If you build it will ospreys come? After erecting platform Monday, Yachats bird group will find out

April 23, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – With the foundation laid it’s now a game of wait-and-see whether efforts will work to entice ospreys to make a home in the heart of Yachats. A flock of volunteers gathered on the northern fringe of the wetlands west of city hall Monday to attach an upturned pallet atop a 65-foot pole to serve

Former colleague supports Benfield for Lincoln County DA

April 22, 2024

To the editor: I had the distinct pleasure of working for Kathryn Benfield at her law office in Newport, and it was one of the most impactful experiences of my professional career. I first met Benfield in the courtroom, while working for the Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Paulette Sanders. There I witnessed first-hand Benfield’s masterful professionalism while passionately advocating

U.S. Supreme Court justices appear to lean toward city of Grants Pass in complex homelessness case

April 22, 2024

Homeless rights activists hold a rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday in Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson and Smith v. Spizzirri, a dispute over the constitutionality of ordinances that bar people who are homeless from camping on city streets. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) By ARIANA FIGUEROA/States

New York legislators approve tax breaks to hire local journalists, a national first

April 21, 2024

By JOSEPH SPECTOR/Politico ALBANY, New York — The decades long struggle of local media is getting a lifeline in New York. The state budget, set to be finalized Saturday, includes the nation’s first payroll tax credit for local news organizations in a bid to encourage new hiring amid the ongoing struggles of journalism outlets to cover their communities. Lawmakers and independent media

Newport council picks former Gresham manager to lead city

April 21, 2024

By KLCC News NEWPORT — The Newport city council has have chosen former Gresham city manager Nina Vetter as the new city manager. In a unanimous decision Friday, councilors voted to start negotiations with Vetter, who resigned in December after 2½ years as the city manager in Gresham. She previously worked as the city administrative officer for the Pueblo West

County announces low-income program to help spay and neuter pets

April 21, 2024

Lincoln County has announced it will use some of its federal relief funds for a spay and neuter service to help counter dog and cat overpopulation that was substantially worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The program is for local low-income households that cannot afford spay and neuter services for their pets. County staff will work with applicants and participating veterinarians’

Lincoln County fair board seeks more members to bolster event

April 21, 2024

Lincoln County commissioners are seeking applications from people interested in serving on an expanded fair board. The board, which has struggled to attract and retain members, oversees the planning, preparation and production of the Lincoln County Fair and associated events and activities. The current three-member board is seeking additional board members to help build capacity and manage the annual event,

U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in Oregon case that could decide how cities handle homeless camping

April 21, 2024

By JEREMIAH HAYDEN/Street Roots & Oregon Public Broadcasting Laura Gutowski lives just down the street from the Grants Pass home she resided in for 25 years. Her son used to play baseball in Morrison Centennial Park, where she now stays in a tent not far from the diamond. Her kids were born and raised in the neighborhood, the same

It’s seal pupping season along the Oregon coast — and more killer whales sightings by growing number of watchers

April 18, 2024

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews Up and down the Oregon coast, harbor seal pupping season is just getting underway. And while the sight of the small, helpless seals is arresting all by itself, it portends another annual marvel – the increasingly visible return of killer whales to the state’s bays, inlets and near-shore coastal waters. The seals may be cute, but

Yachats council gets an earful about potential homeless camping sites — but emphasizes no decision made

April 18, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Not in our neighborhood was the general tenor of testimony at the Yachats’ city council meeting Wednesday from residents opposed to a designated campsite for homeless people in the community. It was standing-room only at the meeting with more than 50 people attending in person and many more online. After two public hearings, the