Pacific City
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Fire Chiefs, OCVA urge care when visiting beach.............................2
Dorymen clean up Cape, Community Center
Nestucca Valley Backpack Program in need of donations...................................... 4
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Lions’ Christmas Basket Program revised due to COVID-19...............................5
Vol. 14, No. 355 • November 6, 2020 • FREE!
An Access Under Review
Tillamook Co. voter turnout exceeds 80% By TIM HIRSCH of the Sun
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Oregon State Parks Commission to hold Nov. 18 open discussion on future of vehicular access to Cape Kiwanda Caution urged as county sees increase in COVID infection rate By TIM HIRSCH of the Sun
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eferencing recent reports that indicate that Tillamook County is now up to two cases of COVID-19 per day — Tillamook County Commissioners, at their Nov. 4 meeting, urged citizens to be cautious in the coming months to do their part to help prevent the spread of the virus. Noting that many of the cases, according to Emergency Management Director Gordon McCraw, are coming from family get-togethers, Commissioner Mary Faith Bell said it’s time to “really search your hearts and make the commitment to be careful.” She also noted that many witnessed Halloween behavior that was “not COVID safe.” “It was like people just wanted to have a normal Halloween,” she added. “I understand that desire. I understand the desire to be past this and just live our lives normally, but we’re not in a normal situation. The fact that we’re going up two cases per day and not everyone was careful over Halloween makes me very concerned about the coming months, the flu season and the family holidays that we’re approaching.
TILLAMOOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER DAVID YAMAMOTO was one of three commissioners urging caution concerning the spread of COVID at the agency’s Nov. 4 meeting.
“It’s a very difficult situation we’re all in and we’re in it together. It’s up to us to keep ourselves and each other safe.” Those sentiments were echoed by Commissioner David Yamamoto. “This is something I think everyone is very concerned about,” Yamamoto said.
“If we get to the point where we have to close down businesses again in Tillamook County, that’s going to be a death (knell) for so many businesses that are just continuing to struggle. I don’t think anyone wants to see that. “I know everyone’s getting tired of COVID; I know that. But, if we let our guard down now, it just could get to the point where we are in deep, deep trouble, and we don’t want (it) to get there.” And Commissioner Bill Baertlein concurred. “We’re all getting tired of the masks, and we’re just going to have to deal with it for awhile longer,” he said. “When I drove through the City of Tillamook at about 4:30 (p.m.), what was going on (in) downtown Tillamook has the potential of shutting down all the businesses in downtown if the COVID virus starts spreading from there. “That was almost an unconscionable event that went on down there. It really was. It was not appropriate. It was a total disregard of the Oregon Health Authority’s guidelines and a disregard of the governor’s actions. Folks, take it seriously. I don’t want to see the businesses close downtown. That means we all have to do our part.”
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n an election that, in unofficial results as of Nov. 6, drew 81.55 percent of registered voters, Tillamook County residents cast their ballots for the area’s next Tillamook County Sheriff, voiced their preference for President Donald Trump, and helped to reelect U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley to the Senate. The race for Tillamook County Sheriff, which featured longtime patrol officer Josh Brown REP. David Gomfacing Tillamook berg (D-Otis) County Emergency Management Director Gordon McCraw, was tight with Brown leading McCraw, 7,672 to 7,387. In her election update to county commissioners on Nov. 4, County Clerk Tassi O’Neil characterized TPUD Director the sheriff race as too Doug Olson close to call because of an unknown number of ballots deposited at ballot boxes outside the county. In addition, voters whose signature does not match or who didn’t sign have 14 days to correct the issue. O’Neil has 20 days from the election to release the final certified results. The election also determined two representatives who will serve the South Tillamook County area (and beyond). Voters reelected State Rep. David Gomberg to his 10th district seat and selected Lincoln City Mayor Dick Anderson to replace Sen. Arnie Roblan, who is retiring at the end of the year, to the senate’s 5th district. State Rep. David Gomberg won his reelection campaign versus Republican Max Sherman by a district-wide vote of 20,041 (52.5%) to 18,080 (47.7%), and Anderson beat Democrat Melissa Cribbins by an overall vote of 37,233 (49.3%) to 35,168 (46.6%). In Tillamook County, however, the voting picture was a little different in the state representative race. Here, Gomberg’s challenger, Max Sherman, captured the area’s vote 3,056 to 2,396. In the state senator race, however, Tillamook County voted along with the overall results, preferring Anderson over Cribbins by a vote of 2,873 to 2,419. Another race of interest to South Tillamook County was the contest for the area’s representation on the Tillamook PUD Board of Directors. In that race, Pacific City’s Doug Olson won his fourth term by besting Cloverdale resident Maile Samek, 1,806 to 992. For complete unofficial results, visit co.tillamook.or.us /gov/Clerk/ General%20Elections/Elections.htm or https://results.oregonvotes.gov/Default. aspx.
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