68th annual Beachcomber Days parade, car show, vendors and timber competitors take over downtown Waldport

June 16, 2024

WALDPORT — Crowds lined the major roads through downtown Waldport Saturday for the hour-long parade that kicked off the community’s 68th annual Beachcomber Days. There were truck-drawn floats, horses, cars, lots of fire engines making noise, candy tossed to excited kids. After the hour-long parade, the crowd broke up to swamp the food court, look at offerings from dozens

A look at the week of a YachatsNews reporter illustrates why more help (and fundraising) is critical for local news

June 13, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews YachatsNews reporter Garret Jaros started his week on Sunday afternoon listening to a speaker at the Lions Club’s monthly series to see if there was more to a Eugene-based land conservation group’s growing presence on the central Oregon coast. Monday morning he was the only member of the public at the monthly meeting of the Yachats

This week’s YachatsNews’ stories shows why local reporting is important — and why more is needed

June 6, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews This week’s news report by YachatsNews provides a clear example of why Lincoln County needs a vibrant local news organization. The question is if YachatsNews can help provide that – and why the 501c3 nonprofit is asking for your help this month to expand and improve its work. Here’s some of the backstory on this

Months before tourist’s death in Lincoln City, police warned attacker was “hearing voices telling him to kill someone”

June 6, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews The father of a man charged with stomping a tourist to death outside a Lincoln City motel last month had warned police months earlier that his son had become “very violent” and was hearing voices telling him to kill someone. Roland Evans-Freke, 30, is accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter, assault and robbery in the death of

Waldport/Yachats contract for sheriff’s deputies inches closer to agreement — but commissioners want to pin down cost

June 6, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews Whether Yachats will have a dedicated Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy in the upcoming year – tied to Waldport receiving a significant discount if it continues with its two-deputy contract – remains an open question. Lincoln County commissioners, who must approve any agreement, deferred making a decision at their Wednesday meeting after listening to a presentation by

Lincoln County district attorney Danforth announces June 21 resignation, asks for state help to staff office

June 4, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Lincoln County’s embattled district attorney announced Monday she will resign June 21 and that she has asked the Oregon Department of Justice to come in and help run the office. Danforth announced her resignation and request for state help in an email Monday to her staff and local law enforcement officials. The announcement came two weeks

Yachats affordable housing developer finishes 24-unit Florence complex, plans two more projects

June 4, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews A Yachats developer has completed a $10.9 million affordable rental housing project in Florence and has plans on the drawing board for two more projects totaling $22 million. Our Coastal Village, led by Layne Morrill of Yachats, will celebrate the opening of the 24-unit Oak Manor apartments during a ceremony June 13 featuring Andrea Bell, executive

Newport crabbers provide Hatfield visitor center with new giant Pacific octopus

June 3, 2024

By RACHAEL McDONALD/KLCC News There’s a new giant Pacific octopus at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport — thanks to a local crab boat. Hatfield Marine Science Center put the word out last winter asking local fishermen to alert them if an octopus attached itself to a crab pot. Jaimie Hart, the senior aquarist at Hatfield, said they got

YachatsNews launches third local fundraising campaign to expand coverage countywide

May 31, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Three months ago, YachatsNews published its annual “Report to Readers” with the stated goal for 2024 to “do more and better.” June is the month you can help us do that. Our goal this year is to hire a second full-time reporter by late summer to be based in Newport and cover Lincoln County and Newport

Builder begins work on eight-unit townhome project overlooking Alsea Bay in downtown Waldport

May 30, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews WALDPORT – Foundation work is underway for eight new luxury townhomes on a vacant lot in the heart of Waldport. The three-story units are being built on less than a half-acre on Northwest Huckleberry Street by Chad Berry, who purchased the property for $225,000 in January 2023. Berry built two homes in the Bayshore community north