4A • April 17, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Proposed gun control legislation one of contradictions
T
he 2015 Oregon Legislature
is shaping up to be one of
FRQWUDGLFWLRQV ± PRUH JXQ
control for those who obey the
law but possibly more govern-
ment protection for those who
have broken the law.
We’re about to increase back-
ground checks on private gun
sales, which will do nothing to
stop felons from continuing to
LOOHJDOO\REWDLQDQGXVH¿UHDUPV
At the same time, legislation has
been proposed that would make it
harder for an employer to do a crim-
inal background check on felons.
Yes, this is a very contentious
legislative session. Many bills are
on a fast track. If we don’t slow
down and become more thoughtful,
we’re going to pass some bad laws,
and citizens will pay the price.
Last year during the legisla-
ture’s brief 35-day session, state
Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene)
tried to rush approval of a gun
control bill to expand background
checks. He needed just one more
vote, and I declined to give it. I
didn’t think his bill would reduce
crime. I wish all it took to change
human behavior was passing leg-
islation. It doesn’t work that way.
Prozanski is back this year
with a similar bill, and this time
he has the votes. That doesn’t
mean he has a good bill.
His Senate Bill 941 requires
that any time a private citizen
VHOOV RU WUDQVIHUV D ¿UHDUP ERWK
the seller and buyer/recipient
must go to a licensed gun dealer,
and pay to have the buyer under-
go a criminal background check.
On the face of it this seems rea-
sonable. Think about it, though. If
you know you have a criminal his-
tory, you’ll bypass this law: Have
somebody else buy a gun for you,
or obtain one on the black mar-
ket. It’s already against the law
IRUH[IHORQVWRSRVVHVVD¿UHDUP
Yet, how often do we read about
ex-felons committing a crime, and
they’re armed? It takes more than
laws to disarm a criminal.
However, a law can disarm a
non-criminal. Under the proposed
legislation, a gun owner with no
FULPLQDO KLVWRU\ FRXOG ¿QG KLP
Guest Column
Given Prozanski’s legislative
history, I have to ask: Does he real-
ly want to go after violent felons?
Or does he want to cause problems
for legitimate gun owners?
Two years ago Prozanski
served
on the governor’s Com-
B Y
mission on Public Safety, where
SEN. BETSY
he worked on House Bill 3194. He
JOHNSON
pushed unsuccessfully to reduce
the sentences for some robbery,
assault and sexual abuse crimes.
Even more revealing, Prozans-
ki wanted to expand expunge-
Does [Prozanski] really
PHQW ± D ZD\ IRU IHORQV WR ZLSH
clean their criminal history to
want to go after violent
KHOS WKHP ¿QG KRXVLQJ DQG HP
felons? Or does he want
ployment. Now here he is spon-
to cause problems for
soring a bill that requires back-
ground checks on gun purchases.
legitimate gun owners?
What good does it do to require
background checks, if you’re also
self in violation if he loans a helping felons rewrite their crim-
KXQWLQJ ULÀH WR D IULHQG ZLWKRXW inal records?
D EDFNJURXQG FKHFN 2Q D ¿UVW
As it is, the public might be
offense, the punishment could be surprised how often expunge-
one year in jail and/or a $6,250 ments and sealed records are al-
¿QH 2Q D VHFRQG RIIHQVH WKH lowed. I checked with one of the
punishment could reach 10 years District Attorneys in my district
LQSULVRQDQGRUD¿QH
±&ODWVRS&RXQW\¶V-RVK0DUTXLV
±DQGIRXQGWKDWKLVRI¿FHDORQH
grants at least 100 expungements
or sealed record requests a year.
Once an adult’s criminal re-
cord is sealed it may not appear
on the Law Enforcement Data
System, the National Crime In-
formation Center, the older Ore-
gon Judicial Information Network
or the newer Odyssey court sys-
tem. Prozanski’s bill does not ad-
dress this.
There are aspects of his gun
ELOOWKDWDUHZRUWK\±IRUH[DPSOH
prohibiting persons undergoing
court-ordered outpatient treat-
PHQW IURP SRVVHVVLQJ D ¿UHDUP
+RZHYHU FRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\ ODZV
PDNH LW GLI¿FXOW WR HYHQ UHYHDO
who is mentally ill. The bill does
nothing to protect the public from
a person whose mental illness ex-
presses itself in violence.
The overriding intent of
Prozanski’s bill is not directed at
violent behavior but at making
gun ownership more inconvenient
for the law-abiding.
See Guns, Page 5A
Between the Covers ESTHER MOBERG
Spring has sprung and so has a new seed program
Ready for the spring? At
the Seaside Public Library,
we are starting a new pro-
gram called The Gardening
Seed Exchange. Other librar-
ies throughout Oregon have
similar programs, including
the Tillamook Library. The
idea behind the program is to
encourage local gardeners to
cultivate and share seeds that
are heirloom seeds. You may
also have a special variety of
plant or seeds that you want
to share that can’t be found
at our local gardening store.
Many gardeners regrow their
ÀRZHUV RU YHJHWDEOHV IURP
the same plants year after
year. Because the plants are
grown in our climate, they
often become hardier and
more resistant to our local
spores or other diseases. If
you were unable to attend our
kickoff event on April 4, stop
by the library to pick up the
seed packets and more details
regarding how the seed ex-
change works!
The kickoff event had de-
tails regarding how to save
seeds and best practices for
storing seeds, as well as the
difference between heirloom,
hybrid, and other seeds. We
will be trying to highlight the
gardening program at the li-
brary throughout the growing
season this year. Start your
non-hybrid plants now and
keep us in mind this year. A
special thank you to Coast
Hardware for donating seed
ESTHER MOBERG
packets to help us get this
program started. Handouts
and seed packets for storing
your seeds will be available at
the library.
Another program we are
very proud to support here at
the Seaside Public Library is
the ROCC program or Rural
Outreach in Clatsop County.
This is a program we have
been doing for the past 3 to 5
years. Working together with
WKH¿YHVFKRROGLVWULFWVLQ&ODW
sop County, and the two other
public libraries in our county,
we work together to help all
children in our community
have access to library services
regardless of their location and
socio-economic needs. Any
child in the county that goes
to their closest public library
can get a library card. We also
provide a countywide summer
reading program because re-
search has shown that children
who do not read during the
summer months can regress as
much as an entire grade level
in just one summer. We be-
lieve in supporting the efforts
of our teachers and schools.
Literacy is an essential tool for
success in life. We have been
supported by grants over the
SDVW¿YH\HDUVEXWQRZZHDUH
asking for continued commu-
nity support. If you or children
you know have been impacted
by this program or you simply
believe in supporting literacy
for youth in Clatsop Coun-
ty, please consider donating
to the Rural Outreach pro-
gram. For more information
you may contact the Seaside
Public Library’s director. Do-
nations may be made to The
Friends of the Seaside Library,
a 501(c)3, and mailed to the
library at 1131 Broadway in
Seaside.
Programs are just one
way that the Seaside Library
serves and supports our com-
munity. This month at the
library, we will be hosting
author and Professor Peter
Laufer from the University of
Oregon speaking on his book
Organic: the truth behind
food labeling. He has done
extensive research in tracking
down exactly what the label
means and whether every
item is truly organic that is la-
beled organic. This event will
be held on April 23 at 7:00
p.m. in the library’s commu-
nity room.
Scene and Heard CLAIRE LOVELL
Braving the elements part of life, especially on the Oregon coast
Where did “back in the
day” come from? Our ex-
pression was “in the good old
days,” which is still useful.
Often, they are from movies
or popular books and people
just pounce on them.
So long, Don
Don Church has died not
long after his wife, Betty
Jean. When I took post-grad-
uate work at the high school
for my nursing diploma, Don
was my chemistry partner.
If it hadn’t been for him, I
probably would never have
passed the course because
he did most of the work. We
also were partners on the
centennial program for Sea-
side. Don was the last one to
go in his family and though
he was not the same guy we
used to know, his friends
will miss him. Rest in peace,
Don.
and even pants. One of my
kids thinks fondly of those he
wore to deliver papers when
boys did such things. He was
fully protected.
Weather a mixed bag
Thursday, March 27 was
a gorgeous day with the tem-
perature hovering around 70
degrees. I guess all the spring
break kids thought it might
continue. On Friday, every-
one was at the beach but the
weather became a day from
“H-E-double hockey sticks.”
People in cloth hoodies were
braving the elements — rain,
rain, rain and more rain!
There were people with 9- or
10-month-old babies riding
on their shoulders in clothes
suitable for sunny days — no
sweaters, no hats, just this
deluge running off their hair.
What our town needs is a foul
weather shop, selling boots,
umbrellas, real raincoats and
It is up to you Clatsop
County voters
To the editor,
Our freedoms guaranteed by our Consti-
tution are being whittled away by the liberal
democrats. Are we once again to allow the
liberals to take away our freedom to choose?
Presently the voters of Clatsop County
choose the Port of Astoria’s commissioners
from a slate of prospective candidates. Both
petitions that are being presented, if passed,
will take away our freedom to choose whom
our Clatsop County Port commissioners
should be. The Port is an important source of
revenue for the whole county, not just Asto-
ria or Warrenton. We should be allowed as a
county to choose who these people are who
will be the administrators of this public ser-
vice, the Port of Astoria.
Dianne Widdop, mayor of Gearhart, pro-
poses that the governor of our state appoint the
commissioners. Apparently, she believes that
the voters are not intelligent enough to make
good decisions or the right decision.
Mr. Taylor who is the chairman of the Dem-
ocratic Party of Clatsop County believes that,
again the voters need help, so we should di-
vide the county up into districts. If this passes,
you will only be allowed to choose a candidate
from your small district, not the whole county.
Will we allow the liberal Democrats to
take away our freedom to choose? It is up to
you Clatsop County voters to stop them now.
Don’t sign the petitions, read them, be in-
formed, by all means, but think of what you
will give away if either proposal passes.
Karen Custer
Seaside
Sounds of spring
I feel sorry for the astro-
naut twin who is going into
space for a year. He took off
on March 28. He says be-
sides his family, he’ll miss the
sounds of life — bird songs
and the like. I understand.
CLAIRE LOVELL
Out one window I watch two
collared doves, sparrows,
Sou’Wester hats. Remember juncos and chickadees at the
the oilskins of the old days? bird feeder. Another window
They were long and waxed shows a wild currant bush
with galoshes-type fasteners, where humming birds hang
ZKLOH WKH ¿VKHUPDQ¶V KDWV out. A third one, at the kitch-
went down the back a ways. en sink, reveals a birdhouse
Where are they now? Also, on with nesting sparrows and all
the once-were list, were yel- those feathered friends. Sing
low, rubberized coats, hoods out, it’s cool.
Author discovery
I think it’s too bad when
the library tosses out a book
from a talented Oregon au-
thor, although their loss is my
gain. I had never heard of Wm.
Corbin so I had Gary “Google”
him and found that his name
is really William Corbin Mc-
Graw. He and his wife both did
a lot of writing. William began
as a newspaperman. I forgot
her work. He also served in
the Navy for a couple of years
in the 40s. Then they bought
D ¿OEHUW IDUP LQ 2UHJRQ DQG
retired to write and raise their
two children. The McGraws
(Eloise Jarvis Corbin) both
died in the 90s. I was hoping
he was still alive. When I like
anyone’s work, I usually write
to tell him or her so. The book
I found was “Smoke,” a kids
story about a German Shep-
Letters to the Editor
Call before you dig!
town through your muck!
To the editor,
Sring is in the air and gardeners in Seaside
will soon start working in their yards. If that
work includes digging, NW Natural reminds
\RXWR¿UVWFDOO±WKH8WLOLW\1RWL¿FDWLRQ
&HQWHU±WRORFDWHXQGHUJURXQGJDVDQGRWKHU
utility lines.
This is a free service and it’s not only a
smart thing to do to help prevent damage, it’s
the law. Once you call, a technician will visit
the property within two business days to locate
your gas and utility lines.
If a gas line has been accidentally dam-
aged, remember to: Smell. Go. Let us know. If
you smell rotten eggs or hear a hissing sound,
immediately leave the area on foot and then
call 911 and NW Natural’s 24-hour emergen-
cy line at 800-882-3377.
Be safe this spring and be sure to call before
you dig.
Teresa Accuardi
NW Natural Community
Affairs Manager
I realize it is your right as American citizens
to be able to protest the way any government
body is handling the events of the time, but for,
what appears to be, a personal vendetta is wrong.
Mr. Jessie, if you think it is so disheartening to
have one person on the council with whom you
cannot agree, perhaps it should be you who re-
signs. I did not vote for a bunch of “children” who
cannot get along with one another, and embarrass
MY town where our family has had a presence
since the 1800s. This goes for the entire council.
As for the dissidents, this recall is going to
FRVWWKHWD[SD\HUVRI*HDUKDUWDFFRUGLQJWRRI¿
FLDOVDERXW,¶PVXUHWKHFLW\FRXOG¿QG
better use of these funds! My suggestion is: the
petitioners should personally have to pay this
cost. Perhaps, next time, you might want to wait
until whomever it is you don’t like comes up for
re-election and mount your own campaign to re-
place them. This is the true American way. In the
meantime, let’s all try to play well with others.
Preston Devereaux
Gearhart
Thanks for return of wallet Tsunami evacuation
To the editor,
We would like to thank the anonymous per- information critical
son who found my husband’s wallet on March
27 in Gearhart. The contents were mailed to
Seattle, all cards intact.
Cathy Hughson
Seattle
‘Let’s play well with others’
To the editor,
To Harold Gable, Dan Jessie and the rest of
the Gearhart dissidents. I would like to thank
you, as one of the silent majority, for raking MY
To the editor,
In the previous edition of the Seaside Signal,
there was an article regarding the controversy
of providing tsunami evacuation information
to Seaside’s hotel and motel visitors. Having
worked at a Seaside motel, I know that many
of the staff is completely in the dark regard-
ing a tsunami’s impact and what to do to help
guests become aware of actions they must take
to provide for their safety. The idea, suggest-
ed by some, of not providing this information
herd dog who escaped from
his master and was lost in the
woods for a long while, starv-
ing some as he lived there,
eating whatever was available.
(More next time.)
Laugh line:
Here’s a tasteful joke from
my sister, Blanche.
Two old sisters, Cora and
Dora, feeling the pinch of pov-
erty as they were widowed,
threw their lot in together and
shared everything — even a
set of dentures. Cora, returning
from an afternoon tea, put the
teeth in their usual resting place.
In a few minutes, Dora,
on her way to a party, took
the dentures for herself, after
which she opened her eyes
widely and exclaimed in a
VDWLV¿HG YRLFH ³0PPP
Macaroons!”
because it might scare guests is an idea that is
almost beyond belief. Shall we take down all
WKHH[LVWLQJ¿UHHYDFXDWLRQLQIRUPDWLRQ"
During Seaside’s recent election for mayor, I
was asked only one question in the single town
hall that was conducted, “Why are you opposed
to rebuilding the Avenue U bridge since it is
functionally obsolete?” I replied, that “functional
obsolescence does not mean structural obsoles-
cence and that bridge rebuilding priority should
be given to the Broadway bridge, which is struc-
WXUDOO\GH¿FLHQWDQGWRWKHEULGJHDWWKHQRUWK
end of town.” What I wasn’t given time to ex-
plain was that these two bridges play a critical
part in the Seaside tsunami evacuation plan while
the Avenue U bridge — because of its location
— plays no part in an evacuation plan.
Using tsunami inundation maps from the
State of Oregon, the City of Seaside devel-
oped evacuation routes and erected signage.
The object of the tsunami evacuation plan
for a Cascadia Fault earthquake is to walk to
high ground (80 ft. elevation) within a 15 to 20
PLQXWH SHULRG 6LQFH D UHDVRQDEO\ ¿W SHUVRQ
can walk about three miles per hour, that puts
the maximum distance to safety at one mile.
Those near Avenue U and west of the Necan-
icum River are about three-quarters of a mile
from high ground if they proceed south and
then west along the cove toward Tillamook
Head. If they follow the city’s existing tsunami
evacuation signage and map, they will walk
inland one and a half miles and will not reach
safety in the required time.
Even if you believe that the tsunami danger
in Seaside is overstated, the published maps
and signs must show the correct route to safety.
John Dunzer
Seaside
