New jobless claims continue to pile up in Lincoln County, go past highest point during 2009 recession

April 23, 2020

Another 430 Lincoln County residents filed unemployment claims last week, bringing the total to 3,246 since statewide COVID-19 restrictions went into place in mid-March. The number of initial claims in Lincoln County for the week ending April 18 was dramatically smaller than the previous two weeks, but still a staggering amount of the county’s total nonfarm workforce of nearly 18,000

Yachats church raises $60,000 in four days for business relief fund, quickly awards $20,000 in grants

April 21, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com A Yachats church on Tuesday handed out $20,227 worth of aid to 15 small, local businesses as part of a growing community effort to help Yachats re-open when coronavirus restrictions are lifted. The aid is only the first round of funds to Yachats businesses needing money to stay afloat during a statewide business shutdown and

Lincoln County announces its fifth COVID-19 case Monday, the first in 18 days

April 20, 2020

After 18 days with no confirmed COVID-19 cases, a fifth Lincoln County resident has tested positive for the disease, the county’s public health agency announced Monday. The Lincoln County case was one of 47 new cases announced Monday by the Oregon Health Authority, bringing the statewide total to 1,956. One more person died from the disease, bringing the Oregon total

Lincoln County deputies issue first citations for people ignoring closure signs

April 20, 2020

Two fence-jumping surfers from Cottage Grove are the first people to be cited by Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies for disregarding a COVID-19 park closure in order to reach the beach. Deputies received calls about 1:30 p.m. Monday from residents in the Otter Rock area that two men had ignored a closed park sign, jumped a chain-link fence and then passed

Lincoln County lost highest percentage of its workforce to coronavirus closures than any other Oregon county

April 16, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Because of its reliance on tourism, Lincoln County has been the hardest hit county in the state in the percentage of its workers suddenly losing their jobs because of the COVID-19 crisis. The Oregon Employment Department released its weekly report Thursday on county and statewide unemployment claims. For the fourth straight week it wasn’t pretty. Across

Sheriff deputies, state parks rangers want to first educate not just issue citations to people accessing beaches

April 16, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com As weather improves, Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers says deputies will gradually step up enforcement of people trying to get to the beach through closed federal, state or county access points. While the beach is open to people, public access points – federal, state, county or city parks and day-use areas – are closed because of

ODOT planners wrapping up public comment period on ways to improve popular Oregon Coast bike route

April 16, 2020

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com While cycling the length of the Oregon coast may not be for everyone, upwards of 10,000 people tackle the 370-mile trek every year. Along the way, they contribute $3 million to $5 million in annual tourism spending generated by coastal cycling and, best of all, take in the breathtaking views of the waves, beaches and majestic

After weeks of issues, Samaritan Health Services believes it has COVID-19 testing problems ironed out

April 15, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNew.com The head of coronavirus task force for Samaritan Health Services says the group of five hospitals – after weeks of issues — has improved the availability of COVID-19 tests and is now getting results more quickly. After initially using the state’s laboratory for tests in March, then turning to two out-of-state labs, Dr. Adam Brady says

Oregon’s rural hospitals, including Samaritan facilities in Newport and Lincoln City, beg for financial relief from the state

April 9, 2020

By ELON GLUCKLICH and BEN BOTKIN/The Lund Report A month after Oregon’s first COVID-19 case was confirmed, state medical officials say the worst of the pandemic is still to come. Cases are expected to rise in Oregon over the next two weeks with deaths tapering down into June, according to projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

Statistics from Google and Oregon’s highways show Lincoln County residents doing a good job of staying home

April 9, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Lincoln County residents are doing a good job of staying home – better than the statewide average, according to analytics that Google released this week. The location data comes from various apps installed on cellphones, including games, shopping and driving directions. The information is normally used by retailers and marketers. But now various technology companies, including