2A • October 6, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
New distracted driving law now in effect
By Paris Achen
EO Media Group
SALEM — A new distract-
ed driving law expands an ex-
isting ban on using cellphones
while driving to all electronic
mobile devices and stiffens
fines and penalties, effective
Oct. 1.
The law is aimed at im-
proving safety conditions on
Oregon roads. Drivers who
talk on the phone are more
than four times, and those
who text are more than 23
times, more likely to have a
crash, according to a report
by the Oregon Department of
Transportation’s Distracted
Driving Task Force.
Violators face a fine of
$130 to $1,000 for their first
offense, $220 to $2,500 for
their second offense, and a
Class B misdemeanor convic-
tion with a minimum fine of
$2,000 and up to six months
in jail for their third offense.
First-time offenders can
avoid the fine by taking a
distracted driving avoidance
course, but the violation will
remain on their record.
So, what can you still do
with your mobile electronic
devices while driving once the
law takes effect?
When state lawmakers ear-
lier this year changed the law,
they came up with a limited
list of exceptions to the ban.
None of the exceptions apply
to drivers younger than 18.
• Hands-free devices:
Hands-free or built-in devices
activated by voice command
or activated while off the road
are exempt from the ban.
Drivers also may talk on
the phone while driving, if the
phone is set to speaker mode
and is not in their hand, said
Lt. Timothy Tannenbaum of
the Washington County Sher-
iff’s Office.
“You can have a conversa-
tion while it’s on your dash-
board, or on the seat next to
you, as long as you’re not hav-
ing to type in numbers or ma-
nipulate the phone,” he said.
Traci Pearl, a manager
with the Oregon Department
of Transportation’s Safety Di-
vision, said a mounted phone
don’t try to do it at a stop sign
or stop light. You could get a
ticket.
• Emergencies: Drivers
who are experiencing a med-
ical emergency and have no
passengers may use a mobile
electronic device to summon
help.
• Truck and bus drivers:
The law makes exceptions to
the regulations for truck and
bus drivers, who cannot be
cited provided they are abid-
ing by federal rules for com-
mercial driver’s licensees.
• Radio traffic: CB users,
bus drivers, utility and truck
drivers may use a two-way
radio only for employment
purposes.
• Emergency responders:
Police, paramedics and fire-
fighters, may use electronic
mobile devices when respond-
ing to an emergency call.
• HAM radio operators:
Old-school HAM radio oper-
ators could be a safety net for
communication in the case of
a natural disaster, such as an
8.0 earthquake, when other
communication systems are
PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP
New restrictions on using mobile devices while driving
went into effect Oct. 1.
is a safer alternative to look-
ing down at the seat or con-
sole, but both ways are legal.
Single touch or swipe:
Changes to the law allow driv-
ers a single touch or swipe of
a screen or button to activate
or deactivate a device or func-
tion.
This is the exception that
allows drivers to answer a
phone call, or start a naviga-
tion map. It also is meant to
allow Uber and Lyft drivers to
respond to calls for service.
“If you can push one but-
ton to call the office, you are
OK, but if you have to dial
a phone number, that is not
OK,” Pearl said.
• Parked: If one swipe was
inadequate to find a desired
destination, a driver could,
under the law, pull over on the
side of the road or in a park-
ing space and legally use their
electronic mobile device to,
say, type in an address. But
OBITUARIES
down. That earned them an
exception to the new restric-
tions.
The stricter law, born out
of House Bill 2597, was a re-
sponse to an incident in Wash-
ington County.
Oregon State Police ar-
rested Beaverton resident Es-
mirna Rabanales-Ramos on
drunken driving charges after
a trooper reportedly saw the
glow of a cellphone illuminate
her as she drove.
In 2015, the Oregon Court
of Appeals ruled the trooper
had no probable cause to stop
her, because using a cellphone
wasn’t against the law, only
using it to communicate.
House Bill 2597 “makes
the law compliant with the in-
tent,” Tannenbaum said. “The
intent was to get phones out of
people’s hands. It’s not hard
to tell who is manipulating a
phone. Surfing the Internet
or checking Facebook while
driving is just as dangerous as
talking or texting.”
Geoff Pursinger of the
Hillsboro Tribune contributed
to this story.
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Nehalem Bay history
course is back
Cornelius ‘Con’ Vincent Cremer
Portland
Dec. 18, 1923 — Aug. 27, 2017
Cornelius “Con” Vincent Cremer passed ing as a colonel the same date he retired from
away peacefully at home Aug. 27, 2017. His Portland Public Schools.
Con taught education classes at the Uni-
final days were spent with the loving comfort
provided by family and friends, and the sup- versity of Portland and served as department
chairman. He received a fellowship
port of Providence Hospice.
to complete his doctorate in educa-
Con was born Dec. 18, 1923,
tion from the University of Oregon.
in Northeast Portland. His father,
He taught English and social studies
Leonard Cremer was born in Fon-
at Grant High School. In 1957 he ac-
tainebleau, France; his mother, Ada
cepted a position with Portland Pub-
Piccioni was born in Celere, Italy.
lic Schools as assistant personnel
They met and married in 1922 in
supervisor. He later served as vice
Portland.
principal at Franklin, Jackson and
Con lived in Northeast Portland
Benson, retiring in 1983.
all of his life. He attended Alameda
After his retirement he enjoyed
Elementary School, and graduated
from Grant High School in 1941. He Cornelius Cremer traveling, bridge, bowling, many
books and his house in Cannon
played the viola and participated in
Beach, which he and Madeleine had
drama productions. He spent happy
summers at their family cabin at Brightwood, since 1975. Con also volunteered eight years
playing softball and working at Welches Golf on the Public Works Committee in Cannon
Beach, along with volunteering at the Title
Course.
He went on to the University of Portland, Wave Bookstore for 13 years. He served as
but his education was interrupted when his president of Club Paesano and the Trailblazers
Army Reserve unit was called to active duty organization of the 70th Division Association,
in 1942. He landed in Southern France on his and was a member of the Royal Rosarians.
Con was active until his final weeks. He
21st birthday in 1944. The majority of his com-
bat was in Eastern France, where he suffered participated in a memoir writing group and
wounds on two occasions. He was awarded played cards with the Boys at Bridge just two
the Silver Star and Purple Heart with Oak Leaf weeks before his death.
He married Madeleine Avena in 1946. They
Cluster medals for his service. During the oc-
cupation of Germany he was assigned to teach had a house built on N.E. Oregon Street, where
soldiers enrolled in high school completion they raised their three children, Richard, Mi-
chael and JoAnne. After Madeleine’s, death he
courses, and discovered his desire to teach.
In January 1946 he was discharged from the married Joan Murphy Aug. 22, 2004. He is sur-
Army and returned to the University of Port- vived by Joan; and his three children, Richard
land, where he graduated cum laude in 1948, (Sheryl), Michael (Kim), granddaughter, Chel-
the day of the Vanport flood. After the war he sea, and JoAnne, as well as Joan’s daughter,
continued serving in the Army Reserve, retir- Patricia (Sam, children Claire and Ben).
Trio of rescued olive ridley
turtles gets second chance
MANZANITA — The
Nehalem Valley Historical
Society announces the re-
turn of the “History of the
Nehalem Bay Area” series
led by Mark Beach at Pine
Grove Community House,
225 Laneda Ave.
The series begins Mon-
day, Oct. 16, and meets 4 to
5:30 p.m. every Monday and
Thursday until Thursday, Nov.
2. New classes include “From
Indians to Homesteaders” and
“Selling the Seashore.”
To sign up, call the His-
torical Society at 503-368-
7460, or apply at Pine Grove
on the first date, Monday,
Oct. 16.
For a detailed list of top-
ics, check the events button
at nehalemvalleyhistory.org
or request a brochure from
the Historical Society.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
This is a vintage photo of the Mohler creamery. A century
ago, dairy farmers brought milk to the cheese factory at
Mohler.
Back to the wild
The presentation will be
held at the Pine Grove Com-
munity House, 225 Laneda
Ave. in Manzanita, and will
start at 7:20 p.m. following an
update from Lower Nehalem
Watershed Council at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Lower Nehalem Water-
shed Council kicks-off their
2017-18 Speaker Series on
Oct. 12 by welcoming Katie
Voelke, Executive Director
of the North Coast Land
Conservancy.
Active
Members
of
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CLASSIC OCEAN FRONT BEACH HOUSE
CANNON BEACH CUSTOM OCEAN FRONT
$1,899,000
$1,895,000
By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
Three olive ridley turtles
discovered comatose along
the Oregon and Washing-
ton state coasts after winter
storms returned to ocean wa-
ters in early September.
Solstice, Tucker and Light-
ning returned to the ocean af-
ter treatment at SeaWorld in
San Diego. Olive ridley sea
turtles are listed on the feder-
al endangered species list as
threatened.
Tucker, a male olive rid-
ley turtle between 15 to
20 years old, was found at
Cannon Beach after storms
in December 2015. He
had a 40-degree body tem-
perature
when
rescued.
Staff at the Seaside Aquarium
rescued the male olive rid-
ley sea turtle after it washed
ashore south of Tolovana,
likely pushed into colder wa-
ters by strong winds, aquari-
um administrative assistant
Tiffany Boothe said at the
time. Juvenile olive ridleys
sometimes travel in warm
currents offshore.
Tucker developed severe
pneumonia and had to be
treated in a hyperbaric cham-
ber because he developed air
in his tissue and a buoyancy
problem.
He was transferred to the
Seattle Aquarium after his
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SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO
Underwater photo of Solstice.
initial care then flown to Sea-
World San Diego by the Coast
Guard in April 2016.
Lightning is a female olive
ridley turtle that was stranded
in Pacific City, suffering from
hypothermia, buoyancy issues
and injuries to both eyes.
After treatment at the Or-
egon Coast Aquarium, Light-
ning, along with Thunder, an
olive ridley found in Gearhart,
were escorted by the Coast
Guard and a rehabilitation
team to SeaWorld. Thunder
died while completing her fi-
nal rehabilitation stage before
release into the wild.
Solstice, a female olive
ridley turtle, was found in
Oysterville, Washington, res-
cued and cared for initially
by the Oregon Coast Aquar-
ium in December 2014. She
was flown to SeaWorld by
the Coast Guard in February
2015.
Seaside is authorized to
receive stranded turtles and
hold them until transport can
be arranged, Lance Beck of
the Oregon Coast Aquari-
um said Tuesday. If a turtle
washes ashore on the north
coast of Oregon it is common
for Seaside to be one of the
first to respond to a report of
an animal on the beach. The
Oregon Coast Aquarium and
Seattle Aquarium are the only
two authorized by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Services
facilities in the Pacific North-
west that can provide long
term rehabilitation care for
sea turtles.
“Unfortunately we do ex-
pect to see the trend of turtles
standing in the Northwest
continue,” Beck said.
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