Yachats fire board approves cost-of-living raises for professional staff

February 12, 2020

After going two years without raises, firefighters, paramedics and other non-management employees of the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District are getting cost-of-living bumps in their pay. The fire district board on Monday approved cost-of-living raises of 3.5 percent for 2018 and then 2.9 percent for 2019. It will go to staff who are still with the district. The district did

More than 1,000 rally Tuesday at Oregon Capitol in support of climate change legislation

February 11, 2020

By SAM STITES and CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Activists seeking to clean Oregon’s environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions turned out by the hundreds Tuesday, pushing legislators to move ahead with a cap and trade policy. Demonstrators ranged from Salem-area teenagers who took time out from school to middle-aged Wasco County residents. All told, organizers say that

Oregon Coast CC wins accreditation as independent institution

February 10, 2020

After six years of work, Oregon Coast Community College is now an independently accredited institution. Birgitte Ryslinge The college received news of the decision by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities on Feb. 4, it announced in a news release. The 33-year-old college serves Lincoln County through its locations in Newport, Waldport, and Lincoln City. OCCC students pursue health

Oregon State Police/Newport: Activity report Feb. 6-8

February 10, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20038296 02/06/2020 18:13 Officer #53141 SEVERSON, SCOTT Warrant Arrest Location 101, Mile post 123 123 SB, LINCOLN OR USA Narrative Summary On 2/6/20 at approximately 6PM I stopped a vehicle for a lighting equipment violation near Westler Drive in Gleneden Beach. Driver and registered owner of the vehicle had an outstanding warrant in Lincoln County for DUI probation

Oregon timber companies, environmentalists sign break-through agreement of cooperation

February 10, 2020

By SAM STITES/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — A new deal between Oregon’s timber industry and environmentalists to protect forest waters, modernize logging regulations and create a new conservation plan was announced Monday by Gov. Kate Brown and representatives of both interests. The two sides have been at odds over policy and practices for decades, and this agreement aims to

Yachats council establishes procedure for vacation rental license waiting list

February 10, 2020

The Yachats City Council has finished work on its vacation rental ordinances by establishing a general procedure for creating a waiting list for licenses. The council set a 125-license limit on vacation rentals in 2017 and re-affirmed that number late last year. But after tinkering with other parts of the ordinance council members initially could not agree on if, when

Yachats council puts off water rate vote after disagreement over their impact and revenue

February 6, 2020

BY QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A disagreement over how much money the city of Yachats needs to generate for maintenance projects from new water rates delayed a preliminary decision on those rates Thursday. The city is in the midst of a $24,000 study to determine new water rates. The council decided previously that the new rates should cover regular operating costs

Idea of dog park on Yachats’ ball field may start larger conversation on what to do with land

February 6, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Mary Aebi and Carita Edson each have a pair of dogs that enjoy being off leash and playing with other canines. But that can be a problem on the beaches and trails around Yachats. So they’ve been approaching the city’s Parks and Commons Commission with a proposal to create a fenced dog park on portion of

A year of YachatsNews.com: A look back, new content announcement — and a request for support

February 6, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com I launched YachatsNews.com 13 months ago because after 40 years in newspapers I wanted to contribute to the community in the best way I knew how — and because there was a lack of traditional, community-level news coverage in an area that deserved and wanted it. It has been a year of growth for the website

Timber Unity protest Thursday in Salem brings out more issues than cap-and-trade proposal

February 6, 2020

By SAM STITES, JAKE THOMAS and CLAIRE WITHYCOME/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — They are blue-collar workers but Thursday they carried views from the “red” parts of Oregon. They raised their voices in protest against legislative proposals they fear will cost them, their companies and their communities. Some took time off from day jobs to travel to Salem to protest;