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12A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 Port: Preferred choice, Hollander, backs away Many suitors Continued from Page 1A Orr said his group could take over the hotel today, using local staff and a new general manager from Ocean Shores, Wash. He and Smi- thart had already worked out a smooth transition, Orr said, including transfer of a reser- vation service and a key lock system. Orr said his group is will- ing to absorb the cost of pre- paid Groupons, and expects to open with 97 rooms for rent. “We think that we’ll be able to come in and actually be a caretaker for that prop- erty,” he said. Orr and Trabucco’s propos- al was one of four options on the table. Since last summer, Port- land hotelier Ganesh Sonpatki has been trying to get the re- mainder of Smithart’s lease, in exchange for curing Smithart’s debts. Sonpatki operates sever- al budget hotels in and around Portland through Param Hotel Group. The Port voted in June to transfer the Smithart’s remain- ing lease to Sonpatki. But the transfer was never ¿nali]ed, with both sides accusing the other of holding up the pro- cess. Meanwhile, new suitors like Orr, Trabucco and Mark Hollander, of Hollander Hos- pitality, surfaced to compete for the hotel. The Port terminated Smi- thart’s lease in July but kept him in charge, trying to evict him but not close the hotel. In an executive session discus- sion that later spilled out at a public meeting, Port commis- sioners and Executive Direc- tor Jim Knight talked about their consensus to go with Hollander. But as staff devel- oped an agreement, the Port Commission voted to open the process back up to more suitors. Sonpatki’s lawyer, Colin Hunter, has repeatedly stated Sonpatki’s offer to pay Smi- thart’s debts, a deal also ex- tended by Orr and Trabucco. Koury said he spoke Tues- day with Hunter, who said he would recommend Sonpatki ¿le suit against the Port if the agreed-upon transfer did not occur. James Mulloy, owner of the Comfort Suites Columbia River in Astoria through Mal- bco Holdings LLC, presented a similar short-term proposal from Hospitality Associates, a hotel management and de- velopment company with lodgings across the West. The group had several representa- tives at the meeting Tuesday. “I am certain, based on my experience, that our group can turn around the Riverwalk Inn, just like we did with the Com- fort Suites,” said Mulloy, who bought the Comfort Suites in bankruptcy court in 2013 and ¿xed it up. Preferred choice backs away Hollander, a well-connect- ed hotelier from Bellingham, Wash., presented last week on his vision to develop the hotel, bring a Marriott franchise to Astoria and develop the sur- rounding neighborhood, in- cluding a lease on vacant land near the Maritime Memorial. Executive Director Jim Knight has said Hollander wants mul- tiple hotels in Astoria. Hollander said he was not willing to compete in the open bidding process the Port staff is developing, although Koury mentioned Tuesday Hollander might still be in- terested in a long-term agree- ment. The Port Commission vot- ed 4-0 to proceed with a short- term agreement with Orr and Trabucco. Commissioner Ste- phen Fulton, whose sister is married to Orr, recused him- self from the discussion and the vote. Fire: ‘I think everyone knew what was coming’ Continued from Page 1A to protect homes, allowing other resources to respond to the wild¿re in the grassland. 4:45 a.m.: Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer scouts the ¿re. “Visibility dropped from several hundred yards to about ]ero real Tuick,” he said. “I’ve never seen ¿re behavior like this before.” 5:12 a.m.: Rynearson re- ceives notice from ¿re¿ghters near the northern part of the bla]e that embers are hitting grassland areas south of Prai- rie City. He decides to wake city residents and alert them to what’s happening. An ember storm has ignited grassland south of town, and the ¿re is advancing Tuickly toward Prairie City. Sean Ellis/The Eagle Smoke blanketed Prairie City Saturday as fire approached. Firefighters were able to stop it 1.5 miles from town. 5:20 a.m.: Rynearson calls dispatch from his home and orders the city’s siren to begin ringing. The siren goes off im- mediately, and Rynearson or- ders the alarm to cycle several more times. “I wanted everyone to be wide awake,” he said. Within ¿ve minutes, mutual aid sirens in nearby cities, in- cluding John Day and Canyon City, are also going off, alerting local volunteer ¿re¿ghters to what’s happening. They begin to rush toward Prairie City. “We started waking up state, volunteer and our own resources to try to get them out there Tuick- ly,” said Jeff Surber, a Great Ba- sin Incident Management Team operations section chief. Prairie City resident Tammy Winton heard the siren. “As soon as I heard the ¿re alarm, I jumped out of bed, shaking, and grabbed up the kids,” she said. “I left my mon- ey, wallet and everything else in the house and just got the kids and ran.” “You could feel the heat of the ¿re and smell the smoke,” said Pat Shull, whose home is at the very southern edge of Prairie City. “You could feel it closing in.” 5: 30 a.m.: Palmer has al- ready begun ordering parts of Prairie City to be evacuated, and the rest of town is on a Level 2 “be ready to leave at a moment’s notice” order. Palmer said the evacuation was orderly. “Neighbors helped neigh- bors. I think everyone knew what was coming.” 5: 45 a.m.: Local ¿re¿ght- ers begin assisting Great Basin night shift resources that are bat- tling the ¿re. 5:50 to 6 a.m.: The ¿re¿ght- ers’ morning shift-change brief- ing starts early, and additional crew members from base camp in John Day skip breakfast and head toward Prairie City. A convoy of evacuated Prai- rie City residents makes its way west, as ¿re¿ghters stream east into the city. 7 a.m.: By this time, a large amount of resources, including volunteer ¿re¿ghters from near- by cities, are on the front lines, battling hard to save the town. Nervous residents on a Level 2 evacuation order prepare for the signal to leave immediately. “I have one foot out the door. I’m ready to go if they tell me to,” said local resident Steve Smith. 10 a.m.: Rynearson is con- ¿dent ¿re¿ghters have blunted the ¿re’s advance on Prairie City. He pulls local resources in for lunch and a brie¿ng at 1130 a.m. and then sends four units back out to assist in creating a safety ]one for the town. 4 p.m.: Rynearson and Palmer begin notifying residents they can return to their homes, and the entire city is placed on a Level 2 evacuation order. Evacuation Level 2 is ex- pected to remain in Prairie City until the ¿re is out, possibly until the ¿rst snow falls. LNG: Army Corps has held easement to deposit since 1957 Continued from Page 1A The energy company sued the Army Corps in federal court last year, alleging the Army Corps had no right to the land beneath the water on the Skipanon Peninsula. The company also wanted the court to ¿nd that the compa- ny had the right to access the property for the terminal. Judge Acosta, the magis- trate judge, ruled in July that Oregon LNG’s lawsuit came outside the 12-year statute of limitations to bring such a claim under federal law. In property title disputes, the federal statute of lim- itations starts to run when a complainant knew or should have known that the United States claimed an interest. The Army Corps has held the easement to depos- it dredge spoils since 1957 but has not deposited spoils since 1992. The judge found that the state and the Port of Astoria — which has leased the property to Oregon LNG since 2004 — knew or should C on v e rsa t ion G ood food In spira t ion From dirt to delicious: When the media becomes the story Farms, produce, markets Nigel Duara October 15 Teresa Retzlaff September 15 have known of the easement. But Oregon LNG told the court that the company had not been aware of the Army Corps interest in the property until a 2009 interagency meeting. In the energy company’s motion to amend the com- plaint, ¿led in August, the company alleges the Army Corps either abandoned or apparently abandoned a claim on the property until 2009, restarting the 12-year statute of limitations to bring a legal claim. Other arguments Opponents will also likely contend that Clatsop County’s refusal in 2013 to grant a per- mit for a portion of the pipe- line is also fatal to the project. The state Land Use Board of Appeals upheld the county’s decision earlier this year. Oregon LNG has coun- tered that it does not need the local approval, since the fed- eral government — and the state — has primary oversight responsibility over liTue¿ed natural gas projects. FODWVRSFRPPXQLW\FROOHJHSUHVHQWVLWV QG DQQXDO &RQIHUHQFHRQ H[WUDRUGLQDU\OLYLQJ Outlook for the Oregon Economy in 2016 Joe Cortright November 3 /XQFKSURYLGHG /LYH/LIHWRWKH)XOOHVW 6DWXUGD\6HSW8:30am-4pm Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall, Rm 219 Understanding the value of sacred stories or mythologies Recent shrinking of Washington park glaciers: Tricia Gates Brown February 18 Jon Riedel March 15 What does it mean? The art of being a working artist Two local artists talk about their painting and the business of art Eric Weigardt and Darren Orange April 28th 2015-2016 O UR 26th S EASON Columbia Fo r um FOR RESERVATION OR TO JOIN COLU M BIA FORU M , RECEIVE OU R SCH EDU LE OR SPEAK ER IN FORM ATION VIA EM AIL, OR FOR M ORE IN FORM ATION CON TACT: .H\QRWHDGGUHVVE\0DF%XUQVRIWKH2UHJRQ)LOP0XVHXP “Hey Doc–What’s Up?” Q&A with Drs. Cosmina Popa and Robert Wayne 13 Informative Breakout Sessions: Travel – tips & information Genealogy Hiking and an introduction to National 5HJLVWHUE\6HSW Parks Call 503-894-0187 Art, music and theater or email Robert McClelland at Transitioning to retirement Healthy mind/healthy body rmcclelland@clatsopcc.edu Know your foods/food for nutrition What is timebanking? Opportunities for education & community service Emergency/disaster preparedness Alternative medicine Starting your own business or a second career Facebook – to friend or not to friend 6XJJHVWHGGRQDWLRQDWWKHGRRU H olly Larkin s at 503.325.3211 ext. 227 or forum @ dailyastorian .com • Even ts a re h eld a t CM H Co m m u n ity Cen ter, in Asto ria • B eco m e a m em ber a n d receive prio rity fo r th e 2015 -2016 sea so n • Din n er ch a rge fo r m em bers $25 , fo r n o n -m em bers $35 Co lu m b ia Fo ru m is sp o n so red b y: • The D a ily Astoria n • Ca n n ery Pier H otel • O SU Sea food L a bora tory Clatsop Community College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. ADA Accessible. Clatsop Community College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. ADA Accessible.