Electrician returning this week for final work on Yachats homeless shelter

January 26, 2023

YACHATS — The five small homeless shelters in a local church’s parking lot aren’t yet fully operational, but organizers hope to have them open soon. A Eugene electrician who worked on the units earlier this winter will return this week for another adjustment. Central Lincoln Peoples Utility District requires a separate pole in order to run electricity to the

Open Yachats sidewalk grate leads to $250,000 lawsuit against city

January 26, 2023

YACHATS — A 78-year-old Yachats resident is suing the city for more than $250,000 over injuries she received last year stepping into a hole in a steel sidewalk grate. The incident occurred July 18 on the sidewalk along U.S. Highway 101 near Leroy’s Blue Whale restaurant. Court records indicate the city has not yet been served with the lawsuit. According

After 7 years, Lincoln County commissioners approve new limits on vacation rental licenses that drastically lowers number from 500 to 181

January 25, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews After seven years of workshops, public comment, deliberations, ballot measures and lawsuits, Lincoln County commissioners Wednesday established drastically lower limits for the number of vacation rentals allowed in unincorporated areas. Commissioners voted unanimously for a license cap that would drop the number of vacation rental licenses from 500 to 181 in unincorporated areas of the county.

Oregon mayors, city officials lobby legislators Wednesday for more money for homelessness

January 25, 2023

Local government officials participate in the League of Oregon Cities’ City Day at the Capitol event at the Salem Convention Center. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Hundreds of mayors, city councilors and city employees from around Oregon descended on Salem on Wednesday to lobby lawmakers for hundreds of millions of dollars for homelessness and housing shortages. Local leaders

Unemployment rate in Lincoln County continues to increase

January 25, 2023

Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to rise, reaching 5.8 percent in December – up more than a full percentage point since July. The Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday that Oregon’s statewide unemployment rate for December was 4.5 percent, the fifth consecutive month it has risen from its low of 3.5 percent last July. The national average was 3.5

Oregon Senate Republicans describe hopes for bipartisanship but won’t stop delaying tactics

January 25, 2023

Senate Republicans Lynn Findley of Vale, from left, Dennis Linthicum of Klamath Falls, Dick Anderson of Lincoln City, Tim Knopp of Bend, Kim Thatcher of Keizer and Daniel Bonham of The Dalles spoke Tuesday about their legislative priorities. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon Senate Republicans described hopes of a bipartisan legislative session Tuesday – but they also

Portland-based vacation rental management company lays off 1,300 employees

January 25, 2023

By Oregon Public Broadcasting Portland-based Vacasa laid off about 1,300 workers on Tuesday or roughly 17% of its workforce. The cuts include the elimination of 240 jobs in Portland. The vacation rental management company went public in 2021, but its stock has slumped. Vacasa is trying to shrink its expenses as it seeks to become profitable. “It is clear to me

National environmental group asks federal agency to speed up plans to reintroduce sea otters to Oregon coast

January 25, 2023

By ZACH URNESS/Salem Statesman Journal The Center for Biological Diversity wants the federal government to get moving on a plan to reintroduce sea otters on the Oregon coast. The national environmental group submitted a petition Thursday, under the Endangered Species Act, to reintroduce the sea otter to their native habitat from the San Francisco through Oregon. The idea of returning otters

Oregon’s public defense agency formulating plan on how to spend $10 million to improve legal representation

January 24, 2023

By CAYLA MIHALOVICH/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Officials have approved a plan for spending $10 million of emergency funding to address Oregon’s public defender crisis, which has left hundreds of people languishing in jails or in the community awaiting legal representation. Last month, the Joint Legislative Emergency Board allocated $10 million to help the state hire more public defenders. It asked the

Oregon Department of Justice, law firms open free legal advice hotline about abortions

January 24, 2023

By The Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The Oregon Department of Justice has launched a hotline to provide free legal advice to people with legal questions about abortions. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s Monday announcement came the day after the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v Wade, which guaranteed abortion rights nationwide until the court