COAST WEEKEND: BIG KIDS GET TO PLAY IN NEW MUSICAL INSIDE
coast
w ee kend
Every Thursday • March 23, 2017
• coastweekend.com
arts & entertainment
144TH YEAR, NO. 190
ONE DOLLAR
DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017
Couple accused of murder seek bail
Suspected in death
of Newport man
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
Christian J.
Wilkins
A Clatsop County couple accused
of murdering a Newport man last fall
may be released from prison before
their trial.
Christian J. Wilkins 37, and
Adeena M.
Copell
Adeena M. Copell, 40, allegedly
killed Howard Daniel Vinge, 71,
and dumped his body off U.S. High-
way 30 about 3 miles east of Astoria.
Vinge died from blunt force trauma
to the back of his head, an autopsy
later revealed.
The couple then allegedly stole
Vinge’s white 1993 Allegro Bay
motor home with a dark maroon
1991 Lincoln Continental attached
on a trailer.
They are being charged with
murder, second-degree abuse of
a corpse and two counts of unau-
thorized use of a vehicle. Copell is
also facing a hindering prosecution
charge.
Possible bail
L awyers for the couple called
for the hearing at arraignments in
December. They are scheduled to
appear in court Friday for a pre trial
Concern and collaboration
release hearing. Circuit Court Judge
Cindee Matyas will determine how
much bail each defendant would
need to post, if bail is set at all.
Matyas’ ruling will be based
on the strength of the state’s case,
though it does not necessarily indi-
cate whether or not a conviction is
likely, District Attorney Josh Mar-
quis said.
See COUPLE, Page 7A
Warrenton
wants Port’s
help with
levee money
Kujala hopeful about
obtaining state funds
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Luke Whittaker/EO Media Group
Left to right: Keynote speakers Kendall Sawa, CEO of Seaside Providence Hospital, and Erik Thorsen, CEO of Columbia Memo-
rial Hospital, discussed the challenges, uncertainties and collaboration among area hospitals Wednesday night in Seaside.
Area hospitals bind
services, resources
By LUKE WHITTAKER
EO Media Group
S
EASIDE — Two Clatsop County health
care heavyweights weighed in Wednesday
night at the Seaside Civic and Convention
Center. It wasn’t a boxing match, instead it was
an evening of celebration, collaboration and a
little uncertainty at the fi fth-annual Clatsop
Economic Development Resources business
awards, where keynote speakers Erik Thorsen,
CEO of Columbia Memorial Hospital, and Ken-
dall Sawa, CEO of Providence Seaside Hospi-
tal, discussed the current state of affairs at their
hospitals.
Rising health care costs and staffi ng strug-
gles are among the chief concerns facing rural
hospitals. Despite having 600 employees —
the second most in Clatsop County — Thorsen
is calling for more staff to address a growing
need.
See AWARDS, Page 7A
2017 CEDR
AWARD WINNERS
Entrepreneurship – Small
Business: The Wine Shack &
Provisions 124 in Cannon Beach,
Steven Sinkler, owner
Outstanding Customer Service:
Hillcrest Inn in Seaside and Ruth
Swenson, manager
Visionary Award: Astoria Coffee
House and Bistro/Cargo/Carruthers,
Jim DeFeo, owner.
Business Service to the Commu-
nity – Small Business: Kathleen
Deland Peterson of Seaside
Warrenton is hoping the state will help
fund a geotechnical study as part of the city’s
efforts to federally certify the levees sep-
arating the city from Youngs Bay and the
Columbia River.
Warrenton Mayor Mark Kujala has asked
for the Port of Astoria Commission’s support
on a piece of legislation that could provide
$10 million statewide for levee projects.
Kujala said he recently returned from
Salem after testify-
ing in favor of House
Bill 5025, which
would fund the Ore-
gon Business Devel-
opment Department,
also known as Busi-
ness Oregon, for the
next biennium. He was
also in Salem to stump
for Senate Bill 5530,
which would increase
Mark
the amount of lottery
Kujala
bonds going to Busi-
ness Oregon’s Special Public Works Fund.
The bill includes a $10 million set-aside for
levee projects statewide.
Warrenton has been trying to prove to the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
that the 80-year-old, 14-foot levees surround-
ing the city can protect from a 100-year fl ood
event. Accreditation by FEMA means the
properties behind the levees would no lon-
ger be considered in the fl ood plain, lowering
fl ood insurance rates and easing restrictions
on development.
See WARRENTON, Page 7A
Technological Advancement:
Gustafson Logging of Astoria,
Mark Gustafson, owner
Business Service to the
Community – Large Business:
Coaster Construction in Cannon
Beach, John Nelson, general
contractor
Job Creation: Pelican Pub and
Brewery of Cannon Beach, Jim
Prinzing, CEO
Entrepreneurship – Large
Business: LEKTRO of Warrenton,
Eric Paulson, owner
Approximately 160 people representing various Clatsop County businesses attended the
event held at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center on Wednesday night.
Economic Impact: Martin Hospitality
of Cannon Beach, Ryan Snyder, CEO
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Warrenton has been trying to get the le-
vees separating the city from Youngs Bay
and the Columbia River accredited by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Clatsop County will take the Blue Sky challenge
Money would go
toward promoting
area energy efforts
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
Clatsop County will seek to become
the second county in the nation to
receive a designation from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency for
its promotion of renewable energy.
The Clatsop County Board of Com-
missioners voted unanimously to enroll
in Pacifi c Power’s program. As part of
the company’s Blue Sky Community
Challenge, the county will pay an extra
10 percent on its monthly electric bill.
That money will then go toward renew-
Cameron
Moore
Dan
Gaffney
able energy projects.
The county will spend an additional
$2,700 this year for the project.
Residents and businesses are also
eligible for the program. If all of Clat-
sop County reaches 3 percent participa-
tion in the program by the end of the
year, Pacifi c Power will fund a 1-Kilo-
watt solar generating station at a gov-
ernment building. The county’s current
participation sits at 2.85 percent.
Completion of these two goals
would make the county eligible for a
Green Power Partner designation from
the EPA.
“I think that’s a pretty powerful
statement,” County Manager Cameron
Moore said.
In other business Wednesday,
commissioners:
• A ppointed Dan Gaffney to lead
a feasibility study that will determine
how to best fund a universal preschool
program in the Clatsop and Tillamook
counties.
The county received a $350,000
grant from the U.S. Department of
Education to study the feasibility of
a pay-for-success model of funding,
along with other models. Gaffney will
receive a $90,000 contract and hire an
assistant for $30,000. Both salaries will
be funded by the grant. Representatives
from the local Way to Wellville will
also work on the study. The pay-for-
success model, if eventually approved,
would involve an investor funding
a preschool in the area. Money then
saved by the county with more children
attending preschool — fewer social or
law enforcement issues, for instance
— would be paid back with interest.
Commissioners tabled the contract at
a meeting two weeks ago, expressing
concerns about preschool privatization
and lack of familiarity with the study.
Wednesday’s meeting continued
to highlight commissioners’ concerns,
See COUNTY, Page 7A