TAFT TIGERS GOING TO STATE!
THREE NEW EXHIBITS TO DEBUT AT THE VAC
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Wednesday, February 26, 2025
LINCOLN COUNTY ECONOMIC SUMMIT IS MARCH 13
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Lincoln County, Oregon
Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the new docks at the Depoe Bay Harbor will be held at 11 a.m. this Saturday, March 1. (Photo by Steve Card)
Celebrating Depoe Bay’s new docks Steve Card Lincoln County Leader
Depoe Bay has completed a $4.3 million project to construct new docks in its harbor, and to celebrate, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held this Saturday, March 1, at 11 a.m. State Rep. David Gomberg and State Sen. Dick Anderson, who were both instrumental in helping to secure funding for the project, plan to join the community celebration. Depoe Bay Mayor Kathy Short said they first began talking about replacing the docks back in 2015. The 76-year-old wooden docks
It may have been a blustery, wet weekend on the coast, but the 48th annual Newport Seafood & Wine Festival was as lively as ever. The annual event, which was took place last Thursday through Sunday, featured seafood vendors, Northwest wineries and crafters — all under a tented venue adjacent to the Rogue Brewery in South Beach. (Photos by Steve Card)
were becoming more and more dangerous. “We identified clear back then that our docks were failing, so we had a schematic drawn up about what new docks would look like,” she said. “We’re a city without a tax base, so we depend on grants. We’d been looking for grants for all these years.” And then when the COVID pandemic hit and the federal government began distributing funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), “Rep. Gomberg called me up one day and said, ‘Have I got a deal for you.’ I just couldn’t See DOCKS, page A6
School board approves $73 million bond measure Jeremy C. Ruark Lincoln County Leader
The Lincoln County School District Board of Directors has voted unanimously to place a $73 million bond measure on the May 20 ballot. As a renewal, the 15-year bond, if approved by voters, would replace the current bond, which expires next year, without increasing the current tax rate, according to a media release from the school board. The release describes the bond project, which includes: • Facility Improvements: Half of the bond ($36.5 million) would fund upgrades, repairs, and maintenance across all district buildings, focusing on improved learning spaces, increased security and accessibility, and modernized plumbing, air systems, and technology. • Performing Arts Spaces: A key component includes the addition of 300-seat performance auditoriums at Waldport, Newport, and Toledo high schools, estimated at $10 million each. These spaces would enhance student artistic opportunities while providing community performance venues. “I am pleased the board approved this facilities replacement bond for the May ballot,” LCSD Board Chair Peter Vince said. “This bond will support Career and Technical Education, address critical repairs in our aging buildings, enhance school safety, and extend facility lifespans for decades to come — all
while maintaining the current tax rate for our community.” In a published interview with the Lincoln County Leader in November of last year, Vince said the need list is long. “We’ve got facility reviews, and we’ve heard from principals and community members about what they wanted,” he said. “Every school needs something. Every school deserves something.” Vince said there is a high level of concern for developing privacy beyond what has been the norm, and improving the instructional spaces, “so that they are more flexible for anticipating instructional methodologies that are to be coming,” he said. Technology is going to be a big part of that, and how that can be incorporated into the physical structure of the buildings. There is a need for performing spaces, such as music, theater, and video production, he said. In the November interview, Vince also said over the next 10 years, schools will change significantly. “The changes will come to adapt to new technology and new ways of teaching,” he said. “Artificial intelligence will be a big driver in those changes.” The renewal bond measure is designed to maintain the current tax rate of 65 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Property owners with an assessed value of $300,000 would continue to See SCHOOL, page A6
Walter Chuck (center) has been selected as the new county commissioner to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Kaety Jacobson. He is pictured with commissioners Casey Miller and Clair Hall. (Photo by Steve Card)
Walter Chuck is new county commissioner Steve Card Lincoln County Leader
Walter Chuck has been selected to become the newest Lincoln County Commissioner, and it is expected he will begin his new role in mid-March. Chuck was one of three finalists who were interviewed on Feb. 12. The other two were Ryan Parker and Catherine Rigby. Those three had been gleaned from an original list of 26 applicants along with a fourth finalist, John Heath, who declined to move forward with interviews, citing health concerns. At a meeting on Feb. 19, commissioners Casey Miller and Claire Hall were in agreement that Chuck should become the next commissioner, filling the
vacancy left by the resignation of Commissioner Kaety Jacobson. Prior to a formal vote, Hall said, “We had 26 applicants, and I really believe they reflected the depth and breadth of our communities — such a rich variety of educational and professional experiences, and passion for service to the community. “The three finalists are all outstanding choices,” added Hall. “I feel like I could serve alongside any of them. These are all people who understand issues facing Lincoln County, and they understand the basic way in which local government operates.” Hall described her thought process in making the decision. “It was a very difficult choice. I considered many things. I
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reflected on what voters might have been looking for when the twice elected Kaety Jacobson. Kaety brought a lot of strengths to this job, including strong working relationships with two of the four major segments of the economy — commercial fishing and ocean science. They, along with tourism and timber, are the foundations of our economy. “As port commissioner, Walter Chuck has worked to maintain and improve our fleet’s access to the necessary infrastructure,” continued Hall. “Through his role on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council, and other bodies, he has been a strong voice for coastal and Lincoln County interests in shaping decisions that have a direct impact on our See CHUCK, page A6
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