As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
November 30, 2016
The first picture I am sharing this week is not unlike one I shared earlier, but it shows a different end of the street, which makes it very interesting. This was taken on a snowy day in December of 1956 as Marge Cook sweeps the sidewalk in front of her home (which is now Grotto Gifts).
Snowy day, December 1956
Across Second Street you can see The Golden Rule (now Continuum Center), a great shot of Croxall & Perry Grocery (now Dave Elliott's shop), Erdman's City Market (now Lloyd's), small Lloyd's Cafe, and on down the street you can see the Capps Motor Co. and Bandon Theater signs. On the other side of the street was Carr's Variety Store (now Bandon Baking Co.), the Rexall Drug Store (now Winter River Books), and Marvin's Leach's Bakery (now the site of Second Street Gallery and Coastal Mist). The big building at the end of the block is the Arcade Garden Tavern (now Inner Garden).
The second picture was taken during the 1962 festival parade ... headed up the hill before Fred Carleton's office or Bandon Inn were built, and long before city hall and the fire station were built on the right side of the highway. In the background, you can see the busy Moore Mill & Lumber Co.
1962 Cranberry Festival Parade
The third picture was taken in July of 1980 as Fire Chief Lanny Boston (who has been chief for over 40 years) and the late Jack Chappell battle a gorse fire over the bluff behind Table Rock Motel.
Gorse fire behind Table Rock Motel, 1980
* * *
I need to make a huge apology to my friend, Coos Media cameraman Gordon Young who I am happy to report did not die, as I reported in my column last week. Gordon suffered a stroke several months ago, and is soon to undergo chemo and radiation, but he is getting better as we speak. This is pretty embarrassing, but I want to say how I came to report it. The announcement was made at the Bandon Planning Commission meeting, and one of the commissioners immediately contacted a good friend of mine . . . who then texted me.
We have learned that it may have been another person from Coos Bay, with ties to Coos Media who died, but I have not been able to confirm that. At any rate it was not Gordon Young. Gordon has been the guy who has filmed our council and planning commission meetings for several years ... and we wish him the best as he heads into treatment.
* * *
In reading the minutes from the last Southern Coos Hospital and Health district board of directors meeting, provided to me by my friend and board member Carol Acklin, and confirmed by another good friend and board member, Brian Vick, I felt information in the minutes was important enough to pass on to anyone who might have private insurance through Moda, or who might be planning to purchase it.
Moda, one of the local insurers offering federal marketplace plans, notified the hospital that they intend to take action that will force some community members either find another primary care provider, or consider changing health plans in their effort to avoid having to change their primary care provider.
The issue is with patients who use the hospital clinic providers, Dr. Megan Holland and the family nurse practitioner (FNP Amy Wood is leaving Dec. 12). They have been excluded from the network of doctors for people who have private insurance through Moda. This does not affect those who have Moda insurance through a group health plan.
If you are not sure of your coverage, please contact the company. Open enrollment is ongoing and people can change policies at this time.
The interim CEO Alan Dow told the board that he looked back at the clinic visit history and determined that they have served 99 patients since July of 2014 who were covered by a Moda individual plan, representing about 3.5 percent of their total clinic patient volume.
But if you are one of those 99, or who are planning to sign up for private insurance through Moda, you may want to take this into consideration if you are a patient of Dr. Holland. As you will no longer be able to use her as your primary care physician.
I believe the deadline to change plans is December 15. The Moda exclusion will begin effective Jan. 1, 2017.
* * *
I learned that Mary McNeil Wilson, widow of the late Franklin Wilson, died Nov. 23 at the age of 93 ... less than a month after the death of her brother, Hugh McNeil, who died Nov. 5 at the age of 96. Mary was a well-known and much-loved nurse for many years.
Among her survivors are four daughters, Mary Ann, Janice, Debbie and Nancy Wilson. (I am hoping that is correct as I can find no obituary on line for Mary and am doing this by memory, but I looked up each one of them in my high school annuals).
* * *
I want to share with my readers what Rose Anne Gates and her husband, Bob, say is truly a miracle. And having talked to a health-care provider, I am convinced this is true.
Most of us know Rose Anne as the sweet woman who has owned Begin Agains in the Bandon Shopping Center for the last five years. She and Bob also served as the head cooks for the holidays meals for many years.
But that's not the story.
In mid-September, Rose Ann went home from work feeling fine and within a short while, she had a terrible pain in her lower back and tingling in the backs of her legs. And not long after that, she began to suffer paralysis from the waist down. "It was terrible and terrifying. Bob had to literally drag me out to the car to get me to the hospital," Rose Anne said. "And we were both very scared."
After getting to Bay Area Hospital, Rose Anne was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre' syndrome, which is a very serious disease, where the immune system attacks your nerves. Information from the web said the exact cause of Guillain-Barre' is unknown, but it often occurs after a viral or a bacterial infection.
After the diagnosis, they wanted to send her to OHSU in Portland, but Rose Anne wanted to remain in Bay Area, where they immediately began treatment. Before her first treatment, she could feel absolutely nothing from the waist down. "But after the first treatment, I could move my toes." After five treatments and a week in the hospital, Rose Anne had regained feeling and was able to walk, but it was nearly two months before she could return to her shop.
Doctors have told her that she will probably not have a recurrence of the disease, which is quite rare.
And that was when she made the decision to sell the business, and former owner Becky Taylor, who started Begin Agains 11 years ago, and who helped out Patty while Rose Anne was recovering, was thrilled to be able to buy it back.
The two women say Becky (who now lives in Powers) will resume ownership on Jan. 1.
Rose Anne says it is a miracle that it did not attack her upper body, because it then affects your heart and lungs, and most end up on a respirator to breathe ...or worse.
She told me she feels great and was so happy to be able to work all day at the Thanksgiving community dinner Thursday. "It was important to me that I be able to do that," said Rose Anne, who is one of the sweetest, kindest people you will ever meet.
She also donates a great deal to animal rescue programs, and other charities, and said that Becky will continue to do that once she takes over. "She will still help a lot of people in the area," Rose Anne said.
"I just want to say thanks to all the people I met during my years in my shop. I never considered them customers ... they were friends."
* * *
Just to give you an idea of how hard it rained on Thanksgiving, friends of mine who live in the Prosper Road area recorded six and a half inches in a 16-hour period.
On KEZI Friday night, the weatherman reported the rainfall for more than 15 areas of the state for Thanksgiving ... and Bandon was top of the list for the most rainfall with over 5 inches. (I wrote the exact amounts down, but can't find the piece of paper, but it may have been closer to 5.33 inches). Other areas recorded 2, 3, or 4 inches . . . but Bandon was the wettest.
It will be interesting to see the total rainfall for the month of November. It may well break some records . . .
But even a fairly steady rain did not keep people from turning out for the tree lighting, nog walk and visit from Santa on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Some were asking about the lighted parade, but that is not until Saturday, Dec. 10, at 5:30 p.m. That's also the night of the city's Christmas party, so I will miss it, but if it's anything like last year it will be fun.
Another big event on the horizon is The Nutcracker, presented by MarLo Dance Studio at the Sprague Theater, set for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11 and 17-18, with evening programs beginning at 7 and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by going online to www.marlodance.com or calling 706-550-1416, extension 101. Cost of pre-sold tickets are $16 for adults and $13 for children under 12, or at the door, the cost will be $18 for adults and $15 for children.
This is one of my favorite stories, and I have put together several books on past Nutcrackers.
* * *
In case you missed the article on the front page of last week's Bandon Western World, the hospital district has hired a new CEO, JoDee Tittle, who will be coming here from central Oregon where she has worked with the Madras and Prineville hospitals that are part of the St. Charles Health System.
She and her husband have two daughters who will be attending the local schools.
She is scheduled to take over the position Jan. 23.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
November 23, 2016
I should title my first picture "they're back," even though technically McKay's Market never left since opening sometime in the '60s ... they just changed their name.
McKay's Market, 1960s
After most of us had finally gotten used to calling the store Price 'n Pride, the new CEO (BHS graduate Bill Caldwell) and his crew decided to change all of the stores back to McKay's Markets. So, in case you haven't noticed, there are new signs on the front of the store as well as out at the highway. This picture was taken before the addition was added to the east side of the building, where Western World was located from the mid-60s to the early 80s when we moved downtown (into what is now the front, east part of the Harbortown Events Center building).
I always liked the name McKay's and pretty much continued to call it that all these years . . .
The second picture shows a nattily dressed man applying what looks like rebar to the top of the sewage treatment plant along Fillmore, with the still intact Moore Mill Truck Shop building across the bay in the background. This picture was taken May 14, 1970.
Construction of sewage treatment plant, 1970
The third picture was taken during the Cranberry Festival in 1962, and clearly shows Lloyd's (both large building and smaller Lloyd's Cafe to the east) which was the popular night (and day) spot in town. Many banquets were held there, and it was the spot where a lot of us gathered on weekends to listen to the band and socialize. At the far right you can see The Pastime, which is now Bandon Sweets & Treats.
Cranberry Festival, 1962
Pictured on the Tiger float, from left, are Donna Windles, Jane Loch, Marylou Burgher, Sharon Ward, Karen Kiefer, and in back, Suzie and Sally Baird and Connie Burness.
I always like to see how many people I can recognize in the background, and just to the left of the float I can see Mr. and Mrs. Wes Huitt and Georgia "Peach" Erdman. Just coming out the front door of Lloyd's, I can see Tim Dalrymple, who was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church for a few years before he moved to Portland and became a financial adviser/stockbroker.
* * *
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has a new general manager, replacing long-time employee Hank Hickox, who has retired. Don Crow is the new GM, according to Jim Seeley. Crow worked at Bandon Dunes when it first opened as an employee of Kemper Sports, but left and later managed five other high-end Kemper Sports properties. He then left Kemper to manage another facility, but Seeley said he has been recruited by Kemper to return to manage Bandon Dunes.
Sorry to see Hank retire. He has been a good friend . . .
But I am looking forward to meeting Don . . .
* * *
I saw on Facebook that an 18-year-old Coquille girl, Savanna McAdams, had died in a car wreck on Highway 42, just outside of Myrtle Point, as she was on her way home Thursday night from Eugene, where she was a freshman at the University of Oregon.
Savanna's mother, Bobbi, owns Hair By Bobbi, a beauty shop in Myrtle Point, and the family was well known in the valley.
The police report indicated that the accident occurred around 6:30 in the evening near McMullen Creek. The young woman failed to negotiate a curve and struck another vehicle, whose driver (a Myrtle Point woman) was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
This is every parent's worst nightmare, and my heart goes out to the grieving family and their many friends.
* * *
A friend posted a warning on his Facebook page several days ago advising the immediate closure of recreational and commercial bay crabbing from Tillamook Head to the California border due to elevated levels of domoic acid. This includes Dungeness and red rock crab harvested in bays and estuaries, off docks, piers, jetties and the ocean.
Despite the closure, crab and shellfish products sold in retail markets and restaurants remain safe for consumers, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Removal of the advisory requires two consecutive tests in the safe range.
* * *
I was sad to learn that Edna Hunt Wilson Paulsen died Nov. 16, less than a month after she and her twin sister, Edith Winters, celebrated their 93rd birthdays. Edna and her family moved to Bandon when she was seven months old, and she spent her life in this community.
She and Edith were honored as grand marshals of the Cranberry Festival in 2013.
Several weeks ago I included a beautiful photo of her, Edith and Judy Knox, which I had taken several years ago at the last all-school reunion.
* * *
I have learned from Marlene Davis that her son-in-law, Dr. Joe Pettitt, who owned Bandon Veterinary Hospital in the '70s, was on hospice last week and not expected to live. He is married to Marlene's daughter, Donna Davis, who was a member of the BHS Class of 1976.
* * *
Early last week, a TV announcer said that OSU football star, Seth Collins, was suspected of having meningococcal disease, which so far has struck two OSU students.
Later they stopped saying that Seth may have been one of the students, although they did say he had been upgraded from critical to fair to good.
But an item in The Oregonian Friday pretty much confirmed he is one of the students when they said that "everybody on the team plane after Oregon State played UCLA on Saturday has been inoculated."
* * *
I read an interesting statistic this week that really made me take notice of those who have been protesting/rioting in Portland after the election of Donald Trump. According to the Oregonian, 36 of the 112 people (or 32 percent) arrested did not return their ballot in the election they were protesting.
Talk about the height of hypocrisy. This is it.
Hard to effect change if you don't bother to vote, and then head to the streets to vandalize the property of people ... who probably did vote.
* * *
I am beginning to understand why insurance costs are so high. I went to the local podiatrist shortly before leaving on a short trip because I wanted him to trim a bit of my toenail, which was pressing into my toe.
I was probably in there 5 minutes, or maybe 10 at the most, and when I received the bill, I nearly had to return for cardiac care.
The code said "removal of tissue from 1 to 5 finger or toe nails (actually there was no tissue removed just a tiny bit of toenail). For that I was charged $54.49. But the second charge was for "new patient office or other outpatient visit, typically 30 minutes), which added another $192.57 for a grand total of $247.07.
True I did not have to pay the bill because I have Medicare, which paid $81.28 of the claim. I guess the rest of it went to my Medigap insurer or eaten by the hospital because so far, I haven't gotten a bill.
I am wondering if I go back will I still be charged the "new patient office or other outpatient visit" fee.
And we wonder why insurance rates are so high. I guess it's a vicious cycle. Hospitals have to charge so much as they can only recover a portion of their "costs."
The doctor did say this was just a temporary fix and he could remove part of the toenail if I still had a problem. God only knows how much that would cost ...
He is a great guy and I understand that is the way "the system" works . . but I couldn't help mentioning it.
Kind of like the prescription for Singular that would have ended up costing me over $125 because I do not have prescription insurance. Instead I chose Claritin D, for less than $20. It made a pretty easy choice . . .
I've been warned that when I do sign up for prescription coverage, I will pay a big penalty, but think of the money I am saving myself and the government because I don't take any prescriptions. At least not yet ...
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
November 16, 2016
The first picture I am sharing this week was taken the day after the Bandon Fire of the rubble that was once Capps Motor Co's garage. And I believe the man in the photo, wielding an axe as he searches through the debris, is Mayor Ed Capps, who owned the business. He is the grandfather of Maud and Bruce Capps of Bandon.
Capps Motor Co's garage after the fire
It's how I found this picture that is amazing. Some 15 years ago, a former resident of Bandon, Evelyn Finley of Coquille, came into the Herald office with two pages out of a photo album, on which were pasted 10 2x3-inch photos, all taken the day after the Fire. At least that is what I thought I had. I did copy each of the 10 and put them away in a file of old pictures, but it was while going through a bunch of history stuff the other night that I discovered that on the back of one of the pages were three more pictures, including this one of Ed Capps. One of the others, which I am also sharing this week, shows a pretty clear picture of the tents in which many families lived through the winter after the Fire. The sign on the little shed in the foreground reads "Tumble Inn."
Temporary housing after the fire
Evelyn had written under each photo, which is extremely helpful because often times when we find an old picture, we are not sure what it represents. She gave me pictures of Queen Anne (named after my late aunt Anne Sweet Felsheim) Cottages, the red and white store and Westland Hotel, several of the Hartman Theatre, a photo of what was left of the grade school and nearby homes, and another of homes (or should I say chimneys) on Ocean Drive, which may well have included what was left of my grandparents' home.
On the other page was a picture of First National Bank (now the Masonic Building) where my grandfather's newspaper (Western World) was located for many years, post office and theater, city vault and the Bank of Bandon. These 80-year-old photos, small as they are, are in great shape and very clear. But it is the three on the back, including Capps Garage and tent city, that are the real treasures. I am pretty sure that no matter how many photos were taken that day, the one of Ed Capps swinging the axe is probably one of a kind and to a history buff like me, that's a special find.
The third picture I am sharing is of what was left of the Hartman Theatre, which has special meaning for me. Several years ago I came across the graduation program for the Class of 1934, of which my mother (Martha Virginia Felsheim) was a member. Their commencement exercises were held in the Hartman Theatre, a little more than two years before the Fire.
Hartman Theatre after the fire
I also have two other old commencement programs, including one from 1931, when the event was held at Silver Spray Gardens. One of the class members was Marjorie Bullard (Stephenson), who I just talked with a couple of weeks ago when she was in town with a family member. And when you consider that Marjorie graduated from high school 85 years ago, you know what an amazing person she is. And her sister, Betty Bullard Baird, graduated from BHS five or six years later. Betty makes her home at Pacific View. She and her sister are amazing people.
The second graduation announcement (from the Class of 1922) was sent by Ernest (Ernie) R. Panter (who has many relatives still living in the area) to a Mr. and Mrs. L. McMullen inviting them to his graduation exercises, which were held at Dreamland Pavilion. Ernie owned and operated Panters Feed Store, which is now The Big Wheel.
His brother Leland was a member of the Class of 1931.
* * *
Ever since I opened my own Facebook account, I've pretty much accepted anyone as a friend if I knew them ... or even if I knew someone that they knew, which has resulted in over 900 "friends."
But that changed last week. I now have two less "friends." I also left the Bandon, Oregon, Facebook group because of some particularly hateful messages ... directed at me.
Determined to keep that kind of rhetoric from my own Facebook page, I have pretty much confined my posts to scenic pictures of Bandon or from my collection of old photos. I did post something a couple of weeks ago with offensive language, but I felt the message was worth sharing.
But this week, I posted a piece which advised people not to over-react about Trump's election, but to remember that the people who most impact the lives of their children are parents, teachers, coaches, etc. It was a very powerful piece and friends from "both sides of the aisle" agreed with the message. Except for two men, both of whom are graduates of Bandon High but no longer live here.
One of them immediately expounded by saying, "typical example of the intolerant sore losers that make up the liberal PC idiocy." In the past I would have responded with the reasons I felt they were wrong, which would have resulted in a long back and forth. But instead, I wrote a message to the writer, and let him know that because I was no longer going to allow hateful speech on my Facebook page, I was unfriending him ... and I did it. Another man, also gone from here for many years, took up where he left off, and he was also "gone" with the touch of a key.
It's not that I am too fragile or sensitive to "fight the battle," it's just that I plan to protect my page. They can post whatever they like on their pages, but I won't be reading it.
I hope my readers understand ... that I am going to do my small part in changing the rhetoric that has become so commonplace on "social (not so social)" media.
* * *
At 11 o'clock on election night, after learning for sure that the city's water rate increase had been approved by a sizeable margin of the voters, I sat down at my computer and wrote a thank you message to the water utilities commission, my fellow councilors, and to all who contributed in any way to make this happen.
We all agreed that the real thanks goes to the people of Bandon. I think they realized just how important this measure was to assuring good, quality drinking water, and to the efforts that we have made and will make in the future to try to protect our system in the event of a devastating earthquake.
I want to say again, "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people of Bandon for their support and to the utilities commission for their months of hard work."
We have also pledged to keep the voters apprised of what we are doing to upgrade and maintain the water system ... with the $10-a-month increase that will appear on their water bills after Jan. 1.
* * *
I sometimes forget just how lucky we are to have a wonderful community center and a beautiful theater until I have the opportunity to take part in various events in these two buildings.
Within the last couple of weeks, I attended the hospital foundation's fund-raising event at the Community Center. It featured a sold-out crowd of people who had come to support the arts, bid on pieces of art and return home with a 10x10 piece of art from the artists represented.
People loved it and I heard people say they hoped the Foundation board would make this an annual event. The proceeds will go toward paying for the quarterly art exhibits at the hospital, which are now being spearheaded by Ava Richey and Susan Lehman after long-time coordinator Victoria Tierney stepped down after many years.
Friday night I joined a big crowd of locals at the Sprague where Bandon Playhouse presented "One Night On Broadway: A Musical Sing Along," directed by Paul Hay.
It was a wonderful musical evening, highlighting some of the favorite songs from past Playhouse musicals, including Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler On the Roof, Wizard of Oz, Annie Get Your Gun, Wicked and many others.
The event, with Larry Doss as master of ceremonies, also paid tribute to the veterans in the audience, each of whom was given an opportunity to introduce him or herself and tell us in what branch of the service they had served. The show closed with the group singing of God Bless America, after a military medley when the fight song from each branch of the military was featured, while veterans stood up for their song.
It was truly a moving and memorable evening and a great way to honor our veterans on Veterans Day.
* * *
There will be two opportunities to go to the Sprague this week, with Sweet Speeches at 7 on Tuesday, and the Bandon Showcase program featuring former New Christy Minstrels singer William Florian on Thursday at 7:30.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
November 10, 2016
The three pictures that I am sharing this week all come from the same area, and basically show the same building. In 1956, Kenner Giles managed the Albers Feed Store, next to the cheese factory on the west side of Ferry Creek at Grand Avenue. It fronted on the highway, about where Face Rock Creamery is now.
But because the cheese factory needed to expand, it was decided to move the feed store building across Grand Avenue, but to get there, it had to cross Ferry Creek. Unfortunately as they were moving it, the stringers broke, and one side of the building went down into the creek.
Albers Feed Store, 1956
After much work, they were able to lift it and get it across Grand, where it sits today and is known as the 101 Marketplace.
You can see it in its present location, on the east side of Grand, in 1962 when the state highway department was reinforcing the banks of Ferry Creek, on the north side of the highway, in front of property that my family owned for many years.
Reinforcing the banks of Ferry Creek, 1962
The third picture, taken in April of 1978, pictures another collapse. This occurred when Jim Franks attempted to drive his garbage truck across the wood platform leading to my house, and the next door cottage.
Collapsed bridge over Ferry Creek, 1978
Officer Marc Johnson, who was off-duty at the time, is pictured behind the truck, as they try to figure out how to lift it up. Across the highway you can see the same building, which by that time had become a "flea market," and had undergone some design changes. The bridge leading from the highway to the properties I previously owned (which are now for sale by the new owners) is now concrete.
* * *
I was sad to hear that long-time Bandon resident (and probably a native) Hugh G. McNeil died this week at the age of 96. Hugh had been living in the Myrtle Point Care Center for several years.
Hugh G. McNeil
Among his survivors are his daughter, Sheila of Eugene, three sons, Bill, Rich and Steve, and his 93-year-old sister, Mary McNeil Wilson. His wife, Betty, died earlier.
Hugh, who operated the butcher shop in the back of M&L Grocery for many years, was also a commercial fisherman, and served many years on the Bandon Port Commission.
He was a popular guy and will be missed ...
* * *
I saw a post on the Internet from The Financial Word, with information about the 10 most expensive states in which to retire. Unfortunately, Oregon was No. 4. The states were New York, Washington, D.C., California, Oregon, Hawaii, New Jersey, Minnesota, North Carolina and Illinois.
Here is what the article had to say about Oregon: "If you're the type who enjoys going to the beach, going for a hike, or a delicious mug of craft beer to cap the day off, then the Beaver State is where you should be settling in.
"Nevertheless, there are two downsides to retiring in Oregon - the high cost of living and high tax rate.
"For retirees who would be living on fixed income, starting a life in Oregon may be difficult. For one thing, the Council for Community and Economic Research's 2014 report indicated that Portland apartments are charging more than double the national average rental fee at $2,196 per month. Moreover, gasoline is 11.7% more than the national average. Even the consultation fee for doctors is 27.7% higher than average.
"In addition, while Oregon doesn't impose sales taxes, residents who earn more than $125,000 annually ($250,000 for married couples who file jointly) as well as retirement income, are burdened with 9.9% income tax."
Here lies just one reason that I voted no on Ballot Measure 97.
* * *
I have a new meaning for the licorice candy "Good & Plenty." They are my favorite candy, and I always keep a box in a special "catch all" drawer in the kitchen.
So you can imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer last night to find that I wasn't the only one who loved Good & Plenty.
The Plenty would refer to the hundreds of tiny black sugar ants that had invaded the drawer and were feasting on my candy. Fortunately one of the three boxes had not yet been opened, so it did not have to be thrown out.
What started out as simply opening the drawer to steal another sweet, ended up being a several-hour job of cleaning each item out of the drawer, killing the ants, cleaning the drawer, and putting in borax to discourage them from coming back.
Instead, they are now on the wall near the drawer, but there are far fewer of them and they are easier to get rid of.
My sister gave me some borax earlier this summer when I had another ant problem, but by the time I remembered to bait them, they were gone. And I mean completely gone. I did not see a single ant, or even so much as a fruit fly or a regular fly for months.
Now they are back ... all of them.
I hate flies, and anytime I see one, I immediately get rid of it. But in the last few days, I have killed 12 and I know there is still another one in here someplace. I am thinking that they are hatching as I am extremely careful when I open the door.
Maybe it's the time of the year ... or maybe it's because I am stressed out over the election and little things upset me more. Not sure ... but I do know that I got rid of some pretty happy sugar ants.
* * *
Talk about restraint!
A recent article in the Register-Guard recounts how a Deschutes County Sheriff's deputy was recovering after being attacked by five dogs -- all pit bulls -- in LaPine. The female deputy was responding to a call about the dogs when they charged at her. She says she didn't shoot the pit bulls because there were children in the area.
Although she was hospitalized, her boots and vest kept her from suffering worse injuries. Thank God it wasn't a defenseless senior citizen or a young child they decided to attack.
The dogs were taken to the Humane Society of Central Oregon.
* * *
Congratulations go to the Bandon boys cross-country team, which won its first state title Saturday at Lane Community College. Josh Snyder placed fourth, Hunter Hutton was fifth and Zane Olive finished ninth. Also running for Bandon were Isaac Cutler, Skyler Hammons and Aero Franklin. Bandon finished 25 points ahead of East Linn Christian to win the state honor.
Bandon's Sailor Hutton (Hunter's twin) was runner up for the second straight year in the Class 3A-2A-1A girls race. The race was won by Oregon Episcopal's Stephanie Finley with a time of 18 minutes and 30 seconds ... six seconds ahead of Sailor.
* * *
The Sprague Theater is going to be a busy place in the new two weeks, with at least three programs scheduled.
Friday night, Nov. 11, Bandon Playhouse will present One Night On Broadway -- A Musical Sing Along. People are invited to dress up as their favorite Broadway star and spend the evening signing the songs of Broadway with the audience. Playhouse members will provide engaging "masters of ceremonies" while leading the audience in a night filled with some of the musical theaters most memorable tunes from Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen and may more.
The show will be dedicated to the men and women of the Armed Services, and admission for veterans will be $5, while other adults will pay $10 and children (12 and under) will be charged $8. Tickets are available at Bandon Mercantile and the Cobblers Bench.
The Bandon High School speech team, under the direction of long-time mentor Ellen Howard, will perform in "Sweet Speeches" Tuesday night, Nov. 15, beginning at 7. Seniors on the team are Katy Taylor, Dustin Wilson, David Vincent, Andy Yu, Jack Turner, Donnegal Gordon and Josiah Hay.
I just happened to be looking over the brochure for the Bandon Showcase 2016-17 season of performances, and noticed that the next program is set for Thursday night, Nov. 17.
It features William Florian, former lead singer of the famous New Christy Minstrels, with "an upbeat, musical journey of America's greatest songs of the '60s."
The publicity adds: "Florian presents uplifting original music while adding amusing stories in an intimate show. Retirees love the show. Those were the days!"
I will definitely see that show.
All seats are reserved, and although there are many season ticket holders, people can still buy single-show tickets at Bandon Mercantile for $25.
I hope people realize how lucky we are to have a theater like the Sprague, to complement our wonderful library and community center, along with our new playground equipment ... all in City Park.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
November 03, 2016
The first picture I am sharing this week was taken in May of 1959 of a sailboat in trouble in the harbor. You can see the partially submerged boat to the left of the two boats, who had gone to its rescue.
Sailboat in trouble, 1959
In back is the Moore Mill & Lumber Truck Shop, and to the right is the Moore Mill retail yard, which was at the entrance to the mill off Riverside Drive. More of the mill can be seen at left.
The second photo shows an addition to the high school in April of 1956 during the years that I attended high school there. The school was destroyed by an arsonist in January of 1974.
High school construction, 1956
The third picture is Bandon Book & Stationery, owned by Ray Hallinan, on the south side of Highway 101 at Fillmore Avenue.
Bandon Book & Stationery
It was also the Greyhound Bus stop in those days. Today, the building is empty, having previously housed Gibson Graphics, which has moved to its new location on top of the hill. I believe this was built in 1941 for my father, the late Bill Dufort, who operated the Gilmore Gas Station at that location. At that time, dad was also the agent for Western Auto, which was in the same building. Over the years it was a service station before making way for a retail shop.
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I also want to share another picture this week of some very special twins, who celebrated their 93rd birthday on Oct. 27. Pictured with Judy Knox, at left, are Edna Hunt Wilson Paulsen and her twin sister, Edith Hunt Winters. I learned they were celebrating their birthdays when I saw Edith's son, Barry, picking up a huge bouquet of balloons.
Judy Knox w/ Edna Hunt Wilson Paulsen and her twin sister Edith Hunt Winters
They recently attended the Bandon Fire presentation at the museum, and were among the fire survivors who shared their stories. Both were graduates of Bandon High School with the Class of 1941. I took this picture at our last all-school reunion several years ago.
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I was sorry to learn of the death of former sheriff and BHS graduate with the Class of 1965, Mike Cook. He and his late wife, Pat, lived in Coquille for many years. There was a wonderful front-page article about Mike in Saturday's World, which was a fitting tribute to the long-time lawman.
His sister, Pam Van Dolah, said a service will be held on Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Redeemer Catholic Church in North Bend.
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I took a break from writing my column to look at the latest Facebook posts, and learned that two of my very favorite people, June Korenko and Judy Knox, had taken bad falls.
Barbara Dodrill posted Sunday afternoon that her sister, June, had fallen and suffered a brain bleed. She was in Southern Coos Hospital and Barbara said she was very confused, and that her family was on their way. She has many people praying for her.
I remember when mom was in her mid-90s, she stumbled on a lip of concrete in the garage of sister Molly's house, and fell face forward, knocking her unconscious and breaking her glasses. She, too, had a brain bleed, but after several days in the hospital, she was allowed to come home. She recovered from the effects of the fall, and we can pray that June's outcome will be as good.
While I was looking for more information about June, I came across a picture of a very bloodied Judy Knox, who had fallen Saturday, cracked her eyebrow open, bruised her face and broken her glasses.
I certainly wish both of them a speedy recovery.
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This time next Sunday, I will be part of the program at a fundraiser for the Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center art shows, to be held Sunday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Bandon Community Center (aka The Barn) in City Park.
The goal of the event will be to bring together artists of Bandon who have shown at the hospital art shows with potential art patrons.
There will be light hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar. Every ticket purchaser will receive a 10x10 inch painting by a local artist.
I am one of the three featured artists who will speak about our work in context of the hospital art shows. The others are Michael Ousley and Judith Ginsburg.
We have each been asked to talk for 10 or 15 minutes about our work, and I plan to tell people how I came to have 30,000 negatives from Western World, and what I have been doing with them since saving them over 30 years ago ... from being hauled to the dump.
Tickets are $35 a person or $50 a couple. Advance purchase is encouraged, but a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
For more information contact Scott McEachern, 541-329-1040 or smceachern@southerncoos.org.
It should be a fun event.
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I have learned that at last week's Port commission meeting, Gina Dearth announced that the Coast Guard would remain in Bandon for a longer period of time, beginning next summer. In past years, they have left on Labor Day, but too often, because of the good weather in September (and sometimes October), inexperienced recreational fishermen cross the bar, and run into trouble. This, of course, led to the loss of three men in late September, who might have been saved had the Coast Guard boat been stationed in Bandon.
I don't know all the details, but the port deserves a big vote of thanks for their efforts in an increased Coast Guard presence.
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Speaking of the October weather, I do know that as of Oct. 25, I think this area had experience about 12 inches of rain, which was more than eight inches over the average rainfall for October.
I don't want anyone to think I am predicting a wet winter, but I remember back in the '70s (or it could even have been the '60s) we experienced 30 inches of rain ... in a single month (November).
I was working at the paper at the time, and remember that we kept good statistics about the rainfall and the temperature, which we posted on the front page of the paper every week.
As I write this on Sunday evening, I can hear it beginning to rain very hard, so it will be interesting to learn just how much rain we will have experienced when the month is over.
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The Bandon Historical Society Museum is inviting people with military collections to put their material on exhibit for a day as part of the museum's Veterans Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day.
Museum volunteer and Air Force veteran Rick Hinojosa is the organizer for the event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission will be free for the day and the public is invited to attend.
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In this week's Western World, Amy wrote a wonderful story about Dick and Kay O'Grady of Bandon, who recently observed their 75th wedding anniversary. They celebrated with their son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Vicky O'Grady, who also live in Bandon.
Dick and Kay moved to Bandon in 1981, but had visited here often as Kay's sister was Mary Steddom, wife of George Steddom, who owned Coast Lumber Yard and had served as Bandon's mayor from 1977 to 1979.
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I was sorry to learn that Jim Wathen had been dismissed, by a unanimous vote of the Southern Coos Hospital board members present at their Oct. 20 meeting. He had been serving as interim CEO for two and a half months after the board had fired the former CEO Charles Johnston.
As is always the case with the dismissal, or often times the resignation, of a CEO/city manager, the hands of the board/city council are tied. Sometimes they have to make the tough, heart-wrenching decisions . . . without being able to tell the public what led to the action.
In many cases, it would be a benefit for both the board/council and the CEO/city manager to be able to explain exactly what happened that led to dismissal or resignation. Unfortunately, the system does not work like that ... even though I firmly believe that it should.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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