Rogue Valley News, Wednesday 10/2 – Medford Police Launch Public Crime Mapping Portal, Roseburg Election Information Available Now, Art Along The Rogue Starts Friday & Other Local and Statewide News…

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

Wednesday,  October 2, 2024

Rogue Valley Weather

10/2 – Smoke and Air Quality Update 6 AM 10/2/24A dry cold front will move over the region today with slightly cooler temperatures. Smoke production will increase on any active fires as winds increase aloft and surface levels. The HRRR smoke modeling graphic shows where smoke is projected to move by later this afternoon/evening. Air quality will be impacted for locations directly downwind or nearby any active fires. Full model loop located here: https://www.weather.gov/mfr/wildfire

Wildfires continue to produce smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Breathe a little easier by keeping up to date on air quality conditions and concerns at Fire.AirNow.gov.

Seasonal Climate Forecast September – November 2024

https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/naturalresources/documents/weather/dlongrange.pdf

We’re not out of the woods just yet… DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN – Fire  Season still in progress. Many people let their guard down because fall has arrived. Major fires can get started in October and November. Fire season will not end until we really hit full speed on the cooler weather, rain, and snow coming to stay. Until then, be vigilant and do everything you can to prevent the spark that could be the next serious fire.

Please take precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire, be familiar with evacuation levels, and have a go-kit ready in case you need to leave your home.” — We’ve had an unprecedented fire season already. Don’t be that spark that could lead to a tragedy! Check Conditions

Medford Police Launch Public Crime Mapping Portal

Valley of the Rogue day-use area’s seasonal hours begin Oct. 1 

Art Along the Rogue Starts Friday!

Earlier this month, our department partnered with J.C. Penney and Dick’s Sporting Goods for a targeted retail theft enforcement operation. Thanks to a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, four individuals were arrested, and over $1,400 in stolen property was recovered!

Did you know? Confrontations between loss prevention employees and suspects are on the rise. Some suspects are arming themselves with pepper spray, knives, and even firearms to avoid capture. In response, local retailers are teaming up with MPD to proactively fight theft and ensure a safer shopping environment.

Businesses interested in joining these efforts can contact Lt. Don Lane at 541-774-2292.

Roadwork on Highway 99- part of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) five current road projects in Jackson County this week, is underway and will likely cause some disruption to traffic.

ODOT Work On Highway 99 At Birdseye Creek This Week

Work continues on Oregon Highway 99 from milepost 10.8 to 12.2 in ODOT’s Birdseye Creek, Foots Creek, and Millers Gulch Bridge replacement project.

This part of the Southern Oregon Seismic Bridge Retrofit Project project is projected to cost $11 Million and replace three 1920s-era bridges on the Rogue River Highway with structures better able to withstand earthquakes. The work is scheduled through June 2025.

While the project is ongoing, ODOT confirmed that the Birdseye Creek Bridge remains open but there are intermittent lane closures. Flaggers will provide traffic control as needed but drivers should expect brief delays and be on the lookout for workers on the road.

Jackson County Coleman Creek Bridge Replacement Project

Utility work from Glenwood to Coleman Creek at an estimated cost of $12 Million is continuing along Oregon 99 from milepost 10.2 to 11 this week. The ODOT said the work will improve safety and pedestrian and bicycle accessibility by widening Oregon 99 from East Glenwood Road to Coleman Creek Bridge.

Streetlights will also be added at four intersections. A new drainage system and several mid-block pedestrian crossings with flashing beacons are also part of the project.

As lines, wires, and pipes are being relocated drivers were asked to look for intermittent lane closures on weekdays throughout the work zone.

Oregon 99 Road Work Planned At Medford’s Big X Intersection

More work on the Oregon 99 projects is planned for the Oregon Highway 238 and Oregon High 62 at Medford’s Big X Intersection.

The work will cost $ 15.9 million and involves the replacement of Americans with Disability Act (ADA) ramps, repair to damaged areas of the road, repaving of travel lanes, rehabilitation of several bridge decks, improvement of drainage, and new traffic signal upgrades.

This section of the project involves work between Table Rock and Ohio Streets, Oregon 238 west to North Ross Lane and OR 62 east to the Biddle Road overpass. Night-time lane closures are expected and drivers should pay particular care between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Sunday night to Friday morning.

OR99 Work On Highway 140

Lake of the Woods Highway- Oregon Highway 140, has ODOT work scheduled at milepost 3.6 at White City for Rogue Valley rural intersection improvements.

The project will provide additional advanced warning and delineation to improve safety at three rural intersections in the Rogue Valley at a cost of $1 Million.

Drivers are requested to look out for intermittent daytime shoulder closures Monday through Friday this week on Highway 140 at Riley Road in White City.

RFP for Engineering for the Illinois Valley Fire District Hydrant Project

You can schedule an appointment directly with our Intake Specialists through our website  https://firebrandcollective.org/harp/

Visita la página de HARP en nuestro sitio web para pedir cita hoy mismo.

 firebrandcollective.org/harp/

Southern Oregon hosting workplace safety and health conference Oct. 15-17

Rogue Valley Humane Society  · Donations Always Needed to Help Community

Our Community Food Bank exists to help folks who need an extra helping hand during a difficult month to feed their pets. Our program has a limited budget and so we rely on generous members of our community to donate some of these goods to continue to help assist our community.

In 2023 we fed an average of 700 pets a month! This equates to approximately 70 – 40lb bags of food each month!  Many pets have benefited from the community’s generosity, and we can’t thank you enough for your kindness.

David Grubbs’ Murder Investigation Remains Active

 The Ashland Police Department’s investigation into the murder of David Grubbs on November 19, 2011 remains open and active. Recently two new detectives have been assigned to look into new leads that have come in.

It has been more than Four Years since Fauna Frey, 45, disappeared in Oregon on a road trip, June 29, 2020, following her brother’s death

PART 2 – Newsweek Podcast Focusing on The Disappearance of Fauna Frey From Lane County

Here One Minute, Gone the Next —– PART 2 – Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel joins investigative journalist Alex Rogue to speak with Here One Minute, Gone the Next about the disappearance of Fauna Frey, the growing friction between citizen investigators and law enforcement, and the lack of resources in missing persons cases. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disappearance-of-fauna-frey-pt2-feat-sheriff/id1707094441?i=1000630100040 PART 1 – John Frey joins Newsweek to discuss exclusive details about the case of his missing daughter that until now have been unavailable to the general public. READ MORE HERE: https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-what-happened-fauna-frey-new-clues-uncovered-1827197?fbclid=IwAR3Z3Glru5lIgqiYXbs_nA1Fj8JuCIzM11OHSVHfwIucfq2f_G5y9y5bnmQ If you have any information on the whereabouts of Fauna Frey, call the anonymous tip line at 541-539-5638 or email FindFaunaFrey@gmail.com.

Help Find Fauna Frey #FindFaunaFrey FACEBOOK GROUP

It is National Fire Prevention Week and our friends at the NFPA have put out some great educational materials. During the entire month of October, our Fire Marshal’s Office team is providing 2nd grade classes with Fire Prevention Education and our crews will be visiting classrooms. We love an opportunity to interact with our community and spread awareness! #NFPA#FirePreventionWeek

Celebrate Fire Safety this October

– As the leaves change and cooler weather sets in, the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Oregon fire service remind everyone of the importance of home fire safety. October is Fire Prevention Month, a time to focus on fire prevention and safety at home. This year’s theme, “Celebrate Fire Safety,” calls on Oregonians to take action to reduce fire risks and protect their loved ones.

In 2023, 2,518 home fires in our state resulted in $119.5 million in losses to homeowners. Cooking remains the leading cause of home fires, followed closely by home heating. Alarmingly, in 417 of those fires, no smoke alarm was present.

“Oregon’s first responders are unwavering in their commitment to protecting our communities by reducing home fires and preventing the devastating injuries they cause,” said Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “This Fire Prevention Month, we’re calling on all Oregonians to take proactive, life-saving steps to protect their families, their homes, and their future.”

There are several simple things Oregonians can do to lessen the chance of a home fire and increase safety:

• Install and maintain smoke alarms. Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas.
• Practice cooking safely. Never leave cooking unattended and always have a lid or cookie sheet nearby to smother small flames.
• Use heating equipment safely. Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from heating devices and always plug space heaters directly into the wall—never use extension cords.
• Create and practice a home fire escape plan. Make sure every family member knows at least two ways out of every room.
• Consider candle alternatives. Battery-operated candles reduce fire risk, but if you use real candles, always blow them out before leaving the room.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek proclaimed October as Fire Prevention Month. For more information about Fire Prevention Month, a link to the proclamation, and more tips to prevent the top causes of home fires in Oregon, visit our website.

Wyden Introduces Sweeping Court Reforms to Restore Public Trust as Supreme Court Faces Legitimacy Crisis

 — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the introduction of new legislation to restore balance among the three branches of government, increase transparency to improve public trust in America’s courts, and modernize the courts to ensure greater access to justice for more Americans.

In the wake of recent rulings upending decades of precedent and evidence of unethical behavior, Wyden’s Judicial Modernization and Transparency Act would modernize the courts by expanding the Supreme Court to 15 justices over three presidential terms, prevent political inaction from bottling up nominations to the Supreme Court, and restore appropriate deference to the legislative branch by requiring a supermajority to overturn acts of Congress, among other modernizing provisions to improve access to justice.

The bill would also implement much-needed reforms to bring more accountability to the Supreme Court recusal process and improve transparency around potential financial conflicts and other unethical behavior.

“The Supreme Court is in crisis and bold solutions are necessary to restore the public trust,” Wyden said. “More transparency, more accountability and more checks on a power hungry Supreme Court are just what the American people are asking for.”

The bill modernizes the federal judiciary by:

• Expanding the Supreme Court to 15 justices.
  • The expansion is staggered over a total of 12 years with a president getting to appoint one nominee in the first and third years of each presidential term.
• Establishing a new supermajority threshold to overturn acts of Congress on a constitutional basis at both the Supreme Court and Circuit Court level.
• Requiring that relief granted by lower courts in cases seeking to invalidate an act of Congress expire upon the issuing date of an opinion by the Supreme Court.
• Establishing a new process for Supreme Court nominations that are not reported out of committee within 180 calendar days to be automatically placed on the Senate calendar.
• Expanding the number of circuit courts to 15 and returning to the practice of assigning one Supreme Court justice to oversee each circuit.
• Expanding the number of circuits by splitting the Ninth Circuit and establishing a new Southwestern Circuit.
• Expanding the number of Circuit Court and District Court judgeships to improve access to justice.

The bill increases transparency to improve public trust by:

• Requiring all justices to consider recusal motions and make their written opinions publically available. Any justice would be recused from a case upon the affirmative vote of the justices.
• Requiring the public disclosure of how each justice voted for any case within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
• Requiring the IRS to initiate an audit of each justice’s income tax return (and any amended return) as quickly as practicable after it is filed. Within 90 days of filing, the IRS would be required to publicly release the returns and provide an update on the status of the audit. Every 180 days thereafter, the IRS must update the public on the status of the audit. It will also release the ultimate findings of the audit.
• Requiring those nominated to the Court to include their most recent three years of tax returns in their publicly-available financial disclosure filings. In the case that a nominee does not disclose the tax returns within 15 days after nomination, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts would be instructed to obtain the tax returns from the Secretary of the Treasury and make them public. The Secretary of the Treasury is instructed to redact certain personal identity information.

A one-pager summarizing the bill is here.

A section-by-section of the legislative text is here.

The legislative text is here.

In July, as part of his ongoing efforts to reform and restore fairness to our country’s judicial system, Wyden introduced legislation to restore much-needed checks on Donald Trump’s radical right-wing Supreme Court by providing Congress with new authority to overturn judicial decisions that clearly undermine the congressional intent of laws following the Loper Bright decision. He also also introduced legislation to bring an end to the controversial practice of “judge shopping,” in which plaintiffs cherry-pick judges they know will hand down favorable rulings, leading to sweeping rulings that wield undue power over millions of Americans.

Governor Kotek Signs Executive Order to Restore Columbia Basin

Governor Kotek Affirms State Commitments to Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative. State agencies directed to chart a path forward to restore healthy and abundant salmon and steelhead fisheries in the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Governor Tina Kotek announced that she is directing state agencies to take all actions necessary and work cooperatively to fulfill the State of Oregon’s commitments to the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI).

“The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative is the result of a historic, unified partnership with sovereign Tribal nations and the states of Oregon and Washington – and I am committed to full implementation of our agreement over the next decade,” Governor Kotek said. “My directives to state agencies will uphold our state’s commitment and complement other efforts by the state to build a resilient and adaptive future to climate change, while also positioning our communities for a prosperous economic future.”

The “Six Sovereigns,” made up of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and the states of Oregon and Washington, joined together to develop the CBRI.

In December 2023, the United States government agreed to a suite of actions memorialized in the federal commitments made by the Biden-Harris Administration in response to the CBRI, in conjunction with a Presidential Memorandum, and the federal commitments together comprise the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA).

In collaboration with the Biden-Harris Administration, a historic agreement was developed to work in partnership with the Six Sovereigns to restore wild salmon populations, expand Tribally sponsored clean energy production, and provide stability for communities that depend on the Columbia River System for agriculture, energy, recreation, and transportation. Developing clean, reliable, and affordable replacement power for the region prior to considering removal of existing dams on the Snake River is a priority of the agreement.
To achieve these outcomes, Governor Kotek is directing relevant Oregon state agencies to:

• By February 2025, develop a report that outlines program commitments and existing statutory or administrative needs and capacity.
• Twice annually, meet with the Governor’s Office to review coordination among the State of Oregon, the federal government, and the other Six Sovereigns for the purpose of assessing their work to achieve and accelerate full implementation of the CBRI and RBCA.
• By June 2025, and annually thereafter, report to their respective boards or commissions on their implementation of the CBRI and RBCA, including identifying opportunities to enhance their agency’s role in CBRI and RBCA implementation.
• By November 2025, and annually thereafter, convene with the Governor’s Office a meeting with the Six Sovereigns to discuss ongoing implementation efforts and opportunities for collaboration to optimize implementation by Oregon.

The Governor’s Executive Order also directs the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) to identify opportunities for the NWPCC to advance the goals of the CBRI and RBCA and, by April 2025, deliver a report to the Governor of the opportunities that have been identified and the actions that are needed to implement those opportunities. —– The full text of Executive Order 24-28 can be found here.

Red Cross Volunteers from Oregon and SW Washington on Their Way to Hurricane Helene
American Red Cross – Cascades Region

Support communities in the path of the storm by making a financial donation or scheduling an appointment to give blood

Thousands of people are dealing with the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene and American Red Cross disaster workers are with them, providing comfort, support and relief.

More than 4 million customers – as many as 12 million people – are without power across impacted states. The danger isn’t over and people in affected areas are urged to heed the utmost caution before venturing outside. Helene is now a tropical storm threatening parts of the Southeast with dangerous flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to make a financial donation or to schedule a blood donation appointment. Individuals can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.

RED CROSS RESPONSE In just the past 48 hours, the Red Cross has opened or supported more than 140 shelters for nearly 9,400 individuals who have evacuated their homes. Red Cross teams managed 50 of these shelters overnight and supported more than 80 partner shelters with staff and supplies

The Cascades Region in Oregon and SW Washington has sent 10 volunteers already with more lining up to go.  Just like volunteers from across the country who came to Oregon to support our wildfire evacuations this summer, our volunteers will be there as long as we are needed.

As deadly flooding continues and threatens additional communities, even more people will urgently need our support. Red Crossers are working closely with community partners and state and local officials to ensure help is available where needed.

Nearly 500 disaster workers are on the ground helping with hundreds more on their way. The Red Cross has also deployed numerous emergency response vehicles to help where needed. When it is safe to do so, Red Cross disaster responders will travel throughout affected communities, assessing the damage and distributing meals and relief supplies.

CANCELED BLOOD DRIVES Helene has canceled blood drives throughout Georgia and the Carolinas causing more than 1,000 blood donations to go uncollected, and this number is growing.

As communities feel the effects of Helene, patients are fighting their own battle. Some of these patients urgently need closely matched blood donations to weather their health crises. If you’re in a safe area, you have the power to be a lifeline.

Please schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to help restock the shelves.

FIND A SHELTEREvacuation shelters are open across the region. You can find evacuation shelters on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).You can also find shelters by following your local Red Cross and local emergency officials on social media, or by monitoring local news. If you need assistance finding or going to a shelter in the Big Bend region, call 800-729-3413 for help.

CLIMATE CRISIS Helene could be the start of a series of back-to-back storms that threaten the U.S. as additional systems form in the Atlantic.Experts report Hurricane Helene was able to grow and become more destructive because of hotter-than-average ocean temperatures caused by the climate crisis, which is bringing more frequent and intense disasters that upend lives. In response, the Red Cross is providing food, shelter and recovery support on a nearly continual basis.

Find safety steps for different emergencies ꟷ including hurricanes and power outages ꟷ here.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

Governor Kotek Calls On Federal Government To Cancel Offshore Wind Auction In Southern Oregon — Oregon Offshore Wind Auction Stopped For Now After Protest From Governor

Governor Kotek has asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy management to halt its efforts to lease property off the coast of Oregon, endorsed the withdrawal of the state from an intergovernmental energy task force. (https://kval.com/resources/pdf/0bcf3574-3321-4904-b771-84d483594586-GovernorKoteklettertoBOEMDirectorKlein_1727455319170.pdf )

This comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians which alleges BOEM conducted insufficient analysis of offshore wind energy impacts.

The request was met with a strong response by other state leaders, including Senator Wyden, “I don’t back down when it comes to deploying renewable energy projects, but even the pursuit of clean energy doesn’t mean running over the public process,” Wyden said. “I’m glad federal regulators hit the pause button on proceeding with this hasty auction process. I’ve been pressing for this to slow down because Oregonians on the coast deserve every opportunity to have an actual say in this issue affecting their lives and livelihoods.”

BOEM Postpones Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Auction

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced today that it is delaying the offshore wind energy auction planned for potential lease areas offshore Oregon due to insufficient bidder interest at this time.

On Aug. 29, 2024, the Department of the Interior announced the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Oregon following engagement through the Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, including coordination with the State of Oregon on advancing opportunities for leasing that would precede a multi-year process for site assessments and subsequent review of any specific project plans if submitted. The FSN set an auction date for Oct. 15, 2024, and included two lease areas offshore Oregon and identified the five companies qualified to participate in the sale. Following issuance of the FSN, BOEM received bidding interest from one of the five qualified companies.

In determining a future opportunity for a potential lease sale, BOEM will continue to collaborate with representatives from federal, state and local agencies and Tribal governments, to coordinate on potential leasing and support ongoing stakeholder engagement processes on broader offshore wind considerations, such as the state-led development of a strategic roadmap for offshore wind.

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department has approved the nation’s first ten commercial scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of approximately 15 gigawatts of clean energy — enough to power 5.25 million homes. Since January 2021, the Department has held five offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New jersey and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Secretary Deb Haaland also recently announced a schedule of potential additional lease sales through 2028.

For more information on offshore wind in Oregon, visit: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/oregon-activities. —– https://www.boem.gov/newsroom/press-releases/boem-postpones-oregon-offshore-wind-energy-auction

Oregon’s Income Growth is the 6th Fastest in the Nation

Oregon average incomes are growing at a rate of the sixth-fastest in the nation and have never been higher, even after accounting for inflation, says former state economist Josh Lehner.

Lehner was commenting on data released in an American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau which reveals that Oregon is extending its trend of declining poverty with average annual household income pegged at $81,160, or 3.1% higher than the national average.

Writing a poverty and progress report in the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, Lehner says the incomes of typical state households have never been higher, growing by 6% before inflation in 2023, and 2.1% in real, or inflation-adjusted terms.

The average income earned by Oregonians from 2019 to 2023 increased by 19.5% in nominal terms. This figure reflects an increase of just 2.8% in real terms because of surging inflation. Oregon has the 21^st-strongest inflation rate in the country.

Another state trend in recent years has been the narrowing gap in racial income disparities. Lehner says the growth of household income has been the strongest among Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).

He says wages have been the biggest component driving household income, with average earnings of full-time workers rising 5.3% before inflation. Earnings have increased on average by 5.1% annually since 2019.

The strongest household income gains have been recorded in the Bend metro and the Rogue Valley, while Portland metro area is at or near the income gains seen elsewhere.

Overall, the 2023 survey shows that Oregon household incomes are continuing to rise, although poverty rates among some groups, in some locales, are much higher than statewide. (SOURCE)

Oregon wildfire season expected to last into mid-October

The bulk of the wildfires have burned through east Oregon grass and shrub, with about 25% of it in forestland, according to the Wildland Mapping Institute. More than one-third of all acres blackened have been on private land, and about 62% has been on federal land. Most wildfires are caused by humans, according to the interagency coordination center, but this year the bulk of blazes have started from natural causes, such as lightning.

The wildfires prompted Kotek to declare a statewide emergency and ask for federal help and regulatory flexibility for farmers and ranchers. She’s also invoked the Conflagration Act 17 times this year, with the latest invocation on Sept. 10 for the Service Fire in Wheeler County. The act unleashes resources to fight blazes that threaten lives, communities or key infrastructure. (SOURCE)

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

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Large Fires in Oregon Past 2 Weeks 10/2/24 9:00am per INCIWEB

https://app.watchduty.org/

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

In these dry conditions, a single spark can cause a lot of damage. Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page.

Tigard Mother and Daughter Indicted for Holding Three Victims in Indentured Servitude in Adult Foster Care Home

PORTLAND, Ore.—A mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon were arraigned in federal court today after they were indicted for using force and threats to compel three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home.

Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 66, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 30, have been charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiring with one another to commit forced labor, committing forced labor, and benefitting from forced labor.

According to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida’s Care Home in Tigard, began their trafficking scheme in 2023 when they convinced two adults and a child from Haiti to travel to the United States to work at Velida’s.

In early September 2023, all three victims arrived in Portland and were immediately taken to Velida’s where they were forced to work long, difficult hours for little or no pay. Valmont and Andre are also alleged to have taken their victims’ immigration paperwork and forbade them from leaving Velida’s under any circumstances. Valmont is further alleged to have thrown items at the victims, threatened to send them back to Haiti and have them killed, and threatened to call the police and make false theft allegations against them.

In the summer of 2023, authorities with the Oregon Department of Justice were alerted to the situation at Velida’s following the minor victim’s disclosure of her indentured servitude to a pediatrician. Shortly after, the minor victim was removed from Velida’s and placed in a foster home. On Thursday, the FBI arrested Valmont and Andre at Velida’s without incident.

Both defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending further court proceedings.

Committing and benefitting from forced labor are both punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Tigard Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Eliza Carmen-Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, you can also submit a tip via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information provided to the CyberTipline.

Oregon legislature takes up noncitizen voter registration issue in first hearing

A DMV review found that 1,259 people may have been mistakenly registered through Oregon’s automatic voter registration system without providing proof of citizenship.

Eligible residents who receive driver licenses or state ID cards are automatically registered to vote in Oregon, but in 2021 the state started allowing noncitizens to obtain driver licenses. According to ODOT, the mistake happened when DMV staff accidentally selected the wrong option on a computer menu when listing applicants’ identifying documents.

“This was truly a clerical error. We have a drop-down menu of documents that people can provide to prove their identity and age in DMV transactions, and that menu defaulted to U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate,” said DMV administrator Amy Joyce.

ODOT initially announced on Sept. 13 that it had discovered 306 cases, and then announced Monday that the number had grown to 1,259 after a full review. In an FAQ ahead of the hearing, ODOT said the full review included all licenses and ID cards issued after Jan. 1, 2021, the day the DMV started allowing noncitizens to apply, totaling about 1.4 million records. REAL ID licenses were not included because they go through separate federal verification.

The data entry mistake doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the 1,259 people were not U.S. citizens, ODOT added — it just means the documentation they provided at the DMV to obtain a license did not include proof of citizenship, so it shouldn’t have been forwarded to the Secretary of State’s office to be added to the voter rolls.

ODOT and elections officials previously announced that only 10 of the people had actually submitted a ballot in any election over the past four years, and one of them was subsequently confirmed to have been a U.S. citizen at the time they voted.

At the hearing, elections director Molly Woon said her office is still checking the other nine and she expected to have final results by the end of the day, but added that the office has already confirmed that none of them voted in elections that were close enough that their votes could have affected the outcome. If the elections division finds that any of them were not citizens at the time they cast their ballots, their cases could be referred to the Oregon Department of Justice.

The Secretary of State’s office immediately deactivated the voter registration of the first 306 people and has now done the same with all 1,259 cases, Woon said, but added that they will all be notified of the change by the end of this week and given instructions for how to reactivate their voter registration if they can prove their citizenship.

Joyce and ODOT director Kris Strickler said the DMV has already updated its software to display the identification drop-down options in alphabetical order and added a confirmation pop-up if U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate is selected. A manager in each DMV office is also now double-checking every transaction at the end of each day.

Most of the lawmakers on the committee appeared satisfied with ODOT’s remedial measures, with the bulk of the critical questions focused on why the agency didn’t detect the clerical error until an outside group intervened. (SOURCE)

Oregon State Parks to increase camping, parking and reservation fees for 2025

SALEM, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is increasing its camping, parking and reservation fees to keep pace with the rising cost of utilities, operations and maintenance.

Most of the increases range from $2 to $5 depending on the fee.

The park system has experienced record visitation as well as the impacts of rising costs and inflation. Utility costs for example have increased by 28% over the last 4 years, but most fees have remained the same. Depending on the fee, the last increase was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago for base fees.

“We know that raising fees by any amount can be challenging for visitors, and we don’t make this decision lightly. We try to keep costs and fees as low as possible to minimize the impact while still fulfilling our commitment to stewardship and recreation,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption.

Oct. 15, 2024: OPRD will increase its base camping fees for the first time since 2017. The increase applies to all camping reservations for 2025. Starting on October 15, 2024, all reservations made for 2025 stays will include the fee increase.

Increases in base rate by site type:

• $2 increase for misc. sites (includes teepees, meeting halls and other facilities)
• $3 increase for tent sites (includes horse tent sites, horse group sites, group tent) and primitive sites (includes overflow, fly-in and walk-to-sites)
• $4 increase for RV sites (includes full hookup, electrical, horse RV and group RV sites)
• $5 increase for cabins and yurts (includes rustic, mini, totem, and deluxe sites)

(Seasonal rate increases were adopted in 2020. The seasonal adjustments will be added to the new base rates. As in previous years, summer rates are $2 more for tent sites, $3 more for RV sites and $5 more for cabins/yurts.)

Jan. 1, 2025: OPRD will increase its reservation fee from $8 to $10 per site starting Jan. 1, 2025. This fee has not been increased since 2010.

Daily parking permit fees will increase from $5 to $10 at the 25 parks that charge a fee for day-use parking. Parking permit fees were last increased in 2009. The annual parking permit and the two-year permit fees remain the same at $30 for the annual permit and $50 for the two-year permit.

July 1, 2025: OPRD will expand the 25% out-of-state surcharge for RV campsites (required by state law) to all site types for out-of-state campers.

New camping rate ranges replace the existing ones. These ranges set the lowest and highest fees that OPRD can charge over time. It gives OPRD’s director the ability to change fees in the future as needed. The last rate range update was adopted in 2018.

OPRD has three main sources of funding: a little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. OPRD is not funded by taxes.

OPRD does offer a few resources and programs to help increase access to Oregon State Parks.

• Most Oregon State Parks offer free day-use parking. Current exceptions include this list of 25 parks online.
• We also have special access passes for free camping and day-use parking permits for:
  • Oregon foster parents, guardians and parents who have adopted Oregon foster children.
  • U.S. veterans with a service-connected disability.
  • Active duty U.S. military on official leave.

Next month, OPRD will open public comment on a proposal designed to give OPRD’s director more flexibility to decide which parks charge for day-use parking. The proposal would require day-use parking permits at all parks unless otherwise noted. The director would have the authority to waive the permit requirement as needed. There are no plans to charge at all parks, and OPRD would consider any changes carefully.

OPRD will continue to explore options in the future that reduce cost as a barrier while earning needed revenue to maintain our parks and manage congestion.

Measures On The Ballot For Oregon’s 2024 Election

Oregon voters will decide whether to receive a $1,600 annual rebate through an increase in the corporate sales tax via a ballot measure that has received fierce pushback from lawmakers, local businesses and labor unions alike.

Why it matters: If Measure 118 passes, every Oregonian would receive an annual check, regardless of age or income, starting next year.

• The rebate would be paid for by a 3% gross receipts tax for all companies doing business in Oregon that make more than $25 million annually in sales.
• If passed, the new tax would generate $1.3 billion in revenue for the 2023-25 biennium, according to the Legislative Revenue Office.

The intrigue: This would be separate from the “kicker.”

Catch up quick: The measure is one of five initiatives Oregonians will vote on this November that could alter how the state governs its elections, businesses and elected officials’ salaries.

Here’s a brief look at the other four measures.

Measure 115 would amend Oregon’s constitution to allow the Legislature to impeach statewide elected officials — if both the House and Senate reach an affirmative two-thirds vote.

• Right now, Oregon is the only state without an impeachment doctrine.

Measure 116 would establish a commission to study and set the salaries and compensation for statewide elected officials.

• The yearly base pay for Oregon lawmakers is around $35,000. The study would look at all elected offices, including governor, secretary of state, judges, district attorneys, as well as state senators and representatives.

Measure 117 would establish ranked choice voting for federal and statewide elected offices.

• Portland voters will participate in the city’s first-ever ranked choice election this fall, while Multnomah County voters will use the system in November 2026.

Measure 119 would essentially make it easier for cannabis workers to unionize by requiring cannabis retailers, processors and labs to submit a labor neutrality agreement with a union in order to request or renew their operating license.

The bottom line: The last day to register to vote in order to participate in the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 15. (SOURCE)

DAS Publishes Oregon Annual Maximum Rent Increase for 2025

Salem, OR- Today, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) published the annual maximum rent increase allowed by statute for calendar year 2025. The DAS Office of Economic Analysis has calculated the maximum percentage as 10.0%.

Implemented in 2019, Oregon law requires DAS to calculate and post to its website by Sept. 30, the maximum allowable annual rent increase percentage for the following calendar year. Per statute, the Office of Economic Analysis calculates this amount as seven percent plus the annual 12-month average change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), as most recently published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, or 10%, whichever is lower. Only one rent increase may be issued in any 12-month period.

The allowable rent increase percentage for the 2025 calendar year is 10.0%. This applies to residential rental units 15 years and older. DAS will calculate and post the percentage for the 2026 calendar year by Sept. 30, 2025.

Since implementation in 2019, the rate has held around nine or 10%, with the exception of 2023 prior to July 6. The mid-year change was due to a change in the law that capped the rent increase at 10%.

Information about the maximum annual rent increase percentage, as well as the provisions of ORS 90.323 and 90.600 (statutes governing rent increases), can be found on the OEA website: https://www.oregon.gov/das/OEA/Pages/Rent-stabilization.aspx.

The Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Economic Analysis cannot provide legal advice. Those in need of legal advice should contact an attorney. Questions about the percentage calculation itself may contact OEA.info@das.oregon.gov.

OSP asking for the public’s help to locate wanted man —  Oregon State Police

Suspect wanted for sex crimes in Oregon and Alabama

– Oregon State Police and the Mobile (Alabama) Police Department are seeking the public’s help to locate Adam Renk (39) who is wanted in both states for sex crimes against child victims.

On June 21, 2024, OSP detectives responded to a sexual abuse disclosure made by a minor. The minor disclosed Renk as the perpetrator. Renk has since been indicted on multiple crimes against a child victim under the age of 12. He is charged with Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

As part of their investigation, OSP detectives learned Renk had been charged in another case involving a minor victim in Mobile, Alabama. The Alabama charges include Child Sexual Abuse and Torture involving an 11-year-old victim. The victims in the two states are not related. Alabama law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service are attempting to locate Renk who posted bond in Alabama and was released from pre-trial custody.

Renk was last seen leaving Alabama on August 7, 2024. He has ties to Oregon and Wasco County. He is believed to be traveling in a converted Ford Ambulance that is now painted two-toned white over gray. Renk is a white male, 6 ft. 1 in. tall, 175 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information about Renk’s whereabouts or information about possible additional victims is asked to contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at 541-506-2580 or OSP Detective Cassie Bantz through dispatch at 800-442-0776 or by dialing OSP (677) on a mobile phone.

Portland Listed in the Top Five U.S. Cities for UFO Sightings

Top UFO Hotspots in the U.S: Where to Watch the Skies

Our fascination with UFOs taps into our innate curiosity about the unknown. According to the Pew Research Center, 65% of Americans believe that intelligent life exists on other planets. The luck and rarity of an UFO sighting further fuels our obsession and curiosity.

We’ve created a one-stop guide to reveal where in the U.S. you’re most likely to spot a UFO. By analyzing data from the National UFO Reporting Center, we were able to find the most common months, locations, and times you are most likely to see a UFO, sourcing data going all the way back to 2013. — Extraterrestrial adventure may be in your own backyard. You can use this tool to find where you can increase your odds of spotting an UFO in each state: https://www.betus.com.pa/casino-guide/usa-ufo-encounter-2024/

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