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High surf delivered as promised by National Weather Service

Justin Werner
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High surf delivered as promised by National Weather Service
Lincoln City High Surf
Nelscott Beach waves taken at noon today (Photos by Justin Werner)

A high surf warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) is in effect until 10 a.m. Friday and the waves are here in Lincoln City.

Nelscott Beach Justin Werner

A west-southwest swell combined with a south wind are producing waves above 20 feet along the Lincoln City coast. The surf zone is hazardous due to strong currents and the breaking waves. Very large waves have run up much higher than normal and breakers up to 30 feet are possible.

Lincoln City Waves Justin Werner

NWS urges caution on the beach as logs and debris can easily be moved by the powerful waves and sweep people off of jetties and exposed rocks.

Employer-provided benefits by industry, region and firm size

News Release
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Employer-provided benefits by industry, region and firm size

Employment Oregon

Employer-Provided Benefits by Industry, Region and Firm Size in Oregon

Three-fourths of private employers in Oregon offered one or more health, retirement, leave, pay, or other benefits to employees. Benefit offerings differed across industries, regions, and employer size classes in Oregon. These findings are based on a survey of more than 12,000 private employers conducted between June and August 2018, and published in the new report Employer-Provided Benefits: Offerings, Enrollment, and Rising Costs.

Health Benefits

More than half (59%) of all private employers offered health benefits to employees. In the wholesale trade and information sectors, three-fourths of employers offered health benefits to full-time employees. Smaller shares of employers offered health benefits to part-time employees. Industries most likely to offer health benefits for part-time employees included employers in private education services (21%), health care and social assistance (18%), and professional and technical services (17%).

Employers providing health benefits reported an average monthly premium of $828 for individual plans, and an average of $1,291 for family medical insurance. Companies’ contributions averaged 88 percent of individual premiums, and 62 percent of family plan premiums. Almost three-fourths (73%) of employers with health benefits reported an increase in the total cost of their health plan over the past year. When asked how providing health benefits affected their business or workforce, two-thirds of employers with these offerings cited their high cost.

Retirement Offerings

Half of all private employers offered retirement benefits to full-time employees, while nearly one-fourth (23%) provided retirement benefits to part-time workers. Sectors with the largest share of employers extending health benefits included health care and social assistance, and professional and technical services. The most common retirement benefit offered by private employers was a defined contribution (401, 403, or 457) plan. Two out of three employers (68%) with these plans offered some type of contribution matching.

Many employers with retirement benefits (29%) reported little or no effect of their offerings on their business or workforce. Another 22 percent noted the positive recruitment and retention effects of their retirement benefits. One-fifth (21%) of employers with retirement benefits also cited the high cost.

Leave, Pay, Fringe, and Other Benefits

A variety of leave and pay options were among the most commonly offered benefits by employers for full-time workers. These included paid holidays (54%), annual pay raises (51%), and unpaid leave (50%). Unpaid leave and annual pay raises were also among the most broadly offered leave and pay benefits for part-time employees (36% for each). With the unemployment rate at or near a record low in Oregon for the past two years, many employers may be giving annual raises as another labor recruitment and retention strategy.

Employer Size and Location

Across the board, a larger share of the biggest employers (50+ employees in Oregon) provided health, retirement, and the most common pay and leave benefits. Nine out of 10 large employers offered health benefits, compared with one-third (33%) of the smallest firms (with 2 to 9 employees). More than three-fourths (77%) of large employers offered retirement benefits, while one-fourth (25%) of small employers did. Meanwhile, the share of mid-sized employers (10 to 49 employees) generally reflected the benefit offerings for all size categories combined.

At least half of all companies in Portland and the Willamette Valley offered health, retirement, and each of the most common leave and pay benefits in June 2018. Following them, the areas with employers most likely to offer benefits included Central Oregon and Southern Oregon. The Bend metropolitan area falls within Central Oregon, and Southern Oregon consists of the Medford and Grants Pass metros. Wholly non-metropolitan areas – the Columbia Gorge and Basin, the Oregon Coast, and Eastern Oregon – had the fewest employers offering the most common benefits.

Additional Information

More information about employer-provided benefits in Oregon – including interactive graphs, the full report, and a related podcast – can be found on the Benefits page at QualityInfo.org.

Taft boys, girls combine to down Astoria, Seaside in dual swim meet

Jim Fossum
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Taft boys, girls combine to down Astoria, Seaside in dual swim meet
Taft High junior Degen Sawyer
Taft Coach Lissa Parker

The Taft boys defeated Seaside and Astoria in head-to-head competition, and the girls downed Astoria but fell to Seaside on Wednesday in high school swimming action.

Sophomore Brie LeBoeuf

Combined, Taft defeated both schools — 169-165 over Seaside and 191.5-141.5 over Astoria in the dual meet at Seaside.

“There were several good swims and top-three places for both boys and girls,” Taft Coach Lissa Parker said.

Taft defeated Seaside 99-68 and Astoria 100-66 in boys competition, while the girls downed the Fishermen 91.5-75.5, but fell to the Seagulls, 97-70.

The Tigers were down one girl and another swam less due to illness, Parker said, but the team benefited from the return of junior Hunter Lunstedt, who is rehabilitating a shoulder injury. Lundstedt won the 50 free in 24.81 in his first swim back after getting his feet wet by helping the Tigers to the 200-yard medley relay title to open the meet.

“Hunter was back in the swing of things doing the 50 free for a PR and in a couple of relays,” Parker said. “We’re hoping to have Tanner Landry back Saturday when we go to the Cheese Relays in Tillamook.”

Senior Joram Hoff won the 100-yard butterfly and 500-yard freestyle, freshman Sam Cortes won the 200-yard free and 100-yard backstroke, freshman Dylan Barrera won the 200-yard IM and sophomore Jose Segura won the 100-yard breaststroke for the boys.

Senior Lydia Prins won the 200-yard IM and Sammy Halferty the 100-yard back for the girls.

Freshmen Angel Moreno (200 IM) and Aubrey Sciarrotta (100 back), sophomore Napy Meyer (100 fly) and Segura (100 fly), Halferty (500 free) and Barrera (100 back) posted runner-up finishes for Taft.

Junior Micah McLeish (200 free, 500 free), freshman Brieanna LeBoeuf (50 free) and Moreno (100 fly) placed third for the Tigers.

Parker said the long bus ride and depth of just 3.3 feet at the shallow end of the Seaside pool make it difficult to post best times at the event.

“But overall everyone put out max effort,” she said. “We had some good relay results for the girls, and scored lots of points in the harder events like the 200 IM and 100 fly for the girls. [Senior boys] Ayden Woodard and Sam Anderson also dropped lots of time at this meet.”

Team Scores

Complete Results

Junior Napy Meyer
File photos by Lon French

Cold winter weather brings elk and deer migration

News Release
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Cold winter weather brings elk and deer migration

The Central Oregon Coast is experiencing its seasonal cold weather. Although the weather slows down our daily commute, we are not nearly as affected as wildlife, specifically elk and deer.

Natural food sources are lean in the upper elevations in the coast range during the winter as snow falls, covering the ground. This time of year with snow accumulation in the coast range and freezing temperatures periodically down to sea level, elk and deer may move to even lower elevations to find adequate food.

These additional movements often mean that the animals are crossing major roads both day and night which creates hazards to motorists. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office would like motorists and spectators to be mindful of the animal movements. If you see one deer cross in front of you, chances are there is another one behind.

Please take into account that the animals are often stressed due to additional migration in search of food. When spectating please keep a minimum distance of 100 yards from wildlife. If the animals begin to move from your presence, don’t follow them. Oregon Revised Statute 498.006 does protect the chasing or harassing of wildlife.

For more information and tips, visit our web site at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and Like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

Justin Werner’s ‘Sneaker Wave Sunday’ article

LCH Reader
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Justin Werner’s ‘Sneaker Wave Sunday’ article

Hi Justin,

Thank you for writing the article on Sunday’s Sneaker Wave threat. It was enlightening to learn how few of the people at the Lincoln City Beach knew that there was a good possibility for high wave run-ups that day.

This is really good feedback for us at the National Weather Service. I shared your article with my staff, and expect to have an interesting discussion among the forecasters and managers next week.

Your website is great, and please keep publishing similar articles.

Treena Jensen
Senior Meteorologist

National Weather Service – Portland, Oregon

[email protected]

sneaker waves d river
Click on the above image to read the article

OHA, ODE unveil online tool to prevent youth sexual violence

News Release
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OHA, ODE unveil online tool to prevent youth sexual violence

An online mapping tool is available to help communities in Oregon assess factors among adolescents that can lead to risky sexual practices and increase the risk of sexual violence.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE) teamed up to introduce the Oregon Sexual Violence Prevention Resource Map that displays information to promote skills-based learning to prevent sexual violence. The map tool is part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to help its partner organizations prevent injuries such as sexual violence.

According to the data obtained by the Oregon Healthy Teens Survey, one in eight students, one in five female students, and one in five youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender reported they were pressured to engage in unwanted sexual activity.

“We hope this set of tools helps begin or continue a discussion in schools and communities about the importance of sex education and encourages schools to actively engage in these conversations,” said Laura Chisholm, manager of the Injury and Violence Prevention Program, based at the OHA Public Health Division.

Skills-based learning can reduce high-risk sexual behavior, which leads to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases but also increases risk of sexual violence. OHA and ODE are providing tools that support school districts to implement sex education that teaches:

  • Skills-based approaches to safe, respectful dating.
  • Building healthy relationships.
  • Recognizing signs of emotional, psychological and physical abuse.
  • Respecting each other’s differences.
  • Identifying trusted adults to talk to about health, relationships and safety.
  • Communicating personal boundaries.

In Oregon, local school districts are required to work with their communities to develop a plan of instruction that addresses these topics from kindergarten to 12th grade. OHA’s Public Health Division worked with ODE to survey local school districts and develop the mapping tool for local communities to better understand sexual health data, local resources and education.

“Sexual violence prevention education is an absolute necessity if we are truly committed to the well-being and academic success of our students and community,” says Kristin Blomberg, Erin’s Law teacher on special assignment at the Hillsboro School District.

In accordance with Erin’s Law (2015) and the Healthy Teen Relationships Act (2011), school districts have already begun rolling out elementary and secondary instruction that focuses on sexual violence prevention as part of K-12 sex education.

“Providing sex education that teaches healthy relationships and healthy sexuality is one fundamental way that schools, parents, caregivers and communities can make a difference,” Chisholm said.

Taft girls fall short of first league win; boys lose

Jim Fossum
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Taft girls fall short of first league win; boys lose
Taft freshman guard Chloe Peterson hits an open teammate

The Taft High girls basketball team pushed Rainier to the brink Tuesday in pursuit of its first victory since early December, but fell short, 37-32, at home in Coastal Range League action.

The Tigers’ 12th straight defeat left them 2-14 overall and 0-6 in conference, while the Colombians improved to 8-6, 3-4.

Details from the girls game were not reported.

PHOTOS BY LON FRENCH

The Taft boys (6-10, 1-5) committed 14 first-quarter turnovers to fall behind Rainier 22-2 before losing 59-41 despite 20 points, 18 rebounds and nine blocks from 6-foot, 9-inch senior center Ray Darrington.

Trenton Fisher goes airborne against Rainier

Senior Tyee Fisher also managed a double-double for the Tigers with 11 points and 10 rebounds against the first-place Colombians (8-6, 5-1).

The Taft girls return to the court at 6 p.m. Friday at Clatskanie (10-3, 5-0), while the boys play Clatskanie (8-4, 4-0) at 7:30 p.m.

Taft senior Ray Darrington moves inside for a shot

Rainier 59, Taft 41

Taft                 2      10      10      19 — 41

Rainier          22      11      15      11 — 59

Taft Boys Coach Andy Morgan’s comments

“The first three minutes of the game were scoreless as Taft pressured Rainier and both teams missed early opportunities to score. Then, the steamroller started. Rainier held the Tigers to a single bucket while dominating Taft in the lane. Three easy buckets were scored when Rainier penetrated from the wings, effectively distributing the ball to the weak-side block as the Tiger post challenged the able ball-handlers. Defensively, Taft was slow to respond from the help side and failed to challenge on-ball with aggressive footwork.

“Championship mentality was present as the 3A State football champions dominated the Tigers, causing 14 first-quarter turnovers. After a timeout 4½ minutes into the frame, the Tigers returned to play lacking the conviction and fearlessness we have been preaching all season.

“The second quarter was basically even, although Taft failed to score on multiple opportunities, leaving the gap at 21 going into halftime. Senior Ray Darrington scored eight points in the quarter while missing four from the charity stripe. Taft would finish the game 9 for 17 in this vital statistic. Senior Tyee Fisher scored the only other points of the half, a two-point bucket. Conner Rea led Rainier with nine in the half, following up his 31-point performance in the first meeting. Rea finished with 20 points.

“The third quarter didn’t change much for the struggling Tigers — missing most of their buckets and struggling to dominate the rebounding battle. Offensively, the Tigers calmed down, though, settling for first shots rather than best shots. Taft was outscored by the visitors 15-10 in the third quarter, led by Devin Godfrey with nine points for the Colombians.

“Taft played its best quarter in the fourth period, primarily against Rainier’s second string. Five players made the scorebook, including Fco Ramos with his first points of the game, and Graden Kehr, who stole the ball with four seconds remaining and converted a layup to avoid a 20-point loss to the visiting Columbians.

“It was a particularly disappointing loss to the team that currently leads the standings in the 3A Coastal Range League with a record of 5-1. Taft has the potential to compete with every team in this league, lacking only the conviction and fearlessness to play Tiger basketball. We play selfish — and scared — none of which make for a very entertaining brand of basketball. Taft managed to turn the ball over 21 times while tallying a paltry five assists. We will get back into the gym Wednesday and go to work. We will make adjustments to our attitude and technique.”

‘Drawn from the Sea’ youth art class coming to Lincoln County

News Release
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‘Drawn from the Sea’ youth art class coming to Lincoln County

Oregon Coast Aquarium artist Michael Cole has been added to Lincoln County 4-H’s growing program as host of a series of painting classes featuring a variety of coastal themes.

The first class in the series, Oregon Coast Breaking Wave, will be from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Oregon State University Lincoln County Extension Office, 1211 SE Bay Blvd., in Newport.

Although sponsored by Lincoln County 4-H, youth between the ages of 9 and 19 as of Sept. 1 do not need to be a 4-H member to enroll.

The first class will teach composition, brush techniques, mixing colors and glazing techniques. Fee is $10 and will include a brush kit, canvas and resource list for materials to take home.

Class size is limited to 12 students and an RSVP is required by Jan. 23. RSVPs can be made by contacting the 4-H office at 541-574-6534.

The 4-H Youth Development Program focuses on providing youth of all ages with the life skills they need to succeed in today’s world.

Projects and activities are vehicles that help young people learn and grow through an intentional process that builds competence, confidence, connection, compassion and character. Research has shown that by participating in 4-H, young people prepare themselves for economic and social success in adulthood.

For more information about Lincoln County 4-H, contact Heather Tower, 4-H program assistant at 541-648-6818 or [email protected].

Dear Mom and Dad: Cool it!

News Release
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Dear Mom and Dad: Cool it!
Mom Dad Cool It
Photo illustration by Justin Werner

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was provided by Karissa Niehoff, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, and Peter Weber, executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association.

If you are the mother or father of a high school athlete here in Oregon, this message is primarily for you.

When you attend an athletic event that involves your son or daughter, cheer to your heart’s content, enjoy the camaraderie that high school sports offer and have fun. But when it comes to verbally criticizing game officials or coaches, cool it.

Make no mistake about it. Your passion is admired, and your support of the hometown team is needed. But so is your self-control. Yelling, screaming and berating the officials humiliates your child, annoys those sitting around you, embarrasses your child’s school and is the primary reason Oregon has an alarming shortage of high school officials.

It’s true. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Sports Officials, more than 75 percent of all high school officials say “adult behavior” is the primary reason they quit. And 80 percent of all young officials hang up their stripes after just two years of whistle blowing. Why? They don’t need your abuse.

Plus, there’s a ripple effect. There are more officials over 60 than under 30 in many areas. And as older, experienced officials retire, there aren’t enough younger ones to replace them. If there are no officials, there are no games. The shortage of licensed high school officials is severe enough in some areas that athletic events are being postponed or cancelled—especially at the freshman and junior varsity levels.

Research confirms that participation in high school sports and activities instills a sense of pride in school and community, teaches lifelong lessons like the value of teamwork and self-discipline and facilitates the physical and emotional development of those who participate. So, if the games go away because there aren’t enough men and women to officiate them, the loss will be infinitely greater than just an “L” on the scoreboard. It will be putting a dent in your community’s future.

If you would like to be a part of the solution to the shortage of high school officials, you can sign up to become a licensed official at HighSchoolOfficials.com. Otherwise, adult role models at high school athletic events here in Oregon are always welcome.

Become a Referee

Karissa Niehoff, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations
Peter Weber, executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association

February SNAP program benefits to be issued early

Homepage Staff
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February SNAP program benefits to be issued early

SNAP Early

As a result of the partial federal government shutdown, the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) has asked states to provide early issuance of February benefits for those who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food security.

Homepage tried calling several numbers for the USDA seeking an explanation for the early issuance of benefits, but reached full mailboxes and voicemail prompts possibly due to the partial government shutdown. 

The 615,405 Oregonians currently enrolled in SNAP will see their next monthly allocation by January 20th.

“We want to be clear that these are not additional funds that SNAP recipients are receiving, but an early issuance of February benefits,” stated Self-Sufficiency Director Kim Fredlund. “Those who typically see additional funds added to their EBT card the first week of each month will see their February money by January 20, rather than at the beginning of next month.”

A notification letter is being sent to current SNAP participants this week, and DHS is asking SNAP participants to carefully budget their food benefits through February.

DHS is awaiting further direction regarding benefit issuance for January recertification that is completed or processed after January 15. The early issuance will proceed, even if the federal government shutdown ends prior to January 20.

If people are concerned about running out of SNAP benefits, they can contact 211Info to seek local food resources.

To find a local DHS office, go to www.oregon.gov/dhs and click on Office Locations.

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