Judge signals that he’s finally ready to issue ruling on Lincoln County’s vacation rental ordinance

November 21, 2023

Three months after he said he would quickly rule on a long-running legal battle over vacation rental regulations, a Lincoln County circuit judge is apparently ready to release his opinion. Pro-tem judge Joseph Allison on Thursday scheduled a “status check” hearing for Dec. 4 – and informed lawyers for the county and vacation rental owners that he intends to

Oregon governor Tina Kotek selects Umatilla member as her first tribal affairs director

November 21, 2023

SALEM — Shana McConville Radford of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will join Gov. Tina Kotek’s administration as Oregon’s first tribal affairs director. McConville Radford, 39, had since May 2022 served as deputy director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. “The tribal affairs director role is an unprecedented role in the Governor’s office,” said

Oregon Secretary of State says audit of OLCC and cannabis industry meets its standards

November 21, 2023

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregonians still can access the audit of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission after former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s moonlighting scandal with cannabis company La Mota put the audit under intense scrutiny. Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who released her review of the audit on Monday, said in a release that it

It’s free to fish in Oregon on Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving

November 21, 2023

The two days after Thanksgiving – Friday and Saturday – are officially “free fishing” days in Oregon when anyone can fish, clam and crab without licenses or tags. The free fishing days authorized by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife apply to both Oregon residents and nonresidents. However, all other fishing regulations apply — including closures, bag limits and

Waldport woman cited for harassment after grocery store incident

November 20, 2023

WALDPORT – A dust-up between audience members at a local fire district board meeting has spilled into the grocery aisles of Ray’s Market. A Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy cited Tamara M. Rodriguez, 44, of Waldport for harassment after a Nov. 12 incident at the grocery store. Rodriguez, who also goes by Tamara Derby, is well known among some in the

Air Force veteran Monique DeSpain will challenge Val Hoyle in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District

November 20, 2023

By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle A Republican Air Force veteran and attorney plans to challenge Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., counting on voters’ frustrations with crime and homelessness and suspicion of Hoyle’s ties to a troubled marijuana business to overcome a Democratic registration edge in a southern Oregon and coastal congressional district. The 4th congressional district now includes all of Lincoln

City of Waldport lands $100,000 Travel Oregon grant to help develop pavilion in Louis Southworth Park

November 20, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews WALDPORT — The city of Waldport has received a $100,000 grant from Travel Oregon to help pave the Heritage Pavilion in the new Louis Southworth Park it is developing downtown. The state’s tourism promotion agency announced $3.6 million in grants Thursday to 56 recipients across Oregon to fund accessible and inclusive tourism projects. Fifteen grants totaling

Applications open for $130,000 in Lincoln County economic development grants

November 19, 2023

Lincoln County is accepting applications from local nonprofits and governments for $130,000 in economic development grants until Dec. 18. The awards will include one $60,000 grant to a project focused on housing and/or broadband. The remaining $70,000 will be awarded to smaller community and economic development projects with a maximum of $15,000 per award, the county announced. The deadline for

Yachats chamber receives $100,000 grant to help fund tourist trolley but the city misses out

November 18, 2023

YACHATS — Efforts to bring a tourist-style trolley to Yachats have run into a snag after Travel Oregon announced Thursday that while the Yachats Area Chamber of Commerce received the $100,000 grant it sought the city did not. Each had applied for $100,000 grants under Travel Oregon’s accessible and inclusive program to help purchase a 14-passenger $230,000 hybrid gas-electric

Police arrest Tillamook County woman after Wednesday crash on Highway 101

November 17, 2023

Oregon State Police arrested a 58-year-old Tillamook County woman Wednesday on a variety of charges after a three-car collision on U.S. Highway 101 near the summit of Cape Foulweather sent three people to hospitals, closed the highway for hours and drew a response from nearly every emergency agency in Lincoln County. Jay Lynn Kruse, 58, of Beaver, Ore. is charged