Medford, OR – According to the state officials, both counties have portions of extreme drought and are experiencing well below average water year precipitation. Streamflow has also been well below average in both counties over the water year, with Deschutes at 78% and Grant at 44% of its average streamflow. Streamflow at their respective basins have been below average, with Deschutes at 71% and John Day at 39%. Reservoir conditions in the Deschutes Basin are approaching historic lows and soil moisture conditions across surface, root zone and shallow groundwater profiles are extremely dry. Above average snowpack conditions, 117% in Deschutes…
Author: Tony Cooper
Portland, OR – But, according to the statement, disparities persist and rents across the city remain unaffordable for many, despite rising incomes. On March 22, 2023, the Portland Housing Bureau releases the latest State of Housing in Portland report, which shows continued struggles with affordability in our local housing market, both for renters and prospective homebuyers. While incomes are rising across the board and the city is becoming more educated and more racially diverse, disparities persist: Portland’s renter households and Communities of Color continue to earn less than their white, homeowning counterparts. From 2021 to 2022, the average overall asking rent increased…
Medford, OR – According to the state officials, Gov. Kotek participated in three community conversations on the topics of education, mental health and recovery, and housing and homelessness. The day started at Vernonia Elementary School where Governor Kotek met with first graders, read the picture book “Be Kind,” and discussed the importance of reading and kindness with the students. She also met with and took questions from a fourth-grade class about the work the governor does, ways she can help, and more. Governor Kotek then led a roundtable discussion with school administrators and teachers. The discussion centered on efforts she is…
Portland, OR – According to the state officials, they could create intermittent periods of hazardous traveling conditions across the city, at all elevations. Periods of brief, localized accumulating snow or hail of up to 1 inch or more could potentially impact travel during the Friday morning and evening rush hour periods, as well as travel on Saturday morning. If hail or snow do accumulate, forecasters say they would likely melt away promptly, thanks to warming temperatures. People driving, walking or biking are advised to be prepared to respond to the weather conditions you see on your trip. If you see snow,…
Salem, OR – According to the statement, city officials have entered the fourth and final phase of restoration in the Willamette Slough and next week Integrated Resource Management will be planting 12,850 native bareroot plants. City officials also said that work will begin on Monday, March 20, and continue through Wednesday, March 22, or until all plants are installed. The work includes site preparation, planting, and installation of beaver fencing in select planting areas. Over the past three years, the City of Salem and Willamette Riverkeeper have treated the aggressive, invasive Ludwigia, which had gained a stranglehold on the Willamette Slough at Minto Brown Island…
Salem, OR – According to the city officials, these projects are nominated by neighborhood associations across the city and represent critical infrastructure needs for those spaces. This year the committee was able to fund all of the nominated projects in full. City officials announced that the Salem Parks Improvement Fund was first established in 2006 and is intended to provide an opportunity for Salem neighborhood associations to partner with the City and help make local park improvements. The SPIF Grant annually awards up to $60,000 for park projects. In October, neighborhood associations submit project requests, which are reviewed by City…
Portland, OR – As we all know by now, excess vehicular parking has a significant negative impact on housing costs, business costs, the feasibility of housing development and business redevelopment, walkability, air and water pollution, climate pollution, and general community character. Parking mandates force people who don’t own or use cars to pay indirectly for other people’s parking. Planning practices of the past have imposed a one-size-fits-all requirement everywhere, creating incentives to own more cars and drive more. The Parking Compliance Amendments Project (PCAP) includes four proposals to bring Portland into compliance with the state’s new rules: 1. Remove minimum…
Medford, OR – According to the officials, this partnership will reportedly provide dedicated security in elementary schools and complement school resource officers, who are primarily housed in middle and high schools. MSD plans to have three Marshals this spring that will rotate schools and increase the number each year, with the goal of covering each elementary school. Here’s some information about the program: Marshals are recently retired law enforcement officers who are armed but do not wear uniforms. Part of the effectiveness of the program is that they blend into the school community and can respond quickly to a variety of security…
Medford, OR – According to the Medford Police Department, these participants spent one evening a week over the past 11 weeks learning about the local police department and the services they provide to the community. Medford Police Department officials also said that this was a great opportunity for them to get to know their citizens better. Dear readers, if you’re interested, the Medford Police Department has a Citizens Academy every year starting in January, so please keep an eye on their Facebook page and the City’s website for information about next year’s class. More information here. This is a developing story…
Eugene, OR – According to the city officials, Art in the Parks will award up to $5,000 per project to individuals or organizations who wish to produce their own quality programming in the City’s publicly accessible parks. Officials also said that a total of $25,000 will be awarded to selected Eugene-based recipients for the 2023 grant cycle. The Art in the Parks grant seeks to steward vibrant, inspiring places that foster personal, community and environmental wellbeing. The program intends to cultivate a sense of belonging in the park system and pride in historically underrepresented groups such as Eugene’s BIPOC and LGBTQIA+…