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About Oregon Coast today. (Lincoln City, OR) 2005-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2020)
lively An appetite for competition Reflect on Taft’s spooky past Friday the 13th; unlucky for some. But this fateful date brings only good luck to Lincoln City this year, signaling the return of the popular Haunted Taft walking tour. First launched in October 2018, these fun and spooky excursions quickly became an overnight sensation, with sold-out tours and rave reviews. The new season offers an ever-richer collection of history, local lore and first-hand accounts, all woven together to create a night-time walk through the historic Taft district you’ll never forget. “We’ve added new stories for 2020 and built new facets into others,” said Shellie Stuart, Haunted Taft’s tour director and executive director of the Bay Area Merchants Association. “This year marks 100 years since the start of Prohibition, and the coast has its share of rum-running and bootlegging stories. Tour guests Haunted Taft schedule • Friday, March 13: Friday the 13th Tour at 7 pm • Tuesday, April 7: Full Moon Tour at 7 pm • Thursday, May 7: Full Moon Tour at 8 pm • Friday, June 5: Full Moon Tour at 8 pm • Saturday, June 20: Summer Solstice Tour at 8 pm • Saturday, July 4: Post-Fireworks Midnight Madness Tour at 11 pm • Monday, Aug. 3: Full Moon Tour at 8 pm • Tuesday, Sept. 1: Full Moon Tour at 8 pm • Thursday, Oct. 1: Full Moon Tour at 7 pm • Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween Full Moon Tour at 7 pm For the complete, up-to-date schedule and to purchase tickets, go to HauntedTaft.com. will learn about Whiskey Jack, who’s been seen up and down the coast for much of the past century.” On full-moon nights, a tour guide leads guests through Lincoln City’s historic Taft district. Along the route, the group pauses at “haunted” locales to hear tales. Ghosts and creatures are known to roam Taft during the tour. “Our home base is the Sapphire Center,” Stuart said. They graciously provide the perfect 22 • oregoncoastTODAY.com • facebook.com/oregoncoasttoday • March 6, 2020 haunted space in the historic Bailey Building for guests to check-in and get comfortable before the tour begins.” “Seeing the Taft historic district come alive with more and more offerings for our guests is a demonstration of how Lincoln City is a vibrant, growing destination,” said City Manager Ron Chandler. “Haunted Taft combines the rich history of our area, mixes it with a bit of fancy and turns our bayfront area into a compelling night-time attraction.” Beginning on Friday, March 13, the tour will be offered monthly, with most tours falling on the full moon. Special tours will also be offered Summer Solstice, Fourth of July and other notable dates. Haunted Taft gratefully acknowledges support from Chinook Winds Casino Resort, the Oregon Coast Visitors Association and Oregon Coast TODAY. Elementary school students in Lincoln County School District will use their culinary skills to re-imagine their favorite lunch meal at the 2020 Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge this Saturday, March 7, in Newport. Fifty-four elementary school students submitted healthy recipes inspired by their favorite lunch meals and 16 finalists were selected to participate in the district- wide finals event. Finalists will prepare and present their creations before being assessed on criteria including originality, taste, kid friendliness and use of healthy ingredients. Lincoln County School District joins 253 other school districts across the country holding Future Chefs events throughout February and March. The winning student from each district will be considered for 40 regional finalist awards, and the selected regional finalists will vie to become one of five national finalists competing for the public’s vote on SodexoUSA. com. The national initiative, now in its 10th year, was created to get students thinking about making healthy food choices while also encouraging them to be active and creative in the kitchen. “According to the American Heart Association, about one in every three American kids and teens is overweight or obese,” said Stephen Dunmore, CEO North America, Schools, Sodexo. “This staggering statistic demonstrates why it is more important than ever to engage youth to become advocates for their own health.” Saturday’s competition will run from 9 am to 1 pm at Yaquina View Elementary School, 351 SE Harney Street, Newport.
