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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
NEW YORK TRUCK ATTACK SUSPECT RADICALIZED IN US PAGE 5A 145TH YEAR, NO. 88 ONE DOLLAR DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017 Thompson fires back Writes a letter in response to behavior, expense allegations By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Clatsop County Commissioner Lianne Thompson is resisting a call for her resig- nation, vowing to be a strong and motivated voice and declaring: “My heart is in this place.” Board Chairman Scott Lee urged Thomp- son to resign after a meeting last week in which she was criticized by commission- ers for claiming thousands in travel and education expenses, as well as for a June incident with a county employee that led to an internal investigation. “I have little interest or patience with those few Lianne people who would find val- Thompson idation in power or who like to see themselves as big fish in small ponds,” Thompson, who represents South County, wrote in a letter to The Daily Astorian. “No one said it would be easy to serve,” she said. “No one promised that a closed system would be open to change, that entrenched powers would not push back, or that personal attacks would never supplant honest debate. Certainly I never expected such a political panacea. To see it play out in real life, however, can either be dishearten- ing or motivating. I choose motivation.” Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Soldiers from Camp Rilea witness a groundbreaking ceremony for a new armed forces monument. ‘A memorial for all of us’ Bronze statue of Vietnam War soldier See THOMPSON, Page 5A By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian A large statue of a U.S. soldier will be placed in downtown Warrenton by the end of the year, following a decadeslong effort. At a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, a 9-foot by 9-foot plot was carved out of a grassy area across from Lighthouse Park on North Main Ave- nue. Project leaders plan to put the bronze, 7-foot, 2-inch statue — with a 6-foot-tall base — at the spot by early December. The statue features a Viet- nam War soldier dressed in full uniform with rifle in hand, standing with his right foot perched on a rock and staring down reflectively as a single tear rolls down his right cheek. “It’s a memorial for all of us,” said Todd New- ton, an Army veteran and member of the Fort Ste- vens Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary. “We really don’t have anything here in Warrenton. It’s something we need in the community here.” While agreeing that the statue honors all vet- erans, designer and sculptor Mark Kenny, who served eight years in the Coast Guard, added that he wanted to especially memorialize those from the Vietnam War era. “They’re pretty much forgotten, and they’re not treated very well. Now they’re accepted,” Kenny said. “That was an important time in history, too.” Kenny, 55, of Seaside, started working on his design after the Warrenton City Commission approved a $72,020 grant from the state Parks and Recreation Department in April. Fundraising began for a monument 27 years ago, but an economic downturn stalled those ambi- tions. The local VFW decided to try again by apply- ing for a biannual grant from the state specifically allocated for monuments. Debbie Little, president of VFW 10580 aux- iliary, completed a grant-writing class with this application in mind. Her husband, VFW Quar- termaster Bert Little, also reached out to resi- dents and businesses for monetary and service Food bank aims to meet holiday need Despite split, no interruptions in service, board says By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — The South County Community Food Bank is expected to reopen Tuesday, less than two weeks after the former manager and volunteers were ordered to relinquish their keys and locked out of the Roosevelt Drive building. Board President Darren Gooch said “ideological differences between the board and key volunteers” guided the decision to interrupt service. “We as a board are tasked with being good stewards of the resources we are given,” Gooch said. “Future sustainability of the food pantry is the primary driving force of the board.” Former regional manager Karla Gann blamed the closure on board mismanage- ment and said it could jeopardize holiday meals and leave thousands of dollars in Christmas gifts undelivered. VFW Fort Stevens Post 10580 Portland artist Mark Kenny stands next to the monument he created. Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Heavy equipment is used to break ground for a new military monument. See MEMORIAL, Page 8A See FOOD BANK, Page 7A Crashes peak in fall, but roadkill dinner can wait Salvage rules expected in 2019 By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Collisions between vehi- cles and wildlife peak in the fall, but drivers won’t get to harvest what they hit until 2019. Ever since a rule passed earlier this year allowing driv- ers to keep roadkill deer and elk in the future, law enforce- ment and fish and wildlife officials say drivers frequently ask if they can salvage the ani- mals now when they hit or encounter them on the state’s roads. Doug Cottam, wildlife divi- sion administrator with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said staff are still working to develop a safe and responsible roadkill salvage program that will discourage poaching. Draft rules will go to the Fish and Wildlife Com- mission for public comment before they are adopted. “A key thing is having a permitting process so roadkill salvage is tracked and a per- son can be contacted if some- thing appears suspicious,” said Michelle Dennehy, a Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman. Law enforce- ment will be a part of the rule-setting process, as well, she said, “and will likely have other suggestions.” For now, roadkill will be taken care of the old-fashioned way. Damian Mulinix/For EO Media Group See ROADKILL, Page 7A A bald eagle vied with traffic on the U.S. Highway 101 near Chi- nook, Wash., last year after sighting a tasty roadkill possum.
