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 24, 2025

Rogue Valley Weather

https://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/oregon.php

Get Ready for More Traffic Disruptions From Infrastructure Repairs in Medford

Medford residents and commuters should brace for a series of traffic disruptions slated to begin February 24 and extend into March.

A range of road and lane closures will be impacting movement around the city as municipal and private construction crews embark on essential infrastructure repairs.

According to the City of Medford’s official announcement, Angelcrest Drive will see lane closures from Highcrest Drive to Cloudcrest Drive for curb and gutter repairs until February 28, with work hours from 7 am to 5 pm. Commuting through Ariel Heights is also expected to be restricted due to road grading and repairs taking place between Cherry Lane and Mary Bee Lane during the same period.

Flaggers will be on-site to manage traffic, but no parking will be allowed in these areas.

Heavy construction will also obstruct passage along Black Oak Drive at Country Club Drive, where Central Pipeline Inc crews will be engaging in storm drain improvements through March 7, causing both road and lane closures.

Ellendale Drive at Crestbrook Road will undergo similar disruptions, with detours marked to assist drivers.

Additionally, Knife River is set to perform asphalt repairs on several streets, imposing road and lane closures that will affect Crater Lake Avenue, Springbrook Road, Oakdale Avenue, and 11th Street, all projected to last until at least February 28th or extend until March 7 in some sections. Operating hours for these projects are noted to be between 8:30 am and 4 pm. “Travelers should expect delays associated with this work,” the city statement articulated, advising individuals to consider alternative routes and parking options.  https://www.medfordoregon.gov/News-Articles/Traffic-Impact-Items-Folder/Traffic-Impact-Items-Feb-24-May-17-2025

 

 

Renovation completed on Josephine County Fairgrounds Pavilion building

 — Visitors to the Evergreen Federal Pavilion at the Josephine County Fairgrounds will be greeted by new flooring, upgraded lighting and upgraded restrooms, the results of a recently completed renovation.

Portions of the multi-year renovation effort were funded in part by the Oregon State Lottery and administered by the Oregon Business Development Department. Interior paint was donated by the Grants Pass Rodda Paint Company.

“On behalf of the Josephine County Fair Board, I’m pleased to announce the successful completion of this remodeling project,” said Tamra Martin, Josephine County Recreation director. “The Fair Board would like to say special thank you to the crew at Rodda Paint for their donation and their continued support that they show the Josephine County Fairgrounds. It’s our community partnerships that keep us strong.”

This renovation effort was originally kicked off with funding from the American Rescue Protection Act with upgrades in the restrooms including touchless facilities.

The Pavilion is over 14,000 square feet and features a kitchenette and a commercial kitchen that is used year-round by the community for a variety of events including weddings, concerts, vendor sales, banquets and fundraisers. This building is an essential part of the Fairgrounds success and was rented out 52 times in 2024.

Learn more about renting Fairgrounds facilities at JosephineCountyFairgrounds.com or call the Fairgrounds office at (541) 476-3215.

https://www.josephinecountyfairgrounds.com

The Eagle Point Police Department and Central Point Police Department are collaborating to hold a scam public education session, in which they’ll teach the public how to recognize current scams and how to prevent being a victim.

Central Point Police Lieutenant Josh Abbott will give the presentation and speak about how to avoid being scammed by phone, computer and email.

Abbott comes from an investigations background, currently overseeing the detective division for CPPD, and has given numerous presentations on avoiding scams in the community.

EPPD said this comes after numerous calls and complaints about potential scams and recent victims unaware of the latest tactics being used by scammers.

The presentation will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 27. at the Ashpole Center at Eagle Point City Hall, located at 17 S. Buchanan Ave.

City of Grants Pass, Local Government

The City’s “Buy-a-Brick” campaign for the new Owl Lot Plaza is scheduled to end this Friday, February 28.

For more information about what you can write on your brick, as well as purchase one for just $250, follow this link and add your name to that of your friend and neighbors: https://www.grantspassoregon.gov/…/Owl-Plaza-Brick…

Medford Fire Department – New Fire Marshal

We are thrilled to announce that Tanner Fairrington has been officially appointed as our new Fire Marshal!

After a rigorous national selection process and a six-month interim assignment, Tanner has proven himself to be an exceptional leader. His ability to navigate complex challenges with diplomacy, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to safety has set him apart.

Tanner’s strategic thinking and leadership will continue fostering a culture of transparency and teamwork, ensuring that fire safety in Medford remains a top priority. His dedication to strengthening relationships—both within our department and with the community—makes him the ideal person for this role.

Please join us in congratulating Tanner as he steps into this well-deserved position!

Medford Firefighters Local 824

Northwest researchers find Medford, Grants Pass and Bend had the most wildfire smoke from 2019-2023.

Oregon is home to 4 of the top 5 smokiest cities nationwide

Over the past five years, more than 36 million acres of land have burned in wildfires across the United States. But the impacts of those wildfires reached far beyond the areas actually touched by fire: wildfire smoke carried hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles, affecting millions of people downwind.

Just ask residents of Medford, Grants Pass and Bend, the top three smokiest cities in the country from 2019 to 2023.

Researchers including Dan Jaffe and Haebum Lee at the University of Washington Bothell have developed a new way to quickly determine the number of days communities across the country experienced higher than normal levels of smoke. They combined particulate readings from air quality stations on the ground with satellite imagery.

In addition to Medford, Grants Pass and Bend, several other Oregon cities made their top 10 list: Klamath Falls (#5), Roseburg (#6) and Eugene/Springfield (#10). The smokiest city in Washington was Yakima (#15).

Particulate pollution comes from numerous sources: car and truck exhaust, power plants and other industry, wood stoves, and agriculture. In all of these Oregon and Washington cities, the particulate from wildfire smoke (PM 2.5) comprised at least 30% of the total particulate pollutants residents were exposed to each year.

The tiny particulates found in wildfire smoke are so small that they can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs. They can cause minor and serious respiratory issues and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

To try to determine the health impacts of wildfire smoke on communities, the researchers also looked at the number of emergency room visits caused by asthma in different communities. From 2019-23, they linked an estimated 42,500 ER visits to smoke exposure. The analysis showed that high-population metro areas in the Eastern U.S. ranked highest (in the number of individual cases) for these kinds of smoke-related health impacts.

In both Portland and Seattle metro areas, about 15% of all asthma-related ER visits could be attributed to wildfire smoke.

The new research was presented at the American Geophysical Union annual meeting in Washington, D.C. (SOURCE)

Ashland Rolls Out Free Pre-Approved Plans to Spur Residents into Building Affordable Backyard Homes

Seeking to promote affordability and support residents’ diverse needs, the city of Ashland has encouraged its citizens to develop accessory dwelling units (ADUs) within the city and offers guidance on getting plans approved.

The City of Ashland has streamlined the ADU application process to enhance housing options. It now offers a complete set of pre-approved ADU plans that meet local building codes for free to Ashland property owners.

To get ADU plan approval in Ashland, the Ashland Planning Division offers a free consultation. At the meeting, a City Planner will review your site and provide valuable guidance on the permit application process.

The meeting is geared towards helping you understand zoning requirements, building codes, and any other considerations for ADU projects.  Find free City of Ashland ADU plans here

Grants Pass City Council votes on new homeless sites

The City of Grants Pass is making changes to find camping locations for its homeless population amidst a temporary restraining order against Grants Pass after city councilors voted to change the allowable time for its only resting site to 5 p.m. through 7 a.m.  —  That restraining order was extended by 10 days on Tuesday.

This leaves the city a little over a week to make changes or possibly face an injunction until the date of the court case initiated by Disability Rights Oregon, which they say could take years.

“If we keep just pushing people place to place and we don’t offer them a ladder out of where they are, or we have a ladder but it’s only for people who don’t have disabilities and aren’t sick and are young and reasonably healthy, then we’re going to continue to have homelessness regardless of what our laws are,” said Disability Rights Oregon Deputy Legal Director, Tom Stenson. “There isn’t a law that can make homelessness disappear.”

In accordance with state law, which says the time, place, and manner in which a city can regulate resting for those experiencing homelessness must be objectively reasonable, the City of Grants Pass considered new locations for its homeless population Wednesday night.

But Councilor Rob Pell says a vote against any site would result in an even more unfavorable outcome.

“Anyone who would vote no on doing something tonight is essentially voting yes on keeping them in the parks and not getting out of the restraining order,” Pell commented.

In a vote of 6 to 1, with Councilor Victoria Marshall voting no, the city passed a resolution allowing resting for up to 96 hours at the current lot on 7th Street as well as the lot on 6th and A streets, previous used as a resting area.

The city council reaffirmed that these sites are only temporary, and they’ll need to work on a long-term solution.

 

 

Bitcoin Scams
Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office receives numerous reports of people being scammed into buying Bitcoin.  The bad actors of these scams are very convincing.  Scams include, but are not limited to, PayPal, Norton Antivirus, LifeLock, pretending to be financial institutions and Law Enforcement.  Scammers may want access to your computer, claim you have warrants, or say a loved one is in trouble.  They may also provide convincing documents showing deposits into your accounts or give sob stories that they will get in trouble or lose their jobs.

We understand that hearing facts about your life, home or family can be unnerving and can aid in their attempt to appear legitimate. Much of your information is readily available online such as full names, birth dates, phone numbers, addresses and photos of your home.  Scammers use this information to make themselves believable.  Once they have convinced you that they are legitimate they will have you deposit money into a Bitcoin machine.  These machines are located at numerous locations such as grocery stores, mini markets and various other places.  The scammers may keep you on the phone while you are withdrawing money and depositing it into the machines.

If you are contacted by one of these scammers take note of these “red flags” and stop.  Talk to your bank, law enforcement or trusted friend before withdrawing money or making deposits.  If someone insists that Bitcoin or gift cards are the only form of payment that is accepted, then something is definitely wrong!

If you think there is a possibility of any truth to their claims against you, tell them you will call them back and hang up the phone.  DO NOT call back the number they provide.  Instead look up the business phone number yourself and call to verify any claims.  You can report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission here: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

 

Medford School District 549C —  𝐆𝐲𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐀𝐐𝐬

𝐖𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝.

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐/𝟏𝟐:

Engineers have assessed nearby buildings at North, no structural threats.

Additional fencing has been placed to expand the safety perimeter.

School will open Thursday, and we are confident in the safety of North Medford.

The cause is still under review; engineers are conducting a full assessment

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝?

On Friday afternoon, a crack was discovered in one of the trusses in the North gym. The gym was immediately evacuated and secured. MSD facility teams, Medford Fire, the City of Medford, and engineering crews responded quickly to reduce the snow load on the roof. Since then, athletic practices and PE classes have been relocated to other facilities.

On Tuesday morning, several beams broke under the weight of the snow, triggering an emergency response. When the collapse occurred, it severed the emergency response button (ERB) line, initiating messaging for a school lockdown. At no point in time was there an actual threat on campus, the lockdown was simply the result of the ERB going off. The lockdown was lifted shortly after.

At 10:47 a.m. Tuesday, the gym roof collapsed. Emergency services responded immediately, and thankfully, no injuries were reported. The gym is isolated from the rest of campus, and students were kept away from the area with fencing. Students were released early on Tuesday and school was canceled on Wednesday out of an abundance of caution and so crews could assess the damage.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞?

Since the collapse, we have expanded the security fencing around the perimeter, met with engineers, insurance and contractors to formulate next steps. We are working on a demolition plan to stabilize the structure so that it is safe for the engineer teams to complete their assessment. We will then determine if any areas are salvageable and develop a plan to rebuild. Concurrently, we are working to ensure all school gym activities have been relocated to alternate locations.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧?

We are awaiting the official engineering assessment, but engineers have informed us that typically there are multiple contributors to a collapse like this. Engineers estimate that approximately 700,000 pounds of snow accumulated on the roof. This weight may have exacerbated an existing structural weakness, leading to cracking in the glulam beam and, ultimately, the roof collapse. We will share more details once the final engineering report is complete.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐮𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐲𝐦?

At this time, there is no indication that the seismic upgrades contributed to the collapse. In fact, the improvements—such as lighter roofing materials, the removal of a cell tower, and reinforcement of the roofing diaphragm—likely helped the structure withstand the immense snow load for as long as it did. Once the building is stabilized and made safe, engineers will conduct a full assessment to determine all contributing factors and inform future repair plans.

𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞?

There is no evidence of an engineering failure in the building’s original construction. A thorough engineering review will be conducted once the structure is stabilized.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞?

Our priority was ensuring the safety of students and staff. Efforts to reduce the snow load and stabilize the structure included:

Deploying a shoring team as soon as possible.

Shoveling snow from the roof in areas where it was safe to do so.

Applying ice melt.

Used heat cords.

Working with Medford Fire to melt off the snow with water working from the drains out to ensure that no additional water load was added to the roof (the snow on the roof was never saturated with additional water, this only impacted a very small area around one drain and the beam fractured before this measure was attempted). This reduced the load on the roof and did not cause the collapse.

Using pumps to remove melted water and prevent pooling.

Hoping for the sun to come out and melt that snow!

These efforts were extremely dangerous due to the roof’s 200 ft by 200 ft size and the hazardous conditions incurred with the fractured beam.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤?

No. All other large-span structures in the district have been thoroughly inspected and are safe for continued use. There are no signs of structural damage.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩?

Yes. The seismic upgrades played a crucial role in preventing a full scale collapse of the entire facility. The reinforced walls remain standing, which minimized the extent of the damage and the danger crews encountered.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦? 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞?

The district maintains millions of square feet of roofing, and large-scale snow removal is not a standard practice in our area for roofs. Our buildings are designed to handle typical snow loads, including the amount we experienced during the storm.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬?

Facility crews inspect roofs frequently to ensure drains are cleared and that there is no flashing damage, roof leaks, etc.

No one was injured, school officials said, and other campus buildings are not in danger of collapsing.

Tuesday morning, several beams in the gym broke under the weight of the snow; students were placed on short lockdown as a precaution. At 10:47 a.m., the roof collapsed; emergency services responded immediately, and no injuries were reported.

Classes were canceled after the gym’s roof at North Medford High School collapsed under the weight of around 700,000 pounds of snow, according to school officials.

According to the school’s website, a crack in one of the gym’s trusses was discovered Friday afternoon. The gym was then evacuated, with Medford Fire, the city of Medford and engineering crews responding to reduce the snow on the roof, including shoveling, spraying and using ice melt and heat-tape cords. Athletic practices and PE classes were relocated to other buildings.

North Medford High School said an estimated 700,000 pounds of snow had accumulated on the roof.

According to the school, the gym is isolated from the rest of the campus, and students are being kept away from the area as crews assess damage. Students were released early, and school is also canceled for Wednesday.

Other buildings on campus are not in danger, having been inspected with no signs of structural damage.

The school stated that there isn’t any evidence of an engineering failure in the original construction and that the “gym performed well for 60 years before the extreme snow load caused the trusses to fail.” However, an engineering review will be performed once the structure is stabilized.

The gym had recently undergone a seismic upgrade, which prevented a full structural collapse. The reinforced walls remain standing, school officials said.

According to a statement from the principal, Allen Barber, on the school’s website, experts will be assessing the safety around the gym’s perimeter and developing contingency plans if the areas remain inaccessible.

Jackson and Josephine Counties Have Highest Flu Rate in Oregon

The counties have more than 300 of the state’s approximately 1,000 positive influenza A cases.

The FluBites weekly surveillance report from the OHA shows that Region 5, which is made up of Jackson and Josephine counties, had the highest percent positivity at 31.4 percent the week of Feb. 2 to Feb. 8. The overall percent positivity in the state is 24 percent, up 0.4 percent from the previous week.

 

 

 

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.

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 63^rd 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 20^th 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/

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.

 

Josephine Community Library District

Tax season help is here! From February 4 to April 11, get free assistance with your tax questions and filing at the Grants Pass Library with Josephine County VITA. Call 541-223-9597 or visit joco-freetaxes.com to learn more or schedule an appointment.

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

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

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

 firebrandcollective.org/harp/

Rogue Valley Humane Society  · Donations Always Needed to Help Community

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

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

David Grubbs’ Murder Investigation Remains Active

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

It’s going on five years now since Fauna Frey, 45, disappeared in Josephine County on a road trip, June 29, 2020, following her brother’s death

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

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

 

Oregon Lawmakers Target High Screening Fees and Deposits for Renters

With a lack of housing in Oregon, rents have soared.

Before they ever sign a lease, start packing boxes or line up moving day help, Oregonians hoping to move into a new rental home can spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on application fees and deposits.

Some Democratic Oregon lawmakers want to cut those costs. Lawmakers last week considered proposals to ban landlords from charging screening fees and charge landlords who take a holding deposit and then fail to actually rent the apartment, as well as a bill tenant advocates objected to that would allow landlords to charge monthly fees instead of a security deposit.

Nearly 37% of Oregonians rent their homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s higher than the national average, and renters are in the majority in cities including Eugene, Corvallis, Monmouth, Beaverton and Seaside.

And rents continue to increase. The real estate market Zillow pegs the average rent in February 2025 at nearly $1,800 monthly, up $30 from last year.

Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, introduced House Bill 3521 after hearing from renters across Oregon who lost hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars to holding deposits for apartments they couldn’t move into. In some cases, Hartman said, renters showed up to find homes rife with mold, broken plumbing or pest infestations but were told they would lose their deposit if they didn’t sign a lease. In other instances, renters found that the landlord accepted their deposit to hold the unit and then rented it to someone else.

“Tenants should not have to choose between signing a lease for an unsafe home or losing a significant amount of money,” Hartman said.

Landlords who spoke to the House Housing and Homelessness Committee about Hartman’s bill strongly disagreed with it. John Baker, who said he spoke on behalf of Oregon Realtors, said passing it would stop landlords from providing tenants the “favor” of keeping an apartment off the market in exchange for a holding deposit.

“The possible response of this bill, if enacted, is to no longer provide the favor to the tenant to hold the property until they’re ready, physically as well as financially, but instead require immediate execution of deposits and documents which may not be convenient or possible by the prospective tenant,” Baker said.

Other landlords said they’d be penalized for situations outside of their control, such as a flood or delayed repairs that take a unit off the market. But Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland and chair of the housing committee, said that tenants also face unexpected circumstances and risk losing their holding deposits because of it.

“I’m wondering why a landlord should get special treatment aside from what a tenant gets when we have experiences outside of control of one party or another,” Marsh said. “It seems like the consequences should be equal.”

Ending application fees

Rep. Mark Gamba, D-Milwaukie, introduced House Bill 2967 to ban landlords from charging screening fees. It’s a problem that even affects lawmakers, Gamba said. Many rent apartments in Salem during the legislative session, and he talked to colleagues who shelled out money for application fees and are still waiting to get that money back.

Current law requires landlords to refund those fees within 60 days if they don’t run a background check. But they don’t always follow the law, leaving tenants to chase down that money, and when tenants apply to multiple apartments to up the odds of getting into a place, they can end up spending hundreds on screening fees.

“If you put out 50 bucks, 60 bucks, 70 bucks, you’re not going to be able to take the time to take six different landlords to small claims court to get back your 50 or 60 bucks,” Gamba said.  “But that does add up.”

Adriana Grant, a policy associate for the Eugene Tenant Alliance, is also a low-income renter. She moved last year and spent nearly $500 on application fees, and she hasn’t been able to get most of that money back.

“Unfortunately, my priorities lie in ensuring that I have food security and other securities, not ensuring that I am following the trail of applications that I have put in,” she said. “For families struggling financially, these fees create a barrier to stable housing and push them into substandard conditions, limiting their access to better neighborhoods.

Landlords objected to Gamba’s bill as well. Jason Miller, legislative director for the Oregon Rental Housing Association, said eliminating fees would make it harder for landlords to process applications and harder for tenants to find housing.

“When applications are free, many individuals that know they will not meet the application criteria will apply anyways,” he said. “This will create a backlog when processing applications, and some qualified applicants will find themselves unable to find housing within their time frame, possibly becoming homeless while housing providers are dealing with the influx of under qualified applicants.”

It was mostly landlords, lobbyists and full-time tenant advocates who spoke during the meeting, but dozens of Oregon renters shared their own stories in written testimony published on the Legislature’s website. One, Whitney Donielson, wrote that she and her spouse have to pay $40 to $50 apiece in application fees each time they move.

“If we apply for more than one housing unit, it costs, at minimum, $100 to find a new place to live, and often more, since, with the tight rental market, it’s often necessary to apply to multiple units in order to secure a place to live,” Donielson wrote. “This does not include the financial strain of what often amounts to a nonrefundable security deposit, cleaning deposit, and first and last month rent, as well as other moving costs.”

Another, Salem resident Blake Claiborne, was skeptical that getting rid of application fees would lead to people submitting applications on a lark. The process of applying and paying thousands in fees and deposits with the understanding that a landlord will find any excuse to keep that deposit money is a nightmare, Claiborne added.

“The idea that so many of these opposing testimonies seem to focus on is that people will otherwise go around putting in housing applications ‘frivolously’ like it’s some kind of cool new TikTok prank, and I am genuinely confused whether any of them even truly believe that, and if so what they think other people do all day,” Claiborne wrote.

Tenant advocates object to fee instead of security deposit

Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, described his Senate Bill 158, which received a hearing Wednesday, as a way to help renters get their foot in the door. It would allow landlords to charge a monthly fee instead of a security deposit.

“A major reason why Oregonians struggle to find housing is that they simply cannot afford these high upfront costs,” Meek said. “Even for working families coming up with the first and last month’s rent, plus a security deposit, can be an overwhelming financial burden.”

But the bill doesn’t have a cap on the total fees charged. A tenant who pays a $25 monthly fee instead of a $1,000 security deposit would have spent less money after a year, but if that tenant stayed in an apartment for more than three years they would have spent more than someone who paid an upfront security deposit.

And unlike a security deposit, which a landlord can only keep if a tenant fails to pay rent or damages a unit, the bill has no requirement that a landlord return the fee. There’s also no guarantee that the fees tenants would pay would be used to address damages, as deposits do.

That’s why tenant advocates strongly opposed Meek’s bill. Timothy Morris, executive director of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, said a fee instead of a high deposit might sound great on the surface, but in practice it will hurt tenants and especially low-income tenants.

“But once you start looking into the details of the bill, its insidious nature becomes clear,” Morris said. “It’s ambiguous at best and lacks significant consumer protections.”  (SOURCE)

Providence, nurses union reach new tentative deal in 6-week-long strike

Nurses would be paid more and receive compensation for missing breaks under a tentative agreement reached by Providence Health & Services and the Oregon Nurses Association that could end a six-week-long strike.

Providence and the union announced the new agreement, which comes after union members rejected another deal earlier this month, in separate news releases Friday. Providence said it reached the deal after three days of intensive bargaining.

“Providence is hopeful that ONA-represented nurses will ratify the tentative agreements that pave a solid path forward for us all,” said Jennifer Burrows, chief executive of Providence Oregon.

The union hailed the agreement as a milestone, saying it represents “a significant achievement for ONA nurses, marking a powerful step forward in their ongoing commitment to fair wages, safe staffing, and high-quality patient care.”

The strike, which started Jan. 10, is the longest in Oregon’s health care history. Nearly 5,000 nurses walked off the job at Providence’s eight hospitals in Oregon in Hood River, Medford, Milwaukie, Newberg, Seaside and Oregon City and two in Portland. The strike also included nurses, physicians and other staff at Providence’s six women’s clinics in the Portland area and hospital physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in southwest Portland.

The physicians and clinic union members approved their deals but the nurses rejected the early agreement by more than 80%.

The Oregon Nurses Association said the bargaining units for seven of the hospitals recommend that union members back the agreements, while the team at Providence Medford was neutral.

The deal includes wage increases for nurses from 20% to 42%, with an immediate 16% to 22% raise upon ratification, the union said. It also includes step increases starting next year along with guaranteed pay for missed breaks or meal breaks.

It also includes retroactive pay for nurses whose contract expired last year or earlier. The contracts for each hospital expired on different dates — for example, the Providence St. Vincent contract expired Dec. 31, 2023.

Under the deal, nurses would receive the new rates for 75% of all hours worked without a contract in 2024, including for vacation days and paid time off, the union said. Obtaining retroactive pay has been a major sticking point.

The contracts for nurses at Seaside and Portland expired this past Dec. 31, so they would not be eligible for retroactive pay, but would receive a $1,750 bonus spread over two pay periods after ratification, plus another $750 within six months.

Nurses will vote on the agreement this weekend. If it’s ratified, nurses would return to work next Wednesday.

If adopted, the contracts would have a range of expiration dates, from Dec. 31, 2026 for St. Vincent, Newberg, Oregon City and Milwaukie and March 31, 2027 for Medford and Hood River. The contract for Providence Portland and Seaside nurses would expire Dec. 31, 2027.

Hospitals urge passage of HB 2010-A to protect care for 1.4 million Oregonians, prevent further financial stress on hospitals

–Oregon’s hospitals are calling on the Oregon House Revenue Committee to pass HB 2010-A, legislation essential to protecting health care access for 1.4 million Oregonians who rely on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and preventing further destabilization of hospitals.

Without legislative action this session, OHP faces a $2 billion funding shortfall, threatening the benefits, services, and programs that support Oregon’s most vulnerable populations.

Some 97% of Oregonians are now insured–the highest rate in state history. OHP has been central to this achievement, covering one in three Oregonians, including 57% of the state’s children.

Oregon hospitals have long played a key role in helping fund OHP by supporting the hospital assessment, which–when combined with federal matching funds–accounts for nearly a quarter of OHP’s total funding.

“As we continue to monitor potential federal policy changes that could impact Medicaid programs nationwide, our top priority must be supporting and stabilizing the health care system and the programs that we have today,” said Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon. “Passage of HB 2010-A supports continued health care access for Oregon families, children, seniors, and rural communities while also preventing further stress on our financially fragile hospitals.”

Passing HB 2010-A is a critical step in preventing further destabilization of Oregon’s hospitals, about half of which are operating at a loss. Since early 2020, hospitals’ facility payroll costs alone have increased 43%, as they have continued to invest more in staff to meet patient needs. But without adequate payment from Medicaid and other health insurers, hospitals are struggling to keep services available, including emergency departments, labor and delivery units, behavioral health care, and specialty services like oncology. Some hospitals have already been forced to reduce or eliminate services, a trend that will only accelerate if funding is cut.

Oregon’s hospitals urge lawmakers to pass HB 2010-A to maintain health coverage and to help Oregonians access the care they need.

About the Hospital Association of Oregon – Founded in 1934, the Hospital Association of Oregon (HAO) is a mission-driven, nonprofit trade association representing Oregon’s 61 hospitals. Together, hospitals are the sixth largest private employer statewide, employing nearly 70,000 employees. Committed to fostering a stronger, safer, more equitable Oregon where all people have access to the high-quality care they need, the hospital association supports Oregon’s hospitals so they can support their communities; educates government officials and the public on the state’s health landscape, and works collaboratively with policymakers, community based organizations and the health care community to build consensus on and advance health care policy benefiting the state’s four million residents.

ODF proposes revised state forest implementation plans, opens 30-day comment period

SALEM, Ore.–The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) opens a 30-day comment period on proposed Implementation Plan revisions for the Astoria, Forest Grove, Tillamook, North Cascade, West Oregon, and Western Lane (including the Veneta and Southwest units) state forest districts. Implementation plans describe forest management activities such as timber harvest targets, road construction and maintenance, reforestation and young stand management, recreation, aquatic habitat restoration and protection strategies for species of concern.

The comment period begins Feb. 20 and ends March 21 at 5 p.m. The implementation plans are available on ODF’s website. Comments can be submitted online by using this form,  emailing ODF.SFComments@oregon.gov, or mailing comments to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310.

State forests by law must provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to Oregonians, and are managed under long-range forest management plans, mid-range implementation plans, and annual operations plans.

At the direction of the Board of Forestry, ODF is continuing the development of a draft Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan and Forest Management Plan for Western Oregon State Forests. The draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is currently going through the National Environmental Policy Act process.  Finalization of this process and issuance of Incidental Take Permits is expected to occur within fiscal year 2026. Revising the current implementation plans allows the agency to continue operations during this time of transition and further align with the draft HCP while focusing resources on developing a new forest management plan and accompanying implementation plans required to implement the draft HCP.

The revisions to the current Implementation Plans include new information on the district land base and forest resources, updated Species of Concern strategies and associated Forest Land Management Classification map, clarified timber harvest target descriptions, and changes to the mapped landscape design of the desired future condition. These changes align with Division policy, current Forest Management Plans and draft HCP objectives. In order to cover the HCP approval timeline, the new Forest Management Plan and new Implementation Plan development timelines, the revised Implementation Plans have been extended through June 30, 2027.

Lawsuit Aims to Protect Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in Pacific Northwest

— The Center for Biological Diversity and allies sued the National Marine Fisheries Service today for delaying Endangered Species Act protection decisions for spring-run Chinook salmon in Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

The Center, Native Fish Society and Umpqua Watersheds petitioned the Service in August 2022 to protect Oregon Coast Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act. In July 2023 the Center and Pacific Rivers petitioned to add Washington coast spring-run Chinook salmon to the list.

The Service was required to decide whether to protect the fish within one year after the petitions were filed. The Service found that federal protections “may be warranted” for the three salmon populations in 2023 but has made no further decisions.

“These iconic fish are at risk of disappearing from our coastal rivers forever if the Service doesn’t act quickly,” said Jeremiah Scanlan, a legal fellow at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Spring-run Chinook salmon badly need protections, but instead the agency has taken the lazy river approach and drifted past its own deadlines.”

Chinook salmon, also known as “king salmon,” are the largest of all Pacific salmon. Once abundant throughout the river basins of the Pacific Northwest, Chinook salmon populations have declined to a fraction of their historical size.

“Umpqua Watersheds has been tracking this population for decades and has never seen the wild spring Chinook population even close to its designated viability number for survival,” said Stanley Petrowski, a member of Umpqua Watersheds. “The science is clear. This unique ecologically significant species is going extinct.”

Spring-run fish are a variant of Chinook salmon, who return to rivers much earlier than the more abundant fall-run salmon. They return in the spring from the ocean to coastal freshwater rivers, staying for months in deep pools until they spawn in the fall. Spring-run Chinook have unique habitat requirements for migration, spawning and juvenile rearing. Their suitable spawning habitat is in mainstem rivers and tributaries, and these early returning fish have a special need for streams high in watersheds that stay cool enough during the summer so they can survive.

“The watersheds of Washington developed with and continue to need spring-run Chinook,” said Michael Morrison, chair of Pacific Rivers. “Protections for the imperiled spring-run Chinook will insure healthy watersheds for present and future generations.”

Threats to Chinook salmon include habitat destruction from logging and road construction, water diversions, interbreeding with hatchery-raised fish, overharvest in commercial fisheries and dams obstructing their return migrations.

Currently, both spring-run and fall-run Chinook salmon are managed by the Service and state wildlife agencies as if they were the same population. But recent scientific studies show that spring-run fish are genetically distinct from the more abundant fall-run Chinook. The evolution of early-returning fish occurred in both salmon and steelhead trout millions of years ago. This difference in spawning-run timing is highly unlikely to occur again if these distinct populations are lost.

Early returning salmon are ecologically essential to the overall health of coastal Chinook populations, since they use colder water habitats further upstream than fall-run fish, making populations more resilient to climate change, extreme environmental conditions and human threats.

Spring-run Chinook salmon are also a preferred and primary food for Southern Resident orcas, which are themselves listed as endangered, having a population of only 73 individuals. Diminishing salmon numbers and smaller body sizes of spring Chinook means that fish-eating orcas must travel further and work harder to find sufficient food. Pacific Northwest orcas have suffered in recent years from malnourishment and reproductive failures.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

The Native Fish Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that cultivates a groundswell of public support for reviving abundant wild fish, free-flowing rivers, and thriving local communities across the Pacific Northwest.

The mission of Pacific Rivers is to protect and restore the watershed ecosystems of the West to ensure river health, biodiversity and clean water for present and future generations. (SOURCE)

Department of Revenue issues first income tax refunds in 2025

The Oregon Department of Revenue has begun distributing refunds for the 2024 tax year. Through February 17, the department has processed more than 400,000 tax returns. The first refunds of the year were issued Tuesday.

Each year the department employs a refund hold period as part of the agency’s fraud prevention efforts. The hold period has been completed and most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refund by using the department’s Where’s My Refund? tool. The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

The Where’s My Refund? tool has been updated for 2025, providing more information about the status of their return to taxpayers who are signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers who don’t have a Revenue Online account can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

The department also offered a list of do’s and don’ts for filing to help with efficient processing and avoid unnecessary delays.

Do file electronically and request direct deposit. 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.

Don’t send a duplicate paper return. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to make a change to their return. Sending a duplicate return will slow processing and delay your refund.

Do make sure you have all tax records before filing. Having all necessary records is essential to filing a complete and accurate tax return and avoiding errors.

Don’t get in a hurry and fail to report all your income. If income reported on a return doesn’t match the income reported by employers, the return, and any corresponding refund, will be delayed. If taxpayers receive more or corrected tax records after filing a return, they should file an amended return to report any changes.

Do make sure you have a Revenue Online account. Before beginning the filing process, taxpayers should make sure their information is current in Revenue Online, the state’s internet tax portal. Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.

To get tax forms, check the status of their refund, or make payments, visit our website or email  questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov.

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.

Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has introduced bipartisan legislation that would preserve coastal beaches in Oregon and nationwide by providing funding for state, local, and tribal governments to test, monitor, and identify recreational waters that are contaminated.

The reauthorize of the $30 million program would expand the eligible uses of this grant to include the ability to trace any contamination to its source, so that local governments can respond accordingly

“The Oregon Coast offers unmatched opportunities for visitors to make fond memories and for residents of one of America’s most iconic coastlines to live and work in and next to the Pacific Ocean,” Wyden said. “But the ongoing threat of pollution piling up on our coastal beaches every year demands commonsense solutions that help protect this treasure and keep Oregonians healthy. This bill accomplishes those goals by protecting, preserving, and improving our beaches in every corner of Oregon and America for generations to come.”

Wyden said that currently, there’s dedicated federal funding for monitoring and notifying beachgoers of contaminated coastal waters – but there is no money allocated towards identifying contaminated sites.

Wyden said the new bill, the BEACH Act, would reauthorize this $30 million program over the next four years to allocate funding for identifying contaminated beaches and trace the source of the contamination.

Wyden’s bill would also expand testing locations to include shallow recreational waters near the beaches, where children and seniors often play and swim, who are more at risk of experiencing health issues from contamination.

The legislation is endorsed by Environment America, Surfrider, the America Shore & Beach Preservation Association, and the Coastal States Organization.

The director of the Oregon Department of Transportation says his agency is willing to sit down with lawmakers and go through its budget, as lawmakers discuss a request from Gov. Tina Kotek to give the agency an additional $1.75 billion to focus on road maintenance and operation.

Kris Strickler said ODOT’s budget issues largely stem from declining gas tax revenues – as people switch to electric vehicles or more fuel-efficient cars – and inflation. The legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee will put together a funding package for ODOT.

Democratic legislative leaders on the committee said nothing is off the table — including hiking gas taxes, increasing vehicle registration fees, or coming up with new taxes and fees altogether. Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis and Sen. Bruce Starr, both Republicans, are co-vice chairs on the committee. They are pushing their colleagues to prioritize a line-by-line budget review of ODOT to see if there are places to trim or reduce ODOT’s responsibilities to allow the agency to focus on road maintenance and operations before debating tax increases. Strickler said his agency would do that for lawmakers and has “nothing to hide.”

LCSO Case #25-0923 – Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies Investigating Suspicious Deaths in Mohawk Valley Area

Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the 36000blk of McGowan Creek Rd. shortly after 3:00pm today. A caller had reported that there were people at the location believed to be deceased. Upon arrival, fire personnel were able to determine that two adults were deceased.

A third subject was located and detained by deputies as the investigation continues. There is not believed to be any ongoing threat to the community. More details will be released as they become available.

This investigation is in its early stages. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.

Linn County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Logging Fatality

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports yesterday, February 20, 2025, at 3:07 p.m., Linn County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call requesting help for an immediate rescue in a remote forested area off Canyon Creek Road, east of Sweet Home. The caller reported a male was injured during logging operations.

The Sweet Home Fire Department and multiple deputies responded to the area and located members of the logging crew coming out of the area trying to get the victim, Christopher Butler, 32 of Dorena, to an area where he could receive medical attention. Unfortunately, Butler’s injuries were fatal, and he died before he could be transported to a hospital.

Deputies worked through the evening and this morning as they investigated the incident. At this time, there is no evidence of foul play or equipment malfunctions. Deputies will continue to investigate the incident and work with Oregon Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to determine the cause of this tragic accident.

OSP leading homicide investigation- Lake County

Lake County, Ore 20 February 2025- Oregon State Police, as part of the Lake County Major Crimes team, leads investigation into Lakeview homicide.

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 3:44 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police assisted the Department of Human Services Child Welfare with the service of a court ordered protection order. The protection order was for a 17-year-old juvenile reported to be living at 300 Block of South G Street in Lakeview.

The mother of the juvenile, Amanda Edwards (38), and mother’s boyfriend, Nathaniel Cullins (31) were detained after law enforcement made entry into the residence. Law enforcement conducted a search and located the juvenile deceased on the property.

The Lake County Major Crime Team was activated to investigate the juvenile’s death. The Lake County Major Crime Team consists of the Lake County District Attorney’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon State Police. Oregon State Police is leading the investigation.

Law enforcement believes there is no active threat to the community.

Edwards was lodged at the Lake County Jail for the following crimes:

• Criminally Negligent Homicide
• Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree
• Abuse of a Corpse in the Second Degree
• Tampering with Physical Evidence

Cullins was lodged at the Lake County jail for the following crimes:

• Criminally Negligent Homicide
• Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree
• Abuse of a Corpse in the Second Degree
• Tampering with Physical Evidence
• Unlawful Use of a Weapon

Anyone who has information regarding this investigation and has not been contacted by police is encouraged to contact the Oregon State Police Southern Command Center at 541-883-5711 and reference Case # SP25-054507. No additional information will be released at this time.

Wyden at ENR Hearing: Musk’s Business Dealings in China and Workforce Purge at BPA Threaten National Security

WATCH: Wyden’s Exchange with University of Oregon’s Presidential Chair in Science, Dr. Richmond Here 

 — During a hearing held in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., underscored that Elon Musk’s business dealings in China pose a serious threat to national security.

According to public reporting, Elon Musk is running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as a federal employee while remaining Tesla’s largest shareholder. Public filings indicate Tesla invested billions of dollars in China and annually produces nearly 1 million cars at a factory in Shanghai on land owned by the Chinese government.

“According to public reporting, Tesla’s contract allows the Chinese government to revoke Tesla’s lease on the land at any time if it determines doing so is in the public interest,” Wyden said. “Now, on this committee, every one of us works for the AMERICAN public interest. And given that is our highest priority, I intend to come back and ask further questions about this in the days ahead.”

Senator Wyden also questioned Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Presidential Chair in Science at the University of Oregon and former Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy, on the national security consequences of Musk’s decision to make drastic and abrupt workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration. Dr. Richmond emphasized that these cuts would undermine the grid’s safety and drive up energy prices for working families across America.

Last week, Senator Wyden demanded answers from the Trump administration in a letter regarding Musk’s workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration.  (SOURCE)

The Oregon Legislature is considering a bill that would give the Public Utility Commission another way to limit price increases by utilities.

Currently, the PUC evaluates a rate increase request based on the merits from the utility. Under the bill, the PUC would also be required to consider the economic impact based on unemployment, cost of living and income level of customers if the increase results in at least a two-and-a-half percent boost in the utility’s revenue.

-The $328.5 million Powerball jackpot from Jan. 17 has been claimed by a 79-year-old man in Beaverton.

According to a news release from the Oregon Lottery, Abbas Shafii bought the winning ticket from the Beaverton Fred Meyer on Southwest Walker Road. He is taking the lump sum payout, which is $146.4 million. “I am overjoyed to have won the Powerball and plan to use my prize to travel, invest and share my good fortune with non-profit organizations that are close to my heart,” Shafii told the Oregon Lottery.

Fred Meyer, which gets a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, is also sharing its prize with a nonprofit. The store announced that it will donate $50,000 to the Oregon Food Bank, the lottery said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The department believes that offering free assistance will help maximize the number of Oregonians who choose to use the new free option and make it possible for many who don’t have a filing requirement to file and claim significant federal and state tax credits for low-income families.

For example, the IRS estimates that one in five Oregon taxpayers eligible to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit are not doing so. One Oregon organization estimates that the unclaimed credits have totaled nearly $100 million in recent years.

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

Identification documents

• Social security card or ITIN for everyone on your tax return
• Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (such as driver’s license or passport)

Common income and tax documents

• Forms W2 (wages from a job)

• Forms 1099 (other kinds of income)
• Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)

Optional documents to download

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

Taxpayers can signup for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits.

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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