11:10-12:30 World War II in Lincoln City Christopher Melton About Christopher has a BA in Art History and Studio Art, an MFA in Film and Video Production, and an MLS in archives. He is a sound recordist, artist, and multimedia archivist. He lives in rural Oregon, where he hikes with his dog, converses with trees, … Continue reading World War II in Lincoln City Christopher Melton →

"Discover the Plant Diversity of Oregon"—OregonFlora Director Linda Hardison will speak about OregonFlora resources that share our state's "rich and varied plant life." 

11:10-12:30  There has been discussion in the news of the current administration wanting to change the current standard on “birthright citizenship.”  Brent Burford will explain the relationship between the Fourteenth Amendment and the issue of citizenship.

9:30-10:50 Samaritan House     Lola Jones Samaritan House envisions a community where all families can live together in safe, affordable, and sustainable housing: and all generations are able to thrive. We serve families with dependent children experiencing homelessness. We offer a variety of programs for our residents, including: Stabilizing Shelter Transitional Shelter Transitional Housing Resident Education … Continue reading Samaritan House Lola Jones →

Niki directs the Lincoln City Cultural Center, which includes a performing arts auditorium, fine art gallery, info center and studios for dance, ceramics, textiles and mosaics. She also serves as co-chair of the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition and as chair of the Lincoln City Public Art Committee. She recently embarked on an adventure with a … Continue reading DAY AT THE CULTURAL CENTER W/ARTISTS Nikki Price →

Brent Burford

Cherrie Scheinberg

Rep. David Gomberg

Dan Howard, Exec. Dir. Ludwig van Beethoven wasn’t just a composer—he was a force of nature. Fiercely independent and notoriously temperamental, he redefined music with his bold, emotionally charged works. His Symphony No. 5 opens with four of the most recognizable notes in history—dramatic, urgent, impossible to ignore—while his Symphony No. 9 delivers the triumphant … Continue reading Beethoven/Newport Symphony →

Brenda Luntzel You will be inspired to invest in your health by taking what you know and learn and putting into "DOING" for your health. There will be some "WHY" and then it is about the "WHAT" and "HOW" for health and longevity. Dress comfortably from head to toe because you will be active during this presentation.

Conrad Schmitt This book brings to life the remarkable journeys of women correspondents who braved the chaos of World War II—think Margaret Bourke-White, Martha Gellhorn, and Lee Miller. Seamlessly weaving together history, biography, and gripping firsthand accounts, it plunges into their adventures on the front lines and the hurdles they faced fighting for recognition. Through … Continue reading The Women Who Wrote the War →

William Chadwick Axial Seamount is an active submarine volcano located ~300 miles offshore Oregon and about a mile below the ocean surface. Data from seafloor instruments suggest that this volcano is building toward its next eruption. This talk will describe the most recent monitoring data and its implications for forecasting the next eruption. Bio: When Mount St. … Continue reading Axial Seamount: the active volcano in our backyard, →

Lexie Howell  Lexi Howell, North Lincoln Sanitary Service; Aimee Thompson, Thompson's Sanitary Service in Newport, and Dave Larmouth, Dahl Disposal in Toledo and Waldport, will be covering the updates to the Oregon recycling system from the Recycling Modernization Act, as well as explaining all the services they offer to their customers.

Dr. Angee Doerr will talk about Oregon’s commercial fisheries and marine aquaculture, examining them from a social-ecological systems perspective. This presentation will highlight the economic and cultural importance of Oregon’s seafood industry while emphasizing the science and management that goes into ensuring its long- term sustainability.

A J Warren

Dan Henlin The OSU Wave Project is not a single project but refers to Oregon State University's extensive work in wave research, including its O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory for physical modeling and the PacWave project, a grid-connected, open-ocean testing facility for wave energy developers off the Oregon coast. The lab conducts research on coastal … Continue reading OSU Wave Project →

Katherine Harding Katharine Harding retired after 36 years of wearing many “hats" at Neskowin Valley School. When she found the perfect dog, a Cavadoodle, they trained together to become a volunteer registered Pet Partner Team. They’ve visited patients and staff at Portland Shriners Hospital and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for 17 years. Now she has … Continue reading Pet Partners of the Oregon Coast →

David Sexton An overview of the carbon free contribution of nuclear power and how this concentrated energy source is safety managed for electricity production.  The future of existing reactors and the new small reactor designs.  

Chris Minor Where does law come from, how is it identified and applied, how is the court system organized?  Take a a look at some of the hot button cases of the day.  

Jason Holland, OCCA ED Something is stirring along the Oregon Coast—new spaces, bold ideas, and a creative community that's growing stronger by the day. In this talk, Jason Holland, executive director of Oregon Coast Council for the Arts and Arts Commissioner for the State of Oregon, dives into the exciting momentum behind the region’s arts and culture … Continue reading The heART of the Oregon Coast →

Ram Pampush All you need for a great wildlife adventure: a congregation of hungry brown bears! At Alaska's famous Katmai National Park and Preserve, bears gather in summer to feast on an abundance of spawning salmon. But what happens if the fish don’t show up? BIO: Ram Papish is a professional wildlife enthusiast whose varied … Continue reading The Bear Necessities →

Presenter Dr. Estle Harlan is a management consultant and writer who has effectively applied decades of business experience to a later-life career of academic writing and instruction.  In addition to publishing a number of peer reviewed journal articles, she authored a book on today’s discussion themes. Presentation Themes Dr. Harlan will describe aspects of life … Continue reading LIFE TRANSITIONS: Exploration of Factors and Turning Points that Influence Transition →

Conrad Schmitt "The Murrow Boys" tells the story of the legendary band of correspondents who, under Edward R. Murrow's direction, formed CBS's pioneering World War II news team and, in doing so, invented modern broadcast journalism. All in their twenties and thirties, Murrow and the Boys (who included William L. Shirer, Eric Sevareid, and Howard … Continue reading The Murrow Boys →

Kerry VanderZanden A lifelong architect from Banks, Oregon, built his legacy with precision, artistry, and unwavering dedication to his craft. From the very beginning, he has relied on his authentic tools—each carrying the weight of history and the wisdom of experience. In this special presentation, Kerry will take us on a journey through his architectural … Continue reading Kerry VanderZanden: A Journey Through Architecture’s Timeless Tools →

Sam Scheinberg Sam was an orthopedic surgeon on the Oregon Coast from Toledo to Tillamook and the inventor of the Sam Splint. He can do the first hour about trauma presentation and then open for questions regarding all things orthopedic. Bios: The History of Sam Medical: At the heart of every great company, you’ll find … Continue reading All Things Orthopedic →

Cherrie Scheinberg An opportunity for everyone to learn more about first aid so that they will be prepared the next time someone near them needs it.

Barry Hewlett The talk examines what U.S. parent might learn about parenting and learning from research among Aka Pygmies of central Africa. Topics covered include cosleeping, father-child relations, discipline, breast feeding, stepparenting, and rapid child learning. U.S. patterns of helicopter and free-range parenting are discussed

Aaron Bretz 🌊 Port of Newport: Gateway to Oregon’s Coastal Vitality Nestled along the rugged central Oregon coastline, the Port of Newport anchors the City of Newport—Lincoln County’s seat and its beating economic heart. Spanning approximately 59 square miles, this dynamic port community is home to around 10,800 residents who live at the intersection of … Continue reading Port of Newport →

Ruth Shelly  Seven Capes Development Coordinator For 20 years, Seven Capes Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon Society of Lincoln City) has been committed to the birds, other wildlife, and their habitats along the central Oregon coast. Learn about the education, conservation, and community science programs of this locally grown organization and its increasing impact. Find out … Continue reading Introducing Seven Capes Bird Alliance →

Peg Herring Peg is an emerita professor of science communication at Oregon State University. Her work focuses on the public understanding of science, particularly the science behind our public lands and waters. For 20 years, Herring edited OSU’s research magazine, Oregon’s Progress. She has published seven books, including the award-winning Ellie and Ricky series exploring Oregon’s ecosystems. … Continue reading Our forest of fire and rain: an illustrated exploration into an intemperate rainforest →

Joyce Sherman  What made thousands of people decide to spend months walking across the country from Independence, Missouri to the Willamette Valley (or other western destinations)? What made them decide on a destination? How were they equipped to live along the trail? What did they find when they arrived at their destination?

Dr. Natalie Schaefer, Executive Director  Anna Rodgers, Associate Director Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center is a living laboratory that serves to protect, preserve, and enhance the natural ecosystems and cultural history of Oregon’s central coast spruce habitat and its wildlife through the arts, education, and stewardship. But where is it, and what do they … Continue reading Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center →

M.L. (Peg) Herring Peg is an emerita professor of science communication at Oregon State University. Her work focuses on the public understanding of science, particularly the science behind our public lands and waters. For 20 years, Herring edited OSU’s research magazine, Oregon’s Progress. She has published seven books, including the award-winning Ellie and Ricky series exploring Oregon’s … Continue reading Our forest of fire and rain: an illustrated exploration into an intemperate rainforest →

Dr. Lesley Ogden Samaritan Health Services will discuss the proposal to affiliate with Multicare Health System, a highly respected, mission-driven organization based out of Tacoma, Washington. The affiliation, which is expected to be finalized in the spring or summer of 2026 — pending state and federal regulatory                  … Continue reading Building a Healthier, Stronger Future →

Franki Trujillo-Dalbey, PhD, and Oscar Juarez, MA Franki and Oscar uncover the hidden history of Mexicans and Mesoamericans in Oregon and Lincoln County,  beginning with the arrival of the Spaniards off the coastline, and ending with challenges experienced by this group in the present time. Whether you are a lifelong Lincoln County resident or a … Continue reading “We ARE home,” History of Mexicans in Lincoln County →

Sifan Kahale The Portland Amateur Astronomers club purchased 10 acres of land in the high desert of eastern Oregon for their dark sky observing site. It's classified as a Bortle 2 area (very dark skies).  Come and enjoy Sifan Kahale as she tells us about the wonderful beauty of these dark skies.  She will share … Continue reading Skylark: Rose City Astronomers Dark Sky Observing Site →

Jeannine Jordan My mother was born and raised on a wheat farm in western Kansas, coming of age during the infamous “Dirty Thirties”—a time now remembered as the Dust Bowl era. I, too, am a native of western Kansas, having grown up in the late 1950s amid flourishing wheat and sugar beet fields that had … Continue reading Raised where the wind remembers (The Dust Bowl) →

Sifan Kahale

David Jordan Three brains walk into a café—no, it’s not the start of a neuroscience joke, though it could be. One’s eavesdropping on espresso orders, another’s scanning the latte art like it’s a Rorschach test, and the third is busy feeling the existential weight of a biscotti. Together, they sip, squabble, and try to make … Continue reading “Three Brains Walk Into a Café: One Hears, One Sees, One Feels…” →

James Welch SWIFTY—Swallows in Flight to Yachats—is a passionate volunteer group dedicated to giving our local birds a fighting chance. From their home base in Yachats, volunteers build, install, and carefully monitor nest boxes for ducks, owls, songbirds, and especially the swallow family. Their impact is impressive: more than 250 nest boxes now support Tree … Continue reading Swifty (Swallows in Flight to Yachats) →

Roy Hanson

David Frost

David Fleming Second Home is a community response to the difficult problem of addressing the needs of homeless, unaccompanied, high school students in Lincoln County. By providing safe and stable housing and ongoing support, students can focus on completing their secondary education and discover and realize their gifts and potential. Second Home finds volunteers in … Continue reading Second Home: Addressing the Needs of Homeless High School Students in Lincoln County →

Dr. Ric Neese Steve Hartman : Kindness 101 series began as a virtual class on March 23, 2020 as a web series designed for students during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. Initially a 14-episode series on YouTube, Kindness 101 spanned four years featuring stories from Hartman’s CBS “On the Road” segments. In 2024, Drake University … Continue reading Encore for Steve Hartman’s Kindness 101 series →

Sifan Kahale

Kristin Glover Join a vicarious journey along the Pacific Crest Trail's 2,650 miles from the Mexico border to Canada. We'll explore the Trail from deserts to glaciers and meet the people who made and maintain it. Also come to see the gear and hear about the trials and tribulations involved in hiking day after day. … Continue reading The Path and the Pause: A Pacific Crest Journey →

Evelyn Brookhyser Do you ever look around and wonder where all the stuff came from? Join Evelyn Brookhyser for an empowering session on reclaiming your space. Evelyn will share practical decluttering strategies and organization tips designed to lighten your load and simplify your life. Beyond just tidying up, we’ll discuss the greatest gift you can … Continue reading Clutters Last Stand →

Paul and Evelyn Brookhyser Expand Your World—One Member at a Time Ever wonder about the hidden talents and fascinating stories sitting right next to you in those comfy chairs? Join us for an interactive exploration of the incredible people who make up our Oregon Coast Learning Institute community. Led by Paul and Evelyn Brookhyser, this … Continue reading “Threads That Bind Us: Celebrating the People of Our Community” →

Don Howard Shakespeare’s effect on the world is profound! We are aware of the impact on writers, actors, and others but what about his impact on music? Whether it’s musicians writing music to accompany specific plays, or unique music inspired by his writing, Shakespeare’s words have opened musical doors that thrill our imagination!

Nancy Nila Common terminology we toss around today—Vitamin B12, insulin, penicillin, GPS, solar energy—has one powerful thread running through it: extraordinary women. Behind these everyday breakthroughs are innovators who challenged the limits of their time, rewrote scientific possibilities, and quietly reshaped the world we now take for granted. Join us for a lively, eye‑opening session … Continue reading Remarkable (Mostly) Unknown Women of Science →