Monday, March 18, 2024
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Whale watching returns to the Oregon Coast

Gray WhaleNews release: Oregon State Parks will host Spring Whale Watch Week along the Oregon Coast Saturday, March 23 through Sunday, March 31.

Trained Oregon State Park volunteers will be stationed at 15 sites along the Oregon Coast to help visitors spot whales and their calves and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily March 23-31. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast.

The spring event is three days longer than last year and might include better odds of seeing gray whales on their journey home from the calving lagoons in Mexico in light of today’s announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOAA announced the end of an Unusual Mortality Event, a significant die-off of the gray whale population, that had affected the marine mammals since 2019.

“The latest counts indicate that the gray whale population has likely turned the corner and is beginning to recover. It’s a perfect time for people to see them as they swim north with new calves to feed,” said Michael Milstein, public affairs officer with NOAA Fisheries.

Researchers counted about 412 calves last year, which was almost double the number from the year before. That helped signal an end to the Unusual Mortality Event and a likely turnaround in numbers as the species begins to rebound.

An estimated 14,500 gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores from late winter through June as part of their annual migration back to Alaska.

“Spring is a great time for whale watching because the gray whales are usually closer to shore on their return trip, typically around a mile or so out, and the weather can be better for viewing. But don’t forget your rain gear just in case,” said Park Ranger Peter McBride.

A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on the official event webpage 

State operated viewing center in Depoe Bay

The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 23-31. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.

All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule and keeping an eye on the surf at all times. Go here for a list of safety tips.

For more information about coast parks and campgrounds, visit oregonstateparks.org.

Visitors are encouraged to share their photos and videos from Spring Whale Watch on social media using #OregonStateParks and #ORWhaleWatch24.

The week in review. What I think about.

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Greetings dear Homepage readers and welcome to the inaugural edition of “The week in review, what I think about it.” 

Over the last year, since assuming the mantle of publisher of the Lincoln City Homepage and administrator of the Lincoln City Homepage Community Facebook page I’ve had many people approach me to ask me to offer my thoughts on items in the local news.  So, being a benevolent dictator, I have agreed to pontificate (and even bloviate) on what I found interesting around town.

Note: This series of editorial commentaries are my own and no way reflect the opinions of anyone but me.

finders keepers 2018But where to start? The end of February and the first few weeks of March are not big news generating times.

Really, the biggest news (if our Facebook feed is any indicator) is the success of the Finders Keepers program run by Explore Lincoln City (formerly the Visitor and Convention Bureau)

Post after post with pictures of disembodied hands holding blown glass orbs appeared almost daily.  It was easy to sense the joy each finder shared and equally easy to hear (through virtual grinding teeth) the frustration of those that have yet to find their prize yet they felt compelled to offer congratulations with a hopes of not jinxing their chances by appearing to be a jerk. Is the program of randomly dropping glass bobbles on the beach a success or worth the cost?  Hard to say.  In terms of goodwill and marketing for our city it’s a home run.  As to actual cost versus income produced,  no numbers exist except anecdotally.  I know several business owners who give it a fiscal thumbs up.  I also know a few beach walkers that despise the extra traffic. Oh well, ain’t that life though?  What do I think about it? It’s fun for some and not others but really doesn’t cause harm to anyone.  One downside that I have witnessed was a group of scavenging humans swarming the beaches and gathering floats to then sell at beach entrances.  Not cool, but enterprising.

Dancing man of Lincoln City
Dancing man of Lincoln City

I think that coming in a close second on Facebook was a fake post concerning the Dancing Man of Lincoln City Mr. Stephen Goetz. The post was a wickedly cheap attempt to pull at the heartstrings of anyone that has met Stephen by making it seem (via an edited video) that he was destitute and in need of money.  I saw through the scam and didn’t allow it to be published on our site but it made it onto the Facebook feed.  Fortunately a relative of Stephens was able to quickly dispute the video and let everyone know that Stephen is doing just fine.  The internet has it’s plus side but, man oh man, does it foster the worst in some people. This type of human debris reminds me of nature films where hyenas cackle and plot around the carcass of a wounded animal or one that another animal has slayed.  Unable to provide for themselves they seek to steal what belongs to others.  This is why I still believe that public shaming is the only way to deter those who seek to commit crimes anonymously. What would my idea of public shaming look like?  Bring the criminal to a very public place for all to see and have them tell the world who they are, where they live and explain what they did.  For good measure, some type of embarrassing corporal punishment might be thrown in.  But that’s just my opinion.

For more information see Justin Werner’s definitive story about Stephen.

Trout ejected from hatchery delivery truck at Devils Lake

Getting some local attention was the stocking of trout into Devils Lake.  Most of the comments on our Facebook page concerned themselves with lake health issues and that they had “heard” that the lake is polluted and the fish weren’t fit to eat.  Most of the comments along that line were from people who have no more interest in the affairs of the lake than they have in the affairs of the city.  Frankly I doubt they could find the lake without an assist from Google Maps.   But without a world full of morons what fun would social media be?  The fish are fine to eat and lake front property owners aren’t dumping poo into the water.  Devils Lake, however, is coming off a bad stretch of grass growth that was choking the life out of it.  Devils Lake Water Improvement District manager Boone Marker says the latest survey of the lake (by an independent third party) shows the grass is currently in a major recession.  Mechanical harvesting and the newly introduced grass carp will play a huge part in determining this summer’s success concerning lake health. I’ll be out on the lake a lot this summer fishing from my 48 foot yacht.  Be sure to wave hello.

Offshore wind farming map

There were a couple of State of Oregon stories.  One was about wind farming off the Oregon coast.  This was given the federal ok despite every vested group, including our local legislators, in the state saying no to it.  But, I guess, if I learned one thing about big government is that if enough of the right people will be making buckets of money the projects will go through.  I hate to sound cynical but I’ve been involved in local government where thankfully there are enough checks and balance and transparency to stop this kind of garbage before it starts.  When the dollar numbers involved start with the letter ‘B’ and no one will ever have to account for the success or failure of a project, this is what we end up with. 

I’m not saying I’m against the project (even though I think it’s a giant waste of money).  What I am against is that no one that I have heard from wants this, yet it continues.  I’m waiting for a gentle pat on my head to tell me that I need to be a good boy and let the adults take care of everything.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that.  My fingers are tired from typing and my dogs need to go out to pee.

See you next week.

 

 

Bureau of Ocean Energy management (BOEM) designates final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the Oregon coast

Offshore wind farming map

News release (originally issued February 13 2024)

BOEM has designated two final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the Oregon coast, the Coos Bay WEA is 61,204 acres and located approximately 32 miles (mi) from shore. The Brookings WEA is 133,808 acres and approximately 18 mi off the coast. If fully developed, the Final WEAs could support 2.4 GW of energy production.
The news release can be read in full here

State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council Will Meet

Press release:

The State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The meeting will take place remotely via the internet on Microsoft Teams and is open to the public. The agenda and handouts will be posted on the Council’s website.

What: Meeting of the State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council
When: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Microsoft Teams click here to join the meeting
Who: State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council

The State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council is established by Governor Kotek’s Executive Order 23-26, Establishing a State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.

The purpose of the Council is to recommend an action plan to guide awareness education, and usage of artificial intelligence in state government that aligns with the State’s policies, goals, and values and supports public servants to deliver customer service more efficiently and effectively. The recommended action plan shall include concrete executive actions, policies, and investments needed to leverage artificial intelligence while honoring transparency, privacy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Meetings of the State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council are open to the public. Public comment may be made during the meeting. Sign-up for public comment is required as spots are limited. Sign-up closes Friday, March 15 at noon. Written comment will also be accepted. Written comment can be submitted by mail to the Council Support Office, 550 Airport Rd SE Suite C, Salem, OR 97301 or online.

Accommodations can be arranged for persons with disabilities, and alternate formats of printed material are available upon request. Please contact Enterprise Information Services at 503-378-3175 at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting to request accommodations. Closed captioning is included on the Microsoft Teams meeting.

Contact:
Shirlene Gonzalez
Legislative and Communications Director, Enterprise Information Services
971-803-1766

State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council webpage: https://www.oregon.gov/eis/Pages/ai-advisory-counc…

Executive Order 23-26: https://www.oregon.gov/gov/eo/eo-23-26.pdf

Meeting link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3amee…

Sign-up for public comment: https://forms.office.com/g/8NPeQbXRrA

Online comments submission: https://forms.office.com/g/5ecMVUWbbi

Contact Information

Andrea Chiapella
Communications Director, DAS
971-345-1333
[email protected]

Attachments

Cherry blossoms illuminated at state capitol state park March 16-April 6

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Onlookers view cherry blossoms at Oregon state capitol (Capitol Facebook photo)

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will host “Yozakura,” night viewing of the Akebono cherry blossoms, March 16 through April 6 in the North Mall at State Capitol State Park.

Parks staff will illuminate the cherry blossoms with Japanese lanterns and lights nightly 6-9 p.m. Visitors may bring blankets, camping chairs or an evening picnic to enjoy under the canopy of the illuminated trees.

According to a news release from the Oregon State Capitol, “The lanterns and lights create a striking and beautiful scene inside the park at night.”

The Focal Point Photography Club of Dallas will be in the park March 23 at 7 p.m. to help photographers capture the perfect shot of the illuminated blossoms. SamaZama, a koto and cello duo, will perform in the park March 30 at 7 p.m. The duo will also perform March 16 as part of the Cherry Blossom Day sponsored by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation and the City of Salem.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will livestream the cherry blossoms on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OregonParks beginning March 16 during the day and evening through April 6.

Park staff ask that tree limbs and blossoms be left as is so everyone can view them throughout the bloom. Alcohol is not allowed in State Capitol State Park (without permits) and the park closes at 10 p.m.

For more information on events at the Capitol, call Visitor Services at 503-986-1388 or visit the events page .

Samaritan Hospitals selling scrubs to raise funds

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The hospital auxiliaries in Newport and Lincoln City are hosting fundraising scrubs sales in cooperation with CareWear Uniforms during the first week of April.

The sales are open to the public, with staff from other health care and dental offices welcome.

Newport: Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Auxiliary is hosting its sale on Monday, April 1, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Conference Rooms 1 and 2. This is in the hospital’s two-story building.

Lincoln City: Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital Auxiliary is hosting its sale on Tuesday, April 2, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Building 8 on the hospital campus. This is located directly east of the Samaritan Lincoln City Medical Center.

At both sites, there will be a large display of scrubs and footwear, including sandals for summer, in many styles and colors. CareWear offers a wide range of popular scrubs and comfortable footwear brands. A variety of other items will be available, such as water bottles, socks, backpacks and more.

A portion of sales proceeds goes to the auxiliaries which support the hospitals in many ways, such as grants to help employees continue their education, to purchase equipment for departments within the hospital, and for scholarships for nursing students at Oregon Coast Community College.

Trout stocked in Devils Lake

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Trout ejected from hatchery delivery truck at Devils Lake

Thirty five hundred trout found their way to a new home this morning when Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) personnel delivered the slippery rainbows into Devils Lake at Regatta Park in Lincoln City.

According to delivery staff the fish are of “catchable size and because they are sterile are meant to be caught.”  Left to their own devices the fish can live up to two years.

According to Lake Director Boone Marker a recent survey of the lake showed a marked improvement in grass overgrowth and should pose no problem to the success of the trout.

It was a short trip for these wigglers having been bred and raised in the hatchery in Otis.

A majority of the fish seemed ready to swim and find safety in their new habitat.  Some struggled but it was explained that some fish go through a period of shock and bladder adjustment and will ultimately become acclimated.

Brownfield Advisory Committee has first meeting

Brownfield Advisory committee

The first meeting of the Brownfield Advisory Committee (BAC) was held in Council chambers at the Lincoln City City Hall on Monday March 11.

The BAC was formed as an advisory group comprised of local business and government officials that might have some interest in identifying brownfield sites within Lincoln City.

Zoom presentation to BAC

A brownfield is land that has been identified as or identified as possibly having some type of toxic material on it or under its surface.

Remediation of contaminated land can be a time and money consuming process that may, essentially, destroy the value of a parcel of land and threaten the worth of neighboring property-depending on the type of contamination present and whether there is a threat of it spreading via ground water or runoff.

Thanks to a grant that Lincoln City applied for and received a few years ago, the city has partnered with environmental consultants from Maul Foster & Longi and Akana.

Together with oversite from Economic Development and Urban Renewal Director Alison Robertson and Economic Development Project manager Seth Lenaerts, the BAC hopes to help identify heretofore unmarked properties that could benefit from analysis of their condition.

In particular they are tasked with noting properties that may have sat vacant for a while and forwarding that information to the consultant team so they might approach the land owner and offer help-if needed.

According to Lenaerts all potential clean ups are “owner driven,” meaning that no government intrusion would occur without being invited by the property owner to participate.

The BAC is comprised of;

Lori Arce-Torres-Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce

Tracy Baily- Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

Korey Hazard-Taylor and Taylor Realty

Amy Libby Graham-Taylor and Taylor Realty

Karen Rockwell-Housing Authority of Lincoln County

Paul Schuytema-Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County

Chad Ulrich-Oregon State Credit union

Tammy Viles-Washington Federal Bank

While most admitted that they had little to no knowledge about brownfields they showed an eagerness to learn and to help the process move forward.  The group is tentatively scheduled to meet quarterly for updates and training.

Schedule of activities planned for BAC

 

 

 

Adventist Health Announces Clinic Closures in Sheridan, Welches and Lincoln City

According a news release from Adventist Health Tillamook, “

Due to long-standing challenges with provider staffing,  Adventist Health has announced the closure of its medical offices in Sheridan, Welches and Lincoln City.

These closures are due to the years-long efforts and difficulty recruiting qualified providers in these rural communities. “We have faced significant challenges with not only recruiting but retaining providers in these areas, even working with national and renown recruiting firms with a high track record of success have not helped the situation,” said Eric Swanson, President of Adventist Health Tillamook.

The clinic in Lincoln City will close on April 12, Hoodland in Welches on April 1, and Sheridan on March 17. 

All affected associates and providers have been notified and will be offered to apply for employment opportunities within the Adventist Health system, including positions local to their current locations.

Swanson emphasizes, “This decision reflects no shortfall in the dedication or service of our affected associates. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering commitment to our mission.” 

The closure dates and last day for staff at each location are as follows:

• Sheridan clinic will close on March 17, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office April 1, 2024.

• Hoodland clinic (Welches, Oregon) will close on April 1, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office April 15, 2024.

• Lincoln City clinic will close on April 12, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office May 1, 2024.

Allow extra time when traveling to Lincoln City hospital

According to a spokesperson for Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital,

“Beginning Monday, Feb. 26, and continuing for approximately three weeks, underground utility work near Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City will create traffic delays. Patients with appointments at the hospital are asked to allow extra time.

The road work is taking place on Northeast West Devils Lake Road by the new apartment building under construction directly south of the hospital. The best way to get to the hospital is from Holmes Road or from Northeast West Devils Lake Road traveling from the north. It is best to avoid any travel from the south, such as 14th Street by Regatta Park or 22nd Street by Oceanlake Elementary.


Once motorists are near the hospital campus, they can enter by the Lincoln City Medical Center south driveway or the Building 5 north driveway.”