As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
July 25, 2018
I love the first picture I am sharing, which was taken in May of 1961 when Wayne Butler won the McKay's Market cutest baby contest.
McKay's Market cutest baby contest, 1961
He's pictured with his mom, Phyllis (Mrs. Ken) Butler, and the store manager, Larry "Stub" Cribbins. Best known for operating charter fishing boats out of the Port of Bandon, Wayne is also secretary-treasurer of the Bandon Port Commission.
I've probably shared this picture before but since that area has changed so much, I want to share it again. I believe this was taken sometime in the mid-to-late '60s when Bob Schultz' Bandon Plumbing Heating & Sheet Metal was in the building that now houses the Wheelhouse and Crowsnest Lounge.
Bandon Plumbing Heating & Sheet Metal, 1960s
Later, in the late '70s, it was the office for Graydon Stinnett's Bandon Fisheries. Next door is Bandon Seafood, operated for many years by George and Nella Dow, on the east side of Chicago Avenue. It was also part of Graydon's operations before the "blue building" was built on the port property, which now houses the Old Town Marketplace. The Seafood building was later torn down, and part of the property is where the port built its office, across the Chicago avenue right of way, before moving to the Coast Guard Building. It is now leased by the owners of The Loft.
The Wheelhouse was purchased by Yong Suk Ko, better known as Sue, late last year and continues to be a thriving business. She would love to know when it became a restaurant, but I am still researching that. I am pretty sure it was sometime in the '80s, but it might also have been in the '90s. Maybe someone who used to work there will let me know when it first became a restaurant.
The third photo was taken in 1978 at Mick's Hair Surgeons, and pictures Debbie Johnson Stewart (now owner of Debbie's Hair Station), Mickey Peters and his sister, Vicki Peters Gernandt (who later opened Vicki G Hair Salon & Day Spa).
Mick's Hair Surgeons, 1978
* * *
I learned that one of my neighbors, Kerry Goard, died last week at the age of 81. Kerry and his wife, Caroline, had lived on 11th Street for a number of years and he had been suffering from cancer for some time. I knew him best as a long and dedicated member of the Bandon Lions Club and an all-around great guy.
* * *
It was bad enough that my ComSpan bill went from a little over $60 a month to over $90, but the day after I worked out a compromise (agreed to pay for 40 megabits of service rather than 100 and to have my bill sent to me via email), the Internet was down for an entire day. And to make matters worse, last year we had signed up for ComSpan to serve the tenants in the Continuum Center, and it did not come back on, which is a real inconvenience for merchants who use a credit card machine. After numerous phone calls and four days later, ComSpan decided it was the router (which Lyn Saunders pointed out the first time she talked to them) and it was back on by Friday. But by that time she had decided to go with Charter (Spectrum) as had another business owner down the street.
I'm still sticking with ComSpan, although I'm not exactly sure why, but I wonder just how many customers they can lose with an outage like the last one and still remain in business.
* * *
Anyone who is a regular reader of Coffee Break probably saw the ad which ran all last week asking where Dr. Kelly Reed has gone? It was signed by two people who gave their phone number, and were obviously patients of hers when she worked for the Southern Coos Health District as an internal medicine doctor at the clinic ... for a couple of months.
She is one of two doctors who are, or soon will be, no longer working for the health district.
I heard that it was a matter of financial stability for the hospital, and JoDee Tittle, CEO, confirmed that for me last week in a lengthy email.
In April of this year, the district discovered an accounting error that resulted in a negative bottom line for the year. Although JoDee did not mention the amount, at least one member of the board told me it was about $400,000.
"The error is a result of an incorrect assumption in our accounts receivable. Healthcare is an industry where you can expect that you will only collect a percentage of what you bill the patient. In our case, we were assuming that we would collect 80 percent ... a more accurate assumption would be from 65 to 69 percent," said Tittle.
"Dr. Reed's departure is a result of reviewing expenses and developing an action plan to correct our financial course in short order. As you are aware, payroll and benefits are the district's largest expense. I found it necessary to look at one large salary opposed to six support staff salaries.
"Dr. Reed is an excellent clinician. I've made every effort to assist her in finding employment in the area so that she doesn't need to relocate and can continue to support patients in our area," said the CEO. A board member told me that she simply was not generating enough income because she was seeing less than 10 patients a day. Another said that is common when a doctor first begins seeing new patients as she or he would tend to spend more time with them as she got to know and understand their needs.
Several people have told me that Dr. Reed has been offered a job with Curry Health Network, which operates the new hospital in Gold Beach as well as clinics in Port Orford, Gold Beach and Brookings.
Hopefully that is true because I have heard good things about her and we need to keep good doctors in the Southern Oregon area.
In explaining why Dr. Stanley Pense, the hospital's general surgeon, has decided to leave, Tittle explained it this way: "The decision to look at general surgery differently is related to both the financial situation and the needs of our community. Our volume is mostly endoscopy procedures (like colonoscopies), which do not support the salary requirements of a full-time general surgeon," she said.
"Dr. Pense is a talented surgeon and our organization was fortunate to have him. I believe we can provide value to our patients and high quality care by collaborating with other agencies."
Dr. Pense has been with the district since January of 2016.
In June, Dr. Pense and Tittle worked on negotiating what she called "a mutually-beneficial contract that would be fair to him while ensuring greater service to our community. Regrettably we were not able to come to a mutual agreement. Therefore, the Southern Coos Health District chose not to renew his contract. Dr. Pense will be with us until the end of the year, but may leave sooner should he find an opportunity prior to that time," said Tittle.
She added that the local hospital is not able to support a full time general surgeon based upon the volume and type of surgeries that are being done today.
"I am actively engaged in conversations focused on collaboration with area hospitals and medical centers on a recruitment strategy that will bring the best value to our patients, build a great work environment for our staff, and offer many practice opportunities for our physicians."
I certainly understand how important it is for the district to be healthy financially ....and I am glad I am not the one who has to make those kinds of decisions. It is hard enough to recruit good doctors without having to make the gut-wrenching decision of letting them go. That's why it's important to have a strong CEO.
* * *
I was introduced to the new postmaster at the local post office last week, and everyone seemed glad to have her on board. Her first name is Jennifer and she definitely seems happy to be here, and I know the employees are happy to finally have a permanent postmaster.
But most of all, I am happy to see that they finally decided to cut the weeds and work on the landscaping!
Speaking of postmasters (and columnists) Dave Robinson of Myrtle Point, who was the last permanent postmaster at Bandon, has released his latest book, The Eagle Cage Mystery, classified as Christian fiction. He calls it "The Hardy Boys meet Jesus in Alaska." It is available only on Amazon.com.
* * *
I read that a long-time Bandon resident, Violet Howard, died June 24 at the age of 92. A graveside memorial will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, at 11 a.m. at the IOOF Cemetery off 42S. After graduating from Bandon High in 1944, she married Jim Howard in 1946, and worked for many years at Western Bank.
She is preceded in death by her husband, her sisters Nona Barnekoff and Irene Howard, her son-in-law Mike Morris and her brother Elbert Gunter. She is survived by two daughters, Susan and Phyllis, and a son, Jim Howard.
* * *
Mike Eggert Oyster posted on Facebook last week that Bill Palmer, class of 1966, had a motorcycle wreck in Spokane, Wash., and had been hospitalized with six broken ribs, and will need further rehabilitation. Bill's parents were Wilma and Bill Palmer.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
July 18, 2018
The first picture I am sharing was taken in December of 1957 by my uncle, Lou Felsheim, who was a pilot in addition to being publisher of Western World.
Bandon Airport hangar, 1957
This is the hangar at the Bandon Airport, which was formally dedicated in August of 1958 with a big crowd, including many who had flown in for the occasion.
I have dedicated an entire book to the Bandon Aero Club, and on the front cover is Melvin Boak giving the dedication speech. I know Melvin was not a pilot, so my guess is he was probably the president of the Chamber of Commerce. Others taking part in the dedication ceremony were Chet Raines, Howard Kehl, School Superintendent Roland L. Parks and Mayor Eddie Waldrop. Kehl was the sparkplug behind the formation of the Bandon Aero Club and the airport project in general. The road leading from Highway 101 to the airport is appropriately named Kehl Road. Later the Aero Club built their clubhouse along with an office on the south end of the hangar building, which served for many years as Frank Crook's office. His business of repairing planes is now carried on by his sons, Wayne and Brady Crook. Over the years, a number of new hangars have been built, most of them privately owned.
The second picture was taken in 1965 and features the Cranberry Festival princesses posing at the site of the football field parking lot, which was under construction.
Cranberry Festival princesses, 1965
On the equipment is long-time police officer Sid Dominy. Supt. Roland L. Parks is pictured with the princesses, Rosemary Tiffany, Sharon Strain, Sharon Ward (who was later crowned queen), Diane Blake and Roxie Seat. Others are Carol Kreutzer, princess chaperon; Doyle Greene, employee of Robertson's of Bandon, who was hauling gravel to the site, and Dave Philpott, a member of the festival committee.
I am sharing the third picture, taken of me at a Moore Mill tree planting site in March of 1966 when I accompanied my sister Maggie's class to the event to do a photo feature for Western World.
Mary Schamehorn, 1966
Oregonian columnist Steve Duin used this photo when he wrote a column about me in March of 2015, detailing how I had saved 30,000 Western World negatives from being hauled to the dump. I carried the many boxes of negatives with me for over 30 years before Jim Proehl and I began scanning them into the computer. These are the photos that I now share each week in my column. If you'd like to read the article that Duin wrote just Google: "Mary Schamehorn by Steve Duin" and it will come right up.
* * *
Speaking of weather, Gerry Terp recorded less than an inch (0.79) of rain for June, compared to 2.82 inches for the same month last year. In the 14 years of data Gerry sent me, the most rain that fell in June was 5.15 inches in 2010 and the least was 0.47 in 2015. For the 14-year period, the June rainfall averaged 1.83 inches of rain.
I looked back at Gerry's figures for May and saw that he recorded 0.20 inches for 2018 compared to 4.18 inches the previous year.
The latest figures I have from my Prosper pal Frank Sproul (of Upper Valley Builders) are for March, so I will show how much they differ from Gerry's numbers which come from his in-town gauge.
Frank recorded 22.9 inches for March 2018 and 24.75 inches for March 2017. Gerry's figures show 12.95 inches for March 2017 and 13.74 for March 2018, which is about half what Frank recorded.
I did talk to Frank and he says his rain gauge is at the top of a hill, which could account for the huge increase. But he says there is another guy in town who has recorded pretty much the same amount of rain.
But he finally did agree that maybe it's time to purchase a new rain gauge, and after he told me that he had recorded 150 inches for the 2016-17 rain year, I thought that would be a good idea. Or maybe it was the 2015-16 year, just not sure.
* * *
I was shocked when I opened my ComSpan bill this week and found that the monthly charge for my Internet and one land line had gone from $61.05 to $90.21, without so much as a word. There was an attachment that said a $5 fee is being assessed to all invoices sent through the U.S. Post Office. I could possibly understand that ... but an additional $29.15??? To make matters worse I also pay the bills for the Continuum Center and that cost, to serve the entire billing, is just a little over $50 a month. My account serves one person ... me ... and it's $40 more?
I posted my concerns on Facebook and it appears that I am not the only disgruntled customer.
I will call them and protest this bill, and if I don't get any satisfaction, it may be time to look for another service provider. Most people seem happy with Charter (Spectrum).
I also have Dish TV and even though I do not have Showtime, HBO or pretty much any of the "extras" except a DVR, it is now over $100 a month. And there's my iPhone 7 which is $85. Technology is pretty expensive, but I can't imagine being without it ....
* * *
The Chamber of Commerce is still advertising for an executive director to replace Julie Miller, who resigned several months ago. In the meantime, Cathy Underdown is serving as interim ED, and is available at the Visitor Center on a part-time basis.
The deadline to apply for the job is Friday, July 27, and interested people are invited to submit a cover letter and resume to sheila@edgewaters.net as board member Sheila Langenberg is now helping with the search.
The compensation ranges between $35,000 and $42,000, depending on experience.
* * *
I learned that Bob Campbell, a former resident of Beach Loop Road who was a substitute teacher on the South Coast for three decades, died on July 8. He was a graduate of Coquille High School.
I do know that he often taught in the Reedsport School District and was a good friend of former Bandon superintendent Kenny Kent, who posted on Facebook about his death.
* * *
People are reminded that the July Alive After Five is set for this Friday night, July 20, from 5 to 8 in Old Town, with wine glasses available for $10 at the glass picnic shelter on the port dock at 5. Lachlan Miller will also be performing some vocal music selections at Second Street Gallery, accompanied by Crystal Landucci on the keyboards and Candace Kreitlow on the harp.
* * *
I often see corrections in the Curry Coastal Pilot, which I have subscribed to for several years. But I saw one this week that shocked me and made me wonder if it would result in a lawsuit ... rather than just a simple "clarification."
The July 7 front page article indicates that the Lobster Creek fire was under control, with a very large subhead which read: "Campers claim responsibility for igniting blaze."
If you were following the story, you know that it started in the area of the Lobster Creek Youth Campground, but until I saw that headline, I had not read anywhere that anyone was accepting responsibility for starting the fire. But it said that the leader of the group who was camped there told the county parks director that they "will take responsibility for the 397-acre wildfire and have insurance to pay for the costs to extinguish it, Sheriff John Ward said Friday."
Wow. What an admission, I thought.
But the next issue of the paper, July 11, had a completely different story. "The leader of Rogue Climate campers, Lauren Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center, did not tell Curry County Parks Director Josh Hopkins the group accepted responsibility for igniting the blaze that has consumed almost 400 acres. The Pilot regrets the error."
Wow, I am sure they do. This is way beyond a simple typo or inaccurate reporting. That is a huge mistake and I am sure we have not read the last of it.
* * *
People are reminded that there is a free household hazardous waste collection event at the Beaver Hill transfer site set for Saturday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are asking that people call 541-396-7624 to make an appointment to drop off their household waste prior to the day of event. Best time to call is Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
July 11, 2018
The first picture I am sharing was taken in July of 1978, some 10 years after this building had been moved across Ferry Creek from its former location as Kenner Giles' feed store next to the cheese factory.
Flea Market, 1978
I love the overall view of the buildings that were in that area 40 years ago, including the VFW Hall in the far top left of the picture. At this time, the flea market building was owned by the late Bill Smith and his wife, Karen. Today it is the Highway 101 Marketplace, just east of the new Face Rock Creamery.
I particularly love the second picture, because when I was growing up that was the door to the city library, with librarian Alicia Leuthold always ready to greet me.
Wayfarer Antiques
True, the library was nothing like it is today, or even the size it became when it moved into the then new city hall in 1970 (where the planning department is now located). This building, which now belongs to the Bandon Historical Society and is on the corner of Highway 101 and Fillmore Avenue, was constructed not long after the fire of 1936, but the library has a long history in Bandon.
But before we get into the library history, it's clear that this building had a lot of uses, including an antique store, restaurant, art gallery and the chamber's tourist information center, before the city gave it to the historical society. This picture was taken in 1975.
Here is what I found in "A Century of Coos and Curry" by Emil Peterson and Alfred Powers.
"In 1893 a lending library was started by Mrs. George Williams in the store owned by them and a man named Frank Rupert. This library was in operation only about a year. In 1899, Mike Breuer, a shoemaker by trade, and Mr. John Chase, manager of the Bandon Woolen Mill, decided there should be a place for sailors to go besides the numerous saloons. They rented the lower part of the building owned by David Stitt, publisher of the Bandon Recorder. Adam Pershbaker of Parkersburg donated lumber for the shelves. Many books were donated. These men also furnished light and heat. Breuer's young son, Vic, tended the fires. There was no librarian or custodian. Borrowers were put on their honor. They wrote their names and title of books on a paper which hung on the wall. When books began to disappear, the project was abandoned.
"The beginning of the present day library was a reading room in the Lorenz building, instigated by Professor Harry Hopkins, J. Ira Sidwell and the Rev. Harry Hartranft."
A report after the Bandon Fire: "In the 24 years that the Bandon Library had existed, it had collected approximately 5,400 books. The library had for many years one of the highest per capita circulations in the state, reaching a 23,000 figure last year (population 1500).
"It was finally decided to use the tent (14 feet square) vacated by the State Police that morning. The tent had a board floor and a conical sheet iron stove in the center. Shelves were made of a few boards and packing boxes. When the floor was swept, two long benches rescued, a table and chair for the librarian, with the gay colored bindings and the gay colored books, the room was really attractive.
"People began to flock in. First patron was an old gentleman who had lived 41 years in Bandon. A woman said, 'Oh, we need books so badly. Everyone is getting on his neighbor's or his family's nerves because we are so congested and uncomfortable.' The National Guard brought a cot, mattress, blankets and wash basin for Miss Amelia Henry (the librarian) who was to live in the library."
"In 1942 Mrs. Bessie Young became librarian. In 1949 there were 3,400 volumes."
I believe Alicia followed Mrs. Young, or maybe Ruth Petty was librarian before Alicia ... just not sure.
I am not sure when the third picture was taken, but it was after Buck and Nadya Rogers had purchased Buck's Sentry Market south of town from the Cliff George family. It was probably sometime in the '70s, but don't hold me to that date.
Buck Rogers
Buck died May 4 in Eugene several weeks before his 94th birthday. There will be a celebration of life in his honor Saturday, July 28, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Bandon Community Center. Nadya and Buck had been married 67 years when she died March 2, 2016.
* * *
Last week I posted a football picture taken during the Cranberry Bowl of 1961 and since I have no yearbooks from those years ('58-'62) I was hoping someone would recognize them. And they did.
Ironically, all three of the boys in that photo, Chuck Beazizo, Jack Bowder and Glen Willis, have died within the last year, with the latest being Glen who died in March. Thanks to Ron Sutherland and several others who identified them for us.
* * *
As I was sitting here writing my column, I heard from Kathie Lindvall Copsey of Eugene, who said that former Bandon resident Glenn Thomas died last Sunday. A celebration of life will be held at the Autzen Stadium Club in Eugene Friday, July 13, from 1 to 3. His parents, Arnold and Julia Thomas, lived in Bandon before moving to Coquille. Glenn and his son, Aaron, had Thomas and Son Trucking based out of Coos Bay and now Eugene. His sister is Joye Olson (Van Leuven) of Bandon.
* * *
What a great Fourth of July celebration!! Unfortunately the weather wasn't quite what we hoped for (the first cloudy, overcast day in several weeks), but by evening the clouds had cleared away for the fabulous fireworks display. Several did point out that even though it was cloudy and a bit drizzly in the morning, there was no wind. And that was true.
Crowds lined the streets for the parade, and the marketplace was packed with people throughout the day and well into the evening, while most local merchants also reported a good day. People also enjoyed the Lions barbecue in City Park.
I missed the cardboard boat races as I fully intended to cheer on my fellow city councilor, Peter Braun, but I just didn't have the heart to brave the cold. (Hard to believe that cold would bother a native Bandonian). Thankfully Amy Moss Strong captured the race on video, and it was fun to watch.
* * *
I talked with the Bandon police Saturday to see what had happened with the two pit bulls who attacked a young woman last week when she knocked on the door of the dog owner's house. The dogs were not at large, as first reported, but were inside the owner's house on June Avenue (near the hospital). As of Saturday the woman, who suffered extensive dog bites to her face and arm, had not signed a complaint against the dog owner, but the officer told me the police department will cite him under the city's ordinance if the dogs are returned to him.
At present, the dogs remain in quarantine through the county, but will be released to the owner if he pays $300 ($150 for each animal).
The officer also said the young woman told him this was the second time she had been bitten by one of the dogs, but it had allegedly not been reported at the time of the incident.
In accordance with state law, if a dog is charged with being an aggressive dog on two separate occasions, the law calls for it to be euthanized.
* * *
Although I have seen very little in print, I did see a poster about the annual Coos Kennel Club AKC all-breed dog show, which will be held on the grounds of Bandon High School starting Thursday (July 12) and continuing through Sunday. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. daily
The poster said admission and parking are free, and vendors will be there to sell their wares.
There are approximately 395 dogs entered in the show, featuring 97 breeds.
Local members of the Club include Ron and Linda Waggoner.
* * *
Not many of my readers will remember Lloyd "Gabe" Gabriel and his wife, Rik, who taught here in the '50s, but those who went to school in that era will surely remember them. He used to regale us with tales of his prisoner of war days, which were fascinating if not pretty awful.
Lloyd is 96 and his wife is 90, but they are both still going strong. He did send me an email in late May to say that he had spent five days in hospice, six days in the hospital and 20 days in rehab. He had the flu and pneumonia, which caused him to pass out and take a bad fall. But he credited his wife and their two sons, Kekoa and Kimo, and their families with helping him get better and he's already been out planting his garden. He was also named as Veteran of the Year by the American Legion Post in Selah, Wash., near where they live and rode in their parade.
* * *
In early June, two young brothers, ages 9 and 7, died in a boating accident with their father on the Grande Ronde River in Wallowa County.
The picture that accompanied the article, in the Oregonian, definitely pulled at my heartstrings. They were handsome, smiling young men, with their entire lives ahead of them.
Their boat hit a rock which sent the two boys into the frigid water. Their father tried desperately to save them, but was unable to.
But what really bothered me was this one line in the two-page article:
"Police did not say whether the boys had been wearing life preservers."
As authorities repeat over and over again, many who die in boating accidents like this could have been saved had they been wearing life jackets.
It may well have made the difference in this tragic case.
* * *
My friend Eddie McMahon was here last week to attend the 70th wedding anniversary celebration for his sister and brother-in-law, Jean and Clayton Duval. While here he stayed with his brother, Jack, and we went out to dinner at Edgewaters.
Eddie lives in Palm Springs, and he had no more than gotten back Friday when Southern California had some of the hottest weather on record. It was 117 degrees there on Friday, and was supposed to be 113 on Sunday.
I promise I will stop complaining about the cold ...
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
July 04, 2018
I love this first picture that I am sharing this week because it is such a great picture of Bandon High School, which so many of us attended. This photo was taken during the Cranberry Bowl in 1961.
Cranberry Bowl, 1961
If I had yearbooks for those years I could probably identify the Tigers in this picture, but I am lacking a series of annuals from 1958 through 1961, which would be the very ones I'd need.
The high school was built in 1950 and stood proudly along Ninth (near where the school is now located but not the exact footprint) until January of 1974 when an arsonist burned it to the ground.
I still remember the night of the fire like it was yesterday as I had jumped out of bed (at the time I was living in an apartment above the Bandon Theater), thrown my long coat over my nightgown and headed out to find the scene of the fire. And did I ever find it. I was among the first to arrive on the scene and spent hours there, along with the firemen, the police and a handful of spectators. I even put together one of my 8x8 books just devoted to the pictures I took that night.
I love the second picture because it is a scene you don't see much around here any more. This was Doyle's Mill at 11th and Rosa Road (on the west side) in November of 1977.
Doyle's Mill, 1977
Earlier this area had been the home of Perry Brothers box factory. Long a factor in the local economy, the Perry Veneer plant, which was originally built on the waterfront by F. S. Perry in 1910, burned in 1926. Very soon it was rebuilt on pilings, and like the other industrial buildings on the waterfront, it survived the fire of 1936. It was F. S. Perry's sons, Sid and Carl (Bub), who operated the Perry Brothers mill at this site, with the original box factory located on the southeast corner of 11th and Rosa Road. The Doyles bought the mill from the Perrys, and later sold to Doug Giles, who operated Douglas Pacific at that location. At some point over the years, there were mills on both sides of Rosa Road, including where Bandon Supply now sits.
I remember going out to Bill and Jean Soper's cranberry bogs in 1970 to do a feature story for Western World on dry picking. Dr. Soper, my all-time favorite dentist, is pictured above sacking up the berries before they headed for a nearby sorting shed where Jean would clean out vines and debris.
Dry picking cranberries, 1970
* * *
I saw a post from Sharon Ward Moy about the death of a long-time Bandon teacher, Ellen Neal, who died June 22 at Capitol Manor in Salem at the age of 90. Her husband, Ernie, a former teacher and coach at BHS, died Dec. 29, 2015. At the time of his death, they had been married for 67 years.
She is survived by sons Dan and Gary and their families. Another son, Steve, a political columnist for the Chicago Sun Times, made headlines in 2004 when, at the age of 54, he took his own life, not long after he had finished writing his seventh book.
Steve got his start in journalism by writing sports articles for the Western World.
* * *
There are a lot of activities planned for Wednesday, the Fourth of July, including a parade at 10, the Lions Family Fun Day in City Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., plenty of activities at the Old Town Marketplace from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Port of Bandon's cardboard boat regatta from 3 to 5 p.m., and a Wine Walk from 5 to 8, with glasses available for $10 at the glass shelter on the boardwalk. A labyrinth draw will take place at Face Rock Viewpoint by Circles in the Sand, beginning at 9 a.m., with the walk to be completed by 11 a.m. The public is invited to view and walk the labyrinth free of charge.
Madeline Seymour and I both plan to ride in the parade, and I believe Bandon's new (to us) trolley will also be in the parade.
The big fireworks display will be shot off at dusk from across the river near the lighthouse.
There is a lot more information about the Fourth of July activities in the Bandon Western World and Coffee Break.
* * *
The latest story about a young mother leaving her baby in a hot car occurred recently in Roseburg. I believe the mother is a nurse practitioner at Evergreen Family Medicine, or at least she works there. Her husband generally took their 21-month-old daughter to day care, but this day, to help her husband out who had worked a long shift, she decided to take her. But caught up in all the things she was thinking about, she simply forgot that her daughter was in the car. Until it was too late.
The woman is devastated and after her family and friends posted her $50,000 bail, she is on suicide watch as she feels she has nothing to live for.
What I cannot understand is why she was arrested in the first place. I use to think that authorities had to prove intent before they could arrest someone for a tragedy like this. It was a tragedy in so many ways, and to charge her with manslaughter on top of the unimaginable grief is beyond my ability to comprehend.
I wonder if it is not time to re-examine the law that requires a child to be in the back seat of a vehicle. Most certainly, had the baby been in the front seat, there is no way that the mother could forgot her no matter how stressful her life had become.
I mentioned that to someone who reminded me of the dangers of air bags deploying and causing serious injury.
But there has to be a better way ....
* * *
The problem of what to do with the dumpsters on Fred Gernandt's property across from the Bandon Old Town Marketplace is being resolved.
I do know that at least six of the one-yard dumpsters are being replaced by a six-yard dumpster on city property behind the Second Street Gallery. Each of the merchants whose cans are being replaced will have a key. And I believe the other dumpsters belong to the Port and to their tenants and are being taken care of by the Port.
It was interesting to learn from Port Commission Chairman Reg Pullen who explained what happens to most of the fish waste, which is what causes an unpleasant odor.
Reg said the problem with just dumping the waste into the river is that it ends up getting flushed back and forth with the tide, meanwhile taking up oxygen that other organisms need. By dumping it near the lighthouse on an outgoing tide, it is quickly swept into the ocean and absorbed, not depriving anything and maybe actually providing food for some. He said the port has been doing this for several years, "but the Butlers sometimes get so busy that they are not on top of the quantities that can accumulate for the 10 to 12-weeks of the year when everyone is fishing and crabbing. There is an additional problem of having to fish out the plastics from a nasty garbage can.
"I have proposed adding this responsibility into our janitorial contract and increasing the price of the contract, since we cannot expect the Butlers to do the dirty work," said Pullen, referring to the Butler family who operate a charter boat business out of the Port.
It sounds like the Port is on top of the problem, which is good.
It just takes working together to address a problem like this, and that is exactly what happened.
* * *
I stopped by Billy Smoothboar's for their 10-year anniversary party Saturday, and it was clear from the number of people enjoying the music, food and the prize drawings that everyone was having fun. As always, Dan and Lynn Barnett, the owners, were the gracious hosts. They do a lot for the community ... particularly around Christmas time as their gifts to children of the community are legendary.
* * *
I feel lost this weekend with no baseball to look forward to. But I can always go to my recorder and re-watch the exciting baseball games that led to the Oregon State University Beavers winning the College World Series for the third time under Coach Pat Casey.
Talk about a Cinderella story. They lost their opener and then won six of their next seven games to win it all.
Bandon resident Pete Goodbrod, who turned 89 recently, remembers well when he was a member, and captain, of the Oregon State baseball team that played in the 1952 College World Series, which was the first year the Beavers made it that far.
Two 1976 BHS graduates, Wade Schirmer and Bryan Wyant, took a 4,000 mile road trip to make it to Omaha in time to watch the championship series, which ended up going three games.
They posted many accounts of their travels, and what it was like to drive 20 hours to get to a virtually sold-out ballpark, for which they did not have tickets.
But they managed to get seats and lots of memories ....
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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