Unemployment rate continues to slowly fall in Lincoln County

May 24, 2022

NEWPORT — Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to slowly inch its way down, hitting 5 percent in April — 50 percent lower than it was in April 2021 when the unemployment rate was 7.5 percent. But the county’s unemployment rate remains higher than Oregon’s statewide rate of 3.7 percent and the national rate of 3.6 percent in April.

Chip truck driver killed in late Sunday accident east of Toledo

May 24, 2022

TOLEDO — A 67-year-old commercial truck driver was killed late Sunday night after crashing his empty wood chip just east of Toledo on U.S. Highway 20. Oregon State Police said David Damon of Shady Cove was in a Peterbilt truck towing an unloaded chip trailer east on Highway 20 when he drove onto the shoulder, over-corrected and crossed the westbound

After Election Day defeats, ‘Greater Idaho’ backers done trying to reach Oregon coast

May 23, 2022

A reconsidered proposal to move Oregon’s boundary with Idaho wouldn’t result in the Gem State reaching the Pacific Ocean, but Klamath Lake could become part of Idaho if Congress and both state Legislatures approved. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle After voters in Douglas and Josephine counties rejected the idea of joining Idaho last week, a group trying to change

Oregon lawmakers set up group to safeguard abortion rights should U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v Wade

May 23, 2022

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau The Oregon Legislature will set up a work group to consider budget, legal and service questions that will arise if the U.S. Supreme Court follows through with a decision to overturn or restrict a federal constitutional right to abortion. Oregon is the only state with no restrictions — the Legislature removed penalties four years before

Oregon utility regulators will allow power companies to decide when to shut down lines, but must inform public agencies

May 23, 2022

By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE/Salem Statesman-Journal In Oregon, power companies will still decide whether to shut off power if there’s a high risk of wildfires. But new state rules will now require large utilities owned by investors to publicize certain details in advance about a shutoff, like when it will start and how long it’s expected to last, and to provide status

Oregon grocery industry decides not to challenge state’s liquor sales rules

May 23, 2022

By The Oregonian/OregonLive Oregon grocers have abandoned their effort to dismantle the state government’s monopoly on liquor sales. The Northwest Grocery Association announced Tuesday that it was withdrawing Initiative Petition 35, which sought to privatize liquor sales and allow stores over 4,000 square feet to stock liquor. Today, only state-regulated liquor stores are allowed to sell spirits. The withdrawal was first

First coastal performance of “Amanda Transcending” play caps weekend of bridge dedication festivities in Yachats

May 22, 2022

By JORDAN ESSOE/YachatsNews.com YACHATS – The capstone to the weekend’s Amanda Bridge dedication festivities were Saturday and Sunday performances of “Amanda Transcending,” a two-act play that re-enacts the catastrophic events of Amanda’s expulsion, but also features a fictionalized version of advocate Joanne Kittel as one of the main characters. The work hasn’t been performed since 2018, and it is

Saturday’s Amanda Bridge bridge dedication pays tribute to imprisoned tribal member and trails advocate who brought truth to light

May 22, 2022

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com YACHATS — As the sun popped in and out from fluffy white clouds, grown-ups chatted and laughed, kids ran around with cookies in hand and the occasional dog padded by. The initially festive mood for Saturday’s dedication of the Amanda Trail Bridge was heavily embroidered with the somber reason for the gathering. The new bridge —

Betsy Johnson ready to go ‘full-court press’ in insurgent independent campaign for Oregon governor

May 21, 2022

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau The “Betsy Brigades” are revving up to move into the Oregon political scene, carrying the message of the insurgent moderate seeking to become just the second independent governor in state history. “We’re in full-court press,” Johnson said in an interview on primary election day. “We’re going to have Betsy Brigades teeing up to gather

UCLA and Texas administrators are finalists for OSU president’s job, will interview Monday and Tuesday

May 20, 2022

By OSU News Service CORVALLIS – The Oregon State University Board of Trustees on Friday announced the names of two finalist candidates seeking to serve as OSU’s next president. The candidates will visit OSU’s Corvallis campus on Monday, May 23, and Tuesday, May 24. The candidates are Jayathi Y. Murthy, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at University