A1 Columbia County
BUSINESS GUIDE
2016
Columbia County Guide To Business
THIS ISSUE! Calendar-A2 • Church News-A2 • Classified Ads-A6-7 • Legal Notices-A6-7 • Neighborhood News-A3 • Obituaries-A7 • Sports-A8
The Chief
Friday, May 27, 2016 Published by
$1 Vol. 125, No. 2 8 Pages
The Chronicle & The Chief
Serving the Lower Columbia Region Since 1891
Veterans instill respect for Old Glory at Clatskanie Middle High School BY CHRISTY CABALLERO ccaballero@countrymedia.net
Veterans with 130 years of collective service under the American Flag addressed a packed auditorium of students at what became a very patriotic assembly on Monday morning. “There are details about handling the American flag that I think are important for every American to know,” American Legion Post Commander Gerry Simmons asserted from the podium. Simmons explained details about behavior when flags are being raised or brought into the room, and that when flags are not flown, they are to be folded in a triangular shape “to honor the memory of the hats worn by soldiers during the revolutionary war.” He also explained that when a flag is worn and tattered, it has to be respectfully retired. “You don’t wrinkle them up and throw them away, you
See OLD GLORY Page A4 CODY MANN/The Chief
Self-defense training for women kicks butt reach their 24-hr help line at 503397-6161. Explore more at www. safeofcolumbiacounty.org The earlier lecture phase of the training included tips such as locking all doors, examining the inside of your car before entering it, not going out alone, and telling someone where you are going. If you feel you are being followed, tell a policeman. In a garage, park near the entrance, and ask for an escort back to your car. At home, trim shrubs that could offer an assailant a place to hide. Caldwell demonstrated many techniques including what to do when an attacker comes toward you reaching with outstretched arms, or how to escape once you’ve been knocked to the ground. He emphasized over and over that these techniques aren’t meant to defeat an assailant, but to distract long enough to give a woman a chance to run away. They aren’t meant to be takedown blows, but rather enough to put an attacker off balance, and give a would-be victim opportu-
BY CHRISTY CABALLERO ccaballero@countrymedia.net
Officer Troy Caldwell took one for the team as hands-on training got a little rough at a recent women’s self-defense class. One of the seven trainees (name withheld) overshot the striking pad and caught Caldwell a glancing blow to his nose. “It isn’t the first time I’ve been punched in the nose,” he quipped good-naturedly. “Probably won’t be the last.” But everything else was all business, as Caldwell got deadly serious about the tactics a smaller framed woman could use when confronted by an attacker. “Make noise,” he asserted. “Screaming or yelling for help will keep you breathing. Push back, get them off balance, anything to give you an advantage. When you are free, run.” According to Allie Brady of Support Advocacy Freedom Empowerment of Columbia County, a presenter in the training, “No is a complete sentence.” Brady is Violence Prevention/Outreach Coordinator and Volunteer Program Manager for SAFE. You can
See SELF-DEFENSE Page A4
Caballero joins Chief staff Christy Caballero has joined the staff at The Chief as lead reporter. A Rainier resident, Caballero has a long history as a journalist in Columbia County. She worked as a correspondent for The Daily News in Longview and served as staff reporter for the Columbia River Reader. Her work appeared in La Joie magazine and Alaska Business. In 2002, she won the National Federation of Press Women’s communications contest for a feature story. She is also recipient of four Dog Writer Association of America Maxwell Awards. Most recently her work appeared in Spot magazine. Caballero replaces Cody Mann, who served as reporter and editor of The Chief for the past year. Mann moves to The Chronicle in St. Helens as lead reporter. “We are excited to have someone of Christy’s caliber writing for us,” said Don Patterson, Publisher of The Chief. She can be reached at The Chief office, 503-728-3350 or email ccaballero@countrymedia.net.
CHRISTY CABALLERO/The Chief Trainee Lora Ressler practicing techniques taught by Officer Troy Caldwell, City of Rainier Police Department, at Saturday’s self defense training.
Christy Caballero
File Photo/ The Chief
Agency recommends decertification of former Clatskanie police chief Former Clatskanie Chief of Police Marvin Hoover could lose his certification for up to 15 years. On May 19, the Police Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training recommended the revocation of Hoover’s certification for seven years for Misconduct, 10 years for Gross Misconduct, and 15 years for Disregard for the Rights of Others. The revocation periods would run concurrently. According to Eriks Gabliks, Director of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, two members of the committee - Chief Matt Workman and Special Agent Mike Wells - recused themselves from the discussion and deliberation of this case because they were either involved in the case or know Hoover. Hoover may request a hearing before an administrative law judge to dispute the findings of the board. If he does not request a hearing, the recommendation to revoke his Basic, Intermediate and Advanced police certification
will take effect. The board meets again in July, and Gabliks said a hearing could happen as early as August if the parties involved can coordinate a calendar date. In June of 2015, following the arrest of an African-American woman who claimed she intended to sue for racism and discrimination, Hoover allegedly made racist comments while discussing the matter with subordinate officers. According to a complaint filed with Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), an officer told Hoover that the arrestee said, “When you look at me, my black skin and my nappy hair, all you see is an animal.” Hoover allegedly reacted by saying, “That’s what she is,” and pantomiming the behavior of a monkey while making monkey noises. Hoover also was accused of performing the southern standard Dixieland while pretending to punch an imaginary person, singing, “Look away – look away…” during the act. That complaint also alleged
when Sergeant Shaun McQuiddy was asked to join in reporting the chief’s actions, he warned the reporting officers “the City would make life hell” if they proceeded with reporting Hoover. On Aug. 5, 2015, Hoover was placed on administrative leave for an investigation into his alleged actions. Aug. 19, 2015, Clatskanie City Council voted to allow Hoover to retire amid the city’s investigation, paying out $27,000 for the remaining four months of his contract. Clatskanie Mayor Diane Pohl wrote a personal letter to the editor in The Chief thanking Hoover for protecting the community with “honor and courage.” Hoover served as the Chief of Police in Clatskanie from 2002 until 2015. He was previously a sergeant in the Clatskanie Police Department, reactivated after retirement through an exemption that allows small cities to hire retirees without interference to their benefits. In 2011, Hoover received the Medal of Valor for his actions
during the apprehension Daniel Butts, who was accused of committing the murder of Rainier Police Chief Ralph Painter.
File Photo/ The Chief
Marvin Hoover served as Clatskanie Chief of Police from 2002 until 2015. He retired during an investigation into alleged misconduct after he was reported for alleged racist remarks.