Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 14, 2015)
The Harbor’s Soup Bowl $VWRULD¿VK market planned COAST WEEKEND BUSINESS • 7A 142nd YEAR, No. 227 THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015 ONE DOLLAR Senate delays Buckmaster hearing 2EMHFWLRQVUDLVHGRYHU¿VKDQGZLOGOLIHFRPPLVVLRQQRPLQHHV By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau Bruce Buckmaster SALEM — The state Senate will delay until next week a hear- ing on controversial appointees to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to allow more time for senators to vet them. Groups have raised concerns about an appointee with ties to the FRPPHUFLDO ¿VKLQJ LQGXVWU\ DQG cattle ranchers are also worried that none of the candidates come from the livestock industry. Gov. Kate Brown announced the appointment of 96 candidates to state boards and commissions, including two reappointments and two new appointees to the Fish and Wildlife Commission, in late replace Bobby Levy, whose term on the commission ended Jan. 1. Buckmaster previously owned a salmon feed company and served on the board of Salmon for All, a group that represents commercial ¿VKHUPHQ SURFHVVRUV DQG RWKHU businesses on the lower Columbia April. Brown reappointed two current commission members — Holly Akenson of Enterprise, and Michael Finley of Medford — and she appointed Bruce Buckmaster RI$VWRULDWR¿OODYDFDQWVHDWDQG Jason Atkinson of Jacksonville to Roden sentenced to prison for probation violation See BUCKMASTER, Page 10A Local crisis respite center idea takes shape Mentally ill to be served By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian Photos by JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Defense lawyer Conor Huseby, right, speaks with Randy Roden, left, during a hearing at the Clatsop County Courthouse Wednesday. Couple accused of murdering 2-year-old will not get bail By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian R andy Lee Roden, the live- in boyfriend accused of murdering his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter at their Seaside home in December, was sentenced Wednesday to 100 months, or about eight years, in prison for a probation violation from a previous domestic violence conviction. Roden, 27, a former Georgia res- ident, was released from prison in January 2014 after being sentenced to 18 months for coercion related to a domestic violence case in Clatsop County against another woman. He faced 52 counts of domestic violence and sex abuse in that case, which were dropped as part of his plea deal. The plea deal included Roden being on probation after his release. Roden violated the probation by possessing marijuana, oxycodone and methadone and failing to report that he moved in with Dorothy Ann Wing, according to testimony from KLV SUREDWLRQ RI¿FHU 3DWULFN 0F.- erren, and Seaside Police Detective Jason Goodding during a hearing Wednesday in Clatsop County Cir- cuit Court. The drugs were discovered during a search warrant of Roden and Wing’s Seaside residence Dec. 20, when the toddler was found dead. “For moving to a residence and smoking some marijuana, this seems severe,” Roden’s defense lawyer Robert B. Axford said. In addition to the probation vio- lation, Judge Paula Brownhill ruled Wednesday that Roden and Wing will remain in custody without the possibility of bail. The decision does not impact Roden, who was sen- tenced to serve in prison for more than eight years no matter the result of the murder charges. “This child was in the care of the two defendants in December 2014. While in their custody, she was mur- dered,” Judge Brownhill said. Judge Paula Brownhill listens to arguments from defense lawyer John Gutbezahl at the Clas- top County Courthouse Wednesday. See SENTENCE, Page 10A WARRENTON — A crisis respite center planned for War- renton could provide sanctuary for the mentally ill in situations when prison or hospitalization are not options. Clatsop County, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Providence Seaside and Greater Oregon Be- havioral Health are in discus- sions on a 16-bed residential treatment facility in Warrenton. The partners could contract with Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, which now provides mental health services for the county. The collaboration recogniz- es that improving mental health coverage is a priority for the state and that counties have not been able to adequately serve people in acute mental crisis due to a lack of specialized facilities. Clatsop County Manager Scott Somers said the idea initially was to have a “safe room” as an al- ternative when prison or hospital- ization are not warranted or pos- sible. “The stars have aligned in Clatsop County and we’re seeing great collaboration because we’re able to get a 16-bed respite facil- ity together instead of one safe room,” he said. The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners voted unani- mously Wednesday night to au- thorize Davis Wright Tremaine, a Seattle-based law firm with an office in Portland, to represent the partnership. The law firm will provide ad- vice on the creation of the cri- sis respite center, tax-exemption considerations and governance. Somers said the crisis respite center could open late this year or early next year. Counties and cities have urged the state Legislature to make funding mental health ser- vices, particularly crisis care, a priority. See CENTER, Page 10A Teen health is focus of seminar Outreach organized after annual teen sexuality conference canceled By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian Being able to instantly mes- sage a friend or search any in- formation online has made life much easier for this genera- tion’s teenagers, but it has also caused pressure and confusion as they enter adulthood. Better understanding to- day’s teenagers was a main fo- cus of “The Adolescent Mind & Body Health Seminar,” a two-day event last weekend hosted by the Clatsop Teen Wellness Coalition. “If we can’t, as adults, in- form ourselves about the is- sues that children and young people are facing, we are fail- ing them and we are failing our community,” said Astoria City Councilor Drew Herzig, a member of the Teen Well- ness Coalition. The all-volunteer coalition formed shortly after an annu- al teen sexuality conference in Seaside was canceled over criticism of the content, leav- ing what many saw as a void in sex education. The seminar on Friday and Saturday at Clatsop Community College ZDVWKHJURXS¶V¿UVWHYHQW The free seminar started Friday in Columbia Hall with a panel discussion featuring Herzig, who is also with the Lower Columbia Diversity Project; Clatsop County Pub- lic Health Director Brian Ma- honey; child and adolescent therapist Liz Covey; Clatsop County Deputy District Attor- ney Ron Brown and commu- nity activist Tessa Scheller. The panel was moderated by Julie Soderberg, the exec- utive director of The Harbor, which works with victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Soderberg asked the panel three questions: • What experiences in- spired you to get involved in the community? • Why do you feel access to information about healthy relationships and sexuality is KYLE SPURR — The Daily Astorian A panel discussion Friday featured, from left, Clatsop Coun- ty Public Health Director Brian Mahoney; child and adoles- cent therapist Liz Covey; community member Tessa Schell- er; Drew Herzig of the Lower Columbia Diversity Project; and Clatsop County Deputy District Attorney Ron Brown. vital to the health of youths as well as the health and well- ness of the entire community? • What do you believe are the biggest barriers to educat- ing teens about health rela- tionship and sexuality? The impact of technology was brought up multiple times during the panel discussion. See SEMINAR, Page 10A