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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2017)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 144TH YEAR, NO. 223 ONE DOLLAR Sheriff finds no wrongdoing at Man Cave Fulton’s claims were ‘political in nature’ By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office has con- cluded there was no criminal activity at a private hangar at the Astoria Regional Airport known as the Man Cave, describing allegations from Port Commissioner Stephen Fulton as “political in nature.” Fulton had called the Man Cave an “unli- censed speakeasy” and claimed that alcohol consumption at the hangar placed the Port of Astoria at serious risk of liability. The hangar is owned by retired dentist Philip Bales, a pilot, on land leased from the Port. Fulton also alleged that Commissioner James Campbell, his opponent in the May special dis- trict election who socializes at the Man Cave, failed in his role as Port treasurer to disclose the private club in the agency’s financial statement. Sheriff Tom Bergin, in an investigative sum- mary released Monday, said he found nothing criminal in nature. “I find from the detectives’ reports that there was no criminal activity at this hangar in question,” the sheriff wrote. “No alco- hol was sold by Bales and this appears to be a very limited place for pilots and other(s) from the community to rarely or occasionally socialize.” Bergin also wrote that he found it “suspi- TO THE RESCUE SOUTH PACIFIC COUNTY TECHNICAL RESCUE DRILLS TO PRACTICE SAVING OCEAN VICTIMS cious” that Fulton had visited the Man Cave yet did not report any violations, as Fulton claimed Campbell had failed to do. The sheriff noted that Fulton switched seats to run against Camp- bell in the election rather than campaign for his existing seat on the Port Commission. “I felt pretty good about it all along,” Camp- bell said of the allegations against him. “I didn’t think there was any substance.” See MAN CAVE, Page 4A Legislators unveil new plan for roadways Would raise $8 billion through gas tax, fees By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Rescue swimmers keep a lookout for other emergency personnel bringing in ‘victims’ during a beach rescue drill Monday. By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian S EAVIEW, Wash. — A callout came over Washington’s Pacific County Dispatch just after 6 p.m. Monday. Five people were seen in the water south of the Seaview approach. “This will be a drill,” the dispatcher said. The all-volunteer South Pacific County Technical Rescue, a nonprofit founded in 1978, has practiced such scenarios for the past quarter century, a precursor to the summer season when tourists descend on the Long Beach Peninsula, and some inevitably fall prey to the Pacific Ocean. Within several minutes of the call, local first responders roll down the beach approach on 38th Place to where the call was made. Rescue team members unload their personal watercraft and tow See DRILLS, Page 4A SALEM — Legislators on Monday announced a blueprint for raising $8 billion over the next decade to pay for projects to relieve congestion and maintain roads and bridges. The plan represents the first comprehen- sive framework for crafting a transportation package this year. “We are running the most transparent transportation MORE process I think this build- ing has ever seen, so now INSIDE it’s time for public input,” Crumbling said state House Speaker roads and Tina Kotek, D-Portland. bridges “We still have plenty of bring higher taxes and time to work out the details, fees around but this is an important turn- the U.S. ing point in terms of having PAGE 8A specifics out there for peo- ple to respond to.” The money for the plan would come from a combination of hikes in the gas tax and registration and license fees, tolls and new taxes on payroll and purchases of new vehicles and bicycles. The plan identifies a few specific projects to ease congestion, but other projects would be prioritized by the Oregon Transportation Commission. Specific projects would: • Add lanes on Interstate 5 near Portland’s Rose Quarter from Interstate 84 to Interstate 405. See TRANSPORTATION, Page 4A Paris Achen/Capital Bureau A mock victim is pulled in from the surf Monday as part of beach rescue train- ing involving multiple agencies and departments in preparation for increased traffic on local beaches in coming months. Left to right, state Sens. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, and Lee Beyer, D-Springfield, talk at the state Capitol Monday before their presentation on a transportation package lawmakers will consider this session. Downtown housing project receives state grant Money will help renovate Waldorf Hotel The Daily Astorian Oregon Heritage has awarded $100,000 to the Asto- ria Downtown Historic Dis- trict Association for a proposed housing project in the former Waldorf Hotel. “Housing is a proven need in this community and people living in downtowns support other downtown businesses,” a release from Oregon Heri- tage said. Innovative Housing Inc., a Portland nonprofit that refur- bishes old buildings into low-income housing, is per- forming due diligence before purchasing the old hotel from Groat Brothers Inc. Innova- tive Housing hopes to develop about 40 one-bedroom and stu- dio units for people earning 50 to 60 percent of the region’s median income. To finance the project, the group is lining up a series of tax credits for histor- ical buildings and affordable housing, a mortgage and some smaller grants through the State Historic Preservation Office. The Waldorf, also known as the Merwyn, was expected to be demolished as part of a library renovation project. Preservationists urged the city to spare the hotel as an exam- ple of 1920s architecture. Oregon Heritage, a divi- sion of state Parks and Recre- ation Department, awarded 27 matching grants worth more than $2 million to Oregon Main Street Network organiza- tions across the state for build- ing projects that encourage economic revitalization. The Astoria Historic Land- marks Commission will hold a meeting about the proposed development at 5:15 p.m. May 16 in the Astoria City Council chambers. The Daily Astorian/File Photo A proposed low-income housing development in the for- mer Waldorf Hotel, also known as Merwyn, has received a $100,000 state grant.
