Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
Sorted by date Results 1551 - 1575 of 1796
Forest fire The abrupt onset of summer weather has prompted two more Oregon Department of Forestry districts to declare fire season. The South Cascade District entered fire season this morning, and the Western Lane District will follow suit on July 2. "The really hot days will dry out forest fuels and cure the grasses," said South Cascade District Forester Greg Wagenblast. "Under these conditions, a fire can spread rapidly." Entry into fire season imposes certain restrictions on recreational and work activities in the forest. Industrial operati...
Tagging trout It’s estimated about $70 million was spent during fiscal year 2012 for various forms of fish research tagging and/or marking, within the Columbia River basin. The research aims to inform fish managers about the status of fish populations such as salmon and steelhead stocks that are the target of federal, state and tribal preservation and restoration efforts. But one size definitely does not fit all when it comes to assessing how to spend a limited pot of money according to a report, “Cost-effectiveness of Fish Tagging Tec...
Plan to rebuild a Gateway Arch Gateway Arch SPRINGFIELD: Backers of a group that wants to bring back the “Gateway Arch” launched a Kickstarter appeal Thursday night to get the project off the ground. The newly formed “Friends of the Springfield Arch” is asking for $2,500 to complete a 5-foot wide scale model by August 15th that would be displayed at various summer festivals and civic sites to familiarize the public with their plans. Kickstarter is an online fundraising site that has developed financial support for everything from films,...
Air quality Hot Weather Could Trigger an Increase in Air Pollution The first wave of hot weather has been forecast with temperatures possibly reaching the 90’s in most Willamette Valley locations. The National Weather Service has issued an advisory for western Oregon in anticipation of hot, muggy conditions. LRAPA would like to remind residents that the heat also brings higher concentrations of ground-level ozone, or smog, which can result in health problems for some people. “Ozone levels start to rise when temperatures climb into the 90...
Need to clean up? Trash cleanup The Annual Blue River Trash Amnesty Day is set for will be held on Saturday June 29th. People must have a Trash Amnesty memorandum letter now available at Blue River, Rainbow & McKenzie Bridge stores. This is for clean-up materials: including up to three tires; up to 17 inches (1 tire of the 3 may be mounted); one appliance and one propane tank (up to 5 gallons - 20lbs.); per letter. The waiver does not apply to commercial or industrial wastes nor is it intended for the build-up of residential waste. The event...
Wayne Chevalier Forty-four percent of the land on the McKenzie River Ranger District is designated Wilderness. Within those areas power tools are prohibited. How to keep 260 miles of trails clear of fallen trees? Reach for a cross-cut saw. That’s what Wayne Chevalier, Wilderness Trail Crew Leader (who covers the Three Sisters and Mount Washington wildernesses) has been doing for over 22 years. For his continued efforts to use traditional tools, he was chosen for the Traditional Skills and Minimum Tool Leadership Award, part of the Forest S...
Winter conditions remain in the mountains On Friday afternoon (06/21/2013) Samantha Kennedy, 33, from Waldport, was dropped off at Elk Lake for a solo hike north on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). On Saturday at 6:18PM a 911 call was received from Kennedy stating she was on the PCT but was in deep snow and unable to continue traveling north. She also stated that she was unsure if she could find her way back to Elk Lake as she only had a cell phone and no additional navigational tools. The Lane County Sheriff’s office requested that she camp i...
Fire prevention poster McKenzie High’s Jonathan Mahody and Sydney King are being featured on posters promoting fire safety and prevention. As you travel around the McKenzie Bridge community, keep an eye out for the new green and blue posters with Smokey and two local high school students. These posters are part of the McKenzie River Ranger District’s “Smokey and the Eagles” program that rewards outstanding student athletes while highlighting the importance of fire prevention practices. Each year, two students who demonstrate a high level o...
Want to help save bees? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pollinators are responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food that we eat. It's estimated that animal pollinators like bees, butterflies and bats are needed for the reproduction of 90 percent of flowering plants. Unfortunately, the numbers of both native pollinators and domesticated bee populations are declining. According to the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, populations of honeybee hives in beekeeping operations across the United States continue to decline....
Closure notice for the Bridge Street Bridge Bridge Street Bridge The bridge, over the McKenzie River in the Deerhorn area, will be closed on June 25th, 26th, and 27th, from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. for periodic under-the-bridge safety inspections. Motorists are advised to use Deerhorn Road for access to the south bank areas during the closures. The road will open for traffic each day after 3:30 p.m. The 160-foot long Parker through truss design structure was constructed in 1965 and rehabilitated in 1994. It carries an average daily traffic...
The McKenzie River Trust frequently hosts small tours and volunteer events on Green Island, but for the Living River Celebration on Saturday, June 29th, an array of offerings will greet visitors interested in nature. "Many people have helped us plant trees, pull weeds, and learn about this place over the last ten years," says Joe Moll, McKenzie River Trust Executive Director. "While enjoying a walkabout, music, canoeing, tree climbing, and a picnic beside two of our community's great rivers at the Living River Celebration, you can see some of t...
Boaters/floaters should avoid north channel of McKenzie River below Walterville Boat Landing Chevon construction The Eugene Water & Electric board is warning boaters and other McKenzie River recreational users to avoid the north channel of the river immediately below Walterville Boat Landing due to potential low water flow across the utility’s rock drop structures. Also known as “chevrons,” the structures direct water into the Walterville Power Canal. As the water volume diminishes through the summer months, the rock drop structures in the n...
The Oregon State Marine Board reports a big tree is completely blocking the McKenzie River approximately 1/4 mile downstream of the Paradise Boat Ramp. Boat passage is completely blocked. People should scout the river before launching. Signs have been posted and marine patrol deputies are assessing the obstruction. McKenzie River Reflections...
Backyard burning Lane County’s off-again, on-again backyard burning season is set to shut down soon. The program, which allows mainly rural residents to dispose of clean wood and yard debris is allowed on approved burn days during the burning season, which typically runs from October 1st through June 15th. Extremely dry conditions created high fire danger throughout the county back in May, making it unsafe to burn. The dry conditions, coupled with strong winds, caused number of fires go out of control, according to Sally Markos spokesperson f...
Share road sign Highway crews have installed signs reminding motorists that cyclists have become more a part of the traffic mix on Hwy. 242. MCKENZIE BRIDGE: The Old McKenzie Pass, which has been open to pedestrians and bicyclists - from milepost 8 to 28 - will officially open to all traffic at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 16th. That’s about a week earlier than last year, when it reopened on June 21st. The route annually closes due to winter snows. On May 1st, the route had been opened up for non-motoring traffic. The Oregon Dept. of T...
McKenzie High School graduates: Blake Anderson, Spencer Brown, Jesse Eaton, Sharlita Holmes, Chelby Huffman, Sydney King, Pamela Langan, Jonathan Mahody, Joshua Ness, Corinna Price, Nicklas Ringler, Victoria Ryerse, Celestyna Sabillon-Espinoza, Caleb Scrivner, Peace Shepherd, Victor Vidal and Samantha Winningham. Thurston High School graduates: Hayley Adair, Brandon Aitken, Joshua Allen, Jodeci Anderson, Ty Anderson, Luscas Anthony, Braxton Arand, Demetrey Austin, Jimee Banks, Daymen Barton, Caleb Baugher, Celena Bell, Brandon Benedick,...
Energy Department Releases State by State “eGallon” Prices to Let Consumers Compare Cost of Fueling With Electricity vs. Gasoline Dept. of Energy logo The Energy Department today launched the eGallon – a quick and simple way for consumers to compare the costs of fueling electric vehicles vs. driving on gasoline. In Oregon, the eGallon price is about $0.96, meaning that a typical electric vehicle could travel as far on $0.96 worth of electricity as a similar vehicle could travel on a gallon of gasoline. “Consumers can see gasoline price...
Willamette Basin map The Bureau of Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Region will partner with the Oregon Water Resources Department to develop a “Plan of Study” for the Willamette River Basin Study aimed at finding collaborative solutions to future water needs in Oregon. The basin study is jointly funded by the state and supported under Reclamation’s WaterSMART Basin Study program. For the plan of study, OWRD and Reclamation will equally share $50,000 toward the $100,000 study effort. The Willamette River Basin supports approximately 75 percent o...
Ready for HJA Day? Talk at HJ Andres Forest HJA Day is the annual field gathering at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest. Activities will include field trips to sites in the Andrews Forest and presentations from researchers, student, and managers. Everyone is welcome to attend — from OSU, the Forest Service, other institutions and organizations, and the public. Register by June 21st through the Andrews website: http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/hjaday. McKenzie River Reflections...
Program starts June 24 Happy kids Willamalane Park and Recreation District's free Summer Playground Program begins Monday, June 24, at nine neighborhood parks and playgrounds throughout Springfield. The safe and supervised drop-in program, which runs four days a week, is designed to provide recreational activities centered around literacy, science, physical activity and positive character development. Its emphasis is on action as kids play basketball, soccer, Frisbee and badminton, among other activities. Last summer more than 200 kids...
Risk Linked to Frozen Berry Product Berry blend Nearly 40 cases of Hepatitis A cases in western states with onsets since April 29 have been linked to consumption of “Townsend Organic Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend” frozen berries, which were sold exclusively at Costco stores. This is a blend of frozen cherries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, and strawberries, commonly used to make smoothies, etc. To date, no human cases have been confirmed in Oregon, but counties are getting reports of illness that deserve follow-up. The Townsend...
Snowbank on Hwy. 242 By Ayleen Crotty MCKENZIE BRIDGE: Follow the path of an 1860s wagon route and get ready to climb. The Old McKenzie Pass is a special region of Oregon that, due to extreme snowfall and narrow winding climbs, is only open a few months out of the year. At the beginning of the season, ODOT plows the road and opens it exclusively for non-motorized traffic. The smooth, clear pass is now available to bikers likely until June 16th – so get out there while you can. McKenzie Pass travels between two federal wilderness areas....
Blowing big bubbles Storm clouds parted last Friday in time for revelers to enjoy Walterville Elementary’s 50th annual School Carnival. Hundreds of lower River and Camp Creek folk showed up to enjoy the barbecue, petting zoo, game booths and the opportunity to play with some humongous soap bubbles. Storm clouds parted last Friday in time for revelers to enjoy Walterville Elementary’s 50th annual School Carnival. Hundreds of lower River and Camp Creek folk showed up to enjoy the barbecue, petting zoo, game booths and the opportunity to play wit...
By George A. Letchworth Filming on Hwy. 242 Laura Crawford and Russ Roca of The Path Less Pedaled filming Kristin and Jake as they descend the two switchbacks on Dead Horse Grade. MCKENZIE PASS: On Friday, May 17th, a video crew of Laura and Russ along with cycling “stars” Kristin and Jake filmed a “romantic” bicycle ride on the McKenzie Pass from Sisters to Belknap Hot Springs Lodge. The video is the second one in a series sponsored by the Oregon Tourism Commission. The first featured the Old West Scenic Bikeway. There are plans to video a...
Hide the Tasty Snacks – It’s Bear Awareness Week Bear & trash can By Chris Thomas, Oregon News Service This is Bear Awareness Week - but in Oregon, maybe nobody told the bears. It's been pretty quiet so far, both in terms of the spring bear-hunting season and the number of complaints from property owners about bears raiding trash cans and chicken coops. This year they haven't had to, said Doug Cottam, a wildlife biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, because bears are mostly vegetarians and the mild weather has given t...
