Local Ray's Food Place, Shop Smart Customer Donations Supporting Pink R Campaign

Throughout the month of October, participating Ray's Food Place and Shopt Smart stores are inviting customers to round up their purchases to the next dollar to benefit the Pink R Breast Cancer Round up campaign. According to a release, this year's fundraising goal is $15,000. When customers participate, their donations will support local organizations serving the communities where customers live and shop. This year's beneficiaries include the Women's Imaging Center at Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, and the Providence Community Health Foundation Breast Center in Medford, among others throughout the state. Held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pink R brings customers a store teams together to support breast cancer services in Oregon and Northern California. ...Read more

BCC to Further Consider Legal Counsel Agenda Items at WBS

The Board of County Commissioners met for a Legal Counsel Update, and will further consider policy revisions and a resolution at the next Weekly Business Session. Administrative Policy revisions were discussed first regarding social media and public records. There was reported concern about inconsistencies and a lack of clarity on how social media should be handled, and it was felt the policy was out of date. Revisions would consider what is and isn't acceptable as far as social media's usage. For the Public Records policy, the goal is to clearly define when an elected official is making decisions on their own, and how that becomes severable from the records management officer's authority. Also to be clarified is the records process. Both are slated to be discussed further during the October 7th Weekly Business Session. The Josephine County Strategic Communications Plan was approved without objection. Legal Counsel will proceed with a draft of a Departmental Procedure from amendment to personnel policy for Direct Reports to the board. ...Read more

BLM, U.S. Wildland Fire Service to Begin Prescribed Burning Operations

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed burning operations throughout Oregon and Washington as weather, fuel, and air quality become favorable. According to the BLM, operations will continue throughout the fall and winter. These burns are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities, and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available at www.blm.gov. Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the Wildland-Urban Interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape. During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight. Residents in these areas are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts. When driving in smoky areas, slow down and turn on headlights. People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke, and monitor their local air quality map. ...Read more