35.47 F
Klamath Falls
April 27, 2024

Klamath Basin News, Tuesday, 3/26 – Oregon Tech Catalyze Challenge Is On; BTS Reduces Bus Service, Schedules, Routes

The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald and News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance. Call 541-882-6476.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light west wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, cloudy, with a low around 33. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast after midnight.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Light west southwest wind becoming west 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Slight chance of snow overnigh, low near 33, Snow level 5000 feet.
Wednesday
Rain and snow before 8am, then rain likely. Snow level 4900 feet rising to 6000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. South wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Thursday
Snow likely before 5pm, then snow likely, possibly mixed with rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday
A chance of snow before 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.
Saturday
A slight chance of rain and snow. Snow level rising to 4900 feet in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

See Road Camera Views around the Klamath Basin:

Nine teams are competing in this year’s Oregon Tech Catalyze Challenge with a competitive prize pool of $18,000 this year.

The challenge has awarded $100,000 in prize money and services since it began in 2015.

The Catalyze Challenge is a student competition that supports innovative business ideas and fledgling entrepreneurial activity that produces a new idea, product, or service that could become a thriving business in Klamath Falls and has the potential for job growth in rural Oregon.

The competition fosters project development, design, and communication skills, while boosting public understanding of the talent pipeline available at Oregon Tech and encouraging student engagement with the community.

Competitors first presented their innovative and entrepreneurial concepts at a SharkTech Venture Pitch contest in March. Teams who successfully navigated the contest will present their concepts to a panel of judges at the Catalyze Challenge on April 24 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The 2024 event is made possible through generous sponsorship and donations from Avista, the City of Klamath Falls, Cypress Creek Renewables, Klamath County, Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA), Klamath IDEA Center for Entrepreneurship, Oregon Small Business Development Center, Sky Lakes Office of Strategy & Innovation, VertueLab, and the Wendt Family Foundation.

 

Former Mazama High School graduate, Jessie Valdez-Vallejo, now at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, recently defeated over 300 other players to win the Esports Afterburner 2024, a tournament that included professional players.

Afterburner is a major Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament based out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Out of the 300-plus individuals in the tournament, many who finished within the top 30 were players who have signed professional Esports contracts.

According to Kate Hessling, executive director of communications and public relations at the university, Esports is an umbrella for multiple games, just as a university’s athletics department is an umbrella for numerous traditional sports teams. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is to Northwood Esports, what Northwood football is to Northwood athletics.

Jacob said that since starting last fall, Valdez-Vallejo has won a handful of tournaments in the Midwest.

 

A 67-year-old Klamath Falls man was killed Thursday when the vehicle he was riding in collided with a semi-truck on Highway. 97, south of Klamath Falls near the Miller Island Wildlife refuge.

Oregon State Police said in a news release that a southbound Econoline van that Scott Lane Nelson was a passenger in — driven by Carl Francis Kollmar, 44, also of Klamath Falls — attempted to turn left into a driveway. The van entered the path of a northbound Peterbilt commercial motor vehicle, driven by Donny Kart Starr, 51, of Turlock, Calif.

The vehicles collided head-on, and the Ford van was pushed backward into a southbound Ford Focus, driven by Kessandra Malan Boyd Zambrano, 29, of Hoquaim, Wash.

Nelson was transported to a local hospital where he was later declared dead. Kollmar suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital, the release said.

The operator of the Peterbilt was not injured.

The operator of the Ford Focus, Boyd Zambrano, suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital, according to OSP.

The highway was impacted for about an hour during the on-scene investigation.  OSP was assisted by District 1 Fire and ODOT.

 

Meetings are underway after a historic Memorandum of Understanding was signed into agreement earlier this month, marking the official collaboration between Tribal, agricultural and federal stakeholders in Klamath Basin restoration.

Enacted as part of Klamath Basin Drought Resilience Keystone Initiative, the MOU recognizes a partnership between the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe and the Klamath Water Users Association for ongoing and future cooperative restoration projects.

“The parties shall share the common goals of achieving sustainability and resilience for the Basin, its communities, fisheries and tribal trust and other natural resources,” the MOU reads.

The MOU mandates the parties to conduct meetings at which they are to discuss potential “priority projects” (projects that can be initiated and completed within one to two years) in the scope of ecosystem and habitat restoration as well as effective water management.

Over the past month, the parties have met several times, most recently in Ashland earlier this week.

Tracey Liskey, president of the KWUA, thanked the Klamath, Karuk and Yurok Tribes as well as the Bureau of Reclamation for their engagement and presence at this week’s meeting.

Representatives on behalf of the Klamath Tribes and local Bureau of Reclamation have not yet responded to comment on the meetings.

 

Klamath County Public Works Department announced three major projects set for this week.
  • Drainage canal maintenance along Summers Lane near the intersections of Sturdivant and Ezell Avenues. Watch for trucks entering roadway.
  • City of Klamath Falls water main replacement work to begin next week along Eberlein Avenue between Patterson Street and Hilton Drive. Work expected to conclude in July.
  • Bridge maintenance road closure March 25-27 of Cheyne Road between Matney Way and Buesing Road. 

For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 541-883-4696.

 

BTS Bus Service Reduced

Public transportation serves many in the Klamath Basin, but starting April 1, some of the regular riders with BTS will have to find a new mode of travel when BTS reduces services across the board in order to continue a sustainable operation. Daily hours will be reduced. Weekends will have no service.

The necessary consolidation and reduction of public transportation services comes a little less than a year after a short-term tax levy on the ballot failed.

Ballot Measure 18-130 defined a tax rate of $0.29 per $1,000 assessed property value for five-year period which would have started July 2023.

So, a local property owner with a home or land that is valued at $100,000 would pay $29 per year for five consecutive years.

The majority — roughly 30% — of the funding comes from a local tax rate of $0.48 which was made permanent by voters in 1997.

Measure 18-130 marked the first request for additional local tax funding in 27 years.

But Klamath County residents voted against the ballot measure, leaving BTS in serious financial peril.

Ridership in the Klamath Basin continues to increase each year, but revenue from ridership only makes up a very small portion of the funding — about 3%.

 

In mid-January, a now mud-crusted area where crews are planting tree and other native seedlings, was part of the Topsy Reservoir.

The landscape behind the reservoir was altered when a 10- by 10-foot hole was blasted a short distance upstream at the John C. Boyle. Within seven hours water from the reservoir, created in the mid-1950s by the dam, had mostly drained, leaving behind broad mudflats bordering the now free-flowing Klamath River.

Areas where the Topsy Reservoir, which held up to 4,200-acre feet of water, existed are being planted by revegetation crews from the Yurok Tribe, a task that should be completed next week. On a sunny day earlier this week, 14 people were working on both sides of the river, digging holes for a variety of tree species, including Ponderosa and lodgepole pines, Douglas and “true” firs, and incense cedar along with snowberry and tall Oregon grape shrubs.

The planting is part of an effort along the Klamath River to restore areas where reservoirs created behind the Boyle, Copco 1 and Iron Gate dams were drained earlier this year. Some of the 20 billion-plus seeds that were collected or grown in nurseries since 2018 are being spread across newly exposed landscapes this season through fall 2025. Revegetation was done earlier this winter at the lower reservoirs.

Because removal of the three remaining dams — Copco 2 was removed late last year — didn’t happen until January, restoration efforts didn’t begin until a few days after the drawdown began at Iron Gate, the furthest downstream dam where the first drawdown began.

When this season’s restoration work is completed, about 75,000 native seedlings will be planted. The goal is to plant 250,000 over the next couple of years goal so, “We’re less than a third of the way there,” said Joshua Chenoweth, senior riparian ecologist for the Yurok Tribe. He said the revegetation work was temporally “paused” earlier this year when it was feared heavy rains might refill the reservoirs. “We’ve been full-tilt after that.”

 

The VFW is holding an Easter egg hunt 3/31 starting at noon at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Over 1000 eggs will be for the taking for veterans and their families. For more info call 541-880-4964

 

 

IYS is Building Brighter Futures Through the Love our Children “Day of Play”

This spring marks a pivotal moment for Integral Youth Services (IYS) as they launch their inaugural major giving campaign in alignment with the national holiday Love Our Children Day. With the ambitious goal of raising $60,000, this campaign offers numerous ways for the community to get involved in making a difference including giving, volunteering, or supporting vital at-risk youth programming.

Notably, all funds raised remain local, directly benefiting the entirety of Klamath County  youth who access IYS programs.

IYS specializes in assisting youth navigating challenging circumstances such as economic hardship, food insecurity, and homelessness. In 2023 alone, they supported 1,710 young individuals across eight comprehensive programs throughout Klamath County. These initiatives encompass essential facets of support, including community engagement, nutrition, shelter, transitional living, workforce development, and life skills training.

The campaign kicks off with the "Day of Play" event scheduled for April 13th, 2024, from 1PM to 5PM at Mike’s Fieldhouse. This event serves as a vibrant introduction to the broader fundraising efforts.

Love Our Children Day not only initiates Child Abuse Prevention Month but also serves as a rallying call for community backing of IYS's invaluable work with youth and families. “Love our Children Day is meant to celebrate positive relationships between youth and their families says Taylor Hampton, IYS Development Director, “This is a key component of what we strive to create at IYS.”

For those eager to contribute, there are several avenues for involvement:

  • Attend the Day of Play event on April 13th.
  • Donate directly to the campaign, or become an event sponsor at hypeupyourhope.square.site/love-our-children
  • Participate in one of their mini fundraisers happening in April and May including their

Bottles and Cans drive, Feedback for Good rally, or Pickleball tournament.

  • Become a volunteer for their events or at their main office at 115 N 10th Street.

To learn more about IYS and their impactful initiatives, visit their website at iyskfalls.org. Join us in making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth and families in our community.

 

                  Coming to Ross Ragland Theater!

The prehistoric age is going futuristic for an upcoming show at the Ross
Ragland Theater, April 4th
Lightwire Theater is presenting DINO-LIGHT. It’s a glow-in-the-dark story of
adventure, self-discovery, and of course dinosaurs. The show itself
combines dance and puppetry as well as some cool light displays.
Artistic director for Lightwire Theater, Ian Carney, said, “The technology is
called electroluminescent wire or EL wire or L wire for short. It is a
phosphorus-based wire, so a copper wire with phosphorus sprayed on it
and a gel coating, PVC coating basically around it. That’s what gives us its
different colors.”
Lightwire Theater will be in Klamath Falls on April 4 and the show starts at
6:00pm. It is only in town for one day so make sure to buy your tickets at
the Ross Ragland Theater website.


The Missoula Children’s Theatre Spring Break Theater Camp Presents

Jack and the Beanstalk

Dates: Monday-Friday, March 25-29; 8:30am – 1:00pm
Performances: Saturday, March 30 at 3pm & 5:30pm

The Missoula Children’s Theatre presents JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, an original adaptation of the classic children’s story. What happens when a young boy plants Wonder Beans in his own backyard? For Jack, it is the beginning of a great adventure. With a little help from P.T. Wonder and a Giant, Jack learns a valuable lesson about true happiness. This musical production also features a host of other characters, including the Elegant Harp, Jill, Mother, Milky White, the Farmers, the Merchants, the Circus Performers and the Wonder Beans.

There are three age groups for the Spring Break Camp with opportunities for students from Kindergarten to age 18!

Cost: $175, multi-student discount available; scholarships available

Group 1: Kinder – age 7 have the opportunity to be part of the production on stage! They will audition on Monday and begin rehearsals that day! (16 spots available)

Group 2: Ages 8 – 8th grade have the opportunity to be part of the production on stage! They will audition on Monday and begin rehearsals that day! (44 spots available)

Group 3: Ages 12-18 have the opportunity to be an assitant director for the show! Have the experience of helping backstage and to learn from MCT’s director team! (4 spots available)

 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROSS RAGLAND SPRING CAMPS HERE!

 

Each week, BasinLife.com and KFLS News 1450AM & 102.5FM feature a pet of the Week ready for adoption from the Klamath Animal Shelter.

George

If you are interested in adopting, the shelter is located at 4240 Washburn Way, Monday through Friday from 12:00 – 4:00.  Walk throughs are available, pet meet and greets are by appointment, you can reach the shelter at 541-884-PETS (541-884-7387)

View all adoptable pets anytime online at www.klamathanimalshelter.org

 

 

Just for reading our news, click to enter to win Free Movie Tickets from BasinLife.com and Wynne Broadcasting. 
  Click here!

 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into Wednesday night’s fatal officer involved shooting on the Bend Parkway. 

 

Sgt. Jason Wall says the man shot by Bend Police has been identified as Gabriel Platz, who was reportedly seen driving recklessly before being involved in a three-vehicle crash,  They responded to a motor vehicle crash. While investigating the crash, they contacted an 18-year-old male out of Bend. During that contact, Mr. Platz brandished a firearm moments before an officer from the Bend Police Department discharged their agency-issued firearm. Platz was the sole occupant of his vehicle.

 

Officers attempted life-saving measures and Platz was taken to the hospital. But he didn’t survive. It’s unclear where he passed away. The officer is now on paid critical incident leave.

 

The Major Incident Team, which is comprised of all tri-county law enforcement agencies, to include the Oregon State Police, are all coming together and utilizing the full resources of every single individual agency towards investigating this one event. Bend Police utilizes body-worn cameras, but footage has not been released.

 

A 33-year-old man from Vancouver, Washington was arrested at a Bend hotel early Thursday morning, March 21st. Orlando Smith is charged with Assault, Promoting Prostitution and an out-of-county warrant. 

According to Bend Police, a 31-year-old Salem woman texted the National Human Trafficking Hotline to report she was being held against her will and forced to engage in sex acts at the Red Lion Inn & Suites on NE Butler Market Road. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact the victim, officers knocked on the hotel room door. When the victim answered, she was evacuated and police took Smith into custody.

The victim later told investigators Smith punched her in the face several times and forced her to engage in sex acts with multiple men over two days. BPD says officers found an online ad for the victim, and Smith had more than $1,000 in cash at the time of his arrest.

If you or someone you know is involved in a trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or text 233733. Help is available 24/7.

Teachers in the Salem-Keizer School District voted to authorize a strike Friday for the first time in district history, but union and district leaders said they’re hopeful they can settle a contract this week before educators walk off the job.

 

The two sides are close to agreement on a contract following almost a year of bargaining, with both parties optimistic final differences can be worked out in a session scheduled Monday with a state mediator.

The strike authorization is the first in district history and reflects the tensions that have grown over months as district leaders pursue substantial budget cuts for the 2024-25 school year.

A round of school layoffs will be announced later this spring.

Students and parents have publicly rallied to support teachers, with about 100 attending a parent-organized demonstration outside district offices last week. Those present said they want district leaders and Superintendent Andrea Castañeda to show they respect the educators who work in their classrooms.

 

Funds for several Southern Oregon programs are part of a new fiscal year 2024 federal government budget.

Oregon’s United States Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are sharing investments for Oregon families and rural communities in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024.

President Joe Biden signed that act during the weekend, making it the final 2024 federal government funding package through September 30, 2024.

The Senators say federal funding in the appropriations package supports investments across Oregon in affordable health care, manufacturing and enhanced emergency response coordination and other efforts.

For Southern Oregon, those efforts include Southern Oregon University, the Klamath Tribes, LaClinica in Jackson County and the Curry Health Network Hospital in Gold Beach.

Those groups are part of nearly $36,000,000 in federal funding for 28 community-initiated projects across the state outlined by Senators Merkley and Wyden today as included in the final fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package.

 

They say the funds include $2,000,000 for Curry Health Network’s Chemotherapy Treatment Project for construction of a new chemotherapy clinic co-located at the Curry Health Network Hospital in Gold Beach where, “Chemotherapy is currently not available in Curry County, a coastal region, which spans 1,988 square miles, requiring patients to travel hundreds of miles for treatment.”  They note the funds were secured with support from U.S. Representative Val Hoyle of Oregon whose 4th U.S. House district includes Curry County.

 

Space weather forecasters in the region have issued a geomagnetic storm watch, saying an outburst of plasma from a solar flare could interfere with radio transmissions on Earth. It could also make for great aurora viewing.

There’s no reason for the public to be concerned, according to the alert issued Saturday by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.

The storm could interrupt high-frequency radio transmissions, such as by aircraft trying to communicate with distant traffic control towers. Most commercial aircraft can use satellite transmission as backup, said Jonathan Lash, a forecaster at the center.

Satellite operators might have trouble tracking their spacecraft, and power grids could also see some “induced current” in their lines, though nothing they can’t handle.

Every 11 years, the sun’s magnetic field flips, meaning its north and south poles switch positions. Solar activity changes during that cycle, and it’s now near its most active, called the solar maximum.

 

Oregon is joining 15 states and the federal government in a lawsuit against one of the biggest companies in America, Apple. It claims Apple has a monopoly over the smart phone market.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum says the action is to protect consumers and the integrity of the marketplace. She says Big Tech companies have to play by the same rules as everybody else. The lawsuit accuses Apple of having tight controls over iPhone software that prevents competition.

 

Left-wing Gov. Tina Kotek will bring on a state-funded adviser this week to explore the possibility of forming an Office of the First Spouse.

Meliah Masiba will join the governor’s office from the Department of Administrative Services on a six-month rotation beginning Monday to both explore establishing the new office and to support and assist Kotek’s wife, Aimee Kotek Wilson, “in her official capacity in support of the administration,” said Elisabeth Shepard, a spokesperson for the governor. Shepard said “many other states” have offices of the first spouse.

Staffers of Kotek are leaving like flies. Three high-level staffers are departing the governor’s office. Chief of Staff Andrea Cooper will leave Kotek’s office effective Friday, Deputy Chief of Staff Lindsey O’Brien will go on leave April 5 and Special Advisor Abby Tibbs will leave Kotek’s office to return to Oregon Health & Sciences University effective March 31. Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Administration Chris Warner will take over as Kotek’s chief of staff, her office announced last week.

 

Consumer spending has been strong in the years after the pandemic recession. But that spending hasn’t extended to new vehicle purchases which have soared in price in recent years.

Oregonians registered about 170,000 new vehicles in 2023. That’s little change from the prior year and down about 18% from the average in the five years before COVID-19. National data paints a similar picture for new car sales across the U.S.

Economists and auto industry officials say there are several explanations for why car sales haven’t bounded back as quickly as other sectors. They’re optimistic a rebound may finally be in the offing in Oregon and elsewhere.

Driving habits changed, too. Those working from home didn’t put as many miles on their cars. Donaca said some families realized they didn’t need a second vehicle at all when they sold an old one, or when it gave out.

 

California’s Yurok Tribe, which had 90% of its territory taken from it during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, will be getting a slice of its land back to serve as a new gateway to Redwood National and State Parks visited by 1 million people a year.

The Yurok will be the first Native people to manage tribal land with the National Park Service under a historic memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday by the tribe, Redwood National and State Parks and the nonprofit Save the Redwoods League.

The agreement “starts the process of changing the narrative about how, by whom and for whom we steward natural lands,” Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League, said in a statement.

The tribe will take ownership in 2026 of 125 acres (50 hectares) near the tiny Northern California community of Orick in Humboldt County after restoration of a local tributary, Prairie Creek, is complete under the deal. The site will introduce visitors to Yurok customs, culture and history, the tribe said.

The Community Action Partnership of Oregon, in collaboration with PDX Diaper Bank, has been awarded a competitive 2-year, $1.2 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to demonstrate the impact of a consistent diaper supply on child and family wellbeing, and how the availability of this essential resource improves family access to other critical wrap-around support services. 

“The diaper distribution pilot is about more than just diapers – it is about lifting a real and tangible barrier to health and well-being for low-income families and connecting those families with other programs that address the conditions and causes of poverty.” Dr. Lanikque Howard, Director, Office of Community Services.

 

Oregon is one of seven U.S. states awarded in 2023.  Klamath and Lake Community Action Services (KLCAS) was selected as a strategic partner to distribute diaper supplies and collect critical data on program impact. KLCAS is coordinating with community partners to obtain referrals for families and help spread the word about this important resource.

 

This project allows us to demonstrate to our funders what we already know – that for families experiencing poverty, reliable access to affordable diapering supplies has a dramatic and positive effect on daycare and preschool attendance, caregiver employment, family health, and economic stability”, says Janet Allanach, CAPO’s Executive Director.

 

Nine Community Action Agencies, representing the full geographic and cultural diversity of Oregon, are participating in this pilot. The first delivery of over 600,000 diapers arrives at agencies this month, with regular deliveries scheduled over the program period. Agencies will be integrating diaper distribution with other important services that support families and children, including housing and utility assistance, food and nutrition, early learning programs and others.

 

Rachel Alston, PDX Diaper Bank Executive Director notes, “The DDDRP is the first-ever federal pilot program to address diaper need, and our team is honored to be part of this important project. We’re thrilled to expand our services to a statewide level, supporting Oregon families across 21 counties – with an emphasis on rural communities where families frequently experience barriers to accessing essential resources. Diapers create opportunities for families, as well as support proper health. Communities benefit when everyone can access the resources they need to thrive.”

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal is calling on Oregonians and local fire agencies to submit their nominations for the prestigious Golden and Silver Sparky Awards.

The awards recognize outstanding achievements in fire prevention and public safety education. These awards honor the dedication and commitment of people and organizations working to create safer communities.

The Golden Sparky is awarded to a fire service member or agency demonstrating exemplary efforts in fire prevention or public safety education. The Silver Sparky recognizes the remarkable contributions of civilians or civilian agencies demonstrating exemplary efforts in fire prevention or public safety education.

Nominations for these awards are open until April 1, 2024. To nominate deserving candidates, simply submit a nomination form along with a detailed explanation and examples showcasing the nominee’s exceptional achievements.

For more information and to access the nomination form, please visit the OSFM Sparky Award webpage or contact us at publicaffairs.osfm@osfm.oregon.gov.

The treasurer for two junior baseball organizations in Oregon was arrested this week on allegations of embezzling over $700,000 after an audit found money had been transferred to personal accounts and spent in casinos, Sherwood police said Friday.

Terrence Haimoto, 52, who served as treasurer for the Sherwood Junior Baseball Organization and Oregon’s Junior Baseball Organization, faces 10 theft charges, according to Sherwood police and court records.

Investigators found multiple instances where the Sherwood baseball organization’s funds were transferred to Haimoto’s personal and business bank accounts dating back as far as 2017, police said. That money was then spent at casinos in Oregon and Washington, according to police. Detectives found other “suspicious transactions” in the state’s bank account as well, police said.

 

SOLVE invites volunteers to register for their annual Earth Day celebration: The Oregon Spring Cleanup

SOLVE Oregon Spring Cleanup at Cannon Beach 2023

Portland, Ore., March 12, 2024 – From April 13 to April 22, families, community members, neighborhood associations, and environmental enthusiasts are invited to engage in a signature event in SOLVE’s annual calendar: The Oregon Spring Cleanup, presented by Portland General ElectricRegistration for this environmentally conscious event series is now open.

Participants are invited to join SOLVE, event leaders, and partners from across the Pacific Northwest in a collective celebration of Earth Day. The SOLVE calendar showcases a variety of events throughout Oregon and SW Washington between April 13 and April 22, with the majority of events culminating on April 20. Diverse initiatives address specific environmental needs with opportunities ranging from beach cleanups to neighborhood and city litter pickups. Further activities include restoring natural habitats through native tree and shrub plantings, weed pulls, and mulching projects. Each project contributes to the enhancement of our shared surroundings.

With a variety of projects already online, the Oregon Spring Cleanup invites enthusiastic volunteers to contribute to a cleaner, greener, and brighter planet. Interested individuals can browse the map of projects to find events near them, learn about each opportunityand sign up for a meaningful contribution to the environment. Participating in the Oregon Spring Cleanup provides an excellent opportunity to bond with family members, coworkers, and neighbors, while collectively contributing to preserving some of Oregon’s most stunning locations.

As SOLVE anticipates another successful event, valued partner Portland General Electric, shares their commitment to the cause: ” PGE proudly supports SOLVE’s efforts to make our communities cleaner and greener. In 2023, our employees and their families volunteered with SOLVE for more than 220 hours. We’re excited to join community members again this Earth Day to help improve our beautiful state.” said Kristen Sheeran, Senior Director of Policy Planning and Sustainability, Portland General Electric.

For those inspired to host an event, SOLVE is still accepting new volunteer-led projects. The sooner projects are submitted, the faster SOLVE can care for the rest. Event leaders receive full support, including free supplies, access to project funding, disposal assistance, and help with volunteer recruitment.

For more information, please visit solveoregon.org/oregon-spring and be part of the collective effort to create a cleaner, greener planet.

Along with Portland General Electric, other event sponsors include Clean Water Services, AAA Oregon/Idaho, Fred Meyer, Metro, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, KOIN, The Standard, Swire Coca-Cola, Holman, Demarini-Wilson, Trimet, and PepsiCo.

About SOLVE – SOLVE is a statewide non-profit organization that brings people together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots group to a national model for volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains tens of thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon and Southwest Washington to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas and to build a legacy of stewardship for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information.

National Cocktail Day was Sunday, and that means it’s time for some drink rankings.

BetCalifornia.com, another of the myriad websites out there putting together lists that have nothing to do with their stated mission, ranked the top three most popular drinks in every state.

Whiskey drinks lead the way in Oregon, with the Old Fashioned at No. 1 and the Manhattan at No. 2. In third place, Oregon calls an audible – the Paloma, a slightly less well-known grapefruit and tequila concoction that only shows up in two other states’ top three. Cheers, California and Kentucky.

BetCalifornia.com said in a news release that it started with VinePair’s 50 Most Popular Cocktails of 2023 and then looked at each state’s Google searches to compile its list.

 

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For information or prices on plans, simply call us today at 541-363-7503 or email us at Info@BasinLife.com.  Let us keep your business top-of -mind!

 

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