Almost half of Oregon households don’t earn enough to cover bills, report finds
Nearly half of Oregon households are unable to afford the basics, according to a new report from United Ways of the Pacific Northwest and United for ALICE. The report found that close to 750,000 households in Oregon were either in poverty or above the poverty level but unable to afford the basic cost of living. The report’s estimated “survival budget” for a family of four was about $73,000 annually — that covers housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, cellphone plans and taxes. (Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick/Salem Statesman Journal)
Beaverton City Council considers budget cuts and new taxes to address deficit
The Beaverton City Council is considering higher property taxes, levies and budget cuts to try to avoid looming shortfalls. The measures are intended to raise revenue for and trim spending on services paid for by the city’s general fund. The fund pays for services like police, community development and public works. The city projects a $9.2 million deficit in the general fund budget next fiscal year, which would balloon to $13.8 million by fiscal year 2026 if revenue and expenditures are not adjusted. The city council proposed fixes it hopes will address those looming shortfalls while prioritizing important city projects. (Lauren Bishop/Beaverton Valley Times)
$20K reward offered in sea lion boat incident at Hayden Island
Federal officials are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information regarding an incident on April 3 in which a boater appeared to charge sea lions swimming in the Columbia River near Hayden Island. A video posted on Twitter in early April showed a boat repeatedly speeding through surfaced sea lions, prompting the agency to investigate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement is working to identify the boat’s operator. Sea lions are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits the harassment of marine mammals. (Lauren Ellenbecker/The Columbian)
Last of public lands closed due to Holiday Farm Fire reopen
All public lands closed due to the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire have now reopened, according to the Bureau of Land Management. BLM crews worked for more than two years to improve the safety of the fire-damaged areas east of Springfield, the agency said. They removed dead and dying trees along the gravel portions of Goodpasture Road and Mt. Hagen Road. As of Friday, those roads are now reopened to the public. Conditions are still dangerous in the burn areas, and visitors should use extra caution, the agency said. (Makenzie Elliott/Eugene Register-Guard)
Surfers reflect on 1st anniversary of teen’s death at Bend Whitewater Park
One year ago at the Bend Whitewater Park in Bend, 17-year-old surfer Ben Murphy became entrapped in the surf wave and was held underwater for six minutes. He later died at St. Charles Bend. The incident on April 30, 2022, has been seared into the memories of many surfers and park visitors, and today a plaque by the wave pays tribute to Ben and helps the tight-knit community of surfers heal from that day. “He’s always with us, especially when surfing,” said Austin Fernand, 21, an OSU-Cascades student and a regular in surf wave lineup. “I love the memorial they put in. With Ben’s death, a lot of things have changed here for the better, which is really great.” (Michael Kohn/The Bend Bulletin)
