4A • June 23, 2017 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
SignalViewpoints
Becoming poster boy for
National Safety Month
Meeting with
a style maven
A
I
ll of us need to be aware of the dangers involved in
recreation.”
I ran across that headline in an old issue of the
Seaside Signal, or maybe I only thought I did in my
delirium in the weeks after a calamitous jog at the Cove.
When we fi rst arrived on the North Coast. I was com-
pletely oblivious to the risks all around me.
Never turn your
back to the ocean,
my wife, who grew
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
up on the Atlan-
R.J.
MARX
tic Coast, warned.
Sneaker waves are
famous here, although
I partially blame my
tread-bare sneakers
this time.
In Seaside, warning signs advise visitors to stay off logs,
beware of incoming tides and rip currents. Then there’s the
beach rock, known by many names.
“Locals call it ‘round rock,’” geologist Tom Horning told
me. “A few erroneously call it ‘river rock.’ Geologists call
it ‘cobble beach berm rock,’ even though it includes pebbles
and boulders.”
Last September, when I was hunting down the dead whale
in Cape Falcon, I skipped over the rocks like a tern. That was
the late Friday afternoon when Court Carrier of the Can-
non Beach Chamber of Commerce called me and told me a
humpback whale carcass was being swept past Arch Cape.
He advised me to head south of the tunnel. I raced down
Highway 101 battling the setting sky. I turned right onto
Falcon Cove Road and parked willy-nilly on the roadside. I
ran onto the sand in the twilight as the whale was pulled in
by the tide. After snapping my photos and interviewing other
dead-whale-watchers, I scrambled up the rocks like Spider-
man. It was only later that I realized the risk I had taken.
The rock in the Cove originated as rock avalanches that
fell into the ocean off of Tillamook Head, Horning ex-
plained. “Years ago, a traveling geologist penned an article
and declared them a ‘terminal moraine of a valley glacier’
that fl owed down the Necanicum valley.”
That’s where I fell at the start of a late-afternoon jog —
done in by the terminal moraine of a valley glacier.
Half an hour later I was at the Providence Seaside Hos-
pital Emergency Room. X-rays determined I’d broken two
bones in my forearm, the radius and the ulna.
high tide at Hug
Point near Cannon
Beach.
In late-December,
U.S. Coast Guard
air crew hoisted two
stranded hunters and
a dog from a Co-
lumbia River island
on Miller Sands, an
BRENNA VISSER/SEASIDE SIGNAL
island upriver from
Back in action after a rocky month.
Astoria.
Rescue and emer-
gency medical service calls make up 73 percent of Seaside
Fire and Rescue’s 2016 incident log, according to the depart-
ment’s year-end summary. Fires only make up 4 percent. On
the beach, lifeguards issued 565 rip tide warnings, conducted
33 water rescues, 20 water assists and responded to 21 calls
for beach medical aid.
Safety month
Safety fi rst
This is all particularly poignant to me because it is Na-
tional Safety Month. For that, I could be the poster boy.
Established by the National Safety Council, the cam-
paign’s focus is on reducing the leading causes of injury and
death at work, on the road and in our homes and communi-
ties. Poisoning overtook motor vehicle crashes for the fi rst
time as the leading cause of unintentional-injury-related
death for all ages combined. Drowning and falls are numbers
3 and 4.
When I interviewed Seaside Fire Chief Joey Daniels a
few weeks for another story, he told me he had just come
from a one-week ropes class. The idea of swinging over a
mountain on a rescue sounds thrilling but terrifying. It’s a
vital skill on the North Coast.
In March 2016, three men were rescued by the Oregon
Coast Guard from the banks of the Necanicum River near
Ecola State Park after their kayaks capsized. In April, the
Coast Guard rescued a man stranded on a rocky edge by the
You know that article I thought I’d seen in the Signal
from 1966? I found it.
“Hikers should be warned to stay on trails and to keep
away from cliffs,” editor Max Shafer in an editorial titled,
“All of us need to be aware of the dangers of recreation.”
“It is very easy to get lost on the (Tillamook) Head and
it is even easier to fall over a cliff, with disastrous results,”
Shafer opined, after enumerating risks of logs, surf, tides,
even crab holes.
“All of these hazards are well known to those of us who
have lived on the coast,” he wrote. “But visitors are seldom
aware of them. We hope that we can go through the summer
without tragedy here. But it will require the cooperation of
all who come in contact with the visitors.”
The same holds true, 51 years later.
Again and again, I heard, “As long as you stay vertical,
you’re going to be OK.”
Cheers to that.
Staying vertical
The pullout for David Sedaris’ new book, “Theft by Find-
ing” reads: “Other people’s pain is uninteresting. My own,
though, is spellbinding.”
I know he is joking, but like any good joke there is some
truth in that.
Over the past few weeks, however, I’ve found other peo-
ple’s experiences inspiring.
I cheer anyone who can persevere and overcome after a
painful setback.
A Gearhart friend endured countless surgeries after a
skiing accident and today is able to ski and even surf once
again.
I was comforted by the positive attitude of Lou at Sea-
side’s American Legion. He gave me a preview of my own
road to recovery as he rehabilitates from wrist surgery. A
checker in Safeway shared with me that her body rejected
the metal, similar to the plate installed in my forearm. Back
surgeries, hamstring operations, arms, shoulders and hips.
Even toes. Now that’s got to hurt.
And as I was putting this piece to bed, I heard the awful
news that my offi ce mate Brandy had fallen and broken her
ankle.
Brandy underwent surgery Thursday.
Thoughts and prayers with her during the recovery pro-
cess.
Seaside Fire and Rescue’s tips are worth heeding
• Beach conditions change throughout the
year and the day. There may be rip currents,
holes and drop-offs. If you are not familiar with
the ocean or have doubts — don’t go out!
• Parents: Do not leave your children unat-
tended. Never swim alone, always have a buddy
who knows where your at.
• Life jackets are recommended for weak
swimmers.
• Understand rip-current safety.
• Take breaks from the water to warm up and
drink fluids.
• Never attempt to rescue someone in dis-
tress if you are not trained or equipped to do
so. Many of our rescues involve the original vic-
tim and a good Samaritan who got themselves
into trouble as well. Call 911, and keep the
victim in sight to give the lifeguards a report
when they arrive.
’ve been told that in 1938 this building was a
grocery store that supplied the guest cabins in the
neighborhood,” Nell Hutchison said, speaking of her
charming home in south Seaside where she’s lived since
1998.
Hutchison, who arrived in Seaside by way of Sacra-
mento and who grew up in Minnesota, has been a well-
dressed fi gure in the neighborhood for 20 years. We
met in Gearhart
where she is a
regular patron
VIEW FROM
of the Pacifi c
THE PORCH
Way Bakery,
EVE MARX
known for her
droll humor, her
poetry, and her
head turning outfi ts.
“I worked for the Department of Justice from 1955
to 1992,” Nell said. “I was an administrator in crim-
inal justice record keeping. I had between 50 and 80
people, including supervisors, reporting to me.” While
working for the Department of Justice, she took her
college degree, fi rst falling in love with the poetry of
T.S. Eliot and then majoring in English and writing
poetry. She said it was the tumultuous ’70s that inspired
her to write. She wrote about family, her frustrations
as a woman, and the concept of vulnerability. In 1996
the Sacramento publisher Laverne Frith published her
memoir, “When I Was A Child in Minnesota.”
These days Nell occupies herself taking pictures,
writing haiku, and playing pinochle.
Her house is full of collections. She is a great collec-
tor of ceramics, china, dolls, fi gurines and cut glass. An
entire blue-painted room has been given over to things
reminding her of Seaside: shells, sand dollars, images
of sea birds, and African violets. “The secret to keeping
them is light, but not too much heat,” she said.
It was her color-coordinated wardrobe, however,
that drew me to interview her. Perhaps a bit pushily, I
inveighed her to show me
her closet.
Showing me around
her tidy bedroom, Nell
showed me a wall of caps
and handbags as well as
color coordinated drawers
of gloves and socks and
little purses. A large box of
delicious vintage costume
jewelry is arranged by
brooches, earrings, and
bangles. Her closet is
turned over seasonally.
Purple is her winter color.
The summer closet is fi lled
with blouses, trousers, and
—Nell Hutchison
skirts in shades of aquama
rine and chartreuse with a
smattering of black and white graphics and Monet-in-
spired prints.
“A lot of times I’ll have a scarf I really want to
wear,” she said. “So I’ll plan my day’s wardrobe around
it.”
Nell said her fashion sense is innate. She’s never
been a reader of fashion magazines. She said she got
into clothes while working for the Department of Jus-
tice. “Nice clothes get attention,” she said. “I’ve always
tried to fi ght invisibility.” She said she has always en-
joyed being a head turner, and regrets, just a little, that
her chosen beach lifestyle doesn’t afford many opportu-
nities to dress up.
Now in her 80s, Nell said she enjoys her pinoch-
le games that take place twice a week. “It’s a mixed
crowd,” she said, meaning there’s men and women. She
plays at the Seaside senior center and also at the senior
center in Astoria. “It’s something to look forward to.”
Nell’s advice for living well into her eighth decade is
pretty simple.
“Take care of business. Don’t stress over things.”
She says she’s not overly sentimental and remains the
practical person she’s always been. She has a cat who
goes by the name of Ms. Truffl e. Ms. Truffl e has been
a kind of artistic muse, inspiring photographs and the
writing of haiku. “She’s defi nitely a ms., not a miss,”
Nell said of the feline. “She’s permitted to sit on any
surface she wishes, but I never forget she’s just a cat.”
‘Take
care of
business.
Don’t
stress
over
things.’
Build a better world, starting at the local library
T
he Seaside Public Library’s
Summer Reading program
started June 3 with fi reworks
and juggling mice. OK, well, maybe
the fi reworks and performing mice
didn’t make it in time, I made that
part up, but all the kids who did
show up had an great time at the fun
stations for the kickoff party. Kids
who signed up at the kickoff party
for summer reading even got a free
book.
This year’s theme is “Build a
Better World.” Events and the read-
ing challenge for all ages will be
held all summer long. Children and
teens will be reading for free books
and prizes, as well as a chance to
be in the countywide grand prize
drawings. The drawings include a
giveaway of several Kindle Fires
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
David F. Pero
R.J. Marx
BETWEEN
THE COVERS
ESTHER MOBERG
and baskets of books. The Seaside
Library has won a best practices
award two times for our summer
reading program from the state
library. Goals for summer reading
include keeping children engaged
and reading all summer long, prac-
ticing early literacy skills with our
storytime group for children up to
5 years old, while ensuring literacy
is the primary focus of all of our
programs and events.
One of the events you won’t
want to miss at the Seaside Public
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
Betty Smith
John D. Bruijn
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Jeremy Feldman
Carl Earl
ADVERTISING
SALES
Brandy Stewart
Library this summer is the amaz-
ing International Border Collies
who will be at the library on June
22. Some of these dogs are rescue
dogs and they can do tricks like you
wouldn’t believe. They performed
at the Seaside Public Library a few
years ago and these talented doggies
wowed the crowd. We will also
have two puppet shows this year.
Penny’s Puppets on June 30 and the
Dragon Puppet Theater (my person-
al favorite) on July 14. We will also
have an event around the once in a
life time solar eclipse. If you missed
our kickoff party, don’t worry. You
can still sign up all summer long
for the reading challenge. Attending
events at the library, as always, is
completely free.
Adults can also participate in the
STAFF WRITER
Brenna Visser
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Rebecca Herren
Katherine Lacaze
Eve Marx
Esther Moberg
Jon Rahl
summer reading program and turn
in reading hours for a chance to win
a prize. Just ask for your reading
hours at the front desk. Bring the
whole family to the library on
Saturday, July 1, for a rousing good
musical time as The Friends of the
Seaside Library host Brass Ops the
234th Army Band of the Oregon
National Guard. The concert will
take place at 1:00 p.m.
Brass Ops is a 12-member musi-
cal performance team of the 234th
Army Band of the Oregon National
Guard. The show will include a
variety of music that will highlight
drums, ukulele, barbershop quartet,
and of course the Army brass band.
The event will be centered on our
Summer Reading Program and
much of the music will tell stories
using high energy traditional and
contemporary brass arrangements.
For teens, a lot of our great teen
events will be helping to build
a better world by giving back to
our community. Teens will get to
make dog or cat toys to donate to
our local animal shelter and also
make blankets for Project Linus,
which donates blankets to children
who are seriously ill, traumatized,
or otherwise in need. Teens can
also do some other very awesome
events at the library’s weekly Teen
Tuesday programs, all of which
are listed at the library’s website:
www.seasidelibrary.org. Stop by
the library to pick up a schedule of
events and keep reading all summer
while we work together to Build a
Better World.
Seaside Signal
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