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, February 2, 2024
Willamette Valley Weather
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Man Arrested For Bias Crimes Against Local Synagogue
Chief Chris Skinner announced the arrest of a man for bias crimes against a local synagogue today during a news conference. Wednesday morning, Eugene Police detectives served a search warrant on a Eugene man’s home and subsequently arrested him on four counts of Bias Crime in the Second Degree after multiple incidents at Temple Beth Israel.
Eugene Police Investigations had a dedicated detective working on the 2023 cases of anti-Semitic tagging at Temple Beth Israel, 1175 E. 29th Avenue. These happened on August 20, September 11, and October 7. On January 14, 2024, there was another incident at the synagogue. The detective worked with the FBI and together they were able to identify a suspect, 34-year-old Adam Edward Braun, age 34.
The detective applied for and was granted a search warrant by a local judge. Eugene Police served the search warrant at Braun’s home today, January 31, and found Nazi-themed items. Braun was subsequently arrested and transported to Lane County Jail. Case 2400634
Sharp-eyed off-duty officer’s observation leads to charges in three cases
At approximately 10:54 a.m. on February 1, a Eugene Police officer was on his way to work in his personal vehicle and saw a Dodge Ram 1500 truck he knew had been stolen from BMW of Eugene on January 19. There were four people inside. The driver parked it behind a business in the 1000 block of W. 6th Avenue. The officer called it in.
Multiple on-duty officers arrived in the area and were able to safely call out the truck’s driver and passengers. The driver, Huston Ray Denham, age 34, of Springfield, was taken into custody and transported to Lane County Jail. He was found to have been involved in a burglary at BMW’s property, stolen the truck, and had burglary tools. He was also associated to a January 31 trespassing case at Dick’s Sporting Goods, 1030 Green Acres Road. He had previously been trespassed and entered the store. When he was told to leave, he became upset and began threatening employees.
Denham was lodged at Lane County Jail on the following charges: Unauthorized Use Vehicle, Burglary in the Second Degree, Possession of Burglary Tool or Theft Device, and Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree. He was cited for Driving While Suspended. Cases 24-01453, 24-01545, 24-01519
Lane County Human Services Performing Annual Homeless Point In Time Count
Every January, Lane County Human Services Division (LCHSD), along with community partners, conducts the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count. The PIT count is a one-night count of persons experiencing homelessness in our community and is required bi-annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The annual PIT Count seeks to identify the number of people sleeping in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs, utilizing food pantries, day and night access centers, and those sleeping outdoors in cars, tents, parks, or other outdoor spaces not intended to be housing. This year’s count will take place between Thursday, February 1 at 7am and Friday, February 2 at 7pm. The count will reflect who is experiencing homelessness the night of Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
“The Point in Time Count is most valuable as a tool to identify trends year after year, versus an accounting of the exact number of people who are unhoused,” said Lane County Human Services Division Manager, Kate Budd. “The PIT count is another example of using the best available data to gain a stronger understanding of homelessness in Lane County.”
The PIT count is meant to serve as a snapshot of homelessness in Lane County in order to provide a sense of the general scope and state of homelessness. While the data collected are important for benchmarking and funding purposes, it’s important to recognize the number of individuals experiencing homelessness is likely greater than what is able to be captured in this snapshot.
This year, street outreach teams will conduct a physical count of individuals who are unsheltered across the County, including Eugene, Springfield, Veneta, Florence, Junction City, Cottage Grove, Oakridge and Coburg. That data will be cross-referenced with the Homeless by Name List (HBNL), a database of individuals who are experiencing homelessness and have interacted with service agencies, in order to provide a more complete picture.
Additionally, Lane County is a Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) Community, selected by HUD to test best and promising practices and implement a coordinated community plan to end youth homelessness. As part of this effort, LCHSD will be taking extra steps to ensure youth who are experiencing homelessness are captured in the 2024 PIT Count. A broader definition of homelessness will be used to count youth on the local level, which includes those who are unstably housed or couch surfing. These efforts include pop-up magnet events on the day of the count to engage with youth to complete a survey. Just as with the broader count, these surveys will be cross-referenced with our HBNL and, if the young person is not already identified, they will be included in the count. Youth surveyors will be available through the Eugene Library, Youth ERA, Lane Community College, and youth-specific outreach in the metro and rural areas on Thursday, February 1, 2024. This year’s youth PIT Count strategies have been vetted and approved through the YHDP Youth Executive committee.
The full report from the PIT Count will be made available in the Spring, following final submission to HUD. https://www.lanecounty.org/government/county_departments/health_and_human_services/human_services_division/point-in-time__pit__homeless_count
Search Continues for Missing Eugene Scuba Diver
WINCHESTER BAY, Ore. – A Eugene man who went scuba diving in the Umpqua River near the mouth of the Pacific Ocean is considered missing after he did not surface.
On Sunday, January 29, 2024, shortly before 3:00 p.m., 9-1-1 dispatchers received a call from a female reporting her friend, 47-year-old Jeffery Scott Harris of Eugene, missing. Harris had gone scuba diving in the Umpqua River near the mouth of the Pacific Ocean in Winchester Bay at approximately 12:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Harris, who had previous diving experience, had not returned prompting the call to emergency personnel.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, along with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), began a large-scale search for Harris. Two USCG Boats along with a helicopter searched the water. The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue unit searched by land with K9 teams and ATVs until dark.
On Monday, searchers resumed their efforts by water and ground. Dive Rescue teams from Douglas County and Lane County attempted to dive in the morning during low tide but had to abort efforts due to dangerous diving conditions. The USCG helicopter assisted in searching throughout the morning.
“We have been in communication with Jeffrey’s family and have kept them updated as to the efforts that are being made. We are doing everything we can to assist them in locating Jeffrey,” Lt. Brad O’Dell said. “Deputies will return Tuesday to patrol the area by land. We are also coordinating with outside agencies to determine if specialized underwater searching equipment can be utilized in the conditions.”
The Sheriff’s Office has been assisted by the United States Coast Guard, Oregon State SAR Coordinator, CAHOOTS of Eugene, Lane County Search and Rescue, Douglas County Marine Patrol and Douglas County Search and Rescue.
Follow-up state forests listening session for Lane County residents
State Forester Cal Mukumoto will be hosting a virtual listening session on Feb. 6 for Lane County residents who were unable to make it to last week’s in-person event due to the recent winter weather emergency starting.
The virtual listening session will start at 4 p.m. on Feb. 6. Advance registration is required and speakers will be called upon in the order they register. The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking that people only register if they are a Lane County resident who was unable to participate previously due to the weather event. A Zoom link and other information on providing comment will be provided by email following registration. For those who don’t want to comment but want to hear what others had to say, a recording of this virtual session—along with the one held earlier this week—will be posted to ODF’s YouTube channel.
These listening sessions are an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts or concerns specific to recent new modeling information related to draft Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan (FMP) for 640,000 acres of state-managed forestlands in western Oregon. ODF recently shared the results of new modeling estimates of long-term timber harvest, revenue, habitat and carbon storage under the draft plans with the Board of Forestry. Mukumoto will consider the public’s input when he makes his recommendation to the Board of Forestry on the path forward for finalization of both plans. More information on the listening sessions is provided on ODF’s website.
In addition to last week’s in-person meeting in Eugene, the state forester also hosted a virtual session Monday afternoon. The final listening session for the general public will be held in Astoria on Wednesday. All members of the public can also share their thoughts or concerns about the new modeling information with the state forester in writing. All written comments must be received by Feb. 2 to give the state forester the opportunity to read and consider them. Email comments to estryinformation@odf.oregon.gov“>forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov or mail them to State Forester Cal Mukumoto, Building B, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310.
Management of state forests is guided by forest management plans that are adopted by the Board of Forestry (OAR 629-035-0030). Forest management plans are designed to provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental outcomes that provide the “greatest permanent value” to all Oregonians (OAR 629-035-0020). The draft HCP is how ODF will ensure compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act while implementing the forest management plan. The current approach of compliance through “take avoidance” is costly and complex. It also eventually results in limited habitat quality and durability, fewer acres available for harvest, greater legal risk, and less financial certainty. The HCP will support the overall goal of the updated FMP by improving certainty around both ESA compliance and timber harvests.
Fatal Crash — Hwy 99W — Lane County
LANE COUNTY, Ore. 31 Jan. 2023 – On Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at 3:49 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Hwy 99W, near milepost 109, in Lane County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Mitsubishi Montero, operated by Kimberly Michelle Pratt (33) of Eugene, left the roadway on the west side of the highway for unknown reasons. The vehicle rolled onto its top and stopped off the roadway in a residential driveway.
The operator (Pratt) was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was declared deceased at the scene. Pratt was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the crash.
No other vehicles or individuals were involved in the crash. OSP was assisted by Junction City Police Department, Junction City Fire and Rescue, Lane County Medical Examiner’s Office, San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Office (CA), and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Fatal Crash at Highway 20/Highway 180
Involved names released: Edwin Sondenaa was the driver of the log truck; Michael Fetch was the driver of the F150.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Benton County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Deputies responded to a two-vehicle single-fatality crash on Highway 20 near Blodgett, Oregon.
A Ford F150 pickup was stopped on Highway 180 waiting to turn eastbound onto Highway 20. For an unknown reason, the driver of the pickup pulled out in front of an unloaded log truck, traveling westbound on Highway 20. The driver of the log truck tried to avoid the collision with the Ford but was unable to.
The driver of the log truck, a 36-year-old male from Siletz, was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis with minor injuries sustained in the crash. The driver of the pickup truck, a 61-year-old male from Hubbard, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
It does not appear impairment or speed were factors in the crash. Highway 20 was closed for approximately two hours while investigators processed the scene.
If you have additional information which may help the investigation, please contact BCSO Deputy Hesseling at ik.hesseling@bentoncountyor.gov“>erik.hesseling@bentoncountyor.gov or call 541-766-6858.
BCSO would like to thank Oregon State Police, Philomath Fire Department, Philomath Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation for their assistance with this incident.
Changes to Lane County’s storm debris drop-off locations and hours
Lane County is making adjustments to its free storm debris drop-off for residents after a successful first weekend. The busiest location was the Hendricks Bridge Park drop-off with nearly 400 visitors on both Saturday and Sunday. Friday had the lowest number of visits across all sites.
“I am incredibly proud of the employees who – after two weeks of non-stop work – agreed to help open these sites on the weekend to help the community,” said Lane County Road Maintenance Manager Orin Schumacher. “It isn’t a typical service that we offer and we’ve enjoyed the chance to help out.”
The new schedule is:
- Hendricks Bridge (east of milepost 10 on Highway 126 E)
- Saturday, February 3, and Sunday, February 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Cloverdale (Bradford Road North, just past Cloverdale Road intersection east of Creswell)
- Saturday, February 3, and Sunday, February 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
As a reminder, these free debris drop-off sites are for residents cleaning up their private property. They are not for the use of contractors receiving payment for debris cleanup.
The Sears Road site that was open this past weekend saw far fewer visitors across all three days. To be more efficient, staff there will be re-directed to the other two sites to better handle the higher traffic volume.
The sites will not be open past February 4. The Hendricks Bridge Park location is expected to reach maximum capacity for debris storage after the upcoming weekend.
“Last weekend was a great opportunity to see what worked and help us decide how to move forward,” said Schumacher. “We are so appreciative of people’s patience as they waited in line and their friendly approach to our staff out there. It just underscores what a great community we have here.”
For an overview of what the sites will accept:
Do bring:
- Tree limbs and branches
- Trees less than 24 inches in diameter (larger trees must be cut down to 24 inches in diameter or less)
- Heavy shrubbery
Don’t bring:
- Household garbage or recycling
- Building materials, plywood, damaged siding, etc.
- Regular yard debris (grass, mulch, etc.)
- Rocks or earth
- Tree root balls
- Materials greater than 24 inches in diameter
People who bring garbage or other items not accepted at these sites will be turned away. For regular household garbage or other special waste, information about transfer sites is available at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/waste.
Lane Co. Government – Residents asked to fill out ice storm damage assessment form online
Lane County residents whose homes were damaged in the recent ice storm are being asked to fill out an online damage assessment form.
English: https://www.cognitoforms.com/LaneCountyOR/LaneCountyIceStormHousingDamageSurvey
Spanish: https://www.cognitoforms.com/LaneCountyOR/EncuestaSobreLosDa%C3%B1osMateriales
Both renters and property owners are encouraged to complete the form. The form will be used to help Lane County and its partners understand the long-term recovery needs of the community.
People should still work with their insurance companies to pursue reimbursement for eligible damages and repairs. There are currently no government resources available to repair private properties or businesses.
An Oregon weekly newspaper that had to lay off its entire staff after its funds were embezzled by a former employee will relaunch its print edition next month, its editor said, a move made possible in large part by fundraising campaigns and community contributions.
The Eugene Weekly will return to newsstands on Feb. 8 with roughly 25,000 copies, about six weeks after the embezzlement forced the decades-old publication to halt its print edition, editor Camilla Mortensen said Saturday. (READ MORE)
Nurses Announce New Strike Dates at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services
Amid Concerns PeaceHealth Isn’t Prepared to Care for Patients, Nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services Reschedule Strike to Feb. 10 – 24.
(Eugene, OR) – Home care nurses in Lane County have adjusted their strike dates to Feb. 10 – 24 after PeaceHealth executives canceled contract negotiations and appeared unprepared to care for patients during a strike. On Jan. 19, frontline home health and hospice nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services notified PeaceHealth executives a strike would begin Feb. 1. This gave PeaceHealth two weeks to transfer patients to other home care agencies or join nurses at the bargaining table and reach a fair agreement to prevent a strike.
Unfortunately, PeaceHealth executives chose to cancel their previously scheduled contract mediation session with nurses and have been slow to provide alternate care arrangements for current and new home health and hospice patients.
The more than 90 registered nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services are represented by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA).
“Our community’s health and safety is nurses’ no. 1 priority. Frankly, we have no confidence in PeaceHealth executives’ ability to provide safe care for patients by Feb. 1. To best support local patients and their families, we’ve made the difficult decision to change our strike dates to Feb. 10 – 24,” said Jo Turner, an ONA member and hospice nurse at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services. “This also gives PeaceHealth’s multimillionaire executives another opportunity to meet with us and prevent a strike. Nurses remain ready and willing to meet them anywhere, anytime. But we’re not holding our breath.”
In advance of the strike, PeaceHealth management has been pushing nurses to pre-fill large supplies of patient medications including opioids and other prescription drugs, recertify patients for services far in advance, and mark patients as only needing one visit every two weeks–even when their current treatment schedule calls for additional visits.
Community members are encouraged to participate in nurses’ kickoff rally Feb. 10 and join nurses on the picket line each weekday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 10 – 24.
Nurses also invite the community to visit RespectOurNurses.com to learn more about contract negotiations, sign a community petition to support nurses and clinicians, donate to a hardship fund to aid striking nurses, and get more information about the impacts of a strike.
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 18,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state, including 1,500 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center and Sacred Heart Home Care Services. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Operation Winter Survival Supply Stockpile Drive Need Ongoing
Lane County Health & Human Services, in partnership with the First Christian Church of Eugene’s Helping Hearts program and White Bird, today announced the launch of Operation Winter Survival Stockpile. The operation is an effort to create a stockpile through donations of clothing and other supplies that will help those in our community experiencing homelessness better brave the elements.
Items can be dropped off on weekdays between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. or by appointment. Items can also be purchased on Amazon and sent to First Christian Church at 166 Oak St. Eugene, OR, 97402.
The Operation’s Amazon Wish List can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2XR33GS1ULV8Z?ref_=wl_share
Distribution of items will be prioritized to homeless outreach providers such as CAHOOTS that come into direct contact with individuals who are unhoused and unsheltered. Preferred donation items include:
- Clothing such as rain ponchos, wool socks, thermal underwear, gloves, beanies and footwear
- Items like tents, blankets, hand warmers, tarps, gift cards, and laundry cards
- Tools such as flashlights, batteries, and other survival supplies
For more information on Operation Winter Survival Stockpile, please contact Maria Cortez at ia.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov“>Maria.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov
OHCS awards $20 million to boost affordable modular housing production in Oregon
SALEM, ORE. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) awards $20 million to modular housing developers to boost production of these homes throughout Oregon. The developers will prioritize supplying modular housing that is affordable to state and local governments following a wildfire or other disaster, low-income housing construction and middle-income housing construction.
“Oregon needs affordable and middle-income housing in all shapes and sizes,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “Investing in the production capacity of modular homes is vital to increasing housing options particularly in rural communities.”
Housing is considered modular when building sections are built in a factory and then put together at the intended site. The modular method of housing development can help accelerate affordable housing production as it can lower construction costs and reduce construction schedules compared to traditional building methods.
OHCS created the Modular Housing Development Fund to distribute the $20 million allocated through House Bill 2001 in the 2023 legislative session. The agency worked quickly to get funds out the door, opening applications for funding in November 2023. There were 17 eligible applicants, and the agency intends to award funding to the following four:
| Organization | Amount | City |
| Blazer Industries, Inc. | $5 million | Aumsville |
| Intelifab, LLC | $5 million | Klamath Falls |
| Pacific Wall Systems, Inc. | $5 million | Phoenix |
| Zaugg Timber Solutions, Inc. | $5 million | Portland |
“Thank you to the Oregon legislature and applicants. OHCS remains committed in being a partner in the collective journey to increase housing production across Oregon so everyone can have a safe, stable, and healthy place to call home,” said Bell.
Four Suspected Drug Traffickers Face Federal Charges After Law Enforcement Seize 370 Gallons of Liquid Heroin
PORTLAND, Ore.—Four suspected drug traffickers with apparent ties to a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization are facing federal charges today after they were caught transporting nearly 370 gallons of liquid heroin.
Marco Antonio Magallon, 44; Luis Deleon Woodward, 26; and Jorge Luis Amador, 25, all of Yakima, Washington, and Santos Alisael Aguilar Maya, 32, whose place of residence is unknown, have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2024, as part of an ongoing, multi-agency drug trafficking investigation, law enforcement obtained information that several individuals working for a transnational criminal organization were transporting a large load of illegal narcotics into the District of Oregon. Late in the evening of January 24 and in the early morning hours of January 25, 2024, investigators observed a rented moving truck driven by Amador and an accompanying red pickup truck traveling west on Interstate 84 near Bonneville, Oregon. Investigators observed the vehicles travel together to a motel in Tigard, Oregon, making one brief stop in a commercial parking lot in Beaverton, Oregon.
Later on January 25, investigators executed federal search warrants on the defendants’ motel room and two vehicles. They located and seized eight 55-gallon barrels containing approximately 370 gallons of a liquid narcotic inside the moving truck and two loaded handguns inside the motel room. All four defendants were arrested without incident. Investigators transported the seized narcotic, which weighed approximately 1.4 metric tons, to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) narcotics room. Lab tests later confirmed the barrels contained liquid heroin.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), WCSO, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
WIN is a Washington County, Oregon-based High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, and HSI.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Oregon Senate Republicans Cannot Run For Office Again After Walkout Per Ruling Mandates
Oregon Senate Republicans who participated in a historic 2023 walkout will not be allowed to run for office again, the Oregon Supreme Court announced Thursday morning.
In 2023, nine Oregon Senate Republicans walked off the job for 42 days in protest of a bill that protected abortion rights and gender-affirming health care.
Following this walkout, the Oregon Secretary of State ruled participating senators would be unable to run for office immediately after the current term due to Measure 113.
Voted-approved Measure 113 mandates that “any state legislator who accrues 10 or more unexcused absences during a legislative session shall be disqualified from holding legislative office” immediately following the current term.
The nine senators petitioned against the Secretary of State’s upholding of the measure following the walkout.
The Republicans argued that Measure 113’s wording was ambiguous when voted upon by voters, and did not support the secretary’s interpretation and enforcement of the rule after the walkout.
The Supreme Court states that it is upholding the secretary’s interpretation and that the Republicans who participated in the walkout will be unable to run for office again.
The court says that “the ballot measure history uniformly supported the Secretary’s interpretation,” and that “the ballot title and the voters’ pamphlet expressly and repeatedly informed voters that the disqualification would occur immediately following the legislator’s current term.”
The court concluded that voters would have understood the disqualification to apply to the term of office immediately following the term in which a legislator accrued 10 or more unexcused absences.
This means nine Republicans and one Independent senator who staged the record-long six-week legislative walkout in 2023 cannot file for re-election in 2024 or 2026.
Raymond James to pay nearly $200,000 in penalties and restitution for overcharging commissions to Oregon investors
Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) joined a multi-state settlement alleging that Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. charged unreasonable commissions to retail customers on small-dollar transactions.
As a result of a coordinated investigation by state securities regulators, the group concluded that from July 1, 2018, to July 17, 2023, Raymond James charged unreasonable commissions on more than 270,000 equity trades and transactions nationwide resulting in overcharges of $8.25 million.
In Oregon, Raymond James charged unreasonable commissions totaling $96,550.83 to Oregon investors in 2,740 transactions. As part of the settlement, Raymond James will pay restitution and interest of $109,349.94 directly to the affected Oregon investors and a $75,000 civil penalty to the State of Oregon.
“Our division is pleased to be a part of this multi-state action to protect Oregon investors and hold Raymond James accountable for charging unreasonably high commissions,” said DFR Administrator TK Keen. “Protecting investors from unfair practices is a charge we take seriously. This settlement is a reminder that our division will hold companies accountable if they breach the trust of their customers.”
In addition to the fine and restitution, as part of the settlement, Raymond James agreed to change and enhance its policies and procedures to ensure that all commissions are fair and reasonable and completed a review to assess the efficacy of the changes it made.
The consent order can be found on our website.
### 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 dfr.oregon.gov and www.dcbs.oregon.gov.
Public notice and request for comment on Medicaid waiver renewals and public notice about Fee-for-Service Selective Contracting 1915 (b) (4) Waiver
(Salem, Ore.) — The Oregon Department of Human Services’ (ODHS) Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) seeks public comment on the renewal applications for three current Medicaid model waivers:
- Medically Involved Children’s Waiver
- Medically Fragile (Hospital) Model Waiver
- Behavioral (ICF/IDD) Model Waiver
These are standard waiver renewals that happen every five years. The revisions will not affect the services individuals receive. The number of individuals served by each waiver will remain the same. The renewals include administrative updates to the waivers’ effective dates, service projections and methods used to complete quality assurance activities. The effective dates will be July 1, 2024.
You can read the drafts of the three renewal applications via the links above or those on the ODDS website. Print versions of this notice are posted in local Community Developmental Disabilities Programs and Support Services Brokerages.
If you are interested, we invite you to submit feedback and comments on these waiver renewals. Here are two ways to do this:
- Send an email to s@odhsoha.oregon.gov“>odds.waivers@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
- Send written comments addressed to ODDS Medicaid waiver/State Plan analyst, 500 Summer Street NE E-09, Salem, OR 97301.
Deadline: To considered, we must receive your feedback by March 1, 2024.
Please note: This public comment period is not related to the Children’s Extraordinary Needs Waiver. ODDS submitted that waiver’s application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last month.
Public notice about Fee-for-Service Selective Contracting 1915 (b) (4) Waiver
Through the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), ODHS is also submitting an amendment to ODDS’ Fee-for-Service Selective Contracting 1915 (b) (4) Waiver to CMS. This proposed amendment is administrative. It will add case management projections for the Children’s Extraordinary Needs (CEN) Waiver that we submitted last month to CMS. It does not affect the implementation or programming of the CEN Waiver. The effective date will be July 1, 2024. Learn more about the CEN Waiver and the implementation of Senate Bill 91 on our website.
This announcement letter is on our website. To request print versions of the wavier amendments, contact Joli Torres, Medicaid Waiver/State Plan Analyst, at 503-507-2083 or s@odhsoha.oregon.gov“>odds.waivers@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille or a format you prefer. Contact ODDS at 503-945-5811. We accept calls from all forms of relay service for people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, blind or have low vision. For more information about relay service providers visit https://www.oregonrelay.com or https://www.fcc.gov/general/internet-based-trs-providers.
Media Advisory: Oregon Employment Department Prepares Customers for New Unemployment Insurance System Launch
Oregon Employment Department Prepares Customers for New Unemployment Insurance System Launch
Frances Online will replace existing systems for benefit claims, with five-day migration at the end of February; Other OED customers to be impacted by the migration
JAN. 31, 2024 (SALEM, ORE.) – The Oregon Employment Department (OED) will migrate to a new online claim system for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits on Monday, March 4. The new system, Frances Online, will provide better service for claimants and employers. It is also the final rollout for the UI modernization project that has been years in the making.
“This is a great leap forward for anyone who needs access to unemployment insurance,” said David Gerstenfeld, director of the Oregon Employment Department. “As we’ve learned in the earlier phases of this modernization effort, Frances Online offers an easier customer service experience and will streamline the process of filing a claim.”
The migration of UI benefits to Frances Online will begin on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. and go through 8 a.m. on March 4. A migration period like this is normal for any big technology project. OED will not be able to provide customer service for several OED programs during the migration. This is because the old UI systems and Frances Online (employer and claimant portals) will go offline.
Key Information for Current UI Claimants
Current UI claimants will not be able to file a weekly claim, check the status of a claim, make changes to claim information, make payments, respond to requests for additional information, or complete ID verification during the migration. Below are key dates that current claimants must follow to avoid potential benefit payment delays:
- Feb. 28-March 1: All UI phone lines are closed (closed regularly on weekends).
- Feb. 28 at 5 p.m.: Due date to file a weekly UI claim for the week of Feb. 18-24 to avoid payment delays. If the due date is missed, claimants can’t file their weekly claim until March 4. Their benefits will be delayed.
- Feb. 28 at 5 p.m.: Old UI systems go offline; UI Telephone Weekly Claim Line (800-982-8920) closes.
- March 4 at 8 a.m.: Frances Online goes live with UI benefits (including Contact Us form, chatbot, and live agent chat); UI phone lines open; Claimants can file prior weekly claims, but benefits will be delayed; and claimants can file a timely claim for the week of Feb. 25-March 2.
More detailed information about the migration impact for UI claimants can be found at unemployment.oregon.gov/frances. Staff at all WorkSource Oregon centers and OED Central Office in Salem won’t be able to answer claim questions during the migration. However, WorkSource Oregon offices and WorkSourceOregon.org will be open for job search, training, and career support.
Impacts to Paid Leave Oregon and Other Programs
Below are other key dates and information for OED customers.
- February 27 before 5 p.m.: Last day to file a new initial UI claim or restart a current claim until March 4.
- February 28 before 5 p.m.: Last day to file a new Paid Leave Oregon claim (including intermittent claims) until March 4.
- February 28-March 1: Paid Leave Oregon and Contributions & Recovery phone lines and online support closed (closed regularly on weekends).
- February 28 at 5 p.m.: Frances Online website, including all features and functions, will be offline, including the portals for claimants and employers. Customers will not be able to file a new or intermittent Paid Leave Oregon claim, file or amend tax reports, make payments, complete ID verification, create a Frances Online account, apply for Paid Leave Oregon assistance grants, or respond to requests for additional information during the migration.
- March 4 at 8 a.m.: Frances Online, phone lines, and online support reopen.
“We’ve been working for years to ensure that this transition works for our customers,” said Lindsi Leahy, director of the Unemployment Insurance Division at OED. “We know Oregonians depend on the benefits we provide. And we’re bringing on additional staff to ensure that, once the new system is live, we can help people get their benefits quickly.”
This is the third and final rollout for launching OED’s modernized benefits and contributions system. Last year, OED launched the new Paid Leave Oregon benefits program in Frances Online. In 2022, UI and Paid Leave Oregon tax/contribution programs were launched in the new system. UI benefits is the last major program migration for the UI Modernization Project, which the agency has been preparing for since 2018. The project baseline budget for the Paid Leave and UI system is approximately $106 million.
“We want our customers to know that we will help them navigate the migration to the new system,” said Renee Royston, director of the Modernization Division at OED. “Once we’re done, we’ll have a much easier-to-use online claims system with stronger protections against fraud and identity theft.”
OED encourages current UI claimants to check their mail daily, review all letters and messages, check unemployment.oregon.gov/frances, and follow OED on social media for important updates about the migration. Paid Leave Oregon claimants can visit paidleave.oregon.gov in the coming weeks to learn more about these impacts.
### The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. OED provides free help so you can use our services. Some examples are sign language and spoken-language interpreters, written materials in other languages, large print, audio, and other formats. To get help, please call 503-947-1444. TTY users call 711. You can also send an email to communications@employ.oregon.gov.
Oregon Wins Appeal of Prisoners’ Vaccine Prioritization Lawsuit
The ruling clears former Governor Kate Brown from liability just weeks after a separate Ninth Circuit panel concluded she can be disposed in the lawsuit.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday sided with Oregon in a lawsuit brought by current and former state prisoners who seek damages because they were given lower priority than prison guards to receive Covid-19 vaccines.
The appellate panel unanimously agreed that former Governor Kate Brown and the former director of the Oregon Health Authority, Patrick Allen, who were responsible for the state’s response to the pandemic in 2020, were shielded from liability for the inmates’ claims under the U.S. Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.
The ruling reverses a federal magistrate judge’s denial of the two defendants’ motions to dismiss the claims against them.
“The PREP Act’s provisions extend immunity to persons who make policy-level decisions regarding the administration or use of covered countermeasures,” U.S. Circuit Judge Jennifer Sung, a Joe Biden appointee, said in the court’s decision.
An attorney for the plaintiffs didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Congress passed the PREP Act in 2005 to encourage the development and deployment of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during times of crisis by limiting legal liability from administrating such countermeasures, according to the ruling. The statute gives covered people immunity from lawsuits and claims for damages that result from the implementation of the relevant countermeasures.
This immunity also extends to claims for civil rights violations by state officials, the panel said.
The PREP Act recognizes that protecting public health in the middle of a pandemic inevitably requires hard choices, said Roy Kaufmann, a spokesman for Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
“We appreciate that the Ninth Circuit has agreed with us that the federal courts are not a forum for second-guessing the state’s decisions about vaccine priority,” Kaufmann said. “We will continue to vigorously defend the state’s power to address emergencies.”
Thursday’s decision in favor of Brown comes just weeks after a separate Ninth Circuit panel had ruled in a split decision that the former governor should be deposed by the prisoners’ lawyers.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2020, was brought by six inmates at Oregon Department of Corrections facilities and the representative of a deceased prisoner’s estate. They seek damages for Eighth Amendment violations incurred due to the policies of Brown and other state officials the plaintiffs say failed to protect them from the spread of Covid-19.
“During the pendency of the lawsuit, thousands of people housed at ODOC facilities have been infected with Covid-19,” the inmates wrote in their sixth amended complaint, adding that at least 44 inmates had died.
The suit seeks relief for two classes: one composed of prisoners who contracted Covid-19 and another made up of those who died from the virus or from Covid-related complications.
The other two judges on the Ninth Circuit panel were U.S. Circuit Judge Johnnie Rawlinson, a Bill Clinton appointee, and U.S. Circuit Judge Carlos Bea, a George W. Bush appointee. (SOURCE)
Oregon representative compared supporting LGBTQ+ people to supporting child abuse
The newest member of the Oregon House of Representatives claimed supporting LGBTQ+ people was akin to supporting child abuse and accused drag queens of pedophilia in months-old posts on his campaign website.
Dwayne Yunker, a real estate broker and city councilor from Grants Pass, was appointed in December to finish the term of former Rep. Lily Morgan, who resigned to become the city manager of Gold Hill. Yunker was already planning to challenge Morgan in the Republican primary, arguing she wasn’t conservative enough for the southern Oregon district.
Yunker’s campaign website includes a post from last August titled “No to Gay Pride Month,” explaining his decision to skip the beginning of a Grants Pass City Council meeting to protest a proclamation about June as Pride Month. He was a member of the council at the time.
The transgender community college student who accepted the proclamation said it was a step toward making Grants Pass a community where young LGBTQ+ people want to stay and raise families, instead of feeling like they need to escape. But the public comment portion of that meeting began with opposition to the proclamation, and Mayor Sara Bristol faced an unsuccessful recall vote for not “represent(ing) the conservative principles of the majority of her constituents.”
Yunker’s campaign post included claims that drag queens are pedophiles and events including family friendly drag shows or drag queen story hours are attempts to make pedophilia seem acceptable. He further declared that supporting Pride Month was akin to supporting child abuse.
“It is shocking that any adult would endorse this child abuse,” he wrote. “Therefore, on June 7, I did not attend the beginning of the Grants Pass City Council meeting. I will not be a part of or stand next to anyone who supports these abuses.”
He expounded on his objections to Pride Month in a subsequent post, titled “Shouldn’t Christians avoid politics?” In it, Yunker wrote that he considered a statement in the resolution that LGBTQ+ people face persecution to be spurious, or false.
And he claimed that LGBTQ+ people, who he referred to as “the ever-expanding alphabet movement,” discriminated against Christians.
“We cannot sit out afraid someone might call us right wing, homophonic (sic), or even Christian Nationalists,” he wrote.
Yunker didn’t respond to a call or email from the Capital Chronicle on Tuesday. House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich, R-Hood River, defended Yunker’s right to express himself.
“While it may be hard for some leftists in Portland to understand this, many Oregonians – including members of the LGBTQ community – do not want children exposed to hyper-sexualized material that they are not developmentally able to understand,” Helfrich said in a statement. “Parents worry about the things their kids are seeing in public, in the classroom and on TV. Elected officials have every right to voice those concerns on behalf of the districts that they represent. Society must be able to have these discussions, and all of us must endeavor to do so respectfully and honestly.”
‘Hateful and false ideas’
Kyndall Mason, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, said in a statement that Yunker’s job requires him to serve all his constituents, including the LGBTQ+ Oregonians in his district.
“The uninformed, hateful and false ideas written in Rep. Yunker’s blog posts are deeply dangerous, and will direct more hate to these constituents and all trans and queer Oregonians,” Mason said. “While these posts were written before Yunker was appointed to his seat, we’re alarmed to learn that they are still on his campaign website, and are from less than a year ago.”
She added that the group is proud of the majority of lawmakers who have protected the state’s reputation as one of the strongest states for LGBTQ+ rights, and that she’s confident Yunker’s views are “on the very fringe” of the Legislature.
Oregon has long been a leader in LGBTQ+ political representation – Gov. Tina Kotek is one of the first lesbians to run a state, and she succeeded bisexual former Gov. Kate Brown. The state, particularly Portland and Eugene, have attracted LGBTQ+ people from across the nation for decades.
It’s unusual for the state’s elected officials to openly express such anti-gay or anti-trans rhetoric.
Legislative Republicans adamantly opposed a law passed last year to protect doctors who perform abortions or gender-affirming care from prosecution or civil liability as other states restrict or ban such care and strengthen requirements that health insurers cover reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, including treatments like facial feminization surgery and electrolysis that are now treated as cosmetic procedures. They also objected to a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal an unenforced ban on same-sex marriage and protect people from for their sexual orientation or gender identity.
But most framed their opposition as concern over parental rights and fears that minors would make permanent medical decisions they’d regret in the future. Senate Republicans also suggested a compromise on the proposed constitutional amendment to only repeal the ban on gay marriage.
This year, some House Republicans have said they plan to introduce legislation during the session that begins Feb. 5 to bar trans people from using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity and block trans girls from participating in girls’ sports. Neither measure is expected to go anywhere in the state Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats. (SOURCE)
New Study Defines Gap in Statewide Behavioral Health Treatment Beds
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon needs nearly 3,000 adult residential mental health and substance use treatment beds to close gaps in today’s system of care and meet the state’s future demand for treatment, according to a new report released today.
Closing this gap would represent more than a 70% increase above Oregon’s current treatment capacity. According to the report, it would take more than $500 million over five years or more to close this gap. The findings will inform an ongoing funding and implementation effort that state leaders are committed to pursue, which could take several biennia to complete.
The finding is based on results from a new preliminary study that Governor Tina Kotek directed the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to commission last year. It was produced by the Public Consulting Group (PCG), a leading public sector solutions implementation and operations improvement firm that has produced similar studies in Washington and other states.
“Too many Oregonians are struggling to get the help they need for a mental health or addiction challenge, and the state needs to lead with a strategic approach to addressing these gaps in health care,” said Governor Kotek.
“We need more resources, to be sure, but we also need better data so we can better serve Oregonians. This preliminary assessment tells us more about the gaps we need to fill to ensure Oregonians in every corner of the state can access the care they need, when they need it.”
The draft study provides a preliminary analysis of the current residential treatment capacity for people with behavioral health disorders, the number of beds needed to address unmet needs (through the fall of 2025), and cost estimates to close existing gaps among different levels of care. (The study does not estimate the need for outpatient treatment.)
Highlights of the report include:
- Oregon currently has 4,819 residential beds to treat people with behavioral health disorders. This figure represents beds in the adult mental health and substance use residential facilities examined in this report, which includes medically monitored withdrawal management to adult treatment, foster homes, state hospitals and psychiatric hospital care and other programs. Currently planned expansions in these facilities would increase the total to 5,175.
- Current capacity needs to grow by approximately 3,000 additional residential treatment beds over the next several years. In the preliminary report, analysts estimate that the amount of additional funding the state will need to fill the gap in treatment beds is at least $500 million over 5 years. The preliminary estimate does not include operational costs.
- The types of treatment with the largest current gaps are:
- Residential substance use treatment beds: Preliminary assessments demonstrating a range of 1,156- 2,169 additional beds needed (beyond its current capacity of 1,606, with 44 more beds in the process of being opened).
- Withdrawal management beds- preliminary assessments demonstrate Oregon needs 523 additional beds (beyond its current capacity of 349 and 16 more in the pipeline.)
- Secure residential treatment facility (SRTF) beds: Preliminary assessments demonstrating Oregon needs 171 additional beds beyond its current capacity of 546 (and 77 coming on-line.)
Over the past four years, the Oregon legislature has invested more than $1.5 billion to expand behavioral health treatment capacity to meet the need of mental health residential beds, raise provider payment rates and to stabilize the treatment workforce. Oregon’s current shortfall in capacity would be even greater without these investments.
State officials will release a final version of the report that will provide a complete analysis and a proposed funding strategy in June 2024. The final report will refine and further analyze capacity needs and cost projections to expand adult residential behavioral health capacity.
“We now have clear and reliable preliminary benchmarks to pursue a sustainable multi-year funding and program effort to ensure every person in Oregon with a serious substance use disorder or mental illness can get the care they need,” said OHA’s Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke.
But state officials are not waiting for completion of the studies before acting and pursuing next steps.
State officials have already identified potential funding sources for several short horizon – “shovel-ready” projects, which local providers are poised to pursue across the state. Those are defined as projects likely to come online within the next year or two that aim to address what are considered critical service gaps.
State behavioral health director Clarke said, “Our goal is to ensure that no one who needs and wants care for a mental health or substance use disorder should be turned away from lifesaving treatment.”
AARP grant ‘unique’ opportunity to fund community projects in Oregon
A program that funds ideas for improving communities is now open to applications. The AARP Community Challenge grant program is accepting applications until March 6th for projects that can be enacted quickly to make cities more livable for people of all ages.
Stacy Larsen, communications director for AARP Oregon, said the program has a track record for supporting communities of all sizes.
“They deliver really unique support to rural communities. Since the beginning of the program in 2017, 46% of the grants distributed in Oregon have been to rural communities,” Larsen said.
Since its start in 2017, the program has invested $16.4 million in more than 1,300 projects nationwide, including 28 in Oregon. The program is open to local nonprofits and governments. A webinar for interested applicants will be held on the AARP website on January 31st at 11 a.m.
Applicants can apply in three different grant areas. Those include capacity-building microgrants, demonstration grants and flagships grants, which allow for the most creativity and flexibility. Larsen has some tips for those applying.
“The applicants who can demonstrate that they are addressing a clear need, that brings positive change to make their communities more livable for residents of all ages, and that they’re addressing disparities for people of color or other historically marginalized groups will find themselves rising to the top,” she explained.
Selected projects must be completed by December 15th. (SOURCE)
Mailing Error in Sending Tax Form 1099-G
On January 26, 2024, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) announced that a mailing error occurred while sending the tax form 1099-G to those who received benefits from the Unemployment Insurance program in 2023. This error impacted 32,960 out of 122,245 mailings, meaning some individuals may have not received a tax form 1099-G at all, and others may have received an additional form not belonging to them.
A machine error caused a subset of those tax forms to go into envelopes already containing a tax form 1099-G. DAS was first notified of this error during the ongoing printing and mailing process for tax form 1099-G and called for an immediate halt, which prevented the majority of these forms from being impacted. For More Information: https://unemployment.oregon.gov/1099g-mailing-error#:~:text=This%20error%20impacted%2032%2C960%20out,a%20tax%20form%201099%2DG.
Red Cross: Emergency blood shortage may delay medical procedures — American Red Cross – Cascades Region
Winter storms across Oregon and Washington forced more than 70 blood drives to be canceled, according to the Red Cross Cascades Region. The Red Cross stated in a press release that this “resulted in the loss of nearly 2,100 liters of blood.” In addition to these cancellations, road closures and icy conditions have made it difficult to transfer supplies to collection sites.
The Red Cross is also seeing an emergency blood shortage. January is usually a slow month for donations but with the emergency shortage and the winter weather, hospitals are in desperate need for donations.
The Red Cross is urging the public to donate blood if they can.
Donors urged to give now as nation faces lowest number of blood donors in decades —- Donors have the chance to help save lives, win trip to Super Bowl LVIII
The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood and platelet donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.
Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals.
“Small changes in blood donor turnout can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of an emergency blood transfusion,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross. “More challenges may lie ahead as the potential for severe winter weather and seasonal illness may compound the dire blood supply situation. Donors of all types – especially those with type O blood and those giving platelets – are urged to give now.”
Don’t wait – to make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals to give blood or platelets and help tackle the emergency blood shortage. Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Super Bowl.
Who donations help
Sandy Thornton, of Dallas, Oregon, knows firsthand how important a readily available blood and platelet supply is. Sandy battled a rare form of cancer called Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Myleo Fibrosis. She received numerous blood and platelet transfusions until eventually needing a stem cell transplant.
“There are people who cannot get a stem cell transplant, which means they face a lifetime of platelet or blood transfusions. That’s their life. Blood is a lifesaver no matter how you look at it. It’s not just about when disasters happen, it’s when people get sick,” shares Sandy.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood and is the primary blood supplier to 65 hospitals throughout Washington and Oregon; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
Missing child alert — Jerrica Landin is still missing and is believed to be in danger
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Jerrica Landin, age 17, a child in foster care who went missing from Portland, Oregon on Aug. 21. She is believed to be in danger.
ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Jerrica and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.
Jerrica may be in Portland or Eugene in Oregon. She may also be in Washington in Vancouver, Seattle or the Tri Cities.
Name: Jerrica Landin
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Oct. 24, 2006
Height: 5-foot-6
Weight: 130 pounds
Hair: Reddish brown
Eye color: Brown
Other identifying information: Jerrica has a tattoo of a heart on her neck below her right ear. She often dyes her hair red, pink and purple.
Portland Police Bureau Case #23-803125
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #1489518
Sometimes when a child is missing, they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess 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.
PART 2 – Newsweek Podcast Focusing on The Disappearance of Fauna Frey From Lane County
Here One Minute, Gone the Next —-– PART 2 – Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel joins investigative journalist Alex Rogue to speak with Here One Minute, Gone the Next about the disappearance of Fauna Frey, the growing friction between citizen investigators and law enforcement, and the lack of resources in missing persons cases. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disappearance-of-fauna-frey-pt2-feat-sheriff/id1707094441?i=1000630100040
PART 1 – John Frey joins Newsweek to discuss exclusive details about the case of his missing daughter that until now have been unavailable to the general public.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Fauna Frey, call the anonymous tip line at 541-539-5638 or email FindFaunaFrey@gmail.com. — Help Find Fauna Frey #FindFaunaFrey FACEBOOK GROUP
Missing Yachats Man’s Vehicle Found in North Lane County
On 08/25/2023, Dustin Steyding was reported missing to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office after he left work on 07/22/2023 and hadn’t been located since. Dustin was living and working in the Yachats area.
Dustin was reported to be in good physical condition, having previously worked as a hot shot firefighter in New Mexico. Dustin is very experienced in the woods and commonly goes out for hikes to stay in shape. Without means to locate Dustin, Deputies entered Dustin as a missing person in a national database.
On 09/04/2023, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Dustin’s family after they located his vehicle on Keller Creek Rd, just outside of Lincoln County in Lane County. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputies contacted the vehicle and determined it had been at the location for some time. Deputies were unable to determine Dustin’s direction of travel from the vehicle.
The vehicle having been located in Lane County, Lincoln County Deputies contacted the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team and arranged for their response the next day to started searching the area. After two days of searching, no clues to Dustin’s have been found.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dustin Steyding should contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 541-265-0777 and reference case number 23S-07321.
