As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Feb 24, 2021
I love this old picture of the second of Bandon's school houses, built in 1894 and first occupied in 1895. The school census had reached 212, which was too many students for the one-story frame building near Edison Avenue and 4th Street, which was the site of Bandon's first school house. When that building was vacated it was sold to the Methodist Church.
This building was on a parcel of land that overlooked the Coquille River and Pacific Ocean, and adjoined the property of the U.S. Coast Guard, then called the U.S. Life Saving Station. This school house was a two-story frame building, which burned in the 1936 fire, although it was no longer used as a school, but had other community purposes.
Bandon's second school house
I chose this picture to illustrate the story "What Bandon Has," which I found on the front page of the Dec. 26, 1911, Bandon Recorder. It was interesting to learn just what was here over 100 years ago.
Here is what Bandon had in 1911:
"A $45,000 high school and grammar school facilities.
"Electric lights and pure mountain water.
"Fourteen sawmills contributary to Bandon harbor, 2 shipyards, 2 salmon canneries, one woolen mill, two woodworking plants, one veneer plant, one foundry, two machines shops, one creamery and three planing mills.
"Excellent harbor -- regular steamers to Portland and San Francisco.
"Immense coal fields, greatest white cedar forest in America, and finest dairy country that lies out of doors.
"Unlimited opportunities in the immediate vicinity of Bandon for agricultural, dairying and livestock development.
"Thousands of acres of the best farming lands in Oregon, excellent for fruits, grains, vegetables of all kinds and nearly every product not of a tropical nature can be raised in abundance.
"Profusion of wild flowers and climatic conditions offer unexcelled conditions for bee culture.
"Thousands of cords of pulp wood waiting to be utilized. No better section of Oregon for a pulp mill. Opportunities for furniture manufacturers are found in abundance of myrtle, ash, oak and maple.
"Oil fields under development by local capital (at Bear Creek) .... and a wide-awake semi-weekly newspaper."
The second picture I am sharing is of former fire chief Walt Ashton, who is at the scene of an arson fire, which completely gutted the interior of McNair Hardware on Jan. 25, 1975, a year after another arson fire destroyed the Bandon High School complex.
Arson fire, McNair Hardware, 1975
The McNair Hardware fire occurred during a burglary as a blow torch was used to cut open the safe, which apparently resulted in the fire. Officials weren't sure if the burglar had deliberately set the fire or if it were an accident, but it had been burning for over an hour in the back of the building before it was detected. By that time, it was too late to make entry and the biggest loss, according to the owner Melvin Boak, were the accounts receivable records.
A few days after the fire, a Laurel Grove man was spotted coming out of the burned building with a handful of guns he had stolen after making unlawful entry. The men who saw him could not find an officer to report what they saw, so they drove to the fire hall where fire practice was going on and told the firemen what they had witnessed. Two of the firemen, Barry Winters and Chuck Shultz, sped downtown just in time to see the man's pickup pull away from the hardware store. They squeezed him off the road just past the creamery and by that time several other firemen had arrived on the scene, including Lanny Boston, Fred Richert, Steve Fox, Bruce Brown, Brad Jarvis and Randy Texley. Officer Marc Johnson then arrived on the scene and took him into custody.
Although Walt was apparently still with the fire department, Lanny Boston assumed the duties of chief in 1974, a position he still ably holds today.
The third picture was taken at a meeting of the Bandon Booster Club as president Ron Knox, left, presents Police Chief D. S. "Big Mac" MacDonald with a lifetime membership, for having filmed many of the sporting events during the years. Also pictured is Booster club member Bob Vaughn.
Bandon Booster Club
Mac joined the Ingram brothers, Floyd and Kenneth, as lifetime members of the club.
* * *
I was sorry to learn that long-time Bandonian Jack McMahon had died Tuesday night at the age of 83. Jack came to Bandon with his parents, Isabel and George McMahon, in June of 1951 from Red Cloud, Neb. After graduating from Bandon High School in 1955, he married Barbara Norton in 1958. They had two children, Mark and Jerry McMahon, both of Bandon, and four grandchildren. Barbara died several years ago.
A cranberry grower, Jack was a long-time volunteer fireman, and also served on various school board committees.
Surviving are three of his five brothers and sisters, including Jean (Mrs. Clayton) Duval of Bandon, Edward McMahon of Palm Springs and Doris Erickson of Red Cloud, and his close companion, Bonnie Barnes. Both Jack and Bonnie had lost their spouses, and I was so glad to see that they could enjoy each other's company and especially loved to travel.
He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Wally McMahon of Bandon and Donald.
* * *
Several people have posted on the Next Door site about people breaking into vehicles in various neighborhoods of Bandon. One woman, who lives south of City Park, said the car doors were opened and the glove box contents were left on the passenger seat, but it did not appear that anything was taken. "Probably just looking for cash or a thrill to be doing something illegal," she posted.
Another said cash had been stolen, but valuables had been left behind. At any rate, people are urged to lock their vehicle doors, and, if possible, park in a lighted area if you aren't able to park inside. It might also be wise to take your garage door remote inside with you.
* * *
I'll have to admit I've been a bit apprehensive about having cataract surgery as I have not been hospitalized in many years, and only once for surgery, probably about 40 years ago.
But I will say that the treatment I received at Bay Area Hospital and from my ophthalmologist, Dr. Debra Graham, at Bay Eye Clinic, could not have been better, and now I am looking forward to March when I will have the second eye done.
To say that my vision improved overnight is an understatement. A few weeks earlier, I could barely read the top line on the eye chart, and four hours after my surgery I was reading at the five or six level. It was remarkable.
I will admit that having to put drops in my eyes four times a day, including one for a month, is a bit of a hassle, but I keep reminding myself that it's a small price to pay for good vision. And the eye patch at night is interesting!
But back to the care. The nurses in the short term stay area at Bay Area Hospital were fabulous. I think I had five or six people care for me during the nearly four hours I was there, and each one was friendly, helpful and caring. They even gave me a card signed by most of them when I left, and the next day one of the RNs, Rob, called to see how I was doing.
And I especially want to thank my friend and fellow councilor Madeline Seymour for driving me there .... at 7 in the morning, and my sister, Molly, for taking me back later in the afternoon for my post-op appointment.
I also appreciate those of you who emailed me about your experiences with cataract surgery, all of which were positive and encouraging.
If there's a downside, it's seeing wrinkles that I didn't know were there.
* * *
And through it all, our restaurants and bars remain closed. It becomes harder to understand every day as most of the rest of the country begins to slowly open as Covid cases decline and vaccinations increase.
It just does not seem fair that people can go to Langlois or Port Orford for a sit-down dinner, but not anywhere in Coos County. I have heard of small cafes opening in some areas of the county, but my guess is they do not have a liquor license as that is the risk that restaurants and bars take.
As the weather improves, more and more establishments are offering, or working toward, outside seating.
I continue to say that our restaurants and bars should be allowed to open, and for those of you who do not want to take the risk, I understand. You have the option of staying home, but for others of us, who want to dine in, please allow that to happen.
And if they do open and you don't feel safe, continue to support them by ordering take-out. I know they appreciate the support.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Feb 17, 2021
The story I am sharing this week is about how the crew of the Bandon Coast Guard (life-saving) station saved the lives of two Port Orford fishermen. The picture I am sharing was taken during a Coast Guard drill in the river probably sometime in the 1910s or '20s.
Coast Guard drill
An article in the May 27, 1913, Bandon Recorder told of the rescue.
"After one of the most thrilling experiences in the history of the life-saving work on the coast, the Bandon Life Saving Crew under command of Captain Johnson sailed home Saturday noon."
That previous Thursday morning the call came in at 10:15 about two men who were off the coast at Rogue River hanging on to a wrecked fishing schooner. The Power Life Boat left Coquille River bar and started full speed southward in a desperate effort to save the ill-fated fishermen. They didn't know the exact location but were told it was within a few miles of the mouth of Rogue River.
They finally reached the mouth of the Rogue about 4 p.m., having traveled 55 miles in five and a half hours. They searched unsuccessfully for the two men, who were said to be lashed by slender ropes to the upturned end of the boat as it was tossed about by angry waves. They remained tied to the boat until they were finally rescued at 6 o'clock that evening by the Bandon crew.
"They had not eaten a meal since leaving Port Orford Wednesday morning. They had begun to despair of being saved when the Brooklyn was seen coming on her way toward Bandon, but this boat could not be signaled through the fog and was about two miles distant in passing," said the article.
No more than had the men spotted the life-saving boat than one of them collapsed, and it was said that he would not have lasted more than an hour. Most of their clothing had washed from their bodies and their faces were black and swollen.
Unable to reach land because of the rough seas, the Coast Guardsmen spent the night caring for the two men, before the life boat reached Port Orford at 10:30 Friday morning.
"The life-saving crew remained at Port Orford to rest after their long and perilous trip .... and came in home Saturday at noon.
"Exactly two years ago this month, Captain Johnson and his brave crew were summoned to this same place to rescue 14 people who had been marooned on a rock at sea, when the Wash Calore was lost. From that time until this no serious calls have been made upon this station, though the crew have kept primed for service and always are in fit condition to respond at a moments notice to any call for help" ... as evidenced by the drill in this photo.
Among the crew members were Capt. Robert Johnson, Clarence Boice and Victor Breuer.
Boice was a member of the Boice family from Langlois and Breuer was a member of the pioneer Breuer family. I believe you can see the Breuer building on the waterfront, just west of the Levi Strauss & Co sign.
The second picture I am sharing was probably taken in the '60s of the Bandon High School football grandstand, which was truly one of the best in the league.
Bandon High School football grandstand, 1960s
You can also see several older buildings across Eleventh Street behind the grandstand, which have long since been torn down. The property is now home to the high school softball field, and metal risers sit on the spot where the grandstand stood.
The third picture features one of my favorite students (from my high school photography class days) Jim "Hutch" Hutchens, who is pictured with an unidentified younger boy as they admire a young seal (or a sea lion).
Boys admiring seal pup
Jim graduated from Bandon High in 1975. There was no date on the negative, so I am assuming that Jim was probably in junior high when this photo was taken, and I don't know the occasion. But it's still a neat picture.
* * *
If you get an opportunity, stop by Art by the Sea Gallery and Studio and look over the new community photography show, "The Eye & the Lens." There are some tremendous photos in the show, and I'm not just saying that because one of my two entries earned the third-place ribbon. I have not entered any of my work for some years, but on a whim I wanted to share the photo I call "A peaceful repose," which features a rock lying in the South Fork of the Coquille River above Powers. But it's the shadows and the detail that really make the photo.
'A Peaceful Repose', photograph by Mary Schamehorn
First place winner was Sue Brownfield with her piece, "radish," and second prize went to Sandy Vilahu's "Chasing the Wave." The judge, Jan Ayers, also awarded honorable mention to Sally Weymouth, Annetta Adams, Dick Brownfield, Darla Parthemore, Olivia Welch, Terry Stroh, Roxolana Elliot, Ginny Prickett and Brandon Collura.
Art by the Sea is located at Fillmore and 101 adjacent to The Station Restaurant. Take time also to view the fantastic work of the 20 artists who are members of Art by the Sea.
* * *
Information coming from the state's largest school district is not good. In spite of the fact that the governor has moved teachers ahead of seniors for the Covid-19 vaccine, The Oregonian reported last week that the teachers union is pushing back on reopening.
The article explains that the union representing district teachers "says it's opposed because reopening schools may put Black, Indigenous and other families of color at high health risk."
Previously, their concern was that it would put them at risk; and the governor agreed, allowing them to be vaccinated. But that apparently is not enough, and since the governor has allowed each school district to make its own decision about reopening schools, it may be a while before Portland kids are back in the classroom.
The articles that appear daily in The Oregonian contain the kind of information that you are not going to read in a line or two on social media. But most appear to be a pretty accurate, and often times sad, depiction as to what is happening in the state's largest city.
* * *
Coos County Solid Waste has announced a free Household Hazardous Waste collection event, set for Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beaver Hill Solid Waste Disposal Site. People are asked to call 541-396-7624 to make an appointment for the collection event.
Things people cannot dispose of include ammunition, asbestos, explosives, fireworks, medical waste, sharps and radioactive waste.
* * *
I read something the other day on a Facebook post that really resonated with me as we see more and more examples of what can only be called the cancel culture:
"History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It's not yours to erase. It belongs to all of us."
* * *
For once I was glad to be 80 years old because I qualified for the Covid-19 vaccine, and Friday was able to receive my first vaccine at the very well-organized event sponsored by Coast Community Health Center. They certainly deserve a huge thank you for assisting so many people that day, and in such a caring way. It obviously took a lot of work behind the scenes to pull it off seemingly without a hitch. I've heard some disaster stories about vaccine events across the state, but this was definitely a success story.
Mine came two days after I was required to get a Covid test at Bay Area Hospital as I prepare for cataract surgery on Tuesday.
If you have an opportunity to get vaccinated, please don't hesitate.
* * *
In a recent column, I mentioned the Dew Valley Auto Court, which was located in the Dew Valley area south of town, but I wasn't sure exactly where it was situated.
One of my 1957 BHS classmates Larry Sabin contacted me to say that he and his family lived there for a short time back in the '40s, while their home was being built at Beach Junction.
And it was on the south side of Dew Valley Road, where the Crossings Golf Course is now located.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Feb 10, 2021
The first picture I am sharing was taken during a fun day of water skiing on Floras Lake in 1958 by my late uncle, Lou Felsheim, who had a cabin on the lake. But I chose this picture because it is one of the best pictures I have of the Floras Lake Resort, which is what my story is about.
Water skiing on Floras Lake, 1958
In the April 24, 1930, issue of Western World I found the headline: "Floras Lake is Open to the Public," with the subhead: "Parties admitted free who don't use tables, wood or water."
It adds that "those using any of the above must pay a charge of 25c per car."
The article continues: "For those seeking rest and recreation Floras Lake Resort owners have provided well. There is a well equipped hotel building with appropriate dining room and dancing floor, and a wide veranda from which a wonderful view of a wide expanse of the lake is obtained. The hotel is known for its excellent dining, room services, everything served being prepared by experienced women cooks.
"An added attraction to individuals and families who want real home comforts while in the wilds is a number of very modernly furnished two-, three-, and four-room cabins, equipped with beds, linen, cooking utensils, baths, electricity, toilets and other conveniences, all facing on the lake front with a view of the wonderful lake which has over 25 miles of shore line.
"The lake, a fresh water body, empties into the ocean which, at the ocean front, is a bare hundred yards away. Here visitors disport themselves in the mighty Pacific, enjoy the surf, clam digging, sea fishing and other sports.
"The lake itself, with its wooded shores, is one of the scenic wonders of the West."
Judging from the photo, we know the lodge was still there in 1958, but I have no idea when it was torn down or stopped functioning as a resort. But it surely sounds like a real showplace, less than 15 miles south of Bandon near Langlois.
The second photo was taken in late December of 1940 when Ferry Creek overflowed its bank and flooded the east end of town.
Ferry Creek overflowed its bank, 1940
Pictured here, on the left, is the Coquille Valley Dairy Co-op (now the site of Face Rock Creamery), and across the highway, now a vacant lot, is the Standard Service Station, which was owned for many years by George Chappell. West of the station, and across Fillmore Avenue, you can see the Coast Lumber Yard, which survived the Fire but finally fell into disrepair and was torn down many years later. West of the creamery was my dad's Gilmore Service Station, which is across Fillmore from what was then the city hall and is now the home of the Bandon Historical Society museum.
An article in the Jan. 2, 1941, Western World explains that because of several days of torrential rains, the water rose rapidly and within a short time formed a rushing river the full width of the highway toward the city hall. The water rose to a height of between 13 and 18 inches in places. It completely covered the floors in the Bob-Otto Court (site of the present Chevron station at Elmira and 101) where it also did considerable damage to the service station and the Greyhound bus depot, which were part of the Auto Court.
The third picture shows Sadye's Confectionary, the local soda fountain (now the home of Alloro Wine Bar) where the water was held from coming into the front door by sandbags. But note the rowboat in front of the door.
Sadye's Confectionary during the 1940 flood
At the liquor store next door it flowed across the sidewalk and under the building.
"Water covered the floor of the new Bandon Theatre from the stage several rows back but this was largely due to the tide having backed up the water in the special drainage system maintained by the theater," explained the article. The theater was situated immediately west of what is now the Bandon Coffee Cafe.
City employees were finally able to cut ditches across First street between Elmira and Fillmore, to return the water to the river. At that outlet, the bulkhead that held the street fill had to be blasted with dynamite.
* * *
So how does our rainfall compare to what occurred 80 years ago. Gerry Terp, who sends me the rainfall data every month, said Bandon recorded 14.13 inches in January, just a little less than the 14.57 recorded in January of 2020 ... but more than double the rainfall for January of 2019, which was 6.79 inches.
A look back at the last 17 years for January, shows a high of 20.45 inches in 2006 to a low of 2.56 inches in 2015. So if someone asks you what a typical January rainfall is like, you can honestly say, "It's all over the chart."
* * *
I know that the question on most people's minds these days is how do I get the Covid-19 vaccine and where do I sign up.
I asked Frances Smith of Coos County Friends of Public Health and here is what she said:
"If you are already registered through the Coos Health and Wellness website (www.cooshealthandwellness.org) then the next step is to wait for an email. When the amount of vaccine that is shipped each week to Coos County is determined, and it varies, the vaccine committee (which consists of the organizations which are administering it: Coos Health & Wellness, Bay Area Hospital, Southern Coos Hospital, Coquille Valley Hospital, Coast Community Health Center and others) meet on Tuesday to determine how and where the vaccine will best be distributed that week, for example, based on who has the capacity to hold a clinic, or make appointments, and also they consider placing it in a different areas of the county.
"A person should register with the CHW website. When that person becomes eligible, based on age, employment, etc., he or she will receive an email telling where vaccine is being offered and the date if there is a mass clinic. There may be a link to make an appointment at CHW, or there could be information on how to sign up at Southern Coos Hospital or NBMC. So the person has to take that next step to make an appointment, and appointments are made on a first come first served basis. So watch for an email telling you where to make an appointment. If a person does not use the Internet, then they should call Coos Health and Wellness (541-266-6700) to be put on the list for notification."
* * *
People often try to politicize everything having to do with the Covid-19 virus, so I decided to take a look at the nationwide cases and deaths per 100,000 population in the 50 states to see if most were occurring in blue states or in red states.
To begin with, Oregon's is fifth from the lowest when it comes to deaths per 100,000 people and fourth from the bottom in the number of cases per 100,000 people.
The six states with the lowest death rates (Vermont, Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, Oregon and Utah) were split down the middle .... with three having Democratic governors and three having Republican governors. The same goes for the six states with the highest date rates (New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Mississippi and South Dakota), as three are governed by Republicans and three by Democrats.
The death rate in the highest states, which ranged from 202 to 245 deaths per 100,000 population, was far higher than Oregon's, whose death rate is 48 per 100,000 population. Vermont and Hawaii share honors for the lowest rate, at 29.
* * *
Coos County Solid Waste has announced a free Household Hazardous Waste collection event, set for Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beaver Hill Solid Waste Disposal Site. People are asked to call 541-396-7624 to make an appointment for the collection event.
Things people cannot dispose of include ammunition, asbestos, explosives, fireworks, medical waste, sharps and radioactive waste.
* * *
Of all the Super Bowl ads that really got my attention was the one filmed by Bruce Springsteen for Jeep which urged Americans to move past their differences and find common ground: "It's no secret the middle has been a hard place to get to lately. We need the middle. We just have to remember the very soil we stand on is common ground so we can get there." He ends with a message of hope before the words "to the ReUnited States of America."
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Feb 03, 2021
The first picture I am sharing this week was taken in May of 1937, and was on the front page of the Western World heralding the opening of the "newest in English type beach cottages, especially designed to blend into Bandon's rugged coast line, characteristic of New Bandon."
Windermere, 1937
The article was talking about Windermere.
Bear in mind this was less than eight months after the Bandon Fire had virtually wiped out Bandon.
Here's what the article had to say about this wonderful new development, which stands today as one of the oldest and certainly most popular beach motels on the coast.
"Characteristic of a new type of construction that may be employed in the building of a new Bandon, Windermere is a recently completed group of modern beach cottages, owned by J.F.T. Kirkup, and situated along the ocean bluff at the Westmost Golf Course."
Actually the development was across Beach Loop Road from the golf course, much of which today is the Inn at Face Rock.
"While the new cottage group is not within the city limits, it is pointed out as a most desirable English-type architecture that lends itself in wide variations, and that could readily be adapted to New Bandon as it combines beauty with economy. It has all the convenience and durability necessary, is built of local materials, and the construction is not of an expensive type."
Today, Windermere is inside the city limits, which had been extended southward over the years.
"Mr. Kirkup began breaking ground for Windermere last September, just before the big fire. He owns about six acres along the ocean bluff with 1,000 feet of beach frontage. His building plans include six units, of which four, shown in the picture above, are completed. They are at present occupied by Bandon families who lost their homes to the fire.
"Each unit has three apartments, so arranged that all are convenient and every bit of space is utilized to advantage. They were planned by Mr. Kirkup with assistance in designing by the builders John Dornath & Sons."
Dornath, a long-time resident of Bandon, was best known as the builder of the Natureland resort, a mile or so south of Windermere, which survived the fire. All that remains of Natureland today is the original house. At its peak it was a masterpiece of whimsical design, complete with a functioning windmill and surrounded by small cabins.
The article about Windermere went on to say that "a central hot water plant and a private, electrically operated and controlled water system, have been installed, also a central plant to supply gas for cooking. The apartments are heated with individual oil heaters.
"Nearly every dollar that went into the construction was spent locally. The plumbing, including the hot water plant, was installed by the McNair Hardware Co., who also furnished builders hardware. The lumber and other materials were furnished by the Coast Lumber Yard, and the interior finish and mill work by the Acme Planing Mill.
In an editorial in the same issue of the paper, my grandfather (the editor and publisher) commented on the structure. "We think it a decidedly beautiful group of cottages, an addition to Bandon Beach of which the entire Oregon coast may be proud. We like to point to it as characteristic of what we hope New Bandon will be. Windermere is of an English, steep-roofed architectural style. It is unusually fitting to local climatic conditions and its general design seems to blend admirably into the natural landscape of this section.
"It is not for us to decide what the architecture of New Bandon is to be, but we take the liberty to suggest that some distinctive type be chosen and that all the buildings to be erected in the new restricted area be built along such definite lines."
The second picture was taken sometime in the early 1900s of the Grace Dollar, which warranted a front page article in the Bandon Recorder Feb. 28, 1913, as anticipation mounted for the arrival of the new ship. It is shown parked at the dock along First Street in front of one of the Bandon Woolen Mills.
Grace Dollar
"The new Grace Dollar, the big lumber carrier that is to make this port regularly from now on, left San Pedro for Bandon yesterday (which would have been a Thursday) and will probably arrive about Sunday.
"The Grace Dollar is the biggest boat that has ever come into this river and will carry a cargo of 800,000 feet of lumber, with a 12 foot draught and with a full cargo will carry 1,200,000 feet.
"The coming of the Speedwell and the Grace Dollar is marking a new era in the history of this port, and it will not be many years before much larger vessels will be coming here with ease."
"All we need is a little deeper water on the bar, and this can easily be secured by the forming of a port commission and then doing systemic work."
The Recorder often carried articles in those days urging the formation of a lower river port commission, which today we know as the Port of Bandon.
The third photo, probably taken sometime in the '60s, features Bandon School District Superintendent Roland "Rollie" Parks, at right, and long-time BHS principal Alvin "Swede" Mullikin, at left. Not sure what they are doing, but for certain it was some kind of a photo op for a picture undoubtedly taken by me.
Alvin "Swede" Mullikin & Roland "Rollie" Parks
Mullikin came to Bandon in 1956, and left around the mid-'60s to take a job in the Albany School District. Parks, who had served nine years as principal of Ashland high School, also arrived in the district in 1956 (my junior year in high school) and retired in June of 1971. He was followed by Otis K. Murray, who served four years before tragically dying of a heart attack in 1975, only months after an arsonist destroyed our high school.
* * *
Bandon's newest city councilor, Patrick Salandro, who was sworn in at the Jan. 4 council meeting, via zoom, has resigned.
Last Monday morning, Salandro sent an email to City Manager Dan Chandler and copied the councilors, saying: "It is with much regret that I am officially resigning my elected position of City Councilor effective immediately. Personal family matters have recently arisen that makes my resignation necessary. I am sorry to have to resign before I ever really had the chance to get started."
To say that we were stunned is an understatement. Patrick had already talked with me and several of the councilors about his ideas for the town particularly when it came to Urban Renewal dollars.
I have no idea why he resigned, but I do know that he apparently still substitutes for the Bandon School District as last week he received the Covid-19 vaccine, posting a picture of himself getting the vaccine on his Facebook page.
People interested in filling the vacancy can contact city hall (541-347-2437) to obtain an application, or they can find one on the city's website. It is necessary that a person have lived inside the city limits for at least a year.
* * *
Governor Brown's statement last week that the state would no longer provide information about each Covid-19 death apparently generated a lot of push back and controversy, and she has now reversed that decision, which is wise.
According to the Oregonian, Brown's "turnaround came less than 48 hours after the Oregon Health Authority discontinued sharing specifics of each death and less than 24 hours after Brown's spokesman defended the agency's decision.
"Brown ordered the OHA to publish full death details weekly rather than daily, as the agency had done for 10 months. But state health officials said they'll resume daily reporting next week.
"But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle disliked the change. Senate and House Republicans excoriated Oregon's Democratic governor, questioning if it was a cover-up linked to Brown's decision to prioritize vaccinations for teachers ahead of vulnerable seniors, whose deaths would no longer be as simple to track."
* * *
Brown's decision to vaccinate teachers ahead of senior citizens flies in the face of recommendations by the Center for Disease Control, since the greatest majority of deaths are attributed to people 65 and older, and that same holds true in Oregon. That age group accounts for more than 80 percent of the state's Covid-related deaths.
An editorial in Sunday's Oregonian was titled "Vaccines must lead to schools reopening."
The editorial points out that "while we disagree with the decision to postpone vaccines for older Oregonians, whose vulnerability merits prioritization, the die has been cast. We also believe schools can reopen safely even without vaccines, as the CDC reaffirmed last week, but recognize the political necessity of vaccinations to get schools open.
"But Brown has taken a hands-off approach to the brewing conflicts between school districts and their teachers unions, who are balking at returning to the classroom even with vaccines.
The editor ends by saying "Because no matter how justifiable the reason to prioritize teachers, Brown opted to sell out older Oregonians. She should not sell out younger Oregonians as well."
Bear in mind that this did not appear in the conservative Wall Street Journal. This was written by the Oregonian editorial staff, regarded by many as liberal.
I wholeheartedly agree with their position.
* * *
On the subject of vaccines, KEZI, on its 11 o'clock nightly news lets viewers know how many vaccines have been administered in the counties in their viewing area: Linn, Benton, Lane, Douglas and Coos .... and sadly, Coos is far behind in the number of vaccines administered.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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