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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2015)
4A • October 16, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com SignalViewpoints Seaside is the winner with Hood to Coast accord S EEN FROM S EASIDE T he Aug. 29 weather was frightful, with a windstorm that shut down the coast, but the runners persevered. I can only imagine what it was like for them trudging at midnight and later through mud, lightning and high winds, on mountain paths and farmers¶ ¿ elds, and up and over that monumental engineering feat, the Roosevelt Drive overpass. In Seaside, the beach was cor- doned off because of the gusts and runners were funneled up Broad- way. By late Saturday morning, the streets were crowded with race teams taking group sel¿ es and comparing race times. Teams from 50 states and 39 countries participated in the annual 197- mile relay from Mount Hood to Seaside, bonding in what every- one we spoke with described as an unforgettable life experience. They were soaked through but ex- hilarated. They shared high-¿ ves and hugged it out. But what I saw as a journalist that day was not what many busi- nesses in Seaside experienced. Only a few weeks later, 73 merchants delivered a petition asking for a date change for the event. “Although the Seaside Chamber of Commerce and many of the area’s lodging facilities bene¿ t ¿ nancially, many of us year-round business owners feel that the overall impact of host- ing this massive event during the busy summer tourist is negative,” businesses wrote. That number grew to 84 by the start of October. Complaints B Y R.J. MARX This year, Seaside and Hood to Coast came to the brink of ending it all. À owed about race organi]ers clos- ing down streets, vendors setting up in front of stores, and a dearth of business from runners who had no interest in “shopping Seaside.” These were people who were using Seaside as “a day-and-a- half destination and a party time.” On Facebook, Seaside resi- dents took to the message boards and layered criticism on the race: “Please send them packing. That’s what the citi]ens of Sea- side want.” Is this marriage worth saving? The city’s love-hate relation- ship with Hood to Coast seems not so much like anything as a marriage, in this case, a 24-year relationship. For a sense of the historic dynamic, I went back to the archives. “Most of these runners are adventurists,” wrote the Signal’s sports editor in 1991. “Not even the winners reap monetary re- wards. These die-hards run this purely for fun. For the camarade- rie along the route. For the beau- tiful and inviting Oregon scenery. Rest up and we’ll look for you next year.” Five years later, crowd control, traf¿ c and safety concerns led to a proposed race ban in 1996. It was kisses again in 2000. “Welcome Hood to Coast!” read a banner headline. “Hood to Coast gets ultima- tum,” I read in 2005. In 2007, the newspaper ran a local and toll-free complaint line. “Area braces for Hood to Coast,” warned the 2010 head- line. Variations on this theme have continued on and off for the past ¿ ve years, with more breakup ru- mors than Kanye and Kim. “I can’t believe we’re going through this again!” City Coun- cilor Dana Phillips exclaimed at this year’s ¿ rst workshop. Finding inspiration from the runners This year, Seaside and Hood to Coast came to the brink of ending it all. But like a broken marriage, there would have been fallout, in this case, blows to our health sys- tem, city parks and potentially the tourism dollars this city depends on. At Monday’s council meeting R.J. MARX PHOTO/SEASIDE SIGNAL Track coach Jack Kilday makes an impassioned plea to keep Hood to Coast in Seaside. track coach Jack Kilday described the incalculable loss his teams would have faced trying to make up for what Hood to Coast brings, and those losses would have been felt throughout the school district. Beyond the money the race brings, nothing could serve as a better inspiration for healthy liv- ing than an event promoting the values of ¿ tness and endurance. For young athletes, the values of teamwork and team-building displayed in this unique and chal- lenging race can only be inspir- ing. And there is the race’s inter- national cachet: Hood to Coast is perhaps the only time a visitor from Bonn, Paris, Ankara or Syd- ney may ever hear of Seaside. In 2004, two do]en Orego- nians from the Oregon National Guard’s 1249th Engineer Battal- ion participated in a “shadow” Hood to Coast relay at the For- ward Operating Base Sharana in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. “The Guard also has at least one team in the relay in Oregon, so it is pretty easy to be connected,” said Russ Gibson, a Guard mem- ber from Salem. “It helps us keep connected to Oregon.” Military teams continue to run in every Hood to Coast, Chief Executive Of¿ cer Jude Hubber said Monday night after the City Council and Hood to Coast com- mitted to two more years of part- nership. Now that is inspirational. Side Rail JON RAHL An educational experience is brewing along the coast Earlier this year while attending the 2015 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, I met Brandon Holmes, co-founder of tech- nology startup Bandwango. Holmes, along with co-found- er Mo Parikh, was getting set to launch an attractions pass in Salt Lake City (my old stomping ground) with a con- sumer interface that blew me away. Their system takes ad- vantage of mobile technolo- gy, gives tremendous value to the traveler and makes it easy to track success. As a desti- nation marketer that loves creative projects, this got my wheels spinning. We initially jumped into a conversation aimed at the cre- ation of an attractions pass for this area. It made sense to me, was similar to something I’d helped create during my time in Salt Lake and would give the Oregon’s North Coast coalition a dynamic way to promote our tremendous as- sets from Astoria all the way down to Cannon Beach. We envisioned at least ¿ ve to six participants but could see as many as ten easily ¿ tting into the pass. Ultimately, we hit a snag with the attractions pass. Per- haps the timing just wasn’t right, but we kept talking and the left the door open to doing something later this fall. Enter Beer 101. Holmes was work- ing on the basis of a craft beer pass for an area in Portland and it gave us the idea to cap- itali]e on the success of the 2013 advertising campaign run by the Oregon’s North Coast group. You might recall that two years ago, the marketing co- alition of Astoria-Warrenton, Seaside and Cannon Beach unveiled a promotion called Beer 101. The month-long focus was on craft breweries, educational events and a con- test that allowed consumers to help name a one-of-a-kind JON RAHL collaborative beer. All three elements were designed to drive visitation and overnight stays to this area during the late fall and winter season of 2013-14. Late this summer, this year’s campaign and the idea of a Beer 101 Pint Pass really started to take shape. I initial- ly ran it past a few local estab- lishments while Bandwango made sure it was something that would work within the guidelines of the Oregon Li- quor Control Commission. We received enough positive feedback to know this was something we could move forward with. In early November, the Beer 101 Pint Pass will go on sale as the successor to the campaign from two autumns ago. It’s a new step for Ore- gon’s North Coast and, quite honestly, it’s a new way to promote tourism and travel. The pass will sell for approx- imately $20-25, and give the consumer a $5 mobile gift card from each of approxi- mately ten (the ¿ nal number is still being ¿ nali]ed) par- ticipating locations. The pass will be valid through the end of February 2016 with a few minor restrictions. Advertis- ing for the pass will start on November 9 and we’ll quick- ly be able to tell exactly how effective this campaign is. As usual, I’ll keep you posted on SUBMITTED PHOTO/SEASIDE SIGNAL North Coast communities team to introduce the local brew- ing experience. the efforts, and the results. Learn more — beginning ear- ly next month — at thepeo- plescoast.com/north. Have a thought or a ques- tion about tourism in Seaside, or maybe an idea for a future column? Drop me an email at jrahl@cityofseaside.us. Jon Rahl is the director of tourism for the Seaside Visitors Bureau and assistant general manager of the Seaside Civic & Convention Center. Scene and Heard CLAIRE LOVELL Columnist jots a few notes from ‘this point in time’ Did we think during the Nixon years that when John Dean kept talking about “this point in time,” we’d still be using the stupid ex- pression years later? For one thing, he should have stopped at point. Of course, it’s in time. That’s where we live. I should accept the fact that copycat phrases have always been the way of the world, but some clichés just tick me off. Our August storm on the 29th was really exciting. It came a little later than expected — a little after 6 p.m., but when it really be- gan in earnest, I enjoyed the wild tossing of leaves and branches — the wind whip- ping around the trees, doors slamming in the bree]e. It was fun after so long a time. The national weathermen quoted our wind velocity at 90 m.p.h. Hood to Coast, an annual moneymaker, was well nigh ruined by the storm. Beach activities, an enjoyable part of the holiday where pretty much destroyed. Where I live, except for an occasional van going by on Roosevelt, the run might never have happened. This week will go down in Hood to Coast annals as a washout. We’ve been lucky before to have had good weather, plenty of help and happy runners with snappy slogans. Next year it will be good again if we say our prayers. (Maybe I shouldn’t have prayed for rain for the ¿ res. I did think of the guy in the Bible who prayed for rain. It came and CLAIRE LOVELL lasted for three years.) Does anyone know if the puppy dog had her knee op- eration so she could walk? I haven’t seen any follow-up info in the paper and have been watching. There is so much good that can be done for handicapped animals these days. I like to hear about it. Sorry to learn of the death of Dave McDonald on Aug. 19. Before he moved to Warrenton, he and Em- madine were a part of Sea- side’s up and combers, in- cluding the Junior Chamber of Commerce and a lot of young people’s activities. I don’t know if he’d moved to Longview or that he’d just gone to the hospital there. Katherine Laca]e is a proli¿ c writer for Eastern Oregon Media. I always enjoy her articles because she’s a girl after my own heart. She’s not afraid to go for the nostalgic stuff. If she hadn’t written about Seaside Union High School aging 100 years old next year, I would have forgotten all about it. As it happens, my youngest brother was born while it was being built. Most of my siblings and I graduated from that school. I was in the class of 1937 as salutatorian, ha. Grade wise it was an honor I shared with my best pal Evelyn Stewart, although I gave the speech. Whenever my own kids brought home stories of hap- penings at their school, I al- ways visuali]ed them in the old building. When it was torn down, the ra]ers threw out class pictures as well as mottoes and quotations that were framed to hang on our walls. One I would have loved to have had was from President Lincoln’s second inaugural address begin- ning “with malice toward none…” It was in our as- sembly hall next to the stage and some of us committed it to memory from countless readings in study hall. When Leo Marlantes was princi- pal, he rescued some of the pictures but there should have been a pre-demolition sale for all of us to have a chance at something which otherwise would be plowed under or thrown on the gar- bage. I actually knew one of the people on the board of director’s list — Leona McKay and have heard of others like Otto, Lounsber- ry and Kables. The old gym was used with the new building for a while. and 70s. We had band, orchestra, “after school” sports (with no fees), a li- brarian and library aide, a music teacher, an art teach- er, we had ¿ eld trips and PE at least three times a week — at each grade level and class si]es of 20 to 25 stu- dents. And that was in ele- mentary school! I am truly saddened by the stories I hear today of all the school budget trou- bles and the subsequent cuts to programs. It’s time — millennials and oth- ers — to step up and stop short-changing our chil- dren! You can start by vot- ing “yes” in the upcoming election, which will at least sustain our current level of school funding. A “yes” vote will also encourage our teachers and staff. They will feel appreciated by our community and that goes a long way toward excellence in the classroom. Marcus Simantel Seaside Laugh Lines It’s hard to make a come- back when you haven’t been anywhere. Letters to the Editor A thank-you from Hall of Fame Committee The Seaside High School Hall of Fame Induction Com- mittee consisting of Jim Auld, Tom Maltman, James Folk, Stubby Lyons, Wally Ham- er, Dr. Shelia Roley, Larry Elliott, Gene Gilbertson and Donna Sunell wish to thank Gearhart Market, led by Mol- ly Lowenberg, Teryn Law and their crew for presenting our food, attending to our needs during the ceremony and cleanup. They performed magni¿ cently and above the call of duty. We served over 200 din- ners; got the tables, chairs and the Seaside High School cafetorium in good shape Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26 and 27. The night was a complete success. Thanks to Gearhart Market leaders and crew. The Induction Committee would also like to thank Nike. Mike Burk, Julie Nelson and their crew led the clean up department after the Seaside High School Hall of Fame in- duction event. During the cer- emony they walked around and made sure that guests had coffee, water, etc. and worked well with Gearhart Market. They always had a smile on their face, asked ques- tions about what they could do next and because of their tremendous help, we were able to get out of there before 9 p.m. Mike and Julie have done a tremendous job of teaching and coaching those young people to perform the way they did. Without them there, it would not have been the successful night that it was. The Seaside Hall of Fame has inducted 127 individuals and 28 teams since it was started in 2001. Stubby Lyons Seaside Stop short-changing our schoolchildren I’m an old guy who taught school in the 1960s