Coos County, Ore. (Oct. 6, 2025) - On Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 10:44 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 42, near milepost 27, in Coos County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Chevrolet 1500, operated by Heather Renee Leach (37) of Reedsport, lost control and spun into the westbound lane. The Chevrolet struck a westbound Ford F-350, operated by Nicholas Glenn Taylor (56) of Grants Pass, head-on.

 

The operator of the Chevrolet (Leach) was declared deceased at the scene.

 

The operator of the Ford (Taylor) and a passenger, Holly Helene Taylor (53) of Grants Pass, were injured and transported to an area hospital.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately two hours. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff's Office, Myrtle Point Police Department, Coquille Police Department, Myrtle Point Fire Department, and Bridge Fire.

 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Tillamook County, Ore. (Oct. 6, 2025) - On Friday, October 3, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 6, near milepost 32, in Tillamook County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Mazda 3, operated by Brissa Guadalupe Olivarez Garcia (27) of Vancouver (WA), entered the eastbound passing lane for unknown reasons and struck an eastbound Scion Xd, operated by Deanna Kay Bollinger (57) of Garibaldi, head-on.

 

The operator of the Scion (Bollinger) was declared deceased at the scene.

 

The operator of the Mazda (Olivarez Garcia) was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately six hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by Tillamook Fire, the Tillamook County Sheriff's Office, Banks Fire, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

MARION COUNTY, Ore. 03 Oct. 2025 – On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 11:00 p.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 22 near milepost 59 in Marion County.   

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a silver Chevrolet Silverado, operated by Richard Wayne Braxling (85) of Redmond, was traveling westbound on Highway 22 near Idanha when it left the roadway for an unknown reason and rolled over.

The operator (Braxling), and sole occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 

The highway was not impacted by the on-scene investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Idanha-Detroit Fire District, Lyons Ambulance, the Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

# # #

 

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR-accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Clackamas County, Ore. (Oct. 2, 2025) - On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 6:05 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 212, near the intersection with SE Richey Road, in Clackamas County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Ford F-150, operated by Anthony Cyrill Koenig (77) of Lake Oswego, left the roadway for unknown reasons and crashed into the front of the Timber Bar & Grill. The collision caused significant damage to the building.

 

The operator of the Ford (Koenig) was declared deceased at the scene.

 

An occupant of the Timber Bar and Grill was not injured.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Sandy Police Department, Clackamas County Fire, and ODOT.

 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Marion County, Ore. (Sept. 30, 2025) - On Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 6:48 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5, near milepost 270, in Marion County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Nissan Sentra, operated by Antonio Del-Valle Pegueros (49) of Albany, left the roadway for unknown reasons and rolled several times on the southbound shoulder of the interstate.

 

The operator of the Nissan (Del-Valle Pegueros) was declared deceased at the scene.

 

The highway was not impacted during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Woodburn Fire District and ODOT.

 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Clackamas County, Ore. (Sept. 30, 2025) - On Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 2:27 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 212, at the intersection with SE Wally Road, in Clackamas County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Dodge Caliber, operated by Austin Gaberiel Roberts (21) of Kelso (WA), left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck a brick building. The vehicle briefly caught fire prior to being extinguished by a responding fire department. 

 

The operator of the Dodge (Roberts) and passenger, Taylor Renee Wonderly (19)(F) of Portland, were declared deceased at the scene.

 

Two employees of ¡Candylashco., Tiana Marie Owen (22) of Gresham and Gabriela Lorene Shirley (24) of Gresham, suffered serious injuries during the crash and were transported to an area hospital.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. Speed is considered a primary cause of the crash and the investigation is on-going.

 

OSP was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Clackamas County Fire Department, and ODOT.

 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

Bend Fire & Rescue is pleased to announce that Melissa Steele has been named Deputy Fire Marshal of Wildfire Preparedness, a new position with the Department that is dedicated to increasing community preparedness and resilience in the face of wildfire.

 

Steele has been in the fire service for 24 years, first as a wildland firefighter and emergency medical technician with the United States Forest Service and then with CalFire in Paradise, California. She was hired as a fire inspector with Bend Fire in 2022.

 

Steele stood out as an ideal candidate because of her expertise in wildfire prevention, stemming from her experience in the field and vast professional development over the years.

 

“We have been so impressed by all Melissa has accomplished in her time with Bend Fire. Her passion for this work and the respect she has earned across Central Oregon will help her be successful in this role,” said Deputy Chief of Prevention Jason Bolen.   

 

Her work as an inspector included investigating fire causes, ensuring safety and compliance with fire codes, educating the public on how to prevent fires and performing home assessments for community members who want to mitigate their wildfire risk. Steele also developed the Own Your Zone: First Five Feet program, which teaches residents simple actions that can be taken to protect their homes and properties from wildfire. She has attended preparedness fairs and events on behalf of the Department, sits on many regional committees that address wildfire preparedness and emergency planning, and supports Firewise USA® neighborhoods by attending and speaking at education events. Steele was awarded the Bend Fire & Rescue Appreciation Award for exceptional service in fire safety and community outreach after only a year of working with the Department.

 

“I’ve lived and worked in communities that were lost to wildfire,” said Steele. “My lifelong goal is to see that Bend is a success story, so I’m looking for every opportunity to work with the community and local partners on laying a strong foundation of prevention before we are threatened by disaster.”

 

In 2023, Steele earned the title of National Fire Academy Instructor, teaching a Fire Adapted Communities Course at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Emmitsburg, Maryland, sharing her work with local neighborhoods and partners to create wildfire-ready communities on a national stage.

 

The Bend City Council is prioritizing the Bend community’s readiness for large-scale emergencies like wildfire this biennium, with several of the 2025-2027 Council Goals directed towards improving wildfire resiliency. Specific actions within these goals include expanding community outreach and education.

 

“It’s no longer unusual to hear of entire communities being destroyed by wildfire, and Bend is no exception to this possibility. Council has heard from the community that there is a need for more resources devoted to educating and empowering residents to act ahead of an incident,” said Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler. “Having someone as capable as Melissa to help us carry out our goals for wildfire resiliency will greatly impact our collective risk as a community.”

Bend Fire and Rescue responded to house on Imbler Dr on Bend’s west side Tuesday evening. The occupants noticed smoke in the hallway leading to the garage, evacuating and calling 911. The first arriving fire crews found smoke coming from under the house and throughout the interior. The fire was found in the hallway where the furnace is located and had spread under kitchen area. The fire was extinguished but there is significant damage was done to the floor of the home. Damage is estimated at $250,000 to the structure and contents. Three fire engines, one ladder truck, two ambulances, two chief officers and one investigator responded to the fire with a total of 23 personnel.
 

The fire appears to have started due to a failure or malfunction of the furnace. The ducting for the furnace travels under the house to the room vents. The fire spread under the house through the floor opening at the base of the furnace. The homeowners are working with their insurance company to begin the clean up and repairs.
 

This is a good time of year to get your heat source serviced before we get into winter. Whether its brand new or decades old, annual service is recommended on all types of heating appliances. Ensure flues for woodstoves are cleaned professionally at least annually. Having furnaces, pellet stoves, wall heaters, heat pumps, etc serviced annually can ensure their safe use. This also allows for preventative maintenance and cleaning to make them more efficient and last longer. Ensure proper clearance around all heat sources before using them. 36 inches is recommended space around heat sources clear of combustibles and access by children. As always, ensure you smoke alarms are working as we head into winter. Carbon Monoxide detectors are a great addition to any home using wood or gas to heat to ensure you and your family know if CO is present.

Outdoor debris burning will open at sunrise tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 1 in Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 (Rural District#2).

 

Central Oregon fire agencies work collaboratively to determine the best time to open burning based on weather and fire safety factors. Currently the region is in Moderate fire danger and with cooler, wetter weather on the way, burning has been determined safe to conduct.

 

As a reminder, debris burning within Bend city limits remains permanently banned by City ordinance. Open fires are also prohibited on public land owned by City of Bend, Deschutes County or the Oregon Department of Transportation. Campfires, recreational fires, warming fires and cooking fires are permitted within the city of Bend and Rural District #2 if the proper safety precautions are followed. 

 

If you choose to burn, Bend Fire & Rescue wants you to remember:

• Know if burning is allowed at your location. Debris burning regulations may vary between governmental jurisdictions within the Central Oregon area. Please contact your local fire agency for specific requirements and closures.
• Call before you burn. Weather conditions can change quickly and burning can be closed as needed. If you are within Rural District #2, please call 541-322-6335 before lighting a fire to ensure burning is open for the day. 
• Obtain any permits needed for your outdoor fire. Large fires (greater than 6 feet in diameter), agricultural fires and special fires like bonfires or pit fires may need a permit.
• Follow all local burn regulations and have a copy on hand. Failure to comply with burning regulations may result in a citation and/or being reported to Department of Environmental Quality. 
• Prep the area before you burn and have water and tools nearby. Maintain a 10-foot clearance around the fire and ensure water and tools are close in case of the fire escaping.
• Fully extinguish your fire when you are done and leaving the area. The ground needs to be cold to the touch to prevent unwanted rekindling of the fire.

Learn more about burn permits and regulations at bendoregon.gov/burninginfo.

Bend Fire & Rescue is opening their doors to the community this Saturday, Oct. 4 to celebrate the kick-off of National Fire Prevention Week. The family-friendly event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bend Fire’s North Fire Station (63377 NE Jamison Street, Bend).

 

This year’s open house will feature fun activities and demonstrations for everyone! Don’t miss an opportunity to:

• Climb aboard a fire engine and police SWAT vehicle,
• See an AirLink Critical Care helicopter land,
• Watch your Bend firefighters cut open vehicles using the “Jaws of Life,”
• Paint a City of Bend snowplow and make fun crafts,
• Enjoy delicious ice cream and other giveaways!

Learn more about the open house, including the schedule of events, at bendoregon.gov/fire-prevention-week.

 

Fire Prevention Week 2025 takes place October 5-11. This year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety.” Bend Fire & Rescue would like you to remember that lithium-ion batteries like those that operate some e-bikes, power equipment and even your cell phones can be dangerous when not used properly. It’s important to buy only listed products, charge devices safely and dispose of, or recycle, batteries responsibly to prevent fires.

 

Learn more about lithium-ion battery safety by attending the open house on Saturday, or at the National Fire Protection Agency website.  

 

---

 

El Departamento de Bend Fire & Rescue abrirá sus puertas a la comunidad este sábado, 4 de octubre, para celebrar el inicio de la Semana Nacional de Prevención de Incendios. El evento que será para toda la familia, se celebrará de 10:00 a. m. a 1:00 p. m., en la Estación Norte de bomberos de Bend (63377 NE Jamison Street, Bend).

¡La jornada de puertas abiertas de este año contará con divertidas actividades y demostraciones para todos! No se pierda la oportunidad de:

• Subirse a un camión de bomberos y a un vehículo SWAT de la policía.
• Ver aterrizar un helicóptero de cuidados intensivos de AirLink.
• Observar cómo los bomberos de Bend estabilizan y abren un vehículo utilizando las "mandíbulas de la vida".
• Pintar una quitanieves de la municipalidad de Bend y hacer divertidas manualidades.
• Disfrute de helados y otros regalos.

Para obtener más información sobre la jornada de puertas abiertas, incluido el programa, visite  bendoregon.gov/fire-prevention-week.

 

La Semana de Prevención de Incendios 2025 se celebra del 5 al 11 de octubre. El tema de este año es "Impulsa la  seguridad contra incendios". El Departamento de de Bend Fire & Rescue les recuerda que las baterías de iones de litio, como las que utilizan algunas bicicletas eléctricas, equipos eléctricos e incluso sus teléfonos móviles, pueden ser peligrosas si no se usan correctamente. Es importante comprar solo productos homologados, cargar los dispositivos de forma segura y desechar o reciclar las baterías de manera responsable para evitar incendios.

 

Para obtener más información sobre la seguridad de las baterías de iones de litio, asista a la jornada de puertas abiertas del sábado o visiteel sitio web de la Agencia Nacional de Protección contra Incendios.

 

Bend, OR – The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is announcing that the poodles rescued last month in a large-scale animal neglect investigation are now available for adoption through the Humane Society of Central Oregon (HSCO).

 

On September 5, 2025, deputies and Animal Control Officers served a search warrant at the home of Lorinda Maxwell, 62, on Elk Lane in Alfalfa. Maxwell was arrested on 49 felony counts of Animal Neglect II. Deputies rescued 44 dogs and three cats from the property, and Maxwell initially refused to surrender them voluntarily.

 

A civil forfeiture hearing regarding the dogs was scheduled for Friday, October 10. However, we learned from the District Attorney’s Office last week that Maxwell agreed to surrender ownership of all the poodles to HSCO, allowing for adoptions to move forward.

 

The Humane Society of Central Oregon will begin making the first group of poodles available starting Friday, October 3, 2025, with additional groups available as they are medically cleared. Adoption details are as follows:

• Puppies under 6 months: $500
• Dogs 6 months to 9 years: $300
• Dogs 10 years and older: $150

Adoptions will take place on a first-come, first-served basis. While some dogs are now available for adoption, others will remain under veterinary care until they are healthy enough for new homes. HSCO has been caring for more than 40 poodles since early September, many of whom arrived underweight, matted, and in need of medical attention.

 

The medical and care needs have been extensive, and the community can help by adopting, fostering, or making a donation to support the work of HSCO at www.hsco.org/donate.

 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office thanks the community for its patience, support, and generosity during this case.

 

###

Redmond, OR - On September 25, 2025, at approximately 12:30 P.M., the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of suspicious circumstances call in the area of Pelton Dam, located approximately five miles northwest of Madras, Oregon, near the Deschutes River and Lake Simtustus, in Jefferson County.

 

Upon arrival, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies located an adult deceased male, later identified as 43-year-old James W. Herrera of Redmond. Due to the nature of the discovery, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office activated the Major Incident Team (MIT). The MIT is a collaborative investigative team composed of law enforcement agencies and District Attorney’s Offices from Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties.

 

The investigation and evidence gathered in the initial response determined that this homicide occurred in Deschutes County. The Redmond Police Department has been assigned as the lead agency in this ongoing investigation.

 

No further details are being released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation.

 

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Redmond Police Department at 541-693-6911 or the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 541-475-6520. 
 

The Redmond Police Department would like to thank MIT, the FBI, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Warm Springs Police Department, the Bend Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in this investigation.  

SALEM, Ore. – Nearly 200 Oregon National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment will return home to Oregon on Friday, October 3, 2025. The Soldiers were mobilized on October 20, 2024, during a ceremony in Medford and served as part of the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.

 

The 1-186th Infantry Regiment, with headquarters in Southern Oregon, is preparing for a significant homecoming as approximately 150 soldiers from the unit return to Medford, while an additional group of approximately 50 service members will also arrive in Portland.

 

“These returning Soldiers are not part of the ongoing Portland Force Protection mission,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, Director of Public Affairs, Oregon Military Department. “These Citizen-Soldiers stepped up when called upon, serving overseas for nearly a year, away from their families and loved ones. Thank you for your sacrifice, and welcome home.”

 

While deployed, the unit supervised the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace, preventing any violation of its terms.

 

The 1-186th Infantry Regiment previously mobilized to support security for the 2021 Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., the COVID-19 response in Oregon, and overseas operations in the Horn of Africa from 2019-2020, in Afghanistan from 2014-2015, and in Iraq from 2009-2010.

 

-30-

 

File Images:

 

241020-Z-CH590-1005: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment stand in formation as their mobilization ceremony begins on October 20, 2024, on the campus of Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, Oregon. The 1-168th Infantry Regiment is scheduled to deploy to the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. The unit’s primary mission will be to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent violation of any of its terms. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

 

241020-Z-CH590-1140: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, render a hand salute during the playing of the National Anthem as they take part in their formal mobilization ceremony on October 20, 2024, held on the campus of Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, Oregon. The 1-168th Infantry Regiment is scheduled to deploy to the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. The unit’s primary mission will be to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent violation of any of its terms. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

 

241020-Z-CH590-1170: Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, Adjutant General, Oregon, delivers formal remarks to the Soldiers, family members, and others in attendance as the presiding officer for the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment during their formal mobilization ceremony held on the campus of Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, Oregon, on October 20, 2024. The 1-168th Infantry Regiment is scheduled to deploy to the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. The unit’s primary mission will be to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent violation of any of its terms. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

 

SALEM, Ore. – With the mobilization of 200 federalized Oregon National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Force Protection Mission in Portland, Oregon, media inquiries and other questions regarding the status of forces, scope, and length of the mission will be conducted through the Office of the Secretary of War. Under Title 10 orders, these Oregon National Guardsmen will be on Federal orders to conduct this mission and function under a separate chain of command.

 

“Members of the Oregon National Guard are reporting for duty, conducting training, and preparing to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property in Oregon,” communicated Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell.

 

The Oregon Military Department Public Affairs Department will still function as the point of contact for Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen who fall under the status of Title 32, the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program, State Active Duty, and Drill Status Guard members. This includes Soldiers and Airmen who could be called up to conduct Wildland Fire Fighting, natural disaster response, and other state-specific missions under Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s authority.

 

All press inquiries regarding the Portland Force Protection mission should be directed to the U.S. Department of War’s Pentagon Press Operations office. Media queries during their normal business hours — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday (Eastern Time Zone) — should call 703-697-5131 or email osd.pa.dutyofficer@mail.mil.

 

-30-

DPSST PRIVATE SECURITY HB2183 IMPLEMENTATION

WORKGROUP MEETING

SCHEDULED

 

BOARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS AND TRAINING

MEETING SCHEDULED

 

The Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2025, in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or juan.lopez-hernandez@dpsst.oregon.gov.

 

To view the Board's live-stream and other recorded videos, please visit DPSST’s official YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@DPSST.

 

Agenda Items:

 

1. Introductions

 

2. Meeting Minutes

Approve the July 24, 2025, Meeting Minutes

 

3. Fire Policy Committee

 

a. Fire Policy Committee Update – Chris Heppel, Chair

 

b. Consent Agenda (The following items to be ratified by one vote)

 

A. Andrew Lawrie, DPSST No. 42329; Cannon Beach RFPD – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the FPC on August 27, 2025.

 

B. Shawn Mullen, DPSST No. 21394; Clackamas County Fire District #1 – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the FPC on August 27, 2025.

 

C. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-009-0005, OAR 259-009-0062, and OAR 259-009-0065

Minimum Standard on Professional Qualifications for NFPA Apparatus Driver/Operator

 

D. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-009-0005, OAR 259-009-0062, and OAR 259-009-0065

Housekeeping Removal of Certifications That Are No Longer Issued

 

4. Criminal Justice Policy Committees

 

a. Police Policy Committee Update – Scotty Nowning, Chair

 

b. Telecommunications Policy Committee Update – Michael Fletcher, Chair

 

c. Corrections Policy Committee Update – Jennifer Cameron, Vice-Chair

 

d. Consent Agenda (The following items to be ratified by one vote)

 

A. Michael Kendoll, DPSST No. 53144; Oregon State Police – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on August 21, 2025.

 

B. Samuel McKenzie, DPSST No. 63038; Prineville Police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the TPC on August 6, 2025.

 

C. Katherine Mood, DPSST No. 61760; Marion County Sheriff's Office – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

D. Chance Oxnam, DPSST No. 54580; DOC/Snake River Correctional Institution – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

E. Herlet Padilla, DPSST No. 63118; Clatsop County Sheriff's Office – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

F. Jared Paul, DPSST No. 57056; Oregon State Police – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on August 21, 2025.

 

G. Brian Scharbach, DPSST No. 61981; DOC/Coffee Creek Correctional Facility – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

H. Matthew Smart, DPSST No. 38451; Reedsport Police Department – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on August 21, 2025.

 

I. Kyle Stott, DPSST No. 58027; Deschutes County Adult Parole & Probation – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

J. Timothy Trabosh, DPSST No. 49653; Marion County Sheriff's Office – Revoke

Eleven (11) to one (1) recusal vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

K. Dustin Wann, DPSST No. 45182; Salem police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on August 21, 2025.

 

L. Justin White, DPSST No. 53769; DOC/Two Rivers Correctional Institution – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on August 12, 2025.

 

M. Jordan Williams, DPSST No. 58995; Ontario Police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on August 21, 2025.

 

N. Proposed Rule Changes for Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 259-006-0010

Criminal Justice Applicant Review Committee Membership.

 

O. Proposed Rule Changes for Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 259-008-0085

Codifying Board Approval of the Revisions to the Basic Parole and Probation Academy Curriculum

 

P. Proposed Rule Changes for Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 259-008-0085 (20)

Absences and Remediation of Missed Training.

 

Q. Approval of Changes to the Basic Parole and Probation Curriculum

 

R. Committee Appointments

Corrections Policy Committee

• • Matthew Phillips – Oregon State Sheriffs' Association. Appointment to the CPC, 1st term effective January 22, 2025.

5. Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee

 

a. Private Security Investigator Policy Committee Update – Dan Lenzen, Chair

 

b. Consent Agenda (The following items to be ratified by one vote).

 

A. Thorston Hartmann, PSID No. 055208 – Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PSIPC on August 19, 2025.

 

B. Melinda Norush, PSID No. 109757 – Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PSIPC on August 19, 2025.

 

C. Proposed Rule Changes for Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 259-059-0010, 259-059-0020, 259-060-0010, 259-060-0201, and 259-060-0450

Related to SB 300 Changes to the Definition of Private Security Entity

 

7. Agency Updates – Agency Director, Phil Castle

 

9. Next Meeting Date: January 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

 

 

Administrative Announcement

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

SALEM, Ore. – Thirty-one Oregon arts organizations will receive $10,000 grants to strengthen K-12 arts education during the 2026 fiscal year. The awards are part of a $310,000 investment from the Oregon Arts Commission’s Arts Learning grant program. Every funded project is a collaboration with local schools and communities across Oregon.

 

“Through this grant program, thousands of students will have an opportunity to engage with creative practices that enhance cognitive skills, problem-solving and self-empowerment through the arts,” said Tiff Harker, Arts Education Coordinator. “We congratulate these awarded arts organizations that partner with educators to make these new learning projects possible for Oregon students.”

 

Arts Learning grants support projects that provide K-12 students with responsive learning opportunities in and through the arts. These projects also foster the exchange of knowledge between artists and educators and positively impact the achievement, skills and attitudes of learners.

 

Applications were evaluated by a community review panel, based on project quality and responsiveness, project support and project impact. Priority for funding is given to projects that primarily impact schools in one or more of the following categories: Title 1 participation, location within a county with more than 16.9 percent of the population experiencing poverty, or location in a rural community.

 

FY2026 Arts Learning Grants Awardees:

 

Architectural Foundation of Oregon, Portland
To expand the outreach of the Architectural Foundation of Oregon’s Architects in Schools (AiS) program into more low income, underinvested urban and rural schools around the state, including a free design residency that integrates what children are learning in school and connects to the community and world around them.
 

Art Center East, La Grande
To support offering six residency weeks of the Artists in Rural Schools improv program to the three Title 1 elementary schools in the La Grande School District to blend sequential arts and social and emotional learning for underserved rural youth.

Astoria Arts and Movement Center, Astoria        
To support providing dance instruction twice a week during Physical Education classes to students at Hilda Lahti Elementary (grades K-8) and Knappa High School (grades 9-12) in partnership with the Knappa School District and the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology for the entire academic year.
 

Beaverton Symphony Orchestra, Beaverton       
To provide a month-long music appreciation curriculum to Title 1 schools in Washington County that corresponds to the timing and programming of the Beaverton Symphony Winter 2026 Family Concert. The culmination of the program provides free tickets to all participants and their families.
 

Crossroads Creative and Performing Arts Center Inc., Baker City       
To support a new teen pottery program and offer a high school summer residency at Crossroads for outstanding Baker High School seniors. Students will work with Pottery Studio Manager, Ryan Kitson, for six weeks and conclude with a gallery show.

 

Dalles Art Association, The Dalles
To support a two-week watercolor artist residency at Colonel Wright Elementary, providing hands-on instruction for K-5 students and professional development in visual arts for classroom teachers.

 

Echo Theater Company, Portland 
To support Cesar Chavez School’s 3rd - 5th graders through a personalized 10-week residency to empower students to collaborate, tell their own story, explore new skills and build confidence as they learn common core adapted curriculum through circus theater creation and performance.

Empowered Movement Aerial, Hood River          
To support 120 hours of aerial arts education to the after-school programs at four Hood River County schools.

Ethos Inc., Portland 
To support more than 200 youth in the Music Corps program that provides after-school and summer music education to schools and neighborhoods where Ethos reaches low-income and historically underserved youth, at a low cost to school sites and at no cost to students.

Fishtrap Inc., Enterprise     
To support the continuum of Arts Learning opportunities that Fishtrap offers to youth across Eastern Oregon. In 2025-2026, Fishtrap hopes to reach 700 young rural writers ages 5-18 through its youth writing programs.
 

Illinois Valley Community Development Organization, Cave Junction
To support RiverStar’s sequential education in dance and theatre for youth ages 5-18 in the rural Illinois Valley of Josephine County.
 

Lane Arts Council, Eugene
To support Creative Link Arts Integration in the Bethel School District, pairing artists with educators to serve an estimated 60 students across four schools, including serving low-income, migrant and other vulnerable students, while providing training to approximately 16 educators.

Literary Arts, Inc., Portland
To support bringing 20-25 professional writers to classrooms at 13 public high schools to provide dynamic creative writing instruction during the school day in 30-40 semester-long writing residencies to increase student engagement with writing, build writing/editing skills and serve 1,050+ students.

Maxtivity, Philomath
To support a yearlong artist residency exploring three visual art forms at Blodgett Elementary, uniquely designed to celebrate and amplify the cultural assets of the Blodgett-Summit community while dynamically responding to the specific needs of the small rural school.

MetroEast Community Media, Gresham   
To serve 200 K-12 students at East Multnomah County schools, and another 100 at community events and summer workshops, with hands-on digital media and filmmaking education, encouraging youth to integrate arts and technology to create their own unique work.

Miracle Theatre Group, Portland
To support the UNIDAD arts-integrated residencies for schools, which includes the creation and presentation of a bilingual puppet performance and classroom instruction highlighting the contributions and importance of puppetry as an innovative pedagogical tool in educational work within schools.

Montavilla Jazz Festival, Portland
To support an 8-week Latin Jazz residency led by Carmelo Torres and local artists at Vestal Elementary, a Title 1 Portland school, where all K-5 students engage in 60+ hours of music, cultural learning and performance, culminating in a student-led Social Justice Night.

Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland
To support OBT’s Learn About Ballet (OBT LAB), a program bringing the educational, social and emotional benefits of dance to under-resourced schools in the Portland area.

Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival Association, Newport           
To support the organization’s efforts to give Toledo High School and Waldport High School students real-world internship experiences in arts administration and management in these underserved coastal and rural communities.

Oregon Symphony Association in Salem, Portland        
To support the second year of a Side-by-Side concert series in partnership with the Salem-Keizer School District, encouraging artistic growth and strengthening retention in music programs for 600+ Willamette Valley K-12 students.
 

Play It Forward, Beaverton 
To support free, weekly 45-minute group lessons in piano, keyboard, guitar and ukulele at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in Portland, serving up to 130 K-5 students in 2025-26 who perform in a year-end recital.

Portland Playhouse, Portland        
To support the planning, implementation and evaluation of the 2025-26 Social Justice Theatre Program and bring the power of creating live performance to 425 students at 8-10 elementary, middle and high schools in the Portland metro area.
 

Rainbow Dance Theatre, Monmouth         
To support up to 12 hours of dance and coding integration residencies at eight middle schools in Polk, Lincoln, Curry, Coos, Linn, Malheur, Marion and Tillamook counties.

Rex Putnam Music Boosters, Milwaukie  
To support basic program needs for the Rex Putnam Indoor Percussion program, such as uniforms, equipment, competition and clinician fees and transportation costs to Northwest Association for Performing Arts and WGI Sport of the Arts winter percussion competitions in the Pacific Northwest.

Riverbend Live!, Winston   
To support a free, six-week Summer Youth Theater Camp serving 48 children ages 8-17 in rural Douglas County, integrating acting, singing, choreography and set design, culminating in two public performances of “Seussical the Musical” at Riverbend Park.

Rogue Valley Art Association, Medford   
To support the Elementary Arts Outreach program that provides visual art instruction to up to 900 5th grade students attending underserved schools in Jackson County, through either a comprehensive arts programming option or a one-time field trip option.

Ross Ragland Theater, Klamath Falls       
To support 102 youths in Klamath County public schools to attend summer camp programs, including younger students (ages 6-10), who will explore the basics of acting, music and movement, and older youths (ages 10-18), who will learn the different aspects of theater life.

STAGES Performing Arts Youth Academy, Hillsboro    
To support 172 hours of theater arts education after-school residencies and “no-school day” workshops, serving up to 250 students at Hillsboro School District elementary and middle schools in Washington County, including three Title I schools and two schools outside the urban growth boundary.

The High Desert Museum, Bend    
To support the High Desert Museum’s Kids Curate program, which will partner with La Pine Elementary to provide 50 hours of engaging learning experiences in and through the arts to more than 50 underserved 4th grade students over the course of the school year.

Willamette University - Pacific Northwest College of Art, Salem          
To support free art and design workshops and an after-school creative professional development cohort, serving approximately 200 Roosevelt High School students in grades 9-12.

Wordcrafters in Eugene, Eugene  
To support 77 creative writing residency sessions (with the proven ability to improve academic skills, creativity and school engagement) for five Lane County schools educating underserved urban and rural, low-income and at-risk students.

 

                   

 

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at artscommission.oregon.gov.

 

 

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Adalberto Garcia Montelongo, died the night of October 1, 2025. Montelongo was incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) in Umatilla and passed away in the infirmary. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.

 

Montelongo entered DOC custody on June 26, 2008, from Yamhill County with an earliest release date of May 13, 2027. Montelongo was 75 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 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.

 

TRCI is a multi-custody prison in Umatilla that houses approximately 1,800 adults in custody. TRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including institution and industrial laundry, mattress manufacturing, and sewing. Other institution work programs include reparation and cleaning of irrigation ditches, maintenance of local baseball fields, and work with local cities and the Hermiston School District. The facility provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, religious services, and behavioral health services. TRCI opened in 2000.

 

####

SALEM, Ore. — The Regional Forest Practice Committee for eastern Oregon will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9 at the ODF office, 415 Patterson Bridge Rd., John Day. To join virtually, please use the Teams 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:

• Division and field updates
• Operator of the Year decision
• Forest Practices Technical Guidance update
• Forest practices rulemaking: Post-disturbance rules, tethered logging
• Habitat Conservation Plan status
• Forest Resources Division Training Team summary
• Forest Practices Compliance Monitoring Program update

The public may attend in-person or online via Teams. Public comments will be accepted. Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@odf.oregon.gov">forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.

 

Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law – that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry and may assist the Board of Forestry in developing appropriate forest practice rules. The committees are comprised of citizens qualified by education or experience in natural resource management. 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.

 

Astoria, Ore.—More than 400 students received hands-on experience and got a firsthand look at possible career opportunities in natural resources as they rotated through 10 outdoor stations at the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Astoria office and demonstration forest Sept. 24–25 at the annual Clatsop County Sixth-Grade Forestry Days.

 

“Our goal is to get the students interested in possible careers in natural resources,” said Will Lawrence, reforestation forester with ODF’s Astoria District. “We want students to really connect with the outdoors.”

 

Sixth graders from Warrenton, Seaside, Anchor Christian Academy, Knappa, Jewell, Astoria, and Steadfast Homeschool Co-op, rotated through stations that included: tree planting, plant identification, wildland fire fighting, wood products, fisheries, recreation, wildlife rescue, restoration, fungi in the forest and tree measurements.

 

“Many of the stations tie in with our current lessons on watersheds,” said Martha Stephens a fifth and sixth grade teacher at the Jewell School District. “It also challenges them and exposes them to terms and concepts they haven’t heard before. For example, the wood products station was unique, we never really talked about or thought about all the everyday products that come from the forest. It was eye-opening for the students.”

 

The teachers also said it helped bring together many critical skills needed to succeed in school and future careers.

 

“Listening skills, observation skills, math skills, following directions are all important and needed to be used at the stations today,” said Kate Manship, special education teacher with the Seaside School District. “It’s difficult to bring all these important skills together in the classroom, but with these hands-on activities it does, and it is super beneficial.”

 

The all-volunteer group that organizes the event does so out of their passion for the outdoors and the careers it afforded them. Forestry Days has been a tradition since 1960 and even though the organizations sponsoring and organizing the event hope to someday recruit motivated and eager employees spurred on by this event, the focus remains on the student’s educational experience.

 

“It is so fun to see them get excited about learning and engage with the outdoors,” said Dan Stark, Oregon State University Forestry and Natural Resource Extension Forester. “They take what they learn here about watersheds, wood products, reforestation and the many different facets of working in a forest, and tell their parents and siblings about it.  To me that is fantastic; we are not just reaching them but they in turn are making an impact on their family and community.”

 

The organizations working together on this event include: OSU Extension, Oregon Department of Forestry, Lewis & Clark National Historic Park, Oregon Women in Timber, North Coast Watershed Association, Wildlife Center of the North Coast, Clatsop County Fisheries, Oregon Parks and Recreation, Hampton Lumber and Lewis and Clark Timberland. Visit any of their websites for additional information on natural resources.

 

Although this event is just two days, the ODF Astoria Demonstration Forest is open year-round, and more information can be found in the Clatsop State Forest Guide.

For more information on many forestry related programs from recreation to timber harvesting to wildland firefighting visit the Oregon Department of Forestry’s main website.

 

SALEM, Ore. — On Sept. 3, 2025, the Board of Forestry directed the Oregon Department of Forestry to file a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to modify the deadline for the publication of maps related to perennial flow of streams.

 

The rule proposed for modification directs a shift to a modeled approach, after a flow duration model sufficient for regulatory purposes is available and before July 1, 2025. However, a sufficient model was not available by July 1, 2025. A sufficient model is still being identified. The proposed rule would change this deadline to July 1, 2026.

 

Public comments on the proposed rule will be accepted from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31 at 5 p.m., and a virtual rulemaking hearing will be held on Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking includes important details about the proposed rule text and instructions for submitting comments and participating in the rulemaking hearing.

 

More information on this rulemaking effort and ongoing updates can be found on the department’s Rulemaking activity web page.

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Kylie Rubio, age 15, a child in foster care who went missing from Eugene on Oct. 1. She is believed to be in danger.

 

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Kylie and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.

 

Kylie is suspected to be in Canby or between the Eugene and Portland area.

 

Name: Kylie Rubio
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Jan. 9, 2010
Height: 5-feet
Weight: 176 pounds
Hair: Black
Eye color: Brown
Other identifying information: She usually wears baggie clothes
Eugene Police Department Case #25-250988
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2063294

 

Sometimes when a child is missing they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

 

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

 

###

 

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Mia Thomas, age 17, a child in foster care who went missing from Albany on May 27. Mia is believed to be in danger.

 

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Mia and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.

 

Mia is suspected to be in the Albany area and is known to frequent Sunrise Park and Eleanor Hackleman Park.

 

Name: Mia Angel Nevaeh Thomas 
Pronouns: she/her
Date of birth: January 9, 2008
Height: 5-foot-7
Weight: 215 pounds
Eye color: Brown
Hair: Dyed dark red
Other identifying information: Mia’s left nostril is pierced and she often wears a fake septum ring.
Albany Police Department Case #25-03027
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2052167 

 

Sometimes when a child is missing they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

 

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

 

###

 

September 30, 2025

 

Video files from ODHS staff are available for download on Vimeo.

English: Dana Hittle, Co-leader, ODHS Federal Response Team

Spanish: Adriana Taylor, Member, ODHS Federal Response Team

Oregon Department of Human Services announces federal changes to SNAP so that thousands of Oregonians who may be impacted can prepare

(Salem, Ore.) The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is announcing federally required changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Oregon. These changes are required under House Resolution (H.R. 1), a federal law passed on July 4, 2025. More than 740,000 people in Oregon currently receive SNAP benefits, and ODHS expects more than 313,000 people enrolled in SNAP may be impacted by the H.R. 1 changes.

 

“We are announcing these changes today so that families can prepare for the impact we expect many Oregonians who depend on this resource will feel,” said Dana Hittle, who is co-leading ODHS’ federal response team. “Oregon families enrolled in SNAP receive an average of $300 a month, and any reduction makes it harder for families to put food on the table. Oregon has no choice but to follow federal law that will result in increased hardship across our communities, but we remain committed to helping families adjust and prepare.”

 

ODHS will begin notifying affected households in mid-October. The people who will be most affected by the new federal law include older adults, immigrants and people living in rural communities with limited access to transportation.

 

The changes won’t happen to everyone at once — they will roll out over the next year.

• For people who already get SNAP: The changes will affect those who applied or recertified between July 4 and Oct. 1, 2025. Notices will be sent around Oct. 15, 2025 to this first group of people who are impacted. The first group will have SNAP benefit reductions or closures on Nov. 1, 2025. For people approved for SNAP before July 4, 2025, the changes will happen over time throughout the next year and a notice will be sent.
• For people who apply or reapply for SNAP after Oct. 1, 2025: The new rules will apply right away.

Key changes affecting people in Oregon

 

These changes will affect three main groups of SNAP recipients: households receiving utility assistance, able-bodied adults ages 18 through 64 with no child under age 14 in their SNAP group, and certain lawfully present immigrants.

 

Utility assistance and SNAP benefits

• Households previously eligible for the Heating and Cooling Full Utility Allowance (FUA) through energy assistance programs like Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or “Heat and Eat” will see changes.
• Only households with at least one member who is age 60 or older or a member with a disability will automatically qualify for FUA.
• Approximately 29,000 households will lose this allowance, reducing their SNAP benefits by an average of $58 per month.
• About 9,600 households who applied or renewed between July 4 and Oct. 1, 2025 will get notices around Oct. 15, 2025. Their SNAP will be reduced Nov. 1, 2025.
• Another 20,000 households will see benefits go down when their SNAP is reviewed.

 

Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD)

• Beginning Oct 1, 2025, people with ABAWD status in 6 counties (Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill, Benton, and Hood River) will be reviewed at application or renewal for required work rules.
• People who don’t meet work rules may lose SNAP benefits after 3 months.
• The work rules will apply to adults ages 18–64 without a disability or without children under age 14 in their SNAP household. Previously the work rules applied to adults ages 18 to 54 without a child under 18 in their SNAP household.
• People with ABAWD status must work or participate in a qualifying activity for at least 80 hours per month.
• Veterans, people experiencing homelessness and young adults aging out of foster care are no longer exempt from the work rules.
• Tribal Members and people who meet the federal definition of “Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian” are newly exempt from the work rules.
• In January 2026 these ABAWD requirements will be implemented statewide.
• It’s estimated that 310,000 adults will have to be newly evaluated to see if they have to meet the work rules.

Refugees, Asylees and certain other lawfully present immigrants

• Refugees, asylees, trafficking survivors and other conditionally allowed non-citizens who were eligible for SNAP as of July 3, 2025, will lose eligibility under H.R. 1.
• In Oregon, it’s estimated that at least 3,000 individuals will no longer qualify for benefits.
• About 1,000 people who applied or renewed their SNAP between July 4 and Oct. 1, 2025 will get notices around Oct. 15, 2025. Their SNAP will end on Oct. 31, 2025.
• Another 2,000 people will lose SNAP when their SNAP is reviewed.

Notifications to households

 

   Around Oct. 15, 2025, ODHS will mail notices to:

• Roughly 9,600 households receiving energy assistance to notify them that their SNAP benefits will be reduced starting November 1, 2025.
• Approximately 1,000 refugees, asylees and other lawfully present immigrants whose SNAP cases will close on Oct. 31, 2025.
• Affected households do not need to take any action. ODHS will adjust benefits automatically.

Preparing for changes

• If you think you may be in one of the impacted groups, go to www.oregon.gov/odhs to learn more.
• Watch your mail for notices from ODHS and open them right away. The first wave of notices will be sent on Oct. 15, 2025.
• If you think the ABAWD work requirements may apply to you, don’t wait to start planning how to meet them. Call the ODHS ABAWD team directly at 833-947-1694 or AWDTeam@odhsoha.oregon.gov" target="_blank" title="mailto:snap.abawdteam@odhsoha.oregon.gov">SNAP.ABAWDTeam@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
• Know what other food resources are in your community.
  • The ODHS Food Resources website can help.
• Older adults and people with disabilities can connect with Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon to learn about government programs and community resources at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.

• Reach out to 211info by dialing 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898-211 or visiting www.211info.org

Contact ODHS

 

If you have questions or need help understanding these changes, contact ODHS:

• By phone: Call 1-800-699-9075 or 711 (TTY), relay calls welcome
• In person: Visit a local office (find one online)
• By Mail: (Requests must be received by the deadline)
  ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
• By email: Send requests to egon.Benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov">Oregon.Benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov
• Online: Submit requests through a ONE Online account

About SNAP in Oregon:

 

SNAP is a cornerstone of Oregon’s fight against hunger, helping more than 1 in 6 people in Oregon, approximately 27 percent of households, afford groceries. This includes children, working families, older adults, and people with disabilities. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity. SNAP drives an estimated $1.6 billion into the Oregon economy each year. But even with SNAP benefits, many families still struggle to meet their basic needs, especially amid the rising cost of food and housing. Everyone deserves access to healthy food, and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is committed to making sure people in Oregon receive the right amount of SNAP food benefits they qualify for.

 

###

 

Oregon joins in the celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October. It’s a time to celebrate the contributions people with disabilities make in workplaces and recognize businesses that support employees with disabilities.

 

This year’s theme of “celebrating value and talent” is reflected in Oregon throughout the year in the countless ways people with disabilities bring value to their jobs and communities.

 

In 2023, 47% of Oregon residents with disabilities ages 18 to 64 were employed, compared with 79.7% of people without disabilities — about a 33% gap (source). Several state employment programs work to help people with disabilities enter and stay in the workforce.

 

“Our communities and economy are stronger when people with disabilities are included,” said Allison Enriquez, Oregon’s Employment First Coordinator. “For too long, people with disabilities did not have equal access to good jobs with fair wages in their communities. Oregon is committed to building employment-related supports and connections so all have access to reach their potential and fully participate in their communities.”

NDEAM webinar series

Partners who deliver employment services invite everyone to join a series of webinars in October to celebrate workplace successes and educate the community about resources and services available for job seekers with disabilities.

 

Webinars are scheduled noon to 1:15 p.m. Oct. 7, 14 and 28 on Zoom. For details on each session and accessibility information, go to Oregon’s NDEAM event web page.

• Oct. 7 – Beyond the classroom: Celebrating work-based learning
• Oct. 14 – Building financial futures: work and save with Oregon ABLE and EPD
• Oct. 28 – Technology, artificial intelligence and employment

These events are hosted by the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Office of Developmental Disabilities Services and Vocational Rehabilitation program, Oregon Commission for the Blind and the Oregon Department of Education.

Employment resources for people with disabilities

Several state programs offer resources to support Oregon residents with disabilities in achieving, maintaining and advancing in employment.

• Office of Developmental Disabilities Services has employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Vocational Rehabilitation helps people with all kinds of disabilities find and keep a job and advance in their careers.
• Oregon Commission for the Blind helps people with vision loss find and keep a job and advance in their careers.
• Ticket to Work is a free federal program for people who are blind or have a disability and receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. People who are 18 to 64 years old and want to work may access this program to prepare for work and find a job.
• Employed Persons with Disabilities is a Medicaid program that helps people with disabilities go to work while keeping their Medicaid coverage.
• Oregon ABLE Savings Plan is a way people with disabilities can save for the future without the fear of losing needed government benefits.
• Free benefits counseling is available to answer job seekers’ questions about how working may affect their benefits.

Information on these programs is available on the ODHS web page “Get Help Finding a Job.”

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Oct. 1. 2025

Contact: 

communications@employ.oregon.gov 

 

Oregon Employment Department ready to help employees and businesses impacted by the federal shutdown

Impacted employees may file for Unemployment Insurance as early as today

 

Salem, Ore. —  The Oregon Employment Department (OED) stands ready to help employees impacted by the federal shutdown apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits and make sure they have the necessary documents and information to file a claim.  

 

With the federal government shutdown, many federal government employees have either been furloughed or deemed essential and required to work without pay. The federal government shutdown may also affect people or contractors who are not federal employees if they work in industries that receive federal funding from the affected agencies. These non-federal employees may have their hours reduced or could be laid off during the shutdown. 

 

“Our mission is to support any workers, employers, and contractors affected by this shutdown,” said OED Director Andrew R. Stolfi. “Unemployment Insurance is a complex program, and applying for benefits can create lots of questions. Different rules apply to some federal workers, so we have specific guidance available on our website and our customer service staff are specially trained for situations just like this.”

 

OED data shows there were roughly 30,000 jobs on federal government payrolls in Oregon around this time last year. OED estimates that there are about 10,000 federal government jobs that could be affected by a lapse in appropriations. While this is about a third of the federal employees who live and work in Oregon, it is a small percentage of the state’s overall workforce, so the increase in claims from federal employees will not cause a significant, long-term impact on the OED workload.

 

Guidance for Impacted Employees

Furloughed federal workers and federal contractors who are not working during the shutdown may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Specific guidance is available at unemployment.oregon.gov/federal-shutdown.

 

The fastest way to apply is to file a claim is through Frances Online. Unemployed workers who don’t already have an account, should start by creating a Frances Online account.

 

People can also apply for benefits over the phone by calling 877-File-4-UI (877-345-3484). Both options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

More information on how federal employees can apply for unemployment insurance benefits, including the documents needed, is available at unemployment.oregon.gov/federal-workers.

 

Additional information about the Unemployment Insurance program and employment services is available on our website at https://unemployment.oregon.gov/. 

 

Backpay and Overpayments

 

Under the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, federal employees may receive back pay once funding resumes after a shutdown. However, Congress would have to approve any back pay as part of the federal appropriation, and it is not guaranteed. If they receive back pay, federal employees may be required to repay the state for any UI benefits they receive during the furlough period. In that case, unemployment benefits would serve as a loan to help federal workers meet basic needs while out of work. 

 

Support for Impacted Businesses

“We want to acknowledge that some Oregon businesses may also be impacted by the federal shutdown,” Director Stolfi said. “We have a great program called WorkShare to help them retain their skilled employees during work slowdowns and shortages.”

The WorkShare program provides an alternative for employers and workers who may be facing a layoff situation through partial unemployment insurance benefits that supplement workers' reduced wages. Once enrolled, an employer can quickly use the program if needed, but there is no obligation. Weekly webinars are offered to help businesses apply for and navigate the program. To learn more, visit oregonworkshare.org or call 503-947-1800.

 

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

 

El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon (OED) es una agencia de igualdad de oportunidades. El OED proporciona ayuda gratuita para que usted pueda utilizar nuestros servicios. Algunos ejemplos son intérpretes de lengua de señas e idiomas hablados, materiales escritos en otros idiomas, letra grande, audio y otros formatos. Para obtener ayuda, por favor llame al 503-947-1444. Usuarios de TTY pueden llamar al 711. También puede enviar un correo electrónico a communications@employ.oregon.gov.

 

###

Oct. 6, 2025

Contact: Kim Lippert, erly.l.lippert@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">kimberly.l.lippert@oha.oregon.gov (media inquiries)

The Behavioral Health Committee, a committee of the Oregon Health Policy Board, to hold a public meeting Oct. 20, via Zoom meeting

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

When: Monday, October 20,  10:05 to 11:55 a.m.

Where: The public can join remotely via Zoom 

Join ZoomGov Meeting 

Meeting ID: 160 527 5690 

Passcode: 532404 

Dial by your location: 

+1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose) 

+1 646 828 7666 US (New York) 

Live Captioning will be provided.

The meeting will include time for public comment. Comments may also be sent ahead of time to HC@odhsoha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">BHC@odhsoha.oregon.gov  

Purpose: In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature passed House Bill 2086, which established the Behavioral Health Committee of the Oregon Health Policy Board. The committee will assist in establishing quality metrics for behavioral health services provided by coordinated care organizations, health care providers, counties, and other government entities; and establish incentives to improve the quality of behavioral health services. As directed by House Bill 2086, the quality metrics and incentives shall be designed to: 

• Improve the integration of physical and behavioral health care, 
• Improve timely access to behavioral health care, 
  • Ensure individuals are supported in the least restrictive environment that meets their behavioral health needs, 
• Reduce hospitalizations, and 
• Reduce overdoses.

The Behavioral Health Committee will prioritize and lead work of the committee to advance health equity in Oregon’s behavioral health system. It will center those with lived experience, community members impacted by health inequities and disparities, and members of the community with behavioral health care needs. 

Read more about the Behavioral Health Committee.

Everyone is welcome to the Behavioral Health Committee meetings.  For questions about accessibility, alternate languages, or to request an accommodation, please contact Ali Najera at 971-388-2046, 711 TTY, a@oha.oregon.gov" rel="noopener" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);" target="_blank">Ali.Najera@oha.oregon.gov, at least two business days before the meeting.  

Available formats include:

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

For more information and meeting materials please visit the Behavioral Health Committee website. 

Questions? Email questions to:  HC@odhsoha.oregon.gov" rel="noopener" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);" target="_blank">BHC@odhsoha.oregon.gov

Health Care Workforce Committee to host an Educational Webinar Oct. 8, via Zoom meeting

Oct. 3, 2025

Contact: Amy Bacher, 503.405.5403, acher2@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">amy.bacher2@oha.oregon.gov (media inquiries)

Kiari Chao, 503.931.3053, i.chao@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">kiari.chao@oha.oregon.gov (meeting information or accommodation)

Health Information Technology Oversight Council to meet Oct. 9

What: The regular public meeting of Health Information Technology Oversight Council.

When: Oct. 9, 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Where: By webinar and conference line only. The public may join remotely through a webinar and conference line:

• Join the webinar here
• Conference line: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID: 161 482 2499, Passcode: 127281

Agenda:

• Welcome, Introductions and HITOC Business (12:30 – 12:45)
• Health IT and Behavioral Health Survey Results and Activities for 2026 (12:45 – 1:25)
• 2025 CCO Health IT Roadmap Summary: Health IT to Support SDOH Needs (1:25 – 1:55)
• 10 Minute Break (1:55 – 2:05)
• Patients & Consumers: August Recap (2:05 – 2:10)
• Introduction to Rural Health Transformation Program (2:10 – 2:20)
• 2026 Work Planning (2:20 – 3:10)
• House Bill 2940 Implementation Update: ED Alerts for Hemoglobinopathies (3:10 – 3:20)
• Health IT Policy & Program Updates (3:20 – 3:25)
• Public Comment, Closing Remarks, and Meeting Adjourn (3:25 – 3:30)

For more information, please visit the committee's website.

# # #

Public comment is an important part of OHA’s committee work and is an opportunity for members of the public to provide input and feedback to HITOC.

• If you know before a meeting that you’d like to provide public comment at a HITOC meeting, you can email INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov to sign up.
• If you’d like to provide public comment during the meeting, please message Shannon Cengija to sign up. If you are unable to message, please speak up during the open public comment period.
• Members of the public are asked to comment or post in the chat only during this period, and to keep verbal comments to about 2 minutes.
• Committee members are unlikely to ask questions or respond to public comment directly but give consideration to public comments during committee work.
• You can also send written public comment to INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov at any time. To be included in a meeting please submit the comment no less than 2 business days before the intended meeting. Written comment is emailed out and posted as part of meeting materials.

# # #

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:

• CART (live captions)
• 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 Kiari Chao or HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov at least 48 hours before the meeting. OHA will make every effort to provide services for requests made closer to the meeting.

Oct. 2, 2025

Media Contact: Amber Shoebridge er.shoebridge@oha.oregon.gov">amber.shoebridge@oha.oregon.gov 503-931-9586

New behavioral health crisis stabilization center opens in Polk County

Dallas, Ore. – The doors will open soon at the Polk CARES Center, a behavioral health crisis stabilization facility, thanks in part to strategic funding and support from Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The center held its grand opening on Sept. 30 and will offer walk-in care for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. The center leverages state investment to expand behavioral health crisis services across Oregon.

“This center is a result of our state’s ongoing work for more spaces and places for Oregonians to get the help they deserve,” Governor Kotek said. “This is the type of capacity that we need across the state so someone in crisis can stabilize and get the help they need.”

The Polk CARES Center, which stands for Connect, Assist, Respond, Empower, Support, provides walk-in crisis care at 182 SW Academy Street in Dallas.

The center provides a range of critical services, including suicide prevention, safety planning and referrals to longer term behavioral health care. Individuals can also get support on their recovery journey from substance use disorder including referrals to treatment and overdose prevention education.

The center is funded through an investment of nearly $2.5 million from House Bill 5202, directed to Polk County by OHA. Additional funding came from a Measure 110 grant supporting the statewide Behavioral Health Resource Network and from Senate Bill 5506. 

"I'm very proud to finally open the doors of the CARES Center,” said Jennifer Lief, Polk County Health Services division manager. “The CARES Center means so much to our team, our agency and to me personally because we all know how critical it is for people to have somewhere to turn in a moment of crisis. We've built this center for our community members — family, friends, and neighbors — so they can walk in and find immediate support, whether through our crisis services or our welcome center for substance use and peer support. No appointment needed, no judgment given — just compassionate care and a pathway to recovery and healing."

The opening of the Polk CARES Center embodies the broader vision from OHA and its partners to ensure behavioral health services are responsive, accessible and equitable across Oregon.

“The Polk CARES Center reflects a powerful commitment to ensuring every person in Oregon has access to timely, compassionate and lifesaving behavioral health care,” said Ebony Clarke, behavioral health director at OHA. “By investing in community crisis response, we are supporting recovery, preserving dignity, and building stronger, healthier communities.”

All services are available to individuals of all ages, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Oct. 2, 2025

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Conference of Local Health Officials Health Promotion and Prevention Committee meets Oct. 4 via Zoom

What: The monthly public meeting of the Conference of Local Health Officials (CLHO) Health Promotion and Prevention Committee (HPP).  

Agenda: Review of previous months minutes, Public Health Advisory Board Health Promotion and Prevention Accountability Metrics, TPEP Workplan overview, Suicide Px Program check-in, federal changes that affect the work, strategic planning around legislation and discuss next meeting agenda topics.

Agenda is subject to change and is posted with meeting materials on the CLHO website at http://www.oregonclho.org/ prior to meeting.

There is no public comment period during this meeting.

When: Thursday, Sept. 4, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: This meeting will be a virtual via Zoom.  Members of the public must register for the meeting here.  

Background: The Conference of Local Health Officials provides recommendations to Oregon Health Authority on the foundational capabilities and programs and any other public health program or activity under ORS 431.340.

Program contact: Liz Hunt, 503-756-5678, liz.a.hunt@oha.oregon.gov

# # #

For people who speak or use a language other than English, people with disabilities or people who need additional support, we can provide free help.  Some examples are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages or transcript
• Braille
• Real-time captioning (CART)
• Large print
• Virtual platform change
• Audio and other formats

This meeting will be virtual only.  This meeting will screen share and use Word documents, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentations.

Please contact Liz Hunt at 503-756-5678 (voice or text) or liz.a.hunt@oha.oregon.gov by Monday, September 1 to request an accommodation. We will make every effort to provide services to requests after September 1.  We accept all relay calls. If you need an accommodation, please contact us right away even if you are only considering attending. The earlier you make a request the more likely we can meet the need.

Oct. 1, 2025

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

OHA seeks input on Oregon beaches to monitor in 2026, 2027

Public comment on proposed beach locations welcome through Oct. 31

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) at Oregon Health Authority invites public comment on a list of proposed beaches to monitor for health risks in 2026 and 2027.

The list was created based on established criteria, such as high recreational use, history of nearby pollution hazards, previously measured high bacteria levels and public input.

OBMP is a multi-agency effort between OHA and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to monitor the marine waters along Oregon's coastline for the presence of fecal bacteria, and to report elevated levels to the public. Through this program, DEQ regularly samples marine water and freshwater at 24 beaches along Oregon’s 360 miles of coastline between May and September. To protect public health, OHA issues advisories at beaches where bacteria levels in marine waters are high.

In the last round of site selection, DEQ used the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) environmental justice screening tool (a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic indicators) to assess the potential for the OBMP efforts to benefit vulnerable and underserved populations. However, EPA’s screening tool is no longer available. Therefore, OBMP is also asking for the public to comment on the extent to which information generated from the proposed beach monitoring would serve vulnerable and underserved communities.

OHA and DEQ routinely reevaluate beach use and sampling locations to expend available resources most effectively toward public health protection. The proposed list includes some of the most frequently visited beaches in Oregon, beaches where the program has previously found bacteria, or beaches for which local partners and the public have requested monitoring due to potential pollution concerns. Based on OBMP’s evaluation criteria, OHA and DEQ propose sampling the following beaches for the 2026/2027 monitoring season:

Clatsop County

• SEASIDE BEACH – Seaside
• CANNON BEACH  – Cannon Beach
• TOLOVANA SP BEACH – Cannon Beach

Coos County

• BASTENDORFF BEACH  –  Coos Bay
• SUNSET BAY SP BEACH  –  Coos Bay

Curry County

• HUBBARD CREEK BEACH – Port Orford
• HARRIS BEACH SP – Brookings
• MILL BEACH – Brookings
• CRISSEY FIELD STATE RECREATION SITE – Brookings

Lane County

• HECETA BEACH  – Florence

Lincoln County

• D RIVER SP BEACH – Lincoln City
• BEVERLY BEACH – Newport
• AGATE SP BEACH – Newport
• NYE BEACH – Newport
• SEAL ROCK SP BEACH – Seal Rock
• SILETZ BAY – Lincoln City 
• ONA BEACH – Beaver Creek State Natural Area, Brian Booth State Park

Tillamook County

• SHORT SAND BEACH – Arch Cape
• MANZANITA BEACH – Manzanita
• ROCKAWAY BEACH – Rockaway
• TWIN ROCKS BEACH – Twin Rocks
• OCEANSIDE – Oceanside
• CAPE KIWANDA – Pacific City
• NESKOWIN BEACH STATE RECREATION SITE – Neskowin

Note: Beaches marked with an asterisk refer to those within potential environmental justice communities that may be likely to recreate at the beach and therefore have more exposure to high bacterial levels.

To add beaches to the list and continue to operate within available OBMP resources, DEQ would need to reduce sampling locations at other beaches. If locations are removed from the list, it would be only locations where historical data show low risk.

OBMP will accept public comments and suggestions on the proposed 2026/2027 selection of beaches and sampling locations through Oct. 31. Contact OBMP by submitting comments at https://forms.office.com/g/GLxXuvsgVu.

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

Oct. 1, 2025

Contacts: Franny White, 971-349-3539, anny.l.White@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">Franny.l.White@oha.oregon.gov (media inquiries)

Tara Chetock, 971-304-9917, a.A.Chetock@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">Tara.A.Chetock@oha.oregon.gov (meeting information or accommodation)

Oregon Health Policy Board meets in-person and virtually Oct. 7

What: A public meeting of the Oregon Health Policy Board (OHPB)

When: October 7, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: In-person and virtual meeting

Attend in-person:

Portland State Office Building

Room #177

800 NE Oregon Street, Portland, OR

Join virtually via ZoomGov

​Meeting ID: 161 088 3159

Passcode: 371696

Phone: (669) 254-5252

The agenda and meeting materials will be available on the OHPB’s website prior to the meeting. 

Proposed Agenda:

• Welcome & introductions
• Group activity for members
• Supporting the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) with emerging work
• OHPB 2025 priorities
• Public Comment – register here to provide written or oral comments
• Primary Care
• Affordability
• Retreat synthesis & closure
• Adjourn

For more information and meeting materials, please visit the OHPB meeting webpage.

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 (live captions)
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Tara Chetock at 971-304-9917, 711 TTY, a.A.Chetock@oha.oregon.gov" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);">Tara.A.Chetock@oha.oregon.gov, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Oct. 1, 2025

Contact: Erica Heartquist, phd.communications@oha.oregon.gov

Oregon State Radiation Advisory Committee meets Oct. 15

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

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

When: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Members of the public may join remotely by phone.

Call in: 971-277-2343; Passcode: 538 044 241#

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.

###

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 at icia.A.Thompson@oha.oregon.gov" rel="noopener" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(6, 66, 118);" target="_blank">Patricia.A.Thompson@oha.oregon.gov at least 48 hours before the meeting.

September 30, 2025

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory issued for Oswego Lake

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory today for Oswego Lake. The lake is in Clackamas County.

The Lake Oswego Corp. observed a possible bloom and used a test strip that indicated microcystin values may be near recreational use values. Water samples are being collected for laboratory analysis to confirm the presence or absence of toxins, with results anticipated next week.

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

OHA encourages people to visit Oswego Lake 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. People who do not use a well or public water system and draw in-home water directly from an affected area 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.

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 a 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 not eating fish from those areas. Those who decide to eat the fish 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 1-877-290-6767, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

###

September 30, 2025

Media contact: Jonathan Modie PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory lifted for Ochoco Lake

Continue to keep pets away as levels detected remain above educational guideline values for animals

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Ochoco Lake in Crook County.

OHA issued the advisory Aug 27.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Ochoco Lake are below recreational guideline values for people.

However, levels detected are still above OHA’s educational guideline values for dogs, and owners should keep their pets away from these areas.

OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable.

Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom, exposures and symptoms by visiting OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab.

When recreating, people, and especially small children, and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water.

If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.

Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins released may reach into clear water around the bloom.

Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

###

September 30, 2025

Media contact: Timothy Heider, 971-599-0459 PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov   

Newborn screening program saves lives of Oregon infants

Blood tests taken from a newborn’s foot can prevent serious complications later in life 

PORTLAND, Ore.— It started a few days after birth with a few drops of blood taken from a newborn’s foot. And for the family of young Maisie, on her fifth day of life, it portended a potentially life-saving discovery. 

Called “newborn bloodspot screening,” or NBS, these samples are tested for more than 45 congenital disorders. 

Laboratory scientists test for serious but treatable conditions that would otherwise not be detected, such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, severe immunity disorders, metabolic disorders such as phenylketonuria (PKU) and medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (MCAD deficiency), and more.  

In Maisie’s case, the test results indicated she was at high risk for MCAD deficiency. Patients with MCAD deficiency cannot properly break down fatty acids for energy and are at risk of sudden infant death. 

“Our newborn screening saved us the trauma of one day walking into her room and her not waking up, or her having a medical crisis,” said her mother, Leslie.  

“It may seem like a one-in-a-million shot, but there is only one Maisie and we’re so grateful for the important work that is being done.” 

State law requires all babies born in Oregon have access to newborn bloodspot screening. 

The first sample is collected within one to two days of life and is sent to the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) in Hillsboro. 

A second sample is collected from every newborn at 10 to 14 days of life to screen for later-onset conditions. On a typical day, more than 300 samples are tested at the lab. 

Results are generally available within 24 hours.

Early detection of a congenital disease through screening leads to an evaluation by a health care provider, additional confirmatory testing, and life-saving treatment within days after birth.

“Through this program and the extraordinary cooperation of our partners at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), we are able to prevent serious complications that otherwise would not be discovered possibly until it was too late,” said Patrice Held, Ph.D., Newborn Screening Program manager at OSPHL. The lab is based at Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division.

Established in 1963, Oregon’s NBS program is one of the first of its kind in the nation, universally testing more than 99% of the state’s newborns from samples taken by doctors, nurses, midwives or other health care professionals. 

Early detection and timely interventions significantly improved health outcomes for Maisie.

Today Maisie is a thriving 2-year-old, romping with her older sister, Ruby, 5 and big brother Theo, 7.

To raise awareness about Oregon’s Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program, as September’s Newborn Screening Awareness Month winds down, OHA has produced this comprehensive and informative video, underscoring the impact of newborn screening.

“By increasing awareness, we hope to ensure that every newborn in Oregon receives this essential screening,” Held said.

Learn more here about how bloodspot screening works, and the collaborative effort to ensure healthy babies in Oregon.  

###

Canby, Ore. –October 15-17, the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP), Oregon Heritage Commission (OHC), Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC), and Historic Assessment Review Committee (HARC) will meet in Canby for tours and individual and joint business meetings. The meetings will be in-person and online. The meetings are open to the public.
 

Anyone may listen to the meeting and instructions on how to attend are on the commissions/committees web page. Registration is required to speak at the meeting and is available online. For specific hearing times and online registration information, refer to the website at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx
 

Schedule of meeting activities:

• Oct. 15: open house tours around the region starting at 3:30pm.
• Oct. 16: Individual commission/committee business meetings, guided site visits, and presentations. Individual business meetings will start as early as 8:00 a.m. and conclude by 11:30 a.m. For details regarding locations and start times for each commission/committee’s business items please see the full agenda here. There will be a joint working lunch and guided site visits will begin at 2:15 p.m. departing from 222 NE 2nd Ave, Canby.
• Oct. 17: Joint business meeting will start at 8am at , 225 NE 2^nd Avenue, Canby. Joint business meeting agenda includes a review of a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the Arthur Devers House in Portland, Multnomah County, input session for the statewide Oregon Heritage Plan, a presentation from a representative of the American Association for State and Local History, information on the Special Assessment Property Tax Program, and more. See the full agenda here.
   

About the Commissions/Committees:
 

State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) - The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields. Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the Register under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Oregon Heritage Commission (OHC) – The OHC is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission representing a diversity of cultural, geographic, and institutional interests. The Commission is the primary agency for coordination of heritage activities in the state. This includes carrying out the Oregon Heritage Plan, increasing efficiency and avoiding duplication among interest groups, developing plans for coordination among agencies and organizations, encouraging tourism related to heritage resources, and coordinating heritage designations.

Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) - The OCHC is a seven-member Commission that maintains a listing of all historic cemeteries and gravesites in Oregon; promotes public education on the significance of historic cemeteries; and helps obtain financial and technical assistance for restoring, improving and maintaining their appearances.
 

Historic Assessment Review Committee (HARC) - The HARC is a five-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields. The HARC is the review body for appeals from property owners participating in the Special Assessment Property Tax Program for Historic Properties.
 

All of these Commissions/Committees work to support the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan and the Oregon Heritage Plan by increasing access to and supporting the goals of Oregon’s heritage.
 

Special accommodations for the meeting – including translation services – may be made by contacting Kim Spivey at (503) 986-0690 or erly.spivey@oprd.oregon.gov">Kimberly.spivey@oprd.oregon.gov at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting.
 

For in person and online meeting details and the agenda or more information about the commissions and committees, visit www.oregonheritage.org.

ASTORIA, Oregon— The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission approved Local Government Grants and rules for procurement, ATVs and historic properties at its September meeting in Astoria.

 

The commission adopted the recommended grants for the 2025 Local Government Grant Program (LGGP). The LGGP is a voter approved, Oregon Lottery funded grant program administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. 

 

The 2025 awards totaled about $17.3 million and include:            

• Large Grants totaling $15,707,853  
• Small Grants totaling $1,101,673  
• Planning Grants totaling $450,000  

The commission also adopted rules for procurement, ATVs and historic properties based on Oregon legislation passed in 2025. 

• Adopted ATV sound and equipment rules. This is a result of HB 2232, which transferred rulemaking responsibility from ODOT and DEQ to OPRD. Recording of presentation on adopted rules.
• Adopted Public Contract and Procurement Rules to outline OPRD’s new requirements. This is a result of SB 838, which exempts OPRD from the Public Contracting Code except for surplus property and information technology related procurement.  Recording of presentation.
• Adopted rules about Special Assessment for Historic Property in response to House Bill 3190, which reauthorizes the program as a 10-year benefit for commercial, income-producing historic properties.  Recording of presentation.

Staff also presented a budget update to the commission that showed an even lower-than-forecasted lottery revenue outlook and an increase in cost-of-living adjustments, which creates a $14 million budget shortfall this biennium. The agency will closely monitor the budget forecast, its visitor fees and cost-saving measures to close the gap. 

 

The full agenda with supporting documents is available online, and a recording of the meeting is available on the OPRD Director’s Office YouTube channel. The commission’s next meeting is November 17-18 and will be virtual. 

Salem, OR -- Enterprise Information Services (EIS) and the state of Oregon are excited to announce their participation in Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, supporting the global initiative led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) to promote safer online practices for individuals, organizations and communities.

 

Now in its 22nd year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a call to action for everyone to take responsibility for their online safety. This year’s theme, “Stay Safe Online,” emphasizes the importance of empathy, accessibility and shared responsibility in creating a safer digital world.

 

“This October let’s turn awareness into action, because every click, password and decision shapes our digital future,” said State Chief Information Security Officer Ben Gherezgiher, “Stay smart. Stay Cyber Strong.”

 

Throughout October, the state of Oregon government will spotlight the Core 4 cybersecurity practices to reduce cyber risks:

1. Use strong passwords and a password manager to secure accounts.
2. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for an extra layer of protection.
3. Keep software updated to patch vulnerabilities.
4. Recognize and report phishing and scams to stay vigilant against threats.

By focusing on simple, effective steps and creating a culture of shared responsibility, the state of Oregon is proud to contribute to the broader mission of building a more secure digital future.

 

For more information on Cybersecurity Awareness Month, visit https://staysafeonline.org or CISA’s website: https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month.

Salem, OR -- The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) is issuing a correction to the previously published information regarding the 2026 rent stabilization percentages.

 

The lower maximum rental increase established by HB3054 (6%) is only applicable to manufactured home parks and floating home marinas containing more than 30 spaces.

Salem, OR -- Today, Sept. 30, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) published the maximum rent increases allowed by law for 2026.

• For rental facilities that are 15 years or older and have 30 or fewer spaces, the maximum rent increase is 9.5%.
• For rental facilities that are 15 years or older with more than 30 spaces, the maximum increase is 6.0%.

Per statute, the Office of Economic Analysis calculates the maximum rent increase by adding 7% to the average change in the cost of living over the past year. Only one rent increase is allowed every 12 months, and the maximum increase is capped at 10%. The cost-of-living change is measured using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

House Bill 3054, passed in 2025, changed how rent increases are calculated. Now, the size of the rental property affects the allowed increase.

 

Rent increase limits are designed to protect tenants from large, unexpected rent hikes.

 

Oregon law requires the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to publish the maximum rent increase allowed each year by September 30 online. DAS will post the 2027 rent increase limits by September 30, 2026.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A man made his first appearance in federal court today after assaulting two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents following his arrest on federal drug distribution charges.

 

Ezequiel Ramos Hernandez, 28, has been charged by criminal complaint with multiple felony crimes including Assaulting Federal Agents and Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.

 

According to court documents, on October 1, 2025, the FBI, along with the Woodburn and Salem Police Departments, executed a search warrant at Ramos Hernandez’s Woodburn hotel room. Agents seized distributable quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. FBI agents arrested Ramos Hernandez and began driving him to be lodged on federal drug distribution charges. During the transport, Ramos Hernandez managed to escape from the moving vehicle while handcuffed. Two FBI agents chased Ramos Hernandez who actively resisted and was observed kicking one of the FBI agents in the face multiple times.  Ultimately, FBI agents were able to subdue Ramos Hernandez with the assistance of multiple civilian witnesses. Ramos Hernandez later told an FBI agent that he tried to escape from agents because he thought he was being deported. 

 

Defendant Ramos-Hernandez made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was detained pending further court proceedings.

 

Assaulting a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison. 

 

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

 

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.—A man made his first appearance in federal court today after pointing a laser at a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) helicopter in the Portland metro area.

 

Hector Miranda-Mendoza, 35, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft.

 

According to court documents, on the evening of September 27, 2025, law enforcement identified Miranda-Mendoza as an individual who targeted multiple aircraft with a laser pointer, including a CBP helicopter. Lasers can cause blindness and spotting in vision, making it a challenge for pilots to identify other aircraft and obstacles, which could lead to a catastrophic event. CBP used an on-board mapping system to locate the origin of the laser at a Portland residence.  Investigating officers contacted the defendant who admitted he recently purchased the laser and knew it was strong. Defendant reported he thought the helicopter was a drone and he remembered flashing the helicopter four or five times. Law enforcement seized the laser pointer and referred this matter for federal prosecution.   

 

“Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft endangers lives and is a federal crime. This conduct put the lives of CBP personnel and the community directly at risk, and my office will aggressively pursue those who engage in this illegal activity,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

 

“The laser strike on a CBP helicopter over the skies of Portland put our community at risk and endangered the lives of federal law enforcement officers. This activity is unacceptable, and FBI Portland will aggressively pursue anyone anywhere targeting federal agents, especially those currently holding the line at the Portland ICE facility,” said Douglas A. Olson, FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge.

 

Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 29 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.

 

Miranda-Mendoza made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was detained pending further court proceedings.

 

Aiming a laser pointer is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. 

 

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

 

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.— Defendant Julie Winters, 47, of Portland, pleaded guilty yesterday to Felony Intimidation of a Federal Officer and Resisting Arrest.

 

According to court documents, on June 24, 2025, Winters brandished a large knife and swung it back and forth at officers in an attempt to intimidate the officers when they engaged with Winters at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.

 

On August 20, 2025, Winters reported to the Pretrial Services Office after violating the conditions of her pretrial release. As federal law enforcement attempted to arrest Winters on a federal warrant, she resisted arrest by causing forcible contact with U.S. Deputy Marshals after the U.S. Marshals attempted to place the defendant under arrest.

 

Winters will be sentenced in December 2025 before a U.S. District Court Judge.

 

These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Protective Service, ICE, and the United States Marshals Service. These cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

 

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court yesterday after assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.

 

Katherine Meagan Vogel, 39, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer.

 

According to court documents, on the evening of September 30, 2025, federal officers detained Vogel after she applied red paint to the driveway of the ICE facility. Federal officers escorted Vogel to the ICE facility to interview her for conduct related to depredation of government property. While federal officers processed her, Vogel struck one of the federal officers in the jaw with a closed fist. Officers then arrested her for the additional charge of assaulting a federal officer.

 

“Violence and property damage at the ICE building or any other federal building will not be tolerated. If you assault a federal law enforcement officer or damage federal property, you will be arrested and federally prosecuted,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

 

Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 28 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.

 

Vogel made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings.

 

Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison.

 

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

 

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.— Today the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a petition to enforce administrative subpoenas issued to four Oregon counties, including Clackamas, Washington, Multnomah, and Marion, seeking information to locate 10 violent felons who are likely subject to removal from the United States.

 

Following lengthy prison sentences, Oregon correction officials released 10 violent felons, who are likely subject to removal from the United States, into Oregon communities. Before their release, federal immigration authorities sent immigration detainers to Oregon officials seeking notification before Oregon officials released these criminal aliens into the community. State officials did not honor those detainers, like many others since 2021, and released the following 10 violent criminals into Oregon communities:

 

Criminal Alien 1 was first convicted in 2004 of Assault in the Second Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, and Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree and sentenced to over 60 months in prison. In 2008, Criminal Alien 1 was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree and sentenced to over 150 months in prison and post-prison supervision. He was released into the community in 2023.

 

Criminal Alien 2 was convicted in 2013 of three counts of Rape in the Third Degree and three counts of Sodomy in the Third Degree involving a minor child under the age of 16. Criminal Alien 2 was sentenced to over 90 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. He was subsequently convicted of nine counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and sentenced to several years in prison to run concurrent to the sentence in the prior case. He was released into the community in 2022.

 

Criminal Alien 3 was convicted in 2011 of Kidnapping in the First Degree, Burglary in the First Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree, and Assault in the Fourth Degree. He was sentenced to over 150 months in prison and post-prison supervision. He was released into the community in 2025.

 

Criminal Alien 4 was convicted in 2018 of Assault in the Second Degree, Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, Attempt to Commit a Class B Felony, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was sentenced to over 60 months in prison and post-prison supervision. He released into the community in 2023.

 

Criminal Alien 5 was convicted in 2010 of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving two separate victims who were under the age of 14. He was sentenced to over 60 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. He was released into the community in 2022.

 

Criminal Alien 6 was convicted in 2015 of Rape in the First Degree. In his plea petition, he admitted an aggravating fact alleged in the indictment – that during this offense, he used or threatened to use a weapon. He was sentenced to over 90 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. He was released into the community in 2023.

 

Criminal Alien 7 was convicted in 2015 of Rape in the First Degree. He was sentenced to over 120 months in prison with a lengthy term of post-prison supervision and required to register as a sex offender. He was released into the community in 2023.

 

Criminal Alien 8 was convicted of three counts of Rape in the First Degree involving a child under the age of 12 and two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a child under the age of 14. He was sentenced to over 150 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. He was released into the community in 2022.

 

Criminal Alien 9 was convicted in 2008 of Rape in the First Degree and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to over 90 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. Shortly after completing that sentence, Criminal Alien 9 was convicted in 2016 of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to over 70 months in prison, post-prison supervision, and the continued requirement to register as a sex offender. He was released into the community in 2022.

 

Criminal Alien 10 was convicted in federal court of possessing and using a fake Border Crossing Card to enter the United States in October 2012. In early January 2013, upon release from federal prison, he was transferred to Oregon for an outstanding warrant, where he was subsequently convicted of Robbery and Kidnapping in the First Degree. He was sentenced to over 100 months in prison. He was released into the community in 2023.

 

The information sought by federal authorities will assist with apprehending these violent criminal aliens in order to remove them from the United States. Since 2021, Oregon public officials have disregarded immigration detainers and have released violent felons, who are likely subject to removal from the United States, into Oregon communities.

 

“Removing violent criminal aliens from our local communities and country is a matter of public safety and a top priority for federal law enforcement,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. 

 

# # #

OnPoint’s eBook helps educate consumers about an ever-evolving cybercrime landscape

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — In 2024, U.S. consumers lost a record $12.5 billion to fraud, with 1 in 4 adults falling victim. Tech support scams, investments scams and impostor scams ranked among the key threats, and young adults and the elderly remain tops targets of scammers.

 

In response, OnPoint Community Credit Union released its 2025 “The OnPoint Guide to Personal Cybersecurity” eBook to help consumers protect themselves and stay informed about the latest online threats. OnPoint updates the free eBook every October in observance of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

 

"Technology makes so many things easier for consumers, but unfortunately that also extends to cybercriminals," said Damian Laviolette, chief information officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. "The red flags are not quite as red these days, so it’s critical to stay up to date on the latest trends and be vigilant about your online safety. We are committed to providing members and non-members with the tools and knowledge they need.”

 

The latest trends in online fraud include:

• Cybercriminals continue to improve techniques with AI and automation. One common technique used by cybercriminals is called deepfake phishing, where they recreate a loved one’s voice or even a local official to add weight to these manipulative communications. In Q1 of 2025, $200 million in losses was reported nationwide from deepfake cyberattacks. AI also helps scammers generate these messages even faster, to target more potential victims.
• Youth and seniors are the most at-risk populations. Young people, especially children, have clean credit histories, making them valuable to identity thieves. Chat features in online games also give cybercriminals a platform to convince young people to reveal personal information, transfer money or click on malicious links. Cybercriminals also target people aged 60 and older because they believe they have considerable assets and are less familiar with cybersecurity best practices and online scams, especially AI techniques. Grandparent scams, tech support scams, government impersonation scams romance scams were among the top most common types of elder scams reported in 2025.
• Your smart devices have become targets. According to IoT Analytics, there will be approximately 19.8 billion connected devices by the end of 2025. The growing number of “smart” household appliances, cars and systems create potential access points for cyberattacks that might be easily overlooked. Cybercriminals can attempt to access your passwords or bank accounts through the information shared with a digital assistant or get into your Wi-Fi network to launch a ransomware attack.

 Top Four Tips for Cybersecurity:

• Always verify the sender. Messages from cybercriminals come in many forms: emails, texts, phone calls, or even videos. They want you to hand over personal information, money, or click on a link containing hidden malware. Never trust a request for your password—a legitimate source like a bank or government office will not need your password, a PIN or card number. When in doubt, find another way to contact the sender to confirm that the message is legitimate.
• Watch out for too-good-to-be-true offers. Cybercriminals often send messages promising unexpected money in exchange for a fee or tax. You should always be suspicious if an individual, bank or company contacts you offering any sum of money. Do not send money or attempt to deposit unverified funds—especially if you’ve never met the sender. Search for the person or organization online and seek the advice of your financial institution if you’re suspicious.
• Talk to your children and elderly family members about cybersecurity. Your children and elderly family members should be aware of the threats they are likely to encounter online. Play an active role in your children’s online interactions and set up child-safety controls on their devices to restrict their access, block offensive content and limit screen time. Help educate your elderly family members about common scams, monitor their financial accounts for fraud and block spam calls on their devices.
• Protect your devices. Change your router name and password from the default settings, use a guest network for smart devices and add multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements to access administrative control of your primary network. Use strong passwords—or even better, passphrases—that contain spaces between words, and symbols and numbers in place of some letters.

As online fraud continues to evolve, staying informed and alert is more important than ever. You can protect yourself and your family by downloading The OnPoint Guide to Cybersecurity eBook or consulting with a staff member at your nearest OnPoint branch.

 

# # # 

 

About OnPoint Community Credit Union

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 618,000 members and with assets of $9.56 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 (Clark and Skamania) and their immediate family members. OnPoint Community Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). More information is available at onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077; 800-527-3932.

New partnership to provide PSU business students with career path resources, guest speakers, and financial industry insight

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — OnPoint Community Credit Union announced today a new partnership with The School of Business at Portland State University, to help prepare students for a successful career. OnPoint will be folded into several School of Business events throughout the 2025-2026 school year, while also providing guest speakers and panelists for business classes and gatherings. Oregon’s largest credit union will also cover the cost of new headshots for students, giving them a professional start to their business careers.

 

"Any successful career begins with a solid educational foundation, and The School of Business at PSU has provided its students with an exceptional experience for more than 50 years,” said Bob Harding, chief commercial officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “Education is OnPoint’s foundation, so the partnership makes perfect sense. We look forward to supporting the next generation of business leaders, and we are excited to enrich their PSU experience and encourage their ambition.”

 

Event Sponsorship

Through the new partnership, OnPoint will sponsor several university events providing advice and information to students in the School of Business:

• Financial Wellness Day on October 23, 2025. Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from local organizations in the financial wellness space, including OnPoint.
• A finance career panel discussion during the Winter 2026 term, featuring professionals from the local finance community. An OnPoint branch manager will be one of the panel experts.
• The Portland State Winter All Majors & Business Fair, which will be held on February 9, 2026, will bring representatives from more than 100 employers to campus for students to meet, network, and explore potential careers.

"We are incredibly grateful to OnPoint Community Credit Union for their generous donation to the Portland State University School of Business Career Center. This gift directly strengthens our ability to provide business students with the critical resources and career coaching they need to succeed,” said Shannon Aniciete, director of Business Career Services, Portland State University School of Business. “OnPoint’s investment is an investment in the future of Portland's community, as our graduates go on to become the innovators who drive our regional economy."

 

Free Headshots

To further support business students as they begin applying for job opportunities, OnPoint will cover the cost of new headshots for all interested School of Business students.

 

Financial Expert Guest Speakers

Through the partnership with PSU, a local OnPoint team member will serve as a guest speaker to students in the Personal Finance class and speak about their experiences with a career in finance.

 

###

 

About OnPoint Community Credit Union

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 618,000 members and with assets of $9.56 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. OnPoint Community Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). More information is available at onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

 

About The School of Business at Portland State University

Located in the heart of one of America’s most dynamic cities, The School of Business at Portland State University is shaping the future of business through transformative learning and meaningful research. With world-class faculty and deep connections with regional industry partners, our campus brings together today’s innovators and tomorrow’s leaders.

October is Fire Prevention Month, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal and Oregon Fire Marshals Association invite all Oregonians to Take Charge of Fire Safety by buying, using, and recycling rechargeable batteries safely.

 

Rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, power many of our everyday devices, such as smartphones, laptops, wearable technology, e-scooters, power tools, electric vehicles, and much more. While they are convenient and powerful, they can create serious fire risks if not used correctly.

 

“Rechargeable batteries, especially lithium-ion types, are incredibly useful but can be dangerous if they’re not used or stored the right way,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Since more families are using them at home, it’s important to know how to use them safely.”

 

“Oregon’s fire service personnel see firsthand the impact fire can have on families and communities,” said Lora Ratcliff, president of the Oregon Fire Marshals Association. “Fire Prevention Month is about taking simple steps that make a big difference, whether that’s charging batteries safely, checking smoke alarms, or creating a home escape plan. By working together, we can reduce fire risks and help keep Oregonians safe.”

 

Safety Tips for Rechargeable Batteries

• Buy Only Listed Products. When buying devices that use rechargeable batteries, make sure they are tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to meet established safety standards.
• Charge Devices Safely. Always use the charger that comes with the device or one approved by the manufacturer. Charge devices on a hard, flat surface and avoid charging them on beds, couches, or under pillows. Unplug devices once they are fully charged.
• Dispose of Batteries Responsibly. Do not put rechargeable batteries or devices in the trash or regular recycling bins. They can start fires. Instead, take them to a designated battery recycling location. Visit www.call2recycle.org to find a recycling spot near you.

While rechargeable batteries are a growing risk, the top causes of home fires in Oregon remain the same year after year:

• Cooking is the number one cause of home fires. Never leave cooking unattended and keep flammable items away from stovetops.
• Heating equipment, such as space heaters, should be kept at least three feet from anything that can burn.
• Electrical issues, including overloaded outlets and faulty wiring, are major contributors to home fires.

Fire Prevention Month is a great time to check your smoke alarms, review your home escape plan, and talk with your family about fire safety. A few minutes of prevention can save lives.

 

Learn More

 

For more information on home fire safety, including downloadable resources, safety checklists, and educational materials, visit the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s website at www.oregon.gov/osfm.

 

About the Oregon State Fire Marshal

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal became an independent state agency in July 2023. The agency is dedicated to protecting people, property, and the environment from fire and hazardous materials. The OSFM works with local fire agencies, communities, and other partners to strengthen fire prevention, preparedness, and response statewide. Please note: the Oregon State Fire Marshal is no longer an office.

 

About the Oregon Fire Marshals Association

 

The Oregon Fire Marshals Association is a nonprofit organization made up of fire code officials, industry leaders, and individuals dedicated to protecting of life and property against fire. The OFMA provides education and discussion on current fire and life safety issues to understand and improve fire codes and standards. Learn more at ofma.net. 

News Release
October 3, 2025

FEMA is proposing major new requirements for communities that want to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Under this new plan for Oregon, FEMA would change the primary focus of the NFIP to protecting floodplain habitat for fish, rather than mitigating
risks to life and property and providing flood insurance. The deadline to submit written comments to FEMA is Monday, October 6, 2025 at 8:59 pm (Oregon time).

 

FEMA’s proposed rules include a “no net loss” standard for floodplain development that cities and counties must meet to remain in the NFIP. Any loss of flood storage (e.g. building of structures or storing equipment in the floodplain), addition of pervious surface (e.g. pavement), or removal of vegetation must be offset.

 

Here are some of the new rules and their potential impacts:

• A typical new single-family house could require a second piece of land to be kept undeveloped as “mitigation.”

• The cost of construction for homes and new commercial development could increase by nearly 30 percent. The cost of your new home could go up more than
$7500 a year in mortgage/interest to pay for complying with the new requirements.

• Remodeling or expanding existing developed commercial and industrial land could require a different or more expensive design.

• If a farmer wants to build a new agricultural building in the floodplain, the cost could increase by about 12 per cent.

• For port projects subject to the new standards, the land required to be set aside for mitigation would be substantial, potentially adding hundreds of
thousands of dollars to project costs.

• Counties and cities in Oregon would face substantial administrative costs implementing the new standards, totaling $23 million to $47 million for the full Oregon plan area.

The new requirements would apply to all NFIP mapped areas within the highlighted areas of the state – affecting 31 counties and 230 communities that participate in the NFIP. If a community refuses to adopt these new standards, FEMA can kick them out of the NFIP, making all residents ineligible for federal flood insurance and disaster aid. Flood insurance is required for federally-backed mortgages.

 

In short, these stringent new rules would significantly burden not only new business and home development, but also existing homeowners and businesses by making small
additions, sheds, or driveways into major mitigation projects. A remodel or repair of your house from storm damage now will become too costly to repair, even under NFIP
coverage—which insufficiently covers the cost of compliance with these new regulations.

 

FEMA released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement with three Alternatives and is accepting public comment. Oregonians for Floodplain Protection is urging people to tell FEMA to adopt Alternative 1, the No-Action Alternative. Oregon has existing rules to protect endangered species, and FEMA is using nearly 10-year-old data to make these rules. There is only a short time left to comment on these rules. The deadline for comments is Monday night (10-6-2025) at 8:59 pm.

 

More information is available on our website, https://floodplainprotection.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

PORTLAND, OCTOBER 2, 2025 — During Fire Prevention Week (October 5-11), the American Red Cross reminds everyone of the dangers of home fires, which claim seven lives every day in the U.S. Home fires claim more lives in a typical year than all natural disasters combined. To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.

 

“Home fires can occur any time, any place,” said Priscilla Fuentes, Red Cross Cascades Region CEO. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because fire experts say you may have less than two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late.”

 

 

Tips for creating your home fire escape plan and practicing your 2-minute drill:

• Everyone in your household should know two ways to escape from each room in your home.
• Smoke is dangerous. Get low and go!
• Decide where to meet once you get outside. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as a neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.
• Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
• If a fire starts, you may have less than two minutes to get to safety. Time your fire drill and find out: what’s your escape time?
• While practicing your escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

 

Smoke alarm safety:

• Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
• In addition to testing your alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
• Also check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they need to be replaced because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers provide emotional support, financial assistance, and information to help families begin the process of recovery. Most of the 65,000 emergencies that the Red Cross responds to each year nationwide are home fires. This year alone, local Red Cross Disaster Action teams have responded to more than 490 fires in Oregon and SW Washington.

 

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,479 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires. 

 

Sign up for a FREE smoke alarm installation and education by going to Redcross.org/cascades.http://redcross.org/cascades

 

 

B-Roll:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hlg6k5twd9gbr79cmqrf9/Video-Dec-14-2024-11-22-41-AM.mov?rlkey=hliy3ryq8mf90gvhz0x4lz06t&st=j0ayzquo&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/k4pdhvu014q6x9c1k759q/Video-Dec-14-2024-11-11-01-AM.mov?rlkey=ybev2amngbsmfp159q8m6klda&st=e4zot0vn&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mstowptrpny5vz4uezkcb/Video-Dec-14-2024-11-17-00-AM.mov?rlkey=nyj3oa7h7lqxsk73uylklyh3o&st=t8kxi3jg&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lp33zg8p67cgw316n0546/IMG_1651.MOV?rlkey=v79udkxvqk3b8j8f67wtz8id3&st=cxfwihr4&dl=0

 

 

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.

 

# # #

 

Governor Tina Kotek has officially proclaimed October 20–24, 2025 as Community Bank Week in Oregon, recognizing the vital role community banks play in supporting families, small businesses, and communities across the state.
 

“For well over a century, community banks doing business in Oregon have provided local financial services and have supported the prosperity and growth of our communities,” said Governor Kotek in the proclamation. “Community banks are an integral part of Oregon’s overall economy through their community giving, dedication as good neighbors, and above all, their critical role in providing reliable financial services to Oregonians.”
 

Community banks serve Oregon through more than 325 branches and loan offices, employing 4,700 Oregonians in family-wage jobs. They also make more than half of all bank loans to small businesses, fueling entrepreneurship and job creation in every corner of the state.

Community banks are central to Oregon’s economic vitality, contributing to schools, infrastructure, and public services through taxes and serving the credit needs of all communities—including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods—under the federal Community Reinvestment Act. In many rural areas, they are the only local financial institution, making this commitment especially important.

“Community banks are unique because their success is directly tied to the strength of the communities they serve,” said Scott Bruun, president and CEO of the Community Banks of Oregon. “They create jobs, provide access to capital, support local nonprofits, and contribute to Oregon’s tax base. Governor Kotek’s proclamation recognizes just how essential community banks are to Oregon’s economy and quality of life.”

 

During Community Bank Week, banks across Oregon will celebrate with customer appreciation events, community service projects, food drives, free community shred events where residents can securely dispose of confidential documents, and other outreach efforts that highlight the positive impact of local banking. Discover more about community banks and connect with one in your area at www.oregonbankers.com/local.

 

About the Community Banks of Oregon

Community Banks of Oregon (CBO) serves banks headquartered in Oregon. The principal mission of CBO is to support and promote community banking in Oregon. CBO advocates for community banks, provides a forum to address issues unique to community banks and promotes community banks through initiatives like Oregon Community Bank Week. More information is available at www.oregonbankers.com/local.

Portland, Ore., September 30, 2025 – From September 20 through September 28, families, community organizations, and individuals across Oregon and Southwest Washington came together for the annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup, in partnership with OnPoint Community Credit Union. The statewide effort, and centerpiece of Fall with SOLVE, aligned with three significant environmental dates: International Coastal Cleanup Day (September 20), National Public Lands Day (September 27), and World Rivers Day (September 28).

 

This year, approximately 822 volunteers across 14 counties participated in 77 events, from the Oregon Coast to inland rivers and urban neighborhoods. Together, they collected an estimated 9,784 pounds of litter and marine debris (equivalent to the weight of three school buses) while restoring habitats and preparing green spaces for the months ahead. Volunteers cleared approximately 743,420 square feet of invasive plants (covering an area the size of 13 basketball courts), mulched and maintained plants and trees, ensuring green spaces are prepared for the months ahead.

 

“This year’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup showed the strength of community partnerships: From expanding established programs like Pick It Up, Bend! to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with community groups like Loco por la Aventura,” said Kris Carico, CEO of SOLVE. “For nearly four decades, this cleanup has been at the heart of our work, uniting thousands of volunteers to protect the places we love. It remains one of the most important opportunities we have each year to care for our rivers, beaches, and neighborhoods, and to ensure they remain healthy for generations to come.”

 

A Season of Highlights
The Beach & Riverside Cleanup showcased the variety of projects and partnerships that fuel SOLVE’s mission across the region. Examples included:

 

Inaugural Pick It Up, Bend!, September 20, Downtown Bend

As part of this year’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup, SOLVE expanded its Pick It Up! series with the inaugural Pick It Up, Bend! The community-powered cleanup brought together residents, local businesses, and volunteers for a hands-on morning of removing litter and beautifying public spaces against the backdrop of the scenic Old Mill District and Hayden Homes Amphitheater with the support of Old Mill District, Lithia Motors Green Cars, and Jackstraw (managed by Killian Pacific). SOLVE is already looking forward to bringing back this community-powered cleanup next September and expanding the Pick It Up! series further.

 

New partnership with Loco por la Aventura, Southeast Portland

On September 25, volunteers came together in Southeast Portland for Cleaner SE Together, a community cleanup hosted by SOLVE and Loco por la Aventura. Volunteers helped to tidy streets and shared spaces while strengthening community connections. The event honored Hispanic Heritage Month and highlighted the contributions of the Latino community in the Pacific Northwest. Loco por la Aventura is a nonprofit organization that promotes educational equity and outdoor engagement for the Latino community across the region. Through their new Basecamp Mountaineering Center, the organization provides gear sales and rentals, with all proceeds directly funding free outdoor programs, clinics, and adventures designed by and for the Latino community.

 

World Rivers Day Cleanup at Bonneville Lock and Dam, September 28, Cascade Locks
Volunteers joined U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers to celebrate World Rivers Day and National Public Lands Day with a shoreline cleanup at Bonneville Lock and Dam. Together, they removed litter and fishing line from the Columbia River shoreline and invasive weeds from nearby areas, helping protect wildlife and water quality. Afterward, participants got rewarded with a ranger-led tour and underwater fish viewing, underscoring the connection between hands-on volunteer work and the health of our shared waterways.

 

From Source to Sea, Part of a Global Movement
The Beach & Riverside Cleanup connects local efforts to global initiatives. September 20 marked the 40th anniversary of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, uniting millions of volunteers worldwide to protect our oceans from harmful debris. Along the Oregon Coast, organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation, Friends of Netarts Bay, and watershed councils joined forces with local volunteers to advance these shared goals. At Siltcoos Beach, participants honored International Coastal Cleanup Day by removing marine debris near protected western snowy plover nesting sites, a critical habitat for these vulnerable birds.

 

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Volunteers
SOLVE expresses gratitude to the thousands of volunteers, community leaders, and partner organizations who made this year’s event possible. The 2025 Beach & Riverside Cleanup, in partnership with OnPoint Community Credit Union, was proudly supported by Chevron, Clean Water Services, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., Knife River, KOIN, Malibu Rum, Metro, National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Oregon Parks and Recreation, Tillamook, and Wells Fargo.

 

About SOLVE 

SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots initiative to a national model of volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon, and SW Washington, to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, while empowering a community of environmental stewards for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information.