Category: General Interest

Submitted By: rkinor@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

City budgets in Oregon include what is called an unappropriated ending fund balance (UEFB) for the General Fund. Budgeting money in the UEFB ensures that a City has enough General Fund revenue to fund services from July 1 when the annual budget is adopted until November when property taxes are collected by the County and distributed to the City. 

Best practices recommended by the  Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) as to the  appropriate amount of UEFB to meet this interim funding need is 5 to 15% of operating revenue or 1 to 2 months of actual General Fund expenditures. 

As City officials regularly remind us, Manzanita collects far less property taxes than most cities and is therefore less dependent on them to pay for General Fund services. This fact when aligned with GFOA best practices would generously justify a General Fund UEFB of approximately $500,000.

 The UEFB in the proposed City Budget for the General Fund is $3,963,927.

This budgeting of an excessive UEFB has been taking place for the past 4 years and this Council has approved and never questioned why the City Manager has been doing this.

The consequences of this Budgetary malpractice is  that millions of dollars each year are not appropriated and sit unused in the General Fund. 

Perhaps the Council could explain why:
Some of these funds couldn’t be transferred to the Water Fund to help fund operation and maintenance costs while simultaneously providing residents a reasonable amount of water at lower rates?

Given this surplus of General Fund revenue,  what is the justification to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars OUT of the Water Fund to the General Fund to pay expenses of City Hall staff?

This Council consistently advances policies to ensure Manzanita is a year round tourist destination. At the same time, Councilors are contemplating charging residents a monthly fee for increased street maintenance that is needed for maintenance in large part as the result of thousands of visitor vehicles contributing to the wear on our streets. Why aren’t some of the millions of Short Term Rental funds now locked up in the UEFB being transferred to the Road Fund to address the deterioration of streets caused by visitors?

To those who complain about my sharing my observations on Manzanita City government through social media and criticize  my lack of participation on a City committee,  be aware that each of the three times my application to serve on the City Budget Committee has been rejected, the reason given was due to me not having the qualifications that the City was looking for. Translation:  We can’t risk having someone with more experience and knowledge of municipal Budgeting than the City Manager on the Committee when we can appoint someone with no municipal Budgeting experience and who is less likely to ask questions we prefer not to answer. 

The UEFB was never intended to be used by cities as a rainy day reserve  account to stash away General Fund revenue collections. This unfortunate circumstance in our City is compounded by the fact that City officials continue to enact policy decisions based on the false representations to citizens of the need to continue to both increase existing charges and create new fees for services because revenue is not keeping up with expenses. 

Our Budget Committee is currently meeting to prepare the FY 2026 – 27 Budget. Ask some questions. 

Randy Kugler

Submitted By: stayhuman@tutamail.com – Click to email about this post

rumble.com/v78z9nm-massive-rainfall-after-iran-destroys-u.s.-weather-modification-radar.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp_a

Submitted By: babbles@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

from our online newspaper Tillamook County Pioneer. THANK YOU to the editor for creating “Questions for the Candidates.”

these answers from our two candidates for Tillamook County Commission should help you decide for whom to cast your vote.

om peace namaste

lucy brook
nehalem resident
tillamook county
oregon

TILLAMOOK COUNTY PIONEER’S QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES MAY 19, 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION: TILLAMOOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER, POSITION 3
Posted on April 26, 2026 by Editor

It’s election time – a Primary Election with several important positions being decided. Here’s the Tillamook County Pioneer”s “Questions for the Candidates.” This provides our communities with our expanded election coverage and an introduction to the candidates with an unbiased view to compare the candidates side-by-side on important issues. All candidates were provided with the same questions; the questions were provided by a wide variety of Tillamook County residents. If you have other “questions for the candidates” – please forward them to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net.

Tillamook County Commissioner, Position 3
There are two candidates for this nonpartisan position:
Mary Faith Bell (incumbent)
Jeff Spink

ANSWERS from Mary Faith Bell (incumbent)

1) Why should we vote for you? Give us your 2 minute “elevator speech” – about 250 to 300 words.

I am a Tillamook County Commissioner serving in my second term, running for reelection. I bring to the office a wealth of experience, knowledge, subject matter expertise, relationships, and connections essential to getting things done in Tillamook County.

I am the commissioner liaison to the Tillamook County Library system, Tillamook County Parks, Emergency Management, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), Tillamook County Citizens Corps Council (TC4), South Tillamook County Emergency Volunteer Corps, Tillamook County Circuit Court, the Sheriff’s Office, the Juvenile Department, the District Attorney’s Office, Tillamook Coast Visitors Association (TCVA), Economic Development Council (EDC), the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Colombia-Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac), Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA), the Soil and Water Conservation District, Tillamook Bay Community College (TBCC) and the Tillamook County Fair.

I hold leadership roles in these community organizations:

Tillamook Bay Community College Board of Education, chair, 13 years

Economic Development Council of Tillamook County Board of Directors, chair, 7 years

Northwest Oregon Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, vice chair, 7 years

Tides of Change Board of Directors, chair, 3 years

I am a native Oregonian, and I have lived in Tillamook County for 21 years; 11 years in south Tillamook County, and the last 10 years in north county. I raised my son here; he graduated from Tillamook High. Prior to being elected as county commissioner I was the director of communications and marketing for Adventist Health Tillamook, and previous to that I was the editor and general manager of the Tillamook Headlight Herald. Those jobs gave me broad exposure to people and issues in Tillamook County and provided the perfect jumping off point for public service.

My core value is service. Being a commissioner allows me to be broadly of service to everyone in my community and to practice the principles of servant leadership on a daily basis.

2 and 3. What are the most important issues facing Tillamook County? How would you solve these issues?

Emergency preparedness: Tillamook County has more declared emergencies than any other Oregon county due in part to the abundance of rivers in our county and the potential for flooding, as well as windstorms, landslides, and resultant damage. Many areas of the county regularly experience power outages and road closures due to storms. Additionally, we live in the shadow of the Cascadia subduction zone off the coast, with the potential to produce a massive earthquake and tsunami. Preparedness for emergencies that are common to our area and for the “big one” is essential to the well-being and resilience of our communities. Developing a sustainable culture of preparedness for our communities is vital, life saving work.

We are making tremendous progress in this area. In the last seven years preparedness work has expanded to every community in Tillamook County with tsunami inundation zones and dynamic public/private partnerships have developed. I am passionate about this work and want to continue it.

Housing: the need for housing has long been on the list of top problems in Tillamook County. We have made significant progress in that area in the past five years with the formation of the Tillamook County Housing Commission, creation of programs to incentivize development of workforce housing, and investment in a housing coordinator to lead the work. As a result, there are approximately 150 new units of housing in Tillamook County, at least that many currently in the pipeline, and more yet in the conceptual stage. What we are doing is unique to Tillamook County and it is successful. I am eager to continue this good work!

Roads: The work of the Tillamook County Road Department is as much about managing water that flows under our roads and managing storm damage as it is about paving. With five major rivers flowing into Tillamook Bay in central Tillamook County, the Nestucca River in the south and the Nehalem River in the north and dozens of creeks, streams and tributaries that feed them, managing water is a unique and expensive challenge for our county. We have 386 miles of county roads and 118 bridges; that is one bridge per every 3 miles of road. Bridges cost millions of dollars to build, repair, and replace. Additionally, we have 4000 culverts. To put that into perspective, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for 40,000 culverts statewide; that means that Tillamook County has 10 percent of the culverts in the state.

Even with state and federal matches for some (but not all) bridges, culverts and storm repairs, the road department budget is stretched paper thin. There are projects and expenses slated over the next five years that exceed anticipated revenue.

The road department used to be well funded by federal timber dollars. As harvest levels declined due to environmental lawsuits and the endangered species act in the 1990s, staffing decreased from 50 to 25 people, and the state of our roads deteriorated until we had the worst roads in the state. In 2013 the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) committed to investing 30 percent of the county Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) revenue to the roads department to shore up funding, and voters passed a $15 million road bond. That combination of funding support was successful, and our roads are now rated in the middle of the pack compared to other counties.

I am committed to maintaining 30 percent TLT funding for roads because we need it there. A mandatory per-mile road usage charge is scheduled to begin phasing in for EV drivers starting Jan. 2027, intended to recover lost gas tax revenue. I would like to work with our state legislators to consider a legislative fix for the fact that revenue for roads is tied to registration; however, almost half of Tillamook County homes are second homes, owned by people whose primary residence and registration is in another county, and that county gets the registration revenues.

Protecting vulnerable citizens: Campaigning for re-election is a great opportunity to talk to people and ask what they think are the most serious problems in the county. This year, for the first time since I have been a commissioner, a number of people have identified vulnerable citizens as their biggest concern. Examples include the growing number of people experiencing food insecurity and seeking food from food banks. The federal government has decreased funding to food banks and decreased food assistance benefits while costs for food, gas and essentials have risen dramatically. At two different community gatherings this month, citizens have asked what the county can do to help food banks meet the growing demands of hungry citizens.

That is a great question. Providing food or funding for food has never been a responsibility of the county, and we don’t have revenue for it. Yet we certainly care. As a board we believe that food is a human right and we don’t want anyone in Tillamook County to go without food. So, what can we do?

Commissioners have the power to convene groups to work on solutions together. I will commit to convening a group to discuss food insecurity and brainstorm solutions. I don’t know what those solutions are yet, but the food systems that we used to rely on to provide for vulnerable people have been reduced by the federal government, and the result is that more local people and families are hungry. Perhaps it is time for us as a community to step up and take on a greater degree of responsibility for feeding our neighbors.

4) Tell us what the best things are about Tillamook County.

I fell in love with Tillamook County when I was working at the Headlight Herald. I had written a story about a local homeless man and his cat who were living on Hoquarton Slough. The outpouring of generosity from the community in response to this man’s story was extraordinary. For several weeks people delivered thoughtful gifts at the Headlight Herald office for the man about whom I wrote: lidded waterproof buckets full of camping supplies, shelf stable food, coats, rain gear, sleeping bags, gift cards, bags and bags of cat food, and once, an offer of work. For a while I had 60 pounds of donated cat food stored in the Headlight Herald office broom closet. The newsroom door on Second Street opened, I glanced up from my computer, and in would walk someone looking self-conscious about dropping off a gift for a stranger they read about in the paper. They told me, ‘I’ve never done anything like this before. I just felt like I had to do something.’ They surprised themselves. It happened over and over until I felt like I was witnessing the beating heart of the community.

Around the same time CARE, Inc., was starting an emergency warming center operated entirely by volunteers. At the first volunteer training session 50 local people showed up to volunteer to work shifts for the warming center. The Red Cross trainer looked at our group in amazement, and said, “I did a training like this in Portland recently, and eight people showed up. You have 50. This community should be so proud.”

What I learned from the outpouring of care for the homeless man and the amazing crew of warming center volunteers is that Tillamook County has a huge heart. People care deeply and want to know what they can do to make a difference. We love our neighbors and come together to help one another more than anyplace else I know. That is the best thing about Tillamook County.

5) We are experiencing the erosion of morals and trust in our society. What are your guiding morals?

The teachings of Christ. I grew up in the Catholic church. Catholics are Christians, of course, and I consider the teachings of Christ a blueprint for living, at the heart of which is love: love God, love your neighbor as yourself, and love your enemies. Christ calls on us to practice love through acts of service, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner, showing compassion toward the poor, the sick, the marginalized and the rejected because service to vulnerable people is service to God: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

6) Why should citizens trust you, and how would you rebuild trust in government?

I have proven myself to be trustworthy, honest, transparent, and sincere. I don’t have the heart of a politician, but rather, that of a servant leader. I have proven myself to be human, imperfect, striving for improvement, which tends to make me more trustworthy. People trust me because I listen, I work to connect with people where they are, and to offer my support.

7) How do you think you can make a difference?

I am already making a difference as a county commissioner in the lives of people, in their businesses, in emergency preparedness, in county government, in employee morale, in housing, education and support for the arts. Sometimes I can solve problems for people and make a tangible difference, and other times I make someone feel better than they did before they talked to me. They walk away lighter, feeling heard, supported, uplifted. I am asking for your vote in order to continue making a difference in our community.

8) Speaking of differences, government and politics are more divided than ever, how will you work across the aisle, with others that have differing views?

Tillamook County Commissioner is a non-partisan office, as it should be; each of us represents all of the county. It is my job and my nature to connect with people. I am genuinely interested in people and what matters to them. I listen carefully and lean in, across the table, across the aisle, and focus on what I have in common with people. As a faithful person, I look for God in people. I am far more interested in shared values than I am in the things that separate us. Shared values are the fertile ground for meaningful work and connection.

9) What are your three favorite books?

I drive a lot for work, and I take advantage of my driving time listening to audio books. I would like to share my three favorite audio books so far this year, starting with Tattoos on the Heart: the Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Gregory Boyle, Jesuit priest, and founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, CA. Homeboy Industries is a gang intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program. Tattoos on the Heart is the story of the ministry and the true stories of the gang members whose lives have been turned around and saved, and others whose lives were lost. The book is inspiring, funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting. The message is two-fold: that people need honest work in order to flourish, and that healing happens in the context of kinship, community, and compassion. It is a beautiful testimony to the teachings of Christ without being preachy. The book is truly a marvel. The audible version narrated by the author is wonderful.

The second is a This is Happiness, by Irish novelist Niall Williams. This book is beautifully written, lyrical, gorgeous, hilarious, charming, a coming-of-age novel set in the 1950s in a rural Irish village awaiting the coming of electricity. The story line (warning, it is slow, as life in the fictional village of Faha is slow) is a vehicle for the fabulous cast of characters and a dazzling variety of love and loss – young love, doomed love, the deep sustenance of elderly married love, unrequited love, the love of elders for the young and vice versa, abandoned love, hope-sustaining love, the interminable regret of squandered love, and grief that bruises the love that comes after. Reading this book is happiness, and listening to the audio version narrated by Dermot Crowley in his delightful Irish brogue is a joy.

Third is Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel. Wolf Hall, a Man Booker prize-winning historical fiction novel about the reign of King Henry VIII and his advisor Thomas Cromwell during the Tudor period in 16th-century England is in my top ten favorite books. I reread it every five years or so for the pure pleasure of it. Better yet, Wolf Hall is the first book in a trilogy of extraordinary novels. Having read it several times, I was intrigued by a glowing review of the 2020 audio version narrated by Royal Shakespearean Company actor Ben Miles. I had not listened to Wolf Hall previously, and I tell you, it is wonderful! I can’t wait to get back in my truck.

10) What are your hobbies and interests?

My hobbies and interests include reading, writing, baking, gardening, hiking, fishing, wild places, and the company of dogs.

11) Tell us about a significant time in your life and how it impacted your life.

In 2016 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a time of extraordinary fear and anxiety, and preemptive grief for everyone and everything I did not want to lose. I was young, not ready to die. In the months between diagnosis and surgery I pondered whether I had accomplished my purpose in life. Had I done the things I was meant to do? Or had I put important things off, assuming I would have more time?

There were gifts in cancer beyond survival. I received the gift of clarity in terms of what I want to do with whatever time is left to me. A shedding of distractions and a sharpening of focus. I felt like a distilled version of myself, concentrated.

I learned how much I was loved. We don’t always know until something happens. I was surrounded and supported by family, friends, and coworkers to such a degree that I felt carried by love through the trauma of cancer. I experienced it as grace beyond measure.

In the wake of cancer, I wanted the rest of my life to be about service, service to my community, to my friends and family, to my fellow humans. I wanted to be of service broadly, in new ways, which led me to consider running for the office of county commissioner. The love and support I received when I had cancer showed me that if I wanted to run for office, I would have abundant help. I am deeply grateful to say that this has proven absolutely true. I am so blessed.

12) Please write a haiku about Spring.

Big, black bumblebees
Guarding lily-white blossoms
Dive bombing my head

JEFF SPINK
1) Why should we vote for you? Give us your 2 minute “elevator speech” – about 250 to 300 words.

As a Tillamook County resident, veteran and small business leader, I bring to the table a record of service, accountability and practical problem-solving.
After serving honorably in the U.S. Air Force, I built a successful career in business management and sales by building relationships and trust. These relationships give me firsthand insight into the challenges faced by working families, small business, and rural communities. I believe in a county government that listens, operates transparently, with focus on local priorities — not outside mandates. I am running for Tillamook County Commissioner to ensure that local voices help shape the future of our county.
My priorities:
● Strengthen economic development
● Protect property rights
● Support fair and reasonable taxation
● Advocate for veterans and first responders
● Advocate for seniors and working families
● Advocate for mental health services
● Ensure open and accountable leadership

Tillamook County faces complex challenges: Revenue shortfalls, a shrinking tax base, environmental regulations, infrastructure needs, and ongoing state legislative pressures that affect growth and development. Addressing these issues requires steady leadership, practical decision-making and fiscal responsibility.
My decision approach is simple:
● How does it affect residents?
● How does it impact taxpayers?
● How does it benefit Tillamook County as a whole?
Leadership should be grounded in service — not politics. I am committed to working thoughtfully and deliberately to move our county forward.
I would be honored to be your voice, your seat at the table.
Think Spink

2 and 3) What are the most important issues facing Tillamook County? How would you solve these issues?
Many interlinked issues face Tillamook County: Budget, Housing, Roads, Skilled Workforce, Jobs. No simple solutions to any of these issues. As the county moves to a Central Services model with the hopes of improving and simplifying customer service and reducing redundancy to save money. The BOC needs to continue to look for equitable tax and/or fee based revenue streams. As County Commissioner I will advocate for business development, streamline the permitting process to help increase an affordable housing pool. I’m an advocate for family wage skilled workforce. With that comes the buying power that helps the local economy with increased purchase of goods and services.
A strong workforce will need homes, businesses will need expansion, increasing the tax base from undeveloped properties into developed properties. Think of it as trickle up economics.

4) Tell us what the best things are about Tillamook County.
I enjoy the natural environment from the ocean beaches to the mountains and the recreation that goes with it. The rural hometown feeling. The cohesiveness of communities during difficult times. A true sense of community.

5) We are experiencing the erosion of morals and trust in our society. What are your guiding morals?

My morals are framed within my Christian beliefs. After many years in therapy dealing with personal issues, I learned that my spiritual side was closed off, untapped. We are spiritual beings
and learning how to tap into the spiritual part of my being made all the difference. Having a balance with mind, body, soul has made life a lot easier to deal with the problems that come your
way.

6) Why should citizens trust you, and how would you rebuild trust in government?

People like and trust me, I’m approachable. I learned at an early age that integrity is everything, once you lose your integrity you have nothing. People are skeptical about the government. As Commissioner I will make a weekly effort to meet with groups and citizens in their communities throughout the county.

7) How do you think you can make a difference?

I think I will make a difference with the BOC based on my many and varied career paths and life experiences. I bring private business experience with an engineer’s mindset. I have a tendency to fix stuff.

8) Speaking of differences, government and politics are more divided than ever, how will you work across the aisle, with others that have differing views?
I deal with people from all walks of life on a daily basis. I try to put myself in the other person’s shoes and attempt to see our differences through their eyes. We may not always agree but I
treat everyone with respect, empathy and dignity. I have campaign signs in D’s, R’s, NAV’s and others yards. I consider myself a bridge builder.

9) My three favorite books: The Stand, The Naked Communist, Personality Types – Using The Enneagram for Self Discovery. These plus the Bible are the ones I talk about the most.

10) What are your hobbies and interests?

I enjoy cycling, working out, running, hiking, golf, water fowl hunting, competitive shooting, automobile racing, reading and walks on the beach – really.

11) Tell us about a significant time in your life and how it impacted your life.

The most significant growth experience in my life is when I had my breakthrough during a retreat with my therapy group. It’s hard to explain in writing, but for me it was like one would think of as an exorcism. I literally collapsed in a convulsing ball. It was like all my psychological poison left my body and a door opened to connect me with my soul and spirituality. Even though life never changes, how I deal with it does. Life is good.

12) Please write a haiku about Spring.

Blue, green, fresh, rebirth
Birds, bees, children, symphony
Nature washed anew

Submitted By: greginct@yahoo.com – Click to email about this post

The “death tax” a misnomer to say the least.
Could you at least add some basic information to help people understand the issue. Or maybe that’s not really the point.
This estate tax doesn’t effect most Oregonians.

Estate Tax: Oregon’s estate tax applies to estates with a value over $1 million. The tax rate varies from 10% to 16% depending on the value of the estate. If the estate exceeds $1 million, estate tax is applied to the amount exceeding that threshold.

Submitted By: dixiegainer@icloud.com – Click to email about this post

Oregon is cited as the “worst place to die” because of our costly, punishing death tax.

Oregon’s death tax has the nation’s lowest exemption rate, which means you pay the most in America when your loved ones die and they pass along their estate gifts to you.

The tax is so expensive that grieving sons and daughters are often forced to sell the family home or family restaurant in order to pay the massive tax on it. It is a crying shame that Oregon taxes people for dying. Only a few states do. The Oregon estate tax applies to all of the assets of the person who dies. This includes homes, land, retirement funds including pensions and PERS, business property, life insurance, and investment accounts.

• This petition eliminates Oregon’s death tax (estate tax, inheritance tax) while also prohibiting any local estate tax or inheritance tax.

You can sign the Oregon petition to abolish the death tax- IP 2026-051 – in Tillamook at 115 Main Avenue, from 10 to 2 pm,
You can also sign the following petitons :

IP 2026-053 is an Oregon Initiative Petition for the 2026 ballot that proposes to repeal the law requiring permits to operate nonmotorized human-powered boats (such as kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards) in Oregon waters.

IP 2026-037. 2026 Initiative Petition #37 for the 2026 ballot that Initiative Petition amends Constitution: Requires in-person voting with photo identification; proof of citizenship for voter registration

IP 2026-050. Purpose: The initiative seeks to amend Oregon law to restrict the release of suspects charged with serious crimes (felonies and Class A misdemeanors) before their first court appearance.

IP 2026-046. Repeals firearm permit requirement, magazine capacity limitations

For those of you who don’t know a Ballot Initiative to repeal BM114 and the magazine ban has been certified and through the legal hurdles and needs signatures by July to get on the ballot.

Oregon Ballot Measure 114 (BM 114), passed in November 2022, is a gun control law requiring a permit-to-purchase (issued by local law enforcement via safety training and background checks) and banning magazines holding over 10 rounds. Following legal challenges, a March 2025 ruling found it constitutional, though it is not yet in effect

Submitted By: Website@unitedpaws.org – Click to email about this post

Introducing Prince, United Paws’ Cat of the Week.
If you believe in reincarnation, then Prince was Liberace in a former life. Flashy, dramatic, glamorous, attention-loving sum up Prince’s lavish personality. Prince defines royalty with his luxurious fluffy white hair, his tan and brown Siamese markings with just a hint of tabby, and his soft blue eyes.

To be the recipient of his purrs will melt your heart – as will his rescue story. Prince and his brother Caesar (adopted) were well-loved indoor cats for the first five years of their lives. Sadly, their owner went into assisted living and could no longer care for them. Unbeknownst to the owner, these beautiful cats were cast out into the wild and left to fend for themselves. For a year and a half they were starved, neglected, and attacked by neighboring predators. When United Paws became aware that a “lost and injured cat” was found in a rural area in Tillamook County, volunteers sprang to the rescue. Caesar was the first to be found. He was in terrible condition, scared, suffering from malnutrition and had an infected, gaping wound on his neck. Several days later, it was learned that Caesar’s brother, Prince, was hiding, terrified, and was also wounded. Their rescue, prompt medical intervention, food, and loving care saved their lives. 

Although Prince and Caesar are now robust and healthy, they suffered terribly from their abandonment and are still traumatized by new situations. Prince’s potential adopter must be patient and willing to give this beautiful boys time to adjust to his new environment, allowing him to feel safe and secure, knowing he is in his forever home.

Prince is outgoing but can be shy at first until he feels safe. Once Prince knows you are a source of pets and loves, he will shamelessly throw himself at you for more!! He is extremely affectionate and loves to play. His favorite toys are foil balls to bat around, spring toys and wands with dangling things he can jump at. 

To see more photos and watch videos of Prince playing, visit unitedpaws.org. To schedule a Meet & Greet, email unitedpawshelp@gmail.com.

Submitted By: pattyrinehart@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Dear Friends,

North County Resistance will be in Nehalem Saturday, April 25, from noon to 2 PM. Please come and join us this last Saturday in April to join a group of people who are just shaking their heads every time we turn around about what our President is doing to our country. We’re going backwards! Every time we turn around there is something he has done to reverse our country. This has got to stop, and Congress needs to get off their duffs and take control back.

Aristotle said, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” So please join us on Saturday and bring some light into these dark times.

Yes, to a person, we wish were someplace else. The garden, the beach, on the river, playing with our families. At a minimum we focus these two hours with a group of like-minded people. Join us and talk with us. 420NTO

Remember the Food Can Tsunami hosted by the Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay is April 25, Saturday. Visit this website for more information: evcnb.org/events-and-training/food-drive-04252026

Can we break last week’s record of 57 people showing up? That was a record for this year! Let’s give it a try.
Thank you!
Patty Rinehart

Submitted By: wattchildress@yahoo.com – Click to email about this post

Hey folks,

Please feel welcome to read, share, and comment on the beautiful essay linked below by north coast writer Cliff Taylor. His medicinal words have received a lot of attention on the Facebook page of the Upper Left Edge.

Watt Childress

www.upperleftedge.com/2026/04/21/opening-the-book-of-indigenous-grief/

Submitted By: hathilton@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

I’m writing this to express my support for Mary Faith Bell for County Commissioner, Position 3. Since she was first elected, Mary Faith has shown that she has the temperament, acumen, curiosity, and communication skills for the position. Even when she wasn’t an incumbent and first running for the position, she was clear about her passion to protect and grow local jobs, emergency planning, public safety, infrastructure, housing, literacy, education, healthcare, and fiscal responsibility. Anything her constituents asked of her, she would listen, evaluate, and act. Her background and curiosity enabled her to educate herself about the issues facing Tillamook and since she gained the position, she has collaboratively, competently, and consistently delivered solutions for our community. This is in stark contrast to her opponent who doesn’t have the time to attend city council meetings on Zoom or who can speak with any definitive clarity on any substantive issues facing us. You have to ask yourself, if you were hiring for a position, would you prefer to have someone who devotes some time and energy to doing their homework about the job or someone who jumps in and hopes for the best after they get hired? I may be going out on a limb here, but “trust me bro” is not a good basis for governance.

ML Hilton
Tillamook

Submitted By: babbles@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

to the BBQ readership:

Cyrus Javadi (our Representative in our Oregon Legislature) writes a newsletter, “A Point of Personal Privilege.” (or is it a blog? or a substack? whatever, it is HIS telling his constituents what he thinks, what he is doing). This is his most recent.

If only ALL politicians were so principled, so honest.

om peace namaste

lucy brook
nehalem
oregon resident

I Was Wrong About Abortion
Sometimes Changing Your Mind Is the Principled Thing
CYRUS JAVADI
APR 23

From the moment I first considered running for office in 2022 until now, I have been asked, now and then, where I stand on abortion. It comes in the usual binary form: “Are you pro-life or pro-choice?”

Honestly, before I ran for office, almost no one asked me that. Maybe because I’m a man. Maybe because people knew I grew up in the Mormon faith and assumed they already knew the answer. But really, the simpler explanation is that most people avoid heavy conversations. In other words, it’s not the kind of thing friends usually bring up over tasty burgers at The Corral Grill & Tap House in Tillamook.

Why?

Because these conversations tend to end the same way: with strong opinions, personal stories, and a lot of identity, religion, and family history packed into the exchange. And usually, no one is really there to listen and learn. They are there to explain why they are right.

That is part of the problem with the labels. They work well enough as political shorthand. They fit on mailers. They fit on bumper stickers. They fit neatly into our modern habit of sorting human beings into tidy camps and then yelling at them from a safe distance.

What they do not do very well is capture reality.

Sometimes Decent People Are Just Mistaken

When I was asked in 2022 where I stood on the issue, I said that I considered myself personally pro-life. And here is the part I want people to know, because it matters: I did not hold that position because I was cruel, or because I lacked compassion, or because I wanted the government prowling through people’s private lives like a hall monitor with a theology degree.

I held it because my upbringing and life experience shaped how I saw the issue, and I thought, “Well, I must be doing the right thing.” That kind of certainty feels good. It is clean. Comfortable. And it saves you from having to wrestle too hard with the uncomfortable questions that real life keeps putting in front of you.

But I was wrong. Wrong because I did not understand enough.

That matters. Or at least it should. Our politics has become addicted to the laziest possible explanation for disagreement: if someone holds the wrong view, they must therefore be a bad person. That may pass for logic on a playground, but adults should know better.

Because sometimes decent people are just mistaken. Sometimes they are earnest and wrong. Sometimes they need more experience, more humility, and less confidence.

That was me.

Real Life Has a Way of Ruining Simple Theories

What changed my mind was not one dramatic moment where the clouds parted and a choir of political scientists descended from the heavens.

It was slower than that.

It was years in public life. Years of hearing from women across Oregon. Years of listening to stories that did not fit neatly into the moral filing cabinet I had built in my head.

And that, I think, is where our abstract certainty starts to break down. Real people are always more complicated than ideology wants (or hopes) them to be.

Each woman is her own person. Her own history. Her own fears. Her own health. Her own family. Her own beliefs. Her own capacity. Her own conscience.

Some face medical crises. Some face broken relationships or abuse. Some are trying to care for children they already have. Some are weighing diagnoses, risks, trauma, money, timing, faith, shame, hope, and fear all at once.

And the more I listened, the less comfortable I became with the old habit of turning those women into symbols in someone else’s moral argument.

That is when something very simple started to become very clear. This choice does not belong to me. It does not belong to the legislature. It does not belong to a political party, a church committee, a statewide advocacy group, or the loudest guy on Facebook who suddenly becomes a constitutional scholar, pastor, and OB-GYN sometime around 9:30 on a Tuesday night.

It belongs to one person only—it belongs to the woman who is pregnant.

Stripping Away the Illusion and Drawing Conclusions

Let me give you an example.

Recently, at a small meeting with constituents at the Camp 18 restaurant on Hwy 26, a woman asked me some fair but pointed questions about switching parties and whether my views had, indeed, really changed. That is part of the job. People are supposed to test your sincerity.

She asked about my old pro-life position and some of the legislation we have considered over the last four years. But one thing she said has stayed with me.

She told me that because her elected representative was pro-life, she worried that her ability to choose might one day be taken away. So she chose to be, in her own words, “sterilized.”

Now, I am not saying I made that decision for her. But I am saying that hearing those words stripped away any illusion that this debate lives only in theory. To be clear, it does not.

People hear what their elected officials say and draw conclusions about what kind of power may one day be used over their lives. In her case, that fear was real enough to shape a permanent decision about her own body.

That stays with you.

The Government Is Not Your Conscience

That is really the heart of it for me. And despite the best efforts of people who want to use government to impose their religious or moral certainty on everyone else, it is also at the heart of the Constitution and the spirit of the American promise.

I do not believe the government should make reproductive choices for women.

I do not think the state is wise enough, gentle enough, or humble enough for that assignment. Government is many things. Occasionally useful. Frequently clumsy. Rarely modest. But it is not your conscience. It is not your family. It is not your doctor. And it is not God.

You see, I believe one of the biggest mistakes in politics is confusing moral seriousness with legal compulsion. We assume that if an issue is deeply important, then government must control it. But that does not follow. In many cases, the more intimate and morally weighty the decision, the less appropriate it is for the state to force a single answer.

It is the same basic principle behind a lot of liberty. You may hold deep beliefs about what people should do. That does not automatically mean you should hand the government the power to compel it.

In fact, one of the marks of a free society is that we recognize the difference between “I believe this is right” and “therefore the state should make everyone obey.”

Freedom Is Not the Absence of Moral Weight

I think some people hear a position like mine and assume it means the issue is being treated lightly. As if defending a woman’s right to choose means pretending the choice itself is easy, painless, or morally empty.

But that is not what I believe at all. In fact, quite the opposite.

Abortion is serious precisely because, well, it is serious. It involves health, consequence, duty, belief, grief, risk, identity, and the future.

It is not a consumer preference. It is not ordering lunch. It is not casual. That is exactly why the decision belongs to the person whose life is most directly bound up in it.

I need to say this next part slowly for emphasis: Freedom is not valuable because it removes moral burden. Freedom is valuable because it puts moral burden where it belongs. On the human being who must actually live with the decision.

And that is what I did not appreciate well enough before. I thought I was defending life in the abstract. But I had not fully reckoned with the life of the actual woman standing in front of me. Her body. Her future. Her circumstances. Her responsibilities. Her judgment.

Her.

A Recent Court Case Is a Reminder

A federal judge recently ruled against part of Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act in a challenge brought by Oregon Right to Life, and state officials have said they plan to appeal. They have also said reproductive health coverage in Oregon remains unchanged for now while the case continues.

That matters for a couple of reasons.

First, because it is a reminder that rights people assume are settled have a nasty habit of becoming unsettled the minute people stop defending them.

Second, because it reminds us that public policy is not abstract. Court rulings affect real people. Real coverage. Real care. Real decisions made under pressure.

So no, I do not treat this as a symbolic debate for partisans to shadowbox over while collecting applause from their side.

This is about whether women retain the authority to make private medical decisions for themselves.

They should.

On Being Wrong

Let me say something unfashionable in today’s political realm—Changing your mind should not automatically be treated as evidence that you have no principles.

Sometimes changing your mind is the proof that you do.

Sometimes it means you have actually listened. Sometimes it means experience corrected theory. Sometimes it means you became a little less impressed with your own certainty. Sometimes it means you finally understood that saying, “I would make this choice,” is not the same as saying, “therefore the government should force everyone else to live by it.”

I did not change my mind because it became politically easy.

I changed my mind because I came to believe that liberty, humility, and respect for individual conscience matter here more than my prior certainty did.

That is not a small thing. And it is not something I say casually.

Where I Stand Now

Ok, even after this lengthy explanation, I can hear some of you asking: “So, where do you stand?”

This whole article could be boiled down to one 90-second answer on a debate stage like this: I do not believe the government should make reproductive choices for women. I believe those decisions belong to the woman who is pregnant.

And if she chooses to involve her spouse, her doctor, her pastor, her family, or no one at all, that should be her choice too.

That does not mean everyone will agree with every decision. It does not mean people stop having moral convictions. And it definitely does not mean difficult questions disappear.

It means we recognize the limits of government. It means we trust women to make their own decisions. It means we stop pretending politicians are the rightful owners of other people’s most personal choices.

And when I go back to Salem, I will continue to support protecting those healthcare freedoms and keeping government in its proper lane.

That is not where I started. But it is where I am now.

And I think it is the more honest place to stand.

Submitted By: barbaraandchuck@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Please check out this poem and video for an uplift and reason not to despair.

https://youtu.be/F9IhJD3U1Pk?si=TWoEGmZpocitJM2Y
be sure to read the description box for details about the video.

“The Place We Remember” by Sedona Torres Riversong

There was once a place—
I remember it not with the mind,
but with the soft knowing of the soul.

A place where kindness
moved through us like breath,
unnoticed, effortless, sacred.

Love was not something we reached for—
it was the ground beneath our feet,
the light within our gaze,
the language we never had to learn.

We shared as rivers share with the sea,
without question, without fear of lack—
and in that giving,
our hearts knew only fullness.

Oh, how natural it was
to open—
to bloom each day
into the quiet bliss of being.

And now…
I find myself standing at the edge of memory,
wondering—
have we wandered too far
from that gentle home?

For I look upon this world
and see shadows wearing crowns—
predators praised,
hearts turned silent,
and love…
treated as though it were weakness.

And something within me aches—
not in despair,
but in remembrance.

Because I know—
we have not lost it.
We have only forgotten.

Beloved, listen closely:

When we divide,
we do not break the world—
we dim the light within ourselves.

For love is not a fragile thing
that disappears in difference—
it is the great expander,
the sacred thread
that weaves all contrast into wholeness.

It is our greatest gift—
and our truest nature.

So today—
and in every quiet moment that calls you home—
pause.

Breathe.

Remember.

We are not separate travelers—
we are one unfolding story,
written in the ink of the same divine light.

Let the weight of judgment fall from your hands,
let resentment loosen its grip,
let the illusion of distance dissolve.

And in its place…
plant something simple.

A seed.

A gesture.
A kindness.
A moment of seeing another
as yourself.

Do not worry how mountains will move—
Love has always known how.

Your only task
is to plant the seed
and trust the light to rise.

The way forward is not by fighting each other, but by creating new pathways for humanity.

Submitted By: jettkeyser@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Deep appreciation for all the beautiful women holding a space for what is known as a Song Bath
or in many places as a Threshold Choir. This group meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday at St Catherine’s
at 6 p.m. A time to enjoy release and a deepening peace. Nothing is required.

This writing is new.

Any Day Now

We have been companions for over 10 years.

And I may be the only one who visits you now.

Upright, stripped of all bark, you stand, shattered,

by the side of the road, your roots have decayed

into dust. No one around could possibly refute

that we might have been born on the same day.

Your silence is a silence I know. Your grace is

a grace we share. Hemlock, Fir, Shore Pine, or

Spruce, all distinguishing signs are gone now.

Early on, longing for communion, I wanted to bring

you home, build a welcoming nest in your

remaining branches. Even then, I could only

imagine your full green stature. And now

gravity is lowering you back to the earth.

One day, maybe within a year or two,

possibly sooner, you will finally be down,

any resistance released.

Across the street from a graveyard, you have

witnessed countless arrivals and goodbyes.

As I consider all this, I imagine you as an old friend,

your days graced by the sounds of the ocean, as

you finish out your time in the warm sands

of a dune. Only a broken snag, claiming

no shaft of canopy light and little space,

there is an urgency now as you bow down

on the days that I pass, apparently still,

yet falling.

Submitted By: mmurf10@yahoo.com – Click to email about this post

Is there a bus that goes from Nehalem/Manzanita to the Amtrak Point Bus that leaves Cannon Beach every morning at 9:30AM? Any information about bus service to Cannon Beach would be appreciated

Submitted By: sandandpinewellness@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Why Pilates? Because it’s for EVERYBODY. It’s not just about a workout; it’s about:
Moving better in your everyday life.
Stabilizing joints and activating the right muscles.
Building a strong, flexible spine and a resilient mind.

If you’ve been curious but aren’t sure where to start, we have the perfect welcoming space for you:
*Group Mat Classes: Mon/Wed @ 9:00 AM. All levels are welcome, and no experience is needed!
*Group Reformer Class: Wed @ 5:00 PM. A small class format designed specifically for beginners to learn the ropes (and springs!).
*Semi-Private Sessions: Prefer learning with a friend? Bring one—or two! Our semi-private sessions have space for up to 3 people.
Ready to start your journey?
*Sign up online: www.sandandpinewellness.com

Submitted By: stayhuman@tutamail.com – Click to email about this post

IDF soldier smashes Jesus statue, shedding light on the Israeli myth that ‘Judeo-Christian’ is a thing:

www.themirror.com/news/world-news/disturbing-image-shows-idf-soldier-1797909

and:

Israel tells civilians in southern Beirut to evacuate, then bombs city center:

archive.ph/dsBzs

and in Ohio, home to Les Wexner, the ‘godfather’ of Ohio politics, and owner The Gap and The Limited and Victoria’s Secret and Victoria’s Secret Pink and benefactor to Jeffrey Epstein (he gave Epstein his 75-million dollar rape pad, where Ehud Barak maintained a residence a few blocks away), and gun-runner and drug-runner and financial criminal and Mossad agent and Israeli-citizen, 86-percent of students at Ohio University vote in favor of an anti-Israel referendum.

Even folks in Ohio are sick of Israel and their proxy, The United States of America, and their never-ending genocide and war:

www.ohio.news/stories/86-of-ohio-university-students-vote-in-favor-of-anti-israel-referendum/

In Oregon, we can help by making sure the world knows that our Senator Ron Wyden is complicit and supportive of Israel’s genocide and wars, and kick him out of office in the mid-terms.

ISRAEL OUT OF AMERICA!!!

1776 AGAIN NOW!!!

Submitted By: barbaraandchuck@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

posting for babbles@nehalemtel.net

to the BBQ readership,

we are living in a period of low ethics when the voters pamphlet becomes a place for propaganda and slander. i expect in the voters pamphlet to learn what is the candidate’s experience, what can they do, who they are, what they hope to accomplish in representing us.

If all a candidate can do is attack their opponent, they must not possess the skills, knowledge or abilities to do the job.

Javadi’s press release doesn’t name the Republican candidate, and i don’t know the person–we will learn when we get our voters pamphlet. i have a message for this candidate who stooped so low–SHAME ON YOU.

laura swanson, editor of the Tillamook County Pioneer, gave me permission to post this press release on BBQ.

lucy brook
nehalem resident
U.S. citizen

Representative Cyrus Javadi Responds to False and Defamatory Voters’ Pamphlet Statement by Republican Candidate

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Editor

Representative Cyrus Javadi condemned a false and defamatory statement submitted against him for Oregon’s voters’ pamphlet, calling it a dishonest attempt to mislead voters with personal attacks and knowingly distorted claims about his record.

“This is not hard-hitting politics. It is reckless and dishonest,” said Javadi. “Voters can handle real disagreements. What they should not have to deal with is a candidate trying to win by making things up and smearing an opponent with ugly falsehoods.”

The statement includes several claims that are false or materially misleading.

One claim says Javadi “blamed constituents for wanting a say” on transportation funding. Javadi voted for the transportation bill, but he is not on the record making any such statement. That accusation is false.

Another claim says Javadi “allowed age-inappropriate sexual content in public schools.” The vote in question involved a bill preventing books from being removed based on the identity of authors or characters. Nothing in that bill allowed inappropriate sexual content into schools. The statement twists a vote about viewpoint and identity-based censorship into something it plainly was not.

The statement also attacks Javadi for “boosting Planned Parenthood funding.” The actual vote restored cuts for basic health care services. Voters are free to disagree with that vote, but disagreement does not justify misrepresentation.

Most seriously, the statement says Javadi “voted to let abortion clinics leave babies born alive to die.” That claim is false. The vote at issue during the 2026 session was a procedural vote to pull a bill to the floor for debate. It was not a vote on the substance of the bill. The measure also was never heard or voted on in committee. Describing that procedural vote as support for letting babies die is not opinion. It is a defamatory falsehood.

“This kind of politics is corrosive,” Javadi said. “It lowers the standard of public debate and treats voters like they are too gullible to notice the difference between a real record and a manufactured smear.”

Javadi said campaigns should be free to make their case on policy, values, and vision, but not by inventing facts.

“If someone wants to argue that I am too moderate, too independent, or wrong on the issues, that is their right,” Javadi said. “But if they want to tell voters I said things I never said or cast votes I never cast, then they are no longer engaging in debate. They are engaging in deception.”

Javadi has filed a complaint asking Oregon election officials to review the statement and determine whether it violates Oregon law governing false and defamatory material in the voters’ pamphlet.

“Public office is serious business,” Javadi said. “The voters’ pamphlet should not become a dumping ground for nasty, false campaign trash. Oregon voters deserve better than this.”

Submitted By: paprikapink@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

I’ve recently heard of an app called Sniffspot where people can post their fenced property as a spot that dog owners can reserve for their dogs to visit. I haven’t seen any Sniffspots offered locally, perhaps because people assume no one around here would need such a thing. Well, it turns out that’s not true. My dog, here in Bayside Gardens, for instance. We have a very small yard, but she would really enjoy visiting a large private yard that she could visit and romp around in.

I’m not affiliated with Sniffspot in any way. I’m just affiliated with a sweet and wonderful but anti-social dog who’d like to be off leash once in a while, so I thought I’d mention it.

Submitted By: tinnindeb@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

In a Tillamook County Headlight Herald interview, Jeff Spink, candidate for Tillamook County Commissioner, stated that he’s too busy working, so that he can’t offer up any solutions and will instead rely on staff and current/former County Commissioners for answers. Why would we pay him to be a Commissioner if he thinks staff and current Commissioners will have the answers?

“Spink acknowledges that he has been too busy running Tillamook Motor Company to develop many detailed policy proposals but said that he believes he would be able to leverage the experience of county staff and a fresh perspective to move the county forward.” (source: Headlight Herald)

“Beyond that, Spink said that while he did not have specific proposals for stimulating economic development, he would investigate issues once elected by soliciting input from staff, as well as current and former commissioners, and using his years of business experience to formulate new policies.” (source: Headlight Herald)

We do have many challenges in the County. I believe that Mary Faith Bell has guided the County through some tough times. She understands these challenges. Bell has been involved with our healthcare through her work with our only hospital located in Tillamook County, Adventist Hospital. With 1/3 of the population over 65 years of age, the hospital and healthcare are critical needs in our county. Education is important for our children to obtain better paying jobs in the county. Bell has served on the Board of the Tillamook County Community College. The college has added a critical nursing program which will help us to have future healthcare workers. Along with Commissioner Skaar, Bell has worked to address the shortage of housing in Tillamook County.

There is no question which candidate will help Tillamook County. Please vote by May 19 for Commissioner Mary Faith Bell.

Submitted By: pattyrinehart@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Dear Friends,

Given it was a sad day for us and Enzo’s family on Saturday.

One of our friends passed around a paper for people to write their thoughts for the day. The following is what was written:

Sadness and hope.

Today is a memorial for Enzo, so we are all sad.

I’m outraged by the backward slide for women and the LGBT.

Go to the NCRD art show, Enzo has 2 pieces in there.

This protest was the only place Enzo felt comfortable interacting with other people. She felt safe.

Stop the lies. I woke up this morning and found out how many millions of dollars were made by Wall Street by this war.

When is it going to stop? It hurts too much.

Every day there’s something new that happens which motivates me to get out here!

I have no thoughts for today.

NO!

I’m starting to feel like people driving by are as much here for us as we are for them.

Being at the protest helps me feel like I’m doing something.

People need to vote this midterm!!!

I’m here for my grandchildren-Maddox and Skylark.

Enzo was her own person. She’ll be missed. She was one of us. She was a compadre. She was in our community.

Enzo brought the music to us. She was always here.

It’s 198 days until the midterms! I’m so happy.

It’s disgusting they’re making so much money on this war. They’re treating it like a video game.

I want to be out gardening-but we have to do this. We’re trying to get out all the invasives.

Make Alcatraz great again! Put Trump behind bars.

I’m glad I can be part of something good and positive!

I’m happy to help in any way I can.

It was harder for me to mobilize just because of everything. Lots of self-talk to keep on fighting.

Dr. Jesus is not our savior!

His insane behavior, his mental state! Not in touch with reality, his stupid pettiness. He wants to guild everything. His whole scam of being Jesus.

Even Hegseth! At the prayer breakfast, he quoted some biblical stuff from the Pulp Fiction Movie!

Anyone want to donate for a bunker buster?

Enough is enough! No More!

Peace on Earth.

I really like Zohran Mamdani. I love to listen to him speak.

We need to make sure everyone is registered to VOTE and then DO IT!

Same as before-defiance until death.

How sad we are to have lost Enzo. She was great . Her flags are still flying. She is so missed. She was part of our protest community.

Exactly what she just said.

Dump Trump!

I think we’re on the right side. I think left is being right.

I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

It’s an education being on this line.

It’s good being in a like-minded community.

Vote BLUE in the midterms.

I was making this playlist for Enzo. I’ll continue this work for her and for all of us. This was so important to her. The pool and here were her favorite places. She was my designated extrovert.

I don’t have any cognitive thoughts.

Stop this insanity!

I’m really loving the Pope.

Vote Pope Leo for President.

I’m feeling the community JOY!

Now, that’s a lot of thoughts from a lot of people. You remember I asked for 5 more people to come to this past protest? Well, they did, as a matter of fact we had 57 peaceful protesters in Nehalem this past Saturday! 12 more than the previous week. Does this mean we will have 69 this coming week? Hooray for all you people! And thank you to all the wavers and honkers! And you fellow, with the 420NTO, could you drive a little slower, because I’m still trying to get a picture of you smoking us when you drive by. I need to check the DEQ rules to see if all 57 of us can press charges. OK, enough of that!

See you all next Saturday, April 25, from noon to 2 in Nehalem. And remember that is the date for the Food Can Tsunami hosted by the Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay, our very own EVC. Also, for you singers, The First Presbyterian Church in Astoria wants to invite you to Protest Singalong on April 23 at 5:30 PM. This church is a big yellow church and you want to enter the side door which is off 11th Street. Address is 1103 Grand Avenue.
Best,
Patty Rinehart

Submitted By: marc@manythingsconsidered.com – Click to email about this post

We Support Mary Faith Bell

Tillamook County Commissioner Mary Faith Bell is an exemplary public servant – deeply informed, collaborative, compassionate, experienced and dedicated.

Mary Faith has our enthusiastic support as she seeks reelection to a position on the County Commission.

We have observed and benefited from Commissioner Bell’s extensive understanding of critical issues in Tillamook County, including the importance of rural health and senior care and community level emergency preparedness.

Mary Faith has been a strong proponent for developing a nursing program at Tillamook Bay Community College, where she also served on the college board. Given her perspective on local health care issues Mary Faith understands that creating opportunities for local students to pursue health care careers close to home is critical to staffing local health care facilities. Her support for the Nehalem Bay Health District is very much appreciated.

The Commissioner has also been a strong advocate for preparedness and resiliency efforts in the county, including the work of the Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay.

It is essential that our county commission continue to have the service of dedicated, informed and engaged leaders like Commissioner Mary Faith Bell.

Please join us in supporting her in the May 19 primary election. She deserves to be reelected. We are lucky to have her in an important position of leadership in Tillamook County.

Sincerely,

Trish and Marc Johnson
Neahkahnie

Submitted By: Website@unitedpaws.org – Click to email about this post

You don’t get the name “Goodfella” unless you are, well, a good fella. This black beauty with eyes that shine either yellow or green, has earned his name and the hearts of his rescue team at United Paws.

When Goodfella came into the headquarters, he was unrecognizable. He was skin and bones, infested with fleas, had almost no fur, and was covered with angry sores and scabs. His rescuer called him a “hot mess.” After many weeks of treatment, nutritious food and loving care, this beautiful soul began to shine once again. Now Goodfella is healthy, frisky, with soft fur coming back in, thick and black.

Now that his health concerns are behind him, Goodfella is ready for life in an active home where he can be a part of the action. He loves to check out new places and the people in them. He yearns for human attention and loves to be pet from his head, down his back, to his tail. He loves to climb, play and chase. His current favorite toy is a kitty-sized body pillow that he can grab, tackle and roll with (see video!). He also loves to chase anything connected to a string. And don’t get him started with a laser toy…he will play and run and play and chase and play…entertaining all around.

This spirited and good-natured boy has been through a lot. He hasn’t had much practice sharing human attention so it is believed Goodfella will do best in an active household where he can get lots of attention and is the only cat. A slow and thoughtful introduction to a gentle dog in the family may be successful over time. This Goodfella is one of a kind and is looking for his safe, loving, and forever home.

Learn more at unitedpaws.org or email unitedpawshelp@gmail.com to schedule a Meet & Greet.

Submitted By: dwieb1@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

I still scan headlines in The Guardian because there’s a variety of journalists who contribute, so every now and then I discover some exceptional reporting. This article, linked below, is one of the best. It shows, in spite of news promoting negativity, people who are in positions to make positive changes are hard at work and making progress. I recommend a careful reading, – Dave

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/19/citizens-united-super-pacs

Submitted By: karts_chain.2x@icloud.com – Click to email about this post

The Nehalem Bay Emergency Volunteer Corps has put Sea Containers in Nehalem city Park. For Emergency Management.
The city of Wheeler is in the process of putting 2 forty foot Sea Containers in the beautiful city park. It will be on the agenda at the upcoming city council meeting unless someone speaks up.
April 15 the city council workshop spent an hour discussing putting 2 forty foot Sea Containers in the park north of the Manzanita city Hall. The Planning Commission has refused requests for sea containers in Manzanita. This is the dog park, Farmers Market, Christmas tree ceremony. This is where all these things occur. These containers will be an eyesore and a huge disappointment!

Submitted By: merryeddy@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

As a county resident and citizen volunteer, I have worked with Commissioner Bell on economic development and affordable housing issues for a number of years. I have always been impressed with her knowledge, focus and creativity in addressing these important issues in Tillamook County. The county will benefit from Commissioner Bell’s continuing strong leadership in the years ahead. Ed Gallagher Nehalem

Submitted By: pattyrinehart@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Dear Friends,
This Saturday in Nehalem we will be memorializing Enzo, a member of our North County Resistance Peaceful Protest for many weeks. Enzo would come and bring music, many protest songs, that would put a memory in our brain and a sway to our bodies we will never forget. Thank you Enzo for all your contributions to our group and to the world.

Are you one of the five more people who are showing up in Nehalem tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, from noon to 2 PM to participate in the North County Resistance Peaceful Protest? Well, I certainly hope so. We need five more people to show up each week until we completely fill the parking lot! We are not showing any rain, but the wind could make it a bit chilly.

Thanks for joining North County Resistance.

Best,
Patty

Submitted By: dougolson-oregon@outlook.com – Click to email about this post

To The Editor:
The upcoming Primary Election in Tillamook County is more important this year than usual. Why? Because the winner of the race for Tillamook County Commissioner will be sworn in January 2027 for a four-year term.
And that’s because there are only two candidates. In a larger field of hopefuls, the top two finishers move to the General Election in November unless one gets over 50 percent. That’s not the case this spring so your vote is more important than ever.
And your vote should be for current Commissioner Mary Faith Bell. There are many good reasons behind this recommendation.
I have always looked at a candidate from two perspectives, both equally important.
First includes personal qualities, education, abilities and life experience as a person. Second is the philosophy of governing, understanding issues of the day and outlook on life. Mary Faith Bell ranks high on all counts.
She is educated (Linfield University, BA, and working on a graduate degree). Her qualities include honesty, integrity, strong ethical standards and a transparent approach to governing.
Commissioner Bell is perhaps the best listener I have ever encountered. She not only listens but hears as well. She also can say “no” when necessary.
She has experience as a leader. Eight years as a Commissioner, over a decade as Chair of the Tillamook Bay Community College Board, service on the Economic Development Council and employment as the Editor of the Headlight Hearld. She also held a key position at Adventist Hospital Tillamook. She knows the issues in Tillamook County – past and present. She also has an unmatched passion for public service.
In my 25 years in public office, I learned that there will always be an issue no one saw coming. That’s why the ability to apply logic, reason, patience, and experience is so important. Commissioner Bell has done that and will do it again. Mary Faith Bell has earned your vote and should be reelected.
Doug Olson
Former Tillamook County Commissioner
Prineville, Oregon

Submitted By: dwieb1@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Maybe it’s the escalating insanity of current leadership, but I’m appreciating this kind of humor more recently. So here is another good one from Guardian columnist Marina Hyde:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/17/pope-leo-jd-vance-donald-trump-catholicism

Submitted By: goatherd@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Hey friends,

Did you know Oregon ranks last in the country in terms of friendliness toward potlucks and other traditional home-cooked gatherings? Here’s an opportunity to work together and make good news by turning our state around.

It’s an election year, after all. Let’s make sure this kitchen-counter issue is on the minds of every candidate who’s running for office.

I’ve launched an effort to raise awareness with a column in the Daily Astorian. Please email me if the link below doesn’t work, or if the newspaper has already imposed their paywall.

dailyastorian.com/2026/04/10/guest-column-oregon-should-be-a-sanctuary-for-potlucks/

Onward,

Watt Childress

Submitted By: jettkeyser@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Robert Frost was asked by John Kennedy to offer
a poem at his inauguration. It is said this was a first.
Kennedy had requested the poem ‘The Gift Outright’ .Frost had another idea and composed a new poem. Problem was in the wind and glare he was not able to see his newly created poem and had to revert to what he knew by heart, the poem Kennedy had requested. The poem looked back to our revolutionary history with England. Two lines carry into our hearts today.

Such as we were we gave ourselves outright…
Such as she was, such as she would become.

Into the Darkness

We hear their cries as our cries.

Holding a deepening intention,

banners rise, reach into the darkness

of dreams, a percussion guarding

a noble commitment. As we return

to face the daily carnage, we remember

those who have fallen and will yet fall.

We know these wounds will require more

than caring attention and deeper release.

Our freedom, known as a birthright,

is a rare gift, a precious privilege

paid for in young blood offered freely

and ultimate sacrifice. But as our spirits

weary and the water table drains,

neighbors, strangers, and friends are

coming together with a shared question.

What is called for now, as our current

leader continues to live beyond our law?

Is it possible, can we take a selfless

journey, get clear enough, to live

the ancient scroll: Only a deep love

will heal our profound ignorance, what

we truly believe to be so. Let us unite.