FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 4, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Former Oregon Lumber Company Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Nearly $1 Million From Employer Over Decade-Long Scheme

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced today that Christina Klauda, 53, of Riddle, Oregon, has pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and two counts of making and subscribing false federal income tax returns for a years-long embezzlement and tax fraud scheme that targeted her former employer.

 

According to court documents, Klauda served as the office manager and bookkeeper for Tower Timber Services, Inc., a lumber company based in Riddle, Oregon, beginning in 2014. In that role, she was responsible for payroll, accounts payable, invoicing, employee dispatch and preparation of employee tax forms.

 

Klauda admitted that she used her position of trust and control over the company's financial systems to systematically steal from Tower Timber from 2014 through 2023. The government estimates the company's losses at more than $1.08 million, while Klauda acknowledges losses of at least $944,371.97.

 

According to the plea agreement, Klauda began the scheme by increasing her hourly and overtime rates and overstating her work hours in the company's payroll system. Beginning in 2018, she created a second employee profile in the company's accounting software and arranged to receive duplicate payroll payments. Klauda received one payment through direct deposit and a second payment through paper checks that she concealed by deleting records of the transactions from the accounting software.

 

Klauda also admitted to using the company owner's signature stamp without authorization to issue additional checks to herself and her personal creditors. She disguised these payments as loans, reimbursements or draws, removed the transactions from company records, and failed to report the income to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

As part of the scheme, Klauda filed false federal income tax returns for tax years 2018 and 2019 by failing to report income she had stolen from the company. Specifically, she failed to report approximately $38,140 in income in 2018 and $74,144 in income in 2019, causing a total tax loss of $27,985.

 

The bank fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Each tax fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release.

Klauda has also agreed to pay restitution to the victims. The parties estimate total restitution will be between approximately $972,356.97 and $1,111,771.56, including losses sustained by Tower Timber and the IRS.

 

The case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken is prosecuting the case.

###

 

LANE COUNTY, Ore. (4 Nov. 2026) – On Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash on Highway 36 near milepost 5.2 in Lane County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a black Audi Q3, operated by Jarod Layne Upham (47) of Swisshome, was traveling westbound on Highway 36 near Florence when it left the roadway for an unknown reason and entered the westbound shoulder. The vehicle traveled up an embankment, struck a boulder, and rolled over, causing the operator to be ejected from the vehicle.

 

The operator of the Audi (Upham) was pronounced deceased at the scene despite life-saving efforts by bystanders. Upham is not believed to have been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority 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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 4, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

 

Warm Springs Man Indicted for Assaulting Two Children and Strangling Intimate Partner on Warm Springs Reservation

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— A federal grand jury in Portland has returned a five-count indictment charging Cedrick Bruce Davis, 25, with assault offenses stemming from the alleged abuse of two young children and the strangulation of an intimate partner on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced today.

 

According to court documents, Davis, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of assault by strangulation.

 

“The conduct alleged in this indictment is shocking and deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “No child should endure this kind of abuse, and no victim should live in fear of violence in their own home. Our office remains committed to working alongside Tribal, local, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate violent crimes in Indian Country and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

 

The indictment alleges that, between Oct. 19 and Oct. 22, 2026, Davis assaulted two minor victims on the Warm Springs Reservation. Federal prosecutors allege that Davis strangled both children with the intent to commit murder and caused serious bodily injury by striking and wounding them. The indictment further alleges that Davis assaulted and attempted to strangle an adult victim.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, officers with the Warm Springs Police Department responded to a residence on Oct. 22, 2026, after the adult victim called 911 seeking assistance because she did not feel safe. When officers arrived, a responding officer observed substantial injuries to both children, including facial swelling, bruising and visible trauma. The responding officer asked one of the minor victims about an injury to her face, and the child identified “Cedrick” as the person who caused it.

 

Court documents allege that the adult victim told investigators Davis assaulted her and the two children over several days. She reported that Davis strangled both children, struck them with his fists and a BB gun, bit them, threw them and struck their heads together. The adult victim further reported that Davis strangled her, struck her in the ribs with a BB gun and held a knife to her neck during her attempts to protect the children.

 

Court documents further allege that Davis waived his Miranda rights and admitted to physically assaulting the victims. Investigators reported that Davis acknowledged slapping the children in the face, striking their heads together and strangling each child on multiple occasions. According to the affidavit, Davis stated that one child lost consciousness during a strangulation assault. Davis also allegedly admitted strangling the adult victim and striking her in the abdomen.

 

If convicted, assault with intent to commit murder carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Assault resulting in serious bodily injury carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and assault by strangulation carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Warm Springs Police Department.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz of the District of Oregon's Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

 

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

###

 

 

(Portland, Ore.) - The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) congratulates Governor Tina Kotek and all ONA-endorsed candidates who won their elections.

This election presented a clear choice, and Oregonians made their voices heard. Voters chose leaders committed to protecting and expanding access to healthcare, defending workers’ rights, and putting people—not corporate interests—first. That choice also meant electing a governor who signed Oregon’s landmark hospital safe staffing law over a candidate who opposed it, and rejecting efforts to weaken the critical patient protections the law provides.

Governor Kotek has been a strong champion of these priorities, consistently standing up to corporate interests that put profits ahead of patient care. We look forward to continuing our partnership with her to expand access to healthcare and strengthen Oregon's landmark hospital nurse staffing law, which helps ensure every patient receives safe, high-quality care. Protecting these standards from corporate influence and hospital industry lobbying will remain a top priority for nurses and other frontline healthcare professionals across Oregon.

This election also sent a powerful message beyond Oregon's borders. Across the country, voters elected a new generation of leaders, breaking barriers and making history in states where these victories might once have seemed unimaginable. From local races to the halls of Congress, voters chose leaders who better reflect the diversity of our communities, signaling a changing America and a desire for politics that puts people first.

These results reflect a rejection of the Trump administration's agenda, including policies that threaten to strip healthcare and food assistance from working families and vulnerable communities. By electing leaders prepared to stand up to the attacks from the federal government, voters reaffirmed their commitment to a country—and an Oregon—where everyone can live safely, with dignity, and with access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve.

ONA looks forward to continuing our work with Governor Kotek and elected leaders across Oregon and the country to protect patients, strengthen our communities, and ensure every Oregonian has access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve.

 

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents a diverse community of more than 26,000 nurses and healthcare professionals throughout Oregon. Together, we use our collective power to advocate for critical issues impacting patients, nurses and healthcare professionals including a more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare system; better working conditions for all healthcare professionals; and healthier communities. For more information visit www.OregonRN.org.

 

 

In total, ODF brought in 280 resources from 19 states, provinces and territories to support Oregon’s 2026 fire season.

 

“This season was one of the most demanding fire seasons we’ve ever experienced,” said Kyle Williams, ODF Deputy Director of Fire Operations. “The rapidly-changing and extreme fire conditions again tested the entire system nationwide, but everyone gave it all they had.”

 

The end of fire season removes ODF-imposed fire restrictions on ODF-protected lands. However, many structural fire departments in Oregon may still require a permit for debris burning, and slash burning requires a permit year-round, so check the Before You Burn website or contact your local ODF office before starting a burn.

 

As Oregon transitions to fall and winter, ODF districts and fire managers across the state are shifting their attention to wildfire prevention, fuels reduction, mitigation and planning efforts.

 

For more tips on how to keep yourself, your loved ones and your property safe from wildfire at any time of year, visit ODF’s Fire Prevention website or Keep Oregon Green’s website.

PRIVATE SECURITY/INVESTIGATOR POLICY COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

 

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST or Department) located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167.

 

To view the Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee's live-stream and other recorded videos, please visit DPSST’s official YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@DPSST?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. Click or tap if you trust this link.">https://www.youtube.com/@DPSST.

 

Agenda Items:

 

1. Introductions

 

2. Approve August 18, 2026, Meeting Minutes

 

3. Blaine F. England, PS No. 110275

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

4. Herbert L. Horne, PS No. 064597

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

5. Kanoe K. Kaaihue-Braun, PS No. 104217

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

6. Cameron D. Palm, PS No. 065702

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

7. Mailau H. Penitani, PS No. 123223

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

8. Franco J. Pina Vera, PS No. 125176

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

9. Leonardo R. Ugarte, PS No. 113916

   Notice of Intent to Propose Civil Penalty

   Presented by Michael Holsapple

 

10. Agency Update

 

11. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting – February 16, 2027, at 1:30 p.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 Private Security/Private Investigations Policy Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

 

DPSST provides reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access for people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. To request a sign language interpreter, translation services, or other accommodations, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or at [email protected]">[email protected], at least 48 hours before the meeting.

 

DPSST proporciona acomodaciones rasonables para asegurar el acceso igual para personas con descapacidades y para personas con competencia limitada de inglés. Para pedir un interprete de lengua de señas, servicios de traducción, u otras acomodaciones, por favor de contactar a Juan Lopez marcando al (503) 551-3167, o a [email protected]">[email protected], al menos de 48 horas antes de la reunión.

COOS COUNTY, Ore. (4 Nov. 2026) – On Monday, November 2, 2026, at approximately 2:34 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 42S near milepost 13.8 in Coos County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a black Subaru Outback, operated by Joanne Marie Rutland (56) of Hillsboro, was traveling westbound on Highway 42S near Coquille when it failed to negotiate a sharp curve and departed the roadway. The vehicle traveled down an embankment, struck a tree, and continued down a steep embankment before coming to a final rest. The vehicle subsequently caught fire.

 

The operator of the Subaru (Rutland) was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately 30 minutes during the on-scene investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Coquille Fire Department, 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.

ST. HELENS, Ore. (4 Nov. 2026) – On Monday, November 2, 2026, the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division responded to a report of the unlawful take of a buck deer within the city limits of St. Helens.

 

 A deceased 4x2 buck with an arrow protruding from its abdomen was found in a green space owned by the City of St. Helens near South 7^th Street. The deer reportedly frequented this area of the city and was most likely shot within the general vicinity of where it was found.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oregon State Police at 800-442-0776 or call OSP (677) from a mobile phone. Please reference case number SP26-359928.

 

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators

The Turn In Poachers (TIP) program is a collaboration between the Oregon State Police, Oregon Hunters Association, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Wildlife Coalition, Oregon Outfitter and Guides Association, and the Oregon State Marine Board.

 

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

 

Preference Point Rewards

5 Points: Bighorn Sheep

5 Points: Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points: Moose

5 Points: Wolf

4 Points: Elk

4 Points: Deer

4 Points: Pronghorn Antelope

4 Points: Bear

4 Points: Cougar

 

The TIP program also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of the following fish and wildlife species. Cash rewards can also be awarded for habitat destruction, illegally obtaining hunting or angling license or tag, lending or borrowing big game tags, spotlighting, or snagging.

 

Cash Rewards

Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) cash rewards:

$2,000 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, or Moose

$1,000 Elk, Deer, or Antelope

$600 Bear, Cougar, or Wolf
$400 Game Fish & Shellfish
$400 Snagging/Attempt to Snag

$300 Habitat destruction

$200 Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags

$200 Unlawful lending/borrowing big game tag(s)

$200 Game Birds or Furbearers

$200 Spotlighting

 

Rewards for Game Fish & Shellfish and Snagging/Attempting to Snag are sponsored, in part, by Northwest Steelheaders Association and Coastal Conservation Association.

 

Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) Cash Rewards:

$500 Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Owl, Osprey

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

$1,000 Species listed as “threatened" or “endangered" under state or federal Endangered Species Act (excludes fish)
$10,000 for Wolves east of Highway 395 and $11,500 for Wolves east of Highway 395 and north of Highway 20

Oregon Outfitters & Guides Association (OOGA) Cash Rewards:

$200 Acting as an Outfitter Guide for the Illegal Killing of Wildlife, Illegally Obtaining Oregon Hunting or Angling Licenses or Tags, or Illegally Offering to Act as an Outfitter Guide as defined in ORS 704.010 and 704.020.

 

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

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

TIP email: [email protected] (monitored Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

For more information visit the Oregon State Police Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) web page.

 

# # #

 

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.

SALEM, Oregon—The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission will convene Nov. 17-18 in Newport.

 

On Nov. 17, commissioners will tour Beverly Beach State Park and hold a work session from 1:00 to 4 p.m. providing background on recreation grant programs and impacts of park user fees.

 

On Nov. 18, commissioners will convene an executive session at 8:30 a.m. to discuss acquisition priorities and opportunities, and potential litigation. The Executive Session will be held pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(e) and (h) and is closed to the public.

 

A business meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Beverly Beach State Park Meeting Yurt, 198 NE 123th Street in Newport. The business meeting is open to the public. All public commission meetings are streamed live to YouTube.

 

Anyone may attend or listen to the business meeting; instructions on how to listen will be posted on the commission web page prior to the meeting.The business meeting includes time for informal public comment not related to items on the agenda.

 

Registration is required to speak during the informal public comment portion. Register online by 5 p.m. on Nov. 16 to speak at the virtual meeting. Time per speaker is limited to three minutes. Please submit written public comments by 5 p.m. Nov. 16 to [email protected]">[email protected].  

 

The full agenda and supporting documents are posted on the commission web page. Notable requests:

• Update on acquisition and management of Abiqua Falls properties.
• Request to approve intergovernmental agreement for fire protection.
• Request to approve local government grant recommendations .
• Request to approve name of the Tryon Creek Education Pavilion.

Anyone needing special accommodations to attend the meeting should contact Jayme Jones, commission assistant, at least three days in advance at [email protected] or 971-707-2175.

 

The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission promotes outdoor recreation and heritage by establishing policies, adopting rules and setting the budget for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The seven members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. They serve four-year terms and meet several times a year at locations across the state.

 

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is inviting Portland General Electric (PGE) customers and community members to comment on the company’s request to increase customer rates. Comments may be submitted in several ways, including during a virtual public meeting on November 10, 2026.

 

Comment via Zoom or phone 
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. Pacific Time via Zoom or by phone.

 

This virtual meeting will include an overview of PGE’s request to increase customer rates and an opportunity for participants to provide comments. To participate, members of the public must have joined the virtual meeting by 6:30 p.m. PT. Spanish translation services are available for Zoom participants.

 

Join the meeting: https://bit.ly/4jZFMWM   

Other ways to submit comments 
Comments may also be submitted through any of the following methods:

• Online Public Comment Form: https://bit.ly/3TR5Qca

• Email: [email protected]">[email protected]

• Phone: 503-378-6600 or 800-522-2404 (all relay calls accepted)

• Mail:
  Oregon Public Utility Commission
  Attn: AHD – UE 473 
  PO Box 1088 
  Salem OR 97308-1088 

About PGE's rate change proposal

PGE has proposed increasing the amount of total revenue it collects from Oregon customers by $178.8 million, or about 4.8 percent for all customer types combined. Actual bill impacts will vary depending on customer type (residential, commercial, industrial, or data centers) and energy usage. The company reports this increase is needed to make significant infrastructure investments, and the recovery of operations and maintenance and capital costs related to production, transmission, and distribution. PGE says it is making investments in the transmission and distribution system to advance clean energy in the future and allow energy to flow in more directions to support changing customer needs. PGE has other projects that are addressing the aging infrastructure to better withstand weather events and enhance resilience and reliability.

 

PGE’s general rate case filing is undergoing a nearly year-long review and will be fully investigated on behalf of customers by the PUC, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, among others. This public meeting is part of that review. The Commission will issue a final decision in June of next year and any approved rate changes would take effect by July 4, 2027.

Stay informed 
Individuals may request to be added to the distribution list to receive publicly available documents throughout this case. To be added, email [email protected]">[email protected] or call 503-378-6678. Please reference Docket No. UE 473 in your request.

 

# # #

 

Docket: UE 473

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Oregon Man Charged with Federal Kidnapping Offense After Missing Child Located by Law Enforcement

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that Vince Edgar Chavez, 36, of Oregon City, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with kidnapping a minor.

 

According to the complaint, during the early morning hours of October 28, 2026, a 10‑year‑old child was reported missing from her home in Clackamas County. Responding officers discovered signs the child had been taken and immediately initiated a multi‑agency search. Through interviews, investigative leads, and prior contacts, law enforcement identified Chavez as a person of interest.

 

“The speed with which this child was found is the result of extraordinary teamwork and relentless determination by law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford. “When a child is taken, we act immediately—and we do not stop until that child is safe and the offender is brought to justice.”

 

Investigators obtained emergency cellular records due to the immediate threat to life. Analysis by the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), combined with a grid search by the Oregon City Police Department, directed officers to a residence on Pleasant Avenue in Oregon City. A white van associated with Chavez was located nearby.

 

At approximately 1:46 p.m., FBI agents observed Chavez accessing the vehicle and returning to the residence. Based on probable cause and the risk to the missing child, law enforcement executed an exigent entry into the home. Inside, officers located the child concealed in a bedroom and safely recovered her. Chavez was taken into custody at the scene.

The child was transported for medical evaluation. Other individuals present in the residence were interviewed and indicated they had no knowledge of the child’s presence in the home.

 

The affidavit further alleges that Chavez transported the child by vehicle across multiple jurisdictions, using public roadways and a cellphone in furtherance of the offense—factors that establish federal jurisdiction under the kidnapping statute.

 

This case is being investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, the Oregon City Police Department, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement partners. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rochat.

 

A criminal complaint is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

###

By Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels, Director, Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs
 

Today, Americans honor all who have worn our nation’s uniform.

Our military history lives in veterans, their families and those serving today.

Today, service members around the world carry that story forward, along with the families who stand beside them. They include Oregon’s future veterans.

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I, and now honors all Americans who served in war and peace.

 

Veterans served in different times and places, but all promised to protect our country and its Constitution.

 

As our nation turns 250, we honor the people whose service helped carry us here—and what they taught us.

 

For me, those lessons are personal. Both my grandfathers served during World War II, when the military was segregated. My late grandfather, Bishop James Lot Smith, served honorably in the Army at a time when Black Americans were asked to defend freedoms they did not fully have at home.

 

He did not talk much about his time in the military. Instead, he showed me what service meant by the way he lived.

 

He and my grandmother cared for their family, church and community. They fed people, helped neighbors and opened their home to those in need.

 

They taught me that service does not end when the uniform comes off.

 

That lesson inspired me to join the Army and still guides me as Director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. I see the same spirit in veterans who volunteer, speak up for others and lend a hand.

 

I see it in my own family, too. One of my sons serves in the Army Reserve, and one of my sisters served in the Army for 30 years and continues to serve today.

 

As a veteran, a mother and a member of a military family, I understand both the duty of serving and the sacrifice of loving someone who serves.

 

That is why I often ask myself and my team: Are we caring for veterans as faithfully as they served our country?

 

We have not always done that. Some veterans came home to silence, hostility or discrimination. Many struggled to get the care and help they had earned.

 

We cannot change that past, but we can make this promise to every veteran: No matter when or how you served, you belong.

 

Whether you served decades ago or recently came home, your service matters.

 

Veterans deserve more than our thanks. For more than 80 years, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs has helped them find the benefits and services they earned.

 

But reaching every veteran takes all of us — agencies, communities, neighbors and families — listening, reaching out and helping.

 

Veterans Day is a time to say thank you. But honoring veterans must go beyond a ceremony.

 

We must welcome veterans home, stand with their families, help them find the benefits they earned and support them as they build their lives after service.

 

My grandfather taught me that service continues after the uniform comes off. We build our legacy by helping others.

 

May Oregon remember those who served before us, stand with those serving now and welcome every future veteran home with dignity and care.

 

Our country is stronger because of those who serve, the families who support them and the communities they come home to.

 

To our veterans and military families: Thank you. And to those serving today: May you come home safely.

 

God bless our veterans, military families, Oregon and the United States of America.

 

Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels is a proud veteran of the United States Army and the Director of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, ensuring the availability and access of vital veteran services and programs for more than 260,000 veterans and their families across the state.

Crook County Fire & Rescue was dispatched for an industrial fire at Central Oregon Processing, located on N. Main Street, at approximately 0854 hours on November 2, 2026.  Initial reports were there had been a flammable liquid spill at the Isolation Building and a subsequent fire.

 

Fire crews arrived to find an exterior fire burning among outside mechanical equipment.  The fire had also spread to the interior of the building.  The fire suppression system in the building activated, and was able to control further spread of the fire until crews arrived to completely extinguish the flames.

Crews were on scene for approximately three hours, as they worked to cautiously ventilate the building, ensuring the flammable gas vapors still present in the structure did not reignite.

 

The subsequent fire investigation determined the fire was caused by overfilling a holding tank inside the building.  Due to the overfilling, flammable liquid flowed into vent piping which terminated above the roof of the structure.  The flammable liquid then flowed off the roof, and came in contact with an exterior electrical outlet, igniting the gas vapors.

 

Crook County Fire & Rescue responded with two engines, and ambulance and three command vehicles, with a total of 12 firefighters.  The district was assisted on scene by the Prineville Police Department and Pacific Power.  Redmond Fire & Rescue provided a mutual aid ambulance for district coverage during the event.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Related to SNAP EBT Skimming Scheme

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced today that Andy Robert Perovici, 36, of Portland, has pleaded guilty to federal charges for his role in a multi‑state scheme that targeted public assistance recipients and caused more than $550,000 in losses in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits in Oregon and Washington.

 

“Public assistance benefits are a lifeline for families who rely on them,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “Stealing from these programs harms some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who exploit federal benefits systems for personal gain.”

 

According to court documents, between April 2025 and November 2025, Perovici and his coconspirators obtained stolen SNAP and EBT card numbers and PINs and used this information to withdraw cash, purchase goods, and access benefits without authorization.

 

Investigators determined that on multiple occasions, including August 1 and September 1, 2025, Perovici used stolen EBT account information to make fraudulent withdrawals and purchases totaling thousands of dollars. He also possessed and trafficked device‑making equipment, including skimming devices and other hardware used to capture and clone EBT card data. Skimming devices were installed at retail locations in Portland, Tigard, Lake Oswego, and Salem, Oregon.

 

A forensic review of electronic devices seized from Perovici revealed EBT account information and PINs associated with hundreds of SNAP and TANF recipients. The cumulative value of the compromised accounts was approximately $554,215.

 

Perovici pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Unauthorized Use of Access Devices, and Aggravated Identity Theft. The Aggravated Identity Theft charge carries a mandatory two‑year prison term that must run consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General is investigating the case with assistance from federal and state partners. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers are prosecuting the case.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering After Defrauding Victim of More Than $330,000 in Romance Scam

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced today that Rithy Ham, 45, of Vancouver, Washington, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for orchestrating a yearslong scheme that defrauded a Portland resident of more than $333,000.

 

According to court documents, between September 2020 and May 2024, Ham created fictitious personas of two women and used them to deceive an adult victim. Ham falsely told the victim that the women needed financial assistance for living expenses, nursing school tuition and to escape prostitution and sex trafficking. Believing the women were real and in danger, the victim sent money on multiple occasions.

 

Ham communicated with the victim both directly and through the fabricated identities to maintain the deception. In November 2022, he falsely claimed one of the fictitious women urgently needed funds to escape sex trafficking, leading the victim to transfer $36,872.35. Ham later used part of those proceeds to write an $18,500 check to his wife. In March 2023, additional misrepresentations led the victim to transfer $20,922 from a retirement account, which was then deposited into accounts controlled by Ham and his wife.

 

In total, Ham stole $333,249.52 from the victim, much of it from the victim’s retirement savings.

 

Ham pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Under the plea agreement, he acknowledged the factual basis of the charges and agreed to pay full restitution.

 

Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Money laundering carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Both charges also carry potential fines, up to three years of supervised release and mandatory fee assessments. Ham additionally agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of $333,249.52.

 

The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Bateman is prosecuting the case.

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Prineville, Ore. – Effective 12:01 a.m. on November 4, 2026 the Central Oregon District (COD) of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will officially end fire season for all forestlands protected by the district.

 

This fire season for the district was a historic one. With most large fires this year taking place in Central Oregon, district firefighters worked 24/7 to protect Oregon’s natural resources and communities. For example:

• Lightning across the district caused more than 140 fires across all ownerships between July 15 and July 24. Though there were some more challenging large fires, like the Akawa Butte Fire and Rowe Creek Complex, there were dozens of fires across the district in which initial attack crews were able to extinguish the fire and keep it small.
• The Dalles Unit, with limited resources and assistance from local landowners, caught the Upper 8 Mile Fire at 500 acres in the first burn period.
• Following several weeks of challenging fire fights, the Monument Unit was faced with the Cottonwood Fire on August 6. Demonstrating continued focus and aggressive initial attack, they were able to get a fire line around the 722 acre fire within the first 12 hours.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank our firefighters and support personnel. Your dedication to protecting Oregon’s natural resources and communities is admirable,” said Rob Pentzer, ODF Central Oregon District Forester. “This was an arduous season for the district, but we made it through with the support of our local, state, federal partners and our landowners.”

 

The ODF Central Oregon District protects over 2.1 million acres of private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands, which includes Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Lake, Gilliam, Wheeler, Umatilla, Grant, and Harney counties.

With the conclusion of fire season, landowners under ODF protection may resume burning residential yard debris and using burn barrels. However, this change does not relieve anyone of their legal responsibility to burn safely and responsibly.

 

Burning & Smoke Management Guidelines

• Residential Burning (Yard Debris/Burn Barrels): A burn permit is required outside of fire season on lands protected by ODF's Prineville/Sisters Unit and The Dalles Unit, but not in the John Day/Fossil Unit.

If you are within a fire department’s protection area, check with them directly about current restrictions and permit requirements.

 

Call your local district to validate that the burn ban has been lifted in your area.
 

• Slash Burning (Forestry/Logging): Burning of slash from forestry operations requires a Notification of Operation/PDM, as well as checking the smoke management weather forecast:
  • Call your local ODF office below
  •  Visit: ODF Smoke Management Forecast

ODF’s Central Oregon District sincerely thanks landowners, forest operators, the public, and interagency partners for their support in fire prevention, detection, and suppression throughout the 2026 fire season.

For more information, contact your local ODF office:

• Prineville/Sisters Unit: 541-447-5658
• The Dalles Unit: 541-296-4626
• John Day/ Fossil Unit: 541-575-1139

For more information on the Central Oregon District and fire season regulations, visit https://odfcentraloregon.com/. To report a fire, please call 911.

Salem – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) reminds Oregonians who receive or want to apply for individual or family health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, called Explore Health, or directly with an insurance company, to use the open enrollment period from Nov. 1, 2026, to Jan. 15, 2027.

 

The open enrollment period allows people to apply for, renew, or change health plans for the coming year. Explore Health coverage can begin as soon as Jan. 1, 2027, if people enroll in or change plans by Dec. 31, 2026.

 

The last day to enroll in or change plans for the 2027 plan year is Jan. 15, 2027. After that date, consumers may enroll in or change plans only if they qualify for a special enrollment period. Coverage starts on Feb. 1, 2027, for those who enroll in or change plans from Jan. 1 to Jan. 15, 2027, and pay their first premium.

 

For more information on Explore Health or to utilize the open enrollment period, visit ExploreHealthOR.gov. You must go through Explore Health to receive financial assistance.

 

DFR also advises Oregonians to carefully review any health insurance coverage offered outside of the ACA Marketplace. BridgeSpan, Kaiser, Moda, and Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon are the only insurance companies offering ACA-compliant individual and family plans in 2027.

 

The agency has identified plans that claim they are “self-funded” and refer to consumers as “limited partners” or “employees” in order to avoid Oregon consumer-protection regulations. There are also plans being sold that “share” health care expenses but are not insurance. These plans may not be compliant with the ACA and do not provide comprehensive medical coverage, although they may be marketed otherwise. This leaves consumers with the possibility of being responsible for unpaid medical bills.

 

DFR encourages Oregonians to use local licensed insurance agents or Explore Health to obtain individual and family health insurance plans that comply with the ACA. Oregonians can find an expert in their area by going to ExploreHealthOR.gov/Help or by calling the Explore Health customer assistance center at 855-268-3767 (all relay calls welcome).​

 

“If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is,” said Oregon Insurance Commissioner TK Keen. “If a health insurance policy offers unusually low premiums and low deductibles yet promises full or unlimited coverage, be skeptical.”

 

Consumers who believe they may have been deceived or have questions before enrolling can contact our consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or email [email protected]">[email protected].

 

###

 

About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation protects consumers and regulates insurance, depository institutions, trust companies, securities, and consumer financial products and services. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs invites all Oregonians to join in honoring the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans at the 2026 Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony, taking place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Oregon State Capitol State Park in Salem.

 

The annual ceremony will bring together veterans, military families, state leaders and community members to recognize generations of Americans who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

 

This year’s program will feature remarks from ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and other distinguished guests, along with traditional military and patriotic observances, including a military flyover by the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing, presentation of the colors, national anthem, ceremonial wreath laying and the playing of “Taps.”

 

Event Details

• What: 2026 Oregon Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony
• When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at 11 a.m.
• Where: Oregon State Capitol State Park, on the Capitol Mall directly across Court Street from the front entrance of the Capitol Building in Salem
• Admission: Free and open to the public

Seating will be available. The ceremony will take place outdoors, rain or shine, and attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather.

 

For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be livestreamed on ODVA’s Facebook page at facebook.com/odvavet.

 

Veterans Day Events Across Oregon

 

Oregonians who cannot attend the statewide ceremony in Salem are encouraged to participate in one of the many local Veterans Day observances taking place in communities across the state.

 

ODVA maintains an online Statewide Veterans Day Events Calendar featuring ceremonies, parades, community gatherings and other events honoring veterans and their families. The calendar is available at oregondva.com/veterans-day.

 

For more information about the statewide ceremony or other Veterans Day events, contact ODVA at (800) 692-9666 or visit oregon.gov/odva.

 

Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members. ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state. Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or Tribal veteran service office online at oregon.gov/odva.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

 

Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to 17½ Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl that Resulted in a Fatal Overdose

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States has been sentenced to 17½ years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in distributing fentanyl that resulted in the September 2023 fatal overdose of a 30‑year‑old Milwaukie father, fiancé, and son.

 

“The defendant came to this country illegally and chose to profit from poisoning our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford. “His actions cost a young father his life, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that choice. This office will continue to pursue significant penalties for those who violate our immigration laws and traffic fentanyl into our communities.”

 

Cristhian Martinez, 21, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026, to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and alien in possession of a firearm.

 

According to court documents, Martinez was part of a conspiracy operating a fentanyl manufacturing and distribution hub from his residence in Gladstone, Oregon. On Nov. 16, 2023, he was stopped while driving back from California with more than a kilogram of fentanyl in his vehicle. A subsequent federal search warrant at his residence led to the seizure of additional fentanyl powder and counterfeit pills, a pill‑press operation, cutting agents, thousands of dollars in cash, and nine firearms.

 

As part of his plea agreement, Martinez admitted supplying fentanyl to another dealer who later sold the drug to the victim, who consumed it and died on Sept. 26, 2023, from acute fentanyl toxicity. At sentencing, loved ones described the victim as a loving and devoted father, fiancé, son, and coworker.

The dealer who sold the fentanyl to the victim has also been charged, and his case is pending. The dealer who purchased the fentanyl from Martinez, and then sold it to the victim, told investigators he had purchased between 30 and 50 pounds of fentanyl powder and more than 100,000 counterfeit pills from Martinez over an 18‑month period. Thirty pounds of fentanyl is equivalent to an estimated 6.8 million potentially lethal doses.

 

Given Martinez’s large‑scale trafficking activity, possession of multiple firearms, and admission that his conduct resulted in the victim’s death, federal prosecutors said the sentence was necessary to send a “clear message to the defendant, other fentanyl dealers, and the community that such conduct will not be tolerated.”

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin prosecuted the case with investigative support from the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF), the Washington County Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, the FBI, and other local law enforcement partners.

 

This arrest is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative created under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a nationwide partnership focused on dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. The task force prioritizes offenses involving children and uses all available legal tools to remove violent criminal offenders unlawfully present in the country.

 

HSTF Portland includes members from the FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS‑CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Oregon Air and Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, and the Oregon‑Idaho HIDTA, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

###

 

 

November 2, 2026

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, [email protected]

Recreational use advisory downgraded to a precaution for Powder Arm of Brownlee Reservoir

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has downgraded the recreational use health advisory to a precaution for Powder Arm of Brownlee Reservoir.

OHA issued the advisory Sept. 21.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Powder Arm of Brownlee Reservoir 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 areas with blooms.

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 the signs of a bloom, and exposure routes 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 such as swimming or motorized or non-motorized boating activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, 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.

###

 

A series of rulemaking advisory committee meetings has been scheduled to discuss updates to the smoke management rules.

 

This will include multiple work sessions and opportunity for public comment.

 

The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 4. There will be a period for public comment at 2 p.m. To join, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda. 

 

You can view the previous meetings on the website. More may be scheduled in the future. All meetings will be held virtually and are open to the public. 

 

Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting [email protected]">Shelby Berry at 503-949-5181.

TACOMA, Wash., (Nov. 2, 2026) — Columbia Bank ranked as the No. 1 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) lender in both Oregon and Washington state for federal fiscal year 2026, based on number of approved loans, according to SBA reporting data.
 

This is the ninth consecutive year that Columbia Bank has been the top SBA 7(a) loan producer in Oregon. Earlier this year, Columbia Bank was named “Outstanding Lender of the Year” in Washington by the SBA Seattle District Office.
 

Nationally, Columbia Bank ranked No. 15 in total SBA 7(a) loan approvals in federal fiscal year 2026, up from No. 18 last year.
 

“Every day, our Columbia bankers are building relationships with local businesses to help them achieve their goals and fuel the local economy,” said Amy Davis, Director of Business Banking and SBA Production at Columbia Bank. “SBA loan programs remain crucial to help local businesses start, accelerate, and expand their operations. We want to help as many entrepreneurs as we can realize their dreams of owning and running a successful business.”
 

In Washington, Columbia Bank approved 235 SBA 7(a) loans in federal fiscal year 2026, with an average loan size of $99,517. In Oregon, Columbia Bank approved 205 SBA 7(a) loans in federal fiscal year 2026, with an average loan size of $53,344.
 

About Columbia Bank
Columbia Bank is an award-winning preeminent regional bank with offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. It combines the resources, sophistication, and expertise of a national bank with a commitment to deliver superior, personalized service. The bank supports consumers and businesses through a full suite of services, including retail and commercial banking, Small Business Administration lending, institutional and corporate banking, and equipment leasing. Columbia Bank customers also have access to comprehensive investment and wealth management expertise as well as healthcare and private banking through Columbia Wealth Management. Columbia Bank is the principal subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB). Learn more at columbiabank.com and columbiabankingsystem.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to 17½ Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl that Resulted in a Fatal Overdose

 

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States has been sentenced to 17½ years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in distributing fentanyl that resulted in the September 2023 fatal overdose of a 30‑year‑old Milwaukie father, fiancé, and son.

 

“The defendant came to this country illegally and chose to profit from poisoning our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford. “His actions cost a young father his life, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that choice. This office will continue to pursue significant penalties for those who violate our immigration laws and traffic fentanyl into our communities.”

 

Martinez pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026, to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and alien in possession of a firearm.

 

According to court documents, Martinez was part of a conspiracy operating a fentanyl manufacturing and distribution hub from his residence in Gladstone, Oregon. On Nov. 16, 2023, he was stopped while driving back from California with more than a kilogram of fentanyl in his vehicle. A subsequent federal search warrant at his residence led to the seizure of additional fentanyl powder and counterfeit pills, a pill‑press operation, cutting agents, thousands of dollars in cash, and nine firearms.

 

As part of his plea agreement, Martinez admitted supplying fentanyl to another dealer who later sold the drug to the victim, who consumed it and died on Sept. 26, 2023, from acute fentanyl toxicity. At sentencing, loved ones described the victim as a loving and devoted father, fiancé, son, and coworker.

The dealer who sold the fentanyl to the victim has also been charged, and his case is pending. The dealer who purchased the fentanyl from Martinez, and then sold it to the victim, told investigators he had purchased between 30 and 50 pounds of fentanyl powder and more than 100,000 counterfeit pills from Martinez over an 18‑month period. Thirty pounds of fentanyl is equivalent to an estimated 6.8 million potentially lethal doses.

 

Given Martinez’s large‑scale trafficking activity, possession of multiple firearms, and admission that his conduct resulted in the victim’s death, federal prosecutors said the sentence was necessary to send a “clear message to the defendant, other fentanyl dealers, and the community that such conduct will not be tolerated.”

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin prosecuted the case with investigative support from the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF), the Washington County Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team, the FBI, and other local law enforcement partners.

 

This arrest is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative created under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a nationwide partnership focused on dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. The task force prioritizes offenses involving children and uses all available legal tools to remove violent criminal offenders unlawfully present in the country.

 

HSTF Portland includes members from the FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS‑CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Oregon Air and Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, and the Oregon‑Idaho HIDTA, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

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Date:               Saturday, October 31

Where:           BLM Bat Week webpage

Who:               Ryan GosWING, an Oregon pallid bat

 

MEDFORD, Ore. –  Ryan GosWING, a pallid bat from Oregon, just swooped in and claimed the Bat Beauty Contest crown! This is the fourth year in a row that an Oregon contestant has won the contest put on by the Bureau of Land Management.

 

“Thank you to everyone across Oregon and Washington who came out to support Ryan GosWING,” said Sarah P. Bennett, a BLM spooksperson. “With four wins a row, I think we can confidently call this a dynasty—or a ‘cauldron’ the case of bats.”

 

The annual contest takes place during Bat Week in the lead up to Halloween. While these winged wonders are perfect for spooky season fun, bats play an important role in healthy ecosystems. They help control insect populations, pollinate plants, and disperse seeds, making them valuable residents of public lands across the country.

 

Did you know that bats provide $3 billion in pest control services to American agriculture every year? Pallid bats like Ryan hunt primarily by sound, using their adorably large ears to listen for insects moving on the ground.

 

Through partnerships, the BLM provides bat roosting and foraging habitat and supports other bat conservation efforts. Many bat species rely on caves, abandoned mines, forests, grasslands, deserts, and other landscapes managed by the BLM. The BLM manages wildlife and wildlife habitat on public lands using a multiple-use and sustained-yield approach. Established under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, this framework helps maintain healthy wildlife populations while balancing conservation with recreation, resource use, and other public land values.

 

More information about the contest and International Bat Week is available on the BLM’s website.

 

-BLM-

 

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

With 62% of Oregon’s carbon monoxide emergencies happening in fall and winter, fire officials urge people to protect their homes before temperatures drop.

 

SALEM, Ore. — As Oregonians turn on furnaces, light fireplaces, and pull out space heaters for colder months, emergency responders across the state are bracing for a predictable and preventable seasonal threat. November marks Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal urges Oregonians and visitors to be aware of the silent killer lurking in fuel-burning household appliances.

 

In 2025, 83% of Oregon’s 300+ fire agencies reported responding to 417 carbon monoxide-related calls statewide. Cold weather drives this sharp uptick: 26% of Oregon’s carbon monoxide-related incidents happen in the fall, rising to 36% in the winter months. Oregon Health Authority data show carbon monoxide poisoning kills an average of 18 people and causes nearly 41 hospitalizations or emergency room visits in Oregon every year.

 

Nationally, the toxic gas leads to more than 100,000 emergency room visits and 1,200 deaths annually.

 

"Carbon monoxide gives no warning; you cannot see it, smell it, or taste it," State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. "As we enter peak heating season, taking a few minutes to inspect fuel-burning appliances and test your carbon monoxide alarms can mean the difference between life and death."

 

Why the Hazard Spikes in Winter

Carbon monoxide is produced whenever fuels like natural gas, propane, heating oil, wood, kerosene, or gasoline burn incompletely. During colder months, there are multiple risks:

• Overworked heating equipment: Uninspected furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, and wood or pellet stoves can leak dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide directly into home living spaces.
• Improper generator & tool use: Running portable generators, charcoal grills, or fuel-powered tools indoors or near open windows during power outages traps deadly exhaust inside.
• Vehicle warm-ups in garages: Running a vehicle engine inside an attached garage, even with the garage door wide open, allows toxic gas to rapidly seep into the home.

Recognizing the Flu Impostor

Carbon monoxide poisoning is notoriously difficult to identify because early symptoms closely resemble the flu without a fever. Warning signs include:

• Headache, dizziness, and physical weakness
• Upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting
• Chest pain and mental confusion

Because carbon monoxide exposure directly impairs cognitive function and judgment, those poisoned often lose the ability to recognize the danger before they can self-rescue.

 

How to Reduce Your Risk: Essential Prevention Checklist

The Oregon State Fire Marshal urges everyone to take these life-saving precautions:

1. Install working alarms: Oregon law requires carbon monoxide alarms on every level with bedrooms in homes sold or rented and installed within 15 feet of bedroom doors.
2. Test monthly & maintain: Press the test button on your carbon monoxide alarms every month. Replace removable batteries as directed and replace the entire alarm unit every 10 years (or per manufacturer recommendations).
3. Keep generators outdoors: Always operate portable generators outdoors, at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and building vents.
4. Schedule annual inspections: Have heating equipment, chimneys, and fuel-burning appliances inspected yearly by qualified professionals.

For more carbon monoxide safety resources, educational guides, and home safety toolkits, visit the Oregon State Fire Marshal website at oregon.gov/osfm.

November 2, 2026

Contact: Amy Coven, ([email protected], 503-943-0164)

Open Enrollment begins as Oregon launches Explore Health, its new marketplace for private health insurance

People can now shop, compare plans, find savings, and enroll in 2027 health coverage at ExploreHealthOR.gov

SALEM, Ore. — Open Enrollment for 2027 health coverage is now underway, and people in Oregon have a new place to shop for health insurance: Explore Health.

Explore Health, Oregon’s new state-based health insurance marketplace, officially launched Nov. 1. It replaces the federal platform HealthCare.gov as the place for people in Oregon to shop for private health coverage, find out if they can get financial help, and enroll in a health plan.

Open Enrollment for private insurance through Explore Health runs from Nov. 1, 2026, through Jan. 15, 2027.

“This is an important milestone for Oregon and for the people we serve,” said Chiqui Flowers, director of the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace,  part of Oregon Health Authority (OHA). “With Explore Health, people can now shop for coverage through a Marketplace designed and operated here in Oregon. Our goal is to make it easier for people to understand their options, find savings, and get the best coverage that works for them.”

What people need to know

People who buy their own health insurance can now visit ExploreHealthOR.gov to:

• Shop and compare health and dental plans available for 2027.
• Find out how much federal financial help (premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions) they may qualify for to lower the cost of coverage.
• Enroll in a plan for 2027.
• Get free help from trained insurance agents and community partners across Oregon.

People who have 2026 Marketplace coverage through HealthCare.gov are being moved to Explore Health for 2027. They do not need to start over with a new application. During Open Enrollment, they should claim their Explore Health account, sign in to review their information, compare available plans and savings, and choose the coverage that best meets their health care needs and budget.

People who are currently enrolled in Oregon Health Plan (OHP), OHP Bridge, Medicare, employer-sponsored coverage, or other health coverage generally do not need to enroll through Explore Health.

A new Marketplace built for Oregon

The launch of Explore Health marks Oregon’s transition from the federally facilitated HealthCare.gov system and customer service center to a state-based marketplace operated entirely by Oregon. The Oregon Legislature authorized the transition in 2023 through Senate Bill 972.

By operating its own Marketplace, Oregon has more control over the technology and services people use to enroll in coverage, better access to data to understand and respond to the needs of people across the state, and greater flexibility to adapt to changing state and federal policies. It also allows Oregon to better connect the Marketplace with state programs and resources.

Explore Health includes a new online enrollment platform, a dedicated Consumer Assistance Center, and tools for community partners and insurance agents who help people enroll.

“Launching Explore Health is an important step in Oregon’s commitment to helping people get and stay covered,” said Fariborz Pakseresht, interim director of OHA. “Bringing the Marketplace home to Oregon gives us new opportunities to better understand the needs of the people we serve, respond to changes that affect their coverage, and create a more connected experience for people seeking health care coverage.”

Free help is available

People do not have to navigate health coverage on their own. Free, local help is available from certified assisters at community partner organizations and licensed insurance agents.

Visit ExploreHealthOR.gov to get started and find enrollment help.

People can also contact the Explore Health Consumer Assistance Center at 855-268-3767 (all relay calls welcome) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Saturday during Open Enrollment.

Open Enrollment through Explore Health ends Jan. 15, 2027. People should enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2027.

About Explore Health

Explore Health is Oregon’s health insurance marketplace, operated by the Oregon Health Authority. Explore Health helps people who do not have health coverage through a job or a public program shop for private health insurance, find financial help and enroll in coverage. Learn more at ExploreHealthOR.gov.

 

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2 de noviembre de 2026

Contacto: Amy Coven ([email protected], 503-943-0164)

La inscripción abierta comienza mientras Oregon lanza Explore Health, su nuevo mercado de seguros médicos privados

Las personas ahora pueden buscar, comparar planes, encontrar ahorros e inscribirse en la cobertura de salud de 2027 en Espanol.ExploreHealthOR.gov

SALEM, Oregon — La inscripción abierta para la cobertura de salud de 2027 ya está en marcha, y las personas en Oregon tienen un nuevo lugar para buscar seguro médico: Explore Health.

Explore Health, el nuevo mercado estatal de seguros médicos de Oregon, se lanzó oficialmente el 1 de noviembre. Reemplaza a la plataforma federal CuidadoDeSalud.gov (HealthCare.gov) como el lugar donde las personas en Oregon pueden comprar cobertura médica privada, averiguar si califican para ayuda financiera e inscribirse en un plan de salud.

La inscripción abierta para seguros privados a través de Explore Health estará disponible del 1 de noviembre de 2026 al 15 de enero de 2027.

"Este es un hito importante para Oregon y para las personas a las quienes servimos", dijo Chiqui Flowers, directora del Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Oregon, que forma parte del Oregon Health Authority (OHA). "Con Explore Health, las personas ahora pueden buscar cobertura a través de un mercado diseñado y administrado aquí mismo en Oregon. Nuestro objetivo es hacer que sea más fácil para las personas comprender sus opciones, encontrar ahorros y obtener la cobertura que mejor funcione para ellos”.

Lo que las personas deben saber

Las personas que compran su propio seguro médico ahora pueden visitar Espanol.ExploreHealthOR.gov a:

• Buscar y comparar los planes de salud y dentales disponibles para 2027.
• Averiguar cuánta ayuda financiera federal (créditos tributarios para primas y reducciones de costos compartidos) podrían recibir para reducir el costo de la cobertura.
• Inscribirse en un plan para 2027.
• Obtener ayuda gratuita de agentes de seguros capacitados y de socios comunitarios en todo Oregon.

Las personas que tienen cobertura del Mercado para 2026 a través de CuidadoDeSalud.gov (HealthCare.gov) serán transferidas a Explore Health para 2027. No es necesario que comiencen una nueva solicitud desde cero. Durante el período de inscripción abierta, deberán crear y reclamar su cuenta de Explore Health, iniciar sesión para revisar su información, comparar los planes disponibles y los ahorros para los que podrían calificar, y elegir la cobertura que mejor se adapte a sus necesidades de atención médica y a su presupuesto.

Las personas que actualmente están inscritas en el Plan de Salud de Oregon (OHP), Puente a OHP, Medicare, cobertura patrocinada por el empleador u otra cobertura de salud, por lo general no necesitan inscribirse a través de Explore Health.

Un nuevo Mercado de Seguros Médicos diseñado para Oregon

El lanzamiento de Explore Health marca la transición de Oregon del sistema federal CuidadoDeSalud.gov (HealthCare.gov) y su centro de servicio al cliente a un mercado de seguros médicos basado en el estado y administrado completamente por Oregon. La Legislatura de Oregon autorizó la transición en 2023 mediante el Proyecto de Ley del Senado 972.

Al operar su propio Mercado, Oregon tiene más control sobre la tecnología y los servicios que las personas utilizan para inscribirse en la cobertura, un mejor acceso a los datos para comprender y responder a las necesidades de las personas en todo el estado, y una mayor flexibilidad para adaptarse a los cambios en las políticas estatales y federales. También permite que Oregon conecte mejor el Mercado de Seguros Médicos con los programas y recursos estatales.

Explore Health incluye una nueva plataforma de inscripción, un Centro de Atención al Consumidor y herramientas para socios comunitarios y agentes de seguros que ayudan a las personas a inscribirse.

" El lanzamiento de Explore Health es un paso importante en el compromiso de Oregon de ayudar a las personas a obtener y mantener su cobertura médica,” dijo Fariborz Pakseresht, director interino de OHA. "Al traer el Mercado a Oregon nos ofrece nuevas oportunidades para comprender mejor las necesidades de las personas a las que servimos, responder a los cambios que afectan su cobertura y crear una experiencia más integrada para quienes buscan cobertura de atención médica."

Hay ayuda gratuita disponible

Las personas no tienen que navegar solas el proceso de obtener cobertura médica. Hay ayuda gratuita y local disponible por parte de asistentes certificados de organizaciones comunitarias asociadas y agentes de seguros autorizados.

Visita Espanol.ExploreHealthOR.gov para empezar y encontrar ayuda con la inscripción.

Las personas también pueden comunicarse con el Centro de Atención al Consumidor de Explore Health al 855-268-3767 (todas las llamadas de retransmisión son bienvenidas) de 8 a.m. a 5 p.m. hora del Pacífico, de lunes a viernes y de 8 a.m. a 1 p.m. hora del Pacífico, los sábados durante la inscripción abierta.

La inscripción abierta a través de Explore Health finaliza el 15 de enero de 2027. Las personas deben inscribirse antes del 31 de diciembre para que su cobertura comience el 1 de enero de 2027.

Acerca de Explore Health

Explore Health es el mercado de seguros médicos de Oregon, administrado por el Oregon Health Authority (OHA). Explore Health ayuda a las personas que no tienen cobertura médica a través de un empleo o de un programa público a buscar y comparar seguros médicos privados, encontrar ayuda financiera e inscribirse en una cobertura de salud. Obtenga más información en Espanol.ExploreHealthOR.gov.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Oregon Freedom Amendment (IP-25) is now authorized for circulation across the state. For the first time, Oregonians can sign a petition that would turn hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, ranching, wildlife management, and agricultural animal husbandry from privileges into individual constitutional rights. The Oregon Supreme Court has held for more than a century that taking wild game and fish “is not a right, but is a privilege, which may be restricted, prohibited, or conditioned, as the law-making power may see fit” (State v. Pulos, 1913; reaffirmed State v. Dickerson, 2015).

A privilege can be narrowed, fee-loaded, or redefined by the next Legislature, the next agency rule, or the next well-funded petition. A constitutional right cannot.  Many Oregonians breathed easier when IP-28 failed to qualify for the 2026 ballot. That relief is premature. Chief petitioner, David Michelson, has founded a non-profit and has made clear the campaign is not finished. The same interests that tried to redefine ordinary hunting, fishing, farming, and animal husbandry as abuse or cruelty are organizing to return with more time and more money. 

IP-25 is the permanent shield safeguarding our heritage. It amends the Oregon Constitution to establish an individual fundamental right to hunt, fish, trap, farm, ranch, manage wildlife, and engage in agricultural animal husbandry. It safeguards these rights from being redefined as animal abuse, neglect, or cruelty. It prohibits the state from imposing undue or excessive fees, permitting requirements, or unnecessary burdens. It limits regulation to laws or rules that are reasonable, narrowly tailored, and necessary to promote sound wildlife conservation and management, public safety, or the prevention of substantial harm to public health or private property—and consistent with sustainable, science-based practices. 

The campaign is currently running on grassroots support. Every signature and every dollar moves the petition closer to a town near you so Oregonians can sign and make history.  Future generations deserve the same ability to put healthy food on the table and pass down the Oregon way of life without the next out-of-state campaign erasing it. Match the chief petitioner's $50 donation — or whatever you can donate today — securely at www.oregonfreedomamendment.org.  Share the word. Volunteer. Help put the Freedom Amendment on the ballot before the next petition does the opposite.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 30, 2026

USAO-OR.gov | @USAO_OR

 

Federal Law Enforcement Apprehends 14 Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Following Court Authorization

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — Today, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott Bradford announced that federal authorities have arrested fourteen criminal illegal aliens convicted of violent offenses — including rape, child sexual abuse, assault, kidnapping, strangulation, and manslaughter — after they were released from Oregon prisons or jails despite immigration detainers lodged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

 

The arrests follow the U.S. District Court’s approval of two petitions filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeking information from four Oregon counties to help locate and apprehend violent offenders who are unlawfully present in the United States. The petitions, filed Oct. 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026, requested assistance from Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington counties in locating more than 40 violent noncitizen offenders.

 

The court granted the petitions on Nov. 24, 2025, and June 5, 2026, affirming that Oregon law “explicitly permits state law enforcement agencies to ‘exchange information with a federal immigration authority.’” All four counties complied with the orders, enabling federal authorities to locate and arrest 14 individuals to date.

 

“When offenders who have committed horrific crimes — many of them against children — are released into our communities despite federal detainers, the risk to public safety is indefensible,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford. “Through these petitions and our continued partnership with county and federal agencies, we are ensuring that dangerous individuals are found and removed from situations where they can cause further harm. Protecting Oregonians is my top priority.”

 

Homeland Security Investigations special agents—who had issued administrative subpoenas to four counties to obtain information on the offenders’ locations—worked with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations to arrest the following individuals, either during the litigation or as part of the court‑authorized information‑sharing effort:

 

Victor Soseia Hachipan — Arrested Oct. 7, 2026. Convicted of two counts of second-degree sex abuse involving a victim under 14, drug offenses, burglary, and failure to report as a sex offender. Citizen of Micronesia.

 

Hector Carmona Saldana — Arrested Sept. 22, 2026. Convicted in 2017 of first-degree sexual abuse, using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, and second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Jose Rodriguez‑Gomez — Arrested Sept. 11, 2026. Convicted in 2016 of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Rosalio Carbajal Sierra — Arrested Sept. 9, 2026. Convicted in 1996 of third-degree sexual abuse; convicted again in 2018 of first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Romeo Carranza Quintanilla — Arrested Sept. 2, 2026. Convicted in 2020 of attempted first-degree unlawful sexual penetration. Citizen of El Salvador.

 

Guadalupe Sifuentes Acevedo — Arrested Aug. 29, 2026. Convicted in 2020 of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Jose Mis‑Catzin — Arrested Aug. 23, 2026. Convicted in 2016 of coercion constituting domestic violence; convicted again in 2017 of first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Orlando Francisco Garma‑Castro — Arrested Aug. 20, 2026. Convicted in 2015 of first-degree rape constituting domestic violence. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Dulce Olivia Rangel‑Romero — Arrested Aug. 17, 2026. Convicted in 2017 of second-degree theft; convicted in 2020 of first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Francisco Orozco‑Navarro — Arrested Aug. 6, 2026. Convicted in 2016 of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, first-degree sexual abuse, and fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Mario Ernesto Martinez — Arrested Aug. 4, 2026. Convicted in 2016 of fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence; later convicted in 2019 of two counts of attempted first-degree sexual abuse. Citizen of El Salvador.

 

Cristobal Felipe-Sarmiento — Arrested April 8, 2026. Convicted in 2015 of recklessly endangering another person; convicted again in 2016 of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree sodomy. Citizen of Mexico.

 

Marco Antonio Joya‑Santana — Arrested Feb. 11, 2026. Convicted in 2013 of three counts of third-degree rape and three counts of third-degree sodomy involving a minor under 16; later convicted of nine counts of second-degree sexual abuse.

 

Adair Omar Ruiz‑Hernandez — Arrested Oct. 29, 2025. Convicted in 2013 of first-degree robbery and first-degree kidnapping. Citizen of Mexico.

 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue working closely with federal, state, and local partners to ensure effective information sharing and support public safety efforts across Oregon.

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The Oregon State Marine Board approved Cycle Three Boating Facility Grant requests for Fords Pond Community Park and TouVelle State Park, and approved rule updates for personal flotation devices and outfitter guide reciprocity with Idaho. Additionally, the Board approved 2027 Waterway Access Permit exemption days for paddlers beyond the ODFW Free Fishing Days.

 

Cycle Three Grant Considerations  
         

City of Sutherlin, Fords Pond Community Park: The City obtained all required permits and is ready to initiate the first phase for boating access development by purchasing two boarding docks and an accessible non-motorized launch dock. The Board approved $125,000 in Boating Facility Grant funding combined with $10,000 applicant match for a total project cost of $135,000.

 

Oregon Parks and Recreation, TouVelle State Park: The Board approved funding for a hydraulic study to identify if there is a more stable location for a boat ramp on the Rogue River. The hydraulic survey, analysis, and modeling have been needed for several years. This will inform future decisions for State Parks and the Marine Board. The Board approved $49,997 in Boating Facility Grant funding to match $17,000.00 applicant match for a total project cost of $66,997.00.

 

Other Board Decisions

Personal Flotation Devices Rulemaking: The Board approved updating rule language for personal flotation devices to align with the federal U.S. Coast Guard’s newer label ratings for performance and activity. This rule does not change existing carriage or wear requirements for recreational boaters.

 

Snake River Reciprocity for Outfitter and Guides Rulemaking: The Board approved a new rule applying to Idaho outfitters and guides who pick up clients in Oregon and operate on the Snake River boundary waters. Idaho Outfitters and Guides must meet Oregon's business licensing, permitting, and registration requirements. This rule also clarifies what currently exists in statute. This rule goes into effect on November 2, 2026.

 

Free Paddling Days: The Board also approved seven additional days when Waterway Access Permits are not required. The Free Paddling Days were selected based on more ideal weather and water conditions, congestion and capacity at boating access sites, and activities that align well with paddling.

 

 

The following dates will be added for 2027 in addition to ODFW Free Fishing Days:

• New Year's Day 2027
• April 22 (Earth Day)
• May 24 (“Wear Your Life Jacket at Work” Day and kicks off National Safe Boating Week)
• June 5-6 (Free Day-Use Parking at State Parks and ODFW Free Fishing Days)
• September 12 (National Grandparents Day) and
• October 2 (Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Day) 

Staff will report back to the Board at its October 2027 meeting with recommendations for Free Paddling Days in 2028.

 

To view the meeting materials and replay link, visit the Marine Board’s Public Meetings page.
 

-End-

(Salem) - The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) today released its second semi-annual report under the Wyatt B. v. Kotek Collaborative Agreement.

 

The report focuses on actions taken from April 1 through Sept. 30, 2026, to improve how ODHS Child Welfare serves children and families. With the progress made during that timeframe, 23 of the 29 strategies are on track to meet their targets.

 

“Our goal is to ensure that each strategy we pursue leads to children and families in Oregon experiencing better outcomes because the system worked more effectively for them,” said Child Welfare Interim Director Rolanda Garcia. “Publishing this report twice a year shows families, advocates, and legislators where the system is performing well and where it must continue to improve.”

 

Updated data on Child Welfare’s 14 performance measures prescribed under the Collaborative Agreement will be provided in May 2027, when it issues the next Annual Progress and Efforts Report.

 

Oregon is making progress on improving how it serves children and families

ODHS Child Welfare is on track to implement its goals for 2027 to improve outcomes for children and families. Highlights include:

• Review of maltreatment in care incidents: ODHS reviewed 488 incidents of maltreatment of children in care that were reported in 2025 in order to strengthen prevention and improve safety.
• Enhancing face-to-face meetings with children, families and resource (foster) parents: Monthly face-to-face meetings between case managers and the parents, resource parents and children are essential for safety and to ensure families receive the support they need. To improve the consistency and quality of these meetings, ODHS provided additional supports, tools and training to case managers.
• Timely and accurate Child Protective Services (CPS) assessments to improve safety: Actions include updated agreements with law enforcement and other partners to align processes, improving the CPS assessment system to provide better guidance to staff when assessing safety threats to a child, and requiring staff to provide real-time documentation of case visits.
• Improving placement stability for children with significant behavioral and mental health needs: In-home services provide support for children with a high level of mental and behavioral health needs and the resource parents supporting them. These programs – including Response and Support 24/7 Network (RSN), Child Specific Caregiver Supports (CSCS) and Behavioral Health Treatment Foster Care (BH‑TFC) – help improve placement stability. ODHS plans to continue expanding these programs throughout Oregon.

 

Strategies with implementation barriers

ODHS is committed to transparency, which means sharing both progress and implementation challenges. ODHS is taking targeted action to remove barriers in certain areas, including:

• Enhanced Supervision Plans: These plans are written for resource parents caring for a child or young adult with high needs. They are required to be completed within 30 days. Because the timeliness of completing these plans has not improved despite efforts, responsibility for them will shift from caseworkers to resource parent certifiers, with implementation planned by the end of 2026.
• Maltreatment in care prevention: A plan was developed in June 2026 to address several areas, including an updated protocol for unifying families. It also includes targeted local plans to address findings from the review of 2025 incidents, and technical fixes to improve data errors. Implementation of this work is ongoing and active but is taking longer to implement than initially expected.

Read the November 2026 report

 

Resources

View all ODHS Child Welfare data reports

Read the May 2026 Wyatt B., et al. v. Tina Kotek, et al. Progress Report

 

About the Oregon Department of Human Services

The mission of ODHS is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity. 

 

When: TODAY, Friday, OCtober 30

 

Where: BLM Bat Week webpage

 

Who:   Ryan GosWING, an Oregon pallid bat

 

UPDATE: Ryan Goswing, a pallid bat from Oregon, made it to the finals of the BLM's annual Bat Beauty Contest! He beat out the competition from Montana and Utah, and today faces competition. Today he faces Batty White, hairy-legged vampire bat, in the final round. Voting is open until 11 p.m. PT on blm.gov. With a victory Ryan GosWING will secure an Oregon bat dynasty, with four wins in a row.

 

Did you know that bats provide $3 billion of pest control to American agriculture every year? Through strong partnerships, the BLM helps bat populations by providing roosting and foraging habitat and supporting other bat conservation efforts like bat-friendly closures on abandoned mines.

 

Original advisory

 

MEDFORD, Ore. –  It's bat-ck! The Bureau of Land Management is hosting its annual Bat Beauty Contest with a brand new group of stunning contestants.

 

On Sunday, Oct. 24, Oregon’s own Ryan GosWING will go head-to-head with Dolly BATton, Miss Montana, in the first round. Visit the BLM’s webpage to learn more about Bat Week and vote for Ryan GosWING.

 

If he makes it through the first round, he’ll represent the Pacific Northwest in the Final Four on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Oregon bats have taken home the crown in the last three contests! Most recently, Hoary Potter was named the winner.

 

Help us take home a four-peat by voting for this year's Oregon bat when the contest begins on Oct. 24. Make sure you're following Bureau of Land Management so you don't miss your chance to vote!

 

See the attached media advisory from the BLM for more details.

 

-BLM-

 

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (30 Oct. 2026) – On Thursday, October 29, 2026, at approximately 8:42 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a fatal vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash on Highway 99E near milepost 7.5 in Oak Grove.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated a white Kia Soul, operated by Linda Jean Braskett (76) of Portland, was traveling northbound on Highway 99E near Holly Avenue when it struck a pedestrian attempting to cross the highway in an unmarked crosswalk.

 

The pedestrian, Janice Mae Gilliland (75), was transported to a local hospital where she later died.

 

The operator of the Kia (Braskett) was reportedly not injured. Braskett remained on the scene and cooperated with the investigation. She was later cited for failing to stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian.

 

The highway was impacted for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation.

 

OSP was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Port of Portland Police, Clackamas Fire, American Medical Response, 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.

October 30, 2026

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, [email protected]

Declining influenza vaccinations continue among health care workers

OHA data show flu shot rate dropped from 85% to 52% since 2019-2020 season

PORTLAND, Ore.—Despite often caring for patients at higher risk of severe outcomes from respiratory virus infection, health care workers in Oregon continue to lag in rates of vaccination against the potentially deadly influenza, according to new state data.

Just over half the state’s nearly 150,000 eligible health care workers—52%—were vaccinated during the 2025-2026 flu season, according to the Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard, published by Oregon Health Authority’s Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program. That is 2 percentage points lower than in the 2024-2025 season and 33 percentage points lower than in the 2019-2020 season, when the rate was 85%.

Dat Tran, M.D., the HAI Program’s medical director, said he’s troubled by declining flu vaccination rates among health care workers at ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities and skilled nursing facilities. When flu vaccination rates drop, the risk of influenza transmission to vulnerable patients rises.

“While we encourage everyone in Oregon to get the flu vaccine, it’s especially important for people in the health care field to be vaccinated,” Tran said. “The people being cared for in health care settings often have health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to severe health outcomes, and even death.”

In addition to helping protect patients, higher influenza vaccination rates can help reduce the spread of the virus among a health care facility’s staff, Tran said. This can reduce worker absenteeism, lost productivity, and health care costs.

“We know all too well from the pandemic how an outbreak of a highly infectious respiratory virus in a health care setting can affect hospital staffing levels and patient care,” Tran added. “A health care workforce that’s highly vaccinated against influenza can help reduce the risk and impact of influenza outbreaks in health care settings.”

OHA requires annual reporting of health care worker influenza vaccination data from five facility types: ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities, and nursing facilities. Facilities self-report aggregate counts, by worker category, of health care workers who were vaccinated, declined vaccination, had a documented medical contraindication or had unknown vaccination status.

The Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard filters data by facility type, county and worker classification. Trends by influenza season and facility-specific data are also available.

During the 2025-2026 influenza season, ambulatory surgery centers reported the highest influenza vaccination rate among workers—62%. They were followed by hospitals at 57%, dialysis centers at 51%, inpatient psychiatric facilities at 33%, and nursing facilities at 25%.

Ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, and inpatient psychiatric facilities were the only facility types that saw increases in health care worker influenza vaccination rates between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons. Dialysis center influenza vaccination rates have been on a steady upward trend since 2021-2022, when the rate was 27%.

Nursing facilities in Oregon saw the largest drop in health care worker influenza vaccination rates between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons: from 30% to 25%.

The proportion of eligible health care workers who declined influenza vaccination during the 2025-2026 season increased slightly from the prior season, from 18% to 19%. Similarly, the percentage of health care workers whose vaccination status was unknown also went up a percentage point during that time, from 28% to 29%, which is the highest percentage of the past seven flu seasons.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 initiative included a goal of 90% influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel. Healthy People 2030 does not include a health care personnel-specific influenza vaccination goal, so Oregon continues to use the former Healthy People 2020 goal as its benchmark.

To achieve 90% vaccination coverage, an additional 55,433 health care workers would have needed to be vaccinated during the 2025-2026 influenza season.

It’s difficult to know from these data alone why Oregon’s documented health care worker influenza vaccination rate has declined, Tran said. Similar declines have been reported nationally, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified several possible contributors, including vaccine fatigue, reduced emphasis on influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, lower perceived influenza risk and differences in workplace vaccination policies and access.

“Oregon also saw the percentage of health care workers with unknown vaccination status rise from 7% in 2019-2020 to 29% in 2025-2026, so documentation may be part of the picture,” Tran said. “However, unknown status does not tell us whether an individual worker was vaccinated, and the dashboard cannot determine how much of the decline reflects vaccination behavior versus incomplete documentation.”

Health care facilities can take steps to meet this goal, Tran explained. Public health recommendations include encouraging health care workers, including those not employed by the facility—such as contractors and volunteers—to get vaccinated at the beginning of every influenza season. Facilities can also host promotional activities, such as holding mass vaccination fairs, providing vaccines at no cost to employees, starting incentive programs, and documenting all health care workers’ vaccination status and requiring a declination form for health care workers who forgo vaccination.

OHA has developed a toolkit for health care employers and workers to help them improve employee flu vaccination rates at their facilities to protect patients, themselves and their families.

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