Oregon legislators hear drug possession arrests increase since new misdemeanor charge took effect

September 24, 2024

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon lawmakers are starting to wade into the work of monitoring whether the state’s new drug possession law will successfully help the state combat Oregon’s fentanyl addiction and overdose crisis. House Bill 4002, which took effect on Sept. 1, is just beginning to roll out. The bill recriminalized low-level drug possession and provided funding

Lincoln County unemployment rate stays at 4.7 percent in August

September 24, 2024

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Lincoln County leveled off in August, but is still significantly higher than the Oregon or national rates, according to the latest report Tuesday from the Oregon Employment Department. Lincoln County’s unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in August, unchanged from the rate in July – but higher than the 4.2 percent from August 2023, regional

Four mayors endorse Hall for re-election to county commission

September 24, 2024

To the Editor: We, the undersigned mayors of Lincoln County, are proud to endorse Lincoln County Commissioner Claire Hall for re-election. As fellow elected leaders, we have worked with Commissioner Hall long enough to know that “Claire Cares” isn’t just her campaign slogan. It’s the way she approaches her life and her work. Claire Hall has been a countywide leader

Samaritan offering emergency preparedness doubleheader Thursday

September 23, 2024

NEWPORT — Disaster can strike unexpectedly and in different ways – flooding, wind damage, earthquake and fire, to name a few. Are you prepared to survive an emergency? A free seminar this week will show how to be ready for the worst. The seminar, Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready, will be held Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Samaritan Center for

Another review shows Oregon DMV data error registered 1,259 noncitizens to vote, nine did so

September 23, 2024

By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon erroneously added more than 1,200 people without documented proof of citizenship to its voter rolls in the past few years and nine of those people voted, state officials announced Monday. Those numbers, the result of a lengthy review over the past two weeks, are far higher than the Secretary of State’s Office

Newport woman killed in head-on crash Saturday east of Reedsport

September 23, 2024

A 78-year-old Newport woman was killed Saturday on Oregon Highway 138 about 12 miles east of Reedsport when she tried to avoid a large truck passing other cars but instead collided head-on with the vehicle. Oregon State Police said Shelley Sue McLaughlin died at the scene of the crash about 12:15 p.m. Saturday. Police said their preliminary investigation indicated a

Despite $34,000 increase in cost, Yachats goes ahead with installing delineators on south edge of city

September 23, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Installation of the long-awaited pedestrian-safety delineators along the west side of U.S. Highway 101 on the south edge of Yachats did not happen this summer as anticipated – but it should be soon. Expectations about when the delineators would be installed and how much it would cost have been as flexible as the delineators

Surging and surprising numbers of coho salmon in upper Willamette system opens streams to fishing

September 23, 2024

By ZACH URNESS/Salem Statesman Journal Coho salmon are returning in record numbers and spreading into parts of the upper Willamette Basin they’ve never historically been seen. After a record number of the ocean-going fish entered the river above Willamette Falls last year, this year’s run could be even larger and spread the fish into more places than in the past. That’s

LCSO news release on man with air rifle walking home in Siletz

September 22, 2024

On Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 at about 6:09 p.m. Siletz residents called 911 to report adult male in his 20’s walking toward the Siletz Valley Charter School while holding a rifle. At the time of the call, football and volleyball teams were in practice at the school, leading to the school being placed on lockdown. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies

US Forest Service puts seasonal hiring on hold, affecting hundreds of temporary Northwest jobs

September 22, 2024

By COURTNEY SHERWOOD/Oregon Public Broadcasting The U.S. Forest Service says it won’t be hiring temporary seasonal workers next summer, citing a tight budget for the coming year. The agency will still hire seasonal staff to fight fires, but temporary summer hires for all other roles — like building trails, conducting archaeological surveys and doing engineering work — are on hold.