State Library eClips
* Oregon goes all-out for all-day kindergarten
* Few options to keep Northwest hatchery salmon alive during drought
* Coos Bay to dedicate new Coos History Museum with Gov. Brown presiding
* Sky-high interest rates tied to online title loans prompt lawsuit from Oregon regulators
* Labor Day issues with a bigger impact than the minimum wage — Opinion
* Oregon’s new pot market should not be hobbled by provincialism — Opinion
* Hope for rural Oregon — Opinion
* Oregon universities must collaborate to succeed — Guest Opinion
* Benefits of full-day kindergarten touted
* Business plots strategy for the big one
* The state of Oregon’s labor unions
* Wild coho opens on Sept. 15 in selected rivers, bays
* Commission approves 2016 fishing rules
* Framing income inequality — Opinion
* 80-year-old National Labor Relations Act still working — Opinion
* Saving the grouse and the brush — Guest Opinion
* Fires offer fresh reason to oppose gas pipeline — Guest Opinion
* Willamalane moves closer to taking over ownership of old wood-waste landfill
* Lane County teachers prepare for new all-day kindergarten
* State expands program to connect bioscience entrepreneurs with mentors
* Prozanski recall campaign submits another 1,840 signatures
* Fire ban in parks lifted in Western Oregon
* State needs to enforce own lottery laws — Opinion
* More Than 100 Bodies Unidentified In Oregon’s Morgues
* New WOTUS rule: So much for clarity — Opinion
* ODOT tracks wrecks, suggests fixes for worst spots
* Millions of Oregonians have unclaimed money waiting
* Snow falls on Canyon Creek fire
* Removal of obsolete dams benefits rivers, the public and landowners — Guest Opinion
* State sportfishing regulations approved for 2016
* State bets on full-day kindergarten — Opinion
* Baker County fire contained
* Oregon’s oil, gas laws lag behind Idaho
* Water commission to meet in Ontario
* FEMA standards vs. the Army Corps of Engineers — Opinion
* Take improvement with a grain of salt — Guest Opinion
* Ranchers criticize forest management, firefighting tactics
* LNG public hearings wrap
* Wildfire & Wildlife
* After a century, the fire lookout is still a key spot — Opinion
* Surviving the flames — Opinion
* Work still to do on the fire — Opinion
* Crater Lake fire makes history
* Flooding fears amid Canyon Creek Complex wildfire
* Feds help Oregon with firefighting costs
* Big changes in Oregon fishing rules get OK
* Campfire ban lifted in parts of Western Oregon
* $6.4M lottery ticket sold in Bend still unclaimed
* Oregon’s lopsided economic debate — Opinion
* Local control is the goal — Opinion
* Judges must impartially discharge their duties — Opinion
* FEMA provides funds to fight Canyon Creek Complex fire
* Shouting match wont solve the forests problems — Opinion
* City, ODOT celebrate work on crossings
* Who is Taking Care of the Grandparents in Oregon?
* Tax-credit mess has lessons for Brown — Opinion
* Goals behind Common Core aren’t going away — Opinion
* Lower unemployment makes positions harder to fill
* State commission investigates Irrigon administrators
* Cycle Oregon bringing riders to the region
* Firefighters get a welcome respite
* Evacuation notices lifted for Grizzly Bear Complex fires
* Restoring fish habitat in Ladd Canyon
* Elliott State Forest meeting coming
* Timber industry still offers employment opportunities
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OREGON GOES ALL-OUT FOR ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN (Portland Oregonian)
Oregon schools are delivering a massive new dose of early childhood education this fall: Full-day kindergarten, available to just 42 percent of 5-year-olds last year, will reach virtually every kindergartner in the state.
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FEW OPTIONS TO KEEP NORTHWEST HATCHERY SALMON ALIVE DURING DROUGHT (Portland Oregonian)
At this point, Dan Meyer will try anything.
The manager of Rock Creek Hatchery near Roseburg lost 550,000 fish this year.
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COOS BAY TO DEDICATE NEW COOS HISTORY MUSEUM WITH GOV. BROWN PRESIDING (Portland Oregonian)
Everyone knows the weather is usually most spectacular at the Oregon coast in September, including Gov. Kate Brown.
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SKY-HIGH INTEREST RATES TIED TO ONLINE TITLE LOANS PROMPT LAWSUIT FROM OREGON REGULATORS (Portland Oregonian)
Jodi Arbak’s daughter needed a plane ticket to college and some extra cash to spend once she arrived.
So Arbak searched online for a title loan.
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LABOR DAY ISSUES WITH A BIGGER IMPACT THAN THE MINIMUM WAGE — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
There’s little doubt what the most popular topic will be at many union-sponsored rallies this Labor Day: the minimum wage.
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OREGON’S NEW POT MARKET SHOULD NOT BE HOBBLED BY PROVINCIALISM — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
The vote last year by Oregonians to approve the legal sale of recreational marijuana carried with it the expectation by many that pot emporiums and farms would be owned and run by Oregonians bolstering business opportunities and creating jobs while capitalizing on homegrown crops known widely for being the best.
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HOPE FOR RURAL OREGON — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
Of all the challenges facing rural Oregon, one of the biggest might be getting people to believe that significant economic progress is possible.
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OREGON UNIVERSITIES MUST COLLABORATE TO SUCCEED — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)
Columnist David Sarasohn laments that Oregon universities rank toward the bottom of a prominent list of world-class research universities. True, but not very helpful. Oregon needs to invest more in higher education, just not chasing rankings.
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BENEFITS OF FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN TOUTED (Salem Statesman Journal)
Every September, Salem-Keizer residents young and not so young acknowledge, celebrate or maybe even dread the start of the new school year.
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BUSINESS PLOTS STRATEGY FOR THE BIG ONE (Salem Statesman Journal)
The numbers are staggering: a million buildings, including more than 3,000 schools, collapsed or compromised.
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THE STATE OF OREGON’S LABOR UNIONS (Salem Statesman Journal)
Thank Oregon for Labor Day. On Feb. 21, 1887, Oregon became the first state to recognize Labor Day as a holiday. Congress declared Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.
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WILD COHO OPENS ON SEPT. 15 IN SELECTED RIVERS, BAYS (Salem Statesman Journal)
Beginning Sept. 15, wild-coho salmon fishing seasons will open on many coastal rivers and bays.
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COMMISSION APPROVES 2016 FISHING RULES (Salem Statesman Journal)
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on Friday approved a rule that will lift bag limits for warm-water fish such as bass and catfish on the Columbia, John Day and Umpqua rivers.
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FRAMING INCOME INEQUALITY — OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)
-New study looks at the growing gap in Oregon-
Here’s a Labor Day question to chew on: Whats an acceptable level of income inequality in Oregon?
The question is particularly germane as the Oregon Legislature prepares to consider raising the states minimum wage in its 2016 session.
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80-YEAR-OLD NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT STILL WORKING — OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)
In recent weeks public ceremonies have marked the anniversaries of several landmark pieces of social legislation, most notably the passage of the Voting Rights Act 1965, Medicare 1965, and Social Security 1935. However, one significant legislative milestone came and went unnoticed: the 80th anniversary of the National Labor Relations Act.
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SAVING THE GROUSE AND THE BRUSH — GUEST OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)
It was never a star.
The vast sagebrush that sprawls across 11 Western states is featured in nearly every epic cowboy movie ever filmed, but few people notice.
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FIRES OFFER FRESH REASON TO OPPOSE GAS PIPELINE — GUEST OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)
With wildfires raging across Oregon, it has become even more urgent for Gov. Kate Brown and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to oppose the liquefied natural gas export terminal and pipeline proposed for our state by a Canadian energy company.
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WILLAMALANE MOVES CLOSER TO TAKING OVER OWNERSHIP OF OLD WOOD-WASTE LANDFILL (Eugene Register-Guard)
State regulators are poised to give a clean bill of health to a wood-waste landfill, a move that eventually will let the local park district open to park use a large parcel that includes the landfill.
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LANE COUNTY TEACHERS PREPARE FOR NEW ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN (Eugene Register-Guard)
Teacher Cheri Westerkamp predicts the moment will arrive after school starts in coming days when the 5-year-olds in her classroom realize kindergarten is a full-time obligation.
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STATE EXPANDS PROGRAM TO CONNECT BIOSCIENCE ENTREPRENEURS WITH MENTORS (Eugene Register-Guard)
A program to help Oregon biotech entrepreneurs and business startups has expanded its statewide reach, with the goal of helping to grow these companies and the states economy.
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PROZANSKI RECALL CAMPAIGN SUBMITS ANOTHER 1,840 SIGNATURES (Eugene Register-Guard)
The campaign to recall state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, a Eugene Democrat, submitted 1,840 new signatures at its deadline Friday, bringing the total collected to around 10,500, campaign organizers said.
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FIRE BAN IN PARKS LIFTED IN WESTERN OREGON (Eugene Register-Guard)
With cooler temperatures and rain reducing the threat of wildfire, a fire ban in state parks has been eased.
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STATE NEEDS TO ENFORCE OWN LOTTERY LAWS — OPINION (Portland Tribune)
State lawmakers must look for ways to eliminate some of the dens of addiction that the current Oregon Lottery supports.
If necessary, lawmakers should consider adding to state statute further limitations on the number of lottery terminals allowed in certain retail locations.
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MORE THAN 100 BODIES UNIDENTIFIED IN OREGON’S MORGUES (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
In 1971, a man and his son found the scattered remains of a young woman while they were camping in the woods just north of the Oregon-California border.
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NEW WOTUS RULE: SO MUCH FOR CLARITY — OPINION (Capital Press)
-Waters of the United States rule in legal limbo.-
New water rules drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are now in effect in most of the country probably, maybe.
Authors of the rules wanted to bring greater clarity to federal regulation. Not so much, it turns out.
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ODOT TRACKS WRECKS, SUGGESTS FIXES FOR WORST SPOTS (East Oregonian)
-Highest priority stretches determined by per traveler wrecks, not total crashes or fatalities.-
Two crashes Thursday on Interstate 84 in Eastern Oregon sent at least six people to area hospitals and killed one man and a 3-year-old girl.
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MILLIONS OF OREGONIANS HAVE UNCLAIMED MONEY WAITING (East Oregonian)
-Oregonians can check to see if the state is holding money that is rightfully theirs.-
Half a billion dollars is sitting unclaimed in Oregon, and some of it could be yours.
Julie Curtis, public information manager for the Oregon Department of State Lands, said the states unclaimed property collection is growing bigger every year.
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SNOW FALLS ON CANYON CREEK FIRE (East Oregonian)
Just a few days ago, residents of Grant County were worried about a wildfire. This weekend they will worry about snow, rain and flooding.
After the Canyon Creek Complex fire grew to more than 110,000 acres on Thursday, the weather Friday was perfect for dampening its energy.
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REMOVAL OF OBSOLETE DAMS BENEFITS RIVERS, THE PUBLIC AND LANDOWNERS — GUEST OPINION (Medford Mail Tribune)
In recent years, the growing number of successful removals of obsolete dams on North Americas salmon-bearing streams has become a celebrated symbol of progress, and represents a fundamental change in our relationship with rivers.
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STATE SPORTFISHING REGULATIONS APPROVED FOR 2016 (Albany Democrat Herald)
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the 2016 Oregon sport fishing regulations at a recent meeting in Seaside. The new regulations include special regulations that create different season, gear restrictions and bag limits for different waters for trout and warmwater fishing.
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STATE BETS ON FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN — OPINION (Albany Democrat Herald)
The biggest change this school year in Oregon education may be occurring in the youngest grades, as full-day kindergarten classes are being offered this year throughout the state, including Albany.
Its a change that’s long been in the works, as educators and state officials search for ways to increase the percentage of students who can read at grade level by the time they reach the third grade.
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BAKER COUNTY FIRE CONTAINED (Argus Observer)
The Cornet-Windy Ridge Fire, burning between Durkee and Unity, was reported 100 percent contained Saturday morning on the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center website.
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OREGON’S OIL, GAS LAWS LAG BEHIND IDAHO (Argus Observer)
Idahos laws on oil and natural gas exploration looked a lot like Oregon’s a year ago.
Previously, Idaho had limited legal infrastructure because it was not a gas- or oil-producing state. Such laws were unnecessary a decade ago.
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WATER COMMISSION TO MEET IN ONTARIO (Argus Observer)
Members of the Oregon Water Resources Commission will meet in Malheur County Thursday and Friday to hear about effects of drought in the region.
The seven-member commission meets four or five times a year. One of the members is Bruce Corn, an Ontario-area farmer. He represents Eastern Oregon and is one of two members on the commission involved in agriculture.
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FEMA STANDARDS VS. THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS — OPINION (Argus Observer)
Vale City Manager Lynn Findley is riled up at FEMA and we cant say we blame him.
Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were in town in August to discuss the all-risk hazard map the agency wants to compile.
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TAKE IMPROVEMENT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT — GUEST OPINION (Argus Observer)
Oregon students have shown some modest improvement in college readiness, but there’s little reason to celebrate.
The Oregonian reported the ACT test results show 31 percent of Oregon test takers demonstrated they were ready for college in multiple subjects.
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RANCHERS CRITICIZE FOREST MANAGEMENT, FIREFIGHTING TACTICS (Daily Astorian)
Dozens of ranchers throughout Western states are dealing with grazing, hay and fence losses from wildfires. A complaint is that state and federal agencies need to reduce fuel loads and fight fires better.
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LNG PUBLIC HEARINGS WRAP (Daily Astorian)
During the second and final public hearing on the company’s land use permit applications, the projects opponents delivered the last of their oral testimony.
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WILDFIRE & WILDLIFE (Baker City Herald)
-How Baker County’s Biggest Blaze Affects Deer, Elk, Bighorn Sheep-
The biggest wildfire in Baker County history might not prove disastrous for wildlife that live in the burned areas.
But having said that, Brian Ratliff, the states lead wildlife biologist in the county, emphasizes that he doesnt diminish the damage resulting from the 103,000-acre Cornet/Windy Ridge fire in southern Baker County.
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AFTER A CENTURY, THE FIRE LOOKOUT IS STILL A KEY SPOT — OPINION (Baker City Herald)
The fire lookout is one of those rare analog anachronisms that remain useful in the age of the app.
Vital, even.
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SURVIVING THE FLAMES — OPINION (Baker City Herald)
The only statement about wildfires we can make with confidence is that theyre unpredictable.
Fires, in fact, have quite a lot in common with tornadoes. Both phenomena are dangerous and its almost impossible to know where they will go.
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WORK STILL TO DO ON THE FIRE — OPINION (Baker City Herald)
Baker County’s biggest wildfire hasn’t completely cooled, but its not too early to start healing the damage.
The soil, in particular, is vulnerable in the aftermath of the 103,791-acre Cornet/Windy Ridge fire, lacking roots to keep it in place on steep slopes and vegetation above to absorb and deflect raindrops.
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CRATER LAKE FIRE MAKES HISTORY (Bend Bulletin)
-Wildfire still burning is the largest in the national parks record books-
Amid a hectic wildfire season in Oregon, the largest fire in the recorded history of Crater Lake blackened the northwest corner of the states only national park.
Still burning after five weeks, but waning and 70 percent contained as of Saturday, the National Creek Complex Fire has burned 15,500 acres almost 25 square miles.
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FLOODING FEARS AMID CANYON CREEK COMPLEX WILDFIRE (Bend Bulletin)
With rain and even a little snow falling on the Canyon Creek Complex Fire near John Day, local officials were able to breathe a sigh of relief that flames are largely controlled, but another concern is emerging: the potential for catastrophic flooding.
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FEDS HELP OREGON WITH FIREFIGHTING COSTS (Bend Bulletin)
-Insurance policy not yet tapped-
While Oregon fire officials are still bracing for the end of fire season, the states bank account will receive assistance from the federal government, making the fire season less expensive for the state.
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BIG CHANGES IN OREGON FISHING RULES GET OK (Bend Bulletin)
Oregon’s top fish and wildlife officials voted today to approve widespread changes that will lengthen some angling seasons, change bag limits for some species and implement other changes that seek to help native fish.
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CAMPFIRE BAN LIFTED IN PARTS OF WESTERN OREGON (Bend Bulletin)
-Ban remains in effect in Central Oregon-
While a campfire ban continues at state parks in Central Oregon, a change in weather has led to an adjustment in restrictions elsewhere around the state.
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$6.4M LOTTERY TICKET SOLD IN BEND STILL UNCLAIMED (Bend Bulletin)
Eleven days after a winning Oregon Lottery ticket was sold in Bend, the $6.4 million prize remains unclaimed.
Chuck Baumann, spokesman with the lottery, said Friday the Megabucks ticket was sold Aug. 24.
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OREGON’S LOPSIDED ECONOMIC DEBATE — OPINION (Bend Bulletin)
About 14 years ago, business interests in Oregon got a divorce. The Associated Oregon Industries split off from the Oregon Business Association.
The split had some local roots. Former Oregon House Speaker Lynn Lundquist of Powell Butte helped launch the OBA. But there have been discussions again that they should join forces. That could be good for Oregon.
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LOCAL CONTROL IS THE GOAL — OPINION (Bend Bulletin)
Oregonians might be voting next year on a ballot initiative that would reshape how lottery money is spent.
It would take about $500 million a year out of the control of the Legislature. County governments would decide how that money would be spent.
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JUDGES MUST IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES — OPINION (Bend Bulletin)
Marion County Circuit Court Judge Vance Day, finds himself in what must be an unwanted public spotlight these days. His decision to refuse to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples has hit the news, as has a complaint against him filed with the states Judicial Fitness Commission.
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FEMA PROVIDES FUNDS TO FIGHT CANYON CREEK COMPLEX FIRE (Blue Mountain Eagle)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Canyon Creek Complex Fire.
FEMA Region X Regional Administrator Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire constituted a major disaster. Murphy approved Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant Aug. 14.
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SHOUTING MATCH WONT SOLVE THE FORESTS PROBLEMS — OPINION (Blue Mountain Eagle)
Lightning may have sparked the Canyon Creek Complex fires, but many local residents see a larger culprit in the hands-off management of the national forests over the past few decades.
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CITY, ODOT CELEBRATE WORK ON CROSSINGS (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
The city of Corvallis held a ribbon-cutting last week to celebrate the addition of three new bicycyle-pedestrian crossings, part of an ongoing cooperative project with the Oregon Department of Transportation that dates to 2006.
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WHO IS TAKING CARE OF THE GRANDPARENTS IN OREGON? (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
See where seniors are living with or without family in our state.
Roughly 1 in 3 seniors in Oregon are living without family. See how the stats vary by location.
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TAX-CREDIT MESS HAS LESSONS FOR BROWN — OPINION (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
Gov. Kate Browns decision to take a hard look at how the Oregon Department of Energy is managing the states energy tax credit program is welcome, but overdue, considering the programs troubled history.
The results of the review will be fascinating and the governor needs to emphasize transparency at every step in the process.
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GOALS BEHIND COMMON CORE AREN’T GOING AWAY — OPINION (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
While we wait to learn more about how Oregon students and school districts performed in last years initial wave of Smarter Balanced tests, its worth taking a moment to think more about what we hope to accomplish with this entire Common Core effort.
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LOWER UNEMPLOYMENT MAKES POSITIONS HARDER TO FILL (Hermiston Herald)
-Employers use various tools to find workers for hard-to-fill jobs.-
State Employment Department records say there may be more than 2,000 people unemployed in Umatilla County, but when a Hermiston employer has a job opening that doesn’t mean its easy to fill.
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STATE COMMISSION INVESTIGATES IRRIGON ADMINISTRATORS (Hermiston Herald)
-State commission investigates Irrigon administrators.-
Three administrators who worked for Morrow County School District in 2013 are being investigated by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.
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CYCLE OREGON BRINGING RIDERS TO THE REGION (LaGrande Observer)
Cycle Oregon participants will spin through the roaring canyons, rolling hills, jagged peaks and fertile farmland of Northeast Oregon and Western Idaho, which has been threatened by wildfires raging this summer.
About 2,200 bicyclists from Oregon, 48 other states and 9 countries will take to the roads of rural Northeastern Oregon starting Saturday as part of Cycle Oregon’s weeklong ride.
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FIREFIGHTERS GET A WELCOME RESPITE (LaGrande Observer)
Recent cooler temperatures and the onset of rain translated into a welcome reprieve for firefighters across the region, yet at least one area blaze is still scorching terrain in Wallowa County.
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EVACUATION NOTICES LIFTED FOR GRIZZLY BEAR COMPLEX FIRES (LaGrande Observer)
All evacuation notices for the state and private lands surrounding the Grizzly Bear Complex fires have been lifted due to successful fire suppression and moderation of the weather.
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RESTORING FISH HABITAT IN LADD CANYON (LaGrande Observer)
By Thanksgiving, fish are expected to gain access to more than 10 miles of habitat along Ladd Creek that has been shut off to them for decades.
The state departments of transportation and fish and wildlife are nearing the completion of the long-awaited Ladd Creek fish passage project, which will eliminate a 25-foot vertical drop along the creek where it crosses Interstate 84, near milepost 270.
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ELLIOTT STATE FOREST MEETING COMING (The World)
The Elliott State Forest in Douglas and Coos Counties, will be the topic of a kick-off meeting to provide information about an ownership transfer.
The Oregon Department of State Lands has scheduled that meeting for 10 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Department of Veterans Affairs Auditorium in Salem.
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TIMBER INDUSTRY STILL OFFERS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES (The World)
Growing up in a household with modest means, one of the phrases heard when we asked for something out of the family budget was money doesn’t grow on trees. But ironically, trees still grow a lot of money for the businesses, workers and families on Oregon’s South Coast.
