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 Port of Astoria will receive over $25 million in federal funding for the rehabilitation of Pier 2 in Uniontown, a major boost to one of the agency’s most significant pieces of infrastructure.

Pier 2, which is home to Da Yang Seafood and Bornstein Seafoods, has become the Port’s top priority in recent years as a failing seawall and rotting decks increasingly threaten the entire structure. Over the summer, the Port received $1.2 million in funding from Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, for preconstruction costs.

“The elephant in the room has been even if we get through preconstruction, even if we get permitted, even if we complete the engineering and design work, how do we pay for it?” said Will Isom, the Port’s executive director. “Because we don’t have $20 million or $25 million sitting around to get the project done. We knew that we were going to need a large windfall probably at the federal level, and so we’ve been through multiple channels pursuing any opportunity we could.”

See the story by Rebecca Norden-Bright by clicking here.

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An average of 150 to 200 damage tags are issued for elk each year in Clatsop County under the Oregon Landowner Damage Program.

Paul Atwood, the North Coast district wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, presented the figures at a Gearhart City Council work session on Monday night. Over the past several weeks, residents complained to city leaders and on social media after learning that more than 75 elk were killed on private property on unincorporated land between Gearhart and Warrenton from 2020 to 2022 under the state program.

Read the story by Jasmine Lewin by clicking here.

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Astoria police are charging more people for criminal trespass in the second degree and disorderly conduct in the second degree, a byproduct of the local response to Measure 110, which decriminalized small amounts of illicit drugs in Oregon.

Police Chief Stacy Kelly said misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct are being applied instead of the drug charges police officers would have pursued before Measure 110.

Under the measure, which was approved by voters in 2020, officers can issue a citation with a maximum $100 fine for possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. The intent of the law is to emphasize drug treatment over punishment.

The Astorian reported in September that police officers and sheriff’s deputies on the North Coast have not issued many citations for drug possession over the past few years because many officers do not believe the law is effective.

Most of the people who have been cited for drug possession in Oregon under the law have failed to appear in court and do not take advantage of the screening option for treatment.

“There’s no teeth in the citations,” explained Kelly, who discussed the issue at a City Council meeting last week. “We haven’t done a whole lot of them, because there’s no consequences if the person doesn’t show up to court, or they can call up the number and say they’re going to get drug treatment and then the ticket goes away and nobody follows up on it.

“There’s just no accountability that way. With trespassing, at least we can keep them out of the area where they’ve been committing these crimes.”

Take a look at the report by Jasmine Lewin by clicking here.

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— Derrick DePledge