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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2015)
JUNE 5, 2015 • VOL. 39, ISSUE 12 WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM COMPLIMENTARY COPY Artist Steve McLeod dies at 70 Cannon Beach Academy fi nds temporary home Painter, sculptor contributed to study of ocean currents After considering more than 20 possible lo- cations over the last two years, the Cannon Beach Academy, a public char- ter school in develop- ment, has finally landed a temporary home. By Erick Bengel Charter school to share building with two businesses By Erick Bengel Cannon Beach Gazette See McLeod, Page 10A PIERRE TOUTAIN-DORBEC PHOTO PAID PERMIT NO. 97 ASTORIA, OR PRSRT STD US POSTAGE Steve McLeod relaxes in his studio last year. Th e art- ist, who lived behind the Coaster Th eatre for about 40 years, died May 11 from pneumonia. Store. The vacated space, which takes up 3,500 square feet of the 6,000-square-foot building, once housed the Cannon Beach Athletic Club. The academy — which submitted its charter propos- al to the Seaside School Dis- trict Board for the third time See Academy, Page 9A ERICK BENGEL PHOTO Th e temporary location of the Cannon Beach Academy, 171 Sunset Blvd., will be a vacated space between Cleanline Surf and Copies & Fax. ‘We have the watch’ Cannon Beach Gazette Steve McLeod, 70, a versatile Cannon Beach art- ist and avid beachcomber, died of pneumonia May 11 at Portland’s Providence St. Vincent Medical Center three days after being trans- ferred from Providence Sea- side Hospital. “He was by himself,” said his friend Dave Butler. “He chose to be by himself.” An evolving artist known for seascapes, abstract paintings, and pieces com- posed of dried kelp, jetsam and other beach detritus, McLeod’s work resides in homes, galleries and other establishments throughout town. “His paintings are ev- erywhere,” former Cannon Beach Mayor Mike Morgan said. “He’s very well thought RILQWKH3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVW´ Robin Risley, a Cannon Beach resident, said that McLeod “took life serious- ly.” In his art, “you saw a technical discipline that he had, and I think he kind of approached life that way, too. He wanted to dig into the details ... to make sense of everything.” McLeod is also famous as the person who, in the early 90s, began collecting DQGVHOOLQJKXQGUHGVRI1LNH sneakers that washed ashore along the West Coast — and especially the Oregon Coast — after the company’s ship- ping containers en route to Seattle fell overboard and broke open. McLeod’s notes on where the shoes ran aground proved valuable to WKHVFLHQWL¿FVWXG\RIRFHDQ currents. The planning commission granted the academy a condi- tional use permit May 28 that allows the burgeoning K-5 school to modify and even- WXDOO\ RFFXS\ D JURXQGÀRRU portion of the existing com- mercial building at 171 Sun- set Blvd., which also houses Cleanline Surf, Copies & Fax and Cannon Beach Liquor City council approves budget for $14.6 million By R.J. Marx Cannon Beach Gazette ERICK BENGEL PHOTO Almost 100 people attended the American Legion Post 168’s Memorial Day ceremony May 25. Locals and visitors turned out to honor the men and women who died serving their country. American Legion Post 168 observes Memorial Day in Cannon Beach westward railing into Ecola Creek, ³LQWKHVDPHZD\\RXOD\ÀRZHUVDW a grave — to say ‘Thank you,’” said Cannon Beach resident Mary Kerwin, who threw lilies. Her husband, Jack Kerwin, served in the Vietnam War. By Erick Bengel Cannon Beach Gazette I WZDVDGD\RIUHÀHFWLRQDQGUH membrance, said Dan O’Reil- ly, the incoming commander at American Legion Post 168 in Can- non Beach. At 11 a.m. May 25, almost 100 locals and visitors converged on Fir Street to observe a decades-old home- grown Memorial Day ceremony con- ducted by the Legion. From the Cannon Beach Elemen- tary School site, the Legion’s color guard, led by Post Commander Don Boehm, marched north to the Fir Street Bridge: Legionnaire Michael “Mick” )UHQFKFDUULHGWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVÀDJ Sergeant-at-Arms Leonard Skreba, WKH 3RVW ÀDJ /HJLRQQDLUH7HUU\ &DVWOHWKH32:0,$ÀDJDQG$X[ iliary Carolyn Anderson, the Auxilia- U\&DQQRQ%HDFKXQLWÀDJ Before the crowd, O’Reilly deliv- ered the following oration: “This country was founded in rev- olution by overthrowing a tyrannical government. The cause was liberty. This was not done without cost. Patri- ots gave us all that they had and suf- IHUHG LQFUHGLEOH VDFUL¿FHV WR DFKLHYH what we now enjoy. “Since then, the call to the col- ors has been sounded far too often, but our brave warriors continue to rise and respond. They have served, perished and bled in every part of the globe. They neither sought this responsibility, nor did they shy away from it. Our men and women have served with dignity and hon- or, regardless of race or creed, for ‘What we owe’ Col. Steven Easterday, a parttime Cannon beach resident from Portland, said he attends commemorative events like Cannon Beach’s to pay tribute, not just to departed service members, but ERICK BENGEL PHOTO to all members on active duty. Service Offi cer Barbara Johnson A veteran who served as a Marine tosses a fl ower into Ecola Creek — engineer from 1972 to 2002, Easter- as someone would lay fl owers at a day said several Marines from his grave — to remember the United unit whom we knew personally were States’ fallen warriors. killed in action during and after Oper- ation Desert Storm. “It was great to be the common goal of the liberties we working with them, and to remember them on a day like today,” he said. enjoy. Post 168’s Memorial Day ceremo- “This is what to remember and KRQRU IRU WKRVH ZKR KDYH VDFUL¿FHG ny originally began in the 1970s as their all. They truly are our families a way to honor the auxiliary women and must always be cherished. We of Cannon Beach who had lost their owe them more than we could ever husbands, said Boehm, who helped give. Their gift to us is best symbol- expand the event over the years. “I just appreciate the people that ized by the U.S. Military Academy’s turn out for it,” he said. “To me, it’s motto: ‘Duty. Honor. Country.’ “It it our responsibility to accept just a very heartwarming and a very this challenge and to never forget what meaningful way to show respect for these brave men and women gave to the servicemen and women lost in the us. The plaintive tones of ‘Taps’ will Great Wars.” Asked how he feels after these an- tell these fallen warriors that they may rest, for we accept this duty, and we nual observances, O’Reilly — who served in Vietnam along with his have the watch.” While veterans saluted and civilians brother, whose father served in World placed hand over heart, Pat Hegrenes, War II, and whose oldest son served in a Sons of the American Legion mem- WKH¿UVW*XOI:DU²VDLG “I feel a real depth of commitment ber, sounded “Taps” on the bugle. In the solemn silence that followed, to continue to do this as long as I can, GR]HQV RI SHRSOH WRVVHG ÀRZHUV RI for what we owe that’s been paid for,” different varieties over the bridge’s he said. The Cannon Beach City Council unanimously adopt- HG WKH ¿VFDO \HDU budget Tuesday night, ap- proving the $14,603,000 bud- get to go into effect July 1. Included are $1.4 mil- lion for public safety; a $1,184,400 wastewater enter- prise fund, and a $1,866,000 RV park enterprise fund. 7KLV ZLOO IXQG WKH ¿UVW phase of an expected three- phase project involving a complete replacement of the RV Park’s electrical system, a water system replacement and a sewer system upgrade. The project also includes the installation of 50 amp service pedestals at each RV pad, new water service pedestals and re-paving roads and pads after removing intrusive tree roots. The full project is esti- mated to cost $450,000. A 1 percent room tax increase approved by the council will help fund the $283,850 allocated for tour- ism and arts. The roads fund of $826,015 was approved by a separate resolution, as the Cannon Beach Road District is a special taxing district within Clatsop County. The city, by annual resolution, DXWKRUL]HVWKH¿VFDO\HDUEXG get for the Road District and levies property taxes within the district to provide fund- ing. The fund is composed of funds for personnel services, materials and capital outlay. At Tuesday night’s meet- ing, the council also endorsed a resolution to enact a 3.16 percent increase in water, sewer and storm drain utility UDWHV7KHLQFUHDVHLVUHÀHFW ed in the approved budget. Residential rates are based on the number of dwelling units located at a service address. A GZHOOLQJ XQLW LV GH¿QHG DV D room or group of rooms with a common interior access to all living, kitchen and bath- room areas. Repairs, new personnel With passage of the bud- get, the city readies to embark See Budget, Page 10A Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest celebrates 51st anniversary Event founders turned tragedy into opportunity By Erick Bengel Cannon Beach Gazette T he Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year, is, like all sandcastle events, an exercise in living with impermanence, in creating order and beauty while preparing for its destruc- tion, in learning to let go. For several sunny, enchant- ed hours, thousands of vis- itors descend on Cannon Beach’s shoreline to watch dozens of sand sculptors EXLOGPLJKW\PDMHVWLF¿J ures: castles and dragons, sea creatures and cartoon characters — the inspira- tion seems inexhaustible. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CANNON BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Just about everyone has Fantastical creatures, like dragon pictured here, tend to ap- a good time: The sculptors pear during Cannon Beach’s annual Sandcastle Contest. Th is — amateurs and masters year celebrates the city’s 52st consecutive Sandcastle event. — revel in the teamwork and craftsmanship, while the spectators stroll among the plots, awed and entertained. But the end is written into the beginning. By sunset, all physical evidence of the sculptures will be erased, taken by the tides. And the canvas of the coastline will be blank once more, ready for another troupe of imaginative beachgoers to momentarily shape nature to their will. Schedule of events Cannon Beach’s Sandcastle Contest — the oldest in Ore- gon — falls on June 20 this year and is the grand centerpiece of a three-day shindig. The festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. June 19 with the Sand- castle Parade; the line-up begins at 5 p.m. at Spruce and Sec- ond streets. This will be followed by a “Bucket & Shovel” dinner with salad, spaghetti and clam chowder options on offer at the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce Community Hall from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Sandcastle Contest itself begins the next day at 7:30 a.m. down on the beach. Awards will be announced at 12:30 p.m. (Registration closes at noon June 19.) See Sandcastles, Page 12A
