A1
Taft girl swimmers dominate See Page A10
$1 | VOL. 86 | NO. 6 | 2 SECTIONS YOUR WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1927
For daily Lincoln City News, visit:
Congressman Schrader listens, gives hope
Rep. Kurt Schrader (DSalem), Lincoln County’s representative in Congress, came to the Lincoln City City Hall Feb. 1 to meet with 22 Lincoln County elected officials at a roundtable discussion about federal priorities and budget issues. The discussions centered around adequate funding for healthy ports, a plan by the federal government to help coastal communities following disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes, ocean energy development and small business development and survival. See Page A2
LINCOLN CITY, OREGON
LCSD grad rates take dip Jim Fossum The News Guard
TheNews Guard.com
FEBRUARY 6, 2013 | WEDNESDAY
www.TheNewsGuard.com
a dropout rate of 4.3 percent. Oregon’s four-year cohort graduation rate was 68.4 percent, five-year cohort rate 72.4 percent and dropout rate 3.4 percent. “We can surmise the reasons behind our numbers,” LCSD Superintendent Tom Rinearson said, “but what it comes down to is this: We need a better system of tracking students who stop coming to school, we need to find out why they aren’t coming to school, and we need to respond to them in a meaningful way.”
Lincoln County schools graduated fewer students and had more dropouts by percentage compared to other schools statewide during the 2011-12 school year, according to data released last week by the Oregon Department of Education. According to the report, Lincoln County School District has a four-year cohort graduation rate of 62.6 percent, a five-year cohort graduation rate of 69.4 percent and
Taft High School Principal Scott Reed, whose school had the lowest dropout rate in the county last year, defended his school’s numbers (63.2 percent five-year cohort rate, 48.2 percent for four years and a dropout rate of 3.5). Taft’s fouryear cohort graduation rate was 62.3 percent last year. Reed said a decrease in the four-year rate and increase in the five-year rate was likely due to the school’s enhanced education program that allows students to take courses at Oregon Coast Community College, which involved nine
Five-year graduation rates (by percentage) Siletz Valley Charter, 87.5 Toledo, 77.9; Newport, 73.9 Waldport, 73.6 Eddyville Charter, 68.8 Lincoln City Career Tech, 65.5 Taft High, 63.2 percent Four-year graduation rates (by percentage) Eddyville Charter, 100 Siletz Valley Charter, 85.7 Newport, 70.7
students last year. Those students will be counted in the five-year cohort rate next year.
Waldport High, 64.5 Toledo High, 58.2 Career Tech, 52 Taft High, 48.2 Dropout rates (by percentage) Eddyville Charter, 0 Waldport High, 0.5 Lincoln City Career Tech, 1.6 Newport High, 1.9 Toledo Junior/Senior High, 3.4 Taft High, 3.5 Siletz Valley Charter, 3.7
“When you look at fouryear cohort rate of 48 percent See GRAD RATES, Page A3
Hospital records to be updated Jeremy C. Ruark The News Guard
INSERTS Price ‘N Pride; Bi-Mart; Roby’s; Rite Aid; Sears; Walgreens; Safeway; Chinook Winds; Mills Ace; Grocery Outlet
WEATHER GUIDE
Hip, hip, hooray!
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS
It is a daunting task. Convert 700,000 medical files from paper to digital. But that is the process now under way at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, Samaritan Albany General Hospital and Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. “This is a very significant change,” said Dr. Elizabeth Lincoln, Samaritan chief medical information officer. “This represents one of the greatest transformations that we have gone though.” The hospital records change follows national health care reform. “But the change is also being pushed to protect patient health records, ensure patient safety and quality of care and to make the records more portable,” said Marty Cahill, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital CEO. Lincoln said the digital record keeping system will alter the way patients receive care. “In our current environment our nurses do much of the medical entry. Under the digital system, doctors will do the computerized entry and medication delivery,” Lincoln said. “This system will better allow our doctors to stay in touch with each patient and to improve the quality of care.” According to Lincoln, research shows the use of the digital record system
High Low Prec.
Tues., Jan. 29 Wed., Jan. 30 Thurs., Jan. 31 Fri., Feb. 1 Sat., Feb 2 Sun., Feb. 3 Mon., Feb. 4
49 50 51 58 58 51 52
44 1 45 .8 44 .1 44 0 42 0 45 0 44 .25
Weekly Rainfall: 2.15 inches Yearly Rainfall: 6.48 inches
WEEKLY OUTLOOK February started with three dry days. The rain has returned, but it should transition into a partly cloudy period. This pattern should last through the weekend. Weather data provided by Roads End Weather Watcher Sheridan Jones
JIM FOSSUM/THE NEWS GUARD
Taft High cheerleaders prepare last week to compete Saturday, Feb. 9, in the state championships at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, their first participation in the event in more than 10 years. See the Cheerleaders in action @ thenewsguard.com.
Taft cheer team headed to state Jim Fossum The News Guard
Memorial Coliseum is at least worthy of a round of applause. “We’re really proud of them,” Taft coach Twyla Plummer said, “and Taft High School and the community should be, too.” With little hesitation, Plummer, in her third year as coach, says this is the most talented cheer team
As cheerleaders, several enthusiastic, hyperactive Taft High 7-12 students won’t have a formal spirit group of their own to root them on when they compete Saturday, Feb. 9, but their rare appearance in the state championships at Portland
Taft High has ever had. It’s also the largest. Fifteen cheerleaders will represent the school at state, and 28 cheerleaders participated this season between the junior varsity and varsity squads. Taft will be represented by tri-captains Kerry Ann Sweitz, Molly Altomare and Karli Martin; fellow seniors
Catherine Mina, Sami Long, TeaOnna Mills, Alexandria Scott and Brittney Knight; juniors Alexis Lechnar, Shania Butler, Caitlin Pfleiger; and freshmen Vanessa Madsen, Carli Domingo, Jenna Richards and Courtney O’Neil. See CHEERLEADERS, Page A8
Food Share working to meet increase in demand Jeremy C. Ruark The News Guard
The director of Lincoln County Food Share is hopeful the non-profit agency’s main fundraiser Be Jeweled, set for Sat. Feb. 9 in Newport, will bring in needed cash to meet the increasing need for emergency food. Last year, the event raised $24,000. “The need in our community is consistently increasing year to year,” said Nancy Smith. “It could be economic. It could be that some of the parents are
See RECORDS, Page A3
T
his represents one of the greatest transformations that we have gone though.
See FOOD SHARE, Page A3
“
Watch it:
See a video interview about the food share at
Nancy Smith, Lincoln County Food Share director, looks over fresh produce at the regional food bank warehouse in Newport.
thenewsguard.com
Open 8a-7p Mon-Fri, 8a-6p Sat
L21134
We Buy Cars!
Over 600 cars online: www.powerford.com All prices and financing on approved credit (O.A.C). All vehicles subject to prior sale. Prices do not inclue title, license, taxes. Photos for illustration purposes only.
2004 Dodge Stratus
$6,995
#P85139
$10,844
#D86010
$12,840
2007 Chevy Impala
541.994.4556
We find the right car for you and have it delivered to Lincoln City #P85115
#P85108
2005 Cadillac
-Elizabeth Lincoln
JEREMY C. RUARK/THE NEWS GUARD
2002 Ford Ranger
$7,995