COVID-19 infections rise across Oregon but not all county risk levels are going up Friday

April 20, 2021

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau COVID-19 infections are rising in Oregon, putting two-thirds of all counties into what, for now, is the highest possible level of restrictions, Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday. The new county risk levels announced Tuesday include nearly a dozen special waivers granted under Brown to keep counties from going into the most severe set of

Lincoln County adds 240 jobs in March, but unemployment rate stuck at 8 percent

April 20, 2021

Lincoln County added 240 jobs in March, but the area’s unemployment rate was stuck at 8 percent, among the highest in Oregon. The Oregon Employment Department on Tuesday said the private sector added 240 jobs and government employment rose by 40, making a total of 16,860 people on Lincoln County payrolls. The leisure and hospitality sector added 250 jobs and

Lincoln County commissioners to see revised short-term rental proposals next month

April 20, 2021

Lincoln County commissioners will have a lot of work to do next month to meet a self-imposed deadline of June 1 to complete work on new short-term rental regulations. County counsel Wayne Belmont told commissioners Monday that he and staff are still working through tweaks of proposed regulations following two workshops this year. The first was in January, when 177

Oregonians get health help and locals-only RV rates in state Senate action

April 20, 2021

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau With the end of a GOP slowdown in the Oregon House, the sluggish pace of bills moving between it and the Senate has turned into a torrent. The Senate added 64 House bills to its plate on Monday, raising the likelihood that more than halfway through the 2021 session, some of the first legislation

Yachats suffers wave of car prowls over the weekend, but new resident recovering from cancer treatments was hardest hit

April 20, 2021

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Since moving to a new home in Yachats almost two years ago Karen Bertenthal has undergone two cancer treatments and six surgeries. But a car prowl early Saturday morning may have been the topper for Bertenthal and her husband, Dan. “We got hit really hard,” she said Monday. “We’re tired. It’s been a really hard year

Oregon’s state song — “Oregon, My Oregon” — is likely getting an official makeover after House vote

April 19, 2021

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon’s official state song, nearly a century old, is about to get a makeover to remove words that advocates of change say reflect a racist past. The Oregon House has adopted and sent to the Senate a resolution that changes some of the words to “Oregon, My Oregon,” which the Legislature approved as the state

Lloyd’s of London could once again pay for some Oregon wildfire costs if they go over $50 million

April 19, 2021

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau With the prospect of a catastrophic 2021 fire season looming, Oregon will rely again on it’s one-of-a-kind $25 million wildfire risk policy with the world’s oldest continually active insurance marketplace. Lloyd’s of London, which traces its roots to a 17th century coffeehouse near the Tower of London, has insured the Oregon Department of Forestry

Oregon coronavirus report for Monday, April 19: 473 new cases, 3 in Lincoln County; 25,474 vaccinations, no new deaths

April 19, 2021

Oregon reports 473 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 0 new deaths PORTLAND — There are no new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, so the state’s death toll remains at 2,460, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Monday. Oregon Health Authority reported 473 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, bringing the state

Oregon State Police/Newport activity log for April 15-18

April 19, 2021

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP21097660 04/15/2021 09:24 Officer #53141 SEVERSON, SCOTT Traffic Crimes – All Except DUII Location 101, Mile post 140 140 NB, LINCOLN OR USA Narrative Summary On 4/15/21 at approximately 920AM I contacted a subject near milepost 140 of US Highway 101. Subject had been swerving slightly in his lane. Subjected was contacted and determined to be driving suspended

As COVID-19 cases increase across Oregon, state health officials seek to eliminate vaccine disparities

April 18, 2021

By SUZANNE ROIG/Oregon Capital Bureau The Oregon Health Authority will deploy vaccination vans to hard-to-reach communities as a way to eliminate the disparities created between those with easy access to COVID-19 vaccines and those facing barriers. This comes at a time when daily case counts of COVID-19 have more than doubled in just over a month, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon