DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018
146TH YEAR, NO. 23
ONE DOLLAR
RV park
off at
Arcadia
Beach
Owner looking to sell
By BRENNA VISSER
The Daily Astorian
ARCH CAPE — Plans for an RV park
across from Arcadia Beach that drew ire
from environmentalists and neighbors have
been scrapped.
James Smejkal, the owner of the 17.6-
acre parcel of forestland nestled next to
U.S. Highway 101, wanted to build what he
called “an upscale RV park,” mostly because
it is one of the only types of development
allowed with the land’s recreation manage-
ment zoning.
But as the project moved forward, Sme-
jkal faced logistical challenges like build-
ing proper roadways into the park, finding
a nearby water source for infrastructure and
doing construction without downing trees,
Leonard Waggoner, Smejkal’s development
consultant, said.
Now, Smejkal is looking to sell.
“Mechanically, it just didn’t fit,” Wag-
goner said. “We would have had to
build 1,000 feet of roadway for 15 or 20
units.”
Smejkal has faced roadblocks to devel-
opment since he acquired the land in 2002
through a trade with the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department. In 2009, Smejkal
tried to develop the property as housing,
which was ultimately denied by the Clatsop
County Planning Commission.
See RV PARK, Page 7A
Buoy 10 opens
with lower
forecast runs
Warmer ocean
conditions blamed
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
The popular Buoy 10 salmon fishery
began today on the Columbia River with
modest fish run forecasts, new regulations
and an effort to build the fishery up over time
in upstream sections of the main stem.
Forecasters expect 375,500 adult Chi-
nook salmon to enter the Columbia this fall,
about 80 percent of last year’s return and half
the recent 10-year average.
An estimated 213,600 adult coho salmon
are expected to enter the river mouth, versus
last year’s return of 235,700. An estimated
182,400 steelhead are expected upstream.
John North, an ocean salmon and Colum-
bia program manager for the state Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife, said the reduced
runs are mostly based on warm ocean con-
ditions. Warm river conditions affecting out-
ward-migrating salmon in 2015 might have
also affected those returning this year, he
said.
Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
People gathered at a rally Saturday in Astoria to protest a ballot measure that would repeal Oregon’s sanctuary law.
STATE
OF UNCERTAINTY
Sanctuary law repeal could shift
relationships with local law enforcement
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
A
ballot measure in Novem-
ber to repeal Oregon’s sanctu-
ary law could complicate local
law enforcement’s relationship with the
Hispanic community while repairing
it with U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
The measure would overturn sanc-
tuary protections — created in 1987 —
that largely prohibit state and local police
from enforcing federal immigration laws.
Many sheriffs welcome the opportu-
nity to work more closely with ICE to
detain undocumented inmates at county
jails. Others in law enforcement, how-
ever, are concerned it could cause dif-
ficulty if Hispanics are more fearful of
police.
A series of demonstrations across the
state on Saturday — including one in
Astoria — showed the opposition to the
measure.
“I think safety is a concern for peo-
ple,” said Andrea Gonzalez, of the Lower
Columbia Hispanic Council. “I think it’s
just another, kind of, scare tactic toward
the immigrant community.”
Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin
is a member of the Western States Sher-
iffs’ Association, which includes sheriffs
from 15 states. The association expects to
make a decision about whether to endorse
the measure in the next few weeks.
Bergin supports the measure himself
and believes others in the association will
follow suit.
“I see pretty strong support, but we
need to make sure to follow our rules
and our guidelines,” the sheriff said. “We
realize this is a good deal to rescind or
revoke or repeal the sanctuary state law.”
Criticism from ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforce-
ment has repeatedly criticized sheriff’s
Andrea Gonzalez, far right, speaks at a rally last weekend in Astoria against a
ballot measure that would overturn the state’s sanctuary law.
Demonstrators hold up signs in Asto-
ria supporting Oregon’s sanctuary law.
offices in the state — including Clatsop
County — for not adhering to requests
to detain and alert the agency about
undocumented immigrants who are
arrested.
Bergin has said he is worried about
potential civil rights lawsuits, citing the
state sanctuary law. He hopes voters will
agree to change the law and that his office
will have a more fluid relationship with
ICE.
“It hamstrings us and doesn’t allow
us to work with the federal government,”
Bergin said. “We’re looking for the bad
people.”
Bergin would not direct his deputies to
ask people they encounter during traffic
stops or on the street for proof of citizen-
ship, he said.
“That’s ludicrous,” he said. “Can you
imagine how much that would clog up
our system?”
Like Bergin, others in local law
enforcement do not seem eager to verify
citizenship.
The Astoria Police Department’s
workload is already full, Deputy Chief
Eric Halverson said. Some people, how-
ever, regardless of their immigration sta-
tus, are reluctant to report crimes to police
out of fear of retaliation.
See MEASURE, Page 7A
See BUOY 10, Page 7A
At county fair, new attractions – and a llama
Organizers hope for
renewed interest
By HANNAH SIEVERT
The Daily Astorian
Hannah Sievert/The Daily Astorian
Clay Sovince meets ‘Daisy,’ a llama, at the Clatsop County
Fair on Tuesday.
The Clatsop County Fair opened on Tuesday
with signature rides, funnel cakes and 4-H com-
petitions, along with a few changes, thanks to
new manager John Lewis.
The fair will have monster truck rides, an
antique tractor section and extreme jeep races
on Saturday for the first time. Lewis hopes the
attractions will cultivate renewed interest in the
fair by locals.
“A lot of people that I know personally save
up and go to the Tillamook fair the week after
us, because they have all of this stuff,” Lewis
said. “I want to bring some of that here, so the
people who live here want to come here, not
save up to go to another fair.”
Entertainment highlights include country
music on Friday night featuring Briana Renea
and Diamond Rio. Wednesday’s attendees can
receive a free whole hog roast dinner. Thursday
is Military Appreciation Day, and veterans will
be admitted for $3.
Many locals come to the fair for the 4-H
exhibits, where young people show off the ani-
mals they’ve helped raise, including pigs, goats,
chickens, cows, sheep, rabbits and horses.
“We’re one big family,” said Ashley Sis-
ley, 12, who has been in 4-H for two years and
works with dairy cows and pigs.
Some young people who live in cities are
able to participate in 4-H by pairing with a 4-H
leader who has the resources to raise animals.
See FAIR, Page 7A