Yakima, Wash. – Thirteen people are charged following the return of 12 indictments alleging more than a dozen charges against these defendants for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana on the Yakama Nation Reservation. 

The arrests follow a long-term joint federal, local, and tribal investigation that began in late 2024, concluding in June 2025, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The investigation targeted violent individuals and armed drug traffickers on the Yakama Nation and in the Yakima Valley with the goal to disrupt drug distributors operation both on and off the reservation. 

“In late 2024, escalating drug-related activity—including opioid trafficking, overdose fatalities, and an alarming number of homicides—prompted the DEA to select the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation for a 120-day drug initiative under DEA Operation Overdrive,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The fentanyl powder and pills that we took off the streets could have yielded about 250-thousand lethal doses, enough to kill everyone living in Yakima County.  Enough to kill every member of the Yakama Nation more than eight times over. “ 

Operation Overdrive is a national, multi-phased program, which targets hot spots where drugs and violent crime are prevalent. The DEA utilizes its full range of data, intelligence, operational resources, and partnerships to combat drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths. The goals of Operation Overdrive are to decrease overdose rates in target areas, decrease gun violence rates, increase community engagement, and remove the drug networks that are causing harm to our communities.

“Fentanyl continues to be one of the most dangerous substances threatening our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. “Thanks to the hard work and tireless dedication of our tribal, state and federal law enforcement partners, working side by side with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Yakima, offenders have been removed from our communities and families are safer today.”

To date, agents have seized 7,100 pounds of marijuana, 336 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 25 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of fentanyl power, 4,704 fentanyl laced pills, $22,512 in drug proceeds, and 12 firearms. 

According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals have been charged in connection with the investigation. The United States anticipates bringing additional charges against other individuals identified during this investigation. 

Angel Navarro Aleman, age 55, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine (three counts) 

Jose Francisco Aguirre, age 56, pleaded guilty to Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; sentencing in July 2025. 

Jose Caudillo-Ascencio, age 23 charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Jesus Caudillo, age 31, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

Johnny Thomas Axtell, age 54, charged with Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl

Israel Nicolas Castaneda, age 37, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl

Samantha Rasberry-Besa, age 31, charged with Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Lonzell Hawk Lucei, age 37, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Hollis Marion Woodward, age 70, pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, sentencing in September 2025. 

Miguel Angel Alvarado-Munoz, age 45, charged with Alien in United States After Deportation

Ira Charles Pete, age 39, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

Edgar Jovnni Nunez Bocanegra, age 29, charged with Drug User in Possession of a Firearm; Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime

Fernando Gonzalez, age 38, charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, ATF, Yakima Police Department, Wapato Police Department, Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. 

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7/13/25

For Immediate Release

Highland Road Fire Investigation Update

Crook County Fire and Rescue was dispatched for a brush fire in the area of SE Highland Road, in Prineville, Oregon, at approximately 1543 hours, on 7/12/2025.  First arriving crews found a fast-moving fire burning in sage brush and juniper.  Crews immediately began structure protection efforts for homes in the immediate vicinity.

Multiple agencies were requested and responded to the fire, including the Central Oregon Structural Task Forces, Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, and Oregon Department of Forestry.  At this time, there have been no reports of any structures lost.

Crook County Fire and Rescue, with assistance from the Oregon Department of State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Land Management, have been working jointly to investigate the origin and cause of the Highland Road Fire.  At this time, the fire has initially been determined to be human caused and the thorough and complete investigation is currently ongoing.  To maintain the integrity of the investigation, no additional information is being released until the investigation is finalized.

Russell Deboodt

Division Chief – Fire Marshal

Crook County Fire and Rescue

SALEM, Ore. – On Saturday evening, the Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilized their Blue Incident Management Team and three structural task forces to the Highland Fire in Crook County south of Prineville. One task force was sent earlier on Saturday through Immediate Response.

The wind-driven Highland Fire sparked on Saturday afternoon, and levels 1, 2, and 3 evacuations are in place for those living near the fire.

The Immediate Response task force arrived Saturday evening, and the incident management team and two additional task forces will arrive on Sunday morning before being briefed to begin work protecting structures. 

“Fire conditions are affecting much of the state with little relief in the forecast,” said State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “We are asking all Oregonians to be aware of the conditions and do everything they can to prevent sparking a wildfire.”

A conflagration was invoked by Governor Kotek on Saturday evening, allowing the state fire marshal to mobilize structural protection resources.

Follow the Crook County Sheriff’s Office for the latest evacuation information. See the evacuation map here.

This is the fifth time the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked in 2025.

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

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, is thankful for the community support to find Sahara Feldmiller.

Sahara, age 16, is a child who went missing from Oregon City on July 6. She was found on July 11.

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

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

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Date: July 12, 2025

Case number: 2025-00040304

Incident: Domestic Violence suspect arrested by CERT team

Date / Time of Incident:  7-11-25 / 1800 Hours

Location: Cheyenne Rd / Comanche Ln, Bend

Arrested: Jeff M. Salt, Bend Resident

Offenses:  Assault IV, Strangulation, Coercion, Tampering with a witness

Victim:  52 year old Bend resident

On 7-11-25, Bend police investigated a reported domestic violence incident.  During the investigation, officers learned the suspect physically assaulted the victim, causing injury.  The suspect made attempts to prevent the victim from contacting law enforcement to report the incident.  The suspect was later located and arrested by the CERT team for the listed crimes after he barricaded in his home.  The suspect was lodged at the Deschutes County jail. 

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Sahara Feldmiller, age 16, a child in foster care who went missing from Oregon City on July 6. Sahara is believed to be in danger.

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

Sahara was last seen under the 205 Bridge at Marine Drive and is known to frequent Sandy, Oregon and Mt. Hood Area.

Name: Sahara Feldmiller  
Pronouns: she/her
Date of birth: October 16, 2008
Height: 5-foot-2
Weight: 98 pounds
Eye color: Blue
Hair color: Dark Blonde

Law Enforcement Agency Case #25-014218
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2055501 

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

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

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You're invited to join the Rowena Wildfire Debris Management Task Force for a media tour highlighting household hazardous waste removal of the debris cleanup effort. This is an opportunity to learn more about the coordinated recovery work underway, ask questions of subject matter experts, and gather photos and footage for public awareness.

Location: Mayer State Park, 5865 Rowena River Rd, Rowena, OR 97058
Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Time: 10 a.m.

Who will be available for media interviews:

• Stephanie Krell, Public Information Officer, Debris Management Task Force

• Charles Kennedy, State On-Scene Coordinator, Debris Management Task Force

• Sheriff Lane Magill, Deputy Incident Commander, Debris Management Task Force

Closed-toe shoes are required and long pants are recommended. Please bring personal protective equipment, including high-vis vests, safety glasses and N95 masks, as their availability will be limited on-site.

? Registration is required to participate. Please register by 5 p.m., Monday, July 14, 2025.

For more information or special accommodation requests, please contact Stephanie Krell, Public Information Officer, pio@co.wasco.or.us or by phone (541) 993-8173

Update: 11:57PM

Stella has been located and is safe. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the community for their prompt assistance in bringing Stella home safe.

Original Release

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is actively searching for a missing 13-year-old female, Stella McKay, and asking for the public’s help in locating her.

Stella was last seen at her residence near the Tetherow Butte area in Northwest Redmond. She is unfamiliar with the area and may be disoriented or lost.

Description:

• Name: Stella McKay

• Age: 13

• Height: 5 feet

• Weight: 85 lbs

• Hair: Blonde

• Eyes: Brown

A recent photo of Stella is included with this release to assist in identification.

Anyone with information regarding Stella’s whereabouts is urged to call non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911 immediately. If you believe you may have seen her, call the authorities immediately.

We thank the community for remaining alert and helping us bring Stella home safely.

APPLICANT REVIEW COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Applicant Review Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, 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 (503) 551-3167.

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

Amended Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. Approve June 25, 2025, Meeting Minutes

3. Cody Ching, DPSST No. 66366; Gresham Police Department

    Presented by Cindy Park

4. Manuel Montoya, DPSST No. 66246; DOC/Coffee Creek Correctional Facility

    Presented by Cindy Park

5. Inquiry Closure Memos – Information Only

    Presented by Cindy Park

6. Next Applicant Review Committee Meeting – August 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Applicant Review 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.

Disasters can damage critical infrastructure, leading to temporary outages in cell service, internet, and power. When communication systems go down, it's vital to be prepared with alternate ways to get emergency information and stay connected. Here’s how you can prepare and respond:

  Have a Battery-Powered or Hand-Crank Emergency Weather Radio

• Why it matters: Emergency radios can receive Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts via AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio frequencies—even when cell towers and the internet are down.
• Note: Emergency radios do not receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) like cell phones do. Tip: Pre-tune your radio to your local emergency broadcast station (e.g., OPB in Oregon or NOAA frequencies).

Turn On WEA Alerts on Your Phone

• Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are enabled in your phone’s settings. These alerts include evacuation orders, severe weather warnings, and other urgent notifications.
• WEA messages are sent through cell towers—if cell service is out, WEA alerts will not be delivered. This is why having backup methods like a radio is essential.

Charge Everything in Advance and Have Backup Power

• Charge phones, power banks, laptops, and rechargeable flashlights before fire weather conditions worsen.
• Consider solar-powered chargers or car chargers as backups.
• If you are sheltering in place, a generator (solar or gas powered) is helpful.

Know Your Evacuation Routes in Advance

• Save printed or downloaded evacuation maps in case you can’t access GPS or navigation apps.
• Most mapping services (like Google Maps or Apple Maps) offer the ability to “Make maps available offline.” Download your area in advance so you can navigate even if cell towers or internet access are down.
• When in doubt, call 511 or visit the TripCheck.com website if you have cell service.
• Don’t wait for a notification—if you feel unsafe, evacuate early.

Print or Write Down Critical Contacts and Info

• Phone numbers of family, neighbors, and local emergency contacts.
• Address of evacuation shelters, veterinary services (for pets/livestock), and medical facilities.
• Your own emergency plan, including meeting locations.
• Have copies of vital documents in your go-bag and take video of your property (inside and out) for insurance claims later.

If Calling 9-1-1 Over Wi-Fi or Satellite, Check Your Location Settings

If you call 9-1-1 using Wi-Fi calling or a satellite-connected phone (like an iPhone or Android), your location might not be automatically visible to dispatch. Instead, it may rely on the emergency address saved in your phone’s settings.

• Update this emergency address when you travel or relocate—especially in evacuation zones or rural areas.
• Most importantly, always tell the dispatcher exactly where you are—include your address, landmarks, road names, or mile markers to help first responders reach you quickly.

Sign Up for Alerts Before There's an Outage

• Register for OR-Alert and your county’s local alert system.
• Follow your local emergency management officials' and bookmark resources like: wildfire.oregon.gov.

 Prepare for Alert Delays or Gaps

• Know the three levels of evacuation:
  • Level 1 – Be Ready
  • Level 2 – Be Set
  • Level 3 – GO NOW
• If you hear a siren, see a neighbor evacuating, or witness fire behavior increasing—take action even if you haven’t received an alert.

 Be Your Own Info Network

• Check on neighbors, especially seniors or those with disabilities.
• Post printed signs with updates for those passing by.

In rural areas, community bulletin boards or fire stations may serve as local information points.

Support and Restoration in Progress
To help maintain emergency communications during this incident, OEM deployed eight Starlink terminals under the guidance of ESF 2 and the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). A Communications Technician (Jeff Perkins) was also deployed to assess connectivity needs on the ground. These Starlink terminals have been providing service to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Oregon State Police (OSP), Warner Creek Correctional Facility, and will soon support the town of Lakeview, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Lakeview Ranger Station. OEM’s Regional Coordinator (Stacey) is also on-site supporting the Lake County EOC. Coordination has been strong across local, state, and private sector partners.

Update: As of 7/10/25 at 1:47 PM, fiber service has been restored.

Reconnect When Service Returns

• Once communications are restored, check official websites:
  • Oregon.gov/oem
  • Your county emergency management page
  • TripCheck.com for road conditions
• Share verified info—not rumors—on social media or community pages.

 Prepare for Delays in Restoration

• Communication may come back in phases. Damage to fiber lines or cell towers can take time to repair.
• Continue using backup methods and stay alert for updates via radio or in-person notices.

 Final Tip:

In an emergency, CALL 9-1-1 to report life-threatening danger, not for general information. Use local non-emergency numbers or go to physical information points if needed. You can find more tips for preparing in OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready toolkit.

[Rowena, Ore.] – As residents return to areas impacted by the Rowena Fire, safety remains a top priority. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Wasco County strongly recommend property owners not perform cleanup themselves, because of the serious toxic hazard threats posed by burned homes and outbuildings. 
 

Doing your own cleanup without proper protection puts your health at risk. Burned materials are hazardous and require more than gloves and a mask to protect your health. Buildings constructed before 2004 are likely to contain asbestos, which is carcinogenic.

If residents do decide to do their own clean-up rather than hiring a qualified contractor, they should wear appropriate personal protective equipment. 

Before entering your property:

• Wear sturdy shoes, eye goggles, heavy-duty work gloves and an N95 mask when inspecting damage.
• Watch for hazards such as unstable structures, ash pits, smoldering debris and electrical hazards including downed power lines.
• Take photos of damage for insurance and recovery documentation.

Avoid bringing ash from outside to the inside:

• Don’t let children play on or near any ash. Wash off toys before children play with them.
• Wash fruits and vegetables from your garden thoroughly before you eat them. Read the OHA Healthy Gardening fact sheet for more tips.
• Remove shoes before you enter your home or use “sticky mats” in entries and doorways to remove dust and ash from your shoes.
• Keep pets out of areas where there is any ash. Bathe them when exposed to ash.
• Wash off any ash right away if it gets on your body or clothing.

Keep indoor spaces clean from ash. Minimize other pollutants:

• Protect your home from outside air, this includes proper seals for windows and doors. Home weatherization assistance may be available for people with low income.
• Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) or non-ozone producing electrostatic precipitator (ESP) filter in your central air system to filter air throughout your home. There are also DYI air filter tutorials.
• Make sure any air purifier you buy has an airflow rate of at least two to three times the size of the room.
• EPA’s Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
• California Air Resources Board-certified air filtration devices

See Oregon Health Authority’s Long-Term Wildfire Recovery Healthy Home Advice Fact Sheet for more detailed information.

Smoke may linger even after flames are out. To protect yourself and your family:

• Limit time outdoors and keep windows and doors closed.
• Use air purifiers indoors if available.
• If you have heart or lung conditions, consult your doctor about potential impacts and monitor symptoms closely.
• Visit Oregon Smoke Blog for local air quality conditions and tips.

Additional Cleanup Resources:

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is providing technical assistance and coordinating with subject matter experts to support safe debris management. Guidance on proper cleanup procedures and disposal of fire debris can be found at: https://www.oregon.gov/deq
 

Local recovery and safety resources are also available through Wasco County Emergency Management Long-term Recovery page.
 

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Wasco County Citizen Alert for the latest updates on recovery, road access, and support services.
 

For more information on state-led wildfire recovery and preparedness efforts, visit:
 wildfire.oregon.gov

Salem, OR – 07/10/2025 – Families enrolling children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Oregon can now choose between the Standard English Book Collection and the new Bilingual English/Spanish Book Collection. They can also select their preferred language for communication during the enrollment process.

In June, families already enrolled in the Imagination Library received an email announcing the new Bilingual English/Spanish book collection option, along with instructions on how to make the switch. Books from the new collection are expected to begin arriving in mailboxes in August.

“Regardless of the language a child knows, the joy of reading should be available for every young learner,” Governor Kotek said. “The expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library with a bilingual book collection throws the door open to that opportunity much wider. This will help improve our literacy outcomes and make sure every Oregon student, regardless of where they live or where they come from, has the opportunity to develop a love of reading before they ever step into a classroom."

The introduction of the Bilingual Collection has been eagerly anticipated since the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library launched in May of 2024. Thanks to funding from the State of Oregon, through the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), and 57 community organizations around the state, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is free for all families with children from birth to age five and available in all counties in Oregon.

“Literacy is not confined to a single language—it is nurtured through the languages children speak at home, the stories they hear, and the books they read with their families,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, DELC Director. “By offering culturally responsive and bilingual books, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program honors the richness of every child’s linguistic and cultural identity. The addition of a Spanish language book option means more families will have access to stories in the language that connects generations. I’m thrilled knowing that for those who choose this option, bilingual books will soon arrive in their mailbox—opening doors to literacy, learning, and a lifelong love of reading.”

Introducing books to children at an early age not only sets the stage to foster a love of reading, it also prepares them to be successful in school and life. The new bilingual collection will enable the Imagination Library to connect with more children and families across the state, significantly broadening the positive literacy impacts for young Oregonians by helping more children build personal libraries than ever before.

“Every child should grow up with stories that reflect their language, culture, and identity. Multilingual kids have a superpower that we should nurture and celebrate,” emphasized Representative Ben Bowman, Chief Sponsor of the legislation that made the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library in Oregon a reality. “This new bilingual collection shows our state’s commitment to making sure every child has the tools to learn, grow, and thrive.”

The Bilingual Collection was first piloted in California in 2023 and rolled-out to five more states in 2024. Oregon is excited to be among the 16 states added in 2025. States that now have access to the Bilingual Collection include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia. For a full list of the 2025 bilingual book collection visit imaginationlibrary.com/usa/book-list.

The Imagination Library of Oregon is free to families. Children can be registered as early as birth to receive new, high-quality, age-appropriate books addressed to them in the mail each month until their fifth birthday. To learn more or to enroll your child, visit www.imaginationlibrary.com/oregon. For the latest Oregon specific content, follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 280 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Community and State Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, Be More.

The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.

As temperatures rise and the risk of heat illness in the workplace increases, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) reminds employers to follow requirements designed to help protect workers from the hazards of extreme heat. The division offers free resources to help employers comply with requirements.
 

Under Oregon’s heat illness prevention rule, employers must implement protective measures, including  adequate water, rest, shade, acclimatization (gradual adaptation to working in the heat), communication and training, and emergency plans. The rule applies to workplaces whenever an employee is working and the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. More provisions apply when the heat index exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
 

“Employers need to take the dangers of high heat seriously by planning ahead, engaging their employees about the hazards, and following the heat rule’s provisions,” said Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA.
 

The heat illness prevention requirements apply across industries and where employers provide housing as a condition of employment. Under the Oregon Safe Employment Act, workers have a right to a safe and healthy workplace and the right to raise concerns free of retaliation. Under the law, employers must maintain safe and healthy working conditions.
 

Oregon OSHA urges employers to refresh their knowledge of the requirements:

• Key requirements for general workplaces – English/Spanish 
• Key requirements for employer-provided housing – English/Spanish

All heat illness prevention resources are available on Oregon OSHA's A-to-Z topic index page. They include a video training in English and Spanish that satisfies certain training elements of the heat rule.
 

Oregon OSHA also offers:
 

Consultation services – provides free and confidential help with safety and health programs, including how to control and eliminate hazards, and hands-on training. The services involve no fault, no citations, and no penalties.

• Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
• Field offices
• Online
• Email: consult.web@dcbs.oregon.gov

Technical staff – helps employers understand requirements and how to apply them to their worksites

• Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
• Online
• Email: tech.web@dcbs.oregon.gov

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, which includes Oregon OSHA as a division, maintains the Multicultural Communications Program that provides outreach to communities with limited English proficiency. That outreach encompasses information about on-the-job safety and health.
 

The Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers provides help with understanding workplace safety and health rights, and workers’ compensation rights.

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About Oregon OSHA: Oregon OSHA enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit osha.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

SALEM, Oregon—Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is creating a rulemaking advisory committee to discuss possible changes to sound and equipment standards to All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) use on public lands in Oregon.

House Bill 2232 was signed on March 19, 2025 and became effective upon passage. The bill transfers rulemaking responsibility for ATV safety equipment and noise emissions from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

State parks has temporarily adopted ODOT and DEQ’s rules for 180 days under ORS 183.335(5)(a). OPRD is in the process of reviewing the previous rules and developing permanent rules.

The current rules on noise emissions vary by type of vehicle. Requests have been made for a reduced sound limit in Oregon.

Many states use 96 dBA (decibels measured using the A-weighting scale) tested at 20 inches from the exhaust at a 45-degree angle at half RPM (revolutions per minute).

The proposed changes would update definitions for ATVs and look at other safety equipment standards. The committee will meet online 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2025 to review and discuss the proposed rule changes. The meetings are open to the public and can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/@oprddirectorsoffice5783/streams

The meeting agenda will include discussions to review sound levels and flag requirements to be consistent with other states. Committee members, appointed by OPRD, include individuals from around the state who are members of the off-road community, law enforcement, land managers and impacted neighbors.

After the committee reviews the proposed changes and staff make updates based on feedback and recommendations, the proposed rule will be open for public comment in August 2025. More information about this rulemaking is available on the OPRD website:  https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Ian Caldwell, at least three days in advance of a meeting at ian.caldwell@oprd.oregon.gov

Hood River, OR — [July 2025]

The Eye Openers Lions Club is thrilled to announce they will be serving both breakfast and lunch at the highly anticipated WAAAM Traffic Jam, hosted by the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) on Saturday, September 6, 2025 in Hood River, Oregon.

This beloved annual event brings together vintage car enthusiasts, aviation lovers, families, and the entire community for a full day of fun surrounded by classic vehicles and antique aircraft. Guests can admire an amazing array of restored cars, take museum tours, enjoy rides in antique planes, and soak up live music, raffles, and much more. For full event details, visit: https://waaamuseum.org/events/traffic-jam.

Hearty Meals for a Great Cause

The Eye Openers Lions Club is proud to serve hearty, satisfying meals to keep visitors energized throughout the day, while supporting local charitable work focused on sight and hearing programs.

Breakfast (Served in the Morning):

• Pancakes

• Sausage

• Scrambled Eggs

• Choice of Drink (coffee, juice, or water)

Start your day right with a warm, filling breakfast as you check in, set up your show car, or prepare to stroll among the rows of classic beauties.

Lunch (Available Midday):

• Hamburgers or Hot Dogs

  • Served with all the trimmings (lettuce, tomato, onions, condiments, etc.)

• Chips

• Drink

Perfect for families, car clubs, and visitors spending the whole day at the show, our lunch menu offers classic summer flavors with generous portions and friendly service.

Supporting Community Service

Proceeds from meals will help the Eye Openers Lions Club continue its mission of supporting sight and hearing programs in our community. Every pancake flipped and burger grilled helps fund vital screenings, treatments, and accessibility initiatives for Oregonians in need.

About WAAAM Traffic Jam

The WAAAM Traffic Jam is the Pacific Northwest’s premier antique auto and airplane show, held annually at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon. Featuring dozens of vintage cars and historic aircraft, it offers enthusiasts and families a unique, hands-on look at transportation history. Admission includes access to WAAAM’s extensive museum collection.

• Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025

• Location: WAAAM, 1600 Air Museum Road, Hood River, OR

• Learn More: waaamuseum.org/events/traffic-jam

Join us for good food, good fun, and a great cause at this year’s Traffic Jam! Follow @olshf on Facebook and Instagram for updates! 

The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs has signed a formal agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians that will provide a framework for collaboration and increased resources dedicated to supporting the Tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed Friday, June 27, by ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley, with Tribal government leaders and representatives, Tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership. The formal signing was hosted at ODVA’s headquarters in Salem.

The agreement will pave the way for the establishment of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ first Tribal Veterans Service Officer (TVSO), which will be jointly funded by ODVA and the Tribe to serve Siletz veterans and their families.

“Oregon’s Tribal veterans have long served with honor and distinction, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the care and recognition they have earned,” said Dr. Daniels. “By partnering with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, we are committing to a future where Siletz veterans are served in a way that honors their stories, their service, and their sovereign identity. We’re proud to walk alongside the Tribe in building something that will truly make a difference in the lives of their veterans and families.”

“I am excited for the future of our honored Tribal veterans and the opportunity this brings to them,” said Chairman Pigsley. “Not only to support them but to help advocate for them. This memorandum with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is more than a collaboration or a partnership. It’s a commitment to honoring and empowering those who have served our nation. Their deep-rooted connection to the veteran community and unwavering dedication to their well-being make them a trusted and invaluable partner.”

This Memorandum of Understanding is ODVA’s sixth with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and, most recently, the Coquille Indian Tribe in May.

Oregon’s statewide network of County and Tribal Veteran Service Offices are collaborative partnerships between the state and counties, or Tribal governments and deliver free local access to veteran benefits for veterans and their families.

Tribal Veteran Service Officers (TVSOs) are trained by ODVA and then accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through a series of regular trainings facilitated by both agencies. TVSOs provide a wide variety of benefits and services to veterans and their family members, including the development and submission of claims to the federal VA for earned veteran benefits.

To learn more about veteran benefits, resources and services near you, or to schedule a session with your local Veteran Service Officer, visit the website of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at www.oregon.gov/odva/Services/Pages/Tribal-Veteran-Services.aspx.

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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Last Friday, President Donald Trump signed the federal budget reconciliation bill—H.R. 1— into law. H.R. 1 extends tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of 2025, reduces federal food assistance, cuts funding for state Medicaid programs, and institutes policies that are likely to reduce Medicaid coverage.

The legislation’s deep cuts and profound structural changes to Medicaid will drive new conversations about the future of Oregon’s health care system. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we must move forward together to shape a health care landscape in this state that will be dramatically different from the one we know today. 

It is likely that you or someone you know is on Medicaid. One in three Oregonians has Medicaid (called the Oregon Health Plan) as their health insurance. If you aren’t one of those Oregonians, you might think the health care provisions in this bill won’t affect you. But Medicaid policy and budget choices matter to us all, because the health care system is propped up on a shaky foundation that blends private payments with government funding. When Medicaid falters, the structure begins to shake, risking the collapse of the entire system. 

Oregon is particularly vulnerable. For years, Oregon has intentionally maximized federal dollars to help fund the Medicaid program and expand insurance coverage. Now, with federal funding slashed, our health care system—already burdened by prescriptive and burdensome regulations, rising expenses, and payment that has not kept up with the cost of care—is at serious risk.

Oregon's health care system cannot absorb the cuts in H.R. 1 without significant disruption, and the results may be painful: service cuts, hospital and facility closures, longer wait times, and reduced access to insurance. As a state, we have hard choices to make. Now is the time for leadership. 

Some observations: 

• State Medicaid policy matters, but never more now than today. State policy and budget choices may mean the difference between having providers and hospitals in communities or not having them.
• It’s time to go back to basics. With declining resources, we must focus our resources on the most important services. But what health care services are the most important? And how do we make those decisions?  
• Regulatory relief is a necessity, and innovation is key. The state and federal regulatory environment is a barrier to innovation and cost containment. The decisions ahead will require us to revisit the dollars we are spending that do not impact patient care.   
• Providers are going to have to do hard things to survive. It’s painful in any community when a service closes, but if hospitals don’t reduce services, they may not be around at all. That is the reality many of our communities and their hospitals face. 
• In this environment, we must find structural cost savings. The multi-payer U.S. health care system results in significant resources spent on administrative costs. This includes the administrative cost of insurance, pharmacy benefit managers, and others that don’t directly deliver care. With fewer resources, we need to direct as much of the health care dollar toward patient care as possible. This may mean revisiting some of the assumptions we’ve made about our current system, necessitating a new vision for health care and the political will to execute on that vision. 

The decisions we face are wrenching. But health care stakeholders and policymakers now have an obligation to come together to navigate this new world. That will mean shared commitment and shared sacrifice. But perhaps, in this moment, we can redesign our broken system and find a better path forward. 

Last Friday, President Donald Trump signed the federal budget reconciliation bill—H.R. 1— into law. H.R. 1 extends tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of 2025, reduces federal food assistance, cuts funding for state Medicaid programs, and institutes policies that are likely to reduce Medicaid coverage.

The legislation’s deep cuts and profound structural changes to Medicaid will drive new conversations about the future of Oregon’s health care system. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we must move forward together to shape a health care landscape in this state that will be dramatically different from the one we know today. 

It is likely that you or someone you know is on Medicaid. One in three Oregonians has Medicaid (called the Oregon Health Plan) as their health insurance. If you aren’t one of those Oregonians, you might think the health care provisions in this bill won’t affect you. But Medicaid policy and budget choices matter to us all, because the health care system is propped up on a shaky foundation that blends private payments with government funding. When Medicaid falters, the structure begins to shake, risking the collapse of the entire system. 

Oregon is particularly vulnerable. For years, Oregon has intentionally maximized federal dollars to help fund the Medicaid program and expand insurance coverage. Now, with federal funding slashed, our health care system—already burdened by prescriptive and burdensome regulations, rising expenses, and payment that has not kept up with the cost of care—is at serious risk.

Oregon's health care system cannot absorb the cuts in H.R. 1 without significant disruption, and the results may be painful: service cuts, hospital and facility closures, longer wait times, and reduced access to insurance. As a state, we have hard choices to make. Now is the time for leadership. 

Some observations: 

• State Medicaid policy matters, but never more now than today. State policy and budget choices may mean the difference between having providers and hospitals in communities or not having them.
• It’s time to go back to basics. With declining resources, we must focus our resources on the most important services. But what health care services are the most important? And how do we make those decisions?  
• Regulatory relief is a necessity, and innovation is key. The state and federal regulatory environment is a barrier to innovation and cost containment. The decisions ahead will require us to revisit the dollars we are spending that do not impact patient care.   
• Providers are going to have to do hard things to survive. It’s painful in any community when a service closes, but if hospitals don’t reduce services, they may not be around at all. That is the reality many of our communities and their hospitals face. 
• In this environment, we must find structural cost savings. The multi-payer U.S. health care system results in significant resources spent on administrative costs. This includes the administrative cost of insurance, pharmacy benefit managers, and others that don’t directly deliver care. With fewer resources, we need to direct as much of the health care dollar toward patient care as possible. This may mean revisiting some of the assumptions we’ve made about our current system, necessitating a new vision for health care and the political will to execute on that vision. 

The decisions we face are wrenching. But health care stakeholders and policymakers now have an obligation to come together to navigate this new world. That will mean shared commitment and shared sacrifice. But perhaps, in this moment, we can redesign our broken system and find a better path forward. 

The Oregon Military Museum will host a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the museum’s grand re-opening, July 11, at 9:30 a.m., on Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Ore.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided following the ceremony.

“We are here to honor service members and to educate the public about their service,” said Kathleen Sligar, director and curator for the Oregon Military Museum. “I am so excited to see the looks on people’s faces, I think they’re going to be blown away when they walk into this space.

The exhibit galleries will be open until 12:30 p.m. for a first look at the museum’s four new exhibits:

•             We Are Oregon – Explore the people, technology, and actions that define Oregon’s military legacy on the local, national, and global stage

•             Small Arms, Big Impact – A curated collection of nearly 200 American, enemy, and ally small arms from the 1600s into the 21st century

•             History in Art – Discover artwork by and about the US Armed Forces, their provenance, and the contextual knowledge found within

•             Hall of Valor – A commemoration of the thirteen Medal of Honor recipients accredited to Oregon

The Oregon Military Museum has been closed for renovations since 2009 and will officially be open to the public Saturday, July 12.

Starting Wednesday, July 16, the museum will be open year-round, Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Historic Park will also be open Fridays and Saturdays through September.

The Oregon Military Museum honors, shares, and preserves Oregon’s military heritage and legacy, including the Oregon National Guard, the state’s early militias, and all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Thursday, July 10, 2025 

BEND, OR — As the sun goes down, creatures begin to stir. Moths begin their nightly pollination journey. Owls glide silently through the trees on the hunt for prey. Stars blink to life as bats dip and dive for insects. On Wednesday, July 16, the High Desert Museum invites visitors to celebrate the transition from day to night in the family-friendly event, Welcome the Night. 

From 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, go on a twilight adventure with community partners, Museum experts and local naturalists to learn about insects and bats, meet an owl and much more. The evening program encourages visitors to explore, experience and celebrate the creatures, both small and large, that thrive in the dark.

As visitors arrive, they are handed an adventure card and map that will navigate them through 17 stations located around the Museum. Visitors can get a stamp at each location before turning the card in for a chance at a raffle prize.

Inside the Museum, visitors begin their journey at the station of their choice. At the Winged Things Crafts station, kids can make moth or bat headbands before heading outside to the Meadow to play a Bat & Moth game. The Twilight Art Station invites visitors young and old to create stenciled twilight art using scratch paper. A local face painter leads a station where visitors can get their faces painted with the twilight creature of their choice.  

In the Desertarium, retired entomologist Dr. Jerry Freilich will share with visitors a vast collection of insects and the opportunity to see them magnified.  

When it’s time for a bite to eat, the Rimrock Café will be transformed into the Crepuscular Café, featuring food for purchase by Luckey’s Woodsman. A no-host bar will feature alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

Just outside the Desertarium, at the Red Light Green Light station, volunteers and Museum staff help visitors transition their flashlights and headlamps into night-friendly lights. The adventure continues outdoors as visitors explore the Museum trails.

At Cheney Pond, experts from the U.S. Forest Service will lead a Bat Detectives station that delves into the mystery of bats and their role in the High Desert ecosystem. Learn why bats dip and dive over water and get a closer look at how bat telemetry helps researchers track the movements and behavior of bats.

Nearby, representatives from Pollinator Pathway Bend will take visitors into the world of nighttime pollinators, such as moths, at the Pollination Station. Discover why moths are often attracted to light sources, artificial or natural, which cause them to become disoriented.

“Nocturnal wildlife thrive in a dark habitat free from light pollution,” said Donald M. Kerr Curator of Natural History Hayley Brazier, Ph.D. “Conserving dark skies is critical for nocturnal and crepuscular wildlife who depend on a dark nighttime habitat to survive.” 

As soon as the light dims and the sun hides behind the ponderosas, experts from Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory will open the telescopes. At this station, you can learn about the planets and galaxy as you gaze up into the twilight waiting for that first star to blink to life. DarkSky Oregon continues with a closer look at how light pollution affects not only our view of the stars but also the health and wellbeing of nocturnal wildlife.

Two owl encounters will take place at the E. L. Wiegand Pavilion in the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center. During the 15-minute encounters, visitors will learn from Museum wildlife staff how an owl hunts in the daytime and at night, using its large eyes and keen sense of hearing to surprise prey.  

Another stop on the adventure is the Forest at Night exhibition. Located within the Changing Forest pavilion, visitors will encounter animated representations of the High Desert’s nocturnal inhabitants on a large screen. Discover how animals with reflective eyes utilize moonlight to navigate and hunt. Gaze up at an interactive star map and explore the constellations that guide migratory birds. Learn more about the exhibition at highdesertmuseum.org/forest-at-night.  

Tickets for Welcome the Night are $10 for adults and children ages 3 and older, with a 20% discount for members. Children 2 and younger are free. Visitors are encouraged to bring headlamps or flashlights as the outdoor trails are unlit.  

Learn more about and get tickets for Welcome the Night at highdesertmuseum.org/welcome-the-night-2025. 

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 TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. 

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Salem, OR— With the halfway point of the income tax filing extension period approaching, the Oregon Department of Revenue wants to remind taxpayers who haven’t yet filed their 2024 tax return to do so as soon as they can.

“July 15 may be just the halfway point of the extension period, but for most people who haven’t yet filed their tax year 2024 return there’s no reason not to file now,” said Department of Revenue Director David Gerstenfeld.

Some people may not have filed because they didn’t have money to pay what they owe, but an extension to file is not an extension to pay any tax owed. Those who didn’t file and haven’t paid are only racking up additional late payment penalties and interest by waiting.

“Even if they can’t pay the full amount they owe, they should pay what they can as soon as they can to help lower penalties and interest,” the director said. “For those who can’t pay all they owe, filing a return offers them the opportunity to set up a payment plan with the state.”

Besides not being able to pay, people file for an extension for all kinds of reasons. Some are waiting on additional information or documents. Others are experiencing hardship in the days before the deadline and have to direct their attention elsewhere. Some people just put it off or forget.

“Whatever the reason, as soon as they have what they need, they should file,” Gerstenfeld said.

For some taxpayers, filing can mean receiving a refund.

Several free filing options and in-person tax assistance options remain available during the summer months.

One of those options is Direct File Oregon. More than 13,000 Oregon taxpayers filed their state returns with Direct File Oregon this year. Nearly 4,700 of those filers connected to Direct File Oregon after first filing their federal returns through IRS Direct File, which is still available through the end of the filing season.

So far in 2025, the department has processed more than 2.05 million of an expected 2.2 million returns. That leaves approximately 150,000 Oregon taxpayers who still need to file their tax year 2024 returns.

“Some tax situations are complex and require extra time—even months—to prepare, but most aren’t,” he said. “Filing as soon as you can makes good sense. It can save money and provide some peace of mind.”

Taxpayers with questions can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), the department accepts all relay calls.
 

The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) will meet in Grand Ronde at the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, and via online meeting on July 24 at 9:00 a.m. The agenda includes discussion of the National Register of Historic Places and a presentation on the 2024 historic cemeteries grant projects. The meeting is open to the public and the agenda includes an opportunity for public comment. Meeting information is on the agenda or you can follow this link to register for online access information.

State law established the seven-member Commission to maintain a listing of all historic cemeteries and gravesites in Oregon; promote public education on the significance of historic cemeteries; and help obtain financial and technical assistance for restoring, improving and maintaining their appearances. For more information about commission activities, contact coordinator Kuri Gill at 503-986-0685 or by e-mail at i.gill@oprd.oregon.gov">kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov.
 

Special accommodations for the meeting – including translation services – may be made by calling (503) 986‐0609 or erly.Spivey@oprd.oregon.gov">Kimberly.Spivey@oprd.oregon.gov at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting. For call-in details and the agenda or more information about the commission, visit www.oregonheritage.org.

SALEM, Ore. - This legislative session, the Oregon legislature and Gov. Tina Kotek continue to show their support for the Oregon Military Department through ongoing efforts to provide benefits to help strengthen the Oregon Army National Guard.

Two specific initiatives for recruiting and retention support went into effect on July 1, 2025. The first is a $5,000 bonus for a three-year extension for Guard members who have completed their initial enlistment and have not completed 17 years of service. The second is the Enlistment Enhancement Program. This is an agency-funded program where current Guard members and retirees can receive $2,000 payments for any recruitment leads that result in an enlistment into the Oregon Army National Guard. 

In addition to these benefits, the Oregon National Guard offers State Tuition Assistance, which provides tuition assistance for serving Guard members enrolled in an eligible Oregon postsecondary institution and now offers instate tuition rates to Oregon Guard members who live out of state.

“The Oregon National Guard is on track to increase strength by 2% by the end of the fiscal year, but were still more than 1,200 members short of reaching full strength,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, Director of Public Affairs for the Oregon Military Department.

The Oregon National Guard is authorized to have approximately 8,100 service members, consisting of 2,300 Air and 5,800 Army National Guard members.

“These initiatives assist with the Adjutant General’s goal to make the Oregon National Guard the Service of Choice for Oregonians,” Bomar said.

 The approved legislative actions for the Oregon Military Department this session were met with nearly unanimous bipartisan support.  Some of those highlights include:

1. SB 807 – One-time General Fund of $2.5 million towards Retention Bonus Program:
   1. Allows the Adjutant General to pay a bonus to a member of the Oregon National Guard who re-enlists or extends their service
       
2. SB 798 – In-state tuition rates apply to Oregon National Guard service members who live out of the state of Oregon.
    
3. SB 808 – Provides hiring and promotion preference in public employment for current and former Oregon National Guard members
    
   1. Adds 5 points to current and former state service members’ scores during interviews and 10 points for disabled veterans
       
   2. Provides equity for Oregon National Guard members who did not meet the previous statutory definitions to receive the preference
       
4. SB 5505 & SB 5506 – Authorization for three Capital Construction Projects for the Oregon National Guard
   1. Southern Oregon Field Maintenance Shop – $6.6 million
       
   2. Klamath Falls Readiness Center - $2.0 million
       
   3. Albany Armory Service Life Extension Project - $7 million
       
5. SB 5533 – Solution to a long-term funding issue for OMD IT Division and the Portland Air National Guard (PANG) base
    

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Released File Images of Oregon National Guard Soldiers and Airmen:

220520-Z-ZJ128-1003: Spc. Whitney Badders on rappel during the 821 Troop Command Battalion, Oregon National Guard team-building event, rappelling at the local Fire Department in Salem, Ore., on May 20, 2022. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

200816-Z-NJ272-0003: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team paddle an inflatable boat during training on August 16, 2020, at Cullaby Lake, near Warrenton, Oregon. Members of the unit completed tasks which included a swim test, paddling and maneuvering, and broaching recovery drills during their two-week annual training. (National Guard photo by Maj. Leslie Reed, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

231127-Z-NV612-2003: Oregon Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hernandez, 173rd Fighter Wing aircrew flight equipment, fits a mask to Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn, 19th Air Force commander, in preparation for Quinn's flight in an F-15D at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Oct. 27, 2023. Quinn spent two days at Kingsley Field meeting with Airmen and observing their F-15C training mission first-hand. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar)

200506-Z-CH590-0128: Oregon Army National Guard Soldier assigned to BRAVO 1-168 Aviation gives the ‘thumbs up’ as she helps prepare a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at the Pendleton Army Aviation Support Facility, May 6, 2020. Approximately 60 members of the unit are traveling to Fort Hood, Texas, as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

200914-Z-LM216-0424: Oregon Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers support the Oregon Department of Forestry with wild land firefighting efforts at the Two Four Two fire, Chiloquin, Ore., Sept. 14. Approximately 1000 Oregon Guard members are supporting overall firefighting efforts with both aviation and ground crews, in addition to supporting county liaison teams and Oregon State Police with both traffic control points and fatality search and rescue operations. (Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Holden, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

230604-Z-GP610-0208: Oregon Air National Guard Tech Sgt. Ron Mercer, Staff Sgt. Sam Ziegler, and Senior Airman Bailey Buck, all 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament Airmen, participate in a weapons loading competition, June 4, 2023, Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore. (Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Campbell)

240723-Z-UZ129-5529: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan Osborne from the Task Force Guardian rotation led by 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team with the Oregon National Guard assaults the objective in a force-on-force exercise during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 24-09, Fort Johnson, La., July 23, 2024. The JRTC's goal is to create realistic environments that help prepare units for complex operations. (Oregon National Guard photo by Sgt. Emily Simonson, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

240725-Z-NV612-1069: Oregon Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Ashley Vela, 173rd Fighter Wing weapons oad crew chief, monitors as Staff Sgts. Quinten Green and Samantha Kloss, 173rd Fighter Wing weapons, load live 20mm bullets into an F-15C Eagle at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, July 25, 2024. Additional precautions must be taken when loading live ammunition into the aircraft, making this training essential to ensuring that weapons Airmen are prepared and mission-ready. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar)

180803-Z-ZJ128-0002: Oregon Army National Guard 2nd Squad, Squad Leader Sgt. McFerrin from 1st Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry directs an assault on an enemy position, during the platoon’s Movement to Contact lane, part of the training of the Oregon Army National Guard’s, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC), Aug. 3, 2018 in Camp Roberts, California. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, 41st IBCT Public Affairs)

240225-Z-SP755-1002: Oregon Air National Guard Senior Airman Perry Johnston, an avionics technician with the 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, closes a hatch on an F-15C aircraft at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., on February 25, 2024. As a traditional guardsman, Johnston works as an ensemble skater for "Disney On Ice" when he's not maintaining electrical systems inside the F-15Cs and EXs. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Steph Sawyer)

250315-Z-CH590-4173: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers and Airmen take part in the Mogadishu Challenge event at the urban training village at Camp Rilea, near Warrenton, Oregon, on March 15, 2025, during the Army Best Warrior Competition from March 13-15, 2025. The full range of events assessed the warriors' physical fitness, land navigation skills, marksmanship, and other battlefield scenarios. These included a physical fitness test, rifle qualification, a 3-gun competition, an obstacle course, and a ruck march. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

250314-Z-CH590-3076: Oregon Army National Guard Spc. Justin Slothower, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, takes on the Obstacle Course during the Army Best Warrior Competition on March 14, 2025. Slothower won the Soldier tier competition, completing a full range of events that assessed the warriors' physical fitness, land navigation skills, marksmanship, and other battlefield scenarios. These included a physical fitness test, rifle qualification, a 3-gun competition, an obstacle course, and a ruck march from March 13-15, 2025. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

230221-Z-NJ272-0010: Oregon Army National Guard Capt. Kyle Roe, a troop commander with 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, skis the first of four legs of the men's relay competition at the Chief of the National Guard Bureau's Biathlon Nationals at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont, Feb. 21, 2023. Soldiers from more than 26 states and territories participated in the annual competition, which began in 1975. (National Guard photo by Maj. Leslie Reed, Oregon Military Department)

210517-Z-SP755-1027: Oregon Air National Guard Senior Airman Paul Julum, 142nd Civil Engineer Squadron, prepares the foundation for the construction of cabins to be utilized by the Girl Scouts at Camp Paumalu in Haleiwa, Hawaii, as part of an Innovation Readiness Training (IRT) mission, May 17, 2021. IRT Civil Engineer squadrons will be constructing new cabins, demolishing old structures, and beautifying Camp Paumalu from May through August 2021. Innovative Readiness Training builds mutually beneficial civil-military partnerships between US communities and the Department of Defense, providing high-quality, mission-essential training for Active, Guard, and Reserve support personnel and units. According to the recent easing of mask restrictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IRT personnel are allowed to be unmasked when working outdoors. (Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Steph Sawyer)

190515-Z-LM216-0940: Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. Blaze Bault, a crew chief with G Co. 1-189 AVN, Oregon Army National Guard, pauses during training at Exercise Maple. Maple Resolve 19-01 is located in Wainwright, AB, Canada. Maple Resolve is an annual brigade-level validation exercise for the Canadian Army's High Readiness Brigade and is designed to foster partnership among allied forces. (National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Holden, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

July 9, 2025

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

Recreational use advisory issued for Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a recreational use health advisory today for Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge due to the microcystin above recreational use values for human exposure. The lake is in Klamath County.

People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the wetland 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.

Due to the high level of microcystin and uncertainty about accumulation of toxins in fish, consuming fish caught at Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is not recommended at this time.

OHA encourages people to visit Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge 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 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

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PORTLAND, Ore. —As Oregon continues to experience persistent hot and dry conditions typical of midsummer, both community prevention efforts and swift responses from wildland firefighters are playing a crucial role in keeping large fires at bay. This season, fewer large wildfires have been reported compared to previous years, a positive trend that fire officials attribute to increased public awareness and the dedication of Initial Attack resources.

This summer, the Bureau of Land Management, along with other agency’s wildfire prevention strategies, are delivering real results. Community vigilance has been instrumental in preventing human-caused wildfires. People recreating, traveling, and working outdoors have stepped up by adhering to fire safety practices, following burn bans, and observing campfire restrictions and equipment guidelines. This collective responsibility is making a real difference in minimizing risk across the state.

Equally significant has been the outstanding performance of Initial Attack resources and technology. These critical first responders—including district firefighters, smokejumpers, and aviation crews—have remained on high alert and have responded rapidly to emerging fire starts. Their ability to contain fires during the first few hours of ignition is making all the difference.  These firefighters are using fire detection cameras to alert them to new fires across Oregon and Washington, giving them every advantage they can to detect, respond and suppress the wildfires at the smallest size possible.

“Initial Attack firefighters have been putting out a ton of fires before they get big. A lightning storm last week was causing 60–70 fires a day, and Initial Attack caught them all,” said Richard Parrish, Assistant Fire Management Officer. However, fire season is far from over and the lightning that occurred over the past couple of days did result some large fires and the BLM continues to support our partners with these fires. With many weeks of hot, dry weather still ahead, fire officials urge the public not to let their guard down. Continued attentiveness and adherence to fire safety guidelines remain essential.

Everyone can help reduce fire risk by taking simple but effective precautions:

• Stay updated on and comply with local fire restrictions.
• Never leave campfires unattended and extinguish them completely.
• Avoid driving or parking on dry vegetation, which can ignite fires.
• Ensure that trailer chains are secured and do not drag on the roadway.
• Operate outdoor equipment during the cooler parts of the day to reduce spark risk.

-BLM-

The BLM manages roughly 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.

PUBLIC SAFETY MEMORIAL FUND BOARD

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Public Safety Memorial Fund Board will hold a regular meeting on July 24, 2025, directly following the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training meeting that begins at 9:00 am. at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE Salem. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167.

Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. PSMFB Chair and Vice-Chair Nominations

   Presented by Marie Atwood

3. Approve April 24, 2025, Meeting Minutes

4. Budget Update

   Presented by Marie Atwood

5. John Christopher Kilcullen (DPSST #35147); Eugene Police Department; Supplemental Application for Discretionary PSMF Benefits

    Presented by Marie Atwood

6. Next meeting – October 23, 2025, directly following the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training meeting at 9:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. 

MALHEUR COUNTY, Ore. 9 July 2025 – On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at approximately 12:31 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash in Malheur County near Harper.

The preliminary investigation indicated that a blue Kenworth commercial motor vehicle, operated by Alberto Ruiz Gomez (33) of Hermiston, was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 near milepost 220 when it left the roadway onto the eastbound shoulder for an unknown reason. The operator overcorrected, causing the semi to flip over.
 

The operator (Gomez) was declared deceased at the scene.
 

The highway was impacted for approximately 1.5 hours during the on-scene investigation.
 

OSP was assisted by the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

# # #

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

BOARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS AND TRAINING

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2025, in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or juan.lopez-hernandez@dpsst.oregon.gov.

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

Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. Meeting Minutes

Approve the April 24, 2025, Meeting Minutes

3. Fire Policy Committee

a. Fire Policy Committee Update – Chris Heppel, Chair

4. Criminal Justice Policy Committees

a. Police Policy Committee Update – Scotty Nowning, Chair

b. Telecommunications Policy Committee Update – Michael Fletcher, Chair

c. Corrections Policy Committee Update – Jennifer Cameron, Chair

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

A. Chris Barnhart, DPSST No. 42754; DOC/Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on May 13, 2025.

B. Phillip Barrier, DPSST No. 60490; Lane County Sheriff's Office – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on May 13, 2025.

C. Randy Clark, DPSST No. 23388; Central Point Police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on May 22, 2025.

D. James Damon, DPSST No. 44535; DOC/South Fork Forest Camp – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the CPC on May 13, 2025.

E. Almedina Javor, DPSST No. 61328; Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on May 22, 2025.

F. Jeffrey Kienlen, DPSST No. 30358; The Dalles Police Department – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on May 22, 2025.

G. Alan Lynn, DPSST No. 31664; Albany Police Department – No Action

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on May 22, 2025.

H. Kent van der Kamp, DPSST No. 44640; Deschutes County Sheriff's Office – Revoke

Unanimous vote to recommend to the Board by the PPC on May 22, 2025.

I. Committee Appointments

Telecommunications Policy Committee

• • Dave Piercy – Oregon State Police, Appointment to the TPC, 1st term effective July 24, 2025.
  • Rosa Antoine – Association of Public Safety Communications Officers, 2nd term effective October 26, 2025.
  • Gary Bell – Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, 2nd term effective October 28, 2025.

5. Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee

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

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

A. Committee Appointments

Private Security/Investigators Policy Committee

• • Edward Flaa – Alarm Monitor Representative, Appointment to the PSIPC, 1st term effective July 27, 2025.
  • Scott Creager – Private Business or Governmental Entity Representative, Re-appointment to the PSIPC, 2nd term effective October 26, 2025.

B. Workgroups and Rulemaking Advisory Committees

DPSST recommends the Board approve three separate Workgroups to review and develop recommendations related to the standards and administrative rules for the following private security provider and entity topics:

• • HB 2183 – to review and recommend rules establishing a procedure for recognition of prior law enforcement experience toward completion of the training required for private security professional certification
  • Armed Training – to review and recommend armed training curriculum revisions and supporting rule changes
  • Private Security Entity Licensing – to review the rules adopted in 2024 for the private security entity license (post-implementation review of the new program)

6. Legislative Update – Jennifer Howald

7. Agency Updates – Agency Director, Phil Castle

9. Next Meeting Date: October 23, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

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

July 9, 2025

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

OHA lifts Nye Beach health advisory

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) today lifted a public health advisory for contact with ocean water at Nye Beach, in Lincoln County.

The health authority issued the advisory July 2, after water samples showed higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters.

Results from follow-up tests taken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) showed lower bacteria levels. Contact with the ocean water no longer poses a higher-than-normal risk.

Officials recommend staying out of large pools on the beach that are frequented by birds, and runoff from those pools, because the water may contain increased bacteria from fecal matter.

Since 2003, state officials have used a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to monitor popular Oregon beaches and make timely reports to the public about elevated levels of fecal bacteria.

Oregon state agencies participating in this program are OHA, DEQ and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

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

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Commercial health insurance payments increasing, vary widely 

Salem, OR – The Oregon Secretary of State (SOS) has released an audit of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and its State Procurement Services (SPS). DAS SPS is the central procurement authority for most executive branch agencies and provides services across state and local government.

The audit identified the need for DAS to dedicate resources to a comprehensive compliance program and to provide enhanced customer service to support state agencies with their procurement, contracting and training needs. While the state’s eprocurement platform, OregonBuys, is meeting many of its goals, the audit also identified the need for improvements to OregonBuys’ functionality to improve the ability to analyze state spending.

"State contracting has been difficult to navigate for too long. Both businesses and government agree: it's time for a change. Governor Kotek has tasked me with overhauling this overly complex system. We must make contracting accessible and responsive for all Oregonians, ensuring it works for both government and businesses," said DAS Director Betsy Imholt.

Oregon state agencies rely heavily on procurement and contracting to acquire essential goods and services. These activities come with significant risks and require effective processes and oversight to ensure efficiency, security and equity. DAS SPS oversees public procurement and contracting for the state and holds primary authority over most state purchasing and contracting processes.

DAS agrees with all eight audit recommendations and is committed to making improvements to enhance procurement and contracting processes. 

SALEM, Ore. – Adult emerald ash borers (EAB) start emerging in Oregon in early June. However, the majority emerge this month (July). The size of a penny, adults are hard to spot and usually are only found in traps. If you think you’ve seen one, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon Department of Agriculture ask that you first make sure it’s not a common lookalike bug.

“You can find a good description and photos comparing EAB to other common insects in Oregon that are also green in color at OregonEAB.com,” said ODF EAB Specialist Kat Bethea. “If you can capture the insect in a jar or other container that’s ideal, but at least try and take a clear, close-up photo. This helps us identify the insect in question much more easily.”

Bethea said people suspecting they’ve found EAB should report it over the phone to 1-866-INVADER or online at https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org/reports/create. Attaching a clear photo is important. Bethea said people who know they have an ash tree and notice a decline should report it the same way.

“Any ash tree can be infested, including native Oregon ash as well as non-native street, park and yard trees. Signs of infestation include thinning and yellowing leaves, bark splitting, D-shaped holes in the tree bark, and basal shoots,” said Bethea.

About EAB

A small, metallic-green beetle native to eastern Asia, EAB was first found in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002. It has since killed tens of millions of ash trees across the eastern United States, with death rates of 99 percent or higher.

ODF EAB Specialist Matt Mills said EAB’s larvae burrow into the bark of ash trees, causing canopy dieback and, ultimately, tree death.

“The half-inch beetle is often challenging to detect, especially in newly infested trees. That’s why ODF, in collaboration with the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, made sticky purple traps available to select landowners, primarily in the Willamette Valley. Those traps contain a lure and are checked every couple of weeks during the summer when adult EAB are flying.”

Mills said EAB is currently known to be in Washington County in the Forest Grove and Cornelius areas and a short distance into northern Yamhill County. It has also been found along Butte Creek between Marion and Clackamas counties, as well as in Woodburn, Mt. Angel and the Yoder area.

“You can find whether you’re in an EAB-infested area or close to one by checking an online map we’ve created. It shows the four counties where firewood from hardwood trees cannot be removed. That quarantine also covers any part of ash, olive or white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus),” said Mills.

For people who want to protect their ash trees before they become infested, there is an effective insecticide that can be injected at the base of the tree’s trunk, said Mills.

“It gets taken up into the tree canopy and is quite effective at protecting the tree from both adults and larvae.”

Mills said treatments must be done every two or three years by a licensed pesticide applicator.

“That’s why we recommend only treating high-value trees in good condition,” he said.” Ash trees planted in the wrong place to reach their mature size, such as under powerlines, should be removed as time and funds permit and replaced with species that aren’t susceptible to EAB.” 

                                                                   # # #

SALEM, Ore. – The State Land Board voted unanimously today to appoint Kaitlin Lovell as Director of the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL). Lovell will begin her four-year term in early August 2025.

Lovell brings more than two decades of experience in environmental policy, restoration, and natural resource law. Since 2007, she has led habitat protection and restoration initiatives for the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, where her work has focused on environmental regulation, permitting, land use, and innovative financing strategies for large-scale environmental projects. She also played a key role in developing a publicly owned mitigation bank in Portland.

Earlier in her career, Lovell served as salmon policy coordinator and counsel for Trout Unlimited. She helped shape science-based state and federal policies and contributed to Oregon’s first recovery plans for salmon and steelhead populations in the Oregon Coast, Lower Columbia, and Willamette regions. She also worked as assistant university counsel at Cornell University.

Lovell holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School with a concentration in public law and a B.S. in environmental science from Bucknell University. She has served on several DSL advisory bodies, including the Elliott State Research Forest Board of Directors and a committee reviewing Oregon’s wetland and waterway permitting rules.

Lovell will begin her tenure by visiting communities across Oregon to hear directly from the people and partners DSL serves. As director, she plans to deepen the agency’s understanding of local needs and opportunities while strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations, local governments, and community partners and groups.

“The work of the Department of State Lands matters to every corner of Oregon,” Lovell said. “I'm committed to listening, learning, and building trust across the state so we can steward Oregon’s lands and waters together.”

“Kaitlin is a proven leader who understands how much healthy lands and waters contribute to a thriving Oregon,” Governor Tina Kotek said, chair of the State Land Board. “Her long commitment to public service makes her well prepared to lead DSL at a time when stewardship and long-term sustainability must guide our work. I know she will work hard to ensure DSL’s programs and services reflect the needs and values of all Oregonians.”

By Oregon law, the State Land Board appoints the DSL director to a four-year term. The director leads the agency in managing lands to benefit schools, protects waterways and wetlands, and oversees South Slough Reserve and the Elliott State Research Forest.

Vicki Walker, who served as DSL director from 2018 until her retirement on June 30, announced her intent to step down in December 2024.

Until Lovell begins her role in August, Deputy Director Bill Ryan will serve as interim director.

About the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands: The State Land Board consists of Governor Tina Kotek, Secretary of State Tobias Read, and State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. Established by the Oregon Constitution in 1859, the Land Board oversees the state’s Common School Fund. The Department of State Lands is the Land Board’s administrative agency, managing the lands and resources that help fund Oregon’s public schools and protecting the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide.

###

Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has deployed Incident Management Team 1 (IMT 1) to the Klamath-Lake District to manage the Elk Fire in the Bly Mountain area. This is the second ODF IMT deployment in the last 24 hours.

After multiple days of lightning strikes in the area, the firefighters in the Klamath-Lake District have been working nonstop. In support of the district, ODF IMT 1 will take over the Elk Fire so that local resources may focus on extinguishing new ignitions and smaller fires in the district.

“Our firefighters have been all hands on deck after 10 straight days of lightning, which has stretched our local resources thin,” ODF Klamath-Lake District Forester Teresa Williams said. “With the help of ODF IMT 1, we’ll be able to regroup, reassign resources and continue protecting our communities from wildfire.”

The fire is currently estimated to be over 1,000 acres. ODF IMT 1 will in brief at 5 p.m. tonight and take command of the fire at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. The Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilized a local task force yesterday to protect nearby structures and those resources demobilized that evening. For up to date evacuation information, follow the Klamath County Sheriff's Office or visit the following official site: https://protect.genasys.com/search.

“The professionalism, expertise and adaptability of our IMTs mean that we can answer the call within 24 hours to help our fellow Oregonians and their communities through any emergency,” said ODF’s Protection Division Chief Michael Curran.

As firefighters continue to work to suppress natural-caused fires, reduce the strain on firefighters by preventing new human-caused fires. Follow local regulations currently in place: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.

SALEM, Oregon—The Local Government Grant Program Advisory Committee will hold public meetings to review grant applications 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 29, 30 and 31.  

The meetings will be held at the Best Western Plus, Mill Creek Inn, 3125 Ryan Dr. SE, Salem, OR 97301.  The meetings can also be viewed via Zoom.

Applicants to the Local Government Grant Program (LGGP) will present their proposed projects for acquiring, planning, developing and rehabilitating outdoor recreation facilities. The committee will evaluate and score all applications and create a priority ranking list of projects to be funded. The list will be forwarded to the Oregon State

Parks and Recreation Commission for final review and approval.

A schedule listing applicants and their specific presentation times is posted on the Local Government Grant Program web page at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/GRA/pages/GRA-lggp.aspx#2 . A link to view the Zoom meeting will also be posted at the site.

The LGGP Advisory Committee consists of ten members who represent cities, counties, park and recreation districts, port districts, people with disabilities and the general public. They also represent various geographic areas of the state. 

The LGGP was established in 1999 to direct a portion of state lottery revenue to award grants to eligible applicants for outdoor park and recreation projects. The program is administered by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). 

For more information about the LGGP, visit oprdgrants.org.

Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has deployed Incident Management Team 3 (IMT 3) to the ODF Southwest Oregon District to assist district personnel following last night’s lightning.

Over the last 24 hours the ODF Southwest Oregon District has confirmed over 72 known fires across Jackson and Josephine counties and been actively engaged across the board, straining all resources in the district.  ODF IMT 3 will support the district by relieving the local resources and allowing them to focus on suppressing smaller fires and initial attack on new fires.

“Our firefighters have been working around the clock to keep these fires as small as we can, but resources are becoming limited, especially with other incidents across Oregon and the country competing for the same emergency response professionals,” ODF Southwest Oregon District Forester Dan Quinones said. “Bringing in ODF IMT 3 will allow us to regain our strength locally, handing some of these fires off to firefighters who hold the same drive to take them off the map as quickly as possible. Protecting our communities and putting out fires remain our top priorities.”

ODF resources continue to work with federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as well as local and county structural fire departments. This teamwork is a direct reflection of the complete and coordinated fire response system in southern Oregon.

The team will in brief at 12 p.m., July 9, and take command of the complex at 6 p.m.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties. As firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/. Click or tap if you trust this link.">https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.

For current fire information, please follow ODF Southwest Oregon’s Facebook page.

SALEM, OR — The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is pleased to announce the appointment of George B. Lopez as the new Director of the Office of Tribal Affairs, effective July 7, 2025.
 

Lopez joins ODHS with extensive experience in tribal governance and community leadership. Most recently, he served as General Manager for the Klamath Tribes, where he led key administrative and community-based programs, managed a multimillion-dollar budget, and played a leading role in advancing tribal sovereignty and partnerships across education, public safety, and infrastructure development.
 

“This role is essential to ODHS’s continued collaboration with Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes,” said ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “George brings a deep commitment to Tribal communities and a strong track record of advocacy across Oregon. His experience will be a tremendous asset as we strengthen our government-to-government relationships. We’re excited to welcome him to the team and confident he’ll help advance our mission in meaningful ways.”
 

The appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process and will ensure continuity in leadership and support for tribal engagement.
 

"I'm excited to take on this role and work with the Nine Tribes of Oregon, ODHS staff and leadership, and our partners at all levels," said George B. Lopez, incoming Director of the ODHS Office of Tribal Affairs. "I’m committed to building strong relationships and supporting efforts that make a real difference for Tribal children, families and elders across the state."
 

ODHS also extends its sincere thanks to Sherril Kuhns, who served as interim director. Her dedication to tribal affairs and leadership during this transition have made a lasting impact on the agency’s work with Tribal Nations.
 

For more information about the Office of Tribal Affairs and ODHS’s government-to-government work, visit https://www.oregon.gov/dhs.

Media Contact:
ODHS Communications Office
ODHS-Media@odhs.oregon.gov
(503) 945-5600

Correction: Headline corrected to Linn County.

Linn County, Ore. 8 July 2025- On Sunday, July 6, 2025, at 4:09 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Highway 34, near milepost 6, in Linn County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a pedestrian, Logan James Irwin (24) of Tangent, entered the eastbound lane and was struck by an eastbound Subaru outback, operated by Edward Thomas Peterson. 

The pedestrian (Irwin) was declared deceased after being transported to an area hospital. 

The Subaru operator (Peterson) was reportedly uninjured and remained at the scene.

The highway was impacted for approximately three 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.

NEWPORT, Oregon— South Beach State Park will host its annual sandcastle competition 10 a.m. to noon July 26 in Newport.

Anyone can compete as an individual or as a team for a chance to win first, second or third place. Prizes include baskets with an assortment of beach-themed prizes with the first-place basket stocked with four tickets to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Visitors interested in competing can sign up in person starting at 9:30 a.m. July 26 on the beach next to the South Beach day-use parking lot.

"It's a great opportunity for visitors to share their sand sculpting skills and connect with park volunteers and rangers," said Ranger Patrick Newhall.

Last year, 20 teams with a total of 65 competitors vied for the top spots. And as many as 190 visitors watched the sandcastles take shape.

For more information, please contact South Beach State Park at (541) 867-7451 Ext. 0.  

Gina Fire Update #3

Fire crews continue making progress to contain the Gina Fire off Spring River Road south of Sunriver. The Evacuation Level 1 has been dropped. There is no more danger of the fire spreading at this point or threatening additional homes or structures.

Update #2: 6:40pm

The Level 2 Evacuation for the area of Spring River Road and Besson Road south of Sunriver has been reduced to a Level 1 Evacuation: Be Ready.

UPDATE:  6:25PM

Crews from the Forest Service, Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch, LaPine Fire, and Sunriver Fire are working together and have made good containment on the fire in the area of Spring River Road south of Sunriver, now called Incident 487. The LEVEL 2 Evacuation remains in effect.

It’s been determined that a house fire began spreading to nearby forest land. Nobody has been injured in the fire. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Deputies on the scene say everyone in the area is currently safe. We’ll continue providing updates as fire crews make progress and additional information becomes available.   

Due to fire activity South of Sunriver in the area of Spring River Road, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has issued the following evacuation notices:

Level 2 (Be Set) Evacuation notice is issued for the following areas:

Gena Lane, Lisa Lane, and all roads off Besson Road and Cooper Drive and North of Spring River Road.

A temporary Evacuation Point is being established at Three Rivers Elementary School located at 56900 Enterprise Drive in Sunriver.

Level 2: Means “BE SET” to evacuate. You must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice. This level indicates significant danger to your area, and residents should either voluntarily relocate to a shelter or with family and friends outside of the affected area, or if choosing to remain, to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Residents MAY have time to gather necessary items, but doing so is at their own risk. This may be the only notice you receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee that they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Area media services will be asked to broadcast periodic updates.

Follow the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-date information. Current maps, including evacuation areas, can be found at: https://deschutes.org/emergency

For fire information, you can visit the Central Oregon Fire Information site at: www.centraloregonfire.org

Make sure you are registered for Deschutes Alerts to receive evacuation and emergency alert and warnings in your area by going to www.deschutesalerts.org

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is a full-service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with five K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff Kent van der Kamp, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 259 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 193 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.