On Monday, November 18, 2019 at approximately 11:50 A.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel  responded to a two vehicle collision on Hwy 221(Wallace Rd) near Milepost 10.5.

Preliminary investigation revealed a gray 2004 Volkswagen Passat, operated by Krista Ashley (33) of Salem, was northbound on Hwy 221 when for unknown reasons crossed into the southbound lane striking a black 2019 Chevy Cruz, being operated by Susie Valdez (69) of Salem.

Valdez and her passenger, Robert Valdez (70) of Salem both sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.

Ashley was transported to Salem Hospital with serious injuries.

There were three passengers in the Passat driven by Ashley:

A juvenile female sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at Salem Hospital. 

Daniel Norris (28) of Salem was transported to Salem Hospital with serious injuries.

A juvenile female was transported to Salem Hospital with serious injuries.

Hwy 221 was closed for approximately 4.5 hours.

Oregon State Police was assisted by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, Dayton Fire, and ODOT.

Investigation is continuing 

Released by: Sgt. Shawn Heierman- Patrol Division

Release Date: November 18, 2019

Incident Location:  Undeveloped property near NE 17th, NE Hemlock Ave.

Suspect: Earl Benjamin Noble   Age: 47 years old

Charges: Burglary 1

                 Assault 4

                 Menacing

                 Unlawful use of a Weapon

                 Felon in Possession of a firearm

Victim: David Ybarra  Age: 60 years old

NARRATIVE:

On November 18, 2019 at approximately 5:00 a.m., 911 dispatch received a call from a female at a transient camp east of Redmond City Limits just east of the NE 17th and Hemlock Ave intersection. The female caller reported a physical dispute over a stolen utility trailer and stated gunshots were fired during the dispute between victim, David Ybarra and suspect, Earl Noble.

Several members of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office along with DCSO Swat, Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department and Oregon State Police units arrived on scene to assist with evacuation of the camp residents, and to secure and search the area for Noble.

It was determined Noble had fled the area shortly after Law Enforcement arrival. Ybarra suffered minor injuries and no other parties were apparently harmed.

At this time, Earl Noble is wanted for questioning in regards to this incident. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Please call 911 to report any information regarding Noble's whereabouts or this incident. This investigation is on-going and further information will be released when appropriate.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland couple pleaded guilty today in federal court to defrauding a local elderly couple of approximately $1.8 million in a scheme lasting more than two years.

Ronnie Stevens aka Tim Ephrem, 50, and Tina Ephrem aka Lisa Ann Peterson, 43, each pleaded guilty today to a one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents, between September 2016 and December 2018, Stevens and Ephrem conspired with one another to defraud an elderly couple, Adult Victim 1 (AV1) and Adult Victim 2 (AV2).

The scheme began in September 2016 when AV1, who was 76 years old at the time, offered a commercial trailer for sale at his business. Stevens claimed he brokered vehicle sales and could sell the trailer in exchange for a cut of the profit. Stevens did not ultimately sell the trailer, but quickly ingratiated himself with the victim.

Stevens later approached AV1 with an alleged lucrative investment opportunity. Stevens claimed that a friend named Tammy Ward was set to inherit an estate valued in excess of $100 million from her recently deceased father, but could not come up with the fees and legal costs necessary to release the estate. Stevens told AV1 that if he could advance the funds to release the estate, AV1 would receive a substantial return when the estate closed.

AV1 made multiple payments to Stevens over a period of time as Stevens told him various stories about delays and increased costs associated with the release of the estate. As part of the conspiracy, AV1 and AV2 both spoke to a woman on the phone who claimed to be Tammy Ward. Investigators revealed that Tammy Ward was a fictitious identity used by Stevens and Ephrem as part of the fraud scheme.

Between 2016 and 2018, Stevens placed more than 5,000 outgoing calls to AV1 and AV2 and, along with Ephrem, stole more than $1.8 million from their two victims. Stevens and Ephrem spent the stolen money on rent, utility bills, restaurants, cigars, luxury retail purchases and repeated travel to Las Vegas, Nevada and other locations including Hawaii, Anaheim, California, and Spirit Mountain Lodge in Grand Ronde, Oregon.

Stevens and Ephrem were arrested on January 11, 2019. They made their initial appearances in federal court the same day and were ordered detained.

Stevens and Ephrem each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. They will be sentenced on February 13, 2020 before U.S. Chief District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

As part of the plea agreement, Stevens and Ephrem have agreed to pay full restitution to their victims as determined and ordered by the court.

This case was investigated by the Tigard Police Department and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Donna Maddux and Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting nearly 10% of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you or someone you know needs help, abuse complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder abuse victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

# # #

November 18, 2019

Media contact: Allyson Hagen, 503-449-6457, allyson.hagen@dhsoha.state.or.us

Program contact: Jeff Scroggin, 541-999-6983, ey.scroggin@dhsoha.state.or.us">jeffrey.scroggin@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

SB 1041 CCO Financial Reporting Advisory Group meets November 20

What: A public meeting of the SB 1041 CCO Financial Reporting Advisory Group.

When: November 20, 8-10 a.m.

Where: Five Oak Building, 421 SW Oak St, Suite 775, Portland. Members of the public can call in to listen by dialing 888-808-6929, participant code 915042#.

Agenda: Welcome and introductions; group purpose and charter review; National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) lessons learned; public testimony; Exhibit L initial review.

Background: The group is charged with recommending ways to reconcile the differences between the financial reporting required by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the financial reporting that OHA needs to regulate coordinated care organizations (CCOs).

For more information on the meeting, visit the group’s meeting page.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Jeff Scroggin at 541-999-6983, 711 TTY at least 48 hours before the meeting.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Dante Emmanuel Hall, 32, of Portland, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Hall was involved in an early-morning fight in a downtown Portland parking lot on September 30, 2018 that resulted in two shootings. Surveillance video obtained from an adjacent business recorded Hall arriving with a large group of people and stashing an item near the tire of a parked vehicle. This item was later determined to be a loaded Walther 9mm handgun.

The fight began when an individual attempted to punch Hall in the face. In response, Portland resident Patrick Kimmons brandished a firearm and fired three shots into the chest of Hall’s assailant. One of the rounds struck Hall in the hip. Kimmons was then shot and killed by police after running at officers with a firearm and failing to comply with their commands. Within minutes of the shooting, Hall and another subject arrived at Legacy Emanuel Hospital with gunshot wounds and police were notified.

After attempting to get a statement from a belligerent and uncooperative Hall, the responding officer applied for, obtained and executed a federal search warrant on Hall’s hospital room. The officer located and seized Hall’s cell phone hidden beneath the hospital bed mattress. A search of the phone revealed numerous photos and videos of Hall in possession of three different firearms including what appeared to be the same Walther 9mm handgun found in the parking lot where the fight and shootings occurred.

Hall has a long history of firearm-related offenses and convictions.

On September 6, 2012, he pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Four days after his release from prison after serving just eight months, Hall was involved in a gang-related shooting during which he fired a handgun outside a Portland strip club. He was convicted of unlawful use of a weapon in Multnomah County Circuit Court and sentenced to 40 months in prison.

Within months of his release from state prison and recommencing federal supervised release, Hall once again violated his supervision terms. On August 9, 2017, he was arrested riding in a car with a known Rollin’ 60s gang member who was driving and eluded police. As a result, on October 19, 2017, he was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for the violation with no re-imposition of supervised release.

Within 48 hours of his final release from federal prison, Hall possessed a firearm and was involved in a June 24, 2018 shooting outside a bar in Vancouver, Washington. The shooting injured an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. This shooting occurred approximately three months prior to the September 2018 shooting in downtown Portland.

On April 25, 2018, Hall pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Leah K. Bolstad and Thomas H. Edmonds, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

# # #

For Immediate Release                                        

October 23, 2019

Contact:   Mona Riesterer  
                (503) 378-2431

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Police Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 10:00 a.m.  November 21, 2019 in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon.  For further information, please contact Mona Riesterer at (503) 378-2431.

Agenda Items:

1.  Introductions

2.  Approve Meeting Minutes of the August 15, 2019 Meeting

3.  Administrative Closures – Police

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

4.  Lupton, Williams #41371; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Police Certifications – Jacksonville Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

5.  Thomas, Nathan #53344; Basic and Intermediate Police Certifications – Roseburg Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

6.  Gibson, Zachariah #48800; Basic and Intermediate Police Certifications – Clatskanie Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

7.  Candiff, James #51133; Basic and Intermediate Police Certifications – Scappoose Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

8.  Evans, Timmy #29606; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Police Certifications – Portland Police Bureau

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

9.  O’Malley, Patrick; Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Supervisory Corrections Certification and Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Supervisory Police Certifications – Lebanon Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

10. Saulo, Caleb #59701; Appeal of Academy Dismissal – Warm Springs Police Department

Presented by Linsay Hale

11. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0010; Establishing Pre-employment Psychological Screening Standards for Compliance with SB 423

Presented by Jennifer Howald

12. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0015: Background Investigations

Presented by Jennifer Howald

13. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0010, 259-008-0011 and 259-008-0067: Establishing the Expiration of DPSST Safety Professional Certifications

Presented by Jennifer Howald

14. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0070: Criminal Justice Moral Fitness Workgroup Recommendations and Review of Comments

Presented by Jennifer Howald

15. Department Update

16.  Next Police Policy Committee Meeting – February 20, 2020

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Police Policy Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have -disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

## Background Information on the DPSST ##

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement.  Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Patricia Patrick-Joling, public citizen representative, serves as the Chair of the Board. The department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 40,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.

DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem: certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Vasiliy V. Barbiyeru, Jr., 25, of Newberg, Oregon, was sentenced today to nine months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for transmitting threatening interstate communications.

According to court documents, on October 7, 2017, Barbiyeru sent a threatening email to several individuals and groups at Deep Springs College in Big Pine, California where he had been denied admission. Barbiyeru had previously posted a threat directed at the college on the 4chan message board and had sent similar threatening emails to the college’s president and other associated persons.

On March 1, 2019, Barbiyeru was charged with first degree disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, in Clackamas County Circuit Court after making similar threats of violence to Lake Oswego High School. Barbiyeru was arrested a short time later by the Lake Oswego Police Department. His state charges are still pending.         

On August 22, 2019, Barbiyeru pleaded guilty to one count of threatening interstate communications.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Newberg and McMinnville Police Departments and was being prosecuted by Hannah Horsley, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

# # #

The FBI is featuring the October 21, 2019, robbery at the Oregon Community Credit Union in Eugene on its Unknown Bank Robbers webpage in an effort to generate more tips to help identify the woman responsible. The FBI and the Eugene Police Department are working this case jointly.

At about 4:40 on that Monday afternoon, the woman walked into the branch, located at 2880 Chad Drive in Eugene, and demanded cash. Once she received an undisclosed amount of cash, she exited the bank and may have left the area in a silver pick-up truck, possibly a later-model Dodge 1500, double-cab.

Description:

White woman

Age:  Mid 30’s

Height: Approximately 5’6”

Build:  Heavy with a round face and cleft chin

Hair: Possibly bleach blonde

Other: Pierced ears and may wear glasses

Clothing: Black or dark grey v-neck long-sleeved shirt or sweater with 3 buttons at the top; black pants with light-colored flowers or circles; dark black and tan shoes; black purse with silver handles; dark grey or green beanie hat; and sunglasses with purple lenses.

The FBI’s unknown bank robber poster can be seen at https://bankrobbers.fbi.gov/robbers-container/2019-11-14.8556290648.  Anyone with information is asked to submit a tip Eugene Police Department at (541) 682-5111. You can also report information to https://tips.fbi.gov or call the nearest FBI office. In Eugene, the FBI can be reached at (541) 343-5222.

###

Ten Oregon communities received an early holiday gift recently when 30kW and 56kW generators were delivered to their county or municipal office, thanks to the disbursement of money from the Resiliency Grant Fund. The fund’s purpose is the procurement of emergency preparedness equipment to help Oregon communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. The program is known as the State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Grant program. 

One of the awardees, Lane County, received a 56kW power generator which will be used to power a pump for an emergency water supply system at Lane County Fairgrounds, and be an available asset in times of emergencies, according to Lane County Emergency Manager Patence Winningham.

“It’s a deployable asset we can move around to our area of greatest need,” said Winningham.  “The ability to supply power, especially to our rural communities, during emergencies is a huge benefit,” she said.

Other awardees include:

• Lookingglass Rural Fire District, Douglas Co. (30kW generator)
• City of Madras, Jefferson Co. (30kW generator)
• City of Estacada, Clackamas Co. (30kW generator)
• Lower Umpqua Hospital District, Douglas Co. (30kW generator)
• Wallowa County Emergency Management (56kW generator)
• City of Hubbard, Marion Co. (56kW generator)
• City of Sublimity, Marion Co. (56kW generator)
• City of Butte Falls, Jackson Co. (56kW generator)
• City of St. Paul, Marion Co. (56kW generator)

In all, 80 grant jurisdictions around the state will receive SPIRE-funded equipment. While the recent awardees requested generators, eligible equipment covers four priorities: saving/sustaining lives, obtaining/maintaining situational awareness, incident stabilization and initiate recovery. 

SPIRE Grant Coordinator Jim Jungling said he believes the program makes sense for Oregon.

“This money is bringing practical equipment to communities that can save lives and property during emergencies,” Jungling said.  “It’s a project I’m proud to be working on because it’s a smart investment for Oregon that is getting communities better prepared.”

A total of $5 million has been allotted to procure emergency preparedness equipment to help Oregon communities prepare, respond and recover from emergencies.

The SPIRE grant is a result of HB 2867, which became effective in August 2017, established a grant program to distribute emergency preparedness equipment, which may include vehicles or other property, to local governments and other recipients to be used to decrease risk of life and property resulting from an emergency.

(Salem) – Oregon OSHA has fined Orchard View Inc., a fruit farm in The Dalles, $37,800 for five job safety violations – four of them repeat offenses – including failing to train employees in the safe operation of tractors. The failures exposed workers to serious injury or death.

The agency opened an inspection of the company in response to a confidential complaint. During the inspection, the agency found four tractor rollovers had occurred since 2012, resulting in three operators being injured. The most recent of those injuries happened in May when a tractor operator jumped from the vehicle when it rolled over on a steep incline.

The rollover problems prompted Oregon OSHA to expand its inspection of Orchard View.

The inspection found employees had raised concerns with the company about parking brakes on John Deere and Kubota tractors not being able to hold the loaded vehicles on the steep slopes in the orchard.

The company could have addressed those concerns by training employees to know when to avoid too-steep slopes, posting hazard signs indicating such situations, or allowing the tractor operator to stay in the cab – in control of the vehicle – by assigning another crew member to help with the work in the field.

Instead, Orchard View had this advice for tractor operators: Shove a piece of wood behind the wheels or drive on flat land.

In fact, four of the five violations cited by Oregon OSHA involved the company failing to follow requirements for safely operating tractors. Those violations are:

• Failing to ensure that parking brakes can secure loaded tractors on any grade on which they park, and on any surface free of ice or snow.
• Failing to train tractor operators to know when to stay off slopes too steep for safe operations in the orchard. Slopes that are too steep will likely cause a tractor to roll over. This was a repeat violation.
• Failing to train tractor operators to fasten their seatbelts when the tractor has a rollover protective structure. This was a repeat violation.
• Allowing employees to operate tractors on a sloped hillside without rollover protective devices in the upright position. This was a repeat violation.

“There are clear steps agricultural employers can take to control and eliminate hazards, and to provide proper safety training for their workers,” said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. “As this case illustrates, ignoring such steps only serves to put people in harm’s way.”

Oregon OSHA also cited the company for failing to ensure its safety committee – after evaluating tractor rollovers – made recommendations to managers to prevent such potentially fatal accidents from happening again. This, too, was a repeat violation.

In addition to its enforcement activities, Oregon OSHA offers employers resources to help improve workplace safety and health.

The agency’s technical staff members can answer questions about rules and how to apply them:

Phone: 503-378-3272

Toll-free in Oregon: 800-922-2689

Email: tech.web@oregon.gov

Online contact form: https://osha.oregon.gov/Pages/Contact-Technical.aspx

Contact Oregon OSHA’s no-cost consultation services for help with safety and health programs:

Phone: 503-378-3272

Toll-free in Oregon: 800-922-2689

Field office locations and phone numbers: https://osha.oregon.gov/Pages/maps.aspx

Email: consult.web@oregon.gov

Visit Oregon OSHA’s A-to-Z topic page about safety and health in agriculture: https://osha.oregon.gov/Pages/topics/agriculture.aspx

###

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.

Merle Comfort, a member of both the La Grande School District and InterMountain ESD boards, has been named the 2019 Oregon School Board Member of the Year.

Comfort was recognized Saturday at the Oregon School Boards Association’s 73rd Annual Convention in downtown Portland. OSBA launched the Oregon School Board Member of the Year (link to http://www.osba.org/About-OSBA/OregonSchoolBoardMemberOfTheYear.aspx) award in 2018 to recognize outstanding volunteers who make a difference in their communities.

"Here is a person who gives a huge amount of time and energy and is totally dedicated to the welfare of his districts' kids," said OSBA Executive Director Jim Green.  

Comfort served La Grande schools from 1991 to 1999 and again from 2007 to the present. He has been on the InterMountain Education Service District board since the ESD was created in 2011.

“Merle epitomizes what a strong education leader is for rural Oregon,” said InterMountain ESD Superintendent Mark Mulvihill.

Comfort started school board service before his only child, Denise Comfort, was born in 1994. Comfort planned to have children, and he wanted to make sure the schools were as good as they could be.

Comfort’s daughter graduated from high school in 2013, but he has kept going. He said he stayed on to help the district pass its first bond in decades in 2014.

Colleagues credit Comfort for his leadership during the bond process, and he called it one of his proudest accomplishments.

“Until it passed, you have hopes and dreams,” he said. “When it passes, you see some of those hopes and dreams come to fruition.”

Comfort said the Student Success Act, passed in 2019, offers a chance to reverse the effects of three decades of property tax cuts. The act will raise about $1 billion annually for schools through a new business tax.

Nominees for the statewide award were considered for their advocacy efforts, leadership and support for student achievement. Comfort’s name will be placed on the OSBA website and engraved on a plaque in OSBA’s Salem office. He also will be able to register for OSBA events free for a year.

Green reminded school board members to keep an eye out for fellow members’ accomplishments and begin considering nominations when they open in January 2020.

OSBA is a non-profit member services agency for more than 200 locally elected boards serving school districts, education service districts and community colleges.

Date; Sunday November 17th, 2019

Case; 2019-374558

Date and Time; November 17, 2019 @1710

Type of Incident; Vehicle vs Pedestrian Motor Vehicle crash with injury

Location NW Newport Ave. @ NW 11th Street

Narrative;

Victim; 68 year old Bend Resident

Driver; 69 year old Bend Resident

On November 17th at about 5:10pm Officers from the City of Bend Police Department responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian motor vehicle crash. The reporting citizens called Deschutes County 911 to report a male had been struck by a vehicle in the intersection of NW Newport Avenue and NW 11th Street. The male was on the ground and reported to be injured. Officers responded and found the male was being attended by citizens that included a person in the medical care profession. Officers and citizens worked together to stabilize the male until Bend Fire arrived and provided further care. The male was transported to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. Further investigation revealed the male was crossing NW Newport Avenue @ NW 11th Street in the cross walk when he was struck by the vehicle traveling west on NW Newport. The driver of the vehicle was issued a citation for Failure to stop and remain stopped for Pedestrian. The roadway was closed for approximately one hour. The Bend Police Department was assisted by Bend Fire and Rescue. The Bend Police Department would also like to thank the citizens that provided care to the injured person and remained on scene to provide statements to investigating officers.

Submitted by Sgt. R.C. Bigelow 

#####End of Release#######

The next ISOR-PH board meeting is scheduled for November 21, 2019 at 4:00 PM.

Insight School of Oregon Painted Hills Board Members are hereby notified that the Meeting of the Board will be held at:

1.Via Teleconference:

Conference Call Number: 1-888-824-5783

Conference Code Number: 54433245#

And

2. Via Web Conference

http://tinyurl.com/ISORPH-SchoolBoardMeeting

The Public has been invited to the Board Meeting with notices posted at the following locations:

A. FlashNet Newswire

http://flashalertbend.net/press-releases.html

B. Insight School of Oregon Painted Hills Office

603 NW 3rd Street

Prineville, OR 97754

On Friday, November 15, 2019 at approximately 4:52 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel  responded to a pedestrian that had been struck on Interstate 5 near milepost 174, in Cottage Grove, OR. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the pedestrian, identified as Andrew Evans (43) from Cottage Grove, entered the road from the southbound shoulder and into the path of a CMV operated by Ignacio Moncada (46) of Winton, CA.

Evans sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Moncada was not injured.

One southbound lane was closed for 2.5 hours. 

Oregon State Police was assisted by the Cottage Grove Police Department,  South Lane Fire and EMS, and ODOT.

.

UPDATE

James Fisher was located at approximately 6:00am in the Sisters area.  Fisher contacted a resident in the 16000 block of Perit Huntington Road in Sisters and sought shelter from the temperatures.  The resident immediately contacted Deschutes County 911 and provided the information.  Deschutes County Sheriff's Office deputies responded and verified that the subject was James Fisher.  

Fisher was transported by EMS to the hospital for evaluation.

MEDIA RELEASE  

DCSO Searching for Missing Sisters Area Man

Released by: Sgt. Deke DeMars

Release Date: November 16, 2019

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Sisters area man, last seen around 10:00 pm on Friday November 15th, 2019 at his residence in the 400 block of N Songbird Street in Sisters.

James Fisher, age 89, is believed to have left his residence on N Songbird Street on foot, sometime after 10:00 pm November 15th, 2019.  His whereabouts are unknown and investigators have learned Fisher has difficulty hearing and suffers from memory loss. Fisher is described as a white male, 6’2”, 165 lbs, with gray colored hair and green eyes.  Fisher is possibly wearing a black plaid flannel long sleeve shirt, light blue jeans with black shoes and might be wearing a black Oregon State University baseball hat.

Fisher does not have a phone with him and has difficulty walking.  He is familiar with the areas of downtown Sisters, the Timber Creek Subdivision, and the shopping center near Bi-Mart and Rays Food Place in Sisters. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information or that has seen James Fisher to call into non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 and speak with a deputy.

A photo of Fisher is attached to this release for reference. 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

## End of Release ##

Released by:          Dep. Josh Westfall, Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator

Occurred:              11/15/2019     1:40 PM

Location:               Smith Rock State Park

Rescued:               Roth, Jennifer, Sutherlin, OR, 48 year old female

NARRATIVE:

On 11/15/19 at about 1:41 PM, Deschutes County dispatch received a 911 call regarding an injured hiker, later identified as Jennifer Roth, who had slipped and fell on the trail while hiking on top of Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park. While the injury was reportedly non-life-threatening, it had left Roth immobilized and stranded on top of Misery Ridge.

One Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and 13 Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Volunteers responded to the scene to assist. Redmond Fire and Rescue also responded to the scene and were the first to make contact with Roth, tending to her injuries until DCSO units could arrive.

The DCSO Deputy and SAR volunteers, along with the assistance of Redmond Fire, transported Roth down the Misery Ridge trail on wheeled litter. Roth was handed over to a member of her party at her request and was reportedly intending on seeking further treatment of her injuries at St. Charles.  

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

Vancouver, Wash. — The Bonneville Power Administration’s innovative approach to recycling saved Northwest electric ratepayers nearly $3 million in 2018, with more savings projected for 2019. The agency’s sustainability efforts – from recycling transmission conductor and tower parts to auctioning off used equipment – are winning national sustainability awards.

One of BPA’s innovative approaches to recycling is its use of a machine known as the linear chopper. The device’s technology uses magnets to separate the aluminum and steel components of used high-voltage conductor wire – something BPA has a lot of. The agency owns 15,000 miles of transmission line across the west.

Once the used line is fed into the chopper, bits of steel and aluminum are separated and spewed out on opposite sides of the machine. The metal is then sent to regional smelters where it can fetch a healthy price. Since March of 2018, the machine has recovered more than 375 tons of aluminum valued at $700,000. That’s a lot of aluminum when you consider the Statue of Liberty weighs 225 tons.

“Our sustainability efforts go hand-in-hand with our commitment to being responsible stewards of the environment and accountable to our ratepayers,” says Robin Furrer, BPA’s chief administrative officer. “We recover approximately 90% of our used materials, so we throw away very little.”

Aside from the chopper, the agency’s other recycling efforts include auctioning off used equipment, recycling components from computers and electronic waste and donating used furniture.

In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored BPA with the Federal Green Challenge Materials Management Award. The EPA is honoring BPA again in 2019 for its outstanding sustainability efforts and care for the environment.

Video of the linear chopper is available upon request.

Contact David Wilson at wilson@bpa.gov">dbwilson@bpa.gov

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale, carbon-free hydropower from 31 federal dams in the Columbia River Basin. It also markets the output of the region’s only nuclear plant. BPA delivers this power to more than 140 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA also owns and operates more than 15,000 circuit miles of high-voltage power lines and 262 substations, and provides transmission service to more than 500 customers. In all, BPA provides nearly a third of the power generated in the Northwest. To mitigate the impacts of the federal dams, BPA implements a fish and wildlife program that includes working with its partners to make the federal dams safer for fish passage. It also pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain safe, affordable, reliable electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov

Medford OR - The Bureau of Land Management and United States Forest Service are hosting the biennial Rogue River User Meeting on Thursday, November 21, 2019, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PST at the BLM/Forest Service Interagency Office, 2164 NE Spalding Avenue, Grants Pass, Oregon.

This meeting is for permitted commercial guides, outfitters and private parties that utilize the Rogue River. Potential meeting topics include permitting, Leave No Trace, user etiquette, trail use, animal interaction, and how to get involved.

Teleconference participation is available for the first 25 callers for the first hour of the meeting. Phone lines open 5 minutes before the meeting starts.  The call-in number and other pertinent information will be available the day before the event on the BLM Rogue River Recreation web page: https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-passes/lotteries-and-permit-systems/oregon-washington/rogue-river

We appreciate your interest in the Rogue River and look forward to your participation in the upcoming meeting. If you have questions, please contact BLM Commercial Permit Administrator,

For additional information please contact Patrick Kollodge, at 541-471-6648 or BLM_OR_MD_Rogue_River_Mail@blm.gov.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.

Unemployment tax rates for employers subject to Oregon payroll tax will move to tax schedule two for the 2020 calendar year. Tax schedule two includes an average rate of 1.73 percent for the first $42,100 paid to each employee. The specific rate each employer will pay under the new schedule depends on how much they have used the unemployment insurance system. 

Oregon adjusts employer tax rates annually using eight tax schedules based on the solvency of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Movement between the eight schedules of tax rates represents part of the self-balancing aspects of Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund law. Each September, a formula contained in statute, determines how much should be collected during the next year to maintain a solvent fund. Each schedule has a range of tax rates based on an employer’s previous unemployment insurance experience. Employers with more unemployment insurance claims have a higher tax rate than those with fewer claims. 

As a result of this approach, Oregon has one of the strongest trust funds in the nation. The trust fund provides support for temporarily unemployed workers, their families, and communities while minimizing the impact on employers. This approach allows support without having to reduce benefits to workers, increase employer taxes, or borrow from the federal government, as most other states had to do for the Great Recession. 

Because of Oregon’s innovative Unemployment Trust Fund model, we are well positioned to pay benefits in the next recession. Unlike other states, where employers had to pay additional taxes or surcharges when states borrowed to pay benefits, Oregon’s trust fund is earning interest. This reduces the amount that needs to be collected from Oregon employers to maintain the trust fund. 

Oregon’s unemployment rate has fluctuated slightly, generally remaining at or near a record low for three years. The low number of unemployed workers reflects a very tight job market. This creates some challenges for employers growing their workforce, and means far fewer Oregonians who unable to find a job. The jobs employers provide contribute to a vibrant Oregon economy and support the quality of life for Oregonians.

The Oregon Employment Department mailed notifications to businesses regarding their individual tax rates and encourages employers to wait until they receive their individual notice before attempting to contact the department with questions. Any employer who has not received their notice within the next couple of weeks should contact the Oregon Employment Department Unemployment Insurance Tax Section. Contact information may be found online at www.oregon.gov/employ.

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Oregon Employment Department is an equal opportunity employer/program.

Oregon Employment Department es un programa/empleador que respeta la igualdad de oportunidades.

Oregon Heritage Commission has awarded $379,785 in grants to 32 organizations throughout the state. The grants will help fund a variety of projects including collection preservation and access, research, education, exhibits, and film projects. Award amounts ranged $2,020 - $20,000.

Funded projects:

• Abernethy Elementary School PTA, in Portland, for conservation of a WPA mural.
• Architectural Heritage Center, in Portland, for an exhibit about the evolution of South Portland in the 20th century.
• Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association, in Astoria, for construction of a Nordic Heritage Park.
• Bend Parks and Recreation District for collections care and interpretation of the Hollinshead-Matson Historic House.
• Clackamas County Historical Society, in Oregon City, for proper storage of the textile collection at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.
• Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, in The Dalles, for digitization of The Dalles Chronicle photographs, dating from 1940s to 1970s.
• Four Rivers Cultural Center, in Ontario, to provide folk arts programming.
• Frazier Farmstead Museum, in Milton-Freewater, to publish history booklets.
• Harney County Library Foundation, in Burns, to digitize local oral history interviews.
• High Desert Museum, near Bend, to develop an interpretive pan for the renovation of the museum’s permanent exhibition on the Indigenous Plateau.
• Independence Heritage Museum, in Independence, to catalog and digitize the archival collection.
• Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, in Joseph, to catalog and digitize the collections.
• Lincoln County Historical Society, in Newport, to produce three videos.
• METRO historic cemeteries, in Portland, to research historic records that highlight the history of women buried in METRO historic cemeteries.
• Nehalem Valley Historical Society, in Manazanita, to complete a heritage memoir film about Mary Gerritse.
• City of Oregon City to purchase and implement cemetery management software at Mountain View Cemetery.
• Oregon Historical Society, in Portland, to provide teacher training through workshops.
• Oregon Jewish Museum, in Portland, to create and install the “To Bear Witness: Extraordinary Lives” exhibit.
• Oregon Paleo Lands institute, in Fossil, to create and install the exhibit “John Day, A River Flows Free.”
• Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, in Portland, to install a historic turntable.
• Portland Japanese Garden to purchase whisper touring devises and design a new map and brochure.
• Portland Youth Philharmonic to preserve sound recordings.
• Restore Oregon, in Portland, to complete phase one of the Jantzen Beach Carousel preservation project.
• City of Salem to stabilize the Ben Maxwell digital image collection.
• Save the PT Boat, Inc., in Portland, to expand interpretive programming.
• Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, to develop the Rogue Valley Women’s Movement Oral History project.
• Talent Historical Society to develop local history curriculum.
• The Vanport Mosaic, in Portland, to hold a gathering of people and organizations documenting Oregon’s past.
• City of Tillamook for conservation of a mural and an art exhibit.
• Tillamook County Pioneer Museum to create and install “Her-Story, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Oregon and What It Means Today” exhibit and companion book.
• University of Portland to digitize the student-run paper, The Beacon.
• Vanport Placemaking Project, in Portland, to develop design content for interpretation at the Vanport site.

This competitive grant program is for qualifying organizations, and is offered once per biennium for projects that conserve, develop or interpret Oregon’s heritage. It is a program of the Oregon Heritage Commission. The Commission works to secure, sustain and enhance Oregon’s heritage. The Commission consists of nine members appointed by the governor and nine agency advisors. Members are chosen from state agencies and statewide organizations, and represent diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds.

The Commission is part of Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. To learn more about the Oregon Heritage Grant or the Oregon Heritage Commission, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.gill@oregon.gov">Kuri.gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

SALEM, Ore. – The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet Thursday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Salem. The meeting will be in the Santiam Room of Building D on the campus of the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street.  The committee’s agenda includes:  

• Private Forest Division update
• Update on availability of tree seed and seedlings
• Update on Governor’s Council on Wildfire Response
• Review of draft changes to the committee’s charter and discussion of vacancies
• Monitoring program updates
• Outreach for House Bill 2469

The meeting is open to the public. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting after approval of the minutes. The meeting space is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by calling Susan Dominique at 503-945-7502.

The 13-member committee researches policies that affect family forests, natural resources and forestry benefits. Based on its findings, the committee recommends actions to the Oregon Board of Forestry and the State Forester. You can find more information at  https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/CFF.aspx

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November 14, 2019

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

New Seasons expands ground beef recall prompted by E. coli illnesses

PORTLAND, Ore. -- New Seasons Market has expanded its recall of fresh ground beef sold at Portland-area stores after new tests show some of the meat contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 was available for sale as recently as Nov. 8.

New Seasons is recommending customers who bought the ground beef between Oct. 19 and Nov. 8 return the recalled product for a full refund; receipts are not required for the return. Consumers with questions may contact the company at talktous@newseasonsmarket.com.

An additional illness, closely associated with one of the three confirmed illnesses, has been identified. That brings the total number of people who reported illness after eating ground beef purchased at different New Seasons outlets to four. All have recovered.

The implicated products include New Seasons Market’s fresh in-house ground beef and ground beef products sold at all New Seasons Markets Oregon, Washington and California locations, in bulk from the meat cases and packaged from grab and go cases. The ground beef and ground beef products are marked with three days' shelf life from purchase. The recalled products were sold with “Packed On” dates of Oct. 19, 2019, to Nov. 8, 2019, and “Sell By” dates starting Oct. 23, 2019, up to and including Nov. 11, 2019.

OHA identified the outbreak after tests conducted at the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory determined that an identical strain of E. coli O157:H7 was present in all three patients. On Nov. 13 OHA received preliminary laboratory results of tests on product samples that were positive for E. coli O157:H7.

New Seasons Market has suspended sale of the product while the Oregon Department of Agriculture and OHA continue their investigation into the cause of the outbreak.

To be sure all bacteria in ground beef are destroyed, cook it to a safe minimum internal temperature of at least 160 F (71.1 C). Use a food thermometer to check that they have reached a safe internal temperature.

E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The condition is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly, and it can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

People who ate the product but did not get sick do not need to do anything. If you developed diarrhea after eating it, you should consult your health care provider and tell him or her about the exposure.

For more information on the recall, E. coli, and food safety please visit:

• New Seasons Market recall page.
• CDC E. coli page.
• Foodsafety.gov.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Animals Shouldn’t Be Able to Sue Owners says Farm Bureau

Oregon Farm Bureau issues statement on Justice the horse’s lawsuit against its former owner.

SALEM, OREGON, Nov. 14, 2019 — Last week, the Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, and Oregon Dairy Farmers Association partnered to draft a friend of the court brief on precedent setting litigation pending in the Oregon Court of Appeals. The case squarely addresses whether a horse has a right to sue his owner in court for damages relating to the horse’s neglect. The case, Justice, an American Quarter Horse v. Gwendolyn Vercher, is an attempt by the Animal Legal Defense Fund to set precedent in Oregon that animals have legal personhood, including the right to sue humans in court. This case could open the door to expansive and significant litigation regarding the ability to own and manage livestock, produce meat or dairy products, participate in rodeos or FFA, and even have working dogs. It could even subject pet owners to private rights of action and allow activist groups to bring lawsuits under the guise of animals seeking to vindicate nonexistent rights.

If successful, this case puts the livestock industry and rural Oregon at risk. Moreover, Oregon would become the first state in the country to grant animals legal personhood, which would have a profound impact on our society and legal system. Our organizations got involved to ensure that the Court understands the history and context of Oregon’s animal welfare statutes and to ensure the Court understands the expansive, far reaching implications of this case for the livestock industry.

To be clear, the facts of this case were abhorrent, and the defendant was rightfully prosecuted for the neglect of her horse. However, Oregon law already has severe consequences for those who abuse and neglect animals and there is a mechanism for those who rescue neglected animals to be compensated for their care. But these legitimate concerns are not what this case is about. This case is simply an effort by animals rights activists to pull the ultimate thread in a longstanding effort to unravel and halt livestock operations in Oregon. We will continue to stand strong to protect the livestock industry from the significant precedent set by this case.

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Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases.

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Sharon Waterman is an OFB Hall of Fame honoree and operates a Century Ranch raising sheep, cattle, and timber in Bandon. She is OFB’s 16th president.

November 14, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Public Health Advisory Board meets November 21

What: A public meeting of the Public Health Advisory Board.

Agenda: Discuss public health modernization funding to federally recognized tribes and Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) during the 2019-21 biennium; discuss public health modernization work underway with local public health authorities; discuss the use of syndromic surveillance to determine hepatitis C prevention activities in Eastern Oregon.

When: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2-5 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 177, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland. Also available remotely by telephone at 877-873-8017, access code 767068, and by webinar.

Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and Oregon’s State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY, or a.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

November 14, 2019

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Nurse Staffing Advisory Board meets in Portland November 20

What: The quarterly public meeting of the Nurse Staffing Advisory Board.

Agenda: Review of minutes from August 28 meeting; membership updates; status updates on surveys and complaints; committee updates; open action items; nurse staffing surveyor discussion; emerging issues in nurse staffing; public comment. The agenda is available on the OHA nurse staffing website.

When: Nov. 20, 1-5 p.m. A public comment period will be at the end of the meeting.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 177, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland; by conference call at 877-336-1829, access code 2075141.

Background: The board advises the Oregon Health Authority on the administration of Oregon’s nurse staffing laws; identifies trends, opportunities and concerns related to nurse staffing; makes recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority on the basis of those trends, opportunities and concerns; and reviews the enforcement powers and processes under Oregon’s nurse staffing laws.

For more information, see the agency nurse staffing website at http://www.healthoregon.org/nursestaffing.

Program contact: Matt Gilman, 971-673-2317, matt.s.gilman@dhsoha.state.or.us

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Matt Gilman, at 971-673-2317, 711 TTY or matt.s.gilman@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

(Salem) – Employers and workers in Oregon’s roofing industry now have a free and convenient way to boost their ability to address fall hazards, thanks to an online video training course launched by Oregon OSHA.

The course, “Fall Protection for Roofing,” is the latest in a series of online educational offerings created by the division to help address fall hazards across specific industries and different on-the-job situations.

“Whether you’re interested in strengthening an existing safety program or just getting started, our roofing course – just like our other online fall protection courses – provides a solid foundation to build on,” said Roy Kroker, consultation and public education manager for Oregon OSHA.

The course, which includes insights from industry leaders, covers a full range of topics. Those topics include hazard identification, fall protection equipment and systems, safe access, and training.

The human and economic costs of failing to account for fall protection are clear. In 2017, for example, there were 5,780 accepted disabling claims in Oregon due to slips, trips, and falls. The average cost of those claims was $23,570.

The roofing course includes the opportunity to receive a certificate of completion. It is the third of five planned online courses about fall protection. The other two that are available are “Fundamentals of Fall Protection” and “Ladder Safety.”

“Fall Protection for Roofing” is available online

Explore the “Fall Protection Suite,” which encompasses the roofing course, and the fundamentals and ladder courses.

Oregon OSHA encourages the use of online training. 

Oregon OSHA’s technical staff members can answer questions to help employers understand how to apply rules to their workplace:

Phone: 503-378-3272

Toll-free in Oregon: 800-922-2689

Email: tech.web@oregon.gov

Online contact form 

Employers may also contact Oregon OSHA’s no-cost consultation services for help with safety and health programs:

Phone: 503-378-3272

Toll-free in Oregon: 800-922-2689

Field office locations and phone numbers 

Email: consult.web@oregon.gov

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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.

Spanish / Español

November 12, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan subcommittee meetings

What: Subcommittees of the 2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) are tasked with identifying strategies and measures, and developing work plans for implementing the SHIP. Each of the five subcommittees is focused on one of the following priority areas:

• Access to equitable preventive health care.
• Adversity, trauma and toxic stress.
• Behavioral health.
• Economic drivers of health.
• Institutional bias.

Agenda: Continue identifying key indicators and exploring possible strategies.

Where: All meetings are held at the Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland. Meetings are also available remotely. For remote meeting attendance, visit the subcommittee meeting page:

• Institutional bias.
• Adversity, trauma and toxic stress.
• Economic drivers of health (including issues related to housing, living wage, food security and transportation).
• Access to equitable preventive health care.
• Behavioral health (including mental health and substance use).

When:

• Institutional Bias Subcommittee: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. to noon, Room 915.
• Behavioral Health Subcommittee: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2-4 p.m., Room 900.
• Economic Drivers of Health Subcommittee: Friday, Nov. 22, 1-3 p.m., Room 900.
• Access to Equitable Preventive Health Care Subcommittee: Monday, Nov. 25, 1-3 p.m., Room 900.
• Adversity, Trauma and Toxic Stress Subcommittee: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2-4 p.m., Room 900.

All meetings are open to the public. A five-minute public comment period will be held near the end of each meeting; comments are limited to one minute.

Background: Oregon’s SHIP identifies interventions and strategies to address health-related priorities in the state. The SHIP serves as a basis for taking collective action with cross-sector partners to improve the heath of people in Oregon. The SHIP is based on findings of the State Health Assessment.

Program contact: Christy Hudson, 971-678-4347, isty.j.hudson@dhsoha.state.or.us">Christy.j.hudson@dhsoha.state.or.us

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Catherine Moyer at 971-673-1132, ine.moyer@dhsoha.state.or.us">Catherine.moyer@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

(Salem, OR) — On November 14, 2019, Director Kay Erickson of the Oregon Employment Department announced the members of a committee charged with advising the department on implementing the new paid family and medical leave insurance program in Oregon.

“All Oregonians should have access to paid family and medical leave insurance. We all need time to give or receive care at some point in our lives. The new program is designed to help Oregonians take paid time off when it’s most important, and to help Oregon businesses support their workers while thriving and growing through increased workforce participation and employee retention,” said Director Erickson.

Oregon is the ninth state (including Washington D.C.) to pass legislation and work to implement a paid family and medical leave insurance program. “Oregon is at the forefront of implementing this critical program, serving as a model for the nation. This new program will help support workers as they bond with their children during the first year after that child’s birth or adoption, care for a family member who has a serious health condition, deal with their own serious health condition, or issues related to the need for ‘safe leave’ such as domestic violence, stalking, harassment, or sexual assault,” added Director Erickson.

The advisory committee includes: a chair from the Oregon Employment Department, four members representing employee interests, and four members representing employer interests, at least one of whom represents employers that have fewer than 25 employees. This citizen and stakeholder led advisory committee was established by House Bill 2005, passed during the 2019 legislative session.

“More than 50 people submitted interest in participating on the advisory committee. It is encouraging to see such strong interest in, and commitment to, this new program and it was a difficult process to choose members from a qualified group of candidates. We sought people who could bring forward their perspectives, represent those in other groups of workers and businesses, and who can collaborate on difficult issues to help make paid family and medical leave insurance work for all Oregonians,” said David Gerstenfeld, Interim Director of the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program.

The department also anticipates that the advisory committee will sponsor workgroups that will involve more people beyond committee members. “It simply is not possible to fully represent all of the situations Oregon workers and businesses face with only nine committee members. We hope the many qualified people who expressed interest in serving on the advisory committee, along with other citizens and stakeholders, will help by providing their suggestions and insights as the department continues to implement this exciting new program,” said Gerstenfeld.

Paid Family and Medical Leave Advisory Committee:

• David Gerstenfeld, Oregon Employment Department, Chair
• Amanda Dalton, Dalton Advocacy
• Jenny Dresler, Public Affairs Counsel
• Linda Herrera, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN)
• Eric Hunter, CareOregon
• Andrea Paluso, Family Forward Oregon
• Eva Rippeteau, Oregon American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
• Paloma Sparks, Oregon Business & Industry
• Jessica Giannettino Villatoro, Oregon American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

For more information on the new paid family and medical leave insurance program in Oregon, to sign up for updates, and follow the advisory committee, visit the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance page on the Oregon Employment Department’s website. 

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The Oregon Employment Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services, and alternate formats are available to individuals with disabilities, and language services to individuals with limited English proficiency, free of cost upon request. TTY/TDD - dial 7-1-1 toll free relay service. Access free online relay service at: http://www.sprintrelayonline.com/

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by the Oregon Employment Department.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Martin Lucien Sanders, died the morning of November 14, 2019. Sanders was incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary and passed away in the infirmary while on hospice. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.

Sanders entered DOC custody on January 17, 2013, from Washington County, with an earliest release date of March 14, 2021. Sanders was 61 years old. Next of kin has been notified.                                                                       

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 14,700 individuals who are incarcerated in 14 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

OSP is Oregon's only maximum-security prison, located in Salem, and houses over 2,000 individuals. OSP is surrounded by a 25-foot-high wall with 10 towers. The facility has multiple special housing units including death row, disciplinary segregation, behavioral health, intermediate care housing, and an infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care. OSP participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including the furniture factory, laundry, metal shop, and contact center. It provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, work-based education, inmate work crews, and pre-release services. OSP was established in 1866 and, until 1959, was Oregon's only prison.

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On Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at approximately 6:00 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel  responded to a report of a vehicle that struck a pedestrian on Hwy 99 near milepost 11 in Phoenix, Oregon. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a Honda Accord, operated by Bonnie Knudsen (58) of Medford, was northbound on Hwy 99 when a male pedestrian, identified as Mark Cooper (57) no home town known,  walked in front of the vehicle and was struck.

Cooper was transported to Rogue Regional Hospital in Medford where he was pronounced deceased.

OSP was assisted by Talent Police Department, Phoenix Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff's Office and ODOT.

On Wednesday November 13, 2019 at approximately 7:54 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a report of a two vehicle crash on Hwy 99E near Concomly Rd NE. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a silver 2002 GMC Envoy, operated by Nicolas Martinez-Rivera (56) of Woodburn, was traveling northbound on Hwy 99E near Concomly Rd NE when for unknown reasons the Envoy veered into the southbound lanes.  The Envoy collided head-on with a 2009 Ford F-150 pickup operated by Kaleefa Chernishoff (26) of Brooks. 

Chernishoff suffered serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Salem Hospital. 

Martinez-Rivera suffered critical injuries and was transported by air to Legacy Emmanuel in Portland.

OSP was assisted by Woodburn Fire and Medics and ODOT.

On Wednesday,  November 13, 2019 at approximately 1:45 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 20 near mile post 84.5.

Preliminary investigation revelealed that a 1992 Chevrolet Corvette, operated by Gerald Gates (75) of Salem, was westbound on Hwy 20 when it left the roadway and struck a tree.  

Gates sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

OSP was assisted by the Hines Fire Deparment, Harney County Sheriff's Office,and ODOT 

State Announces Winter Shelter Awards and Homelessness Data

OHCS distributed over $1.7 million statewide to strengthen winter shelter capacity

SALEM, OR – Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) provided over $1.7 million to organizations across the state that provide shelter to those without homes. To help ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of Oregonians experiencing homelessness, these investments will strengthen winter shelters by securing facilities to operate shelter, increasing the number of shelter beds, expanding operating hours, providing extended outreach, funding shelter staff, and purchasing bedding, mats, and blankets.

“Temperatures have dropped below freezing across the state, and I am heartbroken for those without a roof over their heads,” said Director Margaret Salazar. “These resources will bring in Oregonians from the cold and allow local communities to address local needs.”

OHCS made the following awards:

• Central Oregon Continuum of Care (Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties), NeighborImpact – $150,000
• Clackamas County Continuum of Care – $150,000
• Jackson County Continuum of Care – $150,000
• Lane County Continuum of Care – $150,000
• Portland/Multnomah County Continuum of Care – $150,000
• Washington County Continuum of Care – $150,000
• Rural Oregon Continuum of Care (Balance of State) – $877, 696 total
  • Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency (Marion and Polk Counties) – $150,000
  • Yamhill Community Action Partnership – $145,000
  • Community Connection of Northeast Oregon (Baker, Grant, Union, and Wallowa Counties) – $55,790
  • Oregon Coast Community Action (Coos and Curry Counties) – $100,000
  • United Community Action Network (Douglas and Josephine Counties) – $75,000
  • Hood River Shelter - $11,000
  • Community Services Consortium (Linn, Benn, and Lincoln Counties) – $141,454
  • Community Action Team (Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties) – $86,500
  • KLCAS (Klamath and Lake Counties) – $27,952

• Helping Hands (Tillamook, Clatsop, Yamhill, and Lincoln Counties) – $85,000

These funds are from a one-time allocation of $5 million made to OHCS during the 2019 Legislative Session to address statewide winter shelter capacity. OHCS will release the remainder of these funds through a competitive process in 2020, using the recently released Statewide Shelter Study to prioritize investments. The Shelter Study found that Oregon needs an additional 5,814 shelter beds to provide relief to Oregonians experiencing homelessness identified in the Point-in-Time Count.

The Point-in-Time Count attempts to capture both sheltered and unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness to provide a snapshot of homelessness in the United States. The 2019 Point-In-Time Count data demonstrates the continued need for shelter across the state. While the Point-in-Time Count provides critical information about those who cannot find a permanent place to call home on a given night in January, it does not tell the full story of homelessness in each community. Counting those impacted by homelessness is difficult due to a variety of factors and the intention of the Count is to give a general sense of homeless trends in Oregon and across the country.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Farmers, ranchers, and foresters are invited to a free farm and ranch succession planning workshop on Dec. 10 as part of the Oregon Farm Bureau Convention at the Salishan Resort in Gleneden Beach. 

Changing Hands: Succession Planning Workshop

It’s never too early or late to begin planning for the future of your farm or ranch. With proper planning, you can provide for the future harmony of your family and viability of your farm business. Whether you have heirs or a business successor yet or not, this workshop will give you the legal, financial, and interpersonal tools you need to take the next step in succession planning. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for farmers, ranchers, and foresters to learn from the state's leading experts in the field:

• Maria Schidlkofer, Attorney at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC
• Diana Tourney, Accountant and Farm Succession Coordinator at Clackamas Small Business Development Center
• Mark Wickman, Founder and Counselor at Family Business Counsel
• Nellie McAdams, Staff at Oregon Agricultural Trust

The event will take place as part of the 2019 Oregon Farm Bureau Convention.  

When: Tuesday, December 10, 2019.

Workshop from 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Happy Hour from 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Salishan Lounge for farmers of all generations thinking about non-family succession and business partnerships.

Where: Salishan Lodge 7760 North Highway 101, Gleneden Beach

Who: All are welcome. Please RSVP! 

RSVP to Nellie McAdams, nellie@oregonagtrust.org, 971.409.6806

###

On November 12th 2019, detectives with the Bend Police Department received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force regarding a Bend resident that uploaded, over the past six months, at least 27 images / videos to the internet depicting children engaged in explicit sex acts.

Through this investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 20 year old Wyatt Anthony Carrell who resides at 20325 Sonata Way in Bend Oregon.

On November 12th at 3:28 PM, officers and detectives with the Bend Police Department contacted Carrell during a traffic stop at NE Purcell Boulevard and NE Highway 20 in Bend. Carrell was taken into custody and transported to the Bend Police Department.

On November 12th at 7:00 PM, officers and detectives with the Bend Police Department executed a search warrant at 20325 Sonata Way and another search warrant on his vehicle, a 2001 Toyota Avalon, which was secured at the traffic stop location.

Evidence was seized during the search warrants and Carrell was transported to the Deschutes County Jail where he was lodged on the below listed charges.

No other occupants of the residence are believed to be involved in the crimes.

Suspect:

Wyatt Anthony Carrell / 20 year old Bend resident.

Charges:

Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the First Degree / 27 counts

Criminal Possession of a Forgery Device / 1 Count

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 4,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. These agencies are continually engaged in proactive and reactive investigations and prosecutions of persons involved in child abuse and exploitation involving the Internet.

Nov. 13, 2019

Media contact: Rebeka Gipson-King, 503-945-7141, ebeka.gipson-king@dhsoha.state.or.us">rebeka.gipson-king@dhsoha.state.or.us

Program contact: Jacee Vangestel, 503-945-2852, jacee.m.vangestel@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board meets November 21 in Salem

What: A public meeting of the Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board.

When: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, 1-5 p.m.

Where: Oregon State Hospital, Callan Conference Room, 2600 Center Street NE, Salem. The public can also attend via toll-free conference line at 888-278-0296, access code 4294893.

Agenda: After the public comment period, topics will include maintaining mental health stability for staff, maintaining confidentiality in an open landscape environment, employment requirements for nursing staff and a report by the Peer Advisory Council.

Details: The Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board advises the superintendent, Oregon Health Authority director and legislators on issues related to the safety, security and care of patients. Members include consumers, providers, advocates, legislators, community members, consumer families and OSH union members.

For more information, see the board’s website at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/osh/Pages/advisory-board.aspx.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Jacee Vangestel at 503-945-2852, 711 TTY or jacee.m.vangestel@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

The Private Security/Private Investigators Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a WebEx/Telephonic meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE Salem, Oregon.  The public is welcome to view the meeting through Facebook Livestream on the Department of Public Safety Standards & Training page. For more information, contact Mona Riesterer at (503) 378-2431.

Committee Members:

Thomas Thomas, Chair, Private Security Industry

Myron Sanders, Investigator, OSB Appointed

Jeremy Grahn, Retail Industry

Fred Kuest, Private Business or Governmental Entity That Utilizes Private Security Services

Daniel Lenzen, Hospitality Representative

Melvin Levinson, Alarm Monitor Industry

William “Mac” McKnight, Armed Security Representative

Steven Swenson, Private Investigator

Edward Sharpe, Health Care Industry

Richard Valencia, Unarmed Security Representative

Les Youngbar, Public Member

 ?>

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Private Security/Private Investigations Policy Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

1.  Introductions

2.  Minutes – August 20, 2019

Approve the minutes of the August 20, 2019 Private Security/Private Investigations Policy Committee   

meeting.

3.  Review of Public Comment for the Proposed Rule Changes to OAR Chapter 259 Division 60 Adding the Event & Entertainment Private Security Professional Certification to the Private Security Provider Administrative Rules

Presented by Jennifer Howald

4.  Department Update

5.  Subcommittee Reports

6.  Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting – February 18, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.

## Background Information on the DPSST ##

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement. Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Patricia Patrick-Joling, Private Citizen member, serves as the Chair of the Board. The department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 40,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.

DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem: certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.

Salem, Oregon – Harlen Springer, the chair of the Florence Public Arts Committee and a founding member and past president of the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, has been appointed to the Oregon Arts Commission by Gov. Kate Brown.

Springer is a retired corporate executive with extensive experience leading artistic and consumer products companies including Portal Publications, Numi Organic Tea and Boing Designs. Prior to that, Springer held senior management positions at Fortune 500 companies such as Procter and Gamble, Clorox and Unilever.

As a founding member and the current Chair of the City of Florence Public Arts Committee, Springer has worked with city government, local utilities, civic groups and private individuals to complete 10 projects over the past four years, including sculptures, murals and youth projects. The group received the “Innovation in Business” award for 2018 from the Chamber of Commerce in recognition of their contributions to the city.

Springer also helped to found the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, which now has more than 175 members and sponsors, and operates a gallery where they conduct classes and workshops in all visual mediums, in addition to literary events.

“Since his retirement, Harlen has devoted his time and significant business acumen to the development of the Florence arts community,” said Commission Chair Anne Taylor. “We are incredibly grateful to him and fortunate to enlist his energy in our statewide effort to enrich the lives of Oregonians through the arts.”

“I am honored and humbled by this appointment,” said Springer. “My work in Florence has given me the opportunity to interact with several current Arts Commissioners and it is clear the Commission attracts strong people with a passion for the arts combined with a practical approach to strengthening communities by utilizing the arts to stimulate economic vitality. I share this same passion and desire to have the arts touch the lives of all Oregonians.”

Springer holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Oregon and an MBA from Seattle University. He began his four-year term on Nov. 7.

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. 

The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at:  www.oregonartscommission.org.

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services will be hosting its first hearing on prescription drug prices on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oregonians are encouraged to participate in this inaugural event in two ways.

Make your voice heard. The department set up a brief survey for consumers to ask questions and share their stories regarding rising prescription drug prices. Drug prices play a major role in the health care decisions of Oregonians and the cost of prescription drugs have steadily increased in the past 10 years. The department wants to know what questions you have about the increase in prescription drugs and how has it affected you and your family.

For example: Have you had to skip medication in the past 12 months due to the high cost, or have you experienced a heavy hit to your savings in order to pay for prescription drugs?

Submit your questions as soon as possible and they will be included in the public hearing.

Tune in to the hearing. The department is providing multiple ways to tune in to the hearing on Tuesday:  

1. You can attend the event at the Capitol in Salem
2. Watch a live stream at community locations in Astoria, Medford, and Pendleton
3. Watch online, Oregon State Legislature live feed

Ask your questions today and visit dfr.oregon.gov for hearing location information and access to the live stream. 

###

UPDATE - 

Redmond, OR – On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, Redmond Officers received a tip from the public about the location of the black VW, which was stolen on November 10.  Following up on the tip, the vehicle was recovered in the area of SW Obsidian Ave and SW 63rd Street.  The car was hidden in trees and brush, just outside Redmond city limits.  

Officers also were able to identify the individual suspected of stealing the VW and bring charges against him associated with car theft and the pursuit that followed. The suspect, Mr. Jeffrey Collins, 37, of Redmond, was already in Deschutes County Jail after previously being arrested on November 11 for unrelated charges associated with violating a restraining order.

Collins has been arrested for numerous crimes stemming from vehicle theft and pursuit.  They include Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Attempt to Elude a Police Officer – Felony, Burglary in the First Degree, Violation of a Restraining Order, and other misdemeanor crimes.  Collins remains at the Deschutes County Adult Jail. 

The Redmond Police Department is very appreciative of all the information received from the public relating to this investigation.  

===================

PREVIOUS RELEASE - 

Redmond, OR – At 10:00 AM on Sunday, November 10, 2019, Redmond Police took a report of a stolen 2012 black Volkswagen EOS passenger car from the 2900 block of SW 24th Court in Redmond.  Officers took a report and, at approximately 3:45 PM, found the vehicle in the Walmart parking lot in Redmond.  A suspect was painting the tires/wheels in the parking lot.

Officers attempted to contact the suspect and vehicle.  However, while attempting to do so, the suspect and vehicle exited the parking lot and drove west on NW Maple Ave and then north on Northwest Way into Terrebonne.  The vehicle eventually went back south towards Redmond on Hwy 97 and then started driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Hwy 97 in the area of exit 119 (N Canal Blvd & NW 6th Street).  During the pursuit, speeds exceeded 80 miles per hour. 

In the interest of public safety, the officers stopped pursuing the suspect.  Many variables are taken into account when officers are pursuing a vehicle/suspect and in this case, terminating the pursuit was the safest decision. 

The stolen vehicle and driver were last observed driving south on N Canal Blvd in the area of Redmond St Charles Medical Center.

At this time, the incident remains under investigation.  Officers are actively investigating leads and seeking the public’s assistance.  If you observed a Volkswagen convertible with a damaged front bumper, please contact Deschutes County 911 Dispatch and requestion to speak with the Redmond Police Department.

The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help to identify the person(s) responsible for shooting and leaving to waste a doe deer in Adrian, OR.  

This occurred within a few days prior to November 9, 2019. 

The deceased deer was located in a cornfield near the intersection of Miller Rd. and Red Top Rd..

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact OSP Sergeant Isaac Cyr through the Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or OSP.

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators 

The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.

Preference Point Rewards:

5 Points-Mountain Sheep

5 Points-Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

The TIP program also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, and Furbearers. Cash rewards can also be awarded for the unlawful take of Game Fish and Shellfish and for Habitat Destruction.

CASH REWARDS:
$1,000 Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goat and Moose 
$500 Elk, Deer and Antelope 
$300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf 
$300 Habitat Destruction 
$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl 
$100 Furbearers 

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish 

How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity: 

TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or OSP(677)

TIP E-Mail: TIP@state.or.us (Monitored M-F 8:00AM - 5:00PM)

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Has Stayed Near 4 Percent for Three Years  

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in September and October. The rate has been between 4.0 percent and 4.4 percent for an unprecedented 36 consecutive months dating back to November 2016. The U.S. unemployment rate ticked up from 3.5 percent in September to 3.6 percent in October.

Other measures of Oregon’s labor force also indicated a tight labor market in recent months. Fewer individuals are remaining unemployed for extended periods: The number of individuals unemployed for 52 weeks or more dropped to 6,000 in October, which was the lowest level in a dozen years and well below the peak of 70,000 in 2010. The number of unemployed who lost their job has remained close to 32,000 for the past three years, which was less than one-quarter of those unemployed due to a job loss in 2009. Meanwhile, the number of people who were unemployed due to leaving their job voluntarily has recently risen above 16,000, up from an average of 12,000 during the prior six calendar years. The increase in the number of people leaving their jobs voluntarily could indicate increasing confidence among workers of being able to easily find another job if they quit their current job.

Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4,400 jobs in October, following an upwardly revised gain of 3,300 jobs in September. Gains in October were concentrated in leisure and hospitality (+2,400 jobs), government (+2,300), and wholesale trade (+1,000). These monthly gains were partially offset by job losses of 700 each in construction and health care and social assistance, and a loss of 900 jobs in retail trade.

In addition to the strong monthly gains in September and October, quarterly revisions boosted the level of reported employment by 6,400 jobs for June and subsequent months.

Oregon’s payroll employment grew by 27,800 jobs, or 1.4 percent, over the past 12 months. This growth rate was slightly slower than the 1.7 percent average annual growth rate Oregon’s economy experienced over the past 19 months. During the five years prior to that, employment grew much faster—at an average of 2.8 percent per year. Oregon has added jobs at the same pace as the U.S. over the past year.

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the October county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, November 19th, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for November on Tuesday, December 17th.

Notes: 

All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted.

The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources. 

The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the April, May, and June 2019 tax records data. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.

The PDF version of the news release, including tables and graphs, can be found at www.QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit www.QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release.

For help finding jobs and training resources, visit one of the state's WorkSource Oregon centers or go to: www.WorkSourceOregon.org.

Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.

Updated November 13, 2019 at 9:00 am by Sgt. William Bailey - Public Information Officer

Detectives have been able to positively identify the human remains located on November 7th as belonging to 57 year old Anita C. Presley.  Her next of kin has been notified.  The Medical Examiner will likely list the cause of death in this case as "undetermined", however no foul play is suspected in her death.

## End of Updated Release ##

Updated November 8, 2019 at 3:15pm by Sgt. William Bailey - Public Information Officer

Detectives with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) have been actively working this case since yesterday.  Today, nineteen DCSO Search and Rescue volunteers assisted with an extensive grid search of the area where the remains were located.  Based on the results of the investigation up to this point, an autopsy is not planned and no foul play is suspected in this death.  Detectives are still working to positively identify the remains and locate a next of kin.  Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

## End of Updated Release ##

Released by: Sgt. William Bailey – Public Information Officer

Release Date: November 7, 2019

NARRATIVE:

On November 7, 2019, at approximately 3:19 pm, deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) were dispatched to a report of human remains that had been discovered in an open field in the 21000 Block of Butler Market Road.  An employee of the property owner discovered the human remains while checking the field in preparation for upcoming disc work to the property. 

Deputies and DCSO detectives arrived at the location and confirmed the discovery of decomposed human remains, likely belonging to that of an adult female.  Deputies and detectives worked throughout the afternoon, assisted by the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, Deschutes County Medical Examiner, and the Oregon State Police Crime Lab, to document, collect evidence, and recover the human remains.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

## End of Release ##

Initiative emphasizes enforcing gun prohibitions based on domestic violence convictions and mental health denials

WASHINGTON—Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.

Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.

“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally.”

“We are pleased to join Attorney General Barr in announcing Project Guardian—a critical initiative aimed at reducing gun violence in communities across the country. Oregonians are no strangers to the heartbreaking impact gun violence has on the lives of its many victims. Enough is enough; continued violence on our streets is simply unacceptable,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We will work closely with our Justice Department colleagues to ensure a speedy rollout of Project Guardian so it can begin saving Oregon lives immediately. I believe it will.”

“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”

Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:

1. Coordinated Prosecution

Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.

2. Enforcing the Background Check System

United States Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees.

Particular emphasis is placed on individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.

3. Improved Information Sharing

On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.

4. Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials

Each United States Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the United States Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.

Additionally, United States Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.

5. Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination

Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.

Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.

For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.

# # #

SALEM, Ore. – The Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee will meet Monday, Nov. 18, from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Tillamook Room, Building C on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Salem headquarters campus, 2600 State Street.

The committee will discuss the following topics:

• Forest Legacy Program updates
• Updates from the Private Forests Division
• State Forest Action Plan updates
• Stewardship Program updates
• Coordinating with the Committee for Family Forestlands

This is a public meeting, everyone is welcome. The meeting space is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting. For more information about attending the meeting please contact Susan Dominique at 503-945-7502.

The Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee advises the State Forester on policy and procedures for the U.S. Forest Service State and Private Forestry programs, such as Forest Legacy and Forest Stewardship. The committee consists of representatives from state and federal natural resource agencies, private forest landowners, consulting foresters, and forest industry and conservation organizations. You can find more information at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/SCC.aspx.

                                                                                               # # #

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites Oregonians to ditch the shopping bags and lace up their hiking boots to celebrate “Green Friday” Nov. 29. OPRD will waive day-use parking fees that day in 25 state parks across Oregon. 

“Fall weather brings a different flavor to many state parks and we’re encouraging folks to get outside and explore,” said Lisa Sumption, OPRD director. “This is our fifth year celebrating Green Friday and we’re excited to continue the post-holiday tradition.”

Parking is free year-round at almost all state parks; the waiver applies to the 25 parks that charge $5 daily for parking. The waiver applies from open to close on Nov. 29, except at Shore Acres State Park, where it expires at 3 p.m. for the Holiday Lights event that runs Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve. A list of parks that charge the $5 parking fee is available online.

Learn more about Oregon State Parks on oregonstateparks.org.

Editors: follow the link for an online gallery of fall photos from Oregon State Parks: link. Feel free to download and use any photos; credit Oregon State Parks.

Arrested:

Herbert Laurin- 63 year old Hermiston, OR resident

            Charges: Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, Fail to register as a sex offender

Nikole Barclay- 21 year old Bend, OR resident

            Charges: Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle (UUMV)

Henry Duran- 34 year old Bend, OR resident

            Charges: UUMV, Possession of Methamphetamine, Parole Violation

Ashley Manahan- 28 year old Bend, OR resident

            Charges: UUMV, Parole Violation

Lillyanne Kostelecky- 22 year old, Nice, Ca resident

            Charges: UUMV

On 11-12-19, the Bend Police Department recovered three separate and unrelated stolen vehicles with suspects inside of them.

At about 1232 hours, Officers took a report of a stolen Motorhome that was stolen from the 300 block of NW Georgia.  The victim had last seen his 2004 Winnibego Motorhome in his driveway at about 1145 hours and when he realized it was gone, he immediately reported it stolen.

While Officers were investigating the stolen report, the Winnibego was involved in a crash in the area of NW Greenwood and NW Hill St where the driver, Herbert Laurin, struck a parked vehicle, causing damage.  When Officers arrived, further investigation revealed that Laurin had stolen the vehicle. Laurin was transported to the Deschutes County Jail where he was lodged on the above listed charges.

At about 1334 hours, a Bend Police Officer observed a white Toyota Echo fail to obey a traffic control device at NE 4th and NE Greenwood Ave. The Officer initiated a traffic stop and learned the vehicle was reported stolen on 11-6-19 from the NE Bend area. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office had taken the original report.  Nicole Barclay immediately exited the vehicle and advanced towards the Officer and said, “What now?” The Officer was able to detain Barclay without incident. Barclay became uncooperative and Officers placed her in a WRAP restraint for her safety and theirs. She was subsequently lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on the above listed charges.

Later in the day at 1625 hours, a Bend Police Officer observed a 2011 Toyota Tundra getting gas at the Quickway Market (690 NE Butler Market Rd). The Officer recognized an occupant from numerous prior contacts and knew the occupant was often involved in criminal activity. 

The Officer did a routine records check on the Tundra and learned it was reported as stolen out of Harney County, Oregon.  The vehicle had been reported as stolen on 11-5-19.

When the Tundra left the gas station, the Officer conducted a traffic stop, with several other Officers, using a high risk approach. The vehicle came to a stop at 490 NE Butler Market Rd. Henry Duran (driver) and a male passenger were detained without incident.  The passenger was determined to not be involved with the stolen vehicle and was released.  Duran was in possession of methamphetamine and was arrested for the above listed charges.

Additional investigation revealed that Duran was given the vehicle to drive by Ashley Manahan and Lillyanne Kostelecky. The investigation revealed that Manahan and Kostelecky had stolen the vehicle from Harney County and driven it to Bend.  Kostelecky and Manahan were located at a residence on NE Wichita Way and taken into custody on the above listed charges.

Released by:  Sgt. William Bailey – Public Information Officer

Release Date:  November 12, 2019

Location:  Hawks View Apartments; 51750 Little Deschutes Lane, La Pine

Arrested: Andrew L. Framel, 31-year-old male, La Pine resident

Charges: Possession, Delivery, Manufacturing of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Carrying of a Concealed Weapon

Arrested/Cite in Lieu of Custody: Jessica M. Adams, 31-year-old female, La Pine resident

Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance and Frequenting a Place where Drugs are Used, Sold or Kept

Narrative:

In September 2019, patrol deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office initiated a narcotics investigation as the result of multiple citizen complaints at Hawks View Estates Apartments, in La Pine.  Deputies learned that residents Andrew L. Framel and Jessica M. Adams in apartment 605 were involved in the possession, manufacturing, and delivery of controlled substances, i.e. methamphetamine.  During the investigation, deputies also learned that Andrew Lee Framel was known to be in possession of firearms while conducting illicit drug transactions at the apartment.

During the month-long investigation, deputies utilized various investigative tactics and obtained sufficient evidence to be granted a search warrant for the listed crimes above at the Hawks View Apartments #605. Today at approximately 4:50 pm, members of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, along with DCSO patrol deputies and detectives, executed the search warrant and located Andrew L. Framel in possession of a user amount of suspected methamphetamine and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. During a search of the residence, additional suspected methamphetamine was located along with packaging material, scales, and an additional loaded firearm.

Adams was also contacted at the residence during the search warrant and subsequently arrested with a citation in lieu of custody for Possession of Methamphetamine and Frequenting a Place where Drugs are Used, Sold or Kept.

Framel was arrested and lodged in the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Adult Jail for Possession, Delivery and Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and, Carrying of a Conceal Weapon.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

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