Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2018)
JUNE 2018 AT HOME | JUNE EDITION INSIDE WEEKEND EDITION // FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018 145TH YEAR, NO. 234 ONE DOLLAR Co 101 C bi olum a R The North Coa st’s leading real esta and home imp rovement gui t de Knappa r ive lum 30 bia 409 Riv er Milepost 70 Sources: oregon.gov; Daily Astorian research Jack Heffernan and Alan Kenaga/EO Media Group 30 30 Westport Milepost 95 Astoria BUS 101 Crashes 202 23 Crashes on U.S. Highway 30, 2012-16 18 15 13 8 95 94 93 92 91 West (near Astoria) 0 1 90 89 6 88 87 86 11 85 9 14 16 10 84 83 82 81 Milepost marker 7 9 10 9 80 79 78 77 5 6 8 76 75 74 5 8 11 14 Co. Columbia o. Clatsop C 32 30 101 30 73 72 71 70 East (near Westport) Seaside scales back downtown association Executive leaves, programs reviewed By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian DANGEROUS APPROACH SEASIDE — The Seaside Down- town Development Association announced a “heart-wrenching deci- sion” Thursday, eliminating the role of its executive director and mov- ing from offices on North Holladay Drive. Further program or event cuts may follow for the non- profit in its 25th year representing busi- nesses and merchants. “We’re trying to figure out what our path is to future sus- tainability, to make sure we have enough Darren money administra- Gooch tively to continue on,” said Darren Gooch, the board presi- dent. “We really want this organiza- tion to be viable for at least another 25-plus years.” Program sponsorships have dropped steadily over the past decade, never fully recovering since See SEASIDE, Page 6A Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Vehicles traveling along a curve east of Astoria on Highway 30 leave trails of light in this long-exposure photo. Accidents on U.S. Highway 30 are more prevalent near eastern Astoria By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian M any people familiar with the east- ern entrance to Astoria experienced a nagging sense of remorse in late April. Doug Morgan, 54, of Knappa, was killed while driving westbound on U.S. Highway 30 when a Chevrolet Tahoe crossed the centerline and collided head-on with his Toyota Prius. The crash took place at milepost 94 just east of Tongue Point. It reminded Mikayla Morton, 18, of Knappa, of another fatal crash at the mile- post just a few years earlier, prompting her to write a letter to the editor warning people about that specific spot. “That accident hit all of us hard,” Morton said. “It just hit even more because two people from Knappa died.” U.S. Hwy 30 By the numbers, 2012-16 (For mileposts 70-95) • 26 miles • 298 accidents • 5 accidents/month on average • 253 injuries • 4 injuries/month on average • 9 deaths Source: Daily Astorian research ‘I wouldn’t so much blame it on the roadway as much as I would driving behavior.’ Andrew J. Merila Oregon State Police Lt. A five-year snapshot of crash statistics reveals her instinct to be correct. Out of the 26 miles on Highway 30 between Westport and Alderbrook, the 5-mile stretch approaching eastern Astoria is easily the most dangerous for drivers. From 2012 through 2016, 298 accidents occurred in those 26 miles, causing 253 injuries and nine deaths, according to state Department of Transportation data. The 5 miles near Asto- ria account for 36 percent of those accidents, 42 percent of injuries and three deaths. Save for some minor tweaks to the road, the onus is on drivers to minimize danger, officials say. “People drive that road daily without any issues,” Oregon State Police Lt. Andrew J. Mer- ila said. “I wouldn’t so much blame it on the roadway as much as I would driving behavior.” See ACCIDENTS, Page 7A Southern Oregon tribe sues to protect endangered fish By JES BURNS Oregon Public Broadcasting A Southern Oregon tribe is accus- ing federal water managers of fail- ing to keep Upper Klamath Lake full enough to ensure the continued survival of two endangered species of sucker fish that its people once depended on for subsistence. The Klamath Tribes leveled their claim in a lawsuit filed late Wednes- day federal district court against the Bureau of Reclamation. Water quality in the lake is gener- ally poor and that can be exacerbated in drought years like the one we’re in. “The lake levels are very import- ant for providing habitat — water quality refuge habitat — for adult fish,” said Klamath Tribes scientist Mark Buettner. Buettner said while the current sucker population continues to repro- duce, very few of those young fish make it past the first year of life. This means the population of surviving sucker fish is aging and it’s feared the reproductive capacity of the fish will eventually start to decline, making See TRIBE, Page 6A Liberty Theatre seeks $5 million to modernize Campaign is an investment in a modern venue By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Liberty Theatre will embark on a multi- year capital campaign to raise up to $5 million to modernize performance spaces and the the- atergoing experience. The Commercial Street landmark under- went a $6 million renovation between 1999 and 2006. But the theater’s offerings are still ham- pered by outdated equipment, from the original 1925 curtain system and rudimentary lighting to an undersized stage and inadequate backstage. The theater recently hired lighting and archi- tecture consultant Schuler Shook to investi- gate the building’s needs to become a modern venue. They came back with $5 million worth of improvements. The capital campaign will start in Novem- ber with a gala and auction at the theater. The- ater boosters are hoping to chip away at the $5 million wish list over several years, said Chris- tine Lolich, president of the theater’s board. The restoration of the building took about six years. Jennifer Crockett, the theater’s director, called the capital campaign the second phase of the theater’s restoration. The first phase saved the building, while the second is about support- ing the stage and operations by upgrading the lighting, rigging, curtains, backstage, chang- ing rooms, box office and concessions area, she said. The $5 million also includes making the building more energy efficient by switching to Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian See LIBERTY:, Page 6A Jennifer Crockett, director of the Liberty Theatre, shows a tour group the condition of the curtains on the stage.
