In this update:
– tournament 3/15 5pm
– teen night 3/20 6-8pm
– game of the month prize opportunity
– NKNHS field trip to NCP
– tech day, free 3PM Tuesdays
– pinball tastings are back
– AA meeting on hiatus
– politics
Sunday, March 15 at 5 PM is Tournament Night; we do this every month on the third Sunday. I doubt that our brand new Pokemon pinball machine will be here by then, but if it is, you can be sure that it will be in the mix. Last month we had nine players join us; congrats to Tim for taking home the trophy. Will it be you this month?
And then Friday March 20th from 6-8 PM is Teen Night! Free pinball, free soft drinks, free activities, free space to just sit on one of our oversized beanbags. Last month there was a really interesting craft project. What will it be this month? Thanks as always to Christy Kay of Rising Hearts Studio in Nehalem for her hosting and fundraising efforts to keep this going. You can contact her with questions or make a donation at (503) 800-1292.
Our “Game of the Month” this month is Who Dunnit (1995). This is a special game that–together with the incomparable Tales of the Arabian Nights (1996)–is on loan from Michael Long, of A Coastal Lock-N-Key. If you take the best score on Who Dunnit and it holds until April 1, you’ll get a prize. (And if you beat my personal best of 8.6 billion points, you’ll also get special bragging rights.) Congratulations to Gabe for his outstanding February score of 542,278,560 on Avengers Infinity Quest. As of this moment, The Who Dunnit leader is Kurt at 4.8 billion. We love our friends from Portland but let’s get a local in here to take the prize. Will it be you?
There was a field trip here from NKNHS last Tuesday! We’ve been doing these for a few years and it’s always a pleasure. The kiddos spent some time behind the scenes and “under the hood” of the machines, learning to diagnose and fix problems, learning about the history and culture of pinball, and–most importantly perhaps–playing the games. This month a student replaced a melted diverter coil on Tales of the Arabian Nights.
Speaking of which, Tech Day at North Coast Pinball is every Tuesday from 3:00 to 5:30 PM. RSVP by Monday evening by texting (503) 343-4783 to join me in servicing the games and learning what makes them tick. It’s free and no experience is required!
And in related news, I’ve resumed our daily “pinball tastings” at 10:00 AM after taking a 1-year break. This is a really fun private event where you can experience your own version of the NKNHS field trip. Learn more and book online at AirBnB.com/x/pinball.
The weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that has been happening here on Thursdays is–just for now–suspended. I believe and hope the meetings will resume in the near future. I have been invited to privately share the contact information of the person who has been organizing these meetings, so if you would like more information please reach out to me personally and I can put you in touch.
On Tuesday, March 10, Nehalem’s City Council will consider a resolution similar to those considered by other nearby towns recently. The resolution affirms the “humanity, dignity, and constitutional principles; condemning the use of aggressive and unwarranted tactics, racial profiling, lack of due process, use of unmarked vehicles, masked agents and unidentifiable personnel in immigration enforcement activities and deem[s] such tactics as harmful to public trust, community safety, and constitutional protections.” Regardless of their decision, I’m asking you become more actively involved in the affairs of local government, where your opportunity to make an impact is highest. You are needed; learn more at runforoffice.org.
Another opportunity to get involved is to visit Nehalem on Saturdays from noon to 2 PM at the corner parking lot to join a weekly gathering of folks protesting the warmongering and escalating abuses perpetrated by the current administration. They and I will be glad to see you there.
That’s all I can think of for now. Ask me anything and stay tuned in the coming months for book updates. Teaser here– mysterytoken.pub.
See you in April!
Will Irace
northcoastpinball.com
WillFromNehalem.substack.com
March 9, 2026
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