Newport Cafe
– NE 6 ST & HWY 101 – TH
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GREAT BREAKFAST AND SEAFOOD ALL DAY
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
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Lincoln County, Oregon
Lincoln County veteran is Oregon Small Schools Teacher of the Year
Officers with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Newport Police Department took part in an active shooter training exercise during Spring Break at Newport Middle School. (Photo by Steve Card)
JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
Patrick Clarke has been named the Oregon Small Schools Association’s Teacher of the Year. Clarke serves in the Siletz Valley Charter School, located in the tribal community of Siletz in Lincoln County. “I am humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Clarke. “I find myself surrounded by dedicated professional teachers, staff and amazing students who do amazing work every day and encourage me to do the same.” Clarke has transformed See TEACHER, page A4
Law enforcement conducts Active Threat training JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
Siletz Valley culinary director Patrick Clarke, right, and his students recently partnered with Local Ocean Seafoods and Chef Enrique, left, for a Winter Waters dinner. (Courtesy photo)
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) has partnered with Lincoln County law enforcement agencies to host Active Threat
training at the Newport Middle School. The training was conducted during Spring Break Week, March 24-27. The entire Newport Middle School campus was closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the
training. Police training signs were posted at the entrances to the campus. Non-authorized personnel were restricted from the campus during the training activity. See TRAINING, page A7
Back home after two-and-a-half years NOAA Ship Rainier returns to Yaquina Bay STEVE CARD Lincoln County Leader
The NOAA Marine Operations Center–Pacific, located on Newport’s Yaquina Bay, has two ships home-ported there, the Bell M. Shimada and the Rainier. One of those two, the Rainier, returned to port on Tuesday, March 25, for the first time in two-and-a-half years. A group of NOAA personnel and family members greeted the returning crew as they docked at around 9:30 a.m. The Rainier will remain in port until this Friday, April 4, and then will head out for a couple of weeks to do some mapping work off of northern California and See SHIP, page A4
The NOAA Ship Rainier arrived in its home port of Yaquina Bay on Tuesday, March 25, and docked at NOAA Marine Operations Center–Pacific. It had been two-and-a-half years since the Rainier was last in Newport. (Photo by Steve Card)
Popular Yaqunia Bay tree declared a hazard Park gathering memories before its removed JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
The Sitka spruce that stands in the median near the entrance to Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site has been declared a hazard due to widespread decay throughout the tree. The Sitka lost a large limb during a winter storm, which prompted a physical inspection.
The results showed there was significant decay throughout the tree. An Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) forester found substantial evidence of Phaeolus schweinitzii, a fungus that is known to weaken tree structures and cause failure, according to OPRD representative Stefanie Knowlton. A resistograph was used to analyze the decay pockets within the tree, and it revealed widespread decay. The recommendation was to remove
the tree to avoid potential hazards. The OPRD staff will either cut back the tree significantly to create a snag for wildlife or remove the tree. The tree is estimated to be more than 150 years See TREE, page A7
This tree, described as a popular gatekeeper to the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, will have to be taken down due to decay. (Courtesy photo)
1422 N Coast Hwy 101 • Newport • 541-265-7731
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