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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017 Richardson seeks to ease state ballot initiative restrictions Critics worry changes would erode process By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon Secre- tary of State Dennis Richard- son is pursuing a proposal to ease restrictions on how sig- natures are gathered to qualify measures for the ballot. The change would allow petitioners to gather signa- tures while the official ballot title is still being composed or remains in dispute. Allowing signature gath- ering during the ballot title determination means oppo- nents of an initiative can no longer delay a campaign by filing legal challenges to the wording. “The idea of using the courts as a way to stall the pro- cess of collecting signatures is something that is being used by both sides against the other,” Richardson said. “It is … my job to make sure both sides have a fair shake with- Pamplin Media Group Secretary of State Dennis Richardson has proposed easing r estrictions on how signatures are gathered to qualify measures for the ballot. out having opponents game the system by using the courts to delay the process going forward.” The Oregon Attorney Gen- eral’s Office writes short descriptions for ballot mea- sures intended to be informa- tive and unbiased. Both peti- tioners and opponents can appeal the description to the state Supreme Court. Some groups have used that legal avenue to sabotage petition- ers’ ability to gather enough signatures before the deadline to land the initiative on the ballot. Unger’s union-backed organization has led several high-profile initiative petition drives. The changes could lead to a return to what Unger calls Ore- gon’s “Wild West days” of the initiative process when paid petitioners were forging signa- tures. “It would be a shame to go back to the old days,” he said. Dan Meek and Eric Win- ters, two lawyers from vastly different political viewpoints who have been involved in the initiative petition process, both suggested the changes, Rich- ardson said. “Both came forward and said this is a problem and pre- vents people from having access to the initiative pro- cess,” Richardson said. “I asked people to let us know if there are impediments to a fair and open election system.” Richardson took public comments on the proposal Fri- day and has until mid-Septem- ber to make a final decision on the proposals. The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Another proposed change would permit members of the same household to fill out information for a family mem- ber such as an address pro- vided that the voter signed the petition. Such changes would reverse restrictions that the state Legislature and Richard- son’s Democratic predeces- sors in the Secretary of State’s Office put in place in the past several years to combat signa- ture fraud by paid petitioners. Richardson is the first Republican to win election as secretary of state in Oregon in three decades. Tightened rules also have hindered the number measures appearing on the ballot. Opponents of the proposed changes say seeking signa- tures without a ballot title allows petitioners to misrep- resent an initiative and could erode voters’ trust in the initia- tive process. Voters should feel confi- dent that the petition they sign matches the description that eventually appears on the bal- lot, said Ben Unger, executive director of Our Oregon. Hood to Coast runner arrested after alleged assault Charged after bizarre incident during relay By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian A Hood to Coast runner was arrested early Saturday morn- ing after allegedly stealing a pickup truck and running over another racer. The pickup was servicing port-a-potties at an exchange site near Birkenfeld at about 2 a.m. when David Jon Blackmon, David Jon 36, of Bend, Blackmon allegedly entered it and began driving. Soon after, he allegedly drove the truck through a field where runners were resting. Three runners were able to move out of the way, while The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. Police located Blackmon in the nearby woods and charged him with second-degree assault, reckless endangering, unautho- rized use of a motor vehicle, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, possession of a sto- len vehicle and driving while revoked. Blackmon was taken to Columbia County Jail. Police are still investigating the incident. another — Cynthia Gilles- pie of Canby — was run over and dragged a short distance, authorities said. The truck then stopped while her leg was pinned under a tire. She was later transferred to Ore- gon Health & Science Univer- sity Hospital and released after being treated for minor injuries. Blackmon allegedly fled the scene after the truck’s driver confronted him. Oregon State W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Paul Gascoigne/The Daily Astorian Firefighters battled a suspicious fire early Saturday morning behind Astoria Warehousing. Suspicious fire breaks out at Astoria pier The Daily Astorian Astoria Police are inves- tigating a large, suspicious pier fire that started early Sat- urday morning. Dozens of pallets caught fire on the pier behind Asto- ria Warehousing just before 4 a.m. The Astoria and War- renton fire departments responded, along with the Coast Guard from Cape Dis- appointment due to burning pallets falling into the river. Police consider the fire sus- picious because the pallets were stored behind a locked gate. Astoria Warehousing Gen- eral Manager Dan Supple said this was the second time pal- lets have caught fire near the warehouse since it opened for business in 1983. He sus- pected arson was the cause. Jack Heffernan/The Daily Astorian The general manager of Astoria Warehousing sus- pects arson. “There’s no other way that could have happened,” he said. Anyone who may have information about the cause of the fire or who may have been involved can contact Astoria Police Detective Ken Hansen at 503-325-4411. LOWER COLUMBIA BOWL UES G A E L L L A F ING M R O F W O N 503-325-3321 C OSMIC B OWL Friday & Saturdays 9pm to midnight Individuals & Teams Wanted Stop by or call today! 10 AM - 10:30 PM MON-TH 10 AM - 12:00 AM FRI - SAT 12 PM - 10:30 PM SUNDAY The 4-H Youth of Clatsop County wish to express their appreciation to the following buyers for making the 2017 Clatsop County Junior Market Auction a BIG SUCCESS! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3D Landscape A1 Ready Mix Ag-Bag Forage Solutions Aldrich Point Dairy Astoria Dairy Queen Autio Company Balensifer Fisheries Bay Breeze Boarding & Grooming Bellingham, Matt Bergeson, Andrew Bergeson Family Biamont, Tony Big Island Ranch Big River Excavating Blind Slough Cattle Co. Brian Meier Trucking Brim’s Farm & Garden Broken Road Trucking Bruce’s Candy Kitchen Buffam, Luann C. Lazzeri Electric Carruthers Kitchen/Astoria Coffee House Cary Johnson Custom Homes Clatsop Community Bank Clatsop Distributing Cokley, Ray Columbia Memorial Hospital Columbia River Bar Pilots Cowan Dairy Cross Cut Ranch DD Enterprises Del’s OK Tire Factory Dennis Horton Trucking DiBartolomeo, Joe Dundee’s Bar & Grill Engbretson Fishing F & B Logging F/V Maverick Farrell, Chris Falk Fish Fishhawk Fisheries Fultano’s Pizza-Astoria Garcia, Shannon Goozee, Sally Guild Mortgage Hampton Lumber – Warrenton Hans Lund Concrete Harmony Ranch Harrod Family Helligso Construction HG Tucker LLC Hollenbeck Properties Hummingbird Farm Hunsinger Fish Ivy Loo Acres J&S Appliance & Home Furnishings Jarvela & Kaminski Jarvis, Wayne Jewell School District Jim Gedenberg Log Trucking Johansen, Jim Johnson, Ryan John D. Carlson CPA Johnson, Betsy, Senator Jose Clinic KC Care Keller Williams Reality Kinney & Sons Klemp Family Dentistry Knutsen Insurance Lum’s Auto Center • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Manna Movers LLC Mays Land & Livestock Meadows Broadcasting Morisse Logging North Coast Truck Parts Nygaard Logging Olney Saloon & Olney General Store Pacifi c Coast Medical Supply Palmberg Development & Construction Phillips, Matt & Bree Reith, Jim Re/Max River & Sea Rickenbach Construction Robertson, Jeff Rod’s Auto & Marine Electric Safeway - Astoria Samuelson, Matt • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Sapp Family Seppa, Mike & Jeanne Springer’s Garage Stahancyk, Kent & Hook Starley Family Dentistry T & D Farm Teevin Bros. Land/Timber Teevin & Fischer Quarry Tucker Creek Ranch Two Old Goats Farm & Feed W & W Logging Wadsworth Electric Walluski Valley Fine Swine Warila Polled Herefords Warrenton Fiber Weyerhaeuser Wickiup Ridge Construction • • • • Wilco Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co. Woods Logging Supply Youngs River Trees Buyer’s Fund: • Baker’s General Store • Englund Marine & Industrial Supply Co. • Phil & Judy Layman • Pig ‘N’ Pancake – Astoria/Seaside • Pacifi c Corp/Rocky Mtn/Pacifi c Power • Snow & Snow • White’s Heating & Sheet Metal Add-Ons: • Thank you to the numerous Add-On contributors 4-H GRAND CHAMPION STEER 4-H GRAND CHAMPION TURKEY 4-H GRAND CHAMPION SWINE 4-H GRAND CHAMPION FRYER (Pen of 3) Seller: Corrie Falleur Buyer: Woods Logging Supply Seller: Cori Biamont Buyer: KC Care Seller: Mason DeVos Buyer: Fultano’s Pizza Astoria Seller: Aaron Hollenbeck Buyer: Manna Movers LLC 4-H GRAND CHAMPION GOAT 4-H GRAND CHAMPION GOOSE 4-H GRAND CHAMPION LAMB 4-H GRAND CHAMPION ROASTER (Pen of 3) Seller: Jameson Linder Buyer: Hampton Lumber Warrenton Seller: Colton Scheel Buyer: Shannon Garcia Seller: Mollie Matthews Buyer: Lum’s Auto Center Seller: Colton Scheel Buyer: Brim’s Farm & Garden
