Social worker joins Waldport Clinic staff

September 11, 2023

WALDPORT — The Samaritan Health Services clinics in Waldport and Depoe Bay have added a licensed clinical social worker to their staffs. Ryan Ervin specializes in treating anxiety and depression, as well as other life stressors and transitions, Samaritan said in a news release. Ervin has a bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon University and a master’s degree in social work

Judge rules against PacifiCorp, sets next phase of Oregon wildfires trial to determine damages

September 10, 2023

By ZACH URNESS/Salem Statesman-Journal Multnomah County Judge Steffan Alexander ruled against PacifiCorp on Friday and set dates for a series of consolidated trials to determine damages for victims of the 2020 Labor Day Fires. A jury in June found PacifiCorp liable for igniting four wildfires and ordered the utility to pay $90 million to 17 named plaintiffs. The jury also ruled PacifiCorp

Toledo motorcyclist killed in Thursday collision on north side of Alsea Bay Bridge

September 8, 2023

WALDPORT — A 27-year-old Toledo man was killed Thursday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a truck pulling onto U.S. Highway 101 just north of the Alsea Bay Bridge and burst into flames. Killed about 2:15 p.m. Thursday was Alex Gomez, according to a news release Friday by Oregon State Police. Police said Gomez was going through

Want to own a lighthouse? Unique private replica of historic Canadian light perched at base of Cape Perpetua is for sale

September 7, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Nestled on the edge of the forest on Cape Perpetua’s north flank is one of the most unique lighthouses in Oregon. The Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse flashed its signature signal – red, white, red — every 10 seconds to sailors navigating the central coast from 1982 until 2014. It was one of only

Although concerned about assuming operating costs, Yachats council moves forward with grant application for tourist trolley

September 7, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Although concerned about assuming the cost of operating a tourist trolley for five months a year, the Yachats city council voted unanimously Thursday to continue pursuing a $100,000 grant to help purchase a vehicle. The Yachats Chamber of Commerce is pushing the idea of a trolley to ferry tourists and locals from motels in

Churches step up to offer space for first three months of county’s emergency shelter program in Newport

September 7, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Lincoln County plans to use Newport churches for the first three months to get its fledgling emergency winter shelter program off the ground in October and then hopes to have a permanent site up and running in January. But finding a place to operate a shelter in Lincoln City has been unsuccessful so far, says Jayne

Plan to protect vulnerable species in western Oregon-owned forests moves forward

September 7, 2023

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle A plan to protect threatened and endangered species in Oregon’s Western state forests by limiting some logging will move forward, despite a recent attempt to make last-minute changes that could have further delayed it. The Oregon Board of Forestry decided Thursday not to vote on a controversial proposal from Chair Jim Kelly that would have

U.S. foundations pledge $500 million over five years to address ‘crisis in local news’

September 7, 2023

By National Public Radio Some of the biggest names in American philanthropy have joined forces to spend at least $500 million over five years to revitalize the coverage of local news in places where it has waned. Led by the Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation, the new initiative, called Press Forward, seeks to nurture and sustain new models for funding journalism as

City of Yachats begins to tackle long list of repairs, upgrades to Commons, playground and pavilion

September 7, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – The Yachats Commons is about to get some much needed and overdue attention to address a backlog of repairs and upgrades. The city’s new community services coordinator, Krystal Geisinger, presented a list of projects that need tending to the Parks & Commons Commission on Tuesday. Commission members commended Geisinger’s list as organized, thorough, concise

Gov. Kotek adds Lincoln and two eastern Oregon counties to growing emergency drought list

September 7, 2023

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Twelve of 36 counties, covering half the land in Oregon, are in a state of emergency over drought, with local officials calling for help. Gov. Tina Kotek Wednesday declared the latest drought emergencies in Lincoln, Gilliam and Douglas counties, the 10th, and 12th such declarations of the year. The declarations follow requests for