north coast Volume 20, No. 25
December 10, 2015
State delays Dungeness crab season coastwide
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Citizens rally to save town Christmas Tree after storm
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he opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season along the Oregon coast continues to be delayed due to concerns about domoic acids levels in the southern half of the state. While recent testing showed domoic acid in crabs in all areas to be below levels that normally trigger action, the overall trend indicates domoic acid in the southern half of the state has increased over the past two weeks and are near the action level.
Artist Terri Shepflin of Lotus Petaler Designs.
Lotus Petaler Designs offers unique choices of Holiday gift giving By Laura Swanson
lswanson@countrymedia.net
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Based on these results and consultations with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry, and Washington and California Departments of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is continuing the delay of the ocean commercial Dungeness crab season along the entire Oregon coast. “Oregon’s commercial crab industry and the Department place a high priority on making sure that seafood consumers can be confident that they are buying a safe, high-quality, and sustainable product when they purchase Oregon Dungeness crab,” said
n See Crab, Page A2
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rtist Terri Shepflin likes to share her work with others, so she makes original watercolor paintings then makes multitudes of card prints. “So more people can enjoy my art, and I can share it with more than one person,” explains Shepflin. A retired teacher, Shepflin has been painting for years, and on July 5th of this year she opened the little gift store with a lot of personality, Lotus Petaler in Wheeler. “I’m not a retailer, and I sell my cards and other things that I like, and that I think others will enjoy, too,” said Shepflin. In addition to her trademark cards, the store includes a variety of vintage furniture that Shepflin acquires from estate sales.
The Manzanita Community Christmas Tree took a fall over the weekend and with no city employees available to erect the tree, citizens took matters into their own hands to get the holiday beacon back upright. Contractors John Longfellow and Brian Ruef brought in heavy equipment to make the job easier while others pitched in to put the ornaments back on the tree.
n See, Artist Page A2
Library to close for renovations Jan. I
n 2015 the North Tillamook Library Friends Board of Directors voted to plan and fund a major renovation project for the library in 2016 for two main purposes: • Complete necessary major maintenance to the nearly 30 year-old building -- leveling the northwest corner of the building, installing new carpeting throughout, upgrading to energy efficient lighting, repainting the interior and replacing heaters. • Repurpose the Hoffman Room as an education and technology learning space. To create more usable space, by moving the collection into the main room, adding electric outlets and USB ports, replacing existing furniture with 6 smaller tables and 24 chairs to support a variety of educational programs, installing a large format television to stream educational content, and video-teleconferencing capabilities. “We are so thrilled to be able to provide for our community the ‘library of the future’,” said North Tillamook Friends president Kay Stepp. “The library is a conduit to provide access to everyone to the digital world.” Library to Close January 13 for Update The Library will close January 13, 2016, and remain closed through most of February. Regular updates on the progress of the remodeling and renovations will be provided on the library’s NEW website – www.northtillamooklibrary.org that was just recently launched. Check out the website for more information about the project and upcoming events to prepare for the renovations. A reopen date, hopefully in early March 2016, will be announced
as the project progresses. WiFi connection will continue to be available in the parking lot. Between now and then, the North Tillamook Library Friends have several events planned: • January 8: there will be a silent auction at the Library from 1 to 4 p.m. where bids for furniture to be replaced during the renovation can be made. Successful bidders will be required to remove the furniture on Wednesday, January 13. • January 9: there will be a close-out magazine sale (4 for $1) to prepare for the renovation. January 9: North Tillamook Library Friends will hold their annual meeting at the Library at 3 p.m. Library Services during the Renovation There are four good options for library service during the closure, according to the NTLF. “When you mention that the library is going to close, the looks of devastation and surprise on peoples’ faces is the natural reaction,” said Stepp. “But we have found several options for our local community to access library services, and hopefully the renovation will be completely in less than eight weeks,” she added. The Tillamook County Bookmobile will come to Manzanita every Saturday during the closure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will park in the Library parking lot and will be bringing holds to Manzanita. Library users can request holds while the Library is closed and pick them up at the Bookmobile on Saturdays, and can browse the Bookmobile’s collection and return items on Saturdays. The Bookmobile makes regular town stops in Nehalem or Wheeler on
Tuesdays. The “book bus” pulls up to the Nehalem city parking lot on Highway 101 every Tuesday from 12:15 – 12:45 and at the Wheeler Marina stop on Tuesdays from 1:40 – 2:20. (It is not determined at this time if holds will be available those days or if Saturday is the only day holds will be available.) Library patrons can drive 12 miles from Manzanita to the Rockaway Beach library at 120 N Coral during the closure. They have an excellent selection of books, DVDs and all the library materials provided at the North Tillamook Library. Many services are always available on-line at tillabook.org.
There are two main objectives for this major project: • Maintenance: The building was constructed in 1986-87, and after nearly 30 years major maintenance is required. The carpets are worn; portions of the floor have settled; the lighting requires bulbs that will no longer be produced; the baseboard heating is a fire hazard; the paint needs refreshing. • Library of the Future: In 2015 Tillamook County Library conducted a strategic planning process to better understand the changes required of libraries to meet the current and future needs of their customers. Tillamook County Library conducted a needs assessment, including an extensive demographic study about the County’s residents. The library of the future will be a community gathering place for
n See LIBRARY, Page A3
Big Wave Cafe to help four community groups as part of its annual local giving effort
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Big Wave owner, chef Brian Williams.
t’s not every north Oregon coast restaurant that has a Social Responsibility Committee. The Big Wave Cafe in Manzanita does, however, and the group recently selected four community organizations for the restaurant to help over the next three months, said Brian Williams, who owns the business with his wife Carol. Their son, Sam Williams, is the restaurant manager. The Big Wave makes a practice of supporting the community year-round by employing up to 30 people, all local residents, and sourcing as many of its food items as possible from Tillamook County, said Williams. “It costs more to buy from our local farmers, ranchers and fisherman, but it provides a better product and keeps money in our county.” In past years, the Big Wave café has hosted dinners on behalf of a number of local nonprofit organizations, including the Pine Grove
Community Club, Rinehart Clinic and Manzanita Business Alliance. It’s in the spirit of continuing to support the local economy and community that the Big Wave is donating a $25 gift certificate to every U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay Guardsman and Guardswoman for the unit’s annual holiday party. “The Coast Guard’s nearly 40 local active personnel keep our commercial fishing fleets and sports fishermen safe year-round,” said Williams, who enjoys sports fishing himself. “This is a way for us to say ‘thank you.’” On Thursday, Dec 10, the Big Wave will host a holiday meal “with all the trimmings” for the Nehalem Bay American Legion. “The American Legion supports our veterans in so many ways, we felt it was our honor to sup-
n See BIG WAVE, Page A3