KILGOROUND

THERE WAS A time that the arrival of a new school year meant a new pair of Converse All-Stars, squeaky-soled shoes that offered so much promise.

WE never ran as fast or jumped as high as we imagined we would during those first moments when our All-Stars were new, in those first tentative steps around the shoe department at the 3 Beall Brothers store.

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EVEN without recordsetting shoes, children will be climbing on and off of school buses this week. Please be aware of them and drive carefully.

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OBSERVATIONS from a recent vacation to the Pacific Northwest:

- THERE'S apparently a rule in Oregon that Mexican food restaurants must be named Mazatlan.

- MOTORISTS still are not allowed to pump their own gasoline in Oregon.

An attendant approaches, asks "what'll it be" and starts the pump for you. Then you either give him/her your card -- if you want to pay at the pump -- or go inside and pay. It's slower than selfserve, and gasoline is significantly more expensive, but you can stay in your car and out of the rain.

- COFFEE shops are everywhere. In the middle of almost nowhere, a tiny roadside building will offer Drive- Through Espresso. Our favorite name for a coffee shop: The Human Bean.

- SINCE we were last there, the state has added tsunami warning signs -- and identified evacuation routes - - along the coast highway.

- CLAM is one of the basic food groups. Even breakfast burritos include clams.

- IN Astoria, the Silver Salmon restaurant includes a map of the U.S. and pushpins for guests who want to mark their hometown. Kilgore already had a pin.

- AUGUST in Oregon might normally offer more sunny days than otherwise, but we "enjoyed" cool, rainy weather every day but one.

IT'S good to be home,

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HAPPY birthday today (Sunday) to Billy White, Megan and Mallory Ford(Twins), Louis Hale Jr., Don Bone, Bobbie Highsmith, Kyle Stallard.

HAPPY anniversary today Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hale Jr., Jean and Charles E. Avery.

CELEBRATING birthdays Monday Mrs. E.B. Mobley, Jean Robinson, Amanda Robinson, Cody Kirk, Gail Lopez, Jeremy Hughes, Robert W. Johnson, Carmel Lee, Lottie Jean Daniel, Kareen Colbert, Anthony Grush, Anthony Arnold, Jeremy Cox Jr., Kyle Stallard.

HAPPY anniversary Monday Charlie and Jo Ann Whiteside, Burt and Connie Cagle