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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, ApRIL 17, 2019
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
GUEST COLUMN
School projects to start this summer
W
ith spring break behind
us, Astoria School District
staff and students are turn-
ing the corner and heading towards
the end of the school year. Students
and staff appear to be refreshed and
ready to finish the school year strong.
I continue to be grateful to our staff,
parents, families and community
for their participation
in helping our chil-
dren to grow and pros-
per in and out of the
classroom.
This has been a busy
year for the school dis-
trict. We are absorbed
CRAIG
HOPPES
in student, staff and
district success on all
levels. In the past few
months, we have had many successes
that I would like to share with you.
Strategic plan
Our school board has recently been
working to refine our strategic plan,
which is designed to provide quality
learning and program opportunities
for all students. There will be further
opportunities for staff and commu-
nity input. This spring, the district
will host listening sessions to find out
from school staff and the community
their thoughts as to what is important
in the education of our children.
Unique educational
opportunities
We are celebrating our students in
Future Farmers of America and Asto-
ria Robotics for their amazing suc-
cesses. Additionally, we have been
fostering partnerships with local
employers and building out our
career and vocational education pro-
grams through the Clatsop WORKS
student internship program. Many
of our students are participating in
these and other unique educational
opportunities.
Facilities bond
Following the passage of the facil-
ities bond last fall, we have been
Beth Frausto/Astoria School District
This group of Astoria High School students, mentors and coaches represented the school district and community at the Northwest
Robotics Championships in Tacoma.
actively working to set the stage for
improvements to every school this
upcoming year. With our improved
bond rating, we will be able to keep
our district on track to deliver on
building improvements on time and on
budget, while lowering the estimated
property tax rate to our local citizens.
community stakeholders to share in
their assessment of what our schools
need. We are prioritizing that list con-
sistent with the goals outlined in our
bond project framework. During this
process, we are supporting the com-
munity by reaching out to local con-
tractors, many of whom have gradu-
WE COULDN’T DO ANY OF
THIS WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS
WITHOUT OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY.
With a commitment to transparency
and accountability for every dollar
spent in our schools, we have recently
appointed a citizen-lead bond over-
sight committee to review budgets and
keep our project team on track. This
committee will begin meeting in May.
We have hired project managers
and architects and are involving our
ated from our schools or have children
in our schools, in an effort to contract
locally.
Finally, we will begin the first
phases of bond improvements this
summer at every school. Knowing that
kids cannot learn if they don’t feel
safe in schools, we are prioritizing
safety and seismic improvements. For
Water
under
the bridge
San Francisco has invited Astoria and 24 other U.S.
Seaport cities to enter the Crab Cooking Olympics at
Fisherman’s Wharf.
Several officials of the new Clatsop Intergov-
ernmental Council said Wednesday night the
Columbia River will probably have to be the
ultimate source for more water for coastal Clat-
sop County.
County Commissioner Verne Stratton told
CIC representatives in Astoria, “We’re on the
verge of our using our fresh water to capacity,”
perhaps in the next 10 years.
Compiled by Bob Duke
From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers
10 years ago
this week — 2009
The Gannaway brothers have lost faith in the nation’s
leadership.
But they haven’t lost their sense of humor.
At the Tax Day “tea party” in Astoria Wednesday, Jim
Gannaway dressed as a minuteman, carrying a musket
and sign that read: “Taxation without representation is
tyranny.”
And Tim Gannaway, who appeared to be wear-
ing nothing more than a barrel with suspenders, held a
sign that said “Taxation with representation ain’t so hot
either.”
The Warrenton jewelers joined more than 100 people
outside the Astoria post office to protest liberal govern-
ment taxation and spending.
The Clatsop County Board of Commission-
ers last Wednesday voted to adopt a plan for
removal of household hazardous waste, setting
the table for the county to have a permanent
location for disposal of hazardous materials.
“This will give us a permanent local oppor-
tunity to dispose of household hazardous waste
legally and safely,” said Laura Leebrick, gov-
ernment and corporate affairs manager for
Western Oregon Waste.
The plan calls for a permanent collection
station, probably at the WOW transfer sta-
tion on Williamsport Road, designed to han-
dle unwanted oil, paint, cleaning solvents, anti-
freeze, pesticides and other hazardous materials
found in most homes.
Hammond seafood processor Point Adams Packing
Co. has been fined $75,000 for allowing chicken remains
to be illegally dumped into the Columbia River for about
six months in 2003-04.
50 years ago — 1969
St. Mary Hospital, an Astoria medical institution for
89 years, will close down March 1, 1970, because of
economic difficulties, the Sisters of Charity of Provi-
dence announced.
example, this summer we will install a
secure vestibule at the entry of Lewis
and Clark Elementary. We will also
make building improvements to extend
the life cycle of our oldest buildings,
which will save money by cutting our
energy bills, as well as provide well-
lit environments to improve academic
success.
We couldn’t do any of this work
for our students without our amazing
community. Please let us know your
thoughts on what we can do to partner
in your efforts to support our students.
Please contact us with opportunities
to come meet and talk about what is
happening in our schools — we are
excited to share all of our news.
Our students and staff are eager to
complete the school year in a posi-
tive manner. We continue to appreci-
ate the support our school district has
received from our community.
Craig Hoppes is superintendent of
the Astoria School District.
75 years ago — 1944
All was quiet among Astoria halibut boats today,
after opening Saturday of the season marred by a dispute
between halibut fishermen and the OPA which fishermen
claim has set an intolerably-low ceiling on their fish.
Ten Clatsop County men are included on
the list of prisoners of war which was recently
released to the International Red Cross by the
war and navy departments. All of the men are
prisoners of the Japanese.
Elleda Wilson/The Daily Astorian
2009 – From left, Theresa, Jim and Tim Gannaway at the
Astoria Tax Day Tea Party.
The announcement said the “duplication of services”
of St. Mary and the Columbia Hospital was the main rea-
son for the financial troubles. Officials said St. Mary lost
$26,000 in 1967 and $44,000 in 1968. They said loans
on the hospital’s books total $307,000, funds which had
to be borrowed over the years to meet operating costs.
The hospital, which began July 30, 1880, has 51 beds,
less than half of which were occupied last year, officials
said.
The idea of the Astoria School District merg-
ing with four nearby school districts met with
favor at the Astoria district board meeting
Monday night. Although no formal stand was
adopted, it was agreed that Astoria board mem-
bers will attend a meeting called for Tuesday,
April 22, in Seaside. Other districts in the pro-
posed merger are Seaside, Olney, Warrenton
and Lewis and Clark.
Astoria may have an entry in San Francisco’s Crab
Cooking Olympics, May 19-20.Dr.
Ed Harvey, seafood epicure and administrator of
Otter Trawl Commission said Thursday a young man
has come forward to carry the local colors to the Bay
city. Harvey doesn’t want to release the man’s name yet,
though.
Kenneth Weaver, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Weaver, is
reported missing in air action in the European area since
April 1, according to official word received by the well-
known Astoria boy’s parents here Saturday from the war
department.
A price dispute between the office of price
administration and west coast halibut fisher-
men has resulted in a coast-wide tieup of about
600 boats, with 12 to 15 of them operating out
of this port.
H.A. Dunlop, director of the International
Fisheries commission office in Seattle, said fresh
halibut, which would under normal circum-
stances begin coming on the market within the
next two or three days, will be off the nation’s
diet until the tieup ends.
Two new 80-foot power scows, built at the CRPA
shipyard for the big packing company’s Alaska opera-
tions, were set to sail from Astoria Friday in tow of the
seagoing tugs Mercury and Ocean Queen, carrying 29
men to Naknek on Bristol bay.
The company’s cannery will be prepared by these
men, and 10 others who left a week ago, for opening of
the 30-day Alaska season about June 25. The vanguard of
CRPA employees who left earlier traveled by steamer to
Anchorage from Seattle, and were flown to Naknek from
Anchorage. They included Edward L. Morris, Orville W.
Henderson, Robert E. Wright, Arthur H. Hendrickson,
Walter E. Boyd, Roy Arthur Fager, Dan G. Whealdon,
Arvid Olson, Ray Charles Stump and Matt Jussila.