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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 2017)
DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 145TH YEAR, NO. 63 ONE DOLLAR Hotel fire might be deliberate Comfort Suites evacuated on Monday night By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Candace Pozdolski, left, and Jennifer Peden, right, are lead dispatchers at Astoria 911 Dispatch. CONTROLLED CHAOS ASTORIA DISPATCH COPES WITH STRESS, MANAGEMENT CHANGES By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian ‘C ontrolled chaos” is the phrase Astoria dispatchers say best summarizes the nature of their profession. For these dispatchers in particular, experience in this realm has been critical. An independent assessment released in August found that the Asto- ria Police Department was approaching crisis level prior to Brad John- ston’s sudden retirement as chief. Part of the report detailed issues with management and staffing shortages that have plagued Astoria 911 Dispatch. With Interim Police Chief Geoff Spalding now on board, the dis- patch center has been taking the first steps in solving its immediate issues. “We’re back on an even keel and moving the department ahead,” Emergency Communications Manager Jeff Rusiecki said. “Every- body knew there was a problem somewhere and things weren’t run- ning smooth. Whose fault is that? I don’t know. I’m not going to put the blame anywhere.” See DISPATCH, Page 7A ‘THIS IS THE ULTIMATE CUSTOMER SERVICE JOB. YOU CAN QUIETLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT NO ONE SEES. THAT’S IMPORTANT, AND I LIKE THAT.’ Jennifer Peden | lead dispatcher Authorities believe a gas leak and fire at Comfort Suites in Astoria on Monday night may have been started intentionally. After meeting yesterday at the hotel on Lief Erikson Drive, fire personnel deter- mined a mechanical failure was not the cause of the ini- tial gas leak near a natural gas meter in the back of the building just before 9:30 p.m. The exact cause of the leak remains unknown. “Right now, the concern is that a person intentionally tampered with the natural gas line causing the leak, which led to the fire,” Astoria Police Deputy Chief Eric Halverson said. The leak then started a fire that extended into the build- Warrenton may pursue dam study Computer modeling with tide gates on By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian Lead Dispatcher Candace Pozdolski monitors computer screens at the Astoria 911 Dispatch on Monday. ing. While the bulk of the fire burned outside, flames did reach the hotel’s laundry room. The inside part of the fire was extinguished after a water pipe burst and a ceil- ing sprinkler activated. Water from the pipe kept pumping into the hotel, though, caus- ing several inches of water to flood the ground floor. The fire prompted the hotel, which was at full capacity at the time, to evac- uate dozens of guests from 75 rooms and find alterna- tive lodging arrangements in Astoria and Warrenton. No injuries were reported. Comfort Suites will remain closed for the rest of the week. The Clatsop County Major Crimes team has joined the investigation and is seeking the public’s help. Anyone who saw someone in the area of the Astoria River- walk between Safeway and the East Mooring Basin Mon- day night is asked to call the Astoria Police Department at 503-325-4411. WARRENTON — War- renton will likely seek federal expertise on a computer-gen- erated hydrology model of the Eighth Street Dam with the tide gates on to help gauge the aging structure’s value for flood control. Mayor Henry Balensifer and city commissioners said Tuesday that they want more study before reconsidering the Skipanon Water Control District’s attempt to remove the dam to improve fish pas- sage and water quality on the Skipanon River. The water district operated the dam with the tide gates up since 2012 and took the tide gates off in 2015 with the expectation the dam would eventually be removed as a hazard. Lance Helwig, the levee safety officer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Portland, told city commis- sioners Tuesday night there is interest at the Army Corps and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in new modeling of the dam. The Army Corps is the fed- eral partner on the city’s levee system, while the Nat- ural Resources Conservation Service is the former federal partner of the water district on the dam. The research, which would likely be financed by Warrenton, potentially with federal and state grant money, could help break a stalemate between the city and the water district over the future of the dam. See DAM, Page 7A A Knappa mom turns pain into action A voice in drug policy debate By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian An increasingly visible face in local drug addiction policy discussions made an appear- ance with Gov. Kate Brown last week for a ceremonial bill signing at the state Capitol. Kerry Strickland, a Knappa mother whose son died of a heroin overdose, watched as Brown signed a new law that allows for quicker access to Naloxone — a drug that reverses opioid overdoses. After the signing, Strickland attended the first meeting of Brown’s opioid task force. Strickland, who founded Jordan’s Hope for Recovery, said the signing and meeting signaled a good start as Ore- gon attempts to fight an epi- demic that has led to thousands of deaths in the state. “They don’t have a plan yet, but they have an idea about the direction they’re going in,” Strickland said. Strickland founded Jor- dan’s Hope after her 24-year- old son, the nonprofit orga- nization’s namesake, died in 2015. Jordan began taking painkillers after a high school sports injury. He eventually developed a heroin addiction despite growing up in a sober household with a mother who had not consumed alcohol or other substances for nearly 30 years. Strickland’s organization seeks to connect addicts with treatment resources, conduct outreach programs and advo- cate for addiction prevention policies. Nearly 20 months after the organization was founded, Strickland’s connec- tions include various national and state officials such as U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, See STRICKLAND, Page 7A Submitted Photo Kerry Strickland, second, from right, attended Gov. Kate Brown’s ceremonial signing last week in Salem of a new law that improves access to anti-overdose drugs. Strick- land’s son, Jordan, died of a heroin overdose in 2015.
