4A • December 23, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com SignalViewpoints Nature in the raw is seldom mild Larson: A mayor who time, and Seaside, won’t forget T By Nancy McCarthy For EO Media Group S easide never really needed a cham- ber of commerce. All the city needed was Don Larson. Mayor Larson, 80, died Dec. 11 fol- lowing a long battle with cancer. But even that struggle didn’t damper his enthusi- asm for the town he loved. No matter how he was feeling, no matter what personal or public issues he was dealing with, Don always greeted ev- eryone with a broad smile and bright blue eyes that enveloped the person whose hand he was shaking. And there was that laugh. A delight- ed, raspy laugh that traveled through a room packed with business operators and Seaside’s movers and shakers at Friday morning breakfast gatherings. Anyone who knew Don knew that laugh. His chuckles could be heard before City Council meetings when he joked with City Manager Mark Winstanley and personally greeted residents and fellow councilors. Then he would bang the gavel to signal that it was time to recite the salute to the American fl ag and begin the meeting. It was a ritual he performed as mayor for 14 years. Don was a man of humor — he could make quick quips that eased tense discus- sions — and he was a man of compassion who encouraged nervous or emotional citizens, alone behind the lectern, to speak from their hearts. Accomplishments A volunteer on city committees since 1994, he took pride in the accomplish- ments that a small town like Seaside had accomplished. We all heard him boast continually about how residents and city offi cials pulled together to achieve the new library, the skatepark, Broadway Park remodel, the popular Fourth of July celebrations and even the city’s trans- portation system plan, among dozens of other projects. Although he was mayor and the city’s leader, Don sought little recognition. His praise went to local students, police offi - cers, public works offi cials, library staff members, the visitors bureau, Seaside Civic and Convention Center employ- ees, the Seaside Rotary and pretty much everyone who had anything to do with making Seaside shine. But it was Don who was named Mayor of the Year by the League of Oregon Cities in 2009. Winstanly recently called him a “mar- velous mayor.” “The city of Seaside couldn’t have been luckier to have him and it’s certainly a great loss.,” Winstanley said after Don’s death. Could be critical Despite his nearly Pollyannish attitude toward Seaside, however — or maybe because of it — Don could be critical of those who he thought should be paying more attention to promoting the city. The SEASIDE SIGNAL/FILE PHOTO Seaside Mayor Don Larson, right, along with his wife, Lois, second from right, shares a laugh with Seaside Fire Chief Joey Daniels and girlfriend Jaime Oxley, a fi refi ghter with the Gearhart Fire Department, about Oxley’s oversized “Chief Daniels” in- scribed jacket during the 2013 National Night Out celebration at Broadway Park. IMPRESSIONS NANCY McCARTHY Daily Astorian and the Seaside Signal often received his scrutiny, especially if he thought Seaside wasn’t receiving its proper share of headlines. I remember attending a meeting where Don was presiding. Although the meeting topic had nothing to do with the Daily Astorian’s local coverage, the mayor em- barked on a mildly rambling tirade about the lack of attention the newspaper had been paying to Seaside lately. I had heard some of those views from him before, only in private. Well, as the South County reporter for the paper, I felt called to action by his comments, even though they weren’t directed specifi cally at me. I spent the next full day going through each paper for the previous month and writing down all Seaside-related headlines, including sports. I mailed the long list of headlines and story summaries to Don, along with a tersely worded letter pointing out that the paper wasn’t meant to be the city’s public relations organ, and mailed the packet to him. The next day, as soon as his mail was delivered, he called me. “Nancy,” he said, a bit taken aback. “It sounds like you’re mad at me.” He then apologized and mentioned that he had been out of town for most of the past month. The incident was forgotten, and Don continued to be sincerely friendly. Respect and joy Don’s respect for others — no matter their background — earned their respect for him. Angela Fairless spearheaded the skatepark development many years ago and often attended council meetings to earnestly urge Don and the council to act on sensitive issues, including homeless- ness, police issues and marijuana legal- ization. She opposed him as a mayoral candidate in the 2014 election. “I’ve come to believe that you learn more about a man’s character when chal- lenging him than when you work cooper- atively alongside him,” Fairless posted on Facebook following Don’s death. “I did both with this man, and what I learned is that his character was solid and good.” When I think of Don, I remember his joy for life. I remember his glee at holding a giant pair of scissors while cutting the ribbon to open the new library, now to be known as the Donald E. Larson Library. I remember him laughing and grunting while he worked to unroll the artifi cial turf at Broadway Park, signaling the start of a long-awaited improvement project. During Fourth of July parades, he used to love climbing into “Old Mac,” the Seaside Fire Department’s antique fi re engine, and waving to the crowds. At somber cere- monies, such as the annual Pearl Harbor commemoration, Don, a retired staff train- ing offi cer for the U.S. Army Reserve, delivered comforting words to veterans. In 2009, several local volunteers built a time capsule, a tube 24 inches around and 5 feet long, to contain students’ draw- ings, newspapers, aerial photos and other memorabilia in honor of Oregon’s 150th anniversary. The capsule was unveiled at the Broadway Park dedication. Don was pretty happy that day. All sorts of dignitaries were there, including former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts. It was a beautiful summer afternoon. After the ceremony, when no one was looking (except me with my camera), Don, in a playful mood, crawled inside the empty, open capsule. I have a photo of just his legs hanging out. If we could only encapsulate the time we spent with Don, what a good thing that would be! But we still have our memories of the example he set for Seaside: Contin- ue to love it and keep it shining. Nancy McCarthy is the former editor of the Seaside Signal and Cannon Beach Gazette and South County reporter for the Daily Astorian. Don Larson remembered for his dedication F ormer boxing champion Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” This quote conjures up memo- ries of Mayor Don Larson who died Dec. 11 at the age of 80. Larson, who passed away after a long battle with cancer, chalked up an impres- sive record of public service and will be remembered for his dedication to the City of Seaside. Larson, however, was not without controversy and left many people feeling confl icted. He was stubborn on some policies and bullied his way trying to get the ODOT Highway 101 vote to pass. This then raises the question of how exactly do we remember him? Do we gloss over the confl icts or honor his accomplishments? While I attended his memorial service on Friday, it became clear that Mayor Larson would be remembered for his ac- complishments; his motives were always to advance the city and soon became one of Seaside’s most enduring advocates. Larson was mayor of Seaside from 2002 to 2016. He has been credited for his dedication to Seaside, to his church, his family, and to the children of the AWA- NA youth group. He was instrumental in putting Seaside on the Tree City map and active within the League of Oregon Cities, as well as serving on several committees and commissions throughout his tenure. He was a positive force in seeing the PUBLISHER EDITOR David F. Pero R.J. Marx GUEST COLUMN REBECCA HERREN expansion and renovation of Broadway Park, including a skate park and boat ramp. He saw the fulfi llment of the new library, the installation of the lights at the intersection of Broadway and Columbia streets, and most recently, the renovation of the North Holladay Drive project. One of his strengths as mayor of the city he loved so much didn’t necessarily come from his stalwart work ethic and tireless commitment to fulfi lling his duties, it was that he understood and advocated for the city’s residents regardless if you agreed with him or not. He understood that people wanted to live here in Seaside for the quality of living, the services the city provided and the recreation amenities. His success as mayor was refl ected in his recurring reelection — some uncon- tested and without a platform. Despite his disappointment that the ODOT Highway 101 project failed, most voters in Seaside believed Larson was a good mayor, and in many ways, he was. He was a hands-on mayor who served the city well. His fellow leaders as well as former and current members of the community whose lives he touched over the years ADVERTISING MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER Betty Smith John D. Bruijn CIRCULATION MANAGER SYSTEMS MANAGER Heather Ramsdell Carl Earl ADVERTISING SALES Brandy Stewart admired him. And some, along with fam- ily members and clergy, offered heartfelt tributes to Larson during his memorial. I met Mayor Larson in January 2014 when I became managing editor for the Seaside Signal, under the ownership of Dick and Margaret Larson (no relation). He was welcoming and always forthcom- ing with his time whenever I called. I reg- ularly covered the council meetings and Larson quickly became a constant contact. He often gave me a call after reading the latest edition of the Signal to discuss this or that, especially when we disagreed on certain points. And, though I always respectively referred to him as Mayor Don Larson or Mayor Larson in those articles, I fondly called him just “mayor” anytime I saw him out and about, or during one of our many telephone conversations that he always ended by saying, “Thank you for making me sound good,” or “Thank you for being truthful in your coverage;” even if the coverage was negative. After I left the Signal to become man- aging editor for another company, he tried hard to persuade me to return by saying, “You were the best editor the paper had and it really needs you back.” It did not work, but it was a nice compliment. Years later, I realized he gave the same compli- ment to other former employees — and that is OK. hat was a cool trick for Bob Cook to copy George H. W. Bush and jump from an airplane on his 85th birthday. I trust he had the wind at his back. It was a buddy jump — reassuring, I would think. I wonder if they yelled “Geronimo” as they came down. That’s traditional with paratroopers and it’s in their song. I learned it from my husband who was in the paratroops in the 50s until he broke his back in a jump. It takes a special kind of person to do that — a brave person — and I’m not tryin’ it ’til I get my SCENE & HEARD wings! CLAIRE LOVELL It was a real revelation to me when during the previews to our election they talked about retaining the parts of Obamacare which concerned pre-existing conditions and keeping the 26-year -old “children” on their par- ent’s policies. Egad. A 26-year-old person is not a child. When my brother was 27, I thought he was older than Methuselah. By the time someone is that age, shouldn’t he be on his own and providing for himself? It’s a dif- ferent world to be sure. The weather for Thanksgiving was inclement to say the least. Lots of thunder and lightning, too, though I didn’t see it. Gary, his wife Connie, Robin and I went to the Shilo buffet for dinner. There was so much to eat so we sampled everything until it hurt. With a good seat by the window, we were thankful indeed. I just felt a pang for those who didn’t have the same privilege. We are so blessed. When the kids were totaling up their responsibil- ity for the check, they decided on $54.40 or fi ght! It was almost resolved that way. If I’m here for another Thanksgiving, I think I’ll just have a sandwich and watch TV. Gary and I left about 5 p.m. while the girls stayed behind to visit. Their decision had its drawbacks. Thunder and lightning increased; rain was torrential and people in the restaurant became somewhat alarmed. I didn’t understand if the ocean came over the Prom or if it was just sheets of rain but it was not fun. When Robin returned to her motel near Avenue U, the area was fl ooded from the tide and she couldn’t fi nd the driveway. After some maneuvering, she discovered a parking place without being stalled in the river when it was pitch dark. As the saying goes, “Nature in the raw is seldom mild.” When I looked out the window on Dec. 10, two fawns were browsing in my yard. Their mother came later and was only slightly larger than they were. I real- ly felt awful when, in a short while, the rain came down in torrents and they were caught in the middle. I would have asked them in but knew it wouldn’t work. I just hate to think of all the wild animals caught in winter circumstances. It’s no merry Christmas for them. Laugh line Stop me if you’ve heard this: A man walked up to a store and saw a boy and his dog sitting by the entrance. “Does your dog bite?” asked the fellow. “No, he doesn’t,” the kid answered. The guy bent over to pet the dog, pulled back a bleeding, tooth-marked arm and exclaimed, “I thought you said your dog didn’t bite!” “That’s not my dog,” the kid told him. LETTERS Larson was honest, sincere As the former editor at The Seaside Signal, I worked closely with Don Larson covering many local city sto- ries. Mayor Larson made sure he was always available for comment when I needed to balance our coverage of issues impacting the city. He always demonstrated an honest and sincere approach to city issues. When I fi rst arrived in Seaside, Mayor Larson greeted me with open arms and his famous smile. He soon became a mentor and close friend. Mayor Larson help guide Seaside forward during his time in offi ce. He will be missed. Jeremy C. Ruark Clatskanie Be informed on climate change Claire Lovell’s Dec. 9, “Scene & Heard ” column in the Seaside Signal featured an opinion on climate change that had nothing to do with the bulk of the piece. Yet the paper chose to highlight this disconnected paragraph with an infl ammatory headline, “Climate change: a roll of the dice,” as if it was the main focus of the article. Climate change deniers fall largely into two catego- ries: those who are woefully uninformed and those who stand to profi t from loosened regulations and gutted pro- tections. We do indeed roll the dice with our children’s future if we fail to act. To discount the preponderance of evidence about the reality of climate change by saying, “God is in charge of the weather…” is to allow humans to shirk responsibility for damage they have done to the pristine planet we had “in the beginning.” Unchecked climate change may in- deed be God’s vengeance. But this is not really a religious issue. Nor is it red or blue. Earth’s rhythms may once have shifted naturally through past centuries but exponential population growth and prac- tices employed to sustain it have pushed us to the tipping point. Man may have meant no harm but harm has been done. Our fi rst act of reparation is to become informed. For an eminently watchable fi lm highlighting the facts of climate change, see National Geographic’s documentary See Herren, Page 5A CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katherine Lacaze Claire Lovell Eve Marx Esther Moberg Jon Rahl Seaside Signal Letter policy The Seaside Signal is published every other week by EO Media Group, 1555 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, OR 97138. 503-738-5561 seasidesignal.com The Seaside Signal welcomes letters to the editor. The deadline is noon Monday prior to publication. Letters must be 400 words or less and must be signed by the author and include a phone number for verifi cation. We also request that submissions be limited to one letter per month. Send to 1555 N. Roosevelt Drive, Seaside, OR 97138, drop them off at 1555 N. Roosevelt Drive or fax to 503-738-9285. Or email rmarx@seasidesignal.com See Letters, Page 5A SUBSCRIPTIONS Annually: $40.50 in county • $58.00 in and out of county • e-Edition: only $30.00 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Seaside Signal, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103. Postage Paid at Seaside, OR 97138 and at additional mailing offi ces. Copyright 2015 © by the Seaside Signal. No portion of this newspaper may be re-produced without written permission. All rights reserved.