Dozens testify against firearms bill in Oregon Legislature that critics say tries to circumvent the courts

March 28, 2023

Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would put a permit system in place to purchase firearms. (Connor Radnovich/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The gun debate played out on Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Oregonians at odds over whether the state should have a permit system to purchase firearms. If the debate sounds

Feds award $50 million in housing grants to Oregon organizations, most going to metro areas

March 28, 2023

By LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle The federal government is sending nearly $50 million to Oregon nonprofits, counties and other entities to address homelessness. The money – from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – adds to a $200 million investment approved by the Oregon Legislature this month to help hundreds of Oregonians find housing. At least 18,000 Oregonians

Lincoln City police arrest Clackamas County man for burglaries of 5 stores

March 28, 2023

Between March 20, 2023 and March 23, 2023 multiple businesses in Lincoln City were broken into. The involved victim businesses, 88 Grains Asian Fusion Bar, Burger King Restaurant, Mazatlan Restaurant, and AT&T Store, reported the burglaries resulted in the theft of cash and merchandise valued in the thousands of dollars. Lincoln City Police Officers and Detectives along with assistance from

First major sighting this spring of killer whales in Yaquina Bay thrills photographers, tourists and orca researcher

March 28, 2023

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews Jaklyn Larsen wasn’t planning to go for a run Monday, but that’s just what happened when the Florence-based professional photographer got word that a family of five killer whales was heading up the Yaquina River. Larsen, a self-described killer whale enthusiast, dropped everything and made the drive to Newport, hoping she would make it in time

Lincoln County jobless rate stays flat — but at 5.8 percent — in February

March 28, 2023

Is this good news or bad news? Or just news? The Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday that the unemployment rate for Lincoln County remained flat at 5.8 percent in February – the same as it was in January. The county’s unemployment rate had been steadily rising each month since hitting a low of 4.7 percent last July. The unemployment rate

Oregon Coast CC announces business workshops for spring

March 27, 2023

The Small Business Development Center at Oregon Coast Community College has announced a series of workshops for business owners this spring. There will be two training workshops on how to use Excel. A basic workshop is Wednesday, April 5 and a “tips and tricks” workshop is Wednesday, April 19. Both are offered online via Zoom. The term will also offer

Samaritan offering six-week grief classes starting in April

March 27, 2023

NEWPORT — Samaritan Evergreen Hospice is hosting a free six-week group this spring for adults who could benefit from education and support while navigating through the death of a loved one. The loss does not have to be recent. The class will meet from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesdays, April 19 through May 24 at Samaritan’s Center for Health Education in Newport.

ODFW’s marine reserve program to fish off Port Orford and Cape Falcon this year

March 27, 2023

NEWPORT — Oregon’s marine reserves program will return to the ports of Garibaldi and Port Orford this spring and fall in the latest installment of an unique way for coastal commercial and recreational fishers to help fuel scientific research in the state’s near-shore waters. The marine preserves program, administered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, plans to target

Oregon Values and Beliefs survey: Homelessness and housing top the list of Oregon’s worries

March 27, 2023

By ZACK DEMARS/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregonians are worried — especially about the state’s homelessness and housing issues. Four in five residents in Oregon say they’re “moderately” or “very” worried about homelessness, and a similar share expressed worry about affordable housing as an issue in a recent survey from the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center. The worry about housing and homelessness

Oregon governor denies Lincoln County’s request for homeless emergency declaration, but different help on the way

March 27, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has denied Lincoln County’s request to be included in her homelessness emergency declaration. Among Kotek’s first official acts in January was an emergency order declaring a state of emergency to respond to Oregon’s homelessness crisis. The executive order directed state agencies to spend tens of millions of dollars and removed bureaucratic hurdles