»INSIDE m inessJournal.co CoastRiverBus FREE Volume 16 • Published 2nd Wednesday of the month August 2021 Inside: Chronicling Issue 8 bia-Pacifi c Region ss in the Colum the Joy of Busine light: Industry Spot hip loa to ns believe in Partners businesses they s locals to lend Page 6 Steward allow rebound Bookstores supply chain challenges Stores continue to face Page 4 ia opens Riverdog Astor natural food Holistic pet shop off ers Page 8 EMILY LINDBLOM are up Marijuana sales their array of products A calf romps through the grass at Nehalem River Ranch. The ranch recently received a Steward loan to improve its operations. Local retail pot stores expand Page 14 149TH YEAR, NO. 18 DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 $1.50 ON THE RIVER Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dozens of fi shermen braved the rain and wind to catch salmon in the Columbia River on Friday morning. The Buoy 10 season opened on Aug. 1. People return to the Hammond Marina after a morning of fi shing. A fi sherman wades out into the water off of Social Security Beach in Fort Stevens State Park. GEARHART New principal Local farmer loses Survey shows puts students fi rst home in July blaze support for fi rehouse plan Smith has held a variety of roles in education City looks at site off Highlands Lane By GRIFFIN REILLY The Astorian Along with her packed lunch, Nicole Smith is bringing 21 years of expe- rience in education into her role as the new principal of Lewis and Clark Elemen- tary School . Smith has worked in a variety of roles in educa- tion, most recently in the Tigard-Tualatin School District. As a teacher, liter- acy specialist, Title I c oor- dinator and building equity coordinator, she’s seen the many sides of education that leave a mark on stu- dents beyond books. This circuitous path, she said , has always been with the goal of remaining fl ex- ible and adding to her tool- box of strategies so she By R.J. MARX The Astorian ing produce at a farmer s market in Manzanita. Tired from a long day and still recovering from a broken arm, he went to sleep early that night. At around 2 a.m. on July 24, he awoke to the smell of smoke, which was coming from a fi re in his basement. After trying to fi ght the blaze with a fi re extinguisher and garden hose, Trenary realized it was time to save himself. GEARHART — The majority of res- idents who participated in a city survey agree with the city’s plan to build a new fi rehouse near Highlands Lane and U.S. Highway 101. The city has identifi ed the site MORE on the Cottages INSIDE at Gearhart dune to relocate the Limit on aging fi rehouse weekend on Pacifi c Way construction that is vulnerable draws backlash to an earthquake • A2 and tsunami. Of the 554 responses to the survey, about 65% said they agree with the city. About 60% said they would sup- port the necessary bond fi nancing in a November election to pay for a new fi rehouse. See Trenary, Page A6 See Firehouse, Page A6 Nicole Smith is the new principal at Lewis and Clark Elementary School. Joshua Bessex/The Astorian Jeff Trenary has been a longtime vendor at the Astoria Sunday Market. Trenary known for his organic produce could one day serve as a principal. “About every four to six years I try to shift my posi- tion a little bit,” Smith said. “From teaching abroad to dealing with COVID- 19, it’s taught me that resiliency.” See Smith, Page A6 By GRIFFIN REILLY The Astorian Jeff Trenary had no choice but to sit and watch his home of 35 years burn to the ground. A local organic farmer and the owner of Kingfi sher Farms, Tre- nary had spent the previous day doing what he always does — sell-