OCTOBER 9, 2015 • VOL. 39, ISSUE 21
WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
COMPLIMENTARY COPY
PELICAN’S NEST
Quake,
tsunami
threats put
local bridges
at risk
Weak bridges
could pose serious
problems
By Dani Palmer
Cannon Beach Gazette
Cannon Beach is newest
home to Pelican
New brewery aims for spring 2016 opening
By Dani Palmer
Cannon Beach Gazette
T
he newest Pelican swooped into Cannon Beach
Tuesday, Sept. 29, as residents and city of¿ -
cials welcomed Pelican Brewing Co. Pelican
of¿ cially broke ground as chef John Newman served
crab cakes and mushrooms prepared on a grill and the
famed brewery poured their signature product.
“I’m excited they’re bringing a business down
here; to have something anchor people here,” local
business owner Jill Kratochvil said.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Court
Carrier said Pelican will bring “new vitality” to an
area of town that sees less foot traf¿ c. Many visitors
stay in midtown hotels, but shop downtown.
Pelican demolished the former Dooger’s Seafood
and Grill at 1371 South Hemlock St., vacant since
2011, to build its third location along the coast. The
brewing company ¿ rst opened in Paci¿ c City in 1996,
and added a site in Tillamook in 2013. Co-owner
Mary Jones said they “love being on the coast” and
had contemplated the new location for years.
“As we’ve moved through that process, it’s become
increasingly clear what a great choice that’s been and
See Pelican, Page 10A
If an earthquake were to shake
the Oregon coast, the bridge over
Ecola Creek likely wouldn’t sur-
vive, making it even harder for peo-
ple in downtown Cannon Beach to
survive the following tsunami.
Because of the likelihood of a
bridge collapse, the city’s evacua-
tion map guides residents and vis-
itors south, toward midtown. It’s a
longer route that could eat up valu-
able time, Emergency Preparedness
Committee Vice Chairman Les Wi-
erson said during a meeting Friday,
Sept. 25.
The risk has prompted the com-
mittee to take a closer look at options,
such as a replacement bridge, pedes-
trian bridge or a bridge relocation.
See Bridges, Page 9A
Cannon Beach
property owner
prevails in state
board decision
Jeff Nicholson wins
OK for four homes on
half-acre property
By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
DANI PALMER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Jill Kratochvil enjoys crabcakes and grilled mushrooms during Pelican Brewing Company’s groundbreaking ceremony.
An attempt to block the city’s
approval of a north-end develop-
ment project got shut down last
week with a decision by the state’s
Land Use Board of Appeals.
The city of Cannon Beach and
Portland resident Jeff Nicholson
won an OK to build and eventu-
ally sell three new homes on his
0.57-acre North Laurel St. proper-
ty purchased in 2014 for $900,000.
A fourth home on the property will
be rebuilt with a condition that the
home’s wood, beams and windows
be salvaged.
“It was the decision we were
hoping for,” Will Rasmussen, an at-
torney who represented the proper-
ty owner, said Monday. “The deci-
sion was, frankly, a win for Cannon
Beach. LUBA decided that Cannon
Beach followed all the rules they
needed to follow in approving this.”
After the city’s Planning Commis-
sion denied Nicholson’s application
PAID
PERMIT NO. 97
ASTORIA, OR
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
See Development, Page 9A
Community rallies as local kids battle leukemia
By Dani Palmer
Cannon Beach Gazette
Two local families received news no par-
ent wants to hear, but they aren’t alone in the
¿ ght. South County has pulled together to help
the families of Isair Leon-Mejia, 6, and Taylor
Burden, 2, both of whom were diagnosed with
leukemia this summer.
On Sept. 22, Yasemin Gadelhak hosted an
hour-long dance ¿ tness class in Cannon Beach,
raising $1,500 for the families. Other events have
been held to help, and Escape Lodging’s Misty
Kawasoe, who works with the Leon-Mejia fam-
ily, said more are in the works. The community
has also set up bank and GoFundMe accounts to
provide medical assistance and support.
Isair’s mother, Julie, said they began to notice
something was wrong with her son around the
Fourth of July. Isair was quiet, fatigued and had
no appetite — unusual for the “food fanatic.”
“We thought he was coming down with a
cold,” she said. “We didn’t think much of it.”
Julie and her husband, José, made a doctor’s
appointment for him, but Isair later developed a
fever and swollen glands while visiting family.
They took him to the ER, where doctors initial-
ly thought he had strep throat. Then Julie ques-
tioned his symptoms.
Medical staff ran blood tests and started an IV
immediately. Julie learned that Isair was anemic
and possibly had leukemia, a blood cell cancer.
“Everything paused at that moment,” she
said. “I had to hold myself together.”
Doctors gave Isair a blood transfusion and
rushed him to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
in Portland. His immune system was so weak,
he was kept at the hospital for the ne[t ¿ ve days.
They ended up in a hotel until a room in the
Ronald McDonald House opened. They stayed
there before moving to a À oor dedicated to Ron-
ald McDonald at the Marriott.
Finally, on Sept. 8, the family got to come
home.
“He really started progressing,” Julie said.
When Isair blamed himself for the disease,
his mother reassured him it was nothing he’d
done.
See Leukemia, Page 9A
SUBMITTED PHOTO/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Mariliz Leon-Mejia, 7, and her brother, Isair, 6,
pose together at the hospital. Isair has leukemia
and is undergoing treatment.