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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 2019)
A7 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019 1/11/19 Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian 1/11/19 U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, speaks with constituents after a town hall at the Columbia River Maritime Museum on Sunday. Wyden: ‘We’re going to get after this to make sure they get funded’ Continued from Page A1 The packed meeting, dominated by discussion related to the shutdown, took place in the Columbia River Maritime Museum, with the retired lightship Columbia and the Coast Guard cutter Steadfast as backdrops. About 42,000 Coast Guard personnel received their last paychecks Dec. 31, but have since been working without pay until the shut- down ends. Astoria Mayor Bruce Jones, a former com- mander of Sector Columbia River and the emcee Sun- day, noted how local crews had assisted disabled crab boats in hazardous condi- tions since the beginning of the crab season last week . He asked whether there would be legislation to make sure Coast Guardsmen are paid . “We’re going to get after this to make sure they get funded,” Wyden said . U.S. Sen. John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, recently introduced the Pay Our Coast Guard Act to cover active-duty pay, retiree benefi ts, death gratu- ities and other payouts. The bill has been sponsored by three Republican and four Democratic senators and could be voted on as early as this coming week, according to t he Military Times. Wyden, a Democrat who serves on the Senate Finance Committee , said he has asked the IRS to waive pen- alties for late fi lings related to furloughed government employees unable to process tax returns. He also raised concerns over the train- ing of forestland fi refi ght- ers being stopped during the shutdown. Wyden called on Presi- dent Donald Trump to listen to constituents and reopen the federal government before discussing funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, the issue that led to the shutdown. The senator touted his previous support for increased border security, but decried Trump’s idea for a wall, relating it to a stop sign in front of the Statue of Liberty. He also told the story of his parents, who fl ed Nazi Germany. “Unless you’re a Native American, folks, chances are you’re part of the immi- gration experience,” Wyden told the audience . He recounted a female immigrant he met at a phar- macy who was afraid to seek a prescription for her ill son because her family could face deportation. Asylum laws are not being complied with, he said, and major Democratic victories in the 2018 elections were a sign of momentum for change . Asked about the poten- tial impeachment of Trump, Wyden called for a modest approach based on the com- pletion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investiga- tion into Russian infl uence in the 2016 election. He talked about a legislative effort to protect Mueller’s investiga- tion, which has been blocked multiple times from a vote by Republican leaders in the Senate. Asked about his views on timber and logging issues, Wyden brought up the Clean Energy for America Act, his effort to eliminate tax breaks that mostly ben- efi t fossil fuels and replace them with incentives to sup- port clean energy and greater effi ciency. He talked about efforts to investigate and pre- vent price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry; reform M edicare to better serve aging baby boomers; ensure funding for mental health and education; pro- tect the nation’s public lands from being privatized; resist Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ proposed changes to Title IX funding regarding gender-based discrimination and sexual misconduct in schools; challenge Trump’s machinations on foreign pol- icy; and strive for bipartisan- ship in Congress. Fellow Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley has mulled a run for president in 2020. Asked why he hasn’t run for president, Wyden said he already has the best job in the world representing the interests of Oregonians in the Senate. “I’m going to take some of these stories back to the fl oor of the U.S. Senate next week, and I’m going to use them in the effort to do everything I can to get the government open,” he said. 1/11/19 1/11/19 1/11/19 Crossing: The Lowenbergs transformed Gearhart Grocery into a brew pub in 2016 Continued from Page A1 T he Lowenbergs moved to close the Gearhart Gro- cery , which they had owned since 2010, and turn it into a brew pub in 2016 . Some r esidents feared losing the town’s lone grocery , and felt a brew pub didn’t fi t the character of the community . Terry Lowenberg told city councilors that the Gearhart Grocery could not compete with large chains like Fred Meyer, Safeway and Costco. Gearhart Crossing made headlines again in 2017 when Lowenberg was granted a conditional use permit to install lottery machines in the pub and deli. The City Council ini- tially denied the request, bringing up concerns of Brenna Visser/The Daily Astorian People enjoy the last dinner service at Gearhart Crossing, a local pub and grocery that closed Sunday. maintaining neighborhood character and question- ing the need for the gam- bling machines. Lowenberg argued the lottery machines were needed to make Gear- hart Crossing profi table. City c ouncilors even- tually approved the move, fearing the denial could lead to a confl ict with state law and ultimately an appeal. Weaver: Parking behaviors have improved Continued from Page A1 Two-hour parking cov- ers most of Duane and Com- mercial streets, along with Marine Drive, between Eighth and 15th streets from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Downtown merchants and employees are also not supposed to park in front of their storefronts. All around downtown are three-hour or all-day park- ing areas. Until Harris started a year ago, enforcement had been nonexistent since the 2013 retirement of former parking offi cer John Hord . Downtown merchants had a love-hate relationship with Harris, who could be seen downtown marking tires and helping to direct visitors to local attractions. Between January and Sep- tember of last year, Harris issued more than 1,000 park- ing tickets, including nearly 900 to drivers from Ore- gon and more than 120 to Washingtonians. Harris amicably ended her stint last year and returned to being a full-time artist. A studio she shows at in St. Thomas was reconstructed following a hurricane. Sarah Lu Heath, execu- tive director of the down- town association, said down- town parking behaviors have improved since her pres- ence, with more spaces for customers. Miracle-Ear Center Youngs Bay Plaza 173 S. Hwy 101 Warrenton, OR 97146 (503) 836-7921 Miracle- Ear Center 2505 Main Ave N, Suite C Tillamook, OR 97141 (503) 836-7926 USE CODE: 19JANSINK
