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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 2019)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2019 Taking a Thanksgiving gallop IN BRIEF Magnanimous Mug Awards raise $77,000 for local nonprofi ts The Lower Columbia Youth Soccer Association took the top prize and $28,000 at this year’s Magnani- mous Mug Awards, a fundraiser by Fort George Brew- ery for local nonprofi ts. The brewery chose eight nonprofi ts and a repre- sentative who gathered donations throughout Novem- ber. This year’s contest included the soccer associa- tion, Astoria Warming Center, Riverfolk, United Way of Clatsop County, Association of American Univer- sity Women, North Coast Food Web, Libraries Read- ing Outreach in Clatsop County and Astoria Band Boosters. The soccer association, in existence for more than 30 years, maintains the Warrenton Soccer Complex on Ridge Road near Fort Stevens State Park and runs rec- reational and traveling youth teams. Monica Steele, the group’s vice president, gathered nearly $18,000 in donations. Fort George matched $10,000 and bestowed Steele with the Magnanimous Mug, good for a mem- bership in its mug club. Jennifer Holen raised just under $13,000 for United Way, with another $5,000 matched by Fort George. Annie Martin of the Astoria Warming Center came in third, receiving a $1,000 match. The Magnanimous Mug Awards raised more than $77,000 overall, bring- ing the total raised since 2015 to $342,000. Crash after tree fell onto highway A tree fell in front of an oncoming vehicle Tuesday on U.S. Highway 26 near Military Creek Road . Police say the driver did not see the tree until it was crossing the roadway and drove over the tree. Bystanders helped move the biggest part of the tree off the roadway. No injuries were reported. The driver’s vehicle was towed. Chinook woman arrested following crash on bridge Lilly Inez Pettit, 29, of Chinook, Washington, was arrested Tuesday following a crash on the Old Youngs Bay Bridge for driving under the infl uence of intoxicants and reckless driving. Police say Pettit’s vehicle collided Lilly Inez Pettit with the side of the bridge, fl ipped over on its side and went into the oncoming lane striking a vehicle. The occupants from Pettit’s vehicle and the other vehicle were taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria with injuries. A dog in Pettit’s vehicle was killed in the crash. — The Astorian DEATHS Nov. 27, 2019 GERRITSE, Giac- ama, 87, of Tualatin, for- merly of Astoria, died in Portland. Hughes-Ran- som Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. GOODHART, Car- letta, 78, of Seaside, died in Seaside. Hughes-Ran- som Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. Nov. 21, 2019 GAU, Jean Claude, 70, of Warren- ton, died in Portland. Hughes-Ransom Mor- tuary is in charge of the arrangements. Nov. 15, 2019 PUGH, Charles Ray “Chuck,” 71, of Inde- pendence, formerly of Astoria, died in Inde- pendence. Farnstrom Mortuary in Indepen- dence is in charge of the arrangements. CORRECTION First name misspelled — Garry Smith is the pres- ident of the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection Dis- trict board. His fi rst name was misspelled as Gary in an A1 story on Thursday. PUBLIC MEETINGS MONDAY Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., Council Chambers, 1095 Duane St. TUESDAY Seaside Community Center Commission, 10:30 a.m., Bob Chisholm Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Clatsop County Commis- sioners Work Session, 12 p.m., 800 Exchange Street, Suite 430 Port of Astoria Commis- sion, 4 p.m., Port offi ces, 10 Pier 1, Suite 209. Seaside Library Board, 4:30 p.m., Seaside Public Library, 1131 Broadway. Clatsop Care Health Dis- trict Board, 5 p.m., Clatsop Care Retirement Village, 947 Olney Ave. Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District, 5:15 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Miles Crossing Sanitary Sewer District Board, 6 p.m., 34583 U.S. Highway 101 Business. Seaside Planning Com- mission, 7 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Established July 1, 1873 Circulation phone number: 503-325-3211 Periodicals postage paid at Astoria, OR (USPS 035-000) Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by EO Media Group, 949 Exchange St., PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 Telephone 503-325-3211, 800-781-3211 or Fax 503-325-6573. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Astorian, PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103-0210 DailyAstorian.com ADVERTISING OWNERSHIP All advertising copy and illustrations prepared by The Astorian become the property of The Astorian and may not be reproduced for any use without explicit prior approval. COPYRIGHT © Entire contents © Copyright, 2019 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. Printed on recycled paper Subscription rates Eff ective May 1, 2019 MAIL (IN COUNTY) EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$11.25 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 Out of County Rates available at 800-781-3214 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.00 Nicole Bales/The Astorian Runners take off in front of the Columbia River Maritime Museum during the Astoria Parks and Recreation’s annual Thanksgiving Day Gobbler Gallop 5K walk/run on the Astoria Riverwalk. Over 150 people attended. Participants were asked to pay an entry fee that supports Astoria parks or donate a can of food for the Clatsop Emergency Food Bank. The fi rst place male and female were awarded a pumpkin pie and shaker bottle. Grace Laman and Mike Allen won fi rst place. Trio of potential Oregon forestry ballot measures don’t comply with constitution By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE and JAKE THOMAS Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — A trio of poten- tial ballot measures to change the state’s forestry practices don’t comply with the state’s constitution, a Marion County Circuit judge said Wednesday in backing Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno’s decision to block the measures. Circuit Judge Daniel Wren said in an opinion that the three petitions did not mesh with a constitutional require- ment that measures be limited to one issue, and that Clarno “properly rejected” the three petitions. Wren denied a motion from the petitioners that argued for a judgment in their favor. Clarno rejected the peti- tions last month, prompt- ing petitioners Vikram Anan- tha and Micha Gross to ask a judge to overturn her decision. The three petitions pro- posed slightly different mea- sures that supporters say were intended to protect the state’s water and forests, limiting practices like clear cutting near certain bodies of water or spraying pesticides in those areas. The petitioners’ attor- ney, Jesse Buss, declined to comment. “I am pleased the court has affi rmed the importance of the single subject rule,” Clarno said. “Voters should not need a law degree to interpret ballot measures.” Clarno maintained that the complexity of each proposed measure could confuse voters. “The single subject rule exists to protect voters from having to vote on ballot ini- tiatives that are just way too complicated,” Clarno said. “It’s my duty as secretary of state to protect Oregon vot- ers, and it’s a duty I take seriously.” Clarno’s rejection of the petitions had raised eyebrows. Her offi ce hired Port- land-based law fi rm Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt to defend her decision against the legal challenge after Ore- gon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, declined to provide state legal help. Under the contract with the law fi rm, obtained through a public records request, Clar- no’s offi ce agreed to pay $690 an hour for attorney Michael Gillette, $400 an hour for attorney Dave Anderson and $320 an hour for attorney Jes- sie Schuh. The total payment is not to exceed $30,000, according to the contract. Rosenblum told the Ore- gon Capital Bureau in a state- ment last month that she declined to represent Clarno because doing so would require her to make legal arguments that then might be turned against the Legis- lature and its ability to craft new laws. The state Justice Department represents the Legislature. Clarno’s offi ce said Wednesday that she “decided it was better to obtain inde- pendent counsel than rely on the Department of Justice in this case.” Clarno also took the unusual step of attaching her correspondence with Rosen- blum to her news release Wednesday. The documents show that Clarno wrote to Rosenblum Oct. 21, saying she had just met with three representatives from Rosenblum’s offi ce, Deputy Secretary of State Rich Vial and Steve Trout, head of the state Elections Division. “During that meeting it became clear that your offi ce had reservations about defending me in that suit,” Clarno wrote, and so she wanted permission to hire her own lawyers. Rosenblum replied Oct. 24, approving retaining the outside lawyers. She said defending Clar- no’s actions could be adverse to the legislature’s interests and “adverse to the interests of the people wielding the ini- tiative power reserved to them by the Oregon Constitution.” Oregon school report card shows gains in diversity, graduation By NATALIE PATE Statesman Journal The Oregon Department of Education released its annual statewide report card this week, giving a glimpse into Oregon’s public school system for the 2018-19 school year. Offi cials reported an increase in statewide gradua- tion rates, stagnant or slightly declining class sizes, a mix of attendance outcomes, poor performance on standard- ized tests and a higher num- ber of students experiencing homelessness. The dropout rate decreased for the fi rst time since 2014- 15, and in that same window, the percent of children eligi- ble for early learning services who were actually served jumped 15 percentage points. Students of color still dra- matically out number teach- ers of color. More women are becoming superintendents, but they still only make up a fraction of the total. And though they’re no longer included in the dis- trict and school report cards, discipline rates are up, dis- proportionately affecting students of color, students accessing special needs ser- vices and students considered low-income. Class sizes stagnant, some decreasing Education advocates and politicians such as Gov. Kate Brown have pushed in recent years for more state funding to hire additional teachers and lower class sizes. Research shows smaller classes are easier to manage and allow educators to give more one-on-one attention to students for better social, emotional and academic success. However, the median class size for all Oregon classes across all school types has not changed since 2017-18. The statewide median is 25 students, driven by high schools, which report more classes than any other school type. The medians for high schools and middle schools have not changed since the inception of class size report- ing in 2014-15, according to the state’s latest data. Ele- mentary schools, however, decreased from 25 to 24 in 2015-16 and has held at 24 since. When looking at indi- vidual grades, especially at the elementary level, there are more classes decreasing or staying stagnant. Third- grade classrooms, for exam- ple, decreased by one student in 2018-19 to an average of 24 students. Most elementary students experience classes of 16-25 students from kindergarten to third grade, offi cials said. Students in fourth and fi fth grades are more likely to experience classes of 26-35 students. More teacher diversity Oregon has made some progress in hiring and retain- ing more racially and ethni- cally diverse teachers. In 2018-19, teachers of color made up more than 10% of the teacher population for the fi rst time. However, offi cials said this progress has not decreased the gap that exists between students and teach- ers of color. About 38% of Oregon students identify as a race or ethnicity other than white. Meanwhile, almost 90% of Oregon’s teachers identify as white. And while about 23% of students identify as His- panic, only 5.4% of teach- ers do. This has been criticized by some as one reason stu- dents of color drop out of school more, graduate less and are disciplined more. Women have made prog- ress moving into superinten- dent positions between 2000 and 2008, the latest data show, but there has been lit- tle change over the last fi ve years. Though women make up 71% of Oregon’s teachers, they are still the minority as superintendents are at only 31% in 2018-19. There has been a grad- ual increase in the percent- age of women as princi- pals. In the 2014-15 school year, women made up 48% of principals in Oregon; by 2018-19, women made up 53%. This can be substantial based off salary alone. The average teaching salary in Oregon — including new and experienced teachers, and varying education levels — is $65,019. For principals, the average salary jumps to $111,457, and superinten- dents jump even higher to $141,701. While salaries have grown over time, offi cials said, trends can only be tracked after adjusting for infl ation. For example, when adjusting for infl ation, the superintendent salary has gone up by the equivalent of about $6,300 since 2007-08. Oregon teachers are required to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, be fully licensed and hold the proper endorsement for the courses they teach, according to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. The new state report card shows about 75% of Ore- gon teachers have a mas- ter’s degree; about 90% of administrators do. More students disciplined The percent of students with one or more disci- plinary incidents continues to climb, reaching a peak not seen in years. In 2013-14, the rate reached 5.92% of students, but then decreased to 5.2% in 2016-17. The rate jumped back up the following year, at 5.8% in 2017-18, now climbing again in 2018-19 to 6.5%.
