Willamette Valley News, Wednesday 9/17 – ODOT Closes 21 Miles of Hwy 242 Due to Foley Ridge Fire, Law Enforcement Updates on DUII Arrests & 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

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Willamette Valley Weather

ODOT Closes 21 Miles of Hwy 242 Due to Foley Ridge Fire

The Foley Ridge Fire that broke out 10 days ago on the Willamette National Forest east of McKenzie Bridge has burned nearly 450 acres and prompted the closure Tuesday of a 21-mile stretch of state Highway 242, at fire officials’ request.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said the highway was closed Tuesday morning between mileposts 55 (the Highway 126 intersection) and 76 due to the lightning-sparked fire. ODOT urged travelers to use alternate routes and avoid the area. There is no estimated time for reopening. Check Trip Check for updates.

Foley Ridge Fire Operational Briefing and Update September 17, 2025

Start Date: 09/06/2025-Percent Containment: 0%-Size: 437 Acres

Full suppression efforts continue on the southern and eastern flanks of the Foley Ridge Fire. Firefighters are actively engaged in securing the perimeter. Crews are patrolling and extinguishing hot spots along direct portions of handline and dozer line. Increased activity was seen on the Western flank yesterday afternoon, crews were able to reinforce containment lines and secure the fires edge. Crews are still scouting and looking for any viable options for direct attack on the west flank of the fire. On Highway 242 heavy equipment is conducting chipping operations, while engine crews lay hose to support containment. Due to these activities – and reduced visibility – a road closure is in effect from Highway 126 to milepost 76. Meanwhile, four helicopters are providing aerial support, performing water drops to cool the fire’s edge and slow its spread.

Strategic firing operations are taking place in small portions on the southern flank. These operations aim to eliminate ground fuels and create a buffer zone. This strategy employs a lower-intensity fire that can help secure the perimeter in terrain too hazardous for direct engagement.

Evacuations- Lane County Sheriff has issued Level 2 (Get Set) evacuation notices for HWY 242, Yale Camp, White Branch Youth Camp, Alder Spring Campground, Scott Lake Campground, and private residences off HWY 242. For more information on evacuation status please visit:  https://experience.arcgis.com/…/page/Wildfire-Evacuations

Closures – Road closures include Foley Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 2643). Closed recreation sites include Rainbow Falls Trailhead and Separation Lake Trailhead. Foley Ridge Trailhead will be inaccessible due to the closure. For the complete Foley Ridge Fire closure order, including a map, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/…/foley-ridge-fire-closure-order.

Weather- Mostly sunny skies are forecast for the remainder of the week. Temperatures are consistent and a slight increase in relative humidity is expected. Winds will be light 3-5 mph, with potential gusts up to 15 mph.

McKenzie River Highway (HWY 242)- HWY 242 is closed until further notice from HWY 126 intersection to MP 76. Please use an alternate route and expect delays. Visit Oregon Department of Transportation’s webpage for additional information https://tripcheck.com 

For more information, visit the incident website: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incid…/orwif-foley-ridge-fire

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 – 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔 @ 𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐦.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is placing 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟒𝟐 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟐𝟔 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝟐 (𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐭) 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 due to the Foley Ridge Fire.

Searchable evacuation map: https://bit.ly/LCEvacMapLevel 2 (Be Set) means you must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice, and this may be the only notice you receive.If you have a disability, children or large animals, we urge you to consider leaving now.Responders cannot guarantee they will be able to notify you if conditions worsen. Continue to closely monitor your phone, local news, and www.LaneCountyOR.gov/2025Fires for information. More information about evacuation levels and what they mean: www.LaneCountyOR.gov/Evacuation

U.S. Forest Service – Willamette National Forest 

Emigrant Fire Update

9/15/25 – LCSO Case 25-4441 – Lane County Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiation Team Peacefully Resolves Armed Barricade Call

On September 15th at about 10 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies were at an address in the 800 block of S. 6th Street in Cottage Grove to serve a court-ordered eviction. As deputies were ensuring the residence was empty, a male made threatening remarks from inside. Deputies backed out of the residence and requested assistance. The Lane County Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiation Team responded to contact the subject, who refused to exit.

Due to his threatening statements and ownership of numerous firearms, the Lane County Sheriff’s Special Response Team responded with armored rescue vehicles to evacuate area residents and provide cover for deputies. After several hours of negotiation, the subject surrendered. He was detained and taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. Thanks to the Cottage Grove Police Department, Coburg Police Department, Oregon State Police, and FBI for their assistance in this case.

Lane County Sheriff’s deputies arrest 6 DUII drivers over the weekend

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office does not have a dedicated traffic team or deputy assigned to DUI enforcement due to lack of funding. However, our deputies are committed to the safety of our community, and that includes our roadways. 

Over the weekend, deputies arrested 6 drivers for DUII. Each of these cases could have ended tragically, as our deputies often see out on our roads. 

Please consider others if you choose to drink or use drugs: 

🚙 Plan your safe ride home ahead of time 

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

🔑 If you know someone has been drinking or using drugs, don’t let them drive 

💃 If you host a party with alcohol, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver 

👍 And please, always wear your seatbelt! 

Please drive safe this fall!

On September 12th at about 8:30 p.m., a deputy patrolling River Road observed an SUV turn east on the Beltline westbound off ramp, into oncoming traffic. The deputy quickly initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver, Patricia Ann Loehr, 59, of Eugene. The deputy observed signs Loehr was impaired. After additional investigation, Loehr was arrested for DUII.

At 11:30 p.m., a sergeant patrolling in the River Road area was passed by a speeding sedan. The vehicle committed several more traffic violations, including driving down the center lines instead of a lane of travel. The sergeant initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver, Haley Renae Ferebee, 33, of Eugene. The sergeant observed signs Ferebee was impaired. After additional investigation, Ferebee was arrested for DUII – Drugs. Deputies found methamphetamine and other evidence in the vehicle, so she was also arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine. 

On September 13th at about 7:30 p.m., a deputy observed a sedan turn onto Highway 99 North near Pattison Street, Eugene, into the wrong lane, almost striking an oncoming vehicle. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and observed the driver, Christopher Charles Todd, 45, of Eugene, was impaired. After additional investigation, the deputy informed Todd he was under arrest. Todd attempted to fight with the deputy, but was safely detained. Todd was arrested for DUII, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Resisting Arrest. 

At about 10 p.m., a deputy responded to a driving complaint made to Oregon State Police on Highway 126 near Veneta. A deputy observed the vehicle driving poorly and initiated a traffic stop. The driver, Teresa Marie Morrison, 57, of Eugene, showed signs of impairment. After additional investigation, Morrison was arrested for DUII. 

At about 11 p.m., Dispatch received several 911 calls reporting a loud crash and power outage in the area of E. Beacon Drive and Thunderbird Lane, Eugene. Witnesses reported a large pickup had crashed into a power pole. A deputy followed the fluid trail from the damaged pole to a residence nearby, where the damaged pickup was parked. Deputies contacted the driver, Johan Kristian Hulberg, 39, of Eugene, and observed signs he was impaired. After additional investigation, Hulberg was arrested for Reckless Driving, Fail to Perform Duties of a Driver – Property Damage, and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. 

On September 14th at about 8:30 a.m., a deputy driving south on Highway 99 from Junction City observed a pickup follow a sedan at a dangerously close distance, then drive in the center turn lane until the sedan moved over, and then accelerate. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and observed signs the driver, Kiel Tayler Briggs, 23, of Eugene, was impaired. After additional investigation, Briggs was arrested for DUII.

Eugene Police arrest several for DUIIs over the weekend

At 9:24 a.m. on September 14, Eugene Police officers responded to the 1500 block of Fetters Loop for a welfare check of a man who appeared unresponsive in a Subaru Forester that had the engine running and that was stopped in the roadway of a complex. An officer attempted to contact the man, later identified as 32-year-old Brennen Andrew Babbhacket, but he was not responsive and attempts to wake him failed. A second officer was able to get a second set of keys to Babbhacket’s car and unlock it. Babbhacket awoke when officers began opening the door, and he took his foot off the brake. The Subaru rolled forward, crashing into a patrol vehicle and damaging it. He continuing to drive toward an officer, who broke the window with his ASP. Babbhacket stopped and was taken into custody. After further investigation he was taken into custody and later  charged with DUII, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Reckless Driving. He was cited for Driving without Operating Privileges. Case 25-14923

Shortly before 2 p.m. on September 13, Eugene Police were dispatched to a possibly intoxicated driver of a Toyota Tacoma’s driver, who was reported to be driving erratically near River Road and Knoop Lane. The driver stopped at the Grocery Outlet parking lot on River Road and there was report she possibly had hit a parked vehicle. A Eugene Police officer responded and contacted the driver, identified as 44-year-old Samantha Arlene Romero.  After an investigation, she was charged with DUII and Reckless Driving. Case 25-14891

At 1:03 on September 13, callers and a medic unit reported a potentially intoxicated driver who was failing to maintain his lane and driving against red lights at intersections. A Eugene Police officer located the vehicle, a Toyota Rav4, near the intersection of W. 11th Avenue and Chambers Street and stopped it. The driver, 39-year-old Christopher James Wickman, immediately got out,  causing an emergency patrol response. Officers attempted to place Wickman in handcuffs, but he pulled his arms away and tried to keep officers from getting the handcuffs on. The officers escorted Wickman to the ground to be detained. Wickman resisted officers when he was asked to sit in the nearby patrol car, then tensed his back and arms to push away from the car and into officers. When officers attempted to place him in the rear seat of the custody compartment, he hit his head on a body panel causing a dent, then once inside, he began spitting on the partition and windows. When he was in a holding cell at the EPD headquarters, he began spitting on the cell door. During the wingspan search of the involved vehicle, an officer discovered a stun gun in the driver`s door skin compartment of the vehicle. Wickman was lodged at the Lane County Jail for DUII, Reckless Driving, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree. 25-14887

Eugene Police Renegotiating Data Sharing Contract with Flock Safety

Discussions have begun with Flock Safety to change contract details about how data is shared. The negotiations come after a growing number of voices have opposed use of its license-plate reader technology in Eugene.

New negotiations have begun over the sharing of data collected by license-plate reader cameras first installed on Eugene streets in May, according to Police Chief Chris Skinner.

“I’m in active negotiations with our vendor, Flock, to adjust the contract around data security and data sharing,” Skinner told members of the city’s Police Commission on Thursday, Sept. 11. He also spoke about possibly having some “civilian audit oversight” over how the technology is used in Eugene.

An Oct. 8 city council work session is scheduled to further discuss the technology, he said.

Citizens opposed to the cameras have dominated public comment at recent city meetings, with 36 speakers at a Eugene City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 8. Some two dozen others signed up to speak that day, but the council enforced a 90-minute limit on public comment.

Most opponents of the cameras have cited concerns that the technology could be used to target vulnerable groups.

Eugene police have said that only law enforcement agencies in Oregon can access the network of data captured by the mounted cameras. Flock Safety maintains the network.

But many opposing the technology have expressed concerns about other law enforcement agencies, especially federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, getting access to the data. They have cited the aggressive immigration enforcement policies of President Donald Trump, as well as actions taken by his administration considered hostile to the transgender community.

Some also said that data kept and maintained by Flock Safety could potentially be vulnerable to security threats.

Skinner on Thursday did not share full details about his negotiations with Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company that is also working with Springfield on plans to install license-plate cameras.

But he said the purpose of re-opening negotiations is “to tighten up some vagueness in the contract language.” The process has involved “a lot of red lines our attorneys have been involved in,” referring to changes to the contract language. (READ MORE)

Lane County Sheriff’s Office search warrants yield illegal marijuana grows, stolen RV, firearms

On the morning of September 10th, Lane County Sheriff’s detectives and deputies served search warrants at: – A residence in the 89800 block of Armitage Road, north of Eugene – A property in the 89900 block of Coburg Road, north of Eugene – A residence in the 85100 block of Forest Hill Lane, southwest of Eugene  

During the service of the search warrants, detectives located and destroyed 7,000 plants and 800 pounds of marijuana bud. Deputies also located a trailer stolen from Springfield and seized 6 firearms including a sawed-off barrel shotgun. Seven people were arrested during the service of the search warrants.  

The Lane County Code Compliance Program and Oregon Watermaster will be following up with code violations discovered on the properties, including unlawful sewage dumping, unpermitted structures and other work, unlawful storage of hazardous materials, and an unapproved well.  

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on this case by the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Oregon Watermaster, and the Lane County Code Compliance Program.  

This investigation would not have been possible without the ongoing grant funding from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission’s Illegal Marijuana Market Grant (IMMEG). This grant was created in 2018 by the Oregon Legislature to assist local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys’ offices in their efforts to address the illegal marijuana market in Oregon.  

This is an ongoing investigation. Further details may be provided at a later time. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact LCSO at 541-682-4141 and reference case #25-4312.

Suspect in Multiple Bank Robberies Arrested

On September 10th, Lane County Sheriff’s detectives determined the suspect in the bank robberies to be Clarke Chaos Zyz, 37, of Eugene. Detectives determined Zyz likely had a residence in the Eugene area, and Eugene Police detectives and officers began searching. At about noon, while surveilling a possible residence in the area of Green Acres Road, Eugene Police detectives located Zyz in the suspect vehicle. Detectives and police officers contacted and detained the suspect without incident.

After additional investigation, Zyz was arrested and lodged at the Lane County Jail for the following charges related to the robbery in Creswell: – Robbery in the 2nd Degree – Menacing – Disorderly Conduct in the 2nd Degree

Zyz was also arrested and lodged at the Lane County Jail on the following charges related to the robbery in Cottage Grove: – Robbery in the 2nd Degree – Menacing – Disorderly Conduct in the 2nd Degree

Thanks to the Cottage Grove Police Department for their assistance and the many community members who provided tips during the course of this investigation that led to his identification and arrest. Thanks also to the Eugene Police Department, which assigned considerable resources to the search for the suspect within the city of Eugene. —

Lane County Stormdrain Cleaning Assistance Program now accepting fall business signups

Lane County’s Stormdrain Cleaning Assistance Program (SCAP) is back this fall—and businesses have until October 31 to sign up.

This voluntary program, offered in partnership with Stormwater Protection Systems (SPS), helps businesses keep their stormdrains clean and working for a flat fee of just $70 per drain. Since launching in 2023, more than 580 stormdrains representing 182 businesses have already been cleaned.

Why It Matters

Stormwater often flows directly into rivers and streams, carrying pollutants from parking lots and roads—like heavy metals, oil, pesticides, and fertilizers. Regular stormdrain maintenance keeps waterways clean, reduces flooding, and helps protect the local environment.

Program Details

• $70 per drain covers debris removal, power washing, and disposal of contaminated sediment.
• Businesses are responsible for their privately owned stormdrains.
• The program does not cover repairs, jetting, or oversized drains.

Lane County does not reimburse for this service; it is the responsibility of the business to pay for the service after the cleaning.

Act Now—Deadline October 31!

Lane County businesses must register this fall to lock in service before heavy rains arrive.

Register at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/SCAP or email SCAP@LaneCountyOR.gov.

Man arrested for theft of youth league funds, detective seeking tips

On September 10, Eugene Police Property and Financial Crimes Unit arrested a 38-year-old Springfield man after an investigation into theft of a local youth football league’s entire fund balance.

The theft of an estimated $50,000, heavily impacted a Bethel area league, leaving no money for proper gear for the youth participants. At the time, the suspect, Ean Douglas Lynum, was the treasurer of the league. Lynum is being charged with Aggravated Theft in the First Degree and Misapplication of Entrusted Property – Embezzle

Because Lynum has been involved in other sports programs, the detective assigned the case is reaching out to the public for tips in the event there are any other cases that have not been reported. Anyone who has additional information for this case is asked to contact Detective Chris White, 541.682.5376, or Cwhite@eugene-or.gov. Case 23-17545

Win 2 Nights Lodging in Oakridge so you can enjoy “Oakridge Rocks The Park!”!  Coming Oct 18th!

Click here to win 2 nights stay in Oakridge!

 Click here for more info on the event.

FOOD For Lane County is collecting short, anonymous stories from community members about how SNAP or food pantry programs have made a difference in their lives.

The new federal law, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” will cut SNAP benefits and impact 757,700 Oregonians. Your voice can help raise awareness and defend access to food for thousands of people in our community.
Responses are 100% ANONYMOUS. Please answer one or more of the prompts.  https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=udJFysn31UqbRcPRJH0Ew4z62Go4_hdOgeuS7G3tEtpUN0lJNjhQNTdVTkYzMUhPOTFDU1JaQThTSy4u&fbclid=IwY2xjawMUv4NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFUNkRvb053V1hEekJ1NGxLAR4lSe3v8oKwHs-fEr3dB7K6mBieN_ty401pN-OwFrXFhirbDV4i1hJbypW7Bw_aem_gxYIVwPs5kYNC7mhRZR5tQ&route=shorturl

Every story helps us advocate for food access and fight hunger in our community.

Lane County to Open 2025–2026 Community & Economic Development Grant Program

Lane County’s 2025–2026 Community & Economic Development (CED) Grant Program solicitation will officially open for applications on September 3, 2025, with a submission deadline of October 8, 2025 at noon. Application materials are available now to give interested agencies a chance to prepare.

The CED Grant Program offers competitive funding to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and government entities that serve Lane County. The program supports projects and initiatives that strengthen our local economy, foster innovation, support entrepreneurs and small businesses, invest in workforce training, and revitalize Main Streets and downtowns across the region.

With a total of $200,000 available for the 2026 grant cycle, individual grant awards will range from $5,000 to $30,000. Priority will be given to proposals that:

• grow employment or wages in key sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, technology, food and beverage, biosciences, and childcare;
• support small businesses and entrepreneurs through technical assistance and incubation;
• foster innovation and industry engagement; and
• enhance Lane County’s downtowns and commercial corridors.

“We are really excited to launch this program again,” said Jason Harris, Community and Economic Development manager for Lane County. “These grants enable us to support innovative projects in our community that might not otherwise have funding. We encourage potential applicants to begin preparing their proposals and take full advantage of this year’s offerings.”

More details, including application materials and FAQs, are available now at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/CEDgrant or by contacting CED@LaneCountyOR.gov. Applications will be accepted via Lane County’s procurement site, Bidlocker, between September 3, 2025 and October 8, 2025.

Las solicitudes y aplicaciones también están disponibles en Español.

About Lane County Community and Economic Development
Lane County Community and Economic Development is your Oregon Video Lottery dollars at work! Community and Economic Development programs support building vibrant communities by partnering with local business support organizations, cities, special districts and economic development agencies to facilitate community development and create economic prosperity. This program fosters economic opportunity across Lane County with a specific focus on rural and unincorporated communities.

Oregon Department of Transportation –  As the 2025-26 college football season nears, expect heavy traffic on the weekends of home games for University of Oregon and Oregon State University.

Expect all-day traffic congestion in the #WillametteValley on these dates as thousands of fans travel to and from the games. Remember, there are many ways to get around in Oregon! You can walk or roll, take a bus or train, or share a ride. Learn more, plan a trip, or find a ride at GetThereOregon.org.

Catholic Community Services of Lane County, Inc. (CCS) – Winter Warmth Drive – September & October

As the cold months approach, too many of our neighbors don’t have the essentials to stay warm. You can help! We’re collecting new or gently used jackets, coats, gloves, socks, blankets, hats, and scarves to provide no-cost clothing to anyone in need. Every item makes a difference.

Drop your donations at our Springfield Community Service Center at 1025 G Street, or any of our collection bins this September and October and help spread warmth across our community. To find a collection bin near you, go to http://www.ccslc.org/wwd Together, we can ensure no one faces winter alone.Catholic Community Services of Lane County

Willamette Valley Crisis Care

Current and former CAHOOTS workers have started a new organization: Willamette Valley Crisis Care! Check ’em out on instagram (here) and facebook (here) and share the news that they’re ready to bring back CAHOOTS as CAHOOTS 2.0.

TransPonder · Start your engines!

Whether you’re passionate about horsepower or just love a good donut, you’re invited to our Cars & Coffee gatherings!

We meet every 2ⁿᵈ Saturday of the month from 9 to 11 AM at Maxwell Community Hub (440 Maxwell Rd, Eugene OR 97404). This is a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to come together and admire everything from classic cars to hot hatchbacks and old rust buckets covered in sun-bleached stickers. No car knowledge required!

Learn more at the following link: https://www.transponderoregon.org/shifthappensThere will be free coffee, donuts, and great company. We’re excited to see you there! For Other Events: https://www.facebook.com/transponderoregon

Burrito Brigade needs to expand so we may better serve the food challenged and the best option is to buy our own building.

Waste To Taste

https://www.zeffy.com/…/raise-the-roof-from-warehouse… Support our Mission: BurritoBrigade.org

Please help us reach our goal for a permanent home. https://www.zeffy.com/…/raise-the-roof-from-warehouse…

Got an Extra Can or Two? Let’s Fill the Little Free Pantries Together!

Our Little Free Pantries are running low—and for some neighbors, these are their only source of food right now.If you’ve got: A few extra cans A box of pasta Unopened hygiene items Kid-friendly snacks…you can make someone’s day a little easier. Just place your donation directly into any Burrito Brigade Little Free Pantry around town. No sign-up, no questions—just community caring for community. Find a pantry near you: BurritoBrigade.org/pantries It’s a simple act with a big impact. Support our Mission: BurritoBrigade.org

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)

White Bird Clinic

This year marks 60 years of community health centers transforming care across the U.S. At White Bird Clinic, we’re proud to be part of this legacy – bringing whole-person care to our community’s most vulnerable neighbors for more than 50 years! From medical and dental services to harm reduction and crisis response, we’re here to meet people where they are.Learn more about community health at the link below: https://www.nachc.org/about-nachc/history-of-chc/

Whole Community News Report on CAHOOTS:

Since December of 2023, Eugene lost the University District hospital and the Hourglass Crisis Center, and as of last week, CAHOOTS. These were no-barrier treatment access points for our most vulnerable neighbors to receive care when experiencing a mental health crisis. READ MORE: https://wholecommunity.news/2025/04/20/public-comments-ask-city-not-to-lose-cahoots-too/

Contact for Services — Phone: CAHOOTS is dispatched within the Springfield urban growth boundary through the non-emergency number, 541-726-3714.

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

Oregon Food Bank

Hunger in Oregon is rising — and federal and state cuts to food assistance are making it worse. In 2024, visits to food programs grew 31%, yet resources to meet this need are shrinking.

Programs like SNAP, which help 1 in 8 Oregonians put food on the table, are facing deep cuts — leaving more families, children, veterans, and elders to make impossible choices between food, safety, and shelter.

We need policies that protect access to food for all our neighbors. Because no one should have to choose between staying safe and going hungry.

Food is available for those who need it and by entering your zip code at OregonFoodFinder.or -You can see each local program’s contact information, hours of operation and what kind of distribution it is.

We partner with 1,200+ free food markets, pantries and meal sites all across Oregon and Southwest Washington — and welcome anyone and everyone who needs food. OregonFoodFinder.org

Oregon’s Nonfarm Payroll Employment Adds 6,900 Jobs in August

In August, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,900 jobs, following a revised gain of 100 jobs in July. August’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,500 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,500); government (+1,100); and other services (+1,000). Losses were largest in wholesale trade (-1,100 jobs).

Health care and social assistance continued its rapid expansion of the past several years, adding 11,600 jobs, or 3.8%, during the past 12 months. Nursing and residential care facilities added 400 jobs in August and 3,900 jobs, or 6.8%, since August 2024. Hospitals, which added no jobs in August, grew the second fastest of health care’s component industries in the past 12 months (+2,900 jobs, or 4.6%). Social assistance (+2,400 jobs, or 3.0%) and ambulatory health care services (+2,300 jobs, or 2.2%) had slower growth over the year.

Leisure and hospitality grew 2.0% in the past 12 months, gaining 4,100 jobs, following little change the prior two years. Since last August, most of its published component industries added between 2% and 4%. Amusement, gambling, and recreation grew the fastest, adding 1,500 jobs, or 6.7%. In contrast, full-service restaurants cut 1,200 jobs, or 1.8%. 

Wholesale trade declined rapidly in the past 12 months (-4,300 jobs, or -5.5%). All three wholesale component industries shrank substantially in that time: merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods (-1,500 jobs, or -4.9%); merchant wholesalers, durable goods (-1,000 jobs, or -2.5%); and wholesale trade agents and brokers (-900 jobs, or -13.0%).

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in August and 4.9%, as revised, in July, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.2% in August 2024. Oregon’s 5.0% unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the recent low of 3.6% during spring 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2% in July and 4.3% in August.

Oregon Homelessness and Eviction Support Programs Face Layoffs as State Funding Drops

Staff fear the cuts will make it harder to help people as the state’s housing crisis persists.

Homeless services providers and tenant advocacy groups in Oregon are slashing jobs and programs. Leaders are blaming the cuts on reduced funds through the Legislature’s recently passed housing budget.

The cuts so far span from Portland to Salem to Monmouth to Eugene, and even more are bracing for layoffs. As evictions and homelessness rise in Oregon, staff say they will be able to serve fewer people, potentially increasing the strain on the state’s social services network.

“We’re seeing the most vulnerable folks getting squeezed on both ends,” said Tim Morris, executive director of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, which reduced its full-time staff from six to two. It can now support about 2,200 households annually compared to the 4,000 it helped last year, he said.

The cuts come just months after the Oregon Legislature passed its housing budget. While the spending plan surpasses $2.6 billion, it reduced funding for the state Housing and Community Services Department by roughly $1 billion over the next two years.

“The cost of everything, including housing, food, everything is rising, while also prevention dollars, like rent assistance and other preventative services are being reduced dramatically,” Morris said. “We are approaching a future in which tenants are just alone and won’t have folks in their corner able to help support them and defend them.”

Democrats blame the state’s mounting financial problems on the Trump administration, which has moved to dramatically downsize federal spending across the country, with steep cuts to social services programs.

For their part, Republicans have blamed Democratic leadership for passing housing policies with vast amounts of money that Oregonians can’t afford. At the same time, evictions and homelessness increased and the number of housing permits issued last year dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade. (SOURCE)

Oregon missed out on $48 million in rural school, community funds since act expired, report finds

Congress has failed for more than a year to reauthorize the 20-year-old Secure Rural Schools bill costing western states millions, Center for American Progress finds

Oregon has lost out on more than $48.6 million in federal money for rural roads, public services and schools since 2023 as Congress failed in the last year to renew a federal act that has sent billions to western states in the last 20 years.

Most recently, Congressional Republicans failed to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act in the tax and spending cut megabill they passed in July. The money is meant to compensate counties with large swaths of federal land within their borders for the costs of providing critical services to people and industries using those lands for activities that generate revenue for the federal government — such as animal grazing and timber production.

Oregon, where more than half of the state consists of federal land, has experienced the biggest loss of any state since the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act expired at the end of 2023, according to a new report from the D.C.-based Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy and think tank.

During the 2023-24 fiscal year, Oregon counties and schools got more than $55 million through the act. But in the most recent fiscal year, Oregon has received roughly $8.4 million, an 85% decrease. Overall, states have lost out on more than $207 million in the two years since the act expired, the Center for American Progress found.

Oregon’s senior Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden co-authored the original Secure Rural Schools Act in 2000 and has tried since November 2024 to reauthorize it with bipartisan Senate support. He said Republicans’ inaction in the U.S. House of Representatives is “gutting rural Oregon counties.”

“I’ve worked on a bipartisan basis to get this vital legislation passed twice in the Senate, and this new report shows just how deeply the House Republican inaction is hurting communities in our state,” he said.

The Senate passed reauthorization bill in November 2024 on a bipartisan vote, but House Republicans’ failure to reach an agreement about how to fund it before the congressional term ended meant the measure died without a vote in December. The Senate passed a bill again in June on a voice vote.

The act’s Republican champion, Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, “is still working behind the scenes to get this legislation moved in the House after the Senate’s now-twice unanimous passage of the reauthorization language. It remains a priority for him,” Crapo spokesperson Melanie Lawhorn said in an email.

Mark Haggerty, a senior fellow and researcher at the Center for American Progress who worked on the analysis, said for years the Secure Rural Schools Act had bipartisan support among western lawmakers. Their biggest battles were getting east-coast lawmakers, whose states don’t see much funding from the program, to agree to pass it. But that’s not the case anymore.

“I think the problem right now is that we’re taking an issue that has not been partisan in the past, that has had strong bipartisan support, but tough national support,” Haggerty said.  “We’re taking that and we’re turning it into a partisan issue, and I think that’s really dangerous for counties and schools.”

In the West, the Secure Rural Schools money has largely helped keep county and school budgets whole following reduced logging and a reduction in timber revenue from federal forests in the 1990s to save imperiled species. The payments have equaled the average amount counties received from timber harvests from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the top three timber-producing years of the 1980s.

Oregon counties have received $4 billion in funding from the bill in the last 24 years. It’s declined by more than half in recent years due to reshifting of funds across eligible states and because it was meant to be transitional.

“You do have to reauthorize and fund it on a recurring basis, which means you always have to find an offset. You always need to find something else you’re not going to pay for if you are going to pay for this,” Haggerty said. “And you know, frankly, Congress, the people who are not in Oregon or Idaho or Montana — this comes up every two or three years — and they’re like: ‘Wait, why are we doing this? Why are we paying for that? Do we really need to be doing this?’”

Impact to Oregon schools

The Klamath County School District in southern Oregon has received the most funding from the act among the state’s school districts — between $800,000 and $1 million each year. Superintendent Glen Szymoniak said the money is crucial for small districts like his.

“Oregon’s the most affected state, and I think we’re the school district in Oregon that is most affected in the state,” he said. “That money is very valuable to us to be able to address whatever problems of the day there are, because without strings being tied to it, we can be innovative in addressing the most important issues facing the district.”

Szymoniak said new affordable housing developments in Klamath Falls have shifted the number of students at some of the district’s elementary schools. A few schools have lost students, but two of the elementary schools are now dealing with 200 more students this year than in previous years.

“We could be investing in building additional classrooms,” he said.

Oregon schools have received more than $368 million from the act since 2004, with an average of $9.7 million each year, according to Oregon Department of Education data. Oregon traditionally counted the Secure Rural Schools payments as local revenues for the sake of the statewide school funding equalization formula, so 165 of the state’s 197 school districts ended up seeing some money from the act. That included the two biggest districts, Portland Public Schools and the Salem-Keizer School District, despite the pair having little to no federal forest land within their boundaries.

This changed in 2023, when Oregon made updates to the distribution model and stopped counting Secure Rural Schools funding as local revenue. The Oregon Department of Education in 2024 agreed to provide retroactive payments to  districts like Klamath County School District that should have received more direct funding from the Secure Rural Schools Act since 2018.

The agency has until Oct. 1 to make up for millions of dollars in underpayments to 82 school districts, including Klamath County School District, which is owed more than $2.5 million.

Despite these issues with funding distribution, districts in Eugene, Douglas County and Roseburg, Springfield and Albany were among the top recipients of funding in the last two decades. And districts near the Klamath National Forest, such as Klamath County School District, have ultimately received greater payments than most other districts in the last two decades. (SOURCE)

PLEASE Help Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires

9/16 – 9 pm – #OregonFires 25#evacuations#fires 4 FIRES in EVALUATION MODE:25 Oregon Wildfires – many are silent fires between 1 to 3 acres. These silent fires can quickly turn into dangerous fires. Please stay alert and ready.FOLEY RIDGE FIRE #lanecounty7 miles East of McKenzie Bridge 437 ACRES 0% containment LEVEL 2 EVAC Be SetKELSEY PEAK FIRE #josephinecounty#currycounty 1035 ACRES – 85% containment. DOWNGRADED to LEVEL 2 (Be set), and Level 1 ( Be set) – ROAD CLOSURES posted below PINNACLE FIRE 2108 ACRES –#currycounty 3% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC Rogue River Trail under emergency closure.BACKBONE FIRE – 1830 ACRES #currycounty 4% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC – Rogue River Trail under emergency closure Silent Fires and Evacuations can change very quickly, so please stay alert and safe.

https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/…/a6c8f8e58ad642f4813732233…—————————————————CLINK FOR FIRES

https://experience.arcgis.com/…/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f3…/ —————————————————-CLINK FOR FIRES National Interagency Fire Center

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/—————————————————

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

9/16 – In total this fire season, over 320,000 acres have burned. That’s compared to nearly 2-million acres that burned in the 2024 season.

Due to the Kelsey Peak Fire and the Moon Complex, the Bureau of Land Management Grants Pass Field Office, along with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, has implemented an emergency closure affecting a section of the Rogue River Trail.

The public is strongly advised to refrain from using the entire trail. Entry into closed areas is strictly prohibited for the public, and all activities—including hiking, hunting, and dispersed camping—are not allowed. The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell.

For further details, please refer to the map available on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

The Kelsey Peak and Moon Complex fires are currently active in steep and challenging terrain. This closure is necessary to safeguard the public and minimize disruptions to firefighting efforts. Fire managers will evaluate the closure and its implications in accordance with effective risk management practices as conditions permit. Weather and fuel conditions continue to be conducive to the spread of fire. The BLM Medford District is currently experiencing extreme fire danger.

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page. 

Support Wildfire Relief by Recycling

There are 2 ways to donate:

Online with funds from your Green Bag account: https://bottledrop.com/…/obrc-emergency-fund-online…/

In-person by bringing your redeemable beverage containers to any full-service BottleDrop Redemption Center

All funds raised (and matched) will be split between the following nonprofits providing wildfire relief in Oregon: Oregon Chapter of the WFF , Red Cross Cascades Region, and United Way of the Columbia Gorge.Learn more: BottleDrop.com/Wildfire

Authorities report that three individuals have died and a fourth has been hospitalized due to a suspected drug overdose at an RV park in the Roseburg area.

As per the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT), law enforcement responded to a call on Sunday regarding several unresponsive persons at the Shady Point RV Park, situated in the 2700 block of Highway 99 South.

Upon entering the RV, officers discovered three deceased individuals. A fourth person, a woman in medical distress, was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg for medical attention.

The deceased individuals have been identified as: Paul James Mohlsick, aged 46 Kimberly Noel McCabe, aged 55 Bryan Charles Jarvis, aged 41 All three were residents of Roseburg. The surviving woman has been identified as Shawna Renee Walker, aged 55, also from Roseburg.

Investigators believe that the group had recently returned from an undisclosed location north of Douglas County, potentially out of state, where they are suspected of purchasing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Authorities suspect that the overdoses resulted from the use of one or both substances within the RV.

Log Truck Trailer Overturns, Crushing Three Vehicles and Injuring Two

JCSO case #25-4926

WHITE CITY, OR – The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) responded to a major traffic crash involving an overturned log truck trailer that spilled its load of timber, crushing three vehicles and injuring two drivers. The incident occurred on Avenue G near the intersection of Highway 62 at approximately 10:15 a.m., on Monday, September 15.

The initial report came in at 10:04 a.m. when a concerned motorist called 911 to report a log truck driving erratically on Highway 62, with its trailer wobbling severely. Shortly thereafter, multiple 911 calls reported the trailer flipping at the intersection, just west of Highway 62, dumping heavy logs onto the roadway. A JCSO Deputy arrived first on scene and discovered three vehicles crushed by the logs – a Ford F-150, a Hyundai Elantra, and a Nissan cargo van.

The driver of the Ford F-150 suffered life-threatening injuries and the driver of the Hyundai Elantra was also injured. Both were taken to medical facilities for care. The driver of the Nissan cargo van did not require medical transport.

The investigation is being led by the Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team, an inter-agency unit that includes personnel from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The Oregon State Police is also assisting with the investigation.

The operator of the log truck and the trucking company are cooperating with the ongoing investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with additional information on this incident is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and reference JCSO case #25-4926.

After Nearly 50 Years, Identity of Unidentified Remains Confirmed

LINN COUNTY, Ore. (Sept. 16, 2025) – On July 24, 1976, skeletal remains of a young woman were found in the area of Wolf Creek near Swamp Mountain in Linn County. For 49 years, her identity was not known. Today, thanks to advances in forensic genetic genealogy, she has a name. In June of this year, the remains were positively identified as Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter. McWhorter had last been seen at a Tigard shopping mall in 1974. She was just 21 years old at the time and was never heard from again.

In 1976, a moss hunter initially found a skull with several teeth and notified local law enforcement immediately. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office accompanied the moss hunter back to the site and recovered additional skeletal remains. Along with the remains, investigators located a clog-style shoe, a fraying fringed leather coat, a leather belt with Native American-style beadwork, two metal rings, and a pair of degraded Levi’s jeans, which were retained as evidence.

The skeletal remains were transferred to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, where they were examined by a pathologist and odontologist. The findings of the examination were undetermined due to the limited number of elements recovered. The dental examination noted several restorations.

In 2010, the Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History completed an anthropology report. A biological profile provided a probable estimation of a white female under 35 years of age at the time of her death. However, she remained unidentified.

Later that year, a bone sample was submitted to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, and a NamUs profile was created. From 2011 through 2025, the case received consistent attention from the State Medical Examiner’s Office. DNA results were uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS); however, no genetic associations were discovered.

The NamUs system was regularly checked for new cases that might match the decedent. While the DNA results confirmed the remains were female, no ancestry or phenotype could be determined due to the limitations of the STR DNA (short segments of DNA) profile.

In 2011, a forensic artist with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office assisted in creating a potential forensic rendering of the decedent’s face based on cranial features. A clay model featuring several different hairstyles and colors was created to help establish a recognizable image.

By 2020, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office had been awarded a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant to perform advanced DNA techniques on unsolved unidentified skeletal remains cases. This case was recognized as one that could potentially be resolved through DNA phenotyping and investigative genetic genealogy, provided by OSP’s vendor lab, Parabon NanoLabs. An additional bone sample was submitted for DNA extraction, and in November 2020, a SNP DNA (a unique genetic marker) profile was successfully produced and analyzed.

A Parabon NanoLabs DNA Snapshot Report, which utilizes genetic material to determine eye color, hair color, skin tone, and ancestry, was completed. The report predicted the individual was of European and Indigenous North American descent, with unfreckled fair skin, brown eyes, and brown hair. A rendering of her facial characteristics was created and used as her NamUs profile picture. A subsequent genetic genealogy report was completed in 2023, but did not produce any promising leads.

A breakthrough in the case occurred in April 2025, when someone spontaneously uploaded their genetic profile to the Family Tree DNA database, providing genealogists with a much closer look into the unidentified woman’s family tree. Forensic scientists followed genetic and other leads and ultimately determined that McWhorter was likely the unidentified young woman.

Genealogists found that McWhorter had one surviving family member, a younger sister living in the Seattle area. A detective with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office contacted the sister, who provided an oral swab for DNA comparison and shared the story of her long-lost older sister.

Genetic evidence confirmed that the decedent was Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter, born on January 7, 1953, and who had been unaccounted for since 1974. Based on the totality of the evidence, Oregon Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sean Hurst positively identified the remains and confirmed the findings with McWhorter’s remaining family.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the case and is working to determine, if possible, the circumstances of Marion McWhorter’s death.

Discovering Marion McWhorter’s identity was a remarkable collaboration among detectives, medical examiner staff, and forensic genetic genealogists at Parabon NanoLabs.

State Forensic Anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder said, “This case was cold for 49 years. That means that family members lived and died without ever knowing what happened to their missing loved one.” She continued, “Forensic genetic genealogy allowed us not only to assist Oregon law enforcement and medicolegal personnel in identifying a woman who likely did not go missing voluntarily, but it also helped provide her family with answers and help relieve the uncertainty of what happened to Marion McWhorter.”

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that protects Oregon’s people, wildlife, and natural resources. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon. 

The primary pipeline supplying gasoline to Oregon was out of service for approximately 10 days, resulting in a significant increase in pump prices throughout the state, before it reportedly resumed operations on Friday.

Analysts who monitor fuel prices closely anticipate that gas prices will remain elevated at least until the following week — and possibly for an extended period — even as fuel begins to flow through the pipeline once more. The Olympic Pipeline, which is partially owned and operated by the oil and gas corporation BP, transports fuel from refineries located in Washington state to the Portland region. According to experts in the fuel industry, this pipeline was not scheduled for a routine maintenance outage this month. However, on September 2, users began to report disruptions in service. A spokesperson for BP informed OPB that the company does not provide comments regarding its operations.

The regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that oversees pipelines did not respond to a request for information on Friday. In the meantime, gasoline prices in Oregon surged more than in any other state this week. According to the nonprofit American Automobile Association, commonly referred to as AAA, prices increased by an average of 16 cents per gallon in Oregon.

The Oregon Attorney General’s Office has issued a warning regarding a new scam that is aimed at attorneys and their clients. In one instance, the scammer posed as a legitimate attorney to persuade a client to invest funds.

In another case, the scammer was aware that the victim was expecting a substantial settlement and impersonated both the victim and the attorney to fraudulently obtain 700 thousand dollars. Although a hold was placed on the wire transfer, it remains unclear how much, if any, of the funds were recovered. The Attorney General’s office emphasizes the necessity of exercising extreme caution with any monetary transfers.

Oregon has missed out on over $48.6 million in federal funding for rural roads, public services, and schools since 2023, as Congress did not succeed in renewing a federal act that has allocated billions to western states over the past two decades.

This funding is intended to reimburse counties that contain significant amounts of federal land for the expenses incurred in providing essential services to individuals and industries that utilize those lands for revenue-generating activities for the federal government, such as animal grazing and timber production.

Oregon, where more than half of the state is comprised of federal land, has faced the largest loss of any state since the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act at the end of 2023, according to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

An advocate for the movement to abolish vote by mail in Oregon asserts that it is gaining momentum, while detractors argue that it still has a considerable distance to cover.

Initiative 37 has reportedly collected a minimum of 25,000 signatures since July 25, according to chief petitioner Ben Edtl, a Republican political consultant based in Tualatin.

To qualify for the November 2026 ballot, the initiative requires over 156,000 verified signatures by July 2, as stated by the Oregon Secretary of State. Supporters have raised nearly $9,000 to date but have expended close to $12,000.

Oregon initiated trials of a vote-by-mail system in the 1980s, eventually becoming the first state in the nation to officially implement the system. Since that time, seven additional states and Washington D.C. have adopted similar measures.

Oregon governor says she’s trying to ensure COVID vaccine access amid confusion

Governor Kotek on Thursday said she’s trying her best to ensure affordable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for Oregonians, pushing back on criticism that other Democrat-led states across the nation have been more efficient at providing quick inoculations and support for providers before an expected annual spike in respiratory illnesses.

Kotek’s explanation traces back to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to reshape the federal vaccine advisory panel that pharmacists and doctors prescribing the immunization in Oregon and elsewhere rely on for guidance about safety and risks regarding a particular shot. Kennedy fired all members of the panel in June and has since appointed vaccine skeptics to the committee, which is set to meet on Sept. 18-19 and discuss the shot.

Questions around access to the vaccine came to a peak at the end of August, when the Food & Drug Administration announced tightened restrictions that limited the vaccine to people aged 65 or older or those with an underlying health condition that would risk severe illness. Days later, Oregon joined Washington, California and Hawaii to form a “West Coast Health Alliance” aimed at safeguarding vaccine access regardless of shifting federal policies.

Oregon pharmacies began requiring prescriptions under guidelines from the state’s Board of Pharmacy that defer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory panel in adherence with state policy. But in the meantime, other states such as Massachusetts, Washington and Pennsylvania have offered a variety of solutions, including requiring insurers to cover the shots, allowing pharmacists to defer to mainstream medical groups’ guidance and issuing a standing order allowing pharmacists or nurses to inject the shot.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Kotek spokesperson Lucas Bezerra said the governor is frustrated with the federal government’s narrower eligibility and lack of clarity, which has created “a patchwork-like environment for something as basic as vaccine access.” He said the current rollout has fomented demand for the vaccine without an efficient way for Oregonians to access it at a pharmacy with no prescription.

Bezerra noted Washington’s standing order guaranteeing vaccine access without a prescription to individuals ages 6 months and older through a pharmacist or nurse, for instance, was not practical to replicate in Oregon, which doesn’t have a state law giving the Oregon Health Authority the ability to issue similar orders.

“Oregon does not have the same authority, but there may be indirect pathways that allow for an action of this kind,” Bezerra said. “The governor has directed staff to urgently develop ways to mitigate this disruption, with all five agencies working diligently with the governor’s office, to come up with solutions that are the least disruptive, and have the lowest cost, for Oregonians hoping to get the pinch this respiratory virus season.”

In the meantime, doctors, pharmacists and patients across the state have remained frustrated as some locations have canceled appointments and walked back promises of not needing a prescription. The Oregon Board of Pharmacy has advised that patients will need prescriptions, but doctors in Oregon are also hesitant to issue them due to a lack of clear guidance and liability protections from the state and federal government, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday.

The pharmacy board completed rulemaking by August to be able to respond promptly to forthcoming guidance from the Sept. 18-19 vaccine advisory meeting. The agency told the Capital Chronicle that it was originally set to only be able to meet and respond by December, posing what it called “an impossible timeline for respiratory season.”

“We believe there is a misunderstanding of Board actions and the processes to authorize pharmacist administration of vaccines without a prescription,” agency staff wrote in an unsigned statement. “It is important to understand that no protocol for the 25-26 COVID-19 formulation existed prior to or after FDA approval.” (SOURCE)

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson have announced the establishment of a new West Coast Health Alliance aimed at ensuring that residents are safeguarded by scientific evidence rather than political influence.

This alliance signifies a coordinated regional effort to counteract the Trump Administration’s undermining of the U.S. CDC’s credibility and scientific integrity.

Since its inception, the CDC has played a crucial role in safeguarding Americans from diseases. However, according to Kotek, recent changes in leadership, diminished transparency, and the exclusion of long-respected advisory bodies have weakened the agency’s ability to prepare the nation for the respiratory virus season and other public health issues. In the absence of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers are left without dependable information for production planning, healthcare providers find it challenging to deliver consistent care plans, and families are confronted with uncertainty regarding access and coverage.

These three western states continue their political disapproval of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his decision to dismiss all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

In a recent announcement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, it was stated that due to Senator Chris Gorsek’s recovery from complications arising from a scheduled medical procedure, the Senate votes on HB 3991 and HB 3992 will be postponed until September 17.

Gorsek has played a significant role in transportation policymaking. In a statement issued by Governor Tina Kotek, Senator Gorsek was wished a swift recovery, and the Senate’s decision received support.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan expressed her opposition to the recent approval of a $4.3 billion tax package by the Oregon House today. Drazan highlighted that 94% of Oregonians voiced their opposition to the package during public testimony. She condemned the choice to double payroll taxes on Labor Day while simultaneously raising the costs of gas and DMV services.

The Klamath Basin Oktoberfest is set to return on Saturday, Sept. 20th.

This event, organized by the Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA), will occur on Saturday, September 20th from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Bill Collier Ice Arena located in the Running Y Resort in Klamath Falls.

The community is encouraged to attend and partake in craft beers, traditional German cuisine, live entertainment, and enjoyable activities for the entire family.

Tickets for individuals aged 21 and over are priced at $25 if purchased in advance and $30 at the entrance. General admission for non-drinkers is $10, applicable both in advance and at the door. Children aged 12 and under can enter free of charge!

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) commends a substantial investment aimed at assisting more low-income households in managing their utility expenses. In June, legislators approved House Bill 3792, which increased funding for the Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP) from $20 million to $40 million.

Governor Tina Kotek enacted the bill, along with additional energy affordability legislation, into law yesterday. ”  OEAP offers energy assistance to eligible customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, determined by household size and annual income.

Since its inception in 1999, OEAP has aided over 85,000 customers, with 92% of participants successfully avoiding energy shutoffs. In light of the federal administration’s announcement regarding possible reductions and the elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Oregon lawmakers took action to protect residents from this uncertainty by broadening the state-funded OEAP.

LIHEAP, which delivers grants and energy efficiency services to millions across the nation, has become a crucial support system for families.

ASTORIA, Oregon — ASTORIA, Oregon — The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission will convene Sept. 16-17 in Astoria, Oregon.  

On Sept. 16, commissioners will tour Fort Stevens in the morning and conduct a work session 1 to 3 p.m. about the Reimagine State Parks strategic initiative and a rate review.  

On Sept. 17, commissioners will convene an executive session at 8:30 a.m. at the Astoria Elks Lodge #180, 453 11^th St. in Astoria to discuss real estate and legal issues. Executive sessions are closed to the public. A business meeting will begin at 9:45 a.m. and will be open to the public. 

Anyone may attend or listen to the business meeting. To watch the business meeting, go to the livestream on the OPRD Director’s Office YouTube channel.  

The business meeting also includes time for informal public comments related to any items not on the agenda. Registration is required to speak at the meeting if attending online, and is available online at https://bit.ly/registersep2025commission 

The deadline for registering to speak at the meeting virtually is 5 p.m., Sept. 12. No advance registration is required to speak in person at the meeting. Time per speaker is limited to three minutes. Please submit written public comments by 5 p.m. Sept. 12 to OPRC.publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov 

The full agenda and supporting documents are posted on this webpage and will be posted on the commission web page.  

Notable requests:  

• Request to adopt recommended grants for 2025 Local Government Grant Program (LGGP): 
• Large Grants totaling $15,707,853 
• Small Grants totaling $1,101,673 
• Planning Grants totaling $450,000 
• Request to adopt ATV sound and equipment rules after rulemaking responsibility was transferred from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).  
• Request to adopt Public Contract and Procurement Rules to outline OPRD’s public contracting and procurement requirements. Senate Bill 838 exempts OPRD from the Public Contracting Code except for surplus property and information technology related procurement.  
• Request to adopt rules about Special Assessment for Historic Property in response to House Bill 3190, which reauthorizes the program as a 10-year benefit for commercial, income-producing historic properties. 

Anyone needing special accommodations to attend the meeting should contact Denise Warburton, commission assistant, at least three days in advance: denise.warburton@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-779-9729. 

 

Astronomy Festival brings star parties, photography, hikes & more Sept. 25-27

COOS BAY, Oregon— The Sunset Bay Astronomy Festival returns to Sunset Bay and Shore Acres state parks near Coos Bay for a three-day event Sept. 25-27.

Activities include guided hikes, interpretive programs including JR Ranger programs, a night-sky photography workshop on Sept. 25 and a star party each night.

“Places like Sunset Bay and Shore Acres offer visitors a chance to see the natural world not only during the day but also at night. They’re special because they show us what the sky looked like everywhere before light pollution. Seeing the night sky in its full brilliance is powerful and, for many, even emotional,” said Park Manager Lee Ricci.

The astronomy festival gives visitors a chance to see and learn more about the night sky.

NOTE: Outdoor events are weather dependent.

Thursday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Our Star, The Sun JR Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Night Sky Photography Workshop. Sign up required. Email Kenneth.Page@oprd.oregon.gov to sign up.
• 7:30 p.m.: Navigating by The Stars program at Shore Acres Gardens
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Thursday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Friday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Constellation Station Junior Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 6-7 p.m.: Jellyfish: The Alien Next Door guided hike (meet at Shore Acres Observation Building for 1-mile hike)
• 7:30: How to Talk to Aliens Even if You’re Shy evening program at Shore Acres Garden
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Friday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Saturday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Guided hike (Meet at Interpretive Center at Sunset Bay Campground for 1-mile hike)
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 7:30 p.m.: Imagining Other Worlds Night Program at Shore Acres
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Saturday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Register Now for 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference – Saturday, September 27, 2025

Registration is now open for the 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference, the state’s largest gathering dedicated to honoring and supporting women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The biennial event, hosted by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will bring together women veterans from across Oregon for a weekend of connection, resources and recognition.

The event is free and open to all women veterans, but registration is required. The 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference is being held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Riverhouse Lodge in Bend, which was the planned location of the 2020 event that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year’s theme, ‘Stronger Together: Community and Connection,’ reflects the heart of what this conference is all about,” said Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “Women veterans have long served with distinction, strength and resilience — often in the face of tremendous challenges and barriers.

“This conference is an opportunity to honor our service, share our stories, and ensure every woman who has worn the uniform feels seen, valued and supported. We are stronger when we stand together, and united, we will continue to drive the ODVA mission forward.”

The Oregon Women Veterans Conference began nearly 30 years ago as a grassroots effort by a small group of women veterans seeking connection, support, and resources. Since the first event in 1998, the conference has grown into a unique statewide gathering that brings together women veterans from across Oregon to access benefits, build meaningful connections, and amplify their voices.

The 2025 conference will continue that legacy with inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops, fantastic networking opportunities and assistance for women veterans connecting to the full range of benefits and resources they have earned. It is a supportive space where women who have served can connect, grow, and thrive beyond their military service.

This year’s keynote speaker is Erin McMahon, director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, attorney and combat veteran. During her 24-year career in the U.S. Army, McMahon served as the principal deputy general counsel for the National Guard Bureau, advising senior leaders through a wide variety of domestic disaster responses and serving as the first female Army National Guard general officer in the Office of the General Counsel.

Registration is free and may be completed online at www.eventbrite.com/e/odva-women-veterans-conference-tickets-1407725487829. Community sponsors and donors are the primary sources of funding for this event and help ensure all women veterans can attend the conference free of charge.

Registration for the Women Veterans Conference covers the event only; attendees are expected to make their own lodging and travel arrangements. More information about the Women Veterans Conference, including local lodging, donations and sponsorship opportunities, can be found online at wvc.oregondva.com.

Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members. ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state. Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or tribal veteran service office online at oregon.gov/odva.

ONE YEAR LATER: Sheriff’s Detectives, Search & Rescue Still Searching for Missing Prospect Woman Deenah Padgett; Looking for Public Help

JCSO Case 24-4928 PROSPECT, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives and Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel continue to search for a woman missing out of Prospect, Ore. since September 2024. Deenah Padgett, 69, was reported missing on Sunday, September 8, 2024. She was last seen camping in the Prospect area on September 4, 2024. She is described as a white woman with brownish-red, partially gray hair, standing 4’8” tall and weighing 90-100 lbs.

JCSO detectives and SAR personnel have searched the area extensively and are looking for the public’s help. If you see Deenah or know her whereabouts, immediately call ECSO Dispatch at (541) 776-7206 and reference case 24-4928. If you have any information that might help the investigation, call Detective Friend at (541) 864-8774.Aaron Lewis
JCSO Public Information Officer (PIO)
LewisAJ@jacksoncountyor.gov
Desk: 541-864-8773
Cell: 541-531-8203

Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs

No veteran should be without a place to call home, and the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is committed to ending veteran homelessness in our state.

The new ODVA Houseless Veterans Program collaborates with federal, state, county, and Tribal agencies, veteran services offices, and community homeless service providers to meet the urgent and unique needs of Oregon’s diverse veteran communities challenged with housing stability.

In addition to advocating for Oregon veterans experiencing or at risk for houselessness, the program provides direct service to veterans and their families seeking federal and state veterans’ benefits, including access to local VA health care, documentation of service, as well as other available state benefits, and local homeless services organizations and low-income assistance programs.

If you or a veteran you know is dealing with homelessness, contact the ODVA Houseless Veterans Coordinator today at houselessvets@odva.oregon.gov or visit https://ow.ly/V4EH50VnL93 to learn more.

Staying Informed During a Communications Outage: Best Practices for the Public

Disasters can damage critical infrastructure, leading to temporary outages in cell service, internet, and power. When communication systems go down, it’s vital to be prepared with alternate ways to get emergency information and stay connected. Here’s how you can prepare and respond:

  Have a Battery-Powered or Hand-Crank Emergency Weather Radio

• Why it matters: Emergency radios can receive Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts via AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio frequencies—even when cell towers and the internet are down.
• Note: Emergency radios do not receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) like cell phones do. Tip: Pre-tune your radio to your local emergency broadcast station (e.g., OPB in Oregon or NOAA frequencies).

Turn On WEA Alerts on Your Phone

• Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are enabled in your phone’s settings. These alerts include evacuation orders, severe weather warnings, and other urgent notifications.
• WEA messages are sent through cell towers—if cell service is out, WEA alerts will not be delivered. This is why having backup methods like a radio is essential.

Charge Everything in Advance and Have Backup Power

• Charge phones, power banks, laptops, and rechargeable flashlights before fire weather conditions worsen.
• Consider solar-powered chargers or car chargers as backups.
• If you are sheltering in place, a generator (solar or gas powered) is helpful.

Know Your Evacuation Routes in Advance

• Save printed or downloaded evacuation maps in case you can’t access GPS or navigation apps.
• Most mapping services (like Google Maps or Apple Maps) offer the ability to “Make maps available offline.” Download your area in advance so you can navigate even if cell towers or internet access are down.
• When in doubt, call 511 or visit the TripCheck.com website if you have cell service.
• Don’t wait for a notification—if you feel unsafe, evacuate early.

Print or Write Down Critical Contacts and Info

• Phone numbers of family, neighbors, and local emergency contacts.
• Address of evacuation shelters, veterinary services (for pets/livestock), and medical facilities.
• Your own emergency plan, including meeting locations.
• Have copies of vital documents in your go-bag and take video of your property (inside and out) for insurance claims later.

If Calling 9-1-1 Over Wi-Fi or Satellite, Check Your Location Settings

If you call 9-1-1 using Wi-Fi calling or a satellite-connected phone (like an iPhone or Android), your location might not be automatically visible to dispatch. Instead, it may rely on the emergency address saved in your phone’s settings.

• Update this emergency address when you travel or relocate—especially in evacuation zones or rural areas.
• Most importantly, always tell the dispatcher exactly where you are—include your address, landmarks, road names, or mile markers to help first responders reach you quickly.

Sign Up for Alerts Before There’s an Outage

• Register for OR-Alert and your county’s local alert system.
• Follow your local emergency management officials’ and bookmark resources like: wildfire.oregon.gov.

 Prepare for Alert Delays or Gaps

• Know the three levels of evacuation:
  • Level 1 – Be Ready
  • Level 2 – Be Set
  • Level 3 – GO NOW
• If you hear a siren, see a neighbor evacuating, or witness fire behavior increasing—take action even if you haven’t received an alert.

 Be Your Own Info Network

• Check on neighbors, especially seniors or those with disabilities.
• Post printed signs with updates for those passing by.

In rural areas, community bulletin boards or fire stations may serve as local information points.

Support and Restoration in Progress
To help maintain emergency communications during this incident, OEM deployed eight Starlink terminals under the guidance of ESF 2 and the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). A Communications Technician (Jeff Perkins) was also deployed to assess connectivity needs on the ground. These Starlink terminals have been providing service to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Oregon State Police (OSP), Warner Creek Correctional Facility, and will soon support the town of Lakeview, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Lakeview Ranger Station. OEM’s Regional Coordinator (Stacey) is also on-site supporting the Lake County EOC. Coordination has been strong across local, state, and private sector partners. *** Update: As of 7/10/25 at 1:47 PM, fiber service has been restored.

Reconnect When Service Returns

• Once communications are restored, check official websites:
  • Oregon.gov/oem
  • Your county emergency management page
  • TripCheck.com for road conditions
• Share verified info—not rumors—on social media or community pages.

 Prepare for Delays in Restoration

• Communication may come back in phases. Damage to fiber lines or cell towers can take time to repair.
• Continue using backup methods and stay alert for updates via radio or in-person notices.

 Final Tip:

In an emergency, CALL 9-1-1 to report life-threatening danger, not for general information. Use local non-emergency numbers or go to physical information points if needed. You can find more tips for preparing in OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready toolkit.

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