SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 37, NO. 18
SECTION A
MARCH 27, 2015
50 CENTS
Bicyclist recovering after hit
Courtesy John Henry Maurice
Keizer's John Henry Maurice, shown riding his bike in a photo from
his Facebook page, is recovering after being hit by a truck earlier this
month.
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer’s John Henry Maurice had plans
to compete in some bicycle competitions
this summer.
Those plans appear to be on hold for
now, as the main emphasis for the 59-year-
old is recovery.
As a result, longtime friend Carolyn
Homan could be making changes to her
usual Friday plans.
Maurice was riding his 30-speed road
bike near Antelope in Central Oregon on
the evening of March 14 when he was
struck by a drunk driver.
According to a report from the Oregon
State Police, 56-year-old Melissa Brooke
Herz was driving a 2007 Toyota Tundra and
pulling a trailer westbound on Highway
218 in Wasco County when the right side
of her pickup hit Maurice.
Herz left the scene and later stopped on
Highway 97. A trooper noticed a mirror
was broken off and later saw a mirror at
the crash scene. Herz was arrested and
charged with driving under the infl uence
of intoxicants, failure to perform the duties
of a driver, reckless driving and second-
degree assault.
Maurice, meanwhile, was taken to St.
Charles Madras and later fl own to St.
Charles Medical Center in Bend. His wife,
Joanne Heilinger, has traveled to Bend to
be with him three times since the accident,
mostly around her work schedule at the
Cowan talks of
levy, election at
GGNA meeting
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Things have been a bit busy
lately at the Keizer Fire Dis-
trict.
Fire chief Jeff Cowan gave
a brief report on his depart-
ment’s activity and future
plans during the March 19
Greater Gubser Neighbor-
hood Association meeting.
For example, Cowan told of
how the KFD has used fund-
ing from the fi ve-year tax levy
approved in November 2013
by voters. The KFD has hired
four additional fi refi ghters and
medics thanks to the levy’s
tax rate of $.59 per $1,000 in
assessed value, which means
there is a full second shift.
That extra personnel has
been helpful, especially lately.
Call volume increased 3
percent last year and has con-
tinued to climb.
“Some days in January and
February we had 24 calls for
service in 24 hours,” Cowan
said. “Our calls have been up 8
percent in the fi rst quarter this
Salem Kroc Center.
Heilinger said the injuries have included
four broken ribs on the left side, several
breaks in his lower left leg, a broken left
scapula (shoulder blade), a cut on the
left side of his temple and a concussion.
Maurice had an initial surgery to stabilize
the left leg and now has a cast on it.
“He’s recovering as well as can be
expected,” Heilinger said on Tuesday. “He’s
still in the hospital. He’s getting around on
a wheelchair. His spirits are good. Part of
what’s taking more time than we thought is
to get him situated over here.”
In particular, Heilinger is looking for
a place her husband can do rehab around
here.
“We’re working on getting him a bed in
a rehab place in Salem or Keizer,” Heilinger
said. “Maybe he will transfer tomorrow.”
Maurice is a longtime employee at
Portland Community College, where he
attended school.
Heilinger has been logging plenty of
miles to visit her husband.
“It’s been pretty hectic,” she said. “I
made three trips to Bend in a week’s
time. I would come home, turn
around and return again.”
Heilinger has been amazed by the
outpouring of love and support.
“I’ve felt very supported by the friends
and cyclist friends,” she said. “One neighbor
Please see HIT, Page A6
Spring is a new start...
year. The 24 calls in 24 hours
has already happened a couple
of times. Normally we get 12
calls a day.”
Medics and
firefighters
bring both fi re
engines
and
ambulances
to calls, which
means there is
enough per-
sonnel to help
Cowan
with carrying
patients
and
any necessary gear.
It also means an engine can
quickly respond to another
call at a moment’s notice,
which was seen when there
were 24 calls in a day.
“That day, the engine nev-
er went back to the station,”
Cowan said.
Cowan also spent time
talking about two upcom-
ing elections: the fi re board
in May and a proposed bond
levy for the fall.
Keizer
mural
meeting
PAGE A2
Former
coach tends
to cancer
patients
PAGE A5
Keizer kid
proud to
own belt
PAGE A8
Courtesy Mark Caillier
A Claggett Creek
Watershed Council
project to plant
16 alder trees at
Keizer Rapids Park
was completed on
March 20.
Above, Randy Miller
uses a backhoe to
place a tree.
Left, the project
after planting.
Please see COWAN, Page A6
Alluring
angling
PAGE A9
Riding with KPD’s Offi cer Anderson
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
Offi cer Carrie Anderson, a 20-year veteran with the Keizer Police Department, took the
Keizertimes on a ride-along earlier this month.
45
Varieties of
Cat Food
PLUS cat supplies for your furry friend
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
So what’s it like being a cop
in Keizer these days?
Carrie Anderson, a 20-year
veteran at the Keizer Police
Department, can tell you no
two days are alike.
Last week the Keizertimes
took an in-depth look at
changes within the KPD, es-
pecially in regards to a shift
towards
problem-oriented
policing, or POP.
As part of fi nding out how
that changes has impacted the
daily work done by patrol of-
fi cers, the Keizertimes went for
a ride-along with Anderson,
currently the only female in
uniform at the KPD.
Having moved to Keizer
when she was less than 1 year
old, Anderson has a deep con-
nection with the city. Her par-
ents, married for more than
50 years, still live in the same
house in Keizer on Chehalis
40 lbs
Cat Litter
$8.99
Court where they moved to
more than 40 years ago.
Anderson went to McNary
High School and later Western
Oregon State College (now
Western Oregon University).
While in school, Anderson
became a reserve offi cer at the
KPD. She was hired part-time
by former police chief Chuck
Stull while still in school.
Once she graduated, Ander-
son was hired on full-time.
“This is my 20th year here,”
Anderson said with a chuckle.
“I’m not sure how it hap-
pened.”
For Anderson, being in pa-
trol suits her perfectly.
“I prefer patrol,” she said.
“A desk job is not something
I’d like to do. Out here, I can
do my own thing. I can talk to
people. I would pull my hair
out if I worked a desk job. It’s
a different day out here every
Celts 2-3
on diamond
PAGE A10
Please see OFFICER, Page A6
WHERE THEY MEET OR BEAT ANY PRICE!
4415 River Rd N Keizer • (503) 393-5450 • copper-creek.net