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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2021)
148TH YEAR, NO. 117 DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 $1.50 CORONAVIRUS State virus relief helps the arts Edward Stratton/The Astorian Sondra Carr of Weird Sisters Freak Boutique is planning a night market. Night market in the works A parking lot off 10th Street By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian Sondra Carr, who runs Weird Sisters Freak Bou- tique in the Astoria Underground, is exploring a night market on 10th Street as soon as October. The quarterly Portland Night Market brings together food, drink, cultural and art vendors to an industrial warehouse on the east bank of the Willa- mette River. The event has continued through the coronavirus pandemic, albeit with limited attendees and vendors. Carr is reaching out to the organization for help to organize an Astoria variant , depending on the severity of the pandemic. She recently came before the Sunset Empire Transportation District for per- mission to rent a parking lot at the Astoria Transit Center as part of a larger market between Marine Drive and the Astoria Riverwalk. “The side of town that the bus terminal is in is sort of becoming a more quirky and creative cen- ter of town,” Carr said. “And so, I’ve been talking with some of the other businesses in the area about things that we could do to pull more people who are interested in that sort of thing down to our side of town.” See Night market, Page A8 Kirista Trask is one of Astoria’s artists who received a relief grant from the Oregon Arts Commission. Over a dozen artists, groups received funds By ALYSSA EVANS The Astorian Edward Stratton/The Astorian Bob Goldstick plans to play the piano daily from his studio in the Astoria Underground and on YouTube starting in April. A Pianist turns to ‘safe busking’ Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian The Liberty Theatre is among the arts organizations recently awarded state grants. Goldstick able to fi nd new audiences By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian W hen the coronavirus pandemic emptied Seaside streets and restricted visits to retirement homes, local pianist and busker Bob Goldstick lost the audiences he loved to entertain. The veteran of piano bars and busking turned to Twitch, an online stream- ing platform more synon- ymous with video gamers, and amassed a global audi- ence until he was recently hacked and went offl ine. After a short break, Gold- stick plans to start “safe busking” in April from his studio in the Astoria Under- ground, playing behind a glass window for audiences in the underground mall and on YouTube for everyone else. Goldstick, 78, hails from Philadelphia, where his par- ents started him playing piano at 6. He played clas- sical until he was a teenager, when he started seeing acts like Nat King Cole and Lib- erace on the television. See Goldstick, Page A8 s coronavirus vaccines become more available, local arts venues are beginning to decide how to reopen. In April, the Charlene Larsen Cen- ter for the Performing Arts is set to host an in-person concert for the North Coast Chorale. The Liberty Theatre will host two livestreamed concerts featuring Blind Pilot. “(I remember) we thought it’d be two weeks and we couldn’t imagine what the theater would do, being closed for two weeks,” Jennifer Crockett, the Liberty The- atre’s executive director, said. “I hesitate to say it’s harder now but it’s just as hard because it’s a judg- ment call. How soon is too soon? Will I jump the boat too soon? We don’t want to get ahead of comfort zones but want to start showing some things on our stage.” But getting to this point has been the biggest battle for the arts and culture sector. The Ore- gon Arts Commission recently provided local artists and art See Relief, Page A8 MORE INSIDE Alyssa Evans/The Astorian Oscar de’ Masi stands by some of his work. County reports new virus cases • A8