JoAnn and Bill Barton’s Yakona Nature Preserve creates a “living laboratory” and legacy in Yaquina estuary

May 15, 2025

By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/Lincoln Chronicle NEWPORT – JoAnn Barton is careful not to step on the small orange bodies of rough-skinned newts as she hikes through Yakona Nature Preserve. She looks down as her boots tread the forest floor, a mixture of pine cones, pine needles and grass. Although she knows where she is going – one of her favorite

Young, blind harbor seal from Canada has found a new home at Oregon Coast Aquarium

May 5, 2025

NEWPORT – A harbor seal pup rescued in British Columbia two years ago and is now blind because it had its eyes removed due to infection has joined the four seals at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The Pacific harbor seal is named “Garry”. The aquarium said in a news release although she is the youngest and smallest of the

Oregon Marine Board agrees to study rules to ban boat motors on Siletz River, but will first work with users

April 24, 2025

By QUINTON SMITH/Lincoln Chronicle The Oregon Marine Board voted unanimously Thursday to accept a petition to ban motorized boats on much of the Siletz River and proceed to rulemaking – but making it clear it’s only considering the idea and first wants to see if there’s a compromise between interest groups. The board was responding to a request by

OSU scientists find new species of bacteria in Yaquina Bay and name it after coast’s first inhabitants

April 22, 2025

By STEVE LUNDEBERG/OSU News Service Oregon State University scientists have identified a novel species of bacteria from Yaquina Bay in Newport that acts as electrical wiring, potentially ushering in a new era of bioelectronic devices for use in medicine, industry, food safety, and environmental monitoring and cleanup. The researchers who discovered the new cable bacteria species in a Yaquina

Proposal to ban boat motors on Siletz River brings out competing interests on what’s best for users, environment

April 20, 2025

By QUINTON SMITH/Lincoln Chronicle Fishermen, boaters, and environmentalists are battling over a request by the Siletz Tribe to ban boat motors on a vast stretch of the Siletz River – an issue that the Oregon Marine Board will wade into Thursday. The issue of banning motor on the Siletz is not new – the so-called “jet pump” motors were

Noted OSU scientist and NOAA administrator tries to offer hope for oceans, humans during turbulent times

April 17, 2025

By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/Lincoln Chronicle NEWPORT – At the start of her lecture, environmental scientist and marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco projected a map onto a screen at Hatfield Marine Science Center. First she showed a map the audience was accustomed to seeing – familiar shapes of land separated by blue oceans. Then, she displayed a second map – a blue

Governor, congressional delegation urge feds to declare disaster for Oregon coast salmon fisheries

April 15, 2025

By ALEX BAUMHARDT/Oregon Capital Chronicle For the seventh time in less than a decade, Oregon’s commercial fishermen, governor and congressional delegation are asking for federal aid to soften the blow of climate change on the state’s ocean salmon fisheries. In January, members of the Oregon Salmon Commission asked Gov. Tina Kotek to request a federal fishery resource disaster declaration from the

Three rangers at Yaquina Head Natural Area get their jobs back — but still aren’t allowed to work

March 27, 2025

By GARRET JAROS/Lincoln Chronicle NEWPORT – Four Bureau of Land Management employees fired suddenly and without notice at Yaquina Head last month have been offered their jobs back. Three of the four have accepted the offer. But they have no illusions — knowing the offers could vanish like castles in the sand before they are allowed back on the

Millions of herring make annual return to Yaquina Bay creating spectacular frenzy for sea lions, birds and fishermen

March 19, 2025

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews NEWPORT — One of nature’s epic shows visited Newport this past week as millions of Pacific herring made their annual stop in Yaquina Bay to spawn. The highly anticipated event attracts photographers and bait fisherman and sets off a wildlife frenzy that feasts on the banquet of fish and their billions of eggs. “It’s amazing,” said

It’s nesting season for endangered snowy plovers, so be careful on certain areas of the beach

March 16, 2025

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews Western snowy plovers have made a strong comeback in recent years from the early 1990s, when there were so few that the breed ended up with an endangered species listing. But with the diminutive, distinctly marked plovers just entering another six-month-long nesting season, Oregon’s wildlife officials are asking coastal residents and visitors to once again be

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Environment - Page 3

JoAnn and Bill Barton’s Yakona Nature Preserve creates a “living laboratory” and legacy in Yaquina estuary

Young, blind harbor seal from Canada has found a new home at Oregon Coast Aquarium

Oregon Marine Board agrees to study rules to ban boat motors on Siletz River, but will first work with users

OSU scientists find new species of bacteria in Yaquina Bay and name it after coast’s first inhabitants

Proposal to ban boat motors on Siletz River brings out competing interests on what’s best for users, environment

Noted OSU scientist and NOAA administrator tries to offer hope for oceans, humans during turbulent times

Governor, congressional delegation urge feds to declare disaster for Oregon coast salmon fisheries

Three rangers at Yaquina Head Natural Area get their jobs back — but still aren’t allowed to work

Millions of herring make annual return to Yaquina Bay creating spectacular frenzy for sea lions, birds and fishermen

It’s nesting season for endangered snowy plovers, so be careful on certain areas of the beach

Letters from readers

Whale’s entanglement shows need for better derelict gear removal program

Sen. Anderson’s chief of staff out of bounds on ICE and Newport “boomer hippies” remarks

A farewell letter to the Yachats whale

Yes, everyone in Waldport community should refrain from further attacks

The community speaks — ICE detention center not welcome in Newport

Let’s show some grace to all involved in whale’s attempted, emotional rescue

Obituaries

Jon M. French of Waldport

Joe Chapman of Tenmile

Ruth R. Mock of Yachats — “Fiddlin Ruth”

Civic Calendar

City of Yachats Parks & Commons Commission

Yachats Big Band monthly concert

Yachats Rural Fire Protection District board

Yachats Planning Commission monthly workshop meeting

Yachats Public Works & Streets Commission

Lincoln County School District board of directors

Waldport City Council

Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District monthly board meeting

Newport City Council work session and regular meeting

Southwest Lincoln Water People’s Utility District board

Public & Legal Notices

CITY OF NEWPORT, OREGON NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING

The Board of Directors of the Lincoln County School District, Public Hearing regarding Newport High School

The Board of Directors of the Lincoln County School District, Public Hearing regarding Waldport High School