Senior Devon Lindquist, who placed second at Districts last season, won the 145-pound division while three other Taft High wrestlers placed second Saturday to lead the Tigers to a third-place finish among 13 teams at Scio.
Calling it “a huge day for Taft wrestling,” second-year coach Robb Ellis also watched seniors Cody Knott at 160 and Jacob Mayoral at 152 join sophomore Jose Flores at 113 with runner-up finishes in just their second tournament of the season.
The Tigers got third-place showings from Kaden White at 120 and first-year wrestler Jace Phippen at 285; fourth place from William Calderon at 138 and Victor Carrasco at 182; and fifth from David Jin at 170 and Eriq Aquino at 220.
The Tigers are scheduled to compete Friday in the Derek Blake Invitational at Yamhill-Carlton and Saturday at the Bill Haggerty Invitational at Nestucca.
Newport Police chased 21-year-old motorcyclist Jason Avery through Newport Friday evening while trying to stop him for traffic violations near the intersection of South Coast Highway and SW Case Street.
When officers activated their emergency lights to conduct the traffic stop, Avery quickly accelerated southbound on South Coast Highway, leading officers on a high-speed pursuit.
Officers said they observed the motorcycle speeding through traffic over the Yaquina Bay Bridge at an estimated 80-90 mph. They said they lost sight of the motorcycle and terminated the chase.
A short time later, officers were notified by a passing motorist that the motorcycle had crashed near the intersection of South Coast Highway and SE 32nd Street. Police responded and located a male subject walking away from the area. The motorcyclist was identified as Jason Avery, 21, of Newport.
Avery was detained while the investigation continued and officers were able to locate his motorcycle hidden off the roadway on SE 32nd Street Officers said Avery stashed the motorcycle in an attempt to evade being caught.
Avery was taken into custody and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail on charges of attempt to elude police and reckless driving. Avery was also cited for speeding, unsafe passing and having no motorcycle endorsement.
A man who regularly comes into US Food Mart, 4700 SW Hwy 101, bought a Fortune scratch-it and won $250,000 Saturday morning.
The odds of winning the top prize in the Oregon Lottery’s $250,000 Fortune game were one in 144,000 with only two top prizes available.
Patrick Thompson, a store clerk on duty at the time, said the man was “freaking out” and said he would bring the clerk $1,000 for selling him the winning ticket.
“We were both freaking out. This is so awesome to happen with Christmas coming up,” Thompson said.
“I ran the ticket like I’ve done many times before and the screen just filled up with zeros. I thought it was $250 million at first,” said Thompson.
According to Thompson, the Fortune game will be pulled from stores Monday when the lottery offices open as all the top prizes have been won.
A promising start to the year last week at Tillamook and daily progress on the mat has Taft wrestling coach Robb Ellis encouraged about possible record participation at State in the 2018-19 season.
Taft, which will compete Saturday against Amity, Central Linn, Philomath/Alsea, Sheridan and host Scio, started the season with 26 wrestlers and has 23 currently competing, Ellis said.
“Usually, in wrestling, your goal is to finish with about two-thirds of what you started with,” said Ellis, whose Tigers began with 26 wrestlers and ended with 18 a season ago.
Ten Tigers are wrestling for the first time and can look to returners Jose Flores and Biz Byrum as inspiration, he said.
“They went to State as first-time wrestlers last year, so it is not impossible,” he said. “Usually, athletes who are talented in other sports have an advantage when they try wrestling for the first time. It can be tough to go out and be competitive when sometimes you face wrestlers who have devoted their lives to it.
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“Many wrestlers who have wrestled year round at tournaments have a huge advantage over wrestlers who are just trying to learn the sport. Often, though, if wrestlers work hard during the season and focus on conditioning, lifting and eating well, they can still be competitive and have a chance to qualify and even place at State.”
Ellis points to senior team leader Cody Knott as an example.
“He is a well-rounded kid who also competes heavily in baseball and has many other hobbies,” he said. “Even though he hasn’t made wrestling his life focus, he was able to place sixth at State his 10th-grade season and has an excellent chance to place again.”
Ellis said Taft upped the ante a bit in the offseason this year by attending a Nestucca wrestling camp that had Oregon State wrestlers teaching. In addition, Richard Jensen, a well-known wrestler and motivational speaker, conducted a camp for Taft, and 10 Tigers participated in a July tournament in Washington, where most wrestled 12 to 15 matches over 2½ days.
“I think the work in the offseason will pay off on the mat this year,” Ellis said.
Depth and leadership could also prove valuable, he said, and have factored into the goals he has established for the program.
Foremost is to qualify six wrestlers to State at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, one better than the five the Tigers sent last year, which tied the school record.
“To go to State, a wrestler has to place third or better in your weight class at the District tournament,” he said. “We have all five State qualifiers back from last year, and three or four others with the talent to qualify. No guarantees, though.”
Taft’s second goal is to place fourth or better among the seven teams in Special District 1, which features defending Class 3A State champion Willamina and powerful programs in Rainier and Dayton.
The Tigers will showcase their talents to local fans Jan. 5 at the Taft Holiday Crab Pools Invitational, which will feature Amity, Nestucca, Newport, Reedsport, Sheridan, Siletz Valley, Toledo, Waldport, Willamina/Falls City and Yamhill-Carlton.
Coach’s Capsule Comments
Cody Knott (Sr.) — Placed sixth at State as sophomore, but got mono early in junior season and was not at 100 percent at State. Back at full strength and should return to the 152-pound class with good seeding at Districts and State.
Devon Lindquist (Sr.) — Placed second at Districts last year and third at a tough recent tournament at Tillamook. Looking strong to place sixth or better at State. Wrestling at 152, but will likely cut down to 138 and have good seeding from last year.
Jace Fostveit (Sr.) — State qualifier who placed second at season-opening match at Tillamook and looked stronger than ever. Wrestling at 195, but can also return to 182 for good seeding at Districts and State.
Jose Flores (So.) — Went to State at 113 as a first-year wrestler. His State weight plan will allow him to drop to 106 for Districts and State, giving him a huge advantage.
Biz Byrum (Sr.) — Placed fourth at Districts last year. Went to State at 182 as an alternate first-year wrestler. Hard worker who keeps getting better. May drop to 160 for Districts this year.
Jacob Mayoral (Sr. ) — Had State-level talent last year in a very competitive 145-pound bracket at Districts and did not qualify. OSAA weight plan allows him to go down to 138, which could help him qualify this year.
David Jin (Sr.) – Taft football quarterback who showed State-level talent last year but season ended early with a broken ankle. Looked good at the Tillamook tournament and has shot of qualifying for State at 160.
Gio Salazar (Sr.) — Came close to going to State by placing fourth at Districts. Hard worker who will return to 126, giving him a good shot at getting third or better and going to State.
The Lincoln City Police Dispatch Daily Desk Log is a public record of police calls. Homepage will run the log every Friday. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Friday, Nov. 30
Theft – 8:33 a.m. – 1638 SE Reef Pl. – Caller reported two suspects in a maroon pickup had stolen tools and batteries. The caller had one subject blocked in, the other ran on foot. Federico Tschebotarjew (4/11/69) was arrested for first degree theft, four counts of unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, third degree criminal mischief and possession of burglar tools. Tschebotarjew was transported to Lincoln County Jail.
Menacing – 4:46 p.m. – Old Oregon Tavern, 1604 NE Highway 101 – Caller states a male bumped into him on the sidewalk then threatened him with a handgun. White male, 5′ 8″, 120 pounds, red hat, black jacket and jeans last seen running south on NE Mast Ave.
Theft – 6:34 p.m. – Taft High School – VIctim left his iPhone on desk at school. It was gone when he returned.
Saturday, Dec. 1
DUII – 2:47 a.m. – 1545 NW Highway 101 – Traffic stop initiated and field sobriety tests performed. Jerry Fielder (2/4/77) taken into custody for DUII. Cited and released from LCPD.
Criminal Mischief – 10:12 a.m. – 4645 NE VOyage Ave. – Caller reported tires slashed on both of his vehicles and a broken windshield. Blood was found on rear drivers side tire.
Theft – 1:40 p.m. – Best Western – Caller reported a female who is not a guest has come into the hotel on two separate occasions. On both occasions she has gotten into a room, showered and stolen the bedding. White female, dark blonde hair, 5′ 6″, thin and possibly driving a 1999 Ford Ranger.
Sunday, Dec. 2
Theft – 3:23 a.m. – 5001 SW Highway 101 – Stolen purse while at Snug Harbor. Money, iPhone 7+, wallet and key fob were inside.
Fraud – 11:48 a.m. – Casino security reported a female was trying to cash a fraudulent check. Anna M. Gibson (7/5/88) was taken into custody and transported to LCPD where she was cited and released for forgery and possession of a forged instrument.
Theft – 1:55 p.m. – 1713 NW 28th St. – Shed broken into. Lawnmower and stepladder stolen.
Found Property – 2:18 p.m. – North Shell – Military ID and other items found in parking lot. Property seized for safekeeping.
Burglary – 6:04 p.m. – 591 SW 24th Dr. – Caller reports finding the house she cleans open with lights on.
Suspicious Activity – 7:25 p.m. – 1206 SE 48th Pl. – Warming Shelter staff reported a red PT cruiser parked near location with multiple people partying near it. Jeffery B. Barnes (3/30/74) taken into custody on felony warrant out of Multnomah County for second degree assault and additional charges of possession of meth. Barnes was transported to Lincoln County Jail.
Monday, Dec. 3
Patrol Info – 1:03 a.m. – Dutch Bros – Shed behind clinic found broken into and empty. Door hanger left for Dutch Bros personnel to advise if they wish to report it.
Stolen Vehicle – 10:21 a.m. – 145 SE Mast Ave. #6 – White Toyota 4Runner stolen.
Found Property – 12:48 p.m. – 850 SW 51st St. – Black wallet/purse found near Mo’s. Property taken for safekeeping.
Found Property – 2:01 p.m. – 2015 NE 39th St. #100 – Meredith Lodging reporting a Taurus 9mm firearm found at rental property at 3705 NW Jetty Ave.
Theft – 3:36 p.m. – Dollar Tree – Diaper bag with wallet and phone was taken from cart outside Dollar Tree.
Theft – 7:48 p.m. – Game Over – Wallet and contents stolen from a knapsack while in Game Over Arcade.
Recovered Stolen Vehicle – 8:38 p.m. – Schooner Creek Rd. MP 3 – Recovered White Toyota 4Runner.
Tuesday, Dec. 4
DUII – 2:13 a.m. – 1900 Block S Highway 101 – Benito Allen Munoz, Jr. (7/1/92) cited and released for DUII.
Theft – 3:53 p.m. – 4101 NW Logan Rd. – Theft of Social Security check.
Wednesday, Dec. 5
Hit and Run – 7:46 a.m. – NW 12th St & NW Inlet Ave. – Caller reports a bus struck a stop sign and continued on.
Fraud – 9:58 a.m. – 1545 NW Highway 101 – Caller reports a male trying to cash a $1,000 check out of Florida, unable to verify funds, reports also tried to cash it at casino.
Thursday, Dec. 6
Possession of Controlled Substance – 5:51 a.m. – Chinook WInds Casino – Baggy of white substance found at casino. Mark J. Hopkins (3/2/61) cited and released for possession of meth.
Possession of Controlled Substance – 5:55 a.m. – Chinook Winds Casino – Subject in women’s room not leaving. Paraphernalia found on subject.
Trespass – 10:04 a.m. – 1210 SE 48th Pl. #45 – Trinity S. Rowland (8/1/00) reported a male had fallen down a ravine and was hurt. Officers determined there was no victim. Rowland taken into custody and transported to Lincoln County Jail for second degree trespass.
Theft – 3:13 p.m. – 1754 NW 26th St. – Theft of “Deer Crossing” sign from post near driveway.
Theft – 2:47 p.m. – Marci’s Bar and Bistro, 1343 NW Highway 101 – White Mini Cooper seen illegally dumping at business.
Two people were hospitalized Thursday morning following a traffic rollover near the 3400 block of North Highway 101 in Lincoln Beach.
Depoe Bay Fire was dispatched at 10:02 a.m. to the scene of a two-car accident with one vehicle upside down. One person was sent to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City and the other to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport.
The driver of a yellow pickup was uninjured.
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Photos by R. J. Salazar
“We send them to different hospitals to spread out the burden,” Depoe Bay Fire Chief Bill Johnson said. “The crews worked well together and got these people out in a hurry. We were able to get Highway 101 traffic flowing quickly.”
Johnson said the two people in the rolled-over vehicle had to be extricated using the Jaws of Life and stabilizers to keep the vehicle from moving.
Depoe Bay Fire, Pacific West Ambulance, North Lincoln Fire and Rescue, Oregon State Police, Lincoln County Sheriff and Oregon Department of Transportation were all involved with handling of the accident.
From left, Lincoln County School District Secondary Teaching and Learning Administrator Majalise Tolan, Taft High 7-12 Principal Nick Lupo, Oceanlake Elementary School Principal Sandy Mummey and Taft Elementary School Principal Becca Bostwick are pictured Friday, Nov. 23, at the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition and Sponenburgh Memorial Trust awards ceremony at the Toledo Public Library.
Three Lincoln County School District North-area schools have been selected for 2019 grants to promote development of their music programs.
The $1,300 Lincoln County Cultural Coalition and Sponenburgh Grants grants will allow the respective schools to bring musicals, assistants and equipment necessary to support music in schools.
“We are so thrilled for our students and families to be able to bring this amazing cultural programming to our youth,” Lincoln County School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray said. “From musicians offering one-on-one coaching, to being able to have a multi-cultural offering for our Hispanic families, these grants are so well-received and vital. Thank you so much to LCCC and the Sponenburgh Trust for all of the continued support.”
LCSD Secondary Teaching and Learning Administrator Majalise Tolan, Taft High 7-12 Principal Nick Lupo, Oceanlake Elementary School Principal Sandy Mummey and and Taft Elementary School Principal Becca Bostwick attended a ceremony Friday, Nov. 23, to accept the grants at the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition and Sponenburgh Memorial Trust Awards Ceremony at the Toledo Public Library.
Oceanlake Elementary students will see the musical production of “Dragons Love Tacos” at the Lincoln City Cultural Center in March. They received $1,300 through The Sponenburgh Memorial Trust Grants for arts (music priority) education for youth, in collaboration with Lincoln County Foundation to support the ticket costs for 410 students.
At Taft Elementary School, sixth-grade students have the choice of taking either band or choir to meet the school’s music instruction requirement. They received a grant from the Sponenburgh Memorial Trust for furniture, supplies and materials for the sustainability of the sixth-grade band program in 2018-19.
“This year, our band program moved down to Taft Elementary from Taft 7-12, which resulted in incurred needs for our 155 participating students, such as chairs, music stands as well as items to continue the growth of the program, including reeds and sheet music,” Taft Elementary School Principal Becca Bostwick said.
With this new round of funding ($1,300), combined with additional support from the Lincoln City Parent Group, Taft Elementary received the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition grant for the Oregon Ballet Theater to do a two-day “Artist in Residency” and professional dance performance at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this spring. All 565 students will receive dance instruction.
In addition, “Studios to Schools,” a partnership with Siletz Bay Music Festival and Lincoln City Cultural Center, received a Cultural Coalition Grant for $1,300. The money will be used to support community music assistants for small group sessions on specific instruments for sixth-grade beginning band students at Taft Elementary and middle school music students at Taft High 7-12.
Taft 7-12 also received $1,300 dollars for the school’s drama program. The funds will support the purchase of sets, costumes and other supplies for the production of “SHREK the Musical.” Auditions are held in December with April performances for school groups and the public.
In partnership with Family Promise of Lincoln County, Lincoln City Cultural Center and Title VI Indian Education, LCSD North-area schools will be able to provide a free family evening showing of “¡Corre! ¡Corre!” The bilingual production will also be part of LCSD outreach support in partnership with the LCSD Hispanic Liaison.
The Lincoln County Cultural Coalition (LCCC), which receives funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust, is seeking applications for funding from arts, heritage and humanities organizations and individuals (through sponsorship by a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization).
Applicants seeking funding must address one of the following priorities:
1) Improve access to cultural experiences;
2) Raise the cultural awareness of youth (pre-school through 12);
3) Facilitate infrastructure improvements.
In addition to offering the annual “County Cultural Grants,” LCCC announced a granting opportunity to support arts education (priority music) for elementary and middle school students in Lincoln County. The funding is provided in partnership with the Lincoln County Foundation’s Mark Sponenburgh Memorial Trust.
Wherever you’re heading, if you’re traveling during the holiday season, remember that everyone else in the world is also. Don’t let terrible drivers, security scanners and long lines at the airport get you down. Here are some tips to help you survive the holiday travel.
Plan ahead.
Plan alternative trips if traffic makes your way home too overwhelming. Is there a scenic drive that might be longer but have less traffic? Pack snacks and drinks so you and your family will be fueled for the road trip. Break up a long drive by finding a few places to stop that will help keep the kids excited about the trip. If you’re flying, definitely get some food before you board the plane. Leave extra time before flights to get through security and plan your flights to allow extra time between connections.
Follow these flying tips.
When flying, make sure you check the airline’s restrictions ahead of time for carry-on luggage and fees for checked bags. Avoid checking bags altogether if you can. You won’t have to wait for your luggage on the conveyor belt and you won’t have to worry about your things getting lost. If you do check luggage, make sure you have all your medications, important documents and maybe even a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your luggage does lost.
Pack earplugs.
One of the best ways to mentally escape your stressful surroundings is to turn down the volume. The easiest way to do that is with earplugs. If there is a crying baby near you on the plane, put in the earplugs. If the music in the car is driving you crazy, put in the earplugs.
Ship gifts or give gift cards.
TSA suggests shipping wrapped gifts or waiting until you reach your destination to wrap them because they might have to unwrap a present to inspect it. Ship gifts ahead of time or buy the gift that can’t go wrong: gift cards to a favorite store.
Travel on off-peak days.
Travel early or late in the day.
Flight statistics show that planes traveling earlier in the day have a better on-time performance. And if your flight is canceled, you will have the option of taking a flight later in the day. Also, there will be fewer lines at security. Best time to hit the road? When every one else is asleep — early morning or late night. You can always take a nap when you arrive at your destination or on the ride there if you aren’t the driver.
REMEMBER TO BREATHE!
The overly friendly person on the plane, canceled flights, the luggage that fell off in the middle of the highway, can be stressful. But remember to relax and BREATHE. These will make great stories to share when you finally make it to your destination. After all, holiday travel stress is just as much a tradition as pumpkin pie and re-gifting.
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.
Betty Sue Mcgregor, 84, died early Wednesday in a house fire in Toledo.
According to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department news release, the Toledo Fire Department was dispatched at 4:12 a.m. to reports of a fire at 26 Tom Jack Road.
The Lincoln County Fire Investigation Team is working to determine the cause of the blaze. No foul play is suspected.
The Newport, Depoe Bay and Siletz Fire departments assisted the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Toledo Fire Department in the handling of the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Maleri Cates at 541-265-0670.
Taft competes in a road game earlier this season (File photo by Eric DeMello)
The Taft High boys basketball team built a 26-18 halftime lead Tuesday, but foul trouble proved the Tigers’ undoing down the stretch in a 46-41 non-conference road defeat to Jefferson.
Senior and high scorer Ray Darrington and junior Eli DeMello fouled out late in the game as Taft fell to 1-2 despite overall solid play from junior guard Jordan Hall.
The Taft girls, trailing 16-4 after the opening quarter, outscored Jefferson 21-8 in the final eight minutes to improve to 2-1 with a 49-48 victory in an earlier game.
The Taft boys jumped to an early lead, led by dominant interior defense and smart passing inside, first-year coach Andy Morgan said.
“It was the type of offense we have been trying to develop, paired with a much-improved man-to-man offense,” he said. “We struggled with some ball handling, panicking at times, and then taking too much time after making some mental corrections.”
After taking an eight-point halftime lead, Taft gave up a couple of baskets off of mental mistakes, Morgan said.
Still holding the lead, the Tigers spread the floor to isolate defenders on the offensive side, while failing to exercise the same defensive discipline as in the first half, he said.
Starters Darrington and DeMello got into foul trouble by the end of the third quarter.
“We practiced some defensive changes, using some 2-3 zone, and struggled on the rotation a couple of times before regaining our earlier intensity,” Morgan said.
Hall continued to lead the team as the Tigers struggled to score and continued to leave their feet on defense. While Jefferson went to the line twice as often as Taft, poor shooting kept the Tigers within striking distance.
With Darrington out due to fouls, the Tigers were beat on some crucial rebounds before Trenton Fisher closed the game on a coast-to-coast layup and Hall nailed a 3-pointer off an inbounds pass.
A fifth foul on DeMello put the Lions back on the line with 12 seconds to go and closed the door on any Taft hopes.
Senior post player Tyee Fisher played an aggressive game offensively at the rim and provided defensive leadership, Morgan said.
“It was his best complete game this season, and the kind of toughness we will need from him,” he said.
“Nearly everyone contributed something, including scrappy defense by Lucas Hindman and solid play by Clay Nelson,” he said. “As consistency and teamwork continue to be the focal points of this team, rebuilding an identity, the Tigers are taking home a good vision of what success will look like.”
The Taft boys junior varsity, led by first-year coach Kyle Hamlin, started their season with a win behind the hustle of sophomores Fco Ramos and Graden Kerr.
Meanwhile, junior Emma Coulter scored 14 points, senior Savannah Russo 11, sophomore Claira Tolan 10 and senior Autumn Ellis six to lead the varsity girls back from a 12-point first-quarter deficit for the win.
“We came out in the first quarter and made a lot of mistakes — turning the ball over against Jefferson’s full-court press,” Taft coach Jake Tolan said. “This has been something we have been working a lot on in practice, so to come out last night and not perform well against the pressure was frustrating.”
Tolan said the Tigers, who won their season opener over the host Eagles but lost to Riverside in the Western Christian Tournament, must get quality play from the opening tip with the team’s Coastal Range League debut and home opener just two weeks away, Dec. 17, against unbeaten Warrenton.
“We have to start games better and avoid digging ourselves holes at the beginning of games,” he said. “The second quarter was where we began playing much better, took care of the ball and made better decisions offensively. We were also more composed and executed our press-breaker more effectively.”
Taft was still outscored 12-8 in the quarter to trail 28-12 at halftime, but stormed back.
“We made some defensive adjustments during half, changing up our half-court zone and deciding to start applying our own pressure with a full-court press after made shots,” Tolan said, “Both adjustments worked well for us in the third quarter by creating some turnovers off of the press and getting more defensive stops.
Tolan said the Tigers’ goal in the quarter was to trim the lead to under 10 points entering the final stanza.
Taft narrowed the gap to 40-28 entering the final eight minutes thanks to big scoring contributions by team leaders Coulter and Russo, then blitzed the Lions 21-8 to the buzzer.
“I was so proud of the girls’ effort and their mindset to not give up and continue to work themselves back into the game,” Tolan said. “This will definitely be a game I use as a reminder that we can always battle back into games.”
The JV girls’ team suffered a one-point defeat to Jefferson.
The Taft boys varsity returns to action Friday at Tillamook. The girls play the Cheesemakers, Wednesday, Dec. 12, at Tillamook in their next action.
According to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department news release, the Toledo Fire Department was dispatched at 4:12 a.m. to reports of a fire at 26 Tom Jack Road.
