You never know what the tide’s going to bring in . . .
A local resident stumbled across what she believes to be part of a dead beached whale Monday evening while catching a glimpse of an “amazing” sunset.
“I’m not sure who to contact, but I think there’s a very dead whale on the beach just south of Bella Beach,” said Kim Gorman, who took these photos of the object about 100 feet south of the stairs to Bella Beach near Lincoln Beach. “It’s not whole, and I wasn’t going to get close enough to identify it. I sent a message to the aquarium, but had no idea who to contact.
“I walked down to see the sunset, which was amazing, and there it was,” she said. “I think it’s a small whale, but it’s like it’s just the outer shell or it’s only a part of it.
‘It also sort of looked like an eel, but if they get that big, I definitely do not want to know about it. It was hard to tell as it was getting dark. It was right at the tide line, and I tried to get closer, but I’m squeamish and it is a bit smelly.
“Also, the seagulls were guarding it, so …
“I figure I’ll walk down in the morning to see if it’s still there?”
As many as five Lincoln City Pacific Power employees have been dismissed from their duties over alleged improprieties designed for financial benefit, sources said.
In a statement issued Monday afternoon confirming the firings, Pacific Power Media Spokesman Tom Gauntt said:
“Pacific Power dismissed several Lincoln City personnel on Friday, April 26. While it is Pacific Power’s policy not to comment on matters involving employee dismissals, we want to assure our Lincoln City area customers that these changes will not impact the quality and reliability of the service they expect and count on.”
Gauntt said Pacific Power would have no further comment at this time.
According to sources, the linemen, who have not been charged, were terminated after a private investigator followed them for three to four months when the company was tipped off to the possibility of illegal activity in the Lincoln City area.
The alleged activities include falsifying time cards, having friends call in fake power outages, turning off transformers in the middle of the night, and extending work time devoted to fixing outages to accrue overtime.
Some of the linemen were also found to allegedly be using work trucks to perform various duties on their rental properties, sources said. A source said Pacific Power has replaced the employees with workers from the Willamette Valley and those who remain do not work on power lines.
Pacificorp advertised on its websiteat the time of the dismissals to fill openings for journeyman linemen “to maintain and repair all transmission and distribution electrical systems and associated equipment, both overhead and underground, while utilizing line trucks, aerial boom, lifts and wire pulling equipment.”
The Lincoln City electricians are members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 659.
An athletic field at Taft High 7-12 will be the site for the annual Pixiefest festival in late June as part of several major changes announced Monday by the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln City.
The “mesa” practice athletic field, located at the base of the hill climbing up to the school at 3780 Spyglass Ridge Dr., will host the June 28-29 event. The festival was originally held in Otis beginning in the late 1960s, then Chinook Winds Casino Resort last year.
“I am excited to partner with Kiwanis and have Taft 7-12 be a part of Pixiefest,” Taft High Principal Nick Lupo said.
Several additions will be introduced to attendees at reduced prices from noon to 5 p.m. both days, according to a news release issued Monday by the Kiwanis Club through Explore Lincoln City.
Feedback sought by the Kiwanis Club from previous year’s attendees has resulted in a reduction in tickets to $10 for adults and $6 for kids 6-11.
“Pixiefest is an ongoing learning experience for the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln City,” Kiwanis Pixiefest Committee Chairperson Milt Johnson said. “We listened to our guests and strive every year to create a Pixiefest experience based on their feedback.
“We heard loud and clear that they want affordable, family-priced tickets. They also love entertainers that kids can enjoy. We’ve changed our pricing and are recruiting amazing children’s entertainment.”
The Captain Barnacle Variety Show will return to Pixiefest with a new cast of characters., including Louis Fox, a contestant on America’s Got Talent, who will perform Saturday. Presto the Magician will perform Sunday.
New carnival rides and games will also be unveiled. Rides will be $1 and games 50 cents. Pony rides from Green Acres in Pacific City will also be added.
According to the release, Pixiefest is “a fundraising event for the Kiwanis Club celebrating the magic of childhood memories while making childhood magical for kids today.”
Funds raised by Pixiefest benefit youth sports, college scholarships and various local nonprofits.
The Pixie Kitchen opened its doors on May 21, 1953, in Wecoma Beach. Owners Jerry and Lu Parks bought the restaurant from former owner T.C. Gallagher, who had called it Pixie Pot Pie.
The Parks created a restaurant where families could enjoy an affordable meal and be transported to a magical fairy tale land. Special attention was given to children, who were viewed as customers and were given candy gifts and placemats that folded into pixie hats.
By the 1960s, the restaurant had become a popular tourist spot with the slogan “Heavenly Food on the Oregon Coas.t” An amusement park inspired by the restaurant, called Pixieland, opened just north of Lincoln City.
Riding on the success of Pixie Kitchen, in 1967, Jerry Parks envisioned a 57-acre “Fairytale Story of Oregon.” He unveiled plans to build Pixieland Amusement Park in Otis.
Opening in 1969, Pixieland was dedicated to the families of Oregon by Gov. Tom McCall. Keeping the fairytale theme of the Pixie Kitchen, Pixieland featured a steam locomotive, a log flume ride and an opera house.
Pixieland did not survive the decade and closed its gates in 1974.
To learn more about Pixiefest, please visit Pixiefest.com.
Back row, left to right, Ileyana Moreno, Allison Lua, Lesley Lagunes; front row, left to right, Heidi Moreno, Daisy Cobos (Photo by Anayeli Islas Melo)
Five Lincoln City Swim Club members won races to lead the girls to second place and the boys to third this weekend in the annual April Invitational Swim Meet at the Lincoln City Community Center pool.
Daisy Cobos won the girls 8-and-under 25-yard butterfly and 200 freestyle; Napy Meyer the girls 15-and-over 100 backstroke and 100 fly; Dylan Barerra the 13-14 100 fly; Hunter Lunstedt the 15-and-over 50 free; and Isabelle Serrato the 15-and-over 400 free.
“It was a busy weekend. We had some great swims,” LCSC coach Lissa Parker said.
Virtually all of Lincoln City’s 25 swimmers improved on their times with 11 second-place finishes and eight thirds, including three runner-up showings by 14-year-old Mugen Evenson.
“It was a challenging weekend for our parents as we are a fairly small group right now,” Parker said. “A lot of kids are doing other high school sports, and so the parents that we did have running the meet were multitasking and doing several jobs at once.
“All in all, though, we pulled off a great meet with 186 swimmers and their families. Everyone was happy and the weather was awesome.”
Most of LCSC’s scoring came from its 10-and-under and 8-and-under girls contingent.
“Daisy Cobos, Yireth Fuentes and Ileyana Moreno took off over 14 seconds in their events,” Parker said. “Abby Halferty and Heidi Moreno had good swims. Another youngster who is fearless is Dylan Murphy. TJ Evenson is a go-getter.”
Parker said other huge time drops were posted by Lesley Lagunes, Logan Meyer, Brandon Murphy, Noah Serrato and Ryuma Evenson. Parker said it was a first-time meet for Allison Lua, Carly Wisehart and Siri Khalsa.
“They performed very well,” she said.
“For relays, the older guys had a couple firsts in both the 200 free and 200 IM relays,” she said. “They are looking forward to Mugen coming onto the Taft team as a freshman next year.”
The older girls, plus Lesley Lagunes, got second place in the 200 IM relay.
Meyer was able to swim all weekend despite recovering from recent illness, Parker said.
“Swimmers like Erica Zamorano, Sammy Halferty, Lydia Prins and Sam Cortes are all doing other sports right now, but pitched in for the team,” she said.
“Hunter Lunstedt has been working at an afternoon job pretty regularly, but he still managed to pull off a personal-best in the 50 free without very much practice,” Parker said. “Older swimmers like Rachelle Serrato have been coming to practice regularly, and that was reflected in her races, as has Dylan Barrera.”
Parker said one of the teams, Capital from Salem, just formed,so it did not score in the meet due to a 120-day grace period before new squads are considered a club in Oregon.
Girls
1. Bend Swim Club 1,288
2. Lincoln City Swim Club 411.50
3. Portland Aquatic Club 244
4. Newport Swim Team 219
5. Nehalem Swim Team 167
6. South Coast Aquatic Team 140
7. Tillamook YMCA Sharks 109
8. Gold Coast Swim Team 75
Boys
1. Bend Swim Club 1,143
2. Portland Aquatic Club 777
3. Lincoln City Swim Club 547
4. Newport Swim Team 181
5. South Coast Aquatic Team 84
6. Tillamook YMCA Sharks 80
7. Gold Coast Swim Team 50
8. Nehalem Swim Team 19
The Taft High Culinary Program took home first place this weekend in the dessert category at the Cook Around the World competition at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
Nominees are being sought to recognize Lincoln County School District employees who have demonstrated a high level of commitment, effectiveness and efficiency in the performance of their professional responsibilities or work-related duties.
The Compass Employee Recognition Program identifies those who demonstrate service excellence.
The Partners in Education Award is to honor those who have benefitted the school district or enhanced its mission. This recognition is designed to identify a member of the community and/or organization that has made a significant contribution to the Lincoln County School District.
Any employee, parent, or patron of Lincoln County School District may nominate an employee or partner in education for recognition by the Superintendent and the Board of Education in June. Nominations will be accepted through the electronic Google form. Any part-time or full-time employee is eligible to be nominated by self-nomination or by another employee or member of the community.
Beginning Teacher of the Year
0-5 years of teaching (in or out of LCSD)
Demonstrate a commitment to the school community
Willingness to learn and adapt
Demonstrate effective teaching methods
Demonstrate classroom management
Open to sharing and collaboration
Classified of the Year
High job performance
Willingness to go above and beyond
Impact on the District
Professional relationship with other staff, students, parents, community
Commitment to self-improvement and professional development
Teacher of the Year
High job performance
Willingness to go above and beyond
Impact on the District
Professional relationship with other staff, students, parents, community
Commitment to self-improvement and professional development
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program of the Year
Activities and accomplishments that bring distinction to the
Innovation and or program excellence
Attempts to build and grow inclusively
The program reflects the diversity of the school
Foster and promote public/community involvement
Superintendent’s Award
Supports the mission of Every Child, Every Day, Future Ready
Partners in Education Award
Supports Ocean Literacy, Career and Technical Education, College and Career, Future Ready, or other district goals
Could support a classroom, school, or District-wide
Commits time, resources, and efforts to education
How are the selections made?
A committee with representation from staff (licensed, classified, administrative) will review the nominations and select winners based on the criteria. Those selected will be honored at the end of year school celebrations.
Please contact Tiana Tucker, HR Director 541-265-4436.
Sixty-six local students with moderate to severe disabilities were able to participate in adapted swim lessons thanks to a Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution award of nearly $4,000 to the Lincoln County School District Spring Adaptive Physical Education Swimming program.
The matching funds of $3,733 allowed the program to provide lessons to students to elementary through high school. Lincoln City Community Center and Newport Aquatic Center donated their facilities and only charged for lifeguard and instructor fees.
“I loved seeing the progress of each student,” Connie Craddock, Adaptive PE assistant for the Special Education Department in Lincoln County School District said. “Some overcoming fears, some exploring what they were capable of in the pool by attempting new skills and activities and the majority of them improved their comfort in a pool setting, swimming and water safety skills.”
The students in Lincoln City went to the Lincoln City Community Center; youth in Newport, Toledo and Waldport went to the Newport Aquatic Center.
Crestview Heights Elementary had six students, Toledo Elementary had three students, Sam Case Elementary had seven students, Newport Middle School had nine students, Newport High School had 12 students, Oceanlake Elementary had seven students, Taft 7-12 had seven students and Taft Elementary had 15 students.
The program teaches students with moderate to severe disabilities to develop gross motor skills.
The skill development is accomplished by providing one to one instruction, small group instruction, and community outings.
Students learn gross motor skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle and participate in lifelong recreational physical activities.
It includes instruction on how to access community facilities for lifelong health and leisure.
Black Squid Beerhouse was the recipient of the 2018 Business of the Year Award from the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce at a Community Days banquet Saturday at Chinook Winds Casino Resort.
Other Business of the Year nominees were Garage Doors Sales, Itinerant Artist Marketplace, My Petite Sweet, Floral Expression, Nike Factory Stores and the Shearwater Inn.
Lorraine Gilbert
Lorraine Gilbert was named Ambassador of the Year.
Junior Kaden Wright placed third in the 100- and 200-meter dashes to pace Taft High Saturday in the Meet of Champions track and field meet at Sweet Home.
Savannah Russo
Senior Savannah Russo was the top finisher for the girls with a fourth-place showing in the javelin.
Mad Scott
Senior Mad Scott placed fourth for Taft in the javelin; senior David Jin was sixth in the 110-meter hurdles and 10th in the 300-meter hurdles; senior Micah McLeish was ninth in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs; freshman Brayan Mateo-Perez was 13th in the 200-meter dash; and sophomore William Calderon was 16th in the 200.
David Jin
Taft’s 4×100-meter boys relay team of Mateo-Perez, Wright, Jin and Calderon placed sixth.
Kadence James
Joining Russo in the top 20 for the girls were freshman Kadence James, who placed sixth in the high jump, and sophomore Jordyn Ramsey, who was 13th in the 800-meter run.
Photos by Lon French
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The event, featuring winners from this year’s regular-season events, saw Taft tie for ninth in the boys standings behind champion Sisters, while the girls finished tied for 18th behind winning Philomath.
The event, previously co-hosted by Cascade High, moved from Willamette University in Salem to Husky Stadium this season.
The City of Lincoln City is accepting applications from local nonprofit agencies. When preparing the City budget each year, the City considers the financial needs of nonprofit organizations that foster community wellness.
Lincoln City recognizes the essential role of nonprofits. They serve the most vulnerable populations and in return strengthen our community. It is through the Nonprofit Grant Request Program that The City of Lincoln City facilitates these vital organizations.
The application and cover letter can be found on the City’s website at www.lincolncity.org. The submission deadline is 5 p.m. June 6.
For more information please contact: Courtney Liberato, executive assistant to City Manager, City of Lincoln City, PO Box 50, Lincoln City, OR, 97367 or (541) 996-1202 [email protected].