Gov. Barbara Roberts closes out Legacy Series
As Oregon’s first (and only) female governor, Barbara Roberts is in the process of leaving a legacy. She’s the perfect choice for the 18th annual Oregon Legacy Series, which closes this Sunday, Jan. 29, at Driftwood Public Library in Lincoln City. Roberts’ reading will start at 3 p.m. at the library, on the second floor at 801 SW Hwy. 101.
Gov. Roberts served as governor from 1990-94. During her term, Roberts worked with the Clinton administration to secure federal waivers and funding for the Oregon Health Plan. She also helped to increase the number of children in the Head Start Program, secured financing for additional units of affordable housing, and developed programs to help move Oregonians from welfare to the workplace. Her husband, Frank Roberts, died from prostate cancer in 1993, while she was still governor. After his death, Roberts wrote the book “Death Without Denial, Grief Without Apology: A Guide for Facing Death and Loss.” Her memoir, “Up the Capitol Steps,” came out in 2011.
All Oregon Legacy presentations are a free gift to the community from the Friends of Driftwood Public Library. For further information about the Oregon Legacy Series, contact Ken Hobson at 541-996-1242 or kenh@lincolncity.org.

Newport students present review in Yachats
Want to know what the brightest, most creative high school students on the coast are up to? You can catch a glimpse next Friday, Feb. 3, at a showcase presented by the Yachats Academy of Arts and Sciences. Students from Newport High School will present a review of literary and photography projects starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Yachats Commons, W. Fourth St. and Hwy. 101.
All the young people are students of Matt Love and participate in Newport High School’s Friday Lunch Jam. The hour-long event will feature musical and spoken word performances by NHS students who perform at the Friday Lunch Jam, a weekly open mic event held on campus every Friday at noon. The school’s photography class will also present their work at the event.
“We’ve got some unbelievably gifted students,” said Love, who holds the open mic sessions in his classroom. “We began it three years ago and it’s become a sensation with over 600 individual or group performances.”
Love also serves as the advisor to the review, rock festival and teaches photography. “You will not believe the quality of the talent, musical and spoken word,” he added. “We’ve got rock, blues, pop, folk, country and some real beatnik poets. Our photographers are very accomplished also.”
Love and his students also present a summer literary review and rock festival called “Cubstock.” It takes place in June and is held at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds, adjacent to the school. There will be an opportunity to make donations to help support this effort.
Featured performers include Flannel Wolf, Nakaia Brogran, Hocoontas, Sedative Soup, Super Rock Cluster, Brie Staunton, Preston Cahall, Logan Cummings and many others. Senior Elana Sutton will emcee the event.
If you like what you see and hear on Feb. 3, you’re welcome to donate to the group’s literary review. The approximately 200-page bound review will showcase fiction, poetry, memoirs, essays and photographs. Past volumes have included a CD with the students reading their own material. Private donations, grants and sales of the review have made this publication possible.
There is no admission charge for this presentation, but a $5 donation will help cover publicity expenses. The YAAS is supported by the Friends of the Yachats Commons Foundation. For more information, head to GoYachats.com or call 541-961-6695.

John Baker reads at Newport Public Library
John Baker is a prolific author and Oregon historian, known for titles like “Camp Adair: The Story of a World War II Cantonment” and “Oregon’s Largest Ghost Town.” He also writes poetry, and has published three collections: “Reflections From a Coastal Town,” “Pacific Shift and Other Poems,” and “Popcorn Palace and Other Poems.”
On Saturday, Feb. 4, Baker will read from his latest book that shows his skill at yet another genre. His presentation on his memoir, “Lost and Found: Lessons From Life,” will start at 2 p.m. at the Newport Public Library.
“Lost and Found” is a collection of short vignettes highlighting everyday and profound situations in Baker’s life. Sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, the stories bear witness to the author’s search for meaning in the challenges of life.
Baker, a graduate of the University of Oregon and Oregon State University, has taught in high school and college.
For more information about this program, call the Newport Library at 541-265-2153 or check the website, www.newportlibrary.org.