A2 • Friday, July 15, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
Seaside man sentenced to prison for sex abuse
Manuel Cecilio Lopez Cruz, 38,
pleaded guilty in Circuit Court on
July 5 to two counts of fi rst-degree
sex abuse.
Prosecutors said he touched the
victim’s vagina and anus while
he babysat her and her 1-year-old
brother at a Seaside residence.
By ERICK BENGEL
The Astorian
A Seaside man was sentenced
to nine years in prison for sexually
abusing a 5-year-old girl in January
2021.
When the mother came home,
the girl told her what Lopez Cruz
had done.
The mother took her Providence
Seaside Hospital, then to Ran-
dall Children’s Hospital at Legacy
Emanuel Medical Center in Port-
land, Dawn Buzzard, the chief dep-
Study fi nds Pacifi c whiting
could prevent wrinkles
By ALEXIS WEISEND
The Astorian
An Oregon State Univer-
sity study found that gelatin
in the skin of Pacifi c whiting,
a fi sh commonly caught off
the West Coast, could prevent
wrinkles.
A common ingredient
in fi sh and chips and imita-
tion crab, Pacifi c whiting,
also known as hake, is often
skinned during processing or
before cooking.
Assistant professor Jung
Kwon at Oregon State’s Sea-
food Research and Education
Center in Astoria found gel-
atin in Pacifi c whiting skin
increased collagen synthe-
sis, creating an anti-wrinkle
eff ect.
The study found the gelatin
could also have anti-infl am-
matory eff ects and encourage
antioxidant activity.
“Americans typically do
not like eating fi sh skin,”
Kwon said. “But gelatin is
a pretty abundant protein
found in the fi sh skin, which
has some functionalities and
health benefi ts.”
Pacifi c whiting was the
most plentifully caught com-
mercial fi sh landed in Astoria
in 2021, according to the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and
Wildlife.
Pacifi c Seafood, the
Clackamas-based
seafood
company, which has a pro-
cessing plant in Warren-
ton, funded the Oregon State
study.
Despite the abundance
of Pacifi c whiting, consum-
ers in the United States typ-
ically favor salmon and tila-
pia, Kwon said. Consumers
are also heavily dependent on
imported fi sh.
“By focusing on this local,
wild-harvest fi sh stock, we
can draw some consumers’
interests toward this currently
not-very-popular local fi sh so
that way we can really help
the growth of the local fi sher-
ies,” she said.
Consuming a variety of
fi sh is more sustainable and
can alleviate the pressure on
more popular species, Kwon
said.
The research fi ndings
were published in a paper in
Marine Drugs, a journal that
focuses on biologically and
therapeutically active com-
pounds from the sea. Kwon
authored the paper with
Elaine Ballinger, of Oregon
State, and Seok Hee Han and
Se-Young Choung, of Kyung
Hee University in South
Korea.
The initial results of the
study are promising but based
on a cellular level. The next
step is to use animal models
to see if the same outcome
can be achieved through
consumption.
If the animal models prove
successful, Kwon hopes con-
sumers will think twice about
discarding Pacifi c whiting
fi sh skin.
“It can be quite tasty, as
well,” she said. “If you ever
tried fi sh skin, and especially
for Pacifi c whiting, it has a
really mild fl avor and softer
texture. So it’s a matter of
changing your point of view
about that.”
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
SEASIDE POLICE, FIRE
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
July 1
12:01 a.m., Library: A person is
trespassed.
2:23 a.m., Estuary parking:
Camping regulations.
10:42 a.m., Forest Drive: A
deceased person is reported.
1:51 p.m., 200 block N. Larch:
Structure fi re; fl ames and
smoke reported.
3:20 p.m., Avenue E and Irvine:
A person is arrested on a
warrant.
6:20 p.m., Avenue U: EMS call.
8:36 p.m., East End of Avenue
D: Camping regulations.
July 2
9:42 a.m., Safeway parking:
Transients are reported setting
up tents and blocking the fi re
lane.
9:52 a.m., 600 block S. Edge-
wood: A person is arrested on
a warrant.
12:38 p.m., Quatat Park: Camp-
ing regulations.
1:30 p.m., Semaphore 9: Water
rescue.
4:45 p.m., Ninth and Wahan-
na: A person is arrested on a
warrant.
10:04 p.m., Avenue U beach:
Camping regulations.
11:21 p.m., 2400 block U.S.
Highway 101: A person is ar-
rested on a warrant and being
in violation of a restraining
order.
11:48 p.m., 500 block Broad-
way: Camping regulations.
July 3
2:10 a.m., 300 block N. Prom:
A hotel employee reported
a baby wandering alone and
crying in a hallway; the child is
reunited with its parents.
8:24 a.m., N. Holladay: Caller
reports a subject passed out
on rocks outside a hotel. Police
make contact and the person
agrees to leave the area.
9:34 a.m., Quatat Park: Camp-
ing regulations.
9:57 a.m., Beach Burrito: A
person who set up a tent
on the sidewalk outside the
restaurant is told to pack up
their belongings.
10:41 a.m., 1400 block N.
Franklin: Illegal fi re.
8:46 p.m., Avenue G and
Ocean Shore: Illegal fi reworks
are confi scated.
9:09 p.m., Avenue E and Ocean
Shore: Illegal fi reworks are
seized.
guished by police who notifi ed
the fi re department.
3:23 a.m., Estuary parking:
Camping regulations
11:55 p.m. Avenue N and
Beach: Fireworks are reported.
9:07 a.m., Gateway Park: EMS
call.
July 4
10:37 a.m., 700 block S. Wa-
hanna: Police check on a man
reported standing outside and
possibly in distress. The man
tells police he is outside waiting
for a cab.
4:10 a.m., The Cove: A person
is reported missing.
7:54 a.m., Avenue U and
Beach: Fire chief requests police
assistance for a subject in their
car on the beach refusing to
leave. The person left prior to
police arrival.
12:03 p.m., 400 block S. Roos-
evelt: A person playing a musi-
cal instrument in a parking lot
is advised store management
doesn’t want them there.
1:42 p.m., Broadway: EMS call
at the Henna store. Another
agency is assisted.
3:57 p.m., Del Rey beach
access: Water rescue.
5:27 p.m., Second and ocean
shore: A child reported missing
is reunited with its parents.
6:17 p.m., Cove: Fireworks
off ense.
6:34 p.m., Avenue I and S.
Edgewood: Caller reports soap
smeared on car windshields.
8:18 p.m., 200 block N. Down-
ing: EMS call turns into a report
of a deceased person.
8:52 p.m., Hi Tide: Front desk
asks police for assistance for ju-
veniles jumping from a log and
destroying hotel landscaping.
Caller says they have notifi ed
the parents but not received
any response.
9:13 p.m., Avenue G, dune
grass: Subjects lighting
fi reworks in dune grass are
reported. The fi re department
did not need to respond.
9:33 p.m., Sailor’s Grave: Fire-
works reported.
10:41 p.m., Convention Center
and N. Edgewood: Vehicle fi re
reported.
11:07 p.m., Helo pad: A person
is arrested and charged with
driving while under the infl u-
ence of intoxicants.
11:29 p.m., Avenue U and
Ocean Shore: Fireworks off ense.
July 5
12:51 a.m., 12th and Prom:
Fireworks off ense.
1:50 a.m., Ocean Way re-
strooms: EMS call.
2:30 a.m., S. Roosevelt and
Holladay: A person is arrest-
ed and charged with driving
while under the infl uence of
intoxicants.
4:58 a.m., Shilo Inn beach:
Camping regulations
3:18 p.m., East End of Avenue
D: A person is arrested on a
warrant.
9:09 p.m., Sixth and Prom:
Fireworks off ense.
10:44 p.m., 300 block S.
Roosevelt: People camping on
private property are trespassed.
10:54 p.m., Turnaround: A fi re
in a trash receptacle is extin-
July 6
uty district attorney who prosecuted
Lopez Cruz, recounted in an email.
The defendant “fi rst hid from
police, then admitted that he was
the only one who had been watch-
ing the children,” Buzzard wrote.
Lopez Cruz entered an Alford
plea on each count, meaning that,
although he realized a jury would
likely fi nd him guilty, he main-
tained his innocence.
“I, personally, was very
impressed with the mom, who
negotiated the medical and justice
system when English wasn’t her
fi rst language,” Buzzard wrote.
Fire season is here
Seaside Signal
Fire season is underway
in Clatsop County, accord-
ing to the Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry. Fire sea-
son is declared each year
when conditions of fi re haz-
ard exist. This declaration
aff ects all lands, both pub-
lic and private, in North-
west Oregon and joins
most other regions of Ore-
gon already in fi re season.
For industrial forest
operations, levels vary
from level 1 to level 4 with
accompanying restrictions
on operations to protect
forest resources. Restric-
tions are very similar to
last year, with a one-hour
fi re watch in level 1, a two-
hour fi re watch in level 2,
and a two-hour fi re watch
in level 3. Level 4 is a shut-
down, so no fi re watch is
required. Industrial fi re pre-
caution levels zones NW-1,
NW-2 and NW-3 will be at
a level 1 next Monday.
For public restrictions,
levels move from low
(green), to extreme (red).
These are indicated on the
fi re information boards at
major roads entering for-
ested areas. Campfi res
will be allowed at camp-
sites: designated sites and
at dispersed sites in low
(green). This recognizes
that attended campfi res
adjacent to campsites have
a low incident of spread.
As conditions dry out, the
move to moderate (blue)
Oregon Department of Forestry
Fire season began this week.
restricts campfi res to des-
ignated campsites and dis-
persed campfi res will no
longer be allowed.
In conjunction with the
county fi re chiefs, a county
wide burn ban will be
simultaneously in eff ect.
Open debris burning
will not be allowed. Burn
barrels require a burn per-
mit, which can be obtained
through
the
Oregon
Department of Forestry or
your local fi re departments
depending on the location
of your residence. For rural
residences using burn bar-
rels, only metal barrels in
good condition and heavy
mesh screens with holes
no larger than 1/4 inch
are acceptable. A charged
water supply and hand
tools are required to be on
site.
For up-to-date recorded
information about fi re sea-
son requirements, call 503-
325-7215. To request a
burning permit or obtain
additional information, call
503-325-5451 during busi-
ness hours.
12:28 p.m., 600 block South
Edgewood: EMS call.
5:38 p.m., Ocean Way re-
strooms: A subject reported
causing a ruckus is told to
dump his beer. He was warned
people are complaining about
him.
July 7
7:21 a.m., 13th and Wahanna:
A person is cited for off ensive
littering.
9:23 a.m., Quatat Park: A tran-
sient whose belongings were
scattered and littering the area
said they were packing up and
leaving the area for the day.
2:23 p.m., 200 block Avenue A:
Police respond to a third party
report of a couple fi ghting. On
arrival, the male wanted to tell
police about the female’s drug
use.
5:46 p.m., Avenue E and
Lincoln: A person is arrested on
a warrant.
Providence is here
to help you transition
into a new career.
OREGON STATE
POLICE
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
Driving violations
Abraham J. Jimenez, 36, from
Fairview was arrested July 4
at 2:14 p.m. on U.S. Highway
26, milepost 10, charged with
multiple driving violations.
Investigation revealed he was
wanted on a felony warrant
from Clackamas County. He
was transported and lodged at
the Clatsop County Jail.
Warrant arrest
Steven Clark Price, 63, from
Portland, was arrested July 4
at 8:33 p.m., on U.S. Highway
101, milepost 19, charged with
driving with a revoked or sus-
pended license. At the time of
his traffi c stop for a moving vi-
olation, it was discovered there
was an active warrant out for his
arrest from the Clatsop County
Circuit Court. He was taken to
the county jail and a friend took
possession of his vehicle.
As the largest health care system and largest private
employer in Oregon, Providence offers exceptional work
environments and unparalleled career opportunities.
We have a variety of clinical and nonclinical positions
available – many with sign-on bonuses.
We have immediate openings in environmental services
and food and nutrition. We offer competitive wages,
flexibility and robust benefits.
Whether you provide direct or indirect patient care,
come discover what sets Providence apart.
To see our current job openings, visit
providence-seaside.jobs
Lost control
An 18-year-old driver from Port-
land lost control of his car July
5 at 13:38 p.m. at the onramp
to U.S. Highway 26 and U.S.
Highway 101; the driver poorly
negotiated a curve when his car
left the roadway and struck a
yellow chevron sign. The driver
arranged for tow as his car was
damaged. ODOT was notifi ed.
Neither he or his 17-year-old
female passenger were injured.
OUR MISSION
As expressions of God’s healing love,
witnessed through the ministry of Jesus,
we are steadfast in serving all, especially
those who are poor and vulnerable.
OUR VALUES
Compassion, Dignity, Justice,
Excellence, Integrity