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Columbia County Prepares Declaration of Emergency Over Severe Weather (VIDEO)

Snow levels will range from 500 to 1000 feet through Friday night.

(VERNONIA, Ore.) - Today, Columbia County and the City of Vernonia prepared declarations of emergency contingent upon resource depletion, due to the severe winter storm involving heavy snow, ice and heavy rainfall, which has resulted in the imminent possibility of flooding and severely taxing county resources.

Mud Slide Continues Blocking All Lanes on Highway 26 East of Sandy (PHOTOS)

Motorists traveling between the Portland area to central Oregon may also consider using Interstate 84 to Highway 197 or Highway 97.

(SANDY, Ore.) - Oregon highway crews were on scene Friday morning assessing the large slide blocking all lanes of Highway 26 about eight miles east of Sandy near milepost 34.

They say the mud slide and debris is now estimated to be up to 2 feet deep and over 200 yards in width. Approximately 300 feet of guardrail was damaged on the east end as mud, trees and debris flowed across from the south side of the highway.

Thursday at approximately 10:24 PM, reports were received of the mud slide that came from the south side of Highway 26 between milepost 34 and 35.

Mud Slide Blocks All Lanes on Highway 26 West of Brightwood

Motorists traveling between the Portland area to central Oregon may also consider using Interstate 84 to Highway 197 or Highway 97.

(BRIGHTWOOD, Ore.) - ODOT, Oregon State Police and Hoodland Fire Department are on scene of a large mud slide blocking all lanes of Highway 26 between Cherryville Hill and Brightwood. The mud slide and debris is preliminarily estimated to be up to 2 feet deep and 80 - 100 yards in width.

Police say Thursday at approximately 10:24 PM, reports were received of the mud slide that came from the south side of Highway 26 between milepost 34 and 35.

Two vehicles were reported to be on the east end of the slide area. No one is reported injured. The slide debris includes mud and trees.

Heavy Rains Lead to Sewer Overflow in Willamette River

Signs will be posted warning people to avoid contact with the water in the Willamette River due to potentially high levels of bacteria.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Recent rainfall combined with saturated ground conditions have resulted in the City of Salem overflowing diluted raw sewage into the Willamette River.

The Union Street diversion structure activated at approximately 8:31 PM.

David A. Prock with Salem's Wastewater Collection Services, says that when the ground becomes saturated, groundwater enters the sanitary sewer from cracks and holes in the pipes in addition to footing drains and other sources of extraneous water from private property.

Amber Alert Issued for 2 North Carolina Children

The suspect vehicle, a White 1986 Toyota Truck Extended Cab with NC tag number YNS-8257, possibly has a camper cover that is white in color. The truck may have gold stripes and rusted fender wells.

(CANDLER, N.C.) - The State of North Carolina issued an Amber Alert after two children were apparently abducted following a triple homicide in Candler on Thursday.

Sea Pirates Rampage Along Somali Coast on New Year`s Day

Five different pirate attacks and one sea-jacking incident are recorded by EcoTerra on the first day of the year.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The group Ecoterra reports that Somali pirates managed to sea-jack one vessel on the first day of the new year, and also attack two others. They sea-jacking occurred when pirates raided an Egyptian owned cargo ship with 28 Egyptian crew members near the coast of Somalia, the Egyptian foreign ministry confirmed. The vessel that was attacked in this incident is the MV Blue Star. She was flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Potential Danger of Debris Flows in Western Oregon (LOCAL UPDATES)

Advice from the National Weather Service about how to stay alive during floods and land or "debris" slides.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The National Weather Service in Portland has Highlighted the potential debris flows and landslides as part of the Flood Watch for large portions of Oregon.

Wells Fargo and Wachovia Merger Completed

As a result of the transaction, Wells Fargo acquired all of Wachovia Corporation and its businesses and obligations, including all of its banking deposits.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Wells Fargo & Company has completed its merger with Wachovia Corporation, effective December 31st, 2008, creating North America's most extensive distribution system for financial services with 11,000 stores, 12,260 ATMs, wellsfargo.com and Wells Fargo PhoneBank.

Police Respond to Crash in Salem With Serious Injuries

One lane is reported to remain closed while ODOT coordinates vehicle removal.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers are investigating a Thursday afternoon serious injury crash on Interstate 5 in the Salem area involving a pickup and a commercial truck. Oregon Department of Transportation crews are still on scene helping coordinate vehicle removal.

OSP Senior Trooper Peggy Bishop says a 2001 Toyota Tacoma pickup was reportedly driving in the grassy center median "spinning cookies" between the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 254 today at approximately 2:40 PM.

Several people called OSP Northern Command Center (NCC) dispatch to report the unusual driving by the pickup in that area.

Gresham Police Investigate Double Homicide on New Year`s Eve (UPDATE)

Police are looking for suspects or people who might have seen the incident take place.

(GRESHAM, Ore.) - Gresham Police responded to the Barberry Village apartment complex in the 200 block of SE 188th over a report of three gunshots coming from in front of the apartment complex. It happened New Year's Eve at 7:59 PM.