unty Columbia Co
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March 2014 - Your Guide to Businesses in Columbia County - A supplement of The Chronicle 1805 S. Columbia River Boulevard • www.thechronicleonline.com • 503-397-0116
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
$1.00 Vol. 132, No. 13 42 Pages
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St. Helens attorney sues state over right to run Primary election draws few candidates for county elections
County, sheriff ordered to pay $800,000 to publication in postcard-only lawsuit loss Earlier this week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon ordered Columbia County to pay more than $800,000 in attorneys’ fees and penalties to a prisoners’ rights publication stemming from a lawsuit over censorship of mail to and from the county jail filed against the county and Sheriff Jeff Dickerson. The district court or-
dered the county to pay $763,803.45 in attorneys’ fees and $38,373.01 in costs to Prison Legal News, a non-profit monthly publication covering criminal justice-related issues. PLN, a Human Rights Defense Center project, filed suit against the county and Sheriff Jeff Dickerson in January 2012 after jail employees censored PLN’s publication and letters
mailed to detainees. PLN also said jail staff refused to provide PLN with notice or an opportunity to appeal the censorship of its correspondence. At the time, the jail’s policy was to allow inmates to send and receive mail in the form of postcards only, a policy put into place in early 2010 and one used at other jails throughout the state of
Oregon. The postcard rule was intended to reduce the staff time needed to process incoming and outgoing mail. That policy was changed in May 2012 after U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon issued an injunction against the jail. In April 2013, following a trial, the court ruled in favor of PLN and prohibited Columbia County from enforc
ing its policy permanently. According to PLN, it was the first time a jail’s postcardonly policy was struck down as unconstitutional following a trial on the merits. Jesse Wing, lead counsel for PLN, praised the court for recognizing that PLN’s success broadly advanced the public interest and the See LAWSUIT, Page A3
BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
When Columbia County voters get their ballots in the mail at the end of April for the May 20 primary election, there’s one name that won’t be on the ballot. St. Helens attorney Agnes Petersen had planned to run against Judge Jenefer Grant for the no. 3 District 19 Circuit Court position but her filing was rejected by the state. The issue is Petersen’s age. Under current Oregon statute, the mandatory retirement age for judges is 75. Although she’s over the age limit, that didn’t stop Petersen from filing for the primary election in early March. But after filing the necessary paperwork and paying the related fees, the local attorney received a letter from the secretary of state’s office advising her she did “not meet the qualifications for the office” because of her age and a refund of the filing fee was in process. Petersen is now challenging that statute and recently took Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown to court over the issue. Petersen filed a petition for alternate writ of mandamus (an order issued by the court that could force the state to allow Petersen to run or appear in court to prove why it shouldn’t). According to the March 19 petition, “the Oregon Revised Statutes 3.041 does not have an age qualification requirement for Circuit Judge of Oregon,” adding that state statutes and “Constitutional provision do not disqualify” Petersen from filing for election. So far, Petersen’s petition only challenges her right to file, not her right to serve as a judge if elected. The petition also notes that Petersen has been a member in good See BALLOTS, Page A4
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Courtesy photo
Above is an earlier model Sherpa Aircraft. The Scappoose company now builds turbine planes capable of taking off and landing in amazingly short distances. The custom-built planes are now being used around the world. At left: Glen Gordon explains how Sherpa’s aircraft are built one at a time, from the frame up. SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle
High Flying!
Scappoose aircraft makes waves around the world BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
J
ust imagine an eight– person aircraft with a 3,000-pound useful load, a cruising speed of 180 mph, fuel capacity of 346 gallons and the ability to land at just 40 mph. That’s exactly the type of plane being built at Sherpa Aircraft Manufacturing in Scappoose. For nearly three decades co-owner Glen Gordon has been designing and also redesigning his experimental aircraft. For almost half
that time, Gordon has been operating out of his space at the Scappoose Airpark. Soon, he will move from experimental to full production. With that production comes more jobs. “Right now I only have three or four people working full time, but our goal is to get up to 12,” said Gordon. “We’ll have three guys in our wing department, we’ll have three or four in the fuselage production, then we’ll have the electrical to do.” Sherpa planes don’t
a turbine engine, which Sherpa’s planes now have, the minimum speed for a safe landing is somewhere around 110 knots (or about 130 mph). Smaller planes typically need several hundred to even ’m working with an outfit thousands of feet in India and I’m working in to take off or land. Sherpa’s airplanes places like Somalia.” can take off and land in remarkably several groups around the short distances. Depending country,” Gordon said, add- on the terrain, distances can ing it’s unusual for a single- be as short as a little more engine aircraft with the than twice the length of the kind of versatility Sherpa’s plane. planes have. “It’s quite impressive For most planes with when you see it,” said
“I
come cheap either. With a base price at around $1.5 million plus another $200,000 for electronics, the market for the specialized planes is distinct. “I’m working with
Gordon. Even better, a Sherpa plane doesn’t even need a runway. Because of the engine placement, Sherpa aircraft can take off and land on rough terrain, open fields or on water if fitted with pontoons. This flexibility makes it especially useful for bush pilots in Alaska, gold mine and oil field operators needing to get in and out of secluded locations, law enforcement and border patrol agencies working highways, sightseeing tourism See SHERPA, Page A3
Circuit court judge hopes voters will keep her in place BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
During the month of March, The Chronicle is profiling each of the three candidates running for 19th District Circuit Court judge, position no. 1. This week, we profile St. Helens attorney and current Circuit Court Judge Jean Marie Martwick. When Judge Steven Reed retired last year, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed St. Helens attorney Jean Marie Martwick to serve the remainder of Reed’s term. Martwick now hopes to take a much longer term on the bench. Like many, Martwick found herself balancing the demands and family and home before deciding to pursue a career in law. “While I was a divorced mother of three, working full-time as a waitress, I
started college courses at Portland Community College. Then I transferred to Portland State University where I graduated with highest honors,” Martwick says of those early years. “When my children reached high school, I attended University of Oregon School of Law and graduated in 1995 with my law degree.” After graduating, Martwick quit her job and headed to the Metropolitan Public Defenders to work as a staff attorney, where she remained for several years. “Then in 2007, I opened an office in St. Helens and continued my practice, dedicated to public service, representing children and adults in civil and criminal matters. I also became a certified mediator,” she added. Although she’s only been on the bench since being appointed last November, Martwick says the experi-
Judge Jean Martwick ence she’s gained from working on both sides has proved invaluable. “I’ve spent thousands of hours in the courtroom in front of many judges. I know the law, I know the process of the law and the spirit of the law,” she said. “And I’m able to recognize justice well done and where improvement is needed. Those skills, combined with my dedica-
tion to public service and firm belief in our constitutional rights and laws and my mediation skills, make me an effective judge.” Martwick is running against Portland attorney Jason Heym (a local resident) and St. Helens attorney Cathleen Callahan, both of whom were in contention for the position during the governor’s appointment. Martwick is confident her appointment speaks highly of her suitability for circuit court judge. “It was months of intense interviews and background investigations. The state police investigated our background. But [Kitzhaber] did decide I was the right person for that position. But I’ll let the voters decide that,” she added. Just like the other two candidates for the circuit
court judge seat, Martwick also opened her own practice. “After I left Metropolitan Public Defenders, I was a contract member with the Columbia County Consortium. The majority of my practice was indigent, children and adults,” Martwick said, noting her practice was somewhat different than the traditional path for attorneys. “It’s a very busy way to practice, but it’s because I’m dedicated to public service that I’ve chosen my route.” As a circuit court judge, Martwick has been included and participated in the stakeholder/town hall meetings held to discuss the potential closure of the Columbia County Jail. While Martwick has expressed concerns about what the jail closure – currently scheduled for the end of the fiscal year on June See JUDGE, Page A6