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 29, 2025
Rogue Valley Weather
US National Weather Service Medford Oregon
Progress Continues on the Foothill Road Improvement Project
Crews are now paving Stage III, Phase 3 and installing a 24-inch waterline south of Viewpoint Drive, connecting to Cedar Links Drive.
𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
Foothill Road from Cedar Links Drive to McAndrews Road will continue to be closed this winter, according to the project’s website. There are detours using Cedar Links Drive to Springbrook Road to East McAndrews Road.
The 99-South corridor between Phoenix north to Glenwood Rd. is undergoing construction to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The construction project began in November of 2024, working to install sidewalks, widen the road, add pedestrian crosswalks and install bike-lanes. Construction is expected to continue until Spring of 2026. More details can be found here: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=22384
Click It or Ticket Campaign Gears Up
Oregon Department of Transportation has funded a high visibility seat belt enforcement event that began on January 27 and goes through February 9. Local law enforcement agencies in Southern Oregon will provide additional enforcement during that period.
The agencies are reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt and proper child safety restraints. The Oregon laws regarding child safety include requirements that children ride in a rear-facing safety seat until they are at least two years old. A child over age two must continue to ride in a car seat with harness or in a booster until they reach age eight or 4’ 9” in height and the adult belt fits them correctly. The requirements better protect the child’s head, neck, and spine from potential crash injuries. This is because a rear-facing seat spreads crash forces evenly across the seat and child’s body while also limiting forward or sideways motion of the head.
Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle; being completely ejected from a vehicle is almost always deadly.
For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot. Online Resources:• Car Seat Types: Determine whether your child fits best in a rear-facing car seat, forward-facing car seat, booster seat, or seat belt.• Car Seat Recommendations: Review NHTSA’s recommendations for the best car seat for your child’s age and size. • Find and Compare: Find and compare car seats with NHTSA’s handy car seat finder, which also searches specific brands.
Oregon Department of Transportation Seatbelts and Child Seats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFC2K2AfdJMMore ODOT information on safety belts and child seats at: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/Pages/safetybelts.aspx
Death Reported at Mt. Ashland Ski Area
Mt. Ashland announced the death of a 76-year-old skier on Friday, January 24, 2025.
The skier died after colliding with a tree on Windsor Chairline, a Black Diamond-rated slope that runs below the ski area’s Windsor chairlift. The skier was reportedly wearing a helmet, according to a quote from Mt. Ashland ski patrol in the release.
“Our team is heartbroken by this loss,” writes Andrew Gast, General Manager of Mt. Ashland. “The Mt. Ashland community is tight-knit, and we share a deep bond with everyone connected to our mountain. We are incredibly grateful to our dedicated staff, Ski Patrollers, Ashland Fire and Rescue, and Mercy Flights for their swift and compassionate response. On behalf of our entire team, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends grieving during this difficult time.”
The name of the individual has not been released at this time. Our thoughts and condolences are with the skier’s friends and family during this time.
The Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association has organized a spectacular celebration for Chinese New Year 2025
The celebration will take place at several venues, including Jacksonville’s New City Hall, Community Center, Library, and the Miners’ Bazaar. This multi-venue event aims to make the celebration accessible and engaging for people of all ages. Whether you are familiar with Chinese customs or experiencing them for the first time, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
While Chinese New Year celebrations are widespread in major cities like San Francisco and New York, Southern Oregon’s observance is unique in its own right. The Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association, founded to preserve and promote Chinese culture in the region, has been hosting such events for many years, providing a rare opportunity for local communities to learn about and celebrate Chinese heritage. The celebration in Jacksonville is an example of how this tradition has blossomed in a small town, thanks to the efforts of cultural preservationists and the local Chinese-American community.
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/ 
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
Governor Kotec Holds Press Conference Concerning Feds Shutting Off Oregonian’s Tax Payer Money That By Law Comes Back to the State for State Programs
You can see press conference here: https://www.facebook.com/GovTinaKotek/videos/1775986422971918
Oregon joins lawsuit while state officials scramble to respond to Trump order freezing federal funds
Oregon is suing the Trump administration after it ordered an abrupt freeze of many federal payments, leaving state agencies unable to access reimbursements for Medicaid and child care programs and sending state officials scrambling to determine the total effect.
Gov. Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield, both Democrats, announced the suit during a brief press conference Tuesday afternoon. Rayfield joined Democratic attorneys general across the country to file the suit in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island following a Trump administration memo directing all federal agencies to “temporarily pause” awarding or disbursing any federal funding that could be impacted by a host of recent executive orders by 2 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday.
“When federal funds that are meant to serve the most vulnerable are suspended or unavailable, that has an impact on Oregonians and it’s a dereliction of the federal government’s duty to protect Americans,” Kotek said.
A federal judge based in Washington, D.C., paused enforcement of Trump’s order until Monday in response to a separate lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofit agencies.
State agencies are still figuring out which grant programs could be affected by the order. Before former President Joe Biden left office, Kotek and members of Oregon’s congressional delegation pushed him to quickly disburse grants that had been approved by Congress. State budgets rely heavily on federal funding: In Oregon, they make up about 30% of the two-year budget — nearly $40 billion — with certain big-ticket programs, like Medicaid, receiving the biggest chunks of the funding. It’s unclear how much of that funding could be affected by Trump’s memo.
But some state agencies and nonprofit providers experienced immediate impacts on Tuesday, Kotek said. The Oregon Health Authority couldn’t temporarily access a Medicaid portal that allows states to enter costs for reimbursements. Preschool providers who receive funds through Head Start for low-income children and the state Department of Early Learning and Care also couldn’t log in to payment management systems. Nor could the Department of Justice access a federal portal to seek reimbursements for child support enforcement — the federal government reimburses states for two-thirds of those costs.
The Trump administration’s memo ordering a federal funding freeze said it wouldn’t affect funding for Head Start, which sends about $70 million a year to Oregon to provide preschool to nearly 10,000 kids in the state under the age of 5. Trump’s press secretary evaded questions about Medicaid, telling White House reporters she would provide a full list later.
“What we’re hearing from the White House is not what we’re experiencing on the ground,” Rayfield said. “We’re hearing that things aren’t going to be impacted, but the fact on the ground is that these portals are shut down, preventing us from getting access to these critical funds that are important to all Oregonians for programs that they rely on, day in and day out.”
Kotek said Oregonians who receive health care coverage from the Oregon Health Plan and parents with children in Head Start or subsidized child care programs should continue as usual while the state government works to restore reimbursements.
“Your services are safe today,” she said. “If you need medical care under the Oregon Health Plan, please keep your appointments. Please keep your care. If you’re a Head Start parent, your Head Start will be there tomorrow.”
State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner added in a statement that the Treasury has funds to sustain federally funded programs in the short term.
The announcement to federal agencies stirred questions and worry and was on the top of Kotek’s mind as she met Tuesday morning with city officials and staff as part of the League of Oregon Cities’ annual lobbying day — an event that already focused on how cities and the state have been hurt by reduced federal funding for infrastructure.
She told city leaders she was frustrated by the federal government’s lack of clarity, and that she was doing everything she could to figure out what was going on.
“I’m a little frustrated this morning because I’m hearing we’ve got money streams being gummed up and actually stopped,” Kotek said. “That does not help anybody. I just want you to know we’re on the case, and we are trying to figure it out, because as the folks in the local communities providing the services, you need to know what’s going on, and we’re going to do everything we can to figure that out.”
Frozen funds have broad range
Medicaid serves 1.3 million low-income Oregonians and the federal government pays for about two-thirds of that budget. That funding is vital to ensure that people get treatment when they need it, including for cancer treatment, surgeries, chronic health problems, addiction and mental health services.
Many other programs in Oregon rely on federal money. According to a list posted by Sen. Ron Wyden’s office, a freeze could touch people across the state and in many areas of life, from public safety and addiction treatment to suicide prevention, veterans care, schools, small businesses and tribes.
Rayfield said he was deeply concerned about impacts across the board, including federally qualified health centers, which provide care for low-income Oregonians, regardless of their ability to pay or whether they have insurance.
The community health centers work across the state, from urban Portland to rural communities with migrant farmworkers.
“Not getting this funding could mean that some individuals and families in Oregon won’t have access to basic medical services, like doctor screenings and chronic disease management and early interventions,” Rayfield said. “That is because a freeze in funding would force these centers to reduce hours, cut staff or even close locations, particularly in rural areas.”
It could also affect legal aid, according to Disability Rights Oregon, which provides legal assistance to people with disabilities, foster children and people in the Oregon State Hospital.
“This is a cruel attack on some of our most vulnerable Americans,” said Jake Cornett, the organization’s executive director and CEO. “We’re going to do everything within our power to make sure this freeze doesn’t impact our services in the near term, but we may be forced to reduce services if the funding pause persists.”
The affected funding includes federal grants and programs meant to collaborate with states and tribes on wildfire prevention, home hardening and community wildfire resilience, and grants providing financial assistance to firefighters. Karl Koenig, president of the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council, said he was very concerned about the pauses in federal funding.
“As the Oregon Fire Service returns from our deployment in California we cannot fathom any suspension or elimination of any of the numerous grant programs you listed,” Koenig said. “We are reaching out to our Congress members to get a sense of what is going to happen moving forward.”
About 14% of Oregon’s annual education budget comes from the federal government, amounting to more than $1 billion each year.
That includes more than $160 million from the U.S. Department of Education under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. The money supports staff and programs for the more than 80,000 students with special needs in the state’s 197 school districts.
At a news conference to discuss high school graduation data Tuesday, Oregon Department of Education Director Charlene Williams said the agency is trying to understand possible impacts.
“We’re doing what everyone else is doing in terms of really trying to make sense of everything and get people good information around next steps,” she said. “So, as we know more, we’ll share.”
In September, the federal education agency announced it would send Oregon more than $11 million to help support reading instruction, and potentially more than $50 million by 2035.
A list of affected programs published by Politico also includes incentives and research and development grants under the CHIPS Act, a bipartisan 2022 law intended to grow the semiconductor industry. Shortly before Biden left office, his administration announced that Oregon State University, HP in Corvallis and Analog Devices in Beaverton would receive a combined $203 million in CHIPS Act funding. It wasn’t immediately clear Tuesday whether that funding, or hundreds of millions in previously announced CHIPS awards to Oregon companies, will be affected.
The Nonprofit Association of Oregon sent out an email Tuesday afternoon advising any nonprofits in the state that have federal funding to request a drawdown before 5 p.m. Eastern time. They said they expect the federal pause to last 30 to 60 days.
“There is significant uncertainty about how broad this order extends. Regardless of its reach, we are certain this action will effectively halt many billions of dollars in federal grants and loans to organizations across the country and appear to leave many other federal payments in jeopardy — including grants and loans issued to charitable nonprofits, research bodies, community projects, and more in Oregon,” association officials wrote in the email.
The National Council of Nonprofits, of which the Nonprofit Association of Oregon is a member, sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday to block the White House Office of Management and Budget from pausing all federal agency grants and loans.
Congressional delegation responds to
Officials from the departments of human services, education, environmental quality, agriculture, forestry and transportation did not immediately respond to requests for details about specific cuts or deferred to Kotek’s office. A spokesman for the Oregon Health Authority, Jonathan Modie, responded Tuesday evening, saying there had been “no lapse in access to care.”
But some Democratic members of Oregon’s congressional delegation were quick to react:
“Chaos is not leadership,” Wyden said. “Ransacking resources from Oregonians counting on federal support for local law enforcement, schools, small businesses, firefighters, veterans and more hurts each and every community I am honored to represent. My team and I are working overtime right now to hold this lawless administration accountable for trampling the Constitution and make sure that everyone depending on these funds aren’t left in the cold.”
Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, also the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said Trump’s order is unconstitutional and will ripple through local communities.
“The President is not a king, and the laws Congress passes are not suggestions,” Merkley said. “The Trump administration must follow the law and immediately reverse this shameful order. Federal funds are the foundations for our schools, hospitals, and law enforcement and fire departments.”
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said Trump’s move will shut down essential services for Oregonians across a range of areas.
“Federal funding, including grant funding, gives Oregonians and Americans better opportunities and better access to quality health care, housing, education, infrastructure, scientific advancements and much more,” Bonamici said. “This will harm families, workers, and the economy, and in some cases cost lives. I will do everything I can to get this funding restored.”
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum said the decision threatens Oregonians’ ability to pay for groceries, rent and education.
“There’s uncertainty about which programs will and will not be impacted and which bills Americans will and will not be able to pay,” Bynum said in a statement. “This is irresponsible, unproductive, and exactly what Americans have said they want to see less of in Washington.”
U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter said Trump’s order is cruel and creates uncertainty and confusion for people.
“This is a great betrayal of Oregonian who have planned around these programs and funding,” Dexter said. “Trump’s chaos is wreaking havoc on our communities and nation by upending our ability to rely on federal programs that serve so many.”
And U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas condemned Trump’s move as an “illegal theft” of taxpayer dollars.
“With the stroke of his pen, President Trump is ordering an unprecedented steal that will take critical resources away from our police, firefighters, veterans, growers, and working families here in Oregon and across the country,” she said. “Oregonians will immediately feel the effects of Trump’s steal at a time when most folks are already struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table.” — (SOURCE)
Oregon Food Bank Says Hunger At Its Worst Since Great Depression
Newly released data shows hunger crisis in Oregon, underscoring urgent need for action
The president of the Oregon Food Bank delivered her first State of Hunger address at the state capitol this week. “We are in the worst rate of hunger and food insecurity, since the Great Depression,” said President of the Oregon Food Bank Andrea Williams.
She said that while the food bank distributed nearly 100 million meals, food is just a small part of addressing the hunger crisis. “We must also address the root causes of hunger. “These are the policies that keep people from having the access to resources that they need to thrive. Until we do that those lines will keep forming.”
Williams also introduced the introduction of Senate Bill 611, the Food for All Oregonians Bill.
Food for All Oregonians Coalition Introduces Bill as Part of Immigrant Justice Package
In a show of broad support, community members, legislators and advocates gathered at the Oregon State Capitol today to introduce the Food for All Oregonians bill (SB 611) as part of the larger Immigrant Justice Package. This legislation seeks to ensure every Oregonian — including immigrants and refugees excluded from federal programs like SNAP — has access to the resources we need to thrive.
The Food for All Oregonians coalition, comprised of over 160 organizations across the state, made clear the need to pass this legislation highlighting the critical contributions immigrants and refugees make to Oregon’s economy and food systems, despite being excluded from food assistance programs.
Andrea Williams, newly-appointed President of Oregon Food Bank, delivered her first State of Hunger Address, unveiling new data that shows hunger in Oregon is at its worst since the Great Depression. “The federal administration has issued executive orders threatening immigrant communities,” said Williams. “But that vision doesn’t reflect the Oregon we want for our kids. Oregon can and must lead by example by passing the Food for All Oregonians bill. This legislation sends a clear message that immigrants and refugees can call Oregon home and that we are committed to ensuring our communities have the resources needed to thrive — we are rising for all.”
The press conference featured a powerful lineup of speakers, including Senator Wlnsvey Campos, who is sponsoring SB 611 in the legislature. It also included Food for All Oregonians coalition member Andrea Vanessa Castillo from Oregon Latino Health Coalition and David Soria Garcia, Policy Leadership Council member and Tillamook community leader. Senator Wlnsvey Campos shared her support, saying, “This bill isn’t just about food — it’s about building a stronger, more equitable Oregon where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Hunger persists at crisis levels, with 2.5 million visits to food assistance sites across the Oregon Food Bank Network in the last year alone — a 31% increase from the previous year. While Oregon Food Bank and its network distributed over 91 million meals worth of food, nearly 110 million pounds, Williams emphasized that food alone cannot solve hunger. “We must address the systems and policies that perpetuate hunger. Until we do, those lines at food pantries will keep forming,” she said.
Part of the Food for All Oregonians coalition, the Oregon Latino Health Coalition emphasized the importance of this effort. “Access to nourishing food is a fundamental aspect of health,” said Andrea Vanessa Castillo, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Oregon Latino Health Coalition. “Immigrants and refugees are vital — they help put food on the table for families across our state. Yet, they remain excluded from essential benefits like SNAP.”
The Food for All Oregonians bill (SB 611) for the second year in a row, continues to be one of the top three Policy Recommendations of the Oregon Hunger Task Force. “Tomorrow, we will present the Roadmap to End Hunger and our list of priority policy recommendations to legislators,” shared Chris Baker, Administrator of the Oregon Hunger Task Force. “This legislative session, the Oregon Hunger Task Force urges lawmakers to prioritize bills that will have an immediate and lasting impact on reducing hunger in Oregon’s most impacted communities.”
“As a mother, I think about the future I want for my two kids — a future where every family in Oregon has access to the resources they need, including immigrants and refugees,” said Williams. “The Food for All Oregonians bill is about creating that brighter future… because no one should be hungry.” https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/posts/food-for-all-oregonians-coalition-introduces-bill-as-part-of-immigrant-justice-package?fbclid=IwY2xjawIHLb9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQFNDtMA_0ABUXHVNaWdcOnWSepamhCnJcA0C98zIdqRy11lnGNvHlh6DA_aem_RlEZzVMbSo0c_4KgwtOK5Q
Recent OHA Findings Support Striking Caregivers’ Focus On Safe Staffing: Providence Has Been Failing On Staffing
— Recent findings from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) confirm what frontline caregivers at Providence hospitals have long been warning: Providence is failing to meet critical staffing requirements, putting patient care and worker safety at risk.
According to OHA’s investigations into multiple staffing complaints at Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence Seaside Hospital, OHA found multiple violations of Oregon’s hospital staffing laws, including failures to adopt required Nurse Staffing Plans (NSPs) in critical departments such as Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Cardiology, Critical Care, and Emergency Departments.
Providence recently stated, in a communication to staff, that “Providence ministries are complying with Oregon’s staffing law…We will not agree to additional contract requirements that differ from the law.” However, OHA’s repeated findings of violations of Oregon’s Safe Staffing Law tell a different story–one of a systemic and dangerous pattern of failing to follow even the most basic legal requirements.
OHA found that, at Providence Portland Medical Center, the hospital repeatedly failed to adopt legally-required Nurse Staffing Plans (NSPs) for critical units, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Critical Care, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, and Labor and Delivery. In recent complaint investigations, OHA cited Providence for failing to adopt staffing plans on 8 units at Providence Portland Medical Center. This means that–according to nurses on those units and the Hospital Staffing Committee–those units are not staffed appropriately for safe and therapeutic patient care. This systemic failure has left caregivers without the necessary staffing guidelines to provide safe and effective care.
Additionally, the OHA investigation uncovered repeated violations in the Medical Oncology and Surgical Oncology units, where Providence failed to meet RN staffing levels across multiple shifts in June 2024, jeopardizing patient outcomes and staff well-being.
These violations in oncology units–where cancer patients require intensive and specialized care–demonstrate Providence’s ongoing disregard for legally-mandated staffing levels.
The pattern of non-compliance extends beyond Portland, as OHA also found that Providence Seaside Hospital failed to adopt required staffing plans for its Medical-Surgical (Med-Surg) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) departments by the June 1, 2024 deadline. Earlier this year, Providence was also found in violation at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center for submitting a staffing plan it created rather than a more detailed plan that was approved by the Hospital Staffing Committee.
This failure to meet basic legal obligations underscores why caregivers are fighting for stronger, enforceable staffing protections in their contracts; Providence has repeatedly demonstrated it cannot be trusted to adhere to existing regulations without additional safeguards in place.
The Oregon Nurses Association urges Providence to acknowledge their ongoing staffing failures and negotiate in good faith to provide meaningful staffing protections and stop obstructing hospital nurse staffing committees. Caregivers remain committed to fighting for the safety of their patients and the integrity of their profession.The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) Represents A Diverse Community Of More Than 21,000 Nurses, And Health Care Professionals Throughout Oregon. Together, We Use Our Collective Power To Advocate For Critical Issues Impacting Patients, Nurses, And Health Care Professionals Including A More Effective, Affordable And Accessible Healthcare System; Better Working Conditions For All Health Care Professionals; And Healthier Communities. For More Information Visit Www.OregonRN.org.
JOINT STATEMENT ON MEDIATION BETWEEN PROVIDENCE AND OREGON NURSES ASSOCIATION
At the request of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, the Oregon Nurses Association and Providence Oregon have agreed to have representatives from both sides re-engage in intensive, in-person mediation beginning today, January 29th, 2025, in an effort to end this strike. Both sides are engaging in every effort to get this dispute resolved as expeditiously as possible and get people back to work.
Officials warn SNAP users to prevent fraud
Oregonians who receive supplemental federal food benefits need to be more vigilant than ever against fraud, officials say: If their monthly benefits are stolen, they’ll be gone for good.
In the past, the federal government replaced benefits lost to fraud, but that policy changed late last year. The federal government is no longer replacing stolen benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
That could mean a total loss of tens of thousands of dollars in SNAP benefits in Oregon, primarily through “skimming,” according to officials from Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. That happens when a device is inserted into a credit card reader and steals financial information when the card is run through the reader.
Only a small minority lose their benefits this way. Oregon has nearly 447,000 households receiving SNAP benefits. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 20, nearly 200 households had their benefits stolen, losing $77,000 in food aid.
The average household receives $310 in SNAP benefits, which are not meant to foot an entire food bill, but the money is often crucial for those who need it.
Jake Sunderland, press secretary for the Oregon Department of Human Services, said SNAP users should take several precautions to protect themselves from fraud:
- Only manage your account through the ebtEDGE website or mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- Freeze your card right away after each use and unfreeze it before you make purchases and block purchases made outside of Oregon or online through Cardholder.ebtEDGE.com.
- Keep your PIN secret and cover the keypad when you enter it.
- Check your account activity regularly and cancel your card immediately if you see purchases you didn’t make. (SOURCE)
Oregon’s Federal Employees Ordered Back To The Office
Oregon has the fourth-highest share of federal workers who work remotely, which could cause an exodus after President Trump ordered all such employees to return to the office full time.
Why it matters: Trump’s return-to-office executive order is part of a broader effort to cut the size of the bureaucracy.
- Yes, but: Experts told Axios’ Emily Peck that the federal government will have a tougher time attracting and retaining talented employees.
By the numbers: Of the nearly 40,000 federal workers in Oregon, more than 17% said they worked from home at least once per week, per data from the U.S. Census.
- That’s well above the national average of 12.7%.
- It’s also higher than any other state or district except Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C.
What they’re saying: “Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome,” Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who stepped down from DOGE, wrote last year in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.
Zoom in: It’s not just the federal government, either.
- Mayor Keith Wilson recently announced that roughly 700 city managers and supervisors would be required to work in-office, full time.
- That move came after Wilson originally said all 7,000 city employees would need to work in person, a position he backtracked from after receiving pushback from labor unions. (SOURCE)
Oregon health officials called out three health care organizations this week for unreasonably driving up Oregonians’ medical costs.
The state in 2021 set a cap on annual spending growth for health care organizations at 3.4% per person, part of a regulatory bid to rein in rising health care costs. The Oregon Legislature authorized the program in 2019 and updated the law in 2021.
The Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday flagged three organizations for overshooting this limit between 2021 and 2022 without justifying the increase. They include Eugene-based Oregon Medical Group and two insurers, Moda
Health and UnitedHealthcare, both of which managed Medicare Advantage plans. Optum and UnitedHealthcare did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
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.
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 joins lawsuit over Trump attempt to end birthright citizenship — Judge grants request to temporarily block Trump’s birthright citizenship order
A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.
U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour’s ruling in a case brought by Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Illinois is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the order’s constitutionality.
Coughenour called the order “blatantly unconstitutional.”
“I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order,” the judge told the Trump administration’s attorney. “It boggles my mind.”
Coughenour’s decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a 14-day temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect nationwide.
In Oregon, Attorney General Dan Rayfield welcomed the ruling, saying it protects the rights of all children in the state.
“Today was a huge victory,” Rayfield said in a statement. “In terms of the next steps, this temporary restraining order preserves the status quo for now. In the meantime, the states in the other birthright citizenship case in Massachusetts are also arguing for a preliminary injunction.”
Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts.
Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesn’t go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the state’s motion “extraordinary.”
Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems.
The order is “causing immediate widespread and severe harm,” said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney general’s office. “Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights.”
Addressing reporters after the hearing, Brown said while the executive order doesn’t go into effect for nearly a month, it forces states to start preparing now for the change.
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
The executive order focuses on the “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” phrase.
“The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States,” Trump’s order reads. “The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’”
Polozola called this interpretation “absurd,” saying children without legal immigration status are still subject to U.S. law. He added birthright citizenship is a right that is “off limits.”
Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen.
In 2022, about 153,000 babies were born to two parents without legal immigration status across the country, including 4,000 in Washington state, according to the lawsuit filed this week.
Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981.
Brown called Thursday’s hearing “step one.”
“But to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge, he has never seen something so ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort,” Brown said.
Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday.
Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit court’s judges. Appeals could eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Shumate said the case will almost certainly end up there. But Brown said he’s taking it “one step at a time.”
“I see no reason why in a court of appeals, or even the United States Supreme Court, would reach a different decision than was reached today,” Brown told reporters.
A court hearing on a preliminary injunction to pause the executive order while litigation is ongoing is set for Feb. 6.
In court filings this week, state officials, academics and nonprofit leaders explained how the order could have detrimental effects on Washington, including losing federal reimbursements for a variety of social programs.
Tom Wong, an assistant professor at University of California, San Diego, retained by the state, wrote the order will create a “permanent underclass of people who are excluded from U.S. citizenship and are thus not able to realize their full potential.”
Congressional Republicans on Thursday introduced legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. The bill would amend federal immigration law to only allow children to be U.S. citizens if one of their parents is a citizen, a green card holder or a legal immigrant serving in the military.
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.
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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