Uncertainty looms over first open Oregon governor’s race in two decades

June 5, 2022

The three candidates for Oregon governor are Democrat Tina Kotek (left), Betsy Johnson, running unaffiliated (center) and Republican Christine Drazan (right). By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle As counties tallied primary ballots, one fact became evident: the next Oregon governor will be a woman with legislative experience. Everything else about the race is still up in the air. Most years,

Crestview Heights students, staff and arts nonprofit unveil massive new mural depicting “Acts of Kindness”

June 2, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com WALDPORT – After two years of battling Covid-19 restrictions and some troublesome behaviors, Cristal Arden wanted something to help bring Crestview Heights School students back together — a project that anyone who wanted to could help design and build. Drawing on her experience 16 years ago with a large mosaic tiled mural that now graces the front

Gov. Kate Brown makes lasting impact in Oregon with 100 judges appointed

June 2, 2022

Gov. Kate Brown has appointed the majority of those on the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By LES ZAITZ/Oregon Capital Chronicle Kate Brown was on the job as Oregon’s governor for just a week in 2015 when she posted an opening for a state judge. Three months later, she named a prosecutor to

Oregon Health Authority ‘back on track’ in creating network of addiction treatment, prevention services, audit says

June 2, 2022

Oregon had the highest drug addiction rate in the country in 2020. (Getty Images) By LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The state’s implementation of a new drug prevention and treatment network to help tens of thousands of people with addiction problems appears to be back on track after months of delays caused in part by mismanagement and misjudgment by

Oregon State Police/Newport activity log May 31-June 1

June 2, 2022

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP22131791 05/31/2022 16:32 Officer #44704 KATSIKIS, KELLY Crash – Non-injury Location 20, Mile post 10 10 EB, LINCOLN OR USA Narrative Summary E-CRASH: Unit #1, a westbound Honda Civic crossed over the center line and struck Unit #2, an eastbound Toyota Tundra head on. The highway was shut down for approximately 30 minutes before one lane was opened

Rain totals and temperatures set records for May in the Yachats area

June 2, 2022

The Yachats area had a record amount of rain in May and it was so cold that the number of days – two – that reached 60 degrees were the same as the months of January and February, according to local weather watchers. New rainfall records for the month were set up and down the Yachats river, north of Yachats

Recall election underway for 2 Central Coast Fire board members is about district’s direction — and whether chief, staff and volunteers stay

June 2, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com WALDPORT — The call came at 11:43 a.m. Saturday – a woman near Range Drive in Waldport was struggling to breathe. Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue firefighter/paramedic Jo Bartling and firefighter/EMT John Townley got to her house in less than 4 minutes and asked for backup from the Yachats and Seal Rock fire departments. Shortly

Central Lincoln PUD will raise electricity rates by 3 percent in July

June 2, 2022

For the first time in three years, Central Lincoln Peoples Utility District customers are going to see an increase in their electric bills starting in July. The CLPUD’s five-member board in May approved a 3 percent rate increase for its residential customers – resulting in an average increase of $1.17 per month. Electricity will cost the utility’s 34,569 residential accounts

A fisherman holds up his Chinook salmon catch.

Mid-coast salmon fishery this summer and fall not affected by ODFW’s closure of some rivers to Chinook catch

June 1, 2022

By Oregon Capital Chronicle and YachatsNews Due to years of drought and poor ocean conditions, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will restrict fishing for wild Chinook salmon in northern and southern parts of the coast from Aug. 1 through the end of the year. Numbers of wild Chinook in several coastal tributaries are forecast to be

Oregon lets schools ban guns on campus, but few have made that choice; Lincoln County School District banned them in February

June 1, 2022

By Dirk VanderHart/Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon lawmakers last year gave every public school district in Oregon the option to ban guns from their premises. So far, most districts have declined to take them up on the offer. Since a change to Oregon law in September, just 13% of the state’s public school districts have opted to close an exemption that allows