Yachats should close loophole in its comprehensive plan to protect scenic views

January 5, 2020

To the editor: The city of Yachats’ comprehensive land use plan and its supporting documents outline the protection of our scenic and visual environment as a guiding principle of the plan. There is currently, however, a big loophole in that protection. Inexplicably, Title 9 in the Yachats municipal code does not regulate the height of fences, hedges, walls and other

Yachats fire chief settles three state ethics claims, returns $1,750 to ambulance company

January 2, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Yachats fire chief Frankie Petrick has agreed to settle claims by the Oregon Ethics Commission that in three instances she used her position for financial gain. But the commission was not able to substantiate an allegation that Petrick received a tractor from her ex-husband after he sold land to the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District in

Yachats shoppers, Lincoln County stores already adjusting to Jan. 1 ban on single-use plastic bags

January 2, 2020

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com Yachats residents are joining all Oregonians this week in figuring out how to navigate a new statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. But from the looks of things, the task shouldn’t be too daunting. That’s due, in no small part, because Lincoln County residents who shop in Newport are already familiar with that city’s own plastic-bag ban,

Divisions between Yachats City Council members go public during first meeting of 2020

January 2, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Divisions on the Yachats City Council moved into public view Thursday during its first meeting of 2020, starting with a split vote for council president and ending with a disagreement whether it had approved hiring a facilitator to help craft goals for the year. Electing a council president during the first meeting of the year is usually

Newport hospital sponsors emergency preparedness seminars

January 2, 2020

NEWPORT — Do you have the essential items to survive when disaster strikes? Two free seminars Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Samaritan Center for Health Education can help you be better prepared for an emergency. There are two sessions with the same information to be presented at each – 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m. Ericka Mason,

Yachats rainfall in 2019 was second-lowest in past 10 years, again

January 2, 2020

It was a very dry year in Yachats. Again. Yachats received a total of 50.43 inches in rain in 2019 — the second-lowest amount of rain over the past 10 years of record keeping by the city of Yachats. It was the second consecutive dry year in Yachats this decade. Until 2019, the second-lowest rainfall in the last decade

Oregon State Police/Newport activity log Dec. 30-Jan. 1

January 2, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP19452952 12/30/2019 19:16 Officer #52129 LARSON, ERIC Agency Assist Location 5600 PALISADES DR, GLENEDEN BEACH, LINCOLN Narrative Summary On the evening of December 30, 2019, the Oregon State Police assisted the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office serve a move out restraining order on an uncooperative subject. The subject was ultimately located inside the trailer after being concealed at the

Grand jury indicts Newport man for October death of his girlfriend

January 2, 2020

By Douglas Perry | The Oregonian/OregonLive A 27-year-old Newport man has been indicted for murder in the death of his girlfriend. Ryan Steven Gaskins was already being held in the Lincoln County Jail on an “unrelated matter” before Tuesday’s indictment, Newport police said Thursday. He will be arraigned Thursday on murder, second-degree assault and strangulation charges. In October, police found Alexandra

Coast Guard crews from Newport rescue disabled crab boat near Yachats

January 1, 2020

A Coast Guard crew aboard their 47-foot motor lifeboat towed a disabled commercial fishing boat Tuesday night to safety in Yaquina Bay after it became disabled 2.5 miles northwest of Yachats. The Coast Guard station in North Bend received a report at 12:57 p.m. Tuesday that the 52-foot Pacific Cloud with three people aboard and 2,500 pounds of crab had