THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016
COMMUNITY
1B
THE POWER OF ART
TAKE YOUR PICK
A VALLEY OF DITCHES
f you’ve been out to the Long Beach (Washington) Peninsula lately,
you’re probably noticed the new, colorful, eye-catchy look of the
Long Beach trolley (pictured). The drawings on it are by none other
than artist Don Nisbett (also pictured), doing what he loves — “paint-
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Long Beach and the peninsula, he said the hard part was not the paint-
ing, it was formulating in his mind what to draw.
“I thought about everything that’s here on the beach,” he told the
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since we had the whales come up in the river, I had to put them on
there, too, so I made them into giant kites. I did some artistic things
in the sky with the kites and long ribbons, too. Just fun stuff. Even a
sea serpent. It represents the whole community from Oysterville and
Ocean Park to Warrenton — a collage of the whole area.”
“The trolley shows businesses the power of art,” Don observed.
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story or novel ... I did this in an artistic and fun way so people will want
to have their picture taken with the trolley — and then people might
see the photo and say, ‘Where was that?’”
Smart marketing and, the Ear bets, very effective.
I
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
he Astoria Senior Center
has become a beehive of
activity since the move back into
the newly remodeled building at
1111 Exchange St.,” Larry Allen
wrote to the Ear.
“In the process of keeping up
appearances the United Method-
ist Church, owner of the grassy
hillside behind the building, gave
the center permission to plant daf-
fodil bulbs. Thanks to the gener-
ous contribution of bulbs from
Fred Meyer in Warrenton, and
the efforts of Tongue Point Job
Corps Center students Loni Hewitt and Killian Long (pictured) we
completed planting a total of 716 daffodil bulbs along the 11th Street
parkway and the hillside slope. Planted a little late for this season, so it
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spring or not.”
“Good work Tongue Point Job Corps!” Larry added. “We really
appreciate you.”
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ast week, a story ran about Bob Bohnke’s P\VWHU\ÀRWVDP
(pictured), found on a beach by the Columbia River bar. Mr.
Google had no idea what it is, but the Ear received three phone
calls with possible explanations.
Anonymous No. 1VSHFXODWHGLWLVD³FRQFUHWHÀRDWIRUDGRFN
where people come in and put their boats,” and that the pipes
sticking out are for electricity and power. That would explain the
frayed rope tied to it, anyway.
Anonymous No. 2 had three guesses. “First guess would be
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second guess would be a septic tank from Davy Jones’ locker.”
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on the back deck of a boat. “That’s a legitimate guess, but who
knows,” he added.
Rick Brown was more prosaic: “I think it is a septic tank.”
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1DWLYH$VWRULDQChristopher James Lang (pictured
inset) is holding a preview screening of his new indepen-
dent survival thriller, “A Valley of Ditches,” at the Colum-
bian Theater at 3 p.m. Saturday. The doors open at 2:30
p.m., and the admission is $5 per person.
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coloring, and sound effects/mixing, but we want to screen
it for a couple of audiences and get some feedback,” Chris
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co-writer/lead actress from the movie, Amanda Todisco,
will join me on stage as well, all the way from Boston.
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movies on no budget, to getting funding for this project,
but we’ll answer anything folks are curious about.”
For a peek at the trailer, go to http://tinyurl.com/Valley-
Ditches for the trailer; get updates at www.facebook.com/
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“My wife and I both grew up in the area, and gradu-
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“I’ve held similar screenings for my two other features in
2010, and 2014, and ... I’m really looking forward to bring-
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Discovery, Travel Network, and many others. I have also
worked on a number of Lifetime movies and other inde-
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“It’s great to host these events, because I can share with
my home town all the knowledge I’ve gained in produc-
tion. I know there is a lot of interest in the area on this
topic, because growing up I was always encouraged by
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Chris added, “a screenplay I’m working on called ‘Cof-
fenbury Lake.’”
A
JUST NAME IT
VANILLA RULES
SURF’S UP
RFDOVXU¿QJIDQVWDNHQRWHScott and Sandy Blackman (pictured
inset), who have lived on the Oregon Coast all of their lives, have
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Coast,” which you can pre-order at http://tinyurl.com/surfhist
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ished on the North Coast, even after a rocky start — did you know
both Cannon Beach and Seaside originally had laws prohibiting the
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surfer Dana Williams LV TXRWHG DV VD\LQJ ³, UHTXHVWHG 6HDVLGH¶V
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city limits.”
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the rest of the story.
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GHOST PASSENGERS
[SDWULDWH$VWRULDQChef Daymon Garrett Edwards has had huge
success in Seoul, Korea, with Tartine Bakery and Café (www.old-
townbakery.co.kr), co-owned with Luke Lee. One of their newest
ventures is the remodel of Rusty’s Smokehouse, also in Seoul. “This
is a big project for us,” Daymon said, “rather daunting, but exciting to
be going into another aspect of cooking/baking.”
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shown. “The drawing is an artist taking license with my father’s
image, and he was never a cowboy, but enjoyed wearing a fedora,”
Daymon explained. Incidentally, he used his mother’s image for the
Tartine brand.
But the pair ran into a smokehouse snag — there is already a restau-
rant named Rusty. So here’s your shot at getting bragging rights for
naming a Korean restaurant: The name must be a “cowboy sounding”
name, up to six or seven letters long, go well with the word smoke-
house, and complement the sign. You have till next Friday to submit
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The winning entry will receive a gift. Daymon is not sure yet what
it will be, “but it will be interesting.” If two or more entries come up
with the same name, the email date and time stamp will decide the
winner. “We may award gifts to runner-ups,” he added, “and/or most
ridiculous or humorous, even if they are not used.”
So put on your thinking caps, and give it a shot.
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very peculiar phenomenon occurred in the aftermath of the 2011
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that as part of her thesis, Yuka Kudo, 22, a college senior majoring in
sociology, went to hard-hit Miyagi Prefecture to ask taxi drivers if they
had any unusual experiences after the 2011 disaster. Out of the more
than 100 drivers she approached — some got angry, some ignored her
— seven declared they had picked up “ghost passengers” in areas that
were destroyed by the tsunami (http://tinyurl.com/taxighost).
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(into a) cab near Ishinomaki Station. The woman directed him, ‘Please
go to the Minamihama (district).’ The driver, in his 50s, asked her,
‘The area is almost empty. Is it OK?’ Then, the woman said in a shiv-
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back at the rear seat. No one was there.”
Of note: When the ghostly passengers climbed into the cab, the
drivers started the meter, which is recorded. Which means the drivers
had to pay their fares when they disappeared.
Kudo said the cabbies weren’t afraid of their ghostly riders, they
“held them in reverence.”
“It is not strange to see a ghost (here),” one told her. “If I encounter
a ghost again, I will accept it as my passenger.”
A
my Bugbee SLFWXUHGORFDOHQWUHSUHQHXU$VWRULD6XQGD\
Marketeer and creator of Triple XXX Vanilla, is demon-
strating how to make vanilla extract from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat-
urday at 3 Cups Coffee House, 279 W. Marine Drive. The free
event is also the launch party for her latest invention, Smoked
Vanilla Beans, and its Kickstarter fund (http://tinyurl.com/
smokevanil). Yes, samples will be available.
“Sure forests have burned and beans have been smoked,”
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surely toyed with the concept, but my smoked vanilla beans
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who wants to try them.
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woods that add a great smokiness to the vanilla without over-
powering the vanilla bean.”
“Forget salted caramel, forget chocolate dipped bacon,” she
declared, “smoked vanilla will take over the world!”
A
COMMUNITY NOTES
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Lower Columbia R/C Society
— 8:30 a.m., back room at Uptown
Cafe, 1639 S.E. Ensign Lane, War-
renton. Local Academy of Model
Aeronautics (AMA) chartered radio
control model aircraft club meets for
breakfast and business. All model
aircraft enthusiasts are welcome.
For information, call 503-458-5196
or 503-325-0608.
National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) Support Group
— 2 to 3:30 p.m., Seaside Public
Library, 1131 Broadway. Family to
Family Support Group, for anyone
with friend or loved one suffering
from a serious brain (mental) illness.
For information, contact Myra Kero
at 503-738-6165, or k7erowood@q.
com, or go to www.nami.org
Sit and Stitch Group — 11
a.m. to 1 p.m., Custom Threads,
1282 Commercial St. Knitting, cro-
cheting and needle work. For infor-
mation, call 503-325-7780.
Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m.,
Seaside American Legion, 1315
Broadway. For information, call
503-738-5111. No cost; suggested
$5 tip to the instructor.
Columbia
Northwestern
Model Railroading Club — 1
p.m., in Hammond. Group runs
trains on HO-scale layout. For in-
formation, call Don Carter at 503-
325-0757.
MONDAY
Scandinavian Workshop —
10 a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725
33rd St. Needlework, hardanger,
knitting, crocheting, embroidery
and quilting. All are welcome. For
information, call 503-325-1364 or
503-325-7960.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do-
nation $3 for those older than 60;
$6.75 for those younger than 60.
For information, call Michelle Lew-
is at 503-861-4200.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., Peace Lutheran Church
(lower level), 565 12th St. Cost is
$7. For information, or to have a
meal delivered, call 503-325-9693.
Warrenton Senior Lunch Pro-
gram — noon, Warrenton Commu-
nity Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Sug-
gested donation of $5 for seniors
and $7 for those younger than 60.
For information, or to volunteer, call
503-861-3502 Monday or Thursday.
Astoria Rotary Club — noon,
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Lodge, 453 11th St. Guests always
welcome. For information, go to
www.AstoriaRotary.org
Knochlers Pinochle Group —
1 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community
Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside.
Cost is $1 per regular session per
person. Players with highest and
second highest scores split the
prize. Game is designed for play-
ers 55 and older, but all ages are
welcome.
Astoria Alzheimer’s & Other
Dementia Family Support Group
—WRSP¿UVWÀRRUFRQIHU-
ence room, Clatsop Care Center,
646 16th St. Open to all family
members of people with dementias.
For information, call Rosetta Hurley
at 503-325-0313, ext. 222, or email
support@clatsopcare.org
Line Dancing for Seniors — 6
to 7:30 p.m., Astoria Senior Center,
1111 Exchange St. For information,
call 503-325-3231.
Astoria Toastmasters — 6:30
p.m., Hotel Elliot conference room,
357 12th St. Visitors welcome. For
information, go to www.toastmas-
ters.org or call 503-894-0187.
TUESDAY
Stewardship Quilting Group
— 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., First Lu-
theran Church, 725 33rd St. All are
welcome. Donations of material al-
ways appreciated. For information,
call Janet Kemp at 503-325-4268.
Do Nothing Club — 10 a.m.
to noon, 24002 U St., Ocean Park,
Wash. Men’s group. For informa-
tion, call Jack McBride at 360-665-
2721.
Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m.,
Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225
Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do-
nation of $3 for those older than 60;
$6.75 for those younger than 60.
For information, call Michelle Lew-
is at 503-861-4200.
Columbia Senior Diners —
11:30 a.m., Peace Lutheran Church
(lower level), 565 12th St. The cost
is $7. For information, or to have a
meal delivered, call 503-325-9693.
Astoria Kiwanis Club — noon,
El Tapatio, 229 W. Marine Drive. For
information, call Robert McClelland
at 503-894-0187 or Susan Brooks
at 503-741-0186 or 503-338-4994.
See NOTES, Page 2B