At the August council meeting the Waldport City Council held a tense public hearing to address multiple citizen complaints against City Manager Dann Cutter, centering on his social media activity, his communications with law enforcement and prosecutors, and his handling of a whistleblower-style allegation involving the Siletz tribe. After more than an hour of sometimes chaotic discussion, councilors did not discipline or dismiss the city manager. Instead, they voted to send t

Lincoln County officials briefed the Newport City Council on the long‑planned Lincoln County Commons project, outlining a roughly $40 million fairgrounds and events center redevelopment that is now deep into design and pre‑construction planning. Project manager Joshua Dodson of Dodson Project Management (DPM) told councilors the county has its core team in place and is working to align scope, schedule, and budget before breaking ground. “We have prepared a few slides to give

Lincoln County commissioners on Wednesday approved a package of tourism room tax (TRT) agreements, continued their stalemated discussion over filling the vacant Position 2 commission seat, and discussed potential changes to the board agenda. TRT contracts for chambers and museums approved After being pulled from the consent calendar at a previous meeting, a set of tourism-related contracts came back for full board discussion. Commissioners reviewed agreements with seven entit

Waldport is getting a new public park along the Alsea River, after the city council voted to accept a donated former fuel station site and name it Earthlight Park. The 1.35‑acre property sits along Highway 34 on the Alsea River and comes with one crucial feature: existing dock rights. City Manager Dann Cutter told councilors that opens the door for the city to seek grants to build a public fishing dock at a spot where residents can walk down and fish during salmon season. “Th

Update: According to Lincoln City Police Nicholas Mumma has been arrested and according to the jail roster he faces charges of Animal Abuse. Public comment during the Lincoln City Council meetng drew sharp criticism of police conduct, rising utility costs, and city financial priorities. After approving liquor licenses and minutes without debate, the council opened the floor to public comment, where four speakers raised concerns that ranged from public safety and animal abuse

The Toledo City Council has appointed longtime resident and former councilor Stu Strom to fill a vacant seat through the end of the year. Council noted his experience and institutional memory that would benefit the current council. The vacancy was created by the resignation of Council President Sylvia. The seat is one of three council positions up for election this November, meaning Strom will serve roughly five and a half months before voters decide who holds the seat long-t

All six Waldport City Councilors will keep their seats. With 95% of the votes counted and a 37% voter turnout the recall of the six city councilors has failed. Tony Thimakis the recall organizer, said he was very disapointed in the voter turnout. On June 2, 2026, the Lincoln County Clerk, Amy Southwell, confirmed that the recall petitions against all six Waldport City Councilors. Ballots were due in by 8pm Monday July 13. The second unofficial count will be done by Tuesday Ju

Lincoln City officials say the city’s aging City Hall and library complex is facing serious water damage, high operating costs, and growing safety and accessibility concerns, raising questions about how long the building can continue to function in its current state. Lincoln City residents got a chance to hear about the future of their aging City Hall and library building, during recent Town Hall meetings. Citizens got an opportunity to hear about three multi‑million‑dollar

Lincoln County commissioners adopted a package of year-end budget amendments during a special meeting June 30, while clashing briefly over public access and to commissioners access to backup documents and hearing sharp criticism from a citizen during public comment. Finance Director Lennon Pierce walked the board through a series of adjustments across multiple funds, including about $486,000 in increased materials and services for roads and highways, $125,000 for new motor ve

Tony Thimakis, organizer of the recall of the 6 Waldport Council members, has submitted a formal complaint to the Secretary of State's office alleging that the city, through the City Manager Dann Cutter, misled the public regarding the recall election. Thimakis said a statement that was made on the city of Waldport's website could mislead voters. In the statement, Cutter states he is responding to questions regarding how the city government will be run if all council members

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners formally recognized the work of local probation, parole and community supervision officers, proclaiming July 19–25, 2026 as Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week in Lincoln County. Commissioner Casey Miller read the proclamation at the start of the board’s meeting, noting that juvenile and adult community supervision is “an essential part of the criminal justice and public safety system.” The proclamation stated that Lincol

Statewide fire restrictions remain in effect for all Bureau of Land Management public lands throughout Oregon and Washington, and many local regions have additional restrictions in place. BLM leaders encourage all visitors to be aware of all active restrictions and closures as warmer weather sets in around the Pacific Northwest. “Every individual's choices directly impact community safety,” said Kim Prill, BLM Oregon/Washington Acting State Director. “Just one spark can start

NEWPORT — Lincoln County commissioners adopted the county’s 2026-27 budget after a process that raised questions about draft changes, audit findings, financial-system access and the public’s ability to review a 330-page spending plan before final approval. The dispute was not only about how much the county plans to spend. It was also about which version of the budget was being adopted, what changed between drafts and whether commissioners and residents had enough information

Toledo Council, Mayor Mix, City Manager Huebner and Lt. Dell'Olio The Toledo City Council approved a new contract with the Salvation Army to double the annual assistance available through the city’s H2O program, increasing the maximum benefit from $100 to $200 per eligible recipient. The council voted 5–0 at its June 3 meeting to authorize the city manager to sign the updated agreement, following an earlier presentation from the Salvation Army in late April on how the program

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners addressed multiple agenda items on June 3 but deferred final action on two matters: filling the vacant Position 2 seat and approving unapproved meeting minutes. Position 2 Vacancy Appointment The board did not reach a consensus on how to fill the Position 2 vacancy, which was created by the passing of Chair Claire Hall in January. Following an initial pool of 24 applicants, the county interviewed two finalists in March: Cristen Don of

On June 2, 2026, the Lincoln County Clerk, Amy Southwell, confirmed that the recall petitions against all six Waldport City Councilors has met the requirements of Oregon election law. The petitions, filed by Chief Petitioner Tony Thimakis, submitted the required number of signatures from registered city voters and were verified by the Lincoln County Clerk. Under Oregon law, the councilors have five days to resign or face a recall election. This certification marks the culmina

In the May 19th election primary, results were counted for the second time on Wednesday May 20th and announced at 5pm with statewide results showing on Thursday May 21st at 7am. In Lincoln County right now the voter turnout was 44% and the statewide turnount was 34%. Here are the most recent results, for the race for Governor it looks like it will be Republican Christine Drazen who currently has 41% of the vote who is going against Tina Kotek, who has over 84%. For US Represe

Lincoln County’s reliance on an outside private investigation firm has prompted renewed scrutiny over taxpayer spending and the administration's handling of internal personnel disputes. At the center of the inquiry is the county’s retention of Ferraris Investigations & Consulting LLC to review county staff. One ongoing case involves a legal assistant in the District Attorney’s office, who has been on paid administrative leave since Oct. 12, 2025, with a hearing scheduled for

A citizen group in Waldport is moving forward with a recall effort targeting all six city councilors, citing long-running concerns about transparency, financial oversight, and the council’s deference to City Manager Dann Cutter. Recall organizer Tony Thimakis says the core issue is that councilors act in concert without open discussion, appearing to follow direction rather than critically reviewing city business. This recall effort follows the prior recall attempt in November

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden announced he will hold an open-to-all town hall for Lincoln County on Thursday, May 7, at the Oregon Coast Community College campus in Newport, starting at 4:30. Heading into this town hall at the community college (400 SE College Way, Newport), Wyden has held 1,163 open-to-all town halls statewide in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. “I made my town hall pledge because all Oregonians deserve o