The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is moving ahead with a multi-year broadband expansion aimed at bringing faster, more affordable internet to underserved rural areas near Toledo, tribal official Lisa Norton told the Toledo City Council. Norton, the tribe’s chief administrative officer overseeing the broadband build, said the tribe has secured about $30 million in grants for its broadband program, though overlapping funding means about $25 million can be used for the w

Lincoln County Community Dispute Resolution (LCCDR) honored longtime volunteers and leaders at a recognition ceremony celebrating their work in local courts and the wider community. The event recognized Mindy Baxter, Terry Johnson, Bob Fuller, Wallace Kaufman, Barry Bruster, and Patrick McGovern for their contributions to mediation in Lincoln County. Baxter has served on the organization’s board since 1997 and led programs including restorative justice and mediator training.

Fire crews extinguished the fire at Pacific Seafood’s Newport facility on the Bayfront at approximately 6 pm last night 10/25/26. Crews are continuing to work on a few hot spots. The Oregon State Fire Marshal will lead the investigation into the cause of the fire assisted by Newport Fire. There is still smoky air around Newport. If you must be outside, it is recommend to wear a mask. There is no threat or risk of contamination to the community. The fire broke out yesterday mo

The Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized several resources to help first responders, including a hazmat team, to a large fire at Pacific Seafood in Newport. The fire was first reported on Sunday morning. State Hazmat Team 05, Linn-Benton, responded because of the presence of anhydrous ammonia, used in refrigeration, at the facility. The team is using specialized equipment to monitor the air and is modeling where there may be impacts to help with evacuations. The agency i

The City of Newport has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) following nearly 10 months of litigation over the potential siting of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newport. Under the settlement, ICE has stipulated that it currently has no plans to expand existing detention facilities or open new long- or short-term detention facilities anywhere in Oregon. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also agreed to p

Lincoln County officials are continuing to refine the redevelopment plan for the Lincoln County Commons after the project team estimated that the full master-plan vision would cost about $36 million—roughly $6 million above the project’s current $30 million budget. At the Oct. 7 Board of Commissioners meeting, project manager Joshua Dodson of DPM presented two approaches. The full plan includes a multipurpose event building, a covered rodeo area, restrooms and equipment stora

ODOT is making improvements on Highway 101 to make the area safer for pedestrians by installing new signs and painting crosswalk markings at nine locations including NW 15th Street. NE 10th Street. NW 3rd Street. W Olive Street. SW Angle Street. SW Lee Street. SW Alder Street. SW Abbey Street. SW Bayley Street. Crews will be working during the day and drivers should expect some shoulder and lane closures with flaggers directing traffic as needed. Drivers should expect delay

Newport Fishermen's Wives (NFW) and the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center (PMHC) will co-host Saltwater Stories featuring FisherPoets on Sunday, October 25, at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, 333 SE Bay Blvd. in Newport. The afternoon brings fisher poetry, sea shanties, and coastal art inspired by the sea to Newport's working waterfront, with live music from the Coastalaires, the Oregon Mid-Coast Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. "Our fishing families work hard,

Flu season is approaching, and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital is making it easy to stay protected with a drive-thru flu shot clinic on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon. The clinic is open to adults and children who have been seen by a Samaritan provider within the past three years. Flu vaccines will be available for adults and children ages 6 months and older, including a high-dose vaccine designed for adults age 65 and older. No appointment is necessary. Vaccinations

The executive director of the Community Services Consortium (CSC), asked Lincoln County to consider a one-time contribution of up to $500,000 to help the agency maintain operating cash as it works to stabilize its finances. Ryan Vogt, CSC’s executive director, made the request to the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7. He said the request was for short-term operating flexibility and was not a decision about whether the county should remain part of the consortium. CSC is a gover

Oregon graduation requirements are changing to give students more practical preparation for college, careers and adult life. Students earning diplomas beginning in 2026 must complete a half-credit of civics. Students receiving an Oregon Diploma or Modified Diploma on or after Jan. 1, 2027, must also complete a half-credit each in Personal Financial Education and Higher Education and Career Path Skills. The new requirements are included within Oregon’s existing credit totals a

WALDPORT — Waldport officials discussed outstanding audit work and the city’s fiscal-year financial review at the October City Council meeting. During the audit discussion, City manager Dann Cutter said staff would prioritize sending auditors a more legible fiscal year 2022 trial balance, a financial report produced using the city’s former accounting software. Cutter said the older system made the records difficult to read. The city had also provided auditors with capital ass

The City of Toledo recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and proclaimed Oct. 12, 2026, Indigenous Peoples’ Day in declarations issued by Mayor Tracy Mix. Toledo held its Domestic Violence Awareness Candlelight Vigil on Saturday, Oct. 3. The city’s proclamation says the annual vigil brings the community together to honor victims and survivors, remember those who have died, share information about services, and show support and hope. The proclamation recognize

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners proclaimed Oct. 4–10, 2026, National 4-H Week, recognizing the program’s work with local youth and honoring Sue Giles, a longtime 4-H volunteer, who was recently inducted into the Oregon 4-H Hall of Fame. Sue said she has been involved in 4-H for 55 years. She joined as a 9-year-old and later became a club leader, for the past 43 years. Shelly Spangler, an education program assistant with the local 4-H program, nominated her for the H

left, Bela Sebastian Hohn, Karla Clem and Leslie Melo Lira. Two Lincoln County nursing students are this year’s recipients of the Gribler Loving Trust Nursing Education Scholarship from the Pacific Communities Health District Foundation. Leslie Melo Lira and Bela Sebastian-Hohn each received $5,000 for tuition and books for their studies in the nursing program at Oregon Coast Community College. They were recognized during a reception at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital

Newport officials are using Fire Prevention Week to remind residents to handle lithium-ion batteries carefully, citing the fire risks associated with the widely used power source. At a City Council meeting, Fire Chief Rob Murphy said the Newport Fire Department has seen an increase in fire hazards involving lithium-ion batteries. He urged residents not to use batteries that appear damaged, to check them while they charge and to unplug them once charging is complete. The discu

Lincoln Cities $58 million bond measure may not lock the city into building a new City Hall and library at an alternate site, City Manager Daniel Hunter said, though the ballot’s explanatory statement currently refers to that. Hunter said the City Council approved the bond amount without specifying which site or construction option it was considering. But city staff associated the $58 million figure with an off-site development, and that understanding was reflected in the exp

With election season underway, drivers are seeing more and more political signs throughout Lincoln County. The City of Waldport has adopted a revised Election Campaign Sign Policy, which replaces the City’s February 2022 Political Signage Policy. The updated policy treats election campaign signs the same as any other temporary sign, such as a yard-sale, event, or “for sale” sign. The City does not regulate signs based on what they say; instead, the same content-neutral standa

The Newport City Council has appointed Simon Holding, a 17-year-old Newport High School senior as a citizen advisor to the city’s Planning Commission, bringing a student perspective to discussions about the community’s future. Holding told councilors he hopes to become an urban planner and wants to learn more about Newport’s zoning rules. He also described a research paper he wrote on mobility justice in Newport, based on interviews with two local government officials. During

Lincoln County’s economy is being reshaped by an aging population, lower-wage jobs, and mounting infrastructure needs, but it also sits on the edge of major opportunities in innovation, broadband, and blue-economy growth, according to Paul Schuytema, Executive Director of the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County. Speaking at a Newport Chamber lunch, Schuytema walked business and community leaders through the updated Lincoln County Economic Status Report, completed