Grant allows college to now offer business workshop for free

February 11, 2025

The Small Business Development Center at Oregon Coast Community College has received a state grant to offer its 90-minute workshop on disabilities at no cost. Scheduled 5-6:30 p.m. March 5 at the college’s Newport campus, the workshop is designed to help small businesses understand the importance of inclusivity and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. The workshop by instructor Taylor Yount

5 Questions and a Secret: Love of animals keeps veterinarian Larry Occhipinti from retiring

February 11, 2025

By KATHLEEN O’CONNOR/YachatsNews “Never enough!” That’s how Larry and Linda Occhipinti answer when someone asks how many animals they own. Occhipinti is a veterinarian who lives along Oregon Highway 34 about 18 miles east of Waldport and practices at the small veterinary hospital he built there. Because he and Linda own five acres they have room for lots of

Lincoln County’s first full-time administrator resigns after almost three years in the job

February 10, 2025

Editor’s note: This story was updated Wednesday, Feb. 12 to include portions of Tim Johnson’s resignation letter to county commissioners. By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Tim Johnson, who had served as Lincoln County’s first administrator for nearly three years, resigned Friday after apparent dissatisfaction by commissioners with his work. Johnson was hired as the county’s first administrator in April 2022 after

Yachats groups will deliver special treats Friday to 100 people or groups

February 10, 2025

YACHATS — One hundred containers filled with tasty treats will be delivered to local individuals, civic groups and businesses on Valentine’s Day, thanks to a “sweet” collaboration between two service groups. The Yachats Lions and Yachats Ladies Clubs will be surprising city staffers, volunteers and businesses with decorated bags and boxes of homemade cookies. The treat surprises are part of

Republicans in 2025 Legislature seek task force to study Oregon-Idaho border move

February 9, 2025

By MONIQUE MERRILL/Courthouse News Service SALEM — A grassroots movement intent on shifting the Oregon-Idaho border some hundreds of miles continues pushing for Oregon leaders to consider its merits. Last week, a cohort of Republican state representatives introduced a bill that would create the “Move Oregon-Idaho Border Task Force” to document what legislative processes are required to shift the

Oregon Republicans respond to Trump order on trans athletes by touting state legislation

February 9, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART and TIFFANY CAMHI/Oregon Public Broadcasting The latest in a flurry of executive orders from President Donald Trump is a push to keep trans women out of women’s sports. The “No Men In Women’s Sports” executive order follows other measures Trump has signed targeting transgender participation in the military and access to health care. Oregon allows transgender youth

Bill to offer unemployment pay to striking Oregon workers sets up clash in 2025 Legislature

February 9, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — Striking workers in Oregon could receive state unemployment payments under a bill that is shaping up as the latest showdown between labor interests and employers in Salem. The two sides don’t agree on much. Unions say that Senate Bill 916 would extend a crucial lifeline to employees fighting for better working conditions. They argue that

Rep. Val Hoyle drops out of House DOGE caucus in protest of Musk’s actions

February 7, 2025

By REBECCA-HANSEN WHITE/KLCC News Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., has left the House DOGE caucus less than two months after joining. The caucus is a separate entity from billionaire Elon Musk’s DOGE task force, which has been attempting to make widespread, legally questionable cuts across the federal workforce. In a statement Thursday, Hoyle said she joined the caucus in good faith to provide

Latino residents in Lincoln County get advice on how to deal with potential federal immigration enforcement

February 6, 2025

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews Leaders in Lincoln County’s Latino and Hispanic community have held three meetings to inform people of their rights following growing tension about mass deportations promised by President Donald Trump and carried out by federal immigration authorities. Fear of racial profiling and aggression was already a concern after an anonymous letter was sent to several local officials

Attempt by Lincoln County commission chair and counsel to consolidate authority runs into opposition

February 6, 2025

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews NEWPORT – An attempt by Lincoln County commission chair Claire Hall and county counsel Kristin Yuille to put Hall in charge of the commission’s work and departmental oversight ran into opposition and some skepticism from two other commissioners Wednesday. The attempt came during the last meeting of commissioner Kaety Jacobson, who is quitting Feb. 14 with