Three candidates will run for Lincoln City mayor and nine will vie for council positions in the Nov. 6 general election, according to a news release issued Thursday by the Lincoln City City Recorder.
Mayor
Dick Anderson
David Dahle
Susan Wahlke
Councilor Ward 1
Mitch Parsons
Councilor Ward 2
Diane Kusz
Nancy Oksenholt
Jack Sparrow
Councilor Ward 3
Larry Armstrong
Warren Halcott
Michael Holt
Richard Mark
City Recorder Cathy Steere said the candidates have qualified by nominating petition to run for elective office.
A small fire on the roof around the chimney at Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach was quickly doused Wednesday evening upon arrival by the Depoe Bay, North Lincoln and Newport fire departments. No injuries were reported.
Three engines, one ladder truck, one rescue unit, four chief officers responded and 21 firefighters brought the fire under control in approximately 15 minutes, a news release issued by the Depoe Bay Rural Fire Protection District reported.
Crews checked for fire spread from the 10-by-30-foot origin, then covered the affected area to prevent further damage. All crews cleared the scene shortly after 10 p.m.
Financial cost of the fire was not available. The cause is under investigation.
For further more information, call Depoe Bay Fire Chief Bill Johnson at 541-764-2202 or email [email protected].
Being the digital age, Taft High coach Jake Tolan has gotten an intimate sneak peak at the Harrisburg football team his Tigers will face Friday when the 2018 prep season kicks off throughout Oregon.
Jake Tolan
“We do know some things about them now that we live in a day and age where video footage of other teams is easily accessible,” he said. “We know that they are big up front on both the offensive and defensive lines, and they have a running back and quarterback that are very good athletes.”
Here’s something else he might know about the Eagles – and you should, too:
They have reached the Class 3A State quarterfinals the past five years and won the State championship as recently as two seasons ago.
“We will know after this game where we stand in the 3A ranks, considering Harrisburg made it deep in the playoffs last year and return a very good team this year,” Tolan said of Friday’s 7 p.m. road opponent. “I like our chances, though. I feel confident we will come out Friday and compete.”
Harrisburg is approximately half the size of Lincoln City off Interstate 5 about 97 miles from the Central Oregon Coast — 63 as the crow, er Eagle, flies. You’ll need about 15 bucks for five gallons of gas and spend around two hours to get there.
Upon arrival, you’ll discover a tiny town wrought with football fever that sticks together like birds of another feather, the Oregon Ducks, just 25 miles south in Eugene.
Coached by Edmund Rivera, the Eagles won the 3A State championship as recently as 2016 with a 34-27 victory over Salem Academy, and have been State quarterfinalists or better the past five seasons. They also reached the State title game in 2014, when they fell to Vale at Hillsboro Stadium.
Harrisburg went 5-6 overall last season and 3-2 for third place in the Mountain Valley Conference, then defeated fifth-ranked Amity 42-34 on the road in the first round of the State playoffs. The purple-and-gold clad Eagles fell at eventual State champion Cascade Christian in the State quarterfinals.
“I just want our kids to come out Friday with the mindset that they will do whatever it takes to compete and battle to give us a chance to win,” Tolan said.
Taft went 0-5 in the Class 3A West Valley League, but is bigger in numbers, larger in size and stronger in commitment, Tolan said, while being more experienced on the offensive and defensive lines. The Tigers are coming off a couple of impressive 7-on-7 summer camp showings and a breakneck 60-47 home victory over Jefferson to close out a 2-7 season last year.
In addition to Class 4A Corbett and Madras, Taft will move to a new 12-team “super conference” in 2018 that includes seven teams (Amity, Blanchet Catholic, Clatskanie, Dayton, Rainier, Scio and Willamina) that reached the 16-team Class 3A playoffs. The Tigers will play in a six-team sub-region comprised of Amity, Clatskanie, Dayton, Rainer and Willamina.
Led by skill players such as quarterback David Jin, running backs Logan Gilleo and JJ French, and receivers Tyee Fisher, Logan McLendon and Kam Kessler, Taft should benefit from protection from a more experienced line that features Victor Carrasco, Elin Fitch, Tyrese Hellman and Chris “Biz” Byrum.
Improvement on defense will also be a key for the Tigers, which surrendered a porous 51 points per game last season.
“They [Harrisburg] would prefer to run the ball offensively, which is where our focus has been the past couple of weeks defensively,” said Tolan, who emphasized that being competitive and playing hard in the non-league opener was more important than winning or losing. “This will be a great test for our team this early in the season.”
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
Under the leadership of Wayne Swango, Harrisburg has won four State baseball championships (1970, 1976, 1980 and 1993) and State titles in 2A softball in 1999, 2000, and 2001. In addition to their 2016 Class 3A State football title, the Eagles won the 1A Division B football crown in 1966.
Saying they knew “something was up” and calling the incident “an unusual crime,” an Oregon woman’s despair over being lost and afraid ended in her arrest Tuesday night following a welfare check by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deputies.
Deputies responding to a 9-1-1 call from the Keys Place near the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge found Desirae J. Zaher, 32, of Merlin, on private property at about 8:40 p.m. after driving her vehicle into dense brush.
Following further investigation, deputies located a boat and a riding lawn mower near Zaher’s location and determined the items were stolen from nearby storage buildings. Deputies located evidence linking Zaher to the alleged burglary and thefts.
Zaher was taken into custody and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail for Burglary II, Aggravated Theft, Criminal Mischief I, Criminal Trespass II with a bail of $180,000.
Two dozen energetic underclassmen will join a trio of experienced seniors and a pair of talented juniors on Taft High Ryan Ulicni’s first boys soccer head coaching roster before the home crowd Thursday at Voris Field.
First-year head coach Ryan Ulicni
“These young men have been playing together for so long [in youth league] they may have overlooked the single most important part of this sport — to have fun,” Ulicni said. “If you can get them to relax on the field and just ‘play the game’ with their friends, you’ll see soccer in a way that would surprise even them.”
“All of them bring a different aspect to the game, but each of them will bring their own experience in the sport,” Ulicni said.
“A fantastic outside back,” according to his coach, Genaro Flores will join fellow senior Jacob Mayoral, whose “no- quit energy can pace and control the middle back.”
Returning senior goalkeeper William Brooks, who will also be the Tigers’ only returning varsity golfer next spring, will strengthen Taft on the defensive end.
“His leadership is going to be a key,” Ulicni said. “The rest of the team will be driven by his hard work both on and off the field.”
Two returning juniors — striker Edson Fuentes and midfielder Estib Melo — also promise to be major contributors, he said.
“[Melo’s] movement and capability to control the field is also nice for the younger classmen to watch,” he said.
The presence of 11 sophomores and arrival of 13 freshmen bodes well for “exciting times to come.”
“There are some fabulously talented young men up and coming,” Ulicni said. “Both classes bring everything from offense, defense, midfield and the potential to be leaders among their peers.”
Most of the underclassmen make up the JV squad, “but could hold their own in a varsity match,” Ulicni said.
“We will be keeping an eye on their development for the early part of the season. Expect to see most, if not all at some point, playing up a level,” he said.
A playoff team last season, Taft outscored opponents 66-22 while going 13-3-2 overall and placing second in 3A/2A/1A/ Special District 2 play at 9-1-1. The Tigers will play in the eight-team SD2 league, featuring Class 2A Gervais, Western Christian/Perrydale and Delphian, and fellow 3A members Blanchet Catholic, Dayton, Salem Academy and Yamhill-Carlton.
“I am just very excited to be coaching here at Taft,” Ulicni said. “My main goal for this team is to teach them the variety this game has to offer — to show them there are different ways to pass, shoot even communicate. This season will not only teach these players how to be better, this will also teach me how to be a better coach.”
Based on its personnel, with most of the upperclassmen in the back, Ulicni said he expects Taft to pose a strong defensive stance when it opens its season in Thursday’s endowment game (admission charged).
“We need to focus on positioning and how to slow down the attack and transition up the field,” Ulicni said. “We will be rotating out a few sophomores in these positions.”
Ulicni said sophomore Ivan Cortez promises to be a great addition to the back line.
“His ability and willingness to cover defense and move up the field for a counterattack will be a great asset to show all of our upcoming players,” he said.
Look for sophomores William Calderon and Jose Flores to control the midfield.
“They have already shown the fluidity needed to control the game and show leadership to their teammates,” he said.
“Honestly, the only thing to work on now would be to keep them reminded of teamwork,” he said. “There has to be communication out on the field. If there is a mistake made, leaders need to step up, calm it down and get their team back in the game.”
Ulicni said the communication process and having the more experienced players passing their expertise down to the newcomers will prove pivotal in his team’s success.
“There is a sense of responsibility out on the field that is also coupled with a sense of accomplishment when you get them to work it out,” he said. “If I see something I believe they might be overlooking, I can talk it over with a substitute on the bench and tell them the goals they will be setting when they go in, then have the team respond to the change in a positive way.”
Taft got a glimpse of where it stands last Thursday at the Yamhill-Carlton Jamboree.
“It was a fantastic time to show what it would be like to play with 11 on the field,” he said following 5-0 and 4-1 exhibition wins, the second over the host team that included a dominating 15-minute second half after trailing 1-0 at intermission.
Ulicni said he will benefit from having two qualified assistant coaches. Dayton Mays is assisting Ulicni and is the JV coach, while Daniel Haehl has been working with the goalies.
Dayton Mays
“I come from a striker background in my playing days, so having this kind of variety in coaching is going to benefit all of us,” Ulicni said. “Dayton’s background in playing defense is a great asset to this team and my ability to coach. Being a former goalkeeper, Daniel will be able to help our keepers’ individually progress.”
Taft opens its league season at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at Salem Academy.
“I really don’t know much about the toughness and level of competition at this level. I have told the team this,” Ulicni said. “I have also told them I am not preparing them for the next game. I am preparing them for the playoffs. If they can grow their individual game, along with their teamwork now, they will be able to play any game with confidence and will emerge victorious.”
DeWitt Construction has spent the last week installing some of the 91 precast concrete piles to support the foundation of the new Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.
Installation of the piles on the 52,000-square-foot facility is expected to be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 19. Construction on the facility adjacent to the current hospital near the corner of 3043 NE 28th St. and West Devils Lake Road will continue from 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with an occasional Friday and Saturday as needed.
The new Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital is in the pile driving phase. Special thanks to CEO Lesley Ogden, MD, Director of Engineering Chris Lemar and Marketing and PR Coordinator Mary Jo Kerlin for the access.
Pile driving is being paused during sensitive surgeries or procedures to avoid vibrations. Local helicopter service and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters have been notified of the construction.
The piles are being driven 60 to 80 feet to bedrock for the building’s stability. The steel tubes are filled with rebar and concrete, and are hammered to refusal, in accordance with Oregon Seismic Code standards.
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A live video feed has been set up in the hospital’s emergency waiting room and cafeteria to watch Skanska USA Building contractors work.
Homepage interviewed CEO Lesley Ogden, MD; SNLH Director of Engineering Chris Lemar; and Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator Mary Jo Kerlin Tuesday about the latest construction phase.
They said the hospital will be easy to navigate, with focused wayfinding using signage that can be seen clearly from long distances.
The simplifying of hallways will gain wasted space and make it easier for people to find what they are looking for. Keeping departments working closely in tandem will boost efficiency, they said.
The focus on patient privacy will be handled much like a play, where “backstage” will be hidden from “onstage.”
Skanska’s Portland office is overseeing construction.
Lincoln City Councilor Riley Hoagland says the City is not doing enough to combat the spread of misinformation through social media and should identify measures to correct it.
“Facebook is now the Internet for people. They really do only go there,” Hoagland said in open session at Monday’s Lincoln City City Council meeting. “I feel like we are not being as responsible as we can be as a city to allow erroneous things to be stated as fact.
“… People spend a lot of time on Facebook and they build massive opinions from it, like it or not. They’re not reading every newspaper. They’re not.”
Lincoln City City Manager Ronald Chandler responded by saying, “If people are getting their news from one source, they’re doing themselves a great disservice. There’s always multiple takes on what we do. … It’s always important to look to multiple sources.
“… This is what it sounds like you [Hoagland] are suggesting, is having a staff member who is actively searching out what is being said about the city on Facebook or other social media and responding.”
Hoagland said he doesn’t think false information should perpetuate the news and the City should respond to it. He recommended a City account could be alerted through the hashtag #heylincolncity, where the public could ask, “Is this true or not?”
Chandler discussed how the City disseminates news and how to address misinformed responses to it. He said the City maintains five websites, 10 Facebook pages, two blogs, one Twitter account, a newsletter and issues press releases. Monthly and weekly radio interviews were also mentioned.
Chandler said the City’s news sites and sources were not designed to react to public expression, but instructed four staff members to be “out and about talking to people” as part of their “regular activity.”
Staff directed to speak with the public were Parks and Recreation Director Jeanne Sprague, Public Works Director Lila Bradley, Planning and Community Development Director Richard Townsend and Chief of Police Jerry Palmer.
Fatima Lupercio, left, and Lydia Prins practice Tuesday/Photos by Justin Werner
Young and able with a spattering of experience in key leadership roles is how Taft High coach Joey Arce-Torres might best describe his new-look Tigers entering the 2018 girls soccer season.
Coach Joey Arce-Torres
Taft, which went 9-6-1 overall and 8-3-1 in Class 3A/2A/1A Special District 3 last year before missing the State tournament with a narrow play-in defeat, will compete in the eight-team Special District 2 this season.
But that’s not the biggest news.
The departure of nine seniors will be the biggest change.
But leave it to the fourth-year Taft head coach to put a positive spin on things.
“Losing those kinds of numbers will definitely create some opportunities,” said Arce-Torres, whose team scored 24 goals against 28 allowed in its third-place league showing last year before falling 2-1 at Western Mennonite/Perrydale in a league postseason playoff game.
Taft will field more freshman and sophomores than upperclassmen this season, with 12 underclassmen on the 21-player roster. The Tigers open their regular season at home at 4 p.m. Thursday against Sutherlin, and play their league opener Monday, Sept. 10, at Yamhill-Carlton.
“All three coaches [Josh Vrendenburg and Kate Quinn] are thrilled and excited with the attitudes and enthusiasm the team possesses,” he said. “Each athlete comes to each practice ready to learn and challenge their teammates to be stronger soccer players.”
Three players — recently crowned captains Sammy Halferty, Lydia Prins and Ana Ortiz — return to the Tigers and will carry a heavy load, Arce-Torres said.
“The captains bring experience, a winning culture and the desire to build a positive club who work together,” he said. “They will need to remain patient and provide strong leadership to the many new faces on the pitch.”
Sammy Halferty
Halferty, a junior striker, will be Taft’s main scoring threat.
“Her speed and dribbling skills will create many opportunities for her to challenge opposing defenses,” Arce-Torres said. “It is very apparent that she has been working on her shot.”
Seniors Ortiz and Prins will start for their fourth season and have been major players in the burgeoning program since their freshman years, Arce-Torres said.
“Ana’s strength, despite her petite size, is her soccer IQ and ability to play both offense and defense,” he said. “Lydia, a varsity swimmer and cross country and sprint competitor, brings superior conditioning and needed experience to the back line.”
Providing a fresh new look and energy to the team will be the freshman trio of Chloe Peterson, Nicole Reyes and Aubrey Sciarrotta, Arce-Torres said.
“All three are extremely quick and will play multiple positions,” he said. “Peterson will surprise many with her athleticism and tenacity. I expect her to lead the team, as a freshman, in assists and playing minutes.
“Nicole will spend significant time in the goalie box and as a midfielder distributing the ball to fellow teammate Sciarrotta, who will log time as a striker.”
The team as a whole is extremely young and inexperienced, but full of potential.” said Arce-Torres, who is working on developing a junior varsity program with his large turnout. “They will mature by midseason and have the ability to challenge most teams. As a coach, I am energized by our numbers, our athleticism and our ability to make large gains in skill in short time frames.”
Oregon State Parks has lifted its ban on beach fires on the North and Central coasts due to moisture and longer nights with cooler temperatures.
The ban includes beaches from the Columbia River on the north to the Umpqua River on the south. The South Coast (south of the Umpqua River) continues to have a fire ban in place until further notice.
Nola Longueira leads the cheers Saturday at Taft High’s Voris Field
Young athletes from throughout the Lincoln City area were supported by coaches Nicole Kelso and Tonia Anderson’s young cheerleaders Saturday during their first performance at soccer competition at Voris Field.
The young spirit leaders, who have been training since the end of school in June, will perform next at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, at Voris Field.
Taft Roster
Harrisburg Roster
