OPINION
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017
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
Campbell’s
leadership merits
re-election to
Port Position 1
C
lose observers of the Port of Astoria say the agency is at a
crossroads. They also predict the outcome of the election
for the commission’s Position 1 seat between two incum-
bents — a political rarity — could determine its future.
Vying for the post are Position 1 incumbent James Campbell
and Position 2 seatholder Stephen Fulton.
Port commissioners are elected on a nonparti-
san, countywide basis without regard to geo-
graphic districts. With three seats up for elec-
tion, Fulton filed to challenge Campbell rather
than try to retain his seat. Fulton has often
been allied with Commissioner Bill Hunsinger
and on the losing end of 3-2 votes coming at
the hands of Campbell and Commissioners
Robert Mushen and John Raichl. By oppos-
James
Campbell
ing Campbell and potentially winning, Fulton
could shift the balance of voting power
depending on the outcome of the other two contested seats. Allies
of Campbell and Fulton oppose each other in both of those races.
We believe voters should re-elect Campbell; he has a far better
track record and he gets our endorsement.
Campbell’s platform is one of experience and civility. He’s
steady and well respected for his integrity and service. He served
three terms on the Port Commission from 1965 to 1977 and then a
fourth that began in 2013. His background is in marine construc-
tion and aviation, a decided plus for a port needing economic and
infrastructure improvements at its piers and airport.
Campbell favors the Port’s $1.96 million bond measure to
improve airport infrastructure and relocate the Life
Flight Network to an upgraded facility. While
Fulton says he supports Life Flight, he opposes
the bond measure because of the project’s
expense. He says the Port should be focused
on marine development, not airport infrastruc-
ture. Campbell, however, says the measure will
put the Port in position to land future aviation-re-
lated businesses, something it now lacks.
Campbell agrees the Port’s infrastructure is a priority, but also
believes it needs to keep looking for sustainable, long-term eco-
nomic opportunities rather than be resigned to the status quo.
Campbell is a strong supporter of the Port’s professional staff
and its executive director, Jim Knight. He says that since Knight’s
arrival the Port has done a “fantastic job” of improving its finan-
cial health, and that the commission should give Knight “the tools
he needs to do his job,” and not try to micromanage the staff as he
believes Fulton does.
Fulton is an Astoria native and a project engineer for Warrenton
Fiber. He was elected in 2013 after serving on the Port’s Budget
Committee. During his tenure he has fervently questioned the
Port’s finances and has been publicly critical of Knight, Port staff
and fellow commissioners other than Hunsinger. He contends,
among other things, that the administration routinely violates Port
bylaws by not providing required updates from staff, who he says
needs to be held more accountable.
Whatever Fulton’s motivations, and whatever passionate mes-
sages about Port operations he wants to deliver, it is lost in his
public presentation, which has been polarizing and divisive. His
innuendos and unsubstantiated accusations at commission meet-
ings and during his campaigning have put him in the limelight and
reflected back on the Port for the wrong reasons.
The Port has a professional staff for hands-on management,
and it needs its elected commissioners to provide leadership in
developing high-reaching, long-term policy to drive the economic
engine that the Port can be rather than having its commissioners
being out of sync, too far in the weeds and in the way.
Campbell is the leader voters need in the Position 1 seat. He
should be re-elected.
LETTERS WELCOME
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Surprise package
ecently I woke up in the mid-
dle of the night, and I guess
kind of a message or vision came
to me. Each morning I would find
at my doorstep a package marked,
“Today’s surprise for you.” Sure
enough, when I checked my door-
step that morning, there was my
package.
I carefully unwrapped the pack-
age. The first thing I found in it was
a pair of sun glasses. The prom-
ise of a sunny day. Also, many
happy events — meeting friends,
birthdays, a job well done. When I
looked closer, there was an enve-
lope in the bottom of the package.
Anxiously I opened it and inside
was a note that read: “This is the
day the Lord has made, rejoice and
be glad in it.”
The next morning again, sure
enough, another package at my
doorstep, again marked “Today’s
surprise for you.” Hurriedly tore
open the package and the first thing
I found was an umbrella. Oh no, I
thought, not another rainy day, a
day of feeling tired, depressed and
defeated, and still mourning the
loss of loved ones. But suddenly I
noticed in the bottom of the package
not one, but four envelopes.
I opened the first one, and it had
a message that read, “Come unto
me all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.” In
the second a message that read, “We
are more than conquerers, through
him who loves us.” The third enve-
lope appeared to be wrinkled and
sealed with someone’s tears — the
message was, “Blessed are they that
mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
The fourth envelope had a small
smear of blood on it — the message
within, “Be of good cheer for I have
overcome the world.”
Each day is brand new, a never
been lived before day — who
knows what adventures and sur-
prises await us? But whatever your
surprise package holds, know this:
we are called to be “more than con-
querors” and “victorious overcom-
ers” in a very fast moving and chal-
lenging world.
JIM BERNARD
Warrenton
R
AP Photo/David Goldman
Alan Hasman, of Rochester, N.Y., takes a photo of a televi-
sion in the exhibition hall broadcasting President Donald
Trump speaking at the National Rifle Association’s annual
convention in Atlanta on Friday.
A lesson for 2018
here’s an old saw that says, “I don’t care what you say about
me, just spell my name right.” Which means, of course, that
name recognition triumphs over content most every time.
Case in point, Donald Trump. I think he became the media dar-
ling. He was outrageous. He was quotable. He didn’t answer ques-
tions, he made statements. He “tweeted,” and when asked about it
would say he didn’t mean that, but something else. He said the first
thing that came into his head, and then either denied saying it, or
was misquoted or he misspoke.
He didn’t sit still while Hillary was dodging FBI allegations.
He made headlines while Clinton’s campaign was trying to keep
itself in one piece. His name was in the news because he was loud
and unapologetic. He was outrageous. He didn’t care about facts or
truth or proof, he was a one man rumor machine, and his own news
source, and all the while Hillary’s campaign was silent or cautious.
Looking back, it’s no wonder he won. He wasn’t careful. He
didn’t care. It wasn’t about Hilary. It wasn’t about the presidency.
It was all about Donald, and what are you going to do about it? He
was arrogant and foul-mouthed and abusive and he won. Which
speaks reams about the mood of the country and its attitude toward
establishment politics, and as a precursor to the elections of 2018
and beyond.
If this were basketball we could blow the whistle, call a foul
and take him out of the game. But this isn’t basketball, this is real,
and the consequences are tangible. Mr. Trump will take care of
himself and his friends first.
The only salvation for the working stiff is to get involved. Give
up one night a month to your local party, be active in your neigh-
borhood, your church or school. Door-bell or phone canvas or put
a campaign sign on your lawn. Talk to your neighbors. Go to a can-
didates night. It’s all worthwhile, and what makes democracy work
at the local level and nationwide. If you are hesitant or uncertain,
call your local party for meeting places and times. It doesn’t matter
if you’ve never done this before, trust me, you’ll be welcome and
you will be put to work.
So, I guess if we are going to see a change for 2018, we’d bet-
ter get busy. Now.
JACK GUYOT
Astoria
T
Fix the potholes
.S. Highway 30 is littered with
potholes, cracks and imperfec-
tions in the road, which need to be
fixed. When living in Knappa, and
you need to do much of anything,
you need to drive into Astoria. The
roads are horrid going into Astoria,
and in Astoria.
When I drive my car to Astoria,
I shouldn’t have to be worried about
getting a flat tire constantly, I should
be able to just drive, and not have to
swerve around each and every sin-
gle crack and or pothole in the road.
If we fixed the roads, then we
would be able to go the speed limit,
and there would be less traffic con-
gestion from John Day all the way
to Seaside.
DAWSON WHITESIDE
Astoria
U
Successful breakfast
ur most successful breakfast
ever,” according to the city of
Warrenton Finance Director April
Clark. The Warrenton Commu-
nity Center Advisory Board would
like to thank the local businesses
for their donations. These donations
were very important in making our
“Breakfast with the Easter Bunny”
Saturday, April 8, a great success.
Some 500 pancakes, 42 dozen
eggs, sausage, coffee and juice were
served to 237 participants including
101 children ages 12 and under. You
can guess the Easter Bunny was
very busy handing out plastic eggs
‘O
filled with candy.
Our thanks, also, to the great vol-
unteers, who without their help,
this breakfast would not be possi-
ble. They included Advisory Board
members, their families, friends
and especially important were the
volunteers from the Senior Center
lunch crew.
The Community Center is an
important part of the community,
as it provides rental space for the
community, businesses and fam-
ily events. The local senior group
enjoys lunch twice a week at the
center. Socialization is an important
aspect of the center.
We thank all who attended for
their support.
MEL JASMIN
Chairman, Warrenton Commu-
nity Center Advisory Board
Warrenton
Be safe on roads
s we all know, the summer tour-
ist season is coming up soon.
That means more cars on the road,
and more people crossing the streets,
and those two things are just added
dangers to everyone. Remember to
drive safely, and make sure to look
both ways when crossing the street
A
and turning out onto the roadway.
JUSTIN PERDEW
Astoria
Finding Judith Hansen
hank you for doing the nice
article on Miss Oregon Alexis
Mather’s visit to Astoria High
School (“Q&A: Real estate, psychol-
ogy in Miss Oregon’s future,” The
Daily Astorian, Feb. 24). It was great
to have her recognized in your paper.
I was wondering if someone
could please help us out. We have
been trying to make contact with the
1957 Miss Oregon, Judith Hansen,
since Alexis’ visit. We have called a
contact number we were given, and
every Hansen in the Astoria phone
book, but no luck. We have also spo-
ken with Skip Hauke at the Asto-
ria-Warrenton Area Chamber of
Commerce, with no success.
It would be absolutely amazing
if we could have Alexis and Judith
together for a photo. Judith would be
in her late 70s at this point in her life.
If anyone has any information
about how to contact Judith Han-
son, please call Dan Foss at 503-325-
3911, ext. 401.
DAN FOSS
Teacher, Astoria High School
T