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Nora Jane Struthers in Concert Dec 2nd at LCCC

Justin Werner
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Nora Jane Struthers in Concert Dec 2nd at LCCC

LINCOLN CITY – Ken Tucker, the reviewer on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, says Nora Jane Struthers is “Excellent.” Stephen Betts from Rolling Stone Country said she has “an evolved blend of roots and rock with plenty of fiddle and steel guitar.” Jewly Hight of the Nashville Scene opined that “Struthers has undergone one of the more fascinating transformations in contemporary roots music. She is a fiercely intelligent, put-together, independent woman.”

nora jane struthers and the party line at lccc 12-2-17

What will you say about Nora Jane Struthers and her touring roustabouts, The Party Line? To find out, you’ll have to be at the Lincoln City Cultural Center on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7 pm. That’s when NJS will hit the LCCC stage for two sets of Americana music to remember. Tickets are on sale now at lincolncityculturalcenter.org.

Born in Virginia and raised in New Jersey, Nora Jane Struthers grew up playing and singing bluegrass and country music with her banjo-playing father. After a move to Nashville, Tenn., and a brief stint fronting the band Bearfoot, in 2012 she formed her band the Party Line and started taking her songs on the road, backed by her best friends and a sound that blends infectious rock with her folk and country roots. Struthers’ voice is pure and unaffected and she delivers her songs with powerful vulnerability. She fronts the band on acoustic and electric guitar and The Party Line is comprised of Joe Overton (banjo, fiddle and steel guitar), Josh Vana (electric guitar and harp), Brian Miller (bass) and Drew Lawhorn (drums).

Now, after two albums and hundreds of performances, the band is known as much for their tight, high energy live show as for Struthers’ smart and disarming lyrics.  Their 2015 release “Wake” was welcomed with praise by NPR’s Fresh Air, Rolling Stone Country, and Amy Poehler’s blog Smart Girls. The band’s more notable performances include Old Settlers, Kerrville, Milwaukee Summerfest, Square Roots, Rhythm & Roots, Festy Experience, Winter Wondergrass, Ann Arbor Folk, Suwannee Springfest, Red Wing Roots, Leaf Festival, Red Ants Pants, Sweet Pea Festival, Oyster Ridge Festival, Red, White, and Bluegrass.

On their new album “Champion” the band worked with acclaimed producer Neilson Hubbard in Nashville, TN.  “Champion” was released in September.

“Nora Jane Struthers has one of those strong, clear voices that cuts across the grain of a melody with a bracing sharpness,” said reviewer Ken Tucker on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. “She started out as a kid bluegrass musician in a duo with her father. Her 2015 album called ‘Wake’ featured songs at the intersection of folk, country and rock. The music on her new album ‘Champion’ tends to be a bit louder – less acoustic, more electric. I guess it falls under the catch-all term Americana. But I think the songs are nervier, thornier than most of the Americana I forced myself to listen to. ‘Champion’ is a more concerted collaboration with her band, The Party Line. Part of that increase in collaboration may have to do with the fact that between her previous album and this new one, she married the band’s guitarist – a development that figures in some of the best songs here.”

Tickets are $20 in advance, available through the no-fee online ticketing system (click “Buy Tickets” on the center’s website or Facebook page) or in person at the LCCC Info Center, open 10-4 pm Wednesday-Monday. To purchase over the phone, call 541-994-9994. Tickets sold at the door will be $22. As always, LCCC members will receive a $2 discount.

Council’s fourth attempt to unseat Mayor fails

LCH Reader
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Council’s fourth attempt to unseat Mayor fails

When Don Williams ran for Mayor of Lincoln City in 2014, we supported his plan to sell the Villages at Cascade Head, create better jobs through an Economic Development team,1 and create more affordable housing by streamlining our Planning Department.2 Voters liked his message too, electing him with 48 percent more votes.3

But after Williams started asking smart questions, like why our City’s 2015 legal budget4 was 360 percent higher than Coos Bay’s,5 a city twice our size,6 our City Council’s response was swift and merciless.

First, Council filed secret ethics charges7 against Williams. But Williams was quickly exonerated in a unanimous 5-0 decision by the Ethics Commission.8

Failing that, Council hired lawyers to dig up dirt on Williams, but found nothing but legal bills totalling $112,121 from the seven law firms they’d hired.9

Failing that, Council then authorized10 City Attorney Richard Appicello to convince the Department of Justice to secretly investigate Williams and his supporters.11 But after a year, the DOJ dropped the case,12 blasting Appicello for failing to produce any of his promised “evidence”13 to back up his six criminal charges.14

Failing that, Council held nine secret executive session meetings,15 over ten months16, where their attorneys17 grilled Williams to coerce him to admit to something, anything, so Council could unseat him, or at least publicly humiliate him. Williams was never provided counsel, and was not even provided the alleged evidence against him, until nine months into the proceedings.18

And today, Council is again alleging Williams violated ethics laws.19 But the facts prove Williams, again, did nothing wrong.20 21
If he had, Council would have certainly filed ethics charges in a heartbeat.

Let’s hope Council has finally learned their lesson, and apologizes, but given their track record, it’s unlikely. Serial harassers need treatment, not given another chance to abuse.

The saddest part is how this discourages anyone from running for office, unless they are willing to toe the party line. Worse, it discourages us all from just speaking up at Council meetings, for fear of our Council’s wrath.

So what can you do? First, don’t give in to fear. And ignore news sources that engage in innuendo, and rumor mongering. Instead, seek out unbiased sources like the Newport News Times, and LincolnCityHomePage.com.

And most importantly, vote wisely next November. Our citizens need you now more than ever.

Ross Smith, Jerry Warner, Doug Wheldon

Editor’s Note: To register to vote, visit the DMV website. To update, or verify your voting information, visit the Secretary of State website.

1 Williams, Don, “Our economic troubles are driving away our younger citizens.” Sept. 27, 2014. link
2 Williams, Don, “A way to affordable housing.” Sept. 9, 2014. link
3 Lincoln County, Oregon, Official Election Results, General Election, Nov. 4, 2014. link
4 City of Lincoln City, 2014-2015 Proposed Budget, 59. link
5 City of Coos Bay, Approved Budget FY 2014/2015, 37. link
6 American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. link
7 Sprague, Roger, Oregon Government Ethics Commission Complaint, Aug. 19, 2015. link
8 Friedman, Gordon, “Ethics complaint against Lincoln City mayor dismissed.” Statesman Journal, Oct. 28, 2015. link
9 Beasley, Rick, “Probe puts Lincoln City in spotlight.” Newport News Times, May 12, 2017, A1. link
10 Underhill, Dana, Letter to Linn Davis, Oregon State Bar, May 7, 2017, 6. link
11 Shimanek, Jodi, Special Agent, Oregon DOJ, Investigative Report, Dec. 11, 2015, 3. link
12 McCauley, Matthew, Sr. Assistant Attorney General, Oregon DOJ, letter to Lincoln County District Attorney, Michelle Branam, Sept. 28, 2016. link
13 Shimanek, Jodi, Special Agent, Oregon DOJ, Investigative Report, Feb. 17, 2016, 3. link
14 McCauley, Letter to Lincoln County District Attorney, Michelle Branam. link
15 Meeting Calendar, City of Lincoln City. link
16 Ibid.
17 Meeting attendees included City Attorney Richard Appicello, attorney Russell Poppe, Speer Hoyt, and attorney Ross Williamson, Speer Hoyt. Jens Schmidt, of Harrang, Long, Gary, Rudnick was involved, as well.
18 City Council Meeting, August 15, 2016, at 11:50 of the meeting. Watch https://youtu.be/KtOX1G7fgDo?t=11m50s.
19 Jeremy Ruark and Cassie Rudd, “New ethics concerns at city hall.” The News Guard, Nov. 15, 2017. link
20 Williams, Don, “To the People of Lincoln City,” Nov. 21, 2017. link
21 Patrick Alexander, President, Lincoln City Warming Shelter, email to Rick Beasley, Nov. 17, 2017. link

To the People of Lincoln City

LCH Reader
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To the People of Lincoln City

ask mayor don

To the people of Lincoln City

For the last week you have probably heard a barrage of accusations and opinions against me as mayor and whether or not I used my office for personal financial gain. The questions surround the renting of a building that my wife and I own to the Warming Shelter group. This group had received a grant from the city to use toward aiding our homeless population; a grant that I, along with the entire city council, voted to approve.

At no time prior to or during the application and award process did I have any conversations with anyone associated with the Warming Shelter group except in open session during public meetings about this money.

Two years ago we donated the use of our building to the Warming Shelter group to use as an emergency shelter during the winter months. Debbie and I feel very strongly about doing all we can to help the less fortunate in our city. That was just one way that we were able to help. That was the extent of our relationship with the Warming Shelter group.

The following year the group chose to use a different facility closer to the center of town and we had no further conversations.

In September this year I was contacted by a representative of the Warming Shelter group who told me that the many options that they were pursuing for a shelter site fell through and they were in desperate need of a building or they would not be able to open this winter. The group wanted a temporary but full time time facility to meet and serve from. Working on a temporary set up and tear down basis within other sites was getting too taxing on the volunteers and the people that managed the buildings used as the shelter.

My wife and I determined an amount that would cover our cost and they agreed. We signed the lease for a four month period with an option for a fifth if weather dictated.

The space in question is a newly remodeled 2000 square foot area which includes a commercial kitchen, freezer, walk in refrigerator, clothes washer and dryer, shower facility ample parking and is one block from the highway. It also includes all utilities and trash. We did not require a security deposit or final month’s rent. This arrangement also required us to cancel events we had scheduled over the holiday period resulting in the loss of that revenue.

Looking back I can see how some might question the relationship; but I cannot. I can handle the criticism because it comes with the territory of being an elected official but I find it reprehensible to question the ethics of even a single person on the Warming Shelter board. There was no prior contact, no collusion no quid pro quo.

This amazing group of people that volunteer their time to help others approached me because they were in need. I said yes because I too want to help others. That is the end of the story and I would do it again if needed. As always I am available to talk I may be reached at 541-992-9494.

Don Williams

Mayor Lincoln City

GIVING TUESDAY GENEROSITY BAZAAR 2017

Justin Werner
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GIVING TUESDAY GENEROSITY BAZAAR 2017

LINCOLN CITY – Looking for a pre-holiday pick-me-up that will strengthen your community and spread the joy of the season? Come to the third annual Giving Tuesday Generosity Bazaar, open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. It’s our local, in-person celebration of Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to charity in the holiday season, nationwide and right here at home.

Giving TuesdayGiving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. The LCCC, which is a nonprofit devoted to serving the central coast community through art and cultural opportunities, takes part in Giving Tuesday as part of its annual end-of-year fundraising campaign. The center also provides the venue for other nonprofits to secure donations during the giving season, through the #givingtuesday Generosity Bazaar.

“We’ve got a day just for shopping and discounts, that’s Black Friday. We’ve also got a day where people buy gifts online, that’s Cyber Monday. So, Giving Tuesday is about taking a break from buying, a day to remember that generosity and selflessness are what the season is truly about,” said organizer Niki Price. “If you plan to donate to a local charity before the end of the year, we salute you because you are what makes this community so wonderful. Our Giving Tuesday event will make it even easier.”

The bazaar will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on Nov. 28 at the LCCC, 540 NE Hwy. 101. There will be complimentary coffee and donuts, courtesy of Chinook Winds Casino Resort, and a $5 soup-and-bread lunch provided by Judy Hardy of the LCCC. The St. James Santiago School students will perform on the LCCC Stage starting at 1 pm.

There will be plenty of fundraising items to buy, including baked goods, See’s candies, pet calendars, fresh evergreen wreaths, art cards, fancy nuts, Mary Kay cosmetics, gallery t-shirts, jewelry, Kachina dolls and raffle tickets. All the organizations will have information, signup sheets and donation receipts, offering attendees the chance to get involved in a variety of ways. In addition, the LCCC will be collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys for the North Lincoln Fire & Rescue District drive, nonperishable food for the Lincoln City Food Pantry, and warm clothing for the Lincoln City Warming Shelter. In all, 23 nonprofit organizations will be represented at the Cultural Center on Giving Tuesday.

You’re invited to take an “unselfie” with your phone at your chosen booth, and post it on your Facebook page, Twitter feed or Instagram account using #lincolncitygives and #givingtuesday. This will help to raise awareness of the day, and the bazaar. The idea is to get the word out among diverse social networks, raising awareness for charitable giving online as well as attendance at the Nov 28 Generosity Bazaar at the LCCC.

Here are some of the other ways you can give on Nov. 28 at the LCCC:

  • Buy a raffle ticket, and pick up more information about Relay for Life
  • Find out how you can help support the Lincoln County Foster Parents Association
  • Bring your boxed gifts to be wrapped, for a small donation, by a volunteer from the Driftwood Public Library Foundation
  • Help local students pay for college, by purchasing wreaths from Rotary or nuts from the PEO Sisterhood
  • Double the love by giving to the Lincoln City Cultural Center and the Oregon Cultural Trust, which supports arts, culture, heritage and humanities projects across the state.
  • Meet Vickie Meneses from Oceana Family Literacy Center, who offers bilingual support and literacy services to families in Lincoln City
  • Donate to My Sister’s Place, our local shelter for abused women and children

For more information, or to donate or volunteer, call Niki at 541-994-9994.

Lincoln City Parent Group Silent Auction

Justin Werner
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Lincoln City Parent Group Silent Auction

On Sunday December 3rd from 6-8 PM the Lincoln City Parent Group will be hosting its annual silent auction at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. The group of parents are raising money to help students and the schools they learn in.

lincoln city parents group silent auction

Over 100 items have been donated for the auction from local businesses and include gift certificates and hand-made baskets from the students of Oceanlake and Taft Elementary. Classes were assigned a theme for their baskets. The picture above is a class working on a spring gardening themed basket.

The LCPG has used funds raised in the past for:

  • Classroom supplies
  • Ice cream & soda social
  • Zumba and karate for students
  • Swimming lessons
  • Laminator and laminator supplies
  • Curtain for Oceanlake’s stage
  • Teacher appreciation lunches
  • Cookies and coffee for conferences
  • Classroom volunteers
  • Books
  • Music programs
  • Brain Pop
  • Volunteering for events
  • Technology

Food will be donated by Otis Cafe. Awesome cookies will be provided by My Petite Sweet.

Donations provided by:

Sparks Gallery – Galluccis – Community Center – John Towers Photography – Kyllos – Pacific West Ambulance – Roby’s – Pop Culture – TLC – B-nails – and many more.

This should be the best auction put on to date. See you at the Lincoln City Cultural Center on December 3rd from 6-8 PM!

Finders Keepers 2018

Justin Werner
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Finders Keepers 2018

GLASS FLOATS ON THE BEACHfinders keepers 2018

OCTOBER 14, 2017 – MAY 28, 2018

Let the hunt begin! Each year from mid-October to Memorial Day, discover glass treasures in Lincoln City. Our army of Float Fairies covertly hit our seven miles of public beach hiding handcrafted glass floats along their way, from Roads End on the north to Siletz Bay on the south.

While we put out over 3,000 floats each year, collectible floats, which are numbered, are placed reflected by the year – so 2,016 numbered floats were placed in 2016, 2,017 in 2017, etc…. You find it, you keep it!

HOW TO FIND GLASS FLOATS

THE BASIC RULES OF THE HUNTfinders keepers 2018

  • Floats can be found above the high tide line and below the beach embankment
  • Floats are placed on the beach during daylight hours only.
  • Floats are hidden throughout the day, not just at one time.
  • Floats are out there every day rain or shine. On rare occasions weather and ocean conditions can create unsafe situations, official notice of any cancellations will be made on our social media channels and website.

When you find an official numbered float, give us a call at 541-996-1274, text FLOATS to 24587 or visit the registration page to register your treasure. You’ll receive a Certificate of Authenticity and information about the artist who crafted your float.

Don’t forget to share a photo on Facebook, Instagram (LincolnCityOR) or Twitter (@LincolnCityOR) pages and use #FindersKeepersLC.finders keepers 2018

A FEW TIPS AND WORDS OF ADVICE

  • We use the term “hide” loosely, we want our treasures to be found!
  • Start your hunt at public beach access points.
  • During special drops we place other kinds of glass art. look for sand dollars, sea stars, shells, crabs and coins too
  • Our Float Fairies hide floats at random times and locations…not even we know.
  • If you find an official numbered float, the registration number is located on or near the “button” on the underside.
  • Unnumbered floats and glass art pieces cannot be registered.

Bring everyone to the coast to experience the fun of float hunting. Start a new family tradition!

SPECIAL GLASS ART DROPS

In addition to the numbered floats, we place extra pieces of glass art on the beaches for holidays and special occasions. Special drops can include a combination of glass floats, sand dollars, crabs, sea stars, shells or coins.

2017 – 2018 Special Drop Dates

  • November 10-12, 2017 – Veterans Day: 50 red, white & blue floats
  • November 23-26, 2017 – Thanksgiving: 100 glass art pieces
  • December 30, 2017-January 1, 2018 – New Year’s: 100 glass art pieces
  • February 9-19, 2018 – Antique Week: 300 antique Japanese floats
  • February 10-11, 2018 – Valentine’s Day: 14 glass hearts
  • March 24-April 8, 2018 – Spring Break: 300 glass art pieces
  • April 21-22, 2018 – Earth Day: 15 Earth floats
  • May 12-13, 2018 – Mother’s Day: 100 glass art pieces
  • May 26-28, 2018 – Closing Weekend of Finders Keepers: 100 extra floats and 1 jumbo float with a weekend getaway package

TRASH FOR TREASURES & GLASS FLOAT DRAWINGS

Special drawings are held monthly at the Visitor Center for glass floats. Bring a bag of beach trash to the Visitor Center at 540 NE Hwy 101, and fill out an entry form to win a glass float as part of Trash for Treasures. People with disabilities who prefer not to beachcomb are also eligible to enter and win a monthly float drawing.

2018 GLASS ARTISTS

FLOATS

Alder House Glassblowing: Treasure Collupy, Lincoln City, OR
Fernhill Glass: Claude Kurtz, Astoria, OR
Flanigans Glass Gallery: Brett Flanigan, Lincoln City, OR
Gathering Glass Studio: Keith Gabor, Ashland, OR
Glass Quest: Mark and Marcus Ellinger, Stanwood, WA
The Hot Shop: Jeff Hajek, Newport, OR
Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio: Kelly Howard, Jon Meyers, Daniel Millen, and James Benson, Lincoln City, OR
Oregon Coast Glassworks: William Murphy, Newport, OR

GLASS ART

Mor Art: Dan Watts and Maurice Martinez, Lincoln City, OR
Glass Confusion: Marcia Glenn, Lincoln City, OR

HISTORY OF FINDERS KEEPERS

In days gone by, visitors searching Oregon’s beaches often found treasures from the east: blown glass floats in intriguing shades of green and blue. Used by Japanese fishing crews to float their nets, these spheres were as small as two inches or as large as two feet. They were hoarded, polished and adored, the ultimate find for a dedicated beachcomber.

Now that fishing vessels around the world use buoyant plastic, a blown glass float is a rare find – except on the beaches of Lincoln City!

The Finders Keepers project began in 1997, when a local artist first thought of glass floats as an intriguing way to launch the new millennium. Lincoln City sponsored the project, hosting the inaugural season in 1999-2000. Tourists came from around the country to search for their own brilliantly-colored, signed and numbered glass float.

For Lincoln City the Millennium Float project was a perfect combination of art and the outdoors. Those who came in search of a float often found their way to area galleries where unnumbered floats were available for sale, along with a dizzying array of fine art glass from around the world.

Water Spout Lincoln City

Justin Werner
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Water Spout Lincoln City

water spout lincoln city

The National Weather Service in Portland confirmed a water spout formed off the coast of Lincoln City on Nov. 13, 2017. Photo by Sydney Emmet.

The Battle for Nelscott Reef

Justin Werner
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The Battle for Nelscott Reef

UPDATE: Homepage recieved a call from Executive Vice President & General Manager of the World Surf League (WSL) Graham Stapelberg. He said that they have nothing to do with the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am. Stapelberg said the WSL would issue a cease & desist order. The picture below from http://nelscottsurf.com clearly shows that the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am has been falsely claiming they have WSL support.

Surfline Editor Marcus Sanders confirmed that they are not sponsoring the Nelscott Reef  Big Wave Pro/Am. From the website and photo above one would be led to believe that they are working closely with event organizers to guarantee the best day for the event.

——————————————————————————————

Nelscott Reef is a special natural resource in Lincoln City, Oregon where the conditions are just right for big wave surfing where waves can reach as high as 50-60 feet. The destination draws tourists from all over the world to the small coastal town for a few days in the winter.

Two separate competitions are fighting over the same set of waves. One new and one long established, and this is the story of the battle for who can claim Nelscott Reef.

The Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am is trying to “Piggyback” on the reputation of the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic (NRBWC). This whole mess has crested like a wave because of multiple jurisdictions, nefarious internet characters and intimidation from key players.

The Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am features event organizers that previously worked for the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic but were fired by John Forse, founder of the The Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic that has been running in Lincoln City for over 14 years. NRBWC has had a few different names over those years, but Forse has held the permits and been in charge of the contest.

Portland resident Gabe Smith contacted Lincoln City Homepage in June to tell his side of the story about why he wasn’t defrauding sponsors. The story Smith provided turned out to be false and Homepage could not run a story with his version of events.

Homepage learned of potential fraud performed by Smith after contacting Oregon Coast Bank, who said they believed they were supporting the longstanding NRBWC event and not the new Pro-Am event. Oregon Coast Bank demanded Smith remove their logo from the competing event because they felt misled.

Smith Claimed Forse had Dementia

After meeting with and over the course of a few weeks, it was obvious that Forse did not suffer from any mental conditions except an obsession with surfing.

Forse has the support of Lincoln City mayor Don Williams and the North Lincoln Fire Department Safety Director Jim Kusz. A dozen local businesses including the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce, have supported the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic for the entire duration of the event.

Phone call from Eric Akiskalian

On Tuesday Sept. 19, Eric Akiskalian called me on my personal cell number. Akiskalian is involved with the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am. He lives in Washington state and is a  water safety and logistics director. Akiskalian introduced himself to me and had knowledge I had become the admin for John Forse’s website, nelscottreef.com. Akiskalian threatend my business and offered money to shut down nelscottreef.com, or at least remove the Hall of Shame from the website. I informed Eric that the website would remain the way it is and he became furious. Holding the phone to my ear, standing outside my truck and watching my kids play, Akiskalian descended into chaos. His verbal threats included having Forse’s website taken offline by hackers and destroying my Werner Host business.

A short time later, I started getting fake reviews on Google for my business and had to ask for them to be removed. I was able to trace back one of the Google+ profiles to the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Pro-Am. Check out Ed Smizek below.

Phone Call From Adam Wagner

Immediately after speaking with Akisalian, I received a call from Adam Wagner. Wagner is involved with the Nelscott Reef Pro-Am and lives in Portland. Wagner pleaded with me to remove this post form Forse’s website: https://nelscottreef.com/letter-to-eric-akiskalian-from-adam-wagner/. 

Upon informing Wagner of my refusal he became agitated and told me that Forse’s website had been taken down before and it was just going to happen again. That statement proved false after talking to LVSYS, who has hosted Forse’s website in the past. LVSYS told me they did not want the drama and told Forse to host his own site on Godaddy.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg of this story. It gets worse and if you get offended easily it is suggested to stop reading.

Facebook Defacement

When Smith and Forse worked together they both had access to the NRBWC Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/nrbwc/

When I was brought on to salvage a horribly defaced account on Facebook, I was amazed at the level of detail and the time it must have taken for someone to do this.

Forse’s personal Facebook had been subscribed to over 100 gay and lesbian groups. All of his books and movies were changed to gay and lesbian titles. The actual Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic Facebook page was blocked to the United States so anyone looking for the event could not see it. The person responsible even changed the name of the event to: Nelscott Reef Big Gay Classic.

Notice the “Likes” to any events attached to Gabe Smith? United States Sports Authority LLC. Look it up at Secretary of State Find A Business.

The changes to Forse’s account were numerous and tricky to find and just reverting them took a great deal of time. I was able to get an IP address (73.96.115.141) that had accessed the account and made these changes. Forse is contacting law enforcement so they can investigate further.

Forse, out of his element in the computer age, had to reach out to get back in control. We had him change his passwords and have secured his accounts, so going forward there should be no more problems.

The similar websites

Nelscottsurf.com is a website that Smith set up Aug. 8, 2017 after being fired from the NRBWC over sponsor issues.

Nelscottreef.com was created by Forse on: Dec. 27, 2003 You can see the official permit issued by the City of Lincoln City on the site.

Smith violated copyright laws by pulling images from nelscottreef.com. Forse had to file a copyright infringement notice with nelscottsurf.com’s web host Godaddy who moved quickly to have the copyrighted works removed.

There is  false advertising on that site. This is on the home page:

 

The Visitors Convention Committee also awarded Forse a grant for $15,000.

The Testimonials page speaks about the battle as well as the Hall of Shame Page.the battle for nelscott reef

Its pretty bad what’s happening to Forse, a Lincoln City resident who founded the event back in 2005. He was bitten by a shark which is another story (Skip to 23 minutes).

Web designer turned reporter

I just stumbled into all this. Friends of Forse contacted me to assist him with a simple website conversion from HTML to WordPress. I completed that job and after investigating this story, 70-year-old Forse appears to be a victim of elder abuse.

In my opinion what the Nelscott Reef Pro-Am and the City of Lincoln City is trying to do to Forse is reprehensible.

This is a Lincoln City event that has been run successfully by Forse in the past. If the sponsors, and WSL knew the truth they would do the right thing. Until that happens someone needs to protect Forse and ensure he and his competition are not defamed or discriminated against further.

This article is part of an ongoing investigative series. More to come.

Oregon Gets Grant for Tsunami Preparedness Projects

Justin Werner
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Oregon Gets Grant for Tsunami Preparedness Projects

NEWPORT, Ore. – A $354,241 grant from the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program will fund multiple projects aimed at increasing the resilience of coastal communities, Oregon officials announced today.

tsunami grant
“Oregon’s vision is for coastal residents and visitors to be fully prepared for and resilient to Cascadia Subduction Zone tsunamis,” says State Geologist Brad Avy. “This federal grant funding is critical in continuing our progress toward that vision.”

The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) work closely together, and with coastal communities, on projects supported by the grant.

Grant-funded projects will include:
– New tsunami signs, including more than 100 additional “Tsunami Hazard Zone” signs on Highway 101 and 100 evacuation map signs for locations with high foot traffic
– Evacuation route enhancements, including new wayfinding signs for up to three coastal communities and evacuation speed and route modeling for the South Beach area of Newport
– Tsunami Safe, an ongoing program to provide the hospitality industry with training and tools to increase the tsunami hazard awareness of staff and coastal visitors
– The OregonTsunami.org website, the state’s online hub for essential tsunami resources
– Publication of tsunami data for the Columbia River, including new virtual tsunami time history stations
– Development of digital wave arrival map layers for the north coast
– Outreach activities and events, including a coastal tsunami symposium in 2018

Since 2009, Oregon has received $4.65 million in National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program grants. The grant funds have been essential in helping Oregon better understand and prepare for tsunamis, says Dr. Jonathan C. Allan, DOGAMI coastal geomorphologist and project lead.

“Thanks to these grant funds, the entire Oregon coast now has tsunami evacuation maps that are available as print evacuation brochures and through a web map,” Allan says. “Development of those maps was a crucial accomplishment in helping residents and visitors get to safety. And that’s just one example of many.”

The grants have also funded ongoing outreach that’s critical in increasing awareness of the tsunami hazard and preparedness actions.

“We look forward to continuing to improve our tsunami evacuation routes on the coast,” says Dr. Althea Rizzo, OEM Geologic Hazards Program coordinator and project lead. “Visitors to the Oregon coast should take some time to practice walking the routes. We want our guests to be safe during emergencies.”

For more information about tsunami preparedness, visit OregonTsunami.org.

Equifax Data Breach | Half of American’s Info Breached

Justin Werner
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Equifax Data Breach | Half of American’s Info Breached

equifax-data-breach-identity-theft
Equifax has suffered one of the largest data breaches in history that has left highly sensitive data of as many as 143 million people—that’s nearly half of the US population—in the hands of hackers.

Based on the company’s investigation, some unknown hackers managed to exploit a security flaw on the Equifax website and gained unauthorized access to certain files between mid-May and July 2017.

The information accessed primarily include full names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and, in some cases, driver’s license numbers—most of the information that’s banks, insurance companies, and other businesses use to confirm a consumer identity.

The company added that 209,000 credit card numbers were also obtained by the attackers, along with “certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers.”

Equifax is one of the three major organizations in the United States that calculates credit scores, which means the company has access to an extraordinary amount of personal and financial information for virtually all American adults.

Here’s How Roughly Equifax Handled the Massive Data Breach

For a second, keep aside the scope and severity of the data breach, and let’s talk about the how Equifax handled the breach after discovering it and what all it did for its customers.

First of all, the third largest U.S. credit reporting firm took over five weeks to publically disclose the data breach, which began in mid-May that means the data of 143 million people were exposed for over 3 months.

What’s more? Reportedly, three senior Equifax executives, namely John Gamble (CFO), Joseph Loughran and Rodolfo Ploder, were permitted to sell almost $2 million worth of their shares just days after the company learned of this massive hack.

However, the company officials told Bloomberg that the employees were unaware of the data breach at the time of the sale.

Wait there’s even more: After revealing the data breach on Thursday, Equifax did not contact everyone who was affected, rather it asked customers to go to its special website to figure out whether they were affected by entering the last 6 digits of their SSN and last name.

But it’s not that simple. The website is not giving a clear answer about whether or not your data may have been affected, but making it clear to those who were not exposed. It’s confusing.

What Would Be Hackers Next Move?

With this data in hand, it’s most likely that hackers are already selling your personal information on the dark web or attempting to extort the company, like cyber criminals do in most massive data breach cases.

The Game of Thrones hackers did the same by leaking upcoming episodes of the widely watched show after HBO refused to their $6 Million ransom demand for the 1.5 terabytes of data they claimed to have stolen from the company.

Same happened to Netflix in April this year when the company refused to meet 50 Bitcoins ransom demand of a hacking group calling itself The Dark Overlord, which then leaked 10 back-to-back episodes of the Season 5 premiere of Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black.”

Although Equifax has not yet confirmed whether the hackers have contacted the company for any demand or not, the breach is major, and all 143 Million Americans quickly need to take action to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Here’s what all you can do to Protect Yourself:

1. Enroll in TrustedID Premier

Equifax is offering a year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection program for free for one year through TrustedID Premier that you should sign up if you are a US resident—the service is free whether or not you have been affected by the breach.

The program offers services such as Equifax credit report, 3 bureau credit file monitoring, Equifax credit report lock, Social Security number monitoring and up to $1M identity theft insurance.

However, Equifax’s own identity protection service is not enough, you must follow below steps to help ensure you’re doing everything to protect your identity.

2. Monitor your accounts

In upcoming days, the personal and payment cards details are likely to be sold in underground black markets, resulting in financial loss and identity theft to millions of customers.

So, users are advised to be vigilant in reviewing their bank account statements, checking for any changes in their personal information and reporting any unauthorized transactions to the respective bank.

3. Freeze Your Credit Report

Since your stolen Social Security number can be misused by hackers to open new accounts in your name or ruin your credit score, you should consider placing a credit freeze request.

Freezing your credit will make it difficult for anyone to open a new account in your name, as you (or anyone masquerading as you) will need the PIN that you got when you froze your credit to unfreeze your account.

To freeze your credit, contact these credit bureaus: Equifax: 1-800-349-9960, Experian: 1‑888‑397‑3742, and TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872.

4. Change your Passwords and Logins

Meanwhile, all customers are advised to reset their account passwords and login information on the website.

5. Watch out for tax season

It’s important for you to know that identity thieves can use your stolen social security number to file fraudulent tax returns and get refunds.

So, you should consider filing your taxes early.

6. Watch Out for Scams

Users are strongly advised to be cautious if they receive any suspicious or unrecognised phone call, text message, or email from anyone saying you must pay taxes or a debt immediately—even if they provide your personal information.

7. Already Experienced Identity Theft? Here’s what to do now:

If you have already a victim to the identity theft, visit the FTC Identity Theft Recovery website and fill in the form. The Federal Trade Commission will provide you with a specific identity theft report and “to-do” recovery plans.

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