Since starting this series of stories about items found in the ashes of the Echo Mountain fire, I’ve heard tales of loss and resilience, grace under pressure and the strength that can come from focusing on gratitude. But no story touched me like the one told to me by Julie Starr.

A few years into her ownership of Big Mountain Coffee Roasters, Chenoa Torklep has built a rhythm and customer base to weather both real storms, like the dramatic winter forces that draw people to the coast, and figurative, like the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The well-preserved main street, industrial influence from the paper mill and the frequent passing of trains makes Toledo the kind of town you might hear described in a Johnny Cash song.

Although the Echo Mountain Relief Fund is North Lincoln County’s only nonprofit dedicated solely to serving the survivors of September’s devastating wildfires over the long-term, the immediate work of assisting survivors began mere hours after the evacuation orders were lifted.

Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County is launching its first fund-raiser to help address an ongoing housing shortage, exacerbated by the devastating Echo Mountain Complex fire, which destroyed nearly 300 homes near Lincoln City.

Coastal artisans are offering the chance to pick up one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while supporting victims of the recent Echo Mountain Fire as they host A Coastal Christmas Affair this Saturday, Dec. 5.

The colors and patterns of ancient Egypt infuse the works of Nancy Arthur Hoskins, whose textile creations will be presented in the “Memory of Egypt” show at the Lincoln City Cultural Center Fiber Arts Studio Gallery starting this Saturday, Dec. 5.

If you’ve ever created a ceramic dish, you probably experienced the pleasure, beyond the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands, of waiting to see what comes out of the kiln. No matter how carefully you choose and apply the glaze coloring, what results will be a surprise to all but seasoned ceramists.

When I first learned that one of the contributors to the Oregon Coast TODAY, Dana Grae Kane, donates her fees to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, I knew I had found a person who writes truly for the love of writing.

Sherry Wilmsen and Wilda Larsen, co-owners of the Red Roof Bakery, were close to becoming victims of their own success.

Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County is gearing up for the holidays with a virtual gingerbread house-making contest.

Do you know what the three Cs in LCCC stand for? For the next few weeks, they will stand for cookies, crafts and countdown, when the staff and volunteers at the Lincoln City Cultural Center launch the holiday season with some modifications to their treasured holiday traditions.

Roughly a decade ago, the publisher of this fine periodical, Patrick Alexander, his lovely wife, Krista, my husband Jesse and I set out on an adventure in the woods.

Patrick had chosen to write about a new outdoor activity called “Quests,” which are, to quote from the website: “Fun, free-choice learning adventures that use clues and hints to encourage participants to discover the natural, cultural and historical ‘treasures’ of place and community.”

Samaritan Evergreen Hospice in Newport is holding an online quilt sale through Wednesday, Dec. 2, with proceeds benefiting patients throughout Lincoln County and parts of southern Tillamook County.

The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge and Upstairs Bar & Grill are preparing for an annual Thanksgiving Day Benefit with a difference.

Thanksgiving in America is traditionally the season when family and friends step off life’s treadmill and come together to watch dad attempting to carve up a dried-out turkey with a steak knife, mom dusting off the Monopoly board and grandparents coming to terms with their granddaughter’s Celtic tattoo and nose ring.

Rocky habitats along the Oregon coastline are a primary attraction for the tourist economy and enrich the lives of all those living in coastal communities.

Commemorate your visit to the Oregon Coast with one-of-a-kind original glass float, being given away to some lucky winners by Newport merchants this winter.

Like many people who received evacuation orders during the Echo Mountain fire, Arlene and Lyle Gowing figured that safety officers were acting out of an abundance of caution and that they would soon be able to return to their home in the Salmon River Mobile Village.

For decades, North Lincoln County residents have prepared for a tsunami, a wall of destruction coming out of the Pacific. “Never turn you back on the ocean,” they said.