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Kusz suspended as NLFR public information officer

Justin Werner
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Kusz suspended as NLFR public information officer
District Captain Jim Kusz, right, has been suspended as the departments public information officer
District Captain Jim Kusz, right, has been suspended as the fire department’s public information officer following his retirement announcement

North Lincoln Fire & Rescue District Captain Jim Kusz has been suspended from his position as NLFR Public Information Officer following his recent retirement announcement and will no longer be releasing information to media.

“Jim has devoted his life to the fire department and to give him a suspension letter because of what he said is kind of a slap in the face,” wife and City Councilperson Diane Kusz said. “He’s always stayed very professional. Even if he disagreed with something, he kept it to himself and stuck to the facts.”

Diane Kusz resigned from the NLFR Support Team after her husband received the suspension letter.

Citing ethics and safety concerns, Kusz announced his retirement “sooner than intended” at the Oct. 9 meeting where interim Fire Chief Rob Dahlman was appointed fire chief for a one-year period. Kusz will retire Feb. 28, 2020.

In an email to Kusz dated Oct. 14 from Fire Marshall Ed Ulrich, Kusz is informed he is “suspended effective immediately” from “all public information officer duties” due to “your public comments at the October 9, 2019 North Lincoln Fire & Rescue District #1 Board of Directors Meeting have resulted in a loss in confidence that you can continue to perform those duties in the best interest of the District.”

In an email sent to media outlets shortly after Homepage called to speak with Kusz in his PIO capacity, Fire Chief Rob Dahlman said:

“As of this morning Captain Jim Kusz is no longer the Public Information Officer for North Lincoln Fire & Rescue.

He remains the Public Education Officer and Safety Officer for the District.

With Jim’s announced retirement, the District is moving forward with a replacement for PIO duties.”

According to NLFR, Volunteer Captain Dennis Knudson will assume public information officer duties with assistance from Ulrich.

“I appreciate the many years Jim has devoted to being the PIO for NLFR,” Dahlman said.

NLFR Safety Captain Kusz announces retirement amid ethics concerns

Lincoln City youth cheerleaders walk for Down syndrome

Justin Werner
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Lincoln City youth cheerleaders walk for Down syndrome
LC Youth Sideline Cheerleading
LC Youth Sideline Cheerleading and Competition Team

Lincoln City youth cheerleaders recently walked Taft 7-12’s track to raise awareness and support Down syndrome Awareness Month.

The group of young girls who took to the track Oct. 12, believe in “focusing on equality and how people with any condition can contribute to their community while living a life with many opportunities.”

“Noe Hernandez, (pictured above, center) is a big part of the cheerleading team,” coach Tonia Anderson said. “We celebrate the fact that he is living his life to the fullest against all odds. We teach our team to celebrate abilities rather than disabilities.”

From the National Down syndrome Society website: 

What is Down Syndrome?

In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome. A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm – although each person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.

For information on the National Buddy Walk Program click below:

National Buddy Walk® Program

Consider Some Year-end Investment Tax Moves

Wendy Wilson
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Consider Some Year-end Investment Tax Moves

investing lincoln city

It may be hard to believe, but we’re getting close to wrapping up 2019. And if you have a year-end to-do list, here’s one more item you might want to add: Lower your investment-related taxes. To help meet this goal, consider these moves you could make before year-end:

  • Increase your 401(k) contributions. If your employer allows it, add some money to your 401(k) before the year is out. (You can put up to $19,000 in your 401(k) or similar plan for 2019, or $25,000 if you’re 50 or older.) If you fund your 401(k) with pre-tax dollars, the more you put in, the lower your taxable income. After-tax contributions, such as those for a Roth 401(k), won’t result in tax savings for 2019 (but should reduce taxes in future years).
  • Add to your IRA. You’ve got until the April tax filing deadline to contribute to your IRA for 2019, but why wait until the last minute? You can put up to $6,000 in your IRA for the year, or $7,000 if you’re 50 or older. With a traditional IRA, your contributions may be deductible, depending on your income; with a Roth IRA, contributions aren’t deductible, but your earnings can grow tax-free, provided you meet certain conditions.
  • Donate some investments. Recent tax law changes have resulted in far fewer people itemizing their deductions. However, if itemizing still makes sense in your situation, you might want to consider donating an investment that has gained value since you purchased it to one of the charitable groups you support. You will generally be able to deduct the fair market value of the investment, and you can avoid paying capital gains taxes on the appreciation.
  • Consider selling investments to realize capital losses. You may have taxable capital gains, either from selling investments that have increased in value or simply from owning mutual funds (mutual fund managers constantly buy and sell individual investments within the funds). These capital gains could increase the amount of taxes you owe. If you own some investments that have lost value since you purchased them, selling them would generate capital losses that could be used to offset capital gains. Further, if you have more losses than gains, you can use up to $3,000 of your losses to offset ordinary income.

Keep in mind that selling an investment may change the allocation and performance of your portfolio. Also, just because an investment is down in value is not necessarily a reason to sell. And once you sell an investment to generate a capital loss, you need to wait at least 31 days to repurchase it to avoid incurring what’s known as a “wash sale.” Your financial professional can help you determine if selling any investments makes sense for your situation.

Before making any of these moves, you’ll also want to consult with your tax professional. And remember that while taxes are a consideration, they should not necessarily drive your investment decisions. When investing, you need to build a portfolio that’s appropriate for your risk tolerance and time horizon and that can help you achieve your goals, such as a comfortable retirement.

Still, if you can make some tax-smart investment moves before the year is out, you may well reap the benefits next April.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor Wendy Wilson.

Lincoln County Schools will ShakeOut Oct. 17

Homepage Staff
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Lincoln County Schools will ShakeOut Oct. 17
Taft High School
Taft High School

Lincoln County School District schools will participate in The Great Oregon ShakeOut at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17.

Students and staff will watch an earthquake preparedness video and schools will conduct an earthquake drill and practice taking protective measures during ground shaking (drop, cover, & hold-on), learn how to safely evacuate the building after shaking stops, and staff will train for meeting students needs after an event.

LCSD maintains disaster supply caches and has plans to take care of students after an earthquake and reunite them with family.

Annual librarian meeting teaches teachers

Justin Werner
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Annual librarian meeting teaches teachers

OASL Conference Lincoln City

The Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL) held their two-day, annual fall conference at Taft High School Friday and Saturday, with close to 200 teacher librarians and support staff in attendance.

“OASL is a professional organization for school library personnel,” State Librarian Jennifer Patterson said. “This event is an opportunity for librarians and staff to come together and share ideas, learn from each other, share best practices and get ideas to take back to their schools.”

The event featured speakers, vendors, educational companies, authors, book publishers and food, provided by local caterer, Oceans Apart.

Oceans Apart Catering
Rice, baked beans and Kalua pig were on the menu provided by Oceans Apart Catering

“The purpose of this conference is to empower teacher librarians and support staff to support students and teachers across the state,” OASL President Laurie Nordahl said. “Our mission is to support strong school libraries in Oregon.”

AASL President Mary Keeling, left, and OASL President Laurie Nordahl
AASL President Mary Keeling, left, and OASL President Laurie Nordahl

“Oregon school librarians have a heart for their learners,” American Association of School Librarians President Mary Keeling said. “They know effective school libraries are managed by a team consisting of a full-time librarian and a full-time assistant. They are key in helping our learners become effective and discerning users and creators of information.”

According to Lincoln County School District’s lone Teacher Librarian and event organizer, Sudi Stodola, a teacher librarian is someone with a Master’s Degree in Library Science and who also holds a teaching degree. Due to budget constraints, the teacher librarian position — or certified librarian — has been drastically reduced since the early 2000s, in what is called by some as “the culling.”

Lincoln County School District Teacher Librarian Sudi Stodola
Lincoln County School District Teacher Librarian Sudi Stodola

Stodola said out of 210 school districts in Oregon, only 159 certified teacher librarian positions exist.

“When you’re the only one in your district who knows what you do, you look forward to an event like this every year,” Stodola said. “This is my chance to work with, meet with and network with others in my profession who have an idea of the important work we do with students.”

Teacher librarians teach students reading, digital and information literacy and research skills.

In 2009, the Oregon State Legislature passed House Bill 2586, which amended Oregon Revised Statutes, stating school districts will identify goals toward implementing a strong school library program. In December 2013, the State Board of Education approved updates to sections of the related Oregon Administrative Rule, to reflect the school library addition.

Teacher Librarian Michael Rocha said the event is designed “to learn and share how to teach our kids about information and digital literacy.”

The event was heralded as a success by attendees and interviewees said the networking opportunities were invaluable.

OASL mission:

To provide progressive leadership to ensure that Oregon students and educators are effective users of ideas and information, and to pursue excellence in school library media programs by:

  • advocating information literacy for all students
  • supporting reading instruction and enjoyment of literature
  • supporting the highest levels of library media services in schools
  • strengthening member professionalism through communications and educational opportunities
  • promoting visibility in education, government and the community

The following organizations attended the event:

ABDO, OverDrive Education, United States Census, Scholastic, Mackin, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Follett, GALE, Perma Bound Books, State Library of Oregon, and Emporia State University.

Taft Tiger sports roundup

Justin Werner
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Taft Tiger sports roundup

Three out of four Tiger sports came away with home victories Thursday.

Tigers pounce on Blanchet Catholic for 9-0 boys soccer win

Edson Fuentes (Photos by Lon French)

Taft boys soccer dominated Blanchet Catholic 9-0 Thursday, moving the Tigers to 9-1 and increasing their scoring margin to 79-5 vs. all opponents.

“It took some time to break through, but we finally opened up the scoring,” head coach Ryan Ulicni said. “For this team, this has to be the best game yet, and the best is yet to come.”

Sophomore Sammy Vasquez scored twice, senior Edson Fuentes had three goals, senior William Calderon scored twice and defensive players Ethan Thomas and Estib Hernandez scored on penalty shots.

Goalkeeper Sam Cortez had five saves.

Taft returns to action Monday at Yamhill-Carlton.

Tigers upset Blanchet Catholic in girls soccer

Joey Arce-Torres

Junior Avery Nightingale scored Taft’s lone goal in Thursday’s home game on an assist from Ella Knott to upset Blanchet Catholic 1-0 in girls soccer.

“We took it to them the entire 80 minutes,” head coach Joey Arce-Torres said. ” We outplayed them in every position and never let up. Our kids executed the game plan to perfection.”

Arce-Torres said his defense played its best game ever with the Tigers’ two goalkeepers setting the confidence level for the team.

“We kept our composure and just played within ourselves and got a quality win,” he said. “We are thankful for our fan base and that injuries have not been a part of our season. It was a good night to be a Tiger.”

With the victory, Taft moves to 4-6 overall and returns to action Monday vs. Yamhill-Carlton.

Tiger volleyball wins again

Tiger volleyball defeated Rainier Thursday at home, 3-1, to improve to a 3-3 league record.

The Tigers won 25-22, 25-8, 15-25, 25-12.

Taft returnes to the court Saturday at the Western Christian tournament.

Tiger football falls to Clatskanie

Tiger varsity football lost at home to Clatskanie 41-14 Friday.

Taft fell behind 21-0 in the first half before rallying to within 21-14 on second-quarter touchdown runs by junior JJ French and senior Logan Gilleo before being outscored 20-0 in the second half.

The Tigers, who stand 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Special District 1 West play, meet Willamina (0-6, 0-2) at 7:30 p.m. at home Friday night.

North Creek fish migration possible after 62 years

Justin Werner
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North Creek fish migration possible after 62 years

North Creek ProjectFor the first time in 62 years, chinook and coho salmon are able to freely migrate into North Creek, a tributary of Drift Creek, due to the efforts of multiple agencies, organizations and a group of concerned anglers who wrote a letter to the U.S. Forest Service.

Fifty-seven years ago, during construction of Forest Road 1790, a culvert was placed 750 feet above the mouth of North Creek, creating an insurmountable obstacle for fish in the area.

North Creek Campaign
River Steward Matt Lund peers into the old culvert that was a barrier to fish migrating into North Creek (Photo by Conrad Gowell)

The Oregon Fish Commission identified the North Creek culvert as a problem in 1961 and several improvement projects over the years — designed to fix the problem — failed.

River Steward Matt Lund encouraged his community to write a letter to the United States Forest Service concerning the problematic conditions at North Creek in 2015, leading to a partnership of the U.S. Forest Service, Midcoast WaterShed Council, Salmon Drift Creek Watershed Council, Drift Creek Camp, the Bluebacks Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Native Fish Society to address the problem.

North Creek
North Creek

The million-dollar North Creek Project took five years to plan, design, fundraise and complete. Over 50 individual donations were leveraged into state and federal funding agreements to finance the project.

The 62-year-old dilapidated culvert has been replaced with a bridge-like structure to facilitate the migration of salmon, steelhead, cutthroat and many other aquatic species into nearly 16 miles of high quality fish habitat.

To celebrate completion, the Native Fish Society and its partners are hosting an event 1-6 p.m., Oct. 19, at Drift Creek Camp, 8600 S Drift Creek Camp Road in Lincoln City. Activities involved will include a hike into the headwaters of North Creek, salmon viewing and a short overview of the site history. With rain in the forecast, event organizers are hopeful salmon will be seen swimming through the site.

Coast Guard survival training targets commercial fishermen

Justin Werner
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Coast Guard survival training targets commercial fishermen

Coast Guard training

The Coast Guard is offering six two-day sessions for marine safety and survival training in five cities along the Oregon Coast beginning Oct. 24.

Flares, fires on the beaches and jetties and smoke on vessels will be visible on the above dates and are part of the training.

The training will give commercial fishermen hands-on safety and emergency drill experience in select fishing ports ahead of the Dungeness crab season. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive certification to conduct emergency drills aboard commercial fishing vessels.

“This is required training for documented commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond the boundary line,” said Curt Farrell, Coast Guard Fishing Vessel Safety Coordinator for Oregon and Southwest Washington. “Fishermen who have already taken the course are encouraged to attend again to sharpen their skills. A refresher course is recommended every five years. A study by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health determined that after five years, the effectiveness of training in reducing fatalities declines significantly.”

The training is designed for commercial fishermen and not the general public. Trainings will be held at the following locations and a contact number is included for scheduling:

  • Oct. 24-25 in Newport at the Englund Marine Store
    • Celia 541-574-6534, Ext. 57410
  • Oct. 29-30 in Garibaldi at the Garibaldi Fire House
    •  Curt 503-240-9373
  • Oct. 31- Nov. 1 in Astoria at the Armory
    • Amanda 503-325-8573
  • Nov. 5-6 in Gold Beach at the Curry County Fairground’s Forestry Building
    • Steve Kee 541-756-9224       
  • Nov. 7-8 in Charleston at Coast Guard Station Coos Bay
    • Steve Kee 541-756-9224       
  • Nov. 13-14 in Newport at the Englund Marine Store
    • Celia 541-574-6534, Ext. 57410  

Participants will practice with emergency equipment required onboard most commercial fishing vessels, such as personal flotation devices, life rafts, immersion suits, distress signals, EPIRBs and fire extinguishers. They will learn and practice man-overboard recovery procedures, abandoning ship, firefighting and flood control through onboard emergency drills and practical demonstrations.

 

Local banks to discontinue property tax payment service

Homepage Staff
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Local banks to discontinue property tax payment service

Property tax Lincoln County

Bank of The West, Columbia Bank and First Interstate Bank will no longer accept Lincoln County property tax payments as of October 25, 2019.

According to a news release from Lincoln County, tax payers will no longer be able to make their property tax payments at the local banks beginning with the 2019-20 tax year.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This change is to facilitate efficiencies and to comply with banking rules and future decisions of local banks who may phase out the collection of property taxes for Lincoln County. 

Lincoln County has other payment options for property taxpayers which include the following:

  1.  Make a payment “online “ via website with credit card, debit card or electronic check.
  2.  Make a payment through personal online banking institutions.
  3.  Pay at Lincoln County’s service counter in person, with cash, cashier’s check, money order, personal check or business check.
  4. Pay by mail, postmark accepted.
  5. Go to a local post office and get a date stamp and ask for a certificate of mailing.
  6. Pay at the drop box located in the Lincoln County Courthouse parking lot.

For more information or questions, call Lincoln County Tax Department at 541-265-4139.

NLFR Safety Captain Kusz announces retirement citing ethics concerns

Justin Werner
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NLFR Safety Captain Kusz announces retirement citing ethics concerns
Jim Kusz
Jim Kusz

Citing ethics and safety concerns, North Lincoln Fire & Rescue District Capt. Jim Kusz announced his retirement “sooner than intended” Wednesday night during a fire board meeting where interim Fire Chief Rob Dahlman was appointed fire chief for a one-year period.

“Thank you, it has been an honor to serve my community and our district,” Kusz said.

Dahlman was named interim fire chief in February following the retirement of longtime Chief Doug Kerr.

Kusz said the decision to retire Feb. 28, 2020, comes from his “morals and values.”

Kusz, a 23-year NLFR veteran, has held positions with the district as public information officer, public education officer, district safety officer and CERT liaison. He has been recognized as instrumental in keeping citizens of Lincoln City safe with his many programs and educational classes.

Jim Kusz and Diane
Jim Kusz and wife Diane

Kusz asked the NLFR board to continue its commitment to his ongoing programs, such as the Life Safety events organized for the Lincoln City community.

Dahlman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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