A1
Area Churches Celebrate Easter Page A2
Headlight Herald
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | Vol. 137, Issue 15
$2.00
www.TillamookHeadlightHerald.com
Hundreds protest in Tillamook Bell and Olson promote TLT increase
WILL CHAPPELL
T
Headlight Editor
hrongs descended on downtown Tillamook on April 5, converging on Sue Elmore Park before lining Highway 101 to protest the actions taken by President Donald Trump so far in his second term, as well as Elon Musk’s involvement in the administration. Protest organizer Don Backman said that more than 500 people from every community in Tillamook County attended the event, part of a nationwide day of protests, to send the message that they were not okay with the Trump administration’s current path. “This nationwide event was designed to send a message that Americans value individual rights and democracy,” Backman said. “We do not consent to the destruction of our government, our economy and our education for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Across America, millions of people are marching, rallying and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.” Indivisible Tillamook Coast Action, a new non-partisan, grassroots organization made up of more than 800 members in the county opposed to the Trump agenda, organized the rally. Protesters gathered at noon and carried a variety of signs protesting actions taken by the administration and encouraging others to get involved. Backman said that protesters at the event were worried
WILL CHAPPELL
A
Photos courtesy of Brian Cameron
(Top) Event organizers said more than 500 people showed up for the protest. (Bottom) Protesters lined both sides of Highway 101 at the north end of downtown Tillamook on Saturday, April 5.
about a laundry list of concerns including cuts and disruptions to Medicare, Medicaid, social security and veterans’ services, and threats to democracy and individual rights. Backman said that the protest’s number one priority had been safety and thanked volunteers who had helped elderly and mobilitychallenged protesters navigate downtown. Backman also pushed back on suggestions that attendees had been paid, calling the suggesSee PROTEST, Page A3
36th Home and Garden show set for April 26 and 27 repare for the summer at the 36th annual Tillamook Headlight Herald Home and Garden Show at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds on April 26 and 27. Cohosted by Tillamook County Solid Waste, the show will feature an array of vendors selling goods to help get your home and garden in tip-top shape as well as the 2025 Bee Days hosted by the Tillamook Beekeepers and food from the team at Pacific Restaurant. For Bee Days, the beekeepers will be bringing their demonstration hive and hosting a fundraising raffle, featuring a hive constructed by a member and decorated by local youth, with proceeds going towards the club’s operations. The Kiwanis Club of Tillamook will also be fundraising to
support scholarships for local students and Rick Stelzig will be selling handmade, wooden American flags to benefit American Legion Post 47 and its youth programs. Vendors at the show will include Old House Dahlias, Monkey Business 101, LP Designs, photographer TR Russell and many more. Old House Dahlias will feature a variety of Dahlia clumps, including for the striking Hollyhill Black Widow, while Monkey Business 101 will focus on edible and bee-friendly landscaping, including fruit trees, berry bushes, heritage roses, shrubs and flowering perennials. Pacific Restaurant will be offering cinnamon rolls, cookies and coffee from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday and burgers, pulled pork and other more substantial items for the rest of the day. So, head to the Tillamook County Fairgrounds between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 26, or 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 27, to take care of your home and garden needs.
Tillamook Beekeepers Association 7th Annual Beehive Raffle Win this hand-crafted, hand-painted beehive created by a local artisan beekeeper and painted by our youngest beekeepers, Paisley Andrus (age 9), Ashton Andrus (age 7), Hazel and Russell Stelzig (twins, age 9) The hive will be raffled at the Photo by Katherine Mace Headlight Herald Home Show hit at the The Tillamook Beekeepers Association’s demonstration hiveandisGarden a perennial @ 3:30 p.m. Sunday April 20th show.
s Tillamook County seeks voter approval for a 4% increase to its transient lodging tax rate, Commissioner Mary Faith Bell and former Commissioner Doug Olson are traversing the county in support of the proposal. Bell and Olson recently sat down with the Headlight Herald to discuss the measure and said that it boiled down to asking tourists to pay for the impacts they have on the county. “We’re asking voters to approve for tourists to pay their fair share for the services they receive while they’re here,” Bell said. The idea to seek an increase to the transient lodging tax (TLT) began percolating during budget discussions last year as county leaders pondered how to bridge a multimillion-dollar-a-year shortfall caused by stagnant property tax and decreasing timber revenues. Approved by voters in 2013, and taking effect in 2014, the county’s TLT is currently set at 10%. Under state law, 70% of that money must go towards tourismrelated facilities or promotion, while the other 30% is available for discretionary use by the county. In Tillamook County’s case, voters approved the TLT with the understanding that the unrestricted funds would go to the county’s public works department to fund road maintenance. The other 70% has been used to support a plethora of projects across the county, including the North County Recreation District’s new pool, a new roof for the YMCA’s Pastega Activity Center in Tillamook, the Cape Kiwanda corridor project in Pacific City and an ongoing partnership with the Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, which supports programs ranging from maintenance of beach wheelchairs to wayfinding signs in unincorporated communities. Currently, the tax yields around $8 million annually, with around $2.4 million going to the roads department, and $5.6 to tourism projects. When commissioners first broached the topic of seeking voter approval for an increase in the TLT last year, they floated a 5% increase to take effect on July 1 of this year. However, that proposal See TLT, Page A3
Secondary prizes:
$100 gift card for the TCCA Farm Store
Headlight Herald
Tillamook Beekeepers Assoc. is featuring $50 gift certificate for JAndy Acres Nurseries
Bee Days 2025 Handcrafted by Rick Stelzig Painted by Paisley, Ashton, Hazel, and Russell.
Tickets are $5 each or 5products for $20 & Honey Bee Hive Raffle
To purchase raffle tickets, go to: (winner picked Sunday) www.tillamookbeekeepers.org
Cosponsored by Tillamook County Solid Waste
• Food by Pacific Restaurant Citizen April 26-27, Sat 9-4 & Sun 11-4 FREE ADMISSION • Monkey Business 101: Lots of berry plants & fruit trees FREE ADMISSION Bee Day• 2022 Kiwanis Club of Tillamook: Raffle Fundraiser FREE PARKING • Tillamook American Legion Post 47 Fundraiser: Tillamook County Fairgrounds Handcrafted Wood American Flags by Rick Stelzig North Coast
Saturday, April 30 9 am to 4 pm
Sunday, May 1 11 am to 4 pm
H25127
P
Staff Report
Headlight Editor
Scan ME
Tillamook Beekeepers Association is Presenting
at Tillamook County Fairgrounds
•
ors Vend New ffles Ra s Plant
Still booking vendors! 503-842-7535 headlightads@countrymedia.net
Spring into Home & Garden Savings at the annual Home & Garden Show 20% off new & renewing subscriptions of the Headlight Herald
News Opinion Obituaries Sports Classifieds
A2-4 A5-6 A7 B1-2 B3-8
Weather Tuesday
High 61° Low 42°
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
High 57° Low 41° High 66° Low 44° High 68° Low 46° High 58° Low 44° High 54° Low 42° High 54° Low 42°