Proposals to regulate homeless camping in Redmond go to City Council
Councilors in one of Oregon’s fastest-growing cities are prepared to debate its first regulations on homeless camping. Currently, Redmond has no camping regulations for people without permanent homes. It has until a state-mandated deadline of July 1 to craft rules. The city of Bend adopted its own camping regulations last year after months of public meetings and input. Homeless service providers in Redmond say it’s important Redmond doesn’t get carried away crafting rules. Rick Russell, pastor of Mountain View Fellowship Church and director of the Redmond Safe Parking Program, said it’s always easy to say where homeless people cannot be; the hard part is allowing space where they can. Still, he applauded the city’s effort to create these rules. (Nick Rosenberger/Redmond Spokesman)
Clark County deputy loses leg after weather-related crash
A Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputy has lost a leg following a vehicle crash this week that was likely weather-related. The sheriff’s office said Thursday that surgeons needed to amputate Deputy Drew Kennison’s leg after a large tree branch broke and smashed into the hood of the patrol vehicle he was driving Wednesday. They suspect the branch broke from heavy snow. Kennison has worked for the sheriff’s office for 14 years, and was driving in Skamania County when the crash happened. The sheriff’s office said the deputy will need more surgeries in the coming days, but is recovering. (Ryan Haas/OPB)
Vancouver searches for sources of ‘forever chemicals’ in city water
Vancouver residents may have received a mailer advising that their water contains “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances,” otherwise known as PFAS. The four-letter acronym represents a class of thousands of substances, or “forever chemicals.” Like the nickname implies, they don’t break down in the environment or the human body. City officials are looking for different potential sources of PFAS, including landfills and stormwater, and say it’s likely a combination of factors leading to detections in city water. (Lauren Ellenbecker/The Columbian)
Clatsop County to lift moratorium on new vacation rentals before May referendum
A moratorium on new vacation rental licenses in Clatsop County is expected to be lifted by March. The county began regulating vacation rentals in 2018, but because the county failed to add the use in the development code, they were never formally legalized except in Arch Cape. It was not until early last year that the county realized permits were being issued outside of Arch Cape by error. To remedy the problem, county commissioners approved an ordinance last June recognizing vacation rentals as an outright use in 16 unincorporated zones in the development code. However, in September, a group organized under the name North Coast Neighbors United collected enough signatures to require the ordinance to be referred to voters in the May election, hoping the rentals outside Arch Cape will gradually disappear as their licenses expire. (Nicole Bales/The Astorian)
Oregon sets a new state record for guns seized by TSA
The Transportation Security Administration seized 108 firearms at airport checkpoints in Oregon last year, the most in the state’s history. In Oregon, TSA found the most guns per traveler at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport — one gun was seized at airport checkpoints for every 71,225 screenings in Medford. The agency seized the most firearms, 78, in Portland last year in addition to the 12 in Medford, 10 in Eugene and eight in Redmond. TSA seized guns and ammunition are allowed in checked baggage, but firearms must be stored unloaded in a securely locked, hard-sided case after being declared to the airline at the ticket counter. (Nick Morgan/Grants Pass Daily Courier)
