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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2016 144TH YEAR, NO. 34 BLUE HIGHWAY ONE DOLLAR Conservation groups sue to protect salmon Warm water in Columbia and Snake rivers could be deadly By JES BURNS Oregon Public Broadcasting Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Cars are seen parked on the beach near Del Ray Beach Recreation Site on Monday in Gearhart. Homeowners say traffi c on the beach ‘out of control’ Conservation groups have announced plans to sue the U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency. They say the agency isn’t doing enough to protect salmon from high water tem- peratures on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Warm water can be deadly for salmon. Just last year, 250,000 sockeye died on the Columbia because of high temperatures. The EPA started addressing the issue more than a decade ago, but that process stalled. Miles Johnson of Columbia Riverkeeper said he hopes the lawsuit will jump-start fed- eral efforts to lower river temperatures. “We want the EPA to take a holistic approach, to look at all the sources of tem- perature. But when EPA did that between See SALMON, Page 10A By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian A cherished right for Oregonians, or an environmental and safety nuisance? Homeowners in Gearhart and Warrenton are taking their complaints about unsafe drivers on the beach to local and state offi cials. They want to see the elim- ination, reduction or increased enforcement of traffi c . “Driving on the beach may have made sense back in the days before Highway 101, but by now we should know better than to allow our natural areas to be desecrated by this kind of use,” a group of Surf Pines home- owners wrote the Oregon Parks and Recre- ation Department offi ce in Fort Stevens. The homeowners met with Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici at a Seaside town hall meeting early this month to voice concerns about unsafe driving, fi reworks and bad behavior . “Our trails leading to the beach from our neighborhoods are left with human and dog feces, vomit, trash and toilet paper,” they told offi cials. “Reckless and careless driving abounds with cars and trucks spinning around on the sand, attempts to drive up the trail- heads, driving in the sand dunes and driving through the tide pools. Many of these illegal activities go on year round.” Rich Landers/Spokesman Review A fall Chinook salmon is shown after it was caught on the Columbia River near Desert Aire, Wash., in 2014. R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Signage near the beach at Fort Stevens State Park. High lead levels at schools isolated Fourth of July drama “They felt the Fourth of July was out of control,” Fort Stevens State Park Manager Teri Wing said after meeting with residents. “They wanted to fi nd out: ‘What do we do? Who do we call? We don’t feel like there’s anybody watching.’” Bergin said closing the Clatsop County beach to vehicles is an idea fl oated “every other year or two.” While the sheriff acknowledged enforce- ment problems every Independence Day, including this past one, closing off the beaches would be a mistake. Seaside School District taking swift action By LYRA FONTAINE The Daily Astorian R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian See BEACH TRAFFIC, Page 10A V ehicles are not permitted along the beach in Seaside. ‘It’s a very small group of people who complain. ... They own these homes along the beach and want their own private little walking space. It’s not going to happen.’ Tom Bergin Clatsop County sheriff PGA pro seeks Gearhart’s top spot Brown sees role to ‘calm waters’ By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian GEARHART — PGA profes- sional Matt Brown declared his candidacy Tuesday for Gearhart’s mayor to replace Dianne Widdop, who announced her retirement early this year. Brown said his passion for the city was developed growing up, when he and friends enjoyed the res- idential nature of the community, walking on the Ridge Path — what he calls “the soul of Gearhart” — and shopping at the local grocery. “I always knew Gearhart was a residential community and Pumpkin Ridge Golf and we all loved it, but I Club before returning to didn’t know why,” Brown his hometown in 2006, said. “I learned about the where he lives with his comprehensive plan and longtime girlfriend, Julie learned Gearhart was Visser, also a native. designed to be a residen- In July, as general man- tial community. In com- ager and PGA head pro- munity planning, if your fessional at the Highlands city is not always plan- Golf Club, Brown was ning, outside infl uences honored with a national Matt are going to plan the city award as Merchandiser of Brown for you. That vision is the Year. always at risk.” Beginning in 2006, Brown Brown, 41, attended Gearhart served on the Planning Commission, Elementary School, Seaside High including time as president. “When School and Linfi eld College, where I fi rst got on the Planning Commis- he graduated with a degree in busi- sion, the Planning Commission and ness. As a PGA professional, Brown the City Council were at odds with served at Astoria Golf & Country See BROWN, Page 10A Club, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort SEASIDE — High lead levels were found at a sink faucet at Seaside High School and a hose at Gearhart Elementary School after testing in June. The two problem spots were among 39 locations tested for lead. The sink faucet was at the Seaside High School concessions stand and has since been replaced, district maintenance supervisor Glendon Ely said. The water is undergoing retesting and results are expected in several months. The faucet was not used for drinking but was tested because of potential food prepara- tion or dishwashing use. Above-limit lead levels were also found in a hose in the Gearhart Elementary boiler room. No action was needed because it was a control sample, Ely said. The water is used to clean the boiler room. “I think we were really relieved and sur- prised at the results,” Superintendent Sheila Roley said at a dis- trict board meeting Tuesday. The U.S. Envi- Sheila ronmental Protection Roley Agency recommends schools collect 250 milliliter fi rst-draw sam- ples of stagnant water from outlets used for consumption, taking them out of service if the lead level exceeds 20 parts per billion. The trigger for treatment in a public water system is 15 parts per billion. See LEAD, Page 10A