North Douglas herald., January 01, 2024, Page 4, Image 4

Page 4
City Desk
to permeate the current administrations seemingly
adversarial attitude towards the Fair Board’s
proposal to the City for the 2024 event. With
derisive comments from the council and some
name calling to boot, it seems that the support is
fading and the only justification was a withering
criticism of the comparisons to what the Fair used
to be in years past and “What does the City get for
all that”.
Part of the problem for the Fair, besides
resources being sought, is that more room is
needed to make the kinds of adjustments and
new activities needed to keep the Fairs appeal
and enticement to fair goers. Trying to work with
neighboring properties and integrating with the
resources of the City seems to be a high hill at this
time and has led to the loss of the needed property
that was previously available.
It’s interesting that the North Douglas Fair
Board seems to be meeting the same treatment
that other local citizen committees have recently
endured, to the tune of a seemingly reducing their
sway or eliminating or dissolving, depending
on your interpretation, of these citizen groups.
Meanwhile the consolidation of policies out of the
purview of involved citizens continues with little
January 2024
North Douglas Fair
Continued from Page 1
oversight. Historically, in it’s heyday, Drain was
a maze of groups of citizens and volunteers who
made observations, considerations and proactively
worked alongside City officials to make for a
better and more vibrant place to live. Maybe it is
just the slow turning wheel and better cooperation
is forthcoming at some point but it’s not so evident
now.
Where would the Fair move to if it came
to that. Maybe Yoncalla, who still supports the
Fair and there may be some efforts underway to
assess that possibility. It would be too bad to lose
the Fair in Drain, it really is an important tradition
and history. There is still some time to visit all the
avenues that may become available but for now
there is still some hope and faith. Hope that the
tradition can live on and the faith that with hard
work and some ingenuity, the Fair will persevere
in some prominent form.
The next meeting of the North Douglas Fair
Board is on Monday, January 15th at 6pm at the
Church of Christ Annex. Meetings are open to
the public. Volunteers and interested persons are
welcomed and Jim says they would love to see
more people attending. Support the North Douglas
Fair, it’s the only Fair we have and it’s worth it.
North douglas Herald
Historic Oakland City
A Discussion with Mayor Bette Keehley
Here are a few updates from the City of
Oakland. Oakland Oregon is a historic town in
North Douglas County. The City of Oakland was
founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1878. The
City’s 2 block downtown brick buildings were
built between 1880 and 1890.
A small town of under 1000, Oakland feels
the pressure of many small communities across
Oregon. Shifting economic priorities and systems
leaves many of them behind in this make or break
society. Oakland has worked hard to overcome
the hurdles and also make a vibrant, comfortable
and safe community for it’s citizens, while
preserving it’s history and presenting itself on
display in pride.
Mayor, Bette Keehley, has currently been
the Mayor of Oakland since 2022 and was mayor
for over 10 years from 2008 to 2020. Bette is a
fierce advocate for her city and it’s residents and
interests.
Some of the most critical issues stem from
the recent Archie Creek fire in 2020. Says the
Mayor, “We continue to work closely with
FEMA to resolve problems that resulted from
the Archie Creek Fire. The fire destroyed all
vegetation on the watershed for Calapooya
Creek, which is our sole raw water source. The
impacts are far reaching in our water system and
a several-pronged project is being worked to get
us back to pre-fire status.”
According to Bette, “The building that houses
our City Hall, Public Library, Play School and
Community Center is serviced by an elevator
that makes access to all these locations possible
for disabled and stair-challenged citizens. The
elevator is aging quickly and in need of a
software update. The entire project will cost
approximately $240,000. The city will continue
to seek grant funding, but is also doing some
“grass-roots” fund raising. This Christmas the
Community Center on the 2nd floor of historic
Washington School became a Winter Wonderland
with Santa’s Workshop, Santa, Candy Cane
Railway with train rides for kids, Candy Cane
Continued on Page 6
Reedsport’s Newest Business
Jacks Barber Shoppe moves from Drain
By Rusty Savage
Reedsport just grew one business larger with
the addition of Jacks Barber Shoppe Co. Originally
established in Drain Oregon in 2018, Jacks Barber
Shoppe has been providing quality haircuts and
beard services for over 5 years and has established
a regional following.
The founder, Krystal,
started the business
with a vision to create a
comfortable and relaxing
environment for men to
get their hair cut. Today,
she continues to uphold
that tradition and strives
to exceed her clients’
expectations.
Krystal Jacks opened
Jacks Barber Shoppe in 2019. She had one goal,
to show everyone in Oregon, how to cut Cali style.
Also to give everyone an old school barber vibe.
She has accomplished this by now being one of the
best barbers in Oregon.
Krystal Jacks spent 5 years in Drain establishing
herself as a savvy business owner and also spent
her time being very active in the community
there. She worked on many community activities
and events both as a member of the Chamber
of Commerce and as an involved citizen , she
volunteered around the North Douglas community
in a number of capacities and was active in many
Holiday events. Donating her talents to worthy
causes is very close to Krystal’s heart. Free
haircuts for Veterans, retirement homes and care
facilities are a just a few of her causes that she
donates her time and resources to. It is with much
sadness that Jack’s Barber Shoppe Co has decided
to move on from her Drain location, because she
has established many deep bonds with local folks
who have come to count on her expertise and care.
Many will be following her to her new location.
Krystal cites the need to move to a new location
as being due to actions taken by some city officials
targeting her and unfairly influencing her landlord
with gossip and misinformation.
By Contrast, the city of Reedsport seems
to welcome and even promote new businesses
coming to their city. Jack’s Barber Shoppe Co is
moving into the old service station at 1199 Oregon
Coast Highway (US101) and has plans to make
some improvements and update the curb appeal, as
well as a part of her “beautification” efforts.
The city of Reedsport is bringing out the
welcome wagon to help with a Grand Opening
celebration in February and Krystal looks forward
to working with the Main Street Program to be
a part of the revitalization efforts to improve
the overall livability and vibrancy of her new
community.
Jacks’s Barber Shoppe Co offers a variety
of services to help you look your best, including
haircuts, beard trims, and hot towel shaves. “We
use only the highest quality products and tools to
ensure that you get the perfect look every time.”
Krystal has over 20 years of experience and is
always up-to-date on the latest styles and trends.
She says, “I am so glad to be able to provide my
service to new clients and though I’ll miss the
many friends I have made here, I’m so looking
forward to establishing my business in Reedsport
and, everyone who knows me, knows that I’ll be
definitely doing it with style”.
Jacks Barber Shoppe Co Float in the
Drain City Christmas Light Parade