Tillamook County Citizens for Human Dignity’s series on Healthcare Reform will feature a panel of local experts this evening.  I’m visiting family this week so will miss this installment but wanted to get in a last minute plug for what should be an informative and rounded perspective on this issue so important to all of us, our families and neighbors.

A note from Andrea Goss shared “We have a panel of people who are affected by the current healthcare system, are professional experts, understand the pending legislation regarding the topic, and/or are passionate about it:

• RICK STAGGENBORG – MD from Coos Bay and an advocate for grassroots action for change that will include everyone
• MARK BOWMAN – Tillamook County Hospital emergency doctor
• WALT LARSON – Tillamook County Hospital CFO
• CURTIS HESSE – Director Tillamook County Health Department
• JULIE MAGERS – Project Coordinator with Archimedes Movement, a grass roots organization dedicated to help bring about change in our health care system.

MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 6:30-8:30
TILLAMOOK LIBRARY
The Healthcare Reform information series is free and open to the public.

For more information call 503 398 5223 or 971 223 5759.”

There’s still room for your child at Bay City Arts Center’s West Africa Summer Day Camp for Children age 8 – 18

• When? Monday through Friday July 20 – 25 10 am – 3pm
• What? Art, theater, dance, storytelling with great staff
• Where: Bay City Arts Center 5680 A Street Bay City
• Cost for the week: $5o, Lunch included
• Scholarships still available: Your child can attend free if needed

More info: Visit the BCAC web site or call 503 377 9620 and leave a message.

Yes, more parade photos than you can shake an extinguished roman candle at (about 170 of them!) are up on the web for your perusal.  Hundreds of people attended or walked in this year’s parade, and most of them got their face and GPS coordinates immortalized on Flickr.  Take a look, tag the ones you recognize, and share with freinds.

You can click on this link or paste the url below into your brower:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceansidescribe/sets/72157620942675737/

I had fun seeing neighbors and taking photos again at our Oceanside-Netarts Fourth of July Community Parade.  I like to put emphasis on the word community, because it’s so much fun to see everyone and their brother, and their kids turn out.

I’ve selected a few favorites to share here, check back in a few days and I’ll provide a link to another two hundred I took of the event and the crowd on Flickr.

If you around for the parade the last few years and have not seen them yet, you can find photos of 2007 and 2008 on my flickr stream.

As you can see from today’s new header, we had another crowd-pleasing parade, plus fog.  More photos tomorrow; the sun is burning through outside and I’m about to join.  Hope your weekend is full of friends and family, plus a special Happy Birthday to my son-in-law Ameer!