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Rare pacific football fish washes up on coast
A rare fish that lives in complete darkness at 2,000-3,300 feet has washed up on the Oregon coast. Find out more here.
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Oregon Health Authority reports a rise in use of lethal doses
The Oregon Health Authority has reported a rise in use of lethal doses by way of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Learn more here.
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New information uncovered as the California redwoods recover from fire
The redwoods in California have a vast energy storage system catalyzing their recovery from the 2020 wildfires. Read the article by the San Francisco Chronicle here.
By Julie Johnson of the SF Chronicle
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Archaeologists find new evidence in Southern Oregon that suggests human habitation 18,000 years ago
New evidence suggests humans were in Oregon more than 18,000 years ago.
Photo Courtesy of Becky Raines / University of Oregon
By Ella Hutcherson (Jefferson Public Radio)
Archaeologists have new evidence suggesting that humans occupied Oregon more than 18,000 years ago. This makes it one of the oldest known sites of human occupation in North America.
A 2023 radiocarbon dating analysis was made based on findings at the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter near Burns, Oregon. The University of Oregon Archaeological Field School has been excavating at the site, which features a shallow overhang in an otherwise open environment. The field school has been working in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management since 2011.
UO staff archaeologist Patrick O’Grady said in 2012 the team found telling objects — camel tooth enamel fragments and a human-made tool — deep in the rock shelter, buried underneath the ash of a Mt. St. Helens eruption from over 15,000 years ago.
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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.