The news and people of Tillamook County. Every day.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Tillamook Country Smoker employee wellness program making significant strides

From left to right: Dick Crossley, Shelli Hornbeak and Carlean Morrison warm up in the Tillamook County Family YMCA fitness room. (Photo by LeeAnn Neal)

BAY CITY, Ore. – The Tillamook Country Smoker’s employee wellness program started as a means for the company to save money on health insurance rates, but a few months after its launch, Smoker owner Dick Crossley sees the initiative as generating multiple dividends. For one thing, his labor force is looking healthier and happier with each passing week. “To me, that’s a success right there,” he said. Crossley tapped his daughter, Shelli Hornbeak, to help develop and oversee the new effort. “I said, ‘I’ve got a job for you, Shelli – you’re running the wellness program.” Hornbeak approached the challenge …continue reading

R.I.P., Bud Gienger

: Obituary: Written by : 03-07-2014

Bud Gienger (photo courtesy of OSU)

Lenhart “Bud” Gienger, 78, of Bay City, passed away on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, from complications arising from cardiac arrest, with his family by his side. He was born on Nov. 11, 1935 in Tillamook to Lenhart M. and Alice (Johnson) Gienger. Bud had five siblings: Dick, Tom, John (deceased), Sally Gienger, and Susan Sauter. He met his loving wife, Helen (Hume) at Oregon State University, from which he graduated in 1957 with a degree in dairy management. He wrestled on the varsity teams that won the Pacific Coast Conference championship for three consecutive years, and he remained a strong …continue reading

Tillamook County considers imposing medical marijuana dispensary moratorium

: Bay City News, Business, Crime, Garibaldi News, Healthcare, Manzanita News, Nehalem Bay Area News, Nehalem News, Oregon Coast, Oregon Legislature, Rockaway Beach News, Tillamook County News, Tillamook News: Written by : 03-06-2014

Medical-marijuana-sign

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – In what continues to be a notable week for marijuana proponents and opponents in the Pacific Northwest, Tillamook County and city officials are taking stock of their options regarding medical marijuana dispensaries. On Monday, March 3, the Oregon Health Authority began accepting applications from those hoping to open medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Nearly 300 applicants submitted paperwork or online applications and paid a $4,000 fee by 4 p.m. that day. None of these applicants proposed opening a dispensary in Tillamook County, according to Karynn Fish, OHA public information officer. However, even if someone does apply …continue reading

Lecture to address radiation’s effects on human health

: Environment, Manzanita News, Nehalem Bay Area News, Oregon Coast, Public Safety, Tillamook County News, Wellness: Written by : 03-05-2014

Radiation

MANZANITA, Ore. – Naturalist Ramona Radonich plans to present “Radiation 101,” a lecture on the basics of radiation and how the human body responds to radiation exposure, on March 20 at the Pine grove Community House. According to Radonich, a Manzanita resident who has served as an interpretive naturalist for the Oregon and Utah state parks systems, “2014 is the year radiation from Fukushima is predicted to hit the West Coast. With the information provided in this lecture, people will be equipped to better understand the available information surrounding this topic and to make their own assessments about the risks …continue reading

Geezer World: At home with the Bananaheads

: Geezer World: Written by :

Two Gas Tanks

When our grandsons were young, we got all three of them started on the road to understanding their grandparents by reading them a book called “Mr. Bananahead at Home,” by Mike Thaler, America’s Riddle King. Years ago, I found this little book in a shop in Northport Plaza. It was a used book that caught my eye. For .75 cents I had found (quite by accident) a perfect description of our lives together. In it, Mr. Bananahead performs Mrs. Bananahead’s list of household chores with hilarious results. The book made us laugh so hard that we read it together. Then …continue reading

Nine Tillamook High School Speech Team members reach finals at tournament

: Community, Event, School News, Tillamook News: Written by : 03-04-2014

THS Speech Team members Kestrel Bailey and Elizabeth Nelson-Harrington. (Pioneer file photo)

EUGENE, Ore. – Nine out of 31 Tillamook High School Speech Team members to participate in the Robert D. Clark Championship Invitational held Feb. 21 and 22 at the University of Oregon reached the finals. “This is one of our favorite tournaments of the year,” said Brett Hurliman, assistant team coach. “This gives us a pretty good idea of how we are stacking up against the rest of the state as we enter the final stretch of the season. The results were pretty impressive, even more so when you realize that Tillamook High is going against the Clevelands, Lake Oswegos, …continue reading

Museum’s latest exhibit tells the tale of doomed resort Bayocean Park

: Local History: Written by :

The Bayocean Natatorium once entertained vacationers. (Photo courtesy the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum)

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – It is a story with all the hallmarks of an epic tale, including the tension created when human ambition meets indifferent nature, and it all happened right here in Tillamook County. The development in the early 1900s and subsequent demise of Bayocean Park is the subject of the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum’s latest exhibit. Recently installed in the museum’s Main and Northwest galleries, it offers a historical perspective on Bayocean spit. “Bayocean Park: A Grand Notion” features photographs and artifacts from the museum’s collection and tells the story of California real estate promoter Thomas Benton “T.B.” Potter …continue reading

Flooding remains possibility with series of wet, windy weather systems

: Breaking News, Oregon Coast, Tillamook County News, Weather: Written by : 03-03-2014

Flood

Tillamook County, along with the rest of northwest Oregon, is in for a soaking over the next several days, with high winds thrown in and thunderstorms and flooding possibilities. A series of low pressure systems lined up offshore point to “a very active week in store with several systems expected to bring periods of heavy rain, high winds and the need to watch area rivers,” wrote Gordon McCraw, Tillamook County Emergency Management director and meteorologist, in his latest forecast, issued this morning, Monday, March 3. “An upper level low pressure area is causing rain and rainshowers today, some with gusty …continue reading

Freshmen rise to the top in Tillamook High School’s Charity Drive

: Community, School News, Tillamook News: Written by : 03-02-2014

Charity Drive Court

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – The Tillamook High School Freshman Class handily edged out upperclassmen in this year’s Charity Drive, raising $61,683.10. Sophomores raised $54,088.91, followed by seniors with $35,766.82 and juniors with $32,350.88, making for a school-wide total of nearly $184,000. Coronation took place on Thursday, Feb. 27. While 50 percent of drive proceeds are donated to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, remaining funds are earmarked for local charities and a scholarship fund. The 2014 drive was, said THS Charity Drive Advisor Rachelle Metcalfe, “another amazing year. Great job to all the students, advisors, parents, teachers and community for their involvement in this …continue reading

Take some seeds, or leave some, at new seed lending libraries

: Agriculture, Community, Nature & Outdoors, Oregon Coast, Press Release, Tillamook County News, Wellness: Written by : 02-28-2014

The old Tillamook County Library card catalog was recently put to new use as a holder of seed packets. (Photo by LeeAnn Neal)

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – Seed lending libraries are sprouting up around Tillamook County. Tillamook County Seed Lending Libraries, which can be found at area food pantries, Tillamook County Library branches, the Food Roots office and and the Tillamook County OSU Extension office, provide seeds, free of charge, to local residents interested in growing and sharing fruits and vegetables. The only catch, and it isn’t much of one, is that organizers encourage those who participate to let a couple of healthy plants go to seed so they will have seeds for next year as well as seeds to share through the seed …continue reading