NORTH COAST
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015
3A
Seaside man who tried to escape jail pleads guilty to charges
ment, the other charges — in-
cluding attempted murder —
were dropped.
The Seaside man who tried
Burnham could face about
escaping last month from six years in prison for the
Clatsop County Jail while in robbery charge and another
custody for an attempted mur- two years for the attempted
der charge from a hammer at- escape.
tack has pleaded guilty.
A sentencing hearing is
Kevin Michael Burnham, scheduled next month in Clat-
25, pleaded guilty last week to sop County Circuit Court.
a lesser charge of second-de-
Burnham was arrested
JUHH UREEHU\ DQG ¿UVWGHJUHH with Joshua Lee Fitch, 23, of
attempted escape. He also Longview, Wash., in Seaside
pleaded guilty to unlawful in February after a weeklong
possession of methamphet- investigation into the hammer
amine from a previous case.
attack.
As part of the plea agree-
Seaside Police had re-
By KYLE SPURR
The Daily Astorian
sponded to Prov-
another inmate,
idence
Seaside
Anthony
Craig
Hospital after re-
Osborne, attempt-
ceiving a report
ed to escape from
of a man who
Clatsop County
suffered a serious
Jail. The two in-
head injury. The
mates broke off
man reported be-
a shower drain
ing assaulted with
grate, tied it to
hammers by two
a bedsheet and
Burnham
other men, later
swung it against
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a window about
ham and Fitch.
20 times until the window
)LWFKLVVFKHGXOHGIRUD¿- shattered. A couple of more
nal resolution conference next swings and they could have
month.
broken through the window,
While in custody on which is large enough for
$250,000 bail, Burnham and them to get through.
Driver in fatal crash pleads not guilty
weeks after be-
was
traveling
ing indicted. She
westbound when
has since been
she crossed the
Michelle Lynn Fletcher, transferred
to
double solid cen-
the driver in a fatal crash last Clatsop County
terline and side-
summer that killed a War- Jail, where she
swiped an east-
renton man and injured two is in custody on
bound 1993 Ford
others, pleaded not guilty $250,000 bail.
pickup, accord-
last week in Clatsop County
She appeared
ing to the Oregon
Circuit Court.
in court last
State Police.
Fletcher
Fletcher, 40, of Longview, week via video
She was trav-
Wash., was indicted in July link from the jail
eling with two
RQ FKDUJHV RI ¿UVWGHJUHH to plead not guilty to the passengers — Warrenton
manslaughter, second-degree charges.
residents Arthur Romine Jr.
assault, third-degree assault,
The fatal crash occurred and Bryce William Saran-
GULYLQJ XQGHU WKH LQÀXHQFH just before 7 a.m. on July paa.
of intoxicants and driving 25, 2014 about three miles
Saranpaa, 43, died at
while license is suspended.
east of Astoria on Highway the scene. He was riding
Cowlitz County Sher- 30 near Liberty Lane.
in the back seat and was
iff’s Office arrested Fletch-
Fletcher, driving a 1999 not using safety restraints,
er on a fugitive warrant two Toyota Tacoma pickup, according to state police.
By KYLE SPURR
The Daily Astorian
Romine Jr. was not
injured. Fletcher was se-
riously injured and extri-
cated by firefighters. Both
were using safety restraints
and the pickup’s airbags
deployed, state police said.
The Ford pickup had
two occupants. The driver
had non-life threatening in-
juries and a passenger was
not injured.
According to the indict-
ment, Fletcher is accused
of being under the influ-
ence of a controlled sub-
stance at the time of the
crash.
She is due back in court
next month for an early
resolution conference.
Learn to avoid bear problems at forum
mother bear and her two cubs
from a tree in the Safari RV
Park, where bears had gotten
accustomed to raiding an unse-
cured dumpster.
By NATALIE ST. JOHN
EO Media Group
LONG BEACH, Wash. —
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Department of Fish and Wildlife
on Aug. 27 will hold a commu-
nity forum about issues related
to the peninsula’s large (and
hungry) bear population.
The purpose of the meeting
is to “educate and inform,” Sgt.
Tony Leonetti said.
A biologist and enforcement
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of Fish and Wildlife will give
a presentation about the local
population of black bears and
state efforts to manage them.
They will show examples of
ways to secure garbage and
other items that can tempt bears
into populated areas. Represen-
tatives from local government
are expected to attend the meet-
ing, which will include a ques-
tion-and-answer session.
Expect to coexist
The bears that have visited
Long Beach and Seaview re-
cently aren’t necessarily “ha-
bituated” to humans, and so
far, there have not been any
indications that they are danger-
ous. With almost two bears per
square mile — one of the most
dense populations of bears in
Roy Western Photo
the lower 48 — locals should
Pacific County’s large population of black bears is peace- expect to continue coexisting
able, but individuals can be intimidating when encoun- with bears.
tered at close quarters. Wildlife officers plan a community
But they could become more
meeting on Aug. 27 to offer guidance on how to avoid in- persistent in the fall, as they at-
teractions that place humans and bears both at risk.
tempt to fatten up before going
dormant. That’s why WDFW
The garbage raids tend to calls about a single incident.
staff say it’s very important to
occur near dunes and swampy
6WDWH ZLOGOLIH RI¿FHUV KDYH take steps now to limit contact
areas on both sides of the high- dealt with a few notable local between humans and bears,
way, in the area extending cases where bears with easy and prevent the animals from
roughly from Sid Snyder Bou- access to human-provided food becoming dependent upon hu-
Getting into garbage
levard in Long Beach, to 38th lost their natural fear of hu- man-provided food sources.
With plenty of blackber- Street in Seaview.
The meeting will take place
PDQV ,Q DQG RI¿-
ries and other traditional bear
The problems were preva- cers killed or relocated several at 6 p.m. at the Chautauqua
food sources coming into sea- lent in the spring, when the bears unnaturally tame bears in the Lodge at 304 14th Street NW
son, reports of “problem bears” emerged from their dormant pe- Sahalee neighborhood of Ilwa- in Long Beach. The meeting is
GURSSHGRIIVLJQL¿FDQWO\LQ-XO\ riod with ravenous appetites. In co, where a woman was sus- expected to last one-and-a-half
%XW /HRQHWWL DQG 2I¿FHU 3DXO May and June, it wasn’t unusual pected of feeding bears. Last to two hours, and is open to any-
Jacobson said Long Beach and IRUWKH:'):WR¿HOGWKUHHRU \HDU RI¿FHUV DOVR KDG WR XVH one with questions or concerns
Seaview residents are still hav- four complaints per day, though tranquilizer darts to remove a about local bear issues.
ing semi-regular problems with Leonetti and Jacobson stress
bears getting into garbage.
that they often received multiple
Another gay skate
night in the works
The Daily Astorian
The Lower Columbia Q
Center is hosting another gay
skate night Sept. 12 at the
Astoria Armory to support a
meeting place for the LGBT
community.
All ages are welcome be-
tween 7 and 9 p.m. At 9 p.m.,
the event transitions to adult
only. Entry is $3, with $2 for
skate rentals.
DJ imcodefour will be
spinning. Costumes and
bright colors are encouraged.
The Astoria Armory is lo-
cated at 407 17th St.
Donations at the event
support the establishment of
the Lower Columbia Q Cen-
ter’s permanent meeting place
being built in the Van Dusen
Building at 10th and Duane
streets, where The Harbor is
establishing its new headquar-
ters.
charges. He is due back in
court next month on the pre-
vious charges and the new es-
cape charges.
Before the attempted es-
cape, Burnham’s defense at-
torney and the prosecution
were negotiating a plea agree-
ment in the attempted murder
case.
Burnham reportedly told
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escape was because the Dis-
WULFW $WWRUQH\¶V 2I¿FH JDYH
him such a bad deal.
He accepted that deal last
week, pleading guilty to sec-
ond-degree robbery.
Federal government sets
Oregon LNG hearings
Draft environmental impact
statement up for public comment
each meeting, whichever comes
¿UVW
Anyone who wants to weigh
,I D VLJQL¿FDQW QXPEHU RI
in on the Federal Energy Reg- people want to provide verbal
ulatory Commission’s draft en- comments, a time limit of three
vironmental impact statement minutes may be implement-
for the Oregon LNG project is ed for each commenter to en-
encouraged to attend one of two sure that everyone wishing to
public comment meetings in As- comment has the opportunity
toria next month.
to do so within the designated
7KH¿UVWZLOOEHKHOGIURP meeting time. Speakers should
1 to 4 p.m., Sept. 21, at the Clat- structure their oral comments
sop County Fairgrounds Exhibit accordingly.
If time limits are implement-
Hall at 92937 Walluski Loop.
• The second will be held 6 ed, they will be strictly enforced
to 9 p.m., Sept. 21, at the exhibit to ensure that as many individ-
uals as possible are given an
hall.
The commission’s staff will opportunity to comment. Oral
begin signing up speakers 30 comments hold the same weight
minutes before the meetings as written or electronically sub-
mitted comments.
begin.
Additional public comment
The public comment meet-
ings will begin with a brief de- meetings will be held next
scription of the commission’s month in Oregon and Wash-
environmental review process ington state regarding the com-
by commission staff, after mission’s environmental impact
which speakers will be called. statement.
The public comment period
The meetings will end once all
speakers have provided their for the document will end Oct.
comments or at the end time for 6.
The Daily Astorian
Town hall meeting set for
Neighborhood Greenway
The Daily Astorian
Residents are invited to dis-
cuss the Neighborhood Gre-
enway phase of the city’s Riv-
erfront Vision Plan Thursday
night at a town hall meeting.
The Neighborhood Green-
way, from 41st Street to 54th
Street, is the third of four legs
of the vision plan. The city has
completed Civic Greenway
— from 16th Street to 41st
Street — and the Bridge Vista
— from Portway Street to Sec-
ond Street. The Urban Core
— between Second Street and
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phase.
The vision plan, approved
in 2009, was devised to create
better land use and develop-
ment guidelines along the Co-
lumbia River.
The Astoria Planning Com-
mission will host the town hall
meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. at the
Hampton Inn and Suites.
W A NTED
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500
Jeffery G. Hille, 71
of Warrenton,
passed away peacefully
at home on August
14th, 2015.
All that knew Jeffery
are welcome to attend
a viewing
Thurs. August 20th,
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Funeral to follow
at Hughes Ransom
Annual Alderbrook Picnic
Sunday August 23rd, 2015 at 12:30
Violet LaPlante Park
45th and Cedar St. Astoria, Oregon
Please come share Alderbrook memories and a
potluck dish. Burgers and hot dogs provided.
Cancelled if raining
Questions can be directed to Barbara Tolboe Chappell 503-468-8219
or Dennis LaPlante at 503-568-2455
Mortuary, 576 12th St.,
Astoria.
August 26-29
O i n k
O i n k , C l u c k
Herzig to hold
meet-and-greet
k , M o o
C l u c
Bringing you delicious
fair food , live music,
great exhibits and fun
carnival rides for 119 years!
WEDNESDAY
Opening Ceremonies;
Intro of Fair Court; Stoddard and Cole
SHANGHAIED
3 1
IN ASTORIA
Thursdays to Saturdays 7pm (July 9th-Sept. 12th)
and Sundays 2pm (7/19, 8/16, 9/6)
Tickets on sale ONE HOUR before all shows!
SHANGHAIED
w ith the 12th a nnua l
Cro w n in g o f M iss Vivia n & Virg in ia
Sponsors: N a pa Au to Pa rts of W a rren ton • O ld Tow n e F ra m in g Co.
FRIDAY
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
For discounts to Shanghaied in
Astoria, go to our website
Market Livestock Auction;
Senior and Military Day;
Lulu LaFever; Tony Wintrip
AstorStreetOpryCompany.com
SATURDAY
4-H Cowboy Breakfast;
The VanBlaricom Family Band; Country Mile
(Sponsored by Sunday Afternoon Life);
Jesse Lee Falls Band;
Cheerleader Demonstration; Anatize
F RID AY & SATU RD AY S EPT. 18 & 19 • 7PM
Topsy Turvey retu rn
Carnival rides – wristband day;
Scott McDougall and 2015
Fair Court Coronation
8 PM Nothing New - Main Stage
Time
Old ddle
Fi
Jam ival
s
Fe t !
Daily
ST
SEA SO N
SHOW RUNS THRU SEPT. 12, 2015
THURSDAY
The Daily Astorian
The public is invited to
meet with Astoria City Coun-
cilor Drew Herzig from 12:30
to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Flag
Room at the Astoria Public
Library, 450 10th St.
All are welcome to come
and share their thoughts, sug-
gestions, questions, and con-
cerns about Astoria.
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in the cellblock and added
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pery for responding correc-
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Their plan failed when
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grate hitting the window. The
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and placed them in a more se-
cure part of the jail.
The estimated damage
could cost between $4,000
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to the jail.
Osborne, 24, of Seaside,
was originally in custody
on theft, burglary and drug
YEAR
ROUND
THEATER!
129 W. BOND ST
UNIONTOWN
ASTORIA
(Behind the Chamber
of Commerce)
INFO: CALL
503-325-6104
s
