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Rescue Teams Continue Search For Three Missing Climbers on Mt. Hood

A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from Salem will help in the search if weather conditions improve.

(MT HOOD) - Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue personnel on Mount Hood report the search continues for the three missing climbers.

The lost climbers, two Texans and a New Yorker set out to climb the mountain on Wednesday.

Oregon Gas Prices Jump Four Cents

The Beaver state remains the second highest in the US.

(SALEM) - Gas prices in Oregon are continuing their upward trend.

According to AAA the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Oregon jumped 4-cents in the past week to $2.64.

In Portland-Vancouver, the price rose 5-cents to $2.62.

In Salem, the price is up 4-cents to $2.62.

Oregon still has the nations second highest gas prices, trailing only Hawaii at $2.83.

Panjshir Farmers in Afghanistan Learn New Techniques

UPDATE: International Security Assistance Force- Afghanistan

(KABUL, Afghanistan) - Doctor Mike Gangwer, a soil expert from the US Department of Agriculture, recently spent two days with nearly 60 fruit and vegetable farmers in the Panjshir province of Afghanistan. He taught the farmers about moisture conservation and nutrient levels in the earth.

Doctor Gangwer is working with the Parwan and Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Teams, and remains impressed by both the knowledge and interest displayed by local farmers enrolled in his agriculture courses.

Oregon Astronaut Don Pettit Goes to Antarctica

Oregon Native Don Pettit joins ANSMET team in Antarctica.

(NASA) - "We're on a bit of an adventure," explains Don. "I've joined a scientific expedition to Antarctica to hunt for meteorites. The name of the expedition is ANSMET, short for Antarctic Search for Meteorites, and it is funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by principal investigators from Case Western University. ANSMET has been making annual trips to Antarctica since the mid-70s. The scientific value is immense. More than 10,000 meteorites have been found including such jewels as the famous Allan Hills meteorite from Mars.”

"I was fortunate enough to be asked to tag along as the token astronaut," he laughs. "Why me? It was mainly dumb luck. One of the ANSMET scientists dropped out at the last minute for medical reasons. Because the principal investigator had dealt with astronauts before, he knew they would not have trouble passing the medical exam and could be called up on short notice. When my boss asked me if I wanted to go, I thought about it for perhaps a nanosecond and said yes!"

"So here I am in Antarctica with the ANSMET team looking for little chunks of extra-terrestrial debris that just happened to rain down on the Antarctic continent where the glaciers have this amazing habit of concentrating them well beyond their natural abundance."

Oregon Outbreak Leads to Multi-State Oyster Recall

Oregon has confirmed more than 100 noroviral outbreaks this year.

(SALEM) - A disease outbreak investigation by Oregon state and Marion County public health officials has led to a multi-state recall of thousands of pounds of frozen oysters, officials at the Oregon Department of Human Services Public Health Division said Monday.

The recall, announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, covers a large lot of frozen oysters on the half shell imported from Korea.

BE AWARE! I-5 Southbound Closed Due to Rollover Accident

Traffic is in a diversion at mile point 180.5 while construction crews rebuild an I-5 bridge.

(CRESWELL) - A semi truck wreck on Interstate 5 southbound about 1.5 miles south of Creswell will keep the freeway closed until approximately 3:00 PM Monday.

The truck, hauling a trailer filled with about 30 tons of almonds, crashed into a concrete construction barrier at about 8:30 AM Monday.

The trailer came to rest on its side, blocking both lanes of the interstate at mile point 180.5.

Missing 8-Year-Old From Oregon Located in California; Mother Arrested

The supects daughter was in good condition and has been released to Child Protective Services.

(MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. ) - The Oregon State Police have been informed of the recovery of an 8-year old missing child and the arrest of her mother in Mammoth Lakes, California following a tip related to a kidnapping/parental abduction investigation that started in March 2005.

Information from Mammoth Lakes Police Department indicates that on Thursday, a FBI agent from the South Lake Tahoe office contacted their department related to a tip on a case that had been featured on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website.

The case involved a female child, currently 8 years of age, and her mother, 33-year-old Heidi Pietsch (aka Roberts).

State Taps Salem Resident to Head Self Sufficiency Office

Todd was DHS assistant director for finance and policy analysis.

(SALEM) - The Oregon Department of Human Services has named Vic Todd of Salem as administrator of the Office of Self Sufficiency.

The Office of Self Sufficiency programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, food stamps, childcare, JOBS program, teen pregnancy prevention, Medicaid policy, and refugee services. The office is part of the Children, Adults and Families Division (CAFD).

Todd has been with DHS for more than 20 years and has held a number of other management and budget analysis positions in the agency.

Wilberger Murder Suspect to Undergo Mental Competency Hearing

Joel Patrick Courtney is currently being held at the New Mexico psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas.

(ALBUQUERQUE, NM) - A New Mexico man accused of rape in New Mexico and the murder of Brooke Wilberger in Oregon is to undergo a mental competency hearing to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

State District Judge Kenneth Martinez has set Dec. 20th as the hearing date authorities said Monday.

Courtney was indicted in July 2005 in Oregon on 19 counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape and sodomy in the May 24th, 2004, disappearance of BYU student Brooke Wilberger.

Three Climbers Missing on Oregon`s Mt. Hood

The climbers are reportedly well equipped but packed light for a quick trip.

(MT. HOOD) - Rescuers are searching Mount Hood today for three missing climbers.

The men left the Cooper Spur ski resort to climb up the north side of the mountain and then down the south side to Timberline Lodge.

Authorities say the Hood River County 911 dispatch center received a call around 10 AM on Sunday after the three climbers failed to arrive at the Timberline Lodge on Saturday night.