editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM
Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Come together right now, with respect
N
ews is coming fast and furious
these days — so fast it can
be hard to keep up. But the
indictment against 13 Russian nationals
unsealed last month in Washington,
D.C., laid bare the fact that a foreign
government was meddling successfully
in our political process.
And that should make us stop and
consider the implications for more than
just a moment.
As others have noted over the past
week, news of Russian meddling is not
earth-shaking. And we’re not so naive
to think the United States hasn’t acted
similarly for decades, both with covert
and overt operations the world over.
Loch K. Johnson, the dean of American
intelligence scholars, told Scott Shane
that “(The United States) has been
doing this kind of thing since the CIA
was created in 1947.”
Yet in our modern world, manipula-
tion and propaganda has become more
subtle than briefcases filled with money,
incendiary mailers delivered to door-
steps, or salacious information slipped
to newspapers.
Social media allows us to become
easier targets. Facebook is a near-per-
fect portal for passing along dubious
information, and covering your tracks
while doing it. It is an outrage that these
billion-dollar corporations are becom-
ing rich while polluting civil discourse
and, like Russia, publishing information
designed to inflame and distract.
Those attempting to divide our
nation are exploiting an American
nature that we have been far too eager
to engage ourselves. We’re too likely
to pass along information that confirms
our biases or picks on people we dis-
agree with. We’re too easy to demonize
the other side in the debate. We’re too
lax at considering different opinions.
But we should not feel helpless in the
battle for our knowledge and our vote.
We can read different sources. We
can take education seriously and never
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thanks to unknown
donor for cash support
e would be remiss in our stated mis-
sion of helping those suffering from
mental illnesses — what we call brain dis-
eases — if we did not acknowledge those
who support our mission. We would like
to extend our appreciation to the unknown
donor who made a significant cash donation
to us through a third party source. This dona-
tion will definitely help in our mission.
We would also like to thank the many
locals who support our group, both through
attendance at our monthly meeting and
through your patronage at PennyWise Thrift
Store in Warrenton. And for your concern
during our recent medical emergencies. Not
only do you help those with brain diseases
but also the homeless, those on low fixed
incomes, and senior citizens.
We would like to take this opportunity to
thank Beverly Jackson-Shumaker, one of the
founding members of the Warrenton Warm-
ing Center, for allowing us to distribute
lunches to those less fortunate who patron-
ize our shop.
Without your continuing support during
the past nine years, we would not have been
able to continue serving our communi-
ties of Astoria, Warrenton, Seaside, Cannon
Beach, and Knappa/Svenson in Oregon, and
Ilwaco, Chinook, Long Beach, and Naselle in
Washington.
Again, thank you for your support.
PETER and PATRICIA FESSLER
Facilitators, Depression and Bipolar
Support Alliance
Astoria
W
Tourism is the gorilla in the
room on the North Coast
have been a casual observer of the onset of
industrial tourism for my whole life here
on the North Coast. Do you remember? Tour-
ism, the clean industry.
The latest squabble over the distribution
of lodging taxes in Cannon Beach again, for
me, calls to mind the fact that tourism is the
only industry that has been provided such a
generous subsidy, in the form of tax revenue
dedicated to defray the costs of generating
more business (“Cannon Beach sees opportu-
nity in funding event center through lodging
tax dollars,” The Daily Astorian, Feb. 22).
In times past, business owners had to pay
for their own advertisements and promotions.
This government handout is a big part of
what makes tourism so special.
Tourism creates more problems for the
area than is generally accepted by its promot-
ers. It is the gorilla in the room. Small towns
have been reorganized to serve their new
master. Cannon Beach, a community of some
1,600 residents, has built and maintains a
sewer and water system capable of handling
some 20,000 fun seekers during peak sum-
mer weekends.
As the article states, communities like
Cannon Beach are “being loved to death.”
We are becoming an amusement park. Locals
go underground. Housing shortages and pro-
hibitive rents are one glaring result. High-
ways are impassable, and our towns have
become isolated communities filled with
strangers.
I
Money is power. The powerful Oregon
Restaurant and Lodging Association lobby
has pushed through a bad law. The law is in
need of review, and a redistribution of tax
revenues is necessary. And when pigs fly,
there will be pork in the treetops.
GARY DURHEIM
Seaside
We never step
twice in the same river
he other morning, on the Warrenton
Waterfront Trail, I guess I was meditat-
ing while watching the flow of our mighty
Columbia River, and this thought popped
into my head. A philosopher a long time
ago said, “you never step twice in the same
river.”
I got to thinking that every day, in fact
every moment, is a brand new river, a nev-
er-before lived moment. When our steps
are guided by our creator, who knows what
adventure lies ahead? It will always be a
brand new day, a never-lived-before moment,
for we “never step twice in the same river.”
“Behold, I make all things new” (Revela-
tion 21:5). For it will always be new.
JIM BERNARD
Warrenton
T
Agree with writer on need
for treatment center
he article by Richard Elfering, “We need
a treatment center, not a new jail,” (The
Daily Astorian, Feb. 21) is the best thing I’ve
seen in the paper in many years. Thoughtful,
long-term, based on real experience of what
works and what does not, I think Mr. Elfer-
ing’s proposal — if perhaps not perfect in
every detail — could and should serve as the
starting point for a sound plan of action.
Adopting it would put our region in the
forefront, nationally, of smart, affordable,
and effective community response to the
problems of crime, addiction, and mental
health which are out of control across Amer-
ica today. Is he interested in politics? He’s
got my vote.
JOSEPH WEBB
Astoria
T
County ordinance
should be available online
recently received a rather confusing post-
card from Clatsop County Community
Development notifying me that “Clatsop
County has proposed a land use regulation
that may affect the permissible uses of your
property and other properties” and that it
“may change the value of your property.”
The postcard further advises me that said
ordinance is available for inspection at the
county offices, or I can purchase a copy at
a “nominal cost.” Why can I not read and
inspect this ordinance online? I mean, is it
2018 or 1918? Every state or federal pro-
posed legislation/law can be accessed online.
But, apparently, that’s beyond the technical
reach of Clatsop County.
It is unbelievable that something this
important, in a day of widespread eas-
ily available technology, requires us to
I
stop learning. We can conduct ourselves
decently online, and think of those we
interact with as real humans who want
our world to be better — but have a dif-
ferent way of getting there.
Enemies of our democracy, Russia
included, love to see Americans yell-
ing at one another. They love it even
more when we turn our deadly weapons
against one another. But why make the
Russians and ISIS and Kim Jong-Un
happy with our infighting?
We are not vulnerable. We are a rich,
powerful, free nation. Life is good for
most. As a whole, the world is richer
and healthier and more peaceful than
ever before.
We can argue about taxes and gov-
ernment, immigration and gun control.
We can argue online and in the street.
And we should do all of these things —
but we should do it peacefully, and with
respect, and with people who we know
are real humans and not trolls.
This movement toward nationalism
and ethnic identity is a reaction to glo-
balization, loss of identity and fear of
change. Still, we can rise above the anx-
iety of the moment, trust our neighbors
and thwart our enemies.
GUEST COLUMN
Astoria Warehousing was gold
standard of canned salmon industry
F
rom our home we observe the
Equipped with new state of the art and
work being accomplished at
automated equipment, along with a proud
Astoria Warehousing daily. This
group of incredibly talented employees,
makes us keenly aware and interested
Astoria Warehousing became the gold
in the business. Therefore, it seems
standard of the canned salmon industry.
important to share some facts regarding
General manager became Dan’s
the business, and to clear up some gross
title from 2000 to the present time. He
misunderstandings.
has formed a special bond with the
In 1983 John Supple, who was a
employees. While the employees like to
retired executive from Bumble Bee/
call themselves the “Blue Crew” because
Castle and Cooke Corp., along with
they wear blue uniforms, Dan calls them
Rayona Riutta, purchased the American
the “Dream Team.” Dan’s motto remains,
Can Company and the prop-
“The difficult we did immedi-
erty at 70 W. Marine Drive in
ately, and the impossible took us a
Astoria. They formed Astoria
little longer.”
Warehousing Inc. to store, label,
Now that the company is clos-
ing its Astoria facility, it should
package and ship canned salmon
again be made clear that Dan
from Alaska all over the world.
Supple does not own the business.
This came at a time when Astoria
It is owned by two seafood giants
was struggling after the closure of
MARIAN
SODERBERG
operating out of Seattle. We know
the Elmore Cannery.
that Dan has given his life to this
In 1984 Dan Supple,
community and the 25 employees he
John’s son, came to work at Astoria
treasures.
Warehousing and built additional storage
Dan is also working diligently to
warehouses, and began engineering new
assist each employee and every family
label and packaging lines to process the
with this challenging and difficult tran-
new tapered cans the Alaska canneries
sition to another location. If they take
were producing. Dan can be credited
the opportunity to move to the new site
with reinventing the entire industry.
in Kent, Washington, Dan will facili-
It was in l985 that John Supple and
tate job assignments and provide any
Rayona Riutta sold Astoria Warehousing
needed training regarding state of the art
to Peter Pan Seafood and Icicle Seafood.
equipment.
The sale resulted in the ability to secure
Being located near the Interstate 5
enough food products and cans to
corridor will significantly reduce trans-
gainfully employ 25 or more people for
portation costs and time for the owners of
35 years. This also meant that these jobs
the company.
were kept in the community, and satellite
We hope this information assists
storage warehouses were built in Knappa.
members of our community in gaining
Dan Supple was employed as the
a better understanding of the Astoria
production manager from 1985 to 2000,
Warehousing company.
and was instrumental in transforming the
Mike and Marian Soderberg are native
packaging of canned salmon that can be
Astorians and retired educators.
purchased in stores all over the world.
drive to Astoria to find out, quite probably,
exactly how we’re about to be screwed by
the county. On top of that, we have to pay a
“nominal” (what’s nominal to you, may be
significant to me) undefined fee for the privi-
lege of a copy to study at home.
Really, is Clatsop County that igno-
rant of computer technology? Or is it a case
of incompetence? Or does the county have
something to hide? I suspect it’s all three.
BILL GRAFFIUS
Gearhart
Shocked that
Fort Stevens sacrificed
Civil War re-enactment
ith regard to the front-page story
“Civil War re-enactment will relocate
from Fort Stevens State Park after 27 years”
(The Daily Astorian, Feb. 21), I have to say
I was shocked to read that Fort Stevens State
Park is willing to lose an economic boon for
our area. Ignoring our country’s history will
not change it. Forgetting our history, we’re
W
doomed to repeat it.
To my knowledge, Fort Stevens State
Park pays no water or sewer to the city of
Warrenton, the reason being that they sup-
ply a customer base who shops locally, and
that should be enough. That might have been
a great plan 30 years ago, but the park has
expanded greatly in the past 10-15 years.
There are lots of new campsites, luxury cab-
ins, and yurts. When the deal was inked, they
also agreed to pay some $600,000 towards
our new water treatment plant.
Since the cost of everything has gone
up, I believe the city of Warrenton should
start charging them for the privilege of using
city services. It doesn’t seem to bother State
Parks that those 800-plus re-enactors and
their support, plus all of the good folks who
come here to see this historical re-enactment,
will no longer be spending their hard-earned
money here in Clatsop County.
Let them pay for water, sewer and gar-
bage like everyone else. It’s way past time
for Fort Stevens to do their part.
HOLLY SUMMERS
Warrenton