Molalla Pioneer

Not everything fits in the newspaper.


Molalla's Jessica Popiel and Linfield Wildcats win title


By Tim Lane
Molalla Pioneer

At the beginning of the Linfield College softball season freshman Jessica Popiel knew that her new team was good—she just didn’t realize how good.


“We always knew that we were probably one of the best teams in the country, but I don’t think that we realized that we were the best team in the country,” Popiel said.

The Linfield Wildcats (37-11 overall, 22-6 conference) won the NCAA Division III softball title with a 10-2 win over Washington-St. Louis on May 22 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va. It was the first women’s national team title in school history and Popiel was an intricate part of the success throughout the season.

“It is pretty surreal,” Popiel said. “I don’t think that it has all sunken in yet. I think that when we start getting stuff like our championship rings then it will feel more real. It is not overwhelming now, not yet.”


For full story, please see Saturday's Molalla Pioneer

America's top cowboy hangs hat in Molalla

By Tim Lane
Molalla Pioneer

Mitch Coleman heard about a competition through the Country Music Television channel from friends down in Texas looking for America’s Top Cowboy.

The grand prize was $50,000 and the chance to be on national cable television.

Coleman, who went to college in Texas and has two sisters who live there, decided to give the show a shot.

“I figured, ‘what the heck,’ and sent in my tape,” Coleman said

The Molalla resident was lucky and had his name called to be a part of the cast. So, at the end of March, Coleman traveled down to the CF Ranch near Alpine, Tex. to compete against six other men.

Audiences from coast to coast were able to tune in and watch the contestants go at it in a variety of events ranging from roping and riding to shooting and gathering cows.

For Coleman, the son of PRCA rider Steve Coleman and the brother of Ross Coleman, competing in the various events was just like working on the ranch at home.

“I have been doing that stuff my whole life,” Coleman said. “It was pretty natural.”

It was his versatility that brought home the big money for Coleman as he showed off the skills that have served him well in his regular turns in competing in bull riding, bareback riding, team roping and tie-down roping.

The event lasted a week and Coleman, 21, was the youngest of all of the competitors by nearly four years.

“It felt a little weird at first,” Coleman said. “They were all real nice about it though.”

Coleman had to go up against some of the best—two of the competitors were Chad Klien and Bradley Harter, top cowboys in the PRCA.

When the dust had settled Coleman had won the top honors.

“I was nervous as heck for the entire competition,” Coleman said. “But I wanted that $50,000 so I just pushed through.”

The show originally debuted on May 19.

Winning the large cash prize in front of a national audience hasn’t exactly made a superstar out of him.

“I was surprised that more radio and TV people didn’t call me about it,” Coleman said.

Coleman plans on using part of his windfall in the down payment of a new home and part of it for his savings.

“I plan on just looking for a new house and to keep on with rodeo,” Coleman said.

Crash in Colton creates a sticky situation

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

The scene of a commercial truck crash in Colton turned sticky when a shipping container filled with barrels of organic honey overturned on the side of Hunter Road.

A truck owned by BTS Container Service of Portland crashed at about 10 a.m. today while coming around a sharp corner heading downhill on the narrow road. Driver Jeremy Stelle, 30, of Portland was ejected after the truck crashed into two trees and came to a stop.

Residents of the property who heard the crash came to investigate and called 9-1-1. Colton Fire Department, Molalla Fire Department and Clackamas County Sheriff's Office personnel responded to the scene.

Colton Fire Chief Gary Anderson said Stelle, the only occupant of the vehicle, was breathing and conscious when the fire fighters arrived. He was transported to Oregon Health and Sciences University by LifeFlight, with a possible concussion and back injuries.

Stelle told fire department and CCSO personnel that he was lost and trying to find the I-5 interstate when he drove up Hunter Road and turned around to come back down.

“It seems that the brakes may have gone out,” Anderson said. “(Stelle) kept saying, ‘I could not stop this truck.’”

CCSO Deputy Mike Zacher said that speed was probably an issue and that Stelle was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred.

He pointed to a white cross posted on a tree, commemorating a fatal crash that he investigated at the same spot in the mid-1990s.

He said that Hunter Road, which heads into U.S. Forest Service property, is the site of frequent accidents due to sharp turns and a lack of posted speed limits.

However, neither Zacher nor the residents of the property recalled having seen any other crashes on the stretch involving a commercial truck.

Zacher said it was unclear whether the truck was overloaded. The vehicle was licensed to carry 98,000 pounds and the shipping container was not filled to capacity. The truck manifest listing its freight could not be found on scene.

The transport company is now responsible for clearing the sticky mass of honey pooled on the side of the road.

Fight at Wagon Wheel Park appears racially motivated

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

New facts emerged today in the case of last night's disturbance at Wagon Wheel Park. According to Clackamas County Sheriff's Office reports, a group of white males assaulted a pair of Hispanic men in what may have been a racially motivated attack.

Austin Greenwood, 18, of Oregon City, was arrested on charges of second degree assault, first and third degree criminal mischief and rioting and police are still seeking at least two other suspects in the attack on two Hispanic men.

Edwin Alfonso Gonzales, 27, and Alex Bivian Guzman, 26, of Salem told police that they were confronted by a group of 20 to 30 white males while sitting in the park by the Molalla River drinking beer.

According to the alleged victims, the group began yelling racial epithets and hurling rocks at the two Hispanic men. Gonzales, who told police he was struck in the back with a rock, attempted to flee in his car but was unable to.

Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene at 9:40 p.m. and found a large group of people assembled, including Gonzales, who was complaining of back pain.

He was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. His vehicle had also suffered significant damage, according to the CCSO report.

"The investigation thus far reveals this appears to be a racially motivated crime," CCSO Detective Jim Strovink said.

Witnesses identified Greenwood as a ringleader of the attackers. Upon being questioned, he admitted being involved in the assault and was also identified as a perpetrator by witnesses.

According to the police report, Greenwood told an officer, "All I did is wrestle with some fat Mexican."

Divided city council chooses administrator

4-2 vote offers top city job to John Atkins, Jr. from city of West Linn

By Joe Wilson
Molalla Pioneer

Wednesday night the Molalla City Council ended months of searching, speculation and waiting by choosing a permanent replacement for former city manager Gene Green who left to take a job with the city of West Linn a little more than five months ago.

The council voted 4-2 to offer the job of city administrator to John Atkins, Jr., who currently works as the community services coordinator for the city of West Linn, Ore., a job he has held since 1993.

Before that, he was the assistant to the mayor of Beaverton, Ore. from 1987 to 1993. That was his second job with the city of Beaverton. From 1985 to 1987 he was the city’s municipal relations officer.

Prior to working in Beaverton, he was the press secretary and legislative assistant to former U.S. Representative Les AuCoin who represented Oregon’s 1st Congressional District.

He worked at a number of Oregon newspapers before his post in AuCoin’s office.

Councilors Deb Leighton, Glen Boreth and Jim Needham and council president Mary Jo Mackie voted in favor of hiring Atkins.

Mayor Tom Foster and councilor Danna Jacober were the two dissenters. They both favored hiring Mike Clarke, the current interim city manager and former mayor.

Mayor Foster offered the job to Atkins on Thursday morning, contingent upon salary and other negotiations and Atkins tentatively accepted the offer.

Foster said he would like to have the permanent city administrator on the job by July 1.

The mayor said it was a very tough decision to make.

“This was an extremely difficult choice — one of the toughest ever. All of the candidates would have done a fine job for us,” he said.

The city contracted with the League of Oregon Cities to find, investigate and recommend the candidates.

Mike McCauley, executive director for the League, said the city followed the same path as many other Oregon cities of its size by using the resources of the League.

Molalla spent about $6,000 with the League to conduct the search and background checks. For comparison, he said, the city of Hillsboro, Ore. recently used the help of a Californian search firm for about $18,000 and as much as $8,000 in travel reimbursements and other expenses.

McCauley said Atkins performed work similar to a city manager while working as the assistant to the mayor in Beaverton. He supervised multiple departments and operations, according to McCauley.

“He’s got a good solid 22 years of responsible municipal experience,” said McCauley.

Also on the list of candidates were: Mark Gervasi, who is the current city manager of Tillamook, Ore.; Chad Olsen, who serves as the city administrator of Rainier, Ore.; Tim Johnson of Sacramento, Calif., the former executive director of the Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation in Yuba City, Calif.; and Clarke, who has been serving as the interim city manager since Green left in mid-December to become the public works director for the city of West Linn, Ore.

Marine rescue at Wagon Wheel Park

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

A party by the river at Wagon Wheel Park ended with a closely-averted disaster for a group of teenagers last night, when 19-year-old Brittnee Stoner of Canby was swept up by a current while attempting to cross the Molalla River with a pair of friends.

Stoner made her way to the opposite shore, where she clung to a log for more than an hour, until rescuers from the Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium descended the river bank to retrieve her. The woman, who was uninjured, was picked up by her parents at the scene.

"She was fine, except for being a little cold and scared," Molalla Fire Chief Vince Stafford said.

Officers from the Molalla Police Department and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office were already on scene when the incident occurred, responding to a report of a disturbance. One man was transported to the hospital after sustaining injuries from a fight.

Ricky Saucedo, 19, of Donald, Ore. said that he, Stoner, and Jessica Sanders, 18, of Canby were attempting to leave the scene after an altercation with another group of partiers, when they decided to cross the river at a shallow point.

"We were walking and all of a sudden the current turned swift and it just took her," he said. "I got my girlfriend (Sanders) out of there, and Brittnee was gone. I honestly don't know how she got over to the other side."

CCSO Detective Jim Strovink said alcohol appeared to have been a factor in the proceedings.

"Basically, it seems like we had a bunch of teens down there drinking beer, and when the cops showed up they all took off into the woods," he said.

Austin Greenwood, 18, was arrested and booked in the Clackamas County Jail on charges of second degree assault, rioting, and criminal mischief.

For the full story, see Saturday's Molalla Pioneer.

Two more Molalla basketball players indicted in Clatsop County

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

The number of Molalla High School varsity basketball players facing sex abuse charges in Clatsop County has risen to five.

Cody Anderson, 16, and Vlasy Kutsev, 16, and Onisefor Kutsev, 17, were indicted today on felony charges of unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree and sexual abuse. All three are being tried as adults.

Anderson and Vlasy Kutsev were arrested by the Oregon State Police early this week and transported to Clatsop County.

Previously, John Berokoff, 18, and Josh Haqq, 16, were indicted on identical charges. District Attorney Josh Marquis said Berokoff and Haqq have both been released on bail.

Bail was set at $250,000 for Onisefor Kutsev, who had a previous conviction in Clackamas County, and at $100,000 for Vasaly Kutsev and for Anderson, all being housed in a Clatsop County juvenile detention facility.

Marquis said the five basketball players are all facing charges relating to one incident that allegedly occurred during a team trip to Seaside, Ore., in December of 2006. There was only one victim, a freshman male, named in the charging documents.

The two most recent arrests in the case came out of information that surfaced in grand jury hearings, Marquis said.

"I doubt at this time that there will be any more arrests," he said.

Molalla firefighters assist in rescue of lost 86-year-old man

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

Molalla Fire Department assisted Clackamas and Marion County Search and Rescue teams in the rescue of an 86-year-old McMinnville man with Alzheimers today.

Jack McNally, whose daughter filed a missing person report with the McMinnville police yesterday, was discovered about 8:30 this morning by a construction crew working on a new road for the Oregon Department of Forestry, 28 miles southeast of downtown Molalla.

MFD paramedic Clint Shaver, who responded to the scene, said McNally had evidently spent the night outside and had cuts on his hands, arms and knees. He was conscious but unable to explain how he ended up wandering down the road or what happened to his car.

"He knew his name and his address, but that's about all," Shaver said.

When McNally was found, Shaver said, he was wearing only a light polo shirt, jeans, socks and slippers. Upon discovering the missing man, construction workers from the Silverton-based Dennis Maulding Construction company wrapped him in an emergency blanket and various articles of clothing.

Although McNally did not appear to have any serious injuries, emergency personnel had him transported by LifeFlight to a local hospital.

McNally apparently left his house yesterday morning intending to visit his wife in the hospital in Newberg.

"He was really lucky, because the foreman of the construction crew said they literally tossed a coin whether to go to Molalla to work that day or to Forest Grove," Shaver said.

As of press time, McNally's car, a tan Mercury Marquis, had not been found.

Why buy today’s Molalla Pioneer? Here’s why!

Here are some of the stories you’ll find in the Wednesday, May 16 issue of the Molalla Pioneer. If you buy the paper you’ll get to read these stories, plus quite a few other interesting items.

Ouch, that had to hurt!

Police were called to a Colton home last Sunday morning after a 37-year-old man accidentally shot his wife in the leg while cleaning a pistol in the bedroom. His 33-year-old wife said, “It was quite the ordeal. My husband felt really bad about it.” The woman’s femur, that’s the big bone in your thigh, was broken by the bullet that went clear through. She was taken to a Portland hospital by helicopter. She’s currently recovering from her wound. The entire story, by reporter Abby Sewell, can be found on Page 1 or by clicking here.


Wanna get even?

Among many fun things offered by the organizers of this year’s Spring Fling, is a pie auction will give Molalla-area residents a chance to bid on a chance to pie a few prominent local people in the cara, that’s the face in Spanish for you non-Spanish speakers! There’s a rumor that Pioneer reporter Abby Sewell is one of the victims as well as one of Molalla’s finest among well-known others. So if you didn’t like something we wrote in the paper or if you are still feeling resentful about that spendy speeding ticket you got last year, you are in luck. Just make a bid and hit us with your best shot. To learn more about what’s going on next weekend, read the full story on Page 1 or by clicking here.

Remember what they say about the squeaky wheel?

After some folks made it publicly clear to the Molalla River School District Board of Education that they strongly opposed shutting down the high school metalworking program to pay for a new social studies teacher, the board found other money to pay for the new teacher. The rest of the story is on Page 1.

Kids can be pretty darn sweet when they try

Maple Grove Elementary School student Scott Bailey and his brother, Jeffery, are collecting cards for another little boy, Shane Bernier, who has leukemia. Find out more and see a photo of the kids on the top of Page 14.

Spring Fling offers fun for entire family

Annual community event gives citizens a chance to enjoy food, music and fun

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

With temperatures heating up, Molalla is ready to celebrate another Spring Fling this weekend.

The events taking place on Saturday and Sunday run the gamut from music to food and shiny objects for sale, to the chance to slam some of Molalla’s prominent citizens in the face with a pie.

“It’s lots of fun for families, and there’s something for everyone,” Molalla Community Schools director and Spring Fling organizer Maureen Phillips said. MCS is putting on the event, with sponsorship by Molalla Communications Company.

A variety of vendors from Molalla and elsewhere will set up carts and tables in the Long Park on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Lions Club will have a food cart on site, while vendors have signed up to sell items ranging from bird houses to candles, to crocheted items made by a group of nurses known as Chix with Stix, who send their proceeds to benefit area hospitals.

Meanwhile, local gem connoisseur Wayne Miller is bringing the Molalla Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show to town for a second time. The show will be set up Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Main Street between Grange Avenue and Fenton Street.

Miller said eight vendors, most of them from the Molalla area, are confirmed.

Miller and his wife are longtime rock and gem collectors and jewelry makers who have traveled the nation for years pursuing the finest sparkling stones.

“I’ve collected for 55 years in just about every state west of the Mississippi,” he said. Most of his current inventory is from Oregon, however; including a wide sampling of thundereggs and sunstones.

Other vendors, he said, will have jewelry, fossils, and a variety of mineral specimens for sale.

The Molalla Adult Community Center is hosting a rummage sale on Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the Home Delivery Meal Program. The sale takes place at the Adult Center, 315 Kennel Ave.

Once the urge to shop is satisfied, a range of other activities are available. The Hoffman House is once again hosting a chili cook-off to determine who makes the best and hottest chili in town. Cooking begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday with judging at noon. Slots are still open to contenders.

“I’m sure the winners from last year are coming back to defend their titles,” Phillips said.

Once the cooking and judging are done, chili will go on sale at 1 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Molalla Community Schools.

On Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Molalla Fire Station hosts the Bike Rodeo, where children can bring their bicycles and skateboards in for a safety check, run through an obstacle course, and receive a free bike or skateboard helmet. The event is hosted by the Brain Injury Association of Oregon, Molalla Police Department, Molalla Fire Department and the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

At last year’s bike rodeo, sponsors gave away 380 free helmets, according to BIA of Oregon executive director Sherry Stock, and this year they have 550 to hand out to kids and adults.

She noted that during the weekend, MPD will be strict in enforcing the Oregon law requiring children under 16 to wear helmets while riding a bike or skateboard. Violators can expect to receive a $25 ticket.

Pie a police officer or a reporter

Finally, the Pie Auction on Sunday gives community members a chance to benefit the Molalla Community Theater Group and get back at some pesky public figures by bidding on the chance to slam a pie in the face of a few willing victims.

Thus far, the confirmed “pie-ing” victims include at least one Molalla Police Officer, and a member of the editorial staff from the Molalla Pioneer. Phillips said she is waiting for confirmation from members of the Molalla city government.

For the gentler souls who would prefer to eat their pie rather than use it as a weapon, baked goods will also be on sale. The auction takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at Long Park.

Local musicians and dancers will be providing entertainment throughout the weekend, including the Molalla High School Jazz Band, the Clackamette Youth Ballet, the Work in Progress String Band, Don Frittz of the Old Time Music Makers, and dancers from MCS tap, jazz and belly dancing classes.

“The belly dancers are always fun and get a lot of attention,” Phillips said.

Most of the preparations are complete, but Phillips said volunteers are still needed to help with the chili cook-off and with event setup and takedown.

“Now we’re just hoping for good weather,” she said.

For more information or to volunteer, call 503-829-2359 ext. 250.

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

A Colton man shot his wife in the leg with a pistol in what police determined to be an accident on Sunday morning.

According to the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office report, Joseph Lewis, 37, was preparing to clean a number of firearms in the bedroom of the family’s home on South Shibley Road when one of the guns discharged.

Lewis told the police that his wife Heidi Lewis, 33, handed him a SIG P229 .357-caliber pistol so he could open it.

In the process of trying to clear the pistol, the slide slid forward and the gun went off, hitting Heidi’s leg. The bullet entered her thigh through the rear and exited through the front.

Joseph called 911 at 11:58 a.m. CCSO and Molalla Fire Department personnel responded to the scene. Heidi was taken to Oregon Health Sciences University by LifeFlight, where she underwent surgery for a broken femur bone.

She was in the hospital recovering as of press time.

“It was quite the ordeal,” Heidi said. “My husband felt really bad about it. When the police came, my husband had wrapped my leg in a towel, and it had swelled up to about three times what it normally would be … And then when the police got there, they acted like (Joseph) did something wrong and wouldn’t let him be in the same room with me.”

After interviewing Joseph, Heidi and their two children who were on the scene, the report written by a CCSO deputy concluded, “After talking to all parties involved, we determined this to be an unfortunate accident.”

Heidi said, as regular hunters who are used to handling guns, the accident came as a shock.

“We deal with guns a lot and we had just gone through a hunter safety class with our children, and it was just kind of a crazy fluke,” she said.

Update: second basketball player pleads not guilty

The second of three Molalla High School basketball players facing sexual assault charges in Clatsop County appeared in court today.

18-year-old John Berokoff appeared in the Clatsop County Court in Astoria and pled not guilty to charges of unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree and sexual abuse in the first degree.

The third defendent in the case, Onisefor Kutsev, 17, has an arraignment scheduled later this month.

Berokoff and his family declined to comment on the case.

Update: Mac Sumner public memorial location change

Update: The public memorial for former state representative Mac Sumner will be held on May 20 at 4 p.m. at the Country Church at 16975 South Highway 211, Molalla.

MHS basketball player pleads not guilty on sexual assault charges

16-year-old Molalla High School student Joshua Haqq appeared in the Clatsop County Court on Thursday and entered a not guilty plea to charges of unlawful sexual penetration and sexual abuse.

Haqq was the first of three MHS basketball players to be formally charged in the case, which involves incidents of sexual assault that allegedly occurred during tournament road trips made by the varsity basketball team during December of 2006. The investigation by the Oregon State Police involved incidents in Deschutes and Clatsop County, but as of press time, charges had been filed only in Clatsop County.

The other two defendants, John Berokoff, 18, and Onisefor Kutsev, 17, are facing the same charges as Haqq.

Haqq’s defense attorney Kris Kaino argued that the defendant, who has been housed at a county juvenile detention center since his arrest, should be released into his parents’ custody and placed on house arrest.

Judge Cindee Matyas set Haqq’s bail at $200,000 at his arraignment last Thursday.

“My client has no juvenile record at all,” Kaino said. “He doesn’t have a skateboarding ticket, he doesn’t have a minor-in-possession charge, nothing.”

He added that Haqq has a 3.561 grade point average at MHS and a good disciplinary record and that the defendant’s father, being currently unemployed, would be available to supervise him. The school district, he said, has made arrangements for a tutor to be brought to the Haqq's home twice a week if the youth is released.

“(Haqq) won’t be around the alleged victim, he won’t be in school with him,” Kaino said. “… This was something that involved the basketball team – he’s not going to be on that basketball team, not going to be in school, and not going to be around those kids.”

District Attorney Joshua Marquis said that because of the seriousness of the charges, Haqq should remain in custody. He noted that according to testimony at the grand jury hearing, Haqq did play an active role in the sexual assault, and there was more than one incident.

“Basically (the victim) was terrorized and is still trying to recover from this,” Marquis said. “The charges are serious Measure 11 charges, and if we were looking at an alleged perpetrator and the victim was a young girl, I don’t think the same arguments would be made for release.”

Judge Matyas did not agree to release Haqq. However, she dropped his bail from $200,000 to $150,000. Under Oregon law, if an individual is able post 10 percent of his bail, he must be released.

The Haqq family was unable to post bail as of press time.

Haqq’s parents and four siblings attended the hearing. They declined to comment on the case.

Molalla City Council meeting cancelled

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Molalla City Council for tonight, Wednesday, May 9, has been cancelled. Mayor Tom Foster cancelled the meeting because a majority of the councilors might not be able to attend and that might leave the council powerless to make decisions without a quorum.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 23.

Former state representative Mac Sumner dies

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

Mac Sumner, a longtime resident of Molalla who served as city councilor, mayor and state representative, died last night after a long battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

Flags at public institutions statewide will be flown at half mast on May 20 in Sumner's memory, by order of Governor Ted Kulongoski.

Sumner, who was born in Missouri but lived in Oregon from the age of seven, had a long history of public service in the Molalla area, according to his many friends and associates.

Molalla interim city manager and former mayor Mike Clarke, who served on the city council with Sumner for many years, said Sumner's political career was marked by fairness and community spirit.

"Mac worked hard for the common person and what was best for them," he said. "It was what the people wanted, not what was best for him. I remember Mac and I always joked about him being a Republican and me being a Democrat, but it was always joking in fondness."

Clarke added, "(Sumner) really did care for our community and our state. He believed in our government and the process of the government. You could see that in his work."

Sumner was appointed to the Molalla City Council in October 1997 and then elected to the position, starting in January of 1998. He served one term as mayor from 2001 to 2002, then returned to the council until spring of 2004, when he resigned to run for the District 18 State Representative seat, according to Molalla City Recorder Melanie Maben.

"He was a fine man, just a really good person and genuinely concerned about the citizens," Maben said. "I not only enjoyed working with him as a councilor and mayor, but he was also my friend."

Sumner served one term as state representative and was elected for a second term in November of 2006.

He had publicly announced his cancer in September, 2006 but initially said he would be able to serve the two year term. Declining health led him to resign the post on Dec. 8, 2006.

Aside from politics, Sumner was deeply involved with his church, the Molalla Christian Church, where he served as an elder and volunteered regularly, Pastor Bob Laver said. Among his hobbies, Sumner was a gourmet chef and frequently helped prepare dinners for new member classes and receptions and other church events.

Laver, who met Sumner in 2003, said, "I admire him as a man of conviction and a man of faith. He was passionate about his Lord, his family and his country. "

A public service will be on Sunday May 20th at 2 p.m. at the Molalla Christian Church on East Third Street and Berkley Avenue, Molalla. Several members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation are expected to participate.


By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

The debate over a proposed gravel quarry site on Macksburg Road moved on to the next phase on Monday night, with a recommendation by the Clackamas County Planning Commission to the Board of County Commissioners to deny Westside Rock’s application to mine on the site.

The commissioners voted six to two to recommend denial of the mining application and the zoning change that would accompany it, based on potential conflicts between dust from the mine and nearby farm uses.

After listening to extensive public testimony for and against the proposal, the commissioners agreed unanimously that the site contains enough gravel to be considered a significant resource under Goal Five of Oregon’s statewide planning goals.

They also agreed that most of the potential conflicts between the mining enterprise and its neighbors – including noise, traffic, and water contamination – could be minimized.
But dust turned out to be the deal breaker.

Neighboring berry farmer Demetry Burkoff told commissioners that dust from the mining operation could threaten his livelihood. The Burkoff family’s farm is located across Sprague Road from the proposed quarry site.

“Berries cannot be processed through dust and grit,” Burkoff said, with his son Anafasy translating. “There is always dust on a farm, but the more there is, the worse it is. Dust can devastate the buds so the plants won’t produce.”

Laurie Freeman-Swanson, who runs an equestrian stable next door to the proposed mining site, testified that dust could also ruin the hay used to feed her horses and could cause respiratory problems in the animals.

The proposed Westside mining site, on the southeast corner of Macksburg and Sprague Road, is currently a dairy farm owned by the Brinkman family.

While some neighboring farmers called the mining proposal a threat to their livelihood, the Brinkmans said they see it as their only means of holding onto the property, which has been in the family since 1957.

Christine Brinkman, one of the property owners, told the commissioners that leasing the land to Westside is the family’s only chance to get out of debt racked up by several-year decline in the dairy farm.

“We feel the quarry would finally be a means to stable financial status for us,” she said. “This is a one time shot for us to reach the means of getting out of extreme debt. (Westside Rock owner) John Malnerich came to us, and he looked like someone we could work with.”

Malnerich declined to comment on the Planning Commission’s decision. However, Westside attorney Todd Sadlo said he is hopeful that the dust issue can be resolved.

“If I were to make a list of all the things the proposal addressed, it’s much longer than the deficiency, which is dust on berries,” he said.

He added that when Westside made a previous mining application, across Macksburg Road from the current site, the Board of County Commissioners found that Westside’s dust control plan was acceptable. That application was denied, based on the fact that the proposed site was located on a flood plain next to the Molalla River.

Along with its recommendation to the BCC, the Planning Commission included a number of conditions they believed should be imposed on the mining operation if approved.
Traffic on Mackburg Road was a contentious issue in the public hearings, with neighbors maintaining the road is too narrow for frequent large truck traffic. The Oregon Department of Transportation also noted that the intersection of Macksburg Road and Highway 213 is expected to fail to meet state standards within the next 20 years, and unless conditions are imposed on the mining truck traffic, the trucks could further worsen the situation.

The Planning Commission recommended that if mining is allowed, Westside should be required to install a left turn lane on Macksburg Road, for vehicles heading south on Highway 213; and if that option is not feasible, that the number of trucks leaving the mine should be restricted to 25 during the peak traffic hours of 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Sadlo noted that Westside has already agreed to spend $500,000 to $600,000 on widening the S curve on Macksburg Road and installing a six-foot shoulder and drainage on the frontage of the mining site.

The application is slated to go before the BCC next Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Clackamas County Public Services Building in Oregon City.

What’s a nice person like you doing in a state like this?

Let’s be honest, not many of us are from Oregon originally. But nevertheless, we are Oregonians and proud of it. Some may even tell a little white lie and say they are native Oregonians, but most are, like me, from some place else and we are here because we love this state. We are here and remain here by choice, not by accident of birth.

In celebration of your adopted Oregonian status, the Molalla Pioneer is planning to publish your stories of how you got here, what you found here once you got here and why are have decided to stay. We want to hear from you Molalla, Colton and surrounding areas! Please email your story to me: jwilson@eaglenewspapers.com and try to keep it to 400 words or less and put "Why I am an Oregonian" in the subject. Please include your phone number in your email so we can call to verify that you actually wrote the letter. Don't worry, we won't include your phone number in the newspaper. We’ll be publishing them over the next few weeks in our Wednesday editions.

And please let us know if you are responding to this blog posting. We’re always trying to find out how many folks are reading our blog.

So what are you waiting for, tell us why you are here!

-Joe Wilson

Grand jury to determine fate of arrested MHS students

By Abby Sewell
Molalla Pioneer

Two more Molalla High School students were arrested from the high school campus on Wednesday on charges relating to a sexual assault allegedly committed during a boys varsity basketball team road trip in December.

Previously, a 17-year-old MHS student, also a basketball player, was arrested by OSP on April 26 on similar charges. According to the OSP Lt. Gregg Hastings, that case is being handled by Clackamas County. He said police do not expect to make any further arrests stemming from the four-month investigation.

John William Berokoff, 18, and Joshua Haqq, 16, were arrested by the Oregon State Police on Wednesday afternoon and transported to Clatsop County.The students, who are both being charged as adults, appeared in the Clatsop County Circuit Court in Astoria on Thursday to hear the allegations against them.

Haqq and Berokoff were each arraigned on one count of unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree and one count of sexual abuse in the first degree, according to Clatsop County court documents.

The victim cited in the case, whose name will not be published by this newspaper, is a male MHS freshman.

Clatsop County district attorney Joshua Marquis told the court that Haqq allegedly held the victim down while Berokoff took “a much more active role” in the assault. The Clatsop County incident allegedly took place on a school bus. Marquis noted that similar allegations are being investigated in at least one other jurisdiction.

Because Haqq and Berokoff are facing felony charges, a grand jury must meet to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to go forward with the case.

Marquis said that after grand juries are assembled “the charges could be less, or they could be considerably more.”The current charges against the students are Measure 11 crimes, carrying mandatory minimum sentences. The minimum sentence for unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree is 100 months incarceration; for sexual abuse in the first degree, the minimum sentence is 75 months. In cases where a defendant is convicted on two or more Measure 11 charges, the judge decides whether the sentences are served consecutively or concurrently.

Marquis said that although Haqq is being tried as an adult, if convicted, he would be held in a juvenile facility at least until his eighteenth birthday and possibly up to the age of 25.As of press time, Berokoff had been released on bail from the Clatsop County Jail, while Haqq remained in custody at a county juvenile facility. Berokoff’s bail was set at $250,000 and Haqq’s was set at $200,000.

The state police investigation began after a basketball tournament in Sisters, when a police report was filed in Deschutes County. The investigation was handed over to OSP after police discovered that multiple counties were involved in the case.

The Deschutes County District Attorney’s office was still considering whether to press charges in the case as of press time and could not release any further information.

Molalla High School junior Korbyn Stewart said students at the school have had mixed reactions.
“People say it’s gross and a lot of people are kind of upset,” she said.

She added, however, that she thought the possible consequences were out of proportion for the crime.

“I think what they (allegedly) did was wrong,” she said. “But if they get seven years in prison, that’s too much.”



Web This Blog




© 2006 Molalla Pioneer