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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 2017)
DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 144TH YEAR, NO. 214 Detective 1 1 Understanding the tools to solve a murder ONE DOLLAR DEQ fines Da Yang, 2nd time Wastewater discharged into Columbia River By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The state Department of Environmental Quality has fined Da Yang Seafood $54,600 for discharging wastewater from Pier 2 at the Port of Astoria into the Columbia River on 240 occasions between July 2015 and Sep- tember without a permit. The fish processor has appealed the fine, and did not respond to a request for comment. This is the second wastewater fine Da Yang has received in the past two years. In 2015, the company was fined more than $85,000 for discharging wastewater without a permit over the past seven years. The com- pany has also appealed that fine, which could be included in a global settlement with the Department of Environmental Quality that could include the most recent violations. Tiffany Yelton-Bram, a water-qual- ity manager with the DEQ, said Da Yang approached the agency two years ago to get a permit to discharge wastewater during an expansion of its processing plant on Pier 2. See DA YANG, Page 9A Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Tape separates participants in the Citizen Police Academy in Cannon Beach from a mock crime scene. Approximately 20 students are taking part in the series of classes designed to teach them about police procedure and foster a stronger rela- tionship between the public and the department. More photos online at DailyAstorian.com By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian tective 1 ANNON BEACH — On Monday evening, the City Council chamber in Cannon Beach was a hotel room. Strewn about the floor were shell cas- ings, a fake gun and the crash-dummy body of a fictional “Mr. Ghotshot” punctured with bullet wounds. In the room next door, about 20 people sat in the round to learn how to process a crime scene. Lt. Chris Wilbur of the Cannon Beach Police Department stood before them to present preliminary information. “We have Mr. Ghotshot’s name, his license plate and where he lives. How do you start to solve this crime?” Wilbur asked. The exercise was a new addition to Clat- sop County’s 10th annual Citizen Police Academy as a way to show another aspect of law enforcement work, Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn said. In the third session out of 10, the class learned how detectives solve a crime from start to finish. But before anyone could get out and look at the body, participants were lec- tured on what makes up a large amount of a detective’s job: paperwork. “Do we have probable cause to enter the hotel room?” one person asked. “How does a search warrant work?” “Does anyone else who was in the room with him have a right to privacy?” As the class brainstormed ideas to track down evidence and conduct interviews, Wilbur said the process of cataloging every detail and documenting every action is the lesson to be taken out of the exercise. “It’s not like TV, where you can solve a crime in a matter of days. Sometimes it Warrenton will choose new mayor in two weeks Balensifer and Newton vie for appointment By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Participants in a Citizen Police Academy in Cannon Beach sign in with Officer James Jordan, right, before entering a mock crime scene on Monday. Participant Ashaki Boelter dons protective gloves before examining a mock crime scene during a training session Monday. WARRENTON — The Warrenton City Commission is waiting until its next meeting to vote on who will be the city’s next mayor. Acting Mayor Henry Balensifer and Com- missioner Rick New- ton answered questions at a public hearing Tues- day night, but Commis- sioner Tom Dyer said they need time to consider what Henry they heard from the candi- Balensifer dates and the community. The decision to wait also means the appointment of a new commissioner to bring the total number back up to five is also on hold. Balensifer pointed out that until a commission seat is officially vacant — his or Rick Newton’s — the commis- Newton sion can’t appoint a new person to that seat. The commission’s next meeting is sched- uled for May 9. “We owe it to the city to mull over what was said,” Dyer said during a break after the hearing closed. “A half hour is not long enough.” See DETECTIVE 101, Page 5A See WARRENTON, Page 9A Cat hoarder knew animals were sick, prosecutor alleges and one count of first-degree animal abuse. A Warrenton Police officer spotted her and her 1997 green Chevrolet Suburban in the Fred Meyer parking lot April 17. She had two warrants for her arrest By JACK HEFFERNAN out of Snohomish County in The Daily Astorian Washington, each car- rying 10 counts of ani- Court documents mal cruelty. suggest a woman The officer and ani- arrested in Warrenton mal control personnel last week for hoard- found 42 cats in the ing dozens of cats in car, one of which had her car may have been died two days earlier. aware they were sick. St. Clare allegedly ran Kathryn Anne St. Kathryn over the cat with her Clare, 58, of Lake St. Clare car by accident. Stevens, Washington, Another cat was later euth- pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 40 counts of animal neglect anized and two litters of cats One diagnosed last year with feline leukemia were born after her arrest. Feline leukemia Seeking higher bail in the case, Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis pre- sented evidence in a motion filed Monday that St. Clare brought one of her cats to clin- ics in Astoria and Warrenton in November. At the clinics, she allegedly was told the cat was suffering from feline leukemia, which is terminal and easily spreadable to other cats. She allegedly admitted at the time that other cats in her care likely suffered from leukemia as well. Warrenton Police Department See ST. CLARE, Page 9A One of the dozens of cats rescued from a car last week in Warrenton. Two litters of cats were born after the rescue.
