The 4th of July in Cannon Beach
DEB ATIYEH for the Gazette
The 4th of July was a sunny day with people lining the streets of Cannon Beach in the late morning for the annual parade. Accompanied by family, friends and pets, some spectators dressed in red, white and blue to watch the show as it passed them by. Who doesn’t love a parade? There was lots of candy for the kids and many treats for the pets. Hosted by the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, the annual parade attracted 48 entries from Cannon Beach and neighboring communities. After the parade, a large crowd gathered at the fire station for free hot dogs provided by the Cannon Beach Fire District. Cannon Beach is fireworks-free during the 4th of
4th of July Parade
July, with some coming to town with their pets to savor the silence. People enjoyed a campfire on the beach, peace
fully listening to the sound of the waves, with Haystack Rock rising dramatically above the shore; the birds safely nesting in their quiet solitude with the stars shining above. One can smell the sea and feel the sky while ending the day mesmerized by the beauty of it all.
Honors Cannon Beach Business Owner Brian Taylor
BOB ATIYEH for the Gazette
Spectators lining the streets of Cannon Beach for the annual 4th of July parade noticed a big-hearted local business owner named Brian Taylor being honored as the Grand Marshal.
“Who exactly is this guy?” many people wondered.
Here’s his story: Born and raised in Seaside, Brian met his future wife Kelli at soccer camp in 1988 when they were both 8 years old. Kelli happened to be the granddaughter of Bruce and Treva Haskell, owners of Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in downtown Cannon Beach.
Brian began working for his future in-laws in 1997 while still in high school. After earning a Building Inspection degree from Chemeketa College in Salem, Brian began working
full-time at Bruce’s Candy Kitchen after marrying Kelli in 2002. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen employs 30 full-time and part-time employees, with the fifth generation of the family now working in the thriving downtown business. With some loyal and dedicated employees having worked in the business for decades, the family philosophy has always been to treat employees like family; in the belief that the success of the business lies with their employees.
Brian has been a member of the Seaside School Board for twelve years, in addition to officiating and coaching youth sports for the past twenty-two years. Brian also volunteers on the Board of Directors of Camp Kiwanilong after spending four years working at the camp as a youth counselor.
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen has long provided annual donations to the Cannon Beach American Legion Auxiliary Christmas Program and helps with delivering gifts to local families.
Along with these annual donations, Bruces’ Candy Kitchen contributes and donates to multiple organizations such as the Cannon Beach Library, Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, Cannon Beach Fire District, Clatsop County Animal Shelter, Assistance League of Columbia Pacific, 4-H groups, Sunset Parks and Recreation District and the Seaside School District. In his “spare time” Brian lends his expertise in repairing taffy-pulling machines to other candy store owners throughout the Pacific Northwest. Cannon Beach resident Nancy Jack Teagle
explained that the Grand Marshal for the annual July 4th parade is typically an active-duty member of the military or a retired service member, but an exception was made this year to honor a local resident and business owner for his many years of extraordinary dedication and service to our community.
When asked about being honored as the Grand Marshall of the July 4th parade, Brian modestly replied that he “wanted to be a Grand Marshal for the people. Our family has a long tradition of giving back to the community” adding that “my family and I are here to support the community and do whatever is needed.”
A local landmark for the past 61 years, Bruce’s Candy Kitchen is located at 256 N. Hemlock in downtown Cannon Beach.
Tickets now available for the 21st Annual Cannon Beach Cottage Tour
FOR THE GAZETTE
Heralded as the “best autumn event in Cannon Beach” by Sunset Magazine, the 21st Annual Cannon Beach Cottage Tour returns with a weekend packed with activities from September 13-15, featuring the much-anticipated home tour on Saturday, September 14. Join us in celebrating over two decades of opening doors to historic cottages, beach dream homes, and architectural marvels. This beloved fundraiser for the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum has showcased numerous homes, many highlighted in The Oregonian and Oregon Home Magazine. While the home tour
is the highlight, kick off the festivities on Friday, September 13, with the Opening Night Benefit Bash at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum. Doors open at 5:30 PM, welcoming you to an evening filled with music by the Heather Christie Band, hors d’oeuvres, local brews from Pelican Brewing Company, wines from The Wine Shack, and a chance to bid on exclusive items in our third annual silent auction. Explore the rich history of Cannon Beach through the museum’s exhibits in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. The home tour itself takes place on Saturday, September 14, from 12 PM to 5 PM. This year’s theme centers on cottages built
over 80 years ago, located in areas like the Presidential Streets and behind the Coaster Theatre, with some homes being a century old. Discover the history behind these treasured cottages. Your ticket also includes “Out on the Town” perks, offering discounts at local businesses. We strongly encourage advance ticket purchases, as prices will increase on the day of the tour to $50. Maps will be distributed at noon on the day of the tour. Stay for the new Paint and Sip Workshop on Sunday, September 15. Enjoy beverages and treats from Cannon Beach Bakery and Cannon Beach Chocolate Café while painting under
See COTTAGE TOUR, Page A4
Photos by Deb Atiyeh
PHOTO BY JILL ANN GUENTHER
Grand Marshal Brian Taylor
Legal appeal complicates funding for City Hall, Police Station and Elementary School Projects
The
meetings and examining the best financing options, the City Council unanimously reached a decision. The new city hall will be rebuilt in its current location on Gower Street, while the new police station, along with a new Emergency Operations Center, will be built on city-owned property east of Highway 101 outside of the tsunami inundation zone. In addition to the prepared food tax approved by voters to help fund construction of a new city hall and
BOB ATIYEH for the Gazette
Country Media recently had the opportunity to talk with two north coast real estate brokers about current real estate trends in our
police station, the City Council added 1.5% to the existing transient lodging tax (TLT) to fully fund all three projects without raising property taxes on Cannon Beach residents. Several members of the Cannon Beach lodging industry expressed their opposition to increasing the TLT at public meetings prior to the City Council decision. In April 2024 the Cannon Beach City Council unanimously approved moving forward with a $33.6 million “full-faith-and-credit obligation bond” to finance the construction of all three projects as allowed under Oregon State law, combining them into a single bond in an effort to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in borrowing costs. With costs rising, the Cannon Beach City Council decided it was best to move quickly, with construction on all three projects currently scheduled to
begin in the fall of 2024.
In late April 2024, a Political Action Committee (PAC) named “Cannon Beach Together” was formed with the stated goal of being a “community watchdog for prudent and fiscally responsible governance.” Shortly afterward, a Cannon Beach hotel operator petitioned Clatsop County Circuit Court to issue an injunction forcing the city to hold a vote on the $33.6 million bond financing the police station, city hall and school renovation project, with this legal action funded by Cannon Beach Together.
In June, Clatsop County Circuit Court Judge Beau Peterson, the presiding judge of the Circuit Court, agreed that the City of Cannon Beach does have the authority to pursue financing without going to a vote, while dismissing Cannon Beach Together’s legal challenge.
Judge Peterson’s decision was immediately appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals by the same Cannon Beach hotel operator. This appeal could delay all three projects at an estimated additional cost of $167,500 per month. Cannon Beach Together paid the Salem legal firm Reitman & Kim, LLP a total of $6,865
on May 20th. According to the Oregon Secretary of State website, the group has collected $22,000 in donations since late April, with 95% of the total coming from five donors.
Two of the largest Cannon Beach Together donors did not respond to a request for comment.
North Coast Real Estate Trends
area. Michael Henderson, Managing Principal Broker and owner of Duane Johnson Real Estate in Cannon Beach, and Pam Zielinski, Principal Broker for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Netarts, both agreed
that home prices have remained relatively flat and stable since the early fall of 2022, following the rapid appreciation in prices in 2020, 2021 and the first nine months of 2022. Henderson and Zielinski both predicted
an increase in home sales once interest rates begin to decline; adding that they noticed the normal seasonal increase in new listings earlier this spring. The number of new listings tends to decrease during the summer, before increasing again at the end of summer and early fall. Besides high mortgage interest rates, the NAR settlement agreement (a federal class-action antitrust lawsuit affecting real estate commissions) which takes effect in mid-August, has introduced an element of uncertainty into the real estate market.
After the strong “sellers market” during and after the Covid pandemic, Henderson and Zielinski said that the current real estate market is much more of a “balanced market” between buyers and sellers; with some buyers now offering less than the listed price. Buyers are asking for more concessions from sellers; such as interest rate “buy-downs” or asking sellers to pay all closing costs. The days of multiple offers and bidding wars between buyers, with buyers offering more than the asking price, are behind us; with the occasional exception of unique and desirable properties. The market determines the value of a home, and any properties that are reasonably priced will usually sell very quickly, sometimes within days, or even hours of coming onto the market; while some homes, if priced above the market, might take much longer to sell.
find your coastal home.
Henderson explained that the housing supply is not keeping up with demand, both on a local and regional level. Henderson believes that unless additional vacant land is annexed into the city of Cannon Beach from areas east of Highway
101, but still within the urban growth boundary, that homes in the Cannon Beach area will become increasingly unaffordable for most buyers. Henderson said that he has noticed a trend of fewer buyers able to afford the high prices in Cannon Beach; where very few homes are listed for less than $1 million. A home in the Chapman Point area sold this spring for $4.6 million within nine days of coming onto the market, which was a new record sales price for a home in Cannon Beach; while two homes on Pacific Street, just north of the Oswald West house, are currently listed for $4.95 million and $6.5 million. Henderson added that he is seeing more offers contingent on the sale of other property, which is a new trend beginning last fall. Buyers now have more room to negotiate with sellers, with the relatively “balanced market” tilting toward buyers.
Zielinski said that the new regulations restricting short-term rentals (STRs) in the unincorporated areas of Tillamook County, which went into effect in January 2024, seems to have affected the real estate market in her area. Zielinski has noticed less inquiries from potential Portland metro-area buyers aware of the new STR regulations, while receiving more inquiries from outof-state buyers unaware of the new restrictions. The City of Rockaway Beach also recently enacted caps on STRs within city limits. Zielinski has seen a continuing interest from buyers purchasing vacant lots, with the Tillamook County Multiple Listing Service (MLS) showing nearly 20% of the inventory of lots were either sold or pending within the
Editor’s note: The Cannon Beach Gazette asked for statements about these projects from city council members, and citizens as well as a provided Q & A column from the Cannon Beach Together group. These statements and release are included in their entirety on the opinion pages.
past few months. Some buy vacant land with an intent to build later; while others gravitate towards purchasing a house after realizing the costs of new construction. According to the latest RMLS “Market Action Report” for the north Oregon coast, which includes data for all 2024 home sales through June 30th, Cannon Beach had the highest median sale price at $1,191,400, followed by Manzanita at $896,000, Arch Cape/Falcon Cove at $802,000, Oceanside at $799,500 and Gearhart West at $717,500. At the end of June, there were 208 active real estate listings in Clatsop County, with 221 active listings in Tillamook County. Thirty-year mortgage interest rates were near 6.75% in late July; a full percentage point lower than the peak in late October 2023 Pam Zielinski at Berkshire Hathaway in Netarts had this advice for both buyers and sellers: “There is no time like the present, because today we are dealing with known circumstances. The future is an unknown. So waiting to buy or sell is a risky proposition. Make prudent real estate decisions based on current market conditions and over time, you’ll be glad you didn’t wait.” Michael Henderson at Duane Johnson Real Estate in Cannon Beach said that in spite of high interest rates, if you’re a buyer looking for a home in the Cannon Beach area, now is a good time to buy. The old axiom of “date the rate, marry the house” means that a buyer can always refinance a high-interest mortgage when rates drop. Henderson’s advice for sellers is that “anytime is a good time to sell, especially if you have a unique property, but a price that accurately reflects the market is important if you want your property to sell quickly.” Henderson added that it’s important to hire an experienced real estate broker who can assist you in pricing your home.
Questions for Pam Zielinski at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Netarts can be directed to: pzielinski@bhhsnw.com
Questions for Michael Henderson at Duane Johnson Real Estate in Cannon Beach can be directed to: michael@duanejohnson. com.
Elk Creek Coffee opens in Downtown Cannon Beach
DEB ATIYEH for the Gazette
On Friday morning July 26th, the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Elk Creek Coffee, a new coffee shop located at the north end of downtown Cannon Beach. Owner Terry Gremaux officially opened the doors to Elk Creek Coffee on the morning of July 4th; one of the busiest holiday weekends of the summer in Cannon Beach.
Terry’s roots in Cannon Beach run deep. Her grandparents built their first home here as a large wooden platform with a canvas tent in the 1920’s and 1930’s, before building a home that still stands today in the Presidential Streets. Terry grew up in Portland while spending her summers and holidays in Cannon Beach.
After raising her three daughters with her husband Dale, and teaching full-day kindergarten at Valley Catholic Elementary School for sixteen years, they moved
to Cannon Beach full-time in 2016 while Dale commutes to Portland four days a week. Terry began baking for Insomnia Coffee, where she stayed for over six years until opening Elk Creek Coffee.
Terry says her mother, Sue Reed, was an amazing cook who fostered Terry’s love for all things food and encouraged her to begin baking when Terry was six years old. She signed a lease for Elk Creek Coffee in February, with construction beginning in March. Terry said that Coaster Construction was terrific to work with throughout the entire remodel, and she is extremely grateful for the many friends and neighbors who helped her in a variety of ways to make her dream a reality.
Elk Creek Coffee proudly serves ethically-sourced Caravan Coffee roasted in Newberg, Oregon. Scones, biscuits, muffins, and gluten-free coffee cakes are baked fresh daily, with more additions to the menu coming soon. Most of all, Terry wants her customers
Stalking the elusive Black Oystercatcher
BY PAM AVILA
Sea gulls are a beach icon all year long, and in the summer, flocks of pelicans return. Birders will sight black and white murres, long necked cormorants, and pigeon guillemots with their orange feet. And of course everyone hopes to catch a glimpse of the famous Haystack Rock puffin. Beachcombing at low tide rewards us with treasures like sand dollars, shells, driftwood, and a myriad of flotsam and jetsam deposited by faraway waves. But what we bring to the beach is often associated with its own destruction. While making memories, we also bring noise, garbage which finds its way into the ocean as microplastics, dogs that disturb nesting birds, and general carelessness. While we deserve to be able to escape the city and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the outdoors, we are compelled to set sustainable limits. The locals, who choose to live in Cannon Beach all year, want business to thrive on the Oregon coast, and yet hope it will remain unspoiled. Nature and humanity are in a constant global struggle to find that sweet spot of balance. I became more in tune with the tides, the seasons and how climate affects
the coast when I started volunteering for the Bird Alliance of Oregon and US Fish and Wildlife Service as a black oystercatcher nest monitor. This elusive bird spends its time near Pacific NW rocky shores, returning to the same familiar rocks with its lifelong partner to nest each summer. Both males and females are completely black, except for distinctly orange eyes and bills. Their unique call often alerts you to their presence, beginning as a high peeping sound that descends in pitch like a moving train. In spite of their name, black oystercatchers prefer mussels and other mollusks to oysters, and are often seen foraging at the tidal zone of rocks.
Birdwatching takes a lot of patience anyway, but finding these birds’ nests requires extra dedication. Their nests are called “scrapes”, which are basically dips in the black rocks that keep them well camouflaged. Incubation can last from 25-32 days. Throughout the nesting and nurturing of chicks, these birds are egalitarian parents. If you’re lucky. you can witness the changing of the guards as one bird gets off the nest to go foraging while its partner changes places. Why should we give
BY PETER LINDSEY
“The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market place; Man and boy stood cheering by And home we brought you shoulder high.”
“Today, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town....”
I’ve always been a runner. Fifty-four years ago I ran the berm lines, the base camp perimeters at Cu Chi and Dau Tieng, Vietnam. My parents sent magazines and news clippings squeezed inside boxes of chocolate chip cookies to bolster my spirits and strengthen the home link. The sports world, particularly the Olympic Committee and the track and field faithful, were buzzing about Steve Prefontaine, a slight, Dennis the Menace looking kid from Coos Bay, Oregon. A Sports Illustrated magazine I received from the U.S. in 1970 had his picture on the cover, competing for the University of Oregon in Eugene. After my discharge from the Army, I returned home to attend graduate school in Eugene. By the early 1970’s Eugene justly considered itself the Capital of Track and Field. Scores of the country’s finest men’s long and middledistance runners coursed through the city’s rolling foothills, Spencer’s Butte and Hendricks Park. Wade Bell, Archie San Romani, Dyrol Burleson, Jim Grelle, Bill Dellinger and Roscoe Divine set the early pace through the 1950’s and 1960’s. Lee Evans, Dave Wottle, Kenny Moore, Marty Liquori, Eamon Coghlan, Mike Manly, Ralph Mann, Reynaldo Brown, O.J. Simpson, Emile Puttermans, Jim Ruyn and others took the baton through the 1970’s. In the 1970’s, no venue provided greater emotional electricity than did the ancient field house at Hayward Field. No athlete cast a brighter shadow over Hayward than did Steven Prefontaine. Small in stature and of humble coastal origins, his heart and spirit drove him flashing down the gun lap, a green, yellow and blond blur forever in my memory. He was my friend. His victories became, in some small way, redemption for my failures, positive proof that right-spirited action could obtain grace. I had lost faith in my country, the horrors of its war, the cal-
them any special attention? Human activity has been closely linked with the reproductive failure of these and many other rocky shore birds. Black oystercatchers are a species of concern, and an indicator of intertidal habitat health. Population numbers have fluctuated over the years, due to many factors, including climate change’s effects on shellfish. They are easily disturbed by barking dogs, people climbing cliffs, recreational drones, and interloping raptors and gulls which may steal eggs and chicks. These highly sensitive birds may abandon their
nests when stressed. Based on data from the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the Bird Alliance of Oregon since 2015, only 69% of Black oystercatcher nests hatch one chick, and only 34% actually fledge.
In Cannon Beach, you can spot black oystercatchers nesting around Silver Point, Jockey Cap, Haystack Rock, Chapman Beach, Crescent Beach, and Indian Beach. A couple of weeks ago, my bird watching friend Tabea Goosen and I went out to Indian Beach to monitor a couple of nests. At the southern end is a rock we call Submarine Rock,
Steve Prefontaine
lousness of my fellow men. I came home emotionally transfigured, the pinnings and stability of my beliefs shaken.
In the conversations we had those long spring days on the quadrangle, I told him that running purged bitterness and disappointment for me. Two weeks before the 1972 Olympic Trials in Eugene, he said the years of constant training, the 100 to 150 mile weeks, had scoured him out inside. He promised himself a measure of leisure time, some social life, the lightness and frivolousness he had chosen to postpone. Many years ago the television and motion picture industries capitalized on his brief career and image, fitting his life story to their own purposes. When I mention his name, young people will respond by saying “oh, yeah, he was that kinda arrogant runner guy, wasn’t he?” That was not the Steve Prefontaine I knew in the 1970’s. Shy and slightly awkward in social gatherings, I remember him on our first meeting. Quite short and lean, Steve evinced a Peter Pan perpetual boyishness. I liked his good-natured smirk and its promise of light devilment. In competition his mental toughness and ferocity regularly carried the day.
“When I hit that last lap,” he would say, not bragging, just confident, “I’ll already have burned them out.” His fourth place finish in the 1972 Olympics 5000 meter race behind Lasse Virens, knocked him back badly. Steve always left the starting line the winner. The joint Finnish/American Meet he organized in Eugene, staged the night he died, was an attempt to regain ground lost in the Olympics.
As the American Record Holder in numerous middle-distance events, and one of the finest consistent 5000 meter competitors of all time, his contributions to the history of track and field were considerable. His other contributions, equally important, need mention. Steve testified before the Oregon State Legislature in favor of stringent rules governing pollution and air quality. He regularly worked with inmates inside the state prison system with Dr. Kenneth Polk. He railed against ludicrous rules foisted off on athletes by the A.A.U. and the American Track Federation and refused to compromise. In a time of racial unease amongst athletes and college students, his associations were color blind and humanitarian. In his brief, meteoric career, he exemplified those
where a couple of chicks hatched a few weeks ago. Fledging can take up to 40 days. We were able to see the young birds hopping around the rock, at a distance from the original nest, which was a good sign that they might have been spreading their wings. We joked about millennial kids who have it too good in their parent’s basement to bother moving out. Just as we were about to give up and put away our binoculars, we saw both teenage oystercatchers take flight.
Two more birds survived the obstacles and graduated into adulthood! We gave each other a high five.
qualities we, in our best selves, emulate in heroes. In pure pursuit of excellence, he strove to achieve his best, unsullied by concern for material reward or enhancement. He was Eugene’s hero and rallying force. May those of us who survive him
What can you do to help protect black oystercatchers and other rocky shore birds?
1. Respect the signage about off limits areas!
2. Keep your dog on a leash around rocks and headlands where birds are nesting. Do not allow dogs to chase birds.
3. Know the laws about flying drones on the beach.
4. Do not climb on rocks where birds are present.
5. Pack it in and pack it out. Better yet, pick up garbage you find on the beach, especially plastic.
6. Volunteer to monitor bird nesting behavior.
Rocky shore bird nest protection is one of the most rewarding coastal activities your whole family can get involved in. It’s free, relaxing, great exercise and it’s good for the earth. Volunteer training is available for black oystercatcher nest monitoring. You only need a pair of binoculars, outdoor weather wear, and a sense of wonder. The birds will thank you for it.
For more information contact: Joe Liebezeit at jliebezeit@birdallianceoregon.org or Cara Gates at cgates@birdallianceoregon.org.
fare as well in our lives and places.
Cannon Beach resident Peter Lindsey is the author of two books on Cannon Beach history: “Comin’ In Over the Rock” and “Just Movin’ The Water Around”.
BOB ATIYEH for the Gazette
Anyone spending time on one of our beautiful Oregon beaches has very likely noticed the ubiquitous plastic debris littering the high tide “rack line”. After being manufactured by petrochemical companies, plastic never fully “decomposes”, but instead breaks down into smaller and smaller particles of plastic called “microplastics”. Besides being unsightly and almost impossible to clean up, microplastics can be deadly to wildlife who mistake it for food.
Cleaning the Beach with Sea Turtles Forever, Blue Wave
beach sand.
After growing up and spending most of his life on the north Oregon coast, Marc Ward, Executive Director of Sea Turtles Forever/Blue Wave, was concerned by the growing volume of plastic debris littering the area’s beaches. Marc invented a simple, but ingenious method to filter microplastics from sand. Composed of a micro-screen fastened between two handles, the device enables two people to quickly filter thousands of pieces of microplastic debris from a large amount of sand. Marc’s invention is now being used worldwide to remove microplastics from
During a recent conversation, Marc explained that because of a unique combination of geology and currents, Crescent Beach, Whale Park and the Elk (Ecola) Creek area of Chapman Beach are some of the worst areas on the entire Oregon coast for large accumulations of microplastic debris. Through his non-profit organization named Sea Turtles Forever/ Blue Wave, Marc hires and supervises teams that filter microplastics from Crescent Beach and Chapman Point all the way to Haystack Rock every summer. In late July, the clean-up
teams were joined by volunteers from two companies who worked at removing microplastics from the area around Elk Creek and Whale Park. In one day, a thirty-person team from USI Insurance Services in Portland removed 600 pounds of microplastic debris from the Elk Creek area south of Necus’ Park. USI has a program called “USI Gives Back”, where the company pays employees to work on community projects, with Cannon Beach the beneficiary of this program. The next day a team from Environmental Resource Management (ERM) removed almost 200 pounds of microplastic
debris from the beach in front of the Sea Sprite hotel. The Banks High School Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer Teams will be coming to help filter microplastics in Cannon Beach on August 6th, USI will be sending another team on August 9th and ERM is returning sometime in late August or September.
Marc said that one of the things that concerns him is “that we find beach fire pits right on top of the heavily impacted areas we’re filtering. When ignited, all of the toxic components contained in the plastics are released into the smoke, so this is a very bad place to
line”. Marc explained that it would be better if people didn’t build their fires in areas heavily impacted by microplastics. Areas closer to the water tend to have fewer microplastics.
For more information visit: seaturtlesforever.org
Sony Felberg is raffling a custom painted guitar at
Andy Davis nominated by Democrats in HD 32
WILL CHAPPELL Gazette Editor
Precinct committee people from across Oregon’s 32nd House District gathered in Seaside on July 18, and selected Astoria City Councilor Andy Davis to represent the party in this November’s election. The selection followed candidate Logan Laity’s withdrawal from the race after moving out of the district and will see Davis face off against Republican incumbent Cyrus Javadi. Laity withdrew from the race on June 27, after running unopposed in the March primary election. In a statement announcing his withdrawal, Laity said that a work relocation was forcing the decision and pledged to donate $10,000 to the new Democratic candidate.
Interested party members had until July 16 to submit their application for candidacy ahead of the July 18 convention held at the Bob Chisholm Community Center. Davis was the only candidate to apply by the deadline and he was nominated by the conven -
tion. Davis was elected to the Astoria city council in 2022, after moving to Oregon from Indiana in 2015. Employed as a research analyst for the Oregon Health Authority, Davis also serves on the board of the housing nonprofit Copeland Commons, as well as the Clatsop County budget committee and
countywide citizen advisory committee for the county’s comprehensive plan update. Davis studied at Wabash College and Indiana University and ran unsuccessfully for the Clatsop County board of commissioners in 2018.
Andy Davis
PHOTOS BY MARC WARD
CLASSIFIEDS
Better Medicine, Welcome Fall & NW Author Series
By PHYLLIS BERNT Library Volunteer
There is still time for children from pre-k to young adult to sign up for the library’s summer reading program, “Read, Renew, Repeat.” Program participants track their daily reading to earn badges and prizes. Children can sign up for the program at the library (131 N. Hemlock in downtown Cannon Beach) or online through the library website (www. cannonbeachlibrary.org).
“Read, Renew, Repeat” also includes two August events in the library that are
Statement from Betty Gearen
NeCus’ will be a community gathering place and welcoming center as it had been for millennia before Lewis and Clark first visited the historic village site. It has been a place of gathering, learning, sharing and growing and now will be a vibrant site promoting cultural and environmental education. The National Park Service, Clatsop-Nehalem Tribal Council, and the members of the Greater Ecola Natural Area (GENA), recognize the deep significance of the park as a historic site and a wonderful opportunity for our whole community.
NeCus’ has been a site of educational growth for many of our residents. It will now give our community an opportunity to educate others about its rich history and invaluable ecosystems from Haystack Rock to the mouth of our estuary, and up into Ecola Creek Forest Reserve (ECFR) watershed, providing our community and visitors year-round educational programming opportunities. We have a rich past to share, and groups like the Clatsop-Nehalem tribe have spent many hours working with the City to create a space that will honor their ancestors and the ways in which they lived. They have shared their knowledge and
open to all, not just to participants in the reading program.
Bilingual Story Time will take place at 2 p.m., Saturday, August 3. Children of all ages can hear stories and make ocean animal collages out of recycled materials. Then, at 2 p.m., Saturday, August 24, there will be a talk by Sara Behrman, author of “The Sea Hides a Seahorse.” Her presentation will include songs, music and a crafting project to make seahorse puppets. This event will mark the end of the summer reading program. The Cannon Beach Reads book club will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21, to discuss “Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance,” by American surgeon and bestselling author Atul Gawande. This will be a hybrid meeting with participants able to take part in the discussion in-person at the library or virtually (contact book club coordinator Joe Bernt at berntj@ohio.edu for the Zoom link).
Gawande completed his medical training in 2003, and has spent the last two decades not just practicing medicine, but also thoughtfully considering its challenges and successes. He is acutely aware of the high stakes involved in medicine and the human costs that result because of poor
ways of life practiced by their people. We will delve deeply into the geology and our past and present ecosystem. We will highlight our precious ECFR and host environmental groups who are working to move our ecosystems back into balance. Groups like the Haystack Rock Awareness Program, The Ecola Creek Awareness Program, the North Coast Land Conservancy and the North Coast Watershed Association, to name a few, will be involved with our education and restoration efforts. There are plans to restore the salmon, bring back the beaver, replant trees and remove invasive species; recruiting students, visitors and our community’s help in maintaining some our most degraded ecosystems. Cannon Beach has been a leader in its drive towards sustainability. In the early 1970s we were one of the first cities to adopt a weekly recycling program. We have established groups such as Haystack Rock Awareness Program, Friends of the Dunes, Friends of the Trees and our trees and wildlife have long been protected through our municipal code. Each year Cannon Beach residents set aside 12 days to honor our Earth through our 12 Days of Earth Day celebrations. Over 12 Days, speakers, workshops, films and a Street Fair provide venues
performance or failure.
In “Better,” Gawande argues that the keys to excellence in medical performance are diligence, ingenuity and doing right by patients. He bolsters his arguments with engrossing stories about surgical procedures on the battlefield in Iraq, the rise of Cesarean sections in maternity wards, polio vaccination campaigns in India, ethical arguments surrounding doctors’ participation in lethal injections and the role of money in medicine.
Gawande writes clearly, carefully and insightfully about a critical topic that affects all of us. Health care spending in 2022 in the United States totaled $4.5 trillion. In “Better” Gawande sheds light on what is being done, and what needs to be done, so that money is spent on effective care.
Atul Gawande is a surgeon, writer, teacher and public health researcher. He has practiced general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He is currently the Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.
Gawande has written about medicine and public health for The New Yorker and
to expand our awareness, provide creative solutions and showcase the work being done in our greater community. NeCus’, as planned, will give us a place where we can honor our Earth EVERY day.
The site creates a way for us to embrace our past and work to restore what has been lost so future generations can benefit from our vision. When the rain comes and the nights grow long NeCus’ will also be a dry space for us to play sports, hold festivals, enjoy concerts and celebrate holiday events. It will be a beacon of hope for what a community can achieve and an honoring place; honoring the tribe, honoring the thousands of children that “grew” there, honoring nature and honoring each other.
Betty Gearen Cannon Beach
Statement from Gary Hayes
I was disappointed by a recent guest column from Watt Childress in the Daily Astorian regarding the City of Cannon Beach’s plan to repurpose its former elementary school into a center of cultural and environmental learning. The inflammatory words of this column are part of a continuing effort by a faction within the community to undermine the City’s ability to accomplish our much overdue construction projects including a new City Hall and Police Station.
Slate. His other books include “Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance,” “Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science,” “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right” and “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.”
Lauren Wilson will lead the discussion on August 21. Coffee and cookies will be provided at the library. The book club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. New participants, whether in-person or online, are always welcome.
Library volunteers are planning this year’s Fall Festival, the library’s annual celebration to mark the end of summer and to welcome fall, a beautiful season on the North Coast. The Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 28.
As in past years the Fall Festival will include a raffle for packages of gift certificates to local merchants and a silent auction for stays at five premier ocean-front hotels. Winners of the gift certificate raffle and the silent auction will be announced the day of the Festival. The celebration on September 28 will also include a book and puzzle swap, crafting projects for children and adults, door prizes and delicious treats. Tickets for the gift certif-
OUT increasing taxes on local property owners, the Cannon Beach City Council DID raise our lodging taxes by 1.5%. This tax, paid by visitors, fully funds our City Hall and Police Department projects, along with the portion of the prepared food tax previously passed by voters. The lodging industry opposed this increase, but our City Council unanimously decided that this was an appropriate one-time solution to solve our community’s pressing needs – again, without increasing taxes on local property owners. The increase in our lodging tax rate puts Cannon Beach comparable to other nearby communities.
The question you could ask now that the lodging tax has been raised is, “what does this group have to gain by killing needed projects for our community, including those that will make locals and visitors safer in the event of a major disaster?” Is it just retribution to our City Manager and City Council? You must give this group credit, they have organized, strategized and mobilized in an attempt to turn public opinion against these projects for any one of a long list of reasons, some diametrically opposed to each other.
icate raffle will go on sale, and the silent auction will begin, on August 31 and will continue until the day of the festival. Raffle tickets are $5 for one ticket; $10 for three tickets; and $20 for seven tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the library or online through the library website. Auction bids can be placed at the library. The library’s NW Author Speakers Series Committee has finalized the lineup for the 2024-25 season. This will be the 17th season for the speakers series, which, in addition to the annual Writers Read Celebration showcasing local writers in March, will include talks by several winners and finalists of the 2024 Oregon Book Awards.
The first talk of the 202425 season will begin at 2 p.m., Saturday, September 7, with a presentation by author and illustrator Kerilynn Wilson. Patrons can enjoy her talk in-person, or online through the library website (www.cannonbeachlibrary. org).
Wilson’s graphic novel, “The Faint of Heart” was awarded the 2024 Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature. It is the story of June, a high school student who still has her heart, although all those around her are electing to have their hearts removed in order to avoid sadness, anxiety and anger.
“The Faint of Heart” has been described as “beautiful, tender, and relevant” and “vivid and haunting.”
Wilson’s next graphic novel, “One Foggy Christmas Eve,” will be released three days after her talk.
Speakers for the rest of the 2024-25 season include Josephine Woolington (October 5) who was awarded the Oregon Book Award for General Nonfiction for “Where We Call Home: Lands, Seas, and Skies of the Pacific Northwest,” and Cliff Taylor (November 9), essayist, poet and author of “The Native Who Never Left.”
Erica Berry, who received the Oregon Book Award in Creative Nonfiction for “Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear,” will speak on January 25, while Rachel King, a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Fiction for “Bratwurst Haven,” will speak on February 22.
Rounding out the year will be Daniela Molnar, winner of the Oregon Book Award for Poetry for “Omnidawn,” who will be speaking on April 26, and Marcelle Heath, finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Fiction for “Is That All There Is?” who will be speaking on May 17.
this. In Cannon Beach’s case, the City Council was elected to look at such a case in depth, determine the ability of the City to repay the debt, consider all of the potential impacts and make an informed decision. That is what happened. This is following years of public meetings and opportunities for citizens to help shape these solutions and share their concerns. The lodging industry or a few upset members of the community should not be able to derail a normal and accepted democratic political process. Instead, the column suggests that this is a conspiracy to “skirt this civic principle” on the part of the City.
The column moves on from there to suggest that “local folks are divided over plans to revamp a cherished grade school.”
represents their interests. In its recent 10-year Strategic Vision, Travel Oregon opens with its vision statement: “Oregon is a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.” It goes on to outline many of the values it supports including stating: “We lead through a lens of destination stewardship to build resiliency for a regenerative future.”
I believe that locals who truly understand this project would not be opposed to using lodging tax dollars that are restricted to those limited purposes for a facility honoring this historic site; that promotes a balance of a sustainability between our beloved natural environment and tourism; create a park that is a community asset; and preserve a beloved local structure that will offer many uses to the local community. The facility and its operation will be fully funded by visitors. Many in the community see this as a win-win proposition. But not this group supported by the local lodging industry.
(503) 842-7535, headlightads@countrymedia.net
This column gets it wrong on many points and it is important for our citizens to understand the truth. First, he describes a “diverse group of villagers trying to defend the civic right to vote on decisions about government debt and urban growth.” Let’s start with the “diverse group of villagers.” A quick review of the Cannon Beach Together group that was formed to push back on these projects by trying to turn the community against them and attempting legal maneuvers, reveals that individual donors are limited to a handful, while the vast majority of the more than $20,000 raised has come from our largest corporations in Cannon Beach, mostly the lodging industry. According to the Oregon Secretary of State website this group has already spent nearly $7,000 in legal maneuvers. And they are just getting started.
Why does the lodging industry oppose this? To finally solve our community’s long overdue need for these projects WITH -
Then, there is the second point of the column’s comment that this group is here to defend: “the civic right to vote on decisions about government debt and urban growth.” Oregon law is pretty clear on the matter. Of course, when local taxpayer dollars are affected, a referendum is appropriate. This is not the case here.
In this latest tactic to deny these construction projects by delay or driving up the cost, the lodging industry has funded a legal challenge, demanding the right of the community to vote on them despite NOT increasing taxes on local homeowners. This was such an unfounded legal claim that the judge immediately dismissed the case without hearing it. That didn’t keep this well-funded group from appealing, making it even more clear the action is about delay and an attempt to derail the projects that are fully funded now, but every month of delay will increase the costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
If any disgruntled voter was able to throw a wrench in the gears of needed public projects funded within the budget and means of a city, few civic projects would ever be completed. Our State Law recognizes
That is true, in great part due to the organized effort of this group to turn citizens against it. Using inflammatory language like: “[the] idea morphed into a high-end tourist facility” and that it “now orients toward luxury uses like wine events and grand scale weddings.” With these statements, the column seems to ignore the reality of the plan to remodel the school to honor the historic village of the Native People of Cannon Beach who lived on that exact site and to create a center of learning about the environment, teaching stewardship of our natural resources toward a goal of finding a sustainable balance of environment and tourism in Cannon Beach. The project known as NeCus will include park improvements and restoration to a more natural landscape of native plants and trees that can be enjoyed by all. This is the difference between the writer’s language to turn people against the project and the stated reality of the project.
The writer also suggests that it is “not what many locals consider a responsible use of public revenues.” Here, again, things get confusing, as the funding for NeCus comes wholly and completely from the portion of lodging tax dollars that must be reinvested – according to state law - into tourism marketing or a tourism facility. It may be understandable (though shortsighted in my opinion) why our lodging industry would not want those lodging tax dollars to be used for this purpose.
The lodging industry’s opposition is in direct contrast to the vision of Travel Oregon, our State’s official tourism organization, that
The column uses a quote from former Governor Tom McCall in an effort to make a point that maybe he should reexamine. The quote is:
”The interests of Oregon for today and in the future must be protected from the grasping wastrels of the land. We must respect another truism — that unlimited and unregulated growth leads inexorably to a lowered quality of life.”
I find this a curious perspective. Are the “wastrels of the land” the local citizens who participated in a public process to determine the direction of NeCus and turn it into a center of cultural learning and environmental stewardship? Is the lodging industry coming to save us from suffering this consequence?
The column goes on to make the comment “Many towns struggle with the graspings of excess growth.” I’m not sure if by “excess growth” he is referring to the plan to construct a lobby that will enjoin the existing gymnasium and classroom wing at NeCus into a single facility, or is it the new city hall that will replace the old on the exact same site at nearly an identical, though certainly more efficient size? Or maybe it’s the new Police Station and Emergency Operations Center that will be moved See LETTERS TO, Page A7
Cannon Beach Together organizers explain their group with Q & A
Q: What is Cannon Beach Together?
Cannon Beach Together is a registered political action committee. Its membership is diverse and inter-generational, including representatives of the lodging and restaurant industries, artists, homeowners, retirees, service industry employees, business owners, renters and more. We have members in their 20’s, their 80’s and everywhere in-between.
Q: What is your mission
Cannon Beach Together is a diverse group of community members seeking consensus for the responsible stewardship of the town we love. We’re seeking a vote on a historic level of debt for three construction projects (City Hall, Police Station, Tourist Facility.)
Q: Delaying will only increase the costs. Why are you doing this? We’re incredibly concerned about costs! If
Letters
From Page A6
out of the tsunami inundation zone onto an already cleared site the City owns east of the highway. Excess growth?
There are legitimate concerns about these construction projects that have all been considered in depth by City leadership, each of whom are dedicated to preserving what is special about the village of Cannon Beach. What should be more disturbing to the community is the intentional exaggeration, misinformation and fear mongering that has been strategized, organized and spread by this small group with personal grievances who are supported with funding from the lodging industry.
Their divisive rhetoric also includes attempts to vilify City staff and elected leadership who are making tough choices in the best interest for the future of our village. If we are truly concerned about the character of our village, I would suggest we start by rejecting that divisiveness.
These efforts are driving up the cost of these projects with their tactics to delay and threaten projects that have be years in the making. These projects are fully funded NOW within existing revenues, without increasing taxes on local property owners. Delay will only make the projects more urgently needed and more expensive.
You may soon be asked to sign a petition to put the funding for these construction projects up to a vote. This delay will raise the
you’re worried about costs, please join us. On top of their excessive scope, these projects are wildly expensive on a cost per square foot basis. The City is preparing to pay almost twice as much per square foot for similar buildings in Manzanita and Astoria. We believe $12 million for a high-end tourist facility is too much. We believe there are serious concerns about the management of these projects, the concurrent construction, stacking on a single, variable funding source and more. We believe a more responsible approach built upon community consensus will save millions of dollars, improve operational outcomes and increase community cohesion.
Q: Don’t we need - or want - all of these projects? (Police Dept, City Hall, the School) We support all these projects in concept. But costs are too high. Why should we in Cannon Beach pay twice as much per square foot as our neighbors for similar projects?
(See: Manzanita’s new City Hall/Police Station, or the proposed Astoria Film Museum.) It seems Cannon Beach’s City Council and
cost of these projects by hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, despite the current funding model NOT increasing property taxes. I hope you will not fall for these tactics and refuse to sign. Doing so will raise the costs and may threaten the current funding that solves these issues without increasing taxes on local residents. I also hope you will encourage our lodging industry and these individuals to stop their destructive efforts to drive up the costs of these projects. Gary Hayes, City Councilor Cannon Beach
Statement from Nancy McCarthy
The old elementary school was purchased with tourism funds because the city couldn’t afford to purchase it with general fund money. Just refurbishing it to keep it standing and up to current seismic and building codes is costing millions of dollars because the gymnasium and classrooms are in such poor condition. Without tourism dollars, the city would have had to submit a bond measure to voters to raise property taxes to keep the buildings from crumbling. Because tourism dollars were used to purchase the school, the city was required to follow state law. That means the building had to be used primarily for tourism purposes.
Construction of the badly needed city hall and police station also depend on the portion of tourism taxes that are not required by the state to be spent on tourism purposes. If we didn’t have this resource,
staff are intent on spending every dollar they possibly can. (Remember: that’s exactly what the high-priced consultants, architects and builders want—the bigger the projects, the more they get paid.)
Q: The City says this won’t cost ‘me’ anything. Tourists are paying through taxes. Why not do these projects then?
This has the potential to cost you, the citizen, everything. Cannon Beach is planning increase its debt to near $40 million, tens of millions more than the city has ever seen. This could reshape our future in drastic ways. Already the City plans to fund parts of these projects (in yet unspecified amounts) from the General Fund. These are full faith and credit bonds and the City is on the hook to pay every last cent, whether tourists come or not. Over 30 years, do you think there could be a disruption to travel? A financial crisis? Wildfires? Tsunami? Regardless of tourist receipts, the city has to pay. A significant disruption could bankrupt our city.
Q: Does your group want to cause more con -
once again, we would have to ask voters to approve a bond measure to increase property taxes. The projects aren’t lavish. They are absolutely necessary.
The NeCus’ project (renovation of the old elementary school) will honor our native people and provide space for residents and visitors to learn about the area’s history and environment, play sports, gather for concerts and storytelling sessions and create art. City employees and police officers will finally be able to work in buildings where the air quality doesn’t make them ill, where there isn’t a potential for walls caving in or floors that sink. The City Council is NOT raising property taxes to pay for the Necus’, city hall and police station projects. These projects are being paid for by tourism taxes and the prepared food tax (which was approved by voters).
The city council has spent countless hours over several years discussing the need, the financial strategy and the construction plans that fulfill the city’s basic requirements. There aren’t any frills. Why is the lodging industry so opposed to these projects when visitors will benefit from them as much as residents will?
Nancy McCarthy Cannon Beach City Councilor
Statement from Tim Ramey
As a general statement, I am highly encouraged by the big opportunities and bold visions being realized in Cannon Beach. It’s easy to get bogged down with some of the cheap shots
troversy?
No. We believe in democracy. We’re seeking consensus. We believe consensus is achieved when all people are heard. Cannon Beach has historically cherished voter input on big decisions like the purchase of the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve and the Food Tax. When and why did this change? We also believe that Council did not come into office with a mandate to increase debt to almost $40 million. If you believe that the community supports these projects then you should believe they will pass at the ballot box. If not, why should Council disregard the will of the community?
Q: The designs all look cool -- like other nice, new buildings in other cities. What’s wrong with that? We believe these designs—from out-of-town consultants—are out of sync with Cannon Beach’s village character. They are also out of sync with Cannon Beach’s Comprehensive Plan. All around town cottages are being replaced with big, gleaming McMansions. Why is the city determined to follow suit? Bigger is not always better. Remember: consultants,
and divisiveness but I feel strongly that the City is on positive trajectories in so many ways at this point in time.
We all should be thrilled with the positive changes afoot.
Of course this refers, in part, to the three big projects, the NeCus Center, the new City Hall and the new Police Command station. These are all vital and necessary and positive for our City in my view. I’ve written tirelessly about how we are on VERY strong fiscal footing to execute on these projects. There are those that would have you believe that the City pursues some reckless path to fund these projects with the TLT tax. If that were true, we would not have a AA bond rating – the bond market is the ultimate arbiter of risk and has adjudged the funding strategy, plus our ridiculously over-reserved balance sheet with $15+ million of reserves as a sound financial footing.
I’m a Chartered Financial Analyst and my main critique of the City (and my vote against the 24-25 budget) stems from how wildly OVERRESERVED we are, in my opinion. Sitting on the Budget Committee was difficult for that reason this year.
However, sitting on the Design Review Board has been quite rewarding intellectually. The main reason is that the City is moving briskly forward on a code re-write process. The functional body for doing that is a super-committee comprised of DRB, Planning Commission and the City Council. This group, while large, has been highly productive and I am really looking forward to our next
contractors and architects all have conflicts of interest; the bigger and more expensive these projects are, the more money they make.
Q: Why are the people in Cannon Beach Together hiding behind a PAC instead of being public?
The topics at hand have significantly polarized the community in Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach Together (CBT) is committed to centering discussions on the objectives outlined in our mission, rather than on divisions or personal affiliations. Members of CBT are encouraged to disclose their participation at their own discretion.
Q: Why would you not want to do what is best for honoring the tribal history?
The more money saved on construction the more presenters, events and exhibits can be produced to honor tribal and indigenous history. A big empty building is not a museum. (Cannon Beach already has a museum focused on tribal history.) Private rentals, weddings and corporate retreats do not honor tribal history.
meeting on July 30th.
There are a lot of good things that will come out of the code rewrite process. High on the list are workforce housing and parking. These two issues are linked together in so many ways that are not at all obvious. I have said many times: In Cannon Beach, we have accomplished affordable housing – for cars. Our code is highly demanding of plenty of space for parking. One oft-cited example: 279 N Hemlock, the failed pot shop that is now the swanky Kramer Walker. Everyone hates the fact that our code requires all of that parking out front (one space for every 400 sq. ft or portion thereof.)
Imagine if Hemlock St. had a major fire and the rebuild looked like this – a sort of strip mall approach would be the result and space devoted to businesses on Hemlock would be dramatically reduced – the code would require building more parking, smaller shops and restaurants.
Even more so, 2nd story development of residential apartments on top of retail is restricted by the parking requirement. I’m in the camp that says parking is a functional deterrent to endless growth and we should just be happy with what we have. Building or requiring more parking will not give us more of what we want in the downtown core. Certainly, management of the parking resource: striping spots, perhaps one- or two-hour zones, perhaps paid parking should all be considered to mitigate the parking jams. But we should not restrict the opportunity to build small 2nd story
Q: Wasn’t there lots of analysis, discussion and alternatives debated and reviewed? Why isn’t this the right answer?
This process has been long and it has been backwards from the start. There was never a budget. Designs were produced before costs were revealed. The cart came before the horse. When the costs were finally revealed long lines of citizens stood before council and said: please, find ways to reduce the cost. Those concerns were never debated or reviewed seriously. The most expensive option was chosen at every juncture.
Q: The City Staff has done a lot of good things around here. Why should we doubt their guidance / ability to deliver?
Project management of this magnitude is a fulltime job. Managing a city is also a full-time job. There aren’t enough hours in the day to do both. A single small mistake, like some we have seen already, would pay for a fulltime project manager and free the City Manager to do his (already) full-time job. What is going to fall through the cracks?
apartments because of the parking requirement. I think there is consensus support for this view which is great news for housing. This brings me back to the NeCus Center. One oft-cited objection to this project is the lack of parking. This would be real but for the planned seasonality of the operations. The NeCus Center will not hold events in the summer months when our hotels are already full and so is the parking. In the summer months it will be effectively a cultural center for self-guided exploration and perhaps a few pickleball courts for residents. The events will happen in the winter months when 1) the hotels and lodging have space and 2) we have parking. So, parking will not be a problem for the NeCus Center because we will be counter programing against the seasonality of the visitors coming to Cannon Beach. I’ve always thought this is a wonderful benefit for the hotels and restaurants but not all of them see it that way. So, lots of really great things are happening. You have a City Council that wants to make our lives better in so many ways. They have an appetite to accomplish big things. Let’s give them the support they need to do their jobs! To me, that is what Cannon Beach Together really should be. My disclaimer. I make these comments only as a citizen and voter of Cannon Beach, not as a member of the City’s Budget Committee, nor as a member of the City’s Design Review Board.
Timothy S. Ramey Cannon Beach, CFA
Fossil Fridays at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum
Join the museum’s Archival Intern, KITT Garcia, for Fossil Fridays on the first four Fridays in August! This immersive learning experience combines art and history as KITT guides you through the process of drawing one of the selected prehistoric model dinosaurs while teaching you about prehistoric marine mammals and the types of fossils you can find locally. Afterwards, you’ll have the opportunity to dig for fossils and take home a real one. Be sure to check out the North Coast Fossil Exhibit as it makes its return, on display through August. This event is open to all ages and the cost is $10, which covers the cost of materials. All materials will be provided. Fossil Fridays will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the first four Fridays in August. Ticket purchases are required, and it is expected to sell out as seating is extremely limited.
This event will be held at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum, located at 1387 South Spruce Street, Cannon Beach, OR. Seating for this event is extremely limited, so get your tickets now! To purchase tickets, you can visit our website at cbhistory.org/ shop. For further information about this event, visit www. cbhistory.org.
High angle rescue of two victims on Chapman Point
On July 9th, 2024 at approximately 4 p.m. Cannon Beach and Seaside Fire were dispatched for a high angle rescue for two victims stuck on the side of the cliff.
Firefighters located two juveniles on the north side of Chapman point while the Cannon Beach Fire Chief took command and Seaside Operations Chief took charge of operations of the incident. A Cannon Beach rescue swimmer and a lifeguard were deployed to swim in the cove of Chapman to get eyes on the victims and to rescue if they fell off the cliff. A multitude of rope rescue technicians deployed to the cliff.
Chapman point had no anchors to set up the vortex system. Cannon Beach and Seaside fire established a picket anchor system to allow
one Cannon Beach rope rescue technician down the peak. The rescuer harnessed the victims into separate harness systems and a helmet while Coast Guard flew overhead to provide a safety line to them. Both victims were lifted off the cliff by a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and landed on Chapman beach where they were driven by first responders to Les Shirley Park with minor injuries and reunited with family. Cannon Beach Fire Chief Marc Reckmann would like all the agencies that made this rescue a success. We would like to remind the public that climbing the cliffs is inherently dangers. They are steeper than they appear and are shale rock. Stay on marked hiking paths and do not deviate off them. They are there for your protection.
The Cannon Beach Fire District is dedicated to protecting life, property, and the environment for those who are living in and visiting the communities we proudly serve.
City accepts property to manage as undeveloped public space
FOR THE GAZETTE
An effort has been launched to transfer 13 acres of mature forest on a hillside directly behind Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach to the City of Cannon Beach. The hillside rises steeply to the east of Haystack Rock and is visible throughout the city and from the beach. The City Council in Cannon Beach approved a resolution this evening to accept the property and manage it as undeveloped public space in perpetuity. The lands include four acres owned by the Holland Family Trust and nine acres currently owned by Oregon State Parks. The city will gain ownership of the land if the Holland Family Trust succeeds in gathering $4 million in donations to
purchase its four acres and if State Parks moves ahead with plans to transfer its nine acres to the City later this year.
The Oregon State Park lands were donated to the State in 1969 by John Yeon, who included deed restrictions largely limiting improvements to walking paths. The resolution passed by the City tonight embraces those same restrictions for the entire 13 acres if and when it becomes a city park.
A community gathering at the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce on July 1st drew about 50 citizens of the community to hear about the effort.
Those in attendance included Cannon Beach Mayor Barb Knop, City Manager Bruce St. Denis, and Justin Parker,
North Coast Regional Manager for Oregon State Parks. Members of the Holland Family Trust shared the hope that the $4 million can be raised for purchase of the four acres of beautiful forest and view areas from private donors. The Trust shared that some community members have already promised to support the effort with donations.
The Holland Trust members inherited the land from Dave and Betty Holland, who passed away in 2019 and 2017. Members of the Trust have shared that the Trust is accruing interest on taxes owed to the State and that they also went into debt to take care of their parents as they aged. The four acres were appraised in 2018 at $4.9 million.
PHOTOS BY CANNON BEACH FIRE DISTRICT
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE HOLLAND FAMILY TRUST
Map of existing state park (Oregon State Scenic Viewpoint) and the Holland Trust land.