Declining habitat suspected in slowing growth of Oregon’s wolf numbers
The growth of Oregon’s wolf population slowed to a crawl during the past few years. State biologists attribute that anemic growth to a decline in available habitat in the northeastern corner of Oregon, where most wolves reside. But some of it also comes from turnover of breeding adults in some packs, said Roblyn Brown, wolf coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. At the same time, humans killed 17 Oregon wolves in 2022, six of them illegally. According to state numbers released Tuesday, 178 wolves roamed the state in 2022, up slightly from 175 in 2021 and 173 in 2020. The state counted 24 different packs, up from 21 in 2021, and officials say those packs are spread more widely and deeper into western Oregon than ever before. (Zach Urness/Statesman Journal)
Train spills 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel in Cottage Grove
A train spilled about 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel in Cottage Grove, Oregon, after railroad equipment punctured a fuel tank Tuesday afternoon. In a press release, the Oregon Department of Environment Quality says the fuel spilled near South Sixth Avenue and Oregon Highway 99, south of Bohemia Park. DEQ says no waterways are affected. The train is owned and operated by Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, which deployed contractors to clean up the spill. Crews will likely begin excavating diesel-contaminated soil Wednesday, which may cause some traffic delays. DEQ will oversee the cleanup. (OPB Staff)
A school district in Willamette Valley avoids teachers strike
The Silver Falls School District and the union representing its teachers came to an agreement late Monday night, avoiding a strike. The Silver Falls Education Association said mediation lasted more than 15 hours Monday before the two sides reached an agreement. The district had been bargaining with teachers for months over a new contract. Class size in low-income schools was one of the last items left to resolve. The Woodburn School District and its teachers have also been nearing a strike. Teachers there are holding a “last chance rally” Wednesday, as their bargaining team sits down for a final mediation session with the district. (Elizabeth Miller/OPB)
Washington investigates La Center schools’ gender policy and superintendent
Washington officials have opened an investigation into the La Center School District and Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz to look into complaints that a new policy violates state guidelines around students’ freedom of expression. Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction received a complaint on Feb. 16 about the district’s gender policy, which prohibits staff from asking students to share their preferred pronouns and instructs staff to alert principals and family members when a student shares pronouns or a name that are different from what’s on school record. According to the complaint filed with OSPI, the district also placed administrative letters — essentially a demerit — in the employment files of the complainants, pending no other incidents of “asking students about their pronouns.” (Griffin Reilly/The Columbian)
Clatsop County’s transit system may suspend operations
Clatsop County’s mass transit system stands on the brink of shutting down after a revelation this week that the agency is broke. Jeff Hazen, executive director for the Sunset Empire Transportation District, told the agency’s board Tuesday Sunset Empire is in dire financial shape with a critical shortfall in cash. In a memo, Hazen said that shortfall stems partly from delayed reimbursement payments from the state and rising operational expenses. But the meeting ended on an optimistic note as Arla Miller from the Oregon Department of Transportation, shared a potential solution: She may be able to release up to $800,000 from a contingency in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund. The board approved delaying a decision until the transit district receives a response from the state on the contingency money. (Ethan Myers/Daily Astorian)
Fire in downtown John Day remains under investigation
Investigators are looking for the cause of a fire that began Monday night at DP Home Entertainment in downtown John Day, destroying two businesses and an empty storefront. Firefighters from throughout Grant County spent hours keeping the fire from consuming adjoining businesses on the 100 block of East Main Street, limiting the destruction mainly to minor smoke damage. John Day Fire Chief Don Gabbard said no one was injured and that a deputy fire marshal from La Grande is investigating. Volunteer fire crews from John Day, Canyon City, Mt. Vernon and Prairie City responded to the blaze. Fire departments from Redmond, Bend and Sunriver also sent crews to help fight the fire, Gabbard said. (Neil Nisperos/Blue Mountain Eagle)