West
Portland considers banning gas-powered leaf blowers to assuage climate concerns
The city of Portland, Oregon, is considering a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers starting in 2026, citing health and climate concerns, air and noise pollution, as well as a disproportionate impact they have on minority and low-income communities.
The proposed ordinance out of Portland’s City Council would phase out the use of gas-powered leaf blowers starting in 2026 for all private and commercial use. If approved, Portland would join the ranks of 100 other cities in the U.S. that have limited or banned the use of gasoline leaf blowers.
“The use of gasoline leaf blowers can cause direct harm to people within the vicinity by contributing to localized air pollution, creating excessive noise, and causing other negative health impacts to their operators who disproportionately identify as Latinx or Hispanic,” the ordinance states.
Gas-powered leaf blowers cause other “negative health impacts to their operators who disproportionately identify as Latinx or Hispanic,” according to the Portland City Council. (Sarah Dussault/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
Gas-powered blowers would still be permitted through 2028 from October 1 to December 31, because the city recognizes “electric leaf blowers are not yet powerful enough to practically move wet leaves during the winter season.” Effective January 1, 2028, gasoline leaf blowers would be prohibited all year.
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The city’s Leaf Blower Policy Work Group recommended the ban because of the health impacts resulting from dangerous emissions, which “fall disproportionately on hired landscape maintenance workers from communities of color, low-income communities, and other historically marginalized populations.”
Downtown Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. (Moriah Ratner/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The city also noted that gasoline leaf blowers commonly have “two-stroke engines that incompletely combust their fuel” which results in the emission of benzene and additional carcinogenic substances.
“In 2017, the city council established a goal of meeting 100 percent of community-wide energy needs using renewable energy by 2050 to help reduce the public health impacts of climate change, which disproportionately affect vulnerable communities already facing existing socioeconomic and health inequities,” the ordinance explained.
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The first violation would be a warning, but for repeated violations, citizens could receive penalties of up to $1,000, according to KGW8.
Nearly 90% of people are in support of the ban, while most of the opposition has been over potential cost increases and the short time frame to transition to electric equipment, KGW8 reported. Eligible businesses would be able to receive a rebate through Multnomah County, which would enforce the ban, to replace gasoline equipment with electric blowers.
Over 100 other cities in the U.S. have limited or banned the use of gasoline leaf blowers. (MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images / Contributor)
“The phase out of gasoline powered leaf blowers will hopefully mark the beginning of a new chapter in our work on climate,” Multnomah County’s Sustainability Director John Wasiutynski told KGW8.
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Local landscaper Malik Hopkins, who owns and operates his own business, said he isn’t opposed to making changes to help curb climate concerns, but explained he still relies on gas-powered blowers, the local outlet reported. He called the move a “pro-con” thing, because electric batteries don’t last as long as a tank of gas and that the electric blowers are not as powerful as gas-powered.
“It’s going to affect a lot of people, especially people who cannot afford it (like) guys that are starting out,” he said. “Those batteries will go for about two or 300 bucks.”
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(BIVN) – 10,000 rubber duckies will “race” across the lake at the Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa this Fourth of July.
The 34th annual Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race will be on the Saturday, July 4th, held in support of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaiʻi.
From a news release courtesy the Kings’ Shops and the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaiʻi:
The community fundraiser brings together a July 4 celebration, live entertainment, keiki activities and one of Waikoloa’s most visual traditions to support programs for children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities with similar service needs. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with scheduled activities beginning at 11 a.m. and the rubber duckie race starting at 3 p.m. at Kings’ Shops.
“Each year, this event gives the community a fun, visible way to support programs for people with disabilities and their families across Hawaii,” said John Nishida, executive director of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii. “The duckie race has become a Waikoloa tradition because it brings people together for a celebration with a purpose.”
More than $25,000 in prizes will be awarded, including a grand prize trip for two to Japan. Additional prizes include resort stays, golf packages, boat cruises, dolphin experiences, gift baskets, shopping and dining certificates, and more. The first 50 duckies to finish the race, along with the last-place duckie, will win prizes for the people who adopted them.
This year’s Super Quackers theme will bring costumed superheroes throughout the center for photo opportunities and family-friendly fun. Tommy Ching returns as emcee, and the first 250 people to RSVP will receive a commemorative Super Quackers can cooler, while supplies last.
Event highlights include A-Bay’s Watermelon Eating Contest, live music by Kona Soul and Keoni Thompson, the Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. Shave Ice Eating Contest, the Fitness Forever Challenge, a preview of Aloha Theatre’s “Seussical,” and the duck waddling and duck calling contests. Guests will also find a scavenger hunt, free keiki activities, local artisan and food vendors, merchant offers, temporary tattoos by the Hawaii Army National Guard, Keiki ID services by the Hawaii Police Department, and pupus and drinks at Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill.
Duck adoptions are $5 each. Special adoption packages include the $30 Quack Pack, which includes five ducks in the race and a free T-shirt, and the $100 VIP package, which includes 40 ducks in the race and a free T-shirt. T-shirts for Quack Pack and VIP package adoptions will be held for pickup on race day.
Duckies may be adopted online in advance. In-person adoptions will be available at Kings’ Shops on July 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and July 4 from 10 a.m. until sold out.
For more information, contact UCPA of Hawaii at (808) 532-6744 or visit kingsshops.com/events.
The city of Boise is facing a potential lawsuit brought by the parents of a girl injured by shattered glass at this year’s Idaho Potato Drop held on New Years Eve.
The Idaho Statesman obtained a copy of the tort claim filed earlier this month, which is a precursor to a possible civil lawsuit.
Richard and Daryl Ratto filed the tort claim against the city and multiple other entities, according to the newspaper, after a shard of glass slashed their daughter’s face at the late-night celebration, which required surgery.
As Boise State Public Radio previously reported, police reports from that night said they couldn’t definitively conclude that concussive blasts from fireworks shattered windows on the AT&T building and the Idaho Capitol, which fell on spectators.
The Rattos are demanding $10 million from multiple public entities, saying they’ve known for years that Potato Drop organizers have diverted from plans submitted to city officials to obtain permits for the event.
Body cam footage from that night shows Dylan Cline, the event’s CEO, high fiving his pyrotechnics contractor and saying, “F— yeah…” after being told of the broken windows by police.
City officials have 90 days to respond to the tort claim before the Rattos could file a lawsuit.
Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio
ANACONDA, Mont. — The owner of an Anaconda bar has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting over the weekend.
A Facebook post from Carmel’s Sports Bar and Grill identified the victim as Shane Charles. The post said obituary and funeral services are pending.
The suspect has been identified as Mark Ray Lock.
The suspect in the shooting has been identified as Mark Ray Lock.Photo: NBC Montana
Lock appeared from Anaconda-Deer Lodge Detention Center. He was born in 1965 and is a resident of Birch Street in Anaconda.
He is charged deliberate homicide with a penalty enhancement for use of a deadly weapon.
Prosecutors allege that Lock shot Charles at the bar once with a handgun. He was then disarmed by a patron and ran from the bar.
Lock could face life in prison or potentially the death penalty.
He will be appointed a public defender.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 17.
Bail has been set at $1 million.
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If Lock were to post bond, conditions of his release would include having to relinquish all of his weapons.
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