Oregon Legislature approves ban — effective in 2025 — on foam to-go food containers

April 26, 2023

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting Restaurants throughout Oregon will need to ditch to-go containers made of plastic foam by 2025, under a bill headed to Gov. Tina Kotek’s desk. Senate Bill 543, long a priority for Oregon environmental groups, cleared the state House on a 40-18 vote Wednesday. The bill bans food vendors from serving meals in containers made of

Medical emergency likely cause of car that drove into Lincoln City pizza shop

April 26, 2023

LINCOLN CITY — On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Lincoln City Police, North Lincoln Fire & Rescue, and Pacific West Ambulance responded to a single vehicle crash in the 1100 block of NE Hwy 101. Upon arrival they found a power pole had been struck and broken apart leaving part of the pole and wires down across the highway. The involved

Oregon distillers, recovery advocates clash over new spirits marketing proposal in Legislature

April 25, 2023

Oregon has about 100 distillers. (Getty Images) By LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon distillers clashed with recovery advocates during a legislative hearing Tuesday over the creation of a marketing board. House Bill 2976 would establish the Oregon Spirits Board to promote whiskey, vodka, gin and other Oregon-crafted spirits outside the state starting Jan. 1, 2025. “It’s about economic development

Lincoln County jobless rate drops slightly again in March

April 25, 2023

Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped again last month after seven months of increases. The Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday that the county’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in March, down from 5.7 percent in February. That February rate was the first time unemployment numbers had not increased since last July, according to regional economist Erik Knoder. After dipping

Oregon’s congressional Democrats ask federal agency for salmon disaster aid

April 25, 2023

Plummeting numbers of returning salmon have prompted seven of eight members of Oregon’s congressional delegation to urge the Department of Commerce to issue an expedited declaration of a fishery resource emergency for the state. If approved, the declaration would trigger immediate federal aid to help respond to the ongoing losses from low salmon populations and provide economic support to distressed

Lincoln City police arrest former gas station employee on burglary, theft charges

April 25, 2023

On Monday, April 24, 2023, Lincoln City Police Detectives arrested 38-year-old Christopher Shayne Hoffman of Lincoln City, charging him with Second Degree Burglary, First Degree Theft and First Degree Criminal Mischief in connection with a recent burglary of the Space Age Fuel / US Market business. On Wednesday April 12, 2023, at about 2:25 AM, Lincoln City Police Officers responded to the

Waldport High School’s forestry students win fourth consecutive championship in Oregon natural resources competition

April 25, 2023

WALDPORT — For the fourth time in as many years, Waldport High School’s forestry program took home the Oregon Future Natural Resource Leaders state championship during two days of competition last week. Fifteen teams from across Oregon took place in the competition held Friday at Oregon State University and Saturday at the Brooks Historical Society. Waldport took first place

City of Waldport completes purchase of old school property for $475,000 — and now comes the hard part

April 25, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews WALDPORT – Coming up with $475,000 to buy the 2.8-acre Lincoln County School District property in downtown may be the easiest part of the city of Waldport’s latest property acquisition. Now the city needs to mobilize the community to help clean it up, fix it up and get it ready for use. The city signed papers

Legislature poised for conflict over gun-control legislation as Democrats back bills on waiting periods, serial numbers on guns, and minimum age for purchases

April 24, 2023

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon lawmakers are debating firearms legislation this session, setting the stage for legislative battles and courtroom fights that could go to the U.S. Supreme Court. The proposals, all backed by Democratic lawmakers, would ban ghost guns that lack a serial number, put a permit system in place for purchasing firearms and establish

U.S. appeals court upholds expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

April 24, 2023

From the Rogue Valley Times The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Monday upheld the expansion of the biologically diverse Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Originally created in 2000 by President Bill Clinton, the monument was expanded in 2017 by President Barack Obama to 114,000 acres. The monument is a mix of forest, meadow and oak grasslands