Rogue Valley News, Monday 10/30 – Domestic Violence Shooting Suspect Dead After Crashing into Responding Fire Truck & Other Local And Statewide News…

Governor Kotek Visits Linn County on One Oregon Listening Tour

On Thursday, Governor Tina Kotek visited Linn County to mark the 34th stop of her One Oregon Listening Tour, traveling to meet with Oregonians in Albany, Tangent, Shedd, Sweet Home and Lebanon.

“I saw many examples during my time in Linn County of incredible community spirit,” Governor Kotek said. “When it comes to housing, economic development, support for our veterans, and other essential issues, the folks here roll up their sleeves and work together to tackle big problems. I came away really encouraged about the positive direction of local partnerships.”

After starting her day with breakfast in Albany at BakerzDozen, a local Black-owned bakery, Governor Kotek met with local leaders at City Hall to discuss the need to build more housing and the barriers preventing faster housing production. Governor Kotek has established a goal of building 36,000 new homes per year, and her top priority for the upcoming 2024 legislative session will be housing production.

After visiting the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum with Mayor Alex Johnson II, she drove to Tangent to greet city leaders at their historic City Hall. The City of Tangent is celebrating its 50th birthday, and Governor Kotek added a signed note and official Governor’s pen to the time capsule the city created, which will be opened in 2073 when Tangent turns 100 years old.

Following a lunch meeting in Tangent, Governor Kotek traveled to Shedd to tour Pugh Seed Farm. The farm grows grass seed, white radish seed, white clover, turnip seed, wheat, meadowfoam, and hazelnuts. Linn County is known as “The Grass Seed Capital of the World.”

The Governor next visited Sweet Home to tour The Family Assistance and Resource Center, the first low-barrier shelter in East Linn County and the only low-barrier shelter operating in Linn County. This was followed by a roundtable discussion at the facility with shelter operators and local leaders, focusing on the need for increased access to shelter services for youth and families experiencing homelessness, as well as the growing community support for the shelter.

Governor Kotek then traveled to Lebanon to visit the Edward C. Allworth Veterans’ Home, which opened in 2014 as the state’s second veterans’ home. The home offers space for 154 residents needing long-term care. Following a tour of the facility, she discussed ways to enhance services for veterans including behavioral health in long-term care settings.

The day concluded with a dinner conversation in Lebanon with local leaders.

DEQ Issues Nine Penalties In September For Environmental Violations

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued nine penalties totaling $323,489 in September for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.

Fines ranged from $1,500 to $237,600. Alleged violations included a city discharging 400,000 gallons of wastewater to the Malheur River; a rock crusher operating without an air quality permit; and a truck company failed to clean up spilled diesel fuel in a timely manner.

DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations and individuals:

• Chris Dials Contracting LLC, Tillamook, $2,674, Air quality
• City of Ontario, Ontario, $11,200, Wastewater
• Daniel & Claudia Campean, Corbett, $8,400, Stormwater
• Gedenberg, Michael, dba Mike Gedenberg Trucking, Astoria, $39,090, Spills
• Mazda Motors of America, Inc., Irvine, $237,600, Oregon Low Emission Vehicles
• River Country Transport Inc., McMinnville, $1,800, Solid waste
• Sims Fiberglass Co., Albany, $1,500, Air quality
• Vigor Industrial, LLC, Portland, $15,300, Water quality
• Westport Service District STP, Westport, $5,925, Wastewater

Organizations or individuals must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at https://ordeq.org/sep.

Organizations or individuals must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at https://ordeq.org/sep.

Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm. DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon’s air, land and water. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.

Search and Rescue Crews Saved Two People As October Snow Catches People Off Guard

Major snow that began to fall in the Cascade Mountains on Wednesday caught some people off guard as they tried to explore hiking and biking trails in Oregon.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office conducted two separate search and rescue missions on Oct. 25, plucking two people from remote areas in the mountains, officials said in a news release Friday.

The first call came in from a rescue beacon at about 7:35 a.m., the sheriff’s office said. A woman hiking through Jefferson Park in the Willamette National Forest had run into heavy snow that was accumulating quickly, and needed help getting out.

Crews who were dispatched to the trail spent the day trying to hike to the woman, but were ultimately stymied by upwards of 4 feet of snow and white-out conditions that continued throughout the day, officials said.

That evening, at around 7 p.m., the sheriff’s department received another report: a mountain biker who was stranded on Hawk Mountain as heavy snow fell in the Mount Hood National Forest.

The biker, who’s from Australia, had cell service on top of the mountain where he texted his father back home. His father contacted the Australian consulate, who in turn reached out to the sheriff’s department.

Rescue crews attempted to call the biker, but his cell phone had died, they said. They then tried to hike up Hawk Mountain to find him, but ran into the same snowy conditions that stopped crews in Jefferson Park.

Both the stranded hiker and biker would have to spend the night stuck in Oregon’s snowy mountains.

The next day, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office reached out to other organizations, including search and rescue crews from Linn, Lane and Deschutes counties, as well as the Oregon Air National Guard, for help.

With their resources combined, the rescue crews were able to rescue both people from the mountains.

People routinely get stranded in the Cascade Mountains, especially when remote areas see sudden snowfall. Every winter, search and rescue organizations urge travelers to keep an eye on weather conditions before going out, and to keep emergency supplies in their vehicles just in case. (SOURCE)

Winter Weather Prompts Partial Closure Of Oregon’s Scenic Old McKenzie Pass Highway

Winter weather has returned to parts of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is starting to close the Old McKenzie Pass Highway, OR-242, for the winter season.

On Monday, October 30th ODOT crews will close the highway from the western gate at OR 126, to the top of the pass at Dee Wright Observatory. The east side of the highway, from the observatory to Sisters, will remain open until weather becomes too severe, or until November 9th, whichever comes first.

‘McKenzie Pass is a secondary, scenic highway. Weather, costs and logistics make it impractical to maintain for travel year-round. In the winter, we focus our staff and resources on main highways to keep them plowed, open and safe,’ ODOT tells us.

Every year, McKenzie Pass opens and closes with the seasons. Dates vary depending on road and weather conditions. Weather on each side of the pass varies, and it’s not uncommon to close or open each side of the highway separately.

To see what routes are open over the mountains, and to view current road and weather conditions visit TripCheck.com or call 511.

Former CEO of Sunwest Management Ordered to Pay Over $74 Million in Restitution to More than 1,400 Victims

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that the former CEO of Sunwest Management and associated companies, who previously admitted to orchestrating one of the largest financial fraud schemes in Oregon history, was ordered to pay over $74 million in restitution to more than 1,400 victims.

Jon Michael Harder, 58, a resident of Canyonville, Oregon, who pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, was ordered to pay $74,062,211 in restitution to his victims.

According to court documents, Harder formerly controlled a network of companies that bought, constructed, and managed assisted living facilities. At its height, the organization, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities that served more than 15,000 residents. As CEO of Sunwest, Harder knowingly and intentionally misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks of their investment in Sunwest housing facilities and development projects. He further misled his investors about the financial health of Sunwest, failing to disclose that the company continuously operated at substantial monthly losses. In total, Harder misled more than 1,400 investors, causing losses exceeding $120 million.

On September 18, 2012, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 56-count indictment charging Harder with mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On January 8, 2015, Harder pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. On November 18, 2015, Harder was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

On January 13, 2021, after Harder had served just over five years of his 15-year prison sentence, President Donald J. Trump commuted his sentence to time-served.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program. Restitution was litigated by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. (SOURCE)

Renewal data shows more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians keeping medical benefits; Oregon in top four states protecting medical benefits

SALEM, Ore. – More than halfway into the unwinding of federal pandemic benefits, renewal data shows that more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians are keeping their Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or other Medicaid benefits. So far, around 1 in 6 people’s benefits are ending or reducing. Updated renewal categories now allow Oregon to compare benefit closure and reduction rates across states. So far, Oregon has the fourth-lowest closure and reduction rates in the nation.

OHP renewals after the pandemic – During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government allowed states to keep people on Medicaid and did not require annual eligibility renewals. This ended when the public health emergency ended, and Oregon is currently making sure everyone on OHP is still eligible.

Everyone who has OHP or other Medicaid-funded services and supports will receive a renewal notice by mid-2024. The notice will explain whether the member needs to provide additional information or take action to keep their coverage.

Oregon can process many renewals automatically. Some members need to provide additional information so that we can determine if they are still eligible. Additional information requested from members may include documents such as paystubs or a renewal packet they are asked to review, sign and return.

OHP renewals so far – As of Oct. 19, 2023, 807,765 people have completed the renewal process. This represents 55.6 percent of all OHP and Medicaid members, taking Oregon more than halfway through the unwinding process.

• 668,265 people (82.5%) were renewed and kept their benefits.
• 111,998 people (13.8%) were found ineligible. Closures began at the end of June.
• 25,714 people (3.2%) had a reduction in their benefits. Most of these members lost full OHP, but were able to continue our Medicare Savings Programs that help pay their Medicare costs.

October OHP renewal requests

In October, renewal letters were sent to an additional 137,032 people.

• 65.4 percent were renewed without any action needed.
• 19.4 percent were asked to provide some information to renew. The most common requests are for income-related proof, like paystubs, or forms of identification, like a government identification or birth certificate.
• 11.9 percent were asked to fill out a renewal form.
• 3.4 percent had previously reported that they no longer met income limits or other requirements, so received a notice that their benefits will be ending in 60 days.

Data dashboard update

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has recategorized some renewals in the Medical Redeterminations Dashboard. People who were automatically renewed but still need to submit some information were previously categorized as completed renewals with continuing benefits. These renewals now appear as initiated renewals awaiting member response. With this change, renewal data can now focus on completed renewals.

This allows for state-by-state comparison; Oregon’s 17% closure and reduction rate is currently the fourth lowest in the nation .

State responds to renewal system issues – This month, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and ODHS responded to three issues with the renewal process:

• Extending coverage for members who received incorrect approval notices: Around 11,700 members who did not respond to renewal requests received incorrect approval notices instead of closure notices. ODHS/OHA extended their coverage extended through the end of the year. These members received a new notice and call explaining that they can provide the missing information by the end of the year to prevent closure.
• Correcting or preventing incorrect terminations: Medical benefits for 2,268 people incorrectly ended at the end of September. 1,226 people incorrectly received notices explaining that their benefits would end at the end of October. ODHS/OHA will restore these people’s benefits or prevent them from closing. All affected members will receive new notices in November. In 2024, they will get another notice letting them know whose benefits are renewed without needing a response, and who in their household still needs to respond to a renewal to keep benefits.
• Restoring Oregon Supplemental Income Program—Medical (OSIP-M) benefits: OSIP-M is a program that provides OHP coverage to Oregonians who are legally blind, have a disability, and/or are 65 or older–and have limited income and financial resources. ODHS paused closures and restored coverage to 20,000 people found over the income or financial resource limits for OSIP-M. ODHS is updating OSIP-M notices with more information about members’ options, such as spending down excess financial resources. This way, they can make an informed decision and have additional time to report changes and keep their benefits if still eligible. In 2024, these members will get another renewal notice, after which benefits may end if still over the income or resource limits.

What to do if OHP is ending:

• First, review the case summary in your letter to make sure the information used to make the decision was correct. If that information has changed, notify the state. You can call the ONE Customer Service Center at 800-699-9075 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted) or find other options to connect at benefits.oregon.gov. If the information on file for you is correct and you disagree with the decision, you can request a hearing. Learn more about hearings here
• Explore options through an employer. If you, your spouse, or a parent are working, you may be eligible for health coverage through that employer. Talk to your manager or Human Resources department to see if you qualify. You will have a special enrollment period to enroll mid-year due to loss of OHP benefits.
• If you have or are eligible for Medicare: For help understanding Medicare options, go to OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find an insurance agent or a counselor at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA), or call SHIBA at 800-722-4134. SHIBA counselors and insurance can help you choose the right Medicare options if you’re losing OHP coverage.

If you need to sign up for Medicare for the first time, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 to enroll by phone or find a local office. You can also enroll in Medicare online at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up

• Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians qualify for financial help through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace. Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop to answer a few quick questions and find out how much you can save and how much coverage may cost you. You can also call the Marketplace Transition Help Center at 833-699-6850 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted).
• Need free local help figuring any of this out? Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find professional help near you.

Find help for renewing your benefits

1. Learn more about how to renew your Oregon Health Plan medical coverage.
2. Call the ONE Customer Service Center: 800-699-9075 (all relay calls are accepted, and help is available in multiple languages).
3. Stop by or call a local office. People can find their local office at:  https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/Pages/office-finder.aspx
4. Visit a community partner for free, in-person help. To find one near you visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp(English) or orhim.info/ayuda(Spanish).

ODHS and OHA encourage members to protect their benefits

The large number of OHP renewals, along with renewals of long-term services and supports, may cause greater wait times, delays, and possible interruptions to people’s OHP benefits. OHP members are encouraged to respond as quickly as possible after they receive a request for information to avoid any possible delays. The fastest way members can provide an update is by going to benefits.oregon.gov and logging into their ONE online account.

Members can visit KeepCovered.Oregon.gov to learn:

• What to do to protect their medical benefits
• Where to get help renewing their benefits
• How to provide updates when it’s time to renew
• How to explore health coverage options through a job, Medicare or the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace if they no longer qualify for OHP

Community partners and providers can find resources to support members through the unwinding process at KeepCoveredPartners.Oregon.gov.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) are committed to transparency and will continue to send monthly information about medical coverage among Oregonians as the agencies continue to track the programs.

Taxpayer Advocate urges Oregonians to volunteer to help low-income families receive millions in unclaimed tax benefits

Salem, OR—The Internal Revenue Service is once again recruiting people to assist in the free preparation of taxes as part of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, and the Department of Revenue’s Taxpayer Advocate is encouraging Oregonians to volunteer.

“Oregon needs more VITA and TCE sites and volunteers,” said Oregon Taxpayer Advocate Codi Trudell. “Volunteers have helped more than 28,000 Oregonians file their tax returns in 2023, but the need is substantially higher. VITA and TCE sites turn people away every day due to a lack of volunteers.”

The IRS estimates that one in five Oregon taxpayers eligible to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit are not doing so. One Oregon organization estimates that the unclaimed credits total nearly $100 million annually.

“There are significant federal and Oregon-specific tax credit benefits available to low-income individuals and families, but they need to file a tax return to claim the benefits,” Trudell said. “By volunteering to help file those returns, Oregonians can make a big difference in their communities.”

In addition to the need for volunteers, the IRS is also seeking organizations to sponsor VITA and TCE clinics. Last year, free tax assistance was made available at 88 sites across the state.

The VITA and TCE programs include training to provide free tax help for low-to-moderate income families who need assistance preparing their tax returns. Across the country, thousands of people volunteer each year and prepare millions of tax returns at thousands of tax sites nationwide.

Volunteers are assigned to work with a sponsoring organization, first to receive training and then to begin volunteering at a location in the community. Training is offered both online and in the classroom. Tax sites are generally open nights and weekends, and the hours are flexible.

Additional information is available on the IRS website. Interested persons can submit an inquiry now using the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up moving them one step closer to becoming a VITA or TCE tax volunteer and giving back to their community. The IRS will share information about those interested in volunteering with sponsoring organizations for follow-up contact.

Organizations with an interest in partnering with the IRS to sponsor or host a free tax preparation site in Oregon can also complete and submit the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.

Employment Related Day Care program opens waitlist for most families applying after November 3 – Eligible families are encouraged to apply now

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) reminds families that the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program will open a waitlist next week. The ERDC program helps families pay for child care through state and federal funds. The ERDC waitlist, announced last month, will open after an unprecedented increase in demand and limited available funding. Families should apply by November 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. if they think they may be eligible.

“We want to be sure families have had ample opportunity to apply for ERDC before the program opens a waitlist. We also want families to know there are other affordable child care programs they may qualify for,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Director of DELC. “The good news is that the increase in ERDC enrollment means the recent changes to the program allow it to work better for families. We will continue working with the Legislature to identify more funding to support the program.”

Here is what families need to know:

• Families currently receiving ERDC will continue to receive benefits as usual after November 3, 2023.
• Families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level (e.g., up to $5,000 per month for a family of four) may be eligible for ERDC and are encouraged to apply right away.
• Families can apply in the following ways:
  • Go to Benefits.Oregon.gov
  • Visit or call their local office
  • Dial 1-800-699-9075
• Families can text the word “children” to 898211 or call 211 if they need help finding their local office or figuring out how to apply to ERDC.
• Some families outlined in Oregon rule can skip the waitlist:
  • Families recently or currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS)
  • Families referred by the Child Welfare division of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)
  • Families reapplying for ERDC within two months of benefits ending.
• After November 3, 2023, families applying for ERDC that do not meet an exemption above will be placed on a waitlist. DELC will regularly follow up with families on the waitlist to provide updates.
• The waitlist is likely to be in place for at least 18 months, depending on the level of investment and the rate at which families leave the program.
• Families who need support paying for child care after November 3, 2023 are encouraged to reach out to 211 or their local Early Learning Hub to learn more about programs such as Preschool Promise and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten.

Once more funding becomes available and enrollment drops to a sustainable level, families will be selected from the waitlist based on the date they were added. The first to apply will be the first selected for eligibility screening and potential enrollment. Once a family is selected from the waitlist, they will receive a notice inviting them to apply for ERDC within 45 days.

Go to Oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC to learn more.

Merkley and Wyden Announce Federal Energy Assistance For Oregonians

On Thursday, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Oregon was awarded $40.2 million in federal funding to help low-income households and Tribes pay for energy bills, prevent utility shut-offs and more.

Wyden said, “With temperatures forecast to drop near or below freezing this weekend in Oregon, this assistance is especially timely”. Wyden said, “These federal funds will help Oregonians already struggling to make the choice between paying for utilities or food. Maintaining a warm home in cold weather is crucial, especially for households with young children, older adults, and people with disabilities”.

Merkley said, “Countless Oregon families are living paycheck-to-paycheck and struggling to pay their monthly bills”. Merkley said, “The assistance from the LIHEAP program will help keep the homes of Oregonians warm this winter and help ease the financial burden of rising utility costs”.

The release said administered through the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this funding from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps low-income households pay home heating and cooling bills, prevent energy shutoffs, restore services, make minor energy-related home repairs, and weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient.

Of the $40.2 million, LIHEAP is funding nearly $38.5 million to the state, with just over $639,000 going directly to Tribes. Over $1.1 million came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Two death investigations underway in south Salem

Salem, Ore. — The Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit and Traffic Team are conducting two death investigations in south Salem stemming from a dispute which occurred early today.

At approximately 6:25 a.m. Sunday morning, Salem Police officers responded to multiple calls of shots fired occurring at an apartment in the 4000 block of Liberty RD S. Witnesses reported hearing an argument then the sound of gunfire with a person fleeing the scene in a vehicle, leaving one man deceased from a gunshot wound.

A responding officer located and pursued the suspect vehicle traveling southbound on Commercial ST SE. The vehicle crashed through the property of two businesses in the 4700 block of Commercial ST. The driver was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Each scene is under active investigation, and no further details, including information about the decedents, is being released at this time.

Commercial ST was closed between Boone RD and Hilfiker LN SE for approximately four hours for the investigation of the collision.

OSP Fish and Wildlife Division reminds hunters to have the appropriate tags on hand when hunting

Oregon Hunting Licensing and Tag Requirements
OSP Fish and Wildlife Division reminds hunters to have the appropriate tags on hand when hunting

SALEM, Ore. 28 Oct. 2023 – Oregon big game hunting seasons are well underway and the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is reminding hunters how to keep their hunt legal. In Oregon, hunters must have a valid big game tag in their possession for the species and area they are hunting. Both paper and electronic tags are recognized.

Over the past few months, troopers have encountered numerous hunters without big game tags in their possession. In many situations, the hunters utilizing the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) electronic licensing app had failed to redeem their tag voucher. The most common issues are hunters with a Sports Pac who forget to redeem the appropriate tag voucher or hunters who had successfully drawn a controlled hunt and then failed to purchase the electronic big game tag for that hunt or species.

With Oregon’s general and controlled rifle elk seasons coming up in November, OSP is reminding hunters to double-check the electronic licensing app for the correct tags for their planned hunts. Within the app, valid big game tags will be displayed within each hunter’s recreation portfolio.

For those opting to use paper licenses and big game tags, be sure the tag is legible and in their possession when hunting. Successful hunters must immediately validate the tag per the instructions on the paper tag, or within the ELS application. The MyODFW app is available for download for both iOS and Android phones and allows hunters to validate their tag even when outside of cellphone reception areas.

ODFW license requirements include:

• Valid hunting license.
  • Hunting licenses are valid beginning January 1, or from the time of purchase if after January 1, through December 31 of the document year.
• No one may possess more than one valid annual hunting license.
• To hunt big game, an individual must have in their possession a big game tag, either electronic or paper, valid for the dates, area, and species being hunted.
• Any documents in possession, either electronic or paper, must be accessible immediately upon request by ODFW staff or law enforcement.

For additional information about big game hunting and hunting and angling regulations, visit the ODFW website or OSP’s Fish and Wildlife website.

Oregon Parks and Recreation To Discuss Drone Rules And Maps

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will livestream a virtual meeting Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. to present draft drone take-off and landing classification criteria to be used in future park drone use maps. The agency will then invite the public to share their views on the criteria from Oct. 23 through 5 p.m. on Dec. 29.

The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube for the public here.

Attendees who want to ask questions during the Q&A portion of the meeting must register beforehand here.

Although the formal rulemaking process for drone take-off and landing began in 2021, the agency temporarily stopped in April 2022 to form a work group and explore the matter in more detail.

The work group included various partners including conservation groups, drone users, state and federal agencies and met from June 2022 through the summer of 2023.

OPRD’s region resource and Geographic Information Services (GIS) staff, alongside park managers reviewed the draft criteria and applied them to three sample areas, one from each region of state parks.

Feedback will be reviewed by agency staff and the work group as part of a final report to the OPRD Director Lisa Sumption, who will then decide whether to direct staff to resume public administrative rulemaking or do more work on the proposals.

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Jo Niehaus at least three days in advance of the meeting at 503-580-9210 or jo.niehaus@oprd.oregon.gov .