VOL. 47, ISSUE 25
FREE
DECEMBER 8, 2023
CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
The Heartwarming Traditions of Cannon Beach
PHOTO BY BOB KROLL PHOTOGRAPHY
By JASMINE SCHERMERHORN
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s the crowd fills and the hot cocoa spills, all that is felt is the warmth of the community and the familiar faces seen from afar. The joy of Christmas was welcomed into Cannon Beach on Saturday, December 2nd. As the clock struck 4, Sandpiper Square was bustling with people from past and present generations. The Christmas lights glistening through the square created an
atmosphere of peace and joy. As Jim Paino talked about his traditions growing up, I realized that Christmas means the same thing to all of us. Christmas is about the feeling of family, the feeling of holding on to our childhood. Christmas is about eating your favorite foods, showing everlasting love to your relatives, and carrying on traditions. On the topic of traditions it was absolutely heartwarming to see the Cannon Beach Academies performance. These are the kind
of memories these kids will carry with them. I remember singing in front of my school during Christmas time, and it’s still one of the best memories I have as a child. It’s something you work for and practice for months to show off to the community and loved ones. This Saturday was my first time attending the Christmas Lamp Lighting. I am filled with so much joy. A tradition that has been passed on is the song “Christmas in Our Home Town”, written by Bill
PHOTO BY DEB ATIYEH
Steidel, which is a melody like no other. This song is about Christmas time in our hometown, and really just how special it can be. The older I get the more appreciation I have for the holidays; it gives me the opportunity to realize how many things I am grateful for during this time. As I go off to college next year, traditions like these are the things that make me want to come back for the holidays. After a few jolly old songs, the special event
In the Spirit of Christmas: TRYAD Ministries Meets at Conference Center By DEB ATIYEH
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he 47th annual TRYAD (To Reconcile Ye Abled and Disabled) Ministries Conference met this year on December 1st through the 3rd at the Cannon Beach Conference Center. Founded in 1976 by longtime resident David O’Brien, TRYAD Ministries provides a spiritual retreat experience for those with special needs. Born in 1933 in Portland, David O’Brien had cerebral palsy and was often seen greeting people as he rode around Cannon Beach on his motorized scooter. “He was always happy to see people”, said Cannon Beach resident Marlene Laws. He is remembered because of the way the way he dealt with people and the love he had for those around him. “Remembered most for his open heart, his easy smile and his laugh, and for being so interested in what others were doing and caring about them”, Laws added. Cannon Beach resident Jenee Pearce-Mushen said that “under his leadership, TRYAD Ministries became involved in bringing God’s word to the disabled in a variety of ways.” David provided visionary PHOTO BY JENEE PEARCE-MUSHEN
SEE TRYAD PAGE A3
finally comes. Ellie, Belen, and Coco were the special lamp lighters for this year’s event. As the three marched across the wooden platform, excitement filled their rosycheeked faces. When the lantern was lit, it felt as if the Christmas bells were faintly chiming in the distance. The lights on the tree in the square were aglow and shined as if the rest of the world was dark. As the crowd cheered for the glow of the lamp, things soon simmered down. The si-
ren of the firetruck filled the silence and created excitement for the children as they soon realized Santa was near. When the truck came to a halt the children ran to take a closer look. Santa then made his way up the square followed by a line to greet the jolly old fellow. The square was bustling with peace, love, and joy. The Christmas season in Cannon Beach has officially kicked off. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE A2
Citizens voice concerns about elementary school project WILL CHAPPELL For the Gazette
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uring a November 28th Cannon Beach city council work session scheduled to gather public feedback on city projects, members of the community voiced their concerns about the proposed $12 million elementary school rejuvenation project. Members of the business community led the opposition to the project, saying that they were concerned about saddling the city with the project’s debt load and believed that the facility would compete with their businesses. The meeting started with brief presentations on the elementary school and city hall and police station projects, which are all currently underway. Justin Johnson, the architect from CIDA who is leading the elementary school project, said that the current designs had been developed with community feedback and that the project was ready to finish up its development stage. Several members of the Clatsop-Nehalem tribe appeared at the meeting to voice their support for the proposed project. The tribe members said that they had
been involved in trying to build a cultural site of some sort at the site dating back to 2014. They said that honoring their ancestors who had lived in the village at the site and educating people about their way of life was important to the current members of the tribe and they supported the project in its full scope. The first couple public commenters said that while they appreciated the sentiment behind the project, they were concerned about its budget, the debt load it would create and potential tax implications. Another commenter clarified that the project was being paid for by transient lodging tax (TLT) dollars, 70% of which have to go to tourism related projects and expenses. He said that the city had little choice but to spend the funds on a project like the elementary school and that he was in favor of the proposal. A handful of other commenters also spoke in favor of the project as proposed. It quickly became clear that this was a minority viewpoint though, as even many commenters voicing general support for the project said they favored reconsidering its budget and scope.
One of the first commenters from this group said that while he appreciated the restrictions on TLT funds, he believed that taking on the proposed debt load could pose problems if the tourism in Cannon Beach declined. He also noted that the 30-year term on the loans associated with the project would lock the city into the project even if the TLT funding formula were to change with state legislative action. Another, larger group comprised of local business owners and employees went even further, calling the entire project into question and taking its team to task over a lack of outreach. A business owner said that the group had tried to raise their concerns about the project in May of this year but that it did not seem the city council had listened to their feedback. She argued that the new project would compete with other event venues in town, negatively impacting local businesses, and that it would exacerbate parking shortages in the summer months. The business owner raised concerns over City Manager Bruce St. Denis’s financial interest in the project, noting SEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PAGE A5