Lincoln County commissioners declare homeless “emergency” in attempt to win state money for more programs

March 9, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews Lincoln County commissioners Wednesday declared a homelessness state of emergency in a bid to be included in a statewide declaration – and possibly get financial support. In one of Gov. Tina Kotek’s first official acts in January, she fulfilled a campaign promise by declaring a state of emergency to respond to Oregon’s homeless crisis. The executive

After its first lottery, Lincoln County ready to issue 19 vacation rental licenses for properties east of U.S. Highway 101

March 9, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews Lincoln County is set to issue its first new vacation rental licenses in three years following the first drawing in a new lottery system currently only open to applicants with properties on the east side of U.S. Highway 101. With limits on licenses in seven geographic zones adopted by commissioners in January, it will likely be years

Oregon legislation targets organized retail theft that cost businesses millions of dollars a year

March 8, 2023

Oregon lawmakers are considering legislation that would help law enforcement investigate and prosecute organized retail theft rings. Albertsons and Safeway stores have lost millions in the past decade from retail theft in Multnomah County alone. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) BY BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon retailers face sophisticated theft rings that steal goods – electronics, jewelry and other merchandise

Have your Oregon tax refund yet? Find out where it is with new tracking website

March 8, 2023

By the OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE SALEM — The Oregon Department of Revenue has begun sending tax refunds and launched a website for Oregon taxpayers to track their refunds. State and federal taxes must be filed by April 18. Nearly 682,000 Oregon taxpayers submitted their 2022 taxes by March 3, and almost 496,000 people have already received refunds, according to the

It’s nearly Spring Break whale watching time — and Oregon State Parks needs more volunteers to guide visitors

March 8, 2023

By SUSAN PALMER/YachatsNews Thank gazillions of tiny mysid shrimp for the imminent arrival of about 18,000 massive gray whales just off the Oregon coast this spring. The inch-long crustaceans inhabit the coastal kelp beds and the whales — baleen filter feeders —show up ravenous. You would think their winter sojourn in the lagoons of Baja Mexico would involve plenty

Works of five coastal drone photographers go on display at Pacific Maritime Heritage Center

March 8, 2023

By Oregon Coast TODAY It was a lofty idea — invite drone pilots to re-capture images of areas that were first photographed when the only option for aerial photography was from an actual airplane. Check out the results at Newport’s Pacific Maritime Heritage Center during the “Lincoln County 400’” exhibition, featuring the work of five drone photographers and a selection

Lincoln County unemployment rate stays flat at 5.8 percent in January

March 8, 2023

Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in January – unchanged from December and the first time it has not increased since July, the Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday. After dipping to its lowest point last July at 4.7 percent, the county’s unemployment rate has risen steadily since then. It was 5.6 percent in January 2022. The statewide

5 Questions and a Secret: Marc and Jen Taylor of Styx, Stones n’ Bones shop in Yachats

March 8, 2023

Editor’s note: This is a new feature called “5 Questions and a Secret” where we will be doing bite-sized profiles of community members and asking them to answer five questions — and tell us a secret. It appears every other Wednesday. By JORDAN ESSOE/YachatsNews YACHATS — Styx, Stones n’ Bones is the premier shop of its kind on

Rape victims, Oregon GOP lawmakers seek stronger voice in how state classifies sex offenders

March 7, 2023

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon Republican lawmakers and victims of the notorious “jogger rapist” Richard Gillmore – who admitted to raping nine women and girls in the 1970s and 1980s – want to pass legislation that would give victims a voice when the state classifies sex offenders and determines the risk they pose to communities. In recent

Smaller Oregon companies also seek semiconductor funding as lawmakers hear from HP and OSU about opportunities to grow

March 7, 2023

Ben Clark is among a group of Oregon State graduates working at Inpria, a Corvallis company spun out of OSU research. They are producing a chemical that will make semiconductor chips smaller, lighter and more efficient to produce. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle CORVALLIS— In a small laboratory on HP’s Corvallis campus, a group of Oregon