With Covid cash running out, Oregon legislative budget writers propose more spending on housing, health care while keeping state positions vacant

March 23, 2023

By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Legislative budget writers plan to trim many state agency budgets while increasing overall spending in the next two years. Co-chairs of the legislative budget-writing committee on Thursday shared the broad strokes of their $31.6 billion spending plan for the two years beginning July 1. It starts with 2.5% reductions to current agency spending, cuts that

Three days of craft or book sales begin Friday in Yachats

March 23, 2023

YACHATS — The first spring weekend in Yachats is blooming with two popular arts and crafts fairs, plus a big book sale to benefit the Yachats Library. In all, beginning Friday there will be 38 hours of browsing and shopping fun. Yachats Ladies Club Spring Crafts Bazaar, 286 W. Third St., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Find

The big divide over guns and violence plays out in the Oregon Legislature on Wednesday

March 22, 2023

People with the gun violence prevention group Moms Demand Action listen to testimony about firearms legislation Wednesday in the Oregon House Judiciary Committee. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon lawmakers heard civil but sometimes emotional testimony Wednesday about firearms legislation to prevent gun violence and ban untraceable or detectable guns. Dozens testified, including Attorney

Interagency training exercise planned April 1 for Lincoln County emergency responders

March 22, 2023

News Release from Lincoln City Police Posted on FlashAlert: March 22nd, 2023 5:45 PM Public safety agencies from all over Lincoln County will be taking part in an interagency training exercise for emergency response to a large-scale critical event on Saturday, April 1, 2023. This training event will be a day-long event that will allow emergency responders from Lincoln County to

One actor plays 11 characters in edgy “Sex, Drugs Rock & Roll” comedy at Newport Performing Arts Center

March 22, 2023

By BARBARA B. COVELL/Oregon Coast TODAY NEWPORT — It’s the 1980s all over again. So, strap on your seatbelt and get ready for the ride of a lifetime in “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll,” Eric Bogosian’s edgy raw comedy about life as it was, and — in many ways — still is. Eleven characters come to life in a

Festival of Illusions opens nine-day run at Lincoln City Cultural Center beginning Thursday

March 22, 2023

By SABINE WILSON/Oregon Coast TODAY LINCOLN CITY — The Lincoln City Cultural Center’s treasured Festival of Illusions is back, with nine days of festivities taking place from Thursday through Saturday, April 1. “This year’s festival is one of our biggest yet with new acts, returning magicians, classes, workshops and photo opportunities,” said communications coordinator Frank Hoovestal. “This is a

Oregon Senate passes $200 million emergency housing package which now goes to Gov. Kotek for her signature

March 22, 2023

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Tina Kotek is the final stop for a $200 million-plus package that she and lawmakers crafted to aid unhoused people, avert homelessness and lay the groundwork for more housing production in Oregon. The Senate gave final legislative approval to both bills Tuesday night, following House votes on March 15, after the full

5 Questions and a Secret: Rural route mail carriers Michael and Cherish Nowatchik

March 22, 2023

By JORDAN ESSOE/YachatsNews The husband-and-wife team of Michael and Cherish Nowatchik, both 34, are Waldport’s newest mail carriers. Last August they took up what is referred to internally by the United States Post Office as Route 71, which includes roughly 720 addresses between Crestline Drive near Waldport High School and Fircrest Way in the Sandpiper Village neighborhood on the

Pushback by locals over development of Alsea River park may have state and county agencies re-thinking plans

March 21, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews WALDPORT — State officials say 10-year-old funding agreements require the development of Don Lindly Park to include a launch for motorized boats, but current park users who have taken advantage of its open spaces and unique public access to the Alsea River want to retain its rustic state. No one in the standing-room-only audience in Central

County commissioners drop regular weekly meeting dates

March 21, 2023

NEWPORT — Lincoln County commissioners will now hold two regular meetings a month with workshops on Wednesdays in between. The change from weekly regular meetings has been in place since the beginning of March when commissioners participated in a workshop on the county’s new budget software then held a special meeting to declare a homelessness emergency. Commissioners now have regular