A consequential rural travel lead opens the edition, followed by government and infrastructure accountability, compact same-day transit and preparedness briefs, then three useful community destinations. Each story appears once and Paddle Addle closes the edition.
The road ahead
Highway 126 paving shifts to Monday, with flaggers through October 1
Six stretches between Springfield and Vida are due for paving, while separate drainage work continues near Goodpasture Covered Bridge.
The next round of Highway 126 work is expected to begin Monday, September 21, rather than this week. The $1.43 million contract covers six sections between mileposts 11 and 38, adding up to about 5.5 miles of pavement.
Crews plan to work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays through October 1. Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures, flaggers, pilot cars and small delays; weather can still move the schedule.
Near milepost 25.7 by Goodpasture Covered Bridge, ODOT maintenance crews are separately clearing debris and improving drainage where post-fire groundwater has repeatedly pushed water onto the highway. That work includes about 250 feet of protective fencing and hillside reinforcement before winter.