A4
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2022
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
SHANNON ARLINT
Circulation Manager
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Production Manager
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Systems Manager
WRITER’S NOTEBOOK
Inspiring each other
O
regonians are tired. Beat down. Ready for a
break.
Over the past two years , workers have been
asked to take on more during the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s taken a toll. Many are burnt out or have left jobs.
Keeping spirits up amid so much uncertainty is
taxing.
It should come as no surprise then that optimism
is in short supply for many Oregonians, according to
a recent survey from the Oregon Values and Beliefs
Center.
Of those surveyed, 53% said they are optimis-
tic about this year, compared to about the same period
in 2021 when 59% said they were somewhat or very
optimistic.
Rural residents said they were less likely to believe
the state is headed in the right direction.
The Oregon Values and Beliefs Center is an inde-
pendent, nonpartisan group that has partnered with EO
Media Group and Pamplin Media Group.
As the U.S. mourns the loss of nearly
a million lives to COVID-19, it’s clear
things won’t ever be the same.
But as we grieve these losses, we
must fi nd a path forward.
One way is to inspire each other.
Losing local luminaries like Skip
Hauke, who owned a grocery store in
JONATHAN
Astoria and went on to run the Asto-
WILLIAMS
ria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Com-
merce, leaves a sizable gap in local
memory and leadership.
I can remember times as a child going to Hauke’s
Sentry M arket with my mother, always with an eye
toward the store’s doughnuts.
While it’s important to mourn the loss of Hauke, we
should also be inspired by the legacy he left behind.
His commitment, selfl essness and good humor are
what are most needed to help address some of the North
Coast’s most pressing issues .
And there is no shortage of issues: from child care
to housing and homelessness to mental health — these
shortcomings in our community will take sustained,
creative solutions.
But there are also gaps in other areas, too. Our local
nonprofi ts, festivals and community groups need help.
Volunteering was one of the many things Hauke was
known for. Some of his most impactful work was done
when no one was looking, like doing dishes at the Asto-
ria Senior Center during his lunch breaks.
Part of what makes moving on after two years of the
pandemic so diffi cult is the variety of ways people’s
lives have been impacted. The young and old have both
endured losses.
Helping at a local school, animal shelter or vis-
iting with elders at a care home are just some of the
things people can do to strengthen the fabric of our
community.
Jonathan Williams/The Astorian
There is much to be optimistic about on the North Coast this year with the return of many in-person events.
It’s also no secret some of the activities from the
early days of the pandemic don’t carry the same joy.
No 1,000-word puzzle alone will take us out of this
malaise.
Not seeing your friends and relatives for lengthy peri-
ods of time is hard.
I recently got to spend time with a friend who I
hadn’t seen for a while. We walked part of the Fort to
Sea Trail on a bright, blue-sky day. It was refreshing
after so much time apart. We enjoy sharing each other’s
company.
So do things that are invigorating. Inspiring. Call up
a friend or relative. Check in on people.
The past two years have given those with the time
ample opportunity to explore creative pursuits and learn
new things — share them with someone.
It really is never too late to try something new. Take
the Columbia River Symphony, for example. I grew
up playing viola in the symphony when the member-
ship was around a dozen people. It’s grown considerably
since then. What I always enjoyed about it as a young
musician was the camaraderie and chance to learn from
the adults — some of which were also new to playing
or had recently taken up their instruments again. It was
inspiring.
It is this connection, of young and old, new and expe-
rienced, that will help us fi nd solutions to today’s issues
and transcend the challenges of the pandemic.
So who inspires you? Give them a shout. You might
be surprised how much it means to them.
As athletes, musicians and professionals of all trades
know — it’s not enough to just hope that something will
improve or go right. It takes work. Hauke knew this.
There is much for us to be optimistic about this year if
we only have the strength to lift one another up with
compassion, kindness and decency.
Jonathan Williams is the associate editor of The
Astorian.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Low road
‘A
storia takes a step closer to work-
force housing at Heritage Square”:
A very disingenuous article published Feb.
24 in The Astorian.
The uproar was never about the need
for housing. All agreed it was a priority.
The uproar was always about where it was
to be sited. The city has little money. They
refused to consider land swaps, purchases
or any other creative use of repurposed
buildings. They exist in Astoria.
Instead, the City Council took the low
road. They are giving away prime down-
town real estate, and 10 years of city
promises to make it a library, small-foot-
print housing and public use space. Pre-
vious city councils debated on how to do
this.
The city’s own website for the Garden
of Surging Waves states that in February
2012: “Astoria City Council amended the
city’s comprehensive plan to include lan-
guage regarding redevelopment of Heri-
tage Square as a public urban park.”
In the past few months, the priorities
were changed to low-income subsidized
housing. One block from the tourist-fueled
downtown.
The three supporters of this develop-
ment will not run for reelection. The two
“nay” votes return. My prediction is that
new council members and the new mayor
will reverse this 3-2 vote. The developer
has one year to make good on promises.
The construction start is at least several
years out. The fi ght goes on.
JAY ROSEN
Astoria
Crucial turning point
T
he city of Seaside is at a crucial turn-
ing point as we begin the process of
hiring a new city manager. Mark Winstan-
ley will be retiring soon, so the recruiting,
vetting and interviewing needs to move
quickly.
As a longtime city employee, recently
retired, I have seen, and personally experi-
enced, the inner workings of the city, and
want to share my opinion.
While I am all for hiring from within,
in this case, it isn’t our best option. The
city deserves a capable leader who has the
education, experience, a deep history of
leadership and a proven track record who
can hit the ground running. An individual
who will honor our history, while having a
vision for the future.
There are many issues needing to be
addressed, ones that have no easy fi x, and
perhaps a fresh eye would be useful. We
need to seek out the best candidate with a
nationwide search.
My hope is that our City Council will
not take the path of least resistance, and
truly search out the very best candidate for
our city. As citizens, we deserve it.
GRETCHEN DARNELL
Seaside
Time to boost
I
enjoy watching the ships navigating up
and down the mighty Columbia River.
I’ve noticed on ships almost 1,000 feet in
length how small the rudders that guide
the ships are by comparison.
I thought of a passage in the Book of
James that compares the helm that guides
the rudder with the tongue. I also recalled
a philosopher’s words, “four things come
not back: the spoken word, the sped
arrow, the past life and the neglected
opportunity.”
My point is this: How we talk to our-
selves, and to others, can either lift or
lower our spirits. So before we speak, let
us stop and ask ourselves, “Is what I’m
about to say to myself, or others, going to
lift, or lower, our self-esteem?”
If ever there was a time when all of
us need a boost, it is now! So when you
see the next ship, ask yourself, “Are my
words uplifting, navigating me on the right
course?” By the grace of God, may it be
so.
JIM BERNARD
Warrenton
What’s wrong
with this picture?
I
n 1967, my husband and I were living
in Poland, where he was working for
LETTERS WELCOME
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letters per writer are allowed each
month. Letters written in response
the U.S. State Department. We were there
for a year. World War II had ended only
two decades years before. Adventures lay
before us.
Warsaw was a beautiful city, despite
the scars of the war. The Poles were open-
hearted and loved Americans. Positioned
on a plain between Germany and Russia,
they had been invaded many times over
the years.
From time to time, a rumor of another
invasion would surface and you could not
fi nd any bread. It was in the Polish psyche.
As I write this, Poland has opened its bor-
to other letter writers should address
the issue at hand and should refer to
the headline and date the letter was
published. Discourse should be civil.
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ders to refugees coming out of Ukraine.
Thank God.
Former President Donald Trump was
on TV praising Russian President Vlad-
imir Putin’s “genius” in his strategy for
Ukraine. Americans need to dig that fi lm
up if Trump runs in 2024. And play it and
play it and play it. The people of Kyiv,
innocent men, women and children and
pets are being murdered for where they
live.
What’s wrong with this picture?
MARY TANGUAY WEBB
Astoria