Requiescat in Pace

Heading out of Toledo late yesterday afternoon on a rare trip to Siletz I came upon the horrific scene that was the terrible wreck that took the life of Tamara Wagner.

.

Since I moved to Toledo some 15 years of so ago our population has grown by about 800-900 people.

.

Recently one of the mayoral candidates said that Toledo needs a plan for growth to sustain a population of around 7000. That to continue to provide the services we have now, we will need that number to have a tax base that will sustain the expenses we have and will have.

.

We are just under 4000 population or so now and traffic is terrible and so dangerous. If we add another 3000 people, how will we ever get out onto Hwy 20 heading west to Newport? How will people get across Hwy 20 heading north on Hwy 229?

We need to stop thinking of growth that can only make the Hwy 20/Bus.Hwy 20/Hwy 229 intersections worse until we solve this problem.

.

We cannot simply cross ourselves, that is, make the sign of the cross and say, "Requiescat in Pace." and continue as we have been "on a wing and a prayer" for our safety and that of the tourists and visitors unfamiliar perhaps with these dangerous crossings.

We have only three choices as I have seen in my years as a 48 states over the road truck driver all over this country to deal with such a dangerous intersection:

1. Control these intersections by the use of traffic lights.

2. Lower the present 45 mph speed limit to 25-30 mph. Use lots of flashing lights all along the 1/2 mile danger zone from west of the entrance to Dahl Disposal to east some 1/2 mile of the intersection of Hwy 20/Hwy 229. Strictly enforce the lower speed limit.

3. If need be, cut rumble strips across this dangerous section of highway to force vehicles to slow down without having to commit traffic safety officers to constantly being there.

Perhaps ODOT highway engineers know a better way? We can no longer act like or pretend we do not know more tragic deaths will occur sooner or later in this danger zone most of us must use daily.

Isn't it finally time to do something? Can't we try at least to use this horrible accident and the death of a woman in the prime of her life as a catalyst to doing what we have known for a long time would have to be done?

Let's just do something!

Requiscat in Pace, Tamara Wagner.

"I'm A Fixin' To Go Up To The Store"

When I was a kid you would hear folks say they were "a fixin'" to do this or to do that. It was kind of like a notice, or even an invitation to someone to come along. In summer when it could be over 105* F saying it might encourage someone to get up off the cool cement porch in the shade and take on a half mile walk to the store.

The last few days, since I fell down, and today too, I'm a fixin' to do nothing." Yup, I am fixin' to just rest and try and recover. I cannot believe how tired I am and how much strength I am using to recover, so I am not in the mood for political comments, or for those who make them.

I might make it out to the mail box to see if any bills come in.. or I might not.. First, I'm a fixin' to take a nap..

Those Of Us Getting Old: Lets Be Careful

Man, I never understood before what all the fuss was about "old people" falling down was about. because I never saw it before. Now I have, now I have a sore forearm, sore shoulder, sore hips, left leg Charlie Horse... Man, when a guy my size goes down, it is like an earthquake!

A Near Earthquake on NW G Street?

Thanks to those folks who bothered to call me asking about me suddenly pulling out of the mayoral election.

.

If you felt a thunderous shake on Thursday evening, it was me hitting the deck up here on NW G Street. I do not know exactly what happened, but I went down in the hallway here in the house. Fortunately the Mrs. was home at the time and able to help me recover. She works part time at an assisted living facility so she has the knowledge and skills at only 124 pounds to wrangle big old me at 263 pounds up off the floor and into my room and bed.

.

I spend all of yesterday under the influence of some semi-serious pain relivers, and even now, some 30 hours later, I am all stoved up with joint pains, one shoulder really banged up, both hips sore enough, and my right forearm has a huge and colorful bruise on the inside that is very sore and something to see too. It looks like hell and is in just the right place to interfear with carrying on the belt and hip on that side.

.

I guess age and physical condition are both creeping up on me. I had several incidents in the past three weeks leading up to this fall or near earthquake, and those were part of my decision to pull out of the "contest" for mayor. Along with some personal matters I am taking care of, not to worry those of you folks who are aware or are slightly aware, the personal matters seem to be resolving themselves.

.

I won't be running off for Christmas in Philippines this year the way I had hoped, but am still hoping to get down there to the P.I. sooner than later. I have a few things I'd like to do while I still can get around.

.

Again, thanks to those folks who have called, it is nice to know at least a few folks were wondering about me and concerned for my well being. I'll be fine.

I Am Hoping People Will Support Terri Strom for Mayor

SUPPORT TERRI STROM FOR MAYOR OF TOLEDO!

.

The really great thing about Oregon being the only vote by mail state is that we all fill out a paper ballot! So it is not any trouble at all to write-in Terri Strom's name for Mayor of Toledo! We just need to get the word out that Terri is running a write-in campaign!

Before the deadline for filing for Mayor, I had asked Terri Strom to run for Mayor of Toledo before I also asked a few other folks.

.

I think Terri did not realize just how well known and liked she is in town because she is a hard working and very modest woman. Besides how hard she works at her store Terri gives so much time to the committees she has been serving on both for the city and the Chamber of Commerce. And she is always active in other events going on in town.
.

Terri Strom is an example to all the young women in Toledo of how a hard working gal with lots of work ethic can be a successful businesswoman. Ace Hardware is one of a small number of high volume, high customer traffic businesses in this town. There are only a hand full.

.

Terri knows Toledo, she knows almost everyone in town. She has a great sense of business learned from her parents and a lot of knowledge in muncipal governement she learned in her formative years when her father was serving this city so well. She learned a lot from her mother too. Both of her parents having set the stage for exactly what Terri has been doing already here in Toledo, working on commissions and committees and serving the people of Toledo while being owner/operator of one of the highest traffic and sucessful businesses in this town! Terri is a person not only of high work ethic, but she is an ethical person as well. She will not be needing any classes or seminars on "Ethics in Government"!

.

I am not well enough right now to be of any help to Terri in her campaign. I am asking Y'All to contact Terri now, today, before the weekend to see if there is something you personally can do to help Terri's in her write-in campaign. Her telephone numbers are in the phone book.

.

Let's get behind Terri Strom in her write-in campaign for mayor!

The Field Of Cadidates For Mayor Is Growing By One, and Shrinking By One

Sometime before I filed to run as a candidate for mayor in Toledo on the last day to file, I approached a few people asking them to run to give choices in the election. The first person I asked was Terri Strom who is the owner/operator of Toledo Ace Hardware.

I received a call this morning in which I was informed, along with talking about other issues, that Terri has decided to run a write-in campaign.

Since Terri was my first choice, I now defer to her as your candidate for mayor.

I had been talking about withdrawing from the race due to sudden setbacks in my personal health for almost two weeks now wih some folks. The past week and a half have been especially difficult in dealing with my diabetes and congestive heart failure issues.

I have no regrets for having filed. I have not considered the recent "article" by way of his new blog Mr. Terry Dillman of The Newport News Times is writing. In his blog he threatens both Ed Johnston and myself that now that we are running for public office, that we have become public figures and he is in the process of investigating our backgrounds. I didn't grow up in Ed Johnston's house or family, I do not know what is in Ed's background, but Mr. Dillman will be chasing his tail to find any substatiated crime or other activity I would need to be ashamed of.

He can no doubt find someone to say I was an a$$hole from time to time in my life. But no one can credibly tell any story in my life I am more than sorry for, none I would be be ashamed of.

You know the old saying, "I yam who I yam, I yam Popeye the Sailorman."

Welcome to the world of Gutter Journalism, Terry. From now on, like forever, when a prospective employer or other interested person Googles you, that "article" is going ot pop up somewhere on the internet. I know what I write is not nice journalism. I know all you said about it is true, and now it is true of you too.

Welcome aboard the A Train. If you know where to catch the A Train and where it goes, the ride itself is often interesting enough just for the ride.

EXPERIENCE? EXPERIENCE IS AS EXPERIENCE DOES.

EXPERIENCE has come up in the election campaign for Mayor of Toledo. I've wondered what I'd want Y'all to know about my own EXPERIENCE as I would relate it to putting myself forward as a candidate for the office.

.

EXPERIENCE is not just being present, not just sitting on the dias making motions and seconding motions, not just working on Main Street events, but building the language, setting down the language, of contracts and conditions similar to zoning ordinances, and other ordinaces too. Reviewing the contract with the city workers will be natural for me.

.

I decided to take newspaper ads in the Yaquina Wavelength on October 15th, 22nd, 29th to point out that EXPERIENCE I have that I want to share with Y'all, being retired for some years now, and because I am nearly 68 years of age, I find that my EXPERIENCE beginning back to my first union job some 48 years ago, is all of use even today.

.

Elected EXPERIENE that is. EXPERIENCE as a union elected leader,

Shop Steward =10 years,

Grievance Committeeman 10 years,

a member of the Executive Committee 10 + years,

member of the Negotiating committee 3 times running ober 9 years,

and a holder of positions within not only the local union I belonged to,

United Steelworkers Local 4335 in Quincy, Massachusetts,

but also committees within the

Boston AFL-CIO,

and the Eastern Massachussetts AFL-CIO.

All those years in the local union and positions servng a membership that slowly dwindled from around 2400 members to a low of 1600 members.

.

My, and my brother union members serving on the

Negotiating Commitee

had the highest and greatest of achievements during the 3 terms I served:

.

NO STRIKES!

.

One work stoppage that lasted only 1/2 hour in my + 10 year local union career.

.

Good contracts, good wages, good benefits, and our members and their families achieved a higher standard of living and sent their kids off to collge.

.

As Shop Steward I had to resolve disputes between union members and management, usually foreman, and shop supervisiors, on the shop floor to avoid work stoppages and set down in writing any unresolved grievances and/or issues to be resolved in the written Grievance Proceedure. I had to calm things down on the shop floor, so the union was always in compliance with our contract to work, to provide the labor, and if we could, to settle things in initial face to face meetings, and then go to the written and formal hearings set down in Step Two, Step Three, and Step Four or the Grievance Proceedure only when we had to.

.
When elected

Mayor of Toledo

I am prepared to bring to the table the same strong leadership skills learned in union orgaizing classes, to apply law as I was taught in union sponsored Labor Law seminars and classes at the Harvard School of Business held in conjunction with Harvard Law School. We learned that the goal for a unionist should be to get fair wages and benefits for the union members, and to lead our members in giving a fair day's labor for a fair day's wages, as our individual contracts over the years spelled out.

.

I have the

EXPERIENCE

I will need for the job of

Mayor of Toledo.

.

The greatest

EXPERIENCE

I bring to the office is knowing when to call in individual experts in any field I feel a need to. In unions we have been doing that for a long time. We didn't get hung up on our own level of education or expertise, we felt no shame in asking for expert help. And I will not as Mayor either!