THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
Another Democrat falls
dd another illustrious Demo-
crat to the lengthening list of
sex predators, misogynists, perverts
and all-round low-life savages. The
latest to join that sparkling list of
Democrats is Hollywood mogul and
movie producer Handsome Harvey
Weinstein.
Handsome Harvey was revered
by highly-placed Democrat politi-
cians, and it wasn’t because of his
looks or manners. He was tolerated
because of the huge amounts of dol-
lars he donated to the Democratic
Party, not to mention the bags of
cash he bundled for many low-life
Democrat politicians.
Literally dozens of beauti-
ful women have come out — after
years of silence because of fear
of retribution — to expose the
vicious, depraved pervert as hav-
ing forced his repulsiveness on them
for promises of Hollywood-style
fame and fortune or, conversely,
threats of career destruction for
noncompliance.
At least two or three have
accused him of rape. Repulsive
Harvey is the latest to join the list
of Democrats, most of them elected
politicians, engaged in this type
of behavior. The Hall of Shame
includes the late, not-so-great U.S.
Sen. Ted Kennedy, who not only
was a serial womanizer, but also
one who left one of his female vic-
tims to drown in a Cape Cod pond;
the disgraced, impeached Bill Clin-
ton, who sexually assaulted a long
string of women (his wife, Hillary,
led the “cleanup” squad to squelch
and destroy his victims), and
Anthony Weiner, alias Carlos Dan-
ger, pervert and close friend of the
Clintons, who displayed his private
“wares” to women and children via
computer.
Other Democrats in the Pantheon
of Disgrace include Ku Klux Klans-
man U.S. Sen. Bobby Byrd, racist
President Lyndon Johnson and rac-
ist and liar President Barack Hussein
Obama — a partial list that must
make Democrats swell with pride.
There’s one bright spot in the
Democrat darkness, however, and
it’s the fact that that pathetic loser
and punchline, Hillary Clinton,
never made it to the room of her
dreams — the Oval Office. For that
gift, we can thank President Donald
J. Trump.
E. ROBERT NASSIKAS
Astoria
munity. Our county needs more
housing. Let’s encourage this.
Last on the ballot is some-
thing that appears almost innocent:
“Require public vote for the Vaca-
tion Rental Ordinance or any sub-
sequent ordinance relating to Vaca-
tion Rentals.” Currently our city
council has the ability to change
the existing ordinance if needed. If
passed, Measure 4-188 removes all
abilities of our elected representa-
tives to do anything at all regard-
ing nightly rental regulation. Any
changes would require yet another
public vote. Each additional vote
costs Gearhart about $10,000. The
option of changing any provision of
Measure 4-188 is virtually removed
if it passes.
If this measure passes, you could
have a “virtual motel” next door, for-
ever. Do you want that? I sure don’t.
Vote “no” on Measure 4-188.
MAGGIE SHUMAKER
Gearhart
A
Animal cruelty
he Jordan World Circus is com-
ing to town. With a long and
horrific history of negligence, mis-
treatment and violent behavior
toward the animals in their care,
the Jordan World Circus had their
license as an animal exhibitor
revoked in 2010 by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, yet they are still
able to bring and exploit lions, tigers,
bears, elephants and other animals to
venues across the U.S.
According to People for the Eth-
ical Treatment of Animals (PETA),
to bypass the inconvenience of los-
ing their exhibitor’s license, the Jor-
dan World Circus simply is able to
lease animals from other unscrupu-
lous exhibitors, such as Carson and
Barnes Circus, who also have a dis-
gusting history of animal abuse and
neglect, with over 100 violations of
the Animal Welfare Act.
Animals that are forced to do
tricks and stunts for human amuse-
ment suffer mental and physical
trauma. Animal trainers and associ-
ated operators assure us that the ani-
mals in their care are trained with
positive reinforcement, but don’t
be fooled. If this is true, then why
do you see the trainers with bull-
hooks, electric prods and whips in
their hands? Behind the scenes these
magnificent and majestic animals
are beaten and abused into submis-
sion to perform senseless and inhu-
mane stunts and tricks, such as tigers
jumping through hoops on fire,
dancing bears and elephants stand-
ing on their heads.
As most circuses operate the
majority of the year, these animals
are deprived of socialization, stimu-
lation and physical exercise. Animals
entrusted in the care of the Jordan
World Circus will never experience
something as simple as running free
as they were meant to be. Trans-
ported thousands of miles annually,
elephants, lions, tigers, bears and
other circus animals are confined to
small, inadequate cages.
This is totally unacceptable
and in the year 2017. It is way past
time to evolve, and put circus ani-
mal acts into the history books. As
Albert Schweitzer once said, “Until
he extends his circle of compassion
to include all living things, man will
not himself find peace.”
In 2014 Clatsop County voters
approved a ban for the use of bull-
hooks, electric prods and whips on
elephants, felines and primates in
Clatsop County. Let us take this one
step further to ban circuses that con-
tinue to allow cruel animal acts in
T
5A
It’s about the money
earhart’s vote on Measure
4-188 has begun. With the cam-
paign starting the final push, it’s
obvious what this thing is all about.
It’s neither profound nor compli-
cated: It boils down to money.
The sponsors of Measure 4-188
want to reserve their “right” to
make as much money on their prop-
erty as possible. They want no hin-
drances, certainly no regulations.
They believe it’s their right to turn
their property into a motel. Not only
to use it as a nightly rental, but to
remove any obstacles that might
reduce profits if they decide to sell.
Regardless of the impact on their
neighbors.
The catch is that this commer-
cial activity; nightly rentals were
never legal. This would-be motel is
in a R-1 zone — a residential zone.
Commercial use is not permitted.
We’ve been a sleepy beach com-
munity, where a handful of vaca-
tion rentals coexisted peacefully
with full-time and seasonal resi-
dents. Nobody gave it any thought
— until several years ago. That’s
when the short-term nightly rentals
became supercharged by the inter-
net. That’s when this cancer came to
visit Gearhart.
The city was kind and concilia-
tory with those who had conducted
illegal rentals. Though this usage
was never a “right,” it was grandfa-
thered into Ordinance 901. Everyone
in town was given several months
to apply for permits as short-term
nightly rentals. This process entailed
septic inspections, fire and safety
inspections, occupancy limits. This
seemed like reasonable and pretty
common sense stuff. But clearly this
was not enough.
Those in favor of Measure 4-188,
which is heavily financed by short-
term nightly rental interests, are try-
ing to convince us that growth of
short-term rentals will bring “eco-
nomic benefits” to Gearhart. Since
the existing short-term rental Ordi-
nance 901 has been put in place,
the number of full-time residents
has increased. This is what creates a
more sustainable, robust year-round
economy.
Even if their arguments weren’t
so self-serving, there are few in our
community who would trade our
town’s beauty and quiet neighborly
atmosphere for all the money in the
world. Our town is a gem.
Our town is not for sale. Vote
“no” on Measure 4-188.
LISA CERVENY
DAVID RUSSELL
Gearhart
G
their venue. Please show your sup-
port by not attending the Jordan
World Circus.
STACEY McKENNEY
Astoria
Don’t attend the circus
he circus is coming to the Clat-
sop County Fairgrounds on
Monday. Thanks to county Measure
4-170, which bans bullhooks, elec-
tric prods and whips, there will be no
elephants.
According to the Fair Board,
there will likely be at least one tiger.
How will they be controlled and
trained? The use of bullhooks, elec-
tric prods and whips are the most
likely way.
Please do not attend. No animal
should suffer for our entertainment.
LORI DURHEIM
Astoria
T
Bad parenting
moved to Astoria a year ago, and
have come to love this town.
Today, though, I saw two things that
are making me think about the chil-
dren of this town, and what they are
being taught.
While shopping at Safeway, I
watched a young girl about 11 years
old climb the stack of pumpkins out-
side the store, with her mother’s
encouragement, so that she could
take a picture of her daughter stand-
ing on top of the pile of pumpkins.
The mother had no regard for her
daughter’s safety or the fact that she
was damaging property that didn’t
belong to either of them.
The second instance involved a
father walking on the sidewalk out-
side my apartment, looking at the
painted rocks in my front yard.
He told his daughter it was OK to
take one of my painted rocks, and
when I knocked on the window and
motioned for her to put it back, her
father came back to stare in my win-
dow at me, trying to intimidate me.
If the girl had asked me, I would
have given the rock to her — but
neither her or her father asked —
they just took it. Stealing and dam-
aging other’s property are not things
my parents taught me, and I am
appalled at these two parents’ behav-
ior, and the example they are setting
for their children.
HANNAH MEDFORD
Astoria
I
Save our community
y husband and I have both
worked and lived in Gearhart,
enjoying family and friends here for
over three decades. In fact, Gear-
hart is where we met and married.
Jim, a now retired urologist, trav-
eled from Portland to Providence
Seaside to practice several times a
month to care for the local people he
cared about. I co-owned the Pacific
Way Café building during the 1970s
and 1980s.
We have felt community pride,
cooperation and made lasting friend-
ships in our small city. We want a
solid and safe community — where
we can know, and get along with
one another — to continue. We want
volunteer firemen and women. We
want volunteers in our libraries and
schools.
We want our community mem-
bers to run for our volunteer gov-
ernment. We want locals involved
in the Start Making A Reader Today
(SMART) program. We want
coaches for our kids. We want to
visit and interact with friends as we
drop by the post office or walk our
dogs.
None, or rarely, do the above
happen when we create a growing
motel-like interfacing with people.
In the past two-plus years we have
seen our neighborhood become an
increasing mix of rotating short-term
rentals. As we saw this unfold, we
M
have watched neighbors and new-
comers buy, only to embrace the
short-term rental trend.
There are nine homes on our
street, three of them are short-term
rentals. Both Jim and I worked with
the city to come to an understand-
ing that would work for both sides.
We didn’t get all that we wanted, but
neither did the other side. What we
have in place now it is an honestly
regulated and safe code.
Please help us save our commu-
nity, and the citizens who care about
where they live. Gearhart residents,
vote “no” on the Gearhart Measure
4-188, and urge your neighbors to
do likewise. Do your part as a caring
and concerned citizen.
JIM and MARILYN
GILBAUGH
Gearhart
Save the neighborhood
am asking Gearhart residents
to please vote “no” on Measure
4-188, which would repeal our exist-
ing common sense short-term rental
ordinance. Our current ordinance
provides fair and appropriate over-
sight of fire, safety and septic inspec-
tions, and controls over parking,
garbage, noise and the number of
visitors per rental.
If our current ordinance is
repealed, there will be no limit on
the number of short-term rentals
allowed in our residential commu-
nity. Do we, as a community, want
to lose the neighborly quality of our
town? Do we want to allow for an
unlimited number of commercial
short-term rental units, with a con-
stant turnover of visitors, to take
over Gearhart?
Many of those who support the
repeal of our existing ordinance
speak to the need to protect individ-
ual property rights, that an owner
should have the right to use their
property in any way they choose. In
fact, individual rights are always bal-
anced with the rights of the commu-
nity as a whole.
That’s why we have zoning laws.
Every city in the nation has laws dic-
tating where certain types of res-
idences and businesses can exist.
Gearhart’s Comprehensive Plan and
zoning laws state very clearly the
intention to maintain Gearhart as a
residential community.
An individual’s right to drive a
car 100 mph anywhere they please is
superseded by the community’s right
for safety, so we make laws called
speed limits. So it is with property
rights. An individual’s right to use
their property as a commercial enter-
prise with little oversight for safety,
septic, garbage and parking in a res-
idential neighborhood is superseded
by the rights of the community. Thus
we have a fair ordinance that pro-
tects our community values.
Please vote “no” on Measure
4-188 to maintain Gearhart as a
neighborly residential town, and
not allow it to become a high-traffic
commercial rental enterprise.
ERIC HALPERIN
Gearhart
I
Keep it friendly
irty politics has no place in
Gearhart. Let’s stick to the
facts. The ballots are out, and we
can argue about the merits of both
sides of Measure 4-188 all we want,
but we need to understand we are all
part of this community.
The facts are that a “no” vote will
protect our current laws, which have
a balanced and responsible cap on
nightly rentals while allowing all of
our citizens to rent a room, level or
entire home for 30 days or more at
any time, with no permit, requiring
adequate septic regulations recom-
mended by the Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality, and legal safety
inspections for fire and life safety.
It also promotes a sustainable year-
D
round economy through the influx of
full-time residents.
A “yes” vote would allow unlim-
ited nightly investment rentals on
all of our neighborhood streets, no
DEQ-recommended septic regu-
lations, and eliminates legal safety
inspections that require fire escapes
in bedrooms. Measure 4-188
replaces them with inspections from
a “home inspector,” who legally is
not allowed, and not required, to
report on fire and life safety issues in
the state of Oregon.
Ultimately, it’s up to the citizens
to decide what’s best for Gearhart.
We all have a right to publicly advo-
cate for the issues that are import-
ant to us, and no one should try to
silence a neighbor, a citizen or an
elected official from sticking up for
what they believe in.
We have already had a very
divisive few years, and with a few
weeks left in this election, let’s not
personally attack each other, let’s not
spread false and misleading claims,
let’s not steal people’s signs or
ignore neighbors when we walk by
them on the street.
This is Gearhart. Let’s refrain
from the dirty politics we see every-
day on the news. I’m going to per-
sonally reach out to someone today
who is on the other side of Measure
4-188, and tell them I respect their
opinion; I hope you do the same.
MAYOR MATT BROWN
Gearhart
Vote ‘no’ for Gearhart
earhart Citizens: Vote “no” on
Measure 4-188. Voting “yes”
rescinds common sense, community
standards and protections.
Vote “no” to preserve fire and
safety protections. In case of fire,
occupants must have access to
escape. Vote “no” to continue to
ensure that septic systems work
properly. Failing or overtaxed sep-
tic systems affect our community’s
water supply.
Vote “no” to continue to ensure
reasonable and responsible property
occupancy. Vote “no” to continue to
ensure 24-hour property response in
case of emergency.
The existing ordinance is work-
ing, and should not be repealed. Vote
“no” to keep our community safe
and vibrant.
For more information, go to
www.keepgearhartresidential.com.
Join me in voting “no.”
BEATRICE “BEBE” MICHEL
Gearhart
G
No ‘virtual motels’
f Measure 4-188 passes, Gear-
hart will become what it was more
than 100 years ago — a destina-
tion resort town. Our comprehensive
plan, first written in 1978, supports
and protects Gearhart as a residential
community.
The most important part of the
upcoming ballot measure is buried
toward the bottom. “Remove current
limitation on the number of Vaca-
tion Rentals” or put another way, an
unlimited number of nightly short-
term rentals are allowed. Every
house in Gearhart could be a nightly
vacation rental if this passes. Exist-
ing Ordinance 901 allows for a lim-
ited number (currently 84) of nightly
rentals in residential areas. This is
more than enough.
We have a high-density tour-
ist zone in town. There are more
than 200 units available for nightly
rentals. That is 17 percent of Gear-
hart’s total housing. The number of
nightly rentals is the highest amount
it has ever been. We don’t need
more.
Long-term rentals of more than
30 days still are an option for home-
owners in Gearhart. This remains
protected by the existing ordinance.
Long-term renters have always been
welcome, and are part of our com-
I
The ballots are coming
et’s get real. You live here
because Gearhart is a great
neighborhood community. There are
few places left where there’s little
crime, kids can ride their bikes to the
Sweet Shop, and you are greeted by
your first name at the post office. It’s
a short hike with your dogs to the
best beach in Oregon.
This is our home — whether
it’s a full-time family, or seasonal
week-enders in love with the bakery,
unique shops, great eats, challeng-
ing golf or just hanging with friends.
All are welcome. Always have been,
and always will be. Protect this best
place, your place, with a “no” vote
on Measure 4-188 and the unlimited
invasion of short-term rentals.
Today Gearhart is wisely man-
aging just over 280 licensed rent-
als. Our city’s safety inspections and
regulations are keeping renters safe,
streets open and safe to first respond-
ers, our septic and water systems
safe.
Most importantly, our qual-
ity of life is being looked out for by
our city council, mayor and Gear-
hart neighbors — folks you know —
grassroots Gearhart, not the Goliath
$20,000-plus bankrolled initiative
of vacation rental companies and
absentee short-term rental owners.
VICKIE ABRAHAMSON
Gearhart
L