The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current, January 12, 2021, Image 2

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The daily Astorian., January 12, 2021, Page 2, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextA2 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021 AT THE DRIVE-IN IN BRIEF Crab boats begin ﬁ shing off southern Oregon Commercial crab boats farther south ﬁ nally hit the water. But the area from Cape Falcon near Arch Cape north to the Canada border remains closed to the West Coast Dungeness crab ﬁ shery. With Washington state waiting on the next round of testing results to see if levels of the marine toxin domoic acid have dipped in crabs, the clo- sure is expected to remain in place until at least Feb. 1. County’s community health project manager leaves for service trip Ellen Heinitz, Clatsop County’s community health project manager, ﬁ nished her last day in the role on Fri- day before returning to Guatemala for a yearlong med- ical service trip. The naturopathic doctor practiced primary care in Grants Pass and Medford for 14 years before volun- teering in Guatemala in 2017 through Casa Colibri, a humanitarian organization serving indigenous Mayan villagers in the country’s northwestern region. She has been in her role for Clatsop County since 2018, and played a leading part in the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. “I have really appreciated working for Clatsop County Public Health during this unprecedented time,” Heinitz said in an email. “The team here is full of com- passionate, fearless, dedicated folks who have tire- lessly worked to support their community through this pandemic. They will continue to do their amazing work. I am honored to have been part of this team.” Weber sworn in to state House SALEM — Suzanne Weber was sworn in on Mon- day to represent state House District 32 in the state Legislature. The Republican, a former Tillamook mayor, defeated Democrat Debbie Boothe-Schmidt in the November election. The seat was open after Tifﬁ ny Mitchell, an Astoria Democrat elected in 2018, chose not to run for reelection. — The Astorian DEATH Jan. 7, 2021 Death DUNN, Barbara Ann, 86, of Ocean Park, Washing- ton, died in Ocean Park. Penttila’s Chapel by the Sea is in charge of the arrangements. BIRTH Jan. 7, 2021 Birth HUMPHRIES, Car- rie and Seth, of Asto- ria, a boy, Bentley Mat- thew Humphries, born at Columbia Memorial Hos- pital in Astoria. Older sib- lings are Carson, Baylee, Parker and Bryson Hum- phries. Grandparents are Lori Wangen, Robert Fla- vin and Tammy and Rob- ert Humphries, all of Astoria. ON THE RECORD DUII Texas, was arrested Satur- On the Record • Danielle Leslie day on U.S. Highway 101 Brown, 34, of Warrenton, was arrested Monday on U.S. Highway 101 near Sunset Beach Lane for driving under the inﬂ u- ence of intoxicants. • Robert Tristan Ibarra, 48, of Friendswood, near Sunset Beach Lane for DUII and reckless driving following a crash. • John Robert Sashko, 59, of Lakewood, Wash- ington, was arrested Friday on U.S. Highway 30 for DUII and reckless driving. PUBLIC MEETINGS TUESDAY Sunset Empire Transportation District Board, 9 a.m., spe- cial meeting, (electronic meeting). Clatsop County Planning Commission, 10 a.m., (electronic meeting). Port of Astoria Commission, 4 p.m., (electronic meeting). Astoria Historic Landmarks Commission, 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St. Warrenton City Commission, 6 p.m., Warrenton Community Center, 170 S.W. Third Ave. Clatsop Community College Board, 6:30 p.m., (electronic meeting). WEDNESDAY Clatsop Soil and Water Conservation District Board, 10 a.m., (electronic meeting). Warrenton-Hammond School District Finance Commit- tee, noon, (electronic meeting). Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, 6 p.m., (electronic meeting). Warrenton-Hammond School District Board, 7 p.m., (elec- tronic meeting). Astoria School District Board, 7 p.m., (electronic 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: 800-781-3214 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, 2021 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 EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$10.75 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.25 Luke Whittaker/Chinook Observer The debut of the newly-constructed drive-in at Neptune Theater drew a near-capacity crowd on New Year’s Day in Long Beach. Culling rises to the top of elk population control By R.J. MARX The Astorian GEARHART — A plan to reduce the local elk popula- tion relies on hunting outside city limits to stem the birth rate of elk calves. “No doors should be con- sidered closed, especially when you’re looking at cre- ative solutions for manag- ing an urban elk herd,” Man- uel Padilla, project manager for Oregon Solutions, said at a City Council workshop in late December . “You’re going to start seeing very quickly a situa- tion in which you are going to have very few, if any, options left to be able to start to bring down the herd to a manageable level,” he said. “That’s precisely why cull- ing, although a tough deci- sion, has been put forward and is strongly, strongly recommended.” The elk population in Clat- sop County is exponentially higher than a decade ago, said Paul Atwood, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Growth is expected to be substantial in the years ahead. AN INITIAL NUMBER TO BE CULLED CAN ONLY BE REACHED AFTER GEARHART PASSES A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CULLING TO TAKE PLACE AND A PERMIT SOUGHT FROM THE STATE . ALL MEAT WOULD BE DONATED TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS. In 2019, Gov. Kate Brown designated the Clatsop Plains Elk Collaborative an Oregon Solutions p roject, bringing together businesses, govern- ment and nonproﬁ t organi- zations. Warrenton Mayor Henry Balensifer and Sea- side Mayor Jay Barber are co-conveners, with a project team of 26 members. No one tool will serve as a magic bullet to solve the problem, Padilla said. To be effective, a culling strategy needs to be used in conjunction with no feed- ing laws, hazing, fencing, increased hunting opportu- nities, better road signs and rumble strips in strategic areas, he wrote in an exec- utive summary delivered to c ity c ouncilors. Educational programs, wildlife corridors, elk behav- ior modiﬁ cation plans and land use tools would also be utilized to increase and pre- serve land for elk. There is no precise num- ber that can be predetermined that will mark “success” or “mission accomplished,” Atwood said. “To eliminate an entire group is not feasi- ble, ” he said. A culling plan would pro- vide details on best methods and locations for culling out- side of the city limits. “It’s a very tight space, very urban,” Padilla said. “There are probably not many, if any, areas for cull- ing within the city limits of Gearhart.” An initial number to be culled can only be reached after Gearhart passes a res- olution authorizing culling to take place and a permit sought from the state . All meat would be donated to local food banks. Project team members aim for approval of a decla- ration of cooperation among partners by the end of Febru- ary, Padilla said. After the declaration has been signed, the proj- ect team will plan a more detailed timeline and imple- ment the work outlined in the declaration. Mayor Paulina Cockrum said she anticipates schedul- ing a town hall concerning the elk. “All of the factors pointed out during the work session are important for the public to hear,” she said. “Particularly the rich food source the urban setting provides for the Gear- hart elk herd and safety fac- tors when living near in their midst, how to keep humans and elk at safe distances from one another, and the coordi- nated approach we will need to take to manage the shared environment going forward.” Broadway Middle School inspection reports alarm residents By R.J. MARX The Astorian SEASIDE — Critics of t he Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District’s pur- chase of Broadway Middle School have warned that up to $5 million is needed for repairs and upgrades . “This is a building that has mold, rot, asbestos, cracks, sinking, water within the structure and a roof that inspection reports show has needed total replacement for quite some years,” said Seaside City Councilor Tita Montero, a member of Tax- payers for SEPRD Transpar- ency, a Facebook group that has organized against the $2.15 million purchase . The s chool had asbes- tos inspections performed in 2016 and 2019 with no reduction in asbestos con- taining building material, Patrick Duhachek, a resident, wrote. “Nothing has been done since 2016,” he wrote. “Should we even be using this building and putting chil- dren in it?” Duhachek cited a 2013 report showing the building had “moderate to high” col- lapse potential. Seaside City Councilor Randy Frank, who, like Mon- tero, said he was speaking as a private citizen, said $4 mil- lion to $5 million needs to be spent just to keep the build- ing watertight by replacing the roof and all west-facing windows. The building, on the mar- ket after the Seaside School District moved to a new cam- pus on Spruce Drive out of the tsunami inundation zone, “has served its useful life span,” Montero said. Montero, who acquired school inspection records back to 1988, said the school district has long known the middle school comes with many hazards and high reme- diation costs. The building is “the pro- verbial albatross,” she said. “Given the cost of remedia- tion and the probable impos- sibility of correcting all deﬁ - ciencies, is BMS, in fact, a worthless building?” “There are times when one just needs to walk away from what appears to be a dream and not because it was a bad idea but because it just won’t ‘pencil out,’” Frank said. “In my opinion, this does not necessarily end the desire to acquire the property but may be an opportunity to regroup and explore other ideas.” ‘Reopen the Coast’ hits back at coronavirus restrictions By R.J. MARX The Astorian SEASIDE — About 50 people gathered in the park- ing lot of Seaside City Hall on Sunday, drawn by an invi- tation to “Reopen the Coast” by lifting coronavirus restric- tions throughout the state. Warrenton’s Brandon Wil- liams said people “aren’t buying” the need for the state’s COVID-19 shutdown measures. “I think people will see the businesses aren’t scared to operate and exercise the free- dom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said Williams, who ran unsuc- cessfully for Warrenton City Commission in November . “Masks should be up to the individual.” The event opened with a prayer and included a moment of remembrance for those killed in the Washing- ton, D.C., insurrection last State Rep. Mike Nearman appeared at the Seaside demonstration. week. Some passing drivers honked their horns in sup- port of the rally, while oth- ers shouted their dissent from their cars or from across the street. Under a tent, T-shirts and bumper stickers celebrat- ing the Second Amendment and President Donald Trump were offered for sale. State Rep. Mike Near- man, R-Independence, who allegedly helped right-wing protesters enter the Ore- gon S tate Capitol building during a Dec. 21 special ses- sion after a “Reopen Oregon” rally in Salem, attended the Seaside event. “I’m really happy to sup- port businesses opening,” Nearman told the crowd. “We need to get the econ- omy going, especially on the c oast. COVID is a serious virus, but the cure is worse than the disease. We need to think about that.” Nearman congratulated the audience on the election of Republican Suzanne Weber, who defeated her Democratic opponent, Debbie Boothe- Schmidt, in state House Dis- trict 32 in November. Nearman declined to speak about his role in the events in Salem in Decem- ber, which are under investigation .