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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2017)
1B THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017 CONTACT US ewilson@dailyastorian.com (503) 325-3211 ext. 257 COMMUNITY FOLLOW US facebook.com/ DailyAstorian IN ONE EAR • ELLEDA WILSON SUNSHINE ON MEMORIES CLOWN CAR COMES HOME rom June 14, 2013: The Astoria Clown Car has been stuck in the desert out in Shaniko for decades, and Jeff Daly has been on a mission to bring it home. The car is not only part of Astoria’s history, it has sentimental value for Jeff, too — his father was one of the first Astoria Clowns. “The clowns originally got the car, a 1948 Chrysler, in 1955,” Jeff told the Ear. “It was used by Hughes-Ransom as the family limo for the funerals. The clowns bought it for $250 and painted it orange, top to bottom. They trav- eled thousands of miles throughout the Northwest and Canada promoting the building of the bridge to nowhere, the Megler.” It wound up in Shaniko when Chrysler collector and town developer, Ed Martin, bought it for $700. “The car was a highlight, and probably the most photographed item in the ghost town,” Jeff noted. For four years, no one responded to Jeff’s calls about the vehicle. Recently, however, Debra Holbrook, the Shan- iko town historian, got Jeff in touch with Martin’s widow, Joan, who now lives in Milwaukie. Joan was willing to sell the car for $500. “Done deal, I’ll buy it,” Jeff told her. “When I mentioned that a group of Astorians would make the journey to get it, in clown outfits, I told Joan we would like to have her there for pictures,” Jeff explained. “She said she couldn’t do it, as gas is expensive and she couldn’t afford it.” So Jeff offered $750. She was shocked, but she’ll be there. Jeff also has a personal connection to the car. His sis- ter, Molly, was sent to live at the Fairview Hospital and Training Center when she was not quite 3 years old (www. wheresmolly.net). “One of the reasons the Astoria Clowns were formed,” Jeff said, “(was) so my dad could go to the Salem institution to visit her in disguise, since he was for- bidden to see his daughter as a father. ... This car took them on that trip in 1957.” And soon the car will make another trip — back home to Astoria. STAY AWAY FROM BIG SHIPS F rom April 6, 2012: The Ear bumped into Skye McKey the other day, and she told the Ear she recently accom- panied Judith Niland (pictured, inset) to Fernhill Glass on Exchange Street (www.fernhillglass.com) to watch the creation of an unusual memento: Some ashes from Judith’s late husband, Franko Lowey, and her dog, Molly, were used in the making of a keepsake glass plate by glass blower Claude Kurtz, who is also pictured. Skye shot the photos. The Ear was intrigued, and asked Judith about it. “It is actu- ally a service Fernhill Glass offers,” she said. “I saw it being done last year when I was visiting. I am going to hang it in my living room window, and as the sun changes positions in the sky, so will the plate colors.” “As someone who has lost a beloved loved one,” she added, “this is a wonderful way to continue to remember, honor and feel their light shine down on you as the sun beams through.” F HANDSOME BOYS J rom Oct. 24, 2014: Do you remember the mannequin that was always standing in the window of a house across the street from the Astoria Safeway parking lot? She was there for years and years, then suddenly, and mysteriously, she disap- peared. What happened to her? North Coast resident Lorinne Mondeaux, pictured inset, has the answer. During a casual conversation with the Ear, just out of the blue, Lorinne mentioned the mannequins. Yes, plural. There were actually two of them, Amy, pictured right, and Amanda Adams, “the mannequin twins.” The story goes that the twins’ owners, Kyle and Michelle Adams, moved from Astoria to Sugarloaf, Calif., and then to Big Bear City, Calif., where Lorinne was living at the time. At that point, the couple wanted to get rid of the mannequins. Lorinne told the Ear she remembered the Astoria window icons, and bought the twins “to keep them together.” So where are they now? They wound up in a open year-round shop in beach town Santa Cruz, Calif., Lorinne reports, that is Halloween-themed on the mannequin twins’ side, and a normal beach-front store on the other side. The “girls” are “living their sisterhood dream,” said Lorinne with a chuckle, “as window dressing on beachfront property.” F OVERHEARD NORMAN SAVES THE DAY uly 18, 2014: Astorian Norma Sasaki saw several bucks crossing Niagara Avenue Sunday at about 8:30 p.m. Her photo of some of the group is shown. “There were nine, but I was only quick enough to capture the five,” she wrote. “There was one little doe with them. She must be some ‘hottie’ to attract all those handsome boys.” Well, maybe not. According to the Quality Deer Management Association, in the summer unrelated male deer can form bach- elor groups outside of mating season — when the testosterone levels are low — and just hang out together for a while (http:// tinyurl.com/buckboys). “That was a sight I’ve never seen before,” Norma confessed. ‘SISTERHOOD DREAM’ rom Feb. 22, 2013: This being a maritime community, the Ear is always on the alert for pertinent books. A good one is “How to Avoid Huge Ships,” by Capt. John W. Trimmer. New copies of the book are now selling for $598 (honest), and used for $99.69, on Amazon.com (http://tinyurl.com/avoidship). Pictured, the book’s cover and a reader’s illustration of an imag- inary diagram. One would think avoiding huge ships would be as simple as one book reviewer suggested: “This book could be summed up in three points. 1. Keep your eyes open 2. Lay off the booze 3. Repeat.” Actually, the book is a serious primer on how pleasure boaters can avoid being flattened by a huge ship, but the more than 1,300 reviews on Amazon.com are a cackle-fest. Here’s an example: “I’m very much scared of ships. I live over a hundred miles inland and at 6,000 feet elevation but one can never be too care- ful!” — R. McLaughlin If you want a good chuckle, go read a few more. F rom Aug. 25, 2011: A little gem was overheard by Mary Tanguay Webb while she was reading a book in the waiting room of an Astoria orthopedic clinic. A man and a woman behind her greeted a man who came in with an injured knee, and asked him how it had happened. “It just went out on me as I got out of the cab to get on the ship. No warning. I was already there, so I just went to work,” he replied. At this point, Mary realized he was probably a bar pilot. “The ship was Chinese and they had no ice,” he continued. “They gave me two frozen fish and a frozen burrito to put on it.” “It is absolutely true,” Mary swears, “and soooo Astoria!” F rom Feb. 13, 2015: Seasider Jimmy Cole posted a whopper of a video on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/ normhero) about a yellow Labrador retriever named Nor- man, pictured, who saved a young girl from drowning in the Necanicum River. Norman himself was rescued in 1993 by Annette McDonald, who lived with her husband, Steve, near the Necanicum. Norman was scheduled to be put down the next day at the shelter, but when Annette saw him, she knew right away she wanted him. Soon after she brought Norman home, Annette real- ized there was something wrong — he kept bumping into things. A visit to the vet confirmed that Norman was going blind, but was otherwise a healthy, happy dog, full of enthusiasm. “Norman was able to adjust to his eyesight really well,” Annette recalled. One summer day in July 1996, Lisa Nibley (pictured inset) and her brother, Joe, were swimming in the Necan- icum when the tide suddenly changed. Joe managed to get out of the water, but Lisa became caught in a strong cur- rent, and was being swept upstream. She was in trouble, and exhausted from struggling, but no one could hear her screams for help. As luck would have it, Annette had stayed home from work that day, and took Norman for a walk on the beach. Somehow he heard Lisa, and suddenly bolted away from Annette, ran over 100 yards, jumped in the water and swam toward the struggling girl. Annette caught up and yelled to Lisa to call Norman so he could find her by the sound of her voice. Once Norman located Lisa, he towed her to shore, guided by Annette’s voice. “I knew he was my guardian angel,” Lisa said, “and someone had sent him to save me.” News of Norman’s heroism traveled far outside of Clat- sop County, and he and Lisa were featured on the cover and in a story in the July 14, 1997 “Hero Pets!” issue of People magazine (http://tinyurl.com/normhero2). “It really was a miracle how it all came together,” Annette recalled. “Maybe God does that to get your atten- tion, and maybe to humble us a little.” F LOCAL BREVITIES rom July 5, 2013: For fun, the Ear decided check out The Daily Morning Astorian to see what was going on in early July 1890 (http://tinyurl.com/DAfourth): “A.E. Shaw, a first class bilk and would be sport, is now a resident of Pomeroy, Wash., where he is trying to make people believe that he is a dentist.” The death of Miss Eliza Benson, The Bearded Lady, made front page news. She and her 15-inch beard died at her home in Georgia. No, she was not the famous bearded lady. “Mrs. Delia Cross, of Brooklyn, is now Mrs. Capt. Cross, of the steamer Oregon, though she was compelled to affix a cross to the papers in place of her name. This is said to be the first case in which a woman has become owner and master of a sea-going vessel.” Jeff’s New Restaurant on Second Street, with a “Private Entrance for Ladies,” was offering meals for 25 cents. While din- ing, the orchestra would play from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m. Just in case one overindulged at Jeff’s, one could always resort to Tutt’s Pills, which “stimulate the torpid liver, strengthen the digestive organs, regulate the bowels and are unequaled as an anti-bilious medicine.” Sounds terrifying. F COMMUNITY NOTES SATURDAY 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. Angora Hiking Club — 9 a.m., Sixth Street parking lot. Gnat Creek Hatchery hike. For information, call Arline LaMear at 503-338-6883. Chinook Indian Nation Council — 11 a.m. Chinook Tribal Office, 3 Park St., Bay Center, Washington. Meeting is open to all tribal mem- bers; attendees are reminded to bring a potluck item. For questions, call 360-875-6670. Sit & Stitch — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Homespun Quilts & Yarn, 108 10th St. Bring knitting, crochet or other needlework projects to this com- munity stitching time. All skill levels welcome. Pug Socializing Club — 1 p.m., Carruthers Park, Warrenton. For pugs and their owners. For in- formation, call Dave Kinney at 415- 827-5190. Join online at http://tinyurl. com/socialpugs Columbia Northwestern Mod- el Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in Hammond. Group runs trains on HO-scale layout. For information, call Don Carter at 503-325-0757. Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m., Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296 Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel. For information, call 503-325-5598 or go to http://astoriafiberarts.com to bring their own forge and anvil setup. Metal available to experiment with; coal is provided. No charge, but donations to the Camp 18 Loggers Memorial Museum welcome. For information, contact Mark Standley at 503-434-0148 or Herman Doty at 971-306-1043 or ringinganvilde- sign@gmail.com SUNDAY Blacksmith Enthusiasts Meet — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Camp 18 Black- smith Shop, 42362 U.S. Highway 26, Seaside. Participants welcome 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 in- formation, contact Myra Kero at 503- 738-6165, or k7erowood@q.com, or go to www.nami.org 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. See NOTES, Page 2B
