Fired federal workers win their jobs back in judicial rulings, but many linger in “administrative leave” limbo

March 19, 2025

By ASHLEY MURRAY/States News Service WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has begun the process of reinstating tens of thousands of fired federal workers, though most are just being placed on administrative leave as the government cites the “burdens” of rehiring, court filings reviewed by States Newsroom show. The documents also show, agency by agency, the wide swath of firings that

New Oregon Department of Forestry report says PacifiCorp wasn’t responsible for 2020 Santiam Canyon fire

March 19, 2025

By JEFF MANNING/The Oregon Journalism Project Oregon Department of Forestry investigators have determined that the 2020 Santiam Canyon fire was not caused by downed power lines as plaintiffs’ attorneys have alleged but rather by hot embers drifting into the canyon from the nearby Beachie Creek fire. The report, released Wednesday to the Oregon Journalism Project under a public records request

Oregon budget writers offer up a spending framework to Legislature on Wednesday — and a lot of uncertainty

March 19, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — Oregon’s top budget writers attempted to answer an impossible question Wednesday. In unveiling a high-level spending framework, the co-chairs of the Legislature’s budget committee offered a picture of what priorities the state may be able to fund over the next two years. The only problem: Much of that framework relies on money from

Oregon cities unveil a new poll as they press Legislature for stronger anti-camping laws

March 19, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — Oregon cities hoping to win new authority to restrict homeless camps are rushing to convince lawmakers to take their request seriously — and pushing a new poll they say shows change is needed. The League of Oregon Cities is circulating data that suggest most voters disapprove of elected officials’ attempts to stem the

Proposed legislation that could have offered Oregon utilities protection from fire lawsuits gets fix

March 19, 2025

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon lawmakers on Tuesday tweaked a bill intended to increase fire mitigation to ensure it does not also offer utilities immunity from liability in lawsuits for wildfires ignited by power lines. The change to a single sentence in House Bill 3666 comes as a relief to some critics, who feared that giving utilities wildfire safety

Newport Symphony wraps up its season this weekend featuring Colorado pianist David Korevaar

March 19, 2025

By Oregon Coast TODAY The Newport Symphony concludes the symphonic season with true masterpieces of the repertoire at the Newport Performing Arts Center on Saturday and Sunday, March 22-23. The evening will begin with “Orawa,” a piece for strings alone. Written by Polish composer Wolciech Kilar, the music was inspired by a highlander band from Poland’s Tatra mountains. The

Library book sale, chamber’s craft fair and Ladies Club bazaar highlight Yachats spring break events

March 19, 2025

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — Spring is blooming on the central Oregon coast, bringing with it three traditional events in Yachats for locals and visitors alike. The first weekend of Oregon’s spring break for schools — Saturday and Sunday, March 22-23 — book lovers can browse bargains at the Friends of Yachats Library Book Sale. That same weekend, the

Rotary Club of Newport touts last summer’s microplastic cleanup and hopes to expand program this year

March 18, 2025

By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/YachatsNews NEWPORT – More than 200 pounds of microplastics were collected last summer, mostly from the sand on Agate Beach by tourists. The Rotary Club of Newport launched a program last year that encouraged guests to use less water, less electricity and to pick up microplastics on the beach. So now, inside Guy Faust’s garage sits about

Lincoln County unemployment rate increases to 4.9 percent

March 18, 2025

Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.9 percent in January, the Oregon Employment Department has announced, up from 4.8 percent in December. The county’s unemployment rate a year earlier was 4.4 percent. Oregon’s statewide unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in January, and the national rate was 4 percent. Regional economist Shaun Barrick said the county’s seasonally adjusted

Waldport chamber moves Beach, Bike & Blues event up one week in September

March 18, 2025

WALDPORT – After moving its Beach Bike & Blues festival from May to September this year, the Waldport Chamber of Commerce has again tweaked the event’s date by a week. Three years of chilly Spring rain led the Waldport Area Chamber of Commerce to announce in January it was moving its Beach, Bike & Blues festival from May to Sept.