Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016 Armory: ‘It’s like my second home’ Kujala: Mayor had recused himself before Continued from Page 1A out the Armory for space, and organizing the Friends’ resume-writing workshops, health clinics and other charity endeavors. Since volunteers cleared the former storage space out two years ago and opened the doors, the Armory has become a hub for commu- nity groups, from the skate park in the basement and the LGBT community’s Q Cen- ter to Corri Buck’s Filling Empty Bellies each after- noon in the lobby. Last week alone, the building hosted a skate night, the city’s inaugural Gay Pride Gala, Shanghaied Roller Dolls derby practices, youth skat- ing programs, college gym classes and several lunches for homeless and low-in- come residents. Koustik has been sup- ported by a small army of volunteers. Jawna Bower- man, named volunteer of the year, said she irst became interested in the Armory, where she had last skated the night she turned 21, after learning her granddaugh- ter could skate for free if she helped out. “Now it’s like my second home,” she said. Charitable organizations have taken notice of the Armory’s work. United Way of Clatsop County recently added the Armory to its annual fundraising cam- paign. The Oregon Com- munity Foundation has also donated $20,000 to help improve the Armory’s lobby and kitchen. Filling Empty Bellies In the kitchen Thursday, Mike Doran helped other volunteers serve chili dogs, potato salad, chips and cup- cakes to the homeless and low-income residents who iltered into the lobby. After the others were served, he loaded up a couple plates and sat down for lunch. Doran said he has used the program, which provides all comers with lunch six days a week and brunch on Sun- days, to supplement the mea- ger food stamps and disabil- ity beneits he receives. He sees helping Buck, tempo- rarily sidelined after sur- gery, as a way to give back. He and others used to get their lunches from Buck in parks and parking lots around Astoria. When it rained, din- ers would take their lunch and ind a place to hide, or just sit and eat in the wet- Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Volunteer server Eva Telford shares a laugh with others while serving lunch in the Asto- ria Armory June 9. The armory provides a free lunch daily to those in need. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Armory Events Coordinator Robyn Koustik chats with those receiving free lunch at the Astoria Armory on June 9. Koustik helps facilitate, participate and organize the community events at the Armory. More photos online at DailyAstorian.com ness. Then in February, the Armory invited Buck’s pro- gram indoors. “I think it’s beautiful,” said Doran, who also works security during Shanghaied Roller Doll matches. “If it wasn’t for the program, we’d still be out in the rain.” Stein said the Armory’s board wanted the building to be a community center for all, including those most in need. “It’s not all about … the mayor’s ball, assistance league and those things. We also want to help folks who don’t have anything,” he said. Bringing back the Armory In its heyday, the Armory would take in more than 3,000 people, attracting such acts as Deep Purple, Buffalo Springield and Jack Benny. But with all of its infrastruc- tural issues, the reopened Armory has been limited to several hundred, at most. Jones said the Friends have held off starting any major work while the group secures a mortgage and improvement loan, part of it guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agri- culture. Helping secure the loan is the Armory’s lender, Craft3, which acquired the Armory two years ago from the Columbia River Mari- time Museum and leased the building to the Friends for $1 a year. “We believe we’re within about a month of getting the loan signed,” Jones said. “Once we have the improve- ment loan, we have sub- contractors lined up to start doing the work.” Jones said the loan, part of a $590,000 improvement plan for the Armory, will help the Friends add a land- ing and stairway outside a set of doors on the northern side of the building, nailed shut to prevent people from falling 15 feet to the ground below. The additional exit will help the Friends seek a higher occupancy for concerts and other larger events. The money will also go toward improving the acoustics, sound system and restrooms, while repairing the roof, replacing broken windows and modernizing the lobby and kitchen. The Armory had already received a $90,000 loan guarantee from the city of Astoria for window restoration. Jones said the improve- ments will help the Armory target more trade shows, such as the Northwest Sportish- ing Industry Association this summer, that will provide revenue for the Armory’s charitable efforts. “With actual money, with real funding, it’s just going to be phenomenal what this building is like ive years from now,” Jones said. Introducing an MS EVENT WORTH SHOUTING ABOUT. Condos: City, Breakers Point could be ined up to $10,000 per day city and homeowners associa- tion take corrective measures by November to completely restore the dune by returning sand, restoring its topography and replanting European beach grass. If the corrective actions are not completed by that time, the city and Breakers Point could be ined civil penalties up to $10,000 per day. ‘A simple mistake’ The city responded to the notice by submitting a reme- diation plan that the state approved, City Manager Brant Kucera said. Kucera said the removal of sand from a state recreation area was “a simple mistake.” “We felt like it was an emer- gency. We were compelled to move sand to stop erosion.” “The issue boils down to where the sand was taken from,” Kucera said. “Sand was moved from an area that would have needed approval from Oregon Parks and Recreation. We did not intend to take sand from that far into the dune.” In response to the notice, Breakers Point Homeowners Association requested a hear- ing and stated that the vio- lation did not apply to them because the city “did the work to improve public and emer- gency access to the beach.” “Breakers Point expects to work with the city and the state to resolve this matter,” Dean Alterman, the home- owner association’s attorney, said in an email. “The associ- ation has requested a hearing before Oregon Parks and Rec- reation Department as a pre- caution, in case we can’t solve it amicably.” The letter requesting a hear- ing asked the state to consider that Breakers Point Homeown- ers Association “did not remove sand from the ocean shore or alter any dunes west of the stat- utory vegetation line; the City of Cannon Beach performed the work on its own initiative.” The alliance would like all involved parties to bear responsibility, La Follette said. “The inancial planning and restoration responsibili- ties should be placed on both parties who participated in illegally grading the public sands,” she said. e Adams: Former treasurer is due back in court in August for early resolution conference Continued from Page 1A Police continue to investi- gate, and believe she may have stolen more funds. “This has been an ongo- ing investigation for a cou- ple of years now,” Workman said. “There is more to come on this.” Members of the nonproit went through bank statements after Adams took over as trea- surer and discovered funds were not adding up, according to Workman. Members believe she misappropriated the funds. The Deep Sea Fishermen’s Beneit Fund maintains an emergency fund to help ish- ermen and their families. The nonproit hosts crab feeds in Warrenton to raise money. Adams has a criminal his- tory in Clatsop County. She was convicted in 2010 of irst-degree theft and multiple computer crimes. Adams is due back in court in August for an early resolu- tion conference. The alleged theft from the Fishermen’s Beneit Fund is the second recent incident involving a Warrenton group. Earlier this year, Ronald Kay Williams, the former direc- tor of the Commercial Fish- ermen’s Festival, was resen- tenced to nearly three years in prison. Williams, 52, stole money out of festival bank accounts, took signs, autographed mem- orabilia and kept a dunk tank. The crimes occurred between September 2011 and March 2012. LEARN ABOUT LIVING WITH RELAPSING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) AT THIS LIVE EVENT. Join us to hear an MS expert discuss an oral treatment option for relapsing MS. DATE AND TIME: Thursday, 06/23/2016 at 6:30 PM SPEAKER: Leah Gaedeke, NP Portland, OR LOCATION: Silver Salmon Grille 1105 Commercial Astoria, OR 97103 EVENT CODE: TR353836 (1301944) RSVP Continued from Page 1A circumstances — voting on the issue. Kujala recused himself last Kujala recused him- year and this year from com- self when the City Commis- mission debates and votes sion considered an agree- related to the dam. The mayor ment with the Skipanon explained in a May email that Water Control District and he did so “in the abundance of the Columbia River Estuary caution that this project may Study Taskforce to remove have an economic impact on the dam and install a sin- my home and business.” gle-lane bridge to preserve Kujala also acknowledged the city’s emergency access. in May that the Nygaard fam- A gravel road over the dam ily came to him with ques- now links Eighth Street to tions about the dam. The private property owned by mayor said he called City Kujala’s family and others. Attorney Hal Snow because The water district, which they were legal owns the dam, con- questions involv- siders the aging ing the city. structure a haz- On Wednesday, ard and of no use Kujala declined to for lood con- comment on why trol. CREST has he chose to partic- sought to use fed- ipate in the exec- eral Bonneville utive session on Power Administra- the dam Tuesday tion money to help night or explain the water district what additional remove the dam Mark role, if any, he has and improve ish Kujala played behind-the- passage and water scenes to inluence the city. quality on the Skipanon River. “As you know, I’m not allowed to comment on any- Commission thing to do with executive backs out session,” Kujala said. The City Commission had The executive session twice supported a deal with was not posted on the City the water district and CREST. Commission’s agenda prior But in May, after appeals led to Tuesday’s meeting. Snow by the Kujala family and the said the discussion was Nygaard family, commission- called to address potential ers voted 2-2 against renew- legal and property matters. ing the agreement. Executive sessions are The water district and closed to the public but open CREST have decided to to news reporters, who are move forward with remov- expected not to disclose the ing the dam without installing details of the discussions. the single-lane bridge the city wanted for emergency access. Law promotes The move could provoke a transparency legal clash with the city and State ethics law instructs private property owners. elected oficials to pub- Tessa Scheller, the chair- licly announce the nature of woman of the water district’s potential conlicts of interest board, said she has been before taking any action. For researching the cost of barri- actual conlicts, where the cades to close off the gravel elected oficial or a relative road over the dam. has a inancial interest, the “It’s completely unsafe,” elected oficial is expected she said. “It exposes us. And to give public notice and now that we’ve had the city refrain from participating in decline, we really have to the debate or — under most take care of business.” Continued from Page 1A PLEASE RSVP: • RelapsingMultipleSclerosisEvents.com • 1-866-703-6293 • MSRSVP@ahmdirect.com *Registration is limited to two people per RSVP. Photo ID may be requested at event entrance. Complimentary parking or valet available. A light meal or snack may be provided. ©2015 GZUS.MS.15.05.1439(2)
