STELLAR IMAGES STAND OUT IN ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST COAST WEEKEND • INSIDE 144TH YEAR, NO. 135 DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 ONE DOLLAR Coast New Warrenton Warming Center Guard needs more helping hands, hearts Auxiliary disbands Flotilla 64 needed more members to stay afl oat By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian After more than 30 years of helping to keep boaters safe, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Flotilla 64 in Astoria has dis- banded because of declining membership. Vice Flotilla Cmdr. Corey Deck said that in the past couple of months, membership dipped as low as fi ve, as people moved on, died and transferred to other fl otillas. “We took a vote and said, ‘Why don’t we just close the doors,’” he said. Flotilla 64, one of several on the Lower Columbia River, was primarily focused on supporting the Coast Guard’s mis- sions and encouraging boater safety. The group’s primary presence was meeting boat- ers in the Buoy 10 salmon fi shery before they launched, performing voluntary ves- sel inspections and making sure fi shers had all the necessary safety equipment. Deck said auxiliarists from other fl otillas will still travel to the Lower Columbia for the event. See COAST GUARD, Page 9A Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Kathleen Hudson, a volunteer, helps serve hot soup to homeless people eating and sleeping at the Warrenton Warming Center on Tuesday at the Warrenton Calvary Assembly of God church. The center opened in mid-November. Money, winter clothing donations also needed By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian W ARRENTON — The Warrenton Warming Center, a new emer- gency overnight shelter at the Calvary Assembly of God, opens to the homeless population when the winter weather turns nasty or the temperature hits 38 degrees and below. But only if the center has enough manpower to staff it. The facility, which opened mid-November and will oper- ate through the cold season, has about 40 volunteers on call, but only a dozen show up regularly, according to Heather Warren, a shelter worker who coordinates them. “We’re getting the same vol- unteers volunteering every night, but that’s hard, because we don’t want to wear our volunteers out,” she said. Not many people know that Warrenton even has a warming center, let alone its location on Main Avenue, according to the staff. The founders, Beverly Jack- son-Shumaker and Darlene War- A man named John sips on hot cocoa while eating a hot meal at the Warrenton Warming Center on Tuesday at the Warrenton Calvary Assembly of God church. Beverly Jackson -Shumaker is one of the founders of the Warrenton Warming Center. She volunteers her time or- ganizing volunteers and pro- viding hot meals and beds for those in need. ren (Heather Warren’s mother-in- law), based the mission statement on sentiments expressed in scrip- ture: “Showing the love of Jesus through our actions by provid- ing a warm/safe place with food, love, and support.” But the non profi t is not a ‘We don’t know why they’re (homeless), but I just think we need to show ’em we care. And that’s why we’re here, is to provide that to them.’ Lopez received credit for time served By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian Though the center has 12 available mattresses in the church gymnasium — and extra mats and sleeping bags if needed — the number of visitors hasn’t exceeded 10 per night; the Adam Lopez, a for- mer chiropractor, was sentenced in Decem- ber to a minimum of 80 days in jail for the sexual abuse of four of his patients. In a letter to Judge Philip Nelson, Lopez, who had pleaded guilty in 2014 and Adam Lopez served time for sex- ually harassing eight other patients, had asked to be spared any more jail time. If sentenced, Lopez wrote, he requested he start his time in January so he could spend the holidays with his family. See WARRENTON, Page 5A See LOPEZ, Page 5A Beverly Jackson -Shumaker one of the founders of the Warrenton Warming Center religious organization. Operating from 6:30 p.m. to 8 a.m., the Warrenton shelter has no barriers to entry, except that staff will turn away peo- ple who cannot, as a result of drug and alcohol use, walk in by themselves. Convicted, sentenced to jail, but released Craft3 lender extends roots on waterfront Lender moving to Fisher Bros. building By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Regional lender Craft3 will consol- idate its Ilwaco, Washington, and Asto- ria offi ces at the Fisher Bros. building in Astoria in February. Carl Seip, a spokesman for Craft3, said the move is about locating in a regional economic center . The lender will house 12 to 15 staff as the sole tenant of the Fisher Bros. building, located at the corner of Astor and Seventh streets near the waterfront. Craft3 is currently building out its offi ces in the building. Seip said there are also plans to refurbish the historic Fisher Bros. mural outside. “We’re excited to move down there,” he said. “It gives us a lot more visibil- ity in a community we’ve lent in for well over two decades now.” Since its inception, Craft3 has lent nearly $33 million in Clatsop County and nearly $20 million in Pacifi c County, Washington. Craft3 was founded as ShoreBank Enterprise Pacifi c in 1994 inside a for- mer cannery in Ilwaco by John Berdes, who died last year. Berdes was suc- ceeded by Adam Zimmerman. In Asto- ria, the lender has operated out of offi ces on Pier 39 since 2010. Seip said the enterprise has simply outgrown its old spaces. The move to the Fisher Bros. building will be complete by the end of February. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian The Fisher Bros. building is pictured here at Astor and Seventh streets in Astoria. Craft3 will house 12 to 15 staff as the building’s sole tenant.