Ruralite, Tillamook PUD, March 2026

TILLAMOOK PUD

MARCH 2026

A Century of Sound

The Monday Musical Club keeps its founding promise: live music, free to all Page 4

Ruralite

March 2026 • Volume 73, No. 3

CEO Michael Shepard

SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC

DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Noble Sprayberry

SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC

LEAD CONTENT EDITOR Victoria Hampton, CCC

ASSISTANT EDITORS David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC; Nina Todea, CCC

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Valeri Saldanha Rosa

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER

Elizabeth Beatty

SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR

Alyssa McDougle

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Shaped By Other Hands

There’s a moment in every apprenticeship when a student realizes the lesson isn’t just about technique—it’s also about trust.

Rick Pass experienced this when he traveled to North Carolina at 62, newly retired, to study duck decoy carving with master carver Vic Kirkman. Eleven days of intensive work led to Rick’s first world carving championship event in Ocean City, Maryland, and from there to five summers studying in Canada with 14-time world champion Pat Godin.

Rick hadn’t carved before retirement. He simply recognized that mastering something meaningful meant finding the right teachers and being willing to learn.

That same spirit of generous mentorship runs through our Spotlight feature on traditional Western arts.

Blacksmith Darryl Nelson, who forged his career from farrier to resident blacksmith at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, speaks of feeling an obligation to the master smiths who taught him decades ago. Silversmith Beau Compton learned his trade from a mentor who never charged him a dime and now opens his own home and

workshop to the next generation. Saddlemaker Mario Hanel mastered his art through fellowship training. Rawhide braider Steve Harris learned from his brother at 15 and now teaches his 13-year-old daughter.

In each case, knowledge traveled from one set of hands to another—not through textbooks or online tutorials but through the patient, in-person act of showing someone how it’s done.

Dave LaBelle’s photography column carries this message forward in a different way. His reflection on Eva Schloss, Holocaust survivor and Anne Frank’s stepsister, reminds us that some of the most important lessons are passed through personal testimony. Eva spent decades sharing her story so others might learn from it—a form of mentorship that transcends any single craft.

As we celebrate National Women’s History Month, I’m thinking about the mentors who shaped me and the knowledge I have a responsibility to pass along.

Who taught you something that changed your path? Who might be waiting for you to do the same?

Until next time,

Chasity Anderson Editorial Director

Close, Page 10

Page 12

the Kitchen, Page 16

A Century of Sound

The Monday Musical Club keeps its founding promise: live music, free to all

By Chelsea Yarnell

For 105 years, Monday Musical Club of Tillamook has been a haven for musicians.

It all began when Anna Mae Koch invited a group of women to her home to study the history of music. The gathering of 12 increased into a membership of 20. They met every Monday afternoon for the next two years.

In 1922, Anna Mae formed Monday Musical Club of Tillamook and became the club’s first president. By 1923, MMCT was admitted to the National Federation of Music Clubs, published its first yearbook and created a community chorus. At the time of MMCT’s formation,

Tillamook’s population was just under 2,000. The community’s contact with the valley was greatly limited due to lack of transportation. The club grew to solidify its vision and hope to see Tillamook County as a thriving, artistic-minded community where every person has equal access to live musical experiences.

Now, more than a century later, MMCT fosters creative connections for people of all ages through the power of local musical experiences; with a dedication to keeping opportunities and performances free to the public.

“It aligns with our mission and vision to make music accessible to all,” MMCT President Kathy Gervasi says. “We have

a history of live music and performing. People are used to watching music on their phones, but it’s the human connection and aspiration to the youth that is important. It’s so gratifying to be a musician.”

In recent years, MMCT has kept a regular yearly schedule with 10 monthly programs featuring performances. Club members carry on the tradition of the Gold Cup Junior/Senior Awards Competition and the Junior Festival.

Most recently, MMCT Director Jerilee Henderson coordinated “Under the Kissin’ Tree,” which MMCT first performed 40 years ago.

“I had the script after all these years and thought this would be a cool program

to bring back,” she says.

Even the original cover art by Kathy Jensen was featured on the program for the 2026 rendition.

“Under the Kissin’ Tree” is a musical comedy set in the 1920s. It was written and composed in 1985 by Fenton McLellan and his daughter Barbara McLellan Beebehiser, of Bay City. The program was held twice in the 1980s. Some of this year’s cast were also part of the 1986 performance.

Rounding out this season’s programing are: “Irish” at 7 p.m. March 9 at St. John’s United Church of Christ; “Spotlight on Young Musicians” at 7 p.m. May 11 at Tillamook United Methodist Church; and “Celebrating Classical Music” at 7 p.m. June 8 at United Methodist Church. The 2026-27 season resumes in October.

Each spring, MMCT turns its focus to youth outreach.

The awarding of cash scholarships and the Junior/Senior Gold Cup competition began in 1946. Eligible juniors and seniors

in Tillamook County can compete in voice, piano or any of the instruments of the symphonic orchestra.

“We reach out to all music teachers in all three school districts, as well as private instructors, and encourage students to participate,” Jerilee says. “I think it encourages them to be better at their craft, and performing in front of an audience is part of it. It makes you stronger as a person, too. At first, you see that student who is scared to death. As they do it more and more, they get more comfortable with it. It also helps with your public speaking and public presence.”

Last year, MMCT awarded $3,000 in cash prizes to the young competitors, with senior Blake Poblador, of Tillamook, winning the overall 2025 Gold Cup award.

This year’s competition is at 2 p.m. April 19 at Tillamook United Methodist Church. Any Tillamook County junior or senior student musician may compete.

As a fundraiser for the competition,

LEFT: Each spring, the Monday Musical Club of Tillamook dedicates a program to highlight the talents of young local musicians.

OPPOSITE PAGE:

The 2026 cast of “Under the Kissin’ Tree” revived a show MMCT members first performed in the 1980s. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONDAY MUSICAL CLUB OF TILLAMOOK

ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY S-HADJAMAR

MMCT hosts a benefit concert at 3 p.m. March 15 at Tillamook United Methodist Church. The concert features John Nilsen, an accomplished pianist, guitarist, composer, lyricist and vocalist who was selected as the 2021 November Yamaha Piano Artist. Tickets are $20 a person or $30 a household and can be bought from any Monday Musical Club member or at the door.

In May, private music teachers, students and their families are invited to participate in the Junior Festival, which operates under the National Federation of Music Clubs. Students perform for an adjudicator in their category and are awarded certificates and gold cups for their efforts. The 2026 Junior Festival is hosted in May; date and time are to be announced. n

For more information on MMCT and additional notes about upcoming performance and contact information, visit mondaymusicalcluboftillamook.blogspot.com.

Beyond

The blue star is the standard, but how else can consumers make efficient choices?

By Drew Woolley

If you’re in the market for major appliances, you’ve probably noticed the Energy Star logo. It may appear on the bright yellow EnergyGuide labels that make it easy to compare one

federal rebates, looking for the Energy Star label is still the best way to be sure you’re investing in an efficient appliance that will lower your energy bill without sacrificing performance. But it isn’t the only way to keep track of how much energy your new purchase uses.

Following are ways you can ensure you’re choosing the best new appliances and equipment for your home.

By the Numbers

Many appliances in your home or on the market have efficiency benchmarks you

cooling accounts for nearly half of the energy used in most homes, making it an area where greater efficiency can have the most noticeable impact. Much like cars have a miles-per-gallon rating, air conditioners and heat pumps have a seasonal energy-efficiency ratio. A higher SEER rating means a unit is more efficient and uses less energy over the course of a typical season.

You may also run into energy-efficiency ratios. While similar, SEER ratings measure average efficiency over an entire season, whereas EER ratings judge cooling capacity performance during peak periods of extreme hot temperatures.

Clothes washers. Similarly, the modified energy factor accounts for energy and hot water consumed during each wash cycle.

It also accounts for how much moisture the washer leaves on clothes for a dryer to remove. The higher the MEF, the more efficient it is.

If you’re concerned about water use, the water factor is also worth keeping an eye on. Windows. As one of the largest sources of heat gain and loss in a home, the efficiency of windows can’t be overlooked.

If you’re in the market to upgrade, keep an eye on the U-factor, which measures how well a window insulates, and the solar heat gain coefficient, which tells you how much heat the window lets through. Whether you prioritize U-factor or SHGC largely depends on your area’s climate and which direction the windows are facing.

In the market for something specific? Most major household products and appliances have efficiency ratings just like these. Visit the Department of Energy or Environmental Protection Agency’s websites for more information on which ones to look to as a guide for making your own energy-efficient purchase.

Ways to Save

Rebates through Energy Star may be a thing of the past, but there are still ways to get help with energy-efficient investments. Rebates established under the Inflation Reduction Act on the state level are still options, but availability depends on where you live. Some states have started offering their own point-of-sale or mail-in rebates, so be sure to check what is available in your area.

In addition, your local electric utility may offer rebates of its own. Many have rebate pages on their websites where you can find forms to save on smart thermostats, efficient HVAC units, heat pumps and more.

Even if direct rebates aren’t available, you may still be able to save by including efficient appliance purchases as part of a qualifying home improvement deductionwhen filing taxes.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Residential Clean Energy Credit expired Dec. 31, 2025, but there is still time to apply the credit to purchases made before that deadline. Some states continue to offer their own tax credits for energy-efficient investments, so be sure to check what is available where you live.

While buying an Energy Star-certified appliance may still be the easiest way to make efficient purchases for your home, it isn’t the only option. By paying extra attention to efficiency ratings for specific appliances and staying on top of rebates and tax incentives in your area, you can cut back on your upfront costs and energy bills over time. n

What’s Behind the Star?

Whether it’s a label on your new appliance or a logo on the EnergyGuide label, Energy Star certification gives buyers confidence they’re investing in long-term savings. But what does that blue star actually mean?

Energy Star is a program established by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to help consumers find energyefficient products and reduce their impact on the environment.

To earn the certification, products must perform more efficiently than the average model while providing the same level of performance. But that isn’t where the process ends.

Each product is tested in EPA-recognized labs using standardized procedures to make sure it meets Energy Star requirements. Once testing is complete, a third-party certification group reviews and verifies it before a product gets the Energy Star label.

Earning that certification still isn’t the end. The EPA conducts random, off-the-shelf testing of Energy Star products to make sure they still meet those high standards. If a product fails one of these verification tests, it may ultimately be disqualified and lose Energy Star certification.

Simple & Sensible

Electric Service Electric Service

Budget Billing Account Options Account Options

Tillamook PUD offers paperless billing, an online resource that allows you to manage your account at your convenience, anytime, anywhere. To sign up: Login to SmartHub at www.tpud.org. Click on the My Profile Button. Click on the Update My Printed Bill Settings. Click Turn off/on Printed Bill.

Tillamook PUD offers a variety of solutions to quick and simple. help make managing your electric billing account that are a set amount each month when you sign up for the budget payment plan. With a budget payment plan, the cost of your next 12 months of electric service is estimated and averaged to determine the cost of your monthly payment. Your monthly bill will indicate the budget payment amount, and also the actual energy used and its cost.

Plan ahead with payments

Auto Pay

Choose to automatically pay your monthly bill directly from your bank account or with a debit card, Visa or MasterCard through auto pay at Tillamook PUD.

For more information about the options available to view and pay your electric bill visit www.tpud.org/customer-service/payment-options/ or call us at 503-842-2535.

Ship

With its innovative design, modern comforts, and guest-focused philosophy, American Encore is not just a riverboat, it’s the finest expression of American river cruising ever built. Designed to host just 180 guests, American Encore features more square feet per guest than any other small cruise ship with the largest staterooms globally.

Ast ia Artist Masters

By Ginger Meurer

Duck Decoys

Living along the banks of the Columbia River, inspiration is always nearby for Rick Pass. The Astoria, Oregon, artist handcrafts lifelike waterfowl. While much of his work is destined for a place of pride on the mantel, plenty of his creations have a practical purpose as decoys for duck hunters. He tests them from his dock.

“You have to make sure that they’re floating correctly,” Rick says. “If you throw them in the water upside down, they have to flip upright. Plus, you want to make them light, because you don’t want to be packing around a bunch of heavy stuff.”

Astoria has long been known for waterfowl art.

shipbuilder. He carved birds from salvaged scraps of the western red cedar used for watercraft. When he retired in his 70s, Charles began producing about a dozen decoys a week and selling them for just over $1 each. According to the Ward Foundation, administrator of the waterfowl decoy world championship, Charles made roughly 4,000 decoys from the late 1920s to early 1930s.

Now those vintage creations fetch thousands at auction. A rare Charles Bergman swan sold for $36,650 at Sotheby’s. Legend has it there were once a dozen swans, and Charles’ grandson used to play with them. But Charles’ wife got tired of tripping over them on the porch and chopped up all but three for firewood.

A Hobby Hatches

From age 15, Rick could be found fishing, hunting and bird-watching along the Columbia. His other passion was sports. He played basketball in high school, football in college and aspired to be a coach. Back then, coaches also had to be teachers. So, he taught history and served as head coach of the high school basketball team for 14 years. From there, he became a principal and finally superintendent.

“I loved my career,” Rick says. “It didn’t matter whether I was coaching, teaching or an administrator. It was a lot of fun, and I met a lot of people. Hopefully impacted positively a few lives along the way.”

“In fact, if you look at the history of Astoria, there’s a couple of duck decoy carvers whose names come up,” Rick says. “Charles Bergman is the most famous one.”

Born in Finland, Charles sailed the world before settling in Oregon as a

While teaching, Rick noticed the superintendent’s passion for duck carving. But it wasn’t until Rick retired that he jumped into the art.

“I knew as I was getting closer to retirement that I needed something,” he

says. “And whatever it is, if it’s church or your family or carving or a mixture of those, you have to have something to get up every day.”

To learn, Rick sought out the best.

“I was already 62 when I retired,” he says. “I figured, if I’m going to be any good at this, I’ve got to find my people and learn quickly.”

Rick traveled to North Carolina to study with Vic Kirkman.

“I carved with him for 11 days,” Rick says. “While we were there, he took me to my first world carving championship in Ocean City, Maryland. That was the final spark to see, oh my goodness, the quality of work. Everything from a working decoy to these masterful pieces that sold for a lot of money to sit on shelves.”

While in Ocean City, Rick met more masters, including Pat Godin, who won the world championship more than 14 times. Later, Rick flew to Ontario, Canada, to work with Pat. He spent five summers studying with him in Edmonton.

Quality Craftsmanship

Rick saves his stock of old-growth red cedar for special occasions and mostly works with tupelo wood. Tupelo trees grow in Carolina and Louisiana swamps. Rick says

the water-submerged tree bottoms are soft wood that’s light and carves easily.

“That’s the preferred wood of 90% of carvers,” Rick says. “Balsa would work, too, but tupelo and bass wood are the two most popular woods. Of course, in the old days you’d carve what you had available.”

Rick’s shop is packed with wood, carving tools and birds—not just the carved ones.

“When I get to the painting, I always get out a real bird and lay it here and try to match the colors as best as I can,” he says.

Rick’s collection includes taxidermy birds and a freezer packed with frozen fowl. While he bought a few of the specimens, many were acquired as trades for carvings.

Carving Out Community

Rick sells and trades his decoys and takes his best to competitions. He travels to compete, making sure to attend the Canadian nationals and the Ward World Championships.

“The competition is really about showing our artwork,” Rick says. “Yeah, we do compete against each other, and yes, there are some prizes, but really, it’s the camaraderie and getting to know each other. And finding out, ‘How did you do that?’ And, ‘This is how I do it.’”

Rick doesn’t have to travel far to find camaraderie. There’s plenty at home. Regulars drop by his shop to work, watch him work or just chat.

“People stop by, we create problems, we solve world problems,” he says. “It’s just as much about those kinds of things as it is about carving. A lot of problems are solved in this shop. Once we walk out, the problems are still there in the world. But we do hash them over a little bit.”

Rick worries that decoy carving is a dying art. His sons—a riverboat pilot and a pharmacist—haven’t gotten into it yet. His grandchildren have tested the waters a bit and even gone to competitions. But every year Rick sees fewer carvers.

“People just don’t do it anymore,” he says. “If you’re going to go hunting, you buy your decoys. It used to be if you wanted to go hunting, you made your decoys because you didn’t have the money to buy them.”

Rick plans to stick with the art and with Astoria.

“We’ve had a great life,” Rick says. “I love it here. This is where we grew up, and it’s quite a special place. Our boys went sturgeon fishing, salmon fishing right out there. It’s pretty hard not to love this place.” 

Preserving Traditional

WesternArts

By Ginger Meurer

In today’s throwaway culture, traditional Western craftsmanship endures. Area organizations and artisans strive to keep these centuries-old techniques alive.

Forging Ahead

Eatonville, Washington, blacksmith Darryl Nelson started at 19 as a farrier.

“I had wanted to be a vet but didn’t want to do another eight years of school,” he says. “So, I decided I’d shoe horses.”

In farrier class, Darryl met a young man fresh from blacksmithing school in New Mexico who told Darryl about the trade.

“I was quite inspired by what you could do with a little piece of steel,” he says.

Darryl shod horses while building skills in architectural ironwork.

“I found that I enjoyed my time at the anvil more than under the horse,” he says. After 13 years as a farrier, he moved into full-time blacksmithing.

In 1979, Darryl and a group of other artists formed the Northwest Blacksmith Association.

As a cooperative nonprofit, they pool funds and bring in blacksmiths from around the country to teach master classes.

Through the association, Darryl met Russell Maugans, second in a line of resident blacksmiths at the iconic Timberline Lodge on Oregon’s Mount Hood. They began working on projects together. Eventually, Darryl became the lodge’s third resident blacksmith. He continues to perform repairs and craft a line of artistic ironwork sold in the gift shop.

Darryl is also involved with the Cascadia Center for the Arts & Crafts in nearby Government Camp. Every summer at CCAC, former U.S. Forest

Service buildings are packed with artists taking classes in a variety of disciplines, including blacksmithing, glass, jewelry arts, textile and fiber arts, visual arts, printmaking, and even writing.

The big draw for Darryl is Blacksmith Week, which features classes for all levels. There are demonstrations from skilled smiths and hands-on experiences, too.

He says the event has grown considerably since its creation 20 years ago. The national Western States Blacksmithing Conference has been held at the camp twice.

“Usually at Blacksmith Week, we have between 50 and 75 people in attendance,” Darryl says. “For the western states conferences, we literally filled the whole town of Government Camp with 400 smiths from around the country and even had some from South Africa and Australia.”

“We also have group projects where everybody from all levels is encouraged to try their hand,” Darryl says.

Blacksmith Week is mostly about passing on the craft.

“I almost feel an obligation to the master smiths who taught me 50 years ago,” Darryl says. “For centuries, blacksmithing was pretty common. At the same time, there were a lot of closely guarded secrets because it was so common that it was highly competitive. So, for a long time, it was hard unless you were an actual apprentice or in most places, it stayed within a family.”

Darryl’s great-grandfather was a blacksmith who came to America in the late 1800s to forge his own path in business. Because he was not the eldest son, he wasn’t expected to inherit the family shop in Denmark, so he began working in North Dakota.

Shops like his adapted as equine-driven economies turned to tractors and cars. Many

blacksmith shops transitioned into auto shops. When Darryl’s father was growing up, there was still a forging station in the corner.

Darryl’s father left the family trade and moved to Washington to work for Boeing. But Darryl had the support of his family when he chose to take up blacksmithing. He even had a chance to do some forging with his grandfather, and he holds precious the few tools he inherited from him.

Darryl loves everything about blacksmithing—the fire and the hot steel and “just being able to shape and manipulate something that is as resistant as steel,” he says. He’s known for crafting expressive animal heads, but his favorite thing to make is tools.

“Really, the key thing with blacksmithing is tool making,” he says. “Most of the tools I have that I use daily, I made myself. I love making a tool and then being able to use it to make other things.”

When asked what advice he has for people considering the trade, Darryl laughs.

“We used to tell people, which is probably still fairly accurate, to make sure your wife has a good job. And there’s a lot of female blacksmiths now, too. But one of you had better have a steady job.”

Darryl’s wife, Suzan, has been extremely understanding, he says, and tolerant of the mess he makes.

“They don’t call us blacksmiths for nothing,” he says.

Smithing in Silver

Silversmith Beau Compton is in his second term as president of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He has been a member of the organization for 10 years, but getting in wasn’t easy. It took the Tombstone, Arizona, artist five years of hard work to finally join the ranks.

The small, elite group of master-level artisans formed more than 25 years ago to preserve and honor cowboy arts.

Divided into four traditional disciplines— silversmithing, bit and spur making, saddlemaking and rawhide braiding— members offer an education program with mentorship training to aspiring artists from around the world. The association awards two scholarships annually to help craftspeople participate in the program.

Beau says the old masters were afraid to teach anyone aside from family or apprentices.

“They were scared of anybody taking their glory away, I guess, or their money,” he says.

The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association thinks differently.

“We’re open to discussing and showing new makers anything,” Beau says. “That’s what’s really cool. We don’t have anything to hide. We all just love teaching and just really support it.”

Beau studied with silversmith Mark Drain in Seattle. Then, he headed to Canada to work with Scott Hardy. In both

fellowships, the master artisans were kind enough to put Beau up in a spare bedroom and teach him the finer points of the trade.

Beau’s family was active in ranching and professional rodeo, so cowboy arts came naturally.

After graduating in 1997 from high school in Colorado, he contemplated bit and spur making. Marlo, his thengirlfriend and now-wife, had a family connection to Vic Vasquez, an Arizona saddlemaker, silversmith, and bit and spur maker.

“He was very kind to me,” Beau says. “He never charged me anything, and I got to learn from him for about four years before he passed away.”

Vic’s widow gave Beau the first shot at buying the shop.

“I got to buy all his equipment and everything right off the bat,” he says. “I was pretty set up.”

Now, Beau passes on that kindness through the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He also opens his home and workshop to several fellowship recipients.

“We have some wonderful donors and supporters who give us that money every year to help further that education,” Beau

says. “It’s only through our generous supporters that we can do that.”

Silversmithing isn’t without its challenges. Lately, the stress has been the skyrocketing price of metals. Beau says the cost has increased significantly since last summer.

“Silver was at $25 an ounce,” Beau says. “It’s up over $80 right now. And gold was around $2,200, and yesterday it was at $4,600. It’s getting very costly. We’re treading water that we’ve never been in. We’ve seen silver hit $50 before, and it’s always come back down. But this just feels different. I’m not so sure that it’s ever going to come back down.

“We’ll do what we have to and flow with whatever change we need to and adapt,” he says. “We’ll be all right. Silver has always been a fun metal to play in, and now it’s like, ‘Wait, this is getting serious.’ We can’t waste any of this stuff anymore.”

Lining Up for Saddles

Chiloquin, Oregon, saddlemaker Mario Hanel doesn’t advertise his business because he doesn’t need to. He has a threeyear waiting list. Part of the reason that line forms is because Mario is slow but steady.

“This isn’t a factory,” he says. “It’s a one-man shop, and I’m very meticulous. It takes longer than an average saddlemaker for me to build a saddle. The more I learn about making a saddle more functional and aesthetically pleasing to look at, the longer it takes.

“I’ve never focused on production. I was raised around craftsmen, and I was taught that it doesn’t matter how long it takes. The end product is the important thing.”

Mario’s work begins at the core as he hand-carves the tree, which is the wood scaffolding beneath the saddle’s leather. Mario mastered tree-making through a fellowship with the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association and training with master craftsman Troy West in Texas.

“Some people will walk up to a saddle and say, ‘Man, that’s a really pretty saddle,’” Mario says. “It’s not just the curving—it’s the lines and shapes and the flow and things like that. There’s a lot more to it. Building a tree to me is a lot like sculpting. You’re actually carving wood into a shape. If your horn isn’t shaped right, it doesn’t work as well. There’s a whole art to it. And that’s what really interests me.”

LEFT: Blacksmith

Darryl Nelson demonstrates during Blacksmith Week. While Darryl is best known for creating animal heads, he frequently stretches the limits of the medium with creative sculptures in metal. PHOTOS

And comfort is key for customers who sit in a saddle every day.

“I have customers that go ride on the weekend every chance they get, but most of my customers are making a living at it,” Mario says. “They use it in the rain, the snow, the sun, all those things that are hard on stuff, especially leather.”

Having a pretty saddle is important, but it’s not enough.

“A guy who sits in a saddle all day if the seat’s not right, they’re not going to keep that saddle very long,” Mario says. “You can carve the prettiest flowers in the world, but if it doesn’t work, a cowboy is just not going to hang onto it, and a lot of cowboys are going to hear about it.”

Mastering the Braid

Roseburg, Oregon, artist Steve Harris is a master of the hackamore, a bitless bridle that uses pressure on a horse’s nose, chin and poll, rather than inside the mouth, to guide and control. He and his family raise cattle to produce the rawhide that he braids into elaborate, artistic and functional pieces.

Steve grew up on horseback, riding bareback as long as he can remember.

“I actually am the fourth born in my family, but the third born was a horse,” he says. “He was born to a mare that belonged to my mother out of a stallion that was owned by my grandfather. I always had to

take a backseat to him. He grew up before I did, so he raised me.”

Steve learned to braid from his brother when he was 15.

“He and I got to braiding together, and it was just a treat,” Steve says. “I really loved it.”

He loved it so much he kept at it.

Steve makes and repairs saddles and more, but it’s hackamores he loves.

“I really love making hackamore best because when you’re riding hackamore, it really cleans up all your signals,” he says. “Because you’re just riding the horse. Your signal can be really nuanced or really simple, but it’s the horse you’re riding, not the gear.

“When I was a kid and riding bareback, there was that. I was just riding the horse. I think philosophically that’s influenced me as a saddlemaker and as a teacher and as a horseman. It influences me as a parent and in everything I do.”

The whole Harris family is involved in the craft, from Steve’s wife, Rebekah, to his 13-year-old daughter and apprentice Caitriona, and his younger children, who make everything from earrings to braided keychains.

Although seemingly simple to the eye, hackamores are intricately designed and crafted for communication between the rider and horse.

“A strand of rawhide is a strand of rawhide, but if you and I put 16 strands of rawhide together, braid them around a core and get the nose button in the right shape, suddenly we’ve got something that talks to a horse in a real nuanced way,” Steve says. “That same volume of rawhide in just one single strip is pretty useless as anything but a dog chew. But if you put the effort it takes into refining all those strands and putting them together just right, you get results that look like magic.” n

Meals From the Heart

INSPIRE LOVE WITH PROPOSAL-WORTHY DISHES

Marry Me Slow-Cooker Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, about 2 pounds

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cloves garlic, minced

¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

½ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

1 cup heavy cream, warmed slightly

¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat, then sear chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to slow cooker along with any leftover butter and juices from the skillet.

In a bowl, whisk chicken stock with cornstarch, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano and thyme. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Top each chicken breast with chopped sundried tomatoes. Cover. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1½-2 hours, until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate, and keep warm. Stir heavy cream and Parmesan into the hot liquid in the slow cooker until smooth. Return chicken to sauce. Spoon sauce over the top, and let rest for 5-10 minutes on warm.

Garnish with basil before serving.

Marry Me Chocolate Cake

18.25-ounce package devil’s

food cake mix

3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix

2 cups sour cream

1 cup melted butter, cooled 5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Strawberries, optional

Powdered sugar, optional

Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Make a well in the center, and add sour cream, butter, eggs and vanilla extract.

Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, then beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Mix in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour batter into greased pan, and bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a plate and cool completely. Garnish with strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

1 cup drained sundried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced, plus 4 tablespoons tomato oil, divided

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

16 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

5 ounces baby spinach

1 ounce Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

Torn fresh basil leaves, for serving

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook in oil, stirring occasionally, until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Stir occasionally, until al dente, according to package directions. Drain.

In the same skillet over medium heat, cook garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and remaining tomato oil. Stir until tomato paste deepens in color, about 1 minute. Add sundried tomatoes, broth, cream and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce slightly reduces, about 5 minutes. Add spinach. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.

Add pasta, shrimp and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove skillet from heat. Cover, and let sit 2 to 3 minutes. Stir pasta again to coat.

Divide the mixture among bowls. Top with basil and more Parmesan.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup yellow onion, diced

2¼ teaspoons salt, divided Pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups chicken stock

1⁄ 3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups small-shape pasta, such as orecchiette

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups baby spinach

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften.

Sprinkle in garlic powder and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Pour in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and sundried tomatoes. Add chicken, and stir to combine. Cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta. Stir. Cover, and reduce heat to a strong simmer. Cook for 8-15 minutes depending on the pasta type. Stir occasionally, until pasta is just cooked through.

Turn off heat. Add cream, Parmesan cheese, spinach and vinegar. Stir to combine and melt the cheese.

Marry Me Meatballs

18 ounces ground chicken

2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

2 teaspoons paprika, divided

½ cup grated Parmesan, divided

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

5 ounces sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken stock

½ lemon

Basil leaves, for garnish

Place the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika and ¼ cup Parmesan in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Use clean hands to mix everything together, then roll mixture into 16 meatballs.

In a large, deep frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry meatballs, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until golden all over. Remove them to a plate.

Add garlic, sundried tomatoes and remaining dried oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until garlic has softened. Add cream, stock, remaining Parmesan, and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well. Add meatballs, and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure meatballs are cooked through, then remove the pan from the heat.

Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle basil over the top.

READER EXCHANGE

Crafts/Hobbies

I am in need of yarn to make hats for homeless people and people who are receiving cancer treatments. Leftover yarn is used to make hats for newborn babies. The person who makes these hats is a homebound person on oxygen. This not only gives him an activity, but it also helps those in need. From 2019 to the present, he has made over 2,000 hats. I distribute these hats to the people who need them.

Deb Darr

3550 Sample Road Falls City, OR 97344

I am looking for unwanted stamped post cards, stamp albums, world stamps, old stamped envelopes or any stamps you don’t know what to do with. I’m filling in unfinished stamp albums I inherited from my dad. I would love any you can send. Thank you.

Lori Arola

82162 Red Bluff Road Seaside, OR 97138-5037

Milestones

Our incredible mother, Elizabeth Gwiazdon (aka Betty), celebrates her 100th birthday in March. She was born in Hawaii and traveled the world with her Army dad and mom. She married a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and raised 6 amazing children. She has 13 grands, 19 great-grands, and 2 great-great-grands. She started as a secretary for a property management company in the mid ’70s and rose to the ranks of executive director of the Sacramento Apartment Association. She then worked for another tenant/landlord group, taught classes at our local college and then started a consulting business to continue to help educate and mediate tenant/landlord issues. She just retired at 98. She’s been an incredible role model and positively influenced countless people her entire life and career. She is full of life, love and laughter. She’s a fashionista. She dresses every day as if she was greeting the president or the queen of England. We would love to share cards and wishes with her and the family. Please send to: C/O Michele Skupic, P.O. Box 207, Graeagle, CA 96103-0207. My sincerest gratitude.

Michele Skupic Graeagle, California

Odds

Looking for screws for long genealogy books. I need 6 or 8 metal extension screws to hold more pages for each book. Thank you.

Lucile Stecklein

P.O. Box 116 Blackfoot, ID 83221

Camp Elkanah is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and we would love to hear from you. If you were a camper, staff member, dream team member or volunteer, we would appreciate your memories or photos. What were your favorite activities, food or games? You can write a sentence or a book. All will be appreciated. Contact us at the address or email below.

Camp Elkanah

P.O. Box 150

La Grande, Oregon 97850

Email: elkanah@campelkanah.com

Website: campelkanah.com (click on “Share your story”)

Thanks

I want to thank everyone for all the cards, letters, gifts and flowers. Everything was amazing. Mom received over 320 handmade cards, and kindness and prayers. I cannot express how much it meant. It also was good for residents seeing her get mail.

Susan Mascall

North Powder, Oregon

Thanks to everyone who sent recipes. Reading comments was fun. I started looking forward to getting mail again. I received lots of good-looking cornbread recipes; even the one I had asked for.

Elena Nightingale

LaGrande, Oregon

Submitting Requests Is Free

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Submissions are handled first-come, first-served as space allows. We cannot honor every request.

Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information.

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Phone numbers are not published. Email addresses are if they are part of the ad, but you must include a postal address. Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

Seniors get new medical alert device

Instantly connects to free unlimited nationwide help with just the push of a button with no contracts, no deposits, and no monthly bills

■ NO MONTHLY BILLS: “My wife had an old style help button that came with hefty bills every month and she was embarrassed to wear it because it made her look old,” said Frank McDonald, Canton, Ohio. “Now, we both have FastHelp™, the sleek new medical alert device that our grandkids say makes us look ‘cool’ not old,” he said. With FastHelp, seniors never have to worry about being alone and the best part is there are no monthly bills ever.

Seniors born before 1964 get new medical alert device

Nationwide: Demand for new Medical Alert Device soars

The phone lines are ringing off the hook.

That’s because for seniors born before 1964, it’s a deal too good to pass up.

Starting at precisely 8:30am today the PreStore Release begins for the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp™ One-Touch 911 Button that instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.

“It’s not like old style help buttons that make you talk to a call center, only work when you’re at home and come with hefty bills every month. FastHelp comes with state-ofthe-art cellular embedded technology. That means it works at home or anywhere and everywhere cell service is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.

“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, today’s instant rebate practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.

FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever. ■

■ FLYING OUT THE DOOR: Trucks are being loaded with the new medical alert devices called FastHelp. They are now being delivered to lucky seniors who call the National Rebate Center Hotline at 1-800-209-4926 DEPT. FSTH138 today. Everyone is calling to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device because it instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available.

HOW TO GET IT

BORN BEFORE 1964:

Use the rebate coupon below and call this Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-209-4926

EXT. FSTH138

BORN AFTER 1964:

You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-209-6405

EXT. FSTH138

■ SENIORS SNAP UP NEW MEDICAL ALERT DEVICE : Instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever. Nothing to hook up. You don’t need a land line or cell phone. It’s ready to use right out of the box. Comes with new cellular embedded technology that works at home or anywhere you go so you are never alone.

BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. With the instant FastHelp rebate, it is a real steal at just $149 and shipping. There are no monthly bills ever.

PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal a must have. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.

CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1964 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.

Hurricane Help

“We had two hurricanes recently. I had no electricity for 6 days. I fell, so I pushed the button, and they came right out and picked me up off the floor. I tell many of my friends they need to get FastHelp!” - Virginia, FL

LIFESAVER

“When I got my FastHelp I never thought I’d have to use it, but when I fell and broke my hip it saved my life.” - Harold, OH

Very appreciative of having FastHelp

“I did have an emergency. Help RESPONDED quickly and came in a few minutes.” - Irving, PA

WE LOVE THE PRODUCT

“We bought it outright with no bills ever.” - Rosemary, NY

Safe anywhere

“This little FastHelp device is my guardian angel. I’m so glad my daughter-in-law got it for me.” - Pete, FL

A+ Rating: These are unsolicited consumer feedback from satisfied customers as reported to Universal Physicians.

Watch Wildlife Wander Through Pristine Nature in Northern Nevada at ADVENTURE AWAITS

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

What Is It?

Thousands of pronghorn, deer, bighorn sheep and more roam on hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness in Northern Nevada at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge—which also has beautiful mountains, dark skies and geological features—was originally established to benefit pronghorn populations.

History

Pronghorn populations in Nevada rapidly shrunk in the early 1900s. Nonnative animals, such as horses, sheep and cattle, were overtaking the habitat. The Audubon Society and Boone and Crockett Club bought the more than 30,000-acre Last Chance Ranch to create an antelope refuge. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enlarged the refuge to nearly 540,000 acres.

Wildlife

Thousands of pronghorn live in the greater Hart-Sheldon area, straddling the Oregon-Nevada border. Pronghorn can run sustained sprints of about 50 mph, making it the fastest North American land mammal. The refuge is also home to bighorn sheep, mule deer and sage grouse. Visitors may even see an American pika, a small herbivorous mammal that looks like a mix of a mouse and rabbit.

A Gorge Trip

The refuge has a rugged landscape ready for those willing to explore it. One popular site is Thousand Creek Gorge, a slot canyon with 500-foot-tall walls. Visitors will likely need to take a moderate hike or have a higher clearance vehicle to get there. Many make their way to Virgin Valley Warm Spring to camp, while others head out to watch the wildlife at Catnip Reservoir.

More Information

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is very remote. While that can be great for getting away from it all and diving into nature, be sure to have a full tank of gas and carry extra fuel—visitors will be more than 100 miles from a gas station. To learn more, call 775-941-0199 or visitfws.gov/refuge/ sheldon.

Shining a Light

By Dave LaBelle

Every calendar month is dedicated to bringing awareness to its own cause or observance, some lighthearted and others profoundly meaningful. October, for instance, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, yet it also shares space with National Pizza Month. In the United Kingdom, 30 days across May and June are recognized as National Smile Month. And while we might celebrate whimsical Mustache March, the month is also designated as National Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture and society.

Throughout my career, I have photographed many famous women—movie stars, civil rights figures and humanitarians from all walks of life. In 2011, I photographed Eva Schloss, a survivor of Hitler’s death camps and Anne Frank’s stepsister. Eva died Jan. 3 in London at the age of 96.

Approachable and generous with her time, Eva told her story to audiences for two days. Like Anne, Eva and her family went into hiding from the Nazis, and after two years, they were tracked down, arrested and deported to concentration camps. Eva barely survived Auschwitz, and her brother and father died in captivity.

“The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience through her tireless work for the Anne Frank Trust UK and for Holocaust education across the world,”

Reader Challenge

While I advocate photographing famous people whenever and wherever you can, don’t limit documenting only those society or fate has shined a light on. Ask yourself, “Is there is a person I admire in my world, a giving soul in my community I can honor?” Try to make a portrait that celebrates their character.

Email your best image—just one—with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.

King Charles says in a piece written by Thomas Mackintosh and published by the BBC on Jan. 4, 2026.

Beneath Eva’s positive public face, she shared with me after a lecture that waves of pain linger. I watched for images that might reveal that pain and often shot as tight as possible, usually with a telephoto lens to compress the face, hoping to capture subtle expressions that reveal the pain in her heart. n

To learn more of Eva’s story, check out bit.ly/4qYVuC4 or pick up one of her books, “Eva’s Story: A Survivor’s Tale by the Stepsister of Anne Frank” and “The Promise: The Moving Story of a Family in the Holocaust.”

Photographer, author and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century, sharing photo tips and life perspectives with readers. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and his blog at bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

Orthopedic Care Tips for Aging with Strength

As we age, our bones, joints, and muscles naturally change, but thoughtful orthopedic care can help maintain mobility, independence, and quality of life. One of the most important steps aging adults can take is staying physically active in ways that support long-lasting joint health. Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, and strength training help preserve muscle mass, protect joints, and reduce the risk of falls. Movement should always be tailored to individual ability and comfort.

Bone and joint health remain critical focus areas. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, combined with weight-bearing activity, helps slow bone loss and lower fracture risk. Routine screenings for bone density can identify early changes and guide preventive care, while early evaluation of persistent joint pain, sti ness, or swelling can lead to e ective treatments that improve function and comfort.

Fall prevention plays a central role in orthopedic wellness. Simple steps such as wearing supportive footwear, improving lighting at home, reducing tripping hazards, and addressing balance concerns can significantly lower injury risk. With proactive care and regular communication with a primary care provider, aging does not have to mean giving up the activities that bring purpose, confidence, and independence.

New Provider Spotlight

Adventist Health Tillamook welcomes Gregory Brown, MD, PhD, a fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon with more than 25 years of experience. Dr. Brown specializes in hip and knee replacement and fracture care, bringing advanced expertise in knee biomechanics to our community.

Nearby Orthopedic Care

Getting expert orthopedic care doesn’t require leaving Tillamook County. With specialists Brett LaFleur, MD, Ruben Franco Garcia, PA-C, and Gregory Brown, MD, PhD, Adventist Health Tillamook o ers local access to comprehensive orthopedic evaluation, treatment, and surgical care — right here at home.

See us at either 1100 Third Street in Tillamook or 10445 Neahkahnie Creek Road in Manzanita. Call 503-815-7566 to schedule an orthopedic consultation.

Scan QR code to learn more about our orthopedic services and providers.

503-842-4444 | 1000 Third St., Tillamook

MARKETPLACE

Agriculture

Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 43 years in business. btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0426

Seeking summer pasture for 20-80 cow-calf pairs. Call 541-519-7068 or 208-880-2518. IDEastern, OR. 0326

Antiques and Collectibles

Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321 or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0326

Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com.

Automotive

1978 Jeep CJ5. 6 cyl. 4 sp. Good condition. New seats and top. $10K. 208-435-4798. 0326

Books, Magazines, Videos

Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com.

Community Events

Beekeeping Class by Dick Turanski from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Eugene Mission, 1470 W. 1st Ave., Eugene, OR. Advance registration and payment required. Class limit is 70 people. $50 cash or check only. Checks payable to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Two teachers will answers your questions: Richard T. Turanski, 55 years of beekeeping, first taught at Lane Community College in 1975; and Mike France, former president of Lane County Beekeepers Association, teacher at Lane County Beekeepers Association. Includes coffee, banana bread and lunch served noon-1 p.m. Park in lot or on the street. Contact for registration by email only, Dick.Turanski@GloryBee.com. 0326

Long Creek, Oregon, Emergency Services Appreciation Dinner. April 25. Live auction items are fire engine, flat utility trailer, Hamley saddle, firewood and more. For dinner reservations, call 541-421-3601. For more information, visit cityoflongcreek.org. 0426

Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

„ Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.

„ Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.

„ Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.

„ Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.

„ Closing deadlines (in our office): May issue—March 31

„ If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.

„ We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.

Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.

Art Center East’s 49th birthday March Membership Drive. Spring Makers Week, March 23-27: art classes for all ages in La Grande, OR. artcentereast.org. 0326

Farm Equipment

1940s Caterpillar D2, hydraulic blade up/ down, full canopy, many photos. Belonged to my late father. Diesel engine stuck so asking only $3.5K, OBO. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

Water trailer. About 400 gallons, Homelite pump, on heavy-duty ex-military trailer. Photos, no title. Pump not started since before COVID-19. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

Free Items

Free materials—church/government unite. National Sunday Law. TBSM, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 1-888-211-1715. 0426AR

Help Wanted

Camp hosts/caretakers wanted for the Tucannon River RV Park, a small (33 sites), modern RV park in rural SE WA on the Lower Tucannon River. Prefer active retired couple able to meet and greet, take reservations, pull hoses, mow, general maintenance. RV required, FHU provided, plus stipend. Call 509-382-2759.

Livestock, Supplies

Live bees by Dick Turanski. New large supplier of 5 frame nucs in nuc box. Available 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Nucs with your choice of queens as follows: Italians, Carniolans or Buckfast (Buckfast is NEW, starting with a limit of 2 nucs per customer). Introductory low price of $200 per nuc or more than 10 at $195 per nuc. Order via email, dick.turanski@glorybee.com. Mail checks to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Deadline for checks must be postdated April 30, 2026. Pick up location in the gravel yard next to GloryBee’s Distribution Center 29548 B Airport Road, Eugene (directly off Highway 99). Stop by the pop-up tent to check in. 0426

Miscellaneous

Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: highdesertmemorials.com; Joe, 541-815-8906 or highdesertmemorials@gmail.com. 0326

Attention landowners. Grants available now. Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage are no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126

Animal and human wilderness tracking school materials. Writings, slides, physical displays, teaching materials and books. Enormous collection for anyone interested in tracking. Dave, fairbanksaircraft@comcast.net. 0326

Tulsa 3-stage planetary gear reduction, bought surplus from Link Belt Crane, used as final drive for P&H and LB 100-ton crawler cranes. Best use, 4-ft. tunnel drill using ROTEK turntable bearing, $5K. 6 truck tires, 50% tread, Patagonia mud and snow. LT215/R8516, 60% tread. $600. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0326

Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0526

Pets, Supplies

Havanese puppies in Rainier, OR. Hypoallergenic, great for all ages. Raised by our family as quality pets for you. Visit www.happeninhavanese.com or call Rebecca at 503-728-6241. 0426

Pools/Spas

2010 Artesian Swim Spa for sale. 7x14’ Been inside all the time; excellent condition. $5K. 541-954-3884. 0326

Real Estate

320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. Reduced price: $145K. For maps: 541-659-1573; thejugglingman3@gmail.com. 0326

Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale; Deschutes Canyon Mountain views 118 acres riverfront. $14.9M. John Gill, johngill@landandwildlife.com; 541-480-916. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0326

Private 10-acre wild tree farm near Sandpoint, ID, with older 3-bd. mobile home, countymaintained road, good building sites. $395K. Steve, 208-290-6505. 0326

Mobiles to mansions. Cabins to castles. Brookings, OR area Principal Broker Pat Piper, Century 21 Agate Realty. Helpful. Educated. Caring. 28 years of area experience. patpiperbroker@gmail.com; 541-251-2152. 0526

For sale/rent: 20-acre developed land, 3,600sqft. shop with “barndominium” potential. Weddings/events, horse property, RV hookups, creek, views. $575K. Seller financing. Goldendale, WA. 509-378-5886. 0326

Boyers Cash Store & Keylock. Monument, OR. Thriving turn-key business. $500K. Duke Warner Realty, ddwr@ortelco.net; 541-987-2363.

10 undeveloped rural acres situated on the Rio Grande River, 28 miles south of Taos, NM. Ideal location for off-the-grid homestead, vacation retreat or permanent residence. Asking $75K. Serious inquiries only: rima.sanders@frontier.com. 0326

For sale by owner in Baker City, OR. 2- to 3-bd. home, move-in ready with many new upgrades. Well on the property. Fruit trees. Mountain view of Elkhorns. Call 307-321-1232 for appointment. 0426

Recreational Rentals

Sunshine and sand—Book your summer dreams at WaveCatcher for 2026. Oceanfront cottage with direct beach access, on the spectacular Central OR Coast. Sleeps 6. All house amenities. Winter closure NovemberMarch. Reservations, information email: relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com, or text 541-740-2846 or 541-740-9953. 0326

Oceanview Maui vacation rental. Spring break for the month of March. Was $210, now $185. One-time cleaning: $150, 2 TVs, king-size bed, queen-size sofa bed. Beach chairs and umbrellas. Great view. 503-812-6689.

Enjoy your ideal Maui getaway. This updated 2-bd., 2-ba. condo sleeps 4 and features a charming “surf shack” design. Just half a block from a beautiful beach, it’s perfect for morning strolls and sunsets. Plus, you’re steps away from shops and restaurants at Azeka Plaza. tinyurl.com/MauiGetaway. 0526

Recreational Vehicles

2010 Northern Lite 8-11QSE Classic Series Slide-In-Truck Camper for short-bed trucks. Queen bed, skylight, wet bath, full kitchen, premium wood paneling. Original owner. Needs new Happijacs. $10.5K. Text, 208-301-3732 for photos. 0326

Coleman 17-R trailer. 1 axel, 8 months old, used once, 2K miles. Aljo Starlink post-hitch 27 ft. long, hitch to rear. Old. Good condition and tires. 35-ft. Wildcat Maxx. 8-ft. slide out, 25 years old. Lived in, one owner. 500 miles on tires. Make offers. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0426

2015 Artic Fox 29L Travel Trailer. Stored under awning from 2015-24. Double slide, loads of storage and in very good condition. Clean and ready to go. Can send photos. $28.5K. jeff.bartunek@gmail.com. 0326

Services

Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com; 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR.

Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC

Wildfire Fuel Reduction: clearing brush, thinning trees, animal habitat enhancement. Expert service. Grant money available OR, WA, ID. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126

Situations Wanted

Looking for woman 25-50 years old. Honest, likes cats, average looking, pleasant. Widow in ID or MT preferred. Would like to meet and see if we are compatible. I’m a retired widower. Christian, firefighter. Bob, P.O. Box 69, Noxon, MT 59853. 0326

Want to Buy

Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 45 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1026

Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117; send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0526

Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009; 971-666-0659. 0326

Wanted: older Corvette 1953-63 any condition, cash. Call or text 702-296-2289 or email a62vette@yahoo.com. Even if you’re thinking about selling. 0326

Don’t Miss TPUD Scholarship and Work Opportunities

Electrical Lineworker Program Scholarship

Tillamook PUD is accepting applications for the 2026 Electrical Lineworker Program Scholarship. There are two scholarships available for local high school seniors or individuals who have graduated within the past two academic years.

For more information and to submit an application, visit tpud.org/news-community/electrical-line-worker-programscholarship or stop by the Tillamook PUD office. Completed applications must be received no later than 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 20.

Board Meeting Highlights

At its January meeting, the Tillamook PUD Board of Directors approved:

X The Dec. 15, 2025, executive session and regular board meeting minutes and accounts payable.

College Work Program

The 2026 Tillamook PUD College Work Program is open for applications. Local high school seniors pursuing higher education after graduation are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work at Tillamook PUD during school breaks.

Visit tpud.org/about-us/career-opportunities/employmentopportunities to apply.

X Resolution No. 26-01-01, “A Resolution Opting to Limit Liability for Certain Claims Arising from the Use of Public Trails or Structures in Public Easements and Unimproved Rights of Way Pursuant to ORS 105.668.”

Visit tpud.org/about-us/board-of-directors for additional board meeting information, including archives and upcoming agendas.

Calendar of Events

March 1-31

Overeaters Anonymous, Mondays, 5 p.m., held via Zoom. Everyone is welcome. Sylvia, 503-812-0838, for link

Nehalem Bay Al-Anon Family Group meeting, Mondays, 6 p.m., NRCD, 36115 Ninth St., Nehalem. Carolyn G., 503-702-0737

We The People Tillamook County meetings, first and third Mondays, 6 p.m., Tillamook. wethepeopletillamookco@yahoo.com; wethepeopletillamookcounty.com

Nehalem Al-Anon Family Group virtual meeting, Mondays and Thursdays, noon, Zoom ID: 824 7120 7748, PW: 973392. Judi M., 503-368-7356

Meals for Seniors lunches, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Seating at 11:30 a.m., St. Mary by the Sea, 279 S. Pacific St., Rockaway Beach. $4 suggested donation. Teri, 503-317-8967

Tillamook Senior Center meal site, meals to go, Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; Meals on Wheels, Wednesdays and Fridays. 316 Stillwell Ave., Tillamook. Michelle, 503-842-9660

Tillamook Senior Center: Mondays—coffee hour, 8:30-10:30 a.m.; Mondays and Fridays— pinochle, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesday—square dancing, 4-6 p.m.; second and fourth Wednesday—bunco, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Thursday—cribbage and mahjong, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring a lunch for lengthy activities. 316 Stillwell Ave., Tillamook. Senior center, 503-842-4511, leave a message

Tillamook Rotary Club meetings, Tuesdays, noon, Pacific Restaurant, 205 Main Ave., Tillamook.

Joanna, 503-812-7079

Sisters in Sobriety Women’s Alcoholics Anonymous Zoom meeting, Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., ID: 86989656049, PW: 263508. Cecile, 503-338-8936

Salty Strings Ukulele Group of Rockaway Beach, 1-3 p.m., every Tuesday. Rockaway Beach City Hall, 276 US-101. All levels welcome. Steve, stephen111452@gmail.com

Nehalem senior lunches, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Seating at 11:30 a.m. with lunch served at noon, Nehalem Bay United Methodist Church, 36050 10th St., Nehalem. Delivery available for homebound. $5 suggested donation. Doug, nbumcnsl2020@gmail.com

Rockaway Beach Lions Club meeting, first and third Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., 268 S. Anchor St. Juanita, kittermanj2020@gmail.com; 503-896-0062

Senior meals, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m., Kiawanda Community Center, 34600 Cape Kiawanda Drive, Pacific City. $3 suggested donation for seniors, $6 for others. 971-212-7131, kiawanda.com

March 1-31

Fresh Start AA meeting, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:15 a.m., White Clover Grange, 36585 OR-53, Nehalem. 503-739-0293

Tillamook Kiwanis Club meeting, Wednesdays, noon, Rendezvous Bar & Grill, 214 Pacific Ave., Tillamook. patsykct@gmail.com

Take Off Pounds Sensibly meeting, Thursdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Bay City. Pat Neman, 503-801-2229

Civil Air Patrol Tillamook County Composite Squadron, Thursdays, 6:15-9 p.m., ATV Training Center, 5995 Long Prairie Road, Tillamook. 262-308-1482

Tillamook Awakening Al-Anon family group, Thursdays, 7-8 p.m., St. Alban’s Church, 2102 Sixth St., Tillamook. 503-842-5094

March 5

Tillamook County Republican Central Committee meeting, 7 p.m., Port of Tillamook Bay, 4000 Blimp Blvd., Suite 100, Tillamook. Office hours 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, 115 Main Street, Tillamook. tillamookcountygop.com or Mike Hanratty, 503-812-5443

March 9

Nestucca Valley Lions Club meeting, 5 p.m., 34510 Parkway Drive, Cloverdale. nestuccavalleylions@gmail.com

Monday Musical Club of Tillamook presents, “Irish Music,” 7 p.m., St. John’s United Church of Christ, 602 Laurel Ave., Tillamook. Ron Watson, 541-992-3575

March 10

South Tillamook County Library Club board meeting, 6 p.m., Winkleman Library, 6200 Camp St., Pacific City. Stclc101@gmail.com

March 12

Tillamook Emergency Volunteers meeting, 5-6 p.m., Tillamook County Library, 1716 Third Street, Tillamook. Trey West, anhwest075@gmail.com

March 14

Tillamook Beekeepers Association meeting, meet and greet at 12:30 p.m., meeting 1-2:30 p.m., Port of Tillamook Bay Office, 4000 Blimp Blvd., Tillamook. Brad York, 719-896-0000

Heart of Cartm Repair Cafe, 3-5 p.m., 395C Nehalem Blvd., Wheeler. RSVP at heartofcartm.org/repaircafe, repaircafe@heartofcartm.org or 971-389-8414.

March 15

Monday Musical Club of Tillamook presents, “John Nilsen Fundraiser Concert,” 3 p.m., Tillamook United Methodist Church, 3808 12th St., Tillamook. Ron Watson, 541-992-3575

March 17

FL63 USCG Auxiliary Station Tillamook Bay meeting, 7 p.m., Upper Station Galley. Cammy Hickman, 503-961-2212

March 18

American Legion Tillamook Post 47 meeting, 1:30 p.m., Tillamook Eagles Lodge, 209 Stillwell Ave., Tillamook. All honorably discharged veterans are invited to learn what the post is doing for the community. Kevin, 360-489-7471

March 20

NESKO Women’s Club Meeting, 11:30 a.m., Kiawanda Community Center, 34600 Cape Kiwanda Drive, Pacific City. Robin, robinkaeredmond@gmail.com or 530-913-4171

March 23

THS Alumni Scholarship Committee meeting, noon, Tillamook Elks Lodge, 1907 Third St., Tillamook. Debbi, debrakay54@charter.net

March 26

Tillamook County Democrats virtual meeting, 7 p.m. To attend, go to tillcodems.org and click on “Join Us,” “Attend Virtual Meeting” and “Main Room.” tillcodems@gmail.com

March 28

Meals for Seniors French toast breakfast fundraiser, 8 a.m. to noon, St. Mary by the Sea, 279 S. Pacific St., Rockaway Beach. Terri Bruneau, 503-317-8967

Contact Joanna Stelzig at 503-815-6024 or jstelzig@tpud.org to list items in the calendar. Items are due the first of the month prior to the month they should run.

All Wildlife Welcome

While living in Alsea, Oregon, Michelle Flamez frequently had elk visitors in her yard. On this rare occasion, a few turkeys joined the party.

To submit your photo, email a JPEG to photos@pioneer.coop. Include “Before You Go” in the subject line and share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo.

Seafood Cookbook

Barbecue Halibut Oriental, Crab Enchiladas, Easy Salmon Quiche, Dilled Salmon Fettuccine, Clam Chowder and Salmon Oyster Dip are among the recipes featured in this book from our 1993 contest. The 8½-by-11-inch indexed book is $8 (includes postage).

TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks

P.O. Box 1306

North Plains, OR 97133

TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.

Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.

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As beautiful as it is functional, this knife is 10" overall and features a high-quality 420 surgical stainless steel blade with a serrated spine. The handle is constructed of genuine natural bone with redwood spacers. On the handle you’ll find design work that’s carved by hand, a testament to its craftsmanship.

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California

1115 Pacific Ave. • P.O. Box 433

Tillamook, OR 97141

Phone: 503-842-2535

Toll free: 800-422-2535 tpud.org

Office hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For EMERGENCY service after business hours, call 800-842-2122.

Board of Directors

David Burt, President

Tamra Perman, Vice President

Barbara Trout, Treasurer

Lonnie Jenck, Secretary

Valerie Folkema, Director

General Manager

Todd Simmons

Board meetings are at 6 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month in the PUD office.

Our Mission

Through collaboration and operational excellence, Tillamook PUD provides safe, reliable, sustainable and competitively priced power to our customers.

Our Vision

Tillamook PUD provides high value to our customers, staff and community, performing now and preparing for the future. We balance community, economic and environmental commitments.

OR-35

Commitment to Safety at Tillamook PUD

Rarely does anyone criticize work for being too safe. Safety must always be a priority in any activity. If we neglect safety, we might not get another opportunity to correct our mistakes.

At Tillamook PUD, our guiding principle is “Safety, Quality, Efficiency.” This statement represents more than just words. It forms the foundation of a systematic approach applied throughout our operations. Safety is prioritized above all else. Once we meet or exceed safety standards, we focus on delivering high-quality results and ensuring tasks are completed with maximum efficiency.

We maintain our commitment to safety through a variety of programs, training and the adoption of technologies designed to enhance safety. We engineer safety into everything we do.

Our safety and risk program manager oversees all safety initiatives, education and protocols to ensure our staff members are thoroughly trained and fully equipped with the necessary resources to perform their duties safely. Monthly all-hands safety meetings cover a range of important topics, and each work group receives specific technical training. We provide annual safety certifications, including Automated Emergency Defibrillator use, CPR and first aid.

Our line crews also complete a variety of safety endorsements and required tests specific to their work practices, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration 1910.269 training and pole-top rescue, which is a realistic exercise in which TPUD lineworkers must climb a power pole and safely rescue a 190-pound mannequin in under four minutes.

These certifications are vital for maintaining workplace readiness and ensuring our team is prepared for emergency situations. In our profession, where crews operate near high-voltage power lines and in remote or hazardous environments, maintaining uncompromising safety standards is imperative.

Tillamook PUD is committed to fostering a safety priority culture. By benchmarking with industry partners such as the American Public Power Association, we continuously evaluate our performance to meet or exceed established industry standards. In recognition of these efforts, Tillamook PUD has received national safety excellence awards from APPA for the past several years.

Whether in the field or in the office, safety is our top priority in the work we do. We are proud of our robust safety culture at Tillamook PUD. We never sacrifice safety to get a job done faster. We take pride in providing our community with safe, reliable electricity, and we know this can only be achieved if we put safety at the forefront of everything we do.

Stay safe,

General Manager Todd Simmons