Tillamook County Pioneer

01/02/2026

City of Tillamook, Oregon Tillamook Police Department

01/02/2026

Minor Tidal Overflow Flooding expected between 10 AM–2 PM Saturday around high tide. Areas of concern include HWY 101 near Raymond and Seaside, and Fraser Rd in Tillamook County. Up to 1 ft of water possible in low-lying areas. Avoid flooded roads and allow extra travel time.

For detailed hazard information, visit:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=pqr&issuedby=PQR&product=CFW

01/02/2026

With the New Year, higher health insurance premiums have arrived for millions of Americans, including Oregonians.

Since the 2024 election, Republicans controlling Congress and the White House have chosen not to extend the enhanced ACA subsidies that have been in place since 2021.

The result is predictable: some families are now facing premium increases of hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month. Some couples face monthly premiums that now exceed $4,000 after losing subsidies, and some are dropping coverage altogether.

What’s striking is the disconnect. In Oregon, we spend months arguing over a gas tax increase that would average about $2.50 per driver per month, while largely ignoring federal policy decisions that raise health insurance costs by $2,500 per month or more.

If affordability is the concern, the math suggests we’re arguing about the wrong bill.

01/02/2026

Vandalism is never the answer to political disagreement. Unfortunately, over the past few years we’ve seen more of this kind of behavior, and that’s disappointing.

On New Year’s night, the newly opened Tillamook County Republican Committee office was vandalized with paint balloons. This type of act doesn’t reflect who we are as a community.

I want to thank the building owner and the crew who spent their New Year’s morning cleaning up the damage. That kind of quiet responsibility says a lot about the character of Tillamook.

What makes this especially troubling is that it goes against the very fabric of our community — a community that consistently comes together to support one another during floods, support our schools, show up for charity drives, and rally behind organizations like the YMCA. That spirit of cooperation and care is one of the reasons Lynda and I chose to finish our careers here and retire in Tillamook.

We can disagree strongly on politics and still treat one another with respect. Civil conversation, peaceful expression, and community dialogue are how change happens — not vandalism or intimidation.

01/02/2026

The first Full Moon of 2026 is also a Supermoon! 🌕️ January’s Full Wolf Moon reaches peak illumination on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at 5:04am EST. Because it is a Supermoon—occurring when the Moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth—it will appear noticeably larger and brighter than a typical full Moon. Look for the January Moon to rise from the eastern horizon around sunset that evening. By midnight, the Wolf Moon glows bright and round overhead. By sunrise, it will disappear into the western horizon.

It’s thought that January’s Full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time. It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that isn’t accurate. Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard in the wintertime to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting.

Other traditional names for the January Moon emphasize the harsh coldness of the season: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree), Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), and Severe Moon (Dakota). Hard Moon (Dakota) highlights the phenomenon of the fallen snow developing a hard crust.

Learn more about the full Wolf Moon! 🌕️ Almanac.com/moon-january

01/02/2026

It's New Year's resolution time! We have some suggestions to help get your 2026 started on the right track:

1. Build an evacuation kit: When it's go-time, stress can make you forget things. Prepare a kit ahead of time so that you can evacuate quickly if needed. Have a disability, mobility issues or special health needs? Check out this list of things to bring with you:https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le3427.pdf

2. Sign up for emergency alerts through https://oralert.gov: ORAlert.gov is a search tool to help you locate your local emergency alert system in Oregon. Alerts are sent by official public safety and emergency management authorities at the local, county, Tribal, and/or state level depending on the nature of the emergency.

3. Become two weeks ready: If you need to shelter in place during a disaster, you'll want to have at least two weeks of supplies on hand for each member of your household. Check out the Oregon Department of Emergency Management's "Be 2 Weeks Ready" toolkit to help you plan: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/hazardsprep/Pages/2-Weeks-Ready.aspx

01/02/2026

Planes, trains and automobiles come to mind when thinking of travel in the Coast Range, but what about boats? 🛶

The seven rivers in the Tillamook State Forest tend to run shallow during the summer months. However, as winter rains drench the Coast Range, floods roar down the valleys to the coast. It was during one such event in the winter of 1886, that the Smith family of homesteaders made a daring and speedy trip along the Wilson River riding the crest of a midwinter flood. Navigating the rapids in a handmade boat of Western redcedar (Thuja plicata), they made the harrowing trip to Tillamook, escaping harsh conditions and looming starvation.

Have you ever travelled by boat in the Tillamook State Forest?
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Alt text: A drawing depicting the Smith family in a canoe. Walter Smith is standing and rowing the boat, while Alice Smith and their two sons sit inside the canoe.

01/02/2026

01/02/2026

Summer 2025 ...

COAST TIME – VIDEO RETROSPECTIVE 2025 – SUMMER Posted on January 1, 2026 by Editor COAST TIME in partnership with the Tillamook County Pioneer proudly present RETROSPECTIVE 2025. This edition SUMMER 2025 covers the stories and events that shaped life here on the North Oregon Coast in July, Augus...