2024 rainfall on central Oregon coast one of the highest in years — and more dramatic just inland

January 6, 2025

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Bob Williams has been measuring the rain for decades, starting when he lived in Napa, Calif. and continuing after moving farther south to Carlsbad. “I started just out of curiosity,” said Williams, a former high school special needs teacher and California State Hospital employee with a longtime interest in nature and science. But he’s not seen

Yachats Lions Club lowers price and returns to all-you-can-eat format for annual crab feed

January 5, 2025

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — The Yachats Lions Club has cracking good news for crab lovers — its popular annual feed is returning with a lower price and a generous “all-you-can-eat” format. On Saturday, Jan. 25, diners can enjoy Dungeness crab plus sides and beverages for $45 at three different seatings — 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the

Hypothermia leads to a record number of sea turtles washing ashore on Oregon beaches

January 5, 2025

By APRIL ERHLICH/Oregon Public Broadcasting Two sea turtles washed up along Oregon’s beaches in the final days of 2024 due to hypothermic shock, bringing the number of sea turtles that appeared on the state’s shores last year to 17. That’s the highest number of sea turtle strandings the state has seen in any given year, and twice what the

Oregon contractors group objecting to union-backed order by Gov. Tina Kotek on state projects

January 5, 2025

By NIGEL JAQUISS/Willamette Week Associated General Contractors, the trade group that represents more than 800 Oregon construction firms, is pushing back hard on an executive order Gov. Tina Kotek issued just before the holidays. That order requires that construction projects that receive state funding and for which labor costs are more than 15 percent of total costs include labor agreements. Such

Yachats fire district’s assistant administrator leaving for county job

January 5, 2025

YACHATS – The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District is losing its longtime assistant administrator to a job in the Lincoln County health department. Shelby Knife, who has been the district’s assistant administrator for 12 years and a volunteer firefighter for 16, is leaving Jan. 24 to take a job as manager of the county’s communicable disease and harm reduction program.

Tickets for third annual Big Blue Film Festival Jan. 24-25 are on sale

January 5, 2025

NEWPORT – The Big Blue Film Festival, which showcases ocean-themed films that connect science and the arts, returns for its third year on Jan. 24-25 with 34 offerings by local and international filmmakers selected from over 200 entries from 55 countries. The festival’s films are grouped into seven two-hour blocks and can be viewed at the Hatfield Marine Science

Highway 101 repairs north of Newport will snarl traffic Jan. 7-8

January 4, 2025

NEWPORT – Expect long delays on U.S. Highway 101 in the Beverly Beach area north of Newport on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 7-8 as the highway is reduced to a single lane to make more repairs. The Oregon Department of Transportation announced Monday afternoon that motorists driving between Newport and Depoe Bay should expect long delays as flaggers limit traffic

Newport says leaking Yaquina Bay pipe may take a month to fix

January 4, 2025

Newport officials say they’re working as fast as they can but it may be a month before a leak that’s diverting treated wastewater into Yaquina Bay can be fixed. Nearly 1,500 gallons of effluent wastewater a minute has been pouring into the bay since Dec. 28. The pipe runs between the East Science Drive area near the Hatfield Marine Science

Landslide and flooding close two popular state parks near Coos Bay

January 3, 2025

A landslide undercut a portion of Cape Arago Highway just south of the Sunset Bay State Park on Friday, Jan. 3. By RACHAEL McDONALD/KLCC News COOS BAY — Cape Arago and Shore Acres state parks near Coos Bay are closed to vehicle traffic after a landslide undercut a portion of Cape Arago Highway just south of the Sunset

Newport studies major changes to Highway 101 to revitalize city center for businesses, residents and tourists

January 2, 2025

By REBECCA HANSEN-WHITE/KLCC News The city of Newport is hoping to revitalize its city center over the next several years. “Newport’s city center needs help,” says a consultant’s report about the project on the city’s website. “Many storefronts are vacant, and buildings are aging or in poor condition. Plus, summer traffic on U.S. 101 and U.S. 20 makes it