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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2018)
146TH YEAR, NO. 35 ONE DOLLAR WEEKEND EDITION // FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 FIRED UP Pamplin Media Group A ‘seamless loop’ of tollways under review. Tolls likely coming to Portland Hope is to reduce congestion By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau Photos by Josh Como Firefighters from Clatsop County keep a watchful eye on the Substation Fire near The Dalles in July. Clatsop County firefighters respond to blazes across the state By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian annon Beach volunteer firefighter Jordan Spencer remembers watch- ing the Eagle Creek Fire on TV last year, feeling frustrated as he saw the blaze ravage the Columbia River Gorge. All he wanted to do was help. So when Spencer got the call to respond to the South Valley Fire earlier this month, he was excited. “It was my chance to do something,” he said. Spencer was one of dozens of Clat- sop County firefighters deployed to fires around the state this summer. So far, four task forces have been sent to help combat the Substation, South Valley and Mema- loose 2 fires. Before 2017, it was uncommon for a local firefighter to get called out to a fire outside the county. Last year was a record-setting year, with more than 50 firefighters sent to fight multiple fires in Oregon and California. Now, with three conflagration calls already under their belts before mid-Au- gust, this year is on pace to be just as busy. C The Oregon Transportation Commission voted unanimously Thursday to seek federal approval for tolling Interstates 5 and 205 through the Portland area and to study creating a seamless loop of toll- ways around the city. Commissioners authorized the Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation to analyze the feasibility of tolling I-5, I-205, Interstate 405, Interstate 84, U.S. Route 26, State Highway 217 and sections of U.S. Route 30. The tolled segments of each interstate would form a loop around the city to prevent diversion onto neighborhood streets and to maximize the reduction of congestion, said Commissioner Sean O’Hollaren. “In my view you create a donut, a beltway, a loop that doesn’t have gaps in it,” O’Hollaren said. “I think you need to look at how do you make a complete loop around the Portland metropolitan area that prices that congestion and that we are looking very seriously to what alternatives peo- ple have to get around that same property. Are we incentivizing carpooling to the max, are we cre- ating ways people can get around? I think that should be something we look at.” A $5.3 billion transportation package passed last year required the commission to study and consider tolling in the Portland metro area, but the law established no mandate to implement it. See TOLLS, Page 7A ‘A day for Deano’ Man killed by police remembered in Seaside By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian From left, Josh Como, James Hutchinson and Lindsey Wolfe take a break while fighting the Memaloose 2 Fire in August. ‘It’s surreal’ The South Valley Fire in Dufur was Max Savage’s first fire outside of the county. When his name was called out at a drill practice and he had a half hour to get ready, Savage wasn’t sure what to expect. But when he showed up to the scene about 1 a.m., he didn’t have to wonder long. The task force was immediately sent out to patrol, where Savage encountered a See FIREFIGHTERS, Page 7A “I remember on one fire someone came up to me and asked to use my phone to call home. Their phone wasn’t working and they needed to let someone know the farm was gone. In those moments you take a step into their shoes, and it can be hard.” James Hutchinson, of the Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department SEASIDE — The staff at Gorilla Gas was sick of the silence. In late July, their co-worker, Cashus Dean Case — known as “Deano” — was shot and killed by police outside his home at Seasider RV Park after allegedly refusing an order to drop two black powder pistols. After the shock of the shooting wore off, gas station manager Jesse Jones was beginning to think the community had forgotten about his friend. “It just got quiet all of a sudden. The only reminder in town is our rest-in-peace sign,” he said. “We wanted to make a day for Deano.” To keep his memory alive, about 20 people held an informal celebration of life for Case on Thursday afternoon at Broadway Park. Some who attended, like Stephanie Babb, of Eugene, didn’t know Case personally but came to support the family as some- one who also lost a relative to a police shooting. “It’s hard when someone you love gets shot by police, because the first thing people ask is, ‘What did he do wrong?’” Babb said. “I just wanted the family to know there are other families feeling what they’re feeling, and they have a right to feel outraged and sad.” See CASE, Page 7A Home Baking Co. owners offer up historic business Founded by Finnish immigrants By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The third-generation family owners of Astoria’s 108-year- old Home Baking Co. are hop- ing someone will take on the business as they look to retire. The bakery was started in 1910 by Finnish immigrants Elmer Wallo, Charlie Jarvanin and Arthur A. Tilander, whose brother went down with the Titanic on his way over to be a partner. It has been run by the Tilanders since the 1940s. Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Kathryn and Jim Tilander, the owners of Home Baking Co., are hoping to pass on the business as they look to retire. Jim Tilander has worked at the bakery off and on since he was 13 and full time since 1977. He met his wife, Kath- ryn, there when, on a visit from Southern California in 1983 to see family, she was con- vinced to help out. The couple soon took over from his father, Arther H. Tilander. The two each spend about 50 hours a week at the bak- ery, Kathryn Tilander said. She does the accounting and runs the front of the store. Jim Tilander has spent many early mornings over the past 40 years baking in the back with a small crew. After recently turning 65, he started thinking about retirement. “I’ve been here nonstop since 1977,” he said. “I’m hopeful to pass it off to some- one who wants to keep doing this.” Their son, Kevin Tilander, and daughter, Katie Diak, have both worked at the bakery, but each went other directions. Jim and Kathryn are look- ing forward to spending more time with their children and traveling. Among its doughnuts, pas- tries and breads, Home Bakery fills a niche for local Scandina- vians with specialties like car- damom bread, Swedish limpa orange rye bread, Florentine cookies, Norwegian fattig- mann fried cookies and cinna- mon snack bread. There are a steady stream of older customers who come in to the shop for doughnuts and coffee and countless oth- ers who come from all around for the Finnish pastries, Kath- ryn Tilander said. See BAKERY, Page 7A
