2 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2015
Sea of Lights brightens aquarium for holidays
N E W P O RT — S C U B A
Santa, sparkling lights and an
ocean of holiday cheer will
greet visitors every weekend
this December at the Oregon
Coast Aquarium’s Sea of
Lights celebration.
Over half a million colorful
lights and holiday decorations
will surround visitors with the
spirit of the season as they
explore the aquarium after
hours. Santa will be present
every night of Sea of Lights
until Christmas to pose for
photos and note visitors’
Christmas wishes.
This family-friendly event
kicks off with a special celebra-
tion Dec. 4, 5 and 6, from 6:30
to 9:30 p.m. Admission to the
first weekend of Sea of Lights
is $2 with 2 cans of nonperish-
able people or pet food for the
local food bank.
Entry is $8 per person with-
out donation. Admission is free
for aquarium members, but
they are encouraged to bring an
item to donate.
Sea of Lights will continue
to illuminate the aquarium
every following Saturday and
Sunday of December from 5 to
8 p.m.
Admission is $8, or free with
same day paid admission.
“Sea of Lights lets the aquar-
ium give back to the communi-
ty, but we also organize it for
the sheer fun of it. There is no
other place to go see a big light
display on the central Oregon
Coast,” said Michele Steen, the
event’s organizer.
This year’s Sea of Lights is
proudly presented by Walmart.
Customers who spend more
than $100 at Walmart’s
Newport will receive a voucher
for one free admission to Sea of
Lights at the Oregon Coast
Aquarium.
Offer valid while supplies
last and certain dates are sub-
ject to blackout. See store for
details. Attendees using a
voucher are encouraged, but
not required, to make a food or
toy donation.
Join in the merriment this
December at the Oregon Coast
Aquarium, 2820 SE Ferry Slip
Road, Newport, Ore. 97365.
The aquarium is open every
day, except Dec. 25, this winter
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information visit
www.aquarium.org or call 541-
867-3474.
Westlake Boat Ramp closed
for repairs through Dec. 15
Lane County Parks, with
help from the Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency (FEMA), are making
repairs to the dock abutment at
Westlake Park. The repairs
make it necessary to close the
boat ramp while the work is
completed. Signs are posted in
the park indicating the ramp is
closed and directing visitors to
other boat ramps.
Park visitors should expect
the ramp to remain closed
through Dec. 15.
Access to Siltcoos Lake is
available in two other loca-
tions:
• Darlings Resort (4879
Darlings Loop, Florence).
Darlings Resort has agreed to
waive its $5 launch fee for
Lane County Annual Parks
Pass holders during the
repairs.
• Tyee Boar Ramp (Tyee
Forest Service Campground,
4621
Pacific
Avenue,
Westlake)
The abutment was damaged
by storms in 2012. Disaster
funds were made available
after those storms.
OPRD seeks public input on special pass for veterans
campsites at Oregon State Park
campgrounds.
The proposed changes will:
allow these reservations to be
made online; simplify the stay
limit to 10 days per month; add
showers to the list of fee
waivers available to pass hold-
ers; add a $5 fee for replace-
ment of a lost pass; clarify
C OASTAL G EM W ALKERS
YACHATS — The Yachats
Coastal Gems are planning on
perfect walking weather for its
December stroll. On Tuesday,
Dec. 1, the group will be walk-
ing the Depoe Bay Three
Loops by the Sea YRE.
This 10K walk is rated a 2b
for some hills and uneven foot-
ing. A walking stick might be
useful on the forested trail por-
tion of the walk. It would be
difficult for wheelchairs or
strollers.
Since the walk is divided
into three separate loops, it is
easy to modify the distance for
folks who want a shorter walk.
Those wishing to carpool to
Depoe Bay should meet at the
Commons in Yachats at 8:55
a.m., or meet at the Sea Hag in
Depoe Bay at 10:15 a.m. to
register for the walk.
As always, leashed pets are
SET
when a pass can be revoked or
temporarily suspended; add
penalties for failure to cancel;
and impose a penalty for leav-
ing early without letting park
staff know.
More details, including the
proposed rule language can be
found at www.bit.ly/Veterans
_Pass_Rules.
D ECEMBER
welcome on walks, but be sure
to bring water and clean up
materials for your pet.
Walks require a sturdy 6-foot
leash, not the retractable type.
On Wednesday, Dec. 2, the
group will hold its monthly
Looking
for a
unique gift
this
holiday
season?
OPRD will accept comments
until 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18.
Comments can be emailed to
oprd.publiccomment@oregon
.gov and written comments can
be sent to Richard Walkoski,
Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department, 725 Summer St.
NE, Suite C, Salem, OR 97301.
JAUNT IN
meeting in conjunction with
the annual holiday potluck and
white elephant gift exchange at
the home of Jim and Sue
Finlayson in Yachats.
The potluck, club meeting
and gift exchange will begin at
D EPOT B AY
5 p.m.
For more information or
directions, call Maryann
Brown in Waldport at 541-961-
4279.
Club website is at www.
yachatscoastalgems.org.
Siuslaw News Congratulates
Brook Carpenter, Halloween Coloring
Contest Winner.
Brook is 6-years old and attends
Siuslaw Elementry School.
Thank you to all that entered our Contest.
G ift Certificates
for the
Florence Events
Center
To purchase – simply drop by the box office
Monday to Friday between
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
715 Quince St * Florence, OR * 541-997-1994
CCB# 55030
No need to
stand in line
for ATV passes
The ATV permit and
Oregon State Parks day-use
parking permits are now
available for online purchase
at www.oregonstateparks.
org.
On the website, follow the
“Shop” link to buy the 24-
month ATV permit and 12- or
24-month day-use parking
permit from the Park Store.
“We’re expanding our
online services in response to
visitor
comments
and
requests,”
said
Lisa
Sumption, director of the
Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department. “In the coming
months, we’ll offer addition-
al items in our Park Store that
we believe will appeal to our
park visitors.”
The 12-month parking per-
mit is $30 and the 24-month
parking permit is $50. Both
are honored at all 26 Oregon
State Parks that charge a day-
use parking fee.
The $10 ATV permit must
be displayed on ATVs operat-
ed on public lands designed
for ATV use.
Park Store purchases can
be made using a VISA or
MasterCard.
The permanent permits
and day-use permit hangtags
are delivered via U.S. mail at
no cost to the customer.
Customers should print the
temporary permit attached to
the Park Store e-mail receipt
so they can visit a park or
ride an ATV that day. The
temporary permit is valid 14
days from the purchase date
and is designed to fit on a
vehicle dashboard or kept
with visitors operating
motorcycles, open vehicles
and ATVs.
Gift Certificates are
good for redemption
for any ticketed show
at the FEC for one
year from purchase.
PORT HOLE
PUBLISHING
15th Annual
ʻTree of Givingʼ
ready November 30th.
Always the
perfect gift!
179 Laurel Street, Suite D
FLORENCE
Stop by for coffee & cookies and pick
up an ornament to help a local High
School teen in need of necessities.
LET US PUBLISH
YOUR BOOK
1780 Kingwood St.
541-997-8526
PORT HOLE BOOKS
77567 Hwy. 101 • GARDINER
Holiday Clearance Sale
10 - 50 % Off
NEW-USED-RARE!
WE HAVE IT ALL!
Best-Selling Author, Ellen Traylor, Owner/Publisher
541-999-5725
Sotheby’s, eBay Master Dealer
and Appraiser for Discovery.com
portholebooks.com • portholepublications.com
• Gift s • Decorations • Ornaments • Antiques
and much more!
Marvels By The Sea
575 Highway 101
541-997-1267
Deck Your Halls!
The
Holiday
Shop
★
NOW
OPEN
DONATE NOW!
Maximize your donation by donating
to Cars for a Cause by Dec. 31st.
We accept cars, trucks, RVs, boats
& motorcycles CALL NOW!
St. Vincent DePaul’s
2315 Hwy. 101
997-8460
•Helps those in need in Lane County
• Charitable donation
•We do all the paperwork
St. Vincent de Paul
2315 Hwy. 101 • Florence • 541-997-8460
M-F, 10-8
Sun., 10-6
OPEN
DAILY
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
The Oregon Parks and
Recreation
Department
(OPRD) is seeking public com-
ment on proposed rule changes
to the Special Access Pass pro-
gram.
This program grants veter-
ans with a service connected
disability a fee waiver for up to
10 days per month in standard