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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 21, 2020)
»INSIDE THURSDAY MAY 21 2020 HAVING FUN AT HOME PAGE 2 ONE MORE CONTEST PAGE 3 GET YOUR ON GEOCACHE CHEF’S CHOICE PAGE 6 ER SEND A LETT WITH HELP FROM CW LOCAL CHEF HOSTS ONLINE S COOKING SERIE PAGE 8 PAGE 4 ! IN TOKELAND OM DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 147TH YEAR, NO. 139 $1.50 CORONAVIRUS ELECTION Astoria leaders want freeze on minimum wage Scheduled to rise in July By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian Astoria estimates a minimum wage increase from $11.25 to $12 an hour in July will cost the city an extra $62,000 in raises for the small army of part-time staff who run parks programs, along with a similar amount next year. City leaders, facing dire budget fore- casts amid the coronavirus pandemic and a diffi cult bal- ancing act between providing child MORE care and trying to INSIDE reopen the heavily subsidized Astoria County Aquatic Center, plan reports four to push the state for new virus a reprieve. cases Mayor Bruce Page A2 Jones said Monday that while the mini- mum wage increases were passed with the best intentions in better economic times, he will reach out to the region’s state legislators and Gov. Kate Brown to ask they be canceled for the time being. See Wage, Page A6 Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian Ballots in the May election were counted Tuesday. Bangs, Toyooka sweep to victory in commission races Challengers prevail over incumbents Grant money could help businesses Astoria, county to partner By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian Astoria and Clatsop County are applying for $150,000 worth of small grants for low- and moderate- income businesses and employees, along with another $50,000 for protective equipment and testing costs amid the coronavirus pandemic. The city has been with working with county and regional partners to pre- pare and apply for the c ommunity d evelopment b lock g rants becoming available soon through Business Ore- gon, the state’s economic development agency. Mary McArthur, the executive direc- tor of the Columbia-Pacifi c Economic Development District, has been oversee- ing preparation. “Clatsop County has been extremely hard hit by the restrictions and the clo- sures, and … 40% of folks making less than $40,000 a year are currently without income,” she said. “This is a perfect set of funding mechanisms to address those people that are most hard hit in Clatsop County right now. See Grants, Page A6 C Suzanne Weber Boothe-Schmidt, Weber win state House primaries By NICOLE BALES The Astorian ourtney Bangs, a Knappa preschool teacher, and John Toyooka, a manager at Lum’s Auto Center, have unseated Com- missioner Kathleen Sullivan and Commissioner Sarah Nebeker on the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners. Bangs defeated Sullivan 63% to 37% in District 4, which covers east- ern Astoria to Westport. Toyooka prevailed over Nebeker 60% to 40% in District 2, which covers Gearhart, Clatsop Plains and parts of Warren- ton and Seaside. “I am extremely excited for the opportunity to serve my commu- nity, and I am grateful that we had so many come out and vote,” Bangs said. Bangs said she has gained more insight through the campaign and appreciates Sullivan’s service. “It takes a lot of heart and it takes a lot of energy and it takes just a lot of willingness, I think,” she said. “And so I have a lot of respect for her for being able to do that and for being able to just put her life and her heart out there.” Sullivan conceded Tuesday night after the initial returns were announced. “I would like to congratulate Courtney Bangs on her hard-fought campaign,” Sullivan said in an email. “I wish her the best of luck when she begins her term in January and I will help with the transition every way I Debbie Boothe-Schmidt Courtney Bangs John Toyooka MORE INSIDE Election to replace Mitchell in November Voters approve tax levies for the county fairgrounds and Cannon Beach fi re Page A3 By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian am able.” Toyooka said Tuesday night that he felt overwhelmed by the support and confi dence that voters have in him. With the victory, he said, there’s an “enormous responsibility now to fulfi ll that commitment.” Nebeker could not immediately be reached for comment. The county clerk released results Tuesday night based on ballots accepted through 2 p.m. More results were released on Wednesday after- noon. The only remaining outstand- ing ballots are challenged ballots and ballots dropped off in other counties . Voter turnout overall was about 48%. Bangs and Toyooka were fi rst- time candidates and their campaigns drew similar support. Both were favored by donors from major industries and businesses on the North Coast and were endorsed by Clatsop County Republicans and #TimberUnity. Tillamook Mayor Suzanne Weber and Debbie Boothe-Schmidt, a Clatsop County trial assistant, will square off in the November election to replace state Rep. Tiffi ny Mitchell in House District 32. Weber won the Republican primary Tuesday over Vineeta Lower, an online educator in Seaside, 80% to 20%. In the Democratic primary, Boothe-Schmidt defeated George Kiepke, a former Clatsop County commissioner, 71% to 28%. Mitchell, D-Astoria, has represented the district covering Clatsop and parts of Tillamook and Washington counties since 2018. She announced shortly before the fi ling deadline in March that she would not run for reelection, moving to Wash- ington state because of her husband’s new job with Pacifi c Power. The opening gave Republicans, buoyed by a rural backlash to proposed climate change legislation, one of their best chances to fl ip a district held by Dem- ocrats since 2002. Weber emerged as the preferred can- didate of regional industry, while Boothe- Schmidt is primarily backed by labor unions. See Commission, Page A3 See House, Page A3 Cannon Beach looks to help businesses rebound from virus City could close Hemlock to vehicles By NICOLE BALES The Astorian CANNON BEACH — Eager to help businesses rebound during the coronavirus pandemic, the City Council will allow restaurants to set up tables in parking lots or malls and has asked city staff to draft a plan to close part of Hem- lock Street to vehicles. The idea is to allow restaurants more room to social distance while serving enough customers to pay for overhead costs and employee wages. “So this is for the restau- rants because the restaurants are required to separate folks so much within the space that they’re nor- mally used to,” Mayor Sam Steidel said Monday night. “This gives them the chance to expand their square footage enough maybe to make it so they can pay their employees.” “And reduce the number of peo- ple that can occupy their space,” City Councilor Brandon Ogil- vie said. “They’re being hurt both ways.” The City Council also asked staff to draft a plan to close part of Hemlock Street to vehicles for a few weeks. Ideally, the street closure would allow people to practice social dis- Brenna Visser/The Astorian Cannon Beach could temporarily close part of Hemlock Street to vehicles. tancing downtown without crowd- ing sidewalks. The Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce is discussing the idea with businesses and the city expects to review a plan next week . Jim Paino, the chamber’s exec- utive director, said he has spo- ken to businesses that have also expressed interest in being able to place merchandise outside. “As I’ve traveled around the country and in Europe, the most attractive downtowns have been those that had a pedestrian mall ... without exception, I think,” City Councilor Mike Benefi eld said. City Manager Bruce St. Denis said he likes the idea, but he wants to make sure any major changes or plans can benefi t everyone and avoid unintended consequences. “What I feel is a civic duty to protect not only our townspeople, but also the guests that come here,” Ogilvie said. “We’re a town that attracts peo- ple from all over the world and to not be able to create a situation where there’s at least room for people to move around — I’d just like us to be able to do something like that.”
