As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
June 30, 2021
The realization that I can copy photos out of my original Western World newspapers, and that they print well as evidenced by the photo of the Coast Guard station last week, has opened up a whole new avenue for me to share with you. This week I want to talk about efforts to mine black sands in the Seven Devils area for minerals.
I am sharing a picture from the May 22, 1952, Western World of a 60-ton bucket dredging machine that was to begin tearing up the earth at the old Pioneer mine, north of Bullards, where the Coast Mineral company was setting up for stripping operations.
60-ton bucket dredging machine, 1952
The caption explains that "instead of tunneling to follow the black sand deposits, as was done in years past, the new operation will uncover the black sand stratus from the top down. The 2 1/2 yard bucket will then scrape up the black sands and load them onto conveyors which will take them to the concentrating and separating plants.
"The picture was taken after the machine had been loaded from a railroad flatcar onto a barge and the tug Port of Bandon is standing by ready to tow the barge to Randolph where it was unloaded and from which point the machine was 'walked' under its own power to the mine."
The story actually dates back nearly 100 years.
"With nearly all the required machinery at hand and most of it installed and ready for operation ... at the old Pioneer mine on Cut Creek on the Seven Devils road, practically concludes preparations for an exhaustive project to extract the valuable minerals from the black sands that nearly 100 years ago caused a gold rush to this area and resulted in the building of a community of several thousand people known as Randolph."
Unfortunately I don't have access to papers dating that far back, but I am sure it was quite a story.
"Actually mining and concentrating of black sands is scheduled to begin within a short time, following three years of quiet development and the expenditure of more than a quarter of a million dollars by the Coast Minerals company.
"The plan for the old Pioneer, and also for the Eagle, is to strip off the overburden from the black sands, haul them west across the Seven Devils road to a screening plant where rocks and other heavy materials will be eliminated, then convey the sands by overhead conveyor belt to a stockpile slab for the concentrating plant.
"Experiments to date indicate that with modern equipment installed, the gold and platinum project will be a profitable venture in itself."
History will show that like the several attempts at drilling for oil in the Bandon area, no one got rich mining for gold, platinum or oil.... but it wasn't for a lack of trying.
I loved the second picture, taken during the Cranberry Festival in 1962, because I was able to identify several of the people in the photo. After Googling it, I learned that 40/8 was a society of American veterans and service members committed to charitable and patriotic aims. This vehicle apparently belonged to the Coos County 40/8 group, who brought it to the festival and took people for rides around City Park. I remember taking the photo, but it was not one that was printed in the paper.
Cranberry Festival, 1962
Facing the camera on the front of the vehicle is Pat Fraser, and standing just behind the door, I believe, is Greg Fraser. Riding in the back, wearing the plaid jacket, is Cliff George, long-time owner of the Bandon Food Center, which was located just south of town in the building now owned by Larry Hardin, where Brian Vick sold antiques.
The third picture I am sharing was taken in City Park in September of 1966 as Myron Spady, back to camera, and Tom Gant prepare to toss the meat for the Cranberry Festival Beef Barbecue into the big open pit at the rear of what was then the new bandstand.
Cranberry Festival Beef Barbecue, 1966
Today, both men are in their 90s and still live in Bandon. An article said a record crowd of 950 people enjoyed the barbecue lunch that day.
Chere Brazel was crowned queen of the festival the previous night during the annual coronation, with the crown placed on her head by the previous year's queen, Sharon Ward.
* * *
I was sad to learn that George Trott, a lifetime resident of Bandon who served over 30 years as Commander of the local VFW Post, died at Bay Area Hospital on June 23 from complications of lung cancer and pneumonia. George served as an MP in the US Army, with two tours of duty in Vietnam. I have known George most of my life, as we were in the same class, having graduated together from Bandon High in 1957.
Among his immediate survivors are his wife, Myrna, Bandon; daughters, Janice Hester, Bandon, and Cindy Kirk of La Pine; and sons, Gary Trott of Bandon and Kelly Trott of LaPine.
The family said that memorial services will be held at a later date.
* * *
I heard from a good friend that her neighbor, David Burns, who lived on Michigan Avenue, had died recently. David, who served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard, was 96 years old.
* * *
I also learned that Marilyn Noorda's 62-year-old son, Jeffrey, died suddenly on June 24. Many of Marilyn's Bandon friends knew Jeffrey and saw him recently when he was in town to move his mother to her new home in Salt Lake City so she could be near her family. My heart goes out to Marilyn and her family. Marilyn is a sister to former city councilor Nancy Drew, and she served on the hospital board some years ago. She and her late husband, Darwin, were active in the Good Neighbors club.
* * *
Several things have happened lately on the housing front.
First, the Bandon Planning Commission approved, with conditions, a Conditional Use permit for a 48-unit market-rate apartment complex, to be built along Seabird Drive near the intersection of Highway 101 on a 3.16 acre parcel owned by a West Linn man, Jim Murray of Bently, LLC.
The 48 apartments, which will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, will be built in four two-story buildings.
I also learned last week that the owners of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort have purchased the Lake Bradley Christian Retreat property, which will be turned into staff housing.
The resort was built in the late '40s by Leona Koff and was known as Tanglewood for many years. In early 1962 it was purchased by Col. Homer B. Millard and his wife, Esther, who moved their Millard School from Langlois Mountain to the facility. Several month after the move, Col. Millard died. His wife continued to operate the school for several years. Millard was a preparatory school for the military academies and was attended by young men from all parts of the country.
Some years ago it was purchased by the Applegate Christian Fellowship, and was primarily used as a site for Christian retreats.
The property, which is on the south side of Beach Loop Drive and fronts on Bradley Lake, can house several hundred people.
* * *
While attending the annual membership meeting of the Bandon Chamber, I learned that unless volunteers step forward very soon, there may not be a Cranberry Festival this year. Lori Osborne, the new chairman of the chamber board, said the reality is: "We have seven or eight people and we need 45 to 60 volunteers to make this happen."
People are urged to sign up at the visitor center if they are willing to help in some capacity, or they can attend a meeting at 5:30 Thursday, July 1, in City Park to learn more about what is needed. People can also contact chamber executive director Margaret Pounder at mcp@bandon.com or call the chamber visitor center at 541-347-9616.
Chosen to represent the festival as princesses this year are McKenzie Williams and Madisan McCabe. Kenzie Basey will again serve as director of the court.
Other members of the chamber executive board are Sara Kimball, Umpqua Bank, secretary; Larry Langenberg, Edgewater's, treasurer; and Anthony Zunino, Freedom Graphics, past chairman. Other members of the board are Kelley Basey, South Coast Xpress Lube; Archie Garrett, Historic Wilson's Market; Christine Whitmer Michalek, Big Wheel; Amanda Whitlatch, Edward Jones; and Jeffrey Miller, Coastal Sotheby's Realty.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
June 23, 2021
I spend many evenings researching old Western Worlds, always looking for the perfect story to share with my readers. Unfortunately, I find so many that it's hard to decide when Sunday evening comes just which one I will write about.
I have the original copies of Western World from 1938, 1940, 1941, many from 1945 and a few from 1952, but mostly I just look for stories in the digitized copies, which are easy to print off. But when it comes to the old photos, most of which I do not have, I rely on the papers to scan in the photos, which is where I got the first picture I am sharing. This was in the Jan. 11, 1940, Western World, which had a long story about Bandon's new Coast Guard station.
Bandon's new Coast Guard station, 1940
The original facility was lost in the Fire of 1936, and it had been a hard three and a half years for Coast Guardsmen and their families as they lived in makeshift residences while waiting for the new station to be built.
"Bandon's new U.S. Coast Guard station, which is not only the finest and most substantial building erected in Bandon since the fire of '36 but is also one of the most modern and complete coast guard stations on the Pacific coast, is practically finished, and acceptance by the government is expected to be made shortly, after which Captain J.A. Trantor and his crew will move in," reported the front-page article.
Among local contractors working on the building were Ed Gallier, local plumber, and C.F. Noble, an electrician.
"The new construction project represents an expenditure on the part of the government of approximately $80,000. The total investment for the station when equipment, boats, motor equipment, etc., is added, will approximate $125,000.
"The new structure replaces the boat house and dwelling of the Coast Guard which was destroyed in the fire of Sept. 26, 1936, which almost entirely destroyed Bandon. It is a combination structure, housing both the equipment, the officer in charge and his family, and the crew. It is located on the north side of First Street where the boat house was formerly located, additional ground having been bought by the government from the Gallier Estate to make room for the larger building.
"Prior to the fire, only the boat house was located on the river, the dwelling being situated on a high promontory on the south side of First Street . Since the fire the crew had been quartered in a small building which escaped the fire and which was formerly the city hall for Bandon. Married members of the crew have bought lots and built small homes in what was formerly the main business section of the city, forming a colony that is now termed 'Little America.' "(That is the cluster of small houses on the short piece of Cleveland Street directly behind the port's building which houses the Old Town Marketplace.)
The first floor had the main boat room which is on the foundation of the former building from which the launchways, not destroyed by fire, extend into the river.
The second floor covered the entire 54x120 feet over all. On the east side were living quarters for the officer in charge with kitchen, bath, dining room living room, four bedrooms, etc.
A month later Captain Trantor learned that he was being transferred to a new location in the New Orleans Coast Guard district.
The notification was received on the very day that the Trantor family moved into the new apartment. Mrs. Trantor expressed regret as she had put up with the most meager quarters for three years since the fire and she had been "looking forward to a more or less life of comfort in the new location."
Today, the Coast Guard building is owned by the Port of Bandon, and houses the port office and other businesses.
The second photo was taken in May of 1965 when Rear Admiral Richard Schmidtman, Commander of the 13th Coast Guard district, landed at the Bandon airport to make an official inspection of the local Coast Guard Station. Here he is greeted by BM1 Wayne Gage, officer in charge of the local station.
Rear Admiral Richard Schmidtman, Commander of the 13th Coast Guard district, 1965
I am sharing this third picture of retired Bandon businesswoman Andrea Gatov, who died very suddenly at her home on North Bank Road last week.
Andrea Gatov, 1977
I took this beautiful photo of Andrea in July of 1977 as she was preparing to open her new restaurant, Andrea's Old Town Cafe. I believe this was her first restaurant, which was located in the building where Foley's Irish Pub is now. Later, I believe she opened another cafe in the building across from The Minute Cafe.
Although I have not seen an official obituary or death notice, Andrea is believed to have been in her late 70s, and she had two sons, Josh and Levi Johnston, both of whom live in the Portland area. A friend said Levi and his family visited here on Mother's Day.
* * *
Bandon lost another long-time resident on June 13, with the death of Don Chance, 61, who had battled kidney disease for 11 years. In a beautiful tribute, written by his friend and former Western World editor Melody Gillard Juarez, Melody describes Don's life of service to his country and to his community. He served in the U.S. Navy, in Korea, Okinawa, and Guam. He held Bachelor's and Master's degrees in health administration. Locally he guided the planning and construction of Heritage Place (now Pacific View) and served as administrator for several years.
Among his survivors is his long-time partner Dianne DeVilliers.
* * *
I just saw a Facebook picture, taken inside the Eugene airport, of the young woman who was kidnapped in Springfield by triple murderer Oen Evan Nicholson, embracing her father as she arrived back from her harrowing trip to Wisconsin.
She had been reported missing Friday noon after she did not return to work after lunch. It turns out, she was approached in the parking lot by Nicholson, who forced her at gunpoint to drive him to Wisconsin, where he later turned himself into authorities. She was unharmed.
Nicholson was wanted in connection with three murders which had occurred Friday morning in the North Bend area. Those allegedly killed by Nicholson were his 83-year-old father, from whom he stole the 2019 white pickup which he used to run over a Florida couple in the parking lot at the Mill Casino RV park, killing the husband and critically wounding the wife. He then drove to the nearby Herbal Choices marijuana dispensary, where he shot and killed the store's employee, Jennifer Davidson, 47.
Before he drove out of town, he was caught on camera buying more ammunition from a store in Pony Village. He then fled the area, and wrecked the pickup around noon on Highway 126 near Noti in Lane County. He apparently then set fire to the pickup. A witness saw the armed man head off into the woods after the wreck. A massive manhunt ensued for the man, who was described as armed and extremely dangerous.
It is not known how he got to Springfield a short time later, where he kidnapped the 35-year-old woman, at gunpoint, who later told authorities that she had talked him into surrendering during the drive to Milwaukee, Wis., which took 33 hours.
I am sure there is so much more to this story than we even know, but what we do know is horrific. My heart goes out to the couple, in their '70s, who were visiting the area and walking over to the casino. Many people in Coos County counted Jennifer Davidson as their friend, and said her son was preparing to enter his first year of college.
Hard to imagine a trip across the country with a stranger who had just killed three people, including his own father, and essentially had nothing to lose.
This is a story for 20/20 or 48 Hours. The World has done a good job in keeping the public updated.
* * *
I learned this week that Gina Carleton, widow of our late city attorney Fred Carleton, has moved to Texas to live with her sister. The family home, overlooking the river, has been listed by local realtor Fred Gernandt of David L. Davis Real Estate for $875,000.
It's still hard to believe that Fred is gone as he was such an important part of so many lives.
* * *
I learned this week that George Trott, past commander of the local VFW Post in Bandon, is very ill, according to information from his daughter, but that is all I know. George and I were classmates, graduating from Bandon High School in 1957.
* * *
Although there aren't many activities scheduled for the Fourth of July this year, we are having a parade at 10 a.m., which is being organized by Dawn Dixon, who has taken on this responsibility for many years.
People who are willing to help her, or who want to be in the parade, can call Dawn at 541-347-5683 or 541-252-7322.
At dusk, there will be the big fireworks display, which can be seen from just about anyplace in town.
I just happened to be going through an old paper, this one was dated 1967, which reported that 700 people had been served at the annual fish fry. In later years, the Lions sponsored a beef barbecue, or served hamburgers and hot dogs, but apparently they decided not to do it this year. There were always games and activities in City Park.
A big event in 1967 was the raft race, which found teams of men building their own rafts and rowing them up the river to the dock just east of the Bullards Bridge. It was quite an event and brought out hundreds of spectators.
The winners were from out of town, but local Jaycees coming in second were the team of Mickey Hurley, Dave Ellingsen and Ray Hill. Tom Mallory and George Akey won the rowboat race.
Maybe someday we again will have Fourth of July celebrations like we did in the good old days!
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
June 16, 2021
Although the first story I am sharing did not happen off the Bandon bar, it did involve passengers who were from Bandon, and that is part of the fascinating story of what it took for one woman to survive. The photo shows the crowd on the beach at the scene of the wreck.
Wreck of the Santa Clara, 1915
It was Nov. 2, 1915, when the steamship Santa Clara, operating between Portland, Coos Bay, Eureka and San Francisco, was wrecked while entering the Coos Bay Harbor at 4:20 in the afternoon. By the time the first article hit the front pages of the Western World Nov. 4, eight bodies had been recovered from a capsized life boat and nine were unaccounted for, including Mrs. H.A. Morris of Bandon. The Santa Clara carried 48 passengers and a crew of 42.
The parents and sister of a local women were rescued, and since both parents were invalids, they should have been on the first life boat launched; fortunately they were found in their berths after the first boat had pulled away.... because it capsized in the breakers and all aboard were lost.
Mrs. Morris had been spending the summer with her sister, and it was not until Mr. Morris, who owned a caterpillar traction engine in Bandon, saw her name on the missing list did he even realize that she was on her way home.
He chartered the Whitsett car and drove to Marshfield hoping to find his wife alive.
The article said, "Late tonight, no trace of her has been found and a patrol has been established along the beach keeping watch for dead bodies that might drift ashore with the tide."
The next issue of Western World told of Mrs. Morris' narrow escape as she almost perished in her efforts to rescue a child.
"In a heroic effort to save a seven-year-old-boy, whom she was holding on her lap at the time the life boat capsized, Mrs. Morris almost lost her life. She held the lad in her arms while drifting and working her way towards shore until within a short distance from the beach, when a large sneaker wave struck them. It threw the boy over her head and one foot struck her in the jaw, rendering her unconscious. When she recovered she was again floating on the waves, the life preserver having a tendency to throw her on her back. When she reached shore she was completely exhausted and had to be carried to a beach cabin nearby."
She was taken to the North Bend hospital where she was treated for a badly bruised jaw and a fractured rib. And reunited with her husband.
The boy Mrs. Morris tried to save was later found dead on the beach.
The second, third and fourth life boats were more fortunate, reaching land safely, but the fifth with eight members of the crew including the captain and first mate, was twice capsized in attempting to cut loose from the ship.
"Each time the men were thrown into the water, but succeeded in again getting onto the ship, and they were finally rescued by the life saving crew with the use of the breeches buoy."
The second photo was taken in August of 1960 during a highway project on top of the hill.
Highway project, 1960
At left you can see the Ralphs Ice Cream sign, where the Asian Garden is now located; at right is the 76 service station, where Banner Bank is today. The brick building behind the service station, which was operated over the years by Lanny Boston and also by John Bowder, is the Western Bank. North of the station was Bill Ellis' TV sales and service business.
The third picture features long-time businessman and cranberry grower Elmer Gant, who served his community in so many ways, including as a member of the Bandon School Board.
Elmer Gant, 1965
This photo was taken in May of 1965, but his honors started way before that. A front page article in the Feb. 20, 1947, Western World is headlined "Gant Gets Surprise Award for Long Scouting Service."
The article explained that Gant was the 27th holder in 37 years of Scouting in the Oregon Trail Council's coveted Silver Beaver Medal, highest award given by the National Boy Scout council to volunteer workers.
"As active citizen and war-days postmaster of Bandon, Gant had been a scoutmaster for 19 years. Only last year did he give up actual leadership to others, and now serves as chairman of the troop committee."
Gant was accompanied to the speaker's table in the spontaneous ceremony by two Bandon Cubs, Donald Martin and Carl Rosenkilde.
Two of Elmer and Grace Gant's five children, Tom Gant and Gloria Haga, still live here. Another son, Jim Gant, lives in Cottage Grove and the youngest, Susan Winnop, lives in Alabama. Another daughter, Glenda Hawkins, died several months ago.
What most don't know is that the Gant brothers were very successful businessmen before the Fire.
An article in the July 1929 Western World talks of their success.
"Another example of distinct success achieved at Bandon in the commercial life of the city is the busy gent's furnishing goods house known as the Gant Brothers Store, which handles large stocks of all manner of the best nationally advertised lines of men's wear, hats, shoes, clothing, general men's and boys' furnishing and shoes for all the family.
"This is in reality one of a chain of stores in this valley. The Hub Clothing company maintains other stores at Coquille, Myrtle Point and Powers. Three brothers of Elmer Gant, who is local manager, are handling their business at Coquille. These are Homer, Orvin (O.T.) and Ellis."
* * *
I was sorry to learn that my good friend Pauline Brown had died May 25 in McKinney, Texas, where she and her late husband John had moved in 2018 after living 21 years at their beautiful home overlooking Fahy Lake. The Brown had moved to Texas to be near their two sons and their families. During her working years, Pauline, who was 83, spent 34 years as a nurse.
In lieu of a service, the couple asked that their ashes be spread near the Coquille River Lighthouse in Bandon. Memorial contributions can be sent to the First Presbyterian Church, 592 Edison, in Bandon, or to the local food bank.
I have also learned that a celebration of life will be held for Jack McMahon on July 17 at 2 p.m. at the VFW Hall.
* * *
The Bandon Chamber will hold its annual membership meeting Tuesday, June 22, at 6 p.m. at The Barn. Speakers will include Port Manager Jeff Griffin and Dave Lacey, who serves as South Coast Destination Coordinator for the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.
* * *
One of the new members of the chamber is Bandon Bay Jets, owned by Court Boice, a Curry County commissioner, past part-owner of Jerry's Jet Boats and former owner of the Paradise Lodge on Rogue River for nearly 30 years.
The one-hour tours up the Coquille River from Old Town will be educational and historical. Boats will operate Friday through Sunday through October, and reservations can be made by calling Prowler Charters at 541-347-1901 or cell at 541-661-6150. More about the business can be seen by going to their website at www.bandonbayjets.com.
* * *
The Bandon Police Department Facebook page warns against a scam. Someone pretending to be from the City is calling people and threatening to shut off their utilities unless their bill is paid right now, over the phone. If you get such a call, hang up and call the city at 541-347-2437.
* * *
Just saw a scary photo on Facebook where a homeowner's camera had caught a guy sneaking onto their property and setting fire in the doorway of their home off Cape Arago Highway in the Empire area. It shows him lighting the fire and casually walking away.
Apparently this is the third fire that the arsonist has set in recent days in the same area, between Wilshire and the fire station on Cape Arago.
* * *
Speaking of frightened, the other night I was watching 20/20 on TV and all of a sudden I heard a loud bang. It sounded like someone was trying to get into my house through the sliding glass door, which I soon discovered was not locked (which is not like me). At any rate, I could not figure out where the noise had come from, so I grabbed my trusty little pistol and went back to watching TV.
It wasn't until the next morning, when I went to get dressed and opened the door to my walk-in closet .... was I met with all of my best dresses and jackets and everything that had been on the shelf above them ... lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. Because of too much weight (that should tell me something) the screws holding the shelf had pulled out of the sheet rock. Now I have to find someone to repair the mess .... or admit I have too many clothes and head to Brees.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
June 09, 2021
The first picture I am sharing this week is the former Leep Memorial Hospital building on First Street, which had been abandoned for a number of years before the first "new" hospital was built on the hill off Ocean Drive overlooking the river and the lighthouse, which opened in 1960. It was later replaced by the existing hospital at the east end of 11th Street. This picture was taken in the '70s during a fire in the attic, when it was being used as a personal residence.
Leep Memorial Hospital
The building in the photo was originally built by the Red Cross after they came into Bandon to provide services as a result of the Bandon Fire of 1936. It opened as a hospital in 1937, and that is where I was born in August of 1939.
But by 1946, problems surfaced, which included a shortage of nurses and a report by the fire marshal on the safety of the building.
At a community meeting in October of 1946, R.V. Leep Memorial Hospital association secretary Merritt J. Senter explained that the 10 beds, including four in the Maternity Ward, were not enough to serve the needs of the community and surrounding area.
The board agreed that it was necessary that a new hospital be built, especially since it was operating under a temporary permit from the Fire Marshal because of the serious fire hazards at the present location.
Several months earlier, the Leep board had accepted the donation of a large piece of property, known as the Boak property, donated to the district by the City of Bandon, deemed suitable for the new hospital and additional buildings that might be added in the future.
In August of 1946, an item in Western World said "Tuesday was record day at the small local hospital, when Nurse Donley reported 15 patients and 7 babies under her care." One of those babies was Charles Gregory Crew, born to Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Crew.
But a few short months later, in October of 1946, it was announced that the hospital would not accept patients after Nov. 2 as it would close for a week to give Nurse Donley a much-needed rest. She has been the only registered nurse working permanently at the hospital, and the nurses -- mostly high school girls -- as well as the practical nurses have been on a temporary basis.
A spokesman for the district added: "Looking closer at the picture, and the operation of the present hospital, the Board has been wondering if a new hospital is what the community and the surrounding area really wants. Nurses are badly needed -- particularly registered nurses. There is no use to contemplate a new one unless we can staff our present hospital, and it would appear that it is up to us, here at home, to staff the place because in attempting to secure registered nurses elsewhere we are informed that the same shortage exists in other places, too."
Ironically, some 75 years later, the same problem exists when it comes to hiring permanent RNs.
Thus began the years-long journey toward the new hospital, with bonds to finance it being approved and sold in 1958, and the hospital finally opening for patients in 1960. What transpired and how the district was held up in court by a group of local residents is a story for another day.
The second photo taken in April of 1978 in front of what was then the "new" Southern Coos General Hospital shows administrator George Barnes, left, and hospital board chairman Melvin Boak, right, documenting the final payment to Western Bank on the $203,000 bond issue that helped finance the construction of the hospital.
Administrator George Barnes and hospital board chairman Melvin Boak, 1978
The Southern Coos General Hospital District was organized on July 27, 1955, for the purpose of providing modern hospital facilities for residents of the area. The first board of directors consisted of Carl Lorenz, Nyna Miller, James Raines, Theresa Devereux and John Fetterman.
The third picture features former Shell Service station owner Bob Elliott, taken in 1973.
Bob Elliott, 1973
Saturday, Bob was honored by his daughter, Gayla Elliott, at his 90th birthday party.
* * *
I have learned of the deaths of two former residents and one local man in the last week.
Chris Kappos, a long time Bandon resident, died recently in California. Chris first came to Bandon to work on a project in Prosper in the 1970s known as Prosper Development. It was here that he met, fell in love with and married Deneice (Denny). He joined her business, Bandon Realty.
They were both very involved in the community, including the Bandon Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce, before retiring to Palm Desert, Calif.
Sunday morning, Jim Quinn of Bandon died after a lingering illness. Jim, who would have celebrated his 80th birthday June 14, owned Bandon By The Sea Park & Sell, which was located south of town adjacent to the former Larry's Express Lube business. He specialized in Corvettes and other vintage autos. Among his survivors is his partner Carol Lee Tavtigian.
Sunday I also learned that former resident Sheila Levinsky, 81, had died.
Sheila was a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. and was a former teaching assistant at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y.
Sheila had many Bandon friends, loved the arts, and was active in trying to bring a swimming pool to Bandon. She had returned to New York a year ago to make her home.
* * *
It took several weeks to get the results, but I learned this week that I had been elected as a write-in candidate to the hospital board, effective July 1. I received 394 votes, compared to 118 for Laurea Arnoldt and 38 for Barbara Snyder. Carma Erickson-Hurt received 7, Jennifer Schulz 6, and Rodney Taylor received 5 votes. Another 98 people received three or less for the total write-ins of 664 votes.
After listening to a recording of the May 27th board meeting, I am anxious to get sworn in. I heard one of the relatively new board members make some allegations against the administration that I found way out of line in a public meeting. It did not appear that the board member had talked to the CEO about the charges that he was making, which resulted in a call for an outside investigation.
I will be extremely interested in receiving a copy of the hospital's bylaws and policies that should govern how personnel issues are handled. It may be completely different than in the municipal setting that I am familiar with, but I doubt it.
I will say that I was impressed with a number of positive reports that were presented by hospital staff, including the CFO Jeremiah Dodrill, a graduate of BHS and the son of Walt and Sue Dodrill and grandson of Barbara Dodrill.
* * *
I have seen so little in the news about the one-time mayor of Cornelius, Ore., Ralph Brown, who walked out of his home more than three weeks ago, got into his vehicle and drove away. And now he's missing.
Family and friends say the 76-year-old man suffered from dementia, and had not been driving for over a year. But he apparently got into the family car, a 2014 dark blue Nissan Sentra (license number 319KQV) and drove away. His family tried to call his cell phone over and over, and one time the night that he went missing (May 16) he did answer and told his daughter he was in the woods near a golf course and he said he knew they would be coming to look for him. But that was the last time he responded to their calls, and he has not used his credit card.
There is no way of knowing where Mr. Brown has gone. He grew up in the Seaside area, and they have searched there, but found no trace of him.
He is a former school principal in Hillsboro, in addition to having served as mayor of Cornelius in the '80s.
Learning yesterday that he still has not been found .... but not because I saw anything in the news but because I did a Google search, I decided it was time to alert people to be on the lookout for him. Hopefully police agencies across the state have him in their database.
Praying the outcome will be as positive as that of the 69-year-old Roseburg man, Harry Burleigh, who was found alive in the Toketee wilderness several weeks ago after being missing for 17 days. In his case, searchers found evidence of a makeshift shelter about 10 days into the search, but he was no longer there. Family and friends left food, matches and notes for him and told him searchers were looking for him. On day 17 they found him in another shelter. Although he was weak, he was able to walk to a waiting helicopter, which took him to the hospital in Eugene for evaluation.
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U.S. employers could require all workers physically entering a workplace to be vaccinated, the federal government said recently. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued updated guidance stating that federal laws don't prevent an employer from requiring workers to be vaccinated. However, in some circumstances, federal law may require the employer to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who, because of a disability or a religious belief, aren't vaccinated. For example, The EEOS said as a reasonable accommodation, an unvaccinated employee entering the workplace might wear a face mask, work at a social distance or be given the opportunity to telework.
The new guidelines also say that federal laws don't prevent or limit incentives that can be offered to workers to voluntarily take the vaccine. And employers that are administering vaccines to their employees may also offer incentives, as long as the incentives aren't coercive.
A good place to start may be the area's hospitals. It is unconscionable to think that people who work in a hospital, where vulnerable people are treated, do not have to be vaccinated. I do understand however, that unvaccinated people are required to wear a mask.
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For anyone worrying about the forthcoming fire season, the latest rainfall information was not good news. The combined rainfall for April and May was 2.37 inches, with 0.83 recorded in May. That is lowest combined rainfall in the 17 years that my friend has been keeping a record. The highest total in that time period was April and May of 2017, when we recorded 15.78 inches of rain.
Fire season officially started Friday, June 4, and people are reminded that open burning is prohibited in the area covered by the Coos Forest Protective Association.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
June 02, 2021
The first picture I am sharing appeared in the Jan. 28, 1937, Western World under the headline: "Fire Chief Becomes 'Fire-Shy.' " It tells what C.S. "Curly" Woomer, the fire chief during the Bandon Fire of 1936, had gone through when it came to fire.
Fire chief 'Curly' Woomer
Curly is inset in the photo of a fire at the Breuer Building in 1961, and he's the man in the hat running toward the building. At left you can see the Robertson's building, which is now home of Edgewaters restaurant. The boarded up Coast Guard station is at right. In addition to serving as chief from 1929 until 1939, Curly also served as fire chief from 1948 to 1951 before Carl Lorenz took over (1952-59). Carl was followed by Bob Schultz (1960-68) and Walt Ashton (1969-74) before present chief Lanny Boston assumed the job...47 years ago.
Here's what the writer (my grandfather) had to say about Curly, who died in 1967:
"Fire Chief C.S. Woomer is wondering whether his official position as chief of the local fire department has any bearing on his luck as a fire victim. If he were convinced that it had, he would immediately turn in his resignation to Mayor Ed Capps.
"In the fire of Sept. 26, which Chief Woomer and his men fought to the last ditch, he lost his half interest in the fixtures and stock of the Arcade Gardens, together with furnishings of his bachelor apartments; he lost a half interest in 200,000 trout at the Bandon Trout Mere, ready for the market and which would have been sold at a profit of some $15,000; also the trout butcher shop, grinder house and equipment and 40 tons of fish food valued at $40 a ton which was stored in the Drane cold storage plant.
"On the same day at the Page & Woomer sheep ranch, opposite Riverton, he lost his half interest in a barn with 50 tons of hay and oats, the entire fall clip of wool, between two and three hundred acres of range, and a mile of fencing. The total loss on the ranch amounted to some $4,000.
"The only insurance realized on any of this loss, which he and his partner, J.C. Page, suffered, amounted to $750, which was carried on the barn. Page also lost the Arcade building, uninsured.
"Last Thursday, just as the barn at the ranch had been rebuilt, the tenant occupying the house was heating a can of tar on the stove. The tar exploded and the house burned down, entailing a further loss of $1500.
"Chief Woomer says he has heard of hunting dogs becoming gun-shy. He can fully appreciate their feelings, because right now he feels thoroughly fire-shy."
I am not sure the exact date of the second photo, but it was a fairly common occurrence in the early '70s when vandalism and burglaries seemed to go hand in hand with arson fires.
Police chief D. S. MacDonald and State Police Detective Tom Benz
Here, police chief D. S. MacDonald (back to camera) and State Police Detective Tom Benz look for clues amid papers which had been strewn around the school district office as Superintendent Otis K. Murray, looks on dejectedly.
In January of 1974, an arsonist (Gary Lee Duncan) set fire to the high school, which was completely destroyed. A little over a year later, in March of 1975, Mr. Murray died of a heart attack as he worked tirelessly to get the school rebuilt.
The third picture features Mr. Murray, left, during a meeting with Congressman John Dellenback not long after the high school fire, when the Congressman stopped by to offer his assistance and encouragement.
Superintendent Otis K. Murray and Congressman John Dellenback
In the paper, which contained Mr. Murray's obituary, I wrote a tribute to him in my As I See It column. I am reprinting excerpts from that tribute.
"If ever a man stood tall in the eyes of an entire community it was Otis Murray, whose death last week came as a terrible emotional blow to a town which has already suffered much more than it deserves.
"He looked like any other new administrator when he came to Bandon four years ago ....but Otis Murray was no ordinary man ... he was a giant among men ... and his kindness, compassion and understanding touched the hearts of all who knew him.
"Few people can fully comprehend the terrible strain that he was under following the burning of our school, but there was never a job too tough for Mr. Murray. He gave all he had and a lot more to keep our school system together during the months that followed.
"Now it's our turn to work even harder to make sure that his hopes and dreams are carried on.
"Burned buildings can be rebuilt and blown-down walls restored, but nothing can ever return him to us ... may God give us the strength to go on without him."
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I just happened to notice an item in the same paper as the Curly Woomer story which said that the program, scheduled to be given in Bandon by the Port Orford Players, had been indefinitely postponed on account of the influenza epidemic which had closed the schools.
History just seems to repeat itself ....
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It is hard for me to weigh in on the "Freedom, Faith & Family Festival" held Saturday in the parking lot of Dan and Mary Wilson's Restoration Worship Center on North Avenue, across Highway 101 from the Ray's shopping center because I did not attend, although I did drive by several times and saw big crowds of adults and children.
Facebook estimates range from Dan Barnett's prediction of 1200 to Joseph Bain's estimate of 1500 people in attendance. It would seem that people came and went throughout the five-hour event.
The theme of the event, according to a post on the Bandon Chamber's Community Calendar, was centered around the idea of "restoring constitutional freedom."
This was essentially what some of those associated with the event, including Rodney Taylor, Rob Taylor, Pastor Wilson and Maria Stadelman Merriam, said when they attended a city council meeting in December. They urged the council to allow our businesses to open up.
Billed as speakers included Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, State Senator Art Robinson, Rob Taylor, and State Representative David Brock Smith of Port Orford.
To clarify several misunderstandings, which seem to be circulating on Facebook and God knows where else, neither the Bandon Chamber of Commerce nor the City of Bandon endorsed this event. The chamber's policy concerning the community calendar was that any group could post their Bandon event to the calendar. The event was held on private property and required no permit.
A number of police officers stood by in case counter protesters arrived, and organizers told the officers they were welcome to attend the event. There were a few people standing on the sidewalk on the other side of the highway, but to my knowledge there was no disturbance of any kind.
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There has still been no word from the county elections department as to which one of us (Laurea Arnoldt, Barbara Snyder or me) has won the write-in vote for the seat on the board of the Southern Coos Hospital District. We will know for sure by June 7, which is apparently the last date to certify the ballots. From what I've learned about the last board meeting, the sooner one of us is seated, the better it will be.
Although I am sure the law has changed, years ago voters would know who the incumbent was in each race because the name would be preceded (or maybe it was followed) by an I on the ballot. That way, as seems to be the case so often in recent years, if you don't know anything about any of the candidates, you would at least know who the incumbent was and vote accordingly.
Not sure why the law changed, or when that occurred, but I know for sure that when I ran for city council in the late '70s, you knew who held the seat in each race. It would definitely be helpful today as local sources of news fade away, and there are no voter pamphlets in district elections. It becomes a guessing game .... or, in some cases, like playing Russian roulette.
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A friend of mine in the county health department called my attention to the percentage of people who are vaccinated in each of the county's Zip codes, which showed that Bandon led the pack with 54.3 of our residents vaccinated.
Second highest was North Bend at 48.3 percent, followed by Lakeside at 46.5 percent and Coos Bay at 43.4 percent. Others were Coquille, 42.5; Myrtle Point, 34.5; Broadbent 25.5, and Powers, 20.8 percent.
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The hospital and the foundation have announced a new activity challenge titled "For the Health of Bandon," which will take place June 14-28.
It is a virtual challenge during which participants can do any activity that gets them moving and exercising. All they have to do is log their miles walked or hiked, the hours they spend golfing, surfing, playing tennis, gardening or doing yoga --or whatever activity they like to do. This is a fundraiser for the foundation and will support things like scholarships for local people, the drive-through free flu shot clinic and other benefits. Registration is $10 and covers an event T-shirt, a medal and a certificate. People can register at southerncoos.org/healthybandon. Teams are encouraged.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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