Old Yachats fire station property should be used for affordable housing

February 22, 2020

To the editor: As a full-time Yachats’ resident and property owner, I would like the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District’s sale of the four commercially zoned tax lots containing its former downtown station to include development of attainable/affordable employee housing. The need is there and land availability at good locations scarce. Too many towns delay affordability actions until options and

New bus system starts between Florence and Eugene — but connection to Yachats is poor

February 21, 2020

It’s now possible to take a bus – well, two actually – from Yachats all the way to Eugene. But because of a poor connection in Florence, it could take 12 hours to get to Eugene using the new bus system. On Monday, Feb. 19, the Lane Council of Governments started a 2-year, $1.37 million pilot program to offer

Owners of Yachats’ only bookstore hand off business to new, but familiar owners

February 20, 2020

BY CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com The sad news is that a beloved Yachats institution closed Monday. The glad news is that in just days it will re-appear under a new name, with new management, at the same location and with much the same purpose. “Mari’s Books and…” in the C&K Market plaza in downtown Yachats has been a fixture in town for

Amidst issues and complaints, Yachats contractors defend work on conversion to new financial system

February 20, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com An Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments official on Wednesday defended the agency’s handling of the city of Yachats’ financial system but asked for more time to complete a transition started last July and to fix lingering problems. “It feels like I’m in front of a firing squad,” Sue Forty told a hastily called and little

Funding for Oregon coast’s “Shake Alert” system moving through special session of Legislature

February 20, 2020

By SAM STITES/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon would prepare 250,000 households to become self-sufficient following a catastrophic earthquake under legislation advancing in Salem. The legislation, Senate Bill 1537, also would double the number of monitors that would alert Oregon coast and in the Willamette Valley residents to an earthquake. The proposals are the latest effort to prepare Oregonians for

Republicans in Oregon House walk out Tuesday night in protest of procedures, bills

February 19, 2020

By OREGON CAPITAL BUREAU SALEM — Republican legislators put the brakes on the Oregon Legislature, disrupting a Tuesday evening session of the House by leaving in protest because they said their members needed more time to consider contentious bills. The House needs two-thirds of its 60 members to take votes. With its current political makeup, that means at least two

“Cinderella” wraps up its three-week run on Friday and Saturday

February 19, 2020

By KATHERINE LJUNGQVIST/YachatsNews.com NEWPORT – Coastal Act Productions has come a long way since it first performed “Cinderella” 11 years ago. The youth-oriented Lincoln County theater group used to struggle for money, scraping by on grants and personal loans to get plays to the stage. Now, with stable funding, director Jody Hanna decided to revisit the classic Rogers and Hammerstein

Yachats Planning Commission approves zone change recommendation for former fire station

February 19, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The Yachats Planning Commission on Tuesday approved recommending a zone change for the former fire station in downtown, paving the way for the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District to get the building ready for sale. The recommendation to zone the fire district property on West Second Street for commercial use now goes to the City Council

Oregon State Police/Newport: Activity log for Feb. 14-16

February 19, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20046938 02/14/2020 14:01 Officer #53141 SEVERSON, SCOTT Crash – Non-injury Location 18, Mile post 10 10 EB, LINCOLN OR USA Narrative Summary eCrash – On 2/14/20 at approximately 2PM an eastbound red Smart car changed lanes from a right turn lane into the eastbound lane of Highway 18 near milepost 10 at the Van Duzer Rest Area. The

Yachats council vacancy draws interest from ex-member, planning commissioner and newcomer

February 18, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A former three-term council member, a Planning Commissioner member and a newcomer to Yachats have applied for the vacancy on the City Council. Greg Scott, Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey and Ariana Carlson are seeking appointment to fill the position vacated last month by James Kerti. Kerti took office in January 2019 and resigned in frustration with council direction