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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2018)
January 12, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 5A Meet author Rene Denfeld at library’s author series H appy 2018 to all of our library friends and visitors! It may be cold and drizzly outdoors, but inside the Library the fireplace is lit, the shelves are well-stocked with books to read and DVDs to watch, and we have some upcoming experiences to share with all of you! First of all, Cannon Beach Reads, our library reading/discus- sion group will be meeting at the library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17. For January the group has been reading “Life on the Mississippi,” by Mark Twain. The book contains anecdotes about Twain’s training on the Mississippi River as a steamboat pilot. In the second half of the book, the author describes a trip many years later on a steamboat from St. Louis to New Orleans. Tom Schaef- fer will be the discussion leader. As always, the group encourages and welcomes new participants. Call the library for more information. AT THE LIBRARY CARLA O’REILLY We welcome author Rene Denfeld on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. for our Northwest Author special event. As well as being an author, Rene is a licensed investigator in the state of Oregon and a therapeutic foster-adop- tive parent. She will be talking about her latest novel “The Child Finder,” which is a literary thriller examining the role of a young woman in finding a missing child. Her talk promises to be interesting as well as informative. Cannon Beach ESL Literacy Pro- gram continues! Thanks to the city of Cannon Beach grant in the spring of 2017, the literacy liaison position sponsored by the Clatsop Community College was able to continue its out- reach efforts to provide adult English language classes for the second year. In partnership with the Cannon Beach Library, weekly English classes resumed Nov. 14, at the library, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday nights. These ESL (English as a Second Language) classes have served a close-knit group of adult students, mostly immigrant women who work in hospitality and service industry jobs. These students aspire to learn English so that they can better perform their jobs plus learn the skills that will enable them to eventually become active, contrib- uting members of their new commu- nity. The program continues to need volunteers who can provide English language instruction to an individual learner for at least one hour per week on a one on one basis. Please contact Judith Pearson at 971-201-6605 for more information. Looking ahead to early Febru- ary, we eagerly anticipate our first library membership meeting of the new year. As always it includes a delicious brunch prepared by our hosts/hostesses, as well as what COURTESY CANNON BEACH LIBRARY Book discussion centers on “The Child Finder,” by Rene Denfeld. promises to be an interesting and informative talk by our own Marc Bates, a well-known cheese maker. Marc has also provided much assis- tance to our library over the years. Plan on attending the meeting if for no other reason than sampling his delicious cheeses! So as you can see, library support- ers, the Cannon Beach Library re- mains warm, cozy and active over the course of our winter! Come join us! Term limits are needed on all federal government legislators re you in any way satisfied with the way our country is being run? I’m not referring to the president. I’m speaking of our representatives in the House and Senate. Those people whose sole large accomplishment for 2017 was to pass a bill that according to our president, “made the rich a lot richer.” I don’t care if you are a Repub- lican, Democrat or independent, it’s pretty clear that our elected officials are not doing our bidding. They all seem most interested in retaining their jobs. This seems their first priority. As a result, money in the form of political contributions is what they all spend much of their A MAKING WAVES JOHN HUISMANN time pursuing. Our representatives literally spend at least half their time every day “dialing for dollars” at offices near the Capitol. Both Re- publicans and Democrats maintain offices just for this purpose. Yes, a lot of us contribute to our personal favorites, but this is just pocket change for our represen- tatives. The big money, for both parties, comes from big business, millionaires, billionaires and special interests like the NRA and others. Hold on — it’s just one example of a special interest. I will address that issue another time. It seems that most people favor term limits, except for their own senator or representative. My guy is good — it’s the others that are bad. The point is, when any particular issue comes up, there are always interested parties looking for a return on their investment (read campaign contributions). Big money is the reason that nothing is getting done in the congress. Senators and congressmen cannot get reelected without a big pile of cash to make it possible. The price paid for that cash is selling their votes on any number of issues. No wonder we can’t get them to work for us! They’ve been bought and paid for by the wealthy and special interests. So how do we get out of this situation that our founding fathers never contemplated? I believe that it’s really pretty simple; take the money out of politics. Do I really believe that our legislators would really vote for something like this? No! Their desire seems to be to continue feeding from the public trough. What we as citizens could do is to petition for a constitutional amendment that would impose strict term limits on all federal govern- ment legislators. I believe that two terms is sufficient for any office. It is the same thing we did for the of- fice of the president. As part of this amendment, we should provide fed- eral funding for all federal elections and forbid private fundraising. This, of course, is far easier said than done. But, if we actually did it, think what we could accomplish for our country. The money would be gone from the election process and our legislators would be forced to work for us again. As Bobby Kennedy once said, “Some people look at things as they are and ask why. I try to look at things as they could be and ask why not?” John Huismann is a Cannon Beach resident. LETTERS Candidate would ‘hit the ground running’ After considerable reflec- tion on my 20 years as a Tilla- mook County commissioner, it is time to announce what my plans are for the future. I have decided not to run for reelection as Tillamook County commissioner when my term expires on Dec. 31. This was a very difficult deci- sion for me to make because I love being a county commis- sioner. Not only do I enjoy working with commissioners Baertlein and Yamamoto, but I am honored to serve the citi- zens of Tillamook County and to work alongside the county’s dedicated staff. Being a coun- ty commissioner has been a truly meaningful experience. Before becoming a Tilla- mook County commissioner, I served for eight years as a state representative until term limits, which existed at that time, forced me to leave. As a county commissioner, I have had the privilege to work with people across the state and the nation to find creative solu- tions to complex issues. As a result, I have determined that the time is right for me to run again for the Oregon State Legislature as the District 32 representative. Several people have en- couraged me to run again for the Legislature, including my family, State Rep. Debbie Boone, and State Sen. Betsy Johnson. My experience as a former legislator and a coun- ty commissioner gives me a unique opportunity to be ef- fective in solving Oregon’s complex budgetary, social and environmental issues. If elected, I would hit the ground running. Fortunately, I know the legislative process very well through almost 30 years of experience. I also have a solid understanding of the issues and problems that we face at the local, regional, state and national levels. Most importantly, I have learned how to work collaboratively with both Democrats and Re- publicans to forge solutions that fit our needs and move us in a positive direction. We face a number of chal- lenges that must be resolved soon. Many of our cities and counties are in, or soon will be in, financial crisis due to an outdated state tax structure that was initiated in the mid- 1990s through the referendum process. My experience as a county commissioner has giv- en me a firsthand understand- ing of the critical services that cities and counties provide to the public, and these services that are too important to see go away. Another hurdle that can and must be overcome is the Public Employees Retire- ment System. Unfortunately, the Legislature’s failure to stem the rising PERS cost for schools and public services across the state has already compromised our future. Solving this financial crisis will allow us to allocate our limited resources to more productive areas, such as en- suring our schools and civic facilities are earthquake ready to improve public safety and upgrading our infrastructure to support and encourage eco- nomic development. I hope you will support my effort to serve you once again as a member of the Oregon State Legislature as your state representative for District 32. Tim Josi Tillamook County commissioner Proper precautions needed “Rope and rescue team saves stranded dog off cliff- side in state park,” the Dec. 26 article detailing Felix’s dramatic rescue by Cannon Beach Fire and Rescue per- sonnel with Seaside Fire Lt. Genesee Dennis scaling a 60- foot sharp cliff face to bring the dog to safety has been widely shared on Facebook. As a long-time dog owner and lover, I’m relieved everyone emerge unscathed. PUBLIC MEETINGS Monday, Jan. 15 163 E. Gower St. Tuesday, March 20 3718 S. Hemlock St. Ecola Creek Watershed Council, 4:30 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Monday, Jan. 22 Seaside School District Board of Directors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. Tuesday, May 15 Tuesday, Jan. 16 Cannon Beach Public Works Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Utility Rate Discussion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Seaside School District Board of Directors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. Thursday, Jan. 18 Cannon Beach Parks and Commu- nity Services Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Cannon Beach Design Review Board Meeting, 6 p.m., City Hall, Utility Rate Discussion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Thursday, Jan. 25 Cannon Beach Planning Commis- sion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Thursday, Feb. 8 Cannon Beach Academy, 5:30 p.m. 3718 S. Hemlock St. Tuesday, Feb. 20 Seaside School District Board of Directors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. Thursday, March 8 Cannon Beach Academy, 5:30 p.m. 3718 S. Hemlock St. Experience Family Dining in a Relaxed & Friendly Environment Serving Seafood, Pizza, Sandwiches, Espressos, Beer, Wine, Ice Cream and our Homemade Desserts We have a fabulous patio where you can enjoy the weather and your meal. “TO-GO” Orders Welcome Thursday, April 12 Cannon Beach Academy, 5:30 p.m. 3718 S. Hemlock St. Seaside School District Board of Directors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. Thursday, June 14 Tuesday, April 17 Cannon Beach Academy, 5:30 p.m. 3718 S. Hemlock St. Seaside School District Board of Di- rectors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. Tuesday, June 19 Thursday, May 10 Cannon Beach Academy, 5:30 p.m. Seaside School District Board of Directors, 6 p.m., 1801 S. Franklin, Seaside. SERVING LUNCH & DINNER OPEN AT 11:30 Tuesday’s Open at 4pm Delightful Beer Garden • Ocean View Deck Pool Tables • Darts Full Bar ( including Bill’s Tavern brews ) but that’s not all... Smoked Pork Ribs • Steak • Seafood and much, much more! 156 N. Hemlock • Cannon Beach Located in SOUTH Cannon Beach Owned and Operated by the Cleary Family 3301 S. Hemlock St. • Tolovana Park 503.436.1130 • Minors Welcome 503.436.9551 However, the article didn’t detail the fact that Felix’s owner is a fan of letting her dog run off leash as this helps him “decompress.” It didn’t note that Ms. Stremming had Felix running off-leash through the park — a park that requires dogs to be on leash at all times. Nor did the article detail that the entire incident — one that put rescuers in harm’s way, took them away from their family and friends at Christmas time, saw expendi- ture of municipal money, like- ly caused Felix stress from being trapped on a narrow ledge without food or water, and caused his owner and her friends heartache — could have been avoided had Ms. Stremming simply obeyed Ecola State Park’s leash law and had Felix leashed. If Ms. Stremming con- tinues to have Felix run off leash, perhaps doing so on her own property or within the confines of a securely fenced area is best. Dorianne Almann Hinsdale, NH Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Oregon Public Utility Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $15.80-$17.80 per month and business services are $28.00-$32.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be 15 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload or faster to qualify. Lifeline discounts include a transfer restriction (port freeze). This means that you are unable to obtain the Lifeline discount on service with another provider for a period of time. The length of time depends on the services you purchase – 60 days for voice telephone service, 12 months for qualifying broadband service. Certain exceptions to the transfer restrictions may apply. See http://www.lifelinesupport.org/ls/change-my-company. aspx for more information. A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline telephone or broadband service can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-888- 833-9522 or visit centurylink.com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program.
