Yachats council begins trying to work out transition plan with departing city manager, search for interim

April 24, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews YACHATS — During a crowded meeting Wednesday, the Yachats City Council began plotting a course to keep municipal projects moving as well as maintaining basic services with the upcoming departure of its city manager and several key city hall staff. Most of Wednesday’s agenda was prompted by the April 6 bombshell that city manager Heide Lambert

Eugene’s climate activists and natural gas industry ready to square off this fall over gas stove ballot measure

April 23, 2023

By ANNA PHILLIPS/The Washington Post EUGENE — The liberal stronghold of Eugene might seem like an unlikely place for the fossil fuel industry to flex its muscles. But in the months ahead, the gas industry is preparing to pour millions of dollars into a campaign to overturn Eugene’s ban on gas hookups in new homes, turning the city into a

Staffing issues forces PeaceHealth to close beds at two Eugene-area hospitals

April 23, 2023

By the Eugene Register-Guard PeaceHealth will close dozens of hospital beds at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart RiverBend in Springfield and PeaceHealth Sacred Heart University District in Eugene. The hospital group also plans to shut down an entire medical unit at Riverbend. This brings the total closed beds at both hospitals to about 87 out of the 455 the area hospitals are

Jurors in $1.6 billion class action lawsuit against PacifiCorp hear opening arguments about blame, cause of 2020 wildfires

April 23, 2023

By TED SICKINGER/The Oregonian/OregonLive PacifiCorp’s reckoning over its alleged culpability for Oregon’s catastrophic Labor Day 2020 wildfires arrived Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Opening arguments began in a $1.6 billion class action lawsuit against the utility, with victims of four fires accusing PacifiCorp of being responsible for much of what they’ve called the largest man-made disaster in

Yachats Planning Commission OKs change to commercial/residential project along Highway 101

April 23, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews YACHATS — Thirteen months ago, Luke and Jocelyn Glaze of Salem bought two commercial lots along U.S. Highway 101 downtown Yachats that had been an unfinished, foundation-only eyesore for more than a decade. As real estate investors and developers, they planned to continue with the idea originally planned by former owner Doug Sowden of Eugene —

After three years, Oregon Health Authority officials hold last regular Covid-19 briefing as virus wanes

April 20, 2023

By GARY A. WARNER/Oregon Capital Bureau The impact of COVID-19 on Oregon is in a steady decline that makes it possible to end emergency steps put in place after the virus arrived in February 2020. The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday held what officials said would be the last monthly media briefing on the virus. The briefings are among several

Clatsop County judge will rule by end of month on legality of vacation rental ballot measure vote

April 20, 2023

By NICOLE BALES/The Astorian ASTORIA — A Clatop County circuit court judge is expected to decide by the end of the month on the legality of a referendum on the May ballot that, if approved by voters, could threaten vacation rentals in nearly all of unincorporated Clatsop County. The referendum — Measure 4-221 — seeks to repeal an ordinance approved

Oregon governor says OHSU and state will stockpile a 3-year supply of abortion drug in advance of court ruling

April 20, 2023

By KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek announced Thursday the state will secure a three-year supply of mifepristone, one of two drugs used to terminate a pregnancy and manage miscarriages, amid lawsuits and an expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling on access to the medication. “By challenging the FDA’s authority over mifepristone, the lower court decisions set

Washington Legislature OKs ban on 50 gun models, opponents vow immediate court challenge

April 20, 2023

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OLYMPIA, WASH. — A ban on dozens of semi-automatic rifles cleared the Washington state Legislature on Wednesday and the governor is expected to sign it into law. The high-powered firearms — once banned nationwide — are now the weapon of choice among young men responsible for most of the country’s devastating mass shootings. The ban comes

On 100th day in office, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek Kotek presses to divert money from reserves

April 20, 2023

Gov. Tina Kotek speaks at a press conference Wednesday about her first 100 days in office. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Gov. Tina Kotek and legislative Democrats clashed Wednesday over spending, amplifying their first major conflict since she took office in January. At a press conference marking her 100th day in office, Kotek doubled down on calls for