Winter Snow Storm Slams Eugene Area

Snow and treacherous roads have prompted state transportation officials to warn motorists to stay off the roads in Linn, Benton and Lane counties this morning.

Heavy snow has fallen on most highways form the Coast Range to the Cascades. Vehicles have spun out on Interstate 5 in the Albany area and on Oregon 126W between Noti and Eugene. Multiple trees have fallen onto U.S. 20 between Lebanon and Sweet Home, and on Oregon 226 between Crabtree and Lyons.

Oregon Department of Transportation crews are plowing and sanding highways. Officials say motorists should be prepared for poor driving conditions.

NorthWest News & Review: Solar storm lights up northern skies

NorthWest News & Review: Solar storm lights up northern skies: Solar storm lights up northern skies Francois Campredon / AFP - Getty Images Northen lights ripple through the skies over Abisko in Swedish ...

Solar storm lights up northern skies

Francois Campredon / AFP - Getty Images

Northen lights ripple through the skies over Abisko in Swedish Lapland late March 7.

By Alan Boyle

So far, the disruption caused by this week's solar storm seems to be minimal, but skywatchers are maximizing the opportunity to see auroral fireworks — and tonight just might be prime time for the show. Or maybe not.

For several days now, the sun has been sending out bursts of electrically charged particles, known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs. The most spectacular flare-up came late Tuesday, when two X-class solar flares blazed up from a particularly active sunspot region. The waves of particles associated with those flares began sweeping over Earth's magnetic field today.

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Usually, that would suggest that tonight's the night to look for the northern lights in somewhat less northern regions of the globe — say, Massachusetts, Nebraska or Oregon. Two factors could put a damper on those expectations: First, the geomagnetic component of the storm is not as powerful as space weather forecasters had expected, at least not yet. Second, the full moon's glare might wash out the delicate glow of the aurora.

To find out whether there's a chance of seeing the northern lights, check out the Ovation Auroral Forecast map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Testbed, as well as the Aurora Forecast website maintained by the University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute. Right now the outlook is great for Fairbanks and Edmonton, not so good for Boise or Boston. But you never know — and besides, it's worth going out to take a look at the moon and several planets together in the sky, even if the northern lights aren't shining in your locale.

Rest assured the lights will be shining in the usual places, including Scandinavia, Russia and Canada. Here are a few of the beauties from last night. For even more, click on over to the galleries at SpaceWeather.com:

Timo Veijalainen / AV-Lappi

Timo Veijalainen of Sodankyla, Finland, sends along this picture of the northern lights. "There were lots of clouds during the night, but driving to east was answer to our problem," he said in a note to SpaceWeather.com. "Near midnight, auroras started to dance. It didn't last long, but luckily I got few images." Check out the gallery at SpaceWeather.com, and stop by Veijalainen's AV-Lappi website.

AuroraMAX / CSA

The AuroraMAX all-sky camera near Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories captured this subtle display of greenish and reddish auroral lights early this morning. For more from AuroraMAX, check out the project's website and Twitpic gallery.

NBC's Tom Costello reports on the solar storm and shows off some aurora video.

NorthWest News & Review: Warning issued about North West Coast Weather 3/9/...

NorthWest News & Review: Warning issued about North West Coast Weather 3/9/...: Warning issued about North Coast weather this weekend The National Weather Service reports a significant change in the weather over southwes...

Warning issued about North West Coast Weather 3/9/2012

Warning issued about North Coast weather this weekend

The National Weather Service reports a significant change in the weather over southwest washington and Northwest oregon beginning this weekend and continuing through the coming week.

After a brief taste of spring like weather thursday over southwest Washington and northwest Oregon that may linger into friday in many areas, a big change is on the horizon for this weekend that will continue next week.

The change will begin with a weakening front that will move through southwest Washington and northwest Oregon Friday night and early Saturday. The change will accelerate Saturday night and Sunday as a much stronger front moves in with windy conditions, especially near the coast. Snow levels will lower to near 1,000 feet Sunday. Significant snow accumulations are expected over the Cascades beginning Saturday night and continuing into Monday. Snow is also likely in the Cascade foothills and possibly even in the coast range Sunday and Sunday night.

The weather service’s computer models are now beginning to point toward an even stronger system Monday that could bring high wind to the coast more rain to the valleys and snow to the mountains. The models are also indicating more storm systems every day or two throughout next week and into the following weekend, with occasional wind at the coast and plenty of precipitation.

Keep an eye on the weather during the next week or two, especially if you have travel through the mountains.

NorthWest News & Review: Southern Oregon 's Best Bed & Breakfast Inn

NorthWest News & Review: Southern Oregon 's Best Bed & Breakfast Inn: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 Southern Oregon's Oldest Historic Bed & Breakfast The Original Northwest Bed & Breakfast  By Steven Masone ...

Southern Oregon 's Best Bed & Breakfast Inn

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Southern Oregon's Oldest Historic Bed & Breakfast

The Original Northwest Bed & Breakfast 

By Steven Masone






Probably the most beautiful places on earth is California and Oregon coastal and mountain areas. Leaving California heading north Interstate 5, the mountain town of Ashland Oregon greets you with it's beautiful Ski area and an almost old world charm in the downtown district where great restaurants and eclectic mix of a myriad of shops that reflect Ashland's artistic community that has evolved from Ashland being host city to Southern Oregon University. World renown for it's Shakespeare Festival.


As you continue on through the Rogue valley named after it's famous Rogue River swallows you up with it's impressive wine country and pear orchards famous also as home of Harry & David of the  Bear Creek Corporation.


 The story of family-run Bear Creek Corporation traces its roots back to Sam Rosenberg, a prosperous clothier and hotel owner, who built the luxury Seattle Hotel Sorrento in Seattle in the early 1900s and traded it in 1910 for 240 acres of pear trees in southern Oregon's Rogue River valley. The orchard cost $300,000; the pears were Doyenne du Comice, a thin-skinned, easily bruised fruit hybridized in France in the 1700s and renowned for its fine texture and flavor. The Rogue River valley, with its rich volcanic soils and sunny micro climate free of frost, proved better suited to the Comice pear than its birthplace in France. Under Rosenberg's manager, the pears took first place twice at the annual New York pear show. The rest is history.


But we must keep moving through this beautiful valley because our destination this week is about an hour north up the most breathtaking mountain pine country one can find anywhere. Historic Wolf Creek Inn.


When we heard that Wolf Creek Inn hosted their first Crawdad Festival last July we contacted the new operators who have resurrected the Historic Inn from failure three years ago. As The Delta News & Review has decided to expand another e-publication into southern Oregon, owners Mark and Margrett Quist asked us to consult with them for this years festival. Because of last years success this year can double or triple and our production and promotion team is excited to get involved.

In 1975 the Inn was purchased by the state of Oregon. Local carpentersand craftsmen spent 4 years restoring the Inn to its former luster. Historians from the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office spent countless hours researching the original floor plans and wall coverings in order to return the Inn to the look and feel of the mid 1920's and recreate the atomosphere for current visitors.

Many famous folks visited the Inn, including President Hayes, Jack London, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Mary Pickford, Fredric March, Patrick Stewart, Robert Redford and Sir Anthony Hopkins, just to name just a few.

In August 1911, Jack London stayed at the Inn for several weeks, where he enjoyed hiking in the forests behind the Inn. During this time, he wrote a short story entitled "The End of the Story." He also completed  his novel "Valley Of The Moon" during another stay. Jack London's room is in the front of the Inn on the second floor, much as it would have appeared in 1911. 

I visited the Inn six years ago when it was hit and miss to find it open. I was going to do a story for the Linden Herald Newspapers but it never worked out. This week we will review all of their offerings, and legend has it their may be some "Haunting" from time past and we will keep everyone posted on that! 

                                                                                                                                   
Sitting room with great fireplace!  
"Ladies  Parlor"

http://historicwolfcreekinn.com/HistoryoftheInn.aspx