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Planning Commission approves Steeplejack Brewing two-building development proposal

Will Chappell Citizen Reporter

The Manzanita Plan

ning Commission approved a new two-building development by Steeplejack Brewing on Laneda Avenue in two separate votes across their September and October meetings.

The lot at 220 Laneda Ave. belongs to Harder Coastal Holdings and will feature a restaurant and taproom in one building and three hotel rooms above an arcade in a second.

Following the approval, City Manager Leila Aman said that she has received calls from residents concerned about the development’s im pact on downtown parking.

“It’s clearly evoking some intense feelings from commu nity members,” Aman said.

However, she said that as city manager and planning manager she can only require the development include parking spaces called for by the city code.

The new building will take the spot of a house that has long sat abandoned on Laneda, being used for a burn exercise by the fire depart ment at one point.

Steeplejack Brewing was started by college roommates Brody Day and Dustin Harder in 2019.

Their first location opened in a converted church in Northeast Portland. They have since opened another in West Portland and a production facility in Hillsboro whence they distribute beer across Oregon and Washington.

“Dustin and I love Manzanita and we’re

County employees to receive pay increase

Will Chappell Citizen Reporter

Tillamook county employ ees will be receiving a 5% pay increase in 2023.

The county’s board of commissioners approved the increase for the county’s union ized employees at their Novem ber 23 meeting and signaled that they would do the same for nonunion employees shortly.

Commissioners said that with the high level of inflation and housing costs in Tillamook County the raise was well-de served.

The funds to pay for the raise will come from salary alloca tions for positions that remain vacant in the county.

The International Brother hood of Teamsters that rep resents the sheriff’s department and AFSCME that represents non-managerial staff across the county have already signed off on the pay increases.

The board also cleared Tillamook County Treasurer Shawn Blanchard to start the accounting process to give the same raise to managers and other nonunion staff.

The board also approved a memorandum of agreement

NKN School Board starts search for new district leader

Will Chappell Citizen Reporter

After 11 years with the Neah-Kah-Nie School District, Superintendent Paul Erlebach will be retiring at the end of this school year.

The school board has begun the search for Erle bach’s replacement with help from the Oregon School Board Association and will be ramping their efforts up as the new year begins with the announcement of a new superintendent expected in March.

“Neah-Kah-Nie has been a great school district to work with,” Erlebach said. “It’s a very progressive school district and we’ve always had a stable board.”

Erlebach arrived in the district following twelve years serving as principal of several schools in and around Ontario, Oregon. Before that he had started his career as a Spanish teacher and English language development coordi nator in The Dalles.

In his time with Neah-KahNie, Erlebach has overseen

many facilities and program improvements and expan sions, but he stressed that the students had remained his number one focus.

“Anytime I was with stu dents is a favorite memory,” Erlebach said, “students are the clients so they’re my boss and I feel an obligation to the students.”

That commitment led to a continuing focus on keeping district facilities and programs evolving to meet the needs of the community.

Erlebach points to the expansion of the preschool programs at Garibaldi and Nehalem Elementary Schools and the construction of the student health and wellness center at Neah-Kah-Nie High School as highlights from his time at the helm.

In all, Erlebach oversaw more than $15 million in capital improvements around the district.

“He has been very effective in his tenure here and he will be missed,” Neah-Kah-Nie School District Board Chair Sandy Tyrer said.

But Erlebach was quick to emphasize that his efficacy was only possible with sup port from the district’s staff.

“Really, it’s the staff that makes Neah-Kah-Nie a spe cial school district,” Erlebach said.

After his retirement, Erlebach and his wife plan to remain in the community doing volunteer work and

traveling.

Erlebach said that the school board had requested he stay on briefly after his contract expires on June 30, 2023, to help facilitate a smooth handover and he has agreed.

“I just want to make sure that the district is in good hands when I leave, a successful transition is very important to me,” Erlebach said.

The search for Erlebach’s successor is being led by Tyrer and Administrative Assistant Kathie Sellars.

In the search, the board is soliciting feedback from both district staff and community members to find the right candidate.

“We are looking for the best candidate and the best fit for this district,” Tyrer said. “We want to make sure we go into this well-informed of what all areas of the popula tion want to see in a superin tendent.”

The first step in gathering input was a recent online survey to gauge the qualities community members would like a new superintendent to possess.

More than 300 responses were collected. They iden tified integrity, honesty, cultural competency, respect of diversity, communication skills and appreciation of students as some of the top qualities community members want prioritized in the hiring

process.

The next step in the recruitment is forming a screening committee with 11 or 12 members to help the board in the recruitment process.

Two thirds of the screening committee will be district staff while the remainder will be community members. Invitations have been sent out and the district will announce the com mittee’s membership when responses have been received.

This committee and the school board will review appli cations and decide which applicants to interview before jointly interviewing those selected.

The final hiring decision will be made by the board after soliciting feed back from the public, district staff and Erlebach.

“We have a good group of board members and they’re approaching this process in a very thoughtful, organized and transparent manner,” Sell ars said.

Tyrer and Sellars said that they plan to begin advertising the pending job vacancy be fore the end of the year. The

district will offer an annual salary between $140,000 and $160,000 plus benefits to the new superintendent.

They said that they will consider all applicants who have the relevant certificates and qualifications.

“There’s a good process

in place and we have a lot of faith in it,” Tyrer said. “We believe we’ll get the results that we want.”

Please send any comments to headlightreporter@coun trymedia.net.

committed to preserving it just as it is,” Day said. “Our project is specifically designed to enhance the community feel and small-town charm that Manzanita has.”

The Manzanita location, which Steeplejack is developing in conjunction with Harder, will not be home to any production facilities, only food

and beverage service. The other half of the project will contain an arcade below three hotel rooms in a separate building. Day and Harder envision the arcade housing

Architectural rendering of Steeplejack Brewing showing the outside seating.

Paul Erlebach has ran the NKN School District for the past 11 years. He retires in June 2023 and the school board is be ginning a search for a new district leader. Citizen file photo

Visitor Spending in 2021 tops $1.46 billion in NW Oregon

Erik Knoder

For the Headlight Herald

Visitor spending rose to $1.46 billion in Northwest Oregon in 2021.

This was an increase of 46.4% after adjusting for inflation from 2020. Visitor spending collapsed by 42% in 2020 when the pan demic recession struck, and businesses were curtailed in March of that year.

The jump in spending in 2021 was the largest since data has been collected, but it still yielded less spending than the $1.73 billion that was spent in 2019. Visitor spending had been growing about 3% per year since 2011. The region had seen drops in spending before, such as during the Great Recession, but nothing compared to the collapse in 2020.

The leisure and hospital ity sector was commonly the largest industry sector in Northwest Oregon measured by employment, but the pan demic recession reduced its size to where it was slightly smaller than the trade, trans portation, and utilities sector in 2020 and 2021.

Leisure and hospitality provided 14,906 payroll jobs on an annual average basis in 2021. This was about 16% of all jobs (excluding self-employment) in Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties

n Brewery

Continued from Page 1

several pinball machines and standup video game cabinets as well as frozen yogurt or ice cream with a toppings bar.

Day said that they hope to offer a gathering place for the community and said they want to be good neighbors.

“If you look at our proj ects, we have a long track

combined. The two largest parts of the sector are the ac commodation industry (e.g. motels and campgrounds), and the food services and drinking places industry (e.g. restaurants and bars). The sector’s health depends in large part on spending by visitors.

Visitors also spend money in other sectors such as retail trade, transportation, and even health services when vacation accidents happen. But because visitors account for a smaller portion of spending in these industries, the leisure and hospitality sector is considered the best proxy for the tourism indus try as a whole.

Visitor spending peaked in 2006 at $1.43 billion (in 2021 dollars), and then fell two percent the next year. Spending was up and down during the Great Recession and recovery before climb ing steadily from 2012 until the pandemic hit in 2020. Travel and occupancy re strictions reduced the num ber of customers available for lodging and food service businesses, and many tourism businesses closed or dramatically reduced their offerings. Visitor spending in Northwest Oregon fell 42% in 2020 to $998 mil lion. This was just above the level of 1992.

Benton County had the second-largest drop in visitor spending (-57.2%)

record of developing with community in mind,” Day said.

While three on-site spaces are included for the hotel, with two more designated for its use nearby, the arcade and restaurant will rely on street parking, raising concerns from some in the commu nity.

However, the plan is in compliance with the city’s code which only requires commercial developments add off-street parking if they exceed 5,000 square-feet in

of all counties in Oregon in 2020. But the county bounced back dra matically in 2021 with visitor spend ing increasing 158% to a record $148 million. The drop and recovery are probably due to changes by students at Oregon State Univer sity; in-person attendance was suspended in 2020 and resumed in 2021. The other counties in North west Oregon saw visitor spending increase sharply in 2021, but not quite recover to pre-pandemic levels.

Employment in the leisure and hospitality sector tends to parallel visitor spending. It’s improving rapidly but is still not completely recovered, except in Benton County. Employment in the five counties in Northwest Oregon dropped an unprece dented 54% from March to April in 2020.

Employment has been growing since then. In September 2022 it was 8.6% higher than the year before, but it remained 1.2% lower than in September 2019 –the last year before the pan

size, which this one does not.

“Our job is to evaluate ap plications based on the code we have,” Aman said, “and that’s what we did.”

She said that she was happy to discuss residents’ concerns about downtown parking but that she could not set policy for the city.

Aman pointed out that the city government along with those of Wheeler and Nehalem is in the process of developing a new, combined Transportation System Plan that will address the needs of

demic recession. As North west Oregon’s leisure and hospitality sector headed towards winter in 2022, employment was starting its seasonal decline. It seems likely that the sector will continue to grow in the lon ger run and its employment will return to pre-pandemic levels by next year.

In fact, there is some reason to think that the main constraint on employment growth in 2022 was the tight labor market, not lack of visitor spending. Job vacancy surveys showed that there were more job

the three in conjunction.

The new TSP has been in development by Fehr and Peers and will be submitted to the cities’ governments before the end of the year. It will then be brought before the three city councils in January to begin final review and adoption, which should take around six months.

Aman said that increasing signs to help visitors find currently underutilized lots, adding time restrictions or paid parking in downtown, and increasing bike park

openings than people who were unemployed in 2022.

The long-term outlook for visitor spending is good. The leisure and hospital ity sector’s employment in Northwest Oregon is expected to grow 44% from 2020 to 2030. Most of that growth is based on the expectation that the sector recovers to its former level. After that, the sector’s employment will probably grow at a little less than 1% per year.

A major unknown factor will be how the pandemic recession and subsequent

ing are several potential solutions to help alleviate residents’ parking concerns.

She reiterated that as city manager she was not in charge of making those decisions or setting priorities and that she follows the city council’s guidance when implementing policy.

“If the city council sees this as being a priority and concern, we can address it,” Aman said.

For their part, Day and Harder remain focused on bringing a new space to

tight labor market will affect the sector’s adoption of labor-saving technology and business practices.

Businesses may be more likely to implement service models, such as takeaway food, that allow them more flexibility in adapting to any future pandemic.

There is nothing leisurely in the work life of leisure and hospitality managers!

Erik Knoder is a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. He may be reached at 541351-5595.

Manzanita for residents to enjoy. Harder has a home in town and Day said that he was looking forward to hav ing a place to hang out at his favorite place on the coast.

Steeplejack hopes to break ground in the spring of 2023 with an opening date in 2024.

“We’re really excited about being part of the com munity,” Day said.

Please send any comments to headlightreporter@coun trymedia.net.

Tillamook County Solid Waste

For more information about recycling or hazardous waste disposal: Call (503) 815-3975 or email us at recycle@co.tillamook.or.us or visit our website at www.co.tillamook.or.us/solid-waste

The holidays are upon us, and we could all use a bit of good cheer. Unfortunately, the most wonderful time of the year is also the most wasteful time of the year. According to estimates by the National Environmental Education Foundation, the amount of trash in the United States increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Fortunately, there are ways we can still enjoy the holiday cheer without placing undo burdens on the environment. Here are some examples:

• Reduce the amount of food we prepare. Sure, we all like an extra slice of turkey or ham, and maybe a slice of pie, but do we really need more pies than we have guests?

• If you need to buy new lights to decorate, make sure you use Energy Star-certified lights, which can use 75% less energy than others.

• The U.S. uses 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper each Christmas, and half of it ends up in a landfill. Use wrapping paper that can be recycled. Even if you carefully remove the paper and use it again next year, someday it will need to be discarded. Wrapping paper with metallic coatings cannot be recycled, so avoid them.

• Once the festivities are over, remove all the lights and decorations (including tinsel!) from your tree and drop it off (using the coupon on this page) at the Tillamook County transfer station nearest you. Some of the trees will be used in habitat restora tion activities, and the rest will be composted.

Together, we can enjoy the holidays without placing an overwhelming burden on the environment – and cutting back on some expenses at the same time. Enjoy the holidays!

McCall Solid Waste Program Manager

David

Gov. Brown issues blanket pardons for marijuana possession

PETER WONG Oregon Capital Bureau

Gov. Kate Brown has pardoned an estimated 45,000 people for past Oregon of fenses of simple possession of marijuana, an action that will wipe their convictions from their records and enable them to have easier access to jobs, housing and education.

Brown’s action, which she announced Monday, follows a similar move Oct. 6 by Pres ident Joe Biden to remove federal charges of simple pos session against 6,500 people.

In both instances, it is un likely that anyone is currently in federal or state prisons solely on charges of simple possession.

Oregon was the first state to decriminalize possession of one ounce or less of the drug back in 1973. Simple possession was reduced to a violation punishable by a fine, which was raised in 1987 from $100 to $1,000, although that amount is rarely levied.

Brown’s action also cancels individual fines and fees amounting to about $14

million.

The Legislature moved in 1997 to restore simple possession to a crime — a Class C misdemeanor — but opponents gathered enough signatures to force a statewide election and voters rejected the proposed change in 1998.

Oregon legalized adult pos session and use of cannabis in 2014. It is among 21 states that have done so, counting Maryland and Missouri, where voters passed measures on Nov. 8. Oregon is one of 37 states that allow for some form of medical marijuana, although it is limited in some states. Just three states do not, beyond what a 2018 federal law allows for hemp, which is low in the psychoactive component in cannabis that provides a high.

Brown’s statement: “Oregonians should never face housing insecurity, employment barriers and educational obstacles as a result of doing something that is now completely legal, and has been for years. My pardon will remove these hardships. And while Oregonians use

marijuana at similar rates, Blacks and Latinos have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted at disproportionate rates.

“We are a state, and a nation, of second chances. To day, I am taking steps to right the wrongs of a flawed, ineq uitable and outdated criminal justice system in Oregon when it comes to personal marijuana possession. For the estimated 45,000 individuals who are receiving a pardon for prior state convictions of marijuana possession, this action will help relieve the collateral consequences aris ing from these convictions.”

Status of pardons

The scope of Brown’s pardon affects 47,144 convictions recorded before 2016, if the person was age 21 or older, simple possession was the only charge, and the offense involved no victims. This pardon does not apply to any other offense related to marijuana or other controlled substances, such as driving under the influence.

The Oregon Judicial De

Winter Term Registration is open at Tillamook Bay Community College

Registration is now open for winter term classes at Tillamook Bay Community College (TBCC). Just in time to usher in the new year, win ter term begins on January 9.

TBCC offers classes in person, online, through Zoom, and a combination of different modalities. Start your career in healthcare, industrial manufacturing, criminal justice, business, and more. With scholarships available for any type of student, there is no end to the opportunity at TBCC.

This winter, TBCC is offering the Strong Start scholarship. This scholarship is available to any first-term student. Not only is this a tuition scholarship, but it will also cover course fees

and any required textbooks for a group of courses that students need to be successful in college.

Interested in non-credit classes to continue your learning? TBCC has many Community Education courses available this term, from photography to geneal ogy, because education is for everyone. Don’t miss your chance to discover a new interest or learn more about your passions.

First-time students at TBCC will need to complete an admissions application and attend a student orientation session before registering for classes. You can get started online at www.tillamook baycc.edu/admissions-reg istration, or by contacting

to the corps that plays a crit ical role in disaster response in the central county.

the Student Services team at studentservices@tillamook baycc.edu. Students who have recently taken classes at TBCC can register online after speaking with their Success Coach.

TBCC does not require SAT or PSAT scores to enroll. They are an open-admission college, which means all stu dents are welcome to attend. Your placement in classes is determined by multiple measures.

A schedule of credit courses and non-credit community education classes offered throughout the term is available on the TBCC website, tillamookbaycc.edu. If you need assistance, please contact Student Services at 503-842-8222 ext. 1100.

partment will ensure that all court records associated with these pardoned offenses are sealed, as required by law.

After Oregon voters approved legalization of cannabis in 2014, the Oregon Legislature set a procedure for expungement of records related to marijuana offenses that would not be considered crimes under the new laws.

Biden’s action applies to people convicted of simple possession between 1992 and 2021, though it does not af fect convictions under federal law for distribution or sale of cannabis.

Sandy Chung, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union/Oregon, said Brown was the first governor to act after Biden’s pardon on Oct. 6.

Chung’s statement:

“As Oregonians, we have called for policies that create real safety and wellness for all our communities. The path to justice is through our values of equity, care and humanity — not vengeance or criminalization. We are grate ful for Gov. Brown’s use of

clemency as a powerful tool to address our state’s outdated and racially biased practices.”

Pending in Congress

Two of Oregon’s fed eral lawmakers, Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Ron Wyden, are at the forefront of congressional efforts to change its status — cannabis is classified under a 1970 law as a drug with no medical use — and allow access by cannabis businesses to regular banking functions.

The Democratic controlled House has passed such measures seven times, most recently in April 2021, but none has come to a vote in the Senate. The 2021 measure was attached to a defense spending authorization, but was stripped out before final action.

One bill is pending in the Senate Banking Committee, and two other bills — includ ing the House version passed in 2021 — are pending in the Senate Finance Committee, which Wyden leads.

The Oregon Democrat had this to say after Brown’s announcement:

“Pardoning simple pos session in Oregon is abso lutely necessary to repair the damage done by the failed War on Drugs. It is the proper use of governor’s clemency powers and I hope that every governor and state legislature will follow suit.

“The American people have consistently shown overwhelming support for ex pungement and reform of our marijuana laws. It is time for Congress to step up and begin to right these wrongs at the federal level. As we approach the end of this Congress, I will continue to push for meaningful cannabis reform, and will fight to get as much done as we possibly can.”

Blumenauer is the chief sponsor of another bill (HR 8454) on its way to Biden after the Senate passed it on a voice vote Nov. 16. The bill fosters further research into medical uses for marijuana and cannabidiol, a non-psy choactive chemical that may have therapeutic uses. It does not change the status of cannabis under federal law. The bill passed the House on a 325-95 vote on July 26.

Oregon State Parks offers $5 off annual parking permit purchases in December

Give the gift of the outdoors and save this season with the Oregon State Parks 12-month parking permit sale through December.

The permit hangtag once again features whim sical designs from Portland artist El Tran. Holi day shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25, which is a $5 savings starting Dec. 1 and running through Dec. 31. The pass is good for 12 months starting in the month of purchase.

Purchasing passes is easy. Buy them online at the Oregon State Parks store. Parking permits are also sold at some state park friends’ group stores and select local businesses throughout the state. For a complete list of vendors, visit stateparks. oregon.gov.

Parking costs $5 a day at 25 Oregon state parks unless you have a 12- or 24-month parking permit or a same-day camping receipt. The 24-month pass is $50 and is also available at store.oregonstateparks.org. The permits are trans ferable from vehicle to vehicle.

with the Emergency Volun teer Corps of Nehalem Bay. The memorandum will send $20,000 in county funding

Commissioners gave approval for an Oregon Department of Emergency Management Grant that pays for Emergency Man agement Direcor Randy Thorpe’s salary.

They also gave the green light to the parks department to start an Instagram page and appointed Mike Bentley to the Tillamook County Fair Board.

Please send any comments to headlightreporter@coun trymedia.net.

What does sleep have to do with diabetes?

Kam Atwal Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Pulmonary / Critical Care

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects more than 30 million Americans and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Most of us know how important weight control, exercise, and nutri tion are in controlling blood sugars. What impact does sleep have?

Sleep is extremely impor tant in maintaining our body’s performance, not only phys ically and mentally, but also down to the body’s chemical balances. Diabetes, whether type 1 or 2, comes down to an imbalance of the insulin and blood sugar relationship.

The right amount of sleep is needed to keep the endocrine system working well so insulin and blood sugar stays balanced. Studies have shown that too little

sleep (less than 6 hours) or too much sleep (greater than 9 hours) can increase the risk for developing diabetes and make pre-existing diabetes more difficult to control.

Some research suggests a 40% increase in the risk of developing diabetes if sleeping less than four hours per night. The human body is very complicated, and it needs just the right amount of sleep to work properly. The recommendation of about 7-8 hours a night comes from years of research to evaluate the amount sleep needed for our bodies to function at their best.

Even if your body is getting the right amount of sleep, the sleep needs to be quality sleep. Quality sleep is needed to make sure your body is truly rested with good oxygen levels, few awaken ings, and can achieve deep sleep. If the sleep quality is poor, blood sugars will rise and the insulin produced will be less effective, leading to prediabetic conditions or making diabetes difficult to

control.

The most common sleep disorders affecting diabetes are Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome. Sleep apnea is when the back of your throat keeps collapsing during sleep and oxygen levels fall, leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome is a when the legs are moving around a lot during sleep because of pain or tingling and numbness leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Both these conditions cause a rise in blood sugars, increased insulin resistance, increase in stress hormones such as cor tisol and the hunger hormone, ghrelin, all which contribute to diabetes. Treatment of these sleep disorders will help balance these hormones and help manage and decrease the risk of diabetes.

Not only does poor sleep affect your blood sugars at night, but in the daytime your energy levels will be low leading to poor blood sugar metabolism, lack of exercise, and weight gain over time. In short, poor sleep will affect night and daytime blood sug ars and insulin effectiveness.

The relationship between sleep and diabetes is com plex. Not only do you need good quantity and quality

of sleep for better diabetes control and decrease risk of diabetes, but if you have poorly controlled diabetes it will affect your sleep. This stresses the fact that the approach to diabetic man agement is a multi-approach program including good sleep, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and medication as directed by your physician.

Making your sleep health a priority will not only help you cut down your diabetes risk or better manage your di abetes, it will help with your overall wellbeing, including

Autumn Squash Bisque with Ginger

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients - 2 teaspoons vege table oil - 2 cups sliced onion - 2 pounds win ter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes (4 gener ous cups) - 2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced, or 1 can (15 ounces) sliced pears, drained and chopped - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed - 2 Tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger - ½ teaspoon thyme - 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (see Notes) - 1 cup water - 1 Tablespoon lemon juice - ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

Directions

managing other chronic health conditions.

Some steps to healthy sleep include

1. Have a regular sleep and wake time

2. Bedtime routine: wind down, read, no TV, keep bed room dark, cool, quiet

3. Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed

4. Avoid nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine close to bedtime

5. In the daytime avoid napping >45 minutes, stay active, and exercise

Think of healthy sleep as priority in your health man agement as it can help you avoid unnecessary medica tions and health complica tions. Healthy sleep equals a healthy body.

Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamook countywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www. tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.

1. Wash hands with soap and water.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

3. Add onions and stir until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Add squash, pears, garlic, ginger and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

5. Add broth and water; bring to a simmer.

6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sim mer until squash is tender, about 35 to 45

minutes.

7. Purée soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender. (If using a blender, follow manufacturer’s directions for puréeing hot liquids.)

8. Return soup to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice.

9. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of yogurt.

10. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Photo and Recipe Source: https://www. foodhero.org/recipes/autumn-squashbisque-ginger

Serving North Tillamook County since 1996

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Increased emergency SNAP benefits continue in December

Most Oregonians, and Til lamook County residents who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive temporar ily increased emergency food benefits in December

Approximately 426,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $70 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives

SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

Because the federal govern ment approved these emer gency benefits for December, Oregon will also be able to issue them in January 2023. However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.

In December, approxi mately 426,000 SNAP house holds will receive approxi mately $70 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.

“We know that many rely

on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Jana McLellan, interim director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs.

“The holiday season can also bring additional stress and worry for many Oregonians who are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this diffi cult time.”

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allot ments on Dec. 13. Emergency allotments will be issued Dec. 30 or Jan. 4, 2023 for house

holds who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.

More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.ore gon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/ FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/ Emergency-Allotments.aspx.

Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-6999075.

If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits.

Tillamook County Criminal Convictions

On October 17, Bulmaro Lopez Gallardo, 44, pled no contest and was convicted of driving under the influence of intoxicants, a class A misde meanor, committed on July 4. Gallardo was ordered to pay $2,255 in fines and fees to the court and a further $368 to his attorney. He was also placed on bench probation for 24 months, sentenced to 48 hours in jail and had his license suspended for one year.

On October 24, Jeffery Lane Pemberton, 59, was convicted of telephone ha rassment, a class A violation, committed on or about Au gust 1. Pemberton was fined $440 and ordered to pay a further $368 in attorney fees.

On October 31, Joeli Ann Schroeder, 46, pled no contest to recklessly endangering another person, a class A mis

demeanor, committed on or about August 11. Schroeder’s license was suspended for 90 days and she was placed on bench probation for one year and ordered to serve two days in jail.

On October 31, Joshua Warren Hardesty, 48, pled no contest and was convicted of reckless driving, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about August 13. Hardes ty’s license was suspended for 90 days. He was also sen tenced to one year of bench probation and ordered to pay a $100 fine.

On October 31, Dono van Michael Stewart, 26, was convicted of failure to perform duties of driv er-property damage, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about August 10, following a no contest plea. Stewart

was sentence to six months of bench probation and a driver’s license suspension for 90 days.

On October 31, Draven Louis Hughes, 18, pled no contest and was convicted of criminal trespass in the second degree, a class C misdemeanor, committed on or about June 30. Hughes was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

On November 7, Anthony Donald Casady, 31, pled no contest and was convicted of driving under the influence of intoxicants on or about April 10, a class A misdemeanor.

Casady was sentenced to two days in jail, two years on bench probation and a oneyear license suspension.

On November 8, Leroy Richard Padilla admitted to being in contempt of court

and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

On November 10, Tim othy Nathanial Teegarden, 45, pled guilty to an attempt to commit a class C or unclassified felony, a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about October 19, and to a count of harassment, also a class A misdemeanor, committed on or about the same date. Teegarden was sentenced to 90 days in jail on each count to be served concurrently.

On November 14, Robert Lee Farnsworth, 44, pled guilty and was convicted of harassment, a class B mis demeanor, committed on or about August 15. Farnsworth was sentenced to 20 days in jail and ordered to pay restitu tion of $25.

Winter Songs - Seasonal music to celebrate the darkest nights at White Clover Grange

Winter Songs is a show in spired by the season with mu sic to honor the shortest days and longest nights. Weaving together songs, instrumentals, traditional and original music and a few covers, Kathryn Claire invites the audience to join together in celebration of the season, Friday Dec. December 16, at the White Clover Grange in Nehalem. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with the show starting at 5 p.m.

Kathryn Claire has been doing a seasonal winter show since 2013 working with a

variety of artists. In 2018, Don Henson joined her for Winter Songs on piano and percussion before incorporat ing Sid Ditson on violin and viola in 2019. The blend of this trio is stunning and their energy together is joyful and heartfelt. Having taken the past two years off due to the pandemic, Kathryn, Sid and Don are thrilled to be reunited for this show and will be re leasing an EP featuring music Kathryn wrote specifically for the show. Kathryn Claire has long standing ties to the

Oregon Coast and is looking forward to sharing music at the historic White Clover Grange. Expect tea, cookies, community, creativity, singing and even some dancing! With her violin and voice at the center of her music, Kath ryn Claire weaves together stories and melodies rooted in her classical and tradi tional musical background while infusing each song and composition with an energy and electricity that is palpable. Her musicality and joy on stage is infectious. Honest and poetic writing, crystalline vocals, impassioned violin compositions, and an ability to move seamlessly across genres, are the hallmark of Kathryn Claire’s original and diverse sound.

Don Henson has toured extensively with Kathryn Claire in the Pacific North west and played with her “Winter Songs” show since 2018. Don works fre quently with Will West and Skip Vonkuske in Portland, OR. His band, ‘Sneakin Out’ has played various stages with Pink Martini, on The Tonight Show (With Jay Leno) and had the honor of playing Carnegie Hall.

Sid Diston has toured with Kathryn in Belgium and the Netherlands and has been an integral part of Kathryn’s music over the past decade. Sid has been playing violin since child hood. He loves to explore the sometimes irreverent blend of fiddle and violin styles, and brings to the stage and studio a versatility with the instrument that is truly unique. Classical, indie, bluegrass, Celtic and improv are all a part of Sid’s palette, along with an exquisite tone and depth of expression. Sid is often caught grinning while play ing, finding it impossible to hide the immense joy that music brings.

Puzzle answers on page 5.

When you’re feeling your best, it’s 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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