Astor: Hope from the Holiday Farm Fire
| | | | | |

Astor: Hope from the Holiday Farm Fire

ByTom Atkinson

Source: RegisterGuard.com By Amanda Astor Last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol Building was a travesty. The extent to which we have forgotten our humanity and dehumanized our neighbors by treating them as ideas rather than fellow humans is horrific. It is amazing how such division and tragedy overshadows the strength and community that has actually been found over the past year.    In…

Oregon restaurants and bars may finally be allowed to offer cocktails to-go
|

Oregon restaurants and bars may finally be allowed to offer cocktails to-go

ByTom Atkinson

Source: StatesmanJournal.com By Emily Teel Following months of pressure from restaurant industry advocacy groups, the Oregon legislature is scheduled consider allowing bars and restaurants to sell cocktails to-go.  A bill proposed for next week’s special session of the legislature would requires mixed drinks be sold in “sealed containers” for off-premises consumption and includes special rules regarding delivery of…

Senators Push To Provide Housing Assistance To Wildfires Survivors
| | | |

Senators Push To Provide Housing Assistance To Wildfires Survivors

ByTom Atkinson

Merkley, Western Senators Push Senate Leadership To Provide Housing Assistance To Communities Impacted by 2020 Wildfires  WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), are pushing Senate leaders to deliver critical housing assistance to Americans struggling to find…

McKenzie River Community Deals with two Disasters as Holidays Approach
|

McKenzie River Community Deals with two Disasters as Holidays Approach

ByTom Atkinson

Source: KVAL.com BLUE RIVER, Ore. — With the election and the upcoming freeze, it’s easy to forget about the devastating wildfires earlier this year. But up the McKenzie River, many are still dealing with two disasters “We lost everything!” said Dan McCall, a Finn Rock resident who’s recovering from the unthinkable after losing his home…

UPDATE – EPA Hazardous Waste Removal
| | | | |

UPDATE – EPA Hazardous Waste Removal

ByTom Atkinson

The EPA are now on the ground Below is a fact sheet about the EPA’s work assessing properties for household hazardous waste. The EPA hotline phone number and the link for their status map are both on the fact sheet, they are very helpful for folks who have been affected by the wildfires. The Status…

FEMA Fair Market Value Rental Assistance Rate upped to 125%
| | | |

FEMA Fair Market Value Rental Assistance Rate upped to 125%

ByTom Atkinson

FEMA Approves Increase in Fair Market Value Rate to 125% for Oregon Survivors Good news for the survivors of the Oregon wildfires. Yesterday FEMA approved the increase in the Fair Market Rental rate (FMR) to 125% for Lane, Linn, Marion, and Lincoln County. Increasing the FMR will continue to put Rental Assistance directly in the…

Federal Disaster Declaration UPDATE
| | | | | | | | | |

Federal Disaster Declaration UPDATE

ByTom Atkinson

On September 15, 2020, President Donald J. Trump granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Oregon triggering the release of Federal funds to help people and communities recover from Wildfires and Straight-line Winds that began September 7, 2020, and continuing. This disaster declaration has been amended in October so that counties previously only…

UPDATE – Emergency RV Placement Permit Fees Waived
| | | |

UPDATE – Emergency RV Placement Permit Fees Waived

ByTom Atkinson

***Update*** To help, advise and issue permits for RV/Trailer septic and electric hookups to residents of the McKenzie Valley returning to their properties after the fire, Lane County will be at the McKenzie Fire Station in Leaburg tomorrow the 23rd October between 10am – 2pm. They intend this to be a regular event going forwards…