Yachats council says “not now” to forming citizen involvement committee, but will try to improve city communication

May 19, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com YACHATS – The Yachats city council has said no – for now – to establishing a citizen involvement committee to improve communication between the city and its residents and be able to weigh in more easily on projects, especially the Planning Commission. The informal decision Wednesday came months after the council asked the Planning Commission to

Drazan says she can unite Oregon Republicans after winning GOP’s governor nomination with a quarter of primary votes

May 19, 2022

Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, speaks during a legislative special session last September in Salem. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Republican gubernatorial nominee Christine Drazan has a monumental task in front of her — convincing the more than three-quarters of Republican primary voters who preferred other candidates to coalesce around her campaign going into the fall election. Drazan officially accepted her

Oregon health officials warn about rising Covid cases, but don’t anticipate mark mandates or restrictions

May 19, 2022

By BEN BOTKIN/The Lund Report Oregon Health Authority officials don’t anticipate statewide mask mandates or other restrictions at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they are recommending that Oregonians consider their own health – and make their own decisions. It’s a shift from the statewide mandates Oregonians have shouldered throughout the two-year pandemic. The light-handed approach reflects a new

Schrader in jeopardy of losing congressional seat, but Clackamas ballot mess will determine results next week; 4th District race now set

May 19, 2022

BY LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle The midterm primary was largely a good night for Oregon incumbents running for reelection to the U.S. Senate and Congress with the exception of one: Rep. Kurt Schrader who’s seeking the Democratic renomination in the 5th Congressional District. The Blue Dog Democrat, a seven-term moderate, trailed progressive attorney Jamie McLeod-Skinner on Wednesday by just over 9,000 votes

Kaety Jacobson easily wins re-election to Lincoln County commission; Miller and McEntee will face off in November for Position 1

May 18, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Lincoln County Commissioner Kaety Jacobson, who four years ago defeated an incumbent in a May primary race, easily won a second term in Tuesday’s primary election to avoid a potential runoff in November. While ballots will continue to trickle in to the county elections office the rest of the week, as of a second round of

Oregon still collecting more tax revenue than economists anticipated, increasing kicker and money for state

May 18, 2022

By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon tax collections continue to surge, with Oregonians paying $1.2 billion more in income taxes this spring than last year. The increasing state revenues aren’t due to higher taxes. Instead, according to Oregon’s quarterly economic forecast issued Wednesday, many people cashed in assets in late 2021, causing a short-term income boost. Most of the tax

Slow vote counting in Clackamas County could delay Congressional results until next week; county clerk under fire

May 18, 2022

Ballots await processing by workers at the Marion County Clerk’s Office in Salem on Monday, May 16. Voters will be contacted about missing signatures or other issues can be resolved to get the ballot counted. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle About 200 Clackamas County employees will be temporarily assigned to process ballots beginning Thursday as the

Oregon primary election: Progressive women win big, Republican races remain tight, Schrader could be on his way out

May 18, 2022

Ryan Patraw process ballots at the Marion County Clerk’s Office in Salem on Monday, May 16. Each ballot goes through several steps before it is scanned to have the vote tabulated. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Progressive women won big in Oregon’s Democratic primaries Tuesday, while contested Republican races remained close with many ballots left to

Joanne Kittel, the living face of Amanda: Hating the spotlight but loving the cause of telling Yachats’ Native American truth

May 18, 2022

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com YACHATS – It’s a rare, bright spring day and Joanne Kittel – wearing her usual kneepads, rain gear and a reflective vest – is simultaneously transplanting ferns, dog-sitting for a friend, and greeting walkers as they make their way along the Amanda Trail. Rain or shine, it’s a typical day. There’s trail work in and around

Oregon Sea Grant awards $1.15 million to five scientists for marine research

May 17, 2022

Oregon Sea Grant, the marine research, public engagement and education program at Oregon State University, has awarded $1.15 million to five OSU scientists. The researchers will use the funds to study sea urchin farming techniques; electromagnetic fields’ impact on marine life; effect of low oxygen conditions on crabs; prevention of beach erosion; and mud blister worm infestation of oysters. Oregon