Month: September 2017

Wildfire smoke — it’s everywhere, inescapable, covering much of Central Oregon like an ashy blanket. Some aren’t letting the smoke get in the way of their late-summer activities, but most are staying inside. The air is obviously dangerous to those with pre-existing heart or respiratory ailments, but what about people with relatively healthy lungs? It’s

Trails are being blazed, but not by hikers. “We started hitting some more fires since we’ve come in to Oregon,” Olivia Edgar said Wednesday. Edgar and Dylan Valentine came from Australia to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail. They’ve already put a lot of miles behind them. “California is the longest state on the PCT,”

(Update: Adds comments from festival official, businessman) The Sisters Folk Festival scheduled Friday through Sunday of this weekend has been canceled due to the continued wildfire smoke and health issues, officials announced Wednesday. Brad Tisdel, the festival’s creative director, said it was a tough decision for organizers to make. “And what we determined is that

Along with blanketing Oregon in smoke, this fire season has also brought its fair share of road closures, pilot cars and temporary blockages to the region. Highway 242, also known as the Old McKenzie Highway, has been closed since mid-August and it may stay that way, said ODOT Region 4 Business Manager Angela Miller. “The

House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) issued the following statement Wednesday regarding his plans for 2018 and his decision not to run for governor: “As has been reported in the press, a group of friends from across the political spectrum of Republicans gathered for dinner last month and asked that I consider a run

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Nike officials say the company will lay off 490 Oregon workers by the end of the month.  The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2eKXIWU ) the layoffs are part of the 2 percent of the workforce Nike plans to eliminate worldwide. In July, the Nike laid off 255 Oregon workers, and plans to cut

Beginning October 1, Forest Service employees will be stationed in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along Forest Service roads on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests to gather information on visitor’s use of these national forests. Employees will collect traffic and visitation data as part of the “National Visitor Use Monitoring” program, a standardized

The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association and State Veterinarian Dr. Brad LeaMaster advised pet owners Wednesday to be aware of the impact of wildfire smoke on their animals. Generally, the same air quality health advisories in effect for people apply to animals. Birds are particularly susceptible to particulates in the air. If you’ve been experiencing a

The following message came Wednesday from Redmond’s BrightSide Animal Center: Our hearts go out to the thousands of Texans whose homes have been destroyed or damaged in the floods of Hurricane Harvey. Compounding the suffering of these families, many of them have been separated from their pets. To make room in Texas shelters for these

Here are the results of Tuesday’s KTVZ.COM Poll, in which we asked whether people believe children of undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S. if they are on a path toward citizenship: Should the children of undocumented immigrants be allowed to stay in the U.S. if they are on a path to

President Donald Trump on Tuesday repealed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA, and gave Congress a six-month window to replace the system. The impacts are being felt and the long-standing issues debated across the country, including in Central Oregon. Redmond resident Antonia Hidalgo is one of the people who have benefited from

(Update: Fire grows to 30,000 acres; crews save Multnomah Falls Lodge) Despite a dramatically larger size, managers on the 30,000-acre Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge had some good news to report Wednesday, including more moderate fire behavior and saving the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. Here’s Wednesday’s update: Tuesday was a quieter day

(Update: Adding Merkley comments) All five of Oregon’s House members — Reps. Peter DeFazio , Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Greg Walden (OR-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Kurt Schrader (OR-05) — sent a letter to House leaders Tuesday requesting that emergency funding for wildland fire suppression be included in the Hurricane Harvey emergency supplemental appropriations bill the

The north entrance to Crater Lake National Park closed temporarily beginning on Monday to allow for fire line operations related to the Spruce Lake Fire, officials said. Here’s the rest of the news release Tuesday announcing the move: The precautionary closure is being put into effect to facilitate fire operations and provide for the safety

On Tuesday, in conjunction with the first day of school, Secretary of State Dennis Richardson announced the start of a new civics program that focuses on Oregon’s fifth-graders. Kid Governor is a statewide, in-school civics program designed by the Connecticut Public Affairs Network. The Network has been working with the office of Oregon’s Secretary of

More than a dozen wildfires are currently burning throughout Oregon. Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management activated the state Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) at 10:30 a.m. Monday to monitor the fires and provide support for local jurisdictions. The Chetco Bar Fire in Curry County is the largest fire burning in Oregon at this time and the

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Ducks moved practice to the coast Tuesday to escape smoky air caused by wildfires across the state. Players headed by bus to Siuslaw Middle School in Florence, Oregon, about 60 miles west of Eugene. The Ducks, coming off a 77-21 victory over Southern Utah last Saturday, host Nebraska this weekend. The

Due to dangerously high levels of smoke in the air, the 2017 Central Oregon Walk to Defeat ALS® that would have taken place this Saturday, September 9 th at Riverbend Park has been cancelled, officials said Tuesday. “The health and safety of all Walk participants, volunteers, and staff is of utmost importance, and The ALS

(Update: Evacuation notices dropped in Sisters area, still in place for Nash Fire) Another big sign of progress Tuesday evening on the 22,500-acre Milli Fire: All evacuation levels have been dropped after nearly three weeks of warnings and alerts that began Aug. 16 with a Level 1 pre-evacuation alert. But pre-evacuation alerts remain in place

(Update: Hwy. 126 reopens after closure due to spot fire but new evacuations) The nearly 9,000-acre Separation Fire on the Willamette National Forest crossed state Highway 242 (the Old McKenzie Pass Highway) in strong winds Monday and on Tuesday prompted new evacuations near McKenzie Bridge, while a spot fire led to closure for a few