Oregon coronavirus report for Sunday, May 30: 257 new cases, none in Lincoln County; 17,982 vaccinations, 2 more deaths

May 31, 2021

Oregon reports 257 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths PORTLAND — There are two new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,668 the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. Oregon Health Authority reported 257 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday bringing the state total

Yachats Youth & Family program hires two staffers and makes plans for three kids’ summer camps

May 31, 2021

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com The new head of Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program has wasted no time gearing up for a return to semi-normal operations as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Patricia Hettinger, who began as executive director April 1, has hired two full-time staffers who start Tuesday, and announced three separate summer camp programs. Joining the YYFAP roster are Jodie Dalby,

Prepare for delays on Highway 34 near Tidewater for road work

May 30, 2021

TIDEWATER – Drivers using Oregon Highway 34 east of Waldport need to be prepared for delays through mid-June as a state contractor grinds, re-paves and stripes three miles of the highway. The work will result in a single lane of traffic and flaggers during daylight hours for four miles between milepost 7 and 11. The work is weather dependent and

OSU scientists say two species of coastal beach grass have hybridized, raising issues with its impact on dune building and native plants

May 30, 2021

By STEVE LUNDEBERG/OSU News service NEWPORT – Two species of sand-stabilizing beach grasses introduced to the Pacific Northwest starting in the early 1900s are hybridizing, raising new questions about impacts to the coastal ecosystems the non-native plants have been engineering for more than a century. Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Science identified the hybrid in a paper

Community health organization challenges businesses to send essential workers to vaccination clinic Friday

May 29, 2021

A Lincoln County community health organization is challenging business owners and managers to send their essential, agricultural and food processing workers to a special vaccination clinic from 4-8 p.m. Friday at La Juquilita Mexican grocery, 312 U.S. Highway 101, Newport. The Toledo-based Olalla Center is organizing the event, using the Pfizer vaccine. Each person vaccinated will receive a $25 grocery

Sudden departure of two Yachats City Hall staffers stalls re-opening plans for Commons, throws administration into turmoil

May 27, 2021

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The city of Yachats’ slow re-opening of the Commons this week has come to an abrupt halt after the community services coordinator resigned and the city ended its contract with an administrative assistant — two of four full-time staffers in City Hall. On Monday, the city announced it was initiating a soft re-opening of the Commons

Oregon coronavirus report for Thursday, May 27: 433 new cases, none in Lincoln County; 29,611 vaccinations, 21 new deaths

May 27, 2021

Oregon reports 433 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 21 new deaths PORTLAND — There are 21 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,660, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Oregon surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 cases The confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon have hit the 200,000 mark. Thursday, Oregon

Lincoln County unemployment rate in April is 8.3 percent — highest in Oregon

May 27, 2021

The unemployment rate in Lincoln County ticked up slightly in April to 8.3 percent, the Oregon Employment Department announced Tuesday. The unemployment rate in March was 8.1 percent. The county’s unemployment rate is the highest in Oregon. The next closest is Curry County at 7.9 percent. In April 2020 – after shutdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic – the unemployment

As they rehabilitate their Yachats River property, Emily and Paul O’Neill also want to bring modern farm stand idea to town

May 27, 2021

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A couple rehabilitating a 52-acre farm in the Yachats River valley wants to turn the former Beulah’s and Landmark restaurant property in downtown Yachats into a farm-to-market store next year. Emily and Paul O’Neill are working with designers at Portland State University to see how to best build on the property at the corner of U.S.

After a decade of design, first part of wave energy testing project gets ready to break ground in state park north of Waldport

May 27, 2021

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com After a decade of near misses and almost collapses, work will finally begin next week just north of Waldport on the country’s first commercial-scale ocean-wave energy project. When completed — either in 2022 or 2023 — PacWave South will provide the infrastructure private companies need to test electricity-generating devices and technologies in the open waters of