Henson remembered for Tillamook, veteran support
Cheesemaker golfers finish tenth in state Page A9
Page A2
Headlight Herald
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | Vol. 136, Issue 21
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Tillamook clerk encourages voters to use ballot drop boxes STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.
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cost escalations caused by inflation pushed the project’s budget from a projected $10 million to $15 million, outstripping the $12 million raised by the district. This led to the decision to split the project into three phases to avoid further budget growth. Not all the news is good for the project, however, as NCRD has been working through a violation of wastewater permitting procedures with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
illamook County Clerk Christy Nyseth is encouraging voters in the May primary election to turn in their ballots to ballot drop boxes rather than relying on the United State Postal Service, due to issues with some ballots being returned to voters. Nyseth said that the issues are being caused by sorting equipment at the post office mistakenly reading voter information from the reverse of the ballot envelope rather than her office’s information from the front, leading ballots to be returned to voters. Conversations with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office and the United State Postal Service have occurred, according to Nyseth. Mail carriers have been instructed to be on the lookout for ballot envelopes being returned to voters and to divert them to the clerk’s office. However, Nyseth said that she would “strongly encourage” voters to take the time to drop their ballot at an official drop site to avoid potential complications. Nyseth also noted that all mail from Tillamook is being sorted at facilities in the Willamette Valley, which could delay issues coming to light as election day draws near. Nyseth said that voters should reach out to her office with any
See NCRD, Page A8
See TILLAMOOK, Page A9
The exterior of the new pool building immediately down the hill from the rest of the North Coast Recreation District’s facilities.
NCRD moves into second phase of pool project WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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he North Coast Recreation District’s board of directors recently approved moving the district’s new pool project into its second phase, which will see both pools constructed as work is completed on the building housing them. The decision to move into the next phase was made after $2 million was raised over the last year in support of the project and the district now needs just $1.5 million
for equipment to complete the $15 million project. Two large donations helped to complete the funding package for the second phase of the project, which North Coast Recreation District (NCRD) Executive Director Barbara McCann said should be complete by the end of this year, along with the building. Adventist Health contributed of $500,000 towards the project, specifically earmarked for the new facility’s therapy pool. The therapy pool will be accessible for any patients needing physical therapy
and NCRD staff are working with Adventist and Nehalem Bay Health District personnel to develop a program to best utilize it. Another gift of $1 million was also recently pledged, although the details of that donation have not yet been made public. The Pool Company will be undertaking the pool construction and connecting the pools to alreadyinstalled pipes that will be connected to equipment in the project’s third phase. Initially, NCRD had planned to build the project in one phase, but
Twin Rocks opens staff housing
Astoria District Forester Dan Goody details the mechanics of a partial cut harvest for members of the State Forest Advisory Committee and ODF staff.
SFAC heads into the forest WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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embers of the State Forest Advisory Committee joined Oregon Department of Forestry staff for a tour of several sites in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests on May 16, ahead of a committee meeting the next day. The group saw a shooting complex, partial-cut harvest operation and hiked to a future section of the Salmonberry Trail near Reehers Camp. The tour departed from the Hornshuh Creek Fire Station on Highway 26 in Banks and headed to a first stop at the North Fork Wolf Creek Target Shooting Lanes. There, an Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) staff member discussed the department’s target shooting facilities. In Oregon, shooting on state and federal lands is a legal and common pastime, with the state and federal governments responsible for its regulation. This situation leaves ODF unable to restrict or regulate shooting activities on its lands, which can cause dangerous
situations with shooters unwittingly firing at other forest users. To cut down on these types of incidents, ODF has set up a number of target shooting facilities across state forests, with the goal of encouraging safer shooting. The facility at Wolf Creek has been open for more than two decades and was funded by a grant from the National Rifle Association. It consists of four shooting lanes cut into a hill and is primarily intended for pistol shooting activities. Shooting facilities also decrease fire risk and make fighting those fires which do occur easier. Clatsop State Forester Mike Cafferata said that the shooting lanes were not meant to encourage more people to shoot in the forest and that they had been successful in increasing safety. Next the group made its way to a partial-cut harvest operation in the Astoria District of the Clatsop State Forest, where foresters discussed the details of partial-cut harvests. The stand the group visited had previously been partially cut in the See SFAC, Page A8
IN THIS ISSUE News Opinion Obituaries Sports Classifieds
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Members of the construction team and Twin Rocks’ community in front of the new young adult housing in Rockaway Beach. WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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embers of the Twin Rocks Friends Camp community gathered on May 10, to celebrate the completion of a new young adult community house on Breakers Avenue in Rockaway Beach. After a tour and appreciation lunch at the camp, the group rode the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad to the house, which will house up to 12 young adults, with move ins starting this week. “We’re excited to introduce this new staff home, offering a reasonably priced and comfortable living space for our vibrant community of young adults who contribute passionately to our mission here
at Twin Rocks,” said Twin Rocks Friends Camp Executive Director Ken Beebe. The new house was built on property adjacent to the camp’s beachfront Harbor Villa Retreat Center that was acquired with an eye towards increasing employee housing. The camp was established in 1918, initially consisting of three acres east of Highway 101 on the south end of Rockaway Beach before significantly expanding over the decades. Currently, the camp can accommodate up to 300 guests and hosts a variety of school groups from across the state for outdoor school and other groups for a variety of events. Housing for a handful of staffers
already existed at the main camp, but Beebe said that finding affordable housing for young staff members had become an increasing challenge in recent years. “It’s difficult these days for young adults to find affordable places to live in Tillamook County,” Beebe said. After the property was acquired, the camp began work on building the 3,586-square-foot house with significant contributions from community members. Beebe said that Board Member Jim Fisher volunteered his services as general contractor and other contractors offered a variety of discounts to help facilitate the See TWIN ROCKS, Page A8
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