Woodburn, OR: Early this morning, March 16, 2025, at approximately 1:43 a.m., Woodburn Police Department (WPD) officers responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash in the southbound lanes of the 200 block N. Pacific Highway.  Medical personnel were dispatched to the scene but the crash victim, a 49-year-old male, was declared dead at the scene.  The vehicle driver remained on scene during the crash investigation. 

Officers are reporting in the after the first shift of the Metro Area Traffic Enforcement Collaboration (MATEC) on Friday night. Preliminary statistics for all of the partner agencies indicate that at least 260 traffic stops were conducted, and of those 172 traffic citations were served and 220 warnings were given. Eleven people were arrested, including 7 impaired drivers. Most of the tickets were written for speeding violations (111). The second most common citation was related to lane misuse (62). 

PPB was honored to host a news conference on the effort on Friday alongside many of our partner agencies. You can view the full press conference here. 

The enforcement effort will continue through the St. Patrick's Day holiday on Monday. Please, if you are drinking or using intoxicating substances, do not drive. Again, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day responsibly with PBOT’s Safe Ride Home program. If you do drive, do so safely!

###PPB###

Original Message Below

The Portland Police Bureau is teaming up with state, county, and local law enforcement partners to conduct high-visibility enforcement missions through St. Patrick’s Day.

To ensure community safety, and to prevent needless tragedies to loved ones within our community, PPB is partnering with the Metro Area Traffic Enforcement Collaboration (MATEC) to conduct high-visibility DUII missions that will begin on the evening of Friday, March 14, 2025, and end on the morning of Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Law enforcement partners involved in the missions aim to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by focusing on the SOLID enforcement priorities: Speed, Occupant Safety, Lane Usage, Impaired Driving, and Distracted Driving.

A similar operation conducted around St. Patrick’s Day in 2024 resulted in more than 1,600 traffic stops, 950 citations, and 75 arrests connected to speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving.
 

The hope is that everyone will enjoy this year's St. Patrick's Day celebrations responsibly. Please continue to identify designated drivers, use mass transit, taxis, or rideshare services. If you choose to drink or ingest other intoxicants, please do so responsibly and remember that buzzed driving is drunk driving. Support zero tolerance for impaired driving. Please report suspected impaired drivers to 911.

PPB and other law enforcement agencies are committed to working with partners in government and the community to create safer streets; working towards reducing, and eventually eliminating, traffic fatalities as part of Vision Zero efforts. To learn more about the City of Portland's Vision Zero efforts, please visit: this website.

Make plans for your safety, as well as others, and enjoy the upcoming festivities.

###PPB###

The Multnomah Education Service District Board of Directors will meet in Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. on March 18, 2025.  At the end of the Regular Session meeting, the Board will move to Executive Session under (ORS 192.660(2)(i))- To review and evaluate the employment-related performance of the chief executive officer, employee or staff member who does not request an open hearing. 

This meeting will be held virtually through Zoom.
https://multnomahesd-org.zoom.us/j/89335351474?pwd=8qobS6TPVrRuag0hUgSF3Y7hURfaox.1
Passcode:788294

3/14/25

Today a Multnomah County jury convicted Thomas Robert Colon (DOB 11/19/1980) of murdering Andrew Hathaway on September 5th, 2018. Colon was originally indicted on four counts including Murder in the Second Degree, Arson in the Second Degree, Abuse of a Corpse in the First Degree and Tampering with Physical Evidence. 

The morning of the trial, Colon pled guilty to Arson in the Second Degree, Abuse of a Corpse in the Second Degree and Tampering with Physical Evidence.

The Facts:

On September 3, 2018 in Multnomah County,  Hathaway drove to a house where two other men were living and Colon was visiting. That evening all four men were using drugs and high. At one point Colon and Hathaway were alone in the house and they began a physical fight. One of the other men later said that Colon was winning the fight and Hathaway was screaming for help. The other men broke up the fight and things calmed down for a time. Eventually the fight started up again and Hathaway was bloodied. It briefly stopped for a second time but then continued with Colon beating and stabbing Hathaway until he was dead. 

Colon and one of the other two men moved Hathaway’s body to the trunk of Hathaway’s car and drove it to Marine Drive. They left it in a vacant parking lot and set the car on fire. Responding fire crews found Hathaway’s body in the trunk. Eighty percent of Hathaway’s body was charred by the fire. An autopsy revealed that he died before the fire and had 55 stab wounds and six slice wounds on his body. 

Multnomah County District Attorney Senior Deputy Shawn Overstreet prosecuted the case along with Deputy District Attorney Kenzie Ludwig.

“This is some justice for the Hathaway family. They’ve been living with this for seven years. I’m glad we could finally bring them some closure. This was a lengthy, involved investigation with lots of misdirection from others in the beginning. But we saw it through and found the killer,” Overstreet said.

The District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of retired Portland Police Bureau Detective Vince Cui for his excellent work.

We’d also like to thank District Attorney’s Office Victim Advocate Souk Kanhalikham for compassionate care for those impacted by these crimes.

Colon faces a mandatory minimum of a life sentence in prison. He will serve 25 years before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

 He will be sentenced Wednesday, March 19th at 9am in courtroom 10C at the Multnomah County Courthouse.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Media Hotline: 503-813-6018 

Pacific Power is prepared to respond to weather-related outages ahead of forecast late-winter storm

Medford, OR (March 14, 2025) – Pacific Power is monitoring an approaching storm that could impact customers in parts of Oregon and Northern California this weekend. The weather forecast indicates the potential for high winds and snow Saturday night into Sunday, which could cause power outages.  

Pacific Power’s meteorology team is closely monitoring the storm, and crews are on standby and ready to respond to weather-related outages.

Pacific Power encourages customers to always be prepared for outages and supports state and local emergency management organizations, who recommend Oregonians and Californians have an emergency plan for up to 72 hours without essential services. 

Here are some simple steps customers can take to prepare and stay informed:   

• Update your contact information so we can reach you. 
• Sign up to receive outage alerts by text, email or phone. 
• Restock your outage kit. 
• Keep mobile devices charged so that they may be used in an emergency. 
• Track outages, update contact info and do more with our free app. 
• Text OUT to 722797 to report your outage or STAT to check status.  

Visit PacificPower.net/Outages for restoration estimates. 

As a reminder, stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Customers should avoid both downed trees and power lines, and keep pets far away from those areas. 

Call 911 and report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088.  

About Pacific Power 

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

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Linn County, Ore. 14 Mar 2025- On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 8:25 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 20, at the intersection with Knox Butte Road, in Linn County.

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Hyundai Santa Fe, operated by Loren Duane Soderholm (72) of Albany, failed to stop at the intersection and entered the path of a westbound Volvo XC9, operated by Jayden Loren Viars (19) of Menasha (WI), causing a side impact collision.

The operator of the Hyundai (Soderholm) was transported to an area hospital and later declared deceased.

The operator of the Volvo (Viars) suffered reported minor injuries.

The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Albany Fire Department.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

3/14/25

Multnomah County Judge Celia Howes today sentenced Garrett Repp to 196 months (16 years 4 months )  in prison for starting the fire that burned down the May apartment building on May 16, 2023.

Repp was earlier convicted on 28 counts of Arson in the first Degree Representing a Threat of Serious Physical Injury, four counts of Animal Abuse in the  First Degree, twenty-one counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree. 

The Facts: 

On May 16, 2023, Garrett Repp was scheduled to be physically evicted from his apartment at 1410 SW Taylor Street after causing months of problems, including pulling the building’s fire alarm more than 20 times. On the morning of May 16th, the building’s owner arrived at the property to discuss problems Repp had caused the night before with neighbors. The building owner tried to talk with Repp near his apartment on the third floor, but Repp refused to communicate with him and went into his apartment and closed the door.

Ten minutes later, at 10:28am, approximately 100 firefighters responded to a fire at the May apartments. Large volumes of smoke were seen coming from the third and fourth floor windows on the north side of the building. Fire crews were quick to rescue tenants from fire escapes on the east and north sides of the building. It was later determined that sixteen residents were in the building at the time of the fire and that six of those residents were asleep. 

The fire destroyed the apartment building. No people were physically harmed but four pets died and every tenant lost all or nearly all of their belongings.

The state’s sentencing memo is attached to this release.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Eric Palmer prosecuted the case for the state.

“Lets not fixate on the evil or horror caused by the defendant but instead recognize the courage and inspiration of the survivors. They rescued each other from the flames, they held each other while their homes burned and they cared for each other through the trial. They are an inspiration to me,” Palmer said.

The District Attorneys Office would like to acknowledge and thank Portland Police Bureau Arson Detective Meredith Hopper, Portland Fire Bureau Lt. Jason Andersen and Portland Fire Bureau Origin and Cause Investigator Nicole Brewer. Their expertise turned up key evidence in the case.

The District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank and acknowledge the work of Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Victim Advocates, Nang Dunn, Alex Bidwell, Suzanne Rapagnani, Emma King and Julie Jacobs. Their compassion and concern for the many victims in the case was priceless.

First cohort of students begins September 2025

VANCOUVER, Wash.— Clark College is expanding its healthcare education offerings with a new Surgical Technology program, equipping students with the skills to assist surgeons and nurses in operating rooms. This two-year program leads to an Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) degree, preparing graduates for critical roles in surgical teams. The first cohort will start in fall 2025, with students graduating in spring 2027.

Students can begin taking foundational classes this spring term, starting April 7. Before students are admitted to Clark's program, they must complete prerequisite courses including microbiology, a sequence of two anatomy and physiology courses and more. 

Clark’s Surgical Technology program is the first of its kind in Southwest Washington, with the closest Washington programs offered at community colleges in the Puget Sound region. In the metro area, the closest program is at Mount Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon.

“Graduates from this new program will meet a critical workforce need,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “This program will ensure that our hospitals will have well-trained surgical technologists. We are dedicated to preparing a trained workforce for our community to meet current and future needs.”

The surgical technology program will prepare students to function effectively with surgeons and nurses in the operating room, performing duties that are vital for the safety and care of surgical patients. Prior to graduation, students will sit for the national certification exam for qualification as a certified surgical technologist, which allows surgical techs to practice in operation rooms nationwide.

The surgical technology program joins a robust offering of allied health programs at Clark College: dental hygiene, emergency medical services, medical assistant, health information management and medical billing and coding, nursing, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy. 

Learn more: 

• Clark College’s surgical technology program

• Clark College’s healthcare & biosciencies program

HEET grant

Clark College received a $141,260 Hospital Education and Employment Training (HEET) grant to develop the program to meet a critical workforce need in 2023. The grant proposal was developed in collaboration with PeaceHealth and Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. 

The grant is administered by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). HEET funding is used to develop or expand innovative training programs in partnership with labor and employers that support incumbent healthcare workers to advance their careers in the healthcare field while meeting the rapidly changing workforce needs of our healthcare system.

In collaboration with PeaceHealth and OFNHP, the Surgical Technology HEET project has included developing the program, including curriculum; integrating worker voice to ensure accessibility for workers; developing incumbent worker pathway; and leveraging industry resources for quality instruction.

Clark College is pursuing a second HEET grant to fully implement the first cohort. The expectation is that the program will be sustainable after initial implementation.

"Surgical technologists are in high demand, and play key roles on our clinical team,” said Chief Hospital Executive Cherelle Montanye, PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. “This program will be a critical resource to prepare students for an excellent career path at hospitals and surgery centers across our region.” 

“This is the type of program that OFNHP enthusiastically supports,” said Jonathon Baker, OFNHP vice president. “Programs like this will add to the skillset of our medical technicians, support healthcare in our region, and lift up our community.”

Jim Reynolds, director of surgical technology and professor at Clark College, says he is excited to begin.

“The hard work of bringing this program to Clark College has been shared by this college, the local community, and local hospitals,” Reynolds said. “I am thrilled to be a part of such an amazing team that knows not just about the need for more surgical technologists in the area but also has the resources and the passion to assist in the creation of the program and to provide assistance in the years to come. Our advisory committee has been working together to build this program. I can’t wait to bring in our first cohort in September.”

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education. Serving up to 8,000 students per term, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. 

About PeaceHealth 

PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. PeaceHealth has about 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with over 1,100 providers and 9 medical centers serving urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration, and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. 

About Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP)

Founded in 1979, the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) Local 5017 represents over 6,000 nurses & health professionals in Oregon & SW Washington joining together to improve lives at work, protect patients, transform healthcare, and lift up our community. 

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Klamath County, Ore. 14 Mar 2025- On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 9:42 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a vehicle versus bicycle crash on Crater Lake Parkway (Highway 97 Business), at the intersection with Shasta Way, in Klamath County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound electric bicycle, operated by Douglas Duane Robinson (48) of Klamath Falls, entered the intersection against a red light and was struck by a southbound Subaru Outback, operated by Mary Jane Richardson (64) of Chiloquin.

The bicyclist (Robinson) was transported and later declared deceased at an area hospital.

The operator of the Subaru (Richardson) was not physically injured.

The highway was impacted for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Klamath County Fire 1, and ODOT.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

SALEM, Ore. — The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet virtually on Wednesday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To join virtually, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda. 

The committee’s agenda includes:

• Forest Resources Division update

• Reforestation report results

• LandMapper presentation

• Meet and greet – Forest Resources Division Chief

• Board of Forestry update

• Legislative update

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Teams. Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@odf.oregon.gov">forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.

The 13-member committee researches policies that affect family forests, natural resources and forestry benefits. Based on its findings, the committee recommends actions to the Oregon Board of Forestry and the State Forester. View more information on the CFF webpage.

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, is thankful for the community support to find Jordan Holterback.

Jordan Holterback, age 14, is a child who went missing from Newberg on March 8. He was found March 13.

Sometimes when a child is missing they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

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Come along with Peter, Wendy, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys as they outsmart the dastardly Captain Hook during River HomeLink Theatre's upcoming production of "Peter Pan." Journey to the exciting world of Neverland for a tale about friendship, family and the bittersweet innocence of growing up. Under the direction of Sandy Sparks, this tale comes alive with original costumes, snappy songs and plenty of amazing choreography.

Shows are at Prairie High School (11311 NE 119th St.):

• Fridays, March 21 and 28 - 7 p.m.

• Saturdays, March 22 and 29 - 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for children ages 3-10 and senior citizens, or $10 for general admission. They are available online in advance or at the door on show days.

Peter Pan is a two-act play adapted from the novel 'Peter and Wendy' by J.M. Barrie. Adapted by Craig Sodaro and produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Services, Inc., Denver, Colorado

Tualatin, OR—Tualatin taxpayers filing their own 2024 income tax returns can get free assistance using the new combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon when Oregon Department of Revenue volunteers visit the Tualatin Public Library March 19.

The IRS estimates that 4,000 people in Tualatin are eligible to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Filing with both IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon is free and available as a combination for filing both federal and state taxes for the first time this year.

Help will be available at the Tualatin Public Library, located at 18878 SW Martinazzi Avenue in Tualatin, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 19.

Before arriving at the library, taxpayers should:

• Use the IRS's Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify to use IRS Direct File. 
• Set up an IRS online account through ID.me. Watch this 5 Easy Steps to Register an ID.me Account with IRS video to learn how. 
• Make sure they have a Revenue Online account before they come to the event to make sure they're ready to go. Watch this How to Set Up and Log In to Your Revenue Online Account for Individuals video to learn how.

Videos are also available to show how to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon and taxpayers can find more information on the department’s Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.

Taxpayers should bring the following information with them to the library.

Identification documents

• Social security card or ITIN for everyone on your tax return
• Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (such as driver’s license or passport)

Common income and tax documents

• Forms W2 (wages from a job)

• Forms 1099 (other kinds of income)
• Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)

Optional documents

• Canceled check or bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit
• Last year’s tax return

IRS Direct File does not support all return types. Specifically, taxpayers with dividends reported on Form 1099-DIV and capital gains or losses are not eligible to use IRS Direct File.

Taxpayers who aren’t eligible to use IRS Direct File can find other free options and free assistances sites on the agency’s website.  Those who can't use IRS Direct File to file their federal return can still use Direct File Oregon to file their state return.

The department believes that helping taxpayers file their own returns using direct file will help maximize the number of Oregonians who choose to use the new free option and make it possible for many who don’t have a filing requirement to file and claim significant federal and state tax credits for low-income families, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. The IRS estimates that nearly 25 percent of eligible Oregon taxpayers are not claiming the EITC. One Oregon organization says that added up to almost $100 million in unclaimed credits in 2020.

Taxpayers can sign up for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits. 

-30-

SALEM, Oregon— Oregon State Parks experienced its busiest day-use year in history last year with more than 53.85 million estimated visits, outpacing the previous record in 2021 by about 200,000 visits.

Day-use visits increased overall by more than 3 percent last year due to visitors seeking out coastal parks in greater numbers. Other regions saw slight decreases.

Visitors also logged 2.83 million camper nights, which is down slightly due in part to construction closures at popular state parks including Beverly Beach, Bullards Beach and Nehalem Bay state parks.

The record number of day-use visits follows several other record-breaking years at Oregon State Parks. The rise in popularity does have an impact, including an increase in costs and wear and tear on an aging park system.

• One busy park needs nearly a semi-truck load of toilet paper per year for visitors.
• More than one third of restroom facilities are 50 years old or older, which require more care and maintenance with higher use. The cost to replace a restroom/shower building is now more than $1 million each.
• Parks serve as many as 17,000 campers per night in the busy season, which means moving a city roughly the size of Canby in and out of campgrounds almost daily.

At the same time, the rising cost of operations and maintenance have outpaced revenue by more than 30%. Oregon State Parks increased visitor fees this year and will continue to look at fees over the next two years to help balance the budget.

“Raising fees is not a long-term solution. We need to talk about what Oregonians want for the future of Oregon State Parks and how do we, as a state, make sure they’re sustainably funded for current and future generations” said Director Lisa Sumption.

Oregon State Parks does not receive general fund tax dollars for operations. The system is funded by recreational vehicle fees, the state lottery and revenue earned by serving visitors.

The increased visitation also underscores the need for rangers and support staff statewide. Last month, Oregon State Parks started its 2025 seasonal recruitment to hire more than 200 seasonal rangers and ranger assistants with the goal of filling all those roles this year.

Rangers and support staff work hard to keep the parks clean and safe while providing educational and recreational opportunities.

Visitors can help reduce the impact at their favorite parks by following park rules, staying on trail and leaving no trace. They might also consider visiting some of the hidden gems in the park system to find a new favorite place to explore.

The overnight camping figure is derived by taking the total number occupied sites and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of camper nights. The day-use figure is derived by taking car counts and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of visits. Car counters sometimes require maintenance and replacement, which can impact individual numbers. The overall results are OPRD’s best estimate for tracking trends over time.

Salem, OR - People around Oregon and the world now have free access to search over one million digitized photographs, letters, documents, and more from around the Pacific Northwest. These historic and cultural materials are available in Northwest Digital Heritage, a website that searches the collections of over 300 regional libraries, museums, and cultural heritage organizations.
 

Northwest Digital Heritage is an online search portal that gathers records from the online collections of libraries, museums, universities, historical societies, and other organizations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The site was created in 2021 through a partnership between the Oregon Heritage Commission, State Library of Oregon, and Washington State Library.
 

Items available through Northwest Digital Heritage span topics, from football and women’s suffrage to Tribal treaties, Black history and culture, Crater Lake, and much more. The content has proven valuable to educators and students doing classroom projects, genealogists researching family connections, scholarly researchers, historians, cultural heritage organizations making exhibits, and other lifelong learners.
 

The over one million materials include over 60,000 photos from Oregon State Archives’ Oregon Scenic Images Collection, 20,000 items from the Oregon Historical Society Research Library, 5,000 records from the Harney County Library, 13,000 images from the Salem Public Library, and nearly 2,000 materials from the Five Oaks Museum in Washington County.
 

The collections in Northwest Digital Heritage are also included in the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), which helps bring this unique and local Northwest content to a national audience. More than 5,000 institutions throughout the nation have contributed over 50 million records to the DPLA to date.
 

“Being able to search one million records for primary sources documenting the human experience in the Pacific Northwest is an incredible opportunity for those interested in history,” says Katie Henry, Oregon Heritage Commission Coordinator. “The three Northwest Digital Heritage partners know these are only a fraction of cultural materials held by hundreds of organizations across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. We look forward to working with existing and new partners to continue growing this incredible resource.”
 

In addition to helping make this resource available, the Oregon Heritage Commission, State Library of Oregon, and Washington State Library assist heritage organizations across the Pacific Northwest. Such assistance includes:

• Training, resources, information, and guidance on digitizing and making collections accessible online;

• Grants and funding opportunities; and

• Hosting organizations’ online collections.

Northwest Digital Heritage is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon and Washington State Library. To learn more visit https://www.northwestdigitalheritage.org.

3/13/25

A Multnomah County jury today convicted Frederick Moore on multiple charges connected to the death of a pedestrian on June 6, 2022. 

The jury convicted Moore of Manslaughter in the First Degree, Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver- in this count an injury was involved,  Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver- in this count property damage was involved.

THE FACTS:

On June 6, 2022, Vincent Timothy was walking northbound on SE 82nd Street. Frederick

Moore had already turned into the parking lot of Eastport Plaza. When Timothy emerged from behind some buildings, Moore moved his vehicle onto SE Center St and waited about 30 feet behind the stop sign. As Timothy began walking on the sidewalk near the truck, Moore quickly accelerated and struck Timothy, who was dragged under Moore’s GMC Canyon. Timothy sustained significant injuries. Moore continued to drive across the street, conducted a U-turn and returned now facing eastbound. Witness Todd Henderson saw the incident and began yelling at the driver that he had killed the man. Moore then accelerated and aimed the truck at Henderson. Henderson jumped out of the way, but his bicycle was run over by Moore’s truck. Moore conducted another U-Turn and exited his truck.  A citizen followed Moore’s vehicle and the license plate was relayed to 911. 

Portland Police Bureau Detectives quickly learned that the suspect vehicle was registered to Moore’s wife.  Detectives executed a search warrant on June 7, 2022 to seize the suspect truck.  Detectives noticed damage that corresponded to evidence left at the scene.  

Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Kristen Kyle-Castelli prosecuted the case for the state.

“It was an incredibly violent act– hitting someone with your truck then aiming for a witness who shouted at you, is shocking. We still don't have a reason for why this happened. It leaves the family with a lot of questions. The fact that he is already a convicted murderer whose sentence ended in 2018, just four years before this incident is astounding,” said Kyle-Castelli.

“This is incredibly tragic. The deceased victim’s family is kind. The victim that survived was dedicated to seeing justice for the deceased man he did not know. I hope these convictions give them some level of closure,” Kyle-Castelli said. 

The District Attorney’s office would like to thank DA Investigator Colby Painter, DA Investigator Kirk Tonkin, and, DA Victim’s Advocate Allison Miller who did a phenomenal job helping the family during this difficult time.  The District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank Portland Police Bureau Detective Eric McDaniel, who remained dedicated to seeking justice for the victims in this case.

Frederick Moore is in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced April 25, 2025 at 9am.

He faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Salem, Ore. – It’s time to check your tickets - Oregon’s annual Raffle numbers have been drawn.

Winning $1 Million Top Prize Number: 073672

Prizes for the Raffle include:

• $1 million top prize
• 300 prizes of $500
• 1,500 prizes of $100

To check the winning Raffle numbers for all 1,801 prizes, players can use the Lottery’s mobile app, go to www.oregonlottery.org, or visit a participating Oregon Lottery retail location.

The $500 and $100 prize winners can claim their prizes at any Oregon Lottery retail location. In addition, players can claim their prize by mail – visit oregonlottery.org/about/claim-prizes for instructions. The $1 million Raffle prize winner will need to make an appointment with the Oregon Lottery office in Salem or Wilsonville. For assistance, call 1-800-766-6789.

The Raffle offers the best odds of any Oregon Lottery game of winning $1 million – 1 in 250,000. Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 138.8. The Oregon Lottery’s Raffle game went on sale December 29, 2024 with 250,000 tickets available, and all tickets were sold out by March 7, 2025.

The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings.

Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $16.5 billion for economic development, public education, outdoor school, state parks, veteran services, and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org.

A fatal crash investigation is underway in the East Columbia Neighborhood near Delta Park.

On Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:51 p.m., Portland Police officers from North Precinct responded to a report of a crash on North Martin Luther King, Jr Boulevard at North Union Court. They located the crashed vehicle off the roadway south of North Marine Drive. The driver of the vehicle was deceased at the scene. Preliminary investigation indicates that it was a single vehicle crash.

The Portland Police Traffic Division Major Crash Team is responding to the scene to investigate the crash. During the investigation, the southbound lane of North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard is closed between North Marine Way and North Union Court.

If anyone has information about this crash and have not spoken to police, please e-mail imetips@police.portlandoregon.gov">crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov attn: Traffic Investigations Unit (TIU) and reference case number 25-65287.

The PIO is not responding to the scene. Additional information will be released when appropriate.

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TALKING POINTS AND QUESTIONS ANSWERED FROM MEDIA BRIEFING

Below are the talking points from today’s media briefing. At the end of the talking points there are also questions that were submitted along with more information.

Talking Points

PIO Palma: Good afternoon and thank you for attending our Media Briefing and update on the search for Dane Paulsen. I am Jess Palma, the Public Information Officer for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Today I am joined by Sheriff Adam Shanks and Sergeant Nick Vaille.

Before we begin, please take this time to silence any cell phones, radios, or other devices that may create a disturbance. After our speakers share their statements, we will be answering questions that have been previously submitted by members of the media.

The last 12 days have been emotional and the intense search efforts have taken a toll on our teams and community, but most of all, on Dane’s family. As responders and community members, our hearts are heavy, but we know it can’t compare to how his family is feeling and what they are going through.

Before I invite Sheriff Shanks to share his statement, I have a brief summary of the search and investigation for you.

Again, I want to be very mindful of how this situation is impacting Dane’s family and our close community. I also want to acknowledge that our briefing has sensitive details that may can be- upsetting.

On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at approximately 4:25 PM the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office was notified of a missing 2-year-old male, Dane Paulsen. At the time of his disappearance, Dane was reported to be playing in the yard of his residence located near milepost 21 on Siletz River Highway in Siletz, Oregon.

Upon notification of Dane’s disappearance, members of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Siletz Valley Fire, Oregon State Police, Newport Police Department, Lincoln City Police Department, and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue responded to the scene. Investigators interviewed Dane’s parents and emergency personnel immediately began searching the residential property and surrounding areas.
 

This search included the family home, yard, and structures, neighboring properties, nearby roads, rough terrain including forested areas with thick, dense brush, and portions of the Siletz River and riverbanks. In addition to ground searches, aerial drones with thermal imaging also allowed responders to widen the search.
 

A gold car was seen in the area before Dane went missing and was initially listed as a vehicle of interest. Between law enforcement and community tips, the vehicle and driver were located on March 2nd. After officials thoroughly interviewed and investigated both the driver and car, they were found to be unrelated to Dane’s disappearance.

In addition to official agencies and their volunteer groups, emergent volunteers, also known as community volunteers, showed up in mass to help search. The Elks Toketee Illahee Campground Host volunteered to organize community members to help lead additional efforts from Sunday, March 2nd through Tuesday, March 4th. After this time, community volunteers continued to organize and search on their own in addition to the ongoing search efforts by officials.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies had watercraft searching the river beginning the morning of Sunday, March 2^nd through March 11^th when Dane was recovered. Divers began searching the river on Monday, March 3^rd and remained active through Tuesday, March 4^th. Search leaders were coordinating additional resource requests to ensure divers could resume underwater searches in the coming days.

After 3 full days of search and investigation, all evidence was pointing to the Siletz River. This evidence included the surrounding land being as thoroughly searched as possible, leads from scent tracking dogs which tracked Dane’s scent down to the river, and shoe prints comparable to Dane’s size down at the river’s edge. On March 4^th, this evidence led responders to primarily focus search efforts on the Siletz River.
 

Investigators continued to pursue leads by interviewing, investigating, and following up on community tips. Throughout this investigation and search, our teams utilized additional personnel with specialized training and equipment.
 

During the search and investigation, Diver Juan Heredia with Angels Recovery Dive Team connected with Dane’s family. Using information provided by our team and with the help of a local river guide, Juan began his search.
 

On March 11^th, at approximately 11:13am, Juan located a small child in the river downstream of where official divers had paused their search. Multiple Sheriff’s Office Responders immediately dispatched to the scene, including the Marine team that was actively searching the river. After confirming the child was Dane Paulsen and ensuring Dane’s family was informed, our office then notified our community and media.

The Lincoln County Medical Examiner’s Office was notified and responded to the scene, they transported Dane to the State Medical Examiner’s Office where an autopsy was completed on March 12th. Results from this autopsy confirmed Dane’s cause of death was drowning. There was no evidence that indicated additional trauma to his body.
 

At this time no criminal charges have been filed regarding the death of Dane Paulsen. The investigation is ongoing. As is standard with all death investigations, the Sheriff’s Office is working in coordination with the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office to review this case in its entirety.

Now that I have shared a high-level overview of the investigation and search, I invite Sheriff Shanks to share his statement.   
 

Sheriff Shanks:

Good afternoon, I am Sheriff Adam Shanks. Thank you again for joining us during this incredibly tough time. Dane’s disappearance has been absolutely heartbreaking. Recovering his body has given his family some closure and answers, but I know the grief and processing of this tragedy is ongoing and will be overwhelmingly difficult.
 

Support for the search for Dane has been far-reaching, to include responders and volunteers from all over Oregon and even other states. In a moment, Sgt. Nick Vaille will share some additional details about search operations and procedures, but first I would like to share more about how Dane was found.  
 

Dane was found in the Siletz River approximately 3 miles downstream from the family’s property. This area of river had been surface searched several times by multiple watercraft operated by our first responders as well as community volunteers. Daily boat operations continued through the day Dane was found.
 

Additionally, our initial dive operations were conducted over a two-day period on March 3rd and 4^th, two days after Dane’s disappearance. 22 Divers from multiple Sheriff’s Offices and Search & Rescue teams had searched an approximate 2-mile stretch of the Siletz River beginning from the property where Dane went missing, moving downstream.
 

These areas were determined to be the highest probability areas, meaning they were deemed the most likely place Dane would be found based on several factors such as river height, flow and speed of current, the time frame Dane had been missing, and body composition.
 

On March 11, 2025 Juan Heredia with Angels Recovery Dive Team arrived on scene as a volunteer to assist in the search for Dane. Sheriff’s Office personnel briefed Juan's boat operator, a local river guide, on the areas divers had already searched. Using this information, the river guide escorted Juan onto the river where he began searching areas downstream from where divers had thoroughly combed.
 

Juan located Dane under water approximately three river miles from the point of his disappearance. We are very grateful for Juan’s assistance in locating Dane. We are also incredibly grateful for our communities continued support and service throughout this response. Demonstrating their commitment and care for our community, partnering agencies and community volunteers dedicated their time and resources to help bring Dane home.

I will now invite Sergeant Nick Vaille to provide some further details on the investigation and search operations.
 

Sergeant Vaille:

Good afternoon, I am Sergeant Nick Vaille. Over the last two weeks, I shared in the immense responsibility of leading the investigation and search teams involved in the emergency response to this tragedy. As a leader in the search for Dane, I can tell you that our teams, our community, and indeed much of our country are deeply saddened at the profound loss of Dane’s life.

Missing person cases are often complex, involving large areas, multiple states or jurisdictions, and tangled webs of circumstances surrounding the disappearance. The responsibility for investigating any missing person case is immense within our office, but when the person missing is a 2-year-old boy like Dane and the search area involves terrain like our rugged, coastal valleys, the stakes are even higher and the complications are multiplied.

To meet the needs of a moment such as this, our Office quickly transitioned staffing to provide for 24-hour search and investigation operations, utilizing our Administrative team, Patrol and Investigation Divisions, Marine and Community Service Divisions, Emergency Management, the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, and, not least of all, the Lincoln County Search and Rescue Team.
 

We also mobilized our partner resources, including the FBI, the Police Departments of Newport and Lincoln City, multiple divisions of the Oregon State Police, Siletz Valley Fire, Mary’s Peak Search and Rescue, the Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit, Region 3 K9, the Sheriff’s Offices of Benton, Clackamas, Coos, Crook, Lane, Multnomah, and Tillamook Counties, and hundreds of volunteers from within and outside our Lincoln County community, including river guides with expert local knowledge. We are humbled by the spirit of service displayed by each of these partners. They travelled from their communities to help find a missing piece of ours as they searched, logging nearly 700 miles on foot and extensive lengths of the Siletz River.
 

Detectives combed through hundreds of community tips from in person contacts to social media posts and messages. Law Enforcement has conducted hundreds of interviews, including those of Dane’s family and members of his community. Investigators continue to finalize documentation in preparation for review by the District Attorney’s Office; a standard practice in any death investigation.
 

Resolved as we were to find Dane, our investigation and the evidence available all pointed to the Siletz River. River searches, such as this, are dynamic, rapidly evolving, and dangerous for everyone involved. Complications, such as water temperature, speed of current, and fixed or moving debris influence search operations on a continuous basis. Further variables, such as the size of body, length of submersion, and clothing, all impact the timeline before a person may resurface. In this case, we utilized multiple water resources, including surface water searchers, water scent canines, aerial and under water drones, underwater sonar, and divers to plan daily search operations on the river in hopes of bringing Dane home to his family and loved ones.
 

On the day of March 11^th, Dane was located in about 8 feet of water in the Siletz River by Juan Heredia, of the Angels Recovery Dive Team, about one mile from our most recent dive operation. Juan is the embodiment of that same spirit of service that had humbled us over our 10-day operation. His compassion for others and a willingness to give of himself to our community helped bring closure to the Dane’s family.
 

Questions and Answers

• There have been many questions about whether there is any criminal activity or if Dane’s parents have been cleared of any charges.

  • At this time no criminal charges have been filed regarding the death of Dane Paulsen. The investigation is ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office is working in coordination with the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office to review this case in its entirety. This is standard practice for any death investigation. 

• How were search areas prioritized, including how far divers searched in the river? 

  • Information surrounding Dane’s disappearance, evidence found through search and investigation efforts and recommendations based on Robert Kester’s Lost Person Behavior manual helped responders identify the areas of highest probability for finding Dane. Search operations remained dynamic, and the areas of focus adapted based on search and investigation developments.

• In addition to seeing information on community pages about Dane being located, we’ve heard there was a 911 call before the Sheriff’s Office released this information. Why wasn’t the information immediately available?  Will this 911 call be released?

  • As with all deaths, a few things need to happen before we can release information. We must first confirm the deceased is the person we expect it to be, and we have to notify the next of kin. In this case, we needed to confirm the child was Dane and ensure his parents were informed before releasing any public information. 

  • There are not currently plans to release the 911 call made reporting the discovery of Dane. Sheriff’s Office personnel were notified by the river guide when Juan discovered Dane’s body and immediately responded to the scene.  

• How long was Dane left alone prior to his disappearance? Who was home and what were they doing? How did he get into the river?

  • Before his disappearance, Dane was reported to be playing out of site in his yard. Evidence suggests he wandered down to the river. We are not able to share additional details at this time.

• What was Dane’s cause of death and are there any sign of assault?

  • The autopsy results determined Dane’s cause of death was drowning. There were not signs of additional trauma to his body.

• Is there anything that the community can do to help Dane’s family? What about support for others that are affected?

  • From the information shared with our teams from the family, they would like privacy as they process this tragedy. They have also been connected with the FBI’s support resources. 

  • Our community is still processing this incredible heartbreak. If you are worried about someone, reach out to check on them, offer support and resources, or connect them with professional help when needed. Empathy and compassion are so important during these times.

• Are there any planned memorial services or gatherings for community members to attend?  

  • We do not have specific details to share regarding planned memorials or other gatherings. Lincoln County communities do an incredible job of coming together in tough times. We have seen some community groups and businesses offer support through donations or memorial events.

• Is there an after-action review for this search, especially considering its size and complexity?

  • Every search and rescue operation includes an after-action review of efforts and actions taken. This process allows for the evaluation of strategies used, recommendations for future operations, and an additional opportunity to examine other possible needs.  

• How much has this search and investigation cost?

  • We have not determined the total cost of this investigation and search operations at this time. Our focus was placed on finding Dane, completing investigatory duties, following standard legal processes and requirements, and utilizing recommended search strategies. We’d also like to acknowledge the vast amount of community and agency volunteers and donations.

• The Sheriff's Office extensively searched a significant stretch of the river, using both divers and watercraft. Was Juan Heredia, the diver who found Dane, able to use different search methods or tactics during his search, that allowed him to find Dane relatively quickly?

  • On March 11, 2025 Juan Heredia with Angels Recovery Dive Team arrived on scene as a volunteer to assist in the search for Dane. Sheriff’s Office personnel briefed Juan's boat operator (a local river guide) on the areas divers had already searched. Using information provided by our team, the help of a local river guide, and his specialized skill set, Juan began his search downstream from where divers had thoroughly combed.

• If there are additional updates and developments, how will we be notified? 

  • We will continue to share significant developments through our FlashAert and Facebook pages. We will also be following up on additional questions received from our media partners. 

Our media partners are invited to learn more about plans for a new Police and Public Works facility at an event this weekend.

WHEN: 10AM – 1PM, Saturday, March 15^th
WHERE: Tigard City Hall (13125 SW Hall Blvd.)

WHAT: A presentation with project leaders at 10AM followed by tours of the existing police and public works facilities at 11AM.

WHO: Police Chief Jamey McDonald, Public Works Director Brian Rager & other project leaders

(Note: Chief McDonald will be available for interviews at 9:30AM. Please contact PIO if you plan to come for an interview.)

BACKGROUND:

"Building a Better Tigard" is a campaign to build a safe, modern combined facility for our Police and Public Works departments. This new facility will ensure our first responders can continue providing critical services to the community after a natural disaster, improve everyday operational efficiency, and reduce long-term costs. This important project is expected to be a potential ballot measure in May 2026.

Over the past decade, the City of Tigard has been working on plans to update or replace its aging public buildings. The current facilities housing Police and Public Works staff – Tigard’s first responders – are expected to crumble or be severely damaged in the event of a major natural disaster such as a Cascadia Earthquake, which could lead to injury or loss of life.

Built in the 1980s when our City population was one-third of its current size, our current facilities are overcrowded, undersized, lack essential safety features and are not ADA accessible. Because our facilities are too small, the City spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to rent off-site storage space for the police department’s criminal evidence, large equipment storage and additional office space. A new facility would eliminate these ongoing expenses and streamline our work. Learn more about the project at the Building a Better Tigard website.

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Vancouver, Wash. – Beginning in April, the East Fork Lewis River will be closed to boaters, fishers and other river users for three miles downstream from the lower portion of Daybreak Regional Park (downstream/west of Northeast Daybreak Road/82nd Avenue). The closure will allow for Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership’s contractor, Tapani, Inc., to construct the Lower East Fork Lewis River Reconnection Project.

The project, led by Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership with support from Clark County and other partners, is the largest restoration project ever implemented on the East Fork Lewis River. The project will reclaim the former Ridgefield Pits gravel mines and other floodplain areas, restore 200 acres of floodplain to the benefit of juvenile salmon and other native species, recharge groundwater aquifers, and reduce flood and erosion risk to neighboring homes and businesses. The project is occurring on public lands owned by Clark County, most of which were acquired through the Legacy Lands program which is funded through the Conservation Futures levy.

During the closure, river users upstream of Daybreak Regional Park will be required to take out at the park’s boat ramp. They can re-enter the river downstream of the project area; the closest public launch downstream of the project area is the John Pollock Water Trail Park off Northwest Pollock Road in La Center. The closure, through 2026, will impact several formal and informal river access points including access from the county’s Daybreak maintenance facility, the area known locally as “Cemetery Bend,” and the Bjur Road access point.

Funding for this project was secured through competitive grants from the Washington Department of Ecology’s Floodplain by Design program, the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office Salmon Recovery Fund, and NOAA’s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resiliency Project grant. More information about the project is available at estuarypartnership.org/our-work/habitat-restoration/east-fork-lewis-river-reconnection-project.

For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.

Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works/news to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.

Vaya a clark.wa.gov/public-works/news para leer esta información en español. Haga clic en el botón en la parte superior a la derecha de la página que dice "Change language " junto al icono de globo terráqueo y elija su idioma preferido.

Чтобы прочитать эту информацию на русском языке, зайдите на сайт clark.wa.gov/public-works/news. Нажмите на кнопку Change language (“Изменить язык”) в правом верхнем углу страницы рядом с символом земного шара и выберите свой язык.

Перейдіть на сторінку clark.wa.gov/public-works/news, щоб прочитати цю інформацію українською. Натисніть кнопку Change language (Змінити мову) зі значком глобуса у верхньому правому куті сторінки та виберіть потрібну мову.

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JOHN DAY, Oregon— Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site Interpretive Center will open its doors during the week of spring break before reopening for the full season.

The Interpretive Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 24 and March 27-30. The Kam Wah Chung building and museum will remain closed due to nearby construction. 

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site is a National Historic Landmark that preserves the home and businesses of two Chinese immigrants, Ing "Doc" Hay and Lung On. For more than 60 years the building was a social, medical and religious center for Oregon's Chinese community and the region.

“While visitors might not be able to experience the museum itself this spring break, they can learn about this incredible heritage site through exhibits at the Interpretive Center,” said OPRD Eastern District Manager Kirk Barham.

The center will also host information about the new visitor center, which is slated to break ground in Spring 2026. The Kam Wah Chung Interpretive Center is at 125 NW Canton Street in John Day. For more information visit the park webpage or call 541-575-2800.

Portland, OR — The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is delighted to announce the 2025 Oregon History Maker honorees. First celebrated in 2009, the annual Oregon History Makers Awards & Dinner recognizes contemporary individuals and organizations that are positively shaping the history, culture, and landscape of Oregon. The event also supports the Oregon Historical Society’s important work to collect, preserve, and interpret Oregon’s past.

The 2025 Oregon History Makers are:

Mike and Sue Hollern

Few have contributed more energy and talent to making Central Oregon thrive than Mike and Sue Hollern. As chair of Brooks Resources, Mike Hollern was instrumental in developing Black Butte Ranch, Awbrey Butte, Mt. Bachelor Village Resort, the OSU Cascades Campus, and even the famous Bend roundabouts. Sue Hollern has dedicated her time to growing Central Oregon arts, culture, and social services, co-founding the nonprofit Art in Public Places and lending her leadership and expertise to causes and organizations such as Cascade Child & Family Center, SMART, Family Access Network, and the Oregon Community Foundation.

Tony Hopson, Sr.

Tony Hopson, Sr. founded Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI) in 1981, and over the course of four decades, grew it from a youth summer program to one of the most respected human service organizations in Oregon. SEI now supports over 17,000 youth and families per year with “wraparound” services, which improve every aspect of a student’s life, from their home environment, family support, school experience, and opportunities outside of school. Hopson is part of the founding board of the 1803 Fund and was instrumental in securing its initial $400 million investment with the purpose of rebuilding and strengthening the historic Black community in north and northeast Portland.

Patricia “Pat” Reser

A lifelong learner and teacher, Patricia “Pat” Reser has always found ways to make a difference, whether teaching students with special needs, training humanitarian workers, or leading boards and initiatives. Reser oversees one of the state’s most respected companies, Reser’s Fine Foods, as board chair, as well as the Reser Family Foundation, which she created to support Oregon nonprofits. Reser’s philanthropy and leadership at Oregon State University (OSU) was instrumental to the university’s growth and success, and her passion for the transformative power of the arts led to the creation of flourishing performing arts centers in downtown Beaverton and OSU’s campus in Corvallis.

Jordan Schnitzer

As the owner of one of the world’s most notable art collections, Jordan Schnitzer was dubbed “The People’s Collector” by Artnet for his passion for sharing art with audiences across the globe. As the president and CEO of Schnitzer Properties, Schnitzer grew his family commercial real estate company into one of the Top 10 private real estate owners in the Western United States. A local business leader who still lives and works in his hometown, Schnitzer demonstrates his dedication to Portland every day through his business, civic, and philanthropic endeavors.

“For 16 years, the Oregon Historical Society has celebrated Oregon’s living leaders, highlighting individuals and businesses who work tirelessly to make our state, and our world, a better place,” said OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. “This year’s honorees all exemplify the best of what our state has to offer, and the OHS Board of Trustees will be delighted to present Mike and Sue Hollern, Tony Hopson, Sr., Pat Reser, and Jordan Schnitzer with the Oregon History Makers Award this year.”

The Oregon Historical Society will celebrate the 2025 Oregon History Makers Awards & Dinner on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at the Portland Art Museum. Table sponsorships and individual tickets are available. For more information, please visit ohs.org/historymakers. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ally Huffman at 503.306.5226 or ally.huffman@ohs.org.

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

The following information is in reference to a death investigated by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. This release provides updated information in the investigation related to a March 4, 2025 collision involving a pedestrian in Vancouver. Cause and manner of death has been updated; this information was pending at the time of the previous media release.

This individual died on 03/04/2025 in Vancouver, WA.

The name of the decedent: Allard, Joseph Shand   Age: 59 years

The decedent was a resident of (city/state): Vancouver, WA

The opinions listed on the death certificate are as follows:

Cause of death:  Blunt force injuries

Manner of death:  Accident

Place of injury: County roadway

How injury occurred: Pedestrian struck by pickup truck

Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential as per RCW 68.50.105. No additional information is available for release from the Medical Examiner’s Office. Refer all other inquiries to Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Media release issue date: 03/13/2025 (previous media release date: 03/07/2025)

Vancouver, Wash. –  City of Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and the Vancouver City Council will host the 2025 State of the City and Council Community Forum at 6 p.m. Monday, March 24. Mayor McEnerny-Ogle’s address will highlight the progress we’ve made together on key issues – community safety, homelessness, affordable housing and economic opportunity – and how the community’s voice continues to power decisions about Vancouver’s future.

Guests are invited to stay after the speech to meet with City councilors at the first Council Community Forum of the year. 

What: 2025 State of the City and Council Community Forum 

Who: Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle will present a brief State of the City address highlighting the progress being made on key issues that are priorities to the community. The mayor’s remarks will be followed by a Council Community Forum, where guests are invited to hold conversations with the mayor and councilors. 

When: 6 p.m. Monday, March 24. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Due to space constraints at the venue, RSVPs for the event are encouraged and can be made at www.cityofvancouver.us/stateofthecity. The City will make every effort to accommodate those who arrive without previously RSVPing to the event. 

The State of the City address will be streamed live–and available for on-demand viewing on Clark/Vancouver Television (CVTV) channel 23 and HD 323 and the City’s Facebook.   

Where: Firstenburg Community Center Community Room, 700 N.E 136th Ave., Vancouver. Media may park in the free lot at Firstenburg Community Center but should be aware that seating and space at the venue will be limited. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Date: March 13, 2025  

Contact: Gary Clark, Chair, Neighbors for a Better Crossing, Inc. 

Email: y@neighbors4a-bettercrossing.org">gary@neighbors4a-bettercrossing.org, or media@neighbors4a-bettercrossing.org  

Website: www.neighbors4a-bettercrossing.org  

Oregon and Washington Residents Demand Smarter Alternative to $9 Billion Interstate Bridge Replacement Project  

[Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA] – Neighbors for a Better Crossing, a coalition of concerned residents and businesses, is sounding the alarm on the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project, a proposed mega bridge that could balloon to over $9 billion due to undisclosed financial risks. The group, is sending the following letter to Oregon and Washington legislators, calling for a halt to the bridge plan and an independent review of a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative: an Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT).   
 

Dear Oregon and Washington Legislators,
 

Re: Urgent Financial & Environmental Concerns with the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Project

Neighbors for a Better Crossing is a coalition of concerned residents and businesses in Oregon and Washington who will be significantly affected by the IBR project. We write today to highlight a major financial risk that has been downplayed by project officials yet demands immediate attention—one that could dramatically increase the cost of the proposed mega bridge.

Drilling Cost Overruns: A Looming Financial Disaster

The IBR’s proposed 100+ drill shafts for bridge pilings present a severe cost risk. The Abernethy Bridge project on I-205, which required only 12 drill shafts, has already caused multi-year delays and cost overruns soaring from $248 million to nearly $1 billion. This was due to encountering difficult bedrock and large boulders—the same geological conditions identified in the Columbia River Crossing’s (CRC) 2013 test drilling under the Interstate Bridge.

Each drill shaft costs between $2.5 million and $3 million and takes approximately one month to complete, adding at least $300 million to the IBR’s estimated $6–$7.5 billion budget. With delays and additional challenges, total costs could exceed $9 billion. Oregon and Washington taxpayers will each bear at least $2 billion in bond debt—before inevitable cost increases drive tolls and debt even higher. Shockingly, this critical drill shaft issue was omitted from the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) despite IBR officials being aware of it since May 2024.

Tolls Will Harm Businesses & Communities

Tolls on I-5, set to begin in early 2026, will cost the average commuter approximately $2,350 per year, placing an undue financial burden on residents, businesses, and commercial transportation. These costs will be passed down to consumers, increasing prices across both states. Furthermore, toll avoidance will push more drivers to I-205, worsening congestion and harming businesses along the I-5 corridor from Tualatin to Salmon Creek.

Community and business groups—including the Hayden Island Neighborhood Network, the Hayden Island Community Safety Initiative, the Just Crossing Alliance & Endorsing Partners, and our own Neighbors For A Better Crossing—have major concerns with a toll on I-5. Efforts to block or regulate tolling are already underway:

• Oregon: The Vote Before Tolls Initiative seeks to give Oregonians the right to vote on toll implementation before it takes effect.
• Washington: Representative John Ley has introduced HB 1559: No Tolls on the Interstate Bridge to prohibit tolling on this vital transportation route.

Currently, there are no tolls on I-5 between Mexico and Canada. Implementing them here would create a financial hardship for residents and businesses, with no real congestion relief in return.

The Mega Bridge: High Cost, Minimal Benefit

For a potential $9 billion price tag, the proposed bridge provides only one additional lane per direction—offering little relief for congestion. Additionally, its steep bike and pedestrian ramps, transit stations 30 feet above Hayden Island and 100 feet above Vancouver, and reliance on elevators vulnerable to outages make it far from user-friendly. Worse, the new bridge’s vessel clearance will be reduced from 178 feet to 116 feet, restricting commercial river traffic that supports businesses upstream (see the attached 2023 U.S. Coast Guard rejection letter and their recommendation for a tunnel alternative).

A Smarter Solution: The Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT)

Instead of an overpriced mega bridge, Oregon and Washington should pursue an Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT)—a proven alternative used worldwide, including the $3 billion Fraser River Tunnel project underway in Vancouver, BC.

An Immersed Tube Tunnel offers numerous advantages:
 

✔ More cost-effective – Avoids drill shaft cost overruns and saves billions.

✔ Potential for toll-free travel – Cost savings could eliminate the need for tolls.

✔ Earthquake-resilient – Far safer than a tall bridge in the event of a Cascadia Seduction Zone earthquake (37% probability of a 7.1+ magnitude quake within 50 years).

✔ Easily expandable – Unlike a bridge, additional tunnel tubes can be added to accommodate future traffic growth.

✔ Environmentally friendly – No in-river pilings, and hazardous waste from demolition, minimizing harm to fish habitats.

✔ Faster construction – ITTs are prefabricated off-site, floated into position, and installed quickly—cutting build time in half compared to a bridge.

✔ Preserves the Historic I-5 Bridge – The existing bridge, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, has over 70 years of remaining service life. It can be repurposed as a pedestrian, bike, and transit corridor, generating revenue through public events and tourism rather than being demolished.

Call to Action: Demand an Independent Tunnel Review

The IBR project has remained biased in favor of a bridge, despite its own 2020 engineering study confirming an Immersed Tube Tunnel is a viable alternative. Given the immense financial, environmental, and transportation benefits, we urge you to convene an independent commission to evaluate the ITT alternative before locking taxpayers into a $9 billion+ financial disaster. Our organization is sponsoring public meetings to hear from tunnel experts. It's time to get the facts and cost estimates for an immersed tube tunnel!

The destruction of our historic I-5 Bridge and the construction of an unsightly, over-budget mega bridge is not the legacy Oregon and Washington should leave behind. By preserving our existing bridge and embracing smarter solutions, we can create a landmark—not a landfill.

We urge you to act now before it’s too late!

For the second time in a week, Tigard Police are investigating shots fired at a Tesla dealership.

Early this morning (3/13/25) around 4:15AM, more than a dozen shots were fired at the dealership causing extensive damage to cars and showroom windows. A security guard was on scene at the time; thankfully he was not hurt.

Patrol officers and detectives responded quickly and secured the scene. Crime scene technicians responded, and we are again working closely with our federal partners at the FBI and ATF to ensure the most thorough investigation in this case.

A similar incident happened last week on the morning of 3/6/25. The original news release can be found here.

We are working to collect all available evidence, including physical evidence and surveillance footage from the area. An ATF explosive detection K-9 was on scene again to help look for possible shell casings. If you saw or heard anything that can help in the investigation and have not spoken with police, please call 503-718-TIPS or email tips@tigard-or.gov. You can remain anonymous.

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RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2025
CASE NUMBER: 25-3314

Gresham, Ore.— Gresham Police is releasing the name and photo of the suspect in a fatal shooting in Vance Park.

On Thursday, Jan. 23, shortly after 4 p.m., Jorge Ovidio Mateo Vasquez, 17, was shot and killed in an apparent unprovoked attack while playing on the futsal court at Vance Park. Investigators identified the suspect, Camerino Vides, 16, of Gresham, but have been unable to locate him.

Detectives are asking for the public’s help with locating Vides. The public is urged not to approach Vides as he may be armed. Anyone with information on Vides’ whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.

“I understand that incidents like this can cause fear and uncertainty,” Gresham Police Chief Travis Gullberg said. “In response to the challenge of gun violence, we recently launched Ceasefire Gresham, a partnership using a collaborative approach to address this crisis.” Gullberg added. The Ceasefire partnership, announced in February, seeks to address the root causes of violence by providing necessary resources, including employment opportunities, conflict resolution, and behavioral health support.

Oregon’s K-12 public schools will receive a record $76.8 million from the Common School Fund in 2025, state officials announced today.

“Across the country, school districts are facing budget shortages caused by the expiration of federal pandemic relief dollars, declining enrollment, increasing costs due to inflation, and many other factors,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “Here in Oregon, we are lucky to have the Common School Fund – a critical and reliable resource in our shared goal to give students the best shot to succeed.”

Every one of Oregon’s 197 school districts receives money from the Common School Fund, which has supported public education since statehood, every year. How much each district receives depends on the number of students served. Portland Public Schools, the state’s largest district, will receive $6.6 million in 2025. Redmond School District will receive $974,288. Coos Bay School District will receive $382,092.

The average 2025 distribution is $389,607. Bethel School District in Eugene, with about 5,000 students, will receive $806,193 in 2025. See how much every Oregon school district will receive from the Common School Fund in 2025 (PDF). 

“The Common School Fund is consistent and can be used for anything, from keeping the lights on to providing instruction,” said Benjamin Dodds, teacher at Bethel School District’s Willamette High School. “That’s what makes it such a helpful funding source for schools across Oregon.”

The Common School Fund has contributed to schools since Oregon became a state, when the federal government granted nearly 3.4 million acres "for the use of schools." The State Land Board – Oregon’s Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer – was established to oversee these school lands dedicated to generating revenue for the Common School Fund.

Valued at $2.38 billion as of February 2025, the Common School Fund is managed by the Oregon State Treasury, with oversight from the Oregon Investment Council. The Fund achieved a 9.7 percent return in 2024.
 

Annually, 3.5 percent of the Fund is distributed to schools. The 2025 distribution of $76.6 million is $2.4 million more than the 2024 distribution of $74.2 million and $4.4 million more than the 2023 distribution of $72.2 million.

“Schools are the foundation of healthy families and communities,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. “We’re committed to safeguarding the Common School Fund and ensuring that our responsible investment strategies continue to generate returns that put more educators, counselors and other staff in front of students across Oregon.”
 

Today, about 681,000 acres of school lands in all 36 Oregon counties are managed by the Department of State Lands on behalf of the State Land Board. Ranchers and farmers, Tribal governments, businesses, and more work with DSL to lease and buy lands, plan for future community needs, and keep lands healthy. School lands generated $7.2 million in revenue during fiscal year 2024.
 

“This is a historic investment and a smart one,” said Secretary of State Tobias Read. “Oregonians value education because we know our tomorrow depends on the students and teachers in classrooms today. We must continue to manage these lands wisely so Oregonians can keep benefitting from this valuable resource for generations to come.”
 

About the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands: The State Land Board consists of Governor Tina Kotek, Secretary of State Tobias Read, and State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. Established by the Oregon Constitution in 1859, the Land Board oversees the state’s Common School Fund. The Department of State Lands is the Land Board’s administrative agency, managing the lands and resources that help fund Oregon’s public schools and protecting the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide.

Proposal will retain Current Tax Rate from Expiring 2008 Bond while Expanding Career and Technical Education Programs, Campus Safety, and Infrastructure Improvements

Salem, Ore., March 12, 2025 — On May 20, 2025, voters in Marion, Polk, Yamhill, and Linn counties will have the opportunity to consider a bond measure that would provide funding to expand and enhance Chemeketa Community College’s career and technical education (CTE) programs, upgrade campus safety, and improve critical infrastructure.

If approved, this measure would replace the expiring 2008 bond previously approved by voters.  If passed, the new bond rate will retain the 2008 bond rate of $0.27 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

The proposed measure would fund:

• Expansion of career and technical education programs – 65% of bond funds will upgrade classrooms, labs, and hands-on learning spaces to support high-demand career fields.

• A new Trades Center – A facility providing specialized training and certification for the region’s growing skilled workforce in construction and building trades.

• Facility improvements – Including essential repairs to parking lots, HVAC systems, roofs, and aging interiors to extend the life of Chemeketa’s buildings.

• Enhanced campus safety – Funding for improved outdoor lighting, additional security cameras, and safer parking areas.

"Chemeketa Community College has long been a vital part of our region’s workforce development," said Jessica Howard, Chemeketa’s President. "If passed, this bond measure ensures that we continue to offer high-quality education and training for in-demand careers while maintaining safe and modern facilities."

For more information about the bond measure, visit go.chemeketa.edu/bond.

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For more than 50 years, Chemeketa Community College has committed itself to transforming lives and our community through exceptional learning experiences in the Mid-Willamette Valley. As the second multi-campus district in Oregon, Chemeketa serves 8,000 students annually at its Salem and Yamhill Valley campuses, as well as Brooks, Eola, Winema, Dallas, Woodburn and Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry (CCBI).

Chemeketa Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational institution.

March 13, 2025

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

OHA urges people to get vaccinated during ongoing significant influenza activity

PORTLAND, Ore.— The state’s 2024-2025 influenza season is the worst since Oregon Health Authority began tracking the virus 15 years ago, with people continuing to be hospitalized at a time of the year when statewide influenza activity traditionally begins winding down, health officials say.  

That means it’s still not too late for people to get the influenza vaccine, particularly as Oregon could see a late-season uptick in flu incidence of the virus as it has in recent years. 

“This has been a year of very high flu activity,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA. “We want to remind people that there is still a lot of flu out there and to get their flu shots. Spread of flu can be unpredictable, and we often see another peak late in winter.”    

Influenza is a contagious, respiratory tract infection caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms of influenza may include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy and runny nose, muscle aches, headache and fatigue. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness, including hospitalization and death.   

OHA releases weekly information on the flu season in FluBites, and information can also be found on Oregon’s Respiratory Virus Data dashboard. 

OHA data show that fewer people are getting flu shots. Vaccinations are down 4% from last year and it has been steadily dropping since 2022. “We would like 100% of people to be vaccinated to prevent the risk of severe disease, but we’ve seen the vaccination rate slip,” said Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division. 

Certain groups, including older adults, young children, pregnant people and people with certain health conditions, are at higher risk for serious complications from influenza. The hospitalization rate is highest for people 65 and older.  

In recent years, the agency has bolstered its tracking of communicable diseases, including influenza, with the development and modernization of data reporting tools, such as an interactive, web-based dashboard that visualizes data on COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The dashboard’s data are organized by community transmission, hospitalizations, hospital capacity, deaths and vaccination. 

Increasing awareness and education about primary prevention, public health risks and preventive health services are among actions OHA is taking as part of its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. The plan further supports expanding access to vaccines and other health resources for children, parents and families in all communities in Oregon.  

To learn more about getting vaccinated against the flu, click here for English and click here for Spanish.  

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The next regular public meeting of the FVRLibraries Board of trustees will be held on Monday, March 17, 6:00 pm, at Three Creeks Community Library. It will be a hybrid (in-person/online) meeting. Agenda.

You can view the meeting materials at: https://www.fvrl.org/board-trustees

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is hosting a virtual event on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 6 p.m. PDT. This event provides an opportunity for the public to comment on NW Natural’s proposed increase to natural gas rates.

NW Natural filed a request to increase overall revenues by $61.2 million. If approved, residential customers living in single-family homes using an average of 47 therms per month would see a bill increase of $5.55. Actual percentage increases will vary depending on customer type, usage, and the rate paid. NW Natural’s general rate case filing proposes the following impacts to the non-fuel cost portion of Oregon customer bills:

NW Natural asserts these proposed rate increases are necessary to account for increased operating costs due to inflation and higher interest rates, as well as the cost of investments to support safe and reliable utility services for customers.

NW Natural’s general rate case filing is undergoing a nearly year-long review and will be fully investigated on behalf of natural gas customers by the PUC, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, and others. This public comment event is part of that investigation, which will conclude in October when the Commissioners rule on the request. The Commissioners may approve or modify NW Natural’s request and will only approve rate increases if fully justified by the company. New rates, if approved, are expected to go into effect November 1, 2025. Additionally, NW Natural may have other rate changes effective on or after November 1, 2025, such as rates associated with the company’s annual purchased gas adjustment, that could increase or decrease the overall impact for customers.

Ways to Comment

Interested individuals may participate in the live event listed below to provide verbal comments to the Commissioners and the Administrative Law Judge presiding over this case as well as submit written comments.

Comment via Zoom or phone 

When:           Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 6 p.m. PDT
The public comment hearing will convene at 6:00 p.m. and remain open until at least 7:00 p.m. If there are members of the public still waiting to offer comment at 7:00 p.m., the public comment hearing will continue to as late as 8:00 p.m. to allow as many to comment as possible. If we are unable to hear from everyone by 8 p.m., the PUC may conduct an additional public comment hearing at a later date.

Access the agenda, Zoom link and phone-in details at: https://bit.ly/4hQ5h8Y

Spanish translation services are available for community convenience at no cost. For those needing translation services, log into the Zoom platform and select English or Spanish on the bottom of the page. Translation services are not available for the meeting phone-in option.

Submit comments to the PUC

Written comments received by June 5, 2025, will be summarized and included in PUC staff testimony. Comments received after this date will be posted in Docket UG 520.

• Public Comment Form online
• email licComments@puc.oregon.gov">PUC.PublicComments@puc.oregon.gov  
• Call 503-378-6600 or 800-522-2404 (all relay calls accepted)
• Mail comments to: Oregon Public Utility Commission, Attn: AHD – UG 520, PO Box 1088, Salem OR 97308-1088
   

Stay Informed

To stay informed throughout this case, individuals may request to be added to the distribution list to receive publicly available documents. Submit requests by email to ings@puc.oregon.gov">puc.hearings@puc.oregon.gov or by calling 503-378-6678. Please specify Docket No. UG 520 in the request.

# # #

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities, including Portland General Electric, Idaho Power, Pacific Power, Avista, Cascade Natural, and NW Natural. The PUC also regulates landline telephone providers and select water companies. The PUC’s mission is to ensure Oregonians have access to safe, reliable, and fairly priced utility services that advance state policy and promote the public interest. We use an inclusive process to evaluate differing viewpoints and visions of the public interest and arrive at balanced, well-reasoned, independent decisions supported by fact and law. For more information about the PUC, visit oregon.gov/puc.

The Portland Police Bureau needs the public's help locating the suspect in a deadly shooting in July of 2024.

On July 5, 2024, officers responded to reports of gunfire in the area of Northwest 3rd Avenue and Northwest Everett Street. When they arrived, they found Jose L. Galindo-Maldonado badly hurt. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Since that time, detectives have been investigating this case and they are now releasing a photo of the suspect in hopes that someone in the community recognizes the individual and provides information to police.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect, or knows his whereabouts, is asked to contact Detective Travis Law at travis.law@police.portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0395 or Detective Ryan Foote at ryan.foote@police.portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0781 and reference case number 24-167376.

In addition, information can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Oregon. Anyone wishing to submit a secure and anonymous tip regarding any unsolved felony crime should visit http://www.crimestoppersoforegon.com or visit the App Store and download P3 Tips for your mobile device.

Crime Stoppers of Oregon offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 cash for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime and tipsters remain anonymous.

Crime Stoppers of Oregon is funded 100% by community donations. To support Crime Stoppers with a donation, or to view other unsolved cases, please visit http://www.crimestoppersoforegon.com/ .

Photo description: Homicide suspect in hat and hoodie standing behind two people with blurred faces

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Original Messages Below 

The victim in the July 5th Old Town homicide is identified as Jose L. Galindo-Maldonado, 35. He has connections to Portland and Gresham. His family has been notified of his death and is asking for privacy, but provided the attached photograph for public release.

The medical examiner determined that Galindo-Maldonado died of homicide by gunshot wounds.

No arrests have been made.

This remains an open and active homicide investigation, and detectives are asking to hear from anyone with information who has not already spoken to police. Please contact primary investigator Detective Travis Law at travis.law@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0395 or Detective Ryan Foote at ryan.foote@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0781. Please reference case number 24-167376.

Photo description: Family photo of Jose Galindo-Maldonado

###PPB###

Original Message Below

A man has died after a shooting in the Old Town Neighborhood.

On Friday, July 5, 2024 at 11:48p.m., officers from the Entertainment Detail heard shots fired from the area of Northwest 3rd Avenue and Northwest Everett Street. They immediately responded and located an adult male victim. They summoned EMS while providing trauma first aid. The man was transported to the hospital for treatment. After 2 hours of attempts to save his life by hospital staff, the man succumbed to his injuries.

The suspect or suspects left the scene before police arrived and were not immediately located. No suspect description is being released at this time.

The Portland Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene to investigate. During the investigation, Northwest 3rd Avenue is closed between Northwest Flanders Street and Northwest Davis Street. Northwest Everett Street is closed between Northwest 2nd Avenue and Northwest 4th Avenue.

If anyone has information about this incident, please contact Detective Travis Law at travis.law@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0395 or Detective Ryan Foote at ryan.foote@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0781. Please reference case number 24-167376. The PIO is not responding to the scene. Additional information will be released when appropriate.

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OREGON COAST, Oregon— Oregon State Parks will host Spring Whale Watch Week along the Oregon Coast Saturday, March 22 through Sunday, March 30.

Trained Oregon State Park volunteers and rangers will be stationed at 14 sites along the Oregon Coast to help visitors spot whales and their calves and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily March 22-30. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast.  Cape Foulweather will not be included this year because it is closed due to construction.

“Spring is a great time for whale watching because the gray whales are usually closer to shore on their return trip, typically around a mile or so out, and they might have calves in tow,” said Park Ranger Peter McBride.

An estimated 19,260 gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores from late winter through June as part of their annual migration back to Alaska.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced an end to an Unusual Mortality Event impacting gray whales in 2023. Since then, the estimated population has increased by roughly 30% from 14,530 in 2023 to 19,260 last year, according to NOAA. The numbers are on the rise overall, but the calf count is still low as the population continues to rebound.

Whale Watch Week provides an opportunity to see not only the gray whales but other coastal wildlife including birds and other marine mammals with help from trained volunteers and rangers.

A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on the official event webpage: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=thingstodo.dsp_whaleWatching

The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 22-30. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.

All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule and keeping an eye on the surf at all times. Go to https://visittheoregoncoast.com/beach-safety/ for a list of safety tips.

For more information about coast parks and campgrounds, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Visitors are encouraged to share their photos and videos from Spring Whale Watch on social media using #OregonStateParks and #ORWhaleWatch.

Media Resources: photos available at this link.

Vancouver, Wash. – County Manager Kathleen Otto this week introduced her inaugural newsletter to the community. The newsletter is on the county website at https://clark.wa.gov/county-manager/county-manager-updates.

“Clark County has been engaged in a lot of thoughtful and intentional work that directly impacts our community,” Otto says in the newsletter. “I am committed to providing regular updates to our community and staff, to provide information on strategic initiatives and updates on Council’s policy directions as well as highlight county services, solicit feedback, and share how residents can be more involved in shaping our community.”

In the newsletter, Otto gives updates on law and justice, the jail remodel and expansion project, the budget, how residents can get involved in county government and information on Community Development’s Learning Lab series.

Otto plans to issue these updates on a regular basis moving forward. Otto will share newsletter topics during the Tuesday Council meeting. Additionally, the county will notify the public through its social media platforms when newsletters are released and available on the county manager’s website.

Multnomah County Judge Heidi Moawad accepted a guilty plea this morning from Jacob Fitzgerald, 24 years old and sentenced him to 34 years in prison. 

He pled guilty to multiple crimes, resolving three separate cases in Multnomah County and one in Washington County. 

Fitzgerald pled guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Burglary in the First Degree with a Firearm, Robbery in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree.

The Facts:
 

In the early morning of August 6th, 2022, Jacob Fitzgerald intentionally shot at Otis Abner multiple times, hit him once and killed him. 

Just before the shooting, Fitzgerald was driving in a car near Delta Park with his girlfriend at the time, and Otis Abner.

Police later learned that the two men were arguing, that the argument reached a

boiling point and Fitzgerald told Abner to get out of the car near 1130 N Schmeer Road. 

A witness said Fitzgerald drove a short distance away from  Abner, then shot at him multiple times from across the street. Abner was struck one time and died at the scene. Later that day Fitzgerald burned the vehicle associated with the homicide. 

Police were alerted to Abner’s death after two civilian witnesses found his body and called 911. Once on scene, law enforcement collected seven shell casings and surveillance footage from nearby businesses, including a Motel 6 and Interstate Rentals.

Eighteen months later, on February 11th, 2024, Fitzgerald went to the trailer where his past girlfriend, the only witness to the shooting death of Abner, was living with her new boyfriend. Once there, Fitzgerald fired several shots into the trailer, one of which hit the girlfriend in the face and the arm, injuring her.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney ew.macmillan@mcda.us" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Andrew MacMillan prosecuted the case.

“He’s a dangerous man who left a trail of destruction over the last few years. This is an unusually high sentence for a plea agreement but is just given the circumstances,” he said.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin assisted in the prosecution.

The District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank Washington County Deputy District Attorney Bryce Bissinger for his work on these cases, along with Portland Police Detective William Winters who led the investigation and Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Victim Advocate Nang Dunn for her kindness and compassion in helping the victims.

DALLAS, Oregon (March 12^th, 2025)

Following an extensive recruitment and selection process, the City of Dallas is pleased to announce the appointment of Jerry Mott as the new Dallas Chief of Police. Mr. Mott, who currently serves as Deputy Chief of Police for the City of Dallas, brings 26 years of law enforcement experience to the role. Mr. Mott will transition into the Chief role as current Dallas Police Chief, Tom Simpson, is set to retire at the end of June 2025. Mr. Mott will officially assume his new position on July 1, 2025.

Mr. Mott began his career in law enforcement as a Cadet with the Oregon State Police and was a Sheriff’s Deputy before joining the Dallas Police Department in 2004. Over the years, he has risen through the ranks, earning a reputation as a dedicated leader committed to public safety and community engagement.

Chief Simpson commented, “Deputy Chief Mott has been a close and active partner in the leadership of Dallas PD for a number of years.  He has demonstrated himself to be a dedicated leader who cares for his staff and the community he serves.  Many of our successes as an agency are largely due to his contributions and efforts.  I’m excited to watch Dallas PD evolve into the future with Chief Mott at the helm of a great team.”

City Manager, Brian Latta, expressed confidence in Mott’s leadership, stating, “Jerry is a proven leader. I have full confidence in him and his ability to be an excellent Police Chief for our community. I further wish to express my gratitude for each of the candidates who dedicated themselves to go through this selection process.”

Mott also shared his thoughts on his new role, saying, “I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve our community in this new position.  I am proud to be a member of a great City team as well as the broader law enforcement community in Polk County.”

The City of Dallas looks forward to Chief Mott’s leadership in continuing the mission of the City of Dallas to provide a welcoming, safe and livable community, dedicated to people and business.

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On March 11, Ridgefield School District officials recognized the March 2025 Employees and Students of the Month at the regular Board of Directors meeting. Congratulations to all of this month’s honorees!

Lanoa Kalawe, Pre-K at the Early Learning Center

Ms. Shanel and Ms. Sanayah shared that  Lanoa has shown incredible growth and always brings a bright smile to school each day. Lanoa loves exploring new activities, engaging enthusiastically during circle time, and being a wonderful classroom helper. Her kindness and willingness to assist her classmates make her a joy to be around. She is always eager to learn, share, and build friendships, making a positive impact in our classroom. We have loved watching her progress academically and socially, and we couldn’t be prouder of her achievements. Her enthusiasm and caring nature set a great example for her peers. 

Imelda Trujillo, 3rd grade at South Ridge Elementary School

Meli is a fantastic example of what being a Roadrunner is all about. She is kind and caring, often seeking out ways to help and support both friends and classmates. Examples include offering to work as partners when someone is struggling, or being a leader and helping other students feel more comfortable using tools they may need to be successful in the classroom and at recess. Meli works incredibly hard in the classroom to overcome struggles so she can continue learning and growing. She has made amazing growth in her assignments and on her iReady tests this year. She is the first person to volunteer to help, and every adult at school knows she can be trusted to be responsible, respectful, and kind. 

Paisley Zornado, 4th grade at Union Ridge Elementary School

Paisley Zornado is an outstanding student and an even better person. She is conscientious, always striving to do her best, and consistently demonstrates gratitude for those around her. When you see Paisley, you can count on hearing a heartfelt “thank you.” Her kindness and generosity shine through in how she supports her classmates, as she is always the first to step up when someone needs help or encouragement. One of Paisley’s greatest strengths is her patience. She takes the time to explain concepts to her peers, ensuring they fully understand before moving on. She embraces challenges with enthusiasm and understands that growth comes through perseverance. Paisley isn’t afraid to take on difficult tasks, knowing that failure is part of the journey to success. Paisley’s dedication, kindness, and determination make her a deserving choice for Student of the Month. Without a doubt, we will continue to hear great things about her in the future.

Cesar Chavez Lopez, 5th grade at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School

Cesar Chavez Lopez is a shining example of what it means to be respectful, responsible, and resilient. He consistently demonstrates a positive attitude at school. When presented with a tough challenge, he embraces that challenge and is able to persevere, adapt, and point out the positives in a given situation. He actively engages in class discussions by asking meaningful questions and thoughtfully sharing his insights. Cesar understands his strengths and needs and is able to advocate for his own learning by seeking help or clarification when needed. Cesar is friendly and outgoing, regularly offering help to his classmates. He is an enthusiastic collaborator. He is able to share his ideas and apply feedback from others to improve his learning. In both his Homeroom and WIN classes, Cesar gives his best effort in all his classwork. Cesar is a fantastic fifth grade leader whose kindness, dedication, and teamwork make him an outstanding role model.

Faizal Mumuni, 8th grade at View Ridge Middle School

Both students and teachers agree that Faizal is one of the most positive, friendly, and kind students at VRMS. He shines a light wherever he goes. Here’s what some of our teachers had to say about him: Mrs. Feller shares, "Faizal is one of the most friendly 8th graders. He goes out of his way to be of service, even holding the door for everyone before assemblies. He always greets others with a smile!" Mrs. Hankins says, "Faizal has grown so much in the past year and a half. I truly enjoy having him in art class and watching his ideas come to life. He is kind and welcoming to all his classmates, and we all love our high fives!" Mr. Tena comments, "Faizal is incredibly kind and considerate. He loves to greet people and does a great job of participating in lessons and asking questions. It's been a joy to have him in my classes!" Mrs. James says, "Faizal arrives to class every day with a smile on his face. He’s eager to greet his classmates and participate in class discussions. He is truly thoughtful and kind." Congratulations, Faizal, and thank you for being such a positive presence here at VRMS!
 

Audrey Reid, 8th grade at Wisdom Ridge Academy

Being able to support student success in a variety of ways is the reason Wisdom Ridge Academy exists and is successful for our 254 students. Our March Student of the Month, Audrey Reid, tells her story of why she chose WRA: “I was feeling super anxious after moving to Ridgefield from Bothell, WA. It was really hard for me as a middle schooler to come to a new place, make friends, and deal with all the challenges that came with it. I wasn’t doing well in a regular school setting, so I needed something that would help me with my social and emotional needs, as well as my academic needs. The best part about WRA is the flexibility and the opportunities to connect with others if you want it- it’s never forced upon you. I love all the cool field trips, and mostly enrichment group/social hour. Plus, it forces you to start learning how to adult! We have to keep track of our own schedules and make sure we stay on top of things.”

Audrey’s teacher, Mrs. Robblee says Audrey has “proven herself to be an outstanding student, finishing semester one with straight A’s. She is a joy to be around and has a very bright future.”

Audrey has two career paths that she is interested in. One is to go into cosmetology and work with Hollywood clients, or open her own local business. The other is to become a marine biologist because she loves the ocean. Whatever path Audrey chooses, we are confident that she is paving her path with her strong work ethic and commitment.

Noah Stromberg, 12th grade at Ridgefield High School

Noah was chosen in a month where our staff were challenged to think of a student who demonstrates a curiosity and drive to become a better student, leader, and citizen. Noah embodies all of these qualities. He constantly thinks critically and creatively, approaching his schoolwork with an open mind and a willingness to engage with complex ideas. Outside of the classroom, Noah is involved in a variety of activities that reflect his diverse interests and strong work ethic: skiing, lacrosse, football, and dirt bikes. But what many may not know is that Noah even shines on stage, where last year he performed a “Barbie-themed” American Sign Language (ASL) musical number in front of a sold-out crowd. 

When asked what he enjoys most about Ridgefield High School, Noah shared his appreciation for the community. He values the smaller class sizes and supportive teachers who take the time to help students succeed. His most impactful teacher has been Ms. Uhacz, who he says is relatable and adapts to the needs of her students. And Ms. Uhacz feels equally as grateful for Noah, writing “Noah helps his classmates to be more empathetic and compassionate. He is a top-notch Spudder and human being!”

Looking ahead, Noah plans to attend Montana Tech’s trades program to become a lineman. Noah’s current teachers and coaches believe he will leave a lasting legacy at RHS because of his sincerity, his fun personality, his engagement with learning, and for his leadership in the classroom. Noah, thank you for being such an outstanding human and for embodying the values of Ridgefield High School. 

Stacie Andrew, Chartwells at Union Ridge Elementary School

At Union Ridge, we are fortunate to work with so many exceptional individuals, and Stacie stands out as one of the brightest stars. As the person responsible for overseeing both of our kitchens and managing meals and snacks at the Early Learning Center, she has consistently demonstrated remarkable leadership and commitment. Stacie makes the complex task of planning meals, ordering ingredients, and preparing food for over 700 students seem effortless, though we all recognize the hard work behind it. Her excellent communication with parents, our school nurse, and staff ensures that dietary restrictions are met and that food is available for those in need. Her positive attitude creates a welcoming cafeteria environment that students and staff genuinely appreciate. Beyond her role in the kitchen, Stacie has been a mentor to her staff and built meaningful connections with students and the wider community. She frequently collaborates with the Ridgefield Family Resource Center and other local organizations, demonstrating her commitment to service and volunteerism. Whether she’s greeting others warmly each morning, decorating the lunchroom, or supporting families in need, Stacie’s kindness, creativity, and unwavering dedication make Union Ridge a better place for everyone. She is an invaluable asset to the Ridgefield School District, and we are so lucky to have her!

Shelle House, art teacher at Ridgefield High School 

Shelle House, a dedicated drawing and painting teacher at Ridgefield High School, has been named Staff of the Month—a recognition that comes as no surprise to those who know her. She has spent years nurturing students’ artistic talents, crafting lessons that challenge and inspire, regardless of skill level. Whether teaching shading, perspective, or color theory, she ensures each concept is accessible and engaging.

Ms. House fosters an environment where creativity and personal growth flourish. She provides thoughtful, constructive feedback, helping students push beyond their comfort zones while building confidence. Her classroom is more than a place to learn art—it’s a safe haven where students feel encouraged and supported. Even after moving on, many return to seek her guidance and share their successes, a testament to the lasting impact she has. As a colleague said it best, "Shelle is a true beacon of light at our school! I don’t know anyone as positive, kind, and caring as she is, both towards staff and students. Her passion for what she does is evident in her presence and in the way it shines through her students!" Congratulations, Ms. House, on this well-deserved honor!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 

DATE: March 12, 2025

Detectives search for suspect in stabbing at a local park

Salem, Ore. — Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives are investigating a stabbing incident that occurred at a northeast Salem park on March 3.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on that Monday afternoon, a 19-year-old man was at Highland Park in the 2000 block of Broadway ST NE. The victim was approached by a man unknown to him who then stabbed the victim twice and ran away.

The victim was transported to Salem Health with non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect who was seen running on the Highland Elementary School property which is across from the park to the east.

Detectives are releasing the images obtained from surveillance video and asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect who is described as a Hispanic, male adult of average height with dark hair and a moustache.

The images initially show the suspect wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt with an Oregon State University emblem, a dark head covering, and gray gloves that he shed as he fled the area. He was last seen wearing a blue, plaid shirt with dark pants, and white athletic shoes.

Anyone with information about the incident or the identity of the suspect is asked to the call the Salem Police Tip Line at 503-588-8477 and mention case number SMP25-18839.

# # #

Salem, OR – Today, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) released details of its safety action plan for oversight of providers who serve older adults and people with disabilities who live in facilities and adult foster homes.

The plan follows the preliminary report from a third-party consultant hired to conduct an external assessment of state oversight of licensed long-term care providers.

“Safety is essential to the well-being of the people we serve and is our program’s number one priority,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Ph.D., director of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD). “A&M’s independent perspective is valuable as we work to better meet people’s needs and prepare to keep pace with demand in coming decades.”

Consultant Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) issued a preliminary report on its findings and recommendations as part of a contract with ODHS to conduct an external assessment of state oversight of licensed long-term care providers. The external consultant began its work at Governor Tina Kotek’s direction following a report released in April 2024 by the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s office.

This is all part of the agency’s proactive work to reform the licensing and oversight unit to better align resources with state and federal requirements and strengthen operations.

In 2024, ODHS developed a short- and long-term safety action plan.  ODHS added to that plan with additional 30-, 60- and 90-day goals that build upon this work and align with specific A&M recommendations. Some of these improvements are: 

Improve protocol for responding to serious safety violations

• Action plan: In 30 days update the protocol for an Immediate Jeopardy finding in facilities and adult foster homes with serious safety breaches.

• Already underway: Twice-a-week huddles added in 2024 to give staff additional guidance in responding to serious safety incidents.
   

Clarify Letters of Agreement policy

• Action plan: Update the policy in 30 days for agreements that address provider performance issues that could result in regulatory action. In 60 days, provide training and update the Compliance Framework Guide. In 90 days, convene a Rules Advisory Committee to update Oregon Administrative Rules.

• Already underway: In 2024, APD developed more detailed manager guidance on when a Letter of Agreement would be allowed.
   

Add workshops on statutory requirements

• Action plan: Compile in 30 days a list of statutes by license type to serve as a training tool. In 60 days, managers will complete a refresher review. In 90 days, staff will renew training.

• Already underway: APD leadership identified areas of statute in 2024 to provide additional guidance for managers. 
   

Improve morale and add support for managers

• Action plan: Identify resources within 30 days to develop an employee engagement program. In 60 days, finalize the plan.

• Already underway: Managers in February 2025 began developing staff support strategies in response to an employee survey and feedback.  
   

Address resource shortages in the unit

• Action plan: In 60 days, use results of a second A&M analysis underway to evaluate distribution of resources. 

• Already underway: APD’s budget request included in the Governor's Recommended Budget​ calls for 19​ ​new positions. In 2024,  APD issued a Request for Application for contractors to provide temporary staffing.

When complete by June 2025, A&M’s full assessment will include an evaluation of resources needed to meet current and future demand. ODHS hired A&M through a competitive Request for Proposal process.

Updates on APD’s safety initiatives are provided on the ODHS website.

Evergreen Virtual Academy - 03/13/25
 

EVERGREEN VIRTUAL ACADEMY NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS March 13, 2025, 6:30PM Evergreen Virtual Academy Board Members are Hereby notified that a Session of the Board will be held via Zoom Webinar at https://evergreenvirtual-org.zoom.us/j/86346138790
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Jordan Holterback, age 14, a child in foster care who went missing from Newberg on March 8. Jordan is believed to be in danger.

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Jordan and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see him.

Jordan is known to frequent Yamhill County, Marion County, the Portland Metro Area and Seaside.

Name: Jordan Holterback
Pronouns: He/him
Date of birth: Aug. 6, 2010
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 143 pounds
Hair: Light brown
Eye color: Brown
Other identifying information: Jordan has braces, a nose ring and pierced ears.
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office case #25-005567
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2045217

Sometimes when a child is missing they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

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On February 6, 2025, the Lebanon Fire District (LFD) responded to a cardiac arrest at the local Safeway, where an employee suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while preparing for a shift in the break room. The quick thinking and heroic actions of four Safeway employees—Mary Stratton, John Escalera, Brandy Davis, and Tammy Vanepps-Fox—saved their co-worker’s life.

The employees immediately sprang into action, performing CPR and using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to shock the patient twice before emergency responders arrived. Their quick response gave the patient a fighting chance at survival. Upon arrival, LFD crews continued treatment, applying two more shocks and ultimately achieving Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) before stabilizing the patient. LFD crews transported the patient to the hospital, where they were discharged several days later.

"A partnership with the community through early CPR, AED access, and prompt activation of 911 leads to successful outcomes," said Fire Chief Rodondi. "Without bystander CPR and early access to an AED, the outcome would have been very different."

At the Lebanon Fire District’s March Board Meeting on March 11, 2025, Stratton, Escalera, Davis, and Vanepps-Fox were honored for their lifesaving efforts.

LFD also extends special thanks to its dedicated crew members for their prompt and professional response to the emergency: Battalion Chief Blaine Suing, Lieutenant Michael Maynard, Lieutenant Jason Adamson, Engineer Kyle Kemper, Engineer Brad McInnis, Engineer Cody Manzi, Firefighter Dylan Jorgenson, Firefighter Londyn Randell, Firefighter Conner Fitzgerald, Fire Corp Deb Griffin, and Intern James Kanchenko.

The Lebanon Fire District encourages the community to stay prepared and informed. A key resource for individuals interested in learning how to respond to emergencies is the PulsePoint app, which provides real-time notifications for nearby cardiac emergencies and helps users locate AEDs in the area. The app also provides CPR instructions for emergencies. Learn more about PulsePoint and how to download the app by visiting lebanonfireoregon.gov/321/PulsePoint.

The Lebanon Fire District also encourages the community to consider CPR and AED training programs, as they are vital skills that can make a life-saving difference.

This incident serves as a powerful reminder of how critical early intervention can be in a cardiac emergency. The Lebanon Fire District extends its deepest gratitude to Mary Stratton, John Escalera, Brandy Davis, and Tammy Vanepps-Fox for their selfless and courageous actions. Their quick action made all the difference, and their efforts are truly commendable.

(Portland, Ore.) — The Trump administration's reckless decision to slash the U.S. Department of Education's workforce by nearly 50% is a direct attack on Oregon's healthcare system and workforce. These drastic cuts will undermine education and training for nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and a wide range of other healthcare professionals, saddle future health workers with crushing debt, and block efforts to build a stronger, more diverse healthcare workforce in Oregon. This is not just an attack on education—it is an attack on the health and well-being of every Oregonian.

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) calls on the Trump administration to immediately reverse these irresponsible and dangerous cuts. Congress and the public must oppose these cuts and protect programs that support healthcare education and student aid. We cannot afford to let Oregon's healthcare system be collateral damage in Trump’s reckless political agenda. Investing in healthcare education is investing in every Oregonians' health and safety.

Oregon’s healthcare education programs are already stretched beyond capacity. Nursing programs, for example, are only able to accept 1 in 4 qualified applicants and need a 70% increase in enrollment, about 1,000 additional graduates per year, to meet the state’s needs, according to the Oregon Employment Department (2024). Federal cuts will choke off critical support for all healthcare education programs, stalling efforts to expand capacity and worsening Oregon’s dangerous healthcare workforce shortage. 

The Department of Education plays a vital role in overseeing and distributing federal funding to higher education institutions, including grants that support programs for nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. Cuts to staffing and threats to dismantle the department will delay processing of federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, subsidized loans, and support for low-income students pursuing nursing and medical degrees. This will block access to education and contribute to Oregon's growing shortage of healthcare professionals.

Additionally, federal programs supporting Graduate Medical Education (GME), though primarily funded through Medicare, rely on federal student loans to support medical residents and fellows. Disruptions to federal loan processing due to Education Department staffing cuts will make it harder for medical graduates to afford or complete residencies, particularly in rural Oregon where care access is already fragile.

According to a recent article in the Washington Post (2025), the administration’s proposal to eliminate Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) represents an attack on healthcare workers who dedicate their careers to public service. Oregon nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and other health professionals who serve in nonprofits, public hospitals, and rural clinics rely on PSLF to make education affordable. Eliminating PSLF will leave thousands of Oregon healthcare workers drowning in debt, reducing incentives to work in public or rural sectors and worsening care shortages. The Department of Education oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt, according to the Education Data Initiative (2024). Gutting the workforce responsible for managing these loans will result in processing delays, errors, and confusion, adding stress and financial insecurity for Oregon’s future healthcare professionals.

Oregon hospitals and clinics are already facing a staffing disaster. A 2023 survey by ONA found that 99% of Oregon healthcare professionals report that their units are sometimes or never adequately staffed. The Department of Education cuts threaten to disrupt the pipeline of future healthcare workers by reducing funding and slowing down the processing of financial aid and education grants. This will make it harder for students to access education programs and complete their training, especially for nurse practitioners and physicians who face higher educational costs and longer timelines to certification. This will, in turn, leave Oregon's healthcare facilities struggling to fill vacancies. Fewer new health professionals entering the workforce means existing staff will continue to shoulder unsustainable workloads, increasing burnout and turnover. 

This is not just a policy choice; it’s a choice to risk patient lives. When healthcare units are short-staffed, patients suffer. The same survey found that 78% of respondents reported delayed response times to patient calls, 76% reported medication delays, and 71% reported delays in pain management. Trump's education cuts will only make these delays worse, putting Oregon patients' health and safety at even greater risk.

This is a direct assault on Oregon’s healthcare system and on every healthcare worker striving to protect our communities. Slashing the Department of Education isn't cutting red tape—it's cutting the lifeline for Oregon's patients and healthcare workforce. Oregon health professionals are standing up and saying: enough is enough. 

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Applications for the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington’s 2025 scholarship program are open. Last year, the program awarded $1,182,575 to 423 students pursuing postsecondary education. Its current scholarship application cycle closes on April 30, 2025. Interested applicants can visit www.cfsww.org/scholarships to access a brief eligibility quiz and submit one consolidated application for applicable scholarships.

The Community Foundation manages 75 scholarship funds established by donors, organizations and businesses that want to support academic achievement in undergraduate, graduate, technical and trade programs. Some scholarships are geared toward students graduating from certain high schools, attending specific colleges or pursuing distinct fields of study, such as architecture, firefighting, teaching, nursing, business, engineering or the arts. Others offer broad support to students facing barriers to education, such as those who have experienced foster care, domestic violence, incarceration, homelessness or living with a disability.

One such fund is the Jay and Diane Zidell Scholarship, which awards $50,000 annually to Clark County students working their way through school. Eligible applicants must be employed at least 10 hours per week and registered to attend an accredited college, university, technical or career school. The awards average $2,000 and are renewable for students who maintain eligibility and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. 

Deanna Green, Senior Scholarship Manager and Development Associate, said she works with donors to expand support for students, especially those considered low-income, first-generation, underrepresented or nontraditional. In the last five years, the program has expanded the number of scholarships awarded by 33 percent and has recorded a 56 percent increase in the overall dollars it distributes.

“Our goal is to expand access to educational opportunities across the board so that our region’s students can chart their own paths to prosperity and contribute to their communities in greater ways," Green said. 

Milwaukie Or – On 3/11/25 at approximately 8:40 PM, Officers were called to the Milwaukie Market Place near the 10900 block of SE Oak St. on report of a stolen vehicle in the area. Milwaukie Police had been alerted by a vehicle security service who provided the location via a tracking device.

Upon arrival, Officers observed the Toyota Tacoma to be occupied by two subjects and have an attached enclosed utility trailer which was backed up to a loading dock. Officers attempted a tactic called pinning where a patrol car or multiple patrol cars are positioned in contact or close proximity with the suspect’s vehicle. This tactic reduces the suspects ability to become mobile and to try and limit a potential vehicle pursuit.  In this case, there was no ability to pin the rear of the trailer, and the driver immediately backed up and created enough space to attempt a getaway.

An Officer had positioned their patrol vehicle in front of the Toyota giving commands to the driver, standing between their patrol car and the wall of the building. The suspect then drove forward and rammed the patrol car in an attempt to flee. The Officer was able to get back into their vehicle, narrowly avoiding being hurt or struck by the suspect’s vehicle. Another officer who was on scene was able to push the Toyota against the curb and effectively immobilize the Toyota. 

The driver and suspect of the stolen vehicle and trailer was taken into custody without further incident, however, he was in possession of a spring activated folding knife. During a search, a realistic looking replica glock brand pistol was located in the Toyota and upon further investigation, it was discovered the trailer was also stolen. No Officers or suspects were injured in the event and there is no ongoing threats to the community.

Brian Peoples, 47 of Clackamas, was lodged at the Clackamas County Jail on charges of Possession of a stolen vehicle, attempt to elude a police officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a restricted weapon by a felon.

If you have additional information about this theft or incident contact the Milwaukie Police, police@milwaukieoregon.gov case #25-1506

Stolen vehicle and trailer recovered, police car rammed. | City of Milwaukie Oregon Official Website

Wasco County, Ore. 12 Mar 2025- On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 1:43 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 216, near milepost 23, in Wasco County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Ford F150, operated by Samuel Timothy Crafard (72) of Maupin, left the roadway into the westbound ditch, struck a culvert, and flipped onto its roof. 

The operator of the Ford (Crafard) was declared deceased at the scene.

A passenger of the Ford, Carol Ann Workman (78) of Maupin, suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Juniper Flat Rural Fire District, Wasco County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Multnomah County, Ore. 12 Mar 2025- On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 8:01 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 127, near milepost 4, in Multnomah County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Subaru WRX, operated by Douglas Robert Huard (68) of Portland, was negotiating a curve when it entered the northbound lane and struck a Kia Sportage, operated by Cindy Ann Crandall (67) of St Helens, sending the KIA over the guardrail and down an embankment. A northbound Toyota Corolla, operated by Derek Wilbert Richman (55) of Beaverton, was behind the Kia and struck debris from the primary crash.

The operator of the Subaru (Huard) was reportedly seriously injured and transported to an area hospital.

The operator of the KIA (Crandall) was declared deceased at the scene. A passenger in the KIA, a male juvenile (2), was reportedly uninjured.

The operator of the Toyota (Richman) was reportedly uninjured.

The highway was impacted for approximately six hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

PF&R responds to early morning apartment fire with suspect in custody

At 6:09 this morning, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to an apartment fire in the North Portland St. John’s Neighborhood with reports of a kitchen fire in an apartment complex located on N. Trumball Avenue. The location of this occupancy is less than a mile from the closest fire station, so the initial engine and truck crews arrived quickly to report smoke showing from the north end of an apartment building. PPB was already on scene assisting in notifying and evacuating residents.

While the first two 4-person engine crews were establishing a water supply and pulling hose from the engine to the apartment with the fire issue, the first arriving truck was investigating the fire apartment along with assisting in the evacuation process of the occupants. A radio transmission from a firefighter performing a 360 of the structure indicated active fire was present on the backside of the structure. This prompted the command officer to request a second alarm assignment to ensure that if the fire grew and ran the entire building, there would be enough firefighters on scene to safely evacuate all residents along with have fire suppression capabilities.

It is the top priority of PF&R to save lives and in a fire scenario with an occupied housing complex and the tasks of extinguishing the fire while simultaneously performing evacuation or rescue can quickly consume resources from the initial alarm. The second alarm adds an additional 26 members to the response along with a station bringing a Rehab unit to the scene to perform medical evaluations on both firefighters and residents on scene if needed. In total, PF&R had 64 members assigned and enroute to the location. This is the second early AM fire in as many days where PF&R has added resources to a fire call to ensure enough workforce is on scene to address any additional evacuation-rescue-medical component that can easily occur in high-density residential structures with an active fire issue. We place 171 members in fire stations surrounding the city daily to have enough members on duty and available to safely manage risks like these.

With the fire isolated to a single apartment the initial fire attach crew was able to extinguish the fire in the apartment quickly with a small amount of extension upward into the attic space. The second truck crew on scene was on the roof cutting a ventilation hole in the roof to allow for smoke and heat to escape the structure. This crew confirmed a small amount of fire present in the attic and requested a hose line to the roof to extinguish the flames. The fire was completely extinguished in under 20 minutes with nearly all the second alarm companies turning around prior to their arrival on this fire scene.

There will be at least a single occupant displaced with a possibility of the resident in the apartment below the fire room needing to relocate due to water damage. There were no reported injuries. The combined PF&R-PPB Fire Investigations Unit is on scene performing resident interviews and investigating the suspected area of origin to determine cause including the deployment of the accelerant detection canine team. Preston Joseph MacDougall, 38, is in custody and lodged into the MCSO detention center with the charges of two counts of arson-1, a single count of criminal mischief-1, and three counts of reckless endangerment.

Portland Fire would like to thank our Public Safety partners at PPB and BOEC for the assistance in this incident.

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At 8:49pm on Tuesday March 11th, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire in an apartment building at the Eagle Crest Apartments, located at 4300 Pacific Avenue. Several callers reported that the back of the apartments were on fire. Minutes later, the first arriving crew arrived to find an eight unit apartment building with four of the units well engulfed in flames from the shared entryway as well as the rear deck portion of the building. Due to the amount of fire involvement and the size of the building, a 2nd Alarm was dispatched to bring in additional crews. It took firefighters 42 minutes to fully extinguish the fire and deem the incident under control. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the four adjoining units in the building.

Thankfully, all residents were able to safely evacuate their apartments. One resident was evaluated on scene for smoke inhalation, but didn't require transport to a local hospital. In total, 11 residents lived in the damaged apartment units and are displaced, they received assistance from Red Cross. Additionally, 5 residents from the non-burned units required assistance due to power being shut off to the whole building.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but initial findings are that the fire likely started on the back deck of one of the units.

During the incident, east bound Pacific Avenue (Oregon Highway 8) was closed for approximately an hour and half due to emergency vehicles on the roadway.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wants to remind everyone to know at least two ways out of your home. If a doorway becomes blocked by fire, you will need to find a second way to safely evacuate. This might be a different doorway or even a window. If you live upstairs, think about investing in a fire escape ladder to deploy out of a window.

We were assisted on scene by Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Cornelius Fire Department, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Gaston Fire District, Banks Fire District, Forest Grove Police Department, Washington County Sheriff, AMR, Forest Grove Public Works and Forest Grove Light & Power.

Scene Information
Engines - 7
Trucks - 2

Brush Units - 2
Chiefs - 5

Total Fire Personnel - 50

# # #

Lincoln County, Ore. 12 Mar 2025- On Monday, March 10, 2025, at 4:41 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 34, near milepost 27, in Lincoln County. 

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Honda Civic, operated by Brandy Amber Damm-Winningham (42) of Corvallis, lost control, left the roadway and rolled approximately 300 feet down a steep embankment. The operated was ejected from the vehicle during the roll event.

The operator of the Honda (Damm-Winningham), who was not believed to be wearing a seatbelt, was declared deceased at the scene.

A passenger in the Honda, Becky Jean Damm (62) of Corvallis, suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. 

OSP was assisted by the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Alsea Fire Department, Central Lincoln Fire Department, and Yachats Fire Department. 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

(Astoria, OR) — Clatsop County residents are invited to take part in an important new effort to strengthen community resilience and preparedness. The first meeting of Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) will be held on Sunday, March 23, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Peace Lutheran Church, 725 33rd Street, Astoria.

What is COAD?

COAD is a collaborative effort to unite local organizations, businesses, and individuals to improve disaster response and recovery efforts. This initiative is being launched because Clatsop County does not currently have a COAD and having one will enhance the community’s ability to respond effectively to disasters.

“Prepared communities are resilient communities,” said Jen Munson, Clatsop County Community Engagement Coordinator. “And the most resilient communities have long-standing COADs, which play an essential role in ensuring effective disaster response, supporting vulnerable populations, and addressing critical needs quickly and efficiently.”

The kick-off meeting will provide an opportunity for community members to:

• Learn about emergency preparedness at the neighborhood level
• Understand local community needs and recovery resources
• Discover ways to contribute to a coordinated disaster response

This event is open to anyone in the community who is interested in playing a role in emergency preparedness and response. Whether you're looking to get involved, are part of an organization that serves the community, or simply want to learn more, your participation is welcome and encouraged. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Let’s get prepared—together!

Clackams County, Ore. 12 Mar 2025- On Monday, March 3, 2025, at 4:50 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 26, near milepost 44, in Clackamas County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Chevrolet Malibu, operated by Selena Mae Brust (27) of Portland, left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck a rock before rolling off the northern side of the roadway. The vehicle had been reported as stolen prior to the collision to the Gresham Police Department.

The operator of the vehicle (Brust) was transported to an area hospital for evaluation before being lodged at the Clackamas County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangerment, and Manslaughter II. 

A passenger in the vehicle, Nathan Andrew Bergstrom (45) of Beaverton, was declared deceased at the scene.

The highway was impacted for approximately seven hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Hoodland Fire, and ODOT.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Sheriff Shanks and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will be providing an in-person update for media partners. The Sheriff’s Office will share a brief overview of the investigation and search efforts, share the latest information, and any anticipated next steps.
 

To ensure a smooth and productive process, we kindly ask media partners to submit their questions in advance. By receiving your inquiries ahead of time, we can address as many topics as possible, minimize redundant questions, and ensure a thorough and informative session. These questions can be emailed to iff@co.lincoln.or.us">lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us.

Updates will be shared after the media briefing for those that are unable to attend in person.

When: Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 12:30pm.

Where: Siletz Valley Grange Hall, 224 N Gaither St, Siletz, OR 97380

RSVP:To help with planning, members of the media are asked to RSVP and submit questions by emailing lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us. Media partners interested in attending will need to sign in at the location.
 

Additional updates will be shared via FlashAlert and social media as they become available.

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Vancouver, Wash. – Improvements are coming to Northwest Bliss Road/Northwest Hathaway Road/Northwest 139th Street. This spring, changes will improve safety between Northwest 11th and 21st Avenues. The changes include:

• Restriping the roadway for one travel lane in each direction
• Striping/restriping for dedicated turn lanes
• Wide, buffered bike lanes
• High-visibility lane markings
• Enhanced signage
• Pedestrian refuges and improved crossings

These features improve safety for students, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Safety is a top priority for this school zone which serves K-12 students in three schools. Residents can learn more about the project at an upcoming information session 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26. Staff will share a presentation about the project from 6:30 – 7 p.m. with a Q&A (question-and-answer) session immediately following.
 

Residents can attend in-person at Alki Middle School, 1800 NW Bliss Road. Attendees can view project information and meet with staff before and after the presentation. Refreshments are provided.

The presentation and question-and-answer session will also be streamed live online via Webex. Online attendees can ask questions during the Q&A using the chat feature. Residents can register to receive an email link to join the meeting. A meeting link will be posted to the webpage 10 minutes before the presentation. Registration and online meeting information can be found on the project webpage.
 

Presentation slides, visual aids and a recording of the presentation and Q&A session will be posted on the webpage within five business days. Materials are available in Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian, and additional languages on request. Interpretation, translation or accommodations to participate in the information session can be requested by contacting the project manager, Ali Pilkington at ali.pilkington@clark.wa.gov or 564.397.4572.

More information about the project can be found on the project webpage at clark.wa.gov/public-works/northwest-bliss-road/139th-street-school-zone-safety-improvement-project.

For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.

Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works/news to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.

Vaya a clark.wa.gov/public-works/news para leer esta información en español. Haga clic en el botón en la parte superior a la derecha de la página que dice "Change language " junto al icono de globo terráqueo y elija su idioma preferido.

Чтобы прочитать эту информацию на русском языке, зайдите на сайт clark.wa.gov/public-works/news. Нажмите на кнопку Change language (“Изменить язык”) в правом верхнем углу страницы рядом с символом земного шара и выберите свой язык.

Перейдіть на сторінку clark.wa.gov/public-works/news, щоб прочитати цю інформацію українською. Натисніть кнопку Change language (Змінити мову) зі значком глобуса у верхньому правому куті сторінки та виберіть потрібну мову.

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PORTLAND, Ore. – The Governing Board of the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) will meet on Tuesday, March 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. (PT). This public meeting will be conducted via teleconference.

The meeting agenda, including call-in information, is available at: https://www.oregon.gov/dogami/about/govboard/boardagenda_3_25_2025.pdf

The DOGAMI Governing Board sets policy, oversees general operations, and adopts a strategic plan every six years. The Board meets at least quarterly. As active members of their communities, Board members provide an important connection between Oregonians and DOGAMI’s mission of providing earth science information and regulation to make Oregon safe and prosperous.

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Every year, the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony honors the state’s law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. This year’s ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 6 at 1 p.m. at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem.

The annual event commemorates the more than 190 fallen officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the state of Oregon since the 1860s. This includes law enforcement, corrections, and parole and probation officers from city, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies.

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is proud to host the ceremony in partnership with the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Oregon Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, and various statewide law enforcement associations. 

Corvallis, Ore., March 13, 2025 – The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Siuslaw National Forest remind visitors to the Oregon coast that it is plover nesting season ­— beachgoers can help recovery efforts for the threatened western snowy plover March 15 to Sept. 15.

Sensitive plover nesting areas are identified on maps for the northern Oregon Coast and southern Oregon Coast. Signs may be present at trailheads with additional rules and limits, such as staying on the wet sand and no dogs even on a leash, to help protect the small shorebirds and their exposed nests during this crucial period. Visitors may also see rope fencing in dry sand areas; this fencing delineates some, but not all, of the critical plover habitat that should be avoided.

Recreation restrictions occur in designated plover management areas: stretches of beach along the coastline where plovers nest or might nest. These areas combined make up about 40 miles of Oregon's 362 miles of shoreline.

Seasonal recreation restrictions have helped protect these small birds that nest on open sand along Oregon’s beaches. Nests, and especially chicks, are well-camouflaged. During the nesting season, human disturbances can flush adult plovers away from their nests as they attempt to defend their young. Left alone too long, or too often, eggs or chicks can die from exposure, predators or people.

Reminders for recreation on designated plover beaches March 15-Sept. 15:

• The following are not permitted: dogs (even on a leash), driving a vehicle, riding a bicycle, operating electric-assisted bicycles, camping, burning wood, flying kites or operating drones.
• Foot and equestrian traffic are permitted below the high-tide line on hard packed sand.
• Respect signs and barriers to protect nesting habitat.

“With the support of the public and improvements to plover habitat, we’re making great strides in reversing the decline of this species,” said Cindy Burns, Siuslaw National Forest wildlife biologist. “Keep doing your part to understand nesting season rules and to share the beach this spring and summer.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed western snowy plovers as a threatened species in 1993, when officials counted only 45 breeding adults. The numbers of breeding adults have steadily increased since then due to ongoing efforts. Officials counted 440 during the breeding season survey in 2024.

“We appreciate visitors' support in keeping these shorebirds safe in the combined 40 miles of protected area along the coast. We invite visitors to enjoy permitted recreation in those areas or to recreate without seasonal restrictions on the hundreds of miles of beaches not designated as plover nesting areas,” said Laurel Hillmann, ocean shore specialist for Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

More information on the snowy plover, including detailed maps of nesting sites, can be found on the Oregon State Parks website (oregon.gov/plovers) and on the Siuslaw National Forest website (https://t.ly/AKPAN). Visitors to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Sand Lake Recreation Area can review Off-highway Vehicle (OHV) maps to identify unrestricted recreation areas and information on riding motor vehicles on the sand.

New plover activity   

Plovers have been found nesting in new or historical nesting sites. For example, plover nests have been identified at the Sand Lake Recreation Area, near the lake’s inlet, every year the last few years. Beachgoers can protect these birds by recreating on the wet sand areas, avoiding roped off nesting areas, observing trail kiosks and signs, packing all trash out and keeping dogs on leash.

Background on plover protections

Several land managers oversee beach activity for plover protection, primarily the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW).

Habitat loss from invasive plants — as well as human disturbances, including litter and discarded food scraps that attract predators — have contributed to the birds’ decline. The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, saveoregondunes.org, is working with land managers on a restoration strategy and to raise public awareness about the need to restore the dunes ecosystem for western snowy plovers, rare plants and animals and the unique recreation opportunities offered here.

Editors: photos are available at this link.

Salem, OR—Taxpayers who want to check the status of their Oregon state income tax refund will find more information available this year when they use the Department of Revenue’s Where’s My Refund? tool.

For the 2025 tax season, Where’s My Refund? has been upgraded to provide:

• Additional detail about refund status. 
• Added functionality to see when the agency is requesting additional information to complete processing a return. 
• Website enhancements for improved customer experience.

To have the benefit of the enhancements, however, taxpayers need to be signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool without being signed into Revenue Online account, but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

Most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional information and review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued. The Where’s My Refund? tool can help taxpayers identify if more information is needed to complete processing their return and, in most cases, provide that information electronically through Revenue Online.

Through March 11, the Oregon Department of Revenue has received and processed nearly 850,000 returns and has issued more than 640,000 refunds. That leaves a little more than 60 percent of the expected 2.2 million Oregon income tax returns to be filed in the final 34 days before the April 15 deadline.

"If you haven't filed your taxes yet, take care of them this month and beat the April rush," said Megan Denison, administrator of DOR's Personal Tax and Compliance Division.

Besides the high volume of returns filed at the end of tax season, there are other common things that can make it take longer for Oregonians to get their refunds.

Five common reasons refunds take longer and what to do about it.

• Filing a paper return. Paper returns take longer to process and, as a result, it takes longer to issue related refunds. File electronically instead.
• Filing electronically and requesting to receive a refund via a check takes longer. Request direct deposit instead.
• Filing more than once. Sending a duplicate paper return through the mail after e-filing will a delay a refund. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to amend their return to make changes.
• Refunds for taxpayers that are new to filing returns may be delayed so we can verify your identity. Taxpayers who receive a letter requesting identity verification are urged to respond promptly through Revenue Online to speed the processing of their return.
• Refunds can also be delayed when errors are identified on returns. Taxpayers who receive a letter requesting additional information are urged to respond promptly through Revenue Online to speed the processing of their return.

Taxpayers who are not logged into Revenue Online and want to check the status of their refund with the Where’s My Refund? tool on Revenue Online will need their:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN);
• Filing status; and
• The exact refund amount shown on:
  • Line 47 of their Form OR-40, or
  • Line 72 of their Form OR-40-N, or
  • Line 71 of their Form OR-40-P

The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

Filing electronically is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

All Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns in 2024 can file electronically at no cost using one of the free file options that can be found on the Department of Revenue website.

Taxpayers can check the status of their federal tax refunds on the IRS website.

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Washougal School District (WSD) has made significant progress in improving its financial health, and the district is no longer listed as a district with a financial warning on the OSPI Financial Health Indicator list. This improvement reflects the district’s commitment to sound financial management, using community feedback to guide budget adjustments, and achieving long-term fiscal stability. The district’s OSPI School District Financial Health Indicator has increased from 1.55 in the school year 2022-23 to 2.6 in 2023-24. 

The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) assigns financial health scores to each school district in the state based on key indicators including the ending fund balance to revenue ratio, expenditures to revenue ratio, and cash on hand. Previously, WSD’s 2022-23 score placed it in the “financial warning” category, prompting the district to take proactive measures to stabilize its financial position. 

Superintendent Aaron Hansen emphasized the district’s commitment to responsible financial stewardship, stating, "we recognized the urgency of addressing our financial situation and took deliberate steps to stabilize our budget. We asked for community feedback to guide reductions, and led with reductions in areas furthest from the classroom. While challenges remain, we are on a positive trajectory and committed to being strong stewards of public resources. We are thankful for our positive relationship with our labor partners and their help supporting staff impacted by the reductions."

Next Steps for Continued Financial Stability

As WSD continues working toward long-term financial health, the district is implementing the following strategies to further strengthen its fiscal position and regain the full confidence of the community:

• Restoring the Fund Balance to 6% – The district remains committed to meeting its 6% fund balance policy, which provides the operational cash flow the district needs to pay bills each month as well as handle unexpected financial challenges.

• Advocating for Increased State and Local Funding – Given regional funding challenges, WSD is actively engaging with legislators and encouraging the community to advocate for changes in education funding to keep pace with inflation, fully fund special education, and fix the prototypical staffing model.

• Demonstrating Fiscal Responsibility – The district is reinforcing its commitment to financial transparency by providing monthly financial updates to the Board and implementing clear financial reporting to ensure informed decision-making.

• Developing a Long-Term Financial Plan – WSD is focused on building a multi-year financial strategy that ensures long-term stability, reduces the risk of future budget deficits, and sustains quality educational programs for students.

Commitment to Transparency and Board Engagement

At the request of the Washougal School Board, the district has increased the frequency and depth of financial reporting to ensure Board members remain fully informed. WSD now provides monthly financial updates, giving real-time insights into revenues, expenditures, and fund balance trends.

"The board is being provided with financial information in a clear, concise format to support our governance and decision-making," said Sadie McKenzie, WSD School Board President. “The board appreciates the ideas shared by the community and has worked closely with the Superintendent to make sure we are preserving excellent programs for students as we create a sustainable budget.”

As WSD continues working toward long-term financial stability, district leaders remain committed to collaborating with the Board, staff, and community to make informed, responsible financial decisions that support student success.

Date: Wed, March 26th

Time: 7 pm

Location: Alberta Rose Theatre

Tickets: $15-$45

Event Website: scienceontaporwa.org/events/alberta_march_26_data-viz/

So much data. So much misrepresentation. In our era, understanding the nuances of effective visual storytelling is more crucial than ever.

What is the neuroscience of vision?
The psychology of perception?
How do our brains process visual information?

Well-designed graphs can illuminate complex data, making it accessible and engaging for all audiences, while poor design choices, including misleading logos, can distort the truth behind the numbers.

Sip on local brews and learn about the aesthetic elements of data visualization AND the ethical responsibilities that come with presenting information. How can we ensure our visuals tell an honest story? What are the implications of data manipulation in public discourse? How to think critically about the visuals you encounter and create, highlighting the ethical dimensions in the context of neuroscience and psychology.

Jackie Wirz, PhD, (our own MC!) is a biochemist by training, a nonprofit executive by profession, and a teller of stories. After 15 years of bad graphics as a research scientist, she decided to educate herself on what actually goes into a great visualization. She leveraged these skills as a data management specialist, academic administrator, and as a nonprofit executive. In her spare time she is the MC (mistress of ceremonies) for a variety of events including Science on Tap!

Dr. Steven Bedrick is an Associate Professor at OHSU where his research focuses on the intersection of natural language processing and healthcare. He is also interested in the societal and ethical implications that arise from speech and language technology.

Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, drink a pint, and enjoy learning. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don't have to

PORTLAND, Ore. – The healthcare industry in the United States is experiencing a severe shortage of workers driven by the medical needs of an aging population. And, the industry is expected to add jobs over the next decade — 1.6 million through 2033, which is about 24% of all new jobs in the economy (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

To help meet this demand, Portland Community College has developed credentials that help build a qualified workforce more quickly.

PCC’s Healthcare Careers Certificate is an opportunity for high school students enrolled in two dual credit programs—Jefferson High School Middle College for Advanced Studies and Hillsboro Independent School District Early College.

“This offers a unique exposure to healthcare at no direct cost to students,” said Hailey Lofdahl, faculty member and Medical Professions Program chair. “They can earn a 14-credit certificate that prepares them with foundational skills employers require while also exploring a variety of healthcare careers.”

The certificate equips students with technical and soft skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, and health information management. Many graduates secure roles as emergency room technicians, surgical techs, patient access specialists, and medical interpreters while continuing their education. The curriculum includes courses in medical terminology, healthcare law and ethics, CPR/AED certification, and healthcare delivery systems.

With classes available both online and in person, the certificate ensures flexibility while fostering career readiness. “Many students use this as a stepping stone toward nursing, biomedical engineering, or pre-med studies,” Lofdahl added.

Certificate Passes Eye Test

Elsewhere, PCC is piloting a revamped Eye Technician Certificate Program, condensing its two-year Ophthalmic Medical Technology degree into a streamlined, one-year certificate. With an inaugural cohort of 18 students starting this past winter, the program, which is based at the Cascade Campus in North Portland, responds to industry demands for qualified ophthalmic technicians while making education more accessible and cost-effective.

“We’ve redeveloped the program in response to long-standing trends of declining enrollment and strong industry need,” said Ellie Bessarab, Eye Tech instructor. “This new model reduces time-to-completion and program costs while maintaining our high standards.”

Key benefits of the program include a 12-month completion time, which significantly reduces tuition and fees; early clinical rotations in the first term for hands-on experience; and eligibility for the International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology Certified Ophthalmic Technician Exam.

“Shortening the program allows us to meet demand while making training more accessible,” Bessarab noted.

Emergency Medical Services: A Fast Track to Careers

Also at Cascade is PCC’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program, the largest in the state. It provides students with a rapid and rewarding pathway into emergency medicine. With options to complete Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification in as little as one to two terms, students can quickly enter the workforce or use their training as a stepping stone toward advanced medical careers.

Quintin Laville, a recent EMT student, described the program’s appeal: “I wanted a purpose. I want to help people and grow as a person. This program is fast-paced, hands-on, and exciting.”

Led by experienced instructors who have worked in the field, the program emphasizes real-world application and teamwork. Due to increasing demand, PCC has also reintroduced its accelerated EMT program, condensing the curriculum into one term. This change responds to industry needs and allows students to begin working sooner.

“The demand for EMTs continues to grow, and this program provides a strong foundation for students entering emergency medicine,” said James Gray, EMS faculty and department chair as well as Paramedicine program director. “We are seeing students from all walks of life—some starting fresh, others with degrees in different fields—begin meaningful careers here.”

For more information about PCC’s wide array of healthcare and emergency professions training, visit www.pcc.edu/health/

About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.

Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County is seeking applicants for three positions on its Commission on Aging. The commission manages and implements the county’s Aging Readiness Plan and fosters countywide awareness, dialogue and insight into challenges and opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities.

Positions begin June 1, 2025. Volunteers typically serve three-year terms, which will end May 31, 2028. Residents living anywhere in Clark County may apply.

The county is looking for people who can bring:

• Interest and experience in issues and advocacy for older adults, related to housing; transportation/mobility; supportive services; healthy communities; community engagement; and emergency preparedness which are elements of the Aging Readiness Plan;
• Ethnic, cultural, social, and geographic diversity to the group; and
• Outstanding strategic communication and public speaking skills and experience meeting with a wide range of individuals and organizations.

The Commission is focusing their 2025 work on healthy communities and housing.

The commission meets 3:15-6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Each meeting includes a work session followed by a public meeting with informational presentations/discussions. Additional meetings, review of materials and related tasks may require an extra 10 hours per month. Meetings currently are being held in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual options to attend.

Applicants should submit a résumé and letter of interest to Michelle Pfenning, County Manager’s Office, at Michelle.Pfenning@clark.wa.gov. Applications also may be mailed to P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000.

Submission deadline is 5 pm Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

The Aging Readiness Plan covers access to housing, transportation, health and safety, a variety of lifestyles, support services, and civic or social engagement. For more on the plan and commission, see www.clark.wa.gov/aging.

Kelso, WA – Firefighters from Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue were dispatched to a rail car on fire late Tuesday night just before midnight at the BNSF rail line near Talley Way and Coweeman Park Dr.  Firefighters arrived on scene and made contact with the Union Pacific representative who informed them that the rail car was hauling garbage from the Seattle area to Arlington, OR for disposal.  Firefighters had to cut into the side of the rail car to access and extinguish the smoldering contents. 

Before the operation began, the Incident Command Officer, in conjunction with the Union Pacific representative, shut down travel on all train lines for safety purposes. 

The fire was extinguished just before 2am Wednesday.  No injuries were reported.  The cause of the fire was undetermined.     

Soft launch for Clark’s new Ridgefield location                                                                                                                                  

VANCOUVER, Wash.— Starting this April, Clark College will host eight new Ridgefield-based classes as part of the college’s expansion into north Clark County. Six of the classes will be held in the recently completed Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) building at Clark’s newest satellite campus at Boschma Farms, 7000 E. Pioneer Street, Ridgefield, Wash. Two “Learn with a winemaker” series will be hosted by local Ridgefield wineries, Confluence and Columbia Ridge. 

Considered a soft launch this April, these classes are only the beginning of plans for an official opening for this Fall term, which starts September 22, 2025. When fully operational, the AMC facility will serve as a state-of-the-art cornerstone for technical education, community development, and preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce.

“We are excited to test out this new facility for the Spring term,” said Clark’s Vice President of Operations, Sabra Sand. “Right now, we are putting the final finishing touches on the new building, including the delivery and set up of furniture and equipment and the finalization of IT and security systems, and more.” 

When ready, the Ridgefield campus will also have meeting spaces and conference rooms that will soon be available as rental options for the Ridgefield community for gathering and community-building.

Fall’s offering of classes is anticipated to include an expanded list of community and continuing education (CCE) courses, general education classes, plus an advanced manufacturing program which is currently under development. Five general education classrooms and one computer lab will be able to accommodate a future capacity to serve up to 1,200 students per term.

Enrolled students can already register for these two Spring for-credit general education classes:

• Environmental Biology
• College Algebra

Six non-credit community and continuing education courses will be open for all community members to register online, starting March 10. 

• Learn with a Winemaker – Columbia Ridge Winery, 1 session on 4/18 ($55)
• Salmon at Risk: Understanding the PNW Crisis – 2 weeks, starting 4/21 ($49)
• Weather 101 – 5 weeks, starting 5/7 ($109)
• Civics: Hot Topics — 1 session on 5/13 ($25)
• Chinook: Walking with our Ancestors – 5 weeks, starting 5/14 ($109)
• Learn with a Winemaker – Confluence Winery, 1 session on 5/18 ($55)

Other classes and locations are available here.

About the Advanced Manufacturing Center at Boschma Farms

Located on a 10-acre property due east of the Ridgefield Junction, the 49,000 square foot Advanced Manufacturing Center features a vast open manufacturing floor, collaboration zones, satellite instructional facilities, classrooms, laboratories, offices and more. The 35,000 square feet dedicated to manufacturing training includes three industry-specific classrooms, four labs, five manufacturing cells and a vast open manufacturing floor. The remaining 14,000 square feet houses the five general education classrooms, along with faculty and student amenities.

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves a wide range of students including high school students, displaced workers, veterans, parents, non-native English speakers, and mature learners. Approximately 45% of its students are in the first generation of their families to attend college.  

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Community & Continuing Education Classes (Ridgefield)

Register online, starting March 10, 2025

Weather 101 

Learn basic weather reading skills to help the Gardener, Hiker, or outdoor person.  Learn to read weather maps, interpret cloud formations, understanding our local climate, and gain practical weather knowledge.  Taught by a USDA-Graduate School certified Meteorologist and former NOAA/NWS forecaster.

Wednesdays, 1:30-3:30pm, 5/7 - 6/4, 5 weeks

CLBF Room 208

Tuition: $109

Instructor: Kyle Dittmer

Salmon at Risk: Understanding the PNW Crisis

Dive into the critical challenges facing Pacific Northwest salmon populations in this three-session course. Explore the devastating impact of human activities, climate change, and habitat disruption on these vital species. Discover the ongoing efforts to protect and restore salmon habitats, and learn what you can do to help safeguard the future of these iconic fish.

Mondays, 1:30-3:30pm,Date: 4/21 - 4/28, 2 weeks

CLBF Room 208

Tuition: $49

Instructor: Kyle Dittmer

Chinook: Walking With our Ancestors 

Learn from a tribal elder about the resilient Chinook Nation - and the past and current fight for federal recognition. Examine the shameful history behind broken promises and treaties. Discover the story and culture of the Chinook peoples who were indigenous throughout the Lower Columbia regions. Rich in resources, these salmon and cedar people developed a vast trading system, resplendent in functional and beautiful art.

Wednesdays, 1:30-3:30pm, 5/14 - 6/11, 5 weeks

CLBF Room 206

Tuition: $109

Instructor: Sam Robinson

Civics: Hot Topics - Ridgefield 

Explore the hot issues that people are talking about in Ridgefield- home of Clark's newest campus, Boschma Farms. Join us for lively dialogue!

Tuesday, 1:30-3:30pm, 5/13, 1 week

CLCBF  Room 208

Tuition: $25

Instructor: Tracy Reilly-Kelly

Learn with a Winemaker- Confluence Winery 

Confluence Vineyards and Winery is a family run boutique Winery founded in 2008, focused on crafting high quality Rhone and Bordeaux varietals selecting grapes only from the best Washington State Vineyard sites. Winemaker, Greg Weber, will share his decades of fermentation and limited production wines experience and share how he creates Confluence's unique red wines. Special tasting and small bites included. In partnership with Confluence Winery.

Sunday, 4:00 - 6:00pm, 5/18, 1 week

Confluence Winery, 19111 NW 67th Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642

Tuition: $55

Learn with a Winemaker- Columbia Ridge Winery 

Columbia Ridge is a small family owned and operated winery which focus on big reds and grows their own Marechal Foch grapes, a hybrid French red variety. Columbia Ridge focuses on sustainability and powers their entire winery with solar power. Special tasting and small bites included. In partnership with Columbia Ridge Winery.

Friday, 6:00 - 8:00pm, 4/18, 1 week

Columbia Ridge Winery, 3006 NW 199th St, Ridgefield, WA 98642

Tuition: $55

In celebration of our 120th anniversary, Oaks Park is excited to offer our first-ever season pass to 120 lucky households!

Community members can enter a lottery for a chance to purchase Season Passes for their household for just $120 each.

Season passes include unlimited rides on any standard operating day of the 2025 season.

Each lottery winner may purchase a limit of 6 season passes. Height/safety requirements apply to rides and may impact a pass holder's ability to ride certain attractions.

The entry form can be found at oakspark.com/seasonpasslottery.

Season passes are not available to the general public; they are only available to lottery winners. Purchasing instructions will be sent to lottery winners via email on 3/21/2025.

At 1:32 this afternoon 4 units were dispatched for a vehicle into a building at 3303 NE Minnehaha St in Vancouver. The first unit to arrive was a Vancouver battalion chief, he found that the occupant had already exited the vehicle and was uninjured, at that point the priorities were to ensure there was no structural instability and to isolate any natural gas and electricity to the effected unit. The unit involved had no one inside at the time of the accident. The incident is under investigation by Vancouver Police Department  

Salem and Toledo, Ore. – The Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC), which operates under the Salem Fire Department, handled an incredible 209,104 emergency calls and 215,599 agency calls in the past year—totaling 404,703 calls—managed by only 79 employees. As one of the busiest emergency communications centers in the region, WVCC continues to provide critical dispatch services for multiple agencies, ensuring efficient and coordinated public safety responses.

In line with this mission, the City of Salem and the City of Toledo jointly announce the successful transition of Toledo’s emergency dispatch services to WVCC. This transition marks a significant step forward in ensuring seamless and efficient 911 and dispatch services for the Toledo community.

For several years, the Toledo Dispatch Center has faced critical staffing shortages despite the tireless dedication of its remaining staff. In November 2024, after careful evaluation, the City of Toledo, with support from the Toledo City Council, made the difficult but necessary decision to contract out dispatching services to WVCC. This transition was undertaken to enhance emergency response capabilities while ensuring the highest level of public safety for the residents of Toledo and the surrounding areas. The transition process has been a collaborative effort, made possible through the extraordinary commitment of Toledo’s dispatchers, the support of WVCC, and assistance from partner agencies, including the Astoria Police Department, Seaside Police Department and Clackamas County Department of Communications (C-COM) dispatch teams. Their dedication has ensured uninterrupted emergency communications throughout this period of change.

“As we move forward, we recognize the deep impact this transition has had on our dispatch team and the Toledo community,” said City of Toledo Police Chief Michael Pace. “We are immensely grateful for the years of dedication from our local dispatchers and partner agencies' support during this process. While this marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to enhanced emergency communication capabilities for our city.”

Deputy Fire Chief Scott Leavell of the Salem Fire Department, who oversees WVCC, added, “This transition will allow WVCC’s highly skilled and experienced staff to serve the City of Toledo with improved technology and efficient communications. With WVCC’s past and present employees operating with a commitment to excellence and dedication to the agencies and communities we serve, WVCC has established a strong foundation that positions us to assist the City of Toledo. The City of Toledo’s residents will benefit from WVCC employees delivering them a professional, effective and responsive emergency dispatch service. We look forward to collaborating with our newly formed partners as we continue to prioritize and improve the safety and well-being of their community.”

With WVCC now handling Toledo’s emergency dispatching, Toledo Police Department officers and firefighters will benefit from improved coordination with surrounding agencies, streamlined communication, and access to enhanced dispatch technology and software. This partnership strengthens the public safety network, ensuring the Toledo community receives the most efficient and effective emergency response services.

# # #

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Finance Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. on March 13, 2025. 
This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.

https://multnomahesd-org.zoom.us/j/82196205511?pwd=3OtgDeCQ3kJUaq7VjmBIqySCvZsodd.1
Passcode:285064

APPLICANT REVIEW COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Applicant Review Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez (503) 551-3167.

To view the Applicant Review Committee's live-stream and other recorded videos, please visit DPSST’s official YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@DPSST.

Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. Committee Chair Appointment

3. Approve January 22, 2024, Meeting Minutes

4. Carl Biggs, DPSST No. 65857; Yamhill County Department of Community Justice

    Presented by Cindy Park

5. Lane Staley, DPSST No. 65900; DOC/ Columbia River Correctional Institution

    Presented by Cindy Park

6. Inquiry Closure Memos – Informational Only

7. Next Applicant Review Committee Meeting – April 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Applicant Review Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

MISSING CHILD DANE PAULSEN FOUND DECEASED

March 11, 2025 – Siletz Oregon

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the discovery of Dane Paulsen, who had been missing since March 1, 2025 around 4:25pm. After an extensive search and investigation by local authorities, along with the help of community volunteers, Dane was found today at approximately 11:13am in the Siletz River approximately 3 miles downstream from the family’s property. Sadly, he was found deceased.

Juan Heredia, with Angels Recovery Dive Team offered his dive services to Dane’s family. After connecting with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Jaun was escorted onto the river by a local river guide and began searching areas of the Siletz River downstream from where Sheriff’s Office drivers had thoroughly combed.  

Sheriff’s Office investigators are currently processing the scene. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is working in partnership with the Lincoln County Medical Examiners Office. As is standard with ongoing investigations, additional details are not available at this time.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office expresses its deepest sympathies to Dane’s family and loved ones. The impact of this loss is felt by the entire community, and we join those grieving this unimaginable tragedy.

"Our thoughts are with the family, who are facing an unbearable sorrow," said Sheriff Adam Shanks. "We are deeply grateful for the support and dedication shown by the search teams and our communities throughout this difficult time, though we wish it was under different circumstances."

We understand that this news is incredibly painful, especially for Dane’s family and those who knew him. Dane’s family has been notified. Out of respect for the family’s privacy during this profoundly difficult time, we ask the public and media to respect their need for space and time to grieve.
 

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OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College is hosting the second annual Accessible All-Stars and Networking, a free and inclusive event that brings together the disability community for an evening of connection, celebration and adaptive sports. The event will take place April 11 at the college’s Oregon City campus.

This year’s Accessible All-Stars game is an action-packed powerchair soccer match featuring the Adaptive Sports NW soccer team the Rose City Renegades/Power Soccer PDX. Power soccer is the fastest-growing team sport for power wheelchair users. It combines the skill and intensity of traditional soccer with the accessibility of power wheelchairs, allowing athletes to showcase their agility, strategy and teamwork. 

As part of the United States Power Soccer Association (USPSA), Power Soccer PDX competes in tournaments at local and national levels, providing individuals with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in high-energy, team-oriented sports. The game will take place in Randall Hall gymnasium at 6:30 p.m.

Before the game, attendees can explore the networking fair in the Wacheno Welcome Center, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The fair will feature a diverse range of teams, clubs, organizations, agencies and businesses that are either led by or provide support to the disability community. This is an opportunity to make connections, discover resources and get involved in advocacy, sports and community programs.

Participating organizations include:

• Down Syndrome NW

• Adaptive Sports NW

• Ride Connection

• Hoop Camp

• Parkinson’s Resources Oregon

• Brain Injury Connections NW

• PreETS

• Power Soccer PDX

• Tapestry Life Connections

• Vocational Rehabilitation

• Clackamas County Disability Services

• Adaptive Biketown Portland

• Clackamas Community College departments

“Accessible All-Stars is more than just a game — it’s a chance to bring people together, build meaningful connections and celebrate the incredible athletes in our community,” Shanna Schacher, Clackamas Community College grant coordinator and career coach, said. “Power Soccer PDX is a phenomenal team, and we’re thrilled to have them showcase their talent while also fostering engagement and inclusivity through this event.”

Clackamas Community College is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City. Parking is free. For more information or to find ways to participate or volunteer at Accessibility All-Stars, contact Shanna Schacher at shanna.schacher@clackamas.edu.

-30-

On March 7, 2025, a Multnomah County jury found Jamie Strahm guilty of two counts of 
Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree. One count was for withholding the necessary and adequate food from the victim, who was between the ages of seven and eight at the time. The other count was for withholding the necessary and adequate medical attention from the same victim.

The evidence presented at trial included the following facts:

Ms. Strahm started dating the victim’s father in 2014, assuming the role of primary caretaker for the victim after moving into the home. In 2015, the victim (then four years old) suffered an unexplained brain injury while in Ms. Strahm’s care. The victim was hospitalized for several weeks, and left the hospital with a G-tube. When discharged from the hospital, the victim was approximately 45 pounds and was in the 85th percentile for weight at that time. 

The victim failed to thrive while in Ms. Strahm’s care, and lost a significant amount of weight over the next few years. Ms. Strahm repeatedly told medical providers that the victim was unwilling to eat food by mouth, and claimed that she had been feeding the victim the required amount via G-tube. 

By April 25, 2018, the victim was at the 13th percentile for weight. Ms. Strahm failed to make a follow-up appointment with the victim’s registered dietician, and she cancelled or failed to show for a large number of the victim’s medical appointments over the ensuing eighteen months.

Ms. Strahm finally brought the victim in to see the registered dietitian on October 24, 2019. Although Ms. Strahm claimed to be feeding the victim 200% of his expected caloric needs, the victim was extremely thin and frail. Concerned by the victim’s appearance, the registered dietician made arrangements to ensure the victim would be admitted to Randall Children’s Hospital the following day. 

The victim weighed less than 40 pounds when admitted to the hospital and was suffering from refeeding syndrome. Over the span of more than four years in the defendant’s care, when he should have been gaining weight, the victim instead lost more than 10% of his total body weight.

Soon after being admitted to the hospital, the victim began eating food by mouth when Ms. Strahm was not in the same room. Ms. Strahm was banned from the hospital on November 14, 2019. Within one month, the victim gained 10 pounds and demonstrated that he did not need a G-tube to meet his nutritional needs. 

The jury found Jamie Strahm guilty on Count 1 of the indictment, Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree. This count alleged that between April 25, 2018, and November 25, 2019, Jamie Strahm intentionally and knowingly withheld the necessary and adequate food from the victim, who was a dependent person. The jury also found Jamie Strahm guilty on Count 3 of the indictment, Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree. This count alleged that Jamie Strahm intentionally and knowingly withheld the necessary and adequate medical attention from the victim during the same time period.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Rachna Hajari and Senior Deputy District Attorney Charles Mickley prosecuted the case for the State. They would like to thank Emma Kane for her work as a caring and compassionate victim’s advocate on this case. Most importantly, they express their thanks to the dedicated medical staff at Randall Children’s Hospital and CARES Northwest, who worked to save the victim’s life and protect the victim from Ms. Strahm.

Ms. Strahm is out of custody. Sentencing is set for March 28, 2025 at 8:30 am.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2025

REACH Community Development Welcomes Two New Executives: Eric Buenrostro Azúa as Chief Human Resource Officer and Jackie Keogh as Head of Philanthropy and Impact

Portland, OR – REACH Community Development (REACH) is proud to welcome two distinguished leaders to its executive team: Eric Buenrostro Azúa as Chief Human Resource Officer and Jackie Keogh as Head of Philanthropy and Impact. Their leadership, expertise, and dedication to community development and organizational excellence will play a vital role in advancing REACH’s mission to create and preserve affordable housing while fostering thriving, inclusive communities.

Eric Buenrostro Azúa brings a wealth of experience in Human Resources and Organizational Development, with a career spanning both Mexico and the United States. Holding a degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Guanajuato in Mexico and a Master’s in Applied Psychology (Organizational Development and Training) from Southern Oregon University, Eric has successfully led initiatives in employee engagement, workplace culture, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. His leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration and creating inclusive work environments where employees feel valued and empowered. With a strong track record in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, he has driven transformative change in industries ranging from the arts to automotive and food manufacturing. Eric is eager to bring his passion for organizational growth to REACH.

“I am honored to join REACH and contribute to an organization that is making a real difference in people's lives,” said Eric Buenrostro Azúa. “Creating an inclusive and empowering workplace culture is at the heart of my work, and I look forward to fostering an environment where our employees can thrive and bring their best to the communities we serve.”

Jackie Keogh, a seasoned professional in community development and affordable housing, joins REACH as Head of Philanthropy and Impact. With over a decade of experience in scaling grassroots nonprofit organizations, Jackie has played a pivotal role in shaping strategic and fundraising efforts. She began her career at an affordable housing nonprofit in Massachusetts, helping transform it into a nationally recognized regional community development corporation. Jackie’s Oregon experience includes leadership roles at the Portland Housing Bureau and as Deputy Director of Proud Ground, the largest Community Land Trust in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director for Rooted Homes in Bend, OR, where she led the organization to significant growth, building sustainable and affordable homeownership communities throughout Central Oregon. Her innovative programs, such as workforce housing and resident-led design, have been modeled across the state for their community impact. At REACH, Jackie will lead efforts to expand philanthropic partnerships and enhance community-driven initiatives.

“Ensuring access to affordable housing means investing in people, stability, and the long-term success of our communities,” said Jackie Keogh. “I am excited to help grow REACH’s impact by strengthening our partnerships and ensuring we have the resources to support residents in meaningful ways.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Eric and Jackie to the REACH team,” said Margaret Salazar, CEO of REACH. “Eric's expertise in HR will strengthen our capacity, while Jackie's leadership in community development and fundraising will elevate our ability to serve more individuals and families. Their combined experience and passion will help drive REACH's mission forward.”

Eric and Jackie join REACH at a pivotal time as the organization continues to expand its affordable housing initiatives and deepen its commitment to equitable and sustainable community development. Their leadership will play a crucial role in fostering an inclusive work environment and strengthening REACH's impact across the region.

###

About REACH Community Development

REACH’s mission is to create opportunities for all people to thrive by developing and promoting equitable access to quality, affordable homes, supportive services, and community. Since 1982, REACH has built innovative and affordable housing serving lower-income families and individuals in the Portland metropolitan region. More information about REACH and its programs is available at http://reachcdc.org.

The pedestrian killed in a crash involving a motorcycle on March 9, 2025, has been identified as Roger R. Lee, 86, of Portland. His family has been notified of his death.

The early investigation suggests Lee was crossing Southeast Powell Boulevard when he was struck and killed by a motorcycle traveling eastbound. The motorcyclist did not show any signs of impairment.

No further information will be released at this time.

###PPB###

Original Message Below

On Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 9:09 p.m., officers from the East Precinct responded to reports of a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast 67th Avenue. Officers arrived to find a pedestrian who had been struck by a motorcycle and who died at the scene. The motorcycle rider suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The Portland Police Bureau Major Crash Team has responded to the scene to investigate. During the investigation, Southeast Powell Boulevard will be closed from Southeast 66th Avenue to Southeast 70th Avenue.

If anyone has information about the incident, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, attention Traffic Investigations Unit, and reference case number 25-061811.

###PPB###

The pedestrian killed in a crash on I-5 on February 27, 2025, has been identified as Mitchell B. Ferebee. His family has been notified of his death.

In addition to the driver of the involved vehicle, a passenger was also transported to a hospital with minor injuries. Both have since been released.

There were no signs of impairment on the driver.

No further information will be released at this time.

###PPB###

Original Message Below

A pedestrian has died in a crash on southbound Interstate 5 at Northeast Marine Drive.

On Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 10:39 p.m., Portland Police officers from North Precinct responded to a report of a crash on southbound I-5 at Northeast Marine Drive. When they arrived they found a pedestrian deceased at the scene. The driver of the involved vehicle was transported to the hospital with injuries.

The Portland Police Traffic Division Major Crash Team is responding to the scene to investigate the crash. During the investigation, I-5 southbound is closed and traffic is being diverted on to Washington State Route 14. The Portland Police Bureau is grateful for the assistance of the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Washington State Patrol. The closure is likely to continue for several hours.

The PIO is not responding to the scene. Additional information will be released when appropriate.

###PPB###

Vancouver, Wash. – The Commission on Aging’s charge is to provide leadership in addressing the special needs of the aging population and to manage and assist with the implementation of the county’s Aging Readiness Plan. This month, the Commission focuses on Chapter 3 of the Aging Readiness Plan, “Housing: Housing Options for Our Aging Population,” by hosting area experts for a discussion about area options for affordable housing and specialized senior living. Join us in welcoming representatives from Specialized Housing, and the Vancouver Housing Authority, and Elie Kassab from Prestige Development.

The meeting will be held 4:30 pm Wednesday, March 19, and is open to the public.

Commission on Aging meetings are currently held in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation options. Attend in the sixth-floor Training Room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., or join by phone or computer through information provided at: https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/commission-aging-meetings.

Commission meetings are carried on CVTV Channel 23/323 and online at www.cvtv.org. To see replay times, go to www.cvtv.org.

The Commission on Aging, supported by the of the Clark County Council, is a nine-member volunteer group that implements the Aging Readiness Plan and provides leadership addressing needs of aging community members.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2025
 

Contact:
son@employ.or.gov">jack.h.patterson@employ.or.gov
 

Paid Leave Oregon Surpasses $1 Billion in Benefits Paid to Oregon Workers
 

March 11, 2025 (Salem, OR) — As of March 11, Paid Leave Oregon has delivered more than $1 billion in benefits to Oregon workers, marking a significant milestone in supporting people and families across the state. To date, over 150,000 people have received Paid Leave benefits.

"This milestone is a measure of the state's commitment to supporting Oregon's workforce," said David Gerstenfeld, Director of the Oregon Employment Department. "$1 billion in benefits demonstrates the significant impact this program has had, not only on employees and their families, but also on Oregon businesses and the broader economy. By providing financial security during critical times, Paid Leave Oregon helps employers retain workers, reduce turnover costs, and strengthen the economic stability of communities across the state." 

"Paid Leave Oregon makes our state healthier, happier, and more prosperous by ensuring people don't have to choose between their health, their families, and their paychecks," said Karen Madden Humelbaugh, Director of Paid Leave Oregon. "Reaching the $1 billion mark shows that we've built something stable and strong. Whether they are recovering from an illness, welcoming a new child, or caring for a loved one, Oregonians can count on Paid Leave Oregon to be there for them during life's most important moments." 

Paid Leave Oregon continues to be a national model for state-administered paid leave programs, ensuring equitable access to benefits for workers. The program is funded through contributions from employers and employees, ensuring a sustainable and robust support system for Oregonians who take paid leave. 

Every dollar goes to someone facing a serious health condition, caring for a family member, bonding with a new child, or dealing with the impacts of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, or sexual assault.

Since its launch in January 2023, Paid Leave has paid benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians. Of the approved applications, 45% have been for medical leave, 28% for bonding with a new child, 14% to care for a family member with a serious health condition, 12% for leave due to pregnancy, and 1% for safe leave. 

Paid Leave Oregon continues to expand its outreach and services to ensure more workers and businesses understand and use the program when they need it. For more information, visit paidleave.oregon.gov.  

###
 

The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. OED provides free help so you can use our services. Some examples are sign language and spoken-language interpreters, written materials in other languages, large print, audio, and other formats. To get help, please call 503-947-1444. TTY users call 711. You can also send an email to communications@employ.oregon.gov.

El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon (OED) es una agencia de igualdad de oportunidades. El OED proporciona ayuda gratuita para que usted pueda utilizar nuestros servicios. Algunos ejemplos son intérpretes de lengua de señas e idiomas hablados, materiales escritos en otros idiomas, letra grande, audio y otros formatos. Para obtener ayuda, por favor llame al 503-947-1444. Usuarios de TTY pueden llamar al 711. También puede enviar un correo electrónico a communications@employ.oregon.gov.

Oregon has received approval from the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to extend the 10 day deadline for households to report food losses and request replacement benefits from the February 24, 2025, storm. The waiver allows 30 days to report food losses for households affected by the storm.

New deadline for SNAP replacement benefits

Households in the approved counties now have until March 26, 2025, to report food losses and ask for replacement benefits.

Approved Counties for the waiver:

People in the following counties can request SNAP replacement benefits by March 26, 2025:

• Benton
• Clackamas
• Clatsop
• Coos
• Deschutes
• Douglas
• Hood River
• Jackson
• Josephine
• Klamath
• Lane
• Lincoln
• Linn
• Marion
• Multnomah
• Polk
• Tillamook
• Washington

What about other counties?

If you live in a county not listed above, the regular 10 day rule applies. You must report food loss within 10 days and provide proof.

How to request SNAP replacement benefits:

You can submit a request to replace the SNAP benefits over the phone, in person, by email, by mail or your ONE online portal:

• Over the phone:

1-800-699-9075 or 711 (TTY)

• In person: (find a local office): Oregon.gov
• Mail: (must be received by the due date) ONE Customer Service Center

PO Box 14015 Salem, OR 97309

• Email: egon.Benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov">Oregon.Benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov

The information required to replace the SNAP benefits may be found in the form 347D found here: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/de0349d.pdf

When does the waiver end?

The waiver to extend the reporting deadline will last until March 26, 2025. After that, requests for replacement will follow the normal 10 day rule.

About SNAP
SNAP helps low income households buy food. If you qualify, you get benefits that can be used to buy groceries at authorized stores. For more information or to request SNAP replacement benefits, contact your local office or visit the Oregon SNAP benefit website or call 800-699-9075.

• Ms. Namburi has been with the City for 25 years
• She has improved strategy and operations across multiple departments

Salem, Ore. – At its March 10 meeting, in a unanimous vote, the Salem City Council named Krishna Namburi Salem’s Interim City Manager.

“Ms. Namburi is nothing short of an outstanding individual and I can think of no better person to serve us in this time of transition,” said Councilor Vanessa Nordyke, who made the motion. “We have a lot on our plate folks, in addition to an airport, we have a budgetary cycle, we have a city to run and none of these decisions can wait. They all require constant leadership and respect.

The Council directed staff to prepare an Interim City Manager employment agreement and delay the search for a permanent City Manager until at least September 2025. This decision gives Ms. Namburi time to lead the City through the local option levy election and the Fiscal Year 2026 budget process.

“I am incredibly impressed, and have been since I’ve been on council, with Krishna Namburi,” added Councilor Linda Nishioka. “I feel she will be excellent, along with our additional leadership team. Remember it is a leadership team she will be working with. I believe in all of them and think fellow councilors do. I want to reassure the public that we are moving forward and are very happy with this situation.”

Experienced Leader Steps Into New Role

Krishna Namburi has been with the City of Salem for 25 years, holding a variety of leadership roles. Before this appointment, Ms. Namburi served as Deputy City Manager, overseeing Enterprise Services. These services include Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, Fleet, Risk and the Customer Service Center. She has been acting-in-capacity City Manager since February 10.

One of Ms. Namburi’s key accomplishments has been realigning the strategy and operations of multiple departments to transform city services from a reactive to proactive function of city government. Her efforts have increased efficiency and made City services more effective for the public.

Prior to embarking on a career in public service, Krishna worked as a Senior Consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. She attended the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur for an M.S. in Civil Engineering and Portland State University for an M.S. in Computer Science.

# # #

During their February 18, 2025, meeting the Battle Ground City Council unanimously approved Resolution 25-01, renaming the Battle Ground Community Center to the Battle Ground Event Center.

“The city believes that the name ‘Battle Ground Event Center’ is more consistent with the present use of the facility,” shared Deputy City Manager Rob Ferrier.  In 2024, the Battle Ground Parks & Recreation Department welcomed 575 private event rentals into the facility.

The 3,600 square foot reception hall first opened in 2008.  It features three indoor event spaces and a spacious outdoor covered patio.  The facility is one of North Clark County’s premier locations for meetings, conferences, banquets, weddings, parties, and more.  The Event Center also hosts several long-term rentals including Sunday services for a local church, regular meeting meetings of the Lewis Reiver Rotary Club, and monthly luncheons for area senior citizens, hosted by Battle Ground Senior Citizens Inc.

In addition to private rental groups, the Battle Ground Parks & Recreation Department welcomes hundreds of visitors to the facility each year to take part in recreational programing such as yoga classes, YMCA Day Camps, and more.  The Event Center is also home to several annual city events including Halloween Fright Night and the City’s Annual Tree Lighting Celebration.

The Battle Ground Event Center is more than just a venue, it is where connections are made, traditions are celebrated, and every event is a memory in the making.

Are you looking for a perfect venue for your next event?  Our beautiful and spacious lodge-style facility is in the heart of Battle Ground’s historic Old Town district, at 912 E. Main Street, in Battle Ground.  With a warm and inviting atmosphere, modern amenities, and plenty of room to celebrate.  Book with us today at, www.cityofbg.org/BGEventCenter.   

Plans to update the facility signage to reflect the name change are underway.

Since 2017, the Portland Water Bureau has detected low levels of Cryptosporidium from routine monitoring of source water. The Portland Water Bureau received results from ongoing monitoring from the Bull Run Watershed intake for Cryptosporidium, a potentially disease-causing microorganism. In the 50 liters sampled each day from March 2 to March 5, one Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected in the sample collected on March 2 and two Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in the sample collected on March 3. Cryptosporidium was not detected in the samples collected on March 4 or March 5. Prior to these detections, Cryptosporidium was last detected from the Bull Run Watershed intake on February 26, 2025.

The Bull Run Watershed is Portland’s primary source of drinking water. The Portland Water Bureau does not currently treat for Cryptosporidium, but is required to do so under drinking water regulations. Portland is working to install filtration by September 30, 2027 under a compliance schedule with the Oregon Health Authority. In the meantime, Portland Water Bureau is implementing interim measures such as watershed protection and additional monitoring to protect public health. Consultation with public health officials has concluded that at this time, customers do not need to take any additional precautions.

Exposure to Cryptosporidium can cause cryptosporidiosis, a serious illness. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. People with healthy immune systems recover without medical treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with severely weakened immune systems are at risk for more serious disease. Symptoms may be more severe and could lead to serious or life-threatening illness. Examples of people with weakened immune systems include those with AIDS, those with inherited diseases that affect the immune system, and cancer and transplant patients who are taking certain immunosuppressive drugs.

The Environmental Protection Agency advises that customers who are immunocompromised and receive their drinking water from the Bull Run Watershed consult with their healthcare professional about the safety of drinking the tap water. The Portland Water Bureau and Burlington, City of Gresham, City of Sandy, City of Tualatin, Green Valley, GNR, Hideaway Hills, Lake Grove, Lorna Domestic Water, Lusted, Palatine Hill, Pleasant Home, Raleigh, Rockwood, Skyview Acres, Tualatin Valley, Two Rivers, Valley View and West Slope Water Districts receive all or part of their drinking water supply from Bull Run. To learn if your drinking water comes from Bull Run, please contact your local drinking water provider.

The public and the media are encouraged to view all sampling results posted to the City’s website at portland.gov/water/cryptoresults. The bureau will notify the media and public immediately should further test results indicate a risk to public health and precautions are necessary.

Customers with questions regarding water quality can call the Water Quality Line at 503-823-7525.

About the Portland Water Bureau

The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is funding the creation of 112 new affordable homes in Eugene and Portland. Some of these homes will be near affordable childcare, feature energy-efficient heat pumps and appliances, and provide permanent supportive services.

“As Oregon’s housing agency, boosting housing supply is directly connected to people’s livelihoods,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Investing in the building of homes with innovative technology and services that make life easier for people who are struggling to make ends meet every month is what this collective work is all about. Whether it’s installing energy-efficient heat pumps to keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer without soaring energy bills or providing working families with access to affordable childcare services and nearby recreational sites to support their well-being, these efforts make a meaningful impact.”

OHCS works with local partners like Cascade Housing Association (CHA) to fund affordable housing developments that help meet the needs of their communities. CHA is developing the River Road Apartments in Eugene with three full Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-certified units and 13 adaptable units. All 48 homes will include energy-efficient appliances and heat pumps. The development will be located less than a mile away from the Parkside Community Preschool, which offers affordable care and childcare services. It’s also close to several parks and recreational opportunities.

In Portland, 73Foster will create 64 new homes in a pedestrian-transit friendly area. Twenty-two of the homes will be dedicated as Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units featuring tenancy support services and project-based rent assistance for households experiencing chronic homelessness. REACH Community Development is leading the project and will provide resident services and case management at the property. REACH plans to work with the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), El Programa Hispano Católico (EPHC), and Community Vision to support residents in the lease-up process and continue providing services after move-in.

Find more information about each affordable housing development in the Housing Stability Council meeting packet.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

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

11 de marzo de 2025

El Departamento de Vivienda y Servicios Comunitarios otorga fondos a mas de 100 viviendas a precio asequible que incluyen funciones de eficiencia energética y servicios de apoyo permanentes

SALEM, Ore. — El Departamento de Vivienda y Servicios Comunitarios (OHCS, por sus siglas en inglés) otorga fondos hacia la creación de 112 nuevas viviendas a precio asequible en Eugene y Portland. Algunas de estas viviendas estarán ubicadas cerca de cuidado de niños a precio económico, incluyen bombas de calor y electrodomésticos de eficiencia energética.

“Como la agencia de vivienda de Oregón, impulsar la creación de viviendas está directamente relacionado con las condiciones de vida de las personas,” dice la directora ejecutiva de OHCS, Andrea Bell. “Invertir en la construcción de viviendas con tecnología innovadora y servicios que ayudan a hacer la vida más fácil para las personas que luchan por llegar a fin de mes, es de lo que se trata este trabajo colectivo. Ya sea instalando bombas de calor de eficiencia energética para mantener a la gente cómoda en el invierno y fresca en verano sin que se disparen las facturas de la luz, o facilitando a las familias el acceso a servicios de guardería económicos y a espacios recreativos que favorezcan su bienestar, estos esfuerzos tienen un impacto significativo.”

La agencia trabaja con socios locales como Cascade Housing Association (CHA, por sus siglas en inglés) para financiar la construcción de viviendas a precio asequible que ayuden a satisfacer las necesidades de sus comunidades. CHA está construyendo los apartamentos River Road en Eugene, con tres unidades completas certificadas por la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades y 13 unidades adaptables. Las 48 viviendas incluirán electrodomésticos y bombas de calor de bajo consumo de electricidad. El desarrollo se encuentra a menos de una milla de distancia de Comunidad Parkside Preescolar que ofrece servicios de atención y cuidado de niños a precio económico. También está cerca de varios parques y oportunidades recreativas.

En Portland, 73Foster creará 64 nuevas viviendas en una zona peatonal. 22 de las unidades serán viviendas con apoyo permanente y contaran con servicios de ayuda de arrendamiento asistencia para pago de alquiler específicamente para familias que sufren falta de vivienda crónica. REACH Community Development dirige el proyecto y se encargará de los servicios para los residentes y de la gestión de casos en la propiedad. REACH tiene previsto trabajar con la Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, El Programa Hispano Católico y Community Vision para apoyar a los residentes en el proceso de arrendamiento y seguir prestando servicios después de la mudanza.

Más información sobre cada desarrollo de vivienda a precio asequible se encuentra en el paquete de la reunión del Consejo de Estabilidad de la Vivienda.

Acerca del Departamento de Vivienda y Servicios Comunitarios de Oregon (OHCS)   

OHCS es la agencia de financiación de viviendas de Oregón. La agencia estatal proporciona apoyo financiero y de programas para crear y preservar oportunidades de vivienda a precio asequible y de calidad para los habitantes de Oregón con ingresos bajos y moderados. OHCS administra programas que proporcionan estabilización de la vivienda. OHCS ofrece estos programas principalmente a través de subvenciones, contratos y acuerdos de préstamo con organizaciones locales y proveedores comunitarios. Para obtener más información, visite: oregon.gov/ohcs.

92% of ONA Members Reported Experiencing Workplace Violence Last Year

(Portland, Ore.) - Oregon healthcare workers and elected officials are partnering to protect patients and providers and reverse the disturbing rise in violence against healthcare workers by passing Oregon Senate Bill 537. The bill will better protect patients and providers in hospitals and home health by implementing proven strategies to prevent violence in healthcare, support victims, and increase transparency and accountability.

Healthcare workers injuries from workplace violence increased a shocking 181 percent in hospitals between 2007 and 2022 and 92 percent of ONA members reported experiencing workplace violence last year.

“For too long, we’ve allowed the people who care for us to become victims. It’s time to stand up for them and put a stop to this senseless violence,” said State Representative Travis Nelson, a chief sponsor of the bill and registered nurse. “As a registered nurse for more than two decades, I’ve been punched, kicked, spit on and abused more times than I can count—and nearly every nurse I know has similar stories. We can’t let this cycle of violence continue. Everyone deserves a safe workplace. This bill is a critical step towards protecting healthcare providers and their patients. By passing it, we send a clear message that our caregivers must be safe and supported—not attacked and abused.”

Oregon’s Healthcare Workers are in Danger.

Long shrugged off as ‘just part of the job’, attacks on healthcare workers include verbal and physical threats, stalking, sexual assaults, death threats, punches, kicks and other attacks that can leave workers with concussions, lacerations, permanent physical injuries and PTSD.

Federal data shows healthcare workers are five more likely than other workers to become victims of workplace violence—making a career in healthcare one of the most dangerous jobs in America.

Patients Pay the Price too.

While healthcare workers attempt to shield their patients from violence, they also pay a heavy price. Ninety-seven percent of ONA members reported violent incidents impact patient care by disrupting care, delaying treatments and, in some cases, turning patients into victims.

Escalating violence also leaves fewer providers to care for patients–exacerbating our community’s care crisis. One in five healthcare workers reported missing work last year due to workplace violence injuries and trauma and more than 26 percent of healthcare workers are considering quitting due to workplace violence.

In addition to the physical, mental and emotional damages, violence costs taxpayers, patients, providers and the companies they work for billions. The American Hospital Association estimates workplace violence costs hospitals and health systems $2.7 billion annually in increased staffing costs, insurance losses, healthcare costs for victims and security among other expenses.

“Generations of healthcare workers have been taught that violence and abuse are just ‘part of the job,’” said Jennifer Bevacqua, a nurse practitioner at OHSU and ONA leader. “Recently, a RN colleague of mine was kicked in the face by a patient on a stretcher. This is not OK. Workplace violence is an epidemic that harms healthcare providers and patients. It delays treatments and drives healthcare workers away from the bedside. We must take action to protect workers, support victims, and ensure healthcare is safe for patients and caregivers.”

Senate Bill 537 Makes Healthcare Safer for Patients and Providers.

The rising tide of violence in healthcare is more than a statistic—it is a daily reality that endangers lives, disrupts patient care, and inflicts long-term physical, mental, and financial harm on our communities. In the wake of this growing public health crisis, the Oregon Nurses Association and elected leaders are proud to announce Senate Bill 537, a statewide answer to the daily violence harming patients, providers and our communities. Senate Bill 537 protects patients and providers by incorporating proven safety strategies to prevent violence and better support victims.

Senate Bill 537 prevents workplace violence.  

• Adopts proven safety strategies like annual de-escalation training, initial safety assessments, identity protection, improved information sharing to ensure safe care for patients and providers, emergency alert devices and increased security.
• Strengthens safety committees and provides for root cause analysis and process improvements to prevent future violence. 

Senate Bill 537 supports victims of violence.

• Ensures first aid, trauma counseling and time off are available to victims when needed. 

Senate Bill 537 increases transparency and accountability to prevent future attacks. 

• Helps identify trends and socialize successful strategies by requiring hospitals to report workplace violence info to the state for future study and policymaking. 

“Workplace violence inflicts deep physical, mental and emotional scars. The trauma caregivers endure is real and it’s driving many of our most experienced nurses away from the bedside,” said Patrick Hennessy, a nurse at OHSU and chair of ONA’s Cabinet on Health Policy. “We can’t eliminate every violent incident, but we can do much more to prevent it. Senate Bill 537 gives more nurses and healthcare providers proven tools to safely care for our patients and ourselves. No one should have to work in fear. Preventing workplace violence is a cause we can all support.”

The Senate health care committee is expected to hold a hearing on Senate Bill 537 Thursday, March 20.

More information on ONA’s work to end workplace violence in healthcare can be found online at www.OregonRN.org/WPV.

SEARCH FOR DANE PAULSEN UPDATE – SEARCH CONTINUES
 

3/10/25, 4:00pm – Siletz, Oregon

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies are continuing search operations for Dane Paulsen.

Ongoing search and investigation activities:

• Investigators continue to follow up on leads they discover in addition to informational tips from the community.
• Daily water searches utilizing watercraft with specialized equipment and trained personnel will continue until further notice.
   

Answering some common questions:

• We have received information regarding a white van seen in the area two weeks before Dane’s disappearance. At this time, we do not have evidence linking this vehicle to the ongoing search and investigation.
• We will be providing updates as significant information becomes available. This means we will not be providing daily updates. New information or major updates will be shared through the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office FlashAlert and Facebook page.
• Though the land within the search area has been thoroughly combed, we cannot guarantee the areas are clear. Even with specialized equipment and search K9s, it is possible to miss a small child that may be hidden by thick brush or other visual impairments.
• Due to the thorough coverage of the surrounding area and information provided by investigators and evidence from searchers with specialized training and equipment, search efforts are concentrated on the Siletz River.
• Highly trained personal and specialized equipment remain imperative to this search. Read more about some of the specialized personal and equipment cited in our earlier releases: March 5, 2025 Media Release and March 4, 2025 Talking Points from Community Update
• Some community members continue to search on their own. This is in addition to official search efforts. Searchers need permission from property owners before accessing private property. Searchers also need to prioritize safety (see safety suggestions below).  

How Community Members Can Help:

• To ensure investigators receive information as quickly as possible, please submit all tips to the tip line, not through Facebook. Currently there is no evidence to suggest criminal activity in Dane’s disappearance. We still ask the public to report relevant information to the tip line: 541-265-0669. When sharing information that may help us bring Dane home, be as specific as possible. Note the time, exact location, and get clear photos or videos when possible. 
• Share official updates found on the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office FlashAlert and Facebook page.
• If community members choose to continue their search (in addition to emergency responder searches), keep these things in mind:
  • If you are choosing to search the river or riverbanks, wear a life jacket at all times. The Siletz River is cold and fast-moving.
  • Please avoid areas with active searching by emergency responders or certified personnel.
  • Do not search during the night or dark hours.
  • Carry safety equipment such as first aid kit, extra water and food, whistle, flashlight, etc.
  • Dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. Wear layers, bring waterproof clothes, and sturdy shoes.
  • Before you set out, have a safety plan in place. Let someone know exactly where you are headed and when you will return.
  • Remember that private property cannot be searched without updated permission from the owner.

Updates will be shared through FlashAlert and our Facebook page as significant updates become available.
 

Once again, we express empathy for Dane’s family. We also want to thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our teams are working to bring Dane home.
 

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Today, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) launched the recruitment for the bureau’s next fire chief. The position manages a $181 million budget and oversees approximately 800 sworn and non-sworn employees across four divisions and the Chief’s Office.

“We’re looking for an experienced and innovative leader to shape the future of the bureau,” said Mike Myers, Deputy City Administrator for Public Safety. “This is an exciting opportunity to work with city leadership to develop and implement a long-range strategic plan to modernize operations, adopt data-driven decision-making, enhance technology, and improve service to the public.”

Details about the position and how to apply are available at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/portlandor/jobs/4856976/fire-chief.

The deadline to apply is April 9, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. A virtual meeting to ask questions about the position is happening on March 25, 2025 at 12 p.m.

Salem, Oregon – Bena (Bee-nah) Rodecap, a junior at Grant High School, is Oregon’s 2025 Poetry Out Loud champion. Rodecap received the top score at Saturday’s Poetry Out Loud State Contest, held at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre. She will now represent Oregon at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, to be held May 5-7 in Washington D.C.

Watch Rodecap’s performance and the moment she was named champion by Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, who attended the event. View and download event photos, also featuring the First Lady and Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston, who attended and performed at the event.

Gio Calandrella, a freshman who also attends Grant High School, was named runner up. Calandrella would be invited to represent Oregon in the national competition should Rodecap be unable to attend.

Rodecap chose to participate in Poetry Out Loud because she loves poetry and thanks teacher Ms. (Paige) Battle for her “tireless guidance.” She also likes to read, write and volunteer. The poems she chose to recite are “A Noiseless Patient Spider,” by Walt Whitman; “Say Grace” by Emily Jungmin Yoon and “How to Write a Poem,” by Laura Hershey.

“I chose poems that resonated with me,” Rodecap said. “I could immediately feel what the poet was trying to say.”

“I feel so honored and I am really shocked,” she said after being named champion. “I never thought I would win. I’ve loved poetry my entire life and this whole experience has been incredibly special.”

Calandrella spends his time acting, singing and doing other types of writing. He is currently in his school's musical and is the winner of da Vinci Arts Middle School's 2024 poetry slam.

“I am so inspired by the courage, tenacity and creative energy I saw on the stage at Poetry Out Loud!” said Cherle Ulmer, one of the judges at Saturday’s State Contest. “The students show they have the self-discipline to move mountains, great and small. Because of these dedicated students, the future looks a bit brighter to me.”

The other nine students who competed Saturday, after winning their school competitions and advancing from semifinals, are: Senna Alnasser, Oregon Charter Academy (Mill City); Gloria Flores Estrada, Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem); Josiah Gaither, St. Stephen's Academy (Beaverton); Josephine le Roux, Trinity Academy (Portland); Arianna Morris, Redmond High School; Kaydence Pope, South Medford High School; Sophie Roberts, St. Stephen's Academy; Madeline Torres, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego); and Dulce Wiles, Oregon Charter Academy.

A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

Note: Video by Allied Video. Photos by Bob Williams.

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. 

The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at: artscommission.oregon.gov.

Join Pacific Power for a wildfire safety and preparedness webinar

Portland, OR (March 10, 2025) - Please join us for an online discussion about the important steps Pacific Power has taken to prepare for wildfire season, protect its electrical grid and keep customers safe.

PacifiCorp (Pacific Power & Rocky Mountain Power) has a long history of planning for and defending against wildfires across the six western states we serve. Protecting our customers and communities is our top priority. Join us for this webinar to learn about our comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan for California.

Please register for the event here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=EGsffCsZg0qdMoHvWDJcN-OSs7FwqWBLqtD_VlmtsH9UMjBCMUU5UU4xU1BQREY0M0taUDQySlBaUC4u&route=shorturl

When: March 11, 2025

    1 p.m. PT

Where: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_Njc4OGNkZmEtMmQyZi00ZGRlLWExMjctZTE4Mjk5MGU0MTEy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227c1f6b10-192b-4a83-9d32-81ef58325c37%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22b1b392e3-a970-4b60-aad0-ff5659adb07f%22%7d

What: Pacific Power representatives will share progress on wildfire prevention work, including system strengthening, enhanced vegetation management and expanded situational awareness capabilities.

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(Astoria, OR) - Clatsop County invites applications from individuals interested in serving on one open seat on the Clatsop County Recreational Lands Planning Advisory Committee. 

The Board of Clatsop County Commissioners created the Clatsop County Recreational Lands Planning Advisory Committee to assist the County in the development of long-range plans for County parks and to direct the formulation and preparation of amendments to Clatsop County’s Recreational Lands Element of the Comprehensive Plan. 

In addition, the Committee advises County staff regarding the County’s update of its Parks Master Plan and provides a public forum for citizen input regarding proposed changes that potentially impact parks, recreational lands, trails, boat ramps and related programs within the county.

The Board of Clatsop County Commissioners may use the County Recreational Lands Planning Committee as a primary public review body for any County actions related to recreation issues such as:

• Potential county land sales, trades or exchanges involving county park lands or lands adjoining county park properties
• Potential county timber sales involving county park lands or lands adjoining county park properties
• Land acquisitions
• Major improvement proposals, and
• Annual budget proposals 

The Recreation Lands Planning Advisory Committee regularly meets in Astoria on the last Thursday of each month at 1 p.m.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025. Applications are available online or at the County Manager’s Office, at 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria OR 97103.

For more information about this committee’s meetings or responsibilities, contact Corey Johnson at 503-741-0767.

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(Astoria, OR) — Clatsop County is seeking public input on expanding and improving the boating facilities at Carnahan County Park. 

The survey asks how the public uses the boating facility, their thoughts on its current condition, and what improvements they would like to see. It takes approximately three minutes to complete. 

Visitors can access the survey using the QR code posted at the park, and the survey link available on the County’s website, clatsopcounty.gov, and social media pages. 

Survey responses will remain anonymous and help guide future planning decisions, as well as support grant applications to the Oregon State Marine Board. 

To ensure a broad range of feedback, the survey will be open for one year. 

Carnahan County Park, located on the northwest shore of Cullaby Lake, spans 31.4 acres and offers picnic tables and trails for public use. A day-use fee of $5 per vehicle is collected from May through September, with annual passes available for purchase. 

For more information, visit clatsopcounty.gov. 

HILLSBORO, Ore- On February 24, 2025, Caleb Logan Spurlock pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal mischief in the first degree (court case number 24CR31920) and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon (court case number 24CR27262). He was sentenced to 22 months in prison by Washington County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Proctor. Deputy District Attorney Mahalee Streblow prosecuted these cases.
 

From October 2023 through May of 2024, the defendant used a sophisticated slingshot loaded with metal ball bearings to shoot out the windows of several vehicles as they drove near Pacific Avenue in Forest Grove. This was one mile from where the defendant lived with his parents. 14 victims, including an off-duty detective with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, were targeted. They all reported similar stories—they were driving down the street when something hit their vehicles and shattered their windows. Several victims found metal ball bearings in their cars after the attacks, and many were hurt by the shattered glass. These crimes caused significant unease in the community as residents believed they were hearing gunshots.
 

Forest Grove police set up camera systems in the area and eventually recorded one of the attacks. The footage showed a man in a hoodie with an electric scooter shooting at passing vehicles. On May 24, 2024, they spotted the defendant committing another shooting and arrested him. He had an electric scooter, a slingshot, and a box full of metal ball bearings.
 

Between February 9-11, 2024, the defendant also caused approximately $68,000 in damages to 21 vehicles parked at a Beaverton car dealership where he was previously employed. He smashed the windows of the vehicles. These acts were caught on surveillance cameras. The video depicted a man later identified as Mr. Spurlock committing the crimes. He was seen leaving the scene on the same electric scooter used in previous crimes.  

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the work of the Forest Grove Police Department and Beaverton Police Department for their work in identifying and apprehending the defendant.
 

In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Proctor ordered the defendant to pay more than $77,000 in restitution to his victims and to serve two years of post-prison supervision upon his release. 

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a Drug Take Back Event on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. This event allows the public to safely dispose of expired or unused medications.

This is a one-day, drive-thru event at 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis. Those interested in dropping off at this location are asked to enter the parking lot off Research Way and follow the signs and directions of the volunteers.

Some items are not allowed at the event. For safety reasons, these include thermometers, intra-venous solutions, needles, EpiPens®, or medical waste of any kind. Vitamins and illegal drugs are also not accepted. Prescription and over-the counter medications can only be accepted from individual households, not from businesses such as nursing homes, doctor’s offices, or veterinary clinics. A complete list of restricted items is posted on the Sheriff’s Office website at https://sheriff.bentoncountyor.gov/events/2025-drug-take-back-event/.

This event is offered as a public safety service to help keep prescription drugs out of the hands of kids or others who might abuse them. Misuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem, especially with teens and young adults.

Additionally, improperly disposing of medications, by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, can lead to contamination of our drinking water. While most drugs can be treated at wastewater treatment plants, some cannot.

Community partners, Oregon State University Pharmacy Program and the City of Corvallis, are helping support this event, sanctioned by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as part of its National Take-Back Initiative. The Sheriff’s Office is able to offer this service with volunteer support of their Reserve Deputies, Auxiliary Team, and Benton County Emergency Management Volunteer Corps. For more information, visit https://sheriff.bentoncountyor.gov/events/2025-drug-take-back-event/.

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The Historic Trust is pleased to bring musician and historian Joel Underwood to Vancouver for a special performance in the acoustically and visually stunning Providence Academy Chapel, featuring the music and history of America’s most influential songwriter: Bob Dylan. Come sing along with Dylan favorites, such as “The Times, They Are A’Changin’,” and yell out the eternal question, “How does it feel?”. 

In addition, Underwood dives into the stories of the Nobel Prize‐winner’s early years in Minnesota and New York, and lays out what really happened the fateful night he "went electric" in Newport. 

Sometimes poignant, often funny, occasionally infuriating, Bob Dylan's story adds depth and understanding to a unique treasury of music, and Underwood mines those narrative veins with his voice, guitar, and a master storyteller’s touch.

Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025

Time: 6 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: Providence Academy Chapel

400 E. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661

Purchase Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/rezjb6kv

Ticket price includes all taxes and fees. Please note, general admission seating in Providence Academy Chapel pews will be available on a first-come first-served basis. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. (30 minutes prior to performance start time). Free parking is available in the Providence Academy lot (the Aeon Apartments parking lot is NOT available for event parking). If available, tickets will be sold at the door for $15 each.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Policy Committee will meet at 12:00 p.m. on March 12, 2025. 
This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.

https://multnomahesd-org.zoom.us/j/85444997499?pwd=mxap6li5scB4WWGH0btoAIyuk6AK7O.1
Passcode:601112

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
March 10, 2025

CONTACT INFORMATION:
umenauer@employ.oregon.gov">Gail Krumenauer, State Employment Economist

(971) 301-3771

Video and Audio available at 10 a.m. PT

David Cooke, Economist (971) 375-5288

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.4% in January

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in January and 4.3%, as revised, in December, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.1% in January 2024. Oregon’s 4.4% unemployment rate was the highest since September 2021, when the rate was also 4.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in December 2024 and 4.0% in January 2025.

In January, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2,400 jobs, following a revised decline of 2,000 jobs in December. January’s gains were largest in professional and business services (+1,400 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,200); retail trade (+900); and private educational services (+900). Declines were largest in manufacturing (-2,200) and health care and social assistance (-1,300).

Oregon’s private sector added 12,700 jobs, or 0.8%, between January 2024 and January 2025. Job gains during 2024 were less than previously indicated, as annual data revisions resulted in an average reduction of 15,600 jobs per month during the second half of 2024.

During the past three years, health care and social assistance was by far the fastest growing sector of Oregon’s economy, adding 15,100 jobs, or 5.2%, in the 12 months through January. However, a large strike at a major health care provider contributed to the one-month drop of 1,300 jobs in this industry during January.

Industries that grew moderately during the most recent 12 months included other services (+2,100 jobs, or 3.2%); private educational services (+1,100 jobs, or 3.0%); professional and business services (+2,900 jobs, or 1.1%); and construction (+900 jobs, or 0.8%).

Manufacturing continued its decline of the past two years, cutting 6,900 jobs (-3.7%) in the 12 months through January, while retail trade shed 2,300 jobs (-1.1%) during that time.

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the January county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, March 11, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for February on Wednesday, March 26.

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2025 Board on Public Safety Standards & Training

 and Policy Committee

Open Vacancy – Recruitments

The Board on Public Safety Standards & Training (BPSST) and established Policy Committees have open vacancies looking to be filled before the end of the year! The current vacancies are as follows:

BPSST: All Board applications must be submitted through Workday.com

• One member who is a sheriff recommended to the Governor by the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association
• One person representing non-management law enforcement 
• Representative of the collective bargaining unit that represents the largest number of individual workers in the DOC
• Public Member

Policy Committees: All Policy Committee applications must be submitted by March 20, 2025.

Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee:

• One person representing armed private security professionals
• One person representing persons who monitor alarms
• Two persons who are investigators licensed under ORS 703.430, one of whom is in private practice
• Two person who are investigators licensed under ORS 703.430, one of whom is recommended by the Oregon State Bar
• One person representing the public who has never been employed or utilized as a private security provider or investigator
• One person representing the retail industry

Telecommunications Policy Committee:

• One person representing telecommunicators

Private Investigator Subcommittee:

• Currently licensed private investigator
• Currently licensed private investigator
• Currently licensed private investigator

Fire Policy Committee:

• One person representing the state forest protection agencies and recommended by the State Forestry Department

To inquire about a vacancy, please visit Department of Public Safety Standards & Training : Board on Public Safety Standards & Training and Policy Committees : Boards and Committees : State of Oregon.

If interested in applying for a Policy Committee position, please complete and submit the Policy Committee Interest Form found under the ‘Board and Committee Resources’ section of the website listed above.

If interested in applying for a BPSST position, please complete the online application at Workday Board and Commission Opportunities. (Please note that an account may need to be created if not already in Workday)

For further information regarding the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training or its respective Policy Committees, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or juan.lopez-hernandez@dpsst.oregon.gov.

Thank you,

DPSST Board & Committees Staff

March 10, 2025

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

People ages 65+ or immunocompromised are eligible for COVID-19 booster

PORTLAND, Ore. – Now that it’s March, eligible people can get an additional dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, which was first made available in Oregon almost six months ago, in September.

An additional dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for: People ages 65 and older. People ages 6 months and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (have weakened immune systems). See this CDC page for recommendations for people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, and for some people who received the Novavax vaccine in the past.

Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Public Health Division, said a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can provide increased protection for older adults and those with immunocompromising medical conditions.

“Immunity from vaccines can wane over time, but getting a second dose can bring that protection back,” Cieslak said. “That’s why we’re encouraging anyone 65 and older or who is moderately to severely immunocompromised to talk to a health care or vaccine provider about getting a second dose, which could keep them out of the hospital or from dying.”

People in these categories are recommended to receive the additional dose six months after receiving the initial dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine. However, it can be given as soon as two months after the first dose offering significantly flexibility. Those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised do not need to show proof to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

People have weakened immune systems because of certain medical conditions, or if they receive medications or treatments that suppress their immune systems.

In recent years, OHA has bolstered its tracking of communicable diseases such as COVID-19 with the development and modernization of data reporting tools, including an interactive, web-based dashboard that visualizes data on COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The dashboard’s data are organized by community transmission, hospitalizations, hospital capacity, deaths and vaccination.

The dashboard is one of the ways OHA is increasing awareness and education about public health risks and preventive health services, which is a core goal of OHA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.  OHA’s Strategic Plan further supports expanding access to vaccines and other health resources for children, parents and families in all communities in Oregon.

Doctor's offices and neighborhood pharmacies are great places for getting immunizations. Those who need help finding a health care or vaccine provider doctor can contact 211 Info, by emailing help@211info.org or by dialing 2-1-1. Language interpreters are available.                          

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Gold Beach, OR—Curry County taxpayers filing their own 2024 income tax returns can get free assistance using the new combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon when Oregon Department of Revenue volunteers visit the Curry Public Library March 17.

The IRS estimates that 3,500 people in Curry County are eligible to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Filing with both IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon is free and available as a combination for filing both federal and state taxes for the first time this year.

Help will be available at the Curry Public Library, located at 94341 3^rd Street in Gold Beach, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, March 17.

Before arriving at the library, taxpayers should:

• Use the IRS's Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify to use IRS Direct File. 
• Set up an IRS online account through ID.me. Watch this 5 Easy Steps to Register an ID.me Account with IRS video to learn how. 
• Make sure they have a Revenue Online account before they come to the event to make sure they're ready to go. Watch this How to Set Up and Log In to Your Revenue Online Account for Individuals video to learn how.

Videos are also available to show how to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon and taxpayers can find more information on the department’s Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.

Taxpayers should bring the following information with them to the library.

Identification documents

• Social security card or ITIN for everyone on your tax return
• Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (such as driver’s license or passport)

Common income and tax documents

• Forms W2 (wages from a job)

• Forms 1099 (other kinds of income)
• Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)

Optional documents

• Canceled check or bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit
• Last year’s tax return

IRS Direct File does not support all return types. Specifically, taxpayers with dividends reported on Form 1099-DIV and capital gains or losses are not eligible to use IRS Direct File.

Taxpayers who aren’t eligible to use IRS Direct File can find other free options and free assistances sites on the agency’s website.  Those who can't use IRS Direct File to file their federal return can still use Direct File Oregon to file their state return.

The department believes that helping taxpayers file their own returns using direct file will help maximize the number of Oregonians who choose to use the new free option and make it possible for many who don’t have a filing requirement to file and claim significant federal and state tax credits for low-income families, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. The IRS estimates that nearly 25 percent of eligible Oregon taxpayers are not claiming the EITC. One Oregon organization says that added up to almost $100 million in unclaimed credits in 2020.

Taxpayers can sign up for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits. 

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WHAT: The soil and water conservation districts for the counties of Yamhill, Marion, and Clackamas will host a workshop this week to educate natural resource specialists and land managers about emerald ash borer, (EAB), an exotic beetle that infests and kills ash and olive trees. The pest was discovered last summer in ash trees in the three counties.  The workshops are organized by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry in collaboration with instructors from Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District (Maura Olivos), Clean Water Services (Robert Emanuel), and Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District (Scott Wagner).

WHEN: Thursday, March 13 at 1 p.m.  (a classroom portion of the workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon in the City of Woodburn Library, 280 Garfield Street).

WHERE: outdoors in Wyffels Park, Woodburn – intersection of Gatch and E. Lincoln streets

DIRECTIONS: https://www.woodburn-or.gov/parks/page/wyffels-park

VISUALS: A number of ash trees in Marion and Clackamas counties are believed to be infested with EAB. At least one ash tree in Wyffels Park has been confirmed as being infested and is scheduled for removal later in March before EAB larvae inside it emerge as adults. Instructors will point out the tell-tale signs to look for on the tree that show it has been infested by EAB.

INTERVIEWS/AUDIO: Interviews during the afternoon with ODF’s EAB specialists Kat Bethea and Matt Mills and other instructors who can answer questions about this pest, how to recognize if an ash tree is infested, what land managers should be doing to prepare, and what options they have for preventive treatment or removal, as well as suggested replacements for trees lost to EAB. Audio of their talking to workshop attendees about what to look for in the tree to tell it has been infested by EAB.

BACKGROUND: Since it was first found in Michigan two decades ago, EAB has become the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America. Where they spread, EAB larvae eventually kill almost all ash trees by feeding on the living tissues under the bark. Oregon ash and all other American and European ash species are susceptible.

EAB was found in Forest Grove in Washington County in June 2022, making Oregon the first state on the West Coast to report an infestation. Since then it has been found in at least three other counties in the Willamette Valley, including Yamhill, Marion and Clackamas.

QUOTE: “This pest is very destructive. Natural resource specialists and land managers should know what to look for and what to do if they find it, which is exactly what the workshop will teach,” says ODF EAB Specialist Kat Bethea.

Their colleague at ODF’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, Matt Mills, says one immediate step cities should be taking is to stop planting ash and olive trees and if they haven’t already to remove them from their list of approved street and yard trees.  The second is to make sure City staff who work with trees know how to identify an ash or olive tree.

WHERE TO SEND THE PUBLIC FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EAB:

The Oregon Invasive Species Council statewide EAB web site at  www.oregoneab.com

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A Man has been shot and killed in the Hazelwood neighborhood.

On Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 7:03 p.m., officers from the East Precinct responded to the 10500 block of East Burnside Street on reports of a person shot. When officers arrived at the location, they found a male victim who died at the scene. No arrests have been made.

Portland Police Bureau Homicide detectives have responded to the scene to investigate. If anyone has information about this incident, they are asked to please contact Detective Joseph Corona at joseph.corona@police.portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0508 or Detective Jennifer Hertzler at jennifer.hertzler@police.portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-1040. Please reference case number 25-061720.

During the investigation, the westbound lanes of East Burnside Street will be closed between Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast 108th Avenue.

The identity of the victim will be released after the Medical Examiner has confirmed the cause of death and after family members have been notified. The PIO is not responding to the scene. More information will be released when appropriate.

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