WEEK 9 OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL • SPORTS EXTRA • INSIDE
WEEKEND EDITION // SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2019
147TH YEAR, NO. 54
$1.50
AT ISSUE/TIMBER
FOR TIMBER,
A STEADY
DECLINE
IN JOBS
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
A worker at Hampton Lumber in Warrenton uses a chainsaw to cut a large log into smaller chunks.
Downward trend sparked political backlash
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
E
ven amid the economic recovery
from the Great Recession, Clat-
sop County’s timber industry has
declined.
Jobs in forestry and logging are off
by nearly 40% from 2008 — 280 to 169
in 2018 — while wood and paper man-
ufacturing fell by more than a quarter,
or 1,294 to 948.
The loss of traditional, higher-pay-
ing timber jobs has sparked a politi-
cal backlash, from a $1 billion law-
suit by rural counties claiming Oregon
is not maximizing timber harvests, to
the #TimberUnity movement lobby-
ing against climate-friendly policies in
Salem they fear will further hobble the
industry.
A closer look at the decline of tim-
ber-related employment shows an inter-
play of factors. The demand for wood
products was kneecapped by the r eces-
sion. The industry is growing more
consolidated and automated. There is
increased global competition and wor-
ries about government regulation .
The Oregon Forest Resources Insti-
tute estimates that each 1 million board
feet of timber harvested translates to 11
jobs in logging, millwork, pulp mills
and other areas of the forestry pipeline.
AT ISSUE/TIMBER
Debate over cap and trade has
led many people in Clatsop
County to choose sides between
the timber industry and the
environment.
The Astorian took a closer look
at employment data and found
a steady decline in timber jobs
since the Great Recession.
Let us know what you think in a
letter to the editor: bit.ly/2kuT0PZ
See Timber, Page A8
Hampton Lumber invests
to make the most of logs
A $25 million boost
over fi ve years
boards. As much of the log as pos-
sible is utilized for lumber, with
wood chips sent to Georgia-Pa-
cifi c’s Wauna Mill for papermak-
ing and sawdust used to power the
boilers of the mill’s dry kilns.
After buying the mill from
Weyerhaeuser Co. during the
MORE ONLINE
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
WARRENTON — Each Doug-
las fi r and western hemlock enter-
ing Hampton Lumber’s mill runs
Watch video: Take a look
inside Hampton Lumber
bit.ly/2N8bL7u
through several scanners as it’s
broken down from a tree trunk into
See Hampton Lumber, Page A8
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Watching from high above, two Hampton Lumber
mill workers oversee lumber production. Workers are
also able to monitor other parts of the mill from a TV
screen with live feeds from other sections.
Documentary highlights child care dilemma
Screening held
at the college
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
C ommunity leaders and educa-
tors convened Wednesday night at
Clatsop Community College for
a panel discussion to address the
lack of child care and preschool
options in Clatsop County.
The discussion followed a
screening of the documentary, “No
Small Matter,” which investigates
the importance of early childhood
education .
The Northwest Early Learning
Hub recently formed a task force
to look at more child care and pre-
school options.
“As a new parent — I have a
2 -year-old — having a lot of hopes
in thinking you can provide every-
thing you can for your child and
then unable to do that. It is hard,”
said Maritza Romero, the execu-
tive director of the Lower Colum-
bia Hispanic Council.
“And parents are doing what
they can, as well. A nd I’m amazed
because I have a job that is fl ex-
ible and I can work my 40 hours
and I can be with my child and
provide that education. B ut I know
the parents that I work with don’t
have that fl exibility ... I want to
see more commitment from our
community because we’re talking
about children.”
Romero said she hopes the
state’s investment in early child-
hood education through the Stu-
dent Success Act will help the
county create more child care
slots.
Dan Gaffney, a retired Seaside
principal, said although the Stu-
dent Success Act is the biggest
investment the state has made in
early childhood education, it is not
enough. He said the county cannot
continue to wait on state funding
to solve the problem .
“What I envision, what I want,
what I see is the business commu-
nity taking a lead in a lot of these
political choices of where we’re
going to put our efforts and ener-
gies,” said Brian Owen, the chief
executive offi cer of the Seaside
Chamber of Commerce.
He said businesses often pour
money into sports and the arts
because it’s a way to visibly pro-
mote their business. B ut he said it’s
time the business community rec-
ognizes the importance of invest-
ing in early childhood education.
Adrienne Hunter, the owner
of Simply Kids Preschool, a Pre-
school Promise funded program,
said along with funding more
options, local educators need more
training.
She said Preschool Promise has
strict parameters and many local
educators don’t meet the qualifi -
cations. She said the task force is
looking at ways to get local edu-
cators where they need to be to
qualify.
When asked what the role of
county government is in growing
early education, Commissioner
Lianne Thompson began by say-
ing the county hasn’t done enough.
“But we’ve got a new county
manager and I think the level of
functionality in actually making a
difference for the lives of people
all over Clatsop County is going
to head up exponentially. B ecause
I think every commissioner has
wanted to make a difference in
this area, but we didn’t have all
the right players on the team,” she
said.
“I think we’re going to own this
a lot more and use what you’re
doing, what we’re doing together,
to raise up the visibility of this
issue. It’s essential to solve.”
FALL BACK
Daylight Saving Time
ends on Sunday at 2 a.m.
when clocks are turned
backward one hour to 1 a.m.
Sunrise and sunset will be
earlier, which means more
light in the morning.