149TH YEAR, NO. 21
TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2021
$1.50
Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Commercial fi sherman Steve Fick, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Scott Jackson and Regatta Queen Annalyse
Steele toss bouquets into the Columbia River in remembrance of fallen sailors. • Steele speaks about Astoria’s maritime history.
• A Coast Guard motor lifeboat, the Ironwood and the Clatsop County Sheriff ’s Offi ce boat led the Regatta’s Highwater Boat
Parade on Saturday. • Kids throw candy from atop the Arrow No. 2 to people lining the docks during the boat parade.
Astoria Regatta returns
By HAILEY HOFFMAN
The Astorian
fter cancel ing the 2020 Regatta
because of the pandemic, the Astoria
Regatta Association held an abbre-
viated version of the festival on
Saturday.
Locals, fi shermen and members of
the U.S. Coast Guard met at Maritime
Memorial Park to hold the annual Sea-
men’s Memorial to honor the region’s
maritime history and those who have
been lost on the water.
The ceremony was followed by a
Highwater Boat Parade along the Astoria
Riverwalk, featuring sailboats, the Coast
Guard and commercial fi shing vessels.
A
Gearhart
seeks vote on
fi rehouse bond
A $13 million question
on November ballot
By GRIFFIN REILLY
The Astorian
GEARHART — The C ity C oun-
cil has voted unanimously to put a
bond measure to fi nance a new fi re-
house on the November ballot .
An estimated $13 million is
needed to fund the project near High-
lands Lane and U.S. Highway 101.
A recent geotech analysis of the
surrounding area revealed the dune
at the site is 2,000 years older than
a previously targeted location for a
fi rehouse , meaning there will not
be a need for a more diffi cult type of
foundation .
“This is one of very few places
in Gearhart with land like this,” City
Administator Chad Sweet said Friday .
A recent city survey found that
65% of respondents were in favor of
building the new fi rehouse and 60%
supported the bond fi nancing.
Of the 554 survey respondents,
however, just 309 were registered
voters . A narrower portion of voters
— 51% — were in favor of both the
new fi rehouse and the bond .
The survey was the second by
the city on a new fi rehouse. A 2019
survey identifi ed the High Point site
on North Marion as the preferable
location.
The city wants to move the aging
fi rehouse on Pacifi c Way to help
better prepare emergency operations
for an earthquake and tsunami.
Coast Guard gets new sector commander
Jackson succeeds
Smith in Warrenton
By ERICK BENGEL
The Astorian
WARRENTON — A new
leader has taken command
of U.S. Coast Guard Sector
Columbia River.
Capt.
Scott
Jackson
relieved retiring Capt. Jeremy
Smith at a change-of-com-
mand ceremony held Friday
morning . Jackson recently
fi nished a master’s program
in strategic studies from the
U.S. Army War College in
Pennsylvania .
Smith, a 25-year vet-
eran of the Coast Guard,
ran Sector Columbia River
since June 2018. He led the
sector through the lon-
gest U.S. government shut-
down — when some in the
military worked without pay
— and almost a year and a
half of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Instructor off ers yoga
at golf course
By GARY HENLEY
The Astorian
See Commander, Page A8
With a handshake, Capt. Scott Jackson, right, takes over command of
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River from retiring Capt. Jeremy Smith on Friday in Warrenton.
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Drive, chip,
putt — and
stretch
eople may have seen social
media posts recently on yoga
classes at the golf course and
thought of Chevy Chase as the
golfer Ty Webb in the comedy
“Caddyshack.” “There’s a force in
the universe that makes things hap-
pen,” he said.
“And all you
have to do is
get in touch
with it, stop
thinking, let
things happen, and be the ball.”
Sarah Knutsen teaches a more
rational approach to yoga, whether
it’s to help your golf game or not.
She leads a yoga class every week
at the Astoria Golf & Country
Club .
“People might assume it’s for
members only, but it’s open to the
public,” said Knutsen, of Asto-
ria. “We have quite a few regu-
lars, and I’m hoping to get the
word-of-mouth out there a little
more. I make posts about it on my
P
See Knutsen, Page A8