County & State News
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Proposal to Ban Hunting Won’t be on November’s Ballot
Members of the Yakama Nation harvest Pacific lamprey at Wilumpt, or Willamette Falls, near Oregon City on June 24, 2026. The lamprey are an ancient and culturally significant species for many Northwest tribes. Fishing would have been banned under an initiative that failed to gather sufficient signatures to make the November ballot. ~ Photo by Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle
July 25, 2026
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Heceta Head Lighthouse Shining Again
The Heceta Head Lighthouse in a 2023 file photo by Will Yurman
July 24, 2026
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National Carousel Day Celebrated in Albany
Volunteer Dale Gray hands out rings for the brass ring game at the Albany Carousel on July 13, 2026. ~ Photo by Kendra Schertell/KLCC
July 24, 2026
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Help Buying Home
Arrive Executive Director Dana Shepherd Fuller, left, with tenured board member Mike Shcrader and Arrive Founder and Former Executive Director Peg Malloy. ~ Photo Courtesy of Arrive
July 22, 2026
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Lane County Fair Opens
The "Vertigo" ride was one of the options at the 2025 Lane County Fair. Photo by Kendra Schertell / KLCC
July 22, 2026
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State Drone Use Has Grown
Oregon Department of Aviation director Kenji Sugahara operates a drone at the Toketee State Airport. (Photo by Oregon Department of Aviation)
July 14, 2026
In 2013, the state passed some of its earliest regulations regarding the public use of drones. Today, the state police, and the departments of forestry and transportation are among the Oregon State agencies using drones as a standard part of the job.
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Oregon Country Fair opens Friday, July 10
July 9, 2026
The 57th annual Oregon Country Fair runs from July 10 through July 12 on the Long Tom River in Veneta. An adult one-day pass is $60, a three-day pass costs $150. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are not sold on the fair grounds.
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Minimum wage increase
photo/Will Yurman
June 30, 2026
Oregon’s minimum wage will increase by 50 cents per hour on July 1. For workers in the Siuslaw region, the new minimum wage will be $15.55/hr.
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Firework restrictions
Fireworks file photo/Will Yurman
June 29, 2026
Oregon State Park officials are urging people to keep fireworks off the beaches and out of state parks. They are illegal and a fire hazard officials said.
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Uptick in Ticks
June 27, 2026
Ticks are spreading north, including into Oregon, where they can carry diseases such as Lyme disease. Preventing infection includes checking for ticks after being outdoors and carefully removing any tick within the first 24 hours of being bitten.