Rogue Valley News, Wednesday 2/12 – Gym Roof at North Medford High School Collapses , Pollinator Project Rogue Valley and The Crest at Willow-Witt Both Receive $25K Awards For Their Work in the Community & Other Local and Statewide News

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

Wednesday,  February 12, 2025

Rogue Valley Weather

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PST THURSDAY...
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 9 AM PST THIS MORNING...

* WHAT...Southeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected.

* WHERE...For the Cold Weather Advisory, Jackson County, including the communities of Rogue River, Central Point, Medford, Ashland, Jacksonville, Shady Cove, Eagle Point and surrounding areas. For the Wind Advisory, this includes areas south of Medford, including
Phoenix, Talent, Ashland and surrounding foothills.

* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 9 AM PST Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

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

 US National Weather Service Medford Oregon

Gym Roof at North Medford High School Collapses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley and The Crest at Willow-Witt Both Receive $25K Awards For Their Work in the Community

We are so thrilled to be on this awesome list of nonprofits creating positive change in Oregon! Many thanks to OBRC and Oregon Community Foundation for all of their amazing and much needed support to make Oregon a great state to live and bee! The BottleDrop is an awesome and important partnership, making a difference in many ways. We are grateful.

The BottleDrop Fund was formed in 2018 as a partnership between OBRC and the Oregon Community Foundation to support organizations operating in the spirit of the Bottle Bill through annual grants.

This year, the following nonprofits across the state received funds to help support their work they’re doing to creative positive change in their communities. Pollinator Project Rogue Valley in Phoenix and The Crest at Willow-Witt Ranch in Ashland are both non-profits centered around ecological education.  You can follow and support on Facebook here:

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley

The Crest at Willow-Witt

 

Medford Police Resolve Standoff 

Final Update (2/11; 6:30 PM): The suspect, 31-year-old Adam Hausa, is in custody and will be lodged on multiple charges, including menacing with a firearm.

Some officers will remain on scene, but nearby roadways will begin reopening shortly.

Thank you for your cooperation as we responded to this incident.

——-Update (2/11; 5:30 PM): Officers remain on scene in the 400 block of N. Grape St., where they continue working to resolve the situation safely. The suspect is believed to still be inside a residence, and officers are maintaining a perimeter.

Road closures remain in effect, and we continue to ask the public to avoid the area.

We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Happening Now (2/11; 4:12PM): Multiple officers are on scene in the 400 block of N. Grape St. after receiving a report of a menacing with a handgun. It is believed the suspect is inside a residence, and officers have established a perimeter while actively working to communicate with him.

The public is advised to avoid the area, as roads are closed to traffic while officers continue their efforts.

McLoughlin Middle School was briefly placed into a secure status out of an abundance of caution. There is no threat to the school.

U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will be managing a controlled bun for piles around the Horn Gap area in the western side of the Ashland watershed. Getting this fuel removed now helps reduce our summer wildfire risk.

Smoke could be visible across the area. We are not expecting smoke to enter the community. Visit SmokewiseAshland.org for health information and AshlandWatershed.org to learn about forest health.

A healthy forest + A healthy community = Awesome!

Thank you to the US Forest Service and Ashland Forest The Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project partners for managing the health of our forest!

City of Ashland Oregon

Lomakatsi Restoration Project

The Nature Conservancy in Oregon

THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY (FEBRUARY 14 & 16 2025)

Cupid called—he says you need to be at Cupid’s Courtyard Sweethearts Bazaar! Join them for two days of love-filled shopping with over 50 vendors on Friday and Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. Admission is only $3, and kids 16 & under get in free! Come find the perfect gift and make Valentine’s extra sweet this year!   Find more details about this event and more great events on our website at www.josephinecountyfairgrounds.com/events

 

City of Medford, Local Government   · 

We’re teaming up with the City of Ashland Oregon to identify local economic trends, opportunities, challenges, and future developments in the Rogue Valley.

Take the survey here https://survey123.arcgis.com/…/8d998820d69d4f63a8cc92d8…

Participants will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

The survey is open now through February 23, 2025.

Please allow about 25 minutes to complete.

Providence Medford Nurses Overwhelmingly Reject Tentative Agreement Amid Statewide Push for Safe Staffing and Fair Wages

Nurses at Providence Medford Medical Center have overwhelmingly voted to reject the contract offer from Providence management, joining nurses from seven other Providence hospitals across Oregon in calling for contracts that address longstanding systemic issues in patient care and workplace conditions.

Nurses at Providence Medford had until Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. to vote, with Medford nurses now joining their nursing colleagues in rejecting Providence’s latest offer.

The rejection of the contract offer underscores nurses’ demands for safe staffing standards, competitive wages to recruit and retain staff, and healthcare benefits that ensure caregivers can take care of their families. Providence’s proposals fail to adequately address these critical issues, which have contributed to ongoing burnout, understaffing, and wage inequities across their facilities.

This vote comes amid the largest healthcare strike in Oregon history, which began on January 10, 2025, and involves nearly 5,000 frontline nurses and healthcare workers at eight Providence hospitals. Nurses have maintained their strike with a unified voice, demanding that Providence meet their calls for change.

ONA’s bargaining teams have approached negotiations in good faith throughout this process, even as Providence claimed their most recent offer was the best they could make. To demonstrate their commitment to transparency, ONA presented the contract offer to their members for a vote, allowing frontline nurses to provide direct feedback on the terms of the settlement–which they have done, with a resounding “no.”

The rejection of Providence’s contract offer reflects the unified stance of Oregon’s frontline nurses, who remain committed to securing contracts that prioritize safe patient care, fair compensation, and a sustainable work environment. ONA has called on Providence to return to the bargaining table immediately to deliver a fair contract that addresses these systemic issues.

Senator Golden proposes changing state wildfire map to curb anger and rumors

The Ashland lawmaker wants the map to designate the risk level of broad areas rather than naming the risk of individual properties

Nearly four years ago, in the aftermath of the state’s most destructive wildfires in history, the Oregon Legislature passed a bipartisan package of wildfire prevention initiatives, including one that required state experts to create a map showing high wildfire risk areas statewide.

The point of the Wildfire Risk Map, first published in 2022, was to inform lawmakers and agencies like the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office about where to best deploy limited resources to prevent fires. But the map provoked backlash from homeowners in some high-risk areas who were worried about wildfire insurance rates and coverage, and potentially having to comply with new building requirements.

State foresters and university experts redid the map, renamed it the Wildfire Hazard Map, changed some designations and put it online, searchable by address. But many homeowners are still unhappy about what the designations mean or feel the wildfire mitigation work they’ve already done hasn’t been factored in.

Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, who supported creating the map, said it’s become counterproductive in its current form.

“So many people see ‘high hazard’ as basically ruining their lives,” Golden said. “I don’t think anybody dreamed we’d have this problem on the ground.” he said about when the Legislature passed the wildfire package mandating the map in 2021.

Golden, who chairs the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire, wants the Legislature to pass an amendment to Senate Bill 762, the wildfire funding package first passed back in 2021 to remove the property-level risk designations in the wildfire map and replace them with low-, medium- and high-risk designations for broad areas.

The map’s architects have not voiced strong opinions about the proposal, which is not yet in bill form. Rob Odom, an Oregon State University spokesperson, said the university experts who worked on the maps with the Oregon Department of Forestry would “continue to partner with the state when needed.”

By making the maps identify broader risk areas, Golden is hopeful he can quell anger among property owners over their high-hazard designations and quell growing rumors and conspiracies about what the map was ultimately supposed to achieve.

“The rumor control is a big thing here. I’m really deeply concerned that we’re close to an explosion in rural Oregon that’s going to make our wildfire prevention efforts almost impossible,” Golden said.

He’s heard from constituents at public meetings and via email who believe officials at the State Fire Marshal’s Office will evict them from their homes if they don’t take certain wildfire prevention measures or will prevent them from rebuilding if their house burns down.

Those are patently false, Golden said, and illegal.

Others are saying the state is using the wildfire map to try to drive rural people off of their land and into cities where they can supposedly be more easily controlled. The hardest belief to quell among many in his district is that the state map is not behind their rising home insurance premiums.

The rollout of the map in 2022 coincided with a regionwide hike in premiums from wildfires across the West, and some insurers choosing not to renew or write new wildfire policies in parts of Oregon and Western states. Despite a law passed in 2023 prohibiting insurers from incorporating the map into their own risk calculus for customers, many policyholders have heard from their agents that the state map plays a role, Golden said, or the timing feels too uncanny.

His fear is that if misinformation takes greater root, the state will lose buy-in from property owners it needs as partners in the fight against wildfires, and that those property owners will see state agencies as conspirators rather than collaborators.

Two other bills proposed in the current session by Republicans would get rid of the map all together or get rid of Senate Bill 762, which also required the electric utilities to create wildfire protection plans, required state agencies to develop new defensible space and building code requirements to protect homes and communities and created programs to mitigate the impacts of wildfire smoke on public health.

Golden said he wants to salvage the usefulness of the map without creating more harm. He said it can still be used to help the state understand where best to direct resources or to advocate for community risk mitigation work.

The map itself, he said, is based largely on sound science. But in two years of meeting with landowners in his district who are upset about their high hazard designations despite expensive and time-consuming measures they’ve taken to prevent wildfire destruction, he says the map lacks the data to tell the whole story about individual wildfire risks.

“I am not saying the map is totally bogus — it’s based on landscape factors that, as a nonscientist, I believe are really important — but a model that gives no weight to the particular characteristics of the property can’t fly,” he said. (SOURCE)

 

Informational Press Release on Immigration 

RELEASE DATE:  February 8, 2025

INCIDENT:  Informational Press Release on Immigration

INCIDENT DATE AND TIME:  February 8, 2025

REPORTING DEPUTY:  Sheriff Dave Daniel

DETAILS:  The purpose of this release is to inform Josephine County citizens on the status of immigration practices within Josephine County and state-wide law enforcement as it pertains to Oregon State Law and Federal Law.  While I will not speak for law enforcement across the state, I will close with my personal opinions as it pertains to immigration reform and the direction I believe the majority of Josephine County citizens wish the Sheriff’s Office will proceed.

First, I will explain the stance of Oregon State sanctuary laws as it pertains to actions law enforcement can and cannot perform under Oregon Revised Statutes section ORS 181A.8##.

In recent years, the Oregon Legislature enacted several immigration laws as it pertains to Oregon law enforcement’s directives.  Within the State of Oregon, law enforcement can:

1. Request information from ICE about a person named in ICE records for local criminal investigation.  ORS 181A.820
2. Arrest a person wanted under certain federal criminal  immigration statutes when there is a warrant signed by a federal judge (not just an ICE administrative subpoena).  ORS 181.A.820
3. Provide information to ICE about a person in custody if the information is available to the public or by subpoena from the courts.  ORS 181A.823
4. Ask a person about their country of origin for consular notification but only after telling them they do not have to answer and if they do, they are subject to deportation or other immigration consequences.

Within the State of Oregon law enforcement cannot:

1. Use any public facilities, property, agency moneys, etc., for the purpose of detecting or apprehending a person for ICE.  ORS 181A.826
2. Allow federal enforcement officials working on immigration issues into any portion of the agency or jail not open to the public. ORS 181A.826
3. Provide information to ICE or any federal agency working on immigration issues except in response to a court subpoena or if the information is available to the public.  ORS 181A.826
4. Investigate or question individuals for ICE. ORS 181A.826
5. Deny privileges, benefits or services to a person on parole, probation or in custody based on suspected immigration status. ORS 181A.823
6. Provide any information about a person in custody to ICE for immigration enforcement except pursuant to a court subpoena or if the information is available to the public.  ORS 181A.823
7. Make a civil arrest issued by an enforcement agent, absent a judicial warrant or order, in a court, or on grounds adjacent to the court or on their way to or returning from court absent a judicial warrant.

Note: A law enforcement official is subject to additional civil penalties not only by the state but also by civilians who wish to adjoin such actions. ORS 181A.820(6)

 

In response to these sanctuary statutes nationwide the Office of the Attorney General out of Washington, D.C. (federal) issued a memo on February 5^th, 2025 with the subject line reading “Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives”.  For the full version, refer to this link: Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives

Within that document, it focuses on three primary directives:

1. “End Funding to State and Local Jurisdictions That Unlawfully Interfere with Federal Law Enforcement Operations”
2. “Identify and Evaluate All Funding Agreements with Non-Governmental Organizations That Provide Support to Illegal Aliens”
3. “Pursue Enforcement Actions Against Jurisdictions That Facilitate Violations of Federal Immigrations Laws or Impede Lawful Federal Immigration Operations”

Lastly, while it is known that your elected Sheriff took an oath to “support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oregon and enforce the laws therein”, these directives pit laws against one other.  I stand firm that an individual who has entered the United States illegally has committed a crime and believe emphasis should be placed on those who commit additional crimes while here illegally.

There exists a procedure for those who wish to enter the United States, and may do so legally.  Your Josephine County Sheriff’s Office has not been contacted by ICE in years, likely due to the state sanctuary laws listed above.  However, that may change, and ramifications of state statues or federal directives may be forthcoming.

I will not stand in the way or inhibit federal immigration practices.  I will attempt to walk a fine line, for now, in the attempt to avoid devastating financial impacts on our community.  That being said, I will not turn a blind eye to crime of any sort, no matter what the cost. The hope is that these two institutions can come to common ground so that your law enforcement professionals can avoid becoming either the “target” or the “martyr” from either institutions.  As for now, there appears to be no opportunities in the middle.

Jocosheriff@josephinecounty.gov

 

 

U.S. Senator for Oregon Jeff Merkley has announced his ‘Oregon Treasures Quest’ list for 2025, a collection of spots to visit in each county of the state.

Each of Oregon’s 36 counties has a location on the list. Here are the locations selected this year for counties in southern Oregon.

In our region, he lists the following locations:

Jackson County: Oregon Shakespeare Festival.   Josephine County: Oregon Caves. Klamath County: Crater Lake National Park. Curry County: Cape Blanco State Park & Lighthouse.  Lake County: Fort Rock.

As a part of the Oregon Treasures Quest challenge, anyone who visits 10 sites in 10 counties is an Oregon Ranger. Visiting 25 sites in 25 counties makes you an Oregon Trailblazer and visiting 36 sites in 36 counties makes you an Oregon Explorer.

Anyone participating in the challenge should send a selfie of each location along with your name, the date of the picture and the name of the location to oregontreasuresquest@merkley.senate.gov.

2025 Josephine County Search & Rescue Academy

DETAILS: The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue Division will be hosting its annual Academy to train new SAR volunteers. The academy, held at 250 Tech Way, Grants Pass, OR, covers Basic Survival Skills, First Aid/CPR, Land Navigation, and more. Completion qualifies attendees as SAR volunteers.

Cost: $55. Additional requirements include a background check, criminal history check, and personal equipment purchase.

The Academy runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6-9 PM), Saturdays (8 AM-5 PM) from February 18 to March 15.  For registration and details, visit: https://bit.ly/4hjCVDU  

Application deadline: February 17, 2025.

 

City of Grants Pass, Local Government  —  Job Opportunity: Police Officer

This position works rotating shifts including days, nights, and weekends. High call volume and a fast-paced environment are part of being a City of Grants Pass Police Officer. Military service (VA) education benefits may apply to on-the-job training (field training) through our agency as a police officer.Salary: $70,575.86 – $95,776.51 Annually; closing date: 3/3/2025 5:00 PM Pacific. Apply here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/…/4821911/police-officer…

The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) announces its 2025 season, with three weeks of exciting outdoor programming in historic Jacksonville, Oregon, June 12 – 28, 2025.

Under the leadership of four guest conductors, Damon Gupton (June 12-13); Chia-Hsuan Lin (June 15-18); Roberto Kalb (June 21-23); and Normal Huynh (June 26-28) the Orchestra’s 63^rd season highlights a feature film alongside beloved classical favorites.

The season features seven extraordinary guest artists: pianist Clayton Stephenson performing Ravel’s Concerto in G Major; violinist William Hagen performing Korngold’s Concerto in D Major; violinist Tessa Lark and cellist Wei Yu performing Brahms Double concerto for Violin & Violoncello in A minor; vocalist Sun-Ly Pierce performing Ravel’s Shéhérazade; pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko performing Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 in D minor; and violinist Simone Porter performing Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D and Ravel’s Tzigane. The season will begin with two evenings of Jurassic Park in Concert whereJohn Williams’ score will be performed live-to-picture by the full orchestra in one of the most beloved films of the 20^th Century.

Britt Music & Arts Festival shares extraordinary live performances and arts education experiences that inspire discovery and build community, anchored at the Britt hill amphitheater. Since its grassroots beginnings in 1963, the non-profit organization has grown from a two-week chamber music festival to a summer-long series of concerts in a variety of genres, including a three-week orchestra season, and year-round education and engagement programs. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org

 

The Jackson County Expo announced its 2025 summer concert lineup taking the stage during the Jackson County Fair in July.

According to the Expo, musical acts including Outlaw Mariachi, Jo Dee Messina, and a Taylor Swift tribute will take the stage in Central Point this summer.

The Jackson County Fair runs from July 15 through July 20. Fair tickets start at $12 and include lawn seats at the Bi-Mart Amphitheater.

Concert ticket prices start at $25 and go on sale to the public on Tuesday. Fair admission is included with the purchase of a reserved seat.

Full 2025 Jackson County Fair Concert lineup:

Tuesday, July 15 – Outlaw Mariachi

Wednesday, July 16 – Jo Dee Messina

Thursday, July 17 – Kansas

Friday, July 18 – Skillet

Saturday, July 19 – Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience

For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Jackson County Expo’s website: https://attheexpo.com/fair/

City of Roseburg Government

Heads Up, Drivers:  Stewart Park Drive Bridge – aka the “Green Bridge” — will close to vehicle traffic for rehabilitation work from Monday, Feb. 10, through Monday, Nov. 3.

However, the historic steel truss bridge over the South Umpqua River will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists during the project.

A pedestrian and bicycle tunnel will be left open throughout the project, but the entire bridge will be contained in a wrap to keep lead-based paint from contaminating the river. All existing paint – including top layers of green paint — will be removed and the bridge’s color will be restored to its original black.

Roseburg Public Works staff want to stress the importance of keeping vehicles away from the work site to protect workers’ safety and because of the difficulty for vehicles to turn around at either end of the bridge.

Drivers can access the south entrance of the Roseburg VA Medical Center from Stewart Parkway, then traveling through Stewart Park to the VA facility’s entrance just north of the bridge.

The City appreciates motorists’ understanding and patience throughout the project, and asks motorists to use caution when traveling near the work zone or through Stewart Park.

The $6,321,890 project will be paid primarily with federal funds through the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Local Bridge Program. The City will match 10.27% — paying $649,258 from the City’s transportation fund. Federally funded projects must meet state/federal preservation standards.

Learn more about the project and the bridge’s history: https://shorturl.at/YAYEK

 

Upper Rogue River Users, Look for New Signs for Boat Operations 

Temporary signs being posted at access points on the Upper Rogue River in Jackson County

The Oregon State Marine Board passed new rules for boat operations on the Upper Rogue River during its quarterly January 23^rd Board meeting. The rules go into effect on February 1, 2025.

Temporary signs will be installed by January 31 at the following boating access sites:

• Fishers Ferry County Park
• TouVelle State Park
• Dodge Bridge County Park
• Takelma County Park
• Upper Rogue Regional County Park
• Rogue Elk County Park
• Casey County Park
• McGregor Park Boat Ramp

Permanent signs with graphics outlining specific rule segments on the river are in development and will replace the temporary signs by the spring.

The Marine Board will ramp up education and outreach efforts during the first year of rule implementation.

To stay up to date on the agency’s outreach, follow Boat Oregon on social media (Facebook, Instagram), or subscribe to Boat Oregon News and learn more about the rules from the agency’s Public Meetings page.

Oregon Housing And Community Services Awards Funding To Jackson County Wildfire Survivor To Buy A New Home
Oregon Housing and Community Services

First recovery grant from the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program

— A Jackson County wildfire survivor is in a new home after becoming the first homeowner to receive funding from the ReOregon Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP). The program’s funding comes from the federal $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery to help Oregonians and communities recover from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters.

The new three-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home is a chance to start fresh and get back a sense of normalcy. “I can finally breathe again,” said Joan, which is not the homeowner’s real name as they did not want to be identified. “I’m safe. I’m secure… It’s hard to explain, but I finally feel like I can hit the un-pause button. I can finally begin where I left off.”

HARP, a federally funded program launched in 2024, provides qualified homeowners whose properties were damaged by the wildfires and straight-line winds in fall 2020 with financial assistance to repair, rebuild, or replace their homes. This homeowner chose the Home Purchase Pathway, which allows eligible survivors to buy a stick-built or manufactured home that is already installed.

“This is exactly what these funds were meant to do,” said Shannon Marheine, director of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). “Although we know it’s taken longer than anyone hoped, this is just the first of many recoveries that will come from all of the hard work that OHCS, our partners, and the survivors themselves have put in over the years.”

OHCS has received hundreds of HARP applications for assistance from every county affected by the disasters, and staff continue to review them for eligibility.

“There were so many friendly and supportive people from start to finish with the HARP application,” Joan said. “The professionalism and communication were appreciated and supportive. They were always in touch and leading me to the next step.”

To read more about Joan’s story, visit https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/OHCS/Posts/Post/A-wildfire-survivor-story-of-loss-support-and-recovery-in-her-own-words.

OHCS encourages survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Disasters, who have not yet applied, to fill out an eligibility questionnaire at https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/disaster-recovery/reoregon/harp/Pages/harp-eligibility-questionnaire.aspx.

To learn more about HARP and other ReOregon programs, visit re.oregon.gov, sign up to receive e-mail notifications, or contact the Call Center at 877-510-6800 or 541-250-0938.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.

 

Josephine Community Library District

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

The Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association has organized a spectacular celebration for Chinese New Year 2025 

The celebration will take place at several venues, including Jacksonville’s New City Hall, Community Center, Library, and the Miners’ Bazaar. This multi-venue event aims to make the celebration accessible and engaging for people of all ages. Whether you are familiar with Chinese customs or experiencing them for the first time, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

While Chinese New Year celebrations are widespread in major cities like San Francisco and New York, Southern Oregon’s observance is unique in its own right. The Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association, founded to preserve and promote Chinese culture in the region, has been hosting such events for many years, providing a rare opportunity for local communities to learn about and celebrate Chinese heritage. The celebration in Jacksonville is an example of how this tradition has blossomed in a small town, thanks to the efforts of cultural preservationists and the local Chinese-American community.

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

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

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

 firebrandcollective.org/harp/

Rogue Valley Humane Society  · Donations Always Needed to Help Community

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

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

David Grubbs’ Murder Investigation Remains Active

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

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

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

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

 

New Edition of the Oregon Blue Book Highlights John Day Fossil Beds and the Great Comet of 2024

Every odd-numbered year since 1911, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office has published the Oregon Blue Book, our state’s official almanac and fact book. Each edition of the book features beautiful, new cover images of Oregon captured by the winners of the Oregon Blue Book Cover Photo Contest.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book front cover features a stunning capture from the Painted Cove in the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Mitchell. Photographer Matt Straite of Keizer made the image which he titled, “The Many Sides of Oregon.” The back cover includes an amazing astrophotography shot titled “Comet/C2023 A” by Nathan Rohde of Shady Cove.

“The Oregon Blue Book is an invitation to learn more about Oregon, engage with your neighbors, our government and our state’s history. It helps us understand what it means to be an Oregonian. The artists who’ve created these cover images captured some of that spirit, and I’m thrilled they’re a part of my first Oregon Blue Book as Secretary of State,” said Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read.

“So many people look right past the desert areas of the state, but there is so much beauty there,” said Straite. “I have always been drawn to images that show the work of mankind in nature, particularly when that work has been added to help others see the nature, like the work of the Civilian Conservation Corp. The way this trail bends at the end is such a strong draw to want to explore more.” Straite also said that he shot this image from the boardwalk, which is there to take people through the sensitive clay hills without harming them.

Nathan Rohde’s image of Comet/C2023 A3, also known as the “Great Comet of 2024” was made near his home. He said he’s always been fascinated by astrophotography and loved trying to capture the Milky Way and the Aurora, but after seeing posts online of other peoples’ images of the comet, he thought he could capture it too: “Living in Southern Oregon affords access to some relatively dark areas. On a tall clearing not far from Lost Creek Lake, I got set up about an hour before sunset and began scanning the sky with my lens fully extended. About 45 minutes after sunset, conditions were perfect and the pictures started coming through!” Rohde said the rolling hills in the foreground were an excellent way to provide scale and accentuate the sky.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book is available for presale purchase now at bluebook.oregon.gov/shop. These limited-edition books are $30 for the hardcover and $18 for the paperback, plus shipping and handling. A downloadable copy of the full cover for use by the media can be found in Oregon Blue Book Assets and Information here.

Frontline Caregivers to Pack the Room for Hearing on Legislation Requiring Hospitals to Disclose Strike Replacement Costs

– Providence caregivers will “pack the room” for a committee hearing on House Bill 2792, legislation that aims to create transparency and ensure that health systems in Oregon, which receive public funding, provide critical financial information to the public about what they are spending to replace striking workers.

The legislation, which was introduced by Representative Travis Nelson and Senator James Manning Jr., comes in the midst of the largest healthcare strike in Oregon history. Nearly 5,000 frontline caregivers from Providence hospitals and facilities across the state have walked off the job because of unsafe staffing, wages that are not competitive with other health systems, and cuts to workers’ healthcare, among other things.

“The costs associated with replacing employees during a labor dispute can be significant, and it is essential that hospitals be transparent about these expenses,” said Rep. Travis Nelson. “This legislation will provide the public, whose taxes help fund our hospitals, with a clearer picture of how healthcare dollars are being spent, and help stakeholders understand how much a hospital is paying to avoid settling fair contracts with their employees.”

The proposed legislation would require hospitals to submit a detailed monthly report to the Oregon Health Authority and to the Bureau of Labor and Industries outlining all the projected costs associated with hiring temporary workers or other staffing replacements in the event of a strike or lockout. The information would be made available to the public, allowing patients, employees, elected officials, and all Oregonians to understand the financial implications of a strike. Currently, hospitals are not required to disclose any of the costs associated with replacing striking workers.

• You can read the legislation in full here.

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), which supports the legislation, estimates Providence is spending at a minimum, more than $25 million per week just on the wages of replacement nurses instead of using those additional resources to settle a contract and pay permanent caregivers, who live in Oregon, a competitive wage. Replacement nurses can make upwards of $8,000 per week just in wages, which is far more than permanent nurses who are out on strike.

“This legislation is an important step towards promoting fairness and transparency in healthcare,” said Kathy Keane, an registered nurse from Providence St. Vincent who is currently on strike. “Providence, one of Oregon’s largest health systems, has a troubling history of financial opacity. When workers go on strike to fight for better patient care and working conditions, hospitals often spend millions of dollars on replacement workers, but those expenditures remain undisclosed. This lack of transparency means that Oregonians–whose tax dollars help fund these hospitals–have no way of knowing how much of their money is being spent to undermine frontline healthcare workers rather than invest in patient care.”

The House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards will be hearing the legislation on Monday, February 10 at 3 p.m. in the Oregon State Capitol, Hearing Room D.

During the committee hearing, frontline caregivers from Providence, who are currently on strike, will present testimony regarding the potential impact of the legislation. The hearing will be open to the public, and members of the media are encouraged to attend. The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) Represents A Diverse Community Of More Than 23,000 Nurses, And Health Care Professionals Throughout Oregon. Together, We Use Our Collective Power To Advocate For Critical Issues Impacting Patients, Nurses, And Health Care Professionals Including A More Effective, Affordable And Accessible Healthcare System; Better Working Conditions For All Health Care Professionals; And Healthier Communities. For More Information Visit Www.OregonRN.org.

Oregon Couple Due in Court Tomorrow on Charges of Posing as Firefighters in Fake Truck

Lawmakers want to make impersonating firefighters a felony as convicted arsonist Dustin Nehl, 31, and his wife Jenni, 44, an atmospheric and fire science educator, are hit with misdemeanor charges and were due in a Van Nuys courtroom Tuesday.

On January 18, convicted arsonist Dustin Nehl, 31, and his wife Jennifer Hastings Nehl, 44, who describes herself as an “atmospheric & fire sciences educator,” pulled up to a checkpoint on the Pacific Coast Highway in a decommissioned fire truck dressed as firefighters.

The couple, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials say, were wearing T-shirts with the name of a nonexistent fire department in Oregon, Roaring River Fire. The fire truck they were driving – with California plates – was also emblazoned with the name of the bogus department and had been purchased at an auction.

In the truck were radios tuned to various first responder channels, hard hats, tactical vests and Cal Fire tees. A law enforcement source told Los Angeles the couple also had tools that could be used “for burglary or who knows what.” What is certain, police officials say, is that the Nehls were not first responders and had no legitimate reason to try to access the Palisades fire burn scar, which led to their arrests on misdemeanor charges last month. 

They were slated to appear in a Van Nuys courtroom Tuesday for pretrial hearing.

The case has raised eyebrows in Los Angeles as the ATF continues to investigate the cause of the Palisades Fire especially given Dustin Nehl’s alarming history of using incendiary devices to set fires at a golf course and a water treatment plant in the town of Woodburn, Oregon.  “This is a significant arrest not only because of the threat to our residents, but to city infrastructure and public safety,” then Woodburn Police Chief Jim Ferraris told reporters after Nehl was captured in 2016.  Nehl was sentenced to five years in prison in 2017.

Jenni Nehl, a National Weather Service-connected climate activist, has no criminal record, prosecutors say. But she does teach juvenile inmates about wind and fire, and encourages them to record rap songs called “Weather Slaps,” that contain lyrics like this one: “We needed help with the heat, so I am getting impatient. Wildfires running wild something breathtaking.” In a since-deleted Facebook post written on July 4, 2021, Nehl posted a photo of a wildfire with the caption, “Tired of just watching it burn? Then give the forests back to the loggers and learn.” (SOURCE)

Oregon DFR encourages people to protect themselves against relationship investment scams

Salem — The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) is warning people to be wary of an unexpected text or direct message from a stranger — it might be the first step in a relationship investment scam, also known as a romance scam or “pig butchering.” These scams often involve fraudsters contacting targets seemingly at random, using social media or common communication apps.

The scammer gains the target’s trust, often by starting a romantic relationship or a friendship. The scammer then starts to convince the victim to invest in phony investments, including fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, before falsely claiming the initial investment grew significantly. The scammer then asks for more money and demands payment of fees or taxes if the victim requests to withdraw the funds. Even when the victim pays the withdrawal fees, the fraudster does not refund the victim’s money, but rather disappears with the funds without any further communication.

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), there are several warning signs to be aware of involving these types of scams:

• Unexpected contact: Never respond to unsolicited messages from unknown contacts, even about seemingly benign topics, especially through text message or on encrypted messaging applications like WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Refusal to participate in video chats: If someone you have been messaging declines to interact face-to-face, they likely are not the person from the profile photo.
• Request for financial information: Don’t share any personal financial information with anyone you have never met in person. If a new virtual friend or romantic connection starts making financial inquiries, put the brakes on the relationship.
• Invitation to invest in specific financial products: Be wary of any unsolicited investment advice or tips, particularly from someone you have spoken to only online, even if they suggest you trade through your own account. Always question what a source has to gain from sharing tips with you and whether the transaction fits with your financial goals and investment strategy.
• Unknown or confusing investment opportunity: Carefully evaluate the product, as well as the person or company requesting your investment. Along with a basic search, try adding words such as “scam” or “fraud” to see what results come up. Consider running recommendations by a third party or an investment professional who has no stake in the investment and use FINRA BrokerCheck to see if the promoter is a registered investment professional.
• Unfamiliar trading platforms: Do extensive research before moving any money, particularly in an emerging market such as cryptocurrency, which has hundreds of exchanges and new avenues for trading that continue to evolve. Who controls the platform? What security measures are in place? How can you withdraw funds if needed? If you don’t know the answers to those questions, do not put your assets there.
• Exaggerated claims and elevated emotions: Take a closer look at any investment that offers much higher than average returns or is touted as “guaranteed.” Fraudsters will also often use their knowledge about you to appeal to your emotions — for example, “Don’t you want to have money to send your kids to college?”
• Sense of urgency about an upcoming news announcement or share price increase: Remember that insider trading is illegal. You should never trade in shares of a company on the basis of material, nonpublic information.

“Romance and crypto scams continue to be the source of significant losses for consumers,” said TK Keen, DFR administrator. “Consumers who receive contacts out of the blue through messaging apps on their phone or other means should be especially suspicious of those trying to entice them into cryptocurrency or any other investments.”

Several states and federal authorities have issued warnings about this type of fraud. In 2023, investment fraud caused the highest losses of any scam reported by the public to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3), totaling $4.57 billion, a 38 percent increase from 2022. Frauds involving cryptocurrency, including relationship investment scams, increased from $2.57 million in 2022 to $3.96 billion in 2023, a 53 percent rise. DFR accepts consumer complaints relating to investment fraud and will forward other scam complaints to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Consumers should also report scams to the FBI’s IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov/. Learn more about relationship investment scams and how to outsmart scammers by visiting DFR’s website.

Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of a relationship investment scam can fill out our online complaint form or contact DFR’s consumer advocates at 1-888-877-4894 (toll-free) or email .financialserviceshelp@dcbs.oregon.gov“>dfr.financialserviceshelp@dcbs.oregon.gov.

Oregon Ranked #2 in the nation for Firewise sites
Oregon Dept. of Forestry

–With 298 Firewise USA sites in good standing, Oregon is again ranked number two in the nation for number of Firewise USA sites. In 2024, Oregon added 32 new sites to create more fire-adapted communities.

Oregon is also honored to share the first Firewise USA site in the country that is located in two states, along the Oregon and California border in Lake County.

Along with being number two as a state in 2024, Oregon is also home to the number four and number five counties with the most sites in the nation: Jackson County with 74 sites and Deschutes County with 78 sites. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the dedication of community members and those that led the charge.

What is Firewise USA? Firewise USA is a program that helps guide communities in the process of protecting their homes and neighborhood from wildfire. The program is run by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and co-sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters and U.S. Forest Service. The Oregon Department of Forestry is responsible for administering the program in Oregon and is a resource to help communities create a community wildfire protection plan, find grants to fund projects, and give expert advice.

This work is not done alone. Through the help of ODF’s partners, community coordinators, and local fire departments, we all work together to complete assessments and help the community develop action plans for implementing wildfire risk reduction activities.

How does a community become a Firewise community? Starting the journey to become a Firewise USA site is as easy as picking up the phone and calling your local ODF office. Only a minimum of eight dwellings are required, meaning that your street, neighborhood or town can be a Firewise USA community.

What are the benefits of becoming a Firewise site? By becoming a Firewise site, you can educate your community and work to become more wildfire resilient. As a Firewise site, you have access to several wildfire partners, like the Oregon Department of Forestry, to help you in securing grants, getting advice, help in coordination and more. Most importantly, you create strong relationships with your neighbors under the common goal of protecting your community from wildfire.

The continuation and growth of the Firewise USA program in Oregon is just one way we can create more fire adapted communities and protect our neighbors.

Oregon Housing and Community Services helps create and preserve more than 500 affordable homes in Marion and Multnomah counties
Oregon Housing and Community Services

— Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) helps to significantly increase the supply of affordable homes by funding the creation and preservation of more than 500 homes in three affordable housing developments. The Barbur Apartments and Peaceful Villa in Portland and Orchard Park Apartments in Salem are set to receive more than $141.3 million in bond funding after the Housing Stability Council approved the financing last week.

The approval of this bond financing leverages more than $48.7 million of state resources, and $30 million of Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits. All three projects combined will bring in more than $10.6 million in annual federal tax credit equity investment.

“No matter where they live, all people of Oregon deserve to have a housing system that works for them. We must dedicate ourselves to making concrete housing progress that actually makes life better,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell.

Innovative Housing, Inc., is developing Barbur Apartments in Portland’s Hillsdale neighborhood. It will become a family-focused community with 149 affordable homes for people with incomes below 60% Area Median Income (AMI). Residents will have access to essential wraparound services tailored to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee families.

OHCS is also investing in innovative ways to transform existing affordable housing in response to Portland’s housing crisis. Home Forward’s Peaceful Villa is set to preserve its existing 70 homes and add 96 more homes, converting it into a new family community. The current residents will temporarily be relocated using the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. Once they move back, they’ll have options to rent one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes with services that include a food pantry, indoor and outdoor play areas, club house spaces, and a computer lab.

In Salem, Aberdeen Capital received $23 million to prevent the conversion of Orchard Park Apartment’s 224 homes to market rate rents after its affordability expired in 2021. This funding, which includes $3 million for immediate repairs, will ensure that rent remains affordable for people with incomes below 60% AMI. This investment is crucial to ensure housing stability for the current residents amid rising rents in the area.

Find more information about each affordable housing development in the Housing Stability Council meeting packet here.

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.

Child sextortion cases in Oregon surge 857% since 2020

The number of sextortion and online solicitation reports in Oregon has skyrocketed 857% over the past five years, the Oregon Department of Justice announced Tuesday to mark Safer Internet Day.

The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) said that increase happened from 2020-2024 based on cyber tips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

• 2020: 197
• 2021: 233
• 2022: 288
• 2023: 409
• 2024: 1,886

Mark Williamson, asst. chief criminal investigator with ICAC, explained how sextortion happens. A child is “friended” on social media sites by someone — usually using a fake identity — who gains their trust. They form a relationship beyond friendship and that person asks the child to send them explicit photographs. Then, the person will demand money from the child, with the threat of releasing the explicit photos to everyone on that child’s social media friends list.

Oregon DOJ says, in most cases, the children keep it a secret because they are too embarrassed to tell their families and unsure of what to do.

Oregon lawmakers approved additional funding for ICAC last year, allowing it to quadruple in size, Oregon DOJ said. That allowed ICAC to clear out a large backlog of cases.

“Our investigators are dedicated to combating online threats,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a statement. “They are working with investigators across the country, and around world in some cases, to get justice for these kids and their families.”

Resources:

• 10 Best Practices for Internet Safety Programs
• How to get nude pictures of minors removed
• What children or families should do if they become a victim of sextortion

 Download PDF

Oregon Sues to Block Musk’s Treasury Access, Fearing He Could Cut Funding to Vital State Programs

Oregon AG Joins 18 Other States in Lawsuit Over Alleged Illegal Data Exposure, Demanding Halt to Musk and DOGE’s Control Over Federal Payments

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield says giving Elon Musk access to the central payment system operated by the Treasury Department could allow him to block funding to critical state programs.

On Friday, Oregon joined 18 other State Attorney Generals in a lawsuit against the federal government to stop unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data and private information.

The lawsuit asserts that the Trump administration has illegally granted Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to the central payment system that includes the personal information of the American people, like Social Security numbers and bank account details.

Rayfield says access could enable DODGE to block payments to critical services like child and health care.

The coalition formed by the 18 attorneys general is calling for an injunction to stop the federal policy that provides Musk and DOGE with Treasury Department access and wants the policy to be declared unconstitutional and unlawful.

In a news release, Rayfield says the country has a ‘president and a billionaire who think they are above the rule of law.’

Rayfield says government decisions must be made in the ‘best interests of the American people,’ adding that ‘Oregon is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial systems.’ He described the federal policy as ‘reckless’ and an ‘unparalleled breach of national security and financial integrity.’

The Oregon Attorney General states that the Treasury is the ‘backbone of our economic stability’ and that unauthorized access could result in ‘catastrophic consequences for all Americans.’ (SOURCE)

The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. Oregon is one of 14 states with the most cases of flu in the nation.

One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to data posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu.

But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.

Some 14 other states, along with New York City, are now at the CDC’s highest tier of influenza activity: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.  U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination.

About 44% of adults got flu shots as winter began, which is the same as last winter. But coverage of children is down, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.

Oregonians looking to renew their vehicle registration and get new tags can now do so at a handful of Fred Meyer stores around the state

The self-service express kiosks from Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services are designed to give Oregonians another way to renew their registration besides at a DMV office, online or by mail, according to a news release.

The kiosks are located in Fred Meyer locations in Salem and Eugene as well as in Beaverton, Bend, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Medford, Oak Grove and Tualatin. A location in Portland is coming soon and the DMV said it plans to offer more kiosks around the state in the future.

In Salem, the kiosk is at the Fred Meyer located at 3740 Market St. NE and allows users to pay by cash, credit or debit card. In Eugene, it’s located at the Fred Meyer at 3333 W 11th Ave. and will only allow payment via debit or credit card.

“We see these kiosks as a way to improve customer service, access and equity,” DMV administrator Amy Joyce said in the news release. “This program is the latest effort aimed at improving the DMV experience for our customers.”

The kiosks are ADA-accessible and registration renewal can be completed in English and Spanish. Users will be charged a $4.95 vendor fee for each transaction.

Customers will need to bring identification (license, permit, or ID card), insurance information and registration renewal notice. — Vehicle registration cards and license plate stickers will be printed after the transaction.

Registration Is Now Open For The Bob Ross-inspired Happy Little (Virtual) 5K Run for the Trees

Oregon Parks Forever  —    Inspired by American painter and PBS television personality Bob Ross’ love of the outdoors, Oregon Parks Forever is sponsoring a virtual 5K race to help plant trees in Oregon’s parks & forests.  Registration is now open for the 2025 Run for the Trees at www.orparksforever.org.

Participants can run, walk, hike, skate, paddle or roll to complete their 5K anywhere outdoors anytime between April 19 and 27 (covering Earth Day and Arbor Day).   Participants are encouraged to register by April 1 to ensure that your swag arrives before the event week.  If you register after April 1, you may not receive your swag before race week. Registration will close on April 15.

For $36 per person, each participant will receive a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number and a finisher’s medal. All Oregon race proceeds support tree planting and forest protection efforts in Oregon parks.  Ten trees will be planted in Oregon for each registration.

Gather your friends, family and/or colleagues and create your own walk or run. Make it fun!

Initially, the “Happy Little Trees” program began with a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Bob Ross Inc., with hundreds of volunteers helping to plant “happy little trees” at locations hard-hit by invasive pests and tree diseases. The partnership quickly expanded to include the Run for the Trees / Happy Little (Virtual) 5K.

As the Happy Little 5K gained popularity, more states have joined the effort. Now in its fifth year, the Happy Little 5K has expanded its reach to include ten other states. Together, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland and Virginia will “lock arms” as they help raise awareness and funding for stewardship efforts in each state’s parks.

“We are thrilled to partner with Bob Ross, Inc. and these other ten states on the Happy Little 5K concept as a way to honor the late Bob Ross and create a legacy event to plant trees,” said Seth Miller, Executive Director of Oregon Parks Forever.”

Oregon Parks Forever joined this event as an expansion of our efforts to fund the replanting of trees killed by wildfires, heat domes and invasive insects.  Over the past three years, Oregon Parks Forever has been able to fund the replanting of more than 800,000 trees across Oregon.

“The official Bob Ross 5K is probably our most favorite initiative,” says Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Company. “It’s the perfect blend of everything Bob held dear; nature, taking care of the environment, and happy trees too of course. He would have been so pleased to see how it’s getting so popular around the world.” —  Learn more about the program at  http://www.orparksforever.org

IRS Direct File, Direct File Oregon Will Be Available When Income Tax Return Processing Begins January 27

Salem, OR— Free electronic filing through the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon will open January 27 when both the IRS and the Oregon Department of Revenue begin processing e-filed 2024 federal and state income tax returns. Paper-filed return processing will begin in mid-February.

The IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own tax returns in 2025 will have the option to electronically file both their federal and state income tax returns for free by filing directly with the IRS and the state.

Taxpayers are encouraged to use the IRS Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify to file directly with the IRS and the state.

E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department won’t be issuing personal income tax refunds until after February 15. A refund hold is part of the department’s tax fraud prevention efforts and allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers and payers report on Forms W-2 and 1099.

E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

The department reminds taxpayers that taking a few easy steps in the next few weeks can make preparing their 2024 tax return easier in 2025.

Free filing options open January 27 — In addition to IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon, other free filing options will also open January 27. Free guided tax preparation is available from several companies for taxpayers that meet income requirements. Free fillable forms are available for all income levels. Using links from the department’s website ensures that both taxpayers’ federal and state return will be filed for free.

Free and low-cost tax help — Free tax preparation services are available for low- to moderate-income taxpayers through AARP and CASH Oregon. United Way also offers free tax help through their MyFreeTaxes program. Visit the Department of Revenue website to take advantage of the software and free offers and get more information about free tax preparation services.

Voluntary self-identification of race and ethnicity information — New for 2025, Oregon taxpayers and Oregonians can voluntarily provide information about their race and ethnicity on Form OR-VSI when they file their 2024 taxes. Providing this information may be done separately from a tax return through Revenue Online. The information will be confidential. It can only be used for research purposes to analyze potential inequities in tax policy. The new option is a result of Senate Bill 1 in 2023.

Use Revenue Online to verify payments — Taxpayers can verify their estimated payments through their Revenue Online account.

Through Revenue Online, individuals can also view letters sent to them by the department, initiate appeals, make payments, and submit questions. Visit Revenue Online on the Revenue website to learn more.

Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.

To check the status of their refund after February 15, or make payments, taxpayers can visit Revenue’s website. You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identification documents

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

Common income and tax documents

• Forms W2 (wages from a job)

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

Optional documents to download

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

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

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Sites Open in Oregon: Program Provides Free Tax Prep to Thousands of Older Adults

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is providing free preparation now through April 15 throughout Oregon. Started in 1968, Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-based tax assistance and preparation program and has served more than 80 million people. For the 2024 tax season, nearly 28,000 volunteers helped almost 1.7 million taxpayers, 965,000 of whom were adults over 50 with low income. Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS, and AARP membership is not required.

“During the 2024 tax season, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers completed over 19,400 federal returns and 18,500 state returns in Oregon with refunds of nearly $39 million,” said AARP Oregon State Director Bandana Shrestha. “Even modest refunds can make an impact on financial resilience, especially for vulnerable older adults. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide helps put money back in the pockets of Oregonians every year by making sure they don’t miss out on the credits and deductions they have earned.”

Tax-Aide volunteers provide free tax preparation and filing services to all with a focus on adults with low to moderate income. Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers a variety of options to better meet the needs of taxpayers. Access to the different types of assistance varies by location.

• In-Person Service: Tax preparation is completed by an IRS-certified Tax-Aide volunteer on-site in one visit.
• One-Visit Scan: Tax documents are scanned at the Tax-Aide site and then Tax-Aide volunteers prepare the return remotely.
• Two-Visit Scan: Tax documents are scanned at the Tax-Aide site and then volunteers prepare the return remotely. During a second visit, taxpayers work with a volunteer to finalize their return and obtain a printed copy for their records.

• Drop-Off Service: Tax documents are left at the Tax-Aide site with a volunteer and the return is prepared remotely. During a second visit, taxpayers work with a volunteer to file their return and obtain a printed copy and their original documents.
• No Site Visit Required (Internet Access Required): Taxpayers upload tax documents to the IRS-provided software. Tax-Aide volunteers prepare the return remotely and work with the taxpayer to file the return electronically.
• Online Coaching: Taxpayers prepare their own return and receive online support from a volunteer to help them along the way.

• Facilitated Self-Assistance: Taxpayers schedule an appointment at a Tax-Aide site to work with a volunteer to complete and file their own return.
• Self-Preparation: Taxpayers prepare their own return using a software product that has been made available through the Tax-Aide website.

Users can find their nearest Tax-Aide location and assistance options through the Tax-Aide site locator. The site locator features a Tax-Aide chat bot that can help book an appointment, answer questions about the program, and transfer the conversation to a live agent if needed or requested. For more information, including which documents to bring to the tax site, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669)

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