News Stories Tue., Apr. 24, 2018

A free car seat check and car seat distribution is happening tomorrow in Warm Springs. There will be Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians from Warm Springs, the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital assisting. And, they will have available both convertible and booster seats to give out to families. They do prefer that appointments be made ahead of time, but they will take drop ins too. They will be set up from 10a-2pm tomorrow in the ECE parking lot between ECE and the Agency Longhouse. To schedule an appointment, contact Candice Jimenez at 503-416-3264.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Some residents of an Oregon county are asking voters to sign a petition that would put a measure on the ballot barring local officials from enforcing any gun control law. The proposed Second Amendment Preservation Ordinance was filed with the Deschutes County clerk last week. It comes as gun control advocates are trying to get a measure on the statewide ballot that would restrict assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines.

UNDATED (AP) — Opioid overdoses killed 1,354 Americans ages 65 and older in 2016, but Medicare doesn’t cover the oldest proven treatment for opioid addiction: methadone. A White House commission, the nation’s governors and addiction experts have called for Medicare to start paying for treatment in methadone clinics. Congress is considering legislation.

As summer approaches, the Oregon Health Authority is reminding outdoor enthusiasts to be alert for harmful algae blooms when recreating in Oregon lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Most blooms are harmless but under the right conditions some can produce toxins capable of causing illness in people and animals. If toxin levels are above OHA guideline values for human health, the agency issues a health advisory warning people to stay out of affected water. This year after evaluating current research, OHA is reducing the toxin guideline values to further protect the public. Since only a fraction of Oregon’s fresh waters are monitored, OHA advises people to stay out of the water if it looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint and pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red in color.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it will treat as “carbon neutral” the burning of wood and wood byproducts at power plants and other facilities, a policy declaration that pleased the forestry industry and dismayed environmental groups. In the regulatory context, rating the burning of biomass as carbon neutral will be a boon to the forestry industry because the fuel will be considered to be on par with other renewable sources such as solar and wind.