Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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Local residents in Camp Creek and Rainbow both got together last week to talk about ways to improve emergency communications. Some of the 30 people who gathered at the Camp Creek Church on Tuesday night voiced concerns about what happened during a recent power outage. When power companies de-energized their electrical lines during a Red Flag wildfire alert, many said they were surprised to learn they’d also lost their phone service. Craig Myers, of Springfield-based MyComm Communications, explained an outage like that can occur when a phone s...
La Niña is expected to return for the third consecutive winter. Starting in December 2022 through February 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts wetter-than-average conditions for areas of the Pacific Northwest, Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, and the northern Rockies. "The hardworking forecasters at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center produce timely and accurate seasonal outlooks and short-term forecasts year-round," said Michael Farrar, Ph.D., director of the...
Earlier this month the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) renewed their agreement allowing continued work across boundaries to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, improving forest and watershed health, and create jobs in rural, forest-dependent communities. The cooperative work agreement was extended until 2032 under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). This is a provision of the 2014 federal Farm Bill that allows state agencies to do vital...
FINN ROCK: Representatives from the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) and Lane County Parks brought a preliminary peek at what a rebuilt Forest Glen Boat Landing could look like during a presentation at the McKenzie High School gym on Monday night. Lane County Parks Manager Brett Henry stressed that what people were being shown was just a preliminary concept designed for generating public input. Two key components of the proposal included the launch areas and parking. Currently, several users of...
People who want to see the Leaburg Dam and the lake it created remain in existence made a showing last Sunday. They brandished "Save the Lake" signs atop the dam and amongst a flotilla of boats and kayaks nearby. Currently, the Eugene Water & Electric Board, which built the structures for hydropower generation over 70 years ago, is mulling over ways to either repair to remove the infrastructure. Two proposals that would preserve the dam and lake involve either a full or limited return to power...
Voters in the eastern portion of the McKenzie Valley are being asked to support emergency services when they mark their ballots for the November 8th election. If the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District’s request for renewal of its local option tax levy is approved, the current rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value would continue. That amount translates to about $90 per year for a home assessed at $150,000. In a fact sheet provided by the district, officials note they provide coverage for the communities of Blue River, R...
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposed updates to flood maps for Central Lane County in the mail of local residents. Affected property owners began receiving annual Community Rating System floodplain letters at the end of September. “Our partners at FEMA have done a great job creating opportunities for residents to view, learn about and provide feedback on these maps,” said Lane County Planning Director Amber Bell. Officials say the updated flood maps better represent flood risks in the county by showing areas with the hig...
Vehicle collisions with deer and elk tend to peak in October and November, when migration and breeding (the "rut") puts them on the move, making them more likely to cross roads. Fewer daylight hours and rainy weather also reduce drivers' visibility. On average, the Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) documents more than 6,000 vehicle collisions with deer and elk each year. The actual number of collisions is likely higher, as many are not reported if there is minimal damage or no human...
LEABURG: U.S. Forest Service policies that support logging old-growth trees drew over 100 protesters to Leaburg Lake last weekend. While calling for the cancellation of the Flat Country Timber Sale near McKenzie Bridge, organizers of the event urged the crowd to go further. “This river is now known as the McKenzie but who was McKenzie?” asked Madeline Cowen of Cascadia Wildlands. “He was a European colonizer who forcibly removed the original residents from this land,” she added. Cowen went on...
Under a $422,286,000 federal grant, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will administer the “ReOregon” program for disaster recovery funds tied to the 2020 Labor Day fires. The money grant is intended to support rebuilding housing, particularly for low- and moderate-income survivors, revitalize communities, and prepare affected areas to withstand future disasters. Officials say OHCS proposes implementing programs directly—while allowing survivors to work with local partners in the a...
The number of trout in a southern Oregon stream system showed no decline one year after a fire burned almost the entire watershed, including riparian zone trees that had helped maintain optimal stream temperatures for the cold-water fish. The research by Oregon State University sheds light on the ability of steelhead, cutthroat, and rainbow trout to endure the higher water temperatures expected to accompany climate change and its manifestations, including increased frequency, extent, and...
With the election a little over a month away, some say caregiving and long-term care are issues too big for candidates in Oregon to ignore. There are about 460,000 family caregivers in the state providing $5.7 billion of unpaid care, according to a 2017 estimate. Yvonne Smith, a faculty member at Clackamas Community College, said some people may not even realize they are caregivers. "For example, if you are helping someone manage their medications if you're doing someone's grocery shopping if...
RAINBOW: The audience at last Friday's screen of the documentary "Elemental" was the largest outside of Portland, according to its director. People saw archival footage from other parts of the U.S. that suffered destruction similar to the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire. There were aerial views of burned lands around Vida. Other footage illustrated ways a home could be hardened to limit fire damage. The segment from a fire lab included tests where entire houses were subjected to a simulated wildfire,...
MCKENZIE BRIDGE: A wreck on Hwy. 126 last Friday night took the life of a McKenzie Bridge man. According to the Oregon State Police (OSP) the 2-vehicle accident on Friday, September 30th, occurred at approximately 6 p.m. Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the scene near milepost 50 of the McKenzie Hwy. OSP's preliminary investigation showed an eastbound blue Nissan Versa, operated by Vanessa East, 45, of McKenzie Bridge, was stopped with its turn signals and brake lights activated while waiting to turn left into a residential...
LEABURG: In its analysis of options for the future of the Leaburg hydroelectric project, the Eugene Water & Electric Board noted that the Leaburg Dam was built to divert water to a canal for power generation. "If there's no need to divert the water, the dam still does serve other purposes," staffers said. Among those benefits is the bridge on top of the dam that connects to the Leaburg Hatchery and homes across from Highway 126. The structure forms a barrier used to remove hatchery fish from...
In May, a plaque was presented at the Lane Electric Coop's annual meeting to the "Blue River Bottle Boys." They were being recognized as the coop's Member of the Year. "The dedication of the members living in the McKenzie River Valley is so inspiring," Lane Electric General Manager Debi Wilson said. "What the Bottle Boys have accomplished, one dime at a time shows you that anything is possible." This month, the Ruralite, a monthly magazine, featured the Bottle Boys with a front-page cover story....
VIDA: The Board of Directors of Vida McKenzie Community Center (VMCC) announced this week that Comfort Flow Heating has increased its in-kind donation of equipment and supplies from $10,000 to over $33,000. "This donation, combined with similar in-kind contributions from other sub-contractors and generous donations from local residents and grant funders, helps move VMCC closer to completing a successful rebuilding campaign," according to VMCC vice president Gerry Aster. Aster said people can...
CAMP CREEK: The Lane County Sheriff’s Office received the report of a serious motor vehicle crash on Camp Creek Road on September 24th at approximately 1:27 p.m. The accident occurred near milepost 2, in the general area of the Easy Lane intersection. Deputies responded and found that a black Toyota Tacoma driven by 26-year-old Austin McKee of Springfield had been driving westbound when the vehicle crossed over into the eastbound lane for an unknown reason. The Toyota struck an eastbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup head-on. McKee was t...
The Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reported last Thursday that they’d received information an airplane went down near Mount Jefferson. At 4:14 p.m., on September 22nd, hikers in the area reported hearing what sounded like an airplane engine followed by a loud crash. The two hikers were on the Pacific Crest Trail when they heard the crash and said they could smell fuel but did not see an airplane. The report was followed by the United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) contacting LCS Dispatch stating they had an airplane ra...
LEABURG: People who don't think removing Leaburg Dam and the lake it created are planning to make a public showing. Organizers of a "Save the Lake" petition say they've gathered around 800 signatures and are inviting the public to show up on Sunday, October 16th. Those that do are being asked to launch boats, kayaks, and paddleboards for a float on the lake at 3 p.m. People who don't take to the water can join a march across the dam. In 2018 the Eugene Water & Electric Board drained the Leaburg...
RAINBOW: For people attending the Elemental documentary event on September 30th, a cautionary warning might be needed for some. The movie includes images of homes being destroyed by flames and the radio chatter of first responders, which could be unnerving, especially to those who have lived through an evacuation. “It is real footage and it is real people’s stories,” explains Michael Sherman who is also a filmmaker. Sherman, a McKenzie High School graduate who grew up in the area, has been...
People heading out to do some wild edible foraging are being cautioned to keep safety at the forefront of their plans while mushroom hunting. With an eye toward reducing missing person reports, the Lane County Sheriff's Office is reminding people to develop a plan to avoid getting lost as well as returning home safely. In the past, we've seen several mushroom pickers go missing around this time of year, including Shane Eldor Sprenger, who is still missing. The 47-year-old man was was last known...
WALTERVILLE: The "Gateway sign" at the western entrance of the McKenzie Valley was being readied for completion by workers last week. Supporters of the project, like the McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce, say it was originally designed to welcome tourists by now will "have even greater significance as a way to help encourage and give hope to communities and residents as they rebuild following the devastating Holiday Farm Fire." A similar sign will be installed near the Hwy. 20/Hwy. 126 to...
RAINBOW: Civilian, conservation, and corps were the 3 C's of the New Deal work relief program that left its mark locally by constructing trails and structures that are still in use today. Challenging is a word often applied to health care in America. In rural areas, it has become even more appropriate. Over the few years in the McKenzie River Valley, that word has sometimes felt inadequate. Optimism was high in 1977 when a nonprofit named the McKenzie River Clinic began offering primary health...
The Vida McKenzie Community Center wants to again thank all its friends, members, and donors for making it possible for the construction of its new building to begin. The first visible activity on the Thompson Lane site began with concrete forming on October 26th. By September 5th the footings were poured and by the 14th, construction of the foundation walls was on its way. Concrete will be poured this week for completion of the stem walls and our building will really start to take shape. To...
