Community members will get their last chance beginning at 7 o’clock Friday morning to offer their well-wishes by signing a massive white steel beam that will complete the framework of the new $42 million Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.
CEO Dr. Lesley Ogden and her husband, William Arens
The final support beam will be put in place during a topping-out ceremony at the southwest construction entrance on NE 28th Street off W. Devils Lake Road.
The Skanska USA Building team will host a meet-and-greet in the hospital’s Education Conference Room at 11 a.m. before moving outside at approximately noon to watch the final beam be installed.
The new hospital is adjacent to the existing one, which is expected to be razed in early 2020.
Contact Mary Jo Kerlin, marketing & public relations coordinator, at 541-557-6208 or [email protected] for more information.
The Taft High wrestling team, missing two key competitors due to illness and injury, was taken to the mat in humbling fashion Wednesday with a 48-18 loss at Harrisburg.
“It was a rough night for us,” second-year Taft coach Robb Ellis said. “We faced a battle-hardened Harrisburg team fresh off of competing at the Oregon Classic with seven State placers, one who will soon be a four-time State champion.”
Jace Fostveit missed the match with the flu and fellow senior Jacob Mayoral sat out with an injury, Ellis said.
“We also just spent nearly a week not wrestling in practice to stop skin issues from spreading,” he said.
Taft senior Cody Knott lost just his second match of the season, 6-2.
“Cody wrestled even though he has been battling the flu, and I am proud of him for getting out there to represent Taft,” Ellis said. “He wrestled the match at about 70 percent of his energy and ability, and I am confident that if he meets that wrestler at State again the outcome will be different.”
Ellis pointed to the efforts of sophomore Jose Flores despite a 5-0 defeat at 106 to the fifth-place finisher at State last year.
“I think the wrestler he lost too will place even higher than fifth this year, so that shows that Jose has a reasonable chance to place sixth at State if things go well,” Ellis said.
Ellis said first-year wrestler Eriq Aquino dropped to the 195-pound class “and got a great third-round win by pin even though you could tell he was tired and his body was getting used to being at a lower weight.”
“It was a good reality check for us that we have to get back into the top shape we were in before some of our health issues and rally again before Districts,” Ellis said.
Taft returns to the mat at 5 p.m. today at Dayton against the host Pirates and Warrenton.
“We will try to win some key matches and see more of how things will shape up at our District tournament,” he said.
A routine traffic stop last week in Newport resulted in the discovery of a missing California woman and the arrest of her alleged kidnapper following his apprehension in Toledo by a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit.
On Thursday, Jan. 17, the Newport Police Department conducted a stop on a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, a male passenger exited the passenger seat and walked away.
During contact with the driver, officers discovered she was a missing and endangered person out of California.
A criminal investigation was initiated and officers learned that California resident Lawson Reed Rankin, 35, was a wanted fugitive in connection with the missing woman. The investigation revealed the woman was allegedly held against her will for an extended period of time by Rankin and transported from California to Oregon.
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Newport Police obtained an indictment warrant charging Rankin with Kidnapping in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Rape in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, Strangulation, Coercion, Endangering a Person Protected a Family Abuse Prevention Act Restraining Order, Assault in the Fourth Degree, and Causing Another Person to Ingest a Controlled Substance.
On Wednesday, Jan. 23, U.S. Marshals and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office located Rankin in Toledo and took him into custody following his apprehension with assistance from police dog “Nix.”
Rankin was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail on a “No Bail” warrant.
The name of the alleged victim has been withheld and the investigation is continuing.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education
Saying it has experienced an “upward climb for four years now,” the Lincoln County School District’s (LCSD) overall graduation rate rose by more than 4 percent to nearly 82 percent in 2017-18 — double that of the increase in the state average.
“We are showing improvement in graduation rates that pretty much correlate with the state percentages and population growth,” LCSD Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray said,
According to Oregon Department of Education data, LCSD students in a four-year cohort (those who started together as freshmen in the fall of 2014-15) saw their graduation rate rise from 77.5 to 81.99 percent, an increase of 4.24 percent.
Lincoln City’s Taft High 7-12’s graduation rate increased by 1.76 percent to just under 80 percent, lowest among Lincoln County high schools, and the only one that performed below the state’s average increase of 2.03 percent.
Lincoln City Career Tech was the only school to record a decrease in graduating students, tumbling 14.29 percent to 52.38.
LCSD four-year cohort rates:
High Schools
Taft — 78.90 percent, increase of 1.76 percent
Toledo — 79.25 percent, increase of 7.25 percent
Newport — 83.83 percent, increase of 4.17 percent
Waldport — 93.88 percent, increase of 16.38 percent
Charter Schools
Siletz Valley Early College Academy — 84.62 percent, increase of 3.67 percent
Eddyville Charter School — 100 percent, increase of 5.88 percent
Lincoln City Career Tech — 52.38 percent, decrease of 14.29 percent
“We attribute the rises in rates to a large focus of creating a caring school culture last year, along with other supports we’ve put in place district-wide such as graduation coaches, increased career and technical learning opportunities and implementation of AVID (advancement via individual determination) in all our schools.” Gray said.
Gray, who is in her first year as LCSD superintendent, said she sees room for growth in local student graduation.
“We need to improve support systems for our homeless students and our English Learners (those students who are not proficient in English during high school),” she said. “I want to make sure that all of our students are able to read, write, do math and have career or college choices upon graduation.”
LCSD dropout rates are at 2 percent, which means of 1,700 students in the 2014-15 four-year cohort, 34 did not graduate. The state average is 3.55 percent.
The LCSD said its largest number of dropouts are homeless and not proficient in English. LCSD identified 280 as homeless and 14 (5 percent) dropped out. Of the 58 identified as “English Learners,” four (6.9 percent) dropped out.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s Comments:
First, while we’ve just invested nearly $100 million in early childhood education and made a double-digit increase in state support for public schools, this comes after decades of underinvestment.
Second, while stable and adequate resources are critical moving forward, so too is our serious commitment to closing persistent gaps in opportunity and achievement among students of color, those in poverty, and those in rural communities. My focus on early learning investments, especially in providing wraparound services and supports for children and families, will help close these gaps. So, too will our investments in high-quality teaching and learning for every child focused on supporting effective school leaders and teachers in our schools and classrooms.
Third, we also need to provide more students with multiple pathways of learning that engage and inspire them; keep them motivated and believing in their future; and prepare them for success in life and career. Every student ought to have access to a well-rounded curriculum with the opportunity to explore his or her academic interests.
As an example, we’ve just doubled our investment in career technical and STEM education, opportunities that still don’t exist for most students across the state. And if you are a student in a traditionally undeserved or rural community, there are far fewer opportunities for college-level coursework in high school. We are doing more to invest in expanding these accelerated learning opportunities.
Students who have the opportunity to engage in career technical education or get a taste of college in high school are far more likely to graduate from high school. And better yet, go on to complete college or have skills to pursue a career. This not only benefits our students and helping every Oregonian thrive, it is good for Oregon and our sustained economic development in our communities.
Lastly, we cannot forget about young people who become disconnected from our schools based on family or life circumstances. We are looking at how to tackle chronic absenteeism and we’ve expanded youth and community grants across the state to support underserved youth through innovative, community-based and culturally specific programs. This in tandem with providing expanded support for students who drop out to complete their high-school equivalency – what we’ve traditionally called the GED – we will provide more students the opportunity to complete high school and have greater opportunities to thrive.
Eddie “Weedman” Biggar flips his coffee sign Wednesday
Eddie “Weedman” Biggar is back on the corner of SW 32nd Street and Highway 101 flipping a coffee sign for Cat in a Bag Coffee, a purveyor of cannabis-infused drinks.
Griff Ford, owner of Cat in a Bag Coffee and Rene’s Herb Store in the Nelscott Strip, said “Eddie is great,” and spoke about the origin of the three-day old coffee company’s name.
Griff Ford poses in front of his menu
“A guy came in one day and said he had a cat in a bag and if we wanted to see it,” Ford recalls. “We said sure, and he pulled a drawstring on a bag and a cat’s head popped out. I just thought it was a great name for a business.”
Biggar is advertising Cat in a Bag’s CBD coffee line with his signature sign flipping and dancing, eliciting honks from passing cars and people wanting their pictures taken with him. Biggar had a similar job with Canamedicine in Newport before taking his skills to Lincoln City.
“I do the right thing everyday for myself and those around me,” Biggar said. “Happiness is doing what you have to do because you want to, and that is to stay sober.”
Cannabidiol, or CBD as it is most commonly known, is a cannabis compound that has significant medical benefits, but does not make people feel “stoned.” CBD-rich cannabis is non-psychoactive or less psychoactive than THC-dominant strains and makes it an appealing option for patients looking for relief from inflammation, pain, anxiety, spasms and other conditions without the high.
“We can infuse CBD in virtually any drink,” Ford said. “We are selling out of everything, and I’ve only been open three days. We are the only ones infusing drinks with CBD in Lincoln City.”
“Working for Griff is great,” Biggar said. “It’s an awesome gig full of positive people.”
At 6-foot-9, Taft High senior Ray Darrington has stared down child neglect, school struggles, bullying — even racism – but overcoming adversity has rewarded the 18-year-old prep basketball standout with a promising future …
It’s winter 2015, and freshman Ray Darrington sits at a large table in a cold concourse at Nestucca Valley High School in nearby Cloverdale with a sparse gathering of friends. Unsuspectingly, his life is about to change forever.
“I had grown to fit in as best as I could, trying to be like everyone else, but I had no real skill,” Darrington, then a towering wide-eyed kid of barely 15, said. “Everything I did was just athleticism. Then, the first huge impact on my life happened.”
Surrounded by teammates from his JV basketball team in the school commons, an unfamiliar man approaches the unmistakable 6-foot, 8-inch teenager and offers his right hand in a welcoming gesture.
“He said his name was Corleone Ashton, that he was a coach, and we talked about basketball for a little bit,” Darrington said. “Then, he handed me a green business card and said, ‘If you ever want to work on your game and acquire skills to become better, call this number.’”
Darrington did.
“Being so young, I had no idea what was going to happen when I called, but someone saw something in me,” he said.
To call that brief union of player and coach the birth of a small-school community sports star would be understated. It has proven much more than that.
Coach Corleone Ashton, left, with his prize pupil, background
“It was amazing,” Darrington, now 18, said. “The weekend after I called, I was introduced to a whole new level of basketball.”
Knowing you can’t teach height, Ashton became the promising post player’s coach on a Los Angeles-based Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball team. More than that, he became the father figure the blossoming youngster never had. His teammates became the family so glaringly absent.
“The people I played with were more than a team; we were brothers,” Darrington said. “It made me realize that no matter who you are or what your social status is, we are all just a kid from somewhere.”
A former college player who played pro basketball in Japan and Mexico, Ashton, who then lived in Lincoln City, is owner of Active PCH Training, a personal conditioning company that specializes in high-level skills tutoring and coaching traveling teams.
“I was looking for players to start up my AAU team,” said Ashton, who made Darrington one of the first 10 kids in his fledgling program. “He was a 6-foot, 8-inch, 15-year-old kid with a lot of upside and ability on the court. He had a background in track and field, so he ran the court at his size like no other.”
Since their meeting three years ago, Ashton has chaperoned Darrington by car to games and tournaments throughout California and in Las Vegas. For his part, Darrington made the most of the travels.
“During those nights in the hotels, I realized that this was my way out, a way to become more than an everyday high school student-athlete, a way to give back to my community and to those who helped me succeed,” he said.
Every Wednesday for more than a year, Darrington trained and traveled with Ashton, often working out one-on-one with his offseason coach.
“The teams we played against were a lot more competitive than what I was used to seeing, but I quickly adapted,” he said.
“He has come a long way,” Ashton said. “I’m very glad he had the chance to travel to high-level AAU tournaments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles these past years to gain exposure and improve his game tremendously.
“I look at Ray now like a proud dad looks at his son and thinks how all the experiences, hard work and training with our program has really helped his development. He is more athletic, stronger and consistent.”
For all of Darrington’s success on the court, life off it hasn’t been nearly as pleasant.
Growing up without a mom and dad, the youngster lived with his grandparents, Sue and Leslie Gardner, in the same small house in the tiny town of Hebo “ever since I can remember.” Darrington’s mother and father weren’t active in his early existence, as his mom often worked two jobs and felt it better that her son be with his grandparents.
“My mom wasn’t a part of my life for the first decade of my life, while my dad was never a part of my life,” he said.
Before long, even his grandparents separated, leaving him with “Grandma Sue” to tend to his upbringing.
“She was a strong woman who had the full time job to stay home and take care of me, which could not have been easy,” he said.
In addition to the hardships of raising a child, Darrington’s grandmother fought breast cancer, then marriage woes and, eventually, she and Leslie parted ways. “Grandma Sue” went into remission for a time, but the debilitating disease returned and she was overcome by the symptoms and passed.
“I could no longer see her after one month. She had gotten to the point to where she needed medical help,” Darrington said.
Just 10, the ordeal resulted in Darrington’s first true introduction to his natural mother and little brother, a second-grader at Oceanlake Elementary.
“At first, things were really strange, but as time went by, things eventually got better between me and my mom,” he said.
United, but without a dad, the family moved into Darrington’s grandparents’ house and his education continued at Nestucca Valley Elementary, then Nestucca Jr./Sr. High.
Rude awakenings remained, however.
“At school, things were not as great as I tried to make them seem,” he said.
Ashton provided an ear as well as being a mentor when some kids decided to attach a nickname to their freakishly tall classmate. His counseling proved crucial when racism reared its ugly head.
“I have only ever told Coach Ashton about everything at school,” said Darrington, whose father is black. “They called me ‘half-ni**er.’ I never had a problem with racism until then. I do not tolerate any type of bullying, racism or rudeness.”
Darrington finished his sophomore year trying to ignore the kids behind the insult.
“I told my mom and Coach Ashton and they agreed that I should transfer,” he said.
Initially, the transition made it difficult for him to find a home on the court or in the classroom at Taft, said his coach, Andy Morgan, who experienced inconsistencies in his star player’s dedication and attendance.
“While it is important to highlight he is less than perfect, Ray is continuing to grow as a player and a human,” Morgan said. “I am more and more impressed with his behavior as a young man.”
So far, Darrington has averaged over 15 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in league play, but “it isn’t just the stats that impress me,” Morgan said of his team’s formidable inside presence. “This year, after some early season fumbles, Ray has proven to become a reliable teammate, becoming a positive influence for the team, including becoming a reliable captain during league games.”
Well-liked by teammates and opponents, Darrington has made many friends in and around the community.
“Often during away games, Ray can be seen in the crowd, mingling with opposing players and parents,” Morgan said. “He is respectful and a good sport.”
That maturation has helped Darrington evolve in school and elsewhere, Morgan said.
“Ray is still going to be challenged with schoolwork, and his emotions still get the better of him on the court at times,” he said. “But he has accepted his shortcomings and continues to impress me with his attention to making improvements as a player and a person.”
During the three-game Taft Kiwanis Holiday tournament in early January, Darrington tallied 75 points, grabbed 35 rebounds, had seven blocks, three steals and three assists. He barely missed a triple-double last Tuesday night at home against first-place Rainier, scoring 20 points with 18 rebounds and nine blocks.
“His incredible length allows him to cover ground while blocking shots and grabbing a bunch of rebounds,” Ashton said. “Those were some of the attributes I noticed right away with Ray in his younger years.”
“He takes basketball seriously,” Morgan said, “He also knows how to enjoy the game. Intense, and optimistic, Ray expects the game to be played hard and to play competitively. He has really embraced the role as a senior role model.”
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It wasn’t always the smoothest of transitions, Darrington said.
“I had a lot of fun my first year at Taft,” he said. “I met a lot of new people and made a lot of friends. I’m glad that I am finishing my high school career here, but my first year at Taft was different for me because I’ve never gone to another school before besides to play basketball.
“I have a lot of high expectations for the team this year, but I mostly just want to make sure that the younger players are ready to take a leading role next year. They are the future of Taft athletics.”
Hardships continue to haunt Darrington as his senior season winds down and potential court time in college awaits. Barely three weeks ago, his house caught on fire. While nobody was home, smoke damage forced the family to move to the D Sands Motel in the center of Lincoln City while it finds a new home.
“It’s been pretty rough, but I’ve been looking towards the positive side of things,” he said.
That’s a lesson well-learned from a fascinating past.
“Ray is a very respectful and humble young man with so much potential on and off the court,” Ashton said. “He’s a high-character guy who will and should be successful in whatever he does in life.
“He has several college coaches interested in him right now, but it will be up to Ray to figure out what he wants to do. I’m very proud to have met and have known this young man.”
Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help to identify the person(s) responsible for the unlawful take and waste of a five-point bull elk in Lincoln County.
On Jan, 8, OSP Fish and Wildlife troopers were notified by a land owner of a dead bull elk found left to waste near Hidden Valley Road in Toledo.
An investigation revealed the elk had been shot and killed by a high-powered rifle.
The public is urged to call Oregon State Police Trooper Jason Adkins through the Turn In Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or (541) 961-8859, or by email to [email protected]. Reference OSP Case Number SP19-022825.
Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators
The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.
Or the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, and Furbearers. Cash rewards can also be awarded for the unlawful take of Game Fish and Shellfish and for Habitat Destruction.
CASH REWARDS:
$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose
$500 Elk, Deer and Antelope
$300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf
$300 Habitat Destruction
$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl
$100 Furbearers
$100 Game Fish and Shellfish
Family Promise of Lincoln County will stage the 2019 Tsunami Run in mid-February to help the organization continue to serve homeless families throughout the area.
Partnering with the Lincoln City Community Center and Fitness 101, the group seeks community members in teams of three to participate in a 30- minute timed run/walk event on a treadmill (exceptions will be made for those with health issues) at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13.
Prior to the event, teams will ask for pledges toward their 30-minute run. Donations can be made as a flat rate for the entire 30 minutes or by mile achieved.
There will be two winning teams. The first winner will be determined by the number of miles accumulated, and the second by the highest number of pledges collected.
If interested, contact Christina Hannahs at 541-992-1714 or [email protected]
Lincoln City Police have opened a fraud investigation involving the use of a credit card skimmer device that was placed on an ATM at TLC-Fibre Federal Credit Union’s Lincoln City branch.
On or around Jan. 18, personnel from the credit union learned several of their customers had fraudulent activity on their credit cards. According to their spokesperson, the customers reported having only used the ATM at the Lincoln City branch.
TLC personnel immediately reviewed the surveillance footage from their ATM, located at 2004 NW 36th Street, and found images of a suspicious male tampering with the machine.
Photo taken recently from a Woodburn ATM
Based on the video times, it appears the suspect placed a credit card skimmer device on the ATM on Jan. 8, and removed it in the morning of Jan. 10. The Lincoln City Police Department has been provided with screenshots of the possible suspect and are asking Lincoln City residents for their assistance in identifying him.
Image enhanced using high pass filter
Credit card skimmers are devices that are attached over the card receiver slot of an ATM and look identical to the actual receiver. Once a credit/debit card is passed through the skimmer device and into the ATM, the device captures all the information from that credit/debit card. The ATM will still function normally while the skimmer device is attached. The captured information on the skimmer can then be downloaded and used to commit fraudulent purchases.
The best way to ensure a skimmer device is not attached to the machine is to inspect the credit/debit card receiver slot for any signs of tampering or loose equipment. It is also recommended that you pull on the received slot to make sure it is securely attached. If you discover a skimming device on an ATM, you should refrain from handling it and call your local law enforcement agency to report the incident.
The Lincoln City Police Department would like to ask anyone who used their credit/debit cards at the Lincoln City TLC-Fibre Federal Credit Union ATM between the dates of Jan. 8, and Jan. 10, to review their account history and check for fraudulent activity. Those persons finding any fraudulent activity are encouraged to assemble their financial records (dates, times, amounts, etc.) before contacting the investigating officer, Sr. Officer Liden.
The Taft High wrestling team overcame the absence of two of its State-level wrestlers Saturday to defeat the big boys and the little guys in dual-meet competition.
The Class 3A Tigers defeated Class 5A Central 39-38 without senior team leaders Cody Knott and DeVon Lindquist, then beat Class 2A Nestucca with sophomore Jose Flores going 3-0 while bumping down to his District tournament weight of 106 pounds for the first time this season.
Taft Coach Robb Ellis
Jace Fostveit ventured up to 220 and Jace Phippen to 285 for victories over their opponents from host Central.
“Some of our younger wrestlers [Kevin Acosta Lopez and Riley Ellis] did great, too,” Taft Coach Robb Ellis said of team members who mixed victory with defeat. “Sometimes the best match you ever wrestle, you lose.”
Taft returns to the mat Wednesday this week with a road match at Harrisburg.
The final support beam will be put in place during a topping-out ceremony at the southwest construction entrance on NE 28th Street off W. Devils Lake Road.
“It was a rough night for us,” second-year Taft coach Robb Ellis said. “We faced a battle-hardened Harrisburg team fresh off of competing at the Oregon Classic with seven State placers, one who will soon be a four-time State champion.”
On Thursday, Jan. 17, the Newport Police Department conducted a stop on a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, a male passenger exited the passenger seat and walked away.
Partnering with the Lincoln City Community Center and Fitness 101, the group seeks community members in teams of three to participate in a 30- minute timed run/walk event on a treadmill (exceptions will be made for those with health issues) at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13.
