Weekday Wrap: A huge Vancouver fentanyl bust, a grocery merger, a grant for internet in Umatilla and a friendly airport cat - Oregon Public Broadcasting

Stories you whitethorn person missed from unit reports and our quality partners astir the region.

Vancouver men charged successful national fentanyl investigation

Two Vancouver men were charged with national crimes for allegedly moving a cause trafficking ringing liable for making and distributing hundreds of thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Both men, Joshua Clay Wilfong and James Hunn Jr., were arrested Wednesday. A merchandise from the U.S. Attorney’s Office says the brace regularly sold hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills successful azygous transactions and sold an mean of 10,000 pills per week. (Jessica Prokop, The Columbian)

Read the afloat communicative here.

Oregon national workers’ protections would stay aft market merger

Two of the largest U.S. market store corporations program to merge. Kroger connected Friday bid $20 cardinal for Albertsons. Kroger owns northwest market chains Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons owns some Alberston’s and Safeway market stores. United Food and Commercial Worker Local 55, a national representing market workers successful Oregon, said unionized workers are protected. “Regardless of what happens with the merger, which tin instrumentality a precise agelong time, our member’s contracts volition stay successful place, with their wages, wellness coverage, and status secured,” national spokesperson Miles Eshia said successful a statement. Together the companies employment astir 710,000 people. The Associated Press reported immoderate market workers expressed interest astir the plan, which would inevitably bring store closures. (OPB Staff)

Jackson County assessor addresses departmental faults outlined successful authorities review

After a reappraisal from the Oregon Department of Revenue revealed debased staffing levels and unit turnover that pb to a bid of errors, the Jackson County Assessor’s Office volition beryllium updating policies and procedures. The errors see inaccurate estimates of spot values successful the county, inadequate unit grooming and a deficiency of spot tract visits. The point expected to instrumentality the longest to remedy is the completion of residential onshore revaluation passim the county. The bureau volition commencement with revaluations successful the Medford area. (Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio)

Read the afloat communicative here.

$15.5M assistance boosts high-speed net connected Umatilla Indian Reservation

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation secured much than $15.5 cardinal for expanded high-speed net deployment and integer skills grooming to amended entree to education, jobs and wellness attraction connected tribal lands. The backing comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (John Tillman, East Oregonian)

Read the afloat communicative here.

There’s a affable small feline astatine the airdrome successful Pendleton

A affable tortoiseshell tabby feline has go a fixture astatine the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. Every day, the small airdrome feline waits for the Boutique Air Pilatus PC-12 level to bash its way betwixt Portland International Airport to Pendleton. Pilot Omar Reynoso, who has piloted that formation for astir oregon twelvemonth oregon so, said the small feline waits for the level and comes moving to greet them each evening. (Charly Hotchkiss, East Oregonian)

Read the afloat communicative here.

White letters connected a airy bluish inheritance read, "OPB Weekday Wrap."

Staff / OPB