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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018
CONTACT US
ewilson@dailyastorian.com
(503) 325-3211 ext. 257
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IN ONE EAR • ELLEDA WILSON
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
‘I
usually send you a blurb when someone is especially kind,
competent or helpful,” Yvonne Edwards wrote. “So this is
the story of all that happening in Las Vegas, where Mickey and I
are soaking up a few weeks of sun.”
“I made an appointment to get my 2000 black Toyota Sienna
van’s oxidized finish restored,” she explained, “but Ramsey at
Miracle Touch Auto Restoration asked that I get it washed first.”
At the car wash, she met Denise from Florida and Javon from
California, who were both in town to help their fathers. Even
though their shift was almost over, they stayed to wash Yvonne’s
van.
“The next day Ramsey came to the hotel,” Yvonne recalled,
“but there was no outside electrical socket to plug into, so I said,
‘Let’s go to the car wash.’ … We hung out for almost three hours
while Ramsey did his magic on the van. Denise cleaned the Ore-
gon mold off the roof!” In the meantime, Javon helped Yvonne
find some inexpensive hubcaps for her snow tires.
“Ramsey had finished my van and Kayla, the car wash boss
lady, came by, and he buffed out a small scratch on her fancy
car, and she offered him a free car wash anytime, and everyone
exchanged business cards.” Pictured, in photos by Kayla, from
left, Mickey and Yvonne, Denise, and Ramsey; Javon is inset.
“It was a fun day,” Yvonne added, “full of good energy. A
great experience of the kindness of strangers.”
MEET JACK
‘O
n Aug. 24, 2017, beagle no. 2035192 was
released from his five-year captivity,” Astorian
Tom Ank wrote. “He was born in a cage in June 2012,
raised in a cage, and used for product testing so Amer-
ican companies could sell products in China. Much of
his litter died. However, 2035192 persisted.”
On Aug. 24, 2017, the dog was released to Northern
California Beagle Rescue, and the word went out. On
Aug. 25, Tom and his wife, Carrie, began “the odys-
sey to save him.” They set off for California, “not to just
pull him from a cell, but to really rescue him.”
“On Aug. 26, beagle no. 2035192 was renamed
Jack,” Tom noted. “He rode in the back of a car for
12 hours, and found his home. He saw the sun for the
first time. He felt grass under his toes. He had his first
adventure.
“Now, six months later, Jack is an Astorian. He
takes walks downtown. He knows that people are his
friends, and offer pets and scratches without condition.
Jack knows the beach, the streets and the woods. Jack
loves the rain and is happy to meet new people. He waits
impatiently for his walks every day.”
“So, if you see Jack dragging a person behind him,”
Tom added, “please take a moment and say hello. He
promises to be your friend.”
GUESS WHO’S COMING FOR DINNER
MR. BOELLING
O
n Sunday, a sea lion went for a stroll to the corner of Seventh
and Astor streets. Perhaps to get some pizza, or rent a video?
Tiffany Major took the photo shown.
The Astoria Police Department was summoned, and Sgt.
Andrew Randall showed up. “This one is the farthest out that
he’s dealt with,” a police spokesperson told KATU (https://
tinyurl.com/K2sealion). “They try to guide them back in the
water. Depending on the personality, it takes time, sometimes
they charge people!”
The Oregon State Police were called in, too. “The State
Police called us,” Tiffany Boothe of the Seaside Aquarium
said, “and I happened to be in Astoria on my way to the East
Mooring Basin. The sea lion was very mellow, for a sea lion,
and we were easily able to walk the animal down the Riverwalk
and down a small embankment.” Walkabout sea lion situation
resolved.
LOOKING FOR OSCAR
T
here has been no news about Kerstin Colliander-Metzler’s
great-uncle, Oscar Ström, who was born Dec. 12, 1876, in
Eskilstuna, Sweden, and lived at 2659 Ash St. in Astoria while
working for Hammond Lumber. Kerstin wondered what had
become of him, as his letters stopped in 1908. The document
shown was created in Astoria in 1917, when Oscar was 41.
Some Internet digging finally yielded this tidbit, published in
the Saturday, Aug. 23, 1930 edition of the Klamath Falls Eve-
ning Herald: “API: Oscar Ström, II, Astoria, was killed under the
wheels of an Oregon electric train when he fell from a log car.”
Is it the same Oscar Ström, or perhaps his son? Don’t know
… yet.
POWER TO SPARE
A
storia writer Peter Marsh (sea-to-summit.net) came across a
maritime history nugget: What is believed to be the last World
War II D-Day ship is still in active service as a ferry in New England
according to ProfessionalMariner.com (tinyurl.com/DDayferry).
USS LST 510 delivered soldiers, tanks and jeeps to Omaha
Beach during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, and stayed
offshore to serve as a hospital ship. Then for three months the vessel
made trips back and forth to England, taking wounded soldiers there,
and bringing supplies back to the front, risking attack from enemy
submarines and aircraft. She received a Battle Star for her efforts.
Decommissioned in 1946, and part of the Reserve Fleet in the
1950s, the renamed USS Buncombe County was sold several times
to various ferry companies, finally winding up at her current berth
at Cross Sound Ferry Services in New London, Connecticut, as the
M/V Cape Helopen (tinyurl.com/lst510). She is pictured, courtesy
of ProfessionalMariner.com
The historic vessel was in the news recently because she was
repowered with two new engines and state-of-the-art transmission
and control systems, making her one of the very few members of
the Mothball Fleet that is still in good working order. Long may she
rule the waves.
HOW SWEET IT IS
A
storia ex-pat and
chef Daymon Gar-
rett Edwards has hit
another landmark at
his Tartine Bakery &
Café in Seoul, Korea.
“As we near our 10th
year anniversary, April
19, 2018,” he wrote in
a recent newsletter, “we
are also celebrating our
3 millionth pie, sold this
month.”
If you’re trying to
imagine how many pies
that is, he gave an example. “Driving: If 3 million of our regu-
lar pies (5-inch) were put side to side, they would reach from …
Astoria, Oregon, to Coos Bay — that is a lot of pies.”
“Each pie was handmade,” he added, “with love and care in
our own kitchens.” Pie, anyone?
HELP SAVE THE FURBABIES
F
rom the Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1885 edition of The Daily
Morning Astorian: “It would be a good idea to
half-mast the flags today in respect to the memory of
Mr. C. Boelling, one of Astoria’s oldest and sturdiest
pioneers.” The 1893 book “An Illustrated History of the
State of Oregon,” by Harvey Kimball Hines, sheds some
light on why he was so important.
Born in Germany, Boelling came to the U.S. in 1931.
Sometime in early 1847, he purchased “an outfit of two
wagons, and 10 yoke of oxen, one spring wagon and two
horses,” and with his wife and two children, set out from
Illinois for Oregon. The trip took seven months.
The family landed safely in Astoria in February
1848, and he headed straight for Youngs River, where
he spent the summer starting to build a sawmill. Unfor-
tunately, he got distracted by the 1848 gold rush. He
took an ox wagon loaded with “bacon and supplies” and
headed for the California mines, but was stopped by the
fires burning in Southern Oregon.
Undaunted, he sent his team home, and went on
alone on horseback, panning for gold. However, sup-
plies were so expensive, he couldn’t make any money,
so in the summer of 1849, he returned to Astoria to fin-
ish his mill. That plan didn’t pan out either, as by then
the mill had been destroyed by Indians.
So, he moved back into town and built a hotel, which
he ran till 1861. His last venture was buying a 640-acre
farm on the Lewis and Clark rivers, where he farmed
until 1877, when he finally retired and returned to Asto-
ria, where he had always been very active in local
politics.
Conrad Boelling lived to be 82 (quite ancient for
that era), when he was felled by a stroke on Feb. 1,
1885. What made him of particular interest to Astori-
ans was that he was bar pilot Capt. George Flavel’s
father-in-law, and grandfather of George Conrad Fla-
vel, owner of the mansion on the corner of 15th Street.
As Paul Harvey used to say, “now you know the rest of
the story.”
J
essie Weinard of Seaside is going through a tough time, but she
prefers to put a positive spin on the situation: “I am starting a
new chapter in my life!” she declared.
“I recently became separated,” she wrote, “and am left the
responsibilities of the household, which I am perfectly happy with,
because I love my life. I have a son who will be 18 months old and
two furbabies, Onyx and Bubba, two black Labs, brother and sis-
ter, 4 years old. We are a family, and we stick together!”
“My dilemma is I am having to move from our home we rent,
as I can’t pay everything here,” she explained. “… I am perfectly
fine looking for a new place for a new chapter, but the issue at hand
is that until I find a new forever home, I will be staying with fam-
ily, who cannot take in my dogs. I am unwilling to surrender them
before I have tried my hardest to keep them.” Any dog lover can
certainly understand her plight.
Jessie has tried in vain to find a foster home for the bonded pair.
However, she has found a place to board them for a reduced rate of
$750 a month for both dogs, so she has started a fundraiser, “Help
me board my furbabies” (tinyurl.com/savefurbabies). As an alter-
native, anyone interested in fostering Onyx and Bubba can contact
the Ear at 503-325-3211, ext. 257, or ewilson@dailyastorian.com
“If you can help, that would be a blessing,” Jessica wrote on her
GoFundMe page. “If not, please send positive thoughts and pass
this along. I have faith I can reach my goal, and save my furbabies.
Love to all, and thank you.”
COMMUNITY NOTES
SATURDAY
Sit & Stitch — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Homespun Quilts & Yarn, 108 10th St.
Bring knitting, crochet or other needle-
work projects to this community stitching
time. All skill levels welcome.
Detachment 1228 Marine Corps
League — noon, El Compadre, 119
Main Ave., Warrenton. For information,
contact Lou Neubecker at 503-717-
0153.
Columbia Northwestern Model
Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in Ham-
mond. Group runs trains on HO-scale
layout. For information, call Don Car-
ter at 503-325-0757.
Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m.,
Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296
Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel. For
information, call 503-325-5598 or go
to astoriafiberarts.com
Broadway. For information, call 503-
738-5111. No cost; suggested $5 tip
to the instructor.
9 to 9:45 a.m., Astoria Senior Center,
1111 Exchange St. For information,
call 503-325-3231.
Seekers Group — 6 to 7:30 p.m.,
Pioneer Presbyterian Church, 33324
Patriot Way, Warrenton. Group dis-
cusses issues facing religious faith
in the modern secular world. All are
welcome. For information, call 503-
861-2421.
Scandinavian Workshop — 10
a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725 33rd
St. Needlework, hardanger, knitting,
crocheting, embroidery and quilting.
All are welcome. For information, call
503-325-1364 or 503-325-7960.
SUNDAY
Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m.,
Seaside American Legion, 1315
MONDAY
Chair Exercises for Seniors —
Grace and Encouragement for
Moms — 10 to 11:30 a.m., Cross-
roads Community Church, 40618 Old
Highway 30, Svensen. GEMS group
is a time for moms to relax and enjoy
each others’ company. Free childcare
is provided. For information, call Ra-
chael Biddlecome at 503-458-6103.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested dona-
tion $3 for those older than 60; $6.75
for those younger than 60. For infor-
mation, call Michelle Lewis at 503-
861-4200.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. Cost is
$6. For information, or to have a meal
delivered, call 503-325-9693.
Warrenton Senior Lunch Pro-
gram — noon, Warrenton Community
Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Suggested
donation of $5 for seniors and $7 for
those younger than 60. For informa-
tion, or to volunteer, call 503-861-3502
Monday or Thursday.
See NOTES, Page 4B