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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2018 Halverson recognized for his a leadership at Astoria police PROFESSIONAL Deputy chief Consult was the ‘glue’ during shake-up By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian City leaders and police officers gave Astoria Deputy Chief Eric Halverson a stand- ing ovation Monday night in recognition of how he led the department through a difficult transition last summer after the former police chief abruptly retired. Halverson stepped up as interim chief last August, working as both the chief and deputy chief until Police Chief Geoff Spalding came on board later that month. At the time, an independent assessment of the police department under former chief Brad Johnston’s leadership documented low morale, staff shortages and conflict within the department, but singled out Halverson as a well-respected leader. Spalding called Halver- son the “glue that has held the department together in some challenging times.” On Monday, Spald- ing presented Halverson with a distinguished service commendation. “This is the highest honor that we can recognize some- one in this organization with- out some form of a heroic act — which he came pretty close to, I think, in what he had to do here,” Spalding said. “One of the things that makes this honor, to me, more significant is the fact it’s a rec- Astoria Deputy Chief Eric Halverson ‘It was the members of the department that kept the department together.’ Eric Halverson Astoria deputy chief ognition from his peers,” he added. City Manager Brett Estes echoed the police chief’s praise. “It was an honor to work along side you,” he told Halverson. “I appreciate all the effort that you made and all of the challenges that you took on during that time of transition.” Halverson hadn’t been told he was receiving the honor. He was there to watch the swear- ing in of the department’s newest police officer, Alex Whitney. “I don’t have a whole lot to say other than the fact that it was the members of the depart- ment that kept the department together,” Halverson said. “I was just fortunate enough to be there and have people stand behind me and help me. This is really for all of our staff that hung in there.” Halverson joined the department in 1993 as a police cadet and became a police officer in 1998. He was pro- moted to sergeant in 2008. He was promoted to deputy chief in 2015 when Johnston was police chief. He acted as interim chief for most of last August before Spalding took over. Spalding was hired per- manently in January. The department is on firmer ground going into this summer. Spalding submitted a quar- terly report Monday in which he reported the past few months had been “relatively quiet with minimal high-pro- file incidents.” Whitney’s swearing-in brought sworn staff up to 17 officers, Spalding wrote, but staffing continues to be a challenge for both the police department and the 911 dis- patch center. As staffing levels increase, and as two other new officers get ready to patrol on their own, Spalding is looking at gaps in service. He is contem- plating filling a second detec- tive position and is also evalu- ating what it would take to be able to participate in the inter- agency drug task force and restore the school resource officer position — two prior- ities that came up during city budget discussions this spring. Q: What are my options for replacing a missing tooth? options exist to address A: Many this situation. Factors which JEFFREY M. LEINASSAR DMD, FAGD 503/325-0310 1414 MARINE DRIVE, ASTORIA www.smileastoria.com are the Q: What best hardware LEO FINZI disk to store your operating system, programs, and data items you add. Replacing that with a solid state hard drive will greatly improve the speed of your computer. Astoria’s best selection of new and refurbished computers Adding additional RAM memory M-F 10-6 Sat . 11-4 77 11th Street, Suite H Astoria, OR 503-325-2300 The Daily Astorian Seasonally adjusted unem- ployment dipped below 4 percent in Clatsop County in May, according to state statistics. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected with actual employment. Clatsop County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment was at 3.9 percent in May, a slight drop from the previ- ous month and year. The rate was 4.9 percent in Colum- bia County, 4.2 percent in Tillamook County, 4.1 per- cent statewide and 3.8 percent nationwide. Clatsop County was expected to gain 290 jobs in May but only added 170. Nonfarm payroll employment was 18,620, 310 higher than the year prior. Over the past year, construction has added 130 positions, and hospital- ity another 80. Retail trade has gone down 80 positions over the past year. Clatsop County was tied with Morrow and Wasco counties for the 10th-lowest unemployment rate in the state in May. The statewide unem- ployment rate was 4.1 per- cent, and the national rate 3.8 percent. real doctors? like all other doctors, A: Yes, we undergo four years of Barry Sears, D.C. Area Clatsop May April 1-yr. 2018 2018 ago 3.9 4.1 4 Columbia 4.9 5 5 Tillamook 4.2 4.3 4.2 Oregon 4.1 4.1 4.1 U.S. 3.8 3.9 4.3 *Preliminary, seasonaly adjusted rates. Source: Oregon Employment Department Daily Astorian graphic Port director hopes for citywide enterprise zone Designation on the waterfront By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Jim Knight, the executive director of the Port of Astoria, is hoping the Astoria City Council will designate the entire water- front an enterprise zone. Enterprise zones provide a state property tax break for three to five years for manu- facturers, processors, shippers, call centers and headquarters. Hotel and resort businesses are also eligible in some enterprise zones. Clatsop County, Warrenton and the Port in 2015 partnered to create the Clatsop Enter- prise Zone covering clusters of industrial and commercial properties around Warrenton, Hammond, Miles Crossing, Jeffers Garden, the Astoria Regional Airport and Knappa. The Astoria City Coun- cil rejected involvement in the enterprise zone over mistrust of the Port, preventing properties along the waterfront from tak- ing advantage of potential tax breaks. Hyak Maritime recently purchased North Tongue Point, an industrial dock on the eastern edge of Astoria, and replaced the Port as oper- ator, hoping to create a marine fabrication and repair facility. The City Council has expressed interest in expanding the enter- prise zone to help the develop- ment. The expansion needs to be approved by the state. “I have heard clearly that there is an intention of Tongue Point, and perhaps even our East Mooring Basin,” Knight said of the city’s deliberations. “But I just think our commu- nity would be remiss not to take advantage of the rest of the waterfront.” Knight has pushed for more public-private partnerships to refurbish the Port’s aging, crumbling properties. He suc- cessfully campaigned for east- ern Astoria to be one of the 86 census tracts designated as opportunity zones by the state. The federal designation could lead to an infusion of money by investors hoping to lower their capital gains tax burden. Knight said he plans to speak with Astoria’s city man- ager about further expanding the enterprise zone and poten- tially enlist Port commissioners to help sway the city. Frank Spence, president of the Port Commission, said he is pleased to see the city revisiting enterprise zones, considering how many properties in War- renton are already taking part. The Port Commission on WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Tuesday approved a $12 mil- lion operating budget, includ- ing nearly $3 million in per- sonnel services, $2.3 million in capital investments, $1.6 million in debt service pay- ments and nearly $4.4 million in materials and services. Most of the Port’s revenue comes from operations and grants, but a small portion will come from countywide property taxes of 12.56 cents per $1,000 of assessed value also approved by the Port Commission. Not included was up to $70,000 the Port’s budget com- mittee had considered for a feasibility study by Colum- bia River Estuary Study Task- force to turn much of the Ski- panon Peninsula into a wetland mitigation bank. Knight said he wants to hash out any poten- tially volatile issues around the project with members of the task force, made up of a council of local government represen- tatives, before proceeding with the project. Fort Stevens Park and Friends of Old Fort Stevens O BSERVE THE 76 th A NNIVERSARY OF THE J UNE 21, 1942 J APANESE S UBMARINE A TTACK ON THE F ORT 503-325-3311 2935 Marine Drive Astoria, Oregon those who die without family or means to care for their final expenses? John R. Alcantara - Funeral Director Sponsored by The Friends of Old Fort Stevens and Fort Stevens State Park 503-861-2000 • visitfortstevens.com a State handles “indigent deaths” A: How is specific to statutes of that State’s legislation. The State of Oregon does not have any public burial/cremation societies (as they used to exist historically in Europe or the early parts of the settling of the New World). Instead, our State has a special program that involves specific criteria which each funeral provider must investigate thoroughly before the state will qualify a decedent as indigent. Those funeral establishments who participate in the program truly live up to William Gladstone’s quote: “Show me the manner in which a nation Astoria: 576 12th St. 503.325.2535 cares for its dead and I will measure with Seaside: 220 N. Holladay mathematical exactness the tender mercies 503.738.6622 of its people, their respect for the laws of the www.hughes-ransom.com land and their loyalty to high ideals.” Hughes- Ransom Mortuary Q: We are empty canvas media & design music, art, creative, logic Merle Fenton 406-600-6273 1775 S. Roosevelt Unit C, Seaside planning a Summer/ Fall wedding is it too late to book a photographer? A: I prefer three weeks schedule to prep, for most of my work. I’ll work with a budget at low to noth- ing cost changes. Q: I just received my Thursday, June 21 Noon-4 pm June 21, 1992: The 50th Anniversary of the Japanese attack. Over 150 Fort Stevens veterans gathered at Battery Russell to remember the event and to dedicate the Pacific Rim Peace Memorial. graduate school including two years of life science and 2 years of clinical sciences with an internship. The degree conferred after successful completion of schooling is a D.C. or DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC. We are also called chiropractic physicians. Yearly continuing education is required to keep skills up. Our approach is to find the simplest solution with the fewest tests. We are happy to accept new patients. there any public burial/ Q: Are cremation societies to care for fenton.merle@gmail.com On the date of the attack, an interpreter will be at Battery Russell and the Pacific Rim Peace Memorial with displays and information about the attack. to your computer is another way to increase your computer’s speed. Most computers can utilize twice as much memory as was installed at the factory. Q: Are chiropractors CHIROPRACTIC Jobless rates for May * improvements I can make to my computer? Astorias hard drive, that comes with Best.com A: The most computers, uses a spinning ASTORIA Unemployment falls below 4 percent in Clatsop County determine the best option are patient interest, position of tooth, position of gum level, height and width of the bone, esthetic concerns and challenges, condition of adjacent teeth, and patient expectations. Available options to consider and discuss are doing nothing, fabrication of an economical removable “flipper”, construction of a fixed bridge, and placement of a dental implant supporting an implant crown. The bridge and implant options are the most durable, esthetic and pleasing options to consider. new Medicare ID card, do I need to do anything? A: It depends. If you have a Medicare Supplement Policy you need to call the customer ser- Medicare Products vice number on the back of your insurance card and give them your new number. Advantage Plan and 503-440-1076 Part D Prescription Plan members do not need to. Medicare Services Licensed in Oregon (CMS) will do that for you. Remem- and Washington ber, never give out your info to an incoming caller. putmanagency@gmail.com Steve Putman
