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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2019)
Peninsula Players stage a Clairvoyant comedy COAST WEEKEND • INSIDE 147TH YEAR, NO. 8 DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019 $1.50 Census Bureau stresses need for accurate count Data used to distribute federal money By NICOLE BALES The Astorian A Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian The U.S. Census Bureau’s once-a-decade population count launches next year. U.S. Census Bureau s the United States prepares to launch a once-a-decade pop- ulation count next year, one focus is fi nding people who are traditionally diffi cult to locate. Seniors, younger chil- dren, renters, the homeless, immigrants and migrant workers are in what the U.S. Census Bureau calls the “hard-to-count community.” The census, required by the U.S. Constitution every 10 years, is used to draw seats in Congress and infl u- ences how federal money is distributed for a range of social service programs. “We only have one oppor- tunity to get this right,” said Sarah Bushore, a partner- ship specialist in Oregon for the Census Bureau. “Right now we are living off 2010 data. “When 2020 happens, if we cut ourselves short and we don’t get a complete and accurate count, we are going to have to live with those results for the next 10 years. So we really need to make sure we get a complete and accurate count.” The government is rais- ing awareness about why self-reporting is important and reminding people the information they share will remain confi dential, Bush- ore said. “This is a really big issue, particularly for people who are not U.S. citizens and other minorities who may be concerned about what we do with that informa- tion,” Bushore told Clat- sop County commission- ers during a presentation in June. “It is very important that we make sure everyone understands that what we do is private and confi dential.” Census questions include a person’s name, address, birthdate, race and gender. The Trump administra- tion sought to add a citizen- ship question to the census for the fi rst time since 1950, but dropped the effort after legal challenges. President Donald Trump has instead directed federal agen- cies to compile citizenship information from existing databases. Opponents of the citizen- ship question argued that it would lead to an undercount, particularly in the Latino community, where undoc- umented immigrants have been the targets of federal immigration enforcement sweeps. See Census, Page A6 ‘WE ONLY HAVE ONE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT. RIGHT NOW WE ARE LIVING OFF 2010 DATA.’ Sarah Bushore | a partnership specialist in Oregon for the Census Bureau Apartment complex moves forward Project with 66 units near the Astoria Riverwalk By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Astorian A planned apartment complex near the Astoria Riverwalk that will combine workforce housing and vacation rentals passed its fi nal city hurdle Tuesday. The city’s Historic Landmarks Com- mission unanimously approved devel- oper Walt Postlewait’s proposal for the four-building, 66-unit NorthPost Apart- ment complex near Safeway. It was the fi nal public hearing the project had to weather, a review triggered by the pres- ence of a historic net shed on the Colum- bia River known locally as “Big Red.” Commissioners said they appreciated the attention to detail displayed in the complex’s design, which Postlewait said was intended to pay homage to the old net shed . “I really think that the team under- stood the area, understood Astoria and what we’re trying to do,” he said. The NorthPost Apartments had already landed approval by the Design Review Commission at a hearing last week . Postlewait, the executive vice pres- ident for nonprofi t lender Craft3, plans to begin pulling permits from the city soon, with the goal of breaking ground in September. See Apartments, Page A6 A clear improvement for the Liberty Theatre By LUCY KLEINER The Astorian The Historic Landmarks Commis- sion approved exterior alterations to the Liberty Theatre on Tuesday night. The unanimous decision authorizes construction of an enclosed glass ves- tibule outside of the theater’s main entrance. The Liberty is working with Harka Architecture of Portland on the project. The theater has been raising money for the project since last year . The addition is expected to boost ticket sales, make customer fl ow more effi cient and enhance the audience expe- rience. Because the glass structure will seal and waterproof the area, show goers will be protected from outdoor elements like rain and wind, and the space will be guarded from street pollution, dust and illegal activities such as vandalism. Construction will also repurpose the existing ticket booth door and convert it to a window, which will allow for three distinct places for ticket purchase or pickup indoors. The vestibule is expected to decrease noise pollution that enters the theater from the street and distracts performers and the audience . “Overall, it’s going to be a real uplift to the space,” said Patrick Donaldson, the project’s principal architect. The renovation will also re-create a historic poster display from the theater’s original design. “It’s something the theater has needed for a long time,” said Michelle Dieffen- bach, the commission’s vice president. The glass will be clear and tint- free — despite suggestions to utilize darker glass to keep temperatures mild within the vestibule — in order to cre- ate an entry that does not obstruct the See Liberty Theatre, Page A6 Construction of an enclosed glass vestibule at the Liberty Theatre was approved by the city Tuesday. Lucy Kleiner/The Astorian Warrenton subdivision project stalls City fi nds deed does not match plans for property By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Astorian WARRENTON — A controversial subdivision project may have to start over . T he deed that developer and former Warrenton M ayor Gil Gramson holds for land near Clear Lake does not match his plans to create a 15-plot subdivision . “This is something they obviously missed when they bought (the property) back in 2017,” said Kevin Cronin, the city’s community development director. Following an appeals hearing in June in front of the City Commission , where doubts over whether the parcel had ever been partitioned into a legal lot fi rst sur- faced, Cronin confi rmed with the Clat- sop County surveyor that, no, it had not. Without this important step in place, the property cannot be subdivided. Cronin will recommend the City Com- mission reject Gramson’s project during a hearing next week. The project had been approved with conditions by the Planning Commission in April, but was appealed to the City Commission. If commissioners agree with Cronin, Gramson will need to obtain the correct type of deed and resubmit a subdivision application to the city if he wants to con- tinue with the project. Gramson could not be reached for comment. Skip Urling, a retired city plan- ner who has been representing him, said they will likely not challenge Cronin’s fi ndings or his recommendation. Urling is not sure what Gramson plans to do next. “There are a couple of variables that will probably play into (Gramson’s) deci- sion for what to do with the property,” he said. See Warrenton, Page A6