The BulleTin • Sunday, January 31, 2021 C3
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Astoria’s port zeros in on Pier 2 fixes
BY EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
Dear Abby: I am a 59-year-
old man who was engaged
to a 46-year-old woman. She
told me she was going to
leave for work on Friday, but
I found out she was actually
going on a vacation. She was
pretending to go to work but
driving to Georgia to meet
a married man she met on a
dating site instead.
We live in New Jersey, and
it’s a 13-hour drive. I found
her phone the day before
and deleted all his info, but
she still drove down there to
meet him. I am devastated
and crushed. Any help or
suggestions? I wish people
who do this stuff could be
tattooed on the forehead to
warn other good people.
— Hurt in New Jersey
Dear Hurt: I sympathize
with your pain, which I am
sure is considerable. I do have
some advice, which I hope
you will heed. Please realize
that finding her phone before
her departure was a gift to
you from above. Thank your
higher power that you now
understand exactly who this
woman is and didn’t marry
her.
The time has come to
move forward resolutely.
There are better days — and
better women — ahead. I say
this with certainty because
you can’t do worse than this
one.
Dear Abby: I reached out
recently to the daughter
of my cousin who had just
passed away. I offered con-
dolences and a picture of her
great-grandfather, who was
my grandfather. I also shared
some warm memories of her
dad, my cousin.
She shot back with some
seriously negative informa-
tion about her dad’s dad, my
uncle. It really shook me. I
didn’t want to know that in-
formation. I barely knew my
uncle, but my memories of
the family all involved happy
times together.
What she said shocked and
saddened me. I wish I didn’t
know. I think people should
speak well of those who are
gone or say nothing. Don’t
you?
— Unpleasant in the West
Dear Unpleasant: Most
people tend to omit the un-
pleasant details when talking
about someone who has
passed on, but I do not think
there are any hard-and-fast
rules. I’m sorry you were up-
set about the dose of truth
you received in exchange for
your warm memories. But
understand, I have read obit-
uaries and listened to eulo-
gies that were so sanitized I
didn’t recognize who was be-
ing discussed. Perhaps there
is a happy medium.
Dear Abby: I’m a 13-year-
old with an addiction to
screens. I sometimes pull
overnighters on my phone.
I’m starting to realize my lim-
its. Sometimes I cannot trust
myself with my actions, and
I think I may need help. Do
you have any advice?
— Seeing the Light in Maryland
Dear Seeing: It takes a
brave person to admit they
have a problem and be pro-
active in accepting that it may
be something they can’t solve
on their own. I congratulate
you for admitting it. You are
not the only teen with this
issue. Many people your age
and older struggle with it, too.
Your next step should be
to talk to your parents about
your concerns and ask for
help in breaking your screen
addiction. This can some-
times involve more than go-
ing “cold turkey,” and they
may need to seek a referral
from your doctor.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR SUNDAY, JAN. 31, 2021: Charming,
attractive and social, you have true star power. Despite COVID-19, you can’t
hide yourself away, and you must be heard. This year, you are heard through
your words and through not conforming to other people’s expectations of
you. A second career comes to most of you. If single, you’re so admired and
appreciated that you have the pick of the crop. If attached, trust and respect
are key. ARIES excites you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Today’s a good day to get organized for the coming week — and the
new year. Redetermine your new year’s resolutions and write them down
for the future. Plenty of inspiration combined with realistic expectations will
work best. Tonight: A determined zeal.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Romantic interludes have a surprise and fated quality. If lonely, you
could connect with a true soul mate. Spiritual forces inspire creative expres-
sion. If you pursue your favorite art from with enthusiasm, you’ll be rewarded
with exceptional results. Tonight: Can’t stop thinking.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Transportation problems are solved. Short, impromptu journeys
lead to unexpected delights and opportunities. Your emphatic expression
of ideas and warmth will win the confidence of others. Your imagination and
sensitivity inspire those less free and fortunate. Tonight: Befriend a neighbor.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Today promises much excitement and brings the ability to balance
your ideals. Be receptive to the inevitable change in the air, and all will be
well in the end. Identifying real values can be something of a challenge, but
you do it. Tonight: Early beddie-byes.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Opportunities arise that may open doors to a better life — pursue
them. Avoid arguments or excessive stress connected to money. Humor and
goodwill brighten intimate ties. Creative ideas, art and music bring pleasure.
Tonight: Reach out to an elderly female relative.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Today helps you develop your latent talents, be noticed by influ-
ential people and broaden your scope of activity. Accept all invitations. You
accomplish much and are an inspiration to others. Verify appointments and
use care in making promises. Tonight: The promises stick.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You will be reserved today; your childhood shyness is revived. An-
imal friends and nature become a bigger part of your life. Appreciate the
advantages of privacy and cherish the quiet times. You acquire a deeper un-
derstanding of life’s mysteries. Tonight: Write in your personal journal.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
A second opinion helps solve any problems. Renew professional con-
tacts and update old applications. A second or third attempt at reaching any
goal is likely to work out. Be persistent. Try not to veer away from long-range
goals now. Tonight: Catching up with old colleagues.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Your visibility is on the rise. It is difficult to keep any secrets today. You
develop a deeper understanding of ongoing conditions at work or within or-
ganizations. Postpone decisions about the future. Events are unfolding that
could change your attitude. Tonight: Watching it unfold.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today promises a new twist regarding your social life. A get-together is
not what you expected; a loved one is unpredictable. Be very considerate
and correct in all dealings with others. Select a moderate, healthy diet. To-
night: Don’t celebrate with money earmarked for bills.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
It’s easier to make the right choices today. A vision of the future
comes through dreams or meditation. Kind friends from the past are in
touch. Communication with those you care for improves. Tonight: Conditions
around you are changing, and emotions are strong — adapt and explore.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Upkeep of your surroundings and attention to health are musts today.
Be patient with family members and make your home peaceful and safe.
Kindness is expressed by those who share your beliefs. Tonight: Enjoy im-
ported foods, clothing or music. You will wish to travel.
Without logs, seafood is the
only commodity coming across
the Port of Astoria’s docks.
But a patchwork of metal
sheets prevents workers from
falling through the rotting
docks, while a failing seawall
threatens the warehouse where
hundreds are employed churn-
ing out packaged seafood.
With a strategic plan in place
and growing trust from gov-
ernment partners, the port is
spending more than $240,000
to get a detailed-enough fix for
Pier 2’s issues to apply for sev-
eral large federal grants.
The west side of Pier 2
stretches 800 feet out into the
Columbia River. The metal
sheet pile seawall holding the
pier in is only 8 feet out from
the western edge of the seafood
processing warehouse.
Matt McGrath, the Port’s
deputy director, said the close
proximity has caused the two
load-bearing walls to bow out,
threatening failure.
“We want to move this sheet
pile wall out as far as we pos-
sibly can, and that’s going to
solve a number of our issues,”
he said. “One is that you’re not
having to worry about any of
the load plane from the build-
ing causing any failures to the
sheet pile wall. Another is that
when you move this wall all the
way out … to the existing dock
line, your maintenance costs
basically go to zero.”
What McGrath called the
Hailey Hoffman/The Astorian
Metal sheets cover sections of the rotting dock at Pier 2 at the Port of Astoria.
“Cadillac” option could mini-
mize the Port’s maintenance on
the dock for 50 to 75 years and
solve a major safety issue. The
less desirable option is to keep
the seawall next to the ware-
house and replace the dock on
Pier 2, which McGrath said
would lead to the same issues
in the future.
The Port Commission paid
KPFF Consulting Engineers
more than $250,000 in 2019
to study the issues with the
pier. Last week, the Port Com-
mission approved more than
$248,000 for the firm to come
back with the most feasible fix
and enough specificity to go af-
ter federal grants.
“Even though it is a big num-
ber, the overall scope of Pier 2
justifies that,” Dirk Rohne, the
president of the Port Commis-
sion, said of the new contract.
“And it’s nice that we’re actually
preparing the Port to be able
to move forward on this, even
though it is a process.”
Shane Jensen, the Port’s grant
writer, hopes to go after three
large grants through the U.S.
Maritime Administration that
could fund Pier 2.
The Port Infrastructure De-
velopment Program, specifi-
cally for Port projects around
the U.S., was funded at $225
million in the recent omnibus
funding package passed by
Congress. The Better Utilizing
Investments to Leverage Devel-
opment grant for various trans-
portation projects received $1
billion, as did the Infrastructure
for Rebuilding America grant.
Port staff has estimated $7
million to fix Pier 2. All three
federal grants are within a
range that could cover the proj-
ect, Jensen said, but the key is
whether KPFF’s report is done
soon enough or with enough
detail to satisfy the federal
agency.
“My understanding is it
should be finished in April,”
Jensen said. “The three (Mar-
itime Administration) grants
are likely to be due in May. So
there’s going to be a very tight
window.”
“It is important to get these
projects and the Port’s needs
in front of these agencies,” he
said. “So, the fact that it is very
unlikely the Port would be
awarded all three grants is not
a reason to not apply for all
three.”
Several years ago, the Port
received a $1.5 million state in-
frastructure grant as part of a
$2 million project to repair the
west side of Pier 2. Jim Knight,
the Port’s executive director at
the time, returned the grant to
the state after the Port could
not come up with the $660,000
local match.
Will Isom, who replaced
Knight as executive director
in 2019, said Pier 2 has been
a source of frustration for the
Port since he started with the
agency as a staff accountant
several years ago.
“We sit there and we talk
about Pier 2 west being the
highest priority for the Port,”
Isom said. “We need to really
push on this and make it the
highest priority.
“If you look at the Port’s mis-
sion, it only mentions a few
things. It talks about safety and
the environment, and then it
also discusses job creation and
economic growth. And this
project touches all of those
things.”