Bandon police arrest West Coast Game Park owner after finding meth, guns and $1.6 million cash

May 28, 2025

By JUSTIN HIGGINBOTTOM/Jefferson Public Radio Bandon police arrested Brian Tenney, owner of West Coast Game Park Safari, on Tuesday after officers found drugs, weapons and large amounts of cash at his property. Authorities served multiple warrants at the roadside zoo on May 15 following a months-long investigation into alleged animal abuse. During the search, the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team found

Oregon lawmakers vote to expand state’s plastic bag ban to stores, restaurants by 2027

May 28, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — Oregon’s ban on plastic grocery bags will kick up a notch under a bill headed to the desk of Gov. Tina Kotek. Beginning in 2027, Senate Bill 551 will ensure that retailers and restaurants can’t offer any form of plastic bags to customers at check out. That’s already true for most single-use plastic

New Oregon law allows tribes to petition for removal of state control from tribal affairs

May 28, 2025

By MELANIE HENSHAW/Investigate West SALEM — A tribally backed bill that could simplify the jurisdictional patchwork in Oregon was signed by Gov. Tina Kotek on May 22 after sailing through the 2025 Legislature. Passed unanimously by both legislative chambers, the new law will create a formal process for tribes to petition the state for the reversal of a 1953 federal

Citing legal expenses and desire to move on, Waldport council votes to reinstate Lambert as mayor

May 27, 2025

Note: This story was updated at 4:05 p.m. Friday, May 30 with a formal statement from Waldport city manager Dann Cutter. By GARRET JAROS/Lincoln Chronicle WALDPORT – The Waldport city council voted unanimously Tuesday to return mayor Heide Lambert to office and dismiss charges that she violated the city charter in March. The decision is a reversal of

Waldport man arrested for manslaughter after forest road crash Monday

May 27, 2025

WALDPORT – A Waldport man was arrested on manslaughter charges Monday night after his Jeep ran off a Forest Service road deep in the Coast Range and killed his friend. David Vargues, 45, of Waldport died at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport after fire department crews from Waldport and Seal Rock hauled him up 100 feet from a ravine

Oregon Black Pioneer leader will discuss exclusion laws Sunday in Yachats

May 27, 2025

YACHATS – The executive director of Oregon Black Pioneers will discuss the history of Oregon’s Black exclusion laws and the stories of the men and women who defied them during a presentation at the Yachats’ Commons on Sunday, June 1. Zachary Stocks’ speech was originally scheduled April 13 but was postponed because of illness. Stocks will explore some of the

Oregon State Parks officials soon deciding fate of 150-year-old “Yaquina Muscle Tree” in Newport

May 27, 2025

By KRISTIAN FODEN-VENCIL/Oregon Public Broadcasting NEWPORT — Anyone driving into Yaquina Bay State Recreation Area will see a majestic Sitka spruce standing in the middle of the road, overlooking the ocean. It’s known as the Yaquina Muscle Tree, because its beefy branches stick out like a flexing bodybuilder. For generations, people have gotten married next to it, taken graduation

5 Questions and a Secret: You may have seen him flying over central coast beaches, now meet Josh Norris

May 27, 2025

By KATHLEEN O’CONNOR/Lincoln Chronicle Every time Josh Norris launches his paraglider he is filled with reverence, wonder and exhilaration. He feels that flying actually grounds him, helping him to understand his own place in the world each time he launches. This time of year he drives from his home in Corvallis to the central Oregon coast two to four

Caught in Trump and Europe’s tariff wars, USDA announces $16 million purchase of Oregon pink shrimp

May 26, 2025

By ALEJANDRO FIGUEROA/Oregon Public Broadcasting In a regular season, commercial fishing boats on the Oregon coast set out at the beginning of April to catch Pacific pink shrimp to then be canned or frozen at a local processing facility. This year, those plans got delayed. “They decided to wait and put it off two weeks at least,” said Nick

A Nice Place to Visit: No one appears to be minding the agency that promotes Oregon tourism

May 26, 2025

By JAMES NEFF/Oregon Journalism Project During commercial breaks this television season, viewers were likely to spy a Muppet-like beaver leading delighted visitors on a snowshoe hike past Mount Hood or singing the benefits of fishing guides while flycasting in pristine Oregon waters. These jaunty scenes, produced by award-winning Portland-based ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, grab the attention but are also somewhat