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Exclusive rates, alluring attractions tempt tourists during mythical ‘Off-Season’

Salemann For the Gazette

It’s that time of year. Hem lock Street is lined with sparkling lights of red and green, windows are decorated with “Name that Tune” Christ mas Carols, and inflatable Reindeer have claimed their place in local’s front yards. But, with all the holiday cheer comes a sliver of fear. Where have the tourists gone?

From restaurants to galler ies, and boutiques to hotels, no single business is immune to the changing tides of tourism throughout the year. Cannon Beach may be notorious as the perfect summer getaway, but the winter months don’t attract as many visitors.

James Paino, Executive Director of the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, explains that January and Feb ruary are typically the slowest months of the year. “Most of this is typically weather driven,” admits Paino.

The Chamber of Commerce is eager to organize more fes tivals and community gather ings that will bring visitors to the beach.

“November and December we have a lot of events to hopefully draw visitors here,” says Paino. “We just added the tree trail, we have the Stormy Weather Arts Fes tival, and then right after Thanks giving the Haystack Holidays kick in and there are more events to entice people to come visit.” Paino also hopes to correct the miscon ception that Cannon Beach shuts down for the Winter. “That’s not the case,” he explains. “Cannon beach is still open. It’s an old wise tale. An impression people get be cause we are such a small town.”

Paino does acknowledge that some family-run businesses are likely to take some time off over the Holidays. However, by Spring Break, most business doors are back open and ready to welcome visitors.

In addition to participating in winter excursions, travelers are also gifted with a plethora of holi day shopping sales, exclusive hotel rates, and increased flexibility for bookings and reservations.

Eli Ramirez is the General Man

ager of the Ocean Lodge. He is quick to point out that hotel guests can enjoy a variety of exclusive rates in the Winter.

“Usually from October through May, we do a promotion, some times up to 10 or 20 percent off depending on how many nights guests would like to stay,” says Ramirez.

Room rates are typically at their lowest in January and February, and peak again in July and August.

In terms of vacancy, Ramirez notes that summer stays are booked up to a year in advance, making it quite difficult for drop-ins to book a room. “For January and Febru ary, we have plenty of occupancy, you don’t really need to plan too much in advance,” adds Ramirez.

Some visitors might be weary about the blanket of clouds and increased rainfall that character izes Oregon Coast Winters. Yet, Ramirez points out that there are some magical moments for nature enthusiasts during the colder months.

On three dates throughout the year, King Tides overtake Oregon Beaches. According to the City,

this occurs when the moon comes closest to earth, the earth comes closest to the sun, and the three align causing maximum gravita tional pull on the ocean. Ramirez says that the extraordinary site brings many new guests to the hotel.

In addition to hotels, other businesses have presented exclu sive seasonal offers that attract shoppers and diners.

Six weeks of Haystack Holidays are kicked off with an extended two-day shopping experience be ginning after Thanksgiving. Can non Beach has put their own spin on the sales event, asking visitors to save the date for “Plaid Friday” and “Small Business Saturday.”

In theme with custom coastal attire, shoppers are encouraged to wear plaid to display their support for the local businesses that give Cannon Beach its unmistakable charm. One such spot to shop for some plaid would be Dena’s Shop on the Corner.

Store Manager, Erin Olson, points to the shop’s wonderful holiday deals. “We do have annual progressive sales each year, the

first hour from 10 to 11 a.m. is 40 percent off storewide, then from 11 to noon is 30 percent off, and from noon to 5 p.m. we take off 20 percent.”

This format encourages shop pers to come in early and make their purchases.

Olson admits that business can be tough in the winter, but the boutique has taken a few steps to try and keep customers engaged with shopping. “We have our own customers that we email, we send out a weekly email, we’re proba bly doing what everyone else is.”

Like many in the industry, Olson looks forward to March. “That’s when we start getting people in, Spring time.” In the meantime, she, like many other Cannon Beach business managers, will remain optimistic.

The myth that Cannon Beach closes down shop in the Winter is just that: a myth. Between wreath making and plaid wearing, whale watching and tree lighting, there is no shortage of reasons to make the trip down to the coast. Besides, it could be easier on the wallet, too.

Volunteer medical teams gather for training

On a clear and cold Saturday morning, local volunteer emergency response teams consist ing of the MRC (Medical Reserve Corps), CERT (Community Emer gency Response Team), and DART (Disaster Animal Rescue Team) gathered for a training session with Cannon Beach Emergency Manager Rick Hudson at the “Tango” cache site on the South Wind property at the southern end of Cannon Beach.

The joint training on November 19, was to learn how to register, triage and treat medical patients in the event of a natural disaster, such as a large wildfire, Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami, major flood or windstorm. There was a large turn-out of loyal and committed volunteers who will be responsible for helping to treat both residents and visitors.

At the end of the training session, Rick Hudson gave a presentation explaining how each of these three teams will be deployed in various situations.

Mayor Sam Steidel and May or-elect Barb Knop were present and actively involved in the drill.

MRC leader Lila Wickham, CERT leader Mary Beth Cottle, and DART leader Bob Kroll guided their respective teams.

Cannon Beach is a small coastal town with a permanent population of around 1,500.

The town is very popular during the tourist season with over 1 million annual visitors.

Cannon Beach lacks a hospital; the only medical support is a small local health clinic, along with the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) working with the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, roads leading to Cannon Beach

would likely be impassable. With no road access and no hospital, the local MRC, CERT and DART teams are preparing themselves to respond to medical emer

Unusual dry spell in early Nov. contributed to fires last week

Residents were given an update on fires burning in Clatsop County and shared con cerns about several small issues at the monthly coffee with councilors meeting on Monday, November 21.

Cannon Beach Emergency Manager Rick Hudson said that an unusual dry spell in early November had helped contribute to the five different fires that had broken out across Clatsop County the previous week.

The 96 Delta and Park Fires continued to burn but had been contained as of Monday.

Hudson said that slash burns had been approved when wetter con ditions had begun in the middle of October, but the unseasonal weather had caused a rapid change in con ditions.

He also said that the number of fires had strained the firefighting resources of the county, which is un accustomed to dealing with so many at one time.

Then residents shared several concerns about quality-of-life issues facing locals.

One man said that some property owners seemed to have installed ex terior lighting that was in violation of the city’s dark sky ordinance.

The ordinance strictly limits the use and types of fixtures that property owners can install on the exterior of buildings.

The councilors said that they believed most of the offenders were short term rental operators or others who were ignorant of the law.

They said that they would talk to the code enforcement office about having a refresher presentation at the next city council meeting.

Another resident complained about the feral, domestic rabbit population in town that has been running amok and wreaking havoc on local gardens.

The man said that despite or dinances against feeding wildlife, tourists and some locals were giving the bunnies food and exacerbating the problem.

City Manager Bruce St. Denis advised that trapping the bunnies on private property was permitted but they would need to either be harvested or released to a proper sanctuary following their capture.

Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia. net.

Will Chappell Gazette Reporter

Deb Atiyeh Reporter

Miska

In this Gazette file photo, a crowd near the Driftwood Restaurant & Lounge check out their surroundings while shopping in Cannon Beach on Black Friday..

gencies by conducting regular training for their members, along with providing medical support for the large annual events in Cannon Beach.

Local volunteer emergency response teams consisting of the Medical Reserve Corps, Community Emergency Response Team, and Disaster Animal Rescue Team gathered for a train ing session in Cannon Beach. Photo by Deb Atiyeh

Cannon Beach resident Cat Wollen collects bird nests. Her father, working as a game warden, showed Cat her first bird nest when she was 8 years old. Her father’s profound respect for creation had an impact on her, as well as her siblings.

Cat’s father later became a minister, and with time introduced Cat to the beauty of God’s handiwork in bird nests; the intricate detail and loving care woven into each one. Cat sees nests as one of the most fascinating forms of natural art; no two are the same and every time she considers their uniqueness, she discovers something new: a string, a feather, a

Bird Nests: A wonder to behold

napkin, a piece of wire.

Cat’s previous home had a row of bird houses, where she would watch the activity and tedious work of the birds to build their nests inside the houses. It was fascinating and familiar to our human lives.

And yet, she also watched the birds take time to perch on the upper branches of the tall massive pine trees point ing to the heavens, carefully navigating to the single spin dle of a branch and landing “just so” in order to rest and take time to restore; mar veling at the majestic view of the roaring ocean and the vast sky they soar through. Cat was reminded to do the same, taking time to remem ber where she came from.

Cat encourages all of us to look for a nest; “it’s a wonder to behold.”

About nests Birds lay their eggs in shelters called nests, which

First quarter prepared food tax revenue reported

Deb Atiyeh For the Gazette

During the November 8th City Council work session, Cannon Beach City Manager Bruce St. Denis presented a summary of the Prepared Food Tax revenue from the first quarter of collections July 1st to September 30th. The new citywide 5% tax on prepared food went into effect July 1st, with the first quarter tax revenue due by October 31st.

In a 2021 study, ECONorthwest estimated $1.76 million total annual revenue from the new tax. 40% of the revenue from the tax was projected to be col lected in the period from July 1st to September 30th, based on patterns from the existing 10.5% Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) paid by overnight visitors. The Prepared Food Tax was projected to gen erate $704,000 in the first 3 months. The actual amount collected was $683,000, which was $21,000 (3%) short of projections.

Arising out of concern of a conflict with the statewide “Corporate Activity Tax”, the Cannon Beach city attorney advised the City Council not to include beverages in the Prepared Food Tax when it was placed on the November 2021 ballot. The cities of Yachats and Ashland include beverages in their Prepared Food Tax, but these taxes were in effect before the 2019 passage of the Corporate Activity Tax in Oregon. If non-alcoholic beverages had been included in the Cannon Beach Prepared Food Tax, first quarter revenue would have been anywhere from $765,000 to $785,000, or 8.5% to 11.5% greater than projections.

Passed by a slim margin of Cannon Beach voters in November 2021, the Prepared Food Tax mandates that half of the revenue collected goes to the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District, mi nus administrative costs, with the other half going to the City of Cannon Beach.

provide a safe, warm place for parent birds to care for their eggs and chicks while hidden from predators and protected from bad weather. Nests can be found anywhere; on the ground, in trees and burrows, on the sides of cliffs, and on human made structures. Females typically build nests, but sometimes both parents, or just the males, build them.

Different species of birds make their nests using different materials. Some gather small sticks, feathers, grass and leaves, while oth ers use tree branches, mud, stones and even their own saliva. Many nests are made of any material the bird can find; materials like paper, plastic, and yarn.

Some beautiful and simple, some elegantly designed; the habits of each bird, and all of its patient skill, is a marvel and part of the magic of nature.

Two weekends of Holiday at Tolovana Hall

Your holiday shopping need not finance billionaire Jeff Bezos’ forays into space.

Indeed, why shop online or brave the big box stores when you could blast off and shower your loved ones with one-of-a-kind, locally made gifts?

Choosing The Tolovana Arts Colony’s annual Holi day Gift Bazaar is a no brain er--a lively and meaningful antidote to cold, corporate consumerism.

The Bazaar runs for two weekends, Dec. 3rd ,4th &

10th,11th, from noon to 5 p.m. each day.

Opening Night Reception

The Opening Night Re ception Party returns, Friday, December 2nd from 6-to-8 p.m.

After two years of covid cancelling the party, we’re ready to boogie down once again! We’ll have food, drinks and snacks to go alongside all the fabulous items on offer at the Bazaar.

On display--and avail

able for purchase--will be a stunning array of works from local artists and crafters including everything from jewelry to house wares, fine arts to clothing, snacks, beauty products and more. Indeed, there’ll be some thing for everyone. Surprises abound!

But be advised: some of these are one-of-a-kind items and many will be scooped up quick.

Besides offering some of the coolest, locally-made art and crafts around, gift buying

at the bazaar provides critical support to local artists and crafters. Your purchases are a big deal--especially at this time of year.

So rather than adding to fuel ti Bezos’s rocket, keep it in the community and shop with purpose.

For more information, visit tolovanaartscolony.org, email tolovanaartscolony@ gmail.com or call 541-2154445.

Tolovana Hall is located at 3779 S. Hemlock in Can non Beach.

Cannon Beach Chorus celebrates the holiday season with concert performances

The Cannon Beach Chorus is back on stage to celebrate the holiday season. Our new director, Roy Seiber and pianist, Barbara Richmond will lead us in songs of “Comfort and Joy.” Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit with festive music and Christmas cookies! We will also

participate in the Cannon Beach Lamp Lighting Ceremony. Performances are: Concert Friday, 7 p.m., December 2nd at the Cannon Beacn Community Church Lamp Lighting- Saturday, 4 p.m .Decem ber 3rd at Sandpiper Square in Cannon Beach. Concert- Sunday, 3 p.m. De

cember 4th at Nehalem Bay Methodist Church in Nehalem. Concert admission $10. For more information about us, see our website atwwwcannonbeachchorus. org

Remembering the ‘Great Coastal Gale of 2007’

Atiyeh For the Gazette

December 3rd marks the 15th anniversary of the wind storm referred to as the “Great Coastal Gale of 2007”, which had a major impact on resi dents and visitors to Cannon Beach and the north Oregon coast. This windstorm was the last in a series of 3 powerful Pacific storms in as many days that affected Oregon,

Washington and British Co lumbia in early December of 2007. The storm produced an extremely long-duration wind event with hurricane-force wind gusts of over 135 mph on parts of the Washington coast; with gusts of 129 mph recorded at Bay City (on the east shore of Tillamook Bay) Gusts in excess of 100 mph were reported in Tillamook, Rockaway and Astoria. The

series of storms also brought heavy rain which produced widespread flooding. A total of 5 deaths were blamed on the storms in Oregon.

The storms formed in late November from the remnants of two separate typhoons in the Central Pacific that were carried by a strong jet stream towards the Pacific Northwest coast. The second storm, packing high wind and heavy rain, arrived on the Oregon coast December 2nd. Due to the tropical origins of the storm, temperatures soared 30 degrees in 2 hours.

The third and most powerful storm (The Great Coastal Gale) roared ashore on the morning of December 3rd, with widespread wind gusts of 80-100 mph. Many coastal residents received no warning of the severity of the wind event until it was already impacting the coast.

Residents of Cannon Beach were without power for up to a week, with landline and cell phone service also affected. Highway 101 was blocked north and south of town, ef fectively cutting off vehicular access to Cannon Beach. In Clatsop County, nearly 300 million board feet of timber was blown down. Two miles east of Highway 101, the “Klootchy Creek Giant”, an ancient Sitka Spruce tree over 200 feet high and 18 feet in diameter, was toppled by the winds. In the aftermath of the storm, Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski declared a state of emergency in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Yamhill Counties.

The “Great Coastal Gale of 2007” was the most powerful windstorm to hit the Oregon

Deb

Bob

At the Library

Holiday Tea, sea birds, maps & remarkable women

Phyllis Bernt Library Board President

Residents, sec ond-home owners and visitors are all invited to come in out of the cold, drink hot tea or cider, munch on homemade cookies, and chat with old and new friends as they wait for the annual tree lighting in Sand piper Square.

After a two-year hiatus, the library’s annual Holiday Tea returns from 1 - 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, at the library, 131 N. Hemlock.

Library members will provide hot tea and cider, as well as delectable home made baked goods and candies. The Holiday Tea is the library’s chance to thank the community for its support, especially during the past difficult pandemicfilled years.

There will be a drawing at 3 p.m. for two handmade quilts, donated by board member Melodie Chenevert. Tickets for the quilt drawing are available at the library, or through the library’s website. Tickets are 1 for $1.00; 6 for $5.00; and 24 for $20.00. Ticket holders need not be present to win.

This season’s second meeting of the World of Haystack Rock Library Lecture Series, sponsored by the Friends of Haystack Rock, will begin at 7 p.m., Wednesday, December 14. This is both an in-person and virtual event. Partici pants can join the speaker at the library or enjoy the talk

virtually through the Friends of Haystack Rock website at https://friendsofhaystack rock.org.

Allison Anholt will dis cuss her work with commu nity science monitoring of snowy plovers on the North Oregon Coast.

Western snowy plovers are small shorebirds whose numbers have been declin ing so rapidly that they are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The status and numbers of the western snowy plover are being tracked by members of the public working in collab oration with professional scientists, a process called community science moni toring.

Anholt is the Coastal Community Science Biolo gist for Portland Audubon, where she manages com munity science monitoring projects involving coastal birds on Oregon’s North Coast, including western snowy plovers, black oyster catchers and local seabirds.

Before joining Portland Audubon, she worked in the Aleutian Islands, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Florida Everglades and Cape May, New Jersey. She holds an M.S. in Ecology and Evolution and a B.S. in Law and Policy. She is currently finishing her PhD.

This year’s World of Hay stack Rock Library Lecture Series is dedicated to the memory of Sandi Lundy, a long-time member of both the Friends of Haystack

Rock and the Cannon Beach Library.

The Cannon Beach Reads book club, which meets on the third Wednesday of each month, will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, at the library, to discuss “Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Ev erything About the World,” by Tim Marshall.

Marshall argues that an accurate assessment of a country’s strategic position requires an understanding of that country’s geography. A country’s location, borders, waterways, topography and terrain affect that country’s strengths, vulnerabilities and options.

Marshall analyzes the geography of Russia, China, the U.S., Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan, Korea and Green land and the Arctic. In the process he explains Putin’s obsession with the Crimea, the reason there will never be a united Europe, the inev itability of the U.S.’s status as a global superpower and other geo-political develop

ments.

Tim Marshall is a British journalist, author and broadcaster who special izes in foreign affairs and international diplomacy. He reported for the BBC, wrote for several national news papers and was the foreign affairs editor and diplomatic editor for Sky News. At Sky News he reported from thirty countries and covered twelve wars.

In addition to “Prisoners of Geography,” Marshall wrote “How Barriers Be tween Nations are Changing Our World,” “A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Sym bols” and “The Power of Geography: Ten Maps That Reveal the Future of Our World.”

Lorraine Hopper will lead the discussion at the library. A Zoom link will be provided for those who would rather participate from home. Contact Joe Bernt at berntj@ohio.edu to get the link. Cannon Beach Reads is open to everyone. New participants are always welcome.

Speaking of geography, the library recently added a book that examines a spe cific geographical phenom enon: the transformation of the American West.

In “Brave Hearted: The Women of the American West,” British novelist, his torian and travel writer Katie Hickman tells the story of the massive migration to the American West, from 1836, when Presbyterian mis

sionary Narcissa Whitman undertook the 2,200-mile trek from Missouri to Ore gon Country, to 1890, when the U.S. Census declared that the western frontier no longer existed.

Hickman notes that the traditional image of the American West tends to be of a “Wild West” pop ulated by rugged hunters, swaggering gunslingers, dashing outlaws, heroic cowboys and intrepid gold miners. But, according to Hickman, the real story of the American West is about far more than cowboys and gunslingers, it is the story of “one of the largest and most tumultuous mass migrations in history.”

To fully comprehend the reality of this great migration, she argues, it is important to understand the experiences of the women who were part of it. Hick man provides a fascinating account of those experiences in this book.

Using letters, journals, newspaper stories, journal articles and contemporary accounts, Hickman not only relates the history of the great trek westward, she tells the story of female mis sionaries hoping to spread salvation; wives following their husbands in search of economic opportunities; African American women seeking freedom; Chinese sex slaves hoping to escape to a better life; army wives trying to cope in primi tive outposts; prostitutes, boardinghouse operators

and laundresses plying their trade in the gold fields; and Native American women lamenting the end of their traditional way of life.

Whenever possible, Hickman allows the women to speak for themselves, through quotations from letters and journals. Eliza beth Custer, wife of George Custer, bemoans the prairie wind that blows dust into all the food and dishes; Nar cissa describes a typical day on the grueling trek west; Virginia Reed recounts her frightening experiences as a thirteen-year-old member of the ill-fated Donner-Reed party; and Josephine Waggoner, a member of the Lakota tribe, describes the Lakotas’ way of life on the Powder River in Montana.

Hickman’s extensive research, clear writing style and generous use of first-person narratives make “Brave Hearted” an ab sorbing account of a critical development in American history and a tribute to remarkable women who per severed through challenging circumstances.

Before writing “Brave Hearted,” Hickman ex plored the experiences of other remarkable women in “Daughters of Britannia: The Lives and Times of Diplomatic Wives,” “Cour tesans: Money, Sex and Fame in the Nineteenth Cen tury” and “She-Merchants, Buccaneers and Gentle women: British Women in India 1600 - 1900.”

Phyllis Bernt

Cannon Beach Library’s Annual Holiday Tea returns

The Cannon Beach Li brary’s Annual Holiday Tea is returning after a two year hiatus. The event will be held Saturday December 3rd at the library, 131 N Hemlock Street, in Cannon Beach, Oregon. This is a FREE community event sponsored by members and volunteers of the library.

Library volunteers will welcome community mem

bers and visitors to enjoy tea, hot mulled cider, home-baked cookies and other goodies amidst traditional holiday decorations. We will also have some fun children’s craft activities. The tea runs from 1 to 4 p.m. before the City’s Annual Lamp Lighting Ceremony. The Holiday Tea is a chance for us to come together as a community to enjoy good food, good cheer,

and good company.

We will draw a winner for the Annual Quilt Fundraiser at 3 p.m. – tickets are available at the library or online at cannonbeachlibrary.org. You don’t have to be present to win!

We’re looking for bakers, servers to pour tea and hot cider, helpers to keep platters of goodies replenished and tea pots filled, and folks to

Coast since the “Columbus Day Storm” 45 years ear lier on October 12th, 1962.

Looking back in history, there have been many other significant windstorms that have impacted our coastline, with one of the worst being the “Great Gale of 1880”, a 10-hour gale that hit the Oregon coast with estimated

wind gusts of over 130 mph on January 9th, 1880, killing 30; 25 of whom drowned when Astoria’s fishing fleet sank in the mouth of the Columbia River. Other sig nificant wind events occurred in 1921, 1931, 1936, 1951,

help with set up and clean up. Bakers can drop treats off at the library on Friday Decem ber 2nd between 10a.m. and 4 p.m. or Saturday morning between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Please call the Library Office at 503-436-1391 or email Jen at info@cannonbeachlibrary. org if you can help with this event.

Date/Time: December 3, 2022 - 1 - 4 p.m.

1955, 1958, 1967, 1971, 1981, 1995, and 2002. With the rapidly cascading effects of climate change, extreme weather events are predicted to occur more frequently with increased intensity.

easy to find more reasons to celebrate. The providers and staff at Adventist Health are dedicated to helping you enjoy the important moments this holiday season. Staying healthy this winter is as easy as catching up on your annual wellness exam to help keep you healthy and ready for more. To protect yourself against the flu, COVID-19 and variants, schedule an appointment with your provider, or visit AdventistHealthTillamook.org to see a schedule of flu clinics near you. Did you know? The CDC recommends that everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, including all primary series doses and boosters according to their age group. Learn more at CDC.gov/coronavirus

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Celebrate a ‘Tender Cannon Beach Christmas’ with Haystack Holidays, brought to you by the Chamber of Commerce

This is Part Five of the Chamber Connec tions series provided by the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce. To read past sub missions, visit cannonbeachg azette.com.

Cannon Beach’s unique specialty shops, boutiques, and galleries are a top attraction to the charming beach town, where you’ll find no shopping malls or chain stores, making it a great spot to slow down and enjoy the hunt for those perfect holiday gifts. Add some evergreen garlands, twinkling lights, and red ribbon, and you’ll begin to see how much holiday magic can unfold in the beau tiful little village by the sea.

Dozens of events are hosted in the beachside town each year, but only a few are hosted, organized, and spon sored by the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce and Haystack Holidays is one of them.

Beginning in November, the magic of Haystack Hol idays begins with a series of events designed to celebrate the season unlike anywhere else in the country.

“A ‘Tender Cannon Beach Christmas’ is what we’re shooting for with all these events,” Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce Ex ecutive Director James Panio said. “My holiday doesn’t kick off until the Lamp Lighting Ceremony. I grew up going to it and now as an adult I enjoy the generational aspect of it: coming together to celebrate the holiday season.”

Haystack Holidays 2022 begins Nov. 25-26 with Mimosa Madness Weekend, Plaid Friday & Small Busi ness Saturday, and Holiday Wreath Making. Take this opportunity to shop small and wear plaid to show your love and support for local businesses. And make your own wreath at the Chamber Community Hall with refresh ments and holiday music (an additional class will also be held the following weekend).

The popular Lamp Light ing Ceremony will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in Sandpiper Square.

The lamp lighting tradition began in 1973 amid an oil crisis that drove down the number of vacationers who were coming to visit Cannon Beach.

“When Cannon Beach was still a sleepy little town, the townspeople and the busi ness people got together and decided they needed to do something to get people back to Cannon Beach,” Commit tee Co-Chair Margo Dueber said.

The town banded to gether to create a holiday celebration with a Charles Dickens theme. The Coaster Theatre put on productions of “A Christmas Carol” with roasted chestnuts outside the theater, and shop owners dressed in Victorian style. Jay Schwehr became the town’s “lamplighter” for nearly two decades.

“For many years, at 4 p.m. every afternoon from Thanksgiving until New Year, he would put on his top hat like Dickens and go up and down the streets lighting the oil lamps,” Dueber said.

After Schwehr died in 2013, the event evolved over the years to include only a single lamp in Sandpiper Square being lit for the cere mony.

“We added a few more things, more people singing, and the lamplighter is now

a sixth grader from Cannon Beach,” Dueber said.

The oil lamp is lit for the ceremony, and then replaced with a battery-operated light (for safety) for the remainder of the holiday season.

“This year we have two very accomplished flutists who will be doing a couple numbers, the Cannon Beach Academy kids will be singing songs, Mayor Sam Steidel will be speaking, and Paul Dueber will be singing Bill Steidel’s ‘Christmas in Our Hometown’ [a song com posed for the Dueber family when Paul Dueber Sr. died on Christmas Day 1967],” Dueber said.

The event is free and open to the public.

“It’s a kickoff to a special village holiday season,” Due

ber said. “It’s a very close knit community ceremony and it gives people those warm and fuzzy feeling as they start into the holiday season.”

A new addition to Hay stack Holidays this year is Operation Candy Cane. Spon sored by Cannon Beach Fire and Rescue, Santa and his firefighting elves will spend three nights (Dec. 10-12) traveling the Cannon Beach streets collecting canned and nonperishable foods, as well as winter clothing and per sonal hygiene products.

“Our fire engine has lights and a wreath on it,” Haystack Holidays Co-Chairperson Karen Apple said. “Santa Claus and his elves will be passing out candy canes to everyone that comes out.”

To view maps of which

Clatsop Animal Assistance is very happy to announce that our December holiday party and fundraiser is back this year!

We’ll be at the Fort George Lovell Showroom on Saturday, December 10, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm with Pictures with Santa, raffles, a silent auction, and our always popular bake sale. So save the date to dress up your pets and shop for holiday treats. We look forward to seeing all our friends again.

Also, you check out our virtual fundraiser at https://kmun. org/events/clatsop-animalassistance-2022-happy-tailsholiday-fundraiser/

streets Operation Candy Cane will be patrolling on which night, visit cbfire.com or can nonbeach.org/events-and-fes tivals/haystack-holidays/

As Chairperson of Hay stack Holidays, Apple credits all the wonderful Chamber staff and Haystack Holiday committee volunteers for their dedication and hard work to making this year’s many events happen.

“You can tell they all truly love Cannon Beach, the com munity that lives here, and Haystack Holidays,” Apple said. “It’s the hometown feel, all of us coming together and enjoying the Christmas holiday season.”

Additional Haystack Holidays events will take place through Dec. 30 in cluding: ‘Name That Tune’ Window Display Contest, Cannon Beach in Lights, Paint & Sip with Dawning McGinnis of Dawning’s Art, Holiday Foods Around the

World, and Coaster Theatre’s: SCROOGE! The Musical.

To view a complete list of Haystack Holiday events, visit: cannonbeach.org/ events-and-festivals/hay stack-holidays/

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Hourly Range $29.00 to $39.00

Plus Sign-On Bonus Open Until Filled

If you are interested in any of these positions, please apply online at http://tfcc.bamboohr.com/jobs. Be sure to submit an online application and upload your resume. Any questions, please visit us online at http://tfcc.org or contact us at jobs@tfcc.org

TFCC is an equal opportunity employer

ELK ARE WILD ANIMALS

Watch from a safe distance of at least 100 feet.

Be aware of your surroundings to avoid surprising a herd, and never walk into the middle of a herd.

Be careful at night and carry a flashlight. Keep pets on a leash at all times Elk see dogs as a predator and potential threat. Elk are most active at dawn and dusk along roadways and migration routes. Drive slowly.

September/October (breeding season) and May/June (calving season) are times when Elk can become more aggressive.

Please do not feed Elk. It can be harmful to them and it is illegal to feed any wildlife in Cannon Beach.

OBITUARIES

The Cannon Beach Gazette welcomes letters that express readers’ opinions on current topics. Letters may be submitted by email only, no longer than 300 words, and must be signed and include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number for verification of the writer’s identity. We will print the writer’s name and town of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received and may be edited for length, grammar,

spelling, punctuation or clarity. We do not publish group emails, open letters, form letters, third-party letters, letters attacking private individuals or businesses, or letters containing advertising.

Deadline for letters is noon Thursdays.

The date of publication will depend on space.

Email letters to jwarren@countrymedia.net

The Cannon Beach Gazette has several options for submitting obituaries.

• Basic Obituary: Includes the person’s name, age, town of residency, and information about any funeral services. No cost.

• Custom Obituary: You choose the length and wording of the announcement. The cost is $75 for the first 200 words, $50 for each additional 200 words. Includes a small photo at no additional cost.

• Premium Obituary: Often used by families who wish to include multiple photos with a longer announcement, or who wish to run a thank-you. Cost varies based on the length of the announcement.

All obituary announcements are placed on the Cannon Beach Gazette website at no cost.

Email obituaries to classifieds@orcoastnews.com

Photo: © Bob Kroll

Holiday Party at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum

The Holiday Season comes alive at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum this December. Join us for an all-day holiday event for both kids and adults on Saturday, December 17, 2022, between the hours of 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. There will be lots of different types of festivities for all ages including a hot chocolate bar, arts and crafts, and even a visit from Santa. There will also be face painting, and a special story time featuring local Can non Beach author, Bee Sandness (formerly Bee Dugan) as she reads her children’s book, Cesar the No Drama Llama. Don’t miss out on this family fun event! This event is free

and open to the public.

The Cannon Beach History Center & Mu seum is a private non-profit located in midtown Cannon Beach. The museum is home to the cannon that Cannon Beach is named for, along with a replica longhouse, Tilla mook Rock lighthouse model, and seasonal exhibits. The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum’s mission is to keep the history of Cannon Beach and Arch Cape alive for Oregonians for generations to come. For more information and a full day schedule, visit the museum’s website at www.cbhistory.org or find us on Facebook.

Cannon Beach History Center hosts Doug Kenck-Crispin’s talk on Oregon’s WWII Experience

Join us for a free meeting of the Museum’s membership on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 4 p.m. as we do a brief overview of the past year at the museum, and afterwards, don’t miss a talk on Oregon’s WWII experi ence from Kick Ass Oregon History’s own, Doug KenckCrispin.

Originally from Spokane, Doug came with his family in 1982 and settled in North Portland. He graduated from Lincoln High School. After walking the Earth like Caine for a decade and a half, he earned his BA (cum laude) in History from Portland State University with a minor in Judaic Studies. Doug then completed his MA in History at PSU (Public History & History of Pacific NW). His thesis is titled “Charles A. Moose: Race, Community Policing, and Portland’s First African American Police Chief.” He is the recipient of the 2009-2010 Sara Glasgow Cogan Scholarship.

Doug is the Resident His torian for the podcast Kick Ass Oregon History. He has been featured in Imbibe and Portland Monthly magazines, OPB’s “Oregon Experience,” “Think Out Loud,” “Week end Edition,” and the season premiere of Esquire TV’s “Best Bars in America.” Oh – and the PSU Vanguard, too!

He has written for Portland Monthly, Street Roots news paper and the Willamette Week. In addition, he hosts various historical speaking series, field trips and histor ical tours – across the state – that connect people with Oregon

Doug will be talking about WWII and the effect it had in Oregon. On December 7, 1941, citizens across the na tion heard the shocking news. Pearl Harbor had been at tacked by Japan. World War II had begun. No matter how small the town, the reper cussions of this war echoed across the nation. Cannon Beach and other coastal

towns were no exception. Americans across the na tion were gripped with fear, indignation, and anger. For the West coast never had a war been so close to home. It was practically taking place in their back yard! Wartime mentality set in immediately. Coastal residents dimmed their headlights, blacked out their windows, set up civilian patrols, and pitched in where they could.

Don’t miss this informa tive talk on Thursday, De cember 8 at 4:00 p.m. at the Cannon Beach History Cen ter & Museum. This event is free and is open to the public. Seating for this event is gen eral admission and first come, first serve. The doors will close promptly at 4:15 p.m. The museum is a private non -profit located at the corner of Sunset and Spruce Street in Cannon Beach, Oregon. For more information, call us at 503-436-9301 or visit www. cbhistory.org.