Lincoln County looking for some housing expertise

March 20, 2023

Lincoln County is on the market for a consultant to help it develop housing for all income levels. The county announced Monday it is looking for a team or individual that can help it identify properties to develop as affordable, workforce and market-rate housing. The consultant should also be to perform basic due diligence on properties, identify funding opportunities, court developers

Oregon governor adds Malheur and Clatsop counties to her homeless state of emergency list

March 20, 2023

By THE OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE SALEM — Gov. Tina Kotek has added two rural counties to her homelessness state of emergency so a state agency can help coordinate state and local response to the homelessness crisis there. Kotek announced Friday that Malheur County, with about 31,000 residents in southeastern Oregon, will join the primarily urban counties in the state of

Oregon House passes bill to allow Oregonians to pump their own gas; now goes to Senate

March 20, 2023

The Oregon House overwhelmingly supported a plan to allow Oregonians to pump their own gas. (Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon drivers who for decades have been banned from touching gas pumps could soon have the right to fuel their own cars, under a bill the state House overwhelmingly approved Monday. Only Oregon and

Fish & Wildlife Commission bans use of lighted boats in rapidly growing market squid fishery off Oregon coast

March 20, 2023

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, citing concerns over sustainability, voted unanimously Friday to prohibit independently operated light boats to help catch market squid off the Oregon coast. The unanimous vote, which met with both support and criticism from fishing interests, takes effect immediately. The lights, used for night fishing, transfix the small, fist-sized squid, which

Let state, county agencies know your feelings about Lindly Park plans

March 19, 2023

To the editor: A public meeting was held in Waldport on Thursday to discuss the fate of Don Lindly Park along Oregon Highway 34 on the south side of the Alsea River, across from Canal Creek Road. It is an unpretentious, low impact public space. The public entities involved are the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Marine

Legislative subcommittee advances plan to aid Oregon semiconductor grants

March 19, 2023

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon lawmakers have put forth a plan to aid businesses and others seeking shares of billions available in federal money to encourage the domestic manufacturing of semiconductors. The plan leaves unresolved specific industrial sites that can accommodate fabrication plants and related businesses – and where the money will come from to develop those

Oregon lawmakers propose measures to fight gun violence, stem ‘ghost guns’

March 19, 2023

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon lawmakers are pursuing a package of firearm bills aimed at preventing gun violence and curbing the proliferation of untraceable guns. They say the proposals are needed to stem gun violence and give law enforcement the necessary tools to address the issue. The Democratic lawmakers have the support of House Speaker Dan Rayfield,

Renters in small Waldport apartment complex search for places to live after new owner says they will become vacation rentals

March 16, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews WALDPORT – One apartment is occupied by a single mother with a 9-year-old. Another apartment is home to a disabled couple. A married couple with three children lived in the third. They all rely on some sort of rent assistance to live in the modest four-unit apartment building on Southwest Corona Court. The three households shared

Oregon Coast CC pulls $32 million bond off May ballot after it discovers $8 million in state match is no longer available

March 16, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Oregon Coast Community College, which had planned to ask Lincoln County voters in May to approve a $32 million bond to build a trades building, announced Thursday it is pulling the measure off the ballot. Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file for election or local governments to seek money measures in the May 16

Tidewater woman dies Wednesday in head-on crash near Seal Rock

March 16, 2023

SEAL ROCK — A 32-year-old Tidewater woman was killed Wednesday afternoon when her car collided head on with a truck on U.S. Highway 101 south of Seal Rock. Oregon State Police said Ashlee C. Hayden was driving south when her car crossed into the northbound lane and collided with a box truck driven by Victor Loreza, 40, of Salem. Hayden