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Tillamook County
Citizen North Coast
A Special Publication of
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Headlight Herald
Real Estate Guide
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WEDNESDAY, November 25, 2020
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
VOL. 133, NO. 48 • $1.50
Tillamook County at 94 confirmed positive cases Active cases jumped to 33 in county
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Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
n a Tillamook County Leadership meeting Friday, Nov. 20, county leadership discussed COVID-19 cases and hospital capacity. Tillamook County Community Health Centers reported on Friday, Nov. 20, 11 new confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 during the week of Nov. 13-19, bringing the county
to a total of 94 positive tests completed. There are 33 active cases in the county. Tillamook County Health Centers Administrator Marlene Putman said there is one person who is currently hospitalized in the county. There are 109 positive and presumptive cases. There are three new presumptive cases and 15 presumptive cases total. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has reported higher case
count totals for Tillamook County throughout the week, the health center stated. The current total is lower as several of the positive cases were residents of other counties, and therefore, the case count has been adjusted to only include positive and presumptive cases for residents of Tillamook County. There can be discrepancies as the data is collected at particular points in time. OHA reports 4,179 total tests
completed for Tillamook County. Fifty cases are being monitored: 33 active cases and 17 close contacts. There have been no COVID-19 related deaths in the county. Putman said public health locally is not sharing the area of the county or zip code of cases to keep privacy and in smaller towns. According to Oregon Health Authority, the city of Tillamook has 58 positive and
Imagination Station
New preschool offers timely option for parents T
Joe Warren Publisher
he Imagination Station, a new preschool in Tillamook opened its doors this month as a new option in town for parents with children ages three to five years-old. Monique McEachern, who is a mother of three herself, opened the preschool in the former Blue Moon Cafe spot on the corner of Pacific and Second Street in Tillamook. McEachern has experience working both in day cares and though after school programs. “I’ve mostly done in home childcare and worked in dare care and after school programs for the YMCA,” she said. “I love working with children.” McEachern is a 2010 graduate of Tillamook High School and has children, five, seven and 11 years-old.
So far, McEachern says, she has five students in the afternoon class, but her license allows up to 15 students, and when full she can open a morning class up. “I plan to not go over 12-students per class,” she said. “Each class is three-and-a-half hours per day.” Currently class is Tuesday through Friday from noon to 3:30 p.m. But when more parents register, she plans
on opening a class on the same days from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $95 per week per student. “I focus on kindergarten preparedness,” she said. “We learn colors, shapes, numbers, letters and we also work on how to interact or play together along with task transitioning.” She says they also do arts and crafts,
painting, work with Play Dough and work with bead activities. “Today we are making turkeys with feathers and tracing our hands,” she said. She said, she sanitizes everything twice per day, and follows all guidelines issued in terms of the pandemic. “Any child five or under is not required to wear a face mask, but if any parent wants their child to wear a mask I will enforce it,” she said. The three plus hours are full of activities. She said when the children get there, she gives them time to play for a while, then they jump right into learning activities. They do the date, talk about the weather, work on writing their names, then it’s onto story time where the children can relax and listen. “We learn here,” she added. “I like structure, I’ve done day care and this is much better, because of the structured learning.” If you are interested or have questions you can reach Monique at 503812-0048 or follow the Imagination Station on Facebook.
n See CASES, Page 8
Rulemaking process opens for vehicle beach restrictions in south county T
Monique McEachern, owner and operator of the Imagination Station, Tillamook’s newest preschool is ready to serve the community. Photo by Joe Warren
presumptive cases, with 1-9 cases each in Bay City, Rockaway Beach, Cloverdale and Wheeler. “For those who do receive a call about a contact to a positive case, please respond to the calls from public health nurses,” Putman said. “I know there’s some concern about attributing cases incorrectly or scams calls. If you receive a call, call your local pub-
Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
he Oregon State Parks and Recreation Committee agreed Wednesday, Nov. 18, to open rulemaking on vehicle restrictions on beaches in south Tillamook County near Pacific City and north of Tierra Del Mar. The committee hosted open public discussion during the Nov. 18 meeting, during which there was unanimous support to open the rulemaking process. Katie Gauthier, government relations and policy manager at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), read through the proposed rule change, based on Tillamook County’s request to open the rulemaking process. The proposed rule change would create a year-round closure of beach parking in the area. Working with the county, OPRD had limited vehicle beach parking from Cape Kiwanda south to the Nestucca River since July 1, Gauthier stated in her report. Vehicles involved in launching or retrieving commercial or recreational boats are still allowed to park on the beach. Gauthier said the public comment period would be open from Dec. 1 through Feb. 12. OPRD will have a website that has the maps and information and will accept public comments via email, mail and website. “We would plan a virtual public hearing and an in-person opportunity for folks to comment, whether it’s an open house or hearing, we’ll work with the county on that piece,” Gauthier said. “We’ll also work with the Pacific City Chamber on a specific business hearing to talk about the impacts to business.” Associate Director Chris Havel said OPRD’s plans for an in-person hearing are subject to health guidance and executive orders. “We are recommending to this commission to close one area to beach driving and parking,” Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto said. “That would be the Cape Kiwanda area.” Yamamoto added that this is a huge life safety issue, especially with families and children. When COVID-19 hit, the county closed vehicle beach access at Cape Kiwanda. Regarding the recommendation to restrict vehicle beach access, the county received about 1,000 comments, Yamamoto added. Groups that had concerns included paragliders, elderly and the disabled. The commissioners recommend keeping access open for the dory fleet. Yamamoto said there are plans in place for alternative parking. There is a Cape Kiwanda Advisory Committee. “Our parks department owns what we call Web Park,” Yamamoto said. “It’s a small camping facility and the county owns property behind and above Web Park, so we would trade our own parks department with property for them to continue their camping facility and we would turn Web Park into a parking facility to take some of the overflow parking.” The county is also in negotiations for the Jensen property in Pacific City. The Jensen property consists of several parcels totaling nearly six acres located in Pacific City along Cape Kiwanda Drive, bordered to the north by the Kiawanda Center and to the south by the county-owned Pacific City Turn-
n See BEACH, Page 8