Willamette Valley News, Monday 9/16 – Firefighters Respond to Fire at Kelly Middle School in Eugene This Morning, Eugene’s Monroe Middle School and All Schools in Monroe School District Closed Today Due to Online Threat & Other Local and Statewide News…

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

Monday, September 16, 2024

Willamette Valley Weather

Wildfires continue to produce smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Breathe a little easier by keeping up to date on air quality conditions and concerns at Fire.AirNow.gov.

Seasonal Climate Forecast September – November 2024 https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/naturalresources/documents/weather/dlongrange.pdf

We’re not out of the woods just yet… Please take precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire, be familiar with evacuation levels, and have a go-kit ready in case you need to leave your home.” — We’ve had an unprecedented fire season already. Don’t be that spark that could lead to a tragedy! Check Conditions

Firefighters Respond to Fire at Kelly Middle School in Eugene This Morning

Eugene Springfield Fire responded to a structure fire at Kelly Middle School early Monday morning.  Firefighters were alerted to a fire behind the school 850 Howard Ave 3:36 AM on September 16th.  

Arriving firefighters from Station 11 found a storage building heavily involved in fire. The fire was contained to the building of origin and did not spread to the school.  The cause is under investigation. 

Eugene’s Monroe Middle School and All Schools in Monroe School District Closed Today Due to Online Threat

The Eugene 4J School District reports that Monroe Middle School in Eugene will be closed on today 9/16 as a precaution to an online threat threat that is being investigated.

The Eugene Police Department became aware of a Snapchat post that contained a threat possibly directed at Monroe Middle School.

On Monday, Sheldon High School sent out an email to parents in the district to explain the closure, stating the following:

Out of an abundance of caution, Monroe Middle School has been closed today, Monday, September 16, 2024 while law enforcement investigates an online threat.

Overnight the Eugene School District became aware of a threat posted online using Snapchat that has circulated among some Monroe students. The Eugene Police Department is actively investigating the source of the threat.

At this time, we have no evidence that this online threat has any connection to last week’s situation with a written threat by a known Monroe student.

The District is aware of a threat that has closed all schools on Monday in the Monroe School District 1J, in the town on Monroe, as well.

The Eugene Police Department (EPD) is coordinating with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office to investigate, and is in communication with 4J officials.

Benton County Sheriff’s Office has released the following statement:

Multiple agencies across the nation are assisting in the investigation of an indirect social media threat made to a Monroe school. It is not known which Monroe school in the nation the message references. If you know the originating source of the threat being made on Snapchat, contact BentonCoSheriff@bentoncountyor.gov.

If you know anything about the Monroe Middle School threat EPD is asking anyone with any information to call the Eugene Police Non-Emergency Line at 541-682-5111.

2nd Alarm Fire Damages West Eugene Business

Eugene Springfield Fire is on scene of a 2nd alarm commercial structure fire in west Eugene.  Just after 3AM on September 15th, a Eugene Police officer was flagged down by an individual reporting a fire in the 600 block of McKinley.  

Arriving 5 minutes after dispatch, crews from Station 2 arrived to find heavy fire from the commercial occupancy.  9 minutes after the first units arrived a second alarm was called.  The fire is under control, and under investigation.  In all 6 Engines, 3 Trucks, 3 Battalion Chiefs, 2 Medics, 2 Deputy Fire Marshals and 1 Support Unit responded.  

Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Linn County

Linn County, Ore. 15 Sept 24- Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Linn County.

On September 14, 2024, at approximately 12:42 a.m., Linn County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in rural Linn County, near Scio. Oregon State Police located the suspect vehicle on Shimanek Bridge Drive, off Richardson Gap Road. Upon arrival, troopers found the suspect armed and in the driver seat of the vehicle.

While officers were in contact with the suspect, the suspect discharged his firearm. The Linn County Regional SWAT Team, along with the Crisis Negotiation Team, were deployed to the scene. Officers spoke with the suspect on scene in an attempt to resolve the situation.

During the standoff with officers, the SWAT Team approached the suspect. The suspect pointed a firearm at officers and was shot. The 46-year-old suspect, identified as David Tobias Tyler, was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The involved Benton County Sheriff’s deputy has been identified as Sergeant Daniel Ball (6 yrs.). No officers were injured during the incident.

The pedestrian was treated and released from the hospital. 

The Linn County Regional SWAT Team is a multi-agency unit consisting of personnel from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Albany Police Department, and Sweet Home Police Department. 

The Oregon State Police will be conducting the primary investigation in conjunction with the Linn County District Attorney’s Office. 

SWAT Team Involved in Fatal Shooting After Armed Standoff

Early this morning, at approximately 12:42 a.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in rural Linn County, near Scio. The Oregon State Police located the suspect vehicle on Shimanek Bridge Drive, off Richardson Gap Road. Upon arrival, officers found the driver, an armed male suspect in the driver seat of the vehicle.

Despite repeated commands, the suspect refused to comply with officers. During the standoff, the suspect discharged his firearm. The Linn County Regional SWAT Team, along with the Crisis Negotiation Team, was deployed to the scene. Investigators engaged with the suspect by phone in an attempt to peacefully resolve the situation.

The SWAT Team engaged with the armed suspect, and ultimately due to the suspect’s actions he was shot. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. No law enforcement personnel were injured in the incident.

The Linn County Regional SWAT Team is a multi-agency unit consisting of personnel from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Albany Police Department, and Sweet Home Police Department. The SWAT Team Member who discharged their firearm is employed by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

As per agency policy and in accordance with deadly force protocols, Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan and Benton County Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall have requested the Oregon State Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

The pedestrian who was struck by the vehicle was transported with minor injuries to the hospital.

30th Annual Beacon Classic Golf Tournament Celebrates Success and Community Support 

Eugene, OR – On Friday, September 6th Bushnell University held the 30th Annual Beacon Classic Golf Tournament at the picturesque Pine Ridge Golf Club. All proceeds from the tournament go directly to the Beacon Fund for Student Scholarships. The tournament supports Bushnell University students and invests in the next generation of community leaders. Please thank our sponsors (listed below and see their logos on our website: https://bushnell.edu/beaconclassic) 

Thank you to everyone who participated, our volunteers including the men’s and women’s Bushnell golf teams, and the Pine Ridge Golf Club team. Pine Ridge Golf Club is the new home of Bushnell Golf and a brand-new Player Development Center partnership. 

Photos of this year’s tournament and participants can be viewed at Bushnell University’s online photo gallery here.  

The Beacon Classic is a staple fundraising event for Bushnell University, and this year’s milestone tournament did not disappoint. Golfers from near and far gathered to showcase their skills and contribute to the Beacon Fund, which provides essential scholarships to ensure the Bushnell experience is within reach. The tournament featured both morning and afternoon flights, with a total of 42 foursomes participating throughout the day. 

We invite everyone to learn more about the Player Development Center and how you can support this exciting initiative. Visit our website at https://bushnell.edu/golf-player-development for more information and to contribute to the project.

At the groundbreaking event in July, Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, “We are beyond excited and truly blessed to collaborate and form a partnership with Pine Ridge Golf Club…that will go beyond golf and continue to make a positive impact on both of our communities.”

Bushnell President Dr. Joe Womack said, “We are excited for what this opportunity and partnership means for the future of Bushnell University golf and the excellent youth programs already underway at Pine Ridge Golf Club.”

“This highly anticipated partnership is rooted in community,” said Bushnell Director of Golf Larry Watts. “There is no denying the hand of God has guided these two entities to a unique relationship. That is what Jesus is all about and I’m humbled by the interest and support behind the facility. Pine Ridge is a friendly place, where Bushnell feels at home.”

We are eager to show you our new home and tell you about our plans. Please contact the University Advancement office at 541-684-7318 or email advancement@bushnell.edu to schedule a meeting with one of our team.  

Your support helps us continue to invest in the next generation of leaders. 

Thank you to all our sponsors, golfers, and volunteers for making the 30th Annual Beacon Classic a memorable and impactful event. We look forward to seeing you all again next year! 

Suspected kidnapper shot and injured by police

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
DATE: September 13, 2024 
CONTACT: Salem Police Communications Office | spdmedia@cityofsalem.net 
 

                                             Suspected kidnapper shot and injured by police 
 

Salem, Ore. — A suspect was injured early Friday morning after being shot by Salem Police officers. At approximately 4:30 a.m., September 13, Salem Police officers responded to the call of a woman reporting she was being kidnapped. Officers located the suspect vehicle with the woman inside. As officers attempted to stop the male driver, he turned into the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 300 block of Glen Creek RD NW. The suspect vehicle stopped in the complex parking lot. The woman got out of the car as officers approached the involved vehicle. The suspect exited the car armed with a knife and was shot by two of the responding officers. The 34-year-old suspect was provided immediate medical aid by officers prior to being transported to Salem Health where he is currently being treated. No officers were injured during the incident. The Polk County Law Enforcement Use of Deadly Force Plan under Senate Bill 111 has been initiated for this incident, and the Oregon State Police will be conducting the primary investigation in coordination with the Polk County District Attorney’s Office. Per the use of force plan protocol, all further statements concerning this investigation will be provided by the Oregon State Police, including the name of the suspect and the officers involved in the incident. 

Nursing Students Celebrated at Bushnell University 

EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University’s School of Nursing recently held its annual Blessing of the Hands and Nursing Pinning ceremony, this year hosted at Grace Community Fellowship Church. The meaningful tradition marks a new chapter for nursing students, symbolizing their commitment to compassionate care and their readiness to begin nursing journeys. The special ceremony brought together students, faculty, community nursing professionals, friends, and family members for a moment of reflection and dedication to the nursing profession.   

Graduates received their nursing school pin which is a symbol with a rich history dating back to the Maltese Cross. The Crusaders wore the cross in the 12th century as a symbol of their service to Christianity and their devotion to caring for the injured and ill. Florence Nightingale was the recipient of the first, true, nursing pin. The Bushnell blue and gold pin features Bushnell’s school colors with a cross and torch in the center. The cross represents Bushnell University’s Christian mission to seek and answer God’s call in their lives as they discover the path they will pursue. The flame on the Bushnell torch symbolizes illuminating wisdom and a bright future being a guiding light for others, while the torch handle signifies Bushnell University’s longevity and a proud past. 

This year, the ceremony honored 19 students from the Accelerated BSN program and six students from the RN to BSN program. Each student was individually recognized for their dedication to the nursing field and their readiness to provide remarkable care in service to others. During the ceremony six graduates were welcomed into the nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau, founded in 1922.  

Dr. Karla Larson, Dean of the College of Health Professions at Bushnell University, shared her sentiments about the event: “The Blessing of the Hands is a time-honored ceremony which is a heartfelt acknowledgment of the compassion and dedication that our nursing students bring to their future roles. It symbolizes the beginning of their nursing journey to provide care and healing, embodying the values we strive to instill in them.” 

Janet Welch, RN, MSN, Director of Nursing at Bushnell, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of the ceremony: “As our students embark on their clinical experiences, this blessing serves as a reminder of the profound impact their work will have on the lives of those they care for. It is a moment to honor their commitment to nursing and the service they are about to provide.” 

Please visit the university photo gallery for photos from the Blessing of the Hands ceremony.  — For more information about Bushnell University’s nursing programs, visit www.bushnell.edu/college-of-health-professions/school-of-nursing/.

Eugene police officer arraigned Wednesday in Lane County Circuit Court on domestic violence-related charges after allegedly strangling a woman while off duty on Sept. 7.

According to court documents, Joshua West, 40, was charged with one count of felony strangulation – constituting domestic violence and two counts of recklessly endangering another person.

West was arrested Tuesday by Springfield Police Department officers and booked into the Lane County Jail. He agreed to a supervised release plan and was no longer in custody as of early Thursday.

Melinda McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Eugene Police Department, told The Register-Guard that West was “immediately” placed on administrative leave following his arrest, pending the outcome of the court’s process.

“When an agency develops probable cause for an Abuse Prevention Act crime, such as is alleged, we would fully expect the agency to act on the probable cause and make an arrest,” McLaughlin said in a written statement.

West was investigated for using poor judgment in 2016 and appeared to struggle with a field sobriety test after he was pulled over by Oregon State Police troopers on Highway 58. At the time, he was just past his 18-month probationary period when the incident occurred.

A female passenger had called 911, alleging he threw his gun and badge into her lap and told her to shoot him, a claim West denied.

Although he admitted to drinking before driving, he was not arrested or given a Breathalyzer test.

In a 2017 case review of the incident with the Civilian Review Board, the police auditor’s office and then Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns agreed West violated policies of judgment and conduct. Any disciplinary action taken by the police department was not disclosed.

Kerns said the “behavior and judgment of the off-duty officer in this case is disappointing and embarrassing and is not representative of the women and men of great character who work diligently for our community.”

Kerns followed up to say West was “humble, honest and forthcoming with us in the wake of this incident. He provided us with information we would not have known if he had not been so thoroughly candid. He made no effort to conceal his action, and my hope is that he has grown from the experience.”

When asked this week for records regarding any internal and external complaints involving West since that 2017 incident, the Eugene Police Auditor’s office declined to comment or provide records on closed or historical investigations.

West signed a supervised release agreement Thursday and has been ordered to not be “within a one-mile radius of the alleged victim’s home, property, place of work or school,” according to court documents.

A pre-trial conference hearing is scheduled at the Lane County Circuit Courthouse in Eugene on Oct. 7. West will remain under the supervision of what appears to be a family member who has guaranteed his appearance in future court proceedings under the terms and conditions of the release.

If you are or know anyone who is a victim of domestic violence, the Hope and Safety Alliance in Lane County operates a 24-hour Crisis and Support Line at (541)-485-6513 or (800)-281-2800. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. More information about Hope and Safety Alliance services can be found at www.hopesafetyalliance.org/get-help . (SOURCE)

Four public agencies to auction surplus vehicles and equipment at the end of September

Each year Lane County auctions vehicles because of age or mileage. Lane County Fleet Services will conduct a public, open-bid (with proxy bidding) auction from Thursday, September 26, to Saturday, September 28. 

Vehicles may be previewed before the sale by visiting http://fleetauction.lanecounty.org. In-person viewing is available during the auction from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Lane County Fleet Services is located at 3040 North Delta Highway in Eugene. 

Highlights from this year’s auction:

• 35 vehicles, including trucks, vans, buses and a hybrid car
• Caterpillar equipment, excavators, backhoe and a bucket truck
• Large generator

Proceeds go to a replacement fund that helps offset the cost to buy replacement vehicles. 

Bids must be submitted online and will be received until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 28. All bids start with a minimum set amount.  No faxed, voice or paper bids will be accepted. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Discover) cashier’s checks, money order or certified check made payable to Lane County Public Works. Personal checks for $50 or less are also accepted. Full payment is due within 48 of notification.   

This is the twenty-fifth year Lane County Fleet Services and other municipalities have combined their auctions to reduce the cost of disposing of surplus equipment. This auction is in partnership with Lane County, Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB), Lane Transit District, and others.

For more information, call 541-682-8587, 541-682-8580, or email lcfleet@lanecountyor.gov.

Lane County makes no warranties or guarantees and will not be held responsible for advertising errors or omissions. All equipment is offered to other municipalities before the public and therefore is subject to prior sale. 

Benton County Sheriff’s Office Announces Community Emergency Response Team Training Course

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce an upcoming Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training course, designed to enhance local emergency preparedness and empower community members with critical skills.   

The CERT Training program is a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing local hazards while providing participants with essential education and hands-on skills training. The course includes 12 hours of online coursework, followed by 16 hours of in-person training. 

Participants will benefit from the expertise of local professional responders, State-certified trainers, and knowledgeable volunteers who are subject matter experts. This robust training ensures that individuals of all abilities can gain valuable preparedness skills in a safe, positive, and inclusive environment. 

The CERT Training course emphasizes hands-on practice, enabling participants to gain practical experience while fostering a collaborative spirit. By joining this program, individuals not only contribute to their own preparedness but also to the overall safety and well-being of their communities. 

The course includes:

1. Disaster Preparedness 
2. CERT Organization 
3. Disaster Medical Operations – Part 1 
4. Disaster Medical Operations – Part 2 
5. Disaster Psychology 
6. Fire Safety and Utility Controls 
7. Light Search and Rescue Operations 
8. Terrorism and CERT 
9. Course Review and Disaster Simulation 

Benton County CERT Fall 2024 Schedule:

• October 10 (Thursday evening)
• October 25 (Friday evening)
• October 26 (Saturday, all day)
• October 27 (Sunday morning)

Interested individuals are encouraged to register early to secure their spot. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. If younger, participants may attend if accompanied by a parent/guardian. 

The 12-hr online training must be completed to attend classroom training beginning October 10. To register, go online to Benton County Oregon CERT training. 

For more details, please contact t@bentoncountyor.gov“>cert@bentoncountyor.gov or leave a message at 541-766-6050.

Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fires

Many of the roads, trails and general forest areas within the Umpqua National Forest are closed to provide for public and firefighter safety. For more information and a map of the closed areas go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices/…Portions of the Bureau of Land Management, Northwest Oregon District, managed public lands, roads, sites, and trails are closed to all forms of public access.

For more information and a map showing the closure go to: https://www.blm.gov/…/docs/2024-07/orwa-fpo-nwo-072024.pdfPhoto: Road closure signs at the start of Sharp Creek Road

For further information visit the Inciweb links for each Cottage Grove-Lane 1 fires below: Lane 1: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/…/or77s-Cottage-Grove-lane-1Clark 900: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/or770s-clark-900Quartz: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/orupf-quartzJack Saddle: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/orupf-jack-saddleAdam Mountain: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/orupf-adam-mountainMineral: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/orupf-mineralPuddin: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/orupf-puddinHours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM E-mail: 2024.lane1@firenet.gov Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CottageGroveLane1Fires2024

Lane County Government — Part of being prepared for an emergency is knowing how you will receive emergency alerts and life safety information. Lane County uses several tools to alert residents.

Watch the video below to learn more about those tools and decide which ones you will rely on in the event of an emergency or disaster. https://vimeo.com/565852770Sign up to receive Lane Alerts emergency alerts at www.LaneAlerts.org#NationalPreparednessMonth

LCSO Case #24-4738 – Deputies investigating house fire on E. River Drive – Seeking Suspect

Tuesday morning at about 7:20 a.m., deputies responded to a residence in the 33800 block of E. River Drive, Creswell, after South Lane Fire & Rescue advised it was fully engulfed in flames. A car belonging to the resident, Nicholas Rex Snyder, 32, was seen leaving the area around the time the blaze started. The vehicle is a gray 2016 Toyota Carolla, Oregon plate 311MXY. 

Deputies had been at the residence last night for a disturbance and attempted to contact Snyder. They did not receive a response from the house, and it was unknown if he was still at the location. 

Deputies and detectives are investigating, with assistance from the State Fire Marshal. Anyone with information about Snyder’s whereabouts is asked to call Dispatch at 541-682-4141 and avoid approaching or contacting him.

Road Closure: Row River Road

Road Name:	Row River Road
Location:	East of Cottage Grove
Closure:	Milepost 8.7
Dates and Times:	Now through 7:00 p.m. on September 30,2024
Reason for closure	Construction work to replacefailing culvert underthe road to mitigate future landslides.
Alternate routes:	ShoreviewDrivePark Access –West end of Row River RoadM.P. 6.10 Army Corps RoundaboutM.P. 6.40 Row PointM.P. 7.40 Harms Park Boat Ramp East End of Row River RoadM.P. 9.50 Bake Stewart Park

This notice is for the fourth and final road closure which is expected to be complete around September 30, 2024.

Lane County will be performing construction work to replace failing culverts under Row River Road to mitigate the risk of future landslides. The work will take place at four different locations between spring and fall of 2024. Each culvert replacement will require a full road closure of 4-6 weeks.

TripCheck will be updated regularly as dates may change as construction progresses.

Police Seek Witnesses in Recent Rapes in West Eugene

Around 7 p.m., on August 27, a woman in her 30s was on the Wild Iris Ridge trail when she encountered a man she did not know and who subsequently raped her. The woman was able to get to safety and report this after the attack. The suspect is a male on a bike, in his 30s, with brown hair, clean shaven face, wearing darker clothes, jogger pants, and a dark hoodie.

Wild Iris Ridge Trail is off Bailey Hill Road and Bertelsen. Detectives are seeking to have anyone who was in the area between 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. yesterday (August 27) and might have seen potential suspects to call Detective Anne McIntyre at 541. 953.9323. EPD’s Community Engagement Team will be out on the path to patrol and add to routine checks of the area.

Earlier this month a similar rape occurred on the Amazon bike trail also in West Eugene.

The previous reported rape was on the Amazon / Fern Ridge Bike Path at about 10:50 a.m. on Aug. 8. In that case, the female victim described the suspect as white, about age 40, with brown hair and last seen wearing a black/white sleeveless shirt with writing along the back, green shoes and a tattoo on one of his arms. The suspect was pushing a bicycle and later used it to flee.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Eugene Police non-emergency line: 541-682-5111

The following are the general personal safety tips provided by Eugene Police:

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Do not get into someone’s car even if they display a weapon. It is better to fight back in the street where help is closer at hand and other people may hear your calls for help.
• Walk confidently and don’t avoid eye contact.
• Don’t let strangers into your space. Keep plenty of distance between yourself and people you don’t wish to approach you.
• Don’t stop to talk with strangers asking for directions or other types of help as this can be a ploy to get close for an attack.
• If you feel you are in danger or being followed, call 9-1-1.
• If grabbed, fight back and make as much noise as possible.
• Use the buddy system when walking after dark. You should know the person you are walking with well enough to trust them.
• Walk in lighted areas as much as possible and don’t walk too close to bushes, alleyways or other places where attackers can conceal themselves.

Lt. Jeremy Williams with the Eugene Police investigations team told reporters Thursday they do not have reason to think the incidents are related, but they are not ruling it out. He said this type of violent crime is unusual for the community and he understands it’s frightening.

“We take these sorts of incidents seriously,” he said, “and appreciate the trauma that can come from these and the fear that it can generate in the public. And we’re confident that we’ll bring this offender to justice.”

Williams said until the perpetrator is arrested, people should be careful and avoid walking alone.

Lane County Sheriff’s Office Still Seeking Suspect in Homicide

In June, a deceased female was located in the Cottage Grove area who appeared to be the victim of homicide. Lane County Sheriff’s detectives identified the victim as a missing person, Rozaleena Faith Rasmussen, 29, from Cottage Grove. 

Detectives identified the suspect as Anthony Wesley Tyrrell, 31, of Cottage Grove.  A nationwide warrant has been issued for his arrest. Tyrrell is described as a white male adult with brown hair, brown eyes, weighing approximately 165 pounds and standing approximately 5’9” tall. He was last seen with his head shaved and wearing a white shirt, black trench coat, black pants, and black boots. 

Tyrrell is considered armed and dangerous.  Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911 and avoid approaching or contacting him. 

Parkinson’s Walk funds resources for local community

 – Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon (PRO) will host its annual Sole Support for Parkinson’s Walk September 29th at Alton Baker Park, marking the 20^th year of fundraising and awareness for the local Parkinson’s disease community.  

The family friendly event brings people whose lives are impacted by a Parkinson’s diagnosis together with a caring and supportive community for a walk along the riverfront spreading awareness about this neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Funds raised remain in the local community to help people living with the disease through exercise, education, and wellness programs offered at no charge.  

Among the 300 or so expected participants will be Eugene resident, Lynn Smith, who is back fundraising with her team for her 3^rd year.  Ms. Smith was diagnosed in 2020 during the pandemic when it was difficult to connect with others with Parkinson’s. Once she was able to safely get out and join the Eugene PD community she has never looked back.  

“I’m grateful every day for the support from my friends, family, Parkinson’s Resources and the Eugene PD community.” said Smith. “It has been such a positive experience to participate with my supporters in a way that makes a difference for others.”  

Sunday, September 29, 2024 

Alton Baker Park, Picnic Shelters 1 & 2 

Onsite registration and check in opens at noon – Walk begins at 1:30pm  

~1k and ~5k routes are walker and wheelchair friendly 

Registration is free – fundraising is encouraged. 

To register, find out more, or donate, go to:www.solesupport.org or call 800.426.6806   

About Parkinson’s Resources: 

Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon (PRO) is a donor supported non-profit with the sole mission of advancing the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s, their families and caregivers. With three office locations (Bend, Eugene, Beaverton), PRO provides direct care and support of thousands of families in Oregon and SW Washington. Working to address issues faced by Parkinson’s patients and their families, we can significantly improve the quality of life for all touched by this disease.  

To find out more about PRO’s services or to support our programs, go to: www.parkinsonsresources.org or call 800.426.6806 

“When It Hits The Fan”: A New Podcast by Lane County Emergency Management

Lane County Emergency Management is excited to announce the launch of a new podcast, “When It Hits The Fan,” now available on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Listen at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/fan. 

About Lane County Emergency Management – Lane County Emergency Management is committed to preparing the community for emergencies and disasters through education, planning, and response coordination.

White Bird Clinic – · Crisis intervention is a 24/7 need in our community, and CAHOOTS, as part of White Bird Crisis Intervention programs, responds.

White Bird CAHOOTS Springfield Coverage: 11 am – 11 pm, 7 days a week (541-726-3714) — Eugene Coverage: 24/7 (541-682-5111)

Oregon election officials say data entry error added 306 noncitizens to voter rolls, two voted

State election officials and Gov. Tina Kotek stressed that the error was caught and won’t affect the 2024 election

The Oregon agency that issues driver’s licenses erroneously registered more than 300 non-citizens to vote, though state officials say only two people actually cast ballots. 

State Elections Director Molly Woon told the Capital Chronicle that she received a call late Thursday afternoon from the administrator of the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division of the Oregon Department of Transportation, telling her that DMV staff caught a data entry error that led to the division wrongly classifying some noncitizens as citizens. State election officials spent Friday reviewing that information and working with county clerks to ensure those people won’t receive ballots unless and until they prove they’re eligible to vote. 

The error is not large enough to impact the outcome of the state’s elections – more than 3 million people are registered to vote in Oregon, and the 306 cases identified by state officials are 0.01% of the state’s voters. 

Ben Morris, chief of staff to Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, said the DMV is continuing to investigate whether there are any more issues, and there is time to rectify any additional mistakes. Ballots won’t be mailed to voters for another month. 

“We can say that this error will not impact the 2024 election, and I want to emphasize that point as much as possible. This error will not impact the 2024 election,” he said. 

The error, first reported by Willamette Week, resulted from DMV staff erroneously marking noncitizens who obtained driver’s licenses as citizens, such as by miscategorizing foreign birth certificates as U.S. birth certificates and foreign passports as U.S. passports.

Since January 2016, Oregon has automatically registered citizens to vote when they obtain or renew driver’s licenses, permits or nonoperating IDs. A 2019 state law, meanwhile, eliminated a requirement that applicants prove they’re citizens or legal residents when obtaining a driver’s license. 

People applying for driver’s licenses need to bring proof of their identity – like a birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents or visa – as well as proof of an Oregon address, such as a utility bill or rental agreement. Only applicants who provide documents that prove citizenship, like a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport or certificate of naturalization, are supposed to be registered to vote. 

DMV administrator Amy Joyce said in a statement that the DMV discovered the error while “proactively analyzing” its system ahead of the 2024 election. The erroneous registrations it identified were based on foreign passports being entered as U.S. passports. The department is continuing to go through registrations tied to birth certificates, and that may take another two weeks, she said.

The DMV added a new prompt on its data entry screen to ensure front desk staff accurately enter citizenship information and has begun daily auditing of all transactions to verify materials are accurate before sending them to the Elections Division, Joyce added.

Woon said the secretary of state’s office is continuing to look into the two people who were not citizens when they were automatically registered to vote and will forward the issue to the start Department of Justice if it appears they violated the law. 

“I want to emphasize that these folks were registered by no fault of their own,” she said. “I think that will certainly be taken into consideration. The first order of business, however, will be to see if the citizenship status of these people has changed. Because these records date from 2021 to today, it’s possible that their status has changed, and perhaps they are citizens, and that’s why they have a voter record. We’ll need to do a little bit more digging to sort that out first.” 

Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement that she has been fully briefed on the situation and will continue to closely monitor it. She noted that it would affect 0.01% of the state’s registered voters and will not impact the 2024 election in any way. 

“Oregon’s electoral system is one of the most secure, effective and accessible in the nation,” Kotek said. “The error in data entry which may have affected the voter eligibility of some Oregonian’s voter registration was discovered because the Oregon DMV and the secretary of state were doing their due diligence ahead of the 2024 election.”

Griffin-Valade said safeguarding the integrity of elections is her top priority, while praising automatic voter registration. 

“When my office was made aware of this error, we moved quickly to update the voter rolls,” she said. “I am also personally calling on the DMV to take immediate action to improve its processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Automatic voter registration has been hugely beneficial for thousands of eligible Oregon voters to ensure access to our democracy. I’m confident the DMV is rectifying this error and improving their process, so it doesn’t happen again.” 

Lawmakers call for investigations

Lawmakers and U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, called for further investigations Friday evening.

State Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas and the Democratic nominee for the 5th Congressional District, was the first to issue a statement and called on the Department of Justice to conduct a “full-scale investigation.”

“Any errors in this process are unacceptable, and the office of the Secretary of State must be held responsible for any such lapses. I will relentlessly defend our laws and safeguard the integrity of our elections,” she said. 

Salinas called the announcement “disturbing,” while emphasizing that it was not an attempt hurt the election system.

“This is total malpractice on the part of the Department of Motor Vehicles and is completely unacceptable,” she said. “I am calling on the state to act quickly to remove these individuals from the rolls, conduct a full and transparent investigation into how this occurred, and provide concrete steps they are taking to remedy this issue and prevent it from happening again. However, I want to emphasize that this was a bureaucratic error by the Oregon DMV and not a systemic attempt to cheat the system by organizations or individuals.”

House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich, who in May publicly questioned the integrity of the state’s election system over hours-long delays delivering ballots, repeated his complaints that Oregon’s election laws are too weak.

“Republicans warned over and over that Oregon’s election laws were too relaxed, and Democrats dismissed our concerns,” he said. “Now, hundreds of noncitizens were found on Oregon’s voter rolls, and the state can’t say how many there are. This threat to election integrity is unacceptable. The Secretary of State must immediately inform the legislature as to the full extent of this problem and what is being done to fix it before ballots go out next month.” (SOURCE)

To register to vote, visit here:

Feds grant more than $9 million to Oregon for wildfire prevention

As wildfires continue to threaten homes, rangeland and communities in Oregon, the federal government has announced millions in new funding to prevent the blazes that have blackened a record amount of acreage.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday it has approved $100 million to reduce the threat of wildfires in 14 states, including Oregon. The money will be used for restoring forest health, prescribed burns and other wildfire prevention strategies in 18 national forests that border homes and communities. The USDA, which oversees the Forest Service, allocated $9.4 million to forests in eastern and southern Oregon and $345,000 for a project in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Washington, which is also expected to benefit Oregonians.

The news comes as Oregon’s wildfire season roars on, with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek announcing Wednesday she again invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act, this time for the Service Fire in Wheeler County, one of five blazes in the Fossil Complex northwest of Spray. The Service Fire has scorched nearly 22,000 acres and prompted the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office to issue Level 3, or go-now, evacuation orders for local residents.

This was the 17th time this year that Kotek has invoked the conflagration act in what has turned out to be a record fire season, with more than 1.7 million acres burned. Analysts say the threat of devastating wildfires in Oregon, California and elsewhere in the West is likely to continue with warmer weather and an extended drought in the region. 

The $100 million grant follows $500 million announced in February, including more than $38 million for Oregon, as part of the USDA’s wildfire prevention strategy from Oregon and Colorado to New Mexico and Tennessee. 

In announcing the latest funding, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack noted that states are again confronting challenging wildfires this year, underscoring the “urgent need to continue to protect our communities and infrastructure by restoring forest health across the country.” 

The biggest chunk of the Oregon grant – $4.9 million – will go toward a restoration project in the Elk Creek watershed in the Umpqua National Forest in southern Oregon. The project will build on an existing collaboration between the Forest Service and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and focus on prescribed burns and creating fire breaks in the watershed, which is a patchwork of private, tribal and national land.

Lindsay Campman, spokesperson for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, said in an email that after the Milepost 97 Fire, which burned more than 13,000 acres in 2019, the tribe has worked to prevent another fire in the area and that this money will help with that endeavor.

“We are thrilled to continue working with our partners in forestry on this project,” she said.

The USDA allocated another $4.4 million for a project in a watershed in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The money will be used for planning, hiring of staff and forest restoration in an area of conifer trees that have not been hit by wildfires for much of the past 125 years. As a result, they have high levels of live and dead vegetation that could pose a fire danger. 

The third Oregon project involves an allocation of nearly $133,000 for work in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The money will allow officials to complete an environmental analysis in the La Grande Ranger District, paving the way for forest restoration work.

The Columbia River Gorge project in Washington will cover 5,000 acres now owned by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, with the $345,000 going directly to tribal staff and businesses to foster their traditional work against wildfires and land maintenance.

Oregon’s Democratic U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, said the region needs the funding.

“Oregonians know all too well the threat of climate chaos, which is fueling increasingly frequent and severe wildfires that threaten our homes, businesses and way of life,” said Merkley, who chairs the Senate subcommittee that funds the Forest Service.

Wyden added: “Protecting lives and property from these destructive wildfires demands an all-out approach.”

Wyden has repeatedly pushed for wildfire funding, including in June, when he and Democratic U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier of Washington state introduced the National Prescribed Fire Act of 2024. The act would direct hundreds of millions of federal dollars to the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior for prescribed burns. This was Wyden’s third attempt to get the legislation passed after it died in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in 2020 and 2021. (SOURCE)

With around 5,000 firefighters currently dispatched across the state, they have worked for almost two months straight and are experiencing fatigue.

Kotek said that the state has been able to protect a lot of communities but the team has been pushed to the brink this season. She also predicts that fire seasons are not going to get easier and Orgeon must figure out how to have consistent funding to do the necessary work.

Kotek confirmed that Oregon received approval for seven FEMA grants that will provide help in the form of significant levels of reimbursement. Other states and even other countries like Australia and New Zealand have sent help to Oregon.

Wildfires have burned more than 1 million acres across the state, making Oregon by far the worst off out of all the states in terms of acres burned this summer.

Preventing wildfires requires a collective effort from everyone—help mitigate the risk of human-caused wildfires and protect our forests and communities.

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Large Fires in Oregon Past 2 Weeks 9/16/24 9:00am per INCIWEB

Incident	Type	State	Incident Size	UpdatedSort ascending
Milepost 98 – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	250 Acres	1 minute 33 seconds ago
Devils Knob Fire – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	4142 Acres	3 minutes 12 seconds ago
Rail Ridge – OROCF	Wildfire	Oregon	162278 Acres	7 minutes 6 seconds ago
Fossil Complex – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	24456 Acres	12 minutes 23 seconds ago
Wiley Flat – OROCF	Wildfire	Oregon	30061 Acres	48 minutes 10 seconds ago
Red Fire – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	1763 Acres	57 minutes 41 seconds ago
Willamette Complex Fires – South – ORWIF	Wildfire	Oregon	23309 Acres	1 hour 1 minute ago
Crazy Creek – OROCF	Burned Area Emergency Response	Oregon	86968 Acres	1 hour 9 minutes ago
Whisky Creek Fire – ORMHF	Wildfire	Oregon	3099 Acres	1 hour 15 minutes ago
North Willamette Complex – ORWIF	Wildfire	Oregon	6657 Acres	1 hour 21 minutes ago
Bachelor Complex Fires – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	10333 Acres	1 hour 50 minutes ago
Middle Fork Fire – ORCLP	Wildfire	Oregon	5286 Acres	2 hours ago
Diamond Complex – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	11141 Acres	2 hours 10 minutes ago
Flat Top and Firestone Fires – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	Acres	2 hours 11 minutes ago
Shoe Fly Fire – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	26817 Acres	12 hours 9 minutes ago
Buck Creek Fire – ORFWF	Wildfire	Oregon	5647 Acres	12 hours 35 minutes ago
Homestead Complex – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	9699 Acres	23 hours 54 minutes ago
Lane 1 Fire – OR77S	Wildfire	Oregon	25951 Acres	1 day ago
Sandstone Fire – ORMHF	Wildfire	Oregon	702 Acres	3 days 19 hours ago
Microwave Tower Fire – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	1313 Acres	4 days 23 hours ago
Copperfield Fire – OR98S	Wildfire	Oregon	3822 Acres	4 days 23 hours ago
Two Cabin – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	251 Acres	1 week 2 days ago
Lone Rock Fire – ORPRD	Wildfire	Oregon	137222 Acres	2 weeks 6 days ago

https://app.watchduty.org/

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

In these dry conditions, a single spark can cause a lot of damage. Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page. 

U.S. Forest Service Hiring in Oregon

The U.S. Forest Service is looking to shore up its wildland firefighting force in the Pacific Northwest.  Recruitment events will take place across Oregon next month, with stops in Bend, Sandy and La Grande on September 12th, in an effort to hire a couple hundred permanent seasonal positions.

“That’s our goal, is to hire up to 200, maybe even a little more if we can, into these what we call entry level, perm-fire-hire positions, which are typically your six to nine-month timeframe employment within the agency,” said Jason Heinz who works in regional workforce development for the Forest Service.  He added those jobs are spread around Oregon, Washington and Alaska, and in most cases fill a currently vacant position.  Heinz says several factors make it more difficult to recruit wildland crews.

“We are increasing the number of individuals that work for the agency, our fire seasons are getting longer, burnout is a real thing. And so, we’re trying to work on adding more capacity to our crews so that we can have a better work-life balance.”  — Applications can be submitted now through September 24th. Visit USAJobs.gov to apply.

Oregon Farm Bureau — Thanks to the generous support of our agricultural community, we are now receiving both monetary and feed donations through our Wildfire Relief Fund. If you are a farmer or rancher affected by the wildfires, please take a moment to complete our short application for relief. https://www.oregonfb.org/

OSP asking for the public’s help to locate wanted man —  Oregon State Police 

Suspect wanted for sex crimes in Oregon and Alabama

WASCO COUNTY, Ore. 9 Sept. 2024 – Oregon State Police and the Mobile (Alabama) Police Department are seeking the public’s help to locate Adam Renk (39) who is wanted in both states for sex crimes against child victims. 

On June 21, 2024, OSP detectives responded to a sexual abuse disclosure made by a minor. The minor disclosed Renk as the perpetrator. Renk has since been indicted on multiple crimes against a child victim under the age of 12. He is charged with Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

As part of their investigation, OSP detectives learned Renk had been charged in another case involving a minor victim in Mobile, Alabama. The Alabama charges include Child Sexual Abuse and Torture involving an 11-year-old victim. The victims in the two states are not related. Alabama law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service are attempting to locate Renk who posted bond in Alabama and was released from pre-trial custody. 

Renk was last seen leaving Alabama on August 7, 2024. He has ties to Oregon and Wasco County. He is believed to be traveling in a converted Ford Ambulance that is now painted two-toned white over gray. Renk is a white male, 6 ft. 1 in. tall, 175 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. 

Anyone with information about Renk’s whereabouts or information about possible additional victims is asked to contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at 541-506-2580 or OSP Detective Cassie Bantz through dispatch at 800-442-0776 or by dialing OSP (677) on a mobile phone. 

Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Polk County

Polk County, Ore. 13 Sept 24- Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Polk County. 

At approximately 4:30 a.m., September 13, Salem Police officers responded to the call of a woman reporting she was being kidnapped at 585 Wallace Rd NW (Salem).  Officers located the suspect vehicle with the woman inside. As officers attempted to stop the male driver, he turned into the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 300 block of Glen Creek RD NW. 

The suspect vehicle stopped in the complex parking lot. The woman got out of the car as officers approached the involved vehicle. The suspect exited the car armed with a knife and was shot by two of the responding officers. 

The 34-year-old suspect, Daniel Lewis Garcia, was provided immediate medical aid by officers prior to being transported to Salem Health where he is currently being treated.   

The involved Salem police officers have been identified as: Officer Nathan Bush (7 yrs.), Officer Colten Ruyle (1 yr.), and Officer Faith Hovenden (1.5 yrs.). No officers were injured during the incident.

The Polk County Law Enforcement Use of Deadly Force Plan under Senate Bill 111 has been initiated for this incident, and the Oregon State Police will be conducting the primary investigation in coordination with the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.   

Free Lunches For Truckers This Week At These Oregon Scale Houses

The Oregon Trucking Association (OTA) is celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (TDAW) by treating truckers to free lunch at scale houses.

The OTA is partnering with the Oregon Department of Transportation to show professional drivers some thanks for the essential work that they do every day by bringing them free meals at scale house locations this week.

Here’s where truckers traveling in Oregon can find a free meal this week:

September 16 | 11:30 a.m  — Cascade Locks Port of Entry – Columbia River Region

September 17 | 11:30 a.m  — Juniper Butte Scale

September 18 | 7:00 a.m  — Klamath Falls Port of Entry – Eastern Cascades Region

September 18 | 11:30 a.m. — Ashland Port of Entry – Siskiyou Region

September 19 | 11:30 a.m  — Woodburn Port of Entry – Willamette Valley Region (SOURCE)

Oregon Employment Department Resumes Taking Monday Calls As Hold Times Ease

The Oregon Employment Department reopened its phone lines on Mondays this week, declaring it has made progress on a large backlog of issues that were holding up jobless claims and paid leave benefits.

The agency stopped taking inbound calls on Mondays last June and cut the number of hours the phones were open by one hour each in the mornings and afternoons. At the time, it was facing a growing backlog of jobless claims and jammed phone lines as laid-off workers sought information about their stalled benefits.

By reducing phone hours, the employment department said it could devote more time to processing claims and resolving issues that stood in the way of it paying benefits. The change affected both jobless insurance claims and the new Paid Leave Oregon benefits program, which is also administered by the employment department.

The shorter phone hours confounded some unemployed Oregonians, who couldn’t get through on the phone lines to find out why they weren’t receiving their aid.

In June, more than a third of callers to the employment department spent over an hour on hold. Many others couldn’t get through at all.

Hold times began dropping, though, as the employment department finally began making progress on unresolved claims. The number of people on hold for an hour or more fell to 25% in August, the lowest point in a year — though some callers still get a busy signal or are immediately disconnected when lines are especially slammed.

The employment department blamed its declining performance on a falloff in federal pandemic funding, which prompted a steep reduction in the number of staffers processing claims.

August was the first month that the employment department had 70 new staff to process claims. Their positions were funded out of a $45 million allocation from the state Legislature this year.

Meanwhile, the employment department has resumed paying the vast majority claims within three weeks. That’s the federal standard for timely payments. Oregon paid 76% of unemployment claims within three weeks in August, according to the latest federal data, up from just 54% in April.

The employment department said this week that it is resolving issues with claims much faster than it did in the spring and is confident that it will continue making progress.   Daily hours remain shorter, though; the phone lines are open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.   (Source)

Task Force Busts Phoenix Black-Market Cannabis Grow Connected to Illegal Northern California Marijuana Operation; Code Enforcement Issues $26K in Fines 

Greenhouses

Video available for download: https://vimeo.com/1008640982?share=copy

IMET Case 24-14390 —-    PHOENIX, Ore. – Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant this morning at a black-market cannabis grow in the 4000 block of Fern Valley Road in rural Phoenix. IMET detectives seized approximately 6,054 illegal marijuana plants at the property in 20 greenhouses. During the initial investigation detectives learned the Phoenix property was connected to a black-market marijuana growing operation in Northern California. 

There was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at this location. IMET was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, and Oregon State Police (OSP) detectives.

IMET arrested one suspect on the property and charges are being referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office for another suspect. The suspect arrested was Yuhua (AKA Shirley) Hong, 44, of Montague, Calif. She is charged with three felony counts including unlawful possession, distribution, and manufacture of a marijuana item. 

During the search warrant, Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene and issued a total of $26,000 in fines to the responsible party. Fines were for violations related to unpermitted construction, solid waste, and operating a marijuana production area in violation of land use approvals. The Oregon Water Resources Department Enforcement section also responded to investigate the water usage. Further charges for water violations may be added at a later time.

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, Homeland Security Investigations, OSP, Medford Police Department, 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.

Illegal Marijuana Grow Site Bust In Bly

On Tuesday, September 10, 2024 the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a property located on Maple Way in Bly, Oregon. Law enforcement surveillance of the property revealed what appeared to be an illegal outdoor marijuana grow site.

Gerado Javier Ceja-Caloca, 41, of Portland, Oregon and Raquel Rosales-Ceja, 44, of Vancouver, Washington are the listed owners of the property on Maple Way. Neither were located on scene and a recommendation of criminal charges was sent to the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office.

Ramon Arellano-Diaz, 46, of Madera, California and Miguel Cardoza-Romero, 37, of Hughson, California were located on scene. Both were arrested and charged with:

• Unlawful Possession of Marijuana (ORS 475B.337)
• Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana (ORS 475B.349)

The on-scene investigation confirmed a large outdoor illegal marijuana grow site containing 5,350 marijuana plants. Three firearms and ammunition were seized during the search. Also discovered was the illegal use of water used to irrigate the marijuana plants from a domestic well. It is estimated that more than 706,000 gallons of water was illegally used to grow this amount of marijuana. The investigation for the crime of Unlawful Use or Appropriation of Ground Water (ORS 537.535) continues.

Investigators observed a considerable amount of trash and debris consisting of plastic coverings, toxic fertilizers and more scattered throughout the property. The property also showed evidence of future expansion and illegal manufacturing of marijuana.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Klamath County District Attorney’s Officer, Oregon State Police, Basin Inter-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Klamath County Solid Waste, Klamath County Code Enforcement, Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon State Water Master.

Inside the Oregon Department of Corrections’ push to build a new state penitentiary

DOC leaders want lawmakers to see how much it would cost to repair or replace the state prison in Salem, saying it’s “oppressive” and aging.

Oregon Department of Corrections leaders are pushing for a new state prison, asking state lawmakers to add it to the top of their priority list and see how much it would cost to repair or replace the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem.

The big request — in the hundreds of millions of dollars — could both reshape the state’s budget plans and its criminal justice system. 

DOC Director Mike Reese said the Oregon State Penitentiary is “oppressive” and aging past the point of repair. Reese, the former Multnomah County Sheriff, toured all 12 DOC institutions when he assumed directorship in the fall of 2023. For him, OSP stood out as the worst of the bunch.

“I think this is the top priority for me, in terms of looking at that replacement or remodel,” Reese said. “Is this the right place for us to house adults in custody and is it also helping lead to better outcomes, or is the institution itself a barrier to a progressive correctional facility?”

The DOC estimates it would cost $624 million to replace OSP with a new state prison, which could take about 5-10 years to build.

The alternative, Reese said, is a backlog of more than $110 million in deferred maintenance requests at the current facility and tens of millions more in needed improvements and upgrades.

“We do that work and then what breaks next?” he said. “This institution has a vibe to it that makes it challenging to talk about rehabilitation and restoration of people’s humanity and dignity.”

The department is asking lawmakers to approve a feasibility study in the upcoming legislative session to evaluate the cost-benefit of a new or repaired state penitentiary.

State Senator Janeen Sollman, who co-chairs the Oregon Legislature’s Ways and Means subcommittee on public safety, said she visited the state prison and she supports the idea of building a one.

“It can’t be something we continue to ignore because it will go away, it only get more expensive,” Sollman said. “How much money do you continue putting into an aging facility?” 

Reese, in a letter to all DOC staff members, acknowledged that building a new state prison could be a fairly unpopular political proposition.

“The last major prison project in Oregon was the Snake River Correctional Institution expansion in 1994, its $175 million price tag was the largest public works project in the state’s history at the time, inviting a great deal of scrutiny,” Reese wrote. “The OSP replacement/rebuild will have an even larger price tag and will likely cause similar conversations with taxpayers and their representatives.” 

The Oregon State Penitentiary houses about 1,800 adults in custody. It’s the only maximum-security prison in the state, and about 460 DOC staff members work there.  (SOURCE)

Study Shows Oregon Seeing Higher Business Growth Than All Other States

A new study from DesignRush shows that Oregon had more business growth than any other U.S. state between September 2022 and 2023. The study, which used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that Oregon had a 9.9% increase in new businesses- that’s a net increase of 18,273 businesses.

Oregon is the best U.S. state for entrepreneurial success, according to the latest study published by leading B2B marketplace DesignRush.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, DesignRush conducted research to find the number of business establishments in U.S. states between September 2022 and 2023.

Each state was ranked based on the highest percentage increase of businesses over the period.

Oregon took the top spot with a 9.9% increase in business establishments with a net increase of 18,273 businesses, from 185,096 in 2022 to 203,369 in 2023.

Second on the list is Montana, with an estimated 9.4% gain in businesses (5,762 net increase) over the year. Montana was followed by Michigan and Hawaii, placing third (8.9% increase) and fourth (8.6% increase) respectively. 

The rest of the top 10 in the list are ranked as follows:

• Tennessee (8.0% increase)
• Idaho (7.9% increase)
• South Carolina (7.7% increase)
• Mississippi (7.4% increase)
• North Carolina (7.2% increase)
• Arizona (6.8% increase)

Gianluca Ferruggia, DesignRush’s General Manager, shared his insights on the study saying that with states from all areas of the U.S. making it to the top 10 list, this finding suggests the U.S. is well-equipped for entrepreneurs and business ventures. 

“It’ll be interesting to see if any new states make the ranking in the future as more establishments are founded,” Ferruggia said.

Some States Experience Major Business Decline

While most states performed well in terms of entrepreneurial success, there remain some that performed negatively. 

Virginia falls under this category, for example, experiencing a net loss of 16,522 — a 5% decrease from 2022 to 2023. Maryland and Iowa also experienced their fair share of losses, with a 1.1% and 0.6% decrease in businesses respectively. 

Expounding on the findings, Ferruggia cited geographical location as one of the many factors that can determine whether one’s business will take off or not. 

“At least five of the leading ten states are on the east side of the U.S. This indicates one of two things: it’s either extremely competitive in this region or the West is more suited for entrepreneurs and their fresh ideas. Perhaps new states will make the ranking in the future,” Ferruggia concludes. 

(SOURCE)

Oregon boosts emergency preparedness with new evacuation software

Oregon Emergency Mangers already seeing significant reduction in time to communicate evacuation information. 

Salem, Ore. – In honor of National Preparedness Month, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is excited to announce a new contract that will provide advanced evacuation software to all of Oregon’s 36 counties and nine Tribes. The software, from Genasys Inc., will help manage emergency evacuations more effectively across the state.

As Oregon deals with more frequent and severe disasters, it’s essential to have a clear plan for evacuations and support services. While law enforcement handles the immediate evacuation of people, the ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) works with local communities to help identify people who need evacuation assistance and ensure people are evacuated to a location that meets their needs.  

“Even well-prepared communities face challenges with evacuations, especially when multiple areas are affected. We’re thrilled to offer this new software to all our counties and Tribes,” said Ed Flick, Director of OREM. “This tool will help emergency managers make quick and informed decisions to keep everyone safe. Over the last week the tool was used to coordinate evacuations for the Rail Ridge Fire in Grant, Crook and Wheeler Counties, which is Oregon’s top priority wildfire. National Preparedness Month is a great time for everyone to review their own emergency plans and supplies. For tips, check out Ready.gov.” 

The Genasys EVAC software helps with planning and managing evacuations. It allows emergency services to quickly create and update evacuation plans, run realistic simulations, and respond faster during an emergency.

Nick Vora, Emergency Manager for Union County, shared his enthusiasm: “Changing, exporting, and adding evacuation zones for alerts used to be slow and complicated. While there are many great mapping tools out there, they often made it time-consuming to update evacuation zones and get them ready for emergency alerts. It could take 15 to 30 minutes to make these changes and load them into the alert system. With Genasys, however, the process is much faster. You can select and adjust an area and get it ready for alerts in just a few minutes. This quick turnaround makes managing emergency alerts much easier and more efficient.”

“Genasys Protect was instrumental in notifying community members of evacuations during the Falls and Telephone Fires in Harney County. When time is of the essence, being able to instantly notify community members of updated evacuation levels is crucial. We loved the ease of use and the ability to train new staff members on how to use it under one minute. This is an essential tool during wildfires,” said Melinda Todd, Harney County Emergency Manager.

Ken Kehmna, a retired fire chief and advisor at Genasys, added, “After Oregon’s severe fires in 2020, we tested this software in Deschutes and Jackson counties. Both counties saw great results and adopted the software, leading to its statewide use.”

Michael Smith, Senior Vice President at Genasys Protect, emphasized the benefits: “EVAC’s planning and real-time communication features are vital for managing emergencies in any community, from small towns to large cities.”

This new software represents a significant step forward in making sure Oregon is ready for emergencies and can respond quickly and effectively.

About the ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management

ODHS holds four distinct roles through its Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, all of which reduce the impact of disasters on people.

• Mass care:  Planning for and supporting people in the early stage and immediate aftermath of emergencies. Our work includes things like coordinating evacuation assistance, the distribution of life-sustaining goods and services, including hydration, feeding, sheltering, reunification, and distribution of emergency supplies. 
• Social services recovery:  Helping people and social services agencies recover. Our Social Services Recovery Coordinators work with survivors and their families to identify barriers to recovery, make a plan to address those barriers, and support the survivors on their journey. Our role also includes helping local social services agencies that may be impacted by the disasters to return to full functioning as soon as possible. 
• Continuity of operations:  Ensuring communities’ ongoing access to ODHS services. This includes making sure our offices are open and essential services continue, as well as supporting the agency programs and the case managers who ensure the safety of the tens of thousands of Oregonians who may need extra and early help in an emergency. 
• Legislatively directed resilience work:  Warming, cooling and cleaner air shelters; water distribution and resilience hubs. These situations don’t fit what’s traditionally been considered emergencies, but they can have significant impacts on people. The Legislature made OREM the lead for this type of work to help people. 

Across all these roles, ODHS develops and relies on partnerships and coordination with public and private organizations at the local and regional levels and with our state and Tribal Nation partners. 

Summer EBT application deadline extended to Sept. 30, 2024
(Salem) – The application deadline for the new Summer EBT program has been extended to midnight Sept. 30, 2024. The program offers $120 per child to help cover grocery costs when school food programs are not as easy to access. Eligible families should act now.

Thousands of families may be unaware that they qualify for this essential benefit. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) urge families to check their eligibility and apply before the extended deadline. Remember, once benefits are received, they must be used within 122 days. 

Most eligible children received their benefits automatically on June 28, 2024, if their households:

1. Participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
2. Participate in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
3. Are Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members in households with incomes under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level 

Children in foster care also automatically received Summer EBT. 

However, families who did not receive benefits automatically, particularly those with children enrolled in a school during the 2023-2024 school year who were eligible for the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs, should still apply to determine their eligibility.

Families are encouraged to visit sebt.oregon.gov or contact the Summer EBT Call Center to verify their eligibility and apply. ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht said, “We are grateful to our federal partners for making this extension. The extra time is so important for us to reach families who may be eligible because we know access to nutritious food is critical.” 

“Staying engaged in school and active in life requires proper nutrition,” said ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams. “We know that there are many more families out there who have children who may be eligible for the $120 Summer EBT benefit and this important extension boosts our opportunity to reach them.”

Since June 28, 2024, more than 336,198 eligible school-aged children have been issued $40.3 million in Summer EBT food benefits. More than 60 percent of families receiving benefits in the initial issuance were able to immediately use benefits on existing Oregon EBT cards; the rest received new cards in July.

Act now and don’t let this opportunity pass by. Make sure your family receives the assistance it deserves by applying for Summer EBT before midnight Sept. 30, 2024.

To learn more:

1. Call 833-ORE-SEBT (833-673-7328). The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
2. Visit sebt.oregon.gov.

Oregon Senators Celebrate $11.5 Million To Boost Oregon Literacy Programs

On Friday, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that $11.5 million is coming to Oregon to boost the state’s programs to close disparities in literacy for students.

A release said the U.S. Department of Education is awarding the Oregon Department of Education $11,578,036 to advance literacy skills, including pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing for students from birth through grade 12. The program will particularly focus on limited-English-proficient students, and students with disabilities, including dyslexia. Friday’s award is the first of an anticipated 5-year program that could total up to nearly $58 million.

Merkley said, “Reading is key to success in education and life”. Merkley said, “Making sure the Oregon Department of Education has the resources it needs to support students and students with disabilities, including dyslexia, benefits us all. I’ll never stop fighting for Oregon students to make certain every child has a solid start in life”.

Wyden said, “The road to a great future for young Oregonians begins with reading”. Wyden said, “Students throughout our state with learning disabilities, English language learners and other young Oregonians will all gain from these federal literacy funds. I’ll always battle for these kinds of opportunities to strengthen educational support in classrooms statewide”.

The release said planned activities include literacy coaching, utilizing research-based literacy instruction, and developing effective school transition practices. The State will partner with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to align efforts with the Governor’s Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council.

Press Release: Make Waves — Registration for the 2024 Beach & Riverside Cleanup is Now Open

 – SOLVE invites volunteers to make a global impact this September by joining the annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup. From September 20 through September 28, families, community members, student groups, and nature enthusiasts from all stages of life will gather across Oregon and Southwest Washington for a 10-day event series with a variety of projects to choose from. Registration is now open for this vital community effort to protect and restore our coastlines, rivers, and public lands.

Connecting Local Actions to Global Movements – September 21 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, uniting millions of volunteers worldwide to protect our coasts and waterways from harmful trash and debris. This global movement amplifies the impact of local efforts, uniting communities for cleaner environments. The Beach & Riverside Cleanup wraps up on September 28 with National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event, focusing on trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and native tree planting.

Join the Effort – “After a season of heavy use, our rivers and beaches need care,” says Kris Carico, SOLVE’s Chief Executive Officer. “This event is a cherished tradition and a powerful force for change. We encourage everyone to get involved and make a lasting impact on our environment.”

SOLVE will host over 50 project sites across Oregon and SW Washington, from the Oregon Coast to the Willamette Valley and beyond. Last year, more than 1,500 volunteers removed 20,000 pounds of trash. Since 1986, the event has cleared over 2.5 million pounds of litter from Oregon’s natural areas. Volunteer registration is open for posted events and SOLVE is still seeking additional projects. Interested event leaders should register their events as soon as possible to fully maximize SOLVE’s support, resources, and everything needed to host a successful event. 

New Supply Hubs for Event Leaders – This year, SOLVE is making it easier for event leaders by launching five supply hubs at South Beach, Fort Stevens, Cape Lookout, Cape Blanco, and Sunset Bay. These hubs are equipped with reusable supplies like litter grabbers, vests, and buckets sponsored by Knife River. This partnership with Oregon Parks and Recreation strengthens SOLVE’s mission to provide even more volunteers with reusable supplies and host cleanup events with sustainability in mind.

Be Part of the Change – Join thousands of volunteers to protect our waterways, restore natural areas this September, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier Oregon. As the event dates approach, more details on project sites and opportunities will be released. For more information and to register, visit https://www.solveoregon.org/beach-riverside.

2024 Sponsors – SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup 2024 is proudly supported by Chevron, Clean Water Services, Daimler Truck North America, Fred Meyer, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., Here is Oregon, Keen Footwear, Knife River, KOIN, Metro, NEEF, Oregon Parks and Recreation, and Owens Corning.

About SOLVE – SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots group to a national model for volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains tens of thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon and Southwest Washington to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas and to build a legacy of stewardship for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information. 

Oregon’s Missing Persons

Many times you’ll see postings without case numbers or police contact. There is rarely a nefarious reason why (the nefarious ones are pretty obvious). Usually the loved one tried to call to report their missing person and they are either refused or told to wait a day or two by people who are unaware of SB 351 and the laws that they are bound to when answering the phone. Many people don’t bother calling LE if their loved one is homeless or in transition because they believe LE won’t care. The biggest myth is the 24 hour rule.

In Oregon we don’t have those rules and an officer or person answering the phone is not allowed to decide. The law decides. We have Senate Bill 351 and it states that the police CANNOT refuse a request for any reason and they must begin working on it within 12 hours. The person making the report does not have to be related to missing person either.

Here is SB 351 written by families of the missing here in Oregon in conjunction with Oregon law enforcement officers. This should be common knowledge, please make it this way. https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/…/SB351/Introduced

 Oregon State Police are reminding parents and students of the SafeOregon hotline.

It takes reports of potential threats against students and schools. The tips can be made anonymously. They can include safety threats, fights, drugs, weapons on campus, cyberbullying and students considering self-harm or suicide. A technician reviews the reports and assigns them either to police or school administrators. Tips can be made by phone, text, email or on the website https://www.safeoregon.com