McKenzie River Reflections THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 Serving the McKenzie River Valley ... And Subscriber Amy Sessums of Springfield Volume 43, Issue 41 00 Sheriff’s Reports Home Country $1Birthdays Vehicle was parked The honor of being killed There are plenty next over the top of a telephone by a falling, fried horse month, along with wedding box anniversaries PAGE 2 PAGE 4 PAGE 8 EWEB to upgrade More riparian restoration wildfire safety plans McKenzie Trust will restore channel at Finn Rock Reach FINN ROCK: A 60-acre Response to Red Flag warnings construction zone will take shape within weeks just downstream EUGENE: “Although programs the utility’s Electric Division from the old Rockabye Cabins and practices are already in place Manager. Annually EWEB trims site in Finn Rock. During the to help prevent wildfires, the back trees and branches along project to restore riparian habitat, Eugene Water & Electric Board about 280 miles of its electric line water will be temporarily diverted is developing a distinct Wildfire corridors. For this year, Nice said, and large amounts of earth will Mitigation Plan,” according to a an additional 125 miles extra of be moved to re-contour down-cut report from the utility’s Assistant “hot spotting” zones have been areas and old gravel piles. General Manager, Rod Price. added. Recent social media posts During EWEB’s May 18th In addition, an upriver project have been criticized the work session Price outlined new for transformer replacement project, hopefully, due to a programs based on what California is planned for completion this misunderstanding of the water has developed for preparing for year. Part of that work, Nice diversion according to Daniel and responding to wildfires that said, involves replacing three Dietz, Conservation Director of he said should be transferable to wires and one neutral wire with the McKenzie River Trust. The the Pacific Northwest. just one wire and one neutral. Trust purchased the 277-acre “Vegetation is the biggest Eliminating the 3-wire alignment Finn Rock Reach property from impact for both reliability and fire will eliminate “a kind of a cradle Rosboro in 2016. risk,” according to Tyler Nice, Wildfire safety plans - Page 2 Dietz said the Trust was interested in the property because of its current and potential floodplain habitat values and to secure access at the popular Finn Utility pledges to put Rock Boat Launch. “While the Holiday Farm Fire scorched the area, its impacts also highlighted The first phase of the Finn Rock Reach project will begin this summer. The th more lines underground the value of a higher water table Trust will host a webinar with details on June 16 . See the Community Cal- and active connections between endar at: alturl.com/uerws to sign up for the webinar and to learn more. LEC says 52% have already been buried a river and its floodplain,” he Finn Rock side channel, it won’t great improvements in habitat for said. “The two-phased restoration be permanent. native fish and wildlife including During a Monday night cover the estimated $15.5 million project is designed to reclaim Some dry ground is needed Chinook salmon, rainbow and online meeting, Lane Electric costs to bury lines. an area that saw 50 years of while heavy machinery moves cutthroat trout, lamprey, western Cooperative General Manager Plans call for coordinating with heavy gravel extraction and over 1,500 large logs and whole pond turtle, beaver, and more,” Debi Wilson said the utility is phone and internet providers to other negative effects on those trees. But the diversion dam Dietz said. “Upon completion, the planning to put more of its lines see if they can put their lines floodplain dynamics.” will last only from June through area will receive the same volume underground to offset the impacts underground at the same time. What some critics may not August when it will be removed of water from upstream, but it will of natural disasters. “We’re “Members living in the know is that although a diversion before spawning salmon return. be slowed down and will meander committed to rebuilding the McKenzie area lost almost all dam will be used to redirect about “As with similar projects across an area three times what it McKenzie community stronger forms of communication during 20 percent of the flow from the upstream, people can expect to see does today.” than before,” Wilson said. “There the 2019 snowstorm and again are many more hazards that exist during the 2020 windstorm and now than before the wildfire,” wildfire,” according to the general she noted, listing “landslides, manager. “It’s our goal to work Lane Electric receives $3.7 rockslides, and flooding.” collaboratively to protect all those Currently, the Coop is working vital services in the communities with a consultant to develop we serve,” she said. million for storm repairs a rebuilding plan that will be Wilson also addressed news submitted to the Federal Energy reports of a recently filed $107 FEMA grant earmarked for 2019 winter snowstorm damages Management Agency. Federal million lawsuit in which both grant funds, combined with $5.7 Lane Electric and the Eugene WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. we’ve seen during Oregon’s in- lost,” said Merkley. “I’m grate- million already committed by the Water & Electric Board had been Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merk- tense winter storms in recent ful that the Biden administration Coop’s board will be combined to More lines underground - Page 2 ley on Monday announced that years, and during Texas’ power is providing grant funding to help Lane Electric Cooperative will re- crisis this year, lives are put at Lane Electric cover the costs of ceive a $3.72 million federal grant serious risk when that access is critical repairs to power infra- for repairs from the February structure that was damaged in the May 18 Election results 2019 snowstorm that left custom- 2019 storm, and will continue to ers without power and caused se- do all that I can to secure the fund- McKenzie School Bond defeated vere damage to the utility’s power ing we need to expand and protect distribution lines and systems. access to power and other basic McKenzie School Bond Springfield School Board “Oregonians who experienced utilities, so we can keep our com- Yes 221 Position #2 the loss of electricity in their munities safe.” No 285 Emilio Hernandez Jr 5329 homes and businesses for weeks The $3.72 million grant from McKenzie School Board Position #3 on end from this winter storm re- the Federal Emergency Manage- Position #1 Steven Hadley 657 member all too well the damage ment Agency (FEMA) will help Write In 34 Brandy Crosby 712 this snowfall inflicted on Lane Lane Electric cover repair costs Position #2 Samantha Alcantar 1006 County,” Wyden said. “I’m grati- for the winter storm, which the Daniel L. Harold 239 Jonathan Light 3325 fied that FEMA will help Lane agency noted often required up Position 4 Anthony Reed 1829 Electric and its members recov- to two weeks to restore power Elaine Bryson 284 Position #5 er the financial costs from this due to the severity of damages Position 6 Lisa Barrager 1100 storm.” Trees falling on power lines caused and lack of accessibility due to Tim Halloran 264 Kelly Mason 3518 “Everyone in America should outages in many hard-to-reach ar- heavy snow, downed trees, and Position 7 Ruth Linoz 3064 have access to electricity. As eas during the “Snowmagedom.” Storm repairs - Page 2 Melissa Norlund 283 May Election results - Page 7 Page 2 McKenzie River Reflections Thursday, May 27, 2021 Letters to the Editor rebuilding. In April, the Board of Grant helps to Directors of OCCUF generously rebuild VMC center approved $10,000 toward this ef- Following the Holiday Farm fort. Fire, the Oregon Community- VMCC is very grateful for this Credit Union Foundation formed grant. It will certainly hasten the a Fire Relief Fund to support fire day when the new Center becomes relief efforts in the region. At the a reality. Thank you to Mandy suggestion of a neighbor, Mandy and to OCCU Foundation! Jones, the Vida McKenzie Com- Gerry Aster,VP and Secretary munity Center applied for a grant Vida McKenzie Community to help cover some of the cost of Center pts., Cascades Academy of Central Oregon 20 pts. and Paisley 10 pts. In the Girls competition, McKenzie featured the two Prater sisters. Hailey Prater finished seventh in the Javelin with a personal record throw of 60-10 ft. and Hannah finished tenth with a mark of 30-10 ft., also a personal Tokatee Golf Pro. Fry and Spiro’s record. Abigail Sanders of Paisley outstanding accomplishments put Wildfire safety plans Levi Lockart and Trent Peek won the Javelin with a throw a bow on a very successful athletic Grab Third Place Finishes At marked at 108-08 ft. Sanders year at McKenzie Continued From Page 1 Outback Invitational likewise won the Discus event, The Eagle Boys Basketball so debris doesn’t have a place to to help when the power is out, McKenzie Track and Field tossing the disc for a personal team, coached by Mike Wiley, won land,” he said. which now creates multiple athletes Levi Lockart and Trent record 84-06 ft. Hailey Prater the Trico League number one seed Estimates for improvements alternate potential sources of Peek each brought home third finished eighth in the Discus at 51- to the OSAA 2A State Basketball along 35 miles of lines in upriver ignition.” Besides educating the place finishes earned Friday, May 10 ft., a PR, and Hannah followed Championship Tournament held areas were in the range of $16.5 public to be careful when running 14, at the Outback Invitational in tenth place at 45-08 ft.