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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2017)
144TH YEAR, NO. 231 ONE DOLLAR WEEKEND EDITION // FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2017 Astoria’s Van Dusen Building up for sale The Harbor deems remodel too costly By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian ALMOST THERE Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Work continues on Patriot Hall on the campus of Clatsop Community College in Astoria. Patriot Hall nears opening day on campus By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Harbor, a regional advocate for vic- tims of domestic and sexual violence, is selling the Van Dusen Building, which was once supposed to be the nonprofi t’s new headquarters. The group has been based in the Norblad Building since 2010. Sue Farmer, the interim executive director since the quiet departure of Melissa Van Horn in September, said the Van Dusen Building, hasn’t gone on the mar- ket yet, but has attracted interest. “This sale will provide much needed fi nancial stability, which in turn will allow us to better leverage grants, and in turn increase core services that support our mission,” the group said a release . “How we get there, and how we create a sustainable future, is all a part of the long-term strategic planning cur- rently being pursued by the board.” For more than 40 years, The Harbor has assisted in the intervention, recovery and well-being of survivors of domestic violence, See BUILDING, Page 7A T he Patriot Hall r edevelopment project, started nearly two years ago, is quickly approaching completion. Clatsop Community College’s leaders hope to have the building available for graduation June 16, with substantial completion by the start of summer term. The $16 million, 30,000-square -foot academic hall was half funded by county voters and half by state bonds. The building will add a new 540-seat gymnasium, several new studios and classrooms, exponen- tially expanded cardiovascular and weight-training areas and a third- fl oor elevated running track looking out over the Columbia River. How all that new space will be used is still a work in progress. ‘We know, though, that this building wouldn’t be possible without the community, so we want to make sure the community will have access to it.’ Submitted Photo Patriot Hall includes several new classrooms and studios. Summer pilot Don’t expect to be doing laps around Patriot Hall’s new indoor running track right after graduation. The college plans to open the building’s main gym fl oor for grad- uation, then close down to bring in more equipment before a pilot opening of the building for sum- mer term with several physical education and community courses. If Patriot Hall isn’t available by June 16, the college will create a venue for graduation in the parking lot behind Columbia Hall. “We’re playing it pretty low- key over the summer,” said Julie Kovatch, a spokeswoman for the college, adding the summer will help determine fi rmer staffi ng lev- els and community demand before a more robust fall opening. The Julie Kovatch building will initially be open from spokeswoman for Clatsop 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Community College Thursday. Mary Kemhus, coordinator of the college’s community education program, said the college will start enrolling people in June for the fi tness program so residents can access the building’s training rooms and track. The program will cost $99 per term for the general public, $60 for seniors and veterans and $55 for alumni. Kovatch said priority in the fi tness rooms and track will go to stu- dents. “We know, though, that this building wouldn’t be possible with- out the community, so we want to make sure the community will have access to it,” she said. ACLU talk draws crowd in Astoria Group reaches out to share its message By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian ABOVE: At the end of a long day’s work at the Patriot Hall construction site, worker’s safety equipment bears the marks of concrete work. BELOW: The new Patriot Hall build- ing on the Clatsop Community College campus will include new classrooms, a gymnasium and recreational facilities. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon visited Astoria for the fi rst time in years Thursday as part of a wider effort to reconnect, face-to-face, with communities across Oregon after the contentious presi- dential election last November. The organization held a community forum at the Performing Arts Center , draw- ing an audience of more than 60 people to discuss legislation the group is working on in Oregon, as well as concerns particular to Clatsop County. The ACLU is a non partisan organization “dedicated to the preservation and enhance- ment of civil liberties and civil rights” — a mission statement that takes the form of lobbying to support the passage of cer- tain laws and prevent the passage of others at local, state and national levels , and pro- viding educational outreach and legal assis- tance, among other actions. Thursday’s audi- ence was a mix of long time “card-carrying” ACLU members, non-members and peo- ple who signed up for the fi rst time after the election. See PATRIOT HALL, Page 6A See ACLU, Page 7A Women motorcyclists ‘Flock to the Rock’ Touring group fi nds kinship, support in new event By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian CANNON BEACH — Four years before leading 80 women on a three-day motorcycle tour to Cannon Beach, Ruth Belcher was terrifi ed of driving on the freeway. It had been 15 years since Belcher had last ridden a motor- cycle. She started riding dirt bikes with her grandma when she was 9 years old in Ken- tucky’s Appalachian moun- tains, but took a hiatus to raise her two sons until four years ago. “I realized there was some- thing that I was missing that I loved,” Belcher said. Things were different when she returned. She said she felt “a little older, and a little heavier,” and some of her rid- ing confi dence had waned. Reaching out When she sought a way to reach out to other women See BIKERS, Page 7A Stephanie Luper, Mary McGee, Ruth Belcher and Dionne Haroutunian pose for a photo by Luper’s bike. McGee and Haroutunian were both speakers at the event. Brenna Visser The Daily Astorian
