The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current, August 17, 2018, WEEKEND EDITION, Page 1B, Image 9

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    1B
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018
CONTACT US
ewilson@dailyastorian.com
(503) 325-3211 ext. 257
COMMUNITY
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IN ONE EAR • ELLEDA WILSON
THE RIGHT LARRY
he Ear has been standing in the corner after last week’s gaffe.
In the story about the Astoria Senior Center garden on 11th
Street, the Ear mentioned the wrong Larry as being responsible
for all that flowering glory. It is not Larry Miller, the senior cen-
ter’s executive director, it’s Larry Allen, the former president of
the senior center, who is pictured in a photo by Colin Murphey.
In her note, LaRee Johnson only referred to the gentleman
responsible for the garden as “Mr. Larry.” The Ear leapt off
Mount Assumption, thinking she meant Larry Miller. Nope, she
didn’t. The Ear extends apologies to all involved.
T
A HUGE DIFFERENCE
ome of you folks are fortunate to live within the jurisdiction
of the Warrenton Police Department,” Jennifer Weber
of Yucca Valley, California, wrote. “I got to experience their
kindness even from 1,200 miles away.”
“On a recent evening my husband, Kevin, suffered a massive
heart attack in our Southern California home,” she explained.
“Alone in a hospital waiting room, I knew my mother, Leslie
Moody, was camping in Fort Stevens State Park with no cell ser-
vice, and I was desperate to reach her.”
Leslie, a retired nurse, is the family’s No. 1 go-to person
whenever there is a medical emergency.
“The campground offices were all closed, and I don’t know
anyone local who could have helped,” Jennifer explained. “Dis-
traught, I called the nonemergency number for the WPD, and was
connected to a professional and kind dispatcher, Jodie Frost, who
offered to have an officer try to make contact with my mother …
“It was such a blessing that only minutes later, I received a
call from Officer Robert Wirt. He was supremely helpful, com-
passionate and generous. He had already located my mother
… (and) he even allowed her to talk to me on his personal
cellphone.”
Pictured, clockwise from top left, Leslie, Jennifer and Kevin
(who is now home, recovering), and two of the Webers’ children,
Kyler and Kaitlyn. Inset, Officer Wirt.
“Officer Wirt made contact with my family in such a gen-
tle, thoughtful and kind way — we will never forget him,” she
added. “I thought the good people of Warrenton should know
what an asset they have in both Jodie Frost and Officer Wirt …
(They) make the city of Warrenton and its police department
shine.”
‘S
YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID
ast week, this column mentioned the Alaska Katmai National
Park and Preserve’s Brooks Falls brown bears are starring
on the National Park Service’s Explore.org webcams fishing for
salmon (bit.ly/bearfalls).
The area is off-limits for tourists, so you can imagine the con-
sternation when webcam footage showed some bozo in shorts (as
of Thursday, yet to be charged) wading right into the river to take
some selfies with six feeding bears (bit.ly/bearbozo1).
The Anchorage Daily News says the National Park Service
deemed his actions “unprecedented” (bit.ly/bearbozo). Stupid is
more like it.
L
THE SECRET FAMILY
n January, I was contacted by Esther Larson Johnson
through my Ancestry.com account, and she said our
DNA results show us to be first cousins,” Robin Larson
Jensen wrote. As it turned out, a long-held family secret
had kept them apart.
Robin’s grandfather, Erick Gunnar Larson (pictured,
left), emigrated in 1922 from Sweden to Tacoma, where
his brother, Axel Larson, lived. There, Karl met and mar-
ried Mary Alice Merrill in 1926. When she was pregnant
with their son, Richard Riley Larson Sr. in 1927, the cou-
ple fought, and Mary Alice went home to her parents. They
divorced, and Erick only saw his son a few times. (Richard
is pictured, right, with his wife, Cora. More family photos
at bit.ly/KLarson)
“Erick” disappeared in 1929 by moving to Astoria.
He became a U.S. citizen and changed his name to Karl
E. Larson. No one in Tacoma knew his location or new
name; no one in Astoria knew about his old name or life.
In Astoria, Karl and his new wife, Florence E. Brace, had
two sons, Allen Leroy Larson and Robin’s father, Dale
Edward Larson (1934-2018, bit.ly/delarson). Every now
and then Karl would tell Dale (pictured, inset) he needed
to find his “Tacoma brother,” but did not explain what he
meant.
Other hints of Karl’s secret popped up occasionally.
Robin remembers going to Sea-Tac International Air-
port to see him off on a trip to Sweden in 1996. Axel’s
daughter Janet Larson was also there, and asked Karl
about the “woman troubles” that caused him to abruptly
leave Tacoma. “I don’t want to talk about that!” he replied,
which left Robin wondering.
By the time Esther contacted Robin with the truth this
year, it was too late for Allen and Dale, who both died this
spring, to meet their half brother, who died in 2008.
Now that the secret is out, both of Karl Larson’s fam-
ilies had a reunion recently. “It was an amazing surprise
to find out my dad has a half brother,” Robin noted, “and
even better to meet his wife and daughter in person, so
now we look forward to meeting more of our new-found
relatives.”
‘I
TAKING POSSESSION
ug. 19 will be the bicentennial of the day in 1818
when the Navy sloop USS Ontario, commanded by
Capt. James Biddle, came into the Columbia River and
he nailed plaques to trees on the north and south shores
of the Columbia River, claiming sovereignty of the Colum-
bia River Country for the U.S.,” Sue Glen of the Astoria
Daughters of the Revolution wrote.
A little research revealed that Capt. Biddle set out to
reclaim these territories for the U.S. from Great Britain
after the War of 1812. As he approached the Columbia
River Bar, he noted in his ship’s log that he found it impos-
sible for a vessel as large as the Ontario to enter because of
“its sinuous channel,” among other problems.
Consequently, he anchored and took three boats loaded
with more than 50 well-armed men to shore at a small cove
at Cape Disappointment.
“… In the presence of several of the natives, display-
ing the flag of the U.S., turning up a sod of soil, and giv-
ing three cheers, I nailed up against a tree a leaden plate
in which were cut the following words: ‘Taken possession
of in the name and on the behalf of the United States by
Captain James Biddle, commanding the U.S. Ship Ontario,
Columbia River, August, 1818.’” The Ontario fired a salute
to celebrate.
After the ceremony, Biddle headed to the “Chinoake”
village to visit the chief, then crossed the river, landing
near Fort George, and “took possession” there, too.
Biddle also makes note in his log that the ship not being
able to cross the bar caused a bit of a crisis on board the
Ontario, as they could not get access to much-needed
wood, water and fresh provisions. Mission accomplished,
it was time to move on.
Capt. Biddle died Oct. 1, 1848 in Philadelphia. (http://
bit.ly/CptBiddle, http://bit.ly/JBiddle)
PICKING UP PUFFLINGS
n Cannon Beach, they love their puffins. They do in Irish
Loop, Newfoundland, too. From August to October, the Wit-
less Bay Puffin & Petrel Patrol launches their annual puffling
(yes, it’s a real word for baby puffins) rescue efforts, CBC.com
reports (bit.ly/getpufflings).
Juergen (aka Puffin Man) and Elfie Schau started the patrol in
2004. “We were walking down the roads and we saw several dead
birds in the morning, and we wondered what happened,” Juergen
said. He is pictured in a screenshot from a minidocumentary by
Sebastien Despres (http://bit.ly/puffindoc); a puffling is pictured
from the group’s Facebook page, Puffin & Petrel Patrol NL.
If pufflings first set out from their nests toward the ocean to
find food at night, they follow the moon. Juergen came to real-
ize that on moonless nights, the artificial lighting from headlights
and streetlights disorients the birds, causing many to be killed by
cars. His solution was simple and effective: scoop the pufflings
up at night, then release them the next day.
Now puffling rescue has become popular with both the locals
and tourists, and their efforts have paid off. Juergen estimates that
overall, more than 10,000 puffins have been rescued.
I
TITANIC TIMEPIECE
nother piece of Titanic history, a silver pocket watch, is
going on the auction block Aug. 25 in Dallas, Texas, and
is expected to fetch $20,000 or more. It is pictured, courtesy of
Heritage Auctions (bit.ly/cenaiwatch).
The watch was owned by Russian immigrant Cenai Kantor,
who was on the ship with his wife, Miriam. She survived the
sinking in lifeboat No. 12; Cenai did not. When his body was
found, clothed only in his underwear, it was shipped to his widow
in New York.
Miriam went to the Legal Aid Society, who helped track down
the rest of his clothes and effects, including: a “Russian pass-
port, notebook, assortment of money from Russia, Germany and
England, wallets, telescope, corkscrew, silver watch and strap.”
Titanic tidbit: The great-grandson of Astoria’s namesake,
John Jacob Astor IV, also died when the “unsinkable” ship
went down.
A
‘A
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
rothers Across America — Jake Grindstaff, Gilwon Seo
and Dakota Daniels — are deaf young men from Gallaudet
University in Washington, D.C., who left Astoria May 31 to bike
the Transamerica Trail.
Astorian Ardi Chapman, Dakota’s third cousin, reports the
young men made it to Kentucky for a family reunion in late July,
and were featured in a story in the Danville Advocate-Messenger
(bit.ly/3BrosKy).
Of local note: The reunion included Ardi’s first cousin and
Dakota’s grandmother, Judy Daniels, who is originally from
Warrenton. Judy’s son, Toby Daniels, biked across the U.S. in
1991, and Dakota carried his father’s original “Across America”
sign on this trip.
On Aug. 6, as you can see from the screenshot taken from
their Facebook page (tinyurl.com/3pedalFB), they reached their
destination, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Well done, gentlemen.
B
COMMUNITY NOTES
SATURDAY
Angora Hiking Club — 9 a.m.,
Sixth Street parking lot. Gnat Creek
hike. Membership is not required to
participate. For information, call Ar-
line LaMear at 503-338-6883 or go
to angorahikingclub.org
Sit & Stitch — 11 a.m. to 1
p.m., Homespun Quilts & Yarn, 108
10th St. Bring knitting, crochet or
other needlework projects to this
community stitching time. All skill
levels welcome.
Columbia Northwestern Mod-
el Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in
Hammond. Group runs trains on
HO-scale layout. For information,
call Don Carter at 503-325-0757.
Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m.,
Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296
Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel.
For information, call 503-325-5598
or go to astoriafiberarts.com
SUNDAY
Seniors Breakfast — 9 a.m.
to noon, Astoria Moose Lodge, 420
17th St. Cooked to order from
menu, includes coffee. Cost is $5
for seniors 62 and older, $7.50 for
those younger than 62. Breakfasts
are open to the public. Proceeds af-
ter expenses help support local and
other charities.
Cannon Beach American Le-
gion Women’s Auxiliary Break-
fast — 9 to 11:30 a.m., American
Legion, 1216 S. Hemlock St., Can-
non Beach.
Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m.,
Seaside American Legion, 1315
Broadway. For information, call
503-738-5111. No cost; suggested
$5 tip to the instructor.
33rd St. Needlework, hardanger,
knitting, crocheting, embroidery
and quilting. All are welcome. For
information, call 503-325-1364 or
503-325-7960.
MONDAY
Grace and Encouragement
for Moms — 10 to 11:30 a.m.,
Crossroads Community Church,
40618 Old Highway 30, Svensen.
GEMS group is a time for moms to
relax and enjoy each others’ com-
pany. Free childcare is provided.
For information, call Rachael Bid-
Chair Exercises for Seniors
— 9 to 9:45 a.m., Astoria Senior
Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in-
formation, call 503-325-3231.
Scandinavian Workshop —
10 a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725
dlecome at 503-458-6103.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do-
nation $3 for those older than 60;
$6.75 for those younger than 60.
For information, call Suzanne Bja-
ranson at 503-861-4202.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. Cost
See NOTES, Page 4B