Taft Dock will be closed while Bergerson Construction, out of Astoria, makes renovations
City officials will answer questions and provide information regarding the Taft Dock renovation project from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday at the Taft 51st Street Park.
The $450,000 project to make needed repairs on the dock will begin Monday, Sept. 17. At that time, there will be no access to the dock. The project is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 9.
The project includes upgrading the dock by replacing the two piles, replacing the substructure beneath the deck, installing plastic lumber for decking and rails, and bringing the dock up to American Disabilities Act and other miscellaneous safety standards.
For further information, go to the Lincoln City’s webpage, www.lincolncity.org. or call the Public Works Department at 541-996-2154.
Ana Gil has been named Hispanic Family and Community Liaison for the Lincoln County School District.
“This position will help to ensure that all students in our district have the support they need to be successful and engaged in our schools,” Lincoln County School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray said. “The families will have a trusted ally to help them navigate the policies and programs offered in our schools. They should feel welcomed.“
The primary purpose of the position is to provide a bridge of communication between the District and Hispanic community of Lincoln County. The liaison is the primary advocate and systems navigator for LCSD’s Hispanic families.
“My job is very important because I will be able to find resources and create a bridge of communication between the Hispanic Community, Lincoln County School District and agencies.” said Gil, who started with LCSD in 1995 as an assistant and bilingual tutor.
While the peak August fire season brought 839 blazes and burned 69,600 acres of Oregon land, there was a reduction in human-caused fires in comparison to the 10-year average.
“This is very encouraging,” Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Fire Prevention Coordinator Tom Fields said. “I’d like to think that people are starting to get it.”
On the nearly 16 million acres of lands protected by the ODF alone, acres affected by wildfires on all jurisdictions in Oregon represent more than 748,000 acres to date in 2018.
“Oregon is a beautiful place to live, but it does come with the risk of fire, especially from May through October,” Fields said. “We are hopeful that the trend continues and that we can end 2018 on a high note. But we still have a long way to go.”
While more than 44,000 acres burned on ODF protected lands have been attributed to fires started by lightning (210), the number of human-caused fires represents 75 percent of all ignitions.
The leading culprits behind a number of these fires are those burning illegally (99), drivers of poorly maintained vehicles (57), and campers failing to properly extinguish campfires (37). Other causes include power lines, mowing dry grass, fireworks and smoking. Nearly 60 wildfires are still under investigation.
Fields says that the end of fire season generally lasts through October, when several days of significant rainfall saturates the landscape. Each ODF protection district makes that determination based on conditions in their respective areas.
For now, fire restrictions remain in place and the public is encouraged to keep up the good work, Fields said.
Visit ODF for the latest on fire restrictions in your area.
Lincoln City Homepage is all about providing you the news – what you want and when you want it – which means now and free.
In several new features premiering today, Homepage brings you immediate access to all-encompassing weather reports, community festivities and events, and all of the area’s breaking crime news from your major local law enforcement agencies — direct from the arresting officer’s mouth, so to speak.
Under the title “Flash Feed,” you can now instantly obtain all the invaluable information being shared by the Lincoln City Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police regarding arrests, criminal activity and other public service announcements the moment it is released by the respective law enforcement agencies.
The weekly local crime log is also just a click away, alongside a series of colorful buttons that now includes an evolving calendar of community events and all your local and national weather news, complete with forecasts and detailed maps. Submit your weather photos or scenery shots for consideration for publication under our new expansive weather format.
Like the police, fire and rescue agencies whose job it is to keep you safe, Homepage is here to serve. We are pleased to bring this new and exciting community service to our growing and coveted readership.
A surgery quality improvement program is being piloted for Samaritan Health Services at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital (SNLH). The goals include preventing surgical complications, saving lives and reducing costs.
Last year, the Lincoln City hospital enrolled in the American College of Surgeons quality initiative called NSQIP (National Surgical Quality Improvement Program). SNLH is one of only 10 hospitals in Oregon participating in the program.
The program is the first nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and improve the quality of surgical care. It provides tools, training, customization options and meaningful data to support surgery quality improvement efforts. In addition, many hospitals use the program to empower their surgical teams to work effectively together to improve the quality of care.
“The structured data-sharing can raise awareness about issues that might otherwise go unnoticed and can help hospitals identify glitches and system inadequacies before problems arise,” explained Lesley Ogden, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Samaritan’s two coastal hospitals.
To date, reporting for SNLH has been encouraging, said general surgeon Ali Khaki, MD, who is leading the pilot program for the hospital. In 2014, Dr. Khaki was elected chair of the Oregon NSQIP Collaborative. In 2016, with the help of other hospitals in the collaborative, he helped form the Northwest NSQIP collaborative for the northwest region of the United States.
“SNLH has leveraged the collaboration with the other 800 hospitals in the program by analyzing occurrences in patient care and working to avoid any adverse outcomes that may occur,” Dr. Khaki said. “By focusing on these measures, we have achieved improved outcomes. These achievements were recently reflected in the ACS semiannual report which showed our results are in line with the other hospitals in the program.”
As the resident expert on NSQIP, Dr. Khaki holds regular meetings with the surgical clinical reviewer, quality staff and department heads to review reports and address any issues that are identified. He also shares learnings, best practices and case studies with hospital staff and participates in regular meetings and conference calls.
A comprehensive report is prepared twice a year for administrators and surgical services staff to compare their risk-adjusted surgical outcomes to other participating sites. Authorized users can view daily site-specific reports as well as those comparing their metrics to national averages.
During 2018, Samaritan Health Services is focused on four strategic priorities, one of which is quality and service excellence. One goal under this quality pillar is to improve patient safety — and the pilot program at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital aligns well with that goal.
“I am extremely pleased that this program was championed by Dr. Khaki even before we knew of our strategic focus for the year,” Dr. Ogden said. “He has been an ACS state and national quality leader for some time and, with his help, we hope that SNLH and eventually all Samaritan hospitals will see great results from affiliation with this program.”
William Brooks (File photos by Lon French from games earlier this season against Sutherlin)
Taft High built a 2-0 halftime lead behind a lineup of younger players, then surged to a 5-0 advantage by the time the clock expired on a boys soccer league victory Monday at Yamhill-Carlton.
A depleted Taft girls team, playing without injured leading scorer Ella Knott and starting midfielder Chloe Peterson, fell to Yamhill-Carlton 6-1 in the evening game.
William Calderon
Junior Edson Fuentes scored three goals and sophomore William Calderon two for the Taft boys behind the shutout goalkeeping of senior William Brooks.
“I played some younger players today and it worked out even better than I could have hoped,” Taft boys coach Ryan Ulicni said. “They managed to take the game and make it their own, leading 2-0 at the half. I played my more experienced players in at half and they took the game up a notch.”
Taft boys soccer coach Ryan Ulicni
The Tigers improved to 3-0-1 overall and 2-0-1 in Class 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 play with the win, their third of the season by five goals or more. Yamhill-Carton, also nicknamed the Tigers, fell to 0-3 overall and in league play while going scoreless and surrendering 15 goals this season.
“Yamhill played a great game, giving some pressure to our defense,” Ulicni said. “They had some fantastic opportunities and some great build-ups, but just couldn’t find a way through our boys.”
Taft ran its scoring domination to 23-2 in four games this season.
“All in all, the quality that this team is building is something that will take them further every time,” Ulicni said.
Lydia Prins
Taft coach Joey Arce-Torres’ girls squad had a tougher time of it despite entering play with the understanding it would play an underdog role against unbeaten Yamhill-Carlton.
“We knew things would be difficult playing the toughest team within our conference,” he said.
Freshman Nicole Reyes scored her second goal of the season and sophomore Tristan Bradley “got the workout of her life in the goalie box,” Arce-Torres said.
Taft fell to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in league play with the loss, while unbeaten Yamhill-Carlton improved to 3-0 and ran its season scoring advantage to 18-4.
“Sammy Halferty and Avery Nightingale had some nice play up top, and were unlucky a few times with shots,” Arce-Torres said. “Overachievers were Aubrey [Sciarrotta], Sayge [Ulrich] and Alexia [Almarez]. Each had extended minutes and will eventually be starters for us because of their quickness and tenacity.
“It could have easily been 4 to 6, we just couldn’t find the net. Because of our inexperience, we will need the first part of the schedule to solidify positions and athletes to understand the directions we are giving. I am confident we will win enough matches to make the playoffs.”
The Tigers return to the pitch at 4:30 p.m. (boys) and 6:30 p.m. (girls) Thursday in SD2 play at Dayton.
Lincoln City Police arrested 29-year-old Pieter Roos, and 24-year-old Kristen Hall, Monday at the Safeway parking lot in Lincoln City while investigating a report of a stolen purse earlier in the day.
A woman who was walking on Agnes Creek Trail near SW Bard Road earlier Monday hid in the woods and witnessed a Roos, accompanied by Hall, break into her vehicle and steal her purse.
Police located the suspects and an item matching the description of the purse in a blue-and-white Ford pickup whose Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) came up stolen out of Portland, Lincoln City Police Officer Oscar Escalante said.
Craig Grabenhorst, a code enforcement and ex-police officer, called in the vehicle per the victim’s description.
Hall and Roos were charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony), Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property and Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards and others according to the Lincoln City Police Department.
An investigation has been launched after officers found numerous pieces of mail and credit cards belonging to different victims and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office reports a large number of car break-ins where the suspect vehicle was a blue and white pick-up.
Hall and Roos were taken into custody and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail.
The vehicle was towed by Lincoln City Towing.
Police warn motorists not to leave personal items in view when leaving their vehicles.
Anyone with information regarding the thefts involving this blue and white Ford truck is asked to contact Lincoln City Police Department at 541-994-3636.
A U.S. Coast Guard aircrew recovered the deceased body of a Lake Oswego man and his unresponsive female companion from the waters outside Rocky Creek State Park near Depoe Bay late Sunday afternoon. The woman died en route to the hospital, Oregon State Police confirmed Monday morning.
Investigators said Miaochan Chen, 49, and Wenjun Zhu, 41, reportedly married, were visiting the Oregon Coast from Lake Oswego with their 10-year-old daughter. The family was picnicking off Otter Crest Loop when the group took a trail down to rocks overlooking the ocean. A wave washed over the rocks and swept Chen and Zhu into the sea. Their daughter was unharmed.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend spotted and hoisted the unresponsive Chinese couple from the water and transported them to Emergency Medical Service Technicians waiting on shore, where the male was confirmed dead.
Coast Guard Sector North Bend Command Center watch-standers received a request for assistance from 9-1-1 dispatch at 5:31 p.m. regarding two people reportedly swept out to sea by a rogue wave while foraging for mussels.
Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay launched a 47-foot motor life boat and Air Station North Bend launched a helicopter that arrived on scene at 5:57 p.m, Oregon State Police (OSP) said.
A life flight request to the hospital landing zone was canceled and the woman was transported by emergency vehicle to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital.
Chen, Zhu, and their daughter immigrated to the United States from China in July, the OSP report said. Family members were notified with the help of the Chinese Consulate. The Department of Human Services-Lincoln County responded and placed the deceased parents’ daughter into a local foster home and will work with the families for her further placement.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Depoe Bay Fire and Rescue, Lincoln County District Attorney and Medical Examiner’s Office, Department of Human Services, and Lake Oswego Police Department assisted OSP in the investigation.
The Coast Guard reminds all beachgoers, residents and visitors to the Pacific Northwest coast to always be aware of the dangerous conditions that exist on the coastline regions. Being aware of tidal changes and wave patterns can help you avoid these types of tragic situations.
Facebook correspondence relayed and confirmed Sunday to Homepage by Erich Knudsen of Information Station (information-station.news), a classified directory both online and in print based in Waldport:
5:34 p.m. – surf rescue at Rocky creek state park in otter rock. Person swept off the rocks.
5:44 p.m. – active rescue. One in the water, coast guard requested
5:48 p.m. – coast guard helo 10 minutes out
5:57 p.m – coast guard onscene, attempting a rescue
6:06 p.m. – two people confirmed in the water, requesting second medic unit
6:35 p.m. – life flight requested for PCH landing zone.
6:44 p.m. – life flight cancelled.
From Information Station’s Facebook post:
Cindy Renner: Were there any survivors?
Information Station:Unfortunately one was lost. We aren’t sure about the second.
Information Station:Let me clarify… Both were pulled from the water. The last one went code 3 to PCH
EDITOR’S NOTE: House District 10 Rep. David Gomberg shares his thoughts on the voting process and five measures that will be up for vote in the following excerpt from his periodical newsletter, his last before the Nov. 13 General Election.
Hello Friends,
One of the highlights of the recent Coastal Caucus Summit was a conversation I moderated with Congressman Kurt Schrader.
Topics included forestry and fisheries, housing, salmon recovery, health care, offshore drilling, and the general state of affairs in our nation’s capital. If you’d like to hear the interview, click here.
Congressman Ken Schrader, left, and Rep. David Gomberg at the 2018 Coastal Caucus Economic Summit at Chinook Winds
In less than 60 days, you will receive your General Election Ballot. We will all be voting on candidates for state and local positions, and a series of policy proposals.
Proposals come to voters in one of two ways. Either they are referred by the legislature (usually because they amend the constitution and require voter approval), or because petitions were circulated and signatures collected (often paid for by interest groups). This year there is one legislative referral. Several dozen petitions were circulated but only four collected enough signatures to qualify for your vote.
Five total measures is an unusually light load. Over the last two decades, we have been asked to consider an average of 14 such proposals. But the measures we do have are serious and consequential. Two of them touch on controversial questions — immigration and abortion. Two of them propose tax amendments to the state constitution. And the fifth measure, referred to voters by legislators, deals with affordable housing.
I will not use this newsletter to advocate for or against any of these questions. But I will try to outline the proposals and encourage you to study and engage on them as November draws closer.
Measure 102: A referral from the legislature which was overwhelmingly approved by both Democrats and Republicans. It helps ease Oregon’s statewide housing crisis by allowing jurisdictions who pass affordable housing bonds to build more homes by working together with developers rather than separate from them. The idea is to create more housing with the same money by combining funds and stretching them further.
Measure 103: A ballot initiative that bans taxes on “groceries”. This is a constitutional amendment that covers most store-bought food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as transporting foodstuff, restaurants and possibly bottle deposits. It would apply to taxes and fees and prevent new state and local taxes in the future.
Measure 104: Current law requires new taxes approved by the legislature to pass by a 3/5th “super majority”. This constitutional amendment would expand that requirement to any bills that modify, eliminate, or change the eligibility for taxes, tax deductions or credits, and fees like park passes and vehicle registration.
Measure 105: Repeals Oregon’s 1987 “sanctuary” law which says state and local resources cannot be used to enforce federal immigration law. The current laws prohibit police agencies from profiling, seeking, or apprehending individuals whose only offense might be a violation of those national immigration laws.
Measure 106: A constitutional amendment to eliminate public funding of otherwise legal abortions. It applies to any woman who receives health care through Oregon’s Medicaid program or public employees’ health insurance. This includes an estimated 250,000 low-income women and 75,000 teachers, firefighters, and other public employees.
When I review my own ballot, here are some of the questions I ask:
Should a measure to amend the state constitution meet a higher standard than a statutory measure? Certainly constitutional amendments are harder to adjust in the future. Does this proposal absolutely need to be embedded in the constitution?
What is the potential financial impact of the proposed measure? Voters sometimes approve costly measures that seem good ideas without worrying about how to pay for them.
Should the measure be taken up by the Legislature instead? Oregon voters love their ballot measures. And special interests love bringing questions directly to voters. But some topics are complicated enough that they deserve compromise, amendment, and detailed scrutiny from legislators — with ample opportunity for public input.
Elections have consequences. I urge you to inform yourselves about candidates and measures in the coming weeks. Please pay particular attention to local questions and people running for local offices that will be on the ballot. They often get less media attention but have a daily effect on your community and quality of life.
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners chairman Doug Hunt has been elected vice-chair of the CIS Insurances Services Board of Trustees.
“CIS helps rural counties and that’s near and dear to my heart,” Hunt said in a phone conversation last week.
Salem-based CIS (Citycounty Insurance Services) was founded in 1981 with the mission of providing comprehensive insurance services to Oregon cities, counties and public entities.
Hunt’s participation on the Board allows Lincoln County a voice in the administrative body that shapes CIS policy and services provided to all members. Hunt has served on the board for the last two years and will now assume a leadership role.
CIS supports 98 percent of cities and over 78 percent of counties in Oregon with at least one type of coverage.
“I am excited and honored by the selection by my board peers to serve as vice chair of CIS,” Hunt said. “CIS provides critical insurance services allowing cities and counties to effectively manage risk and assuring sound use of taxpayer dollars.”
CIS was formed by the League of Oregon Cities and the Association of Oregon Counties to meet the risk management and employee benefit needs of Oregon cities, counties and other eligible local governments.
Hunt is one of two county commissioners who serve on the board of 10, and as Vice-Chair he could be elected as board chair in 2020.
The reasons underlying CIS’s founding go back to the late 1960s, when large commercial insurers stopped offering coverage to cities and counties across the United States. The League of Oregon Cities and the Association of Oregon Counties responded to the crisis by collaboratively establishing the aptly named Citycounty Insurance Services.
“This position will help to ensure that all students in our district have the support they need to be successful and engaged in our schools,” Lincoln County School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray said. “The families will have a trusted ally to help them navigate the policies and programs offered in our schools. They should feel welcomed.“
