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Lincoln County, Oregon
Timeline set for proposed Gender identity and locker room use is city council topic offshore wind leases STEVE CARD Lincoln County Leader
NATE SCHWARTZ County Media, Inc.
The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) released information regarding its review of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Managements (BOEM), as part of its Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP).
The newly proposed federally designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) have been established off the coast of Coos Bay and Brookings. The Coos Bay WEA is 32 miles offshore and amounts to 95 square miles of potentially leasable land for turbine construction. The
The use of locker rooms and restrooms at the Newport Recreation Center based on gender identity was a topic of discussion at a recent meeting of the Newport City Council. A large group of area residents showed up at the city council’s May 20 meeting,
See WIND, page A6
See GENDER, page A8
The Newport Recreation Center does offer use of a gender neutral family changing room and restroom. (Courtesy photo)
Sharp rise in pertussis cases prompts public health warning
Lincoln City has increased its beach accessibility options with two additional mobility mat locations, for a total of four. Crews laid the new beach mats during the Memorial Day holiday, and they will remain there until Labor Day weekend. (Courtesy photos)
Lincoln City improves beach access JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
The welcome mats are out, literally, in Lincoln City. Explore Lincoln City (ELC), the city’s tourism promotion department, has increased accessibility with two new mobility mat locations and a new color blindness accessibility program. “We are delighted to find new ways to welcome the diversity of visitors who choose Lincoln City as a destination,” said ELC Director Kim Cooper Findling. “This summer season, we are expanding our beach accessibility options as well as piloting a new program to serve those with vision deficiency.” The mats are designed to allow people with disabilities to See ACCESS, page A7
JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
People in Lincoln City have free access to beach wheelchairs in order to enjoy a true coastal experience. And EnChroma loaner glasses for those who have a color vision deficiency.
Oregon’s investment in ocean conservation celebrated JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader
New efforts to increase the state’s investment in the Oregon Marine Reserves Program follow the signing ceremony for House Bill 4132, a bi-partisan bill sponsored by Oregon’s Coastal and Environmental Caucuses. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Rep. David Gomberg (D-Dist. 10) hosted the ceremony at
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by bacteria. The disease can be deadly for infants. (Photo courtesy of Metro Creative Connection)
the state capital building in Salem on May 30. The Oregon Ocean Alliance celebrated this renewed commitment to ocean conservation established more than a decade ago for the wildlife and marine ecosystems off the Oregon coast. Approximately nine See OCEAN, page A6
A signing ceremony was held May 30 at the state capitol in Salem for House Bill 4132, which increases the state’s investment in the Oregon Marine Reserves Program. (Courtesy photo)
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Oregon health officials are concerned about a sharp increase in cases of pertussis — known as whooping cough — across nine counties and are encouraging people to get vaccinated against the disease. As of May 29, 178 pertussis cases had been reported to Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division. That’s a 770 percent increase from the 20 cases reported by that date in 2023. However, the 2024 numbers are roughly in line with those seen during similar time frames in the immediate pre-pandemic years, including 2019, when there were 93 cases, and 2018, which saw 248 cases. Pertussis is cyclical, and before the COVID-19 pandemic — when restrictions that included masking requirements and school closures were in effect — pertussis peaked every three to five years. In 2012, 910 cases were reported, the highest annual count since 1953. “Our concern is with how quickly we jumped to such a high number of pertussis cases, which tell us that the disease is doing what it does best: spreading fast and taking a greater toll on under-vaccinated persons,” said Paul Cieslak, Oregon Public Health Division medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations. See PERTUSSIS, page A7
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