Seattle/Western Wash. News Releases for Wed. Sep. 16 - 1:23 am
Tue. 09/15/26
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with BLM Volunteer Events in the Pacific NorthwestBureau of Land Management Ore. & Wash. - 09/15/26 12:21 PM
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with BLM Volunteer Events in the Pacific Northwest
PORTLAND, Ore. – National Public Lands Day is back on September 26! Join the Bureau of Land Management to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and participate in the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. It’s the perfect excuse to get out, give back, and make a real difference.
“We are hosting incredible events across Oregon and Washington,” said Morgan Rubanow, outreach specialist for BLM Oregon/Washington. "Whether you are a seasoned hiker, a history enthusiast, or looking for a fun day out with the family, there is truly something for everyone.”
From beach cleanups to historic preservation, every volunteer's effort directly impacts the health and accessibility of our shared public lands. Volunteers may receive fee-free entrance coupons or volunteer t-shirts while supplies last.
Burns District
- Riddle Brothers Ranch Restoration in Hines
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29
Structure preservation and staining - Steens Mountain Backcountry Byway Kiosk Installation
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Help install new informational kiosks
Coos Bay District
- Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area Interpretive Event
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Educational stations on natural resources
Lakeview District
- Warner Wetlands Accessibility Improvements in Plush
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Hart Bar Interpretive Site improvements
Medford District
- Buck Rock Historic Road System Workday at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Road system sign and map installation
Northwest Oregon District
- Molalla River Cleanup in Mollala
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19
Trash removal, trail maintenance, and recreation site rehabilitation - Disciples of Dirt Trail Maintenance at Carpenter Bypass
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19
Mountain biking trail maintenance - Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in Newport
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Beach clean-up, invasive plant removal, garden maintenance, and fee-free festivities
Prineville District
- Reynolds Pond Restoration Project
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25
Site cleanup and workday - Hampton Butte Rockhound Site Cleanup
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Cleanup workday to fill in holes from rock collectors
Roseburg District
- Swiftwater Trailhead Clean Up at Idleyld Park
8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19
Trailhead and day use area restoration and maintenance
Spokane District
- Fishtrap Loop in Sprague, Wash.
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26
Annual trail maintenance work party - Fishtrap Watermelon Hill in Fishtrap, Wash.
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7
Shrub planting and fence repair
Vale District
- Oasis Spruce Up Day in Huntington
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, Sept. 25
Trash cleanup, invasive weed removal, and general site maintenance
For more information about specific events, please see the National Environmental Education Foundation webpage or the BLM Volunteer Opportunity webpage.
-BLM-
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Thu. 09/10/26
Oregon National Guard, U.S. Navy Break Ground on $12 Million Machine Gun Range in Boardman (Photo)
Oregon Military Department - 09/10/26 7:01 AM
Attached Media Files: 260909-Z-ZJ128-1001 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1002 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1003 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1004
Oregon Military Department - 09/10/26 7:01 AM
260909-Z-ZJ128-1001
260909-Z-ZJ128-1001
BOARDMAN, Ore. — The Oregon National Guard and U.S. Navy broke ground Sept. 9 on a new Multi-Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility, marking the start of construction on a project more than two decades in the making.
The $12 million range will become the first and only Army Standard crew-served weapons range in Oregon, allowing soldiers to qualify on the M240, M2, and MK19 in-state rather than traveling to facilities in Yakima, Washington, or Boise, Idaho.
"That travel costs time, costs money, and it pulls our soldiers away from being available here at home when the state needs them most," said Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon. "This range changes that."
The project traces back to a license agreement signed in August 2004 between the Departments of the Army, Navy, and the Oregon Military Department. Since then, it has appeared repeatedly on the military's Future Years Development Plan in 2007, 2015, 2025, and 2026, before finally reaching groundbreaking. The effort required a six-and-a-half-year environmental impact statement spanning more than 1,400 pages and coordination across U.S. Pacific Fleet, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the National Guard Bureau and the Oregon Military Department.
"Twenty-two years ago, someone signed a piece of paper that made a promise, a promise that Oregon soldiers would someday train on their own ground for their own state," Gronewold said. "Today, we break ground on keeping that promise, and when this range opens, it won't just serve the soldiers standing here today; it will serve the generations of Oregon's citizen-soldiers who come after them."
Gronewold tied the project to the Guard's leadership framework, telling attendees the range reflects the standard he asks of every member of the organization: to be connected, competent and committed. He noted the facility also positions the Guard for the Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon and its 6.8mm round, which soldiers will need to qualify on in coming years.
Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, delivered remarks on behalf of Capt. Nathan Gammache, the air station's commanding officer, who was traveling and unable to attend.
"Today, we aren't just turning dirt; we are laying the foundation for the future of our tactical readiness," Overn said, calling proficiency with crew-served weapons "a cornerstone of ground combat." He said the range will help ensure that when Oregon forces deploy, "they are fully qualified, confident and lethal in the field."
Overn said the partnership between the Navy and the Oregon Military Department has helped advocate for and protect military interests across the Northwest while balancing compatible land and air use in the region. He added that a ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected within the coming year as construction wraps up.
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, a former Adjutant General of Oregon, attended the ceremony. Also on hand were Boardman City Manager Brandon Hammond, Morrow and Umatilla County commissioners, local fire and police representatives, and field representatives for Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.
Released B-Roll Video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1022321/oregon-national-guard-us-navy-break-ground-12-million-machine-gun-range-boardman
Released photos:
260909-Z-ZJ128-1001
Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, and Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon, render honors during the playing of the national anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, and Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon, render honors during the playing of the national anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
260909-Z-ZJ128-1002
CW5 Lenora L. Landwehr, Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Oregon National Guard, and CMSgt Brent W. Cavanias, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, render honors alongside community leaders and dignitaries during the national anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
CW5 Lenora L. Landwehr, Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Oregon National Guard, and CMSgt Brent W. Cavanias, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, render honors alongside community leaders and dignitaries during the national anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
260909-Z-ZJ128-1003
Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon, delivers remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon, as Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, looks on. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon, delivers remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon, as Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, looks on. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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From left, CW5 Lenora L. Landwehr, Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Oregon National Guard; Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees; Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon; Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex; CMSgt Brent W. Cavanias, Command Senior Enlisted Leader; and Brandon Hammond, Boardman City Manager, break ground on the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
From left, CW5 Lenora L. Landwehr, Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Oregon National Guard; Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees; Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon; Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex; CMSgt Brent W. Cavanias, Command Senior Enlisted Leader; and Brandon Hammond, Boardman City Manager, break ground on the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
LTC Stephen Bomar
Director of Public Affairs
Oregon Military Department
503-990-9508
Director of Public Affairs
Oregon Military Department
503-990-9508
Attached Media Files: 260909-Z-ZJ128-1001 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1002 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1003 , 260909-Z-ZJ128-1004