Corvallis Bee Experts: Nectar Bee Supply at Shonnard's

Photo by Allison Lamplugh

Shonnard's Nursery in Corvallis opened over 30 years ago by husband and wife team Chris and Lynnette Shonnard. Their children, Andrea and Joel, have joined in the family business and now help manage the operation.

Official this November, their business expands again with the acquisition of local beekeeping company Nectar Bee Supply. Founded by Karessa Torgerson, Jen Larsen and Melanie Sorenson, all three will stay employed by Shonnard's to operate the department of Nectar Bee Supply at Shonnard's.

The nursery has a designated area for an array of beekeeping supplies. It will be a one-stop-shop for all things needed to maintain hives. Items range from protective clothing, honey harvest equipment, hives, pest control products, bee medications, and consumables.

"We will sell the bees and everything. We are already taking pre-orders now," said Andrea.

Products pollinated by honey bees account for one-third of the food worldwide. For the last 30 years their disappearance nationwide has been notable. Since 2006 the population has had a staggering 30 percent loss each year, twice the amount expected.

Nectar Bee is a member of the Oregon State Beekeepers Association and supports their Honey Bee Lab. In a study by researcher Ramesh Sagili, he found that Oregon beekeepers lost 21 percent of hive populations in 2013. The Shonnard's are committed to helping residents learn how to help combat the loss of honey bees, and increase local population essential for agriculture.

"A lot of our customers are very concerned with the sprays they're using, and we can help with that," said Andrea.

Involved with local honey bee communities, Nectar Bee is also a member of Linn-Benton Beekeepers Association. Locals will have the ability to consult with bee experts at the Corvallis storefront. 

"We've already had questions, we've already had sales. We're just really excited because we actually have a store," said Larsen, specialist and department manager.

The union will give residents the benefit of a full service nursery and beekeeping center in one, the only one between Eugene and Portland.

"As far as we know, we're the only garden center with a bee center and experts," said Andrea.

Torgerson is a certified Master Beekeeper with expertise in swarms, brood analysis, drones, and nutrition. Torgerson will be joined by Sorenson to teach classes for the public on beekeeping basics. 

“One of the most important things people can do for bees is to plant bee forage,” said Torgerson, “This helps improve human forage by nurturing honey bee and native bee populations, which pollinate the majority of flowering plants. I love that Shonnard's customers are already on board with that message, and am excited to engage with them on this topic and other related topics.”

The next class is scheduled for Feb. 28. Classes sold out last year.

With a tentative grand opening of Nectar Bee Supply at Shonnard's on Jan. 10, the two working together in the past made the merging of the companies rather easy.

"They partnered with us the last two years so it was a perfect segway," said Lynnette, "We think it's a no-brainer."

Local honey, beeswax candles, and gift items will be incorporated into the products for sale. Some byproducts may come from customers. Their "hosted hive" program is designed for those wanting a hive on their property but not wanting to be beekeepers. Nectar Bee will manage hives in exchange for half the harvestable honey.

We see the growth of it," said Lynnette," And there's so many pun opportunities, everything's a buzz."

Customers have been asking the nursery for years as to when something like this would be available. Now they can bee-aware that Shonnard's has made it happen.

LBCC Introduces Communication Focus Award

This winter term LBCC will offer a Communication Focus Award for the first time. Students can earn the award by taking three communication classes: Comm 111, Comm 112 and Comm 218, with a completion grade of a B or higher.

"Our department, like our college, highly values excellence and wants students to perform at a high level to earn the award," said Mark Urista, department chair. 

The award is designed to give students a tangible way to demonstrate communication competence to perspective employers. It can be listed as an accomplishment on a resume that will help set students apart from a sea of resumes that many employers review while considering a new hire.

The benefits of the focus award are designed to help students in professional careers but will also benefit their personal lives. In the three classes: Public Speaking, Introduction to Persuasion and Interpersonal Communication, students will learn soft skills and public speaking skills considered valuable in every day life.

"Our motivation for creating the Communication Award is to encourage students to develop skills employers report are in high demand," said Urista. "This award represents a very important accomplishment in ones college career."

The classes will help students to overcome nervousness or anxiety when speaking, use correct grammar and a clear voice, recognize nonverbal cues from an audience, and to display confidence and prompt articulation while speaking.

The class credits are transferrable to OSU, however the award does not appear on an official transcript. It should not be confused with a degree, and is not officially recognized by the state. Many colleges offer such awards recognizing that any career requiring interaction with people will benefit from an emphasis on communication.

"One thing that's really great about this award is that students can earn it in a single academic year," said Urista.

Urista himself earned a similar focus award at the start of his education at El Camino College in California.

"I didn't have any clear goals when I first started community college. However, by being offered the opportunity to earn an award I could obtain in a short amount of time, I quickly became engaged and soon found myself on the path to success. I hope this award does the same for LBCC students."

Any student that has completed the classes prior to the award should contact Mark Urista at uristam@linnbenon.edu. to claim their award. Students will not be contacted otherwise, so being proactive is necessary.

Student Testimony

Grant Garcia, dual enrolled at LBCC and OSU, recommends the Communication Focus Award. Majoring in Communication with a minor in Economics, he already uses his learned skills in his job as a purchaser for Veterinary Services Inc.

Q. How have the Comm 111, 112 and 218 classes helped you in school?
"These courses have helped me both as a speaker and writer in terms of organizing my thoughts and presenting these ideas in a clear, concise manner. I have become very comfortable presenting class projects, thanks to 111 and 112. The 218 course was more writing intensive, giving me several opportunities to continue developing as a writer while I learned the fundamentals of interpersonal communication and relationships." 

Q. How have they helped you professionally?
"Well, as a purchaser I communicate constantly with manufacturing companies and employees from other departments in the company. Knowing how to concisely communicate sometimes complicated messages is a valuable skill to have in my job. Oh, and having a working understanding of Comm 218 helps me appropriately maneuver any drama at the water cooler."

Q. Have you had employers or professors comment on your ability to effectively communicate?
"About a week ago I received a letter from Oregon State encouraging me to apply as a graduate student and teach as a grad assistant in Communication. The three Comm courses I took at Linn Benton did a great job preparing me for a successful (so far) experience as a Communication major at OSU."

Q. Why would you recommend a student take this set of classes?
"Being able to communicate effectively makes you sound smarter and gives you confidence to put your best foot forward in whatever you choose to pursue."

The Old Spaghetti Factory: Grand Opening in Corvallis, Oregon

Benton County has a new place to dine. Classy and fun, with fair prices and pleasing aesthetics, The Old Spaghetti Factory has it all. Wednesday, Nov. 19 was the grand opening at the former site of Michael's Landing in Corvallis.

Walking up to the restaurant, guests are greeted with a wall length, hand painted mural of a vintage Corvallis train station. Characters are depicted in Oregon State Beaver gear, of course. Entering through a set of commanding double doors, the hosts were eager and smiling.

By noon the Saturday of their opening weekend the reception area had standing room only. Hungry visitors waited in the reception area complete with high-backed, oversized chairs, similar to those which seat royalty. A half dozen hosts stood ready with menus to walk guests to their tables.

"We had a great opening day," said General Manager Travis Crownover, "We served 602 meals on Wednesday and Friday all day we served 919."

Crownover comes to the Corvallis location with 12 years of experience, transferring from the Hillsboro location outside of Portland. His location is the first in Benton County and employs 103 people.

The decor is a mixture of furniture commissioned from local builders and antiques. The vintage items were selected specifically for Corvallis from the company's 20,000-square-foot warehouse. Sally Dussin, co-founder with her husband Guss, is an avid antique shopper and collects items from shows worldwide. When a new location opens, the OSF designers pick through her treasures.

"The design team is like their own force. It's a big job and they do a fantastic job," said Crownover.

The restaurant has seating for 200 guests and parallels the Willamette River. Patrons in the lower level dining room have a full view of the river through floor to ceiling windows facing the water. The natural lighting in the dining area continues from skylights with whimsical wooden cut-outs adorning them.

Interior stained-glass windows separate the dining room from the bar. A wooden wrap-around bar is surrounded by tall pub style tables and stools. Several televisions add to a sports-like appeal accompanied by pictures of past Beavers.

The layout of the restaurant successfully separates the upper and lowers levels and waiting area with minimal noise distractions in the dining room. Soft, wordless background music adds to the ambiance.

The booths are cozy, a tight fit for four people, but limited elbow space is forgotten when food is served. OSF prides themselves on their three course meals. Each entree is served with a fresh baked loaf of bread, a choice of soup or salad, and ice cream.

The appetizers were quick to arrive. Their fried calamari was excellent, a perfect tenderness and not too greasy. The wait staff stood watch and kept drinks filled. Even staff not waiting at a particular table removed empty dishes as they walked by.

The average meal costs about $15 but the presentation borders on high-end. The beer was served in frosted glasses and ice cream was served in frosted dishes. The salad bowls were chilled, adding an unexpected crispiness. A unique pesto ranch dressing was a good surprise too.

The courses were well proportioned, not too much, but enough to stuff you. The staff kept a loaf of bread on the table at all times, served so fresh it steamed when it was sliced. The mizithra pasta is highly recommended. Its buttery sauce with fresh garlic and mizithra cheese tossed with chopped bacon coats spaghetti with a creamy deliciousness.

The flavors are rich and fresh and the dishes are attractive. The staff are attentive, and managers graciously opened doors for customers. OSF is a recommended experience for an affordable date night, happy hour drinks with friends, or a family affair.

"Our target customer has always been families," said Crownover. "We want to have a family environment and fun."

It seems they got it right at the Corvallis location. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

LBCC: Measure 91 and Marijuana on Campus

Since the midterm elections on Nov. 4 three students have been found smoking marijuana in their cars because "it's legal." Security and administration are busy laying out the laws on campus before more students confuse the passing of Measure 91 with expected conduct on campus.

The policy remains: no use in cars, in designated smoking shelters or in vape pens. Furthermore, marijuana is prohibited in any food products on campus.

"We still absolutely ask and expect students not to come to school under the influence," said Lynne Cox, associate dean of student development. "Technically almost nothing will change at LBCC because of this law change."

The law is not in affect until July 2015, and even after that, the use of marijuana on campus will be the same as it has been for alcohol consumption: it's not welcome. The reasons vary from cognitive abilities, safety, and financial aid.

"When states decriminalize something that the feds say is illegal, they win," said Cox. "For the feds to be able to provide financial aid, we have to enforce drug-free schools."

If the college is found allowing the use of illegal drugs—according to the federal government—they could pull aid for LBCC and its students. The loss of such funds would be devastating.

Besides the battle of federal verses state law, mind-altering drugs can present challenges to certain programs on campus. Some trade tools are considered high-risk in classrooms. In courses requiring the use of equipment that could cause bodily harm, teachers expect students to be sober.

Conducting chemistry experiments, welding, using medical equipment in health occupations classes, knives in culinary arts, or car lifts in the auto tech department are all examples of hazardous situations for students if improperly executed. Having a level-lead is important.

Concerns of marijuana use stem deeper than just campus safety. Driving to or from school under the influence results in operating a vehicle while intoxicated—illegal under any circumstance. With no on-campus housing, the school can't regulate students' ability to drive.

The school, however, recognizes challenges in monitoring legal use off campus.

Staff and faculty are being advised to question suspected students about their sobriety in class. If a student is disruptive or smells of the drug, staff are asked to inquire about and assess someone's behavior before removing them from class.

"Use of intoxicants can lead to disciplinary action at a minimum," said Bruce Thompson, safety and loss prevention coordinator.

Discipline is decided on an individual basis.

First violations are preferred as a counseling session for corrective action. Some violators may be assigned a research paper or essay in hopes of educating them further. Some violators may have to attend a conduct hearing on campus.

Depending on the severity of disruption or repeated infractions, marijuana use could result in a two day exclusion from campus up to a year of suspension. Suspension from classes will affect attendance, potentially resulting in a student losing their financial aid.

As stated in the Student Rights and Responsibilities, LBCC is committed to a drug and alcohol free campus, despite any change in state law.

"We've somewhat dealt with this problem on and off for years now with medical marijuana users," said Thompson, "It's a serious issue and I know we're going to have a lot of people testing the waters."

If a student requires the use of marijuana for a medical disability, they are encouraged to contact the Center for Accessibility Resources (formally the Disability Office) for proper instructions and declaration.

Veterans Day has a new Meaning for Nicole Patterson

Photo by Christopher Trotchie

Veterans Day has a new meaning for Nicole Patterson. On Oct. 6, 2013 she lost her brother, Cody Patterson, in Afghanistan. A year later, she opens up about how her life has been impacted.

"I feel a personal connection to every single soldier that is deployed now. It's not a nameless face, I feel their sacrifice."

The Pattersons were born and raised in Philomath. Locals may recall Cody's memorial service with an astonishing turnout of an estimated 5,000 people.

She has met peers in her classes at LBCC who said they attended his memorial service not because they knew him but because they felt they should be there.

"Our community is phenomenal," said Nicole. "People I had never met in my life reached out to us."

Cody was serving his second tour in Afghanistan when he lost his life. He had two weeks of duty left before he was to return home. He was on a mission to render help for comrades when he and three others were killed in action. He was 24 years old.

He will forever be a son, brother and soldier who gave his life fighting for fellow Americans.

"Veterans Day is every day in our family,” Nicole said. “I've definitely become more patriotic than ever before in my life."

It has been a long year for her since Cody's passing.

After his death, Nicole fell into depression that led her to drink away her pain. Months passed, many of them blurred, until she realized she had to pull herself together, if not for herself, for Cody. She has been sober for six months.

"Cody gave his life and I don't want that sacrifice to be for nothing," said Nicole. "We don't get to choose the bad things in life, but we can take away lessons."

Nicole has become involved in organizations that help families of fallen soldiers. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is a non-profit organization that serves as a support network. They connect surviving family members to help each other cope with loss.

"Our family has had the chance to get really close with some [TAPS members]. They have a near and dear place in my heart," said Nicole.

She is closer to her family now than ever before.

"There's some really dark, dark times we walked through, but we all walked together," she said. "My mom and I are really close now. I'm lucky to have her as a source of strength."

Her dad, on the other hand, still struggles.

"They say that things will make or break people and it's broken him."

Her sister, Leticia Williams, has channeled the loss by organizing package drives for fellow rangers. They accept donations of food and supplies to send to troops. Cash donations help with the shipping cost of packages.

"The last one was really special because it was for Cody's battalion," Nicole said.

Nicole's 3-year-old daughter Chloe still talks about her uncle. She understands he's gone and relates everything camouflage to Cody. She got a new camouflage backpack and calls it her "Cody bag.” When she counts her plastic soldiers she tells her mom she has "six Codys."

"It's sad that she is so young and knows loss," she said of her daughter. "When Cody would come home from leave he would let the kids play his drum set. He was a good uncle."

Nicole and her family received a gold star pin from the government as a token of remembrance. She wears hers every day as a necklace. She has Cody's initials engraved on the back, hanging just above her heart.

She thinks of him often.

"I saw a middle-aged man driving a minivan the other day," she recalled. "He looked like a middle-aged Cody, and I thought, 'He would have been a great dad.'"

They shared a love of music and music often reminds her of him.

The night she learned of his death, the 1967 hit from The Youngbloods "Get Together" came on the radio. The lyrics, "Smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now," blared through her car speakers and she felt Cody was with her.

"I thought he played the song for me." 

Cody's sacrifice motivates her to make her life count.

"He's inspired me. I picked up my guitar and started learning to play. I got art supplies, which I hadn't done in a long time."

A year later Nicole continues to see a counselor, attends a women's group, and goes to AA meetings. She stays busy raising three kids and is nearing graduation with a degree in psychology this spring.

"I struggled after he was gone about what happens when you leave this Earth. I had to let it go and realize that his memory is here."

His death was tragic but not forgotten. His life was short but it was meaningful. He will forever be young. He will forever be a hero. Veterans Day has a new meaning for the Pattersons.

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P. PFC Cody Patterson.