Passenger dies in Wednesday night car crash near Ona Beach State Park

May 30, 2019

A passenger in a car driven by a Willamina woman died Wednesday night when her car left U.S. Highway 101 north of Ona Beach State Park and struck a tree. Oregon State Police said Thursday that John Runningbird, 36, of Grand Rhonde died when a 2006 Chevy HHR driven by Faith Goodman, 49, veered off the road “for unknown reasons”

Lincoln County awards $186,000 in social service grants including one in Yachats

May 29, 2019

Yachats Youth & Familiy Activities Program was one of 18 social service providers tentatively awarded a total of $186,000 by Lincoln County on Wednesday. The Yachats organization received $8,700 of its requested $10,000. Based in the Yachats Commons, YYFAP offers a pre-school, after-school recreation and summer programs for children and other regular activities for families. The program’s yearly request for

Cape Perpetua staff and volunteers kick off a summer full of activities

May 29, 2019

A summer of outdoor activity at Cape Perpetua kicks off Saturday, June 1, with a National Trails Day event. It is the first of three months of activities scheduled by the Siuslaw National Forest, which oversees the cape and its popular visitor center. These are in addition to the usual camping, hiking, tide pool exploring and picnicking always available at

Waldport Middle School wins $15,000 grant for music program

May 28, 2019

Waldport Middle School’s music program has received a $15,000 grant for the 2019-20 school year to help create more involvement by seventh- and eighth-graders by buying instruments, learning from visiting musicians and performing for the community. The grant is from the Lincoln City-based nonprofit Music is Instrumental via the Oregon Community Foundation. It includes an opportunity for another $15,000 in

Yachats Coastal Gems offering June 4 hikes through Newport

May 28, 2019

The walking group Yachats Coastal Gems is offering its monthly hike in Newport on Tuesday, June 4. Anyone is invited for a 3- or 6-mile walk through Newport’s Old Town, along the bay front, past Yaquina Bay lighthouse and through Yaquina Bay State Park. The group will meet inside the Hallmark Resort, 744 S.W. Elizabeth St. at 9:45 a.m. for

Highway 34 reopened to traffic for holiday weekend, but closes again Thursday, May 30

May 24, 2019

The Oregon Department of Transportation reopened Highway 34 between Alsea and Philomath on Friday afternoon for the Memorial Day weekend but will close it again all day Thursday, May 30. On Thursday, ODOT is recommending travelers use U.S. 20 via Newport. ODOT closed the highway Friday morning six miles west of its intersection with U.S. 20 to begin removal of

Trump Administration proposes closing 9 Job Corps centers; Angell center near Yachats escapes ax but will get new operator

May 24, 2019

By YachatsNews.com, Politico and Huffington Post Angell Job Corps Center north of Yachats escaped a closure announcement Friday from the U.S. Forest Service but apparently will be run this fall by a contractor or non-government partnership overseen by the U.S. Labor Department. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Friday the agency intends to close nine of 25 Job Corps Centers across

State and volunteers nurture native plant nurseries for coast restoration efforts

May 23, 2019

By ELAINE WATKINS/YachatsNews.com When one of Oregon’s state parks needs seashore bluegrass to restore a beach near Astoria, it contacts Celeste Lebo. When native thistle needs to be planted to attract the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly to a meadow south of Yachats, the parks turn to Sherri Laier. Lebo and Laier scout salt meadows, searching for seed-bearing native plants. In

Yachats Pride Festival scheduled May 31 to June 2 at Commons

May 23, 2019

By ELAINE WATKINS/YachatsNews.com June is Pride Month and Yachats is kicking it off with the third annual Pride Festival from Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2 at the Commons. The festival is the brainchild of Yachats resident Helen Anderson, who estimates attendance to be split pretty evenly between LGBTQ and straight people. Anderson’s favorite event of the weekend is

Lincoln County buys house to help probationers transition into community

May 22, 2019

Lincoln County commissioners on Wednesday approved buying a five-bedroom house in Newport to use for men on probation as they transition into the community. The vacant home at 168 S.E. 10th St. previously operated as a group home. The county bought the house for $347,500, with the money coming from state funding for parole and probation. The county will be