5 Questions and a Secret: Kama Almasi finds her perfect job at Oregon Coast STEM Hub

June 19, 2024

By KATHLEEN O’CONNOR/YachatsNews How many of us have been lucky enough to be hired for the perfect job? The job that will use and require all the knowledge we’ve gained from all our previous jobs and provide us with continuous opportunities to contribute effectively and to grow personally? Kama Almasi started her perfect job in April as director of

No longer considered predators, Oregon beavers get new protections from state July 1

June 18, 2024

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon’s state animal has for years been classified as a “predator” by the state fish and wildlife agency, and that’s meant that the North American Beaver has lived largely unprotected from private landowners who can kill them at will. That will change July 1 when new rules go into effect under House Bill 3464, the

Bees and butterflies celebrated at Saturday event in Waldport

June 18, 2024

WALDPORT — Bees, butterflies and other critters will be celebrated Saturday when the Waldport Public Library presents its second annual “Pollinators’ Day.” Returning to the Seashore Joy Garden in downtown Waldport, the free, all-ages event is part of the library’s summer reading program themed “Read-Renew-Repeat.” The theme represents repurposing and caring about the ecology of the Earth and its creatures.

How shipping containers and the Port of Portland play a vital role in Oregon’s economy

June 18, 2024

The Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 is home to the states’ only international shipping container service, a vital resource for Oregon farmers, ranchers and other exporters. By KRYA BUCKLEY/Oregon Public Broadcasting On a sunny afternoon in June a dozen trucks line up on North Marine Drive in Portland, waiting to turn into marine Terminal 6 where they’ll drop off

OSU hopes 77-unit apartment complex for marine science center students, staff will help housing issues

June 18, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews NEWPORT — When Oregon State University asked years ago to expand its Hatfield Marine Science Center it made a commitment to develop housing for some of the students, faculty and researchers drawn to the new facility. On Monday, it officially broke ground on a $16.5 million, 77-unit apartment project to do just that. The 34,000-square-foot complex

Oregon kids are healthy but lag behind in education, according to new report

June 17, 2024

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon kids are healthier than average but lag their peers nationwide when it comes to education, according to a new report. The Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation releases annually a report called Kids Count that ranks how well states support kids using state and federal data. The latest report, the foundation’s 35th, was released last week and

Rural Oregon addiction recovery programs will get $13 million in opioid settlement funds

June 17, 2024

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon state officials will spend slightly more than $13 million on community centers and housing for rural Oregonians recovering from drug addiction. The Opioid Settlement, Prevention, Treatment & Recovery Board awarded $13.08 million for projects, primarily in rural counties that see many drug overdoses yet offer limited access to recovery services including programs,

Wyden proposes legislation to preserve rural maternal care in response to Baker City ward closure

June 17, 2024

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle Sen. Ron Wyden is pushing for a pathway for rural hospitals to continue to provide maternal care in small communities. Wyden, D-Oregon, on Monday released a draft bill that outlines a series of financial incentives to encourage hospitals to continue to offer birth services. The bill includes higher Medicaid rates and additional payments to cover

City of Waldport thinks it has a “smoking deal” for playground surface at new Southworth Park

June 17, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews WALDPORT — Something out of the ordinary happened when Waldport city manager Dann Cutter began casting about to find a contractor to install a special surface for the playground planned for Louis Southworth Park. He knew it would be expensive but did not realize just how expensive. He had previously informed the Waldport city council that

Warming ocean and 2015 heat wave harmed marine life on Oregon’s capes which are now struggling to recover

June 17, 2024

By LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Marine plants and animals on the Pacific Coast have been hit by an epidemic and devastating heat wave over the past decade, and some have not bounced back, a new study found. The research by scientists at Oregon State University has implications for the planet — a properly functioning ocean is crucial for