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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016 Bridge: Commemorative tokens will mark the occassion Continued from Page 1A ceremony with this year’s Miss Ore- gon, Alexis Mather. After the speakers, those at the rededication will be invited to take a drive across the 4.1-mile bridge to the Dismal Nitch Rest Area. Commem- orative tokens will be handed out to mark the occasion. State Department of Transporta- tion spokesman Lou Torres said the bridge rededication is a big day for the state department. ODOT director Garrett plans to speak about the history of the bridge, the continued work being done and the bridge’s importance today. “It’s a bridge we maintain and operate. We have a really strong inter- est in everything that goes on with the bridge,” Torres said. In conjunction with the rededica- tion, about 10 to 15 bridge workers will gather Saturday for a reunion. Gallegos will not be able to make it this weekend, he said, but he plans to be back in Astoria this fall for his birthday. Bridge workers will also join in the Grand Land Parade during the Astoria Regatta. Satisfaction Gallegos recalls the excitement he felt starting work as a cement inisher on the Astoria Bridge right out of high school in 1964. His older, half-brother helped him get the job. “I had worked at other jobs in Seaside and the surrounding area and never was paid over $1.25 an hour, and now Jim Gallegos I was going to work and would in 1964. be paid journey- man wages of $4 per hour, plus haz- ard pay of 20 cents per hour,” Gal- legos said. “My life was in for a big change.” During his job orientation, Gal- legos was handed a life jacket and told to paint the last four digits of his Social Security number on the vest. He was told the numbers would help identify him if he fell in the water. After the irst day, Gallegos said, he got used to working more than 50 feet above the river. He looks back fondly on those hard-working days. “I get ecstatic. It’s a great feeling, the personal satisfaction of working there,” he said. “It’s still standing.” The Daily Astorian/File Photo The Astoria Bridge is just as impressive by air as it is from the ground in 2002. An editorial cartoon in the Chinook Observer mentioned the Astoria Bridge in 2002 as the states were considering ever larger tankers. Walmart: Divisive issue regularly draws opponents from neighboring communities Divisive issue Walmart’s plan to build in Warrenton is a divisive issue for North Coast residents, one that regularly draws opponents, including from neighboring communities. “This request should be denied because, number one, it was a mistake to grant the per- mit in the irst place,” said Sara Meyer, an Astoria resident and a member of CRAW, at Tuesday’s meeting. Among her objections, the project, she said, “only looks at short-term construction employ- ment and a few part-time employees at this site. It does clatsop community college presents its 3 rd annual Conference on extraordinary living Continued from Page 1A The win for Walmart came a week after a judge dismissed a case brought by a local oppo- sition group, Clatsop Residents Against Walmart, against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The citizens group, formed in 2010 to oppose the retailer’s move to Warrenton, sued the Army Corps more than a year ago, claiming the agency failed to adequately protect wetland and consider alternatives in its review of a wetland ill permit application by Peaksview LLC, which owns land Walmart plans to build on. The Corps issued Peaksview a permit to ill 0.37 acres of wetland for construc- tion of a big-box retailer. Karl Anuta, the attorney for the citizens group, said he plans to ile a supplemental memo appealing the judge’s ruling. “In his view, they didn’t need to look at the studies Walmart had supposedly done,” Anuta said. “They just asked about them. We don’t agree. That’s what our supplemental memo will be around.” Walmart intends to begin construction in spring 2017, assuming the federal litigation has been resolved, Skip Urling, Warrenton’s community devel- opment director, said. Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian The Astoria Bridge opened on Aug. 29, 1966. for people 50+ Keith Pinkstaff, Warrenton’s har- bormaster since 1998, is retiring this week. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, Mayor Mark Kujala pre- sented Pinkstaff with an award of appreciation. Lunch provided $10 suggested donation Live Life to the Fullest Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016e, 8:30am-4pm Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall Erick Bengel The Daily Astorian not address the long-term eco- nomic health in the city.” CRAW, she said, “wants you to know that we are not anti-business. We support busi- ness and smart, sustainable growth. Walmart is the opposite of that.” Meyer, a plaintiff in the law- suit against the Army Corps, added that the citizens group worries the money spent at Walmart won’t recirculate in the community. “They will, ulti- mately, take that money out of this community. That is why we ight them,” she said. Should construction get underway, CRAW’s members will monitor Walmart’s adher- ence to safe-building and envi- ronmental practices, Meyer said. “We expect the city to be supportive of aggressive enforcement” when violations are reported. Betty Stennick, of Ham- mond, shops at Walmart in Longview, Washington, and could not disagree more. “I believe the sooner that Walmart gets built, the better we’re all going to be.” “I say ‘yes’ on Walmart, and let’s hurry up. We need it here. Both Fred Meyer and Safeway need more competition,” she said, eliciting an “amen” from an audience member. “And after that, maybe WinCo will come in — the more the merrier.” Harbormaster retires In other business Tuesday night, Kujala — wearing a sport coat for the occasion — pre- sented an award of apprecia- tion to Keith Pinkstaff, who has served as the city’s harbormas- ter for 18 years and is retiring this week. “On behalf of the city of Warrenton, we all want to thank you for all of your service,” the mayor told him. Pinkstaff said he is grateful to the commission and city staff for their support and for help- ing him improve Warrenton and Hammond’s harbors and mari- nas over the years. “I’m here to help the city. I’m not going anywhere,” he said, “so thank you.” Edward Stratton contributed to this report. Keynote address from Jill Harding from Lewis & Clark NHP “Hey Doc - What’s Up?” Q&A with health providers and experts on aging 18 Informative Breakout Sessions: • • • • • • • • • • Advocating for Your Own Health Mindfulness & Life Coaching Tips Estate Planning Educational & Volunteer Opportunities Frauds & Scams Disaster Prep/Stormy Weather AARP: Disrupt Aging Discussion Nutrition for the Sunrise Years Seniors on the Move with Travel Transitioning into Retirement • • • • • • • • County Events Extraordinaire Genealogy at your Fingertips Hiking on the North Coast Posture Analysis/Yoga Personal Technology A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls Veteran’s Beneits/Social Security/ Medicare/Medicaid Intro to Acupuncture & Alternative Medicine Free lu shots while supplies last, sponsored by Family Care Health Register by Sept. 1 Contact Evy at 503-338-2566 or eberger@clatsopcc.edu Clatsop Community College is an airmative action, equal opportunity institution. ADA Accessible.