The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Friday, January 10, 2025
Willamette Valley Weather
Kaittie’s Run at South Eugene High School Saturday January 11
‘Kaittie’s Run’ 5K event to raise proceeds for Hope and Safety Alliance aims to raise awareness for and support victims of domestic violence will be held this Saturday January 11 at South Eugene High School.
‘Kaittie’s Run,’ a 5K run/walk event, is named for Kaittie Renaye Stager who lost her life to domestic violence in 2020. The event is a fundraiser for Hope and Safety Alliance, the organization formerly known as Womenspace. Organizers said that it’s important to honor Kaittie’s life and raise awareness about the situation.
“All proceeds go directly to Hope and Safety Alliance,” said Hannah Phillips, the event’s main organizer. “This will raise awareness in our community provide resources to the survivors.”
The event will be held on January 11 at South Eugene High School and opens with a presentation at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K will begin at 10 a.m. It costs $10 to enter and a raffle will be held featuring prizes from local businesses. All proceeds raised from the event will go to the Hope and Safety Alliance.
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More information can be found on the website https://justiceforkaittie.wixsite.com/kaittierenaye/kaittie-s-run?fbclid=IwY2xjawHuOXdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWbukPaRGurV2qjU11QlldEaQlJE2oiLgRAJ9vjIYkI9wbHT2sJf3f6-cQ_aem_xE__cnzLSRsXp8IDQEUnaQ
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/387347731104676/
1/8/25 – LCSO Case #25-0105 – Deputies Investigating Fatal House Fire On Noraton Road North Of Junction City
On January 8th at about 7 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 95400 block of Noraton Road north of Junction City, at the request of fire personnel. A residence in the area was on fire, and fire personnel confirmed a person was deceased inside. He was later identified as Gordon Dale Dawson, 58, of Junction City.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident along with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and Lane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Junction City Police and Junction City Fire Departments for their assistance on this incident.
1/6/25 – LCSO Case #24-0068 – Deputies Investigating Fatal House Fire In River Road Area Of Eugene
On January 6th at about 1:30 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 200 block of River Loop 2, Eugene, at the request of fire personnel. A residence in the area was on fire with a person believed to be inside. Fire personnel later confirmed a person was deceased inside. Their identity is being withheld at this time.
The roadway was closed through the morning as firefighters brought fire under control. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident along with Lane Fire Authority’s Fire Marshal and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank Oregon State Police and Eugene Springfield Fire for their assistance on this incident.
Fatal Crash – Highway 126 – Lane County
Lane County, Ore 7 Jan 2025- On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 3:05 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 126, near milepost 8, in Lane County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Ferrari GTB, operated by Victor Joseph Cianci (74) of Florence, was travelling at a highrate of speed when it crossed the center line, struck a guardrail, and overturned coming to rest in a pond. The operator of the Ferrari (Cianci) was declared deceased at the scene.
The highway was impacted for approximately two hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by Lane County Sheriff’s Office.
City of Eugene Invites Proposals for New Affordable Housing
The City of Eugene is seeking proposals for the creation of new affordable housing to be funded by $709,879 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). The AHTF supports the development of housing affordable to low- and moderate-income residents in Eugene. Applications are open now, with a submission deadline of March 5, 2025.
About the Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The AHTF is funded by a 0.5% construction excise tax on new construction in Eugene and a contribution from the City’s General Fund. Since its inception, the fund has supported affordable housing developments that address local housing needs. In 2024, the City invested $1 million in three developments:
- Rosa Village: 52 cooperative-ownership homes by SquareOne Villages.
- The Lucy: 36 rental homes by Cornerstone Community Housing.
- Williams Place: 10 transitional apartments for veterans, by St. Vincent de Paul.
Available Funding and Priorities
This year, $709,879 is available through the Request for Proposals (RFP). Proposed rental or home-ownership developments should:
- Be located in Eugene city limits;
- Include at least 4 dwellings;
- Meet affordability and other criteria outlined in the application; and
- Submit a letter of interest by February 5 and a complete application by March 5.
Preference will be given to developments that:
- provide accessible housing for people with mobility and sensory challenges,
- demonstrate innovation through project design, financing, or management structure,
- are in areas underserved by Affordable Housing, and
- serve populations disproportionately impacted by housing cost burden and historically excluded from housing opportunities.
The full list of award criteria, priorities, and detailed application instructions can be found in the RFP available on the AHTF website.
Proposals will be reviewed, scored, and ranked by community representatives on Affordable Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee. Recommendations will be presented to the Eugene City Council for final funding decisions.
For more information on the RFP process, visit the AHTF website. (https://eugene-or.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=6886)
LCSO Case #25-0006 – Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest Juvenile In Glenwood Voyeur Case
On January 1st, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies began investigating a report of an individual who peered through the window of a residence in the middle of the night. The victim reported the suspect broke through her fence to access the yard, and her young child was sleeping near where the suspect stood.
On January 7th, deputies arrested a 14-year-old juvenile in the case for Trespass in the 2nd Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. Due to the charges being misdemeanors, the juvenile was released to parents and the case will be forwarded to the Juvenile Division of the Lane County District Attorney’s Office. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public’s assistance in this case.
Trillium Grant Aids Bushnell’s Training Of New Nurses
Award of $500,000 will address nursing workforce shortage in Lane County
EUGENE, OR. – As a part of its ongoing mission to improve the health and well-being of all residents of Lane County, Trillium Community Health Plan (Trillium) has awarded a $500,000 grant to Bushnell University’s School of Nursing, one of the anchor academic programs within its College of Health Professions. The grant funds Bushnell’s efforts to meet the nursing workforce shortage in Lane County and will utilize Trillium’s community SHARE resources to support Bushnell’s efforts to recruit and train student nurses through the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree for clinical practice.
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The aim of the SHARE Initiative, a joint effort of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the state’s Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs), is to address health inequities across local communities. Investing SHARE resources in Bushnell University’s nursing education program demonstrates Trillium’s commitment to mitigating ongoing healthcare workforce challenges, including the nursing shortage in our region, according to Jeanne Savage MD, Trillium’s Chief Medical Officer.
“Trillium is dedicated to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes for all Oregonians,” said Dr. Savage. “We’re proud to partner with Bushnell to recruit and train a nursing workforce that will be highly skilled in delivering culturally competent care, addressing the social determinants of health, and treating patients in community and integrated behavioral health settings.”
Dr. Reed Mueller, Vice President for Academic Affairs, adds that “grant proceeds will support Bushnell’s existing efforts to meet the state-wide nursing shortage more quickly and effectively while also addressing systemic inequities in healthcare.”
This generous funding from Trillium, along with additional contributions from individual donors, family foundations, and local businesses, brings the fundraising efforts of Bushnell’s Health Professions Initiative to a total of just over $5 million since the accelerated program began in January 2022. Together with the donation of over 11,000 square feet of education space in the Center for Medical Education and Research (CMER) at PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart Medical Center University District (UD) campus, these funds provide the University much needed resources to hire high quality faculty members, recruit and retain new nursing students, and to support their success by providing scholarships and academic support services.
Bushnell’s nursing graduates are already making a difference in Oregon, with 62 percent of them choosing to stay in Lane County and over 90 percent practicing in-state.
About Bushnell University – Founded in 1895, Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call on their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, and leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell.
Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant University District. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid formats. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.
Lane County Government · 
State of the County Address 
Can be seen here: https://lanecounty.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/306080/state-of-the-county-address-january-6-2025?display_mode=year
𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀: 𝗟𝗮𝘇𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻
The Lazy Days Mobile Home and RV Park, rebuilt by Homes for Good after the Holiday Farm Fire, has 20 2-bedroom modular homes that are available to rent for Holiday Farm Fire survivors.
You may be eligible if: 
You were a renter who lost your primary residence in the Holiday Farm Fire. You lost the home you owned in the Holiday Farm Fire and you either did not own the property it was on or you owned the property but it is now unbuildable.
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟭 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀. Applicants should be at no more than 80% of the Area Median. For example, 80% AMI means:2 people = $57,050 annual income 4 people = $71,300 annual income Rent is $1000 per month and includes utilities (water, sewer, garbage). Two ADA-accessible units are available.
Funding to provide the modular homes to fire survivors is provided by Oregon Housing & Community Services. Homes for Good is property owner and has led construction on the site. Lane County is assisting with the application process. 
Learn more: http://www.homesforgood.org/…/lazy-days-rv-and-mobile…
Apply starting December 11: www.cognitoforms.com/LaneCounty1/LazyDaysApplication
LRAPA BURN ADVISORY #lanecounty – Burning prohibited until Spring 2025 based on LRAPA info below.
BURNING OVERVIEWThe Lane Regional Air Protection Agency is responsible for overseeing burning programs in Lane County. LRAPA administers a Home Wood Heating advisory program and an Outdoor Burning advisory program.
Home Wood Heating is the burning of wood in fireplaces and wood stoves for heat. Wood burning creates particulate matter, which is Lane County’s most common form of pollution, and can dramatically degrade air quality during periods of air stagnation when many home wood heating devices are in use. LRAPA issues daily green, yellow, and red burn advisories from October 1 2024 through May 31, 2025 based on air quality conditions. These advisories permit, limit, or restrict the use of fireplaces and wood stoves.Home Wood Heating Advisory Line: (541) 746-4328
Outdoor burning is the disposal of woody yard material by burning it. Burning rules vary throughout Lane County depending on location, size of property, weather forecast, and fire danger conditions. LRAPA rules also limit the type and quantity of debris which can be burned. LRAPA issues daily burn advisories during burn season. Always check this page or call the advisory line before burning. Outdoor Burning Advisory Line: (541) 726-3976 Coastal Outdoor Burning Advisory Line: (541) 997-1757 https://www.lrapa.org/air-quality…/burning-overview/
Help Us Keep Lane County Warm! 
We’re launching the Cold Weather Shelter Drive to support our unhoused neighbors this winter. Donate new or gently used tents, blankets, sleeping bags, and tarps to ensure no one faces the cold alone.
Donation Locations:
Visit our website for a full list of drop-off locations. http://www.ccslc.org/cwsd
Or donate directly at our Springfield Service Center:
Catholic Community Services
1025 G Street, Springfield, OR.
Together, we can make a difference! 
Call 541-345-3628 ext 1317 for more information
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)
Starting in the new year, White Bird Dental Clinic will offer more walk-in clinic times. Currently, we offer walk-in clinics at 1415 Pearl St. every Monday and Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. In January, we will also add every other Friday at 7:30 a.m. Find more information at whitebirdclinic.org/dental
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.”
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.
For more information on Operation Winter Survival Stockpile, please contact Maria Cortez at ia.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov“>Maria.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov
Youth Empowerment Programs, City of Eugene
Registration open for our FREE programs.
Some programs are drop-in, so no registration is required—just show up and get involved!
For more information and links to register, visit our website: https://www.eugene-or.gov/4888/Youth-Empowerment-Program
It’s official: Thousands of nurses, physicians, physician associates, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, clinical staff, and other healthcare professionals are now on strike across Oregon.
Our Stories: Creating Pathways To Housing For Oregonians Under The Governor’s Homelessness Executive Order
Watch: Oregon Coordinating Emergency Response video
SALEM, Ore. — Through innovative programs and strategic partnerships, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is delivering real, human-centered solutions, changing lives and building stronger communities. Governor Kotek announced this week the extension of Executive Order 24-02 to continue efforts to reduce homelessness in Oregon. Since the emergency homelessness response began in January 2023, OHCS has made substantial progress. However, continued support and resources are needed to maintain our commitment to making life better for the communities we serve.
“The executive order is not about funding programs. We are investing in people and people’s livelihoods and people’s humanity. Some of our most important work is in our steps ahead,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell.
As a result of funding and action, the broader statewide homelessness response effort, including the emergency response, it is estimated that by the end of June 2025:
5,500 shelter beds will be funded by the State of Oregon
3,300 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness will be rehoused
24,000 households will have been prevented from experiencing homelessness
“We must stay the course on what we see working. If we keep at this pace, one in every three people who were experiencing homelessness in 2023 will be rehoused,” Governor Kotek said. “Since declaring the homelessness emergency response two years ago, we exceeded the targets we set through a statewide homelessness infrastructure we never had before. But the urgency remains as homelessness continues to increase and we need to see this strategy through.”
Beyond the numbers, it’s the lives transformed through stable housing that are at the heart of the statewide efforts.
When COVID-19 hit, Stephanie and her young family found themselves homeless for more than two years, often sleeping in their van. With the support of AntFarm, an OHCS-funded organization in Clackamas County, Stephanie was able to secure housing and rebuild her life.
“It’s the little things like having a kitchen that I can cook in that I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted again,” Stephanie shared.
“I’d probably still be sleeping in my car right now… It’s not so much that AntFarm changed my life; it’s that they gave me an opportunity to change mine,” echoed Nolan, another individual helped by this program.
Similarly, Ash, who spent much of his life moving between temporary living spaces, found a new beginning through LiFEBoat Services, an organization in Clatsop County supported by OHCS. “LiFEBoat has provided me with the opportunity to get a home—a space of my own after living in rooms and cars and closets for my whole life,” Ash said.
Organizations like LiFEBoat Services, AntFarm, and others, including Church at the Park (C@P) in Marion County, highlight the critical role of state support in combating homelessness.
“The EO funds have been absolutely essential. At this family site, we’re able to support 35 households at a time and up to 132 people. The folks who exit here are 75% of the time landing in permanent supportive housing,” said DJ Vincent, founding pastor and director of C@P. “I don’t believe we can do work without the state, county, and city support.”
Over the past five years, OHCS has led the charge in creating sustainable housing solutions. With a focus on human impact and community-driven progress, the department remains focused on ensuring every Oregonian has a safe place to call home.
Watch and read more on how the governor’s homelessness emergency response is transforming lives at https://orhomelessnessresponse.org/our-stories/
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, visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.
Oregon strike teams arrive in Southern California, begin work on Palisades Fire
The 15 Oregon strike teams mobilized to help with the wildfires in the Los Angeles area arrived Thursday. Eleven of the strike teams began their work Friday morning.
These 300 firefighters and 75 engines are assigned to the Palisades Fire burning north of the Los Angeles area. The firefighters will be deployed for up to 14 days and are protecting homes and other buildings. The teams will be patrolling for hotspots and working alongside CAL Fire and other state and federal agencies.
“We are in contact with our teams, and they are in good spirits. They’ve received their assignments and have started their work,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “I am honored to work alongside the Oregon fire service who raised their hands to say they will go without question. This shows their commitment to jump into action no matter what, embodying the Oregon spirit.”
Before arriving in Southern California, the teams completed a routine safety check with CAL Fire in Sacramento. These inspections ensure all engines on an emergency scene are equipped, mechanically sound, and able to respond. This ensures our number one priority of a safe deployment for our firefighters.
“The vehicle safety check process was critical for our teams. With moving this amount of equipment and firefighters, safety has to be our highest priority,” OSFM Agency Administrator Ian Yocum said. “Our Oregon strike teams are motivated, committed to what they do, and excited to get out to the line and help where they are needed.”
This deployment is the one of largest out-of-state responses the Oregon fire service has supported, similar to the 2017 response to Santa Rosa and Napa. The Oregon State Fire Marshal remains in contact with its counterparts in California to monitor their needs as they navigate this crisis.
For information specific to the Palisades Fire or other fires in California, please visit the CAL Fire Current Emergency Incidents webpage.
Final Wildfire Hazard Maps Now Available
SALEM, Ore.—The statewide maps of wildfire hazard zones and the wildland-urban interface are complete and final versions are now available on the Oregon Explorer website. Notifications are being mailed to impacted property owners and should be expected to arrive over the next several days.
The wildfire hazard map’s purposes are to:
- Educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live.
- Assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations.
- Identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply.
The statewide wildfire hazard map designates all of Oregon’s 1.9 million property tax lots into one of three wildfire hazard zones: low, moderate or high. It also identifies whether a tax lot is within boundaries of the wildland-urban interface. Properties that are in both a high hazard zone and within the wildland-urban interface will be prioritized for future wildfire risk mitigation resources and actions.
To help protect these communities, future defensible space and home-hardening building codes may apply to properties with both designations. All properties with both designations are receiving a certified mail packet informing them of the designations, outlining their appeal rights and explaining the appeal process, and explaining what the designation might mean for them and their property.
“It’s a hefty packet of information that property owners will receive by certified mail,” said Tim Holschbach, Wildfire Hazard Map Lay Representative. “However, we want to ensure Oregonians get all the relevant information they need on their wildfire hazard exposure.”
Anyone that does not receive a packet but is still interested in learning about the wildfire hazard where they live can visit the Oregon Explorer website. A Property Owner’s Report is available for every Oregon tax lot and includes information about hazards and resources.
The road to completed maps has been a long one. After the initial wildfire map was released and rescinded in summer of 2022, ODF and OSU spent more than two years receiving and analyzing feedback to improve the product available today, including a recent public comment period.
Draft versions of the statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps were available to the public for review and comment from July 18 to August 18. ODF received nearly 2,000 comments from the public during the 30-day comment period.
After reviewing the comments on the draft maps, ODF identified one key theme that had not been previously addressed in prior adjustments to the map: neighbor-to-neighbor variation in hazard zones. In response, researchers took a closer look at those variations and their causes. OSU evaluated scientific methods to reduce neighbor-to-neighbor variations in hazard zone designations that were still in accordance with legislative rules directing development of the map.
This final adjustment is in addition to other revisions that have been made to the map over the last two years in response to feedback from elected officials, county governments and the public. Other updates to the map since 2022 include:
- Adjustments for hay and pasturelands.
- Adjustments for northwest Oregon forest fuels.
- Adjustments for certain irrigated agricultural fields.
- Corrections for verified anomalies identified by county planners.
“It’s important that the map is as objective and understandable as possible,” said Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations at ODF. “It took additional time to ensure community protection measures like home hardening and defensible space are prioritized in communities of highest wildfire hazard. It’s been time well spent, and we’re pleased with the diligence ODF staff and OSU researchers put into addressing input from all sources.”
In addition to feedback that resulted in changes to the map, there were two main themes of public input that will not be addressed by map adjustments: insurance and existing defensible space and fire hardening improvements.
Oregon Senate Bill 82 prohibits insurers in Oregon from using this map, or any statewide map, for making decisions on whether to extend coverage or determine rates. Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation has investigated concerns and confirmed that even prior to passage of Senate Bill 82, no insurance company in Oregon has or will use these maps for insurance purposes. Additionally, some property owners shared a belief that their hazard rating should be lower due to implementation of defensible space strategies. By law, the map’s hazard assessments are based on weather, climate, topography and vegetation on a broader environmental scale than just an individual property. If a property owner has implemented appropriate defensible space already, there is likely nothing that a designation of high hazard and being within the wildland-urban interface will require of them when future code requirements are adopted. — Find more information on ODF’s wildfire hazard web page.
Oregon Joins $17 Million Multistate Enforcement Settlement With Edward Jones
Salem – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), a member of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), has joined a $17 million settlement with Edward D. Jones & Co. L.P. (Edward Jones) resulting from an investigation into the broker-dealer’s supervision of customers paying front-loaded commissions for Class A mutual fund shares in light of later moving brokerage assets into fee-based investment advisory accounts.
The four-year investigation was led by a working group of 14 state securities regulators and looked into Edward Jones’s supervision of customers moving from brokerage to advisory accounts in consideration of the 2016 U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Fiduciary Rule that makes investment advice to retirement accounts subject to a fiduciary standard of care.
The investigation found that Edward Jones charged front-loaded commissions for investments in Class A mutual fund shares in situations where the customer sold or moved the mutual fund shares sooner than originally anticipated. The states found gaps in Edward Jones’s supervisory procedures in this respect.
As part of the settlement, Edward Jones will pay each of the 50 states; Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Puerto Rico an administrative fine of approximately $320,000. In evaluating the supervisory failures and determining the appropriate resolution, the states considered certain facts such as the positive performance of the investment advisory accounts as compared to the brokerage accounts.
“In partnership with NASAA and other state securities regulators, we will continue to protect Main Street investors and ensure that companies operating in Oregon follow our securities laws,” said TK Keen, DFR administrator. “DFR appreciates the ongoing cooperation of Edward Jones throughout this investigation and settlement process. Firms that offer both brokerage and investment advisory services must ensure customers receive the services they need at a fair and transparent price.”
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of financial mismanagement can contact DFR’s consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or .financialserviceshelp@dcbs.oregon.gov“>dfr.financialserviceshelp@dcbs.oregon.gov.
### About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation protects consumers and regulates insurance, depository institutions, trust companies, securities, and consumer financial products and services. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.
Oregonians’ health care could face more change than most states under the new federal administration, and Dr. Sejal Hathi, director of the state health authority, said officials are preparing to respond quickly as things happen
Oregon health care officials continue to brace themselves for policy and funding changes as incoming president Donald Trump gets ready to take office Jan. 20.
And though nothing has been proposed formally, the Oregon Health Authority has already started to prepare for a slew of potential changes, according to its director, Dr. Sejal Hathi.
“We conducted a tabletop exercise even before the election to identify the range of potential risks that a change in federal administration could pose,” she told The Lund Report recently.
The agency oversees free care to 1.4 million low-income Oregonians under the Oregon Health Plan, while also providing administration and support for care received by many other people in the state.
Of all state agencies, it’s likely facing the most immediate cuts and changes during Trump’s second term.
Not only that, but the state’s health care system could face more changes than in most states because of several Oregon-specific programs.
Hathi said the agency needs to be ready for anything, but “the reality is we don’t yet know what the next administration is going to bring.”
State officials and others tend to mull different responses to a new administration, she said, ranging between aggressive public “resistance” versus quietly safeguarding the work agencies are doing: “keep your head down. Don’t make noise.”
So far, Gov. Tina Kotek’s public statements suggest she’s charting a course in between. She’s said she’ll fight to preserve “Oregon values” against any partisan “attacks.”
Hathi stressed that it’s Kotek who will determine how Oregon responds to changes over the coming year.
Officials are readying for a range of possibilities — Within the health authority, Hathi’s office has set up an “incident management” structure similar to how agencies respond to severe weather or natural disasters. It will closely track proposed policies and executive orders, “and look at what we can do administratively as well as what might be required legislatively to counter any potential fallout for our programs” in terms of services and funding cuts, Hathi said.
Several areas where the new administration could make cuts or changes that disrupt the status quo in health care have drawn plenty of attention already:
- Though Trump waffled on abortion rights and eventually suggested the federal government should stay out of it, people continue to prepare for the worst.
- Trump’s campaign-trail attacks on youth transgender care could spawn federal efforts to eliminate or reduce coverage.
- Regarding immigration, the Trump campaign spoke of mass deportations and would likely also take steps affecting the six states, such as Oregon, that have extended coverage to people regardless of documentation.
Because of the unique nature of some of its programs, Oregon officials have to mull things on deeper level.
More than 1M Oregonians could face cuts, changes — The Oregon Health Plan draws the bulk of its funding from the federal Medicaid program, where there are cuts and changes being discussed.
So Oregon officials are watching for several possibilities that could affect the one in three Oregonians covered by the program:
- Federal bureaucrats could reconsider their support of Oregon-specific programs that fund housing for some people, and transition benefits for people who are being released from state prisons. As Hathi puts it, that could come in the form of “stringent evaluations” or budget “riders,” meaning restrictions on how federal money is spent.
- Possible misuse of data shared with the federal government on communicable diseases and care programs.
- Some Republicans in Washington, D.C. have urged more frequent Medicaid eligibility checks, potentially as frequent as every six months. That would threaten Oregon’s system of two-year eligibility intended to keep people from losing coverage because they missed a letter or made an error in their paperwork.
Oregon program could shield some while costing others — There’s also the question of what happens if, as expected, Republicans let enhanced health insurance subsidies expire. Established by Biden to respond to the pandemic, the subsidies have brought down health insurance premiums for individuals and families that buy their own coverage but are not on Medicare.
If the subsidies go away, analysts say people making too much for Medicaid but less than four times the poverty level will pay much more for insurance. And in Oregon, some people will pay even more than others in the country due to a new state program — while others will see their premiums go away entirely.
In Oregon the lower range of those incomes would be protected due to the state’s new “Bridge” plan, which offers coverage similar to the Oregon Health Plan and is intended to prevent as many as 20,000 people from losing coverage. It will provide free care to those who are not on the Oregon Health Plan but make less than two times the federal poverty level, or $51,640 for a family of three in 2024,
But because of how the new program intersects with the vagaries of federal law, Oregonians who make between two and four times federal poverty level — $103,280 for a family of three in 2024 — stand to see bigger increases than in other states over the next three years thanks to the new state program. One insurer’s analysis found that 20,000 Oregonians would see yearly increases of $900 or more. That would be on top of average premium hikes of 27%-67% or more due to the loss of federal subsidies.
Public health, communication a focus — The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine skeptic who dropped his presidential candidacy after making a deal with Trump, has sparked concern for public health officials in many states — who are already dealing with a drop in vaccination rates many attribute to Trump’s first term. Meanwhile, diseases like whooping cough are on the rise.
Hathi said state officials are preparing for “misinformation and disinformation” and are looking to reactivate “trusted messenger networks” that the state used during the pandemic, using contracts with community-based organizations to disseminate information about “common sense, evidence-based public health interventions.”
And given all the potential changes, Hathi said the state is exploring other outreach, too: “We’re already starting to get questions from OHP members and others about whether or not their coverage may be curtailed or impacted,” she said. (This story was originally published by The Lund Report, an independent nonprofit health news organization based in Oregon.)
More schools, community organizations sought for Summer Food Service Program
Grant funds of up to $20K are available to startup or expand summer meal programs serving children and teens
The Oregon Department of Education is seeking more schools, community organizations and tribes to participate in the Summer Food Service Program this summer to help ensure that children and teens receive the nutritious meals they need during the summer months. As an incentive, state grant funds are available up to $20,000 per sponsor to startup or expand summer meal programs.
Summer Food Service Program works to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from meal programs during the school year, continue to have that same access to nutritious meals when schools are closed, or students are unable to attend school in person.
“During the summer months, when school is not in session, children often lose vital access to school nutrition programs. Summer meal sites ensure that children continue to receive the nutrition they need to learn and grow,” ODE Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator Cathy Brock said. “Expanding access to the program is an important step to close the hunger gap in all areas of the state. ODE’s Child Nutrition Program is reaching out to ensure that children continue to receive meals throughout the summer.”
Sponsoring organizations must enter into an agreement with ODE to operate the USDA Summer Food Service Program and are then reimbursed for serving healthy meals and snacks to children at approved sites. Sponsors may be approved to oversee and/or operate multiple sites.
Sites are places in the community where children receive meals in a safe and supervised environment. Sites may be located in a variety of settings, including schools, parks, community centers, health clinics, hospitals, libraries, migrant centers, apartment complexes and faith-based locations.
Apply — ODE has state grant funds available up to $20,000 to startup or expand summer meal programs. Eligible grant activities include the purchase of food service equipment, supplies for enrichment activities, and staff time to support and operate summer meal programs.
For questions about grant funds and more information about how your organization can become a Summer Food Service Program sponsor, please contact ODE’s Community Nutrition Team by email at ode.communitynutrition@ode.oregon.gov. The deadline to submit an eligibility assessment to become a Summer Food Service Sponsor is March 1, 2025.
A federal case against a Klamath Falls man is documenting evidence that he tried to escape jail, twice. It also presents an account of rape of a minor to consider for his prison sentence.
30-year-old Negasi “Sakima” Zuberi, aka Justin Hyche, faces federal court sentencing in Medford this month for his October convictions on federal charges for kidnapping, assault and weapons. Zuberi is convicted of kidnapping two women in a criminal case with testimony that outlined rape, impersonation of police, and usage of a handgun, taser, handcuffs, leg irons, threats and a homemade cinder block captivity cell to subdue the women in the Klamath Falls home he rented from the mayor.
The case prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Oregon have supplied their sentencing memorandum in the case this week, and it outlines other incidents involving Zuberi for the court to consider in its sentencing, planned for Jan. 17. The incidents involve another claim of rape of a minor and two attempted escapes from Jackson County Jail.
In the new federal case filing, prosecutors wrote, “This is not Mr. Zuberi’s first time beating and sexually assaulting a female—he was convicted in 2020 of beating a minor girl who he solicited for commercial sex and then raped. He also had a Targets list in his room with women’s names on it, and he stalked other women and girls in Klamath Falls and elsewhere. And even today, despite all of the evidence of his crimes, he shows no remorse but instead emphatically blames everyone but the one person truly responsible: himself.”
The prosecution shared some detail about that case while filing a photo of the victim’s injuries under seal, writing how another court warned Zuberi his criminal behavior could lead to trouble, “Mr. Zuberi is no stranger to the legal system and was explicitly warned that his criminal conduct placed him in jeopardy. His first sex offense conviction was for having sex with a 16- year-old minor when he was 23 years old; he was convicted in 2017 of sexual intercourse with a minor and placed on three years’ probation. In 2018, he was convicted of disorderly conduct for a verbal dispute with his significant other, who was pregnant, and who reported that Mr. Zuberi had struck her in the face the day before.
In 2020, he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon after he brutally beat and raped MV1, a 16-year-old girl who was working as a commercial sex worker. During the rape, when he was angry and forceful, the victim was afraid of being killed and submitted, and she said, ‘I just laid back and I literally just cried.’ But she fought back when he began to hurt her, so he punched her in the face repeatedly before dragging her out of his car and leaving her.’ The U.S. Attorney’s Office also shared comments from the judge in that case with Chief United States District Judge Michael J. McShane in Medford.
Zuberi’s federal case started after a woman told police she’d escaped from a night of kidnap and rape by Zuberi after he solicited her for sex in Seattle, then claimed to be a police officer while driving her to his Klamath Falls home. She said he used a handgun, taser, handcuffs and leg irons to subdue her until putting her in a homemade cinder block cell, where she broke its doors with her bare hands to escape. Zuberi’s second federal case victim reported that he kidnapped her outside a Klamath Falls restaurant before beating and raping her under threat to her friends and family if she reported him.
Zuberi’s federal court case conviction has charges that could get lifetime prison sentencing.
Changes make it easier to claim tax benefits when saving for your first home
Salem, OR— Aspiring homeowners looking to take their first steps into the real estate market now have greater access to a key tool that can help make their dreams of home ownership more affordable.
Legislative changes to the state’s First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account program last year make it easier than ever to reap tax benefits while saving for a home. First-time home buyers can now open accounts at any financial institution, and friends or family will be able to open an account to help someone else.
Individual First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account holders will be able to subtract up to $6,125 of their 2025 deposits and earnings from their Oregon income when they file their tax year 2025 return in 2026. Joint filers will be able to subtract up to $12,245. To qualify, the account holder or beneficiary can’t have owned or purchased a residence in the three years prior to the date of their planned purchase.
Account holders qualify for a cumulative tax subtraction of as much as $50,000 over a decade, and deposited funds can be used for costs such as down payments, insurance, commissions and other closing costs.
Account holders can designate an account and a beneficiary, if applicable, using Form OR-HOME, which can be found in the agency Forms and Publications Library.
To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.
New funding is making it easier than ever for Oregon farmers to become certified organic.
To achieve certification, farmers must go three years without using synthetic additives such as fertilizers or pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Oregon has launched the Organic Transition Initiative to provide financial and technical support.
Ben Bowell, director of education and advocacy for the group Oregon Tilth, noted the funding is especially valuable because the transition can be costly.
“During that time they have to be farming as organic farmers but they are not able to access an organic crop premium,” Bowell pointed out.
Farmers can also get support through the initiative to develop organic systems for fertilization, building soil and controlling weeds.
Bowell explained the initiative is one of a three-part national USDA Organic Transition Initiative. This five-year program provides mentorship from experienced organic farmers, technical assistance and an organic market development program. He emphasized with the three programs, the combined $300 million investment in organic farming is historic.
“Right now is an amazing time to consider transitioning to organic in terms of all of the support that’s available,” Bowell stated.
Erica Thompson, farm operations manager for the U-pick blueberry farm Blueberry Meadows near Corvallis, which has been in her family since 1993, is a little over a year into the three-year process. She said figuring out a new fertility program and disease management has been a challenge, along with understanding the application and documentation process.
Thompson added working with the Organic Transition Initiative has been helpful. “Being part of it has really solved or like is in the process of solving all my questions and uncertainties,” Thompson observed.
Along with farmers, support is available for ranchers and forest landowners looking to go organic. Applications for the current round of funding are due Jan. 17. (SOURCE)
A push for Oregon’s ‘right to repair’ law to include wheelchairs
Oregon’s right to repair law, which increases consumers’ ability to repair their own electronics, takes effect this week.
The law requires manufacturers to provide access to replacement parts, tools, manuals, as well as digital keys needed so people can fix their own devices.
Charlie Fisher, state director of the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, helped author the law. He said it needs to go further, which is why, along with disability justice advocates, he is pushing for wheelchairs to be included. Fisher pointed out the current process for getting wheelchairs fixed is overly complicated and takes months.
“Just simple barriers that shouldn’t exist are really what we’re trying to address in this wheelchair right to repair law,” Fisher explained. “It just seems like common sense.”
Fisher noted Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, will introduce two bills this year to expand the right to repair law. One bill would add protections for wheelchairs, the other would simplify the repair process when going through Medicaid.
Wren Grabham, a disability justice activist, has been working on the bills and said additions to the law would require wheelchair manufacturers to post their manuals and allow a person to fix their chair without voiding their warranty.
Grabham noted when she was 16, her electric wheelchair began shutting off and giving an error code. Because there was no public manual for the chair, she did not know what the code meant or if the chair was safe to keep driving. Grabham added fixing it included getting insurance approval, so it took a long time.
“I had to pretty much use an old chair that didn’t fit me for six months,” Grabham recounted.
Grabham emphasized even simple, routine fixes, like getting a new tire or battery for her chair, take months because she has to prove new parts are needed.
“Even though it’s something that we could fix in a weekend, if we were able to actually get the parts to fix them,” Grabham stressed.
The Public Interest Research Group’s research found being able to fix phones, computers and appliances instead of buying new ones will save the average Oregon household more than $300 a year. (SOURCE)
Bird Flu Alert: Northwest Naturals Recalls Feline Raw & Frozen Pet Food Due to HPAI Contamination
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is alerting pet owners that samples of Northwest Naturals brand two-pound turkey recipe raw and frozen pet food tested positive for a H5N1 strain of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus.
Testing conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ODVL) at Oregon State University confirmed a house cat in Washington County contracted H5N1 and died after consuming the raw frozen pet food. Tests confirmed a genetic match between the virus in the raw and frozen pet food and the infected cat.
“We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food,” said ODA state veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz. “This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other.”
Northwest Naturals, a Portland, Oregon-based company, is voluntarily recalling its Northwest Naturals brand two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw & frozen pet food. The recalled product is packaged in two-pound plastic bags with “Best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. The product was sold nationwide through distributors in AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, MN, PA, RI and WA in the United States, and British Columbia in Canada.
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and local public health officials are monitoring household members who had contact with the cat for flu symptoms. To date, no human cases of HPAI have been linked to this incident, and the risk of HPAI transmission to humans remains low in Oregon. Since 2022, OHA has partnered with ODA through a One Health approach to investigate human exposures to animal outbreaks of avian influenza. (SOURCE)
Commercial Dungeness crab season opening delay from Cape Falcon to Washington border continues
NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon ocean commercial Dungeness crab fishery is delayed until at least Jan. 15 from Cape Falcon to the Washington border. A third round of preseason testing in Long Beach, WA shows crab meat fill remains lower than required for commercial harvest.
Based on this result not meeting Tri-State meat recovery criteria, and in consultation with Washington and California Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Tri-State fishery managers agreed to delay the season from Cape Falcon to Klipsan Beach, WA until at least Jan. 15. WDFW will conduct another round of preseason meat fill testing to help inform whether this area will open Jan. 15 or Feb. 1.
Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery opened Dec. 16 from Cape Falcon to the California border. Despite rough ocean conditions this past week, over 2.5 million pounds of crab were landed into Oregon ports in that area. Price at the docks averaged $4.50 per pound, well above last season’s total season average of $3.79 per pound.
Weekly season opening updates will continue to be posted until the decision is made to open the north coast. Check ODFW’s website for more on Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery.
You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of 2025, that’s unless you have a passport or enhanced driver’s license issued by several states.
The deadline is May 7, 2025, but you probably don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your Real ID. You can apply for your Real ID driver’s license or ID card through your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Real IDs are marked with a star on the top of the card. Real IDs will also be needed to access certain federal facilities. Congress mandated the real IDs in 2005 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.
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.
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
