Learn the unlikely story
of the Vortex I rock fest
Watch ‘Lessons of Basketball
and War’ at Hofman Center
Matt Love to speak about the only
state-sponsored rock fest in US history
Documentary follows Somali refugee
teenagers in Portland middle school
ASTORIA — Forty-six year
ago this summer, the only
state-sponsored rock festival
in American history unfolded
in a state park outside of Port-
land. Were you there? Can you
remember anything about the
experience? How in the world
did something like this only
happen in Oregon?
Join Matt Love, author of
“The Far Out Story of Vortex
I,” for a unique multimedia
presentation about the event.
His presentation, “Oregon
Story Sessions: Vortex I,” will
take place at 7 p.m. Thursday,
March 31 at the Fort George
Lovell Showroom, located at
426 14th St.
At the presentation, learn
why Vortex I still matters to-
day and help Love collect new
stories and photographs for an
upcoming second edition of
his book planned for the 50th
anniversary of Vortex in 2020.
“I want to encourage any-
one who attendend the festi-
val to show up and share your
stories with the crowd,” said
Love. “There’s still much to
know about Vortex, and I want
to keep digging into it.”
“I might also add,” said
Love, “this being Fort George,
a person can sip a Vortex IPA
during a presentation about
Vortex. I like that historical
coincidence.”
Two months after the May
1970 shootings at Kent State
University and police riot at
Portland State University,
President Richard Nixon was
scheduled to address the an-
nual gathering of the Amer-
ican Legion in Portland. The
FBI told Oregon Gov. Tom
McCall, a Republican facing
a tough re-election bid later
in November, that he should
expect 25,000 Legionnaires
and 50,000 anti-Vietnam
War protesters to clash in the
Rose City streets. The ensu-
ing mayhem would make the
1968 Democratic Convention
in Chicago “look like a tea
party,” according to FBI doc-
uments.
To keep the peace, Mc-
Call and a group of hippies
collaborated to stage the only
state-sponsored rock festi-
val in American history. Four
young people had approached
McCall’s staff in June with the
unprecedented idea of holding
a festival to help draw po-
tential protesters away from
Portland. They asked McCall
Submitted photo
The free Vortex I: A Biodegradable Festival of Life, unfolded the last weekend of August in
1970; 100,000 people attended at McIver State Park outside Estacada.
Submitted photo
For the state-sponsored Vortex I rock festival in 1970, Oregon Gov. Tom McCall waived the
prohibition against camping in McIver State Park.
for a state park. He gave them
one. They asked him to waive
the park’s prohibition against
camping and keep the cops
out. McCall complied.
The free festival, Vortex I:
A Biodegradable Festival of
Life, unfolded the last week-
MANZANITA — The Hoffman
Center for the Arts will screen
the independent documentary
“Lessons of Basketball and War”
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will start at 7:30 p.m., and ad-
mission is $5.
Written and directed by
Ron Burke, with cinematogra-
phy by Wheeler resident Carl
Vandervoort, “Lessons of Bas-
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at Hosford Middle School in
Portland.
Exploring the themes of vio-
lence, prejudice, cultural identity
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tells the story of a small group
of Somali refugee teenage girls
as they struggle to put the dis-
trust and animosity of war be-
hind them and create a new life
in America. This documentary
offers an engaging and at times
thrilling account of a year in their
young lives and the challenges
faced by one dedicated educa-
tor, peacemaker and basketball
coach.
Submitted photo
The documentary was filmed at a Portland
middle school.
Both Burke and Vandervoort
will attend the screening. The
feature lasts 56 minutes, and re-
freshments will be available.
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Excellence at the International
Film Festival for Peace, Inspira-
tion and Equality in Indonesia.
Watch a trailer at https://vim-
eo.com/112290156
end in August, and 100,000
people attended at McIver
Park outside of Estacada.
Peace prevailed in Portland,
McCall was re-elected to a
second term and his leadership
ushered in modern Oregon.
There never was a Vortex II.
Open 7am
Daily!
Haystack Rock Awareness Program seeks volunteers
CANNON BEACH — The city
of Cannon Beach is seeking
volunteer Rocky Shore Inter-
preters for the Haystack Rock
Awareness Program. Volun-
teer positions are under the
direction of the program coor-
dinator, with assistance from
the volunteer coordinator.
Volunteer Rocky Shore
Interpreters help interpret
natural resources to the
public and visitor groups at
Haystack Rock, including:
sharing facts and trivia about
the intertidal and bird life of
Haystack Rock; answering
visitor questions; promoting
conservation and steward-
ship of the area; assisting
staff and other volunteers of
the program; engaging vis-
itors who are participating
in prohibited activities in
a friendly and professional
manner; and setting up and
breaking down the program.
Volunteer interpreters also
assist with data collection.
Volunteers should be in-
terested and enthusiastic
about the marine areas at
Haystack Rock and working
with the public.
Training will be provid-
ed in the areas of intertid-
al species and nesting bird
identification, ecology, pro-
gram set-up and break down,
proper species collection
techniques, data collection
and general communication
skills. Young adults under
the age of 16 must be attend-
ed with a guardian.
Volunteers may attend a
training session or train on
the beach with experienced
staff and volunteers. 2016
volunteer training sessions
will be held April 9 and June
11 at Cannon Beach City
Hall, located at 163 E. Gow-
er St. Lunch will be provid-
ed at each training.
Attendees should RSVP.
Contact HRAP Volunteer
Coordinator Kelsey Brown at
503-436-8095 or hrapvolun-
teer@ci.cannon-beach.or.us
S E R V I N G B R E A K FA S T,
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cuisine by night.
Regional selection of beers, wines and
vintage cocktails available.
243 11th Street, Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-1787
www.AstoriaCoffeeHouse.com
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March 24, 2016 | coastweekend.com | 11