By JENNIFER LUDDEN/NPR In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a major case that could reshape how cities manage homelessness. The legal issue is whether they can fine or arrest people for sleeping outside if there’s no shelter available. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has deemed this cruel and unusual punishment, and […]
Archives for February 2024
Worried about possible NOAA departure, officials try to gauge interest in reviving Newport’s commuter air service
By KRISTIAN FODEN-VENCIL/Oregon Public Broadcasting NEWPORT — Oregon has 98 airports, both private and public. Some are little more than a field where pilots can practice takeoffs and landings. Others, like Portland International, help drive Oregon’s economy. Newport Airport, on the central Oregon Coast, lies somewhere in between. But locals want it to be bigger. […]
Yachats fire district, ambulance company receive notices of impending lawsuits following Jan. 11 fatal crash
By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews YACHATS — Lawyers for two people involved in a January collision with a Yachats ambulance have notified the nonprofit ambulance company and the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District they intend to sue one or both organizations. The notices were not unexpected. Kelsey R. Seibel, 25, of Waldport died and Fokus Simmons, […]
Oregon Health Authority’s slowness to respond to drug crisis stymies expansion of care even to “shovel ready” projects
Simon Fulford, executive director of Parrott Creek Child and Family Services in Oregon City, looks into a resident’s room. For months, his organization has tried to seek state funding for youth residential addiction services. By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle Last August, the Oregon Health Authority asked treatment providers to identify “shovel ready” projects to […]
Postal officials say Yachats office is just following rules, but former postmaster, residents say delivery is still wrong, chaotic
By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Any perceived lull in complaints about how the Yachats post office is handling mail since the departure of the former postmaster now seems more of an eye-of-the-storm situation. The gale of complaints on social media is building with calls to contact a U.S. senator and possibly get the Yachats city […]
Lincoln County’s only community radio station needs help to keep broadcasting
To the editor: The January ice storm created multiple headaches for Lincoln County — power outages, downed trees, road closures, fuel shortages, menacing branches, frozen car doors and serious physical health problems. One local casualty that is not as well known is that KYAQ radio’s transmitter took a fatal hit during the storm. KYAQ 91.7 […]
Blaming high costs and weak market, Interfor closes Philomath sawmill, laying off 100 workers
By BRAD FUQUA/Philomath News PHILOMATH — Interfor Corp. announced Thursday that it will lay off 100 employees and pause production at its Philomath sawmill operation for an undetermined amount of time until it can “evaluate the next steps for the business.” The company said through a press release that the shutdown is “in response to […]
Oregon wildlife commission adds southern resident orcas to state’s endangered species list
By ALEX BAUMHARDT and LYNNE TERRY/Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Commission has decided to add a group of killer whales that forage along the Oregon coast to the state’s endangered species list. The commissioners voted unanimously to list southern resident orcas as endangered during its Friday meeting in Hillsboro. The vote followed a […]
Search and rescue crews recover remains of Yachats man missing since July
Update: On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said the Lane County Medical Examiner identified the remains found Feb. 11 as those of Dustin Jay Steyding of Yachats. Remains believed to be those of a 45-year-old Yachats man missing since July have been found and recovered near Cummins Peak, the […]
“Dark money” lobbying group targets Oregon swing districts with new mailers, ads
The Coalition for Safe, Healthy and Prosperous Communities send new ads to voters praising Republicans and criticizing Democrats. By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle A dark money group founded by a national Republican political operative and oil industry lobbyists stepped up its efforts to influence Oregon voters this week, sending mailers and buying ad space in […]