New volunteers breathe life to historic Yachats cemetery, now seek donations, plot sales for more improvements

September 19, 2024

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — Just a year ago the Yachats cemetery was like a patient in intensive care. Not yet on life support, it nevertheless needed a big infusion of help to stay functioning. Although its vital signs are much improved, now it needs a chunk of cash to keep regaining health. The historic cemetery’s recovery is due

Massive new artwork in Lincoln City builds on Oregon Mural Trail that started in Yachats, six other towns

September 19, 2024

By LORI TOBIAS/Oregon ArtsWatch If you’ve seen Travel Oregon’s “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign of 2021, meant to draw tourists to Oregon with animated images of the state’s wonders, you might agree it’s pretty magical. The staff at Explore Lincoln City certainly did, particularly the scenes celebrating that city’s famed kite festival. But the state tourism agency’s campaign was several years old and the

State health warnings spreads from Eckman Lake to Alsea Bay estuary

September 18, 2024

WALDPORT – The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational-use health advisory Tuesday for Eckman Lake due to a cyanobacteria bloom and cyanotoxins. The agency said Tuesday that the bacteria and toxins pose a danger to human and animal health and that people should avoid swimming and other water activities where blooms are present. Risk of illness is most often caused by

Feds sending Oregon almost $43 million for roads damaged by winter storms, floods

September 18, 2024

By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon will receive nearly $43 million from the federal government to repair roads damaged by recent natural disasters, the state’s two U.S. senators announced Monday. The influx of federal funding comes as the state struggles to fill transportation funding gaps. The Oregon Department of Transportation estimated it will face a deficit of more

Newport Pride celebration offers three days of events for LGBTQ+ community and supporters

September 18, 2024

By GRETCHEN AMMERMAN/Oregon Coast TODAY Walk, don’t run, to the Newport Pride weekend. Or, if you do want to run, join the 5K, just one of nine activities planned for Newport Pride, happening at various locations throughout town from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 20-22. The event is an opportunity for community members and allies to come together with joy

Lincoln City Cultural Center kicks off nine monthly Celtic music concerts beginning Thursday

September 17, 2024

By Oregon Coast TODAY As the fall weather sets in, the misty green days and falling autumn leaves have many Oregon coast music fans buttoning up their coats and, perhaps, dreaming of trips across the sea. For some, those dreams are accompanied by the stirring sounds of fiddles, harps, guitars and pipes, hallmarks of the Celtic genre. Luckily, there’s

Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw tribes sue federal government in effort to stop October offshore wind auction

September 17, 2024

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle Officials from the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians are suing the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management over its decision to greenlight two areas off the southern Oregon coast for potential floating wind energy projects. The southern Oregon tribe – which passed a resolution against floating offshore wind energy in those areas

Mobility mats at beach north of Florence designed to help more people reach the ocean

September 17, 2024

By KLCC News FLORENCE — Lane County has installed a six-foot-wide temporary path at Heceta Beach that connects the parking area to the beach as part of an effort to make the coast more accessible. They’re called “mobi-mats” and they were paid for with a grant from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, which is working to install them across

Samaritan confirms cuts of 80 positions from its five-hospital system

September 15, 2024

Samaritan Health Services reduced its workforce by about 80 positions, the organization confirmed Friday. The layoffs had occurred earlier in the week. Samaritan, a nonprofit regional health system, operates hospitals in Newport, Lincoln City, Corvallis, Albany and Lebanon along with several regional clinics. According to its website, the organization has more than 6,000 employees. A Samaritan spokeswoman in Lincoln County

Port of Alsea’s manager-in-waiting begins work Wednesday

September 15, 2024

WALDPORT — The Port of Alsea board selected Signe Reese as the probationary candidate for port manager during a special meeting Aug. 27. Reese will start work Wednesday and work six hours a day, four days a week as she trains to take over as port manager at the end of October for Roxie Cuellar who is retiring after nine