Make the McKenzie Connection!

Articles from the June 1, 2023 edition


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  • Pass not open yet

    Jun 1, 2023

    MCKENZIE BRIDGE: The earliest possible opening date for the Old McKenzie Pass is the third Monday in June, and officials at the Oregon Dept. of Transportation say they believe they are aiming for that date. “We used to (around 10 years ago and earlier) let people know when we were going to start plowing, but we aren’t doing that anymore for a variety of reasons,” according to Kacey Davey, an ODOT public information officer. “Before the highway is open, and after we have cut through the snow, o...

  • Prescribed burn now a wildfire

    Jun 1, 2023

    Firefighters quickly engaged this afternoon when a prescribed burn being conducted on the McKenzie River Ranger District to reduce fuels in a thinned stand moved onto National Forest land outside of the burn unit’s perimeter. Weather was within prescription when gusty winds led to two spot fires adjacent to the 65-acre burn unit. The fire is being declared a wildfire, enabling the deployment of additional personnel and resources to contain the spread as soon as possible – which is our hig...

  • Fire station rebuild receives a boost

    Jun 1, 2023

    EUGENE: At their May 23rd meeting, the Lane County Board of Commissioners approved a grant agreement to provide $250,000 to the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District. A compelling reason for the move was cited as, “Not having a completed, functional fire protection station that can respond to calls for assistance creates the possibility of significant financial risk to community members whose property and belongings could be damaged in a fire.” In addition, the board order also noted that not taking action on this item would delay the...

  • Ranger district plans improvement projects

    Jun 1, 2023

    MCKENZIE BRIDGE: The McKenzie River Ranger District is seeking comments on a variety of upcoming projects ranging from residence improvements at the Big Lake Youth Camp to restoration work at Owl Creek Meadow. Written and electronic comments concerning these proposals will be accepted until June 20th. The largest would be work related to restoring the floodplain near the confluence of the McKenzie and South Fork McKenzie rivers. Some of those activities include the removal of artificial levees, berms, fill, riprap, and other natural sediment wi...

  • Are you one of two million?

    Eric Tegethoff, Oregon News Service|Jun 1, 2023

    The nomination process is open for a prestigious award handed out to volunteers in Oregon each year. The Andrus Award for Community Service award is named after AARP founder, Doctor Ethel Percy Andrus. AARP Oregon will select a person or couple age 50 or older, who performs services without pay in their communities. AARP State volunteer president for Oregon, Michael Schultz, said he has spent his whole career with nonprofit organizations and that these organizations rely on volunteers. “Our c...

  • Is Lane County working for you?

    Jun 1, 2023

    EUGENE: A committee comprised of seven Lane County residents is now in the process of gathering comments that could lead to changes in some of the ways the regional government operates. The county is governed by a Home Rule Charter (HRC) that establishes how the local county government operates. It can only be changed by a countywide vote. Every 10 years, a committee of residents is appointed to review the Lane County Charter and suggest changes to the Board of County Commissioners. This year, the committee reviewing the charter has created a...

  • Efforts for ranked-choice and STAR voting gaining progress in Oregon

    Julia Shumway, Oregon Capital Chronicle|Jun 1, 2023

    Efforts to change Oregon’s voting system are on the move in the state Legislature and among citizen groups trying to write laws at the ballot box. The House last week voted mostly along party lines to approve House Bill 2004, Speaker Dan Rayfield’s proposal to establish ranked-choice voting in statewide elections beginning in 2028. The bill’s prospects in the Senate are unclear as Republicans continue a walkout that prevents the Senate from voting on any bills, but citizen groups have also...

  • Ode to the Oregon Trail

    Jun 1, 2023

    "Hall, Laramie, Bridger, and Boise" are more than names to students at Walterville Elementary who had a chance to show what they learned this year during their "Oregon Trail" presentation last Tuesday. The fourth graders in Sheila Garrelts' class brought to life some of the pioneer activities that went on inside frontier forts associated with those names. Class members had all worked hard creating wagon models filled with supplies that reflected historical accuracy. Each student also created...

  • JP Doodles

    Barry McWilliams|Jun 1, 2023

  • Letter to the Editor

    Jun 1, 2023

    The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who posted highly classified documents on social media should not have received a top-secret security clearance or any security clearance based on his terrible background. He discussed violence and murder and the use of an assassination van on social media. He also looked up mass shootings and government standoffs on his government computer. He was suspended from high school for discussing the use of Molotov cocktails and other weapons and making racial threats. Why didn’t an FBI background check, w...

  • Guest Opinion

    Jessi Hollis McCarthy|Jun 1, 2023

    Each April Fools’ Day, you might brace yourself for tricks from friends and family and on social media. With all the swirling in our information universe, it can start to feel like April Fools’ Day all year long. The skills you use each April 1 can be used year-round to fight the onslaught of junk media content in our media-saturated world. If you are feeling overwhelmed by your daily dose of media, even when it’s not April 1, know you aren’t alone. This is a longstanding challenge of navigating the environment created by a free press. George...

  • Sheriff's Reports - June 1

    Jun 1, 2023

    May 22: 11:54 a.m: Assist, Follow Up - Blue River area. 1:23 p.m: Disturbance, Dispute - 51100 blk, McK. Hwy. verbal dispute. parties were separated. May 23: 11:02 a.m: Unlawful Use of Vehicle - 90200 blk, Hill Rd. 1:30 p.m: Reckless Driving - Marcola Rd. & Brush Creek. 5:58 p.m: Animal Complaint - 39500 blk, Howard Rd. May 24: 6:13 a.m: Unlawful Use of Vehicle – 42700 blk, McK. Hwy. 2:31 p.m: Suspicious Conditions - Terwilliger Hot Springs. A caller reported that a man and girl were in the hot springs naked and appeared ‘out of place.’ Calle...

  • OSP Report - June 1

    Jun 1, 2023

    May 26: 15:01: Crash, Injury – Hwy. 1216E & Dexter St. Troopers responded to a two-vehicle injury accident near Milepost 421. The driver of a 1994 Honda pulled into the westbound lane in front of a 2013 Kia. The driver of the Kia did not have time to react to colliding with the Kia. The male driver of the Honda was transported to Riverbend via Lifeflight. The driver and passenger of the Kia were transported by Emergency Medical Services to Riverbend. Both lanes of travel were blocked for approximately 20 minutes. ODOT responded to assist w...

  • Upper McK Fire Report - June 1

    Jun 1, 2023

    May 26: 15:40: Water Rescue – 59000 block, N. Belknap Springs Rd. Child stuck under a log in river. May 29: 20:14: Medical – 51000 blk, Blue River Dr. Female, Conscious, Breathing. The Upper McK. Fire District board of directors will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21st, at the McK. Fire Station, 56578 McK. Hwy. in McKenzie Bridge....

  • Our move to Oregon: (1935)

    Jun 1, 2023

    Continued From Last Week By Maureen Trullinger, nee Barrows The first year we were at the resort my parents decided they didn’t want to keep Tom and Judy and the porcupines anymore. Judy had deeply scratched the back of Mom’s hand as she was forking meat into the cage. Tom attracted female cougars down from the mountains at night during the breeding season. Often their tracks could be seen around the cage the next morning. The female’s cries sounded like a human woman crying, and my mothe...

  • Show-stealing shrubs

    Mike Darcy, Oregon-based gardening writer and broadcaster|Jun 1, 2023

    Most gardens have a diversity of plants, usually with a representation of at least one or two categories. This would include annuals, perennials, shrubs, vines and trees. In the urban gardens of many homeowners today, there may be fewer trees and more shrubs due to limited space. Sometimes the distinction between a shrub and a tree is very subjective, but usually, a shrub will be shorter than a tree with multiple branches. Of course, this is not a hard and fast distinction because some trees...

  • Direct Answers

    Jun 1, 2023

    The manager of a very posh store in New York City has this weird habit of touching her employees' lunches. She has picked up sandwiches and taken bites out of them without permission. She even sticks her finger into their donuts or muffins while they are eating them. She laughs and thinks it is funny. I find it disgusting and rude. What is wrong with this woman? People have said things to her, but she continues to abuse her authority. Since she rules the store, what can they do? Mardi Mardi,...

  • TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

    Christopher Elliott|Jun 1, 2023

    May Youngclaus has been waiting for months for a refund from American Queen Voyages. Is her money lost at sea? I'm looking for a refund from American Queen Voyages. Our cruise from Memphis to New Orleans was scheduled for Nov. 27, 2022. On Sept. 20, we received an email informing us that American Queen had canceled the cruise. I requested a refund of our $6,396. American Queen said the refund would take up to 60 days. We emailed our sales representative two months after the cancellation to...

  • PROBLEM SOLVED

    Christopher Elliott|Jun 1, 2023

    Olivier Kunckler orders a Chateau Pontet Canet 2019 from a Texas liquor store chain. The company cashes the check, but the bottle never arrives. What happened? I'm reaching out to you as a last resort. I ordered a bottle of Chateau Pontet Canet 2019 from Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods, a local chain of liquor stores. The bottle was a Bordeaux future, meaning that you buy it sight unseen, usually a couple of years before it is available. I paid by check. Spec's never confirmed my order, but...

  • Crossword

    Jun 1, 2023

    ACROSS 1. Mother Earth, to Ancient Greeks 5. Barrel, unit 8. Foot the bill 11. Quiet time 12. Nemo's forgetful friend 13. Horace's poem 15. One thing on a list 16. Ophthamologist's check-up, e.g. 17. Range of hills in England, pl. 18. *Ticket booth (2 words) 20. "Odyssey," e.g. 21. Biased perspective 22. Azog or Bolg in Tolkien's Moria 23. *Siskel or Ebert 26. To the degree 30. Brick and mortar carrier 31. Governing authority 34. Key component of a loan 35. Highly skilled 37. E in CE or BCE 38....

  • AT THE MOVIES - Solution

    Jun 1, 2023

  • Sudoku, June 1

    Jun 1, 2023

  • Sudoku, June 1 - Solution

    Jun 1, 2023