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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 2018)
KNAPPA BOYS CLINCH SPOT IN STATE BASKETBALL TOURNEY SPORTS • PAGE 10A DailyAstorian.com // MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 145TH YEAR, NO. 170 ONE DOLLAR State Senate strips out federal business tax break Provision was part of Trump tax reform By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian A participant in the annual FisherPoets Gathering performs at the Liberty Theatre. POETRY ON DECK FisherPoets Gathering draws crowds over the weekend By COLIN MURPHEY The Daily Astorian SALEM — The state Senate on Friday passed a controversial bill that would prevent certain Oregon busi- ness owners from claiming a deduction included in the recent federal tax reform law on their state taxes. But the bill could face a court challenge if passed by the House because critics contend the Senate origins of the legislation violate the Oregon Constitution. Oregon’s income tax code is largely based on the fed- eral code. Tax deductions created by federal tax law are available on state tax returns unless those provisions are specifically disconnected MORE INSIDE Ousley drops out of state House race Page 3A from Oregon law. The bill passed by the Senate would disconnect Oregon law from a fed- eral deduction for owners of so-called “pass-through” businesses, whose business income “passes through” to be claimed on their personal income taxes. Recent federal tax changes signed into law by President Donald Trump allow owners of those businesses — such as lim- ited-liability corporations and S-corporations — to deduct up to 20 percent of their income from their tax return. The bill eliminates that deduction from Oregon income taxes. See TAX BREAK, Page 4A S everal venues for the annual FisherPoets Gathering in Astoria had to turn people away over the weekend as the popular event saw stand- ing-room only crowds. The event has steadily grown to include nearly a dozen locations for special events during the day and poetry read- ings, spoken word and live music performances in the evening. The event drew nearly a hundred poets, musicians and other performers this year. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Hilda Lahti Elementary School’s miniature fiberglass boat, Boat-A-Lahti, was launched several miles off- shore earlier this month by lifeguards with the San Di- ego Fire-Rescue Department. LEFT: The FisherPoets Gathering created standing-room only crowds at several venues in Astoria over the weekend. RIGHT: Duncan Berry prepares to make a print using ink and a fish during one of several workshops during the festival. BELOW: The Labor Temple and Cafe was at capacity for Satur- day’s FisherPoets Gathering performances. See more photos online at DailyAstorian.com Boat-A-Lahti heads to sea Cross-cultural exchange with the Japanese By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Hilda Lahti Elementary School’s student-built sail- ing vessel Boat-A-Lahti has been launched into the Pacific Ocean. By Friday, the vessel made landfall on the Baja Peninsula. The miniature fiberglass boat was one of two prepared by students in Melissa Reid and Misty Lindstrom’s third- grade class at the Knappa school in October. Another was sent to Japan late last year to be launched on the other side of the Pacific. The students, along with several other classes in Ore- gon, are part of a project through the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Edu- cational Passages, an organi- zation that trades miniature boats around the world to spread knowledge of ocean- ography, sailing and culture. See BOAT, Page 4A Astoria Column is latest stop on park host’s trail Pynes has been the park host since May By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian I nside a small cottage just a few feet away from the Asto- ria Column, Fred Pynes keeps a small, bronze sculpture called “End of the Trail.” The art depicts a warrior hunched over an equally exasperated horse with a spear loosely coddled in his right arm. Pynes, 80, became the park host at the Column and moved into the cottage last May. From just outside their door, Pynes and his wife, Pat, can see sun- rises over Saddle Mountain and sunsets under the Astoria Bridge. Though it will likely be his final occupation, he plans to continue the volunteer role until he reaches the end of his own trail. “It’s just breathtaking up here,” Pynes said. “I don’t get tired of it.” After growing up in Eugene, Pynes played football and base- ball at Idaho State. He then spent time with the Coast Guard before moving to Leb- anon in 1965. For nearly 50 years, he worked as a restau- rateur in the Willamette Valley town and volunteered at a local hospital after retirement. The couple had been hop- ing to move closer to family members who live on the North Coast. But Pynes needed to find a way to occupy his time before agreeing to the move. “They’d been trying to get my wife to come here, but they didn’t know what to do with me,” Pynes joked. A family member eventu- ally pointed Pynes toward the park host opening. Job duties include open- ing bathrooms and walking the perimeter in the morning, mak- ing sure the site is adequately staffed and checking upcom- ing weather patterns and local events to anticipate higher traf- fic at the Column. In exchange for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the popular tour- ist site, he and his wife live rent- free at the one-bedroom, fully furnished cottage. “I couldn’t have planned it any better,” Pynes said. Other than the cottage, Pynes does not have much pri- vacy. He has dealt with some people who noisily entered the Fred Pynes See PYNES, Page 4A Fred Pynes and his wife, Pat.