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

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

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

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

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners announced the 2026-27 Community and Economic Development Grant Program. The application is available on the county’s website. Applications are accepted from local governments and organizations recognized by the IRS as nonprofit organizations. Applications are also accepted from public-private partnerships with the fiscal agent being a nonprofit or municipal organization. An example of a public-private partnership project that could qu

Oregon Coast Community College staff, board members, and supporters turned out on Friday September 11th for a ribbon cutting opening their new Arcadia East County Center to serve Toledo, Siletz, and rural students. College officials noted this was a long-overdue investment in rural students and working families on the east side of Lincoln County. Speaking at the event, OCCC President Dr. Marshall Roache said the college views access to education as a fundamental right, not a

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners are preparing to resume in-person public meetings after several months of holding sessions virtually after county officials said employees raised safety concerns. . During the Sept. 2 Board of Commissioners meeting, Chair Walter Chuck said county staff and the county’s insurer had previously recommended moving to online-only meetings after multiple complaints from employees who reported feeling unsafe during contentious public comment

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners remained deadlocked Wednesday over its vacant third seat, despite Commissioner Casey Miller continuing to expand the number of people he said he would support for appointment. At the Sept. 2 meeting, Commissioner Walter Chuck again nominated Cristen Don. After Miller declined to second the motion, Miller proposed nine possible appointees. Chuck declined to second that motion and instead nominated Cathie Rigby. Miller declined to secon

Oregon State University’s PacWave South, a one-of-a-kind research facility critical to advancing the development of the wave energy industry, is officially open after more than 15 years of effort. PacWave, located south of Newport on the Oregon Coast, is the first pre-permitted, grid-connected wave energy test site in the United States. Its completion was marked with an Aug. 27 ribbon-cutting celebration attended by about 150 people. “PacWave represents the culmination of mor

Oregon’s new Blue Economy Task Force, established by Senate Bill 1525 during the 2026 legislative session, is beginning work to identify opportunities to strengthen Oregon’s coastal economy while protecting the health and resilience of the state’s coastal ecosystems. In addition to two legislative members, 16 community members have been appointed to the task force. The first meeting will be on September 2 at 1:00pm The task force is charged with taking a comprehensive look

Voters across Lincoln County will have a number of choices to make in the November 3 general election, with contested races for county commissioner as well as mayor and city council positions in several communities. Candidate filing for city races has now closed, giving voters a clearer picture of who will appear on local ballots this fall. The following focuses only on contested races within Lincoln County, rather than statewide or federal contests. Lincoln County Commission

The Lincoln County School District Board of Directors declared Zone 1 vacant during a special session on August 24 after accepting the resignation of Mitch Parsons. The board is now accepting applications from those interested in serving as an interim board member from the time of appointment through June 30, 2027. Parsons submitted his resignation to the board on August 12th citing that he is unable to commit the time and energy necessary to serve the community to the standa

Oregon private employers reported 45,400 job openings at any given time in the second quarter of 2026. This was essentially unchanged from the 45,300 job openings seen in the first quarter of the year, according to new data from the Oregon Employment Department’s Job Vacancy Survey. In research published today, senior economic analyst Anna Johnson reports that hiring demand remained concentrated in the private health care and social assistance industry, which represented ne

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

Families have until Sept. 1, 2026, to apply for essential food assistance through the Summer EBT program. The program offers $120 per eligible child to help cover grocery costs while school is out. Thousands of families may be unaware that they qualify for this essential benefit. With the application deadline approaching, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) urge families to check their eligibility and to apply before t

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

A comprehensive guide for evaluating, planning, and managing the development of Offshore Wind Energy in the state of Oregon was submitted to the legislature on July 24, 2026. House Bill 4080 (2024) directed the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to develop an Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap (Roadmap) that defines standards to be considered in the process related to developing and approving offshore wind energy in Oregon. DLCD published the completed Offshore

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Awarded High-Water Rescue Vehicle through Oregon SPIRE Grant. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a new high‑water rescue vehicle funded through the Oregon State Preparedness Infrastructure Resource Equipment (SPIRE) grant program. This specialized vehicle enhances emergency responders’ ability to respond to flooding, severe weather, and other emergencies. Designed for challenging environments, this vehicle can safely access ar