Banks Fire District Engine 16 heads toward the Powerline Fire. Photo: Chas Hundley Oregon’s wildland firefighters became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, March 29 in Washington County, and that includes many private crews that work in the logging industry in the region’s forests, and landowners in forested areas that[Read More…]
Oregon
Vaccine timeline accelerated for frontline workers, more
Ansu Drammeh, R.N., a cardiovascular intensive care nurse at OHSU, is given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Wednesday, December 16. Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced Friday that the timeline of vaccine eligibility for frontline workers, those living in multigenerational households, and those ages 16 and older with certain underlying health conditions[Read More…]
Oregon DMV to launch online license renewals
Photo courtesy of ODOT The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles issued a news release that says as early as May 5 many Oregonians will be able to go online to renew their driver’s licenses, permits, and identification cards. Other credentials available to renew online are commercial driver licenses (CDL), instruction[Read More…]
After 2020 wildfires, seedling challenges remain
Burned trees at the Powerline Fire near Hagg Lake. Photo: FGF&R The Oregon Department of Forestry says demand is unprecedented for forest tree seedlings following the 2020 Oregon wildfires, creating difficulties for reforestation with as many as 140 million seedlings needed to replace what the fires consumed. Kyle Abraham, chief[Read More…]
Oregon, federal Tax Day moved to May 17
Tax forms. Photo: Chas Hundley The Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday that the federal tax filing deadline would be moved from April 15 to May 17, and Oregon will follow suit. “Oregon will be following the IRS new tax deadline of May 17,” said Rich Hoover, a spokesperson for the[Read More…]
West Coast states aim to improve online tools for rural transit riders
A Columbia County Rider bus in Banks on April 15, 2019. Photo: Chas Hundley ODOT issued a news release saying the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) awarded a $5.3 million ITS4US grant to Oregon, Washington and California. The $5.3 million the states received is paying to develop software using open-sourced tools[Read More…]
Wyden gives update on unemployment, other benefits from American Rescue Plan
United States Capitol. Photo: Chas Hundley Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) held a hybrid press conference and town hall meeting via Zoom on March 12 where he discussed how the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan directly benefits Oregonians. Wyden said Oregon will receive $5 billion overall from the bill, including the[Read More…]
ShakeAlert system to go live Thursday
An effort to give Oregonians and those in other West Coast states a few precious seconds of warning after a major earthquake strikes, but before the shaking is felt, will be rolled out Thursday. The ShakeAlert system, already implemented in California since October 2019, uses a network of sensors that[Read More…]
Past-due PGE customers may qualify for matching grant to pay bills
Power lines near Forest Grove. File photo: Chas Hundley Portland General Electric sent an email to some customers on March 10 announcing it will match customer’s payments on past-due balances between April 1 and June 30. “It’s been a tough year, but you’re not alone in dealing with your past-due[Read More…]
Gov. Brown to order most Oregon public schools to open by April 19
Banks School District. Photo: Chas Hundley Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced she will be mandating a return to in-person or hybrid instruction for most Oregon public school students by the week of March 29 for K-5 students and April 19 for students in grades 6-12. According to a press release[Read More…]
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