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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
Founded in 1873
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM
Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Avast there, mateys! Tall ships welcome here
I
f it looks like a scene from the
movie “Pirates of the Caribbean,”
that’s because it is.
The two tall ships that visited Astoria
last week offer a delightful opportunity
for photographers of all skill levels.
And when they dock, the enthusi-
asm of the guides who welcome visi-
tors aboard — and take them out on the
Columbia River on battle cruises — is
worth its weight in doubloons.
The mission of the Grays Harbor
Historical Seaport is quite remarkable in
this day and age. Its leaders seek to rec-
reate — and preserve — those rugged
old days before steam engines forever
changed the nature of ocean sailing.
Steeped in history almost as old as this
nation, the original Lady Washington is
believed to be the first American-made
vessel to make landfall on the West Coast
of North America in 1788 and the first to
visit Japan and Hong Kong.
Leaders at the city of Aberdeen,
Washington, set in motion a nonprofit
group to create and maintain a replica
sailing ship clear back in 1986.
The authentic-looking brig was built
as close to the original as possible by
skilled shipwrights and launched as part
of Washington’s 1989 state centennial
commemorations. Coast Guard inspec-
tions of all aspects of the vessel —
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
The Hawaiian Chieftain, center, and Lady
Washington engage in a mock cannon bat-
tle on the Columbia River.
including its three miles of rigging —
maintain its seaworthiness.
Its smaller companion vessel,
Hawaiian Chieftain, has also appeared
in movies. The steel-hulled, flat-bot-
tomed vessel was originally a private
yacht and later a working cargo ship in
Hawaii. It had several owners before the
Grays Harbor group jumped in to pur-
chase it.
Its function isn’t just creating photo
opportunities for wannabe buccaneers.
The Hawaiian Chieftain is home to Sea
School Northwest, an innovative train-
ing course which sets cadets on a course
to earning an entry-level Coast Guard
Ordinary Seafarer Certification.
And both ships invite thousands of
school students each year for memora-
ble field trips that take a step back into
history. There are also opportunities for
Linh DePledge/For The Daily Astorian
The Lady Washington on the Columbia River near Pier 39.
adults to join the crew and learn about
seamanship in its “two weeks before the
mast” programs. There is even a pro-
gram designed for potential sailors who
are prone to seasickness.
Those of us living in a maritime
region recognize these tall ships as a
priceless investment of time and energy;
the foresight of its creators 30 years ago
is commendable. Long may they sail.
On behalf of Astoria and our
Washington neighbors in Ilwaco, we
are delighted to welcome the Lady
Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain
back any time they care to visit.
On the Web
For more about the Lady Washington
and Hawaiian Chieftain log on to histor-
icalseaport.org
WHERE TO WRITE
• U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
(D): 439 Cannon House Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20515.
Phone: 202- 225-0855. Fax 202-
225-9497. District office: 12725 SW
Millikan Way, Suite 220, Beaverton,
OR 97005. Phone: 503-469-6010.
Fax 503-326-5066. Web: bonamici.
house. gov/
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D): 313
Hart Senate Office Building, Wash-
ington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-
3753. Web: www.merkley.senate.gov
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D):
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C., 20510. Phone:
202-224-5244. Web: www.wyden.
senate.gov
• State Rep. Brad Witt (D):
State Capitol, 900 Court Street N.E.,
H-373, Salem, OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1431. Web: www.leg.state.
or.us/witt/ Email: rep.bradwitt@
state.or.us
• State Rep. Deborah Boone (D):
900 Court St. N.E., H-481, Salem,
OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1432.
Email: rep.deborah boone@state.
or.us District office: P.O. Box 928,
Cannon Beach, OR 97110. Phone:
503-986-1432. Web: www.leg.state.
or.us/ boone/
• State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D):
State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-314, Salem, OR 97301. Tele-
phone: 503-986-1716. Email: sen.
betsy johnson@state.or.us Web:
www.betsyjohnson.com
District
Office: P.O. Box R, Scappoose, OR
97056. Phone: 503-543-4046. Fax:
503-543-5296. Astoria office phone:
503-338-1280.
• Port of Astoria: Executive
Director, 10 Pier 1 Suite 308, Astoria,
OR 97103. Phone: 503-741-3300.
Email: admin@portofastoria.com
• Clatsop County Board of Com-
missioners: c/o County Manager,
800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria,
OR 97103. Phone: 503-325-1000.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Officials show attitudes
against immigrants
y least favorite politicians in
our area are state Sen. Betsy
Johnson and Clatsop County Sheriff
Tom Bergin.
Both seem to have something
against being human while poor. The
vast majority of people who come
to the U.S., without going through
the federal bureaucracy (the enemy
of the far right), are only doing what
humans do, in their circumstances.
I’m only inferring Johnson’s atti-
tude toward immigrants from her
other regressive opinions, and some-
thing she said at the Ghadar Party
event. She praised Indians for com-
ing to the U.S. “in respect with our
laws,” which seemed an obtuse attack
on Mexican immigrants.
Obtuse because Indians can’t
migrate here except legally. If India
had a border with the U.S., their
numbers would dwarf all immi-
grants. Despite migrating legally, over
200,000 Indians are no longer “legal.”
As for Bergin, his support of Mea-
sure 105 — at a time when the pres-
ident, the GOP, and far-right media
are spewing hate towards minori-
ties, when Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) is committing
crimes against migrants, wound-
ing children and families — is at best
heartless.
The law, and law officers, often
fail to be true standard-bearers for
justice. From slavery to ripping chil-
dren from their parents, they just have
often had to look elsewhere.
MICHAEL A. “SASHA”
MILLER
Astoria
M
Editorial on lodging
tax is wrong
he editorial pursuant to last
week’s Clatsop County com-
missioners’ approval of a new
lodging tax is wrong (“Who
should pay to operate new jail?”
The Daily Astorian, July 31).
I am a witness to the exchange
between the commissioners and
the sheriff. Our District 5 com-
missioner, Lianne Thompson, was
simply asking that the motion be
paused; let the lodging commu-
nity have more time to discuss the
proposal and the intended use of
the taxes.
She was barely allowed to fin-
ish asking this of the sheriff, and
the city manager, and the rest
of the commissioners when the
chairman called for a motion, a
second and a vote. Given the sit-
uation, anyone would have voted
no. It is unfair to caste her as neg-
ligent, when in truth she was the
one voice of reason.
As many hoteliers testified
at this meeting: We don’t have
a budget as to what the money
would be spent for relevant to the
operation of the proposed jail (30
percent of the lodging tax). We
don’t have a budget for the use of
the majority of the money, i.e. 70
percent of the taxes will be used
in relation to marketing the area
for tourism.
The taxpayers have yet to vote
yea or nay on the bonds to build a
new jail. Why would any reason-
able person say yes to a lodging
tax at this time?
We don’t have sufficient infor-
mation to make a good deci-
T
sion … neither did the county
commissioners.
CHRISTINE COCHRAN
Seaside
Restaurant review
was harsh and
mean-spirited
Please reconsider
vehicle entrance to
new co-op
I
ost everyone wants the Astoria
Co-op to expand, but the set-
ting they have come up with is just
not going to work.
Steam Whistle Way is a narrow
street that is just wide enough for
two cars to pass each other. Also,
there are six houses with garages
that back out onto this road. And,
there are several motorized wheel-
chairs that use Steam Whistle Way
to get around, and this could be quite
dangerous.
At the City Council meeting,
there was talk about 1,200 people
using the co-op each day (“Asto-
ria City Council backs new Astoria
Co-op Grocery design,” The Daily
Astorian, July 31). Getting back on
Marine Drive is going to be rough if
you use Steam Whistle Way. There
are two ways for turning right onto
Marine Drive — at 23rd Street and
by City Lumber.
If you want to turn left onto
Marine Drive, the safest way is to
drive through Mill Pond, and the nar-
row road to the stop light by the Fire
Department and Police Department.
Say that just 400 want to turn left. It
could be hard for the police or fire
department to get out. Please recon-
sider the entrance to 23rd Street, and
not Steam Whistle Way.
SYLVIA DAVIS
Astoria
M
am writing in response to a review
in Coast Weekend (“The Mouth:
Galletti’s Spaghetti House misses
some Italian pillars,” Aug. 2). If
I had never eaten there, I would
have found the review to be way
off-balance in terms of its negativ-
ity. Having eaten there weekly for
several months, I found it inaccu-
rate and unnecessarily harsh and
mean-spirited.
Galletti’s has been growing
for several years, and I have seen
an abundance of return custom-
ers. There was no Italian restaurant
on the Peninsula, and it has been a
delight to now be able to find deli-
cious lasagna with gobs of mozza-
rella cheese, and to enjoy yummy
unusual chicken marsala.
From the first time I ate at Gal-
letti’s, I have appreciated that a
salad comes with the meal rather
than costing an extra $5, and that it
is made from fresh leafy greens and
unusual peppers.
The reviewer suggested that he/
she wanted an extra slice of gar-
lic bread, understandably since it
is quite delicious, but one slice is
plenty for a person.
The meal is rounded out with
spumoni ice cream, and most peo-
ple, including myself, leave with
carryout boxes, as the portions are
quite ample.
We are a small community
here, Astoria, and along the coast.
Restaurants struggle for sufficient
business and for responsible staff. It
was unnecessary for this reviewer to
be so unkind and unrelenting in this
review. I am quite certain he/she
stands alone in his critique, and I
urge people to disregard this review.
JUDY ERON
Ocean Park, Washington
Please vote ‘no’
on Measure 105
he rally in Astoria on Saturday,
July 28, to oppose Measure
105 was a significant event for the
entire North Coast community. We
saw an outpouring of support for
Oregon’s 31-year-old sanctuary
law. Indivisible North Coast Ore-
gon (INCO) was delighted to part-
ner with La Voz de la Communi-
dad to organize the rally, one of
many such events around the state
that day.
Oregonians value our immi-
grant friends and neighbors. We
don’t want — or need — laws
based on fear or hate. The cam-
paign coalition to defeat Mea-
sure 105, Oregonians United
Against Profiling, already includes
more than 100 members from law
enforcement, business, social jus-
tice groups, and other organi-
zations, including INCO. More
information is at orunited.org
We urge everyone to join forces
to defeat Measure 105 on the Nov.
6 ballot. Diversity makes our
democracy stronger.
CAROLYN EADY
JEAN HOOGE
JOAN HERMAN
LAURIE CAPLAN
SUE ZERANGUE
Indivisible North Coast Oregon
Astoria
T