Oregon Democrats call abrupt end Thursday to gridlocked legislative session

March 5, 2020

By the Oregon Capital Bureau   SALEM — In an extraordinary move, Democratic legislators Thursday effectively ended the contentious and gridlocked 2020 Legislature, killing key legislation and taking with it the hotly debated climate change legislation that Republicans fought. It was an abrupt conclusion to a session trademarked by stalemate and bitter partisan divisions. And it blows apart more than $600 million pending to pay

Yachats contracts with Newport security company for code enforcement

March 5, 2020

The city of Yachats has hired a Newport security company to provide code enforcement services, initially working two days a week. The contract, agreed on in late February, will pay TCB Management Group $32 an hour. The company provides a range of services ranging from security patrols for businesses and homeowners, crowd control at events, to municipal code enforcement. It

Archeologist’s tests gets Ocean View Drive reconstruction project moving again

March 4, 2020

Lincoln County’s plans to finish work on Ocean View Drive and turn it over to the city of Yachats are finally moving forward again. The reconstruction project has been stalled since Ocean View Drive was paved last fall while the county waited for a state-approved archeologist to examine portions of the road’s shoulders for Native American artifacts. Areas along

Gov. Kate Brown worries that rural areas might not be able to handle coronavirus outbreak

March 3, 2020

By the Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon could face a shortage of equipment used to protect health care providers from the coronavirus and rural hospitals could find themselves short-staffed as the state confronts the outbreak, Gov. Kate Brown warned Tuesday. She also said the state will need millions of dollars in financial support from the federal government to handle the impacts of

Oregon State Police/Newport: Activity log Feb. 28 – March 1

March 2, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20063071 02/28/2020 12:09 Officer #59922 TAYLOR, ZACH Traffic Crimes – All Except DUII Location 18 and 101, OR USA Narrative Summary On 2/28/2020 at 12:09 PM OSP responded to a driving complaint regarding a vehicle traveling south on Highway 101. The caller described the vehicle traveling into oncoming lanes, nearly hitting telephone poles, and driving off the

With Republicans still gone, a very quiet Legislature has six days remaining

March 2, 2020

By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — School kids still visited, their eyes drifting up toward the larger-than-life murals of settlers and farmers. A smattering of lobbyists could be seen chatting in the hallways, weaving in and out of legislative offices, on the phone, and quietly working away on laptops. Were it any other legislative session, where there is less

February rain total for Yachats is an inch below average

March 2, 2020

Yachats received 7.29 inches of rain in February, about an inch less than average for the month but still above average for the first two months of the year. The average for February over the past 10 years is 8.19 inches; and is 16.24 inches of rainfall for the first two months of the year. But because of a very

Yachats-based Sweet Homes Rentals buys second building in downtown Waldport

February 27, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Sweet Home Rentals, the Yachats-based vacation rental company, is continuing its expansion into Waldport with the purchase of a downtown building containing three businesses and three apartments. The purchase includes the area’s only public laundromat, which Sweet Homes will manage during the day and use at night to do laundry for its vacation rentals. Sweet Homes

Best Bets Feb. 28 to March 18

February 27, 2020

Newport: Tree Seedling Sale The Lincoln County Small Woodlands Association and the Lincoln County Extension Service are hosting their annual native tree seedling sale Saturday, Feb. 29. The event is designed to keep local residents informed about land stewardship and conservation awareness while providing them with affordable native seedlings. Some of the seedlings available include local fir types such as

House Democrats will see if subpoenas can bring GOP lawmakers back to Capitol

February 27, 2020

By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Democrats in the Oregon House moved Thursday to force Republicans back to the Capitol Thursday, issuing subpoenas to 21 state representatives that could compel them to explain their disappearing act from Salem. A process server has been hired to track down the missing Republicans and deliver their subpoenas. If they obeyed, the representatives