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 30, 2024
Willamette Valley Weather
9/30 – It is going to be a windy day along the coast and across the higher mountain ridges and peaks. Here is the latest peak wind gust forecast from now through early tomorrow morning.
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… DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN – Just because we got a tiny bit of rain, it’s going to be dry for the next bit of time and Fire 
Season is still in progress.
Many people let their guard down because fall has arrived. Major fires can get started in October and November. Fire season will not end until we really hit full speed on the cooler weather, rain, and snow coming to stay. Until then, be vigilant and do everything you can to prevent the spark that could be the next serious fire.
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
Eugene Police Department – Missing Teenager Rescued With Help of Metro Drone Team
A local missing and endangered teen was rescued yesterday with the help of a Eugene Springfield Metro Drone Team operator, Lane County Search and Rescue team, and Eugene Springfield Fire.
At 9:45 p.m. on September 26, Eugene Police Drone Team responded to assist Lane County Sheriff’s Office Patrol and Search and Rescue after an endangered girl in her teens was reported missing. She was reported to have been seen about four hours earlier walking along a trail system that leads to the Willamette River. She was wearing only a top and shorts and no shoes. She had no phone, no money, food, or water and was in the throes of a mental health crisis brought on by a physical condition.
The Metro Drone Team joined LCSO’s approximately 15 Search and Rescue volunteers and an EPD officer/drone operator launched an M30 drone with the GL60 Mini spotlight attached. The officer began scanning from the girl’s last known location. He checked toward the river and along multiple branches of trails. Eventually he spotted a heat signature oddly placed in the middle of an open area about 1,700 feet away from his launch location. It was the teen, but she was trapped in the middle of a huge blackberry thicket.
The drone operator guided LCSO SAR to her GPS coordinates and maintained the drone overhead with a spotlight so deputies could use that to get to her. The deputies dug into the thicket and also had SAR bring an ATV to help shuttle Eugene Springfield Fire paramedics and plow blackberries.
The EPD drone officer said, “Given her position, I don’t believe she would have been found without the use of the drone. She was so cut up and exhausted, she was unable to move any further through the thicket. The family, LCSO, and SAR were thoroughly happy and impressed with the drone team capabilities and extended their gratitude. Every once in a while, there are calls for service where you walk away from it feeling like you had a positive impact on the people we are there to help. This was one of those for me. These poor family members (immediate and extended who were all-in on searching for this kid) were worried sick that this girl was hurt or worse. To see and hear their gratitude and relief after finding her was huge. I let them look on my screen to see their loved one was being cared for by all of these responders. This team is important and vital and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Prescribed Burns at Mt. Pisgah
Lane County Parks, in cooperation with the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, as well as US Fish & Wildlife Service and Rivers to Ridges partners, have been conducting ecological – or prescribed – burns at the Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA) weather permitting. The ecological burns will help enhance prairie and savanna habitats within the park.
“We are fortunate to have one of the biggest blocks of remaining prairie and oak habitats left in the Willamette Valley here in Howard Buford Recreation Area,” said Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah Stewardship Director Jason Blazar. “Ecological burns are an important part of preserving that habitat for future generations. We work closely with Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority and our Rivers to Ridges partners throughout the area to make sure burns are safe and will not disrupt nearby neighbors.”
Lane County parks and partners have conducted more than a dozen prescribed burns in HBRA since 1999. Executing ecological burns is always dependent on weather and ensuring atmospheric conditions will disperse smoke upward and away from densely populated areas. If postponed, an update will be provided to the community by notification to the media and on Facebook and Instagram at @LaneCountyParks.
For the safety of park visitors, the following trail closures will be in place during days of the ecological burn:
Meadowlark East Closures:
- East Trailhead parking lot
- Trail 2 east of Trail 24
- Trail 3 south of Trail 56
- Trail 4 east of Trail 24
- Trail 6 east of Trail 56
- Trail 46
Signs will be posted at the park notifying visitors of the trail closures. A trail map is available online.
Visitors to the park should be aware of localized smoky conditions and the presence of fire crews within the park during the burn.
Follow Lane County Parks on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Other partners in this effort include EcoStudies Institute, TheNature Conservancy, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Pleasant Hill-Goshen Fire.
Why the County conducts ecological burning:
Ecological burns are an essential management tool to sustain and expand native plant communities in these rare Willamette Valley habitats. The Willamette Valley was once dominated by savannas and prairies rich with diverse grass and wildflower species. These now-rare ecosystems require regular disturbance, such as fire, to maintain native species and to prevent conversion of open prairie to a closed woodland or forest. Historically, disturbance was provided through regular intentional burning by Native people or ignition by lightning. Many of our native prairie wildflowers, such as camas and Bradshaw’s lomatium, have evolved with fire for thousands of years and flourish after a site is burned.
Ecological burns in the park’s prairies accomplish several biological and fire safety goals including improved seed germination, removal of built-up thatch, and short-term soil fertilization. All these factors help native, grassland species thrive, including the declining Western Meadowlark (Oregon’s state bird), which nests in prairies and other open grassland habitats. In addition, prescribed burns protect the open prairie structure, as well as reduce the future risk of high intensity wildfires through the removal of standing, dead vegetation.
Sweet Home Structure Fire Turns Three Alarms for Manpower and Water Supply
At 6:14 pm on Saturday evening Sweet Home Fire was dispatched to a report of a structure fire on Ridgeway Rd. The caller reported gray smoke from the roof of the home. At 6:15 pm Sweet Home Fire was dispatched to a different location for a choking. These simultaneous calls meant that there was not a full crew to staff the first-due engine company. As a result crews could not make entry until a second fire unit, staffed by two volunteers, arrived at 6:58 pm.
Firefighters cannot make entry into a burning building until a minimum of 4 personnel are on scene with the exception of those incidents where it is confirmed that a victim is inside and requires rescue. In this instance, the Incident Commander, with the help of bystanders, was able to contact the occupant who was not at home and confirmed that there was no one inside.
The delay in making an offensive interior attack, coupled with challenging building construction obstacles including balloon-frame construction, multiple layers of roofing, metal roofing and void spaces, made this an exceptionally challenging firefight. A second alarm was requested almost immediately due to the lack of responders available. This brought crews from Lebanon Fire, Brownsville Fire, and Halsey Fire. Even with the addition of the mutual aid resources, crews continued to be hampered by extreme heat inside the structure as a result of an inability to effectively ventilate through the multiple layers of roofing.
The structure, built in 1932, had a layer of tongue and groove wood in the ceilings on each level of the 2-story house which also had a basement. This construction made the firefight extremely labor-intensive. A third alarm was requested to bring more manpower to the scene to aid firefighters who had already utilized multiple breathing air cylinders, and were several hours into the incident.
At that time, the Incident Commander made the decision to transition to a defensive exterior attack for the safety of the firefighters until more crews could arrive. That exterior attack took a significant amount of heat out of the building and crews were able to transition back into an offensive tactic to overhaul the structure. This fire was also located in a rural area which was unhydranted, requiring mutual aid water tenders that were part of the second and third alarm assignments.
In all there were 16 fire apparatus on scene, carrying 31 personnel. The third alarm assignment brought crews from Mohawk Valley, and medic units from both Lebanon Fire and Albany Fire were also moved up throughout the incident to cover ambulance calls in the area. There were no injuries, however 1 firefighter was evaluated by medics at the scene and did not require transport to the hospital. The home sustained heavy fire damage to the second story and water damage to the first story and basement.
The fire is believed to have started in a storage area behind a knee wall on the second-story. Heavy fire damage in that area, as well as damage inherent to firefighting efforts including ventilation directly over the fire and overhaul left investigators unable to determine the cause. This fire is a reminder of how critical volunteer firefighters are to our community. We would like to encourage anyone interested in firefighting to apply for a volunteer position with their local fire department.
Lumber Mill Fire In Pleasant Hill On Friday Was Found To Be An Electrical Fire Causing Thousands Of Dollars In Damages
Shortly before 7pm on Friday, 9/27, Pleasant Hill Goshen personnel were dispatched with mutual aid units to a reported industrial fire on Parkway Rd in Pleasant Hill. On arrival, fire was found to be burning in an open machine building with stored lumber materials.
Personnel were able to quickly contain the fire to the main building and surounding lumber stacks and saw dust piles. Due to lines down, some access was limited while power crews responded. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Pleasant Hill Goshen Fire was assisted by Dexter, Lowell, South Lane and Eugene Springfield Fire units which complete our commercial first alarm response assignments.
In total, 19 firefighters worked to contain this fire. Mutual aid agreements bring quick response of multiple units to ensure effective containment of fires. We appreciate our partner agencies for assisting and supporting our incidents.
Lane County Government – We hope our tips this month have helped you #GetYourKitTogether for National Preparedness Month.
Be sure to periodically check your kit to ensure items are still good and in working order. Replacing items as needed will help ensure your kit is ready when you need it. Practice your family communications plan and do emergency drills a few times per year. For more resources and information on preparedness, emergency alerts and emergency response, visit www.LaneCountyOR.gov/prepare#NationalPreparednessMonth
The Lane County Elections Office was notified again on September 23 that the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles had mistakenly marked an additional 35 non-U.S. citizens as eligible to vote in Lane County and those people were subsequently registered by the Oregon Elections Division.
After a careful audit, Lane County Elections can confirm one mistakenly registered non-citizen returned a ballot in Lane County. Lane County will follow up with that person, who now lives out of state, to determine whether they had achieved citizenship before returning that ballot.
The additional non-citizen registrations have been removed from Lane County’s active voter roll and they will no longer receive ballots, including for the upcoming November 5 General Election. Those 35 people will be contacted by letter to inform them of the error.
These 35 people are in addition to the 11 people Lane County Elections was notified of on September 13.
Lane County remains committed to a transparent and accountable elections process and is appreciative of the Oregon Elections Division’s ongoing effort notify election officials across the state of this error. To learn more about election security in Lane County, visit www.LaneCountyOR.gov/electionsecurity.
If you have evidence that an election law is being violated, including evidence of unlawful voting, it should be reported at sos.oregon.gov/investigation.
To register to vote, visit here!
Benton County Sheriff’s Office Announces Community Emergency Response Team Training Course
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:
- Disaster Preparedness
- CERT Organization
- Disaster Medical Operations – Part 1
- Disaster Medical Operations – Part 2
- Disaster Psychology
- Fire Safety and Utility Controls
- Light Search and Rescue Operations
- Terrorism and CERT
- 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.
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
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.
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.
“When It Hits The Fan”: Podcast by Lane County Emergency Management
This month on Lane County Emergency Management’s 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼𝑡 𝐻𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑛, Emergency Manager Tiffany Brown shares essential tips on what to do when staying home isn’t an option.
Tiffany dives into how to prepare your Go Bag, with everything you need to sustain yourself for 72 hours: water, medications, warm layers, and more. She also breaks down the 𝟲 𝗣𝘀 – the must-haves when you need to evacuate:
People & Pets 
Prescriptions 
Personal Computer 
Papers 
Pictures 
Plastic (credit cards, important IDs)Get ready, stay informed, and make sure you’re prepared for anything! 
Listen now: www.LaneCountyOR.gov/fan or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube
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. Listen at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/fan.
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)
Red Cross Volunteers from Oregon and SW Washington on Their Way to Hurricane Helene
American Red Cross – Cascades Region
Support communities in the path of the storm by making a financial donation or scheduling an appointment to give blood
Thousands of people are dealing with the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene and American Red Cross disaster workers are with them, providing comfort, support and relief.
More than 4 million customers – as many as 12 million people – are without power across impacted states. The danger isn’t over and people in affected areas are urged to heed the utmost caution before venturing outside. Helene is now a tropical storm threatening parts of the Southeast with dangerous flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes.
Thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to make a financial donation or to schedule a blood donation appointment. Individuals can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.
RED CROSS RESPONSE In just the past 48 hours, the Red Cross has opened or supported more than 140 shelters for nearly 9,400 individuals who have evacuated their homes. Red Cross teams managed 50 of these shelters overnight and supported more than 80 partner shelters with staff and supplies
The Cascades Region in Oregon and SW Washington has sent 10 volunteers already with more lining up to go. Just like volunteers from across the country who came to Oregon to support our wildfire evacuations this summer, our volunteers will be there as long as we are needed.
As deadly flooding continues and threatens additional communities, even more people will urgently need our support. Red Crossers are working closely with community partners and state and local officials to ensure help is available where needed.
Nearly 500 disaster workers are on the ground helping with hundreds more on their way. The Red Cross has also deployed numerous emergency response vehicles to help where needed. When it is safe to do so, Red Cross disaster responders will travel throughout affected communities, assessing the damage and distributing meals and relief supplies.
CANCELED BLOOD DRIVES Helene has canceled blood drives throughout Georgia and the Carolinas causing more than 1,000 blood donations to go uncollected, and this number is growing.
As communities feel the effects of Helene, patients are fighting their own battle. Some of these patients urgently need closely matched blood donations to weather their health crises. If you’re in a safe area, you have the power to be a lifeline.
Please schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to help restock the shelves.
FIND A SHELTEREvacuation shelters are open across the region. You can find evacuation shelters on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).You can also find shelters by following your local Red Cross and local emergency officials on social media, or by monitoring local news. If you need assistance finding or going to a shelter in the Big Bend region, call 800-729-3413 for help.
CLIMATE CRISIS Helene could be the start of a series of back-to-back storms that threaten the U.S. as additional systems form in the Atlantic.Experts report Hurricane Helene was able to grow and become more destructive because of hotter-than-average ocean temperatures caused by the climate crisis, which is bringing more frequent and intense disasters that upend lives. In response, the Red Cross is providing food, shelter and recovery support on a nearly continual basis.
Find safety steps for different emergencies ꟷ including hurricanes and power outages ꟷ here.
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; 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.
Governor Kotek Calls On Federal Government To Cancel Offshore Wind Auction In Southern Oregon — Oregon Offshore Wind Auction Stopped For Now After Protest From Governor
Governor Kotek has asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy management to halt its efforts to lease property off the coast of Oregon, endorsed the withdrawal of the state from an intergovernmental energy task force. (https://kval.com/resources/pdf/0bcf3574-3321-4904-b771-84d483594586-GovernorKoteklettertoBOEMDirectorKlein_1727455319170.pdf )
This comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians which alleges BOEM conducted insufficient analysis of offshore wind energy impacts.
The request was met with a strong response by other state leaders, including Senator Wyden, “I don’t back down when it comes to deploying renewable energy projects, but even the pursuit of clean energy doesn’t mean running over the public process,” Wyden said. “I’m glad federal regulators hit the pause button on proceeding with this hasty auction process. I’ve been pressing for this to slow down because Oregonians on the coast deserve every opportunity to have an actual say in this issue affecting their lives and livelihoods.”
BOEM Postpones Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Auction
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced today that it is delaying the offshore wind energy auction planned for potential lease areas offshore Oregon due to insufficient bidder interest at this time.
On Aug. 29, 2024, the Department of the Interior announced the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Oregon following engagement through the Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, including coordination with the State of Oregon on advancing opportunities for leasing that would precede a multi-year process for site assessments and subsequent review of any specific project plans if submitted. The FSN set an auction date for Oct. 15, 2024, and included two lease areas offshore Oregon and identified the five companies qualified to participate in the sale. Following issuance of the FSN, BOEM received bidding interest from one of the five qualified companies.
In determining a future opportunity for a potential lease sale, BOEM will continue to collaborate with representatives from federal, state and local agencies and Tribal governments, to coordinate on potential leasing and support ongoing stakeholder engagement processes on broader offshore wind considerations, such as the state-led development of a strategic roadmap for offshore wind.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department has approved the nation’s first ten commercial scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of approximately 15 gigawatts of clean energy — enough to power 5.25 million homes. Since January 2021, the Department has held five offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New jersey and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Secretary Deb Haaland also recently announced a schedule of potential additional lease sales through 2028.
For more information on offshore wind in Oregon, visit: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/oregon-activities. —– https://www.boem.gov/newsroom/press-releases/boem-postpones-oregon-offshore-wind-energy-auction
Oregon’s Income Growth is the 6th Fastest in the Nation
Oregon average incomes are growing at a rate of the sixth-fastest in the nation and have never been higher, even after accounting for inflation, says former state economist Josh Lehner.
Lehner was commenting on data released in an American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau which reveals that Oregon is extending its trend of declining poverty with average annual household income pegged at $81,160, or 3.1% higher than the national average.
Writing a poverty and progress report in the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, Lehner says the incomes of typical state households have never been higher, growing by 6% before inflation in 2023, and 2.1% in real, or inflation-adjusted terms.
Oregon Has the 21st Strongest Inflation Rate in the U.S.
The average income earned by Oregonians from 2019 to 2023 increased by 19.5% in nominal terms. This figure reflects an increase of just 2.8% in real terms because of surging inflation. Oregon has the 21st-strongest inflation rate in the country.
Another state trend in recent years has been the narrowing gap in racial income disparities. Lehner says the growth of household income has been the strongest among Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).
He says wages have been the biggest component driving household income, with average earnings of full-time workers rising 5.3% before inflation. Earnings have increased on average by 5.1% annually since 2019.
The strongest household income gains have been recorded in the Bend metro and the Rogue Valley, while Portland metro area is at or near the income gains seen elsewhere.
1 in 8 People Lives Below the Poverty Line
On the flip side of the coin is poverty and, in Oregon, one in eight people live below the federal poverty line.
Lehner says one fact that has stood out in recent years is ‘the number of Oregonians in deep poverty,’ some whose income ‘is less than half of the official poverty level.’ This translates to an annual revenue of $7,000 per person, or $15,000 for a family of four.
The poverty threshold set by the government is a yearly income of $15,480 per person or $31,200 for a family of four.
While Oregon’s poverty threshold remains relatively steady, Lehner says there is an increase in people living in deep poverty.
Poverty Has Been Steadily Increasing Among Hispanic and Latino Residents
The biggest change in the racial poverty gap in recent years has been a steady increase in poverty among Hispanic and Latino residents. However, historically low poverty was recorded in 2023 among Black and American Indian population groups. Poverty among Oregon Blacks is close to 25%, more than double the statewide level.
Clackamas County has the lowest poverty rate in Oregon at 6.6%, while Multnomah County, the largest in the state, has the highest poverty level of 12.9% in the metro area. Although Crook County’s poverty is below 8%, it has one of the highest unemployment rates in Oregon.
Overall, the 2023 survey shows that Oregon household incomes are continuing to rise, although poverty rates among some groups, in some locales, are much higher than statewide. (SOURCE)
Nearly five months in, Oregon wildfire season expected to last into mid-October
Oregon’s forest and fire leaders were succinct in describing this year’s wildfire season to a group of Oregon senators.
“It just won’t quit is essentially where we’re at, and our folks are really tired,” Kyle Williams, deputy director of fire operations at the Oregon Department of Forestry, told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Tuesday.
Williams and two others – Doug Graffe, Gov. Tina Kotek’s wildfire and military advisor; and Travis Medema, a chief deputy for the Oregon State Fire Marshal – told senators the state would likely wrap up its now five-monthlong fire season in mid-October, following a record 1.9 million acres burned. That’s nearly three times as many acres as the state’s 10-year average.
Medema said projections from the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, which coordinates wildfire resources, showed one or two more “significant event days” before the state is fully out of the 2024 wildfire season.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is currently fighting a 300-acre fire near Coos Bay and the Fossil Complex in eastern Oregon, made up of five fires over nearly 25,000 acres.
“We’re finally on the downhill of the slope,” Williams said, but warned that forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show 10 days ahead of dry and above average temperatures. “What’s next is what we’re focused on, and we’re in good shape. We’re mostly back in the barn ready to go again.”
The bulk of the wildfires have burned through east Oregon grass and shrub, with about 25% of it in forestland, according to the Wildland Mapping Institute. More than one-third of all acres blackened have been on private land, and about 62% has been on federal land. Most wildfires are caused by humans, according to the interagency coordination center, but this year the bulk of blazes have started from natural causes, such as lightning.
The wildfires prompted Kotek to declare a statewide emergency and ask for federal help and regulatory flexibility for farmers and ranchers. She’s also invoked the Conflagration Act 17 times this year, with the latest invocation on Sept. 10 for the Service Fire in Wheeler County. The act unleashes resources to fight blazes that threaten lives, communities or key infrastructure. (SOURCE)
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
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/state/oregon
Large Fires in Oregon Past 2 Weeks 9/30/24 9:00am per INCIWEB
| Incident | Type | State | Incident Size | UpdatedSort ascending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homestead Complex – ORUPF | Wildfire | Oregon | 10041 Acres | 17 minutes 50 seconds ago |
| Diamond Complex – ORUPF | Wildfire | Oregon | 11141 Acres | 18 minutes 26 seconds ago |
| Bachelor Complex Fires – ORDEF | Wildfire | Oregon | 11741 Acres | 20 minutes 6 seconds ago |
| Lane 1 Fire – OR77S | Wildfire | Oregon | 25952 Acres | 20 minutes 38 seconds ago |
| Willamette Complex Fires – South – ORWIF | Wildfire | Oregon | 23594 Acres | 3 hours 22 minutes ago |
| Wiley Flat – OROCF | Wildfire | Oregon | 30186 Acres | 12 hours 7 minutes ago |
| Rail Ridge – OROCF | Wildfire | Oregon | 165743 Acres | 12 hours 33 minutes ago |
| Red Fire – ORDEF | Wildfire | Oregon | 2069 Acres | 12 hours 35 minutes ago |
| North Willamette Complex – ORWIF | Wildfire | Oregon | 5373 Acres | 20 hours 22 minutes ago |
| Sandstone Fire – ORMHF | Wildfire | Oregon | 702 Acres | 3 days 15 hours ago |
| Fossil Complex – OR95S | Wildfire | Oregon | 24446 Acres | 3 days 21 hours ago |
| Buck Creek Fire – ORFWF | Wildfire | Oregon | 5758 Acres | 3 days 21 hours ago |
| Whisky Creek Fire – ORMHF | Wildfire | Oregon | 3203 Acres | 4 days 12 hours ago |
| Crazy Creek – OROCF | Burned Area Emergency Response | Oregon | 86968 Acres | 4 days 23 hours ago |
| Flat Top and Firestone Fires – ORDEF | Wildfire | Oregon | Acres | 6 days 20 hours ago |
| Middle Fork Fire – ORCLP | Wildfire | Oregon | 5286 Acres | 1 week 3 days ago |
| Shoe Fly Fire – OR95S | Wildfire | Oregon | 26817 Acres | 2 weeks ago |
| Microwave Tower Fire – OR95S | Wildfire | Oregon | 1313 Acres | 2 weeks 4 days ago |
| Copperfield Fire – OR98S | Wildfire | Oregon | 3822 Acres | 2 weeks 4 days ago |
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.
Tigard Mother and Daughter Indicted for Holding Three Victims in Indentured Servitude in Adult Foster Care Home
PORTLAND, Ore.—A mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon were arraigned in federal court today after they were indicted for using force and threats to compel three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home.
Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 66, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 30, have been charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiring with one another to commit forced labor, committing forced labor, and benefitting from forced labor.
According to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida’s Care Home in Tigard, began their trafficking scheme in 2023 when they convinced two adults and a child from Haiti to travel to the United States to work at Velida’s.
In early September 2023, all three victims arrived in Portland and were immediately taken to Velida’s where they were forced to work long, difficult hours for little or no pay. Valmont and Andre are also alleged to have taken their victims’ immigration paperwork and forbade them from leaving Velida’s under any circumstances. Valmont is further alleged to have thrown items at the victims, threatened to send them back to Haiti and have them killed, and threatened to call the police and make false theft allegations against them.
In the summer of 2023, authorities with the Oregon Department of Justice were alerted to the situation at Velida’s following the minor victim’s disclosure of her indentured servitude to a pediatrician. Shortly after, the minor victim was removed from Velida’s and placed in a foster home. On Thursday, the FBI arrested Valmont and Andre at Velida’s without incident.
Both defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending further court proceedings.
Committing and benefitting from forced labor are both punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Tigard Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Eliza Carmen-Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, you can also submit a tip via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information provided to the CyberTipline.
Oregon legislature takes up noncitizen voter registration issue in first hearing
A DMV review found that 1,259 people may have been mistakenly registered through Oregon’s automatic voter registration system without providing proof of citizenship.
Oregon lawmakers waded into a voter registration controversy on Wednesday with the first legislative hearing held since the Secretary of State’s office and Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced that 1,259 people had been mistakenly added to the voter rolls without providing proof of U.S. citizenship, and ten of them had cast ballots.
ODOT and elections officials appeared apologetic at the hearing, particularly for the timing of the discovery, but insisted that the issue has been corrected. Elections staff also said they’ve confirmed that the error was not large enough to have affected the outcome of any prior election.
“This issue will have no impact on the 2024 election. We were able to catch the error in time,” said Ben Morris, chief of staff at the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.
Eligible residents who receive driver licenses or state ID cards are automatically registered to vote in Oregon, but in 2021 the state started allowing noncitizens to obtain driver licenses. According to ODOT, the mistake happened when DMV staff accidentally selected the wrong option on a computer menu when listing applicants’ identifying documents.
“This was truly a clerical error. We have a drop-down menu of documents that people can provide to prove their identity and age in DMV transactions, and that menu defaulted to U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate,” said DMV administrator Amy Joyce.
ODOT initially announced on Sept. 13 that it had discovered 306 cases, and then announced Monday that the number had grown to 1,259 after a full review. In an FAQ ahead of the hearing, ODOT said the full review included all licenses and ID cards issued after Jan. 1, 2021, the day the DMV started allowing noncitizens to apply, totaling about 1.4 million records. REAL ID licenses were not included because they go through separate federal verification.
The data entry mistake doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the 1,259 people were not U.S. citizens, ODOT added — it just means the documentation they provided at the DMV to obtain a license did not include proof of citizenship, so it shouldn’t have been forwarded to the Secretary of State’s office to be added to the voter rolls.
ODOT and elections officials previously announced that only 10 of the people had actually submitted a ballot in any election over the past four years, and one of them was subsequently confirmed to have been a U.S. citizen at the time they voted.
At the hearing, elections director Molly Woon said her office is still checking the other nine and she expected to have final results by the end of the day, but added that the office has already confirmed that none of them voted in elections that were close enough that their votes could have affected the outcome. If the elections division finds that any of them were not citizens at the time they cast their ballots, their cases could be referred to the Oregon Department of Justice.
The Secretary of State’s office immediately deactivated the voter registration of the first 306 people and has now done the same with all 1,259 cases, Woon said, but added that they will all be notified of the change by the end of this week and given instructions for how to reactivate their voter registration if they can prove their citizenship.
Joyce and ODOT director Kris Strickler said the DMV has already updated its software to display the identification drop-down options in alphabetical order and added a confirmation pop-up if U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate is selected. A manager in each DMV office is also now double-checking every transaction at the end of each day.
Most of the lawmakers on the committee appeared satisfied with ODOT’s remedial measures, with the bulk of the critical questions focused on why the agency didn’t detect the clerical error until an outside group intervened.
ODOT previously acknowledged that it began the review after a group called the Institute for Responsive Government reached out over the summer. According to Strickler, the nonprofit didn’t discover any improper registrations — it just asked some general questions about how Oregon’s voter registration system was working, and the questions prompted ODOT to begin a review.
“Let me state the obvious. Should we have been looking sooner than a few months before the election? Absolutely,” Joyce said.
Some lawmakers at the hearing also asked about what the elections office is doing to protect the 1,259 people on the list from harassment or legal consequences, with committee chair Rep. Ben Bowman stressing that none of them asked to be added to the voter rolls, and they were all registered as a result of a government error.
Woon said the notification letter sent to each of them will include instructions for obtaining an official “no-fault letter” that will confirm they were registered by accident and state it shouldn’t be held against them in the future. Morris added that his office does not plan to release the list and believes it is exempt from public records law because it contains private voter data. “We are very sensitive to the fact that this list could put people’s lives in danger,” he said. (SOURCE)
Medford’s Outgoing Mail Handling Challenged By Oregon State Senators
Demanding that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy reverse his position to relocate outgoing mail operations at the regional postal distribution center in Medford, U.S., Senators Ron Wyden (D) and Jeff Merkley (D) share the grave concerns of the residents of Southern Oregon that the consolidation of processes poses significant negative consequences for the efficiency of postal services and the community.
The Medford processing center has a crucial role- to ensure the mail of residents, businesses, and government agencies is delivered timeously.
The senators say the consolidation of the facility resulted in mail delivery delays, impacting essential services. They said the consolidation is felt by those who rely on prompt and reliable postal services, especially seniors, rural Oregonians, and small businesses in the region.
Highlighting that Oregon state votes entirely by mail, the senators expressed confidence a solution can be found that strengthens the Postal Service and serves the needs of local communities in Southern Oregon with thoughtful consideration. They do not see downgrading the Medford site as a solution.
The restructuring plan was labeled by DeJoy ‘Delivering for America’ but Merkely said a better name would be ‘Delaying Mail in America.’ He said despite USPS leadership claims that downgrades won’t slow deliveries, every delivery route will be slower when over 500 miles are added. Merkley says this is already happening in his home state.
Despite the downgrade of services, the USPS continues to raise prices. A single stamp costs 73 cents as of July 14. Merkley said while the USPS calls the new system ‘more efficient and cost-effective,’ he calls it ‘paying more and getting less.’ Rural communities are the most severely affected by the price hikes and delivery delays.
Merkley said DeJoy’s downgrades must be reversed now to restore reliable, affordable mail delivery. He suggests the ‘Delivering for America’ plan be returned to the sender. (SOURCE)
Oregon State Parks to increase camping, parking and reservation fees for 2025
SALEM, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is increasing its camping, parking and reservation fees to keep pace with the rising cost of utilities, operations and maintenance.
Most of the increases range from $2 to $5 depending on the fee.
The park system has experienced record visitation as well as the impacts of rising costs and inflation. Utility costs for example have increased by 28% over the last 4 years, but most fees have remained the same. Depending on the fee, the last increase was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago for base fees.
“We know that raising fees by any amount can be challenging for visitors, and we don’t make this decision lightly. We try to keep costs and fees as low as possible to minimize the impact while still fulfilling our commitment to stewardship and recreation,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption.
Oct. 15, 2024: OPRD will increase its base camping fees for the first time since 2017. The increase applies to all camping reservations for 2025. Starting on October 15, 2024, all reservations made for 2025 stays will include the fee increase.
Increases in base rate by site type:
- $2 increase for misc. sites (includes teepees, meeting halls and other facilities)
- $3 increase for tent sites (includes horse tent sites, horse group sites, group tent) and primitive sites (includes overflow, fly-in and walk-to-sites)
- $4 increase for RV sites (includes full hookup, electrical, horse RV and group RV sites)
- $5 increase for cabins and yurts (includes rustic, mini, totem, and deluxe sites)
(Seasonal rate increases were adopted in 2020. The seasonal adjustments will be added to the new base rates. As in previous years, summer rates are $2 more for tent sites, $3 more for RV sites and $5 more for cabins/yurts.)
Jan. 1, 2025: OPRD will increase its reservation fee from $8 to $10 per site starting Jan. 1, 2025. This fee has not been increased since 2010.
Daily parking permit fees will increase from $5 to $10 at the 25 parks that charge a fee for day-use parking. Parking permit fees were last increased in 2009. The annual parking permit and the two-year permit fees remain the same at $30 for the annual permit and $50 for the two-year permit.
July 1, 2025: OPRD will expand the 25% out-of-state surcharge for RV campsites (required by state law) to all site types for out-of-state campers.
New camping rate ranges replace the existing ones. These ranges set the lowest and highest fees that OPRD can charge over time. It gives OPRD’s director the ability to change fees in the future as needed. The last rate range update was adopted in 2018.
OPRD has three main sources of funding: a little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. OPRD is not funded by taxes.
OPRD does offer a few resources and programs to help increase access to Oregon State Parks.
- Most Oregon State Parks offer free day-use parking. Current exceptions include this list of 25 parks online.
- We also have special access passes for free camping and day-use parking permits for:
Next month, OPRD will open public comment on a proposal designed to give OPRD’s director more flexibility to decide which parks charge for day-use parking. The proposal would require day-use parking permits at all parks unless otherwise noted. The director would have the authority to waive the permit requirement as needed. There are no plans to charge at all parks, and OPRD would consider any changes carefully.
OPRD will continue to explore options in the future that reduce cost as a barrier while earning needed revenue to maintain our parks and manage congestion.
Measures On The Ballot For Oregon’s 2024 Election
Oregon voters will decidewhether to receive a $1,600 annual rebate through an increase in the corporate sales tax via a ballot measure that has received fierce pushback from lawmakers, local businesses and labor unions alike.
Why it matters: If Measure 118 passes, every Oregonian would receive an annual check, regardless of age or income, starting next year.
- The rebate would be paid for by a 3% gross receipts tax for all companies doing business in Oregon that make more than $25 million annually in sales.
- If passed, the new tax would generate $1.3 billion in revenue for the 2023-25 biennium, according to the Legislative Revenue Office.
The intrigue: This would be separate from the “kicker.”
Catch up quick: The measure is one of five initiatives Oregonians will vote on this November that could alter how the state governs its elections, businesses and elected officials’ salaries.
Here’s a brief look at the other four measures.
Measure 115 would amend Oregon’s constitution to allow the Legislature to impeach statewide elected officials — if both the House and Senate reach an affirmative two-thirds vote.
- Right now, Oregon is the only state without an impeachment doctrine.
Measure 116 would establish a commission to study and set the salaries and compensation for statewide elected officials.
- The yearly base pay for Oregon lawmakers is around $35,000. The study would look at all elected offices, including governor, secretary of state, judges, district attorneys, as well as state senators and representatives.
Measure 117 would establish ranked choice voting for federal and statewide elected offices.
- Portland voters will participate in the city’s first-ever ranked choice election this fall, while Multnomah County voters will use the system in November 2026.
Measure 119 would essentially make it easier for cannabis workers to unionize by requiring cannabis retailers, processors and labs to submit a labor neutrality agreement with a union in order to request or renew their operating license.
The bottom line: The last day to register to vote in order to participate in the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 15. (SOURCE)
DAS Publishes Oregon Annual Maximum Rent Increase for 2025
Salem, OR- Today, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) published the annual maximum rent increase allowed by statute for calendar year 2025. The DAS Office of Economic Analysis has calculated the maximum percentage as 10.0%.
Implemented in 2019, Oregon law requires DAS to calculate and post to its website by Sept. 30, the maximum allowable annual rent increase percentage for the following calendar year. Per statute, the Office of Economic Analysis calculates this amount as seven percent plus the annual 12-month average change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), as most recently published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, or 10%, whichever is lower. Only one rent increase may be issued in any 12-month period.
The allowable rent increase percentage for the 2025 calendar year is 10.0%. This applies to residential rental units 15 years and older. DAS will calculate and post the percentage for the 2026 calendar year by Sept. 30, 2025.
Since implementation in 2019, the rate has held around nine or 10%, with the exception of 2023 prior to July 6. The mid-year change was due to a change in the law that capped the rent increase at 10%.
Information about the maximum annual rent increase percentage, as well as the provisions of ORS 90.323 and 90.600 (statutes governing rent increases), can be found on the OEA website: https://www.oregon.gov/das/OEA/Pages/Rent-stabilization.aspx.
The Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Economic Analysis cannot provide legal advice. Those in need of legal advice should contact an attorney. Questions about the percentage calculation itself may contact OEA.info@das.oregon.gov.
Missing McMinnville Woman Found Dead in Douglas County East of Glide
A missing woman from McMinnville has been found dead in Douglas County.
According to the Myrtle Creek Police Department, an ODOT employee spotted a vehicle down a steep embankment along Highway 138 approximately 35 miles east of Glide Wednesday morning.
A missing woman from McMinnville has been found dead in Douglas County. According to the Myrtle Creek Police Department, an ODOT employee spotted a vehicle down a steep embankment along Highway 138 approximately 35 miles east of Glide Wednesday morning.
Police identified the vehicle as belonging to 69-year-old Kathleen Wilson of McMinnville. She had been reported missing back on August 5th. Pending official identification from the medical examiner, it is believed to be Wilson’s body that was found inside the vehicle.
The preliminary investigation indicates Wilson was driving eastbound on Highway 138 when for an unknown reason her vehicle traveled across the roadway and down the embankment on the opposite side of the highway.
Myrtle Creek police were assisted by ODOT, OSP, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Forest Service.
OSP seizes almost half a million fentanyl-laced pills – Douglas County
Oregon State Police
– An Oregon State Police trooper recently stopped 100 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills from making it to Portland.
On Sept. 24, 2024, at about 1 p.m., an Oregon State Trooper stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on Interstate 5 in Douglas County. Upon contact with the operator of the silver Volkswagen SUV, the trooper suspected possible criminal activity and received consent to search the vehicle.
During the search, the trooper discovered and seized 100 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills – approximately 450,000 individual doses – from inside the vehicle. The suspect acknowledged the pills were destined for Portland.
Due to the large quantity of illegal substances seized, the suspect, Gustavo Alonso Franco Valenzuela (32) of Los Angeles (CA), was arrested and federally charged with delivery of a controlled substance.
The investigation is ongoing, and no additional information is available for release at this time.
Task Force Busts Remote Forest Black-Market Cannabis Grow; Investigators Find Water Theft, Guns, Chemicals, Poaching, Excessive Amounts of Trash; Code Enforcement Issues $25K in Fines to Landowners
Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Video available for download: https://vimeo.com/1012916267?share=copy#t=0
JCSO Case 24-5111 — RURAL JACKSONVILLE, Ore. – Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant the morning of Thursday, September 19, at a black-market cannabis grow in a heavily forested remote area on Yale Creek Road south of Jacksonville. The property was littered with piles of trash, broken down cars, tires, fertilizers, chemicals, and other environmental hazards. The grow was also illegally siphoning water from a nearby creek on National Forest land.
During the search warrant IMET detectives seized approximately 3,978 illegal marijuana plants, and six firearms. 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) and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office deputies, as well as Oregon State Police (OSP) detectives.
Two suspects were detained on scene and charges of felony marijuana manufacture and possession are being referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. Detectives also found evidence of suspected poaching on scene, which has been turned over to the OSP Fish & Wildlife division for potential prosecution.
During the search warrant, Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene and issued a total of $25,000 in fines to two separate landowners. The fines were issued for violations related to unpermitted construction including an unpermitted dwelling, failure to obtain land use approval for marijuana production, utilizing a camping vehicle within a marijuana production area, and solid waste.
Oregon Water Resources Department Enforcement section Watermasters also responded to investigate the property’s water usage. Watermasters issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the responsible parties for the unauthorized appropriation of water from a tributary of Yale Creek. This type of water violation is subject to both civil and criminal penalties.
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.
OSP asking for the public’s help to locate wanted man — Oregon State Police
Suspect wanted for sex crimes in Oregon and Alabama
– 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.
Umatilla County- Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Umatilla County
Oregon State Police – 09/25/24 4:58 PM
Umatilla County, Ore 24 Sept 24- Oregon State Police investigating officer involved shooting in Umatilla County
On Tuesday, September 24th, 2024, at 6:38 p.m., Milton-Freewater dispatch received a call from local residence of a man who had entered their house. The reporting party stated the man had been hanging around the area for several days and was possibly homeless and had mental health issues. Milton-Freewater dispatch believed this person was the same person they had been receiving complaints about hanging around Gib Olinger Elementary School the past several days.
Milton-Freewater police responded to the area at 6:53 p.m. The officer identified the suspect as Daniel Soto Madrigal (30) and trespassed him from the location. Soto Madrigal had an active felony warrant for his arrest and the officer attempted to take him into custody. The suspect resisted arrest and a use of force incident unfolded which culminated in the arresting officer discharging his firearm.
Soto Madrigal was arrested and transported to an area hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound. His condition is described as stable at this time.
The involved officer received medical treatment for minor injuries and has been placed on administrative leave pursuant to SB 111 protocols.
The Umatilla County Major Crime Team was activated and members from the Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, and the Umatilla County District Attorney responded to the scene to investigate the incident.
Any future news releases will come from the Oregon State Police or the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office. No additional releases are planned at this time.
Prineville Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Drug Treatment Fraud Scheme
U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon
EUGENE, Ore.—A Prineville, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for using stolen identities to submit fraudulent health care claims resulting in over $1.5 million in misappropriated funds from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Medicaid Program and filing false tax returns that failed to report earnings she received.
Darla K. Byus, 55, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $2,033,315 in restitution to OHA and the IRS.
“Her crimes betrayed the trust placed in this company as a substance abuse treatment provider in Oregon. We thank the state and federal investigators for their dedication and commitment to ending this scheme,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “Business owners who abuse the system to line their pockets at the expense of our communities will be held accountable.”
“HHS-OIG is committed to protecting Oregon communities and taxpayer funds from schemes targeting Oregon’s Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG values our continued partnership with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and other law enforcement partners and will continue to investigate those who threaten the integrity of federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.”
“I am pleased that the joint investigation between our Medicaid Fraud Unit at Oregon DOJ and five federal agencies turned up the evidence needed for the United States Attorney to successfully prosecute this complex case. Oregon’s Medicaid program will get back over a million dollars it is rightfully owed, and those who try to defraud Oregonians and undermine our social safety net programs should be on notice— they will be caught and prosecuted,” said Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
According to court documents, from January 2019 to August 2021, Byus used her company, Choices Recover Services (CRS), to overbill the OHA Medicaid Program for substance abuse counseling services and to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims using the stolen identities of Medicaid recipients.
As an OHA Medicaid Provider for drug and alcohol related counseling services, CRS had access to a provider portal through the Medicaid Management Information System. Byus exploited this access to privileged information to determine a victim’s Medicaid eligibility. She then used their personally identifiable information to submit claims without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. Byus used the stolen identities more than 45 victims, at least a third of which were identified by searching jail roster websites for recent drug or alcohol related offenses.
Using CRS, Byus submitted over $3 million in false claims to the OHA Medicaid Program and received over $1.5 million in fraudulent proceeds. She used the misappropriated funds to purchase multiple properties in Oregon and to gamble. In addition, Byus knowingly filed false tax returns for herself and CRS, failing to pay approximately $450,438 in taxes.
On May 13, 2024, Byus was charged by criminal information with heath care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making a false tax return and, on June 20, 2024, she pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the Oregon Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. It was prosecuted by Joseph H. Huynh and Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Oregon Ranks #2 in The Top 5 States With the Worst Behaved Drivers According to Forbes Study
A new survey may help some motorists decide which roads across the nation to stay off to avoid bad-behaved drivers behind the wheel.
In recent findings published by Forbes Advisor, researchers analyzed nearly two dozen behaviors to learn which states had the worst drivers across the country.
The 19 behaviors included reasons like texting while driving, cutting off other motorists, eating while driving and even putting on makeup while behind the wheel.
Motorists in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee exhibited the best driving behavior, while Oregon and New Mexico drivers are included in the top five states with the worst drivers.
From tailgating and driving under the influence to crashing and cursing at other drivers, here are the top 15 states with the worst drivers:
Oregon claims the No. 2 spot for bad driving. Its drivers rank worst for:
◾ Running a red light (8%).
◾ Refusing to yield (5%).
◾ Speeding in a school zone (4%).
The state also came in No. 2 for drivers causing car accidents (tied with Massachusetts, New Jersey and Alabama) and 2% of the drivers there confessed to recently causing a crash. — To see the full list of 50 states click here or visit https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/states-with-worst-driving-behaviors/.
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
