AN EDITION OF
Bandon
WESTERN WORLD Thursday, July 3, 2014
theworldlink.com/bandon ♦ $1.00
Caught being good:
Living history:
Inside this edition:
Ocean Crest honors, see page A2 for the full story
Hughes House in Port Orford, see A5 for the full story
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Bandon Police Log. . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4
Fourth of July events planned
Local police will crack down on illegal fireworks Bandon Western World
There’s plenty to do this Fourth of July weekend in Bandon, starting with the annual parade at 10 a.m. Friday morning, followed by the Lions Family Day in the Park featuring food, vendors and activities for the kids from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bandon City Park. A craft fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Barn and an indoor yard and bake sale to benefit Coastal Harvest food assistance will be held Thursday, Friday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church on 10th and Elmira. The Fourth of July evening will be just as busy, with the Alive After Five starting at 5 p.m. in the Old Town area, featuring art, live music with Sly and Friends at 7 p.m. at Brewed Awakenings, live music in other venues around town, and refreshments and wine at participating businesses, with many shops staying open late. The fireworks show will begin at dusk over the Coquille River. The show’s title sponsor is Face Rock Creamery,and additional donations are being accepted at the Visitor Center. The fun continues Saturday and Sunday with the Coos Kennel Club’s AKC Dog Show being held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day in the grassy area between Bandon High School and Harbor Lights Middle School. A special Blessing of the Animals will be held from 10 a.m.-noon at St. John Episcopal Church at Eighth and Franklin behind the high school Saturday, July 5. A Star-Spangled Auction also will be held July 5 beginning at 5 p.m. at St. John’s, featuring a concert at 6 p.m., refreshments and silent and live auctions. Here are the details of each event:
Fourth of July parade The Fourth of July parade will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, July 4, at U.S. Highway 101 and Ninth Street Southwest (by Dairy Queen). The theme for this year’s parade is “Proud to be an American,” after the popular Lee Greenwood song. Anyone wishing to have their entry judged should follow the theme, although it is not mandatory. However, all entries should be patriotic in nature. Parade check-in begins at 8 a.m. in the Dairy Queen parking lot. Jan Hester will assist. The route starts at Ninth Street and winds down U.S. Highway 101, then through Old Town. Among the awards to be presented are plaques for the Grand Marshal’s prize for the best of the best and for the Mayor’s Award. There also will be ribbons awarded for first, second and third place in the following categories: Marching (example: people walking with a banner), vehicle, float, and dog and horse. Other entries are welcome (bicycles, etc.) Entries will be judged on creativity, beauty, imagination and patriotism. Anyone interested in participating can contact parade chairwoman Dawn Dixon at 541-252-7322 or 541-347-5683 or via email at bandonfourthofjulyparade@gmail.com or dixieric@hotmail.com. Entries also will be accepted the day of the parade, but Dixon encourages advance registration.
■ See Events, A8
Arts and Entertainment . . . A5 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6-7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8
BANDON — The Fourth of July weekend brings many visitors and locals in to town to watch the yearly fireworks display over the Coquille River. The festivities include smaller displays set off by citizens, often involving illegal fireworks. Due to the current fire danger from a dry winter and spring, Bandon Fire Chief Lanny Boston would like people to keep the fireworks display to legal ones only, and Bandon police officers will be patrolling the area, seizing illegal fireworks and issuing citations to offenders.
Of particular concern is the gorse-covered area above the hillside on the South Jetty and along Jetty Road. The recent rainfall did not have much of an impact on the extremely dry conditions in the area, officials say. The Bandon Public Works Department will be placing “no parking” signs on the north side of Ocean Drive in order to allow fire personnel to respond to that area in the event of a fire on the bluff, said City Manager Matt Winkel. In the past, citizens have been allowed to park on the north side of Ocean Drive during the fireworks, but this year, Boston said the extreme fire danger requires that
the Fire Department have access in the event of a fire. Parking will only be allowed on the south side of Ocean Drive on July 4. “We ask that citizens that park along Jetty Road to make sure their tires are off the asphalt so the road can remain open for emergency vehicles,” said Police Chief Bob Webb. “If your vehicle is blocking the road it may be towed as a hazard at the owner’s expense. We want everybody to have fun and enjoy the fireworks, but we also have to make sure the citizens and property are safe.” Possession of illegal fireworks in the state of Oregon is a class B misdemeanor.
Flight honors veterans By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World
BANDON — World War II veterans Chuck Salt and Howard Wells did not serve their country to receive recognition. But it was still a thrill for the two Bandon residents to be honored recently with an all-expenses-paid trip to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. through the Honor F l i g h t Project. We l l s , 88, a WWII U.S. Marine Corps vete r a n , served in the South Pacific in the 1st Marine Division. His unit fought in Chuck Salt Battle of Okinawa in Japan. Salt, 84, served in the U.S. N a v y , s ta te s i d e d u t y , where he an was electronic technician at a naval repair base in San Howard Wells D i e g o , Calif. Neither of them feel like they deserved to be chosen for the Honor Flight. Salt decided to apply anyway, and encouraged fellow Rotarian, Wells,
Photo by Amy Moss Strong
Trip to D.C. Bandon residents and WWII veterans Howard Wells, left, and Chuck Salt went on an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. last month to see the WWII Memorial.
“They are trying to get more (veterans) to go, as there are fewer and fewer of us each year.” — Chuck Salt, Navy veteran
to also apply. Now, both want to encourage others to do the same. Twenty-six veterans from Oregon were part of their group, and 18 of them were in wheelchairs. The WWII veterans on the trip ranged in age from 84 (Salt was the youngest) to 98. From the beginning, members were treated to nice accommodations, great meals and given a hero’s welcome. The group gathered at the Portland Airport Shilo Inn the night before the trip, where the CEO shook the hand of each member. They flew out June 1, and each Honor Flight participant was assigned a “helper” who assisted in any
way possible to make the trip go smoothly. At every stop along the way, the group was acknowledged. “At the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., we were greeted by Oregon Congressman Greg Walden and his representatives, who gave a tribute to each veteran,” Salt said. The group toured the WWII Memorial, which Salt called the “crown jewel” of Washington, D.C., memorials, and visited Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as
■ See Honor, A8
Relay for Life events raise $180K in county Bandon Western World
Contributed photo
Cancer warriors Left Betty Helland, and right, Frances Helland, twin sisters from North Bend and Brooklin Butts of Bandon, all 6 years old,walk the survivor’s lap at the South Coos County Relay For Life Saturday. Brooklin and Frannie both are cancer survivors.
SOUTH COAST — Coos County teams raised more than $180,000 for the American Cancer Society following the South Coos County Relay held over the weekend of June 28 in Coquille. The South Coos County Relay for Life event raised $81,000, with more donations still coming in, according to co-chairmen Becky Crim and her son Grant, a young cancer survivor who raised more than $18,000 individually. Roseburg Forest Product employees contributed $43,000 through payroll deductions to the Coquille Relay for Life. The Coos Bay/North Bend Relay was held during the weekend of June 21. It raised nearly $93,000.
The top fundraising team at both events was Natalie’s Cancer Warriors, who raised $55,000 — more than $26,000 for the Coquille Relay and more than $28,000 for the North Bend/Coos Bay Relay. The team was named for Natalie Hill, who inspired the community to live life to the fullest. Hill lost her life to cancer last year, but teammates continued to raise funds for both the Coquille and Coos Bay relays. Receiving the Spirit of Hope Award was 5-year-old Brooklin Butts of Bandon, who received her last chemo treatment this spring and had her port removed last month, when she was declared in remission. She is the second
■ See Relay, A8