Rogue Valley News, Wednesday 9/17 – Wildlife Images Heron Release Today, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley at Talent Maker City Today, Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair Week starts Friday, Wildfire Updates & Other Local and Statewide News Stories

In August, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,900 jobs, following a revised gain of 100 jobs in July. August’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,500 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,500); government (+1,100); and other services (+1,000). Losses were largest in wholesale trade (-1,100 jobs).

Health care and social assistance continued its rapid expansion of the past several years, adding 11,600 jobs, or 3.8%, during the past 12 months. Nursing and residential care facilities added 400 jobs in August and 3,900 jobs, or 6.8%, since August 2024. Hospitals, which added no jobs in August, grew the second fastest of health care’s component industries in the past 12 months (+2,900 jobs, or 4.6%). Social assistance (+2,400 jobs, or 3.0%) and ambulatory health care services (+2,300 jobs, or 2.2%) had slower growth over the year.

Leisure and hospitality grew 2.0% in the past 12 months, gaining 4,100 jobs, following little change the prior two years. Since last August, most of its published component industries added between 2% and 4%. Amusement, gambling, and recreation grew the fastest, adding 1,500 jobs, or 6.7%. In contrast, full-service restaurants cut 1,200 jobs, or 1.8%.

Wholesale trade declined rapidly in the past 12 months (-4,300 jobs, or -5.5%). All three wholesale component industries shrank substantially in that time: merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods (-1,500 jobs, or -4.9%); merchant wholesalers, durable goods (-1,000 jobs, or -2.5%); and wholesale trade agents and brokers (-900 jobs, or -13.0%).

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in August and 4.9%, as revised, in July, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.2% in August 2024. Oregon’s 5.0% unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the recent low of 3.6% during spring 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2% in July and 4.3% in August.

Oregon Homelessness and Eviction Support Programs Face Layoffs as State Funding Drops

Staff fear the cuts will make it harder to help people as the state’s housing crisis persists.

Homeless services providers and tenant advocacy groups in Oregon are slashing jobs and programs. Leaders are blaming the cuts on reduced funds through the Legislature’s recently passed housing budget.

The cuts so far span from Portland to Salem to Monmouth to Eugene, and even more are bracing for layoffs. As evictions and homelessness rise in Oregon, staff say they will be able to serve fewer people, potentially increasing the strain on the state’s social services network.

“We’re seeing the most vulnerable folks getting squeezed on both ends,” said Tim Morris, executive director of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, which reduced its full-time staff from six to two. It can now support about 2,200 households annually compared to the 4,000 it helped last year, he said.

The cuts come just months after the Oregon Legislature passed its housing budget. While the spending plan surpasses $2.6 billion, it reduced funding for the state Housing and Community Services Department by roughly $1 billion over the next two years.

“The cost of everything, including housing, food, everything is rising, while also prevention dollars, like rent assistance and other preventative services are being reduced dramatically,” Morris said. “We are approaching a future in which tenants are just alone and won’t have folks in their corner able to help support them and defend them.”

Democrats blame the state’s mounting financial problems on the Trump administration, which has moved to dramatically downsize federal spending across the country, with steep cuts to social services programs.

For their part, Republicans have blamed Democratic leadership for passing housing policies with vast amounts of money that Oregonians can’t afford. At the same time, evictions and homelessness increased and the number of housing permits issued last year dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade. (SOURCE)

Oregon missed out on $48 million in rural school, community funds since act expired, report finds

Congress has failed for more than a year to reauthorize the 20-year-old Secure Rural Schools bill costing western states millions, Center for American Progress finds

Oregon has lost out on more than $48.6 million in federal money for rural roads, public services and schools since 2023 as Congress failed in the last year to renew a federal act that has sent billions to western states in the last 20 years.

Most recently, Congressional Republicans failed to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act in the tax and spending cut megabill they passed in July. The money is meant to compensate counties with large swaths of federal land within their borders for the costs of providing critical services to people and industries using those lands for activities that generate revenue for the federal government — such as animal grazing and timber production.

Oregon, where more than half of the state consists of federal land, has experienced the biggest loss of any state since the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act expired at the end of 2023, according to a new report from the D.C.-based Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy and think tank.

During the 2023-24 fiscal year, Oregon counties and schools got more than $55 million through the act. But in the most recent fiscal year, Oregon has received roughly $8.4 million, an 85% decrease. Overall, states have lost out on more than $207 million in the two years since the act expired, the Center for American Progress found.

Oregon’s senior Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden co-authored the original Secure Rural Schools Act in 2000 and has tried since November 2024 to reauthorize it with bipartisan Senate support. He said Republicans’ inaction in the U.S. House of Representatives is “gutting rural Oregon counties.”

“I’ve worked on a bipartisan basis to get this vital legislation passed twice in the Senate, and this new report shows just how deeply the House Republican inaction is hurting communities in our state,” he said.

The Senate passed reauthorization bill in November 2024 on a bipartisan vote, but House Republicans’ failure to reach an agreement about how to fund it before the congressional term ended meant the measure died without a vote in December. The Senate passed a bill again in June on a voice vote.

The act’s Republican champion, Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, “is still working behind the scenes to get this legislation moved in the House after the Senate’s now-twice unanimous passage of the reauthorization language. It remains a priority for him,” Crapo spokesperson Melanie Lawhorn said in an email.

Mark Haggerty, a senior fellow and researcher at the Center for American Progress who worked on the analysis, said for years the Secure Rural Schools Act had bipartisan support among western lawmakers. Their biggest battles were getting east-coast lawmakers, whose states don’t see much funding from the program, to agree to pass it. But that’s not the case anymore.

“I think the problem right now is that we’re taking an issue that has not been partisan in the past, that has had strong bipartisan support, but tough national support,” Haggerty said.  “We’re taking that and we’re turning it into a partisan issue, and I think that’s really dangerous for counties and schools.”

In the West, the Secure Rural Schools money has largely helped keep county and school budgets whole following reduced logging and a reduction in timber revenue from federal forests in the 1990s to save imperiled species. The payments have equaled the average amount counties received from timber harvests from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the top three timber-producing years of the 1980s.

Oregon counties have received $4 billion in funding from the bill in the last 24 years. It’s declined by more than half in recent years due to reshifting of funds across eligible states and because it was meant to be transitional.

“You do have to reauthorize and fund it on a recurring basis, which means you always have to find an offset. You always need to find something else you’re not going to pay for if you are going to pay for this,” Haggerty said. “And you know, frankly, Congress, the people who are not in Oregon or Idaho or Montana — this comes up every two or three years — and they’re like: ‘Wait, why are we doing this? Why are we paying for that? Do we really need to be doing this?’”

Impact to Oregon schools

The Klamath County School District in southern Oregon has received the most funding from the act among the state’s school districts — between $800,000 and $1 million each year. Superintendent Glen Szymoniak said the money is crucial for small districts like his.

“Oregon’s the most affected state, and I think we’re the school district in Oregon that is most affected in the state,” he said. “That money is very valuable to us to be able to address whatever problems of the day there are, because without strings being tied to it, we can be innovative in addressing the most important issues facing the district.”

Szymoniak said new affordable housing developments in Klamath Falls have shifted the number of students at some of the district’s elementary schools. A few schools have lost students, but two of the elementary schools are now dealing with 200 more students this year than in previous years.

“We could be investing in building additional classrooms,” he said.

Oregon schools have received more than $368 million from the act since 2004, with an average of $9.7 million each year, according to Oregon Department of Education data. Oregon traditionally counted the Secure Rural Schools payments as local revenues for the sake of the statewide school funding equalization formula, so 165 of the state’s 197 school districts ended up seeing some money from the act. That included the two biggest districts, Portland Public Schools and the Salem-Keizer School District, despite the pair having little to no federal forest land within their boundaries.

This changed in 2023, when Oregon made updates to the distribution model and stopped counting Secure Rural Schools funding as local revenue. The Oregon Department of Education in 2024 agreed to provide retroactive payments to  districts like Klamath County School District that should have received more direct funding from the Secure Rural Schools Act since 2018.

The agency has until Oct. 1 to make up for millions of dollars in underpayments to 82 school districts, including Klamath County School District, which is owed more than $2.5 million.

Despite these issues with funding distribution, districts in Eugene, Douglas County and Roseburg, Springfield and Albany were among the top recipients of funding in the last two decades. And districts near the Klamath National Forest, such as Klamath County School District, have ultimately received greater payments than most other districts in the last two decades. (SOURCE)

PLEASE Help Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires

9/16 – 9 pm – #OregonFires 25#evacuations#fires 4 FIRES in EVALUATION MODE:25 Oregon Wildfires – many are silent fires between 1 to 3 acres. These silent fires can quickly turn into dangerous fires. Please stay alert and ready.FOLEY RIDGE FIRE #lanecounty7 miles East of McKenzie Bridge 437 ACRES 0% containment LEVEL 2 EVAC Be SetKELSEY PEAK FIRE #josephinecounty#currycounty 1035 ACRES – 85% containment. DOWNGRADED to LEVEL 2 (Be set), and Level 1 ( Be set) – ROAD CLOSURES posted below  PINNACLE FIRE  2108 ACRES –#currycounty 3% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC Rogue River Trail under emergency closure.BACKBONE FIRE – 1830 ACRES #currycounty 4% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC – Rogue River Trail under emergency closure Silent Fires and Evacuations can change very quickly, so please stay alert  and safe.

https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/…/a6c8f8e58ad642f4813732233…—————————————————CLINK FOR FIRES 

https://experience.arcgis.com/…/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f3…/ —————————————————-CLINK FOR FIRES  National Interagency Fire Center

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/—————————————————

Preventing wildfires requires a collective effort from everyone—help mitigate the risk of human-caused wildfires and protect our forests and communities.

9/16 – In total this fire season, over 320,000 acres have burned. That’s compared to nearly 2-million acres that burned in the 2024 season.

ODOT Closes 21 Miles of Hwy 242 Due to Foley Ridge Fire

The Foley Ridge Fire that broke out 10 days ago on the Willamette National Forest east of McKenzie Bridge has burned nearly 450 acres and prompted the closure Tuesday of a 21-mile stretch of state Highway 242, at fire officials’ request.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said the highway was closed Tuesday morning between mileposts 55 (the Highway 126 intersection) and 76 due to the lightning-sparked fire. ODOT urged travelers to use alternate routes and avoid the area. There is no estimated time for reopening. Check Trip Check for updates.

Due to the Kelsey Peak Fire and the Moon Complex, the Bureau of Land Management Grants Pass Field Office, along with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, has implemented an emergency closure affecting a section of the Rogue River Trail.

The public is strongly advised to refrain from using the entire trail. Entry into closed areas is strictly prohibited for the public, and all activities—including hiking, hunting, and dispersed camping—are not allowed. The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell.

For further details, please refer to the map available on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

The Kelsey Peak and Moon Complex fires are currently active in steep and challenging terrain. This closure is necessary to safeguard the public and minimize disruptions to firefighting efforts. Fire managers will evaluate the closure and its implications in accordance with effective risk management practices as conditions permit. Weather and fuel conditions continue to be conducive to the spread of fire. The BLM Medford District is currently experiencing extreme fire danger.

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page.

 Support Wildfire Relief by Recycling

There are 2 ways to donate:

 Online with funds from your Green Bag account: https://bottledrop.com/…/obrc-emergency-fund-online…/

 In-person by bringing your redeemable beverage containers to any full-service BottleDrop Redemption Center

All funds raised (and matched) will be split between the following nonprofits providing wildfire relief in Oregon: Oregon Chapter of the WFF , Red Cross Cascades Region, and United Way of the Columbia Gorge.Learn more: BottleDrop.com/Wildfire

After Nearly 50 Years, Identity of Unidentified Remains Confirmed 

The primary pipeline supplying gasoline to Oregon was out of service for approximately 10 days, resulting in a significant increase in pump prices throughout the state, before it reportedly resumed operations on Friday.

Analysts who monitor fuel prices closely anticipate that gas prices will remain elevated at least until the following week — and possibly for an extended period — even as fuel begins to flow through the pipeline once more. The Olympic Pipeline, which is partially owned and operated by the oil and gas corporation BP, transports fuel from refineries located in Washington state to the Portland region. According to experts in the fuel industry, this pipeline was not scheduled for a routine maintenance outage this month. However, on September 2, users began to report disruptions in service. A spokesperson for BP informed OPB that the company does not provide comments regarding its operations.

The regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that oversees pipelines did not respond to a request for information on Friday. In the meantime, gasoline prices in Oregon surged more than in any other state this week. According to the nonprofit American Automobile Association, commonly referred to as AAA, prices increased by an average of 16 cents per gallon in Oregon.

The Oregon Attorney General’s Office has issued a warning regarding a new scam that is aimed at attorneys and their clients. In one instance, the scammer posed as a legitimate attorney to persuade a client to invest funds.

In another case, the scammer was aware that the victim was expecting a substantial settlement and impersonated both the victim and the attorney to fraudulently obtain 700 thousand dollars. Although a hold was placed on the wire transfer, it remains unclear how much, if any, of the funds were recovered. The Attorney General’s office emphasizes the necessity of exercising extreme caution with any monetary transfers.

Oregon has missed out on over $48.6 million in federal funding for rural roads, public services, and schools since 2023, as Congress did not succeed in renewing a federal act that has allocated billions to western states over the past two decades.

This funding is intended to reimburse counties that contain significant amounts of federal land for the expenses incurred in providing essential services to individuals and industries that utilize those lands for revenue-generating activities for the federal government, such as animal grazing and timber production.

Oregon, where more than half of the state is comprised of federal land, has faced the largest loss of any state since the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act at the end of 2023, according to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

An advocate for the movement to abolish vote by mail in Oregon asserts that it is gaining momentum, while detractors argue that it still has a considerable distance to cover.

Initiative 37 has reportedly collected a minimum of 25,000 signatures since July 25, according to chief petitioner Ben Edtl, a Republican political consultant based in Tualatin.

To qualify for the November 2026 ballot, the initiative requires over 156,000 verified signatures by July 2, as stated by the Oregon Secretary of State. Supporters have raised nearly $9,000 to date but have expended close to $12,000.

Oregon initiated trials of a vote-by-mail system in the 1980s, eventually becoming the first state in the nation to officially implement the system. Since that time, seven additional states and Washington D.C. have adopted similar measures.

Oregon governor says she’s trying to ensure COVID vaccine access amid confusion

Governor Kotek on Thursday said she’s trying her best to ensure affordable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for Oregonians, pushing back on criticism that other Democrat-led states across the nation have been more efficient at providing quick inoculations and support for providers before an expected annual spike in respiratory illnesses.

Kotek’s explanation traces back to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to reshape the federal vaccine advisory panel that pharmacists and doctors prescribing the immunization in Oregon and elsewhere rely on for guidance about safety and risks regarding a particular shot. Kennedy fired all members of the panel in June and has since appointed vaccine skeptics to the committee, which is set to meet on Sept. 18-19 and discuss the shot.

Questions around access to the vaccine came to a peak at the end of August, when the Food & Drug Administration announced tightened restrictions that limited the vaccine to people aged 65 or older or those with an underlying health condition that would risk severe illness. Days later, Oregon joined Washington, California and Hawaii to form a “West Coast Health Alliance” aimed at safeguarding vaccine access regardless of shifting federal policies.

Oregon pharmacies began requiring prescriptions under guidelines from the state’s Board of Pharmacy that defer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory panel in adherence with state policy. But in the meantime, other states such as Massachusetts, Washington and Pennsylvania have offered a variety of solutions, including requiring insurers to cover the shots, allowing pharmacists to defer to mainstream medical groups’ guidance and issuing a standing order allowing pharmacists or nurses to inject the shot.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Kotek spokesperson Lucas Bezerra said the governor is frustrated with the federal government’s narrower eligibility and lack of clarity, which has created “a patchwork-like environment for something as basic as vaccine access.” He said the current rollout has fomented demand for the vaccine without an efficient way for Oregonians to access it at a pharmacy with no prescription.

Bezerra noted Washington’s standing order guaranteeing vaccine access without a prescription to individuals ages 6 months and older through a pharmacist or nurse, for instance, was not practical to replicate in Oregon, which doesn’t have a state law giving the Oregon Health Authority the ability to issue similar orders.

“Oregon does not have the same authority, but there may be indirect pathways that allow for an action of this kind,” Bezerra said. “The governor has directed staff to urgently develop ways to mitigate this disruption, with all five agencies working diligently with the governor’s office, to come up with solutions that are the least disruptive, and have the lowest cost, for Oregonians hoping to get the pinch this respiratory virus season.”

In the meantime, doctors, pharmacists and patients across the state have remained frustrated as some locations have canceled appointments and walked back promises of not needing a prescription. The Oregon Board of Pharmacy has advised that patients will need prescriptions, but doctors in Oregon are also hesitant to issue them due to a lack of clear guidance and liability protections from the state and federal government, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday.

The pharmacy board completed rulemaking by August to be able to respond promptly to forthcoming guidance from the Sept. 18-19 vaccine advisory meeting. The agency told the Capital Chronicle that it was originally set to only be able to meet and respond by December, posing what it called “an impossible timeline for respiratory season.”

“We believe there is a misunderstanding of Board actions and the processes to authorize pharmacist administration of vaccines without a prescription,” agency staff wrote in an unsigned statement. “It is important to understand that no protocol for the 25-26 COVID-19 formulation existed prior to or after FDA approval.” (SOURCE)

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson have announced the establishment of a new West Coast Health Alliance aimed at ensuring that residents are safeguarded by scientific evidence rather than political influence.

This alliance signifies a coordinated regional effort to counteract the Trump Administration’s undermining of the U.S. CDC’s credibility and scientific integrity.

Since its inception, the CDC has played a crucial role in safeguarding Americans from diseases. However, according to Kotek, recent changes in leadership, diminished transparency, and the exclusion of long-respected advisory bodies have weakened the agency’s ability to prepare the nation for the respiratory virus season and other public health issues. In the absence of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers are left without dependable information for production planning, healthcare providers find it challenging to deliver consistent care plans, and families are confronted with uncertainty regarding access and coverage.

These three western states continue their political disapproval of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his decision to dismiss all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

In a recent announcement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, it was stated that due to Senator Chris Gorsek’s recovery from complications arising from a scheduled medical procedure, the Senate votes on HB 3991 and HB 3992 will be postponed until September 17.

Gorsek has played a significant role in transportation policymaking. In a statement issued by Governor Tina Kotek, Senator Gorsek was wished a swift recovery, and the Senate’s decision received support.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan expressed her opposition to the recent approval of a $4.3 billion tax package by the Oregon House today. Drazan highlighted that 94% of Oregonians voiced their opposition to the package during public testimony. She condemned the choice to double payroll taxes on Labor Day while simultaneously raising the costs of gas and DMV services.

The Klamath Basin Oktoberfest is set to return on Saturday, Sept. 20th.

This event, organized by the Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA), will occur on Saturday, September 20th from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Bill Collier Ice Arena located in the Running Y Resort in Klamath Falls.

The community is encouraged to attend and partake in craft beers, traditional German cuisine, live entertainment, and enjoyable activities for the entire family.

Tickets for individuals aged 21 and over are priced at $25 if purchased in advance and $30 at the entrance. General admission for non-drinkers is $10, applicable both in advance and at the door. Children aged 12 and under can enter free of charge!

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) commends a substantial investment aimed at assisting more low-income households in managing their utility expenses. In June, legislators approved House Bill 3792, which increased funding for the Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP) from $20 million to $40 million.

Governor Tina Kotek enacted the bill, along with additional energy affordability legislation, into law yesterday. ”  OEAP offers energy assistance to eligible customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, determined by household size and annual income.

Since its inception in 1999, OEAP has aided over 85,000 customers, with 92% of participants successfully avoiding energy shutoffs. In light of the federal administration’s announcement regarding possible reductions and the elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Oregon lawmakers took action to protect residents from this uncertainty by broadening the state-funded OEAP.

LIHEAP, which delivers grants and energy efficiency services to millions across the nation, has become a crucial support system for families.

Astronomy Festival brings star parties, photography, hikes & more Sept. 25-27

COOS BAY, Oregon— The Sunset Bay Astronomy Festival returns to Sunset Bay and Shore Acres state parks near Coos Bay for a three-day event Sept. 25-27.

Activities include guided hikes, interpretive programs including JR Ranger programs, a night-sky photography workshop on Sept. 25 and a star party each night.

“Places like Sunset Bay and Shore Acres offer visitors a chance to see the natural world not only during the day but also at night. They’re special because they show us what the sky looked like everywhere before light pollution. Seeing the night sky in its full brilliance is powerful and, for many, even emotional,” said Park Manager Lee Ricci.

The astronomy festival gives visitors a chance to see and learn more about the night sky.

NOTE: Outdoor events are weather dependent.

Thursday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Our Star, The Sun JR Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Night Sky Photography Workshop. Sign up required. Email Kenneth.Page@oprd.oregon.gov to sign up.
• 7:30 p.m.: Navigating by The Stars program at Shore Acres Gardens
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Thursday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Friday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Constellation Station Junior Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 6-7 p.m.: Jellyfish: The Alien Next Door guided hike (meet at Shore Acres Observation Building for 1-mile hike)
• 7:30: How to Talk to Aliens Even if You’re Shy evening program at Shore Acres Garden
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Friday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Saturday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Guided hike (Meet at Interpretive Center at Sunset Bay Campground for 1-mile hike)
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 7:30 p.m.: Imagining Other Worlds Night Program at Shore Acres
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Saturday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs

No veteran should be without a place to call home, and the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is committed to ending veteran homelessness in our state.

The new ODVA Houseless Veterans Program collaborates with federal, state, county, and Tribal agencies, veteran services offices, and community homeless service providers to meet the urgent and unique needs of Oregon’s diverse veteran communities challenged with housing stability.

In addition to advocating for Oregon veterans experiencing or at risk for houselessness, the program provides direct service to veterans and their families seeking federal and state veterans’ benefits, including access to local VA health care, documentation of service, as well as other available state benefits, and local homeless services organizations and low-income assistance programs.

If you or a veteran you know is dealing with homelessness, contact the ODVA Houseless Veterans Coordinator today at houselessvets@odva.oregon.gov or visit https://ow.ly/V4EH50VnL93 to learn more.

Staying Informed During a Communications Outage: Best Practices for the Public

Disasters can damage critical infrastructure, leading to temporary outages in cell service, internet, and power. When communication systems go down, it’s vital to be prepared with alternate ways to get emergency information and stay connected. Here’s how you can prepare and respond:

  Have a Battery-Powered or Hand-Crank Emergency Weather Radio

• Why it matters: Emergency radios can receive Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts via AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio frequencies—even when cell towers and the internet are down.
• Note: Emergency radios do not receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) like cell phones do. Tip: Pre-tune your radio to your local emergency broadcast station (e.g., OPB in Oregon or NOAA frequencies).

Turn On WEA Alerts on Your Phone

• Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are enabled in your phone’s settings. These alerts include evacuation orders, severe weather warnings, and other urgent notifications.
• WEA messages are sent through cell towers—if cell service is out, WEA alerts will not be delivered. This is why having backup methods like a radio is essential.

Charge Everything in Advance and Have Backup Power

• Charge phones, power banks, laptops, and rechargeable flashlights before fire weather conditions worsen.
• Consider solar-powered chargers or car chargers as backups.
• If you are sheltering in place, a generator (solar or gas powered) is helpful.

Know Your Evacuation Routes in Advance

• Save printed or downloaded evacuation maps in case you can’t access GPS or navigation apps.
• Most mapping services (like Google Maps or Apple Maps) offer the ability to “Make maps available offline.” Download your area in advance so you can navigate even if cell towers or internet access are down.
• When in doubt, call 511 or visit the TripCheck.com website if you have cell service.
• Don’t wait for a notification—if you feel unsafe, evacuate early.

Print or Write Down Critical Contacts and Info

• Phone numbers of family, neighbors, and local emergency contacts.
• Address of evacuation shelters, veterinary services (for pets/livestock), and medical facilities.
• Your own emergency plan, including meeting locations.
• Have copies of vital documents in your go-bag and take video of your property (inside and out) for insurance claims later.

If Calling 9-1-1 Over Wi-Fi or Satellite, Check Your Location Settings

If you call 9-1-1 using Wi-Fi calling or a satellite-connected phone (like an iPhone or Android), your location might not be automatically visible to dispatch. Instead, it may rely on the emergency address saved in your phone’s settings.

• Update this emergency address when you travel or relocate—especially in evacuation zones or rural areas.
• Most importantly, always tell the dispatcher exactly where you are—include your address, landmarks, road names, or mile markers to help first responders reach you quickly.

Sign Up for Alerts Before There’s an Outage

• Register for OR-Alert and your county’s local alert system.
• Follow your local emergency management officials’ and bookmark resources like: wildfire.oregon.gov.

 Prepare for Alert Delays or Gaps

• Know the three levels of evacuation:
  • Level 1 – Be Ready
  • Level 2 – Be Set
  • Level 3 – GO NOW
• If you hear a siren, see a neighbor evacuating, or witness fire behavior increasing—take action even if you haven’t received an alert.

 Be Your Own Info Network

• Check on neighbors, especially seniors or those with disabilities.
• Post printed signs with updates for those passing by.

In rural areas, community bulletin boards or fire stations may serve as local information points.

Support and Restoration in Progress
To help maintain emergency communications during this incident, OEM deployed eight Starlink terminals under the guidance of ESF 2 and the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). A Communications Technician (Jeff Perkins) was also deployed to assess connectivity needs on the ground. These Starlink terminals have been providing service to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Oregon State Police (OSP), Warner Creek Correctional Facility, and will soon support the town of Lakeview, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Lakeview Ranger Station. OEM’s Regional Coordinator (Stacey) is also on-site supporting the Lake County EOC. Coordination has been strong across local, state, and private sector partners. *** Update: As of 7/10/25 at 1:47 PM, fiber service has been restored.

Reconnect When Service Returns

• Once communications are restored, check official websites:
  • Oregon.gov/oem
  • Your county emergency management page
  • TripCheck.com for road conditions
• Share verified info—not rumors—on social media or community pages.

 Prepare for Delays in Restoration

• Communication may come back in phases. Damage to fiber lines or cell towers can take time to repair.
• Continue using backup methods and stay alert for updates via radio or in-person notices.

 Final Tip:

In an emergency, CALL 9-1-1 to report life-threatening danger, not for general information. Use local non-emergency numbers or go to physical information points if needed. You can find more tips for preparing in OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready toolkit.

Oregon’s Missing Persons

Many times you’ll see postings without case numbers or police contact. There is rarely a nefarious reason why (the nefarious ones are pretty obvious). Usually the loved one tried to call to report their missing person and they are either refused or told to wait a day or two by people who are unaware of SB 351 and the laws that they are bound to when answering the phone. Many people don’t bother calling LE if their loved one is homeless or in transition because they believe LE won’t care. The biggest myth is the 24 hour rule.