September 6, 2026

West of the Tunnel

Stories of our community

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  • Oregon wants your input on transportation August 19, 2026 WotT | Will Yurman

    Oregon is looking for public comment on the state’s transportation system. The governor has convened “The Rebuilding Our Transportation Vision Workgroup,” to offer recommendations by the end of the year.

    The deadline for public comments is September 10.

    Read more…
  • Rise in Measles Cases in Oregon in 2026 Measles rashes usually appear as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. ~ Photo by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention August 17, 2026 Oregon Capitol Chronicle | Mia Maldonado

    The Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that Oregon has seen a rise in measles cases this year, already ahead of the 2024 outbreak.

    The State of Oregon requires that children receive two doses of the measles vaccine before entering kindergarten, though parents can request an exemption and opt out.

    Vaccination rates for individual school districts are available from the Oregon Health Department online.

    Read the Full Story…
  • PNW needs a massive upgrade to the power grid, report says ~ Photo by Clinton Carpenter/Bonneville Power Administration August 14, 2026 Washington State Standard | Aspen Ford

    The Pacific Northwest will need a massive buildout of new energy infrastructure over the next six years to meet rising electricity demand, according to a draft regional power plan released Thursday, August 13, 2026.

    Electricity demand could double in the next 20 years in the Pacific Northwest because of data centers, the increase in electric vehicles, and population growth, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council forecast last year.

    The council released a draft of its Ninth Power Plan on Thursday, calling for the addition of 11,000 megawatts to the region’s grid — about a third of the electricity the Northwest uses at peak demand.

    Public comment for the draft is open until Oct. 16.

    Read the full story at the Washington State Standard…

     
  • This Oregon Wildfire Season Has Blazed Past All Records, With No End in Sight Firefighters meet outside the Florence Events Center before heading out to fight the Three Buttes Fire near Florence in this 2023 file photo ~ Photo by Will Yurman August 13, 2026 Oregon Journalism Project | Khushboo Rathore

    2026 has already broken the Oregon record for acres burned by wildfires, and we are still many weeks away from the fall rainy season.

    As of Aug. 10, more than 1,400 fires of all sizes have consumed more than 2.3 million acres across the state–an area far larger than the once-record 2024 fire season at its completion. That is more acres than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

    Read the full story…
  • Lane Community College receives accreditation warning over governance An undated photo of a sign near the eastern entrance to Lane Community College in Eugene. ~ Photo by Rachael McDonald / KLCC August 13, 2026 KLCC | Rebecca Hansen-White

    Lane Community College has received a warning from the body that oversees community college accreditation over concerns about its governance.

    In a college-wide message Wednesday, LCC President Stephanie Bulger and LCC Board of Education Chair Jesse Maldonado said the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities found the college was out of compliance in a few areas.

    Read More…
  • Sen. Wyden’s wildfire tax relief bill passes just before Congress recesses, goes to White House The 6:30 am briefing for fire fighters at the Three Buttes fire near Florence. ~ 2023 File Photo by Will Yurman August 10, 2026 Oregon Capitol Chronicle | Alex Baumhardt

    In the final hours of work before members of Congress went on recess for five weeks, a bill backed by Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden to relieve natural disaster survivors from paying federal income taxes on their recovery settlements and lawyers’ fees passed against unexpected odds.

    The bill also passed the House and will go to the White House for the president’s signature.

    Read More…
  • Governor’s Advisory Committee Won’t Support Moratorium on Data Centers An explosion of data center facilities, including the one pictured here in northeast Oregon on May 18, 2026, have been built along the Columbia River Gorge during the last few years. ~ Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle August 9, 2026 Oregon Capitol Chronicle | Alex Baumhardt

    Data center construction in Oregon should be regulated but not stopped, an advisory committee to Gov. Tina Kotek said, according to an article in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle.

    “A lack of sales tax, generous property tax incentives for industrial development and relatively cheap electricity over the years has made Oregon a hot spot for data centers,” the Chronicle reported.

    The committee agreed that the state should require more transparency from data companies and local governments regarding tax incentives and other agreements, but that on the whole, the state can benefit economically from the centers.

    Read More…
  • Carl Washburne campground north of Florence closed for a month August 4, 2026 Lincoln Chronicle

    The Carl G. Washburne State Park campground along U.S. Highway 101 between Yachats and Florence is closed for at least a month so a contractor can replace two culverts damaged by a heavy rainfall in December 2023, the Lincoln Chronicle reported.
  • Red Flag Warning Includes Most of Lane County An undated file photo of smoky skies over Eugene. ~ Photo by Karen Richards/KLCC August 3, 2026 KLCC

    Take care if you’re traveling towards Eugene over the next few days.

    The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the southern Willamette Valley for Monday from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. The warning area includes Eugene, Albany, Springfield and Cottage Grove.

    The agency said the smoke should arrive by Monday afternoon and linger in the area through at least Wednesday.
  • Department of Transportation facing $200 million shortfall in 2027-29 budget cycle A “closed” sign sits at a counter at the DMV office in Albany. Since Jan. 1, 2026, there have been 34 full day office closures across Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle division offices because of staffing shortages. ~ Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle August 2, 2026 Oregon Capitol Chronicle | Mia Maldonado

    Inflation and declining gas tax revenues are the primary causes of the predicted $200 million budget gap in Oregon’s Department of Transportation budget, according to this article in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle.

    Without new revenue, the agency will need to eliminate almost 550 positions, according to agency deputy director Travis Brouwer. Cuts will be felt in road maintenance, and in DMV offices around the state, the article reports.

More Local News

  • New: The Puzzle #11 September 5, 2026
  • Walk for Breast Cancer returns to Florence in October Members of the Lincoln County cancer-fighting group CoastBusters promote their upcoming fundraising walks Sept. 26 in Newport and Oct. 3 in Florence during the Beachcombers Festival parade in Waldport. ~ Photo Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle September 2, 2026 Lincoln Chronicle | Cheryl Romano

    CoastBusters Walk for Breast Cancer will be in Florence on October 3, 2026, at the Siuslaw Middle School.

    After taking a year off in 2025 to mourn the loss of their co-founder and regroup, this year’s events will be held in memory of Sonia Graham, who co-founded the organization with Jeanette Campagna to support area breast cancer patients and their families.

    Participants can register on the CoastBusters’ website.

    Businesses, sponsors, volunteers and community partners are also invited to participate, as CoastBusters gears up for what it expects to be its biggest year since its start in 2021. Since then, the group has staged walk-a-thons and other events to help patients and their families along the central coast, raising almost $150,000.

    Donations can be made online to support those in Lincoln County and in Lane County. People preferring to write a check may mail it to CoastBusters, P.O. Box 1804, Newport, Ore. 97365. Anyone who donates will get a receipt for their tax-deductible contributions.
  • Car crashes into the Travelodge hotel August 31, 2026 Press Release | Florence Police Department

    A red SUV crashed into the Travelodge on Route 101 on Saturday evening, August 29, injuring a woman inside the motel, according to a press release from the Florence Police Department.

    The initial investigation of the scene, combined with eyewitness statements, indicates that the driver left the Circle K at a high speed, crossed 101, crashed through the Edward Jones Investment building before crashing into the Travelodge, trapping a woman inside. Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority extracted the woman from the room and both the victim and driver were transported to Peace Harbor Hospital.

    The crash remains under investigation and felony charges against the driver are pending, according to the press release.

    Read the full press release…
  • Siuslaw National Forest raises fire danger level The Three Buttes Fire northeast of Florence on September 11, 2023. ~ File photo by Will Yurman August 12, 2026 Press Release | Siuslaw National Forest

    The Siuslaw National Forest is raising the fire danger level from moderate to high, effective August 13, 2026, they announced in a press release.

    “Local firefighters have already detected and contained several small fires on the Forest this year,” said Anne Trapanese, Deputy Fire Staff Officer-Fuels with Northwest Oregon Interagency Fire Management. “With the hot and dry conditions in western Oregon, we want to urge the public to remain vigilant in preventing human-caused wildfires and follow all fire restrictions,” Trapanese said in the press release.

    Read the full release…
  • Road Work on Rhododendron Drive August 7, 2026 WotT | Will Yurman

    Be prepared for road construction starting Monday on Rhododendron Drive, from 9th Street to Wild Winds Street.

    Read More…
  • Cooling Centers in the County A 2024 file photo of the Siuslaw Public Library ~ Photo by Will Yurman August 5, 2026 WotT | Will Yurman

    Warm temperatures and poor air quality are in the forecast for all of Lane County including the coast.

    In Florence and Mapleton, the library is a cooling center. The DHS office in Florence is as well.

    Read the story to get the full list.
  • Fee increases proposed for Siuslaw National Forest August 2, 2026 Press Release | Siuslaw National Forest

    The Siuslaw National Forest has proposed fee increases to nearly two dozen recreation sites in the national forest area. Click to see the full list of sites, and the proposed fee changes.

    The public is invited to comment, and the Forest Service has extended the comment period through September 18. See the press release for how to submit your comments by mail, email or online.
  • Postcards July 23, 2026 WotT | Will Yurman When a picture is worth a thousand words.
  • Sutton Lake Boat Ramp Closing July 22, 2026 Press Release

    According to a Siuslaw National Forest press release, “Sutton Lake Boat Ramp and day use facilities will be closed for construction from August through November 2026 to replace the deteriorating boat ramp and floating docks.”

    The facilities will close August 3.
  • Local firefighters helping with southern fire July 14, 2026 WotT | Will Yurman

    Area firefighters have been sent south to help fight the East Evans Creek Fire.

    UPDATE: As of 7/25 the fire has spread to 15,705 acres, and is 46% contained.