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Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Headlight Herald
TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM • JULY 3, 2013
LONGEST RUNNING BUSINESS IN TILLAMOOK COUNTY • SINCE 1888
Tillamook loses a Daughter The community mourned Sondi Greene this week. She was killed in a single vehicle accident June 23, when her car went off the road and into the Tillamook River. The Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the cause of the crash. Sondi, 30, wife to Jeremy and mother to 18 month-old daughter, Fhenix, was one of those individuals whose light shines brighter than most; by all accounts she touched everyone she met, and the community is grieving her loss. Hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil memorial service for her on Fraser Road at the site of her crash. The Sheriff’s Office closed the road to traffic, allowing friends and family to gather in the twilight and remember Sondi. They hugged one another, cried, smiled at the memories and wrote personal notes on little trinkets of wood with candles attached that were floated down the river to meet the ocean.
CORRECTIONS In the June 26, 2013 print issue we mistakenly reported that Mari Garric Trevino pleaded guilty to a DUII. That is in error. Judge Trevino presided over the case, and our staff mistakenly transposed her name with the DUII offender’s name. Judge Trevino did not receive a DUII. We apologize for the error. In an opinion column, Mary Faith Bell wrote that there is transmission line underground in Neskowin. That is incorrect; there is distribution line underground in Neskowin. We apologize for the error.
INDEX Classified Ads...............B5-8 Crossword Puzzle............ B2 Fenceposts....................B3-4 Letters.............................. A4 Obituaries......................... A6 Opinions........................... A4 Sports............................ A10
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See a slide show of Sondi’s life at tillamookheadlight herald.com. Slide show courtesy of Sondi’s family.
Dozens of little lights dotted the dark river as the sun set, burning red streaks into the sky before disappearing. An estimated 600 people attended her memorial service on June 29 at the Tillamook Church of the Nazarene, filling the church to overflowing. The family created a slide show of Sondi’s life for the memorial service, which is up on the Headlight Herald website at tillamookheadlightherald.com for the community to view. Sondi’s mom, Nonda Zwald, said that her daughter had grown up to become an amazing woman.
Photo courtesy of the family
Sondi Greene with her husband Jeremy Greene and their daughter, Fhenix Dawnne Greene. “She went through her wild times as a young woman” and came out the other side as a devoted wife, a young mother and a mover and shaker in the family business,
Zwald Transport, Inc. “She was on top of the world, doing everything right,” said Nonda. “We’re so proud of her.” Sondi’s sister, Heather Zwald
Enjoy the 4th of July Tillamook County style
Go Fourth in Manzanita – The day will start with a pancake breakfast from 8:30 .m. – 11 a.m. at the Manzanita Fire Hall followed by a parade at 1 p.m. amd fireworks at the beach at 10 p.m. For more information call Nehalem Bay Area Chamber at 877-368-5100. Nehalem Bay Winery 4th of July Celebration – There will be beer, wine, food and music at the free celebration at the Nehalem Bay Winery from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. For more information call 503-3689463. Rockaway Beach Celebration – Independence Day parade at 11 a.m. with the theme “America: Yesterday, Today and Forever” followed by fireworks at dusk. For more information contact Rockaway Recreation Department at 503-355-2291. 7th Annual Firecracker Weiner Nationals – The traditional July 4th dachshund races will be help at Phyllis Baker City Park in Rockaway Beach from noon – 4 p.m., just off N 3rd Avenue. Traditional
Making dreams come true
Local teen trains wild mustang
Monica Therrien of Cloverdale is participating for her second year in the Teens and Oregon Mustangs Youth and Yearling Event on Aug. 24 By Sayde Moser
Courtesy Photo
Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2013 Alex Syversen.
By Sayde Moser
smoser@countrymedia.net
smoser@countrymedia.net
Recent Nestucca High School graduate Monica Therrien stands calmly next to her year-old wild mustang, Quinn. Quinn’s eyes are peaceful and inviting; she’s not a big horse – still too young to ride – but she possesses a commanding presence. Her coat is dark and shiny with flakes of gold that appear to make her radiate. It’s hard to believe that only a month ago when she was given to Therrien as part of the Teens and Oregon Mustang Program, her coat was matted with mud, tufts of baby hair still clinging to her body. “She was a little rough looking for sure,” Therrien
“It’s always been my life dream,” Alex Syversen, 11, said about being crowned Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon. While most 11 year olds might dream of being a ballerina or fairy princess, Syversen’s only interest for years has been in horses. “She’s been chasing horses since she was two years old,” Linda Ryan said, Syversen’s grandmother and legal guardian. “We would give her baby dolls when she was little and they’d just stay in the packages. Horses were her only interest.” Ryan took her granddaughter to her first Rodeo in 2008. “I was so amazed by the rodeo queens,” Syversen recalled. “We went just to see the horses,” added Ryan. “We never heard the end of it after that – she was talking about them non-stop.” Syversen competed for the crown last year before winning it this year. That first year served as good practice, she said. “I studied a lot harder this time.” To earn the crown Syversen had to be well versed in things like horsemanship knowledge, the different parts of the sad-
The Tillamook Police Department is investigating a robbery that occurred at 1101 Main St. (Blue Star Espresso) in Tillamook at approximately 7 p.m. on June 25, 2013. The Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police also assisted in the investigation. Investigators are still looking for the suspect who is still at large. According to investigators, the suspect presented a
Photo by Sayde Moser
Monica Therrien stands next to her Mustang, Quinn. Monica has 98 days to train Quinn. says. “But they all are; not really something you would look at and think, ‘yeah, I want that horse.’ She kept looking at me with these
wide eyes like, ‘are you sure you really want to take me home?’”
See MUSTANG, Page A8
weapon to the only employee working at the time and demanded money. The employee provided the money to the suspect. The employee was able to escape once the suspect fled on foot. Investigators are seeking assistance from the public in locating the female suspect who is described as approximately 5’ 2” tall and around 200 or more pounds, gray colored almost curly hair, wearing a blue colored
hoody sweatshirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. Please call the Tillamook Police Department at 503-815-1911 with any information you may have in identifying this suspect or if you were in the area during the time of this incident and saw something. Investigators also warn that any person that assists a person wanted for a felony could be charged with the felony crime of hindering prosecution.
tillamook farmers’ co-op Tillamook’s Country Store
serving tillamook county since 1935
M-F 5am - 7pm Sat 6:30am - 7pm Sun 9am - 6pm
See RODEO, Page A8
Order by August 16th for a special price Any size tank 120 gals and above. Tank must be filled to capacity and tank level must be less than 50%. Call for details.
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503-842-4457 Fax 503-842-7684
dle and horse and horsemanship patterns. She also had to ace a speech, written test, interview with the judges and make her own horsemanship pattern. And of course, be sweet, she said. Her horse, Bunny, helped as well. In December, Syversen has a chance to compete for Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas. Until then, she gets to continue to be the ambassador for Oregon and travel all over the state for different events. “It’s an opportunity to set a great example for younger kids,” she said. Ryan said the many different rodeo queens she and Syversen have encountered have all been supportive of her dream and helped her along the way. “It’s a wonderful group of people,” Ryan stated. “All the women are so helpful and encouraging; they always told her she could do it.” Syversen said competing in the Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon competition taught her that many things in life are going to be hard, but out of those hard times come good things. “If you work hard enough, you can reach your dreams,” she said.
Summer fill Special
NOW OPEN
of scenic coat shelves and boxes 1920 Main Street North Tillamook, Oregon 97141
See SONDI, Page A8
dachshund races to find the most patriotically powerful paws. Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad Fireworks Excursion – Ride the train to Rockaway Beach to watch the memorable fireworks display. Leaves from Garibaldi depot (in Lumberman’s Park) at 8:30 p.m. Call 503-842-7972 for more information. “World’s Shortest unsanctioned 4th of July parade” – Parade starts at 10 a.m. sharp in Oceanside. Line up on Sunset, going on to Cape Meares Loop Road, down Pacific Avenue, continuing around Rosenburg Loop to the Wayside. Decorated wagons, tricycles, bicycles, strollers, roller skates, skate boarders, babies, kids, dogs, walkers, dancers, floats, boats and cars. 4th of July in Neskowin – The 4th of July celebration in Neskowin will include a parade at 10 a.m. followed by a flagraising and sing-a-long. There will also be sand castle building and kite flying on the beach from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and fireworks begin around 9 p.m.
Espresso stand robbed, suspect still at large
New Shipment
Taksdal, wrote this moving tribute to her sister. “Sondi Dawnne Greene was an amazing person. Among all her accomplishments in life, the biggest one was how she touched people and left an unforgettable impact on their souls. She was loving, accepting and opened her arms to all her family and friends. She loved being around people and she loved being generous with her time and money. She was a remarkable wife and mother. She stood by her husband Jeremy’s side through his deployment in Iraq and his completion of the police academy. She was proud to be a military wife and was joyful about being a mother to her beautiful daughter, Fhenix Dawnne. She loved and adored her little girl so much and was proud of every new step Fhenix took.
commercial & Office (503) 842-6220 Home Delivery Toll Free (877) 339-4572 1813 5th Street, Tillamook (South and directly behind Safeway)