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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 Brothers sue Archdiocese of Portland for $6 million over alleged sex abuse R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Neacoxie Barn in Gearhart has avoided foreclosure. Going … Going … Delayed! By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian GEARHART — The owner of Neacoxie Barn con- tinues to envision a future for the property, even while fend- ing off foreclosure proceed- ings for the second time in six months. The barn has been used for weddings, family reunions and other commercial events despite repeated warning from the city. “The February auction is canceled, and a refinance is in process,” Shannon Smith, the barn’s owner, said of the recent turn. The property was sched- uled to be sold at auction at Clatsop County Courthouse in early October, a date post- poned to Monday and delayed again this week. A Seattle law firm handling the sale said the auction could be rescheduled in 30 or 60 days. The former livery sta- ble used for special events remains shuttered after Gear- hart officials sought and won an injunction to prohibit com- mercial use until health and safety conditions are met. Meanwhile, in Janaury, Circuit Court Judge Cindee Matyas issued a judgment ordering a permanent injunc- tion on the barn until Smith obtains a valid certificate of occupancy. Smith has said she plans to bring the building up to code. “I look forward to receiving Gearhart’s positive support for a sustaining use for the preser- vation of our most original his- toric structure — especially as the city begins to discuss ideas for a community cele- bration of our 100th birthday,” Smith said. “It is my hope that the Gearhart Park Hotel Liv- ery Stable will again serve as a treasured gathering place for our community. It would be most fitting to celebrate such a significant milestone at Gear- hart’s first commercial site and earliest historic structure.” Late priest in Seaside named in allegations KATU PORTLAND — Two brothers, who are now adults, have announced they’re suing the Archdiocese of Portland for childhood sex abuse. The plaintiffs allege they were abused as children while living in St. Paul by Father James Harris, who served as a Catholic priest in the St. Paul Parish in Silverton during the mid- to late 1960s. One of the brothers also alleges he was abused by Father Maurice Grammond in Seaside. According to the lawsuit, the two brothers knew Har- ris from church and school while they were growing up. Their stepfather was diag- nosed with leukemia, which is when the lawsuit claims Har- ris began spending more time Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Father Maurice Grammond, considered one of Oregon’s most notorious pedophile priests, once served at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Seaside. with the brothers, taking them on many overnight trips. “The priest kind of befriended us when my step- father was dying,” one plain- tiff, referred to as O.M., told KATU by phone. “He started taking us on trips to the coast and that eventually led to him taking me alone.” During one of those trips to Seaside, one of the broth- ers was allegedly molested by Grammond, who was accused of sexually abusing boys back to 1957. “He would take each one of us at a different time alone and in the middle of the night,” O.M. said of Harris. “(He) started playing with me and making me play with him.” O.M., 59, now lives in Washington state. His older brother lives in Marion County. “I’ll admit I’ve been a pretty angry guy my whole life,” he said. “It’s really affected every aspect of it.” Gilion Dumas, the broth- ers’ attorney, has represented more than 20 cases against the Catholic Church. “The facts could be shatter- ing,” Dumas said. “You know, this is the way that we get these institutions to change.” Dumas says victims of sex abuse sometimes take years, if not decades, to come forward. “The legal system does only allow them to sue for money,” she said. “They can’t sue to get their childhood back.” According to court docu- ments, the brothers are asking for jury trials and want $3 mil- lion each in damages. “I was raised Catholic,” O.M. said. “I’ve lost all reli- gion that I’ve had … God didn’t put them there, he put himself there.” Harris, who is now deceased, faced at least four other sex abuse claims, all set- tled by the Archdiocese since 2006. Grammond died in 2002. He has been subject to more than 40 sex abuse claims, and is considered one of Oregon’s most notorious pedophile priests. Dumas believes there are more victims who haven’t come forward. In a prepared statement, the Archdiocese of Portland told KATU News: “These most recent alle- gations and court filings have just been delivered to us today. We are currently look- ing into them, as we do with every legal matter associated the Archdiocese. And as with previous allegations, we take these very seriously and will cooperate in whatever ways are required by law.” Legislation would raise Oregon’s smoking age to 21 By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — A state law- maker who also is a family physician plans to reintro- duce legislation this week that would raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. The proposal by state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton, is intended to limit teenagers access to tobacco. “As a family physician, I always think it’s better to prevent disease than to cure it, and one of the best things we can do in Oregon to pre- vent disease is to stop people from using tobacco and other dangerous products that con- tain nicotine and other harm- ful substances,” said Steiner Hayward, who has lost fam- ily members to smoking-re- lated illnesses. “I’ve seen the effects as a physician and as a family member all too well,” she added. “Oregon deserves a better future than this.” “The cost in lives and lost productivity and chil- dren’s wellness is inestima- ble,” Steiner Hayward said. “This bill is personal, too. I lost my father, my father-in- law and one of my beloved aunts to smoking-related ill- nesses. I’ve seen the effects as a physician and as a fam- ily member all too well. Ore- gon deserves a better future than this.” Recent research, includ- ing some from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office, shows that brains under age 26 are more susceptible to addiction. “If you don’t start smok- ing by age 21, you are less likely ever to start,” said Noe Baker, a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Soci- ety Cancer Action Network, one of 20 organizations cam- paigning for the law change. The legislation would impose first-time civil pen- alties of $50 for clerks and $500 for managers who sell to minors. People of legal age who give tobacco to minors would likely face simi- lar penalties as store clerks, Steiner Hayward said. “We made a conscious decision not have criminal penalties because we know that tobacco companies tend to target low-income com- munities who can least afford it,” Steiner Hayward said. “We know many of the clerks working in stores are working hard to support their families or making extra money while getting an education, and we didn’t want to unduly punish them, and we didn’t want to give them criminal records.” In 2015, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to raise the smoking age to 21. California followed suit last year. An additional 210 cities and counties, includ- ing New York City and Bos- ton, have similar laws. No Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Happy Birthday To Our Beautiful Girl You are in our hearts and on our minds every single day. Your love and laughter is missed by all. Today we will send you balloons full of love because that is what you love. We Love You Forever! Dad, Mom, Grandma, Grandpa Kory, Courtney and Dallas Steiner Hayward said she thinks this year’s legislation has better prospects than a for- mer iteration proposed in 2015. Clatsop Post 12 Pork Chop Dinner with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Veggies and Salad Friday Feb. 3 rd 4 pm until gone 8. 00 $ 6PM “Karaoke Dave” ASTORIA AMERICAN LEGION Clatsop Post 12 1132 Exchange Street 325-5771 TAX SEASON SPECIAL W A NTED Ashlee Renee Martens cities or counties in Oregon have raised the smoking age, but Lane County is currently considering such a proposal. “It is sort of picking up at county levels, and we are hoping to bring it statewide,” Baker said. At the current smok- ing rate, 68,000 Oregon kids alive today will eventually die from tobacco-related disease, Friend said, quoting statistics from Tobacco Free Kids. Oregonian households pay an estimated $780 a year for the medical care of smok- ers, Steiner Hayward added. Oregon also loses an esti- mated $3 billion in lost pro- ductivity and health care costs per year from smok- ing-related disease, accord- ing to figures from Tobacco Free Kids. 15% Off Now Apri thru l ON ALL FURNITURE Over 30 years in Clatsop County! 15th N e w Full color, scenic montage postcards of Astoria now available at the Daily Astorian office! Hours: MON-FRI: 8-6PM SAT: 9-5PM SUN: 10-4PM Appliance & Home Furnishings “We Service What We Sell” 503-861-0929 Tourists, visitors, family & friends will love sending these! 949 Exchange Street, Astoria • 503-325-3211 529 SE MARLIN AVENUE , WARRENTON, OR
