The Hickson Heist!(Updated)10-21-2011 Daily Astorian Regrets Errors In Publication Of Story!

(Daily Astorian Photo)

Hickson Article Erred
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2011 11:53 am

The Daily Astorian published an article on Oct. 7, 2011, relating to a decision by the Port of Astoria to transfer a contract for ship servicing from Anchorage Launch Services to a vessel called the Hickson, owned by the Nisqually Indian Tribe. The article appeared under a headline that read, “The Hickson heist.”

The word “heist” in that headline was rhetorical hyperbole and was meant in a figurative sense. The Daily Astorian is not aware of any evidence that any person or entity named in the article engaged in any criminal activity in connection with the Port’s decision, and The Daily Astorian did not intend to suggest that there is any such evidence.

The article also stated that Port Commissioner Floyd Holcom “contacted the tribe and suggested its members could benefit from the business.” According to Holcom, he did not initiate any contact with the tribe in connection with this matter. Rather, he says, it was Dennis Lucia, general manager of Nisqually Aquatic Technologies, who contacted Holcom about the matter. The Daily Astorian has no information to the contrary.

Finally, the article quoted an email from Lucia to Port Director Jack Crider, in which Lucia stated that “Floyd advised me that the Hickson might be put to use for line handling.” Holcom denies that he made any such statement to Lucia. According to Holcom, he told Lucia that he did not know anything about line handling and that Lucia should call Crider.

The Daily Astorian regrets publication of the errors.

(Update)Holcom;"There Was No Heist"

Posted: Friday, October 7, 2011 12:04 pm Updated: 10:46 am, Sun Oct 9, 2011.

The Daily Astorian


For two decades, in fair weather or foul, tiny vessels operated by Anchorage Launch Services chugged out from their Astoria waterfront moorings to service the giant ships that sail across the Columbia River bar and seek refuge on the south bank.

A phone call changed everything.

It came from the Port of Astoria. And it had the effect of a pink slip: Anchorage’s line-handling services were no longer required

Read Full Article

Occupy Astoria? Occupy What?

(HipFish Monthly Photo)
The Daily Astorian tells us…..“The next Occupy Astoria action will take place noon Saturday. Protesters will walk through downtown Astoria, starting at the Astoria Post Office, to support small, local businesses.
For more information, call (503) 440-0978 or visitwww.occupyastoriaoregon.org”

There was a time when the "Hippie Movement" in America was just getting under way, there were actually people that worked all week in their coats and ties in their conservative, hum-drum everyday jobs until Friday and Saturday nights when they would actually dress-up in fresh "Hippie" attire and trendy new long-haired wigs and go out for a weekend of experiencing what that movement brought and then on Monday morning get back to the "Rat Race".

Sometimes lately, in trying to figure out just exactly what this "Occupy Movement" is all about, that image of those part-time "Hippies" passes across my mind's eye as it seems the players in this effort appear to take it no more seriously than that...."Activism For The Hoot"?

Chazz Lake,on "Occupy Astoria's" Facebook page, has it right....You want to occupy Astoria and demonstrate for effective change in a public agency that seems to have become an island unto itself with no sense of accountability to whom it serves, then you are looking at a prime candidate in The Port of Astoria, in my view and its recent history over the last 5 or 6 years proves it out but, our “Astoria Occupiers” want to go frolicking up and down Commercial street on a Saturday pimping the patronization of our local businesses which most of us do anyway and besides, shouldn't that be the duty of "The Astoria Downtown Historic Development Association"?

Come On!

If this group wants to really effect change and in addition to “The Port”, let them go down and stand vigil at the "Other Flavel House" and demand somebody save that place before it rots to the ground as we have no historic preservation group willing to stand-up and be heard on the subject.

This group wants to effect change, let them go down to City Hall and demand that we send a "Task Force" out into this world and sell what we have to offer to clean, compatible and cohesive industry that fits within the fabric of and will support the workforce of this community to put thousands of us to work instead of sitting around waiting for schemes such as Liquefied Natural Gas and Ship Breaking to wedge their foots in our door and force themselves on us while our leadership conveniently turns their heads to, in essence, just let it happen to put just a few people to work and in the public perception, prosper their own agendas.

I guess my point is and I truly support the general concept as a counter to the attempted insurgency and usurpation of other fringe movements on our political political system,...If the "Occupy Movement" is going to clog-up our streets, do it for actual purpose and change that will truly, positively impact the life quality of all of us in our community or knock it off.

It may help also if the local leaders of this movement would lay off the speeches on the dreaded "Military/Indutrial Complex" and find a true explanation of exactly what "The Occupy Movement" is truly about for us lesser intellectuals that still don't really get it.

Clatsop County To Sponsor Two Films On Fisheries And Ocean Management December 15

Friday, Dec. 2, 2011

OCEAN, FISHERIES
FILMS SET FOR DEC. 15 SHOWING

Clatsop County is
sponsoring a public showing of two films on fisheries and ocean management
Thursday, Dec. 15 in Astoria.

The event begins at 6
p.m. at the Fort George Brewery’s Lovell Tap Room, 1483 Duane St. Admission is
free.

“Oregon’s Ocean
Fisheries: A Conservation Story,” takes the audience along to watch ocean
fishermen harvest seafood. The film illustrates how fishermen and scientists
have teamed up to ensure that Oregon’s seafood fisheries are
sustainable.

“People who have seen
the film report the documentary gave them an entirely new perspective on
Oregon’s ocean,” said Onno Husing, executive director of the Oregon Coastal Zone
Management Association.

The second movie,
“Ocean Frontiers,” is a new documentary from Green Fire Productions that
explores the challenges facing our ocean and chronicles successful strategies
being implemented across the country to address them. It examines seaports and
watersheds around the United States – including the fishing industry of Port
Orford, Oregon – to introduce unlikely allies embarking on new courses of
cooperation.

The movie event
coincides with the Dec. 15-16 meeting of the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory
Council (OPAC) and Territorial Sea Plan Working Group in Astoria.
OPAC is a 24-member advisory panel to the Governor representing fishing and conservation interests, local governments, tribes and state agencies with stakes in management of
Oregon’s marine environment. The council is currently updating the management
plan for Oregon’s Territorial Sea, which extends three nautical miles from
shore.

Go to www.oregon.gov/LCD/OPAC for agendas and more
information on the Territorial Sea Plan Working Group and OPAC meetings.
Go to www.oczma.org/themove.php for more information
on “Oregon’s Ocean Fisheries,” and www.ocean-frontiers.org for more on “Ocean
Frontiers.”

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners November 30, 2011 Regular Meeting Highlights

Clatsop County Board of Commissioners
Highlights Wednesday, Nov. 30,
2011 regular meeting

Full 11-30-2011 Work Session Audio Transcript

Full 11-30-2011 Regular Meeting Audio Transcript

Official minutes
available once approved by board

Jail Architect
Selected
The board of
commissioners voted to select DLR Group to provide architectural and engineering
services for the proposed remodel and expansion of the Clatsop County Jail, and
to direct staff to negotiate a contract with the firm. The company was the top
choice of a county selection committee that reviewed seven bid proposals for the
project.
The work will involve drawing up detailed schematic plans and cost estimates for adding up to 100 beds
to the 69-bed facility in downtown Astoria. Once the plans and estimates are
completed, the board of commissioners will consider whether to seek voter
approval next year for a bond measure to fund the expansion project.

In October the board
voted to make available up to $100,000 from the county’s Special Projects Fund
for the schematic and cost estimate work.
Sheriff Tom Bergin said DLR Group is recognized nationally for its work on correctional facilities
and is well prepared to take on the county project.

Circus Ordinance To
Ballot
The Board of
Commissioners voted to place an ordinance banning displays of elephants and
exotic animals on the May 2012 primary election ballot.

Ordinance 11-13 would prohibit the display of elephants and exotic animals in circuses and other
entertainment venues. The ordinance exempts 4-H and FFA events, rodeos and horse
shows and educational events from the ban.

Four citizens spoke in favor of the ordinance Wednesday. The ban was originally proposed by a county resident over concerns about treatment of animals in traveling circus
shows.

Other
Business
In other business the
board:
-Voted to approve a
zone change application to the City of Warrenton by the Lower Columbia Youth
Soccer Association for county-owned property leased to the association for its
Warrenton soccer facilities on Ridge Road. The application requests a change
from Low-Density Residential to Open Space-Institutional for four tax lots. In
January, at LCYSA’s request, the county amended the legal description of the
property to add additional property for the association – the zone change is
necessary to allow LCYSA to use the added land for playing fields and
parking.

-Approved a
$48,486.75 contract with Big River Excavating for clearing and grubbing the
route for Ensign Lane in the North Coast Business Park in Warrenton.
Construction of the road, slated for 2012-13, is vital for the future
development of the park. Funding for the contract will come from the Industrial
Development Revolving Fund, which holds proceeds from the $8.6 million sale of
the 75-acre highway-front commercial section of the business park.

-Took no action on
two letters proposed to be sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality over the proposed listing of a local
business, Astoria Marine Construction Company, under the federal Superfund
National Priorities List pollution cleanup program. County Manager Duane Cole
presented the board with a letter from Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden
to the regional EPA office dated Nov. 30 that asks the agency to provide more
time for the company to identify funding sources to pay for cleanup planning at
the site. Cole said the county will wait on the EPA’s response to the senators’
letter before taking action.

-Discussed proposed
new rules for the board of commissioners in a work session. The rules, which
cover basic board operations such as chair and vice-chair selection,
agenda-setting and meeting protocol, committee appointments and travel policies,
will be brought back to the board for final action Dec. 14.

-Approved an
adjustment of the 2011-12 budget to account for the delay in construction of a
new boathouse for the County Sheriff’s Office, which was originally scheduled
for completion in the 2010-11 budget year. The new boathouse replaces a facility
destroyed in the December 2007 windstorm.

-Voted to accept the
deed to a piece of property on Lewis and Clark Road. The narrow strip of land
lying between the road and the Lewis and Clark River is part of a larger parcel
owned by Linda Holton, who requested the deed transfer to the county to remove
an encumbrance on the property title and allow a pending sale of the larger
parcel to proceed. The transferred property is part of the road right-of-way and
is maintained by the county road division.

-Appointed Thomas
Duncan, Paul Gillum, Mel Jasmin, Bob Link, Duane Mullins and Paul Olheiser to
the Ambulance Service Area Advisory Committee. The county recently re-activated
the committee to lead an update of the Ambulance Service Area Plan.

Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 325-1000 ext. 1312

Clatsop County Sheriff's Office Offers Youth ATV Safety Classes December 29th & 30th At County Fairgrounds!

The Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office is making available ATV Safety classes to Clatsop County youth. By January of 2012 all youth riding ATV's on public lands in Oregon will be required to have completed a "hands on" class. We present the ATV Safety Institute Ridercourse, a four hour ATV safety course, and the OSU/4H Youth Rider Evaluation Program, a two hour session designed for those youth who already possess riding skills beyond the basic level.
The classes take place indoors at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds on Walluski Loop.
On Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM we will be conducting the OSU/4H evaluations. To register, go online to OregonATVSafety.com. There is a $20.00 fee for the evaluation which will be collected online when registering.
Students registering for this program will be required to have obtained the Oregon ATV Safety Education Program card prior to enrolling. To obtain this card go to rideatvoregon.org and complete the on line training. This training is free.
On Friday, December 30, 2011 two ATV Safety Institute Ridercourse classes will be conducted, also at the fairgrounds. The 9:00 AM class will be for youth 6 to 11 years old, and the 2:00 PM class will be for youth 12 to 15 years old. To register for these classes call 1-800-887-2887. There is a $55 fee for these classes, but Oregon residents are eligible for a $50.00 subsidy making the cost to the student only $5.00. Be sure to request this subsidy when registering.
There will be one 50cc and one 90cc loaner ATV available for each scheduled session. To request a loaner for the Saturday session contact the instructor at 503-791-4978. For the Sunday sessions request the loaner when registering.
Additional information is available on the internet at www.atvsafety.org, OregonATVSafety.com, or www.rideatvoregon.org.
Contact for questions: Deputy Michael Nelson, 503-791-4978

Clatsop County To Form Partnership With Oregon Healthy Kids Program!

Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

HEALTHY KIDS PROGRAM
SEEKS COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Partners and
stakeholders are invited to help the effort to make health coverage available to
all Clatsop County children.
Earlier this year,
Clatsop County and Oregon’s Healthy Kids program formed a partnership to support
Healthy Kids, Oregon’s no-cost and low-cost health coverage program for kids and
teens 0-18 years of age. Part of the Oregon Health Authority’s first
initiatives, Healthy Kids helped bring health coverage to more than 100,000
children statewide, cutting the rate of uninsured kids in Oregon by half – from
11.3 percent in 2009 to 5.6 percent today.
“In Clatsop County,
we know there are still gaps in coverage for our children,” said Judi Mahoney,
Healthy Kids Outreach and Enrollment Worker for Clatsop County. “By bringing
together representatives from all sectors of our community, we can reach out and
begin closing those gaps.”
The creation of the
Clatsop County Healthy Kids Coalition addresses the need to increase access to
health coverage for kids and teens in the county. The coalition held their
first meeting on Nov. 2 with 24 representatives of various county agencies,
advocacy organizations and business groups.
Among the first
attendees were Danielle Sobel from the Office of Healthy Kids, community leaders
representing local hospitals, Clatsop County, the American Legion, many county
school districts, Head Start among other children’s centers, Healthy Start, the
Department of Human Services, the local Housing Authority, Suzanne Elise
Assisted Living Community and OSU Extension’s Family and Community Health
program.
The coalition will
meet every six to eight weeks to collaborate on outreach opportunities, and
brainstorm new ideas to bring coverage to kids.
Right now, the
coalition is seeking community partners and stakeholders to assist in outreach
efforts and promote Healthy Kids among their clients and networks.
The next meeting will
be held on Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the DHS building in Astoria;
450 Marine Drive, 2nd floor conference room. For more information on
the coalition or joining the coalition, please contact Judi Mahoney at (503)
358-2333. Families seeking assistance enrolling their children in Healthy Kids
are encouraged to contact Judi.
Families can also
apply for Healthy Kids coverage by calling 1-877-314-5678 or by visiting http://www.oregonhealthykids.gov/.

Released
by:
Tom
Bennett
Community Relations
Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

CCBofC Seeks Public Input On November 30 For Proposed Ordinance On Animals In Circuses And Other Entertainment Events!

Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

COMMISSIONERS HOST
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 30 ON CIRCUS ANIMAL ORDINANCE
GRP: Well, the easy answer is that there are plenty of Animal-Free and very entertaining Cirsuses out there these days but tell us.... where is the line and justifiable criteria to actually exempt Rodeos and 4-H/FFA events from the same ordinance? Are not all animals domesticated or controlled by man forced to bend under his will of forced domination?
The Clatsop County
Board of Commissioners is seeking public input on a proposed ordinance banning
public displays of elephants and exotic animals within the county.
The board will hold a
public hearing on the ordinance at its Wednesday, Nov. 30 meeting beginning at 6
p.m. at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St.,
Astoria.
Following the public
hearing the commissioners will consider whether to place the ordinance before
county voters in the May 2012 primary election.
Ordinance 11-13 would
prohibit the display of elephants and exotic animals in circuses and other
entertainment venues. Rodeos and horse shows, 4-H and FFA events and educational
displays would be exempt from the ban. The ordinance would cover only the
unincorporated portion of the county.
For more information,
including the full text of the proposed ordinance, view the Nov. 30 board agenda
at http://www.co.clatsop.or.us/.

Released
by:
Tom
Bennett
Community Relations
Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Hunter Discovers Skull Near Nicolai Mountain. Clatsop County Sheriff Seeks Help With Any Information!

November 28, 2011
On November 25, 2011, an elk hunter made a discovery, while traversing a drainage near Nicolai Mountain. After crossing a small stream over a log jam, the hunter stepped over an odd object which caught his eye. The hunter examined more closely and recognized the object to be a human skull. The hunter and his father contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report their find.
That afternoon, Deputies and Dr. Stefanelli, investigator with the District Attorney’s office, met with the hunters who led the law enforcement team back to the scene. The skull was recovered and secured waiting to be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office.
The following morning of November 26, Clatsop County Search and Rescue returned to the scene to search for additional clues. The team located additional skeletal remains and clothing items along the stream bed. No source of identification was found during the search. Clothing found include blue BDU style pants and a 2XL, black, Addias brand shirt.
Evidence will be sent to the Oregon State Police Crime lab and the State Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.
If you have any information regarding this case or a missing person possibly not from the North Coast area please contact Detective Jama Hulon or Sgt. Matt Phillips at the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office.
(503)325-8635.
Tom Bergin
Clatsop County Sheriff
Cell 503 791-0072
Desk 503 338-3651