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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2016)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 FRIDAY EXCHANGE 5A Eliminate sea lions ollowing four conirmed cattle kills by the wolves in northeastern Washington, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife managers ordered the killing of wolves. As a result, effectively 10 per- cent of the wolf pack was eliminated. The cost to reintroduce wolves and build their popula- tions over the years has likely cost in the millions of dollars. In the meantime, after mil- lions — if not billions — of dollars have been spent over the years on any number of measures to bolster salmon runs, sea lions continue to multiply and feast on salmon. A recent population survey counted thousands of these predators just on the West Coast. They have taken over docks from San Francisco to Astoria, and cost the Port of Astoria thousands of dollars a month in lost revenue. All the while, they take a signiicant portion of the salmon runs that have been so costly to rebuild. Thank you Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., for backing a bill to kill sea lions to protect ish runs. Maybe our leaders are inally going to address this problem. In the meantime, I guess sea lions are safe as long as they don’t start killing cattle. PATRICK ST. JOHN Vancouver, Washington Monumental tribute F Support schools write today urging everyone in our Seaside School Dis- trict to vote yes for the bond issue for our local schools. As a retired senior citi- zen, I have not had a child in these schools for many years. My grandchildren have all been educated in other places, where others have paid the taxes to educate them. I know it is my turn to step up to the plate and carry forward what the members of our commu- nity did for my generation and me in the 1950s. Yes, I attended Broadway Middle School in the early 1950s, when it was new and in good condition. This is no lon- ger the case. I recently visited Broadway, as well as Gear- hart Elementary and the high school, and was astounded at the deteriorating walls, roof- ing and heating issues. And, I learned that nearly $500,000 a year is being spent beyond the normal mainte- nance budget to patch up the most pressing problems. What a waste to spend this kind of money, and still have unsafe facilities that no longer meet the needs of education in the 21st century. We are fortunate to be in a position where the land for the new buildings has been donated by Weyerhaeuser, and when we can take advantage of some of the lowest inter- est rates we have ever known. The state will also contribute $4 million as a one-time con- tribution if the bond passes this November. In addition, Seaside has three of the four schools in the state that are in the tsu- nami zone. And although it is uncertain when that could be an issue here, the probability is very high in the next 50 years. These are some of the rea- sons that Seaside branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has chosen to support this measure this year. Our chil- dren are our investment in the future. Our organization is one that values and supports edu- cation as a means to a better future. It is our time to step forward and insure that our children receive the education they need to be successful. They deserve it. Please give them your support. CAROL BRENNEMAN President, Seaside AAUW I Vote yes for schools ear Seaside School Dis- trict residents: It’s time for all of us to step up and support our children by vot- ing yes on the Seaside School District bond measure this November. I was fortunate to grow up when the schools were maintained, and educa- tion was supported. Now it’s my turn to support our district children, and I ask you to sup- port me in voting yes, too. In the 2013 election, the bond measure didn’t pass. The writers of the bond listened to D he ceremony conirming U.S. cit- izenship upon new citizens was recently held at Knappton Cove Her- itage Center — a very appropriate venue. As one of the attending mem- bers of the Astoria Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, this was the irst such event I had ever attended. Several other ser- vice organizations, such as the Astoria Lions Club, created an appropriate set- ting for the dignitaries and ceremony oficiators. As a native-born citizen, I was impressed with the one man and 10 women, from a variety of countries, who stepped forward to receive their oficial documents afirming citizen- ship. Later, they indicated it had not T your concerns and have made several important changes: • They have reduced the cost of the bond by 37.5 percent. • They have persuaded Weyerhaeuser to donate 80 acres of land east of Seaside Heights Elementary school. • The district has applied for and is in line to receive $4 million in state match- ing funds, but can only receive these funds if the bond mea- sure passes. But more important, three of the four schools that our children are attending are more than 50 years old. Their maintenance repair costs are ever increasing. Those same schools are in the tsunami zone, and cannot receive state funding to retroit or relocate those schools. It’s time to act now. Inter- est rates are at an all-time low. Costs to build in the future are expected to rise 4 percent each year. The new schools will be more energy eficient, and those savings can be passed on to program development and teacher salaries. Deteriorating schools give the wrong message to our students and teachers. They deserve safe, eficient loca- tions in which to learn. Good education strengthens our community and creates lead- ers for our future. As an added bonus, when the tsunami comes — and experts say it will occur some- time in the next 50 years — the new schools not only will keep our children safe, but will provide emergency shel- ters for the whole community. For $1.35 per $1,000 value of your property, you can assure our children safety and a quality education. A win-win for all of us. Vote yes for our local schools. CYNTHIA GOULD Gearhart VERN FOWLER Seaside been easy, but each had the determina- tion to accomplish their commitment to the U.S. by attending classes, studying hard and passing the examination. They were all smiling broadly, as were friends and families, and the youngsters who accompanied them. They were eager to become part of our democracy in a republic, and to use their rights and privileges to take part in their government and to vote. As I watched them, I felt my mater- nal grandfather, the Hon. John A. Buchanan (1863-1935), standing next to me. Appointed to the Ameri- can Legion Commission of Naturaliza- tion in 1920-1930s, he always kept his Astoria law ofice door open for log- gers, ishermen, immigrants — anyone not make a dime off of me; what Brent did for me was priceless. Thank you, Brent. May the kindness you generously shared with me return to you 100-fold. DENESE SKINNER Amarillo, Texas Character? fter the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked, what did you create? Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” America’s founders did not always polit- ically agree with each other, but there was a certain moral standard of conduct for hold- ing public ofice. As America’s second pres- ident, John Adams, stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inade- quate to the government of any other.” Until recently, citizens would not toler- ate politicians who demon- strated unethical or immoral behavior. It is very perplexing how the ethically challenged Hil- lary Clinton can still gener- ate support. Hillary lied to Congress and the FBI over the security of emails. In tes- A and all who wanted to learn the history of these United States and about our form of government. He also taught them about the for- mation of the Paciic Northwest and, his passion, about our area’s Indian lore. Many of his students became nat- uralized citizens through his dedication to education and his strong belief in service toward all. As a tribute to him, a monument stone will be placed on his gravesite at Ocean View Cemetery. To help fund this, please donate to the Clatsop County Historical Society, in beneit for the Buchanan Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 88, Astoria, OR 97103. CAROL C. LAMBERT Hammond timony before Congress, FBI Director James Comey admit- ted that Hillary had received 110 classiied emails. The decision by Comey not to recommend criminal indict- ment against Hillary, based on the difference of “intent” versus “gross negligence,” is a blow to justice and those who have been convicted for lesser crimes in handling government secrets. There is also the critical issue of how four brave men were killed in Benghazi. Hil- lary stated in congressional testimony, “… what differ- ence does it make?” Presi- dent Obama sent out national security advisor Susan Rice to deliberately lie to the American people, saying the attack was caused by a video, when in fact it was well planned terrorist attack. Wake up, America. Does character still matter in politics? Fifty years ago, Hillary could not have been elected dog catcher, and now there is a chance of winning the election for president. Maybe the voters no longer care about personal and gov- ernment ethics; just keep the welfare and entitlement pro- grams coming. LARRY SPARKS Cannon Beach Our team t was so nice seeing repre- sentatives of the Trail Blaz- ers in Astoria last week. I hon- estly didn’t think they gave a care about us here. There were so many attend- ees at the fair. My wife and I got to meet a few friendly folks, including the writer cov- ering the story for The Daily Astorian, who seemed to know a lot about the team. We did enjoy seeing his story after (“Trail Blazers Rip City comes to the coast,” Sept. 21). It proved to me to an extent that maybe, just maybe, they realize there are fans outside the Portland area. I’m ready and excited for the approach- ing season. I just wish some- one local could cover them. No radio station carries them. The local newspaper doesn’t cover them. I’d like to see more coverage somewhere, if possible. After all, they sup- posedly are our team. That’s what they say, anyway. JIM SAUNDERS Astoria I Housing hopes egarding the Planning Commission meeting Sept. 27, and The Daily Asto- rian article Sept. 28 (“Plan- R ning Commission mulls ways to gain homes”): There are a lot of problems with the con- cept of “accessory dwelling units,” which really translates to increased density for a city like Astoria. Increased density is not good for humans or animals, with the resulting loss of pri- vacy, yards for kids and gar- dens, disputes with neighbors over parking spots and the deterioration of neighborhood characteristics. Lots of single family homes in Astoria have already been converted into plexes, without off-treet parking, resulting in our narrow streets becoming, in effect, one-way streets. The proposed plan will eventually get us into the same hassle taking place in Cannon Beach and Gearhart over vacation rentals. For you homeowners who think this will be a inan- cial beneit to you, beware. After you pay for design, per- mits and construction, your property’s assessed value will increase, and likewise your property tax. Also, any income you receive is subject to income tax, or the IRS will come to visit. The City Council can pro- mote “affordable housing” by encouraging developers to accommodate this goal by building apartments on land such as the soon-to-be-gone Ford dealership property — and it’s on a transit line. Other parcels of land are probably known to local Realtors. If the proposed code changes are made, I am con- cerned that there will be a lack of code enforcement, and subsequent unintended consequences. MIKE GREEN Astoria Editorially tired an we get some edito- rials from people other than The New York Times? It’s depressing to open the paper every day and see Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristof, Charles M. Blow, etc. BUDDY HOELL Astoria C They’re your dreams. Start building them. You’ve already dreamed up the blueprints. We may be able to help bring them to life. The U.S. Bank Home Equity Line of Credit offers competitive rates, lexible payment options and trusted service to help you inance the lasting home improvements you’ve always wanted. Thank you, Brent want to let the Astoria community know that you have an amazing Chamber of Commerce representative working in your Enterprise Rent-A-Car store: Brent Sul- livan. He went out of his way to help me ind transportation from Astoria to the Portland airport. All of his cars were rented for the day I needed one, as cruise ships were docking for excursions. Rather than just saying so and getting back to the business of running his Enterprise Rent-A-Car location, he offered several options for me. One option required that he research a local person who on occasion rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car to do medical transports from Asto- ria to Portland. Within the hour he called back with the most perfect option for get- ting us to the airport. The fol- lowing day Brent’s contact, Elliott Jarrell, picked us up at the hotel and drove us to the airport. I would have expected Brent to convey that all of his cars were booked and send me on my way. What I did not expect was for Brent to go out of his way to help me. Brent was my life- saver. Brent was kind, caring and professional. He did not have to do what he did, but he stepped up and assisted a total stranger. Brent’s Enter- prise Rent-A-Car branch did I HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT Introductory rate for 6 months Rates as low as Variable rate after introductory period 1.50 % 4.00 % APR* Rate available 9/11/16 - 11/11/16. Rates are subject to change. APR* Rate shown for lines of credit: – Up to 70% loan-to-value – U.S. Bank Consumer Checking Package Actual rate may be lower. Visit usbank.com for custom rates. Call 800.209.BANK (2265), visit a local branch, or go to usbank.com/dreambig *1.50% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available on Home Equity Lines of Credit with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) or less. The Introductory Interest Rate will be fixed at 1.50% during the 6-month Introductory Period. A higher introductory rate will apply for an LTV above 80%. Offer is available for new applications submitted from September 11 – November 11, 2016. After the 6-month introductory period: the APR is variable and is based upon an index plus a margin. The APR will vary with Prime Rate (the index) as published in the Wall Street Journal. As of September 11, 2016, the variable rate for Home Equity Lines of Credit ranged from 2.62% APR to 7.20% APR. Higher rates may apply due to an increase in the Prime Rate, a credit limit below $100,000, an LTV above 70%, and/or a credit score less than 730. A U.S. Bank Consumer Silver, Gold, or Platinum Checking Package account is required to receive the lowest rate, but is not required for loan approval. The rate will not vary above 18% APR, or applicable state law, or below 2.12% APR – 2.55% APR, depending on market. Choosing an interest-only repayment may cause your monthly payment to increase, possibly substantially, once your credit line transitions into the repayment period. Repayment options may vary based on credit qualifications. Interest only repayment may be unavailable. Loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Property insurance is required. U.S. Bank and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Your tax and financial situation is unique. You should consult your tax and/or legal advisor for advice and information concerning your particular situation. Other restrictions may apply. Mortgage and Home Equity products offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit Products are offered through U.S. Bank National Association. Customer pays no closing costs, except escrow-related funding costs. An annual fee of up to $90 may apply after the first year and is waived with a U.S. Bank personal Platinum Checking Package. The Consumer Pricing Information brochure lists terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank Consumer Checking Package accounts and can be obtained by calling 800.872.2657. Member FDIC. ©2016 U.S. Bank. 160494 8/16 “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.
