A4 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 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 Icon of Astoria will be honored Friday Robert ‘Jake’ Jacob ears from now, Astorians will still be ria to be affi xed this 15th day of April, 2019. telling stories about a daring visionary City of Astoria Mayor, Bruce Jones and iconoclast, Robert “Jake” Jacob. Horns and whistles With matinee idol good looks and piercing At 5 p.m. on Friday, horns and whistles green eyes, Jake was a force of nature — unfor- throughout Astoria will sound, including Jeff gettable in life, unforgettable in death. Daly’s Joy Train and the Astoria Ferry Tour- Jacob died in September 2018, leav- ist No. 2. Jones hopes Astorians will take a ing behind a rich legacy of good works in his moment to remember Jake with gratitude for all hometown. of his contributions to the community, he said. At Monday night’s City Council meet- Many have called Jacob an “icon” of Asto- ing, Mayor Bruce Jones read the following ria. More than 400 people attended a celebration proclamation. of life for him at the Astoria Armory last fall. WHEREAS, Robert H. Jacob, known affec- Friends and acquaintances found his audacious tionately to Astorians as “Jake,” was born ideas and over-the-top antics refreshing in Astoria in 1949 and spent the last and even hilarious. They knew his crazy decades of his life enthusiastically help- genius allowed him to imagine and do ing create a vibrant and thriving Asto- things others would not dare. ria; and Former Mayor Willis Van Dusen WHEREAS, Jake designed the mas- joked that the only thing in town Jacob ter plan of the Astoria Riverwalk, using had nothing to do with was the Column. his architectural skills to incorporate the “Jake is part of the Astoria lexicon,” working riverfront with people, places DONNA Van Dusen said. and uses for all; and QUINN Jacob “John Wayned” his way through WHEREAS, Jake worked to save and life, believing that one should “do some- then preserve the Liberty Theatre for the thing, even if it’s wrong.” He continued to try city of Astoria; and new things, even as he struggled with alcohol- WHEREAS, Jake located and brought the ism. Challenges and setbacks did not defi ne him Astoria Waterfront Trolley, also known as the — he always fi gured there was another way to “Old 300,” to Astoria; and make something work out. A maverick, eccen- WHEREAS, Jake envisioned, designed and tric entrepreneur with charm and charisma, he built the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa; and left his fi ngerprints everywhere in Astoria. WHEREAS, Jake led the charge to preserve Jacob was proud of his Finnish heritage, and and restore the Astoria Armory; and would be amused to know that his brainchild, WHEREAS, Jake led the charge to preserve the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa, just purchased and restore the Astoria Ferry Tourist #2; and a decorative trash bin for the Astoria Scandina- WHEREAS, Jake inspired and mentored vian Heritage Park in his name. other Astorians to do work to benefi t the city of “Jake loved to throw away trash and clutter, Astoria; and he would love the idea that a trash bin in a NOW THEREFORE, to honor Jake as the Scandinavian park would be a place his buddies Astoria creative visionary he was and the could visit — and also leave the town a cleaner dreamer he wanted each of us to be, the city of place,” said friend Terry Rosenau. Astoria declares April 19, 2019 (which would Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa staff is building an have been Jake’s 70th birthday) as outdoor bench with a plaque in his honor near ROBERT “JAKE” JACOB DAY the hotel — a bench built with contributions Astoria is a better community for everyone from each staff member, many of whom worked to live in and visit because of Robert “Jake” with him since the hotel opened in 2005. Jacob. Donna Quinn is director of sales and market- IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have herewith set ing for the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa. my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Asto- Y LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Breath of fresh air his Sunday was the fi rst time in a long time I felt there was hope for our country. A smart, kind young man, Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indi- ana, declared his candidacy for president of the U.S. What a breath of fresh air in this quagmire of a troubled country and its people. Buttigieg spoke to many issues: The economy, the rebuilding of unions, global warming, our relationship with the rest of the world, Medicare for all and much more. He approached these things with intelligence and thoughtfulness. He talked of bringing the country together, of having more empathy for one another, and presented a picture of a better and stronger country. He wasn’t didactic, he wasn’t cruel and he wasn’t bullying. Mayor Pete Buttigieg helped South Bend rebuild after the recession, and once again it is a thriving city. He is a veteran of the Afghan War as an intelligence offi - cer. He is a Harvard graduate and attended Oxford. He has been a business consultant for many corporations, he speaks seven languages and plays concert piano. He is a devout Christian. And oh, yeah, he is an openly gay man married to a gay man. The people in Indiana don’t seem to care. They love him. Stay tuned for a long and interesting ride with Pete Buttigieg. MARY TANGUAY WEBB Astoria T Fresh eyes for Port W hy I am running for the Port of Astoria Commission, Position 3: I have always believed in term limits for any political offi ce. Without them, “we the people” could not have a government. We do not have a monarchy; we are a repub- lic. We pledge our allegiance to the fl ag … and to the republic for which it stands. I believe that members of a commis- sion are chosen by a larger group to act in the best interests of the entire popula- tion. I think a commission should resem- ble a family, with all its personalities. The family members may disagree like heck behind closed doors, but those disagree- ments shouldn’t come rolling out the door. For leadership to work, it needs to be uni- fi ed in public. I am not running against someone, but I am running for the Port and the people of Clatsop County. There is a lot of good happening at the Port, and most of the employees go beyond their prescribed duties to make the Port a better place. We cannot change past history. We can learn from it, and we can grow. As it is said, “If we continue doing the same thing the same way we have always done it, we will continue to get the same result.” I bring a fresh set of eyes to the Port. I ask that you give serious consideration prior to casting your vote for the members of your Port Commission. I would be honored to be one of those for whom you vote. SCOTT McCLAINE Astoria Our tax dollars A fter reading the article regarding Ore- gon Highway 202 and the continuing issues with the soil stability, a quote from the Oregon Department of Transportation maintenance manager really stuck out for me (“On state Highway 202, a landslide brings drivers down,” The Daily Astorian, April 12). He was quoted as saying the local contractors advised him to wait for the soil to dry out. The state employs civil engineers to make this sort of determination for a lot of reasons, and rightly so. Seeking a pri- vate contractor’s input is valuable, but should never be the sole justifi cation for the expenditure of tax dollars. RICHARD McINTOSH Astoria Climate change is here I t is clear that climate change is upon us. We are seeing melting ice sheets at the poles, prolonged wildfi re seasons, extreme storms, rising sea levels and acidifi cation of the oceans. The overwhelming consen- sus of the scientifi c community agrees we must reduce carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. We, as Oregonians, must do our part to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. That is why we must pass the Clean Energy Jobs Bill, House Bill 2020. It’s a policy that caps and prices greenhouse gas emissions from large polluters, and reinvests the pro- ceeds into clean energy and energy effi - ciency solutions. An independent economic study found the policy will add 50,000 new jobs by 2050, and grow the gross domestic prod- uct (GDP) by 2.5 percent. We have much to gain from Clean Energy Jobs, and much to lose if we fail to seize this opportunity. Imagine the cost to society if we do noth- ing in the face of the climate change. Please let state Sen. Betsy Johnson and state Rep. Tiffi ny Mitchell know you sup- port HB 2020. SHARON KLOEPFER Gearhart Stevens for Port P lease cast your valuable ballot for Robert “Steve” Stevens for Port of Astoria Commissioner. Let’s get out of the red and into the black. Steve Stevens is all about our Port realizing its great potential for tour- ism and in industry. He is also mindful of maintaining harmony with our communi- ty’s well-being. The community’s voice is important, and should be heard. He is interested in people’s concerns. He sees the cards on the table but is the visionary viewing the Port’s poten- tial. He understands a cohesive agenda requires both short-term and long-term goals. He has the grit to prioritize infra- structure improvements and see them to completion. Playing to win — he will be fuel in the money-making machine our Port was always meant to be. He cares about what people have to say. He is a good listener, and will be accessible to his constituents. He will foster transparency from the Port to the people. His leadership skills will promote a no-nonsense, rational and productive exchange of ideas. He is intelligent, calm in crisis, and thoughtful and measured in his responses. The Port would gain a wise diplomat. He has an earnest commitment to our community and will work hard to optimize its future. Having retired in Warrenton, he is here for the duration. He will be pres- ent and accounted for at all proceedings in behalf of the Port’s interests. He will make a long-lasting and great contribution. Please cast your valu- able ballot for Steve Stevens for Port Commissioner. MARTHA PHILLIPS Astoria