News release (originally issued February 13 2024)
BOEM has designated two final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the Oregon coast, the Coos Bay WEA is 61,204 acres and located approximately 32 miles (mi) from shore. The Brookings WEA is 133,808 acres and approximately 18 mi off the coast. If fully developed, the Final WEAs could support 2.4 GW of energy production.
The news release can be read in full here
Press release:
The State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The meeting will take place remotely via the internet on Microsoft Teams and is open to the public. The agenda and handouts will be posted on the Council’s website.
What: Meeting of the State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council
When: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Microsoft Teams click here to join the meeting
Who: State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council
The State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council is established by Governor Kotek’s Executive Order 23-26, Establishing a State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.
The purpose of the Council is to recommend an action plan to guide awareness education, and usage of artificial intelligence in state government that aligns with the State’s policies, goals, and values and supports public servants to deliver customer service more efficiently and effectively. The recommended action plan shall include concrete executive actions, policies, and investments needed to leverage artificial intelligence while honoring transparency, privacy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Meetings of the State Government Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council are open to the public. Public comment may be made during the meeting. Sign-up for public comment is required as spots are limited. Sign-up closes Friday, March 15 at noon. Written comment will also be accepted. Written comment can be submitted by mail to the Council Support Office, 550 Airport Rd SE Suite C, Salem, OR 97301 or online.
Accommodations can be arranged for persons with disabilities, and alternate formats of printed material are available upon request. Please contact Enterprise Information Services at 503-378-3175 at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting to request accommodations. Closed captioning is included on the Microsoft Teams meeting.
Contact:
Shirlene Gonzalez
Legislative and Communications Director, Enterprise Information Services
971-803-1766
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will host “Yozakura,” night viewing of the Akebono cherry blossoms, March 16 through April 6 in the North Mall at State Capitol State Park.
Parks staff will illuminate the cherry blossoms with Japanese lanterns and lights nightly 6-9 p.m. Visitors may bring blankets, camping chairs or an evening picnic to enjoy under the canopy of the illuminated trees.
According to a news release from the Oregon State Capitol, “The lanterns and lights create a striking and beautiful scene inside the park at night.”
The Focal Point Photography Club of Dallas will be in the park March 23 at 7 p.m. to help photographers capture the perfect shot of the illuminated blossoms. SamaZama, a koto and cello duo, will perform in the park March 30 at 7 p.m. The duo will also perform March 16 as part of the Cherry Blossom Day sponsored by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation and the City of Salem.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will livestream the cherry blossoms on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OregonParks beginning March 16 during the day and evening through April 6.
Park staff ask that tree limbs and blossoms be left as is so everyone can view them throughout the bloom. Alcohol is not allowed in State Capitol State Park (without permits) and the park closes at 10 p.m.
For more information on events at the Capitol, call Visitor Services at 503-986-1388 or visit the events page .
The hospital auxiliaries in Newport and Lincoln City are hosting fundraising scrubs sales in cooperation with CareWear Uniforms during the first week of April.
The sales are open to the public, with staff from other health care and dental offices welcome.
Newport: Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Auxiliary is hosting its sale on Monday, April 1, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Conference Rooms 1 and 2. This is in the hospital’s two-story building.
Lincoln City: Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital Auxiliary is hosting its sale on Tuesday, April 2, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Building 8 on the hospital campus. This is located directly east of the Samaritan Lincoln City Medical Center.
At both sites, there will be a large display of scrubs and footwear, including sandals for summer, in many styles and colors. CareWear offers a wide range of popular scrubs and comfortable footwear brands. A variety of other items will be available, such as water bottles, socks, backpacks and more.
A portion of sales proceeds goes to the auxiliaries which support the hospitals in many ways, such as grants to help employees continue their education, to purchase equipment for departments within the hospital, and for scholarships for nursing students at Oregon Coast Community College.
Thirty five hundred trout found their way to a new home this morning when Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) personnel delivered the slippery rainbows into Devils Lake at Regatta Park in Lincoln City.
According to delivery staff the fish are of “catchable size and because they are sterile are meant to be caught.” Left to their own devices the fish can live up to two years.
According to Lake Director Boone Marker a recent survey of the lake showed a marked improvement in grass overgrowth and should pose no problem to the success of the trout.
It was a short trip for these wigglers having been bred and raised in the hatchery in Otis.
A majority of the fish seemed ready to swim and find safety in their new habitat. Some struggled but it was explained that some fish go through a period of shock and bladder adjustment and will ultimately become acclimated.
The first meeting of the Brownfield Advisory Committee (BAC) was held in Council chambers at the Lincoln City City Hall on Monday March 11.
The BAC was formed as an advisory group comprised of local business and government officials that might have some interest in identifying brownfield sites within Lincoln City.
A brownfield is land that has been identified as or identified as possibly having some type of toxic material on it or under its surface.
Remediation of contaminated land can be a time and money consuming process that may, essentially, destroy the value of a parcel of land and threaten the worth of neighboring property-depending on the type of contamination present and whether there is a threat of it spreading via ground water or runoff.
Thanks to a grant that Lincoln City applied for and received a few years ago, the city has partnered with environmental consultants from Maul Foster & Alongi and Akana.
Together with oversite from Economic Development and Urban Renewal Director Alison Robertson and Economic Development Project manager Seth Lenaerts, the BAC hopes to help identify heretofore unmarked properties that could benefit from analysis of their condition.
In particular they are tasked with noting properties that may have sat vacant for a while and forwarding that information to the consultant team so they might approach the land owner and offer help-if needed.
According to Lenaerts all potential clean ups are “owner driven,” meaning that no government intrusion would occur without being invited by the property owner to participate.
The BAC is comprised of;
Lori Arce-Torres-Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce
Tracy Baily- Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Korey Hazard-Taylor and Taylor Realty
Amy Libby Graham-Taylor and Taylor Realty
Karen Rockwell-Housing Authority of Lincoln County
Paul Schuytema-Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County
Chad Ulrich-Oregon State Credit union
Tammy Viles-Washington Federal Bank
While most admitted that they had little to no knowledge about brownfields they showed an eagerness to learn and to help the process move forward. The group is tentatively scheduled to meet quarterly for updates and training.
According a news release from Adventist Health Tillamook, “
Due to long-standing challenges with provider staffing, Adventist Health has announced the closure of its medical offices in Sheridan, Welches and Lincoln City.
These closures are due to the years-long efforts and difficulty recruiting qualified providers in these rural communities. “We have faced significant challenges with not only recruiting but retaining providers in these areas, even working with national and renown recruiting firms with a high track record of success have not helped the situation,” said Eric Swanson, President of Adventist Health Tillamook.
The clinic in Lincoln City will close on April 12, Hoodland in Welches on April 1, and Sheridan on March 17.
All affected associates and providers have been notified and will be offered to apply for employment opportunities within the Adventist Health system, including positions local to their current locations.
Swanson emphasizes, “This decision reflects no shortfall in the dedication or service of our affected associates. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering commitment to our mission.”
The closure dates and last day for staff at each location are as follows:
• Sheridan clinic will close on March 17, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office April 1, 2024.
• Hoodland clinic (Welches, Oregon) will close on April 1, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office April 15, 2024.
• Lincoln City clinic will close on April 12, 2024, last day for clinical staff in office May 1, 2024.
According to a spokesperson for Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital,
“Beginning Monday, Feb. 26, and continuing for approximately three weeks, underground utility work near Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City will create traffic delays. Patients with appointments at the hospital are asked to allow extra time.
The road work is taking place on Northeast West Devils Lake Road by the new apartment building under construction directly south of the hospital. The best way to get to the hospital is from Holmes Road or from Northeast West Devils Lake Road traveling from the north. It is best to avoid any travel from the south, such as 14th Street by Regatta Park or 22nd Street by Oceanlake Elementary.
Once motorists are near the hospital campus, they can enter by the Lincoln City Medical Center south driveway or the Building 5 north driveway.”
House Bill 4147, would allow automated stop arm cameras to be installed on school buses. On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the House Education Committee passed the legislation. Today, it was passed with 49 votes in the Oregon House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate.
According to a House of Representatives press release, “A 2023 nationwide survey of bus drivers shows concerning data. Across the country, over 62,000 vehicles unlawfully overtook school buses within a one-day survey period. Oregon-specific data showed that our bus drivers documented 1,427 stop arm violations in a single day – a staggering number of violations.”
House Bill 4147 would remove the current prohibition in Oregon on stop arm camera use and would allow (but not require) school districts to partner with law enforcement. Signage that a stop arm camera is in use will be required to be posted on the school bus and the State Board of Education will need to adopt standards for the signage.
At this time no fine or punishment matrix has been published.
To see a video about a similar system from FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul click here
In an exciting back and forth 3A playoff match Tuesday night between the Taft Tigers boy’s Varsity basketball squad and Amity High Warriors the contest settled into a tie at the end of four quarters.
As the teams of teens readied themselves for what each surely hoped would be a victory, they entered the overtime (OT) period before a loud and raucous crowd at the Taft 7-12 gymnasium.
The Tiger band was in top form with energizing music that kept the fever pitch going until the very last second expired on the digital scoreboard.
From the OT tip off the Tigers struggled to mount a coordinated offense giving up rebound after rebound from missed shot opportunities. With exception of a crowd pleasing three pointer the boys from Taft’s would not score again.
The Warriors did not fare much better in open court with their victory margin coming at the hands of consistent foul shooting.
The mighty Tigers finished with a final season record of 14-12 overall.
The team and the school can be proud of their season as they played with great heart and sportsmanship
