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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2020)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2020 IN BRIEF AT THE DRIVE-IN Cannon Beach sees visitors despite beach closure CANNON BEACH — A beach closure did not keep visitors away over the weekend. Police asked around 700 people to leave the beach Saturday and around 111 more on Sunday, according to Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn. The city closed the beach Saturday and Sunday in conjunc- tion with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. City leaders worried the nice weather would be an irresistible draw and that beach closures in Seaside and restricted access elsewhere could funnel people to Can- non Beach. The city erected signs saying the beach was closed on the highway, ahead of stop signs at city entrances and elsewhere. The closure was initially set to extend until Tuesday, but ended Sunday night. “It was very clear,” City Manager Bruce St. Denis said. Everyone who was asked to leave, left, he added, and police did not issue any citations or make any arrests. “Everybody was compliant and willing to work with us,” Schermerhorn said. He believes the majority of people police interacted with were visitors and said many told offi cers they weren’t aware of the closure. Despite the many signs erected outside and inside the city, Schermerhorn noted that some people simply walked down from houses and may not have noticed the signs. The city has no immediate plans to close the beach again. “If we were to face a situation like this again, we would consider it. But right now the beach is open,” St. Denis said. Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian John Wedell watches himself on the big screen at a showing of ‘Helmet John: Astoria is Home,’ a fi lm by Jeff Daly. The fi lm was shown at a pop-up drive-in at Heritage Square in Astoria on Saturday night. The fi lm depicts Wedell’s life as a homeless man living in Astoria during the coronavirus pandemic. Gearhart cancels Fireman’s Ball GEARHART — The annual Fireman’s Ball is another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. The fundraiser, in its 59th year, is highlighted by gaming, live music and dancing and raises money for necessary equipment at the fi re department. “Unfortunately, we made the call to go ahead and cancel the Fireman’s Ball for this year,” City Admin- istrator Chad Sweet said at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Firefi ghters were “pretty bummed,” he said. Donations, clothing sales, the actual fundraiser and the Gearhart Golf Links tournament generate between $17,000 to $20,000, Fire Chief Bill Eddy said. — The Astorian DEATHS 8, 2020 In STUTESMAN, Brief Carol May Joyce, 65, of Seaside, died in Seaside. Caldwell’s Funeral & Cremation Arrangement Center of Seaside is in charge of the arrangements. Death ON THE RECORD Edward Stratton/The Astorian The East Mooring Basin causeway has been closed to vehicles and pedestrians because of rotting wood supports underneath. Theft 32, was arrested Thurs- On the Record • Alexander Sur- day at the Clatsop County ovec, 26, of Seaside, was arrested Sunday at Walmart for theft in the second degree. • Nicholas Reming- ton, 40, of Portland, was arrested Friday at Walmart in Warrenton for theft in the second degree and criminal mischief in the third degree. • Sarah Smith, 39, of Portland, was arrested Friday at Walmart for theft in the second degree and criminal mischief in the third degree. • Levi Trent Smith, Jail for theft in the third degree and disorderly conduct in the second degree. Smith was taken to jail by police following a citizen’s arrest at Joe’s Mobil in Astoria. Police say Smith was appre- hended and handcuffed by citizens and that offi - cers found cause for the arrest upon arrival. Criminal trespass • David Dean Fisher, 43, was arrested Saturday on Marine Drive in Asto- ria for criminal trespass in the second degree. PUBLIC MEETINGS TUESDAY Union Health District, 9 a.m., budget meeting, (electronic meeting). Clatsop County Planning Commission, 10 a.m., (elec- tronic meeting). Gearhart Budget Committee, 5 p.m., (electronic meet- ing). Warrenton City Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 225 S. Main Ave. WEDNESDAY Clatsop Soil & Water Conservation District Board, 10 a.m., (electronic meeting). Clatsop County Budget Committee, 12 p.m., (electronic meeting). Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, 6 p.m., (elec- tronic meeting). THURSDAY Gearhart Planning Commission, 6 p.m., (electronic meeting). PUBLIC MEETINGS Established July 1, 1873 (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 Circulation phone number: 503-325-3211 Periodicals postage paid at Astoria, OR 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, 2020 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 Port invests sweat equity in East Mooring Basin causeway Closed off to vehicles and pedestrians By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian The Port of Astoria is fi x- ing the fi rst 200 feet of the rotting supports under the East Mooring Basin cause- way with recycled plastic lumber, hopeful the efforts will attract grants to repair the rest. The causeway runs north from 36th Street over the marina to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seawall. It has been closed for years to vehicles and since last fall to pedestrians because of rot- ting wood supports under- neath. T he few remaining fi shermen at the marina use skiffs to reach their boats, while people have to stay on the riverbank to watch the sea lions hauled out on some of the docks . The Port announced a plan last year to redi- rect $150,000 budgeted for dredging the West Moor- ing Basin into reopening the causeway to pedestrians. A total rebuild of the cause- way is estimated to cost millions. Last week, t he Port Com- mission approved up to $121,000 to fi x the fi rst 200 feet in November. About 40 plastic posts will go into the water, while most of the money will go toward pres- sure-treated wood in the substructure. “This is at least a good- ‘WE’RE PUTTING WHATEVER WE CAN INTO IT RIGHT NOW, SO WE CAN GET THE REPAIRS DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.’ Matt McGrath | Port’s director of operations faith effort on the Port’s part,” said Matt McGrath, the Port’s director of opera- tions. “We’re putting what- ever we can into it right now, so we can get the repairs done as quickly as possible.” The repairs won’t reach the fi nger piers 800 feet out, where a dwindling number of commercial boats tie up. Port Commissioner James Campbell questioned the wisdom of another piecemeal repair that won’t reopen access to boats, but ultimately voted to support the repairs. Commissioner Scott McClaine attempted to abstain before voting in opposition. Dirk Rohne, the president of the Port Commission, and Will Isom, the Port’s exec- utive director, said they sensed federal support for repairing the causeway after speaking with the offi ce of U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden . McGrath argued the more immediate repairs could be parlayed into several grant applications. “I think we have a good chance of getting those grants, based on the need, the way that the e ast b asin causeway supports the local WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 fi shermen, the way it even supports Bornstein and Da Yang (seafood processors ) … and the fact that we’re putting this effort into the causeway,” he said. “I think it’s a real positive on the Port’s side that we’re doing this, even in the midst of all the coronavirus and the slowdowns.” The Port can’t afford the metal components to make the docks last longer, but is prohibited from treating cheaper timbers with creo- sote to help them weather the tides. Recycled plastic lum- ber meets the federal guide- lines for going in the water and will last 30 to 50 years, McGrath said . As it replaces the supports, the Port will also rip up the concrete poured over the pier’s orig- inal wooden decking to reduce rotting. The Port has assigned maintenance staff to various projects with a future pay- off while the agency hun- kers down amid the corona- virus and a trade war with China that has decimated log exports. Staff recently fi nished deconstructing the former Seafare Restaurant, a histor- ical icon that had fallen into disrepair . The Port is con- templating whether to sell the rights to the building site and the Astoria River- walk Inn, while keeping the land, for some badly needed money. Fixing the East Mooring Basin causeway is a main priority in the agency’s stra- tegic plan and will help efforts to expand a boat- yard on Pier 3, Isom said. A small, self-serve boat- working area there has been squeezed by a log-process- ing yard now dormant by the trade war. The Port has signaled a shift on Pier 3 away from once-lucrative log exports and back toward a more expansive boatworking cen- ter envisioned in the 2000s. The Port of Toledo, upriver from Newport, has captured millions in state and federal grants by investing in its boatyard. “A big piece of that is going to be having space at the East Mooring Basin to have moorage,” Isom said of improving the Port’s boat- yard. “But without a cause- way that’s operable and that folks can access, that’s not going to be a reality.” Fre e Est Fast ima tes Call me ti Any Jeff Hale Painting • • • • Residential Commercial Cedar Roof Treatments Exterior Repaint Specialist Over 25 years local experience 503-440-2169 Jeff Hale, Contractor LICENSED BONDED INSURED CCB#179131
