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
Friday, January 24, 2025
Rogue Valley Weather
Active Weather Alerts
...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY... ...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST SUNDAY... ...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the Air Stagnation Advisory, poor air quality will continue through the morning due to trapped pollutants. For the Cold Weather Advisory, very cold temperatures combined with gusty winds will lead to wind chill values as low as 10 to 15 degrees. For the Wind Advisory, northeast winds 10 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected, except southeast winds from Ashland to Phoenix. * WHERE...Eastern Curry County and Josephine County and Jackson County. This includes Medford, Grants Pass, Ashland, Cave Junction, and Applegate. * WHEN...For the Air Stagnation Advisory, until noon PST today. For the Cold Weather Advisory, from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday. For the Wind Advisory, from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Saturday. * IMPACTS...Poor air quality may cause issues for people with respiratory problems. Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will first become gusty at exposed locations in the higher terrain tonight, then will be strongest across the area during Saturday afternoon and evening.
A wind advisory is in effect starting Friday at 10 p.m. for much of eastern Curry, Josephine, and Jackson counties. Residents are urged to secure loose objects and prepare for gusts reaching 45 mph, particularly in exposed and higher-elevation areas.
According to the National Weather Service, the advisory will remain in place until 1 p.m. Saturday. Winds will strengthen Friday night and peak Saturday afternoon before tapering off into Sunday. Drivers of high-profile vehicles should exercise caution, especially along open highways like Interstate 5 near Ashland.
Sunny skies are forecast for Saturday and Sunday, with daytime highs reaching the mid-40s and overnight lows dropping to the mid-20s. Poor air quality due to an air stagnation advisory will persist through Friday noon, potentially affecting individuals with respiratory conditions. Those sensitive to air pollution should limit outdoor activity and follow medical guidance.
US National Weather Service Medford Oregon
Siletz Celebrate Historic Land Back Deal at Table Rocks
A stretch of land in Southern Oregon with historical significance — including the likely location of a treaty signing and near the site of a massacre — is returning to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
The Siletz announced the historic land return in November with the purchase of approximately 2,000 acres of privately owned land adjacent to the Table Rocks preserve, just north of Medford, Oregon.
“It’s the most historic piece of land that we could possibly get,” said Delores Pigsley, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
‘Homelands within our homelands’
The Upper and Lower Table Rocks are central to many Takelma origin stories. Takelma is one of the prominent Native languages of Southern Oregon used by multiple Native nations, according to Robert Kentta, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the tribal council treasurer.
The area is where the Treaty of Table Rock was signed, on Sept. 10, 1853, between the United States government and local Native nations, establishing a temporary reservation on the north side of the Rogue River that included the Upper and Lower Table Rock.
The treaty created the first confederation of Oregon tribes and was the first treaty signed by any Native nation in the West to be ratified by the U.S. Senate.
For the region’s tribes, this time period was marked by hostilities at the hands of the U.S. government and colonial settlers moving into Oregon Territory. Two years after the signing of the treaty, in October 1855, more than 20 Indigenous people, mostly women and children, were massacred while camping near Table Rocks. The Rogue River War ensued, in which numerous Native people were killed. After the war ended in 1856, much of the Indigenous population in southwestern Oregon was removed, with many Natives ultimately ending up on the “Coast Reservation,” now called the Siletz Reservation.
Referred to as the Rogue River Tribe of Indians by the U.S. government, the tribal confederation represented people who lived in the valleys of the upper Rogue River, with Table Rocks at the center. The area was primarily home to the Takelma, Latgawa, Shasta, Applegate (Da-ku-be-te-de) and Galice (Tal-dash-dan-te-de) people, according to the Siletz News.
“This is a historic moment that reconnects the Siletz Tribe to its ancestors, history and treaties signed near Table Rock,” Pigsley said in a media release. “It is a great honor to return this special land to Indian stewardship.”
Pigsley remembers drives to California with her father as a young girl. He would point out the window as they passed Table Rocks and talk about the significance for their ancestors.
Kentta has similar memories.
“Since I was a kid, summertime or spring break, we might take a trip up the Rogue Valley and go up the Applegate River Valley where my great-grandfather was brought at the end of the Rogue River Wars,” Kentta said. “We have made trips as a family for going on 60 years, reconnecting there, but always as visitors where we had no foothold, no ownership, no place to call home there anymore. Now with this purchase, we have homelands within our homelands.”
The Siletz had long been in consultation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The Nature Conservancy and others regarding the stewardship of the land.
Kentta first became aware of the property six or so years ago after having a conversation with staff at The Nature Conservancy. He brought the idea of purchasing the land to the tribal council, setting in motion the historic land deal.
The property was purchased directly from the previous landowner. The Nature Conservancy preserves a conservation easement on the land. The Siletz will continue to work closely with The Nature Conservancy and the BLM across the properties in the region to emphasize conservation and restoration.
“To me, land back means, in its purest form, its return of lands to a tribe,” Kentta said. “This is through purchase, and a significant amount paid out for the purchase. So for us, that is regaining of land back, but it’s not a settlement or apology for things that happened in the past.”
Expanding access to first foods
Moving forward, the tribe’s goal is to create opportunities for Siletz tribal members to access the historically significant land while safeguarding its character. The nation plans to work on preservation and restoration, focusing on protecting the natural area rather than developing it.
“There will be big opportunities for restoration and enhancement of the food plants themselves,” Kentta said. “[And] also enhancing tribal members’ access to use of and reconnection with those resources that we’ve been separated from.”
Kentta mentioned some important first foods of the region that he hopes will become a focus at the property, including camas, tarweed and yampah root. The land will also be used for other cultural purposes.
Chairman Pigsley spoke of her hope that future generations of Siletz people will be able to go up to the rocks, hearing important stories and learning about the plant and animal relatives all around. https://www.underscore.news/land/siletz-celebrate-historic-land-back-deal/ 
Large-Scale Drug Investigation Culminates in Arrests, Drug Seizures, and Multiple Search Warrants in Jackson County
For the past two years, the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team (MADGE) has been investigating a local drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting significant quantities of narcotics into the area. In March 2024, the Jackson County Circuit Court authorized MADGE to begin digital surveillance of this organization, enabling investigators to identify individuals and relationships suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering. The investigation revealed that the organization, led by 40-year-old Carlos Diaz-Lourdes of Eagle Point, operated as a family-run enterprise importing narcotics into Jackson County from outside the region.
In November 2024, MADGE obtained six Title III wiretap orders to intercept communications among organization members. Using these wiretaps, investigators developed additional leads and identified more suspects.
Between January 16 and January 22, 2025, MADGE and its partner agencies carried out tactical operations throughout Jackson County, including the arrest of Carlos Diaz and the execution of 14 search warrants on residences and vehicles spanning from Prospect to Medford.
Key Arrests and Charges – The following individuals, identified as major contributors to the organization, were arrested and charged with drug trafficking and money laundering-related offenses:
- Carlos Diaz-Lourdes, 40, Eagle Point, Oregon
- John Steven Diaz, 32, Eagle Point, Oregon
- Steven John Diaz, 32, Los Angeles, California
- Eileen Diaz, 38, Eagle Point, Oregon
- Nyah Rayne Yeoman, 22, Medford, Oregon
- Mayra Miranda, 30, Medford, Oregon
- Brian Caro, 27, White City, Oregon
- Ryan Lyle Hall, 43, Prospect, Oregon
Additionally, 12 other individuals have been arrested, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office has filed multiple indictments related to this case.
Seized Items
During the investigation, MADGE seized approximately 10 pounds of narcotics, including:
- Methamphetamine
- Cocaine
- Fentanyl pills
- Iso-Fentanyl powder
- Heroin
Other seized items included $210,000 in cash and approximately 50 firearms, many of which were short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and ghost guns (firearms assembled without serial numbers).
Partnerships and Acknowledgments — The Medford Police Department recognizes the critical contributions of local, state, and federal agencies in dismantling high-level drug trafficking organizations. MADGE was supported in this investigation by:
- Oregon State Police
- Eagle Point Police Department
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
- Jackson County Community Corrections
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
About MADGE — MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that focuses on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations. Using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach supported by prosecutors, MADGE works collaboratively with partner agencies. The task force is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and includes members from the Medford Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Point Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, Parole and Probation, HSI, and FBI.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is a counter-drug initiative sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) that provides funding and resources to multi-agency enforcement efforts like MADGE.
This press release references Medford Police Case Number 24-1394. The investigation is ongoing, and additional arrests are anticipated.
The Central Point Branch of the Jackson County Library Services Reopens After Car Crashes Into Building
The Central Point Library was closed for several hours Thursday after a car crashed into the building. The library posted on Facebook Thursday morning announcing the closure and wrote in the comments section that a car accidentally ran into the building shattering some windows, luckily no injuries were reported.
The library reopened at 2 p.m. Police said it is likely there will be no charges filed as apparently just an accident of hitting the gas pedal instead of the brake.
Grants Pass Enforcing Camping Ordinance at 7th Street Resting Site
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.
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.
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.
Sheriff’s Office issues advisory about motorhome and possible link to missing Prospect woman Deenah Padgett
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) is asking for help identifying the owner a motorhome. It could be associated with a missing person from the Prospect area.
JCSO says 68-year-old Deenah Padgett has been missing since August 30 from Prospect, described as a white woman, 4’ 8” tall, weighing approximately 95 pounds with brownish red/greying hair.
JCSO issued an advisory this weekend asking anyone with information about the owner of the pictured motor home or Padgett’s whereabouts to call Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO) dispatch non-emergency phone number at 541-776-7206.
Did you get help from FEMA, insurance, or others after the 2020 Almeda and South Obenchain Fires?
https://firebrandcollective.org/harp/
Many pets have benefited from the community’s generosity, and we can’t thank you enough for your kindness.Hearts with a Mission, a program to help local seniors who need assistance, is seeking volunteers.
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 Strike Teams Heading Home From Southern California
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Following a two-week mobilization to Southern California to assist with the wildfire response, 17 of Oregon’s 21 strike teams will soon be heading home. The teams began the demobilization process Thursday morning. Two of the strike teams will start their drive back to Oregon on Thursday, while the remaining 15 will begin their journey to their home agencies on Friday.
These strike teams were assigned to the Palisades and Eaton fires near Los Angeles and have spent the last two weeks working the fire lines and supporting the communities impacted by these disasters. In total, the Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilized 21 strike teams, 370 firefighters, and 105 fire engines and water tenders, marking the largest out-of-state deployment in the agency’s history.
“I am immensely proud of the work firefighters from the Oregon fire service and the Oregon Department of Forestry have done over the last two weeks in California,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Their dedication and professionalism have made a meaningful difference for the communities affected by these devastating fires. The willingness of our firefighters to step up and provide critical aid, often in challenging and dangerous conditions, is a testament to the strength and resilience of Oregon’s fire service.”
The Oregon State Fire Marshal has four remaining strike teams in California, two assigned to the Eaton Fire and two assigned to support initial attack efforts if any new fires start. There is no timeline yet for when the remaining strike teams will return to Oregon.
The strike teams sent to California by the State Fire Marshal were requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. This compact provides help during governor-declared emergencies or disasters by allowing states to send personnel, equipment, and supplies to support response and recovery efforts in other states. The strike teams’ expenses will be reimbursed directly by California.
Winning $328.5 Million Powerball Claimant Comes Forward, Fred Meyer Celebrates Win with $50,000 to Local Food Bank
The ticket matching all six Powerball numbers in Saturday’s $328.5 million Powerball jackpot was sold at the Fred Meyer store located at 15995 SW Walker Road in Beaverton. That store will receive a bonus of $100,000 for selling the jackpot winner. In celebration of this stroke of good luck, Fred Meyer is making a sizeable donation to a local food bank.
A ticket holder came forward on Wednesday to claim the prize. Because the Powerball game involves multiple states, it will take time before a winner can be announced and the prize money can be paid to the claimant. This jackpot win comes less than a year after a Portland man, his wife, and their friend won a Powerball jackpot worth $1.3 billion in April.
“I’m thrilled to be celebrating another large Powerball jackpot win in Oregon,” said Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells. “The impact of a win like this not only benefits our state as whole but has a ripple effect in our local communities.”
In honor of Fred Meyer’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact strategy — aimed at eliminating waste and ending hunger — the store will donate $50,000 to the Oregon Food Bank.
“Our partnership with Fred Meyer is vital in ensuring families don’t have to choose between essentials such as putting food on the table or a roof over their heads,” said Andrea Williams, Oregon Food Bank President. “Their support helps provide nourishing food that feels like home to our communities. We know that now is a moment when Oregon can lead the way in making sure our communities are supported and connected, because no one should be hungry.”
“Hunger and food insecurity are critical issues across the state,” said Fred Meyer President Todd Kammeyer. “We hope these funds will help feed families across the community as we work to end hunger in Oregon.”
Fred Meyer has sold other large Oregon Lottery prizes recently, including a $1 million Powerball in November 2023 and $7.9 million Megabucks win in November 2022.
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.
Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office Child Luring Investigations Lead To Multiple Arrests
From late December to mid-January, Deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office used decoy social media accounts for online child luring investigations. During these investigations, Deputies posed as an underage child on various online social media platforms and were contacted by adults wanting to meet for sexual encounters.
On January 15, 2025, 28-year-old Ruben Martinez Jimenez, of Newport, Oregon, was arrested and charged with the crimes of: Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a child in the first degree. At the time of his arrest, Ruben was communicating with the decoy account, and arrived at a predetermined location to meet with the underage child for a sexual encounter. Ruben was arrested and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail without further incident.
On January 16th, 32-year-old James Tybierius Kirk, of Siletz, Oregon, was arrested and charged with the crimes of Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the second degree. At the time of his arrest, James was communicating with the decoy account, and made a plan with the underage child to meet for a sexual encounter. James was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail without further incident.
On January 21st, 43-year-old Adan Chavez-Pena, of Newport, Oregon, was arrested and charged with the crimes of: Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a child in the first degree. At the time of his arrest, Adan was in communication with the decoy account, and arrived near the predetermined location to meet with the underage child for a sexual encounter. Adan provided Deputies with fictitious identification at the time of arrest. Adan’s true identity was determined by further investigation and fingerprints. Adan had multiple warrants out of Lincoln County issued from 2007 and 2008. Adan was charged with the additional crimes of: Giving False information, ID Theft, as well as two probation violation warrants charging possession of a controlled substance Methamphetamine, Give False info; Assault IV, Give False Info, and an indictment warrant charging ID Theft, Criminal Possession of Forged instrument. Adan was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office continues to encourage parents to monitor their children’s social media activity and to discuss the possible dangers of communicating with strangers online. These investigations are conducted in an effort to reduce criminal activity and to further enhance the safety of our community.
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians announced they have been rewarded with a three-year $1.56M grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support efforts to return sea otters to the Oregon & Northern California coasts!
Through the America the Beautiful Challenge, CTSI and partners like the Elakha Alliance, CTCLUSI, Yurok Tribe, and Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation will lead this Indigenous-driven project: Bringing Xvlh-t’vsh Home. The grant will fund reintroduction planning, key studies, and building coastal support to restore this culturally significant keystone species.
Sea otters not only support marine ecosystems like kelp forests and estuaries, but their return marks a vital step in ecological and cultural restoration. Read full press release: https://www.elakhaalliance.org/siletz-tribe-receives…/
Oregon’s Nonfarm Payroll Employment Drops by 3,700 in December
In December, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 3,700 jobs, following a revised increase of 3,700 jobs in November. December’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+1,900 jobs) and government (+700). Declines were largest in leisure and hospitality (-1,900 jobs); manufacturing (-1,800); financial activities (-1,000); and retail trade (-900).
Health care and social assistance continued its rapid, consistent pace of hiring, adding 18,100 jobs, or 6.2%, in the past 12 months. Within this industry, social assistance added the most jobs, gaining 9,200 jobs, or 12.2%, since December 2023. The three health care industries each added between 3,300 and 4,400 jobs during that time.
December’s growth in government also capped off a year of strong performance. Its 7,000-job gain (+2.3%) was the second fastest growth over the year.
Leisure and hospitality cut 3,200 jobs in the past two months. It employed 204,000 in December, which was 3,000 below its average during January 2023 through October 2024.
Cutbacks of 1,500 jobs within semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing contributed most of the December employment reductions in manufacturing. Over the year, manufacturing dropped 2,500 jobs (-1.3%). Several durable goods manufacturing industries have shed jobs in the past 12 months: wood product manufacturing (-500 jobs, or -2.2%); machinery manufacturing (-300 jobs, or -2.2%); and transportation equipment manufacturing (-600 jobs, or -5.3%).
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.1% in December and 4.0%, as revised, in November. The rate has consistently remained between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in December and 4.2% in November.
Oregon artist wins second place nationally in radon awareness poster contest
PORTLAND, Ore. — January is national Radon Action Month. Students across the Northwest are encouraged to get creative to help raise awareness about the dangers of radon gas by participating in the annual Northwest Radon Poster Contest.
Oregon’s first place winning poster (below) was created by 13-year-old Alexia Vallo from Medford, Ore. Alexia’s poster also took second place nationwide.
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Alexia will receive a $300 prize from The American Lung Association.
The poster contest serves to raise awareness of harmful effects of elevated indoor radon levels and promote testing and mitigation of radon gas.
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that can build up in homes. Both old and new housing can have radon problems. Testing is the only way to know if a home has radon because it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. Long-term radon exposure to radon is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.
Youths ages 9 to 14 who live in Oregon, Idaho and Washington are eligible to participate in the radon poster contest. They must either be enrolled in a public, private, territorial, tribal, Department of Defense or home school, or be a member of a sponsoring club, such as a scouting, art, computer, science or 4-H club. Only one entry per student is allowed. Find contest submission forms and rules at the Northwest Radon Poster Contest page.
The Northwest Radon Poster Contest is sponsored by Oregon Health Authority’s Radon Awareness Program, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Nez Perce Tribe, Spokane Tribe of Indians and Washington Department of Health’s Radon Program, in collaboration with the Northwest Radon Coalition and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10.
The American Lung Association announced the national radon poster winners this week. — For more information, contact the Radon Awareness Program at adon.program@state.or.us” style=”color: rgb(6, 66, 118); text-decoration-line: none; text-size-adjust: 100%;”>radon.program@state.or.us or visit www.healthoregon.org/radon.
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’s 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.
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)
The Bootleg Fire 3 years ago is still being studied by many forest officials, lobbyists and other groups.
A large Oregon forest meant to offset planet warming emissions was badly burned three years ago in that summer’s wildfire, and the project had to be pulled from a carbon credit market that aims to fight against climate change.
Now, its owners want to re-enter some of those burned acres into California’s carbon market, which generates credits based on the amount of emissions stored by trees.
When trees are burned, they release some of those stored emissions, but the owners, Green Diamond Resource Company, maintain that the scorched land still offers some climate benefits.
The move would mark a first, and it worries critics. They say that the land is already in an area ripe for wildfires, and they’re concerned that re-enrolling high-risk land would set a precedent that could undermine carbon crediting markets, which mark one approach to curtailing harmful emissions.
In 2021, the Bootleg Fire burned a quarter of the 435,000-acre Klamath East carbon project. In response, the California Air Resources Board removed the project from its carbon offset market last year because it could no longer meet its promise of capturing and storing the hundreds of thousands of metric tons of carbon dioxide that was promised.
But recently Green Diamond asked the board to enroll four new forest carbon offset projects in the same area of southern Oregon — including 48,000 acres of the former Klamath East project that burned in the Bootleg Fire. Though a first, the re-enrollment would not be against the rules of California’s government-regulated carbon market, said officials at the California Air Resources Board, provided the trees are not double counted. This means the carbon capture power of previously registered trees cannot be included in the new plan.
The new projects have not been approved but the request is raising concerns among watchdogs who fear it would compromise the integrity of California’s carbon market and encourage the development of projects in areas with a high fire risk and low climate benefit.
Half of hospitals throughout Oregon are operating in the red, because of underfunding by Medicaid.
Becky Hultberg, executive director of the Hospital Association of Oregon, says the Oregon Health Plan underpaid hospitals a billion dollars in 2023 and that continues. They want the Legislature to approve more funding. Lawmakers will have a difficult time coming up with the extra money, because it faces its own budget trouble. The Trump Administration is also considering cuts to Medicaid.
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.
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:
| Bandon | North Bend |
| Burns | Prineville |
| Coquille | Pendleton |
| Cornelius | Roseburg |
| The Dalles | Salem |
| Klamath Falls | Seaside |
| Lebanon | Sweet Home |
| McMinnville | Toledo |
| Tualatin |
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.
- 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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