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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2019)
ASTORIA REGATTA CELEBRATES 125 YEARS INSIDE DailyAstorian.com // TuEsdAY, AugusT 6, 2019 146TH YEAR, NO. 16 Transit district in search of bus drivers $1.50 Showtime for a Knappa fifth-grader Pressure from a major expansion, cruise ships By LUCY KLEINER The Astorian The Sunset Empire Transportation District is under pressure to hire bus drivers for a major expansion and a crush of cruise ship visits this fall. “It’s not just unique to our agency,” Jeff Hazen, the transit district’s exec- utive director, said. “It’s a nationwide issue of finding drivers for transit.” The expansion, funded by a pay- roll tax that was part of a transportation package passed by the state Legislature in 2017, is scheduled to begin in Octo- ber. The first project Sunset Empire will focus on is providing weekend bus ser- vice in Astoria. In September and October, Astoria is expected to welcome 11 cruise ships, including three on Sept. 26 that could flood the city with more than 4,450 visitors. Sunset Empire adds two routes on days when cruise ships are in town to accommodate passengers and crew. The transit district is concerned the lack of bus drivers and the demands cruise ships put on bus lines will delay the expansion. “I’ve got my fingers crossed,” Hazen said. “But it just depends if we can hire a few more drivers.” Hazen needs four drivers before Octo- ber and 10 within the next year to tackle the expansion and the cruise ship lineup. On cruise ship days, Sunset Empire adds Route 11 and Route 12. Route 11 is designed to move passen- gers from the Port of Astoria to down- town. The bus makes stops at 10th Street and the Columbia River Maritime Museum before looping back to the Port. The second route, Route 12, tar- gets the cruise ship’s crew. That route goes from the Port to shopping centers See Transit, Page A6 SEASIDE Housing authority acquires apartments Authority manages affordable stock By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian SEASIDE — The Northwest Ore- gon Housing Authority has taken owner- ship of more than 40 units at the Clatsop Shores Apartments in Seaside from Clat- sop County. The regional housing authority, which has managed the county’s affordable housing stock since 2013, took on more than $3 million in debt from the Bank of the Pacific to acquire the properties, located along U.S. Highway 101 on the northern banks of Mill Creek. Rents at the complex are based on incomes between 50% and 80% of the region’s median. The county purchased Clatsop Shores in 2009 from a private devel- oper turning the apartments into high-end condominiums. A settlement over the sale of the 300- unit Emerald Heights Apartments in Astoria to a private developer in the early 1990s tasked the county with maintaining 100 units of affordable housing. See Seaside, Page A6 Photos by Hailey Hoffman/The Astorian Mylie Lempea sits with her pigs, ‘Boomer’ and ‘Hank’, before her show on Wednesday. Lempea took pigs to the county fair By LUCY KLEINER The Astorian M ylie Lempea’s largest pig, “Boomer,” wasn’t like the other swine at the Clatsop County Fair. Not every pig knows how to sit on command. “I can get him to sit with a marsh- mallow,” said Lempea, 11. “It’s hilarious.” This was Lempea’s second year at the fair. She came with Hot Iron — her 4-H team from Knappa — and brought two pigs, Boomer and “Hank.” The fifth-grader has worked with the two animals almost every day since she first got them in early spring. Typically, breeders tell 4-Hers about the pig’s health, weight and vaccination history before the pigs are chosen, but the process was different for Lempea. “Boomer came right up to me,” she said. “I didn’t even have to pick.” Back in February, the pigs were “a little fatter than a loaf of bread and so cute,” she said. Now, at 5 months old, Boomer weighs 286 pounds and Hank weighs 247. “They grow crazy fast,” she said. Lempea herself weighs just a frac- tion of her pigs, and she slid between the green pig stalls with ease. Her friend and classmate, Penny Lyles, had pigs in the neighboring stall. The girls helped one another keep their animals clean throughout the fair. “I help her take her pigs to the wash racks,” Lyles said. “And she helps me take my pigs to the wash racks.” Mylie Lempea shows off her award-winning blueberries. Lempea kept her pigs extra clean with intermittent baby wipe baths. The girls helped each other guide the animals around the fair, using small black straps and their own bony knees to get pigs in and out of their stalls. Being part of Hot Iron has taught Lempea a lot about teamwork and responsibility. Their year-round meet- ings hold them accountable for their duties, which include feeding the pigs breakfast and dinner, washing them regularly and taking them on walks to practice for showing. Though each 4-Her was only allowed to sell one pig at the fair, they can make connections they can sell their second pig to afterward.The fair can be bittersweet for Lempea, as she has to say goodbye to Boomer and Hank. “It’s kind of what they’re meant to do,” she said. “Someone gets to go eat it.” The fruits of Lempea’s labor have paid off outside the pig pen, as well. This year, she entered the photog- raphy competition, where two of her pictures won awards. The first, a photo of a driftwood teepee she took on the beach, won a blue ribbon. The second, her favorite picture, is a close-up por- trait of her family cat. That picture was reserve champion. Lempea also won a blue ribbon for the yellow dahlias she grew this spring. Her largest dahlia received a special honor and was selected for state, which means it will be recog- nized at the Oregon State Fair if it doesn’t wilt before then. Her apples, blueberries and peas were also awarded blue ribbons. She’s especially proud of her peas, which were named division champions. She hand-picked the best five pea pods she could find, and her peas were judged on size, color and similarity. “It’s pretty cool this year for my peas,” she said. “I’ve never had divi- sion champion before.” Healthy Smiles increases children’s access to dental care A five-year grant to Providence Seaside By NICOLE BALES The Astorian Many dental problems are pre- ventable, yet they are among the most common chronic conditions for children and among the top reasons kids go to the emergency room or miss school. Dental care is available through private insurance and the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s version of Medicaid, however many parents do not know their children qualify or how to get help. Based on community health needs assessments, The Oregon Community Foundation provided a five-year, $300,000 grant to Providence Seaside Hospital for school-based outreach to improve Hailey Hoffman/The Astorian Students have access to basic dental care supplies provided by Providence Healthy Smiles access. Under the Healthy Smiles pro- gram, hundreds of students each school year receive dental screen- ings, as well as sealants through the Oregon Health Authority and information on how to navigate dental care. The next school year will be the last one covered by grant money, but Providence Seaside intends to continue the program. Justin Abbott, the Provi- dence Healthy Smiles coordina- tor, works with schools to coordi- nate care days and helps families understand the often-complicated insurance that covers dental care. “I’m Justin’s biggest fan. He has done so much for our students and parents,” said Tobi Boyd, the Seaside School District’s health specialist. “He is the bridge that is able to fill those gaps and make it possible. “Dental problems affect your whole body health and so it’s incredibly important. It’s prob- ably one of the most important things to make sure our kids have healthy teeth.” See Healthy Smiles, Page A6
