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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 144TH YEAR, NO. 23 ONE DOLLAR Cost of ‘A FLOATING MUSEUM’ PERS Future of Tourist No. 2 is uncertain to rise $885M W By ELI STILLMAN The Daily Astorian Associated Press PORTLAND — The cost of Oregon’s public pension system will increase about $885 million over the next two years, a higher increase than was previously expected. The new costs are 10 percent higher than previously forecast and 44 percent above the $2 billion per biennium that public employ- ers are currently paying, The Oregonian reported. The Public Employees Retirement Sys- tem on Friday released an updated valua- tion of the pension fund’s assets and liabil- ities that suggests the system’s investment returns have lagged far behind the system’s assumed rate of 7.5 percent. The fund cur- rently has an unfunded liability of $21.8 bil- lion or about 71 cents in assets for every dol- lar of liabilities. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian People cheer and wave as the historic Tourist No. 2 ferry arrives Monday at the 17th Street Dock in Astoria. See PERS, Page 12A Medical benefi ts of dental fl oss are unproven This two-sided cardboard sched- ule from before 1946 shows connecting bus times and the blue arrow that guided tourists to the ferry landing. hen the Tourist No. 2 fi nally reached the 17th Street Dock Monday morn- ing, Robert “Jake” Jacob was there to help tie the historic ferry up. The colorful owner of the Cannery Pier Hotel has been one of the main voices behind the old wooden boat’s unlikely return. The end of the ferry’s journey from Bremerton, Washington, to Astoria was greeted with cheers and a bottle of whiskey for the exhausted two-man crew. “To make it all the way from Seattle is amazing,” said Jacob. But what happens next is uncertain. Tourist No. 2 will head to Tongue Point in a few days and return to the 17th Street Dock next week for the Astoria Regatta, where it will participate in the boat parade. Some are hopeful the ferry will eventually become a tourist attraction like the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. Yet it will likely take a year of work and a haul-out before the 92-year- old relic can attempt U.S. Coast Guard certifi cation. “It’s a fl oating museum,” said Donna Quinn, the director of sales and marketing at the Cannery Pier Hotel. “It’s such a treat to have this piece of history here.” Skeptics Dulcye Taylor, the president of the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association, has heard from doubters who warn that a “wooden boat is kind of a hole that you throw money into. But this boat has been loved and worked its whole life.” The Tourist No. 2 shuttled passen- gers and cars between Astoria and Megler, Submitted Photo See FERRY, Page 12A Evidence is ‘unreliable,’ of ‘very low’ quality The historic Tourist No. 2 ferry pulls up to the 17th Street Dock in Astoria on Monday. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian By JEFF DONN AP National Writer HOLMDEL, N.J. — It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: Floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities. Except there’s little proof that fl ossing works. Still, the federal government, dental orga- nizations and manufacturers of fl oss have pushed the practice for decades. Dentists provide samples to their patients; the Ameri- can Dental Association insists on its website that, “Flossing is an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums.” The federal government has recom- mended fl ossing since 1979, fi rst in a sur- geon general’s report and later in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued every fi ve years. The guidelines must be based on sci- entifi c evidence, under the law. See FLOSS, Page 12A Next Portland mayor aims to bridge urban-rural gap Wheeler says he’s an advocate for Oregon ag By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Eric Mortenson/Capital Press State Treasurer Ted Wheel- er will take office in January as Portland mayor. Wheeler said he brings an appreci- ation of Oregon agriculture and rural communities to the position. PORTLAND — Love it or despise it, this quirky city can make or break the fortunes of Oregon’s farmers and ranchers. With 610,000 people liv- ing within the city limits, and 1.7 million in the three counties that make up the greater metro area, Portland is the chief con- sumer, shipper, marketer and brander of the state’s agricul- tural production. What happens here rip- nty, u o C p o e! s t m o a l s e C w a o s ing $ 2 adults e b r o f s k n a h t ny day… , a Pick a day the week! or stay for $ 1 kiddos $ 1 per car ples far beyond the city, which makes Portland poli- tics important from Pendleton to Prineville and from Powell Butte to Paisley. When current state Trea- surer Ted Wheeler decided to run for Portland mayor and won enough votes in the May primary to avoid a runoff in November, rural producers took notice. He won’t take offi ce until January, but some in agricul- ture believe Wheeler’s ascen- dancy could improve urban-ru- ral relations. Rural roots Wheeler lives in Portland, See WHEELER, Page 9A Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Rural producers sometimes see Portland as a distant place that doesn’t understand agriculture, but mayor-elect Ted Wheeler has rural roots. 2016 Clatsop County Fair August 2-6 For more information go to www.clatsopfairgrounds.com