WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families announced that it expects to award a discretionary grant for the expansion of head start services in Union, Umatilla, Morrow, Wallowa and Gilliam counties, Oregon. The estimated total program funding available was cited as $830,813. The agency said the grant was associated with income security and social services. The funding is open to state, county, city, township governments; i  more

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Sept. 12 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release: * * * - Grass Seed Company Resolves Investigation Into Unlawful Severance Agreements Offered to Employees During Recent Reduction in Force * * * The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Oregon-headquartered grass seed company Barenbrug USA have reached a voluntary conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of discrimination raised by a former employee, the   more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites volunteers to help celebrate National Public Lands Day by planting trees and shrubs at Cottage Grove Reservoir, south of Eugene, Saturday, September 28. This event supports the nation's largest single-day volunteer restoration effort for America's public lands. Scouts, youth groups, civic clubs, families and individuals are encouraged to participate. For t  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 11 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The Bonneville navigation lock will return to service, allowing vessels to pass through the lock, beginning 10 a.m. Sept. 30, according to officials at the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "It's important to recognize the patience from our Columbia River users, who depend on this critical piece of infrastructure to run their businesses," said Portland District Commander Col. Aaron   more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 10 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: With cooler temperatures and rainfall in the forecast, there is a potential for ecological burns in the West Eugene Wetlands to begin next week. Burning is planned on approximately 1,000 acres between now and the end of October. Individual burn units range from less than an acre to 130 acres. The Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, City of Eugene, Fish and Wildlife Service, Lane Co  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following story: Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer on Sept. 10 announced John R. Kroger as the Department of the Navy's first-ever chief learning officer (CLO), who will lead and unify all Navy and Marine Corps formal education programs. Kroger comes to the Department from Harvard University, where he served as a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and leader in residence at the Kennedy School of Government. He was president of Reed   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Naval Postgraduate School issued the following news: Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer on Sept. 10 announced John R. Kroger as the Department of the Navy's first-ever chief learning officer (CLO), who will lead and unify all Navy and Marine Corps formal education programs. Kroger comes to the Department from Harvard University, where he served as a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and leader in residence at the Kennedy School of Government. He was pre  more

OLYMPIA, Washington, Sept. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - Northwest Regional Field Office issued the following news release: Cash rent expense for all cropland in Idaho is estimated at $159 per acre for 2019, down $1.00 per acre from last year. Irrigated cropland is estimated at $216 per acre, unchanged from 2018. Non-irrigated cropland rental expense is $56.00 per acre, unchanged from last year. Oregon producers paid $152 per acre for all   more

OLYMPIA, Washington, Sept. 13 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - Northwest Regional Field Office issued the following news release: The final value of Idaho's 2018 potato crop was $1.03 billion, up 5 percent from 2017. The marketing year average price for potatoes in Idaho was $7.25 per cwt, up $0.02 from last year. In Oregon, the 2018 potato crop was valued at $202 million, up 2 percent from last year. The potato price was $7.47 per cwt, down $0.  more

OLYMPIA, Washington, Sept. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - Northwest Regional Field Office issued the following news release: In the next few weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers in 12 states, including Oregon and Washington, for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey. This survey will collect information on fertilizer and pesticide applications, and pest managem  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 9 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Billy J. Williams, issued the following news release: After years of contentious litigation and attempts to obstruct justice, Andrew Franklin Kowalczyk, 44, formerly of Portland, was sentenced today to 270 years in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release for the repeated sexual abuse, exploitation and torture of three young children. On December 6, 2018, after a four-day trial and deliberating for j  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation Portland Field Office issued the following news release: Welcome to the Oregon FBI's Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense to keep our kids safe from cyber bullies. A 2017 study by the Centers for Disease Control showed that about 15% of high school students say they are bullied online. The bully may pretend to be someone else--such as a new boyfriend or gaming partner--to get t  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 11 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy's Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) will begin removal of the sunken Tug DIANE this Friday, September 13, 2019. The tug removal will take place during day light hours from Friday until Sunday, September 15, 2019. SMIT Salvage, under contract with SUPSALV, will anchor the crane barge and set-up on Friday. Divers will  more

PENDLETON, Oregon, Sept. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service unit - Umatilla National Forest - issued the following news release: Proactive hazardous fuel treatments on the Heppner Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest were instrumental in changing fire behavior and slowing the advance of the HK Complex, which burned approximately 2,700 acres. These treated acres were critical in keeping the wildfire shorter in duration, less costly, safer for firefighters, a  more