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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
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Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Lost lives serve as
deadly reminder
of surf dangers
A
weekend clam-digging adven-
ture came to a sorrowful end
for two families last weekend
when women drowned in Pacific
County. Questions are being raised
about how two deaths occurred miles
apart within minutes of one another
under startlingly similar circumstances.
It should first be said that residents
of western Washington and Oregon are,
for the most part, fairly familiar with
the rewards and risks of ocean beaches.
In particular, some razor clam diggers
have characteristics in common with
ardent football fans, who attend games
and tailgate parties in sometimes-appall-
ing conditions. Most clammers would
be irritated if a “nanny state” were to be
overly zealous in curtailing the hours
and conditions in which digging is
allowed.
These aren’t the first fatal incidents
involving clam diggers. For example,
in late January 2004, a couple drowned
while clamming together at Leadbetter
Point, where one of this weekend’s
deaths also happened. In addition, there
are countless accounts of clammers of
all ages and physical conditions being
tumbled in the surf. If anything, locally
there is considerable wonder that more
fatalities don’t occur. Children and
adults who aren’t entirely sure of foot
are perhaps the most vulnerable, but
even strong and confident adults have
close calls.
At all times of the year, out-of-town
visitors are far more likely to have trou-
ble than locals. However, summertime
drownings tend to impact overly con-
fident young people, whereas fall and
winter clamming places a wide range of
age groups in and near the ocean. The
desire to access clam beds at low tide,
in areas usually covered by surf, tempts
diggers to go westward where they
will certainly be partially submerged
by incoming waves. Enthusiastic dig-
gers willingly accept getting wet to their
knees or even thighs.
But this means they violate advice
from local safety and rescue experts,
who say that it is never safe to swim —
or even wade — at local beaches. Due
to cold water temperatures, the lack
of lifeguards, floating logs and other
debris, and a very strong rip current, the
water here is dangerous, even when it
appears to be calm. Additionally, large
“sneaker waves” can occur at any time.
It may have been a sneaker wave that
was responsible for last Friday’s nearly
simultaneous drownings on either side
of the mouth of Willapa Bay. More
Nighttime clamming places people near the ocean’s dangerous surf zone.
detailed analysis in coming days may
pinpoint other risk factors.
For now, clam diggers, surfperch
fishermen and anyone else who comes
into contact with the surf zone should
obey these common-sense precautions:
• Always keep a close watch on the
ocean for sneaker waves, the incoming
tide and floating debris.
• It’s best to avoid going more than
knee-deep in the water in this area,
which is notorious for drownings. If rec-
reational activities necessitate contact
with the ocean, strongly consider wear-
ing a life preserver. Clammers must
always be aware that hip and chest wad-
ers contribute to mishaps if they are
over-topped by seawater.
• Parents who do allow children to
wade should have a sober adult stay
within arms’ reach of them at all times.
• Anyone who spots a swimmer in
distress should call 911 immediately,
rather than attempting to rescue them.
Stay on shore and try to provide
emergency responders with as
much information as possible about
the victim’s location, activity and
appearance.
• Diggers should bear in mind the
ratio of risk to reward in going into the
surf zone. Nighttime digs can be espe-
cially problematic. No clam is worth
risking or losing your life.
This weekend’s drownings were
deeply upsetting to all involved. Beyond
the families and friends of the victims,
emergency responders feel anguish
and strain while trying to save lives or
recover bodies. These were grueling
hours for all. They deserve community
thanks for their efforts.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Every voice matters
at town halls
O
regonians of all political parties are fortu-
nate that our U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and
Jeff Merkley hold town halls in every county
every year. In contrast, some members of Con-
gress refuse to hold town halls, and block some
constituents from contacting them.
I was pleased to see about 200 people at Sen.
Wyden’s town hall Feb. 3 in Astoria. It was the
first town hall for about a third of the audience.
Numbers were drawn by lottery for people to
ask questions.
People asked Sen. Wyden about many top-
ics, including the new tax law, drilling off the
Oregon coast, and earthquake preparedness.
These are issues everyone cares about, regard-
less of political party. In fact, Sen. Wyden men-
tioned that bipartisan work in Congress goes on
all the time.
So I’m especially discouraged that a few
questioners made insulting generalizations
about Republican voters. This did nothing to
bridge the political divisions among us and
was disrespectful, especially since there were
Republican constituents at this nonpartisan
town hall.
I wish that more people of all political per-
suasions had been there and had their numbers
drawn to ask questions. How can Sen. Wyden
know what’s on our minds — and what we
want him to know and do — if we don’t show
up to tell him?
Clatsop County is fortunate that Sena-
tors Wyden and Merkley and Congresswoman
Suzanne Bonamici work well with others and
want to hear from all their constituents. Please
plan to attend the next town hall — and bring
your questions.
LAURIE CAPLAN
Astoria
Seaside schools should
focus on graduation
T
his Wednesday evening, the Seaside School
District is holding a community meeting to
help develop its five-year strategic plan. They
are asking the community for input with the fol-
lowing questions:
What do you value most?
What are the most important indicators that
measure student success?
What would you like to see improved?
What are we doing well?
What other roles besides academics should
we be involved in?
Oregon’s graduation rate rose 1 percent-
age point with the class of 2016, a disappoint-
ingly modest increase, given the state’s No. 48
national ranking (bit.ly/2BZ5hPb).
The national graduation average is 85 per-
cent; Oregon is third-worst in the nation at 74
percent. Seaside’s on-time graduation rate is 67
percent (bit.ly/2E1YqdX).
Given this performance, the answers to the
district’s questions should be clearly obvious.
STEPHEN MALKOWSKI
Seaside
A 2018 wish list
P
resident Donald Trump’s elaborately-staged
State of the Union address seemed surreal
in many respects, but my 2018 wish list may be
more palatable.
America would be a better country if race
was never an issue, immigrants were wel-
comed, cancer had a cure, diversity was valued,
everyone respected facts, and traffic jams were
inconceivable.
America would be “great again” if we didn’t
need jails, rude people could be ticketed and
fined, everyone loved to learn for the sake of
learning, apathy was unheard of, and big-band
songs made the Top 40.
I’d find it wonderful if we could not only
teach old dogs new tricks, but make them com-
puter-literate, children didn’t have to worry, all
parents were good ones, and grandparents spent
more time with grandkids.
I’d want children to look up to Mother
Teresa as much as they do to Taylor Swift or
Britney Spears.
I’d fervently hope that America’s leaders
regarded global warming as potentially cata-
clysmic — and did something about it.
And I’d welcome a new focus on things that
really matter — child care, education, health
care for all, science, the arts, prevention of vio-
lence, prison reform, caring for the homeless,
and reducing hunger and poverty — rather than
focusing so much attention on our individual
need for “more.”
Hamlet discussed a “consummation
devoutly to be wished,” but my wish list
remains something to ponder, don’t you think?
ROBERT BRAKE
Ocean Park
Unchecked demands
drive teacher turnover
I
am writing this letter in response to the edi-
torial “Oregon’s graduation rate is abysmal”
(The Daily Astorian, Jan. 30). Valuable insight
can be gained by asking teachers and students
to evaluate flaws in their education system. I
believe that excessive emphasis is placed on the
opinions and beliefs of administration officials.
Education administrators typically have a layer
of separation between themselves and the day-
to-day operations, which teachers experience
first-hand.
The article also puts forth the strange idea
that new and inexperienced teachers are respon-
sible for falling graduation rates. The training
and schooling required for becoming a certi-
fied teacher is both extensive and well-focused.
Many student teachers also begin their career as
substitute teachers as an extended introduction
LETTERS WELCOME
Letters should be exclusive to The
Daily Astorian.
Letters should be fewer than 250
words and must include the writer’s
name, address and phone number. You
will be contacted to confirm authorship.
All letters are subject to editing for
space, grammar, and, on occasion, fac-
tual accuracy. Only two letters per writer
are allowed each month.
Letters written in response to other
letter writers should address the issue
at hand and, rather than mentioning the
to the profession. These newly minted teach-
ers are also the most susceptible to burning out,
and have an especially high turnover rate, due
to ever-increasing and unchecked demands by
administrators to “do more with less.”
If the author truly believes the solution to
our community’s falling graduation rates is to
increase the length of student teaching experi-
ence, then we should also re-evaluate how stu-
dent teachers are compensated. If student teach-
ers become the equivalent of unpaid interns,
the turnover rate for these new teachers will
undoubtedly increase as well.
DAVE JOHNSEN
Astoria
Warrenton schools didn’t
improve by accident
C
ongratulations to the Warrenton-Hammond
School Board, superintendent, principals,
writer by name, should refer to the head-
line and date the letter was published.
Discourse should be civil and people
should be referred to in a respectful
manner. Letters in poor taste will not be
printed.
Send via email to editor@dailyas-
torian.com, online at dailyastorian.
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Exchange St. in Astoria or 1555 North
Roosevelt in Seaside, or mail to Letters
to the Editor, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR
97103.
teachers, staff and volunteers “Astoria, Sea-
side graduation rates dip,” (The Daily Astorian,
Jan. 25). The positive news about our gradua-
tion rates improving for at least six years didn’t
happen by accident. Each one of these peo-
ple deserve our praise for their teamwork to get
here.
I would like to especially thank Crystal Sal-
mi’s reading program and the volunteers who
are involved. I have always maintained that
poor readers will fall behind and are more apt to
drop out. This effort will pay dividends for life.
With the new vocational-technical program in
process here in Warrenton, many more students
will stay in school and be ready for the work
force. Instead of minimum wage jobs, they will
have tools to advance their income and educa-
tion. Good tradespeople are always in demand.
Thank you from our community, we are
proud of you.
CHARLES BERGERSON
Warrenton