MAYOR'S MESSAGE A Season of Change and a Community Built on Hard Work It’s hard to believe we’re already turning the calendar to September. The Blackberry Arts Festival has wrapped up for another year, Labor Day is here, and before we know it, students will be heading back to school. Around Coos Bay, this time of year always seems to bring a little bit of everything—one last taste of summer along with the feeling that fall is just around the corner. Most of us probably think of Labor Day as a three-day weekend, a backyard barbecue, or maybe one last chance to get out and enjoy the summer. But there is some interesting history behind the holiday, particularly for those of us who call Oregon home. In 1887, Oregon became the first state in the nation to officially recognize Labor Day, seven years before it became a federal holiday. I think that history is especially fitting here in Coos Bay. This is a community that was built by people who knew the meaning of a hard day’s work. For generations, people have worked in our forests and mills, on the docks and fishing boats, in shipyards and local businesses, and in all of the industries that grew up around the bay. Today, that list looks a little different, but the importance of working people to our community hasn’t changed. They are the people teaching our kids, caring for our families, fixing our roads, running our businesses, responding when we call for help, keeping our utilities working, serving our customers, and doing hundreds of other jobs that we probably don’t think much about until we need them. Labor Day is a good opportunity to simply say thank you to all of them. And speaking of our kids, school is starting again. That means buses will be back on the road and students will once again be walking and biking through our neighborhoods and crossing busy streets. Mornings can be hectic for everyone, so please slow down, keep an eye out, and give yourself a few extra minutes—especially around our schools and crosswalks. Getting somewhere a minute or two sooner is never worth putting a child at risk. Summer isn’t quite finished with us yet, either. The Bay Area Fun Festival—our area’s last big celebration of the summer—is coming up later this month. There will be plenty more to say about that as we get closer, but for now, mark your calendars and plan to come out and enjoy another great community tradition. As we head into Labor Day weekend, I hope everyone gets a chance to spend some time with family and friends, enjoy this beautiful place we get to call home, and maybe take a moment to appreciate all of the people—past and present—whose hard work helped make Coos Bay what it is today. And to our students, teachers, school employees, and parents getting ready for another school year: have a great year, and welcome back! -Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay