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Thursday, April 4, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
A 30% chance of snow, mainly between noon and 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 45. Light west wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Overnight, a 20% chance of snow before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. North northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
See Road Camera Views around the Klamath Basin:
Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiway 97 at Chemult
Hiway 140 at Bly
Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine
Today’s Headlines
KLAMATH COUNTY CLERK PRESS RELEASE
The May 21st Oregon Primary Election is coming.
1) Ballots will be mailed May 1st . The last day to register as a new voter or to change party affiliation is April 30th. If a voter changes parties or address after the original ballots are processed, they may receive two ballots. The first ballot is inactivated and cannot be voted when the second ballot is issued. Please call if you are unclear which ballot to vote. If you have not received your ballot by May 7th, please contact our office.
2) Official Drop Sites are on the Klamath County Website. Your ballot must be in a box by 8pm on Election Day to be counted. Please check the website or call for hours and availability of the non24 hour drop sites. https://www.klamathcounty.org/685/Drop-Sites
3) If you are mailing in your ballot, Postmarks CAN count, if: a. Signed, AND b. Postmarked on or before Election Day, AND c. Received by the County Clerk’s Office within seven days after Election Day d. WE RECOMMEND TO MAIL BALLOT 7 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.
4) Nobody in Oregon will receive all of the candidates on their ballot. Oregon has a closed primary; this is a nominating election for the major parties. Registered Democrats receive Democratic candidates; registered Republicans receive Republican candidates; nonaffiliated voters receive only those races that are nonpartisan.
5) Voters’ Pamphlet will be delivered to every household around May 1st. Candidates are not required to be in the Voters’ Pamphlet. The candidate’s name will still appear on your ballot.
Republican Presidential Candidate, Donald Trump, declined to provide a statement for the Voters’ Pamphlet.
Contact the Klamath County Clerk’s Office, (541) 883-5134 or elections@klamathcounty.org, with any questions.
Klamath County Public Health says the window for residents to burn yard waste is from April 6th to April 21st,. Klamath County residents can burn yard waste but the waste must be fully extinguished by 7 p.m.
Only residential yard waste can be burned. That means no rubber, tar, petroleum products, or treated wood. Burn Barrels are prohibited.
If wind speeds are above 10 mph, then burns are not allowed. Even in the time frame set. Burn piles may be no longer than six feet in diameter and 4 feet high.
Piles must be 20 feet from flammable structures like buildings or fences. And must have 6 feet of soil around the outside of the pile.
The Klamath County and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man in Klamath Falls yesterday for child sex crimes.
According to a news release from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Robert Allen Tibbett was arrested at a house at 2649 Altamont Drive.
He has been charged for “(a) Lewd Act on a Child Under 14 Using Force,” the release said. His bail is $1.8 million out of Sacramento County in California.
“Robert Tibbett is in custody awaiting extradition to California,” the release said.
The city has agreed to join other governments throughout Klamath County in the newly formed Klamath County Council of Governments.
Klamath Falls City Council approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the regular meeting Monday night, agreeing to attend and participate in quarterly meetings with neighboring Tribal, town and city governments.
According to the MOU, the agreement establishes the function of the council of governments as an intergovernmental facilitator of more effective, positive change for incorporated communities in Klamath County.
The MOU explains that “[t]he group’s primary functions shall be to facilitate intergovernmental communication; to initiate, conduct, or cause to be conducted, studies of regional problems; to recommend action by public and private agencies for purposes of solving or alleviating regional problems.”
Officials held the first council of governments last month with plans for the next meeting to take place next quarter.
The city also signed off on another agreement, partnering with Klamath County commissioners on the Stearns Elementary School corridor improvements project.
City Engineer Andrew Lakey said the purpose of the project is to improve pedestrian accessibility to the school by lowering the roadway.
According to the city staff report, the project was sent out for bids Jan. 16, resulting in a county contract with Rocky Mountain Construction for $2.3 million.
Council approved entering the IGA, agreeing to reimburse the county $575,210.
Additional funds for any approved change orders associated with the work will also be reimbursed, as will $8,650 for surveying services.
OTHER ITEMS
- Council approved amendments to the City Code on vegetation to include Section 5.631concerning more specific definitions of noxious vegetation, trees and shrubs on private properties.
- Council approved a resolution authorizing the parks division to apply for state grant funding for the Eulalona Pump Track project at Eulalona Park. The resolution also grants Mayor Carol Westfall signing authority for the grant.
Country music legend and singer-songwriter Pam Tillis comes back to the Ross Ragland stage at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 7.
The child of Country Music Royalty Mel Tillis, Pam carved her path as a highly successful singer and songwriter with several successful albums and numerous chart-topping singles.
Her hits include “Maybe It Was Memphis” and “Mi Vida Loca.” Pam Tillis’ honest country music resonates deeply with audiences of all ages.
Tillis’ career includes Grammy and CMA awards, a Broadway performance, and being a proud member of The Grand Ole Opry.
The Ross Ragland Theater invites the Klamath Falls community to bring their dancing feet to see this performer grace the Ragland stage. The show is one that people will not want to miss.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $22 senior/military/student, and $10 for kids aged 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the Ragland Box Office Monday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m., by calling (541) 884-LIVE, or by visiting their website at www.ragland.org.
The summer wind is blowing in some new and memorable tunes to Klamath Falls.
Tuesday morning, the Klamath Folk Alliance (also known as Klamath Music) announced the lineup of artists for the recently renamed Klamath Music Festival this August at the Ross Ragland Theater.
The 2024 summer event promises a more diverse range genres with performances from both widely known and locally acclaimed artists.
Headlining the upcoming festival will be alternative rock group The Verve Pipe.
Best known for their 1996 hit “The Freshmen,” the Verve Pipe is an amalgam of two rival Michigan bands that joined forces in the early 90s, according to the band’s official bio.
Leadbetter Band and the Michal Palzewicz Trio are two groups from the southern and central regions of Oregon with styles ranging from classical to folk to 70s rock and roll.
Michal Palzewicz Trio is perhaps best known in the area for their work on behalf of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as the house band.
Consisting of two skilled string musicians and a percussionist with a knack for playing the steel pan, this eclectic group bridges the gaps between classical arrangements and more modern folk music.
Homegrown in Bend, Leadbetter Band is a fun-loving rock trio with a style comparable to the popular jams of the earlier years of the 70s and 90s musical decades.
Where does the chicken go after work? To his coop, of course. With their grand opening on Friday, owners of the Chicken Shack Jerrid and Julie Miller are providing the Klamath Falls community with a new, relaxed 21-and-older social environment, The Coop Lounge.
Patrons of The Coop Lounge will be engulfed by the elegant, cozy and relaxed mid-century inspired design. With utmost attention to detail, the Millers have brought in woods from a locally sourced 150-year-old Claro Black Walnut tree, brass imported from the United Kingdom, and staffed by experienced mixologists and servers. The lounge is complete with ambient music and lighting — everything you’ve come to expect from the long-time entrepreneurs.
Taking inspiration from speakeasies, taverns, bars and lounges they had visited in bigger cities, The Coop Lounge elevates the nightlife in Klamath Falls, making all their mixers in-house and with less sugar and additives. Using hibiscus, butterfly peas, lavender and demerara — a cocktail made at The Coop Lounge is guaranteed to not only taste right but also taste more vibrant.
With 20 cocktails on the menu, plus whatever else could be imagined, and with draft and tap beers and a strong wine selection, there’s something for everyone. Including non-alcoholic beverages.
The Coop Lounge also features an original food menu with house-made chips, veggie bowls and a charcuterie board. The Coop is adjacent to the Chicken Shack, and, during the hours the restaurant is open, patrons at the lounge are welcome to order anything from that menu as well.
Located next to the Chicken Shack on Washburn Way, The Coop Lounge is open 11 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Coming to Ross Ragland Theater Tonight!
The prehistoric age is going futuristic for an upcoming show at the Ross
Ragland Theater, Thursday, 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.
Each week, BasinLife.com features a Pet of the Week ready for adoption from the Klamath Animal Shelter.
This week’s pet is a dog named ” Sebastian “. Sebastian is a 4 1/2 month old male Border Collie/Labrador mix. He is black with white markings, he weighs about 35 pounds and still has growing to do.
Just for reading our news, click to enter to win Free Movie Tickets from BasinLife.com and Wynne Broadcasting.
Click here!
Jackson County Public Health yesterday issued an overdose alert for opioid overdoses — particularly from fentanyl. This is due to a surge in emergency medical responses and emergency department admissions from March 24 to March 29.
“Illicitly manufactured fentanyl can be sold as counterfeit pills, such as oxycontin, or in a powder form, which can look like other drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine,” Jackson County Public Health said in a news release. “Fentanyl can also be mixed with other illicit opioids, such as heroin. The increased presence of fentanyl in the drug supply increases the risk of poisoning or overdosing for people who are experimenting with drugs, who use recreationally, and not intentionally using fentanyl.”
JCPH said that while there is no safe way to use “illicit opioids,” there are ways to reduce the risk of overdosing.
In the release, they said it is critical to call 9-1-1 if someone is overdosing.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture is warning ranchers to take precautions against bird flu. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has now been detected in cattle on an Idaho dairy farm.
The dairy recently imported cows from another state where bird flu was detected in cattle. Ranchers are being advised to practice good biosecurity. There’s no evidence the virus is any more contagious than before and there is no risk to the commercial milk supply.
Bird Flu is showing up across the nation and reports are in several states now. ODA encourages farmers to test animals before moving them and isolate sick animals from the rest of the herd.
The price of gas in Oregon is up while the national average remained steady over the last week.
Triple-A says Oregon’s average increased eight cents to $4.29, 4-dollars-29-cents a gallon.
The national average is 3-dollars-54-cents. Oregon’s increase is the eight-largest in the country. Refinery maintenance and increased demand have reduced supplies which causes prices to rise. More expensive summer blends of fuel are reaching pumps and the cost of crude oil is over 80 dollars a barrel which also puts upward pressure on prices.
Governor Tina Kotek signed SB 1596 into law, allowing Oregonians to exercise their right to repair their electronic devices starting January 1st, 2025.
Charlie Fisher, State Director of the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, also known as OSPIRG, says the group sees themselves as a voice for the people. He says with this law, manufacturers of consumer electronic devices like phones, tablets, laptops and even certain appliances will have to provide the same parts, repair information and tools to everyone.
Fisher says some devices have been shown to become dysfunctional if parts they were originally paired with are replaced. He says the law essentially allows for more competition and reduces the monopoly companies currently have on their repair abilities.
But the law doesn’t only help out consumers, but the environment too. He says OSPIRG estimates that 4800 phones are discarded in Oregon every day, equaling around 1.75 million phones annually. He says from the mining of materials, to the time and money spent on manufacturing and transportation, and then to the disposal of the product, there is an incredible negative impact on the environment.
A tanker truck carrying 102-thousand Chinook smolts for release into the Imnaha River in Northeast Oregon crashed northeast of Elgin.
The semi rolled onto its top. The crash happened along Lookingglass Creek and 77 thousand smolts made it into the creek.
Twenty-five thousand smolts died in the tanker or on the ground. The driver suffered minor injuries. The smolts represent 20 percent of the total that will be released into the river. Fishery managers expect as many as 900 fewer adult fish will return in 2026 and 2027. The 77-thousand fish that made it into the creek should bring a return of up to 700 adults.
A young black bear has been killed in Cottage Grove after losing its fear of people. Oregon State Police say some residents were hand feeding the bear.
It would sleep on porches and in front of doors. The bear was killed at the request of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The body will be taken to the state veterinary office for a necropsy. Fish and Wildlife Officials say that once a bear loses its fear of people they can’t be relocated.
On average, it happens 3.85 times every single day in Oregon – homeowners and professional excavators damage underground utilities while digging on their property or jobsite.
In some cases, the results can be catastrophic. Joining the national observance during the month of April, Governor Tina Kotek has signed a proclamation designating National Safe Digging Month in Oregon.
The statewide proclamation underscores the importance of requesting underground utility locates through Oregon’s free notification system, available by calling 811 or going to Oregon811.com at least two business days before digging. Requests can be made anytime and on any day for no cost.
The timing of National Safe Digging Month unofficially marks the start of “dig season” – the most active months of the year for excavation projects.
According to the Oregon Utility Notification Center, there were 342,061 requests in 2023, prompting 1,869,969 utility locates in Oregon. In the most recent damage report, there were 1,405 reported incidents, continuing a downward five-year trend statewide.
Common Ground Alliance reports that more than half of U.S. homeowners plan to dig without requesting utility locates. This is mostly attributable to lack of awareness and shallow digging projects. The estimated annual cost of damages to underground utilities nationally is $30 billion.
As an acknowledgement of the National Safe Digging Month observance, and in support of the 811 notification system, this proclamation is supported by the Oregon Utility Notification Center, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division, and Oregon Public Utility Commission.
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have secured investments for essential community-initiated projects in Oregon in both funding packages that recently cleared Congress and were signed into law by President Biden, the senators announced Wednesday.
With the support of Oregon’s Congressional delegation members in the U.S. House of Representatives — Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas and Lori Chavez-DeRemer — the senators assisted in securing 139 projects in Oregon in the final FY24 spending bill.
The Klamath Tribes received $1 million to create a workforce training program for Tribal members to acquire the skills and tools to work in forest restoration, prescribed fire and wildfire management in the Fremont-Winema National Forest. As the forest is a Tribal Treaty Protected Land, the program will help the Klamath Tribes have greater access to care for known sacred sites within the forest.
As outlined in a proposal written in 2023 seeking funding for forest work and management by Klamath Tribes Natural Resources Director Steve Rondeau, the Klamath Tribes Forest and Fire Workforce Training Initiative project purpose is to create a workforce training program for tribal members and rural communities to gain skills and tools to work in forest and fire management.
The program will directly address tribal workforce, unemployment, forest restoration and wildfire in a tribal and rural community with 7.4 percent unemployment and over 600,000 acres of wildfire in the past five years.
Federal researchers indicate the gray whale population along the West Coast is showing signs of recovery five years after hundreds washed up dead on beaches from Alaska to Mexico.
The increase in population numbers comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association determined in November that the “unusual mortality event” that began in 2019 has ended.
The agency has estimated the total number of eastern north Pacific Gray whales to be between 17,400 to 21,300, an increase from an estimated 13,200 to 15,960 whales last year.
The population began to decline after numbering about 27,000 whales in 2016. The mortality event hits its peak between Dec. 17, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2020, the agency said. It involved 690 dead gray whales that washed ashore from Alaska to Mexico. Of those, 347 were in the U.S., 316 in Mexico and 27 in Canada.
Some Oregonians are still struggling to use the new Frances Online system to get unemployment benefits.
The Oregon Employment Department says the number of people using Frances Online increased two percent over the last week to 89 percent. More than half of people trying to call for help are waiting over 15 minutes for their calls to be answered.
Nearly 15-million-dollars in benefits were paid last week. The new system went live a month ago.
TAX DEALINE IN TWO WEEKS
Salem, OR—This year’s tax deadline is just two weeks away as both state and federal income taxes need to be filed by April 15.
Nearly 1.3 million Oregonians have already filed their state personal income tax returns. The state expecting to receive 2.2 million returns in 2024, leaving more than 900,000 Oregonians who still have to file their taxes in the next two weeks.
The department offers the following information for taxpayers who still need to file their state return.
File electronically.
E-filing is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their tax refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks. Taxpayers should file just once. Sending a paper return through the mail after e-filing will a delay a refund.
Free filing options
Revenue provides several options for taxpayers to e-file their returns for free. Oregon Free Fillable Forms performs basic calculations and is ideal for taxpayers who don’t need help preparing their returns and want the convenience of filing electronically. The IRS offers a similar option for filing federal taxes electronically.
New this year, the department is also offering Direct File Oregon, which allows taxpayers to file their Form OR-40 through Revenue Online. Direct File Oregon is not currently linked with the IRS Direct File. Taxpayers will need to file a separate federal return with the IRS before filing an Oregon return with Direct File Oregon through Revenue Online.
Information about other available free tax preparation tax preparation software is available on the Revenue website, along with a list of organizations providing free or reduced cost assistance.
What’s My Kicker? calculator
In 2024 Oregon is returning $5.61 billion in surplus revenue to taxpayers in the form of a “kicker” tax credit. Taxpayers will receive their kicker as part of their refund, or the kicker can reduce the tax they owe.
Taxpayers, who have not filed their 2023 return, should not guess at their kicker amount. They can determine the amount of their kicker using the What’s My Kicker? calculator available on Revenue Online. To use the tool, taxpayers will need to enter their name, Social Security Number, and filing status for 2022 and 2023.
Where’s my refund? tool and video
Revenue has issued nearly 1.1 million refunds already this year, most within two weeks of filing. Taxpayers wondering about the refund on their 2023 tax year return, can use the Oregon Department of Revenue’s Where’s My Refund? tool to check its status and, if they want more information, watch a video outlining the refund timelines to better understand the process.
Filing an extension
Individuals who are not able to file by April 15, 2024 can file an extension directly with the Oregon Department of Revenue or with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If the IRS extension is granted, the Oregon extension is automatically granted. A timely filed extension moves the federal tax filing deadline and the Oregon filing deadline to October 16, 2023.
Only request an Oregon extension if you:
- Don’t have a federal extension.
- Owe Oregon taxes.
- Can’t file your return by April 15, 2024.
Remember that having a filing extension is not an extension to pay any tax owed. Taxpayers who can’t pay the full amount they owe, should pay what they can to avoid late payment penalties.
Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, see a list of approved tax preparation software products, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments. For questions not answered on our website, call 800-356-4222 toll-free (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 or email questions.dor@dor.
PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it has forfeited on behalf of the United States 14 real properties located in Oregon—together worth more than $5.7 million—that were used by an interstate drug trafficking organization to illegally grow marijuana for redistribution and sale in other states. The owner of a 15th property agreed to pay the government $400,000 in lieu of having their property forfeited.
Beginning at an unknown time, and continuing until September 2021, the properties, located in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, were used as illegal marijuana grow houses by an interstate drug trafficking organization led by Fayao “Paul” Rong, 53, of Houston, Texas. On July 19, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, Rong was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“This prosecution and yearslong effort to forfeit properties used by the Rong organization to grow and process thousands of pounds of marijuana demonstrate the long reach of our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and mitigating the damage these criminal organizations inflict on neighborhoods and communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“The goal of drug traffickers is to generate profits through their crimes,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Field Division. “The DEA and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the Oregon State Police worked hard in this case to investigate and forfeit the ill-gotten gains of this organization, benefiting our entire community.”
“The Oregon State Police is committed to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations operating within our state. Our priorities include safeguarding Oregon’s natural resources and mitigating the impact illicit marijuana has on them,” said Tyler Bechtel, Oregon State Police (OSP) Lieutenant. “This case is a great example of the results that can be achieved when all levels of law enforcement work together toward our common goals.”
According to court documents, Rong purchased numerous residential houses in Oregon using several different identities and, with others in his organization, used them to grow and process marijuana and prepare it for transport to states where its use remains illegal. In a 12-month period beginning August 2020, Rong’s organization trafficked more than $13.2 million dollars in black market marijuana.
In early September 2021, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by DEA and OSP targeted Rong’s organization. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners executed search warrants on 25 Oregon residences and Rong’s home in Houston. During the precipitating investigation and ensuing search warrants, investigators seized nearly 33,000 marijuana plants, 1,800 pounds of packaged marijuana, 23 firearms, nine vehicles, $20,000 in money orders, and more than $591,000 in cash.
The Rong organization takedown followed a 14-month investigation initiated by OSP after the agency learned of excessive electricity use at the various properties, which, in several instances, resulted in transformer explosions. Multiple citizen complaints corroborated law enforcement’s belief that Rong was leading a large black market marijuana operation. With the assistance of the Columbia and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices, OSP found associated marijuana grows in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, and Polk Counties. On February 18, 2022, Rong was arrested by DEA agents in Houston.
This case was investigated by DEA, OSP, and the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Oregon Department of Justice; Portland Police Bureau; the Yamhill, Clatsop, Marion, Multnomah, Columbia, and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices; Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team; and Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings were handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division.
The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A federal government plan for hunters to kill thousands of invasive owls to protect the rapidly declining northern spotted owl has ruffled the feathers of dozens of animal advocacy groups.
On Monday, a coalition of 75 animal rights and wildlife protection organizations sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland asking her to scrap what they describe as a “reckless plan” to wipe out half a million barred owls in West Coast states over the next three decades.
The letter, spearheaded by the Animal Wellness Action group and the Center for a Humane Economy, lambastes the plan for being unworkable and short-sighted, arguing that it will lead to the wrong owls being shot and disruption to nesting behavior.
Federal wildlife officials believe the action is necessary to control the population of the barred owl — which they consider invasive — and give the threatened northern spotted owls a fighting chance on their home turf.
GARDEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT SHORE ACRES STATE PARK APRIL THROUGH SEPT.
COOS BAY, Oregon— Come share your gardening skills or learn new ones as a garden volunteer at Shore Acres State Park.
Join rangers in caring for the gardens 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Friday of every month from April through September. Tasks vary depending on the season and could include cleaning out the pond, pruning roses, trimming shrubs, pulling weeds, mulching, planting and helping to remove invasive species.
The 2024 garden volunteer schedule:
- April 19: Pond clean out
- May 17: Prepare for summer
- June 21: Garden clean up
- July 19: Garden clean up
- Aug. 16: English ivy pull
- Sept. 20: Prepare for fall
Sign up for one or more of these events at https://form.jotform.com/
Participants should be prepared to travel a short distance on uneven ground and trails to the service site. Service will take place outdoors, and volunteers should be comfortable wearing work gloves and using hand tools.
Dress for the weather. Closed-toed shoes are recommended. Wear something you don’t mind getting dirty. Remember to bring a water bottle, sack lunch and work gloves if you have them (some will be provided if not).
For more information, contact Ranger Hayward or go to https://form.jotform.com/
APPLY FOR THE SMOKE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Salem, Ore.—The Oregon Department of Forestry is soliciting applications to join the Smoke Management Advisory Committee. The committee is currently seeking applications to fill one vacancy to represent the public.
Created in 1989, the Smoke Management Advisory Committee (SMAC) provides advice and assistance to the Oregon Department of Forestry Smoke Management Program. The membership of the committee consists of an industrial forestland owner representative, a non-industrial forestland owner representative, a public representative, a Forest Service representative, and a Bureau of Land Management representative. Each representative serves for two-year terms that are renewable after the two-year period.
“This is an opportunity for the public to get involved and make sure that their voice and concerns are heard when it comes to prescribed fire smoke management in Oregon.” Said Stacy McCarter, Mitigation Program Manager.
Committee members gather for public meetings in Salem twice a year to discuss and provide advice to the Smoke Management Program regarding current prescribed burning and smoke intrusion trends, program fund balance, implementation plan items, and other current issues and projects of the program.
To apply, complete an online questionnaire at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/
Oregon utility companies from the Cascades to the Coast met in competition on Tuesday to find out who had the best-tasting water.
The Rainbow Water District hosted the competition at Dorris Ranch in Springfield. There, several water utilities from communities like Albany, Springfield, Marcola and Eugene met to see who had the best-tasting water. The competition was judged by five brewers and one judge from Dutch Bros, who sampled water from 11 different water districts.
The water was judged in three categories – scent, flavor and aftertaste. Judges used saltine crackers in between samples to cleanse their palates.
At the end of the competition, Cottage Grove emerged as the first-place winner, with water from Corvallis’ H.D. Taylor water treatment plant coming in second and water from Marcola coming in third place.
Winners get bragging rights and a plaque. The winner also moves on to compete with Idaho, Washington and California for best-tasting water. Nathan Endicott, a civil engineer with the Eugene Water and Electric Board, said the contest is a great opportunity for local figures in the water industry to gather.
Event organizers said the contest was just for best-tasting water, and is not an indicator of the quality of the water.
The Heceta Head Lighthouse is celebrating its 130th birthday.
The landmark structure turned 130 on Saturday. The Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast held celebrations to mark the occasion. The Heceta Head Lighthouse is the West Coast’s most photographed lighthouse.
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