In last meeting of the year, Waldport council OKs sidewalk idea, crosswalk lights, new nonprofit and lodging tax increase

December 27, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews WALDPORT – The Waldport city council quickly approved several plans and projects during its last meeting of the year that ran the gamut from installing new crosswalk lighting, establishing a non-profit and raising the city’s lodging tax by 20 percent. But first on the council’s agenda was turning down a bid to install sidewalks from the

Siletz Valley School board fires superintendent/principal after investigation into seven complaints

December 26, 2023

By NIKA BARTOO-SMITH/Underscore News SILETZ – The Siletz Valley School board has fired principal/superintendent Casey Jackson following an investigation into seven complaints filed in October. The board announced its decision to fire principal Jackson at its meeting Dec. 14. The 200-student school is a charter school within the Lincoln County School District, with its own board, administrators and budget.

Elderly Seal Rock man hospitalized after spending night in wrecked car

December 25, 2023

SEAL ROCK – A 90-year-old Seal Rock-area man was treated for hypothermia and minor injuries Saturday at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital after leaving his house north of Waldport the night before and crashing it down an embankment. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said Bonita Boldt reported her husband and their vehicle missing about 3:40 a.m. Saturday after last seeing him

Lincoln County judge overseeing vacation rental lawsuit hopes to rule before final hearing Friday

December 25, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Following a 90-minute hearing Friday, Lincoln County circuit judge Joseph Allison said he hopes to rule by the end of the week on challenges to the county’s ordinance regulating vacation rentals in unincorporated areas. Allison scheduled another hearing with lawyers for 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 29 but said he “will do my best” to get a

Oregon State and Washington State reach financial agreement with 10 departing Pac-12 schools

December 22, 2023

By The Athletic Oregon State University and Washington State University have reached an agreement in principle with the 10 departing Pac-12 schools to settle their ongoing legal battle over control of the conference’s board and assets, the 12 universities announced Thursday. The outgoing schools have “agreed to forfeit a portion of distributions over the rest of the 2023-2024 year and

Lincoln County makes small gains in population over past year, but long-term trends point to rural workforce issues

December 21, 2023

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews Lincoln County, like 30 of Oregon’s 36 counties, gained population last year, according to new population estimates released this week by Portland State University’s Population Research Center. The county’s year-over-year gain of just 218 residents, however, continues a pandemic-era trend of little to no population increases for Oregon’s smallest and mostly rural counties, and flashes danger

Oregon DHS offers record $40 million to settle lawsuit from four abused foster children

December 21, 2023

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The Oregon Department of Human Services has agreed to pay $40 million to settle a lawsuit filed by four former foster children who were sexually and physically abused in a foster home, court records show. The agency’s settlement offer marks the culmination of a five-year court battle that scrutinized the harsh treatment of

Closure of well-known Yachats bar isn’t so final after all with owner’s change of heart

December 21, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – With no more fanfare than a Facebook post, the Yachats Underground Pub & Grub re-opened Wednesday after closing suddenly and supposedly permanently just two weeks ago. The unannounced closure of the bar favored by many locals and musicians occurred after a cash register malfunction led to a kerfuffle between a bartender and owner David

Fireworks in unincorporated areas of Lincoln County could be banned as soon as Jan. 3 under revised ordinance

December 21, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews The sale, possession and use of any fireworks will be prohibited in unincorporated areas of Lincoln County beginning in January under a revised ordinance that commissioners plan to pass at their first meeting in 2024. But don’t expect deputies out writing tickets or taking people away in handcuffs for lighting off fireworks, Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis

Tight labor market among factors hampering Oregon Measure 110, new audit finds

December 21, 2023

By CONRAD WILSON/Oregon Public Broadasting Oregon’s controversial, voter-backed drug decriminalization and treatment law has generated more than $260 million to expand recovery services to “highly vulnerable people,” according to an audit released Wednesday by the secretary of state’s office. At the same time, auditors say the Oregon Health Authority, the state agency that helps administer grants aimed at helping those