Top, Hurbert @ 101, today. Middle, with pylon/landscaping, Bottom, Yaquina Bay Bridge Click photos to enlarge

After a long wait, Newport City Center businesses are going to get their business district symbol installed. To commemorate the art deco artistic motif for the old downtown area, the Newport City Council approved a rather tall bridge-type pylon that ties in thematically with the Yaquina Bay Bridge just to the south. The bridge celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, hence the urgency of getting the $125,000 project completed.

The project was promised by an earlier city council to the City Center business community which wanted to bring attention to the 1930’s art deco architecture of many downtown buildings, including the Lincoln County School District Headquarters and others. The particular fund supplying the money comes from local hotel/motel room taxes that are limited strictly for tourist related purposes, among which is the project mentioned here.

An initial estimate of $100,000 for the project was soon outstripped by more realistic costs for the concrete which drove the total up to $180,000. City councilors wrangled over whether the pylon or city park portion of the project should be approved first and then wait to finish the rest, or whether the pylon should go up supplemented with attractive landscaping to soften the look of the lofty carved concrete.

In the end the council went for the pylon and the landscaping; David Allen, the lone councilor, voting no. The project will force the removal of the northern entrance to the small shopping area just north of Hurbert and 101, leaving access only from Hurbert. Store owners didn’t object, claiming the current driveway access is a hazard to pedestrians and backs up traffic when northbound vehicles try to turn left into the parking lot.

City officials think they can get the project under construction within a short time with possible completion within a couple of months. City Center boosters say the pylon will create a downtown city landmark tied symbolically and architecturally to the Yaquina Bay Bridge to give the downtown a sense of place and commercial focus for Newport.

Seaport Air

Newport Mayor Mark McConnell announced Tuesday evening at the city council meeting that Seaport Airlines will continue to serve Newport and Lincoln County after the state subsidies run out. Mayor McConnell said there will be service Sunday night through Friday night with early, mid-day and evening flights.

Seaport Airlines for the past several years has been serving the area as an experiment to see if the service could get people to fly to and from Portland, rather than drive. They were hoping that eliminating five hours of drive time was worth the fares…fares that were heavily subsidized by state economic development funds. However, the so-called Connect II monies are just about gone. They’re expected to run out by the end of February/early March.

McConnell said that Seaport will technically serve the coast five days a week, rather than the current seven. The week will start with a flight from Portland to Newport Sunday evening. The plane stays in Newport overnight. Then Monday through Friday, Seaport will have an early morning flight from Newport to Portland. Then a midday flight from Portland to Newport, and then back to Portland. Then later in the evening a flight from Portland to Newport with the plane staying overnight. It’s basically two flights a day originating in Newport and two flights a day originating in Portland.

How long this will last is anyone’s guess. It comes down to ridership and whether NOAA’s new headquarters opening up in Newport in June will generate enough passengers to make it worth Seaport’s while to keep serving Newport. There is also the possibility that Seaport could decide to begin handling air freight to help defray some of their costs.

For exact flight times, contact Seaport by going on line at SeaportAir.com or call toll free at 888-573-2767.

Free, Fun & Informative:
Positive Parenting Classes to be Offered in Toledo
Provided by LC School District

Do your children ever leave you exhausted and wondering, “Is there an easier way to do this?” Kids don’t come with an instruction manual, but there are ways to make parenting less stressful and more enjoyable for all involved.

The staff at Toledo 21st Century Community Learning Center and East Area HELP invite all interested parents to attend a free six-week class, “Positive Parenting,” and take home some great tools to use with their children.

The class will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays beginning March 1 and ending April 19; there will be no classes during spring break. Dinner and childcare will be provided.

Although the class is free, registration is requested before Feb. 25 by calling Faith at the HELP office, 541-336-4357, or Abbie at the Community Learning Center, 541-336-2955.

LCPD Officer Steve Dodds

Lincoln City Police Officer Steve Dodds, gunned down by accused shooter David Durham, has recovered sufficiently from his wounds to be released from the hospital. He will continue to regain his full health at an undisclosed location. The Portland Oregonian says Dodds is in good spririts.

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