‘It’s absolutely insane’: Swaths of trees cut after Oregon fires amid allegations of mismanagement OregonLive.com 5/1/2021 Ted Sickinger, oregonlive.com
As the hazardous tree-removal program overseen by the Oregon Department of Transportation goes into high gear after last fall’s devastating wildfires, many of Oregon’s most scenic and beloved areas are being transformed into post-apocalyptic stretches of roadside clearcuts, gargantuan log piles and slash.
“A person really has to come and look at it to get a sense,” said Ron Carmickle, mayor of Gates, which was ravaged in the Labor Day fires that raged through the Santiam Canyon and is now seeing heavy post-fire cutting on both public and private property.
Controversy brewing over perceived clear cutting of trees in Oregon
Following wildfires, crews go in and cut down damaged trees. They do it for safety. But some people claim these crews are cutting down more than dangerous trees. Author: Keely Chalmers (KGW) Updated: 6:16 AM PDT April 30, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. As soon as the flames went out, the destruction was evident. The historic wildfires that swept through Oregon s forests, canyons and communities destroyed hundreds of homes and countless trees. Burned trees lined the highways as did piles of those already cut down.
The state estimates a total of 140,000 hazard trees along highways or on private properties will need to be removed for safety reasons. It s a massive task.
Troubled tree-cutting program had quotas, no clear standards, whistleblowers tell Oregon lawmakers
Updated 12:09 PM;
Today 6:30 AM
Roadside trees cut down in the Santiam Canyon as part of the state s post fire hazard tree removal program.
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Oregon lawmakers suggested Wednesday they may ask for an investigation into the state’s fledgling effort to remove hazard trees from wildfire zones after hearing explosive eyewitness accounts from insiders who allege mismanagement and overharvesting of healthy and non-hazardous trees.
Members of the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery Committee also indicated they may ask the Oregon Department of Transportation, or Gov. Kate Brown, to pause more cutting until the allegations can be vetted.
'It's absolutely insane': Swaths of trees cut after Oregon fires amid allegations of mismanagement oregonlive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oregonlive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Florida’s Vaccination Vendor Switch: ‘Chaos’ and Confusion
The favored vendor had no experience working in long-term care facilities, and the result has been an effort rife with miscommunication, frustration, and even misinformation that discouraged some from getting vaccinated. by Mary Ellen Klas, The Miami Herald / January 26, 2021 TNS
(TNS) - When national pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens weren t vaccinating residents and staff of long-term care facilities in Florida fast enough, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a $24 million contract with the subsidiary of the Miami engineering and emergency management firm CDR Maguire to staff up and get the job done.
But the favored vendor had no experience working in long-term care facilities, and the result has been a rush to vaccinate that has been rife with miscommunication and frustration, and even fraught with misinformation that discouraged some people from getting vac