County Commissioner Meeting
The Lane County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet tomorrow, with options for the public to attend in person or view the meeting virtually. Among the items on the agenda is a proposed lease buyout agreement involving county-owned property in Florence. The board will consider an order that would delegate authority to the county administrator to execute a lease buyout with an existing tenant for real property in Florence. The item is being presented by Behavioral Health Manager Terry Fields as part of the Health and Human Services agenda. The consent calendar also includes a range of other items, including grants for behavioral health services, public works purchases, and appointments to county advisory boards. Meeting details and virtual viewing options are available through Lane County’s website.
Climate Jobs Oregon
A new coalition of workers and labor organizations, called Climate Jobs Oregon, says the state’s transition to clean energy should put working people at the center. As part of its launch, the coalition released a report identifying two connected crises in Oregon: climate change and rising unaffordability. Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor says climate action must also improve economic conditions for workers, including wages, costs, and job quality. The report calls for a large expansion of clean energy infrastructure such as wind and solar, with guarantees for union jobs. Trainor says meeting future energy demand could create more than 200,000 jobs. The coalition includes several statewide building trades and labor unions.
New Date for Ocean Crab Pots
To reduce the risk of humpback whale entanglements in commercial Dungeness crab gear, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is moving its late-season regulations up by a month, from May 1 to April 1 this year. The rules require fishermen to operate in waters shallower than 40 fathoms, use 20 percent fewer pots, and attach late-season buoy tags. ODFW says newer research shows earlier restrictions will further reduce entanglement risk. Federal officials attribute several recent humpback whale entanglements to Oregon crab gear. ODFW says the changes support a sustainable fishery that generates more than $230 million annually for coastal communities.
