The city’s all-volunteer, public library has found two innovative ways to serve book-lovers while still observing pandemic restrictions — an online or phone reservation system, and free, weekly children’s book giveaways. Whether you’re looking for books, videos or books on tape, you can reserve any title in the library’s collection, and visit the library the […]
Archives for June 2020
More federal and state campgrounds open this week, but Cape Perpetua Visitor Center remains closed indefinitely
By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com Camping at the coast is back. Sort of. State and federal campgrounds, along with much of the rest of the coastal economy, have been shut down for the past three months due to coronavirus concerns. Now, on a rolling basis governed both by budgetary realities and lingering worries about the global […]
Oregon Health Authority’s coronavirus report for Wednesday, June 17
Oregon reports 122 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death PORTLAND — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 183, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Oregon Health Authority reported 122 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday […]
State of Oregon still has 70,000 unemployment claims to process
By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau About 70,000 Oregonians newly eligible for unemployment benefits — the self-employed, independent contractors, gig and temporary workers — await state processing of their claims. Having virtually eliminated a backlog of 38,000 claims for regular benefits by a self-imposed deadline of June 12, Employment Department officials have turned their full attention […]
Woman who was Lincoln County’s first COVID-19 case recounts 10-week ordeal in Portland hospital
By MAX KIRKENDALL/Lincoln County News-Guard Lincoln County’s first COVID-19 patient – and the first to be hospitalized – is back home after 10 weeks of treatment and recovery. But Anne Fehringer-Williams, 65, of Gleneden Beach, who was placed on a ventilator and put into a coma during her treatment in Portland, has some cautionary […]
Oregon governor issues emergency order requiring people in Lincoln County and six other counties wear masks inside public places starting June 24
By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is requiring that people wear face coverings in Lincoln County and six other counties effective June 24 while they are inside public places like grocery stores and other businesses. The other counties included in the surprise order this week are Marion, Polk, Hood River and three Portland-area […]
Oregon Health Authority says it does not recommend mandatory COVID-19 testing for seafood workers
By NICOLE BALES/The Daily Astorian ASTORIA — Responding to concerns from Clatsop County, the Oregon Health Authority said the state will not recommend mandatory coronavirus testing for essential workers at seafood plants and other food processors. Outbreaks at Bornstein Seafoods in Astoria and Pacific Seafood in Warrenton prompted Michael McNickle, the county’s public health director, […]
Union County commissioners want to return to Phase 1 coronavirus guidelines, will consider mask requirement
SABRINA THOMPSON/La Grande Observer LA GRANDE — Union County commissioners voted Wednesday morning to recommend rolling back to Phase 1 guidelines. The move comes as the county is the state’s hotspot for the coronavirus with 240 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, according to the Oregon Health Authority, and at least 236 of those stemming from […]
Oregon State Police/Newport activity log June 15-16
OREGON STATE POLICE DAILY MEDIA/DESK LOG SP20162576 06/15/2020 14:54 Officer #41619 FITCH, BRYAN Traffic Crimes – All Except DUII Location Narrative Summary STOPPED VEHICLE FOR TRAVELING 45 IN A 30 MPH CONSTRUCTION ZONE. DRIVER STATED HE COULD NOT FIND HIS WALLET AND HIS LICENSE. WHEN A STATUS CHECK WAS RUN, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE DRIVER IS MISDEMEANOR SUSPENDED. […]
Oregon Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday on challenges to legislature’s changes to PERS laws
By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau Whether lawmakers went too far last year in changing the public-pension system to reduce its future obligations is now in the hands of the Oregon Supreme Court. The seven justices heard arguments Tuesday from public retirees and the public employee unions challenging the changes — and from local and state […]