Dear Oregonians, I used to live in Lakeview so I know what you are talking about. The scattering white things are not white, they are pale green but would appear white in flight. They are (most probably) leafhoppers. They are interested in getting away from you and sucking (with a straw-like mouthpart) plant juice from what ever they can find. They will transmit plant diseases, but are more of an annoyance than a threat.
Whiteflies don't scatter away from you unless you shake their host plant.
Moved to Indiana. We control mosquitoes with Purple Martin birds. But when it gets too cold and the Purple Martins are here already, we have to buy live crickets and toss them in the air so that the birds can catch them. It's really fun for the first 15 minutes. They only eat stuff they can catch. I feel as if I am being attacked by a Japanese Zero on the Island of Guam.
Marcia Entomology UCD 1968