The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current, October 11, 2017, Image 7

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The daily Astorian., October 11, 2017, Page 7A, Image 7

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Newspaper Page Text7A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017 California wildﬁ res reduce yearslong dreams to embers By JONATHAN J. COOPER and ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Jose Garnica worked for more than two decades to build up his dream home that was reduced to ashes in a mat- ter of minutes by the deadly ﬁ restorm striking Northern California. Garnica, who moved to the U.S. from Mexico over 20 years ago, had ﬁ nally decided he could afford to upgrade parts of his Santa Rosa house after building a stable career with the local garbage com- pany and saving nearly every- thing he and his wife earned. Over the past two years, he replaced the siding and installed a new air condi- tioner, stainless steel appli- ances and new fl ooring. He bought a new 60-inch tele- vision. On Saturday, the 44-year-old got an estimate to replace the fence, one of the last items on his list. But at 3:30 a.m. Mon- day, he watched his house become one of the more than 2,000 homes and businesses destroyed by the series of blazes across the region that had killed at least 17 people. “You feel helpless,” he said Tuesday. “There’s noth- ing you can do. Everything, your whole life, goes through your mind in a minute. Every- thing you had done. I left all my family behind in Mexico to get a better life. Finally we were just coming to the com- fort level, and this happens.” Garnica tried to save the home with a garden hose. He and a neighbor tried to cut open the neighbor’s above- ground pool, hoping the water would protect their homes. In 15 minutes, the entire neigh- borhood caught ﬁ re, he said. “If I knew this was going to happen, maybe those 45 minutes I spent trying to put Continued from Page 1A AP Photo/Ben Margot Jose Garnica, left, kisses his daughter Leslie Garnica in front of their home that was destroyed in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday. An onslaught of wild- fires across a wide swath of Northern California broke out almost simultaneously then grew exponentially, swallowing up properties from wineries to trailer parks and tearing through both tiny rural towns and urban subdivisions. the ﬁ re down, I should’ve just grabbed all the belongings,” Garnica said. “But I didn’t think it was going to happen.” Those destructive fl ames raced across the wine country of Napa and Sonoma coun- ties and the coastal beauty of Mendocino further north, leaving little more than smol- dering ashes and eye-stinging smoke in their wake. Whole neighborhoods are gone, with only brick chimneys and charred laundry machines to mark sites that were once fam- ily homes. “This is just pure devasta- tion, and it’s going to take us a while to get out and comb through all of this,” said Ken Pimlott, chief of the Califor- nia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. He said the state had “several days of ﬁ re weather conditions to come.” In some torched neighbor- hoods, ﬁ re hydrants still had hoses attached, apparently abandoned by ﬁ reﬁ ghters who had to fl ee. The wildﬁ res already rank among the deadliest in California history, and ofﬁ - cials expected the death toll to increase as the scope of destruction becomes clear. At least 185 people were injured during the blazes that cropped up Sunday night. Nearly 200 people were reported missing in Sonoma County alone. David Leal, 55, and his wife and stepson salvaged a few decorative items from their Santa Rosa home, includ- ing a wind chime, tiles from the backsplash in the kitchen, a decorative sun and a cross. “Our plan is to keep those things, and when we rebuild, they’ll be mementos of what we’ve lived through, and of, just, resilience,” Leal said. “It’s hard not to get emotional. In the meantime, Leal got a post ofﬁ ce box so the fam- ily can get mail, a new laptop and some clothes. They’re liv- ing out of their two vehicles for now. “We’ll be back home again sooner than later, and with our chins held high,” he said, choking back tears. “And hopefully we’ll be amongst our neighbors and friends as they do the same.” Leal, a U.S. Navy veteran, evacuated with his family, two dogs and cat to nearby Peta- luma late Sunday after seeing ﬁ erce, hot winds and fl ames whipping in the distance. “We didn’t have time to think about what to grab. We grabbed what we saw,” he said. He got his external hard drive, which was lying out, but left his laptop. Garnica also hung onto hope, saying he was not back at square one. “I came into the States with nothing. I didn’t have any- thing,” Garnica said. “I think I’m better off than how I came in. At least I got a job. I got a family. I’m healthy.” Trial: Battle for control of Astoria hotel Continued from Page 1A A majority of the Port Com- mission was on hand Tuesday to observe the case. Weston, now the city manager of King City in Washington County, was the ﬁ rst witness called by Param’s lawyer, Colin Hunter. A new tenant As the Port’s property man- ager and later the director of business development and operations, Weston’s job was to ﬁ nd tenants and negotiate many of the agency’s leases. He helped create the lease for Smithart. By the time Son- patki came into the picture, Weston was the interim execu- tive director, after the resigna- tion of Hank Bynaker. With the Port’s lawyers claiming there was no signed contract with Param, Hunter sought to show how, despite Smithart falling behind on rent and revenue-sharing and his original business partner leaving, the agency did not evict him, and at times did not strictly follow the terms of the lease. It was Weston who got the pulse of the Port C ommission and eventually developed an agreement that would have Sonpatki take over the remain- der of Smithart’s lease, with a 10-year extension option, in exchange for paying off Smithart’s debts and invest- ing in the run-down hotel. An agreement was presented to the c ommission by October 2014, along with a presenta- tion by Sonpatki, but Weston said commissioners repeatedly asked for more information on the prospective tenant. Knight started work as the Port’s executive director later that month. Weston reverted to his position as director of busi- ness development and opera- tions, and Knight eventually took over negotiations on the Riverwalk Inn. By early July of 2015, the Port had termi- nated Smithart’s lease. “I certainly had nothing to do with the notice of default,” Weston said, adding his sus- Seaside: City councilors relied on testimony, input from school district picion that there might have been some other issues with Smithart. A stalled transfer Hunter later called to the stand Sonpatki, who owns and operates 13 hotels in the Port- land metro area and Seaside. By June 2014, Sonpatki said, he and Smithart had agreed on $500,000 for him to take over operation of the hotel. Smithart would receive the remainder of the money after debts he owed to the Port, city and county were paid. By January 2015, Sonpatki, said, he and Smithart were ready to close the deal, but had to continually extend the clos- ing date as the Port did not pro- vide the required consent doc- uments. The two eventually agreed to extend the transfer to September 2015, allowing Smithart to earn summer reve- nue to help pay down some of his debts. In June 2015, the Port Commission voted unani- mously to have staff execute the transfer of the remaining two years of Smithart’s lease, along with a ﬁ ve-year exten- sion option, to Sonpatki. By that point, Smithart owed more than $300,000 combined to the Port, city and county. “I wanted to come to Asto- ria,” Sonpatki said of the deal, adding he hoped it would even- tually lead to a longer lease. But his acquisition was never ﬁ nalized. Hunter and Sonpatki claim Knight repeat- edly provided incorrect doc- uments and never explained why it was taking the Port so long to ﬁ nalize Param’s acqui- sition of Smithart’s lease. The Port terminated Smi- thart’s contract shortly after the vote but kept him in the hotel on a short-term basis, not wanting to shut down and lose revenue . After Smithart’s lease had been terminated, Sonpatki said, he came with his lawyer to Astoria to try and get the lease reinstated and the trans- fer ﬁ nished, but to no avail. The Port eventually heard presentations from several suitors for the hotel, includ- ing Sonpatki, and in Septem- ber 2015 chose Astoria Hospi- tality Ventures. The trial recessed Tues- day with Sonpatki still on the stand and Hunter still making his case. period, John Dunzer, a res- ident, presented a summary Both these designations will of an appeal he planned to be changed to institutional submit to the state Land Use campus as a result of Mon- Board of Appeals. In previous meetings, day’s approval, clearing the way for the campus, with a Dunzer said the city could total project budget of almost ﬁ nd alternate sites within the urban growth boundary that $113 million. In making their decision, did not require building a city councilors relied on tes- new campus. Mayor Jay Barber and timony and input from the school district, the compre- councilors Tita Montero, hensive plan, and P lanning Dana Phillips and Steve Wright voted for the rezoning C ommission decisions. and comprehensive Late changes and plan change. Randy updates to the ordi- Frank, Tom Horning nance contained and Seth Morrisey revised tax lot num- were absent. bers and other minor Architects Dull changes, consultant Olson Weekes antici- Greg Winterowd of pate the design phase Winterbrook Plan- Greg to reach next June, ning said. “What the new Winterowd when construction could begin. The ordinance does is make sure we are talking campus is slated for opening about the right properties,” in the fall of 2020. “We’re still in the Winterowd said. Planning Director Kevin design-development phase Cupples delivered revised and that’s a long, complex ﬁ ndings, along with a process,” Roley said. “The response sheet directed to City Council has been very helpful in guiding us through public concerns. Findings determine the this process properly.” Approval is subject to two ordinances comply with state planning goals as well the Clatsop County Board as city and county review of Commissioners and takes effect upon the board’s standards. During a public comment approval. ‘What the new ordinance does is make sure we are talking about the right properties.’ Greg Winterowd consultant C onsult a P rofessional can I keep the apps Q: How on my computer up to date? LEO FINZI Astorias Best.com A storiA ’ s best selection of new And refurbished computers . M-F 10-6 Sat . 11-4 77 11th Street, Suite H Astoria, OR 503-325-2300 our website, AstoriasBest. A: Visit com, and click on “Recommended Software” Scroll down to and click on “http://glarysoft.com/”. After installing “Glarysoft Utilities” look at the bottom row of icons and click on the blue square with the upward pointing arrow. Glarysoft Utilities will open a web page showing programs on your computer for which there are newer versions. Click on the downward pointing green arrow to safely and securely update the programs on your computer. Q: Should I use heat or cold? “If you ever wanted solar, now is the time!” in a joint, A: If use you ice; hurt,especially it reduces inflammation -Stan the Solar Man ASTORIA CHIROPRACTIC Barry Sears, D.C. SOLAR SALE! 503-325-3311 2935 Marine Drive Astoria, Oregon edges of my Q: The front teeth are Solar prices have been cut! Attention Businesses: Eliminate your high electric bills and high taxes by going solar ACIFIC OP & P CLATS Y’S ONLY COUNT RVICE E FULL-S R! ROVIDE P R A L SO FREE wearing. What can I do? JEFFREY M. LEINASSAR DMD, FAGD HOME ENERGY AUDIT 3.99% Financing Low Monthly Payments CALL 360-642-4272 PRECISION HEATING & Indoor Air Quality 360-642-4272 www.usa-heating.com and pain and shortens healing time. You can get a burn from ice just like with heat, so don’t leave it on for more than 20 minutes. Most problems get better more quickly with ice. Heat feels good, but may seriously make problems worse. As long as there is pain and/or swelling, continue ice; it can be done as often as once an hour. Would you heat a cut? No, because it would keep bleeding —that is what happens inside where you can’t see it. 503/325-0310 1414 MARINE DRIVE, ASTORIA www.smileastoria.com A : This is a common finding on many patients. The reasons can be from misaligned teeth, harmful habits or excess grinding and bite forces. The latter is a very common problem that needs to be addressed. Orthodontic correction and nighttime bite guards are good choices to help prevent further wear.