May 18, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 3A
WHO WILL BE THE OFFICIAL BIRD?
Red-winged blackbird
in the running
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
NEAL MAINE
The red-winged blackbird could be Cannon Beach’s official
bird.
The coronation of the red-winged
blackbird as the official bird of Cannon
Beach will have to wait.
While city councilors indicated Tues-
day, May 8, they generally support the
bird’s ascension to the throne, they vot-
ed 3-2 to table the proclamation to allow
more time for public comment.
“I prefer that we have public input,”
City Councilor George Vetter said. “I
don’t want people to come back and say
‘Gee, where did this come from?’ and ask
about why their favorite bird wasn’t con-
sidered.”
The idea was brought to the City
Council in April by Neal Maine, a long-
time nature photographer and repre-
sentative of the 12 Days of Earth Day
committee. The group wanted the city
to recognize an official bird to honor the
100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act, a landmark federal law that
protects dozens of species of birds.
The medium-sized, black-and-red
songbird was chosen because they are
abundant and represent the local ecolo-
gy, Maine said in April. Recognizing the
birds would also hold historical value as
many live on the Little Pompey Wetland
— a marsh named after the son of Sa-
cagawea from the Lewis and Clark Ex-
pedition by Cannon Beach Elementary
School fifth-graders more than 20 years
ago.
But some city councilors couldn’t
help but address the tufted puffin in the
room.
Library to host annual Memorial Day
weekend rare and old book sale
By Joseph Bernt
For Cannon Beach Gazette
From thousands of books
residents and visitors donated
to the Cannon Beach Library
this past year, library volun-
teers have selected hundreds
of rare, old, and classic books
for this annual Memorial Day
Weekend fundraiser.
This year the rare and old
book sale occurs Saturday to
Monday, May 26-28, from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Cannon
Beach Library, 131 N. Hemlock.
The books selected for this
special sale range from $1 to
$600 each, prices far lower than
found online and in brick-and-
mortar used bookstores. Most
books are priced under $10.
This sale features first-edition,
author-signed, particularly col-
lectible, richly bound and sim-
ply interesting old books.
Collectors will find some
surprises, including many
Modern Library and Every-
man’s Library editions and
numerous books signed by
author Ursula K. Le Guin, a
longtime resident of Portland
and Cannon Beach. Le Guin
died in January.
Cannon Beach Library
differs from a public library
in that it is a member-owned
nonprofit organization that has
served the library and infor-
mation needs of residents and
visitors in Cannon Beach and
Arch Cape since 1927.
The library accomplish-
es this mission through the
efforts of 95 volunteers who
contributed 8,750 hours this
past year to ordering new
books and videos; cataloging
and covering books; sorting
shelves; managing the library
desk; pricing used books and
stocking the used book sale
room; maintaining the build-
ing and equipment; servicing
interlibrary loan requests and
answering visitor and patron
questions.
Volunteers also arrange
such special member and
community events as the
Fall Festival and Crafts Sale,
the Holiday Tea open house,
Northwest Author appearances
and Cannon Book Reads meet-
ings; and this book sale and the
library’s huge July Fourth used
book sale.
The Cannon Beach Library
has one paid employee, but the
labor of volunteers represents
the equivalent of having four
additional full-time employ-
ees. Still, volunteers alone
cannot provide patrons with all
their library and information
services. To remain open and
add new books — including
current children’s titles—and
videos in a warm, well-lit
building, requires fundraising.
The city of Cannon Beach
provides a small subsidy to the
library and patron fees help,
but numerous fundraising
events, such as this Memorial
Day Weekend sale — along
with generous donations from
library members, residents
and visitors to Cannon Beach
and Arch Cape, and proceeds
from an always open book sale
room — cover the costs of new
books and videos, a paid office
manager, building mainte-
nance, office equipment, sup-
plies and utility bills. This Me-
morial Day Weekend will find
volunteers managing a three-
day rare and old book sale and
a drawing for a stunning hand-
sewn, heirloom quilt.
“I was just talking to someone today
about this, and the first thing they asked
was ‘What about the puffins?’ I don’t
think it’s been acknowledged and an-
nounced in a way to invite public com-
ment,” City Councilor Mike Benefield
said. “Because it addresses the public
image of the city, I don’t mind pushing it
back to get more input.”
Some in the community have raised
eyebrows as to why the town’s iconic
bird took a back seat during the nomi-
nation process. Maine argued in April
the red-winged blackbird is more visible
than the elusive tufted puffin — which
only nests a few months of the year at
Haystack Rock — and that it was import-
ant to “give credit to another species.”
Mayor Sam Steidel and City Council-
or Brandon Ogilvie were the two dissent-
ing votes, but chose not to offer reasons
as to why.
OBITUARIES
Ann Kristin Fontaine
Cannon Beach
Nov. 22, 1941 — April 18, 2018
The Rev. Ann Kristin (Haldors) Fontaine, was instrumental in the Education for Ministry
age 76, died at home in Cannon Beach, Ore- (EfM) program, serving as a mentor and trainer
gon, on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, in the pres- for over 30 years.
ence of her loving family and in the worldwide
In 1991, Ann was called to the priesthood,
prayers of people whose lives she touched. A graduating in 1994 from Harvard University
kind and caring mother and grandmother, Ann with a master’s degree in divinity. She was or-
spent her life fighting for justice and equality, dained on Jan. 6, 1996. She found her vocation
serving as an interim priest.
and helping people from all walks
In 2012 they moved to Cannon
of life discover their purpose and
Beach, Oregon, where she was called
strength.
out of retirement to work as an inter-
Ann was born in Portland, Or-
egon, on Nov. 22, 1941, to Gustav
im priest at both Grace Episcopal in
Charles and Dorothy Margaret (Mill-
Astoria and St. Catherine’s of Alex-
andria in Nehalem.
er) Haldors. She graduated from
Outside of her work changing
Lewis and Clark College in Port-
the world, Ann was a devoted Cubs
land with a bachelor of arts degree
fan and all-around baseball nut, and
in education in 1963. She married
loved spending time with her chil-
James Heryford Fontaine on March
Ann Fontaine
dren and grandchildren at Cannon
9, 1963, at Grace Episcopal Church
Beach. She remained an active mem-
in Portland, Oregon, and had three
ber of the global online community,
children, Kristin Elizabeth Haldors
Fontaine (born 1968), John Stephen Fontaine and continued to advocate for social justice and
(born 1973) and Matthew James Fontaine (born equality until the end of her life.
Ann is survived by her husband, James;
1977).
In 1972, Ann and James settled permanently brother, James Haldors; daughter, Kristin
in Lander, Wyoming, where Ann became a lo- Fontaine (David Dailey); sons, John Fontaine
cal lay leader in the Episcopal Church, quickly (Reidy Brown) and Matt Fontaine (Tamara Par-
rising to state and national leadership positions. is); and her grandchildren, Quinn Dailey, Sarah
She fought tirelessly for the equality of Fontaine, Hetty Fontaine, Lander Fontaine, and
women, LGBTQ people, and people of color, Mickey Fontaine.
More information can be found at sea-
working to ensure that all could live without
fear, and serve where they were called. Ann shellseller.org
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