Whichever side of the Civil War fault line you land on, it’s pretty exciting to see that both of Oregon’s D-1 football programs ended the season ranked in the top 20 this year.

In the Associated Press Poll Oregon comes in at number 10 in front of notable programs like Boise State (who beat the Ducks after dispatching the Ducks starting Qb with a cheap, late hit that officials later agreed should have resulted in an ejection, who beat the Ducks after starting QB Jeremiah Masoli went down with an injury) and National Title Hopefuls texas tech.

The Beavs slide in at 18 just in front of Iowa and Missouri.

Look for both teams to see the polls again heading in to 2009.

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Just got this e-mail form Jack Z. who is a subscriber to the News You Can Use Alert System . . .

Thank You!

We were walking out the door to hop on a Greyhound Bus when we got your e-mail about the I-5 closure.  Saved us a HUGE headache.  Thanks!

                Jack Z.

If you want to be like Jack Z. and receive helpful tips that may save YOU a massive headache, simply sign up for the News You Can Use mailing list.  It’s easy, it’s free and it’s recommended by  four out of five doctors  (and we’re pretty sure that 5^th doctor is just playing hard to get).

Shoot us an e-mail at news@goodnewspdx.com with “News I Can Use in the subject line.  We’ll do the rest.

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While some heartless scalawags will turn to price gouging in times of crisis, jacking up the cost of goods or services when supply is shortened, the fine people at Horizon Air are doing the exact opposite.

With I-5 closed through Monday and rail service not rolling, Horizon is setting aside a portion of the seats on flights between Portland and Seattle to be offered at a DISCOUNT.  30 bucks cheaper than a standard ticket, in fact.

You can book your seat here.

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Add the Pistons to the Blazers Trophy Wall.   About a week after knocking off the defending champ boston Celtics WITHOUT All Star Brandon Roy, the blazers took down another Eastern Conference powerhouse with a Travis Outlaw jumper 8 seconds before time expired.

A packed Rose Garden erupted when Outlaw elevated over three defenders to hit the Blazers 84th point of the game only to explode eight seconds later when Allen Iverson’s fade away jumper clanged off the back rim, leaving the Pistons with 83 points.  While fans were likely disappointed there would be no Chalupas (the taco-like treat is given away every time the Blazers score 100+) the victory puts the Blazers at 2-2 without their leader, Roy.

As an added bonus, Roy is back at practice Friday and may play Saturday.

Bruce Ely / The Oregonian

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Just 13 months after the second flood to devastate their town in under a decade, the people of Vernonia can relax today.  The recent worry about a potential flood due to heavy rains is for naught as experts NOW predict that the river will crest one foot below flood stage.

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Typically, the thought of diving into blackberry brush leaves one envisioning scrapes, scabs and stickers.  However, for a woman in Clackamas, those thorny vines saved her life.  

Wednesday night the woman (cops aren’t releasing her name) went off the steep cliff near the Riverbend Mobile Home Park.  But rather than crashing into the swollen Clackamas River, the woman was kept high and dry by some blackberry vines.  Apparently, she hit the brush 50-feet down the cliff and was cradled safely until rescuers could rappel down and get her.

An ambulance did take the woman to the hospital just to get checked out but she should be just fine.  

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Despite repeat closures due to the Arctic Blast (including several lost days of Zoo Lights), the Oregon Zoo had a record year in 2008, setting annual attendance at near 1.6 MILLION people.  That’s about 100,000 more than the previous record set in 2007. 

Zoo officials credit the arrival of Baby Samudra (the elephant) and the incredible dinosaur exhibit that landed this summer.  Word is that the Oregon Zoo plans to pull a full blow Jurassic Park, cloning four REAL dinosaurs for display in 2009 in the hopes of cracking 2 million.

Michael Durham / Oregon Zoo

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Thanks to some tipsters, it looks like three hoodlums are behind bars for slashing tires.  After word got out that 35 people were suffering the heartbreak of slahed-tire-itis, the phones at the Vancouver Police Department began to ring.

At least two tipsters offered matching descriptions which led deputies to arrest a trio of young teens (two attend Gaiser Middle School and one attends Hudsons Bay High School).  Cops believe they’ve located the knife used to inflict the damage.  The threesome face felony charges.

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If the foot and a half of snow dumped on the Portland Metro wasn’t enough for you, local slopes are offering discounts and special packages to celebrate National Learn a Snow Sport Month.  For more info visit SkiOregon

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Despite last night’s scare (how many heard the city-wide groan as a fresh dusting of powder descended from the heavens around 6 PM?) there is no more anticipated snow in the Portland Metro area in the near future.  We can expect good old-fashioned Oregon rain.

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