Four months after tragedy at Devils Churn, bystanders who tried to save drowning victim are still searching for answers

January 20, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Marty Gaughan of Portland is a man on a mission — one that appears likely to fail. But that’s not stopping him from trying. Gaughan, his wife and two friends were at Devils Churn on Cape Perpetua on Sept. 9 to spread the ashes of a friend when a California man slipped and fell 25-30 feet

Oregon coronavirus report for Thursday, Jan. 20: 10,034 new cases in state, 169 in Lincoln County

January 20, 2022

Oregon reports 10,034 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 8 new deaths PORTLAND — There are eight new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,916, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Oregon Health Authority reported 10,034 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the state total

Florence Events Center is ready to rise above the pandemic with annual Winter Music Festival following more than a year’s shutdown

January 20, 2022

By JORDAN ESSOE/YachatsNews.com FLORENCE — Undeterred by the surge of the Omicron variant, the Florence Events Center is ready to open its doors next weekend for the return of one of its marquee annual events, the Winter Music Festival. During the year and a half closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city-owned Florence Events Center had to skip

Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary south of Yachats getting significant expansion with the $150,000 purchase of two adjacent forest parcels

January 20, 2022

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com YACHATS — Barring any unexpected hiccups, one of the central Oregon coast’s largest and oldest protected forest sanctuaries will expand significantly by the end of the month. Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary, located just south of Yachats and owned by Portland Audubon, will increase from its current size of 220 acres to 340 acres after a land-acquisition

Oregon hospital association president says facilities heading toward ‘breaking point’ with Covid-19 patients

January 20, 2022

More than 1,000 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalized but state numbers don’t yet indicate that hospitals are in crisis Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, warned the public on Thursday that hospital numbers are rising. BY LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle The leader of Oregon’s hospital association warned on Thursday that a steady

Oregon Justice Department lawyers urge state Supreme Court to keep Kristof off ballot

January 20, 2022

Kristof has continued campaigning and fundraising during his appeal Nick Kristof, Democratic candidate for Oregon governor, greets a guest at a Portland business summit on Dec. 6, 2021. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon capital Chronicle Nick Kristof’s actions over the past two decades establish that he was a resident of New York until December 2020 and isn’t qualified

Nurse administering vaccine booster to another woman

Health officials warn that Lincoln County is being “overwhelmed” by new Covid-19 cases, urges booster shots, masks and social distancing

January 20, 2022

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Lincoln County Public Health said Thursday that the county is being “overwhelmed” by new Covid-19 cases and urged residents to get a vaccine booster shot to help slow the virus’ spread. The number of reported Covid-19 cases in the county hit 1,321 during the first 20 days of the month, including 169 cases Wednesday and another

Funeral service is Tuesday for longtime Yaquina Nursery owner Roy Foss

January 20, 2022

YACHATS — Roy Edward Foss, known widely as co-owner of Yaquina Nursery on Yachats River Road, died Jan. 12. He was 86. With him at his death in Newport were his wife, Gerry (Geraldine) and daughter, Julie. Born in Toledo, Foss began the nursery business with his second wife, Love, at a site along Highway 20 in Newport. After her

Siletz Tribe names Kurtis Barker as its new general manager

January 20, 2022

SILETZ — Kurtis Barker, a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, has been named the new general manager of the Siletz Tribe, the tribe announced Wednesday. His first day will be Feb. 1. Barker, 37, will lead a workforce of approximately 200 located at offices in Siletz, Eugene, Salem and Portland. He has worked for the tribe for

It was mostly smaller Oregon school districts who used ‘emergency’ teachers to help fill staff shortages, state data shows

January 20, 2022

State data shows that districts around the state kept classrooms going with newly-licensed temporary teachers Big school districts in Oregon have not been issued many temporary emergency teaching licenses despite staff shortages that have caused districts to shift to online learning. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle Last October, the state of Oregon came to the rescue of