»INSIDE
THURSDAY
JUNE 2
2022
HART
SEASIDE, GEAR
AND ILWACO
ART WALKS
PAGES 4-6
A RIVERFRONT TUNE
TENOR GUITAR
FESTIVAL RETU
RNS TO ASTO
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IN
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MANZANITA
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149TH YEAR, NO. 144
DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2022
$1.50
GUN CONTROL
In Cannon Beach, a
transportation plan
has some detractors
Wyden says
GOP faces
‘question of
our time’
Senate would likely have
to overcome fi libuster
By PETER WONG
Oregon Capital Bureau
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden says it’s up
to his Republican colleagues to show
whether they are serious about federal
fi rearms restrictions after
two mass shootings in
May in Buff alo, New
York , and Uvalde, Texas.
The Senate debated
such legislation most
recently in 2013, after the
2012 shootings at Sandy
Ron
Hook Elementary School
Wyden
in Newtown, Connecti-
cut , claimed the lives of
20 children and six adults. But the Sen-
ate fell short of the 60 votes required to
advance legislation without a fi libuster,
although Wyden and fellow Oregon U.S.
Sen. Jeff Merkley voted for it.
The Senate is now in recess for Memo-
rial Day — and a group of Democratic
and Republican senators began talks to
see if there is a basis for legislation.
“That is the question of our time. You
noticed how I approached it: The next 10
days are really crucial,” Wyden, an Ore-
gon Democrat, told reporters last week in
the lobby of the federal building where he
has his Portland offi ce.
See Wyden, Page A6
Lydia Ely/The Astorian
Cannon Beach is working on a new transportation system plan.
Draft covers a prioritized list of
projects, programs and policy updates
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
C
ANNON BEACH — A plan
that would guide the city’s
investments in transportation
improvements over the next 20 years
is nearing completion, but some resi-
dents fear the proposed projects will
increase urbanization and encourage
more visitors.
Some have even urged the city to
look at ways to limit the number of
tourists that visit during peak season.
Cannon Beach is the last city in
Clatsop County to complete a trans-
portation system plan, which includes
a prioritized list of projects, programs
and policy updates . Cities are required
to complete the plan to qualify for
state grants to help fund the projects.
Project leaders say the goal is to
preserve the city’s village feel while
identifying alternate options for trans-
portation knowing that tourism is pro-
jected to increase.
While most people who have
responded to surveys have supported
the draft plan and recommended proj-
ects, concerns and opposition raised
PROJECT LEADERS
SAY THE GOAL IS
TO PRESERVE THE
CITY’S VILLAGE FEEL
WHILE IDENTIFYING
ALTERNATE
OPTIONS FOR
TRANSPORTATION
KNOWING THAT
TOURISM IS
PROJECTED TO
INCREASE.
during public comment have had dis-
proportionate infl uence.
The city’s Planning Commission
delayed making a recommendation to
the City Council last week after hear-
ing calls to slow the process down.
Some p lanning c ommission-
ers were not satisfi ed with the poll-
ing conducted during public outreach,
and one called the survey data “worth-
less.” Some suggested removing the
most controversial options and reas-
suring those who are concerned by
outlining the public process that will
take place each time a project is ready
for development.
Jeff Adams, the city’s community
development director, said amend-
ments can be made, but asked that the
process be respected.
“This is not worthless. This is real
data,” he said. “These are people’s
voices that share their comments and
concerns. And maybe they didn’t write
a letter or an email that gets posted in
the public comments, but they fi lled
out those questionnaires that had open-
ended questions and let them answer.
“I have been doing this ... kind of
planning for 30 years. This is good
turnout. T his is good data.”
During the meeting, Eduardo Mon-
tejo, a transportation planner with
Parametrix, a Portland-based engi-
neering company that prepared the
draft plan, gave an overview and
addressed some misunderstandings.
Johnson’s
gun stance
under
scrutiny
Independent candidate
owns a machine gun
By HILLARY BORRUD
The Oregonian
Oregon gun owners number in the hun-
dreds of thousands, per-
haps more — no one
tracks overall fi rearm
ownership in the state.
But the federal govern-
ment does track the sub-
set of Oregonians who
own machine guns, and
Betsy
in 2021, they numbered
Johnson
6,740. Among their ranks:
former longtime Dem-
ocratic lawmaker Betsy Johnson, now
running as an unaffi liated candidate for
governor.
Johnson’s steadfast opposition to gun
safety regulations is well known, as is her
See Plan, Page A6
See Johnson, Page A6
Police start clearing Seaside homeless camp
A longtime concern off
Necanicum Drive
By R.J. MARX
The Astorian
SEASIDE — Tow trucks and
police cars gathered along Necan-
icum Drive on Tuesday as the city
prepared to clear the homeless camp
at a city-owned lot between 10th and
11th avenues.
Liaisons from Clatsop Commu-
nity Action delivered tents, sleeping
bags and referrals for assistance.
“This is the fi rst day that we are
going to try and clear out a few of
the vehicles that are remaining here,”
Police Chief Dave Ham said . “We’re
going to get it started. Hopefully, that
will prompt a few others and they
start making their moves on their
own.”
The lot , previously used as a stag-
ing area for construction, became a
temporary campsite last year after
the city redirected overnight trailers
off of the roadway.
But as the numbers of RVs and
campers continued to grow, so did
complaints.
Last fall , neighbors presented a
petition with more than 100 signa-
tures protesting the encampment and
seeking its shutdown.
With a homeless camping ordi-
nance that took eff ect in late May and
a new site open for RVs and tents,
the city now has enforcement author-
ity . Overnight campers and RVs
R.J. Marx/The Astorian
See Homeless camp, Page A5
Police meet with residents as they prepare to clear a homeless camp off
Necanicum Drive.