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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017 Washington, other states eye school bus seat belts Bill covers public and private buses By ALEXIS MYERS Associated Press OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill that would require school buses to have seat belts is being considered by lawmak- ers in Washington, one of more than a dozen states where school seat belt measures is on the legislative agenda this year. Senate Bill 5054 would mandate that all public and private school buses purchased after the bill takes effect have a safety belt for each rider. California, Florida, Loui- siana, New Jersey, New York and Texas have existing vari- ations of a seat belt law for school buses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. At least 17 states, including Washington, have introduced legislation regard- ing seat belts on school buses in this year’s sessions. Jane Terry of the National Safety Council said the orga- nization supports the push for school bus safety restraints, citing a bus crash in Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, last year that killed six children. “It’s really the safest way for occupants to ride and it comes down to the bottom line of seat belts save lives and we’ve known this for years,” Terry said in an interview. “There’s no reason, especially when peo- ple are looking at purchasing new buses, why they shouldn’t try to get ones with this type of common sense safety equip- ment on board.” Terry said from the time a child is born they are placed in a car seat and are taught to buckle up in a car, but for some reason a school bus is treated differently. “A school bus should not be a time where you say ‘it’s OK you don’t need to buckle up this time,’” she said. Washington’s measure is sponsored by Republican state Sen. Brian Dansel and Demo- cratic Sens. Jeannie Darneille and Christine Rolfes. Similar legislation has also been pro- posed in the House. The other states consider- ing school seat belt legislation include: Arkansas, Connecti- cut, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minne- sota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Pennsylva- nia, Rhode Island, South Car- olina, Virginia and Utah. New child advocacy center helps counsel local victimized children By NATALIE ST. JOHN EO Media Group R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Ed Rippet accepts the 2016 Byron Award at the Seaside Chamber Banquet. Last year’s recipient, Fred Loser, stands behind. Seaside chamber celebrates their achievements Youth, athletics are benefits of volunteerism By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — Before the speeches began at Tuesday’s Seaside Chamber of Com- merce awards banquet, Exec- utive Director Brian Owen sent a shout-out to the Seaside Seagulls as the varsity boys sought to extend their unde- feated record on the court against rival Valley Catholic. The link to student athlet- ics was especially appropri- ate as the chamber presented its vaunted Byron Award — named after longtime volun- teer Byron Meek — to Ed Rippet, an organizer of the student athletic program Sea- side Kids. Fred Loser, recipient of the 2015 award, presented the honor. “Seaside Kids originated from the business people in Seaside,” Rippet said in his acceptance speech. “They came up with so much money that they had enough leftover after they flew them to Cali- fornia to form the nonprofit Seaside Kids. Until this day, we are the only program that we know of in the state of Oregon where kids can play free. That’s because of your contributions.” The chamber honored Seaside’s Bank of the Pacific as business of the year and Sadie Mercer of Maggie’s on the Prom as board mem- ber of the year. Chuck Miner received the chamber ambas- sador of the year honors and Terry Lowenberg of Beach Development received the Building Block Award for providing construction jobs and opportunities. Cheryle Barker received a life mem- ber award; Reita Fackerell was named volunteer of the year. Incoming chamber pres- ident Stacey Brown, opera- tions and dispatch supervisor for the Seaside Police Depart- ment, celebrated the cham- ber’s accomplishments. “The primary goal is to help businesses network and grow, and I think we rock at that,” Brown said. “Whether you’re an emerging small business experiencing growth pains, or a longtime business with solid roots, we want you to think of us as your proac- tive business partners.” Engagement is key, Brown said. Last year, Brian Owen was hired as executive direc- tor, a new phone system installed, email and database upgrades put in place and the chamber office remod- eled, Brown said. USA Foot- volley — a burgeoning inter- national sport — arrived in Seaside for the first time with chamber participation. A mul- tiyear agreement was signed with the Hood to Coast relay and new directors hired to run the chamber’s long-run- ning Seaside Beach Volley- ball tournament. “What an improvement,” she said. “It’s really been a plus.” Man accused in Seaside standoff to face charges By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian A grand jury Tuesday added seven misdemeanor charges to its indictment of a Seaside man involved in a standoff with police earlier this month. Brian Wallin, 49, will now face seven charges of recklessly endanger- ing another person after he locked himself inside his home on Whispering Pines Drive for nearly 64 hours from Jan. 11 to Jan. 14. Wallin is being accused of firing a number of shots during the standoff and kill- ing the family dog. Early in the standoff, he agreed to allow his mother to exit the home unharmed. Wallin is currently being held at the Clatsop County Jail and is also facing six felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and one of first-degree animal abuse. RAYMOND, Wash. — It will soon be easier for Pacific County families to seek treat- ment and justice when a child is abused or assaulted. Thanks to a generous anon- ymous grant and a new collabo- ration between local authorities, Raymond-based nonprofit Cri- sis Support Network will soon open the county’s first child advocacy center. The new pro- gram and facility will enable police, social workers, advo- cates and others to coordinate services for child victims in one welcoming local setting. Child advocacy centers have a number of benefits, Crisis Sup- port Network Director Kathryn Burr said. They minimize trauma for victims, reduce stress and expense for victims’ families, increase cooperation between law enforcement, social services and families, and help investiga- tors build stronger cases. “It’s kind of a one-stop-shop ideology,” Burr explained. “All the services are going to the vic- tim, instead of the victim having to do just crazy multiple inter- views — going here for this, there for that.” A better way to help victims After about seven years of working with victims of domes- tic violence and sexual assault, advocate Rachel Stanton is still passionate about helping abused kids. But by 2015, Stanton knew there had to be a more compas- sionate and efficient way to help families cope with the strain of abuse and assault investigations. When abuse comes to light, families quickly find them- selves caught in a whirlwind of appointments — and agencies, Stanton and Burr said. The victim has to undergo both a specialized physical examination and a forensic interview. Investigators, Child Protective Services, therapists, attorneys and other experts may ask the victim and his or her fam- ily to take additional steps. Few specialized services are avail- able in Pacific County, so histor- ically, these emotionally — and often financially — devastated families have had to drive to appointments in Aberdeen, Che- halis or Olympia, Washington, on subsequent days, reliving their trauma at each stop. In cases where the perpe- trator was also the breadwin- ‘Families have bigger concerns. Where are you going to live? Is there enough gas in the car to get to Olympia?’ Kathryn Burr Crisis Support Network director ner, “Families have bigger con- cerns,” Burr said. “Where are you going to live? Is there enough gas in the car to get to Olympia?” “You are talking about day- long drives,” Stanton said. “Their little heads and bellies are thinking, ‘I’m gonna have to go and talk about this traumatic, horrible thing that happened to me’ for the whole entire drive. It’s horrible.” Building foundation In early 2015, Burr joined Crisis Support Network, and Pacific County Prosecutor Mark McClain took office. Both rec- ognized that advocates and law enforcement officers often served the same people, but more or less worked in isola- tion, and they wanted to change that. They knew that child advo- cacy centers in other parts of the state were working well. The first step, Burr and McClain said, was to foster more under- standing and communication between advocates and police. The next step was to create a multidisciplinary team — a coa- lition of health care and social service providers, police, advo- cates and prosecutors that is charged with finding ways to serve citizens in a more collab- orative way. ‘I want it to be solid’ Setting up the multidisci- plinary team took up most of 2015. For much of that time, Burr was nervous about the project. She knew about the growing body of evidence that child advocacy centers better meet the needs of victims, and reduce the chances that victims or their families will recant their testimony or drop charges to avoid the stress of an investiga- tion. However, the centers must meet exacting state and federal standards. They require spe- cially trained staff, use expen- sive equipment, and handle complex, emotionally challeng- ing caseloads. She thought it was too important to take lightly. “I want it to be solid. I want it to mean something,” Burr said. Stanton and McClain, on the other hand, were each con- vinced the child advocacy cen- ter would solve a lot of stubborn problems. “Rachel really went out to the community and said. ‘I’m not waiting! Let’s make it hap- pen.’ Wait! Hold on! Slow down! Basically, I was rail- roaded,” Burr said, laughing. By the time the project got going in earnest last year, she was enthusiastic. Final touches Proponents found an ally in Katie Lindstrom, the county’s Department of Public Health and Human Services deputy director. “Her ability to fund-raise is really the thing that took this from being a four-year proj- ect to a six-month project,” McClain said. Though the state provided roughly $70,000 in “seed money,” the child advo- cacy center didn’t become a sure thing until Lindstrom secured a three-year grant for more than $350,000 from a private founda- tion that gave its gift on condi- tion of anonymity. Lindstrom’s work on that grant helped put the project in “hyperdrive,” McClain said. “She’s just a grant monster! A powerhouse.” The foundation just dis- bursed its first gift, of about $135,000. That money will pay for remodeling, new equipment and other startup costs. Recently, CLATSOP CRUISE HOSTS VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR ASTORIA CHIROPRACT I C Ba rry S ea rs , D.C . 2935 M a rin e Drive, As to ria , Orego n January 1st & December 31st , 2016 , Applicant must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Must work well with people. The Volunteer Coordinator is an independent contractor position. Position description and application available at: www.clatsopcruisehosts.org Or email: lhbruner@charter.net you can submit your newborn’s picture either via email at: CLASSIFIEDS @ DAILYASTORIAN . COM or drop by one of our offi ces in Astoria or Seaside and we can scan in the photo for you. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, January 25 th at 5 pm Entries will be printed in The Daily Astorian on January 31st. *Human babies only please!* SHORESTYLEWED.COM General Admission $10 VIP Tickets $20 Includes VIP gift bag with cool treats from local vendors, 2 drink tickets, reserved parking & more! 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Over the next few weeks, Burr will also start the process of recruit- ing and training several foren- sic interviewers — probably retired police, experienced fos- ter parents and others who have some experience with abused kids. Technicians are working on installing discreet monitors, recording equipment and other technology. Burr and McClain estimate that the center will serve roughly 60 children per year. The whole system, Burr said, is focused on “minimizing trauma.” Now you can’t get upright. The pain is horrible. First, put ice on the back for 15 minutes; repeat hourly — NO heat! Reduce inflammation with ice. After that, the fastest way to get back on your feet is with chiropractic care. Manipulation and therapies (ultrasound, laser EMS) speed up healing and reduce swelling. The next time your back is aching call 503-325-3311. do I back up my Q: How documents, photos and music? LEO FINZI $5 per month, on a yearly A: 1. 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