A2
THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2019
Homeless man sentenced for assault
IN BRIEF
Columbia Memorial nurses plan
to picket amid contract talks
Nurses at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria
plan to picket on Tuesday afternoon amid contract talks
with hospital administrators.
The picket, outside the hospital between 4:30 p.m.
and 6:30 p.m., is meant to call attention to issues such
as safe staffi ng levels, consistent scheduling and recruit-
ment and retention of skilled nurses.
The nurses are represented by the Oregon Nurses
Association.
— The Astorian
Klipsan Clinic launches
syringe exchange program
KLIPSAN, Wash. — A new health service is being
introduced to help one of the most vulnerable commu-
nities on the Long Beach Peninsula.
Health professionals are setting up a free syringe
exchange program for intravenous drug users.
The anonymous and confi dential service is avail-
able at the Family Heath Center at North Beach, often
known as the Klipsan Clinic.
Although it is not a county funded program, clinic
managers have the support of the Pacifi c County Health
Department.
Its goal is to try to reduce the number of residents
addicted to heroin and methamphetamine while offer-
ing a safe way to dispose of potentially contaminated
needles that might otherwise be discarded on beaches
or in other public places.
— Chinook Observer
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
A homeless man accused
of hitting a man over the
head with a hatchet pleaded
no contest Monday to
assault and tampering with
a witness.
Ryan Joseph Dawson,
34, was sentenced to more
than four years in prison for
assault in the second degree
and fi ve years of proba-
tion for tampering with a
witness.
Last August, Dawson
approached Ernest Charles
Bean Jr. in a home-
murder and assault
less camp behind
in the second degree,
Goodwill in War-
but the attempted
renton and pointed,
murder charge was
telling Bean to look
dismissed as part of
at something in the
his plea agreement .
other direction.
“You’re a really
When
Bean Ryan Joseph dangerous
man,”
Dawson
turned to look, Daw-
Judge Paula Brown-
son began to beat
hill told Dawson
him over the head with a during sentencing. “You’ve
hatchet, causing signifi cant killed a man before and
blood loss which almost you could have killed Mr.
killed him, Deputy District Bean. It’s only a matter of
Attorney Dawn Buzzard time until you kill someone
said.
else.”
Dawson was originally
Warrenton
Detective
charged with attempted Tyler Johnston was crucial
in helping provide evidence
for the case by listening to
phone calls made by Daw-
son, Buzzard said.
Buzzard compared the
case to what she described
as an attack that Dawson
committed in Illinois, where
she said he killed a man
after striking him on the
head with a hammer several
times. He had taken meth-
amphetamine prior to both
crimes , the prosecutor said.
“I feel like he’s going
to kill somebody and that
really worries me,” Buzzard
said.
New lawsuit seeks protection zone
for Northwest orcas
SEATTLE — A new lawsuit fi led Monday seeks to
establish a whale protection zone for endangered orcas
in the Pacifi c Northwest.
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Orca
Relief Citizens’ Alliance sued NOAA Fisheries in U.S.
District Court in Seattle, saying the agency has failed to
act on a petition it fi led in 2016.
The petition sought to bar vessels from a 10- to
12-square-mile area west of San Juan Island where
the orcas, called southern resident killer whales, feed
from April through September each year. Any vessels
exempted from the ban would be required to abide by a
“no wake” rule in the zone.
— Associated Press
DEATHS
R.J. Marx/The Astorian
Aug. 19, 2019
AYERS, Randall, 68,
of Vancouver, Wash-
ington, died in Seaside.
Hughes-Ransom Mor-
tuary is in charge of the
arrangements.
Aug. 17, 2019
SOLLMAN,
Fran,
100, of Gearhart, died in
Gearhart. Hughes-Ran-
som Mortuary is in charge
of the arrangements.
Aug. 14, 2019
PADILLA,
Lillian,
84, of Los Angeles, for-
merly of Astoria, died
Los Angeles. Burial will
be at Greenwood Cem-
etery. Hughes-Ransom
Mortuary is in charge of
the arrangements.
ON THE RECORD
DUII
• Herbert George
Bechtolt, 71, of Warren-
ton, was arrested Aug. 13,
on S.W. Alder Avenue in
Warrenton for driving
under the infl uence of
intoxicants and cited for
refusing a breath test.
Disorderly
conduct
• Brian Quaschnick,
48, was arrested Wednes-
day on S.E. Second Street
and S.E. Main Avenue in
Warrenton for disorderly
conduct in the second
degree.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
TUESDAY
Port of Astoria Commis-
sion, 4 p.m., Port offi ces, 10
Pier 1 Suite 209.
Astoria Historic Land-
marks Commission,
5:15 p.m., City Hall, 1095
Duane St.
Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District Board
of Directors, 5:15 p.m.,
Bob Chisholm Community
Center, 1225 Avenue A,
Seaside.
Astoria School Board,
5:30 p.m., Capt. Robert Gray
School third-fl oor board-
room, 785 Alameda Ave.
Seaside School District
Board of Directors, 7 p.m.,
1801 S. Franklin.
Shoreline Sanitary Dis-
trict Board, 7 p.m., Gear-
hart Hertig Station, 33496
West Lake Lane, Warrenton.
Seaside Planning Com-
mission, 7 p.m., work
session, City Hall, 989
Broadway.
WEDNESDAY
Seaside Tourism Advisory
Committee, 3 p.m., City
Hall, 989 Broadway.
Clatsop Community Col-
lege Board, 5:30 p.m., spe-
cial meeting, Columbia Hall
Room 219, 1651 Lexington
Ave., Astoria.
THURSDAY
Sunset Empire Trans-
portation District Board,
9 a.m., Astoria Transit
Center Conference Room,
900 Marine Drive.
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The High Point site in Gearhart is under review for a new fi rehouse.
Gearhart delays fi rehouse vote to next year
By R.J. MARX
The Astorian
GEARHART — A vote
on a bond measure for a new
Gearhart fi rehouse will not
happen until next year.
The city was not ready to
place the bond by the Aug.
17 deadline to qualify for
the ballot.
But while the date of the
election is unclear, offi cials
continue to pursue negotia-
tions to acquire a property
at 1376 North Marion, con-
sidered the best location to
prepare for a large tsunami,
which encompasses 95% of
the possible fl ood scenarios.
Since the early 2000s,
fi refi ghters have asked the
city to replace the existing
fi rehouse on Pacifi c Way ,
a building constructed in
1958 and considered unsafe
in an earthquake or tsunami.
A 2006 bond measure for a
new public safety building
failed at the polls.
‘THIS IS A GOOD SITE.
IT HAS ALL THE
ATTRIBUTES WE NEED.’
Chad Sweet | city administrator
In 2018, after consider-
ing nine locations, the fi re
station committee recom-
mended three concepts and
locations to help guide the
decision-making process.
In April, a city survey
showed 82% of respondents
support a new fi rehouse,
and 52% preferred the High
survey results. The cost for
the High Point option is esti-
mated at between $6 million
and $9 million.
Negotiations with the
property owners and with
the Pacifi c Palisades Home-
owners Association, which
owns an easement neces-
sary for access, are ongoing,
Mayor Matt Brown said.
“No price has been pre-
sented,” he said, “but talks
are continuing.”
Potential private donors
are also being sought. “We
will continue to reach out
to folks who will potentially
fund the fi re station,” Brown
said.
Geotechnical studies and
soil reports at the site are
completed , City Adminis-
trator Chad Sweet added.
“This is a good site. It has
all the attributes we need, ”
he said.
The fi rehouse committee
is seeking state and federal
grants, Brown said. H ow-
ever, many of the grants are
contingent on primary fund-
ing fi rst . “We’re kind of in
a holding pattern with that,”
he said.
Wright named publisher of Bend Bulletin
By KATHLEEN
McLAUGHLIN
Bend Bulletin
Heidi Wright, chief oper-
ating offi cer of EO Media
Group, will also serve
as publisher of the Bend
Bulletin .
EO Media Group has
agreed to buy The Bulle-
tin and Redmond Spokes-
man out of bankruptcy, and
the deal is set to close at the
end of August. Wright will
become publisher Sept. 1.
“I think it’s critical that
we are able to deliver on
WKH
&ROXPELD
the promises we’ve
pany. She worked as
made to the employ-
publisher in Butte,
ees and to the com-
Montana, for Lee
munity,”
Wright
Enterprises and was
said. “So the own-
president of Klam-
ers have asked me
ath Publishing and
to step into the lead-
publisher of the Her-
ership role to ensure Heidi Wright ald and News in
that’s going to
Klamath Falls from
happen.”
2004 to 2014.
Wright, 63, was chief
“Heidi’s deep knowledge
fi nancial offi cer of The Bul- of The Bulletin’s operations
letin’s parent company, and her insights into the
Western Communications, newspaper’s market equip
from 2014 to 2017, when her to lead The Bulletin as
she departed for Salem- EO Media Group takes own-
based EO Media, a fami- ership of the newspaper,”
ly-owned publishing com- said Steve Forrester, presi-
dent and CEO of EO Media
Group. “She will continue
to be the chief operating
offi cer of EO Media Group,
and our corporate headquar-
ters will remain in Salem.”
“I feel like saying ‘Wel-
10K Run/Walk across the Astoria-Megler Bridge
GreatColumbiaCrossing.com
g
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Registration: $40 per person.
T-shirt: $15-$17 each.
Chip-timing for all participants.
Bridge will be closed to
vehicles from 8:30 to 11 a.m.
come home!’” said Betsy
McCool, chairwoman of the
board of Western Commu-
nications. “Heidi was won-
derful to work with in the
past and I feel that I can call
her a friend.”
EO
Media
Group
announced Wednesday that
it would not retain edi-
tor Erik Lukens and would
hire a new editor from out-
side the company. The com-
pany was the high bidder
at a bankruptcy court auc-
tion in July for The Bulle-
tin and Redmond Spokes-
man, offering $3.65 million
for Central Oregon’s centu-
ry-old daily newspaper and
a sister weekly.
EO Media Group also
owns The Astorian, the Sea-
side Signal and the Chinook
Observer.
Happy 37th
Courtney Ann
Sunday, October 13, 2019
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Point location, over the cur-
rent fi rehouse location and a
Gearhart Park site. The park
was withdrawn from con-
sideration in May due to the
EVENT HOST
August 21, 1982
The LORD will fight for you;
you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14 NLT
LOVE always, forever and
ever and ever.
Dadio