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Wednesday, February 26, 2025
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Oregon Fire Bans Now Include Coast Beach Fires, Campgrounds

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(Oregon Coast) – Oregon’s problem with extreme fire dangers hit home today with fire restrictions that reach all the way to fires on the beaches. State officials banned all recreational fires, including campfires, at all Oregon State Parks – and that includes the much-loved tradition of having a fire on the beach.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) sent out the ban today for all state park properties around Oregon. Even coastal forests were hit with such a ban this week, but today OPRD prohibited any and all fires on the sands of Oregon coast beaches.

Other restrictions include fire pits, tiki torches and candles.

“Our goal is to avoid any accidental fires on OPRD property that would further tax limited firefighting resources,” said MG Devereux, OPRD Deputy Director. “Most communities have sent local firefighters and equipment to help with wildfires throughout the state. An unintentional fire in a state park would add an unnecessary burden to firefighting efforts.”

Lincoln County – which includes Oregon coast towns of Yachats, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay and Newport – has also joined in with the statewide ban and is prohibiting such burning on all its properties. This now puts smaller county or city parks and forest lands under the fire ban as well.

Chris Rampley, Fire Prevention Officer with Newport Fire Department, said fire dangers are at an extreme high right now, even in the normally-damp regions of the Oregon coast.

“To compound the danger, most local fire agencies currently have resources deployed to assist with fighting the many wildland fires active in eastern Oregon,” Rampley said. “Lincoln County has sent out two task force groups in the past several weeks, and will probably be activated again in the coming days. The unusually high fire danger coupled with the reduced available firefighting resources make a complete ban on burning the right thing to do.”

Officials say the state parks ban does not apply to charcoal briquettes for cooking or propane stoves, but there may be local fire restrictions that do limit propane stoves and briquettes. Visitors planning a trip should check with park staff for the most current information, or by calling the state park information line at (800) 551-6949 or visiting www.oregonstateparks.org.

There will be no beach fires allowed for at least one week, along with the other restrictions, OPRD said. The situation will then be reevaluated based on fire status, weather, and guidance from state and local fire officials. More about Oregon coast beach safety.

Source: Beach Connection

Forested Trails Get New Artistic Viewing Benches

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(Lincoln City, Oregon) – The Agnes Creek Open Space near Lincoln City and its forested trails will soon get three new ornate viewing benches, thanks to a $4,500 commission to Oregon artist Dan Hitchcock, coming from the Ford Institute Leadership Program, Lincoln City Cohort 2.

This bench commission is an integral component of a project goal to enhance Agnes Creek Open Space – a much-loved area of the central Oregon coast – and to create a community asset that promotes appreciation of the natural environment, fitness, and provides an artistic encounter for all ages. The benches will include imagery inspired by the flora, fauna and forest ecosystem of Agnes Creek. The benches will be complete and installed later this fall. A dedication event will follow the completion of the project and will be announced at a later date.

Hitchcock is passionate about nature and its preservation.

“Living on the Alsea River for twenty years and being in love with the Oregon Coast Range has prepared me for this project,” Hitchcock said.

Dan will bring to this project his talent, history of working with wood and experience in community involvement, carving cedar benches for the Alpine, Alsea, Bellfountain and Kings Valley communities just over a year ago.

The Ford Family Foundation has worked on supporting rural communities for nearly sixty years. Through scholarships, leadership training and other community vitality programs, they have made a great impact on rural Oregon. In 2013, Lincoln City was selected to participate in such programs through the Ford Institute Leadership Program. The series consists of three separate cohorts of diverse individuals from the local community with one trait in common: a desire to work towards improving their community.

As of March 2015, the second cohort of nearly 30 participants completed their 48 hours of classroom training through facilitation by non-profit RDI (Rural Development Initiatives) and since then has been working together on their group-selected community improvement project: building a footbridge over the creek and installing three carved wooden benches.

The Ford Family Foundation provides matching grant funds of up to $6,000 to complete each Cohort’s class projects. Cohort 2 has been working together to raise the funds for the grant match through a car wash and community donations.

Source: Beach Connection

Old School Classic Car Show returns this Saturday

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If it seems like parking is a challenge at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this Saturday, look again. What at first glance might appear to be gridlock on the front lawn is in fact the second annual Old School Classic Car Show, featuring beloved automobiles from all periods of motoring history.

All classic cars dated 1985 or older are welcome at the show, which will run from 10 am to 4 pm on the center’s front lawn this Saturday, Aug. 22.

Car exhibitors will receive a custom dash plaque, goodie bag and continental breakfast. Exhibitors can also get in the running for three prizes: the Chinook Winds Casino Resort Award, the People’s Choice Award and Lincoln City’s 50th Anniversary Award. Kelly Howard, glass artist at Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio, is custom-making glass wave trophies for the event.

The registration fee is $15 in advance, rising to $20 on the day of the show, with proceeds benefiting children’s programming at the cultural center.

Two bands will hit the stage during the show — Lincoln City’s own Retroactive Gamma Rays, from 10 am to noon, followed by Portland instrumental surf band The Verbtones from noon to 2:30 pm.

Food options will include German sausage and corn on the cob served up by the bratwurst brigade from St. James/Santiago Episcopal Church. Enrique’s Authentic Mexican Food will be selling homemade tamales, tacos and burritos. To help cool things off, Pinguinos will offer tasty Italian flavored ice, while Strung out on Beads and Coffee serves up coffee drinks, Shirley Temples, Roy Rogers and homemade Kettlekorn. Rusty Truck Brewing will host a beer garden for guests aged 21 and older.

Various vendors will have booths on the lawn and local artist Chris Wilhelm will be offering airbrush tattoos.

The event will also feature a 50/50 raffle, with great prizes donated by local businesses and half the proceeds going towards children’s programs.

Parking is available at the cultural center and Chinook Winds Casino Resort will offer shuttle service from the casino every hour on the hour starting at 10 am. The Bay City Cruisers from Newport will be on hand to park cars and assist exhibitors.

This event is sponsored by Chinook Winds Casino Resort and Lincoln City Les Schwab. Registration and check-in for cars begins at 8 am. Registration forms are available atwww.lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or by calling 541-994-9994.

Source: Oregon Coast Today

High speed chase “too dangerous to the public to continue”

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A short high speed chase electrified the streets of north Lincoln City for a time right after 1pm. The chase occurred in a number of streets at the north end of Lincoln City with Lincoln City Police in hot pursuit.

The fugitive was certainly driving crazy…65mph on 101 in town, then passing on the right. But when he started going into oncoming traffic, police decided to pull the plug on the pursuit. The fugitive and his 1998 silver Honda Accord shot up North 101 and out of sight.

His Oregon license plate 890 EFP comes back to a Stayton residence. Stayton is a farming community southeast of Salem. When contacted, the registered owner of the car said she sold it to a young man back in March. Someone living in Siletz.

The chase may have been triggered when the fugitive, who failed to stop for a pedestrian, decided he wasn’t going to be pulled over and be given a ticket by a police officer.

Police later arrested a passenger in the Honda that jumped out early in the chase, at the Lincoln City Motel 6. He also had a warrant out for him as well. Both Cromwell and the passenger are headed for the Lincoln County Jail.

1:24pm
Now police say the driver may have ditched the car and fled. One driver in the area saw a male running southbound near 101 wearing a green tank-top, green ballcap and red backpack.

1:32pm
Police have found the vehicle abandoned.

1:47pm
Police think they have him. One at gunpoint on Clancy Road near where police called off the pursuit.

1:55pm
Pursuing police officer positively identifies the suspect being detained on Clancy. Zachary Cromwell in custody. Warrant out for his arrest may explain why he ran.

Lariat wins 2015 Lincoln City mushBall tournament

The 23rd annual mushball tournament in Lincoln City Sunday was full of cheering, competitive play and sportsmanship.

Lariat won the 2015 beach championship. West Coast came in second place. Lincoln City’s Beach team rounded out third place.

Check out Portland Mush ball’s website

Lincoln City Farmers & Crafters Market

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The Lincoln City Farmers & Crafters Market has a ton of unique vendors with a legion of crafty items and fresh food. I had a great time just watching the people. Definitely worth your time on a Sunday. 9-3.

I spoke with Megan and Tyler. Lori Lemons was also a great help.

The market is located at The Lincoln City Cultural Center.

Lincoln City Schools Get Free Lunch

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largerThanks to a pilot program that is part of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, all students in the Lincoln County School District will receive free meals this year. (Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Free and reduced meal applications are thing of the past now that all students in the Lincoln County School District will get free breakfast and lunches in the coming school year thanks to a federal program.

The district is participating in a pilot program during the 2015-16 school year that will provide students with breakfast and lunch for free. The project, titled “Community Eligibility Program”  is authorized by Congress as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Several school districts around the country are participating.

The pilot program will allow all students to eat breakfast and lunch at no charge. It will eliminate the need for parents to complete free/reduced applications, eliminates student lunch charges, and will streamline operations for food services staff. Students will still be responsible for paying for ala carte items and second lunches.

Providing students with nutritious meals (at no charge) enhances the district’s focus on “every child, every day.”

“We are excited to be a part of this program to better serve our students. We always do our best to remove barriers to learning, and this program can go a long way toward that goal,” said Lincoln County School District Business Manager Julie Baldwin.

Source: The Lincoln County Dispatch

Oregon Coast Community College Hosting Open House Aug. 24

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1231Oregon Coast Community College is hosting an open house at its Lincoln City campus on Aug. 24 for prospective students.(Photo: Oregon Coast Community College)

There is a lot happening at your community college right now. In order to help prospective students get a handle on all that’s being offered in the coming academic year, Oregon Coast Community College is hosting an open house at its North County Center in Lincoln City.

The event will run from noon to 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24. Admission is free and all are welcome.

“We’re every excited to throw the doors open and share some of OCCC’s exciting news with the public,” said Dave Price, OCCC’s director of small business development and community education.

Price said Chris Spaulding, director of Career and Technical Education programs and the OCCC’s spectacular Aquarium Science Program, will be on hand, along with the College President, Dr. Birgitte Ryslinge. They’ll be answering questions about OCCC’s new two-year business transfer degree, coming to the Lincoln City center beginning this fall.

“This new degree offers students the chance to earn the first two years of a four-year degree here on the coast,” Price said. “For other students, the two-year degree may be just what they need to ramp up their career skills and find that better job. Others simply have a passion for business, and for learning, and this degree program will deliver for all of these types of students.”

Price said the open house will feature OCCC staff who will be on hand to talk about financial aid and the free placement tests that OCCC is offering all month long.

“For students considering starting or returning to college in the Fall term, it’s important they come and see an advisor soon, and financial aid applications are due very soon for Fall classes,” he said. “This open house is a great opportunity for those folks getting going late in the process to have all of their questions answered, and start moving forward.”

The open house will also feature information about OCCC’s other associate and transfer degrees, plus its nursing, medical assistant and criminal justice programs, along with GED and ESOL offerings.

“We’ll also have information about OCCC’s innovative new Early College Program,” Price said, “which will offer college-ready high school juniors and seniors from throughout the county with the opportunity to take up to three college courses – completely tuition free.”

Teachers of a variety of Fall term community education and small business classes will be on hand during the afternoon to answer questions about their upcoming classes. The fall term features a variety of community education, from painting to guitar to Japanese, Spanish and French language classes, and much more.

“Come meet some some of our instructors at the open house,” Price said, “and we’ll be processing registration that day, too, so you can reserve your place in these classes before they’re filled.”

Oregon Coast Community College’s fall term schedule, “Catch the Wave,” features a complete listing of all of these noncredit course offerings, and is being mailed this month to every residential address in Lincoln County. The online edition of Catch the Wave is available for viewing and downloading now from the college website, oregoncoastcc.org.

Follow Oregon Coast Community College on Twitter, @occcsharks, or find OCCC on Facebook for regular updates and news about special events and new classes.

Oregon Coast Community College’s North County Center is located at 3788 SE High School Drive in Lincoln City. The Center can be reached at 541-994-4166.

Source: The Lincoln County Dispatch

Pirates Invade Nelscott

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55c90e9e10610-imagePirates from Portland’s Maelstrom Armada will be on hand for the Pirates Invade Nelscott event this Saturday. (Courtesy photo)

Avast Ye Mateys! Pirates are invading Nelscott for a day of pillaging and mayhem! Get your picture taken with a pirate! Ask them real pirate questions! Enter to win some booty from some of the local merchants! Search for your own pirate treasure!

Pirate reenactors from Portland’s Maelstrom Armada are descending on Lincoln City’s Nelscott Strip Saturday. The salty crew will be congregating in front of the Nelscott Mercantile building, located at 3201 SW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

This family friendly event will have pirates available for pictures and a scavenger hunt and raffle will be presided over by the Armada’s own Lorde Admiral Marva LaFaye. Prizes for these events are donated by local businesses and will be announced the day of the event.

For more information contact Mac at Rock Your World 541-351-8423

Source: The Lincoln County Dispatch

OSU scientists take a second look at blue-green algae health threats

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OSU researchers say algae blooms can start far upstream from where they become even more of a threat to human and animal health. OSU photoBlue green algae blooms in lakes and streams, commonly seen at Devil’s Lake in Lincoln City, pose health threats to human nervous systems and can be fatal for pets.

Algae blooms can affect human nervous systems and kill animals
OSU researchers say algae blooms can start far upstream from where they become even more of a threat to human and animal health. OSU photo

Oregon State University researchers have found that algae blooms erupt far upstream in lakes and rivers, especially during long hot summers, and can survive all the way downstream to the sea where they become a health hazard for even more people and more wildlife.

Here’s the rest of the story from the Eugene Register Guard. Click here.

Source: News Lincoln County