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Wednesday, September 7, 2022
thechronicleonline.com
Serving Columbia County since 1881
Weather balloon lands in Columbia River STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net
Courtesy photo from Scappoose Fire
Crews work to get the downed weather balloon out of the Columbia River.
Local first responders used their skills and determination during an unusual rescue in the Columbia River. Scappoose Fire posted the following details of the Aug. 31 event on the fire agency’s Facebook page. Scappoose Fire received a request from our friends at the Near Space Corporation in Tillamook. They needed help coordinating the recovery of a weather balloon that had landed in the middle of the Columbia River. The balloon that has a height taller than a three-story building, was being challenged by a local change in weather conditions. Unfortunately, the balloon was not able to be brought down on land. The professionals that oversee the launch and mission of weather balloons use many tools and systems to know where the balloon is at all times. The balloon was followed by a fixed wing plane as it got close to Scappoose. This plane helped to guide us to the specific location. As added safety for aircraft in the area, the balloon was fixed with a special transmitter that identifies the balloon’s location so that other aircraft can see it as normal air traffic.
Once the balloon landed in the water, the recovery of the electronics became a focus as well as the large balloon. To prevent the balloon from being a significant river hazard; Scappoose Fire reached out to Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue, Sauvie Island Fire District and U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River to help with the recovery and notify the boaters on the water. This recovery was successful because of their assistance. After about three hours, the recovery effort was completed, and the electronic equipment was returned to the Near Space Corporation staff. Due to the mix of water and the balloon fabric, what would normally be very light was hundreds of pounds. This was a great opportunity to test out communication plans and equipment in a low stress environment while having to think outside the box with this operation. Additional thanks to the community members Tom Morton and Lance Scrivens for assisting us pull the balloon higher on the shore and transporting staff and equipment in the hard-to-reach area. For those that thought they were seeing an alien craft over Scappoose and the Columbia River today, it was just a challenged weather balloon.
Oregon’s drunk driving challenge Special Report JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Over the past holiday weekend, law enforcement agencies joined a national crackdown against drunk drivers. Local results were pending at press time. Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) continues to be a leading cause of motor vehicle crash injuries and deaths throughout the nation. In partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Oregon Impact, the enhanced enforcement efforts are designed to curb drunken driving, decrease crashes, reduce injuries, and save lives. In February, The Chronicle published information from an ODOT report detailing the sobering impact of drunk driving in our state. By the numbers According to ODOT, every two
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Law enforcement officials warn that those convicted of DUII can face thousands of dollars in fines and jail time.
minutes, someone is injured by a drunk driver and every 51 minutes someone is killed by a drunk driver. In 2019, Oregon experienced 2,336 substance-involved crashes in which 318 people died and 334 people sustained life-alerting injuries. From 2018- 2019, substanceinvolved fatalities increased 1%, of note is for the first time since 2014 drug only fatalities saw a decrease 17%, alcohol only involved fatalities (fatality is one person rather than one crash) saw a 5% increase and fatalities involving either alcohol or drugs decreased 9%. Poly-substance fatalities, which
have increased every year since 2014, saw a 30% increase from 2017-2018. In Oregon, overall substance involved crashes increased 1% from 2017-2018. Fatal and serious injuries (people) as a result of substanceinvolved crashes increased 6%. From 2017-2018, substance involved crashes that resulted in a fatal or serious injury increased from 15% to 17% and of note, substance involved fatal and serious injury crashes account for 25% of all fatal and serious injury crashes, according to the ODOT report. Marijuana affects psychomo-
tor skills and cognitive functions critical to driving including vigilance, drowsiness, time and distance perception, reaction time, divided attention, lane tracking, coordination, and balance. Opioids can cause drowsiness and can impair cognitive function. After alcohol, marijuana is the drug most often found in the blood of drivers involved in crashes. Tests for detecting marijuana in drivers measure the level of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s mind-altering ingredient, in the blood. But the role that marijuana plays in crashes is often unclear.
THC can be detected in body fluids for days or even weeks after use, and it is often combined with alcohol. The vehicle crash risk associated with marijuana in combination with alcohol, cocaine, or benzodiazepines appears to be greater than that for each drug by itself. Several studies have shown that drivers with THC in their blood were roughly twice as likely to be responsible for a deadly crash or be killed than drivers who hadn’t used drugs or alcohol. However, a large NHTSA study found no significant increased crash risk traceable to marijuana after controlling for drivers’ age, gender, race, and presence of alcohol. More research is needed. Along with marijuana, prescription drugs are also commonly linked to drugged driving crashes. In 2016, 19.7% of drivers who drove while under the influence tested positive for some type of opioid, the ODOT report foiund. Penalties for DUII in Oregon The average cost for a first-time DUII in Oregon is $4,500; however,
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Big ‘kicker’ for taxpayers, caution about recession JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Oregon taxpayers are in line to receive a share of the projected state revenues in the form of a tax credit, called the ‘kicker.’ The September Oregon Eco-
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Vol. 140, No. 36
nomic and Revenue Forecast shows the projected personal kicker is $3.5 billion. Overall, the forecast shows the state will see an estimated $600 million in additional surging tax revenues. The report by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services issued Aug. 31 to Oregon’s legislators, also comes with a warning about a national recession. “The risks are real. The outlook is essentially a coin flip between the soft landing and a recession,” the state revenue forecast’s economic outlook states. Governor Kate Brown issued the following statement about the state’s September revenue forecast: “Thanks to the fiscally responsible decisions the State of Oregon has made over the last several years, we are well positioned with significant reserves to weather any economic challenges that lie ahead. Now, we must continue to make investments to benefit Oregon’s working families, so that all Oregonians can feel the benefits of our strong economic recovery.” “With rising costs of living continuing to impact Oregon families and businesses, the Legislature can, in the budget for the next biennium, build on the investments we made in the last session––particularly in
housing, workforce development, behavioral health, and child care.” “And, thanks to the work of Oregon’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris administration to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can continue to invest federal dollars to lower costs and create jobs for working families.”
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Revenue Forecast Executive Summary
Economists are on recession watch. The combination of slower economic growth, high inflation, and rising interest rates has historically been problematic. That said, despite the crosscurrents in the economic data so far this year, the U.S. economy is unlikely to have entered into a recession. Employment and industrial production continue to grow. Personal income and consumer spending are rising quickly but struggling to outpace the fastest inflation the U.S. has experienced since the early 1980s. While this may be reassuring today, the risks to the outlook are real. Inflation remains the key issue. Even as Courtesy photo
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The latest state revenue forecast delivered in Salem Aug. 31, states that the outlook is essentially a coin flip between the soft landing and a recession.