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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2016 144TH YEAR, NO. 127 ONE DOLLAR DEPARTING CANNON BEACH CITY COUNCILORS CELEBRATED PAGE 2A Gearhart goes to class for dune grass Homeowners seek to control dune vegetation By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian Photos by Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn, right, and his son Jackson, a Boy Scout in Troop 642, help load boxes of food with other community volunteers into a truck to be delivered to families in need on Friday at the American Legion in Cannon Beach. ‘We’re here for the community’ A community effort to deliver food, gifts to families See GEARHART, Page 7A By LYRA FONTAINE The Daily Astorian After refuge takeover, a quieter land battle unfolds C ANNON BEACH — Every year since the 1970s, the Cannon Beach Amer- ican Legion Post 168 and local vol- unteers have spent almost a week gathering, organizing and distributing items to make sure families have food on their tables and gifts under their trees during the holidays. This year, the post’s Community Christ- mas Basket Program delivered children’s gifts, whole turkeys and various other items, from milk to paper towels, to 55 households. About 30 people total were involved in prepa- ration, food gathering and wrapping the toys, said Dan O’Reilly, the post’s commander. “The American Legion is the one that puts it all together and gathers all the toys and food,” O’Reilly said. “We get this all going without the city’s help. It’s very significant.” On Thursday, the American Legion Post 168 building was filled with piles of wrapped presents — games, puzzles, books, stuffed animals and more — meticulously organized by age group and household. “It’s a big job trying to figure out who gets what,” said Nancy Teagle, who has volun- teered for the program for about 20 years. The American Legion helps deliver gifts that kids wish for from the “Giving Tree” at U.S. Bank, containing cards with items that people in the community can purchase. Maddy Wrege, 10, was volunteering for the fourth year. “These are the most toys we’ve had for awhile,” she said. “I like delivering because I like seeing the people’s expressions.” By Friday, the presents were delivered and volunteers, including police officers and fire- fighters, helped load and deliver food boxes to low-income apartments at Elk Creek Terrace See COMMUNITY, Page 7A GEARHART — Noxious species, high grass, fire hazards and trees growing in the midst of foredunes are among unaddressed issues in Gearhart, resident Margaret Marino told city councilors at three separate fall meetings. An educational forum at the Gearhart Firehouse on Jan. 5 aims to rem- edy that. Marino, who is working with homeown- ers along Ocean Avenue, seeks approval to manage vegetation on the dunes. Right now, the city’s zoning code does not address mowing, removal of trees, nox- ious weeds or grasses. Marino first came before the council in September when she sought permission to manage shore pines, Scotch broom, tansy, thistles and other noxious weeds. In November, City Attorney Peter Watts advised that before taking action, the city must revise the zoning code, a process that would be initiated by the Planning Commis- sion and approved by City Council. American Legion First Vice Commander Don Boehm fills a box with eggs and milk for delivery to families in need on Friday in Cannon Beach. Boehm has been helping organize this charity with the American Legion since 1977. Suspicion of federal government’s motives in land management By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Stacie Gilligan hands a turkey to Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn as he helps with other community volunteers and American Legion members to deliver boxes of food to families in need on Friday in Cannon Beach. JOHN DAY — On a recent wintry eve- ning, members of the Grant County Public Forest Commission walked into the warmth of a rustic diner and took seats at their cus- tomary table for their bimonthly meeting. They voiced anger and frustration. At this meeting, they were officially a non-entity. A judge this fall dissolved the commis- sion at the behest of a former county super- visor who worried it was becoming a risk, citing the takeover of a federal wildlife ref- uge in a neighboring county. While the armed occupation of the Mal- heur National Wildlife Refuge grabbed the world’s attention, a quieter struggle over fed- eral lands is being waged by those trying to use elections and the levers of government. Their grandparents and great-grandparents wrested a living from the West’s rugged landscape. See LAND BATTLE, Page 7A The Heroux family made a big move From 10,000 Lakes to clams and crabbing By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian S EASIDE — Suppose you just decided to close your eyes and pick a spot on the map? Lynne Heroux, a long- time Minnesota resident, didn’t exactly blindfold her- self, but she made a list of cri- teria for her and her 12-year- old son, Sam. Heroux sought to make a change in her daily work-life and to try something different. OUR NEW NEIGHBORS HIGHLIGHTING PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO THE COMMUNITY “My son said if we were going to make a move, we were going to make it big,” Heroux said. “So we started reading the atlas at night. I wanted to be by the coast. He wanted to fish. So we picked Oregon.” After deciding on a desti- nation, Heroux then went job searching. An occupational therapist, she found an oppor- tunity with Providence Seaside Hospital. They embarked on their cross-country adventure in June, but after arriving, got caught in the North Coast housing crunch. Unable to find a place to rent, they stayed six weeks in the Hillcrest Inn before purchasing a home. See HEROUX, Page 7A Submitted Photo Lynn Heroux and Sam Heroux at a Thanksgiving dinner in Seaside.