A1
Taft girls drop time at state swim championships See Page A8
$1 | VOL. 86 | NO. 8 | 2 SECTIONS YOUR WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1927
FEBRUARY 20, 2013 | WEDNESDAY
www.TheNewsGuard.com
LINCOLN CITY, OREGON
Kids Clean Up
For daily Lincoln City News, visit:
Help wanted signs like this are popping up all along the Oregon Coast and in Lincoln City as businesses gear up for the annual spring and summer tourism season.
TheNews Guard.com
An encouraging tourism season forecasted for Lincoln County
Dory fleet makes tv Page B1
Despite outlook, fewer workers to be hired
Watch it: See video at
JEREMY C. RUARK The News Guard
thenewsguard.com
INSERTS Bi-Mart; Rite Aide; P&G Brandsaver; Price ‘N Pride; Walgreens; Safeway; Chinook Winds; Roby’s Furniture; Sears
WEATHER GUIDE
If you tried to navigate through traffic in Lincoln City during the past weekend, then you got a feel of what it might be like this
JEREMY C. RUARK/THE NEWS GUARD
Taft Highs 7-12 middle school students joined others during a beach clean up event sponsored by Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV) Feb. 15. See video of the kids on the beach at thenewsguard.com. The beach clean up is in conjunction with a visit by Japanese groups and a conference about the 2011 tsunami. Read about the conference on page A2.
See tourism, Page A7
Otis dog death prompts campaign over kill traps JEREMY C. RUARK The News Guard
Cindy Corder and John Beere are hopeful the story about how they lost their beloved dog Fritz will raise awareness of the danger of animal kill traps. High Low Prec. The Otis couple is still Tues., Feb. 12 50 42 .15 grieving after losing their . Wed., Feb. 13 50 47 .04 eight and a half year old dog Thurs., Feb. 14 53 43 0 in an unfortunate accident at Fri., Feb. 15 55 43 0 the Salmon River Hatchery Sat., Feb 16 50 42 .25 in January. Sun., Feb. 17 48 39 0 Cindy and John raised Mon., Feb. 18 47 3 .75 Fritz, a German and Australian Sheppard mix, from a Weekly Rainfall: 1.19 inches puppy. Yearly Rainfall: 11.0 inches “He took his first breath in my hands,” said Cindy. For the past several years, WEEKLY OUTLOOK the couple had been taking Expect unstable weather Fritz for frequent walks to the hatchery property through the weekend. located at 575 N. North Bank There’s the possibility of Road in Otis where they snow on HIghway 18 at Murphy Hill (elevation 760 could allow him to run free. The walk with Fritz on feet). Unstable also means January 21 began like any there can be sunbreaks. other. Fritz would run a little bit ahead of Cindy, then wait until she caught up and then Weather data provided by run further. Cindy was alone Roads End Weather Watcher with Fritz on this walk. John Sheridan Jones stayed home to watch a football game on television. After walking from the parking lot onto a path into the
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS
PHOTO/COURTESY
Cindy Corder with Fritz.
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grassy area of the hatchery, a sign stuck in the dirt caught Cindy’s eye. “A paper was stuck on a stick near the path,” said
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e took his first breath in my hands. - Cindy Corder Cindy. “It had a warning that kill traps were set in the area.”
John Beere with Fritz and Fritz’s mother Mystk.
PHOTO/COURTESY
See KILL TRAPS, Page A7
Acosta sentenced to eight years for sex crimes
Open 8a-7p Mon-Fri, 8a-6p Sat
-Alice Vachss evidence that did not require the testimony of the victim. “One of the reasons we wanted to hold the news conference was because
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e is that rarest of all evil creatures who actually derives pleasure from the pain that he inflicts.
of all the things that are happening right now in the world in relation with violence against women and sex crimes,” said Bovett. “I wanted to add our piece because here in Lincoln County we have no tolerance for violence against women. We have no tolerance for sex crimes and we will prosecute those cases because it is vital. It is important that we do that for the community.” Acosta was arrested in January 2012 and charged with 18 counts of committing sex related and assault crimes against Loper in December 2011.
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arrested and prosecuted) he would still be preying on somebody and torturing them,” said Vachss. “He is that rarest of all evil creatures who actually derives pleasure from the pain that he inflects.” Vachss said the decision by the Lincoln County District Attorney’s office to go forward with the case even though there were strong challenges against it made the difference. The case against Acosta became complicated when the victim, and her father, died in an unrelated car crash prior to trial. As a result of the Lopers’ tragic death, some charges had to be dismissed. However, other charges could proceed to trial based on
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(Acosta) would be put away for life,” Loper said “We are happy today. At least some Thomas Acosta kind of justice was served.” Lincoln County District Attorney Rob Bovett and Alice Vachss, special prosecutor with the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office, held a rare news conference following Acosta’s sentencing. “Had it not been for Mr. Acosta coming here (being
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Following a two-week trial in Lincoln County Circuit Court, a jury convicted Thomas Acosta, 51, of sodomy in the first degree, sexual abuse in the second degree, and two counts of assault in the Fourth Degree following his conviction of crimes against April Loper of Toledo. On Feb. 14, Judge Thomas O. Branford sentenced Acosta to 100 months in prison on sodomy in the first degree and sexual abuse in the second degree, and 12 months in jail on the assault charges. Acosta has already served the jail sentence. April Loper’s sister, Danielle Loper, said the sentencing was the best the judge could do. “If I had it my way, he
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