Heavy Rain and High Winds
Lane County residents are being urged to prepare for heavy rain, strong winds, and possible flooding over the next few days as a strong atmospheric river impacts the region. Forecasters say parts of the central and southern Willamette Valley could see between four and a half and six inches of rain through Friday. Officials report the Mohawk River and the Siuslaw River near Mapleton could reach action stage, raising concerns for low-lying and flood-prone areas. Along the central coast, including Florence, periods of heavy rain and very strong winds are expected, with gusts capable of exceeding 50 miles per hour at times. A wind advisory is in effect, and emergency officials warn that downed trees and power outages are possible. Drivers are urged to use caution, especially on rural roads where debris or localized flooding may occur. Sandbags are available in traditionally flood-prone areas through local fire departments, according to county officials.
Outages Persist
As of this morning there were still about 200 outages reported in western Lane County. most of the affected areas are in the Mapleton, Swisshome and Deadwood areas. Central Lincoln PUD crews are preparing for another night of High winds and potential damage that may occur. As of 10:30 this morning there were 320 outages in Florence.
Data Privacy
As the multi-billion-dollar market for personal data continues to grow, Oregon is positioning itself as a leader in protecting consumer privacy. The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice recently convened a panel of experts to discuss concerns ranging from search histories to sensitive personal identifiers. Representative Willy Chotzen of Portland says data privacy has emerged as a rare bipartisan issue.
“There are so many other reasons why people can care about data privacy… it’s an incredible opportunity where we can really reach across the aisle.”
Panelists pointed to the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act, passed in 2023, which gives residents rights over their personal data. Additional restrictions on the sale of geolocation data tied to minors take effect in January.
Siuslaw Nation Forest Park to Require Ticketed Reservations
While we are still dealing with winter, the Oregon Department of Forestry has announced that the Siuslaw National Forest will implement a ticket reservation system at the Sand Lake Recreation Area over the Fourth of July holiday in 2026, covering July third through fifth. The new system is aimed at managing heavy visitation and improving public safety after record crowds last year caused significant traffic and congestion issues. Visitors will need either a developed campground reservation or a daily vehicle ticket to access Sand Lake during the holiday weekend. Camping reservations for July will become available in January through Recreation dot gov, while vehicle tickets will go on sale in May. Forest officials say no entry will be allowed without a reservation or ticket, and none will be sold on site.
