Oregon Chief Justice Martha Walters announces her retirement at year’s end

October 18, 2022

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The head of the Oregon Supreme Court announced Wednesday she’ll retire at the end of the year. Chief Justice Martha Walters, 72, has spent the last 16 years on the state’s highest court, and has been its leader for the last four. Walters is the first woman to serve as chief justice in

Gomberg works hard to support small businesses

October 18, 2022

To the editor: David Gomberg and his wife, Susan, have lived here 35 years and built a world-famous kite business. Very few legislators have small business experience and the know how to get things done at the State Capitol. Since becoming a legislator, David Gomberg has prioritized supporting the local business owners who are the backbone of this community. He

HD 10 candidate Celeste McEntee understands forestry, farming issues

October 18, 2022

To the editor: I like trees. I have been growing forests in Lincoln and Benton Counties for more than 40 years. Actively managed forests implementing commercial thinning, increase ecological function for our riparian areas, reduce fuel loads making our forests safer from wildfires, and produce wood for all of us. Celeste McEntee, a candidate, for Oregon House District 10, understands

Skarlatos would bring needed change to Congress

October 18, 2022

To the editor: I am voting for Alek Skarlatos to represent Oregon in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a five-year veteran of the Oregon Army National Guard, Alek Skarlatos has proven his belief in America and the values that have made America strong. He will make changes in Congress that will bring prosperity back to Oregon. Alek Skarlatos recently

City of Waldport making offer to Lincoln County School District to buy 2.81-acre former Seashore property downtown

October 18, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com WALDPORT – The city of Waldport is going to make a run at purchasing the hulking, former middle school building and garden area that the Lincoln County School District has been trying to sell since the spring. The Waldport city council last week authorized city manager Dann Cutter to make the school district an offer to

The Oregon governor’s race: What do three candidates say they will do to help solve statewide housing crisis

October 18, 2022

Second in a 6-part series. Wednesday: The economy By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon has been in a housing crisis for years. State economists say the state is short about 111,000 homes needed for current residents. When economists considered future growth, a 2021 analysis suggested the state needs to build more than 580,000 homes by 2040. Homes that are on

Oregon mayor’s group say state needs to step up with more money to help battle homeless issues

October 17, 2022

BY ANNA GRIFFIN/Oregon Public Broadcasting A coalition of 25 mayors from across Oregon want state leaders to play a more central role in the battle to end homelessness. In a letter sent Friday, the mayors ask Oregon legislators to spend more than $123 million a year on new efforts to help cities end homelessness. They also want state money, on top

The Oregon governor’s race: Next governor will shape education for a generation of students who have fallen behind

October 17, 2022

First in a 6-part series. Tuesday: Housing By RACHEL ALEXANDER/Salem Reporter Oregon’s schools have rarely occupied more focus in statewide races than in 2022. After over a year of online schooling for most kids during the pandemic, the state’s first assessment data released in September showed grim results. Just 43.6% of students statewide tested proficient in language arts, a 9-point

Former Yachats councilor says Gomberg always listened

October 17, 2022

To the editor: As a former member of the Yachats City Council, I had the opportunity to spend time in Salem meeting with various members of the Oregon Legislature. It was my experience that most members pay lip service to wanting to hear from their constituents. I got the impression that they viewed this as a requirement of holding office,

New NOAA report says changing ocean leads to 38 percent decline in West Coast’s gray whales last two years

October 17, 2022

By NOAA Fisheries News Service Gray whales that migrate along the West Coast of North America continued to decline in number over the last two years, according to a new NOAA Fisheries assessment. The population is now down 38 percent from its peak in 2015 and 2016, as researchers probe the underlying reasons. The population also produced the fewest