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Lincoln County, Oregon
Lincoln County takes part in No Kings Day The courier, identified as 20-year-old Tejveer Kumar from San Bernardino, California, was arrested and booked on charges of Attempted Aggravated Theft and Conspiracy. (Metro Creative Connection)
The lines of people holding signs and waving to drivers passing stretched for blocks along Highway 101 in north Lincoln City. See more photos with this story at the Lincoln County Leader website. (Jeremy C. Ruark / Lincoln Country Leader) JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
“The U.S. Bill of Rights guarantees the rights of free speech and free assembly; these are hallmarks of a democracy. Democracy stays in balance by making sure everyone is heard. When we speak out because we see something going wrong with democracy, we are fulfilling our obligation as citizens,” Indivisible Lincoln City organizer Shar
Walbaum wrote in a Letter to the Editor sent to the Lincoln County Leader. Walbaum joined what she estimated 1,100 other Lincoln City residents for the national No Kings Day rally October 18 as a protest to President Trump’s policies. The rally, designed as a peaceful protest, was conducted along Highway 101 in north Lincoln City. People lined several blocks of the highway, many holding signs with protest
Several people dressed in custom and held signs showing their concerns during the No Kings Day rally in North Lincoln City. See more photos with this story at the Lincoln County Leader website. (Jeremy C. Ruark / Lincoln Country Leader) statements such as, Freedom, Ethics, Accountability Always; Activism is Patriotic; Stop Ice, Save immigrants; and No Human Being is Illegal. Mangy passing drivers honked their horns as a show of support for the protesters. Lincoln City Mayor Susan Wahlke said she attended the rally. “I am here to show support for this organization which is standing up for our rights,” she
said. When asked by the Lincoln County Leader what her greatest fear was by actions from the Trump administration, Wahlke replied: “The cuts in benefits will really affect our community,” she said. “The lack of food. The lack of health care. There are many social services that are being cut.” While the concern of the See RALLY, page A6
WHERE WE LIVE
Salishan Farmers Market wraps up summer season JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
Newport resident and vendor Desiree York at her booth surround by her handmade jewelry. (Jeremy C. Ruark / Lincoln Country Leader)
The 2025 Salishan Farmers Market is preparing the end its annual run and vendors are planning for next year. On any given Friday and Saturday, you’ll likely see dozens of vehicles parked along Highway 101 and filling the resort’s Marketplace parking lot with people arriving to visit the booths that offer a variety of wares and local fruits and vegetables. Carla Sowell, Eddyville resident, has been a vendor for several years. “I really like interacting with the customers,” she said. “It is a
really nice atmosphere here and I really enjoy and i am really happy the other vendors.” Attached to her stand were colorful fabric-layered balls with specific designs. What she calls ballon balls. “Because they have a ballon inside of them,” she said. “They are reusable, so when one breaks, you just put a new balloon in.” Adjacent to the ballon balls were cell phone and snack bags. The bags include her personal embroidery designs. “I like watching a design start and you keep adding thread until See MARKET, page A4
School board appoints Schaefer as new member The Lincoln County School District (LCSD) Board of Directors has appointed Natalie Schaefer as the Zone 2 Board member. Schaefer’s appointment comes after the resignation of Zone 2 Board Member Liz Martin. Schaefer has served as Executive Director of Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center for the past four years. Her 40-year career spans K-12 and higher education, nonprofit administration, corporate philanthropy, and park interpretation, according to a release from the LCSD. “The future of our community, our state and the nation depend upon an educated populace,” Schaefer wrote in her application. “Oregon’s future leaders deserve the best from us, and I am here to
say I vouch for their right to a balanced and well-rounded education. The opportunity to serve the children and families of Lincoln County as a school board member is an impactful way to give back to the community in which I live.” The LCSD Board declared Zone 2 vacant during the September 9 meeting, following Martin’s announced resignation and accepted applications until September 30. The Board interviewed two candidates at their work session on October 14. Following the interviews, the Board selected Schaefer with a unanimous 4-0 vote. SchaeSee SCHAEFER, page A4
LCSD Board of Directors Chair Peter Vince reaches out to shake the hand of new board member Natalie Schaefer after swearing her in during the regular monthly board meeting October 14, 2025. Schaefer will serve the remainder of Liz Martin’s term which runs through June 30, 2027. (Courtesy photo from the LCSD)
1422 N Coast Hwy 101 • Newport • 541-265-7731
County woman scammed out of $284,000 in gold fraud case JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
After months of gold scam warnings issued by state and local law enforcement agencies across Oregon, another victim has come forward. This time in Lincoln County. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputies responded to the report of a financial fraud involving an 81-year-old Lincoln County resident. “During the month of September, the female victim reported being defrauded of $284,000 after being contacted by a scammer posing as a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent,” LCSO Lt. Karl Vertner said. The suspect convinced the victim to convert her savings into gold and “surrender it for safekeeping.” This tactic is part of a broader scam occurring nationwide with multiple incidents having already occurred in Oregon. FBI agents traced the scam to a subject based in India who communicates directly with victims and uses couriers to collect the gold. Deputies learned law enforcement recently apprehended two of these couriers in the Kansas City area who were associated with the same network involved in the Lincoln County investigation, according to Vertner. An arrest operation involving multiple partner agencies, was conducted at a meeting site in the Toledo area Wednesday, Sept. 24. “At approximately 7 p.m., the suspected courier arrived and conducted counter-surveillance before the exchange could occur. Authorities located the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. Both occupants were detained. The involved vehicle was identified as an Uber, and the driver, who was unaware of the scam, fully cooperated with investigators,” Vertner said. The passenger (courier), identified as 20-year-old Tejveer Kumar from San Bernardino, California, was arrested and booked on charges of Attempted Aggravated Theft and Conspiracy. Kumar was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail. The LCSO was assisted in this investigation by the FBI and the Newport, Lincoln City and Toledo Police Departments. “This scam further highlights the importance of fraud prevention and education,” Vertner See FRAUD, page A6
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