Yachats commission denies variance for small building along Yachats Ocean Road

May 17, 2023

YACHATS – The Yachats Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to deny a variance request by a homeowner along Yachats Ocean Road to build a 780-square-foot structure within 20 feet of the street. Richard Henkens Jr. owns a house and a triangular piece of property at 550 Yachats Ocean Road that intersects with U.S. Highway 101. He asked for a variance

Oregon governor and legislative leaders get good news Wednesday with robust revenue forecast

May 17, 2023

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon lawmakers will have more money available for state spending, taxpayers are due record credits on their 2023 returns, and the state school fund will get a record amount from excess corporate income taxes. State economists delivered that news Wednesday, May 17, to members of the House and Senate revenue committees in Salem. This quarterly

Marine reserve researchers deploy sensors to see how water temperature and oxygen levels affect ocean life

May 17, 2023

By MARK FREEMAN/ODFW News Service NEWPORT – Ocean monitoring in Oregon’s five marine reserves is trying to unlock secrets about temperatures and oxygen levels known to impact groundfish and invertebrate activities, create stresses on ecosystems and even alter sport anglers’ catches. Some of the data go back two decades at what is now the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve near

New rules by Gov. Kotek will require Oregon’s marijuana dispensaries to prove they paid taxes

May 16, 2023

Sol Sisters Farms in Independence grew marijuana for recreational use. (Oregon Department of Agriculture) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Cannabis companies will need to prove they’ve paid their state taxes to receive licenses under new rules announced Tuesday. The new policy requested by Gov. Tina Kotek will require marijuana dispensaries to provide certificates from the Department of Revenue

Two Port of Alsea incumbents fend off challengers critical of port operations; Seal Rock fire levy passes

May 16, 2023

Voters in the sprawling Port of Alsea district kept the current five-member board intact Tuesday, re-electing two commissioners to office over two challengers who had been highly critical of operations and its manager. With 97 percent of ballots counted countywide as of Wednesday evening, Port of Alsea commission chair Rob Bishop of Waldport, who has been on the board since

Siletz woman and son fined and sentenced for killing two bear cubs last October

May 16, 2023

By the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife SILETZ — Poachers who shot two bear cubs near Siletz last October must pay $15,000 in damages, lost hunting privileges for three years and will be on bench probation for 60 months, according to Lincoln County Court documents. Gail F. Freer, 52, and her son, Corey D. Loving II, 29, both of

Lincoln City residents help police catch and subdue graffiti vandals Monday

May 16, 2023

Downloadable file: Graffiti_Spree_Photo.jpg On Monday, May 15, 2023, at about 6:10 PM, LCPD Officers were dispatched to Lock & Key Adventurer’s Guild, located at 3026 NE Highway 101 on a reported graffiti call that turned into a physical disturbance. As officers were responding, updated information was that victims had chased the suspect to the area behind Starbucks where a physical altercation

YachatsNews hires Garret Jaros as its new full-time reporter

May 16, 2023

Garret Jaros, who has worked at and written for a wide variety of newspapers in Oregon and Colorado, is YachatsNews’ newest full-time reporter Jaros replaces Kenneth Lipp, who left April 21 to become the public information officer for Lincoln County. Jaros comes to Yachats from the Durango (Colo.) Herald. Jaros grew up in Eugene, attended the University of Montana and

Curry County’s computer system ‘starting from scratch’ after ransomware attack

May 15, 2023

By JANE VAUGHN/Jefferson Public Radio Curry County in southern Oregon is struggling to function after a ransomware attack left it unable to access any of its digital information including any of its online files and email. “Everything that relates to county operations that was online is now gone. So our computers have to be completely wiped clean, and everything’s got

Republican-led walkout creates gridlock in Oregon Legislature as three senators hit 10 unexcused absences

May 15, 2023

The Oregon Senate meets on Monday, May 15, 2023, and fails to reach a quorum needed to conduct business for the 10th day of the GOP-led walkout. By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The state Senate impasse deepened on Monday with no Republicans showing up and three senators who’ve participated in the GOP-led walkout now banned from serving new