The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Police Arrested Three Suspects In Corvallis And Colorado After Fatal Shooting In Springfield
The Springfield Police Department says three people, including a 17-year-old, have been arrested in connection to a shooting death on October 4th.
According to the SPD, officers responded to a medical emergency that turned out to be a gunshot wound in the 6100 block of Graystone Loop at about 10:53 p.m. on October 4. Police said the victim, Cayden Reed Torkelson, 22, of Springfield, was taken to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries. Detectives say they found evidence that Torkelson’s death was a homicide, and were able to identify three suspects.
Police said that on October 5, a 17-year-old suspect was found and arrested in Corvallis, and that the suspect is still in custody as of October 12. According to the SPD, interviews and investigation identified the two other suspects as Anthony Freeman, 18, and Ryan Joseph Anthony Bell, 19, both of Eugene. Police said they found that both suspects had gone to Denver, Colorado.
SPD said Denver police made contact with Freeman and Bell on October 10. They allegedly attempted to escape the police on foot, but were eventually arrested by Denver police. They are currently in custody in Colorado waiting to be extradited back to Oregon, according to Springfield police. Springfield police said detectives have travelled to Denver to continue the investigation, which is still ongoing as of October 12.
All three suspects are charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Springfield police ask anyone with information about the incident contact them at 541-726-3721.
Emergency Response Crews And Environmental Agencies Stage Oil Spill Exercise In North Eugene
A dozen emergency response crews along with utilities, EWEB, and other agencies held a “spill drill” in north Eugene today to keep responding crews sharp for actual oil spill disasters in local waterways.
At Whiteley Landing along the Willamette River, workers stretch orange containment booms across the water, which float and corral spilled materials.
Roughly a dozen agencies held a “spill drill” in north Eugene today to keep responding crews sharp for actual oil spill disasters in local waterways.
At Whiteley Landing along the Willamette River, workers stretch orange containment booms across the water, which float and corral spilled materials.
We’re tracking data to understand the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. This dashboard is updated weekly. Data are provisional and subject to change.For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit http://ow.ly/nTm150L8BVC.
Note: OHA now using bivalent boosters as the metric to measure booster uptake. We’ll no longer update the uptake of monovalent boosters as they are no longer authorized as booster doses by the CDC. For more information on Oregon’s vaccine uptake, visit our Oregon COVID-19 Vaccine Effort Metrics dashboard: http://ow.ly/vJ1s50L8BVG
Illegal Marijuana Task Force Busts Three Neighboring Properties Near Rogue River With 113 Cannabis Greenhouses Combined; Code Enforcement Issues Fines Totaling $1.2 Million
Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant at three neighboring properties growing and processing black-market cannabis last Thursday morning. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section team, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Medford assisted with the warrant service. Jackson County Code Enforcement issued a total of $1.249 million in fines to the property owners.
NOTE: Video Available on YouTube (https://youtu.be/XmP7RFzlxwE)
The three marijuana grow and processing facilities located on the 18400 block of East Evans Creek Road in rural Rogue River contained 113 greenhouses with approximately 8,675 black-market marijuana plants, 7,155 lbs. of processed illegal cannabis, and $46,000 cash. This case was the result of a months-long investigation of a black-market marijuana growing and processing operation. Detectives identified the primary suspects and investigations are ongoing. The three separate properties are owned by different individuals.
On the property 17 workers and one child were detained, interviewed, and released. HSI Medford agents identified and interviewed the potential victims of forced labor trafficking with the assistance of HSI Victim Advocate Specialists (VAS) and Forensic Interview Specialists (FIS). UNETE Oregon, a center for farmworker advocacy, responded to assist the workers and provide support services. UNETE partners directly with IMET through Oregon Criminal Justice Commission grant funding in our mutual effort to address the poor treatment of migrant workers being victimized at Illegal marijuana grows.
Code Enforcement responded to the scene to conduct an independent investigation. Code Enforcement issued citations to the property owners totaling $701,000. The violations included 113 unpermitted greenhouse structures, unpermitted electrical and mechanical installations, unpermitted accessory structures, failing to obtain marijuana land use approval, camping within a marijuana grow site, and solid waste. Code enforcement fined one of the properties last year for similar violations. That property owner is now facing continuing fines totaling $548,000 for failing to correct the original violations.
While regulatory agencies investigate permitted cannabis operations, IMET is focusing on the black-market marijuana trade in the Rogue Valley. IMET is a multi-agency task force funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The task force includes personnel from JCSO, Medford Police Department, HSI, Code Enforcement, Oregon Water Resources Department District 13 Watermasters, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s office.
Investigations are open and ongoing with detectives working additional leads. No further information is currently available for release.
Former Beaverton Mayor Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography
PORTLAND, Ore.—Dennis “Denny” Doyle, the former mayor of Beaverton, Oregon, pleaded guilty today in federal court to illegally possessing child pornography.
Doyle, 73, a Beaverton resident, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, between November 2014 and December 2015, Doyle knowingly and unlawfully possessed digital media containing child pornography. Several of the images Doyle possessed were of children under the age of 12 who had been identified as known sexually exploited minors by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
On March 3, 2022, Doyle was charged by criminal information with one count of possession of child pornography.
Doyle will be sentenced on January 24, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF). It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the NCMEC’s website at www.missingkids.org.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits to receive 12 percent cost of living increase in October
- Oregonians who receive SNAP food benefits will see their food benefits increase approximately 12 percent starting in October
- The maximum food benefit for a household of two has increased from $459 to $516
- The maximum food benefit for a household of four has increased from $835 to $939
- 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) – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits will receive a permanent cost of living increase of approximately 12 percent starting in October.
This means that people in Oregon who receive SNAP will start receiving more food benefits when they receive their October benefits.
Every October the federal government makes cost of living adjustments to SNAP maximum allotments. These adjustments are based on changes to the amount of money needed to support a basic standard of living. Maximum SNAP allotments are the maximum amount of food benefits that a household may receive based off its size.
“As communities in Oregon continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and the rising cost of food, we know that many individuals and families are experiencing hardship and rely on SNAP food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Jana McLellan, interim director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs. “We are glad that our federal partners have made this cost of living increase to help people get enough healthy food. We also know that many people in Oregon are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”
SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive the increased benefit amounts.
More information about SNAP is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/pages/index.aspx.
If you receive SNAP, 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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