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Keep Oregon Moving: Legislative funding helps ODOT clean up the graffiti on your roads
Graffiti and litter increased dramatically over the last few years. If you’ve traveled around the state lately, you’ll see that it’s widespread across Oregon. But it’s particularly bad in the Portland area. This challenge is especially acute along ODOT highways and property. ODOT properties, due to...
Two ways to reduce childhood hunger in Oregon this summer
The Summer Food Service Program offers free, nutritious meals at sites all over the state and the Summer EBT program provides $120 per eligible child for groceries. Nearly 30 million children participate in USDA’s school breakfast and lunch programs on an average school day. When school is out for the summer, kids lose access to these healthy meals, but they still need nutritious food to grow healthy and strong. This year, there are now two programs in Oregon that will improve access until school starts...
Despite mild fire season forecast, agencies tell Oregon leaders they need to invest in workforce
Oregon is likely to face fewer big wildfires this summer than in previous years, but a lack of rural housing, coupled with unstable and often low pay, continues to create firefighter workforce challenges across the state and region. That was a big part of the message from state and federal fire and emergency response officials, who discussed this year’s fire outlook and what they need at a meeting Monday at the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. The Portland-based center is part of a larger wildfire prevention...
Democrats, homeless advocates disappointed in U.S. Supreme Court ruling on homelessness
Democratic lawmakers, homeless advocates and legal experts in Oregon expressed disappointment Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Grants Pass homeless case, while conservatives welcomed the decision. In a 6-3 decision split along partisan lines, the court sided with the southern Oregon city in its prohibitions against homeless people using blankets, pillows or cardboard to protect themselves in severe weather while sleeping in public places. The court said that the city’s ordinances against homeless camping did not violate the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition...
CFTLC briefed on HCP revenue replacement schemes
Following ten months of negotiations with the governor’s office, members of the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties were briefed on three proposed solutions for revenue reductions projected to be caused by the habitat conservation plan for western Oregon state forests on June 28. A group of five county representatives worked with three representatives from the governor’s office to hammer out the options, landing on reducing contributions to either the counties and special districts or Oregon Department of Forestry, or moving school districts in the...
Salt Creek Fire roars to 1,500 acres in Southern Oregon, evacuations issued near Hwy 140
Update at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 8 Fire crews made good progress on the fast-growing Salt Creek Fire overnight, getting fire line around 40% of the blaze burning roughly 10 miles east of Eagle Point. The fire remains at about 1,500 acres just north of Highway 140. ...
OSAA hires Brownrigg as assistant executive director
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has hired Lauren Brownrigg as an assistant executive director. Brownrigg has served as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. since 2012. She was named senior associate athletic director in 2020. Brownrigg replaces Monica Maxwell, who recently accepted a position with the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Ind. ...
Dallas man dies after crash into river in Tillamook County
A Dallas man died Sunday afternoon when his car left the road, rolled down an embankment and ended up in a river east of Pacific City in Tillamook County. Tyler Jacob Bell, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to Oregon State Police. Police said Bell...
Western Oregon University hosts regional gaming competition
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University hosted the 17th season of the Oregon Game Project Challenge, a video game development competition for middle and high school students. Each fall, OGPC announces a theme for the year’s competition, which is typically held in May. Teams then work together to design...
Still boarded up but not forgotten
So what’s new with the dwelling at 329 Pine St. S.E., which the City of Albany posted as a “derelict structure” two summers ago? That’s what I was wondering when I passed the place on a bike ride on June 28. On Pine Street, there’s a...
Marion County agrees to pay nearly double rates to Reworld incinerator in Brooks
Marion County has signed a six-month contract extension with Reworld Marion, which operates the municipal waste incinerator in Brooks, nearly doubling the amount per ton the county pays the company to take the county’s garbage. The increase amounts to about $1.3 million over the term of the contract, which ends Dec. 31. The...
Lumos Wine to host ‘casual benefit with wine and music’ on July 11
A Philomath-area winery plans to host a benefit from 5-8 p.m. Thursday to raise money for the Vina Moses Center, organizers announced. Lumos Wine Company, located at 24000 Cardwell Hill Drive just outside Philomath, will hold “Viva Vina 2024: A Casual Benefit With Wine & Music” with a portion of by-the-glass and bottle sales benefitting the organization, which has been operating for several decades.
FOUND! Central Oregon 2024 Hidden Bottle Hunt bottle found in park
Crooked River Park in Prineville. That's where the Zone 4 bottle for the 2024 Hidden Bottle Hunt was found Saturday after going undiscovered for three days. All six bottles, hidden across the state, were found Saturday. Someone only going by the name A.D. from Bend found the Zone 4 bottle....
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