OPINION 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 Founded in 1873 DAVID F. PERO, Publisher & Editor LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager OUR VIEW E ach week we recognize those people and organizations in the community deserving of public praise for the good things they do to make the North Coast a better place to live, and also those who should be called out for their actions. SHOUTOUTS This week’s Shoutouts go to: • Astoria City Councilor Russ Warr, who is leaving his post after three terms in office and choosing not to run for a fourth. Warr represented the city’s east side and had a reputation as a being fiscal conservative who was known for always being well-prepared on topics that came before the council. Warr attended his final council meeting earlier this month and was honored for his achievements Russ during his years serving the city. Warr • Clatsop County Commissioner Dirk Rohne, who is exiting the board after eight years representing the county’s east side. Rohne, a Brownsmead dairy farmer, attended his final meeting as a commissioner earlier this month week after he chose to retire rather than run for a third term in the November election. A number of those in the audience at Rohne’s final meeting carried signs of sup- Dirk port, waving them to say thank you to Rohne Rohne for his solid service. • Seaside City Council President Don Johnson, who served his last meeting ear- lier this month after his loss to Tom Horning in the November election. Johnson’s fellow city councilors honored him for his 18 years of dedicated service to the city with a plaque and remembrance. • Cannon Beach City Councilors Melissa Melissa Cadwallader and Wendy Higgins, Cadwallader who are leaving their posts after each com- pleting eight years on the council and reach- ing their term limits. The pair were recog- nized at a council meeting earlier this month for their accomplishments while in office. • Eric Paulson and the employees at Lektro, who reached a manufacturing mile- stone for the company with the recent com- pletion of it’s 5,000th airline tug. The tug, one of the company’s largest, will be Wendy Higgins used by American Airlines at Los Angeles International Airport to move its jumbo jets on the tarmac. • The Cannon Beach American Legion Post 168, which teamed with local volunteers and spent a week gathering, pack- aging and distributing items to make sure families in need have food on their tables throughout the holidays. The post’s Community Christmas Basket Program delivered children’s gifts, whole turkeys and other items to 55 households, ensuring a happy holiday for each family. • Terry Bichsel, owner of the Best Western Ocean View Resort in Seaside, who was elected chairman of the hotel chain’s board of directors. Bichsel has been on the board since 2014 and represents hotel owners in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska and Canada’s western provinces. CALLOUTS This week’s Callouts go to: • The state’s Water Resources Department, which needs to improve its long-term planning and management of Oregon’s water supply, according to a recent audit from the Secretary of State’s Office. The audit found the department lacks data in areas such as water use reporting; has focused more on collecting data on surface water rather than groundwater, demand for which is growing; lacks an overarching plan to set long-term water goals; and needs to improve its communication and how it man- ages its workload. The department’s director, Thomas Byler, said that despite limited funding the department is making strides to implement the recommended changes. • Candidates and supporters who haven’t yet taken their political election signs down in areas throughout the county. Whether a candidate won or lost doesn’t make a difference now, the election occurred nearly two months ago, and those signs no longer serve a purpose. Suggestions? Do you have a Shoutout or Callout you think we should know about? Let us know at news@dailyastorian.com and we’ll make sure to take a look. Take the end-of-the-year quiz By GAIL COLLINS New York Times News Service H appy almost New Year! Wow, we’ve been through a lot. Let’s take a look back at 2016 and see how much of the silli- ness you remember. We’re not going to talk about Hillary. Too sad. But here’s an end-of-the-year quiz about: Republicans We Once Knew 1. It’s been a long year for Chris Christie, but he made his- tory when … A) The National Governors Asso- ciation voted him “Least Likely to Succeed.” B) A Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey showed his job disapproval rating at 77 percent. C) He did the tango on “Dancing With the Stars.” AP Photo/Mel Evans Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, stands with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at a campaign event in Lawrenceville, N.J. in May. Christie quickly became the biggest Republican name to throw his support behind Donald Trump after ending his own campaign. 2. Ted Cruz said that when his wife, Heidi, became first lady … A) “She’ll put prayer back in the prayer breakfast.” B) “Michelle Obama’s garden will become a croquet court.” C) “French fries are coming back to the cafeteria.” 3. Marco Rubio’s ad about how “It’s Morning Again in America” made news because … A) It was an excellent depic- tion of why he is truly a Reagan conservative. B) It was filmed in a way that made Rubio appear to be more than 6 feet tall. C) It opened with a shot of the Van- couver, British Columbia, skyline. 4. In a debate, Ben Carson said that when a president vets poten- tial Supreme Court nominees, he should consider … A) “How they’d look in the group picture.” B) “The fruit salad of their life.” C) “Legal things.” AP Photo/Evan Vucci Linda McMahon talks with reporters after a meeting with Presi- dent-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York in November. 11. Trump said he didn’t need a daily intelligence briefing because … A) “I’m, like, a smart person.” B) “The CIA is out to get me.” C) “Putin’s people give me plenty of information.” The Cabinet of Tomorrow 5. Rick Perry, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of energy … A) Lost the paso doble competi- tion to Vanilla Ice on “Dancing With the Stars.” B) Came up with some new ideas for combating global warming. C) Said his earlier reference to Trump’s campaign as “a barking car- nival act” was simply “one of my ‘oops’ moments.” 6. Retired Gen. Jim Mattis, Trump’s selection for secretary of defense, is nicknamed … A) Mad Dog. B) Cranky Corgi. C) Sullen Setter. 7. Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick to head the Small Business Administration, has known the president-elect a long time. McMa- hon’s husband. Vince, once paired with Trump in a … A) Professional wrestling pro- duction in which Trump shaved off McMahon’s hair. B) Build-the-Wall golf match in which they tried to see who could hit the most balls into Mexico. C) Public service announcement warning young men about steroid abuse. 8. Trump’s choice for labor sec- retary, Andrew Puzder, is a fast- food franchise baron who once said … AP Photo/Evan Vucci President-elect Donald Trump lis- tens to a question as he speaks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Wednesday in Palm Beach, Fla. A) “Vegetables are much more dangerous than people realize.” B) “I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American.” C) “Everybody has a minimum wage. Mine just happens to be $1 million a year.” Trump, Trump, Trump 9. Trump won the Electoral College by one of the lowest mar- gins in U.S. history and got nearly 3 million votes fewer than Hillary Clinton. Afterward, he referred to his victory as … A) “God’s will.” B) “A gift from the founding fathers.” C) “A landslide.” 10. In a TV interview, Trump said that when he looks in the mir- ror he sees … A) “Orange skin.” B) “Fantastic hair.” C) “A person that is 35 years old.” 12. Trump’s doctor, who wrote the famous letter declaring Trump would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” gave an interview in which he said it had never occurred to him that Trump, at 70, would be the oldest president-elect. But he added … A) “70 is the new 41.” B) “If something happens to him, then it happens to him. … That’s why we have a vice president and a speaker of the House and a whole line of people. They can just keep dying.” C) “Bronzer keeps you young.” And in Other News … 13. In a Seattle suburb, Dane Gallion was so unnerved by stories of mass shootings that he armed himself before going to see the movie “13 Hours: The Secret Sol- diers of Benghazi.” Watching the film with a handgun tucked into his waistband, Gallion … A) Became a hero when a dis- turbed man waving a rifle walked into the auditorium. B) Became a hero when he stopped an armed robbery at the snack bar. C) Accidentally shot the woman sitting in front of him. ANSWERS: 1-B, 2-C, 3-C, 4-B, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-B. 9-C, 10-C, 11-A, 12-B, 13-C