Waldport woman dies in traffic accident, police arrest driver

September 8, 2019

A Waldport woman died following an auto accident Saturday night and Oregon State Police on Sunday arrested the driver of the car in which she was riding on manslaughter charges. Rhawnie L. Harp, 40, died at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital following the 5:55 p.m. accident on U.S. Highway 20 two miles east of Newport. Oregon State Police said Michael J.

Yachats council finishes most of its work on details of revised vacation rental regulations

September 5, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Except for one issue, The Yachats City Council has finished wrestling with changes to its 2-year-old vacation rental regulations – keeping a 125-license limit, not allowing license transfers and more than doubling fees for renewing licenses. The council reached consensus on five more issues from an 12-item list during its workshop session Wednesday. Six issues were

Ocean View Drive got it’s big makeover on Thursday — tons of asphalt

September 5, 2019

Ocean View Drive through Yachats got much of its makeover Thursday. Crews from Road & Driveway of Newport paved two long sections of the road east and north of Yachats Start Park – a major step in a years-long process of Lincoln County turning ownership over to the city of Yachats. It took crews just 3½ hours Thursday to

YachatsNews to add three features to website starting Monday, Sept. 9

September 5, 2019

A note to YachatsNews.com readers: I’m happy to announce some small but noteworthy enhancements coming to YachatsNews.com starting Monday, Sept. 9. The additions are intended to both broaden and deepen the appeal of the website. But first some background. I started YachatsNews.com in January as a community service. By the end of February it had about 1,400 “unique” visitors and

Lincoln County district attorney leaving job to take state position; governor seeks candidates

September 5, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Fresh out of law school and eager to get legal experience, Michelle Branam took a three-month position in the Wasco County district attorney’s office in 2004. She got little pay that spring, but the district attorney offered free housing in migrant quarters in his parents’ cherry orchard. One case stuck with Branam. A child had been

Yachats council ditches night meetings, returns to afternoon session once a month

September 4, 2019

After more than two years of holding one night meeting a month, the Yachats City Council has decided it wants to meet strictly in daylight. The council voted 3-2 Wednesday to change the meeting time of its second meeting of the month from 6 p.m. to 2 p.m. Councilors James Kerti and Leslie Vaaler voted against the change. The council

Yachats institutes first phase of water restrictions because of low river flows

September 4, 2019

The city of Yachats on Wednesday, Sept. 4, instituted an immediate restriction on water use because of low flow in two creeks that supply the city’s water system. The “Phase 1” rules restricts the watering of lawns, gardens and landscaping to alternate days depending on odd-even house addresses, allows the sale of water only to current customers, prohibits fire

Crestview Heights school starts SMART reading program, seeks volunteers

September 4, 2019

WALDPORT — Crestview Heights Elementary School in Waldport is starting a student-focused reading program and needs volunteers from the community to help get it going. The SMART – Start Making a Reader Today — program pairs adult volunteers one-on-one with elementary school students to read for 30 minutes twice a week. Every child in the program also gets two free

Pacific Wind Esemble seeks central coast musicians for 2019-20 season

September 3, 2019

The Pacific Coast Wind Ensemble is looking for musicians of all types as it begins practicing this month for its 2019-20 season. Percussion players are especially needed, but all woodwind, brass, and string bass are welcome to join this non-audition, community band. The first rehearsal of the new season is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 at Crestview Heights School, Waldport.

Sheriff’s office offering free “shred day” Saturday, Sept. 7

September 3, 2019

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is offering a free opportunity for the public to shred sensitive documents from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 in the parking lot of the county courthouse, 225 W. Olive St., Newport. The effort is to help combat identity theft and financial fraud. People are encouraged to bring paper documents, files, notebooks, canceled