September 25, 2015 eClips
State Library eClips
* How Oregon’s construction industry got the state to back off asbestos rules
* Quiet race to topple Kate Brown so far could add fuel to other fights
* State crime lab: Justice department takes over investigation
* Federal court sides with environmental advocates, upholds Oregon’s clean fuels program
* Oregon joins investigation of Volkswagen emissions test rigging
* State agriculture officials concerned gypsy moths jumped in numbers
* Oregon seeks members for medical marijuana task force
* Program offers boost for students likely to be first in family to go to college
* Oregon penalties for failure to remove asbestos can pale next to real estate profits
* Larger stream buffers will make for healthier salmon — Guest Opinion
* The silver lining around Oregon’s coming ‘silver tsunami’ — Guest Opinion
* How much money does Oregon give Planned Parenthood?
* EPA moves Portland Harbor closer to a cleanup, and Portland should see opportunity — Opinion
* Oregon’s doomed marijuana prohibitionists — Opinion
* ‘Right to Hunt’ ballot measure headed to court
* Youth improve futures with new equipment
* Umpqua Hot Springs shut down by high levels of E. coli
* University of Oregon: Students with Pell Grants are less likely to graduate than their wealthier peers
* Focus on perpetrators — Opinion
* Oil companies lose court bid to derail Clean Fuels Standard
* Audubon spotlights first public look at cormorant killings on East Sand Island
* Pearl District could host nation’s tallest wood building
* OPB Unprepared Documentary Trailer
* Half Of Oregon’s Critical Bridges Could Collapse In Quake
* Labor-Law Enforcers Launch Spanish-Language Hotline For Oregon Workers
* Oregon Schools Look To Find A Balance At Lunch
* Will The Columbia River Crossing Project Get New Life?
* Forest management, wildfires and climate change — Opinion
* New farmers accept the challenge of agriculture — Opinion
* La Grande man pushing for secession to Idaho
* Drought makes for difficult bowhunting season
* Threemile Canyon general manager appointed to Oregon Ag Board
* DEQ postpones Perennial Wind Chaser hearing
* Umatilla River worth keeping clean — Guest Opinion
* Ranger station could be coming to Clarno Unit
* Clean fuels debate creates odd bedfellows — Opinion
* Bus driver shortage affecting districts
* A deadly year for drivers
* Fire season winds down, but wait for 2016 — Opinion
* Early bans on pot sales buy time — Opinion
* County boasts Oregon’s top enterprise zone
* Calico gold mine permit gets review
* Unemployment up slightly in northwest Oregon
* Safe at home: Training aims to bring mariners back alive
* Cross Off The List
* The burning question — Opinion
* State DOJ will join in OSP analyst case
* Few applicants to wildfire relief program
* Bend hosts League of Cities convention
* Give public employees a fair deal on fees — Opinion
* Oregon Cattlemans Association, politicians weigh in on sage grouse decision
* Fire team offers immediate action plan
* Unemployment rate climbs in Douglas County despite new jobs
* There are limits to term limits — Opinion
* Report doesn’t support claims of marijuana proponents — Guest Opinion
* Klamath: A case study in economic transition
* Jobs available, but jobless rate high; it’s an odd combination — Opinion
* Hermiston students bringing energy-efficient homes to Eastern Oregon
* Who will help the homeless? — Opinion
* Protest delays approval of water releases
* Pot-ential for profit unclear
* Walden: Enviros worsen wildfire problem
* Pot is legal whether we like it or not — Opinion
* Oregon’s dairy farmers take safety seriously — Guest Opinion
* In New Court Filing, Oracle Slams Gov. Kate Brown, AG Ellen Rosenblum for Withholding Kitzhaber Emails: Updated– Blog
* New Seasons Wants Oregon to Raise the Minimum Wage– Blog
* Oregon lawmakers prepare for ‘legislative days’ next week
* Wildfire Management Rejuvenates Crater Lake National Park
* Health Authority Seeks Applicants to Research Cannabis
* ODOT adding no-passing zones ahead of higher speeds
* Oregon Dept. of Justice steps into OSP investigation
* Booths to provide fire rules to C. Oregon hunters
* ODF explains, defends fall prescribed burning
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HOW OREGON’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY GOT THE STATE TO BACK OFF ASBESTOS RULES (Portland Oregonian)
Oregon officials in 2002 were on the brink of preventing contractors from demolishing homes in a way that can release cancer-causing asbestos fibers into the air that people breathe.
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QUIET RACE TO TOPPLE KATE BROWN SO FAR COULD ADD FUEL TO OTHER FIGHTS (Portland Oregonian)
Oregon Republicans are getting an extra shot at the governor’s office next year, thanks to a special election to fill the final two years of John Kitzhaber’s fourth term.
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STATE CRIME LAB: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TAKES OVER INVESTIGATION (Portland Oregonian)
The state Department of Justice will take over the investigation into an Oregon State Police forensic analyst accused of stealing and tampering with drug evidence at the agency’s Bend laboratory, according to the justice department.
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FEDERAL COURT SIDES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES, UPHOLDS OREGON’S CLEAN FUELS PROGRAM (Portland Oregonian)
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the rollout of Oregon’s clean fuels program.
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OREGON JOINS INVESTIGATION OF VOLKSWAGEN EMISSIONS TEST RIGGING (Portland Oregonian)
Oregon will join at least 26 other states in investigating Volkswagen’s stunning admission it had rigged its diesel cars with software to cheat on emissions tests.
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STATE AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS CONCERNED GYPSY MOTHS JUMPED IN NUMBERS (Portland Oregonian)
The Oregon Department of Agriculture says it has found 14 gypsy moths, an invasive pest that can wreak havoc on agriculture, this year in the state. But two are especially concerning.
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OREGON SEEKS MEMBERS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA TASK FORCE (Portland Oregonian)
Oregon needs members for a new short-term task force on medical marijuana.
Following the passage of Senate Bill 844, Oregon authorities have to organize the group quickly so it can report back to the Legislature by Feb. 1. The Cannabis Research Task Force will produce a report on a range of issues, from the latest research on medical marijuana to legal obstacles to proposing a location for a research grow site in the state.
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PROGRAM OFFERS BOOST FOR STUDENTS LIKELY TO BE FIRST IN FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE (Portland Oregonian)
Jasmine Henry, a seventh-grade student at Rock Creek Middle School, already has her eye on a career combining art and writing.
Henry is taking the Happy Valley school’s first AVID elective, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, this fall. The nonprofit aims to help students traditionally underrepresented in higher education prepare for college and careers.
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OREGON PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO REMOVE ASBESTOS CAN PALE NEXT TO REAL ESTATE PROFITS (Portland Oregonian)
Developers and other property owners face state fines when they expose people to asbestos fibers. But the penalties often are tiny compared to the money to be made in a hot real estate market.
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LARGER STREAM BUFFERS WILL MAKE FOR HEALTHIER SALMON — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
In this dry, thirsty summer, a host of people sacrificed for salmon. Ordinary fishermen followed bans on afternoon fishing. Anglers, guides and the entire sportfishing industry suffered. Federal fisheries managers trucked salmon to cooler water. Farmers in the Klamath Basin sacrificed valuable surface water to save fish and wildlife.
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THE SILVER LINING AROUND OREGON’S COMING ‘SILVER TSUNAMI’ — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
The seniors are coming. Our boomers are aging. Should we be worried?
Oregon is experiencing a growth spurt in our elderly population. We have more than our share of boomers, now aging in place. Plus, we’re seeing an influx of retirees. We are fast becoming a disproportionately older state in a nation that has proportionately more old people than at any time in its history.
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HOW MUCH MONEY DOES OREGON GIVE PLANNED PARENTHOOD? (Portland Oregonian)
The debate over Planned Parenthood boils down to this: How much money does Oregon give the organization, and what’s it used for?
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EPA MOVES PORTLAND HARBOR CLOSER TO A CLEANUP, AND PORTLAND SHOULD SEE OPPORTUNITY — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
Figuring out how to clean up Portland Harbor to the satisfaction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been a challenge for Portland industries bucking the agency’s position on the distribution of river toxics.
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OREGON’S DOOMED MARIJUANA PROHIBITIONISTS — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
At this time last year, Oregonians were talking about the possibility of legalizing recreational pot. These days, they’re looking at marijuana milestones.
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‘RIGHT TO HUNT’ BALLOT MEASURE HEADED TO COURT (Salem Statesman Journal)
The Oregon Outdoor Council has filed a lawsuit against Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, seeking to reverse a decision to throw out four ballot measures aimed at protecting the rights of hunters and anglers.
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YOUTH IMPROVE FUTURES WITH NEW EQUIPMENT (Salem Statesman Journal)
The young men at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility can now utilize the new Industrial Arts Complex to take part in programs that will help their futures.
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UMPQUA HOT SPRINGS SHUT DOWN BY HIGH LEVELS OF E. COLI (Salem Statesman Journal)
A popular public hot springs in Southern Oregon has been shut down due to high levels of the bacterium E. coli.
The U.S. Forest Service said Umpqua Hot Springs, located east of Roseburg, would be closed to swimming, soaking and wading until further notice following tests that revealed unsafe conditions.
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UNIVERSITY OF OREGON: STUDENTS WITH PELL GRANTS ARE LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE THAN THEIR WEALTHIER PEERS (Eugene Register-Guard)
-A study finds a larger gap in graduation rates of different income groups than at other universities-
The University of Oregon was the worst university in the state at graduating federal Pell Grant recipients compared with their wealthier classmates, a study found.
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FOCUS ON PERPETRATORS — OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)
-Campus sexual assault isn’t just victims problem-
Maybe now, as University of Oregon psychology professor Jennifer Freyd suggests, the UO can move beyond arguments over the validity of data showing a high prevalence of sexual assault on campus. A massive survey by the Association of American Universities mirrors Freyd’s findings that nearly one in four women are assaulted as UO students and that similar rates are found on campuses nationwide. The debate over whether its happening is over. Its past time to do something about it.
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OIL COMPANIES LOSE COURT BID TO DERAIL CLEAN FUELS STANDARD (Portland Tribune)
Oil companies trying to overturn Oregon’s newly adopted Clean Fuels Standard lost in U.S. District Court Thursday, when Chief Judge Ann Aiken dismissed the suit.
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AUDUBON SPOTLIGHTS FIRST PUBLIC LOOK AT CORMORANT KILLINGS ON EAST SAND ISLAND (Portland Tribune)
After a legal battle did not pan out, the Audubon Society of Portland is calling the public’s attention to the federal government’s killing of hundreds of sea birds offshore from Astoria.
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PEARL DISTRICT COULD HOST NATION’S TALLEST WOOD BUILDING (Portland Tribune)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $1.5 million to a team hoping to build the first tall wood building in the United States at the site of the Albina Community Bank branch in the Pearl District.
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OPB UNPREPARED DOCUMENTARY TRAILER (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
OPB’s Oregon Field Guide presents “Unprepared” on Oct 1, 2015. “Unprepared” is part of an integrated radio, TV and online effort that examines our region’s vulnerability to a mega-quake.
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HALF OF OREGON’S CRITICAL BRIDGES COULD COLLAPSE IN QUAKE (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
How many Oregon bridges will hold up in a major earthquake?
New data compiled by the Oregon Department of Transportation reveals at least part of the answer. The results aren’t pretty for a region facing 1-in-3 odds of a magnitude 8 or larger earthquake in the next 50 years.
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LABOR-LAW ENFORCERS LAUNCH SPANISH-LANGUAGE HOTLINE FOR OREGON WORKERS (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The U.S. Department of Labor is making a Spanish-language complaint hotline available to workers in Oregon who may be the victims of wage theft, health and safety violations, or discrimination.
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OREGON SCHOOLS LOOK TO FIND A BALANCE AT LUNCH (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Since 2012, public schools have been implementing The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in phases.
The law sets nutritional requirements for public schools that are part of the National School Lunch Program. These standards include include having more fruits and vegetables, making sure grains are whole-grain rich, and keeping trans-fat and sodium levels low.
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WILL THE COLUMBIA RIVER CROSSING PROJECT GET NEW LIFE? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
After opening the MAX Orange Line on time and nearly $50 million under budget, whats next for TriMet?
How about restarting the debate over the need for the Columbia River Crossing, the failed I-5 bridge replacement project between Oregon and Washington?
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FOREST MANAGEMENT, WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE — OPINION (Capital Press)
-Climate change doesn’t cause wildfires so much as wildfires release more greenhouse gases that many believe cause climate change.-
As firefighters struggle against the deadly plague of wildfires that has scorched the West this year, politicians are chiming in with their theories about what causes them
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NEW FARMERS ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE OF AGRICULTURE — OPINION (Capital Press)
-Beginning farmers flocking to training offered by Oregon State University is good sign that there will be younger operators in the pipeline to take over for older farmers.-
Oregon has more than 5,000 farms that are 1 to 9 acres in size, and the flow of people interested in taking up the profession hasn’t slowed.
That’s a good sign, particularly as the average age of Oregon farmers continues to rise.
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LA GRANDE MAN PUSHING FOR SECESSION TO IDAHO (East Oregonian)
-A La Grande man is hoping to start a movement for Eastern Oregon to join Idaho.-
Residents in eastern Oregon and Washington have discussed breaking away from their more liberal neighbors to form a new state for years, but a new twist has been added to the conversation: Why form a new state when the rural counties could just join Idaho instead?
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DROUGHT MAKES FOR DIFFICULT BOWHUNTING SEASON (East Oregonian)
-Drought has made for a difficult bowhunting season in 2015, and Pendleton’s district wildlife biologist expects below-average success rates.-
Intense heat and drought haven’t been kind to bowhunters across Eastern Oregon as archery deer and elk season draws to a close Sunday.
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THREEMILE CANYON GENERAL MANAGER APPOINTED TO OREGON AG BOARD (East Oregonian)
Marty Myers, the general manager of a diversified dairy and crop farm in Boardman, has been appointed to the Oregon Board of Agriculture.
The company he operates, Threemile Canyon Farms, has about 50,000 cows and also raises potatoes and organic produce on more than 90,000 acres in the Columbia River Basin.
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DEQ POSTPONES PERENNIAL WIND CHASER HEARING (East Oregonian)
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has postponed its public hearing for an air quality permit for the proposed Perennial Wind Chaser Station in Hermiston.
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UMATILLA RIVER WORTH KEEPING CLEAN — GUEST OPINION (East Oregonian)
This guest commentary responds to the article Dung Flung from Bridge in the East Oregonian on Sept. 18. To remind readers, this article related to Round-Up volunteers cleaning horse manure from the Bedford Bridge and tossing it into the Umatilla River. Perhaps the volunteers were trying to do the best they could do under trying circumstances.
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RANGER STATION COULD BE COMING TO CLARNO UNIT (East Oregonian)
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is studying whether to build a new ranger station and visitor center in the parks Clarno Unit, about 18 miles west of Fossil.
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CLEAN FUELS DEBATE CREATES ODD BEDFELLOWS — OPINION (Medford Mail Tribune)
The political wrangling over Oregon’s clean fuels law and the need for a transportation package to fix the state’s roads and bridges just got even more convoluted. The battle already has delayed essential infrastructure work, which will cost everyone in the state in the long run.
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BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE AFFECTING DISTRICTS (Albany Democrat Herald)
LaDeen Marlowe has been fighting sinus problems for four days, but she still made it to her bus route Thursday at Clover Ridge Elementary School.
The 13-year bus driver said she thought about taking a sick day, but she knows Albany’s transportation department has no substitutes to spare right now.
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A DEADLY YEAR FOR DRIVERS (Albany Democrat Herald)
Tangent Fire Chief Scott Casebolt worries about how much carnage his firefighters many of them college-age volunteers have experienced so far this year.
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FIRE SEASON WINDS DOWN, BUT WAIT FOR 2016 — OPINION (Albany Democrat Herald)
Although a stretch of hot weather could still result in some troubling fire activity, its beginning to feel as if the mid-valleys fire season finally is starting to wind down: The days and nights are cooler, and we’ve even seen a burst of two of rain over the last couple of weeks.
The mid-valley endured some fire scares during the course of the season, but emerged relatively unscathed.
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EARLY BANS ON POT SALES BUY TIME — OPINION (Albany Democrat Herald)
In the next few days, a number of government entities in Linn County likely will decide to temporarily ban medical marijuana dispensaries from the early sale of recreational pot or related products.
The key word there is temporarily. It seems likely that most Linn County governments, with a couple of exceptions, will not be moving aggressively with attempts to permanently ban sales of recreational marijuana.
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COUNTY BOASTS OREGON’S TOP ENTERPRISE ZONE (Argus Observer)
Malheur County has a new distinction: It has the most active enterprise zone in the state.
That was some of the information shared by Greg Smith, county economic development director, at the economic development roundtable held Wednesday at Treasure Valley Community College.
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CALICO GOLD MINE PERMIT GETS REVIEW (Argus Observer)
The Technical Review Team for Calico Resources proposed gold mine in Malheur County is scheduled to meet in Salem Monday.
The team is made up of representatives of state agencies that are reviewing the company’s mining permit application and that develop permit conditions that meet Oregon regulations, according to the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries.
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UNEMPLOYMENT UP SLIGHTLY IN NORTHWEST OREGON (Daily Astorian)
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in northwest Oregon continued its slow upward climb in August, according to data from the Oregon Employment Department released Tuesday.
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SAFE AT HOME: TRAINING AIMS TO BRING MARINERS BACK ALIVE (Daily Astorian)
-For fishing vessel inspector Curt Farrell, the goal is bringing home those at sea safely.-
Between 2000 and 2010, 545 commercial fisherman died on the job in the U.S., according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
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CROSS OFF THE LIST (Baker City Herald)
-Sage Grouse Wont Be Deemed A Threatened Or Endangered Species-
On the last day of a summer dominated by bad news, most of it related to wildfires, Baker County Commissioner Mark Bennett was ecstatic to get some good news.
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THE BURNING QUESTION — OPINION (Baker City Herald)
In the aftermath of the biggest wildfire in Baker County history, salvage logging is a major topic of discussion.
And a major source of frustration.
We understand why.
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STATE DOJ WILL JOIN IN OSP ANALYST CASE (Bend Bulletin)
The Oregon Department of Justice will join the criminal investigation of an Oregon State Police forensic analyst suspected of mishandling evidence at the agencys Bend lab, according to a state DOJ spokeswoman.
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FEW APPLICANTS TO WILDFIRE RELIEF PROGRAM (Bend Bulletin)
-Low-income Oregonians can get up to $5,000 to help with housing lost in wildfire-
Tammie and Darrell Reynolds lost their three-bedroom house near Troy in late August.
They heard from the sheriffs office the day after they evacuated that their home, shop and vehicles all burned in the Grizzly Bear Complex Fire that charred more than 76,000 acres in Wallowa County and in Washington east of Walla Walla before firefighters caught up with it.
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BEND HOSTS LEAGUE OF CITIES CONVENTION (Bend Bulletin)
-Visit to marijuana dispensary is one of several field trips for officials-
Dallas, Oregon, City Councilor Kelly Gabliks was full of questions about marijuana edibles, cannabis-infused ginger ale and what pain Oregon medical marijuana cardholders are exactly seeking relief from.
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GIVE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES A FAIR DEAL ON FEES — OPINION (Bend Bulletin)
Jill Gibson, the Portland lawyer whose right-to-work ballot title was butchered by the Secretary of States Office, has decided not to give up. Instead, she will rewrite her measure that would make public employee union dues voluntary in this state.
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OREGON CATTLEMANS ASSOCIATION, POLITICIANS WEIGH IN ON SAGE GROUSE DECISION (Blue Mountain Eagle)
-Sen. Ron Wyden D-Ore.called the sage grouse decision is a win for rural jobs and wildlife.-
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service s decision Tuesday, Sept. 22, to not list the Greater Sage Grouse as an endangered species drew praise from Oregon state politicians and Oregon Cattlemans Association.
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FIRE TEAM OFFERS IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN (Blue Mountain Eagle)
A specialized U.S. Forest Service team that has been studying the damage caused by the Canyon Creek Complex fire for two weeks has recommended several treatments to mitigate imminent post-fire threats to life, infrastructure, recreation areas, fish and the environment.
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UNEMPLOYMENT RATE CLIMBS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY DESPITE NEW JOBS (Douglas County News-Review)
Douglas County continued to add jobs in August. The unemployment rate, however, still increased to a seasonally adjusted 8.2 percent, the highest rate since January when the unemployment rate was 8.5 percent, but it was well below the 9.2 percent recorded in August 2014.
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THERE ARE LIMITS TO TERM LIMITS — OPINION (Douglas County News-Review)
You don’t get to cherry-pick the Constitution.
Its why women get to vote and why we are free to express our opinions.
And its why Douglas County Commissioner Sue Morgan should be allowed to seek re-election
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REPORT DOESN’T SUPPORT CLAIMS OF MARIJUANA PROPONENTS — GUEST OPINION (Douglas County News-Review)
Political coincidences are uncommon. Political accidents are even more exceptional. The seemingly piece-meal progression toward the legalization of marijuana in Oregon and other states has been well-planned and orchestrated, and could not be described as either an accident or a coincidence. It has also, unfortunately, led to unintended consequences for residents of the states that have opted to be first in line to be a testing ground for these new policies.
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KLAMATH: A CASE STUDY IN ECONOMIC TRANSITION (Herald and News)
-It’s most valuable asset may be Oregon Institute of Technology-
Can a rural area transform its economy from one dependent on extraction industries to one that embraces a 21st century model built on technology and professional services?
The past three decades in Oregon have not provided a lot of reason for optimism. But if theres a place that could pull off the feat, it might be Klamath County despite some recent bad breaks.
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JOBS AVAILABLE, BUT JOBLESS RATE HIGH; IT’S AN ODD COMBINATION — OPINION (Herald and News)
-More training, keeping OIT grads would help-
Theres a big disconnect between some of the numbers cited at last weeks Rural Business & Innovation Summit in Klamath Falls. They also presents an opportunity to build on, though, since they show jobs available, if people are qualified.
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HERMISTON STUDENTS BRINGING ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES TO EASTERN OREGON (Hermiston Herald)
-Energy Trust of Oregon worked with students in the Columbia Basin Student Homebuilders Program Wednesday.-
Next-generation homebuilders are being trained early about the benefits of energy efficiency.
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WHO WILL HELP THE HOMELESS? — OPINION (LaGrande Observer)
For most of us, the plight of the homeless in our community, state and nation remains one of those elusive, vague subjects that occasionally jumps up to grab the collective attention and then fade.
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PROTEST DELAYS APPROVAL OF WATER RELEASES (Wallowa.com)
-Group files protest to plan for dam to use stored water for downstream flow augmentation.-
Never mind about that report earlier this summer that Wallowa Lake Dam owners may soon finalize funding arrangements for the dams rehabilitation.
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POT-ENTIAL FOR PROFIT UNCLEAR (Wallowa.com)
Tax revenue remains a promising but open question.
How much money might Wallowa County expect to receive in tax revenue from the sale of pot statewide and county-wide?
Well, that’s the $64,000 question.
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WALDEN: ENVIROS WORSEN WILDFIRE PROBLEM (Wallowa.com)
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden spoke to an enthusiastic audience during a town hall meeting on Sept. 14 at Community Connection. While Walden covered several issues during the meeting, management of U.S. forests and that relationship to growing wildfire problems in the West predominated.
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POT IS LEGAL WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT — OPINION (The World)
If the outcomes in recent local government meetings suggest anything, its that we Americans continue to wrestle with our love-hate relationship with marijuana.
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OREGON’S DAIRY FARMERS TAKE SAFETY SERIOUSLY — GUEST OPINION (The World)
It has come to the attention of the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association that a recent article raised concerns about high nitrate levels in the ground water in the small community of Arago in Southwestern Oregon. The article inferred that the most likely source for the contamination of the community groundwater was a local dairy operation.
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IN NEW COURT FILING, ORACLE SLAMS GOV. KATE BROWN, AG ELLEN ROSENBLUM FOR WITHHOLDING KITZHABER EMAILS: UPDATED— BLOG (Willamette Week)
The legal battle between Oracle America Corp. and the state of Oregon over who’s to blame for the failed $300 million health exchange called Cover Oregon continues in Marion County Circuit Court.
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NEW SEASONS WANTS OREGON TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE— BLOG (Willamette Week)
Portland-based organic grocer New Seasons this morning announced its support for a statewide increase in the minimum wage.
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OREGON LAWMAKERS PREPARE FOR ‘LEGISLATIVE DAYS’ NEXT WEEK (KATU)
Lawmakers can’t pass legislation during the quarterly “legislative days,” but committees will meet and lawmakers will get briefings on topics from income inequality to traffic congestion.
The meetings begin Monday morning and last through Wednesday.
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WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT REJUVENATES CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK (kdrv.com Medford)
Crater Lake National Park is facing the largest wildfire in the park’s recorded history. Among efforts this week to put out remaining parts of the fire, Crater Lake officials are also looking at the size and severity of previous forest fires; Specifically, how burn scars are contributing to the natural rejuvenation of the park.
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HEALTH AUTHORITY SEEKS APPLICANTS TO RESEARCH CANNABIS (kdrv.com Medford)
The Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division is looking for applicants to serve on a newly created task force on researching the medical and public health property of cannabis.
The task force consists of 15 members appointed by the Governor. It is charged with studying and publishing a report on the development of a medical cannabis industry that provides patients with medical products that meet individual patient needs.
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ODOT ADDING NO-PASSING ZONES AHEAD OF HIGHER SPEEDS (KTVZ Bend)
-Speed limits on rural highways rise to 65 mph in March-
Oregon Department of Transportation crews were out on Highway 20 east of Bend Thursday morning, laying out the groundwork for higher speed limits.
Earlier this year, lawmakers voted to increase speeds from 55 mph to 65 mph on rural highways in Central and Eastern Oregon. The new law will go into effect in March.
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OREGON DEPT. OF JUSTICE STEPS INTO OSP INVESTIGATION (KTVZ Bend)
-Crime lab also being audited by secretary of state-
Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said Thursday the Oregon Department of Justice will assist Oregon State Police in the investigation into an OSP forensic analyst who allegedly tampered with evidence.
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BOOTHS TO PROVIDE FIRE RULES TO C. OREGON HUNTERS (KTVZ Bend)
-Agency warns fire danger continues in the woods-
Wildland fire officials will be hosting hunter information booths throughout Central Oregon to provide hunters with current fire restrictions.
The Oregon Department of Forestry and Walker Range Forest Protective Association will provide information on restrictions for open fires, off-road travel, smoking in the woods, and chainsaw use.
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ODF EXPLAINS, DEFENDS FALL PRESCRIBED BURNING (KTVZ Bend)
-Says cutting fuel loads curb risk of bigger future wildfires-
Fire-weary Oregonians are like soldiers lately returned from the battlefield who duck at the sound of a car backfiring – a glimpse of smoke in the distance raises anxiety. But fall is when the counterpoint to wildfire emerges on the landscape: prescribed forest burning.
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