News from around the state of Oregon, from BasinLife.com
Monday, July 29, 2019
Milepost 97 Fire Reaches 11,000 Acres
Officials at Oregon Department of Forestry report the blaze at over 11 thousand acres this morning. Suppression costs for the fire burning south of Canyonville have surpassed 2.1 million dollars as the blaze reaches just 10 percent containment.
Fire crews are focusing on the southern portion of the fire to stop movement toward the communities in that area. Incident Management Team #3, under Commander Smith is officially reported to be human caused.
Be Prepared to Evacuate – Azalea at “Level 2 GO”
The MP 97 Fire is threatening hundreds of structures and The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is issuing Level 2 “Set” evacuations for all residents on the west side of the freeway between mileposts 88 & 83. This level means there’s a significant danger to the area and it’s encouraged you to leave if you live there.
Residents are holding out, but prepared to go; many watering large swaths of land to help in suppression efforts as the fire continues to advance.
Many in Medford Mourn the Death of Young Homeless boy
His name was Aiden. He was 2 and police say they believe they found his body in Montana, after his father is believed to have murdered his mother, then took his own life. Part of the homeless community locally, many in Medford are mourning Aiden today.
Compassion Highway Project volunteers serve hundreds of homeless, face to face, on the street, weekly here in Medford. Most, one paycheck from the streets themselves, say they loved this family; they served them often at Hawthorn Park and everyone knew, and loved, Aiden. Police say they are working on positive identification.
“No Snitch” Culture Uncovered in Portland Transportation Bureau
Adam Rawlins was a Portland City utility worker; on the job when grabbed by co-workers, duck taped and zip tied inside a shed and even shot with nails and popcorn seeds out of an air compressor. Now, the city of Portland is finalizing an $80,000 settlement to end a lawsuit by the former employee for “extreme hazing” by fellow city transportation workers.
The city hired a private consultant who found that, within the maintenance division of the transportation bureau, there was a known “no snitch policy”. While no other incidents have come to light, it is not known how many others underwent this type of initiation.
Firefighter Suffers Heat Related Illness Fighting Barn Fire in Wilsonville
A firefighter suffered ”heat-related issues” after working to put out a flame-engulfed barn fueled by dried hay west of Wilsonville on Sunday, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said.
In a rural location with no fire hydrants, water had to be brought in by water tenders. It took about 45 minutes to put out the fire, the agency said. The barn did collapse but other structures did not catch fire. The firefighter is expected to recover.
Three New Fires Reported in Deschutes County
A Level 1 (be ready) evacuation notice has been issued for the McKay Crossing, Ogden and Pairie campgrounds in the Deschutes National Forest after 3 fires were reported in the Deschutes National Forest Sunday. The McKay Butte Fire, south of Forest Road 9735, was reported around 3 p.m. by the Lava Butte.
Growing to 90 acres by last night, the McKay Butte fire is the largest of the three; two additional fires, one near Black Butte and the other west of La Pine off Burgess Road, were contained at under an acre.
Wyden Returns to Southern U.S. Border with Oregon Advocates to Investigate Conditions for Migrants
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this weekend led a group of Oregon advocates and experts to El Paso, Texas and Otero County, New Mexico to investigate conditions for migrants – including children – at facilities on the southern border. The group also visited Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to better understand the damaging impacts of the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” and “metering” policies.
Wyden, the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, was joined by Dr. Lauren Herbert, MD, a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist in Springfield, Oregon; Rabbi Michael Cahana, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Portland; Stephen Manning, Founder and Executive Director of Innovation Law Lab; and Ian Philabaum, Program Director at Innovation Law Lab.
“I’m going back to Washington deeply grateful for the Oregonians who came with me on this trip and for the advocates on the ground fighting for the rights of those seeking safety. Things have to change, and now”, Wyden said.
The group visited the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry to evaluate the conditions for families held in custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As part of Wyden’s bipartisan investigation into taxpayer-funded grantees that care for unaccompanied children, the group also toured a facility operated by Southwest Key.