The latest news stories of interest in the Rogue Valley and the state of Oregon from the digital home of Southern Oregon, Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Friday, March 7, 2025
Rogue Valley Weather
https://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/oregon.php
US National Weather Service Medford Oregon
Daylight Saving Time officially start at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9, when clocks spring forward one hour.
Join us for the 2025 Southern Oregon Polar Plunge and 5k Run on Saturday – Donations go to Special Olympics Oregon
Medford Police – Our Blue Crew team is ready to take the plunge into icy waters for a great cause on Saturday! 
The annual Polar Plunge supports Special Olympics Oregon, which provides year-round sports training and competition for thousands of athletes across the state.
Our crew has been plunging since 2009 and will be competing against many of our local law enforcement partners.
Help our team make a splash: https://support.soor.org/team/625172
North Medford High School Gym Demolition Set for Monday
Foothill Road Will Be Closed to Fix Failing Culverts
Foothill Road will be closed to all through traffic from Coker Butte Road to Dry Creek Road for approximately 2 weeks. The full closure is planned to begin Friday March 7 at 6:00 PM and extend through March 21.
The closure will allow contractors to address a failing culvert. Construction crews will be working 24-hours per day during the first weekend of the closure to help minimize the closure period.
Drivers will be detoured to Crater Lake Avenue via East Vilas Road and Coker Butte Road. Foothill Road will remain open to local traffic only between East Vilas Road and Dry Creek Road.
Further information can be found here: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/projectdetails.aspx?project=19231
Incident Report: March 6, 2025, 10:48:31; TA2 – Traffic Accident; 2 Milepost, Reeves Creek Road.
Shooting in Grants Pass
Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market Open
For more information, visit the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market website.
Medford Fire Department
Engine 16 had a great time visiting Griffin Creek Elementary this week!
Illinois Valley Fire District is Hosting a FREE Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training in April 2025
Illinois Valley Fire District
FREE Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Available in April
CAVE JUNCTION, OR – The Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is offering a FREE six-session Basic Disaster Training Course this April to help community members prepare for emergencies and disasters.
The CERT course will take place on Friday evenings from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, beginning April 4th and concluding on April 26th. Please note that there will be no classes over Easter weekend.
This essential training will cover:
✅ Disaster Preparedness
✅ Fire Safety
✅ Disaster Medical Operations
✅ Light Search and Rescue
✅ Disaster Psychology
✅ Radio and Communications Skills
Classes will be held at the IVFD Administration Building, 681 Caves Highway, Cave Junction, OR.
This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and critical skills to assist your family and community in the event of an emergency.
How to Register:
To sign up for this free disaster preparedness course, call 541-592-2225 ext. 0 or email toutreach@gmail.com“>ivcertoutreach@gmail.com.
Spaces are limited, so register today!
About CERT – The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills. CERT members play a vital role in supporting emergency responders and assisting their communities in times of crisis.
The Addictions Recovery Center (ARC) in Medford is expanding its services with a new facility which is currently under construction. This will add 24 residential treatment beds to the ARC’s East Main Campus. See Video and Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARC541/videos/520525737735442
Hundreds Gathered in Medford and Around the State to Protest Policies of New Administration
Southern Oregon hospitals generate $3.1 billion in economic activity, help create nearly 15,000 jobs in the region
The Hospital Association of Oregon announced findings from a new economic impact study which found that southern Oregon hospitals generate $3.1 billion in economic activity in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath counties and help create nearly 15,000 jobs in the region. The report highlights the vital role hospitals play in the regional economy and reinforces the need for their financial stability to protect patient care and access to health services.
It notes that Oregon’s community hospitals employ 6,310 workers in southern Oregon, with payroll topping $841.9 million. Additionally, through purchasing goods and services, regional hospitals help create a total of 14,940 jobs in the area with a payroll of $1.3 billion.
“Oregon’s community hospitals are more than just places we turn to when we are sick or injured–they are pillars of our community,” said Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon. “In every area of our state, the local hospital is a foundational employer, offering jobs at every educational level and helping spur growth in the local economy.”
Statewide, Oregon’s community hospitals generate $32.4 billion in economic activity and help create 160,000 jobs. Hospitals directly employ nearly 70,000 people in positions ranging from nurses and doctors to respiratory therapists, environmental services, medical assistants, support staff, and more.
This report underscores the important role that hospitals play in Oregon communities, and it comes at a time when many hospitals are struggling. The latest data shows that more than half of Oregon’s community hospitals are consistently not able to cover the costs of providing care.
“We can’t have a strong Oregon without strong community hospitals,” said Hultberg. “It is important that we recognize the tremendous contributions they make in every corner or our state and take action to support community hospitals so they can continue to offer the services we all depend on.”
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.
Oregon will lose money for replanting trees after wildfires – $75 million in grants to help plant trees canceled in Trump’s anti-DEI push – Jackson County Losing $600,000 Grant to Replant After Wildfire Destruction
Jackson County, Oregon, was awarded a $600,000 grant to replant trees after wildfires in 2020 destroyed thousands of homes and charred more than 60,000 trees. The town of Talent lost two-thirds of its trees.The nonprofit Oregon Urban Rural and Community Forestry, founded in the fires’ aftermath, fought for years to get a single dollar, recalled Mike Oxendine, the group’s founder and director.The grant money from the Arbor Day Foundation was being used to help low-income and disadvantaged mobile home park residents — among the hardest-hit by the fires — identify and remove hazardous trees badly burned or killed, and replant trees for shade and cooling.
The U.S. Forest Service has terminated $75 million awarded to the Arbor Day Foundation to help disadvantaged communities plant trees. All 105 of the foundation’s sub-awardees have suddenly lost funding. In New Orleans, a group working to replant the urban tree canopy after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation almost two decades ago now wonders if it can even survive.
In Montana, an urban forester’s plan to plant hundreds of trees in a popular park is at a standstill. The money was part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $1.5 billion for urban and community forestry. The foundation was told the nature of the work doesn’t align with the agency’s new priorities.
Arthur Johnson has lived in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward for nearly three decades, long enough to appreciate the trees that filter pollution from the big ships traveling the nearby Mississippi River and that offer shade on sweltering summer days.
When Hurricane Katrina roared through two decades ago, it wiped out 200,000 trees across the city, including many in Johnson’s neighborhood and several in his own yard. The city has struggled ever since to restore its tree canopy.
Those efforts will be set back by the U.S. Forest Service’s decision in mid-February to terminate a $75 million grant to the Arbor Day Foundation, which was working to plant trees in neighborhoods from Louisiana to Oregon that might not otherwise be able to afford them. The program is the latest victim of a drive by President Donald Trump’s administration against environmental justice initiatives.
For others who were set to get Arbor Day Foundation money, the loss is not existential but still devastating.(SOURCE)
Company Petitions to Revive Jordan Cove LNG Project Through Southern Oregon
On February 24, 2025, OA Partners LLC – a LNG transportation startup based in Arizona – filed a petition with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to retroactively revive the Jordan Cove LNG Terminal project in Coos County, Oregon.
The project was canceled in 2021 after failing to secure the necessary environmental permits and years of opposition from local residents.
The petition cites President Trump’s Executive Order to unleash American energy and expedite permitting for LNG export projects, and asks the court to waive Oregon’s state permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act.
If built, the Jordan Cove terminal would have been able to export up to 7.8 million metric tons of LNG every year; natural gas would have been supplied to the facility by a new 229-mile-long pipeline. (SOURCE)
Follow, share, and help spread the word! https://www.facebook.com/MedfordPoliceOR
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.
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
Bitcoin Scams
Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
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
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) 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 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.
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
Station wagon set to be pulled from river may belong to Oregon family missing for nearly 70 years
Authorities will try again Friday to pull a station wagon from the Columbia River that’s believed to have belonged to an Oregon family of five who disappeared nearly 70 years ago while they were out searching for Christmas greenery.
The search for the Martin family was a national news story at the time and led some to speculate about the possibility of foul play, with a $1,000 reward offered for information about their whereabouts.
Salvage efforts were called off just before dark on Thursday and authorities said they could not provide a timetable for the removal of the car.
The Martins took their daughters Barbara, 14, Virginia, 13, and Sue, 11, on a ride to the mountains on Dec. 7, 1958, to collect Christmas greenery, according to AP stories from the time. They never returned.
Officials narrowed their search for the family after learning that Ken Martin had used a credit card to buy gas at a station near Cascade Locks, a small Columbia River community about 40 miles east of Portland.
“Police have speculated that Martin’s red and white station wagon might have plunged into an isolated canyon or river,” the AP reported. “The credit card purchase was the only thing to pin-point the family’s movements.” (READ MORE)
Oregon State Parks to hire more than 200 seasonal Rangers, Ranger Assistants
Oregon State Parks will hire more than 200 seasonal Rangers and Ranger Assistants for positions across the state for the 2025 season.
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Hiring starts as soon as this month and runs through about June with new positions listed on a rolling basis on the website. The positions last anywhere from four to nine months. Most seasonal staff work April through September, but some start as early as this month or work as late as December.
Seasonal staff help visitors access world-class experiences and ensure clean and safe park areas for everyone to enjoy. Duties include janitorial work, landscape maintenance, visitor education and visitor services.
Salaries start at $19.78 per hour for seasonal assistants and $23.21 for seasonal rangers. Both positions include comprehensive medical, vision and dental plans for employees and qualified family members. The positions also include paid sick leave, vacation, personal leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Student workers, ages 16 and older, start at $19.77 or more per hour depending on experience.
“We believe in growing leadership from within. We invest in our staff and provide pathways for advancement whether you’re here for a season or your entire career,” said Director Lisa Sumption.
Seasonal staff gain valuable skills working with experienced Rangers at parks around the state. The first wave of openings include positions along the coast from Washburne to Cape Lookout; the Willamette Valley including Silver Falls and Detroit Lake; the Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Oregon including Wallowa Lake and Lake Owyhee.
For more information about current openings, visit stateparks.oregon.gov. If you have any questions or need additional assistance in accessibility or alternative formats, please email Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Recruiting D.Recruiting@oprd.oregon.gov“>OPRD.Recruiting@oprd.oregon.gov.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, committed to diversity and pay equity.
Active-Duty and Former U.S. Army Soldiers Arrested for Theft of Government Property and Bribery Scheme
PORTLAND, Ore.— Jian Zhao and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington. Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property.
“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” said Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
“While bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense. The FBI would like to thank U.S. Army Counterintelligence for their close partnership during this investigation.”
“These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.”
The indictment in the District of Oregon alleges that beginning on or about Nov. 28, 2021, and continuing to at least on or about Dec. 19, 2024, Duan and Tian along with others, known and unknown to the grand jury conspired with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and other sensitive information, and that Tian transmitted this information to Duan in return for money, in violation of his official duties as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. Specifically, Tian was tasked with gathering information related U.S. military weapon systems, including information related to the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles, and transmitting them to Duan.
The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleges that beginning in or about July 2024, and continuing to the date of the arrest, Jian Zhao, an active-duty U.S. Army Supply Sergeant, conspired with others known and unknown to the grand jury to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Zhao is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.
Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET”, negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China. In exchange for the sale of the classified hard drives, Zhao received at least $10,000. Zhao is further alleged to have conspired to sell an encryption capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, and sensitive U.S. military documents and information, including information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China. Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army Soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money. In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to protecting our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus for the District of Oregon.
“As former and current members of the U.S. Army, Ruoyu Duan and Li Tian betrayed the oath of military service they had taken,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Portland Field Office. “Their actions caused significant risk and damage to U.S. National Security and violated the oath they took as military members to protect the American people.”
“It is unconscionable that a person who wears the uniform of a U.S. Army soldier would betray our country and the trust of his fellow soldiers,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “These arrests should send a message to would-be spies that we and our partners have the will and the ability to find you, track you down, and hold you to account. Protecting the nation’s secrets, especially those necessary to preserve our military advantage and protect our troops, is one of the FBI’s top priorities.”
The cases were investigated by the FBI Portland and Seattle Field Offices and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, with assistance from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Seattle Field Office, CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. They are being prosecuted by Geoffrey A. Barrow and Katherine A. Rykken, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, and Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng, Trial Attorneys for the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wyden Town Hall for Oregonians on March 4th
Senator Wyden: “Rather than attend the State of the Union, I’m choosing to hear from residents in the best state of the union.”
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden held a live on-line town hall Tuesday night, March 4 with People’s Town Hall to offer all Oregonians the opportunity to ask questions, share their ideas and offer their views during the State of the Union speech.
“In this unprecedented time in American history, my top priority is making sure Oregonians from every corner of our state can keep weighing in directly with me,” said Wyden, who’s held 1,105 open-to-all town halls throughout Oregon in fulfillment of his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of the state’s 36 counties.“Rather than attend the State of the Union, I’m choosing to hear from residents in the best state of the union. That’s been my priority at more than 1,100 town meetings. And there’s no reason to make different choices this Tuesday.” —- You can see the Town Hall at: https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesTH/videos/1275970573506804/
The Trump administration intends to put 10 federal buildings up for sale in Oregon, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. They’re among hundreds of federal properties across the country “designated for disposal.”
The potential sales come as the Department of Government Efficiency, an office created by President Donald Trump with billionaire Elon Musk, has vowed to slash spending across the federal government. Thousands of federal workers have been fired in the process.
The U.S. General Services Administration has identified more than 400 buildings across the country that it says are “non-core assets” that could be sold.
“Federally-owned assets in GSA’s portfolio that are not core to government operations primarily consist of office space,” the GSA said in a statement. “GSA currently owns and maintains over 440 non-core assets comprising almost 80 million rentable square feet across the nation and representing over $8.3 billion in recapitalization needs. Decades of funding deficiencies have resulted in many of these buildings becoming functionally obsolete and unsuitable for use by our federal workforce.”
The list includes three buildings in Portland, including the Bonneville Power Administration building on Northeast 11th Avenue. Bonneville Power is a self-funded federal agency that manages the majority of the Pacific Northwest’s power grid. It was recently targeted for layoffs, which were partially reversed.
The buildings slated for sale in Oregon are:
- David J Wheeler Federal Building, Baker City
- Eugene Federal Building, Eugene
- James A. Redden U.S. Courthouse, Medford
- USGS Building, Medford
- USGS Warehouse, Medford
- 911 Federal Building, Portland
- BPA Building, Portland
- Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, Portland
- Troutdale Metal Shed, Troutdale
- Troutdale Warehouse, Troutdale
In Southwest Washington, the Vancouver Federal Building is also marked for possible sale, according to the GSA records.
The Trump administration move to sell federal properties did not get a supportive reception from Oregon’s senior member of Congress, Sen. Ron Wyden.
“Given Donald Trump’s checkered legacy in the private sector of multiple bankruptcies and real estate deals gone awry, forgive me if I’m more than a little skeptical when that dubious record gets applied to the public sector,” Wyden said in a statement emailed to OPB. Wyden was preparing for a virtual town hall set to take place at the same time as Trump’s address to Congress Tuesday evening.
“I’m nowhere near convinced this fire sale of federal assets throughout Oregon is in the best interest of U.S. taxpayers who paid for these facilities or for all Oregonians who depend on them for a reliable power grid, a functional court system, constituent services and more,” Wyden continued.
DOGE has also said it plans to cancel 12 leases involving Oregon properties, with annual lease amounts totaling more than $1.5 million annually.
DOGE intends to cancel leases affecting Food and Drug Administration offices in three Oregon cities — Portland, Salem and Medford — as well as a U.S. Forest Service office in Klamath Falls, and the Federal Railroad Administration in Bend.
Search for Missing Child Ongoing
TALKING POINTS FROM COMMUNITY AND MEDIA UPDATE 3/4/25, 6:00PM – Siletz Oregon https://www.flashalert.net/images/news/2025-03/5490/179447/03.04.25_-6pm_Update-_Talking_Points_from_Community_and_Media_Briefing.pdf
At this time, Dane is still missing. Investigators are following up on numerous leads, including investigating various leads provided by our community. We have multiple Search and Rescue Teams and Sheriff’s Posse, along with community volunteers, searching the area. Marine Teams and divers are searching the river. The Lincoln County Major Crime Team and the FBI are also assisting with investigative leads.
How Can the Community Help: Although our teams will continue to work through the evening, community members are not encouraged to continue their search until daylight tomorrow.- Those that are interested in joining search efforts can go to the staging area and check in with the camp host at Elks Toketee Illahee campground at 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, Oregon 97380.- Continue to report information that is relevant to Dane’s disappearance or may bring him home to the tip line: 541-265-0669 — Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working tirelessly to bring Dane home.
Activists call for Oregon to dump $135M in Tesla stocks from pension fund
Tesla shareholders have endured a bumpier ride than drivers on Portland’s notorious unpaved gravel roads lately, given the stock’s dropping value.
Just ask the Public Employees Retirement System — better known as PERS, or the state pension fund.The PERS fund contains $135.3 million in Tesla stocks, which equates to a small but not yet infinitesimal 0.7% of the total fund. Tesla stock, meanwhile, has plummeted from a high of $480 a share in December to just under $300 as of Friday.
That 1% holding (rounding up) has angered local activists, who note that Tesla’s CEO, the billionaire Elon Musk, has seemingly become President Donald Trump’s most influential adviser, and is currently engaged in a purge of the federal workforce on Trump’s behalf.
“We want to liquidate the position now!” a user with the name O.K. Computermeyer said on Bluesky, a social media app that sprang up after Musk purchased Twitter and changed its name.
The post received 1,500 likes as of Friday, and comes as activists have launched weekly rallies outside a Tesla dealership in Portland’s South Waterfront. Authorities are still investigating a shooting that damaged several electric cars at a Salem Tesla dealership on Feb. 20.
This isn’t the first time politically motivated divestment campaigns have been directed at Oregon’s public retirement fund; prior campaigns have focused on coal and fossil fuels.
Treasury officials, for their part, say the fund’s investment strategy is “largely passive,” and bound by state law to maximize returns.
“(The fund) is a large, globally diversified portfolio with exposure to virtually every publicly traded company,” state treasury spokesperson Eric Engelson said in a statement Friday. “Our statutory obligation is to act in the best financial interest of our beneficiaries.” (SOURCE)
Join Us for the 2025 Women in Public Safety Event hosted by Portland Police Bureau. 
Explore exciting career opportunities in law enforcement! Whether you’re a recent graduate, considering a career change, or simply curious about public safety, this event is for everyone—people of all ages are welcome!
Date: Saturday March 8, 2025 
Time: 10 AM – 2 PM 
Location: PPB Training Facility, 14912 NE Airport Way, Portland, Oregon 97230
Meet representatives from over 20 metro agencies and discover the diverse paths available in public safety. Bring your friends, family, and anyone interested in learning more about a fulfilling career serving the community!
Join us for an inspiring day filled with information, networking, and empowerment. We can’t wait to see you there!
A bill that would raise billions in federal dollars for Oregon’s Medicaid program and allocate a substantial portion back to hospitals passed in the Oregon House of Representatives last week.
It now advances to the Senate. It passed 40-15, with six Republicans voting to approve the bill along with the Democratic majority.
Fifteen Republicans, including Minority Leader Christine Drazan, voted against it. The bill, HB 2010, extends a pair of taxes through 2032. The taxes are a 2% assessment on health insurance plans and managed care organizations and a 6% assessment on hospitals’ net revenue.
The taxes provide about a quarter of the total funding for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program that pays for health care for people living near the poverty line. That’s due to a federal match the state can take advantage of in funding Medicaid, roughly $3 for every state dollar invested in the program.
Every state uses some form of provider tax to finance Medicaid, except Alaska. Without legislative action both will sunset in the next two years, leaving a giant hole in the state’s budget. If that happens, Oregon lawmakers would need to reallocate about $1.13 billion in general fund revenue to continue funding the Medicaid program at its current level in the 2025-2027 biennium, according to the state’s nonpartisan legislative fiscal office.
In that scenario, hospitals would also lose hundreds of millions in extra payments they receive for caring for Medicaid patients, which are linked to the tax and its federal match.
The program is designed so that, collectively, hospitals recoup the full amount they pay into the tax. The tax on health insurance plans is, more or less, what most people think of as a tax. It applies to employer-sponsored insurance coverage, and is passed on to Oregonians and businesses in the form of higher premiums. Some of the money raised from the tax on insurance is invested in a program that helps health insurers pay unusually expensive claims. The rest goes to funding Medicaid.
New Exhibition Photographically Documents the Effects of Climate Change on Oregon’s Landscape
A Changing Landscape is on view now at the Oregon Historical Society through November 23, 2025.
— See how climate change has altered Oregon’s geography in A Changing Landscape, on view at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland now through November 23, 2025. This dramatic installation uses modern and historical photographs to visually compare 100 years of environmental change across some of Oregon’s most recognized mountains, lakes, and glaciers.
In the summer of 1920, the U.S. Forest Service launched a three-month expedition to lay the groundwork for a scenic road between Crater Lake and the Columbia River Highway. Led by recreational planner Frederick Cleator, the “Skyline Party” traversed north along the high country of the Cascade Range, with Cleator taking 700 photographs documenting the terrain and scenery.
While the scenic highway never came to be, a recreational trail known as the Oregon Skyline Trail opened to travelers in the summer of 1921. Highlighting the beauty of the Cascades, the Oregon Skyline Trail includes dramatic peaks, glacial lakes, and alpine meadows, connecting Oregonians and tourists to the natural wonders of the state.
One hundred years later, geologist Jim O’Connor followed Cleator’s footsteps and recreated 75 of his Skyline Trail photographs — many taken on the same day and at the same time as the original photographs. A Changing Landscape features a selection of Cleator and O’Connor’s photographs, showing this picturesque stretch of geography, and the ways climate change has altered the mountains, lakes, and terrain throughout the past century.
As explained by O’Connor: I’ve been motivated by the century of change revealed in these matched pairs, and the photographs tell these stories much more vividly than words. Plus, I revel in the challenge of finding the exact places that previous photographers like Cleator have set up their cameras, in some instances probably places that have known few footsteps since his. In this quest, I have been revisiting the central Oregon Cascades for the last 30 years with family, friends, and colleagues, photographing and rephotographing scenes first recorded in the early 1900s, at first to document changes in the glaciers in the Three Sisters area, but also becoming increasingly intrigued by other landscape changes — vegetation, lakes and streams as well as human uses of the high country. But it’s more than just two-dimensional images; the project is enriched by stories behind the photos, especially the interactions among the landscape and people, which I try to bring out with the accompanying descriptions.
O’Connor’s documentation of Oregon’s glaciers is profiled in the Winter 2013 issue of the Oregon Historical Quarterly in the article, “‘Our Vanishing Glaciers’: One Hundred Years of Glacier Retreat in the Three Sisters Area, Oregon Cascade Range.” In the essay, O’Connor asserts that “glaciers exist by the grace of climate,” and through a close examination of the history of the region’s glaciers, he provides an intriguing glimpse into the history of geological surveys and glacial studies in the Pacific Northwest, including their connection to significant scientific advances of the nineteenth century.
For those unable to visit in person, the exhibition is accessible as both an audio tour and transcript (with built in translations) through OHS’s free digital guide available through Bloomberg Connects.
To learn more about Oregon’s changing climate, The Oregon Encyclopedia has curated a digital exhibit on Climate Change in Oregon that features entries by regional experts who have spent their careers researching and sharing their work on the effects of a warming planet.
The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open daily in downtown Portland, from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday. Admission is free every day for youth 17 and under, OHS members, and residents of Multnomah County. Learn more and plan your visit at ohs.org/visit.
About the Oregon Historical Society – For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
OR158, the wolf that has been involved in at least a dozen killings of calves, has been “lethally removed” by federal officers.
The gray wolf, which is listed on the endangered list, was removed following eight confirmed depredations and four probable depredations. The most recent calf killings were in the Valley Falls area of Lake County while others were reported in Crook, Wallowa, and Harney counties in Oregon and Modoc County in California.
In a statement, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “federal officials lethally removed an endangered gray wolf, OR158, following multiple unsuccessful attempts at non-lethal deterrence and increasing concerns about public safety, and was taken as a last resort. The removal of an endangered gray wolf aligns with federal regulations which provides for removing animals listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act that constitute a demonstrable but non-immediate threat to human safety.”
In justifying the death, officials said the action was taken following “extensive unsuccessful attempts at non-lethal deterrence — including range riders, spotlighting, pasture monitoring, fox lights, air cannons, non-lethal projectiles, carcass removal and drones with thermal optics — and increasing concerns about public safety.”
More details are available at the deterrence plan for OR158 to learn more about how ODFW and the other agencies had been working with producers to utilize non-lethal methods. Last week, Lake County Commissioners declared a public safety and livestock emergency in the wake of livestock depredations by OR158. Commissioner Barry Shullanberger said it was highly unusual for making such a declaration.
DAS Office of Economic Analysis Presents the March Revenue Forecast
Oregon’s forecast remains strong
Salem, OR – Carl Riccadonna, state chief economist and Michael Kennedy, senior economist of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), presented the latest economic outlook and revenue forecast to a joint meeting of the Oregon Legislative Revenue Committees. The quarterly revenue forecasts serve to open the revenue forecasting process to public review and is the basis for much of the Oregon state government budgeting process.
What is different about this forecast? The Office of Economic Analysis provides quarterly forecasts for the State of Oregon’s major revenue sources, including all sources contributing to the General Fund (Personal and Corporate Income Tax, etc.), Lottery and the Corporate Activity Tax. In May of odd years, OEA’s revenue forecast establishes the resource levels for the next biennium’s adopted budget.
The March 2025 economic outlook is much like was presented in December 2024, with optimism toward a “soft landing” scenario but with widening variability in risk factors. Key points include:
- State economy is increasingly bound to national trends for growth and inflation
- Heightened sensitivity to trade tensions given geography and industry composition
- Labor conditions are healthy, but hiring has sputtered and breadth of job creation is weak
- Magnitude of demographic rebound will be critical to growth outcome
Revenue Forecast – The March revenue forecast projects the 2023-25 General Fund ending balance to be $2.59 billion, with revenues decreasing by $89 million and appropriations up $110 million since the December forecast.
In the 2025-27 biennium, General Fund available resources are forecast to increase by $350 million, and revenues increasing by $551 million from the December forecast. This results in a total of $38.2 billion projected available resources.
About the Office of Economic Analysis – The state chief economist oversees the Office of Economic Analysis within the Department of Administrative Services and provides objective forecasts of the state’s economy, revenue, populations, corrections population and Youth Authority population. These forecasts are used across state government, and by the public for a variety of reasons, notably to inform the state budgeting process. For more information about the Office of Economic Analysis and recent forecasts visit https://www.oregon.gov/das/oea/pages/index.aspx.
Oregon Lottery Spotlights Problem Gambling Awareness Month
Oregon Lottery is focused on increasing awareness of problem gambling and safer play in March — also known as National Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). By participating in this annual, grassroots campaign, Oregon Lottery collaborates both locally and nationally to promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
This year’s theme, “Seeking Understanding,” focuses on increasing awareness of problem gambling as a serious but often misunderstood mental health condition. By fostering a deeper understanding of the issue, the goal is to encourage empathy, reduce barriers to treatment, and provide support to those affected by gambling-related harm.
“Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a critical time to highlight the realities of gambling addiction and break down the stigma that often prevents individuals from seeking help. In Oregon, it provides an opportunity to recognize the impact of gambling-related harm and ensure that those affected receive the support and resources they need,” said Glenn Yamagata, executive director Oregon Council on Problem Gambling (OCPG). “This year’s theme, ‘Seeking Understanding,’ aligns with OCPG’s mission to foster awareness, compassion, and meaningful access to care.”
Oregonians can access online tools and connect with free, professional counseling year-round by going to the Oregon Problem Gambling Resource (OPGR) website. In 2024, Oregon Lottery worked with the Oregon Health Authority to enhance the OPGR website with additional resources designed to reduce stigma and reach more people at more points on their help seeking journey. This included a link for free access to EVIVE — a first of its kind digital health app, offering solutions for quitting, moderating, or simply playing safer.
“This year’s PGAM theme really resonates for us,” said Stacy Shaw, who leads Oregon Lottery’s Safer Play Program and is an OCPG board member. “We know that stigma is one of the biggest barriers to treatment, and we’re working to normalize both safer play and help seeking in our marketing outreach.”
Since 1992, one percent of Oregon Lottery profits have funded problem gambling treatment and prevention efforts throughout Oregon. Since that time, over $148 million in Lottery funds has supported those services.
About the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling – The Oregon Council on Problem Gambling is the state affiliate to the National Council on Problem Gambling. Its purpose is to promote the health of Oregonians by supporting efforts to minimize gambling related harm. Board members include individuals from the gaming industry, the treatment and prevention field, the recovery community and state and county administrators.
About Oregon Lottery – Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $16.5 billion for economic development, public education, outdoor school, state parks, veteran services, and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery or to read the Responsible Gaming Impacts Report, visit www.oregonlottery.org.
March Is “Home Improvement Month” at Oregon Construction Contractors Board
The Construction Contractors Board (CCB), the state agency that licenses contractors in Oregon, follows a mission to protect consumers from unlicensed contractor activity. This is a time of year when homeowners and consumers plan home improvement projects. To support consumers at this time, CCB is making this month “Home Improvement Month”.
For home improvement month, CCB has created a webpage where consumers can find helpful information to support them during their home improvement project. On this page, CCB addresses topics like why checking the license is important, signs of an unlicensed contractor scam, and how to report unlicensed contractors. Consumers can see the webpage at: https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/Pages/Home-Improvement-Month.aspx
During the month of March, CCB will also offer three free webinars to the public on different topics.
Door-to-Door Sales Webinar: What to Do When the Home Improvement Comes to You – March 4, 2025, 11:00 — During this talk about door-to-door sales, the CCB presenter will explore the question: when is it a scam and when is it legit? Speakers will discuss how to protect yourself from scams and hire the right contractor for you.
Fire Hardening Webinar – March 18, 2025, 11:00 — In this webinar, Building Codes Division will present about how to harden your home against fires. A speaker from the Oregon State Fire Marshal will present on creating defensible space. At the end, CCB will present on how to hire a contractor to do the work.
Choosing a Real Estate Agent, their Duties to You, and What to Do If Things Go Wrong Webinar – March 27, 2025, 11:00 — This presentation will feature a speaker from Oregon’s Real Estate Agency (REA), providing tips for choosing an agent and what to do when things go wrong. At the end, CCB will present on working with contractors to repair a home during the buying and selling process.
Anyone who would like to attend can register on CCB’s Home Improvement Month webpage.
“Empowering consumers through education is a core mission of the CCB,” said Chris Huntington, CCB Administrator. “CCB’s Home Improvement Month line-up of educational webinars and resources are designed to help consumers go into a construction project with the knowledge they need to help them protect their most valuable investment.”
### About the CCB – The CCB is the state agency licensing over 42,000 contractor businesses. Anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home must be licensed. Learn more about how to have a successful project at www.oregon.gov/ccb.
Oregon has thousands of federal jobs across the state, and state economists are shedding light on what areas will be hit the hardest amid federal layoffs. In the first quarter of 2024, Oregon had a total of 28,750 federal jobs and the sector made up 1.5% of the state’s employment.
While it remain unclear how many job and which agencies would see cuts due to the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back government spending, impacts of job revenue loss may be felt more heavily in rural areas according to a report from Oregon State Employment Economist.
The report notes that across Oregon, federal jobs pay 36% more than the average wages, but the gap is even more pronounced in rural areas. It is unclear which agencies would be impacted, the memo excludes the US Postal Service, the Military and Federal Law Enforcement. It directs agencies or components that provide direct services to citizens (such as Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ health care) to delay implementation of staff cuts until the plans are approved.
Though the Oregon Employment Department does not have a count of how many federal workers have applied for unemployment benefits so far, they’re tracking and preparing.
In Oregon, there are more than 29,000 people in the state who work for the federal government — including 7,000 in the U.S. Postal Service; 6,400 in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and 3,400 in the U.S. Forest Service. Department leaders say they are ready to help, no matter how Oregonians lose their jobs. The earliest the department thinks it will see those numbers will be in late March.
The Oregon Employment Department will also be looking for other workers affected by funding cuts in groups that rely on federal dollars, like researchers at universities and other organizations. But specifically for federal workers, there is a page on the Oregon Employment Department website meant to help them go through the process if they lose their jobs.
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.
Registration is closing soon for the Bob Ross-inspired Happy Little (Virtual) 5K
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.
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. You must register by April 1st in order to get your shirts and medal before the event.
Participants can walk, run, 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. This year, the trees will be planted in the Santiam Canyon.
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 eleven other states. Together, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee 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 eleven 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 is joining 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 two 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 www.orparksforever.org.
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