On Friday and Saturday, February 17 and 18, fishing is free in Oregon. Inside: information on fish stocking in local ponds and more on the origin of trophy fish coming soon to Hagg Lake.
Highway 47 is closed due to a jackknifed semi truck which spilled lumber across the highway about two miles north of the Highway 47 and 26 junction (Staley's Junction).
A Banks City Council work session scheduled for Tuesday evening will see councilors discuss a draft Developer Agreement with Holt Homes, which is hoping to build a new housing development in Banks on the current Quail Valley Golf Course location.
Late Thursday, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency over the fatal storm that has iced sidewalks and roads around the state, caused widespread power outages and damaged scores of homes and vehicles.
Customers on Banks' municipal water system north of Highway 26, an area outside city limits, were having their water turned off, the city said Wednesday afternoon. No reason was given, but more information was promised.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency Tuesday over the winter storm, saying the move would allow the county to have "greater flexibility and support for the multi-agency response to the snow, wind and ice storms over the last several days and the coming freezing
We're in for what looks like a final round of icy weather starting some time this afternoon. We're going to keep all the bits of news—that's road closures, business closures, power outages, new weather alerts and the like—contained in this ever-updated story. No account or subscription required.
Already gripped in frozen temperatures and an icy winter storm, Oregon could now be on for round two, the Portland office of the National Weather Service said in an Ice Storm Warning issued Monday morning.
"We understand that early releases can be an inconvenience, but the safety of our students and staff is our top priority," the Banks School District said in a notice announcing a three hour early release for Friday. "We encourage everyone to plan accordingly and make the necessary arrangements."
In Banks and North Plains and the rural areas surrounding them, close to 3,500 customers were without power. The Banks School District said that all power was out, which was also affecting phone and internet service. "All schools will dismiss at the regular time," the district said.
Just hours after Hampton Lumber announced the closure of their Banks sawmill, the Banks City Council met for a regularly scheduled city council meeting. The topic soon turned to the sawmill's closure.
