Clatsop D.A. Marquis Prosecutes Fourth Randy Guzek Trial!

Fourth Jury Faces Choice: Life or Death for Guzek?
Opening Arguments Heard in Long and Costly Case

By Amy Easley - KTVZ.COM

POSTED: 6:44 pm PDT May 27, 2010

BEND, Ore. -- From the start Monday, jurors were told to be ready. The next three weeks would be difficult, and dark. And at the end, they'd have a tough choice: to either give convicted murderer Randy Lee Guzek a death sentence - his fourth - or life with the possibility of parole, but not for 60 years - of which he's already served 22, which would mean the now 41-year-old would be at least 78 - that is, if parole ever were granted.

.....After years of legal battles and preparation, a jury was seated and heard opening arguments in the case of Guzek, convicted for his role in the brutal shooting and stabbing deaths of a Terrebonne couple, Rod and Lois Houser, way back in 1987. Each death sentence was overturned on what any but legal experts would call technicalities.And again, prosecuting the case as he has all along, is Josh Marquis - now Clatsop County district attorney, then a Deschutes County deputy DA"...


Read And Watch Full Report

Tongue Point: Shipbreaking Again??

Does this crap never end and for the third attempt yet?

The Vessel Above? An 1850Ton Cargo Vessel. Click On This To Read Its Specs And You Will Find This Is Not Necessarily What Some Would Call A Small Boat?

A Look Back At An Earlier Piece On Shipbreaking

A Photo Essay On Shipbreaking

...."However, there are still are a few companies in the business in the United States. Though rules relating to the handling and disposal of the

toxic materials that are built into old ships, including residual hydrocarbons, lead paint, asbestos, and PCBs, make the business run differently here then in the wild East ("ship breaking” is a term that is slowly being replaced by “ship recycling”). The industry is subsidized by the fact that federal policy prevents government ships from being scrapped by other countries, for the most part. With hundreds of such ships floating around the country, and around the globe, the domestic ship breaking industry is likely to continue".....Shipbreaking In America, It All Comes Apart At The Bottom of The U.S.A.

Governor "K" Calls for 9% Budget Cuts Over Grim Outlook Report

May 26, 2010
KGW.com and AP Staff Report

State Economist Explains Budget Projection


SALEM, Ore. -- The Great Recession is "likely over" in Oregon -- but the state's top economist said not to expect to see signs things are getting any better anytime soon.

To add it all up, the outlook report released Tuesday showed the state is facing a $562 million shortfall for the current biennium which runs through next year.

Read Full KGW.com Report

Oregon A.G. Kroger's Reponse To Oregon Rep. Ferrioli

GRP: In what appears to be a vindictive "Witch Hunt" being concocted by, what appears again, Pro-Bradwood/Northen Star Natural Gas abettors in the hope that some of the accusations against Oregon Attorney General and Assistant Brent Foster and others may stick to legitimize the ramblings of one certain reporter at a local Clatsop County Message Board, Oregon AG Kroger has responded to a FOIA request by Oregon Rep Ferrioli.

You may read it below without the Editorializing and judge its legitimacy for yourself.

Read Complete Letter With No Editorializing

Chinook Observer:Moby Dick Can Mow Till 2012

By Cate Gable - ChinookObserver Columnist

5/18/2010 - 5:19PM

LONG BEACH - The Noxious Weed Control Board meeting Tuesday evening, May 11, encompassed strong emotions but concluded with a clear-cut decision on a topic that has roiled local communities in recent months.

Read Full Chinook Observer Article

34 Days And Still No Move By Obama To Assist In Oil Spill Stoppage

34 Days and Obama Still Lets Oil Giant Run Show

NewMax.com

Sunday, 23 May 2010 06:47 PM

VENICE, La/HOUSTON – The U.S. government threatened to remove BP from efforts to seal a blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico if it doesn't do enough to stop the leak, though it acknowledged only the company and the oil industry have the know-how to halt the deepwater spill.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Sunday Washington is frustrated and angry that BP Plc missed "deadline after deadline" in its efforts to seal the well more than a month after an oil rig explosion triggered the disaster......

Read Full Report

The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes:Will Defeat Of Three Clatsop County Commissioners End The Turmoil?

Politics and environment, local government

By Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian

May 21, 2010, 9:33AM

Clatsop County had a big election Tuesday night when three county commissioners were swept out by challengers who had opposed the effort to site a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Columbia River near Astoria.

Read The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes Full Article

CEDR(Clatsop Economic Development Resources): Just What Is It They Do These Days?

Their Website CEDR says nothing since November, 2009.

And this is the non-profit private machine that has chartered itself as the end-all, do-all consulting agency to help put us to work and foster Economic Development here on the Lower Columbia River?

Maybe I'm missing something here and I extend a sincere invitation to those involved with CEDR to come and give us a "No-Bullshit" update on exactly what they are doing to bring us good, clean, cohesive and compatible Industry and Jobs here as from all appearances they seem to be at a standstill.

GRP: CEDR Has A Pulse Afterall. Look For This CEDR Event @:
CEDR Spot Radio
Join us on the “CEDR Spot”, an examination of local business and economic development issues. We’ll focus on the challenging economic development issues facing the citizens of Clatsop County. We’ll also discuss the challenges and opportunities confronting local businesses.
When
Thu May 27 12:30pm – 1pm Pacific Time
Where
KAST 1370 AM - Repeats at 5:30 PM

Applications Filed To Send New Northwest Broadcasters To Receivers!

From: Radio Online

Apps Filed to Send New Northwest to Receiver Davis
Applications have been filed with the FCC to transfer the radio properties of New Northwest Broadcasters to Alan M. Davis' Revitalization Partners as receiver.

Read Full Release

Shorebank Cascadia's Role In Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area

...."SBEC proposes to work with local and regional partners to help our region be and remain resilient in the 21st century. We will weave community involvement into the development of the Management Plan. It is a goal that this heritage area reflects the people, places and economies that give our area its unique character"....

Read The Complete Outline Of Shorebank Cascadia's Involvement In CPNHA

Oregonian's Ted Sickenger November 16, 2007 - LNG Natural Gas Pipelines Tap Into Residents Fears

Friday, November 16, 2007

The Oregonian:LNG/Natural Gas Pipeline Taps Into Residents Fears

GRP: The argument is as fresh today as it was almost 3 years ago

Pipeline taps residents' fearsHundreds worry about a gas line's effect on their land and environment

Friday, November 16, 2007

TED SICKINGER - The Oregonian

A chorus of concerns rang out this week as landowners along the snaking route of a proposed natural gas pipeline showed signs of organizing to oppose the line and liquefied natural gas terminals along the lower Columbia River......

Revisit The Oregonian's Ted Sickinger's Article

FERC Tells Oregon LNG To Hold Open Season Or Withdraw Pipeline Project

GRP: Just What Does The Term "Open Season" Mean You May Ask?
FERC’s 1995 Policy Statement first endorsed the open season process in terms of mitigating rate increases on existing customers from rolled-in pricing. FERC sought to encourage capacity release from existing users prior to approving new construction. The open season process became the tool to check whether the project was the correct size.


By Robert Walton - SNL Financial

Monday, May 10, 2010 9:47 AM

If Oregon Pipeline Co. LLC wants FERC to continue reviewing its proposed system then the company must move ahead with an open season, commission staff said in a sternly worded May 14 letter

LNG Development Co. LLC d/b/a and Oregon Oregon LNG Pipeline Co. LLC are proposing to construct an LNG import terminal on the Skipanon Peninsula in Warrenton, Ore. A 120-mile pipeline would connect to a regional hub in Molalla, Ore. But according to FERC staff, the pipeline company has not yet held an open season, which is jeopardizing the review process.

Read Full Article

Oregon LNG Lease: Letters To The Port Of Astoria

Maybe You Can Find Some Words To Help Port Commission See The Common Sense In Denying OLNG's Lease

Be Forewarned - Will "The Port", In Light Of Its Current Troubles, Be Able To Withstand The Onslaught?

And here's one of the best points yet as to why "PofA" needs to stand firm and look for whatever tools are necessary to stop this bleeding and wrest that 90-plus acres of Skipanon Peninsula back from this "Energy Speculator, OLNG and put it to better use to "Our" benefit, not that of a holding company bolstered, from all appearances, private coporation that is essentially starting from dead zero on a scheme with no market and for potentially 60 years of control for $39,000 a year for God's sake?....."Cameron Horowitz, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said increased domestic supplies of natural gas have slashed prices, killing the demand for LNG imports. Two other companies trying to develop LNG facilities in Oregon would face "slim" prospects of success, he said."Every year for the past five years, there's been talk that this country would be flooded with LNG imports, but it has never come to fruition," he said from Houston. "Given the outlook for U.S. natural gas prices and the rest of the world, I don't see it coming to fruition at all over the next five years."Horowitz said LNG facilities on the Gulf of Mexico have been trying to win permission to ship LNG stockpiles back overseas.NorthernStar's bankruptcy filing listed assets of $165,930 and liabilities of about $129.5 million"..
Read Them Here If You Wish

From "The Stump":Bradwood Landing's Demise A Victory For Oregon Values

Badwood Landing's demise: A victory for Oregon's values
By Oregonlive Guest Columnists

May 11, 2010, 9:00AMBy Jack Marincovich, Ivan Maluski, Dave Cruickshank and Brett VandenHeuvel

Should Oregonians and our elected leaders sit by and watch Texas-based energy companies degrade our farmland, forests and salmon? Of course not........

Read Article

Steve Miller:Why The Public Sector Cannot Be Run Like A Business

The public sector can certainly benefit from the adoption of many business practices, from a focus on customer service to more efficient work flow, from TQM(Total Quality Management) to greater transparency. But no matter how important these practices may be, no matter how much the public sector can benefit from their use, there is a fundamental difference between the two sectors that will perpetually lead to differences.......

Read Full Opinion

GRP Clatsop County Commissioner Campaign Straw Poll Ends

There were a total of 76 voters that participated(Each voter could cast multiple votes) and here are the total votes per candidate. This is a Straw Poll only. The Poll question was: Who's your candidate for each Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners open district seat in the May 18, 2010 Primary?

Key question: Which of these candidates can set aside "Party Politics" and be the "Impartial Guardians" of the "Public's Trust" in the doing of our "Public Business"?

Peter Huhtala
59 (77%)
Versus
John Raichl
11 (14%)

Scott Lee
57 (75%)
Versus
Jeff Hazen
8 (10%)

Birkby
47 (61%)
Versus
Mushen
14 (18%)
Versus
Dunzer
3 (3%)

The Hazen Campaign: Now, Wait A minute!!!

Did I hear this morning, at the end of a Hazen Campaign message..."This Message Paid For By Committee For County Prosperity"?

Maybe I am missing something but, I don't see any campaign finance activity on ORESTAR for either Hazen's ORESTAR PAC Site(#13869) Or CFCP's ORESTAR Pac Site(#13954) that reflects any contributions or expenditures that reflect this expense.

Isn't this stuff supposed to be reported and posted within a fairly prompt amount of time?

Both these PACs were formed and registered back during the recall elections against Hazen and Ann Samuelson primarily, where again, there were many questions regarding certain contributions.

Now doesn't seem to be a very prudent time to be raising questions about certain conflicting ties to questionable campaign financing especially on Hazen's part does it.

Can anybody clue us in on this?

Jeff?

Update!

Orestar shows some recent transaction activity (To 05-10-2010) on both Hazen's PAC(#13869) and Committee For County Prosperity's PAC(#13954) for you to review should you so desire. Interestingly, North Coast Retail(Developers of the new Costco and other adjacent projects) shows another recent contribution to Committee For County Prosperity of $9,000.00 on 05-03-2010?

And now, to make things more curiouser, Clatsop County Board of Commissioners has amended Wednesday's, May 12, 2010 Agenda to include North Coast Retail LLC, which plans to ask the citizens of Clatsop County to extend a $4.5 Million Dollar Promisory Note due on North Coast Business Park property for a period of two years, is it, that is now due?

Now, we will not even go into the issue that Clatsop Commissioner Robert Mushen's PAC(#14467) Treasurer holds two key positions with CFCP which is also a contributor to Jeff Hazen's re-election campaign and I cannot truly say that any of this is illegal but, would it not be prudent for both candidates to look seriously at the impropriety of any deliberations at all on this issue at Wednesday's meeting in the interest of the citizens of Clatsop County whom they serve?

Go To ORESTAR And Type In The ORESTAR Committee ID Number

From KAST-AM: Recalled Clatsop Commissioner Ann Samuelson Weighs In On Bradwood Landing

Jeff Nelson - KAST-AM
Posted on May 06, 2010 06:00

....."Former Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson comments on Northern Star Natural Gas’ announcement Wednesday that it is suspending development of the proposed LNG facility at Bradwood Landing. Asked if it’s fair to characterize her as a supporter of this specific project, but not a blanket endorsement of LNG, Samuelson says: “I don’t even know if I want to say that. What I want to say is that I’m a supporter of good government".....

Read Full KAST-AM Report

Northern Star Natural Gas Files For Bankruptcy!

Bradwood LNG Developer Files For Bankruptcy

May 5, 2010

Dennis Newman - Natural Oregon

NorthernStar Natural Gas, the developer of the Bradwood Landing LNG project, has filed for bankruptcy.

In papers filed yesterday in Houston, the company says it’s unable to pay its debts and will liquidate under Chapter 7.

Company spokesman Charles Deister wouldn’t comment when asked about the filing. He referred me to yesterday’s announcement that the company is suspending work on Bradwood Landing.............

....."Cameron Horowitz, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said increased domestic supplies of natural gas have slashed prices, killing the demand for LNG imports. Two other companies trying to develop LNG facilities in Oregon would face "slim" prospects of success, he said.

"Every year for the past five years, there's been talk that this country would be flooded with LNG imports, but it has never come to fruition," he said from Houston. "Given the outlook for U.S. natural gas prices and the rest of the world, I don't see it coming to fruition at all over the next five years."

Horowitz said LNG facilities on the Gulf of Mexico have been trying to win permission to ship LNG stockpiles back overseas.

NorthernStar's bankruptcy filing listed assets of $165,930 and liabilities of about $129.5 million"...

Read CBS News - AP Report
Read The Natural Oregon Details

Oregonlive:Details Surface On Brent Foster Resignation

By Scott Learn, The Oregonian
May 04, 2010, 8:44PM

When a judge allowed state and federal agents to search Hood River Juice in October, handcuff and cart off owner David B. Ryan and file criminal charges, a big piece of incriminating evidence was a water sample from a puddle near the plant that showed extraordinarily high pollution levels.

Turns out, there were two problems with that evidence, new court records indicate: The sample collection, including unsterile bottles and no custody seal, was flawed.

Read Full Oregon Live Article