News Stories for Thu., Sep. 6, 2018

The Warm Springs Reservation has moved into an Industrial Fire Precaution Level Three for all zones.   Also effective immediately is the rescission of the reservation-wide burn ban. While the reservation is no longer in “extreme fire danger” – there remains dry fuel conditions, gusty winds and persistent drought.  Everyone is reminded to use caution if you are in the country or the forest.  Please be aware of your surroundings and be fire safe.

The “Housing for All” regional housing consortium released the findings of a regional survey regarding housing needs in Central Oregon.  The results reflect the perceptions of community members and professionals across a variety of housing-related industry sectors in the region.  Results show 84% of respondents stated that housing affordability is a “serious problem” in Central Oregon.  75% of respondents stated that the region needs more small single-family homes.  AND 89% of public health/human service providers indicated that their clients’ biggest housing need was to obtain housing.   The full survey report can be accessed at: https://coic2.org/needs-assessment/

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden yesterday, pushed U.S. Department of Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke to reverse his decision to withhold from the Klamath Tribe almost $500,000 in already allocated funding for critical water quality research in the Upper Klamath Lake. The letter says the loss of the funding source…will undermine ongoing efforts to prevent extinction of two fish species in the Upper Klamath Lake. Noting the tribal significance of—and water quality threats facing—the C’waam and Koptu fish, the senators say the decision to reprogram the funds at the eleventh hour gives the appearance of an overtly political decision. The senators requested Zinke adhere to direction from Congress in the Fiscal Year 2018 spending bill and restore the $472,550 in  funding immediately.