For the
dogs
Keeping
ports open
PAGE 3A
PAGE 7A
143rd YEAR, No. 34
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015
ONE DOLLAR
Butts,
no!
Astoria may ban
smoking in parks
because of secondhand
smoke worries
By DERRICK DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
READY TO RUMBLE
Knappa Days gets loud
to support the community
Allen McBride of Vernonia
hits the ground after col-
liding with Wyatt Olson, of
Knappa, during a lawnmow-
er race at Knappa Days Sat-
urday. More photos online at
www.dailyastorian.com
Photos by Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
See BAN, Page 10A
By JOSHUA BESSEX
The Daily Astorian
Cherished
Astoria
coach dies
T
he sounds of
chainsaws,
cheers
and
loud engines, filled
Knappa Days Field
Saturday
during
the seventh annual
Knappa Days event,
put on by the Knappa
Boosters Club. A pa-
rade along Hillcrest
Loop Road kicked
off the festivities as
hundreds
attended
the fundraising event
which included a log-
ging show, lawnmow-
er racing, a big truck
rock crawl and various
games and vendors.
Sunday featured the
Christy Miethe and
Lindy Yuill Memorial
5K walk/10K run and
an all-day Mush Ball
tournament. Proceeds
from Knappa Days
benefit the Knappa
High School sports
teams, scholarships,
and
the
Knappa
Boosters Club. View
more photos of the
event on Page 10A.
Astoria, looking to promote well-
ness and worried about the health
dangers from secondhand smoke,
might ban smoking in city parks.
The prohibition would apply at
traditional parks such as Tapiola
Park and McClure Park and popular
tourist spots such as the Astoria Riv-
erwalk, the Astoria Column and the
Garden of Surging Waves.
Clatsop County banned smoking
and tobacco use in county parks ear-
lier this year. Warrenton, Gearhart,
Seaside and Cannon Beach do not
prohibit smoking in parks, although
Cannon Beach has restrictions at a
basketball court and skate park.
The City Council will discuss
a potential smoking ban Monday
night.
Dena Marsch
waged a long
battle with cancer
By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
ABOVE: Allen McBride races his lawnmower around the track during a timed trial. BELOW LEFT: Kids race
around a track in power wheel cars during Knappa Days Saturday. BELOW RIGHT: Harold Alward loses his
hat from the exhaust off his custom-built chainsaw during a cutting demonstration at Knappa Days Saturday.
Known for her kind-hearted smile
and compassion for the generations
of students whom she coached or
taught, the Astoria community lost
one of its most cherished residents
over the weekend.
Dena (Bondietti) Marsch died
Friday night,
after a long bat-
tle with cancer.
As a student
at Astoria High
School (Class
of
1972),
Marsch partici-
pated in volley-
ball, basketball
and track, when
Dena (Bondietti) female athletes
competed in
Marsch
the Girls Ath-
letic Association (before Title IX).
After college, she returned to As-
toria High and served as a coach, ad-
viser and teacher. She was inducted
into the school’s Hall of Fame last
year.
See MARSCH, Page 10A
Over the top: Astoria Bus
dispatcher wins state award
Getting it right is ‘just how Denise is’
D
enise Richardson, a driv-
er and dispatcher for
Astoria School District since
1987, won the Doug Flatt Ad-
ministrative Support Award
from the Oregon Pupil Trans-
portation Association. The
award honors an administra-
tor who exhibits the leader-
ship, attention to detail, com-
munity service, interpersonal
relationships and customer
VHUYLFH H[HPSOL¿HG E\ )ODWW
a former chief executive
of the Mid-Columbia Bus
Co., who was well-known
throughout
transportation
circles in Oregon.
Richardson received nom-
inations for the award from
administrators, secretaries and
other staff in the Astoria dis-
trict’s transportation depart-
ment. She started with the dis-
trict in 1987 as a bus driver and
has been a dispatcher for about
15 years.
“I was kind of surprised,
but it’s nice to be recognized,”
Richardson said.
Richardson’s boss, Trans-
portation Director Ryan Hahn,
said it is important for the dis-
trict to know about the support
staff that helps pull the district’s
transportation system together.
Kate Gohr, principal at
John Jacob Astor Elementary
School, said she was concerned
about the logistics when chang-
ing conference schedules for
kindertgartners. But Richard-
son, Gohr said, offered to call
every parent to help convey the
changes. “That’s just how De-
nise is.”
Richardson said she has
made a habit of calling the
parents and guardians of ev-
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Denise Richardson, who has worked for the Astoria
School District’s transportation program since 1987, re-
cently won the Doug Flatt Leadership Award for her ad-
ministrative support in dispatching.
ery kindergartner each year to
make sure they have the right
drop-off points.
Now the longest-tenured
employee of the district’s
transportation
department,
Richardson said she can count
down the years to retirement
on one hand.
— Edward Stratton