Oregon records its first coronavirus death Saturday as shutdowns spread across state

March 15, 2020

By LES ZAITZ/Oregon Capital Bureau A 70-year-old veteran died Saturday at a Portland hospital from COVID-19, the first known fatality in Oregon as the number of people testing positive for the disease continues to increase. Oregon officials said the patient, who had underlying health conditions, was diagnosed on March 10 and died at the Portland Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center. “The

Political hopefuls line up for May 19 primary races in Lincoln County and Oregon legislature

March 12, 2020

It could be an interesting two months for Lincoln County and Oregon coast politics. Oregon’s primary election is May 19. The filing deadline for county and state elections was Tuesday. The two state legislators representing the Yachats area are not seeking re-election, drawing contested primaries in those races. Meanwhile, the races for Lincoln County district attorney and two of the

Funding for coastal early-warning earthquake system once again dies in last days of Legislature

March 10, 2020

By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com For the second legislative session in a row, a bill with money to complete an early warning earthquake-alert system along the Oregon coast has failed. The failure was especially bitter for coastal lawmakers and others, since it was one of Gov. Kate Brown’s legislative priorities for the recently completed 35-day “short session,” and because it had drawn

Yachats library commission selects consultant for community study, expansion plan

March 10, 2020

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com The Yachats Library Commission has found the consultant to help it find out what the community wants, what an expanded library might look like, how its various constituencies might be organized – and then hopefully find more money to do all that. The short-handed commission voted 3-0 last week to negotiate a contract with consultant Penny Hummel

Oregon officials ban visits to long-term care facilities to help stop spread of coronavirus

March 8, 2020

By LES ZAITZ/Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — State officials on Tuesday mandated a stop to visits to the 30,000 Oregonians in long- term care facilities to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that has proven especially deadly for the elderly. That means, for now, no more time with parents, grandparents and others in licensed facilities except in special circumstances. “Our number

Wednesday coronavirus update: Six more cases bring total to 21 statewide

March 8, 2020

The Oregon Capital Bureau The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Oregon increased to 21 after the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday announced six new cases in scattered parts of the state, including two elderly men in a veterans nursing home in Linn County. The Health Authority confirmed two cases in Linn and one individual in each of Polk, Marion, Umatilla and

Yachats council selects O’Shaughnessey for three-year term on 3-1 vote Thursday

March 5, 2020

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com The Yachats City Council voted 3-1 Thursday to appoint Planning Commission member Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey to the council, immediately swearing her in to join them for the next three years. O’Shaughnessy replaces James Kerti, who served one year on the council before resigning in January. Mayor John Moore and councilors Leslie Vaaler and Jim Tooke voted for O’Shaughnessey. Max Glenn voted for

Yachats contracts with Newport security company for code enforcement

March 5, 2020

The city of Yachats has hired a Newport security company to provide code enforcement services, initially working two days a week. The contract, agreed on in late February, will pay TCB Management Group $32 an hour. The company provides a range of services ranging from security patrols for businesses and homeowners, crowd control at events, to municipal code enforcement. It

Archeologist’s tests gets Ocean View Drive reconstruction project moving again

March 4, 2020

Lincoln County’s plans to finish work on Ocean View Drive and turn it over to the city of Yachats are finally moving forward again. The reconstruction project has been stalled since Ocean View Drive was paved last fall while the county waited for a state-approved archeologist to examine portions of the road’s shoulders for Native American artifacts. Areas along

Gov. Kate Brown worries that rural areas might not be able to handle coronavirus outbreak

March 3, 2020

By the Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon could face a shortage of equipment used to protect health care providers from the coronavirus and rural hospitals could find themselves short-staffed as the state confronts the outbreak, Gov. Kate Brown warned Tuesday. She also said the state will need millions of dollars in financial support from the federal government to handle the impacts of