Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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FINN ROCK: Phase II of the Floodplain Enhancement Project in the Finn Rock Reach is now underway. It is designed to enhance habitat conditions across more than 80 acres adjacent to the McKenzie River by restoring historic floodplain connections between the main stem stream and Elk Creek. The new project adds to Phase I work completed in 2021 that reconnected more than 50 acres of floodplain. Beginning around Thursday, contractors will temporarily reroute a section of Elk Creek into a diversion...
In a report distributed last week, the Oregon Department of Transportation has come up with proposals to address a half dozen problem areas along the McKenzie Hwy. Those sites - from Walterville to Leaburg - were developed as a result of input from a February 9th public meeting, as well as online and other submissions. The first stretches from Milepoint 12.9 to 13.15. It includes the Walterville Canal Bridge and the Page Lane intersection. Between 2016 and 2020, there were seven reported crashes...
Under a grant program administered by the Eugene Water & Electric Board, eligible landowners may qualify for up to $35,000 for septic system upgrades or repairs. People do not need to be an EWEB customer to receive a grant because the utility is administering the program for the entire fire-affected area. Applicants must be the current owner of a property located within the Holiday Farm Fire perimeter and that sustained structural damage or destruction. If the property owner can’t do the work, septic system repairs or installation must be c...
Public safety partners in Lane County are updating their emergency alerting service to the statewide alerting system OR-Alert, which will be called Lane Alerts locally, to send emergency alerts – including evacuation notifications – to residents and visitors. Residents should go to www.LaneAlerts.org to create a free Lane Alerts account and select where and how they would like to receive emergency alerts. Residents can also text their ZIP code to 888777. Lane Alerts allows people to opt-in to...
The Oregon Department of Transportation continues to expand its road usage charge program, OReGO, by offering customers a new commercial account manager option, Ferrovial’s NextMove by Cintra. Nearly 900 drivers participate in OReGO, the nation’s first road usage charge program, where participants pay a per-mile fee based on the miles they drive and can receive credit for the fuel taxes they pay. ODOT’s new partner, NextMove by Cintra will collect and report the mileage driven by parti...
Residents who experienced direct harm from Oregon’s 2020 wildfires are more likely to take steps to mitigate their fire risk in the future, an Oregon State University study found. They’re also more apt to participate in community-helping activities like donating to and volunteering with emergency response groups after wildfires. Disaster preparedness actions for wildfire risk may include preparing an evacuation plan, replacing flammable building materials, assembling an evacuation kit, imp...
WALTERVILLE: A local event with a unique aroma opened last Friday for a three-day run in Walterville. From July 7th to 10th, the McKenzie River Lavender Bloom drew a steady flow of the namesake flower’s fans who enthusiasts got to enjoy the intoxicating “herb of relaxation,” essential scented soaps, oils, and sprays; while also exploring culinary treats, crafts, music, and more. All were on the grounds of the McKenzie River Lavender Farm which was created, and nurtured, by a remarkable lady...
The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a red flag warning due to a high fire danger forecast from 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturday for the central and southern Willamette Valley. Temperatures that could reach the 100s, winds that could gust up to 25 mph, and low relative humidity will mean fires can start and spread rapidly. "Conditions may be favorable for rapid fire spread which may threaten life and property. Use extra caution with potential ignition sources, especially in grassy areas,"...
Starting today, the Willamette National Forest will change from ‘high to ‘very high’ Fire Danger. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) remains as IFPL II. Additionally, fire restrictions will go into effect on the Willamette National Forest on July 15th. The fire restrictions apply to all lands within the forest except the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. The recent heat wave has accelerated the drying of fuels across the forest. The dry conditions are susceptible to new ignit...
The Holiday Farm Fire Recovery PIER Funding Selection Committee will hold a public meeting with an opportunity for public testimony on Monday, July 17, at the McKenzie River Community School, 51187 Blue River Driveat 1:00 PM. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person and remote call-in options from 1-4 p.m. Call or email the staff contact below for the meeting link. Federal funding in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, will soon become available to support recovery from the H...
TAMOLITCH FALLS: A request for help over the Independence Day weekend drew a multi-agency response to the Blue Pool on the upper McKenzie River. The 911 call on July 2nd reported a subject who jumped off the main rock into the water had broken his legs. The subject was out of the water, on the shore. The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in North Bend responded. Officials said ground crews worked tirelessly to get the injured individual to a suitable hoisting location, where the aircrew performed a...
Downriver residents say they came close to having another big fire last Wednesday when it appeared someone tossed fireworks from their car near Milepost 4 of Deerhorn Road and started a brush fire. Fortunately, it was noticed by a passerby who alerted neighbors that included a volunteer officer of the department who was able to call it in. Luckily people living there had basic equipment and were able to attack the fire was a 20’ x 20’ fire until McKenzie Fire & Rescue arrived. 8 trucks and 18...
Oregon’s attorney general plans to join nine attorneys general in suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency for failing to ensure newly manufactured wood-burning stoves and fireplaces don’t contaminate the air and harm public health. Ellen Rosenblum and the attorneys general from Alaska, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Washington notified the agency on June 29 of their intent to sue, giving it 60 days' notice to take action or neg...
A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit intended to end mail voting and electronic voting tabulation in Oregon, saying “generalized grievances” about the state’s elections aren’t enough to give a group of unsuccessful Republican candidates and other election deniers standing to sue. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman dismissed the suit late last month. Plaintiffs, led by former school superintendent and 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Thielman, are appealing her ruling. “Plaint...
MCKENZIE BRIDGE: On July 5th, a lightning-caused fire was reported in the Three Sisters Wilderness near Mink Lake Basin north of Park Trail #3530. Named the Moonlight Fire it involved approximately 2 acres. Initially, 10 smokejumpers were on the scene working to suppress the creeping and smoldering fire. A medium-sized type 2 helicopter was sent in later that day, working out of the McKenzie Bridge Airport. On July 7th the McKenzie Fire 20-person hand crew, as well as 4 additional Helitack...
RAINBOW: Animated patriotic icons - ranging from the Statue of Liberty to the American flag - were joined by Tokatee’s own logo in brightening the night sky last Saturday. The images were part of a 13-minute light show that drew plenty of shouts and applause when it capped off the golf club’s 57th July Celebration. Throughout last Saturday the steady flow of events included a 4-man scramble golf tournament, food trucks, live music, and an outdoor beer garden. As twilight drew closer, even mor...
Due to concerns about protecting wild Chinook salmon that are holding in the McKenzie River near Leaburg Dam and meeting broodstock needs for hatchery production, a portion of the McKenzie River will close to salmon angling effective July 15th. The closure will be in effect from July 15th through December 31st in the mainstem McKenzie River from Leaburg Dam downstream approximately one mile - to the mouth of Trout Creek. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife officials say angling is impacting a...
On July 5, a lighting-caused fire was reported in the Three Sisters Wilderness near Mink Lake Basin north of Park Trail #3530. The fire is named the Moonlight Fire and is approximately 2 acres. The fire behavior is characterized by creeping and smoldering. Currently, 10 smokejumpers are on the scene working to suppress the fire. A medium-sized type 2 helicopter will arrive later today and will be working out of McKenzie Bridge. Tomorrow, McKenzie River’s 20-person hand crew will arrive in a...
Six projects to improve communities in Oregon have received grants from AARP. The organization has announced the recipients of its annual Community Challenge program. Oregon’s grant projects total more than $65,000. Stacey Triplett, engagement director for AARP Oregon, said this quick-turnaround program fills a gap for many communities. “Funding that’s local, that’s meant to be flexible, that comes right out within weeks of when it’s been requested is hard to come by,” Triplett pointed out...
Both the Willamette National Forest and local Oregon Dept. of Forestry lands have changed their Fire Danger warnings from ‘moderate’ to ‘high’. On July 4th, the ODF change impacted approximately 1.9 million acres of state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management lands in Lane, Linn and portions of Douglas County. The National Forest moved from an Industrial Fire Precaution Level I to IFPL II on July 5th. Officials cautioned that any spark could have the potential to start a wildfire. Dry c...
On and around Labor Day 2020, wildfires burned over one million acres of forestland in Oregon, including over 370,000 acres of privately owned land. Now, funding and support are available to help small forest landowners in western Oregon impacted by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires recover and replant, while also reducing the risk of future wildfires. “This is a chance for small forest landowners to get the support they need to recover from the devastating 2020 Labor Day fires in western Oregon by replanting native trees and helping make their l...
BLUE RIVER: People at a gathering last weekend had a chance to learn more about how vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians might better navigate their way through Blue River in the future. During a review of three options impacting two sections of the town’s main street, they were also advised Lane County had modified its code language “to recognize the existing right of way widths within the downtown area,” according to Becky Taylor, the county’s senior transportation planner. Details on possibl...
Starting today, the Willamette National Forest will be changing the Fire Danger from ‘moderate’ to ‘high’. Due to the lack of recent moisture and temperatures increasing next week, the Willamette National Forest will be moving from an IFPL I to IFPL II as of Wednesday, July 5. Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) II – The following may operate only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.: * Power saws except at loading sites * Feller-bunchers with rotary head saws * Cable yarding * Blasting...
BLUE RIVER: The Eugene-based Homes for Good housing agency has broken ground to completely rebuild the Lazy Days Mobile Home and RV Park and it's infrastructure “in a resilient and environmentally responsible manner. The park will provide community open space and amenities and manufactured, or modular housing options will be provided on the site.” In December of 2021, Homes for Good purchased an 8-acre portion of the Lazy Days site, located on the north side of the 52000 block of McKenzie Hwy. P...
BLUE RIVER: In a Facebook posting on Monday, a relative reported that “We, as Shane Sprenger’s family, can finally let you know that some bones were found a while ago and identified through DNA as Shane’s. W will not comment any further as it’s an ongoing active investigation. Thank you all.” The 47-year-old Blue River man’s abandoned silver 2009 GMC Sierra was found near U.S. Forest Service Rd. 15 east of Blue River Reservoir on November 4th of 2021. Cellphone pings seemed to show Sprenger had...
