The Oregon Coast’s vibrant creative spirit takes center stage once again as the Nestucca Valley Artisans Festival returns to the Kiawanda Community Center in Pacific City on August 16 and 17, 2025 , from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. This much- anticipated event offers residents and visitors the chance to experience and support the region’s thriving arts community. The festival features 23 local artists, all members of Nestucca Valley Artisans , a nonprofit collective committed to nurturing and promoting local creativity. Attendees will enjoy a wide selection of original, handcrafted artwork, including paintings, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, woodworking, photography and more for sale. “This is a unique chance to purchase original art directly from local artists in the community,” said Brendan Alex Phoenix, Marketing Director of Nestucca Valley Artisans. “Take home a one-of-a-kind reminder of the Oregon Coast while supporting local artists.” Returning artists include: Walt Amacher (photography), Marilyn Burkhardt (paintings, prints, sculptures), Bill Cary (pottery), Candace Churchley (book arts, basket weaving), Denise Clausen (calligraphy, quilting), Sharon Erb (watercolors, charcoal), Shawn Geers (abstract acrylics), Arlon Gilliland (painting, masks), Catherine Hingson (watercolors), Dana Hulburt (acrylics, driftwood calligraphy), Patti Hoffert (paintings), Teresa Mahannah (paintings, wooden houses), Sue Miller (fused glass jewelry), Tim W. Moore (nature photography), Alita Pearl (silver jewelry, leather bags), Brendan Alex Phoenix (photographic art), Kent and Nancy Searles (lapidary wire wrapping) and Merrie Jo Snow (paintings, prints). New artists this year: Jim Beck (woodwork), Lynne Beck (stained glass mosaics), Kathy Compton (food-themed mixed media acrylics) and S hawn Ramirez (abstract mixed media acrylics). Located inside the Kiawanda Community Center at 34600 Cape Kiwanda Dr., the Nestucca Valley Artisans Festival offers free parking and admission. Walkable from Cape Kiwanda and local restaurants, with nearby trolley and bus stops, it’s the perfect opportunity to buy coastal art. The Nestucca Valley Artisans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of Pacific City and the surrounding coastal region through exhibitions, education, and community events that support local artists and celebrate creative expression.

Join Captain Thron Riggs, retired Columbia River Bar Pilot, at a reception for his show "Wildscapes" at the NCRD Gallery, 36155 9th Street in Nehalem, on Saturday, July 12 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Riggs, who has a deep affinity for the Oregon Coast, and particularly the Nehalem Bay area, will be showing 40 new paintings—many showcasing this rugged landscape. North County Recreation District (NCRD) is hosting the show for Captain Riggs who has generously offered 80% of the proceeds from the show to support the vital role NCRD plays in the health and wellness of the Nehalem Bay area community. 

This summer, an Oregon community college president is hitting the pavement to spotlight a critical issue: The basic needs of community college students. Starting mid-June, Clackamas Community College President Dr. Tim Cook — an avid marathoner — will embark on a bold challenge to run to every community college in Oregon. That’s more than 1,500 miles over 50 days, averaging 32 miles per day. The Running for Oregon Community College Students (ROCCS) campaign is a statewide awareness and fundraising initiative to highlight the challenges facing today’s students and to advocate for increased state funding for essential support services. Funds raised through ROCCS will be distributed directly to participating colleges to support students’ basic needs, such as food, housing, childcare and transportation. Community college students represent some of the most vulnerable populations in the state. A survey from The Hope Center highlights the pressing needs of Oregon's community college students: ● Food insecurity: Approximately 41% of students reported experiencing food insecurity within the previous 30 days. ● Housing insecurity: About 52% of students faced housing insecurity in the past year, which includes difficulties such as affording rent, utilities, or frequent moves. ● Homelessness: Nearly 20% of students experienced homelessness in the past year, indicating a lack of stable and safe housing. Oregon’s community colleges serve approximately 200,000 students, which is 52% of all public and private higher education enrollments in the state. Many of these students encounter significant obstacles, including housing and food insecurity, a lack of childcare, and transportation issues. Through this run, Oregon’s community colleges seek to highlight these challenges and generate support to address them. “As a first-generation college student, I understand the transformative power of education,” Cook said. “Through ROCCS, I aim to shed light on the significant challenges our students face, rally support to address these critical needs, and raise awareness of the valuable role community colleges play in our state.” “Tillamook Bay Community College is proud to support this mission and encourage the community to get involved,” TBCC President Dr. Paul Jarrell said. “This initiative not only raises awareness but also directly impacts our students by securing much-needed resources.” Follow Cook’s training and daily progress during the run on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/run4orccstudents/ . To donate or learn more about the run, visit http://run4orccstudents.org/ .  The ROCCS campaign is made possible through the generous support of Rivermark Community Credit Union, Johnson RV, and Daimler Truck North America.

For every 10,000 students who take the SAT, only seven will earn the coveted perfect score of 1600. That’s less than half a percentage of all test takers. And Neah-Kah-Nie High School senior (‘26) Dillon Gardner is one of them. “I was pretty shocked, I didn’t believe it at first,” Dillon said. “It was a quiet day in April and I opened up my computer to check on it and I see ‘1600.’ I was shocked and spent a minute or two just surprised because I didn’t expect to get a perfect score. But, it turned out to be real.” Comically, Dillon (and his father Jared Gardner) joke that it was the mocha his mother [Hilary Foote] gave him on the morning of the test that made all the difference. But, Dillon detailed that taking the test twice probably played the most to his advantage. “A few weeks prior I took the SAT a first time and got a score of 1480,” he said. “I decided to take another test because the second math section surprised me with its difficulty. I didn’t get the opportunity to answer half of the questions. So, I went back and took a different approach to solve those problems and thought I could do better, and I did.” While a perfect score is a momentous achievement, prepping for the test was not even remotely Dillon’s main focus during his high school years. During his time as a Pirate, he’s been involved with the robotics team, speech and debate, and is a member of the Dungeons and Dragons club. “The teachers and the tightness of the community are the main things I love about being here at Neah-Kah-Nie,” said Dillon. “Even though it’s very small, I get to know and see other students in multiple classes a day. But, it’s especially the teachers who put in the effort way beyond what they’re compensated for.” “The Argonauts,” Neah-Kah-Nie’s robotics team, made it to the state competition for the first time since the COVID pandemic. The team placed sixth out of 24 teams. “I’ve received quite a bit of mentoring from the volunteer programming assistant and I’m hoping to give back as much as I can,” Dillon said about returning to the team during his senior year. In addition to taking AP level classes at Neah-Kah-Nie, Dillon is also virtually enrolled at Tillamook Bay Community College through which he hopes to finish his Associate’s in Computer Science by the end of his senior year.

At age 9, Chloe Rieger began showing horses in 4-H. At 10, she welcomed home her horse, Ruby, who she raised and trained herself. “I’ve done about 90 percent of all her training, but that means that all her quirks are my fault too,” Rieger laughed. “It was a life-changing experience and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Horses have taught me so much about life and caring about something other than myself.” Rieger grew up in Tillamook just south of town on Bewley Creek Road which she describes as “her little slice of heaven.” Last year, Rieger took on the challenge of learning breakaway roping. “I’ve always been interested in rodeo competition,” she said. “It looked fun and I decided that I wanted to learn. And then I decided to pair that with trying out to be the Rodeo Queen. I felt like it was a good way for myself and Ruby to get some exposure and experience.” Rieger was crowned Miss Tillamook Rodeo in November after winning the queen pageant last June.

Friends of Netarts Bay, Watershed, Estuaries, Beach and Sea (WEBS) and Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (TEP) invite the community to spend a morning exploring the eelgrass beds of Netarts Bay. Dr. Tony D’Andrea, project lead for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Shellfish and Water Estuarine for Coastal Oregon (SEACOR), and Flynn DeLany, TEP’s Field and Data Scientist, will share about the importance of eelgrass in and around coastal waters. They will explain about the importance of the habitat they provide and their role as a nursery for juvenile crabs and fish. “We are confident, you will walk away with a new appreciation for this amazing aquatic plant that not only helps to improve water quality, but also provides a vital living habitat for many species in and above the water,” said WEBS director Chrissy Smith. Registration is required. Learn more and register for this event at on their website. *Details: Wear boots or bring a change of shoes. Be prepared for Oregon Coast weather.

Receiving a citation from a police officer is not something one really wants publicized. But, Tillamook Police officers are on the lookout to cite citizens for their kindness. Back in April, the Friends of Tillamook Police joined “Kindness 911.” The program is a non-profit and support organization that connects local law enforcement agencies with those that they directly serve. The funds to participate in the program were raised when Tillamook Police officers spent an evening delivering Domino’s pizzas. “As law enforcement, we hope to catch somebody doing something nice, a kindness act, and issue kindness citations,” Tillamook Police Chief Nick Troxel said. “We want to notice good things occurring in our community and create the opportunity for us to show some compassion and goodwill towards those folks and say, ‘Thanks for doing what you’re doing. We appreciate you.’” Since joining the program, Tillamook Police have issued six kindness citations. “It’s been a super fun way to engage with the community,” Chief Troxel said. “The feedback has been awesome.” The following community members have been recognized for their positive actions in the community: