Yachats builders collaborating on four rentals along Highway 101

December 10, 2023

YACHATS — Two Yachats contractors are collaborating to build four long-term rentals on East Ninth Street in Yachats with the hope of possibly adding an additional four studios if and when the city passes an ordinance allowing additional dwelling units. Lippincott Construction and North Pacific Woodwork began work on the project about a month-and-a-half ago, said owners Stephen Lippincott

Judge will rule that Lincoln County can use business licenses to regulate vacation rentals, but expects appeal

December 7, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Lincoln County’s hotly contested ordinances regulating vacation rentals do not fall under Oregon’s land-use laws and the county can oversee them with its business licensing program, a circuit court judge said this week. Lincoln County pro-tem judge Joseph Allison said during a hearing Monday that he has drafted most of his long-awaited ruling challenging the county’s

What should Yachats’ lodging tax be? City council begins discussing possible raise from 9 percent to ???

December 7, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – There appears to be little question whether Yachats will raise its lodging tax on motels and vacation rentals. What is undecided is the percentage increase and when it might take effect. The subject of raising the city’s 9 percent room tax, which is the biggest source of revenue for the city, came up during a

Five days of rain swamps central Oregon coast — but forecasters say we’re over the worst of it

December 6, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Well, that was a doozy. Continuous heavy rain for five days dumped between 10 and 17 inches of rain on the central Oregon coast through Wednesday, pushing rivers over their banks in spots and flooding some streets – but causing little damage or problems otherwise except along portions of the Siletz River. For longtime weather watchers,

After a surprisingly quick year of planning, designing and fundraising, work begins on Yachats’ new skatepark

December 6, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Building a skate park in a town awash in retirees might seem like a ploy to entice the grandchildren to visit — but it can also be an amenity as popular as playgrounds that attract not only the young but the young at heart. “When you ride your skateboard it’s kind of like when

Much of Oregon’s Dungeness crab fishery opens next week; negotiations begin Sunday in Newport on prices

December 5, 2023

BY GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open next Saturday from just south of Depoe Bay to the California border but will be delayed until at least Dec. 31 from Depoe Bay to the Washington border. In announcing the opening this week, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife decided to split the commercial Dungeness opening after

Judge denies Lincoln County DA’s request to stop commissioners from controlling her appointments

December 5, 2023

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews An outside judge has denied a request by Lincoln County district attorney Lanee Danforth for a preliminary injunction to prevent county commissioners from limiting the number of chief deputies she may appoint. Danforth filed the lawsuit in May in a dispute over the amount of control commissioners had over her personnel decisions – including creating a

Lincoln County adds Sunday bus service between Yachats, Waldport and Newport; restores Saturday trips to Toledo

December 3, 2023

For the first time Lincoln County is offering Sunday bus service between Yachats, Waldport and its transit hub in Newport as well as between Siletz and Newport. The Lincoln County Transit agency also announced Friday it is restoring Saturday service on its east county route between Newport and Toledo. Also, in cooperation with Benton Area Transit, the county bus

Yachats’ new city manager believes her “can-do” spirit and work ethic will bring stability to position plagued by turnover

November 30, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews When December dawns the slippery reins of Yachats city manager will fall into the capable but untested hands of Waldport native Bobbi Price who credits her family for instilling the can-do spirit that has characterized her career. Price graduated from Waldport High School in 2001, attended Portland State University for just over a year before deciding

Coastal cities scrambling to examine — or close — their trails following Oregon Appeals Court decision in Newport case

November 30, 2023

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews A lawsuit against the city of Newport has caused a ripple effect across Oregon that has municipalities checking their hole card to decide whether they want to heed the advice of their insurer and close public trails or gamble on a legislative fix before their hand is called. “On July 6, the Oregon Court of Appeals