English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
News & Information
For Immediate Release
September 2, 2021
Report Your Dry Wells to the Oregon Water Resources Department
(Salem, OR) – The Oregon Water Resources Department is asking Oregonians who rely on wells for their water use to report their dry wells or low producing wells online. Visit our Dry Well webpage at www.oregon.gov/owrd/drywell and click on the link to report your dry well.
Reported information helps the Department understand changes in aquifers across the state and how the drought is impacting groundwater supplies and those that rely on groundwater. In addition, the reported information helps state and local agencies to identify where assistance may be needed. The Department will utilize the information to understand the scope of people affected and distribute information to affected well owners if any assistance becomes available.
During drought, a combination of factors such as increased groundwater pumping and reduced groundwater recharge can lead to significantly reduced production or no production of water from wells. Regardless of drought conditions, it is important for well owners to use water wisely and conserve groundwater in order to preserve it for future use. Some groundwater reservoirs, called aquifers, only store small quantities of water and require annual rainfall or surface water for recharge, which can lead to annual seasonal water supply challenges. Other aquifers may store greater quantities of water but do not recharge very quickly, which can lead to declining groundwater levels with time.
If you do rely on a domestic well and you are experiencing water supply shortages, it is important to conserve that water for essential household uses such as drinking, bathing, cooking, or sanitation. Practice water conservation both inside and outside of the home and reduce or eliminate all outdoor water use. For more tips on how to use water wisely, visit www.drought.oregon.gov.
If your well does go dry, or you begin to experience water supply shortages due to significantly lower production from the well, see our Water Wells and Drought handout and our Water Well Owner’s Handbook at www.oregon.gov/owrd/drywell.
The Oregon Water Resources Department is the state agency charged with studying, allocating, and distributing water in Oregon. Visit us at www.oregon.gov/owrd.
Read More
This program is not a loan, which means those who receive assistance will not have to pay back funds so long as they are used as approved and not duplicating other assistance programs. Assistance is offered to all eligible renters regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, and it will not impact the recipient’s eligibility for other federally funded programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, social security, WIC or public housing.
Renters who are eligible for the program may request rent and/or utility assistance dating back to March 13, 2020 (prior expenses are not eligible).
The Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program will cover up to 12 months of past due rent and three months of forward rent, once all past due rent is paid. The program will also cover past due utility costs including electricity, gas, home energy services, water, sewer, trash removal, internet and bulk fuels. Costs that will NOT be covered include: homeowner costs, homeowner utilities, landlord-paid utilities, landlord-paid property taxes, property insurance, phone, and renter insurance.
If approved, in most cases, payments will be made directly to the landlord, property owner or utility company on the tenant’s behalf via direct deposit or check. Program funds are not first-come-first-serve. Funds will be distributed based on a formula that prioritizes applications based on need. Everyone who turns in a completed application will have their application reviewed.
If you are in need of masks, please stop by City Hall between the hours of 8 and 5 Monday through Friday.
Read More
https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Gov-Brown-expands-mask-mandate-to-include-outdoor-public-settings-575164241.html
CORONAVIRUS WATCH: GOV. BROWN EXPANDS MASK MANDATE TO INCLUDE OUTDOOR PUBLIC SETTINGS
The Governor’s office said that this requirement applies to outdoor events and other circumstances where physical distancing is not possible.
SALEM, Ore. — Governor Kate Brown announced on Tuesday that Oregon’s statewide mask mandate will be expanded to include outdoor public spaces, particularly large events and other circumstances where physical distancing is not possible.
“The Delta variant is spreading fast and wide, throwing our state into a level of crisis we have not yet seen in the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are at a record high,” said Governor Brown. “Masks are a quick and simple tool we can immediately deploy to protect ourselves and our families, and quickly help stop further spread of COVID-19.
“The Delta variant is much more contagious than previous variants we’ve seen, and it has dramatically increased the amount of virus in our communities. Masks have proven to be effective at bringing case counts down, and are a necessary measure right now, even in some outdoor settings, to help fight COVID and protect one another.”
RELATED: Asante’s critical care and emergency departments are under siege
The new requirement begins Friday, August 27, and applies regardless of vaccination status. The Oregon Health Authority also highly recommended masks for private outdoor gatherings when people from different households cannot consistently maintain physical distancing.
At the Governor’s direction, the OHA plans to issue a new rule on the topic. The rule does not apply to “fleeting encounters,” such as when two people walk by one another on a trail or in a park. The rule also does not apply to private settings, despite the strong recommendation from the OHA.
“It is much easier for people with the Delta variant, compared to people who were sick last year, to infect others around them,” said State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger. “This is because they have one thousand times more virus in their nose – which means that those around them are much more likely to get sick because this variant behaves so differently. We are starting to see instances where cases are clustering around events, like outdoor music festivals, that happen outdoors. Wearing masks in crowded settings – even outdoors – will help slow the spread of COVID-19.”
As with the indoor mask requirement, there are some circumstances where the mask requirement will not apply:
- Children under 5 years old;
- Individuals who are actively eating, drinking, or sleeping — as well as individuals living outdoors, such as persons experiencing houselessness;
- Persons playing or practicing competitive sports, or engaged in an activity in which it is not feasible to wear a mask — such as swimming;
- Individuals delivering a speech or performing — such as with outdoor music or theater;
- Mask requirements for day-to-day operations at K-12 schools are not governed by this rule, and will instead continue to fall under the school mask rule. Outside public events, spectator events, and gatherings of the general public on K-12 school grounds will be subject to the rule. Child care and youth programs will continue to follow existing OHA mask guidance; and
- In addition, entities subject to the ADA must continue to comply with that law.
“The combination of vaccines and masks is the most powerful way we can fight this latest surge of COVID-19 and save lives,” Brown continued. “Vaccination continues to be the best way you can protect yourself and your family from the Delta variant, and the most effective way we can help our exhausted nurses and doctors, who are working around the clock to treat Oregonians sick with COVID in our ICUs — the majority of which are unvaccinated individuals. With the full FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine this week, we have additional reassurance that the vaccines are safe and effective.”
Read More
The City is finally having Train, Hall, and Cora coated with oil and asphalt.
We are using an SCA grant to pay for it.
No work will be done on culverts or drains and the streets will not be widened.
Please allow for possible delays on these three days as you will not be able to drive on it immediately.
We are sorry for any inconvenience but these streets desperately need work.
Train Ln today –
MEDFORD, Ore. — Jackson County has rolled out a new feature of its emergency alert system, one that will allow residents to stay updated on evacuation levels even if their area is not the subject of emergency notifications.
Jackson County is still using the Everbridge system — locally known as Citizen Alert — which allows for targeted messages to registered residents in certain areas. These alerts go out automatically to anyone with a landline, as well as anyone who registers their email or cell phone.
Sign up for Jackson County’s evacuation notifications by:
- Texting JACKSONEVACS to 888777.
- Once opted in, individuals will receive any messages for all level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation notification sent by Jackson County Emergency Management and Cities.
- A Citizen Alert account is not needed to receive messages sent through the keyword.
- A Citizen Alert account is needed to receive emergency alerts that are specific to your personal address(es).
The new addition also operates through Everbridge, but allows people to stay apprised of evacuation notices with a simple text-in process that operates separately from the existing alert system. By opting in, residents can receive all Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation alerts issued by Jackson County and city jurisdictions.
“We are very excited to add this to our mix of alerts. This new keyword adds an option for those who prefer to be notified of any evacuation notification in Jackson County,” said Holly Powers, Jackson County Emergency Manager. “Residents are still encouraged to sign up through Citizen Alert first to receive emergency information specific to their address. These additional alerts will also help to lower the use of critical emergency touchpoints like our 911 system.”
To opt in for these evacuation alerts, you can text JACKSONEVACS to 888777. A Citizen Alert account is not needed to receive these messages.
In order to receive emergency alerts specific to your address, you do need to sign up for Citizen Alert.
The Everbridge system came under scrutiny in the wake of the Almeda Fire, when many people wondered why the broader Emergency Alert System (EAS) was not activated. An independent report issued at the beginning of June concluded that the County’s choice for alerts was a net positive in the Almeda Fire response, despite breakdowns in communication between different jurisdictions.
Governor Kate Brown released a statement on Monday advocating for OR-Alert, the state’s push to promote and unify county-level emergency alerts. According to Brown’s office, the system has been fully implemented in 26 counties and is in works for another eight counties.
Brown said that the roll-out is “timely” after a succession of severe weather events in Oregon — ice storms, extreme drought, record-breaking heat, and dangerous wildfire seasons.
“Last year’s historic fire season taught us that being prepared can truly be the difference between life and death,” said Governor Brown. “With Oregon facing increasing climate-related weather events, there’s never been a better time to make a plan with your family to be prepared. I’m urging all Oregonians to sign up for local alerts through OR-Alert and to take steps to ensure you and your family can be safe in the event of an emergency.”
OR-Alert compiles the various County alert systems, so a resident of Jackson County who visits the OR-Alert website will be directed to the Citizen Alert sign-up via Everbridge. Residents of other counties will be directed to their own systems.
Like with Jackson County, anyone in Oregon can sign up for some emergency alerts by texting their zip code to 888777, or visit www.oralert.gov to fully sign up. People can also download the Everbridge app to receive alerts.
“Between extreme weather, wildfires, and the pandemic, it became clear that our state needed a streamlined and customizable way to enable emergency managers at the local, county, Tribal, and state level to communicate with the populations they serve across the state and at a moment’s notice,” said William Chapman, Statewide Interoperability Coordinator. “OR-Alert has filled this need and is ready for Oregonians to sign up.”
Read More
