INSIDE
Recipe: Cherry Oat Crumble
Home Improvement
Sprinugmmer S
2020
t n e m e v o pr Im
Section
Pages 8
Headlight Herald
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2020
VOL. 133, NO. 22 • $1.00
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
Organizers host Memorial Day at Sunset Heights via Facebook Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@ countrymedia.net
O
rganizers of Memorial Day at Sunset Heights Memorial Park established a Facebook page, Tillamook County Memorial Day, for a livestream that took place Memorial Day, May 25. U.S. Navy Captain John M. Kirby was the guest speaker for the event. Veterans’ Services Officer Bill Hatton first attended the Tillamook Memorial Day event 28 years ago with his
wife and daughters. In May 1992, he had been home for one year after serving in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. “In February 1991, as our battalion was preparing to breach through the minefields on the Kuwait border, I witnessed the first helicopters bringing casualties back to the casualty collection point,” Hatton said. “The next few helicopters landed and the Marines in body bags were off loaded. It was the first time in my Marine Corps career that I witnessed the
true cost of war.” Hatton said Desert Storm lasted 43 days. The land campaign is referred to as the ‘100-hour ground war.’ Although the war was short, 146 Americans were killed in action. “For the families of those killed, the impact of that short war is forever,” Hatton said. Because of Hatton’s experiences in Desert Storm, the invasion of Iraq and participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom II, it is important to him to honor those that
made the ultimate sacrifice. Part of the ceremony at Sunset Heights Memorial Park involves reading the names of Tillamook County veterans that have passed away during the last 12 months. “As a Veterans Services Officer, reading the names is especially significant because our office provided services for many of those that have died within the past year,” Hatton said. “When I hear the names being read, I form
a mental picture of the last time we met with them.” The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Memorial Day event are significant, but not eternal, Hatton said. The event did not have the traditional crowd of 100 people or more, the Boy Scouts raising the American flag, coffee and doughnuts, or veterans pairing off and sharing stories with one another. “Despite the pandemic,
Sunny view
by conducting the event and broadcasting it livestream to the public, we continue to honor those veterans that served our nation and our community,” Hatton said. “I think they would be gratified that even in this crisis, they have not been forgotten.” To see the video go to Tillamook County Memorial Day on Facebook or see the video on tillamookheadlightherald.com
Primary sees 49% turnout at local polls O
Amanda Kidman captured this landscape shot of Haystack Rock in Pacific City on a sunny day with tide pools in the foreground.
Tillamook High School holds graduation procession May 29 T
he entire community is invited to join Tillamook High School (THS) for the senior procession Friday, May 29. Students will leave the high school at 6:30 p.m., travel down Miller, turn west on 11th, travel north on Pacific, and then east on Third Street to end at the Fairgrounds (location of graduation) at 7 p.m. THS encourages you to line the procession route, decorate cars, cheer, yell,
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honk, hold up signs, decorate houses and help celebrate the graduates. Follow all social distancing guidelines recommended by the Oregon Health Authority. People are encouraged to remain in their cars. Do not block private driveways or streets. Do not stop traffic for pictures or any other reason. The ceremony starts promptly at 7 p.m. Due to limited parking, only cars
with a ticket will be allowed into the fairgrounds for the graduation ceremony. Students were provided with those tickets. The entire ceremony will be broadcast live on Tillamook High School’s Facebook page for those who want to watch from home. Those who do not have Facebook and everyone attending the ceremony will be able to hear the entire event on KTIL.
Courthouse reopens to employees May 26 Hilary Dorsey headlightreporter@ countrymedia.net
T
he Tillamook County Board of Commissioners discussed at their board meeting on May 20 directing non-essential county employees to return to work. The courthouse will be reopening on Tuesday, May 26, to employees only and be closed to the public until June 8. Commission Chair Bill Baertlein said the county
has been shut down for six weeks and it is time to get employees back to work. The commissioners will vote on the board order on Friday, May 22. “My understanding of it is we’re opening the building to employees only but not the public yet,” Commissioner Mary Faith Bell said. “We’re eager to welcome our employees back to work in Phase I with all kinds of provisions for safety and social distancing.”
In a phase down the road, the commissioners will open the building to the public by appointment only. Incident command has been working on this reopening for two or three weeks. Baertlein said he believes they will not require employees to wear masks. Clatsop and Columbia Counties are not requiring masks for their employees. Bell said the
n See Reopens, Page 2
n Tuesday May 19, Tillamook County voters hit the polls to decide Federal, State and local primary elections. Forty-nine percent of the registered voters in Tillamook County cast ballots in the primary election according to information on the Tillamook County Clerk’s office website. The Tillamook County the county commissioner races were decided in the primary election with the winners garnering a majority of the votes, so no runoff will take place. Unofficial results show Erin Skaar won County Commissioner Erin Skaar. position No. 1 and David Yamamoto won County Commissioner Position No. 2. Skaar got 6,395 votes compared to challenger, Bay City Mayor Christopher Kruebbe, who received 1,813 votes. Incumbent David Yamamoto received 5,318 votes, his challenger David McCall got 3,771 votes. Yamamoto will retain his seat on the commission and Skaar will take David over Jan. 1 2021 after being sworn Yamamoto. in.
n See POLLS, Page 2