Florence museum director arrested on sex abuse charges

July 11, 2025

FLORENCE — The director of the Oregon Coast Military Museum in Florence was arrested Thursday, July 10 and later lodged at the Lane County Jail on accusations of sexual abuse of a minor. The Florence Police Department said officers received a report June 29 that Geoffrey Cannon, 27, was in an inappropriate relationship with the minor. Search warrants were executed at the

Five Lincoln County fire districts send crews to southern Oregon blaze

July 10, 2025

The Lincoln County Fire Defense Board has mobilized a specialized wildfire task force to assist in battling the Elk Fire in Klamath County, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The deployment came at the request of the Oregon State Fire Marshal as part of the state’s coordinated wildfire response under the Emergency Conflagration Act. The task force left Lincoln

State says ocean waters at Newport beach are now OK

July 9, 2025

Update Wednesday, July 9: The Oregon Health Authority says the public can return to ocean waters at Nye Beach in Newport. The beach has been under a health advisory for a little over a week after higher than normal levels of fecal bacteria was discovered in the water there. The contamination could have been caused by a storm, failed septic

Popular “Shop the Dock” tours begin this week in Newport, coastal ports

July 9, 2025

Oregon Sea Grant is again offering its popular “Shop at the Dock” tours in Newport beginning this week and is offering similar tours at six other ports in Oregon and southwest Washington. The Newport tours will be offered at 9:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, Friday, July 18 and Friday, July 25 and again

Assault of Newport protestor results in additional charges by grand jury

July 8, 2025

A Lincoln County grand jury has indicted a Klamath Falls man three charges stemming from his arrest for assaulting an anti-Trump protestor in early June. Newport police arrested Jacob Busch, 41, on June 7 after investigating a shoving incident in front of the Newport City Hall during a political protest. Video of the incident showed Busch jumping out of his

Waldport domestic disturbance call leads to attempted murder charge

July 3, 2025

WALDPORT – A Missouri man is being held on $1 million bond after his arrest early Wednesday on accusations of attempted second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing after stabbing a woman he had come to Oregon with. Steven B. Kelley, 64, of St. Louis is being held in the Lincoln County jail with a court appearance scheduled

June rainfall was one of lowest on record for the Oregon coast

July 2, 2025

Yes, June was dry – as a drought declaration by Lincoln County commissioners made clear Wednesday. Yachats-area weather watchers for Lincoln Chronicle say the rainfall in June was one of the lowest in their records, as evidenced by stream levels that are currently at August levels. Near downtown Yachats, Adam Altson recorded 1.12 inches of rain in June, his second

Newport outlines procedure for filling city council vacancy

July 1, 2025

NEWPORT – The city of Newport is accepting applications for a vacant city position after Councilor Ryan Parker resigned in May. The application period opened Tuesday and closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 13. Newport’s city council consists of six councilors and a mayor – all of which are volunteer positions. The term of the vacant position will expire in January

Out-of-state visitors to Oregon parks will now pay 25 percent more

July 1, 2025

Travelers from outside Oregon will soon be paying a little extra to visit a state park. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission has approved a new rule that will increase camping and parking fees by 25 percent for out-of-state visitors, effective Tuesday, July 1. The new proposal comes on top of the department’s recent cost increase for all park users, which went into effect at

Minimum wage in Lincoln County increases to $15.05 per hour Tuesday

June 30, 2025

Oregon’s minimum wage rises by 35 cents an hour Tuesday, with Lincoln County’s increasing to $15.05 per hour. The state raises the minimum wage each July 1. This year’s standard increase is 2.4 percent — the smallest since 2015. That was the year before the Oregon Legislature approved seven annual increases in the minimum wage and mandated further increases