Author: North Coast BBQ

Greetings from the North County Resistance group. We will be PROTESTING once again on November 8, in Nehalem, from noon to 2 PM. We will gather at the main intersection in Nehalem; parking is available nearby. Look for our signs and friendly faces to join in. We do hope you will join us. My phone is showing me it will be cloudy and cool. The 21 people who met last Saturday to PROTEST got a little wet. It was fine when we started and then there was a mad dash to cars to get the rain gear on. So, dress in layers and don’t forget the rain gear. Bring your signs if you have some—we always have some to share. I like to bring a chair, but with the rain last week sitting was not so comfortable.

When 2 PM came last week we all gave a huge cheer to one another.

5 weeks plus of the Government Shutdown. Absolutely no winners in this game. The American people are the losers. SNAP benefits cut in half and food banks are serving at least twice as many people. We are very lucky to live where we do as so many people are stepping up with donations, cash, and such to help provide food for many in our community.

Every can of food or dollar donated helps a local family in need—just bring your items to the protest or drop them off. Yes, we continue to collect food for the North County Food Bank at our PROTEST. You don’t have to be part of the PROTEST, but just drop off food, checks, cash for whatever organization you wish to donate, and we will get your donation where you want it to go.

A couple of addresses for you would be North County Food Bank, PO Box 162, Wheeler, Oregon 97147. Currently the NCFB cannot take clothing. The Nehalem Bay Community Services Food Pantry in Nehalem is taking both food, clean clothing and bedding, blankets, and such. Let’s start getting those closets cleaned out—we’re not the same size we used to be. Both organizations are doing their best to help in this crisis.

Last week, one participant shared how receiving food from the pantry made a difference for their family. Moments like these remind us why we come together—thank you for being part of this caring community.

Ideas for giving food include, breads, cereal, meats, frozen meals, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, fresh produce, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats, peanut butter and jelly, soup, chili, catsup, mayo, flower, sugar, yeast, to just name a few items. Consider a box of food to feed a family of 4 for a day or two. You get the drift and the gift! Save your receipts for a tax deduction if you qualify.

Thanks to this generous community for all your donations and support so far. We have just a little over two weeks until Thanksgiving. Kids will be out of school with no breakfast or lunch they would normally get at school on Thursday and Friday. How can you help with that? What would your kids want?

Best,

Patty Rinehart

It is narrow, only 20 feet. I believe that in the YouTube video of the Council Meeting on October 5, 2025, it was said there would not even be a yellow stripe down the center.

This is an arterial used by large RVs (busses, even) and trailers to and from the State Park. It will become much busier. It’s already narrower than it should be (which is 22 feet according to the extensive planning the State ODOT gave us), and the $400,000 Manzanita paid to a superior national engineering firm. That firm was fired, their excellent plan discarded. (It had a west retaining wall to designed to curtail long-term road failure on the west side). A contractor who bid unsuccessfully on that $400,000 design now has a legal protest against the City.

The new design has no western retaining wall, only paying for a City-built $400,000 cost Classic Cottages wall. The Cottages neighborhood will then own and keep up the wall built by the City.

When it comes to a “Value vs. Cost” equation, the City, for a pittance of difference between a higher value, better lasting road and a slightly cheaper narrow road, has chosen the latter. Another classic decision.

At their November 5th Meeting, our Council will consider passage of a Resolution to reduce the paving width of a portion of Classic Street as part of the current reconstruction project that in effect would create vehicle travel lanes that will only meet the minimum standards for a residential street. Classic Street is not a residential street, it is a Collector Street that carries more and larger vehicles than a residential street is designed for. The Council should be prepared to explain how approving a street design intended for neighborhood residential streets protects the public’s health, safety and welfare given the volume and type of vehicles that travel on Classic Street.

Unless a City Ordinance contains language that grants the Council authority to consider changes, a Council is not authorized to alter the minimum standards contained in a City Ordinance no matter how expedient or well intentioned the reason. The City Council in 1991 that enacted the lane width standards for Manzanita streets under Section 3 of Ordinance 91-2 intentionally omitted any provisions or process that would allow future Councils to reduce total paving widths to less than 22 feet for Collector Streets.

The relationship between an Ordinance as a permanent enforceable law and a Council Resolution is not a particularly difficult concept for the Council to understand. The primacy of a City Ordinance over a Council Resolution is made clear to each Councilor as they pledge to uphold existing Ordinances upon taking their oath of office.

The saying when you find yourself in a hole, quit digging fits the Council’s present predicament. This project lurches from one questionable decision to another and trying to tidy up the mess with this Resolution only heightens the Council’s desperation to regain community confidence.

Wednesday night is an integrity check for Council members. Will any of them quit digging and say no to this Resolution or will they continue to dig in unison?

Randy Kugler

Editor’s Note
This Q&A is based on an interview with Julia Wentzel (Regional Manager, Tillamook County
Services, Oregon Food Bank) on what changes to SNAP mean for our community. Listen to the full interview at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVvP2bCONic

Q: What is SNAP, and how does it affect Tillamook County?
A: SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, is
government support that helps low-income families buy food. In Tillamook County, about
one in six residents and one in four children rely on SNAP. Yet, many more people qualify
and aren’t receiving benefits. It’s a significant part of how families put food on the table.

Q: How will upcoming changes to SNAP affect our community?
A: Starting January 1, 2026 changes mandated by federal legislation (H.R. 1) will make it much harder for able-bodied adults to qualify. Currently, adults who are struggling but able-bodied can still receive limited assistance. That waiver will end, meaning those individuals can only receive SNAP for three months every three years. Even though the policy targets adults, it will ripple through families. Parents are the ones buying food, after
all.

Q: And now, with the potential government shutdown, how does that play into this?
A: If the shutdown continues, SNAP benefits could be frozen for everyone beginning November 1. The USDA has chosen not to use contingency funds this time, so benefits that usually refill monthly simply won’t appear. Families are panicking. We’ve already seen a surge in visits to food pantries across Tillamook as people try to prepare for losing those benefits.

Q: What can people do to help right now?
A: The number one way to help is by donating funds. Financial donations allow us to buy
food in bulk and stretch dollars further. You can donate at oregonfoodbank.org and select the Tillamook location to keep funds local. Food donations are also welcome, especially
shelf-stable, healthy items, but please call first since our sites are short-staffed. Another big help is creative community support: pay-it-forward grocery programs, food drives, or even picking up an extra bag of groceries for a neighbor. And of course, advocate. Food insecurity is a result of policy decisions, not food shortages. Reaching out to legislators matters.

Q: Who can visit a food pantry?
A: Anyone who needs to. Pantries ask that you self-identify as needing food, but no proof of
income is required. We collect minimal information, and you can remain anonymous if you
wish. To find a pantry near you, visit oregonfoodfinder.org . You can search by location or need.

Q: How big is the economic impact of SNAP locally?
A: SNAP brings about half a million dollars a month into Tillamook County. That money
supports local grocery stores, farmers, and businesses. When SNAP benefits are cut, it
doesn’t just affect families. It affects our entire local economy.

Q: Any final thoughts?
A: We’re so grateful to the Tillamook community. The need right now is beyond what food
banks alone can meet, but people here truly care. As we head into the holidays, remember that food is a basic human right, and even a small act of generosity can make a huge
difference for a neighbor in need.

Learn more or donate at oregonfoodbank.org

Note: This interview was conducted on October 29, 2025. Federal funding for SNAP
benefits during the federal government shutdown is in flux. On October 31st, a federal court
ruling ordered the Administration to use contingency funding to provide SNAP entitlements
for November. However, the rollout of SNAP benefits in Oregon may be delayed.
Let’s Talk Tillamook is an independent community project led by experienced broadcasters
and journalists dedicated to providing accurate, factual information and thoughtful conversations for the people of Tillamook County.