As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Aug 26, 2020
I can still remember the string of burglaries and vandalism that hit the city in the mid-'70s, including this break-in at Buck's Sentry Market in September of 1973.
Break-in at Buck's Sentry Market, 1973
Paul Esselstyn looks at the big hole that was kicked in the door where several hundred dollars worth of cigarettes were stolen. In the same week, Sailor Joe's Galley (later Bandon Boatworks) on the South Jetty was vandalized. Three juveniles were apprehended in connection with the burglary. Buck's Sentry Market was owned by Buck and Nadya Rogers and was located in the large building at the south city limits now owned by Larry Hardin, where Brian Vick operated his antique business.
How many of us remember when we had both Sears and Montgomery & Ward catalog stores in Bandon? The second picture, which was also taken in 1973, features the Sears Catalog Sales store, operated for many years by Mary MacDonald (and also Anne Smith) in the building which now houses Fast Mart, across the highway from McKay's Market and just south of La Kris Motel.
Sears Catalog Sales store, 1973
I still remember taking this third picture in April of 1972 in the cozy living room of a beloved Bandon couple, Noah and Neva Davison, as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married in Bandon and had six children, including four who were still living at the time (son Earle, and daughters, Lillian Bowman, Elinor Bowman and Marjorie Andrade).
Noah and Neva Davison, 1972
The couple farmed until 1938 when Davison built and operated Davison's Market in downtown Bandon for 15 years before turning it over to Earle, who operated the store under the name Bandon Market. It was located across Delaware from McNair Hardware (now Bandon Brewing Co.) and just south of what is now Dr. Sharen Strong's office. The site is now a parking lot adjacent to the Chevron station.
In March of 1974, just two months after Bandon High School burned, Bandon Market was destroyed by fire. The cause of the fire was never determined although two local men, Bill McNeil and Ron Goodell, reported to the police that they had chased an unidentified person from the vicinity of the store down to the waterfront. But no one was ever found. And there was no sign of forced entry.
Less than a year later, in January of 1975, McNair Hardware was destroyed by fire, caused when a burglar was using a blow torch to open the safe, and the spark caused a subsequent fire.
In my As I See It column of Jan. 30, 1975, (yes, I have been writing a column on and off for over 45 years) I mention that the McNair fire was the fourth of what may have been arson fires, as Perry Bros mill had also had an arson fire around that time.
* * *
With at least two elections coming up, people are reminded that rather than chance their ballots to the U.S. Postal Service, it is always secure to put their ballots in the drop box at City Hall. The ballots will be picked up twice a week during the voting window and at 8 p.m. on election day This ensures the voter that the ballot would be received in time to be counted.
* * *
Speaking of the election, I am urging people to support the two ballot measures on the September 15 ballot, which are Measure 6-179 and 6-180. The City is NOT asking for rate-setting authority, which I read in a recent Facebook post, but rather for a specific rate increase: $8 a month for water ($11 outside city limits) and $7 a month for sewer ($11 a month outside city limits).
When the voters turned down our request for rate-setting authority last spring, many said that had we asked for a specific amount, they would have supported it. And we are hoping that the voters will understand the need and vote yes for both measures.
We have a perfect example of what it can mean financially to the city taxpayers because we are not able to set our rates.
A letter from the bond rating company, Moody's Investors Service, explained that they were downgrading our bonds from A2 to Baa1 because, in part, we are "largely restricted from raising rates without voter support. Favorably, new management hired at the beginning of 2020 is working to materially improve financial controls," said Moody's, referring to Bandon's new city manager and finance director.
Moody's stressed the factors that could lead to an upgrade of the rating:
1. Substantial and sustained improvement in reserves across government operations and particularly in the general fund;
2. Legal change that allows for regular rate increases for the enterprise funds, which support the city's general operations.
It is clear that the 20-year-old initiative that prohibited the city from raising its utility rates without a vote has had a significant negative impact on our finances and our ability to seek grants or a favorable bond rating.
* * *
It's always sad when a city manager or a hospital administrator does not work out for whatever reason. I've read some snarky posts lately about our problems. But it helps to put it into perspective.
In the past 42 years, Bandon has had 5 city managers. The industry-standard is 3 to 5 years for a manager to remain with a city. Of the last four, one 20-year manager retired after a stellar career with the city, two were brought to us by the Prothman Company, a well-respected city manager recruitment company, and the fourth, who also came via Prothman as a candidate for the City of Coquille, is doing a great job for the City of Bandon. This is evidenced by my earlier post, quoting from the Moody's letter.
There will always be people who will tear down local government and the people who try every day to do the right thing, and for them I actually feel sorry as the kind of hatred I've seen lately can be very stressful to maintain.
* * *
I was finishing up my last drop of delicious Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry drink the other night when I happened to notice what looked like a familiar face on the back of the bottle.
Sure enough it was Ocean Spray grower Steve Gant, who was described as "A third generation cranberry grower ... working alongside 700 other farm families as part of the Ocean Spray Cooperative ... Farmer owned since 1930."
It was such a treat to see a local man on my Cran-Raspberry bottle ....
* * *
I know it's a thankless job, but my hats are off to the merchants and business owners who are doing their part to encourage people to wear masks when they come into their stores. I see a lot of compliance, although like all of you, I've hard of the confrontations as people try to get others to comply.
These are not easy times, and we will get through them, but the statement that we hear often is true: We are all in this together .... and the more that people wear masks and keep their distance from each other, the sooner we will be back to some kind of normal.
Even if you don't necessarily believe in it, isn't it worth it not to have our business community moved back to phase one? So far, Coos County is in a much better position casewise than most other Oregon counties, and certainly much better off than most of the Eastern Oregon counties.
And for those who are fearful, it is really up to each of us to determine "our own individual risk tolerance for exposure to infectious disease."
We all need to do what we feel is best to take care of our health and the health of our loved ones.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Aug 19, 2020
I am so excited after just watching the culmination of the US Amateur Championship, hosted by Bandon Dunes, that it's going to be hard to settle down to write my column. But here goes.
The first two pictures that I am sharing this week are entwined in history, including the steamer Grace Dollar and the picture of the white cedar ties lining the dock waiting to be shipped to other ports.
White cedar ties
An article in the Dec. 16, 1915, Western World tells of the importance of the white cedar business to the local economy.
The article starts out by saying, "Enough ties to build 136 miles of standard railroad track, 475,000 ties to be exact, were made within a radius of 12 miles of Bandon, hauled to the docks (pictured) and shipped from this city during the first 11 months of this year. The total value of this immense output was $200,000, and 5 ships, with carrying capacities of from 250,000 to 1,000,000 feet of lumber, were kept busy almost continually carrying the ties to California.
"Most of the ties manufactured here this year were nine foot lengths, made of white cedar and all were hewed by hand. Placed end to end this number of ties would reach 645 miles, or more than across the state of Oregon.
"In no other industry perhaps does so large a percentage of the total value of the product go to the actual producers as in the manufacturing and marketing of hewed ties."
The sum of $211,000 represented the business of three firms, including the Dollar company and the A.F. Estabrook company. "All of the Dollar ties, 75,000 in number, were shipped on the steamer Grace Dollar, the largest vessel that ever entered the local port.
Grace Dollar
"The Speedwell, with a capacity of 800,000 feet, and the Bandon and Fifield, each carrying 500,000 feet, handle the output of the Estabrook company.
"During the year the tie industry has provided steady employment for 420 men at good wages and there will be no let up in the business for years to come."
"The ties are exclusively made of Port Orford white cedar, a fine-grained pure white wood carrying a high percentage of oil of cedar which acts as a natural preservative. The railroad companies have found that ties made of this wood hold spikes well and are of practically lasting qualities, being good for an average of 18 to 20 years. The white cedar is a native of this section of the Oregon coast, this being the only section in the United States where it is found in commercial quantities -- a local monopoly."
The third picture I am sharing is of the late Hiemer Kiefer, one of Bandon High School's best-ever athletes, as he takes part in football practice in September of 1973.
Hiemer Kiefer, 1973
After graduating from high school in 1974, he moved to Eugene where he met and married his wife Joan, and they returned to Bandon to raise their two children. At the time of his death in October 2018 at the age of 63, Hiemer was just getting ready to retire as director of maintenance for the Bandon School District.
* * *
I spent every night this week watching the Golf Channel, which carried the last five days of the 120th U.S. Amateur Championship, and I was blown away by the camera shots of the beautiful Bandon Dunes course, on which most of the rounds were played.
The TV coverage certainly highlighted the Resort and the entire area, including Bandon, in a very favorable light .... the spotlight. No only did our rock formations receive plenty of publicity, but the cameras also featured Circles in the Sand and Washed Ashore. And the announcers praised the Bandon community, as many of them stayed in locals motels.
But the real thrill was watching the young men as they battled so hard for the prestigious trophy. Tyler Strafaci, 22, was the eventual winner, made even more special for his family (his father was on the bag) by the fact that his grandfather, Frank Strafaci Sr. had won the same trophy 85 years ago in 1935.
Tyler joins other notables like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jack Nicklaus who were Amateur champions.
Strong winds were a real factor the first five days; Saturday turned out to be warm and windless for the semi-final matches, and Sunday appeared to be pretty much the same until the dense fog rolled in midway through the back nine. It was so bad at one point that the USGA official stopped the match .... but miraculously a hole in the fog opened up a few minutes later so they could continue to play the last three holes.
This is the kind of positive publicity that no amount of money could buy.
* * *
People are reminded that Barbara Dodrill is celebrating her 93rd birthday Tuesday (Aug. 18) at her home at 850 N. Michigan, and people are urged to drive by, honk, and wish her well, between the hours of 3 and 5.
People should also know that Jill Chappell Sumerlin's service will be Sunday, Aug. 23, at 1:30 at the VFW Hall followed by Jill's interment. As only 25 people can be in the VFW Hall at the same time, overflow crowds may have to stand outside the building in the parking lot. The family also stressed that masks will be required.
* * *
I can't wait for Danielle Benjamin to officially open her new restaurant Raven SaltWater Grille in the building, across from Alloro, which she recently bought from Nancy Evans. It will be nice to see the area thriving again as the building has mostly been closed for the last couple of years.
Danielle is a great chef and I can see by her Facebook page that she will have many delicacies on the menu.
* * *
Bandon continued to receive the type of publicity that is outside of the chamber's ad budget. This time there was a lengthy article in The Oregonian about the new movie, "The Rental," which was filmed in a vacation rental dwelling in Bandon.
The director, Dave Franco, called the thriller's Oregon coast location "beautiful and ominous."
"Franco also sang the praises of some Bandon businesses, including Foley's Irish Pub, Edgewaters and Mother's Natural Grocery, 'where the owner really treated us like family,' " according to the writer. I also know they ate a lot of dinners at Alloro as I often saw the film crew headed into the back dining room.
Franco is married to the actress Alison Brie, of GLOW fame, who plays Michelle in the film.
* * *
Nancy Evans, 74, sent out a press release last week letting the public know that she was running for mayor. Outside of touting things like the Saturday Street Sale (1974-75) and her involvement with the Bandon Historical Society, which took place decades ago, she told the public that "the current mayor has served on the City Council since the 1970s."
That, of course, is a complete fabrication (I have a better word for it, but I will save it for later). I left the city council in 1986 after serving nine years, and was not on the city council again until I was elected mayor in 2004 ... which is a span of 18 years when I was NOT on the city council.
She sent me a note indicating she hoped we would have a "fair and fun" campaign. I responded to her by saying, "Looking forward to an honest campaign, based on my years of experience, both as a city official and in dealing with you on a number of issues through the years."
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Aug 12, 2020
I've often talked about the old high school, which was on the east side of town at the time of the Fire of 1936, and went on to serve the district until 1950 when the building was abandoned and students moved to the new school across town on Ninth Street. It was that "new" high school that was destroyed by arsonist Gary Lee Duncan in 1974, and later replaced by the present high school. After the Fire, the gym served as the grade school until 1939 when the present Ocean Crest Grade School was built on the site of the elementary school which burned in the Fire.
The high school was built in 1915 at a cost of $25,000 for construction and equipment. The average attendance in 1957 was 650 students in the district, both grade school and high school. More than 60 years later, in 2019, the enrollment stood at 674 students.
Old high school, 1940s
I am not sure when this photo was taken, but it was probably in the late '40s. I do know that even after the high school building was demolished, the gymnasium was still used by the school district. When I was in high school in the mid to late '50s, we were bused across town for PE classes. And we also held our high school dances in that building.
Although some of the history books say that the Quonset Hut (east side elementary school) was built on the same site, that is not true. It was built on the same property, but not on the same site. This area is part of the present high school baseball field, about where right field is now.
The second photo was probably taken in the late 1960s or early '70s when Shell Oil Co. had its large gas tanks on the property just west of the First Baptist Church. The tanks have long since been removed, and the property is for sale.
Shell Oil's gas tanks
In the foreground, you can see Bandon Police Officer Sid Dominy taking notes at the scene of an accident. At the foot of the hill you can see the roof of the Coquille Valley Dairy Co-op, now the site of Face Rock Creamery.
The third picture was taken in October of 1979 at the Ocean Spray Cranberry plant south of Bandon during the harvest.
Ocean Spray Cranberry plant, 1979
Pictured are Ocean Spray employees Bob Propeck, at left, and Gary Chrismon.
The accompanying article in Western World, which I wrote, said: "The record-breaking cranberry crop, which was predicted for this area in early forecasts, may not quite materialize, but it will probably come close to 100,000 barrels, said Ocean Spray Cranberries Manager Pam McGinty.
"The largest crop ever harvested locally was 101,212 barrels back in 1972, but after that it dropped to 87,000 barrels before it started climbing upward again towards last season's harvest of 92,756 barrels, said Mrs. McGinty.
"The berries are trucked into the plant in large tote bins by the individual growers, and then travel through a screening process before being shipped to freezers in other areas where they are held until such time as they are processed by Ocean Spray canneries in other berry-producing states such as Washington."
McGinty said at least 95 percent of the berries were water-picked, and she had heard no complaints about the availability of water for the harvest.
"The 94 growers who belong to the local Ocean Spray cooperative own close to 900 acres, although not all are currently in production. Growers are paid in the neighborhood of $20 a barrel (100 pounds) for their berries, and this year's price is expected to be a little higher than last year's, said McGinty."
An article which appeared in November of 2018 in WW explained that of the 700 Ocean Spray growers in the United States, 60 of them are in Oregon (mostly on the South Coast). Independent growers have also formed their own co-ops.
A statistic from the US Department of Agriculture website said the price per 100-pound barrel in 2017 averaged $57.60 for fresh cranberries and $29.10 per 100-pound barrel for processed cranberries. I could not find corresponding figures for the local crop.
The price has continued to fluctuate over the years. "The cost per barrel received by some growers fell from approximately $30 in 2011 to $10 in 2016, the Agricultural Marketing Service said in the Federal Register. Meanwhile, prices have risen since then, the agency said."
* * *
Qualifying rounds for the U.S. Amateur championship, being hosted this week by Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, began Monday (Aug. 10) on Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails courses, and continues through Sunday.
The last five days of the event will be televised. People can sign up for Peacock, the streaming service of NBC, by going to www.peacocktv.com/freesignup. It requires creating an account, but it takes only about a minute and there is no cost. The tournament will also be broadcast on the Golf channel Wednesday through Sunday. For those of you with Dish TV, the Golf channel can be found on channel 401.
The schedule follows:
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 3 to 4 p.m., Peacock; 4 to 6 p.m., Golf; Thursday, Aug. 13, 3 to 4 p.m., Peacock; 4 to 6 p.m., Golf; Friday, 3 to 4 p.m., Peacock; 4 to 6 p.m., Golf channel; Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m., Golf channel, and Sunday, 4 to 7 p.m., Golf channel.
* * *
I saw an interesting article in The Oregonian Sunday, which contained a list of the 10 zip codes in Oregon with the most Covid-19 cases per capita, and all but two of them were in Eastern Oregon, and none were on the coast.
As of Aug. 2, the 10 towns (with the county in parenthesis) were Boardman (Morrow), Hermiston (Umatilla), Umatilla (Umatilla), Warm Springs (Jefferson), Nyssa (Malheur), Stanfield (Umatilla), Pendleton (Umatilla), Ontario (Malheur), Milton-Freewater (Umatilla) and McMinnville (Yamhill).
It appears that social gatherings account for the increase in cases in most of these areas where people apparently choose not to abide by the social distancing and mask requirements.
For example, the numbers for Boardman equate to 98 per 10,000 people, or one out of every 100 residents have been infected.
* * *
I am sure that none of you are immune from the constant barrage of scam calls, but lately the number of calls I've received has begun to border on harassment. In a 24-hour period, I received nine calls, starting just after 8 a.m. Since I don't answer numbers that I am not familiar with, I simply hit "Can I call you later" on my Smartphone, and if it turns out to be a legitimate call, I return it immediately.
Occasionally I answer, and it generally has to do with mortgage insurance. It is interesting that if you don't answer and then try to call the number, you will often get a recording which indicates it is not a valid number???
* * *
I read this week that Oregon will require face coverings for people working in office settings, but when that will take place has yet to be determined.
Currently, office settings fall under state orders that require masks in indoor spaces when 6 feet of social distance cannot be maintained between people.
I personally was led to believe that was already a state requirement, and from a recent post on Facebook, others thought so too.
It's confusing, to say the least. Hopefully people will do what they can to stop the spread of the virus, and help Coos County and other coastal counties remain off the Governor's "watch" list.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Aug 05, 2020
To see how many positive changes have occurred in Old Town over the years one needs only look at the first two pictures I am sharing, found in "A Master Plan for Historic Bandon," dated September 1982, which was during my time on the City Council. The photos were probably taken in the '70s. The first picture was the former Arcade Tavern building on the corner of Chicago and Second.
Arcade Tavern, 1970s
Today the building is owned by Bill and Louise Moore and houses Eichelberger and Company real estate office, as well as D'Lyn's Studio and Creative Crafts. On the Chicago side is Pablo's Corner.
At left, you can see the new city hall, which opened in January of 1970. Across the street was the long-time home of Black Horse Boutique, one of my all-time favorite shops.
The second picture shows what the area across from Lloyd's looked like in those days. The art gallery building and the barber shop next door is where Second Street Gallery and Coastal Mist are now located.
Across the street from Lloyd's, 1970s
The third picture is Reg Pullen with his four-point buck, taken in 1966. Not sure if the long-time port commission chairman is still a hunter, but I know he's one heck of a fisherman.
Reg Pullen, 1966
* * *
You can imagine how thrilled I was when Jeff Moore called me last week to say that he and a group of men from Holy Trinity Catholic Church's Knights of Columbus group were cleaning the grounds of the post office. He texted me Sunday to say that they will be working Monday (Aug. 3) beginning at 10:30 a.m. and again on Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m., for anyone who wants to lend a hand.
I know that others have stopped by to assist, including Barry Winters, who just happened to have his big trailer hooked up to his pickup, and took away a load of brush and weeds that the crew had cut.
I believe Amy will have a story about the group, on line and probably in the Bandon pages in the World next week.
Thanks to Jeff and his crew for their hard work. And I know the community thanks them, too.
* * *
Earlier this week I had a long talk with Don Crowe, the general manager of the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, to find out exactly what measures they are taking for those coming into the Resort for the 120th U.S. Amateur Aug. 10-16.
And I learned that it is extensive.
They have a large tent set up on the property, where everyone who comes to the Dunes, including players, staff, caddies, parents, USGA staff, and TV personnel will be tested. But before they even arrive on site, each person has to have tested negative in their home state before leaving. The tests, which are being taken here, are being over-nighted to Portland for immediate results. Anyone showing symptoms after two negative tests will be administered another COVID-19 antigen test. These results are provided in 20 minutes and will enable them to quickly determine the severity of the situation. All testing is done through the resort's third party lab and will not use Coos County resources. There will also be daily temperature checks and a series of questions that must be answered by each person associated with the tournament.
The Dunes has 93 Lexus vehicles which will be used to transport golfers and parents to and from Eugene and North Bend airports in addition to various locations on and off the resort.
All are following stringent safety protocol. Having just been out there Friday I can tell you everyone is masked up and they are making sure that those meeting the public are wearing masks. When they are on site, the golfers who are playing on one course will all eat in one restaurant and cannot go into the others; the same for the golfers who are playing in the tournament on the other course, they will be assigned a specific place to eat and they will not be allowed into the other restaurants. Each group will remain in its own bubble for preventive measures.
As to the number of people who are expected to be on site, the number is between 650 and 700. Don pointed out that that is actually less people than are on site during a usual summer weekday.
And yes, they have discussed their plans extensively with the Coos County Commissioners, Coos Health and Wellness, Coast Community Health Clinic (Dr. Hank Holmes will be assisting if needed) and the Governor's office. Since it is in the county commissioners' jurisdiction, they are the ones who have granted permission for the tournament to proceed with the strict precautions that are being taken.
I feel that Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has gone way beyond what many across the country are doing .... to keep not only those on site safe, but also the community at large, including their employees.
* * *
Jeff Botelho, a cycling industry professional with 17 years in bicycle retail, purchasing, marketing and inventory management, has purchased South Coast Bicycles from Karl Maxon at 805 Second Street (Highway 101 and June) and has officially taken over effective Aug. 1. Jeff is from Paso Robles, Calif. Welcome to the community.
* * *
I can certainly understand how Amy must have felt when she learned that Western World would not longer be publishing a newspaper each week .... as has been done for more than 100 years. And it hit me equally as hard.
My grandfather, the late L. D. Felsheim, was a partner in the Western World when he arrived in town in 1912. Shortly he bought out the other man and continued to operate the Western World until 1962 when he died of a heart attack on the 9th green at Bandon Westmost Golf Course at the age of 75. I had gone to work as news editor in 1959 and my uncle, Lou Felsheim, and I carried on after the death of my grandfather.
Warren Strycker later bought the paper and my uncle retired. Over the years I worked for 12 different owners but for many of those years I was the one constant ... like Amy has been for many years and Melody before her.
While going through some old papers this week I found a letter from Roland L. Parks, school superintendent and secretary of the Bandon Chamber of Commerce, dated Jan. 16, 1981, when I was the WW editor.
I am going to share some of what he said.
"During the 15 years I was superintendent of schools, I have relied on the Western World and Mary for literally hundreds of news releases giving out needed information to the community. No one could ask for better cooperation and its editor, Mary, in the many dealings we have had together. Looking back over those many years I cannot recall a single incident of dissension. Mary, you have been the mainstay of the paper. I have often thought as seeing various phases of the media that you could have gone to the top in many fields but thank goodness you choose to stay in Bandon."
At the bottom, he says "Not a Letter to the Editor." But after all these years, and Rollie long gone. I think he would have been happy for me to share it ....and sad to hear that Western World was no longer printing a paper.
I certainly would not have had all the neat old pictures that I'm shared over the years.... had it not been for Western World. This is truly a sad day, particularly for people like Amy Moss Strong, Melody Juarez and me who gave so many years of our lives to our favorite weekly newspaper.
* * *
The Oregon State Police are looking for anyone in Coos, Douglas or Lane counties who may have had their vehicles crashed into on Saturday. Officers finally arrested a 47-year-old man from Eureka, Calif., Kevin Simpson, who was driving a stolen vehicle. He told the police that he believed he had struck 26 different vehicles during his intentional "hit and run spree" which was first reported on Highway 101 just north of North Bend. One person was hospitalized in one of the incidents. Anyone who may have witnessed something or been involved is asked to contact the OSP Southern Command Center at 541-269-5000 and leave information for Trooper Douglas Laird.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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