing, “what are the conditions that trigger your return?” By the way, beware of the verse taken out of context, for that is an invitation to drink Kool- Aid or in math, context – text = con. With attention to “distress of nations, with perplexity,” the indication is that the gov- ernments of the world will be ineffective at governing T The future of our forests T he debate over timber harvest in Oregon is simple. Will we tolerate increased clear cutting on our publicly owned state land? Will we succumb to the demands of timber companies for increased harvest in areas already desig- nated for conservation? Will we allow the Linn County tim- ber lawsuit to derail balanced forest management? Will we succumb to the cries of local taxing districts or will we prompt our county commissioners to lobby in Salem for better solutions to their fi scal shortfall than cutting down our conservation forests? At the June 8 county commission meeting we learned that our commis- sioners are not actively taking a position on forest management. Commission Chairman Scott Lee advocated a “let’s wait and see” non-position, hoping that the Oregon Board of Forestry, which is authorized to set the rules for both pri- vate and state timber harvest, will put (hence the mercy of Christ), and so it is with shootings, as government can’t and won’t be able to fi gure it out. In more sophisticated language, governments of the world are unable to craft effective pol- icy and address the problems facing the world. World hunger, sex traf- fi cking, child pornogra- phy, shootings, corruption, income inequality, terrorism — and the hits just keep on coming. And so we see right now, before our very eyes, “distress of nations, with perplexity.” The Bible also says, in II Timothy 3:1, again the con- text of the last days and the end of history as it has been heretofore known: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” When they start killing ’em 50 at a whack, that’s per- ilous. When one group of folks starts beheading people and fi lming it, that’s perilous. When a reporter is shot live during an interview, that’s perilous. Etc., etc., etc., you get the point. Orlando is not the result of inadequate gun laws, the forth a “balanced product.” Instead of this reactive approach, the commission- ers could help drive the conversation on the new rules by taking more of a lead- ership role, and setting parameters for a plan they would accept. The Clatsop County Vison 2030 Together plan, which was initiated and approved by the full commission, would be a good reference point in laying out those parameters. This document shows that citizens want to “protect and enhance our scenic beauty and natural resources,” calling for “portions (of the forest) permanently protected for their inherent natural value.” Nowhere in the document’s 16-point future economic goals is timber harvest, or increased tim- ber harvest, mentioned. At the same meeting, Commissioner Lianne Thompson has made it clear that she discounts the vision plan as biased because the public forums held were attended primarily by “community hatred of one man or ISIS. Orlando is the result of sin. The world’s problems are not rooted in geopolitical struggles, economic inequal- ity or distribution of scarce resources, they are rooted in sin. Sin is the problem, and the truth is Jesus Christ is the answer to sin. His shed blood (“and without shed- ding of blood is no remis- sion” Hebrews 9:22) on Cal- vary’s cross is the atonement for that sin. But that atonement — a free gift — is not effectual if not believed. A giver of a gift is denied the joy of the gift if the gift is rejected. GARY MAURO Warrenton Priorities hile the Astoria City Council considers numerous projects under- way, it seems to have diffi - culty setting priorities. As its longest-pending undertaking, the Astoria Riverfront Vision Plan, approved in 2009, leads in urgency. Segments of the plan already thrive along three stretches of the Colum- W activists.” She goes on to say, “I was not on this board when the vision report was adopted.” Not true. The record shows that not only did she vote to approve the plan, but she made the motion to approve it. Is it possible that Thompson’s inde- pendent judgment is compromised by her marriage to the county administra- tor of Linn County, initiators of the tim- ber lawsuit? That could also explain her saying that she has “been talking with some of our federal delegation about unlocking (read logging) some of the federal forests so we don’t have to pay billions of dollars to fi ght fi res in an unmanaged forest.” The salient point here is that Clatsop County has virtually no federal forests, while Linn County forests are 52 per- cent federal. Which county is she repre- senting? What’s going on? ROGER DORBAND Astoria bia waterfront with land use guidelines in place. The ARVP enhances the enjoy- ment of bikers, joggers and walkers using Astoria’s sig- nature Riverwalk. The fi nal section — the urban core between Sec- ond and 16th streets — lags behind for lack of funding. The council would do well to direct the Planning Com- mission to proceed with the urban core while the con- sultant, Rosemary Johnson, retired, is still available. Oth- erwise, there are no clear guidelines for development in this area. We commend the city man- ager for offering to search for grants to complete the urban core portion of the ARVP. JUANITA PRICE Astoria Bad idea I ’d like to offer some addi- tional commentary on the proposed 168-unit apartment complex in the Miles Cross- ing area. I n the June 5 edi- tion of The Daily Astorian, Richard Lee stated the Jef fers Gardens area had a housing project of roughly 1,500 in the 1940s (“Residents dig in against apartment complex”). Guess what? This project isn’t located in Jeffers Gar- dens, it’s on Lewis and Clark Road. In the 1940s, there were only an handful of homes in the Lewis and Clark and Youngs River area. In fact, the water district servicing this area was originally designed for 250 hook-ups. You heard right. Currently, the water dis- trict is servicing four times that amount. From the same water source. The ability to fi ght a major fi re is dependent on trucks pumping water from sloughs. As far as the traffi c, Lewis & Clark Road is already over- loaded. In addition to all the growth, the area was reopened to commercial traffi c after mil- lions of dollars in road repair. If this apartment complex is built, the impact to property owners will be largely nega- tive. Infrastructure, schools, law enforcement will need to be expanded. As always, existing taxpayers will foot the bill. In time, the apartment complex will become dere- lict. Cars on blocks, rusty refrigerators, garbage, crime. 5A As was the case when West- erlund Log Handlers operated the sorting yard, people won’t want to live out here. Home values will go down. Traffi c will be a nightmare. This is why the mayor of Astoria thinks building it out here is such a good idea. Thanks for your help. TIMOTHY J. BISH Astoria Keep business open was saddened to hear that the Port of Astoria might be canceling the lease of North- west Wild Products, one of the few commercial fi sh ven- dors left in Astoria, located at the West Marina, in sight of the Cannery Pier Hotel. Last year, the sardine pro- cessing plant near Buoy Beer ceased business, due to a lack of fi sh. At one time, there were more than 30 sal mon canneries in Astoria, and now there are none. This is a town founded primarily on the fi shing indus- try, and now Northwest Wild Products may follow. In recent years, I have pur- chased high-quality salmon and other fi sh products from this vendor at reasonable prices. Its location, facing the quaint West Marina, in sight of the beautiful bridge and easily accessible by every- one, including the tourists disembarking from the large cruise ships frequenting Astoria, as well as regional citizens, was also patron- ized by the fi shing guides and their clients using the marina. Over time, I have become friends with Ron Neva and Amanda Cordero, the propri- etors. They are dedicated and hard-working members of our local business community, and I feel it would be a shame to lose their local presence and business. Amanda is also an important volunteer on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. I hope the Port will reach an accommodation to keep Northwest Wild Products open at its present loca- tion so all of us will have a valuable choice for purchas- ing seafood at one of the last small businesses on the Asto- ria waterfront. DAVID SKARRA Hammond I June 25, 10 AM -3 PM Warrenton Kia 801 Marlin Ave, Warrenton We need your help! he CMH Relay for Life team is hosting a fundraising Car Wash at Warrenton Kia. Grab a hot dog and get your car washed for a good cause! All proceeds will go to Relay for Life. Please join us! 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, Oregon • (503) 325-4321 www.columbiamemorial.org • A Planetree-Designated Hospital