north coast Volume 19, No. 9
May 1, 2014
northcoastcitizen.com
$1.00
No highway closure after all, ODOT says
Little hands at work
Complete closure of US 101 at the Neahkahnie project site will not happen By Dave Fisher The Citizen
Complete closure of US Hwy 101 during the installation of mountainside rock screening on Neahkahnie this spring has given way to a possible lane closure only at the project site. Any lane closures will begin on May 5 or later, according to Oregon Department of Transportation officials, but as far as Nehalem Elementary a complete closure of the students are playing a highway for two to three days as originally anticipated big part in the creation that will not happen. Anchor work, which beof a mosaic mural that gan in April, requires no trafwill be placed at the Nehalem Elementary student Alex Jordan was among those of Erin Hanson’s fourth and fifth grade classes who fic control. Once the anchor work is complete, a helicopschool’s main entry lent a helping hand last week with help from OCCT artist in residence at the school. Photo by Dave Fisher ter will be used to install the rock screening, probably in principal Kristi Woika, who ever, has a “zillion” pieces. tor Dina Britton Kirk, who By Dave Fisher May or early June. There is keeping her fingers crossed OCCT’s Larry Adrian, also noted that Nehalem The Citizen may be a lane closure for one nonetheless. who serves as artistic direcElementary was part of a or two days prior to screen In collaboration with arttor, shares Woika’s enthusifive-school effort to create The music and art room at installation for brush removal ists associated with Oregon asm for the project. “Every a mosaic for Doernbecher Nehalem Elementary was a and staging of the screen Coast Children’s Theatre grade gets to participate. Children’s Hospital in beehive of activity last week elements. During screening These projects can often Portland, an art project that as K-5 students, as part of the and Art Center (OCCT), the school launched the project outlast the school as mosaics began two years ago and will installation flaggers will be artist-in-residence program used to direct traffic. As of last for many, many years be dedicated later this May. April 21-25, helped piece to- in January, at which time now, it is anticipated that – thousands of years,” said “The kids are really gether a ceramic mosaic mu- students submitted drawings all work will be completed of elements to be chosen for Adrian. sweet. They know Doernral that, when finished, will after the third week in June, the mural. Nehalem ElemenBased in Toledo, Oregon, becher’s is for children and grace the main entry to the according to ODOT’s Astoria tary staff selected the themes OCCT got its start nearly they were eager to particischool. It’s still very much Construction Office, which and made the final selection 25 years ago in Nehalem. pate,” Kirk added. a work in progress, but if all of artwork. The final product “This,” says Adrian of Built on tile boards, which is providing the construction goes according to plan, the incorporates the artistic Nehalem Elementary, “is our will be mounted to the exteri- project management for this mural will be unveiled May project. handiwork of 15 students, legacy school.” 8, during Art Night at the or wall around the entry, the The contractor for the but by the time this mural Founded in 1990, the school, according to school Nehalem Elementary mosaic, rock screen project is Hiis finished, not-for-profit’s goal is to with its multitude of brightly Tech Rockfall Construction, every student train students in the study of colored tile fragments and at Nehalem the fine and performing arts, other materials, is coming Elementary will theatre, film, music, media along, helped immensely by have had a hand arts, and design by touring its the artist in residence week. in its creation, arts and education programs Four to five hours each day literally. throughout the Pacific North- were spent with students “On one side west. carefully gluing tiles to the of the entry is The artist-in-residence board under the supervision river scenes with program exists to invite of the artists. Once all the John Sorenson, outgoing wildlife and on artists for a time and space tiles are in place the mosaic president of the Rinehart the other side away from their usual enmural will be grouted and Clinic’s board of Directors Neahkahnie vironment and obligations. ready to mount. The goal is appointed the Clinic’s long Mountain with Art residencies, such as the to have it mounted the day time grant writer, Ann Blakocean scenes one at Nehalem Elementary, before Art Night on May 8. er, as the interim CEO of the and sea life,” emphasize the importance Woika, looking at all the organization at Wednesday’s Woika exof a meaningful exchange annual meeting. mounds of tile still to be plained. A metal between artists and students. Ann Blaker is no stranger affixed to the mural, thinks bar that extends Adrian says he and his to the Rinehart Clinic, to May 8 may be cutting it from the wall fellow artists involved with close, but remains optimistic. health care, or to the Orto the right of the Nehalem mosaic mural the doors will project couldn’t do it without The important thing for now egon Coast. As a non-profit consultant and owner of is the students look forward be home to a the assistance of students, a business called Capacto working on the mural and seagull that will especially the older students, ity Builders, she counts the are participating in a fun be perched there who are more productive. Rinehart Clinic as one of her learning activity, as are the adding a threeLast Wednesday morning non-profit clients. She wrote OCCT artists. dimensional when the Citizen visited the the original grant application To learn more about aspect to the classroom it was Erin Hannine years ago that enabled Oregon Coast Children’s mural. Woika son’s fourth and fifth grade the Clinic to hire an exTheatre and how you can likens the moclasses that got into the act. saic as a giant “This is something they help support its mission, visit ecutive director. Blaker has worked closely with Ellen Jordan White receives instruction from OCCT art- jigsaw puzzle. can put on their resume,” www.oregoncoastchildrensBoggs, retiring CEO, to write ist Larry Adrian. Photo by Dave Fisher This one, howsaid OCCT education directheatre.com online. several more successful grant
based in Forest Grove. HiTech proposed to complete the work without utilizing a complete closure of the highway at the project site. Meanwhile, the traffic signal on US 101 at Neahkahnie used during repair of the separate rock wall project should be removed by May 2, as all work requiring the signal will be completed. The signal will not be reinstalled. Lane closures will continue throughout May for construction of curbs and sidewalks. There will not be any lane
closures on the weekends, however. “It is anticipated that curb and sidewalk work will be completed in May, however the contractor has until November to finish the work. I am fairly certain the work will continue and may extend into June for final completion,” stated Alvin Shoblom, a project manager spokesperson for ODOT. “The schedule will be updated if this changes.”
Rinehart Clinic names Blaker interim CEO
NORTH COUNTY NEWS ONLINE
applications. Boggs said, “I’m thrilled that Ann is willing to take the helm for the next three months. We have worked together for many years. Her position here will assure a smooth transition for the staff and for the patients.” Blaker has held executive positions in Portland and in southern Washington, including interim executive director of the Essential Health Clinic in Hillsboro. She is a skilled facilitator in meeting and strategic planning, and has managed programs for the Oregon Health Division. She and her husband Greg are frequent visitors to the family home in Neahkahnie, so they are familiar with the area and
Pirate Pride… Neah-Kah-Nie High School ranks high in US News and World Report ‘Best High Schools’ survey
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Out of 287 public and charter high schools in Oregon, NeahKah-Nie High School ranked 17th, and 1,607 out of 19,400 high schools nationally in a recently published US News and World Report survey of best high schools. Neah-Kah-Nie School District Superintendent Paul Erlebach broke the news to the high school staff and school district employees last week, congratulating them on the high ranking. “Great job staff from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade,” said Erlebach in his email. The survey ranked schools in four key areas – student/ teacher ratio, college readiness, and average math and reading proficiency. Neah-Kah-Nie
High’s 12:1 student/teacher ratio is among the lowest in Oregon. The state average is 21:1. The school was above the Oregon average in college readiness based on the percentage of 12th graders who were tested and passed Advanced Placement (AP) exams. In reading proficiency, NKN placed above the state average, while in math NKN placed near the state average based on the performance of the subjects on the state exit exam. To view the report, visit http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/oregon/ rankings?int=c0b4c1 online or go to the North Coast Citizen, website, www.northcoastcitizen. com, and click on the link.
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