Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · 3d

The Forest Service says staff that organize timber sales are essential, so logging national forests continues through the shutdown, even as hundreds of thousands of other workers are furloughed. www.opb.org/article/2025...

Logging in national forests in Oregon continues, despite government shutdown

The U.S. Forest Service plans to auction off trees in the Deschutes, Wallowa-Whitman and Umatilla national forests by the end of the month.

www.opb.org

5 48 75

Reposted by April Ehrlich

Jenn Chávez @jennchavez.bsky.social · Sep 2

This week on @opb.org's The Evergreen:
The 2020 Labor Day Fires burned 4,000+ homes & a million+ acres in Oregon.
What happened next? What do you... do? How do you recover from a catastrophe like a wildfire, in a home changed forever?
We explore, w @aprilehrlich.bsky.social & Cassandra Profita:

‘The Evergreen’: How do you recover from something like a wildfire?

Five years ago, Oregon’s Labor Day Fires burned more than 4,000 homes and more than a million acres of land. This week: what happened next. How do you recover from a catastrophe like a wildfire? And w...

www.opb.org

2 5

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jul 2

It specifically requires the Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service to enter into 20-year-minimum contracts with logging companies. All of that money would go directly to the Treasury dept.

3

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jul 2

As is, the "big beautiful bill" would increase logging on federal lands. But timber counties that have historically received a chunk of timber sales won't see any of that new money. www.opb.org/article/2025...

Federal budget bill would boost logging — but cut funds to Oregon timber counties

The proposed budget bill would increase logging on federal lands, but most of that money won't go to Oregon counties that typically receive a portion of timber sales.

www.opb.org

1 3 8

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 30

I don’t think you have enough clamps.

1 1

Reposted by April Ehrlich

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · Jun 29

FEMA did not answer ProPublica’s questions about its missed application deadline or the impact of funding cuts and delays, instead responding with a statement that Secretary Noem is focused on bringing accountability to FEMA’s spending

States Fear Critical Funding From FEMA May Be Drying Up

Many states rely on the federal government for the vast majority of their emergency management funding. Now, local leaders are looking for clues about the money — and the future of FEMA itself.

www.propublica.org

40 220 650

Reposted by April Ehrlich

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · Jun 25

Oregon lawmakers will not advance a bill that would have required Facebook’s parent company and Google to pay money to local newsrooms for profiting off news content on their platforms.

Oregon bill to require big tech to pay local newsrooms dies in final days of session

The bill’s defeat is a major win for Google, Meta and tech industry groups.

www.oregonlive.com

2 2 9

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 21

The small community of Rowena outside The Dalles is in the early stages of recovery after a wildfire destroyed 56 homes last week. Half the residents are over 60, and more than half are below the poverty level. www.opb.org/article/2025...

As the flames die down, Rowena residents determine what’s next

Last week, the fire destroyed 56 homes in the unincorporated community of Rowena, outside The Dalles. There’s a long road ahead as it recovers from the blaze.

www.opb.org

2 11

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 20

Admittedly, I know very little about sports, but could we not come up with something better than Portland Fire? It's a bit too on the nose, considering, you know, the fires all over the state. portlandtribune.com/2025/06/19/w...

WNBA files trademark for possible Portland franchise team name

The WNBA put in a trademark request for the wordmark of "Portland Fire" on June 18, signaling the possible team name as the franchise gets ready for tipoff in 2026.

portlandtribune.com

6 23

Reposted by April Ehrlich

Rob Davis @robwdavis.bsky.social · Jun 13

"Trump signed an executive order in April to 'restore American seafood competitiveness' but in revoking the Columbia River agreement has canceled millions of dollars to support the programs that seed the ocean with fish to catch."

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Trump Administration Abandons Deal With Northwest Tribes to Restore Salmon

The Trump administration canceled a deal, signed under President Joe Biden, that would have enabled the removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Columbia River that are considered harmful to salmo...

www.propublica.org

11 170 470

Reposted by April Ehrlich

Gabe Jacobs @gabrielmjacobs.bsky.social · Jun 13

This is extraordinary. We must defend #publicradio. Long live KEXP. www.seattletimes.com/entertainmen...

KEXP hosts 27-hour marathon broadcast to protest potential public media cuts

The local radio station is holding the marathon broadcast to bring awareness to the public funding it, as well as many other stations, rely on from being cut as part of a Republican-led rescission…

www.seattletimes.com

2 10

Reposted by April Ehrlich

OPB @opb.org · Jun 12

In a 45-minute phone interview with the Capital Chronicle last Friday, Rep. Cliff Bentz defended the Republican tax and spending bill, adding that middle and low-income families, small businesses and the timber industry would be particularly pleased.

Bentz defends Republican tax and spending bill, despite costs and cuts impacting his district

Bentz voted to pass the bill despite past vows not to add to the national deficit, and representing many Oregonians who could lose access to Medicaid.

www.opb.org

7 4 12

Reposted by April Ehrlich

OPB @opb.org · Jun 12

The House narrowly voted Thursday to cut about $9.4 billion in spending already approved by Congress as President Donald Trump’s administration looks to follow through on work by the Department of Government Efficiency when it was overseen by Elon Musk.

House approves Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid

The House narrowly voted Thursday to cut about $9.4 billion in spending already approved by Congress, targeting foreign aid programs and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

www.opb.org

7 21 32

Reposted by April Ehrlich

OPB @opb.org · Jun 12

Today, the Rowena Fire in the Columbia River Gorge has grown to an estimated 3,500 acres.

With wildfire season already underway, OPB created a special wildfire section to help you stay prepared and informed.

Visit opb.org/wildfires to check it out.

17 20

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 12

Three fires have broken out in the Columbia River Gorge since yesterday. One blocked traffic on a major highway. OPB has a reporter on scene. Catch the updates here: www.opb.org/article/2025...

Wildfire near Rowena continues growing with evacuation orders in effect

A wildfire that started Wednesday afternoon near Rowena, Oregon, grew to an estimated 2,500 acres within hours, and roughly 3,500 people are being told to evacuate the area.

www.opb.org

1 3

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 12

The Trump administration has frozen a key disaster funding grant. That will likely impact how we respond to — and recover from — wildfires this year. www.opb.org/article/2025...

Federal cuts threaten Oregon’s disaster response ahead of wildfire season

The Trump administration hasn’t renewed a critical grant that helps fund local disaster response, leaving Oregon counties and tribal governments vulnerable ahead of a potentially active wildfire seaso...

www.opb.org

1 7 10

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 9

Passing the time by taking dramatic photos of my cats bathed in the lighting of my headlamp.

1 21

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 9

Oh yea, one of the neighbors mentioned Hollywood being out. It could be tied to the same substation 🤷🏻‍♀️

1 1

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 9

I should be clear that a transformer seems to have blown, not necessarily exploded with flames or anything. I talked to someone who lives next to it — He said it shook his house & lit up the sky. But when I got there, firemen were calmly chatting up neighbors, checking out little free libraries.

3 1 23

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 9

(This reporter is unfortunately among them.)

1 1 18

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 9

Over 9k people in SE Portland are without power in the middle of a heatwave after what appears to have been a transformer explosion at a substation.

7 14 65

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 6

It does! I’m sorry for being snarky. Should have left that behind in the other platform.

1 2

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 6

Ah, I definitely read that as “see, women can be sexist too!” I still don’t fully understand the point of the anecdote. But I also realize I don’t know the context y’all are working under.

1 1

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 6

Wow, every single person who told you that was a woman? Definitely sounds like a representative sampling and not just a reflection of the people you surround yourself with.

2 1

April Ehrlich @aprilehrlich.bsky.social · Jun 6

These companies also own the last tissue printing machines in the U.S., so other patrernmakers — including indie ones — will struggle. (A large portion use PDFs anyway, but not everyone can print and tape those things together. It’s a pain!)

2 10