SCRATCHPAD A bittersweet farewell to the North Coast By NIKKI DAVIDSON COAST WEEKEND EDITOR Coast Weekend Editor Nikki Davidson and her husband, MKC Patrick O’Connor. ON THE COVER Food columnist Brian Medford’s homemade hot chocolate. PHOTO BY BRIAN As anyone with a friend or family member in the military knows, the best laid plans often go out the window. My husband has served in the U.S. Coast Guard since long before we met, and I’ve been lucky to experience a watered-down version of the lifestyle other families have struggled through for years. But recently I got a call from him with news that I never saw coming. He advanced to the next rank in the military, the equivalent of a big promotion in the private sector. As excited as I am for him, it also means big changes for both of us. Despite our hopes to remain on the North Coast, he was assigned to a new leadership role in California. This means I’ll unfortu- nately be stepping down from the Coast Weekend editor role. It’s a tough situation, but one that hap- pens often for military families. When all is said and done, my husband and I are incredibly lucky. We’ll be together this holiday season and even have an opportu- nity to visit our families across the country. Many North Coast service members don’t have that luxury, and I urge you to keep your deployed or working Coast Guard neighbors in your thoughts this hol- iday season. Thank you for welcoming me into the community and supporting me in this jour- ney at Coast Weekend. I’ve enjoyed telling the stories of people who live here, and am excited to see this publication succeed into the future. HAPPY HOLIDAYS RS STAFF AND CONTRIBUTO COAST WEEKEND EDITOR THU RSDAY DEC. 23 NIKKI DAVIDSON 2021 CALENDAR COORDINATOR SARAH SMITH HOMEM A D HO L ID AYS E HOT CHOCOL ATE RECIPE PAGE 15 MEDFORD TRACE AN OLD HOUSE’S HISTORY PAGE 4 100 POST-IT PORTRAITS PAG E E 6 PAG 6 WRITE A LET TER A STRANG TO ER PAGE 8 CONTRIBUTORS ZOË BUCHLI M.J. CODY PETER KORCHNAK REBECCA LEXA BARBARA LLOYD McMICHAEL BRIAN MEDFORD LAURI SERAFIN To advertise in Coast Weekend, call 503-325-3211 or contact your local sales representative. © 2021 COAST WEEKEND Coast Weekend is published every Thursday by the EO Media Group, all rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without consent of the publisher. Coast Weekend appears weekly in The Astorian and the Chinook Observer. TO SUBMIT AN ITEM Phone: 503.325.3211 Ext. 217 or 800.781.3211 Fax: 503.325.6573 E-mail: editor@coastweekend.com Address: P.O.Box 210 • 949 Exchange St. Astoria, OR 97103 Find it all online! CoastWeekend.com features full calendar listings, keyword search and easy sharing on social media. YOUR #1 PREMIER CANNABIS RETAILER LARGEST SELECTION FRIENDLY & KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF ELITE PRODUCTS –– For Washington Residents –– Ilwaco Cathlamet (8am - 10pm) 360-261-7200 133 Howerton Ave (8am - 10pm) 360-849-4504 327 WA-4 Kelso Longview (8am - 12am) (8am - 12am) 360-636-0420 360-703-3229 820A West Side Hwy 971 14th Ave WARNING: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and over. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021 // 3