LOCAL NEWS: Pacific Power $45K grant will fund Astoria electric car charging stations Lovely! A story that’s not about the coronavirus! A boost for electric car owners is headed for Astoria. Joanne Rideout reports. Pacific Power will award the City of Astoria a $45,000 grant to install two electric vehicle charging stations at the Astoria…
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LOCAL NEWS: Pacific Power says no shutoffs Pacific Power will not disconnect customers in Oregon, Washington and California during emergency response to COVID-19. Joanne Rideout reports. Pacific Power says they are temporarily suspending disconnections and late fees for non-payment for customers in Oregon, Washington and California to support the state of emergency declared in all…
LOCAL NEWS: Clatsop Circuit Court enacts COVID restrictions Clatsop County Circuit Court has new COVID-19 protocols in place. Joanne Rideout has more. Read below, scroll down to Listen: [:42] Most hearings have been rescheduled till after May 1, and may be extended depending on what happens. Court hearings that are scheduled during this time will…
LOCAL NEWS: COVID-19 kills Clark County couple A husband and wife, both in their 80s and living in separate care facilities in Clark County, Washington, have both died after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Joanne Rideout reports. [1:28] They were both hospitalized last week at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in…
LOCAL NEWS: COVID-19 testing ongoing in Clatsop County Clatsop County residents have a lot of questions about COVID-19 testing locally. Here’s an update. by Joanne Rideout Clatsop County Health Dept Director Mike McNickle said, contrary to rumors circulating on social media and elsewhere, people are indeed being tested locally in the county for the virus. …
LOCAL NEWS: Clatsop County declares public emergency The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners voted Monday March 16 to declare a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The declaration will be in place through May 1. By declaring an emergency, the county can now take actions such as declaring curfews, placing limits on public…
LOCAL NEWS: City of Astoria says no water shutoffs The City of Astoria is giving water customers a break during COVID-19. Joanne Rideout has more. The City of Astoria has announced that temporarily, city water service will not be canceled without a request from the customer. The temporary policy, announced Monday, was enacted in response…
LOCAL NEWS: Pacific County activates emergency response Pacific County went to Emergency Level 1 status. Joanne Rideout explains. Washington’s Pacific County Emergency Management Agency decided Monday to activate its emergency response at the highest level possible, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In a press release, agency director Scott McDougall said that Pacific County currently…
Local News: Gov. Kate Brown signs climate change executive order At a press conference Tuesday, surrounded by Oregon schoolchildren from around the state, Governor Kate Brown signed into law an executive order to curb climate change. Joanne Rideout has more. “Executive Order 2004, there you have it.” [Cheers from crowd] Brown said the order would protect rural Oregonians…
Local News: Astoria Planning Commission approves Pacific Seafood Uniontown employee dorm By Joanne Rideout Tuesday night, the Astoria Planning Commission unanimously approved Pacific Seafood’s application to site employee dormitory housing in a former drug treatment facility located in a residential area in the Uniontown neighborhood of the city. The decision is final, unless an appeal…
Local News: Astoria City Council says no to Grocery Outlet proposal The Astoria City Council said no last night to the Grocery Outlet project that had been proposed for a triangular-shaped plot of land on Marine Drive next to the Shell station, in the Mill pond neighborhood on the city’s east end. The council denied…
The City of Astoria will see more river cruise ships in coming years, thanks to a new agreement just approved for the 17th Street Dock. Joanne Rideout has the story. Script below, scroll down to Listen [run time: 2:37] ——————————————————————— The Astoria City Council this week approved a lease with cruise company American Cruise Lines…
The Astoria City Council approved significant city code changes Monday night, the culmination of a lengthy process involving extensive public input. Joanne Rideout has details. Script below or scroll down to Listen [run time: 5:20] —————————————————————————— The new code modifies regulations affecting waterfront construction within city limits, in an area known as the Bridge Vista…
The Port of Astoria is considering selling the Riverwalk Inn at the West Mooring Basin Marina,
A group of visitors from Costa Rica is in Astoria this week. They are part of an organization with deep roots both locally and in Central America. Coast Community Radio’s Jacob Lewin reports. Script follows, Listen Below [3:17] [rising bus sounds…] When eleven Costa Ricans arrived at the Astoria transit center on Sunday, they were…
In a three-and-a-half hour public meeting Tuesday, the Astoria City Council fine tuned their approach to waterfront code changes and sent recommendations back to staff to create a template for more discussion at a later meeting. Joanne Rideout reports: Script follows, Listen Below [2:45]: __________________________________________________________ They settled on a 28 foot height limit, with exceptions…
In a three-and-a-half hour public meeting Tuesday, the Astoria City Council fine tuned their approach to waterfront code changes and sent recommendations back to staff to create a template for more discussion at a later meeting. Joanne Rideout reports: Script follows, Listen Below…. __________________________________________________________ They settled on a 28 foot height limit, with exceptions…
The Astoria City Council moved forward Monday as they considered proposed changes to city code. Joanne Rideout has the story. Listen below: [5:30] _________________________________________________________ The Astoria City Council again took on the task of defining waterfront city code at their Monday night meeting. The council was considering a proposal from the city’s planning commission that…
At Monday’s Astoria City Council meeting, councilors debated an ordinance proposal regarding marijuana in city parks, among other business. Joanne Rideout reports: Scroll down to listen: [2:53]. Script here: Astoria city manager Brett Estes explained the proposal, which came from the Astoria Police Department. Brett Estes: “An ordinance has been proposed for council review this…
Story script: Listen below [5:43] The short answer was that the planning commission decided to recommend a 35-foot height limit, which is not what many members of the public said they wanted. The city received hundreds of signatures on petitions, and offered many concerned comments at city council and planning commission meetings. Public sentiment was…
The Astoria City Council met Monday night to approve some changes to waterfront code and homestay lodging regulations. They also approved the city purchase of a new streetsweeping machine. Joanne Rideout has the story. Listen Below [2:38] At their July 1st meeting, the Astoria City Council approved changes to city code with regard to waterfront…
On Saturday, Seaview, Washington, residents met with the Long Beach city administrator to discuss a controversial idea. Joanne Rideout reports. Listen below [4:14]. ———————————————– [opens with crowd sound rising] About 200 Seaview residents attended the packed community meeting at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, Saturday morning in Ilwaco. They were talking about an idea that…
A look at the Astoria City Council’s June 17th meeting, where they considered waterfront code changes, among other agenda items. Joanne Rideout reports.
At a public meeting at the Port of Astoria last week, a consultant spelled out in candid detail how precarious things are at the port and what needs to be done to get the agency back on track. Joanne Rideout has the story. [3:50] Consultant Mary McArthur, executive director of the Columbia Pacific Economic Development…
The Astoria Planning Commission met Tuesday night to resume discussion about changes to city code that included the proposal for height limits of 28 feet and 30,000 sq fit floor plan limitations. They also considered planned renovations to a long term rental property that would turn it into an Air BnB style facility. Here’s more…
Joanne Rideout offers a look at some of the winners of contested races in Clatsop County, in the May 21 special election in Oregon.
US Representative Suzanne Bonamici held a townhall meeting in Astoria Tuesday evening at Clatsop Community College. Bonamici has represented Oregon’s first congressional district for the past seven years. Joanne Rideout has details. She faced a packed crowd in a large classroom at the college. After introductory remarks, Bonamici spent most of the meeting taking audience…
Live recording of US. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici’s Townhall meeting at Clatsop Communty College, April 16, 2019.
Here’s a look at what’s happening with waterfront development planning in Astoria, as the city continues to contemplate a 29 foot height limit for Riverwalk area construction. [Link to story below.] ———————————————————————— The Astoria Planning Commission met on Tuesday, and discussed a proposed city code change that would limit building height to 28 feet on…
The Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to give federal employees a break on their city utility bills until the federal government shutdown is resolved. Joanne Rideout reports. [Time: 1:09] The Astoria City Council took action at their Tuesday meeting to help ease the financial burden on federal personnel including Coast Guard families, who are struggling…