Willamette Valley News, Monday 11/25 – Eugene Chooses Downtown as ‘Climate-Friendly Area’ Under State Mandate, Travel and Weather Updates & 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, November 25, 2024

Willamette Valley Weather

Rain and dense fog could create challenging conditions for travelers throughout Lane County as Thanksgiving week begins. Showers will persist through Tuesday, followed by patchy dense fog and chilly temperatures that may impact visibility and road safety.

According to the National Weather Service, Monday will bring an 80% chance of rain with highs near 50 degrees. Tonight, showers will taper off, leaving lows around 39 and calm winds. Travelers should prepare for lingering showers into Tuesday morning, with a high of 50 and clearer skies by the afternoon.

Tuesday night will see dense fog forming after midnight, reducing visibility on major roadways such as Interstate 5 and Beltline Highway. Lows will dip to 34 degrees, so drivers should exercise caution during evening and early morning hours.

Thanksgiving Day is shaping up to be pleasant, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 46 degrees. However, patchy fog may return before 9 a.m., potentially delaying morning travel plans. The sunny trend will continue through Friday, with highs reaching 46 degrees and clear, dry roads expected.

Weekend travelers can expect calmer conditions, with temperatures warming slightly and minimal precipitation in the forecast. However, early-morning fog may linger through Saturday and Sunday, making vigilance crucial during holiday commutes.

Plan your Thanksgiving week accordingly and stay updated with local forecasts. Travelers should remain alert for fog advisories and allow extra time when driving during early hours. As always, check Trip Check when heading out.

Be Prepared for Winter Weather and Thanksgiving Travel

As winter storms and extreme weather events impact communities, Oregon residents are reminded to be prepared for potential power outages, the Oregon Public Utility Commission says.

Heavy snow, ice, and high winds can damage power lines and disrupt electricity, sometimes leading to extended outages. Weather conditions in specific geographies may also cause electric utilities to adjust system settings, which can result in more frequent or longer outages.

Prepare your home and business in case a winter storm leads to a power outage: Be two weeks ready – Gather food, medical supplies, batteries, pet supplies, and other essentials needed by family members during an outage or evacuation for up to two weeks. 

Learn more about what supplies to consider. Charge your devices – Keep cell phones fully charged in anticipation
of an outage. Consider a car charger for phones and other electronic devices. And, Use generators safely – Never operate a generator inside your home or garage, or near windows or vents, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. https://www.oregon.gov/oem/hazardsprep/Pages/2-Weeks-Ready.aspx

Snow in Mountain Passes

Travelers should bring chains when headed over the Cascade, Willamette and Santiam Passes.

ODOT urges drivers to follow several key tips to stay safe:

• Turn on your windshield wipers and headlights
• Slow down and avoid cruise control
•  Increase your stopping distance and steer clear of standing water
• Carry chains and check road conditions before traveling
  using TripCheck.com or by calling 511.
• Pack an emergency kit with a flashlight, phone charger, warm clothes, food, and water in case you get
  stuck.
• Be aware of the dangers of black ice, which can be even more hazardous than snow.
• Drivers should always be prepared for sudden weather changes—especially in higher elevations.

Multiple winter storm warnings have been issued across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, urging people to avoid travel due to heavy snow expected in these states. In Oregon, warnings cover various counties, including portions of highways 97, 58, 230, 138, 62, 140, and 66. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Medford and Portland emphasized the potential for very difficult driving conditions and advised extreme caution if travel is necessary.

U.S. Forest Service – Willamette National Forest  –  Traveling on Forest Service Roads this week

Some winter driving tips: Bring a map. Don’t rely on your phone for navigation or communication as coverage may be unavailable. Drivers should exercise caution as Forest Roads may not be maintained for winter travel. Winter weather can quickly alter driving conditions. Turn around if conditions warrant or your vehicle is not equipped to continue. Stay safe out there!

Average gasoline prices in Eugene have fallen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.28/g Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 78 stations in Eugene.

Prices in Eugene are 18.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 47.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has declined 1.3 cents in the last week and stands at $3.503 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Eugene was priced at $2.97/g Sunday while the most expensive was $3.79/g, a difference of 82.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.65/g while the highest was $4.59/g, a difference of $1.94/g.

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.01/g Monday. The national average is down 11.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 23.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Historical gasoline prices in Eugene and the national average going back ten years:

November 25, 2023: $3.75/g (U.S. Average: $3.24/g) | November 25, 2022: $4.42/g (U.S. Average: $3.55/g)
November 25, 2021: $3.76/g (U.S. Average: $3.38/g) | November 25, 2020: $2.43/g (U.S. Average: $2.12/g)
November 25, 2019: $3.19/g (U.S. Average: $2.60/g) | November 25, 2018: $3.06/g (U.S. Average: $2.53/g)
November 25, 2017: $2.82/g (U.S. Average: $2.50/g) | November 25, 2016: $2.38/g (U.S. Average: $2.12/g)
November 25, 2015: $2.34/g (U.S. Average: $2.05/g) | November 25, 2014: $3.02/g (U.S. Average: $2.80/g)

Eugene Chooses Downtown as ‘Climate-Friendly Area’ Under State Mandate

In response to a state requirement, the City of Eugene has designated its downtown neighborhood as a “Climate-Friendly Area.”

State rules require the city to adopt regulations to make neighborhoods in which people can meet their daily needs without relying on a car.

At a recent work session, city staff proposed three different options for designation as Climate-Friendly. City Councilors were in agreement that they wanted to start slow.

Councilor Lyndsie Leech said there’s a lot on the city’s plate right now.

“I definitely want to make our city more walkable, bikeable,” she said. “And this is potentially a good tool to do that. But we don’t know that. And it feels like a lot all at once.”

The council unanimously approved option number one which includes the greater downtown as a climate-friendly area. That was the option that meets state minimum requirements. (SOURCE)

From the City of Eugene:

The CFEC rules require Eugene to adopt regulations facilitating walkable mixed-use development in designated Climate-Friendly Areas (CFAs). A Climate-Friendly Area is intended to be an area where most people can meet their daily needs without relying on a car. The CFEC rules envision Climate-Friendly Areas as a type of mixed-use center that includes jobs, services, and higher density housing, as well as great walking, biking, and transit infrastructure.

The key elements of the CFEC implementation include:

• Reform parking requirements

• Prepare for a future with more electric vehicles

• Designate Climate-Friendly Areas

• Plan for more climate-friendly transportation options

• Plan for compact, walkable design

• Center the voices of underserved communities

• Monitor housing and transportation outcomes and adjust over time

• Option 1: State Minimum Requirements (Greater Downtown and Lower Coburg Road). To meet the minimum state requirements for CFA designation, the City could designate the existing, contiguous properties with mixed-use and higher density zoning around greater downtown Eugene, as well as the commercial center on Lower Coburg Road as identified in Attachment D (Maps 1 and 2).

• Option 2: Additional Commercial Areas Most Promising for Redevelopment (Adds Santa Clara Station, Valley River Center, and South Willamette). In addition to the areas in Option 1, the City could designate as CFAs additional promising core commercial centers that have existing higher density, mixed-use development or the potential for redevelopment of this type. These additional core commercial centers include the Valley River Center area, along South Willamette, and the Santa Clara Station area, identified in Attachment D (Maps 3-5).

• Option 3: Requires Additional Investment and Incentives (Adds 6th/7th Corridor and West 11th Corridor). In addition to the areas identified in Options 1 and 2, the City could choose to designate as CFAs certain transit corridors that may have potential for higher density, mixed-use development. These areas, as identified in Attachment D (Maps 6-7), include the 6th/7th Avenue Corridor and West 11th Avenue Corridor and would require additional investment and financial incentives to support intended outcomes for CFAs

Hundreds of runners came out to the 18th annual “Run to Stay Warm” benefitting people needing assistance to keep warm in the cold fall and winter months.

Nearly 1,600 people participated in the in the 5K, 10K and half-marathon races around the Eugene. All three race groups ran around and through Alton Baker Park. The half marathoners ran along the banks of the Willamette River.

Becky Radliff, marketing director for the race, said there has been an increase in participation each and every year over the past five years. And while the activity of running kept racers warm, their involvement will help keep their neighbors warm.

The Run to Stay Warm has raised funds for 18 years now for EWEB’s Customer Care program, which helps customers who are having a difficult time paying their utility bills, particularly in colder months.

Within an hour of start of the event, runners started making their way to the finish line. Many were proud of their accomplishment, as they conquered a challenging run. The race has consistently attracted more than 1,000 runners and walkers from across the country and has raised more than $250,000 for EWEB’s Customer Care Program.

Community Call to Action as New Senior Leadership Closes Down White Bird Clinic’s Front Room

The announcement of the closure of White Bird Clinic’s Front Rooms department by the new Senior Leadership Team is leaving staff and community members in shock, particularly during ongoing union negotiations.

Front Rooms is a key entry point for low-barrier services at the clinic and has been a staple in the Eugene community, serving some of the most vulnerable people for 50 years.

Miles Shepard, a Front Rooms employee and bargaining team member, says, “The front rooms department and the workers that make it happen are an absolutely vital service in Eugene.”

Described as a lighthouse for those in need, White Bird’s Front Rooms serves as a lifeline for more than 100 people per day, offering resources like housing assistance, food, mail distribution, and case management referrals.

The announcement has added uncertainty for the clinic’s Front Rooms and NEST department employees, who have been bargaining with the white bird for 10 months.

Shepard says, “We’re certainly getting pushed further into financial insecurity, potentially not being able to get other jobs and this sort of thing. I know we’re all really worried about this. You know, we’ve certainly worked really hard on this contract, and we really want the opportunity to see it through.”

Budget problems are being blamed for the permanent closure on December 13.

White Bird is facing a 20% cut of their funding from Pacific Source — a loss of $3.6 million. Front Rooms operates at a nearly $1 million deficit every year.

According to the Executive Director of White Bird, Front Rooms, lacking federal or state-mandated funding requirements, needs to close to sustain White Bird’s overall operations.

“We have to be smart about how we offer services,” says Executive Director Jeremy Gates. “That building, we’re not having dark doors. We’re not disappearing from what we call our campus, our 341 main campus area. We will still have staff there. Clients will still come to us.”

The closure has sparked concerns about the direction of the White Bird Clinic.

Advocates argue that closing the Front Rooms could harm White Bird’s reputation and ability to serve the community effectively.

“There has seemingly been a push by other organizations around Eugene to go for a more institutionalized approach to social services,” explains Dante Morrison, a NEST employee and bargaining team member. “A lot of our clients report to us that they don’t necessarily feel welcome in other spaces where, pretty much no matter what, as long as somebody comes to us, they’re gonna get a sandwich, they’re gonna get seen.”

Adds Gates, “This strictly boils down to a combination of being efficient and reducing duplicate services or allowing an opportunity to provide the same service but in a different part of coupled with a very large and unexpected and sudden budget reduction, revenue reduction – a budget loss. Threading that needle is not easy, and there’s no intent to change our service models or how we provide care to folks.”

Some of the Front Rooms’ services will be absorbed by other White Bird departments, but the closure will leave gaps in accessibility for hundreds of vulnerable clients.

Nine employees are also facing layoffs. The organization says it’s committed to supporting those employees through severance packages, counseling services, and job placement assistance.

“We are trying to eliminate as much of the burden and ease the steps back into the workforce,” Gates says. “We are also trying to ensure all of the employees are eligible to apply and try to essentially land another job within White Bird that they qualify for.”

Gates and Front Rooms employees describe losing Front Rooms as heartbreaking, its closure leaving behind a legacy that has shaped Eugene’s social services landscape for decades.

White Bird released the following statement Thursday afternoon:

The decision to close our Front Rooms program was not made lightly. It reflects the difficult reality of a significant and unexpected reduction in funding. The PacificSource Per Member Per Month (PMPM) funding, which has been a cornerstone of our budget and accounts for over 20% of our revenue, will expire on December 31.

While this change is challenging, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the support and care our community relies on. No services are ending and will continue through our programs like CAHOOTS, NEST and our Harm Reduction Treatment Center.

Key Services:

• Mail service will continue at our main location (341 E. 12th).
• Eyeglass voucher program will continue at our main location (341 E. 12th) and will soon be available at all physical White Bird locations.
• Food distribution will continue at our NEST location (323 E. 12th).
• Gear distribution will move to our Harm Reduction Treatment Center, where clients can access not only supplies but also additional resources and support.

Our priority during this transition is twofold: to support the incredible team members impacted by this change and to ensure the community experiences as little disruption as possible.

This decision, though painful, is part of a larger effort to use our resources in the most effective way to meet the greatest needs of the people we serve. White Bird Clinic remains unwavering in its mission to care for our community with compassion and respect.

************ Passing along this message from folks organizing with the workers of White Bird! They are calling for community and other social service workers to email jgates@whitebirdclinic.org and other board members about the abrupt closing of the Front Rooms department! They are asking people to act in solidarity with the workers and the clients they serve. __________________________________________________________________________

White Bird’s Board of Directors met with the Senior Leadership Team to discuss the imminent closure of the Front Rooms Department. The shut down is purported to occur sometime in December—less than a month from now. That’s less than a month for an entire department of workers to find new sources of income. No definitive or clear plans were made at the Board meeting, and very little information has been shared with either the workers or the public.

There continues to be no communication from Senior Leadership regarding what their plans are for continuation of the crucial services that Front Rooms so uniquely provides to clients with unconditional positive regard. While they have “assured” workers that these services will not stop, they have also given no indication that their plans to shut down Front Rooms will stop either.

Even if these services are “transferred” to other departments or somehow taken on by other existing WB staff, the impact that this major change to services will have on clients and WB Front Rooms workers will be massive. Who is going to train the nonexistent staff to receive clients’ social security mail checks? Who is going to provide direct and in-person crisis intervention, and immediate walk-up info and referrals to over 100 people a day, giving a high volume of people an accessible route to many of Lane County’s other social service agencies?

We will not stand for a White Bird whose Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors play “accountability tag”, each one naming the other party as the decision-maker for this inexcusable department shut down. We will not stand for a White Bird without Front Rooms workers to carry out these life-saving services. And we will not stand for a White Bird without the Front Rooms department. Tell them you won’t either!

Follow @wbfrnestunion to stay up to date on the workers’ struggle. SOLIDARITY WITH WHITE BIRD WORKERS!SOLIDARITY WITH WHITE BIRD CLIENTS! https://www.instagram.com/p/DClWeGAxcWW/

You can find information on White Bird Clinic’s budget at Pro Publica Nonprofit Explorer. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/930585814

Eugene Police Department –  Burglary ring targeting residential safes, cash, jewelry, and high-end handbags

A burglary crew targeting the Eugene area has been breaking into homes, where the homeowners are more likely to keep cash, jewelry, and other expensive items. They target business owners and other professionals they believe may keep valuables and cash at home. The burglars have stolen safes and appear to have screened/surveilled their potential victims, then broken into the homes while the victims are at work. So far, investigators believe around seven Eugene burglaries are the work of this organized group.

Please take care to not keep large amounts of cash and valuables at home. Consider placing any large cash stores at a financial institution, which can also offer safety deposit boxes for heirlooms and jewelry. Also consider insuring expensive items. EPD Community Engagement Team offers these additional prevention tips:

• Lock all windows and doors. Use deadbolts on doors that have them• Install surveillance cameras that will notify you in real time of criminal activity• Use timers on TVs and lights while away• Close blinds when away from home and leave exterior lights on at night• Make the home appear occupied when away or arrange to have someone stay at your house while gone• Arrange mutual aid with your neighbors, keeping an eye on each other’s properties while you are gone• Also, schedule vacation house checks while gone. https://www.eugene-or.gov/Search?searchPhrase=Home%20Vacation%20Check%20Application&pageNumber=1&perPage=10&departmentId=-1

• Don’t store large amounts of cash at home. Some criminals have been known to work together and steal large safes. If you have a safe, ensure it is mounted properly and securely• Be aware of suspicious persons or vehicles around your neighborhood or at your place of business• Schedule a free Home Vacation Check while away•

Schedule a Home Safety Assessment with the Eugene Police Department’s Community Engagement Team – Use the Eugene Police Community Engagement Team webpage, type in your address in the widget tool to find your specialist. https://www.eugene-or.gov/944/Community-Engagement-TeamReport ALL non-emergency crimes and suspicious activity to the police at 541-682-5111.You can also report crimes online at https://epd.mypdconnect.com/

Head on collision on Hwy 228 leaves two injured, one deceased.

At 1658 Friday afternoon Sweet Home Fire District was dispatched to a report of a head on collision near MP 16 on Hwy 228. A command vehicle and one medic unit responded initially with reports of one occupant still trapped in the vehicle. Life Flight was requested but due to weather, was unavailable to fly. With the provided information, command requested a second medic unit respond to scene and upgraded to a first alarm for “man power” to help assist with the call.

Upon commands arrival, two vehicles were found to be involved. One patient was a passenger of the vehicle which sustained significant damage to the drivers side. That patient was transported to Lebanon Community Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. That same vehicles operator was declared deceased upon arrival of emergency crews. The other patient who was the lone occupant of the second vehicle was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for significant injuries.

The crash is under investigation by Oregon State Police. A total of nine personnel from Sweet Home Fire District responded. We would like to thank ODOT, Oregon State Police, and Linn County Sheriff’s Office for their help.

11/20/24 – Deputies arrest multiple DUI drivers in one day

On November 20th, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies handled three DUIs throughout the day. Each of these calls prevented the investigating deputies from handling other pending calls for service for several hours, and each call could have ended far more tragically.

About an hour after midnight, deputies responded to the 76200 block of London Rd., Cottage Grove. A driver in an SUV went into the ditch and was unable to free his vehicle. Deputies observed signs of impairment, and the driver was arrested for DUI.

At the same time, a deputy conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle driving poorly on I-5 at 30th Ave. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, and observed signs the driver was impaired. After investigating, the driver was arrested and a family member was called to collect a juvenile passenger from the vehicle.

Later that day, at about 5 p.m., a deputy responded to a crash on N. Coburg Rd. near Paiute Ln. after a vehicle left the roadway and damaged a public utility box. The deputy observed signs of impairment, however the driver refused to cooperate and then resisted arrest. After transport to the Lane County Jail, a search warrant blood draw was applied for and granted. The driver was lodged at the jail for DUI, Resisting Arrest, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.

As we head into the holiday season, please consider others on the road:

– Plan your safe ride home ahead of time

– If someone you know has been drinking or using drugs, don’t let them get behind the wheel

– If you drink or use drugs, do not drive for any reason

– If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver

– And please, always wear your seatbelt!

Albany Teachers Strike in Third Week as Students and Parents Rally

The school district has canceled two school days next week, but late Friday evening, the union said progress has been made in several areas.

Hundreds of parents and students turned out to support Albany teachers Saturday in a rally as mediation continues for the first strike in over 40 years. The strike might go into next week. 

The school district has canceled two school days next week, but as of 1 a.m. on Friday, the union said progress has been made, saying it reached a tentative agreement with the district on two key items — prep time and professional development. Two other agreements on health and safety policy have also been reached. 

Saturday’s rally was organized by parent-led grassroots organizationStrong Albany SchoolS (SASS).

“GAPS teachers are battling for the future of our children,” said Kat Martinez, a parent to three students within the district. Martinez also helped organized the rally. “This strike is about ensuring kids in our community are given the same levels of support provided by nearly every other district in the state.”

The Greater Albany Education Association teachers union said Thursday that a teacher filed formal charges accusing the district of trying to pressure parents into agreeing to reductions in support for their students’ Individual Education Plans (IEP) and holding what they characterized as “illegal secret meetings” to discuss the changes without teachers present. In addition, the teachers’ union has demanded the school board resign. 

Superintendent Andy Gardner criticized the move, saying board members are elected community volunteers who recognize the need for teacher pay increases. Gardner added that the district was aware of the IEP complaint and will respond once it has investigated and heard back from the Oregon Department of Education.

Greater Albany Public Schools has been providing meals for students to pick up during the day while the strike goes on. The district has added pick-up locations across the city.

In addition to meals, there are also childcare programs and activities at the Boys and Girls Club of Albany, but that is for members only. Parents have the option of bringing their kids to the Albany YMCA regardless of membership status for $40 a day. —- Both sides were negotiating on November 13, and it is still not clear when schools could reopen.

OSU Grad Workers Continue Strike

Oregon State graduate employees in Corvallis continue on the picket line as they push for increased pay and a new contract.

On Thursday, Nov. 21, grad workers gathered at the Memorial Union Quad on campus as part of a larger press conference.

The university states the next mediation session is Friday, Nov. 22, and they hope to make progress toward a tentative agreement.

Eugene Springfield Fire and Northwest Youth Corps Urban Community Forestry Program are partnering to provide a FREE woody debris drop site.

When: 11/25, 11/26, and 11/27 from 8:30 AM to 4 PM — Where: 2621 Augusta Street, Eugene OR 97403.

Fuels Reduction Project Ideas Remove tree limbs touching your home: Remove tree limbs touching the ground (try to limb them up 6 feet)Remove shrubs that are touching your home. Remove shrubs that are growing into trees and tree limbs.

These recommendations are based on best practices for Defensible Space. Defensible Space reduces your risk of wildfire by removing fuels that can allow fire to rapidly spread to your home, or into tree canopies where it becomes more challenging for firefighters to extinguish. Please note: Only woody debris will be accepted.

Western Oregon University’s Holiday Tree Lighting and Parade Set for December 6

MONMOUTH, OR. –Western Oregon University, in collaboration with the Monmouth Business Association will host the 57th annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 6, a beloved event that brings joy and unity to campus and the community.

This year’s ceremony promises to be a memorable experience for all who attend. The lighting of the magnificent 123-foot sequoia tree will mark the beginning of the holiday season, creating a magical atmosphere that embodies the true spirit of the season.

The holiday parade starts at the Monmouth Public Library at 6 p.m. and concludes on Western’s campus in front of the sequoia tree for the lighting. Following the tree lighting, activities will take place in the Werner University Center for all ages such as photos with Santa, cookie decorating, coloring, and the Monmouth Merry craft market (the market opens at 5 p.m.) with over 30 vendors. Abby’s House is also hosting its annual silent auction that evening, where proceeds will support the services they provide to students. These activities have become cherished traditions that create lasting memories for all. 

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and the public are all invited to participate in the celebration.

### About Western Oregon University – Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. Where YOU belong.

Bushnell University School of Music and Performing Arts Winter Performances and Events

EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University’s School of Music and Performing Arts is pleased to invite the community to Christmas Concerts and events by the students in University Choir, Bushnell Jazz Ensemble, and Bushnell Chorale. 

The performance events will take place at First Baptist Church of Eugene, and The Grotto in Portland, OR. Bushnell Chorale will be singing at The Grotto’s Festival of Lights at 9:00 PM on December 6, 2024.  This 11-voice treble choir presents classical and modern pieces that bring beauty, celebration, and joy to the Christmas season. More information about the Festival of Lights and admission can be found here: www.thegrotto.org/christmas-festival-of-lights/.   

Bushnell School of Music and Performing Arts will close the season with their festive annual Christmas Concert, Saturday, December 7 at 4PM, at First Baptist Church in Eugene, bringing all the music students together in a program including hope-filled holiday favorites, meaningful worship songs and classical and contemporary jazz repertoire. 

See more at Bushnell Chorale at Festival of Lights – Bushnell University and A Bushnell Christmas – Bushnell University. The Bushnell events are open to all ages. 

Program subject to change.
LOCATIONS: First Baptist Church of Eugene, and The Grotto 

Tickets: Free (entry fee required The Grotto performance on Friday, December 6.) 

Donations sought for annual community holiday meal

The 15^th annual MLK Holiday Meal will return on Wednesday, December 18. Organizers with Lane County’s MLK Education Center are seeking donations in order to serve as many people as possible during the event. 

The MLK Holiday Meal provides a free lunch of turkey, ham and side dishes open to all community members. The food is prepared and served by youth enrolled in the MLK Culinary Arts Program at the Serbu Youth Campus in Eugene. The program is part of the MLK Education Center – an alternative education program providing academic and vocational services for youth involved with Lane County Community Justice and Rehabilitation Services.

Event organizers welcome donations of food, services, and financial contributions. The event includes free raffles to give people products or gift certificates that provide extra support during the holiday season. Interested donors are encouraged to contact the MLK Education Center at 541-682-4715. Donations are tax deductible. 

Displays at the MLK Holiday Meal will recognize contributions made by businesses, organizations, and individual donors. 

More about the MLK Culinary Arts Program – MLK Culinary Arts is one of the school’s vocational programs where students are taught a wide variety of culinary, catering, and workplace skills. Youth work alongside professionals who mentor and supervise them to prepare meals and cater a variety of events. A crucial piece of this program is connecting students with the community. The MLK Holiday Meal is one opportunity for the youth to give back to their community and demonstrate the skills they are developing. Our youth served more than 400 community members during last year’s event.  Lane Co. Government 

The Annual Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt

It’s time once again for one of the Willamette Valley’s most beloved traditions: the seventh annual Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt, taking place across the Willamette National Forest and Umpqua National Forest.

Between November 15 and Dec. 25, 2024, two hundred locally-crafted wooden ornaments will be hidden along two-dozen trails in both forests—where eagle-eyed hikers can seek them out and register to win this year’s grand prize, which includes a two-night getaway in the Willamette Valley. Here’s more information: https://www.willamettevalley.org/ornament

Exhibits for 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵

There are great exhibits at the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History, but this year we encourage you to look north to Salem and Willamette University’s Hallie Ford Museum of Art.

The HFMA’s permanent exhibition 𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘵 is certainly worth a visit in person, but is also available as a virtual tour https://bit.ly/48gwbmwAdditionally, check out a film series featuring three Native American artists from the Pacific Northwest whose work is exhibited at HFMA https://bit.ly/48m5Y63

Detectives ask for help finding violent offender with warrants

Salem, Ore. — Salem Police Felony Crimes Unit detectives ask for the public’s help in locating a suspect with multiple warrants.

Arrest warrants on charges of first- and second-degree kidnapping have been issued for Javier Banuelos Munoz, Jr., age 44, of Salem in relation to several incidents of domestic violence. He also has an outstanding parole violation warrant from the Oregon State Parole Board.

Detectives have exhausted all efforts to locate Banuelos Munoz and request the public’s help with this case.

Banuelos Munoz is a Hispanic male adult with black hair and brown eyes. He is 5-foot, 8-inches in height and has a medium build. He generally wears his hair shaved with a beard. Banuelos Munoz also has various tattoos; the most prominent marking is on the right side of his neck and reads Munoz in script lettering.  

Anyone with information about Banuelos Munoz’s whereabouts is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503-588-8477. 

If you see Banuelos Munoz, call local police authorities, and refer to this wanted poster. Do not approach him. He is considered a violent offender with potential access to firearms.

Eugene/Springfield Seeks Public Input on 2025 Consolidated Housing and Community Plan

The City of Eugene is soliciting feedback from the public on its draft Eugene-Springfield 2025 Consolidated Plan, a roadmap for housing and community development in the upcoming year.

Residents have from November 1st until December 6, at precisely 5:00 pm to express their opinions and provide input on the proposed strategies and outcomes that will shape their community’s future.

A written public comment period on the draft Eugene-Springfield 2025 Consolidated Plan is open November 1st through 5:00 pm on December 6, 2024. Comments may be submitted online or to Genevieve Middleton, Affordable Housing Policy & Planning Manager, City of Eugene, 99 W 10th Ave. Suite 240, Eugene, OR  97401. The next Eugene-Springfield Consolidated Plan Advisory Committee meeting and Public Hearing regarding the draft strategic goals and outcomes will be held December 10, 2024, at 2:00 pm. Additional information about the meeting and the draft Consolidated Plan can be found on the website: http://eugene-or.gov/hudconplan2025.

According to the City of Eugene’s announcement, the Consolidated Plan is a critical tool that shapes how federal funding will be allocated toward housing, and community development projects.

Public contributions at this stage are crucial, as they can influence how the city targets its efforts to tackle issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, and community services that touch the lives of many citizens.

2024–2025 Property Tax Statements Available Online and in The Mail

The 2024-2025 property tax statements were mailed beginning October 21, 2024. Statements are available online now, as well as information about the county value trends, levy changes, and individual property tax account information, at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/AT. The first payment is due on November 15, 2024.

Appeals – If taxpayers believe their properties’ market values are incorrect, taxpayers should first contact Lane County Assessment and Taxation. Taxpayers have the right to appeal to the Property Valuation Appeal Board (PVAB) through the Deeds and Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office.

PVAB has the authority to reduce market value when sufficient evidence is provided to demonstrate the RMV of a property was different on January 1, 2024 compared to the tax statement. A reduction to the value does not always result in a refund. PVAB cannot grant reductions to a tax amount; it can only review a property’s value. Taxpayers can appeal through Deeds and Records through December 31, 2024.

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

“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)

White Bird Cahoots

  · We’re launching a community-wide survey and asking each of you to share what CAHOOTS means to you and help guide the program’s future direction. Scan the QR code in the image or use the link below: https://bit.ly/CAHOOTS_Survey

Operation Winter Survival Stockpile

Lane County Health & Human Services, in partnership with the First Christian Church today announced the launch of Operation Winter Survival Stockpile. The operation is an effort to create a stockpile through donations of clothing and other supplies that will help those in our community experiencing homelessness better brave the elements. 

“Every winter those in our community who are without shelter are faced with life-threatening temperatures and weather,” said Maria Cortez, Lane County Human Services Program Coordinator. “These donations will be absolutely crucial to helping these community members stay warm and stay alive.”

To help kick off Operation Winter Survival Stockpile, First Christian Church is hosting a one-day donation drive event where community members can drop-off donations and enjoy refreshments Monday, November 25^th from 1 pm to 5 pm. After the donation drive, items can continue to be dropped off Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm. Items can also be purchased on Amazon and sent to 1166 Oak St., Eugene OR 97401. 

The Operation’s Amazon Wish List can be found at:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2XR33GS1ULV8Z?ref_=wl_share

Distribution of items will be prioritized to homeless outreach providers such as CAHOOTS that come into direct contact with individuals who are unhoused and unsheltered.

Items needed for Operation Winter Survival Supply Stockpile include:

• Tents – preferably 2 person

• Blankets – preferably wool

• Rain ponchos

• Sleeping Bags

• Hand Warmers

• Socks – preferably wool

• Tarps

• Gift Cards

• Laundry Cards

• Footwear

• Thermal Underwear

• Flashlights/ Batteries

• Beanies/Warm Hats

• Gloves

• Other survival supplies

For more information on Operation Winter Survival Stockpile, please contact Maria Cortez at ia.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov“>Maria.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) releases inaugural State of the State’s Housing Report for Oregon 

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) unveiled the first State of the State’s Housing Report for Oregon, providing an in-depth analysis of housing availability and affordability across the state. Drawing from comprehensive data on housing markets, economic trends, and demographic shifts, the report highlights the challenges Oregon residents face in affording high-quality housing.

“Being attentive to the things that add meaning to people’s lives requires reliable data,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Data enables us to identify where our efforts are making an impact and where improvements are needed to make life better in ways that all people can feel and that we can measure. These data will aid in our collective efforts to deliver housing progress that communities deserve and demand.”

Oregon’s population grew by more than 753,000 residents, representing a 21% increase between 2004 and 2023. Housing construction was insufficient to keep pace with a rapidly increasing population. Oregon must add more than 500,000 housing units over the next two decades to begin addressing supply issues.

Home prices have far outpaced wage gains over the past decade in the for-sale market. For every dollar Oregonians earned in wage increases between 2013 and 2022, the median sales price of a home increased by $7.10. Communities of color continue to face significantly lower homeownership rates (49%) compared to their white counterparts (66%).

More than half of all renters in Oregon and a third of homeowners experience a housing cost burden, meaning that they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Approximately 242,000 households fall into the extremely low-income or very low-income categories. Oregon only offers approximately 113,000 housing units that are both affordable and available to them, resulting in a deficit of 128,000 units for these households.

“OHCS cannot solve the deeply entrenched issues facing the people of Oregon on its own,” said Megan Bolton, assistant director of research at OHCS. “There are factors beyond housing that impact the ability of individuals to thrive in today’s economy, and it will take coordination and collaboration with our federal partners, other state agencies, and cities, both large and small, to find ways to ensure housing stability for all Oregonians.” 

OHCS expects to release a State of the State’s Housing Report every two years, with additional localized analyses in the years between each release. Reliable data enables the agency to identify where efforts are making an impact and where improvements are needed.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) – OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.

Hunger Rates in Oregon on the Upswing

Hunger rates plummeted in Oregon in the years leading up to the pandemic, but then COVID hit and during the following two years, the number of Oregonians struggling to put food on the table rose, a recently released Oregon State University study found.

People lost their jobs and their sources of income shrank, creating thousands more malnourished Oregonians.

In 2023, nearly 13% of state residents — about 530,000 individuals — suffered from “food insecurity” in Oregon, according to a just-released Oregon State University analysis that looks at people’s inability to get enough food on the table in a predictable manner. That rate is lower than in the years following the Great Recession, but about two points higher than 2020, marking an increase of about 65,000 more people facing food insecurity during 2021 to 2023.

Renters, people who live alone, those with a lower education, rural residents and minority communities along with adults up to age 64 are more likely to face food insecurity.

With persistent food insecurity issues in Oregon, dozens of organizations like the Oregon Food Bank have stepped up their efforts to tackle the problem, partly in Washington D.C. More than 40 groups recently sent a letter to Oregon’s U.S. senators and representatives, urging them to oppose any reduction in food aid.

The groups are worried about the farm bill, a five-year program that covers agricultural subsidies, crop insurance and food aid like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Formerly known as food stamps, SNAP helps 680,000 Oregonians a year buy food to feed their families. The five-year farm bill expired last September and Congress has still not passed a new bill.

“Many Oregonians need these resources now more than ever,” Sarah Weber-Ogden, co-executive director of Partners for a Hunger-free Oregon, told the Capital Chronicle. “We need Congress to understand that these programs can’t withstand any reduction in funding or reach — they’re too essential.”

The Agriculture Committee in the Republican-controlled House passed a farm bill that would cut $30 billion from nutritional programs while a version introduced in the U.S. Senate would protect food aid. Neither is likely to make it to the finish line before the next Republican-dominated Congress is in session.

https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/XHC4J/1/

Historically high rates

Advocates say a cut in SNAP benefits, which are paid by the federal government, would particularly hurt Oregon.

Historically, Oregon has often had higher food insecurity rates than the rest of the country, something that has puzzled researchers, said Mark Edwards, an Oregon State University professor and lead researcher on the study. He pointed to the 1990s when the economy was booming, a time when presumably rates would be down.

But they weren’t, soaring above the U.S. average. 

Edwards said the state experienced a big influx of people at the time and that prices rose, creating wider disparities among various groups of people.

“The fraction of people who were struggling in terms of paying rent was high in Oregon compared to a lot of states,” Edwards said. “So from early on, we’ve been thinking a lot about the role of housing and housing costs.” 

Renters, who are subject to the whims of the marketplace, are the most at risk. Oregon law limits year-over-year rent increases to the lesser of 10% or 7% plus inflation, but that law doesn’t apply to buildings constructed in the past 15 years. 

During the 2021 to 2023 period covered by the analysis, researchers found that nearly 23% of renters experienced food insecurity compared with nearly 7% of homeowners. Renters generally face higher poverty rates than homeowners and have traditionally had higher rates of food insecurity, the analysis shows. Edwards said he wasn’t surprised by that high rate, saying it could have been even higher without pandemic-era eviction protections and expanded federal food benefits.

“The safety net during COVID really did keep the problem from getting as bad as it could have been,” Edwards said.

But those protections are now gone.

The analysis says it remains to be seen how the priority put on building more housing, especially affordable homes, by Gov. Tina Kotek and the Legislature, with its allocation this year of nearly $380 million for housing, will affect food insecurity rates. Edwards said there’s no magic bullet for reducing hunger in a significant way, especially in a short period of time.

“It’s a hard thing to do to address in one budget,” Edwards said. 

It will take months and maybe years for the money to make an impact, and the high cost of housing is not the only factor at play in food insecurity. The analysis shows that people without a high school education face the highest rates of food insecurity and that they’re going up, with nearly one-third of those without a diploma facing hunger from 2021 to 2023 compared to 17% for those with an associate’s degree and more than 6% for those with a bachelor’s.

Those who live alone — both men and women — experience higher rates of food insecurity than couples, but single mothers face the highest rates when looking at household composition: 28% in 2021 to 2023 compared with 15% for single women or 17% for single men.

High rates in rural Oregon

The analysis also found that rural residents experience higher rates of food insecurity than their urban counterparts — 21% compared with 12%. Although many people in the countryside have gardens and grow their own food, the vast majority of rural residents shop at grocery stores, Edwards said. 

He doesn’t know exactly why rural folks in Oregon have faced a higher risk of food insecurity, but said it could be a combination of factors. They might not have easy access to state and federal benefits or might not have wanted to use them out of fear of being seen to need SNAP benefits, for example, or experiencing a stigma of going to a church food pantry.

Also during the pandemic, people were told to stay at home, which might have kept them away from food pantries, Edwards said. 

But the curious thing is that Oregon is an outlier in having higher food insecurity rates in rural areas.

“It didn’t happen all over the country,” Edwards said. “We’re still trying to figure out if there was something really unique about Oregon’s rural places that made it especially vulnerable.”

With the next legislative session around the corner, Oregon’s Hunger Task Force, which includes lawmakers, agency staff, advocates and people who’ve struggled with hunger, is working on a “roadmap” to address the state’s high food insecurity rates. The document, which is still in the works, will be presented to lawmakers during their three days of meetings next month, said Jacki Ward Kehrwald, the communications lead for the nonprofit Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. 

The document maps out three main principles — ensuring that food is affordable, easily accessible and culturally appropriate — and details a path forward that would bring together all facets related to hunger that need to work together to bring down food insecurity rates, said Weber-Ogden of Partners for a Hunger-free Oregon. (SOURCE)

Groundbreaking Dedication Event for Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Oregon State Capitol

The long-overdue Vietnam War Memorial was unveiled Friday on the grounds of the Oregon State Capitol with a centerpiece wall engraved with the names of 790 Oregonians who lost their lives in the war.

The names are listed under hometowns, from Albany to Yoncalla, in all capital letters.

Portland lost more service members than any Oregon city, its list of names consuming 2½ columns. Thirty-nine names are listed under Salem, including six marked with a diamond, meaning they are still considered missing in action because their remains have not been returned.

“They are not just names on granite,” Steve Bates, a member of the Vietnam War Memorial Fund, told the crowd during a dedication ceremony. “These 790 names represent a person, a story, and a family. These names represent those who were a son, a dad, a brother, an uncle, a nephew.”

No female service members from Oregon are believed to have died in Vietnam.

The hourlong dedication ceremony included remarks from local veterans and state officials, including Gov. Tina Kotek, whose father was an Army veteran in the Korean War.

“We cannot forget the families of those veterans who didn’t make it home,” Kotek said. “And for those who did come home, I want you to know as your governor, I will have your back, and welcome home. We are here for you.”

The memorial, on the corner of Cottage and State streets, was built not just to honor the fallen but to provide a reflective and healing space for veterans, families and the public. More than 180,000 Oregonians served in Vietnam.

The column wall forms an L-shape, like its World War II counterpart to the north. This wall, though, is not solid. The columns have six to 12 inches of space between each, representing the fractured public opinion Americans had about the war, the fractured support service members received upon returning, and their fractured emotions.

Kotek called the memorial a sacred place, thanking and congratulating all the volunteers behind the project.

“The persistence and the dedication of so many people to conceive of and build such a beautiful memorial for veterans who felt left behind, here on the grounds of the State Capitol, is a monumental accomplishment,” she said.

To many, the memorial was long overdue. Oregon has other Vietnam memorials, including one in Portland, but Washington and California erected Vietnam memorials at their state capitols in the 1980s.

The Importance of the Memorial – The Vietnam War remains one of the most challenging and divisive periods in American history. Veterans returning from the conflict were often met with indifference or hostility, making this memorial an overdue recognition of their service. The memorial offers a space for healing and remembrance, honoring both the sacrifices of the fallen and the resilience of those who served. Steve Bates, President and co-founder of the Vietnam War Memorial Fund (VWMF), emphasized the emotional impact of this project. “This is about giving our veterans a place of rest and, for all of us, a place to heal,” Bates said. The memorial will not only commemorate the service of Vietnam veterans but also serve as a reminder of the war’s lasting impact on the state and its people. 

Beyond its role as a place of remembrance, the memorial will also serve as an educational resource when Phase 2 is completed. Phase 2, the Exhibit Phase, aims to help future generations understand the human cost of war and the bravery of those who fought.

For more information, see a virtual tour or donate, visit ocvvm.com.  —- About the VWMF: Vietnam War Memorial Fund’s website at www.ocvvm.com. The Vietnam War Memorial Fund is a recognized 501(c)3 organization, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent of applicable tax law. You can donate by sending a check to the Vietnam War Memorial Fund – P O Box 1448 – Boring, Oregon 97009 or by credit card at www.ocvvm.com.

New Oregon economic forecaster predicts higher revenue, higher kicker

Oregon’s new chief state economist estimates the state will have about $37.8 billion available to spend in the next two-year budget cycle after reworking how the state calculates its economic forecast.

The state’s also on track to pay out a $1.8 billion kicker to taxpayers in 2026. But new chief economist Carl Riccadonna, a former Wall Street analyst hired in September, is changing the way Oregon models its expected revenue with an eye toward more accurate forecasts that reduce the amount returned to taxpayers through Oregon’s unique kicker law. 

Riccadonna and senior economist Michael Kennedy presented their first quarterly forecast to lawmakers Wednesday and previewed some of their findings on a call with reporters Tuesday evening. Under the new forecast, lawmakers could have nearly $6 billion more to spend in the upcoming 2025-27 budget cycle compared to the last one.

Riccadonna’s hiring followed years of record kicker payouts. Oregon’s unique tax credit kicks in whenever income tax payments in a two-year budget cycle are at least 2% higher than budgeted, sending the excess back to taxpayers when they file state income taxes the following year. 

The state has sent kicker payments every two years since 2016, including a jaw-dropping $5.6 billion to taxpayers who filed in 2024. The latest forecast estimates a 2026 kicker of $1.79 billion, up from $1 billion in the September forecast. 

“My mandate joining DAS back in September was to really get to the bottom of what’s happening here, and so what my team has done is kind of deconstruct and reconstruct a lot of the forecast models to figure out what was happening,” Riccadonna said. 

Riccadonna and Kennedy attributed the high kickers — and corresponding decrease in funds available to lawmakers — to flaws in former state economist Mark McMullen’s economic model. It was too pessimistic and didn’t treat the kicker as a tax liability, they said.  

“If you look back, as the kicker gets bigger and that difference gets bigger, the errors get bigger,” Kennedy said.  “You get this recursive effect where the errors are just going to get bigger and bigger as the kicker gets bigger, unless you go back to a world where liability in the model is really the real liability, and you don’t have this difference.” 

Kennedy said the state’s prior revenue forecast model was also more pessimistic than necessary, including taking a national forecast provided by a vendor and adjusting it downward. That’s on top of what Riccadonna described as “pervasive pessimism” among economists that the post-pandemic economic boom would end in a recession, while he said it’s looking increasingly likely that Oregon and the country will instead have a soft landing — a gradual shift from high growth to a flatter economy. 

Legislative leaders, governor react – The forecast estimates lawmakers will be able to spend up to $37.8 billion in the 2025-27 budget, well above the $31.9 billion general fund budget they approved in 2023. Gov. Tina Kotek is working on her budget proposal for lawmakers, who will spend the first six months of 2025 negotiating in public and private to pass a spending plan.  

Democratic legislative leaders and Kotek welcomed the new forecast, saying it proved the state’s economy remains strong and resilient. But they also noted that the state still faces a difficult budget cycle, without the federal COVID relief money that provided a buffer in recent years and with a transportation funding deficit and uncertainty at the federal level. 

“While this positive economic forecast is welcome news and makes the start of the legislative budgeting process a little easier, we are still entering into a very tight budget cycle,” said Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego. “Current critical services must be maintained and legislators will need to make smart choices about how to sustain prior one-time investments to address the important needs facing every corner of Oregon.”

During a press conference with tribal leaders Wednesday, Kotek said changes to how the state models revenue will help with stability in future years. 

“I think the truing up of the calculation of the new chief economist is really going to be helpful to provide stability when we’re trying to do budgeting every two years, and I think his assumptions around the recalculations made a lot of sense to me,” she said.  

Republicans, meanwhile, expressed concerns about lower kicker payments if the state more accurately models revenue. 

“The kicker is the people’s money, and it should remain so,” said Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale and a member of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee. “While this biennium’s kicker appears secure, changes to the revenue model could lead to smaller refunds in the future, and we need to ensure taxpayers are treated fairly.”

House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, said state economists have an obligation to accurately estimate revenue levels. 

“Although the current forecast is strong and our reserves are healthy, potential changes at the federal level create uncertainty,” she said. “Oregonians should know that even if there is instability at the federal level, here in Oregon there are responsible, focused leaders who will be steady hands at the wheel. We are prepared to use available resources to deliver on what Oregonians need most.”

And incoming House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, D-Canby, said while the state budget might be doing well, family budgets are still stretched thin from years of inflation. 

“Besides plenty of general fund revenues to pay for critical services, the state has deep reserves and an ending balance of over $2.7 billion,” she said. “This is a lot of money from Oregonians, for government to use wisely, to meet its duty to Oregonians themselves. It’s time for government to do its part by improving efficiency, strengthening transparency and providing excellent service. This is not the time for politicians to ignore agency failures, and then push new fees or increased taxes.” (SOURCE)

Oregon DMV now offers 8 language options for online driver’s license test

Oregon’s DMV has expanded its online driver’s license test to include six more languages, coinciding with the digital option’s one-year anniversary.

The online test, which is for non-commercial driver’s licenses, was created in October 2023. Initially available in English and Spanish, the test can now be taken in Arabic, Chinese (simplified Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.

In its first year, 22,642 customers successfully passed the knowledge test online, while 66,195 passed at DMV offices.

The DMV says the online option offers the convenience of taking the test at home, with no difference in fees compared to in-office testing.

“ODOT and DMV are committed to delivering great customer service to all Oregonians,” said DMV Administrator Amy Joyce in a press release. “We’ve continued to modernize our services by adding six languages to our online knowledge testing, allowing more Oregonians to take the test in the comfort of their own home and in their preferred language.”

To take the test online, a desktop or laptop computer with a mouse, keyboard, and functioning webcam is required. Touchscreen devices like phones or tablets are not supported. Additionally, teens under 18 must have an adult 21 years or older supervise their test. Passing the test online allows individuals to know their results before visiting a DMV office, potentially saving multiple trips if they do not pass initially.

After passing the online test, individuals must visit a DMV office with identity documents and pass a vision screening to receive a permit or schedule a drive test, depending on their age. More information on the online test can be found on the DMV’s WEBSITE.

Pacific Power warns customers about billing scams

– Heading into the holiday season, Pacific Power is reminding customers to be vigilant about fraudulent communications from scammers posing as utility representatives. This activity tends to increase during this time of year.

Customers can protect themselves from these types of schemes by being aware of the following facts:

• Scammers will often tell you that your service is scheduled to be interrupted in the next 30-60 minutes.

Fact: Pacific Power will not contact any customer demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection of service the same day.

• Fraudsters may ask you to purchase a prepaid card and tell them the card information over the phone.

Fact: Pacific Power does not ask customers to make payments by purchasing a prepaid card. You and other customers can always choose how you would like to make your payments.

• Be suspicious of anyone who approaches you by phone, email, text or in person and demanding on-the-spot payment.

Fact: Pacific Power will not demand immediate payment for damaged or broken electrical equipment or any other service.

• If you receive one of these calls, ask the caller to state your account number and compare it with the number listed on your bill.

Fact: Pacific Power customer service employees will always have your correct account number.

• Scammers increasingly have used text messages as a means of targeting victims.

Fact: Pacific Power will not demand payment via text message. Pacific Power encourages customers to set up their online billing profile at Pay My Bill (pacificpower.net) where they can pay bills and review statements.

Scammers may use a sophisticated deceptive tactic that makes it appear to caller ID systems that the call is coming from Pacific Power when it is not. Hang up and call Customer Service directly.

Remember, if you still have concerns about the legitimacy of a call, you can always call our published customer service number, 1-888-221-7070. Pacific Power is asking customers to report information about any scam calls received, including the phone number the person is calling from and any information that may help to track down the fraudsters.  

About Pacific Power – Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, natural gas, coal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit PacificPower.net.     

Feds Signal Key Approval for the Coquille Tribe’s Proposed Medford Casino

The milestone comes 12 years after the tribe began seeking a location in a more populous area. The Coquille need one more approval from the feds but don’t need the state’s blessing.

In a decision that could have far-reaching implications for Oregon’s delicately balanced gambling market, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs notified Oregon officials Nov. 20 that it would issue a final environmental impact statement supporting an off-reservation casino that the Coquille Indian Tribe wants to build in Medford.

After publishing its decision in the Federal Register, the bureau will open a 30-day public comment period. After that, the agency will produce a final document, a record of decision, or ROD, which typically—but not always—affirms the EIS.

Updated Nov. 21: Here is the communication from the BIA notifying the public of its intention to publish the EIS and providing the opportunity for public comment.

Since 2012, the Coquille Tribe has pursued the development of a second casino on property the tribe purchased in Medford, which is about 170 miles from its reservation in North Bend. The Coquille have an on-reservation casino, called The Mill, but have sought to generate more revenue with the Medford project.

Judy Farm, CEO of Tribal One, the economic development arm of the Coquille Tribe, says it rejects the state’s policy, noting that the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Gambling Regulation concluded in 2022 that it “could find no evidence that any one-tribe, one-casino policy by the federal government or state of Oregon has been formally adopted or exists in any written form.”

Farm also rejects the characterization of Medford as an “off-reservation casino.”

“Within the [1989] Coquille Restoration Act, Congress promulgated that any land taken into trust within the five counties would be reservation land,” Farm says. “This application is considered on-reservation due to adherence to this guidance.”

The loudest opponent of the Medford project, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, however, said it had been informed of the BIA decision. That tribe operates a casino in Canyonville, about 70 miles north of the Coquille site in Medford. The Cow Creek have adamantly fought the Medford proposal and expressed frustration at Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold that position, for moving it forward. (READ MORE)

Oregon’s U.S. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer Pickedfor labor secretary

The Republican. one of two Oregon Latinas in Congress, was an early Trump backer but did not mention him much in her unsuccessful bid for a second term

Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who cultivated a closer relationship with some labor unions than most Republicans and narrowly lost her bid for a second term in Congress earlier this month, is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Labor Department. 

Trump on Friday praised Chavez-DeRemer, the daughter of a Teamster who sought endorsements from unions in her unsuccessful reelection campaign, for building relationships with business and labor. 

“I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs,” Trump said in a statement. ‘Together, we will achieve historic cooperation between Business and Labor that will restore the American Dream for Working Families.”

Chavez-DeRemer thanked him in a social media post, writing “Working-class Americans finally have a lifeline with you in the White House. It’s time to bring our economy to new heights and secure a prosperous future for all hardworking Americans.” 

She narrowly won election in 2022 in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, which stretches from Bend across the Cascades to the suburbs of Portland. Democratic President Joe Biden won the district by 9 points in 2020, and Democratic state Rep. Janelle Bynum — who twice beat Chavez-DeRemer in state legislative races and will be Oregon’s first Black member of Congress — defeated Chavez-DeRemer by 2.4 points this year. 

Chavez-DeRemer operated as a moderate Republican during her nearly two years in federal office, frequently citing an analysis that rated her the second-most bipartisan member of Congress. 

She also sought support from unions, garnering endorsements from more than 20 of them. Most of those endorsements came from small local unions, though she received the sole endorsement of Teamsters Joint Council No. 37, which represents roughly 20,000 workers in various industries across Oregon, Idaho and southwest Washington.  (READ MORE)

School District Employee Arrested for Sex Abuse, Charges Unrelated to Her Position with School District

JCSO Case 24-5413 — EAGLE POINT, OR– An investigation into allegations of sex abuse has led to the arrest of an Eagle Point School District employee. After a month-long investigation, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) Special Victims Unit (SVU) detectives arrested the woman today, November 21, when she turned herself in at the Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect, Amanda Rose Leonardo, AKA Pody, 38, of Eagle Point, is charged with three counts of third-degree sexual abuse, luring a minor, tampering with physical evidence, and providing liquor to a person under 21. She is lodged in the Jackson County Jail. The identified victims were of high school age. The charges are unrelated to her position with Eagle Point School District. 

SVU detectives are looking for the public’s assistance. If you have any information on the suspect, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-5413. This case is under further investigation. There is no additional information for release at this time. 

Governor Kotek Takes Action to Secure Medical Abortion Following National Election Results

OHSU secures new supply of Mifepristone, extending the stockpile expiration date to September 2028

Moday, Governor Tina Kotek announced that following the national results of the general election, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have executed an updated agreement to continue operating the distribution of the state’s emergency Mifepristone supply into the future.

“I believe in reproductive freedom and am committed to being a fierce advocate for every person’s access to safe reproductive health care services, no matter the national landscape,” Governor Kotek said. “Oregon is not immune from federal attacks on our reproductive rights. In our state, patients will continue to access the medication they need and providers will deliver these critical services without fear or harassment.”

In April 2023, Governor Kotek directed the Oregon Health Authority to partner with OHSU to secure a three-year supply of Mifepristone – a safe and effective medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 20 years ago for use in miscarriage management and to end a pregnancy.

The prior supply had an expiration date of September 2025. As of last week, OHSU has secured a new supply with an expiration date of September 2028. The Governor’s team continues to engage in regular conversation with national and local partners, as well as legislative leadership, to understand the potential scale of impacts to reproductive health care in Oregon under a changing federal administration.

The Governor’s full statement in response to the results of the general election can be found here in English and here in Spanish.

Reproductive health equity is a long-time priority of Governor Kotek, both from her time as Speaker of the Oregon House and during her tenure as Governor. She has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure that Oregonians have access to abortion services. As Speaker, she worked to pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2017. Then, as Governor, she directed regulators to ensure that insurers were in full compliance with the law including corrective action plans and ongoing monitoring.

Last summer, she signed the Access to Reproductive Health Care law, House Bill 2002. The bill protects access to reproductive health care and provides state funding to support the work of community organizations and clinical partners to ensure that people across the state have broader access to the reproductive health care they need.

Oregon Environmentalists Take Legal Action to Stop BLM Removing Timber from Forest Near Grants Pass

A lawsuit to stop the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from increasing fire hazards with the removal of timber from an old-growth forest north of Grants Pass was lodged on Tuesday by environmentalists in the Medford District Court.

Also at threat is the Last Chance project to protect the threatened northern spotted owl, according to the lawsuit lodged by Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Cascadia Wildlands, and Oregon Wild.

The environmentalists express alarm at the impact of forest treatments on thousands of acres critical to spotted owl habitats.

The plaintiffs claim that BLM acted ‘arbitrarily, capriciously and contrary to the federal Land Policy and Management Act’ when it authorized a timber sale on BLM-administered lands in Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine counties.

The timber sale will auction about 8,500 acres of forestland that environmentalists say will hurt efforts to increase forest resiliency.

In its report, the BLM says the commercial harvests will reduce the spread of wildfires through tree canopies and encourage the growth of larger and more fire-resistant trees.

BLM says provision has been made to retain large forest areas in northern spotted owl territory, and that the proposed commercial logging is intended to promote the ‘development of prime owl habitat.’

However, BLM does acknowledge that the project will delay the growth of forestland in northern spotted owl territory by up to two decades but insists that ‘active management…is the best way …to develop high-quality habitat.’

KS Wild spokesperson George Sexton says a table in the BLM environmental assessment report shows that nearly 2,000 acres of the forest will be subjected to hydrological effects – a term used to describe areas where water behaves in the same way it does on land devoid of trees.

Sexton says the reason why environmentalists decided to lodge the legal challenge is to stop BLM ‘from logging practices that remove old growth trees and increase fire hazard.’ Secondly, the lawsuit aims to persuade the BLM to join stakeholders ‘who are trying to increase forest resiliency and decrease fire hazard.’ (SOURCE)

Money is coming from the American Rescue Plan Act to expand broadband access in Oregon.  

Nick Batz, Director of the Oregon Broadband Office, said there are more proposals than the money will cover.

“We received 63 applications totaling $440 million.  So, highly competitive, over-subscribed grant program for the $157 million dollars that was available.”

Batz noted 16 projects in 17 counties will share $133 million.

“The feds allowed for other technologies, but all 16 of the awards are for fiber optic programs.  Which is great because fiber is the most future-proof technology that is readily available to us.”

The companies expanding their networks now have to decide if they want to accept the money, which in some cases, is less than they asked for.  The work needs to be completed and the systems in operation by the end of 2026.

Reward of up to $25,000 Offered in Ballot Box Fire Case

The FBI’s Seattle Field Office is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible setting incendiary fires at two ballot boxes in Vancouver, Washington, and one in Portland, Oregon. The FBI’s Seeking Information poster can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/ballot-box-fires

On October 8, 2024, between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m., an unknown individual placed an improvised incendiary device on a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington. Subsequently, on October 28, 2024, between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m., improvised incendiary devices were placed on ballot drop boxes in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. 

A surveillance camera captured images of an early 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan, dark in color, with dark wheels and a light-colored interior, driven by the suspect believed to responsible for these crimes. The vehicle does not have a Volvo logo on the front grill. At the time of the October 28, 2024, incidents, the vehicle also displayed a fraudulent temporary Washington license plate on the rear and no front license plate. The plate, which is not associated with a Volvo, may no longer be on the vehicle. 

The driver of the vehicle is described as a White male, approximately 30 to 40 years old with thinning hair. It is believed that he may have some experience with metal work and welding.

Anyone with information is asked to call your nearest FBI office, provide information online at tips.fbi.gov, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). FBI – Oregon 

Celebrating 100,000 Electric Vehicles Registered In Oregon

Oregon’s push for a greener future got a major boost earlier this year when the state surpassed 100,000 registered electric vehicles. The milestone will mean fewer emissions from the transportation sector and across Oregon.

Representatives from the Oregon Departments of Energy, Environmental Quality, and Transportation gathered at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland today to celebrate the milestone with a press conference.  

Directors from each agency and OMSI President and CEO Erin Graham spoke about the state’s progress to electrify transportation and reduce emissions from transportation, which account for about 35 percent of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. 

Oregon crossed the 100,000 registered electric cars, SUVs, and light trucks threshold in July 2024, according to DMV registration data. As of August 2024, there are about 102,400 registered EVs throughout the state. That number includes both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.  READ MORE

Boeing Will Lay Off Over 2,500 Workers Amid Turnaround Effort 

The job cuts, part of a 17,000-strong employee reduction, will hit workers in Washington, Oregon, South Carolina and Missouri. 

Boeing will lay off more than 2,500 workers in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, South Carolina and Missouri, according to federally required filings posted on Monday and a union official, as part of the debt-heavy U.S. plane maker’s plan to cut 17,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its global workforce.

Nearly 2,200 layoff notices went to workers in Washington and another 220 in South Carolina, the two states where Boeing builds commercial airliners. Boeing declined to comment on the layoffs on Monday.

The aerospace giant started telling affected U.S. workers on Wednesday that they will stay on Boeing’s payroll until Jan. 17, to comply with federal requirements to notify employees at least 60 days prior to ending their employment.

News that Boeing would send out the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) in mid-November was widely expected. Another round is expected in December. Boeing could also use workforce attrition, selective hiring and sales of subsidiaries to reduce workforce.

Boeing shares gained 2.6 percent to close at $143.87 on Monday, and stayed flat in midday Tuesday trading.

In October, Boeing’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, said the company does not intend to “take people off production or out of the engineering labs.” Industry-watchers have been waiting for the WARNs for some indication of how the layoffs could affect workers in the company’s key manufacturing hubs.

However, several hundred engineers and production workers were among those who received pink slips last week.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace said 438 of the union’s members at Boeing received layoff notices last week, including 218 engineers and 220 technicians.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 837 in St. Louis said Boeing sent notices to 111 members, most of whom made wing components for the 777X.

Who is being laid off seems to vary between sections within Boeing, several non-union workers who received WARNs told Reuters.

One engineer in Boeing Defense, Space & Security said all but two or three members of his 12-person team were let go, while another said she was the only one of her roughly 20-person team to receive a WARN. Both said they provide vital support for production and design engineers, but they are not considered to work in production.

The notices come as Boeing tries to restart production of its strongest-selling 737 MAX, after a weeks-long strike by more than 33,000 U.S. West Coast workers halted output of most of its commercial jets. (SOURCE)

Holiday Express Steams Up Nov. 29

The countdown is on! The first day of the highly anticipated Holiday Express is almost here, and it’s your chance to ride a train pulled by a historic steam locomotive—an unforgettable experience like no other.

Santa’s nearly ready—list checked, elves prepped, lights sparkling, and candy canes in hand. The only thing missing is YOU!

Get your tickets now for this beloved annual tradition. Create lasting memories with friends and family aboard the Holiday Express. Rides begin Nov. 29 and run every Friday – Sunday through Jan. 4.

Special Offer: Get 10% off select rides from Nov. 29 to Dec. 8! But don’t wait, tickets are selling fast.

Be part of the magic this holiday season. Reserve your seat today! Oregon Rail Heritage Center 

Free Fishing Days in Oregon Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29-30

Make fishing part of your Thanksgiving weekend plans with friends and family. Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30.

No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free.

All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in-season regulation updates too, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the zone where you want to fish to see regulation updates.

The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. Depending on water levels and conditions, fishing could be good for Chinook or coho salmon; again be sure to check regulations first because not all rivers are open. Trout will also be stocked the week before Thanksgiving at several popular lakes in the Willamette Valley.

For beginners, Easy Angling Oregon is a great guide to getting started fishing in Oregon, https://myodfw.com/articles/easy-angling-oregon-introduction. And if you live near Portland, Bend, Medford, Roseburg or in Lane County, there are lots of nearby options.

Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW.com has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing. Remember to check ocean conditions and take safety precautions—always clam with a friend and never turn your back on the ocean.

Call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish Closures page before you go clamming or crabbing. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat.

Currently, crabbing is open in bays, beaches, estuaries, tide pools, piers and jetties along the entire Oregon coast. Crabbing is closed in the ocean due to the annual closure from Oct. 16-Nov. 30 each year.

As of mid-November, razor clamming is closed from Cascade Head to the California border due to high levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid, but closures may change by Thanksgiving Weekend so check before you go. (SOURCE)

Triple your impact: Pacific Power will match your contribution to Oregon Energy Fund 2-for-1

Pacific Power is making it simple to make a difference in communities by helping struggling neighbors stay warm this winter. For every dollar that you donate, Pacific Power will match your donation to the Oregon Energy Fund with $2 more.

Pacific Power customers who receive their bills by mail will find they include an Oregon Energy Fund contribution envelope in November. Customers who pay their bills electronically can send a check or enroll in the fixed donation program. To enroll in the fixed donation program, customers can call Pacific Power toll-free at 1-888-221-7070 or Donate to Energy Assistance (pacificpower.net).

This program allows customers to donate any dollar amount, starting at $1 per month, which is then incorporated into their monthly bill. Fixed donations will also be matched 2-for-1 by Pacific Power.

Donations may be tax-deductible and are forwarded directly to the Oregon Energy Fund, which verifies eligibility and allocates funds to those in need. All funds donated are used to assist families in need within the same county in which the donor resides.

“Pacific Power’s commitment to supporting household stability is bolstered by compassion, collaboration and innovation,” said Brian Allbritton, executive director of the Oregon Energy Fund.

“Studies have shown that more than a quarter of Oregonians struggle to pay their bills each year,” said Albritton. “From Oregon Energy Fund’s start in 1989, Pacific Power has been an important partner in bringing emergency bill payment assistance to thousands of vulnerable Oregonians, helping make them healthy and safe while keeping their lights on.”

Last year, donations from Pacific Power’s customers, employees and the company helped 2,995 individuals in need throughout Oregon, including 1,482 adults, 503 seniors, 464 people with disabilities and 1,010 children. This year, Pacific Power will match up to $144,000 in donations.

Customers who need bill assistance can speak with Pacific Power representatives at 1-888-221-7070 who can help with payment plans that work for their individual needs, while directing them to agencies that may be able to help. https://www.pacificpower.net/about/newsroom/news-releases/2024-Oregon-Energy-Fund.html#:~:text=PORTLAND%2C%20Ore.,Energy%20Fund%20with%20%242%20more.

Bureau of Land Management recreation managers are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to fill host positions at six unique locations for the 2025 summer recreation season.

Volunteer hosts play a critical role at BLM recreation sites. They are the primary, daily connection between public land users and BLM staff.  Hosts also assist BLM staff to open and close sites each day, manage campground and shelter reservations, answer visitor questions, encourage visitor rule adherence, and generally maintain the sites.

A paved RV pad is provided at each site for host volunteers. Sites have varying degrees of amenities from full electric, water, and sewer hook-ups to completely primitive sites with only public potable water access. The selected volunteer(s) must provide their own trailer, motorhome, RV, or tent set-up.

Each host will receive a modest daily stipend to off-set some living costs and incidental expenses. Hosts are expected to live on site during the region’s busiest recreation season, typically from April through September. (The start date for the selected host at Sharps Creek will likely be earlier in the year.)

For more information and to apply for these volunteer opportunities, please visit Volunteer.gov. If you have further questions, contact Kendra Barat at kbarat@blm.gov or (720) 591-68

Child Sexual Predator Eluded Capture in Idaho, Has Ties to Southern Oregon, He May Be Dressed as a Woman

– A fugitive with ties to the southern Oregon region is on-the-run after eluding capture Tuesday, October 22 in Idaho. Christian Bert Fischer, 42, is wanted in Florida for Traveling to Meet a Minor After Use of a Computer to Lure a Child.

Fischer is a white male, 5’10”, 200 lbs., has blonde hair and blue-colored eyes. He is also known to dress like a woman. Before heading to Idaho, Fischer was in the Portland area. This June and July, he was in Ashland, Lake of the Woods, and Wolf Creek.

U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) task forces throughout the country have joined the search, including the local Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF). If you have any information on Fischer’s whereabouts, contact the local USMS office at (541) 776-4277, the USMS Communication Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

PNVOTF includes personnel from the U.S. Marshals, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Central Point Police Department. The task force specializes in locating and arresting fugitives wanted for offenses including, but not limited to, murder, assault, sex crimes, failure to register as a sex offender, firearm violations, and probation violations.

For more information here is the USMS Release:

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – The Hernando County Crime Stoppers in Florida is offering up a $5,000 reward for information directly leading to the arrest of Christian Bert FISCHER, a fugitive convicted in Florida for Traveling to Meet a Minor After Use of a Computer to Lure a Child. Crime Stoppers must be contacted first in order to be eligible for the cash rewards of up to $5,000.00. For additional information and instructions for the reward, please visit the following Crime Stoppers link:

http://www.hernandocountycrimestoppers.com/sitemenu.aspx?P=wanteds&ID=449&Sort=Name&F=&W=.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

Oregon Aging and People with Disabilities offers free help for Medicare Open Enrollment

(Salem) — Medicare Open Enrollment for the 2025 plan year begins Oct. 15 and remains open through Dec. 7, 2024. Medicare beneficiaries seeking to compare or change their existing Medicare plan can receive free help from the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). 

During the Medicare Open Enrollment period, people with Medicare can make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, pick a Medicare Advantage plan or choose Original Medicare. The ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities’ (APD) Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program is available to help Oregonians understand their Medicare options and benefits, provide enrollment guidance and help people detect and avoid Medicare scams. Additionally, there are some key changes coming to Medicare in 2025 that APD’s SHIBA program counselors can assist people in understanding including:

• The new Manufacturer Discount Program which addresses the coverage gap, also known as the “donut hole;” 
• The lower maximum to pay for covered drugs. The maximum amount for 2025 will be $2,000; 
• Coverage for weight loss drugs when doctors prescribe them for people who meet certain conditions; 
• Expanded coverage for family caregiver services through the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model; and
• Increased access to mental health services by allowing more providers to bill Medicare for services.

“Our APD SHIBA team is devoted to helping people prepare for open enrollment and understand changes,” said Jane-ellen Weidanz, who oversees SHIBA as APD Deputy Director of Policy. 

Oregonians who need help navigating Medicare open enrollment are encouraged to call SHIBA at 800-722-4134 (toll-free) or learn more by visiting the SHIBA website at SHIBA.Oregon.gov. The 2025 Oregon Guide to Medicare Insurance Plans will be available on the SHIBA website in the coming days and will be translated to multiple languages. 

SHIBA certified counselors can also help people report scams to Medicare and educate people on how to avoid Medicare scams or fraud. According to the Senior Medicare Patrol, common scams include promising free durable medical equipment, such as knee braces and catheters, or offers of free genetic testing. The ultimate goal for the scammer is to get the beneficiary’s Medicare number to commit Medicare billing fraud. “SHIBA counselors are committed to ensuring Oregonians have the information they need to avoid becoming victims of fraud and report scams or suspected Medicare fraud,” said APD Director Dr. Nakeshia Knight-Coyle.

Help from SHIBA is available over the phone and through virtual and in-person appointments. Because high call volume during Open Enrollment may result in longer than usual wait times, Oregonians are also encouraged to access free resources on the SHIBA website such as Medicare frequently asked questions, an agent locator tool, a list of free virtual and in-person Medicare presentations and videos to help people understand their Medicare options. People who need Medicare help in a language other than English, including sign language, can call 833-685-0841 or send an email to odhs.languageaccess@odhsoha.oregon.gov; after placing a request, a translator will reach out in the requestor’s preferred language to provide assistance in communicating with SHIBA.

About the Oregon Department of Human Services – The mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.

About the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance program – The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program is part of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities. It is a statewide network of certified counselors volunteering in their community to help all Oregonians make educated Medicare decisions. SHIBA offers free, objective, confidential and local one-on-one health insurance counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. 

Media contest invites Oregon high school students to promote young worker safety; entries due Feb. 21, 2025

Salem – High school students across Oregon are encouraged to put their video or graphic design skills on display by competing for cash prizes as part of a larger cause: increasing awareness about workplace safety and health for young workers.

The 2025 media contest, organized by the Oregon Young Employee Safety (O[yes]) Coalition, calls on participants to create an ad – through a compelling graphic design or video – that grabs their peers’ attention and convinces them to take the Young Employee Safety Awareness online training.

Participants get to choose the key message, theme, or tagline they believe will go furthest in capturing their audience and moving it to act. The target audience? Teen workers or teens who are preparing to work for the first time. The contest is now open for submissions. To compete, participants may submit either a graphic design or a video that is no more than 90 seconds in length.

Participants are expected to choose their key message, theme, or tagline in a wise and positive manner, including constructive and effective messages and language.

The top three entries in each of the two media categories will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. In each category, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization will receive a matching award. Moreover, O[yes] will use the best of the submissions as ads in its ongoing efforts to improve on-the-job safety and health protections for teens.

While they carry out their projects, participants must ensure the health and safety of their team. No one should be endangered while creating their video or graphic design project.

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. 

Participants are encouraged to submit entries online. Submissions may also be mailed on a USB thumb drive or delivered in person. 

For more information about the entry form and rules, contest expectations, and resources – including previous contest winners  – visit the O[yes] online contest page.

The contest sponsors are local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Construction Safety Summit, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, Hoffman Construction Company, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon OSHA, SafeBuild Alliance, SAIF Corporation, and the Oregon Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Alliance.

### About Oregon OSHA: Oregon OSHA enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit osha.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

About the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]): (O[yes]) is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing young worker injuries and fatalities. O[yes] members include safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. Visit youngemployeesafety.org.

Lend Your Voice to Shape the Future of Emergency Management in Oregon!

SALEM, OR – November 19, 2024 – The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) invites all Oregonians to participate in shaping the future of emergency management across the state. On February 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., OEM is hosting its second annual town hall where community members and partners from all backgrounds can provide input and feedback on the agency’s 2023–2025 Strategic Plan and the OEM Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) plan.

The Strategic Plan serves as a blueprint for OEM’s commitment to delivering excellent customer service and building resilience within Oregon’s communities. The IDEA plan guides emergency management practices that address the needs of all communities, fostering equitable outcomes and inclusive resilience statewide.  Feedback from this town hall will help guide OEM’s efforts to improve emergency preparedness, response and recovery in ways that serve every community across the state—before, during and after a disaster.

The town hall is open to everyone, and no prior emergency management experience is required. Closed captioning will be available, and a video and audio transcript of the event will be accessible upon request after the event.

Event Details:

Event: Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s second annual strategic planning and IDEA town hall
Date: February 11, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Meeting will be virtual; link will be sent as event nears.  

Your feedback is critical in helping OEM serve Oregon’s diverse communities better and to foster an inclusive approach to emergency preparedness and resilience. We look forward to hearing from you at this important event.

For more information or questions, please contact Bobbi McAllister at obbi.mcallister@oem.oregon.gov“>bobbi.mcallister@oem.oregon.gov. 

Tips To Purchase a Permit to Cut Your Christmas Tree From an Oregon National Forest

The holiday season is right around the corner, which means the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree is on. For those looking to bring home a real tree, permits are available now for all Oregon national forests.

Christmas tree permits are available for purchase online at recreation.gov (with an added $2.50 processing fee charged by the website) and at local U.S. Forest Service offices or from local vendors.

Permits are $5 each, and each permit allows the cutting of one Christmas tree. Households can purchase a maximum of five permits.

For downloadable maps of tree-cutting areas and a list of local vendors selling tree permits, go to bit.ly/WNFtree .

Fourth-grade students can receive a free tree permit by getting their Every Kid Outdoors pass and entering the voucher or pass number when prompted on Recreation.gov or by visiting a Forest Service office.

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