Newport resident supports Sheryl Bachart for re-election to circuit court

April 25, 2020

To the editor: I first met Judge Sheryl Bachart when we both served on the board of a local non-profit organization several years ago. I quickly came to appreciate her ability to work effectively and efficiently with others and be a valuable team member. Specifically, when dealing with challenging situations, she actively sought and listened to input from others, provided

Victim assistance specialist endorses Danforth for Lincoln County district attorney

April 25, 2020

To the editor: I am thrilled to endorse Lanee Danforth for Lincoln County District Attorney. As a 15-year crime victim advocate, I am currently the tribal victim assistance specialist at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. I have known Lanee Danforth for the past eight years, first as a supervisor in the district attorney’s office, and then

Retired sheriff’s patrol deputy endorses Cable for district attorney

April 24, 2020

To the editor: I am proud to endorse Jonathan Cable for Lincoln County District Attorney. As a patrol deputy for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, I worked closely with Jonathan Cable when he was a deputy district Attorney. When he was a private practice attorney, I referred all of my firearms training clients and friends to him with confidence. He

Deputy district attorney supports Danforth in May primary election

April 24, 2020

To the editor: In response to Kenneth Park’s announcement that he has suspended his campaign for Lincoln County District Attorney, I have one question for him. What campaign? Kenneth Park has done absolutely nothing that a person actually campaigning for office would do. It is abundantly clear from Jonathan Cable’s campaign materials that he has never viewed Park as an

Owners of closed Yachats-area shops try other methods to stay in business, but worry about longterm shutdown

April 23, 2020

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com They’ve gone online. They’ve taken phone calls and met customers at their shops. They’ve applied for federal and state loans, local aid and are working with their landlords as they’ve become more nimble in adjusting to COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and visitors to the Oregon coast. But with many lacking deep pockets, owners of the small

Yachats council OKs $100,000 loan program for struggling businesses, rejects direct aid to church relief

April 23, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The Yachats City Council on Thursday approved funding a loan program for small businesses to help them survive the state-imposed COVID-19 shutdown. The $100,000 program would be administered by a Springfield-based nonprofit called Community Lending Works, which would charge the city $4,000 to administer 2 percent business loans for up to four years. The city did not

Oregon emergency board balks at $50 million loan program for rural hospitals, approves other relief programs

April 23, 2020

BY DICK HUGHES/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon legislators balked Thursday at loaning $50 million in federal money to rural hospitals reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the Legislative Emergency Board tabled the proposal so it could be reworked to include forgivable loans or straight-out grants. Several legislators said hospitals would be unable to take out loans, even at zero percent

New jobless claims continue to pile up in Lincoln County, go past highest point during 2009 recession

April 23, 2020

Another 430 Lincoln County residents filed unemployment claims last week, bringing the total to 3,246 since statewide COVID-19 restrictions went into place in mid-March. The number of initial claims in Lincoln County for the week ending April 18 was dramatically smaller than the previous two weeks, but still a staggering amount of the county’s total nonfarm workforce of nearly 18,000

Oregon Health Authority’s coronavirus report for Thursday, April 23

April 23, 2020

Oregon reports 68 new COVID-19 cases; 5 new deaths PORTLAND — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 83, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 8 a.m. Thursday. Oregon Health Authority also reported 68 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 2,127. The new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday are in the

Samaritan Health Services expands testing to more people with COVID-19 symptoms

April 23, 2020

Samaritan Health Services says it has obtained sufficient quantities of testing supplies and personal protective equipment to expand COVID-19 testing in Lincoln, Benton and Linn counties, and is now offering tests for anyone with symptoms of coronavirus — with a clinician’s order. Previously the hospital system limited tests to health care workers, first responders, patients in care facilities or other