OPINION
EDITOR MARY FAITH BELL ••••• MFBELL@COUNTRYMEDIA.NET
HEADLIGHT HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013
PAGE A4
SPEEDBUMP FROM THE EDITOR Spring has sprung Easter is upon us already, how did that happen? Check out the Community Calendar on page B2 for a listing of Easter egg hunts around the county on Saturday, March 30. I appreciate the groups and businesses that devote their time and resources to creating these fun events for the children in our community. Let’s keep our fingers Mary Faith Bell crossed for General Manager sunshine. I love spring. It’s my favorite season. I love everything about it, starting with hummingbirds. Every year hummingbirds arrive at my house on March 16. That fascinates me; you’d think there would be minor deviations in their migratory schedule, if only for weather. But, no: every year they show up on March 16. Planning our St. Patrick’s Day dinner is my seasonal reminder to clean up the hummingbird feeders, and hang them outside. For me it’s a joyful reunion. I don’t know if these hummingbirds are the same ones who were here last year, but some of them probably are. I do know that they are very familiar: they’ll buzz over my head, come close and hover, seeming to peer at me; they perch on branches and the deck wires, and we watch each other. They’re bold and beautiful and fun to watch. Pretty soon there will be a dozen resident hummingbirds crowding the feeders. Once when we had the neighbor kids over, we were eating at the table inside and a swarm of hummingbirds were at the feeders outside the window, and Chelsea, who was about 10 at the time looked at me and said, “It doesn’t get better than this, does it?” Hummingbirds remind me of my Grandma Bea. She lived in an orchard when I was small and she always had a big garden. Hummingbirds would hover over her and pluck brassy red hairs from her head as she worked on her knees. She used to tell people that the hummingbirds were stealing her hair. My grandpa didn’t believe her until one winter he found an empty hummingbird nest lined with her soft, red hair. Yesterday, walking in the woods with my dogs, I saw the first trilliums of the season, and tiny pale lavender and bright
yellow flowers on the trail underfoot. Back home, the big, red knuckles of my rhubarb are up with the first crinkly leaves, and my roses and raspberries are popping out with new leaves. I’m getting excited about the Headlight Herald Home and Garden Show at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds April 6 and 7. My head is full of home improvement and garden design ideas I would like to accomplish this year. The Home and Garden Show will be the perfect place to connect with local businesses who can help me with my projects. It’s not to late to get a booth at the show for your business – give us a call and we’ll be happy to sign you up. Spring, like Easter, represent hope and renewal, promise, new life. I like to think in springtime about the things I can do better: this year I can plant tomatoes earlier, be more vigilant about slug control and move my plants that are failing to thrive. Beyond the garden, I can be a better mom. This year I’d like to find an outdoor activity my son wants to do with me. I can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our diet. I can role model more activity and healthier food choices for both of us. At work, there are ways that we can be better, too. We’re working really hard to produce a good community newspaper, but there is room for improvement. In the coming weeks Chris Olson and I will be calling on businesses and asking what we can do to better serve our customers. We want to hear from you: what you like and dislike about working with the Headlight Herald. Don’t spare us; we want to hear it. We want to know how we can improve, and in turn, help your businesses to grow. On the news side of things, we receive fairly regular complaints that we failed to print the photos (usually of kids) that people wanted to see in the paper. Let me say that we want to print the photos you want to see, and we need your help. Please take the pictures you’d like to see in the paper and email them to editor@orcoastnews.com with the pertinent information: who, what, when, where, etc. If the photos are in focus and high resolution, we’ll print them as space allows and gladly give you photo credit. Happy Easter and happy spring to all of you from all of us here at the Headlight Herald. We’ll see you at the Home and Garden Show!
CONTACT ELECTED OFFICIALS State Senator, District 16 Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) Room S-318 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 986-1716 sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us State Rep., District 32 Deborah Boone (D-Cannon Beach) Room H-375 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 986-1432 rep.deborahboone@state.or.us State Senator, District 5 Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) Room S-417 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 986-1705
rep.arnieroblan@state.or.us State Rep., District 10 David Gomberg (D-Lincoln City) Room H-371 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 986-1410 rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us County Commissioners: Courthouse 201 Laurel Ave. Tillamook, OR 97141 Phone: (503) 842-3403 Fax: (503) 842-1384 • Mark Labhart, chair; mlabhart@co.tillamook.or.us • Bill Baertlein; vice-chair; bbaertle@co.tillamook.or.us • Tim Josi tjosi@co.tillamook.or.us
We want to hear from you, and encourage you to write letters to the editor. Because of space limitations, shorter letters have a better chance of being printed. We may edit your letter for style, grammar and clarity, although we do as little editing as possible. Letters longer than 350 words will be edited. Thank-you letters are limited to mentioning individuals and non-commercial organizations. Letters received after noon on Friday may not be in time for the following Wednesday’s paper. We also encourage your longer, guest editorials. These might be columns written by newsmakers, public officials or organization representatives. These can run a little longer in length. To verify authenticity, all guest opinions must be signed and include your address and daytime phone number. We won’t print your street address or phone number. Submissions may be emailed to editor@orcoast news.com or sent via mail or dropped off to Headlight Herald, 1908 Second St., Tillamook, OR 97141. Any guest opinion may appear on the Headlight Herald’s website.
READERS’ OPEN FORUM Thank yous and sympathy are in order Thank you to both Sheriff Long and the Headlight Herald for the article “Police identify the killer of Pecos the cat” in the March 13, 2013, edition of the newspaper. Sheriff Long and his team have let it be known to United Paws that they want to hear about animal abuse in the county. This is a great step forward for our community. No longer will cruelty to animals be tolerated! Thank you also to the Headlight Herald for giving this story front-page prominence, proving that editors at the newspaper also know that cruelty to animals is a serious matter affecting all of us. The Dark Ages, when cats were used as target practice, are over. And that includes all cats - feral, barn, stray, as well as pet. Lastly but most importantly, heartfelt sympathy to the Slavens family, whose beloved cat, Pecos, was killed in such a brutal way.
Christine Watt Co-Founder of United Paws of Tillamook Nehalem
Thank you for making our anniversary fantastic We had a wonderful anniversary weekend at the Garibaldi House Inn and Suites. The people are so friendly and the food delicious. At 3 p.m. they had Tillamook cheese and crackers, sliced meat, and apples. At 5 p.m. there was delicious soup and bread. In the
morning was delicious breakfast, with lots of food to choose from. My sisters Ruby Fry-Matson and Mary Fry who work and volunteer at the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, bid on a two-day stay donated by Garibaldi House at an auction benefit for Bay City Arts Center. They gave us the certificate as a Christmas gift. When I called to make a reservation I mentioned it was our anniversary. The clerk must have noted that, because there was a red rose in a beautiful vase and chocolates waiting in our room. It was a fantastic 34th wedding anniversary because of Garibaldi House and my sisters. Thanks.
Bob and Alice Scott Keizer, OR
Coach clarification I am offering this information as a clarification for a recent article and a letter, which appeared in your paper on successive weeks. I was the Head Wrestling Coach at Neah-KahNie High School for 30 years, from 1977- 2007. H.D. Weddell helped me coach wrestling quite early in his coaching and teaching career. To see him inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 6th will indeed be an honor for me. H.D. is a very deserving individual. He gives his all and it is all for the good of kids. Many students have been touch and influenced by his kind heart felt demeanor. I am very pleased that the Hall of Fame Committee chose H.D. for this honor.
Ray Downs
Dog Owners should be respectful! I live behind a nice little park on the South end of Rockaway Beach. Beside that park is a nice community garden and on the other side is a small lake. Nice area, but don't walk anywhere! People constantly walk their dogs, let them poop, and leave it. I even saw someone with a large dog who pooped in the yard of a neighbor, pick it up and then throw it in the park. What is wrong with people? If you own and walk your dog you should be responsible enough to pick it up and dispose of it at home. My grandchildren try to play in the park, and many other people try to occasionally use the park, but it’s spotted with dog poop and stinks in the summer. I don’t know if there are any laws against this, but if I find out there are, then I will start taking pictures and turn you all in. I see a lot of people doing this here and it is so awful and so disrespectful to your neighbors and others who try to use and enjoy this area.
Robin McDonald Rockaway Beach
“Tacky” trees keep highways safe In response to Ruth Curry and her letter about the trees along Highway 101 looking "tacky," I fully understand why you and other people would dislike how the trees along the highway look immediately after they are trimmed by the State Highway Department's brush cutter. However, the fresh cuts
on these trees will only be noticeable for a short time. There is only one brush cutter and the State crew has what I would guess to be a couple hundred miles of highway to maintain from the Tillamook shop. They cannot groom the roadsides like a landscaping crew. The whole purpose of the trimming is to help keep the highways safe for all of us. The State workers should be thanked by us all. Instead they are ridiculed and talked negatively about for something as petty as some tree limbs that are not neatly trimmed. People have no idea what these workers do to keep our highways open and safe. They repeatedly put themselves in danger to make sure we can get where we need to go. These men and women go out at all hours of the day and night to clear slides and road debris, often during severe storms. I, for one, am very thankful for all the work that our State road crew does.
Brandon Affolter Tillamook
Brush cutting is not a good sight for visitors It is unbelievable what we are seeing as we drive south on 101. The brush cutting is done every year but never to the extent that they are doing this year. When talking to ODOT their explanation is that they have this new piece of equipment and it reaches even farther than the old one. Is that a good reason for the devastation they are leaving behind?
See LETTERS, Page A5
TBCC CONNECTIONS
First, the good news: Tillamook Bay Community College is reaching some of our most important populations. Of the 1253 students, both credit and non-credit, who enrolled fall term, 59 indicated they were veterans and 73 The Headlight Herald is published weekly by Country Media, Inc. at 1908 2nd St.,Tillamook, OR 97141 were high school students. Over 300 stu(503) 842-7535 •Toll Free 1-800-275-7799 USPS 238-300 dents were enrolling for the first time ever. Between 80 and 90 percent of last year’s Mary students completed their classes successfulDon Classified & Legals Faith Bell ly, with a grade of C or better. The average Patterson • Sandi McLendon Editor, Director of age was 28, but we’re seeing the whole General legals@orcoastnews.com Sales range of students, from 15 to 82. Manger Advertising Now, the bad news: TBCC, along with mfbell@countrymedia.net dpatterson@countrymedia.net • Chris Olson most other educational institutions in the colson@countrymedia.net state, is expecting a shortfall in resources needed to maintain its current level of Josiah Sayde Production Darr Moser operations in the 2013-2014 school year. • Susan Pengelly Sports Senior For TBCC, the shortfall is between ten and spengelly@countrymedia.net Editor Reporter twelve percent of the operating budget. The Circulation reasons are the same ones we’ve been sports@orcoastnews.com smoser@countrymedia.net • Lora Ressler hearing about for the last few years: lressler@countrymedia.net increased health care and retirement costs, Joe Chris dwindling reserves. Wrabek Olson President Green and her staff have News Advertising made several recommendations to get to a Reporter Sales COUNTRY balanced budget next year and will present MEDIA those to the college’s budget committee on jwrabek@countrymedia.net colson@countrymedia.net The Headlight Herald is part April 15 for review. They include holding Annual subscription rates: of the Country Media family open a vacant full-time Foundation/Special $38.99 in Tillamook County of newspapers. Projects position, reducing the community $54.99 out of county education coordinator’s position and a clerPOSTMASTER: Send address changes and notice of undelivered ical position to half-time, forgoing step and copies to Headlight Herald, P.O. Box 444, Tillamook, OR 97141. Periodicals Postage paid at Tillamook, OR 97141 and at additional cost-of-living increases for staff and using mailing offices. © 2004 by the Headlight-Herald. No portion of this funds from a reserve fund. newspaper may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. The budget also anticipates a $5 per-
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credit increase in tuition. This is the most difficult decision the Board, the President and the staff have to make. No one wants to increase tuition. As a recent report in the OREGONIAN stated, students in Oregon pay 20 percent above the national average; only 17 states ask their students to pay Debbie Lincoln more. Added to low state support, Oregon’s universities and community colleges have experienced the highest enrollment growth of any state in the country. Income taxes (which fund the state’s general fund) and lottery money are the resources used by the Legislature to fund education. Tuition picks up the rest of the costs at the universities (a simplistic explanation, but basically true). For the community colleges, the funding situation is a little more complicated. Colleges have a local property tax base, which they share with K12 schools, in addition to state support and tuition. That tax base is limited by several measures passed by voters in the 1990s. When the original property tax limitation, Measure 5, was passed, state support for community colleges was the largest piece of the pie. The state’s general fund provided more than 50 percent of community college budgets; property taxes supported 30 percent, tuition picked up less
than 20 percent. Now, at TBCC, the proportion of state funding totals just over 20 percent of the budget. Tuition picks up nearly 27 percent. Governor Kitzhaber and the Legislature’s leadership have recommended a substantial increase in the community college support fund—about 8 percent. How this will translate into funding for TBCC will depend on final legislative action and choices made by state leaders on how to distribute the funds among the seventeen colleges. An 8 percent increase in TBCC’s budget barely covers additional PERS costs. State leaders have a difficult job pulling together a budget that balances education, prisons, the social safety net and many other priorities, given the state’s cobbledtogether tax system and program demands driven by ballot initiatives, particularly in the criminal justice area. We all have a responsibility to ensure that education remains a top priority. Only education, after all, has the potential to lower costs in criminal justice and social programs and improve the business climate across the state. Especially in rural areas like Tillamook County. The TBCC Board and President Connie Green welcome your comments and thoughts. The Board meets the first Monday of every month beginning at 6:00 p.m. Or you can reach any of us by calling the college at 503/842-8222, ext. 1000.