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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2019)
T he C olumbia P ress February 1, 2019 Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer Warrenton’s progress due to many people 2018--what a year! A lot of things were accom- plished, including a wider in- volvement by citizens in shap- ing the city. Two things stand out to me about 2018. The first was how clean the downtown has be- come compared to years past thanks to the efforts of the RDI Economic Roadmapping Downtown Community Ac- tion Team. The second is how proud I am of the city making a special emphasis to honor our veterans. To the first point, I feel cred- it is long overdue. Before the Downtown Ac- tion Team was formed, the groundwork for downtown re- vitalization was laid by three citizens who persevered and really spurred myself and the commission to look at what makes Warrenton a good place to live: Norm and Bren- da Hoxsey, and Jim Dutcher. It all started at a Mayor’s Cof- fee when they raised a safety issue. Long story short, it had to do with derelict vehicles, trailers and junk preventing residents from seeing oncom- ing traffic as they left their de- velopment. Due to some juris- dictional issues with the state, the city began looking for bet- ter options and discovered the nuisance ordinance of 1989 enabled the city to resolve the issue. It took more than a year to hash everything out, but Norm, Brenda, and Jim were patient and persistent. Their advocacy ended up kicking off a year of cleanups, including a few for which Commissioner Tom Dyer organized citizen groups to assist folks whose properties were beyond their ability to clean. To the second point, War- renton really made 2018 a year to remember. Our Fourth of July parade had the best turnout ever, and it was ded- icated to all veterans. The Or- egon Air National Guard was so impressed by how much our city supports the military and our veterans that they cleared much of their flyover schedule and made what was, essentially, a one-time spe- cial dispensation to provide us with an F-15 Eagle flyover led by the commander of the fighter wing. Local veterans, inspired by the F-15 flyover, made a com- memorative flyover of the La- bor Day concert in the park as well. Beyond that, Warrenton VFW, in partnership with the city, erected the first veterans memorial in Clatsop County in more than 90 years! This brings me to another Warren- ton couple who have made a big difference. Bert and Deb- bie Little. Bert and Debbie received the Richard Ford Award last weekend, which is the high- est award the city of Warren- ton bestows upon people who spend a significant part of the lives improving our city. Bert and Debbie are very ac- tive members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and, if not for them, there would be no vet- erans memorial downtown. There also wouldn’t be regular and active concessions at the Quincy Robinson Park. They also maintain the flags flown near the veterans me- morial. Did I mention they were involved in getting the Army to improve the Fort Stevens Military Cemetery to military standards? This is just what they’ve done as a couple in the past five years and they’ve been doing things individually in nonprofit groups, schools and churches for decades before that. I don’t have the column inches to list it all, but if you see them--congratulate them on their well-deserved honor as Richard Ford Award recipi- ents, and thank them for their service to the city. Public safety calls Continued from Page 2 • Female fall patient, 5:16 a.m. Jan. 22, 2200 block Southeast Dolphin Avenue. • Female with difficulty breath- ing, 10:17 a.m. Jan. 22, 100 block South Highway 101. • Male who’s not breathing, 2:19 p.m. Jan. 23, 90900 block Spirit Place Road. • Suicidal female, 3:48 p.m. Jan. 23, 1400 block Southeast Willow Drive. • Suicidal female, 3:48 p.m. Jan. 23, 90900 block Highway 101. • Male with chest pain, 9:44 p.m. Jan. 23, 500 block Northeast Skipanon Drive. • Female with chest pain, 7:20 a.m. Jan. 24, 1100 block South- west Cedar Avenue. • Female with rib pain, 1:23 p.m. Jan. 25, 0-100 block Southwest Main Court. • Male with chest pain, 4:27 p.m. Jan. 25, 2200 block Southeast Dolphin Avenue. • Male with unknown injuries from a fall, 3:25 a.m. Jan. 27, 200 block Southwest Alder Avenue. • Female with possible overdose, 8:18 p.m. Jan. 27, 0-100 block Southwest Main Court. 3 Pursuit ends in arrests near Cullaby A Portland-area couple were at speeds of 95 mph or more. arrested Jan. 16 after they led For safety reasons, the offi- police on a high-speed motor- cer backed off some and the cycle pursuit that ended near motorcycle eventually turned Cullaby Lake. into the Cullaby Lake area. A Warrenton police The officer lost sight officer was parked in of the bike and, when the Home Depot park- other units arrived, ing lot checking email they began searching about 9 p.m. when he the driveways and side heard an abnormally yards. loud motorcycle com- While walking past ing in his direction. a home in the 33800 “I looked over toward Carlson block of Cullaby Lake Southeast Ensign Ave- Lane, the officer no- nue and could see the ticed the bike and saw motorcycle’s front tire two people hiding be- hind a bush. come off the ground as Cameron Dean Carl- it revved its engine,” the son, 27, of Vancouver, officer wrote in a po- lice report. “I could see Wash., was arrested on there was a passenger suspicion of reckless Kor on the bike.” driving, reckless en- dangerment, eluding a The bike passed in front of the marked police police officer, exceeding the car, failed to signal as it made posted speed, failure to carry a right turn onto Alternate and present a license, driving Highway 101 and failed to sig- while suspended and failing nal again a short time later. to obey a traffic-control de- “I activated my emergen- vice. cy lights as the bike entered Lori Lynn Kor, 26, of Mil- Highway 101” headed south, waukee was arrested on sus- according to the report. The picion of possessing heroin. Both were booked at Clatsop officer informed dispatch of the pursuit, which continued County Jail.
