October 3, 2022

Media contacts:

Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843,

ica.J.Heartquist@dhsoha.state.or.us">Erica.J.Heartquist@dhsoha.state.or.us

Recreational use advisory issued for Willow Creek Reservoir Oct. 3

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory today for Willow Creek Reservoir due to the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom and indication of concerning levels of cyanotoxins. The reservoir is in Morrow County.

People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the reservoir where blooms are, as the major route of exposure is ingestion of water. Toxins are not absorbed through the skin. However, if you have skin sensitivities you may get a puffy red rash.

You are encouraged to visit Willow Creek Reservoir and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing, and kayaking. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.

Drinking water

Drinking water directly from areas of the lake affected by a bloom is especially dangerous. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters. Contact campground management or the local health department with questions about water available at nearby campgrounds or day use areas.

Not all private treatment systems are effective at removing cyanotoxins. If you do not use a well or public water system and draw in-home water directly from an affected area you are advised to use an alternative water source.

Children and pets

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their fur, or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. This is regardless of a recreational use health advisory in place.

Be aware that dogs can become ill and die from water intoxication after drinking excessive amounts of water while swimming or fetching objects for long periods of time. Intoxication is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain function resulting from an imbalance of electrolytes in the body. Water intoxication and heat stroke can cause similar symptoms as exposure to cyanotoxins.

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and cause a range of symptoms. Symptoms may be similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may also be more serious, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms may require medical attention. Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy, loss of appetite and more. If your dog exhibits symptoms veterinary treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.

Fishing

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacteria blooms are present may pose unknown health risks, so OHA recommends you do not eat fish. If you do decide to eat the fish, you should remove fat, skin and organs before cooking or freezing. Toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482.

Learn more here.

October 3, 2022

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843,

PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon State Radiation Advisory Committee meets Oct. 12

What: A public meeting of the Oregon State Radiation Advisory Committee.

Agenda:  Program updates; legislative bill review; exemptions/rules update; emergency preparedness/response/incident overviews.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. A public comment period is offered at the end of the meeting.

Where: Via Teams Meeting: Members of the public may join remotely by phone at 971-277-2343; Passcode: 401 511 857#

Background: Per Oregon Revised Statute, the Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC) is comprised of eight members representative of Radiation Protection Services (RPS) registrants and licensees who use radiation devices/sources. RAC members advise RPS staff on radiation use and safety, including budgetary and administrative rule matters.

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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 Patty Thompson at 503-509-2622, or lee.lind@dhsoha.state.or.us  at least 48 hours before the meeting.

October 3, 2022

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843,

PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Rules Advisory Committee on transfers of local public health authority responsibilities meets remotely Oct. 11

What: A rules advisory committee will hold its third meeting to consider proposed changes to Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 333-014-0590.  The proposed changes are the result of passage of Senate Bill (SB) 253 during 2019 legislative session.

Agenda:  Review of revised proposed draft rules; review of draft fiscal impact statement and draft statement of need. The agenda will include time for public comment.

When: Tuesday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Where: Microsoft Teams meeting. Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 225 754 782 881 Passcode: khARqT

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 971-277-2343,,584941053#   United States, Portland

Phone Conference ID: 584 941 053#

Background: SB 253 revised ORS 431.382 to include provisions for a local public health authority that has previously transferred its responsibilities to Oregon Health Authority to request the responsibilities be transferred back to the local public health authority.

Program contact: Andrew Epstein, 503-969-5816, ew.d.epstein@dhsoha.state.or.us">andrew.d.epstein@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 Danna Drum at 503-969-5816, 711 TTY or ew.d.epstein@dhsoha.state.or.us">andrew.d.epstein@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife is seeking public assistance with identifying two subjects and/or a vehicle parked at the intersection of HWY 20W and Innes Market between 5:00 A.M. and 6:10 AM on September 26, 2022.

On September 26, 2022, at approximately 6:10 A.M., two subjects, a male and female, were observed leaving private property near the intersection of HWY 20 and Tweed Road near Tumalo in Deschutes County. The pair did not have permission to be on the property and were seen packing out the head and antlers of a bull elk to a vehicle parked at the intersection of HWY 20W and Innes Market Rd.  The witness believed it to be a red pickup.

An investigation by the Oregon State Police, with the assistance of the landowner, revealed that the subjects had processed an unknown size bull elk on private property. A second bull elk was located deceased within an agricultural pivot on the same property. Both animals appeared to be harvested with archery equipment. No hunters had permission to hunt the property. Archery elk season ended the day prior on September 25, 2022.   

OSP Fish & Wildlife Division is urging anyone with information about this case to call the Oregon State Police Tip-line at 1-800-452-7888, OSP (677), or email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Please reference case number SP2225969.

 Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators

The Turn In Poachers (TIP) program offers preference points or cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation, to a suspect, for the unlawful killing of wildlife, and or waste of big game. Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags, and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags. Learn more: https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/fw/Pages/tip.aspx

 PREFERENCE POINT REWARDS:

5 Points-Mountain Sheep

5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

 Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) Cash Rewards:

$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, and Moose

$500 Elk, Deer, and Antelope

$300 Bear, Cougar, and Wolf

$300 Habitat Destruction

$200 - Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags

$200 - Unlawful Lending/Borrowing Big Game Tag(s)

$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl

$100 Game Birds or Furbearers

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish

Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) Cash Rewards:

Birds
$500 Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Owl, Osprey
All other protected avian species: see category below for listed species 

Mammals
$500 Cougar, Bobcat, Beaver (public lands only), Black bears, Bighorn Sheep, Marten, Fisher, Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Species listed as “threatened" or “endangered" under state or federal Endangered Species Act (excludes fish) 

$1,000 (e.g. wolf, wolverine, kit fox, red tree vole, Canada lynx, sea otter, Columbian white-tailed deer, California brown pelican, western snowy plover, California least tern, northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, short-tailed albatross, streaked horned lark, yellow-billed cuckoo, leatherback sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, Oregon spotted frog, green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle)

PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon joins its partners at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal regulatory agencies in encouraging Oregonians to report all known or suspected environmental crimes.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon enforces federal laws to protect environmental quality, human health, and wildlife throughout the State of Oregon. The office works with its partners throughout the Department of Justice to hold those who violate environmental law accountable, prioritizing cases that will reduce environmental harms to historically underserved, overburdened, and marginalized communities.

The district’s environmental crimes and justice coordinators lead efforts to enforce both criminal and civil environmental laws. Intentionally violating environmental laws—including, but not limited to, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and hazardous waste laws—is a federal crime and can be punishable by incarceration or monetary fines.

Examples of criminal or civil environmental violations include:

• A landlord who leases a home without disclosing known information about lead-based paint
• A federal contractor who violates a contractual provision mandating the proper disposal of hazardous waste
• Illegal asbestos removals that expose and create health risks for workers and the public
• Illegal handling, transportation, and disposal of hazardous wastes or pesticides
• Oil spills or other incidents that compromise the fishing rights or practices of indigenous or disadvantaged communities
• Air emissions of toxic pollutants resulting from inadequate or nonexistent pollution control
• False statements to the EPA or other regulatory agencies that threaten the integrity of environmental protection programs

If you are in danger, please call 911.

If you or someone you know believe you are the victim of an environmental crime or believe you have witnessed an environmental crime, please contact the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Response Center by calling 1-800-424-8802 or by submitting a tip online at https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.

In May 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a series of actions to secure environmental justice for all Americans. In addition to launching a new Office of Environmental Justice within the Justice Department, Attorney General Garland also announced a new comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy to guide the Justice Department’s work and issued an Interim Final Rule that will restore the use of supplemental environmental projects in appropriate circumstances.

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October 3, 2022

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843,

PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon Cannabis Commission meets via Zoom Oct. 11

What: A Zoom meeting for the Oregon Cannabis Commission.

Agenda: The full agenda will be available at www.healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission.

When: Tuesday, Oct. 11, 1-4p.m.

Where: Zoom Meeting. Members of the public may join remotely by phone at 1-669-254-5252; Meeting ID: 161 976 4473 Passcode: 742926

Background: The Oregon Cannabis Commission was established in the 2017 legislative session through HB 2198. The commission consists of the state health officer or designee and an eight member-panel appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the senate. The commission provides advice to Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission regarding Oregon Administrative Rules that govern medical cannabis as well as retail cannabis as it pertains to patients and caregivers.  Additionally, the commission is tasked with developing a long-term strategic plan for ensuring that cannabis will remain a therapeutic and affordable option for patients and monitoring federal laws, regulations, and policies regarding cannabis.

Visit www.Healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission for more information.

# # #

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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Megan Lockwood at 971-673-0620, 711 TTY or .lockwood@dhsoha.state.or.us">megan.r.lockwood@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

SALEM, Ore. – You and your family may have less than two minutes to safely escape your home during a fire. Each year in Oregon, an average of 32 people die in home fires. These statistics are just a few reasons why the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is urging Oregonians to create and practice a home fire escape plan as part of Fire Prevention Month this month.

The OSFM is kicking off a campaign called “Plan, Practice, and Be Prepared with a Home Fire Escape Plan” to educate and highlight the importance of having and practicing a plan.

To support the OSFM’s campaign, Oregon Governor Kate Brown proclaimed October as Fire Prevention Month.  

“Home fire escape plans save lives,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “This October, we ask everyone to create a plan and practice it with all household members to be prepared if there is a fire inside their home.”

There are some simple steps to plan and prepare your safe home fire escape:

• Ensure your home has working smoke alarms and check alarms monthly.  
• Make an escape map showing every window and door and share it with everyone in your home.  
• Have two ways out of every room.  
• Designate an outside meeting place a safe distance from the home where everyone should meet.
• Plan for everyone: If you have children, elderly, or differently-abled people in your home, plan for their escape. Consider other challenges like second-story bedrooms.
• Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year during the night and day.  
• Get out and stay out if your smoke alarm sounds; never go back inside for others or pets.  
• Call 9-1-1 when you’re safely outside.  

For more resources about home fire escape plans and a social media campaign to help educate and prepare Oregonians, visit our website.  

October 3, 2022

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, 503-871-8843,  PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon Cannabis Commission's Patient Equity and Governance Frame Working subcommittees meet via Zoom Oct. 10

What: A combined Zoom meeting for the Oregon Cannabis Commission’s Patient Equity and Governance Frame Working subcommittees.

Agenda: The full agenda will be available at www.healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission.

When: Monday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to noon.

Where: Zoom Meeting. Members of the public may join remotely by phone at 1-669-254-5252; Meeting ID: 161 696 9297 Passcode: 538725

Background: The Oregon Cannabis Commission was established in the 2017 legislative session through HB 2198. The commission consists of the state health officer or designee and an eight member-panel appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the senate. The commission provides advice to Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission regarding Oregon Administrative Rules that govern medical cannabis as well as retail cannabis as it pertains to patients and caregivers. Additionally, the commission is tasked with developing a long-term strategic plan for ensuring that cannabis will remain a therapeutic and affordable option for patients and monitoring federal laws, regulations, and policies regarding cannabis.

Visit www.Healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission for more information.

# # #

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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Megan Lockwood at 971-673-0620, 711 TTY or .lockwood@dhsoha.state.or.us">megan.r.lockwood@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that full restitution of over $600,000 was obtained from the former operators of two Portland-area strip clubs who were convicted at trial in 2016 for conspiring to defraud the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in business taxes owed.

On Sept. 23, 2022, the Clerk of the Court for the District of Oregon received a payment of $608,217, which was full payment of the outstanding restitution balance of David, George, and Daniel Kiraz. The Kirazes previously had paid less than ten percent of their original $657,243 restitution order.

 “I am proud of our Financial Litigation Program for their hard work in securing this full restitution payment, and for their commitment to helping crime victims by diligently investigating these cases,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“Today’s restitution payment is the culmination of many years of dogged effort made by our agency and by our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This is a success we can all share in, as the funds secured today will be used for the benefit of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Bret Kressin, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office.

According to court documents, David Kiraz, 40, of Happy Valley, Oregon, along with his father and brother—George Kiraz, 62, and Daniel Kiraz, 37, both of Portland—operated two Portland-area strip clubs, the Cabaret Lounge on West Burnside Street in Portland and Cabaret Lounge II on Southeast Stark Street in Gresham, Oregon. From 2007 through 2010, these clubs collected more than $1.5 million in cash for cover charges and dancer stage fees.

To conceal their total business income from the IRS, the Kirazes maintained a set of books at their clubs that did not include their cash payments, while maintaining a second set of books at David Kiraz’s home that tracked their actual receipts in full. The Kirazes reported their business activity on David Kiraz’s personal income tax return and provided their tax return preparers with only a two-page business financial summary compiled from their manipulated records. Together, these actions resulted in David Kiraz intentionally underreporting more than $1.5 million in taxable income and causing a combined state and federal tax loss of more than $649,000.

On April 8, 2015, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging the Kirazes with conspiring with one another to defraud the United States, filing false income tax returns, and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns. On May 26, 2016, after a six-day trial, they were found guilty. 

On Tuesday, October 25, 2016, David and George Kiraz were sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Daniel Kiraz was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison.

This case was originally investigated by IRS:CI. It was prosecuted by Quinn Harrington and Seth Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, and Leslie Goemaat, Trial Attorney for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. 

Enforcement of the Kirazes’ restitution order was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie D. Young and the staff and investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Program.

The District of Oregon’s Financial Litigation Program (FLP) is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division. The mission and goal of FLP is to fairly achieve the maximum recovery of civil and criminal debts consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and Justice Department policies. FLP attorneys and support staff work with individuals subject to restitution orders to bring closure for crime victims and recoup losses incurred by United States taxpayers.

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On September 29, 2022 at approximately 5:27 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 70.

Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound black Toyota 4Runner, operated by Tysa Marie Judd (37) of Tillamook, turned onto South Prairie Road into the path of a northbound Harley Davidson FIS motorcycle, operated by Carl Anderson (73) of Tillamook. The Harley Davidson collided with the side of the Toyota and Anderson was thrown from the motorcycle. 

Anderson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Judd was uninjured. 

Hwy 101 was affected for 4 hours while the OSP Collision Reconstruction Unit investigated the scene. 

OSP was assisted by Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT. 

On Thursday, September 29, 2022 at approximately 2:21 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 101 near milepost 209. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound Dodge Ram 1500, operated by Ryan Davidson (40) of Reedsport, struck a southbound cyclist, identified as Nathalie Friese (29) of Germany. 

Friese was transported to area hospitals with critical injuries and was pronounced deceased on September 30, 2022.

OSP was assisted by Reedsport Police Department, Gardiner Fire and Rescue, Lower Umpqua Ambulance and ODOT. 

On Friday, September 30, 2022 at approximately 12:51 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 270.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Toyota 4Runner, operated by Katharine Deluca-Carroll (58) of Salem, was on the northbound shoulder and began to merge into northbound traffic when the vehicle went off the roadway, struck a guardrail and rolled. 

Deluca-Carroll sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

OSP was assisted by Woodburn Fire Department and ODOT. 

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Oregon man has been charged with federal child exploitation crimes after he persuaded a child to engage in a sexually explicit video chat with him on Discord, a popular instant messaging social platform.

Jason Kroeskop, 40, of The Dalles, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with enticing and sexually exploiting a child online.

According to court documents, in August 2022, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tulsa, Oklahoma were contacted by local law enforcement to request assistance with an investigation involving the online exploitation of a child under 12. Investigators discovered that Kroeskop pretended to be an Oregon teenager to convince the child to engage in sexually explicit acts during a video chat on Discord. He also recorded the video chat without the victim’s knowledge.

Investigators tracked Kroeskop’s Discord account, “Noctis Lucis #7347,” to an internet protocol address registered to his residence in The Dalles. On September 29, 2022, HSI special agents from Portland contacted Kroeskop at his place of employment. Kroeskop agreed to talk with the agents and admitted to having engaged in sexually explicit communications with multiple children online since at least 2021 using Discord, Snapchat, and Omegle. He was later arrested without incident.

On September 30, 2022, Kroeskop made his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Armistead. He was detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by HSI Portland and The Dalles Police Department with assistance from HSI Tulsa. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about other crimes committed by Kroeskop, or the physical or online exploitation of any children, are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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From ransomware-for-hire to smishing attacks, OnPoint provides guidance on protecting against the newest cybersecurity threats.

PORTLAND, Ore., October 3, 2022 — OnPoint Community Credit Union today released its 2022 “The OnPoint Guide to Personal Cybersecurity” eBook to help consumers and businesses protect themselves amidst a fast-evolving cybercrime landscape. In 2021, ransomware attacks doubled, and in the first half of 2022, malware scams jumped 11%. OnPoint updates the free eBook every October to coincide with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and help keep the community informed of the latest online threats. From emerging cybercrime business models to a surge in smishing and attacks on small businesses, hackers are continually adapting their tactics to take advantage of vulnerabilities. 

“Financial security and personal data security go hand in hand, and both require a commitment to ongoing learning and education,” said Damian Laviolette, Chief Information Security Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “With everything from phones, cars, drones and home systems connected on the web, cybercrime is only going to keep growing—it is not going away. As cybercriminals evolve their modes of attack, we’ll continue to share best practices and resources so people can stay on top of trends and understand how to protect their identities and their bank accounts.” 

The latest trends in online fraud include:

• Ransomware as a Service (RaaS): A play on the Subscription as a Service or SaaS business model, RaaS providers market themselves on the dark web, offering their ransomware services and technology to clients in exchange for cryptocurrency. The scale of services ranges from advice and assistance to round-the-clock support that includes negotiating with the victim. While RaaS makes it easier for more bad actors to enter the market, the methods of attack remain the same. Cybercriminals access systems via malware infection or exploitation of a vulnerability. 
• Smishing surge: This summer, the FCC issued a warning about a rise in smishing, a type of social engineering attack that uses SMS texting. Designed to read like a formal notification from a business, smishing texts operate under the same premise as email phishing scams with a link pointing you to an attacker-controlled server. The smisher may even use your name and location to address you directly and strengthen the validity of the message.
• Small businesses beware: According to the FBI’s Internet Crime report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $2.4 billion last year. And a U.S. Small Business Administration survey found 88% of small business owners felt their businesses were vulnerable to online attacks. While large enterprises have built robust security teams and protocols, small businesses tend to lack the security infrastructure needed in the era of cybercrime, making them an attractive target for hackers.

Top 5 Tips for Cybersecurity:

• Forget the password. Remember the passphrase. A password typically contains about 10 characters, blending letters, numbers and symbols. However, passwords are relatively easy to crack by hackers. That’s why passphrases are becoming the new industry standard. A passphrase is longer than a password, can contain spaces between words, and should be easy for you to remember but hard for a computer to crack. Consider song lyrics, a quotation or anything memorable to you like “My favorite food is Hawaiian p1zz@,” mixing in symbols and numbers in place of some letters. Even the most proficient password cracking tools break down at about 10 characters, so remember the longer your passphrase is, the harder it will be for fraudsters to hack.
• Back up your data. Backing up data is an absolute must for small business owners. A ransomware attack will seize up your system and lock you out until you pay the hackers. The average length of business downtime due to ransomware attacks is 20 days. That’s enough time to shut down a small business. In addition to security protocols and threat detection, make sure you have a consistent and reliable way to back up your files with encryption in a system separate from your day-to-day operations.
• Verify sender before clicking any link. Double check the sender’s address and domain name, and don’t simply rely on the display name. You can hover over a link to see if the URL looks legitimate or has common tricks like a zero in place of the letter “o” or an “s” added to the end of a word like Onpoints.com. Be extra wary of any offer or notification that has poor grammar or typos, comes out of the blue or sounds too good to be true.
• Stop and ask for help. So, you’ve clicked the link. What now? First, stop using the device and disconnect from the internet to stop the spread of malware. If your device is related to your job, reach out to your IT department by phone. If you’ve entered sensitive information, call your financial institution’s hotline (on the back of your credit or debit card) to report the incident, consider putting a lock on your credit records and set up a fraud alert. For breaches on your personal device, back up your data using an external device like a USB and then scan your device for malware. Lastly, change your passwords across all your accounts. When in doubt, seek out a professional IT expert for help.  
• Teach your kids. You might be aware of smishing, but are your kids? Laviolette says smishing attacks can be successful when you let a kid borrow your phone to play a game. When the text comes through, they may start tapping the screen to remove the distraction and unknowingly compromise the system. If your kids are using electronic devices of any kind, even for limited periods of time, make sure you’ve educated them about the risks.

Cybercrime comes in many forms and requires vigilance across all channels. To learn even more ways to protect yourself, your family or your business, download The OnPoint Guide to Cybersecurity eBook or talk with a representative at your nearest OnPoint branch. 

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 489,000 members and with assets of $9.3 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

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On Sunday, October 2, 2022 at approximately 2:46 AM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 99E near milepost 36. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound gray Toyota Corolla, operated by Epifanio Jose Ruiz (21) of Beaverton, crossed over into the northbound lane and collided head-on with a silver Honda Accord, operated by Gabriel Hernandez Ortiz (36) of Woodburn.

Epifanio Jose Ruiz was life-flighted to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. A passenger in Ruiz’s car, Jorge Valencia Cortez (22) sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Gabriel Hernandez Ortiz also sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased and the passenger in his vehicle, Omar Jeu Pastor Martinez (26) of Woodburn, was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Hwy 99E was affected for approximately 4 hours while the OSP Collision Reconstruction Unit investigated the scene. Alcohol is being investigated as the contributing factor to the crash as Ruiz’s BAC was determined .24% at the hospital. 

OSP was assisted by Woodburn Fire Department, Woodburn Ambulance, Marion County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT. 

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UPDATE AT 5:45 PM: Hunter Schabell has been located. 

Date: Oct. 2, 2022

Case #: 2022-00059197

Incident: 23-year-old Bend man considered missing and endangered 

Date / Time of Incident: Oct. 2, 2022 / 2:30 p.m. 

Location: NE Third Street and Bend River Mall area, Bend

Missing: Hunter Schabell, 23-year-old Bend man

Bend Police are asking the public for help in locating a 23-year-old Bend man who is missing and endangered. 

Hunter Schabell is 5 feet 11 inches and 170 lbs. He has dyed black hair, brown facial hair and bright blue eyes. He has a birthmark on the back of his neck and a tattoo of an anchor on his left forearm. 

Schabell was last seen behind WinCo Foods near NE Third Street and the Bend River Mall around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2. He was wearing a dark blue short-sleeve shirt with no writing on it, blue sweatpants and black Nike shoes. He did not have a bag or a hat with him. 

Schabell has a medical condition that can affect his ability to speak, and can suffer from seizures. He hasn’t taken his medication since Sept. 30, and before leaving the area this morning was hallucinating and talking about going into the woods. 

Because of his medical condition, Schabell has been entered as missing and endangered, and notice has been sent to all Central Oregon agencies to be on the lookout for him. If you see Schabell, you’re asked to call nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 or call 911 depending on his condition. 

On Friday, September 30, 2022 at approximately 5:32 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a multiple vehicle accident on Hwy 234 near milepost 10.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F150, operated by Richard Dionne (65) of Rogue River, pulled out onto Hwy 234 from Old Sam’s Valley Road and collided with two westbound motorcycles. Dustin Small (36) of Pendleton was operating a Harley Davidson and Matthew Small (32) of Gresham was operating a Honda. Intoxication is being investigated as a contributing factor to the crash.  

Dustin Small sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Matthew Small was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Dionne was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to an area hospital also. 

Hwy 234 was affected for approximately 4 hours while OSP Collision Reconstruction Unit investigated the scene. 

OSP was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy Flights and ODOT. 

On Friday, September 30, 2022 at approximately 6:00 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 126E near milepost 50.

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound blue Nissan VRS, operated by Vanessa East (45) of Mckenzie Bridge, was stopped waiting to turn left into a residential driveway when an eastbound Freightliner, operated by Joseph Garcia (62) of Junction City, rear-ended the Nissan. 

East and a male juvenile passenger were transported with injuries to an area hospital. The front passenger in the Nissan, Shaney Howard (52) of McKenzie Bridge, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Garcia was uninjured. 

Hwy 126E was affected for approximately 6 hours while the OSP Reconstruction Collision Unit investigated the scene. 

OSP was assisted by Mckenzie Fire Department, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Coburg Police Department and ODOT. 

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Richard Wayne Godwin, died the morning of October 2, 2022. Godwin was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away in the infirmary while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.

Godwin entered DOC custody on September 20, 1979, from Lane County with an earliest release date of March 11, 2026. Godwin was 77 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 approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 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.

SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario that houses approximately 3,000 adults in custody. SRCI has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, intensive management, infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care, and an administrative segregation unit. SRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including a contact center, laundry, and sign shop. SRCI specializes in incentive housing, specialized housing, individuals with mental health/medical vulnerabilities, education and trades programs, cognitive and parenting programs, and institution work programs. SRCI opened in 1991 and is the largest correctional institution in the state.

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Date: Oct. 2, 2022

Case #: 2022-00059118

Incident: Two shot in dispute in NE Bend

Date / Time of Incident: Oct. 1, 2022 / 10:45 p.m.

Location: 1900 block of NE Otelah Place, Bend

At approximately 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, Bend Police responded to a call of a gunshot wound at a residence in the 1900 block of NE Otelah Place. 

Upon arrival, officers found two men with gunshot wounds related to a dispute. The two men, a 27-year-old Bend resident and a 53-year-old Bend resident, were transported to St. Charles Medical Center where they are both in stable condition. 

This remains an active investigation and no charges have yet been filed.

Released by: Deputy Donny Patterson, Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator

Released Date: 09/30/2022

Location: South Sister

Person Assisted: 61-year-old female, Springfield, Oregon 

On September 30, 2022, at 4:18 PM, the Deschutes County 911 Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a lost hiker who was descending the South Sister.  The caller, a 61-year-old female from Springfield, Oregon was hiking alone at the time with her dog when she inadvertently left the climbers trail and soon became disoriented.  The 911 call was broken mid conversation due to a lack of cell coverage in that area, thus further details were not obtained. 

A Special Services Deputy assigned to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue attempted to contact the lost hiker several times by phone and text having negative contact results.   A cell phone ping was also attempted to confirm the hiker’s location, though this was met with negative results. 

Contact was not obtained for over an hour when a second 911 call came in from the South Sister area.  This call was received by Klamath County 911 Dispatch Center.  This call was also limited in duration due to poor cell service; however, the caller’s information was the same.  The caller was able to relay that she had some food, water, an extra cell phone battery, and warm clothes.  She reported that she had lost contact with another person in her hiking party and she could not reacquire the South Sister's climbers trail. 

At approximately 4:49 PM, after numerous attempts to contact the lost female by phone, and knowing that there was the possibly an additional lost hiker in the area from her party a request was sent out for the assistance of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Incident Management Team.  AirLink was also contacted and they volunteered to assist the Sheriff's Office with an aerial search as daylight was rapidly diminishing. 

Due to the inability to make further contact with the lost female a SAR page was sent out and total of 12-SAR volunteers, a Sgt. and two Special Services Deputies responded to this call.  AirLink was able to locate the lost female in the area of the Le Conte Crater Trail (southwest of South Sister) and provide SAR volunteers with her GPS coordinates. 

At approximately 6:30 PM two SAR teams departed the SAR team office towards Devils Lake to access the South Sisters Climbers Trail.  At approximately 7:15 PM SAR volunteers began to hike into the area to locate the lost hiker.  At approximately 8:12 PM SAR volunteers made contact with the lost hiker and walked her back out of the area where she was reunited with her hiking partner at the Devils Lake trailhead. 

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office would like to thank AirLink for their assistance on this call. 

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 five K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 259 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 191 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

Eligible customers will see power bill discounts ranging from 20% to 40% 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Sept.30) – Pacific Power is helping customers manage costs with a new low-income discount program, set to debut in October.  

Starting October 1, customers receiving energy relief from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP) will automatically receive a 20% discount on their Pacific Power bills. The program will also give these participants the opportunity to qualify for a 40% discount if they meet additional income requirements.  

 “Our customers count on us every day for the energy they need, and we’re working to keep that power affordable, especially for customers experiencing income restraints,” said vice president of customer and community solutions Cory Scott. “The Low-Income Discount program will provide relief to customers who qualify on their power bills.” 

Eligible customers will receive the following discounts: 

• A 20% discount if their income is between 21% and 60% of state median income
• A 40% discount if their income is between 0% to 20% of state median income

To learn more about the program and see if they qualify, customers can visit http://pacificpower.net/LID starting October 1. Customers can also reach out to our customer care team at 1-888-221-7070 in English or 1-888-225-2611 in Spanish. Translation services are available in several additional languages.  

About Pacific Power  

Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 764,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal, and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.  

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The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Incident Management Team (IMT) sent to help with the response to Hurricane Ian in Florida arrived in Hardee County on Friday. The team met with emergency managers and went straight to work. They have been challenged with limited cell service, connectivity, and damaged infrastructure. The OSFM was able to get a brief interview this evening with OSFM IMT PIO Brett Deedon with Eugene Springfield Fire. The interview is linked below for our media partners to use. Because of the limited service the team has, at this point we can’t facilitate interview requests on the ground. We are working to make sure you all are able to share their story.

OSFM Interview: Brett Deedon 9-30-2022

As the team gets settled in over the coming days, we anticipate more pictures and videos. We’ll keep you posted on their work in Florida.

SALEM, Ore. - The Umatilla Chemical Depot located in Umatilla, Oregon, was officially renamed the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees, during a ceremony on September 29, 2022, highlighting the current transformation and development of the historic installation. 

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, providing the state of Oregon and the United States with a ready force of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen. Rees also held various high-level leadership positions in the National Guard Bureau. After he retired from military service in 2013, he served at the Deputy Secretary of the Army as a civilian. 

Several distinguished guest and local elected officials were in attendance for this ceremony, which will also impact the economy of Eastern Oregon for the foreseeable future. 

In 2017 a license was signed by the Oregon Military Department (OMD) to secure 7,500 of the depot’s former 17,055 acres as a training site for the Oregon National Guard. The Raymond F. Rees Training Center will be the home of the 249th Regional Training Institute, providing a premiere joint and inter-agency training facility. 

Since OMD received the property, over $60,000,000 has been invested in Construction, Modernization and Restoration. Projects have ranged from barracks, dining facilities, electrical and water infrastructure, waste water treatment facility, and a STARBASE Academy. Within the next three years, an additional $40,000,000 will be invested in modernized ranges, new ranges, and additional barracks.

Biography for Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_F._Rees

Full length recording of the ceremony: https://youtu.be/VUDasDwq9QQ

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Released images:

220929-Z-CM403-101: Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General, addresses guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-141: Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief, National Guard Bureau, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-157: State Senator, Bill Hansell, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army.(Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-161: State Representative, Greg Smith, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army.  (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-202: (From L to R on stage) Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General and Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, watch as a Chinook helicopter flies over the new front gate at the Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0033: Members of the Oregon Army National Gaud 234th Army Band participate in the ceremony for the official renaming service at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0130: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau (left), Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon (center) render a hand salute to Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees (right), as Gen. Hokanson deferred 'Ruffles and Flourishes' to honor Rees to being the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0356: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, delivers remarks as the Keynote Speaker to guest and local officials during the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0227: Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, addresses guests and local officials as the host during the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0238: Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees listens to remarks by Maj. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau during the renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0639: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau (right), Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon (center) and Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees (left) share a private moment off-stage following the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0568: (From Left to Right) Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, friend of Mrs. Rees, Mrs. Mary Len Rees, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, Oregon State Senator, Bill Hansell, Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith and Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau pause for a group follow the Christening and Flyover for the renaming ceremony for Raymond F. Rees Training Center,, at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0461: Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, Oregon, addresses guests and local officials during his formal remarks  for the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0060: Oregon Army National Guard Color Guard members render colors during the National Anthem to begin the renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

Additional images: 

Group One:

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7444432/former-army-depot-officially-renamed-honor-retired-general-raymond-f-rees

Group Two: 

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7444130/former-army-depot-officially-renamed-honor-retired-general-raymond-f-rees

On Friday, September 30, 2022 at approximately 12:45 AM, Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 279, south of Wilsonville. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a black Honda motorcycle, operated by Tyler Bratton (24) of Santa Rosa, California, was travelling southbound in the northbound fast lane and collided head-on with a black Jeep Cherokee, operated by Usach Sisach Nelson (22) of Corvallis. 

Prior to the collision a witness observed the motorcycle northbound, make a U-turn and proceed southbound on the Interstate. It is unknown why Bratton was traveling the wrong direction. Additionally, during the investigation it was determined Nelson showed signs of impairment and was subsequently arrested for DUII. His BAC was determined to be .10%. 

Bratton sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

Interstate 5 was affected for 4.5 hours while the OSP Collison Reconstruction Unit investigated the scene.

OSP was assisted by Aurora Fire Department, Woodburn Ambulance and ODOT. 

September 30, 2022

The next Housing Stability Council meeting will be from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 7, 2022. The meeting will be held electronically due to the current COVID-19 health crisis. You can find all updated meeting materials on our website.

Webinar Meeting Only

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0gaTLc20SYSFgConBPN2kw 

AGENDA:

9:00: Meeting Called to Order - Roll Call 

9:05: Public Comment

9:30: Report of the Chair

9:45: Report of the Director (pg. 04)

• Modernize the HSC Administrative Structure: Caleb Yant Deputy Director

10:15: Legislative Planning Team (pg. 6)

          Nicole Stingh, Assistant Director of Government Relations

• 2023-25 Agency Request Budget & Integrating Feedback: Nicole Stingh & Chelsea Bunch, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer

11:15: Disaster Recovery & Resilience (pg. 8)  

          Ryan Flynn, Assistant Director, Disaster Recovery & Resilience

• Wildfire Recovery: State Funding Update and Sub-allocation to Counties:  Chelsea Catto Chief Policy Officer, Ryan Flynn, Assistant Director, Disaster Recovery & Resilience

11:45: 15 min break 

12:00: Affordable Rental Housing Division (pg. 12)  

          Natasha Detweiler-Daby, Interim Director, Affordable Rental Housing 

• Transaction Approvals: Tai Dunson-Strane, Production Manager    
  • Sequoia Crossing
• Preservation Pool Project Recommendations: Martin Jarvis, State Tax Credits Program Analyst; Amy Cole, State Development Resources Manager
• PuSH Acquisition Pool Project Recommendation: Martin Jarvis, State Tax Credits Program Analyst; Amy Cole, State Development Resources Manager
• Affordable Rental Housing Rural Investments; Verbal Update & Presentation:  Mitch Hannoosh, interim Senior Policy Analyst
• HOME American Rescue Plan (ARP) Update: Andrea Matthiessen, HOME and Housing Trust Fund Program Manager; Roberto Franco, Assistant Director Development Resources and Production

1:00: Housing Stabilization Division (pg. 41) 

          Jill Smith, Director, Housing Stabilization

• State Plan for the Department of Energy (DOE) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Draft:  Tim Zimmer, Assistant Director of Energy Services, Dan Elliott, Senior Policy Analyst, Steve Divan, Weatherization Program Manager
• HB2100 Interim Report: Mike Savara, Interim Chief Programs Officer, Mary Frances, Jennifer Parrish Chair of the TF

1:30: Homeownership Division (pg. 48)

          Emeses Perfecto, Director, Homeownership

• Oregon Bond Loan Approvals: Cheryl Lyons, Loan Specialist Homeownership Programs

 2:00: Meeting Adjourned

September 30, 2022

Media contact: Timothy Heider, 971-599-0459,

timothy.heider@dhs.oregon.gov

Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council to offer Measure 110 grant extensions through June 2025

The Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council (OAC) on Wednesday approved several proposals intended to protect continuity of services for individuals seeking treatment under Measure 110 and to ensure operational and financial stability for Measure 110 service networks ramping up across Oregon.

The OAC approved a proposal to offer current Measure 110 Behavioral Health Resource Network (BHRN) grantees an option to receive an 18-month grant extension through June 2025. The current grants are due to expire in December 2023. The OAC also approved a process for how to handle Measure 110 service providers that may drop out of service networks.

Offering the potential extensions ensures individuals seeking treatment and services under Measure 110 won’t face a disruption in care in December 2023.

“It also allows providers the predictability and certainty they need to become fully operational,” said Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Behavioral Health Director Steve Allen. “Approving these extensions and the process for replacing service providers further demonstrates our commitment to serving individuals seeking treatment and to working with the OAC and our community partners to provide a stable source of funding needed to fully implement Measure 110,” he said.

Starting in November OHA will ask BHRN service providers whether they are interested in continuing to provide services through June of 2025, with a deadline of expressing an interest in an extension of December 15, 2022.  

Beginning in January, OHA will work on grant extension documents and work with service providers to adjust budgets. The deadline for finalizing grant extensions is June 2023.

The OAC has established and funded 44 Behavioral Health Resource Networks (BHRNs) under Measure 110. These networks now exist in every Oregon county.

Each one offers a comprehensive array of community-based and culturally specific services for people seeking treatment for drug use and substance use disorders, without regard to their ability to pay.

Replacing service providers

The OAC also approved a process for replacing network providers who wish to stop providing services, if the loss of the provider would leave a service gap. Grantees opting to leave a network must get approval from the OAC and before agreeing to the termination of a grant agreement OAC wants to ensure all required BHRN services are covered. If there is another network partner providing the same service or services as the provider that is dropping out, the OAC has authorized OHA to agree to terminate the grant, but no replacement provider will be sought.

If a BHRN partner’s departure would leave a gap in services for the BHRN, OHA will look to other BHRN partners in the county to provide the additional, service.  If a network partner in the county cannot provide the service, OHA will look to any BHRN provider, and only if no current Measure 110 grantee can provide the service, will OHA look to a new provider to fill the gap. OHA will not agree to the termination of a grant until all required services in a BHRN are provided.

More detailed information on the grant extensions and the process for replacing providers, along with implementation progress updates can be found on the Measure 110 web page. Notices for future OAC meetings can be found here.

OHA has developed a statewide map visualization that shows the BHRNs that have been established, along with a robust dashboard showing the funded services within each service network. OHA has also developed a Measure 110 resources page, which includes contact information for each of the BHRNs.

Read more about Measure 110

Background: In November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act of 2020, which became effective Dec. 4, 2020, to better serve people actively using substances or diagnosed with a substance use disorder. In July 2021, the legislature passed SB 755, which amended the act and made it more feasible to implement.

People who provide drug treatment and recovery services and advocates for criminal justice reform wrote Measure 110 in response to the high rate of drug addiction and overdoses in Oregon, and the disproportionate impact of those outcomes on Oregon’s communities of color.

Their goal was to establish a more equitable and effective approach to substance use disorder. OHA is working with the OAC to develop a first-in-the-nation health-based approach to substance use and overdose prevention system, which is more helpful, caring and cost-effective than punishing and criminalizing people who need help.

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PORTLAND, Ore.—A 42-year-old Portland man is facing federal charges for targeting and selling drugs to local high school students.

Jonathon Ash Clark aka “Jonathan Ash Clark” has been charged by federal criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21, and using a minor in drug operations.

According to court documents, on September 28, 2022, Portland Public Schools officials contacted the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) to request assistance locating a missing student. School officials received word that the student was last observed with Clark, a suspected supplier of drugs for students. To quickly locate the student, responding PPB officers requested the assistance of the bureau’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (NOC), the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Investigators soon located the missing student with Clark in Powell Park in southeast Portland. Officers contacted Clark and learned that he had an outstanding arrest warrant in Clackamas County for violating a protective order. During his arrest, officers searched Clark’s backpack and located small amounts of cocaine and MDMA, and a digital scale covered in white powder residue. Clark later admitted to selling drugs to minors.

Clark will make his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Armistead. The government will seek pre-trial detention.

This case was investigated by HIT, PPB NOC, and HSI. It is being prosecuted by Scott Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Informational events for the public to be held in Portland and Salem

Portland, Ore (September 30, 2022) - Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic damage. We know this is a challenging time, and the American Red Cross is working around the clock with our partners to offer support and comfort to people in need. 

Wednesday night, more than 33,000 people sought refuge in approximately 260 evacuation shelters across Florida to escape Hurricane Ian. As conditions slowly improve over the coming days, response efforts will expand as evacuation centers transition to emergency shelters with more robust services requiring more volunteers.

Some 730 trained Red Cross disaster workers are supporting this relief effort and hundreds more are on the way. So far, Red Cross Cascades Region has sent 30 volunteers from Oregon and SW Washington to Florida, and we anticipate more to deploy in the coming days. In addition, we have volunteers in Puerto Rico to assist people affected by Hurricane Fiona. 

With back-to-back disasters resulting in lengthy recoveries, the Red Cross Cascades Region is looking to add new disaster volunteers. There will be five informational events in the coming week. These events will cover the deployment process and are open to the public. 

Volunteer Deployment Info Session – Virtual 

Monday, 10/3 6pm-7pm 

Tuesday, 10/4 10am-11am 

Volunteer Deployment Info Session – In Person 

American Red Cross Cascades Regional Office, 3331 N. Vancouver Ave., Portland, OR 97227

Saturday, 10/1 10am-11am 

Monday, 10/3  2pm - 3pm

 

Volunteer Deployment Info Session – In Person

American Red Cross Cascades Salem Office, 1860 Hawthorne NE, Salem, OR 97301

Monday, 10/3  11am - 12pm

In-person events have a capacity of 25 people so please RSVP here.

If you can’t attend one of the informational events but are still interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer, apply at redcross.org/volunteer. 

Click here for b-roll of the Red Cross response in Florida.

Visit our Flickr page for pictures of our local volunteers in Florida.

Media opportunity this evening (9/30) as a husband & wife volunteer team depart PDX Airport for Florida. Please use media contact information for details.

How else can I help?

Donate Blood

To help patients in Florida, the Red Cross Cascades Region has sent around 300 units of blood products to ensure blood remains available for patients in areas impacted by the storm. The storm’s second landfall is currently threatening to cancel more than 130 Red Cross blood drives this weekend in Georgia and the Carolinas possibly causing more than 2,700 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. We stand ready to send additional support as needed, but we can’t do it without our donors. Please make your appointment to give by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Oregon and Washington still require face masks be worn at all blood drives and donation sites.

Make a Financial Donation

Our work is just beginning. We will be working side-by-side with our partners to help people in need for weeks and months to come. To help people affected by Hurricane Ian, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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On Thursday, September 29, 2022 at approximately 7:39 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 117, north of Redmond.

Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound gray Honda Accord, operated by Micah Borden (23) of Madras, crossed into the northbound lane and collided head-on with a red Ford F150, operated by Jon Moore (37) of Redmond. 

Borden sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Moore was injured and transported to an area hospital. 

OSP was assisted by Redmond Fire and Rescue, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT.  

Bend Fire and Rescue Open House

Bend Fire Station North

63377 Jamison Street

Bend, Oregon

Saturday, October 15, 2022

10am – 3pm

Join Bend Fire & Rescue in celebrating National Fire Prevention Week!

Meet your firefighters and emergency responders

Tour the fire station and climb aboard a fire engine

K9 Bite Demonstration from the Bend Police Department

Watch our Rescue team perform special operations

Learn about wildfire and home safety

Emergency Preparedness from the American Red Cross

Health and Wellness from Saint Charles Health System

See an Airlink Helicopter land and meet their flight medics

 Learn Hands Only CPR and how to stop bleeding emergencies

Plus, delicious Eberhards Ice Cream for everyone!

For more information call (541) 322-6300 or visit us at www.bendoregon.gov/fire

FREE FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/rebuilding-salmon-and-steelhead-in-columbia-river-basin

NOAA Fisheries, with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has finalized the Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead report. It identifies a comprehensive suite of actions with the greatest likelihood of making progress toward rebuilding Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead to healthy and harvestable levels. The final report follows the draft, which was released in July, and incorporates feedback from state and tribal fishery co-managers.

The recommended suite of actions to rebuild Columbia Basin stocks include: increasing habitat restoration, reintroducing salmon into blocked areas, breaching dams, managing predators, reforming fish hatcheries and harvest and reconnecting floodplain habitat.

“This is a crucial time for the Columbia Basin’s salmon and steelhead. They face increasing pressure from climate change and other longstanding stressors including water quality and fish blockages caused by dams,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries and acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA. “The report identifies goals for the recovery of salmon and steelhead that will require a sustained commitment over many decades.”

The actions reflected in the report convey the urgency behind the Columbia Basin Partnership’s 2020 recommendations that merely avoiding extinction of native salmon and steelhead is not enough. Instead, the Partnership called for healthy and harvestable numbers that contribute fully to the culture, environment and economy of the region. The report is not a regulatory document, but rather is intended to inform and contribute to regional conversations and funding decisions.

The Columbia Basin Partnership expressed the hope that in 20 years, the people of the Columbia Basin would view the Partnership's work and the resulting efforts as “a turning point for the return of healthy and abundant salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River.” The report represents one step toward that important goal. 

The final report will inform ongoing dialogues about salmon restoration and decisions regarding allocation of resources for recovery actions. The rebuilding actions can also help restore fish populations to meet long standing commitments to Columbia Basin tribes.

Resources: 

Final Report: Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead 

A Vision for Salmon and Steelhead: Goals to Restore Thriving Salmon and Steelhead to the Columbia River Basin

SALEM, Oregon – Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is accepting public comments on proposed changes to Oregon administrative rules for its Local Government Grant Program.

The deadline for comments is 5 p.m. Nov. 3 for proposed changes to rules on grants to local jurisdictions for acquiring or developing outdoor recreation facilities.

The proposed changes include increasing grant award amounts, updating definitions and updating administrative processes. A copy of the proposed amendments is available on the OPRD Rules web page.

A virtual public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. Nov. 1 for anyone who would like to provide comment or learn more about the proposed rule change. Registration is required to participate at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NcskSJx0TOWxc8faPgiYbQ.

Comments may also be submitted by 5 p.m. Nov. 3 via:

• Online: oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/Pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx
• Mail: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, attn.: Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
• Public Hearing: 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1. Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NcskSJx0TOWxc8faPgiYbQ 
• Email: D.publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov">OPRD.publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov

After reviewing public comments, agency staff will present a final amended rule for consideration by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission at a business meeting.

The Local Government Grant Program, created after the passage of Measure 76, has awarded over $90 million in grant funding to local governments in Oregon for parks, trails and other outdoor recreation facilities since the program began in 1999.  More information is on the local government grant program website.

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Katie Gauthier, at least three days in advance of a meeting, by calling (503) 510-9678.

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Q2 2022 was the worst financial quarter of the pandemic, exceeding record Q1 losses

Lake Oswego, Ore. – September 30, 2022 – Nearly two-thirds of Oregon’s hospitals lost money in the second quarter of 2022, with margins plunging to depths below the lockdown phase of 2020 when all but basic operations ceased, according to new analysis released by Apprise Health Insights. 

The full report is attached. 

Driven by sharply increasing labor and other costs combined with flat revenue, hospital losses from operations collectively reached $111 million in the second quarter. Through the first six months of 2022, hospitals have lost $215 million from operations.

“The wheels have come off the financial model that keeps hospital doors open to patients,” said Becky Hultberg, OAHHS President and CEO. “This dismal financial picture calls into question the ability of some hospitals to provide essential and life-saving care for patients in their communities now and in the future. This should be a wakeup call to all of us who rely on functioning hospitals to take care of our loved ones and neighbors. The system can break, and we are getting ever closer to that breaking point.”

Median Operating Margin continued to decline sharply in Q2, to -4.7%, following the Q1 margin of -2.5%. Both numbers are below where they were at the early stages of the pandemic. Once again, hospital revenue is not covering the cost of patient care. Net Patient Revenue (NPR) fell short of Total Operating Expenses in Q2 2022, and the gap continues to be considerable. Labor costs, hospitals’ largest expense, have risen 16% compared to last year. Labor accounts for at least half of a hospital’s cost, so even a small increase in labor cost has a big impact. 

Oregon’s system is breaking down across the care continuum, from ambulances to hospitals to post-acute, and creating a capacity crisis in hospitals.  The capacity crisis, which threatens patient access to care, is adding to the strain on hospital staff and finances. Around 500 patients per day are ready to be discharged from hospitals into a care setting that better meets their needs, but there is nowhere for them to go. Meanwhile, hundreds more wait in the ED, “boarding” and waiting for a staffed bed to open. Emergency departments are often full, which can mean long wait times for ambulance companies and our community members. 

“A local hospital with an open front door and a closed back door does not work even with the best efforts of our teams,” said Hultberg. “These numbers should create a sense of urgency in addressing the significant challenges in our health care system, like the inability of hospitals to discharge patients.” 

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About OAHHS: Founded in 1934, OAHHS is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that works closely with local and national government leaders, business and citizen coalitions, and other professional health care organizations to enhance and promote community health and to continue improving Oregon’s innovative health care delivery system.

Apprise Health Insights is the most reliable and complete source of hospital data in Oregon. As the data subsidiary of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS), Apprise staff have gathered and analyzed data about Oregon hospitals and health systems since 1985. We strive to provide data, tools, and expertise to help hospitals understand the healthcare landscape in the Pacific Northwest. 

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet on Oct. 12 and 13 for a planning retreat. The annual retreat offers the board and department leadership the opportunity to connect and explore policy issues in an informal setting. No public comment or testimony will be accepted during the retreat. The public can attend in-person at Matt Dishman Community Center Auditorium, 77 NE Knott Street, Portland, OR 97212 or observe both days of the retreat via a livestream on the department’s YouTube page.

During this informal annual retreat, board members will reflect on the past year of work together and begin their work on creating the next generation Forestry Program for Oregon. They will focus on: 

• Discussing the outcomes of the annual self-evaluation.
• Exploring the Board business approach for the current biennium including work plans, organizational level governance, and public engagement.
• Expanding upon the relationship between the Board and agency leadership.
• Hearing from a local urban forestry community voice.
• Setting the stage to begin substantive work on the Forestry Program for Oregon.

View the agenda and retreat details. 

On Oct. 12, as part of the planning retreat, the Department will host an evening Community Spotlight and Board social to focus on Urban Forestry as part of their planning effort of revisioning Oregon’s forests. This informal event is open to the public and can attend in-person at the McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33^rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97211. An RSVP is not required, but a courtesy as spacing and parking is limited. RSVP to oardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov">boardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov. 

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@odf.oregon.gov">forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30 million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

September 29, 2022

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA lifts health advisories for Short Sand, Rockaway beaches Sept. 29

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) today lifted public health advisories for contact with ocean water at Short Sand and Rockaway beaches, both located in Tillamook County.

The health authority issued the advisories on Sept. 27 for Short Sand Beach and Sept. 28 for Rockaway Beach, after water samples showed higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters.

Results from follow-up tests taken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) showed lower bacteria levels at these beaches. Contact with the ocean water in these areas no longer poses a higher-than-normal risk. Officials recommend staying out of large pools on the beach that are frequented by birds, and runoff from those pools, because the water may contain increased bacteria from fecal matter.

Since 2003, state officials have used a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to monitor popular Oregon beaches and make timely reports to the public about elevated levels of fecal bacteria. Oregon state agencies participating in this program are OHA, DEQ and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

For more information, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0440, or call OHA toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.

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September 29, 2022

Media contact: Tim Heider 971-599-0459 timothy.heider@oha.oregon.gov

Oregon Health Policy Board Behavioral Health Committee to hold public meetings in October

What: A public meeting of the Oregon Health Policy Board’s Behavioral Health Committee

When: October 10, and 24, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: Virtual:

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615920136?pwd=UnVjMGxIZzRucGtxN0U2ekl6UWhhQT09

Join by phone: 669-254-5252

Zoom Meeting ID: 161 592 0136

Zoom Passcode: 734636

Agenda: Committee members continue to develop metric concepts.

The meeting will include time for public comment. Comments may also be sent ahead of time to HC@dhsoha.state.or.us">BHC@dhsoha.state.or.us

Purpose: In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2086, which included multiple provisions and called for the establishment of the Behavioral Health Committee of the Oregon Health Policy Board. The committee’s purpose is to increase the quality of behavioral health services and transform Oregon’s behavioral health system through improved outcomes, metrics, and incentives. The committee will direct this work for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and will be supported by staff from OHA’s Office of Behavioral Health Services

The Behavioral Health Committee will use a health equity lens. It will center the voices of those with lived experience, community members impacted by health inequities, and members of the community with behavioral healthcare knowledge.

Read more about the Behavioral Health Committee.

Questions? Email questions to:  HC@dhsoha.state.or.us">BHC@odhsoha.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:

• 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 call 503-784-3737, 711 TTY, or HC@dhsoha.state.or.us">BHC@odhsoha.state.or.us or at least two business days before the meeting.

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Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) will be hosting a 2022 Paralympic Experience in Salem, Oregon on Friday, September 30, 2022. Sixty students from across the state, who are blind and visually impaired, will participate in three paralympic sports including tandem biking, track and field, and goalball. Goalball is a team sport specifically designed for individuals who are blind and visually impaired.) This event will be held at Oregon School for the Deaf (999 Locust St NE, Salem, OR 97301) from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. This event is open to all K-12 students who are blind or visually impaired in Oregon. Teachers of the visually impaired and parents of children are also welcome. 

We are especially excited this year to have several Paralympians leading the various sessions and inspiring our youth. Paralympians Brett Lewis (Spokane, Washington) will be leading the judo session; Asya Miller (Portland, Oregon) will be leading the track and field session; with Eliana Mason and Calahan Young (both from Portland, Oregon) leading our goalball session.

“We are extremely excited to, once again, deliver this Paralympic Experience to local youth who are blind or visually impaired across Oregon. This truly life-changing opportunity will introduce participants to accessible sports and physical activity, and support NWABA’s long-term vision of enhancing and expanding opportunities throughout the Northwest to ensure every person with a visual impairment is receiving services they need to reach their greatest potential in all areas of life,” said NWABA Founder, President & CEO, Billy Henry.

The event will give K-12 students with visual impairments an opportunity to learn the fundamental skills to participate in Goalball (a sport specifically designed for individuals who are blind and visually impaired), tandem bicycling, judo, and beep baseball. For more information on Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, please contact Stacey Gibbins at 1.360.718.2834, or visit www.nwaba.org.

About NWABA: 
The mission of Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. A group of students who were visually impaired formed the association in 2007 to ensure that people who are blind were participating in sports and physical activity. Today, NWABA is a rapidly expanding 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides more than 1,900 children, youth, adults and military veterans with visual impairments tailored programming which improves self-confidence and self-esteem, promotes independence, creates an inclusive community of supporters, and builds the skills necessary to succeed in all areas of life including school and employment.

Date: Sept. 29, 2022

Case #: 2022-00058563

Incident: Vehicle vs. ambulance crash

Date / Time of Incident: Sept. 29, 2022 / 11:08 a.m. 

Location: Intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and NE 27^th Street

At approximately 11:08 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, Bend Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of NE 27^th Street and U.S. Highway 20 in Bend. 

Upon arrival, officers determined that a Klamath County ambulance and a blue Subaru WRX had collided at the intersection. An investigation found that the ambulance was traveling northbound and transporting a critical patient to St. Charles Medical Center. After stopping at the red light at the intersection, the ambulance changed its siren pitch and continued northbound. The Subaru, traveling westbound on a green light, continued into the intersection not realizing the ambulance was traveling through the intersection. The ambulance hit the Subaru.

A Bend Fire & Rescue ambulance responded to the scene and transferred the critical patient to the hospital. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. One person suffered minor injuries. 

Bend Police’s crash reconstruction team responded to the scene and conducted an investigation that restricted traffic flow westbound and southbound until about 1 p.m. 

The Oregon Department of Transportation and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist with the crash. We appreciate their assistance. 

September 29, 2022

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

Opioid overdoses increased in 2021, OHA report shows

Fentanyl and methamphetamine help fuel rise in deaths and hospitalizations

PORTLAND, Ore.—Methamphetamines and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl helped drive an increase in opioid overdoses and related deaths in 2021, according to a new Oregon Health Authority (OHA) report.

The report, Opioids and the Ongoing Drug Overdose Crisis in Oregon, shows that overdoses involving multiple drugs – known as polysubstance overdoses – also rose during 2021 and now account for more than half of all fatal overdoses. In addition, hospitalizations increased in 2021 following decreases between 2018 and 2020. Charges for drug overdose-related hospitalizations reached $170 million and overdose-related emergency room charges reached $50 million.

“What this report tells us is that, even as prescription opioids were on the decline in Oregon over the last decade, misuse of synthetic and prescription opioids and other drugs continues to take a heavy toll on everyone in our state,” said Tom Jeanne, M.D., M.P.H., deputy health officer and deputy state epidemiologist at OHA’s Public Health Division, who served as an advisor on the report. “We need to continue our efforts focused on enhanced prevention across the continuum of drug use.”

The report also describes those at highest risk for unintentional drug overdose death in 2021, which were non-Hispanic American Indians and Alaska Natives, non-Hispanic Blacks, and males. At lowest risk were people of Hispanic ethnicity and non-Hispanic Asians and Pacific Islanders.

“These are populations that have been unfairly affected by systemic racism, socioeconomic and political injustices and bias, which through multiple pathways can worsen health outcomes and increase the risk of experiencing a drug overdose,” Jeanne said.

The report noted some trends that presented opportunities for intervention with those at risk of overdoses.

For one, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel administered naloxone, a drug that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, during 5,556 encounters in 2021, which is up from 3,758 encounters in 2019. In most of these cases the patient was transferred to a medical care facility for treatment.

In addition, there were almost 73,000 emergency department visits and more than 17,000 hospitalizations related to substance use disorder or intoxication issues other than an overdose in 2021. Such health care interactions represent opportunities to connect patients to treatment, prescribe naloxone – a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose – and provide other supports to reduce their risk for experiencing future overdoses, the report explains.

Providing comprehensive, non-stigmatizing harm-reduction services for people who use drugs is among a number of response strategies the report points to. Others include education for people who have never used drugs; resilience building and support to strengthen protective factors among those at higher risk for drug use and for developing substance use disorder; ensuring universal access to culturally sensitive treatment; and maintaining strong support for people in recovery, including peer support workers.

“Each non-fatal overdose and medical or behavioral health care visit has the potential to be a touch point with prevention, treatment and recovery services to support recovery and reduce the risk of a future fatal overdose,” according to the report.

An overdose is always a medical emergency. Individuals should call 911 before administering naloxone. Oregon’s Good Samaritan Law protects the caller and the person who has overdosed against possession and paraphernalia charges.

OHA’s Naloxone Rescue for Opioid Overdose webpage contains naloxone frequently asked questions and a map showing Oregon pharmacies that distribute the medicine. In Oregon, naloxone is available without a prescription. Anyone actively using opioids, or other illicit substances, can get naloxone and other harm-reduction materials at no cost through syringe service programs. Syringe service programs are available to anyone who uses drugs, regardless of whether they inject them. Here is OHA’s list of syringe and needle exchange services available in Oregon.

OHA has developed the following guidance for people who use drugs:

• Unless a pharmacist directly hands you a prescription pill, assume it is counterfeit and contains fentanyl.
• Assume any pills obtained from social media, the internet or a friend are counterfeit and contain fentanyl.
• If you are using pills, don’t use alone and always have naloxone on hand and visible.
• Test your drugs with fentanyl test strips before you use them. Fentanyl test strips can often be accessed at local harm-reduction sites.

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September 28, 2022

Media contact: Timothy Heider, 971-599-0459,

timothy.heider@oha.oregon.gov

OHA seeking applicants for peer run respite programs in Oregon. Deadline is Oct.6

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has issued a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) seeking state-based organizations to operate peer-run respite programs for people who experience a mental health crisis or emotional distress that may lead to a higher-level of care.

The program, established under House Bill 2980, will distribute $6 million in grants to operate up to four peer-run centers in four geographic regions: The Portland-Metro area, central or eastern Oregon, southern Oregon and the Oregon coast. At least one of the centers must offer culturally specific services.

Peer-run respites are voluntary, non-clinical, short-term residential programs operated in home-like settings for people experiencing emotional distress. The respites are staffed by people with lived experience and run independently of other behavioral health support providers.

The program is being operated through OHA’s Office of Recovery and Resilience. More about the grants and the program can be found here.

Eligibility is limited to peer-run organizations currently operating in Oregon. Information on how to apply for the programs, including the RFGA can be found here. The deadline for RFGA applications is Thursday, Oct. 6.

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Sept. 30, 2022

Contacts: Liz Gharst, 971-666-2476, eth.a.gharst@dhsoha.state.or.us">Elizabeth.a.gharst@dhsoha.state.or.us (media inquiries)

Lisa Bui, esourceallocation@dhsoha.state.or.us">oha.resourceallocation@dhsoha.state.or.us or contact by phone at 503-576-9321 (meeting information or accommodation)

Oregon Resource Allocation Advisory Committee meets Sept. 30, via Zoom

What: A public meeting of the Oregon Resource Allocation Advisory Committee (ORAAC).

When: Sept. 30, 2022 noon to 2:00 p.m

Join meeting by computer or video link:

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1604980686?pwd=RmVTVk5aTU0rNkpyWkhQM3JjYUZIdz09

Join meeting by phone:

Phone # 669-254-5252

Meeting ID: 160 498 0686

Passcode: 828115

Agenda: Welcome; Health Justice vs Health Equity, Community Systems and Health Justice, Healthcare Systems and Health Justice.

Oregon Resource Allocation Advisory Committee (ORAAC) meeting. Meeting materials are posted to the ORAAC website. https://www.oregon.gov/oha/Pages/Resource-Allocation-Advisory-Committee.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
• CART (Communication Access Real-time Translation)
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

Everyone is welcome to the meetings. For questions about accessibility or to request an accommodation, please call 971-304-6236 or write esourceallocation@dhsoha.state.or.us">oha.resourceallocation@dhsoha.state.or.us. 

SALEM – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) is warning people about the uptick in student loan scams. With recent changes to federal student loan programs, scammers are bombarding borrowers with fraudulent offers for loan forgiveness and refinancing.

The division reminds people to ignore phone calls, emails, social media messages, and other unsolicited messages from people claiming they can help you get your student loans forgiven faster or telling you that you should refinance your loan. Do not accept these unexpected offers without first checking to see if the offer is legitimate. Chances are it is a scam. Scammers may use the phrases such as “pre-enrollment for all loan forgiveness” or “you must apply within the next 24 hours.”

“There are no fees associated with signing up for student loan forgiveness, so don’t fall for these scams,” said TK Keen, administrator for DFR. “Everyone will have the same opportunities and there are no ways to cut in line and get loans forgiven faster.” 

There are recent and upcoming changes to federal student loans and forgiveness of loans, as well as the Biden Administration’s one time cancellation. With those changes, unfortunately, there are people who will prey on those seeking help.

“There is not yet an application available for President Biden’s relief plan,” said Lane Thompson, Oregon student loan ombuds. “People can get alerted once the program is live by visiting the U.S. Department of Education website and check the box title ‘NEWII Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates.’”

One helpful reminder is that if it is not a .gov website, it is not an official site of the federal government. The key signs to watch out for are if they tell you there is an urgency, a guarantee, and any secrecy.

“Any time the Department of Education announces changes to the student loan program, scammers come out of the woodwork,” Thompson said. “The advice remains the same: if it seems too good to be true, it likely is.”

If you have questions regarding your student loan’s eligibility, it is best to go to studentaid.gov. If you believe you received incorrect information from your servicer, email .bankingproducthelp@dcbs.oregon.gov">dfr.bankingproducthelp@dcbs.oregon.gov or call our consumer hotline at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).

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About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.​​

On September 23, 2022, at approximately 6:40 a.m., OSP Fish & Wildlife Troopers received information that a large bull elk was shot and killed with a rifle on private property off Stoney Point Road in Vernonia. 

OSP Fish & Wildlife Troopers are seeking public assistance identifying the person(s) who shot the bull elk and left it to waste. 

OSP Fish & Wildlife Division is urging anyone with information about this case to call the Oregon State Police Tip-line at 1-800-452-7888, OSP (677), or email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Please reference case number SP22256433.

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators

The Turn In Poachers (TIP) program offers preference points or cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation, to a suspect, for the unlawful killing of wildlife, and or waste of big game. Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags, and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags. Learn more: https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/fw/Pages/tip.aspx

 PREFERENCE POINT REWARDS:

5 Points-Mountain Sheep

5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

 Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) Cash Rewards:

$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, and Moose

$500 Elk, Deer, and Antelope

$300 Bear, Cougar, and Wolf

$300 Habitat Destruction

$200 - Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags

$200 - Unlawful Lending/Borrowing Big Game Tag(s)

$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl

$100 Game Birds or Furbearers

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish

Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) Cash Rewards:

Birds
$500 Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Owl, Osprey
All other protected avian species: see category below for listed species 

Mammals
$500 Cougar, Bobcat, Beaver (public lands only), Black bears, Bighorn Sheep, Marten, Fisher, Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Species listed as “threatened" or “endangered" under state or federal Endangered Species Act (excludes fish) 

$1,000 (e.g. wolf, wolverine, kit fox, red tree vole, Canada lynx, sea otter, Columbian white-tailed deer, California brown pelican, western snowy plover, California least tern, northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, short-tailed albatross, streaked horned lark, yellow-billed cuckoo, leatherback sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, Oregon spotted frog, green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle)

The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) conducted a brief interview (linked below) for our media partners Wednesday evening before members of the incident management team (IMT) left for Florida. OSFM IMT member Brett Deedon with Eugene Springfield Fire talks about being mobilized to support the hurricane response efforts in Florida. Deedon and 12 others (13 total) from the OSFM’s three all-hazard incident management teams were mobilized Wednesday and are traveling to Tallahassee, Florida. After arrival, they will receive their mission in supporting those impacted by Hurricane Ian.

VIDEO INTERVIEW: Brett Deedon OSFM IMT PIO

Green power adoption rate draws US Department of Energy ranking

PORTLAND, Ore. – September 28, 2022—Pacific Power’s popular Blue Sky renewable energy program has landed a second place ranking in the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) national study. 

NREL recently released its ranking of leading utility green power programs based on 2021 data. For the 20th consecutive year, PacifiCorp’s Blue Sky program – which includes Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power customers – is being recognized. 

“Customers are choosing to make an impact by supporting additional renewable energy and local community projects through Blue Sky,” said Cory Scott, vice president of customer & community solutions. “We’re immensely proud of our Blue Sky participants for achieving this national recognition.”

Pacific Power Blue Sky participation consistently increases about six percent year over year. Continued participation growth is anticipated as increasing numbers of customers choose to support renewable energy.

“Our Blue Sky participants voluntarily support this program to help bring renewable energy awareness into the forefront of everyday life and lead the way toward a more robust renewable energy future,” said Scott. 

PacifiCorp scored second in the top 10 list by green power sales and customers based on December 2021 data. 

How Blue Sky works

Blue Sky allows participants to match their energy usage with the purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs). It’s an effortless way for participants to support renewable energy in the West, above and beyond Pacific Power’s substantial and growing commitment to renewables.

In addition to supporting renewable energy in the west, funds from Blue Sky participants’ support has allowed Pacific Power to partner with community organizations to fund more than 145 local renewable energy projects over the years. These projects have helped community organizations save money on electricity costs and reinvest those funds to support their missions in the communities we serve. 

Pacific Power customers who want to participate in Blue Sky may call toll free at 1-888-221-7070 or visit Blue Sky Renewable Energy (pacificpower.net).

The Top 10 utility green pricing program listing is compiled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the following categories: total sales of renewable energy, total number of customer participants, customer participation rate, green power as a percentage of overall sales, price premium and percentage of solar energy.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory green power rankings are available at www.nrel.gov. 

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About Pacific Power 

Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 764,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net. 

EUGENE, Ore.—The former president and minority owner of Willamette Country Music Concerts, LLC, who planned, managed, and promoted the annual Willamette Country Music Festival in Linn County, Oregon, pleaded guilty today after she falsified bank statements and financial summaries to influence the sale of her stake in the company.

Anne Hankins, 53, a resident of Springfield, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering.

“With today’s guilty plea, Ms. Hankins has proven herself to be a serial fraudster,” said Craig Gabriel, Criminal Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Falsifying bank statements and laundering money to fraudulently inflate the value of a company are serious federal crimes.”

“Ms. Hankins blatantly deceived her business associate and stole money that never belonged to her. However, today the curtains have come down and Ms. Hankins is facing the music for her fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Bret Kressin, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office.

According to court documents, as former minority owner of Willamette Country Music Concerts (WCMC), Hankins owned 49% of the company. As president of WCMC, Hankins was responsible for preparing monthly financial statements which she provided by email to the company’s majority owner who was based in Beverley Hills, California.

Beginning in September 2016 and continuing until March 2018, Hankins provided altered banks statements and false financial summaries to the majority owner to conceal WCMC’s true financial condition. In November 2017, the majority owner approached Hankins about purchasing her stake in the company and having Hankins continue to serve as the company’s president.

On or about February 7, 2018, Hankins sent an updated financial summary to the majority owner falsely reporting that the company had approximately $1.1 million in its operating account. In reality, there was only $16,000 in the company’s account. Based on these false financial statements, on March 1, 2018, the majority owner purchased Hankins’ stake in the company for $1.5 million.

After receiving the majority owner’s payment, Hankins directed her credit union to issue a cashier’s check from her account to the Clerk of the Court for the District of Oregon to satisfy a restitution order on a previous bank fraud conviction from 2001. Hankins thereby laundered the proceeds from one crime to pay her restitution on another.

On September 12, 2022, Hankins was charged by criminal information with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and money laundering by up to 10 years in federal prison. Both charges also may result in fines of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense, and three years’ supervised release.

Hankins will be sentenced on January 5, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of her plea agreement, Hankins has agreed to pay restitution as identified by the government and ordered by the court.

This case was investigated by IRS:CI and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

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SALEM, Ore. – The Regional Forest Practice Committees for Eastern Oregon will meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 in the ODF conference room, 3200 Delap Road, Klamath Falls, OR 97601. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To provide public comment, please email estresources.committees@odf.oregon.gov">forestresources.committees@odf.oregon.gov. 

The committee’s agenda includes:

• Forest Resources Division update
• Operator of the Year selection
• Forest Practices Act rule change
• Emerald ash borer update
• Fire season update

The public may attend online via Zoom or in-person. Public comments will be accepted. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by emailing estresources.committees@odf.oregon.gov">forestresources.committees@odf.oregon.gov.

Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law – that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. In 1971, the legislature enacted Oregon’s Forest Practices Act which includes three Regional Forest Practices Committees, serving the Eastern, Northwest and Southwest regions of the state. Under Oregon law, a majority of the committees’ members must be private forest landowners and logging or forest operations companies.

Oregon’s forests are among the state’s most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits. View more information on the RFPC webpage.

(BEND, Ore.) - Lack of staff, stress, burnout, and fear were a few of the themes discussed by ONA nurse leaders from St. Charles Health System during a conversation with Oregon gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek this morning. They were joined by State Representative Jason Kropf of Bend. The nurses, representing multiple departments, expressed their anger and frustration over the lack of leadership shown by hospital management to fix these long-running problems. 

“Before COVID-19 our hospital struggled with short staffing and now, three years later, our staffing crisis is even worse. I’m tired of hearing hospitals say that labor costs are too high. It’s deceptive because for years management has had their eye on their bottomline and not patient care. They followed a lean organization model so they could pay millions in executive bonuses,” said Neysa Larson, RN at St. Charles – Bend. “Today I had the opportunity to talk with Oregon gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek and tell her my story. As a nurse in one of Oregon’s fastest growing regions, it’s going to take a lot to fix the problem.”

Working 12-hour shifts, bedside nurses provide care and advocate for their patients but too often they work a whole day without a meal or rest break. Hospitals across the state have been running lean for years and, in many cases, disregard Oregon’s Hospital Nurse Staffing Law, putting nurses and patients at risk. With the added stress of the pandemic, nurses are leaving the profession in droves and the ones that remain are at a breaking point.

“Nurses must be at the table as work is being done to resolve the staffing crisis, and that’s what I told Tina Kotek,” said Dawn Mead, RN at St. Charles – Bend. “My nurse colleagues and I are experiencing serious workplace stress. We need our next governor to know that, without us, the healthcare system could not exist and that all hospitals should be penalized if they don’t adhere to safe staffing models. To have positive patient outcomes you must have a well-rested and respected workforce – and hospitals just aren’t doing that.” 

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is proud to endorse Representative Tina Kotek in Oregon’s 2022 Gubernatorial Race. Kotek’s long history of supporting nurses, nursing issues, and health care policy make her the best choice for Oregon’s nurses. ONA is deeply grateful for the leadership she has provided on a number of policy issues of concern to nurses, including her passionate support of Oregon’s unique nurse staffing law, efforts to address workplace violence against nurses, and achieving payment parity for Nurse Practitioners.

Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents 15,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. Our mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.

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The Northwest Power and Conservation Council will hold its Fish and Wildlife Committee meeting on October 4, and Power Committee meeting on October 5, both by webinar.

See the agenda and how to attend.

On Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at approximately 8:24 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 162. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound gold Toyota SR5 pickup, operated by David A. Stendal (61) of Yachats, crossed over the northbound lane and went into the ditch on the northbound shoulder. 

Stendal was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. It is presumed a medical event precipitated the crash. 

OSP was assisted by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, PACWEST Ambulance and Yachats Fire Department. 

SALEM, Ore. - The Umatilla Chemical Depot located in Umatilla, Oregon, will be renamed the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a ceremony at the installation on Sept. 29, 2022. 

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, providing the state of Oregon and the United States with a ready force of citizen Soldiers and Airmen. Rees also held various high-level positions in the National Guard Bureau and Pentagon during his military service and as a civilian.

The depot originally opened in 1941 as the Umatilla Army Ordnance Depot, used to store munitions and conduct supply operations. In 1962, the installation began storing and maintaining chemical munitions. In 2011 the disposal of all chemical agents at the site was complete and in 2012 the U.S. Army officially closed the installation. 

In 2017 a license was signed by the Oregon Military Department to secure 7,500 of the depot’s former 17,055 acres as a training site for the Oregon National Guard. The Raymond F. Rees Training Center will be the home of the 249th Regional Training Institute, providing a premiere joint and inter-agency training facility. 

-30-

For more information regarding this press release, please contact:

Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Holden

Public Affairs, Oregon Military Department

1-971-355-2076

Zachary.l.holden.mil@army.mil

Lo que debe saber

• La mayoría de los habitantes de Oregon que reciben beneficios de alimentos de SNAP continuarán recibiendo los beneficios adicionales temporales de emergencia en Septiembre
• Aproximadamente 432,000 hogares que reciben SNAP recibirán aproximadamente $69 millones en beneficios de alimentos adicionales además de sus beneficios regulares de SNAP
• Estos beneficios de emergencia son un apoyo temporal que Oregon puede dar debido a la emergencia de salud pública federal por el COVID-19
• Encuentre recursos para cubrir sus necesidades básicas: marque al 2-1-1 o envíe un mensaje de texto con su código postal al 898-21, www.211info.org 
• Centro de ayuda para el COVID-19 del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Oregon

(Salem) – La mayoría de los habitantes de Oregon que reciben beneficios de alimentos del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP) recibirán pagos de emergencia en Octubre.

El gobierno federal ha aprobado pagos de emergencia todos los meses desde marzo del 2020. Esto da a los beneficiarios de SNAP apoyo adicional durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Estos beneficios de emergencia son un apoyo temporal que Oregon puede dar debido a la emergencia de salud pública federal por el COVID-19.

Debido a que el gobierno federal aprobó estos beneficios de emergencia para Octubre, Oregon también podrá darlos en Noviembre. Sin embargo, se espera que los beneficios de emergencia terminen cuando la emergencia de salud pública federal llegue a su fin.

En Octubre, aproximadamente 432,000 hogares que reciben SNAP recibirán aproximadamente $69 millones en beneficios de alimentos adicionales además de sus beneficios regulares de SNAP.

“Sabemos que muchos dependen de estos beneficios adicionales de alimentos de emergencia para tener suficientes alimentos saludables para ellos y sus familias”, dijo Jana McLellan, Directora Interina de los Programas de Autosuficiencia del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Oregon (ODHS). “También sabemos que muchos habitantes de Oregon todavía tienen dificultades para cubrir sus necesidades básicas y los alentamos a que se comuniquen con nuestros socios en el 211, el Banco de Alimentos de Oregon y su Agencia de Acción Comunitaria local para recibir apoyo durante este momento difícil”.

Los hogares que actualmente reciben SNAP recibirán el pago de emergencia el 11 de Octubre. Los hogares que no recibieron beneficios en ese primer depósito mensual recibirán el pago de emergencia el 29 de Octubre o el 2 de Noviembre.

Las personas que reciben SNAP no tienen que tomar ninguna acción para recibir estos beneficios adicionales ya que se depositarán directamente en sus tarjetas EBT.

Más información sobre los pagos de emergencia en https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.

Si tiene preguntas sobre sus beneficios de alimentos de SNAP comuníquese con el Centro de Servicio al Cliente de ONE al 1-800-699-9075.

Si su hogar recibe SNAP y sus ingresos o la cantidad de personas que viven en su hogar ha cambiado, eso podría afectar sus beneficios. Es importante asegurar que ODHS tenga su información más reciente.

Puede notificar cualquier cambio en sus ingresos o en su hogar de muchas maneras:

• En línea: ONE.Oregon.gov
• Por correo: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
• Por fax: 503-378-5628
• Por teléfono: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711

Recursos para ayudar a cubrir sus necesidades básicas

• Encuentre una despensa de alimentos: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
• Infórmese sobre programas del gobierno y recursos en la comunidad para adultos mayores y personas con discapacidades: Conexión para Recursos de Envejecimiento y Discapacidad de Oregon al 1-855-673-2372 o www.adrcoforegon.org.
• Marque 2-1-1, mande un mesaje de texto con su código postal al 898-211, www.211info.org 
• Encuentre recursos locales y apoyo comunicándose con su Agencia de Acción Comunitaria local: www.caporegon.org/find-services/ 
• Centro de ayuda para el COVID-19 del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Oregon

Administrado por ODHS, SNAP es un programa federal que brinda asistencia de alimentos a aproximadamente 1 millón de familias y personas elegibles de bajos ingresos en Oregon, incluyendo muchos adultos mayores y personas con discapacidades. Los habitantes de Oregon que lo necesiten pueden pedir beneficios como SNAP, cuidado infantil, asistencia en efectivo y Medicaid. Obtenga más información en https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/benefits/Pages/index.aspx.

Para información sobre recursos locales en su área, como alimentos o refugio, llame al 2-1-1 o comuníquese con la Conexión para Recursos de Envejecimiento y Discapacidad (ADRC por sus siglas en inglés) del estado al 1-855-ORE-ADRC o al 1-855-673-2372 .

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PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging an Eastern Oregon man with distributing large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in and around Umatilla County, Oregon.

Edain Laurel Lozano, 35, of Umatilla County, Oregon has been charged with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, between May and September 2022, special agents from the FBI and officers from the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team (BENT) set up, conducted, and surveilled multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced pills from Lozano. Each subsequent controlled purchase involved requesting and purchasing increasing quantities of the narcotics from Lozano. By the final controlled purchase, Lozano had agreed to sell multiple pounds of methamphetamine and several thousand counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.

On September 7, 2022, Lozano was arrested and consented to a search of his vehicle. Investigators located and seized over four pounds of methamphetamine, more than 5,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, drug packaging materials, a digital scale, and a stolen handgun.

On September 23, 2022, Lozano was arraigned on the indictment and pleaded not guilty. Over the government’s objection, he was released on conditions pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on November 8, 2022.

If convicted, Lozano faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum, five years’ supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI and BENT. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

BENT is a regional drug task force founded in 1986 by the Pendleton Police Department and Oregon State Police. In 2005, BENT was designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) task force by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Current BENT member agencies include the Pendleton Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI, Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon National Guard, Boardman Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Hermiston Police Department, and Umatilla Tribal Police Department.

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Sentencing James Cam Johnson IV

On September 15, 2022, James Cam Johnson IV was sentenced for his actions involving a multiple fatality collision in May of 2021. 

Johnson pleaded to all counts-DUII (.18%), Criminal Mischief 2, Assault 3, Assault 4 x2, and three counts of Manslaughter 2. The Honorable Vogt sentenced Johnson to a total of 225 months with the Department of Corrections and 3 years of Post Parole Supervision. All 225 months will be served pursuant to Ballot Measure 11. He will not be eligible for release until 2040.

Families of the deceased attended the proceedings via simultaneous electronic transmission from the country of India.  Court interpreter services were provided to the families in both the Hindi and Tamil languages and all were able to provide a statement to the Court. 

The collision resulted from Johnson attempting to pass a long line of westbound vehicles on Hwy 58 in a do not pass zone. Johnson was unable to pass all the vehicles and when attempting to reenter westbound lanes, sideswiped another westbound vehicle before then colliding head-on with an eastbound vehicle. 

The collision resulted in the death of three of the four occupants in the eastbound vehicle.  A fourth occupant sustained serious injuries including broken leg, broken hip, and a broken spine.  The occupants of the side-swiped vehicle also sustained injuries, but not to the extent of the other victims.    

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Arrest of James Cam Johnson IV

On Friday, December 17, 2021, James Cam Johnson IV (31) was arrested and lodged in the Lane County Jail in connection with a May 30, 2021 motor vehicle crash that resulted in a triple fatality. Johnson was charged with Manslaughter 2^nd x 3, Assault 3^rd, Assault 4^th x 2, Criminal Mischief 2^nd and DUII. 

______________________________________________________________________________________

Oregon State Police is requesting the public’s assistance with witnesses to yesterday’s triple fatality crash.

A fourth vehicle, possibly a blue pickup was involved in the crash but left the scene without providing information. 

OSP is seeking information on the involved pickup.  If you were a witness to the crash, have any video/pictures around the time and area of the crash, or any information please contact the Oregon State Police Northern Command Center at 1-800-442-0776 or OSP and leave information for Trooper Phillips regarding OSP case # SP21-144382.

Names of operator and occupants of Mazda M3

Mazda M3 was operated by Jagadish Chandrasekaren (31) of Washington sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Passengers:

Adharsh Murali (25) of Washington sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Jignesh Modi (27) of Washington sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Puneeth Gattikoppula (24) of Washington transported by air ambulance to the hospital with serious injuries.

OSP is/was being assisted by the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Oakridge Fire Department, Goshen Fire Department, Dexter Fire Department, Lane County District Attorney’s Office, and ODOT.

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 at approximately 10:15 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle collision on Hwy 58 near milepost 27.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford Taurus, operated by James Johnson (31) of Oakridge, was westbound passing in a no passing zone when it collided with a also westbound Chrysler Town and Country, operated by Michael Cary (63) of Oakridge, the Taurus then collided with a eastbound Mazda 3. 

Three occupants in the Mazda 3 sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.  A fourth occupant was transported by air ambulance to the hospital with serious injuries.

Cary was not transported but later went to the hospital for treatment.

Johnson was transported to the hospital.

Investigation is continuing and names will be released when appropriate.

SALEM, Ore – The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is sending help to Florida to assist with the response to Hurricane Ian. Today, 13 team members from the OSFM’s three incident management teams are leaving Oregon to work in Florida for up to 14 days.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management requested aid through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), administered by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. The OSFM immediately went to work to fulfill the request. The team is led by Incident Commanders Ted Kunze and Ian Yocum. Specific work sites for the team will be determined as they travel and as Hurricane Ian continues to push across Florida. They’ll be working in communities impacted by the storm.

“We are thankful to the Oregon fire service and our all-hazard IMTs for answering the call to help Floridians,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “I want to extend a thank you to the team members, their families, and the Oregon fire service for supporting this mission. Our IMT members train year-round to be prepared to assist in any kind of emergency or disaster, including hurricanes. Our office stands ready to help protect lives and communities. We are keeping those in Florida impacted by this storm in our thoughts.”

ABOUT THE OSFM IMT PROGRAM

The OSFM administers three all-hazard incident management teams, primarily made of members of the Oregon structural fire service. 

The OSFM all-hazard IMTs offer a wide range of emergency support services to develop plans to safely respond to and improve the lives of those impacted by the incident. The teams work to effectively coordinate with responding agencies to provide structure, support, and oversight during emergencies.  They specialize in safety, public information and community engagement, operations, plan development, logistics, and communications. 

The teams primarily mobilize to wildfires that threaten lives, homes, and critical infrastructure. This summer the OSFM’s three IMTs supported five wildfire conflagrations across Oregon. Learn more about OSFM’s IMTs here.

September 28, 2022

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Rockaway Beach health advisory issued Sept. 28

High bacteria levels prompt OHA warning to avoid water contact

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at Rockaway Beach in Tillamook County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children, elderly and those with a compromised immune system should use extra caution as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.

Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources including:

• Stormwater runoff.
• Sewer overflows.
• Failing septic systems.
• Animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife.

Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Ocean waters are re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.

While this advisory is in effect at Rockaway Beach, state officials continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk even during an advisory.

For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).

SALEM, Ore. — The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet virtually on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. 

The committee’s agenda includes:

• Forest Resources Division update
• Wildfire risk map update
• Emerald ash borer update
• Legacy Program update
• Update on the changes to the Forest Practices Act
• Round table discussion

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 24 hours before the meeting by emailing estlands@odf.oregon.gov">committee.of.family.forestlands@odf.oregon.gov.

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. View more information on the CFF webpage.

Need to know

• Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive temporarily increased emergency food benefits in October
• Approximately 432,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $69 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits
• These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency
• Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org 
• Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center 

(Salem) – Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in October.

The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

Because the federal government approved these emergency benefits for October, Oregon will also be able to issue them in November. However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.

In October, approximately 432,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $69 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.

“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Jana McLellan, interim director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on Oct. 11. Emergency allotments will be issued Oct. 29 or Nov. 2 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards. 

More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.

Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.

If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits. It is important to make sure ODHS has the most up-to-date information. 

You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways: 

• Online at: ONE.Oregon.gov
• By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
• By fax at: 503-378-5628
• By phone at: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
• Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org 
• Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/ 
• Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center 

Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/benefits/Pages/index.aspx . For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.

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September 28, 2022

Media Contact: Liz Gharst, eth.a.gharst@state.or.us">elizabeth.a.gharst@state.or.us, 971-666-2476

Note to reporters: Oregon health officials will hold a media briefing at 11AM. Interested reporters can join via Zoom at this link.

To watch today’s media availability, click here.

Federal Government Approves Oregon Medicaid Waiver, Including First-in-Nation Medicaid Funding for Food and Housing

Agreement also expands health coverage for children and provides $1.1 billion in new federal funding

SALEM, Ore. -  Today, Oregon received federal approval to pilot first-in-the-nation changes to the state’s Medicaid program over the next five years. Under the agreement, Oregon would receive $1.1 billion in new federal funds to address inadequate food, housing and other root-cause issues that lead to poor health for people and families struggling to make ends meet. As part of the agreement, the federal government also approved expanded Oregon Health Plan (OHP) coverage for young children, as well as extended eligibility for youth and adults.

The Oregon Health Plan, which is Oregon’s Medicaid program, provides comprehensive health coverage to approximately 1.4 million Oregonians, more than one in three state residents. States may request federal approval to test innovations in their Medicaid programs. Today’s agreement between Oregon and the federal agency Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) renews Oregon’s current section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver for the next five years (covering 2022 – 2027) and provides federal sign-off and funding to implement the new changes.

A state must apply for a Medicaid waiver when it wants to make changes from normal federal guidelines. States can request flexibilities in who is eligible for Medicaid, what benefits they receive and how health care is delivered.

 “I’m proud to work alongside Oregon to advance policies to expand access to high-quality health care, particularly for those most in need,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Thanks to this demonstration, for example, eligible children in Oregon will be able to keep their Medicaid coverage continuously until age 6, eliminating potential gaps in coverage and care. The demonstration also invests in the services that people need to address their health-related social needs, such as medically tailored meals and housing supports. That is transformational change – as are many of the other components included in Oregon’s 1115 demonstration. We encourage all states to follow Oregon’s lead supporting a whole-person approach to care.”

Extended health coverage for children, special needs youth and adults

Oregon’s renewed waiver will allow the state to keep children enrolled in Medicaid up to age 6 — preventing gaps in coverage that can cause children to lose access to needed care in their formative early years. Oregon is the first state in the nation to receive federal approval for continuous health coverage for children under 6 years old.

Also, all OHP members age 6 and older will have two years of continuous OHP enrollment. Establishing longer continuous coverage periods will keep more Oregonians enrolled in OHP with consistent access to health, dental, and behavioral health care.

Medicaid coverage to address hunger, homelessness and climate change

In another first-in-the nation innovation, Oregon will expand health-related social needs coverage for certain food assistance, housing supports and other interventions that are medically appropriate for individuals experiencing certain life transitions, including individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

This package of services, called health-related social needs, includes food and housing supports (including rental assistance) for up to six months for groups who have been marginalized such as youth in foster care, people who are homeless and low-income older adults. State health officials sought federal approval to cover housing and nutritional support services to reduce health inequity and stabilize the circumstances of OHP members who are at-risk of worsening health during major life disruptions. In addition, Oregon will provide devices – air conditioners, air filters, generators - to people with a high-risk clinical need who reside in regions experiencing extreme weather events that place the health and safety of residents in jeopardy as declared by the federal government or the governor of Oregon.

“Oregon is committed to eliminating health inequity and ensuring that our health care system provides optimal health and well-being for everyone in Oregon,” said OHA Director Pat Allen. “This agreement gives us more tools and resources to tackle the problems in people’s lives that undermine their health such as lack of housing, food or consistent health coverage. We’re excited to work with partners in every corner of the state to help more people in Oregon live healthier lives, hold down the growth of health care costs and strengthen communities across our state.”

Expanding health services for children and youth with special needs

Under the new five-year Medicaid waiver, Oregon will cover early periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment (EPSDT) services for to all children and youth up to age 21 and for youth with special health care needs up to age 26, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Under the new waiver, the federal government will allow Oregon to expand Medicaid eligibility and benefits for youth with special health care needs up to the age of 26 if their income levels are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This will ease their transition to adulthood, with fewer disruptions in health care and services.

Federal government commits $1.1 billion to address health-related services, expand coverage and improve care

Oregon also received significant federal support through Designated State Health Programs (DSHP) totaling $1.1 billion in federal funds over the waiver period. Under the waiver, Oregon will use these funds to address health-related special needs (such as housing, food and climate related supports), increase health coverage, achieve better health outcomes and improve the efficiency and quality of care.

In addition, the new waiver sets a timeline to move Oregon’s prioritized list of services from a demonstration to the State Plan as part of standard benefits and services.

Pending decisions

Along with today’s waiver approval, Oregon and CMS will continue to discuss Oregon’s proposals to have new Community Investment Collaboratives (CIC) throughout the state manage community-led health equity interventions. State and federal health officials also will continue to discuss OHP coverage for youth in detention and adults in jails, as well as 90-day transitional pre-release coverage for adults in prison or psychiatric facilities.

Oregon health officials also requested authority to remove prior authorization requirements for American Indians/Alaska Natives on OHP, convert the Special Diabetes Program for Indians to a Medicaid benefit, reimburse tribal-based practices and extend coverage of new health-related social need services to tribal members not enrolled in a Coordinated Care Organization. Federal officials are continuing to evaluate Oregon’s request.

To learn more about all the changes being implemented in the Medicaid waiver and other related efforts in Oregon to transform our health system, visit here.

2022 – 2027 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver Policy Summary

Oregon Health Plan Section 1115 Demonstration Approval

Nearly Two Dozen Volunteers from Oregon and Southwest WA Deploy to Florida or are on Standby To

Portland, Ore (September 27, 2022) - Trained disaster volunteers from the American Red Cross Cascades Region are headed to Florida in advance of hurricane Ian. Experts predict Florida could see as much as 15 inches of rain throughout this week which, combined with a dangerous storm surge, may trigger flooding across the state. 

The Red Cross is monitoring the situation closely and working with our partners to shelter and support people who could be impacted by this storm. Hundreds of trained disaster workers are being deployed to Florida and more relief supplies are on the way to support people in the path of Hurricane Ian. Seven volunteers from Oregon are either in Florida or on their way. Another 14 volunteers, including some from SW Washington, are on standby ready to respond if needed. 

The Red Cross is working with local officials and preparing to open hurricane evacuation shelters if requested. We help anyone in need after a disaster, and everyone is welcome in our shelters. 

Visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/redcrosscascades for photos from our local volunteers in Florida. 

How can you help?
Help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The disaster recovery effort continues in Puerto Rico. More than 270 American Red Cross disaster workers, many with no power or water themselves, are working around the clock with our partners to provide comfort and support. The Red Cross also is deploying disaster teams by plane to rural areas of Alaska where Typhoon Merbok devastated a thousand-mile stretch of the western coast last weekend, damaging homes, seawalls, roads and airport runways as well as water systems in as many as 40 towns and villages.

The Disaster Action Team needs you
These specialized volunteers provide emotional support, access to financial assistance, and valuable information to help families begin to recover. They offer immediate compassion and care when it is needed most. Additional Disaster Action Team volunteers are needed in Nevada and nationwide to ensure that there is always someone ready to answer the call when a disaster strikes. The Red Cross provides training and support. Learn more: redcross.org/volunteer.

Download our free apps
The Red Cross Emergency app can help keep you and your loved ones safe with real-time alerts, shelter locations, and safety advice. The Red Cross First Aid app provides instant access to information on handling the most common emergencies. Download these free apps by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or visit redcross.org/apps.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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