A mother sperm whale and her calf off the coast of Mauritius. The calf has remoras attached to its body. Gabriel Barathieu - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barathieu/7277953560/, CC BY-SA 2.0,
November 9, 1970. The sperm whale, washed up on Heceta Beach near Florence, Oregon, was dead, and the plan was to blow it up.But three days later on November 12, they used too much dynamite. And the rest, as they say, is history. November 12 marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous incident that saw whale blubber crush a car, splatter bystanders, and even inspired the name of a local park almost five decades later. The incident was marked by KATU news reporter Paul Linnman and filmed by cameraman Doug Brazil. Well let KATU give the full accounting of the story, since it was their scoop 50 years ago that eventually coalesced into an Oregon legend. Linnman ended his story with It might be concluded that, should a whale ever be washed ashore in Lane County again, those in charge will not only remember what to do, they'll certainly remember what not to do."Those interested in hearing from Linnman himself on the historic incident can sign up for a free webinar from the Oregon Historical Society scheduled for Thursday, November 12.
The Tillamook Forest Center will close for the winter season December 2, after one last holiday event. Its not expected to reopen until March of 2024. The last day to visit the site is Dec. 1.
The Gales Creek, Roy and Verboort CPO 13 will meet Wednesday night from 6 to 7 p.m. in Banks. On the agenda: A presentation on the American Legion by Dale Thaler.
Those following along with an attempt to hold a town hall in Hillsboro for Washington County constituents of U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici have already seen the event postponed. It's now scheduled as a telephone and online town hall for November 6 at 6 p.m.
Gales Creek's Zephyr Farm will hold an open farm event Thursday, August 10, featuring free fresh veggies from the farm, shave ice, and tours of the organic farm in the Gales Creek Valley. Attendees were asked to RSVP.
A proposed toll road linking Forest Grove and Tillamook faced opposition, but Gales Creek residents would take any road they could get, according to a 1925 newspaper article.
"County Jail Filled to Overflow With Arrests Made" including Ernest Narver, Frank Kearns, Thomas Young, and Roy Kearns, all arrested at Balm Grove on liquor possession charges in Prohibition-era Gales Creek.
People are shooting exploding targets and firing hot lead into dry vegetation in the Tillamook Forest with predictable results: Five wildfires since May. These fires are all preventable, said Acting Forest Grove District Forester Stephanie Beall.
