Willamette Valley News 9/14 – Prepare for Seismic Emergency Sessions in Eugene, Coats For Kids Starts Today, Youth Farm Bulk Storage Crop Sale Starts Today & Other Local and Statewide News…

The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com

Monday, September 14, 2026

Willamette Valley Weather

Save on your phone or internet bill with Oregon Lifeline

National Lifeline Awareness Week runs Sept. 14-18

– During National Lifeline Awareness Week, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is highlighting Oregon Lifeline, a federal and state government program that provides qualifying low-income households with access to discounted phone or high-speed internet service through participating providers, listed at lifeline.oregon.gov.

Oregon Lifeline offers monthly discounts of up to $19.25 on phone service and up to $24.25 on high-speed internet service. The program also offers free wireless voice minutes and data through Access Wireless where coverage is available. Oregon residents on federally recognized Tribal lands may qualify for an additional $25 discount each month.

To qualify, Oregonians must receive benefits from select public assistance programs, such as Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Oregon Lifeline is limited to one benefit per household for either discounted or free service.

Customers can apply in one of the following ways:

• To apply for free wireless service through Access Wireless, visit www.accesswireless.com.
• To apply for discounted phone or high‑speed internet service, individuals may submit an online application at https://bit.ly/4cCqliT.

For more information about Oregon Lifeline, visit lifeline.oregon.gov, or call 800-848-4442 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Eugene Water & Electric Board and Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center – Prepare for Seismic Emergency Sessions in Eugene

 ·The Cascadia Subduction Zone is capable of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and strong shaking from smaller earthquakes. The magnitude of this earthquake and the accompanying tsunami pose significant challenges to the entire Pacific Northwest.

The session will be offered on the following dates at the Eugene Family YMCA: – Tuesday, September 15, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Wednesday, September 30, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Wednesday, October 14, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Wednesday, October 21, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Monday, October 26, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Community lifelines will be impacted. Utilities such as electricity, drinking water, and sewer services may be significantly impacted. Understanding what to expect during an earthquake is critical for response, recovery, and whole community preparedness.

That’s why EWEB, the Eugene Family YMCA, and the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center have partnered to break down the complexities of understanding and preparing for a seismic emergency.

Representatives from the UO’s Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center and Earth Science Department will present: – History of earthquakes on the Cascadia Subduction Zone – Why recurrence is likely – What an earthquake will feel like in the Eugene Metro area – What impacts are likely to affect the Eugene Metro area

Register today – spots are limited:https://www.eugeneymca.org/…/communi…/eweb-programming-y

CLF Network Aims to Collect 2,000 Coats for Children in Need

A Lane County tradition returns September 14 as CLF Network launches its annual Coats for Kids campaign. For more than 20 years, this community-wide event has brought community partners together to provide children in need with warm winter coats, helping ensure that local kids can face the colder months with the clothing they need to stay warm and healthy.  

This year, CLF Network is challenging the community to help make its biggest Coats for Kids campaign yet, with a goal of collecting 2,000 coats from community members across Lane County.  

From September 14 through October 12, community members can donate new or gently used insulted, weatherproof, winter coats for kids, sizing from 0-3 months all the way up to 3XL. Coats can be dropped off at more than 30 collection bins throughout the community, including nine at Oregon Community Credit Union (OCCU) locations and eight at UPS locations. 

Gently used coats will be professionally dry cleaned at one of our local dry cleaning partners who are generously donating their services for this project. Both new and used coats are then sorted again by size and distributed to the Network’s local partner organizations that support the needs of underprivileged children. 

CLF Network’s partner agencies receiving coats from this project include:

• Willagillespie Elementary School
• ShelterCare
• Peak Buck
• Parenting Now
• Mt. Vernon Elementary
• Looking Glass Community Services
• Junction City School District / Laurel Elementary
• Catholic Community Services of Lane County
• Bags of Love

The success of Coats for Kids would not be possible without the support of local partners. CLF Network is excited to welcome Oregon Community Credit Union and KEZI as the presenting sponsors of the Coats for Kids campaign. The other sponsors of this project include The UPS Store, Hi Tech Cleaners, The Cleanery, Lile Moving & Storage, and Michael Aguilar and Kelly Favero.  

The support of every sponsor will help the Network reach its goal of providing warm winter coats to children and families throughout Lane County.

With the support of local businesses, organizations, and community members, the Network hopes to set a new record while ensuring more local children have a warm coat to wear this winter.

About the Children’s Legacy Foundation Network – The Children’s Legacy Foundation Network is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the welfare of children in Lane County. Through fundraising, grantmaking, volunteer service, and community partnerships, CLF Network invests in programs that help children learn, grow, heal, and thrive. The organization has awarded $505,000 to local nonprofits during the past decade and continues a legacy of community service that spans nearly a century.

Food for Lane County  · Our Youth Farm Bulk Storage Crop Sale Starts Today!

Stock up on your favorite long-storing fruits and veggies and know that you’re supporting our mission to reduce hunger across Lane County. Mark your calendars for September 14 when online sales start. Orders placed by Thursday 5pm each week will be available for pickup that Saturday at the Youth Farm during Farm Stand hours (10am-2pm). The sale runs through mid-November, so don’t panic if you’re not ready to stock your winter larder yet!Bookmark this link: https://grownby.com/…/food-for-lane-county-youth-farm/shop

Everyone Village Festival

Everyone Village is hosting its first ever music festival to celebrate four years of operations Saturday September 19th

On a 3.5 acre site in West Eugene, Everyone Village is a supportive housing community made up of 80 tiny homes. The program features two workforce development programs, on-site mental health counseling and drug or alcohol recovery groups.

Gabe Piechowicz is the founder and executive director of Everyone Village, and he wanted to both create a fun event for the community to attend, and inform people about what Everyone Village has accomplished so far.

“We’re four years old and we have yet to do like a big, fun, celebrate-our-story party. So that’s why we’re doing it. And we love this town a lot,” said Piechowicz.

He said the music festival will be an opportunity for people in Eugene to check out the property, listen to music, and connect with the community at the village.

“You’re going to come party with us and you’re going to be at the place you’re supporting, which is really cool,” said Piechowicz. “You’ll see all the tiny homes behind the stage.”

The event will feature four local bands, food trucks, a beer and wine garden and kids zone. Attendees can also check out the grounds of Everyone Village, taking a look at the flower gardens or commercial bee hives where residents harvest honey.

Piechowicz said program ambassadors will be scattered around the event to share their stories from the village and answer questions about the program.

He highlighted that Everyone Village is built around community, so the residents and employees are excited to invite the greater Eugene community into the space.

“The 80 folks who live here, the 13 staff who work here, the 45 plus community partners are all excited to host and share,” said Piechowicz.

The inaugural Everyone Festival is Saturday, Sept. 19 at Everyone Village in West Eugene. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert will run until 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and the proceeds go to supporting Everyone Village.

Service Employees International Union Local 503, the union representing University of Oregon’s classified staff, is calling for a strike vote next week. 

Employees in the union, who serve meals to students, stock the libraries and perform custodial services, are unsatisfied with the results of a seven-month bargaining process with Oregon’s public universities’ management. 

The main sticking point between the union and management is pay, according to SEIU bargaining team member Rieley Umphress.

Sticking points – SEIU originally asked for raises tied to the Consumer Price Index, but is now setting its expectations at 3% raises in November 2026 and July 2027. The university management team, which represents all Oregon public universities, is looking at 1.5% raises in November 2027 and 1% raises in November 2028, according to Umphress. Meanwhile, the CPI, a measure of inflation, is at 3.4% this August. 

SEIU is also at a sticking point over step freezes. Employees move up to different “steps” with seniority. The university management team has proposed freezes for seniority growth from July 2027 to June 2028, according to Umphress.

Another sticking point surrounds the length of the contract. SEIU is bargaining for a two-year contract whereas the university management team is requesting a four year contract.

The union and management have also not agreed on whether to keep the lowest-cost health care plan for service employees, according to Umphress.

Voting – The strike vote for UO service employees will be on Sept. 14 and take place in person at Lillis Business Complex, Central Kitchen and Straub 156, and inside the Portland Library & Learning Center at UO’s Portland campus, according to SEIU’s webpage. 

Other campuses will have votes on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15. 

Umphress said it’s important for the vote to take place in person because striking itself is an in-person action. “A strike is such a boots on the ground movement, that’s why we wanted our voting to be boots on the ground,” Umphress said.

That said, ballots will be handed out to members who are unable to make it in-person in certain circumstances. “We recognize that there are people that work remote and people with physical limitations that can’t get to the polls,” Umphress said. Only employees who pay SEIU dues are able to vote in the election, and the strike vote needs a simple majority to pass.

Potential strike timeline – The votes will likely be calculated by Thursday, according to SEIU. If members vote yes, SEIU would give a 10-day strike notice, potentially kicking off a strike during the first week of UO fall term. 

However, exact timelines are not shared publicly and are subject to change. The first day of classes at UO is Sept. 28.

Regarding the potential for a strike coinciding with the first week of school, Umphress said “(it’s) not a well kept secret that unions make sure they’re doing the most effective thing when they withhold their power.” (SOURCE)

Owner of popular University of Oregon-area bar accused of pandemic fraud

The federal government has sued the owner of a once-popular University of Oregon-area bar for $200,000, accusing its owner of fraudulently obtaining over $300,000 in pandemic relief funds days after it shuttered amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taylor’s Bar and Grill was founded in 1922 and known for its dollar-beer specials and early openings for Oregon football games up until its closure on Feb. 25, 2020 when the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission revoked its liquor license.

The bar was embroiled in scandal ahead of its closure. In 2019, two women sued its previous owners alleging they were drugged by a bartender two years prior.

Ramzy Peter Hattar, the defendant in the lawsuit who also owns Portland-area restaurant Zedan Outdoors, applied for an economic injury disaster loan on behalf of Taylor’s on March 31, 2020, according to the suit. In the application, he listed Taylor’s primary place of business as 529 NW 13th Ave. in Portland, which is the location of a separate business he owns, the River Pig Saloon.

Hattar also listed that the business had 26 employees, that the proceeds would be used solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by disaster occurring in January 2020 and that the proceeds would not be used for personal, family or household purposes, according to the suit.

Within two weeks, Hattar received an advance of $10,000. The Small Business Administration disbursed about $202,500 more in May, according to the suit.

According to court documents, Hattar also submitted a first draw PPP application in May on behalf of Taylor’s, claiming the business had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes, that the funds would be used to retain workers, maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments.

From the PPP application, he received $135,700 from Solera National Bank. The first draw PPP loan was not forgiven and repaid and was charged off by the SBA in the sum of $145,329, according to the suit.

In total, Hattar fraudulently obtained approximately $348,200, court documents said. He allegedly attempted to submit a second draw pandemic relief loan application on behalf of Taylor’s on Jan. 25, 2021, but it was denied.

The federal government has requested a jury trial in the case.

It claims Hattar presented false or fraudulent claims to the United States and fraudulently made false record or statement material. Government officials seek damages for both claims of relief and an award for all of its costs to the maximum extent permissible related to the lawsuit.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Owner of popular University of Oregon-area bar accused of pandemic fraud – https://www.newsbreak.com/the-register-guard-1590819/4884979484496-owner-of-popular-university-of-oregon-area-bar-accused-of-pandemic-fraud

Third Suspect Arrested in Glenwood Motel 6 Shooting Investigation

A third suspect wanted in connection with an August robbery and shooting at the Motel 6 in Glenwood was arrested Thursday morning after Eugene police served a search warrant at a Creswell apartment.

The Eugene Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, SWAT team, Crisis Negotiation Team, Explosive Disposal Team and Drone Team served the warrant around 5:30 a.m. Sept. 10 at an apartment in the 300 block of Second Street in Creswell.

Police said the search warrant was obtained as part of an investigation into suspected narcotics and firearms-related crimes.

The apartment was identified as belonging to 45-year-old Michael Wayne Wesley. Police said 26-year-old Alexandra Mae Dahneke-Krusei was also known to be staying at the apartment.

According to Eugene police, Wesley is a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Detectives with the Eugene Police Violent Crimes Unit had identified Dahneke-Krusei as a third suspect in the Aug. 13 robbery and shooting at the Motel 6 in Glenwood.

SWAT officers took both Wesley and Dahneke-Krusei into custody before investigators searched the apartment. Police said they found two handguns, body armor, ammunition and methamphetamine inside.

Wesley was booked into the Lane County Jail on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of body armor and unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

Dahneke-Krusei was booked on the same firearm, body armor and methamphetamine charges. She also faces charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree assault.

The investigation into the Motel 6 robbery and shooting remains ongoing.

Eugene Says Former Hynix Plant Can’t be Developed as a Data Center

The City of Eugene told a prospective buyer that it would not be allowed to build a data center at the site of the former Hynix plant in a Sept. 8 letter.

In July, a local land use lawyer sent a letter to the Eugene Planning department asking if his client would be allowed to build a data center on the site. In its response, the city answered no, “the data center described … is prohibited in the E-1 zone.”

The former Hynix plant in west Eugene is located in the “E-1” “Campus Employment” zone.

Eugene City Code doesn’t name data centers in the table that outlines what’s allowed on the site, which was last updated in November 2024 to allow for the development of middle housing. It says “Information Technology Services” including “computer networking,” “business-to-business services” and “technical support centers” are allowed in the E-1 zone.

In his letter, land use attorney Bill Kloos made the case that a data center should fall into at least one of those categories.

Data centers are buildings that house computer servers, network equipment and data storage systems.

Tech industry demand for data centers has exploded nationally in the last couple years because of the growth of artificial intelligence. Critics argue data centers increase energy costs; use large amounts of land, power and water; and are part of a fragile economic bubble.

In the city’s response, Eugene Planning and Development Director Alissa Hunter wrote that a data center is fundamentally different from the allowed uses Kloos mentioned. She relied on historical context and interpreted City Council intention in her denial.

Hunter noted that Eugene City Council first declared Information Technology Services an allowed use in 2001, and Amazon built the world’s first data center in 2006. Eugene City Council updated its code around allowed light-industrial uses in 2014 and did not add data centers to the list.

Ultimately, Hunter reasoned a data center isn’t allowed in the E-1 zone, because the “E” stands for employment. Whereas data centers are “almost self-operating, with little human presence or interaction on the site,” Hunter wrote.

The city’s decision is appealable to the Land Use Board of Appeals. Its decision also only answers the question of whether data centers are allowed in the city’s “employment” zones but it’s not clear what answer a proposed data center in an industrial zone would get.

Eugene Planning Department spokesperson Lindsay Selser said the decision only focused on whether a data center would be allowed in the E-1 zone. She added that City Councilors want to discuss data centers more holistically and are tentatively scheduled to do so at their Dec. 14 meeting.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene says former Hynix plant can’t be developed as a data center

UPDATE — Eugene Police Investigating Suspicious Death

Eugene police have released the name of a 51-year-old woman discovered dead in west Eugene early Wednesday, Sept. 9. Police said Thursday the death of Stacey Ray Aldrich is considered suspicious.

A day earlier, police said one person had been detained for questioning in connection with her death. However, Eugene police spokesperson Chelsea Deffenbacher said Thursday no arrest was made.

Deffenbacher said Aldrich was discovered in a tent at a transient campsite near the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Seneca Road. Police said Thursday their investigation is continuing.

At 1:47 a.m. September 9, officers responded to a report of a deceased subject at West 11th Avenue and Seneca Road. The victim is a 51-year-old female.The death is considered suspicious in nature.

One person has been detained and is undergoing questioning. There are no outstanding suspects at this time and there is not believed to be an ongoing threat to the community.

Lane Transit District providing complimentary bus passes for Sept. 20 Fix-It Fair

For the second consecutive year, Waste Wise Lane County—part of the Lane County Waste Management Division—is partnering with BRING to host a Fix-It Fair. The free community event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at BRING (4446 Franklin Blvd., Eugene).

Fix-It Fairs promote reuse and repair by connecting attendees with skilled volunteer fixers who can help give broken household items a second life. Attendees can have items repaired, watch fixers at work, learn basic repair skills, and connect with local repair resources all while keeping usable items out of the trash and saving money.

“This year, we’re especially excited to partner with Lane Transit District (LTD) to provide complimentary bus passes for attendees traveling to and from the event,” said Angie Marzano, Lane County Waste Reduction Program supervisor. “Removing transportation as a potential barrier makes this event more accessible to our community, and BRING provides such a great setting for residents to learn new skills, connect with repair resources, and see firsthand the value of keeping materials in use longer.”

Anni Katz, LTD public information officer, said LTD is excited to help attendees more easily reach the event, and the process for redeeming bus passes is simple.

“https://www.ltd.org/umo-pass/. Click or tap if you trust this link.”>Download the Umo app, create an account, select the menu button, and click on ‘Redeem Benefit Code,” Katz said. “Before boarding, go to your ‘Wallet’ and select the pass and validate as you board.”

This year’s event will offer repairs for lamps, small appliances, bicycles, power tools and lawn tools with small motors. Bicycle repair support will be provided by Shift Community Cycles and Lane Council of Governments. The event will also feature an upcycling activity and tool sharpening services. See more details at fixitlanecounty.org/calendar.

Repairs typically take about 30 minutes. Attendees should bring only items they can reasonably carry into the event.

Food will be available for purchase from Red Five Hot Dog Company.

About Waste Wise Lane County — Waste Wise Lane County (Lane County Waste Management Division) offers education, tools, and resources that residents, schools, and businesses can use to reduce waste, conserve resources, and live more sustainably. Learn more about repair resources at fixitlanecounty.org.

About BRING — BRING is one of the nation’s oldest non-profit recyclers. Since 1971, the nonprofit has encouraged people to rethink what they use and what they throw away. BRING helps the community keep useful items out of the landfill, find ways to use less stuff, reuse as many things as possible, and recycle the rest. Learn more at bringrecycling.org.

About Lane Transit District — Lane Transit District (LTD) is a special district of the State of Oregon led by a seven-member volunteer board of directors appointed by Oregon’s governor. LTD’s budget is funded through a combination of fares, taxes paid by local employers and employees, and from state and federal sources. Learn more at ltd.org.

About Lane Council of Governments — LCOG is one of the oldest councils of governments in the nation. LCOG was first organized in 1945 under the name Central Lane County Planning Commission and had only six members. LCOG serves as a regional planning, coordination, program development, and service delivery organization in local communities across Lane County. Learn more at lcog-or.gov.

Ready to say “I do” to your boo? Lane County Clerk’s Office will host Halloween ‘scaremonies’ for couples looking to tie the knot with a twist

The Lane County Clerk’s Office will help couples celebrate their marriages in spooky style on Halloween again this year. Couples can begin registering now for a Halloween “scaremoney”. 

There are 35 slots available to schedule on a first come, first served basis. Ceremonies will be conducted in 30-minute intervals from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, at the County Clerk’s Office at 125 E. 8^th Avenue, Eugene.

The Clerk’s Office will perform marriage ceremonies in costume. Couples are also encouraged to dress in costume.

To schedule a scaremony, couples must first obtain a valid marriage license from the Clerk’s Office (125 E. 8^th Avenue, Eugene). To obtain a marriage license, couples fill out the online Marriage License Application and then must visit the Clerk’s Office at least three days before the ceremony to complete the license process.

The marriage license fee is $60 and a marriage officiated by the County Clerk’s Office is $117. Additional details, including license requirements and scheduling information, can be found on the Lane County Clerk’s website.

Benton County to host training for retailers of alcohol and tobacco, and cannabis products

Know the law. Stay in compliance. Help keep the community safe.

— The Benton County Health Department will conduct a free compliance training for local businesses selling alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis products. The training will take place on Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Benton County Kalapuya Building in Corvallis at 4500 SW Research Way. Interested participants should register for the training by September 23 .

This training will support owners and employees of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis retailers in understanding how to stay in compliance with local and state laws on selling these regulated products. Attendees will learn how to identify a person’s age and spot a fake ID, how to use black lights and magnifying lenses to check IDs, and how to identify excessive alcohol consumption and signs of intoxication. The training will also offer information on fentanyl awareness and overdose prevention, including naloxone training.

“Retailers play a key role in helping prevent substance use and access by minors,” said Suzie Beaupre, Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Program Coordinator for Benton County Health Department.

“We really have two main goals with this training program,” said Beaupre. “The first is to prevent substance use among minors, and the second is to help support our local businesses in staying in compliance with the law.”

The training will be held in English, and language interpretation can be provided if requested. Free lunch will be provided, and participants will receive free handheld black lights for checking IDs and free naloxone kits for overdose response and prevention. Attendees can also participate in a drawing to win a gift card.

The training is offered by the Benton County Health Department’s alcohol, drug, and tobacco prevention and education programs, in partnership with their Risk Reduction program, Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), and other community organizations.

Retailer training is a part of the department’s ongoing efforts to address the health impacts of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances. This includes promoting statewide awareness campaigns like Rethink the Drink and Smokefree Oregon, and regional campaigns like Fentanyl Aware.

People who work in places that sell alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis products can register for the training online or entonHealthyCommunities@bentoncountyor.gov“>email the department’s Healthy Communities Team for accommodations requests and more information.

Benton County Health Department — The Benton County Health Department is committed to protecting the health and well-being of everyone who lives in, works in, or visits Benton County. The Benton County Health Department focuses on preventing health problems before they occur. Their programs strive to create community conditions that help reduce health disparities, so all people have an equal chance for a long and healthy life. Español a continuación

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Lane County seeking applicants for open Property Value Appeals Board seat

The Lane County Property Value Appeals Board (PVAB) is accepting applications through Friday, September 25, for a minimum of one open seat.

The PVAB is responsible for hearing appeals from taxpayers about the value of their property. It holds hearings where taxpayers present their evidence of incorrect value and then issues decisions about the value. The PVAB is authorized by law to hear appeals of the value of property, including real market, maximum assessed, specially assessed, or assessed values – it does not hear appeals of the amount of property tax paid. 

Qualified applicants:

• must be residents of Lane County.
• should have an interest or background in real property appraisal, finance or real estate.
• cannot be employed by Lane County or any other taxing district within the county.

Members of the PVAB receive a $15.00 per hour stipend, and paid training ahead of the first hearings is provided. The PVAB can meet up to 40 hours per week between February 1, 2027 and April 15, 2027.

Applications and more information about the PVAB are available at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/appeals and can be returned to PVAB@LaneCountyOR.gov or in-person to the Lane County Administration Office and Lane County Deeds & Records, both located at 125 E. 8^th Avenue, Eugene.

Delta Highway: Green Acres Road to Goodpasture Island Road Enhancements

A $25.5 million road enhancement project on Delta Highway from Goodpasture Island Road to Green Acres Road is set to begin in 2027. ​This project continues with planned improvements to the Beltline/Delta Interchange to make the area safer and relieve congestion. 

For this project, plans are:

• Widen and raise the existing bridge over Beltline Highway.
• Add one lane to southbound Delta Highway from Green Acres Road to the Goodpasture Road interchange.
• Add a second left-turn to the westbound Beltline Highway off-ramp onto Delta Highway.
• Upgrade the traffic signal at the Beltline Highway and Delta Highway interchange. 

You can read more and participate in an online open house where you can

• Learn more about the work planned.
• Find out what road closures, detours and other impacts you can expect during construction.
• Learn how you can stay connected and get updates about this project during construction.
• Ask questions and share your thoughts.

https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=22627

Lane County Announces 2026–2027 Community & Economic Development Grant Applications

Beginning August 19, Lane County will begin accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Community & Economic Development (CED) Grant Program. This competitive grant opportunity is designed to support high-impact projects or programs that increase wages or jobs, provide business assistance, support business innovation, and revitalize Main Streets, downtowns or commercial districts across Lane County.

To support applicants in creating strong proposals, Lane County will host a virtual informational webinar on Wednesday, August 26, at noon. Staff will explain the grant and answer questions from attendees. A recording of the presentation will be made available on the CED Grant website.

The CED Grant Program is soliciting applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating in Lane County and cities serving Lane County residents. There is $200,000 in funding available to provide grant awards between $5,000 and $30,000. Priority will be given to proposals that foster inclusive economic growth and align with the County’s strategic development goals.

“The Community and Economic Development Grant is a helpful resource that we are proud to offer,” said Jason Harris, Lane County’s Community and Economic Development manager. “We are always so impressed with the ways our cities and community partners leverage these funds to increase prosperity and support our business community throughout the region.”

Program objectives include:

• Increasing employment or wages in targeted sectors including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, food and beverage manufacturing, biosciences, technology, and childcare.
• Facilitating industry or business innovation, engagement or business development which may include supporting accelerators, incubators, or apprenticeship programs.
• Providing business technical assistance, training or support services to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses.
• Improving Lane County downtowns and Main Streets by revitalizing physical and visual assets to create a business-friendly environment.

Application Details and Timeline 

• Applications will be available to download on Lane County’s procurement site, Bid Locker, starting August 19, 2026.
• A virtual informational webinar will be presented Wednesday, August 26, at noon at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/CEDgrant.
• Submissions must be sent via email to CED@LaneCountyOR.gov.
• Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026.
• Only one application per organization will be accepted.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications will be screened for completeness and then evaluated using four core criteria: economic development impact, outcomes and performance, program clarity, and budget and funding. Bonus evaluation points are given to programs or projects that address under-represented or underserved populations, add value to our economy, and for applicants who have not received CED grant funding previously.

Learn more by visiting www.LaneCountyOR.gov/CEDgrant or by contacting CED@LaneCountyOR.gov.

Burrito Brigade Buys Building to Create Community Food Hub

Burrito Brigade has bought the old Center for Appropriate Transport building at 455 West 1st Ave. in the Whiteaker neighborhood to create a new community food hub.

The organization is asking the community to help support building renovation goals. Burrito Brigade needs $300,000 more to fully complete a commercial kitchen installation, food storage infrastructure, ADA-compliant upgrades and critical improvements needed.

Jennifer Denson says “This project has always been community driven. Since Waste To Taste’s start in 2020 we have not looked back. We just keep rescuing more food and growing more organized and it’s incredible to watch the impact and difference we make when we work together,”

Hundreds of volunteer hours weekly are dedicated to rescuing more than half a million pounds of food annually from grocery stores, small businesses, institutions, large food generators and local farms. This community-powered food rescue serves fresh local vegetables and fruit alongside diet and culturally specific products.

The no-barrier access free grocery store, known as Waste-to-Taste, provides households the ability to supplement other systems of support that often have eligibility requirements. Waste-to-Taste serves more than 10,000 households annually.

Rescued food is also redirected through other sustainable distribution channels. Food scraps and spoiled food are diverted to feed farm animals like chickens, goats and pigs, sanctuary animals at a local emu ranch and wolf rescue, and even a mealworm farm.

According to Burrito Brigade, the community connection and creativity around food in the kitchen includes partners in many mutual aid food projects facilitating hot meals, food preservation, community-led cooking classes, food micro-entrepreneurs and youth workforce training. The new community food hub will open its doors to the public in 2027. You can DONATE here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-help-us-build-a-food-hub

Skinner Butte Park summit parking lot is now closed to motorized vehicles due to fire danger. The closure will remain in effect until October.

City of Eugene’s Parks and Open Space, in cooperation with Eugene Springfield Fire, have closed the Skinner Butte parking lot and summit road. It will be closed until sometime in October.

There has been a history of illegal firework activity and brush fires, particularly during the summer season.

Closing this area to vehicles helps reduce that risk. The summit will remain accessible to pedestrians and cyclists (no e-motorcycles) by numerous trails and the paved road that leads to the summit.

Lane County will participate by setting up donation barrels for staff to donate at Lane County owned properties.

“Food for Lane County is already seeing high numbers of pantry visitors at a time when our food supply has been limited due to federal program cuts. We want all Lane County residents to have the food and resources they need to thrive, and we’re very concerned about the welfare of our community if SNAP benefits aren’t available.” said Food for Lane County Director of Development and Communications, Rebecca Sprinson.

For individuals and families in need of food, please visit the FFLC food finder, at:

Food Finder

Those interested in donating can do so by visiting: https://www.foodforlanecounty.org/ways-to=give/donate or by calling 541-343-2822.

$18.95 can help feed 120 people.

Every weekend, the volunteer crew at Burrito Brigade rolls hundreds of delicious vegan burritos to help close the hunger gap here in Eugene. Each box of tortillas — just $18.95 — helps feed 120 neighbors.

Could you spare $18.95 to help? Even better — could you make it a monthly donation to keep those burritos rolling all year long?

Every dollar makes a difference in these times of need. Thank you for being part of the Brigade. Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/donation…/we-rise-by-lifting-others 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

EWEB Emergency Water Stations

The final emergency water station has been officially installed in Eugene as part of the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s disaster preparedness plan.

This is where people can access water in case of earthquakes, wildfires, or other events that could disrupt or limit access to the city’s water system.

Other locations are the Eugene Science Center, Howard Elementary School, Prairie Mountain School, Amazon Park-YMCA, the Sheldon Fire Station, and the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds.

All seven locations across the city of Eugene draw their water from underground wells. The intent is to provide individuals up to two gallons of water a day during an emergency. MORE INFO at EWEB: https://www.eweb.org/projects/emergency-water-stations

Oregon Department of Human Services – Many Oregonians may qualify for SNAP work or activity rule exemptions without realizing it

Could you qualify for an exemption to SNAP work or activity rules? Contact us so we can talk about your situation and your options! Common reasons people might qualify include:- You’re pregnant.- You’re physically or mentally unable to work.- You’re already working enough hours to meet the requirement.- You’re participating in a qualifying education or training program.- You have moved to an exempt county or waived Tribal land.- You are responsible for caring for a child or another person, depending on their circumstances.

Learn more about exemptions in this news release: https://apps.oregon.gov/…/many-oregonians-may-qualify…Or visit https://oregon.gov/snapworkrules to find information about SNAP work rules and more.

Oregon Food Bank · Find free food sites near you using OregonFoodFinder.org.

If you can’t make it to a food location, someone else can pick up food for you.You will just need to print and fill out the Authorized Representative form at https://lnkd.in/dsskUpkQ, and have them take it with them to the food sites. You can find step-by-step instructions at https://lnkd.in/dVBRxn-A.

Worried about recent changes or losing assistance?

Here are resources that can help:

211Info:  Dial 2-1-1 or visit the211Info food webpagefor information and referrals to more than 1,500 food resources across Oregon.

Oregon Food Bank:  Use the Oregon Food Bank’s Food Finder Mapto find over 100 food pantries, free food markets or hot meal programs near you. 

Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon (ADRC): Call 855-673-2372 or visit theADRC food webpage to find local meal programs and food boxes in your area. 

9/14/2026 — Gas Prices in Oregon Today

Oregon National Guard marks 25th anniversary of September 11th terrorist Attacks

— Oregon National Guard members joined ceremonies throughout the state on Sept. 11, 2026, to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Events were held at the Major General George A. White Building in Salem, the 9/11 Honor and Remember Gold Star Families’ Memorial at Microchip Technologies in Gresham, and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.

On September 11, 2001, a total of 2,977 individuals lost their lives, including all 246 passengers and crew members, as well as the 19 hijackers, aboard the four aircraft involved in the attacks. The 25th anniversary commemorated these events by bringing together Oregon Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen to honor those who died in the immediate aftermath and during subsequent military operations.

At the Salem ceremony, Chaplain (Col.) Jacob Scott, Oregon National Guard state chaplain, delivered the invocation. He asked for comfort, shelter, and protection while remembering the shock and sorrow Americans experienced 25 years ago.

Brig. Gen. David N. Unruh, Air Component Commander, Oregon National Guard, spoke about the importance of remembering September 11 and the perspective it provides today.

“We couldn’t just let today go by unmarked like any other,” Unruh said. “Remembrance helps us make meaning of our own lives.”

Unruh reflected on the lives lost in New York City, at the Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania, where passengers aboard Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers.

“The loss of life that day and in the wars that followed is heartbreaking,” Unruh said. “Yet equally as profound are the stories of heroism, from the first responders to ordinary Americans who simply pitched in to help where they could.”

Oregon Army National Guard Russell Gibson, Assistant Adjutant General, also delivered remarks during the ceremony.

Scott encouraged those gathered to carry forward the example of the first responders and others who moved toward danger to help people in need.

“Put one foot in front of another and take the next step,” Scott said. “Climb the stairs. Do what it takes to serve those in need.”

Scott connected their example to opportunities to serve others today.

“Take the next step. We do what’s right,” Scott said. “If we do that, we’ll honor those who died on 9/11 and those heroes who went before us.”

The ceremony included a moment of silence for those killed in the attacks. The Oregon Army National Guard’s 234th Army Band performed “God Bless America,” followed by the sounding of “TAPS.”

During the 9/11 Honor and Remember Gold Star Families’ Memorial ceremony in Gresham, Oregon, Army National Guard Sgt. Scott Steele performed “TAPS” at a commemorative display of 300 “Honor and Remember Flags” at Microchip Technologies, followed by Chaplain (Capt.) Wes Moldogo, who provided the opening prayer, saying that 9/11 changed our nation forever and impacted countless military families in the years to follow.

“Especially for our Gold Star families: the parents, spouses, children, siblings, and loved ones that carry both the profound pride and the enduring sorrow.”

As the Master of Ceremonies, Greg Matthews, a retired Gresham Fire Department Chief and former Oregon House of Representatives member who represented District 50 from 2009 to 2015, introduced Oregon Air National Guard Col. Ryan Barton, who serves as the deputy commander of the Oregon Joint Domestic Operations Command.

“Colonel Barton manages the day-to-day administration, planning, and execution of all the processes and programs preparing the Oregon National Guard for continued operations in either federal or state emergencies, including mandates and natural disasters,” Matthews said.

“With many people trying to escape the danger that morning, it was firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and other first responders who were already moving toward the danger,” Barton said, remembering the events of twenty-five years ago. “Throughout my career, I have always felt a strong connection between the military and those who serve our communities. September 11th showed the very best of that shared commitment and the courage in the face of uncertainty.”

Ready Oregon Youth Art Contest for Preparedness Month

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) invites young artists across the state to participate in the Ready Oregon Youth Art Contest and show us what community preparedness means to them.

Oregon youth in grades K–12 are encouraged to create an original piece of art showing how people can work together to prepare for emergencies and disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, floods, winter storms and more.

Need some inspiration? Learn how you, your family and your community can prepare for emergencies through Oregon’s Be 2 Weeks Ready program.

Who Can Enter? — The contest is FREE and open to all youth in grades K–12 in Oregon.

Entries will be judged in four grade-level categories:

• Kindergarten–2nd grade
• 3rd–5th grade
• 6th–8th grade
• 9th–12th grade

Each category will recognize a First Place, Runner-Up and Honorable Mention. Youth may submit one entry each.

Artwork Requirements — Artwork should creatively answer the question: What does community preparedness mean to you?

Whether preparedness means neighbors helping neighbors, families building emergency kits, communities practicing evacuation plans or people looking out for one another during a disaster, we want to see preparedness through the eyes of Oregon’s youth.

Submissions must meet the following requirements:

• Medium: Original two-dimensional artwork, including painting, drawing or mixed media.
• Size: Between 8″ × 10″ and 11″ × 14″.
• Format: Artwork must be created on a flat surface. Canvas, cardstock or poster board are recommended.
• Original work: Artwork must be 100% original and created solely by the student. AI-generated images and copyrighted characters are not permitted.

How to Enter — Each submission must include the following information:

• Artist’s name
• Grade level
• Name of parent, guardian or other contact person
• Contact person’s relationship to the artist
• Contact person’s phone number
• Contact person’s email address
• A short description of the artwork

Artwork may be mailed to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management or dropped off at an approved local, county or Tribal emergency management office.

Approved Artwork Drop-Off Locations

Ready Oregon Youth Art Contest entries may be dropped off at any of the approved locations below. Please review each location’s hours and instructions before visiting.

Eastern Oregon

Malheur County Emergency Management
151 B St. W.
Vale, OR 97918

Please address or deliver artwork to the Malheur County Emergency Manager.

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) – Public Safety Building
46400 Timíne Way
Pendleton, OR 97801

Drop-off location: Public Safety Building lobby

Northwest Oregon

Grand Ronde Fire Station
28480 McPherson Drive
Grand Ronde, OR 97347

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Willamina Fire Station
825 Main Street
Willamina, OR 97396

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Please note: Emergency services staff may occasionally be away from the stations while responding to calls or emergencies.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Support Services
225 W. Olive Street, Room 203
Newport, OR 97365

Hours: Monday–Thursday
8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.
Closed noon–1 p.m. and Fridays.

Drop-off instructions: Enter through the courthouse public entrance and proceed through security. Once inside, go upstairs to the service window at Room 203 and provide the artwork to staff.

Willamette Valley

City of Eugene – The Atrium
99 W. 10th Avenue
Eugene, OR

Drop-off location: Reception desk
Hours: Noon–4 p.m.

Please route artwork to: Althea Sullivan

North Central Oregon

Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office
701 Adams Street
Fossil, OR 97830

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Mailing Option

Artwork may also be mailed directly to:

Oregon Department of Emergency Management
3930 Fairview Industrial Drive SE
Salem, OR 97302

Please ensure mailed entries arrive by the contest deadline: 5 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2026.

Important Dates — All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2026. Winners will be notified by Friday, October 2, 2026. Get creative, get prepared and show us what a ready Oregon looks like to you!

Oregon Governor Proclaims September Preparedness Month

 — Gov. Tina Kotek has proclaimed September as Preparedness Month in Oregon, underscoring the importance of readiness and resilience across the state. The proclamation serves as a rallying point for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and its partners to amplify preparedness messaging and activities statewide. It also invites all Oregonians to take proactive steps to safeguard their families, homes, and communities against future disasters. 

“OEM remains committed to ensuring every Oregonian has access to the tools and resources they need to prepare for emergencies,” OEM Director Erin McMahon, said. “Preparedness Month is a valuable reminder that we are stronger and more resilient when we plan ahead, practice safety, and stay connected within our communities.” 

OEM continues to spotlight its “Be 2 Weeks Ready” campaign, a multilingual multimedia toolkit that helps individuals and communities prepare to be self‑sufficient for at least two weeks following a disaster. This year, the campaign will again be supported through community events, educational outreach, and digital engagement across Oregon.  

Proclamation Highlights 

The governor’s proclamation emphasizes: 

• #OregonPreparednessMonthoffers a vital opportunity for every Oregonian to learn how to prepare for all types of emergencies. 
• Federal, Tribal, state, local, and private sector partners are working together to prevent and respond to disasters. 
• OEM prioritizes outreach and education to ensure all Oregonians understand the importance of emergency preparedness. 
• Communities across Oregon are actively training, educating, and equipping residents for disaster events. 
• Adequate preparation is essential to the health and well-being of every Oregonian. 
• The “Be 2 Weeks Ready” program empowers individuals to take meaningful steps toward resilience. 

2026 Preparedness Events to Help You Get Started 

To cap off Preparedness Month, OEM invites the public to attend the Ready Fair on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Salem. This free, family-friendly event is designed to help our communities build resilience and preparedness. 

The Ready Fair will bring together subject-matter experts and community partners to share practical tips and resources aligned with OEM’s Be 2 Weeks Ready program. 

What to Expect: 

• Expert-Led Boothson emergency alerts, food and water planning, sanitation, and more 
• Interactive Activitiesincluding a fun, earthquake-themed escape room and shake simulator. 
• Preparedness for All Ageswith kid-friendly stations and hands-on learning. 
• Food Trucksand a chance to win a fully stocked emergency go-bag for your family. 

Event Details: 

• Date:Saturday, October 10, 2026 
• Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 
• Location:3930 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem, Oregon 97302 
• Cost:FREE and open to the public 

In addition to the Ready Fair, OEM is encouraging people to participate in the Great Oregon ShakeOut: October 15, 2026, at 10:16 AM (local time). Join millions of people across Oregon to practice earthquake safety. The ShakeOut is a fast, simple drill to help you learn how to Drop, Cover and Hold On.

And the Great Oregon Camp-In: October 16–18, 2026. Held the weekend after the ShakeOut, the Camp-In is an at-home preparedness exercise where households practice living without utilities, refine emergency plans and test their supplies. Participate for a few hours or the entire weekend.

“Community preparedness is strongest when people feel informed, supported, and empowered,” OEM’s Community Preparedness Coordinator Kayla Thompson, said. “Our goal is to meet Oregonians where they are, provide accessible resources, and encourage everyday steps that build resilience long before an emergency happens.”

For more information on Preparedness Month and the Be 2 Weeks Ready campaign, visit www.oregon.gov/oem.  

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILDFIRE UPDATE

As of September 14, 2026, Oregon is currently managing 7 active, uncontained large fires and complexes out of 14 total active uncontained large fires across the Pacific Northwest. While recent rain has slowed active fire behavior, multiple blazes remain under active monitoring, line reinforcement, or repair operations: Major Active Fire Status & Evacuations

• Austin Fire: Southeast of Estacada in Mt. Hood National Forest, smoldering with ongoing line reinforcement. Level 3 (“Go Now”) orders and Highway 224 closures persist in Clackamas County.
• Hagen Fire: In northeast Oregon, transitioning to mop-up and repair. Level 3 evacuations and Forest Service closures remain near the fire despite lower-level lifts.
• Paradise Fire: East of Milton-Freewater in Umatilla National Forest, undergoing line repair and hazard clearing amid strict forest closures for deep ash pits and snags.
• Sycan Fire: Southwest of Summer Lake, moving through grass and brush with uncontained perimeter growth under active monitoring.
• McCully Fire: In Baker and Grant counties, seeing reduced activity and shifting to rehabilitation while maintaining evacuation levels and forest closures.

Statewide ContextGovernor Tina Kotek’s state of emergency for wildfire threats remains statewide for rapid resource deployment. [1]For real-time updates, check the Northwest Fire Map or the NWCC Blog.

For live evacuation details and spatial boundaries, reference local sheriff departments or monitor real-time tracking through the Central Oregon Fire Information Hub.

Live Mapping and Public Safety – Because conditions shift rapidly, you can track real-time perimeters, containment updates, and Level 1/2/3 evacuation zones using the That Oregon Life Wildfire Map or the Wildfire Explorer Oregon Fires Map. If you are looking for specific regional updates, please consult local sheriff’s departments or emergency alert apps like Watch Duty and Genasys Protect.

Current Safety & Fire Restrictions — Despite the incoming rain, underlying forest conditions remain incredibly dry. Public land users are reminded that fire restrictions remain tightly in place ahead of the Labor Day weekend. Ensure you check the official Central Oregon Fire Restrictions and avoid parking vehicles on dry grass.

🗺️ Critical Resources for Evacuations & Travel — Because fire behavior, road closures, and air quality fluctuate rapidly, residents should utilize official tracking platforms before traveling:

• Evacuation Maps: Check real-time statuses using Oregon’s RAPTOR tracking map or local county sheriff’s pages.
• Road Closures: View live traffic adjustments and highway conditions on TripCheck.
• Smoke Updates: Track local pollution and breathing safety recommendations via the Oregon Smoke Information Blog.

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Oregon has made significant progress in rebuilding housing lost during the September 2020 Labor Day wildfires. State and federal recovery initiatives have successfully financed the reconstruction of nearly 1,500 homes across the state.

The milestone marks a major step forward from the catastrophic 2020 fire season, which scorched over 1 million acres and caused the evacuation of more than 40,000 residents. Key Recovery Achievements:

• State-Funded Developments Completed: The Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) announced that all state-funded permanent housing recovery projects are fully complete. Backed by a $150 million legislative allocation approved in 2021, these initiatives directly funded the construction of 324 brand new homes across eight specific developments.
• Impacted Communities: Rebuilding milestones have brought hundreds of families back to heavily impacted regions, including urban Jackson County (ravaged by the Almeda Fire), as well as Douglas, Lane, and Linn counties. Significant projects include the rebuilding of the Lazy Days Mobile Home and RV Park in Blue River, Royal Oaks, and the Talent Community Cooperative.
• Comprehensive Household Support: Outside of direct construction, the state’s Wildfire Recovery and Resilience Account (WRRA) successfully helped 867 households achieve permanent rehousing and provided intermediate or temporary housing assistance to an additional 450 households.
• Ongoing Federal Aid: While state-funded developments are wrapped up, long-term federally funded efforts remain in motion. Programs under the state’s ReOregon initiative—fueled by a $422 million Community Development Block Grant from HUD—continue to provide long-term grants for remaining low- and moderate-income homeowners trying to repair or rebuild.

While infrastructure delays and financing gaps historically slowed individual rebuilds in hard-hit rural areas, the deployment of coordinated state and federal recovery packages has safely transitioned thousands of fire survivors from temporary shelters back into permanent housing.

Oregon lawmakers approve more than $120 million to cover cost of 2026 wildfires

The 2026 wildfire season has been the state’s most expensive to date.

Oregon lawmakers approved nearly $123 million to help cover the costs of this year’s wildfire season, sending money to two state agencies responsible for fighting wildfires. 

The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board agreed to allocate $108 million to the Oregon Department of Forestry and $15 million to the Department of the State Fire Marshal at a morning meeting Thursday. The 20-member board has the authority to allocate funding when the full Legislature isn’t in session. 

As of late August, wildfires had scorched across 2.5 million acres and cost the state $236.2 million. Those costs are expected to reach $350 million by the end of the wildfire season — putting 2026 on track to surpass the state’s previous $318 million record when wildfires scorched 1.9 million acres in 2024. 

The forestry department has been able to pay for nearly $79 million of those costs with federal recovery funding, grants and other contributions. With the emergency board’s approval Thursday, the agency will also borrow $150 million from the Oregon State Treasury through three loans over the next three months to maintain solvency through the end of the year. 

The State Fire Marshal responded to 12 destructive wildfires this year that cost more than $50 million. The agency’s $15 million request will cover funding gaps needed to address those costs. 

The federal government is expected to reimburse Oregon for some of these costs, though that money can take years to arrive. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency still owes Oregon about $92 million in fire management and public assistance grants from 2020. These are grants a state requests if they are facing a catastrophic emergency, and the federal government agrees to pay 75% of the costs.

Typically they take about two to three years to be fully released to the states. This is not an unusual amount of money owed, nor is it unusual that it’s taking so long to be reimbursed, according to Joy Krawczyk, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry. 

The slow pace of federal reimbursements frustrated lawmakers.

“Through the course of today’s allocations, we’re going to be taking general fund dollars away from our schools, from healthcare, from housing, from public safety, while we’re waiting for reimbursement from the federal government,” said Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis. 

Lawmakers on the emergency board thanked all the agencies who worked to put out the wildfires this summer. 

“It was predicted to be tough,” said Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane. “We exceeded tough by many levels in that period of time. Without the coordination, the dedication of the state agencies, and I’ll say our Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, rural fire districts and the volunteers that are out there, there’d have been towns and houses taken out.” (SOURCE)

Secretary Read Requests Emergency Funding for Election Security

 Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read proposed concrete steps to provide eligible Oregonians with more ways to return their ballots and make sure their votes get counted.

In testimony before a budget subcommittee of the Oregon Legislature, Secretary Read advocated for a total of $1.25 million in emergency funding to support Oregon’s elections as the federal government continues its attempts to control and undermine election integrity.

“Our goal is simple: every eligible Oregonian should have a clear and dependable way to cast a ballot and be confident that their vote gets counted,” Secretary Read said. “Expanding drop box access and providing a means for voters to track their ballot are some of the tools we have to protect Oregonians’ right to vote. I’m grateful to the Legislature for considering the request for emergency funding on behalf of Oregon voters.”

The funding request has three main components: supporting greater access to official drop boxes, providing an opt-in ballot tracking system for voters, and taking the next step to clear out old data in the inactive voter list.

Recently, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office conducted a comprehensive study to identify gaps in drop box availability around the state. Multiple locations were identified where an additional drop box would give Oregonians better access to submitting their ballots through this secure method.

Emergency funding of $618,000 would pay for 20 drop boxes and expenses related to an increase in drop box usage. Installation requires coordination with local leaders and quick work to get as many drop boxes as possible functional before the election.

Every voter in Oregon should have access to the same tools to protect their vote, and $154,000 would expand BallotTrax statewide. Currently five counties use this opt-in service that provides updates to voters about their ballot: when it is sent, when their county receives it on the way back, and when their signature has been accepted so their ballot can be counted. 

The final $480,000 would allow counties to send voter notification cards to inactive voters to continue the process of clearing out old data on the inactive voter list. Inactive voters do not receive ballots and do not impact the outcome of any election, but proper data management is important.

The funding request advanced with unanimous support and will be considered by the Emergency Board on Thursday.

Oregon is celebrating Sea Otter Awareness Month this September 2026 with the theme “Rooted in Resilience” to highlight the potential return of sea otters to the state’s coastline.

Sea otters have not lived in Oregon’s coastal waters since 1981, but this September a string of events from Eugene breweries to the Oregon Coast Aquarium is putting the animals back in the spotlight.

The Elakha Alliance, an Oregon nonprofit focused on restoring sea otters to the Oregon coast, is hosting Sea Otter Awareness Month programming throughout September, building toward Sea Otter Awareness Week from September 20 through September 26 along the Oregon coast.

Sea otters once lived all along the Oregon coast before the fur trade wiped them out locally. Conservation groups now work to bring these keystone species back to restore healthy marine habitats and kelp forests.

Oregon’s 2026 Sea Otter Awareness Month Events:

For event details and registration, visit www.elakhaalliance.org/event/sea-otter-awareness-week.

• Sept 15 – Sea Otter Drag Bingo Benefit at Breakside Brewery – Slabtown (6 p.m.-8 p.m.), Portland
• Sept 20 – Sea Otter Viewing Station at Oregon Zoo (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), Portland
• Sept 20 – Sea Otter Sip & Paint Night #1 at Fullerton Wines (6 p.m.-8 p.m.), Portland
• Sept 22 – Float Down the Coast Livestream, Virtual (12 p.m.-1 p.m.)
• Sept 22 – Sea Otter Pint Night at Claim 52 Brewing (5 p.m.-8 p.m.), Eugene
• Sept 23 – Sea Otter Sip & Paint Night #2 at Fullerton Wines (6 p.m.-8 p.m.), Portland
• Sept 24 – Sea Otter Bingo at Claim 52 Bayfront (6 p.m.-8 p.m.), Newport
• Sept 26 – Sea Otter Viewing Station at Oregon Coast Aquarium (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) Newport
• Sept 26 – Sea Otter Extravaganza at The Portland Aquarium (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) Portland

This year’s theme, Rooted in Resilience, focuses on the connections that help coastal ecosystems thrive and on the relationship between sea otters, kelp forests and coastal ecosystems. Events include educational programs, viewing stations, art events and other activities, with locations spanning the Oregon Zoo and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The Elakha Alliance has partnered with organizations and businesses across Oregon to host the community events, including local breweries and the Portland Aquarium. One highlight on the calendar is a Sea Otter Pint Night at Claim 52 Brewing in Eugene, set for September 22 from 5 to 8 p.m.

OHCS Investment Opens 45 New Affordable Homes in Bend as Central Oregon Works to Address Housing Shortage

 — More than 40 new homes are opening in Bend, providing more housing opportunities for people and families as Central Oregon continues to grapple with housing costs that have made it increasingly difficult for many workers to live in the communities they work.

“At a moment when the high cost of housing is making it difficult for people to get by, state investments and local leadership are making life more affordable for renters of today and tomorrow,” said Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Executive Director Andrea Bell.

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) joined Housing Works, Cascade Management, and community partners on Sept. 9 to celebrate the grand opening of Nine Peaks, a newly constructed affordable housing community in Bend. OHCS invested approximately $10 million in the new development, $1 million of which was Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding. LIHTC is a federal initiative established to encourage private investment in affordable housing. It provides tax credits to developers who commit to creating affordable housing for low-income households, which can be sold to investors to finance construction.

The opening comes as housing affordability continues to affect communities throughout Central Oregon. High housing costs and limited housing availability can make it harder for employers to recruit and retain workers for communities to maintain the workforce needed to support schools, health care, hospitality, public services, and other essential industries.

“I absolutely love being here. I was struggling with finding housing,” said Lisa Thomas (not her real name), a resident of Nine Peaks. “It’s a struggle to find housing in this area, so I feel fortunate. I was in tears when I was told that I was approved and able to move in. It still doesn’t feel real — being able to start all over and have a new beginning, I just really appreciate it.”

Nine Peaks includes one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, creating options for households of different sizes. The community is located near shopping, medical facilities, and schools. The homes were built in partnership with Housing Works, Central Oregon’s regional housing authority.

“Many Oregonians have to make hard decisions between housing and health care, and the Nine Peaks community was envisioned as a response to that challenge,” said Lynne McConnell, executive director of Housing Works. “Housing Works and Mosaic Medical have an aligned mission and are thrilled to see our years of work on this project come to fruition. Nine Peaks is adjacent to Mosaic’s future headquarters, a clinic, and a pharmacy, and prioritizes households with individuals with disabilities. Nine Peaks will support health and stability for our residents and the larger community.”

For OHCS, the opening also represents the tangible result of public investment in housing. The agency’s approximately $10 million investment helped turn funding into completed homes that will serve Central Oregon residents for years to come.

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 with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.

Oregon National Guard, U.S. Navy Break Ground on $12 Million Machine Gun Range in Boardman

The Oregon National Guard and U.S. Navy broke ground Sept. 9 on a new Multi-Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility, marking the start of construction on a project more than two decades in the making.

The $12 million range will become the first and only Army Standard crew-served weapons range in Oregon, allowing soldiers to qualify on the M240, M2, and MK19 in-state rather than traveling to facilities in Yakima, Washington, or Boise, Idaho. “That travel costs time, costs money, and it pulls our soldiers away from being available here at home when the state needs them most,” said Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General, Oregon. “This range changes that.”

The project traces back to a license agreement signed in August 2004 between the Departments of the Army, Navy, and the Oregon Military Department. Since then, it has appeared repeatedly on the military’s Future Years Development Plan in 2007, 2015, 2025, and 2026, before finally reaching groundbreaking. The effort required a six-and-a-half-year environmental impact statement spanning more than 1,400 pages and coordination across U.S. Pacific Fleet, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the National Guard Bureau and the Oregon Military Department.

“Twenty-two years ago, someone signed a piece of paper that made a promise, a promise that Oregon soldiers would someday train on their own ground for their own state,” Gronewold said. “Today, we break ground on keeping that promise, and when this range opens, it won’t just serve the soldiers standing here today; it will serve the generations of Oregon’s citizen-soldiers who come after them.”

Gronewold tied the project to the Guard’s leadership framework, telling attendees the range reflects the standard he asks of every member of the organization: to be connected, competent and committed. He noted the facility also positions the Guard for the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon and its 6.8mm round, which soldiers will need to qualify on in coming years.

Cmdr. Joshua Overn, Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, delivered remarks on behalf of Capt. Nathan Gammache, the air station’s commanding officer, who was traveling and unable to attend. “Today, we aren’t just turning dirt; we are laying the foundation for the future of our tactical readiness,” Overn said, calling proficiency with crew-served weapons “a cornerstone of ground combat.” He said the range will help ensure that when Oregon forces deploy, “they are fully qualified, confident and lethal in the field.”

Overn said the partnership between the Navy and the Oregon Military Department has helped advocate for and protect military interests across the Northwest while balancing compatible land and air use in the region. He added that a ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected within the coming year as construction wraps up.

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, a former Adjutant General of Oregon, attended the ceremony. Also on hand were Boardman City Manager Brandon Hammond, Morrow and Umatilla County commissioners, local fire and police representatives, and field representatives for Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.

On September 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta issued a ruling upholding the Coquille Indian Tribe’s authority to continue its gaming operations at its casino in Medford

The memorandum opinion denied a legal challenge brought by a coalition of local tribes—including the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, the Karuk Tribe, and the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation—and granted summary judgment to the federal government and the Coquille Tribe. Key Details of the Ruling:

• Legal Foundation: The court determined that the Coquille Restoration Act of 1989 permits the federal government to place land into trust within the tribe’s five-county service area (Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, and Lane). Because Medford lies within Jackson County, the judge agreed the 2.4-acre parcel qualifies as “restored lands” under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, making gaming fully permitted.
• A Long-Standing Dispute: The ruling marks a major milestone in a political and legal battle spanning nearly 15 years. The property previously hosted a tribally-owned bowling alley operating state-run video lottery terminals before the U.S. Department of the Interior approved the land-into-trust application in January 2025.
• Future Outlook: Tribal officials stated that revenues from the Medford facility will continue to fund critical programs, services, and community support for tribal citizens. However, because this decision is a final, appealable order, the plaintiff tribes retain the option to seek a review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

Oregon to launch new Explore Health state health insurance marketplace in coming months

Oregonians who buy their health insurance on a federal website will soon be able to turn to a new state-backed platform to shop for coverage.

In less than 10 weeks, Oregonians who buy their health insurance on a federal website will be able to turn to a new state-backed platform to shop for coverage, determine if they qualify for financial assistance and enroll in a plan. 

Starting Nov. 1, a new ExploreHealthOR.gov website will take the place of the federally-managed platform Healthcare.gov for the state’s private health insurance marketplace, where nearly 120,000 Oregonians currently go to buy health insurance.

The state Legislature in 2023 passed a law requiring the Oregon Health Authority to create its own online exchange by November 2026, and Explore Health earlier this month received federal approval.

Health Authority officials framed the transition in a recent news release as a move that gives the agency “greater flexibility to respond to the needs of Oregon consumers and communities.”

“Explore Health will give Oregon the flexibility to design a Marketplace experience around the needs of our diverse communities and respond to local data, feedback and changes in federal policy,” Chiqui Flowers, director of the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, said in a statement. 

This isn’t the first time that Oregon has tried to launch a state-based marketplace. Shortly after opening in 2013, the state’s new Cover Oregon online marketplace began a long downward spiral, facing rising costs, software errors, an unusable interface for enrollees and massive backlogs. State officials in 2015 scrapped the effort, but Oregon earned a reputation at the time from some critics for having one of the worst online marketplaces in the nation.  (SOURCE)

The Oregon Heritage Commission has released an update to the statewide Oregon Heritage Plan.

The statewide Oregon Heritage Plan is a call to action for heritage preservation efforts across the state to unite around common goals. The Oregon Heritage Commission invites individuals and organizations to discuss the goals and strategies in this Plan, consider how they align with organization missions and priorities, and join the Commission in this work.

The structure of the plan includes:

• 5 focus areas that guided its development and will serve as a lens for carrying out the goals and strategies:
  • Tribal engagement and relationship building
  • Healthy and thriving communities
  • Collaborations and partnerships
  • Ethical practices and accountability
  • Future thinking
• 4 goals that identify long-term desired outcomes for heritage efforts across the state:
  • Engage More Voices – Engage excluded and marginalized voices to expand the narrative of history told and preserved in Oregon.
  • Increase Access to Heritage – Increase access to heritage resources for the communities you serve.
  • Build Heritage Networks – Work together at all levels to advocate for sustainable funding and to increase awareness of the value of heritage.
  • Develop Healthy Organizations – Apply practices and standards in sustainable, scalable, and ethical ways to increase organizational health.
• Strategies for each goal that lay out a path forward for Oregon Heritage, state agencies and service organizations, and heritage organizations to achieve the goals.

“The Heritage Commission encourages the heritage preservation community, locally, regionally, and statewide, to consider this plan as a tool to help them in their work,” says Heritage Commission Coordinator, Katie Henry. “Each step forward will result in more stories told, more people served, and more sustainable heritage organizations.”

Oregon’s heritage preservation community is any individual, organization, or entity that understands the value of and works towards documenting, preserving, and sharing Oregon’s heritage resources. These resources include places, buildings, structures, archeological sites, archives, collections, traditional beliefs and practices, culturally significant natural resources, and much more.

Those engaged in this work include but are not limited to Tribal, federal, state, and local governments; local landmark commissions; museums; archives; libraries; historical societies; educational institutions; advocacy groups; Oregon Main Street organizations; building, design, finance, and real estate professionals; and any other individuals and organizations engaged in this work.

Oregon Heritage conducted engagement with the public, heritage organizations, and other key parties to inform the Plan from August to November 2025. Engagement activities included a public survey, discussion groups, and a questionnaire for heritage groups. The 2024 Oregon Heritage Vitality Study also provided critical information to help inform the update to the Oregon Heritage Plan.

Access the Oregon Heritage Plan online at oregonheritage.org in English and Spanish. Printed copies can be requested by emailing heritage.info@oprd.oregon.gov or calling 503-877-8834.

About the Oregon Heritage Commission (OHC)
The Heritage Commission’s nine Governor appointed members represent a diversity of cultural, geographic, and institutional interests.

A new initiative named Friends for Life has been launched to assist young individuals in preventing and responding to overdoses.

This program, supported by the Oregon Health Authority and the Washington State Department of Health, aims to provide essential resources as students return to high school and college. Although there has been a decline in overdose deaths, fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to account for 90 percent of these fatalities.

The initiative offers free toolkits that include posters, wallet cards, rack cards, and social media content to raise awareness. More information can be found at orfriendsforlife.com.

Public invited to comment on plan to possibly triple logging in eastern Oregon national forests

The public has until Sept. 30 to submit comments on the 350-page draft proposal.Submit comments on the revised Blue Mountain Forest Plan here.

The U.S. Forest Service’s proposed revisions to the Blue Mountain Forest Plan would allow more logging and taking older trees in the name of wildfire prevention

Officials at the U.S. Forest Service are proposing new management plans for eastern Oregon’s Blue Mountains that include potentially tripling the amount of logging across 5.5 million acres in the next decade.

The Forest Service published a draft of proposed changes to the 35-year-old Blue Mountain Forest Plan last week. It would allow more logging, mining and grazing across four national forests spread across eastern Oregon, as well as parts of southeast Washington: the Malheur, Ochoco, Wallowa-Whitman and Umatilla National Forests.

The draft plan describes increases in logging and animal grazing as important to local economies and to preventing wildfire.

It predicts everything from habitat conservation to forest carbon storage would improve over the long term if more logging is allowed because strategically logging and grazing parts of the forest would prevent wildfire, which officials characterize as the biggest threat to habitat and forest loss.

Environmental advocates disagree with the framing.

The Blue Mountains encompass Oregon’s largest protected wilderness areas. Conservation groups have expressed concern and outrage over the draft management plan, which they say could exacerbate area drought and water quality issues, wildfire risks and impact habitat for elk, wolverine, wolves, moose, owls and salmon.

“This plan seeks to open up and pillage one of the wildest places left in the U.S.,” Lauren Anderson, a climate forests manager at the nonprofit Oregon Wild, said in a statement. “The Trump administration is already taking a hatchet to protections for water, wildlife and the public’s voice. This plan is that philosophy in action, putting at risk the very values that make the Blue Mountains special.”

Bev Law, a forest scientist and professor emerita at Oregon State University who has studied extensively the potential forest carbon storage in Oregon forests, found that protected wilderness areas in the Blue Mountains contain the second highest proportion of above-ground carbon stocks in all of Oregon’s protected wilderness areas.

Nick Smith, a spokesperson for the American Forest Resource Council, a trade association representing the timber industry, said in a statement that the group is still reviewing the proposed updates but that change is overdue.

“These national forests face some of the highest wildfire, insect and disease risks in the West. At the same time, the region is steadily losing the sawmills, logging contractors and the skilled workforce needed to carry out active forest management and provide markets for the material that needs to come out of the woods,” he said.

The draft Blue Mountain Management Plan proposal also includes rescinding a 32-year-old rule called the Eastside Screens that prohibits logging trees that are 21 inches in diameter or larger on six eastern Oregon and Washington national forests. Forest Service officials attempted to rescind the rule during the first Trump administration, but conservation groups sued and it was blocked by a federal judge.

Forest Service officials have argued that some younger trees that grow fast should be able to be removed even if they are more than 21 inches in diameter, because they are crowding out other tree species that take longer to grow but are important to the forest ecosystems.

The proposal also assumes Congress will soon rescind the 25-year-old Roadless Rule, which prohibits road construction, logging and mining on roughly 60 million acres of public land, including about 2 million acres of forests in Oregon. That alone would increase the amount of land classified as open for logging in the Blue Mountains by 17%, according to the draft.

Most of the increased logging would take place in the Malheur National Forest, followed by the Wallowa-Whitman and then Umatilla national forests. (SOURCE)

High Desert Museum · Congratulations to Alexa Hagerty, winner of the 12th annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize!

Alexa, a writer and anthropologist, was recognized for “Salt, Cloud, Ghost: A Journey through Desert, Deep Time, and Digital Age,” a journey through Chile’s Atacama Desert where the extraction of minerals and data for AI meets the region’s long history of colonialism, dictatorship and disappearance.

She’s also the author of “Still Life with Bones: Genocide, Forensics, and What Remains,” a New York Times Editors’ Choice, one of the New Yorker Best Books of the Year, and winner of the 2024 Juan E. Méndez Book Award for Human Rights in Latin America.

Join us at the Museum on September 17 to celebrate Alexa and hear from keynote speaker Joy Harjo, the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate. Tickets are $10, with a 20% discount for members.Get your tickets: https://ow.ly/hG2S50ZB6Xn

Check out Oregon State Parks with your library card

Borrow an Oregon State Parks parking permit for free at 82 libraries statewide.

– Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (ORPD) and the State Library of Oregon are partnering to offer free state parks parking permits to Oregon public libraries. There are currently 200 parking permits available at 82 libraries across the state.

“Oregon’s state parks are for everyone,” said OPRD deputy director JR Collier. “As we assess ways to manage our budget responsibly, we also want to uplift equitable access to our parks.”

Each participating library received up to four parking permits. These are the physical hang tags you check out from the library and put in your car. The permit covers parking in all Oregon State Parks day-use areas for one vehicle. Go to the Oregon State Parks website to find participating libraries. All you need to participate is your library card.

“Libraries help make life more affordable for Oregonians. This program leverages the existing borrowing system to help connects folks of all income levels with the beauty and splendor of Oregon’s State Parks,” said Wendy Cornelisen, State Librarian.

Both OPRD and the State Library contributed 100 parking permits to the program to distribute to libraries. The agencies determined how many passes each library would receive based on interest from the library, its proximity to a park charging a day use fee, and the size of the population it serves. The State Library purchased permits with Library Services and Technology Act funds from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.

OPRD first distributed parking permits to 28 libraries as part of a year-long pilot program starting in August 2024. Those passes were checked out more than 2,100 times. At the pilot’s conclusion, OPRD evaluated how to best move the program forward in the context of its changing fees. In 2027, OPRD and the State Library will continue to explore options for an expanded long-term program that will serve even more libraries and people in Oregon. Learn more about the OPRD Library Pass Program.

Statewide hotline available for Oregonians affected by wildfires and smoke

People anywhere in Oregon who have been affected by wildfires or wildfire-related air quality can call 1-833-699-0554 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The statewide hotline is available to people experiencing any wildfire-related impact, including those who:

• Lost a home or property
• Evacuated and have ongoing needs
• Are sheltering in place and have wildfire-related needs
• Are affected by wildfire smoke or poor air quality
• Have another need or concern caused by a wildfire

“During this difficult wildfire season, Oregonians impacted by fires deserve immediate and reliable access to the help they need,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “That’s why we’ve established a dedicated, 24/7 hotline – so that no Oregonian has to navigate this wildfire season alone or wonder where to turn to for help.”

The hotline is staffed by 211info. If a call is not answered, callers can leave a message and will receive a return call within one business day.

This hotline does not provide emergency evacuation assistance or help people locate immediate shelter. People who are in immediate danger, have a medical emergency, or need emergency help evacuating should call 911. People looking for information about shelters or other immediate resources can call 2-1-1. For current 211info operating hours, visit 211info.org.

People can also enter their contact information and describe their wildfire-related needs using the Oregon Wildfire Assistance web form. An ODHS staff member will review the information and follow up with them.

“This wildfire season is already affecting a growing number of Oregon Tribes and communities,” said Ed Flick, Director, ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management. “Wildfires can affect people in many ways, even when their homes have not burned. We want people to know there is one place they can call to share what they are experiencing and learn what resources may be available.”

In previous years the hotline has been used to connect people who lost homes in disasters with recovery support. This year, the Oregon Department of Human Services is expanding it to people experiencing a broader range of wildfire impacts.

ODHS has informally coordinated individual assistance following Oregon disasters since 2020. This year, Governor Tina Kotek directed ODHS to be ready to formally activate individual assistance when needed as the state prepares to establish a formal program in 2027 under House Bill 4121.

211info and ODHS will work with local communities to connect people with existing programs and local resources. If those resources are not enough to meet the level of need, ODHS will work with state leaders to identify additional support and funding options.

The hotline does not guarantee financial assistance or eligibility for a particular program. Staff will listen to each caller’s experience, document their needs and help identify available resources and next steps.

Hotline information

• Call: 1-833-699-0554
• Available: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Missed calls: Leave a message and your call will be returned within one business day
• Shelter and other immediate resource questions: call 211
• Emergencies or emergency evacuation help: call 911

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 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.

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

Taking Another Look at What Happened to Fauna Frey

Fauna was grieving the recent death of her brother, Dallas, when she set off from Eugene in June of 2020 heading to Grants Pass on what her family believes was both a healing trip and a mission to deliver gifts, silver coins inherited from Dallas, to a few friends.

But somewhere between motel check-ins and checkouts, something went terribly wrong. Her Jeep was found months later. She was never seen again. http://bit.ly/4l63Dle

We will start resharing podcasts and articles. For starters here is a story from Danielle Denham that appeared in the June 29, 2025 edition of That Oregon Life. Ms Denham worked closely with us to insure that the facts she presented were accurate.

Check out the nine episodes of the podcast Nowhere to be Found, a comprehensive, in-depth, sensitive treatment of the details surrounding Fauna’s disappearance. Hear from Fauna’s father, John, and her friends. Posted in spring of 2022, Amanda Popineau shares Fauna’s journey and the mystery that surrounds it. Go to Nowhere to be Found Season Two: Episode One “Under A Half-Moon.” https://podcasts.apple.com/kg/podcast/s2e1-under-a-halfmoon/id1532686678?i=1000512098162

We want to remind people that Fauna’s father is offering a huge reward for information that brings Fauna home.

Please if you have any information no matter how big or small let us know by calling the anonymous tip line or emailing. 

Tipline- 541-359-5638

Email – Helpfindfaunafrey@gmail.com

FOLLOW on FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/341658526970132

The Junction City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance locating a missing and possibly endangered person.

62-year-old Wade Felton Lloyd, of Junction City, was reported missing on November 20, 2025.  Mr. Lloyd was last seen on November 16^th in the area of Birch Street and 2^nd Avenue in Junction City. 

Mr. Lloyd normally stays close to the Junction City area, has close ties to his family, and his only transportation is an older motorized bicycle, which is also missing.

Mr. Lloyd is a slender white male, standing 6 feet tall with brown hair and hazel eyes.  Mr. Lloyd is without his cell phone, wallet, and his medications.  

The Junction City Police have exhausted all leads as to his whereabouts and is hoping that the community might recognize him or recall where they last saw Mr. Lloyd.   If you have information regarding Mr. Lloyd or have seen him on or after November 16^th, 2025, please call the Junction City Police Department at 541-998-1245.

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