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
Monday, February 10, 2025
Rogue Valley Weather
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PST WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Very cold temperatures ranging from 14 to 25 degrees expected. * WHERE...Central Douglas County, Eastern Curry County and Josephine County, Eastern Douglas County Foothills, and Jackson County. This includes the communities of Roseburg, Tiller, Elkton, Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Medford, Ashland, Shady Cove, Steamboat and Toketee Falls. * WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 9 AM PST Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Very cold temperatures can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
https://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/oregon.php
US National Weather Service Medford Oregon
Providence Medford Nurses Overwhelmingly Reject Tentative Agreement Amid Statewide Push for Safe Staffing and Fair Wages
Nurses at Providence Medford Medical Center have overwhelmingly voted to reject the contract offer from Providence management, joining nurses from seven other Providence hospitals across Oregon in calling for contracts that address longstanding systemic issues in patient care and workplace conditions.
Nurses at Providence Medford had until Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. to vote, with Medford nurses now joining their nursing colleagues in rejecting Providence’s latest offer.
The rejection of the contract offer underscores nurses’ demands for safe staffing standards, competitive wages to recruit and retain staff, and healthcare benefits that ensure caregivers can take care of their families. Providence’s proposals fail to adequately address these critical issues, which have contributed to ongoing burnout, understaffing, and wage inequities across their facilities.
This vote comes amid the largest healthcare strike in Oregon history, which began on January 10, 2025, and involves nearly 5,000 frontline nurses and healthcare workers at eight Providence hospitals. Nurses have maintained their strike with a unified voice, demanding that Providence meet their calls for change.
ONA’s bargaining teams have approached negotiations in good faith throughout this process, even as Providence claimed their most recent offer was the best they could make. To demonstrate their commitment to transparency, ONA presented the contract offer to their members for a vote, allowing frontline nurses to provide direct feedback on the terms of the settlement–which they have done, with a resounding “no.”
The rejection of Providence’s contract offer reflects the unified stance of Oregon’s frontline nurses, who remain committed to securing contracts that prioritize safe patient care, fair compensation, and a sustainable work environment. ONA has called on Providence to return to the bargaining table immediately to deliver a fair contract that addresses these systemic issues.
Senator Golden proposes changing state wildfire map to curb anger and rumors
The Ashland lawmaker wants the map to designate the risk level of broad areas rather than naming the risk of individual properties
Nearly four years ago, in the aftermath of the state’s most destructive wildfires in history, the Oregon Legislature passed a bipartisan package of wildfire prevention initiatives, including one that required state experts to create a map showing high wildfire risk areas statewide.
The point of the Wildfire Risk Map, first published in 2022, was to inform lawmakers and agencies like the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office about where to best deploy limited resources to prevent fires. But the map provoked backlash from homeowners in some high-risk areas who were worried about wildfire insurance rates and coverage, and potentially having to comply with new building requirements.
State foresters and university experts redid the map, renamed it the Wildfire Hazard Map, changed some designations and put it online, searchable by address. But many homeowners are still unhappy about what the designations mean or feel the wildfire mitigation work they’ve already done hasn’t been factored in.
Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, who supported creating the map, said it’s become counterproductive in its current form.
“So many people see ‘high hazard’ as basically ruining their lives,” Golden said. “I don’t think anybody dreamed we’d have this problem on the ground.” he said about when the Legislature passed the wildfire package mandating the map in 2021.
Golden, who chairs the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire, wants the Legislature to pass an amendment to Senate Bill 762, the wildfire funding package first passed back in 2021 to remove the property-level risk designations in the wildfire map and replace them with low-, medium- and high-risk designations for broad areas.
The map’s architects have not voiced strong opinions about the proposal, which is not yet in bill form. Rob Odom, an Oregon State University spokesperson, said the university experts who worked on the maps with the Oregon Department of Forestry would “continue to partner with the state when needed.”
By making the maps identify broader risk areas, Golden is hopeful he can quell anger among property owners over their high-hazard designations and quell growing rumors and conspiracies about what the map was ultimately supposed to achieve.
“The rumor control is a big thing here. I’m really deeply concerned that we’re close to an explosion in rural Oregon that’s going to make our wildfire prevention efforts almost impossible,” Golden said.
He’s heard from constituents at public meetings and via email who believe officials at the State Fire Marshal’s Office will evict them from their homes if they don’t take certain wildfire prevention measures or will prevent them from rebuilding if their house burns down.
Those are patently false, Golden said, and illegal.
Others are saying the state is using the wildfire map to try to drive rural people off of their land and into cities where they can supposedly be more easily controlled. The hardest belief to quell among many in his district is that the state map is not behind their rising home insurance premiums.
The rollout of the map in 2022 coincided with a regionwide hike in premiums from wildfires across the West, and some insurers choosing not to renew or write new wildfire policies in parts of Oregon and Western states. Despite a law passed in 2023 prohibiting insurers from incorporating the map into their own risk calculus for customers, many policyholders have heard from their agents that the state map plays a role, Golden said, or the timing feels too uncanny.
His fear is that if misinformation takes greater root, the state will lose buy-in from property owners it needs as partners in the fight against wildfires, and that those property owners will see state agencies as conspirators rather than collaborators.
Two other bills proposed in the current session by Republicans would get rid of the map all together or get rid of Senate Bill 762, which also required the electric utilities to create wildfire protection plans, required state agencies to develop new defensible space and building code requirements to protect homes and communities and created programs to mitigate the impacts of wildfire smoke on public health.
Golden said he wants to salvage the usefulness of the map without creating more harm. He said it can still be used to help the state understand where best to direct resources or to advocate for community risk mitigation work.
The map itself, he said, is based largely on sound science. But in two years of meeting with landowners in his district who are upset about their high hazard designations despite expensive and time-consuming measures they’ve taken to prevent wildfire destruction, he says the map lacks the data to tell the whole story about individual wildfire risks.
“I am not saying the map is totally bogus — it’s based on landscape factors that, as a nonscientist, I believe are really important — but a model that gives no weight to the particular characteristics of the property can’t fly,” he said. (SOURCE)
Informational Press Release on Immigration
RELEASE DATE: February 8, 2025
INCIDENT: Informational Press Release on Immigration
INCIDENT DATE AND TIME: February 8, 2025
REPORTING DEPUTY: Sheriff Dave Daniel
DETAILS: The purpose of this release is to inform Josephine County citizens on the status of immigration practices within Josephine County and state-wide law enforcement as it pertains to Oregon State Law and Federal Law. While I will not speak for law enforcement across the state, I will close with my personal opinions as it pertains to immigration reform and the direction I believe the majority of Josephine County citizens wish the Sheriff’s Office will proceed.
First, I will explain the stance of Oregon State sanctuary laws as it pertains to actions law enforcement can and cannot perform under Oregon Revised Statutes section ORS 181A.8##.
In recent years, the Oregon Legislature enacted several immigration laws as it pertains to Oregon law enforcement’s directives. Within the State of Oregon, law enforcement can:
- Request information from ICE about a person named in ICE records for local criminal investigation. ORS 181A.820
- Arrest a person wanted under certain federal criminal immigration statutes when there is a warrant signed by a federal judge (not just an ICE administrative subpoena). ORS 181.A.820
- Provide information to ICE about a person in custody if the information is available to the public or by subpoena from the courts. ORS 181A.823
- Ask a person about their country of origin for consular notification but only after telling them they do not have to answer and if they do, they are subject to deportation or other immigration consequences.
Within the State of Oregon law enforcement cannot:
- Use any public facilities, property, agency moneys, etc., for the purpose of detecting or apprehending a person for ICE. ORS 181A.826
- Allow federal enforcement officials working on immigration issues into any portion of the agency or jail not open to the public. ORS 181A.826
- Provide information to ICE or any federal agency working on immigration issues except in response to a court subpoena or if the information is available to the public. ORS 181A.826
- Investigate or question individuals for ICE. ORS 181A.826
- Deny privileges, benefits or services to a person on parole, probation or in custody based on suspected immigration status. ORS 181A.823
- Provide any information about a person in custody to ICE for immigration enforcement except pursuant to a court subpoena or if the information is available to the public. ORS 181A.823
- Make a civil arrest issued by an enforcement agent, absent a judicial warrant or order, in a court, or on grounds adjacent to the court or on their way to or returning from court absent a judicial warrant.
Note: A law enforcement official is subject to additional civil penalties not only by the state but also by civilians who wish to adjoin such actions. ORS 181A.820(6)
In response to these sanctuary statutes nationwide the Office of the Attorney General out of Washington, D.C. (federal) issued a memo on February 5th, 2025 with the subject line reading “Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives”. For the full version, refer to this link: Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives
Within that document, it focuses on three primary directives:
- “End Funding to State and Local Jurisdictions That Unlawfully Interfere with Federal Law Enforcement Operations”
- “Identify and Evaluate All Funding Agreements with Non-Governmental Organizations That Provide Support to Illegal Aliens”
- “Pursue Enforcement Actions Against Jurisdictions That Facilitate Violations of Federal Immigrations Laws or Impede Lawful Federal Immigration Operations”
Lastly, while it is known that your elected Sheriff took an oath to “support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oregon and enforce the laws therein”, these directives pit laws against one other. I stand firm that an individual who has entered the United States illegally has committed a crime and believe emphasis should be placed on those who commit additional crimes while here illegally.
There exists a procedure for those who wish to enter the United States, and may do so legally. Your Josephine County Sheriff’s Office has not been contacted by ICE in years, likely due to the state sanctuary laws listed above. However, that may change, and ramifications of state statues or federal directives may be forthcoming.
I will not stand in the way or inhibit federal immigration practices. I will attempt to walk a fine line, for now, in the attempt to avoid devastating financial impacts on our community. That being said, I will not turn a blind eye to crime of any sort, no matter what the cost. The hope is that these two institutions can come to common ground so that your law enforcement professionals can avoid becoming either the “target” or the “martyr” from either institutions. As for now, there appears to be no opportunities in the middle.
U.S. Senator for Oregon Jeff Merkley has announced his ‘Oregon Treasures Quest’ list for 2025, a collection of spots to visit in each county of the state.
Each of Oregon’s 36 counties has a location on the list. Here are the locations selected this year for counties in southern Oregon.
In our region, he lists the following locations:
Jackson County: Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Josephine County: Oregon Caves. Klamath County: Crater Lake National Park. Curry County: Cape Blanco State Park & Lighthouse. Lake County: Fort Rock.
As a part of the Oregon Treasures Quest challenge, anyone who visits 10 sites in 10 counties is an Oregon Ranger. Visiting 25 sites in 25 counties makes you an Oregon Trailblazer and visiting 36 sites in 36 counties makes you an Oregon Explorer.
Anyone participating in the challenge should send a selfie of each location along with your name, the date of the picture and the name of the location to oregontreasuresquest@merkley.senate.gov.
2025 Josephine County Search & Rescue Academy
DETAILS: The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue Division will be hosting its annual Academy to train new SAR volunteers. The academy, held at 250 Tech Way, Grants Pass, OR, covers Basic Survival Skills, First Aid/CPR, Land Navigation, and more. Completion qualifies attendees as SAR volunteers.
Cost: $55. Additional requirements include a background check, criminal history check, and personal equipment purchase.
The Academy runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6-9 PM), Saturdays (8 AM-5 PM) from February 18 to March 15. For registration and details, visit: https://bit.ly/4hjCVDU
Application deadline: February 17, 2025.
City of Grants Pass, Local Government — Job Opportunity: Police Officer
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) announces its 2025 season, with three weeks of exciting outdoor programming in historic Jacksonville, Oregon, June 12 – 28, 2025.
Under the leadership of four guest conductors, Damon Gupton (June 12-13); Chia-Hsuan Lin (June 15-18); Roberto Kalb (June 21-23); and Normal Huynh (June 26-28) the Orchestra’s 63rd season highlights a feature film alongside beloved classical favorites.
The season features seven extraordinary guest artists: pianist Clayton Stephenson performing Ravel’s Concerto in G Major; violinist William Hagen performing Korngold’s Concerto in D Major; violinist Tessa Lark and cellist Wei Yu performing Brahms Double concerto for Violin & Violoncello in A minor; vocalist Sun-Ly Pierce performing Ravel’s Shéhérazade; pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko performing Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 in D minor; and violinist Simone Porter performing Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D and Ravel’s Tzigane. The season will begin with two evenings of Jurassic Park in Concert whereJohn Williams’ score will be performed live-to-picture by the full orchestra in one of the most beloved films of the 20th Century.
Britt Music & Arts Festival shares extraordinary live performances and arts education experiences that inspire discovery and build community, anchored at the Britt hill amphitheater. Since its grassroots beginnings in 1963, the non-profit organization has grown from a two-week chamber music festival to a summer-long series of concerts in a variety of genres, including a three-week orchestra season, and year-round education and engagement programs. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org
The Jackson County Expo announced its 2025 summer concert lineup taking the stage during the Jackson County Fair in July.
According to the Expo, musical acts including Outlaw Mariachi, Jo Dee Messina, and a Taylor Swift tribute will take the stage in Central Point this summer.
The Jackson County Fair runs from July 15 through July 20. Fair tickets start at $12 and include lawn seats at the Bi-Mart Amphitheater.
Concert ticket prices start at $25 and go on sale to the public on Tuesday. Fair admission is included with the purchase of a reserved seat.
Full 2025 Jackson County Fair Concert lineup:
Tuesday, July 15 – Outlaw Mariachi
Wednesday, July 16 – Jo Dee Messina
Thursday, July 17 – Kansas
Friday, July 18 – Skillet
Saturday, July 19 – Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience
For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Jackson County Expo’s website: https://attheexpo.com/fair/
Upper Rogue River Users, Look for New Signs for Boat Operations
The Oregon State Marine Board passed new rules for boat operations on the Upper Rogue River during its quarterly January 23rd Board meeting. The rules go into effect on February 1, 2025.
Temporary signs will be installed by January 31 at the following boating access sites:
- Fishers Ferry County Park
- TouVelle State Park
- Dodge Bridge County Park
- Takelma County Park
- Upper Rogue Regional County Park
- Rogue Elk County Park
- Casey County Park
- McGregor Park Boat Ramp
Permanent signs with graphics outlining specific rule segments on the river are in development and will replace the temporary signs by the spring.
The Marine Board will ramp up education and outreach efforts during the first year of rule implementation.
To stay up to date on the agency’s outreach, follow Boat Oregon on social media (Facebook, Instagram), or subscribe to Boat Oregon News and learn more about the rules from the agency’s Public Meetings page.
Oregon Housing And Community Services Awards Funding To Jackson County Wildfire Survivor To Buy A New Home
Oregon Housing and Community Services
First recovery grant from the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program
— A Jackson County wildfire survivor is in a new home after becoming the first homeowner to receive funding from the ReOregon Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP). The program’s funding comes from the federal $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery to help Oregonians and communities recover from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters.
The new three-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home is a chance to start fresh and get back a sense of normalcy. “I can finally breathe again,” said Joan, which is not the homeowner’s real name as they did not want to be identified. “I’m safe. I’m secure… It’s hard to explain, but I finally feel like I can hit the un-pause button. I can finally begin where I left off.”
HARP, a federally funded program launched in 2024, provides qualified homeowners whose properties were damaged by the wildfires and straight-line winds in fall 2020 with financial assistance to repair, rebuild, or replace their homes. This homeowner chose the Home Purchase Pathway, which allows eligible survivors to buy a stick-built or manufactured home that is already installed.
“This is exactly what these funds were meant to do,” said Shannon Marheine, director of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). “Although we know it’s taken longer than anyone hoped, this is just the first of many recoveries that will come from all of the hard work that OHCS, our partners, and the survivors themselves have put in over the years.”
OHCS has received hundreds of HARP applications for assistance from every county affected by the disasters, and staff continue to review them for eligibility.
“There were so many friendly and supportive people from start to finish with the HARP application,” Joan said. “The professionalism and communication were appreciated and supportive. They were always in touch and leading me to the next step.”
To read more about Joan’s story, visit https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/OHCS/Posts/Post/A-wildfire-survivor-story-of-loss-support-and-recovery-in-her-own-words.
OHCS encourages survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Disasters, who have not yet applied, to fill out an eligibility questionnaire at https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/disaster-recovery/reoregon/harp/Pages/harp-eligibility-questionnaire.aspx.
To learn more about HARP and other ReOregon programs, visit re.oregon.gov, sign up to receive e-mail notifications, or contact the Call Center at 877-510-6800 or 541-250-0938.
About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)
OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.
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.
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 Sues to Block Musk’s Treasury Access, Fearing He Could Cut Funding to Vital State Programs
Oregon AG Joins 18 Other States in Lawsuit Over Alleged Illegal Data Exposure, Demanding Halt to Musk and DOGE’s Control Over Federal Payments
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield says giving Elon Musk access to the central payment system operated by the Treasury Department could allow him to block funding to critical state programs.
On Friday, Oregon joined 18 other State Attorney Generals in a lawsuit against the federal government to stop unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data and private information.
The lawsuit asserts that the Trump administration has illegally granted Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to the central payment system that includes the personal information of the American people, like Social Security numbers and bank account details.
Rayfield says access could enable DODGE to block payments to critical services like child and health care.
The coalition formed by the 18 attorneys general is calling for an injunction to stop the federal policy that provides Musk and DOGE with Treasury Department access and wants the policy to be declared unconstitutional and unlawful.
In a news release, Rayfield says the country has a ‘president and a billionaire who think they are above the rule of law.’
Rayfield says government decisions must be made in the ‘best interests of the American people,’ adding that ‘Oregon is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial systems.’ He described the federal policy as ‘reckless’ and an ‘unparalleled breach of national security and financial integrity.’
The Oregon Attorney General states that the Treasury is the ‘backbone of our economic stability’ and that unauthorized access could result in ‘catastrophic consequences for all Americans.’ (SOURCE)
The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. Oregon is one of 14 states with the most cases of flu in the nation.
One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to data posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu.
But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.
Some 14 other states, along with New York City, are now at the CDC’s highest tier of influenza activity: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states. U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination.
About 44% of adults got flu shots as winter began, which is the same as last winter. But coverage of children is down, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.
Annual Scorecard Shows Households Are Earning More, Yet Many Families Are Still Struggling To Save And Make Ends MeetSurvey found that roughly half of Oregonians don’t have $500 to cover unexpected expenses
Median income has risen, the impact of inflation has slackened, and more Oregonians are saving for retirement and college, according to the 2025 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard, released today by the Oregon State Treasury.
However, the data also show that many Oregonians are in a precarious financial position, and are ill-equipped to weather even a modest economic shock:
- A majority of families say it’s difficult make ends meet each month, especially families with children at home;
- Almost half of Oregonians are so financially fragile that they do not have $500 saved to cover an unexpected expense; And
- More than a third of households can’t afford to save at all, after bills are paid each month – and the frequency of saving declined markedly in households with children where income was less than $75,000
Those are some of the more than 40 takeaways from the annual scorecard, which assembles data from state and federal sources including a statewide survey to help policymakers and the public better understand how pocketbook and economic factors affect Oregonians’ quality of life.
The new summary – which shows both positive and concerning trendlines — is compiled by the Oregon State Treasury in partnership with the Oregon Financial Empowerment Advisory Team, a public-private partnership for which State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner serves as chair.
“The latest financial snapshot shows that Oregonians work hard, which is leading to higher incomes for many people,” said State Treasurer Steiner. “Innovative Oregon State Treasury programs such as OregonSaves are helping more people set aside money for retirement. But too many people and families barely get by each month. At Treasury, we’ll continue to promote financial empowerment and explore new tools to help Oregon families get ahead and thrive financially.”
Among the positive data points: More Oregonians were medically insured in 2023, and the latest data on retirement saving from the U.S. Census showed that more Oregon households were saving in 2022, and at a frequency higher than the national average.
Also, notably, Oregon household borrowing dipped slightly overall in 2023, according to data from the Federal Reserve.
Financial fragility — which describes the ability of people to handle an economic emergency — was substantially worse for women, for those with a high school education or less, and for families with children at home.
Overall, about half of Oregon households (49%) could not cover an emergency costing $500 or more from savings.
The Scorecard statistics are benchmarked to national figures. Several data categories are also broken down by demographics, by county, or by rural versus urban areas, helping to show that Oregonians experience financial challenges differently.
For instance, in rural counties homeownership rates are higher and so is the percentage of households who rely on public assistance. Some figures are also broken down by age, race, level of education and household income.
Convened to help guide efforts to improve financial wellness statewide, the Oregon Financial Empowerment Advisory Team brings together citizens, representatives of the financial sector, and liaisons from key state agencies that focus on financial education and consumer protection. Quarterly meetings are open to the public.
The advisory team also connects the public to financial resources in partnership with Oregon’s 211info network, and recognizes standout educators and champions annually with the Oregon Financial Empowerment Awards. Nominations are being accepted until March 1.
The Treasury Financial Empowerment Initiative helps inform the work of the Oregon Treasury Savings Network, which administers savings programs to help Oregonians to build long term financial security. Those are the Oregon College Savings Plan, for higher education and career training; Oregon ABLE Savings Plan, for disability-connected costs; and OregonSaves, which allows people to save for retirement if they don’t have a plan at work. (SOURCE)
A bill that would require thousands of farmers to report their fertilizer use to the Oregon Department of Agriculture drew a big crowd largely in opposition to the proposal in its first public hearing.
Senate Bill 747 would require farms larger than 200 acres to report their annual fertilizer use — including the quantity applied, the type of fertilizer and the crop grown on the fertilized land — to the department.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, said she wants the state agriculture department to track fertilizer applications to help identify where and how large concentrations of nutrients found in fertilizers, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are getting into and contaminating ground and surface water. Excesses of those nutrients cause frequent summer algal blooms in parts of the state and are making well water unsafe to drink in critical groundwater areas.
Irrigated agriculture is responsible for the bulk of groundwater nitrate contamination in Morrow and Umatilla counties, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
Oregon congresswoman introduces ‘Stop Musk Act’ as state responds to federal chaos
Rep. Maxine Dexter’s bill would ban retaliation against federal employees who stand up to Elon Musk
New Oregon U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter didn’t anticipate that the first bill she introduced in Congress would be to prohibit unelected billionaire Elon Musk from retaliating against federal employees.
The pulmonary and critical care doctor ran for Congress to work on lowering prescription drug prices and expand access to behavioral health treatment, as well as addressing other issues she sees working with patients. But constituents in her east Portland district demanded action after Musk and people working for him seized control of federal administrative offices, gained access to the U.S. Treasury Department’s records of Americans’ personal financial information and dismantled the federal agency that distributes aid overseas.
In response, Dexter introduced the “Stop Musk Act,” her first bill. It’s just 43 words, spelling out that no federal employee can face retaliation for “resisting, circumventing or preventing Elon Musk or individuals he oversees from taking unlawful or unconstitutional actions relating to federal agencies.”
“It’s not what I had on my bingo card, but it’s definitely what is needed right now,” Dexter said. “And it’s absolutely in response to my constituents. Over 1,000 of them have called and specifically talked about Elon Musk needing to be stopped this week.”
Dexter’s proposal, which she acknowledged has next to no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled House, is among several actions Oregon’s Democratic congressional delegation have taken to oppose the Trump administration and Musk’s unprecedented power over federal agencies.
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a swing-district Democrat who like Dexter is in her first term, joined Oregon’s Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley at a rally outside the U.S. Treasury on Tuesday. She directed most of her comments toward Musk.
“Get your hands out my pockets!” she said. “Get your foot off the Constitution. Take your foot off my neck.”
Over the weekend, U.S. Reps. Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas joined Merkley for town hall events in Newport, Philomath and Salem where they told crowds of hundreds that they were ready to fight. Dexter is planning more town halls and hopes to have Attorney General Dan Rayfield join her at one. Rayfield, who served with Dexter in the state House, is leading Oregon’s legal response to the Trump administration, including securing an indefinite block Thursday to a Trump executive order that attempted to repeal a constitutional guarantee that babies born in the U.S. to immigrant parents are automatically citizens, even if their parents are not. (SOURCE)
House Democrat leaves congressional DOGE caucus, saying Musk is ‘blowing things up’
Democratic Oregon House member says ‘it is impossible to fix the system when Elon Musk is actively breaking it’
Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., said on Thursday that she is leaving the congressional Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus due to Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures in the executive branch.
Hoyle made the announcement via a statement and said her intentions on the caucus were to serve as a good steward for her constituents’ tax dollars and to make the government more streamlined and efficient.
However, she said Musk’s actions, which are separate from the congressional caucus, have made that impossible, and she claimed DOGE’s work is to find funds to give tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of working people.
“It is impossible for us to do that important work when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his lackeys [insist] on burning down the government—and the law—to line his own pockets and rip off Americans across the country who depend on government services to live with dignity,” she wrote in an accompanying statement.
The newly minted agency, a key promise of President Donald Trump‘s re-election campaign, is tasked with slashing government waste and providing increased transparency when it comes to government spending. It was created via executive order and is a temporary organization within the White House that will spend 18 months until July 4, 2026, carrying out its mission.
Hoyle said she was alarmed about Musk’s team accessing sensitive Department of Treasury payment systems. She also accused his team of using intimidation tactics to “terrorize the hard-working public servants” who deliver these services. (SOURCE)
Statewide harm reduction program gets $5.1 million from Opioid Settlement Board
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment & Recovery Board (Board) is directing $5.1 million toward the Save Lives Oregon harm reduction clearinghouse at Oregon Health Authority. This investment serves to continue the Board’s commitment to fill gaps across the substance use disorder continuum of care.
The Board recognized the importance of distributing life-saving overdose reversal medications, but also that more work remains to provide needed services to people seeking support and services for substance use disorder and overdose prevention.
The allocation represents 22% of the Board’s total allocation budget of $23.4 million for the 2025-27 fiscal biennium that begins July 1. Programs focused on primary prevention, treatment and recovery will receive similar percentages.
The Board also provided an additional $237,000 toward a previously approved recommendation of $830,000 for the expansion of culturally specific services in existing recovery community centers throughout the state, bringing the total allocation to more than $1 million for the current fiscal biennium.
The funding was awarded to OHA, which will administer the allocations. The Board’s decision can be viewed in a recording of its Feb. 5 meeting.
We are confident that this investment will indeed save lives in Oregon by expanding our statewide capacity to provide naloxone and other live-saving services to people most in need,” said Board Co-Chair Annaliese Dolph. “But, in doing so, we recognize that this is not enough, and that additional and sustained investment is urgently needed to stem the tide of substance use disorder and overdose in Oregon. The Board calls on the Legislature to fulfill the Governor’s request for ongoing funding for Save Lives Oregon.”
Since July 2021, the State of Oregon has reached agreement on national lawsuits against several companies for their roles in the opioid crisis. Through these agreements, more than $600 million will be awarded to Oregon through 2039. Settlement funds from opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies are divided between the State of Oregon (45%) and local jurisdictions (55%).
The state’s share is deposited into the Opioid Settlement, Prevention, Treatment and Recovery (OSPTR) Fund as it becomes available. This fund is controlled by the 18-member OSPTR Board.
Throughout the current fiscal biennium ending in June 2025, about $98.5 million will be deposited into the OSPTR Fund. To date, more than $90 million has been allocated.
According to the Opioid Settlement Board’s annual report, published this week, Oregon allocated $74 million of the state portion of opioid settlement funds on locally based initiatives and programs across Oregon in the 2023-24 fiscal year (covering the period from July 1, 2023, through June 20, 2024).
The report showed nearly identical percentages allocated across the continuum of substance use services statewide.
Highlights of the spending this biennium include:
- 30% ($27.7 million) for the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon –equivalent to 30% of all funds anticipated this biennium. This 30% set-aside will continue throughout the life of the fund as additional settlement payments are deposited.
- 22% ($13.7 million) for the Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse to distribute naloxone and other life-saving supplies to organizations across Oregon.
- 22% ($13.7 million) to support primary prevention programs though counties and community based organizations, and to build up and strengthen the statewide substance use disorder prevention workforce.
- 21% ($13.08 million) to establish recovery community centers in counties with the greatest need and expand youth and culturally specific services in existing recovery community centers.
- 23% ($14.3 million) to add mobile and non-mobile medication units to existing Oregon opioid treatment programs (OTPs), and for Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to provide training and technical assistance to jails to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder.
The OSPTR Board will next consider additional investments in research and evaluation. To learn more about Oregon’s opioid settlement funds, visit oregon.gov/opioidsettlement
Oregon Lottery sends Shari’s restaurants to collections for $900,000 plus interest
The Oregon Lottery has sent Shari’s Cafe and Pies restaurant chain to collections for $900,000, a Lottery spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
In addition, Oregon Lottery Senior Communications Manager Matt Shelby confirmed a report that the Oregon Department of Revenue will tack on 9% interest.
Shari’s closed all its Oregon restaurants, including a handful in Central Oregon, last October after 46 years. Shari’s patrons could play video lottery games at the restaurants, with equipment supplied by the Lottery. Shortly after the closures, a lottery spokesperson told news outlets the following:
“Each week, our retailers deposit money into an account for what’s called our ‘draw’ or the revenue that’s due to us for Video Lottery play,” spokesperson Melanie Mesaros said. “When a retailer fails to pay their weekly electric fund transfer draw and the bank does not pay due to ‘non sufficient funds’ or NSF, they are required to pay us immediately or our equipment will be disabled.” Mesaros said the Lottery learned that Shari’s had an NSF on Oct. 16 and was unable to pay or provide a bond.
OpenAI looks to Oregon, other states for sites to build its Trump-backed Stargate AI data centers
The ChatGPT maker put out a request for proposals for land, electricity, engineers and architects and began visiting locations in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
OpenAI is scouring the U.S. for sites to build a network of huge data centers to power its artificial intelligence technology, expanding beyond a flagship Texas location and looking across 16 states to accelerate the Stargate project championed by President Donald Trump.
The maker of ChatGPT put out a request for proposals for land, electricity, engineers and architects and began visiting locations in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin this week.
Trump touted Stargate, a newly formed joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank, shortly after returning to the White House last month.
The partnership said it is investing $100 billion — and eventually up to $500 billion — to build large-scale data centers and the energy generation needed to further AI development. Trump called the project a “resounding declaration of confidence in America’s potential” under his new administration, though the first project in Abilene, Texas, has been under construction for months.
Elon Musk, a Trump adviser and fierce rival of OpenAI who’s in a legal fight with the company and its CEO Sam Altman, has publicly questioned the value of Stargate’s investments.
After Trump’s announcement, a number of states reached out to OpenAI about welcoming additional data centers, Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s vice president of global affairs, told reporters Thursday.
The company’s request for proposals calls for sites with “proximity to necessary infrastructure including power and water.”
AI uses vast amounts of energy, much of which comes from burning fossil fuels, which causes climate change. Data centers also typically draw in large amounts of water for cooling.
OpenAI’s proposal makes no mention of whether it intends to prioritize renewable energy sources such as wind or solar to power the data centers, but it says electricity providers should have a plan to manage carbon emissions and water usage.
“There’s some sites we’re looking at where we want to help be part of the process that brings new power to that site, either from new gas deployment or other means,” said Keith Heyde, who directs OpenAI’s infrastructure strategy.
The first Texas project is in a region Abilene’s mayor has described to The Associated Press as rich in multiple energy sources, including wind, solar and gas. Also describing it that way is the company that began building the AI data center campus there in June — the same two “big, beautiful buildings” that Altman showed off in a recent drone video posted on social media.
Crusoe CEO Chase Lochmiller said that wind power is central to the project his company is building, though it will also have a gas-fired generator for backup power.
“We try to build data centers in locations where we can access low-cost, clean and abundant energy resources,” Lochmiller said. “West Texas really fits that mold where it’s one of the most consistently windy and sunny places in the United States.”
Lochmiller said he expects the Trump administration, despite the president’s opposition to wind farms, to be pragmatic in supporting wind-powered data centers when it is “actually the cheapest way to access energy.”
The other states where OpenAI is actively looking include Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. Heyde said the company only plans to build “somewhere between five to 10” campuses in total, depending on how large each one is.
OpenAI previously relied on business partner Microsoft for its computing needs, but the two companies recently amended their partnership to enable OpenAI to pursue data center development on its own. (SOURCE)
Oregon Check Casher Sentenced to Federal Prison for Payroll Tax Scheme Involving $177 Million
PORTLAND, Ore.–A Tualatin, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false currency transaction reports.
David Katz, 48, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $44,877,254 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 through December 2017, Katz, as president of Check Cash Pacific, Inc., conspired with others in the construction industry to defraud the United States by facilitating under-the-table payments to construction workers. To carry out the scheme, sham construction companies were created and used to cash more than $177 million in payroll checks at different Check Cash Pacific locations. The cash was used to pay construction workers under-the-table, with no taxes being withheld or reported to the IRS.
Construction companies would notify Katz when they planned to bring checks into one of his check cashing locations so that Katz could ensure he had enough cash on hand to complete the transaction. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of payroll checks were cashed daily and Katz was aware that at least one of his co-conspirators used a false name and social security number. Acting as compliance officer, Katz allowed hundreds of false regulatory reports to be filed knowing they contained the fake identity.
For his role in the scheme, Katz received a 2% commission on each transaction which, in total, amounted to more than $4 million. Over the course of their conspiracy, Katz and his co-conspirators prevented the IRS from collecting more than $44 million in payroll and income taxes due on the cash wages.
On December 2, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Katz with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and four counts of filing false currency transaction reports with FinCEN. On June 12, 2024, a federal jury in Portland found Katz guilty of all charges.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Andrew T. Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Oregon Check Casher Sentenced to Federal Prison for Payroll Tax Scheme Involving $177 Million
PORTLAND, Ore.–A Tualatin, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false currency transaction reports.
David Katz, 48, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $44,877,254 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 through December 2017, Katz, as president of Check Cash Pacific, Inc., conspired with others in the construction industry to defraud the United States by facilitating under-the-table payments to construction workers. To carry out the scheme, sham construction companies were created and used to cash more than $177 million in payroll checks at different Check Cash Pacific locations. The cash was used to pay construction workers under-the-table, with no taxes being withheld or reported to the IRS.
Construction companies would notify Katz when they planned to bring checks into one of his check cashing locations so that Katz could ensure he had enough cash on hand to complete the transaction. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of payroll checks were cashed daily and Katz was aware that at least one of his co-conspirators used a false name and social security number. Acting as compliance officer, Katz allowed hundreds of false regulatory reports to be filed knowing they contained the fake identity.
For his role in the scheme, Katz received a 2% commission on each transaction which, in total, amounted to more than $4 million. Over the course of their conspiracy, Katz and his co-conspirators prevented the IRS from collecting more than $44 million in payroll and income taxes due on the cash wages.
On December 2, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Katz with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and four counts of filing false currency transaction reports with FinCEN. On June 12, 2024, a federal jury in Portland found Katz guilty of all charges.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Andrew T. Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Names Released in Yoncalla Homicide/Suicide Case
UPDATED & FINAL RELEASE 02/08/2025 10:00 AM
– The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has concluded its investigation into the apparent homicide/suicide in Yoncalla that was discovered on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Deputies had responded to the residence in the 100-block of Williams Road in Yoncalla. Upon arrival, a deputy observed two persons down in the residence and forced entry. The deputy confirmed the two adult individuals were deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
Detectives determined the incident was the result of a homicide/suicide domestic violence incident. During the course of the investigation it was determined 68-year-old Yoncalla resident Steven Curtis Bolin shot and killed his wife, 62-year-old Michelle Bolin before turning the gun on himself.
There are no additional updates expected in this investigation. — The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Oregon State Police, Sutherlin Police Department and North Douglas County Fire & EMS.
ORIGINAL RELEASE 02/01/2025 10:19 PM
YONCALLA, Ore. – Detectives are investigating an apparent homicide/suicide in Yoncalla.
On Friday, January 31, 2025, around 10:20 PM, a business called the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office requesting a welfare check on an employee who had not shown up for work.
Deputies responded to the residence in the 100-block of Williams Road in Yoncalla. Upon arrival, a deputy observed two persons down in the residence and forced entry. The deputy confirmed the two adult individuals were deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
Detectives were requested to the scene along with the Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office. Evidence at the scene indicates that the incident is likely homicide/suicide. The names of both individuals and the details of the victim and perpetrator are being withheld at this time pending next of kin notification and further investigation.
Additional details will be disclosed in a subsequent media release.
An Oregon House bill would allow retailers to legally scan ID for people buying tobacco or alcohol, regardless of their age.
The legislation follows a pair of lawsuits challenging the practice, claiming universal ID checks were against existing state law and an invasion of privacy.
In September, KGW reported on the growing number of retailers who implemented universal ID checks for alcohol or tobacco products. Jonathan Polonsky, CEO of Plaid Pantry, said the policy of carding everyone eliminated any guesswork and kept the company in compliance with state and local requirements. Oregon law prohibits the swiping of a driver’s license except under certain circumstances, including the sale of age-restricted products if there is any reasonable doubt that the person is 21. Reasonable doubt exists if the person appears to be under the age of 26, according to Oregon Administrative Rules.
House Bill 2055 is headed to the House Judiciary Committee. Even if it is adopted, the bill won’t settle the existing lawsuits over ID checks because it’s not retroactive.
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)
State lawmakers are considering banning winners of large prizes in the Oregon Lottery from reselling their tickets in order to block schemes that enable tax evasion and uncollected child support payments.
The sales practice has spawned a cottage industry of so-called lottery discounters who operate around the state. They annually buy millions of dollars in winning tickets – mostly video lottery and keno tickets with prizes above $1,500 – from their original winners at steep discounts. Then they claim the face value of the prizes when they present the tickets at lottery payment centers in Wilsonville and Salem.
As detailed in an investigation published last summer by The Oregonian/Oregon Live, the scheme enables tax evasion. It allows some winners to avoid past due child support and other debts to the state that would otherwise be garnished from their prizes. It can incentivize sketchy operators to manipulate winners into selling tickets. And in some states, it has been linked to money laundering.
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.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Sites Open in Oregon: Program Provides Free Tax Prep to Thousands of Older Adults
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is providing free preparation now through April 15 throughout Oregon. Started in 1968, Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-based tax assistance and preparation program and has served more than 80 million people. For the 2024 tax season, nearly 28,000 volunteers helped almost 1.7 million taxpayers, 965,000 of whom were adults over 50 with low income. Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS, and AARP membership is not required.
“During the 2024 tax season, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers completed over 19,400 federal returns and 18,500 state returns in Oregon with refunds of nearly $39 million,” said AARP Oregon State Director Bandana Shrestha. “Even modest refunds can make an impact on financial resilience, especially for vulnerable older adults. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide helps put money back in the pockets of Oregonians every year by making sure they don’t miss out on the credits and deductions they have earned.”
Tax-Aide volunteers provide free tax preparation and filing services to all with a focus on adults with low to moderate income. Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers a variety of options to better meet the needs of taxpayers. Access to the different types of assistance varies by location.
- In-Person Service: Tax preparation is completed by an IRS-certified Tax-Aide volunteer on-site in one visit.
- One-Visit Scan: Tax documents are scanned at the Tax-Aide site and then Tax-Aide volunteers prepare the return remotely.
- Two-Visit Scan: Tax documents are scanned at the Tax-Aide site and then volunteers prepare the return remotely. During a second visit, taxpayers work with a volunteer to finalize their return and obtain a printed copy for their records.
- Drop-Off Service: Tax documents are left at the Tax-Aide site with a volunteer and the return is prepared remotely. During a second visit, taxpayers work with a volunteer to file their return and obtain a printed copy and their original documents.
- No Site Visit Required (Internet Access Required): Taxpayers upload tax documents to the IRS-provided software. Tax-Aide volunteers prepare the return remotely and work with the taxpayer to file the return electronically.
- Online Coaching: Taxpayers prepare their own return and receive online support from a volunteer to help them along the way.
- Facilitated Self-Assistance: Taxpayers schedule an appointment at a Tax-Aide site to work with a volunteer to complete and file their own return.
- Self-Preparation: Taxpayers prepare their own return using a software product that has been made available through the Tax-Aide website.
Users can find their nearest Tax-Aide location and assistance options through the Tax-Aide site locator. The site locator features a Tax-Aide chat bot that can help book an appointment, answer questions about the program, and transfer the conversation to a live agent if needed or requested. For more information, including which documents to bring to the tax site, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669)
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