The Top Five
[Print edition published June 5, 2009]
Find something you liked in the Top Five? Was our advice totally off the mark?
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| Niki Price. Click to e-mail the editor & co-owner of the Oregon Coast Today. |
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Oretown
A great many people still believe that Oretown, that spot in the road between Neskowin and Cloverdale, got its name from a mining operation. At one time in the distant past, they figure, somebody there must have struck silver or gold. A few miners got rich, the veins tapped out and now it’s a ghost town, right? Wrong. Oretown is just short for Oregon Town, and it would have been Oregon City but somebody else claimed that name first. It’s an easy mistake to make. I remember well the moment I learned that Oretown was not about ore, because it was five minutes ago. Looks like I need to attend author Sally Rissel’s talk on the history of the area, including Cannery Hill and the Oretown Cemetery. The event will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 7, in the lower parking lot of the Nestucca Bay NWR, on Christensen Road just south of the Hwy. 101/Pacific City turnoff. For details on this free event, call refuge caretaker Karen White at 303-549-1847.
Pacific City
When the boat captains gather on the beach at Cape Kiwanda this Saturday, I’m guessing that the blessings will be heartfelt indeed. They will be asking for a good catch and praying that everyone comes home safe, as fishing families have for centuries. But they’ll be hoping for grace and good sense, too, as the dory fleet continues to share the launch zone with a growing number of surfers and other recreational users. Last July, as most coast watchers know, a surfer was gravely injured by a dory boat, heading back to shore through a heavy surf. This summer, we’ll all be praying that public education efforts have done their job and that everyone will pay more attention to the posted signs. Blessings be upon us all. The Pacific City Blessing of the Fleet is set to begin at noon on Saturday, June 6. All are welcome to attend. [Map it!]
Newport
The Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition is often referred to as just “Oregon Shores.” But this Saturday, at its annual conference, the statewide group is putting an emphasis on the last two words in its name. The board is determined, in the words of their press release, to “face the challenges of climate change squarely, empowering citizens to get involved in constructive action.” OSCC is offering a day of education on climate change and what we, as private citizens and government entities, can do about it. It’s free. It’s serious. It’s open to the public. They’re talking to you. Events will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Center, 777 W. Olive St.
Lincoln City
After reading this column, word for stinkin’ word, you’re allowed to progress through the remainder of the Oregon Coast TODAY. I hope you’ll stop at the two-page list of items up for bid at the first annual Auction for the Arts, set for Saturday at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. A recent re-incarnation of the LC Chamber of Commerce’s old Super Auction, this event is now raising money for the cultural center instead. With live feed on Charter Cable, KBCH 1400 AM and the Inter-next, it’s the ideal auction for the lazy, those civic-minded sloths who love both bargains and culture, and yet don’t really want to leave the house. (Though, if you’re up for it, the atmosphere will be fun at the Cultural Center, with vittles aplenty for those watching live.) The bidding begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. See story.
Gleneden Beach
I remember wondering, “Why won’t anybody shut up? She’s trying to sing!” The occasion was one of the recent cook-offs at the Culinary Center in Lincoln City, and the performer in question was Halie Loren. Loren and her accompanist, Matt Treder, were offering a beautiful rendition of “As Time Goes By,” smooth and silky, for a crowd that was, regrettably, mostly talking with their mouths full. In our interview last month, Loren told me that she doesn’t really mind singing to a distracted audience. She’s been a professional singer for too long to worry about it, and she always loves the practice — although I bet sometimes she’s tempted to sing it wrong, just to find out who’s listening. Something like “You must remember zits, a Schlitz is just a Schlitz, sockeye is just sockeye….” If you’ve ever heard Halie Loren, and wished you could actually hear Halie Loren, then this is your chance. She’s playing, in concert, with no chowder or chili vendors and no outdoor wind interference, at Eden Hall on Saturday night. See the story.
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