Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 2015)
Guide to North Coast nonpro¿ ts Pumpkin carving in Cannon Beach INSIDE FRIDAY EXTRA • 1C FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 • WEEKEND EDITION 143rd YEAR, No. 88 ONE DOLLAR ‘Pathway of desire’ Dan and Sue Stein build private park for public pleasure FALL BACK Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday at 2 a.m. when clocks are turned backward one hour to 1 a.m. Sunrise and sunset will be earlier, which means more light in the morning. By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian I \RX ¿QG \RXUVHOI VFDOLQJ WKH VWHHS sidewalks of the Skyline Avenue neighborhood, Sue and Dan Stein in- vite you take ten in their side yard. No, really — just swing by, catch your breath, rehydrate and take in the view of downtown Astoria and the Co- lumbia River. Their place is pretty easy to spot: It’s the one with the multi-level mini-park on the corner of Skyline and West Grand avenues. And it has become a neighbor- hood novelty impossible to overlook. With a refurbished drinking foun- tain, two patios at different elevations and large rocks to perch on, the Steins’ parkette-in-progress is designed to give passers-by a place to cool off, socialize or simply Zen out before moving on. “It’s such a public space anyway,” Sue said. The couple plans to install benches this spring, but the project — which is half residential park, half ornamental garden and occupies about half an acre ²LVODUJHO\¿QLVKHG “It is private property, but people are welcome to enjoy it,” Dan said. “It’s for short stays — 15, 20 minutes.” I TOP TO BOTTOM: Sue and Dan Stein and their dogs Olive Oil, left, and Herb sit in their parkette located on Skyline Avenue. One feature of the par- kette, a working water fountain, helps quench the thirst of passing visitors. The parkette offers a view of downtown Astoria and the Columbia River. The Stein’s plan to eventually install benches . Photos by Joshua Bessex The Daily Astorian See PARK, Page 8A LNG, Corps tiff OK with FERC Commission’s review can proceed during land dispute By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian The Federal Energy Regulato- ry Commission is well aware that the land on Warrenton’s Skipanon Peninsula where Oregon LNG wants to build a liquefied natu- ral gas facility is the subject of a property dispute between the com- pany and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Does the dispute affect the commission’s decision on whether to authorize Oregon LNG to move forward with the proposed $6 bil- lion terminal and pipeline project? No. The commission said as much to U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici in response to a letter the congress- woman and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent FERC last month stressing that Oregon LNG’s design plans collide with a nearly 60-year-old Army Corps easement. Property disputes lie outside the commission’s expertise and jurisdiction, the letter states. And, in any case, the commission does not require that an applicant, like Oregon LNG, own the project site when the application is filed. Eventually, of course, the See LNG, Page 9A Bridge has small span, big impact Irving Avenue Bridge reopens important route through city By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian One of Astoria’s most im- SRUWDQWWUDI¿FDUWHULHVKDVUH opened. A new bridge on Irving Avenue near 19th Street al- lows drivers to once again slice across the city, taking pressure off of Marine Drive, Commercial Street and other high-volume corridors where WUDI¿FLVRIWHQDFORJJHGPHVV The new 175-foot concrete span, which replaced a steel bridge built in 1946, is small in scope. But Irving Avenue is such a popular east-west alternative route, especially among local drivers, that clos- ing the bridge for construction VLQFH$XJXVWVLJQL¿FDQW O\ FRQWULEXWHG WR WUDI¿F FRQ gestion. See BRIDGE, Page 8A Smith refuses mental health analysis Told jail staff she felt sick By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian Jessica Smith, accused of drugging and murdering her toddler and attempting to kill her teenager in Cannon Beach last year, has refused a mental health evaluation from a court-ordered psy- chologist. Dr. Paul Guastadisegni attempted three times this month to evaluate Smith . Each time, Smith, an in- mate in Tillamook County Jail, told jail staff she felt like she was going to throw up and needed to her attorney , Wil- go back to her cell liam Falls, and his where she curled co-counsel plan up in a fetal posi- to use a dimin- tion and held tight ished -capacity de- fense. to a rolled-up blan- ket. The District $WWRUQH\¶V 2I¿FH “Smith’s phys- argues foregoing ical sickness and the state’s evalua- possible nausea tion could have le- was caused by Jessica gal consequences, anxiety of par- Smith where the judge ticipating in the court -ordered evaluation,” could decide to throw out ex- Jail Division Sgt. Brand pert testimony on diminished capacity during the trial in Roberts wrote in a report. Smith has a right not to June. Smith is accused of ag- be examined. However, the Clatsop County District At- gravated murder and at- WRUQH\¶V 2I¿FH DOVR KDV D tempted aggravated murder right to have a state psychol- See SMITH, Page 9A ogist evaluate Smith because
