The Lincoln City Police Department will be joining with other law enforcement agencies across the nation to conduct enhanced DUII enforcement patrols over the Memorial Day weekend time period. 

Using traffic safety grant funds, the Lincoln City Police Department plans on putting extra patrol officers on duty during the holiday weekend time period when higher numbers of impaired drivers are likely to be on the roadways. These enhanced enforcement operations will occur in conjunction with the national “High Visibility Enforcement” event, which runs May 27, 2022 through May 30, 2022. The national High Visibility Enforcement events are designed to increase the number of law enforcement officers on the roadways with an emphasis on locating drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. This increased patrol effort is also designed to help deter those impaired persons from driving in the first place. 

The members of the Lincoln City Police Department are committed to the safety of our citizens and visitors. These grant funds are a valuable resource that will assist us in improving the traffic safety in our community. These Grant funds were made possible through the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.

Submitted By:

Lieutenant Jeffrey G. Winn

For Immediate Release – May 23, 2022
Media Opportunity

UCC and Bushnell University to sign agreement for local bachelor’s degree offering
A historic agreement signing will be held, paving the way for UCC students to earn a bachelor’s degree on the UCC campus. Students completing their Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree at UCC, will now be able to complete a bachelor of science degree in psychology through Bushnell University without leaving Douglas County.

Meet and speak with UCC President Rachel Pokrandt and faculty from UCC and Bushnell University.

Date: May 31, 2022, 3 p.m.

Location: Umpqua Community College, Tapʰòytʰaʼ Hall, Room 14, 1140 Umpqua College Rd., Roseburg

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 23, 2022

NOTICE OF HOLIDAY CLOSURE

Memorial Day – Monday, May 30, 2022

            (Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress would like to remind citizens that government offices in the Douglas County Courthouse, 1036 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon, as well as the Douglas County Justice Building, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Douglas County Museum, Douglas County Courthouse Annex, Transfer Stations, Landfill and All External Douglas County Government Offices will be closed to the public on Monday, May 30, 2022, in observance of Memorial Day.   However, the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum, Café & Gift Shop, Lighthouse Tours and Art Gallery will be open for normal business hours. 

As always, even when Douglas County government offices are closed, many officials and public employees are still working. Our Sheriff’s Deputies, 911 communications and DCSO staff will continue to provide law enforcement protection and emergency assistance for our residents.  If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1.  If you need to reach dispatch for a non-emergency, call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at (541) 440-4471. 

            Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to commemorate the brave men and women who have died while in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle while proudly serving in our United States Armed Forces.  This year, Memorial Day will be observed for the 154^th time.  First observed during the Civil War, this Federal Holiday was originally known as Decoration Day, and was a time for our nation to clean and decorate the graves of our war dead with fresh flowers.  May was believed to have been chosen because flowers would be in bloom across the country. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by an act of Congress.  Additionally, twenty-two years ago, in the year 2000, Congress passed  and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” encouraging all Americans to pause at 3:00 pm local time on Memorial Day for a moment of silence to remember and honor those who died in service to our great nation. 

Why is the red poppy flower a symbol of Memorial Day?  The wearing of a red poppy flower on Memorial Day dates back to the first world war and the war-torn battlefields of Europe.  The common red field poppy was one of the first things to bloom in the aftermath of the brutalized European landscape.  It is said that the seeds were scattered by the wind, laid dormant in the ground, and were germinated by the disturbance of the brutal fighting during the war. In November 1918, days before the official end of the war, Moina Belle Michael, an American professor wrote a poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith,” which was inspired by Canadian soldier and physician, John McCrae’s poem, “In Flanders Fields.” In her poem Michael mentions wearing the “poppy red” to honor the dead, and with that, the tradition of decorating one’s clothing with a single red poppy in remembrance of those killed in the Great War was born. Moina has since become known and honored as “The Poppy Lady.” Since 2017, the Friday before Memorial Day has been designated as National Poppy Day in the United States.  Click here to read both poems and learn more. 

Your Douglas County Commissioners would like to encourage citizens to join them and our community in honoring and paying tribute to the over 1 million brave service men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.  For their ultimate sacrifice, they will never be forgotten.  #RememberandHonor

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Media Contact:     Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

Salem – Oregon consumers can get a first look at requested rates for 2023 individual and small group health insurance plans, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services announced today.

In the individual market, six companies submitted rate change requests ranging from an average 2.3 percent to 12.6 percent increase, for a weighted average increase of 6.7 percent. In the small group market, nine companies submitted rate change requests ranging from an average 0 percent to 11.6 percent increase, for a weighted average increase of 6.9 percent. Our initial review has found that insurers have identified inflation, medical trend, and enrollment changes as factors in the proposed increases. See the attached chart for the full list of rate change requests.

Oregonians will also see an uptick in premiums due to the expiration of temporary enhanced subsidies for on exchange individual market plans. The additional premium support has helped to lower monthly premiums by an average of 46 percent since enactment in 2021. Under the enhanced subsidy structure, people between 151 percent and 200 percent of the federal poverty level can get a bronze plan for as low as $1 per month, with other plans varying in costs. The loss of subsidies will equate to an approximate $11.9 million increase every month for Oregonians.

Health insurance companies submitted rate requests to the department’s Division of Financial Regulation on May 16. The requested rates are for plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act for small businesses and individuals who buy their own coverage rather than getting it through an employer. Every county has at least four companies available for people to buy insurance on the individual market.

Over the next two months, the division will analyze the requested rates to ensure they adequately cover Oregonians’ health care costs. The division must review and approve rates before they are charged to policyholders.

“Oregon continues to have a strong and competitive insurance marketplace, with four carriers offering plans statewide and Oregonians in most our counties having five or six companies to choose from, ” said Insurance Commissioner and DCBS Director Andrew Stolfi. “The Oregon Reinsurance Program continues to allow Oregonians to find reasonable rates.”

The Oregon Reinsurance Program continues to help stabilize the market and lower rates. Reinsurance lowered rates by 6 percent for the fifth straight year. 

Virtual public hearings about the 2023 health insurance rates will be held July 27-28. A web address to watch the public hearings will be posted at oregonhealthrates.org. At the hearings, each insurance company will provide a brief presentation about its rate requests, answer questions from the division, and hear public comment from Oregonians.

“We look forward to a thorough public review of these filings as we work to establish next year’s health insurance rates.” Stolfi said. “We encourage all Oregonians to join us for the virtual public hearings and provide feedback on their health insurance plans.”

Oregonians are encouraged to comment on rate change requests during the public comment period, which opens later this month and runs through July 7. The public can submit comments at oregonhealthrates.org and during the public rate hearings.

Preliminary decisions are expected to be announced in early July, and final decisions will be made in early August after public hearings and comment periods end.

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About DCBS: The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.

About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.​​

On May 20, 2022 at 4:28 pm, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 219 at French Prairie Rd NE.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford Ranger pickup, operated by Harold Crane (79) of Aurora, was northbound on French Prairie Rd NE and failed to stop at a stop sign. The Ford Ranger pickup collided head-on with a Mack CMV, operated by Santana Tadlock (26) of Salem, which was southbound on Hwy 219. 

Crane sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Tadlock was uninjured. 

The roadway was closed for approximately 4 hours.

OSP was assisted by Marion County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Fire Department, Gervais Police Department and ODOT. 

March 24, 2022

Contact: Philip Schmidt, 503-383-6079, philip.schmidt@dhsoha.state.or.us (media inquiries)

Brian Toups, 503-385-6542, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

CCO Metrics Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to meet May 26

What: The regular public meeting of the Oregon Health Authority’s CCO Metrics Technical Advisory Group.

When: May 26, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: By webinar and conference line only. The public may join remotely through a webinar and conference line:

• Join the webinar at

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619382642?pwd=OVBzSmF6TDNpclZUWXMveUNBcVA3UT09

• Conference line: 669-254-5252, meeting ID: 161 938 2642, passcode: 159017.

Agenda: Welcome and introductions (1:00-1:10); Updates (1:10-1:20); TAG periodicity survey (1:20-1:35); Health Equity measure – Language services reporting (Part 2) (1:35-1:55); Open forum: CCO validation questions on 2021 metrics (1:55-2:15); adjourn.

For more information, please visit the committee's website at http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/HPA/ANALYTICS/Pages/Metrics-Technical-Advisory-Group.aspx.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• CART (live captions)
• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Brian Toups at 503-385-6542, or

rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting. OHA will make every effort to provide services for requests made closer to the meeting.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: May 23, 2022

Salem, Ore. — Detectives from the Salem Police Department Criminal Investigations Section have arrested a suspect sought in two separate attempted murder investigations. Twenty-five-year-old Kenneth Wayne Felton was arrested without incident on Sunday, May 22, 2022.

Violent Crimes Unit detectives developed investigative leads which pointed to Felton being the suspect in the December 27, 2021 shooting at a northeast Salem apartment complex. In that case, a man was assaulted and then shot as he attempted to flee to safety. 

The investigation into a shooting on December 30, 2021 in a parking lot near the intersection of Pine and Broadway STS NE also led to Felton as the suspect. In the second incident, the victim was standing outside his vehicle when he was approached by two men who asked him for a ride. When he refused, he was shot.

The victim in each case survived their injuries.

Felton is currently lodged at the Marion County Jail and is due to be arraigned today, May 23, at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Circuit Court Annex on second-degree attempted murder and other related charges.

All further inquiries on this case should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

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Portland, Ore. – Fire restrictions will go into effect on May 27 for all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands throughout Oregon and Washington. The BLM encourages all visitors to be aware of active restrictions and closures as we continue to see high visitation rates across Oregon and Washington. 

Fire restrictions help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. Starting May 27, the use of fireworks, exploding targets or metallic targets, steel component ammunition (core or jacket), tracer or incendiary devices, and sky lanterns will be prohibited. 

“Fire restrictions help protect our first responders, local communities, and public lands from accidental wildfires,” said Barry Bushue, BLM Oregon/Washington State Director. “We are continuing to see drought conditions across Oregon and Washington. By following fire restrictions, the public can help us focus our fire resources on naturally caused fires.”

Those who violate the prohibition can be fined up to $1,000 and/or receive a prison term of up to one year. In addition, those found responsible for starting wildland fires on federal lands can be billed for the cost of fire suppression.

May is also ‘Wildfire Awareness Month’. Visit Firewise USA to learn more about how to keep you and your family safe.

For more information on Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington seasonal fire restrictions and fire closures, please see www.blm.gov/orwafire. To learn more about fire careers with BLM Oregon-Washington, click here.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 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.

Salem – The City of Keizer continues to strengthen its commitment to workplace health and safety, achieving third-year certification as part of Oregon OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

SHARP, primarily set up to help small- and mid-sized businesses, coaches employers on how to effectively manage workplace safety and health. The program encourages Oregon employers to work with their employees to identify and correct hazards and to continuously improve. In turn, companies are recognized for their success in reaching specific benchmarks during the five-year program. An employer may graduate from SHARP after five years of participation. 

The benefits of the program include lower injury and illness rates, decreased workers’ compensation costs, increased employee morale, lower product losses, and community recognition. 

Although departments of other city governments have achieved SHARP certification, the City of Keizer is the first city in Oregon to earn the designation on a citywide – not just department-level – basis. During the City of Keizer’s SHARP journey – formally started in 2018 – the city has engaged in numerous project and process improvements designed to strengthen on-the-job protections for its workers. Examples include everything from installation of eyewash stations at key locations and the completion of training for all new safety committee members to implementation of exhaust and dust collection systems in pump stations and improved training and access to information for emergency evacuation coordinators.

In assessing the city’s efforts as a SHARP participant, Oregon OSHA consultants recently concluded that the city “has consistently followed through with all evaluations, training, programs, and procedures for both the safety and health of all employees.”

Machell DePina, human resources director and safety administrator for the City of Keizer, said the city decided to pursue SHARP after completing a safety manual project and after the city’s safety committee indicated it wanted to “ensure a continued focus on safety, not just a binder that is put on a shelf.”

So, DePina said, the city decided “to go for what hasn’t been done before – certification of a municipality in the SHARP program.”

Putting a focus on workplace safety through SHARP has shown employees the city is committed to proactively addressing their concerns, DePina said. Meanwhile, the SHARP designation has caught the attention of prospective job candidates who have noted the designation shows the city takes safety seriously. 

“It’s hard, but important, work,” DePina said of SHARP. “Our employees are our most valuable asset, and we need to do what we can to ensure they go home as well or better than when they arrived.”

Employers that have been operating for more than a year are eligible to apply for SHARP. Before the process begins, employers must agree to several requirements, including:

• A comprehensive safety and health assessment of the workplace
• Significant involvement of employees in the safety and health program
• Correction of hazards, and improvement of the safety and health management system

Learn more about SHARP.

Learn about Oregon OSHA’s consultation services, offering free help with improving workplace health and safety programs – no fault, no citations, no penalties. 

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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, is thankful for the community support to find Mercedes “Bo” Dunnington. 

Bo, age 16, is a child in foster care who went missing from Bend on May 15. She was found May 21. 

A small number of children in foster care may be in significant danger when they run away or have gone missing. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and ensure their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. 

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Free parking, free RV and tent site camping, and special events highlighting the Oregon State Parks centennial are planned for State Parks Day on Saturday, June 4.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will waive day-use parking fees at the 26 locations that charge them and waive camping fees for all tent, RV and horse campsites. 

State Parks Day has been a tradition since 1998 as a way to thank Oregonians for their support of the state park system over many decades.

“State parks are here because Oregonians know our state parks are special. You’ve invested in them, helped care for them and kept them open to all. Thank you.” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption. “This year’s State Parks Day is even more meaningful in light of our centennial. We hope you will come out and wish Happy 100^th Birthday to Oregon State Parks.” 

State Parks Day Events

Several special events and service projects are planned June 4 to celebrate State Parks Day and the Oregon State Parks centennial. 

Monmouth: A free community birthday party is scheduled 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Oregon’s first state park, Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site. The event will feature a dedication, interactive demonstrations and exhibits, a classic car show, giveaways and birthday cake while supplies last. 

Port Orford: Cape Blanco State Park and the Cape Blanco Heritage Society will host a celebration of the state parks centennial and the 150^th anniversary of the Cape Blanco Lighthouse. The event, scheduled at the lighthouse grounds, will feature live music, raffles, a lighthouse diorama presentation, food by the Rotary Club of Port Orford and a Coast Guard flyover at 2 p.m. 

St. Paul: Champoeg State Heritage Area will host a living history event from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visitors will experience an authentic fur trappers’ encampment that hearkens back to the early 1800’s when fur trappers and their families camped along the Willamette River at this location.

Medford: At Valley of the Rogue State Park, visitors are invited to watch two professional wood carvers create new sculptures they will donate to the park. They will be working 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. June 4 and 5 at the Valley of the Rogue rest area.   

Two volunteer service projects are also scheduled June 4 at Wallowa Lake State Park in Joseph and at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park in Florence. 

Additional special events and service projects celebrating the centennial will be posted throughout the year on the Oregon State Parks event calendar. 

About Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

The mission of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is to provide and protect outstanding natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations. The department manages 254 Oregon State Parks comprising more than 100,000 acres. 

A hundred years ago, state parks were barely an idea in Oregon. A 5-acre donation in 1922 became Oregon’s first official state park. Join us in 2022 to celebrate the places Oregonians hold dear: the viewpoints, the waterfalls, the trails and the historic landmarks. Share photos and memories on social media with the hashtags #oregonstateparks and #oregonstateparks100. Learn more at stateparks.oregon.gov. 

Media hotline: 503-813-6018

Applications open to fund Oregon electric mobility projects
More than $1.3 million available in grants to help state go electric

PORTLAND, Ore. — May 23, 2022--Nonprofits, local governments and other non-residential Pacific Power customers in Oregon are encouraged to apply for the Electric Mobility Grant. Launching in May 2022, more than $1.3 million will be available for electric mobility projects in Oregon.

Grant funding is made possible by the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, which is administered by the state Department of Environmental Quality and aims to reduce the carbon intensity of Oregon’s transportation fuels. Pacific Power raises funds through the sale of Clean Fuels Program credits, which the company aggregates on behalf of customers who charge their electric vehicles at home. 

“Electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure are increasingly in-demand by customers and communities across the state,” said Cory Scott, vice president of community and customer solutions. “This grant program is just one of the ways Pacific Power is helping prepare communities for more electric vehicles on the road.”

Starting in 2020, Pacific Power has awarded more than 20 unique E-Mobility Grants to nonprofits, local governments, hospitals and other non-residential customers served by Pacific Power in Oregon. 

“Pacific Power is unique in that we serve diverse communities throughout Oregon, including large metro areas and rural communities, major corridors and vacation destinations, “said Kate Hawley, senior product manager, electric transportation. “We have supported many innovative projects over the last few years,  and we look forward to seeing what is in store for this year.”

Funding awards will cover up to 100 percent of the project cost. All non-residential Pacific Power customers in Oregon are eligible to apply with preference given to community-focused organizations, such as school and transit districts, 501(c)(3) organizations and city, county, and regional governments. Applications will be accepted up to Aug. 31, 2022 at 5 p.m. Recipients will be announced in November 2022. Grant recipients must complete projects within 18 months from the date of award. 

In addition to the Electric Mobility Grant, Pacific Power is pleased to make Electric Vehicle (EV) grant matching support funds available to non-residential customers in Oregon who plan to secure additional funding to support Pacific Power customers with EV-related projects. Additionally, grant writing support is available  for non-residential customers to apply to EV-related grants to support Pacific Power customers. 

Pacific Power also offers customers an electric vehicle charging station technical assistance program. The program supports non-residential customers interested in installing electrical vehicle supply equipment or electrifying their fleet with technical assistance. The technical assistance program is available at no cost and includes a site visit, analysis of electric vehicle technology options, costs, rates, and best practices for siting, configuring, installing, and managing equipment.

For detailed eligibility requirements, charging station project qualifications, additional technical assistance program details, application forms and more information about the benefits of electric vehicles, please visit pacificpower.net/ev.

Application materials may be submitted to plugin@pacificpower.net.

About Pacific Power

Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. It is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing 2 million customers with value for their energy dollar through safe, reliable electricity. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.

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May 23, 2022

Media contact: Aria Seligmann, 503-910-9239, ia.l.seligmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">aria.l.seligmann@dhsoha.state.or.us

Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council subcommittees meet week of May 23, 2022

What: Public meetings of the Drug Treatment and Recovery Act (Measure 110) Oversight and Accountability Council and its subcommittees to approve Behavioral Health Resource Network applications.

Agendas: Posted on the Oversight and Accountability web page prior to each meeting.

When/Where:

All meetings are virtual.

Subcommittee #1:  

Tuesday, May 24, 4-7 p.m.  https://youtu.be/7W4yTuthJRw

Thursday, May 26, 4-7 p.m. https://youtu.be/PPO00bwXxTQ

Subcommittee #2:

Thursday, May 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. https://youtu.be/Fs3iZFX_b34

Friday, May 27, 12-4 p.m. https://youtu.be/rqKEWariNc4

Purpose: The Drug Treatment and Recovery Act (Measure 110) Oversight and Accountability Council oversees the establishment of Behavioral Health Resource Networks throughout Oregon. The OAC will hold regular meetings to accomplish the necessary steps to fund and set up the networks.

Read more about the OAC. Read more about Measure 110.

Questions? Contact e110@dhsoha.state.or.us">OHA.Measure110@dhsoha.state.or.us

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Jessica Carroll at 503-580-9883, 711 TTY or roll@dhsoha.state.or.us">jessica.a.carroll@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
10 a.m. PT, Monday, May 23, 2022

More than 2,000 Frontline Nurses at 3 Portland Area Hospitals Are Voting or Have Voted to Strike Providence.  

NURSE PRESS CONFERENCE: 
Monday, May 23
10 a.m. PT
Oregon AFL-CIO 
3645 SE 32nd Ave, Portland, OR 97202

Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) leaders from Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Providence Milwaukie Hospital and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center will speak and answer media questions along with statewide ONA leaders and labor allies. Contact Scott Palmer or Kevin Mealy to confirm.  

(Portland, OR) – Frontline nurses at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City and Providence Milwaukie Hospital in Milwaukie are launching simultaneous strike votes Monday against Providence—one of Oregon’s largest companies. The strike votes are to protest Providence’s illegal unfair labor practices (ULPs) and demand fair contracts which improve patient care, raise nurse staffing standards, make health care more affordable and address Providence’s growing staffing crisis.

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents 233 frontline nurses working at Providence Willamette Falls and 239 frontline nurses working at Providence Milwaukie.

The strike votes will take place from May 23 - June 2. If approved, the nurses would join 1,600 ONA frontline nurses working at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland—one of Oregon’s largest and most profitable hospitals—who voted nearly unanimously to strike Providence on May 3. 

Despite nurses’ sacrifices over the last two years serving on the frontlines of a deadly pandemic, Providence has left hundreds of frontline nurses working without the safety and security of a contract. Providence allowed nurse contracts at major Oregon hospitals including Providence St. Vincent and Providence Willamette Falls to expire in 2021. Providence Milwaukie’s contract will expire this month. 

ONA nurses and community allies are coming together to speak up about safety issues and put patients first in a fair contract. During contract negotiations, ONA frontline nurses are asking Providence for basic safety standards to protect our patients, our coworkers and our families including: 

• Stronger patient safety standards to reduce future COVID-19 outbreaks and ensure the highest standards of care for all Oregonians.
• Safe nurse staffing to ensure high-quality care and patient access.
• Affordable health care and paid leave so frontline nurses can seek care after COVID-19 exposures and afford health care for their own families.
• A fair compensation package that allows hospitals to recruit and retain the skilled frontline caregivers our communities need to stay healthy and safe. 

Strike vote results are expected to be announced Friday, June 3 after ONA’s Labor Cabinet reviews vote results and determines whether to authorize additional strikes against Providence—one of Oregon’s largest and most profitable health systems.

If ONA members vote to authorize strikes at Providence Willamette Falls and Providence Milwaukie, ONA’s nurse leaders will determine next steps including setting potential strike dates. If strikes are called ONA will provide Providence with a 10-day notice to allow management adequate time to cease admissions and transfer patients or to reach a fair agreement with nurses and avert a work stoppage. ONA’s nurse bargaining team at Providence Willamette Falls is scheduled to meet with Providence management for bargaining sessions on May 25 and June 3. ONA’s nurse bargaining team at Providence Milwaukie is scheduled to meet with Providence management for bargaining sessions on May 26 and June 16 and 23.

ONA represents more than 4,000 frontline nurses working in 10 Providence Health System facilities from Portland to Medford including Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Milwaukie and Providence St. Vincent. ONA nurses at Providence Hood River are also in negotiations over an expired contract. 

Providence St. Joseph Health is the third-largest health system in the US with tens of billions in annual revenue. It is Oregon’s largest health care system and one of the state’s largest corporations. Despite its national reach, Providence regularly collects more than half of its total profits from Oregonians. ONA nurses are asking Providence’s corporate executives to re-invest in safe, high-quality, affordable health care.

“While Oregon’s nurses were running into COVID-19 rooms wearing reused PPE we pulled from paper bags, taxpayers handed Providence and other hospitals billions to ensure our hospitals stayed open during the pandemic. Providence alone collected nearly $1.3 billion in taxpayer bailouts from the CARES Act to add to its $14 billion in cash and investment revenues,” said ONA President Lynda Pond, RN. 

“Frontline nurses have invested in Providence with our blood, sweat, tears and our dollars. Now we’re demanding Providence invest in our communities and put those profits to work as intended. It’s time for Providence to listen to nurses and reinvest in patient safety, safe staffing, and caregiver retention to improve health care for all Oregonians,” Pond said. 

Click here to learn more.

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 15,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state, including more than 4,000 nurses working at 10 Providence Oregon health care facilities throughout the state. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.

Beginning Monday, May 23rd, 2022, motorists can expect to see increased patrols on Marion County roadways as our Traffic Safety Team joins police agencies from throughout Oregon as they participate in the Click It or Ticket campaign.  The increased patrols will be focused on safety belt and child seat laws and will run through Sunday, June 5^th, 2022.  Funding for these additional patrols are made possible through the use of federal grant dollars made available to law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.

Face the Facts

• The national seat belt use rate in 2020 was 90.3%, which is good — but we can do better. The other 9.7% still need to be reminded that seat belts save lives.
• Among young adults 18 to 34 killed in passenger vehicle crashes in 2020, more than half (60%) were completely unrestrained — one of the highest percentages for all age groups.
• Men make up the majority of those killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. In 2020, 67% of the 23,824 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed were men. Men also wear their seat belts at a lower rate than women do — 55% of men killed in crashes were unrestrained, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.

“Tragically, multiple families throughout Oregon will suffer the loss of a loved one which could have been prevented by wearing a seat belt. Our Traffic Safety Team is committed to promoting traffic safety by educating our community members about the importance of safe driving habits.” – Sgt. Mark Ferron, Traffic Safety Team Supervisor and Crash Reconstructionist

For help selecting or installing child car seats, consult the seat manufacturer’s instructions, your vehicle owner’s manual, or visit a local child seat fitting station listed at:

• https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#inspection-inspection
• http://oregonimpact.org/Child_Passenger_Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: May 20, 2022

Salem, Ore. — On Friday, May 20, 2022, Salem Police officers arrested a Salem man on animal abuse related charges after multiple reports of the suspicious death of small animals found in a business parking lot over the last week. 

On May 12, a patrol officer responded to the call of a pigeon which was decapitated and disemboweled, including graffiti with the word “redrum” near the animal. A few days later, a dead crow was found mutilated in the same manner as the pigeon with more graffiti added. Then on May 19, another officer responded to the same location when a cat was found. The medium-sized cat was beheaded and had other injuries to its body.

Officers were able to develop leads to identify and find the suspect, Micah Smith, age 26, who was arrested and lodged on the charge of first-degree aggravated animal abuse.

Smith is due to be arraigned today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Circuit Court Annex. All further inquiries on this case should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

# # #

May 20, 2022

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup supports COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech booster dose for children ages 5 through 11 years old

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup (WSSSRW) has recommended that a Pfizer COVID-19 booster dose be made available to children ages 5 through 11 at least five months after receiving the last dose in their primary vaccine series. The decision comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a booster dose for children ages 5-11.

Boosters are available today for children 5-11.

“This is great news for parents and children, who can be confident in the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids and the extra protection a booster dose provides,” said Gov. Kate Brown. “Let’s keep working together to keep our friends and families safe. Thank you to the more than 3 million Oregonians who have received a vaccine dose already. I encourage everyone eligible to find a vaccine or booster appointment near you today.”

The WSSSRW reviewed the data presented to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the waning of immunity after receipt of the two-dose series, the safety of boosters in children 5–11 years of age and the boost in antibody levels produced by boosters. The group concluded that the benefits of a booster in preventing COVID-19 illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths in this age group substantially outweighed the risk. The workgroup also called for additional efforts to provide vaccines to those who have not yet been vaccinated, and eliminating disparities in vaccine coverage.

“The decisions this week follow a careful review of evidence by experts at the FDA and CDC, and experts in the Western states pact with Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada,” said Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at Oregon Health Authority (OHA). “Research has shown vaccines to be safe in this age group. In its recommendation, the FDA had determined that the known and potential benefits of a single booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine for this age group outweighs the known and potential risks and will extend protection against COVID-19.”

With the WSSSRW approval, OHA will now provide guidance and policy to Oregon vaccine providers on the use of a Pfizer booster to children ages 5 through 11.

 “We want to remind all families that the most important step is for children is to get their primary series of vaccines, which can provide significant protection against severe illness,” said Cieslak. “Boosters will benefit vaccinated children who are still at risk for severe disease, and they may help children not to spread it to high-risk adults with whom they have close contact. OHA recommends that families consult their physician or a health care provider if they have questions. For those who do not have a health care provider, please call 211.”

OHA estimates that there are more than 337,000 Oregon children ages 5 through 11. As of Thursday, 36.5% of children in this group had completed their vaccination series.

Earlier this week, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, authorizing a  booster dose for children ages 5 –11 years for the Pfizer booster. In its decision, the FDA noted the Omicron wave saw more kids getting sick with the disease and being hospitalized, and that children may also experience longer-term effects, even following initially mild disease.

On Thursday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky approved the recommendation, made the same day by ACIP by an 11-1 vote, with one abstention, to make the single Pfizer booster available to children in this age group.

In her recommendation, Walensky noted that vaccinations for the primary vaccination series among children this age group have lagged behind those in other age groups, leaving them vulnerable to serious illness. In its statement, CDC also strengthened its recommendation that persons 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least four months after their first.

Additional Information about recommendations for vaccines, boosters and third doses for all groups can be found here. Vaccines are available to people in Oregon through health care providers, local pharmacies and high-volume vaccination and testing sites.

May 20, 2022

Contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA adopts new rules for psilocybin products, testing, training programs

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has adopted the first set of final administrative rules related to psilocybin products, testing and training programs. The rules were informed by public comments that are summarized in a Hearing Officer Report.

The rules specify curriculum requirements for programs planning to train people interested in facilitating psilocybin services in Oregon. With the adoption of these rules, the Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS) at OHA will begin accepting applications for training program approval in June 2022.

The rules also specify requirements related to psilocybin products and testing. With the adoption of these rules, the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP) will set up accreditation criteria for laboratories interested in being accredited before applying for licensure in 2023.

This summer, OPS will hold a series of public listening sessions for partners and the public to share feedback with the section. In addition, OPS will begin to accept applications from individuals who may be interested in serving on Rule Advisory Committees (RACs) that will advise OPS on additional rulemaking later in the fall. The fall rulemaking process will address the remainder of the rules necessary to begin accepting applications for licensure in 2023.

For the latest updates, subscribe to the distribution list at: oregon.gov/psilocybin 

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact the Oregon Psilocybin Services team at 971-341-1713, 711 TTY, or OHA.Psilocybin@dhsoha.state.gov.

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Mercedes “Bo” Dunnington, age 16, a child in foster care who went missing from Bend on May 15, 2022. She is believed to be in danger.

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Bo and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.

Bo is known to spend time at the local parks and gas stations in Bend. She also goes by the name Katie. 

Name: Mercedes “Bo” Dunnington
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Jan. 10, 2006
Height: 5-foot-6
Weight: 187 pounds
Hair: Dyed blond 
Eye color: Green
Other identifying information: Bo was last seen wearing a fleece red and black button up jacket with a hood.
Bend Police Department Case #22-26762
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #1450997

A small number of children in foster care may be in significant danger when they run away or have gone missing. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and ensure their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. 

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The 6th Annual Run 2 Remember will once again be held this year on May 21, 2022 at Salem Riverfront Park beginning at 8:00 a.m.

The Run 2 Remember is held to honor those who have sacrificed everything while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.  It further supports loved ones and Gold Star Families, to provide honor, hope and healing to those grieving any military loss.

Assistant Adjutant General Oregon National Guard and Joint Domestic Operations Commander, Brig. Gen. Mark Crosby is the scheduled guest speaker, along with Gold Star Family Member Mr. Wendall Pelham.

The run will include a 5K run/walk for all august along with a half mile kid’s run (Ages 6-12). A virtual 5k run is also included at part of the Run 2 Remember event. 

“With Honor and Respect to you and your family, we will never forget the sacrifice you and your loved one made for this great Nation,” said Philip Highwood, with Oregon Survivor Outreach Services.

The Oregon National Guard Family Program has partnered with multiple military and veterans organizations to continue this annual event. This event is free to the participants and open to the community. 

Salem Riverfront Park is located at 200 Water Street N.E., Salem, Oregon. For additional information please see the event website: https://runsignup.com/Race/OR/Salem/ORNGRun2Remember. 

Photos from past “Run 2 Remember” events:

190518-Z-CH590-001: Oregon National Guard family members and others took part in the "Run 2 Remember" 2019 at the Salem Waterfront Park, Salem, Oregon, May 18, 2019. The remembrance run/walk is in honor of Fallen Service Members from all branches of the Armed Forces. In addition to the run/walk events, a resource fair will be open for surviving family and Service Members. (Photo by Master Sgt. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

190518-Z-CH590-002: National Guard family members and others took part in the "Run 2 Remember" 2019 at the Salem Waterfront Park, Salem, Oregon, May 18, 2019. The 5K out and back course brought out over 350 participants for the annual memorial run. The remembrance run/walk is in honor of Fallen Service Members from all branches of the Armed Forces. In addition to the run/walk events, a resource fair will be open for surviving family and Service Members. (Photo by Master Sgt. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

190518-Z-CH590-003: Oregon National Guard Brig. Gen. William Edwards (center) and other National Guard family members and others being the kids 1//2 mile fun run as part of the "Run 2 Remember" held at the Salem Waterfront Park, Salem, Oregon, May 18, 2019. Edwards, Assistant Adjutant General Army, ran both the kids fun run (1/2 mile) and the 5K event. (Photo by Master Sgt. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

190518-Z-CH590-004: National Guard family members and others took part in the "Run 2 Remember" 2019 at the Salem Waterfront Park, Salem, Oregon, May 18, 2019. The 5K out and back course brought out over 350 participants for the annual memorial run. The remembrance run/walk is in honor of Fallen Service Members from all branches of the Armed Forces. In addition to the run/walk events, a resource fair will be open for surviving family and Service Members. (Photo by Master Sgt. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

180519-Z-OT568-005: Ann Browning (left) and Oregon Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Elena Miron, with the Oregon National Guard Education Services Office, pose for a photo at their booth providing information to military families about education benefits during the “Run to Remember” 5K run/walk event at Salem Riverfront Park, May 19, 2018, in Salem, Oregon. The Oregon National Guard’s Service Member & Family Support Branch hosted the event in honor of Fallen Service Members and Gold Star Families during Armed Forces Day. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class April Davis, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

180519-Z-OT568-006: Participants walk through Salem Riverfront Park during the “Run to Remember” 5K run/walk, May 19, 2018, in Salem, Oregon. The Oregon National Guard’s Service Member & Family Support Branch hosted the event in honor of Fallen Service Members and Gold Star Families during Armed Forces Day. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class April Davis, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

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May 20, 2022

Media contact: Timothy Heider, 971-599-0459,

timothy.heider@dhsoha.state.or.us

Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council approves first BHRN grant agreement for drug treatment, recovery services in Harney County

The Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council (OAC) this week approved its first Behavioral Health Resource Network (BHRN) grant, funding drug treatment and recovery services in Harney County.

Symmetry Care Inc., which operates a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that offers a wide range of support services, will coordinate the BHRN for the Harney County region.

The approved budget is $857,711. Symmetry Care offered an in-kind contribution of $455,000 toward additional staff and reserve funding for contingent additional services over the term of the 18-month contract.

This represents the first award from approximately $265 million in funds allocated through regional BHRNs to support substance use treatment providers across Oregon.

To receive funding, successful applicants within each Oregon county must provide a slate of services through a funded provider network or BHRN.

OAC subcommittees also approved applications for Sherman and Coos counties, bringing the number of approved counties to 29. Additionally, several applications were approved for Lane, Wasco and Multnomah counties, but there are still applications pending.

The subcommittees are expected to review applications from Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson and Josephine counties next week.

What has been approved so far

A calendar with an estimated timeline for the OAC subcommittees can be found here.

More information on the approval process for BHRNs can be found here.

Last week, the OAC voted to adopt a new 18-month grant spending timeline that will extend from July 2022 through December 2023. This means that regardless of when a grant agreement is final, the grant will be extended through December 2023.

OHA is hosting welcome and orientation sessions with approved providers and is moving through the negotiation phase as quickly as possible.

Funding will be released no later than 20 days after a BHRN receives full approval and all agreements between OHA and the providers are executed.

OHA will continue to provide frequent updates on the application review, approval and agreement process.

Other M110 funds to be disbursed

A three-month extension will be offered to Access to Care (ATC) grantees through Sept. 30, 2022. The grantees will receive a pro-rated amount based on their prior award, bringing the total funds disbursed to approximately $39.9 million.

These funds will prevent a lapse of funding or interruption of service for grantees while the OAC continues to review and approve applications.

Access to Care grantees comprise 70 substance use treatment programs that provide treatment, housing, vocational training and other life-changing support services.

Read more about Measure 110

Background: In November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act of 2020, which became effective on Dec. 4, 2020, to better serve people actively using substances or diagnosed with a substance use disorder. In July 2021, the legislature passed SB 755, which amended the act and made it more feasible to implement.

People who provide drug treatment and recovery services and advocates for criminal justice reform wrote Measure 110 in response to the high rate of drug addiction and overdoses in Oregon, and the disproportionate impact of those outcomes on Oregon’s communities of color.

Their goal was to establish a more equitable and effective approach to substance use disorder. OHA is working with the Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council to develop a first-in-the-nation health-based approach to substance use and overdose prevention system, which is more helpful, caring and cost-effective than punishing and criminalizing people who need help.

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Need to know

• Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive temporarily increased emergency food benefits in June
• Approximately 411,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $66 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits
• These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency
• Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org 
• Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center 

(Salem) – Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in June.

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

Because the federal government approved these emergency benefits for June, Oregon will also be able to issue them in July. However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.

In June, approximately 411,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $66 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.

“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Claire Seguin, deputy director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time.”

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on June 11. Emergency allotments will be issued June 30 or July 2 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards. 

More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.

Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.

If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits. It is important to make sure ODHS has the most up-to-date information. 

You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways: 

• Online at: ONE.Oregon.gov
• By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
• By fax at: 503-378-5628
• By phone at: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
• Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org 
• Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/ 
• Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center 

Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/benefits/Pages/index.aspx . For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 20, 2022

Notice of Virtual Meeting

Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC)

Behavioral Health and Housing Subcommittees

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

(Douglas County, OR) The next meeting for the Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council’s (LPSCC) – Behavioral Health and Housing Subcommittees will take place on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 11:30 am via a virtual conference format.

To allow for optimal participation, we are conducting our meetings virtually at this time. We will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to join the meeting via video or by phone. For information on how you can listen in on this meeting, please see the agenda or contact the LPSCC Coordinator, Melissa McRobbie-Toll at melissa@co.douglas.or.us or call (541) 450-9768.

The meeting agenda is attached and can also be found at www.co.douglas.or.us.

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Contact Melissa McRobbie-Toll, Programs & Partnerships (LPSCC) Coordinator, Douglas County

(541) 450-9768 cell - melissa@co.douglas.or.us

Lebanon firefighters responded to the report of a structure fire at approximately 2am on May 20, 2022. The incident occurred on the 31000 block of SW 5^th street in Lebanon. The initial arriving unit reported that a 50 x 50 two story shop was heavily involved in fire. Due to the severity of the fire crews focused their efforts on protecting nearby exposures until a water supply could be established. Once the main body of the fire was extinguished crews used a piercing nozzle to penetrate through an exterior wall due to the potential for structural collapse. The fire occurred in a rural area where water has to be trucked in on water tenders. The crew’s setup a port-a-tank operation so the tenders could quickly dump their water. One citizen on scene suffered minor smoke inhalation and was evaluated on scene but was not transported by ambulance. The fire was brought under control at approximately 3 am. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The Lebanon Fire District was assisted on scene with water tenders from Sweet Home and Brownsville Fire Departments. Albany Fire Department provided city coverage during the fire. 

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports that on May 19, 2022, her detectives arrested John Roger Mullner Jr., 58, of Lebanon, after an investigation into an alleged sex abuse. 

The investigation began last month when a 13-year-old child disclosed they were sexually abused by Mullner over the last three years. The investigation was presented to a Linn County Grand Jury where they returned an indictment for eleven counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. 

John Mullner Jr. was arrested at his residence without incident and lodged in the Linn County Jail.

An online information session about Lane County’s American Rescue Plan Community Grant opportunity will be held next Monday, May 23, at 12:00 p.m. Visit www.LaneCounty.org/ARPA for the Microsoft Teams link to join the meeting. 

The information session is for those interested in applying for a grant. Participants can ask questions and receive answers during the session. Afterward, all questions and answers will be posted on the website as a “Frequently Asked Questions” document.

Lane County will award $3 million in grants to assist nonprofits and public agencies that did not receive direct American Rescue Plan allocations as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Awards will range from a minimum award of $10,000 and maximum award of $500,000 (limit one award per organization). Final awards will be determined by the Board of County Commissioners.

To apply, submit the required information contained in the Request for Applications packet found at www.LaneCounty.org/ARPA. Applications are due no later than 5:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday July 6, 2022. 

Areas that will be prioritized for funding arose from community input, including the 1,800+ responses from a community survey. Areas of focus include affordable housing, mental health services (especially for youth), projects that serve rural Lane County, and projects that demonstrate innovation. 

Lane County is prioritizing communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 public health emergency for ARPA-funded investments. Applications eligible for ARPA funding will be evaluated using various criteria, one of which is equity.

To date, Lane County has allocated over $110 million in ARPA funding:

• Housing - $22 million
• Homelessness - $13.8 million
• Aid to Nonprofits - $9.1 million
• Public Health - $8.3 million
• Public Safety - $17.5 million
• COVID Response and Government Services - $19.7 million
• Infrastructure - $19.7 million

For more information, visit www.LaneCounty.org/ARPA.

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PORTLAND, Ore.—A former federal correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Sheridan, Oregon pleaded guilty today for his role in a bribery and contraband smuggling conspiracy.

Nickolas Carlos Herrera, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, providing contraband in prison, and accepting a bribe as a public official.

According to court documents, from April 2015 until he was placed on administrative leave in December 2019, Herrera was employed as a correctional officer at FCI Sheridan, a federal prison in Yamhill County, Oregon. Herrera used his position to introduce contraband into the facility for the benefit of select inmates including Donte Hunt, 40, who is in custody pending an October 2022 trial on federal drug, gun, and money laundering charges. In the spring of 2019, Herrera began bringing contraband items such as food, clothing, and cigarettes into the facility, which he gave to Hunt in exchange for money. 

Later, Herrera brought Hunt marijuana; Suboxone, a Schedule III narcotic; Yeezy brand designer sneakers, and a cell phone. Herrera obtained the narcotics and other items from Elizabeth McIntosh, 34, a non-incarcerated associate of Hunt’s. On at least one occasion, Herrera allowed Hunt to use a staff phone at the prison to call McIntosh to arrange the delivery of Suboxone to Herrera. Herrera met McIntosh on multiple occasions to obtain the narcotics and other items for Hunt and accepted payment from McIntosh via transfers of cash and transfers using various digital payment services including PayPal, Apple Cash, and Square.

On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Herrera, Hunt, and McIntosh with conspiracy and bribing a public official. Herrera and Hunt were additionally charged with providing contraband in prison.

Herrera and McIntosh were arraigned on November 2 and 4, 2020, respectively. Both were released on conditions. Hunt was arraigned on November 19, 2020 and ordered to continue his pre-trial detention.

Herrera and Hunt face maximum sentences of 25 years in prison, a $750,000 fine, and five years’ supervised released. McIntosh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and five years’ supervised released.

U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Ethan Knight and Katherine Rykken, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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Lane Education Service District's Career Technical Education program is proud to announce a celebration of students (donors and volunteers) upon the completion of Sheds of Hope in response to the Holiday Farm Fire. Students from across Lane County have completed 54 sheds since November 2020.  Overall 120 sheds have been built and given to property owners who lost their homes in the fire.  An appreciation BBQ for all builders, donors and volunteers is scheduled for June 17, 2022.  

Project partners, volunteers, and donors that made this effort possible are being honored. This is a community celebration!  The event will be held at the Mannahouse Eugene, 89780 North Game Farm, outside under the pavilion by the baseball fields.  

Please RSVP to attend:  https://onehopenetwork.org/register

The 2022 Lane Fire School is a one day in person event that will include multiple hands-on activities, demonstrations and panel discussions to allow high school students from across Lane County in forestry, agriculture, and natural resource pathway programs direct interaction with Wildland Fire, tools, equipment, and experienced personnel. It also will be an opportunity to receive an enhanced understanding of wildland fire in the Pacific Northwest, including history and the traditional tended landscape. Students will be exposed to careers and further certification/education opportunities to engage with wildland fire.

This event is a collaboration between Lane ESD/CTE, Lane Community College, Oregon Department of Forestry, USDA, BLM, Oregon State University, Northwest Youth Corps, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, MiddleFork Willamette Watershed Council, Long Tom Watershed Council, and multiple private wildland fire contractors.

Lane Fire School

Friday, May 20, 2022 | 9am-2pm

Northwest Youth Corps

2621 Augusta Street, Eugene Oregon

JCSO Case 22-1370

GOLD HILL, Ore. – United States Marshals from the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) arrested a Grants Pass man last night for the rape of a teenaged juvenile in Gold Hill. The suspect, Trenton Scott Newman, 34, of Grants Pass, was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on charges of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, felony public indecency, and tampering with a witness. His bail is set at $500,000.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives determined Newman met his underaged victim at a local church and sexually assaulted her mid-March in the backseat of a car on the 1900 block of McDonough Road in Gold Hill. Detectives are asking anyone with information related to the suspect or this investigation to call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case 22-1370. The case is still under investigation and will be prosecuted by the Jackson County District Attorney’s office.

PNVOTF includes personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Central Point Police Department. The task force specializes in locating and arresting fugitives wanted for offenses including, but not limited to, murder, assault, sex crimes, failure to register as a sex offender, firearm violations, and probation violations.

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The Oregon Military Museum (OMM) at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Oregon is opening its Historic Park to the public on Saturday, May 21, 2022, as part of Armed Forces Day. For the first time in over a decade visitors of all ages are invited to experience the two historic buildings anchoring OMM’s Historic Park, including the Quartermaster Storehouse and Battery-A Field Artillery Horse Barn.

As part of Opening Day events, visitors can take part in the sights and sounds of the Vietnam War era while reenactors showcase period military vehicles and display tents. The Armed Forces Day Holiday pays tribute to men and women who serve across all six branches in the United States military.

OMM’s Historic Park is located at 15300 SE Minuteman Way at Camp Withycombe, and is free and open to the public Thursday-Saturday, 10am-3pm, Armed Forces Day (May 21) through Veterans Day Weekend (November 12). 

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UPDATE 05/19/22  

Investigators were able to determine that 26 year old Denver Timothy Bell was the outstanding suspect in this case.  Deputies located him at a residence in the Florence area yesterday afternoon and he was taken into custody without incident.  

Bell was lodged at the Lane County Jail on charges including: Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Burglary in the 2^nd Degree, Criminal Trespass in the 2^nd Degree, Theft in the 1^st Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 1^st Degree.    

UPDATE Investigators have determined that 48 year old Denver Vollie Bell is NOT a suspect in this case. Other investigative leads are still being followed.

UPDATE  Stolen Can-Am side-by-side ATV recovered - One suspect in custody.

Thanks to the watchful eye of some citizens the stolen side-by-side has been recovered. 

Yesterday LCSO received a call from a citizen indicating that they had observed two males attempting to use a Can-Am side-by-side ATV to get a suspicious truck unstuck from the sand near the Chapman sand road south of Florence.  The caller texted a picture of the side-by-side to LCSO dispatch at which time it was believed that it was the stolen side-by-side from earlier in the weekend.  Law enforcement personnel converged on the area and located the involved truck and one of the involved males, 29 year old Jessy Anthony Robles.  The truck was confirmed to be stolen and this male was taken into custody.  Around this time, another citizen called to report that they had seen someone driving the stolen ATV in the area. 

The US Coast Guard Sector North Bend, with a helicopter in the area, spotted the stolen ATV in a brushy area nearby.  It was abandoned by this time.  Law enforcement attempted a K9 track from the ATV but were unable to locate the second suspect. 

The second suspect is believed to be 48 year old Denver Vollie Bell.  Bell is described as a white male adult with brown hair and green eyes.  He stands approximately 5’06” and weighs approximately 150lbs. 

Roble was transported to the Lane County Jail and lodged on charges including: 2^nd Degree Burglary, 2^nd Degree Theft, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (x2), and 1^st Degree Criminal Mischief.  He was also lodged on an unrelated warrant out of Utah.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is particularly thankful for the citizens and responding agencies that aided in this case. In addition to our watchful citizens, success in this case was made possible by the assistance of outside agencies including the Oregon State Police, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and US Coast Guard Sector North Bend.  Employees with Torex ATV Rentals and Oregon State Parks also assisted with retrieving the recovered ATV off of the sand.   

-

Deputies and Troopers responded to an alarm at the US Forest Service work center in Siltcoos.  Upon arrival they discovered someone entered the building and stole a side by side ATV. The stolen side by side is a 2021 Can-Am Maverick 4-seater ATV.  It is black and tan in color.  This ATV belongs to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and was being stored at the work center at the time of the burglary.  The burglary was believed to have occurred just prior to 1:00am. 

Funding for this equipment is provided through Oregon Parks and Recreation.  The Sheriff’s Office relies on this equipment for dune safety patrols, crash response, and search and rescue operations.

Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.   

May 19, 2022

Contact: Erica Heartquist, 503.871.8843, phd.communications@state.or.us

When in doubt, stay out

Increasing temperatures create potential for toxins in water

PORTLAND, Ore.—As summer approaches, and more communities and recreational areas around the state begin reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reminds people heading outdoors to be on the look-out for cyanobacteria blooms that can produce toxins in Oregon lakes, rivers and reservoirs. 

Cyanobacteria are beneficial bacteria found worldwide in all freshwater. Under the right conditions—when weather, sunlight, water temperature, nutrients and water chemistry are ideal—cyanobacteria can multiply into blooms in any water body. Many blooms are harmless, but some can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick. 

Exposure to cyanotoxins occurs when water is swallowed while swimming, or when water droplets are inhaled during high-speed activities such as water-skiing or wakeboarding. Symptoms of exposure to cyanotoxins include diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and fainting. Although cyanotoxins are not absorbed through the skin, people with sensitive skin can develop a red, raised rash when wading, playing or swimming in or around a bloom.  

Children and pets are particularly sensitive to illness because of their size and activity levels. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their wet fur or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. Similar to dogs, livestock and wildlife can become ill and die after drinking from waterbodies, troughs or other sources of drinking water affected by blooms and potential toxins. 

Only a fraction of freshwater bodies in Oregon are monitored for cyanotoxins. Due to continued staffing and safety concerns related to COVID-19, OHA expects less frequent visual monitoring and sampling of affected water bodies than normal. For this reason, it will be even more important as more recreational areas open and the summer recreation season begins for people to visually observe any water body they choose to recreate in before taking the plunge.  

OHA recommends that everyone stay out of water that looks foamy, scummy, thick (like pea-green or blue-green paint) or where brownish-red mats are present. If you are unsure, follow OHA’s guidance of “When in doubt, stay out.” 

Open recreational areas where blooms are identified can still be enjoyed for activities such as camping, hiking, biking, picnicking and bird watching. By being aware of signs of a bloom and taking appropriate precautions to reduce or eliminate your exposure, you can also enjoy water activities such as canoeing, fishing and boating, as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray and fish are cleaned appropriately. 

To learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body, visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767. 

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0440. For campground or lake information, call the local management agency. 

PACIFICORP CUSTOMERS ENCOURAGED TO COMMENT ON 
PROPOSED RATE INCREASE
Oregon PUC accepting comments at May 24 virtual event, or in writing and by phone through June 22

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is hosting a virtual public comment hearing on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 6 p.m. PST. The event provides PacifiCorp customers an opportunity to speak directly to the Commissioners about the utility’s proposed increase to electricity rates.

PacifiCorp is asking for an increase in its general rates of approximately $84.4 million or 6.8 percent. This would impact customer rates differently depending on usage and customer type -- residential, business, or industrial customers.  For a residential customer using an average of 900 kWh per month, the increase would be $13.01 or 14.16 percent for single family residential customers; and, $6.97 or 11.0 percent in a multi-family home using an average of 600 kWh a month.  

PacifiCorp identifies several factors driving the proposed rate increase, including its plan to close coal plants and transition to more renewable sources of energy and, in particular, the TB Flats Wind Project.  PacifiCorp also points to increased costs associated with its vegetation management programs and expansion of its wildfire mitigation programs. Additionally, PacifiCorp cites inflation and changes to its capital structures as drivers of the increase.  

PacifiCorp’s general rate change request is undergoing a nearly year-long review and will be fully investigated on behalf of electricity customers by the PUC, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers, and others. This public comment hearing is part of that investigation, which will conclude in December when the Commissioners rule on the request. New rates, if approved, are expected to go into effect January 1, 2023.  

Ways to Comment

Pacific Power customers and other interested persons may participate in the public comment hearing to provide verbal comments to the Commissioners and the Administrative Law Judge presiding over this rate case. 

Spanish translation services are available for community convenience at no cost. For those individuals needing translation services, log into the Zoom platform and select English or Spanish on the bottom of the page. Translation services are not available for the meeting phone-in option.

When: Tuesday, May 24, 2022 from 6 – 7 p.m. 

• English and Spanish – To participate using the Zoom platform, view the top of the agenda for Zoom log-in details.
• English – To participate by phone, view the call-in details on the agenda.  

For those unable to participate during the virtual public comment hearing, comments may be submitted through June 22, 2022 in the following ways:

• By email to licComments@puc.oregon.gov">PUC.PublicComments@puc.oregon.gov  
• By calling 503-378-6600 or 800-522-2404 (all relay calls accepted, Spanish translation services available) 
• By mail to Oregon Public Utility Commission, Attn: AHD – UE 399, PO Box 1088, Salem, OR 97308-1088 

Stay Informed

To stay informed throughout this rate case process, individuals may request to be added to the distribution list to receive publicly available documents. Submit requests by email to ings@puc.oregon.gov">puc.hearings@puc.oregon.gov or by calling 503-378-6678. Please specify docket UE 399 in the request.

The PUC’s mission is to ensure that customers of Oregon’s investor-owned utilities have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates. 

# # #

SALEM, Oregon –

Two separate committees will meet to score and rank applications for the Preserving Oregon and Diamonds in the Rough Grant programs. The recommendations from the committees will be forwarded to the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation for final review and approval June 24, 2022. 

Both meetings will be online. 

The Diamonds in the Rough Grant Review Committee will meet June 2, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Please see the agenda for access details. 

The Preserving Oregon Grant Review Committee will meet June 7, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Please see the agenda for access details. 

Special accommodations for the meeting – including translation services – may be made by calling 503-986-0690 at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting. For information about the grants contact Kuri Gill at 503-986-0685 or by e-mail:   i.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov">Kuri.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov. 

TIP OF THE WEEK

Date:          5/19/22                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:      Sheriff Curtis Landers

                   541-265-0654

                   s@co.lincoln.or.us">lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us

PRIVATE TIMBER LANDS

Those who enjoy traveling the back roads of our private timber lands have found locked gates or restricted access.  This leaves some people to believe that private timber companies deny access to their lands simply because they don’t want private citizens on their property.  This is not the case. 

With the exception of active commercial use such as logging or harvest of other forest products, the closures are in reaction to the ever-increasing incidents of offensive littering, abandonment of vehicles, theft of forest products, and acts of criminal mischief such as destruction of property caused by 4X4’s and ATV’s riding in unapproved areas, destruction of road access gates, and more.

Damage and theft detracts from the natural beauty of our forests, incurs costs for cleaning, repairing, and removal of vehicles and garbage.  These costs are borne by private timber companies as well as taxpayers in the county.

What can each of us do to stop the current trend of defacing our forests and waterways? During your visit and when you leave forest lands and waterways:

• Read signs posted at entry points into private & public lands – signs include important information including log truck activity
• Report criminal acts to law enforcement
• Report located dump sites or abandoned vehicles
• Stay informed of possible land use restrictions usually posted at each access.
• When in doubt about access, contact the landowner or your Lincoln County Sheriff’s office Forest Patrol at (541)265-4277 
• Do not discard any glass, cans, rubbish, trash, garbage, debris or litter other than in receptacles designed or provided for these items
• Report anyone observed hauling trash or debris into our forests.  Anyone enjoying nature in our local forests might bring a trash bag or two to pick up any trash you should observe.
• Do not discard any glass, cans, rubbish, trash, garbage, debris or litter in any waters of the state
• Do not drain, or cause or permit to be drained, sewage or the drainage from a cesspool, septic tank, recreational or camping vehicle waste holding tank or other contaminated source, upon the land of another without permission of the owner, or upon any public way
• When target shooting, be sure to pick up brass, targets and anything else used during your visit
• Do not permit any rubbish, trash, garbage, debris or other refuse to be thrown from a vehicle you are operating

Our forestlands, public and private, should be treasured and protected by everyone.  Through our efforts, we can strive to regain the trust of the private timber owners.  The challenge for each of us is to take pride in where we live and work and clean up our county by recycling any and all materials that can be reused rather than simply discarding them.

For more information and tips, visit our web site at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and Like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 18, 2022

Commissioners Celebrate Historic Preservation Month

and National STEAM Education Week

(Douglas County, Ore.) – Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress celebrated National Historic Preservation Month and National STEAM Education Week by issuing proclamations today at their weekly Business Meeting, honoring and recognizing the people, places and programs in Douglas County that work every day to celebrate our history, as well as provide creative educational experiences that engage and inspire our youth.   A copy of the live video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment.

National Historic Preservation Month, celebrated during the month of May every year was established in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, with a goal of promoting historic places in order to invigorate national and community pride, promote heritage tourism and show the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. This year’s theme for National Preservation Month is ‘People Saving Places’.  The Commissioners recognize that historic preservation is a reinvestment in our past for our future.  They know it is important to celebrate the role of history in our lives, and honor the contributions made by dedicated local individuals who help to preserve the tangible aspects of our heritage that has shaped us as a people, as a county and as a community.

Dale Greenley, Board member with the Douglas County Historical Society, Douglas County Museum Foundation and publisher and author of the Umpqua Trapper, offered a few bits of historical facts to the board, “A lot of you know that this year is the 150^th birthday of the City of Roseburg, the 150^th Anniversary of the Coos Bay Wagon Road and more importantly that the railroad arrived here 150 years ago. While I was doing research on the Coos Bay Wagon Road, I made an interesting discovery.  Do you realize that the Lookingglass Store is the oldest continuously operating store in Oregon?  The store was started in 1852 and there is no other place in Oregon that can say that!” 

National STEAM Education Week is celebrated May 14-22, 2022 this year and hearkens back to 2006, when Georgette Yakman, a middle and high school teacher in Virginia saw the usefulness of incorporating the ideas of creativity and innovation into the original 2001 STEM education model by adding Art & Design to the equation.  The Commissioners agree with our local educators and community leaders that advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) are transforming nearly every aspect of our daily lives, our communities, and our economy at an accelerated pace, and our children need to be prepared to lead us into the future.  Umpqua Valley’s STEAM Hub was established in the summer of 2014 and was one of the first of six STEAM Hubs established in the State of Oregon.  There are now 13 STEAM hubs in Oregon that are part of a network.  Currently there are 28 robotics teams in Douglas County representing 26 high school/middle schools and two homeschool teams with youth ages 9 to 14.

            “The partners represented here today from all over Douglas County truly show what our local STEAM Hub is all about - and that is a community partnership of a whole variety of different organizations that are all a part of bringing quality STEAM education to our youth and their families,” commented Gwen Soderberg-Chase, the Director of Douglas County Partners for Student Success – Umpqua Valley Steam Hub. 

The Commissioners are grateful for the work done by all who dedicate their lives to preserving our past and educating our future.  They presented National Historic Preservation Month and National STEAM Education Week proclamations certificates to the following individuals and organizations:

NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH

Douglas County Planning Department: Joshua Shaklee, Planning Director and Jeff Lehrbach, Planning Manager

Douglas County Historic Resource Review Committee: Anne Bacon Wickersham and Judy Bacon

Douglas County Museum and Umpqua Lighthouse Museum: Karen Bratton and Eric Winslow

Douglas County Historical Society-Floed Lane House: Maria Crince, Board President, Dale Greenley, Ken Deatherage

South Umpqua Historical Society/Pioneer-Indian Museum: Susan Waddle, Vice President; Christine Morgan, Secretary; Donna Witt and Ron Witt

NATIONAL STEAM EDUCATION WEEK

Douglas County Partners for Student Success - Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub: Gwen Soderberg-Chase, Director and Grace Lyons, Robotics Coach

Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub - Core Leadership Team: Jared Cordon, Superintendent Roseburg Public Schools; Bryan Lake, Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley; Missy Denzer, Southern Oregon Workforce Investment Board’s “Recruit Hippo” Program; Amber Lomascola, Cow Creek Tribal Expanding Horizons Youth Center 

Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub - Educator Champions: Jared Cordon, Superintendent Roseburg Public Schools; Emily Veale, Principal, Tri City Elementary; Amanda Brown, STEAM Teacher, Green Elementary; Nate Young, 6th Grade Teacher, McGovern Elementary

Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub - Community Champions: Coach Grace Lyons, Sean Pakros and Robot #9567, Elkton Robotics Team; Leila Goulet and Animal Ambassadors – Bandit the thirteen year old American Badger and Irwin the Australian Blue Tongue Skink from Wildlife Safari and Emily Brandt, Executive Director, Umpqua Valley Arts Center

“We do these events to remind people of what a great community we live in.  You all are a great example of why we do this.  Even though we have had a tough couple of years, the great work you have done and continue to do is just fantastic for this community.  We recognize that as a Board of Commissioners, and we want to take a minute and thank and honor you for that work!” – Commissioner Tim Freeman.

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Media Contact:     Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

(Proclamation and Photo Collage Attached.  Individual photos are available upon request)

Douglas County Community Unity Campaign

The story behind the series of proclamations since 2021 to help raise community morale.  The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress recognized that the pandemic traumatized our country, state and county on so many levels in 2020, 2021 and 2022.  The impact was not only felt physically, but also mentally, emotionally and financially.  They saw evidence that this trauma had resulted in severe anxiety, anger, frustration, isolation, depression and loneliness amongst our residents.  It had clearly divided and separated our community. They saw far too many residents that were experiencing difficulty, and those that were focused on negativity. 

The Commissioners knew that there was a desperate need to bring positive energy back to our County in order to reconnect, refocus and reengage our citizens, and to reenergize that incredible sense of community unity that we are known for.  The Commissioners collectively decided to start this series of proclamations, and have dedicated themselves to bringing back the ‘good energy’.  They plan to continue to highlight the amazing work being done by local individuals and organizations in Douglas County in order to encourage our residents to do the same.  The incredible stories being told during our proclamation events shine a huge spotlight on the amazing work that continues to be done by dedicated individuals and organizations, even when they were working in the isolated shadows of the pandemic.  It is no secret that many organizations have struggled to stay relevant, disseminate information, engage our community or raise funds in the past two years due to the pandemic.  We hope to change that cycle and focus on what really matters, our people. 

In 2022, the Commissioners have issued 18 proclamations and honored over 600 Douglas County individuals as a part of our Community Unity Campaign.  They hope you will join them in supporting, thanking and perhaps volunteering to help these wonderful individuals and organizations, so we can come together to rekindle and restore our sense of community, our faith in others and the joy that makes Douglas County the best place to live, work and play. 

May 18, 2022

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA monthly media availability provides update on COVID-19

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) held its monthly media availability today, providing an update on COVID-19 in Oregon.

Dean Sidelinger, M.D. MSEd, health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, highlighted the latest data trends, showing increased disease transmission and cases.

Sidelinger said persons with underlying medical conditions or who are immunocompromised should consider contacting their health care providers now to make a plan to get tested and receive treatment —should they become ill.

Here are the talking points from today’s media availability. You can also watch it here.

OHA releases biweekly COVID-19 reports

The COVID-19 Biweekly Data Report, released today, shows an increase in cases and COVID-19-related deaths and a decrease in COVID-19-related hospitalizations since the previous biweekly period.

OHA reported 18,447 new cases of COVID-19 from May 2 to May 15, a 51% rise over the previous biweekly total of 12,234.

There were 208 new COVID-19-related hospitalizations during the biweekly period, down slightly from 218 reported during the previous two-week period.

“Case numbers continue to climb, and we also expect the state will see more than 300 COVID-19-positive patients in Oregon’s hospitals by early June,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA. “The virus continues to spread throughout our state, and those who are getting together outside of their homes will eventually be exposed to it.”

There were 58 COVID-19-related deaths, up from the 50 reported during the previous two weeks.

“Being vaccinated and boosted remains the best way to protect yourself from severe disease,” said Cieslak.

There were 193,475 tests for COVID-19 administered during the weeks of May 1 to May 14, with a test positivity rate of 10.5%.

Today’s COVID-19 Biweekly Outbreak Report shows 104 total active outbreaks in care facilities, senior living communities and congregate care living settings with three or more confirmed COVID-19 cases or one or more COVID-19-related deaths.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations

Vaccines remain the most effective tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19. For more information on where to get a vaccine or your booster dose in Oregon, click here. 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our web page (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

On Wednesday morning, May 18, 2022, an off-duty member of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office discovered their personal vehicle had been broken into overnight in southeast Salem. Among the items stolen from inside of the vehicle was equipment belonging to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team including:

• Green tactical vest with helmet
• Portable police radio
• Gas mask
• Black semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle w/ optic
• Rifle and pistol magazines with ammunition
• Medic kit

Due to the theft occurring inside the city of Salem, the incident was reported to the Salem Police Department.

Sheriff Kast stated, “It is humbling to share about incidents such as this, however, we are absolutely committed to being transparent with our community and engaging their assistance by soliciting tips that may help us recover the stolen equipment. We will be conducting an internal review of the incident to determine if there were violations of policy or procedures.”

Anyone with information about the theft is encouraged to call the Salem Police Department Tips Line at 503-588-8477 or to submit their tip by texting TIPMCSO and their tip to 847411.

The Oregon State Marine Board experienced long-time staff retirements this year, who left the decks clean, and the lines well dressed for new crew members to replace them. In March, Brian Paulsen was selected as the agency’s Boating Safety Program Manager after joining the agency in July 2018.

Paulsen is a life-long boater, bouncing around the bottom of a jet sled and drift boat as a toddler. He got hooked in competitive bass fishing tournaments at the age of 11. “I remember driving bass boats during tournaments before boater education cards were mandatory. I also was the one always backing down boat trailers for other boaters at tournaments, so I got lots of practice.” Paulsen adds, “I even based my decision on where to attend college on access to rivers. I’ve been fortunate to have had opportunities to operate a variety of boats across Oregon’s water-etched landscape. This has allowed me to understand the changes in waterway use and see first-hand the demand for more access.”

Paulsen’s formal education background is in Natural Resources, with a focus on molecular biology and water chemistry. Paulsen also has a Merchant Mariner Credential (USCG Captain’s License) in addition to a very diverse boating background which includes experience with rowing rafts, drift boats, catarafts jet boat operations in a river environment, and outboard propeller boats for coastal and offshore fishing. Paulsen is passionate about being on the water and helping others learn boating safety, which makes him a natural fit to serve as the agency’s Boating Safety Program Manager.

Paulsen previously served as the agency’s Waterways Coordinator, managing the statewide waterway obstruction and waterway marker programs, as well as providing technical service and expertise to marine law enforcement partners for boat repairs, training, maintenance, and specifications for boat builds for marine law enforcement. 

Paulsen has an impressive list of accomplishments while serving as the Waterways Coordinator. He initiated a digital mapping project to develop Boating Obstruction Reporting Tools (BORT). 

Since many marine law enforcement partners and outfitter guides are on the water frequently, they are a huge resource when it comes to reporting and helping mitigate obstructions for safe navigation. They are the “eyes and ears” of what’s happening on the water. The BORT platform allows partners to report directly through an application which is then added to a public-facing boating obstruction dashboard. Boating obstructions include logs, root wads, rocks, or other debris that can be dangerous or even prevent navigation downstream. Obstruction risks can be an extraordinary hazard to navigation, and some can become a life-safety issue for boaters. 

During the 2020 straight wind wildfires, several popular rivers were severely impacted, with downed or damaged trees falling into the waterways over time, creating a significant increase in waterway obstructions. Many fire-impacted waterways provide recreation to thousands of boaters annually. The obstructions map helps boaters plan where to put in and take out ahead of time, to avoid any potentially unsafe situations. Paulsen also helped lead bilingual education and outreach with improved access signage, including QR codes to the obstruction map in fire impacted areas. 

Looking toward the future, Paulsen commented, “The mandatory Boater Education Card is over 20 years old now. We see opportunities to get boaters excited about continuing education beyond what’s required for motorized boaters, especially with improved technology. Continuing education is the next leap and even finding ways to improve partnerships to expand on-water learning experiences.” Paulsen adds, “There’s been a dynamic evolution in boating with new user groups, new boat types, activities, and increased demand for access. As an agency, we’re working to navigate the challenges we hear about from boaters and to improve engagement. Our agency’s programs get better when we hear from boaters. Their boating dollars go back to help fund boating facilities and education grants, contracts for marine law enforcement, and many other valuable programs. Our goal is for all boaters to have a safe and enjoyable experience on Oregon’s waterways.”

Learn more about the Marine Board and its programs at Boat.Oregon.gov. 

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Portland, OR — In December 2021, the Oregon Historical Society’s scholarly journal, the Oregon Historical Quarterly (OHQ), published a captivating special issue titled “Chinese Diaspora in Oregon.” In partnership with the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project and guided by guest co-editors Jennifer Fang and Chelsea Rose, this important scholarship makes visible the long, complex, and geographically diverse history of Chinese Oregonians.

Focused on the period beginning in 1850 and continuing through the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943, this heavily illustrated issue offers both new research and new conclusions about the history of Chinese people in Oregon — a subject that has been erased in Oregon’s public memory over the course of 200 years. This popular issue is already in its second printing, having sold out within months of its original release last year.

To further engage the community with this important scholarship, the Oregon Historical Society will present “OHQ on the Road,” a series of public programs across the state where scholars, authors, and knowledge-holders will share insights from the scholarship produced in this special issue. Kicking off in Eugene, Oregon, on May 19, these free, immersive programs will show how early Chinese communities were integral to the shaping of Oregon. These communities existed in every corner of Oregon, in rural and urban areas, and thrived while navigating complex governmental, social, and cultural systems that were often unwelcoming and oppressive. 

These programs are presented in partnership with the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project, a multi-agency partnership that has been excavating sites across the state to better understand and share the history of Oregon’s early Chinese residents. With a focus on rural communities, remote mining camps, and railroad construction, this collaborative project has provided important insight into the Chinese experience and role in the settlement and development of Oregon.

Published continuously since 1900, OHQ brings well-researched, well-written history about Oregon and the Pacific Northwest to both scholars and general readers. OHQ is one of the largest state historical society journals in the United States and is a recognized and respected source for the history of the Pacific Northwest region. The Winter 2021 “Chinese Diaspora in Oregon” special issue and many back issues of the Oregon Historical Quarterly are available for purchase through the Oregon Historical Society’s Museum Store for $10, and a subscription to OHQ is a benefit of Oregon Historical Society membership. 

OHQ on the Road Series Schedule

Longevity: The Archaeology of a Chinese Business in Eugene's Market District
A panel discussion with Jon Krier, Marlene Jamplosky, and Chris Ruiz
Thursday, May 19 at 6pm at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Eugene

This presentation and panel discussion on a recently re-discovered early twentieth century Chinese restaurant and gift store in Eugene’s downtown district illuminates a new chapter of Chinese experience in Oregon.

Oregon’s Early Chinese American History and Portland’s Louie Chung
Presented by Jennifer Fang and Myron Louie Lee
Wednesday, June 1 at 7pm at the Oregon Historical Society, Portland

Louie Chung immigrated to Oregon 1892 and worked as a contract laborer before becoming a wealthy Portland merchant. Join OHS for a discussion of what his story tells us about early Oregon history and the Chinese American diaspora.

Bona Fide Merchants and the Buck Rock Tunnel: Chinese Diaspora in Southern Oregon
Presented by Lisa A. Rice and Chelsea Rose
Wednesday, June 15 at 7pm at Grizzly Peak Winery, Ashland

Discover how researchers used historical-document analysis and landscape-scale archaeological investigation to uncover powerful stories of the Chinese merchants and laborers whose actions left significant marks on southern Oregon.

Tour of Chinese Mining Sites in Malheur National Forest
Led by archaeologists Don Hann and Katee Withee
Friday, June 24 at 9am at Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site, John Day

Join two researchers whose work has helped reveal fascinating new information about the businesses, homes, and lifestyles of Chinese gold miners in eastern Oregon on a tour of the sites where Chinese miners lived, worked, and recreated. Please note that this tour is now full, but folks can use the registration link to be added to the waiting list in the event that anyone cancels.

Uncovering the History of Chinese Mining in Eastern Oregon
Presented by Don Hann, William F. Willigham, and Katee Withee
Friday, June 24 at 7pm at Canyon City Community Hall, Canyon City

Learn how the work of the statewide Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project has uncovered histories of Chinese mining partnerships in eastern Oregon — including business records, clothing, tools, and work and home sites — that shift our understanding of Oregon history.

Wing Hong Hai Company Store Open House
Presented by Jacqueline Y. Cheung and Eric Gleason
Sunday, June 26 at 1pm at the Wing Hong Hai Company Store, The Dalles

Discover objects from the Wing Hong Hai Company Store, which played an important role in the maintenance of Oregon’s Chinese diaspora communities in The Dalles. This open house is hosted by the current building owners who are co-authors of an article in the OHQ special issue and are renovating the store and researching early members of the Chinese community in The Dalles.

Searching for Salem’s Early Chinese Community
Presented by Myron Louie Lee, Kylie Pine, and Kirsten Straus
Thursday, June 30 at 7pm at the Willamette Heritage Center, Salem

Learn how community members helped advise an archaeological team in uncovering a funerary table in Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery, one of few physical remnants of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century community, which led to reinstating its use in a revived annual Qingming festival at the cemetery. 

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (www.ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view. 

On Tuesday May 17, 2022 at approximately 11:00AM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a two-vehicle crash on Miami Foley Road near New Miami River Rd. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound black Honda 500 motorcycle, operated by Adam Taylor (26) of Warrenton, on Miami Foley Road crossed into the northbound lane, colliding with a Ford F55, operated by Jose Hernandez (32) of Portland. Speed and motorcycle inexperience are being investigated as contributing factors to the collision. 

Taylor sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Hernandez sustained minor injuries. A passenger in the Ford 55, Rosalio Herrera Morelos (54) of Vancouver, WA, was uninjured.  

Miami Foley Road was closed for several hours following the crash. 

OSP was assisted by the Tillamook County Sheriff's Office, Garibaldi Fire, Tillamook Ambulance, and Tillamook County Public Works.

First round 2022 grants support community-based nonprofits across five states

In its first of three community grant funding rounds in 2022, the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ), awarded 71 community grants to local nonprofits across its five-state footprint totaling $392,000.

Umpqua’s community grants support nonprofit organizations across Ore., Wash., Idaho, Calif. and Nev. and are part of the Bank’s overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested $13.2 million since the Foundation was formed in 2014.

“Nonprofits are evolving their essential services to strengthen communities during challenging times, and we’re honored to partner with and invest in their critical programs,” shared Randy Choy, vice president of community giving and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. “We’re grateful for these nonprofits’ role in expanding access to economic opportunity for all our community members.”

These nonprofits, selected from among hundreds of applicants, in the first of three grant cycles in 2022, demonstrated a steadfast commitment to serving low-to-moderate-income populations in at least one of eight categories: family engagement and resiliency; financial competency; housing stability and home ownership; college, career or technical readiness; entrepreneurship and business expansion; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; technical and digital connectivity; and small business support and financial guidance.

The next deadline for community grant applications is 5 p.m. PT on Fri., June 3, 2022. Learn more at www.UmpquaBank.com/Community.

The following recipients received grants between $5,000-10,000:

OREGON

WASHINGTON

CALIFORNIA

IDAHO

NEVADA

About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank, headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation, and has locations across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Umpqua Bank has been recognized for its innovative customer experience and banking strategy by national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fast Company and CNBC. The company has been recognized for eight years in a row on FORTUNE magazine's list of the country's "100 Best Companies to Work For," and was recently named by The Portland Business Journal the Most Admired Financial Services Company in Oregon for the sixteenth consecutive year. In addition to its retail banking presence, Umpqua Bank also owns Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., a nationally recognized commercial finance company that provides equipment leasing and financial services to businesses. 

May 18, 2022

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, OHA, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Applications being accepted for Advance Directive Advisory Committee

PORTLAND, Ore.—The Office of Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division are seeking applicants for two positions on the state Public Health Advance Directive Advisory Committee (ADAC).

The Advance Directives Advisory Committee (ADAC) provides guidance to OHA on necessary revisions to Oregon’s Advance Directive form and ensures the form is available and accessible across all Oregon communities. The committee reviews the Advance Directive form every four years.

OHA invites applications from people who meet the following criteria:

• One member of the Oregon State Bar who has extensive experience in health law.
• One member with expertise advising or assisting consumers with end-of-life decisions.

Each position serves a term that begins on July 1, 2022. The end dates for the positions listed above is typically four years. Board members are appointed by the Governor. Individuals with lived and/or professional experience related to health, disability, or racial equity are encouraged to apply.

Under Oregon Revised Statutes 292.495, board members may qualify to receive compensation for their service.

To apply, complete the electronic application process by June 17, 2022, at https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/board-list.aspx These recruitments will remain open until filled. Those applying will be asked to provide the following:

1. A resume.
2. A short personal biography.
3. A brief statement of interest, which should include the positions the applicant is applying for.
4. A brief statement on opportunities the applicant sees for the board to address equity.
5. A brief statement on the applicant’s understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Those unable to complete the form electronically should contact the Executive Appointments Office at executive.appointments@oregon.gov for assistance.

Information about the Advance Directive Adoption Committee is available on the board’s website at: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/ABOUT/Pages/AdvanceDirectiveAdoptionCommittee.aspx.

For more information, contact Charina Walker, OHA Public Health Division, at 503-314-8605 or ina.walker@dhsoha.state.or.us">charina.walker@dhsoha.state.or.us.

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Charina Walker at 503-314-8605 or ina.walker@dhsoha.state.or.us">charina.walker@dhsoha.state.or.us or 711 TTY.

On May 17, 2022 at approximately 4:24 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a motorcycle crash on Interstate 84 near milepost 304. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a westbound Harley-Davidson FLHTCUTG, operated by John Atwood (74) of Island City, exited at the 304 off-ramp, and for unknown reasons lost control, striking the guardrail.

Atwood sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

Exit 304 was closed for approximately 3 hours. 

OSP was assisted by Baker City Police Department and ODOT. 

Memorial Day is a day when we stand united as one nation to pause and to remember. We pause to honor those service members who died while in service to this nation — in service to us all — to preserve and defend our individual freedoms. 

Since the Civil War, almost 6,000 Oregonians have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation. On Memorial Day, we honor them and the more than 1.2 million service members who have given their lives nationwide.

This year, our agency will, for the first time in three years, have the chance to once again gather for an in-person Memorial Day ceremony at the Oregon World War II Memorial in Salem. This memorial honors the more than 3,700 Oregonians who gave their lives in World War II. We — as veterans and Americans — who came after them, owe so much for their sacrifice and the peace and stability that they helped secure for our nation and the world. 

Each and every one of their names is forever engraved on the granite walls that line this remarkable memorial. If you have the chance, I encourage you to visit this site and spend some time reflecting on their sacrifice. 

And as you walk any veteran memorial and remember those to whom it is dedicated, I urge you to also pause and remember those service members who came before and those who came after. This year’s ceremony is dedicated not to a particular generation of service members or conflict, but to all Oregonians — throughout time — who wore the uniform and, especially, those nearly 6,000 individuals and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and our way of life.

Every service member had a story, and many faced additional challenges beyond the common trials and tribulations of war. Some were poor and uneducated. Some were privileged, with college or advanced degrees. Some were working men and women, with spouses and families. Some were 15- and 16-year-olds who lied about their dates of birth just to enlist.

Some were Black or mixed race, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian American or Pacific Islander, and they volunteered to serve a country that did not afford them rights or opportunities equal to those of their fellow countrymen and service members at the time of their service. Before the Korean War, our military served in segregated units, and many endured prejudice and bigotry from their own country even as they risked their lives and freedom to protect it.

Some of the courageous Oregonians who served and gave their lives in service to our country and whose memories we honor today were women who would not even be recognized as veterans of the United States Armed Forces until the 1970s. Others were quietly transgender, gay, lesbian or queer, who grappled with the pain of giving their all to a country that did not want every part of them, that did not allow them to serve openly as their true, authentic selves. 

We as a nation and, especially, as veterans who followed in their footsteps, owe an additional debt of gratitude to the brave soldiers, sailors, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard members who served under these policies and conditions. Their courage, selflessness, dignity and exceptional service did much to sway public opinion and pave the way for a brighter and more inclusive future. 

On this Memorial Day, let us honor the unique loss and pain of each and every one of the 6,000 Oregonians and their families whose sacrifices we remember today. 

Words cannot express our gratitude and appreciation for the brave Oregonians who willingly made these sacrifices. The enormity of their courage humbles and inspires us. This day reminds us to be better as individuals, as a community and as a nation. As long as we, as one united nation, remember their sacrifices, their loss will not have been in vain. 

The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ Statewide Memorial Day Celebration will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the WWII Memorial on the grounds of the Oregon State Capitol Building. For more information or to watch live, visit ODVA’s Facebook page.

Kelly Fitzpatrick is the director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Governor Kate Brown’s policy advisor on veterans’ issues. She is a retired Army officer. Her military awards and decorations include multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Army Parachutist Badge.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2022

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Edges Down to 3.7% in April

Oregon’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.7% in April, from 3.8% in March, reaching its lowest level in more than two years. The rate is now close to Oregon’s record low of 3.4% which occurred in each of the four months of November 2019 through February 2020. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in both March and April 2022.

Throughout the past two years, Oregon and the nation have experienced similar trends as their economies and labor markets have recovered from the pandemic recession. Both saw their unemployment rates spike to unusual highs of more than 13% by April 2020, followed by a drop to below 7% six months later. For the past 21 months, Oregon’s unemployment rate has been within a half percentage point of the U.S. unemployment rate.

Payroll employment trends have also been similar for Oregon and the U.S., with both losing roughly 14% of payroll jobs between February and April 2020, then recovering roughly a third of those jobs three months later, followed by a more gradual recovery leading up to April 2022. However, Oregon has slightly lagged the U.S. jobs recovery overall, with the U.S. adding back 95% of jobs lost during the pandemic-induced recession, while Oregon has only recovered 88% of the jobs. 

In April, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4,200 jobs, following a revised gain of 7,000 jobs in March.  Over-the-month gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+1,800 jobs), manufacturing (+1,300), and professional and business services (+1,300). The only major industry to cut at least 1,000 jobs was other services (-1,000 jobs).

Professional and business services has grown rapidly and consistently over the past two years. In April, employment reached 261,700, another record high for the industry. Recent revisions to the jobs tallies boosted the past six months’ employment upward by about 3,000 above original estimates.

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the April county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, May 24, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for May on Wednesday, June 15.

Notes: 

All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted.

The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources.

The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the October, November and December 2021 tax records data. In addition, data for July through September 2021 were revised by a total of up to 2,600 jobs per month. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.

The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release.

To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit Oregon.gov/employ.

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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are: Sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.

On Tuesday, May 17, detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) arrested 42 year old Jessica Shoesmith of Grants Pass on drug related charges.  

Shoesmith was stopped by a Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy on Canyon Creek Road near I-5 in Canyonville, at approximately 12:45 PM.  DINT detectives were also in the area, and contacted Shoesmith during the stop.  Drug detection K-9 “Trapper” checked the exterior of the vehicle and he alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from inside.  

A search of the vehicle revealed approximately ½ pound of suspected methamphetamine.  Shoesmith was arrested, and lodged at the Douglas County Jail on charges of Unlawful Possession, Manufacturing, and Attempted Delivery of Methamphetamine.  

SPRINGFIELD, Ore.- What if kids were not scared to go to the hospital? What if parents had someone to stand beside them to offer emotional support during a stressful time?

Those are the goals of PeaceHealth’s Child Life Specialist program and, with a significant donation from the OCCU Foundation, the program will be expanded to help even more children and families in the future. 

OCCU Foundation has pledged to support the position for three years with a $300,000 donation. The contribution is a lead gift to PeaceHealth’s $1 million fundraising campaign. 

“OCCU Foundation is in awe of the support the Child Life Specialists provide every day for children and families in our community during their time in the hospital,” said Ron Neumann, OCCU Foundation Board Chair. “We believe in the impact this team makes on a daily basis for our community. We are proud to have the opportunity to offer the lead gift to expand this vital program to pediatric surgical patients and beyond.”

PeaceHealth’s certified Child Life Specialists help infants, children, youth and families cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, trauma and loss. The specialists provide evidence-based assistance that is both developmentally and psychologically appropriate. That assistance can include therapeutic play, preparation for procedures and education to help reduce fear, anxiety and pain. The current team of three Child Life Specialists provide aid to 1,500 pediatric patients annually.  

OCCU Foundation’s gift will help PeaceHealth hire additional Child Life Specialist staff at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. 

"We are incredibly thankful to continue partnering with OCCUF and grateful for their offer to invest in the further development of our Child Life program.” said Barb Blair, Lead Child Life Specialist at RiverBend. “This generous lead gift from OCCUF will have a tremendous impact on the emotional and developmental needs of children receiving healthcare throughout our region as well as their families.”

About OCCU Foundation: OCCU Foundation (OCCUF) is the philanthropic arm of Oregon Community Credit Union (OCCU). Since its start, OCCUF has granted more than $1 million to help build happier and healthier communities by giving generously to projects that advance learning, improve well-being and support communities. The foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded by OCCU, businesses, families and individuals. OCCUF was started in 2018 to further extend the credit union’s vision to Enrich Lives. Learn more at MyOCCU.org/Foundation.

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 900 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.

MEDFORD - The ramp connecting Biddle Road to westbound OR 62 will be closed Thursday morning, May 19, from 4 a.m. until about 7 a.m. for pavement preservation/crack sealing.

Early morning Biddle Road to westbound OR 62 traffic will be directed to Lawnsdale/Bullock Road to connect to Crater Lake Highway.

MEDFORD, Ore.—On May 17, 2022, a Humboldt County, California man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for the armed kidnapping of three adult victims, including a former dating partner, and illegally possessing a stolen firearm as a convicted felon.

George Gene Rose, 45, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“Mr. Rose’s callous and terrifying kidnapping of his former partner and two other adult victims warrant the lengthy prison sentence imposed today. We hope this sentence will bring some measure of peace and closure for these victims after this harrowing ordeal,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. 

“The physical and emotional toll Mr. Rose subjected his victims to cannot be undone; however, our hope is that today’s sentence begins the healing process for these victims. His actions were cold-blooded and egregious and physical and emotional violence of this kind will not be tolerated,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents, on August 3, 2020, Rose entered the apartment of his first victim, a former dating partner, and waited for them to return home from work. Once inside, he stole a shotgun and several shotgun shells belonging to the victim’s landlord. When the victim returned home with a roommate, Rose confronted both individuals and ordered them to the ground at gunpoint. He bound both by their hands and feet and placed duct tape over their mouths and faces. Rose located a third victim in an adjacent bedroom and tied them up in a similar manner at gunpoint. When the third victim tried to break free of the binding, Rose struck them in the head with the butt of the stolen shotgun.

Rose then forced all three victims into a stolen pickup truck and fled. Several hours later, he released his second and third victims in a rural area of Northern California and told them to seek help from a house located two miles away. Rose continued driving north toward Oregon, while his first victim faded in and out of consciousness. Near Talent, Oregon, Rose abandoned the truck and led his first victim, who was not wearing shoes, through a densely wooded area. He repeatedly voiced his intention to kill the victim and himself.

Three days after the kidnapping, Rose’s victim convinced him to turn himself in. Rose eventually allowed the victim to knock on the door of a nearby residence and negotiate the terms of his surrender to police. Rose was arrested in possession of the stolen shotgun and more than two dozen shotgun shells.

On May 20, 2021, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment charging Rose with kidnapping and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On September 27, 2021, he pleaded guilty to both charges.

U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Domestic violence involving a current or former partner is a serious crime that includes both physical and emotional abuse. Sometimes these crimes are hidden from public view with survivors suffering in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members and communities.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting “START” to 88788. Many communities throughout the country have also developed support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.

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Attention everyone who will be in or around Salem, Oregon on May 25, 2022, from 11:00 to 2:00.  A small contingent of Oregon State Police staff and tribal representatives will be on hand at the Oregon State Capitol Park to shine a light on child safety and Oregon’s missing children and adults in recognition of National Missing Children’s Day.  

OSP will have information on Oregon’s Missing Children, SafeOregon.com - Oregon’s statewide school safety tip line, as well representation from a Criminal Detective, the Warm Springs Tribal Police Chief, and our very own Forensic Anthropologist.  OSP would love for you to stop by between 11:00 and 2:00 to talk to us about how to keep your children safe, pick up your free child identification kit, and how you too can get involved.

The National Missing Children’s Day (May 25) was proclaimed by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983, in memory of Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street corner on May 25, 1979. 

Unfortunately, each year, the need to highlight this important day only grows. National Missing Children’s Day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make all children’s safety a priority.  We also acknowledge those indigenous children and adults who are currently missing, in hopes of shining a brighter light onto the anguish all families endure when a loved one is unaccounted for or endangered.

The commemoration serves as a reminder to continue our efforts to reunite all missing children with their families and an occasion to honor those dedicated to the cause of resolving the unresolved. 

Hope is why we are here.

For us, the blue flower, referred to as a Forget-Me-Not, is a symbol of our commitment and promise to keep searching.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in a national Click It or Ticket seatbelt campaign which takes place May 23 through June 5, 2022. To kick off the national campaign, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested that all states participate in a one-day, 4-hour event on May 23, 2022, titled Border to Border to raise seat belt awareness. The B2B initiative aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement for drivers at state border checkpoints.  

According to NHTSA, in 2020, there were 10,893 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 58% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign and the B2B kickoff event is nighttime enforcement.

“The Border to Border component of the Click It or Ticket campaign is important because it raises awareness about seat belt safety during a time when statistically seat belt use is decreased,” said Lt. Brad O’Dell “As we approach the Memorial Day holiday weekend and see an increase in the amount of traffic on the roadways, it is important to get the word out about the importance of seat belt safety. Our goal is to educate and prevent senseless deaths.”

Assigned deputies will specifically be looking for seat belt violations, including child restraint law violations. Funding for the enhanced patrols is obtained through grants administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit NHTSA.gov/ciot.
 

May 17, 2022

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA holds media briefing on COVID-19 tomorrow at 11 a.m.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Health Authority is hosting its monthly media availability to give an update on the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday, May 18.

Dean Sidelinger, M.D. MSEd, health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, will discuss the state of the pandemic and answer reporters’ questions at 11 a.m. via Zoom.

Interested reporters can join via this link. A livestream will be available for the public on YouTube.

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(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, is thankful for the community support to find Aaronaja Ziye Akerion Gray. 

Aaronaja, age 14, is a child in foster care who went missing from Clackamas on March 31. She was found May 16. 

A small number of children in foster care may be in significant danger when they run away or have gone missing. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and ensure their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. 

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Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports on May 16, 2022, her detectives arrested Billy Raymond Edge, 31, of Gates, in connection to a burglary and multiple stolen vehicles. 

The burglary occurred in the 300 block of NW 7^th Avenue in Mill City, during August of 2021. Also stolen in the burglary was a 1990 Ford Ranger pickup.  The vehicles, all 1990 model vehicles, were stolen mostly from the Lyons and Mill City area of Linn County in October 2021.

Billy Edge was arrested after turning himself in on unrelated arrest warrants and lodged in the Linn County Jail for one count of Burglary in the First Degree and six counts of Unauthorized use of a vehicle.     

A memorial service is planned for Tom Turner on Tuesday, June 14^th, 2022.  Tom passed away on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at his home with family by his side.

Tom served the citizens of Lane County as a public safety officer for over 40 years.  He started his career as a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy assigned to the Florence area in the early 1980’s.  He began employment with the Eugene Police Department shortly thereafter, where he continued to serve for over 20 years.  In 2006, Tom returned to the Sheriff’s Office where he went on to become the Lane County Sheriff.  He retired from the Sheriff’s Office in 2015 and accepted the position of Chief of Police at the Florence Police Department until his passing. 

Tom served in a multitude of assignments throughout his career.  These assignments included police patrol, detectives, and SWAT commander.  Tom was an excellent leader and well-known for his cheerful personality.  He was rarely observed without a smile on his face.

Tom’s family have asked that in lieu of sending flowers, those wishing to donate consider offering contributions to local charity. Non-profit organizations that meant a lot to Tom include: Siuslaw Outreach Services, The Jazz Station, and National Night Out | City of Florence Oregon. 

The service will take place at 1:00PM at First Baptist Church located at 3550 Fox Meadow Rd. Eugene, OR 97408.  The service will include various police honors and will be open to the public dependent upon available seating. 

The Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council (ORTAC) is calling for nominations for the annual Doug Newman Memorial Award. The award honors an individual whose hard work, integrity and social responsibility have made significant statewide contributions to non-motorized trails within Oregon. 

All nominations are due by June 30, 2022, and can be submitted at https://form.jotform.com/221327938088161.

The 2022 awardee will be recognized at the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summit in October: https://www.oregontrailscoalition.org/summit.

The award pays tribute to Doug Newman, an Oregonian whose efforts have inspired, benefited and contributed to the trails and trail users of Oregon. Doug was an avid outdoorsman, author, outdoor writer for the Eugene Register-Guard and ORTAC member. The memorial award was established shortly after his passing in 1992.

A list of past awardees is available at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/BWT/Documents/ORTAC-Doug-Newman-Award-Recipients.pdf.

ORTAC was established by the Legislature in 1971 to advise Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and its partners in the development, management and promotion of high quality non-motorized trail systems throughout Oregon. 

For more information, contact Program Coordinator Jodi Bellefeuille at 503-856-6316 or ellefeuille@oprd.oregon.gov">jodi.bellefeuille@oprd.oregon.gov.

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATED: May 17, 2022 - Room changed to 216

Meeting Notice

Douglas County Parks Advisory Board

Thursday, May 19, 2022

(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are pleased to inform the public that the next Douglas County Parks Advisory Board (PAB) meeting will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 10:00 am, in Room 216 of the Douglas County Courthouse located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.

The meeting agenda packet can be found at www.co.douglas.or.us.

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Media Contact:     Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

Deb Pack, Division Business Manager, Douglas County Parks Department | (541) 440-6040 office – dmpack@co.douglas.or.us

A 100 Volunteer Projects for 100 Years centennial event

Florence, Oregon—Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park rangers need 15 volunteers 
June 4, 10 a.m.-noon. Celebrate both State Parks Day and National Trails Day by lending a hand to trim back areas along the Woahink Lake Trail, a trail built originally by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Participants must register in advance, and registration ends May 25. Volunteers will work with hand tools and move on gravel and uneven surfaces. Tools and other equipment will be provided. Bring drinking water, gloves and wear clothes suitable for the weather conditions. 

The 100 Volunteer Projects for 100 Years series commemorates the Oregon State Parks centennial. Visit the event calendar to see the other opportunities scheduled in 2022. Join the events and participate in the legacy of service that has sustained the state parks system for the past century. 

# # #

May 17, 2022

Media contact: Aria Seligmann, 503-910-9239, ia.l.seligmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">aria.l.seligmann@dhsoha.state.or.us

Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council subcommittees meet week of May 16, 2022

What: Public meetings of the Drug Treatment and Recovery Act (Measure 110) Oversight and Accountability Council and its subcommittees to approve Behavioral Health Resource Network applications.

Agendas: Posted on the Oversight and Accountability web page prior to each meeting.

When/Where:

All meetings are virtual.

Subcommittee #1:  

Tuesday, May 17, 4-7 p.m.  https://youtu.be/g3bPR6ViQ-Y

Thursday, May 19, 4-7 p.m. https://youtu.be/XzpE6oafC1Q

Subcommittee #2:

Thursday, May 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. https://youtu.be/v_sS-RCiGZM

Friday, May 20, 12-4 p.m. https://youtu.be/3-NLvTWbQCg

Purpose: The Drug Treatment and Recovery Act (Measure 110) Oversight and Accountability Council oversees the establishment of Behavioral Health Resource Networks throughout Oregon. The OAC will hold regular meetings to accomplish the necessary steps to fund and set up the networks.

Read more about the OAC. Read more about Measure 110.

Questions? Contact e110@dhsoha.state.or.us">OHA.Measure110@dhsoha.state.or.us

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Jessica Carroll at 503-580-9883, 711 TTY or roll@dhsoha.state.or.us">jessica.a.carroll@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for sexually assaulting a woman on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

Jerome Albert Stanley, Jr., 27, pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact.

According to court documents, on August 9, 2020, after being warned not to do so, Stanley entered a bedroom occupied by an adult woman in a residence on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and sexually assaulted the woman. Later, during a recorded call with the victim, Stanley admitted to the abusive sexual contact and acknowledged it should not have happened.

On September 15, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Stanley with sexual abuse of an incapable victim and aggravated sexual abuse by force. Prior to pleading guilty, on May 11, 2022, Stanley was charged by superseding criminal information with abusive sexual contact.

Stanley faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 8, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

As part of the plea agreement, Stanley will pay restitution to his victim as identified by the government and ordered by the court at sentencing. He must also register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pamela Paaso and Erin Greenawald are prosecuting the case.

Sexual assault is a serious violent crime frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of sexual violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members and communities.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 1-800-656-4673 or visiting online.rainn.org to chat online. Trained staff members are available 24/7 year-round. Many communities throughout the country have also developed support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.

The StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Please call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information.

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Salem – Oregon OSHA has cited a Portland contractor for repeatedly violating workplace safety standards designed to protect workers from falls that could kill them.

The penalty of $65,000 against West Coast Roofing and Painting Inc. – issued this month following an inspection of a residential roofing job – reflects the company’s history of failing to follow a basic requirement: Implementing adequate fall protection systems – such as a personal fall restraint system or other measures – where workers are exposed to falling six feet or more to a lower level.

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.

“Fall protection saves lives. It keeps workers from falling and getting seriously injured,” said Renee Stapleton, acting administrator for Oregon OSHA. “Employers must put it into practice when work is being done at heights. Failing to do so only increases the risk that a worker will go to the hospital or never go home from work again.” 

Oregon OSHA opened the inspection in late March under the division’s emphasis program to prevent falls in the construction industry. The inspection examined West Coast Roofing and Painting’s work on a single-story residential building on Southeast Ivon Street in Portland. The inspection found approximately five employees, working on a roofing project, were exposed to falls to the ground of more than 10 feet with no fall protection in place.

It is the seventh time the company has violated the same fall protection requirement. Oregon OSHA records show that, since 2019, the company has been cited for the same violation as part of six separate inspections of different job locations in the Portland metro area. Under Oregon OSHA’s rules, penalties multiply when employers commit repeat offenses.

Since 2019, Oregon OSHA has now issued more than $175,000 in fines to West Coast Roofing and Painting for repeatedly violating the same fall protection requirement. That does not include fines issued to the company for other workplace safety violations during that time. 

Employers have 30 calendar days after receiving a citation to file an appeal. 

In addition to its enforcement activities, Oregon OSHA offers employers free resources to help improve workplace safety and health. These resources include the division’s Fall Protection Suite of online video training and its A-to-Z topic page about fall protection.

The Fall Protection Suite includes courses addressing fall protection fundamentals, and construction, roofing, and ladder safety. 

Employers are encouraged to use free resources – available now from Oregon OSHA and involving no fault, no citations, and no penalties – for help protecting their employees:

Consultation services – Provides free and confidential help with safety and health programs, including how to control and eliminate hazards, and hands-on training

• Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
• Field offices
• Online
• Email: consult.web@dcbs.oregon.gov

Technical staff – Helps employers understand requirements and how to apply them to their worksites

• Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
• Online
• Email: tech.web@dcbs.oregon.gov

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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.

A 100 Volunteer Projects for 100 Years centennial event

Coos Bay, Oregon—Shore Acres State Park rangers need 10 volunteers June 3, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., to help the park get ready for State Parks Day June 4 and Rose Sunday June 19. Join them to clean up the botanical gardens. You can help with weeding, trimming, mowing, mulching, painting, staining, picking up litter, and pulling invasive English ivy. 

Participants must register in advance, and registration ends May 26. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old and will work with hand tools and move on gravel and uneven surfaces. Tools and other equipment will be provided. Bring drinking water and gloves and wear clothes suitable for the weather conditions. 

The 100 Volunteer Projects for 100 Years series commemorates the Oregon State Parks centennial. Visit the event calendar to see the other opportunities scheduled in 2022. Join the events and participate in the legacy of service that has sustained the state parks system for the past century. 

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The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recently issued a warning about a rise in payment scams. Victims appear to get a text message from a bank’s fraud alert department. The text asks if the customer initiated an instant money transfer using digital payment apps connected to a bank. 

For example, a text may say- Bank Fraud Alert- Did you attempt an instant payment in the amount of $5,000? Reply, Yes or No, or 1 to stop alerts. 

 The payment amount and financial institution may vary from victim to victim. You may even receive different texts claiming to be from different banks because the crooks are hoping to guess your financial institution.  

 If the victim responds, they receive a phone call that appears to be from the bank’s legitimate 1-800 support number. The criminals may know a past address, your social security number, and the last four digits of your bank account. This information is used to convince you that the steps being requested are the financial institution's legitimate process to stop that money transfer. 

Once the fraudsters have you on the hook, here is how they steal your money. Using the bank's legitimate website or application, the crook will instruct victims to remove your email address from their digital payment app and replace it with an email address controlled by the fraudsters. After the email address has been changed, the cyber crook tells the victim to start another instant payment transaction to themselves that will cancel or reverse the original fraudulent payment attempt. Unfortunately, victims are in fact sending instant payment transactions from their bank account to an account controlled by the criminals. Victims often only realize they’ve been scammed after checking their bank account balance.  

 The FBI recommends the following precautions: 

Be wary of unsolicited requests to verify account information. Cyber actors can use email addresses and phone numbers which appear to come from a legitimate financial institution. If a call or text is received regarding possible fraud or unauthorized transfers, do not respond directly. 

Instead, contact your bank’s fraud department through verified phone numbers and email addresses on official bank websites or from the back of your credit or debit card, never through a text or email you receive.  

Be wary of callers that provide personally identifiable information, including social security numbers. Unfortunately, there have been so many  large-scale data breaches over the last decade, criminals may know some of your personal data. 

Your best protection, Enable Multi Factor Authentication for all financial accounts, and do not provide those codes to anyone. 

If you’ve been a victim of an online fraud, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.   

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Sources: 

https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA220414 

Salman brings more than 30 years of financial services experience to Oregon’s largest credit union.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 17, 2022— Northwest banking leader Karen Salman has joined OnPoint Community Credit Union as its Vice President of Operations, a key position for the expanding credit union, which has hired nearly 300 employees in the last year as it opened 20 new branches. 

Salman comes to OnPoint after 15 years at Unitus Community Credit Union, most recently as its Associate Vice President of Deposit Administration. Salman brings national experience leading core conversions and deep branch and operations experience, with a 15-year tenure at Bank of America and two years at Sterling Savings Bank. 

“Karen’s stellar industry expertise, track record as an effective operations leader, and knowledge of the Pacific Northwest will serve our staff and members well,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “We are thrilled to add Karen to our team as we continue to evolve our operations and welcome new members.”

Salman will provide strategic operations leadership and oversee all deposit operations and support functions, including ATM, electronic payments, check services, records retention, account/branch support, IRA/HSA/tax reporting, escheatment and business account services. By fostering efficiencies on her teams and within all operations, Salman will free up front-line staff to develop strong relationships with members.

“OnPoint has an amazing reputation in our community, with staff dedicated to finding solutions for our members,” Salman said. “I’m excited to join an institution with a legacy of supporting the educational system and creating a respectful, inclusive culture.”

Outside of her professional experience, Salman has also served the community as co-leader of the Global Women’s Leadership Network’s Portland-Vancouver Sister Society since 2017. The professional organization works to narrow inequality gaps for women and grow the pipeline of women leaders in the credit union industry. In addition, Salman has mentored Rose Festival Princesses since 2015, working directly with Parkrose High School students. A competitive race walker, Salman enjoys spending time with her adult daughter and experiencing the bounty of the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

OnPoint is currently recruiting for another 34 positions across the institution. Learn more about making an impact with us.

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 480,000 members and with assets of $9.4 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

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SALEM, Oregon – Electric vehicle (EV) charging is coming to the Oregon State Park system. Starting this summer and over the next year, Level 2 EV chargers will be installed in selected state parks as part of a pilot project created by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and the nonprofit Adopt a Charger (AAC). The agreement between OPRD and AAC allows fundraising and donations to cover the installation of the chargers and includes an option for the electricity costs to be sponsored by a donor for up to three years.

Legislation passed in 2021, House Bill 2290, directs OPRD to allow planning and installation of public EV charging stations in parking spaces at state parks. The OPRD and AAC agreement reflects the intent and direction outlined in the legislation.

Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer and automotive technology company, is working with AAC to donate the installation design, construction costs and EV chargers as part of its Rivian Waypoints charging network. Rivian Waypoints can provide up to 25 miles of range every hour of charging and are equipped with a J1772 plug, making them compatible with every electric vehicle on the market. In addition, Entec Polymers has offered to sponsor the cost of electricity through its partnership with AAC for a limited time.

“Beyond helping reduce global and local pollution, including greenhouse gasses, state parks need to be accessible to everyone,” said Lisa Sumption, OPRD Director. “Looking ahead, electric vehicles will become more and more common, and rather than wait for someone else to fill all the charging gaps, we want to do our part.”

“I can think of no better way to commemorate 100 years of state park service in 2022 than to set up us up to serve people even better for the next hundred, and am grateful to the donors for making it happen,” Sumption added.

“The AAC goal is to introduce zero emission tourism in Oregon, and inspire visitors of all ages to consider the impact of their decisions on the environment,” said Kitty Adams Hoksbergen, executive director of AAC. “I am grateful to everyone at OPRD for proactively planning and offering EV charging at state parks, and to Rivian for their generosity in making it happen. Thanks to Entec for sponsoring the electrical usage so EV motorists can charge their vehicles fee-free during the pilot.”

“OPRD’s commitment to service is a principle we share and look forward to contributing to in this pilot,” said Trent Warnke, Senior Director of Energy and Charging Solutions at Rivian. “For Rivian, electrifying adventure is something we’re inspired to do thoughtfully, especially when working off the beaten path.”

"Giving back to the community is embedded in Entec Polymers’ DNA, and sustainability has always been a large part of what we do and who we are," said Steve Tomaszewski, Senior Vice President & General Manager. "Partnering with Adopt a Charger and Rivian to support EV charging stations at Oregon State Parks allows us to advance the electrification of transportation and to make a difference in the communities that we serve."

The tentative list of the pilot project sites: L.L. Stub Stewart State Park; Banks-Vernonia State Trail; Rooster Rock State Park; Silver Falls State Park, The Cove Palisades State Park; Prineville Reservoir State Park; Cape Lookout State Park; and William M. Tugman State Park. This list may change as the project progresses.

OPRD manages 255 parks statewide (https://stateparks.oregon.gov/) to provide and protect outstanding natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations.

AAC (https://adoptacharger.org/) is a nationwide 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness of electric vehicles by providing charging stations at scenic, cultural and civic destinations.

Rivian (http://rivian.com) exists to create products and services that help our planet transition to carbon neutral energy and transportation as part of its mission — Keep The World Adventurous Forever.

Entec Polymers (https://www.entecpolymers.com/) is the largest distribution channel of the Ravago group. They are engaged in the distribution of recycled and recyclable polymers for many diverse markets and act as the driving force behind the material solutions for many major automotive OEMs and Tier 1 Manufacturers across the Americas and beyond. Its mission is to lead and inspire collaboration for a sustainable future by investing resources in emerging markets, including e-mobility.
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Media Contact: 503-813-6018

Pacific Power files for power cost true-up tied to volatile 2021 energy prices

PORTLAND, Ore., (May 17, 2022) — Pacific Power has filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission its annual Power Cost Adjustment Mechanism (PCAM), which trues-up the actual costs of power from 2021 to the estimated costs that were put into rates during 2021. The request varies between customers classifications, but in total averages 4 percent, or a $50.5 million increase in costs to customers.

“We know that 2021 was a difficult, volatile year for energy prices in the West,” said Matthew McVee, vice president of regulatory policy and operations. “The past year saw a record heat dome in the Northwest and unseasonable cold snaps. Our 10-state footprint and diverse sources of power generation allowed us to weather these extremes. However, the spike in the cost of electricity we needed to buy on the market to serve customer needs, the drop in hydropower generation caused by the long-term drought, and prices for the natural gas, which is used in some of our generating plants, still exceeded projections.”

Additionally, PacifiCorp was able to reduce these costs and impacts to customers due to its participation in the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). The EIM enables access to even more low-cost, zero-carbon energy across the entire Western U.S. market while reducing emissions and increasing reliability. 

In 2021, PacifiCorp provided its Oregon customers with $30 million in savings through its participation in the EIM. Those incremental savings are passed through to customers in the PCAM, but in 2021 even these impressive savings were insufficient to completely offset the increases caused by market prices.

The PCAM rate request will be reviewed by the Commission.  As part of this request, Pacific Power is proposing that the PCAM rate adjustment take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. 

Pacific Power Plans New Rate Discount for Low Income Customers 

In June, Pacific Power plans to introduce an on-bill rate discount to support customers who are experiencing income restraints. The proposed discount would be 25 percent for households with qualified income under 60 percent of the state’s median income. If approved, this discount would take effect Aug. 1.

About Pacific Power 

Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. It is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing 2 million customers with value for their energy dollar through safe, reliable electricity. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.