A woman’s recent success in getting a used auto dealer to take back a vehicle with a severely rusted frame is an example of the little-known power of Oregon’s consumer protection laws, her attorney said.

The negative side of having snow on the ground for a record number of days is the emergence of snow mold, a fungus that thrives in a cold, dark environment. Harsh weather also encouraged the growth of another fungal disease, stripe rust, which is airborne and so spreads easily.