Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2016)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 30 SECTION A JULY 8, 2016 $1.00 Young man dies after River Road collision By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes A 20-year-old Keizer man died of injuries sustained in a vehicle-on-pedestrian collision in the early morning hours of Friday, July 1. Walter Westgarth, 65, of Keizer was driving a 2005 Volkswagen Passat four- door wagon northbound on River Road North in the curb lane through the intersec- tion of Che- mawa Road Northeast with a green traffi c sig- nal when Anthony Jon Ernest stepped off the sidewalk into the roadway where he was struck by the Passat. It is not known whether Ernest saw the vehicle or if he was distracted. Westgarth stopped his vehicle immediately on River Road and cooperated with the investigation. Ernest sustained life- threatening injuries and was transported to Salem Health where he later died. The driver showed no signs of impairment and no citations or criminal charges have been fi led. Ernest's mother, Jill Pallin, posted on Facebook Saturday, July 2, informing friends and Cupcakes at Keizer Florist PAGE A2 Keizer Rapids lands major grant KEIZERTIMES/ERIC A. HOWALD PAGE A3 UPPER LEFT: Anthony Jon Ernest. ABOVE: A small roadside memorial was placed on the corner of River Road North and Che- mawa Road Northeast in the days following the collision that killed Ernest. relatives that brain trauma suffered in the incident was “irreversible.” On Monday, Ernest underwent organ donation surgery. His heart, liver and both kidneys were already slated for delivery to other patients at the time. Pallin encouraged friends to celebrate her son's journey into new lives as they set off fi reworks on July 4. A Facebook memorial page, included outpourings from friends and family. “I'm so glad we became close friends. I still can't believe you're gone. I will never meet anyone else like you and I'm so grateful for the times we spent together,” wrote Shania Sierra. “Throughout the day I keep catching myself thinking about you and I just keep saying, 'I cannot believe Anthony's gone' and 'this isnt real,' I don't think this will ever actually hit me that you're gone, Anthony. I don't want to believe it and I don't want to accept it. I love you,” wrote Andrea Rodriguez. Please see ERNEST, Page A7 Two-alarm blaze in central Keizer Submitted by Keizer Fire District Fire crews responded to a garage fi re on Faymar Drive Northeast Monday, July 4. By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Emergency services were kept busy over the Fourth of July weekend culminating in a two-alarm fi re Monday, July 4. Crews from the Keizer Fire District were summoned to 804 Faymar Drive N.E. The owner of the home awoke to crackling and smoke and opened the door to his garage to fi nd it fully engulfed in fl ame. While the source of the blaze is still under investigation, Division Chief Brian Butler said the cause may have been fi reworks. “He got his wife and stepdaughter out of the home but. for right now, they can't live there,” Butler said. While the blaze was contained to the garage after about 20 minutes, the rest of the home suffered severe smoke damage. Please see FIRE, Page A7 Worldly lessons from Cummings teacher No, Kevin Costner isn’t moving to Keizer By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes If you run in certain online circles, you might have heard that the star of Dances with Wolves, Waterworld and Field of Dreams is moving to Keizer. While it isn't out of the realm of possibility, the Keizertimes was unable to contact Costner's representatives for confi rmation and the source of the rumor is a website, km8news.com. The site has a disclaimer stating, “KM8 News is a fantasy news website. Most articles on km8news.com are satire or pure fantasy.” The contact is fantasynewswebsite@gmail. com. Such sites are known as “clickbait,” and are aimed at generating advertising revenue with sensational headlines and photographs to attract readers, typically at the expense of quality or accuracy. KM8 News also includes PAGE A5 WIKIPEDIA/Gordon Correll Costner, who isn't moving to Keizer, at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival reports of Eminem moving to Jackson, Miss., and a previous report of Costner moving to Fredericton, New Brunswick in Canada. We're certain that Mr. Costner travels widely with his fi lm and music projects, but Keizer hasn't shown up on any of his tour dates, and isn't listed in any fi lming locations of his recent movies. That said, we look forward to his unannounced project Tangos with Cows, which is reportedly a “spiritual sequel” to his hit 1990 fi lm, and we would like to remind him that there is at least one small herd in Keizer city limits for the time being. Top draft pick joins Volcanoes To arms, to arms, ye soldiers By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Jack Bentley, a Navy veteran from Dallas, was visiting Fort Stevens State Park 26 years ago when he was asked if he wanted to fi re an old Civil War cannon. That’s all it took to convince Bentley to join the Northwest Civil War Council. “They were looking for recruits and I fell into the trap,” he said. “I liked shooting that cannon. That got me going and that’s why I’ve been doing it ever since. I love it.” Bentley was one of more than 300 reen- actors who converged on Antique Powerland PAGE A8 KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley Jack Bentley holds a Henry rifl e used during the Civil War at a reenactment in Salem. in Salem for an annual Civil War reenactment, which included battles and demonstrations, July 2-4. Tom and Catherine Harper, who live in Hillsboro, have been reenactors for nearly as long as Bentley. The Harper’s are in their 24th year. Tom was in the battalion command up until a couple years ago. Now he plays the part of Cooper and Catherine has always been his wife. Please see CIVIL, Page A3 Keizer www.skylineforddirect.com 3555 River Road N, Keizer • (503) 463- 4853 *1. Starting MSRP excludes destination/delivery charge, taxes, title and registration. Optional equipment not included. Starting A, Z and X Plan price is for qualifi ed, eligible customers and excludes document fee, destination/delivery charge, taxes, title and registration. Not all vehicles qualify for A, Z or X Plan. All Mustang Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT350R prices exclude gas guzzler tax. 2. Not all buyers qualify for Ford Credit limited-term fi nancing. Supply of vehicles with Ford Smart Bonus is limited. Not available on Focus RS, F-650/750, Shelby GT350, Transit, Transit Connect and E-Series. See dealer for availability. For all offers, take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 8/1/2016. See dealer or go to ford.com for qualifi cations and complete details. 3. Not all buyers qualify for Ford Credit fi nancing. 60 months at $16.67 per month per $1,000 fi nanced regardless of down payment. Supply of vehicles with Ford Smart Bonus is limited. Not available on Focus RS, F-650/750, Shelby GT350, Transit, Transit Connect and E-Series. See dealer for availability. For all offers, take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 8/1/2016. See dealer or go to ford.com for qualifi cations and complete details.
