By CONRAD WILSON and LILLIAN MONGEAU HIGHES/Oregon Public Broadcasting The same Oregon judge who temporarily blocked Measure 114 from becoming law last week, heard arguments on Tuesday in Burns over whether the voter-approved measure should be put on hold for months – or longer – as a legal challenge brought by gun groups makes its way […]
Archives for December 2022
Yachats’ “open mic” night returns Sunday after two-year absence
YACHATS — Thanks to a grant obtained by Polly Plumb Productions, “Open mic night” is returning to town after a pandemic absence. Musician Ian Smith of Yachats will emcee the proceedings at Yachats Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, once again giving singers, musicians and readers of poetry and the spoken word the […]
Oregon reaches $173 million settlement with pharmacy companies in opioid lawsuit
By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon will receive as much as $173 million to prevent and treat addiction and substance use disorder as part of three national settlements with pharmacy chains involved in the opioid epidemic, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said Monday. Oregon’s share comes from $13.7 billion in three national settlements Rosenblum and […]
Governor-elect names Health Share CEO as interim director of Oregon Health Authority
James Schroeder, CEO of Health Share of Oregon, the state’s largest Medicaid insurer, will become the interim director of the Oregon Health Authority on Jan. 10. BY LYNNE TERRY and BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle Gov.-elect Tina Kotek will appoint a 20-year health care veteran to lead the Oregon Health Authority in early January, at […]
Waldport man in jail on multiple felony accusations of assault
WALDPORT — A 40-year-old Waldport man is being held on $250,000 bond for allegedly assaulting his wife on multiple occasions, strangling her and blackening her eyes with a cell phone. Jacob P. Reimer was arraigned Monday in Lincoln County Circuit Court on seven charges, including a Class B felony count of second-degree assault with a […]
Yachats shelter program gets $20,000 boost from county
Lincoln County commissioners have approved $80,000 from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to help emergency winter shelter programs in Yachats, Newport and Lincoln City. Newport’s Grace Wins Haven and Coastal Support Services of Lincoln City will each get $30,000 for hotel voucher programs. Lincoln City has a warming shelter that opens when the […]
Lincoln County allocates $100,000 to help child care providers
NEWPORT — Lincoln County will use some of its millions in federal relief funds to help current and prospective providers increase local child care availability. The $100,000 approved by Lincoln County commissioners Dec. 7 aims to incentivize child care providers to add slots to their rolls or to encourage new startups. Individual grants of up […]
Oregon prepares for the launch of a new paid leave program for employees
By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon workers will see paycheck deductions in January for a new state program that will provide paid leave to employees. The program, called Paid Leave Oregon, will give employees paid time off for a serious illness or injury, the birth or adoption of a child, caring for a seriously ill […]
Kotek announces 36-county listening tour, framework for first year as governor starting with Yamhill and Douglas counties
Gov.-elect Tina Kotek outlines her goals at the Oregon Business Plan Summit in Portland on Dec. 12, 2022. (Rian Dundon/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle PORTLAND — Gov.-elect Tina Kotek plans to visit all 36 Oregon counties over the next year in an effort to build trust in the state government, she announced […]
Performance venues, arts groups ask Oregon lawmakers for more COVID recovery funds
By CHRIS LEHMAN/Oregon Public Broadcasting Performing arts organizations in Oregon say they’re still struggling to recover from the economic blow of COVID-19. They’re asking the Legislature for another round of funding to help them get back on their feet. Venues that rely on live audiences were among the hardest hit by the pandemic. In 2020, Oregon […]