Lincoln County school board votes 4-1 to negotiate with internal candidate to become next superintendent

January 11, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews The Lincoln County School District board voted 4-1 Tuesday to skip a search or application process and instead to negotiate with a senior administrator to become the district’s next superintendent. After discussing its choices in a closed, executive session in December and another Tuesday night, the board voted to offer the superintendent’s job to Majalise Tolan, the

Medford Mail Tribune news operation abruptly announces its closure effective Friday

January 11, 2023

By JEFFERSON PUBLIC RADIO and THE OREGONIAN/OregonLive The Rogue Valley’s largest newspaper, the Medford Mail Tribune announces it will cease all operations this week. The Mail Tribune’s publisher, Steven Saslow, made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon. He cited industry-wide advertising reductions, rising costs of producing content, and difficulty hiring staff. The Mail Tribune ceased print operations last September. The final online edition

As financial troubles linger, Oregon Shakespeare Festival announces layoffs, furloughs, and departure of executive director

January 11, 2023

By HOLLY DILLEMUTH/Ashland.news Oregon Shakespeare Festival is starting the new year by announcing a shift in management, a dozen layoffs, seven employee furloughs, and halting or delay of filling 18 open positions. As part of a restructuring strategy aimed at “aligning its business model with its vision and realities of the post-pandemic market,” OSF announced changes Tuesday in leadership, staff,

New Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declares homelessness state of emergency, signs housing executive orders

January 11, 2023

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signs three executive orders related to housing homelessness on Tuesday. BY JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday declared that much of Oregon is in a state of emergency because of homelessness and created a new state council with the aim of building thousands more homes a year. Kotek signed three executive

Yachats Agate Festival rocks back Saturday and Sunday after two-year pandemic absence

January 11, 2023

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — The Yachats Commons will be rockin’ this weekend, but don’t look for musicians — the rocks are rolling in with the Yachats Agate Festival which is returning after a two-year pandemic absence. Almost three dozen vendors will be showcasing gems, minerals, fossils and, of course, agates, as the 10th version of the event takes

FCC cancels one license of Lincoln County radio station group as bank seeks foreclosure of office and studios for loan default

January 10, 2023

By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews The owner of six radio stations in Lincoln County faces an uncertain future with the cancellation of a key federal broadcast license and an imminent bank foreclosure on three properties he owns, including his radio headquarters in downtown Newport. Dave Miller of Newport owns Yaquina Bay Communications, which operates six radio stations on the central coast –

Winter storms wash away sea lion docks on Newport’s bayfront

January 10, 2023

By THE OREGONIAN/OregonLive Winter storms have washed away the sea lion docks on the Newport bayfront, leaving visitors without a popular attraction and sea lions without a familiar place to haul out. The docks were torn from their pilings during December storms, the Newport News Times first reported, and while all pieces were recovered, it could be a long and costly

Big landslide south of Port Orford closes Highway 101

January 10, 2023

By Oregon Public Broadcasting A section of U.S. Highway 101 is closed in southwest Oregon after a landslide early Monday caused the road to sink. A nearly 200-yard section of the highway has dropped as much as 12 feet in some spots. The closure is just south of Port Orford, Oregon, between Bandon and Gold Beach. Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson

Electrician found, five homeless shelters on Yachats church property could open by Sunday

January 10, 2023

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews YACHATS — As high winds, pounding rain and a power outage struck the area Monday, an electrician was at work to get five homeless shelters in operating order. The prefabricated shelters, located in the west parking lot of Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, were delivered and assembled Dec. 19. However, they can’t be opened for use until

A new era starts in the Oregon Legislature as lawmakers re-elect House speaker, choose a new Senate president and welcome legislators

January 9, 2023

Sen. Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, is the new president of the Oregon Senate. By BEN BOTKINand JULUA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Monday marked the start of a new era in the Oregon statehouse, as lawmakers elected a new Senate president and witnessed the inauguration of Gov. Tina Kotek. In about five hours, lawmakers set the framework for the 2023