The Columbia Press

The Columbia Press Columbia Press is published by Cindy Yingst. It focuses on Warrenton & Clatsop County. The print edition ended in October 2022. The printed edition ended in 2022.

Now I publish when I feel like it because I love my town and need something to do. The Columbia Press is an independent news source in Clatsop County. We got our start in 1922 and have been covering local news ever since.

CITY SELLS LOT AT WARRENTON MARINA A city-owned lot near Warrenton Marina will be sold to the company leasing the par...
10/29/2025

CITY SELLS LOT AT WARRENTON MARINA
A city-owned lot near Warrenton Marina will be sold to the company leasing the parcel.
Pacific Fishing LLC, a limited liability company whose owner is Pacific Seafood President Frank Dulcich, will buy the lot for $58,000.
During the past few years, the city has been reviewing all the random lots it owns and leases to others. Often, there have been negative consequences caused by the lessee or the land has been worth far more than the value of the lease.
An appraiser hired by the city had valued the land near the marina at up to $80,000 with its fishing gear shed, which had been built on the property by a former tenant. The city doesn’t own the 1700-square-feet gear shed and the appraiser’s assessment of the land alone was much lower.
The lease requires the city to approach the current tenant first should it decide to sell the property.
Mayor Henry Balensifer, an advocate of unwinding many of the random lease arrangements, said he was having second thoughts about the .11-acre lot at 881 N.E. First Court.
He recently visited Ilwaco Marina with its mix of eateries, artist galleries, and even a small hotel, he said. “Is it worth it to keep this strategic property?”
City Manager Esther Moberg said the lot is tucked away, with several other lots between it and the city’s storage work shed. The city owns another lot at the end of the short street, which is leased to a company for its cell tower.
Commissioners voted unanimously to sell the property.

(Photo is from Clatsop County Webmaps/assessor's office)

MOHA APPOINTED TO CITY COMMISSION Mike Moha is Warrenton’s newest city commissioner. He was appointed Tuesday nigh...
10/29/2025

MOHA APPOINTED TO CITY COMMISSION
Mike Moha is Warrenton’s newest city commissioner.
He was appointed Tuesday night in a 3-1 vote to replace Commissioner Tom Dyer, who resigned his seat in August so he can deal with health issues.
Four people applied for Dyer’s Position 3 seat: Brooke Terry, Nicole Bian, Grant Lehman, and Moha. All four are worthy of the post, commissioners said.
“We might just have to expand our charter to allow seven” members, City Commissioner Jess Sollaccio said. Sollaccio cast her vote for Bian.
Even Bian said, at the beginning of the discussion as commissioners asked them questions, “There’s no bad decision here.” Added Lehman: “It will be a good decision no matter what.”
Moha, who is business manager of the Warrenton-Hammond School District, has served on the city’s Planning Commission for years. He has volunteered with Spruce Up Warrenton, was director of the Fourth of July parade, and served with other groups.
Bian, owner of Frolic and Lark, is vice chair of the city’s Urban Renewal Advisory Committee and a member of the Planning Commission. Terry, a senior business analyst at CMG Home Loans, serves on the Parks Advisory Board and is founder of the Warrenton Parks Alliance. Lehman, A business analyst at Columbia Memorial Hospital, served as a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician for eight years and is an advisor for the Clatsop Small Business Development Center.
All of them said they’d continue to serve the community in various ways as volunteers.
Moha acknowledged that “Tommy’s shoes are going to be impossible to fill.”
The City Commission declared Nov. 2 as Tom Dyer Day of Service.
Dyer, who attended the meeting, received a plaque and lots of appreciation, applause and a standing ovation.
Mayor Henry Balensifer, his voice choked with emotion, talked about Dyer’s dozen years on the commission and 32 years as a State Police officer.
Dyer displays “integrity, courage and professionalism” in every task he undertakes, Balensifer said. “His absence is personally felt by me.”
Dyer brought compassion to the commission, often donating time and resources to clean up the city. And he advocated helping residents caught in problematic situations before attempting to punish them.
Already planned for Tom Dyer Day of Service: Warrenton Parks Alliance plans a trash pickup event.

MEET AND GREET THE CANDIDATES MONDAY Applicants for Commissioner Tom Dyer's seat will gather at a meet-and-greet at 5...
10/26/2025

MEET AND GREET THE CANDIDATES MONDAY
Applicants for Commissioner Tom Dyer's seat will gather at a meet-and-greet at 5 p.m. Monday (Oct. 27) at Warrenton City Hall.
The public is invited to attend and meet them.
Four people have submitted applications:
Mike Moha, business manager for the Warrenton-Hammond School District, as well as chair of the city’s Planning Commission.
Grant Lehman, a business analyst at Columbia Memorial Hospital who previously served as a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician for eight years. He is also a facilitator/advisor for the Clatsop Small Business Development Center.
Brooke Terry, a senior business analyst, and a member of the city’s Parks Advisory Board. She also is founder of the nonprofit Warrenton Parks Alliance.
Nicole Bian, owner of Frolic and Lark, is vice chair of the city’s Urban Renewal Advisory Committee. She also is a member of the city’s Planning Commission.
The following day – on at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 -- City Commissioners are expected to appoint one of them to fill the Position 3 seat left vacant by Dyer, who resigned during the summer due to health reasons. The commission will honor Dyer for his service to the community during the same meeting.

WARRENTON'S OLDEST AREA TO BE PART OF NEW PROJECT Land near Warrenton Marina that served as the city’s first busines...
10/20/2025

WARRENTON'S OLDEST AREA TO BE PART OF NEW PROJECT
Land near Warrenton Marina that served as the city’s first business district is planned to become a project to support the local fishing industry.
Property owner Starlight One LLC, managed by the family that owns Bornstein Seafoods, plans to develop five lots on Harbor Court. The project includes a large two-story building with areas on the ground floor for boat storage and the sorting and storage of fishing gear, plus 11 long- and short-term "bachelor" apartments upstairs, each smaller than 500 square feet.
The project is proposed to have 12 parking stalls, three of them on an adjacent lot also owned by the Bornsteins. The company envisions the small apartments would be rented by boat owners, fishermen, and tourists who come to the area to fish.
The 5,562-square-foot building would cover about a third of the combined parcels, which are zoned for recreational/commercial uses. Parking and landscaping would fill the rest. It is across the street from the former Trina and Ron’s restaurant and behind the storage units at the four-way stop.
The Warrenton Planning Commission approved the site design, along with a conditional use permit for the apartments, on Oct. 9. Any appeals of the decision must be filed with the city’s Planning Department by Oct. 27.
The property was once home to the city’s first post office, a general store, a tavern, a hotel and, in the 1980s, The Columbia Press. The post office/Columbia Press building was identified five years ago as the last remnant of the business district and worth protecting. However, the building was removed in 2023.

WILDLIFE CENTER EXPANDS PROGRAMS The Wildlife Center of the North Coast is expanding its programs thanks to the addit...
10/20/2025

WILDLIFE CENTER EXPANDS PROGRAMS
The Wildlife Center of the North Coast is expanding its programs thanks to the addition of a new 15-passenger van. The van was purchased through a large donation to the nonprofit center.
A lack of transportation has prevented some local children and families from visiting the center, which is about nine miles outside Astoria, according to the organization. By providing transportation, more children can attend immersive wildlife education events, such as the Junior Naturalists Summer Camp Program. At summer camp, students meet WCNC’s ambassador animals, learn about local wildlife, discover native plants, and explore careers in wildlife rehabilitation and environmental conservation.
“This incredibly generous donation removes one of the biggest obstacles for families attending our summer camp,” Executive Director Kari Henningsgaard said. “Now, children from across Clatsop County will have greater access to our programs and the chance to safely experience wildlife up close. We are so grateful to the donor and community members that helped us reach this incredible milestone.”
The van also will support outreach programs, bringing wildlife education directly to schools and community events.
Last year, the center launched a pilot program with Cormie, a double-crested cormorant who visited fourth-grade classrooms at Lewis and Clark Elementary School. Students were given the opportunity to meet and learn about native wildlife in person.
WCNC hopes to expand their classroom program to more schools in the coming year.
Teachers, youth groups, and community organizations interested in booking a program or field trip should contact the center at [email protected].

PUBLIC SAFETY FEES APPROVED Businesses will soon help pay for adequate staffing of Warrenton’s fire, police and emerg...
10/15/2025

PUBLIC SAFETY FEES APPROVED
Businesses will soon help pay for adequate staffing of Warrenton’s fire, police and emergency medical services.
City commissioners voted 3-0 Tuesday, Oct. 14, to adopt a resolution establishing a public safety fee that would be imposed on the city’s businesses through city water service bills. Mayor Henry Balensifer was out of town, and the commission is short one member after the resignation of Commissioner Tom Dyer for health reasons.
Money raised through the fee can be used only for the wages, stipends and benefits of public safety employees, or their training and education. The resolution goes into effect Jan. 1.
The fee is between $20 to $160 per month depending on the size of the city water pipe that feeds the business. So, a small business with a pipe less than an inch – and 136 businesses, or the vast majority, fall in this category – will pay $20. There are eight different sizes of pipes serving businesses in the city (See Exhibit A in the photos attached). The sole business served with an 8-inch pipe will pay $160.
The fee is expected to raise $135,600 per year.
Fire Chief Brian Alsbury brought the public safety fee idea forward in July after seeing the need for additional paid staff. His department is filled primarily by volunteers.
“We’re at the point we’re taxing the volunteers so much with their time that eventually we’re going to wear them all out,” Alsbury said in July. “The most important thing is getting staff who are able to respond 24 hours a day.”
In addition to serving the county’s fastest growing and largest land-mass city, the agency is on contract to serve unincorporated areas surrounding the city.
Firefighters also cover Fort Stevens, Camp Rilea, the airport, and the Coast Guard station.
As volunteers burn out, the number of firefighters available for any given incident can be inadequate. Finding replacements is hard in a city of 6,300.
In the future, Alsbury is expected to request additional ways of raising funds to keep public safety agencies adequately staffed and trained.

Because it's nice to have everything in one place and on one downloadable printable sheet. UPDATED 9/30.
09/29/2025

Because it's nice to have everything in one place and on one downloadable printable sheet. UPDATED 9/30.

BUOY 10 WAS ‘PHENOMENAL’ FOR CITY “Phenomenal.” That’s how Warrenton’s harbormaster described the Buoy 10 fishing sea...
09/24/2025

BUOY 10 WAS ‘PHENOMENAL’ FOR CITY
“Phenomenal.” That’s how Warrenton’s harbormaster described the Buoy 10 fishing season.
“If every summer season in the marina were like this one, it would be a dream,” Jessica McDonald wrote in her report to the City Commission this week. “It truly was one for the record books.”
Warrenton Marina took in an additional $32,000 in revenue during Buoy 10, the Chinook and coho salmon fishery that opens each August on the Columbia River just outside the city’s front door. Hammond Marina brought in an additional $43,000 compared to the same period last year.
Part of the increase came from a longer season – this year, Chinook season was extended about 10 days, Commissioner Gerald Poe pointed out, and the city raised many of its marina fees earlier in the year.
But it doesn’t account for all the increases.
In her Buoy 10 review, McDonald listed what worked well:
* The city received numerous compliments on the cleanliness of its bathrooms and showers. “Great feedback from both visitors and regular users.”
* The camping areas were well-organized, with no noise complaints throughout the season.
* Despite a significant increase in users this year, there were fewer parking and launch violations.
* Students from Tongue Point were exceptionally helpful this year. “We wish we could hire them all full time.”
There were some negatives, including limited parking.

CITY’S MINISTORAGE OPERATORS TO ADD U-HAUL The company managing a ministorage facility owned by the city of Warrenton...
09/24/2025

CITY’S MINISTORAGE OPERATORS TO ADD U-HAUL
The company managing a ministorage facility owned by the city of Warrenton will soon offer U-Haul rental services.
NW Smart Storage, owned by Adam Israel and Steve Kinney, asked city officials to amend their lease. They hope to bring an additional revenue stream to the storage facility, which is visible from Harbor Drive. After a massive structural overhaul, the company had to start from scratch renting units and there still are many vacancies.
City commissioners unanimously approved the U-Haul plan Tuesday night. The amendment to the lease includes a clause in which the city receives a 7 percent share of the U-Haul profits.
A year ago, NW Smart Storage took over the storage property at 60 N.E. Iredale Ave. and, after six months of renovation by both the city and the company, began paying the city $3,500 per month. It is hoped NW Smart Storage will eventually buy the property.
How did the city of Warrenton come to own a storage facility?
The land, which is owned by the city, had been leased to a tenant who fell in arrears, failed to pay taxes, and also violated the lease in how he operated his business. The city successfully won a lawsuit to evict him.
The city owns a number of lots throughout the city and, in the past, has signed long-term leases for the lots that allowed others to build businesses on them. During the past five years, or so, city leaders have chosen to go other routes, including selling surplus properties.

COMMISSIONER DYER’S SEAT DECLARED VACANT Tom Dyer’s seat on the Warrenton City Commission was declared vacant tonight...
09/24/2025

COMMISSIONER DYER’S SEAT DECLARED VACANT
Tom Dyer’s seat on the Warrenton City Commission was declared vacant tonight (Sept. 23), a legal action that allows the city to begin taking applications for his replacement.
Dyer announced last month that he was stepping down after doctors found cancer in his bones, which will require six months of treatment and leave him immuno-compromised, he said. He attended the last meeting via Zoom.
The city will begin taking applications Monday through the city’s website, www.warrentonoregon.us . Applications will be accepted for at least three weeks. Applicants must be registered voters living within the city limits of Warrenton.
An open house, which would allow residents and city commissioners to meet the candidates, likely will be held at 5 p.m. Oct. 27, with an appointment made during the Oct. 28 City Commission meeting.
Dyer served as a commissioner for 12 years and was re-elected as Position 3 commissioner in November 2024.

OVERNIGHT BRIDGE CLOSURES THIS WEEK Youngs Bay Bridge will close overnight for maintenance on Wednesday and Thursday,...
09/15/2025

OVERNIGHT BRIDGE CLOSURES THIS WEEK
Youngs Bay Bridge will close overnight for maintenance on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17 and 18, Oregon Department of Transportation announced.
Closure hours are 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. both nights with a detour around the closures on Highway 101 Business.
For those who travel back and forth to Pacific County, prepare for a large construction project on the Astoria-Megler Bridge this fall. The project is expected to begin in October and last through early 2026. There will be crews working during the day, Monday through Thursday, and until noon on Fridays. Single-lane closures on the bridge with flaggers are expected at times, although most of the work will happen below the bridge.
Workers will be replacing and fixing damaged bridge bearings, which provide a resting surface between the bridge piers and deck/driving surface. They allow the bridge to move and flex during temperature changes, traffic and other factors.

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1020 SE Main Court, Suite B
Warrenton, OR
97146

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