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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 27, 2018)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018 145TH YEAR, NO. 171 ONE DOLLAR Defendants in pot blast suit blame worker Legal fallout from a 2016 explosion By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Troy Constantine prepares the fishing vessel Swell Rider for the crab season. Rule changes for crab Tracing path from catch to consumer By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian A s closures related to harmful marine toxins continue to plague Oregon’s lucrative commercial Dungeness crab fishery, new rules are under consideration that will help state fishery managers trace crab after it is caught and respond with more flexibility. In April, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider making per- manent several rules introduced this crab season. A related bill is working its way through the Legislature. Right now, large swathes of the coast can get closed down due to high levels of toxins like domoic acid. The rule changes would narrow the areas to be closed if there is an increase in toxin levels, based on records that may be required as a result of the bill. It would also allow for more flexibility in evisceration orders, like the one in place along a portion of the south- ern coast where only crab with their guts removed can be sold. Seafood businesses have to keep more detailed records on who they buy crab from, where it was harvested and who they sell it to this season — information the state said is “essential to support and strengthen crab traceability through the market chain.” The state also included measures to make biotoxin testing proce- dures and fishery management responses more transparent. The state hopes to achieve two out- comes with these changes, said Caren Braby, marine resources program man- ager with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fishery managers want to pro- tect consumers by making crabs more traceable as they travel from boats to processors and then to other buyers, but they don’t want to leave fishermen See RULE CHANGES, Page 3A The defendants in an $8.9 million lawsuit over an explosion and fire at a Uniontown marijuana processor are trying to turn the tables on the worker who was badly burned in the blast. In court filings, the defendants argue Jacob Magley’s claims are barred because he helped illegally manufacture the mari- juana extract involved in the 2016 explosion. Magley was injured inside a basement leased by Jason Oei and William “Chris” West at the corner of Portway and Indus- try streets. He spent months in the hospital recovering from burns to much of his body. Magley, who lives in Portland, filed suit in Multnomah County Circuit Court against Oei and West, along with their companies Astoria Trading Co., Higher Level Concen- trates and High Tide Biological. He claimed the two had been dabbing, a method of con- suming marijuana vapors involving an open heat source, while making hash oil using butane, igniting the fire. Oei and West have pleaded guilty to felony assault in the third degree and misdemeanor reckless endanger- ment. Each received three years probation. Magley also sued property owner Rich- ard Delphia and several of his companies; two of investor John Harper’s companies; and Sweet Relief, an Astoria marijuana store that leased space above the process- ing operation. See LAWSUIT, Page 4A Regulators want more money to police pot Troy Constantine works on the Swell Rider. State wants 17 new positions and money for investigations By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau Crab pots sit ready at the Warrenton Marina. Astoria selects architect for library work By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian The Astoria City Council unan- imously approved a contract Mon- day night with an architectural firm to begin assessing the condition of the Astoria Library, kicking off the first phase of renovation work on the 50-year-old building. A selection committee that included Library Director Jimmy Pearson and City Manager Brett Estes recommended going with the Portland-based firm Hennebery Eddy Architects Inc. The total cost of work will not exceed $77,210. The firm will also help establish what the library needs in terms of space and develop three conceptual designs. This work is part of what city staff and fundraising partners refer to as the first phase of the proj- ect. The renovation work itself is the second phase, and comes with a $5 million price tag. “I feel like we’ve got the future of the library in very good hands right now with our current library director and the people on this selection com- mittee,” City Councilor Zetty Nem- lowill said before making a motion to approve the contract. The city already has $1.6 mil- lion set aside for future construc- tion. A nonprofit tasked with fund- raising for the renovation work has a goal of raising $3.5 million and has already raised about $125,000 since October. “This is sufficient for us to begin the real work of major fundrais- ing,” said David Oser, retired chief financial officer for nonprofit lender Craft3 and the foundation’s treasurer. Oser said the money has enabled the foundation to acquire neces- sary equipment and software and hire Kate Deeks, an Astoria Library Advisory Board member and liaison to the foundation, for six months to manage fundraising efforts. The city hopes to begin work on the library in 2019. In other business Monday: • The City Council passed a reso- lution to help facilitate environmen- tal remediation for an oil spill in the Columbia River near the Cannery Pier Hotel in January. Up to 4,200 gallons of oil have leaked into the river since strong winds caused the pier to collapse and rupture an old tank. The resolution does not come with any financial obligation. SALEM — Amid mounting pressure to shore up controls on legal cannabis, Oregon regulators want more money to enforce state laws and rules. In early January, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions alerted states that had legalized recreational marijuana that he was rolling back the Obama administration’s guidance on marijuana prosecutions. Sessions’ memo effectively leaves it up to federal prosecutors in each state to exercise individual discretion when it comes to enforcing violations of fed- eral marijuana law. Billy Williams, Oregon’s top federal prosecutor, claimed this month that the state has a “massive marijuana overproduction problem,” and that weed grown in Oregon is leaking into the illicit market and across state lines. And state auditors said in a report that Oregon’s cannabis licensing and tracking systems have weaknesses that could over- look illegal activity. See REGULATORS, Page 4A EO Media Group The Oregon Liquor Control Commis- sion wants to add 17 new positions and money to fund grants for investigations into illegal marijuana.
