A2
THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2020
HOLIDAY FOOD PARADE
IN BRIEF
Warrenton police offi cer injured
after arrest of DUII crash suspect
LEFT: Laurel, left, and Brynlee Sullivan watch
and wave as Santa Claus and the Astoria Fire
Department pass by on Wednesday night.
A Warrenton police offi cer was taken to the hospi-
tal with injuries after reportedly being assaulted by a
drunken-driving suspect.
Police were dispatched to the area of N.W. 13th
Place and N.W. Warrenton Drive at about 11:20 p.m.
for a reckless driving complaint. When offi cers
arrived, the vehicle, a white Ford F-350, was in a ditch
on its side.
The driver, Bailey Enloe, 24, of Astoria, was
reportedly slumped against the driver’s side window
and unresponsive. Offi cials say when offi cers and
emergency crews made entry into the vehicle, Enloe
became combative and caused injury to an offi cer.
Police used a Taser to subdue Enloe and take her
into custody.
Offi cials say Enloe appeared to be under the infl u-
ence of intoxicants, so she was taken to Columbia
Memorial Hospital in Astoria for medical clearance
before being taken to the Clatsop County Jail.
While being driven to the hospital by ambulance,
Enloe reportedly kicked an offi cer on board, causing
him to lose consciousness.
The ambulance stopped and other offi cers and sher-
iff’s deputies took control. Another ambulance took
the injured offi cer to Columbia Memorial.
Enloe is facing charges of driving under the infl u-
ence of intoxicants, reckless driving, assaulting a pub-
lic safety offi cer, assault in the second degree, resisting
arrest, interfering with a police offi cer and disorderly
conduct in the fi rst degree.
The Warrenton Police Department said in a post on
Facebook that the offi cer was released from the hospi-
tal and was recovering at home.
BELOW: The Astoria Fire Department and
volunteers climb the 17th Street hill while
following Santa Claus on a fi re truck during
their annual Holiday Food Parade through
Astoria on Wednesday night. Every year, the
department collects nonperishable food items
and donations while spreading holiday cheer
through Astoria’s neighborhoods.
Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Police investigating crash
that closed Highway 101
Police are investigating a four-vehicle crash Sun-
day that closed U.S. Highway 101 at Oswald West
State Park for more than four hours.
An Infi nity, GMC Sierra and Nissan Xterra were
headed southbound at about 11:40 a.m. when the
Infi nity turned left into the northbound lane, crashing
into a rock embankment.
Offi cials say a motorhome struck the passenger side
of the Infi nity and then crashed into the Sierra. The
motorhome continued forward and swerved to avoid
going over a cliff and crashed into the front of the
Nissan.
The Nissan spun around and then the motor-
home struck the driver side of the Nissan, pushing it
up against the rock embankment on the northbound
shoulder.
The driver of the Infi nity was taken to a hospital by
ambulance and then to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in
Portland. The passenger in the Infi nity was driven to
Adventist Health Tillamook.
The passenger in the motorhome was taken to a
hospital in Clatsop County.
Witnesses said the Infi nity had been swerving out
of its lane for miles before the crash. Offi cials say mul-
tiple empty alcohol containers were found in the Infi n-
ity and that the driver admitted to drinking and using
cocaine.
— The Astorian
DEATHS
Dec. 13, 2020
In CHRISTENSEN,
Brief
Don-
ald Paul, 84, of Warrenton,
died in Warrenton. Cald-
Deaths
well’s Luce-Layton Mor-
tuary of Astoria is in charge
of the arrangements.
KOSKELA, Robert
W., 92, of Astoria, died
in Astoria. Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary of
Astoria is in charge of the
arrangements.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
TUESDAY
United Health District of Clatsop County, 8 a.m., Seaside
Civic and Convention Center, Necanicum Room, 415 First
Ave.
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of
Directors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Avenue A., Seaside.
Astoria Historic Landmarks Commission, 5:30 p.m., City
Hall, 1095 Duane St.
Shoreline Sanitary District Board, 7 p.m., Gearhart Her-
tig Station, 33496 West Lake Lane, Warrenton.
WEDNESDAY
Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee, 3 p.m., City Hall,
989 Broadway.
Gearhart City Council, 6 p.m., special meeting, (electronic
meeting).
THURSDAY
Sunset Empire Transportation District Board, 9 a.m.,
(electronic meeting).
Astoria City Council, 1 p.m., work session, City Hall, 1095
Duane St.
Seaside School District Board, 6 p.m., (electronic meet-
ing).
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District, 7 p.m.,
webinar on Broadway Middle School purchase, (electronic
meeting).
PUBLIC MEETINGS
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THE ROUTE WAS A CHARACTER IN THE FAMILY
Carrier delivered papers on
North Coast for over 50 years
ime had taken a toll
on Conley Vaughan’s
body, not unexpected
for an 80-year-old. He toler-
ated the aches in his shoul-
ders, the doctor telling him
it was a rotator cuff issue,
and he never missed a day of
work.
What bothered him were
his eyes. Years earlier he’d
had cataract surgery, which
had helped. But his eyesight
was growing weaker, making
it diffi cult for Vaughan to see
clearly while driving early
in the morning, long before
sunrise. He told his family
he was fi ne and to not worry.
Finally, though, he faced his
own brutal truth about his
future.
Last December he retired.
If he’d had a career with
a corner offi ce, a brilliant
resume and title, there’d
have been a party. A speech
from the boss. Stories from
co-workers. A couple of
toasts, his moment to thank
them all, basking in the
applause and waving good-
bye as he walked out the
door.
He got nothing.
And why should he?
He was, after all, just a
paperboy.
Back in the day, in an era
that no longer exists, a paper
route was a kid’s entree into
the work world. Maybe a
buddy had a route. So, a boy
would promise his parents
he’d be responsible. He’d
show up at the district paper
station, get a bag and start
the next day.
When I was in the sev-
enth grade, I delivered the
Oregon Journal, Portland’s
afternoon newspaper. At
the time, the paper was how
adults learned what had hap-
pened during the day. The
paper folded in 1982, the
assets being taken over by
The Oregonian.
My parents subscribed
to both papers, and I was
seduced by a recurring Jour-
nal ad saying they were
looking for paperboys. A boy
who sold enough subscrip-
tions could win an all-ex-
penses-paid trip to Disney-
land. The earning potential,
at least the way the ad prom-
ised, would allow me to
eventually buy a mini-bike.
I got a route that took me,
on my bike, into southwest
Portland neighborhoods.
Selling was tough. I got bit
by a dog. Too many custom-
ers stiffed me when I came
to collect.
T
After 52 years of delivering The Oregonian, Conley Vaughan,
now 81, is adjusting to retirement.
After eight
worked at a local
months, I quit.
plywood mill. He
Vaughan worked
divorced and remar-
his route for 52
ried — he and his
years.
current wife have
He delivered The
been together for 43
Oregonian, seven
years and had two
TOM
days a week, from
children. He now
HALLMAN JR.
Astoria to Sea-
has eight grand-
side. The circulation
children and three
department at The Oregonian great-grandchildren.
couldn’t fi nd a record of any
The only constant in his
newspaper carrier in com-
life was the paper route,
pany history who had a ten-
which he gave up in 2019,
ure matching Vaughan’s.
a few weeks before Christ-
“People get their news
mas Day.
on the computer,” said Mark
“When his route ended,”
Larson, Vaughan’s super-
said his daughter, Susan
visor and The Oregonian
Vaughan, “something in my
dealer in Astoria. “Once,
father died.”
papers were a big deal. We
As the one-year anni-
used to deliver 4,000 papers
versary of his retirement
here. Now we’re down to
approaches, Vaughan is
maybe 250.”
learning to adapt to his new
Even the term paper-
life.
boy no longer applies the
“Sometimes I wake up at
way it once did. Men and
3 in the morning and almost
women, not grade school
jump out of bed thinking it’s
kids, deliver the paper these
time for the route,” he said.
days. No one uses a bike.
“Then I remember. Peo-
They have to have a car and
ple might not understand,
proof of insurance. The offi -
but I’m a little down every
cial job description is “news- morning. By the afternoon,
paper carrier,” which makes
I’m back to normal, but
no sense to Vaughan, who,
those mornings are tough.”
even up to the last day on the
Susan Vaughan remem-
job, always called himself a
bers tagging along with him
paperboy.
in the summer and riding
Vaughan grew up in Gear- with him in his car.
hart, graduated from Seaside
“People would literally be
High School and married at
looking out the window,” she
21. By the time he was 28,
said. “They were watching
he and his wife had three
for my father.”
kids. He worked in a Seaside
They were waiting for the
grocery running the cash reg- paperboy.
ister and stocking shelves.
Vaughan always enjoyed
The sole supporter of the
a good car. Over the years
he had family station wag-
family, he was always look-
ons, as well as some high
ing to make extra money.
One day the man who deliv- end cars, a Chevrolet Cor-
vette and a vintage Plymouth
ered The Oregonian got to
Road Runner.
talking with Vaughn in the
And then he had The
grocery. He said he was leav-
Route cars.
ing the area and his route
“As a teenager I was hor-
would be open.
rifi ed of those cars,” said
Vaughan took it over.
He later left the store and
Susan Vaughan. “They were
all old beat-up cars. All my
dad cared about was they got
good mileage. He took out
the passenger seat to stack
his papers on the fl oor.”
The Route — it deserves
to be capitalized — was a
character in the family.
Vaughan wasn’t interested
in traveling, taking a vaca-
tion or going anywhere that
would make him miss deliv-
ering the paper. Once, he
was in his route car deliver-
ing papers when his car was
struck by a drunk driver.
“It happened on a Fri-
day,” said his daughter. “His
face was black and blue, and
he had a concussion.”
He told his family he was
going to deliver the Satur-
day paper.
“We argued with him,”
said his daughter. “But he
was adamant he was going.
We fi nally agreed on the con-
dition I would drive him.”
Vaughan picked her father
up at his home. Before get-
ting the Saturday paper, he
said he had to make a stop.
“He had me go to the
impound lot where his route
car had been towed,” she
said. “The car was full of
Friday papers. He hauled
them out of his wrecked
car and put them in mine.
He told me he was going to
take the Friday and Saturday
papers to his customers. I
thought he was insane.”
They were delayed and
customers, wondering why
the paper was late, were
waiting, irritated that they’d
missed their Friday paper.
Then they saw Vaughan’s
battered face. He told them
what had happened. He
handed them two papers.
That was his job.
He was, after all, a
paperboy.
Vaughan is a relic, an
anachronism.
Maybe — in this fast-
paced, digital-fi rst, keyword,
search engine, website, click,
get it on your smart phone
world — that’s where we’re
all headed, no matter where
we work, what we do or
where we live.
A man of habit, Vaughan
is up about 6 a.m. The paper
has been left at his front door
of his house in Gearhart.
He reads it while he has
his breakfast.
“Without the paper,” he
said, “it would be a wasted
day for me.”
Tom Hallman Jr. is a
senior reporter at The
Oregonian.