Salem-News.com - News with Video Page 233

Willamina Residents Say Officials Refuse to Help Abandoned Dogs (UPDATE)

Tied on short, kinked chains for weeks on end with no food or water, the dogs appeared to be in misery.

(WILLAMINA, Ore.) - Residents in a Willamina neighborhood say dogs abandoned for over a month in the front yard of a run down rental, are in poor health, living without regular food and water, and in need of intervention.

Lee and Paulette Grant say law enforcement officials in this rural community at the base of the coastal mountains, haven’t helped these animals so far, and they are at their wits end.

“They have been out here in 100 degree weather,” Paulette Grant said. She and her husband Lee, along with other neighbors here on First Street in Willamina, say it is heartbreaking and they feel there are few choices anyone can make to avoid what they see as a clear case of animal abandonment.

Rescue of Ingrid Betancourt From FARC May be Among Most Daring in History

Independence day has its own reality for several people freed last week from Colombian guerrillas.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Sometimes life is as awesome as it is tragic, and that is no easy competition in this day and age. Last week's surprise rescue of Ingrid Betancourt from FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, shows that even a highly remote long-shot can be reality and that people are brave, very brave, in their willingness to help an innocent person regain their freedom.

Betancourt is a 46-year old French-Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist, who was kidnapped by the FARC on February 23rd 2002 while campaigning for the presidency.

FARC has held several hundred people hostage over the years, as bargaining chips for their political maneuvering.

Long, Hard Job Ahead for Wildland Firefighters in California

National Guard forces are working with firefighters in an effort to bring the hundreds of early season fires to a close in this dry state.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Dry and hot weather conditions across central and northern California are increasing the difficulty for firefighters. They continue to battle hundreds of wildfires sparked by dry lightning and thunderstorms two weeks ago. So far, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports hundreds of fires have been contained, but hundreds of other fires continue to burn and they now threaten a number of communities.

Accuweather.com forecasters report that the fire in Santa Barbara County is threatening as many as 200 homes in Goleta. Farther to the north, the Big Sur fire has scorched more than 60,000 acres, and it is only 3 percent contained at this point. Among the communities and homes threatened by the wildfires, is the historic town of Big Sur and the town of Lucia. The Associated Press reports that authorities ordered the remaining residents of the communities to leave after the out-of-control wildfire jumped a fire line and threatened more homes Wednesday.

Medical Marijuana Questions Answered by Salem-News.com`s Dr. Phil Leveque (VIDEO)

This is the 21st installment of Salem-News.com's special video series on medical marijuana.

(SALEM. Ore.) - In our latest medical marijuana question and answer video, Dr. Phil Leveque and Bonnie King go over a number of questions sent to us by our viewers about the legal ins and outs of medical marijuana in Oregon as well as other states.

This is the 21st edition of this special series; and it is the only service of this type available in the world. Dr. Phil Leveque is a physician, toxicologist and pharmacologist, and his experience with this subject is almost unrivaled.

Anyone with questions about what is legal and what is not legal in regard to medical marijuana, is encouraged to write to us at the email address listed below. We will do our best to answer your questions through a video segment, or through email.

Fires Flare as Smoke Spreads From California Wildfires to Oregon and Nevada

The National Weather Service reports that wildland fire activity was reported with six new large fires nationally, but California remains the most active state with 27 large fires and 409,046 acres burned.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports that over 1,450 fires in California have scorched more than 416,200 acres as of early this morning. AccuWeather.com forecasters say smoky conditions will continue to affect central and northern California as well as western Nevada and southern Oregon.

Heat, Fires and Storms in the Forecast for California (VIDEO)

Several daily temperature records were broken Sunday in the Northwest, in Oregon new all time highs were set in The Dalles, Pendleton and Redmond, Oregon.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Weather forecasters say a disturbance pushing through the Northwest will break the heat in the north, but will also allow thunderstorms to form into Tuesday. Meanwhile, remaining heat to the south over much of California will continue to fuel fires and the smoke given off, Accuweather.com weather experts reported.

An influx of Pacific air from an approaching disturbance brought relief from the heat Monday to coastal areas from northern California to Washington state, while the the Intermountain West remained hot.

Plains States Will See Returning Storms (VIDEO)

Storms moving into the northern Plains late Tuesday will reach the flood-weary Midwest by Wednesday.

(OMAHA, Neb.) - Forecasters at Accuweather.com, say high pressure building in the Midwest region out of the West Tuesday, will bring a blast of heat to the northern Plains. They predict temperatures through Tuesday to be in the 90s across the Intermountain West and the northern Plains.

As that heat gives way late Tuesday to a cold front droping out of Canada's Prairie Provinces, a quick-hitting, dynamic storm system will follow the front onto the northern Plains. By Wednesday, storms will move into the upper Mississippi Valley, Accuweather experts say.

Wildfires Continue to Rage Across Northern California (VIDEO)

So far, the fires have claimed 17 private homes, one commercial buildings and 19 outbuildings.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Fire authorities in California say firefighters are continuing their battle against fires burning in the northern part of the nation's third-largest state. Cal Fire reports that in addition to fires and evacuations, a number of related highway closures on state highways and local roads which are closed throughout northern California due to wildfire activities.

Closures are in place for state highway 32, 36, 70, 89, 96. Delays are in place for state highway 299. It is reported that numerous county and local roads are closed as well. Travelers are advised to check with law enforcement agencies prior to traveling.

Fiery Situation in California

Intense Heat Will Diminish as Wildfire Threat Continues.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Gusty winds today could offset cooler temperatures and an onshore flow along the California coast as firefighters battle dozens of wildfires sparked by a weekend of dry thunderstorms and lightning strikes, AccuWeather.com reports. Hundreds of lighrning strike generated fires broke out Sunday night in California's wine country, threatening over 100 homes and destroying at least one.

According to the AccuWeather.com West Regional Center, cooler air today will spread along the West Coast, following a weekend of record and near record heat in Southern California.

California Wildfires in the State`s Wine Country Ignited by Lightning (VIDEO)

Firefighters in California are working hard to control numerous fires.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Forecasters say a storm system that pushed into the Northwest touched off numerous thunderstorms across northern California on Saturday. According to Accuweather.com, the thunderstorms produced significant rain but also sparked lightning, igniting wildfires as the lightning bolts struck the extremely dry vegetation covering parts of northern California, predominantly in the state's wine country.

One of the biggest problems facing firefighters is the fact that rather than just a few spots, hundreds of wildfires were started by the lighting strikes, . The AP reports that this series of destructive fires in rain starved northern California was 10% contained Sunday morning.