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4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 Fire: Law enforcement investigating Continued from Page 1A Mattox, along with nephews, nieces and cousins. The family noted they were thankful no one else was hurt in the fire. Although Mattox’s home was destroyed, they were glad neighbors’ property wasn’t damaged. The Safari Association is a membership RV park, accord- ing to its website. Members pay dues to stay in the park’s 322 lots and use various amenities. The park, a nonprofit cor- poration, maintains ownership of the 20-acre property. It’s a crowded place and it does not have fire hydrants, which makes it tough to fight fires there, volunteer fire cap- tain Gary Forner said. “It’s a place that concerns a lot of people,” Forner, a long- time city councilman and can- didate for Ilwaco mayor, said. Safari caretaker Dana Rad- ford referred questions about the park to its board president but declined to provide contact information. The Pacific County Sher- iff’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire and the fatal- ity. Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock said foul play is not suspected. It took 23 firefighters about 2 1/2 hours to finish work at the scene before turning the fire investigation over to law enforcement, Weatherby said. R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Jorge Gutierrez of the Lower Columbia Hispanic Coun- cil translates for Minerva Moulin at Monday’s meeting of the Seaside City Council. Seaside: Resolution doesn’t make Seaside a sanctuary city Continued from Page 1A Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Marla Olstedt carefully navigates a flight of stairs in the Times Theater in Seaside during a tour last week. Theater: ‘We’re excited to get started’ Continued from Page 1A “The timing felt right,” Utti said. But turning the theater solely into a brew pub just didn’t feel right, Utti said. Walking inside is like step- ping into a time machine, with a much of the original 1940s architecture still intact. Many of the other features, such as the water fountains, old film equipment and reels, signage and even a movie poster from 1951, remain intact from a bygone era. “When you look at the architecture, you just think, ‘God, I just can’t rip this out.’ But opening up a single-plex movie theater is not enough revenue alone, so we need additional revenue sources,” Utti said. Keeping aesthetic They aim to keep the old theater’s aesthetic, though some parts of the building will have to be renovated after 30 years of dormancy, Utti said. Marketing director Marla Olstedt said the people she has spoken with are excited about the fact it’s staying a theater at all. “This is a unique project A show of support Construction crews use the stage in the Times Theater in Seaside as a staging area as they work to restore the historic venue. because the locals are excited. It’s in the heart of down- town Seaside, and there is automatic foot traffic,” Olst- edt said. “It will be exciting to watch the collaboration between the brew pub and the theater.” What beers will be brewed and what type of food will be on the menu is still under con- sideration, but the name of the brew pub, Sisu Brewing Co., is firmly rooted in their plans, as well as Utti’s family heritage. “Sisu is an undefinable Finnish word. Loosely, it’s a term for perseverance, grit, stubbornness. It defines the character of the Finnish peo- ple,” Utti said. Olstedt added that it also represents the hardiness of the people who live year-round on the Oregon Coast. “Anyone who has expe- rienced a winter here knows this,” she said. For now, the company is focused on moving in brew- ing equipment by Septem- ber to get ready for a January opening. “We’re excited to get started,” Utti said. Arcade: ‘I’m not sure what’s going to happen there’ Continued from Page 1A Brad Smithart opened the arcade in the Royal Build- ing three years ago. He did not respond to requests for comment. Building owner Jeff Bjornsgard had previously put a for-lease sign on a window outside the building. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen there with the building,” Bjornsgard said in a voicemail message. Before the arcade, the building housed Deals Too, a second location of Bjorns- gard’s discount store Deals Minerva Moulin, of La Voz de la Comunidad, an advisory committee to the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council, said she was happy Seaside passed the inclu- sivity resolution, but would have been happier had the vote been unanimous. While city councilors may feel safe and protected, many immigrants do not, resident Guadalupe Beltran added. “We as part of the com- munity want you to be in our shoes for a minute,” she said. Only east on Commercial Street. Smithart opened the arcade while operating the Asto- ria Riverwalk Inn, where he racked up significant debt to government agencies and con- tractors through his company Hospitality Masters. The city won a judgment against Smithart in Novem- ber for $118,331 in overdue lodging taxes. Susan Brooks, the city’s finance director, said Smithart has not repaid the money. During operation of the Riverwalk Inn, Hospitality Masters had been sued four times by the Port of Astoria over landlord-tenant issues. The Port filed a fifth law- suit in November and is seek- ing more than $400,000 in rent and revenue-sharing the agency claims Smithart owes. The case has been set aside until a lawsuit by Param Hotel Corp. against the Port over the operation of the Riverwalk Inn is resolved. Discussion of an inclu- sivity resolution began early this year when changes in federal immigration pol- icy under President Donald Trump created heightened local awareness. Advocates believe inclu- sivity resolutions allow cities to support and recognize the contributions of immigrants without getting drawn into the national clash with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. Seaside’s resolution is similar to ones adopted in Astoria, Cannon Beach, Gearhart and Warrenton. Resolution 3903 recog- nizes the contribution of immigrants and refugees “of all nations” to the state as workers and taxpayers. Inclusion and integration “of all residents of Seaside is a vital concern for the gen- eral welfare of Seaside in all respects. … Every Seaside resident should be treated with compassion and respect regardless of national origin or citizenship status.” The resolution does not make Seaside a sanctuary city, a designation some cit- ies have adopted to shield immigrants from federal law enforcement. “I think it affirms who we are as a community,” Mayor Jay Barber said Monday night. During public comment, Moulin told city councilors that Seaside’s Hispanic com- munity wants to “work hard and make sure our children are part of both cultures: the Spanish and the American cultures.” Moulin thanked the city for putting the resolution to a vote. “It will help us to con- tinue to grow and prosper economically,” she said. “It’s simply a gesture, but I think it’s a really important way to show cities do sup- port everyone in their com- munity. Even though you say that you do, putting it on record is really important.” Law or policy? Along with Frank and Morrisey, Councilor Dana Phillips also questioned whether the inclusivity res- olution was necessary in a city she said has always respected its immigrant population. “I really believe we are an inclusive community already, and always have been,” Phillips said. “Of course everyone up here respects immigrants, refugees and Hispanics,” Morrisey said. “That goes without saying.” Councilor Tita Montero suggested a different per- spective. “We sitting up here are white people,” Montero said. “We haven’t seen what happens in other places. None of us see it all.” Barber, along with coun- cilors Tom Horning and Steve Wright, joined Mon- tero in speaking in favor of the inclusivity resolution. Phillips also voted in favor. Morrisey and Frank voted against it. 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