USGS reports small earthquake Wednesday west of Newport

May 22, 2025

A small earthquake measuring 4.2 magnitude was recorded at 5:11 a.m. Wednesday about 260 miles west of Newport, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was at a depth of 6.2 miles on a fault line much farther west than the more feared Cascade Subduction Zone fault line that is 70-100 miles off the Oregon coast, according to USGS

Legislation to ban cell phones in Oregon schools is dead, but governor may step in with executive order

May 22, 2025

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — Oregon lawmakers appear to have abandoned a policy to ban cellphone use in Oregon schools, after the proposal couldn’t clear a key Senate committee on Wednesday. Now, Gov. Tina Kotek is waiting with a plan of her own. House Bill 2251 would have required all of the state’s 197 public school districts to

Police arrest Newport man on 20 counts of encouraging child sex abuse

May 22, 2025

NEWPORT – A 36-year-old Newport man has been arrested on 20 charges of encouraging child sex abuse after a 10-month investigation into the downloading of child pornography from the internet. Kurtis Fegulia is being held in the Lincoln County jail on bail of $500,000 and scheduled for a probable cause hearing Thursday, May 29 in Lincoln County circuit court. In

Declining enrollment, rising costs creates $2.8 million deficit in Lincoln County School District’s budget for next year

May 22, 2025

By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/Lincoln Chronicle The Lincoln County School District is facing a $2.8 million budget deficit for fiscal 2025-26 — and future budgets may have a larger gap with less resources to plug the holes. Every year, fewer students are enrolling in the district’s schools, a trend across Oregon since the Covid pandemic. The district is losing about 100

80th Fleet of Flowers event on Memorial Day honors those people lost off central Oregon coast

May 22, 2025

By Oregon Coast TODAY Combining deep community ties with the gorgeous pageantry of floral wreaths floating on the water in front of Depoe Bay Harbor, the Fleet of Flowers ceremony will celebrate 80 years on Monday, May 26. The ceremony was established in 1945 to honor the memories of two fishermen who died at sea in an attempt to

$7.2 million townhome project in Depoe Bay designed to aid victims of 2020 Otis-area wildfire

May 21, 2025

By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/Lincoln Chronicle DEPOE BAY– Affordable housing for 2020 Labor Day wildfire victims is officially under construction after a groundbreaking ceremony this week at the 12-unit townhome site in Depoe Bay. Some people are still displaced nearly five years since the Echo Mountain Fire swept over 2,500 acres and destroying 288 homes in Otis. “What we are seeing

Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue district’s proposed five-year operating levy passes by 116 votes

May 21, 2025

By the Lincoln Chronicle staff With 98 percent of all Lincoln County ballots counted Friday, it’s now clear that a five-year operating levy for the Central Oregon Fire & Rescue district has been approved, throwing the Waldport area district a lifeline to continue full operations. In the third and next-to-last count of ballots Friday, the district’s request for a

Lincoln County Sheriff news release on armed robbery and arrest in Siletz

May 21, 2025

News Release from Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office On the evening of Sunday, May 18, 2025, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Siletz Gas and Mini Mart, located at 315 S. Gaither Street in Siletz following a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred. The victim reported that a male suspect brandished a weapon and stole cash from

Mini-research boat built by Lincoln County high school students lands 239 days later on Palau island atoll

May 20, 2025

By DANA TIMS/Lincoln Chronicle The Lincoln County high school students who spent weeks last summer building an autonomous mini-boat to launch into the Pacific Ocean knew just what they were doing when they dubbed the craft the RSV Yaquina Neversink. The five-foot-long boat lived up to its unsinkable name this week, surviving storms, waves and wind to wash up

Two-day art show, craft bazaar and Lions Club breakfast on tap for Memorial Day weekend in Yachats

May 20, 2025

By CHERYL ROMANO/Lincoln Chronicle YACHATS — As America pauses this weekend to honor U.S. military members who died in service to their country, several Yachats traditions will help celebrate the unofficial start of the summer season. The Memorial Day weekend features an art show and bazaar/bake sale on both Saturday and Sunday, and an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast Sunday morning.