Former President Bill Clinton will be visiting Astoria on Monday to campaign for wife Hillary. The event starts at 9:30am at the Maritime Museum and ends at 11am. Former President Bill Clinton will be visiting Astoria on Monday to campaign for wife Hillary. The event starts at 9:30am at the Maritime Museum and ends at 11am. People wanting to attend are encouraged to sign-up at Hillaryclinton.com...

Maybe it’s because I’m old and maybe it’s because I’m a douche, but I still don’t get tattoos. I don’t get piercing, nor do I get shortly cropped dyed blond hair. I don’t get goatees or low rider pants. I don't get repeat offenders. Is it stupidity or obsession that drives people to a life of crime? I don’t get camo clothing. It doesn't make you...

That about sums it up! Video Under the fold....

Allow me to present some history if I may. I started this blog two years ago today. Previously I had some local sites by myself and with friends when we decided that group emails just weren’t enough. About twelve years ago one of us checked out Geocities and shortly after we all had our local sites up and running. We even collaborated on a couple sites. These sites were very much like...

The Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners each filled out a comment sheet as the applicants for District Three commission seat answered interview questions Wednesday evening, May 7, 2008, at the Guy Boyington Building. NCO obtained the comment sheets of the board members and share them here in the order that the candidates were interviewed. Commissioners drew the applicants names...

Agency : Oregon doesn't need imported LNG Posted by Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian May 09, 2008 14:11PM In a potentially fatal blow to three proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals in Oregon, the state Department of Energy released a report Friday stating that imported LNG isn't needed, would be more expensive and polluting than domestic natural gas, and would come at a...

Last night was a looonnnggg night. My dad wouldn't go to sleep. He kept having hallucinations. We know it is his medication for his legs and for the last two weeks have been trying to find the right dose to take at the right time. As mentioned before, he has Parkinsons. Last night he thought there were people in his bedroom that wouldn't leave, which was making him angry. I took turns with my...

The Astoria Sunday Market begins today, Sunday, May 11 (Mother's Day)! It's been hit-or-miss weather. If you went to see, hopefully you had an umbrella. NW Limited...History in VogueTM was there (and will be there every Sunday), as in years past. There's even more new, great stuff to see and the ultimate answer in "what to get" for the (mom, dad, brother, sister, friend) that has everything!...

It seems as though the word “Parlor” has been rendered archaic. How often have you ever heard someone describing one of the rooms in their house as a parlor? In my entire life time I only knew of one family that addressed a room as a parlor. My idea of a parlor is a room by the door where one waits or where one may be entertained as a short term visitor. You will hear of a hair...

In August of 2007 District Attorney Joshua Marquis wrote to Steve Briggs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) asking that Briggs’ Criminal Justice Division investigate and determine whether the actions of Richard Lee, then a county commissioner, constituted criminal misconduct. In the letter Marquis stated he had resisted acting on continued reports that Lee was pressuring county employees...

The petitioners (Strickland and Van Der Velt) brought 4 possible errors to the attention of LUBA and asked them to overturn the City's decision to approve the project. While LUBA did not overturn the project, they did remand it back to the City of Astoria for reconsideration. Staff Attorney Fred Wilson stated that LUBA can do three things when they rule on a case. Reverse an approval, remand it...

The President has signed, and now the Columbia Pacific National Heritage Area study, among others is authorized to move forward. Celebrate with a Lewis & Clark Map!...

There is a TV commercial for a company that is a service that will tell you the history of an automobile you are considering buying. It shows a car in a flood and the ad reads, “new upholstery.” Another one of a car that had been in burned by an engine fire; that ad said “Hot!” Horse shopping is a lot like shopping for a used car because of deceptive and or exaggerated...

"The abacus was the first known machine developed to help perform mathematical computations. It is thought to have originated between 600 and 500 BC, either in China or Egypt. Round beads, usually made of wood, were slid back and forth on rods or wire to perform addition and subtraction. As an indication of its practicality, the abacus is still used in many eastern cultures today." --http://www....

Don't have much to add to Sandra Swain's article, but here is a drawing of the planned hotel submitted to the City of Astoria.Don't have much to add to Sandra Swain's article, but here is a drawing of the planned hotel submitted to the City of Astoria....

I find it quite amusing that the movie The Hoax was denounced by Clifford Irving as a hoax, "I had nothing to do with this movie," said Irving, "and it had very little to do with me." He goes on to say, "If I were that man[the movie Clifford], I'd shoot myself," and adds, "The movie is best thought of as a hoax." There is one part of the movie that still rings "true," albeit Hughes probably...

There was a magical kingdom which was so beautiful it was called Jewell. The children of Jewell were very lucky indeed because while children in all other kingdoms had schools that struggle with finding enough money the Jewell School had a large treasure trove that would grow magically because the people of Jewell had the secret of spinning gold out of trees. The people of Jewell chose from...

Apparently, I belonged in the Zoo, yesterday. I poked my head up long enough to realize that it's been a whole week since I've put up an entry. Guy would have to be in ICU before that happened, but I've at least tried to put up at least three a week. Not that they're missed, but to keep my writing muscle a little more than flabby. Part of the reason is that I've been even busier than usual. I...

I recently got a SWAG catalog in the mail. Swag stands for “Stuff/Shit We All Get.” If you have a business you get solicitations from all sorts of swag companies who want to print you company name on just about anything for you to give away. You have more than likely accumulated a lot of swag in your lifetime. Key chains, hats, cups, T-shirts, pens… I can say swag items have...

Hello anti-LNGers:NorthernStar has brought two legal challenges to our Clatsop County referendum and there is a hearing before a judge on the 9th in Astoria. Columbia Riverkeeper Staff Attorney Brett Vandenheuvel will be there to argue our side and he has suggested that it would be beneficial to have a presence of concerned community members in the courtroom. There will be no opportunity...

A team of scientists, archaeologists and divers are planning a dive this week with the goal of locating more information such as the identity of what is known as "the Beeswax wreck" of Nehalem. They are hoping for some cold, hard facts in order to separate the vast amount of fiction surrounding one of the oldest known shipwrecks on the Oregon coast. Chunks of beeswax dating from as long as four...

From Clatsop County: The Clatsop County District Attorney's Office began an investigation into allegations of financial impropriety by then-Jewell School Superintendent John Seeley in early 2007. Deputies from the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office conducted several interviews and it quickly became clear that the complexity of the allegations and amount of money involved required resources beyond...

We attended daughter number fours wedding last week and our son-in-law asked hubby and I to be witnesses on the license, which was very nice, sweet and touching moment. Son-in-law was very nervous and teary, which isn't his demeanor in the least. A hard working, hard playing, construction worker who wiped tears from his eyes when he saw his bride to be for the first time in her wedding gown...

Continuation from the candidates debate on Thursday How would you differentiate yourself from your opponent involving County business? Johnson: "It's important to delegate authority "...."Surround yourself with good people and get out of the way".."The Board of Commissioners has one employee and that is the county manager"... Roberts: "Being a county commissioner is very different than...

Weese mentioned planting potatoes in her yard the other day. Many people don’t know this little potato trick, but you can harvest a field of potatoes from a three-foot by three-foot box if you are limited for space. What I’ve done in the past was to construct a wooden box where I could add or remove the boards on the side. I’d plant the potato starts in some soil on the bottom...

Up Next: Jim Mabbott Jewell School Board next turned to the Northwest Educational Services District Superintendent (NWESD) Jim Mabbott, who stepped in himself to take over the reigns of the beleaguered district. Mabbott was only able to be onsite in Jewell one day a week, however, his main goal was to get the school district back on track. “If we are going to be involved, this is the way it...

Business failing? Might be time to look into acquiring a liquor license! Olé.

Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. I say this while thinking about cities in the arid regions such as Phoenix, Los Angelis, Las Vegas. It seems totally unnatural to have a city somewhere where it can’t possibly support itself. It is also unnatural to have a city that is so large that it can’t support itself. We may see these cities abandoned within our lifetime because...

All in one day, Spring has appeared. Granted, it's about 60 days later than I had hoped for, but it seems to be here. Much more tentative than that day a few weeks back (Apr. 12) where we had one single, blazing heat wave (it was about 80 out here where the Klaskanine and Youngs River meet). I've been using the crappy weather as an excuse not to garden or clean, or organize other than the bare...

First Up: Mike Tiedeman In October 2006 the Jewell School Board was in a dilemma. Serious allegations were made against their superintendent and principle, John Seeley. The board put him on administrative leave, with pay, as a criminal investigation was conducted. The board then began looking for an interim superintendent/principle to take his place. One person who quickly came to mind was...

I find it hard to believe how quickly I go through pairs of farm boots. Usually I can walk through muck, swamps and streams for about two months or so before it happens. I'll step in the water and cold liquid will ooze onto my toes. In years past I'd try to find the crack or the hole and goo it up with silicon caulk, but that patch may only last for minutes or a day at best. I know I should go...

Whether you're down to the wire on Mother's Day, or getting an early lead on Father's Day, we have sure bets, right here: Your mom's a Super girl! This DC Comics Supergirl #12 by NW Limited features first-day-of-issue stamps and postmarks for DC Comics and Comic Con $150 Mom is a Fab Four fan: The Beatles #39 "Rain" (Back in the USSR is also currently available, as well as an exclusive set...

I forgot to mention that we got our chickens three weeks ago. There are twenty little peepers living in a box of straw showered by a heat lamp. Our Spring has been colder than normal. I decided to house the chick in my wife’s office, but even with daily bedding changes they room began to stink. Birds are really disgusting animals and should never live inside peoples homes. Sorry Syd, but...

In two-thousand-and-eight, the measure of your status is not how much you make, or how much you have, it is instead how little you owe.

Yogi Berra once said "Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded." This reminds me of when things grow so large and get out of control or depart form their original simple mission. Recently I commented on another blog about how big the Crab, Seafood and Wine Festival has gotten that it can never return to its humble roots where it was a fun thing to attend. I also commented on Astoria Sunday...

Walk for the Babies May 3rd. On the Astoria Waterfront, starting at the Memorial Park under the bridge. The March of Dimes was created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt originallyWalk for the Babies May 3rd. On the Astoria Waterfront, starting at the Memorial Park under the bridge. The March of Dimes was created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt originally called the Nation Foundation...

In a short, but testy meeting, the Port Commission changed the date that applications are due to the 12th of May. Previously they were due the 23rd of May, but that would have been too late for the appointee to be involved in the Port Director interviews. Also discussed was the actions of Chairman Dan Hess who thought he found a candidate "that everyone could agree on", so Staff didn't advertise...

What does may day mean to you? The term "Mayday" as a distress signal originated in 1923. May Day the holiday is celebrated May 1st, for varying reasons. In some cultures, it is a celebration of Spring and the coming Summer, times when the elements are less threatening. Not always so, as proven by these excerpts from "Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard" shipwreck chart by Bill Brooks...

For being a relatively smooth grass, hay seems to stick everywhere. Normally I buy hay, stick it in the hay shed and dole it out to the horses twice a day, but it keeps turning up in the strangest places. It is all over my truck. There is a pile composting in the back of the truck, which is to be expected, but there is hay everywhere in the cab. I opened a tool box the other day and there was...

The local Republican Women group will be hosting a debate/forum tonight (May 1st) at 7pm at the Warrenton High School cafeteria. All 5 Clatsop County Commission candidates have been invited plus Sheriff Bergin. So far Cary Johnson, Dirk Rohne, Jim Scheller and Patricia Roberts have said they will attend the event. After opening remarks by the candidates, questions will be submitted by the audience...

Ann Samuelson was one of the first Jewell School Board Members I met when I joined the Jewell School Staff in July of 2007. She was on a mission to get Ann Samuelson was one of the first Jewell School Board Members I met when I joined the Jewell School Staff in July of 2007. She was on a mission to get highway 103 repaved before school started. She was concerned about the safety of our school...

Letter to the Editor, the Daily Astorian Published Friday, April 25, 2008 On May 20, registered Democrats will choose Oregon's next attorney general. There is no Republican candidate, so the winner of the Democratic primary, between John Kroger and Greg Macpherson, will be the state's top lawyer. I strongly endorse the candidacy of John Kroger. Kroger is a law professor at Lewis and Clark, a...