Josephine County GOP opposes 3% sales tax measure
The backers of a proposed seasonal sales tax in Josephine County have run into more opposition ahead of a vote next month. The county’s Republican Party says it cannot support the tax to fund local law enforcement — even though it was proposed by Republican members of the county commission. Democrats and local businesses have also opposed the measure. If approved, the tax would apply to the sale of most goods between April and October each year. The money would help local law enforcement agencies avoid potential staffing cuts. (Shaun Hall/Daily Courier)
Third straight La Niña means cold, wet winters for the region — and likely snow
Winter is coming, and it’s going to be a soggy one with the potential for some snowfall. That’s the consensus of meteorologists and forecasters who gathered on Saturday at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for the annual Winter Weather Forecast. Many predicted a third consecutive La Niña, a weather pattern that generally brings more moisture and colder temperatures than normal. While winter took top billing, there was some discussion of the increasingly hot summers in the region. It stopped there, though, as the Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society has banned talk of climate change at such meetings because discussions mimicked the region’s summer weather and grew increasingly heated. (Jim Redden/Portland Tribune)
A snow-covered vehicle on W. Burnside Street in Portland on April 11, 2022.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Vancouver sued over Safe Stay homeless housing location
The city of Vancouver is facing allegations that the city’s North Image Safe Stay Community cuts off access for the company’s construction vehicles to reach its multifamily housing site nearby. This has led to the filing of a lawsuit by the development company Herontide II LLC. Herontide II filed the suit in Clark County Superior Court, as well as a code enforcement action on Monday. (Sarah Wolf/The Columbian)
Forest Service employee’s arrest sparks larger debate over prescribed burns
Last week, a prescribed burn in the Malheur National Forest jumped containment lines and burned an estimated 20 to 40 acres of adjacent private land. It also led to the arrest of Rick Snodgrass, a U.S. Forest Service firefighter, igniting a larger debate over the agency’s practice of using intentional burns to reduce the impact of wildfires. In that ongoing debate, said Craig Trulock, supervisor of the 1.7 million-acre Malheur National Forest, “every individual has a different opinion and motivation.” According to Trulock, the burn was going according to plan. “We were within prescription on the burn,” Trulock said. Now it’s the subject of federal and local investigations. (Tony Chiotti/Capital Press)
A contract firefighter monitors the fire line along the perimeter of a prescribed burn in Bear Valley on Oct. 19, 2022.
Tony Chio / EO Media Group
Studded tire season is coming for areas of Oregon that see a lot of snow and ice
As rain, snow and low temperatures have descended upon Oregon, it marks the beginning of studded-tire season. From Nov. 1 through March 31, drivers can use studded tires for winter driving to gain better traction on icy roads. Driving with studded tires before Nov. 1 or after March 31 is a Class C violation and carries a fine of up to $200. (Dejania Oliver/Statesman Journal)
