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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2018 Oregon marijuana lawsuit is settled Controversy likely to continue By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Bureau R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Guests raised their glasses in a toast to Gearhart’s 100th anniversary. Gearhart celebrates city’s 100th anniversary Crowd fills firehouse By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian GEARHART — Cries of “happy birthday” rang out as hundreds of residents old and young filled the firehouse Sunday to mark the 100th anniversary of Gearhart. The former town of Clatsop for- mally incorporated in 1918 after a vote. Bill Berg, the author of “Gearhart Remembered: An Informal History,” published in 1990, stood by a Victrola playing fox trots and tangos as visitors entered the ample fire hall. “This is the birthday of the city of Gearhart,” Berg said. “This is a birthday for peo- ple, not historic landmarks. It marks the moment we gained control of our own destiny as a city. … We became an autonomous entity.” The 79-year-old Berg cel- ebrated his first birthday in R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Gearhart historian Bill Berg greets visitors to the city’s 100-year celebration. Gearhart as a seasonal resi- dent before moving here full time 45 years ago. Berg told the audience that of the many contentious issues that have divided the city over the years, none was more bitterly fought than when Gearhart joined the Seaside School District in 1959. Berg shared the micro- phone with 95-year-old Bob McEwan. McEwan recalled days when he worked for the opulent Gearhart Hotel, the destination location run by Portland department store magnate Myron Frank. Jon Blissett, at 80, Gear- hart’s oldest firefighter, remembered the days he ran a Chevron station on the cor- ner of Pacific Way. The sta- tion closed in 1992. Nearby, a slideshow spun images of historic buildings and scenes. Visitors sipped prosecco as volunteers from the Gear- hart Homeowners’ Associ- ation did a brisk business in memberships and sweatshirts. Mayor Matt Brown was one of three mayors to attend the festivities. Former mayors Kent Smith and Dianne Wid- dop were also in attendance. “It means a lot for the whole community,” Brown said. “It’s great to see every- body celebrating, unifying from the whole community. It’s really about the people of the last 100 years who have made this place special.” Rural landowners in Ore- gon have settled a lawsuit that accused their marijua- na-growing neighbors of violating federal anti-rack- eteering law and reducing property values. However, the question of whether Oregon marijuana growers can be success- fully sued under the Racke- teer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act may still be answered, as a similar law- suit was recently filed against another cannabis operation. 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Big enough to store two normal sized cars, a household of furniture or your off-road toys. dants pooled their resources and achieved enterprise effi- ciency that no one defendant could have achieved individ- ually,” the complaint said. The complaint was filed on the heels of a ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that RICO claims should be allowed to proceed against a Colorado marijuana operation. With the large number of defendants in the Oregon case, initial procedural steps took several months before the defendants filed motions to dismiss the complaint. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Acosta in Portland had planned to take those requests under advisement, but then stayed proceedings in the case when the parties notified him of a pending settlement. involved in medical mari- juana production, including landowners, growers, retail- ers and a bank. Apart from lowering the value of their 11-acre prop- erty, the McCarts claimed that two nearby marijuana opera- tions attracted unwanted vis- itors, increased traffic and generated foul odors, among other problems. While medical and rec- reational marijuana were legalized by Oregon voters, the plaintiffs claimed their neighbors were still subject to RICO because the sub- stance is illegal under fed- eral law. “Given the strict federal prohibitions against each of those purposes, defendants knew these purposes could only be accomplished via a pattern of racketeering. In fur- therance of that goal, defen- 15% Off Now Apri thru l ON ALL FURNITURE Over 30 years in Clatsop County! 15th Hours: BOOK ONLINE 2385 SE DOLPHIN RD. WARRENTON, OR WWW.OOSITESTORAGE.COM 503-791-8330 To reuse an item is the best form of recycling – lengthening its lifespan! MON-FRI: 8-6PM SAT: 9-5PM SUN: 10-4PM Appliance & Home Furnishings “We Service What We Sell” 503-861-0929 529 SE MARLIN AVENUE , WARRENTON, OR