Central Coast Fire getting $460,000 water tender under state wildfire program

April 8, 2023

WALDPORT – The Oregon State Fire Marshal has awarded the Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue district a grant for a water tender valued at $460,000. The district was one of three in Lincoln County to get major equipment under a $25 million state program to distribute fire engines and water tenders to 76 districts across Oregon. North Lincoln Fire

It’s not just on the central Oregon coast: Why retired journalists are jumping back into the profession

April 7, 2023

By JON MARCUS/Neiman Reports The Asheville Watchdog is a tiny nonprofit in far western North Carolina, but its editorial meetings could double as a get-together of the Pulitzer alumni club. The project came together on the back deck of the house shared by retired Tribune Publishing Co. executive Bob Gremillion and his wife, investigative reporter Sally Kestin. It was there

Former vendor questions oversight of Yachats Farmers Market operations

April 7, 2023

To the editor: I was a vendor at the Yachats Farmers Market for over two years. I never had any issues with the market. I took a year off during Covid and reapplied last year only to have my application rejected. When I spoke to the market manager about the reason for the rejection he told me there was nothing

Yachats council follows up decision from last year with 3-2 vote to take away commission’s oversight of Commons and museum

April 6, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews YACHATS — In what the mayor described as a “power grab,” a split city council voted Thursday to take away the Parks and Commons Commission’s oversight of the Yachats Commons and Little Log Church Museum. The issue was teed up last June when council voted unanimously to “pause” the commission’s oversight of those two key city

Coastal arts group in final stage of fundraising, renovating and modernizing 35-year-old Newport Performing Arts Center

April 6, 2023

By Oregon ArtsWatch NEWPORT — In the coming year, when the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts finishes the long-awaited renovation project at Newport’s Performing Arts Center, performers will enjoy 3,000 square feet of “new” space – and it will come without adding one square foot to the building. “We’re shifting from storage to functionality,” said Jason Holland, executive director of the

Led by Shelly Shrock, hardworking volunteers grow a prettier downtown Yachats, one plant at a time

April 6, 2023

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — As the downtown core blooms with visitors and flowers, not many people realize that the bountiful daffodils and decorative shrubs along U.S. Highway 101 have an unlikely origin — construction mess. The mess stemmed from the installation of sidewalks and bike lanes in 2017, a project of the Oregon Department Of Transportation. Intended to

Lincoln County adds $5.6 million to budget for mental health services, including housing and crisis center

April 6, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews NEWPORT — Lincoln County commissioners gave the nod Wednesday to a budget adjustment for the Health and Human Services Department representing millions in programs for mental health, including dozens of units of new housing. Health and human services director Jayne Romero and finance director Christine Shearer brought the adjustment to commissioners during their bi-monthly meeting. Shearer

March was quite wet and cold in the Yachats area, weather watchers say

April 6, 2023

March was wet and cold. April is looking no better – but that’s a story for next month. Five of six YachatsNews weather watchers recorded higher than average amounts of rain in March – ranging from nearly 17 inches up the Yachats River valley to more than 9 inches in downtown Yachats. “Easily the wettest March I’ve measured, with measurable

Kingston Trio makes a one-night stop in Newport to showcase their timeless music

April 6, 2023

By Oregon Coast TODAY NEWPORT — Fans of folk icons The Kingston Trio can re-discover the group’s timeless music all over again on Wednesday, April 12, at the Newport Performing Arts Center. Musicians continuing the trio’s legacy will play for one night only, giving coastal audiences the chance to board a living time machine and journey back to the pop-folk

Port of Newport wants to hear public’s thoughts on replacing Yaquina Bay pier

April 6, 2023

By Oregon Coast TODAY NEWPORT — A popular fishing spot is headed for a complete overhaul when the Port of Newport rebuilds the public fishing pier in South Beach, and port officials will seek public input this Tuesday, April 11. “We want to learn more about how people use the pier and how they think their crabbing or fishing