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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2021)
WEEKEND EDITION // Saturday, april 3, 2021 148tH yEar, NO. 119 $1.50 CORONAVIRUS State’s marijuana economy faces new challenges Some see a growing market under duress By ZANE SPARLING Oregon Capital Bureau They’ve never been higher. Oregon recreational marijuana sales have climbed to record highs, but some say the industry’s woes also have reached an apex. The difficulties range from an unfa- vorable federal tax code to a dangerous crime wave, wildfires and cities and coun- ties hungry for a larger slice of the tax pie. “Businesses are still struggling,” said Kim Lundin, the executive director of the Oregon Cannabis Association. “High sales don’t transfer to overall industry success.” But the marijuana milestone — $1.1 billion in sales in 2020, blowing past the $795 million benchmark set in 2019 — has started a battle for cash at the state Capitol regardless. State Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, has advanced legislation that would allow cit- ies and counties to bump their marijuana sales tax from 3% to as much as 10%. photos by Hailey Hoffman/the astorian Social workers help in the emergency department at Columbia Memorial Hospital. At Columbia Memorial Hospital, social workers have a role in care A recognition of behavioral health See Marijuana, Page A6 By NICOLE BALES The Astorian MORE INSIDE Construction worker tests positive for virus at astoria High School • a2 County reports new virus cases • a6 Resiliency station costs laid out in Gearhart Project could exceed $13M By R.J. MARX The Astorian GEARHART — City staff laid out the most complete look at a proposed resil- iency station at High Point. A new survey will be conducted to determine if voters are willing to get behind what could be a more than $13 million project on North Marion Avenue. “Ultimately it is up to Gearhart vot- ers,” City Administrator Chad Sweet told the City Council during a workshop on Tuesday. Along with cost, there are a number of complications with the High Point site, City Attorney Peter Watts said. The Pal- isades Homeowners Association, which owns a right of way to the property, opposes the project and has indicated that they will litigate. R ecognizing a gap in men- tal health treatment on the North Coast, Columbia Memo- rial Hospital has placed social work- ers throughout its network, including the emergency department, to help patients in crisis. The Astoria hospital, like Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, law enforce- ment and social services agencies, has seen an increase in people struggling with mental health. The lack of mental health treatment in the region has been at issue for decades, but has become more pronounced since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Columbia Memorial and Provi- dence Seaside Hospital, the largest health care providers on the North Coast, are not designed to treat people with significant mental health or drug and alcohol abuse problems. But since many people in crisis end up in emer- gency rooms, the hospitals are on the front lines and are under greater pres- sure to intervene. “We can’t just separate behavioral and physical health out anymore. They are so intertwined and they impact each other so greatly,” said Allison Whisenhunt, a clinical social worker who serves as Columbia Memorial’s director of behavioral health, a new position. The hospital also hopes to recruit a psychiatric nurse practitioner. “We partner really closely with Clatsop Behavioral Health on a lot of cases. And what we’re trying to do really is fill any gaps that exist in the community,” she said. “So it’s not about competing with anybody else who’s doing services. It’s really filling the gaps where people aren’t able to access services. “So, for instance, the folks who don’t have the kinds of insurance that Hospitals are on the front lines of crisis response. ‘WE CAN’T JUST SEPARATE BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OUT ANYMORE. THEY ARE SO INTERTWINED AND THEY IMPACT EACH OTHER SO GREATLY.’ Allison Whisenhunt | a clinical social worker who serves as Columbia Memorial’s director of behavioral health Clatsop Behavioral Health accepts — trying to help make sure they still have access to behavioral health sup- ports as well — has really been the focus.” ‘There’s always a lot of scrutiny’ Social workers support the emer- gency department at Columbia Memo- rial seven days a week, 10 hours a day, with a focus on behavioral health. If there is a behavioral health cri- sis off hours then Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare — Clatsop County’s men- tal health provider — comes in and helps conduct a behavioral health assessment. Every morning, social workers follow up on messages from the emergency department overnight. See Social workers, Page A2 See Station, Page A6 Converting motels to housing Idea in response to wildfires, housing shortage By PETER WONG Oregon Capital Bureau pamplin Media Group Some state lawmakers want to make it easier to convert hotels to emergency shelters or low-cost housing. SALEM — The conversion of hotels and motels to emer- gency shelters and low-cost hous- ing would be eased under a bill that is halfway through the state Legislature. House Bill 3261 would exclude the conversion of hotels and motels purchased for emer- gency shelters or low-cost hous- ing from land use challenges in cities and counties. Lawmakers made federal money available for such purchases last year under Project Turnkey, which is over- seen by the Oregon Community Foundation. The state House voted 41 to 12 on Wednesday to send the bill to the Senate. See Motels, Page A6