At approximately 4:19 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue responded to a reported structure fire near milepost 3.5 on Highway 34. Because of the rapid response from their fully staffed Engine crew, Incident Command, and Water Tender, firefighters were able to quickly establish fire attack and achieve an aggressive knockdown of the fire. Their swift actions significantly limited the spread of the fire, saving a substantial portion of the structu

On Tuesday July 14th, 2026, at approximately 11:20 am, Newport officers responded to the Days Inn, located on SW Coast Hwy, on the report of a Armed Robbery. Officers responded to the area and contacted the victim who stated they had just been robbed by a suspect identified as 20-year old Christopher M. Lekoff, of Independence, Oregon. Further investigation revealed Lekoff and the victim had known each other for several years and had shared a room at the business the previo

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners again left its long-vacant Position 2 seat unfilled during its July 15 regular meeting, as Commissioners Casey Miller and Walter Chuck remained divided over the appointment process and whom the board should select. The board has operated with only two members for more than six months. Chuck opened the discussion by saying the board should complete its earlier application and interview process, which produced two finalists: Cristen Don