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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 2021)
OUR 114th Year November 26, 2021 SEASIDESIGNAL.COM $1.00 SEASIDE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS Construction spending caps at about $131.3M By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal Construction proj- ect manager Brian Harde- beck of Day CPM shared November milestones on the Seaside High School construction project. Cumulative spending reached about $131.3 mil- lion, about on target for projected costs, Hardebeck said. “We are in a final rec- onciliation process with the Hoffman contract and hope to have that completed and reconciled by the end of the year.” Among November mile- stones are the completion of elk-resistant vegetation and a Safe Routes to School Program Walk last Thurs- day. With assistance from Safe Routes to School, the project leaders — includ- ing representatives from the city, school district, Ore- gon Department of Trans- portation and Alta Planning + Design — held a walk R.J. Marx Annie Lynes, Emma Arden, Sophia Ritter, Ila Bowles and Jackson Schermerhorn. audit to observe student arrival, according to Sea- side schools Superintendent Susan Penrod. It began with observing elementary stu- dent arrival and then moved to the middle and high school campus. The Public Works Department is spear- heading the program, to get an idea of traffic flows. At the high school, gym vestibule doors are the only remaining active construc- tion project, seeking a per- mit right after Thanks- giving, Hardebeck said. Subcontractors are getting on board and the schedule is being prepared. The only items “dan- gling” at Pacific Ridge, Hardebeck said, are war- ranty items as they occur. “Basically the warranty items are anything that’s on an extended warranty as we’ve already made it through the one-year stan- dard labor materials war- ranty. So nothing is ongo- ing at Pacific Ridge right now.” Student food drive helps feed families at holiday time Seaside Signal Classes at Seaside High School competed Sat- urday morning to raise more than 900 pounds of food for the South County Food Bank. Students gathered at the old high school building holding signage and accepting donations, coordinated by the Associated Student Body. Along with the morning collection, students returned at 5 p.m. Seniors collected 267 pounds of food, fresh- men 174 pounds, juniors 151 pounds and sopho- mores 147 pounds. As the winning class, seniors will celebrate with an ice cream sandwich party. R.J. Marx Entrance to Pacific Ridge Elementary and the middle and high school on Spruce Drive. What’s a kids’ park without a slide? Community mourns father, son after crash By KATHERINE LACAZE Seaside Signal Ryan Hull, the interim director of Cannon Beach Academy, can clearly picture Kobe Braxton in his mind. “He had an amazing smile that could melt you,” he said of the first grader. “He was an extraordinarily confident young man.” Kobe was the type of kid who would try to hold doors By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal open for others. He loved sports — especially basket- ball — and anything that let him stay active. “He also had an inquis- itive spirit, too, and he was pretty fun that way, but he knew how to read the situa- tion,” Hull said. “He was a pretty clever young man.” In many ways, Kobe mir- rored his father, Michael Braxton, who “always had Trisha Sweet See Braxton, Page A6 Front, Kaia Braxton, Kobe Braxton; back, Michael Braxton, Amanda Hulbert. When plans for a new playground in Centen- nial Park came back to the city, 10-year-old Berkley Sturgell gave them a sec- ond look. She saw a dou- ble swing, double balance beam and playsets — but no slide. Sturgell, a Pacific Ridge Elementary student, noticed that plans presented to the Gearhart City Council last month did not have a slide, City Administrator Chad Sweet said. “She thought that might be a good addi- tion to it.” Staff member Krysti Ficker did some digging and found an option for the slide, adding about $16,000 to the budget. With the slide, the project would cost about $59,000 to $60,000, not including the border around the wood chips, land grading, and land prep, Sweet said, at a cost of about $10,000. Sturgell’s efforts started in January, when she wrote a letter to the City Council, imploring them to get new play equipment for local children. See Playground, Page A6 Seaside Coffee House provides a hub for visitors, residents By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal At the Seaside Coffee House, you can find the news of the day, highlights from the school calendar and likely run into someone you know. Michelle Hawken — for- merly Michelle Wunderlich — presides over the room every day but Wednesday, providing breakfast, lunch and coffee. Last Wednesday was an exception, as the Chamber of Commerce met there for their weekly meeting. Locals can refill their cof- fee mugs on the honor system, Hawken said. “If you’re ever in a hurry and you need your coffee, just come in, throw money in and be on your way. You don’t have to wait in line, or you don’t have any money to pay me the next time as I really would rather you have your coffee.” She now sells sweatshirts with the Seaside Coffee House logo, with the assistance of Andrew Stein of Logotek Inc., based in Gearhart. “I love swag and everyone always wants R.J. Marx Michelle Hawken of Seaside Coffee House. sweatshirts and T-shirts,” she said. “I have mugs, gift certif- icates, coffee, any last minute presents you need.” She offers breakfast and lunch. “I would much rather make you breakfast and lunch but if you come in and order lunch, I’ll make it for you also,” she said. COVID has been a “year of weirdness,” she said. Hawken has a daughter, Annika, a freshman in col- lege, Riley, a senior, and Madden, a freshman at Sea- side High School. “He doesn’t like being called ‘the baby’ but he’s not here so it doesn’t matter,” she said. Hawken serves on the Sea- side School District Board of Directors, and has a ready recall for upcoming band and choral concerts, school plays and sporting events. As of next May, Hawken will have been at Seaside Coffee House for 11 years, working there before own- ing it. “What do you do when you like your job but you don’t want to work for some- one? You buy it?” Hawken said. “I did not know what I was getting into. It’s a labor of love. I love coming in and making people happy with a cup of coffee.” Seaside Coffee House, 5 N. Holladay.