As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 28, 2021
I love this first picture I am sharing of the gas-powered Charm as it was docked at the Bandon waterfront sometime around 1915.
The Charm, 1915
The people aboard the Charm are obviously enjoying have their picture taken, with several of them standing in the 8-person boat on the deck. I am pretty sure the building at top left is the Breuer Building, and across the river, one can see the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper's home.
The first article I found about the Charm, in the July 2, 1913, Bandon Recorder, was the story of its launching.
"Captain Willard's new gasoline launch Charm was launched at the Hermann Bros. shipyards Saturday night. The Charm, true to its name, is a beautiful boat, and will carry 150 passengers. Her engines will develop 130 horse power and the boat has a speed of 16 miles an hour.
"A player piano will be put in the boat for the amusement of the passengers. A number of boats went up the river to carry passengers to witness the launching. The Charm will be one of the finest boats on the Coquille River and in fact as fine as will be found anywhere on the Pacific coast."
Several years later, in January of 1916, the Charm struck a log, which disabled the propeller.
According to an article in the Western World, "It occurred before daylight near Bullards on the early morning trip to Coquille. The smoking compartment was filled with men going to court and traveling salesmen bound for the Bay while quite a number of men and women were in the rear cabin.
"The boat struck with a great deal of force and the shock caused a stampede for the upper deck, as it was feared the craft might sink. One man went through the window. It was necessary to wait until 8:30 when the Telegraph came along and took on the passengers."
The Charm was further mentioned in an article written by historian Curt Beckham, which appeared in Western World March 25, 1976, about Captain William R. Panter and his family, who were so instrumental in the early days of river commerce.
Captain Panter bought the "sleek and fast boat from Charley Ashton to use on his passenger and mail run between Coquille and Bandon. This boat could make two round trips a day on the twenty mile run which was twice as fast as the older steam vessels could do.
"The Charm was the last of Cap. Panter's boats to move up and down the River. Even after the highway was completed and most everything was being carried by trucks he had to run this boat at a loss for sometime before his mail contract could be terminated.
"In 1926, the Charm made its last run thus bringing to an end a way of life along this once useful waterway. Even though the Charm was sold to the Shaver Brothers Transportation Co. of Portland, historian Ernie Osborne said there was undocumented evidence that she may have been afloat until the mid-1940s.
The second photo I am sharing was taken in August of 1982 when it was Dr. Charles Meece's Downtown Chiropractic Center.
Downtown Chiropractic Center, 1982
This was the eastern part of the Bandon Medical Building which was constructed a short time after the Bandon Fire of 1936 by Otto Shindler and his partner, C. J. Fuhrman. Today this shop is the home of The Sassy Seagull, with Winter River Books occupying the remainder of the building.
The third picture I am sharing, taken during a Cranberry Festival Parade features Mayor George Steddom, who was being driven by long-time Coquille Valley Dairy Co-op manager Jim Hanna.
Mayor George Steddom
George served as mayor from 1977 to 1979, and prior to being elected mayor, he spent 10 years on the City Council.
* * *
This has been a particularly difficult week for police activity around Bandon. Thursday morning, a California man driving a red Mitsubishi Eclipse was spotted by numerous drivers in the Langlois - Bandon area driving in an extremely reckless manner including going through a Bandon school zone in excess of 60 miles an hour.
His reckless disregard for people culminated in a head-on crash on Highway 101 north of Bandon near Belloni Boys Ranch. The sheriff's office press release said that as police closed in on the driver, Cory Marcus Orsenico, 32, who had already made a U-turn and headed back south, he appeared to intentionally swerve into the other lane and struck a vehicle head-on. Killed were Dawn Adams, 54, and Jeffrey Adams, 78, of Bandon. Orsenico also died at the scene.
Police said that on March 10 he was arrested in Orick, Calif., on numerous counts after he went into a motel room, armed with a knife, and threatened the occupant. As he fled, he damaged the occupant's car. Although he was arrested, he apparently was not jailed, or if he was, it was obviously not long enough.
Then, something (and it is not clear what) occurred Friday evening, which resulted in a police chase which apparently started in Old Town for a man, whose picture was posted on the Bandon Police Department Facebook page, but whose identity was not revealed.
I do know that police searched in the area of East 11th and Harlem/Rosa Road, as well as the vicinity around McKay's Market sometime on Saturday.
An update shortly after noon Sunday indicated that the man had not yet been apprehended, but that he was wanted on numerous charges. One post indicated that he was wanted by the U.S. Marshals, but that has not been confirmed.
The Bandon Police Department indicated they would post on their Facebook page when he is located.
* * *
The wanton acts of vandalism have escalated in downtown Portland in the last couple of weeks. One of those charged for smashing windows, including those of the Oregon Historical Society, is Theodore Matthee-O'Brien, a senior and anthropology major at Reed College.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has called on Reed College, one of the nation's most expensive, elite, private universities, to expel the man if he is convicted of smashing downtown windows, after being charged with seven felonies.
Wheeler said "there are ways that our other community partners and institutions can be helpful in making it crystal clear that the city of Portland will not tolerate criminal destruction or violence. Those who are engaged in it, let's make it hurt them a little bit."
Wheeler also asked citizens to report to 211 when they see people in black bloc garb parking a car in their neighborhood .... and to give dispatchers the car's license plate number.
Wheeler said he was extending a state of emergency through the weekend in response to repeated marches by roughly 100 hardline leftists who smash windows and set fires to demand police abolition.
* * *
The ballots will be coming out soon for the May 18 Special Election, which includes the city's Ballot Measure 6-188 to continue the local option street tax. City Manager Dan Chandler has put together an important Q&A, which will go into the utility bills this week, and I am urging people to read it carefully as it contains a lot of good, factual information.
It is important to understand that if the tax does not pass, the City will have the ability to assess an Urban Renewal Special Levy of up to $1.23 per thousand, based on the latest assessed valuation figures. The UR Special Levy could be imposed city-wide, but could only be spent in the Urban Renewal districts.
But if voters approve the continuation of the local option street tax (at 84.5 cents a thousand), the UR Special Levy cannot be levied.
* * *
I always read my favorite sports columnist in the Oregonian, John Canzano, and Sunday was no exception. His column, "Ridiculous mask mandate causing safety issue," was spot on.
He pointed out that 49 other states don't require masks for high school distance runners in track and cross country. "That's everyone else in America, folks. Just us, alone again."
He adds: "The OSAA ought to be in the business of protecting high school athletes. It should not leave the state coaches, parents and this columnist alone to demand a sensible fix. The Oregon Health Authority needs to ask why it's fine with civilian runners being maskless outdoors, but not good with children running maskless on a track or at a cross country meet. And Oregon Gov. Kate Brown needs to recognize the absurdity of the current rule and do what other states have already done."
He ends it by saying: "Maggie Williams was cruising toward that school record on Thursday. Her first lap was a thing of beauty. The second one should have ended with her breaking the finish line on her feet, gasping but with a smile. Instead, she ran out of oxygen. Her brain shut down. Her lungs quit. She landed on her forehead. Couldn't hear. Couldn't see. Her body crashed across the finish line. I wonder if state leaders will notice."
The irony is that this issue was raised weeks ago .... and still nothing was done. Thank you, John Canzano, for your latest efforts to see if anyone in this state is listening!
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 21, 2021
The first picture I am sharing today is of Main Street Bandon sometime in the early part of the 1900s, but it is the Grand Theatre that I plan to talk about.
Main Street Bandon, early 1900s
If you can blow it up, you will see two young boys staring intently at the playbill.
A headline in the April 19, 1912, issue of the Bandon Recorder reads: "The Grand Theatre Discontinues Vaudeville."
It's important to remember that in those days, theaters were entertainment center of a community, both with silent films and live entertainers.
The article starts out: "Why? For the simple reason that the majority of the acts that are booked into this county are so inferior in quality that instead of pleasing the theatre going public, they keep patrons, who enjoy high class pictures and good music, at home until said Vaudeville Artists (?) leave town.
"Now, a word about high class Vaudeville such as is offered on the Orpheum, Pantages, Sullivan and Considine circuits. These Vaudeville acts demand salaries ranging from $150 to $500 per week, playing one act for the week and then booked to other houses on these circuits. These Vaudeville acts play the big cities only, for the simple reason that the small town theatre manager cannot afford to pay such enormous salaries.
"Therefore, Mgr. Sellmer has come to the conclusion that he can please the Bandon public better by offering an entertainment consisting of high class pictures and good music at 10 cent admission, than to bore the audience with a class of Vaudeville that is walking the streets of Frisco and Portland out of jobs, and tries to entertain intelligent audiences with stale jokes, bad singing and coarse dialogue."
In those days, Bandon often had more than one theater, including the Orpheum, the Rex, and the Hartman. Among the silent films released in 1912 were The Musketeers of Pig Alley, the Cry of the Children, From the Manger to the Cross and The Little Girl Next Door. In the 1920s, the "talkies" began to replace the silent films.
It is also interesting to note that the Associated Press Stylebook points out that the only time you spell theatre with an "re" is when it is part of a proper noun. Otherwise it is theater .... but apparently the Recorder editor did not have a Stylebook in those days.
The second picture, which features Ed Gallier's Plumbing shop, the Chevrolet dealership and Coast Lumber Yard, was taken in the 1940s.
Ed Gallier's Plumbing, 1940s
At far right you can see the two-story Coats house, which was located about where the sewage treatment plant is today.
The plumbing shop building, which was owned by Ed and Beth Wood of Bandon Mercantile for many years, was recently purchased by Gina Morelli of Beach Loop Realty, and is undergoing an extensive renovation.
The Chevrolet building is now the home of The Laurel, a small mall of unique shops, owned by Lisa Schilling. The Coast Lumber Yard has long since been torn down and is now a gravel parking lot, belonging to Schilling.
The third picture was taken in July of 1969 on Second Street near what is now Coastal Mist.
Advertising the Fourth of July celebration, 1969
Posing for the camera to advertise the Fourth of July celebration were Western World publisher Warren Strycker, Mayor Eddie Waldrop and Fire Chief Walt Ashton. Eddie served as mayor from 1956 to 1971 when George Steddom became mayor.
* * *
Family and friends gathered at the Sprague Theater Sunday afternoon to say goodbye to Fred Carleton, in a wonderful tribute to the man who was loved by so many.
Members of the family conducted the service, with his two sons, John and Andrew, daughter Tara, a grandson, sister Pat, brother John, business partner Shala McKenzie Kudlac and Fred's legal assistant Tonya Casady paying tribute to him.
Andrew's wife also read a letter from the oldest daughter, Tiah, who lives in South Africa, and because of Covid restrictions was unable to attend.
There is no doubt that Fred Carleton touched many lives, and we are just beginning to understand what life will be like without his wisdom, his wit and his remarkable zest for life.
* * *
On another sad note, I was noticing a beautiful floral arrangement from Walt and Carolyn Hogan at Fred's service. Walt was an attorney in Myrtle Point for many years before retiring several years ago. He and Fred had been friends for decades.
An hour after the funeral Sunday, I ran into Jay Westrum, owner of the local funeral service, who told me that he had just learned that morning that Walt Hogan had died of a heart attack Saturday while on a trip to Hawaii with his wife.
And the sad news just keeps coming ....
* * *
The Bandon School District has announced that the board has offered a contract to Shauna Schmerer to serve as their new superintendent. Schmerer is currently the principal/superintendent of Almira, Wash., a town of 300 people in Lincoln County, Washington.
Schmerer was the unanimous choice of the board, who went through an extensive search, which began with 32 applicants, and had been narrowed to three finalists before a "Meet and Greet" last week, after which the board offered her a contract.
Those I have talked with said she was the clear choice to lead the Bandon School District after the retirement of Doug Ardiana.
* * *
As a charge customer of Bandon Ace Hardware, I received a letter with my statement this week from Phil and Trish Lehosit explaining that they have sold the business (and the Ace Hardware in Myrtle Point) to their son Chuck Simpson and daughter-in-law Katie Simpson and their three children, Silas, Savannah and Casen of Redmond.
The Lehosits have owned the business for the last 23 years, and will be retiring to the Laurel Grove area.
* * *
The latest case-by-ZIP-code information that I can find was for April 16th, which indicated Bandon had the lowest case rate in the county with 1179.3 cases per 100,000 population, for a total of 82 cases with a population of 6,953.
Coquille's rate is 1879.9 per 100,000, with a total of 128 cases and a population of 6,809.
Myrtle Point was 2239.6 per 100,000 with 106 cases in a population of 4,733.
North Bend's numbers were 2965.4 per 100,000, 418 cases and a population of 14,096.
Coos Bay registered 3174.0 per 100,000 for a total case number of 872 and a population of 27,473.
The latest reportable worksites from the Oregon Health Agency showed 11 cases at Coos Bay Toyota, 15 cases at the Coos Bay McDonalds and five cases at Hardin Optical.
I researched how many people had been vaccinated in certain counties, and my findings ranged from a low of 27.8 percent of Douglas County residents to a high of 47.5 percent of Benton County residents. The graph showed that 36.4 percent of Coos County residents had been vaccinated, while the figure was 36.9 percent in Curry County.
* * *
I am not sure when the ballots will be in the mail for the special district election on May 18, but I do want to mention the importance of supporting Ballot Measure 6-188, which would renew the local option tax for streets and pedestrian facilities.
The measure would renew an existing tax at the same rate, so there would be no increase in city property taxes. The current street tax rate of $0.8455 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and that same rate would continue to apply.
The tax revenues can only be used for streets and pedestrian ways, which include paving and overlaying existing deteriorated streets, patching potholes, widening existing streets, improving street drainage, building additional sidewalks, installing bike paths, and other street and pedestrian facility improvements.
* * *
Also on the ballot, you will see that no one filed for Position No. 2 on the Southern Coos Hospital District board of directors, and I am mounting a write-in campaign for that position.
Over the last 50 years, I have served twice on the hospital board; I was elected in 1962 and appointed in the early 2000s.
I would appreciate it if you would ask your friends and family to write in my name for the open seat. I believe the local hospital is a particularly important asset to a community with an older demographic like ours.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 14, 2021
I chose the first picture to go with a story I found in a June 1942 issue of Western World, even though the picture was taken years later in July of 1957 of a gorse fire west of Highway 101. But the message was clear.
Gorse fire, 1957
The 1942 article was headlined "Fire Trail Is Being Built Around City." This, of course, was less than six years after the disastrous fire of September 26, 1936, which wiped out most of the residential and business districts of Bandon.
Here is, in part, what the article said: "A county-owned bulldozer, with two county men in charge, began work Monday morning to build a fire trail around the city of Bandon. The work is being done under city direction. The machine is loaned by the county without cost but the city pays the fuel bill and the wages of the men in charge. It is estimated it will take from five to 10 days and the cost to the city will be between $150 and $200.
"The trail was started in the southeast part of town where Harlem Avenue intersects East 11th Street. A strip south of 11th from 70 to 100 feet wide is being slashed with the bulldozer, and the Irish furze, dead timber and brush is being piled in windrows so that it can be burned later. This is largely on land east of the Frank Perry sawmill and peeling plant.
"It is planned to extend the trail along the south side of 11th to Franklin, then south to 13th and west to the park."
It then outlined the remainder of the route that the trail would take.
"It is the opinion of Fire Chief C.S. Woomer and other city and county officials, the trail should prove adequate in stopping any fire approaching the city from the east and south. It was from these directions that the fire came into the city in 1936. There are not sufficient trees left in this area to make a crown fire possible, and the fire trails should make it possible to stop any fire on the ground.
"J.H. Fasnacht, public utilities manager, who is supervising the building of the trail, said Monday that the extend of the work must be determined as it progresses. Some spots, where the brush is slight and the danger small, will be skipped, but all in all, it is aimed to make the protective project as effective as possible, for the benefit of the city as a whole, at the least possible cost."
Curly (Woomer) and John would not be happy if they could see how extensive the gorse (Irish furze) problem is today. But this is high on the city council's list and is being addressed in a district-wide approach throughout the city. So if you get a letter from our gorse guy, please take it seriously. This is a huge problem that needs to be addressed.
The second photo, of the gas steamer Anvil, was probably taken in the early part of the 1900s as I can see the Cody Mill (later Moore Mill) in the background.
Gas steamer Anvil
In January of 1913, the ship weathered a 75-mile-an-hour gale off the Yaquina bay harbor, which, according to an article in the Oregon Journal, "left the captain and mate looking as if they had been in a fight, and the remainder of the ship's company badly taken up.
"The Anvil arrived this morning at 1 o'clock, after an absence of over a month, during which time she was either bar bound or engaged in fruitless attempts to enter some of the shoal harbors on her route.
"During a fierce gale that struck the little coaster Saturday morning, Captain Levi Snyder was thrown violently on the bridge and had both eyes blackened and his nose skinned.
"The Anvil anchored off the Siuslaw River Friday afternoon awaiting high water to get into that port. The weather looked fine, but before high water they had to heave the anchor and put out to sea. At about 4 o'clock Saturday the full force of a southeast gale hit the Anvil, and she was occupied from that time until 6 o'clock in getting her anchor to the cathead.
"From there she ran for Yaquina bay for shelter, but was unable to cross in after she arrived, so she remained hove to for six hours until the force of the gale was spent.
"Officers and crew are loud in their praise of the manner in which the Anvil behaved in her worst storm."
The third photo was taken in 1940 as Bandon High School student athletes posed in ballet outfits, apparently for some kind of fundraiser.
Bandon High School student athletes in ballet outfits, 1940
I could identify the four in the front row as Harold Howe, Don Goddard, Chuck Barrows and my uncle, Lou Felsheim.
* * *
It's hard to know how to even begin writing about losing one of my closest and dearest friends. Fred Carleton, who died Thursday of a heart attack at Riverbend Hospital in Springfield, was more than just the city attorney, who guided me through numerous pitfalls over the last 17 years, but he was my friend. This summer, former city manager Matt Winkel, Fred and I spent many Fridays at Pacific Dunes eating lunch and perfecting our putting at the Punchbowl. We had so much fun, talked a bit of politics and just enjoyed each others company.
I often turned to him for advice and I knew I could always count on him to be there for me. I didn't necessarily always agree with him ... but I appreciated him so much and almost always followed his advice.
I am still trying to wrap my head around what has happened as it was so sudden and so final.
He was such a devout family man, loving Gina, his four children and his grandchildren with all his heart. As I read so many people's remarks on Facebook, I know how many lives he touched and that he had enough love for all of us. And we all have our own precious Fred Carleton story. I know I do.
* * *
After learning that no one has filed for Position No. 2 on the board of the Southern Coos Health District, I have decided to run a write-in campaign for the seat.
My good friend and long-time city councilor Brian Vick served on both boards for many years, and never felt there was a conflict of any kind. I was elected to the hospital board in 1962 at the age of 23. Later, in the early 2000s, I served again on the board. Our hospital is vitally important to the community, and I feel that I can make a contribution to its long-term health.
I hope that when the ballots come out, you will write in my name for Position No. 2.
Also, because of a mix-up, Cranberry Water Control District incumbents John Roth and Ted Freitag both filed for the same position and no one filed for the seat that Ted now holds. They are asking that people vote for John for Position No. 1 and write-in Ted Freitag for Position No. 3.
* * *
Last week I mentioned that I was surprised to learn that local plumber Stan Avery and his wife Theresa were running for two seats on the school board (against incumbent chair Angela Cardas and Marie Simonds), as the Averys have always home-schooled their children.
After he contacted me, I told Stan that I would share their statement with my readers. Here is what he had to say.
"Our decision to opt for private education for our children was personal, but our reasons to run for Bandon School Board are community based. We chose private education because we could. Nearly one fourth of US public school teachers do so also, for their own children, for the same reasons.
"Most parents do not have the practical option of private education. We know many of these families. Their children may hopefully stay on to become business owners, employees, professionals and parents here in Bandon. Our main goal is to be a voice for those parents, to maximize their informed and personal involvement in the current education of their children in our schools. In particular, we intend to thwart the agendas of outside Marxist radicals to introduce what they call 'critical theory,' a century-old European scheme to erode family, faith and liberty. It has already been injected into many urban districts, despite parental opposition, and we hope to at least keep it out of our schools here in Bandon."
* * *
Matt Jarvis, long-time journalist who edits Epuerto News, had an interesting take on what is happening in Coos Bay, particularly in the area around Safeway and Fred Meyer in the south end of town.
He is promoting what is called Neighborhood Watch. "With the number of transients in the area, it's a great solution. Walked downtown Sunday. Kind of scary these days. Saw more transients than anyone else, going through garbage cans, sleeping in doorways. And the garbage build up under the Coalbank Slough Bridge continues. As I drove past, a guy urinating in the field waved at me. I feel sorry for Fred Meyer and Safeway. Unfortunate victims. As the weather gets warmer, the transient problem will only increase. Hopefully the Bay Area can come together for a solution. It's not the homeless community that's the problem, but the transients cruising through with no regard for those who live here. They are your shoplifters, trespassers, UEMVs, mail theft, warrant arrests with no jail time, and disorderly on the police logs. They burn the community and then run to the next one. We're not alone; unfortunately this problem is seen in most towns."
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 7, 2021
The first picture I am sharing was taken in September of 1957 after a valiant fight to save this 40-foot commercial fishing boat, Star, which ended up on the beach south of the jetty.
The Star, 1957 Click here for larger photo
The boat's owner, Harold Powell, and his son Richard, both of Charleston, were rescued from their sinking craft by another fishing boat, William A, near Whiskey Run, the point of land north of the Coquille River mouth.
They had fish on the deck and were oblivious of anything wrong until the owner noticed water splashing over the gurleys. As the owner investigated he discovered the boat was filling with water, according to a front-page article in the Western World.
"The William A. took the Powells aboard and took the semi-sunken Star in tow, after receiving a radio reply which indicated that the Bandon bar was 'flat,' so they headed for Bandon, staying close to the beach. The tug Port of Bandon went out about 6 p.m. to assist, according to Capt. Andy Bohnert.
"The fishermen found the Bandon bar with heavy swells and anything but "flat,' they indicated later (with some understandable bitterness).
"Fearing the William A. was not adequately equipped to tow the half-sunken Star across the rough bar, the fishermen asked the tug to take over the tow.
"By this time darkness had fallen, and anxious watchers on the south jetty peered into the night to see the tug, with towing lights on, working its way across the bar into the river.
"Bohnert said the worst part of the tow had been completed, with the Star well into the channel. The tug stopped to take in some line when the shackle holding the towline onto the Star, apparently gave way and the tug's line came free."
What was left of the boat eventually washed up onto the beach.
The second photo, taken in April of 1966, was titled "Fire with a purpose."
Fire with a purpose, 1966
The equipment is the State of Oregon's pavement burner. It had been in Bandon two weeks earlier to burn off excess tar which had risen to the surface of the highway during the winter, causing slippery road conditions. Pavement was left rough after the machine went over it, providing a safer non-skid surface.
This picture was taken on Highway 42S, with the business that is now a Mexican restaurant in the background. Not sure if, at that time, it was Rumpty's or The Snack Shack, but it was one of the two. Ken and Carol Kreutzer owned Rumpty's and Ann and Gordon Texley owned The Snack Shack.
The third photo was taken in September of 1965 as local physician, Dr. E.F. Lucas, administered the influenza vaccine to school district personnel, including Bandon Heights Grade School teacher Irene (Mrs. L.A.) Willett.
Flu shots, 1965
* * *
Update: I learned Monday after I had already sent out my column that after three months (12 weeks), Coos County restaurants, bars and entertainment establishments will finally get to reopen on Friday (April 9) as our county is dropping out of the extreme risk to the high-risk category.
True, there will be capacity limits and other restrictions .... but it's been a long-time coming for our local restaurants and bars! Let's just hope we can either stay there or drop even lower after two weeks.
* * *
The deadline to file for various boards and commissions, including hospital board, school board, port commission, Rural Fire Protection District board and the Bandon Cranberry Water Control District is over, and some of the filings are interesting, to say the least.
Port commissioners Rick Goche and Reg Pullen are running unopposed, while commissioner Harv Schubothe is being challenged by Bandon resident Rodney Taylor. I will try, to the best of my ability, to let my readers know who some of the candidates are, particularly if they are not the incumbents. Taylor last made the news when he was cited for a curfew violation in Washington, D.C. the night of Jan. 6. He has also filed for the Coos County Area Transportation District.
There are three vacancies on the Bandon School Board, with incumbent David Hisel running unopposed. A husband and wife combo, plumber Stan Avery and his wife Theresa, have filed, with Stan running against incumbent Marie Simonds (as is newcomer Jeannette M. Harper) and Theresa Avery running against the incumbent board chairman Angela Cardas.
I am having a hard time understanding why the Averys would want to be on the school board since they have homeschooled their children for a number of years. I emailed Harper, who said she and her husband have been Oregon residents for about 4 years. She worked for the state of California and retired after 39 years. She is also a member of the Bandon Gun Club and acts as their bookkeeper and in February was elected secretary.
Jeannette Harper has also filed for position No. 2 on the Bandon RFPD, running against long-time incumbent Larry Sabin. Anthony Zunino has filed for Position No. 1 on the fire board.
There are three vacancies on the board of the Southern Coos Health District, with Norbert Johnson, who was appointed to the board Nov. 19, filing for Position No. 4; Brent Bischoff, general manager of Coos Curry Electric, has filed for Position No. 5. He is currently secretary of the board.
What I did find interesting is that no one filed for Position No. 2, the seat on the hospital board to which Cary McGagin, a realtor based at Coastal Sotheby's in Bandon, was appointed on Dec. 3. This means that either he forgot to file and will mount a write-in campaign, or he decided he did not want to run again. Either way, someone else can decide to mount a write-in campaign as it's a wide-open seat. The other members of the board are chairman David Allen and treasurer Edie Jurgenson.
There was a mix-up in filing for the cranberry water control district, with two of the incumbents accidentally filing for the same position. Growers John Roth and Ted Freitag both filed for Position No. 1. Freitag is the incumbent in Position No. 3 and people are urged to vote for Roth for No. 1 and write in Ted Freitag's name for Position No. 3. Scott Vierck is running unopposed as the incumbent for Position No. 2.
School board member and executive director of Wild Rivers Coast Alliance Marie Simonds is also running for an at-large seat on the South Coast Education Service District.
* * *
I learned last week that long-time Bandon resident Ilse Von Roon had died March 27 at the age of 80 of an apparent heart attack. Von Roon will be remembered as having started the Gypsy Wagon business some years ago in the small shop on Second Street adjacent to the bakery.
I also heard that Willie Leach, a member of the BHS Class of 1955, died April 1 at his home in Florence where he lived with his wife, Betty.
Among his survivors are his daughter Brenda Leach-Tison of Bandon and son Roger and wife Kim of Myrtle Point. He is also survived by his brother Theran Leach and sister Sarah, both of whom attended school in Bandon.
Brenda advised that there will be no service.
I remember that when they lived in Bandon some years ago, Willie was very involved with the Bandon Jaycees.
* * *
I don't know the details but I saw an item in The World that said the Harbor Lights Middle School principal Dustin Clark had resigned effective March 26. The superintendent Doug Ardiana, who announced his retirement effective the end of the school year, will serve as principal for the next couple of months.
Becky Armistead, the current principal of Ocean Crest, will become the new HLMS principal, and Courtney Wehner, a teacher in the district, will be the new Ocean Crest principal.
Judging from the positive comments on Facebook positions, the parents are very happy with the decisions.
* * *
Rumors have been swirling around the fact that a large number of trailers had appeared on an abandoned property in the Gardiner area, which, by the way is not in Coos County, but is in Douglas County.
I won't repeat some of the rumors that I have heard, but suffice it to say none were true.
I called my friend Linda McCollum, the mayor of Reedsport, to find out what was really happening.
She said FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has leased the old IP (International Paper) mill property to store trailers, which are being sent to various areas of the Northwest where people have lost their homes to wildfires. The trailers were stored at a different location, but FEMA was forced to move and they were able to lease the Gardiner property. Linda assured me no one will be living in the trailers as they are simply being stored there until they can be moved to areas where housing is needed for people who lost their homes to fire.
The World also had a similar story on their front page last week. I know it would be more "intriguing" for some to think that 3,100 refugees were being shipped to Gardiner, but .... well, it just isn't true! And I was pretty sure it wasn't when I first read the Facebook post.
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We all know by now that Coos County remains in the extreme category, but we can only hope that as more and more vulnerable people get vaccinated, maybe the governor will rethink the restrictions and let our restaurants and bars open.
I do know that Coos County had 13 Covid deaths during the month of March, which is over half the number since the pandemic started a year ago, so that is not an encouraging statistic.
I also learned that the Bandon fifth grade was forced to take a longer spring vacation because one of the students was infected and had been in the classroom.
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I saw an article Sunday that said part of the SpaceX Rocket that was reportedly responsible for the great light show last week in the Northwest was recovered by a farmer in Eastern Washington.
After many saw the bright light in the night sky, it was quickly surmised to be a rocket belonging to Elon Musk and his SpaceX company. Officials in Grant County, Wash., said a 5-foot-long "composite-overwrapped pressure vessel" was retrieved from a private field in Ephrata, Wash.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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