Permanent mask proposal . . ...... PAGE 2 Police Blotter .............................. PAGE 3
December 28, 2021
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Taft senior accepted into MIT HILARY DORSEY Editor
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aft 7-12 High School senior Dylan Rodriguez Barrera was accepted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and will be attending the university in the fall. Rodriguez Barrera was matched to MIT through QuestBridge National College Match, a national program that connect highachieving high school seniors from lowincome backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to top colleges. Rodriguez Barrera became interested in MIT when he received an application from QuestBridge. “I thought of it as the best school for STEM,” Rodriguez Barrera said. “I thought basically everything about it was cool – computer science, artificial intelligence, and I hadn’t really looked at engineering, but I thought it was a good place to start learning about engineering.” The high school does not have engineering classes, Rodriguez Barrera added. He likes computer science and started coding and liked how algorithms worked. Math is his favorite subject in school. He studied AP Calculus DC by himself last March through June. “My hobby is game development,” Rodriguez Barrera said. “That’s the biggest thing I code with.” Rodriguez Barrera also likes music production, 3D modeling and other
art. He is also on the school’s swim team, the Lincoln City Swim Club, and is in the school’s jazz and symphonic band. He also tries to volunteer weekly at Driftwood Public Library. “I also spend time with my little brother,” Rodriguez Barrera said. His brother has autism. He works with him on math, English and Spanish. The family only speaks Spanish in their home. Rodriguez Barrera said it was surreal getting into MIT, especially living in a small town. “You never hear about people going to big colleges,” Rodriguez Barrera said. “It was really exciting. I couldn’t believe it for a few days.” Rodriguez Barrera said his family is really excited for him to attend MIT. “It was my first-choice school,” Rodriguez Barrera said. “My mom really wanted me to go there.” Rodriguez Barrera will start MIT in August. He will be visiting the campus in April for Campus Preview Weekend, his first time seeing the university. Rodriguez Barrera said he is interested in studying computer science, but it also considering electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and possibly math. He is drawn to a career as a software engineer but will explore options while in college. Send comments to: newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Rodriguez Barrera will start MIT in August.
Lincoln City KOA Journey Campground receives awards, celebrates 40 years
Sheriff Landers receives state recognition as the Oregon Sheriff of the Year
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HILARY DORSEY Editor
Lincoln City KOA Journey Campground earned the 2022 Kampgrounds of America (KOA) President’s Award and KOA Founder’s Award last month. These awards were presented Nov. 16 at KOA’s Annual International Convention in Baton Rouge, La. The second-generation family business was also recognized for being a KOA for 40 years. “It was humbling,” Steve Long, who runs the KOA, said. “It was a cool experience to be recognized for being help be a part of a family business of KOA for 40 years.” The KOA Founder’s Award is KOA’s highest service award. It is awarded exclusively to those KOA campground owners and managers who attain world-class scores in both customer service and the KOA Quality Review. The KOA President’s Award is presented to campgrounds that meet exceptional quality standards and receive high customer service scores from their camping guests. KOA surveys hundreds of thousands of campers each year regarding their KOA camping experience. “Customer service is our top priority,” Long said. “Customers are what our business revolves around. We keep our business successful because we focus on our customers’ needs first.”
Lincoln City KOA Journey is a second-generation campground. Mel and Barbara Lay purchased it in 1981. Steve Long, Barbara’s son, now runs the park with his wife. Long started working in the park at 8 years old, stomping down the grass as Mel and others pitchforked the hay into the back of a truck. He worked at the park through high school but left after college to pursue his own career. Long and his wife, Heidi, purchased the park in 2019. The couple caught up on maintenance projects and then looked for ways to take the park to the next level. They added new Wi-Fi, rebuilt RV pads, added patio sites and an RV site with KOA Paw Pen. There is a new covered group patio area, new laundry, rec room and food service kitchen. There is also now a walking bridge across a creek, giving campers access to a nearby nature trail. To book at the Lincoln City KOA Journey Campground, visit https://koa.com/campgrounds/lincoln-city/ KOA is the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds with 525 locations across the United States and Canada. KOA’s family of campground brands, including KOA Journey, offer sites and amenities designed for each type of camping experience. KOA Journey campgrounds are located near highways and byways with long pull-thru RV sites, offering convenience to the traveling camper. Send comments to: newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
INDEX Classifieds......................7 Opinion.......................... 6
VOL. 94 NO. 52
incoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers was recognized as the Sheriff of the Year during the annual Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) Winter Conference held in Bend last week. The OSSA award was presented to Landers by current OSSA president, Sheriff Tim Svenson of Yamhill County. The recipient of this award is selected by the OSSA Awards Committee, based upon his/her participation and contributions toward OSSA objectives and efforts in the current year. The award signifies exemplary service. This award is not issued every year if the nominating committee does not believe it is clearly justified. Landers was selected for “working diligently to elevate the experience for attendees at OSSA special events, including this award ceremony. He represents OSSA through six different committees (two of which he chairs) and is a liaison sheriff to two OSSA subgroups. He has spent untold hours in the 2021 legislative session providing advice on legislative matters as well as testifying on behalf of OSSA in the legislature on sensitive matters. Sheriff Landers makes it a point to attend all OSSA Executive and Board Committee meetings. As an Executive Committee member, this Sheriff provides great vision for the Executive Committee and is always thoughtful in the approach to any issues at hand. He is the first to help and say yes whenever OSSA has a need.” Landers currently serves on the Improving Access to Community Based Treatment, Supports, and Services (IMPACTS) Grant Committee; Legislative Committee; Chief Justice Advisory Committee (Pretrial Subcommittee); State Interoperable Executive Committee; Oregon Task Force on School Safety (Vice Chair); and chairs the OSSA Budget Committee. “It is an honor to serve Lincoln County residents as their Sheriff and I am truly humbled to receive this recognition from my peers through OSSA,” said Landers. “Having the opportunity to actively participate on behalf of our citizens through the OSSA greatly benefits our local community through partnerships, funding opportunities and having a voice at the state level from a policy and rule-making perspective.” In addition to receiving the Sheriff of the Year recognition, Landers also received the OSSA President’s Special Recognition Award. Landers has been nominated to the vice president seat of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association for the coming year.
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