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
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