Rogue Valley News, Friday 6/27 – Medford Pride 2025 TOMORROW, Rooster Crow Weekend in Rogue River & Other Local and Statewide News Stories

The Legal Sale of Retail Fireworks in Oregon – June 23rd to July 6th

• Legal fireworks in the State of Oregon include but are not limited to novelty devices, wheels, flitter sparklers, fountains, smoke devices, and ground spinners.
• The legal sale of retail fireworks in Oregon is from June 23rd to July 6th.
• There is no regulation pertaining to when consumer legal fireworks may be used. Please be courteous to your neighbors and friends.
• There are restrictions as to where fireworks can be used, such as beaches and federal lands. Always check with the local jurisdictions. See the fireworks education page.
• Illegal fireworks include but are not limited to sky lanterns, missiles, rockets, firecrackers, cherry bombs, M-80s, Roman candles, and bottle rockets.
• Should you wish to report the firing of illegal pyrotechnic devices, please contact your local law enforcement via their non-emergency number.
• If you would like to request information about issued permits on a specific location, please submit a Public Records Request.
• For assistance in disposing of your leftover or unwanted fireworks, call your local law enforcement via their non-emergency number or the Oregon State Police non-emergency number at 1-800-452-7888.

Local jurisdictions may further regulate the sale and use of fireworks in their areas.  Always check with your local jurisdiction for the legal use of fireworks in your area.

2025 Chi-Town Family Festival – Chiloquin, Oregon

Friday & Saturday – June 27 & June 28, 2025 Chiloquin Rodeo Event Grounds

Free activities for the entire family ——  Kick-off a summer of fun at the Chi-Town Family Festival! Free admission, free parking, free fun for all!

The City of Chiloquin is excited to extend an invitation to both residents and visitors for the 4th Annual Chi-Town Family Festival, taking place on Friday, June 27 (2–6 PM) and Saturday, June 28 (10 AM–6 PM) at the Chiloquin Rodeo and Event Grounds.

With no admission fee, this family-oriented festival provides entertainment for all—join in the celebration of summer with your community All proceeds will support Chiloquin Visions in Progress (CVIP) and its various community initiatives, including the Chiloquin Community Center and youth programs such as the new Chiloquin Teen Adventure Camp launching this July — MORE INFO: https://chi-townfamilyfestival.com

Oregon Star Party Coming to Prineville: June 24 – June 29 2025

This year’s Oregon Star Party is set to take place June 24th through the 29th on the Big Summit Prairie east of Prineville. This party is not about celebrities. It’s all about looking at the stars, galaxies and nebulas in one of the darkest places in North America.

Barring forest fires and pandemics, some 500 people will trek 50 miles east of Prineville onto the Big Summit Prairie with RVs, tents and telescopes and sit up all night looking at the heavens.

“If you love the night sky and are interested in learning about it, yes, you can definitely come here,” said Marianne Ramona, Oregon Star Party vice president. “You may not want to come for five days. This area, this is just a fraction of the telescopes that we personally bring to the event, and we love to share. We love to teach. We have people that give talks about different things, some that are basic, some that are very complicated. We try to cover that whole realm. We definitely welcome new people.”

People come from all across the country to participate in the Star Party because this remote part of Oregon has some of the darkest night skies in the lower 48 states. Held at Indian Springs on the Big Summit Prairie, it is 5,000 feet above sea level which means less atmosphere and better viewing. MORE INFO: https://oregonstarparty.org

Oregon’s first measles case of 2025 confirmed in Multnomah County

Health officials investigating individual’s recent international travel, potential locations of exposure

Oregon Health Authority and county public health officials are investigating a case of measles in an individual who recently returned to the state following international travel. The individual is not vaccinated against measles.

A commercial laboratory confirmed the measles case June 23. The affected individual is an adult who developed measles symptoms—sore throat, weakness, fatigue, headache and fever—on June 16.

The individual was hospitalized in the Portland metro area with a rash and conjunctivitis June 19 and was discharged June 21. County public health officials and hospital staff believe no patients were exposed. The person is recovering.

Health officials believe the individual acquired the disease while traveling abroad the last four to five weeks. This case is not believed to be connected to measles outbreaks in other U.S. states.

“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Paul R. Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division.

“You could get measles if you’re exposed to someone who is contagious, which can be from four days before their rash starts until four days after. After exposure, it can take up to three weeks before you show the characteristic measles rash. So, someone could not even know they have measles and be transmitting it for several days. That’s why it’s extremely important that all adults and children in their household be up to date on vaccinations.”

People might have been exposed if they were in any of these areas during these times:

• Flight UA1832/SN8869 (Brussels Air Operated by United Airlines) on Tuesday, June 17 (economy cabin); departed Chicago O’Hare International Airport at 4:01 p.m. CDT, arrived at Portland International Airport at 6:29 p.m. PDT.
• Portland International Airport arrivals and baggage claim between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17.
• Safeway, located at 401 A Ave., Lake Oswego, in Clackamas County, between 1 p.m. and 3:20 p.m., on Sunday, June 22

How measles spreads and symptoms

Measles spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs or sneezes. People are contagious with measles for four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward. The virus particles can linger in the air for up to two hours after someone who is infectious has left the area.

Measles typically starts with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. A rash usually follows, beginning on the face and spreading to the rest of the body. Symptoms begin seven to 21 days after exposure to a person with measles. Common complications of measles include ear infection, lung infection and diarrhea. Swelling of the brain is a rare but much more serious complication. In developed countries in recent years, one or two out of every 1,000 measles cases have been fatal.

Determining your risk of measles

Most people in Oregon have been vaccinated to prevent measles, usually as children. Anyone who received a measles vaccination at any time in their life has a very low risk of getting measles. But the disease is highly contagious, and the risk is high for anyone who has not received measles vaccination and has been exposed to the disease.

Measles poses the highest risk to:

1. Unvaccinated pregnant people.
2. Infants younger than 1 year old.
3. People with weakened immune systems.

You are considered immune to measles if any of the following apply:

• You were born before 1957.
• You’ve been diagnosed with measles at any point in your life.
• A blood test proves that you are immune.
• You have had two doses of measles vaccine.

Traveling internationally

Individuals traveling to places known to have measles should get vaccinated in advance. It is also important to vaccinate infants 6-12 months old who are planning to travel internationally to places where measles is common.

What to do if you suspect measles in your household

Public health officials urge people experiencing symptoms of measles not to arrive unannounced at a medical office if they:

1. Have a measles-like rash (see CDC link here for an example: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/photos.html).
2. Have been exposed to measles within the previous 21 days, AND have any other symptom of measles (such as fever, cough or red eyes).

Individuals planning to seek medical care should first call a health care provider or urgent care center by telephone to create an entry plan to avoid exposing others in waiting rooms.

Learn more about measles at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/DISEASESAZ/Pages/measles.aspx, and on OHA’s blog at https://oregonhealthnews.oregon.gov/measles-what-you-should-know/.

Report finds Oregon hepatitis C death rates are among the country’s worst

Oregon has clocked in at the top of a nationwide database for rates of hepatitis C, prompting state health officials to call for increased resources aimed at stemming the disease’s impact on Oregon’s most vulnerable communities.

People in Oregon are 2.7 times more likely to die from hepatitis C compared to those who live in other states, according to two annual reports on hepatitis C released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April. The most recent data in those reports is from 2023.

That puts Oregon behind only the District of Columbia and Oklahoma, according to the center. The average rate of hepatitis C-related deaths in Oregon stands at 6.76 per 100,000 people, the data shows.

“Hepatitis C is common, causes serious illness and leads to a lot of hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s public health division, in a Monday news release. “The good news is that we can now treat it and spare people a lot of suffering.”

The viral disease involves liver inflammation, hampering the body’s ability to fight infections and filter its blood after an infection takes hold. Symptoms of hepatitis C include yellow skin, lack of appetite, pain in the stomach or dark urine, which can progress into chronic pain or cancer in extreme cases.

While alcohol use and certain medications can cause the condition, it can also be transmitted through the sharing of drug-injection equipment, unprotected sexual activity and sharing other personal, non-sterile equipment in health care settings or businesses like tattoo parlors.

Who’s most affected? – Health officials’ analysis of the CDC’s data for Oregon found that those who use illicit drugs are  most likely to develop an infection. They also pegged those aged 20 to 29 years old as most likely to acquire the disease, with Black and Native American communities around twice as likely to contract the virus “due to systemic challenges.”

The rise of the infection has also been particularly acute in rural areas of Oregon, with a March 2025 study from Oregon Health & Science University finding that peer support and easy access to telemedicine care led to a 63% cure rate, nearly four times higher than those served by their local providers. No such program exists statewide in Oregon.

“My hope is that public health can play the important role of linking people with hepatitis C to appropriate care,” Cieslak said in the release. “We’d love to be able to implement peer support services and telehealth for hepatitis C systematically across the state.”

Efforts to increase access to care and interventions against the disease are underway as part of OHA 2024-27 Strategic Plan, which aims to expand access to vaccines and other health resources for communities throughout Oregon. Vaccines are not available for preventing hepatitis C, but the disease can be cured with treatment and medication, often within eight to 12 weeks, according to the CDC.

The health authority is calling for additional resources to improve local responses to hepatitis C screening, such as more peer-supported services, additional streamlined pathways to life-saving care and monitoring systems for tracking testing and curing rates. (SOURCE)

Growing Demand and Workforce Needs in Oregon’s Health Care and Social Assistance Sector 

Health care and social assistance is a large and steadily growing sector of Oregon’s economy. Although overall job growth slowed recently in Oregon, gains have accelerated in the health care and social assistance sector.

In 2024, Oregon employers added 5,700 jobs (+0.3%) to nonfarm payrolls. By comparison, private health care and social assistance added 16,100 jobs (+5.7%) from 2023 to 2024, to reach an all-time high of 301,000 jobs.
From 2001 to 2024, total nonfarm employment in Oregon grew by 24%. At the same time, private health care and social assistance grew by 92%.
Private health care and social assistance employers reported the largest number of job openings among all sectors of Oregon’s economy for most of the past 12 years. As job growth has accelerated, so has the sector’s share of all job vacancies in Oregon.

Prior to the pandemic recession, health care and social assistance generally accounted for one out of every five private-sector job openings.
In 2024, the sector’s share rose to nearly one-third (32%) of all job vacancies. Private health care and social assistance had an average of 18,200 job openings at any given time during the year.
Personal care aides and registered nurses had the largest number of health care job openings in 2024. They also had the largest number of vacancies reported by employers as difficult to fill.
Health care and social assistance will also lead future job growth in Oregon. Total employment is expected to grow by 170,000 jobs (or 8%) between 2023 and 2033. Health care and social assistance is projected to grow by 13%, adding 37,000 jobs.

One out of every five new jobs added in Oregon by 2033 will be in health care and social assistance.
Seven of the 15 fastest-growing occupations in Oregon over the decade are related to health care. They include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical health and services managers, veterinarians, and veterinary assistants and technicians.
Employers will also need to replace workers who retire, otherwise leave the labor force, or make major occupational changes away from health care and social assistance. Adding these replacement job openings to projected growth, health care and social assistance will average nearly 38,000 total job openings each year through 2033. Growth expectations in future years could be hindered by increasing retirements, or an insufficient pipeline of workers into the sector. More details are available in the full report at QualityInfo.org.

A podcast version of the report is also available on the OED YouTube page. — # The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. OED provides free help so you can use our services. Some examples are sign language and spoken-language interpreters, written materials in other languages, large print, audio, and other formats. To get help, please call 503-947-1444. TTY users call 711. You can also send an email to communications@employ.oregon.gov.

The 2025 Hidden Bottle Hunt, Hosted by OBRC and BottleDrop, Returns for its Fifth Year! From June 26-29, daily clues will lead treasure hunters to six commemorative bottles hidden throughout the state in celebration of Oregon’s iconic Bottle Bill

The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, who operates the BottleDrop network, is excited to announce its 2025 Hidden Bottle Hunt, scheduled to take place June 26-29. This annual summer event, now in its fifth year, invites families and communities to enjoy the outdoors and celebrate Oregon’s history of environmental stewardship, all while supporting local charities. Clues for the statewide hunt will be posted daily on BottleDrop’s website, guiding treasure hunters to the final hiding spots.

This year’s commemorative bottle design honors the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary in Lake County. Thanks to the work of DarkSky Oregon, whose mission is to preserve Oregon’s magnificent dark skies and to diminish light pollution for the health, safety and well-being of all life, this majestic southern Oregon sanctuary offers one of the most breathtaking night sky viewing experiences in the country.

“The Hidden Bottle Hunt has always been about discovery and wonder, and this year, we’re taking that spirit to new heights,” said Devon Morales, vice president of external affairs for OBRC. “The 2025 hunt invites participants to explore Oregon trails and parks under skies as timeless and awe-inspiring as the stars themselves. It’s a celebration of Oregon’s Bottle Bill, adventure and the magic that happens when curiosity meets the great outdoors.”

“This year’s Hidden Bottle Hunt is an opportunity for Oregonians to celebrate the outdoors and learn how to light wisely at night,” said Bill Kowalik, chairperson of DarkSky Oregon. “Good luck to all participants! Starry nights for all!”

The 2025 Hidden Bottle Hunt will be comprised of six separate, simultaneous hunts, geographically dispersed in parks, trails or land open to the public across Oregon. OBRC will release clues each day of the hunt, leading treasure hunters to the hidden bottles. The lucky winners will get to keep the commemorative bottle and select a BottleDrop Give nonprofit partner to receive a $1,000 donation through BottleDrop’s Containers for Change program. Thousands of nonprofits across Oregon raise funds for their organizations through the BottleDrop Give program each year.

July marks the 54th anniversary of the Oregon Bottle Bill, which Governor Tom McCall signed into law on July 2, 1971. It established the nation’s first beverage container redemption system and has helped keep Oregon clean and litter-free for more than five decades. Oregon’s Bottle Bill is also the most successful in the nation. In 2024, Oregon’s preliminary redemption rate was 90.4%, with Oregonians returning more than 2 billion containers for Grade-A domestic recycling.

Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative | 17300 SE 120th Ave, Clackamas, OR 97015 | bottledrop.com | obrc.com
Participants can learn more about the hunt and sign up for daily clue reminders by visiting
http://bottledrop.com/hunt

About the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative — The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized beverage container redemption system and the operator of the BottleDrop network. On behalf of the beverage industry, OBRC helps Oregonians conveniently redeem and recycle more than 2 billion containers every year, dramatically reducing litter in Oregon’s special places and boosting the
state’s recycling outcomes. To learn more, visit BottleDrop.com or OBRC.com.

Face Rock Creamery, based in Bandon, Oregon, is recalling two specific batches of its Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Curds over a possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recall is for 6 oz. cups with use-by date of 08292025, which were sold at Trader Joe’s locations in Northern California and Northern Nevada.

According to the Food & Drug Administration:

The Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Curds was packaged in a clear in a sealed plastic cup with lid and has the UPC 8 51222 00528 7. It has the Lot numbers 20250519VS01 and 20250519VS02, and the Use By date of 08292025.

Listeria can cause serious illness and even death in young, elderly, or groups with weakened immune systems.

“Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” the FDA said.

Lincoln County School District Employee Convicted of Raping Student

On June 24, 2025, Lincoln County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Sheryl Bachart sentenced Angela Schafer (53-year-old) to 18 months in the Department of Corrections for sexually abusing a Taft High School student while Schafer was employed by the school district.

Schafer was employed by the Lincoln County School District in 2022 as a Health Services Advocate serving at Taft High School, Lincoln City, Oregon. In September 2024, Lincoln City Police Department (LCPD) initiated an investigation after allegations surfaced regarding an inappropriate relationship between Schafer and a student earlier that year. After an extensive investigation by Detective Bud Lane (LCPD), Schafer was officially indicted by the Lincoln County Grand Jury in November 2024.

On June 24, 2025, Schafer entered a guilty plea to one count of Rape in the Third Degree for knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse with a child under the age of sixteen and one count of Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor. Under Oregon sentencing guidelines, Schafer was initially subject to a probationary sentence given her lack of criminal history. However, given the vulnerability of the victim and Schafer’s position of power or trust over the victim, the State planned to seek a prison sentence through enhancement factors after trial.

Ultimately, through plea negotiations, Schafer stipulated to an 18-month prison sentence with an agreement that Judge Bachart would decide whether the prison sentence would be served immediately or held in abeyance while Schafer was supervised locally in the community. At sentencing, DA Wallace advocated for Schafer to be sentenced to an upfront 18-month prison sentence given the role Schafer’s employment played in her crimes and the particular vulnerability of the victim. Defense argued that Schafer should be placed on probation given the viable treatment options in the community.

Prior to sentencing Schafer, Judge Bachart stated, “You never know who is capable of doing this; it can be anybody. Some people are put in positions with greater access to children and you used your position, the access you had to this child, and his vulnerability to sexually abuse him – the aggravating factors are significant.” Judge Bachart sentenced Schafer to 18 months prison and Schafer was taken into custody and began serving her sentence today. Schafer will also be required to register as a sex offender, complete an alcohol and drug treatment program, and pay a $8,500 fine. — This case was prosecuted by District Attorney Jenna Wallace.

Oregon’s House of Representatives has approved a reform package aimed at tackling the increasing threats and costs associated with wildfires

According to the Oregon House, House Bill 3940 modernizes wildfire mitigation funding and introduces a new tax on oral nicotine products.

The bill is designed to enhance Oregon’s wildfire finance and response systems. It establishes new funding mechanisms for wildfire mitigation and links them directly to taxes on emerging nicotine products.

Rep. Pam Marsh of Ashland emphasized the need for “21st-century solutions” to prioritize wildfire mitigation and community safety.

“This bill is about prioritizing wildfire mitigation, making our communities safer, and building a funding system that is more sustainable. We’re investing in resilience and taking real steps to reduce the long-term human and economic toll of wildfire,” Marsh said.

One component of the bill is the introduction of a per-unit tax on oral nicotine products, like nicotine pouches, with the revenue directed to the Landscape Resiliency Fund and Community Risk Reduction Fund. House Bill 3940 passed with bipartisan support and now advances to the Oregon Senate for further consideration.