Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
Sorted by date Results 676 - 700 of 1812
Due to the increased risk of wildfires in the region, Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) closed its Oregon forestlands to public access, last Friday, July 29th. Officials said the decision to close the lands was based on several risk factors including increasing weather temperature, excess dry vegetation, low moisture levels, and long-range weather forecasts. “Oregon’s wet spring followed by the warm summer has led to an over-abundance of vegetation that has dried out and makes our forests more susceptible to wildfire,” said Courtney Gries...
Oregonians will have the chance to decide in November whether the state should ban large ammunition magazines and require licenses for all gun owners, the Secretary of State’s Office confirmed. Backers of Initiative Petition 17 submitted more than 160,000 signatures from Oregon voters who supported the proposed law earlier this month. State election officials on Monday confirmed that the proposal will appear on ballots in November. The news follows a June survey from the nonpartisan Oregon V...
Reopening the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from the Mount Jefferson Wilderness through the Olallie Lake Scenic Area could be delayed until "sometime late August or early September," according to the U.S. Forest Service. Access to 170,000 acres was closed to the public following the Lionshead and Beachie fires of Labor Day 2020. The affected area includes Pamelia Lake) to around Triangle Lake. "There are some safety concerns around damaged and missing tread along steep sections of the trail,"...
Oregon Capital Chronicle Plans for commercial logging of old-growth forests on federal lands have moved forward this year, despite an executive order signed on Earth Day by President Joe Biden, according to a report from environmental groups. The old-growth woodlands are particularly useful in fighting climate change by absorbing carbon, a goal for the Biden administration. The Climate Forests Coalition, a group of dozens of environmental organizations including Environment America, the...
Fire wise means preparing your home or business to make it as safe from catching fire as possible. As we move into fire season, being fire wise could mean the difference between saving or losing your home when a fire strikes. One thing you should know is what kind of fuel surrounds your home. That will determine how fast and how hot an approaching fire may be. McKenzie Valley areas unaffected by the 2020 Holiday Farm (and most of the valley before the fire) were forested areas with heavy fuel that is harder to ignite and slower to burn. Most...
Organizers of the Vida Mc-Kenzie Community Center's July 14th Flea Market wish to thank everyone who visited or participated as a vendor. "There was a steady stream of customers and lots of smiling faces.," says VMCC vice president Gerry Aster. "The snack bar was busy and did not disappoint. VMCC's goal of $1,500 was met and it is time to move on to the next fundraising event." So what's next? Butter Braids! What are Butter Braids? Aster describes them as, "A delicious, high quality, convenient...
Wildfire preparedness has generated a focus on preparing, protecting, and planning for public utilities as they developed a response to Oregon legislation passed after recent horrendous fire seasons. Both the Eugene Water & Electric Board and the Lane Electric Cooperative are reaching out to the public to familiarize people with what they’ve developed. EWEB says its mitigation activities are designed to protect public safety, reduce risk to utility customers and promote electrical system resilience to wildfire damage. Earlier this year, the u...
FINN ROCK: Three upgrade projects were put into motion the week after McKenzie Community Schools classes let out on June 20th. Scheduled to run through the summer and fall, the work is being done by Chambers Construction of Eugene. Some of the most extensive work involves the “Old Gym.” Work on the structure was made possible by the Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program through Business Oregon, a consortium of public agencies within the state. The school district was awarded $2.3 million dol...
In June of 2011, the Antiques Roadshow crew visited Nirod for a segment on antique fishing gear at the Eagle Rock Lodge. The History Channel’s American Pickers show is now scouting places to film episodes of the series in Oregon. The documentary series explores the world of antique “picking” by following skilled professionals who hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. The show’s producers say they are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories b...
The long-anticipated arrival of the destructive emerald ash borer (EAB) has sharpened concerns about the impacts to Oregon’s urban forests, wetlands, and streams. Wyatt Williams is the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Invasive Species Specialist. For the past couple years he’s been managing a federal grant to try and save the gene pool of the state’s only native ash species ahead of a pest that could wipe it out. “Since it was first found in the Detroit, Michigan area back in 2002, EAB has becom...
Thousands of Oregonians whose homes or businesses were damaged by the 2020 wildfires are eligible for state grants to help protect them from future wildfire damage. The state Department of Consumer and Business Services said Monday it is offering up to $7,500 for a manufactured home or $6,800 for another home or business to pay for renovations that “harden” the structures against wildfire damage. The grants cover roofs, walls, decks and porches, windows and skylights, overhangs, and ven...
LEABURG: A 71-year-old man is dead and a 37-year-old is in jail for his killing following a Friday night altercation at the deceased man's residence. According to Lane County Sheriff's reports shortly after 10 p.m, on Friday, July 8th, deputies received a call from a neighbor who had witnessed a dispute involving two males at a residence in the 44000 block of the McKenzie Highway. When police arrived on the scene responded and found Gary Stuart Coulter on the ground outside with severe...
To boost capacity within the Oregon fire service, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has awarded $6 million in grants to Oregon's structural fire service agencies to hire fire fighting staff during the 2022 wildfire season. The money was awarded to 180 local fire districts and departments across the state. As part of the OSFM's Response Ready Oregon Initiative, the grant program was available to all 306 local fire districts and departments. The Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection...
NIMROD: The Oregon Dept. of Forestry's South Cascade District has added a drone, based out of the Holeman Guard Station that will be used for a variety of missions, The quadcopter unit is fitted with both an infrared and an 8k camera. Officials say the drone will be used primarily to detect fires, scout fire lines, observe fire behavior, and assist with fire investigations. It can also hoist a 30-foot or 100-foot long line to deliver items to the crews on fire lines. Officials say the drone...
Until the 1980s, pulling logs and trees out of streams was widely promoted across North America. Today, millions of dollars are invested every year to put sections of large wood back in streams. Supporters of the new approach say important benefits include the geomorphology of channels, stream discharge, sediment deposits, and habitat for fish. Yet, little is known about the role of large wood in streams for wildlife ranging from birds to large mammals. Recent research results from studies...
BLUE RIVER: The Orchid Health McKenzie River Clinic in Rainbow has hired Daisy Cruz as its new Community Health Worker. Daisy holds a master’s degree in business administration and technical management, along with ten years of experience in administrative work, customer service, and marketing with startup medical organizations. Orchid says that as a Community Health Worker, “Daisy will provide individualized support to help patients beyond the walls of Orchid’s clinic. This includes outre...
BLUE RIVER: Adair Homes has announced their new Legacy Program is providing custom-built houses free of charge to three families affected by Oregon's devastating wildfires of 2020. .In the summer of 2020, raging blazes swept across the Pacific Northwest, leveling properties and destroying entire communities. Adair says their Legacy Program was created to help some affected community members rebuild homes free of charge. Three families were picked to receive the free home builds - one in Blue...
The Lane County Sheriff's Office received a call shortly after 10 pm Friday night that a male had been assaulted at a residence in the 44000 block of McKenzie Hwy. near Leaburg. The victim, a male resident in his 70's, died following the assault. His identity along with specific details about the assault are being withheld at this time. Investigators have identified 37-year-old Nickolas Trevor Jessee as a person of interest. Jessee fled the scene prior to investigators arriving. Jessee is...
BLUE RIVER: Non-profit McKenzie Valley Wellness (MVW) is looking for new members with what they're calling "The best deal in town." Anyone over 18 can join for $10 a year, the same price it was 40 years ago. People who are already members don't need to do anything. Everyone who is a member by July 30th will be able to vote in the upcoming election of board members and any other agenda items at the annual membership meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, August 30th, at the Upper McKenzie Community...
EUGENE: The Lane County Planning Commission will hold a work session and public hearing regarding proposed code amendments that would allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in rural residential zones on Tuesday, July 19th. The code amendments would authorize ADUs on properties zoned Rural Residential that are at least two acres in size. The ADU building would have to be an accessory to a single-family dwelling on the property, as well as several other standards and conditions. This proposal also...
VIDA: Caddisfly Concerts, a new organization dedicated to bringing live music to the McKenzie River Valley, got off to a successful start late last month with its first show at Gate Creek Ranch in Vida. Three top-notch bands entertained the Sunday afternoon crowd on a grassy lawn surrounded by towering trees. Tapping toes and murmurs of approval echoed through the audience, relaxed on blankets and lawn chairs. Three bands, Melissa Ruth and the Likely Stories and Neil Gregory Johnson from...
SOUTH SISTER: Deschutes County rescue personnel were busy mid-month after a 911 call from a hiker who had taken a fall and injured himself. At 6:54 p.m. on June 16th, a male from Ithaca, New York, advised he was stranded on the north side of the South Sister. According to Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator Deputy Donny Patterson the climber had reportedly triggered a small avalanche, which caused him to tumble down the mountain. He was injured in the fall, which made him unable to continue...
MCKENZIE BRIDGE: On Monday, workers put a hardhats, strapped into safety equipment and ascended 190 feet up a metal-framed communications tower that juts up from one of the highest ridges in the McKenzie River Valley. At the top, they installed a basketball-sized camera with a lens that has a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains and can see 40 miles during the day and up to 120 miles at night. The new digital fire lookout, with a live feed viewable on the internet, will be used to spot...
