A plethora of people packed Lincoln City beaches Wednesday, with many perusing the Pacific’s placid perfection under sunny skies.
Beachcombers were out in full-force as the sun shone on Nelscott Beach, collecting agates and seashells deposited in large quantities after earlier storms.
More than a few beachgoers could be heard describing the Pacific Ocean as “beautiful” and “amazing” as the stillness of the water was in stark contrast to large waves and rough seas previously witnessed.
Drone operators could be seen flying their aircraft with precision and grace, capturing images and video of the Oregon Coast.
Canine companions made the most of the sunny day by exploring much of the available surface area of the beach and laying claim to it.
With no rain predicted until Sunday, people are on the beaches in Lincoln City doing everything the small-town coastal community has to offer.
A search warrant executed by the Street Crimes Response Team Thursday, Feb. 6, led to the arrest of two Lincoln City residents on drug and child neglect charges after a months-long investigation.
Daryl Donat, 60, of Lincoln City, was arrested at 2333 NE 29th Street after an investigation by the Street Crimes Response Team (SCRT) compiled enough evidence of drug activity to get a search warrant.
2333 NE 29th Street Lincoln City
Upon executing the search warrant, SCRT agents and members of the Toledo, McMinnville and Lincoln City police departments found methamphetamine and items used to distribute the drug, such as baggies and digital scales. Also found living at the residence were two children.
McMinnville Police drug-detection K-9 Tucker and his handler assisted in the investigation.
Donat was taken to the Lincoln County Jail where he faces charges of delivery, possession and manufacturing of methamphetamine and two counts of first-degree child neglect. His bail is set at $500,000.
Also arrested at the residence was 59-year-old Melody Goodmanson, of Lincoln City, for possession of methamphetamine. She was taken to Lincoln County Jail with bail set at $15,000.
The SCRT is a county-wide team designed to augment patrol divisions and specializes in the handling of community impact crimes, such as narcotics investigations, burglaries, and repeat offenders. SCRT is made up of members of Newport and Lincoln City Police Departments and routinely obtain assistance from the Toledo Police Department and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
The Lincoln City Police Department encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity they witness, as it may assist law enforcement. The LCPD Drug Tip Line is 541-994-9800.
LaRocque was born Dec. 30, 1922, in Rhode Island and passed away May 3, 1988 in Oregon. He and his partner, John E. “Jack” Coyne owned and operated Panache Antiques in Lincoln City for 10 years. The shop was located where Theatre West is now.
LaRocque worked for the May Company in Ohio and California before moving to the Oregon Coast. He was responsible for elaborate window displays for the department store chain and was a talented set designer.
The artist later taught watercolor classes in Lincoln City and worked with another local artist named Joan Farrouque. LaRocque was a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
One of the paintings included in the exhibition, Rites of Spring, won special recognition in the Watercolor Society’s 1987 Fall Show.
Though best known as a watercolorist, LaRocque was an innovative and experimental artist who worked extensively with mixed media and collage.
The free exhibit starts showing 2 p.m. March 7, at 4907 SW Highway 101. Snacks and refreshments will be available and Art Curator Matt Blakeman will answer questions.
Lincoln City Police Department (LCPD) announced their K-9 program fundraising efforts were successful Wednesday, saying a $75,000 goal had been reached and selection of a K-9 and handling officer was underway.
LCPD is in the process of selecting an officer who will train with a new patrol dog at a California-based K-9 training company for six weeks. Department officials have narrowed down the selection of K-9s to German Shepherd and Malinois breeds. The entire process is expected to take several months before a K-9/officer-duo appears on Lincoln City streets.
While some police dogs active in the United States are rarely seen by the general public, Lincoln City Police’s newest canine member will be available for public functions, autographs and photo ops.
Police officials thanked the public and local businesses for helping to raise the $75,000 needed to cover costs of K-9 classes, certifications and acquire necessary equipment for the dog, such as ballistic vests, a vehicle insert designed for transport and a kennel for housing.
Police department officials expressed special thanks to Meredith Lodging and Oksenholt Capital, who put out a matching funds challenge that helped push fundraising efforts up and over the initial goal.
Lincoln City Mayor Dick Anderson asks for clarification on a food cart ordinance item from Planning Director Anne Marie Skinner at Monday’s City Council meeting
The Lincoln City City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve a pair of ordinances aimed at getting food carts up and running after much deliberation and multiple changes to the code.
Charity and fundraiser carts, including one ran by the Taft High Boosters, dodged a bullet as counselors discussed language in the ordinances that prevented class one and class two food carts from operating in city limits and requiring all food carts to provide non-plastic biodegradable cutlery and packaging.
Lincoln City Councilor Riley Hoagland
City Counselor Riley Hoagland said the ordinance as written would prevent carts from operating at school events providing snacks, candy and merchandise to raise funds for programs because of no plastics being allowed.
Grill 1646 restaurant owner and food cart proprietor Dan Clanton gave testimony before the council pleading with city leaders to allow class one and class two type food carts because it would hurt the local high school’s fundraising efforts and people looking to start up in the food cart industry.
“There are a large number of families here in Lincoln City that are operating in other markets, providing jobs in other cities and making money in other cities because this law is not in place,” Clanton said. “And we all want to come home and provide local jobs and bring our families back.”
Clanton expressed concern over the ordinance allowing generators, saying it would cause a noise problem and be hard to enforce. The city council removed that part from the ordinance later in the meeting.
Urban Renewal Director Alison Robertson spoke in favor of food carts, saying she believed it was something people expected to see in Lincoln City that has been lacking. She said it would be a great opportunity for economic development.
Counselors went back and forth on the ordinance language, asking for clarifications from Planning Director Anne Marie Skinner, who was assisted by City Manager Ron Chandler and City Attorney Richard Appicello.
Counselor Rick Mark testified about taking a trip to Portland and visiting a food cart where a trash can was overflowing, calling it “abominable,” and wanted to know how it could be prevented in Lincoln City.
Clanton responded to Mark’s question saying language was in the ordinance stating food cart operators must clean up in a 35-foot radius around the cart. Mark said he saw that and asked what would happen if a trash can was outside the 35-foot zone, at which point Anderson chimed in saying the public could call the non-emergency police number and report it and the property owner would ultimately be responsible.
Class 1 – These units can serve only intact, packaged foods and non-potentially hazardous drinks. No preparation or assembly of foods or beverages may take place on the unit. Non-potentially hazardous beverages may be provided from covered urns or dispenser heads only. No dispensed ice is allowed.
Class 2 – These units may serve foods allowed under Class I and provide hot and cold holding display areas from which unpackaged foods are displayed. Self-service by customers of unpackaged food is not allowed. Preparation, assembly or cooking of foods is not allowed on this unit.
Class 3 – These units may serve any food item allowed under Class II, and may cook, prepare and assemble food items on the unit. However, cooking of raw animal food on the unit is not allowed.
Class 4 – These mobile food units may serve a full menu.
Carts in Lincoln City must have wheels, class three and up must have warm hand washing stations, a dishwasher, access to restrooms and a wastewater plan. Generators outside the cart are prohibited. Pre-packaged foods are allowed and plastic items such as cutlery and packaging are also allowed.
Prospective mobile food unit operators will need to meet requirements with State, County and DMV before acquiring licensing through the City of Lincoln City. A written agreement with the property owner is also required and will need to be approved by the planning department. Insurance that meets city code is also required.
Also presenting to city council was Explore Lincoln City’s Ed Dreistadt. He covered ways to bring businesses and tourism to Lincoln City. A point Dreistadt made was figuring out ways to make Lincoln City a vacation destination rather than a weekend stay.
Dreistadt said the City’s marketing department spends a lot of money on the Portland market and his budget gets “vaporized” because it’s so expensive.
Dreistadt also called for caution towards an economic downturn. He’d like to see a contingency plan in place for a coming recession.
Counselor Hinton said Dreistadt’s presentation was “very nicely done,” with Mayor Anderson and others concurring.
Lincoln City Parks and Recreation staff presented results of a naming contest recently held for the new park located at SE 3rd Street & Keel Avenue at Monday’s city council meeting.
Lincoln City sponsored the “Name our New Park” contest and will award the winner with a year-long pass to the Lincoln City Community Center.
Parks and Recreation Ambassador LoRee LaFon organized the contest and 83 entries were received and narrowed down to six names by City Manager Ron Chandler and Parks and Recreation Director Jeanne Sprague.
The park name has been narrowed down to six names:
Birdsong Park
LakeWood Park
Moss Ridge Park
Neskia Park
Osprey Park
Raptors’ Roost Nature Park
Future plans include adding more trails, more nature play space and a dog park.
The city council will vote on a final name at a future meeting.
Dave Price presents before Lincoln City Counselors at Monday’s meeting
Monday’s City Council meeting saw Oregon Coast Community College’s Marketing Director and Sustainability Committee Chair Dave Price attempting to make Lincoln City “Oregon’s Greenest Beach.”
Price pitched that making Lincoln City “Oregon’s Greenest Beach” could give the city a leg up on other coastal communities by having 75 percent of all restaurants and lodging offer paper products instead of plastic, ultimately driving profits up and chemicals in waterways and trash on beaches down.
“We don’t believe polystyrene belongs on our beaches and it’s up to us to protect our seven miles of beach,” he said. “I think everyone shares the goal of being a progressive community where people want to come visit for more reasons than just the beach.”
Price encouraged a round-table discussion with grocers and restaurants who would be impacted, saying two-way communication was needed.
Price said he was misquoted in the Newport News Times newspaper recently and thanked City Manager Ron Chandler and Mayor Dick Anderson for giving him the opportunity to respond to it shortly after his introduction at the meeting.
“I took great umbrage to a quotation that was attributed to me that was 180 degrees from the truth…,” Price said.
Newport News Times printed a clarification in their following edition.
Counselors discussed what the cost would be to implement Price’s suggestions, covered the definition of “zero waste” and thanked the Sustainability Committee — and Price — for their work in putting a plan together.
Mayor Anderson said Explore Lincoln City could “grab onto this and expand on it” and told Price that city council would provide feedback and offer more direction going forward.
Price said the Sustainability Committee was well represented and was not “a bunch of lefty snowflakes…” and invited the public to come to a meeting. The next meeting is 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at city hall.
Lincoln City City Councilors will hear from the City’s Sustainability Committee this Monday at city hall on how to increase local businesses’ bottom lines by going green.
The Lincoln City Sustainability Committee (LCSC) will present its case that by reducing plastics through bans and providing a subsidy, consumers will choose businesses “going green” over other coastal tourism-based cities at “zero cost” to business owners.
LCSC is calling for a public hearing to discuss an outright ban on single-use plastics offered in a limited set of areas. LCSC wants the city council to vote on a city-wide ban of single-use plastics which can be found in places such as, restaurants, grocery store and convenience store delis and lodging breakfast bars.
The subsidy will use a percentage of transient room taxes (TRT) or money from the general fund to offset the cost local business owners will incur to switch to more expensive paper and compostable single-use alternatives. LCSC would like to see a subsidy last for 18-36 months.
LCSC believes a more devoted and loyal customer base will equal more business and higher profits for participating businesses.
Some businesses have already made the switch, including the iconic coastal landmark restaurant Lil’ Sambos.
“There’s already pressure from the public and within the industry to switch to paper straws and biodegradable containers,” Lil’ Sambos Owner Cary Moore said. “Restaurants are doing this now. The switch started a long time ago. Big chains like Burgerville have already switched.”
Sustainable landscaping will also be presented, where reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides will be discussed. A plan on how individuals and households can be guided and encouraged to garden organically is in the works.
Sustainable food rounds out the three topics LCSC will present to the council and deals with a proposed week-long food festival for locals and tourists named “Flavors 101.” According to LCSC, the event could reduce reliance on transported products, provide healthy nutrient-rich alternatives to packaged food and reduce food waste.
From LCSC presentation materials:
One problem: Plastic = cheaper One solution: Change that equation
Lincoln City City Council meets at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 801 SW Highway 101.
Oregon Department of Transportation officials have called in geologists Thursday to take core samples of a hole on southbound Highway 101 in Otis.
The hole appeared between N. Clancy Road and NE Highland Road after National Weather Service Portland issued a flood advisory and recent rains deluged the area.
According to ODOT officials, geologists will take core samples to test the durability of the ground and determine the best course of action for a fix.
Otis and Lincoln City residents told Homepage about a “dip” in the highway before the appearance of the hole, with some reporting “bottoming out” while travelling 45 mph.
ODOT crews have traffic down to one lane while the problem is addressed.
As of 10 a.m. Friday no estimated time of completion is available and ODOT crews continue to work on the hole. No word on what the geologists found.
As of 8:30 a.m. Saturday ODOT crews are not present and the hole appears to be fixed.
East Devils Lake Road in Lincoln City (Photo by Gary Fromm)
National Weather Service Portland (NWS) issued a “flood advisory” Wednesday through this evening for Clatsop, Lincoln and Tillamook counties.
The urban and small stream flood advisory is in effect until 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.
According to NWS, at 12:46 p.m., Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated flooding in small streams and urban areas after 1-3 inches had fallen.
An additional inch of rain is expected and reports of ponding water and minor flooding in Tillamook County and Lincoln County are coming in.
NWS warns drivers to be vigilant at night when it’s harder to recognize flooding dangers. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route.
Landslides are possible during this flooding event as recent weeks of rain have saturated the soil and heavy rain can trigger slides.
With no rain predicted until Sunday, people are on the beaches in Lincoln City doing everything the small-town coastal community has to offer.
