Oregon legislative emergency board OKs $94 million for testing, tracing but not on whether to buy more personal equipment

August 6, 2020

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon lawmakers have approved $94 million more to expand coronavirus testing and contact tracing, but deadlocked on $105 million more for the state to buy personal protective equipment for distribution to counties and tribes. The deadlock Wednesday by the 20-member Legislative Emergency Board could be resolved when the full Legislature opens a special session Monday.

Yachats-to-Florence bus operators adjust schedule so that it now makes quick connection to Eugene

August 6, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The operators of a bus system between Yachats and Florence have adjusted its schedule so that riders can now get all the way to Eugene in less than 4 hours instead of 12 hours. Schedule changes for the Florence-Yachats Connector and the Eugene-Florence Connector took effect Monday. The Lane Council of Governments took over the Florence-Yachats

Lincoln County announces another COVID-19 assisted living center outbreak as 9 residents and 5 staff test positive

August 5, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Nine residents and five employees of a long-term care facility in Lincoln City have tested positive for COVID-19, Lincoln County Public Health announced Tuesday. The announcement came one day after county commissioners voted to apply to enter Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan, and after a warning by the county’s health director that regular, mass testing

To YachetsNews readers: A mid-year update about the news site’s progress and developments

August 5, 2020

It’s been six months since my last update about YachatsNews, so given all that is going on I thought it might be an appropriate time for a little news about the news. Some quick background. I launched YachatsNews in January 2019 because I saw a lack of traditional community journalism in Yachats and south Lincoln County. The first few months

Oregon will likely hit 20,000 COVID-19 cases this week; governor continues to explore travel restrictions

August 5, 2020

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon is likely a day away from crossing the threshold of 20,000 cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state reported Wednesday. The infection count was announced on a day when Gov. Kate Brown also released a report on enforcing violations of COVID-19 restrictions, a four-state agreement on telehealth and reiterated she

Oregon Health Authority’s coronavirus report for Wednesday, Aug. 5; Lincoln County’s 19 new cases include 14 reported Tuesday at nursing home

August 5, 2020

Oregon reports 299 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths PORTLAND — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 338, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday bringing the state total to

Neighborhood groups opposed to vacation rentals miss signature deadline for November ballot, now aim for May 2021

August 5, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A coalition of Lincoln County neighborhoods failed to collect enough signatures by Wednesday night to get an initiative on the November ballot that proposes phasing out vacation rentals in unincorporated areas. Now, the newly formed group called “15Neighborhoods” will aim their measure for May 2021. Monica Kirk, leader of the petition drive, said the group simply didn’t

Coast Guard rescues injured tuna fisherman Tuesday 150 miles west of Newport

August 5, 2020

Coast Guard rescues injured fisherman 150 miles offshore Yaquina Bay, OR Editors’ Note: Click on image to view and download video. SEATTLE – The Coast Guard medevaced an injured fisherman Tuesday from a 63-foot commercial fishing boat operating about 150 miles offshore from Yaquina Bay, Oregon. Rescued was Nathanial Miller, 24. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay

Oregon rate for positive COVID-19 tests rises to 6.1 percent; Lincoln County’s is 5.4 percent

August 4, 2020

The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests cases in Oregon hit their highest levels in four months, state health officials reported Monday. The Oregon Health Authority said the percentage of tests coming back positive was 6.1 percent for the week of July 26-Aug. 1. That is the highest percentage since mid-March. The positive test level in Lincoln County is 5.4 percent

After split commission vote, Lincoln County applies to enter Phase 2 of Oregon’s reopening plan on Aug. 24

August 4, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Lincoln County is asking the state permission to move into Phase 2 of Oregon’s reopening plan in three weeks, allowing theaters, pools, bowling alleys and indoor or outdoor entertainment facilities to open for the first time since March. County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to apply this week and enter Phase 2 on Aug. 24, with the