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The Chronicle
Published by Country Media, Inc.
VOL. 45, ISSUE 15 FREE
CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
August 6, 2021
Cannon Beach Academy taps interim director Kathleen Stinson
T
For The Gazette
he Cannon Beach Academy will have more students than ever this fall, said interim director Ryan Hull. School is starting with 50 students and an additional two on the waiting
list, Hull told The Gazette on Monday, Aug. 2. Cannon Beach Academy is a kindergarten through fifth grade, tuition-free public charter school. The academy will hold its first day of school on September 9th. “A couple of days before on September 7th and 8th, we will have parent-teacher welcome meetings,”
he said. Fall classes will be 100 percent in-person, “as far as what we know today,” he said. The school will follow the Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance, which means students will wear face masks and desks will be three feet apart. “None of our students will have the ability to get vaccinated.”
“As far as anything new and exciting, we will be able to just focus on in-person learning and there will be no online learning option,” he said. “(And) we have hired a new teacher.” The school’s board of directors will search for a full time administrator to take the place of former director Amy Fredrickson, who has
taken a position out of the area, he said. “My focus is teaching and I will continue to be a kindergarten teacher,” he said. During the interim period, he will teach half time and administer the other half of the time, he said.
Sweet Success
Turtle VanDemarr plays lead guitar. Courtesy photo
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen keeping it in the family for 58 years B
Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
ruce’s Candy Kitchen has been a staple in Cannon Beach since 1963. Bruce and Treva Haskell began the candy shop and it has been in the family ever since. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen has had five generations of family involved in the business. The shop is run by Kelli Truax-Taylor, her mom Susan Truax, and Traux-Taylor’s husband Brian Taylor. Traux-Taylor’s sister and younger brother are candy makers. Each family member has a different job. Bruce and Treva Haskell are Truax-Taylor’s grandparents. “We keep it simple,” Truax-Taylor said. “It’s nuts and chocolate. We don’t get too crazy. It’s been consistent, it’s a good memory, good location.” The shop is located in the heart of downtown Cannon Beach and is a popular stop for visitors to the area. In the beginning, the shop made eight
taffy flavors, 12 types of hand-dipped chocolates and other treats. Over the years, more taffy flavors were added and the chocolate varieties expanded as the candy makers developed new candies. The shop offers a wide variety of homemade confections the family creates, including saltwater taffy, hand dipped chocolates, peanut brittle, caramels and more. Truax-Taylor said over the last year, during the closure of businesses during the pandemic, the shop expanded their website and did more online orders. “Usually mail orders die off this time of year but it’s kept it more consistent,” Truax-Taylor said. “When our doors were closed, it made us money.” The shop has newer chili mango taffy and also combined some other new flavors. “We do a soft peanut brittle – it’s like a Butterfinger essentially – and we started dipping that in chocolate,” Truax-Taylor said. “First we just sold it
bagged and then we dipped it.” Truax-Taylor’s mom, Susan, started making cocoa bombs last Christmas that proved to be popular. The shop uses their quality chocolate for that. Susan decorates them for the holidays and will do it for Halloween. Truax-Taylor said customer favorites are taffy and chocolates, as well as chocolate gummy bears, among others. Peanut clusters, sea salt caramels and sea foam are always popular. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen will decorate marshmallows, Nutter Butter mummies and a ghost truffle for Halloween. The truffles are decorated differently depending on each holiday. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. The shop is located at 256 N Hemlock in Cannon Beach. Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
Summer of Sandcastles contest is in full swing T he Virtual “Summer of Sandcastles” Contest is underway in Cannon Beach. “This has been a hometown tradition since 1964,” said Debbie Nelson, chairman of the sandcastle contest. “It’s going well – I wish we would have had it in person –hopefully next year,” Nelson said. “The master’s team, which is almost professional, came down and did a wonderful build,” she said. They are allowed to “do one build for a promo.” The contest continues through September 6th and on Labor Day the winners will be selected, she said. “We have sold a lot of our
Sandcastle Kits, which are required to register this year for the contest,” said Buddie Anderson, membership and content manager for the chamber of commerce. So far, we have received six photo entries. Nelson said she has met with the city and the chamber and they are looking forward to “holding the event back in person next year (if possible).” About the contest Cannon Beach has hosted this Oregon Heritage Tradition event since 1964. Chamber Executive Director, James Paino explained, “The health of our community, volunteers, competitors, and attendees must come first.
Rather than a one day, large-crowd event, the virtual contest goes the entire summer so more builders can safely participate.” Volunteer and Committee Chair Debbie Nelson said “It’s fun to come across a sandcastle while walking on the beach. We have encouraged past teams to come create and build on their own through September 6th. I can’t wait to find the sandcastles and sculptures they build!”
Sandcastle kits can be purchased at the Chamber.
Turtle VanDemarr bids farewell to Coast at concert in Cannon Beach Joe Warren
T
jwarren@countrymedia.net
urtle VanDemarr, band leader, guitarist and vocalist with the popular Richard Cranium and the Phoreheads is saying farewell to all his friends and fans in Cannon Beach by hosting a concert in City Park on Thurs. Aug. 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. one last time. Turtle has been playing music on the coast for over 40 years and has performed with various bands and musicians in Cannon Beach, getting his start playing at the Tolovana Inn when they first opened around 1975. He says he used to live in the Bugs Ear cottages and worked at the Tolovana Inn that first summer. “This is our farewell, our goodbye to the community we’ve loved playing for over the years. It’s also a memorial event to honor the late Billy Hults (a former band member who was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame),” Turtle said in a phone interview last week. “Carmen and I have sold our beach house in Arch Cape and are heading to Mexico.” Turtle said he’s been battling cancer for the past six years, and it’s time to slow down and retire. “I may come back from Mexico in a box for all I know,” he said jokingly. Turtle just turned 71-yearsyoung last Friday but still loves to get on stage and play what he calls, “Rock-N-Roll Jazz with a lot of Blues and Rockabilly influence” type of
music. Turtle and his bands have also been mainstays at the San Dune Pub in Manzanita and as well at the Nehalem Winery. Turtle grew up in Portland but was always drawn to the Coast. “I’ve loved the Coast since I was a little kid, I always got so excited when we would come to the Coast,” he said. “It’s magical here.” When Turtle first started to play at the Tolovana Inn, his band opened for Phil ’N the Blank Spots. “We played for three months to a packed house every night,” he said. “It was such a fun summer.” The Coast has always been special for Turtle, he has many friends, good memories, but Cannon Beach will always be extra special to him. “Cannon Beach is very much an arts community with lots of very talented people and artists of some sorts,” he added. “I have longtime friends in the area and I want to make sure they all know it’s my last go-a-round for the foreseeable future.” From here Turtle says, he and his wife Carmen are taking a long vacation to Mexico. The concert is free to the public, but tips for the band are much appreciated. Bring your blanket or lawn chair, sit back and enjoy the Foreheads farewell to the community concert.