A2
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021
IN BRIEF
Fall salmon fi shing season
opens on Sunday
The fall Chinook salmon season opens on the
Columbia River and coastal rivers Sunday.
North Coast rivers and streams are closed to fi sh-
ing from 2 p.m. to one hour before sunrise to reduce
stress on fi sh as water temperatures remain elevated
in some areas.
Fire contained in Ilwaco
ILWACO, Wash. — A 10-acre fi re along U.S. High-
way 101 in Ilwaco was contained Thursday night with
no damage to structures or injuries to fi refi ghters or
residents.
Smoke from the fi re was visible on the North Coast
on Thursday.
The cause of the fi re is under investigation, the Chi-
nook Observer reported.
Great Columbia Crossing sold out
Less than two weeks after registration opened, the
Great Columbia Crossing on Oct. 10 has sold out.
Organizers with the Astoria-Warrenton Area Cham-
ber of Commerce said this is the fastest the 10K event
has ever sold out.
Capacity was reduced to 2,000 from its usual count
of 3,500 runners and walkers. Organizers say the mod-
ifi cation will allow them to ensure they’re follow-
ing health and safety guidelines, but may potentially
reopen registration for additional participants if health
guidance allows.
City Councilor Rocka hosts
meeting for residents
Astoria City Councilor Roger Rocka will host a
meeting for residents at 11 a.m. on Aug. 7 at Maritime
Memorial Park in Uniontown.
The informal conversation on city issues is planned
for one of the park’s picnic tables.
— The Astorian
DEATHS
July 28, 2021
In SHULTHIES,
Brief
Charles
M., 93, of Brownsmead,
died in Brownsmead. Cald-
Deaths
well’s Luce-Layton Mortu-
ary of Astoria is in charge
of the arrangements.
July 27, 2021
WENTZ,
Shelly
Marie, 54, of Longview,
Washington, died in Asto-
ria. Caldwell’s Luce-Lay-
ton Mortuary of Asto-
ria is in charge of the
arrangements.
July 26, 2021
UNEY, Patricia, 70,
of Warrenton, died in
Warrenton. Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
MEMORIAL
Friday, Aug. 6
Memorial
NIEMI, Gary — Celebration of life at 5:30 p.m.,
Clatskanie City Park, 300 Park St. in Clatskanie.
Friends and family are invited to attend.
ON THE RECORD
Assault
• Luke Miehe, 48, of
On
the
Record
• Joshua
W. Raniero,
Warrenton, was arrested
29, of Gearhart, was
arrested Sunday after-
noon for domestic assault
in the third degree and
reckless endangerment.
Unlawful use
of a weapon
• Aaron Thomas
Posey, 26, of Astoria,
was indicted Tuesday for
unlawful use of a weapon
and menacing.
Theft
• Toni Andersen, 56,
of Ilwaco, Washington,
was arrested Wednesday
at Walmart in Warren-
ton for theft in the second
degree.
Wednesday on Ensign
Lane in Warrenton for
theft in the second degree
at Astoria Ford.
DUII
• William E. Keister,
55, of Henrietta, New
York, was arrested Thurs-
day morning at Asto-
ria Eco Wash on Marine
Drive for driving under
the infl uence of intoxi-
cants and reckless driving.
• Robert Francis
Cole, 45, of Astoria, was
arrested Thursday morn-
ing at U.S. Highway 101
and Avenue H in Seaside
for DUII.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
MONDAY
Astoria City Council, 5:30 p.m., work session, City Hall,
1095 Duane St.
Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St.
TUESDAY
Seaside Community Center Commission, 10 a.m., 1225
Avenue A.
Seaside Library Board, 4:30 p.m., 1131 Broadway St.
Clatsop Care Health District Board, 5 p.m., (electronic
meeting).
Astoria Library Board, 5:30 p.m., Flag Room, 450 10th St.
Seaside Planning Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989
Broadway.
Cannon Beach City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower Ave.
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 January 12, 2021
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
EXPLORE
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Dozens of people explored the tidepools by Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach on a morning this month.
Restaurants reel after food
distributor severs service
Move blamed
on shortage of
truck drivers
By LUKE WHITTAKER
Chinook Observer
LONG BEACH, Wash. —
Several local restaurants are
searching for a new whole-
sale food supplier after a dis-
tributor unexpectedly severed
delivery services to the Long
Beach Peninsula last week.
“It was completely unex-
pected,” said Carla Curtis,
the owner of North Beach
Tavern, one of a handful of
peninsula restaurants that
depended on US Foods as
their primary supplier, but
are now faced with fi nding a
new wholesale food source
to keep their menu stocked
in the heart of the busy tour-
ist season.
Curtis said she was told
routes were dropped across
the region and nation “because
of a shortage of truck drivers.”
US Foods, one of the
nation’s largest food distrib-
utors and regional suppliers,
declined comment .
As local restaurants rally
to fi nd a new supplier, a trade
group and others are attempt-
ing to assist them in navigat-
ing the changing hospitality
landscape.
“We’re all going to try
to help the small businesses
fi gure it out,” said Anthony
Anton, the president and
CEO of the Washington Hos-
pitality Association, rep-
resenting more than 6,000
members in the hotel and
restaurant industry.
“I’m frustrated they didn’t
give more notice. ”
The lack of notice was
among Curtis’s biggest beefs,
too.
“A supplier of their size
should be able to give notice,”
she said, adding that she only
found out after returning a
missed call from a regional
representative last week.
“I was frustrated for the
number of businesses, the
restaurants and bars. The
man I spoke to at US Foods
seemed to be as upset as I
was.”
Some warn that the truck-
ing crisis could be a sign of
more changes to come.
“I think this is just the fi rst
shoe to drop. For announce-
Luke Whittaker/Chinook Observer
North Beach Tavern owner Carla Curtis was one of a handful of restaurateurs who depended
on US Foods as their primary supplier.
‘TWO WEEKS AGO I WOULD
HAVE SAID FINDING COOKS IS
THE NO. 1 PRIORITY, BUT NOW
IT’S FINDING TRUCKERS.’
Anthony Anton | president and CEO
of the Washington Hospitality Association
ments coming, I just hope
they can give at least a few
weeks notice. Two weeks
ago I would have said fi nd-
ing cooks is the No. 1 prior-
ity, but now it’s fi nding truck-
ers,” Anton said.
Curtis opened her Long
Beach bar and restaurant in
2018, and had been a cus-
tomer of US Foods for nearly
as long. Curtis said they
“ inherited” US Foods as a
supplier when their former
distributor, Food Services of
America , was acquired by US
Foods in 2019.
Curtis made changes,
including adding additional
storage, to better accom-
modate a curtailed distribu-
tion schedule that required
larger — but less frequent —
deliveries. A typical delivery
ranged from $500 to $2,000,
depending on the needs that
week, she said.
“They would deliver to us
once a week during the worst
of the COVID times, which
was tough for us ( and others
on the peninsula) because we
don’t have space, but worked
it out and ( we) added some
storage, ” she said.
Curtis was content with
the once-per-week schedule,
had it continued, and was in
talks with other businesses to
make other delivery accom-
modations before the route
was removed.
“We talked with the Long
Beach Merchants Associa-
tion about establishing a cen-
tral location where they could
deliver for a whole bunch
of restaurants, but we were
never even given an opportu-
nity to have a discussion with
US Foods about how we can
make this work. It’s just dis-
appointing,” she said.
Food margins have shrunk
for restaurants since the pan-
demic, and the supply dis-
ruption served as another gut
punch for local businesses
looking to rebound.
“Meat prices went through
the roof and they were
extremely hard to get. Some-
times we couldn’t fi nd pep-
peroni or salami. You never
knew which ones were going
to be available and which
ones weren’t. Every time we
went into a store we would
check who had what. There
were a few weeks that cheese
was really tight and the cost
tripled. It was really rough
on my pizza margins,” Curtis
said. “Prices have come back
down a little bit but nowhere
near what it was and I don’t
know if it ever will. And right
now is the busiest time. ”
Curtis has since turned
to a secondary wholesale
food distributor over the past
few days to keep the restau-
rant serving pizza, the most
popular item on the menu.
Establishing a relation-
ship with a new supplier —
{span}Northwest Foods in
Longview — {/span}will
take time, Curtis said.
Relying on a smaller and
more locally based supplier
has been a silver lining amid
the ordeal.
“We were lucky and for-
tunate we had a back up sup-
plier that we could reach out
to and fall back on,” Curtis
said. “I’m sure they’re happy
too, to see their business grow
while reaching out to the pen-
insula to help out.”
Please ADOPT A PET!
SHELD ON
9 year old Jack Russell Terrier Blend
Versatile & engaging, with
an aptitude for happiness -
both yours and his -- a
certainty in uncertain times.
See more on
Petfinder.com
CLATSOP COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER • 861-PETS
1315 SE 19th St. • Warrenton | Tues-Sat 12-4pm
www.dogsncats.org
This space sponsored by SEASIDE OUTLETS
Astoria Public Library
New hours effective August 2, 2021:
Our open hours will be:
Monday 9-1 PM
Tuesday 9-5 PM
Wednesday 9-5 PM
Thursday 9-5 PM
Friday 9-5 PM
Saturday 9-1 PM.
Sunday Closed.