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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 2016)
MARCH 25, 2016 • VOL. 40, ISSUE 7 WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM COMPLIMENTARY COPY School is out now for Cannon Beach Academy Lack of money, student cancels district approval By Lyra Fontaine Cannon Beach Gazette Parents seeking an elementary school alter- native were stymied as the Seaside School Dis- trict revoked its conditional approval for Cannon Beach Academy. The academy had been slated to open this fall, but failed to meet the three conditions set by the district in October: funding, adequate enrollment and a state-approved English language learners program. “Since Cannon Beach has failed the estab- lished conditions, the district revokes its condi- tional approval for (the academy) to operate as a charter school operating in the district,” Su- perintendent Doug Dougherty and Superinten- dent-elect Sheila Roley said in a co-signed letter Thursday, March 17, to Cannon Beach Academy interim Executive Director Ryan Hull. The letter stated the district was “committed” to seeing the charter school up and running and that Cannon Beach Academy could begin operat- ing in fall 2017, if it meets the conditions. Conditions unmet The conditions, which were to be met by this month, were intended to ensure that the academy ZRXOGEH³¿QDQFLDOO\VWUXFWXUDOO\DQGDFDGHPL cally ready” to open in the fall. Hull had asked the district for a time extension or to “simply remove” the three requirements. The district refused an extension or to modify or eliminate the conditions. One condition required the school have “all the money they need for the 2016-17 school year” in the bank, as well as a 10-percent contin- gency, amounting to a little more than $450,000. SIPPING & SNACKING The academy had $145,798 by March 1, fall- ing more than $300,000 short. Although the district would have helped Can- non Beach Academy with operational costs, the charter school needed upfront funds because the district relies on Clatsop County property tax payments, most of which come in November, Dougherty and Roley wrote. The charter school also fell short on enroll- ment. The district required a minimum of 22 HQUROOHGVWXGHQWVLQERWKNLQGHUJDUWHQDQG¿UVW grade classes. See Academy, Page 12A Final push for Boneyard Ridge property purchase Key Tillamook Head parcel headed for preservation By R.J. Marx Cannon Beach Gazette Jennifer Gardner, of Milwaukie, tastes wine at a stop in Dogs Allowed. PHOTOS LYRA FONTAINE/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Epicurean delights at Savor Cannon Beach Snobby? No, bring on the fun! By Lyra Fontaine Cannon Beach Gazette T he Savor Cannon Beach Wine & Culinary Festival drew hundreds visitors from across the country and members of the Oregon Wine Brotherhood, a group of wine ap- preciators and winemakers. The affair began six years ago as a wine walk bene- ¿WLQJWKH&DQQRQ%HDFK3UHVFKRRO&KLOGUHQ¶V&HQWHU Competitions, gallery showings and street tours were part of this year’s March 10-13 event. Raleigh Hawthorne and Stacy Lee, from Tri-Cities, Wash- ington, video blogged from the festival for their YouTube show, “Tri-Cities Wine Divas.” “A lot of people think wine is snobby, but we wanted to bring the fun,” Hawthorne said. “We’ve gone to a few wine festivals in Seattle and this is our favorite,” said Amber McAlpin, from Seattle, who attended the event for the second year. “Everyone’s really friendly and the winemaking happens nearby. People are close to the process.” See Savor, Page 12A TOP: Julie Bottomley, of Tucson, Arizona, grabs a bite at Battle of the Blends and Bites. BELOW: Cannon Beach Chamber of Com- merce executive director Court Carrier tastes wine at the Battle of the Blends and Bites. A critical 360-acre land parcel on Tillamook Head will be transferred from timber property to conservation corridor. On Monday North Coast Land Conservan- cy and GreenWood Resources signed a pur- chase and sales agreement for Boneyard Ridge on Tillamook Head for a purchase price of $1.3 million. The purchase would create 3,500 connected acres from the summit of Tilla- mook Head to the Ne- canicum River Valley. “This agreement as of Monday is a full purchase agreement,” North Coast Land Con- servancy Executive Di- SUBMITTED PHOTO rector Katie Voelke said Wednesday. “Not only Staff of North Coast are all parties in, but we Land Conservancy know what the cost will stands in a clearing be, we’ve agreed on it, on the Boneyard and we know what the Ridge property. closing date will be.” Both the land conservancy and property owner GreenWood Resources “feel Tillamook Head should be conservation land instead of timberland,” Voelke said. “That way it really feels like a partnership.” Boneyard Ridge will serve as a link be- tween Ecola State Park, which stretches along the Tillamook Head shoreline, and the land conservancy’s Circle Creek Habitat Reserve in WKH1HFDQLFXP5LYHUÀRRGSODLQZHVWRI+LJK way 101 at the south end of Seaside. The site’s dramatic name came from the dis- covery of elk bones by hunters on the property. The conservancy’s goal is to allow the land to mature into a complex rain forest of the kind that once characterized headlands all along the Oregon Coast. The sale was stalled after ownership shift- ed from Campbell Global to GreenWood Re- sources, Voelke said. “It had to go through a whole process again of review, approving it, looking at it against company goals,” Voelke said. “That added a whole new layer to it.” PAID PERMIT NO. 97 ASTORIA, OR PRSRT STD US POSTAGE See Boneyard, Page 9A Children’s center to close after 39 years With city help, Cannon Beach program to close ‘gracefully’ in April parents, we need at least the $10,500.” At a special meeting The Cannon Beach Chil- Wednesday, March 16, the dren’s Center will close in City Council agreed to pro- April due to declining enroll- vide the children’s center the PHQW DQG ¿QDQFLDO WURXEOHV remaining $10,500 budgeted a decision supported by the for this year to allow parents WLPH WR ¿QG DOWHUQDWLYH FKLOG board and director. 7KH QRQSUR¿W FKLOGUHQ¶V care. The children’s center center, founded in 1977, is los- had originally asked for more ing about $5,400 a month and money, but the city lacks re- spent down its savings, center sources to provide the funds representatives told City Man- to a closing facility . “I’m someone who has used ager Brant Kucera this month . “The situation at this point the children’s center and it’s a is a dire need,” said Christy wonderful facility, so personal- Bisping, the children’s center O\,¿QGLWYHU\WUDJLFWKDWLW¶V director. “To be able to close going to go away,” Kucera said. the program gracefully and See Center, Page 12A give enough notice to our By Lyra Fontaine Cannon Beach Gazette SUBMITTED PHOTO Th e Cannon Beach Preschool and Children’s Center.
