One of the jewels of Oregon is the beautiful coast that runs the entire length of the state, from the rugged Fort Stevens/HayStack Rock area all the way down to the almost (almost!) Californian Gold Beach and Brookings. Who among us hasn't stared out the window at another grey and blustery winter day, thinking "Why can't I be at the coast, where it's still grey and blustery--but maybe a couple degrees warmer?" And then there's that whole summer thing.
One of the problems with an impromptu trip to the beach for many Oregonians, however, is the limited amount of roadway from the rest of the state that will get you there. You've got your Hwy 42 for the southern beaches, 38 for Reedsport/Coos Bay, 36/126 for Florence, 34 for Waldport, 20 to Newport, 18 to Lincoln City, 26 to Cannon Beach, and 30 to Astoria. OK, that's 8 highways--but we're also talking about 600 miles of coastline! It can get kind of crowded on warm weekends.
But in a small victory for the resurgence of private enterprise (and the associated fervent hope that enough people have disposable income to support it), you can leave your VW microbus or Lexus SUV at home, and FLY there. That's right, ending a 10-year drought in commercial air service to the northwestern tip of the state, SeaPort airlines (oh what a clever name!) has announced the return of daily flights between Portland and Astoria, joining their route southward to Newport (as well as existing flights to Pendleton and Boeing air field near Seattle):
SeaPort Airlines' inaugural flight from Portland arrived at the Astoria airport on Sunday.
SeaPort began the air service between Astoria and Portland, as well as Newport and Portland, with help from a $3.6 million state transportation grant and federal funding.
Harbor Airlines was the last airline to operate daily direct flights between the two Oregon cities. That was in the late 1990s.
And what's that kind of charter-style luxury run you? I checked out the rates at their website, and for a roundtrip flight between Portland and Astoria, leaving on a Tuesday and returning on a Sunday in March, you'd pay $150 a head. That's kind of pricey in my view, but on the other hand the airline touts the freedom from TSA protocol annoyances, which I have to admit is a strong selling point. (No word on whether they'll let you stow a surfboard under your seat).
Fly me to the Coast That Sometimes Looks Like the Moon!
The East Oregonian conducted the first Democratic primary debate for US Senate on Tuesday the 22nd, and have released their conclusions on the field as they saw it. (That's a sub only link; I was able to see it but no guarantees). Here's what they had to say, excerpted:
"With so little difference in substance, style may influence some voters. And the edge from the first debate seemed - let's repeat that, seemed - to favor Novick.
That's because while Merkley seemed confident, he also came off as, well, a bit smug. He kept his focus just above the audience of potential voters. His answers seemed almost memorized from a script, a script closely resembling his thoughtful position statements on his campaign's Web site.
...
By comparison, Novick noticeably turned and listened intently whenever one of the other three candidates were responding to the questions the East Oregonian news staff posed. While his answers weren't overflowing with emotion either, at least they seemed spontaneous and less stilted.
However, he did miss an opportunity to separate his candidacy from Merkley's. Novick didn't emphasize distinctions of different solutions to the problems facing Oregon and our great nation. But for those watching closely, it's apparent he analyzes and thinks quickly on his feet."
Man, if the worst ding you get is that you didn't go after your opponent enough, that's a pretty good day. So OK, in front of an unexpected overflow crowd and a skeptical East O editorial board, Steve Novick impressed them the most. The way they put it, it's almost as if they didn't believe their notes. He "seemed" to have the edge. As in, is it really so that short and spunky beat groomed and polished? So they say.
Smith Frozen Foods, the Pendleton-area processing plant owned by U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, has paid a $3,000 fine for discharging wastewater into a nearby creek in late July.
It marks at least the third time since the early 1990s that the company has been fined for polluting Pine Creek, which runs past the plant located a few miles from the city.
The fine is small, but the timing could be a spot of bad news for Smith, who is gearing up for a re-election campaign expected to be among the toughest in the nation.
Smith's spokesman, R.C. Hammond, said the senator had no comment about the fine or its potential impact on the race. The senator has no day-to-day management responsibilities of the plant.
A Department of Environmental Quality official called the spill "fairly minor" and did no obvious damage to the creek or wildlife. "They stopped it and cleaned it up immediately," said Duane Smith, who oversees the DEQ's water quality program in Pendleton.
On July 30, according to a DEQ news release, Smith Frozen Foods told the agency it had discharged around 100 to 200 gallons of corn processing wastewater from the Weston plant into Pine Creek. The spill occurred when workers allowed a clog to develop in a pipe.
As spills go, this sounds neither massive nor especially toxic--but there's no such thing as a good waste dumping violation. And being the third such violation, however minor, it suggests a less-than-dilligent attention span to protecting their nearby waterway. And it makes it harder for Smith to claim enviro bonafides, even when he signs onto decent Democratic legislation in service of that goal. Nice job, Gordo! We'll remember this one next year. Add it to the list...
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