Northwest News

National park officials have abruptly closed Crater Lake to scuba divers. They say they need time to develop rules to keep invasive species out of the Southern Oregon lake. Amelia Templeton of Earthfix reports.

Scuba diving in Crater Lake is tricky. The lake sits on the Cascade crest at about 6,000 feet. So divers have to take precautions to handle the elevation. And then there’s the steep, rocky trail to the lake shore. Diver Walt Bolton says it’s worth the hike.

Two hunters who were reported missing during a wildfire in eastern Oregon have been located and are safe. But Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer says there's new concern about a pair of hikers who are thought to be in the vicinity of the Parish Cabin Fire.

This week we heard that yet another top-level government engineer has serious concerns about the design and construction of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation’s waste treatment plant.

Two hundred fifty homes are threatened by the Mustang Complex Fire north of Salmon. The homes are along Highway 93 near Butcherknife Ridge. The Lemhi County Sheriff announced Wednesday morning that anyone who lives in the area should be prepared to evacuate if the fire moves closer.

Oregon lawmakers got some short term good news Wednesday: state revenues are predicted to be a little higher than previously thought. But the long-term outlook remains gloomy.