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, March 10, 2025
Rogue Valley Weather
Stay updated with the National Weather Service and NOAA for the latest information on evolving conditions.
US National Weather Service Medford Oregon
The Polar Plunge took place Saturday at the Rogue Valley Country Club in support of the Special Olympics Oregon.
This year’s Polar Plunge made a big splash with 25 teams participating in jumping into the icy cold water. Over $50k has been raised for the Special Olympics Oregon athletes.
Pedestrian Fatality – Highway 140 – Jackson County
– On Friday, March 7, 2025, at 6:04 a.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian in Jackson County.
The preliminary investigation indicated that a white Nissan Frontier pickup truck, operated by Jerid William Gunter (47) of Medford, was traveling eastbound on Hwy 140 near Blackwell Road when it struck a pedestrian. The crash occurred in a non-lit area of the roadway.
The pedestrian, Naomi Hope Gomez (39) of Glendale, was declared deceased at the scene.
The highway was impacted for about two hours for the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
SUSPECT ARRESTED ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES
03/09/2025 Structure Fire Response in the Illinois Valley, turns out to be an RV Fire.
North Medford High School Gym Demolition Set for Monday
Selective demolition is set to start Monday at North Medford High School’s gym following the collapse of its roof last month.
Josephine County Animal Shelter offers free dog adoptions
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
Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market Open
For more information, visit the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market website.
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
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
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.
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 Pulled from River May Belong to Oregon Family Missing for Nearly 70 Years
Authorities pulled a station wagon from the Columbia River Friday 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.
Deputy Pete Hughes of the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said the salvage crew working near the Cascade Locks Marine Park believes the chassis and motor they pulled from the Columbia River around 3:45 p.m. did, in fact, belong to the Portland family. Officials won’t be able to confirm that it’s the car, which fell apart as they were recovering it, until they check the VIN number stamped on the engine.
VIDEO: https://www.facebook.com/katunews/videos/9081258175333867 — https://www.facebook.com/reel/1111488933995173
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.
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’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.4% in January
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in January and 4.3%, as revised, in December, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.1% in January 2024. Oregon’s 4.4% unemployment rate was the highest since September 2021, when the rate was also 4.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in December 2024 and 4.0% in January 2025.
In January, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2,400 jobs, following a revised decline of 2,000 jobs in December. January’s gains were largest in professional and business services (+1,400 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,200); retail trade (+900); and private educational services (+900). Declines were largest in manufacturing (-2,200) and health care and social assistance (-1,300).
Oregon’s private sector added 12,700 jobs, or 0.8%, between January 2024 and January 2025. Job gains during 2024 were less than previously indicated, as annual data revisions resulted in an average reduction of 15,600 jobs per month during the second half of 2024.
During the past three years, health care and social assistance was by far the fastest growing sector of Oregon’s economy, adding 15,100 jobs, or 5.2%, in the 12 months through January. However, a large strike at a major health care provider contributed to the one-month drop of 1,300 jobs in this industry during January.
Industries that grew moderately during the most recent 12 months included other services (+2,100 jobs, or 3.2%); private educational services (+1,100 jobs, or 3.0%); professional and business services (+2,900 jobs, or 1.1%); and construction (+900 jobs, or 0.8%).
Manufacturing continued its decline of the past two years, cutting 6,900 jobs (-3.7%) in the 12 months through January, while retail trade shed 2,300 jobs (-1.1%) during that time.
Dysentery outbreak in Oregon leaves at least 40 sickened
Two dozen new cases of Shigella, which can cause dysentery, have been reported in Oregon since the start of the new year, according to health officials.
Cases have been on the rise since 2012 and the illness has spread to the Portland Metro areas. Health officials say the increase “is concerning.”
Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis, which is an illness that impacts the intestines, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Shigella can cause a range of systems, including, but not exclusively, dysentery.
Other symptoms can also include:
- Fever
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
Where did the outbreak begin?
Shigella cases have been rising in Multnomah County, Oregon, since 2012, according to a county official.
“High case counts throughout 2024 reflected two separate outbreaks of different strains of Shigella. The cases that we are seeing in 2025 are the result of transmission of a strain of Shigella sonnei strain that was introduced into Oregon in the spring of 2024,” the spokesperson told FOX TV Stations.
The disease eventually spread to the Portland Metro area in the summer of 2024 and has spread within and between housed and unhoused populations in the region since then, they added.
How many cases are in Oregon?
There are 197 total cases nationally with this particular strain.
Sixty-one percent of the cases have been in Multnomah County.
There are at least 14 distinct subclusters, which means that there are several pathways of transmission within different groups of people.
In 2024, there were 158 confirmed cases in Multnomah County.
What we know:
As of January, 40 new cases were reported.
What we don’t know:
Data for February is not finalized.
However, preliminary data shows that there are six confirmed cases and “three cases without culture-confirmed illness developed illness and were reported in February.”
“Even though the data are not yet finalized, the number of cases in February 2025 appears to represent a decline from the number of cases in January,” the spokesperson said.
What caused the outbreak in Multnomah?
Health officials said there are several ways the Shigella bacteria spread throughout the county.
- Some cases are contracted through international travel to lower-resource countries (less than 20%).
- Among cases without international travel, fecal-oral spread through intimate (including sexual) contact may account for between half and more than two-thirds of all cases.
- About one-third to half of cases in the past year have been in people experiencing either homelessness or housing instability.
- We have also identified spread among housed and unhoused social groups who use drugs.
The cases of Shigella are being spread between people rather than from one outbreak source, such as a restaurant, the spokesperson explained.
How to stop the spread
Since the most common source of transmission for Shigella is human to human among several subgroups, “there is no single, easy answer to stop all illness from spreading,” according to the spokesperson.
What’s next:
The Multnomah County Health Department provides educational resources to teach people about avoiding the transmission of any disease.
“They counsel people to avoid preparing food, limit sexual contact, and stay out of pools and other communal water bodies for at least two weeks after symptoms stop. People who work in food, childcare or healthcare facilities are restricted from work until they test negative,” the spokesperson said.
For unhoused people, the department can provide additional support through short-term housing, which health officials explained is the “best intervention for reducing spread.”
Other prevention tips include:
- Frequent handwashing
- Throw away soiled diapers in a covered, lined garbage bin
- Disinfect diaper-changing areas right after use
- Avoid ingesting water from ponds, lakes or untreated pools
- Avoid sexual contact with anyone who has been suffering from diarrhea or recently recovered
Who is at risk?
Most people are able to recover from dysentery within a few days. However, if it goes untreated for a prolonged period, it can be fatal, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The people who are most at risk of suffering from serious complications of dysentery include:
- Young children
- People over 50
- Dehydrated or malnourished people
The Source: Information for this report was gathered from an email received from the Multnomah County press office on March 6, 2025, the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic.
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.
Search for Missing Siletz Child Ongoing
UPDATE 3/8— Search for Dane Paulse – Search Remains Ongoing
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies are continuing search operations for Dane Paulsen. Investigators continue to follow up on informational tips alongside search efforts. Daily water searches utilizing watercraft with specialized equipment and trained personnel will continue until further notice.
Some efforts focusing on the search on the river include: • A boat running methodical searches over long spans. In addition to searching today, this boat covered an approximate 14 mile stretch of river yesterday (3/7/25). • A boat running underwater sonar and underwater drones/remotely operated vehicles with underwater cameras.• Many community members are also searching the river with personal watercraft, expanding the coverage area to include the lower Siletz River.
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.
A state Senate Committee heard from Oregonians this week about a bill to specify how landlords can verify a prospective tenant’s identity.
Supporters say it would prohibit landlords from asking about the immigration status of a tenant applicant of a household member. Under the bill, landlords could run credit checks, but also designates taxpayer ID number cards from the IRS, immigration visas and driver licenses and others as acceptable forms of identity.
A Portland couple that ran a chauffeur business has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing 34-million-dollars from two former clients.
Sergey Lebedenko and Galina Lebedenko ran Astra Car Service. They met the victims driving them to the airport and continued to chauffeur them on a near daily basis for several years. The victim allowed them to charge his American Express card without giving invoices. They used the money to buy 14 homes, seven vehicles and other luxury items. They pleaded guilty and were both sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
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.
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.
State treasurers from Oregon, Illinois, Nevada and Colorado are urging the Trump administration to end a tumultuous trade war with Canada, Mexico and China.
Oregon Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner told media last week that “Canada, Mexico and China are three of our Oregon’s top four trading partners, accounting for more than 15 billion a year each in exports from our state. Tariff price hikes are likely to increase the cost of items that consumers and businesses depend on, such as electronics, clothing, appliances and other products we all use every day.”
A study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics predicts Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China would cost the typical U.S. household more than $1,200 per year. That’s a price that Steiner says could devastate the average Oregon household, which can’t afford an emergency expense of more than $500, according to the 2025 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard survey.
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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