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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2017)
4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017 Documentary: ‘Cleaning up the Port: ‘We want beaches is a job that never ends’ to get it back in Continued from Page 1A five years. Multiple cleanup events have happened through- out the spring and summer, and a program that turns plas- tics into jewelry for awareness launched earlier this year. Pollution and people While there have been many documentaries made to address the consequences of microplas- tic pollution in the ocean, this is one of the few to focus solely on the United States. The Ocean Blue Project is also focusing on the people who conduct and volunteer at beach cleanups. One of the goals of the docu- mentary, outreach coordinator Karise Boyce said, is to con- duct an ethnographic study of beach communities to share the stories of those who face coastal pollution every day. “It’s in their face every day,” Boyce said. “We want to share their stories with people who live inland who may be mak- ing decisions about the pol- lution that may end up on the beaches.” A large part of the docu- mentary will be dedicated to educating people about the dangerous effects of plastic pollution in the ocean as it per- tains to sea life and environ- mental health. Microplastics Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach looms in the background as plastic debris lies discarded in the sand. never biodegrade, and the tiny plastic pieces have an affinity to absorb chemicals — which are often carcinogenic — through broken edges and surfaces. But as an anthropologist, Boyce is looking to study the effects of pollution past physi- cal health. “We’re looking to see how communities are affected. How is their well-being emotionally and mentally? And what are the economic impacts? Can we feel a difference in tourism and industry?” Boyce said. “We want to help people see how land-based pollution is impact- ing these communities in every way.” The inspiration While the Ocean Blue Project is based in Bend, Arterbury’s passion for environmental activism is drawn from a love of the coast. “I’ve spent the summers on the coast for the last eight years and fell in love with it. It’s the most beautiful place,” he said. “And what keeps me going back is the volunteers wanting to do another beach cleanup. Because cleaning up the beaches is a job that never ends.” Moving forward, Boyce and Arterbury plan to reach out to local businesses and community leaders associated with each beach to gather local perspectives. With more than 8 million tons of plastic deposited into the ocean each year, focusing on educating people on what a beach cleanup can accomplish is an important step toward eliminating plastic pollution on Oregon’s beaches, Arter- bury said. “We want to allow every- one to see what inspires us to continue doing (beach clean- ups). Making a documentary about what a beach cleanup is will honestly make it eas- ier for everyone,” he said. “We want people to go to the beach, know you can grab a bit of plastic to help out and know why.” Train wreck: Investigators will talk to crew members Continued from Page 1A along a fast, new 15-mile bypass route. Investigators are looking into what train- ing was required of the engi- neer and other crew members to operate on the new stretch of track, said Ted Turpin, the lead NTSB investigator of the crash. “Under Amtrak policy he couldn’t run this train with- out being qualified and run- ning this train previously,” Turpin said of the engineer. At least some of the crew had been doing runs on the route for two weeks before the crash, including a Friday ride-along for local dignitar- ies, Dinh-Zarr added. The conductor training in the cab was familiarizing himself with the new route, which is expected of conduc- tors before they start work on a new itinerary, she said. A second conductor was in the passenger sections of the train at the time. In an accident with strong similarities, an Amtrak train traveling at twice the 50 mph speed limit ran off the rails along a sharp curve in Phila- delphia in 2015, killing eight people. Investigators con- cluded the engineer was dis- tracted by reports over the radio of another train getting hit by a rock. In September, a judge threw out charges of involun- tary manslaughter and reck- less endangerment against the engineer, saying the crash did not appear to rise to a crime. Prosecutors are trying to get the case reinstated. Amtrak agreed to pay $265 million to settle claims filed by the victims and their families. It has also installed positive train control on all its track between Boston and Washington. Balsamo reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Phuong Le and Sally Ho in Seattle, Michael Sisak in Philadelphia, Gil- lian Flaccus in Portland, Rachel La Corte in Olym- pia and Manuel Valdes in Dupont contributed to this report. shape and hold events dockside’ Continued from Page 1A public money to help a pri- vately owned boat. The Port has several hundred boat owners who could see this as a precedent, Campbell said. He and Stevens, a for- mer Coast Guard commander who said he helped with the floating of the USS Missouri memorial in Honolulu, won- dered whether the Astoria Ferry Group has the where- withal to get the ferry back on the river. “The highest bar the Coast Guard has for vessel inspec- tion and approval is when you carry passengers for hire,” Stevens said. Brownson estimated $500,000 to get the boat ready for inspection by the Coast Guard. Inspectors had been aboard the ferry and didn’t see anything that would get in the way of certification, he said. In August, the ferry group’s leadership called out for $100,000 and new mem- bership, warning the resto- ration effort would end oth- erwise. After the appeal, local hotelier and restoration advo- cate Robert Jacob helped marshal support to keep the effort going. Lint started visiting Asto- ria to help fix up the ferry. Tongue Point Job Corps Cen- ter’s seamanship program provided student labor. The group went to work polish- ing the vessel for a move to a more accessible, visible space at Pier 39, where work would continue in a more public setting. “In the next couple years, we want to get it back in shape and hold events dock- side,” Brownson said. Last month, the ferry was added to Restore Oregon’s list of the state’s most endangered places, opening avenues for possible support. The group recently raised about $5,000 through Fort George Brew- ery’s Magnanimous Mug charity drive and has other pending grant requests. The group hopes to move the ves- sel to Pier 39 early next year. In other action: • The Port Commission voted unanimously to renew the contract of Airport Man- ager Gary Kobes for a year. Kobes is a contractor for the Port through his company, Landside Resources Inc. The Port originally hired Kobes, a pilot and former member of the Astoria Regional Airport Advisory Committee, two years ago. • The Port Commission voted unanimously to con- tract Advanced Remediation Technologies for $38,968 to characterize sediments along the central waterfront for a new dredging permit. • Hunsinger questioned Port Executive Director Jim Knight about a litany of issues, including the status of how the agency planned to pay off a $1.7 million loan taken out to finance construc- tion of a stormwater treat- ment system on Pier 3. Knight had previously said the Port would go to tenants served by the system about a cost-shar- ing agreement once the Port could be sure it worked. The system was recently activated. Knight said staff would appreciate a fair opportu- nity to discuss the stormwa- ter system, instead of an off- the-cuff question. He claimed Hunsinger, a frequent critic, was just trying to publicly slam him. After broach- ing several different issues, Hunsinger’s questioning was eventually cut off by Rohne. C olum bia M em orial H ospital 2111 E xch ange St., A storia (503) 325-4321 www.colum biam em orial.org Fo r a $10 d o n a tio n , w e w ill pla ce a ha n d m a d e hea rt o rn a m en t o n a tree in m em o ry o r ho n o r o f the perso n yo u cho o se. In Memory of In Honor of Name on ornament: Send acknowledgment to: Name and address 1. 2. 3. TAX DEDUCTIBLE: Make checks payable to Lower Columbia Hospice at Columbia Memorial Hospital. 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