Lincoln County Clerk Amy Southwell said election officials are seeing strong early participation, with nearly 15% of ballots already returned as of Friday October 23rd. The main batch of ballots left a Bend mailing house on Oct. 14 and was sent to Portland for distribution. Most were officially mailed the following day, she said. Some voters may not receive a ballot, and those who need a replacement can contact the elections office. Amy said drop boxes are the most reliable w

The fire at Pacific Seafood’s Newport facility on the Bayfront remains active as crews continue to work to contain it. Newport city officials reported that the first call came in at 8:51 a.m., and firefighters from across the region joined local emergency responders. Officials said no civilian injuries have been reported. One firefighter was taken to a hospital for evaluation. About 30 to 40 people were inside the facility when the fire began; officials said they evacuated sa

UPDATE: Approximately 25-30 people were at the evacuation site prior to it being moved to the Atonement Lutheran Church. Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospiital is still open and operating as usual. Hazmat is on scene and investigating if ammonia was released, but the city has no confirmation of a contamination at this time The Sheriff's Office has moved the evacuation to a Level 2, Be Set. This not a mandatory evacuation, but it is recommend and the city is asking ALL Newp