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Becky Miller Painting Leads to Illustration, Editing Job

February 19, 2012 Toledo 1 Comment

Dr. Woodrow Monte with Becky Miller and his book's cover illustration

Toledo artist Becky Miller’s art is featured in a recently published book by internationally-known food scientist Woodrow Monte, PhD. Miller also edited and laid out “While Science Sleeps, a Sweetener Kills.” Monte had been having breakfast at Toledo’s Main Street Cafe one morning when he happened past Skybound Art Gallery, where Miller was working as an artist-in-residence. Monte, whose home is in New Zealand, had been looking for an illustrator for the cover of his book. When he spotted Miller’s “Hands of Providence” painting, featuring a shepherd and his sheep, it reminded him of home and he went inside to meet the artist. After the cover art was finished, Monte asked Miller to do a few interior illustrations, which became dozens. Later, after he discovered Miller had also worked as a book editor and writer, he hired her for layout and editing as well.

“While Science Sleeps, a Sweetener Kills” reviews more than 30 years of Monte’s research into the nutritional causes of civilization’s major diseases and talks about them in everyday language. Monte is a food scientist, researcher, and Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University. Monte’s thesis is that many modern afflictions, including a variety of cancers, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other conditions are related to the existence of methanol, found in canned fruits and vegetables, tomatoes, cigarette smoke, and the artificial sweetener aspartame, used in many sugar-free products, notably sodas and gum. Miller has the book for sale locally. It is also available through online retailers.

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Flower Basket Fund Looks to Build Reserve

February 17, 2012 Toledo No Comments

Toledo’s annual flower basket display is on target for Mother’s Day again this year, according to organizing volunteer Marnie Branstiter. The basket program has been a fixture since it was started in 2001 by her mother, late Mayor Sharon Branstiter, and has always been a complete volunteer effort. “A lot of people think it is a City project,” Branstiter said, but it is not. “It has always been run 100% on donations.” Branstiter expressed gratitude at a $515 contribution to the program from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Fund this winter. It helps because “donations are down the last couple of years, probably due to the economy.” Although there has been a small reserve fund in the program “for 2013 there may not be a reserve,” unless donations pick up, Branstiter said.

Although the flowers have been ordered and payment is lined up, Branstiter said the 2012 fundraising goal “has about $2,500 to go.” She is hoping this year’s efforts can build a reserve fund back up, and has some fundraising activities in the works. Branstiter works with the Main Street Program’s Design Committee on the program. Donations to the fund should be made out to the “Toledo Community Foundation” with the note “Flower Basket Fund” and mailed to PO Box 193, Toledo Oregon 97391. For information call 541-961-3701 or email.

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Toledo Adopts Water Rate Study, Authorizes Bond Sale

February 16, 2012 Toledo, Water 3 Comments

The Toledo City Council Wednesday adopted a water rate study and passed a resolution authorizing the sale of $6.7 million dollars in revenue bonds. The bonds will finance the construction of Phases I and II of the city’s water system improvement project. Because it was passed as a “non-emergency measure,” the bonds cannot be sold for at least 30 days. The study, from Civil West Engineering, recommends a rate increase sufficient to generate revenue to pay off the first two phases of the city’s water capital improvements. Although the study recommends rate increases, any actual change in rates will be discussed by the council later. The recommendation is for a base water rate of $27 per month and a water consumption rate of $4 per thousand gallons. If that recommendation is adopted, the average Toledo water bill would rise from $32.39 per month to $48.40 per month.

The idea is to set rates high enough to pay back bonds will be used to finance the projects. City officials stress that a future rate increase is only on the water portion of the city utility bill. Charges for sewer, lighting and street maintenance will not change. Copies of the water rate study are available at City Hall and will soon be posted on the city website. The changes proposed by the study would move Toledo from one of Oregon’s lower water rates to a rate near the statewide average. Council members spent almost an hour in Tuesday’s work session discussing the merits of a higher base rate versus a higher water consumption rate, which groups may be unfairly penalized by each, and whether some type of low-income assistance could be made available.

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Portland Art Museum Discusses Relationship With YRMA

February 15, 2012 Toledo No Comments

Michael Gibbons (left) with Portland Art Museum Director Brian Ferriso (photo: YRMA)

Portland Art Museum (PAM) Executive Director Brian Ferriso came away from a Toledo visit February 10 impressed with the wide variety of arts and artists here. Ferriso has headed the PAM since late 2006. He told Yaquina River Museum of Art (YRMA) officials “What you are doing here is so important” as he toured the Museum campus. Ferriso got a tour from YRMA founder Michael Gibbons and museum board member Jill Lyon, and engaged in a discussion of how the two institutions might complement one another. “What we have here (in Toledo) is worth seeing,” Lyon told Ferriso, “but it is important to make sure people know about it.” She proposed that the PAM might be able to work online with YRMA, one of just a few fine arts museums in the state, and perhaps design cooperative events. Ferriso was enthusiastic about the arts in Toledo. “There’s some energy I feel around here, with the Toledo Arts District as a hub,” he said.

YRMA is embarking on a strategic planning process which Lyon believes will enable the institution “to succeed for the long-term.” Ferriso was enthusiastic about the possibilities for collaboration between Portland and Toledo. He observed that small regional museums are important for the regions they serve. He affirmed the plan to keep YRMA’s focus narrow, concentrating on the work of artists representing the land, people, and industry of the Yaquina River Watershed.

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Initial Toledo Storm Damage Estimate is $50,000, Number Will Rise

February 15, 2012 County, Toledo No Comments

Newport Public Works Director Tim Gross (far right) working with (L-R) Denise Choin, Oregon Emergency Management; Steve Robb, FEMA; local Emergency Manager Jenny Demaris; Judith Chastain, FEMA

Preliminary estimates of damage from the January 17-21 storm stand at about $50 thousand for the Toledo area, but city officials expect the number to climb. Toledo Public Works Director Adam Denlinger briefed City Council members on damage at Tuesday’s work session, stressing that assessments continue. A known trouble spot is a slide area along South Bay Road. While road repair is the county’s responsibility, the slide is affecting Toledo’s fresh water supply line to the Wright Creek and Seal Rock Water Districts. Denlinger said a proposed fix, installing polyethylene pipe, has not been officially estimated, but could run an additional $75 thousand. Another slide area near the city’s Siletz River fresh water intake shows “significant earth movement” over a wide area, with some ground slumping two feet near water delivery pipes. That assessment continues.

Denlinger said the city suffered a pump failure at the A Street lift station, although the unit was replaced during the emergency by one the city had in storage. The 9.9 inches of rain and attendant high tides also pushed water near capacity at the Mill Creek dam, forced an emergency tide gate installation at the Olalla Slough Dike, forced all city-owned generators to operate during power outages and caused short-term drinking water conservation. A historic slide is causing road and sidewalk movement on Business 20 just east of JC Market, Denlinger said. But it is unclear whether FEMA or federal highway programs will pay for that repair. Another slide, behind the LCSD bus facility on Burgess Road threatens the city’s storm drain system, but does not pose a danger to homes below that on 10th Street. That area was mitigated last year after a storm, but continues to slide. It is not clear to PW officials how long it may take FEMA to make determination on additional assessments. FEMA teams toured 17 ares of Lincoln County Monday and Tuesday of last week, including Lincoln City, Newport, Seal Rock, Waldport, Siletz, Toledo and Elk City, according to Jenny Demaris, County Emergency Manager. The initial damage estimate countywide is just over $3 million, she said.

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