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
Friday, March 31, 2023
Willamette Valley Weather
Fatal Crash This Morning On Hwy 99 North Of Junction City
A fatal head-on collision this morning has blocked Highway 99 a few miles north of Junction City while crews work to clear the scene.
The crash happened at about 8:30 a.m. on March 31 and involved a car and a truck crashing head-on into each other. One death has been confirmed by Oregon State Police, and one person has been sent to the hospital with injuries.
The Oregon Department of Transportation said Highway 99 East is closed for several hours at milepost 32, north of Junction City. Oregon State Police and other law enforcement as well as emergency personnel are on the scene conducting cleanup and an investigation.
ODOT recommends driving with caution and using an alternate route, and watching for emergency responders. ODOT expects the closure to last at least four hours.
Local Officials Warn of New Drug on The Streets
Law enforcement and Health officials are warning about Xylazine, a new drug hitting the streets.
According to officials, there is a higher chance of overdosing if the drug is mixed with fentanyl. Officials at Lane County Health & Human Services said they started seeing the trend start a little over a year ago. Xylazine abuse started in the Northeast, which means officials have had time to observe what the drug is capable of doing.
Alexander Lavake works for Lane County as the Overdose Prevention Coordinator. He has kept a keen eye on this drug. “Xylazine has severe effects on the skin that cause infections or open wounds when used intravenously,” he said. “Those effects can be seen very exasperated very quickly for someone who has used Xylazine intravenously”
It’s not just a few blemishes drug users have to worry about. In some cases patients of xylazine poisonings survive the overdose but end up with their skin tissue rotting. This is called necrosis. It causes loss of blood flow to the injected area. Captain Doug Mozan of the Eugene Police Department has some words of advice for drug users.
“I will say this: if you’re a person who injects drugs and you notice yourself having problems in injection sites you probably should seek medical care,” he said. “The data is indicating that very significant outcomes are happening including limb loss.”
According to EPD. Xylazine is being used to enhance Fentanyl. Approximately 23% of Fentanyl powder seized contained Xylazine. Also approximately 7% of Fentanyl pills seized contained Xylazine as well. It’s also not an opioid which means Narcan is not nearly as effective. However health officials said it might still come in handy especially if someone overdoses on Fentanyl that way the Narcan can at least counteract that.
Officials want people to be as aware as possible about Xylazine and Fentanyl. Lane county Health and Human services runs a website to educate the public. It’s there to educate people about drugs, Narcan, and overdose prevention.
The Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE) is continuing to see the significant impact illicit drugs has on our community.
In recent powder fentanyl and counterfeit pill seizures, MADGE has found the presence of xylazine, a non-opiate veterinary tranquilizer, which has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths nationwide. Because xylazine is not an opiate, the widely used overdose medication Narcan cannot be used to reverse its effects.
MADGE has seen a staggering increase in fentanyl seizures in the last 12 months. In 2022, MADGE reported a 3,000% increase in fentanyl seizures. This increase included over 17 pounds of powder fentanyl and 57,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
As a central nervous system depressant, Xylazine can cause drowsiness, amnesia, slow breathing, and bring heart rate and blood pressure to dangerously low levels. This drug is not approved for use by humans, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because the versions of fentanyl and other drugs being mixed with xylazine are manufactured by criminal organizations in clandestine labs, users have no way of knowing the potency of the drugs they are using or the presence of other harmful substances being used to “cut” or mix with the drugs.
This information is intended to encourage users to seek help as well as deter others from experimenting with these extremely dangerous substances. For more resources about xylazine, visit: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/xylazine or see attachment.
Local Groups Look Forward To Receiving Money From State’s Homelessness Package
One day after Governor Tina Kotek signed the $200 million emergency homelessness response packing into law, Lane County and Saint Vincent de Paul of Lane County are talking about their plans for the funds.
Ever since the governor signed her homelessness state of emergency declaration in January, Lane County Human Services Division Interim Manager Kate Budd and her team have been working with other agencies and service providers to draft plans on how to use any money received. Budd said the county has requested $34 million to go toward the three prongs of the emergency declaration.
“One being to reduce the number of people who are falling into houselessness in Lane County,” she said. “The second being focusing on the number of emergency shelter beds that are available in the community… Then the third is focusing on rehousing people who are currently unsheltered in the community into permanent housing.”
With $34 million, the county could prevent 1,578 households from becoming homeless, provide 230 new beds of emergency shelter and rehouse about 247 households, Budd said.
While the county does not expect to receive the full amount of their request, Budd said people needing help will see better ways to access it and more collaboration between service providers.
“The greatest impact that we’re looking to see is within our overall system of supports for folks for who are houseless,” she said.
As one of the largest providers of services for those facing homelessness, St. Vincent de Paul has been watching the package go through the legislative process.
“Let’s start by saying this is the boldest initiative I’ve seen the state of Oregon undertake in my lifetime, basically, associated with the unhoused,” said Terry McDonald, executive director of the local St. Vinnie’s chapter.
McDonald said the state is moving forward with an ambitious plan to address an “extremely difficult” issue. While the final portion of the $200 million that will come to the county is still to be decided, he said there is a lot that can be done right now, like keeping families off the streets and increasing space at shelters. The short and long-term goals guiding the package, he said, are important to addressing the crisis at hand.
“The combination of both the immediate impact and the more long term goal of developing more affordable housing — especially innovative housing such as modular and mobile — I think are things that are extremely important for us to move forward.”
Though there is still more to be done to address homelessness in our area, McDonald said.
“It’s certainly a step in the right direction,” he said. “This is a problem that has been building and escalating over a number of years. It’s a very important and healthy step toward how we’re going to address this issue.”
McDonald said providing more housing stock and addressing the costs of housing are key to addressing homelessness in the long run.
Budd agreed the package is a good first step and the emergency will not be resolved overnight.
“Even with these additional dollars, we’re not expecting to get to zero people who are unhoused,” she said. “But we do see that we’re going to be able to reduce the overall number of people who are experiencing that traumatic situation.”
With the funding being focused on outcomes, Budd said, the package is set apart from other means of addressing homelessness.
McDonald applauded the legislature and the governor’s office for coming together earlier in the legislative session for tackling the issue.
“This is one that has bipartisan support, meaning both sides of the aisle are looking at this as important,” he said. “That’s what we need to make a more healthy society — is where both sides have a common ground where they can address a social ill in a way that is actually meaningful. For that I’m very grateful.” (SOURCE)
LCSO Case #23-1702: Theft Suspect Arrested After Refusing to Exit Home
On 03/29/2023 just before 2:00pm the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received the report of a theft that occurred at a construction site in the 90200blk of Coburg Rd. A construction crew advised that as they returned to their worksite they observed a Mitsubishi car speed away. The workers then discovered that thousands of dollars’ worth of tools had been stolen. Workers had been able to note the license plate number on the car.
Deputies identified the suspects as 34-year-old Trevor Lee Hendricks and 31-year-old Jessica Marie Jackson. Hendricks was also found to have a warrant for his arrest out of Eugene Municipal Court.
Deputies responded to the suspect’s residence in the 2800blk of Matt Dr. in Eugene and attempted to make contact with them. Jackson was cooperative with deputies, but Hendricks remained inside the residence and refused to come out. Deputies, including K9 Ripp and his handler Deputy Chris Gardner, entered the residence. Hendricks finally surrendered when he learned that K9 Ripp would be assisting in the search for him.
Hendricks was taken into custody and lodged at the Lane County Jail for his outstanding warrant and a new charge of Theft in the 1st Degree. Jackson was issued a citation in lieu of custody for Theft in the 1st Degree. Deputies were able to recover the tools stolen from the construction site.
Department of Administrative Services on Governor Kotek Signing the Affordable Housing & Emergency Homelessness Response Package into Law
Salem, OR- Today, Governor Kotek signed House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019 into law. This Affordable Housing & Emergency Homelessness Response Package will allow the Department of Administrative Services to analyze housing data to support local jurisdictions and state agencies to make critical, data-driven decisions that will benefit all Oregonians.
The Department of Administrative Services, along with a number of state agencies are proud to begin work on improving the state of housing in Oregon.
The Department of Administrative Services has an important role set forth in House Bill 2001 which begins with the first step in the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis: calculating the number of housing units needed in Oregon. This calculation will be conducted while taking into account the following:
- Historical underproduction of housing;
- Housing for our homeless neighbors; and
- Expected future need.
Examining the need is an important step in assessing how state government may be able to improve the housing situation across the state. Oregonians are struggling with housing availability and high costs and Governor Kotek has made it a top priority to alleviate those challenges. This work, along with other analytical work that the agency conducts will be performed in a clear and transparent manner, consistent with the high-quality analysis the public expects, and policy leaders rely upon.
The Oregon Housing Needs Analysis is conducted by the Office of Economic Analysis within the Department of Administrative Services. Once the analysis is conducted, local governments and state agencies including the Department of Land Conservation and Development and Oregon Housing and Community Services can begin to make actionable plans to alleviate the challenges in increasing supply and making housing more affordable. The analysis is required to be completed no later than January 1, 2025, however, the Department of Administrative Services will work to ensure it is completed on a timeline that supports agencies’ needs.
“Governor Kotek and the Legislature have made a historic investment in the housing future of Oregon,” said Berri Leslie, Interim Director of Department of Administrative Services. “We are prepared to take these first, important steps needed to evaluate the state’s housing needs. This analysis will help other agencies do the vital work of creating stability and a housing environment that makes sense for the needs of all Oregonians.”
OHCS uplifts Governor Kotek’s signing of HBs 2001 and 5019 as a bold step to address the housing needs of the people of Oregon
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) applauds Governor Tina Kotek who today signed bipartisan legislation addressing the state’s housing and homelessness crisis into law.
“As Oregonians, we are bound by our shared values that all people have access to basic, fundamental needs to which affordable housing is fundamental,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “This legislation marks forward progress in the direction of sustained effort to improve the quality of lives of the people of Oregon.
“The way forward requires all of us and investments at the scale needed to tackle the affordable housing crisis. Our economies and our communities are stronger when all people have access to their basic needs to which housing is fundamental. We are grateful to Gov. Kotek for relentlessly working toward meaningful change and the Oregon Legislature for recognizing the criticality that investing in affordable housing is investing in family stability, children’s success, racial justice and the economic health of our entire state.”
HB 2001 includes a suite of policy changes intended to address Oregon’s housing needs. Some of those impact OHCS directly; some do not. Policies that would affect OHCS and the work the agency does include:
Dedicating Emergency Housing Account (EHA) funds, one of OHCS’ core homeless services programs, to providing services and assistance to school-aged children or their families who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, homelessness.
Changing Oregon’s eviction timelines and statutes, which do not affect state programs directly but impact OHCS’ and our partners’ ability to reach Oregonians at risk of becoming homeless and provide support to keep them stably housed.
Creating a loan/grant program to support manufacturers of modular housing, prioritizing benefits to Oregonians who lost housing due to disasters, live on low incomes, or live on moderate income (in that order).
Codifying the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis, which shifts Oregon’s land use program in a way that empowers cities to take actions that meaningfully increase housing production, affordability, and choice.
As a companion to those policy changes, House Bill 5019, the Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package includes key housing investments that OHCS will distribute to create housing solutions. This includes $155 million to support Oregon children and families at risk of and facing homelessness. The urgent need for funding was proposed by the Governor in response to the homelessness state of emergency that she declared on her first full day of office.
| About Oregon Housing and Community ServicesOregon Housing and Community Services provides resources for Oregonians to reduce poverty and increase access to stable housing. Our intentional focus on both housing and community services allows us to serve Oregonians holistically across the housing continuum, including preventing and ending homelessness, assisting with utilities, providing housing stability support, financing multifamily affordable housing and encouraging homeownership. |
House Bill 5019 provides $20 million to expand and strengthen the Oregon Department of Human Services, Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program
(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) applauds Governor Tina Kotek who today signed bipartisan legislation addressing the state’s housing and homelessness crisis into law.
House Bill 5019 (HB 5019) includes a suite of policy changes and investments intended to address Oregon’s housing needs. It provides approximately $20 million dollars of funding to expand and strengthen the ODHS Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program.
The ODHS Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program is tasked with coordinating statewide planning for delivery of services to youth experiencing homelessness under the age of 25. The program partners with impacted youth, community organizations and other state agencies to support and fund initiatives and programs within the youth homelessness system.
“We all have an interest in a community in which young people have access to stable and safe housing so that they can pursue their life’s goals and reach their full potential,” said ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht (he/him). “A young person’s experience with homelessness does not always follow a linear path and is unique from the experience of adults. We are grateful to Governor Kotek and the Oregon Legislature for this investment of $20 million that will strengthen our ability to work in collaboration with community-based organizations, local government and other system partners, to provide flexible supports and services that meet young people experiencing homelessness where they are.”
ODHS will use the $20 million provided by HB 5019 to expand and strengthen its support of local programs across the state, as well as newer initiatives and supports for youth experiencing homelessness across Oregon by increasing investments in:
- Prevention services including youth outreach and drop-in services.
- Early and crisis intervention housing such as shelter and other programming.
- Medium-term housing such as transitional living and other programming.
- Host home programs that provide temporary housing for youth experiencing homelessness.
- Other services such as culturally specific programming, mental health and substance use supports.
HB 5019 will also increase the ODHS Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program staff from one to six positions, this will improve ODHS’ ability to collaborate with partners and young people, expand services that meet young people where they are and improve data collection.
In 2021, ODHS completed the state’s first needs assessmentEditSignEditSign focused on youth experiencing homelessness. The assessment estimated that there are over 8,200 unhoused individuals under the age of 25 who are likely to need safe, affordable housing and services to maintain stability.
More information about the ODHS Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program can be found online.
About the Oregon Department of Human Services – The mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.
Oregon Senate Passes $210 Million Bill To Expand Semiconductor Sector
The state Senate on Wednesday passed the Oregon CHIPS Act, a move intended to bolster the state’s ability to compete for semiconductor projects and federal money to expand the sector in the state.
Senate Bill 4 would put $210 million toward giving Oregon a competitive edge and make the state a bigger player for research and manufacturing projects in the semiconductor industry, potentially bringing thousands of jobs to the state and pumping more money into the economy and government budgets for mental health, housing and other services.
The biggest share, $190 million, would pay for grants and loans for semiconductor companies seeking federal funding to expand in Oregon.
The Senate passed the bill with a 21-8 vote and bipartisan support and sponsors, including Sens. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, and Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend. The measure still faces a vote in the House.
“What a great win,” Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, told Sollman, hugging her after its passage.
Supporters consider the bill to be critical to Oregon’s future in the industry. Besides money, it provides tools to navigate Oregon’s complex land use laws more efficiently.
The proposal would give Gov. Tina Kotek the authority to designate some land outside urban growth boundaries, the invisible line that limits where cities can expand, as industrial land for annexation by cities. In particular, Hillsboro is seeking to add hundreds of acres of land near its northwest corner, creating a roughly 800-acre plot that could be used for a major manufacturing facility, or fab.
Semiconductors are one of the largest industries in Oregon – and the high-tech companies are a target for economic development officials across the state.
“These are tomorrow’s jobs,” Sollman said in an interview with the Capital Chronicle after the hearing. “These are jobs that can lift families from poverty to prosperity. We heard it over and over again in our hearings.”
Semiconductors are building blocks in society, driving cybersecurity, classified military technology and everyday devices like refrigerators, medical equipment and cars.
“What this does, honestly, is it doubles down on the future, and the future, there’s no question, is high-tech semiconductors and these high-paying jobs,” Knopp said in an interview. “And that’s why I think it’s important for Oregon to keep its dominance in this area.”
Earlier this month, a bipartisan, bicameral 14-member committee endorsed the bill, part of its work to make Oregon competitive for the nearly $53 billion in grants and tax credits the U.S. Department of Commerce will begin providing this year for semiconductor research and manufacturing because of the federal CHIPS and Science Act. Congress passed that act last year.
While the bill is the Legislature’s main response to the federal law, it fits within a patchwork of other proposals and recent efforts that address semiconductor industry needs. Examples include last year’s $200 million workforce training plan, which focuses on jobs in manufacturing and health care, as well as pending legislation to expand broadband, build more homes and make child care more affordable and available.
Separately, Kotek last month announced a $1 million grant program to help small and mid-sized firms prepare applications for federal funding. The state agency Business Oregon will run that grant program, and it plans to post updates online once it finalizes rules for the grants.
More than 40,000 Oregonians work in the semiconductor industry – only California and Texas have more residents employed by the industry. About 15% of the nation’s semiconductor workforce is in Oregon, though only about 1.3% of the U.S. population lives here.
About half of Oregon’s semiconductor employees work at Intel, the state’s largest private employer with nearly 22,000 employees in Washington County. Intel has suppliers in 15 of Oregon’s 36 counties.
Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, was among the eight senators who opposed the bill. The seven other opponents included six Republicans and Sen. Brian Boquist, an Independent from Dallas.
The only member of the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee to oppose the proposal’s funding, Girod said lawmakers shouldn’t commit to the funding ahead of the May revenue forecast.
“We have no idea the exact amount of money we have to budget here,” Girod said. “If we have a big cut in the May forecast, that austere budget is going to get ugly.”
The bill is not the only legislation on semiconductors this session. Another bill in the works would create incentives for companies to conduct research and development. (SOURCE)
St. Paul Rodeo Will be Inducted Into the ProRodeo Cowboys Association Hall of Fame this Summer
The 88-year-old St. Paul Rodeo will be inducted into the ProRodeo Cowboys Association Hall of Fame this summer. Since 1935, the tiny Oregon town in Marion County has hosted tens of thousands of rodeo fans over the Independence Day holiday.
The first rodeo was held at the city baseball field, which today is the site of a 10,000-seat rodeo arena.
Kevin Smith, vice-president and historian for the St. Paul Rodeo Association, attributes the rodeo’s longevity and success to the community of volunteers who put it on.
“The rodeo began in 1935 with eight founding directors,” Smith said. “More than half of them were from local families right here. Still today, half of our board of directors, which is up to 11 members now, are grandsons and great-grandsons of those founders.”
Smith is a true son of the St. Paul Rodeo. He likes to say he and his mother have only missed one, in 1953: “We were in the Woodburn Hospital when she was birthing me.”
His grandfather, Carl Smith, was on the founding board of directors. His father, Gene Smith, served on the board for 46 years. Smith himself has served two decades with the board. The Smith, Coleman, Manegre and McKillip families are just a few who have stayed involved with the rodeo association through the generations.
The nonprofit rodeo association has two paid employees and runs with the help of hundreds of volunteers. The St. Paul Rodeo Association has 450 members – impressive considering the town has a population of 425 people. Over five days in July, some 75,000 people will visit St. Paul to attend the rodeo, carnival, parade and Fourth of July fireworks.
St. Paul is the 33rd rodeo to be inducted into the ProRodeo Cowboys Association Hall of Fame and the second in Oregon behind the Pendleton Round-up. (SOURCE)
