McKenzie Recovery

Opinion – It Seems to Me…

ByTom Atkinson July 5, 2021July 6, 2021

Source: McKenzieRiverReflectionsNewspaper.com By Tim Laue – July 1st 2021 It has been nine months since the Holiday Farm Wildfire devastated more than 170,000 acres and destroyed more than a thousand structures and five hundred homes in the McKenzie Watershed. Three seasons (Fall, Winter, and Spring) since thousands of McKenzie folk had to run for their…

Oregon Legislature approves over $600 million for wildfire recovery efforts

ByTom Atkinson June 28, 2021June 30, 2021

Source: KEZI.com SALEM, Ore.– The Oregon Legislature has approved more than $600 million to support those impacted by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. Some of the highlights of the recovery funding package include: $150 million- Wildfire recovery housing supply and land acquisition $110 million- Water and sewer infrastructure projects in wildfire impacted communities $75 million-…

O’Brien Memorial Temp. Library Opening Hours

ByTom Atkinson June 22, 2021June 23, 2021

While the long and complex process of fundraising and scoping out the location for the new O’Brien Memorial Library continues, great progress has been made towards setting up a temporary library at the Upper McKenzie Community Center in Rainbow and we can now announce that they will officially open for business on July 5th! The UMCC…

House Bill 2289 Passed by the State

ByTom Atkinson June 21, 2021June 23, 2021

House Bill 2289 was passed by the State and became effective on June 11, 2021. It provides simplified planning and building processes for the rebuilding of nonresidential, accessory, and residential dwelling uses. APPLICABILITYThe bill is applicable to owners of properties on which structures or uses were destroyed or interrupted by the Holiday Farm Fire. Sections…

Final Facebook Live Recovery Update June 17th

ByTom Atkinson June 15, 2021June 15, 2021

Lane County Government are holding their next and final Facebook Live Recovery Update at noon on June 17 here www.facebook.com/LaneCountyGovernment. Below is the most recent one and you can view all past update videos at www.mckenzierebuilds.org/updates. Previous Update: May 26th May 26 Rebuilding Q&A with Lane County Land Management from Lane County Government on Vimeo. Do you have…

McKenzie River Trust Gearing up for In-Stream Restoration at Finn Rock Reach!

ByTom Atkinson June 14, 2021June 14, 2021

Source: McKenzieRiver.org We are working to improve fish and wildlife habitat on the middle-McKenzie River. In-stream restoration can look messy and is often misunderstood. McKenzie River Trust staff will be presenting on how the project has been designed, what the project will look like during restoration and the expected ecological benefits for fish and wildlife….

Governor Announces Updates to County Risk Levels

ByTom Atkinson June 2, 2021June 2, 2021

Source: Governor.Oregon.gov Updated risk levels take effect Friday, June 4; Clatsop moves to Lower Risk, Lane and Polk move to Moderate Risk (Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced updates to county risk levels under the state’s public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. Effective Friday, June 4, through Thursday,…

Virtual Land Management Q&A Tonight

ByTom Atkinson May 26, 2021May 27, 2021

It’s not too late to register for the upcoming virtual Q&A session with Lane County Land Management. WHEN: Wednesday, May 26, 6:00-7:30 PM WHERE: Online – you must register in advance REGISTER: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5624422404298028555 You must register to participate. A recording will be made available the following day at https://vimeo.com/showcase/7923470. You will be asked to submit questions…

Senate Bill 745 Passes Unanimously to the House Floor

ByTom Atkinson May 19, 2021May 19, 2021

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…

Rebuilding & Reimagining a Community Space

ByTom Atkinson May 13, 2021May 14, 2021

**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…