Author Archives: sarabelousek543

State awards $6M to Medford affordable housing project

A planned South Medford affordable housing project, slated to be among the first in Southern Oregon made with a new fire-resistant prefabricated material, is getting more than $6 million in state funding to fast-track its construction. Turning Point Program, the organization behind the planned Breath of Life Medford housing project near Orchard Home and Westwood […]
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Oregon spotted frog numbers stabilize in the Upper Deschutes

In a wetland near the banks of the Deschutes River, Jennifer O’Reilly stepped cautiously into half a foot of water in search of an elusive creature whose small size belies its importance. Crouching in a pair of waders, she peered through oversized sunglasses into a dark pool reflecting cotton ball clouds and blue sky. The […]
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Editorial: The future of BLM’s conservation land rule | Opinion |

Biking. Four-wheeling. Ranching. Mining. Hiking. Conservation. Solar energy. Look across the millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management land in Oregon and there is great competition for the use of the land. How should the different interests be weighed? On April 18, the BLM made a change after months of input and consideration. Conservation […]
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Commentary: Finding a way with Klamath restoration | Opinion |

In 2002, one of the year’s biggest national headlines was the death of 68,000 Klamath River salmon. Federal agencies faced a dilemma: When there is not enough water for both fish and farmers, who gets the water? Agencies chose farmers. The fish kill was devastating to Tribes up and down the Klamath River. Commercial and […]
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More addiction patients can take methadone at home, but some states lag behind

Matt Haney’s home in San Francisco isn’t far from a methadone clinic. The 42-year-old state lawmaker has watched people line up early each morning outside the clinic in the Tenderloin, a community long considered the epicenter of the city’s substance use epidemic. His neighbors wait for the daily dose of methadone that relieves their cravings […]
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Nursing homes wield pandemic immunity laws to duck wrongful death suits

More than four years after COVID first raged through many U.S. nursing homes, hundreds of lawsuits blaming patient deaths on negligent care have been tossed out or languished in the courts. In early 2020, with reports of covid-19 outbreaks making dire headlines, Trever Schapers worried about her father’s safety in a nursing home in Queens. […]
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Oregon earthquake preparedness exercise will happen on the coast Wednesday

What officials are calling Oregon’s largest coastal earthquake preparedness exercise is scheduled to happen in Newport on Wednesday. State legislators, Lincoln County and Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management personnel will be on hand for the installation of evacuation assembly point equipment at Newport Municipal Airport. Source: Oregon earthquake preparedness […]
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After Oregonians’ $1.3 billion Powerball win, Oregon Lottery warns of jackpot scams

In the wake of recent news of Oregonians winning the state’s largest-ever lottery jackpot, Oregon Lottery is warning the public to be on the lookout for scams and phishing attempts that promise jackpots. According to a news release from Oregon Lottery, over the weekend a text message was making the rounds, falsely claiming that the […]
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No criminal charges for OLCC managers who set aside rare bourbon for themselves, state says

The Oregon Department of Justice on Monday said it would not pursue criminal charges against the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission director and other managers who used their positions to access prized Kentucky bourbon. The Justice Department’s 18-page report on its investigation underscored challenges state investigators encountered: Investigators weren’t able to locate anyone who could […]
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Editorial: Central Oregon prepares for earthquakes | Opinion |

Redmond will be the base for responding to a range of state calamities — earthquakes, wildfires and more. A home for the response and training is planned to be CORE3, a facility near Redmond. The “3” is there in the name to stand for the three “Rs” in Central Oregon Ready Responsive Resilient. Source: Editorial: […]
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