High number of whales entangled in fishing gear last year
Endangered whales continue to get caught in commercial fishing gear off the West Coast. There were 28 confirmed cases of whales entangled in fishing gear off the coasts of Oregon, Washington and California in 2022. Most of those were endangered humpback or gray whales. Since 2014, entanglements counted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been above average. Scientists say the whales have altered their migration patterns closer to shore in search of food. That’s put them more often in the range of fishing operations. NOAA has been encouraging the use of new fishing gear that can minimize the use of ropes and greatly reduce the risk of entanglement. (Tracy Loew/Salem Statesman Journal)
Compromise struck on Oregon’s right to refuse work law
Legislation bolstering the right to refuse dangerous work in Oregon is moving forward after key stakeholders struck a compromise, though a final deal hinges on future negotiations. Federal and state laws already allow employees to turn down hazardous duties under certain conditions, but labor advocates complain the rules are too complex to be practicable. Changes to labor law under Senate Bill 907 would clarify the process for rejecting tasks believed to threaten life and limb without exposing the employee to retaliation. Employees would be required to try reporting these fears to their bosses, who’d have an opportunity to respond to the objections. If the concerns weren’t alleviated with additional training or protective equipment, for example, employees could use their vacation or sick time rather than perform the assignment. (Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press)
Cottage Grove settles with police officer in gender harassment suit
A former Cottage Grove police officer will receive $100,000 in the settlement of a lawsuit in which she alleged she was subject to harassment and unequal treatment based on her gender. The Chronicle reports that Gabriela Iboa Pierce sued the city of Cottage Grove after she was fired last year. The paper says Pierce alleged she was subject to extra scrutiny and was denied training opportunities. The settlement comes after two high-ranking Cottage Grove police officers resigned last year under mysterious circumstances. The Chronicle obtained public records that showed the two officers engaged in racist and homophobic behavior and inappropriately released inmates from the city’s jail. (Chris M Lehman/KLCC)
City of Vancouver turns focus to short-term rentals on Airbnb, Vrbo, other sites
There are more than 300 short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs and Vrbos, in Vancouver. And many of them them are illegal. That’s because short-term rentals — defined by the city as units rented by individuals for less than 30 days — are forbidden in Vancouver’s residential zones unless they are bed and breakfasts. A city website states that officials believe that “most existing short-term rentals do not meet this requirement,” but the city has generally looked the other way on short-term rentals. That could soon change with proposed ordinances that would increase inspections, alter land-use regulations to allow short-term rentals and introduce a permit application process. (Carlos Fuentes/The Columbian)
Central Oregon sees huge increase in homeless youth and families, new data shows
Oregon has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people who are homeless, and Central Oregon has some of the highest rates in the country of unsheltered homelessness among unaccompanied youth and families with children, a report of 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shows. In 2022, 373 families with children were homeless and unsheltered in Central Oregon, according to the report. In the same year, there were 103 unaccompanied homeless youth living unsheltered in Central Oregon. These are some of the highest rates in the nation, and they’re likely not the full picture, said Eliza Wilson, the director of runaway and homeless youth programs for J Bar J Youth Services. “It’s always an undercount,” Wilson said. (Anna Kaminski/The Bulletin)