2A • August 17, 2018 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
National Night Out in Seaside
Firefighters,
police serve up
a night of fun at
Broadway Park
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
Just before the grills were
fired up for the annual law
enforcement National Night
Out, beach rescue returned
from a distress call in the
Cove, as two boogie-boarders
got stuck in the current.
Just another life-saving
day at the office.
Such are the challenges
of Seaside police and fire
departments, whether fight-
ing fires near and far, pro-
viding aid to swimmers and
R.J. MARX
Duane Heller, Barney Gee, Sandra Gee and Lt. Bruce Holt
share a laugh at the National Night Out at Broadway Park.
surfers, or maintaining pub-
lic safety on the streets of a
city that can swell to 40,000
on busy summer days.
“I’ve been to a few of
these,” Lt. Bruce Holt, Sea-
side’s longest serving officer
said, referring to the 35th an-
nual barbecue on Aug. 7 in
Seaside designed to bring the
community out to meet local
fire departments and law en-
forcement.
Holt said the night had an
“impressive turnout,” with
games, brochures and pam-
phlets highlighting depart-
ment activities.
Seaside Fire Division
Chief Chris Dugan served
burgers and hot dogs to all
comers.
The event had been busy
from the start, Police Chief
Dave Ham said. “Broadway
Park is a great place to have
it,” he said. “We’re very hap-
py with all the cooperation
from everybody. It’s been re-
ally great.”
Gearhart man sentenced to nearly
six years in child pornography case
Plea deal with
District Attorney
By Jack Heffernan
The Daily Astorian
A Gearhart man was sen-
tenced Thursday to nearly six
years in prison for child por-
nography crimes.
Samuel Roy Polan, 39,
compelled at least two chil-
dren under 12 years old to
photograph or record sexually
explicit activity. After being
indicted in February on 10
counts, including some that
alleged he attempted to sell
the material, Polan pleaded no
contest in July to two counts
of using a child in a display
of sexually explicit conduct
as part of a plea deal with the
Clatsop County District Attor-
ney’s Office.
Each count carries a man-
datory minimum sentence of
nearly
six
years in pris-
on. As part of
the plea deal,
Polan agreed
to have an
open
sen-
tencing hear- Samuel Roy
Polan
ing and let a
judge deter-
mine whether to run the min-
imum sentences concurrently
or consecutively.
Judge Richard Baldwin
— a former Oregon Supreme
Court justice who spent Thurs-
day filling in for Circuit Court
Judge Paula Brownhill — sen-
tenced Polan concurrently,
saying it was a “very long”
time considering the circum-
stances of the case.
Polan used Tango, a mes-
saging app, to compel the chil-
dren to take sexually explicit
photos. If they refused, Polan
made threats such as contact-
ing their parents, Chief Deputy
District Attorney Ron Brown
said.
“He used various tactics
that were particularly heinous
in my view,” Brown said.
A detective in Oklahoma
notified Oregon State Police
of an investigation into Po-
lan’s contact with a child there,
prompting the local probe. Po-
lan likely will face additional
charges in Oklahoma and pos-
sibly Michigan and North Car-
olina, Brown said.
Polan has two prior sex
crime convictions, including
for third-degree rape — in-
volving sex with a teenage
girl — in Clatsop County in
2010. He also was convicted
in a 2004 case involving sexu-
al contact with a minor relative
in Texas.
“He obviously has a very
serious problem with attrac-
tion to children,” Brown said.
Polan was sexually abused
by his father as a young child
and later bounced from fos-
ter home to foster home, said
James von Boeckmann, his
court-appointed attorney. His
2004 conviction came after he
had reunited with members of
his family.
“It is not a problem of his
own devise,” von Boeckmann
said.
Polan apologized Thursday
for his actions.
“I don’t know what caused
me to do it, and I’ll look for the
help I need,” he said.
Baldwin pointed out that
Polan has had opportunities
in the past to seek treatment in
prison.
“You can’t just say you
want it if you don’t engage and
make your best effort to get
something out of treatment,”
the judge said. “With your re-
cord, you’re going to be in for
the rest of your life the next
conviction, I’m sure, if the
judge has that opportunity.”
Groups clash over
marbled murrelet
By Steven Dubois
Associated Press
PORTLAND — Conservation groups sued the Oregon De-
partment of Fish and Wildlife Commission on Thursday for
failing to strengthen protections for the marbled murrelet, tiny
seabirds that venture inland to raise their young and depend on
old-growth forests for nesting.
The groups petitioned the commission in 2016 to reclassify
the bird’s status from threatened to endangered under the state
Endangered Species Act. A listing as endangered would require
the state to develop a management plan and survival guidelines
for the birds that are about 9 inches long and weigh 7 to 8 ounces.
The commission denied the petition in June by a 4-2 vote,
after hearing testimony from officials in timber-rich coastal coun-
ties who worried about the economic impact of restricting log-
ging to save the birds. Commissioners opposed to reclassification
said researchers from Oregon State University are in the early
stages of a 10-year study about the seabird, and they wanted to
wait for results.
The marbled murrelet was listed as threatened under the fed-
eral Endangered Species Act in 1992 and the Oregon Endan-
gered Species Act in 1995. The species is state-endangered in
Washington and California.
In 2015, there were believed to be about 11,000 marbled
murrelets in Oregon, but survey numbers are uncertain because
the birds have only been counted at sea and are extremely elu-
sive in the forest. Experts believe the population has declined by
more than 50 percent from historic highs.
Though the population has been stable since 2000, Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife strategy species coordinator
Christina Donehower told the board in February that a model
shows the bird has about an 80 percent chance of going extinct
in Oregon by the 22nd century.
Among its claims, the lawsuit asserts the commission failed
to base its decision on verifiable science and didn’t adequately
explain its decision to reverse course.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
The commission will consider survival guidelines that en-
courage — but not require — certain actions from timber com-
panies to protect the seabird on state-owned or leased lands.
Such guidelines could include additional survey work ahead of
logging to determine restrictions on when during the year timber
companies would cut.
FLOORING
CCB# 205283
y
ou ou
r r w
ep alk
ut o
at n
io
n
POLICE LOG
July 27
Aug. 1
1:18 a.m., Broadway: Property
crimes are reported at Twisted
Fish.
12:24 a.m., 500 block S.
Holladay: A couple reported
as behaving in a suspicious
manner walking along the
riverbank told police they were
looking for blackberries. They
were advised to quit walking
behind closed businesses.
11:10 a.m., First Avenue: A
theft in the second degree is
reported.
11:37 a.m., 700 block N. Frank-
lin: Caller reports dogs barking
for four days. Property owner
shows up and says the dogs
can be impounded. The renters
(dog owners) arrive prior to the
property being entered. The
landlord and the renters agree
to take care of the issue.
3:16 p.m., Avenue R: Caller
reports subject sitting at the
end of the road all day. Subject
tells police they are having a
bad day and are just trying to
soak up some sunshine.
4:15 p.m., Police headquarters:
A good Samaritan comes in
with a found dog in need of
veterinary attention.
July 28
2:11 a.m., Holladay Drive: An
intoxicated person involved in
a physical disturbance is given
a courtesy ride home. No crimi-
nality involved.
July 29
3:22 a.m., 400 block S. Franklin:
Police respond to a report of
noise; individuals playing loud
music outside the residence are
advised of the complaint and
agree to go inside.
1:19 p.m., 400 block S. Roos-
evelt: A man shouting obscen-
ities is informed his actions are
alarming others. He agreed to
stop.
6:23 p.m., 900 block Avenue S:
A man missing his pants is de-
termined to be having mental
health issues. He was asked to
move along.
4:26 a.m., 1000 block S.
Holladay: A person caught rum-
maging through garbage cans
behind the police department
told officers he was trying to
earn an honest living collect-
ing cans. Subject was advised
about going through cans on
private property.
11:56 p.m., 1600 block S.
Columbia: An assault was
reported.
Aug. 2
12:36 a.m., 1900 block N. Hol-
laday: A couple going through
a separation were warned of
disorderly conduct after police
responded to a report of a
disturbance.
10: 15 a.m., S. Holladay: A
paranoid-acting male who
admitted to using meth told
police he believes himself to
be the target of multiple gangs
and is a “marked man.” He was
given a courtesy ride to the
hospital emergency room and
advised to report to police any
threats made against him.
1:09 p.m., Police headquarters:
A child used for sexual display
was reported to the police.
Aug. 3
1:21 a.m., 400 block S. Holla-
day: Noisy revelers are warned
to quiet down.
3:11 a.m., Avenue A: Partiers
having too good a time are
warned; they denied making
noise.
9:38 a.m., Police headquarters:
A person came in to register as
a sex offender.
7:36 p.m., The Cove: Police
respond to water rescue. The
fire department was on hand
and everyone was fine when
police arrived.
10:41 a.m., S. Wahanna: A man
found with his pants around his
ankles and behaving strangely
tells police he is leaving town
the next day. He was advised
to keep his pants pulled up in
meanwhile.
8:41 p.m., Avenue A and
Highway 101: Police respond
to a report of a female looking
to the caller as though she was
about to run out into traffic.
The woman told police she was
attempting to get on a bus.
July 30
11:39 p.m., 700 block S. Holl-
aday: A woman who reported
her intoxicated husband had
run off from her and their
group of friends later told
police they were reunited and
she was taking responsibility
for him.
Aug. 4
1:49 a.m., 1200 block S.
Wahanna: Police responding
to a report of a female juvenile
screaming determine after
speaking with the parents
that the child was objecting to
being sent to bed.
11:55 a.m., Broadway: Police
respond to a report of a man
hitting a woman. They were un-
able to locate and the reporting
party had left the area.
2:06 p.m., 1700 block S.
Franklin: A caller reported a
half-dressed man coming out
of the river; the caller described
the man’s upper torso and face
covered in a road burn or a
severe rash. Police were unable
to locate.
7:47 p.m., 400 block S. Holl-
aday: A male walking around
carrying a BB gun rifle on his
back is advised by police his ac-
tivity is stressing others and of
ordinances regarding BB guns.
Aug. 5
12:31 a.m., S. Roosevelt: A per-
son was arrested for possession
of heroin.
9:14 a.m., S. Prom: A deceased
person is reported.
2:29 p.m., Outlet mall: A man
reported to be approaching
people and asking them for
money is trespassed indefinite-
ly from the area.
4:14 p.m. 500 block Broad-
way: A person is arrested and
charged with unlawful posses-
sion of a weapon and intent to
use. They are also charged with
disorderly conduct.
Aug. 6
11:32 a.m., Avenue U: “Mocha”
a missing dog found roaming
and temporarily kenneled, was
reunited with its owner.
6:29 p.m., Lewis and Clark: A
disturbance is reported.
Aug. 7
4:27 a.m., Lewis and Clark: A
person is arrested and charged
with unauthorized use of a
motor vehicle; reckless driving;
attempting to elude a police
officer.
3:40 p.m., 700 block Avenue
R: A couple reported a large
black dog they said “tries to
attack people” when they walk
by. The owner of the dog says
the dog never left the property.
The dog’s owner was issued a
warning.
10:24 p.m., Avenue M: Caller
reports suspicious persons on
street using a flashlight; the
subjects tell police they were
only looking at a couch some-
one put on the street for free.
Aug. 8
Flooring
Installation
3470 Hwy 101 Suite 102 • Gearhart, Oregon
503.739.7577 • carpetcornergearhart.com
CONSTRUCTION
B oB M c E wan c onstruction , inc .
E xcavation • u ndErground u tiitiEs
r oad w ork • F ill M atErial
s itE P rEParation • r ock
owned and operated by
34154 Hwy 26, Seaside, OR
P.O. Box 2845, Gearhart, OR
S erving the p aCifiC n orthweSt S inCe 1956 • CC48302
LANDSCAPING
Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix
Soil Amendments
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF
(no Scotch Broom)
503-717-1454
34154 HIGHWAY 26
SEASIDE, OR
Laurelwood Farm
LAWN CARE
Free Estimates • Storm Clean-Up
6:27 p.m., The Prom: Police
assist another agency with a
water rescue.
JIM’S LAWN CARE
503-325-2445
Aug. 9
6:08 a.m., Gilbert Building:
Criminal mischief in the third
degree was reported from
graffiti spray painted on the
side of the building. Police are
investigating.
LAWNS • SHRUBS • GUTTER CLEANING
BARK • BRUSH CLEARING & REMOVAL
WEEDING • HAULING • MONTHLY RATES
7:25 a.m., Police headquarters:
A person came in to register as
a sex offender.
1:01 p.m., 500 block S. Edge-
wood: Burglary in the first
degree and theft in the second
degree were reported.
11:16 p.m., 400 block S. Roo-
sevelt: A person was arrested
and charged with possession of
methamphetamine.
10:49 p.m., Holladay and 14th
Street: A person was charged
with trying to elude a police
officer.
M ike and C eline M C e wan
503-738-3569
1:21 a.m., Seaside Providence
Hospital: Police assist another
agency at the hospital regard-
ing a domestic incident that
occurred in Jewell.
1:40 p.m., Broadway: Police
respond to a “dine and dash”
incident occurring at Finn’s
restaurant. Police locate the
suspects in Quatat Park. The
complainant said they would
be satisfied if the tab was paid.
A civil compromise was negoti-
ated between the parties.
Carpet Cleaning
TIRES/WHEELS
D EL ’S O .K .
D EL ’S O .K .
is changing its name to
Same great service
YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR TIRES
CUSTOM WHEELS • AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8-6
Sat- 8-4
503-325-2861
35359 Business Hwy 101
For emergencies
503-325-0233
Astoria, OR
(miles crossing)