NCC821

Bay City Pearl & Oyster Music Festival Page A2-3

Salo wins 100th Pig n’ Ford

STAFF REPORT

Another Tillamook County Fair is in the books, after a week of music, food, rides, animals and so much more from August 6-9.

The week kicked off on a drizzly Wednesday that saw the Pig n’ Ford association forced to cancel their first day of racing but ended with three days of beautiful weather, culminating in Saturday night’s Pig n’ Ford championship race and demolition derby.

This year, the fair celebrated the Pig n’ Ford races centennial anniversary, with booths around the fair getting in on the fun, limited edition, commemorative souvenirs available for sale and a driver meet and greet on Friday night.

Ben Salo won the centen-

nial championship in the #20 car owned by his father Ken, with the Walker franchise #13 car finishing second and the Prince #15 car coming in third.

Exhibit halls at the fairground were busy throughout the week as locals showed off their green thumbs and handiwork, while area youth showed a plethora of farm animals as part of FFA and 4H competitions. Parimutuel horse racing filled the afternoons in the main grandstand, while various entertainment from ice cream tasting and bubble gum eating contests to magicians kept families delighted in the courtyard. Chase Matthew, Fleetwood Mac cover band Taken by the Sky and up-and-comer Waylon Wyatt put on memorable concerts in the grandstand arena.

Saturday evening.

CARE prepares for October shelter opening

In October, those experiencing Tillamook County will have two new options to help on the path to stable housing,

when Community Action Resource Enterprises Inc. opens a new congregate shelter and shelter village at its Tillamook headquarters.

Community Action Resource Enterprises Inc. (CARE) Executive Director Jeff Blackford said that he was excited for the facilities to open and believed that they would be an asset for the community.

“We’re trying to make the neighborhood safer; we’re trying to make the neighborhood just a nicer place to be,” Blackford said. “We want our neighbors to be happy with what we’re doing because we did hear them loud and clear when they were not happy when this was first announced. And we think we’ve done a really good job at making it blend into the environment, into the neighborhood.”

Work on the new shelters began in February 2024 and is being funded with

$266,000 from behavioral health and resource networks, which were created with the passage of Measure 110 in 2020.

Difficulties with utility installation slowed the project’s progress, but as of early August, utilities had been connected to the large congregate shelter, two three-person shelters, eight oneperson shelters and three bathrooms, and a fence had been installed around the project’s exterior.

Finishing touches like landscaping, covering for the paths in the shelter village area and the installation of outdoor kitchen equipment remained to be done, and finding a date for an opening ceremony has caused another slight delay.

“We are having a challenge right now of getting our speakers and elected of -

See CARE, Page A5

Bay City’s fourth annual Pearl and Oyster Festival is scheduled to bring a weekend of music and family fun to Al Griffin Memorial Park on August 23 and 24. As in past years, Saturday will see a full day of live performances from professional bands before Sunday is dedicated to kids, with a talent show and other activities, games and entertainment for the youth.

First held in 2019, the festival was envisioned as a celebration of the city and a way to attract visitors and returned for its second edition in 2023 after a three-year pandemic hiatus.

Each year, the festival shuts down Fourth Street in Bay City, as dozens of vendors offer their wares, while Al Griffin Memorial Park is transformed into a concert venue featuring two stages.

On Saturday, the main stage will play host to three cover bands, with Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band Tombstone Shadows playing the first set at 1 p.m. Grand Royale, a Beastie Boys tribute band, performing at 4 p.m. and Eagle Eyes wrapping up the evening with renditions of Eagles’ favorites at 7. The second stage in the park will host two performances by Hope Montgomery & The Invasive Species at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

A beer and wine garden will be hosted by Clatsop Distributing and Grocery Outlet and food will also be available for purchase.

On Sunday, kids will take center stage with games, music and chalk art on offer and the opportunity for kids to set up their own vendor table with no charge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A pet parade will start the day’s festivities at 11 a.m., with kids encouraged to bring their furry pal and to be prepared to walk several blocks with them. At noon, a local kids’ band will perform and at 1 p.m., an open-mic hour will give kids a chance to prepare for the talent show.

Kicking off at 2 p.m., the third annual kids’ talent show is open to those aged zero to 18, has five categories and a five-minute time limit per performer, and offers a cash prize.

To register for the talent show and find more information about the weekend’s activities visit baycitypearlandoysterfestival.com.

Harrier lands

WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

Hundreds of aviation enthusiasts gathered around the perimeter of the Tillamook Airport on August 4, for the delivery of a McDonnellDouglas AV-8B Harrier II ground-attack jet to the Tillamook Air Museum.

After arriving from China Lake, California, the aircraft’s pilot performed several low fly-bys before putting on an extensive demonstration of the plane’s hover and turn maneuvers, and short takeoff and landing capabilities. Following the demonstration and a short decommissioning, members of the public were given an opportunity to take photos and meet the pilot before the craft was moved into Hangar B for preparation to be exhibited in the museum. Visit our Facebook page for video of the aircraft.

CLASSIFIEDS

Serving North Tillamook County since 1996

Deadline: FRIDAYS at Noon for Advertising, News, Letters, Classifieds, Legals/Public Notices, Obituaries

Chief Executive/Operations: Joe Warren

Editor: Will Chappell, email headlighteditor@countrymedia.net

Advertising: Katherine Mace, email headlightads@countrymedia.net Office Manager: Patty Archambault, email classifieds@orcoastnews.com

Classifieds & Legals/Public Notices: Due by Noon on Fridays the week of publication, send Classifieds to classifieds@orcoastnews.com, send Legals/Public notices to legals@orcoastnews.com, or call 503-842-7535 for more information.

Graphic Design: Steph Baumgart Office Phone: 503-842-7535 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 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) © 2025 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 Fridays. 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 $100 for the first 200 words, $75 for each additional 200 words. Includes a

photo at no additional cost.

• Premium Obituary: Often used by

include

nightly, and meetings or other activities during the day. There will be no barriers to accessing the shelter and it will feature a television, artificial plants and a coffee station, as well as a dedicated restroom.

that CARE staff was discussing security protocols but that a final decision on whether to contract for security services would probably be made as the shelter opened and they saw how it operated.

Plan) if you’re not on OHP, let’s talk about your goals toward your housing support,” Blackford said. “Let’s talk about your needs, your wishes, your wants and what your path looks like.”

help and support people,” Blackford said, “but at the same time, we want to make sure there is accountability, and we want to make sure that the rest of the people on site feel safe.”

ficials to find a date that works for everybody,” Blackford said. “So, we were in September, and we have pushed it out into October now.” Once open, the congregate shelter will be easily accessible, while the shelter village will be behind a restricted-access gate. Open year-round, and staffed overnight by a CARE team member, the congregate shelter will be able to host 10-12 people

Blackford said the shelter’s top priority, after safety, is creating an environment that will make people feel welcome and respected. “We want them to feel like they have a chance at succeeding and making a difference in their life and turning that corner,” Blackford said. Those staying in the shelter will not be allowed to use substances on the premises. Blackford said

The village area of the new facility features ten one- and three- person shelters and two restrooms just down the hill from the congregate shelter and its residents will have to participate in CARE’s program to live there.

“If you want to get down here, let’s talk about your recovery, let’s talk about your mental health, let’s talk about you getting on OHP (Oregon Health

Residents in the village will be expected to be sober, and they will meet twice weekly as a group with CARE’s navigation manager to discuss any issues that might arise. Blackford said that if issues come up, the manager would work with residents to resolve them but that if someone was not meeting expectations they could be asked to leave the village. “We definitely want to

Residents are expected to stay in the village for around six months as CARE staff help them find longer-term housing and the shelter will only be open to adults, with families with children accommodated at CARE’s existing shelter facility near Tillamook Seventh Day Adventist. With work ending on the new shelters, CARE will now shift focus to creat

State parks in Tillamook to increase, add fees

STAFF REPORT

Cape Lookout and Ne -

halem Bay State Parks will see tent and RV camping rates increase next May, while visitors to Oswald West State Park will be required to pay for parking starting October 1, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced August 1. The changes come as the agency adjusts overnight rates at its 29 busiest parks and stops waiving parking fees at 21 new day use

parks to address a projected 14% budget shortfall. The increase to overnight fees will be in effect between May 1 and September 30, and on weekends year-round, with tent campsites costing $29 and full hook-up RV sites costing $52. Cabin and yurt prices will increase at all parks across the state during those periods, with yurts set to cost $72 nightly, and deluxe cabins or yurts $129.

Parking fees at Oswald West State Park will be

$10 for Oregon residents and $12 for out-ofstaters, with both 12- and 24-month passes available.

A release from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) explained that the fee increases and additions were necessary because state parks were seeing increasing costs, record visitation and a drop in lottery funds that support the department’s operations. The release said that the department was also looking at ways to reduce costs

Housing Commission Announces Game-Changer Boost in Funding

The Tillamook Housing Commission is very pleased to announce a large boost in funding for housing production in Tillamook County! Oregon DEQ, through their low-embodied carbon program, has awarded Tillamook County a CERTA grant for construction of space-efficient housing production. Space-efficient housing is one of several strategies to increase our affordable and workforce housing supply with efficient use of resources. Funds for this type of housing will be processed through Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), with the assistance of Tillamook County’s Department of Community Development. Tillamook County has been allocated $3.78 million. “It is gratifying to see this example of cross-agency partnership to ease the housing crisis,” stated Parker Sammons Housing Commission coordinator. Of the total funds to the county, $3.6 million is dedicated to providing rebates of $20,000/unit for up to 180 space- efficient housing units. An additional 5%, or $180,000, will support

the Housing Commission’s administration of its grant program. All housing units receiving these grant funds must be rented or sold to people making 120% or less of Area Median Income (AMI) and maintain spaceefficiency requirements. To learn more and to see if your project qualifies, contact Tillamook County Housing Coordinator, Parker Sammons at (503) 842-3312 or parkersammons@tillamookcounty.gov. Continue to follow the Housing Commission for updates on this exciting news!

Did you know that Tillamook PUD offers Paperless Billing and Auto Pay options?

With Auto Pay you choose to automatically pay your monthly bill directly from your bank account or with a debit card, Visa or MasterCard. If you would like to sign up for this option contact the PUD office today to recieve an Auto Pay form.

internally and new ways to generate revenue to maintain its current service levels.

“State parks are some of the most beloved spaces in Oregon, but we have struggled as a state to sustainably fund them,” OPRD Director Lisa Sumption

Tillamook, OR 97141 503-842-2535 503-842-2535 tpud.org tpud.org

We offer paperless billing, an online resource that allows you to conveniently manage your account anytime, anywhere. To sign up go to SmartHub and follow the instructions.

said in the release. “We’re working to reimagine the future of Oregon Parks as a financially resilient system that will serve generations to come.” OPRD relies on three main sources of funding, with a little less than half their budget coming from

dedicated lottery funds, around 15% from recreational vehicle license fees and 35% coming from park fees and visitors. For a full list of parks seeing fees added or changed, visit OPRD’s website.

Oregon Tuna Classic Marks 20 Years of Fighting Hunger and Celebrating Sport Fishing

For two decades, the Oregon Tuna Classic (OTC) has united passionate anglers, generous sponsors, and coastal communities in a shared mission: to fight hunger and strengthen Oregon’s coast. This August 15–16 in Garibaldi, the OTC celebrated its 20th anniversary with a weekend of competitive fishing, community spirit, and charitable giving — including thousands of pounds of fresh tuna and significant financial support to local causes.

What began in 2005 as the “I Fish for Food Tuna Tournament” — a grassroots effort led by founder Bud Hosner — has grown into one of the West Coast’s most prestigious charitable fishing competitions and an exclusive invitational for the Offshore World Championship. Each summer, top anglers from across the Pacific Northwest compete for honors while donating their catch to feed families along the Oregon Coast.

“From our very first tournament, the goal has always been

bigger than fishing,” said John Stanfield, President of the OTC Board. “This event is about feeding families, supporting our neighbors, and showing the power of a community that comes together on and off the water. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come in 20 years — growing from a small group of anglers into a major event with more than 40 teams competing, a vibrant community presence, and a mission that continues to inspire. We’re proud to create an experience that celebrates both the sport and the spirit of giving.”

Last year’s tournament saw strong participation and generous donations of both fresh albacore tuna and financial support, helping provide thousands of healthy, protein-rich meals to coastal communities in need.

Kati Duffy, Community Philanthropy Developer at Oregon Food Bank, emphasized the vital impact of the tournament: “Fresh, high-quality protein is one of our most needed items, and the opportunity to share

locally caught tuna with our community is unmatched. The tuna provided through Oregon Tuna Classic goes directly to families along the Oregon

Coast, delivering food that is fresh, nourishing, and local. We are strongest when we connect with and support each other, and Oregon Tuna Classic truly

Pirate football aims to build

ball.

BY MIKE WEBER For The Headlight Herald

The Neah-Kah-Nie High Pirates football teams started practice Monday with a positive outlook, aiming to have a much better season than they had last year.

The Pirates, guided by fourth-year Coach Alejandro Quintana-Rios, lost six graduated seniors from a year ago. Quintana-Rios is hoping that with a majority of the team returning, the Pirates will have an improved performance on the field and win more games than they have in recent years.

embodies the power of our Oregon community.”

This year’s event featured 49 registered teams. On Saturday, August 16, a shotgun

start sent boats racing offshore in the morning to compete for the five heaviest albacore of the day.

This year’s title sponsor, Schooner Creek Boat Works, is proud to help mark this milestone. “As a company rooted in the marine community, supporting the Oregon Tuna Classic was a natural fit for us,” said Pascal Le Guilly, General Manager of Schooner Creek Boat Works. “This tournament is more than a competition — it’s about camaraderie, tradition, and giving back to the coastal communities we all cherish.”

Since its inception, the OTC has donated the equivalent of over 1 million pounds of food and more than $1 million in cash to the Oregon Food Bank and Ducks Unlimited. These contributions not only fight hunger but also help conserve critical wetlands and wildlife habitat, while boosting Oregon’s coastal economies through tourism, sponsorship, and community partnerships.

“With most of our kids returning and coming back with the hopes of having a stronger performance, then we’ll have pretty solid team this year,” said QuintanaRios. “We’ll be okay, especially since we’ll have our starting senior quarterback Brady Douma back to help lead the offense this year. Brady had a really good off season and our team played seven-man football during the summer with a good, solid group competing there.”

“We just need to have an improved offensive line and our inconsistency at center with snapping the ball was the biggest thing that hurt us last year,” said QuintanaRios. “We’re working on improving in that area this year and hopefully we’ll have some guys that we’ll rely on to help us out there.”

On defense, the Pirates will look to junior cornerback Daniel Sargent, the team’s leading tackler last season, for leadership. Pirates senior wide receiver/ linebacker Noah Scovel is also expected to be a team leader on both sides of the

Neah-Kah-Nie finished in last place in the seven-team OSAA Class 2A Special District 1 standings with a 1-5 league mark (1-7 overall). The highlight of the season was a 24-0 home win on Sept. 27, 2024, over the Vernonia High Loggers (1-5 SD1, 2-7 in 2024).

“We should be able to

have an improvement in our record and hopefully we’ll win more than one game,” said Quintana-Rios.

“Last year we lost a couple of close games that we could’ve won. I’m really hoping that we’ll have a much better season and have a better record for sure this year. Hopefully everyone will stay healthy and that will be a key aspect of the season.”

The Pirates could’ve easily enjoyed more success than having just one win last year, dropping two close matchups. The Pirates lost 22-16 in a nonleague season opening home game to the Irrigon High Knights (2-7 in 2024) on Sept. 6, 2024. They

also lost a close road game, 20-18, to the Corbett High Cardinals (2-4 SD1, 4-5 in 2024) on Oct. 25, 2024.

Following a jamboree at Clatskanie Aug. 29, the Pirates will begin the season with 7 p.m. nonleague home contest against the Class 3A Harrisburg High Eagles (0-9 in 2024) on September 5. The Eagles are playing in Class 2A this year after competing in Class 3A the last three years.

“I’m really excited to have our first game at home with our season opener versus Harrisburg and we’ll be ready to go for that,” said Quintana-Rios.

The Eagles have struggled recently and have lost 12

consecutive games overlapping the last two years. Their last win was a 29-19 victory over the Rainier Columbians on Oct. 6, 2023.

The Pirates open their five-game SD1 schedule with a September 26 Tillamook County rivalry road matchup against the Nestucca High Bobcats (5-1 SD1, 5-4 overall in 2024). Nestucca won last year’s area rivalry game 38-0 on Sept. 20, 2024 at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway. The two-time defending league champion Gaston High Greyhounds (5-1 SD1, 7-3 overall in 2024) are the top contender again for the league title, with 22 of 25 players returning.

Pirate volleyball looking for bounce back season

BY MIKE WEBER For The Headlight Herald

After starting volleyball practice last Monday, the Neah-Kah-Nie High Pirates are focusing on having an improved record follow-

ing a disappointing 2024 season in which they were 1-11 in the OSAA Class 3A Coastal Range League (3-17 overall).

This year the Pirates squad looks markedly different after the loss of six

graduated seniors from last year’s varsity team. The Pirates will be guided by new head coach Debra Beckwith, who brings the experience of her 23-year high school volleyball coaching career. Beckwith replaced former Coach Jacque Vandecoevering, who resigned following the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Beckwith is hoping that the Pirates will enjoy some success and show substantial improvement this year. Getting a few more league wins would certainly help the Pirates gain some respectability in the tough Coastal Range League (CRL). The three-time defending CRL champion Corbett Cardinals (12-0 CRL, 24-5 in 2025) will again be a top contender for the league title after they took fifth place in the state last year.

“We have a group of five

juniors who will definitely have a solid impact on the success of our team this year along with senior Bianca Smith,” said Beckwith, who coached teams in Washington throughout her career prior to becoming the Pirates coach. “We had some summer workouts for the team in June which was very helpful for me in getting familiar with them. It helped provide me with some good insight into how well they can play. I’ve watched the team play for the last three years since I was a linesperson at Neah-Kah-Nie games.”

The Pirates have won a total of just five league games overlapping the last three years. They finished with a 2-10 record in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The Pirates endured a rough stretch last season that included a 10-game

losing streak. A highlight of the season was when they snapped the streak with 3-0 win on Oct. 10, 2024, over the Riverdale High Mavericks (2-10 CRL, 4-15 overall) in Portland.

“It takes time to build a successful program, so I’m not expecting by any means to place at the state tournament,” said Beckwith. “My goal for this year is to get at least a .500 record and possibly contend for a playoff spot. That would be a pretty high goal for this group to achieve, but they’re a very athletic group and we just need to enhance their skills a little bit more.”

The Pirates will look for leadership from senior Bianca Smith and juniors Jasmine Jones and Ruby Marteeny Hucek.

Neah Kah Nie will begin the 2025 season with a tournament Aug. 30 at

Warrenton High School. They’ll play the season opening contest of their 16game schedule in a Sept. 2 4 p.m. nonleague area rivalry matchup versus the Class 2A Nestucca High Bobcats (11-13 in 2024) at Nestucca High School.

“The tournament at Warrenton will give everyone an opportunity to get out on the court and play and we’ll see where that will take us from that point,” said Beckwith. “I’m just really very excited about the beginning of the season.”

The Bobcats won last year’s Tillamook County rivalry contest 3-1 over the Pirates at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway on Sept. 4, 2024. The Pirates begin their 12-game CRL schedule Sept. 9 at home versus the Yamhill-Carlton High Tigers (10-2 CRL, 14-8 in 2024).