Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 25

OCAL Statesman Journal Salem, Oregon Friday, April 6, 1990 Almanac: 2D Region: 2D Classified: 6-1 OD ODD l001filS)00Di "It isn't the money. I wanted everyone to know those deaths were needless." Richard Haeder Father of Mount Hood climbing victim The Associated Press PORTLAND Oregon Episcopal School was negligent in the death of a student during a school-sponsored climb of Mount Hood in May 1986, a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury decided late Thursday. However, in a divided verdict, the same jury cleared mountain guide Ralph Summers of negligence for helping lead the school party. Summers was among the four people who survived the trip. The suit was filed by Richard Haeder, the father of Richie Haeder, 16.

The boy was one of nine people who froze to death on the mountain when the 13-mem-ber climbing party got lost in a blizzard. "I'm happy to have justice done," Haeder said. The jury unanimously awarded Haeder $500,000 damages against the school, but he said much of the money would be devoted to creating scholarships or other funds to honor his son. "It isn't the money," he said. "I wanted everyone to know those deaths were needless." Neither Summers nor representatives of the school would comment.

Haeder's lawsuit against the school and Summers contended that they were negligent in planning and carrying out the trip. The climbers tried to reach the to go back, and they kept going. And then he died a horrible painful death with people dying all around him in a tomb made of ice." Calling the lawsuit Richard and Judith Haeder's final eulogy to their son, Luvera asked that jurors award them $2.76 million. He said such an award would pay Judith Haeder $10 an hour for the next 31 years. She is 50, and standard mortality tables indicate that she will live until age 81.

Luvera said evidence and testimony showed that Summers didn't follow a correct compass bearing or use a map while descending the mountain through a snowstorm. Lawyer Mark Wagner, representing Summers and the school, told the jury to remember that the storm that struck the mountain was three times stronger than had been predicted. "People died because a storm came in before our people got off the mountain," he said. "In the real world, accidents do happen, and it doesn't mean people are negligent or at fault." He also said experts generally agreed that it wasn't improper to go part of the way up the mountain on May 12. "We feel terrible about what happened," he said.

"There aren't going to be any winners in this case." top of the mountain in deteriorating weather. They got lost in a blizzard as they retreated and built a snow cave for shelter as the sun Bet. The next morning, Summers and a student hiked to safety and notified authorities. The snow cave wasn't marked, however, and authorities searched for two days before finding it. Of the nine students and two faculty members in side, two teen-agers survived.

The Multnomah County Circuit Court jury began deliberating about 2 p.m. after hearing closing arguments in the case. "They were leading a group of school children up a mountain for no good reason," Haeder's lawyer, Paul Luvera, told the jury. "This wasn't a group of mountain climbers; they were school children. "Richie was crying; he wanted School stages geography fair "TP Teens get lost from Marion courthouse lawn County access rule leaves officials pleased but puzzled 1 Hi It TV A A I 1 1 BfTW i.

doing the hands-on project rather than reading about foreign countries in a textbook. Connie Michaelson, 13, whose display on China included fortune cookies and tea, said she didn't think that many students knew much about other countries, and the fair was one of the best ways to learn. Katie Reiser, 13, brought a By Scott McFetridge The Statesman Journal No one tosses Frisbees on the Marion County Courthouse lawn any more. In fact, few people even walk on the courthouse lawn any more. Since county commissioners passed an ordinance last week banning people from blocking access to the courthouse, the dozens of youths who used to gather in front of the building have disappeared.

"No one seems to know who they were or where they went," said Bob Cannon, the county's head lawyer, who wrote the ordinance. "They seemed to have just melted away." County commissioners approved the ordinance after complaints that the youths harassed county employees, jurors and others doing business in the courthouse. There also were complaints of litter, drug dealing and excessive noise. The ordinance carries a maximum fine of $500 and 30 days in jail for those who refuse to leave areas of the courthouse that are off limits. Cannon said the problems came to an abrupt halt the day commissioners signed the ordinance.

"There's been no obstruction or anything," he said. "It's marvelous." But the question remains: Where did the youths go? Officer James Dundon of the Salem police, who patrols the High Street transit mall in front Timothy J. QonxaletStatesman Journal Schmidt (right) examines a sandal displayed by Katie Reiser (left), while Anna Owens watches. students see the world in a day mm flh mm Sublimity eighth-grader Kyle Sublimity By JoeJIe Robinson The Statesman Journal SUBLIMITY Girls sporting kimonos ate Belgian waffles and admired a red double-decker bus parked across the room. Boys munched on pizza and Spanish olives while listening to an explanation of restoration work being done on many buildings in Greece.

Council didn't listen to the public. Her recall statement contended that the council had ignored petitions signed by numerous city residents requesting that Randy Weddle not be fired. She also charged the council with allowing a water cooler to be purchased for City Hall with taxpayers' money. Council members facing the recall election are Ron Foote, Cecil Harvey, Bob Hawkins and Frank Slyter. Councilman Gary Ashman offered his resignation at the council's Feb.

28 meeting, and he was not included in the recall. Ashman's resignation has not been accepted by the council. In a statement filed with Officers remove camp under 1-405 overpass The Oregon Department of Transportation and local police broke the city's 60-day moratorium on transient sweeps when officers removed a camp beneath an Interstate 405 overpass Thursday. The camp, near N.W. 16th Avenue and Johnson Street, had doubled in size since the moratorium was declared, a Transportation Department news release said.

Campfires built among wood and cardboard shelters threatened to send smoke and flames billowing over the freeway, and heat threatened to damage the freeway structure. kul nfi. 'BvP i I Gervais rehires worker amid recall drive "There's been no obstruction or anything. It's marvelous." Bob Cannon Author of Marion County courthouse ordinance of the courthouse, said that fewer people were hanging around the buses, too. He thought that many of them were congregating in West Salem.

"Go across the bridge to Wallace Marine Park, and you'll probably recognize a lot of the same people," he said. The park's north parking lot was packed Thursday afternoon with dozens of teen-agers and their cars. But several people said they weren't the ones who had annoyed county officials. "It's a different kind of group that hangs out here," Jennifer Dellara said as she leaned against the hood of a friend's car. "They wouldn't come here because they know we're here." Police Lt.

Robert Sappingfield said it wasn't surprising that the youths had disappeared because there were plenty of other places they could go. He thought that they could be gathering at any of the many parks throughout Salem. Cannon said he would be happy as long as the youths remained away from the courthouse. "I was hoping this would happen," he said. "I'm very pleased." was Feb.

19-23, Studer said, and he was considered back on the job full time as of Feb. 26. Weddle actually returned to work this week. He was paid one month's salary for the time he was off work, Studer said. Cantu said he had no statement at this time regarding his reasons for reinstating Weddle.

In November, Weddle had charged $69.38 to a city account for a pipe needed for a job he was doing for Gervais Union High School, Studer said. Studer said Weddle didn't pay for the pipe until the morning of Feb. 16, the day he was dismissed. Mary Weddle, Randy Weddle's grandmother, has said the was seeking the recall because the City Portland Jury convicts woman in bicyclist's death A former Portland woman has been convicted of second-degree manslaughter stemming from hit-run accident in which a bicyclist was killed last year. Donetta J.

McLeod, 33, was also found guilty Wednesday of felony hit-run and driving with a suspended license by a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury. McLeod testified that she was not driving the 1970 Cadillac that struck Michael Van Slyke, 26, of Vancouver, Wash. She said the car had been sold the day before the accident. Corvallis police officer, fired a year ago, returns number of items from Japan, thanks to two foreign exchange students living in her home. Brett Sanders, 13, djd a presentation on West Germany that included Gummi Bears, rye bread, music by Bach and money dating back to World War I.

He said his parents went to West Germany, so he was interested in it. drove from Portland to Corvallis to recant the statement to his lieutenant. The lieutenant later brought him up on charges and recommended termination. The recommendation was adopted by McCollum and upheld by the city personnel director and city manager. McCollum resigned Sept.

29 about other issues. The Corvallis Police Officers Association filed a grievance on Reynolds' behalf, and his case went all the way to binding arbitration. Morning Salute Wa thank Carolyn Henderson and her three special sisters, Wynette Parson, Yvonne Qrumbo and Owen Taylor, for the beautiful decorating they did for the wedding reception of Melissa end Ray Lovejoy In Kelzer Elks. Also, thanks to Karen Melott end Bob Walter for their work. We appreciate It so very much.

Butch and MaryLou Smith Salem 1 1 twin For the Geography Trade Fair held at Sublimity Middle School on Thursday, each of about 20 seventh-graders selected a country, studied it and created a vi-' sual presentation to share with their schoolmates. Alisha Sawyers, 12, chose Belgium because she had recently read a Nancy Drew book that was set there. She said she liked Marion County elections officials, Hawkins said he thought that Weddle's dismissal was justified. "I would have been fired from my job if I misused company funds," he wrote. "There are times when unpopular decisions have to be made." Foote concurred.

"I listened," Foote wrote, "but the facts did not change. The basis for my judgment is taken from my life's experiences, my upbringing, the way I conduct my own life and my belief in what is right and wrong." Mail-in ballots for the recall, election will go out April 16. Studer said the election is expected to cost the city between $400 and $600. Oregon Fiery car-truck crash kills two near Eugene EUGENE At least two people died Thursday night when a car struck a log truck, and both vehicles burst into flames. The two victims were in a westbound car that went briefly onto the shoulder of the road on the west edge of Eugene, state police Sgt.

Dennis Ross said. The car went back onto the road and hit the fully loaded log truck broadside. Both vehicles slid down an embankment and exploded. The names of the victims were not immediately released. Employee is' placed on year's probation By Melaney Moisan The Statesman Journal GERVAIS Mayor Pete Cantu has reinstated a public works employee who was fired for making an unauthorized charge on the city account.

Randy Weddle's dismissal Feb. 16 led in part to a recall effort against four of the five City Council members. The recall election will be held May 1. City Recorder Suzanne Studer said Weddle was reinstated with a one-week suspension and a year's probation. Weddle's week of suspension Salem Industry has fresh rule to limit frozen chicken The Oregon Fryer Commission wants an official definition of the difference between a fresh chicken and a frozen one.

It's simple under a proposed rule change filed with the secretary of state's office: A fre8n fryer has not been chilled to below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Although Oregon law now restricts fryers marked "previously frozen" from being labeled as fresh, there is no definition for "fresh." The deadline for public comments on the rule is April 23. CORVALLIS Corvallis police officer Jim Reynolds is back on the job, one year after he was fired by former chief Dan McCollum. An arbitrator ordered that Reynolds be reinstated to his job with back pay. Reynolds, who joined the department April 15, 1979, lost his job last April 7 for making a false statement in a report about an assault.

He completed the report the day before his vacation, saying that he had recontacted a witness when he had not. On the second day of his vacation, he Police seek suspect in LA. man's death EUGENE A murder warrant has been issued for a Portland man after a Los Angeles, man was found dead in his motor home. Spokesman Tim Birr of the Eugene Public Safety Department said Paul Douglas Wells, 41, was seen leaving the motor home March 21. The body of Herbert Edward Jacobsen, 81, of Los Angeles, was found two days later by a tow truck driver who was called to remove the motor home.

An autopsy determined that Jacob-sen died of head injuries. From AP wires.