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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Clatsop County wants Gov. Tina Kotek to provide more money to rural counties struggling to respond to homelessness.

County leaders believe the county, which has had among the highest per capita rates of homelessness in Oregon, is not getting an equitable share of state resources.

“Right now, we and the other 11 that are part of the 18 counties that represent the 93% are not being treated equitably,” County Manager Don Bohn said of rural counties with the highest homeless populations. “Almost all of us have a higher percent of the homeless population than we are getting of the available funding. And it’s just not right.

“It’s not right to have some counties receive more funding than the population that they’re bearing, and others are so dramatically less. And I don’t know how they don’t see that as a problem and they don’t want to fix it. But the reality is they can fix it.”

See the story by Nicole Bales by clicking here.

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The Astoria Aquatic Center could expand.

An expansion of the facility on Marine Drive was recommended in the 2016 parks master plan. Design plans could include increased staff office space, a gymnasium and basketball court, a fitness studio, after-school programs and party and conference spaces.

The city also hopes to maximize revenue generation potential for the Parks and Recreation Department while streamlining operating costs.

The City Council on Monday approved a $55,500 contract with Portland-based Scott Edwards Architecture for preliminary design services.

Read the story by Nicole Bales by clicking here.

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A waterfront master plan for potential redevelopment in Uniontown has advanced.

The Astoria Planning Commission on Tuesday gave the go-ahead on code changes for the plan that covers Pier 1 to the Astoria Bridge.

The vision includes a new hotel to replace the Astoria Riverwalk Inn, space for private marine industrial uses on Pier 1 and concepts for a market hall, fishing village and boardwalk around the West Mooring Basin.

Crafted by the Portland-based landscape architecture firm Walker Macy, the plan was signed off by the Port of Astoria and the city last year after a nine-month public process. Now, city code changes are necessary to implement the concept.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the City Council adopt the waterfront master plan and establish new development standards for the 65 acres covered by the blueprint.

Take a look at the report by Nicole Bales by clicking here.

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— Derrick DePledge