Here we snow again
Exactly a year ago Tuesday, Portland saw measurable snow on the ground in the month of April for the first time in over 100 years. Now the National Weather Service says snow is in the forecast again for Portland, Vancouver and the western Columbia River Gorge. Most of the snow is predicted to fall at areas above 1,000 feet of elevation, where up to a half-inch could accumulate by Wednesday morning. Lower elevations may see a mix of rain and snow with little or no accumulation. The weather service says there could be some slowdowns for the Wednesday morning commute, but any snow is expected to melt quickly, as temperatures should be in the 40s starting around 10 a.m. (OPB Staff)
Southern Oregon food pantry visits jump 41% as pandemic benefits expire
Visits to ACCESS food pantries in Jackson County jumped from 3,432 to 4,842 — a 41% increase — between February and March. These figures, provided by the community action agency, includes regular visitors to food pantries showing up more often, and more people visiting overall. Staff attribute the rise in pantry visits partly to the expiration of pandemic-related emergency allotments approved by Congress. In March, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollees saw their monthly amounts scaled back as the food assistance amounts returned to pre-pandemic levels. The average recipient was expected to lose about $90, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Erick Bengel/Rogue Valley Times)
Oregon recreation businesses still subject to lawsuits after bill dies
A bill that would have restored the power of liability waivers, often used to protect outdoor recreation and fitness businesses from lawsuits, has died in the Oregon Legislature. Senate Bill 754 was pushed by Oregon ski areas, outfitters and gyms as a way to bring down the rising cost of insurance premiums. It would have overturned a 2014 Oregon Supreme Court decision that all but nullified waivers — an agreement that a person assumes the risk of a certain activity, while recreating at such places as a ski area or mountain bike park. The bill received a public hearing but failed to make it out of its legislative committee. (Zach Urness/Salem Statesman Journal)
New tech could help Deschutes Brewery boost its nonalcoholic beer lineup
Deschutes Brewery is planning to expand its roster of nonalcoholic beverages and is making new investments to brew nonalcoholic beers at its facility in Bend. The craft beer powerhouse announced on Monday that it’s forming a partnership with Colorado-based Sustainable Beverage Technologies to bring its nonalcoholic beer capability in-house. “Near beer,” once relegated to the far corners of grocery and convenience stores, is now finding its way into prime real estate in the beer aisle. Deschutes says it will use the patented BrewVo system, developed by Sustainable Beverage Technologies, to produce nonalcoholic beverages at scale. (Michael Kohn/The Bend Bulletin)
Related: Oregon brewers and distillers help lead the nonalcoholic beverage boom
Clark County home sales and listings surge in March
Clark County’s housing market is heating up. Jumps in new listings and sales activity in March show homebuyers are making moves this spring — a typically busy season for buying. Pending sales in Clark County rose to 585 in March, up 17% from February. New listings surged by more than 50%, up from 461 in February to 701 in March, though listings remain low relative to previous years, according to the most recent Regional Multiple Listing Service report. Despite new houses on the market, demand continues to outpace supply. Also, the Portland Business Journal reports that median home prices across the river in Portland are lower than this time last year to start the buying season. (Kelsey Turner/The Columbian)