Funding for Oregon coast’s “Shake Alert” system moving through special session of Legislature

February 20, 2020

By SAM STITES/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon would prepare 250,000 households to become self-sufficient following a catastrophic earthquake under legislation advancing in Salem. The legislation, Senate Bill 1537, also would double the number of monitors that would alert Oregon coast and in the Willamette Valley residents to an earthquake. The proposals are the latest effort to prepare Oregonians for

Republicans in Oregon House walk out Tuesday night in protest of procedures, bills

February 19, 2020

By OREGON CAPITAL BUREAU SALEM — Republican legislators put the brakes on the Oregon Legislature, disrupting a Tuesday evening session of the House by leaving in protest because they said their members needed more time to consider contentious bills. The House needs two-thirds of its 60 members to take votes. With its current political makeup, that means at least two

“Cinderella” wraps up its three-week run on Friday and Saturday

February 19, 2020

By KATHERINE LJUNGQVIST/YachatsNews.com NEWPORT – Coastal Act Productions has come a long way since it first performed “Cinderella” 11 years ago. The youth-oriented Lincoln County theater group used to struggle for money, scraping by on grants and personal loans to get plays to the stage. Now, with stable funding, director Jody Hanna decided to revisit the classic Rogers and Hammerstein

Yachats Planning Commission approves zone change recommendation for former fire station

February 19, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The Yachats Planning Commission on Tuesday approved recommending a zone change for the former fire station in downtown, paving the way for the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District to get the building ready for sale. The recommendation to zone the fire district property on West Second Street for commercial use now goes to the City Council

Oregon State Police/Newport: Activity log for Feb. 14-16

February 19, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20046938 02/14/2020 14:01 Officer #53141 SEVERSON, SCOTT Crash – Non-injury Location 18, Mile post 10 10 EB, LINCOLN OR USA Narrative Summary eCrash – On 2/14/20 at approximately 2PM an eastbound red Smart car changed lanes from a right turn lane into the eastbound lane of Highway 18 near milepost 10 at the Van Duzer Rest Area. The

Yachats council vacancy draws interest from ex-member, planning commissioner and newcomer

February 18, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A former three-term council member, a Planning Commissioner member and a newcomer to Yachats have applied for the vacancy on the City Council. Greg Scott, Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey and Ariana Carlson are seeking appointment to fill the position vacated last month by James Kerti. Kerti took office in January 2019 and resigned in frustration with council direction

City of Yachats calls special Wednesday meeting to address questions about new finance software

February 16, 2020

The city of Yachats has scheduled a one-hour community meeting for 1 p.m. Wednesday to respond to questions about its conversion to a new financial reporting system seven months ago. The city and its part-time finance director have held a series of meetings with commission members the past 2-3 months to walk them through changes and issues with the new

Oregon State Police/Newport: Activity log for Feb. 12-13

February 16, 2020

OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20044697 02/12/2020 15:20 Officer #41617 ESKRIDGE, BRIAN FICS – Felon/Other Prohibited Persons Location 800 SE 101, LINCOLN CITY, LINCOLN OR USA 97367 Narrative Summary On 02/12/2020 at approximately 15:20 PM, the Oregon State Police responded to the Lincoln City Sporting Goods store to investigate a firearms purchase denial. The purchase denial was the result of a background check

“Historic” forest agreement may add pressure on GOP senators to stay in session, not walk out

February 15, 2020

By SAM STITES/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM – The deal between the timber industry and environmentalists is intended to end the war in the woods that has beset Oregon forestry issues for decades. But not everyone is cheering what Gov. Kate Brown described as a “historic” deal between timber and environmental groups. But critics now suspect something is more at

Oregon legislators push ahead with climate bill without knowing its economic impact

February 14, 2020

By DICK HUGHES/For YachatsNews.com Oregon lawmakers are acting on a climate bill without knowing its economic impact. The Legislature’s 12 Republican senators recently asked for an economic analysis of SB 1530, the main carbon cap and trade legislation, and SB 1574, which is Gov. Kate Brown‘s version. In an email, which I obtained through a public records request, Legislative Revenue