As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 26, 2023
I had read several articles over the years that indicated federal officials had, on several occasions, talked about moving the lighthouse (first photo) across the river, and one article mentioned it being on top of the hill overlooking the jetty.
Coquille River Lighthouse
In an article in December of 1915, I found a reference to that move, which as we know today, never took place.
"Milo Headley, superintendent of the seventeenth lighthouse district, was in Bandon on his first trip of inspection today. In company with Captain Wiren of the local station he went over the ground in the Breakwater addition to which the lighthouse is to be moved and made final arrangements. The work will probably commence in the near future."
But according to an article I found a few weeks later, in the January 6, 1916, Western World, they then changed their plans. The article is headlined "Electric Power to Operate Lighthouse."
The article said "practically the only change made in removing the local plant to the south side of the river is from oil to electricity. An electric light will replace the present gas lamp and the fog horn will be operated by electricity. Juice will be obtained from the local power company, but a small individual plant for generating electricity will be maintained for emergency. The gasoline engine now used in the lighthouse will be kept to produce the power for the auxiliary equipment. Mr. Headley also said that he believed it would be impossible for one man to handle the plant on this side (of the river); therefore in all probability the present (work) force will remain the same."
"Plank Roadway on Chicago Ave. Again Made Safe" is the headline on the front page of the July 6, 1956, Western World, talking about the elevated plank roadway extending from the north side of First street on Chicago avenue to the end of the wharf (second photo) and floating dock at the foot of the avenue."
Elevated plank roadway, 1956
The area discussed in the article is property on which now sits the Port of Bandon's Loft building.
"The project was initiated by George Dow of the Bandon Seafood & Cold Storage, who as fish buyer from outside trollers, had a boat unloading place at the end of the wharf. The roadway had been condemned to vehicle traffic; it will again be safe for cars and trucks.
"Cooperation between the City of Bandon, the Port of Bandon, and Dow made the improvement possible."
I have chosen the third picture for two reasons, one because it's a great story about one of my all-time favorite Bandon High School coaches and two because on Tuesday (April 25), a sign honoring him will be dedicated at 4 p.m. just before the start of a high school track meet.
The article honoring long-time BHS football and baseball coach Dick Sutherland (third picture) appeared on the front page of the Feb. 11, 1981, Western World.
Coach Dick Sutherland
"Long-time Bandon high school football coach Dick Sutherland, who gave up his coaching duties in November after guiding the varsity Tigers for 27 years, was honored recently in Portland at the annual Hayward Banquet of Champions held at the Hilton Hotel.
"Mr. Sutherland, who has coached for 39 years, received one of four special merit awards, which went to people in the state who had made outstanding contributions to sports.
"Oregon State University basketball coach Ralph Miller was honored as the Man of the Year."
Sutherland was three times named Oregon 3A high school Coach of the Year; his teams earned two football state championships, in The Dalles in 1947 and in Bandon in 1968, and he coached two state runner-up football teams, in Bandon in 1965 and 1967. As the baseball coach at Bandon, he won the Sunset League championship 10 times, and coached the state champion runner-up Tiger team in 1962.
* * *
I was sad to learn of the death of Kathy Coombe Hubbard, a long-time resident of Bandon, who died recently at the age of 85. Kathy and her late husband, Al, settled in Bandon in the Spring of 1989. Al died in 2008 at the age of 79.
Kathy was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church in Bandon, where John Hubbard was Pastor. Kathy later became elder and deacon at the church. In 2010, Cheron, Pastor Hubbard's wife of 51 years died, and two years later on Aug. 12, 2012, Kathy and John married at the Presbyterian Church. John died in 2018.
One of my fondest memories of Kathy was when she performed on the Sprague Theater stage in My Fair Lady. I put together a book of photos from that Bandon Playhouse performance, and Kathy was thrilled to receive a copy of the book.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Kathy this Saturday, April 29, at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church.
* * *
I recently read an account on line of a head-on collision in Canyon County, Idaho, which claimed the life of a 67-year-old Bandon woman; unfortunately she was never identified. I learned later that before moving from Bandon she may have burned out in a house fire, but that is pretty much all I know.
* * *
In an update from City Manager Dan Chandler this week, the council learned that the Grocery Outlet project "is moving forward as of earlier this month, though they are having challenges with cost and financing."
As far as the 48-unit apartment project off Seabird, he said "the project is on hold because of construction costs. The owner may be looking at other options for the property, including a possible high-end RV park. Nothing has been finalized."
In commenting on a joint housing project between the school district and the city, Chandler said they will be getting a memo soon from their advisers Tom Kemper and Bruce Wood detailing how best to move forward. "Kemper and Wood have done more housing than probably anyone in the state," said the city manager. "We have commissioned a geotechnical study as well, which will inform the various options for the property. Options include modular or prefab options, possibly including modular multi-family," Chandler said.
* * *
I was recently taken on a tour of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort by Resort manager Don Crowe and Wild Rivers Coast Alliance Executive Director Marie Simonds. It was exciting to see the beautiful new 10,000 square foot restaurant/steak house near the Old MacDonald course, which will seat 180 people, and is expected to be completed sometime in August.
Excavation work is also being done on a new 19-hole par-3 course, the proceeds from which will go to Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, much like the net proceeds from the 13-hole Bandon Preserve course. WRCA, founded by Dunes owner Mike Keiser, helps support projects that will bring lasting conservation, economic and community benefits to the South Coast. The new course is expected to open in October 2024.
* * *
People have been expressing concern, and rightfully so, about the unfinished ODOT project along the highway and at the entrance to Old Town, which is blighted with orange cones and other markers.
I contacted the state, and Chris Hunter, PE, southwest area manager for ODOT, said: "The delays we are experiencing are partially due to weather and also delays in getting materials. The contractors plan is to return when they get the RRFB parts for the Chicago Ave. crossing that the city requested to be added to the project, and then finish up everything. Unfortunately, the parts are still out about 12 weeks, so this puts us to mid-July.
"In the meantime, our construction crew will look at getting the orange cones off the road where appropriate," said Hunter. I am assuming the RRFB parts have something to do with the pedestrian crossing requested by the City to link a new parking area on the southeast side of the highway, with Old Town.
* * *
The Bandon Historical Society Museum will be hosting a program, "Ask The Experts - Your Local History Questions," to be held at the museum on Saturday, May 20, beginning at 1 p.m.
In a press release, museum spokesman Jim Proehl, said, "The freewheeling program will feature Bandon Mayor Mary Schamehorn and archaeologist Reg Pullen." Proehl, the radio voice of "A little history from the museum in Bandon," will moderate. The audience will be invited to ask local history questions. Admission to the program and to the museum May 20 will be free all-day, courtesy of Chas. Waldrop Real Estate.
* * *
City of Bandon voters are reminded of the three ballot measures which will be voted on in the May 16 primary election, concerning increases in the city's three utilities, water, sewer and electric. The city is asking voters to increase the base rate for residential in-city water use by $4 a month; for sewer the increase will be $4 a month, plus a 25-cent charge for additional 1,000 gallons of water used.
The electric increase will be $5 a month on the base rate for inside city customers and $10 for outside city, plus an increase in the per kilowatt charge of 1.2 cents per kilowatt hour, which will bring the residential cost to 8.75 per kilowatt hour for the first 650 kwh per month both inside and outside the city, and 9.46 for other residential usage. Commercial and other accounts will see a pro-rated increase.
Bandon is believed to be the only electric utility in the country that must go to the voters to increase rates because of an initiative petition which changed the city's charter to require rate increases be voted on. At a recent council meeting, we learned of the huge increases faced by the utility company for infrastructure, including a 344% increase in 15kva transformers, 308% increase in 25kva transformers, and a 322 percent increase in the cost of utility poles.
This is the reality of the cost to run an electric department. It transcends politics, opinions and comes down to keeping the lights on. We urge the voters of Bandon to support these rate increases. I personally hate to think of the downside, which ultimately could mean we are forced to sell our utilities. Our utilities belong to all of us. Let's keep them in local hands.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 19, 2023
The first picture I am sharing is the Randolph School, probably taken around 1908.
Randolph School
Randolph, on the north bank of the Coquille River, was at one time the largest community in this area. Gold was discovered in 1852 and within a short time the place became a booming center for the lower Coquille river. But it didn't last.
Adam Pershbaker operated the general store which furnished the provisions for the whole community. In the early 1880s when Randolph became deserted, Pershbaker moved his store three miles down the river to Prosper, (second photo) which had become the center of activity.
Prosper
An article in the July 2, 1959, Western World, reports that "Adam Pershbaker's daughter, Ruby, spent her early life at Randolph. In a letter to Mrs. Hugh Lennon , she told of life at Randolph.
"In this little settlement of Randolph -- it had perhaps less than 50 inhabitants in the immediate vicinity -- was a hotel of a real mining-town type, and the saloon in connection was a gathering place for card players and tipplers.
"An old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, coarse and uncouth, operated the hotel, which consisted of perhaps eight or 10 guest rooms, dining room, and the saloon, with a dance hall overhead.
"A second bustling enterprise in this small place was the Dalmas Cooper shop. He made and turned out salmon barrels. At that time salting and packing salmon was a small scale occupation on the lower river (third photo) and the heavy barrels with metal hooks were made at the Dalmas shop.
Salmon, Coquille River
"Though Randolph had so few residents, it seemed from observation perhaps to a newcomer, that such a small place supporting two saloons that the natives or townspeople could well have been of the tippler type but they were families of temperate and home-loving habits and the liquor trade was mostly carried on and largely consumed by transients, miners, fishermen and travelers.
"The trading post was the old merchandise store which my father owned and operated. It drew trade from far and wide, customers coming from long distances by water (row-boats) and walking miles. The land travelers came mostly on foot, coming for supplies and mail.
"A nearby Indian settlement a short distance downstream from Randolph made an interesting bit, too, in the early picture. Our contacts with these people of early history, their emotions, mode of living, habits, etc., were interesting and to see the picturesque scenes of padding their canoes, trading, ways of doing things, make an unforgettable story. Many of these old experiences I never would have had, had I not been a child in old Randolph," said Ruby Pershbaker.
* * *
The majority of my column this week will be devoted to the people we've lost in the last week or so, all of whom are long-time residents of Bandon or of the county.
Newspapers across the state carried the death of long-time Bandon resident and former state senator, state representative and Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, 73, who died April 14 while on a world cruise with his wife of 36 years, Katy Eymann. Bill had been diagnosed in the early '80s with multiple sclerosis, but it never stopped him from his life of public service.
Katy talked about Bill's death on Facebook. "What happened? Bill was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Monday, April 10. He was prescribed an antibiotic. The UTI was not clearing up in one or two days like it usually does. I informed the ship doctor of my concerns. He examined Bill again on Friday morning. He said he would increase the dosage.
"I planned to go ashore that day to get some photos and memories of Mayotte, Comoros. So I kissed Bill, told him I would be back soon. I left Bill with Mike, his caregiver, in case Bill needed anything. Then unexpectedly two hours later Bill died. I asked the doctor, while we were waiting for local authorities to come onboard, if he thought Bill was close to death when he examined him earlier that day. He said no."
Katy said she will continue on the cruise because she knew Bill really wanted to do the trip and "it feels like it honors him to continue." Tentative plans are to have a celebration of Bill's life in September.
Bob Bailey, a long time friend, posted on Facebook that "Bill Bradbury has departed this Earth for the next level. I never knew another person with such zest for life, such compassion for others, and such a dedication to public service. He was a true champion of Oregon. I cannot say enough about the man. I will miss him."
His sentiments were echoed across the state in articles in The Oregonian, Willamette Week and many other publications.
He is also survived by two daughters, Abby and Zoe Bradbury, owners of Valley Flora in Langlois, and several grandchildren.
The Bandon Historical Society museum lost one of its longest-serving board members and dedicated volunteers in the death of Kathy Dornath, who died last Wednesday at the age of 86 with her three daughters, Theresa Thaxton, Betty Albertson and Cheryl Pizzola at her side.
Kathy was the widow of the late Art Dornath. She was also predeceased by her only son, Art Dornath Jr., who died in a motorcycle accident on Highway 42S many years ago.
As vice president of the museum board, I can only say that Kathy has been our go-to person on so many fronts over the years, and she was much loved and will be missed by all of us who knew her.
The family plans a celebration of life picnic in early June. Donations in her name could be made to the Bandon Historical Society, PO Box 737, Bandon, or the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016-5337.
Tom Smalley, Bandon High School Class of 1963 and the husband of the former Linda Luther, died April 6 in Nampa, Ida., at the age of 77 from complications of a stroke. He was the son of Marjorie and Clyde Smalley, and in addition to his wife of 59 years, Tom is survived by children, Tamera, Michele and Matthew, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
He finished his pharmaceutical education at OSU, and worked for Payless Drug Stores for 40 years before retiring in 2008.
I was shocked to learn of the sudden death of long-time Coquille electrician, Gerald Marca, 74, owner of Marca Electric, who apparently suffered a fall April 12, during which he hit his head, and died on the way to the Coquille Valley Hospital from a brain hemorrhage.
* * *
CCPC (Coos Commons Protection Council) has announced that the FCC has awarded a 36-month construction permit for a full power noncommercial educational community FM radio station. Frequency 88.1 on the FM dial is authorized to operate at 1000 watts and will cover the entire south county and parts of Coos Bay.
Executive director Mary Geddry said the new station will "focus on sustainability, social, economic, and environmental justice, pro-democracy and community." This is the fourth community radio station Geddry has brought to Coos County and the first full power .
"We are very excited to show just what a community radio station can really do. We expect to be on the air in less than six months, if all goes well," Geddry said.
* * *
The Bandon Booster Club and the Bandon School District have announced that the Dick Sutherland Sports Complex at BHS will be dedicated at a sign unveiling on Tuesday, April 25, at 4 p.m. at the track area, located between 9th and 11th streets, about where the high school football field is located. There will be a short ceremony and an opportunity to visit with alumni afterwards, according to Bo Shindler, BHS graduate who has spearheaded fund-raising efforts.
The goal of the Booster Club has been to cover the cost of the signage/posts, which is estimated to be $3,000. The booster club told Shindler that as of April 15, $1,730 had been donated.
People may send their checks to Bandon Booster Club, PO Box 1819, Bandon, 97411. Make sure the memo says "Dick Sutherland."
* * *
People are reminded of the Bandon school board candidate forum, hosted by League of Women Voters, to be held Wednesday night, April 19, at 7 p.m. at the Bandon city hall. Two of the positions are contested in the May 16 election.
* * *
Council President Madeline Seymour was surprised one evening last week when she was visited by three North Carolina golfers, who told her that their three golf bags had been stolen from their vehicle, while parked in front of a condo at Bandon Dunes the previous night. One of the bags contained an air tag, which pinged on her Riverside Drive property. Pretty sure that the men's golf bags were not on her property, she called the police, and two sheriff's deputies and two Bandon police officers responded. The property was searched, but the bags were not found even though the ping was near her front door.
The three men were amazed at how nice people had been as they dealt with the crisis of losing their prized golf clubs. "They said they love Bandon Dunes, as well as the people they've met while here, and definitely plan to return," said Seymour.
* * *
In another reported theft, sometime Tuesday night, a vintage car was stolen from a woman's garage on Cody Lane, off Ohio Avenue. The license plate number for the vehicle, which looked to be a classic black Mercedes, was MTZI. The car had not run in four years nor did the owner have the keys.
* * *
An Oregon man made the news last week when he threw stacks of $100 bills from his car along I-5 in the Eugene area. The man told police he hurled around $200,000 to 'bless others,' but a relative told police the cash came from their shared bank account, leaving them broke.
Colin Davis McCarthy, 38, told the Oregon State Police that he drained their shared bank accounts to fund the stunt, leaving them broke. The family is urging people who found the money to return it to the Oregon State Police. Police said it was not a crime because the man was a signer on the account.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 12, 2023
I found a neat story, which appeared in the Morning Oregonian (Portland) on March 2, 1916, which allowed me to share three photos from my collection for the same story.
"Bandon has two banks here, the Bank of Bandon (first photo) being the older institution.
Bank of Bandon
It has a capital of $50,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $24,418.90, with deposits of $189,789.32. J. L. Kronenberg being its president and F.J. Fahy cashier."
The Bank was built in 1911, and although I am not sure when this picture was taken, I can see long-time bank executive and later president W.J. Sweet standing in the doorway at right. He is the grandfather of County Commissioner John Sweet and his sister, Sue, of Langlois. First president J.L. Kronenberg was the father of Jack and George Kronenberg, long-time Bandon residents, and the grandfather of Jean Kronenberg.
"The First National (second photo) has a capital of $25,000 and a surplus of $6500, with deposits of $160,000.
First National Bank
H.Z. Houston is president and E.D. Webb cashier. Each institution has a fine building, the latter being the most modern."
The First National building, built in 1914, survived the 1936 Fire and is now known as the Masonic building on Second Street.
"It was however, the concrete building of the Bank of Bandon that saved a lot of property in the great fire of June, 1914.
"There are about 900 pupils enrolled in the Bandon schools (third photo), and the district maintains as good schools as any town in the state.
Bandon High School
There are nine churches here, and the people boast of a large church and Sunday school attendance."
The school which accompanies the article was built in 1912 in east Bandon. It survived the Fire of 1936, and at that time, was the high school. But the grade school in west Bandon burned in the Fire and grade school students were then housed in the gym at the East Bandon school until the new grade school (now Ocean Crest) was built in 1939. This building was torn down in the early 1950s after the new high school was built on Ninth Street and served the community until it was destroyed in an arson fire in January of 1974.
"As to prohibition, Bandon never was much of a booze town. There were six or seven saloons here in the days of wetness, which is about one-third the number of some Oregon cities but little larger. These saloons were well managed and well regulated. When the dryness came the proprietors closed their doors and the place since has been dry, in fact."
* * *
I received several calls in regards to my recent story about Coast Community Health Clinic, for which I had used information posted on Facebook, as well as an interview with CCHC board chair J. J. McLeod and others.
According to interim CEO Melissa Cribbins, the salary information that had appeared in the Facebook letter from outgoing CCHC administrators was incorrect. She advised me that she was receiving the same salary as the outgoing CEO Linda Maxon.
The board put out a press release, which I had earlier promised to share if it were forthcoming.
"We, the Board of Directors of Coast Community Health Center, would like to address some community concerns regarding recent leadership changes. We understand that these events may have caused anxiety and uncertainty, and we would like to assure you that we are taking our duties very seriously.
"In light of recently changes, we are grateful and excited that Melissa Cribbins is our interim CEO and that Dr. Hank Holmes has graciously accepted the role of Chief Medical officer. Other well-qualified candidates are being recruited who share our commitment to high-quality health care. We would like to express our deep gratitude to the CCHC staff and providers, who are the backbone of this organization. Thank you for your trust and patience. W do not anticipate any disruptions or changes in the service provided, and no changes have been or will be made regarding our daily operations. This includes all pharmacy services.
"We understand that our fellow community members rely on CCHC for their healthcare needs, and we are committed to maintaining the highest level of care that you expect and deserve. We are in ongoing communication with our governing body, HRSA (Health Resources & Services Administration) to best serve our community. HRSA has been incredibly supportive in this transition and will continue to be a valuable resource moving forward, as well as Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Primary Care Association, and the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association. Additionally, we are thankful for the support of our local community partners.
"As the board of a Federally Qualified Health Center, we are, ultimately, members of the community that we serve. Most of us are CCHC patients ourselves. We each take our role on the Board of Directors seriously and are volunteering our time and energies to support CCHC's mission of delivering affordable, high quality health care to the South Coast. The board is working to ensure CCHC is a resilient, dependable pillar of our community for the long term. We are committed to making decisions that are in the best interest of our community and our health system, even if they are challenging in the short time.
"We understand that there may be concerns about specific topics we are unable to address due to confidentiality constraints. However, we want to convey our conviction that our decisions have been made in good faith and with careful consideration for the long-term well-being of our health center and community. We would like to thank you for your trust in CCHC and our Board of Directors. We will continue to provide updates as appropriate."
Among the members of the board of directors include J.J. McLeod, chairman; Joseph Caspary, vice president; Anne Goddard, secretary; David Gerhart; M.J. LaBelle; Bryan Thompson; Mari Lochhaas; Joe Wagner; and Clark Kocurek.
* * *
The League of Women Voters will present a forum for Bandon School Board candidates on Tuesday, April 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the city council chambers at City Hall.
The public will have the opportunity to hear from the candidates for Bandon school board. Contested positions include Martha Lane and Farrell C. Fox running for Position No. 2, and Scott Brewster and incumbent Greg Looney running for Position No. 7. Incumbents running unopposed are A.J. Kimball, Position 4, and Anthony Zunino, Position 6.
Audience members are invited to submit written questions on the forms provided at the door. No one is permitted to wear any campaign gear inside the room.
All have agreed to participate except Looney, who will be out of town but he will be posting campaign information on Vote411.org, which was to go live Around April 10.
* * *
Other elections of interest to local voters include the Port of Bandon. Incumbents Wayne Butler and Donny Goddard have filed for re-election, and Don Starbuck is running unopposed for the port seat previously held by Rod Taylor.
* * *
Bandon's newest police officer, Damon Price, was sworn in last week at city hall by Chief Cory Dhillon. Damon's father, Luke Price, is a Coos County jail deputy, and his uncle, Chris Rule, is a sergeant with the Coos Bay Police Department. His wife, Jessica, is a nurse at Southern Coos Hospital. Damon is a graduate of Myrtle Point High and recently completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Marine Corps.
* * *
The public is invited to an artists' reception at Southern Coos Hospital on Sunday, April 16, from 1 to 3 p.m., featuring By The Sea collage artists Molly Dufort, Joanne Drapkin, Deborah Fisher, Judith Ginsburg, Janice Horne, Susan Lehman, Ava Richey, Sandy Schroeder, Jean Stephenson and Shawn Tempesta. There will be music by The Little Match Girls and refreshments.
* * *
Bandon VFW Auxiliary 3440 is looking for cranberry recipes to put into a cranberry cookbook for their Bandon High School scholarship program. If you have recipes you'd like to share, please send them to Bandon VFW Auxiliary #3440, attention Jan Hester, 55352 Bates Road, Bandon, or email them to vfw3440@gmail.com. The deadline is June 1, so they can be available for sale on Cranberry Festival weekend, Sept. 8-10.
* * *
By now all of my readers know that in order to raise our utility rates, we must ask the voters for approval. To the best of my knowledge, the City of Bandon electric utility is the only one in the entire country that must go to their customers to raise rates. Bandon has been hit hard by not only doubling and tripling in the cost of equipment, but supply issues have made it necessary to keep more on hand than would be necessary if we were assured of getting what we ordered, when we needed it.
On the May ballot, the city is asking voters to increase the base rate for water by $4 a month; by $4 a month for sewer, plus a 25 cent charge for additional 1,000 gallons of water. The electric increase will find a raise of $5 a month increase on the base rate for inside city customers and $10 for outside city, plus an increase in the per kilowatt charge of 1.2 cents per kilowatt hour, which will bring the residential cost to 8.75 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 650 kwh per month in both inside and outside city, and 9.46 cents for other residential usage. Commercial and other accounts will also see a pro-rated increase.
This is the reality of the cost to run an electric department. It transcends politics, opinions and comes down to keeping the lights on. Other electric companies can more easily afford to operate under these conditions but we are hampered by our inability to set rates. We are incredibly thankful for the quick response to electric outages that we have experienced during the recent winter storms.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
April 05, 2023
There were several industries operating on the dock, all of which survived the Fire of 1936. The first picture is of the old Nestle's Condensery plant, which later became the International Cedar Corporation, maker of battery separators.
Nestle's Condensery plant
Before it was torn down about 2001, the building served as the Moore Mill & Lumber Co. truck shop for many years, and for a short time was owned by the Port of Bandon before they decided it was too dangerous to save.
But this story, which appeared in the June 18, 1936, Western World, is about the Cedar Corporation, formerly the Dahlen building, "which started operating its sawmill Monday after having been closed down for several months. The shut down was due to the slack season and lack of orders, but present plans are to begin working the entire plant.
"The sawmill department works 14 men. As soon as enough material is cut and 'cooked' the slicers will be put into operation, employing six more men. A few days later the rest of the plant will be working with an additional 19, mostly women, making a total crew of 55.
"Because of the strike at Marshfield where the ICC and two other battery separator plants are being picketed, all three plants being closed down, it was expected that trouble might occur here. On Monday morning three carloads of men and women, members of the union, arrived from Marshfield with the apparent intention of establishing a picket line.
"The leader, Mr. O'Neal, had a conference with representatives of the company, Mayor Ed Capps and others, and shortly afterwards the visitors returned to Marshfield. Whether there is to be any further action on the part of the union is not known, however there are no union members in the local plant, and a picket line would likely not interfere with operations. It is hoped that the differences at Marshfield will be settled shortly and that it will not be extended to the Bandon plant."
The second photo concerns the completion of the Bob-Otto Court, described in the June 18, 1936, Western World, as "a modern new stopping place for tourists, which is being built at the corner of Fillmore and Second streets (actually it was on Elmira) along the highway leading into the city from the east. It is rapidly nearing completion and will be ready to open within a short time, according to the owners, Bob Ward and Otto Magill. It promises to be one of the most complete and modern places of its kind in this part of the state. As soon as it is finished the owners plan to have a formal opening to which the public will be invited."
Bob-Otto Court
It opened two months before the disastrous Bandon Fire, but fortunately the Bob-Otto Court (which was on the site now occupied by the Shell station) survived the Fire, as did the Gallier building and the former Coast Lumber Yard to the east. And it became so much more. It provided housing for people, a medical tri-age center and a number of other emergency services, including the first post office site right after the Fire.
It was torn down in 1957 to make way for Bud Laub's $14,000 Texaco which opened in June of 1958.
For years, Bob-Otto Court served as the local Greyhound Depot, and you can see a bus parked next to the main office. The building at the bottom left was the Davison's Market, and I believe Otillie's Beauty Shop was the building between the market and the auto court.
The third picture I am sharing came out of a magazine, featuring star Bandon basketball player Bayard Forrest, who ended up going to Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Az., after he graduated from BHS in 1972. He later played professional ball.
Bayard Forrest
Bayard was of one of the greatest basketball players ever to suit up in a Tiger uniform.
Bayard, who was listed on the program as 6-9, could look extremely intimidating as he leaped into the air to dunk the ball as you can see by this picture. His younger brother, John, and his older brother, Truett, also played for the Tigers.
Bayard is married to the former Peggy Ward, and they live in Pagosa Springs, Colo. Both are very involved in the Christian ministry.
Bayard was heavily recruited by Dick Harter, who coached the Oregon Ducks from 1971 to 1978, and was known for his smothering defensive unit, aptly named the "Kamikaze Kids." But it wasn't to be as he chose Grand Canyon, the alma mater of his father, Nelson Forrest.
Both Bayard (who goes by Bay) and Peggy speak all over the world. Peggy is very busy speaking at Christian missionary women's retreats worldwide. She retired a few years ago as Dean of Women at Arizona Christian University in Phoenix, where they lived during the school years and then would return to their Colorado home during vacations and summers.
Although the schedule is fluid, the weekend of April 14-15 three Bandon churches are combining for a Men's Retreat, at The Barn Friday evening, April 14, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 16 Forrest will speak during the church service at 10 a.m. at Pacific Community Church. April 23, he will speak at Faith Baptist Church at 10:45 a.m. Plans are for Peggy to speak at a Women's Conference at Faith Baptist Church Friday evening, April 21, from 6 to 8:30 and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Earlier I had seen information that he would be the speaker at a Youth Rally April 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the high school gym, sponsored by local faith-based organizations.
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I found some interesting statistics the other day concerning the number of people, per 100,000 population, who died from Covid.
The death rate per thousand was led by Arizona with 454 per 100,000 people; Florida was 13th, 402: New York was 16th, 396; Washington state was 26th, with 205 deaths; Idaho was 34th, 302; California was 40th, 255; and Oregon was 43rd with 221 deaths per 100,000 people.
Over 103 million cases of Covid had been reported as of Feb. 27, 2023, led by California, Texas and Florida. Washington was 18th with 1,924,418 cases; Oregon was 33rd with 959,393 cases.
Oregon's population is 4,246,155, compared to Washington's 7,739,692.
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For those of you who live in an area with VRDs (Vacation Rental Dwellings), you will be happy to know that the City of Bandon has contracted with a company, called Host Compliance, to assist with monitoring vacation rentals.
"In addition to notifying us of any new short-term rental advertising online, the company also offers a 24/7 hotline for complaints. If an issue occurs at a short-term rental, neighbors can either call the hotline number (541-237-1640) to speak with a real person, or submit a complaint online," said the city's planning manager Dana Nichols.
"The vacation rental's property manager is then contacted and asked to resolve the issue within 30 minutes. The city receives a notice of each complaint and a log of whether or not the issue was resolved. If we have persistent, recorded issues, we can ask the Planning Commission to review their conditional use permit and take action, if necessary," said Nichols.
Again, the hotline number is 541-237-1640 and the complaint form can be found at https://secure.hostcompliance.com/bandon-or/complaints/type. This information is also posted on the City's website on the Planning Department page.
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There are a lot of events coming up in Bandon, and I found some great information on the Bandon Chamber's Facebook page.
In addition to the Lions Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 8, at 1, in City Park, there are two others scheduled on April 8: one at Ray's and another in Old Town (for adults only).
The Ray's Food Place egg hunt starts at 11 a.m. for children through age 12, with times of the hunt to vary by age.
That night, starting at 9 p.m., and ending at 10, the Glow Easter Egg Hunt will start at The Arcade or Broken Anchor. There will be 300 eggs hidden, and a map will be available at all locations, said a chamber spokesman. Gift certificates will be given as prizes.
Saturday, April 15, at 3 p.m. is the second annual 5K Bunny Run. People can walk or run eight laps around City Park. Tickets are $10 for one or $25 for a family of three or more and can be purchased at Eventbrite.
The season's first Circles in the Sand event is scheduled for Friday, April 21, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Facerock Viewpoint. The full list of dates and times is on the Bandon Chamber's events page.
Collectors and yard-sale enthusiasts are invited to Bandon on Saturday, April 22, to attend the Bandon Community Yard Sale, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
More than 30 participants, including a few Bandon businesses, will be sharing their treasures. An online map of participant locations will be posted soon by the chamber. Printed maps will be available at the Bandon Visitor's Center on the day of the event.
"When you need a break, check out our local restaurants, or stop by the Bandon Community Center and the Earth Day Artisan Market. There you will find the Sweetheart Waffle Truck and the Mucheria Taco Truck," said the chamber spokesman.
The Earth Day Artisan Market will be held at The Barn/Community Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with 25 local vendors, local wine tasting by Lori Osborne, and live music.
SOLVE is also holding its annual spring beach cleanup Saturday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning at the gazebo in city park. For information contact Betsy Neeley at bneeley2@charter.net. Registration is recommended but not required.
For a complete list of events go to www.Bandon.com.
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Bandon is experiencing one of the rainiest springs in a long time, and in March we recorded 11.18 inches of rain, which was more than February's 5.51 inches, January's 9.99. December's 10.85 and November's 9.66 inches of rain. March rainfall for last year was 5.53 inches.
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Since my doctor, Ann Kellogg, is no longer associated with Coast Community Health Clinic, I have decided to have Dr. Paul Preslar, who is new to Bandon and the Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center, be my new provider. I have heard good things about him and am looking forward to meeting him.
People who need a doctor should pick up a physician request form (not sure what it's called) at the clinic on 11th as he is taking new patients.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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