As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Sep 25, 2019
I could not believe what I was seeing when I scanned in this first picture, taken during a heavy wind and rain storm by my late uncle Lou Felsheim in December of 1965.
Storm, 1965
It wasn't until I read the caption in Western World that I realized how creative he'd been.
"The storm scene is Highway 101 (Oregon Avenue) in front of LaKris Motel shortly after 1 p.m., as a pickup truck splashes by, heading south into the teeth of the gale. Distortions giving the picture a submarine quality, is from the rain-covered windshield through which the camera recorded the moment."
The article goes on to say that more than six inches of rain fell in this area during the week of Dec. 21 through Dec. 27, with more than two inches being recorded on Christmas Eve. At the peak of the storm, wind gusts of between 90 and 95 miles an hour were registered by the wind gauge at the local Coast Guard Station.
On a more serene day, the second photo was taken in August of 1981 as people fish off the port dock, and just enjoy the day amid the fishing boats, with the Moore Mill Truck Shop and Moore Mill visible in the background.
Fishing off the port dock, 1981
The third picture features John McNutt of Eugene taken in November of 1978 as he announces plans to build the Bandon Shopping Center, near the junction of Highway 42S and 101.
John McNutt, 1978
He said it would eventually include nearly 100,000 square feet of shopping space, including a grocery supermarket, variety store, department store, drug store, shoe store and a cafe. "The center, located on property previously owned by Roger and Barry Winters (Winters Auto and RV) and Tom Campbell (Leisure Living By The Sea) will come to Bandon after considerable research has shown Bandon would support such a center because of several factors including purchases made out-of-town and shopping which is expected to come from the area around Bandon."
I was on the City Council when the issue of a zone change, from residential to commercial for the proposed site, came before us, and several of the councilors did not feel it was the proper place for a shopping center even though it was right on the highway. I pushed hard for the rezone and ultimately was able to persuade the majority that this would be a plus for the community.
* * *
Recently I received a strange email from a Mrs. Julieth Mam, which started out "Dearest One," and goes on to tell me that "after serial fasting and prayers, the spirit of God directed me to contact you. I am Julieth Mane (oops it is signed Julieth Mam) now undergoing medical treatment."
Her "story" is that when her late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 3.8 million Usd with a Bank in Ivory Coast, and since she is now going to die, she wants "to donate this fund to church or better still a Christian individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here in."
She closes: "Get back to me for more details."
Yeah right!
* * *
Eto Landucci, son of Ed and Crystal Landucci, who was injured in an incident in front of The Arcade Tavern last Saturday evening about 5:20, remains in a medically induced coma. Eto is in the Oregon Health and Science University Hospital (OHSU) in Portland, where he underwent surgery for a head injury.
Sgt. Larry Lynch said after being hit, Landucci fell backwards to the cement. "He was not hit from behind as was first reported," the Sergeant said.
* * *
I learned this week that Joyce Gerber, 83, a long-time resident of Bandon and former businesswoman, died after a lengthy illness. Joyce, who at one time had a vintage clothing shop in Old Town, was married to Larry Gerber, who survives.
* * *
I am still trying to obtain information about an accident on Beach Loop Road last week, near Devil's Kitchen, involving four young Bandon women, including one 16-year-old and three who were older. I understand that Beach Loop Road had flooded in the low spot near Devil's Kitchen, and when the vehicle hit it, the driver lost control and spun into the bank. I do know that the Jaws of Life was required to get one of the girls out of the vehicle.
At least two of them are said to be in Doernbecher Hospital in Portland. As soon as Sgt. Larry Lynch gives me the names, I will release them.
* * *
The national Governing magazine contained an article this month titled "Addicted To Fines," and had a map of the 840 cities in the United States that rely heavily on revenues from fines and forfeitures to support city government. The subhead said: "small towns in much of the country are dangerously dependent on punitive fines and fees."
There were only six in Oregon, including Port Orford, but Port Orford relied most heavily on fines as a percentage of their general fund revenues. Other Oregon towns were Coburg, Manzanita, Stanfield, Hubbard and Umatilla.
The article said that for Fiscal year 2018, Port Orford received $413,980 from citations for their General Fund of a total of $860,785 in General Fund revenues .... or 48.1 percent.
That amounted to $421 per adult resident of Port Orford, according to the article.
From what I understand, Port Orford has been operating its own court system for many years, and may be grandfathered, which is the reason other cities are not able to use traffic court fines to support city government.
Now we know why Port Orford is often considered to be a "speed trap." They depend heavily on those revenues.
The residents benefit in two ways: help in paying for city government and the slowing down of traffic through their town.
Many of the cities on the map were in the South.
* * *
If you missed seeing Councilor Madeline Seymour at this year's Cranberry parade, there was a reason. She had fallen on a water spill (from her dog's water dish) on the tile floor in her kitchen and fractured her knee cap.
She saw the orthopedic surgeon this week, who said it was a clean facture and no surgery was needed, which was the good news. She's to pretty much be immobile for four weeks before another visit to the specialist.
But she assured me she would be at the Oct. 7 council meeting ... and I have no doubt that she'll be there.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Sep 18, 2019
The first picture I am sharing was probably taken in the late '70s.
Sailor Joe's Galley on the South Jetty, 1970s
John and Louise Hancock owned Sailor Joe's Galley on the South Jetty, which later became Bandon Boatworks. As you can see there was a great dining room upstairs, which provided a beautiful view of the river, the lighthouse and the ocean. More recently, although I am not sure of the exact year, the interior was badly damaged by fire, but it was all restored. It has been closed for a number of years, and I keep hoping that it will someday reopen.
I'm sure most of us remember when there were big fundraisers held each year for the March of Dimes, before the threat of polio was virtually eliminated. This photo was taken in February of 1970 during one of those fund drives.
March of Dimes fundraiser, 1970
Pictured behind the bar at Lloyd's were Ocie Malland, at left, and Pat Hutchens.
The story that accompanied the picture in Western World explained that Chairman Ernie Osborne said that per capita giving for this year's MOD campaign amounted to more than $1 per person ... with $1,800 raised in Bandon, which had a population of about 1,600 at that time. "Some $405 was raised from 'March of Dimes' cards which graced Lloyd's Cafe, the Pastime and the Arcade Tavern. Another $30 was put into the coffers after the Millard School-Town Team basketball game. Largest fund-raising event was the Lion's auction which netted an estimated $800, and the annual Mother's March which earned another $200," said Osborne.
Speaking of Millard School, the third picture shows Mrs. Esther Millard, teaching English at Millard School in November 1962, not long after the school had moved from Langlois Mountain to Tanglewood on the shores of Bradley Lake south of Bandon.
Mrs. Esther Millard, 1962
Col. Homer Millard established Millard School at Langlois in 1953 after operating a school in Washington D.C. from 1925 to 1946. They moved to Tanglewood in March of 1962; he died in May of that year. The school prepared boys for the U.S. military academies. At the time of his death, he had begun construction of a new military preparatory school and the addition of a separate high school division. (Tanglewood is now a privately owned religious complex, known as Lake Bradley Christian Retreat). Before it became Millard School, it was a skating rink and dance hall owned by Leona Koff.
In the 30 years of their operation the Millard School graduated more than 3,000 students, among them the sons of many of the nation's most famous generals. Nineteen of the graduates at the Millard School in Washington later became generals.
I credit Mrs. Millard, who taught English at Bandon High School in the '50s, with my strong background in grammar. I still remember that even when she had stopped speaking to me after I wrote an article in Western World about one of her German Shepherds attacking Col. Kenneth Tiffany's son, she told one of her Millard teachers that I was one of the best grammar students she had ever taught. Later, after she had forgiven me for the front-page article, I often turned to her to settle one punctuation debate or another.
Misplaced commas still bother me today, but I pretty much had to get over it with the advent of email and Facebook...as commas, and spelling, too, seem to have gone by the proverbial wayside.
* * *
Even though Sunday was virtually washed out by the rain, Saturday's near perfect weather pretty much made up for it. This year's Cranberry Festival was said to be the best ever by most people who posted on Facebook. And I definitely agree. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but the parade lasted over an hour, the carnival was a favorite of the younger crowd, Queen Allison Hennick (daughter of Mike and Johauna) and her Cranberry Court were beautiful ambassadors, and the street dance and most other events were crowd pleasers.
Princesses joining Queen Allison in mingling with the crowds on Saturday in their beautiful red gowns were Rylee Kreutzer, Sami Marsh, Ashley Strain and Natalie Vincent.
Parade winners were music: 1st, Bandon High School band; 2nd, Off Notes (Bandon Ukelele group); 3rd, Grace Christian Tutoring School; Floats: 1st, Southern Coos Hospital; 2nd, VFW; 3rd, Ocean Spray; Vehicles: 1st, Bandon Crossings Golf Course entry No. 1; 2nd, Bandon Crossings entry No. 2; and 3rd, Russell Churchill (scary carnival car); animals: 1st, Kendall Siewell; 2nd, Coos County Mounted Sheriff's Posse; 3rd, Coos Coach (Redmond).
Chamber president Anthony Zunino and the interim executive director Margaret Pounder and their crew deserve a huge vote of thanks for all they did to make the festival such a huge success.
Now if the weather had just cooperated on Sunday .... but I understand people still enjoyed the music at the Old Town Marketplace and some of the vendors were open.
I joined Matt Winkel, Rod Jackson and Patricia Soltys in manning the city's "Save Our Sewer" booth after the parade, while other Utility Commission members, Mary O'Dea and Sheryl Bremmer, were at the wastewater treatment plant to familiarize people with the problems we are facing.
As part of our booth, we had a large jar filled with plastic frogs, and the person who guessed closest to the number in the jar won a $100 gift certificate to the Cobbler's Bench, donated by Councilor Peter Braun and me. The winner was Katherine LaPrain of Coos Bay, who guessed the exact number: 1,093.
* * *
I was so sorry to learn of the death of Kenny and Susan Kent's daughter, Kristin Edel, 43, who passed away in Albany Sept. 10 four months after her 49-year-old husband, Rod Edel, died in his sleep. Kristin was diagnosed in January of 2018 with leukemia.
Kenny Kent is a former superintendent of the Bandon School District, and had also served as principal under Supt. Cliff Walters. He retired from the Bandon district in 2005.
Kristin was born April 26, 1976, in Reedsport, attended Reedsport schools and graduated from Western Oregon University with a degree in Early Childhood Education.
The Edel's three children, son Avery, 18, and daughters, Lauren, 16, and Addison, 8, will make their home with Kenny and Susan. Among her other survivors is her brother Scott Kent and his wife, Sarah.
A service for Kristin will be held in the North Albany Community Church on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m.
* * *
One man is in ICU at OHSU in Portland and another man is in jail following what police described as a "bar fight" Saturday night which occurred outside a local establishment on First Street.
Sgt. Larry Lynch said Eto Landucci, 44, of Bandon was critically injured when he tried to break-up a fight. "He was trying to keep the peace ... and do the right thing," said Lynch, when he was allegedly hit from behind, causing him to fall and strike his head, suffering what Lynch described as "a life-threatening injury."
He reportedly underwent surgery to address a brain bleed early Sunday morning, and at 3:30 a.m. he was in intensive care. His parents, Ed and Crystal Landucci, are with him.
Terrence Clarkson, 32, Bandon, was charged with second degree assault and lodged in the Coos County Jail.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Sep 11, 2019
I love this first picture, taken in October of 1965, during a fire in the red cedar log deck at Rogge Lumber Co. mill south of town.
Fire at Rogge Lumber Co, 1965
Fighting the blaze, which resulted in $1,000 worth of damage to the logs, were firemen Lyle Hall, left, and Fred Moore (co-owner of M&L Grocery).
The article, which accompanied one of the photos shot that day, said most of the better logs were pulled out of the deck in time to save them; only scrubby logs were destroyed.
Fire spread north into the gorse, but did not cause any other damage.
The second photo was taken in late September of 1962 as members of the Bandon Lions Club prepare for their annual Beef Barbecue during the Cranberry Festival.
Preparing for beef BBQ at Cranberry Festival, 1962
Chief barbecuer Myron Spady, in hole, is preparing to bring out some of the 235 pounds of beef that had been cooking in the huge pit, which was six feet deep, eight feet long and four feet wide. Helping barbecue the meat were four members of the local Boy Scout Troop, Jerry Calame, Bill Wehner, Mike Spady and David Berry. In later years, instead of the pit being in the middle of the park, it was up behind the Chamber of Commerce booth closer to the parking lot.
The man standing behind the pile of dirt is Al Froland (one time port manager and owner of La Kris Motel), and I think the little girl would have been his youngest daughter, Kristy. Kneeling alongside Myron is Ernie Wehner (long-time owner of Bandon Wayside Motel), and the man standing, with the apron on, is either Ralph Goedker or Ray Bates. I took the picture, but that was 57 years ago, so I am just not sure.
The third picture, taken during the Saturday Street Sale in 1975, features photographer Lionel Berryhill and an unidentified woman enjoying the photography exhibit.
Lionel Berryhill at Saturday Street Sale, 1975
* * *
I was particularly interested in a press release from the Oregon Department of Transportation warning motorists of the gridlock through Reedsport on the Labor Day weekend, because of a "traffic change," or something like that.
What it amounted to is that Reedsport opted to try the controversial "Road Diet," which reduced traffic to two lanes .... and it did not work out too well. Apparently traffic was backed up at the traffic lights to the point that an ODOT spokesman said they would probably have flaggers in Reedsport to help move the traffic through town.
It was suggested that Bandon officials keep an eye on the Road Diet through Reedsport.
And we did, and it made us even more determined than ever NOT to allow Bandon to be the next guinea pig. It's hard enough to pull out of the side streets with four lanes; can you imagine how hard it would be with only two?
Reedsport is a perfect example!
* * *
My question to fellow Dish TV users, have you been having a lot of trouble lately with your signal? My signal has been pixelating for a few weeks, but at least I could still watch my programs, including Oregon football. But on Sunday, it has been alternating between "local channels interrupted" to "weather related signal loss." But it all means the same thing: no TV.
I finally called Dish support, and they can't send anyone out to look at my situation until Thursday ... between the hours of noon and 5. Hopefully I can access Netflix or Amazon Prime, but I am not even sure about that.
For this "privilege," I pay $109 a month ... and I don't even have HBO or Showtime; just two receivers and a video recorder. Probably time to see if Spectrum is available in my neighborhood, which it wasn't when I first subscribed to Dish 10 years ago.
The bright side is that at least my computer still functions ....
* * *
I see by a posting on the window at Raven's shop in the Wheelhouse mall that Richard Stillwagon will be moving his rum tasting room to a new location soon. He's been in the front of the Continuum building for well over a year.
* * *
What a special treat it was to attend the Skylar Grey concert Friday night, presented by the Bandon Showcase at the Sprague Theater. Skylar is not only a well-known singer songwriter, with a large following, but she also happens to be the daughter of Candace Kreitlow of Bandon and the step-daughter of Pete Bauer.
The concert had been sold out for weeks, so I know there were a lot of people who would loved to have heard her that simply weren't able to buy tickets.
Also joining Skylar on stage during the concert were her mother, who sang with her and provided accompaniment on her harp for one number, and her fiance Elliott Taylor, who sang his first single "Let It Out" which he produced and wrote with Skylar.
She has a gorgeous voice and is talented on multiple instruments, which made the concert even more special for the appreciative audience.
* * *
If you've always wanted to learn more about the Bandon Fire of 1936, you may want to attend the free program at the Bandon History Museum on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. Jim Proehl will be showing slides taken before and after the Fire, while I tell the story. We are also inviting Fire survivors to join us and share their stories. This is always one of the most popular programs that we offer each year, and even if you've seen it before, there is always new information to be shared.
Next month, on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 2 p.m., Jim and I will be telling the story of the Columbus Day Storm, which struck the Pacific Northwest on Oct. 12, 1962. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find the negatives of the many photos I took that day, but he has scanned in the photos that were in the Western World to share with the audience. And I wrote many stories about the event, including what happened to Pacific High School .... only hours after students were sent home early.
We will also be asking the audience to share their stories of the storm, which did between $3 billion and $5 billion in property damage to areas from northernmost California to southern British Columbia, and resulted in 50 deaths.
According to printed accounts, gusts at Cape Blanco's Coast Guard station measured wind speeds at over 145 miles an hour, with some estimates putting the wind speeds there at over 170 miles an hour.
Oregon experienced the full brunt of the typhoon and suffered more damage than any other state.
Believe me, it is something I hope never to experience again. But for an hour, I will try to relive it for those who may not have experienced it or did and want to share their stories.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
Sep 04, 2019
The first picture I am sharing this week features Beach Junction Market, south of Bandon, when it was a very thriving business under the ownership of Dona and Ernie Luther.
Beach Junction Market, 1970s
The negatives were not dated, but my guess is this was probably taken in the late '70s. Before the Luthers bought Beach Junction Market, it was owned by Harv and Eunice Calame. I am not sure who owns the building today, but it is closed up, even though for some time there had been a restaurant, a beauty shop and other small businesses there.
I have chosen the second photo for two reasons: one so people could see what that area of town used to look like, but even more important because the Fillmore-Highway 101 intersection is one of the most dangerous in town.
Accident at Fillmore and Hwy 101, 1977
This accident occurred in July of 1977 as a former Bandon man, who had moved to Oakland, Ore., tried to pull out of south Fillmore, but because vehicles were parked along the highway beside Old City Hall Fish & Chips (formerly the City Hall and now Bandon's History Museum), his view was blocked and he pulled out in front of a vehicle driven by an 18-year-old man from Crescent City. There were a total of five people in the two vehicles, but fortunately no one was injured.
I am not sure who the fireman is that is washing the fuel off the road, but behind him I can see Bandon Police Officer Ron Turner writing in his notebook. The building at the far left, with the sign Antiques, is now Bandon Mercantile, and next to it, which was Lighthouse Real Estate in those days, is The Laurel. The large building was the Coast Lumber Yard, which has since been torn down.
Back to the dangerous intersection .... apparently the white diagonal grids on the east side of Fillmore at the intersection mean that you can't pull into them, so even though it doesn't make sense, you need to remain close to the center line whether you are planning to go straight ahead, turn left, or turn right. Unfortunately, many of us pull as far right as we can so that we can make a right turn before the light turns green and adds even more confusion to the intersection. A friend of mine was doing just that a couple of months ago when a woman from Roseburg turned right at the same time and crashed into my friend's car. Had that been the previous day, that would have been me involved in the accident as I have always felt it was safest to pull as far to the right as possible when you plan to turn right. But apparently the law says differently.
I have brought it to the attention of the same state highway engineers, who are working on the pedestrian light for Ninth Street, to see if they might reconsider that configuration. Even if you do obey the law, and remain close to the center line, there is nothing to guarantee that just as you begin to turn right, someone doesn't pull up alongside of you with the same idea.
I actually searched through the driver's manual and could find no mention of those white grids, but I guess people are expected to know that they are not to pull into them.
All I can say about that intersection is .... be careful.
I love this third picture, but again I do not have a date. It is Kevin Murray being photographed by a Western World photographer (probably me) after he has landed this beauty in the river.
Kevin Murray
Ironically, he is standing in front of what was the Western World office during the late '60s and '70s, and is now the produce section of McKay's Market. Kevin is Chief Operating Officer with McKay's Markets, and he and his wife, Lisa, opened the Human Bean on the parking lot of the Bandon McKay's in 2004. Another Bandon High graduate, Bill Caldwell, is the CEO of McKay's.
* * *
In the last several weeks, we lost four Bandon High School graduates, including long-time Bandon resident Dick Mason (class of '60), Kathy Metzger Tacchini of Central Point (Class of '62) and Gary Potterf, 65, of Independence, who was in the Class of 1973. In May I ran a picture of Mr. Peanut talking to a little boy in front of Erdman's City Market in 1960, and the little boy was Gary Potterf (son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Potterf).
Dick Mason's wife, Donna Thorn Mason, is a member of the Bandon History Museum board of directors, and her sister, Linda, arrived this week from her home in Washington state to spend time with her.
Kathy, 75, who worked for the Veterans' Administration in the Medford area for years, and her husband Mike visited the Bandon area often, according to a classmate.
Several weeks ago, Phyllis Pullen Stevens, 88, died at her home in Powers. She was a member of the BHS Class of 1949, and was the aunt of Reg and Gary Pullen of Bandon and a sister to their late father, Bill Pullen.
* * *
Mary Capps, who celebrated her 95th birthday with a big open house at her Ocean Drive home Aug. 17, fell Wednesday and fractured her left hip. Her daughter, Maud Capps, said her mother is in Bay Area Hospital, but may be getting out Tuesday. Maud said she is already walking and is doing amazingly well.
* * *
It's not often that you get run over by your own vehicle, but that is what happened to Bandon Chamber President Anthony Zunino, owner of Freedom Graphics and the head of the Cranberry Festival.
Anthony waited for his children to go to bed the other night when he decided to go out into the garage after midnight and work on his vehicle. After getting it running, he decided he needed to tweak something, so he put it in park, and got beneath it. But something happened to take it out of park, and it started backing up with him beneath it. He ended up with a broken scapula (shoulder blade) on his right side, and 88 stitches in the area of his left ear. His farm truck was nearby, so he was able to drive himself to Southern Coos Hospital, where he said he received excellent care in the emergency room. His arm is now in a sling, which, as he pointed out, is something that he definitely did not need as he moves into full gear for the Cranberry Festival, Sept. 12-15.
But he admits ... it could have been worse. All I can say is thank heavens it wasn't!
* * *
Fred Carleton said his office got a text from me recently which said: "I need you to help me get some gift cards at the store today, let me know if you can do that right away and also let you know the denominations because there is a sharp decline. Let me know a good number that I can text you on from my private cell line for more details about this. And it was signed Mayor Mary Schamehorn.
I immediately posted on Facebook to let people know that once again I have been hacked. A warning to people: never send money, gift cards or anything else unless you absolutely know that it is legitimate. I learned that a Bandon woman had recently been notified that she had won a prize, but in order to collect it she had to send $2,000 to the sender, and "of course she would get it all back."
She did send the money, and she got nothing in return. Scammers continue to prey on older people, and obviously they are successful often enough to make it worth their while.
* * *
I saw a Facebook post that said the band Hookah Stew would be playing at Lloyd's on Saturday evening, Sept. 14, at 9 p.m., which is Cranberry weekend. All I know is what I read .....
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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