Oregon nurses union, hospital association gear up for fight over proposed legislation on staffing levels

January 18, 2023

Emergency room nurses attend to a patient at Oregon Health & Science University. The Oregon Legislature will consider hospital nurse staffing legislation this session. (Christine Torres Hicks/Oregon Health & Science University) By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon’s largest nurses union and the hospital industry are gearing up for a push – and potential fight – in the Legislature

Housing, semiconductors, budget take center stage as Oregon legislators hope for bipartisan session

January 18, 2023

The Oregon Legislature began its 2023 session on Tuesday. JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Housing, homelessness, behavioral health and expanding Oregon’s semiconductor industry will take center stage in the 2023 legislative session against the backdrop of a challenging budget. Senate Democrats and House leaders from both parties laid out the broad strokes of their plans for the session in

Yachats Chamber of Commerce reboots with new director, new events and push for new members

January 18, 2023

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — In a scant four months, the new head of the Yachats Chamber of Commerce is making things happen. Since Bobbi Price started her job as executive director of the chamber last fall, she can tick off these boxes: A new Chamber website to support local small businesses, promote membership and schedule events; The first

County commissioners, coastal legislators protest Kotek’s excluding rural areas from state’s homeless emergency plan

January 17, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews Lincoln County commissioners and coastal legislators are urging Oregon’s new governor to reconsider the exclusion of rural areas from her emergency declaration on homelessness. Gov. Tina Kotek signed three executive orders Jan. 10. Along with a $130 million funding request she’ll make to the 2023 Legislature, the new governor said the orders are the first step

Deputy arrests Waldport man after incidents along Highway 101 near Yachats

January 17, 2023

YACHATS – A Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy used a Taser to subdue and arrest a 30-year-old Waldport man Saturday morning after motorists on U.S. Highway 101 north of Yachats said he was throwing objects at passing cars and damaging them. Christian R. McCain is in the county jail on two counts of first-degree criminal mischief and four counts of recklessly

Waldport man gets six years in prison for fatal crash in Salem

January 17, 2023

SALEM – A 39-year-old Waldport man has been sentenced to six years in prison for a 2022 crash that killed one person and injured three others in south Salem. Jose DeJesus Briones pleaded guilty in Marion County court Jan. 9 to five counts, including manslaughter, assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants. At about 9:45 a.m. March 21, Briones

2023 Oregon Legislature began work Tuesday with five months to pass a budget and finish policy work

January 17, 2023

The Legislature convened Tuesday, with just more than five months to pass a budget and policies. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By The Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The Oregon Legislature begins its 2023 work in earnest on Tuesday, with just more than five months to pass a budget and tackle pressing issues including homelessness, addiction and a public defender shortage

Experts believe dead sperm whale that washed ashore near Astoria likely killed by ship strike

January 17, 2023

By the Washington Post A young, 40-foot sperm whale with large gash wounds was found dead on an Oregon beach on Saturday, in a loss for an endangered species that has struggled to recover its population despite a halt in commercial whaling decades ago. The whale was found bleeding out on a beach near Fort Stevens State Park and appeared to

Inaugural “Big Blue” film festival at Hatfield Science Center designed to raise awareness of marine issues

January 17, 2023

By MICHELLE KLAMPE/OSU News Service NEWPORT – Sixteen ocean-themed films will be featured during the inaugural Big Blue Film Fest Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-28 at Hatfield Marine Science Center. The festival is designed to raise awareness about marine issues and engage the community in scientific research in an entertaining way, organizers said. It is a new iteration of the popular

Waldport swears in two new council members, OKs new parking and garage rules and gets briefing on homeless laws

January 16, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews WALDPORT — The Waldport city recorder swore in four councilors and the mayor for new terms Thursday, adding two more educators to the dais. Some of the Waldport City Council’s first regular meeting of the year was a housekeeping session. They scheduled a goal-setting workshop, divided up appointments to the various outside boards and committees on