State-Led Cleanup Update + ROE Deadline is June 1st
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State-Led Cleanup Update + ROE Deadline is June 1st

ByTom Atkinson

Source: McKenzieRebuilds.org Debris removal and hazard tree operations are nearly 40 percent complete and crews continue to make significant progress. Hazard tree marking and tagging continues between mileposts 30-36 and 40-43. Hazard tree removal is underway at mileposts 33-35 and at local and county parks—including at Blue River Park—to help these areas reopen sooner. The…

Senate Bill 745 Passes Unanimously to the House Floor
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Senate Bill 745 Passes Unanimously to the House Floor

ByTom Atkinson

Update 19th May Senate Bill 745 (full details below) has passed out of committee and onto the House Floor for further consideration! This a great step forwards for our fire-ravaged communities. We Need Your Voices NOW to Help Pass Senate Bill 745! Visit the link below to view the legislative history of Senate Bill 745…

Governor Sets Vaccination Target to More Fully Reopen Economy
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Governor Sets Vaccination Target to More Fully Reopen Economy

ByTom Atkinson

Source: Governor.Oregon.gov Most restrictions to be lifted statewide when 70% of Oregonians 16 and older receive first dose   Beginning May 21, counties eligible for option to move to Lower Risk when 65% of county residents 16 and older receive first dose and submit plan to close vaccine equity gaps   County Risk level movements announced for Friday,…

McKenzie Fire & Rescue – RV Fire Safety Advice
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McKenzie Fire & Rescue – RV Fire Safety Advice

ByTom Atkinson

This summer heatwave promises to be as bad or worse than 2020 so for those of us in trailers fire safety precautions are a must. McKenzie Fire & Rescue have shared these flyers from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office to help keep us focused on safety first.

CDC Community Organizers Making a Difference on the Ground
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CDC Community Organizers Making a Difference on the Ground

ByTom Atkinson

Charitable grants and generous donations have enabled The McKenzie CDC to hire a full-time Resource Coordinator and two Community Organizers to actively support survivors on the ground. Having a presence directly within our community means the CDC can quickly identify needs and make an impact where larger county and state-wide organizations might be out of…

Food Pantry Back Up and Running in Blue River
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Food Pantry Back Up and Running in Blue River

ByTom Atkinson

As part of the transition from emergency assistance to longer-term recovery, the former site of the Blue River Relief Center at the McKenzie School has now reverted to being the storage and distribution site for the local food pantry. When? – Every second and fourth Friday of the month,  11:00 am to 2:00 pm If you can’t…

One Dime at a Time – The Bottle Boys are Community Heros!
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One Dime at a Time – The Bottle Boys are Community Heros!

ByTom Atkinson

Our very own Blue River Bottle Boys have so far raised well over $10k for community organizations recovering from the Holiday Farm Fire and are still out there collecting and sorting cans and bottles. Hats off to Monty Wilson and Pete Petty for showing us how it’s done! The indomitable team was recently recognized, for…

Rebuilding & Reimagining a Community Space
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Rebuilding & Reimagining a Community Space

ByTom Atkinson

**Please note: At this time, the park remains indefinitely closed** However, significant progress has been made in this complex process. For many months the Blue River Park Board has been liaising with multiple agencies to save as many trees as possible while working towards making the park safe again and ensuring we have the best…

Help Needed to Clean-up the Track This Weekend!
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Help Needed to Clean-up the Track This Weekend!

ByTom Atkinson

McKENZIE COMMUNITY TRACK SPRING CLEAN-UP – SAT. MAY 15 @9am The McKenzie Community Track and Field in Blue River is making an appeal for people power to help with a spring clean-up!  The track was fortunate and received only minimal damage during the wildfire. Valiant efforts by firefighters spared the AMJ Building and several lives were…

USDA Rural Development Funding for Telecommunication Projects
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USDA Rural Development Funding for Telecommunication Projects

ByTom Atkinson

Join us to learn about access to funding and an overview of USDA Rural Development Telecommunication Programs  USDA Rural Development will be holding a region-wide webinar to provide the latest information on the financing of Broadband, Re-connect, and Distance Learning Telemedicine (DLT) programs for rural communities. This is an essential webinar that will provide information…