OSU professor to head $1.4 million study of climate, fish and conflict bringing change to coastal communities

June 7, 2023

By IAN ROSE/Oregon Capital Chronicle CORVALLIS — Climate change is forcing fish to move to cooler waters to survive, which means big changes for Oregon’s coastal communities and for international politics. A team led by Oregon State University professor James Watson just won a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study the migrations to map

Conflict over religious symbols leads Josephine County to cut funding for OSU Extension Service

June 7, 2023

By MEERAH POWELL/Oregon Public Broadcasting An ongoing disagreement over religious expression in a government-funded program has led to the apparent termination of a decadeslong partnership between Oregon State University and a rural county in southern Oregon. Josephine County’s Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to cut future funding toward Oregon State University’s Extension Service. That decision comes after some commissioners and

Federal criminal investigators examining former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s dealings with a cannabis company

June 7, 2023

By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting Federal criminal investigators are looking into former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and the two cannabis entrepreneurs she briefly worked for, records show. According to subpoenas released Wednesday by the Oregon Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in late May sent demands to five state agencies for records concerning Fagan and the owners of

Septic system replacement program expands to all of Lincoln County

June 7, 2023

Lincoln County and Oregon State University Extension Service are expanding a successful septic replacement program for wildfire survivors in Otis to include all low- and middle-income homeowners in Lincoln County with damaged septic systems. Repair or replacement of a damaged septic system can cost from a couple thousand dollars to in excess of $10,000, the county said its announcement of

Democrats in Oregon Legislature warn of lost opportunities as Senate walkout persists; GOP says Dems need to compromise

June 7, 2023

Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, speaks during a press conference about the Senate Republican walkout on Tuesday. By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregonians have much to lose if the legislative session ends by June 25 without a functioning Senate that can vote on bills, Democrats warned Tuesday. The GOP-led Senate walkout is preventing votes on bills intended to

Oregon Shakespeare Festival board chair says new director will look at all aspects of the struggling organization

June 7, 2023

By HOLLY DILLEMUTH/Ashland.news ASHLAND — Oregon Shakespeare Festival board chair Diane Yu, who lives in New York and has a second residence in Ashland, has much to say about the future of the festival, its leadership, and fundraising goals leading up to its 90th anniversary in 2025. Yu, a volunteer board member, spoke with Ashland.news via phone about the the

Toledo’s waterfront market on Thursdays has flourished for 20 years with support from visitors and locals

June 7, 2023

By ANDREA McCABE/Oregon Coast TODAY TOLEDO — The Toledo Waterfront Market has flourished due to the continued support from locals and visitors for more than 20 years. Whether stopping by for a sweet treat or browsing the many handmade products, the Thursday market provides a sense of community among the closely placed stands. Market manager Kathy Crane also serves

Federal agencies announce $2.6 billion program to help coastal communities to deal with climate change, conservation

June 6, 2023

By NOLAN STOUT/Courthouse News Service The U.S. Department of Commerce will allocate $2.6 billion to support coastal areas dealing with the effects of climate change and to support conservation and restoration of fish habitats, federal officials announced Tuesday. Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies unveiled the framework for this “coastal climate resilience” package in a

Duane Snider of Waldport, prolific collector of Oregon art, died May 26

June 6, 2023

WALDPORT — Duane Snider of Waldport, who began to build an impressive collection of works by contemporary Oregon artists 40 years ago while he was working as a modestly paid eyeglass lens technician in Portland, died May 26 following a lingering illness. “My darling husband, Duane Snider, passed over on Friday afternoon, May 26, 2023,” his wife, Linda Dies Snider,

Seal Rock Garden Club has been a horticultural resource on the central Oregon coast for 75 years, starting with a $306 shed.

June 6, 2023

Members of the Seal Rock Garden Club attribute the longevity of their club to their little yellow clubhouse purchased in 1950. Story and photos by KRISTAN FODEN-VENCIL/Oregon Public Broadcasting SEAL ROCK — At 83, retired teacher Jean Turner still loves to get down and dirty in the garden. Her yard is an oasis of apple blossoms, birds and daffodils.