Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2015)
JUNE 5, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A11 MOLES, continued from Page A1 “There was a sandwich board framed sign, right in the middle of the sidewalk,” Brown said. “(Guisinger) was told by Ben he couldn’t do that. Nigel said the mayor (Cathy Clark) told him he didn’t have to move it. Ben went back, but Nigel was not available. Ben told an employee to move the sign or it would be confi scated. It was moved.” Temporarily, at least. “The next day it was right back in the same place, so Ben took the sign,” Brown said. “I also called and talked to an em- ployee and said the same thing: you can’t block the sidewalk with the sign. We had the same conversation three times before the sign was removed. I also said next time you will get a cita- tion.” Brown said that’s according to the city sign code ordinance, among other things. “It’s also according to state statute, just a lot of things,” Brown said. “You can’t block sidewalks.” Guisinger said he’d been asked to talk about signs at the Keizer Economic Development Commission – chaired by the mayor – two weeks prior. “I’ve met with the mayor and I met with Lore (Christopher) when she was mayor,” Guising- er said. “Everyone realizes it was a bad policy with signs. The city has some bad rules on the book, including the sign code. We’ve had the conversation with all these other people. People need to see we’re in business on Riv- er Road.” Guisinger said the widen- ing of River Road in the 1980s encroached on parking lots for businesses up and down the main thoroughfare, severely limiting space for buildings like his, one of the oldest business buildings in Keizer. week with Connie Lemus, the mother of the other vic- tim. “(Blackman) intended to harm the two boys. We’re try- ing to let people know he’s out there.” Morales and Lemus resort- ed to posting signs in the areas where their sons were stalked in hopes of getting the word out. A Facebook post that in- cluded some of the same in- formation had been shared several thousand times. Morales said Blackman was waiting for her son as he made his way home from school April 16. “He was walking down Ver- da and there was a car slowly following. Once he crossed the street, the car followed and pulled in front of him, block- ing his path. It caused him to walk past the driver’s side window and (Blackman) was staring at him. He went up to a house as though that was where he was going and the guy drove off,” Morales said. After learning of what had transpired, Morales called the Keizer police and a detective was at their home within an hour. “They had already learned about the other attempt be- cause the boy had run right to the police station after the guy disappeared. His mom said he hid behind a tree while watch- ing (Blackman) drive back and forth looking for him,” Mo- rales said. As a result of the incident, Morales now drops her son off at school and relatives are picking him up. He has also missed several days as a result of the incident. In a letter to the judge, Morales had encouraged Abar to consider Blackman’s intent as much as his actions. “(The) sentence is really the only amount of time that myself and the other victim’s mother will have any peace of mind, because we will know that Mr. Blackman will not be able to harm our sons or any other child in our com- munity,” she wrote. KIDNAP, continued from Page A1 nearby hotel room and “de- sired but did not admit to at- tempting to lure the boys to the room.” Blackman also ad- mitted to pedophilia tenden- cies. Blackman’s lack of prior criminal record was a factor for the lighter sentence, said the attorney for the state at a sentencing hearing Thursday, May 28. Kandi Morales, mother of one of the victims, was more upset than Abar with the ac- ceptance of a plea bargain. “We couldn’t believe it,” said Morales, who attended the sentencing hearing last We’ll transform your kitchen or bath into what you’ve always dreamed of 503.393.2875 remodelkeizer.com CCB#155626 Ask Mr. Trash Q. How do I keep my trash from blowing in the wind? ©1986 A. Bagging loose trash and closing the cart lid will help prevent wind related issues, keep pets and crows from spreading the waste, and will even help with cart cleanliness. It’s also a good idea to roll shredded paper up into a paper sack before placing it in your blue cart for recycling. Please help us keep your neighborhood clean! Serving Keizer for Nearly 50 years! LOREN'S SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC. 503.393.2262 VA L L E Y RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC. 503.585.4300 VETERANS FOUGHT FOR OUR WAY OF LIFE. IT’S OUR DUTY TO FIGHT FOR THEIRS. America’s 22 million veterans should get what they were promised. DAV helps veterans of all ages and their families get the health, disability and financial benefits they earned. And we connect them to vital services like claims assistance, medical transportation and job resources. If you’re a veteran who needs free help, or you’d like to help us keep the promise, visit DAV.org. “I had the sign on the side- walk,” Guisinger said. “It’s an old building. There’s no way to not block traffi c and still be within code. The only spot was on the sidewalk.” When Brown told him the decision was made above his pay grade, Guisinger retorted to get someone above his pay grade. “That probably came across as jerky,” Guisinger acknowl- edged. On the evening of May 27, Guisinger took to Facebook to sarcastically thank city staff for removing his business sign. “And they ask why business- es leave Keizer and how the city can spur economic growth,” Guisinger wrote. “Hint, don’t steal signs from businesses.” Guisinger called the sign be- ing removed “baloney” and said he was supposed to get a letter from the city and get a certain amount of time to remove the sign or to fi ght with the city. “Instead, they just take it. I said that’s not right,” said Guis- inger, who fi gured posting about it on Facebook would do more than yelling at city hall. On May 28, Guisinger put Moles donation signs up at city hall, with one plus a dryer hook by a tree outside Brown’s offi ce. “It was more of a smart ass move than I should have done,” Guisinger said. “I fi gured if you don’t like signs on River Road, I’ll put it in front of city hall. Then everyone and their dog posts about it on Facebook.” Just for good measure, Guis- inger also put a dryer on the sidewalk in front of Moles. Guisinger said Brown and Crosby came down to Moles on May 29 and indicated they would have to take the dryer. “I said that’s not a sign,” Guisinger said. “Technically it is a monument. I said we can play the code game if you want.” A treaty of sorts was reached: Guisinger was scheduled to meet with Brown, Crosby and city councilor Roland Herrera this week. “We’ll go through the sign code and see what has to be changed, then change it once and for all,” Guisinger said. “I’m not the only one being hit by this. All of the businesses in my complex are concerned. Other businesses along River Road are as well. I probably didn’t go about it the best way, but if you just write letters, no change oc- curs. I had to step it up.” Brown felt last Friday’s meet- ing went well. “We talked about what sign options he has and how he can increase his sign areas,” Brown said. “He was friendly and agreeable. We returned his sign with a promise that he wouldn’t place it on the sidewalk. All’s well that ends well, I say.” Guisinger said he’s fi ne being the lightning rod for contro- versy if it leads to changes ben- efi ting Keizer businesses overall along River Road. “My hope is that we do get a code change,” Guisinger said. “This is the fi rst step of many things so River Road can be successful. If that’s what all of this is, then I’m all on board. It’s not just for Moles, but for Riv- er Road as a whole. I want to help the community. Thankfully Nate was receptive and I’m glad we have people like Roland in our community. This was never about me. We want to fi x bad code and policy.” By CRAIG MURPHY Of the Keizertimes Keizer Rapids Park will have a different look by the end of the summer. Most obviously will be the addition of the Big Toy play structure. Further south in the park, Jerry Nuttbrock and his crew are building a patio at the Keiz- er Rotary Amphitheater this month. In between those two loca- tions, Hans Schneider is look- ing to build new sand volleyball courts next month. Nuttbrock received match- ing grant program funds at the Keizer Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting last month, as detailed in the May 22 Keizertimes. After Nuttbrock got his funding, Schneider talked to Parks Board members about his project, which followed up on a discussion he had with the same board in March. Schneider will be talking with Parks Board members again this month to get funding from the matching grant pro- gram, which will have $15,000 for next fi scal year (starting in July) according to the budget approved by Keizer City Coun- cilors on Monday. “The (KRP) master plan is laid out for three sand volley- ball courts,” Schneider said last month. “We are hoping to start in mid-July. It will be a two or three week process. We will be putting in three courts. Based on the funding we have, three is reasonable.” In his project application, Schneider listed a total cost of $48,810. In March, Schneider pledged $20,000 towards the project. That would be part of the $25,000 listed for private cash and materials donations. The estimated value of labor is $19,310, with the additional $4,500 being requested from the matching grant program. Bill Lawyer, Public Works director for Keizer, noted there would be roughly $6,700 of new System Development Charges funds available if need- ed. The courts would replace the current sand court, which Schneider has previously indi- cated “wasn’t built properly.” Schneider feels the project can be done as scheduled. “Our hard costs are between $32,000 and $34,000,” he said. “Between the money we’re putting up, the grant money and SDC money, I think it is very doable.” The courts will be 119 feet in length, 73 feet wide. That would require the excavation and removal of 750 yards of dirt. There would also be 12 inches of aggregate covered with a geotextile fabric and 20 to 24 inches of beach sand. “The purpose of the three sand volleyball courts is to pro- vide a place for the community of Keizer to play and practice volleyball,” Schneider wrote in his application. “I am extremely interested in providing and de- veloping a summer sand vol- leyball program for the youth of Keizer. This would be a huge benefi t to both the local exist- ing mid-high and high school volleyball programs.” VB courts could come in July crossword