Rogue Valley News, Wednesday 1/22 – Power Outage Affects Thousands of Customers Across Douglas County, Grants Pass Enforcing Camping Ordinance at 7th Street Resting Site & 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,  January 22, 2025

Rogue Valley Weather

Power Outage Affects Thousands of Customers Across Douglas County Including Downtown Roseburg

Utility work crews worked to restore power following an outage that affected approximately 36,000 Douglas County residents on Tuesday morning, according to Pacific Power officials.

Pacific Power said that the outage, which was announced shortly before 6 a.m. on January 21, affected 35,779 customers in the communities of Glide, Myrtle Creek, Oakland, Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winchester, and Winston. Work crews were dispatched to investigate the cause of the outage and make repairs with power estimated to be restored by 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, according to the utility company.

Pacific Power said that power had been restored to all its customers as of 10:13 a.m. on January 21.

The power outage has led to the delayed opening of state offices in all Douglas County cities except Canyonville and Reedsport, according to state officials. State authorities said that state offices, which do not include courts or legislative offices, will open at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning. UCAN Head Start and Glide Preschool Promise are operating on a two-hour late start for all sites with no morning preschool. Douglas County Circuit Court will open two hours later than normal at 10 a.m.

Roseburg School District announced that classes were canceled for the day due to the outage.

 

Grants Pass Enforcing Camping Ordinance at 7th Street Resting Site

The Grants Pass City Council set forth a resolution regarding usage of the city’s resting sites at a special meeting on January 7, 2025. In preparation to meet the Council’s adopted resolution, the Grants Pass Police Department has been working with its community partners to ensure the transition was fairly implemented and that those impacted had access to available resources.

These efforts included working behind the scenes with stakeholders such as MINT, PATH, U-Turn for Christ, HWAM, Mid-Rogue Foundation, UCAN, ADAPT, Options of Southern Oregon, Grants Pass Sobering Center, Maslow Project, WCST, Gospel Rescue Mission, Dove Ministries, On-Track, and Veterans Affairs.

Grants Pass police officers communicated the upcoming changes repeatedly over the past two weeks so that those utilizing the resting sites had ample awareness of the resolution. The officers worked to notify the unhoused community of the new rules so that they were prepared in advance. We will continue to work with the houseless population to link them to resources as we always have.

On January 21, the 7th Street site’s usage moved to overnight with persons allowed to occupy the premises between 5:00PM and 7:00AM for rest. Our police officers, community service officers, and parking enforcement officer helped to clean the site after the users left during the daytime closure. They were joined by ten volunteers from U-Turn for Christ in the clean-up, which removed abandoned property, trash, and spoiled food. This will allow those returning for overnight rest to have a safe and clean environment, which is our goal for all our community members.

The Grants Pass Police Department created a community resource team (CRT) several years ago to routinely interact with at-risk persons. The goal of the team is to find solutions and resources for individuals in need, while holding people accountable to state law and local ordinances. Over the years, this team has helped at-risk community members get identifications, housing, treatment, and more immediate needs like clothing and meals. The CRT officers build relationships with individuals over time and leverage these relationships to encourage acceptance of resources and help.

We have continued a strong partnership with Options of Southern Oregon, who houses a full-time case manager/advocate in our department with a second advocate planned for spring of 2025. The case managers meet with at-risk persons to find resources, provide encouragement, and provide a separate path of communication outside of police officers. The advocates are in the field meeting persons where they need the help.

Grants Pass Police were strong supporters of Deflection both at the statewide and local levels. Deflection allows persons with substance abuse needs to avoid criminal charges if they are willing to enter a structured program ran by the Sobering Center of Grants Pass. Persons meet with a deflection manager and chose to accept on-going, managed services from either Choices, On-Track or ADAPT. Deflection began in December of 2024 and has already had three successful completions. This demonstrates that the police department is committed to helping persons be successful.

For over a year, we have shared a program with ADAPT to help link persons suffering overdoses or other immediate drug-related needs with the service provider. When police officers respond to the scene of an overdose, we contact ADAPT to have a case worker respond to the scene or hospital to immediately connect with them. The purpose of this partnership is to find treatment resources when the acceptance may be the greatest.  *The Grants Pass Police Department is a best practice organization and are committed to helping all community members.

Rural Metro Fire – Josephine County 

Over the course of 74 minutes Monday evening, Grants Pass 911 received reports of 4 structure fires in Josephine County, from Sunny Valley to Selma.

The fires mobilized approximate 20 emergency vehicles from Rural Metro Fire, Grants Pass Fire, Illinois Valley Fire District and AMR-Josephine County. As it tuned out, 3 of the fires turned out to be non-hazardous open burns, called in by passerbys who assumed they were buildings but were unable to actually confirm what was on fire. Details of the fire in Selma may be found on the Illinois Valley Fire District page.

“Crying Wolf” is not a thing in emergency services. Reports of an emergency must be evaluated to determine legitimacy, or otherwise ruled-out as a false alarm. First Responders spend a notable amount of time each day evaluating the general public’s impression of an emergency. Some can be considered as false alarms, while others are definitely serious. Whenever possible, First Responders greatly appreciate callers to 911 take a minute to investigate and confirm what was perceived. However, First Responders also understand the limiting factors of passerbys who are unable to turn around or are otherwise hesitant due to safety concerns.

Rural Metro Fire’s ability to answer the call each day in a timely manner, during peak times over a large geographical area, is directly related to the support we receive from our loyal customers, as well as from our integrated mutual and automatic aid agreements with surrounding fire agencie

𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙍𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚

On Thursday, January 16, Medford Police Department officers responded to the 2100 block of Crater Lake Avenue following reports of a road rage incident involving a handgun. The victims reported that a man had threatened them with a firearm before leaving the area. Officers obtained detailed statements and began searching for the suspect.

Approximately 30 minutes later, the victim contacted police again to report that the same individual had returned. Following a verbal exchange, the suspect fired a gun from his vehicle as he left the scene. The victim was able to provide a vehicle description and a photo of the license plate. Officers confirmed that no one was injured in the incident.

Through their investigation, officers identified the suspect as Brandon Blackwell, 34, of Medford, who was determined to be a convicted felon. Early Friday morning, January 17, officers located Blackwell at a property on Gilman Road in Medford. After surrounding the location and making announcements, Blackwell exited the building and was taken into custody without incident.

Blackwell was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on charges of Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The firearm believed to have been used in the incident was recovered and seized.  This case will be prosecuted by the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. For reference, the case number is MPD 25-905.

 

Oregon’s effort to recoup some of the millions of dollars wasted on what state officials say turned out to be defective modular housing for survivors of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires has so far yielded a small fraction of what the state spent.

The state paid an average of $170,700 per unit to purchase the two-bed, one-bath homes in 2021. In recent months, some of those homes sold at auction for an average of $37,200, or about 22 cents on the dollar, state records show.

Oregon is now suing the housing broker for the deal, Pacific Housing Partners, as well as the manufacturer, Nashua Homes of Idaho Inc., alleging construction defects and seeking nearly $11.8 million.

Rep. Pam Marsh, an Ashland Democrat whose district had been slated to receive many of the modular homes, also declined to comment on the auction. But she said state officials made the right decision to offload the units rather than attempt to repair problems, saying wildfire survivors had lost confidence in the housing.

An Azalea man is in jail after police found hidden cameras inside a private home in the 14000 block of Upper Cow Creek Road.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the cameras were placed in areas of the home without the residents’ knowledge or consent. As a result of their investigation, DCSO detectives arrested 48-year-old Stephen Hughes on Wednesday.

Police executed multiple search warrants, during which detectives found more hidden cameras and a firearm suppressor that Hughes was not legally allowed to have. Hughes faces charges related to invasion of privacy and unlawful possession of a firearm suppressor.

Klamath Falls Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting Two Women and Holding One in Cell

MEDFORD, Ore.— Negasi Zuberi, 31, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, was sentenced to life in federal prison today for kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women, and holding one in a cell he constructed in his garage.

“There is no place in civil society for this type of terrifying violence,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “I sincerely hope Zuberi’s life sentence will bring some measure of comfort to his victims. Their courage and perseverance are an inspiration to us all.”

According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.

At his residence, the victim was moved from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.

On July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

While investigating Zuberi’s crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.

On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.

On October 18, 2024, a federal jury found Zuberi guilty of all charges.

This case was investigated by the FBI Portland and Reno, Nevada Field Offices, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney’s Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney’s Office; Nevada State Police; and Klamath Falls Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Nathan J. Lichvarcik, and Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.

 

Medford Fire Department – Hazmat Training

Are we going to the moon or doing more hazmat training? Last week, our HazMat team trained on technical decon, which is our decontamination procedure for a full-scale HazMat incident.

Our team utilizes different suits based on what substance or chemical they are responding to. The A suit is the highest (for the really nasty stuff) and level C (our turnouts) are the lowest. The level B suits pictured here are special ones for training.

Pictured are two HazMat members in level A suits (silver) and two members conducting the decon process in level B training suits (dark green).

The suits and decon process are essential in keeping our team members safe and ready to respond to hazardous material incidents!   Medford Firefighters Local 824

Time for another reminder…please do not plug space heaters into a multi outlets. Plug directly into the wall socket.

Gaming Already Underway at Coquille Tribe’s Just-Approved Medford Casino Amid Lawsuit by Competing Tribes

The Coquille Indian Tribe didn’t waste any time offering video game gambling in Medford starting Sunday in the wake of a U.S. Department of Interior decision last week paving the way for a Class II-type casino.

“It’s been 12 years, and we’re not waiting any longer,” said Ray Doering, director of public affairs and compliance with Tribal One, part of the Coquille Tribe. “We wanted to establish that this is what we’re doing.”

The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, owners of Seven Feathers Casino and Resort in Canyonville, on Tuesday referred to the Coquille move as an operation that started “illegally in the dark of night.” (SOURCE)

Search Warrant And Arrest In Ongoing Investigation by

Ashland Police Dept. 

On January 14, 2025, at 7:30 a.m., a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies led to the execution of a search warrant on Alida Street. The Ashland Police Department, working alongside the Medford Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Talent Police Department, Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security, the Oregon Department of Justice, and the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force conducted the operation as part of an ongoing investigation into child exploitation and internet crimes against children.

One suspect, Donovan Jesus Aquino, 21 years old, an Ashland resident, was arrested on two outstanding warrants and lodged at the Jackson County Jail.

Further details will be shared as the investigation progresses and more information becomes available.

This significant action underscores the continued commitment of local, state, and federal agencies to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable individuals.

 

A 21-year-old Ashland man has been arrested and is now being investigated for child sex crimes.

According to a news release from the Ashland Police Department, several local law enforcement agencies  conducted [an] operation as part of an ongoing investigation into child exploitation and internet crimes against children.

The man — Donovan Jesus Aquino — was arrested on two outstanding warrants and is currently in Jackson County Jail.

According to court documents, he is facing charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, two counts of second-degree criminal mischief and one count of reckless driving.

Almost 90 non-profits in the region and several organizations that serve multiple counties are getting more than $750,000 from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation (CCUIF).

CCUIF has awarded over $25 million across Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Coos, Lane, and Deschutes counties since it was established in 1997.

Carma Monorich of  the Tribe says “The work of non-profit organizations is tireless and highly important to our communities. The Asante Foundation, Hearts with a Mission, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley, Rogue Valley Farm to School, and Rogue Retreat, to name a few, are each getting $10,000.

CASA of Jackson County is getting $12,000 to train new mentors for kids in foster care. Additionally, Medford’s Compass House is getting $7,500 to help support staff who work directly with mentally ill individuals.

 

Josephine Community Library District

Spark curiosity and explore STEM with our hands-on kits! Perfect for at-home or classroom learning—check out a kit from the Library of Things today. Find out more about these events on our library calendar josephinelibrary.org/calendar.

 

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley

Have you heard the news? North Medford High School is getting a pollinator garden! We are so impressed with the Environmental Action Group formed under the vision and leadership of Nathan Wick and Jaiden Esquibel, with almost 20 students! Many kudos to the school for supporting this great idea!

Stay tuned for more on this wonderful project.

Crater Lake is ranked as the best national park for stargazing.

The vacation rental website Lake dot com used the National Park Service’s Night Sky data collection to score 100 national parks according to the average percentage of visible stars along with each area’s average median light pollution. Crater Lake viewers could see nearly 99 percent of visible stars and light pollution of point-zero-three.

Second on the list was Great Basin, Nevada followed by Canyonlands, Utah.

Starting in May, Alaska Airlines Begins Flights from Rogue Valley to San Diego, from the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport.

In a Facebook post, the airport said they are expecting the flights to be available mid-May and that there will be late morning departures and mid-afternoon departures.

Alaska Airlines will also be increasing Portland to Medford flights from twice a day to four times a day, the post said.  “We’re excited for the opportunities this new route brings to our community and beyond,” the release said.

 

 

Did you get help from FEMA, insurance, or others after the 2020 Almeda and South Obenchain Fires?

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/

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’s going on five years now since Fauna Frey, 45, disappeared in Josephine County 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

 

Oregon and Washington January 6 Rioters Walk Free After Trump Pardons

President Donald Trump granted clemency to roughly 1,600 people charged in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

Two men from the Pacific Northwest serving prison sentences for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot have been released from federal custody, less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump granted clemency to roughly 1,600 people charged in connection with the attack on the Capitol.

Reed Christensen walked out of the federal detention facility in Forrest City, Arkansas early Tuesday morning, according to his lawyer. The Hillsboro man thanked President Trump as “a politician who keeps his word” in a statement provided through his lawyer.

Christensen was serving a 46-month sentence after being convicted by a federal jury in September 2023 of one felony and seven misdemeanors, including civil disorder, and three misdemeanor counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.

Prosecutors claimed the 66-year-old was pepper sprayed after he breached a barrier of bike racks set up to prevent rioters from moving closer to the Capitol building. After receiving aid from police, prosecutors claim Christensen charged through the perimeter and struggled with officers.

Christensen, a U.S. Army veteran and former Intel employee, ran for Oregon governor in the 2022 Republican primary.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons also confirmed that Benjamin Silva of Yacolt, Washington was released on Monday after being pardoned by President Trump. The 37-year-old had been serving four months in federal prison in Lompoc, California.

Silva pleaded guilty in September 2024 to a felony charge of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. Federal prosecutors claimed Silva was part of a group of rioters who participated in a “heave-ho” push against a line of police inside a tunnel entrance to the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

Several other Jan. 6 defendants from Oregon will avoid prison time thanks to President Trump’s pardons.

Last week, a federal judge sentenced Andy Steven Oliva-Lopez to 51 months in prison after the Milwaukie, Oregon man pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.

Federal prosecutors claimed the 37-year-old wore a full-face respirator mask when he sprayed orange bear spray at the faces and heads of police officers outside the Capitol building.

A pair of brothers from Pendleton were also pardoned. Jonathan Peter Klein was supposed to serve nine months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting law enforcement and other offenses. His brother Matthew Klein of Pendleton was sentenced to 90 days in prison for felony and misdemeanor charges.

Their pardons will prevent them from having to serve any time behind bars for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. (SOURCE)

UPDATE: Two Oregon Residents Were Arrested for Impersonating Firefighters at the Palisades Fire 

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬

We are aware of the recent arrest of two individuals in Southern California for impersonating firefighters at the #LAFires.

We encourage community members to report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement or fire officials immediately. Your vigilance helps protect the safety of our communities and the reputation of fire service professionals.

A man and a woman from Oregon were arrested over the weekend for reportedly impersonating firefighters as they attempted to enter a Palisades Fire evacuation zone in what appeared to be a legitimate fire engine, officials announced Sunday.

On Saturday, January 18, 2025, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau investigators were contacted regarding an arrest of two suspects for impersonation of firefighters. An LAPD patrol unit was driving through the Palisades Fire area with fire personnel and observed a fire truck that did not appear to be legitimate. They relayed the information, and Sheriff’s deputies contacted the individuals in the fire truck as they attempted to enter an evacuation zone.

Upon contacting the two occupants of the truck, deputies noticed they were both wearing turnout gear. The occupants claimed to be from “Roaring River Fire Department” in Oregon. Upon further investigation, the deputies learned that the department name was not a legitimate agency, and the truck was purchased at an auction.

The two occupants were wearing CAL-Fire t-shirts under the turnout gear, helmet, and radios.The two admitted to being in the evacuation zone on Friday, January 17, 2025.

Deputies arrested Dustin Nehl, 31, and Jennifer Nehl, 44, for Impersonating a Firefighter and Entering an evacuation zone, and the truck was impounded. Suspect Dustin Nehl has a criminal history in Oregon for criminal mischief and arson. Neither have a criminal history in California.

Authorities did not provide a motive for why the man and woman were attempting to enter the evacuation zone allegedly posing as firefighters or if they were facing any charges in addition “impersonating firefighters.”

Investigators will be presenting the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration on Tuesday. Attached are photographs of the vehicle and gear recovered.Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 562-946-7893. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may call “L.A. Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Woodburn Gas Station Hid High Prices – Charging Customers $6.70 per gallon

Drivers in Oregon feel scammed after visiting the gas station pumps at an ARCO in Woodburn and learning the store was charging double the state average for filling up their tanks. Now, there are a relatively widespread number of complaints

Most people know which stations near them have cheap gas prices. This is the case because they become familiar with the signs and perhaps pass by them often. However, according to KOIN News, an ARCO fuel station in Oregon hid its prices from buyers. However, once using the gas station pumps, the drivers learned that the store was charging far more than they expected.

One driver, Jay Harries, had this to say about the lack of cheap gas prices, “You know, ARCO, historically, has reasonable prices — I assumed it would be a reasonable price.” He went on to say that he planned to spend $30 on fuel and only being able to get four gallons caught him off guard. Jay continued, “I was shocked, you know, honestly, and a little bit befuddled. And I felt like I had been kind off ripped off.”

Specifically, the ARCO station was charging customers $6.70 per gallon. As for why the drivers feel ripped off, they say this station, which usually has cheap gas prices, had the signs covered up. However, they do admit that the station displayed the prices at the pumps. Still, the store’s reputation caused many to begin fueling with the assumption that they weren’t charging double the state’s average.

So far, there have been about 234 complaints to the Oregon Department of Justice from people who were looking for cheap gas prices. The Better Business Bureau has so far received 14 complaints, 12 of which they rejected. (SOURCE)

Providence Strike Continues

Despite negotiations currently underway, the ONA healthcare workers strike at multiple Providence locations across the state is now on day 13 with both sides continuing to blame the other.

The hospital system and 5,000 union represented frontline healthcare workers have returned to the bargaining table through federal mediators.

However, the union claims Providence is not taking negotiations seriously, offering what they call regressive proposals to supposedly punish caregivers for exercising their right to strike.

5,000 frontline caregivers from eight hospitals and six clinics across Oregon went on strike for reasons beyond fair compensation, but a systemic crisis affecting patient care, staffing safety, health insurance benefits, and healthcare delivery. At the core of negotiation will be key issues that include:

• Resolution of systemic unsafe staffing issues documented across facilities
• Addressing health insurance and benefits disparities
• Implementation of necessary patient safety measures
• Market-competitive wages that will attract and retain skilled healthcare professionals.

A reminder to patients from doctors, nurses and caregivers: If you are sick, please do not delay getting medical care. Patients who need hospital or clinical care immediately should go to receive care. We would prefer to provide your care ourselves, but Providence executives’ refusal to continue meeting with caregivers has forced us onto the picket line to advocate for you, our communities, and our colleagues. Going into a hospital or clinic to get the care you need is NOT crossing our strike line. We invite you to come join us on the strike line after you’ve received the care you need. Community members can visit www.OregonRN.org/PatientsBeforeProfits to sign a petition to support frontline healthcare workers, get updates and find out how else they can help.

First Winning Powerball Jackpot of the Year Sold in Oregon

The first Powerball jackpot of 2025, worth $328.5 million, was sold in Beaverton. The ticket for Saturday’s drawing was purchased on January 17 in the 97006 zip code.

The winner has a year to come forward and claim their prize. Once a claimant comes forward, it will take time before a winner can be identified due to security and payment processes.

Per state law, players in Oregon, with few exceptions, cannot remain anonymous. The largest Powerball prize previously won in Oregon was last year’s $1.3 billion jackpot split between a Portland man, his wife, and friend.

Approximately a third of sales from the game will be returned to state beneficiaries to support economic development, education, veteran services, state parks and more.

Retailers who sell lottery tickets also earn commissions from the boost in ticket sales and bonus payments for lower tier wins. For instance, an Oregon retailer who sells a $1 million ticket would earn a $10,000 bonus. The location of the retailer where the current ticket was sold will not be revealed until a winner has come forward due to security protocols.

The Powerball jackpot was last won in December when a ticket sold in New York that was worth $256 million. Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The Oregon Lottery recommends that you always sign the back of your ticket to ensure you can claim your prize. In the event of winning a jackpot, players 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 nearly $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.

Columbia County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Illegally Dispensing Animal Drugs

A Columbia County, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison Thursday for her role in a conspiracy to defraud customers seeking to adopt pets and illegally dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian.

Samantha Miller, 55, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. The sum of restitution Miller must pay to her victims will be determined at a later date.

“Today’s sentence should make it clear to others engaged in unconscionable conduct that it will not be tolerated and they will be held responsible for their crimes,” said Hannah Horsley, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for the District of Oregon.

“The FDA regulates animal drugs as part of its mission to protect the public health, which includes ensuring that prescription animal drugs are lawfully obtained, distributed, and dispensed,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who criminally attempt to evade the law.”

According to court documents, between November 2019 and January 2021, Miller and her co-conspirators, through their animal rescue business Woofin Palooza, LLC, conspired to obtain animals with health and behavioral problems from out-of-state shelters at no cost to offer for adoption to paying customers in Oregon. Once animals were transported to Portland, Miller did not provide the care needed by these animals through a licensed veterinarian. Instead, their medical issues were either ignored or Miller attempted to treat the animals herself by administering prescription animal drugs without supervision of a veterinarian.

As part of the scheme, Miller used the alias “Mandy Myers” to hide her true identity. Miller advertised animals for adoption on Woofin Palooza and Petfinder websites with misleading or false statements of the known medical and behavioral issues. When victims adopted a pet, Miller misrepresented the extent of health and behavioral issues in communications and contracts with the victims. In some instances, Miller dispensed prescription animal drugs to victims that she had repackaged with false or misleading labels and without the order of a licensed veterinarian. As a result, victims unknowingly adopted unhealthy and aggressive animals and were forced to seek veterinary care and training, including euthanasia, often incurring significant expenses.

On February 7, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 4-count superseding indictment charging Miller with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to misbrand drugs, and misbranding animal drugs by dispensing them without a lawful order of a veterinarian and by repackaging and relabeling them.

On October 24, 2024, Miller pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and misbranding drugs by dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian.

This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Over $1.4 million is coming to Oregon, in order to help homeless veterans secure affordable housing.

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden made the announcement of $1,449,067 in funding on Tuesday. As the funding will come from federal housing assistance.

“These federal housing vouchers will help homeless veterans across Oregon, helping us deliver on the promise of necessary resources and support for those men and women who wore the uniform.” said Senator Merkley.

The federal investment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program will be distributed as follows:

• Housing Authority of Washington County: $615,090
• Housing Authority of Clackamas County: $321,675
• Housing Authority of the City of Salem: $233,001
• Northwest Oregon Housing Authority: $103,535
• Marion County Housing Authority: $57,656
• Housing and Urban Renewal Agency of Polk County: $39,660
• Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority: $39,234
• Housing Authority of Lincoln County: $39,216

“Too many of these heroes struggle to find affordable housing in Oregon, and I’ll keep fighting to deliver critical resources to help ease the burden on veterans searching for a place to call home.”

Oregon joins lawsuit over Trump attempt to end birthright citizenship

Washington, Arizona and Illinois are also part of the case, while other Democratic states filed a separate lawsuit

Oregon joined Washington, Arizona and Illinois on Tuesday in suing President Donald Trump and several cabinet officials over his attempt to withhold citizenship from babies born in the United States to immigrants.

For more than 150 years, the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has guaranteed that all people born in the country are citizens.

Hours after he took office on Monday, Trump signed an executive order to reinterpret that amendment to exclude from citizenship any children born to undocumented immigrants or to people who are legally in the country on a temporary basis, such as with a student, work or tourist visa.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield Trump’s attempt to “sidestep” the Fourteenth Amendment a “clear violation of the United States Constitution.”

“If allowed to stand, this order would break decades of established law that has helped keep kids healthy and safe,” said Rayfield. “While the President has every right to issue executive orders during his time in office, that power does not extend to instituting policies that infringe on our constitutional rights.”

Rayfield, a Democrat elected in November, signed onto a lawsuit led by newly elected Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and filed in the U.S. District Court in Western Washington. The Democratic attorneys general of Arizona and Illinois joined the suit, which requests a temporary restraining order blocking Trump’s executive order from taking effect.

The suit follows a separate, similar complaint filed earlier Tuesday by 18 Democratic states, the District of Columbia and the city and county of San Francisco in federal district court in Massachusetts. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin were part of that lawsuit.

Both lawsuits argue that Trump’s order will result in tens of thousands of children losing rights and the ability to access services, and that states would lose federal funding they now rely on to provide essential services including foster care and basic health care for low-income children.

Fourteenth Amendment — In Oregon, for instance, about 2,500 children were born in 2022 to mothers who lacked legal status, and about 1,500 of those children were born to parents who both lacked legal status, the lawsuit said. Those children would remain citizens under Trump’s order, which isn’t retroactive, but babies born after Feb. 19 would not.

“The individuals who are stripped of their United States citizenship will be rendered undocumented, subject to removal or detention, and many will be stateless — that is, citizens of no country at all,” the Western states’ lawsuit said. “They will lose eligibility for myriad federal benefits programs. They will lose their right to travel freely and re-enter the United States. They will lose their ability to obtain a Social Security number (SSN) and work lawfully. They will lose their right to vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices. And they will be placed into lifelong positions of instability and insecurity as part of a new underclass in the United States.”

Much of the 85-page court filing describes the history and precedent of the Fourteenth Amendment, one of the three Reconstruction amendments passed in the wake of the Civil War to expand voting rights and citizenship to formerly enslaved people. The Fourteenth Amendment spells out that anyone born or naturalized and subject to its jurisdiction — i.e. not the child of a foreign diplomat or an enemy combatant —  in the U.S. is a citizen, with no further action required.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld that interpretation in an 1898 case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, cited in the lawsuit. It held that Wong, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a citizen because he was born in the U.S. and thus could not be barred from returning to the U.S. because the Chinese Exclusion Acts passed by Congress to prevent Chinese laborers from coming to the country could not apply to citizens.

Registering to vote — The suit also notes that a U.S. birth certificate has long been considered adequate proof of citizenship for the Social Security Administration and for state-run voter registration.

Arizona, one of the plaintiffs, is the only state in the country that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in state elections — all others follow the federal requirement that potential voters swear under penalty of perjury that they’re citizens. If being born in the U.S. is no longer a guarantee of citizenship, the state would need to develop a new and more complex set of procedures to determine which voters are eligible, the lawsuit said.

Oregon’s automatic voter registration system, likewise, uses birth certificates as proof of citizenship. If someone brings a U.S. birth certificate to Driver and Motor Vehicle Services to apply for a driver’s license or state-issued ID, state workers send their information to the Secretary of State’s Office to register that person to vote.

The states also argued that stripping citizenship from newborn babies would place a financial burden on states. The federal government covers much of the cost of health care for low-income children who are citizens through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. But the states that sued pick up costs for all or some health care for undocumented children who would be eligible for Medicaid if they were citizens.

In Oregon, for instance, the Oregon Health Plan covers all children and teens younger than 19 and whose families earn up to about three times the federal poverty level, regardless of immigration status. If thousands of children are blocked from citizenship, the state’s costs would increase.

The states also anticipate losing federal funding for foster care and spending more to train health care workers to collect citizenship information from parents at a child’s birth, the lawsuit says.

Rayfield has joined other lawsuits, including intervening last week in suits seeking to preserve federal gun regulations and health insurance for children of undocumented immigrants. Gov. Tina Kotek has requested that the Oregon Legislature increase his office’s budget by $2 million in anticipation of more federal litigation against Trump policies.  (SOURCE)

Oregonians looking to renew their vehicle registration and get new tags can now do so at a handful of Fred Meyer stores around the state

The self-service express kiosks from Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services are designed to give Oregonians another way to renew their registration besides at a DMV office, online or by mail, according to a news release.

The kiosks are located in Fred Meyer locations in Salem and Eugene as well as in Beaverton, Bend, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Medford, Oak Grove and Tualatin. A location in Portland is coming soon and the DMV said it plans to offer more kiosks around the state in the future.

In Salem, the kiosk is at the Fred Meyer located at 3740 Market St. NE and allows users to pay by cash, credit or debit card. In Eugene, it’s located at the Fred Meyer at 3333 W 11th Ave. and will only allow payment via debit or credit card.

“We see these kiosks as a way to improve customer service, access and equity,” DMV administrator Amy Joyce said in the news release. “This program is the latest effort aimed at improving the DMV experience for our customers.”

The kiosks are ADA-accessible and registration renewal can be completed in English and Spanish. Users will be charged a $4.95 vendor fee for each transaction.

Customers will need to bring identification (license, permit, or ID card), insurance information and registration renewal notice. — Vehicle registration cards and license plate stickers will be printed after the transaction.

Registration Is Now Open For The Bob Ross-inspired Happy Little (Virtual) 5K Run for the Trees

Oregon Parks Forever  —    Inspired by American painter and PBS television personality Bob Ross’ love of the outdoors, Oregon Parks Forever is sponsoring a virtual 5K race to help plant trees in Oregon’s parks & forests.  Registration is now open for the 2025 Run for the Trees at www.orparksforever.org.

Participants can run, walk, hike, skate, paddle or roll to complete their 5K anywhere outdoors anytime between April 19 and 27 (covering Earth Day and Arbor Day).   Participants are encouraged to register by April 1 to ensure that your swag arrives before the event week.  If you register after April 1, you may not receive your swag before race week. Registration will close on April 15.

For $36 per person, each participant will receive a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number and a finisher’s medal. All Oregon race proceeds support tree planting and forest protection efforts in Oregon parks.  Ten trees will be planted in Oregon for each registration.

Gather your friends, family and/or colleagues and create your own walk or run. Make it fun!

Initially, the “Happy Little Trees” program began with a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Bob Ross Inc., with hundreds of volunteers helping to plant “happy little trees” at locations hard-hit by invasive pests and tree diseases. The partnership quickly expanded to include the Run for the Trees / Happy Little (Virtual) 5K.

As the Happy Little 5K gained popularity, more states have joined the effort. Now in its fifth year, the Happy Little 5K has expanded its reach to include ten other states. Together, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland and Virginia will “lock arms” as they help raise awareness and funding for stewardship efforts in each state’s parks.

“We are thrilled to partner with Bob Ross, Inc. and these other ten states on the Happy Little 5K concept as a way to honor the late Bob Ross and create a legacy event to plant trees,” said Seth Miller, Executive Director of Oregon Parks Forever.”

Oregon Parks Forever joined this event as an expansion of our efforts to fund the replanting of trees killed by wildfires, heat domes and invasive insects.  Over the past three years, Oregon Parks Forever has been able to fund the replanting of more than 800,000 trees across Oregon.

“The official Bob Ross 5K is probably our most favorite initiative,” says Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Company. “It’s the perfect blend of everything Bob held dear; nature, taking care of the environment, and happy trees too of course. He would have been so pleased to see how it’s getting so popular around the world.” —  Learn more about the program at  http://www.orparksforever.org

IRS Direct File, Direct File Oregon Will Be Available When Income Tax Return Processing Begins January 27

Salem, OR— Free electronic filing through the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon will open January 27 when both the IRS and the Oregon Department of Revenue begin processing e-filed 2024 federal and state income tax returns. Paper-filed return processing will begin in mid-February.

The IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own tax returns in 2025 will have the option to electronically file both their federal and state income tax returns for free by filing directly with the IRS and the state.

Taxpayers are encouraged to use the IRS Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify to file directly with the IRS and the state.

E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department won’t be issuing personal income tax refunds until after February 15. A refund hold is part of the department’s tax fraud prevention efforts and allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers and payers report on Forms W-2 and 1099.

E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer 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.

The department reminds taxpayers that taking a few easy steps in the next few weeks can make preparing their 2024 tax return easier in 2025.

Free filing options open January 27 — In addition to IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon, other free filing options will also open January 27. Free guided tax preparation is available from several companies for taxpayers that meet income requirements. Free fillable forms are available for all income levels. Using links from the department’s website ensures that both taxpayers’ federal and state return will be filed for free.

Free and low-cost tax help — Free tax preparation services are available for low- to moderate-income taxpayers through AARP and CASH Oregon. United Way also offers free tax help through their MyFreeTaxes program. Visit the Department of Revenue website to take advantage of the software and free offers and get more information about free tax preparation services.

Voluntary self-identification of race and ethnicity information — New for 2025, Oregon taxpayers and Oregonians can voluntarily provide information about their race and ethnicity on Form OR-VSI when they file their 2024 taxes. Providing this information may be done separately from a tax return through Revenue Online. The information will be confidential. It can only be used for research purposes to analyze potential inequities in tax policy. The new option is a result of Senate Bill 1 in 2023.

Use Revenue Online to verify payments — Taxpayers can verify their estimated payments through their Revenue Online account.

Through Revenue Online, individuals can also view letters sent to them by the department, initiate appeals, make payments, and submit questions. Visit Revenue Online on the Revenue website to learn more.

Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.

To check the status of their refund after February 15, or make payments, taxpayers can visit Revenue’s website. You can also 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.

Department Of Revenue Volunteers Will Help Taxpayers Use Direct File Oregon To E-file Their Taxes For Free At Libraries Across The State

Salem, OR—Oregonians looking for assistance in electronically filing their taxes for free, could find help as close as their local library this tax season.

Volunteers from the Oregon Department of Revenue will be traveling to libraries in 17 different communities across the state in February, March, and April to assist taxpayers in using the free combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon to complete their returns.

The one-day tax help clinics are planned at libraries in:

Dates, times, and addresses for each clinic can be found on the Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.

Last year, more than 140,000 taxpayers in 12 other states filed their federal tax returns using a limited IRS Direct File pilot program while nearly 7,000 Oregon taxpayers filed their state returns using the free, state-only Direct File Oregon option.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced in May that it would make IRS Direct File a permanent option for taxpayers and invited all 50 states to participate. Oregon was the first of 13 new states to accept the invitation from the IRS in June creating a seamless free e-filing system for both federal and state taxes.

With the two direct file systems connected, the IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon taxpayers will be able to e-file both their federal and state returns for free in 2025.

The department believes that offering free assistance 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.

For example, 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 have totaled nearly $100 million in recent years.

Taxpayers should use the IRS eligibility checker to see if they’ll be able to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Eligible taxpayers should set up an IRS online account and an account with Oregon’s Revenue Online before they come to an event. Taxpayers attending an event should bring the following information with them.

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 to download

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

Taxpayers can signup 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.

You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of 2025, that’s unless you have a passport or enhanced driver’s license issued by several states.

The deadline is May 7, 2025, but you probably don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your Real ID. You can apply for your Real ID driver’s license or ID card through your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Real IDs are marked with a star on the top of the card. Real IDs will also be needed to access certain federal facilities. Congress mandated the real IDs in 2005 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.

Media contest invites Oregon high school students to promote young worker safety; entries due Feb. 21, 2025

Salem – High school students across Oregon are encouraged to put their video or graphic design skills on display by competing for cash prizes as part of a larger cause: increasing awareness about workplace safety and health for young workers.

The 2025 media contest, organized by the Oregon Young Employee Safety (O[yes]) Coalition, calls on participants to create an ad – through a compelling graphic design or video – that grabs their peers’ attention and convinces them to take the Young Employee Safety Awareness online training.

Participants get to choose the key message, theme, or tagline they believe will go furthest in capturing their audience and moving it to act. The target audience? Teen workers or teens who are preparing to work for the first time. The contest is now open for submissions. To compete, participants may submit either a graphic design or a video that is no more than 90 seconds in length.

Participants are expected to choose their key message, theme, or tagline in a wise and positive manner, including constructive and effective messages and language.

The top three entries in each of the two media categories will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. In each category, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization will receive a matching award. Moreover, O[yes] will use the best of the submissions as ads in its ongoing efforts to improve on-the-job safety and health protections for teens.

While they carry out their projects, participants must ensure the health and safety of their team. No one should be endangered while creating their video or graphic design project.

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. 

Participants are encouraged to submit entries online. Submissions may also be mailed on a USB thumb drive or delivered in person.

For more information about the entry form and rules, contest expectations, and resources – including previous contest winners  – visit the O[yes] online contest page.

The contest sponsors are local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Construction Safety Summit, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, Hoffman Construction Company, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon OSHA, SafeBuild Alliance, SAIF Corporation, and the Oregon Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Alliance.

### About Oregon OSHA: Oregon OSHA enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit osha.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

About the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]): (O[yes]) is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing young worker injuries and fatalities. O[yes] members include safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. Visit youngemployeesafety.org.

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