The Columbia Press
1
Clatsop County’s Independent Weekly
www.thecolumbiapress.com
50 ¢
Vol. 5, Issue 21
May 21, 2021
Happy trails as Warrenton connects the dots
Masked man
sought in DQ
robbery
State funding will
create a new trail
and connect another
By Cindy Yingst
The Columbia Press
The Columbia Press
Police are reviewing video from
nearby businesses after a Monday
night robbery at the Dairy Queen on
Marlin Avenue.
The robber, a man dressed in
black and wearing a black face
mask, came in through a back door
that had been propped open while
employees were cleaning, Warren-
ton Police Chief Matt Workman
said.
A customer called 911 about 9:45
p.m. Sunday after an employee told
them to call the police because they
were being robbed, according to
dispatch logs.
“The suspect went into the man-
ager’s office and entered the open
safe,” Workman said. “An employ-
ee confronted the man and grabbed
him when they realized he was steal-
ing money. A short struggle ensued
with the employee yelling for help
from other employees who joined in
the struggle.”
The robber told employees he had
a knife and then kicked one of them
before running off toward Warren-
ton Kia, which is next to the restau-
rant. More than $1,200 in cash was
missing from the safe.
Several officers from Warrenton
and the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Of-
fice searched the area, including the
woods behind Dairy Queen and Kia,
but the robber wasn’t found.
Anyone with information about
the crime, including those who may
have been in the area and possibly
saw something or someone, are
asked to contact an on-duty War-
renton officer by calling dispatch at
503-325-8661.
KOA
New Trail
Dr
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n
no
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i
Tra
Waterfront Trail
ific
NW Warrenton Dr.
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ipa
See ‘Trail’ on Page 4
Steve Fulton walks with his dog, Jin
Dao, along the Waterfront Trail near
13th Street in Warrenton on Tuesday.
A state grant will help the city connect
the section with another section that
bgins at the dog park in Carruthers
Park. (Cindy Yingst)
At right is a map showing a new trail
that will cut through a swap between
the KOA campground and Northwest
Warrenton Drive.
Sk
A new walking and biking path that
would run from Fort Stevens through
the city’s swampy midsection and out
to the Columbia River was approved
by the Oregon Transportation Com-
mission late last week.
The project was approved under
a new funding category, Oregon
Community Paths. The state legis-
lature has prioritized projects that
make communities more walkable,
accessible by bicycles, and bus
friendly. The paths are funded by
the state’s vehicle privilege tax, bi-
cycle excise tax and federal highway
funds.
More than $15 million was ap-
proved for 21 community path
projects, including Warrenton’s
new trail, and improvements to As-
toria’s Riverwalk Trail.
“These awards represent a culmi-
Two incumbents defeated in Clatsop College board race
The Columbia Press
Voters chose to replace two of the
three contested seats on the Clatsop
Community College board.
Other than the college board race,
there were few other races that drew
more than one candidate in Tues-
day’s special districts election. Turn-
out also was low, with just under 23
percent of voters submitting a ballot.
Most of the uncontested races saw
incumbents running for and retain-
ing their seats.
Other races had no candidates and
the positions likely will be left un-
filled or appointed by board members
Meyer
Citovic
Iverson
whose seats weren’t up for election.
For the college board, Sara Meyer
retained her seat as director for Zone
2, Position 2. She garnered 3,675
votes, or 65.5 percent, over Patrick
Preston’s 1,932 votes.
In the seat representing Zone 2, Po-
sition 3, newcomer Trudy Van Dusen
Citovic received 3,101 votes, or 55
percent, over incumbent Bob Dueh-
mig, the board’s chair. He’d been
appointed to the board in December
2014. Christina Secord had with-
drawn from the race, yet received 12
percent of the vote.
The tightest race was in the Zone 3,
Position 6, contest. Suzanne Iverson
received 50.4 percent of the vote over
incumbent David Zunkel. Zunkel, a
retired doctor, was appointed to the
board in August 2019.
All of the incumbents for the Port of
See ‘Election’ on Page 6