JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 20, 2025)- On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 2:50 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 99, near milepost 8, in Jackson County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Ford Ranger, operated by Katrina Ann Knight (59) of Grants Pass, left the roadway for unknown reasons, rolled, and struck a utility pole.

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

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

OSP was assisted by ODOT.

# # #

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

CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 20, 2025)- On Monday, August 18, 2025, at 1:03 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 26, at the intersection with Orient Drive, in Clackamas County.

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound GMC Savannah, operated by Ivan Bahena (46) of Gresham, reportedly experienced a mechanical failure and rear ended a Honda Fit, operated by Bryan Ray Robinson (48) of Sandy, that was slowing to stop for the traffic light at the intersection with Orient Drive. The collision pushed the Honda into an eastbound Infinity QX5, operated by Cassandra Lea Bellingham (52) of Portland, that was stopped at the traffic light. 

The operator of the Honda (Robinson) was declared deceased at the scene.

The operator of the GMC (Bahena) suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The operator of the Infinity (Bellingham) suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

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

OSP was assisted by ODOT.

# # #

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

BAKER COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2025)- On Monday, August 18, 2025, at 5:48 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 26, near milepost 221, in Baker County. 

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Kawasaki Ninja, operated by Michael Allen Klaus (74) of Stanfield, lost control and slid into the westbound ditch. 

The operator of the Kawasaki (Klaus) was declared deceased at the scene. 

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

OSP was assisted by ODOT.

# # #

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

LINN COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2025)- On Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 9:22 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 20, near milpost 4, in Linn County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Toyota 4Runner, operated by Ryker Thomas Pittam (19) of Albany, swerved to avoid another vehicle attempting to make a left turn into a driveway. The Toyota lost control and rolled, ejecting the operator in the process.

The operator of the Toyota (Pittam) was transported to an area hospital and was later declared deceased.

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

OSP was assisted by the Linn County Sheriff's Office and ODOT.

# # #

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

CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 18, 2025)- On Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 2:21 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 224, near milepost 45, in Clackamas County.

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Suzuki GSXR-1000, operated by Tony James Gonzalez (52) of Molalla, failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck the guardrail. 

The operator of the Suzuki (Gonzalez) was declared deceased at the scene.

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

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

# # #

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

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 16, 2025) – On Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 9:49 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 97 near milepost 145 in Deschutes County.

The preliminary investigation indicated that a silver Honda Accord, operated by Felicia Devin Nicholson (33) of Bend, was traveling northbound on Hwy. 97 near milepost 145 when it drifted across the center line for an unknown reason and struck a southbound silver Honda Odyssey, operated by Earl Leone Christison IV (46) of Oregon City.

The operator of the Accord (Nicholson) was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The operator of the Odyssey (Earl Christison) was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Odyssey passenger Erin Ruth Christison (45) of Oregon City was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Four female juvenile passengers (ages 17, 14, 11, and 9) in the Odyssey were also transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

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

OSP was assisted by the Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Sunriver Police Department, and multiple area emergency medical service responders.
 

# # #
 

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.

Current Date: August 18^th, 2025

Date of Incident: August 14^th, 2025

Case #: 25-44314

Incident: Drug Detectives serve search warrant and seize marijuana plants

Location: 52000 block of Bridge Drive, La Pine OR 

Arrested: Aaron Wayne Loosli, 50 years old

Charges: ORS 475.349(3)(b)(A) - Unlawful Manufacture of marijuana >12 plants

          ORS 475C.345- Attempted Delivery of marijuana

Press Release Information:

On August 14^th, 2025, at approximately 8:30 AM, Detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement (DCIMME) Team executed a search warrant in the 52000 block of Bridge Drive in the La Pine, OR area. This concluded a long-term investigation into Aaron Loosli who was manufacturing an illegal marijuana grow outside of State licensing guidelines. There are very strict guidelines regarding the marijuana plants that are allowed and how excess marijuana is distributed.  This investigation revealed Aaron Loosli did not follow the guidelines, no additional information will be released regarding these crimes.

Detectives dismantled the illegal marijuana grow and Loosli was criminally cited for the above-mentioned crimes.

Detectives were assisted by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) Team and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.  Detectives were also assisted by Deschutes County Code Enforcement and Oregon Water Resources, both agencies noted numerous violations including illegal water use, and electrical & structural permitting violations. 

Criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies:  Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department,  Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.

UPDATE: MARSHALL GIFFORD FOUND SAFE

8/20/2025

5:22 pm

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to share that 34-year-old Michael Gifford has been located safe in the Portland area. We thank the community and media for helping share this information. Your vigilance and support are vital, and we appreciate your assistance. We do not have additional details to share, but we are thankful for the outcome.

Bend, Ore. – The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating a missing person case involving Marshall Gifford, a 34-year-old Deschutes County man with deep ties to the community.

Gifford was last seen on Monday, August 11, 2025, at approximately 9:00 p.m. at a residence off Shoshone Road in Bend. He was transported by an unknown male in an unknown vehicle to the Clark County Courthouse, 1200 Franklin Street, Vancouver, Washington, where he appeared for a personal matter on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

Investigators believe Gifford may have attempted to use public transportation—possibly a bus—on August 13 to return to Deschutes County. However, he has not been heard from since, and attempts to reach him by cell phone have been unsuccessful.

Description of Marshall Gifford:

• White male, 34 years old
• Blue eyes, brown hair
• Approximately 5’9” and 130 lbs
• Scar on left elbow

Clothing/Items Last Seen Worn:

• Red flannel shirt, jeans, black tennis shoes
• Black chain necklace with a ring containing a purple stone
• Carrying a black shoulder sling-style backpack

The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who has seen Gifford or has information about his whereabouts to contact Deputy Matthew Houston at matthew.houston@deschutes.org or call the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch line at (541) 693-6911.

Sunriver, Ore. - On Tuesday morning, August 19, 2025, a pursuit that began in Bend and ended in Sunriver led to the arrest of 40-year-old Matthew Hammer after he drove recklessly through multiple communities, struck patrol vehicles, and endangered both the public and law enforcement. He's now facing several charges, including attempted assault, reckless endangering, criminal mischief, and attempting to elude an officer.

At approximately 9:18 a.m., a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Deputy assigned to the Deschutes County main office in downtown Bend observed a black Cadillac Escalade being driven recklessly on the property. When the Deputy attempted a traffic stop, the driver—later identified as Hammer—refused to pull over and fled the area. The pursuit was initially discontinued for public safety while law enforcement agencies across the county began searching for the vehicle.

Around 10:01 a.m., a Sunriver Police Sergeant spotted the Escalade traveling southbound on Highway 97 near the Sunriver exit. Hammer again attempted to elude law enforcement, driving at high speeds, swerving into oncoming traffic, and nearly colliding head-on with a patrol vehicle. Deputies successfully deployed spike strips, deflating two tires, but Hammer continued driving recklessly.

As Hammer fled down South Century Drive, Spring River Road, and nearby residential streets, he nearly struck multiple responding officers. He rammed a Deschutes County K-9 vehicle, causing damage and minor injuries to the Deputy inside. The K-9 was not injured. Hammer also drove onto private property, striking a parked vehicle while a resident was outside, before returning to the roadway.

As Hammer’s driving continued to endanger the public and law enforcement, Deputies re-engaged the vehicle. They used a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) controlled maneuver to force the suspect off the road safely. Hammer drove into the PIT, and a Deputy pushed the Escalade onto the shoulder, ending the pursuit. Both the suspect’s vehicle and the Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicles were damaged.

Hammer was evaluated at the scene and later at St. Charles Medical Center before being lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail.

Oregon State Police is investigating the crash involving DCSO patrol vehicles, consistent with standard pursuit protocols. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office thanks the Sunriver Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Fire Department, and Deschutes County Road Department for their assistance during this incident.

ARRESTED: Matthew Hammer (DOB 9/24/1984)

CHARGES:

• Attempted Assault I – 1 count

• Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer – 3 counts

• Recklessly Endangering – 5 counts

• Reckless Driving – 3 counts

• Attempt to Elude a Police Officer (Felony) – 3 counts

• Criminal Mischief I – 1 count

• Criminal Mischief II – 1 count

###

Deschutes County, Ore. – As summer winds down and Labor Day weekend approaches, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is joining the nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign that started August 13 and runs through September 1.

While the Community Action Target Team (CATT) will increase patrols to deter impaired driving, this effort focuses on awareness and prevention. The Sheriff’s Office would rather see everyone enjoying the last weeks of summer safely than make DUII arrests.

“Labor Day and the last weeks of summer should be about creating good memories with family and friends,” said Sheriff Ty Rupert. “We’re asking the community to help us by planning ahead and making safe choices. If you’re going to drink, please arrange for a sober ride home.”

The Sheriff’s Office encourages residents and visitors to:

• Choose a sober driver before heading out
• Use a taxi or rideshare service if you’ve been drinking
• Take the keys from friends who may be about to drive impaired and help them get home safely
• Call law enforcement if you see a suspected impaired driver

Every year, impaired driving crashes take lives that could have been saved by planning ahead. Deputies are reminding drivers that impairment affects judgment, coordination, and reaction time, making it dangerous to wait until after you’ve been drinking to decide how to get home.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and law enforcement agencies nationwide. DCSO encourages everyone to do their part to ensure Labor Day ends with celebrations, not arrests or accidents.

###

See attached press release.

SANDY, Ore. – The roar of CH-47 Chinook rotors filled the air at Sandy River Airport as Oregon Army National Guard aviators and Clackamas Fire's Water Rescue Team completed groundbreaking training that could revolutionize the state's response to flood emergencies.

The Aug. 12 exercise marked the culmination of a two-phase joint training program designed to develop rapid deployment capabilities for water rescue operations across Oregon and beyond. The partnership between Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, and Clackamas Fire demonstrates how military aviation assets can quickly deliver specialized rescue teams to disaster-affected areas.

"This operation would go such that we would get a phone call from a state authority saying that they need to utilize our water rescue team for, let's say, a flood event," said Lt. Mike Gasperson, a firefighter with Station 19's Water Rescue Team. "We could rally our team, get all our gear ready in a relatively quick time frame, and utilize the Guard to get us to where we need to go."

The training began on July 24 at Aurora State Airport, focusing on equipment familiarization and loading procedures. Fire rescue personnel learned aircraft safety protocols while Guard crew members inspected water rescue equipment to determine optimal loading configurations and weight distribution.

"The biggest thing it did is open the door to communication," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Anthony Ives, pilot-in-command for the Aug. 12 mission. "Now we have some phone numbers. We have some emails, and with obviously recent events happening in the United States, with floods and the ever-present possibility of a Cascadia tsunami, we could go pick them up."

The August exercise simulated a real-world deployment scenario. Guard aviators transported six water rescue specialists and their equipment, including inflatable rafts, chainsaws, rope rescue gear, and emergency medical supplies, from Aurora to Sandy River Airport in approximately 15 minutes – a journey that would take significantly longer by ground transportation.

"We have night vision capabilities so that if we need to operate at night, we have that. So we've got a lot of tools at our disposal if we need them," Gasperson said, describing the team's comprehensive equipment package.

Division Chief Kyle Olson, who oversees Clackamas Fire's special operations teams, said the partnership addresses a critical capability gap identified in recent flooding events nationwide. The Texas flooding earlier this year helped spark conversations about rapid deployment strategies.

"The idea is we need to be able to deploy fast and not have to drive 18 hours and hopefully get there and help," Olson said. "Whether we can at that point, we're going to deploy quickly and get out around Oregon or the Northwest or even go further."

The training revealed both capabilities and challenges. While equipment loading and transport proceeded smoothly, radio communication between military and civilian agencies required workarounds and remains an area for continued development.

"Communication, I think, is probably the number one challenge dated back since the Civil War, and it's still a problem, whether it's civilian or military," Ives said. "The biggest problem that we had was they were calling a frequency something that they were familiar with, and we were calling it something different that we were familiar with."

Despite communication challenges, the exercise demonstrated significant tactical advantages. The CH-47's auxiliary fuel tanks provide approximately four hours of flight time, enabling deployment anywhere in Oregon on a single tank of fuel.

"Within six or seven hours we could be picking them up and deploying them in the event of an emergency," Ives said.

The Water Rescue Team, headquartered at Station 19 in Damascus, operates as part of a regional consortium including agencies from across Clackamas County. The 16-member team has provided mutual aid for 30 years, responding to a range of incidents, from river rescues to major flooding events.

"We are a regional team, and have been for 30 years," Olson said. "It takes way more agency help to be able to pull some of these things off."

For Guard aviators, the training provided valuable experience working with civilian emergency responders while fulfilling their state mission.

"We're a big helicopter. We're loud," Ives said. "The biggest thing is when I think back to flight school the first time you turn those engines on and the rotors start turning, it even intimidates us sometimes. So from the standpoint of a civilian that's never hot loaded on even a Black Hawk, a CH-47, it's very intimidating."

The successful training establishes a foundation for future cooperation. Plans call for annual exercises to familiarize additional personnel with aircraft loading capabilities and procedures.

"All the training flights we go on, when we go on a real-world mission, whether it's a fire or a rescue, it makes the training pay off," Ives said. "For us, it makes what we do every day worth it."

Oregon National Guard members serve part-time, typically one weekend a month and two weeks a year, while maintaining civilian careers. They stand ready to respond to state emergencies such as wildfires and floods, while also training to defend the nation when called to federal service. Guard members live and work in the same communities they serve, creating a unique connection between military service and local communities.

The Aug. 12 crew included Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeremiah Williams, Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Hickman, and Staff Sgt. Skyler Leasy is also working alongside Ives to ensure mission success.

"This just adds on one more thing that will benefit the state, being able to load the rescue team and the raft and take them anywhere in the state," Ives said. "Now we've established a working relationship."

                                                                                                                     -30-

Released B-Roll Video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/973757/oregon-guard-aviation-partners-with-local-fire-department-enhance-flood-response-capabilities

Released Social Media Short Form Info Video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/973758/oregon-national-guard-clackamas-fire-water-rescue-training-emergency-response-interagency-cooperation

Released Photos: 

250724-Z-ZJ128-1001
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Hickman, a crew chief with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, gives a preflight safety briefing to Clackamas Fire Water Rescue Team members during joint training at Aurora State Airport, Oregon, July 24, 2025. The training exercise focused on developing efficient procedures for rapidly loading water rescue equipment and personnel aboard CH-47 Chinook helicopters during emergency response scenarios. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

250724-Z-ZJ128-1002
Oregon Army National Guard crew members inspect and secure Water Rescue Team equipment during static load training at Aurora State Airport, Oregon, July 24, 2025. The crew methodically checked tie-down procedures and weight distribution as part of joint training between Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, and Clackamas Fire's Water Rescue Team to develop standardized loading procedures for emergency flood response operations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

250724-Z-A3543-1003
Members of Clackamas Fire's Water Rescue Team practice hot load procedures with rotors turning during joint training at Aurora State Airport, Oregon, July 24, 2025. The hot load training allowed firefighters to experience loading equipment and personnel aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter under operational conditions, preparing them for rapid deployment scenarios during actual emergency responses. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Jeremiah Tanael, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

250724-Z-ZJ128-1004
Members of Clackamas Fire's Water Rescue Team and Oregon Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook crew stand together following successful joint training at Aurora State Airport, Oregon, July 24, 2025. The training focused on developing procedures for transporting water rescue personnel and equipment, including inflatable rafts and specialized gear, aboard military aircraft to enhance rapid deployment capabilities for flood response operations across Oregon. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

250812-Z-ZJ128-1005

Clackamas Fire Water Rescue Team members load their inflatable raft into a fire department vehicle at Sandy River Airport, Oregon, Aug. 12, 2025, as an Oregon Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter prepares for departure in the background. The exercise demonstrated the team's ability to rapidly offload, reconstitute equipment, and prepare for deployment to simulated flood rescue operations after being transported by military aircraft. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE

BOARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS AND TRAINING

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Executive Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 11:00 a.m. on August 27, 2025, at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or juan.lopez-hernandez@dpsst.oregon.gov.

Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. Approve April 4, 2024, Meeting Minutes

3. Temporary and Proposed Rule Changes for Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 259-030-0005

    Presented by Jennifer Howald

4. Next Meeting – TBD

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting subject to the public meeting laws and will be recorded. 

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, James William Parrott, died the morning of August 20, 2025. Parrott was incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) in Umatilla and passed away in the infirmary. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.

Parrott entered DOC custody on April 26, 2007, from Klamath County serving a life sentence. Parrott was 84 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

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

####

August 20, 2025

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

Recreational use advisory issued for Hells Canyon Reservoir

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory today for Hells Canyon Reservoir due to the presence of elevated microcystin levels. The reservoir is in Baker and Wallowa Counties.

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

OHA encourages people to visit Hells Canyon Reservoir and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing, and kayaking. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.

Drinking water

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

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

Children and pets

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

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

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and cause a range of symptoms. Symptoms may be similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may also be more serious, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms may require medical attention.

Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy, loss of appetite and more. If a dog exhibits symptoms, veterinary treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.

Fishing

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

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 1-877-290-6767, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

###

August 20, 2025

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

Recreational use advisory issued for Thief Valley Reservoir

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory today for Thief Valley Reservoir due to the presence of elevated microcystins. The lake is in Baker and Union Counties.

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

OHA encourages people to visit Thief Valley Reservoir and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing, and kayaking. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.

Drinking water

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

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

Children and pets

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

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

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and cause a range of symptoms. Symptoms may be similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may also be more serious, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms may require medical attention.

Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy, loss of appetite and more. If a dog exhibits symptoms, veterinary treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.

Fishing

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

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 1-877-290-6767, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

###

August 19, 2025

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

PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory lifted for Ross Island Lagoon and for the Willamette River south of the lagoon downriver to Wapato Bridge and Kelley Point Park

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Ross Island Lagoon and for the Willamette River south of the lagoon downriver to Wapato Bridge and Kelley Point Park in Multnomah County.

OHA issued the advisory August 12.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Ross Island Lagoon and the Willamette River south of the lagoon downriver to Wapato Bridge and Kelley Point Park are below recreational guideline values for people.

OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable. Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom, exposures and symptoms by visiting OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab.

When recreating, people, and especially small children, and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water. If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.

Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins released may reach into clear water around the bloom. Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.

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

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August 15, 2025

PORTLAND, Ore.— Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory for Eckman Lake on July 31, due to the presence of cyanobacteria, and is providing an update on August 15, due to very high saxitoxin (PSP) levels. The lake is in Lincoln County.

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

OHA encourages people to visit Eckman Lake and enjoy activities such as camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing, and kayaking. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.

Drinking water

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

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

Children and pets

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

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

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and cause a range of symptoms. Symptoms may be similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may also be more serious, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms may require medical attention.

Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy, loss of appetite and more. If a dog exhibits symptoms, veterinary treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.

Fishing

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

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 1-877-290-6767, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

SALEM, Oregon— The Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Program (LWCF) will start accepting applications Sept. 15 for the approximately $8 million in funds for the 2025 grant cycle.

Applications are due by Nov. 17. The LWCF is a federally funded reimbursement grant program that provides matching grants to state and local governments for land acquisition, development and rehabilitation for public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.

Eligible applicants are cities, counties, metropolitan service districts, park and recreation districts, port districts, federally recognized tribal governments and certain Oregon state agencies.

An optional webinar is scheduled 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 10 to provide information on the program and how to navigate the application process. Register for the live workshop at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4z-v0Hu-RnuaWfDOQjv_8Q.  

A recording of the webinar will be posted on the LWCF web page after September 10.

Access to the LWCF application will be available online at oprdgrants.org when the grant cycle opens. New applicants must first request an account via the website before they are granted application access.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Program is funded through the National Park Service and administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Since 1964, this national grant program has awarded more than $80 million in grant funds for Oregon recreational areas and facilities.

Additional information about the LWCF program, including the grant manual, application instructions and program schedule, is available on the Land and Water Conservation Fund web page.

For information, contact Nohemi Enciso at nohemi.enciso@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-480-9092.

The Oregon Heritage Commission (OHC) and the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) seek volunteers to fill multiple positions.
 

Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries

The OCHC is seeking two new members, one for the position representing Eastern Oregon and one representing the Portland Metro area.

The commission is seeking members with knowledge related to, or interest in:

• cemeteries;
• historic preservation;
• genealogy;
• cultural and burial practices of ethnic groups found in Oregon;
• landscape and native plants; and
• history.

The OCHC is comprised of seven citizens. It is empowered by the Legislature to maintain a listing of all historic cemeteries in Oregon, make recommendations for funding, seek legislative appropriations for historic cemeteries, and assist in the coordination of restoration, renovation and maintenance of historic cemeteries statewide. The commission develops online resources, offers workshops, and promotes the value of historic cemeteries through storytelling.
 

The group meets four times per year in different locations around the state and online. There may be an occasional additional meeting for extra projects, programs, and grant selection. Commissioners are also asked to organize informal meetings in their regions or work on other projects outside of meeting time. Travel costs are reimbursed.
 

To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to commission coordinator Kuri Gill at i.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov">Kuri.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685. Please include your reasons for wanting to serve on the commission, any skills or knowledge you will bring to its work, and ideas or goals you have for your participation. Please submit your information before September 12, 2025. More information about the Historic Cemeteries program is available online www.oregonheritage.org.
 

Oregon Heritage Commission

The Heritage Commission currently has three vacancies and is especially seeking members with knowledge and experience related to community institutions, heritage tourism, or education/higher education and who have experience working with diverse cultural groups. The Commission seeks applications from those that live in the Southern Oregon area, the Portland Metro area, and the Mid/South Willamette Valley area.
 

The Heritage Commission’s nine members represent a diversity of cultural, geographic, and institutional interests. The Commission is the primary agency for coordination of heritage activities in the state. This includes carrying out the Oregon Heritage Plan, increasing efficiency and avoiding duplication among interest groups, developing plans for coordination among agencies and organizations, encouraging tourism related to heritage resources, and coordinating statewide anniversary celebrations.
 

The group meets four-six times per year in changing locations around the state and will offer virtual options to attend meetings. Commissioners are also asked to occasionally participate in meetings or events in their regions and work on other projects outside of meeting time. Appointed Commissioners are reimbursed for their travel and related expenses while conducting official commission business.
 

More information about the Oregon Heritage Commission is available online at www.oregonheritage.org and from Commission coordinator Katie Henry at 503-877-8834 or katie.henry@oprd.oregon.gov. 
 

To request appointment, go to Governor Tina Kotek’s Boards and Commissions webpage at https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/board-list.aspx. 

EUGENE, Ore.— Jesus Paul Zazueta, 28, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release for trafficking fentanyl.

According to court documents, on October 4, 2021, Zazueta was a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident in Deschutes County, Oregon. Officers from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police responded to the accident and received consent to search the vehicle. The officers located two bags in the trunk containing approximately five pounds of fentanyl pills and a semi-automatic firearm.

When questioned by officers, Zazueta admitted to trafficking the fentanyl and owning the firearm. Zazueta also admitted to packing the bag containing fentanyl and the firearm and expected to be paid for trafficking the fentanyl to Washington.

On July 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Zazueta with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On May 21, 2025, Zazueta pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Oregon State Police, and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Adam Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.

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EUGENE, Ore.—A North Bend, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually exploiting an Oregon child using the social media application Facebook Messenger.

Chistopher Jay Young, 40, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and 15 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on January 20, 2024, Young, using Facebook Messenger, persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record the conduct, and send it to him.

On April 11, 2024, federal and state law enforcement officers from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oregon State Police, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office executed federal search warrants on Young’s home and vehicles. Young was arrested and investigators seized his devices.

During a search of Young’s devices, investigators learned that Young used the minor’s social media account to communicate and request the child sexual abuse material and that Young had the minor’s Facebook login credentials saved in his phone.

On April 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Young with attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and attempting to coerce or entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. 

On May 6, 2025, Young pleaded guilty to attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from HSI. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

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

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

MEDFORD, Ore.—Two San Antonio, Texas, men were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for conspiring to travel from Texas to Southern Oregon to commit an armed robbery while disguised as agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Jose Manuel Lopez, 24, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release, and Juan Carlos Conchas, 23, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. Restitution to the victim was ordered to be paid jointly.

According to court documents, on March 12, 2022, deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a rural address in Josephine County, Oregon after receiving reports of an armed robbery in progress. The deputies found a residence with a closed driveway gate and two empty vehicles with Texas license plates in the driveway with their doors open. Deputies saw several people running toward the back of the property and found victims inside the house. The victims reported that armed individuals dressed in what appeared to be DEA attire and wearing body armor arrived at the property and used zip ties and duct tape to restrain several of them.

The deputies searched the property and found large plastic totes containing packaged marijuana in the buildings and vehicles. They also found body armor, firearms, ammunition, shell casings, and badges that resembled those carried by DEA agents along the path that the defendants used to flee the property.

Investigators learned that in late February 2022, the group traveled from San Antonio to Southern Oregon to steal over 200 pounds of marijuana and recovered photographs taken by the group in which they posed with firearms while dressed as DEA agents.

On October 13, 2022, Lopez and Conchas were located and arrested in San Antonio.

On September 1, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Morales, Acuna, Conchas and co-conspirators with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On December 6, 2024, Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute.

On April 16, 2025, Conchas pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute.

In addition, four co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and been sentenced on felony charges stemming from their roles in the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. It is being prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

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The ISOR-PH Regular board meeting has been rescheduled for August 21st, 2025 @11:30.

Insight School of Oregon Painted Hills Board Members are hereby notified that a Meeting of the Board is rescheduled for August 21st, 2025 @11:30am. 

The meeting will take place on August 21st, 2025 @11:30am.

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

1.Via Teleconference - using any of the following US phone numbers

+1 253 215 8782

+1 346 248 7799

+1 669 900 9128

+1 301 715 8592

+1 312 626 6799

+1 646 558 8656

Meeting ID is: 915 0788 7277

And

2. Via Zoom Meeting Link:

https://onlineoregon-org.zoom.us/j/91507887277

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

A. FlashNet Newswire

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

B. Insight School of Oregon Painted Hills Office

603 NW 3rd Street

Prineville, OR 97754

BEND, OR — Heather Quinn, a Minnesota-based writer, photographer and filmmaker, has been officially selected as the winner of the 11th annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize by guest judge and author Beth Piatote, Ph.D.

The Waterston Desert Writing Prize, established in 2014 by author and Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston, honors and fosters literary nonfiction that celebrates desert landscapes.  

Quinn’s winning submission is titled This Is How You Disappear, a project about the California desert. Quinn, who receives a $3,000 cash prize, will give a reading and discuss their project at the Waterston Desert Writing Prize ceremony on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

The event features award-winning author Dan Flores, Ph.D., who will give a talk titled, “The Coyote Is the Dude, the Dude Abides, and the Adventures Continue,” during the ceremony.

Flores, author of Coyote America and Wild New World, has spent his career exploring the connections between people and the natural world in America and the West. His books have won several awards including the Rachel Carson Environmental Book Prize and the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Prize. The author of 11 books, Flores has also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and Time Magazine.

His presentation at the award ceremony will delve into how coyotes have preserved wildness in modern America, making a case for understanding wild animals as distinctive individuals.

Quinn, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with their husband and two young daughters, writes personal and lyric essays. They approach nonfiction from a journalistic background, including a deep appreciation of truth telling.

The winning submission This Is How You Disappear is an essay blending personal narrative, reporting and historical research to explore trauma, ecological collapse and memory in the California desert, particularly around the Salton Sea. For over two decades, Quinn has documented the region through writing, photography and film, bearing witness to its shifting landscapes and layered histories.

Quinn earned their Master of Fine Arts at Portland State University, and they were a 2021 McKnight Artist Fellow, a 2023 Writing Resident at Art Omi, and a 2022 Tin House Winter Workshop Scholar. Their work has appeared in Fourth Genre, Vela, Longreads and elsewhere. 

Waterston said that Quinn’s piece “promises fearless writing that skillfully enlists the landscape of the Salton Sea as backdrop to their quest for understanding” an emotional moment in their life.

Piatote, a Nez Perce scholar, writer, professor and language activist, will also speak during the Waterston event at the Museum. Piatote is the author of two books, including a mixed-genre collection entitled The Beadworkers: Stories (2019), which was featured on NPR and was selected as the “one read” for multiple university and community programs. Dedicated to Nez Perce language and literature, she cofounded the Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization at the University of California Berkeley, where she teaches English and Comparative Literature.

"We are honored to welcome our outstanding winner Heather Quinn and award-winning authors Dan Flores and Beth Piatote to this year’s Waterston Desert Writing Prize ceremony," said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. "Their passionate exploration of the natural world aligns perfectly with the Prize’s mission to celebrate and elevate desert landscapes through the power of literary nonfiction."

The two finalists for this year’s Prize are Taylor Luck and Charles Hood.

Luck, a journalist living in the Middle East, blends narrative writing with authentic storytelling. His submission, Beyond the Jordan, focuses on modern-day Jordan and the varied groups of people navigating a region in upheaval. Luck weaves his personal journey of belonging into the narrative.

Located in Palmdale, California, Hood has traveled the world for his writings, from the high Arctic to the South Pole, and from Tibet to West Africa and the Amazon. His submission, Desert Fire, takes him closer to home as it delves into the past, present and future role of fire in Western American deserts.

A writer with continued contributions to nonfiction prose about desert regions, Hood is being recognized this year for the first-ever Obsidian Prize, a $2,000 award in honor of his contributions to the Waterston Desert Writing Prize. A prolific poet and essayist, Hood has written several books, including the essay collection A Salad Only the Devil Would Eat: The Joys of Ugly Nature, which was named the Nonfiction Book of the Year by the editors of Foreword book review.  

In 2020, the High Desert Museum—which has long hosted events for the Prize—adopted the program. The mission and goals of the Prize complement those of the High Desert Museum, emphasizing the importance of protecting deserts and creating important conversations about the issues affecting them.

To learn more about the Waterston Desert Writing Prize and to purchase your tickets to the Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, visit: highdesertmuseum.org/waterston-prize.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

The HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

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Good Morning,

Haley Ellison here with the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA).

As you may have seen, La Salle’s Vance Sheffield was recently named the Gatorade Oregon Boys Soccer Player of the Year. As part of the award, Vance was given the opportunity to select a community organization to receive a $1,000 Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grant — and we are honored that he chose NWABA! 

This grant will directly support our mission to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity for youth and adults who are blind or visually impaired.

We’d love to connect you with NWABA Founder & CEO Billy Henry, Vance, and/or his father, CS Sheffield, for interviews to share more about this meaningful recognition and the impact it will have locally.

Full details are included in the press release below. Please let us know if you’re interested in covering this story or scheduling interviews.

SEASIDE, Ore. – It’s heartbreaking to see Providence close Seaside’s birth center. For nearly 50 years, nurses and healthcare professionals have been here to help newborns draw their first breath and provide trusted care before and after birth for families on the Oregon Coast. This abrupt closure sets our community up for failure and abandons expectant parents at one of the most important and vulnerable times of their lives.

Minutes matter for parents and newborns. Providence is forcing families to travel more than 30 minutes to Astoria or more than 75 minutes to Tillamook just to deliver babies.

This closure is devastating for young families but it will negatively affect everyone in our community. With no other options, moms will be sent to the ER leading to longer waits for everyone. This will affect people suffering from heart attacks and broken bones to COVID and car crashes.

Providence’s pattern of cuts will harm caregivers and the health and safety of communities up and down the coast; leaving us all with fewer choices, longer waits and worse healthcare. 

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Closing birth centers has become a dangerous trend in Oregon and across the U.S. More than 500 hospitals in the U.S. have closed their labor and delivery departments since 2010; contributing to rising maternal mortality rates. Since 2019, Oregon health systems closed birth centers at hospitals in Redmond, Baker City and Gresham and threatened to close birth centers in Lebanon and Lincoln City. 

Following public outcry and state intervention, Legacy was forced to reopen its birth center at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham. Nurses, community leaders and elected officials are all actively pushing back against plans to close family birth centers at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City. 

While the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) recognizes that Medicaid cuts and broader attacks on our healthcare system from the Trump administration are serious issues, Providence and other healthcare systems must confront their priorities as profit-driven businesses that dole out lavish executive salaries.  

 
Providence is a $30 billion corporation whose top executives take home millions each year. Patients and caregivers should not be forced to pay the price for corporate greed or political decisions beyond their control.  
 
It’s time for Providence to live up to its mission and make real investments in our communities and provide Oregonians with the care they deserve.  

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Portland, Ore. – More than two years after forming their union and after 21 months of bargaining, 400 registered nurses (RNs) at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, citing Legacy Health’s refusal to make meaningful investments in recruiting and retaining frontline caregivers, patient care, and fair wages and benefits.

Frontline nurses at Legacy Mount Hood are represented by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA). 

“Mount Hood nurses have been more than patient. After nearly two years at the bargaining table, Legacy executives still refuse to address critical issues like fair pay and caps on insurance premiums—changes we need to recruit and retain the skilled nurses our patients rely on,” said Lillie Charron, a nurse at Legacy Mount Hood and ONA vice-chair of the bargaining team. “We don’t want to strike, but if management continues to slow-roll negotiations, we are united and ready to act.”

Nurses at Legacy Mount Hood are demanding: 

• A voice in decision-making about patient care and workplace conditions 
• Fair compensation that is competitive with other health systems to recruit and retain more nurses
• Quality, affordable healthcare
• Protections against shifts being unilaterally shortened by management 
• Appropriate compensation for RNs who work during times of crisis including inclement weather. 

“We’re the ones at the bedside every day — we know our patients best,” Charron said. “We formed our union to speak up for the people we care for. A fair contract will help recruit and retain the nurses our community depends on, so every patient gets the safe, quality care they deserve.”

The vote does not set a strike date. Nurses are hoping upcoming mediation sessions on August 22 and 28 will result in a fair agreement and avert a strike. If a deal is not reached, nurses say they are prepared to act—and they have the support of RNs and frontline caregivers across the Legacy system.

Background on Legacy Mt Hood RNs 

In January 2023, Legacy announced plans to close Mount Hood’s Family Birth Center—a move nurses, and the community successfully opposed, prompting the Oregon Health Authority to block the closure. The center reopened in April 2023. Nurses say the fight underscored the need for a strong union voice in patient care decisions. They won their union election and joined the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) that same month, with bargaining for their first contract beginning in December 2023. 

Background on Legacy Health 

Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, located in Gresham, is part of Legacy Health, the Portland metro area’s second-largest healthcare system, serving hundreds of thousands of patients and employing more than 14,000 people.

The strike authorization comes amid a broader push for frontline caregivers at Legacy Health to unionize. Eleven ONA bargaining units—representing nearly 3,400 caregivers—are currently negotiating with Legacy, seeking improvements in staffing, wages, benefits, transparency, and workplace safety. ONA’s sister union, Northwest Medicine United (NWMU), represents another 475 healthcare professionals, including physicians, who are also bargaining their first contracts with Legacy.

In recent years, Legacy executives have dramatically increased their own compensation—with executive spending growing by 90% from 2019-2023—even as they delay fair contracts for nurses and frontline caregivers.

Despite executives’ claims of financial hardship, Legacy reports having “a strong balance sheet,” more than 180 days of cash on hand, and a $1.3 billion investment portfolio that has generated $436 million in returns since 2019 — profits not counted in operating income.

Interviews are available upon request. 

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