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“I often hear how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. People love it here and they can’t wait to come back.

Lori Arce-Torres, Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

Making Bank

Spring Break means big business in Lincoln City

JEREMY C. RUARK

Country Media, Inc.

Tourism in Lincoln City is a key economic factor that provides hundreds of jobs, fuels businesses sustainability and impacts the city’s livability.

The economics

While the COVID-19 pandemic slowed tourism for a time, Lincoln

“The pandemic forced people to stay close to home while vaca tioning, and in many cases, they re-discovered the beautiful Oregon Coast. I often hear how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. People love it here, and they can’t wait to come back. “

Arce-Torres said transportation to Lincoln City can be challenging, still, people are visiting here.

“Although airline travel is back up and running, it is still a bit of a gamble, with high ticket prices

Beer, wine price boost proposed

Fast Fact

Excessive alcohol use is Oregon’s third leading cause of preventable death. Six people die each day here due to alcohol. In 2020, alcohol-related deaths increased 73%. Oregon ranks fifth nationally in alcohol addiction and 12% of Oregonians have alcohol use disorder, according to state representatives.

ies. Let’s keep the focus on what this bill is all about: addressing Oregon’s alcohol crisis and saving lives.”

Starmer resigns from city council

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

Lincoln City Councilor Elaine Starmer has abruptly resigned.

the privilege of represent ing them.”

Reaction

Prices for beer and wine could be temporarily increased to help fund immediate access to detox and treatment, under proposed state legislation.

The Alcohol Harm Reduction Act (HB 3312) has been introduced by Oregon State Rep. Tawna Sanchez, a licensed social worker, Rep. Travis Nelson, and Rep. Lisa Reynolds.

Additional funding will be used to educate consumers and children about the adverse health impacts of alcohol, fentanyl, cannabis, and methamphetamines, according to a release from

“As too many Oregon families know, excessive alcohol use destroys lives, families, and relationships,” Sanchez said. “Alcohol addiction cuts across income level, race, culture, geography—and politics. That makes reducing the harms of alcohol in our state an issue that should unite everyone. There are over 450,000 people struggling with addiction across Oregon, primarily addiction to alcohol. I believe their lives are worth more than a dime a drink, and I hope my col-

“The out-of-state alcohol industry is trumpeting that this is a 1200% increase, which is intentionally misleading. What they don’t want consumers to know is that it’s just a ten-cent-abeer increase, spread out over five years,” Oregon Recovers Executive Director Mike Marshall said. “This bill was specifically designed not to negatively impact Oregon’s breweries and wineries; their customers won’t even notice a two-cent-a-year increase. Those who will notice are people who engage in binge drinking and underage drinking—two behaviors predictive of lifetime alcohol addiction. Those folks simply aren’t the customer base of breweries and winer-

By the numbers

Excessive alcohol use is Oregon’s third-leading cause of preventable death. Six people die each day here due to alcohol. In 2020, alcohol-related deaths increased 73%. Oregon ranks 5th nationally in alcohol addiction and 12% of Oregonians have alcohol use disorder, according to the release.

Oregon ranks 50th in access to addiction treatment, with 18% of Oregonians needing but not receiving treatment. Each alcoholic drink sold in Oregon costs local and state governments $2.08 in lost workplace productivity, health care expenses, criminal justice costs, and motor vehicle crashes. The total economic costs of excessive drinking in Oregon were $4.8 billion in 2019, the release states.

Oregon currently has the lowest beer tax and the second lowest wine tax in the country, when factoring in the lack of a state sales tax. Beer taxes are less than 1 cent per bottle and haven’t been raised since 1977. Wine taxes are 3 cents a glass, and haven’t been raised since 1982. The Alcohol Harm Reduction Act calls for a temporary, incremental price increase to $0.10 per bottle of beer/cider, and $0.17 per glass of wine. The increased pricing sunsets when Oregon’s alcohol addiction rate falls from 12% to 5, according to the release.

The legislators said raising alcohol prices to reduce harmful consumption and fund services is popular with voters. Six in 10 Oregonians support increasing alcohol taxes in order to reduce harmful alcohol use like binge

The resignation came Monday night, March 13, during the regular city public session.

The following is Elaine Starmer’s response to The News Guard inquiry as to why she has resigned.

“I understand you’re looking for comment from me regarding my resignation. As I stated in the March 13 City Council meeting, I cannot speak openly about the details of the Executive Session that convinced me I am no longer a good fit for LC City Council. I am still bound by the code of conduct regarding confidentiality for Executive Sessions.

“What I will tell you is that I did not resign because of a specific person in City Hall. No one has that kind of control over my decisions and actions. But sometimes you simply have to accept the reality of a situation and decide whether or not your personal values can co-exist in that situation.

“I know that is a cryptic answer, a non-answer really, but it is the most I can say on the matter. I will leave you with this . . . it takes strong leadership, a united council, and a cooperative and innovative city staff to make meaningful change.

You can’t tuck your tail in the face of intimidation and veiled threats. Standing up for what is right in not always an easy task.

Lastly, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the voters of Ward 1 who allowed me

Lincoln City Mayor Susan Wahlke said Starm er’s departure from the city council took her by surprise.

Elaine Starmer

“I am disappointment,” Wahlke said.

Lincoln City Manager Daphnee Legarza also said was surprised by Starmer’s resignation.

Legarza said she was planning to prepare an agenda item for the March 27 city council meeting about the process to fill the vacant council position. Legarza referred to the city charter for the process, which states:

“A vacancy in the council shall be filled by appointment by majority of the council, provided, however, that the council may in its discretion call a special election for the purpose of filling such vacancy. The appointee’s term shall begin immediately upon his or her appointment and qualification and shall continue through the unexpired term of the appointee’s predecessor. During the temporary disability of a council member, or during a member’s absence from the city, the office may be filled pro-tem in the manner provided for filling vacancies in office.”

Background

In 2021, Starmer was elected in 2021 to replace

See STARMER, Page 2

Coast Moment

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

March 21 Meet Your Sheriff

A free presentation by the Gleneden Beach Community Club featuring Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers that will include a questions and answers session and sharing of information. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at

Continued from Page 1

Diane Hinton following Hinton’s resignation form the council.

In a statement to The News Guard during her 2021 campaign, Starmer outlined the reasons why she chose to run for the position.

“I was compelled to run because of my participation on the Lincoln City Budget Committee. I was an appointed member for 2019-2021. This year, the issue of revenue shortfalls came up. I believe efforts to increase revenue should be shouldered

the Gleneden Beach Community Hall, 110 Azalea Street in Gleneden Beach. For more information, visit www.glenedenbeach. org.

April 20-22 Community Days

Community Days is a celebration of Lincoln City. Read more

equitably by the tourism industry that flourishes here and the residents who make their lives here. In our zeal to promote and grow tourism, we’ve lost the balance between caring for residents and caring for tourism. It’s not a matter of one over the other. We simply must do a better job of “thriving together.”

In that News Guard interview, Starmer also talked about her concerns about the city’s long-debated and controversial vacation rental issues. “The VRD code has not

in upcoming printed issues of The News Guard and online at thenewsguard.com.

Lincoln City Senior Center Events

Weekly walk on LCCC track. No charge or membership required. 10:30 a.m. Mondays.

Tai Chi 9 a.m. Mon-

kept up with the challenges of the industry and needs to be revisited,” she said There are several chronic VRD issues that could be resolved by brushing up the code. The residents would be happier, the code compliance folks would be happier, I would even venture to say some of the management companies would be happier with improved code language. This is low-hanging fruit.”

Follow this developing story at thenewsguard.com and in the Tuesday print editions of The News Guard.

days and Wednesdays. No membership required. Donation to instructor suggested.

Chair Yoga 11:30 a.m. Mondays. No membership required. Donation to instructor suggested.

On Going

Free Meal For Veterans

Homemade soup and sandwiches every third Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lincoln City B.P.O Elks #1886 at 1350

SE Oar Avenue in Lincoln City.

If you have a community event coming up, send brief details with the date, time, location and contact phone/email to jruark@countrymedia. net

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc.

A beach visitor and companions enjoy a quiet moment along the beach at Roads End in Lincoln City. See more Coast Moments at www.thenewsguard.com.

Starmer

SHERIFF’S TIP OF THE WEEK

Licensing dogs is the law

LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Lincoln County requires that all dogs hold a valid license pursuant to ORS 609.100. Cat licenses are optional but encouraged as they can help reunite you with your cat if they are lost.

Licensing your dog can also save its life and speed up the process of returning them to you.

When Good Samaritans find stray dogs that are licensed they can call the Lincoln County Animal Shelter or connect to DocuPet, our 24/7 licensing and HomeSafe partner, to find your information.

While happy reunions are a motivating factor, failure to obtain a dog license can result in a $265 fine. All dogs in the county are required to be licensed within 30 days of residence. Cat licenses are not required but they can help the animal shelter reunite families with their feline friends.

You may easily purchase or renew a license by mail, over the phone, at the Animal Shelter, or online. Applications and additional information are available online at: LincolnCountyAnimalShelter.org.

Why licensing is important:

• License tags allow us to contact you as soon as possible. This provides peace of mind, leaves space at the shelter for other animals in need and saves tax-payer money.

• License fees support shelter programs and oper-

Series prepares organizations for an active shooter, mass causality events

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

ations which provide more than 1,000 animals with food, veterinary care, shelter, training, behavior enrichment and adoption services each year.

• License fees support field services and investigations which address loose pets, aggressive dogs and bite reports.

• License fees allow Animal Services to investigate, seize and care for animals who are victims of cruelty and neglect.

• License fees support our pet retention programs which help people keep their pets.

• Last year the redemption rate was more than 90% for dogs and 4% for cats.

• If your animal is found injured and wearing its license it is much easier to obtain emergency medical attention for them and to contact you with the details.

• Identification is critically important for your pet in the event of a disaster.

• If your dog is impounded, current on their license, and spayed or neutered the first $30 impound fee is waived.

License fees are an important way the community supports our policy of not euthanizing for time or space. These fees also support finding new homes for as many animals as possible.

To search for a lost pet go to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter at 510 NE Harney St. in Newport or call 541-2650720. You can help reunite lost pets by following the Animal Shelter’s Facebook page at LincolnCountyLostandFoundPets.

For more information and tips, visit www.lincolncountysheriff.net

POLICE BLOTTER

101.

The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies.

Lincoln City Police

February 24

Caller reported a female was wandering around and not making sense in the 3500 block of NW Highway 101. Female taken into custody and transported to jail on six different warrants from six different agencies.

12:18 p.m.

Traffic crash reported at SE 3rd and SW Mast Avenue. Police aqnd North Lincoln Fire & Rescue responded. Tow unable to get to vehicles. NLFR assisted driver to safe location.

5:09 p.m.

Traffic crash reported at NE 22nd and NE Highway

February 25

4:11 p.m.

Caller advised open door in the 1100 block of SW 12th Street. Officers cleared the house. Report taken.

February 26

3 a.m.

Two subjects contacted by officers at NW 44th Street and NW Logan Road and taken into custody for trespass. One subject taken to jail. The other subject transported to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, cleared and taken to county jail.

4:56 a.m.

Police responded to a possible disturbance in the 3400 block of NE Highway 101. Medics were requested to respond due to female having a large laceration on her arm. North Lincoln Fire

A new effort is underway across Oregon to help businesses prepare for an active shooter or other mass casualty event.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with federal, state, and private sector entities, held a Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery virtual seminar series March 16.

The nine-session series is designed for companies and organizations interested in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the impact and recovery of an active shooter or other mass casualty event.

“As emergency managers, we strive to make our communities more resilient and better prepared to handle unexpected disasters of every kind,” OEM Interim Director Matt Garrett. “While it’s disheartening that there’s a need to hold such a series, the reality is, no matter where we live, work, or go to school, we’re all vulnerable to mass casualty events. These seminars will provide our partners with the resources they need to be better prepared to respond to a future tragic situation.”

In 2018, The News Guard was invited by the Lincoln City Police Department (LCPD) to follow such an active shooter drill at Taft High School.

“The purpose of this drill is to get the officers up to speed on movement, the team atmosphere and getting the ideology that it could possible happen here one day, so we are fully prepared,” ac-

& Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance responded. Female was taken to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.

10:23 a.m.

Officer conducted a traffic stop at SW 48th Street and Highway 101. Subject taken into custody and transported to jail.

2:38 p.m.

A domestic disturbance reported at SE Inlet Avenue and SW Jetty Avenue. Caller reported female bleeding from the head and could hear couple yelling at each other. Medics arrived to treat the female’s head wound. One subject was taken into custody and transported to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital and later taken to jail charged with Assault 4 Domestic.

8:36 p.m.

Caller reported of a physical disturbance with her brother and herself. Female was taken into custody for Assault IV-Domestic and Harassment and taken to jail.

9:20 p.m.

Report of a male who was told to leave in the 1700 block of NW 21st Street and he would nmot leave. Subject warned for Trespass and then refused to answer the door.

February 27

11:26 a.m.

Report of a burglary in the 600 block of SW 27th Way. Caller reports at least two persons staying at the residence. They ran when representatives arrived. Officers cleared the building. Report taken.

11:40 a.m.

Caller reported possible domestic in the 3200 block of NE Highway 101. One subject was taken into custody and transported to jail charged with Disorderly Conduct.

7:56 p.m.

Caller reported his girlfriend jumped out of car and ran off saying she was going to harm herself. Female located and taken to Samaritan

Be Engaged

The Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery seminar series will be held every third Thursday from March through

cording to the LCPD. Read the story about the 2018 Taft High School drill and see photos with this story at thenewsguard.com.

Community engagement

More than 1,100 people from 49 states and 25 countries – representing the private sector, nonprofits and government entities – signed up for the Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery series, which featured subject matter experts sharing critical infrastructure best practices, valuable lessons and planning resources and tools to assist with mass casualty impact and recovery.

Idaho Emergency Management Public Private

North Lincoln Hospital.

Oregon State Police

February 14

At 3:43 a.m. A vehicle was stopped for driving the wrong way down US Highway101 at milepost 140 northbound. The driver was believed to be intoxicated and consented to performing field sobriety tests. The driver performed poorly and was arrested and transported to the Lincoln County Jail, where he provided a breath sample of 0.04% BAC. The driver refused to provide urine, and a search warrant was applied for a granted. A blood sample and urine sample were obtained from the driver. The driver was lodged in Lincoln County Jail for DUII.

At approximately 8:59 a.m. Multiple people called 911 reporting a male subject throwing rocks and other objects at moving vehicles on highway 101 near milepost 161.5. The subject was arrested and transported to the Lincoln County Jail where he was lodged on several charges.

February 15

At approximately 9:20 a.m. a gray Cadillac was reported driving westbound on State Route 18 near mile post 13, reportedly swerving all over the road and driving well below the speed limit. At approximately 09:50 a.m. a gray Cadillac STX4 matching the description was stopped for failure to drive within lane. The driver of the Cadillac was arrested for DUII –Controlled Substances and Reckless Driving. The Driver was also cited for fail to drive within lane, no operator’s license, and driving uninsured. The vehicle was towed by Car] Care Tow Pro and the driver was booked into the Lincoln County Jail.

At approximately 3:57 p.m. A trooper contacted a female who the trooper

crosoft Teams live events. Each month will cover a different topic, including addressing immediate needs; crisis communications for media response; providing immediate crisis support; reopening and resuming operations; negotiating short-, mid- and long-term recovery; post incident scams and fraud; and civil and criminal judicial processes.

OEM’s P3 Program Manager Sonya McCormick worked closely with Hanian to develop the series. Together, they pulled in their P3 counterparts from Alaska and Washington and brought in specialists from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the private sector.

Partnership (P3) Program Manager Jon Hanian helped develop the series.

“One of the most difficult disasters to deal with is the man-made variety that results when a person with a gun enters a business and starts firing,” Hanian said. “These traumatic, emotionally charged, chaotic events are happening with alarming frequency around the country. We believe it’s incumbent on us to help business owners and managers educate themselves on how best to plan, prepare and respond for what could be the worst day of their lives.”

The Mass Casualty Impact and Recovery seminar series will be held every third Thursday from March through November on Mi-

observed walking into the Dollar General in Yachats who had a warrant from Spokane, Washington. The female walked outside with the trooper voluntarily and was placed under arrest after confirming her warrant. The female was transported to the Lincoln County Jail where she was lodged and awaiting extradition back to Washington.

February 16

At approximately 6:51 p.m. a Gold SUV was traveling northbound on Highway 101 milepost 113 when it failed to signal turning into McDonalds. Driver provided a false name and date of birth. The driver was arrested for multiple criminal offense and was transported to the Lincoln County Jail.

March 1

A silver Chevy Malibu was stopped for expired registration on Highway 20 at milepost 1 at approximately 3:40 p.m. The driver was found to be DWS, driving uninsured, and driving without a required SR 22. The driver was issued a warning for registration sticker expired and cited for DWS, driving uninsured, and Failure of previous violator to file. The vehicle was towed by Coast Towing.

March 2

A traffic stop was attempted by an officer from Newport Police Department on Highway 101 at milepost 141at about 11:02 p.m. The vehicle failed to yield and began fleeing from the Officer. The Officer began pursuing the vehicle, and to maintain the safety of a lone pursuing Officer, Oregon State Police joined the pursuit. The pursuit lasted approximately 6 miles before the vehicle ran over multiple sets of stop sticks. The vehicle continued, driving recklessly and striking anuninvovled civilian vehicle, resulting in minor injuries. The driver was taken into custody and exhibited signs of impairment. The driver consented to field sobriety tests and performed poorly before voluntarily providing a breath sample of .10% BAC. The driver was cleared medically at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital and lodged in Lincoln County Jail by Newport

“The region’s P3 program managers have recently seen a groundswell of interest from private sector partners looking to become more resilient and prepared in the face of ongoing active shooter type events,” said McCormick. “The topics covered throughout this seminar series are important and timely, and the resources will ensure our partners are better equipped to recover should a tragic situation unfold.”

The seminars are free, not cumulative and may be taken individually. Each seminar counts toward continuing education with CEU credits through IACET Accredited Provider G&H International, Inc. All PSPR2 sessions will be recorded, but registration is required to receive all materials and recordings.

Learn more at eventbrite. com/cc/pspr2-seminar-series-1751269

Police. Newport Fire, Pacific West Ambulance, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police all assisted Newport Police.

A dump truck was being driven eastbound on US-20 at milepost 5 at about 2:30 p.m. when it slowed and proceeded to take a wide right-hand turn into the job site near milepost 5.25. An eastbound Hyundai car came up behind the dump truck and stopped along the back-right side of the dump truck. As the dump truck completed the righthand turn the tires hit the front of the Hyundai causing damage. No injuries were reported. No tows were needed. This incident does not qualify to have a Truck Crash Supplemental completed.

At approximately 5:08 p.m. a two vehicle, non-injury crash occurred at I-5 milepost 39. NB traffic on I-5 was stopped due to a separate crash (SP-23-062816).

A black Dodge 1500 and a black Toyota Venza both merged into the median where they sideswiped one another causing over $2500 in damage. The Toyota was driven from the scene and the Dodge was assisted by Dick’s towing in changing their flat tire before it was driven from the scene. No citations were issued due to both vehicles merging into the median to avoid stopped or slowing traffic ahead.

March 3

A blue Kia Rio was stopped at about 10:58 a.m. for expired registration at milepost 115 on Highway 101. The driver was found to be DWS, uninsured, and did not have a required SR22. The driver was issued a warning for expired registration and issued a citation for DWS, driving uninsured, and no SR22. The vehicle was towed by Menefee Towing.

A Silver Hyundai Sonata was stopped at 1:14 p.m. at milepost 140 on Highway 101 for registration sticker expired. The driver was found to be DWS and driving uninsured. The driver was issued a warning for Registration sticker-expired and citations for DWS and driving uninsured. The vehicle was towed by Rowleys Towing.

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc.

Lincoln City Police officers move down the Taft 7-12 High School hallway and into a room during an active shooter drill

What to know about Oregon’s state budget

JEREMY C. RUARK

Media, Inc.

Country

Lincoln County residents, and those across the state, have the opportunity to learn more about what state services could be funded in the next two years.

The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Ways and Means Committee has scheduled a series of public hearings about the state budget. One of the statewide hearings is scheduled for Newport, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 14, at the Newport Performing Arts Center, 777 W Olive Street.

Staffed by the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means is the legislative appropriations committee that determines state budget policy. It is a large committee of both Senate and House members, and which employs six to eight subcommittees to facilitate adoption of a biennial budget.

Be engaged

Members of the public will have the opportunity to testify at each of these scheduled hearings regarding their perspectives and priorities around the state budget.

The series of hearings will start on April 8, at Portland Community College- Sylvania Campus. Members of the committee will take public testimony from community members from 10 a.m to 12 p.m.

To testify, members of the public will be able to access sign up links on the Ways and

Means Committee’s webpage on OLIS, the legislature’s website. Sign up links are available online.

Background

According to the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office, the tentative budget for the 202325 biennium will change with each of the remaining quarterly economic and revenue forecasts that will occur before the start of the next biennial budget period, as well as any legislative actions that take place prior to that time.

It should also be emphasized that the tentative budget, as a current service level projection, only represents an estimate of the costs of continuing currently approved programs for the next twoyear budget period; it does not represent a guarantee of funding for any agency or program or include costs for any program currently not included in the state’s budget.

The current tentative budget for the 2023-25 biennium assumes the following statewide factors:

• Revenue growth is based on the Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) December 2022 economic and revenue forecast.

• State personal services growth for ongoing positions is projected at approximately 6% for the biennium, including step increases, roll-up of current collective bargaining agreements and management salary packages, health benefit costs, Pension Obligation bond payments, an increase in

Be Heard

A series of hearings will start on April 8 at Portland Community College - Sylvania Campus. Members of the committee will take public testimony from community members from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

the advisory PERS rate, and the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave contribution.

• Standard biennial inflation of 4.2% for services and supplies, 6.2% for medical costs, and 8.8% for non-state employee personnel costs (contract providers).

• Debt service payments are built into agency budgets based on current repayment schedules, which increases the tentative budget by a combined $241.9 million General Fund and Lottery Funds.

• A projected $50 million General Fund and $15 million Lottery Funds is included for potential bond issuances early in the 2023-25 biennium.

• An Emergency Fund of $50 million General Fund is included; no special purpose appropriations to the Emergency Board are assumed except for $14 million for fire severity resources.

• A compensation adjustment of $349.9 million General Fund (and a reserve of $7.9 million Lottery Funds) is included primarily to address future collective bargaining agreements; the General Fund is for state employees ($329.9 million) and non-state employees ($20 million), or home health care workers.

• An ending balance of 1% of expenditures is as-

sumed due for the Rainy Day Fund deposit requirement and a Lottery Funds balance of $25 million to mitigate revenue fluctuations.

Budget projections

Tentative budget projections for 2023-25 program area expenditures also assume the following: The State School Fund (SSF) current service level budget is estimated to grow by 2.3% over the 2021-23 legislatively approved level, increasing to $9.5 billion total funds. Combined General Fund and Lottery Funds account for $8.737 billion, and the remainder is supported with Corporate Activities Tax (CAT), marijuana tax, and other revenues. This growth is based on:

The 2023-25 estimated PERS weighted-average net contribution rate for school and education service districts of 15.16% (July 2022), which factors in, side account contributions and the portion of employee contributions redirected to fund pension benefits.

The Legislative Revenue Office current estimate of 2023-25 local revenues. Biennial payroll growth for school district employees of 5.45%.

Increases in health benefits of 3.4% each year as outlined in ORS 243.866.

The estimated CSL for Ballot Measure 98 programs totals $310.2 million total funds ($172.2 million General Fund and $137.9 million of CAT revenues), which is based on the statutorily required formula. These funds are distributed to school districts for Career and Technical Education (CTE), college-level education opportunities or accelerated learning, and drop-out prevention.

The 2023-25 current service level budget for state support of Public Universities is estimated to grow by a combined $51.2 million General Fund and Lottery Funds to $1.6 billion, including an increase of $58.2 million in debt service payments on behalf of public universities. State support for Community Colleges is estimated to grow by $73.3 million General Fund and Lottery Funds to $868.8 million, including an increase of $9.7 million in debt service payments on behalf of community colleges.

Human services mandated caseload increases for the 2023-25 biennium are based on the Fall 2022 forecasts for the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services.

Oregon Health Plan costs are inflated 3.4% per year, consistent with the state’s federal waiver agreement over the last several years.

Full implementation of the Healthier Oregon Program across all age categories by

2023-25 biennium.

Mandated correction populations for the 2023-25 biennium are based on the DAS Office of Economic Analysis October 2022 forecasts for the Department of Corrections and Oregon Youth Authority.

General Fund needed to backfill 2021-23 one-time funds or account for programs that change funding sources between the two biennia is projected to total $2 billion, including:

Restoration of $1.3 billion General Fund to the Department of Corrections, Oregon Youth Authority, and Oregon State Hospital for the onetime American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Funds and CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) used to support the provision of public safety services in 2021-23.

An increase of $926.4 million General Fund in the Human Services program area for reductions in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rates due to the anticipated end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and annual adjustments.

The shift of $468.1 million General Fund to local property tax revenues for the State School Fund and Community College Support Fund as estimated property taxes grow faster than estimated General Fund sources.

For more information, visit the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office website at oregonlegislature.gov/lfo/pages/ jointwaysmeans.aspx

Wyden seminar to highlight federal funding opportunities

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will conduct an allday, online seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, for representatives of Oregon cities, counties and nonprofits that may qualify for federal funding. The seminar will include representatives from eight federal agencies who will discuss how the communities and organizations can earn benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“A running theme in my 15 town halls so far throughout Oregon this year — as

well as during conversations in the grocery store aisle and on Main Street — is how our state’s communities and nonprofits can earn investments from these two landmark laws,” Wyden said. “This online conversation will be a one-stop meeting that gathers in one convenient spot key federal agencies to answer common questions from people representing Oregon cities, counties and nonprofits about the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

Oregonians wanting to participate can register at that same link for access to the online seminar, which will run until 3:30 p.m. PT. To submit

a question in advance about the Inflation Reduction Act and/or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, go here. Federal agencies scheduled to make representatives available for presentations during the online seminar include the Departments of Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Communications Commission and Environmental Protection Agency. Also scheduled are two breakout sessions devoted to drug pricing reform and energy tax credits.

Wyden is Chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

New funding support for state’s homeless youth now available

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

Community agencies in Lincoln County and across Oregon providing services and housing supports to youth experiencing homelessness, now have a new funding option.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs,

Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $4.1 million in grant funding.

The deadline to apply is April 7, 2023 and the application can be found online.

Community-based organizations who provide, or desire to provide, services to youth experiencing homelessness are eligible to apply

for the grant funding.

Organizations may express interest in supporting more than one of the following service areas that funding is available to support:

• Prevention Services including youth outreach and drop-in services

• Early and crisis intervention housing such as shelter and host home programming

Local student makes college Dean’s List

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

Ryan Starr of Lincoln City, has been named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for the Fall 2022 semester.

Students on the Dean’s List have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher during the semester. Making the Dean’s List is a tremendous achievement in any year, according to a release from the college.

“Many of the high achievers balance their classes with serious jobs, internships, clubs, and volunteering, as well as a global pandemic,” the college states in the release. “We congratulate you on this great accomplishment and honor.”

History

Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, notfor-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Mon-

Courtesy photo Champline College is located in Burlington, Vermont.

treal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. From its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain, the College offers an innovative academic experience and more than 100 residential and online programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates.

Champlain’s distinctive career-driven approach to higher education embodies the notion that true learning occurs when information and experience come together to create knowledge.

For more information, visit champlain.edu.

• Medium-term housing such as transitional living and host home programming

• Other Services such as culturally-specific programming, mental health and substance use supports The ODHS Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program is tasked with coordinating statewide planning for delivery of services to youth experiencing homelessness

under the age of 25. It partners with impacted youth, community organizations and other state agencies to support and fund initiatives and programs within the youth homelessness system. More information can be found online.

About the Oregon Department of Human Services

The mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice, and preserve dignity.

Read a series of reports about homeless youth in Oregon at thenewsguard.com

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc. Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden speaks at Oregon Coast Community College in Newport in January.

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TheNewsGuard.com/opinion

Oregon doesn’t need an R&D tax credit

Following the expiration of its research and development (R&D) tax credit, businesses in Oregon have spent more on research and development than their counterparts in nearly all states — adding further evidence that reinstating the R&D tax credit would be a waste of public resources.

In 2017, the Oregon legislature chose not to renew the Qualified Research Activities tax credit. The legislature’s decision stemmed from the lack of sufficient evidence that this R&D tax credit resulted in companies undertaking activity that otherwise wouldn’t occur. Since 2018,

Oregon has had no R&D tax credit.

Even without the tax credit, industry’s spending on research and development in Oregon, adjusted to 2020 dollars, has continued to strengthen. In 2017, the last year the Qualified Research and Activities tax credit was in place, businesses spent nearly $8 billion dollars in R&D in Oregon. In 2020, the year with the most recently available data, that figure had risen to over $10 billion, a 30 percent increase.

Oregon consistently remains near the top of industry R&D rankings. In 2017, Oregon ranked fifth in the nation in terms of business R&D spending as a share of the state’s private-sector

Nhi Nguyen

economy. Or egon’s ranking had risen to fourth place by 2020, trailing only research powerhouses Washington, California, and Massachusetts. Washington, the state that ranked first, let its High Technology Business and Occupation Tax Credit expire in 2015.

Oregon’s continued strong performance in business R&D spending even after its Qualified Research Activities tax expired shows that reinstating the tax credit would be a mistake. Senate Bill 55 proposes to reinstate

and significantly expand the R&D tax credit. Enacting this legislation would reduce funds that could be used to build affordable housing, invest in workforce development, or improve the infrastructure that serves

Consideration of complete strangers

A thank you to the couple in a silver pick-up heading southbound on 101 below Depot Bay, that turned

Urging ODF to help loggers, families and stop the HCP

Property owners encouraged to carry flood insurance by state

STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

As Oregon heads into spring, heavy rainfall and snow melt are expected to follow, which may lead to flooding in many areas.

The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (ODFR) urges homeowners and businesses to consider protecting their properties with comprehensive flood insurance, which offers many benefits during natural disasters.

Flood insurance provides peace of mind to property owners that they are protected from the financial devastation that often accompanies natural disasters. Floods can cause extensive damage to homes and businesses, including structural damage, loss of personal property, and even displacement from their home. With flood insurance, property owners can focus

on recovering and rebuilding without the added stress of financial burden, according to the ODFR.

Most homeowners, renters, and business policies do not cover flood damage. However, you can buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and some private insurers, according to Oregon Insurance Commissioner and Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services Andrew Stolfi.

“Many people assume that their homeowner’s insurance policy will cover damages from a flood, but that is typically not the case,” Stolfi said. “Flood insurance is a separate policy that provides coverage for damages caused by flooding, and it is important for homeowners and businesses to evaluate whether to have this coverage to protect their investment.”

Flood insurance policies can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each customer, providing options for building coverage, contents coverage, and replacement cost coverage. In addition, excess flood coverage is available for those who need additional protection above and beyond the standard policy limits.

DFR encourages property owners to consider flood insurance as a crucial part of their disaster preparedness plan.

“Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your property from flooding, or any kind of disaster,” Stolfi said. “With a flood insurance policy, you can have solace knowing you are prepared.”

For more information about flood insurance and other natural disaster preparedness, visit the ODFR’s website.

In February, the Oregon Department of Forestry dropped a bomb on my community. They announced their draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for state forests would result in a 34% reduction in harvests beginning next year—a reduction that would likely last for the next 70 years. On March 7th I left home before the sun came up to travel to Corvallis to make sure the Board of Forestry understood just how bad the proposed HCP would be for me, my family, and our business.

My name is Harold Kottre. I am an employee of a small, family-owned logging company in Tillamook. Kottre Tree Farms was founded over 30 years ago by my father and uncle. Today, these two men along with me, my brother, a cousin, and 20 others work side-by-side to move wood safety and sustainably from the forest to local mills. Our annual payroll exceeds $1.4 million and we provide paid sick leave, vacation, and full family health benefits. The average age of our employees is 34. I mention this because these are truly family wage jobs. Most of our employees support kids who attend local schools. We also subcontract with around 15 other small businesses in the community. Last year these businesses received

businesses and Oregonians — factors that help boost private investment.

Nhi Nguyen is the Policy Analyst for the Oregon Center for Public Policy. She may be reached at 971-279-4732.

around to check on some folks in a black Toyota Tacoma having a slight medical issue.

All is well now, and we are reassured of the consideration of complete strangers in these unsure times.

David Kangas Salem

$2 million from Kottre Tree Farms alone—work we were able to provide because of state forest timber harvests. Kottre Tree Farms logs almost exclusively on state land. The current HCP will likely destroy our family business and leave people unemployed. For logging families, the equipment we purchase and maintain is also our retirement. This HCP will destroy my father’s and my uncle’s retirement as logging equipment is so specific it won’t have value in other industries. The same goes for workers like me. The skills we have developed through years in the woods will be pretty useless to other industries. After years of hard work, we’d be forced to start at the bottom all over again. All politics aside, the government’s goal isn’t to destroy livelihoods, increase wildfire frequency or severity, or contribute to raising housing costs. We have a lot of middle ground between protecting endangered species and maintaining our timber economy. The Board of Forestry just needs the will to find it.

I don’t envy the position the Board finds itself in. While some seem to have their minds made up already, I still have hope that a couple are willing to listen and learn. That is why I stood before the Board of Forestry and asked them to take action to develop a new HCP that has a more equity for rural communities and businesses.

Harold Kottre Tillamook

Metro Creative Connection

Lincoln City has been honored as a Tree City USA for 15 years.

Lincoln City achieves ‘significant milestone’ as a Tree City USA

Several other cities commended

JEREMY C. RUARK

Country Media, Inc.

Lincoln City is being recognized for reaching a “significant milestone” as a Tree City USA.

The coastal communities of Lincoln City, Cannon Bean and Seaside are among 16 Oregon communities marking significant milestones as Tree City USA communities this year, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry, which administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation.

ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford said cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:

• Maintain a tree board or department

• Have a community tree ordinance

• Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry

• Celebrate Arbor Day

Seaside has maintained its Tree City USA designation for a quarter century, and Cannon Beach and Lincoln City for 15 years, according to Oxford.

“These communities really shine,” Oxford said. “For example, Seaside is also one of three dozen Oregon communities that has planted a peace tree – a tree grown from seeds of trees that survived the atom-bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.”

Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs.

“Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.

Other cities marking milestone years include:

Rogue River – 40 years

Grants Pass – 35 years

Madras – 30 years

Coburg and Wilsonville –25 years Bend, Klamath Falls – 20

Siletz Public Library receives $13,404

T-Mobile announces Siletz as one of its latest 25 Hometown Grant recipients.

The $13,404 grant will go to upgrade indoor and outdoor lighting at the Siletz Public Library to ensure it will continue to be an inviting, warm and safe place for the community to gather.

“The Siletz Public Library is very excited about the upcoming project to replace the lights, inside and out, at the library,” Siletz Public Library Director Carol Schramm said. “We are very thankful to the Siletz Valley Friends of the Library for their hard work in writing the grant proposal, and

to T-Mobile for choosing our library to receive the T-Mobile Hometown Grant. The library will be a much brighter, safer, and more cheerful place when the LED lights are installed, and we will be thrilled to see students better able to study and our older patrons perusing the shelves without having to squint at book titles.”

To celebrate, T-Mobile was scheduled to present the Hometown Grant check Thursday, March 16 during a 4 p.m. celebration at the Siletz Public Library.

The project was submitted by the Siletz Valley Friends of the Library, a local organization supporting the Siletz Public Library. Launched in April 2021,

Courtesy photo The Siletz Public Library is located at 255 SE Gaither Street in Siletz.

T-Mobile Hometown Grants is a $25 million, five-year initiative to support the people and organizations who help small towns across America thrive and grow by providing funding to kick-

start vital community development projects. Since the program’s start, T-Mobile has given more than $7.8 million dollars to 175 communities across 41 states, including Siletz.

years Dallas and Gresham – 15

years

Central Point – 10 years

Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5

years

“Although it’s only been a Tree City for five years, Hillsboro has already earned two growth awards for improving and enlarging their urban forestry program, including one this year,” Oxford said.

History

Tree City USA is one of the Arbor Day Foundation’s oldest programs. It began in 1976.

“Our founders had a vision for a greener, healthier America, and hoped this initiative would inspire change on a nationwide level, the Tree City USA website states. “The first Tree City USA cohort was comprised of 42 communities in 16 states. Today, the program includes more than 3,600 communities from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.”

A thriving urban forest offers many advantages to communities. Here are just a few:

• Trees help absorb the sounds of traffic in urban areas by 40%.

• Neighborhoods with trees are seven to nine degrees cooler than those without.

• Trees reduce energy costs up to 25% by shading buildings and protecting them from winter winds.

• Homes with trees have higher property values.

• Green space plays a major role in improving mental and physical health.

• Planting and maintaining trees absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mitigating the effects of climate change.

Publicly demonstrating your commitment to the environment is a great way to build pride among residents, as well as position your community as an attractive place to live, the website states.

Moving Sale: Excellent Condition. Ashley queen bedroom set, 2 3-drawer nightstands, 5-drawer chest of drawers, 8-drawer dresser w/ large mirror, Queen size bed *no mattress or box springs being sold with bed, large 2-drawer coffee table w/ matching 1drawer end tables, Samsung 36” TV w/remote, 2-door TB stand w/ shelves above doors. Call 541-992- 1066 or 303-810-0406.

Public Notices 999

NG23-455 IN THE CIRCUIT

COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN In the Matter of the Estate of:

NORMA EILEEN THOMPSON, Deceased. Case No.

23PB02197 NOTICE TO

INTERESTED PERSONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that SHEILA JUSTINE BORDEN has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to Personal Representative, SHEILA JUSTINE BORDEN, at the address below, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the personal representative, or the attorneys for the personal representative.

ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: c/-o

Attorney David V. Cramer, OSB #992479 Zantello Law Group, 2941 NW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR 97367 DATED and first published: March 21, 2023. David V. Cramer, Attorney for Personal Representative.

NG23-450 TS No.

OR08000192-22-1

APN R368066 TO No

220659815-OR-MSO TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, STEPHANIE ALLISON BOSCH as Grantor to TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. as Trustee, in favor of RED CANOE CREDIT UNION as Beneficiary dated as of February 18, 2021 and recorded on February 19, 2021 as Instrument No. 2021-02048 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Lincoln County, Oregon to-wit: APN: R368066 LOT 3, BLOCK 2, CREST LINE ESTATES, IN THE CITY OF WALDPORT, LINCOLN COUNTY, OREGON, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PLAT THEREOF RECORDED JUNE 9, 1966 IN PLAT BOOK 10, PAGE 12, PLAT RECORDS. Commonly known as: 120 SW GREENWOOD WAY, WALDPORT, OR 97394 Both the Beneficiary, Red Canoe Credit Union, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.735(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor’s failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Monthly Payment(s): 1 Monthly Payment(s) from 07/01/2022 to 02/01/2023 at $15,339.75 Monthly Late Charge(s): 1 Monthly Late Charge(s) By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said Trust Deed immediately due and pay-

able, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $322,116.53 together with interest thereon at the rate of 3.00000% per annum from June 1, 2022 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee’s fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed.

Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on July 17, 2023 at the hour of 10:00 AM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, at the Olive Street entrance to the Lincoln County Courthouse, 225 W Olive, Newport, OR 97365 County of Lincoln, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the Grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said Trust Deed, together with any interest which the Grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said Trust Deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the Trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.753 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the Beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together with the costs, Trustee’s or attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or Trust Deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic.

Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale. In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “Grantor” includes any successor in interest to the Grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said Trust Deed, the words “Trustee” and “Beneficiary” includes their respective successors in interest, if any.

Dated: 3/1/2023 By: Nathan

F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 Successor Trustee Malcolm & Cisneros, A Law Corporation Attention: Nathan F. Smith, Esq., OSB #120112 c/o TRUSTEE CORPS 17100 Gillette Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Order Number 89932, Pub

Dates: 3/14/2023, 3/21/2023, 3/28/2023, 4/4/2023, THE NEWS GUARD

NG23-451 Public Auction at Anchor Storage 1673 SE East Devils Lake Rd, Lincoln City OR 97341. Contact number is 541- 921-9878. The following unit(s) will be sold at Public Auction on March 24th, 2023 Beginning at 11:00 am for non-payment of rent and other fees. Unit #A58 Curtis Diener, Unit #C37 Julie Voelcker, Unit #E33 Denise Voelcker, Unit #B43 Christian Enriquez, Unit #A8 Christopher Haught.

NG23-453 IN THE CIRCUIT

COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN In the Matter of the Estate of: LINDA JEAN MITCHELL, Deceased. Case No. 23PB01821 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that MILES J. VICKSTROM has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to Personal Representative, MILES J. VICKSTROM, at the address below, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice,

or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the personal representative, or the attorneys for the personal representative.

ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: c/-o Attorney Joshua D. Zantello, OSB #121562 Zantello Law Group, 2941 NW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR 97367. DATED and first published: March 14, 2023. Joshua D. Zantello, Attorney for Personal Representative.

NG23-434 TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF SALE T.S. No.: OR22-943870- RM Reference is made to that certain deed made by, NATHAN P INGLIMA, A MARRIED MAN AND DANNELLA J. INGLIMA AS TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY as Grantor to FIRST AMERICAN TITLE, as trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE

ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS

NOMINEE FOR COUNTRYWIDE BANK, FSB., A FED SVGS BANK, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS, as Beneficiary, dated 11/16/2007, recorded 11/26/2007, in official records of LINCOLN County, Oregon in book/reel/volume No. and/ or as fee/file/instrument/microfilm/reception number 200716416 and modified as per Modification Agreement recorded 9/13/2021 as Instrument No. 2021- 11666 and subsequently assigned or transferred by operation of law to U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2021-GS5 covering the following described real property situated in said County, and State.

APN: R508528 / 131127B00180100 BEGINNING AT THE MEANDER CORNER TO SECTIONS 27

AND 28, TOWNSHIP 13 SOUTH, RANGE 11 WEST OF THE WILLAMETTE MERIDIAN, IN LINCOLN COUNTY, OREGON ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ALSEA RIVER; THENCE SOUTH 00 DEG. 09’00” WEST, 224.37 FEET ALONG THE WEST

SECTION 27 ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID ULREY TRACT TO THE MEAN HIGH WATER LINE OF THE ALSEA RIVER, THENCE WESTERLY ALONG SAID HIGH WATER LINE TO THE WEST LINE OF SECTION 27; THENCE SOUTHERLY ALONG SAID WEST LINE TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. Commonly known as: 3251 E Alsea Hwy, Waldport, OR 97394 The undersigned hereby certifies that based upon business records there are no known written assignments of the trust deed by the trustee or by the beneficiary, except as recorded in the records of the county or counties in which the above described real property is situated. Further, no action has been instituted to recover the debt, or any part thereof, now remaining secured by the trust deed, or, if such action has been instituted, such action has been dismissed except as permitted by ORS 86.752(7). Both the beneficiary and the trustee have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said trust deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. There is a default by grantor or other person owing an obligation, performance of which is secured by the trust deed, or by the successor in interest, with respect to provisions therein which authorize sale in the event of such provision. The default for which foreclosure is made is grantor’s failure to pay when due the following

sum: TOTAL REQUIRED TO

REINSTATE: $10,998.74 TO-

TAL REQUIRED TO PAY-

OFF: $107,012.32 Because of interest, late charges, and other charges that may vary from day-to-day, the amount due on the day you pay may be greater. It will be necessary for you to contact the Trustee before the time you tender reinstatement or the payoff amount so that you may be advised of the exact amount you will be required to pay. By reason of the default, the beneficiary has declared all sums owing on the obligation secured by the trust deed immediately due and payable, those sums being the following, to-wit: The installments of principal and interest which became due on 1/1/2022, and all subsequent installments of principal and interest through the date of this Notice, plus amounts that are due for late charges, delinquent property taxes, insurance premiums, advances made on senior liens, taxes and/or insurance, trustee’s fees, and any attorney fees and court costs arising from or associated with the beneficiaries efforts to protect and preserve its security, all of which must be paid as a condition of reinstatement, including all sums that shall accrue through reinstatement or pay-off. Nothing in this notice shall be construed as a waiver of any fees owing to the Beneficiary under the Deed of Trust pursuant to the terms of the loan documents. Whereof, notice hereby is given that QUALITY LOAN SERVICE CORPORATION F/K/A QUALITY LOAN SERVICE CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON, the undersigned trustee will on 6/22/2023 at the hour of 10:00 AM, Standard of Time, as established by section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, At the south entrance to the Lincoln County Courthouse, located at 225 W Olive Street, Newport, OR 97365 County of LINCOLN, State of Oregon, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by him of the said trust deed, together with any interest which the grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said trust deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the trustee. Notice is further given that any person named in Section 86.778 of Oregon Revised Statutes has the right to have the foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the trust deed reinstated by payment to the beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than

such portion of said principal as would not then be due had no default occurred), together with the costs, trustee’s and attorney’s fees and curing any other default complained of in the Notice of Default by tendering the performance required under the obligation or trust deed, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale. Other than as shown of record, neither the beneficiary nor the trustee has any actual notice of any person having or claiming to have any lien upon or interest in the real property hereinabove described subsequent to the interest of the trustee in the trust deed, or of any successor in interest to grantor or of any lessee or other person in possession of or occupying the property, except: Name and Last Known Address and Nature of Right, Lien or Interest Nathan Inglima 3251 E Alsea Hwy Waldport, OR 97394 Original Borrower Dannella Inglima 3251 E Alsea Hwy Waldport, OR 97394

For Sale Information Call:

916- 939-0772 or Login to: www.nationwideposting.com

In construing this notice, the singular includes the plural, the word “grantor” includes any successor in interest to this grantor as well as any other person owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by the trust deed, and the words “trustee” and “beneficiary” include their respective successors in interest, if any. Pursuant to Oregon Law, this sale will not be deemed final until the Trustee’s deed has been issued by QUALITY LOAN SERVICE CORPORATION

F/K/A QUALITY LOAN SERVICE CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON. If any irregularities are discovered within 10 days of the date of this sale, the trustee will rescind the sale, return the buyer’s money and take further action as necessary. If the sale is set aside for any reason, including if the Trustee is unable to convey title, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the monies paid to the Trustee. This shall be the Purchaser’s sole and exclusive remedy. The purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Trustor, the Trustee, the Beneficiary, the Beneficiary’s Agent, or the Beneficiary’s Attorney. If you have previously been discharged through bankruptcy, you may have been released of personal liability for this loan in which case this letter is intended to exercise the note holders right’s against the real property only. As required by law, you are hereby notified that a negative credit report reflecting on your credit record may be submitted to a credit report agency if you fail to fulfill the terms of your credit obligations. Without limiting the trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the trustee’s sale. NOTICE TO TENANTS: TENANTS OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY HAVE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS AFFFORDED TO THEM UNDER ORS 86.782 AND POSSIBLY UNDER FEDERAL LAW. ATTACHED TO THIS NOTICE OF SALE, AND INCORPORATED HEREIN, IS A NOTICE TO TENANTS THAT SETS FORTH SOME OF THE PROTECTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO A TENANT OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY AND WHICH SETS FORTH CERTAIN REQUIRMENTS THAT MUST BE COMPLIED WITH BY ANY TENANT IN ORDER

ton 2763 Camino Del Rio South San Diego, CA 92108

Toll Free: (866) 925-0241 Trustee’s Physical Address: Quality Loan Service Corporation f/k/-a Quality Loan Service Corporation of Washington 2763 Camino Del Rio South San Diego, CA 92108 Toll Free: (866) 925-0241 IDSPub #0183882 3/7/2023 3/14/2023 3/21/2023

NG23-439 TRUSTEE’S NO-

TICE OF SALE TS NO.: 21-

62706 Reference is made to that certain Deed of Trust (hereinafter referred as the Trust Deed) made by Edward F. Turner Jr. and Julie L. Turner as tenants by the Entirety as Grantor to Western Title, as trustee, in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), as designated nominee for West Coast Bank, beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, as Beneficiary, dated 12/18/2008, recorded 12/23/2008, as Instrument No. 2008-14349, in mortgage records of Lincoln County, Oregon covering the following described real property situated in said County and State, to-wit: Beginning at an iron rod set in the center of an existing road that is South 717.83 feet and West 2108.85 feet from the Southwest comer of the Robert Newton tract as described in Volume 208, page 503, Deed Records (said Newton comer being South 2229.15 feet and West 1396.75 feet from the Northeast comer of Section 29, Township 13 South, Range 11 West, Willamette Meridian, in Lincoln County, Oregon); thence along the center line of said road North 26° 55’ West 42.82 feet; thence North 13° 23’ West 293.35 feet; thence North 25° 55 West 135.30 feet; thence North 33° 39’ West 95.10 feet; thence North 23° 32’ West 63.05 feet; thence West 150.76 feet, more or less, to the West line of the Southeast quarter of the Northwest quarter of said Section 29; thence South 0° 03’ 30” East along said West line 218.92 feet to the Northwest comer of the Northeast quarter of the Southwest quarter of said Section 29; thence South 2° 27’ West along the West line of said quarter 504.34 feet; thence East 301.59 feet; thence North 35° 01’ East 177.64 feet to the point of beginning. EXCEPT the Easterly 25 feet for roadway and utility purposes; and EXCEPTING that part thereof conveyed to the City of Waldport by deed recorded June 30,1965, in Volume 256, page 487, Deed Records of Lincoln County, Oregon. ALSO EXCEPTING any portion that may overlap that parcel deeded to the City of Waldport for water tank placement. The street address or other common designation, if any for the real property described above is purported to be: 3328 SE NELSON WAYSIDE DRIVE, WALDPORT, OREGON 97394 The Tax Assessor’s Account ID for the Real Property is purported to be: R381909/ 131129CA00105 and R379181/131129CA00105

Both the beneficiary and the trustee, ZBS Law, LLP have elected to foreclose the above referenced Trost Deed and sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by the Trost Deed and a Notice of Default

and Election to Sell has been recorded pursuant to ORS 86.752(3). All right, title, and interest in the said described property which the grantors had, or had power to convey, at the time of execution of the Trust Deed, together with any interest the grantors or their successors in interest acquired after execution of the Trust Deed shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for cash to satisfy the obligations secured by the Trust Deed and the expenses of sale, including the compensation of the trustee as provided by law, and the reasonable fees of trustee’s attorneys. The default for which the foreclosure is made is: The monthly installment of principal and interest which became due on 11/1/2018, late charges, and all subsequent monthly installments of principal and interest. You are responsible to pay all payments and charges due under the terms and conditions of the loan documents which come due subsequent to the date of this notice, including, but not limited to, foreclosure trustee fees and costs, advances and late charges. Furthermore, as a condition to bring your account in good standing, you must provide the undersigned with written proof that you are not in default on any senior encumbrance and provide proof of insurance. Nothing in this notice should be construed as a waiver of any fees owing to the beneficiary under the deed of trust, pursuant to the terms and provisions of the loan documents. The amount required to cure the default in payments to date is calculated as follows:

of past due payments: $94,536.50 Late Charges: $1,780.74 Additional charges (Taxes, Insurance, Cor-

porate Advances, Other

Fees): $5,693.53 Trustee’s

Fees and Costs: $588.00

Total necessary to cure:

$102,598.77 Please note the amounts stated herein are subject to confirmation and review and are likely to change during the next 30 days. Please contact the successor trustee ZBS Law, LLP, to obtain a “reinstatement’ and or “payoff’ quote prior to remitting funds. By reason of said default the beneficiary has declared all sums owing on the obligation secured by the Trust Deed due and payable. The amount required to discharge this lien in its entirety to date is: $374,182.92

Said sale shall be held at the hour of 10:00 AM on 5/12/2023 in accord with the standard of time established by ORS 187.110, and pursuant to ORS 86.771(7) shall occur at the following designated place: At the front entrance to the Lincoln County Courthouse located at 225 West Olive, in the City of Newport, OR 97365 Other than as shown of record, neither the said beneficiary nor the said trustee have any actual notice of any person having or claiming to have any lien upon or interest in the real property hereinabove described subsequent to the interest of the trustee in the Trust Deed, or of any successor(s) in interest to the grantors or of any lessee or other person in possession of or occupying the property, except: NONE Notice is further given that any person named in ORS 86.778 has the right, at any time prior to five days before the date last set for sale, to have this foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the Trust Deed reinstated by payment to the beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of the principal as would not

then be due had no default occurred) and by curing any other default complained of herein that is capable of being cured by tendering the performance required under the obligation(s) of the Trust Deed, and in addition to paying said sums or tendering the performance necessary to cure the default, by paying all costs and expenses actually incurred in enforcing the obligation and Trust Deed, together with the trustee’s and attorney’s fees not exceeding the amounts provided by ORS 86.778. The mailing address of the trustee is: ZBS Law, LLP 5 Centerpointe Dr., Suite 400 Lake Oswego, OR 97035 (503) 946-6558

In construing this notice, the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes plural, the word “grantor” includes any successor in interest to the grantor as well as any other persons owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by said trust deed, the words “trustee” and ‘ beneficiary” include their respective successors in interest, if any. Without limiting the trustee’s disclaimer of representations or warranties, Oregon law requires the trustee to state in this notice that some residential property sold at a trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential property should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the trustee’s sale.

Dated: 12/28/2022 ZBS Law, LLP By: Bradford Ellis Klein, OSB#165784 ZBS Law, LLP

Authorized to sign on behalf of the trustee A-4770123 02/28/2023, 03/07/2023, 03/14/2023, 03/21/2023.

on the County’s web site at http://www.co.lincoln.or.us/publicworks. Bidders may also obtain a Bid Package at the various Oregon Plan Centers.

PLEASE NOTE:

Only those bidders who request to be added to the County’s Plan Holders list will be directly notified of addendums or clarifications that might be issued. Addendums and clarifications will be posted to the County’s web site (http://www.co.lincoln.or.us/publicworks) and the Plan Centers will be notified. It is the Bidders sole responsibility to incorporate all addendums into the final submitted bid. Signed copies of the addendums and clarifications must be attached to the bid submittal at the time of bid opening. Failure to include all posted addendums or clarifications will be cause to reject the bid.

Bids must be received at Lincoln County Public Works, 880 NE 7th Street, Newport, Oreg on 97365, by bid closing 2:00 p.m. on March 31st, 2023. Mailing address: 880 NE 7TH STREET, NEWPORT, OREGON 97365. Submit bids in a sealed envelope marked, “COUGARCREEKAOP; BidForm – BidClosingMarch 31st, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.” Pursuant to ORS 279C.370 bidders are required to disclose information about certain first- tier subcontractors, either in the bid submission envelope or within two (2) working hours after bid closing.

The bidder must comply as applicable with ORS 279C.800 through ORS279C.870 or 40 USC 276a. Each bidder must complete the Residency Statement included in the Bid Form. Bidders shall be currently registered with the Construction Contractors Board (CCB), holding the proper registration for the work contemplated herein, at the time of su bmittal. All Subcontractors participating in the project shall be similarly registered with the CCB at the time they propose to engage in subcontract work. The CCB registration requirements apply to all public works contracts unless superseded by federal law.

Bids will be opened and publicly read at Lincoln County Public Works, 880 NE 7th Street, Newport, Oregon 97365 at 2:00 P.M. on March 31st, 2023 . The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reject any bid not in conformity with the bid requirements, or the right to reject all bids if it is in the best interest of Lincoln County.

NG23-454

Equal pay gaps remain 6 years after implementation

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan has released an advisory report from the Oregon Audits Division examining the impact of House Bill 2005, also known as the Pay Equity Bill. The report finds that despite progress, wage gaps in the state workforce persist six years after the legislation was signed into law.

“We’ve made progress,” Fagan said. “Agencies have implemented best practices that could reduce wage gaps over time and many state employees saw their pay go up during two rounds of adjustments. On the individual level, that matters a lot. However, this report shows at the macro level we’ve still got work to

do to address persistent wage gaps in our society.”

Findings

Despite progress, wage gaps in the state workforce persist.

Women on average earned 83 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts in 2015. The gap remains the same today. People of color on average earned 91 cents on the dollar compared to their white counterparts in 2015. The gap has increased to 88 cents on the dollar today. On average, we found white employees received the largest pay adjustments in 2019 and 2022 while people of color received the smallest. The median wage gap for people of color has gotten wider since 2015. Women received more raises than men, but not enough to close the median wage gap. Women

of color continue to have the largest wage gaps. State employees have grown more diverse over the past 15 years.

Factors contributing to persistent wage gaps

The Pay Equity Bill allows for some circumstances where wage gaps may be reasonable, such as differences in education, experience, or seniority. Systemic issues in our society impacting those factors are likely contributing to persistent wage gaps among state employees.

Background

Discrimination and other systemic issues have historically contributed to women and people of color earning

lower wages for the same work as their male or white colleagues. The purpose of HB 2005 was to reduce differences in employee compensation for employees performing the same work. In the following years, the State of Oregon completed two equal-pay analyses and implemented salary adjustments for employees based on these analyses. To complete our review, the Oregon Audits Division analyzed payroll data from the Department of Administrative Services for the purpose of determining if previously identified wage gaps have closed.

Read the advisory report with this with this story at thenewsguard.com.

Where women work, how much they make in Oregon

JAKE PROCINO

News Guard Gust Article

More than 890,000 jobs in Oregon businesses or state and local governments were held by women in 2021.

Women represent 48% of employment in Oregon, but the share of jobs held by women varies considerably by industry. These figures come from 2021, when the Oregon economy was still recovering from the 2020

Pandemic Recession before Oregon recovered all payroll jobs in aggregate in late 2022.

Women’s average earnings were $4,413 per month in 2021, an inflation-adjusted growth rate of 7.3% from 2019, averaging 3.6% in the two years. This continues a trend of growth in women’s wages that has exceeded the growth of total wages throughout the United States. For comparison, men’s average earnings grew 4.2% to

$6,089 from 2019 to 2021, averaging 2.1% annual growth over the two years. Earnings for women, just like employment, vary by industry.

A note on the use of sex in this article: While gender is a spectrum, this article only uses the two binary sexes “female” and “male.” The data referenced in this article is from the Census’ Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI), which sources their sex data from the Social Security Ad-

ministration. While sex identification on a Social Security document can be binary or non-binary, Social Security’s record system can only designate a person as either female or male.

Women’s Employment by Industry

Women outnumbered men in seven of Oregon’s 20 major industry sectors. Women held the highest percentage of jobs in health care and social assistance, holding nearly three out of every four jobs. Other industries with a high percentage of female employment include educational services (66%) and finance and insurance (62%). In contrast, women hold the lowest percentage of jobs in the industries of mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (16%) and construction (20%).

The health care and educational services industries not only have the greatest share of jobs held by women, but also top the list for greatest number of women employed in all of Oregon’s industries.

More than 213,000 jobs in health care and social assistance were held by women, while just over 92,000 women were employed in educational services. While retail trade employs more men than

women, the industry employs the second largest number of women with over 98,000 jobs.

Women’s Average Earnings by Industry

Monthly earnings for women in 2021 averaged $4,413. The industries where women earned the highest average income were management of companies and enterprises ($10,084), utilities ($7,242), and information ($7,096). These industries have a higher average wage overall, regardless of sex. Industries where women earned the least in terms of average income were accommodation and food services ($2,200); arts, entertainment, and recreation ($2,514); and retail trade ($2,906). Similarly, these industries tend to have a lower average wage overall.

In every industry, average monthly earnings for women were lower than men’s earnings. Women’s earnings as a percentage of men’s ranged from a relatively close 87% in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services to 59% in finance and insurance. There are many factors behind these disparities in earnings, such as the number of hours worked, the relative wages of

occupations with higher con-

centrations of women within these industries, and the propensity for women to hold or be promoted into management positions with higher rates of pay. Unfortunately, that information is not available from this particular data source, but is explored later in this article looking at external data sources.

Trends in Women’s Employment

Total average annual employment decreased (-3.9%) from 2019 to 2021 because of fall-out from the Pandemic Recession. The rate of employment loss for women (-4.8%) from 2019 to 2021 was slightly larger than that for men (-3.1%). Employment trends by industry for women tended to follow larger industry trends. Women’s employment growth was the highest in transportation and warehousing (14.9%); construction (4.1%); and professional, scientific, and technical services (3.8%). Employment among women decreased the most in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-33.9%); other services (-31.0%); and accommodation and food services (-18.7%).

People with lower wages were more likely to lose employment and stay unemployed in 2021. Industries that had larger dips in employment tended to see larger increases in average earnings than industries with stronger employment patterns. Because of these composition issues, it is hard to say anything definitive about wage growth from these figures.

The Wage Gap

The above data provide industry detail about the earnings of women and men in Oregon not available from other sources, but they do not explain why women have smaller paychecks than men on an aggregate level. On average, women in Oregon earn 72% of what men earn (not accounting for hours worked or type of job). This is up only 7 percentage points from 2011, when women earned 65% of what men earned, on average. While this is an improvement, the wage gap endures. There are a multitude of reasons for this, two of which are explored below: Hours worked and lack of representation in upper management. Difference in hours worked partially explains the wage gap. According to an article published by the

Courtesy photo

The state audit found that despite progress, wage gaps in the state workforce persist.

Courtesy from the Oregon Employment Department

Continued from Page 1 which hits their bottom line hard. In some cases, they are offering sign-on bonuses, plus additional hourly pay to entice people to apply, and are still coming up short. Of course, this is a multi-faceted issue with our housing shortage, lack of daycare, and people being able to work from home.”

Arce-Torres said Lincoln City needs to “be geared up to accommodate the influx”of tourists over Spring Break and into the coming summer.

“We also know that the traffic will be congested on Highway 101, and we need to remember to be patient and kind while driving and interacting with the frontline workers who have shown up for work,” she said. “Without the tourist industry, Lincoln City would look very different.”

Dollars and cents

In a published report in The News Guard in October, Explore Lincoln City Director Ed Dreistadt said tourism is making a rebound in Lincoln City.

“Through the second quarter of 2022 we saw $46,911,692 in revenue reported from lodging properties,” he said. “Through the end of 2021 we had $116, 599,614 in lodging revenue reported.”

In 2021, the city saw a total economic impact of $476,257,452 from guest spending, that includes lodging, food, grocery, retail, arts, and entertainment, according to the city records.

In 2020, lodging revenues were reported at $72,986,043. In 2019 the total lodging revenues added up to

Alcohol

Continued from Page 1 drinking and underage drinking. And 76% support increasing alcohol taxes to fund expanded access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment and recovery support services.

An increase in alcohol pricing is a proven public health tool recommended by the CDC to reduce harmful consumption, just like with tobacco. The legislators said the tool works, giving the example from Maryland, where a 3-percentage point price increase led to a 26% decline in underage drinking and 17% decline in binge drinking.

According to the legislators’ release, many Oregonians and lawmakers incorrectly believe that Measure 110 funding will help address the addiction crisis by expanding access to treatment. But Measure 110 funding cannot be used for prevention, nor will it fund any new treatment beds. Instead, funding is limited to use for referrals to treatment, which often put people on already long waitlists, critically needed harm reduction, and other important recovery supports—but will not reduce addiction rates nor increase access to traditional treatment.

Where the new revenue generated by the Alcohol Harm Reduction Act would be spent:

• Create Immediate Access to Treatment & Detox (25%): Direct OHA to develop and implement a program to provide immediate access to withdrawal management

$80,973,426. “2019 was our best year to date before COVID hit,” Dreistadt said in the October interview.

We reached out again to Dreistadt for this latest update, and while he didn’t have specific new tourism figures at press time, he did tells us, “our ultimate report card is the TRT ) Transient Room Tax) Revenue Report that is a compilation of the revenue reported by our lodging properties and used to calculate the Transient Room Tax. That tends to lag by three months or so, so we won’t know anything concrete for first quarter until sometime in June.”

Dreistadt added that he believes there the long-expected cooling in travel demand created by the COVID-19 pandemic is occuring.

“Our STR report on Occupancy, Average Daily Rate and Revenue per Available Room indicates we are getting close to where we were in 2019,” he said. “However, our winter/early spring numbers are not necessarily predictive of Spring Break or Peak Season performance. With airlines, cruise lines and other competitors coming back online in a big way, our guests are being presented with many more travel options. We continue to expect demand to decrease a bit, but also see an increase in repeat business from all the folks who discovered us during the pandemic. Approximating 2019, by the way, is not a bad thing. That was Lincoln City’s record revenue year pre-COVID.”

Dreistadt said that over the years, Lincoln City’s tourism demographics have shifted.

“We’ve become more of a

and culturally relevant residential treatment programs for every Oregonian.

• Expand Public Education/Prevention (15%): Direct the Oregon Health Authority to use the revenue for public education campaigns (like “Rethink the Drink”) that specifically educate Oregonians about the health consequences of consuming alcohol, opioids/fentanyl, cannabis, and methamphetamines. Communities most adversely impacted by substances must be prioritized.

• Introduce Consumer Education (10%): Direct the OLCC to implement a pointof-sale consumer education campaign regarding the health consequences of alcohol consumption with a primary focus on addiction, cancer, and impotence.

• Hire County Preventionists (20%): Direct county Behavioral Health and/or Public Health departments to place certified preventionists in every public middle and high school.

• Establish Family Relief Fund (10%): Direct OHA to create a fund to reimburse individuals and families for any insurance deductibles related to withdrawal management, residential and/or outpatient treatment and addiction therapists.

• Support Public Safety (10%): Direct local police to fund hiring certified peer mentors

• Combat Cannabis Cartels (10%): Direct state police to shut down and prosecute illegal cannabis operations across Oregon.

family destination during the spring and summer over the years, plus more attractive to empty-nesters in the fall and winter,” he said, noting that the pandemic has been a key factor.

“When many people had the ability to work remotely and children were attending virtual classrooms, there was no reasons parents couldn’t work from the beach and have their kids attend virtual school right here in Lincoln City,” he said. “All this drove a big increase in weekday visitation. Will we retain some of that gain now that most people have returned to a physical workplace and a brick-and-mortar classrooms? That has yet to be seen.”

Dreistadt said the city prides itself on packing much into its small footprint.

“We promise guests that Lincoln City is the one Oregon Coast vacation destination that delivers the unexpected,” he said. “Sevenand-a-half miles of uninterrupted, walkable beach matched by seven-and-a-half miles of town to explore. While we have a small beach town feel, we also offer endless pleasant surprises around every turn.

The surprises, Dreistadt said, “are being part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, floats on the beach, one-of-akind businesses and restaurants, kite festivals, haunted tours, six hiking trails within the City limits alone, a 685 acre fresh water lake next to the ocean, etc., etc. The beach is the big reason to come here, but there is much, much more to discover and enjoy.”

Traffic challenges

As the tourism season ramps up in earnest in Lin-

What the Alcohol Harm Reduction Act does:

• Temporarily and incrementally increases beer/cider/ wine pricing annually over 5 years.

• Beer/cider pricing: from $0.007/beer to $0.10/beer (2 cents each year)

• Wine pricing: from $0.03/glass to $0.17/glass (3 cents each year)

• Reduces beer/cider consumption by 2.6% and reduces wine consumption by 4.1% — which will be disproportionately felt among binge drinkers and underage drinkers, two behaviors predictive of lifetime addiction.

• Raises new revenue, approximately $350 million/ biennium by 2028. Importantly, unlike with Measure 110 dollars, these funds are eligible to be matched by federal dollars.

• Current OLCC revenue recipients continue to receive what they receive now, plus 5%.

About Oregon Recovers

Oregon Recovers is an inclusive statewide coalition of people in recovery–and their friends and family—uniting to transform Oregon healthcare to ensure world-class prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for Oregonians suffering from the disease of addiction.

Follow this developing story Tuesday print editions of The News Guard or online at www.thenewsguard.com.

coln City, locals know traffic becomes a main challenge.

Lincoln City Police Department (LCPD) officers also experience the challenges first-hand.

“One of the most consistent traffic crash calls we respond to are rear end collisions.,” LCPD Lt. Jeffrey Winn said. “These are generally lower speed crashes that occur in heavy stop and go traffic conditions.” Winn said such crashes are caused when one driver is either following to close, traffic suddenly stops and the driver can’t stop in time before hitting the back of the vehicle they are following ,or there is a break in the heavy traffic and a driver will speed up and not see or realize traffic is slowing or stopping in front of them in time to stop before hitting the back of the vehicle in front of them.

“In both of these scenarios, the drivers are really not paying close enough attention to their driving or are distracted in some way or they are being impatient and trying to go faster than traffic allows,” Winn said.

Winn says driver anticipation is critical.

“The biggest recommendations we can give to avoid these types of crashes is to leave in plenty of time, slow

your driving,” Winn said.

“Avoid being distracted by your passengers or especially by your cell phones while driving and be patient.”

During the month of April many schools and colleges will be on spring break and Winn said that means there will be a significant increase in visitors to the coast.

“Besides more vehicles on the streets and roadways, we will see many pedestrians and bicyclists out enjoying the area and our local businesses,” he said. “We encourage drivers to be extra vigilant while driving, watching for

or roadways or walking or biking along our side streets.” April is Distracted Driving Awareness month and the LCPD will be using grant funds to conduct enhanced enforcement operations aimed specifically at stopping drivers who are using their cell phones while driving. “In addition, these officers will be watching for drivers who are driving aggressively, such as by following to close, or by making excessive lane changes without properly signaling, or without leaving enough space and of course speeding” Winn said.

Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc.

Lincoln City’s seven-mile stretch of beach is a key attraction and economic driver for the region.

Spring whale watching returns

JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc

Oregon State Parks will host Spring Whale Watch Week in person along the Oregon Coast Tuesday, March 28 through Sunday, April 2.

Every year thousands of gray whales pass through Oregon’s waters in the spring on their journey home from the calving lagoons in Mexico, and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites visitors to the coast to see them.

An estimated 18,000 gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores from late March through June as part of their annual migration back toward Alaska. The end of March is the beginning of this migration and timed per fectly for spring break.

In a previous interview with The News Guard, OPRD

OPRD issues western snowy plover advisory

STAFF REPORT

Country Media, Inc.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and federal U.S. Forest Service are encouraging visitors to the Oregon Coast that it is plover nesting season — visitors can help recovery efforts for the threatened western snowy plover by sharing the beaches March 15 to Sept. 15.

Sensitive plover nesting areas will be roped off or identified by signs with rules and limits, such as staying on the wet sand, to help protect the small shorebirds and their exposed nests during this crucial period. Plover beaches remain open to foot and equestrian traffic below the high-tide line on wet, packed sand throughout the nesting season. This ensures that plover nests, eggs and chicks are kept safe.

All other recreation on plover beaches is prohibited on both wet and dry sand, in-

cluding walking a dog (even on a leash), driving a vehicle, riding a bicycle, camping, burning wood and flying kites or operating drones. These small birds nest on open sand along Oregon’s beaches. Nests, and especially chicks, are well-camouflaged. During the nesting season, human disturbances can flush adult plovers away from their nests as they attempt to defend their young. Left alone too long, or too often, eggs or chicks can die from exposure, predators or people.

“We’re making great strides in reversing the decline of this species,” Siuslaw National Forest wildlife biologist Cindy Burns said. “But it takes all of us, so we urge people to do their part to understand nesting season rules and to share the beach this spring and summer.”

Recreation restrictions occur in designated plover management areas: small stretches of beach along the coastline where plovers nest or might

nest. These areas combined make up about 40 miles of Or egon’s 362 miles of shoreline.

More information on the snowy plover, including de tailed maps of nesting sites, can be found on the Oregon State Parks website (oregon. gov/plovers) and on the Siu slaw National Forest website. Visitors to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area can review maps at its website to identify unrestricted recre ation areas and information on riding motor vehicles on the sand.

New plover activity

The increase in plover numbers may result in nesting occurring in new or historical nesting sites. For example, visitors to Sand Lake Recreation Area may see small roped off areas near the lake’s inlet to protect active nests, and may encounter plovers on the beach. Beachgoers are encouraged to protect these birds by restricting recreation

spokesman Chris Havel said people are fascinated by the whales for good reason.

“People are clever and good at inventing and building ways to survive and thrive, and wildlife, like whales, do the same thing through sheer awesome power,” he said. “There’s still some mystery about their lives, and seeing them in action is a thrill. Seeing them in real life is also a reminder of how we affect all marine life, and have a responsibility to eliminate pollution and be careful stewards of the planet’s resources.”

Havel adds that people are naturally attracted to the whales’ beauty, mystery, and power.

“But we also appreciate being reminded of our place

The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.

A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on the official event webpage at: www.oregonstateparks. org/index.cfm?do=thingstodo.dsp_whaleWatching

Trained volunteers will be stationed at 17 sites to help visitors spot whales, share information and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The sites are some of

gray whales are usually closer to shore on their return trip, typically around a mile or so out, and the weather is a little warmer for visitors,” OPRD Park Ranger Peter McBride said.

All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule and keeping an eye on the surf at all times.

For safety tips, visit: www.visittheoregoncoast. com/beach-safety/

For more information about coast parks and campgrounds, visit oregonstate-

activities to wet sand areas, avoiding roped off nesting areas, packing all trash out and keeping dogs on leash.

Background about plover protections

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed western snowy plovers as a threatened species in 1993, when officials counted only 55 breeding adults. The numbers of breed-

ing adults have steadily increased since then, from 107 in 2003 to 604 in 2021.

Several land managers oversee beach activity for plover protection, primarily the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

Habitat loss from invasive plants — as well as human disturbances, including litter

and discarded food scraps that attract predators — have contributed to the birds’ decline.

The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, saveoregondunes.org, is working with land managers on a restoration strategy and to raise public awareness about the need to restore the dunes ecosystem for western snowy plovers, rare plants and animals, and the unique recreation opportunities offered here.

Courtesy from the OPRD A whale emerges out of the pacific and into the air along the Oregon Coast.

The small birds nest on open sand along Oregon’s beaches.

THS baseball, softball back in full swing

WILL LOHRE

Country Media, Inc.

While spring is known to bring nice weather, it also marks the return of high school baseball and softball around Oregon.

Taft High School’s baseball and softball teams will look to build off seasons last year that saw both programs in the state playoffs. With almost the entire season ahead, these early games are just the start of the journey for Tigers Baseball and Softball.

Baseball

Taft High School’s baseball team began their season with a 4-8 defeat to Corbett High School. Last season, Taft baseball finished with a 19-10 regular season record before being bounced from the state playoffs by eventual finalists Santiam Christian. This season, Taft hopes to build off last year’s success.

“Expectations are always high. We only graduated one senior last year, so hoping the experience gained last year will help us have a successful year,” Head Coach Dustin Hankins said.

Hankins said he is excited to get the season underway and is happy with participation in the program this year and that the program has 28 kids participating. Hankins expects the team’s seniors, Baron Delameter and Gavin Koceja, to “lead the way” for the team as leaders and with their play on the field.

Wages

Continued from Page 9 Bureau of Labor Statistics, women in the U.S. who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earnings that were 83% of the median earnings for men who were full-time wage and salary workers in 2021 — notably more than the 72% for all workers in Oregon. One big reason for the discrepancy in hours worked is child care.

According to a 2023 study by Pew Research, women with a child at home tend to be less active in workplace or work fewer hours than women without a child at home. Men, however, tend to be more active in the workplace and work more hours with a child at home. Additionally, Pew notes, “Women who experience breaks in their careers after becoming mothers sacrifice at least some of their earnings.”

A lack of equal representation of the sexes in upper management positions (significantly higher paying jobs) also partly explains why average earnings of women are less than the average earnings of their male counterparts. A 2022 analysis from McKinsey & Company, a management

We always hope that our athletes have fun, while also learning how to work as a team. We want them to walk away being better versions of themselves.

Dustin Hankins, Head THS Baseball Coach

For Hankins, the season isn’t just about wins and losses; he wants to make sure that his athletes not only walk away better players but also to have enjoyed the experience and come away as better people.

“We always hope that our athletes have fun, while also learning how to work as a team,” Hankins said. “We want them to walk away being better versions of themselves.”

Softball

The softball team finished the 2022 spring with a record of 19-7 and finished as League Champions in 3A-SD1 Special District 1. They lost in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs to South Umpqua 3-10. This season, Taft opened the gate 1-1, with a loss to Corbett 10-4 in their first game and a 25-16 win in a shootout with Newport.

This season has been a step in the right direction after some challenging COVID-ridden seasons, and participation in the program is growing.

“We are excited to have our numbers back up after a

consulting firm, examines how COVID-19 has affected women in the workplace at the national level. They found that fewer and fewer women are employed in management positions as you move up the corporate ladder. At the start of 2022, 48% of entry-level managers surveyed were women, while only 26% of “C-suite” managers (e.g. CEO, CTO, CFO, etc.) were women. There are many other economic factors that contribute to the enduring wage gap not covered here. Pew (in their study referenced above) looked at other factors such as discrimination, differences in education, and the “fatherhood wage premium.” The Oregon Employment Department looked at the effects COVID-19 had on women’s employment in Oregon in its study: Disparate Impact: COVID-19 Job Losses by Sector and Gender in Oregon.

Employment and Earnings for Transgender and Non-binary Workers

Currently, neither the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) nor the Census Bureau collects gender identity for employment measurement purposes. As mentioned above,

couple if small teams following COVID,” Head Coach Sandy Stuart said. “We were able to form a JV team this year, which will give a lot of girls the opportunity to learn and grow in fast-paced high school games. I am very excited for the program’s future.”

This year is a new Tigers softball team, and they are rebuilding after losing three seniors last season. Stuart is excited to watch their athletes fill the shoes of those who have left and expects the team to do well.

“I look forward to this time of year more than anything. Every team is unique, and I have enjoyed every single one,” Stuart said. “We really have a whole team of great athletes. We are excited to have Miranda Hankins back on the field after her knee injury; her bat will help our offense a lot. Seniors Nat Gates and Hailey Weaver, as our battery, will be a vital part of both offense and defense. Also, keep an eye on the speedy Freshman Laney Lee on the basepaths this season.”

In the team’s first victory of the season, Laney Lee went 4/4 at the plate and scored six

the QWI data used in this article uses sex data from the Social Security Administration. The BLS and Census have assessed the feasibility about asking about gender identity in the Current Population Survey (CPS; the survey the U.S. uses to measure unemployment), but there are currently no plans to ask about gender identity in the CPS.

While there are no official government measures of employment and earnings for transgender and non-binary workers, there are several other private organizations that do research on the topic. Though, it should be noted that this type of research is from relatively small sample sizes compared with the near-universe counts that make up the Census’ Local Employment Household Dynamics (LEHD) dataset.

In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality estimated from a sample that the unemployment rate for transgender residents in Oregon was 12%. This is more than double the unemployment rate of 5.5% for all residents in Oregon in 2015.

Research by the Human Rights Campaign estimates the U.S. 2021 median weekly

times while batting in three more runners. Not content with just making an offensive impact, Lee also made diving defensive plays in the field. Miranda Hankins knocked one out of the park and went 3/5 hitting with an eye-popping 7 RBIs. Nat Gates also got in on the slugfest with five hits in five at-bats, four runs scored, and six RBIs.

“Our bats woke up after a slow day on Monday which was huge. Everyone in the lineup made contact,” Stuart said.

In the 25-16 hit bonanza, junior Jorden King also contributed a home run for the Tigers. While Stuart said the team still has some fine-tuning to do, it was a great way to get the first win.

For Stuart, getting the team to gel is a big priority, and the early season is as much about building team chemistry and trust, as much as it is about results. The work they do now will set the tone for the rest of the season.

“Our motto is to “Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together,” and that is what I hope they take away,” Stuart said. “I hope they learn and grow together as a team and experience that camaraderie. I also hope we can continue to develop our younger players and make them into exceptional softball players.”

Follow Taft High School sports at osaa.org and look for features at thenewsguard. com. and in the Tuesday print editions of The News Guard.

earnings for transgender men is $700 (about 70% of the typical U.S. worker), $600 for transgender women (60%) and $698 (70%) for non-binary workers.

Employment and Earnings by Sex Data

Information about employment and earnings by industry and sex is from the U.S. Census’s Local Employment Household Dynamics (LEHD) partnership with the states. LEHD provides the most comprehensive data available for employment and earnings of women and men at the state and county level. Employment data is the average of quarterly employment for 2021. Earnings are the average of quarterly earnings in 2021 of workers who worked at least one full quarter during the year.

To explore and use the data available from LEHD, visit lehd.ces.census.gov.

Jake Procino is a Workforce Analyst for the Oregon Employment Department. He may be reached at jake.d.procino@employ.oregon.gov or 503-545-1709.

Courtesy photo

The Taff High School Softball Team, from left to right, Piper Delameter, Ava Lambie, Hailey Weaver, Jorden King, Ally Hall, Nat Gates, Bridgett Marsh, Brooklyn Lovell, Angilea Deaton, Miranda Hankins, Lexi McDougal, Olivia Hertz, and Laney Lee.