Thank you for your interest in reading The Astorian. Here are a few stories that you might have missed this week:

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The Astoria Column turns 100 in 2026.

For the centennial anniversary, Fred Pynes, the park host, is collecting stories from visitors that might be combined into a book to mark the occasion.

“That’s what we thought, maybe somebody would tell us about their first date, maybe their prom date, maybe their first kiss, or just different things about the Column,” Pynes said.

People can contribute their stories via email at astoriacolumnmemories@gmail.com

Read the report by Ethan Myers by clicking here.

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Tired, worried, frustrated.

That was some of the most common feedback from residents in a survey from the Clatsop County Public Health Department on the coronavirus pandemic.

The survey was not intended to be scientific, but gave the county some insight into people’s attitudes. One of the challenges in the county is the booster rate has been lower than the vaccination rate against COVID-19.

“We haven’t had time to fully process the impact of the pandemic on our lives because we’ve been in a status of uncertainty, and we’ve been coping,” said Margo Lalich, the county’s interim public health director.

See Erick Bengel’s story by clicking here.

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Potholes are a nagging problem for drivers on the North Coast.

State transportation and local public works leaders say weather, materials, funding and staff challenges can prolong repairs.

“I can tell you that it’s difficult here to repair potholes based on my experience of actually doing it myself,” Mark Buffington, the district manager on the North Coast for the Oregon Department of Transportation, said. “Working in the valley and the Portland area, the difference between fixing a pothole there versus here – it’s definitely tougher on the coast, and it’s weather-related.”

Take a look at Ethan Myers’ report by clicking here.

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