The Columbia Press
January 22, 2021
Senior Moments
7
History in the Making
A look at Warrenton’s top stories from
The Columbia Press annals
with Emma Edwards
More choices than you think 25 years ago, city hires its first female officer
I suspect many of you are
familiar with Portland au-
thor Randy Alcorn. In one of
his books, he cautions “Don’t
bury today by worrying about
tomorrow.”
When you think of it, we
have a lot more choices than
we realize — even in a single
day.
I am not really talking about
things like “Should I have
soft-boiled eggs or scram-
bled, or maybe even fried?”
Sometimes, as we age, we
think we don’t have choic-
es but are forced to “go with
the flow.” Regardless of age,
I urge you to realize that you
do have choices.
A 98-year-old friend of
mine is still upset with one of
her daughters who changed
her name after leaving home
many years ago.
She refuses to call her
daughter by her new name
and sticks with the name she
gave her at birth.
There again, choices. Both
parties made valid choic-
es and learned to live with
them.
Yes, in our lives, choices
can include what we call our-
selves. A few years ago, when
we had senior lunches -- be-
fore they were shut down by
Mr. Covid -- we would see a
new person and try to get to
know them.
I remember a gentleman
who said his name was J. I
asked if he spelled it Jay and
he said no, it was just J. No
last name either. I did not ask
further.
He may not have known
it, but he is described as a
mononymous person. The
single name usually becomes
the last name. Most of us are
familiar (if into the entertain-
ment world) with stars who
go by a single name, such as
Madonna, Prince, Cher and
Beyonce. Their names are
mononyms (an adjective).
There is a similar word, po-
lynym, used to refer to a peo-
ple with many names. Pass-
port agents are not too happy
with verifying single-named
or many-named people.
Wonder what they’d do with
the gentleman whose name is
simply J.
As seniors, we’ve made lots
of choices for both good and
bad. In fact, there are coun-
seling firms that specialize in
assisting people in making
choices. There is such a firm
in Astoria.
While on the subject of
choices, how about what
we watch on TV in the eve-
ning? Who holds the remote
controller? We even need to
make a choice how to respect
a telemarketer. Or people di-
aling the wrong number?
Truthfully, I have met
the nicest people during
wrong-number calls and a
few times recognize their
voices.
When someone (it could be
God) puts someone on your
mind to make a phone call
to or drop a note of encour-
agement, you have a choice
whether you’ll act on it.
Seniors are, perhaps, richer
in the realm of choices than
at any other time in their
lives! And do remember that
we can lean on each other to
sort through our many choic-
es.
Some go by that age-old say-
ing — when in doubt, don’t.
January 2011
10 years ago
• Mark Kujala is appoint-
ed mayor by Warrenton city
commissioners. He takes over
for Gil Gramson, who left the
commission in December.
Dick Hellberg is named vice
mayor.
• Don Patterson and Robert
Fulton receive community
pride awards from Warren-
ton Business Association for
improvements made to their
complex, which includes
Warrenton Mini Mart, Ful-
tano’s Pizza, and Bubba’s
Sports Bar.
Brad Pope received the
award for his new Bayshore
Animal Hospital building on
Marlin Avenue.
• Warrenton High School
Band Director John Ham-
mond is named Music Educa-
tor of the Year by the Oregon
Music Education Association.
January 2001
20 years ago
• Jeff Hazen is appointed
mayor and new city commis-
sioners Lylla Gaebel and Paul
Rodriguez are sworn in.
• The city could qualify for
a state loan that would re-
duce the city’s interest rate
to 1 percent on its loan for
the $8 million water filtra-
tion plant.
The move would raise the
rate for water customers from
$16 per month to $36 per
month.
• Patty McDowell and her
two children get the keys to
their new home, which was
built by Habitat for Human-
ity in the 900 block of North-
west Warrenton Drive. The
group has nearly finished a
second home next door.
Patty McDowell takes the key to her new home at 998 N.W.
Warrenton Drive from Tim Regan, co-chair of Pioneer Spirit
Habitat for Humanity. At left is fellow co-chair Dave Pastor.
January 1996
25 years ago
• Barbara Balensifer is ap-
pointed mayor for a second
term and says her top priori-
ties are downtown revitaliza-
tion and putting in sidewalks
on Main Avenue from down-
town to the high school.
The
biggest
challenge
ahead: Financing for future
growth, which will strain the
water and sewer systems.
• Burglars break into nine
Warrenton businesses on
Main Avenue, Harbor Drive
and Harbor Place, more
break-ins than in all of 1995,
according to Police Chief Dan
Kneale.
• Robbyn Bailey is hired as
the city’s first female police
officer. She was one of 127
people who’d applied for the
open position.
• The city applied for a grant
and loan for design and con-
struction of a water and sew-
er project along Alternate
Highway 101 and in the North
Coast Business Park, for-
merly the site of a proposed
Alumax aluminum plant.
Having water and sewer
greatly increase the area’s de-
velopment potential.
Special columns in The Columbia Press
Every week: Senior Moments with Emma Edwards
Week 1: Financial Focus with Adam Miller
Week 2: Here’s to Your Health from CMH
Week 3: Off the Shelf by Kelly Knudsen
This week: History in the Making
Next week: Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer