Newsweek Magazine has picked up the story of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, according to CHIP JENKINS, superintendent of Lewis and Clark National Historic Park in Astoria. Jenkins, who received a call from Newsweek, says the brief article, describing the bicentennial’s signature event, “Destination: The Pacific,” hits the newsstands this weekend.

The Oregon Food Bank Network honored state Sen. Betsy Johnson and John Helm Thursday with its annual Hunger Buster Award for outstanding volunteer support.

Johnson and Helm and their family’s Samuel Johnson Foundation have supported regional food banks and pantries throughout Oregon in numerous ways. The couple supported OFB’s capital campaign. Sen. Johnson not only hosted a Governor’s Harvest Dinner, she donated funds to each participating hunger-relief agency. Foundation grants have helped regional food banks and emergency food pantries purchase food and equipment. And as a state legislator, Johnson advocates for people living in poverty. She participated in the Walk A Mile program, attends fundraising and hunger awareness events, donates toys to Columbia Pacific Food Bank and donates meat to regional food banks in Columbia and Clatsop counties.

The Oregon Food Bank Network of regional food banks includes Clatsop Community Action in Astoria, the Columbia Pacific Food Bank in St. Helens and the CARE Regional Food Bank in Tillamook.

This 1965 Ford Mustang is being raffled by the Astoria Kiwanis Club for the Kiwanis Doernbecher Children’s Cancer Program. EMIL NYBERG, of the club, said this is the 12th raffle. Over the years, the program has hired five staff members and research scientists. He reported that when the program started, the children’s cancer ward was losing nearly 90 percent of its patients and now 92 percent are walking away cancer-free.

The Mustang will be on display at the Crab Festival on the weekend. Tickets are $2 each and are tax deductible. For tickets, call Nyberg at 338-7400.

A cleansing ceremony for the set of The Ring Two hasn’t been enough to stop Samara’s curse. Astorian FRANK FRISCH told the EAR that his car, which appears in the movie, is the latest victim of the girl’s vengeance. Frisch’s little blue Nova is parked at the Astoria Market when Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) and her son Aidan (David Dorfman) pull in and park.

Tuesday night, Frisch’s son, BENJAMIN FRISCH, took that same car to the River Theater, where he is one of the actors. When Benjamin climbed back in the car to leave for the evening, he noticed something was different. It was cold inside the vehicle, and he could hear the wind blowing through.

A piece of concrete had fallen off the Astoria Bridge, hit the car, broke out the side rear window and left gouges on the metal.

“He was kind of spooked about it,” said Frank Frisch, who with his wife volunteered as extras for the movie. ” The first thing I thought of was ‘Boy, there’s that movie curse.'”

The Oregon Department of Transportation has offered to pay for the physical damages, but Frisch’s peace a mind is another matter.

“I don’t even know if I’m going to drive it now,” Frank Frisch joked.

For the second year in a row, Gearhart Elementary has raised the most money for Clatsop County Red Cross’s annual Penny Drive.

Gearhart students raised $1,340, Red Cross employee Julie Flues said. The total raised by all Clatsop County schools was $4,278.

The money will be used for local disaster relief, from house fires to tsunamis or floods, Flues said.

Gearhart students received candy bars and had a movie festival and “Crazy Hair Day” to encourage them to donate. Sasha DeLong’s fifth-grade class, which raised the most, will get a donated ice cream sundae party from the Astoria Dairy Queen. U.S. Bank and the Gearhart Parent Teacher Student Organization donated money for the candy.

The annual CANNON BEACH AUCTION netted an estimated $17,000 for Chamber of Commerce functions and maintenance, events coordinator CHARLENE STRAUCH said.

“It’s good to see the community come out and support the chamber,” Strauch said. She thanked local businesses for donating items. One of the most creative offerings was Fultano’s donation of a family pizza every month for a year. Artwork and weekend getaways also sold well.

The auction was the 17th for the chamber. Turnout was not large, Strauch said, but the bidding was lively.

If you notice a tall guy in Astoria wearing a sticker on his forehead, it’s probably William Brace. The Michigan native needed to raise money so he could afford to move to Astoria to be with his girlfriend, so he placed a listing on eBay selling advertising space – on his forehead.

Brace offered to wear the winning bidder’s ad for 30 days before the move and during the five days of travel. “I am 6 feet 4 inches tall, so people notice me,” he explained in his listing. “Besides that, I work at a busy video store five days a week and your ad would see plenty of local advertising before it hits the road.” The winner paid $750 for Brace to wear clear stickers advertising the band Glowbal in blue letters.

The 25-year-old Brace said he has been obsessed with Astoria since the first time he saw “The Goonies” as a little kid. “I’ve always liked the coast and have imagined being someplace besides the busy, crime-ridden cities of Michigan,” he stated. “Then, last summer I just got up and went on a three-day road trip across country to see it in person.” While he was here, he met a local girl and fell in love. This winter, Brace decided to leave Michigan permanently and start a new life on the coast. He’s interested in becoming a commercial fisherman but said he would take any full-time job available.

The Astoria High School Class of 1953 remembers the great times they had growing up on the Tapiola Park playground. They also know the time has come to replace the equipment so it is appropriate for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The 1953 class, including Tommy Bumala, Marilyn (Ransom) Gustafson, Carlotta (Nyland) Strandberg, Richard Lee and Wesley Nyberg, is challenging all other Astoria High School classes to try and outdo them in raising money toward the playground project.

On the outside of an envelope write “Class Challenge. Class of (YEAR)” and send your tax deductible donation to Tapiola Playground Project, Astoria Parks Department, 1095 Duane St., Astoria, OR 97103.

If you have any questions, call Wesley Nyberg at (503) 338-7400 or e-mail emilnyberg@aol.com

NIDAROS LODGE No. 16, SONS OF NORWAY, celebrated its 95th anniversary on April 17 with strawberry shortcake, ice cream, singing in both English and Norwegian, and the induction of five new members. It was a pleasant afternoon of friendship and fun for the members, who meet once a month at their lodge in Gearhart. Coming up next month are speeches by the 2005 Scandinavian court with Norwegian treats for dessert. Anyone who has family ties to Norwegian ancestry is welcome to join the lodge, whose purpose is to remember and promote Norwegian cultural heritage, not only to its members, but to the surrounding community.

Nidaros Lodge was founded April 18, 1910, in the old IDUN HALL in Astoria by 30 Norwegian immigrants, who became the charter members. Six days later, 19 more men joined. The first woman to join was Ragna Brown, of Walnut Creek, Calif., who signed up in 1940. A lodge auxiliary, Daughters of Norway, soon was formed and still exists. Nidaros Lodge now has more than 120 members. Most are local, but a few live in Washington, California, Idaho and as far away as New Hampshire

and Hawaii. For more information, contact Clarence and Myrtle Dreyer, 325-4017.

Send us your ears! If you have an item for In One Ear, send it to Patrick Webb, Managing Editor, The Daily Astorian, P.O. Box 210, Astoria OR 97103 or e-mail pwebb@dailyastorian.com. Include a daytime phone number for follow-up calls.