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Lincoln County, Oregon
Lincoln City Rite Aid slated to close
Gliding above Nye Beach
JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
A lot of people enjoy the view from Newport’s Nye Beach, but Josh Norris, of Corvallis, took it in from a bit higher elevation than most during a sunny afternoon on Wednesday, May 14. Norris took up the sport of paragliding in 2013 and says he enjoys coming to the coast. “The sea breeze basically is perfect here, and we love Newport parks,” he said. Norris is also a tandem paragliding instructor and created a YouTube channel not too long ago where he started posting videos of his adventures. “We only had 12 subscribers, and my wife said if I ever get to 1,000 subscribers, she’d fly with me,” Norris said. “We’re at like 360 now, so she’s getting nervous,” he added with a laugh. People can find his videos online at https://tinyurl.com/CloudCruiser (Photos by Steve Card)
The Lincoln City Rite Aid store, located at 4041 NW Logan Road, is one of eight Rite Aid stores in Oregon likely to close following Rite Aide’s announcement of bankruptcy earlier this month. In a release, the Rite Aid Corporation announced that it is pursuing a strategic and value-maximizing sale process for substantially all of its assets. Rite Aid and its subsidiaries have entered into voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. “For more than 60 years, Rite Aid has been a proud provider of pharmacy services and products to our loyal customers,” Rite Aid Chief Executive Officer Matt Schroeder said. “While we have continued to face financial challenges, intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and health care landscapes in which we operate, we are encouraged by meaningful interest from a number of potential national and regional strategic See RITE AID, page A4
Oregon reports record-high nonmedical vaccine exemptions for kindergartners JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
A record 9.7 percent of kindergartners claimed nonmedical exemptions from Oregon’s school vaccination requirements for the 2024-25 school year, the highest rate ever
recorded in the state, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The increase continues an upward trend from 8.8 percent in 2024, when Oregon had the fourth-highest nonmedical exemption rate in the United States, behind
Idaho, Alaska and Utah, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National data for the current school year are not yet available. Data from the Oregon See VACCINE, page A6
Georgia-Pacific’s Juno facility makes transition STEVE CARD Lincoln County Leader
After having been in operation for the past several years, the Georgia-Pacific Juno recycling program in Toledo is making a transition. “Georgia-Pacific is transitioning its Juno Toledo operation into a research and development (R&D) facility that will serve as a demonstration and tour site,”
Despite rumors to the contrary, the annual Fleet of Flowers in Depoe Bay will take place as usual this Memorial Day, May 26. It begins with a ceremony at the harbor at 11 a.m. and will conclude with a boat procession out to sea to cast memorial wreaths and flowers on the water. Pictured during last year’s event is a Coast Guard motor lifeboat and crew heading out as people watch from above. (File photo)
Fleet of Flowers will go on as planned STEVE CARD Lincoln County Leader
On May 1, the Georgia-Pacific Juno recycling program in Toledo transitioned into a research and development facility, which will serve as a demonstration and tour site. (File photo)
A last-minute hiccup occurred during the preparation for this year’s Fleet of Flowers in Depoe Bay, but the
long-standing Memorial Day tradition will take place as usual on Monday, May 26. The Fleet of Flowers Board found out a couple of weeks ago that Depoe Bay charter companies
and boat captains have decided not to take part in the procession out to sea this year, due to disagreements with the city of Depoe Bay. For See FLEET, page A4
See JUNO, page A6
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