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9A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015 Saadat: Overt forms of discrimination may be resurfacing Continued from Page 1A “And it changes the way we think of the dynamic and, per- haps, our approach to making a change.” Pleased that she lived long enough to see progress toward civil rights and equality and the election of President Barack Obama, she cautioned that some of the overt forms of discrimi- nation in the past, such as poll taxes that kept many blacks from voting, might be resurfacing in cation laws. “Why do you want to keep people from voting? Who wants to keep people from voting? What is the outcome of that for the individual, for the collective, and for the entire unit — the government?” she asked. “If you’re not asking your- self these questions. You should. You should. It’s important.” Saadat also said protests over the Ferguson shooting and sim- JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian The crowd listens to a speech by Kathleen Sadaat Friday at the Judge Guy Boyington Building. ilar unrest in cities across the United States and the world are driven by some of the same so- the civil rights movement. “When I say movement, I want you to envision hundreds and hundreds of people all across this country singing, praying, march- ing, determined to make a dif- ference. Somebody got them out of their chairs, out of their living rooms, out of their kitchens,” she said. “And people said ‘no more.’ “That feels to me like some of that’s in the air right now.” The Clatsop Community College appearance was pre- sented by the Lower Columbia Diversity Project and the col- lege’s Isms, Obias and Us Com- mittee. An evening event at the Judge Guy Boyington Building was presented by the Lower Co- lumbia Diversity Project. Organizers are also planning to honor King with a candlelight walk through downtown Astoria tonight at 5:30 starting at the corner of 12th and Commercial streets. At the Friday evening event, Saadat spoke of King’s emphasis on what he considered the triple evils of poverty, racism and mil- itarism and the need for all peo- ple to work together toward the “dream of a beloved community.” She preached against cyn- icism. “Don’t let go,” she im- plored. “Hold on. Don’t let go.” Emily Carlson, 21, a Clatsop Community College student, said it was moving to hear from someone who had faced dis- “Hearing it from the heart of somebody that experienced it, it’s really meaningful,” she said. James Sherman, 19, who serves in the Oregon Army Na- tional Guard and is involved with the Tongue Point Job Corps, said Saadat’s perspective is something he is not used to hearing from his fellow soldiers. “I kind of got another per- son’s point of view,” he said. Saadat said after the com- munity college appearance that the value of speaking about race and equality with audiences in places such as Astoria, which is predominantly white, is “getting people to think. “If they choose to think, they will,” she said. “And, perhaps, because they’ve been in this or two people here with whom they can talk about these issues.” Trial: Defense attorneys claim possibility of death penalty requires additional time to prepare Continued from Page 1A Alana Smith and her father, Gregory Smith, have both ex- pressed a desire to have the case tried as soon as possible and not to delay the case another year. Preferably, they would like the trial this summer or no later than winter. “The defense is essentially arguing that their need to pre- pare trumps any right of the vic- tim to a speedy trial,” Marquis wrote. The dispute over the trial date will be brought up at the next scheduled hearing 2 p.m. Thursday in Clatsop County Circuit Court before Judge Cin- dee Matyas. Smith’s defense attorneys William Falls and Lynne Mor- week to Marquis’ motion for a “date certain” for the trail. Falls and Morgan claim the possibility of the death penalty requires additional time to pre- pare Smith’s defense. Smith, 40, of Goldendale, Wash., pleaded not guilty Aug. 12 to aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder. Smith is accused of drowning her 2-year-old daughter Isabella Smith and cutting the throat of Alana Smith in Room 3302 at the Surfsand Resort. Smith’s defense attorneys cite a 429-page law journal from Hofstra Law School that argues defense attorneys are allowed more time in cases involving the death penalty. Marquis said he has not de- cided if he will pursue the death penalty. In his response, Marquis admits the law journal does summarize some American Bar Association guidelines for pro- viding effective defense coun- cil. However, he questions parts of the law journal that he says, “urges the highly controversial use (not known by the state to be allowed yet in Oregon) of so-called Defense Initiated Vic- tim Outreach.” A DIVO defense team member reaches out to victims, survivors and family to help the defendant minimize re- sponsibility for the death. “The state is at a complete loss to understand what rele- vance a highly partisan article authored by many well-known defense lawyers and frequent defense expert witnesses stress- ing the need for mitigation in- vestigation has to do with the trial setting,” Marquis wrote. Another reason Falls and Morgan give for delaying the trail is they are both already scheduled for trial this year in two aggravated murder cases McDowell: ‘I take charge in anything I do’ Continued from Page 1A McDowell’s back on deck now as a section leader of oth- er student deckhands. “I’m very strong-minded,” she said, crediting the trait to her grandmother. “I take charge in anything I do.” She interned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Port of Portland’s dredge Oregon for about a month, dredging around Sand and Miller islands in the lower Columbia upstream from As- toria. “I dealt with the same thing there as I did here,” said Mc- Dowell, adding that she once again earned respect through her work. Many women at Tongue Point get their Ordinary Sea- man designation, said Mon- tero, as it can already get you a good chance at job and is easier than going for the more all-encompassing Able Bod- McDowell said she’ll be get- ting the middle of next month. “It’s patience,” she said. “I’ve seen two females here get fed up, say they didn’t want to do it anymore.” Between 95 and 97 percent of all graduates get jobs af- ter leaving Tongue Point Job Corps, said Montero. McDowell wants to help transport people and equip- ment across water. She wants to start as an oiler, whose main job is lubricating the engine, with Edison Chouest Off- shore, a global marine trans- portation company based in Louisiana. Her ultimate goal is with the Military Sealift Command, which provides transportation for the Depart- ment of Defense. — By Edward Stratton Gift: ‘The Westport community has been a good neighbor to us for the past 50 years’ Continued from Page 1A million, DEQ allowed the land to be donated in 2013 and the process was complet- ed in December, topped with the celebration Friday. “The Westport community has been a good neighbor to us for the past 50 years and since we weren’t using the property, it made sense that we donate it to the county so a nice facility could be creat- ed for the community to use,” Vice President and Mill Man- ager Steve Francoeur said. At the Friday event, Clat- sop County Parks Manager Steve Meshke laid out some future plans for the donated property, which include an ex- isting recreational boat launch ownership, the county can formally pursue grant funding to complete its Westport Cor- ridor and Community Plan. The county’s proposed plan outlines improvements to the boat launch and park area and access to the Westport Ferry landing. The plan relies on possible funding. Meshke said he will sub- mit a grant application to the Oregon State Marine Board by a March 31 deadline to fund improvements to the boat launch parking lot, possi- bly add restrooms and to help with the permitting process. Once that is secured, fund- ing will be sought for paving the parking lot and building a JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill Vice President and Mill Man- ager Steve Francoeur speaks at a celebration to recognize the land donation that opens the door for a new Westport park. After a lengthy process that started in 2004, the mill completed the donation in December 2013. new boat launch. Eventually, plans will move toward build- ing new trails and rerouting Plympton Creek Creek back to its original channel. “In March, we will have something to at least get the parking lot cleaned up and start the permitting process,” Meshke said. Lower Columbia River Council Watershed Coordi- nator Margaret Magruder — who is spearheading the effort to reconnect Plympton Creek with its historic channel, which could have a positive Friday she is seeking letters of support for possible grants. State Senator Betsy John- son, D-Scappoose, who at- tended the celebration event, assured the room that she would gladly sign a letter of support on state Legislature letterhead. “This, in my view, is anoth- er chapter in what I consider outstanding corporate citizen- ship,” Johnson said. “I think this is going to have regional known as a boat launch and as such an attractive amenity. You are going to attract visitors from all over the place.” Kristi Ward, spokeswom- an for the Wauna Mill, grew up in Westport and said the donated property presents a real opportunity for the local residents. “If the community gets behind this, they can do what- ever they want with it,” Ward said. “The sky is the limit on this project.” in Clackamas and Multnomah counties. “Defense counsel have pointed out they each have one other major case scheduled now. I would point out that my co-counsel, Ms. (Dawn) Buz- zard is co-counsel in TWO ag- gravated murder cases (includ- ing this case),” Marquis wrote. “The state’s point is that the ability to work on a single case at a given time is in fact a ‘luxu- ry’ few lawyers enjoy.” Smith’s defense attorneys also said they do not yet know who they intend to call as wit- nesses and what evidence they intend to introduce in trial be- cause they are in the very be- ginning of preparing this case for trial. From Sept. 4 to Dec. 8, Mar- quis has provided almost 2,759 pages of police reports, 36 sep- arate CDs and DVDs, 853 pag- Associated Press file Jessica Smith is escorted from Clatsop County court after a hearing in her murder trial, Oct. 7, 2014, in Astoria. At the left is one her attorneys, William Falls. Smith is charged with aggravated murder and attempted aggravated mur- der, in the drowning death of her 2-year-old and cutting the throat of her teenage daughter. es of photographs and detailed copies of the defendant’s state- ments to the defense counsel. that the defense is delaying as a “trial strategy.” The defense’s proposed tri- Visit us online at www.DailyAstorian.com al date of 2016 would be more than two years after the incident. “The need of the victim in particular to know WHEN she might be required to give testi- mony against her own mother is no small matter,” Marquis said.