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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 143RD YEAR, NO. 170 ONE DOLLAR $¿QDO haven, near the Nehalem Family chooses to bury Elsie man at home By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian Photos by Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Mist and sand blow through the air around the Peter Iredale shipwreck at Fort Stevens State Park Tuesday. THE WEATHER IS JUST BEACHY Scenes from Fort Stevens showcase wild weather day Photos By JOSHUA BESSEX Strong winds whipped up sand through the dunes and sea foam surrounded the Peter Iredale Shipwreck Tuesday eve- ning, capping off a day of wacky weather. ¶ The clear, windy evening followed a day of intermittent hard rain and hail along the North Coast. ¶ Eagles, seagulls and other shorebirds took advantage of an empty beach, gliding in the gusts in search of food. Meanwhile, at the South Jetty, waves crashed over the boulders, sending mist high into the air along with the birds who perched along the rocks. ¶ See more Tuesday weather photos online at www.dailyastorian.com. Kay Briggs was surprised when law enforcement showed up at her husband’s funeral. The ceremony began Monday afternoon as friends and family gathered on the rural prop- erty near Elsie, where John Briggs, 73, was about to be buried in the yard outside his home. He was in an open wooden box. A large freshly dug hole was nearby. Home burials are allowed in Oregon, but are not common. “If I can have him here on our property, why not?” Kay Briggs said. &ODWVRS &RXQW\ 6KHULII¶V 2I¿FH DQG Oregon State Police responded to an anon- ymous tip that the ceremony was taking SODFHZLWKRXWDGHDWKFHUWL¿FDWHDQGZLWK- RXWWKHQRWL¿FDWLRQRIORFDODXWKRULWLHV7KH tip was wrong. “It appears the family followed proper procedures and it’s allowed,” Clatsop &RXQW\6KHULII¶V2I¿FH6JW'HDQ6FKURHGHU said. “Our involvement was just to make sure the death was investigated properly, which it was.” Schroeder put Kay Briggs in contact with the Clatsop County medical examiner. After a brief conversation, the funeral and burial were allowed to proceed. See BURIAL, Page 12A Cannon Beach says ‘yes’ to housing ‘Smaller homes on smaller lots,’ Nicholson says ABOVE: A bald eagle flies around the beach at Fort Steven State Park Tuesday. BELOW LEFT: Waves crash against the South Jetty on Tuesday. BELOW RIGHT: Wind sweeps sand over the dunes at Fort Stevens State Park on Tuesday. ROCK TALK SRLQW RXW D ¿VK ³,¶P ORRNLQJ forward to spending a lot more time out here.” The new staff environmen- tal interpreter for the Hay- stack Rock Awareness Pro- By LYRA FONTAINE gram, which started its season EO Media Group earlier this month, has worked as a land steward for the North CANNON BEACH — It’s Coast Land Conservancy and just his third shift, but Eric holds a degree in environmen- 2ZHQ LV FRQ¿GHQW ZKHQ KH tal science. educates visitors about the Kelsey Brown joined Owen marine life on algae-covered on the sunny Monday after- rocks leading up to Haystack noon. She began volunteering Rock. as a Rocky Shore Interpreter “I love being in natural last March, before becom- KDELWDWV VR LW ZDV D JRRG ¿W ing the program’s volunteer for me,” he said, stopping to coordinator. New leaders, interactive tools help volunteers See VOLUNTEERS, Page 12A By LYRA FONTAINE EO Media Group CANNON BEACH —The Cannon %HDFK &LW\ &RXQFLO WHQWDWLYHO\ JDYH ¿QDO approval, with conditions, to a highly con- tested four-lot residential development plan Wednes- day night. The council’s public hear- ing lasted more than three hours and had City Hall’s seats and doorways packed with the project’s opponents Jeff and supporters. Nicholson It ended the third stage for approving the development proposed by Cannon Beach property owner and Portland resident Jeff Nicholson, who bought the property at 532 N. Laurel St. in 2014 for $900,000. Nicholson’s proposals have faced oppo- sition from the Friends of Cannon Beach group, been denied twice by the Planning Commission, gone through a Land Use Board of Appeals decision and earned tenta- tive approval last year from the City Council. “It will look like what we all know Can- non Beach to look like, having smaller homes on smaller lots,” Nicholson said. “I would prefer to have any future development to go along with the comprehensive plan and look like Cannon Beach has looked.” One in opposition Lyra Fontaine/EO Media Group The council voted 4-1, with City Coun- FLORU 0LNH %HQH¿HOG YRWLQJ DJDLQVW WKH approval. “That ticking time bomb continues to tick, so I don’t think we have a choice but to address this in this hearing. But it should never have come here, it should have been GHQLHG´ %HQH¿HOG VDLG ³:H GLGQ¶W IROORZ procedure. I don’t think we have a choice, and I don’t like not having a choice.” Volunteer Coordinator Kelsey Brown edu- cates visitors at Haystack Rock. See HOUSING, Page 12A
