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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2022)
INSIDE 149TH YEAR, NO. 91 WEEKEND EDITION // SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022 $1.50 ASTORIA BRIDGE County wants to partner with state to deter suicides Several fatal jumps over the past few decades By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian In the wake of another fatal jump off the Astoria Bridge, Clatsop County has asked the Oregon Department of Transportation to con- sider ways to prevent more suicides. In a letter to Bill Jablonski, the district man- ager of the Department of Transportation , the c ounty Board of Commissioners requested that the state partner with the c ounty and local men- tal health professionals to assess a full range of prevention options . On the afternoon of Jan. 12, James Neikes, a 29-year-old Astoria resident, jumped off the bridge . He landed on the grass east of Suomi Hall. Still breathing when police offi cers arrived, Neikes was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospi- tal, then fl own to a Portland-area hospital, where he died. “These deaths not only impact the individual families who experience the tragic loss of life, but also their community peers, co-workers, and bystanders,” the county’s letter, signed by Mark Kujala, the board’s chairman, said . See Bridge, Page A8 Photos by Lydia Ely/The Astorian A workforce housing project at Heritage Square would include a mental health component built in the parking lot next to the American Legion. Mental health component at Heritage Square draws some unease Project would include 33 units of supportive housing By NICOLE BALES The Astorian State reports virus outbreak at hospital By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian The Oregon Health Authority has reported 18 coronavirus cases at Columbia Memorial Hos- pital in Astoria . The most recent onset was Jan. 16, accord- ing to the state. The investigation began Jan. 19. The virus cases were disclosed Wednesday night in the health authority’s weekly report on workplace outbreaks. Workplaces with 30 or more workers appear in the report when at least fi ve test positive for COVID-19. “As with most of our health care colleagues, CMH has had COVID-19 exposures due to the o micron variant,” the hospital said in a statement. “All these exposures originated outside the hospital,” the statement continued. “Every care- giver exposed or positive is following strict employee health guidelines. Staffi ng has been aff ected, but not to the extent that services are canceled. “CMH has always been vigilant about wear- ing PPE (personal protective equipment), social distancing and other methods of containing exposure potential in our organization. We are a safe place to come for anyone who needs care and encourage assistance to utilize our services. A mental health component of a workforce housing project at Heritage Square would pro- vide low-cost housing for people undergoing treatment and help fi ll a gap countywide. The concept by Edlen & Co., a Portland-based developer, involves two buildings spanning the down- town block next to C ity H all. The main building, planned along 12th Street between Duane and Exchange streets, would include up to 75 units serving mostly lower-wage workers. A four-story building on the block’s smaller lot at 11th Street and Exchange would provide 33 micro units of supportive housing for clients of Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, Clatsop County’s men- tal health and substance abuse-treat- ment provider. Services for the resi- dents would be on the fi rst fl oor, and there would be an outdoor area for residents. Many of the people would be part of the agency’s Open Door program, which provides intensive wraparound services. The program serves between 70 and 80 people at a given time and is centered around those who need support in fi nding and maintaining employment. Amy Baker, the agency’s exec- utive director, said clients outside of the Open Door program could also live in the building. The com- mon denominator for choosing who would be suitable for the housing is some level of stability, she said. Some at the Astoria Senior Center are concerned about the supportive housing proposed across the street. Offi ces for the Open Door pro- gram are planned for the ground fl oor, with the micro units on the upper fl oors. Unlike the main apart- ment complex at Heritage Square, the building would not include park- ing, since the agency’s clients typi- cally do not drive. The units would be priced at about 30% of the county’s median income, using project-based hous- ing choice vouchers. Creative approach The mental health component of the project not only fi lls a gap, but functions as a creative way to make the project more aff ordable while serving a wider range of incomes. Heritage Square is challenging and expensive to develop, so Edlen & Co. proposed using income aver- aging. With income averaging, the project can receive tax credit equity for all the units if the average aff ord- ability is at or below 60% of area median income. Because the project would include Clatsop Behavioral Health- care units at 30% of area median income, the project can have units for people earning wages up to 80%, which means up to $19.65 an hour for someone living on their own in the county. The City Council will discuss entering into an exclusive negoti- ating agreement with Edlen & Co. during a meeting on Feb. 7. The council is also expected to weigh code changes to enable develop- ment at Heritage Square. Mayor Bruce Jones said the council will use the meeting as an opportunity to consider public input and will likely hold a vote on the agreement on Feb. 22. The mental health component of the workforce housing project has drawn broad support among See Heritage Square, Page A8 See Outbreak, Page A8 New lodging space planned at former YMCA Judge Matyas to retire from Circuit Court Brown announced the vacancy By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian Judge Cindee Matyas will retire this summer after serving 15 years on the Clatsop County Circuit Court. Gov. Kate Brown announced the vacancy on Thursday. Matyas’ retirement takes eff ect June 30, the governor’s offi ce said. Brown will make the appoint- ment to fi ll the vacancy. The appointed judge will fi nish Matyas’ six-year term and will have to run for the post in 2024 to stay on. First elected in 2006, Matyas ran unopposed in 2012 and 2018. Before that, she served as a M unicipal C ourt judge in Can- non Beach and ran a private practice. In the 1990s, Matyas worked as a prosecutor in the county d is- trict a ttorney’s offi ce. Matyas is one of the coun- ty’s three Circuit Court judges, along with presiding Judge Dawn McIntosh and Judge Beau Peterson. An upper fl oor for artists, vacation rentals By NICOLE BALES The Astorian The Astorian Judge Cindee Matyas will retire this summer. The Astoria Planning Commis- sion has approved a conditional use permit to allow lodging on the upper fl oor of the former YMCA downtown. Over the past several years, Noel Weber and his family have restored the historic building at 12th and Exchange streets. Gathered Bakeshop & Mar- ket and Shift+Wheeler, a clothing store and sewing studio, moved into the ground fl oor in 2020. The Webers recently renovated an attached gymnasium, and plan to use it as a work space for creative businesses and artists. The permit, approved on Tues- day, will allow Weber to use the 2,000 square-foot space on the upper fl oor to house artists and people who travel for workshops. The space will also be used as vacation rentals. “Over the years we have restored and transformed this building into what it is today,” Weber said in his application. “We have thoughtfully curated a creative community within the Y, providing space for local See Lodging, Page A8