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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018
Fish and Wildlife
reverses course on
threatened seabird
Marbled
murrelet not
endangered
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission on
Thursday reversed a deci-
sion to upgrade the sta-
tus of the marbled murrelet
from threatened to endan-
gered, choosing to wait for a
10-year study of the species
to end.
There were concerns that
increased protections for
marbled murrelets — small
seabirds that winter at sea
but nest in coastal forests
— would mean stricter log-
ging limits on state forest-
land. Several county com-
missioners from coastal
communities testified at
a commission meeting in
Baker City Thursday that
they were concerned about
the economic impacts of the
decision.
The move toward uplist-
ing nearly ended in a dead-
lock when commission-
ers first considered it at a
meeting in February. It only
passed after Commissioner
Bob Webber decided to
change his vote.
Staff
recommended
reclassifying marbled mur-
relets as an endangered
species Thursday, but Curt
Melcher, director of the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, said commission-
ers had the option to reject
the listing change, which
they did in a 4-2 vote.
The commission intends
to wait for results from an
ongoing study of marbled
murrelets by Oregon State
University researchers. The
researchers are in the second
Marbled murrelets won’t
be listed as endangered
in Oregon.
year of the 10-year study.
“Let’s wait a few years
and let scientists update
us on how this species is
doing,” Mike Finley, the
commission’s
chairman,
said.
Environmental groups
shot back against Thurs-
day’s reversal.
Quinn Read, director for
Defenders of Wildlife, said
the commission “bowed
to the interests of the tim-
ber industry, abandoning
the conservation leadership
they demonstrated just four
months ago.”
“We are extremely dis-
appointed, but we are not
done,” Read said. “Ore-
gonians won’t stand for
this failure of leadership.
Defenders will continue to
work with our conservation
partners to challenge this
indefensible decision.”
Marbled murrelets are
considered endangered in
Washington state and Cal-
ifornia. Oregon listed the
species as threatened in
1995. Very little is known
about them and nests are
hard to find and study. The
birds appear to favor large,
old-growth conifers, a hab-
itat that has dwindled,
researchers say.
The Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife assessed
the species in response to a
petition from multiple con-
servation organizations.
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
The Daily Astorian
Astoria School Board members David Oser, left, and Jea-
nette Sampson, center, on Thursday honored Jeanyse
Snow, wife of the late Hal Snow, a lawyer and co-founder
of Astoria High School Scholarships Inc.
The Astoria High School library has been named after the
late Michael Foster, right, for his part in creating Astoria
High School Scholarships Inc.
Snow, Foster honored for support
of Astoria High School grads
Created scholarships
to help students
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Astoria High School Scholarships Inc.
on Thursday honored late co-founders
Michael Foster and Hal Snow for their part
in creating a scholarship program that has
awarded more than $3.5 million to more
than 2,000 students since 1976.
Foster, a teacher and librarian for the
school district for more than 30 years,
in 1976 held a car wash fundraiser and
awarded two scholarships worth $250
each. The scholarship program has since
grown to more than $8 million, incorporat-
ing funds from former students, businesses,
unions, social groups and others. The fund
awarded $264,000 to the Class of 2018
Thursday, part of more than $1.8 million in
scholarships they have collectively secured.
The Astoria School Board and Superin-
tendent Craig Hoppes on Thursday unveiled
a plaque that will be placed along with pho-
tos and a biography in the high school’s
newly christened Michael Foster Library.
School board members on Thursday
provided a bouquet to Snow’s wife Jeanyse,
a partner in the Snow & Snow law firm dat-
ing back to the 1960s. Snow had served as
city attorney for Astoria and Warrenton,
while helping with numerous other com-
munity efforts.
“Although Michael Foster had the vision
to help provide monetary support for stu-
dents, the person who did work behind the
scenes to get things done was Hal Snow,”
Anglers get extension on spring Chinook
The Daily Astorian
Anglers have another shot
at bagging spring Chinook
salmon this month on the
Columbia River.
Fishery managers in Oregon
and Washington state extended
the season after affirming a
previous forecast of 116,500
upriver spring Chinook return-
ing to the river mouth, leaving
additional fish to harvest.
The extension began Thurs-
day and will continue through
June 15 from the Tongue Point/
Rocky Point line up to the boat
and bank deadlines near Bon-
neville Dam. Anglers can catch
up to two adult salmon (Chi-
nook, coho or steelhead) per
day. Only hatchery fish may be
kept.
There will also be a one-day
white sturgeon retention season
on Saturday. The season will
end at 2 p.m. that day. The open
area includes the main stem
Columbia River from Buoy 10
at the river mouth to the Wauna
power lines and includes
Youngs Bay and all adjacent
Washington state tributaries.
Anglers have a daily bag
limit of one fish and an annual
limit of two. Green sturgeon
may not be retained.
From Bonneville Dam
upstream to the Oregon and
Washington state border, fish-
BIG IS
COMING!
Ocean
Commotion
Diving into
Noah’s Flood
MTC’s annual Celebrating Excellence Program provides an opportunity for
staff to recognize their peers - those employees who exhibit outstanding
performance, go beyond what is expected of them, and who do whatever it
takes to make a positive difference. We are pleased and proud to announce
the 2018 Celebrating Excellence Award winners.
For more
info call
(503 )
325-1761
Lunch included,
cost $15 per student
$25 per family,
scholarships
available.
Register online at
fpcastoria.org by June 15th or
in person at VBS at 1076 Franklin
Jason Linnett
Educator of the Year
ery managers modified the
spring Chinook season and will
allow fishermen to keep two
adult hatchery Chinook per day
instead of one.
SOMETHING
T ONGUE P OINT J OB C ORPS C ENTER
C ELEBRATES S TAFF E XCELLENCE !
Tamara Walker
Social Development
Employee of the Year
Hoppes said. “Hal was a longtime commu-
nity member who worked in many local
endeavors to support our community. He
provided the legal guidance and support to
make sure over the years that Astoria Schol-
arship Inc. would continue to grow into a
multimillion-dollar scholarship program.”
Foster and Snow died in 2016.
Bob Landwehr, president of Astoria
High School Scholarships Inc., announced
the group would begin giving out alumni
scholarships to graduates from 2015 and
later. Noting the scholarship funds of past
graduating classes, he challenged more
recent graduates to also support future gen-
erations when they are able.
“Let the spirit and enthusiasm of Hal
Snow, Michael Foster and all of the individ-
ual donors that you’ve heard about tonight
be your inspiration for the future,” he said.
Astoria Central City
Vacation Bible School
June 25-June 28
10 am- 2 pm
Ages 3 - Grade 6
Harlan Danforth
2/14/1956-4/3/2018
Just one last story!
Please come and celebrate
the life of a Beloved;
Storyteller, Husband,
Father, Grandfather,
Loyal Friend and Brother.
Share one more story,
pie and coffee with the laughter
and love that is Harlan’s legacy.
Saturday June 16 2018,
at 2:00 pm
141 DO SE Sunnyside Rd.
Clackamas, OR 97015
CONGRATS!
Scotty Symonds, Educator of the Year; Linda Zillinger, Manager of the Year;
Katrina Morrell Gasser, Staff Member of the Year; Tony DeVos, Support Services
Employee of the Year; Alison Thomason, Supervisor of the Year
David Ramsey, Cliff Bussert, Tom Sarpola, Lennie Veit, Jaime Sweat, Gail
Cameron, Jessica Narkaus, Deborah Geraghty, Academics Dept., Team of the Year
TONGUE POINT
JOB CORPS CENTER
Tyler Theodore Ranta
Hailey Marie Ranta
You dreamt, you believed, you
strived and you achieved.
You are an inspiration
to us all.
CAREERS BEGIN HERE
503-338-5000
Congratulations to you both.
The sky is the limit and
it’s your time to soar!
tonguepoint.jobcorps.gov
Help Change Lives - Apply at mtc.jobs
~ Love, Mom & Dad