Weekday Wrap: The growth of Oregon’s wolf population is slowing down

Declining habitat suspected in slowing progress of Oregon’s wolf numbers

The expansion of Oregon’s wolf inhabitants slowed to a crawl throughout the previous few years. State biologists attribute that anemic progress to a decline in accessible habitat within the northeastern nook of Oregon, the place most wolves reside. However a few of it additionally comes from turnover of breeding adults in some packs, stated Roblyn Brown, wolf coordinator for the Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife. On the identical time, people killed 17 Oregon wolves in 2022, six of them illegally. In response to state numbers launched Tuesday, 178 wolves roamed the state in 2022, up barely from 175 in 2021 and 173 in 2020. The state counted 24 completely different packs, up from 21 in 2021, and officers say these packs are unfold extra extensively and deeper into western Oregon than ever earlier than. (Zach Urness/Statesman Journal)

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Prepare spills 1,200 gallons of diesel gas in Cottage Grove

A prepare spilled about 1,200 gallons of diesel gas in Cottage Grove, Oregon, after railroad tools punctured a gas tank Tuesday afternoon. In a press launch, the Oregon Division of Setting High quality says the gas spilled close to South Sixth Avenue and Oregon Freeway 99, south of Bohemia Park. DEQ says no waterways are affected. The prepare is owned and operated by Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, which deployed contractors to scrub up the spill. Crews will seemingly start excavating diesel-contaminated soil Wednesday, which can trigger some visitors delays. DEQ will oversee the cleanup. (OPB Employees)

A college district in Willamette Valley avoids lecturers strike

The Silver Falls Faculty District and the union representing its lecturers got here to an settlement late Monday night time, avoiding a strike. The Silver Falls Schooling Affiliation stated mediation lasted greater than 15 hours Monday earlier than the 2 sides reached an settlement. The district had been bargaining with lecturers for months over a brand new contract. Class measurement in low-income faculties was one of many final gadgets left to resolve. The Woodburn Faculty District and its lecturers have additionally been nearing a strike. Lecturers there are holding a “final likelihood rally” Wednesday, as their bargaining crew sits down for a closing mediation session with the district. (Elizabeth Miller/OPB)

Washington investigates La Middle faculties’ gender coverage and superintendent

Washington officers have opened an investigation into the La Middle Faculty District and Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz to look into complaints {that a} new coverage violates state tips round college students’ freedom of expression. Washington’s Workplace of Superintendent of Public Instruction acquired a grievance on Feb. 16 concerning the district’s gender coverage, which prohibits workers from asking college students to share their most well-liked pronouns and instructs workers to alert principals and members of the family when a pupil shares pronouns or a reputation which might be completely different from what’s on faculty report. In response to the grievance filed with OSPI, the district additionally positioned administrative letters — primarily a demerit — within the employment information of the complainants, pending no different incidents of “asking college students about their pronouns.” (Griffin Reilly/The Columbian)

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Clatsop County’s transit system could droop operations

Clatsop County’s mass transit system stands on the point of shutting down after a revelation this week that the company is broke. Jeff Hazen, govt director for the Sundown Empire Transportation District, informed the company’s board Tuesday Sundown Empire is in dire monetary form with a vital shortfall in money. In a memo, Hazen stated that shortfall stems partly from delayed reimbursement funds from the state and rising operational bills. However the assembly ended on an optimistic notice as Arla Miller from the Oregon Division of Transportation, shared a possible resolution: She might be able to launch as much as $800,000 from a contingency within the Statewide Transportation Enchancment Fund. The board authorised delaying a choice till the transit district receives a response from the state on the contingency cash. (Ethan Myers/Every day Astorian)

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Fireplace in downtown John Day stays underneath investigation

Investigators are in search of the reason for a hearth that started Monday night time at DP Residence Leisure in downtown John Day, destroying two companies and an empty storefront. Firefighters from all through Grant County spent hours maintaining the fireplace from consuming adjoining companies on the 100 block of East Major Road, limiting the destruction primarily to minor smoke harm. John Day Fireplace Chief Don Gabbard stated nobody was injured and {that a} deputy fireplace marshal from La Grande is investigating. Volunteer fireplace crews from John Day, Canyon Metropolis, Mt. Vernon and Prairie Metropolis responded to the blaze. Fireplace departments from Redmond, Bend and Sunriver additionally despatched crews to assist struggle the fireplace, Gabbard stated. (Neil Nisperos/Blue Mountain Eagle)

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