PORTLAND, Oregon, March 17 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: Evolving health and safety policies from our regional partners designed to hinder the spread of COVID-19 in Washington and Oregon have prompted federal officials to replace all scheduled in-person public comment meetings with phone-in meetings for the recently released Columbia River System Operation draft Environmental Impact Statement. Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of R  more

FORT KNOX, Kentucky, March 19 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps issued the following story: Name: Cadet Valerie M. Ranum School: Oregon State University Hometown: Portland, Ore. Major: Chemical Engineering What Makes This Cadet Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Ranum showed leadership promise long before she joined Army ROTC at Oregon State University. While in high school, she served as captain of the varsity volleyball team and varsity tennis team. In her free time, Cadet  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 18 -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is closing several recreation sites and canceling events in light of COVID-19 impacts. Beginning tomorrow, March 17, the following recreation updates are in effect: All Portland District locations: * Day-use parks: open * All school group events: canceled Columbia River Project: Bonneville Dam: * Bradford Island and Washington Shore V  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 18 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is closing several recreation sites and canceling events in light of COVID-19 impacts. Beginning tomorrow, March 17, the following recreation updates are in effect: All Portland District locations: * Day-use parks: open * All school group events: canceled Columbia River Project: Bonneville Dam: * Bradford Island and Washington Sho  more

PENDLETON, Oregon, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service unit - Umatilla National Forest - issued the following news release: Contractors have begun work on Forest Service Road 47 in the Tucannon watershed, which will continue over the next several weeks following the widespread damage caused by the flooding event on Feb. 6, 2020. The planned work includes debris slide removal, temporary repair of damaged pavement, and restoration of drainage features. The main o  more

OLYMPIA, Washington, March 20 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - Northwest Regional Field Office issued the following news release: Idaho's 2019 honey production, at 2.94 million pounds, was 1 percent lower than 2018. There were 92,000 honey producing colonies, 4,000 lower than the previous year. The yield per colony averaged 32.0 pounds compared with 31.0 pounds per colony in 2018. Idaho's value of honey production, at $4.92 million, was 16 perce  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 20 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Oregon office issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest up to $50 million in fiscal year 2020 to fund a unique, partner-led approach to addressing natural resource concerns at local, regional, and landscape scales. Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program's (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrang  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 20 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Oregon office issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is awarding almost $49 million to help state and tribal governments encourage private landowners to allow public access to their land for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation. Oregon will receive $2.8M this year through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Volu  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 18 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation Portland Field Office issued the following news release: The FBI has launched the "Protected Voices" initiative to help 2020 political campaigns and American voters protect against online foreign influence operations and cyber security threats. The Protected Voices campaign includes information and guidance from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National I  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 21 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release: The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Oregon small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced. SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplement  more

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 20 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Portland District issued the following news release: Due to the COVID-19 virus, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) has closed several recreation sites to protect the public and Corps employees. OPEN: * Most day-use parks and boat ramps. (See park closures below) CLOSED: * All Visitor Centers are closed until further notice. * All Corps-operated campgrounds will remain closed until May 21. The Corps will  more