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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2015)
7A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 Corps: Sea lions ‘are a huge draw to our city’ Continued from Page 1A Sea Lion Defense Brigade Watching the Port employ- ees, as they often watch any- thing involving sea lions on WKHORZHU&ROXPELD5LYHUDUH a couple of volunteers from the Sea Lion Defense Brigade. Veronica Montoya, who’s OLYHG LQ$VWRULD DERXW D \HDU and said she came for the wild- life, walks the docks Friday ZLWKDFDPHUD/LYLQJQHDUE\ Montoya said she heard two loud noises Thursday night, VKH VDLG D OLYHDERDUG ERDWHU WROGKHUZHUHVHDERPEV ³7KHVHDQLPDOVDUHQRWEH ing protected,” Montoya said, QRWLQJDGHDGVHDOLRQÀRDWLQJ QHDU WKH EDVLQ¶V ERDW ODXQFK ramp Friday, the supposed VHDO ERPEV DQG UHFHQW VKHOO FDVLQJVDQGEOHHGLQJVHDOLRQV UHFHQWO\ IRXQG DW WKH EDVLQ The pinnipeds are supposed WREHSURWHFWHGIURPKDUPE\ the Marine Mammal Protec- tion Act, and Montoya leveled multiple complaints against the Port, from its unwilling- ness to protect sea lions, to its lack of communication with 'HIHQVH %ULJDGH PHPEHUV WR its refusal to release night- time surveillance tape from around the time the shell cas- ings were found. Shortly after the discovery, the Port released the surveil- lance tape to investigators from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion, who are looking into the 19 shell casings found Easter ZHHNHQG RQ WKH EDVLQ FDXVH ZD\DVDSRVVLEOHVKRRWLQJRI sea lions. Finding a solution Evert said he’s heard from the ODFW, National Marine Fisheries Services and other ZLOGOLIH RUJDQL]DWLRQV DERXW the need to get sea lions off WKHGRFNVDQGEDFNRQWRURFN\ EUHDNZDWHUVDQDWXUDOKDELWDW “California sea lions reside in the Eastern North Pacif- ic Ocean in shallow coastal and estuarine waters,” reads NOAA’s information page RQWKHDQLPDO³6DQG\EHDFK es are preferred for haul out sites. In California, they haul out on marina docks, as well DVMHWWLHVDQGEXR\V´ Port staff recently men- tioned that environmental group Sea Shepherd had of- fered to pay for a sea lion-on- O\ GRFN EXW RQO\ LI 2'): was evicted from its dock at WKHEDVLQ ³7KHVWDWHVKDYHEHHQWUDS SLQJ DQG EUDQGLQJ &DOLIRUQLD sea lions in Astoria since 1997 as part of long-term study to monitor the movement, feed- LQJ KDELWV DQG PLJUDWLRQ SDW terns of the animal in the Co- OXPELD 5LYHU DQG DORQJ WKH 3DFL¿F&RDVW´UHDG2'):¶V question-and-answer page on California sea lions. “By (re-siting) individual animals throughout their lives, we FDQ OHDUQ DERXW DJHVSHFL¿F VXUYLYDO KDELWDW XVH DJH DW sexual maturity, reproduc- tive rates and longevity. All of this information is crucial to understanding sea lion life history in order to (ensure) the RYHUDOOKHDOWKDQGZHOOEHLQJ of the population.” Montoya said she doesn’t see why ODFW has to do the WUDSSLQJ DQG EUDQGLQJ LQ WKH middle of Astoria. “These are a huge draw to our city,” she said of the peo- ple who regularly come out on the causeway to watch the animals, similar to the visitors to the docks in Newport. EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Maintenance staff from the Port of Astoria strings construction fencing up along a P Dock finger pier at the East End Mooring Basin in a new effort to keep sea lions off. EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Visitors to the Port of Astoria’s East End Mooring Basin Fri- day watch California and Stellar sea lions congregate on O Dock, along with Port staff stringing up construction fenc- ing along P Dock in a new effort to keep the pinnipeds off. EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian By the start of this week, the sea lions had apparently defeated the orange construction fencing, which the Port has since replaced with metal chicken wire. Marine:-RUGDQDQGKLVPRWKHUKDGEHHQ planning the surprise for a couple of weeks Continued from Page 1A Purpose Marine Air-Ground 7DVN)RUFHKDYHEHHQUHWXUQ deployed for seven months ing since last month from the with the Special Purpose Ma- Middle East, where among rine Air-Ground Task Force other actions, they’ve sup- — Crisis Response — Central ported operations against the Command out of Camp Pend- Islamic State of Iraq and the leton, Calif. Levant. Based in Kuwait during Most of Jordan’s family the tour, Jordan said he served GLGQ¶WNQRZKHZDVEDFN\HW with the 1st Maintenance Bat- save for his mother Sheryl, WDOLRQRQKLV¿UVWFRPEDWWRXU ZKR¶GEHHQSODQQLQJWKHVXU He joined the Marine Corps prise with him for a couple at 18 and is coming up on his of weeks, and two sisters in six-year anniversary in No- &DOLIRUQLDZKR/DZKDGEHHQ YHPEHU YLVLWLQJ ZLWK EHIRUH À\LQJ 0HPEHUV RI WKH 6SHFLDO into Portland Monday. His \RXQJHU VLEOLQJV KDGQ¶W VHHQ him in two years. ³+H¶V ELJ RQ VXUSULVLQJ them, every time,” said Sher- yl, adding while the family’s kept in touch via Skype, it’s never the same as seeing their EURWKHULQSHUVRQ 7KH\¶G EHHQ SODQQLQJ WKH reunion to take place at Asto- ria High School, where Law’s OLWWOHEURWKHU/DQGRQDQGVLV ter Lexis, 16-year-old twins, attend school. But a teacher in-service day, meaning no school for the kids, caused WKHP WR VFUDPEOH HYHQWXDOO\ reaching out to Fort George. “I thought we just came for lunch,” said Landon, adding that it did seem peculiar, with the TV crews and his father, Steve Law, showing up from work. ³, VDZ KLP EXW , GLGQ¶W recognize the face,” said 6WHYHZKRFDPHIURPKLVMRE at Lum’s Auto Center. Jordan said he’ll spend some time with his family JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian until Thursday, after which he leaves for Camp Pendleton From left: U.S. Marine Sgt. Jordan Law’s partner, Cameron Hol- DQG JRHV EDFN LQWR WKH ¿HOG liday, his mother, Cheryl Law and his sister, Lexis Law, smile after Jordan Law surprised his family at Fort George Brewery. IRUPRUHWUDLQLQJE\6XQGD\ St. Helens woman died in Highway 30 crash; Warrenton woman injured CLATSKANIE — U.S. Highway 30 has reopened after a 26-year-old St. Helens ZRPDQ ² +HDWKHU 5RELVRQ — died Monday morning in a motor vehicle crash on Hwy. 30 near the intersection ZLWK-DFN)DOOVDQG/LQGEHUJ Roads, according to the Co- OXPELD &RXQW\ 6KHULII¶V 2I ¿FH 5RELVRQ¶VWZRVRQVDQG 1, who were traveling with her, were transported to area hospitals, as was 20-year-old Kierstin Merila of Warren- ton, who was driving another vehicle in the crash. The children were report- HG WR EH LQ VWDEOH FRQGLWLRQ according to the sheriff’s of- ¿FH Merila was taken to St. John Medical Center in Longview. Her condition was QRWLPPHGLDWHO\DYDLODEOH &ROXPELD &RXQW\ 6KHULII -HII 'LFNHUVRQ GHVFULEHG WKH crash as two cars colliding after one was not in its lane. 'LFNHUVRQFRXOGQRWFRQ¿UP the make or model of the two YHKLFOHVEXWGLGVD\5RELVRQ was driving one and Merila was driving the other. “As far as who is at fault, we have not determined that,” Dickerson said. The Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruc- tion Team is assisting with the investigation. A third vehicle swerved to DYRLG WKH FUDVK EXW QRQH RI the occupants were injured. The crash occurred at 10 a.m. Monday. The highway was closed for 7 1/2 hours while emer- gency responders rendered aid to the motorists, and lat- er as investigators from the Washington County Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team conducted its investi- gation. “We are grateful for the help we received from CART, from the State Police, and from the Rainier Police Department,” Sheriff Jeff 'LFNHUVRQ VDLG ³&ROXPELD 911 dispatchers and Colum- ELD 5LYHU )LUH DQG 5HVFXH personnel also provided tre- mendous help, including with their assistance in notifying the family of the deceased.” RQWKHEORFNRI1LQWK6WUHHW in Astoria. DUII arrest • At 10:08 p.m. Sunday, Clat- VRS &RXQW\ 6KHULII¶V 2I¿FH DU rested Sara Elsner, 37, Gresham, IRUGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQÀXHQFHRI intoxicants at North Y in Seaside. 03-26-32-34-41-48 Next jackpot: $2.6 million WASHINGTON Daily Game: 4-3-6 Hit 5: 03-06-12-27-36 Estimated jackpot: $410,000 Keno: 01-05-08-14-15- 25-42-45-48-51-55-58-59-66- 68-69-70-71-74-80 Lotto: 05-18-31-33-39-40 Estimated jackpot: $2.7 million Match 4: 02-04-09-12 Courtesy of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office On the record Harassment • At 4:36 p.m. Friday, Astoria Police arrested Michelle Diane Roth, 59, Astoria, for harassment Lotteries OREGON Monday’s Pick 4: 1 p.m.: 5-6-5-4 4 p.m.: 5-6-5-4 7 p.m.: 9-1-1-7 10 p.m.: 5-6-5-4 Monday’s Megabucks: For online updates: www.dailyastorian.com