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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017
Seaside man accused of
rape gets more charges
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
More charges have been filed against
a Seaside man accused of raping his wife
twice within the immediate vicinity of their
child.
Rene Geronimo Verduzco, 39, origi-
nally was arrested and charged with two
counts of first-degree rape and two counts
of fourth-degree assault for incidents that
allegedly took place at their home March 23
and March 24.
A grand jury last week added two counts
of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration
and one for tampering with a witness.
He pleaded not guilty on all counts at an
arraignment Monday.
“I want these dropped,” Verduzco said.
“The video and evidence is false.”
Verduzco is scheduled for an early reso-
lution conference in late April.
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Port of Astoria Executive Director Jim Knight said there are issues with a berm sur-
rounding the retenton ponds delaying completion of the agency’s new stormwater treat-
ment system on Pier 3.
Fulton launches new criticism
of Port’s stormwater project
Commissioner
objects to cost
overruns, delays
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Port of Astoria Commis-
sioner Stephen Fulton, a critic
of the agency’s administra-
tion and fellow commission-
ers, started a new line of attack
Tuesday over delays and cost
overruns on a stormwater
treatment system.
“For five months ending
March 17, 2017, Port Commis-
sioners James Campbell and
Robert Mushen did not prop-
erly disclose a $750,000 cost
overrun on construction of the
Port of Astoria’s stormwater
processing system … which
is still unfinished and inopera-
ble,” Fulton said in a letter sent
around Tuesday afternoon to
the Port Commission, staff and
regional media outlets.
The widely distributed
emails have become a tac-
tic for Fulton, who is running
against Campbell in the May
special district election. Fulton
has also called for the eviction
of a private hangar at the Asto-
ria Regional Airport in which
an aviator has a bar and club-
house dubbed the Man Cave.
Rained out
The Port was required by
July 2016 to have a stormwa-
ter treatment system in place
to lower the amount of copper
entering the Columbia River.
The copper potentially harms
salmon and other marine life.
Port financials viewed at a
previous meeting showed the
project, at more than $2.24
million as of the end of Janu-
ary, was far above an original
budget of $1.5 million.
Port Executive Director
Jim Knight said the overruns
are because of the past win-
ter’s exceptionally rainy and
cold weather, and because of
buried pipes and other infra-
structure found on Pier 3
during excavation. Financial
Manager Will Isom has said
the project is being covered by
a $1.75 million loan the Port
took out, along with money
from a reserve fund for devel-
oping Pier 3.
Isom has said the $1.5 mil-
lion budget was an initial
rough staff estimate before the
bidding process. Ridgefield,
Washington-based Conway
Construction eventually won
the contract to build the system
with a bid of $1.83 million.
By the end of January,
Conway had gone over its
original bid to nearly $1.97
million. The remainder of the
reported $2.24 million on the
project went for pumps, envi-
ronmental and legal consult-
ing, utilities and land surveys.
Fulton brought a failed
motion Tuesday to hire a con-
struction litigation attorney
to investigate the overruns.
Commissioner Bill Hunsinger,
who has allied with Fulton in
opposition to Conway’s con-
tract in the past, attempted to
hold an executive session on
the issue. But he was told by
Port counsel Eileen Eakins
there was no statutory reason
for a closed meeting.
Political?
“Really what I am con-
cerned about is the Port of
Astoria is exposed to a signifi-
cant liability out here,” Fulton
said of the reasoning behind
his letter.
Campbell seemed uncon-
vinced. “Why don’t you be
honest with the public and tell
them you’re trying to make a
political statement?” Camp-
bell asked Fulton.
“I don’t think that’s the
case, Jim,” Fulton said, later
reiterating his argument that
the Port needs answers about
the overages.
“How long did it take your
attorney to write this letter?”
Campbell asked, in an appar-
ent reference to John Nygaard,
an attorney for Fulton’s
employer Warrenton Fiber.
The heated exchange took
place over multiple interrup-
tions of Knight, who even-
tually said Port staff deserve
time to review the accusations
against them, which he called
inaccurate and out of line.
“There are no accusations
here,” Fulton said. “I can only
react to what I receive (from
staff) and what I read in the
paper.”
“I can’t begin to under-
stand how you interpret some
of these things, Commis-
sioner Fulton,” Knight replied,
before further interruption by
Fulton.
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Thomas E. Brownhill
November 27, 1921 - March 29, 2017
Th omas E. Brownhill of
Eugene died March 29,
2017 of pneumonia. He
was 95.
In 1969, Mr. Brownhill joined W. H. Gonyea and Associates. He
ran the Costa Rica operations and negotiated business deals in the
U. S., Japan, and several other countries. Aft er retirement in 1981,
he pursued many interests including short story and screenplay
writing, acting, and world travel. He studied politics, science,
He was born November
and astronomy, and he read fi ve newspapers a day. He loved his
27, 1921 in Warm
family and taught his children and grandchildren the importance
Springs, Oregon, to
of education, self-discipline, delayed gratifi cation (save money!),
William and Ada Randall and honesty and integrity. He was witty and fun-loving and kind to
Brownhill. He grew up
everyone.
on the family ranch on
the Agency Plains near
He served as president of the Clatsop County Bar Association, the
Gateway, Oregon and
Lane County Bar Association, and the Oregon District Attorneys’
graduated from Madras
Association. He was past president of Eugene Country Club. He
High School, where
was an avid Duck fan. He served a term on the board of directors of
he served as student
Oregon Club, and he handled legal matters for several UO athletes.
body president for two
He and Jean attended UO football and basketball games at home
years. He entered the
and away for over 60 years. He also was a Beaver fan -- except when
University of Oregon in
they played the Ducks.
1939 but withdrew to
Survivors include his wife Jean; daughters and sons-in-law Ellen
join the U.S. Army in
Brownhill, Paula Brownhill and Blair Henningsgaard, Betsy and
December of 1941. He
John Bosch, and Ruth and Scott Katter; grandchildren Anna
graduated from University of Oregon aft er the war.
Henningsgaard (Brendan Berg), Vanessa Bosch Kerwood (Casey),
Mr. Brownhill was a Purple Heart veteran of World War II, having
Leslie Katter, Kari Henningsgaard, Sallie Katter Bixenman (Cole),
served in the South Pacifi c Th eater in the 41st Infantry Division
and Blakeley Bosch; and a great-grandson Julian Henningsgaard.
(Oregon National Guard). He entered Hiroshima days aft er the
His sister Ann Austin predeceased him by 30 days.
bomb exploded.
Th e family is grateful to Sacred Heart Hospice for their excellent
Mr. Brownhill married Jean McKenzie on September 8, 1946, at
care during Mr. Brownhill’s brief illness and to Kathleen Chinn for
Umatilla, Oregon. She survives.
her attentive and compassionate care.
Mr. Brownhill graduated from the University of Oregon School of
Law in 1950. He went into private practice with family friend Frank
Spittle in Astoria, Oregon and was elected District Attorney for
Clatsop County in 1952. He served until 1960 when he joined the
law fi rm of Riddlesbarger and Pederson in Eugene. He specialized
in business litigation and international trade. He considered trial
practice an art, and he carefully prepared for every trial.
Burial will be at the Milo Gard Cemetery on the Agency Plains
north of Madras. He is going back very near where he started over
95 years ago.
Assisting the family is Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.