VOL. 43, ISSUE 1
CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
January 11, 2019
NEW YEAR, NEW COUNCIL
Risley, Benefield, Steidel
take oath of office
By BRENNA VISSER
Cannon Beach Gazette
The Cannon Beach City
Council welcomed its new-
est member Tuesday night,
swearing in Robin Risley,
who is filling the seat left
by former City Councilor
George Vetter.
Robin Risley and incum-
bent Mike Benefield, who
was also sworn in Tuesday,
prevailed in the general elec-
tion for two open seats last
November, both narrowly
defeating hotelier Greg Swe-
denborg. Mayor Sam Steidel,
who ran unopposed, was also
sworn in for a second term.
Vetter, taking to the
podium as a resident instead
of a seat up on the diocese for
the first time since leaving
the council, took his public
comment to thank the coun-
cil and city staff for a good
experience as a councilor.
“And remember, don’t
be afraid to voice a minority
opinion,” Vetter added as
parting advice.
The new council also
appointed Barb Knop and
Clay Newton to the planning
commission, filling seats
left by Risley, now serv-
ing on the council, and Bob
Lundy, who termed out after
serving eight years on the
commission.
Knop is a longtime resi-
dent who has served on mul-
tiple committees, including
Parks and Community Ser-
vices and the Farmer’s Mar-
ket Committee, as well as
on the board of the Cannon
Beach Academy and Cannon
Beach Food Bank.
Newton is a real estate
broker and part time resi-
dent in Cannon Beach who
has been a vocal member
of Friends of the Dunes at
Cannon Beach, a group that
opposes grading dunes for
views, a topic that domi-
nated discussion on the plan-
ning commission last year.
Brenna Visser
Councilor Robin Risley is sworn in by Judge Ron Woltjer.
Former Portland fire chief is
named city’s emergency manager
Former Portland
fire chief named
to role
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Al Aya looked over equipment at the Cannon Beach Fire-
Rescue Main Station that controls the tsunami warning
system in 2017.
GOODBYE, MR. AYA
Aya, the man behind the ‘mooing’
tsunami sirens of Cannon Beach,
remembered for his foresight
By BRENNA VISSER
Cannon Beach Gazette
Alfred Aya Jr., the man
behind the design and instal-
lation of Cannon Beach’s
famous “mooing” tsunami
warning sirens, was remem-
bered for his humor, curios-
ity and foresight.
Aya, who died on Fri-
day, Dec. 21, at 94, lived
in Cannon Beach since the
mid-1980s. People close to
Aya knew him as humor-
ous and outgoing, with an
unwavering commitment
to promoting emergency
preparedness through his
role as a board member for
the Cannon Beach Rural
Fire Protection District.
Born on Dec. 11, 1924,
Aya was a descendant of
the family which founded
the Portland-based Honey-
man Hardware Co. From
a young age, Aya would
spend his afternoons after
school working at his par-
ent’s shop, doing building
projects and disassembling
equipment just to learn
how to put it back together,
Phil Hawley, a longtime
friend, recalled.
“He was somebody that
had an interest in every-
thing. He had the uncanny
ability to think of the most
See Aya, Page A6
By BRENNA VISSER
Cannon Beach Gazette
Mike Myers, the former
Portland fire chief, will be
Cannon Beach’s first emer-
gency manager.
The announcement came
hours after news of Myers
resignation broke Thurs-
day, Jan. 3, in Portland. He
joined Portland Fire & Res-
cue in July 2016 and was her-
alded for bringing modern
business practices to the fire
department.
“I thank the employees of
Portland Fire & Rescue for
their hard work and support
during my time here. This is
a personal decision on my
part. I love the coast and my
wife has already moved there
and it is my strong desire to
join her,” Myers said in a
statement.
Myers has long had a pas-
sion for emergency manage-
ment, starting with writing
emergency medical plans in
Las Vegas, where he was the
fire chief for more than 26
years.
“Those were some of the
best times of my career. I
KATU/The Daily Astorian
Mike Myers, the former fire chief in Portland, is heading to the coast for a new emergency
management job in Cannon Beach.
like working with commu-
nity members ... writing con-
sequence plans,” he said in
an interview. “I think I can
really help the community of
Cannon Beach.”
While Myers saw the job
in Cannon Beach when it was
first posted six months ago,
it “didn’t feel like the right
time” to apply, he said. After
being enamored with the
beauty of the Oregon Coast,
he and his wife decided a
couple of months ago to buy
a home in Gearhart. A few
weeks later, he checked to
see if the position was still
MIKE MYERS:
“I’m looking forward to
helping the community
build resilient and sustain-
able plans to protect resi-
dents and visitors alike.”
open, found that it was, and
submitted an application.
He was offered the job
earlier this week.
Myers said Cannon
Beach, like many coastal
towns, faces “sizable chal-
lenges related to potential
natural disasters. I’m looking
forward to helping the com-
munity build resilient and
sustainable plans to protect
residents and visitors alike.”
The timing, however,
raised some eyebrows in
Portland. Myers announced
his resignation the day after
his new boss, Commissioner
Jo Ann Hardesty, was sworn
into office.
Myers said the move has
nothing to do with Hard-
esty, and the timing was a
coincidence.
See Myers, Page A6
THE FLAVORS OF MICHOACÁN
By KATHERINE LACAZE
For Cannon Beach Gazette
Restaurant
features authentic
cuisine, artistic
atmosphere
Mi Corazón, the newest
restaurant in Cannon Beach,
promises to be a visual ban-
quet for art lovers as well as
a satisfying culinary expe-
rience for those hungry for
Central Mexican cuisine.
The restaurant, which
celebrated its grand open-
ing the evening of Jan. 10,
draws its aesthetic appeal
from hand-crafted tables,
glass chandeliers designed
with upcycled materials,
vivid paintings, hand-carved
Milagros from Mexico, and
other customized décor.
“We really want people
to feel like they’re in Mex-
ico,” said Emiliano Alvarez,
who owns and operates the
restaurant alongside Enrique
Monrroy.
Disappointed with the cli-
chéd décor — such as som-
breros, ponchos and mus-
tachioed mascots — often
employed at other Mexi-
can restaurants, Alvarez and
Monrroy sought to create a
dining establishment with an
authentic representation.
Katherine Lacaze
See Mi Corazón, Page A6
Hand-crafted tables and hand-carved Milagros designed in Mexico contribute to the aesthetic
at Mi Corazon, a Mexican restaurant that opened in Cannon Beach this month.