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North Coast

Citizen Serving North Tillamook County since 1996

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Rockaway Beach was transformed into Halloweentown on October 28, with local businesses putting up decorations and handing out treats to kids.

SCOTT FISHER for North Coast Citizen

ockaway Beach celebrated Halloweentown on Saturday, October 28. While activities centered around the Wayside and the historic Chamber Caboose, businesses all up and down Highway 101 were decked out for the celebration. “We just want the whole town to be spooky,” said

Chamber vice-president Kim Tackett when the festival was announced on October 3. “Halloween is my favorite time of year.” Tackett’s wish certainly came true, with businesses and residents alike vying for prizes. Third place in the commercial category: Joe’s Snacks & Beer, 101 S. Miller Street, directly across S 1st from the Chamber Caboose. Owners Debra Reeves and husband Bryce

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Mayor Charles Mcneilly and his wife, Sue, prepare to hand out candy to kids at the fire department sponsored trunk or treat at the wayside.

Zehrung went for a fun autumn theme featuring pumpkins, some with bat wings, and a few friendly ghosts. Second place was Tackett’s own Simply Charming. Her elaborate combination of wooden cutouts featuring witches, owls, spooky trees and other icons of the season made chilling silhouettes inside the shop windows at 130 Highway 101 North.

Pumpkins and corn stalks outside helped give a harvest-festival effect, but the frightening, skeletal animated figure just inside the door provided goosebumps and shrieks of laughter to visitors all week. First place, to the surprise of neither residents nor visitors, was Grumpy’s Cafe, 202 N Hwy 101. For weeks, Grumpy’s has been adding to the store of skeletons, zombies, ghouls

Doug Olson selected as county commissioner

WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

illamook County Commissioners Mary Faith Bell and Erin Skaar selected Doug Olson to serve the remaining year of retiring Commissioner David Yamamoto’s term at their October 18 meeting. The selection came following a six-week process that culminated with a candidate’s forum and panel interview in the week preceding the selection and will be formalized by a board order at the board’s meeting on October 25. Olson brings a deep reserve of experience in county issues to the position, having served on many county government committees and boards across the county. Bell and Skaar both expressed admiration for his knowledge base and commitment

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to serving the people of Tillamook County. “A lot of people have identified Doug as someone should be at this table and I agree with that,” Bell said, referencing numerous past attempts by people in the county to convince Olson to run for the board. After addressing the rest of their legislative and administrative agenda, Bell and Skaar returned from a brief recess to consider the six final candidates who had participated in the public process over the last weeks: Olson, Ken Henson, Jerry Keene, Matt Williams, Paul Levesque and Paul Fournier. The commissioners began by thanking all the applicants for their participation and praised the ideas that they had brought to the table during the process. Skaar then announced her three top candidates among the finalists as Olson, Keene and Levesque. Skaar said that she preferred choosing a candidate who would not be running in the 2024 election. She also said that she had put emphasis on an ability to hit the ground running with a strong knowledge base in her considerations and weighed

the importance maintaining diversity on the ground. She also encouraged Fournier, Williams and Henson to run next year, saying she believed they brought good ideas to the fore and would make good commissioners. Bell said that in her personal deliberations, she had tried to consider who the voters would choose as a guide. Like Skaar, Bell said that she preferred selecting somebody who was not running in next year’s election, to avoid giving an incumbency advantage to one candidate. An ability to come up to speed quickly was also a priority for Bell and she said that she had arrived at the same three candidates as her top three choices. The commissioners then discussed each of the finalists and what had drawn their attention to them. Both commissioners said that Keene was brilliant and that his passion for the opportunity had shown through in the process. They also mentioned his experience writing legislation as an attractive trait and cited his leadership of two attempts to incorporate Oceanside. Olson’s deep knowledge of Tillamook County and the issues facing it, as well as his experience participating on various county committees and boards from the county’s budget committee to Tillamook Lightwave to the Tillamook People’s Utility District also impressed Bell and Skaar. Skaar noted that Olson had previously announced his plans to retire at the end of 2024 and said she was concerned about the prospect of taking him away from those other committees during his last year of public service. Bell interpreted Olson’s impending retirement differently, saying that she was thrilled that Olson would

choose to spend his last year in such a demanding position. Levesque, who served in the county government for more than 40 years, also has a deep familiarity with the issues facing the county and its administration, both commissioners noted, with Bell referring to him as the “brain trust of Tillamook County.” From there, each named their top two candidates, with Skaar voicing support for Olson and Keene, and Bell selecting Olson and Levesque. Bell suggested that they select Olson since they both had him in common among their top two. Skaar again returned to the issue of Olson’s retirement, saying that she was worried about him starting projects during his time as commissioner that he would not see through following his retirement. She said she felt that Keene would continue volunteering with any projects he started and expressed concern about replacing Olson on the county’s budget committee, which already has one vacancy. Bell said that, given his history, she believed Olson would see through any projects he started as a county commissioner. She also questioned why Skaar would prioritize continuity in this instance after both had agreed that selecting a person who would serve on an interim basis was the best course of action. Skaar agreed to select Olson for the appointment and the commissioners directed staff to prepare a board order formalizing the decision at their meeting on October 25. Skaar asked Yamamoto for his feedback on their deliberations and he said that he felt they were “absolutely going in the right direction,” and praised the decision to select an interim appointee.

and unnamable horrors—all in good fun, of course. A selection of skeletal pirates worked the rigging of a ghost ship built onto the roof, while an enormous lighted inflatable pumpkin grinned wickedly beside them. Residential award winners included thirdplace Sandra Van SkikeMickey, Patty Balius in second, and first-place Gary and Heidi Stevenson.

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These households, like all participants, entered the competition early by email, and the city judges made a loop through town to choose the best representation of the holiday spirit. If staying open till 9 p.m. wasn’t enough reason to make Rockaway’s El Trio Loco III a highly popular restaurant in a town where many places close by 7, their Dia de los Muertos window paintings and festive skeletal diners put a smile on everyone’s face. Like the murals at Joe’s and at the neighboring Beach Bakeshop, the skeletal celebrants at El Trio Loco were the work of the Rockaway Renaissance Artists, who managed the sometimes-difficult task of keeping all the artwork to a similar style while reflecting the individual character of each business.

SEE HALLOWEENTOWN PAGE A2

Rockaway Beach cell service outages to continue through 2024 WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

ell phone service in Rockaway Beach has been unavailable during power outages since late 2022, due to a damaged backup generator at the town’s only cell tower and those outages are set to persist into next year. The outages have left Rockaway Beach’s Fire Department in the lurch and forced them to staff their station for the duration of outages to be available to the public. The problem came to light in December 2022, when Rockaway residents noticed during power outages that their cell phone service was also unavailable. Rockaway Beach Fire Chief Todd Hesse began investigating, contacting tower owner, American Tower, and Verizon, which manages operations at the site. Hesse said that he generated a help ticket with American Tower on December 22, 2022, and followed up repeatedly in the following months, before receiving confirmation that the generator was damaged. A Verizon representative confirmed to the Herald in a written statement that “a recent lightning strike rendered a permanent generator at this site inoperable.” The statement said that Verizon’s engineering team was aware of the situation and “has begun the generator replacement process, including regulatory

clearance, equipment acquisition, building permits, etc.” The representative clarified that it was standard practice to have battery banks at Verizon cell sites for immediate backup and permanent generators for extended outages. The statement said that Verizon expected the generator installation to be complete in 2024 but a more specific timeline was not available. For now, a portable generator has been placed at the site as a backup power source, however it seems to only support Verizon’s network during outages. Mayor Charles McNeilly, who has coverage through Verizon, said that his service outlasts the power by about three hours, but Hesse, who has T-Mobile, said his service goes out as soon as the power goes down. Verizon’s representative did not respond to a question about the apparent discrepancy in service between providers. The gap in service has forced the fire department to staff the station with an on-duty officer during power outages to field emergencies and communicate with emergency dispatch courtesy of the department’s generator and radio equipment. Hesse said he has spoken with both State Senator Suzanne Weber and State Representative Cyrus Javadi about the issue, and that both were concerned and had pledged their support in getting it resolved.

November 2, 2023

NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM | NORTH COAST CITIZEN

HALLOWEENTOWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

A graveyard set up in front of the playground at Rockaway Beach’s wayside for the town’s Halloweentown celebrations.

A trick or treater at the trunk or treat.

Grumpy’s Café took home first place in the decoration contest for businesses for its skeleton-crewed pirate ship.

Jill Collar, a muralist and leading personality in the Rockaway Renaissance Artists, also set up and managed the children’s table at the railroad depot. Jill helped kids paint miniature pumpkins, while fellow Renaissance member Goldea See worked her magic with face painting. But it wouldn’t be Halloween without costumed

kids making a pilgimage for candy, and here the Rockaway Fire Departmentsponsored Trunk or Treat in the Wayside delivered the goodies. Treats were available from a number of participants, including Mayor Charles McNeilly and his charming wife, Sue, whose skeleton costumes tied in well with the animated, musical miniature skeletons

guarding the sugary treasures in their trunk. Kids interested in going the distance were well served by businesses in town, with a twist designed to please parents as well as children. While most shops and businesses offered candy to trick-or-treaters, a respectable number of them offered non-sugary treats—toys, stickers or other non-edible treasures for kids with food sensitivity, or whose parents simply wanted to limit their sugar intake. Trick-or-treaters who found a teal pumpkin (or picture of one) knew they could take something they would enjoy, yet which would be approved by their parents (and their dentists). The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad’s Halloween Coast Train was packed all weekend. Lines for passengers often covered two sides of the Wayside. Railroad staff were decked out in costume, and handing out treats to adults and kids on the train who were also in costume. Best of all, though, was the sight of hundreds of children happily strolling our seaside town. Whether ghoulish or cheery, Grim Reaper or Garfield the Cat, there’s something about seeing costumed kids interacting, enjoying themselves, and participating in a beloved holiday from years gone by. If the popularity of this year’s Halloweentown is anything to go by, our first-annual celebration is destined to be the first of many.

Commissioners move forward on DA office renovation WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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illamook’s Board of County Commissioners announced their intent to award a $337,000 contract to Columbia Cascade Construction for the renovation of the District Attorney’s office at the county courthouse at their meeting on October 18. The commissioners also accepted three grant awards from various agencies that will bring almost $4 million to Tillamook County over the next three years to address substance abuse disorders, purchase equipment for the $27 million radio system replacement and supplement funding for the Kiwanda Corridor project in Pacific City. Tillamook District Attorney Aubrey Olson appeared at the meeting to discuss the current condition of her office and the planned upgrades. According to Olson, as well as the commissioners and other county staff who spoke at the meeting, the office is woefully out of date and in desperate need of an update to continue serving the DA’s needs. The office’s current layout was achieved through piecemeal upgrades and renovations that have taken place since the courthouse’s 1933 construction. The office is spread across two floors at the courthouse and makes use of the disused jury dormitory and other repurposed spaces. Olson said that the current configuration is cramped and loud, with narrow walkways forcing staff to dance past each other on the way to court and bad noise flow leading some to come in on Saturdays to work in peace. There are also a host of safety and cosmetic issues that will be addressed, including asbestos remediation and the replacement of worn-out

flooring. In addition to refreshing the space, the renovation will also remove a disused bathroom and with the demolition of a wall, incorporate it into a new, larger workspace for staff. Fans will also be added to increase air circulation and walkways will be widened to increase access and safety. The renovation will improve 1,500 square feet of the office, and Olson said her staff of five attorneys and five support staff, plan to make use of other spaces in the courthouse and work from home as possible during construction. A $2-million grant for radio equipment that will be used as part of the ongoing replacement of the county’s emergency services radio system comes courtesy of the Department of Justice. Chief of Staff Rachel Hagerty said that she would continue to work on finding other grants to help defray the project’s $27 million price tag. Commissioners accepted another Department of Justice grant, this one for $1 million over three years, to support the county’s substance abuse disorder programs. The funds will allow the county to hire two recovery peers dedicated to working with law enforcement officers interacting with citizens suffering substance abuse disorders. A portion of the funds will also be used to create a program to track overdoses in Tillamook County in partnership with Oregon State University, allowing the county to better understand the crisis locally. The grant will also allow for the continuance of a partnership between the county’s three school districts and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation to educate county youth on substance abuse disorders and sustain the county’s free Narcan program. The final grant accepted by the commissioners will

bring $750,000 of Oregon Parks and Recreation funding to the Kiwanda Corridor project currently underway in Pacific City. The funds will supplement previous funding to allow the completion of a new restroom in the Cape Kiwanda State Park parking area, a scenic overlook, paths and other amenities. Commissioners also granted Verizon permission to enter and inspect two sites along Highway 6 in preparation for siting cell towers. The sites are near Ming Creek and Fall Creek and will encompass a tenby-ten-foot plot leased by Verizon. The move continues the forward progress on adding cellular service to a 40-mile stretch of the vital road link between Banks and Tillamook. The new towers are being made possible by the new transpacific, submarine cable that is set to land on the beach near Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp in south Tillamook County before continuing to Hillsboro along the Wilson River route. Commissioner David Yamamoto thanked Amazon Web Services, the cable’s main client, for their partnership with Tillamook County in allowing data connections to facilitate the towers and expanded broadband services to communities along the cable’s route. Yamamoto said that the most recent discussions about the added cell coverage projected that it would take nine towers in Tillamook County and two or three in Washington County to cover the entire stretch. Commissioners Mary Faith Bell and Erin Skaar also selected Doug Olson to fill the impending vacancy on the board following Yamamoto’s retirement at the meeting. Read more about that decision in this week’s front-page story.

November 2, 2023

NORTH COAST CITIZEN | NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM

Yamamoto discusses commissionership and retirement

WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

illamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto announced his plan to retire from his position at the end of 2023, a year before the end of his term, at the beginning of August. Yamamoto has served as a county commissioner since 2017, focusing particularly on natural resource issues in the county, and said that while he loves his job, distance from his wife and a desire to travel before they are infirm led to the decision to step down. “I love my job, I love what I do,” Yamamoto said. “But there comes a time when everyone has to come to a realization that you’re not indestructible, you can’t do this forever. It is time for me, it is. It was honestly the most difficult decision that I’ve ever made.” Yamamoto was born in 1953, in Selma, California, a town in the central valley about 20 miles south of Fresno. Yamamoto’s family owned a grape farm and he started working there when

he was 11 years old. Yamamoto attended Fresno State University and began his career in the area, where he met his wife Terry, whom he married in 1987. His wife had a young son when they married and the couple now have two grandchildren in the Sacramento area. Initially, Yamamoto worked in the timber industry before later working as a long-term care insurance specialist and real estate agent. In 2006, Yamamoto and his family moved from the Fresno area to Portland and Yamamoto and his wife quickly began looking for lots to build a retirement home on the Oregon coast. In his job as a longterm insurance specialist, Yamamoto covered a large territory across Oregon and would take drives to look at properties for sale whenever his work brought him to the coast. He found a lot in Pacific City Heights whose ocean view attracted him, and after bringing his wife for an inspection, the couple brought the property. Yamamoto says that even before building a house on the property they were blown away by the friendliness of the neighbors, which helped to speed up their planned timeline for moving. “We just owned a lot in Pacific City Heights and yet we were invited to all the Christmas parties and the summer picnics and all that and we just decided, people are so friendly, why are we waiting,” Yamamoto said. “So, we made the move and here I am.”

Construction of the Yamamotos’ home took place in 2009 and 2010, and by 2012 the couple were fulltime residents. After moving, Yamamoto started to become engaged in various county government and nonprofit boards, councils and committees across the county. The first group that Yamamoto joined was the Tillamook County Futures Council, which introduced him to the county commissioners at the time as well as Shirley Kalkhoven, of Nehalem, who became his mentor. With Kalkhoven’s encouragement and guidance, Yamamoto went on to join the board of Tillamook Lightwave and had a hand in the formation of the Tillamook Working Lands and Waters Cooperative, one of his proudest achievements. Yamamoto first dipped his toe into the political waters in 2013, when he was involved in the committee that successfully promoted passage of Tillamook County’s transient lodging tax. As his volunteer efforts increased and his profile grew, friends and acquaintances started to encourage him to consider a run for the board of commissioners. “I was involved in so many activities throughout the county people were telling me, ‘Well, Dave, you really should run for commissioner,’ and I poopooed it at the beginning,” Yamamoto said. “But before you know it, I thought, ‘Well, okay, maybe

it’s something I should do.’” Yamamoto made his first run for commissioner in 2014, losing to incumbent Tim Josi in the November election. Undaunted, Yamamoto ran again in 2016, winning election to Position 2, where he replaced the retiring Mark Labhart. As commissioner, Yamamoto gravitated towards issues involving the natural resources of Tillamook County, a natural extension of his previous work helping to start the Tillamook Working Lands and Waters Cooperative. At an early Association of Oregon Counties meeting, Yamamoto bragged about Tillamook’s fish conservation and restoration practices, at which point “200 sets of eyes rolled across the room.” Yamamoto decided to start inviting the skeptical commissioners to Tillamook County to tour timber operations, dairies and fisheries, and those tours have become a regular occurrence popular with commissioners and other elected officials across the state. Yamamoto also became immersed in forestry issues, winning election as chair of the Forest Trust Lands Advisory Council in 2018. In that role, Yamamoto has been a fierce advocate for preserving the revenues and jobs provided by the Tillamook State Forest and fought to prevent harvest decreases in an under-development habitat conservation plan. Another of Yamamoto’s main focuses as commissioner has been

fighting against updates to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) flood insurance plan that would drastically curtail development potential in Tillamook County’s floodplains. The proposed update was precipitated by an Audubon Society Lawsuit in 2009 but delayed repeatedly by pauses advanced by former Congressman Peter DeFazio. With DeFazio’s retirement last year, forward progress resumed on the update, much to the consternation of Tillamook residents, more than 100 of whom came to a June meeting at the Port of Tillamook Bay to voice their displeasure to FEMA officials. Following that meeting, the county applied for and was granted cooperating agency status in the ongoing update, a move whose success Yamamoto credits to Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s pressure on FEMA. “It is our hope that this slows down and maybe they make some changes to it,” Yamamoto said of the plan, specifically citing the hope for more limited definitions of development that would not impact agricultural activities. With these issues and others in which he is deeply invested facing the county, it might seem like an odd time for Yamamoto to retire, but personal circumstances have driven the decision. When he was considering a run for reelection in 2019, his wife agreed on the condition that they find a dry and sunny place to retire

after a potential second term. Yamamoto won election outright in the May 2020 primary “and by July we owned a home in Henderson, Nevada.” Terry began spending winters in Henderson that year, and Yamamoto said that the separation has taken a toll on him. “We’ve never been apart, so these past three years have been difficult to say the least,” Yamamoto said. Earlier this year, Yamamoto was having a conversation with his wife when she emphasized that they both were turning 70 this year and had discussed extensive travel plans for their retirement, which she feared missing out on if they waited too long. “She said, ‘you need to do this before you can’t do this,’ and that really hit home for me,” Yamamoto said. After announcing his retirement on August 1, Commissioners Mary Faith Bell and Erin Skaar began the process of selecting a replacement to serve the final year of his term, culminating in the selection of Doug Olson in October. Yamamoto will serve through the end of the year, working to help bring Olson up to speed during his final months on the job. While the Yamamotos’ home in Pacific City Heights recently sold, he said the couple plans to come back to Tillamook County to visit friends. He also said that he has been approached by numerous people about the opportunity to do consulting work, a possibility which he is mulling.

Tillamook County Criminal Convictions STAFF REPORT

n July 10, Matthew Christopher Johnson, 53, pled guilty to one count of recklessly endangering another person, a class A misdemeanor committed on or about April 30. Johnson was sentenced to 15 days in jail and ordered to pay $468 in attorney fees and fines. On September 25, Kimberli Ann Leibbrandt, 62, pled guilty to one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about August 1. Leibbrandt was sentenced to two years’ probation and her driver’s license was suspended for one year. On September 29, Daniel Luis Rodriguez, 30, pled no contes to one count of assault in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about June 9, 2022. Rodriguiez was sentence to two days in jail and 18 months’ probation. On September 29, Roni Carrie Ann Dryden, 55, pled guilty to one count of identity theft, a class C felony, committed on or about July 9, 2022. Dryden was sentenced to ten days in jail and 18 months on probation. On September 29, David Anthony Biggar admitted to being in contempt of court and was sentenced to time served in jail. On October 2, Timber Arlyn Vermilyea, 22, pled no contest to one count of harassment, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about June 10. Vermilyea was also sentenced for a no contest plea to one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about December 16, 2021, and lodged on March 7, 2022. Vermilyea was sentenced to two days in

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jail and 18 months’ bench probation. On October 3, Emily Michelle Hill, 37, pled guilty to one count of harassment, a class B misdemeanor, committed on or about March 18. Hill was sentenced to time served in jail. On October 4, Michael Lane Boisa, 25, pled guilty to one count of criminal driving on a suspended or revoked license, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about August 11. Boisa was sentenced to 90 days in jail. On October 5, Darren Mitchell Burt, 47, pled guilty one count of unauthorized departure, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about July 29. Burt was sentenced to 120 days in jail. On October 6, Hector William Rojo Jr., 27, pled no contest to one count of strangulation, a class C felony, committed on or about June 30. Rojo was sentenced to 14 months in prison and two years’ postrelease supervision. On October 6, Timothy Shane Tada, 37, pled no contest to one count of being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about August 2. Tada was sentenced to 40 days in jail. On October 6, Desiree Marie Laymon, 36, pled no contest to one count of reckless burning, a class A misdemeanor committed on or about November 6, 2021, and one count of criminal mischief in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about December 13, 2021. Laymon was sentenced to time served in jail. On October 9, McKayla Dawn Ehly, 39, pled no contest to one count of harassment, a class A misdemeanor, committed on about April 2. Ehly was

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sentenced to 18 months’ probation. On October 9, Jeremiah Terrance McKay, 45, pled guilty to one count of harassment, a class B misdemeanor, committed on or about October 2. McKay was sentenced to time served. On October 9, Jacob Michael Morris, 31, pled no contest to one count of criminal driving on a suspended or revoked license a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about September 25. Morris was sentenced to two days in jail. On October 12, Kim B George, 52, pled guilty to one count of assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence, a class A misdemeanor, committed on about December 27, 2022. George was sentenced to 18 months’ bench probation. On October 12, Richard L Seward Sr., 84, was found guilty on one count of violating a court’s stalking protective order, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about April 13. Seward was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years’ probation, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $368 in attorney fees. On October 13, Micah Daniel Curl, 45, pled no contest to one count of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a class C felony, committed on or about September 5. Curl was sentenced to 6 months in prison, one year of post-release supervision and his driver’s license was suspended for one year. On October 19, Juliana Barrington Chase, 64, pled no contest to one count of menacing constituting domestic violence, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about June 22. Chase was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.

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November 2, 2023

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Maintain NCRD funding in November

fter moving to Manzanita in 2004, I became aware of the North County Recreation District. Having raised my children in the suburbs of Portland, I was familiar with the benefits and taxation associated with parks and recreation districts. I was quite delighted to learn that the kiddos in this small rural area had opportunity to benefit as my children had through swim, soccer, and basketball programs. As time went on, I learned that

NCRD offered much more. I’ve attended performances, art shows, some yoga sessions and other classes, community meetings, and have rented meeting spaces. How many small rural communities can provide such a benefit to its visitors and residents? Long before NCRD was formed, in 1930, the community cast their votes in support of funding that built and maintained the swimming pool. Voters decided in 1996 to establish the tax base to fund facility maintenance and program support. decided in 1996 to establish the tax base to fund facil-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR ity maintenance and program support. This election is about funding and keeping this important community asset in operation at the same property tax rate we are already paying. NCRD is part of the community fabric, including our economy, through its programs, services, staff, board of directors and the many members and visitors. Please join me in keeping this legacy alive by voting YES for the renewal of the NCRD tax levy. Debbie Moberly Nehalem

LETTER TO THE EDITOR NCRD: come for the workout stay for the community

ear Friends, My name is India Downes-Le Guin, and I enthusiastically support the renewal of the 5-year levy for general operations of the North County Recreation District that will be on the ballot this November. Since I moved here a year ago, NCRD has quickly become vital to my well-being.

I started attending classes at the encouragement of my good friend Jenna Edginton. I came to my first class for a good workout, and I have kept on coming back for the community (and bigger biceps). NCRD provides an accessible range of offerings and—perhaps my favorite part—cross-generational connections. It is so special and inspiring to take classes with people of all ages, and the programs offered for our youth are sorely needed.

I strongly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to engage in practices that make them feel like their best selves. NCRD is an incredible asset to our rural community and I look forward to supporting it in any way I can. I am looking forward to voting yes for NCRD in November. I hope you will join me. India Downes-Le Guin Nehalem

i North Coast Citizens, Please vote yes for NCRD. What we are voting for: Day care for kids, upkeep for Rex champ BallField,

our pickle ball courts, our Performing Arts Center, our Fitness Center, the Aquatics Program for kids and seniors (not for the new pool construction), and the space for a multitude of other activities and services. A misconception is that a yes vote will increase taxes, it will not! The

Citizen North Coast

Serving North Tillamook County since 1996 Deadline Noon Mondays for Advertising, News, Classifieds, Legals, Obituaries Editor Will Chappell, email headlighteditor@countrymedia.net Advertising Katherine Mace, email headlightads@countrymedia.net Classifieds & Legals Siah J. Kennedy, Office Manager email classifieds@orcoastnews.com Ad Production Steph Baumgart PHONE 503-842-7535 • FAX 503-842-8842 EMAIL editor@northcoastcitizen.com WEBSITE northcoastcitizen.com The North Coast Citizen (15503909) is published biweekly by Country Media, Inc. 1906 Second Street, P.O. Box 444, Tillamook, OR 97141 Publisher: David Thornberry SUBSCRIPTION RATES $60.00 annually in-county; $72.00 annually out-of-county. $50.00 for online only. Periodicals Postage paid at Tillamook, OR. POSTMASTER Send address changes to P.O. Box 444, Tillamook, OR 97141 Member Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) © 2023 by the North Coast Citizen. All rights reserved. LETTER POLICY The Citizen welcomes letters that express readers’ opinions on current topics. Letters may be submitted by email only, no longer than 300 words, and must be signed and include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number for verification of the writer’s identity. We will print the writer’s name and town of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received and may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, punctuation or clarity. We do not publish group emails, open letters, form letters, third-party letters, letters attacking private individuals or businesses, or letters containing advertising. Deadline for letters is noon Thursdays. The date of publication will depend on space. Obituaries The North Coast Citizen has several options for submitting obituaries. • Basic Obituary: Includes the person’s name, age, town of residency, and information about any funeral services. No cost. • Custom Obituary: You choose the length and wording of the announcement. The cost is $75 for the first 200 words, $50 for each additional 200 words. Includes a small photo at no additional cost. • Premium Obituary: Often used by families who wish to include multiple photos with a longer announcement, or who wish to run a thank-you. Cost varies based on the length of the announcement. All obituary announcements are placed on the North Coast Citizen website at no cost.

love NCRD. That’s why I’m urging you to Vote Yes on the upcoming renewal of its 5-year tax Levy. From the moment I walked into the doors of NCRD, I felt welcomed, included, and supported! My passion for fitness led me to join the center, but it’s been the members, staff, and the variety of programs, that have kept me coming! The fitness and yoga instructors are top notch, and the classes offered are inclusive of all abilities, whether you’re young or wizened. In addition to the classes and the fitness center, I’ve attended a number of fund raising and social events in the gym and in the various rooms that can be rented and used by the community. One

of the attractions that draws me down the hall, is the art that adorns the walls of the Fireside Room and the art gallery. The art is by local artists, and when the items are for sale, some or all of the proceeds benefit local programs or communities, so it’s a win-win. Another program that impressed me, and that I volunteer at, is the before and after school program, Playcare. Angie and her team, assure a safe, well-supervised, stimulating environment, for the children attending. This important program is offered at a fair price and there are scholarships for those families that need assistance. As a single mom, I know how much a program such as this, was a life saver when I was raising my daughters. While my participation and use of programs

at NCRD has been limited to my personal interests, I’m very much aware of the Aquatics programs, the preschool program that uses the space, and the many other services and programs that are offered at NCRD. I’m proud to be a member of this organization that provides so much to the community! Connection, Community, and Inclusivity are at the heart of this center. Vote yes for NCRD. No increase in taxes to you, and none of this goes to the funding of the new pool. This levy will assure that all programs, services, and operational costs can be covered. How has NCRD been part of your life and those around you? Let’s keep it going. Debbie Curley Member, Volunteer, Friend of NCRD

LETTER TO THE EDITOR More support for NCRD

y family and I have been Nehalem residents since Spring of ‘07. We were delighted when we discovered NCRD. It is the community center. From

the exercise opportunities including a pool to art shows and community meetings it has been the beacon of community involvement we were hoping to find. Let’s not forget our updated and upgraded theater. I have had the privilege to act in multiple

plays and have formed some friendships which will be lifelong. I could not think of a better use of our funds than to help keep our NCRD the shining star that it is. Vote yes. Sincerely, Michael Sommers

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Support NCRD’s amazing facility

Love for NCRD

tax rate remains the same. The tax rate is exactly what it was 5, 10 and 15 years ago. Yes is a vote for all of the above and operational costs. Please support an amazing facility. Michelle Vinciguerra Nehalem Resident

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Vote yes for NCRD levy

yes vote will enable NCRD to continue operating at its current level. Why should we want NCRD to continue its current operations? • NCRD is the hub of our North County communities. • NCRD provides kids numerous experiences, including after-school care, youth sports, summer camp, arts and crafts, the school swim program, family swim, and special events for all ages. • NCRD provides a fitness center for working out, and fitness classes and programs such as, yoga, group strength for seniors, Tai Chi, etc. • NCRD has a state-of-theart Performing Arts Center offering musical events, live theatre, and other special events. • NCRD provides aquatics classes and programs for all ages, including adult aqua aerobics, aqua yoga, lap swimming, water walking, etc. • NCRD sponsors special events, such as, art shows, craft shows, speakers, etc. • NCRD staff and teachers are part of our community and are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Vote yes on November 7 for the 5-year renewable operating levy. The levy will be used to continue to support NCRD’s daily operations, maintenance, classes, activities, and programs. The operating-levy rate on the ballot is the same rate NCRD has had for the last fifteen years. Our levy rate will not go up with a Yes vote, and this levy will not be used for the new pool which will be funded by a Capital Campaign and timber tax revenue. Please vote “Yes” for NCRD. Barbara Scott-Brier Manzanita

Support for NCRD from a newcomer

here are so many compelling reasons to Vote yes for NCRD in November. The previously posted letters have outlined the many reasons why a Yes vote benefits the community. I speak as a newcomer. I first came to Nehalem on Memorial Day 2019 to shop at the Nehalem Bay United Methodist Granny’s Attic sale. I returned to go to a service in June. I was invited to lunch, met folks who were kind, welcoming and I began looking for ways to move out of the STR I had in Tillamook where I had been tutoring a young boy. I had been 12 months on the road, having a personal odyssey from my life in Maryland. I was tired, lost and literally without a home. I had been pet sitting and tutoring on Zoom. All I knew was that 28 years of being a wife,

soccer mom, homeowner and teacher in Maryland had ended. The folks at NBUMC were quick to tell me about NCRD. I am sure it was Jane Knapp who told me to check it out. Next, Jennie Meyers who invited me to a swim class she took in the morning. Before I knew it, I had found a yoga class on the schedule. I had been practicing yoga for about 10 years at that point. Actually, yoga and thrift sales were the only constants in my life before I landed in Nehalem. The first yoga class I took was with Liz Carroll. She held an exceptionally wonderful class. Liz greeted me warmly and after I told her a quick version of why I was there, she offered to help me find a rental. It was her caring that kept me coming back. I had practiced yoga in all the places I visited on my journey and not once had someone greeted me with

such care and concern. To this day, attending Liz Carroll’s Restorative yoga class is a treat I give myself every week. When I took to the road again, in a travel trailer during COVID, I took her class on Zoom and did it on the single bed in my trailer. I also love deep water swim, Tai Chi with Juli Stratton and Friday morning Very Gentle Yoga with Lucy Brook. Quite frankly I have never had one class at NCRD that wasn’t outstanding. NCRD is more than a building or even an organization. It is the place of employment of so many folks I have come to really enjoy seeing in action. It is also where I get to watch my talented neighbors perform in excellent community theater. Will I vote yes? I will. I know the value it has brought to my life. I want to see it continue to be a place for recreation and connection for the entire community. Janine Seadler

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Vote yes for NCRD

ello Community, For 42 years, I have participated as a volunteer, instructor, and member. I have enjoyed lap swimming, teaching aqua aerobics and life guarding. I was a volunteer for the newly formed Nehalem Bay Center gym. I was on the 20-year Vision Plan Committee in the 90’s and am currently on the budget committee. I have participated in children’s events, gym, yoga and fitness classes. This gives me the unique perspective of someone who has been involved for an extended period. I have seen the facility go through many changes, from under the direction of the school district to TBCC to the Nehalem Bay Center, and finally NCRD. I’ve been impressed with the board’s determination and ability to show growth. Along with this growth comes rising costs. Yet despite rising costs, the tax levy on the November ballot remains as it was 15 years ago. A final note: Because I

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support the tax levy, does NOT mean I disregard others whose experiences have gone poorly. I have no doubt there have been some valid concerns over the years. With any organization, there are failings. We are human – humans are imperfect- -we can learn from our mistakes. Do we strip down an orga-

nization valued and utilized by so many? No, we move forward, learn from those mistakes and rectify to the best of our ability. Vote yes on the 5-year Optional Tax Levy for General Operations for NCRD. Sincerely, Margie Neilson Community resident

VOLUNTEER DRIVE 2023 Tillamook County Habitat for Humanity (TCHFH) is fueled by a mission to unite individuals in the pursuit of building homes, communities, and hope. Our success is attributed to the incredible support and dedication of our partners and volunteers. Currently, TCHFH is launching a volunteer drive to further our vision of making affordable and decent homeownership a reality for more people in Tillamook County. We welcome volunteers from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their skills or abilities. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, we are passionate about providing learning opportunities and refining your skills and passions. There are numerous volunteer positions available, including marketing, advocacy, construction work, carpentry, painting, cleaning, promotion, cashiering, and even providing snacks to the build site. Whatever your interest or expertise, we have a role for you to contribute meaningfully. For more information, please contact The Affiliate Office at 503-842-7472 or on the web at www.tillamookhabitat.org OR email to habitat@tillamookhabitat.org

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November 2, 2023

NORTH COAST CITIZEN | NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM

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NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM | NORTH COAST CITIZEN

CARE welcomes Jeff Blackford as Executive Director WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

ommunity Action Resource Enterprises Inc. in Tillamook has hired Jeff Blackford, who brings an extensive and successful history in charitable organization management, as its new executive director. Blackford recently sat down with the Herald to discuss his history, passion for not-for-profit work, philosophy and plans at Community Action Resource Enterprises Inc. (CARE). “With programs and partnerships and relationships we can develop and create these programs,” Blackford said. “That’s going to save the taxpayer a lot of money, it’s going to save lives, it’s going to keep people out of jail, it’s going to keep people out of the ER and at the end of the day we hope to make a huge difference in the population of people that are homeless.” Born in Seattle, Blackford grew up in Alaska before attending college at the University of the Virgin Islands, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. After college, Blackford briefly returned to Alaska before moving to Seattle and meeting his partner, Jim. Together, the couple bought Timberline Spirits,

a successful bar and music venue in Seattle that they ran for seven years. Blackford still keeps headshots from performers who graced the Timberline’s stage in his office and looks back fondly on the crowded dancefloor pulsing to “everything from 70s disco to trance, high energy, to country western.” In 2006, the couple sold the Timberline and moved to Lincoln City, where Blackford got his first nonprofit job, working as the development director at the North Lincoln Hospital Foundation. Blackford met his mentor, Connie Isaac, while working at the organization and his interest in nonprofits was whetted. After several years, medical issues facing his parents led Blackford to relocate to Albany to help take care of them. Struggling to find a job in the area, Blackford came across a listing on Craigslist for the executive director position at Communities Helping Addicts Negotiate Change Effectively (CHANCE), a nonprofit group serving people suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders. Blackford was quickly hired and set about growing the organizations’ offerings, finding funding that boosted the budget from $89,000 to

over $3.6 million during his tenure and using that money to operate five locations across three counties and build a 140-bed shelter. “That is where I got my true love and passion of doing what I do now, helping people, making a difference in peoples’ lives, making a difference in the community,” Blackford said. “Because it’s not just about what we do for the individual, it’s about what we do for the community.” Positive community impacts are important to Blackford, who said that offering people mental health and substance abuse treatment and helping to house them increased the entire community’s safety and livability. When CARE’s executive directorship became vacant earlier this year, Blackford learned of the opportunity and was immediately drawn to the new shelter that is coming to First Street in Downtown Tillamook, and, specifically, its lack of barriers for access. “That one little phrase, no-barrier, is what caught my eye and said I want to be a part of this,” Blackford said, “I want to be a part of building a shelter and building this for the community.” The new shelter will include the 400-square-foot,

no-barrier facility, open 365 nights a year, as well as six smaller units that will house individuals, couples or families, depending on their size. The shelter’s first phase will also include two bathrooms with plans to expand the facility next year with additional shelters, a laundry facility and kitchen, and other services for homeless residents. While the shelter has received county approval for construction on the lot between CARE’s headquarters and the U.S. Postal Office, work has been delayed by site planning issues springing from the property’s steep slope. Blackford said that groundbreaking on the project is expected shortly, with opening planned for near the end of the year or in the first weeks of 2024. In addition to the shelter, Blackford is passionate about CARE’s other offerings and its outreach work to inform those experiencing homelessness about the supports available, including help with finding mental and other healthcare, housing, employment and social services. Blackford also said that working with community partners is critical. He wants to build relationships that will allow calls about homeless people to be

channeled to CARE by first responders. He said that this will provide a preferable alternative to incarceration or trips to the emergency room and get the person the support they need. “Instead of having one more mark on their record, let’s do something different for them, let’s see if we can’t make a positive impact on their life by supporting them with other programs,” Blackford said. The mission of helping those experiencing struggles with mental health issues and substance abuse disorders is deeply personal for Blackford, who is in recovery and has been sober for 28 years. He also lost his oldest sister to an overdose, which he credits for helping him to come to terms with his own addiction issues and inspiring his career choice. “That is one of the triggers that put forth in my mind wanting to help people with addiction and mental health,” Blackford said. “I didn’t know where it would lead me but the death of my sister just had a horrible impact on me but it also had a very positive impact because it put me on a footprint and on a path of helping people.” Those personal experiences have also given Blackford a deep empathy for those CARE serves and informed an approach that

prioritizes their humanity. Among other things, this includes eschewing the term “client” in favor of “peer,” to promote a feeling of equality between staff and those they serve. Blackford is also passionate about training, diversity, equity and inclusion, and accessibility of services for all. He is adamant about the importance of community partnerships with both organizations, the homeless community and all citizens of the county, inviting anyone to join him for a coffee to discuss CARE’s services. “CARE cannot do it alone,” Blackford said, “the only way that we’re going to be successful is by working with our community partners.” Blackford encouraged anyone who is interested in supporting CARE to consider volunteering with the organization, making a cash donation or bringing supplies like, socks, garments or sleeping bags to CARE’s headquarters on First Street. CARE will also hold its third-annual, online fundraising event on December 1, with a watch party being planned at its offices.

Neah-Kah-Nie robotics team takes part in competition

By KATHRYN HARMON

aturday October 28th three NKN Robotics teams competed against 12 other teams from around Northwest Oregon in Silicon

Forest’s Meet 0 of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition. FIRST Tech Challenge is an international Robotics Competition where teams design, build, and program a robot to score points during a 2:30 minute competition round. Paired with another

team called an alliance, the goal is to score the greatest number of points against an opposing alliance of two teams. The Menacing Muffin Dragons had a very successful start to their season ranked 3rd out of 15

teams at the meet. They were the first team in our league (partnered with the NKN Argonauts team) to complete the first mosaic of the season - placing three tiles on the backdrop in a particular orientation/color grouping. It doesn’t look like much, but it was an impressive moment. The 47 points they earned in that round set them up early for a strong showing. The Argonauts also had a solid showing at the meet. They ended ranked 6th out of 15 teams. Their unique Gecko Grabber wasn’t quite as fast on the pickup as they would like, but other teams were pretty impressed with the innovative design, and a replacement grabber is already built, and just needs to get swapped out. One team said, “Our coach has been trying to get us to design something like this since the beginning of the season.” The Argonauts are very enthusiastic, and did a great job connecting with other teams and learning about their strategies and capabilities. The World’s smallest Team, or TWsT for short, struggled quite a bit yesterday. They ranked as high as 5th in the competition but ended in 12th place out of 15 teams. That being said, they did

very well considering the sizable challenges they faced. They had a brand-new member who had attended only one practice. They were missing a number of other competitors due to sickness and other scheduling conflicts. In spite of that they competed hard in all 5 of their rounds. They actually had an excellent paper airplane launcher design which drew other teams over to see it. A simple pin on a string is pulled out of 3D printed plane mount by a small servo motor, and a rubber band provides the energy to send the mount down a rail until it stops suddenly at the end and sends the plane aloft. Unfortunately, the endgame period of 30 seconds proved to be quite short and getting queued up to send the plane flying proved difficult. They had a

couple memorable misfires including one that sent the plane into the lap of one of the opposing alliance members. (This is one of the reasons we all wear eye protection at these events.) NKN was accompanied by so many mentors, families, and friends that showed up to cheer on our teams yesterday, so thank you parents, siblings, grandparents, mentors, and families of mentors for showing up! NKN Robotics is particularly lucky to have great sponsors every year. Many thanks to the Eugene Schmuck Foundation, The Tillamook County Creamery Association, ORTOP, and the Mudd Nick Foundation for providing the funding to make this program possible. Also, Upper Crust Pizza in Rockaway has continuously and generously provided pizza for team events.

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First Responders and their families enjoyed a weekend at Jetty Fishery

n appreciation of our dedicated first responders, the Jetty Fishery hosted a weekend of gratitude and fun on October

The Knight family enjoyed their catch during First Responders Weekend held at the Jetty Fishery October 21 and 22. PHOTO COURTESY OF JETTY FISHERY

21 and 22, for a special event exclusively for active EMTs, law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency response. The event included

a complimentary 2-hour boat rental to all active first responders for a relaxing day of crabbing on the water.