A2 • Friday, August 16, 2019 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
Facebook posts rattle Gearhart
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
A perceived shooting
threat on social media rat-
tled Gearhart, leading to an
emotional plea from Mayor
Matt Brown.
Brown began a City
Council
meeting
on
Wednesday with a report of
a potential threat of violence
against a city employee.
“I guess will have to
shoot him then,” a woman
wrote in a Facebook thread
referring to City Adminis-
trator Chad Sweet. “I think
there’s a problem with that
solution but the older I get
the less of a problem it
becomes.”
The post, which appeared
in the closed Pacifi c Way
Group, received a “like”
and another group member
added the comment, “Your
idea has merit, lol.”
“It was brought to my
attention a post appeared
on a local Facebook group
suggesting shooting one
of our public employ-
ees,” Brown said, his voice
trembling. “The post was
engaged in by some of the
group’s administrators and
founding members, and
was ‘liked’ by one of its
administrators.”
In a city where social
media takes center stage
at the grassroots level, the
words on the Facebook
page hit home.
“We take potential
threats of violence against
our city employees very
seriously,” Brown said.
A report was fi led with
the Gearhart Police Depart-
RESPONDER REPORTS
PUBLIC SAFETY LOGS
Seaside Police log
Aug. 2
2:12 a.m., 500 block Broadway:
Offi cer assists subject who mis-
placed their vehicle. Subject
took a cab back to their lodg-
ings and told police they’d re-
trieve their vehicle in the morn-
ing.
10:19 a.m., Avenue A: Police and
emergency personnel respond
to a pedestrian/motor vehicle
incident.
11:51 p.m., 500 block Beach
Drive: A disturbance is reported.
Aug. 3
11:56 a.m., Safeway: Police are
summoned regarding a shop-
lifter in custody; the store de-
clined to pursue charges but
requested the subject be tres-
passed.
R.J. Marx
Gearhart Mayor Matt Brown reads a statement at the August
City Council meeting.
ment and information was
forwarded to the Clatsop
County District Attorney’s
Offi ce.
Suggesting
potential
violence in any form in the
community “is unaccept-
able and should not be tol-
erated,” Brown added.
A politically oriented
spinoff of the Million
Friends of Gearhart Face-
book page, the Pacifi c
Way Group has 140 mem-
bers and describes itself as
“a forum for the people of
Gearhart to discuss civic
matters concerning the
community.”
Jack Zimmerman, who
is involved with the Face-
book group, said the group
takes the incident seri-
ously and the words were
not intended as a threat of
violence.
The woman is “a very
elderly retired female
school teacher who is a past
but not current Gearhart
resident,” Zimmerman said.
4:07 p.m., 2300 block S. Edge-
wood: Caller reports neighbor
with motor home sticking out of
the driveway and into the road.
8:57 p.m., Highway 101 and
Broadway: A person is arrested
and charged with driving while
under the infl uence of intoxi-
cants.
“There is a long record of
her postings and replies that
show she is in fact by her
own admission elderly and
prone to making confusing
statements.”
By Wednesday evening,
the post had been deleted,
he said. On Thursday, the
person making the post
had been removed from the
closed group for inappro-
priate language.
Zimmerman said the
Pacifi c Way Group has
“never nor will it ever con-
done any implied or direct
threat made directly, indi-
rectly or by innuendo
towards any individual
or group of individuals.
The threatening statement
made by this elderly lady
was very misguided and
unfortunate.”
But Zimmerman added
in a post forwarded by
Pacifi c Way Group admin-
istrator Kathleen Piner Zim-
merman that city leaders
and their supporters “made
Aug. 7
5:11 a.m., Seventh Avenue
and Holladay: Offi cer check-
ing on welfare of a cat report-
ed to have been nabbed by
a coyote but escaped. Police
observed cat appeared to be
fi ne.
Aug. 8
3:42 a.m., 500 block Broadway:
Caller reports someone pound-
ing on their door. Prior to police
arrival, caller called back and
said the door pounder had left
the area.
1:09 a.m., Turnaround: A large
group making unnecessary
noise are advised complaints
are being made about them.
They agree to return to their
rooms.
7:30 a.m., Post offi ce: Subject
sleeping in the post offi ce told
police they are trying to stay
warm. They agreed to move
along.
5:21 p.m., 300 block Fifth: Call-
er reports a disturbance in
the apartment above them;
offi cer contacts subject who
says he’s just upset about his
missing cat.
Aug. 5
5:10 p.m., Alley behind Twisted
Fish: Police are requested for a
welfare check.
8:02 p.m., Turnaround: Person
reports lost saxophone.
Need health
care now?
A Seaside man was sen-
tenced on Thursday, Aug. 8,
to three years in prison for
assaulting a sheriff’s deputy.
Nathanial Eugene Rich-
creek, 40, was arrested last
June after causing phys-
ical injury to Sgt. Dean
Schroeder.
The court decided to
increase Richcreek’s prison
term because of his previ-
ous criminal record, which
includes similar offenses
and assaults.
Edward LeClaire, an
attorney representing Rich-
creek, described him as
being “a good guy” with
a “good soul” despite his
criminal record. Richcreek
has had to deal with diffi cult
circumstances and never
felt like he was given a “fair
shake” or
had access
to justice,
the attorney
said.
However,
Judge Cin-
Nathanial
dee Matyas
Eugene
sided with
Richcreek
the prose-
cutor, citing
Richcreek’s criminal history,
failure to engage with proba-
tion and committing another
crime while on probation.
“We felt great that the
judge saw that the defendant
needed to go to prison for a
signifi cant period,” District
Attorney Ron Brown said in
an email.
Richcreek has been
arrested in Clatsop County
more than 25 times, includ-
ing for charges of assault,
burglary, menacing, posses-
sion of methamphetamine
and harassment.
Truck stolen from campground
involved in crash
Seaside Signal
On Saturday, Aug. 10, at
approximately 2 p.m., Seaside
Police received a report of the
stolen 2001 silver Dodge Ram
from the Circle Creek Camp-
ground on U.S. Highway 101.
According to police, the
suspect allegedly left his
belongings on the ground
and entered the vehicle with-
out permission. After a ver-
A person reported missing is
looked for.
9:40 p.m., 1100 block Avenue A:
Emergency medical response.
9:43 a.m., Hillside: Emergency
medical response.
5:57 p.m. Beach and Avenue N:
Fire investigation.
Aug. 8
Aug. 3
Aug. 5
4:57 p.m., 3400 block S. Hem-
lock, Cannon Beach: Water res-
cue.
6:51 a.m., Avenue G Bridge: Wa-
ter rescue.
Aug. 2
Aug. 4
5:24 p.m., Turnaround: A child
reported missing is reunited
with family.
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
bal altercation with the per-
son who was responsible for
the vehicle, the alleged sus-
pect drove off in the vehicle
without permission. Police
searched the immediate area.
Later, the stolen vehicle
was involved in a motor vehi-
cle accident approximately
around milepost 30. Oregon
State Police were called to the
scene. Johnathan L. Kale was
in the truck at the time of the
crash.
Seaside Fire log
Aug. 4
6:12 p.m., Bayview Terrace: A
lost dog turned into police is re-
united with its owner.
an orchestrated decision to
seize the event as an oppor-
tunity to build a great the-
ater of emotion and defense
against a real and clear
expression of violence by a
confused old lady. The the-
ater was planned to shock
and discredit.”
Zimmerman, who unsuc-
cessfully ran for City Coun-
cil last year, took the city to
task for “clear suppression
of cognitive diversity and
the shutting out of opposing
views in city government.”
This has led Gearhart “to
a new low point which ulti-
mately hurts and corrupts
us all.”
Zimmerman said “there
is more to this story which
unfortunately cannot be
revealed at this time. Today
I am deeply sad for an
elderly woman who made
a grievous error; I am sad
for the discrediting of the
active exchange of opinions
on Pac Way and fi nally I am
sad for Gearhart, its people
and its history, all of which
deserves better than this.”
Denele Sweet, the wife
of the city administrator
and owner of Encore Dance
Studio, showed support for
her husband and concern
for his safety after the mes-
sage from “what could be
thought of as a hate group
in Gearhart.”
“It’s a group in a very
small little town,” she said
at Wednesday’s meeting.
“You should feel safe here.
I should feel safe here. My
children should feel safe
here. All the children of that
studio should feel safe here.
It was a little concerning to
see that.”
Seaside man sentenced
to three years for assault
on sheriff’s deputy
4:50 p.m., Beach and Trendwest:
Aug. 7
5:49 a.m., Arch Cape: Water res-
cue.
9:01 a.m., 900 block Avenue S:
Medical emergency response.
10:58 a.m., Big Beach: Public as-
sistance.
11:08 a.m., 800 block N. Lincoln:
Fire investigation.
SUBSCRIBE
TODAY!
Get the Seaside Signal mailed
to your home or business address
When it comes to getting
health care, Providence
is here for you.
for only $40.50 a year
Local News • Seagull Sports • Community Calendar & Much More
• EMERGENCIES: If you’re having an emergency, call 9-1-1 or
go to Providence Seaside Hospital’s Emergency Department.
• WALK-IN CLINIC: If it’s not an emergency, but you need to
be seen today, our walk-in clinic is open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(no appointment necessary).
Call 800-781-3214 to Subscribe
or sign up at: seasidesignal.com/subscribe-now
Location: 725 S. Wahanna Road, Suite 230, on the campus of
Providence Seaside Hospital.
• EXPRESS CARE VIRTUAL:
Want care right now?
Have a video visit on your
phone or tablet. Visit
Providence.org/
expresscarevirtual
Name:
Broadway St.
Mailing Address:
101
Phone Number:
S. Wahanna
Road
Avenue S
Providence.org/northcoast
Email Address:
Please mail with $40.50 payment to:
Seaside Signal, 949 Exchange St., Astoria, OR 97103