A group of volunteer advisors to the Oregon Health Authority has voted Tuesday to make the state the third in the nation to seek federal approval for a basic health program.
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Blizzard warning in effect Tuesday morning
A rare blizzard warning has been issued for Oregon passes and goes into effect Tuesday at 4 a.m. Read the original Statesman Journal article HERE.
READ THE ORIGINAL STATESMAN JOURNAL ARTICLE HERE
Photo by Oregon Department of Transportation via Wikimedia
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Cascades are expecting a winter storm this weekend
Snowpack in the Cascades is less than 40% of what it should be, but significant snow is expected this weekend. Learn more here.
READ THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL OPB ARTICLE HERE
This image is a work of the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. -
Hwy. 97 project will affect traffic for 8 months
The next phase of the N. Hwy 97 project has began and will change traffic between Grandview Drive and Empire Avenue.
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New, wider footbridge at Smith Rock State Park ready to welcome hikers, climbers
The new wooden walk bridge at Smith Rock is open! Learn more here.
After a 2-month closure for the replacement project, a new, wider footbridge is ready to welcome climbers and hikers at Smith Rock State Park. Another project underway is a new helipad for medical personnel, in case of emergencies.
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Collective Soul Live & Outdoors This Thursday Evening!
A perfect fall evening in Bend with Collective Soul. What could be better?
The Kendall Toyota of Bend Concert Series is proud to bring you Collective Soul. The iconic post grunge 90’s band will be live and outdoors, THIS THURSDAY EVENING, at Century Center on Bend’s Westside, playing all their hits like:
Tickets are locally priced just $45 and on sale now at Bendticket.com . Part of the Kendall Toyota of Bend Concert Series. Produced by BackyardMedia.
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The 2nd Annual Kendall Soap Box Derby is Back!
Looking for some good clean fun this weekend? The 2nd Annual Kendall Auto Soapbox Derby is back! This year it will be held at River’s Edge Golf Course, this Saturday, from 2-6:30PM. The event features traditional Soapbox Derby racing with the added competitive criteria of “crowd judging” in combination with time trials. There will be a Soapbox Car Show, Food Vendors, Beer, and even a long put competition! The 2nd Annual Kendall Auto Soapbox Derby is designed to raise money for many of Central Oregons most valuable non-profits. Kendall Auto has invited local businesses & nonprofit organizations, high school teams, and beyond to participate in this fun event benefiting our local charities.Kendall Cares will be donating up to $10,000 between the top 3 teams (Up to $5000 for 1st, up to $3000 for 2nd, and up to $2000 for 3rd)*. Teams are required to choose a beneficiary that they will donate 50% of their winnings to, and can choose to keep or donate the other 50%. -
Oregon becomes 3rd in nation to seek federal approval for a basic health program
Oregon is seeking fed approval for a basic health program. Learn more here.
Article by Oregon Public Broadcasting (By Amelia Templeton (OPB)) – SEE THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE
OHA advisors say yes to free health care for adults at 138-200% of the poverty level
Article by Oregon Public Broadcasting (By Amelia Templeton (OPB)) – SEE THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE
Photo Credits: The emergency wing of the Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Northwest Portland on July 28, 2023. Caden Perry / OPB
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Oregon opens applications for new paid family leave program
Oregon’s new paid family leave program begins in September. Learn more here.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Oregon’s new paid family leave program opened for applications Monday, following four years of preparation — disrupted by COVID — after the Legislature authorized it in 2019 with bipartisan support.
Why it matters: Lack of paid family leave often forces workers to choose between paying the bills and caring for a loved one.
State of play: The program allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member or their own health or personal safety. It will cover the entire paycheck of a minimum wage worker and scales down as income climbs.
- Oregon is now one of a dozen states where most workers will have this benefit regardless of employer.
- It’s one of five that include “affinity” relationships in the definition of family.
How it works: Both employees and employers have been paying into the Paid Leave Oregon fund since the beginning of this year. Sept. 3 is the earliest that benefits can start.
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Gov. Kotek signs six bills aimed at addressing Oregon's mental health, addiction issues
Gov. Kotek signed bills that will address Oregon’s mental health. Learn more here.
KGW8, SALEM, Ore. — Gov. Tina Kotek vowed to make meaningful strides for behavioral health in Oregon on Tuesday. She signed into law six bills that aim to strengthen the state’s response to mental health and substance abuse issues.
“The bills I am signing mark progress towards building a behavioral health continuum of care that incorporates harm reduction, suicide prevention, stronger tools against substance abuse among youth and adults, and improvements to the implementation of Measure 110,” Kotek said to a group of lawmakers and advocates.
Among the bills signed into law, two focus on preventing overdose deaths. House Bill 2395expands the access of short-acting opioid overdose reversal medications like Narcan and naloxone, making them more readily available in public buildings, stores, police departments and schools.
The second bill, Senate Bill 1043, requires hospitals, sobering and detox facilities to provide two doses of opioid overdose reversal medication to patients when they’re discharged.
“The goal is to help people be healthy and stay alive,” Kotek said.
Then there’s the bill to fix issues with Measure 110, or HB 2513. The governor’s office said it will strengthen Measure 110 by increasing staffing and improving application processes to speed up approval and get funds out the door, centralizing the support hotline to get people connected to services more efficiently, and improving program data collection and accuracy.
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Oregon facing threats from invasive vine mealybugs
Invasive vine mealybugs have been found in Southern Oregon. Find out more here.
By Rolando Hernandez (OPB)
An invasive vine mealybug was found in Southern Oregon in 2021 and since then, vineyards have been fighting to eradicate the insect. The pest can cause significant damage to Oregon’s grape vines, affecting fruit quality and mold growth. State funding from SB 5506 will invest more than $400,000 to monitor, research and suppress the insect before it becomes widespread in the state.
Brian Gruber is the president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association. Greg Jones is the vice chair on the Oregon Wine Board’s board of directors. And Vaughn Walton is a professor at Oregon State University’s horticulture department . They join us now to share how this bug can potentially affect Oregon’s vineyards and the potential impact of the funding to address the threat it poses.