Expansion of earthquake early-warning system along Oregon coast takes a hit in last days of Legislature

July 18, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Take a look at your watch and count the seconds to 120. One, two, three …. 61, 62, 63 … 118, 119, 120. Two minutes. It can be a really long time, says Doug Toomey, a professor at the University of Oregon who is leading the effort to install a seismic alarm system along the Oregon coast

Yachats-to-Florence bus has few passengers but gets an extension and likely a big, new lease on life

July 11, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Alan Haring pulls away from the bus stop at the Little Log Church in downtown Yachats and heads south on U.S. Highway 101. In 45 minutes – with one stop – his 10-passenger bus pulls up to a small shelter near a strip mall in Florence. Ten minutes later he starts up the bus and retraces the

Yachats celebrates Fourth of July and community with pancakes, pie and parade

July 4, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Yachats celebrated community on the nation’s Fourth of July holiday by eating pancakes and pie, marching in or watching an oceanside parade, then topping it off with fireworks at dusk. “It’s a throwback to the 1950s,” said Jenica McKay of Portland, who for years has rented a house in town with five other women – sisters, aunt

Yachats’ July 4 fireworks show the result of core group of volunteers – and lots of donations

June 27, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Katherine Guenther rarely gets to watch Yachats’ 4th of July fireworks show. She’s too busy making sure volunteers are at their stations, that the out-of-town fireworks crew has everything they need, or that any last-minute emergencies are dealt with. But the 15-minute display wouldn’t go on unless Guenther and her Yachats Fireworks Committee didn’t raise the $20,000

Angell Job Corps Center gets a reprieve but future transfer issue won’t go away

June 20, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A cell phone call may have helped stop the controversial transfer of the Angell Civilian Conservation Center near Yachats to a private contractor. The Trump administration Wednesday dropped plans – at least for two years – to close nine U.S. Forest Service centers and transfer 16 others to outside contractors. In Oregon, the proposal would have closed

In their own words: Angell Job Corps students tell of life’s changes at Forest Service center

June 13, 2019

By ELAINE WATKINS/YachatsNews.com It’s not often you hear a young person reply, “Yes, sir,” or “No, ma’am,” but that demonstration of respect is standard at the Angell Civilian Conservation Center north of Yachats. Not a written rule, students explain, simply part of the culture. Respect, responsibility, self-management, perseverance, and leadership. Those traits are embedded in every aspect of life at

Job Corps closures, transition to private contractors leaves 200 Angell students and staff in limbo

June 6, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Mikell Sumerau fought with the U.S. Army in Kuwait and Iraq and during his time with the Army National Guard was deployed to every state on the West Coast. But the biggest fight for Sumerau and his wife, Andrea, may be over the future of their jobs and the dormitories, classrooms, shops and offices that make up

Yachats Trails group helps keep area attractive to hikers, visitors and locals

May 30, 2019

By ELAINE WATKINS/YachatsNews.com The 21 volunteers clad in yellow vests form a circle to hear Wally Orchard describe their morning’s task. It’s 10 a.m. Saturday. Gathered in a parking lot of the Yachats Commons, the volunteers are armed with clippers, gloves, buckets and knee pads — anything to make the next two hours a bit easier. Orchard outlines the work

State and volunteers nurture native plant nurseries for coast restoration efforts

May 23, 2019

By ELAINE WATKINS/YachatsNews.com When one of Oregon’s state parks needs seashore bluegrass to restore a beach near Astoria, it contacts Celeste Lebo. When native thistle needs to be planted to attract the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly to a meadow south of Yachats, the parks turn to Sherri Laier. Lebo and Laier scout salt meadows, searching for seed-bearing native plants. In

See those sea lion rafts offshore? Here’s an expert’s explanation – and more

May 15, 2019

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Jim Rice gets lots of questions about seals and sea lions. Most inquiries are about their health or when adult or offspring come ashore. Rice is the sole employee of the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network at the OSU Marine Mammal Institute in Newport. His job now is to report on – with the help of a