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THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020
Gearhart moves to amend downtown zoning
IN BRIEF
Seaside man sentenced
for drunken-driving crash
A Seaside man was sentenced Friday to 150 days in
jail and four years probation for a drunken-driving crash
that left a man seriously injured.
Erick Yetzael Mendez Lopez, 23, pleaded guilty to
driving under the infl uence of intoxicants, assault in the
fourth degree, recklessly endangering another person,
reckless driving and two counts of failure to perform the
duties of a driver with property damage.
Justin Powell, of Seaside, was walking across 12th
Avenue and N. Holladay Drive in December when he was
struck by a vehicle driven by Mendez Lopez.
Powell suffered numerous fractures, a laceration, a
concussion and other injuries that have required surgeries.
As part of his probation, Judge Deanne Darling
required Mendez Lopez to present on his experience at a
local high school on an annual basis.
Powell fi led a lawsuit in May seeking more than $1.1
million for negligence.
The lawsuit also accuses Naked Wines in Oregon and
Damarkom, doing business as Times Theater and Public
House, of negligence for allegedly serving Mendez Lopez
alcohol prior to the crash while he was visibly intoxicated.
Razor clamming closed on the coast
Razor clamming is closed along the Oregon Coast.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the clo-
sure on Friday after samples showed the marine biotoxin
domoic acid exceeded the closure limit.
The state recommended people throw away and not
eat razor clams harvested since Nov. 16.
Mussel, bay clam and crab harvesting remains open.
State offers free fi shing weekend
Fishing is free in Oregon on the Friday and Saturday
after Thanksgiving.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will not
require fi shing license or tags to fi sh, crab or clam. The
free fi shing days are part of a campaign to encourage peo-
ple to get outdoors after the holiday.
All other fi shing regulations including closures, bag
limits and size restrictions still apply.
“Getting outdoors to fi sh can be a safe and healthy
activity right now, and a good respite during this diffi cult
time,” Curt Melcher, the director of the Oregon Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife, said in a statement. “We do
ask all who participate to please follow all the virus pre-
cautions so everyone has a safe time this free fi shing
weekend.”
Parks waive fees after Thanksgiving
Day-use parking fees will be waived in 25 state parks
across Oregon for the day after Thanksgiving, including
at sites inside Fort Stevens State Park near Warrenton.
“We recognize that being outdoors makes us feel bet-
ter and is a break from the stresses of 2020,” Lisa Sump-
tion, the director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department, said in a statement.
“In this unconventional year, we feel it is especially
important to honor this tradition as thanks to Oregonians
for supporting us through our toughest times.”
— The Astorian
DEATHS
Nov. 21, 2020
In CRUMP,
Brief Roland
David, 84, of Long Beach,
Washington, died in
Deaths
Woodburn. Ocean View
Funeral & Cremation Ser-
vice of Astoria is in charge
of the arrangements.
Nov. 20, 2020
BEARD,
Dennis
Aron, 63, of Astoria, died
in Astoria. Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
Nov. 19, 2020
HOLT, Laurena June,
66, of Arch Cape, died
in Seaside. Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
ON THE RECORD
Credit card fraud
• Kayla Sandoval, 28,
On
the Hundley,
Record
• Quinlan
of Astoria, was arrested
25, was arrested Saturday Saturday in Warrenton
MEETINGS
in PUBLIC
Warrenton for
fraudu- for fraudulent use of a
lent use of a credit card, credit card, theft in the
theft in the third degree second degree and iden-
and identity theft.
tity theft.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
TUESDAY
Astoria Planning Commission, 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 1095
Duane St.
Knappa School District Board, 5:30 p.m., (electronic
meeting).
Warrenton City Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 225 S. Main
Ave.
Seaside Airport Advisory Committee, 6 p.m., City Hall,
989 Broadway.
WEDNESDAY
Astoria Parks Board, 6:45 a.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St.
City Council votes
to proceed with
code changes
By R.J. MARX
The Astorian
GEARHART — A nearly
two-year process turned
around the bend Thursday
night as the City Council
reviewed recommendations
of the Planning Commis-
sion to clean up outdated
code language, make down-
town commercial zoning
less restrictive and encour-
age new businesses.
If adopted, the amend-
ments could bring outdoor
and sidewalk seating to
neighborhood markets and
limit chain or formula use
businesses with four or more
locations.
The amendments would
eliminate restrictions that
require neighborhood cafes
to be open 11 months a year
and lift the 10 p.m. closing
time.
(USPS 035-000)
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modernize language in the
code to allow businesses to
have more options, increase
revenue and be more suc-
cessful in the downtown C-1
zone.
According to the compre-
hensive plan, the city must
limit commercial activity to
a level compatible with res-
idential character.
After a public hearing in
October, a group of business
owners said the proposed
changes remain overly
restrictive, would make it
diffi cult to seek fi nancing
and discourage new busi-
nesses from opening.
Business owners had
sought to lift a requirement
for a conditional use permit
for retail stores and neigh-
borhood cafes.
“Not only would this
move to make two more
outright uses save the city
money in administrative
costs, it would ease the
city administrator’s job of
enforcement and eliminate
the costs associated with
appeals,” the coalition of 11
business owners wrote the
Planning Commission ear-
lier his month.
The new amendments
fall short of listing retail and
restaurants as unconditional
uses.
The comprehensive plan,
which stresses the city’s
residential nature, directed
much of the language in the
amendments, City Attorney
Peter Watts said at Thurs-
day’s meeting.
“The goal is serve the
community, not attract tour-
ists,” Watts said. “There are
limits to what we can do
because of the very restric-
tive language in our compre-
hensive plan.”
City c ouncilors voted 4-1
to approve a vote on the fi rst
reading of the amendments
at the city’s Dec. 2 meeting.
Brown and council-
ors Rita Fackerell, Paulina
Cockrum and Kerry Smith
voted in favor, while Coun-
cilor Dan Jesse voted against
the move.
Liberty Theatre raises $175,000 at virtual gala
By JONATHAN
WILLIAMS
The Astorian
The Liberty Theatre raised
$175,000 on Saturday night
during the theater’s virtual
gala.
Most of the funds raised
will go toward stewardship
of the building and required
repairs and maintenance.
With largely no events at
the theater since March, the
Liberty has seen a $400,000
reduction in the theater’s
operating budget.
But within minutes of
the event starting, Jenni-
fer Crockett, the Liberty
Theatre’s executive direc-
tor, received texts alerting
her the theater’s website had
crashed. It was overwhelmed
with traffi c. Crockett posted
the gala video on Vimeo for
the awaiting audience.
The gala featured perfor-
mances by the band Horse
Feathers, featuring Crockett
on bass clarinet, 45th Paral-
lel Universe Orchestra and
Metropolitan Opera soprano
Angela Meade.
The event had already
raised $60,000 before the
start of the gala on Saturday
night.
An anonymous donor
provided a substantial fund-
raising boost, helping match
$50,000 for funds donated by
midnight on Saturday.
Crockett said it was unbe-
lievable how much money
the theater was able to raise.
Many donations were
$25, $50 and $100 contri-
butions, with “j ust so many
people digging deep and
supporting the theater right
now when you know there’s
restaurants closing and bars
closing and people are out
of work, Crockett said. “It’s
been really overwhelming to
know how many people you
know love the theater and
want to see us continue.”
Crockett said she does
feel guilty talking about how
much the theater raised while
so many are still hurting
because of the pandemic.
“Music, dance and the-
ater have incredible power to
inspire, unite and create joy,
which we need now more
Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
ABOVE: The renovated concession stand at the Liberty
Theatre. BELOW: The Liberty Theatre has completed major
renovations this year, including a restored ticket kiosk and
glass vestibule to block sound from Commercial Street.
than ever,” Crockett said in
a prerecorded video for the
gala.
She highlighted the Lib-
erty’s economic and cul-
tural impact on the North
Coast, citing the more than
130 events and nearly 20,000
attendees who come in a nor-
mal year.
The Liberty has devel-
oped a temporary mission
statement to be a catalyst for
the arts on the Oregon Coast,
helping mentor a coalition
of 17 local performing arts
groups in Clatsop County.
The Liberty, with the help
of state Sen. Betsy Johnson,
successfully advocated for
nearly half a million dollars
in federal CARES Act relief
funds for arts groups in the
county.
Crockett said the Liberty
is working to help arts groups
in the coalition set up Giv-
ing Tuesday donate pages on
their websites.
In a video message, Ted
Osborn, the Liberty’s board
president, explained the ren-
ovations that have already
been completed at the the-
ater through previous dona-
tions, including the reno-
vated historic ticket kiosk
and glass wall vestibule to
dampen the noise from Com-
mercial Street; drapes on the
windows and entryways into
the theater from the lobby
for sound-proofi ng; and a
new concession stand, featur-
ing reclaimed material from
other parts of the theater.
Future projects at the Lib-
erty include expanding the
stage and adding better light-
ing and sound and replac-
ing the main curtain. Creat-
ing full dressing spaces and
a green room for productions,
along with a better loading
area, are also on the docket.
Crockett is sure the show
will go on.
“In March 2020 historic
theater s across the nation and
around the world went dark.
But theater s never really go
dark. Every stage has a single
light that always stays on,”
the video message said . “This
‘Ghost Light’ keeps shining to
keep the spirits of past shows
happy while waiting for audi-
ences to return. Historic the-
ater s have been through this
before. And we’ll be right
here waiting on the other side
of this one. Waiting for you to
come back.”
Offi ces close for Thanksgiving
The Astorian
Established July 1, 1873
Amendments
would
bring existing stores into
compliance with the code
by eliminating restrictive
language, members of City
Council said at a public hear-
ing to consider the changes .
Downtown
businesses
would be able to use 50% of
their property for residential
purposes.
Changes would allow
retailers, including the
Pacifi c Way Cafe, Sweet
Shop and By the Way, to
continue operations as they
are rather than face enforce-
ment for violating terms of
the code.
“This is going to really
help not only existing busi-
nesses, but help new busi-
nesses come into Gearhart
too, hopefully a new grocery
market, as well,” Mayor
Matt Brown said.
The City Council tasked
planning
commissioners
with the revisions in early
2019 after the closing of
Gearhart’s only grocery.
The amendments aim to
In observance of Thanks-
giving Day on Thursday,
all federal and state offi ces
are closed. County offi ces
and the Astoria, Warrenton,
Gearhart, Seaside and Can-
non Beach city halls are
closed Thursday and Friday.
All U.S. post offi ces are
closed Thursday, and there
is no mail delivery.
The Astoria School Dis-
trict schools and Clatsop
Community College are
closed Thursday and Friday.
The Knappa and Seaside
(including Cannon Beach
and Gearhart) school district
schools are closed Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday.
The Jewell and Warrenton/
Hammond school district
schools are closed Monday
through Friday.
The Port of Astoria
offi ces and services are
closed Thursday and Friday.
Recology Western Ore-
gon customers whose ser-
vice day is Thursday will
have their garbage picked up
on Friday; customers whose
service day is Friday will
have pickup on Saturday.
The transfer station is closed
Thursday.
City of Warrenton gar-
bage collection custom-
ers whose usual pickup day
is Thursday will have their
garbage picked up on Friday.
Sunset Empire Transpor-
tation (“The Bus”) is not
running Thursday.
The Astorian offi ces
are closed . Thursday’s
paper is being delivered on
Wednesday.
NEED PRUNE TARTS
FOR THE HOLIDAYS?
Suomi Hall auxiliary workers
are taking orders.
One dozen frozen
(ready to bake)
tarts is $20.
Call 503-440-9002 to place
your order by December 4.