DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
145TH YEAR, NO. 177
ONE DOLLAR
Thompson files,
Clement passes on
Clatsop County
commission seat
Field set for
May primary
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
A familiar face in Asto-
ria politics will vie for a Clat-
sop County Board of Com-
missioners seat, while the
incumbent will bow out.
Doug Thompson, a real
estate broker, property man-
ager and former Astoria city
councilor, filed for the Dis-
trict 3 seat ahead of Tuesday’s
deadline. Commissioner Lisa
Clement, co-owner of Clem-
ente’s Seafood, will not seek
re-election.
Thompson made his deci-
sion after learning Clement
did not file, he said.
“I’m in it to win it,” he
said.
Thompson is the chair-
man of the Clatsop County
Democratic Central Commit-
tee. He is resigning from the
post to pursue to the commis-
sion seat, he said.
He earned a business
administration degree from
Portland State University
before serving as a city coun-
cilor from 1991 to 2002.
The county commission
has three positions up for
election.
Pamela Wev, an Asto-
ria land use planning con-
sultant, and Peter Roscoe,
a former Astoria city coun-
cilor and owner of Fulio’s
Pastaria, have also filed for
the District 3 seat. The posi-
tion covers parts of Astoria
as well as Miles Crossing,
Jeffers Garden, Lewis and
Clark, Youngs River, Olney,
Green Mountain and parts of
Walluski.
Commissioner
Scott
Lee, the board’s chairman,
announced in 2016 that he
would not seek re-election
in District 1. Mark Kujala —
former Warrenton mayor and
owner of Skipanon Brand
Seafood — Andrew Davis —
a medical data analyst — and
George McCartin — a retired
lawyer and frequent public
meeting attendee — have all
filed for the seat.
Commissioner
Lianne
Thompson will campaign
for a second term and run
against Susana Gladwin, a
Jewell farmer. The District
5 seat covers most of South
County, including Cannon
Beach, Arch Cape, Elsie,
Jewell and parts of Seaside.
The race to replace state
Rep. Deborah Boone in
House District 32 includes
six candidates.
CHANGING
POLITICAL
CLIMATE
Climate change group searches locally for help nationally
See ELECTION, Page 7A
Marquis makes
case for new jail
going to be in jail. You’re
not going to think about a
jail. You’re not going to go
to the jail, hopefully. Nobody
you know will go to the
jail,” Marquis said. “We are
By JACK HEFFERNAN capped at 60 beds. We need
The Daily Astorian
at least 180 to 200.”
County
commission-
A little more than a week ers approved a $51,000 fea-
before Clatsop County com- sibility study last year to
missioners decide whether explore relocating the jail
to put a $23.8 million bond from Duane Street in Astoria
for a new jail on
to the now-shuttered
the November bal-
North Coast Youth
lot, one of the coun-
Correctional Facility
ty’s top law enforce-
in Warrenton. After
ment officials made
commissioners and
another public pitch.
the sheriff’s office
District Attorney
heard proposals from
Josh Marquis was
architects ranging
Josh
the featured speaker
from $12 million to
Marquis
Tuesday night at the
$28 million, the cur-
rent figure — which
Columbia
Forum
dinner, held at Columbia could include about $6 mil-
Memorial Hospital’s Com- lion paid directly by the state
munity Center. During the and county — is based on a
talk, he laid out much of his designed 148-bed facility
case in favor of a new jail.
See MARQUIS, Page 7A
“You’re probably not
DA speaks
at Columbia
Forum dinner
Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Members of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby meet with U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici.
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
D
uring a climate change presentation in Asto-
ria in February, Tod Jones — a retired fisher-
ies manager — challenged a speaker’s com-
ments about human contribution to ocean acidification.
Later in the meeting, as Jones again made a counter-
point, Chris Farrar — a member of the Clatsop County
Planning Commission who was seated behind Jones
— leaned over his shoulder.
“It’s called acidification. Get over it,” Farrar said.
Following a silence in the room, another a spectator
tried to lighten the mood.
“I’m sorry, is this Astoria? That nice quiet lit-
tle town? Are we in the right place here?” he asked
rhetorically.
The episode was just one of a few tense moments
that night, and it caught the attention of the organiza-
tion hosting the event.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a nonprofit group founded
in 2007 with hundreds of national chapters, will launch
an Astoria chapter later this month. The chapter will
represent the organization’s first on the Oregon Coast.
Their goal: build political will at local levels to spur
Congress to act.
“We basically create political cover for our mem-
bers of Congress so that they can step out into the lime-
light, do something that is near and dear to their hearts
even if they’re not doing it in public because it’s dan-
gerous,” said Tamara Staton, the organization’s Pacific
Northwest regional coordinator. “They’re aware of the
See CLIMATE, Page 7A
A dock and small building just off John Day Road
juts out over the river. The area is vulnerable to flooding.
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Worker injured in hash oil explosion fires back
Calls claims of
culpability a
smokescreen
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
A lawyer for contractor Jacob Magley, injured after a bu-
tane explosion and fire in Astoria in October 2016, claims
his client was a construction worker not culpable in an
illegal hash oil-making operation.
Jacob Magley, the worker
badly burned in an October
2016 butane explosion and fire
in Uniontown and later accused
of culpability by the parties he
is suing, called the allegations
against him a smokescreen to
deflect from an illegal hash
oil-making enterprise.
Magley was a contrac-
tor working in the basement
of a building leased by Wil-
liam “Chris” West and Jason
Oei for growing marijuana and
manufacturing butane hash oil
at the corner of Portway and
Industry streets. A flash fire
ignited from odorless butane
gas in the air blew Magley
backwards and badly burned
his hands and face.
Magley sued West, Oei
and three of their companies
in Multnomah County Cir-
cuit Court for $8.9 million. He
claimed the two had been dab-
bing, a method of vaporizing
concentrated marijuana with
an open heat source, while
making the hash oil.
Magley also sued prop-
erty owner Richard 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. Harper in turn
filed claims against Whip-It
Premium butane gas distribu-
tor Rich & Rhine and manu-
facturer United Brands Prod-
ucts Design Development and
Marketing Inc., blaming them
for any defects in the product.
The defendants all filed
motions to dismiss Magley’s
case, claiming he had helped
West and Oei make the hash
See WORKER, Page 7A