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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2017)
4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 WORLD IN BRIEF Associated Press Pence warns NKorea ‘era of strategic patience is over’ PANMUNJOM, South Korea — Viewing his adversaries in the distance, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the tense zone dividing North and South Korea and warned Pyongyang that after years of testing the U.S. and South Korea with its nuclear ambi- tions, “the era of strategic patience is over.” Pence made an unannounced visit to the Demilitarized Zone today at the start of his 10-day trip to Asia in a U.S. show of force that allowed the vice president to gaze at North Korean soldiers from afar and stare directly across a border marked by razor wire. As the brown bomber jacket-clad vice president was briefed near the military demarcation line, two North Korean soldiers watched from a short distance away, one taking multiple photographs of the American visitor. Pence told reporters near the DMZ that President Donald Trump was hopeful China would use its “extraordinary levers” to pressure the North to abandon its weapons program, a day after the North’s failed missile test launch. But Pence expressed impatience with the unwillingness of the regime to move toward ridding itself of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Pointing to the quarter-century since the United States first con- fronted North Korea over its attempts to build nuclear weapons, the vice president said a period of patience had followed. “But the era of strategic patience is over,” he declared. “Presi- dent Trump has made it clear that the patience of the United States and our allies in this region has run out and we want to see change. We want to see North Korea abandon its reckless path of the devel- opment of nuclear weapons, and also its continual use and testing of ballistic missiles is unacceptable.” Tribe to open giant gambling complex in Washington state PORTLAND — The Cowlitz Indian Tribe says it will open a $510 million gambling complex in southwestern Washington state on April 24. The Oregonian reports that officials on Friday announced the planned opening of the Ilani Casino Resort that will include 15 restaurants, bars and retail stores. The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear a challenge to the 368,000-square-foot gambling complex from card room owners in nearby La Center concerned the new facility will draw away business. The complex is projected to draw away at least $200 million annually from the card rooms, other tribal casinos and the Oregon Lottery. Cowlitz Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall says the resort is expected to attract 4.5 million visitors a year and create 1,200 jobs in the region. Search widens for Facebook murder suspect CLEVELAND — Police in Ohio urged residents in surround- ing states today to be on alert for a man who they said shot and killed an elderly passerby seemingly at random and then posted a gruesome video of the killing on Facebook. Steve Stephens, 37, was wanted on a charge of aggravated mur- der in the death of Robert Godwin Sr. in Cleveland. In a statement early today, police warned residents of Pennsyl- vania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be on the lookout for Stephens, who they said may have traveled out of state. In the video, which appears shaky, Stephens gets out of his car and appears to randomly target Godwin, 74, who is holding a plas- tic shopping bag. Stephens says the name of a woman, whom God- win does not seem to recognize. “She’s the reason that this is about to happen to you,” Stephens tells Godwin before pointing a gun at him. Godwin can be seen shielding his face with the shopping bag. Arkansas fights on multiple legal fronts to begin executions LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Lawyers for the state of Arkan- sas faced fights on multiple legal fronts today to begin a series of double executions before a key sedative used in lethal injections expires at the end of the month. Bruce Earl Ward and Don William Davis Jr. had been sched- uled to die tonight, the first of four double executions set by Gov. Asa Hutchinson for an 11-day period. A federal judge issued stays for each of the inmates Saturday and a state court judge on Friday blocked prison officials from using a paralyzing drug until he could determine whether Arkansas obtained it properly. Arkansas appealed in those cases and also hoped to dissolve a separate stay for Ward that had been issued by the Arkansas Supreme Court. In a victory for the state Sunday, a federal judge in western Arkansas denied a stay request by Davis. Even with the stays in place and questions remaining before a number of courts, executions are still possible tonight. The U.S. Supreme Court could be asked to tackle a number of questions before the end of the day and, depending on those answers, Ward could walk to the death chamber at Varner for a 7 p.m. execution. “Immediate reversal is warranted,” Arkansas’ solicitor gen- eral, Lee Rudofsky, wrote Saturday to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. “. (D)elaying Appellees’ executions by even a few days — until Arkansas’s supply of midazolam expires — will make it impossible for Arkansas to carry out Appellees’ just and lawful sentences.” Absences, fitness, atmosphere — new ways to track schools WASHINGTON — How often do students miss school? Are they ready for college? Are they physically fit? Is their school a welcoming place? States are beginning to outline new ways to evaluate their schools, rather than relying just on traditional measures such as test scores. The plans are required under a new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, which takes effect in the coming school year. Under the new law, states are focusing more on academic growth, meaning not just whether students have achieved a cer- tain academic level in reading and math, but whether they have improved over time. Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, said that’s a big change from the No Child Left Behind Act, the pre- vious version of the education law. “Schools and educators should feel good about that; that will be a fairer way to measure school quality,” he said. Ex-South Korean leader Park indicted, faces trial SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean prosecutors today indicted ex-President Park Geun-hye on bribery, extortion, abuse of power and other high-profile corruption charges that could potentially send her to jail for life. It is the latest in a series of humiliations for Park, who was driven from office by massive and peaceful popular protests. Park was impeached in December, officially stripped of power in March and has been in a detention facility near Seoul since being arrested last month on allegations that she extorted from businesses, took bribes and committed other wrongdoing, all in collaboration with a longtime confidante. Prosecutors also indicted Shin Dong-bin, the chairman of Lotte, South Korea’s fifth-largest business conglomerate, on a charge of offering a bribe of 7 billion won ($6 million) to Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil in exchange for a lucrative government license to open a new duty free shop. Park will remain jailed and be escorted from the detention center to a Seoul court for a trial that is to start in coming weeks and could take as long as six months. It is still unclear if the trial will start before a May 9 special election that will determine her successor. Park, 65, was elected South Korea’s first female president in late 2012. The country will now watch as she is forced to stand in court while handcuffed, bound with rope and possibly dressed in prison garb. Opposition to challenge votes on expanding Erdogan’s powers ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s main opposition party today prepared to contest the results of a landmark referendum that gave a narrow victory to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s long-time plans to greatly expand the powers of his office. Turkey’s electoral board confirmed the “yes” victory in Sun- day’s referendum and said the final results would be declared in 11-12 days. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the “yes” vote stood at 51.41 percent, while the “no” vote was 48.59 percent. The margin fell short of the sweeping victory Erdogan had sought in the referendum. Nevertheless, it could cement his hold on power in Turkey and is expected to have a huge effect on the country’s long-term political future and its international relations. “I suspect the result was narrower than what Erdogan expected,” said Howard Eissenstat, associate professor of Middle East His- tory at St. Lawrence University in the United States. “Erdogan has ruled with a narrow victory before. He does not see a narrow vic- tory as anything less than a mandate. His tendency has been to not to co-opt the opposition but to crush it.” Summit: Nine needle exchanges operate in eight Oregon counties Continued from Page 1A “Folks in the North Coast area are definitely driving to syringe-exchange programs in the urban areas,” said Toevs, who spoke about decreasing the negative effects of her- oin at the North Coast Opioid and Substance Use Summit in Seaside Friday. Toevs said exchanges can improve public health by taking needles off the street while connecting drug users with treatment. Medical Director Saf- ina Koreishi of the Colum- bia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization said the sec- ond annual opioid summit is meant to bring together everyone in Clatsop, Colum- bia and Tillamook counties involved in the opioid issue, from health care and law enforcement to educators and the general public, to discuss new ideas, learn and bring strategies back to better serve their communities. She said the idea of nee- dle exchanges, unthinkable years ago, is catching on and being discussed by local public health officials. Nine exchanges operate in eight urban and rural counties in Oregon. Dangers of sharing Outside In’s exchange, started in the 1980s, provides needles, biohazard containers and other equipment. Along with a permanent exchange site is a van that goes to dif- ferent locations where people using are concentrated. Toevs told the story of a 2015 HIV and hepatitis C out- break linked to intravenous use of opioid medications and sharing needles in Scott County, Indiana. More than 200 people were affected, most in the town of Austin, population 2,500. New York state health officials who had dealt with a similar out- break recommended a nee- dle exchange. Then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who was previously opposed to needle exchanges, signed an execu- tive order clearing the way. With diseases like HIV and hepatitis C easier to spread by sharing needles than by sex, Toevs said the exchanges help lower rates of transmission, while providing a link to resources. “The science shows Submitted Photo Dr. Safina Koreishi is the medical director of the Columbia Pacific Coordi- nated Care Organization. ‘The science shows that people using syringe exchanges are more likely to seek out treatment.’ Kim Toevs sexually transmitted diseases program manager at the Multnomah County Health Department that people using syringe exchanges are more likely to seek out treatment,” she said, adding the availabil- ity of exchanges is not found to increase the prevalence of heroin use. Community buy-in Starting and operating an exchange, Toevs said, involves buy-in from the community, law enforcement and other partners. Korei- shi said local health depart- ments — including Clatsop — have started to talk about exchanges, which would need the approval of the local gov- erning body. “We have lots of mod- els throughout the state and country about how to do nee- dle exchange programs,” she said. “So then, once that hap- pens, you just have to find a place, get the word out and then it takes time to build trust in the community.” Chef: All of Lancaster’s travels provide him with Town hall: ‘Sometimes people think we don’t get anything done, but we just got the tsunami bill done’ inspiration in the kitchen it hasn’t been signed into law yet, there’s no reason to think it won’t be in the next week or two.” Continued from Page 1A by constituents at town halls throughout the country this year. But Bonamici, a Demo- crat, saw overwhelming sup- port and agreement Saturday. The sole challenge presented to the congresswoman was a question implying Democrats have not been forceful enough in opposing Trump. Foreign policy Questions Bonamici focused much of the town hall on the three top- ics she says constituents have been most interested in lately: health care, Trump’s proposed budget cuts and U.S. attacks in Syria. Other topics included the Dakota Access Pipeline, Trump’s mental welfare, his trips to Florida, immigration, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commis- sion Supreme Court ruling. One questioner also asked Bonamici about the loss of agricultural lands in Oregon. Near the beginning of her opening remarks, she recog- nized a bill passed by Congress earlier this month that would direct the National Weather Service and National Oce- Jack Heffernan/The Daily Astorian U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., listens to a constitu- ent at her town hall at Warrenton High School on Saturday. Bonamici focused much of the town hall on health care, Trump’s proposed budget cuts and U.S. attacks in Syria. anic and Atmospheric Admin- istration to boost research toward improved forecast- ing and storm warnings ahead of major weather events. The bill includes a tsunami warn- ing provision introduced by Bonamici. Before it becomes law, it will require Trump’s signature. “Sometimes people think we don’t get anything done, but we just got the tsunami bill done,” Bonamici said. “If One audience member was concerned about possible mili- tary conflicts after recent North Korean provocations, as well as the ongoing Syrian civil war. “The specter of war hangs over us like the sword of Dam- ocles,” he said. Bonamici said she was worried about Trump’s for- eign policy decisions, saying they often are unclear and that he should request congressio- nal approval prior to any mil- itary action against a sovereign country. “Erratic is not a good basis for foreign policy,” she said. Bonamici repeatedly touted the president’s failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, as a sign that rising political activ- ism throughout the country is affecting policy decisions. “That’s been really a hope- ful thing to see how many peo- ple are asking what’s going on and getting involved and get- ting engaged. It made a real difference in the health care debate,” Bonamici said. Continued from Page 1A here — emphasis on fresh, wild, the best possible prod- ucts I can put on the plate.” Lancaster said he hopes his kitchen will be in “the realm of Bridgewater, Car- ruthers, all the really hot din- ing places in Astoria. I really want to achieve that.” When he’s not in the kitchen, inspiration comes from Lancaster’s hobbies of surfing, hiking and traveling. “I’m a pretty avid traveler,” he said. “When I’m not working, between jobs, I go surfing. It actually provides inspiration in the kitchen because you’re trav- eling and eating cool food and you think, ‘Wow, I can do this!’ It really adds depth to your menu when you’re experiencing different cul- tures and eating different food.” — R.J. Marx R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Dining with a view of Tillamook Head at Maggie’s.