UPDATE, 10/14/19 at 5:50 p.m.: JCSO SAR staff and volunteers continue to search for Geraldine “Gerry” Hendricks Monday evening. SAR teams are using ground and air resources in the search.  In a press conference earlier Monday, Sgt. Shawn Richards described the extensive search effort that has been underway since Hendricks was reported missing on Saturday.  He said many resources are being utilized to search for Hendricks. He expressed optimism that the search will have a positive outcome. Detectives are assisting with interviewing witnesses and will follow any leads that come in. Sheriff Nathan Sickler thanked the local community as well as the numerous agencies and personnel who have supported the search.

UPDATE, 10/14/19 at 9:30 a.m.: SAR officials report no new developments in the search for Geraldine Hendricks, who remains missing this morning. Sergeant Shawn Richards will discuss the search at a press conference at 11 a.m. Tune in to local media for updates. We will provide an additional update later today.

UPDATE, 10/13/19 at 6:55 p.m.:  Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) officials say search personnel covered a lot of ground Sunday, but have not located Geraldine “Gerry” Hendricks.  The search will be scaled back after nightfall for safety reasons, but SAR personnel will remain there overnight. 

Sunday’s search included SAR personnel from Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Klamath, Siskiyou, and Modoc counties, and personnel from the Oregon State Police and Oregon Fish and Wildlife.  SAR teams searched with ground teams, K9’s, ATV’s, hasty rigs, and drones.  A private fixed wing aircraft and Civil Air Patrol also checked the area from above. 

Hendricks reportedly walked away from her home in the 4400-block of Obenchain Road after 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 12.  SAR officials would like to hear from anyone who may have seen Hendricks on Saturday.  Those with information can call dispatch at (541) 776-7206. 

Refer to the information released previously for additional details and a description of Hendricks. 

Release, 10/13/19 at 9:24 a.m.

BUTTE FALLS, Ore. — Reinforcements have arrived from regional search and rescue (SAR) organizations to assist in the search for a missing woman with dementia. Geraldine “Gerry” Hendricks, 80, was reported missing from her home on Saturday evening. 

On October 12, 2019, at 6:44 p.m., dispatch received a call from Hendricks’ family in the 4400-block of Obenchain Road. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and search and rescue personnel responded to initiate the search.

SAR personnel, including canine teams, searched through the night, but were hampered by darkness and terrain.  Additional resources were deployed at daylight Sunday, ramping up the search effort.

Hendricks is described as 5’2”, 100 lbs., with short dark gray hair. She was last seen wearing a pink flannel long sleeve pajama set. 

SAR officials believe Hendricks left her home on foot sometime after 6:15 p.m. Saturday.  They would like to hear from anyone who may have seen her walking or given her a ride. Anyone with information can call dispatch at (541) 776-7206. 

SAR officials thank everyone who has offered to respond to the area and help search; however, they ask people to stay clear of the area at this time so search teams can be managed effectively.  If a need for additional searchers does arise, SAR officials will make a public request. 

Assisting agencies include those that make up the California-Oregon Regional Search and Rescue (CORSAR) group, as well as the Oregon State Police.  Air resources have also been dispatched to assist. 

No further information is available for release at this time.  

Case # 19-21669

###

October 14, 2019

Media Contacts: Rebeka Gipson-King, OHA, 503-756-0366, ebeka.gipson-king@dhsoha.state.or.us">rebeka.gipson-king@dhsoha.state.or.us
Oregon State Police PIO, osppio@state.or.us

Oregon State Hospital seeks missing patient

A 33-year-old Oregon State Hospital psychiatric patient, Peace Wickham, was reported missing Monday, Oct. 14. Anyone seeing Wickham should call 911, the Oregon State Police at 800-452-7888 or OSP on their mobile device.

Wickham is not considered to be an imminent danger to himself or others. He is accused of unauthorized departure. OSP is conducting an investigation to help locate him. Wickham should not be approached.

Wickham was admitted from Lane County to the Junction City campus of Oregon State Hospital Sept. 7, 2016. Wickham was found guilty except for insanity on the charges of assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and felon in possession of a restricted weapon.

He was last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m., on the grounds of Luther House, 1824 University St., Eugene, Oregon, where he was attending a group activity. Wickham walked away from the group and left the immediate area.

Hospital officials, who reported the missing patient to state and local law enforcement agencies, described Wickham as a male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 255 pounds, with a shaved head and brown eyes. He has two tattoos, the state of California on his right forearm and Hawaii on his left forearm. When last seen, he was wearing a gray fleece sweat shirt, tan pants, and tan hiking shoes with rubber laces.

OSP will issue any future news releases regarding this case.

If you believe in the adage that there is safety in numbers, it’s time to register to participate in this annual earthquake drill.

Media is invited to Benson High School, Oct. 17, to observe the Great Oregon ShakeOut earthquake drill, a Youth Disaster Academy, and to talk to a ShakeAlert early earthquake warning subject matter expert. Representatives from the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, FEMA Region X and the University of Oregon will be in attendance. 

The morning of October 17, prior to the drill at 10:17 a.m., students at Benson High School will begin a Youth Disaster Academy organized by Portland Public Schools, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, and Portland Fire & Rescue to learn emergency preparedness skills. The training includes hands-only CPR, an introduction to search and rescue/medical triage, small fire suppression, radio communications and an overview of local hazards. 

Also on ShakeOut day, more than 277 Neighborhood Emergency Team members in the Portland area will participate in the fifth semi-annual, city-wide emergency response exercise from 6 to 9 p.m. on the evening of the ShakeOut.

This year’s ShakeOut is happening as valuable new, early earthquake warning technology, ShakeAlert, is being developed and implemented. An early-warning system, ShakeAlert detects significant earthquakes quickly so that alerts can reach many people before shaking starts.  A ShakeAlert subject matter expert from the University of Oregon will be available to talk about ShakeAlert and its implementation in Oregon. 

WHAT:             Great Oregon ShakeOut and Youth Disaster Academy

WHEN:             October 17, 9:15-11 a.m. (ShakeOut drill takes place at 10:17 a.m., lasting approximately two minutes)

WHERE:           Benson High School (546 NE 12th Ave); please check in with front office upon arrival.

SITE CONTACT: Dan Douthit, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, (503) 793-1650

All Oregonians are encouraged to join the ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:17 a.m. on October 17 and to practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On." For more information, and to register for the ShakeOut, go to: www.shakeout.org/oregon.

“Earthquakes are one of the natural hazards we face in Oregon and “The Great ShakeOut is a safe and fun way to practice what to do when seismic activity occurs,” says Althea Rizzo, geologic hazards awareness program coordinator at Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management.

On October 17th, 2019 at 10:17 AM, the City of Roseburg and many local agencies, families and businesses will participate in the Great Oregon ShakeOut, a state-wide earthquake drill which prepares Oregonians to survive the fury and devastation of an earthquake.  During the drill, participants will practice “drop, cover and hold on” for one to two minutes.  City of Roseburg employees will then practice an evacuation drill from their places of work.  At the conclusion of the drill, employees will be able to assess their work spaces for items which might fall and injure them during an actual earthquake, making any necessary changes.

In 2018, over 670,000 Oregonians participated in the ShakeOut.  So far, the total for Oregon is 698,576, with over 3,463 Douglas County residents signed up to “drop, cover and hold on”.  Here are just a few of your friends and neighbors who will be participating in this year’s event: City of Roseburg employees, Douglas County employees, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Douglas County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES), UCAN / Head Start, Evergreen Family Medicine, Department of Human Services, ADAPT, Douglas Electric Cooperative, and many more local businesses, churches, volunteer groups and families.

If you have not already signed up, this is your opportunity to be counted in the largest earthquake drill ever and set an example that motivates others to get involved.  To participate, go to www.ShakeOut.org/oregon/register and pledge your family, school, business, or organization’s involvement in the drill.  Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their drill and how to spread the message of earthquake preparedness to others.  All organizers ask is that participants register (so they can be counted and receive communications), and at the minimum practice "drop, cover, and hold on" at 10:17 AM on October 17th. It is only a five-minute commitment for something that can save your life.  It all begins with registering, which is free and open to everyone.

For more information, visit www.ShakeOut.org/oregon, or contact the Roseburg Fire Department.

For the latest information regarding the City of Roseburg Fire Department, please visit our website at www.cityofroseburg.org or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roseburgfire.

(Salem) – A two-day event in Portland this week will offer employers, workers, insurers, medical providers, and others a variety of opportunities to improve their understanding of the workers’ compensation system in Oregon.

The 17th annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference – to be held Oct. 17-18 at the Red Lion on the River, Jantzen Beach – offers speakers and sessions on everything from Oregon’s return-to-work programs and employee leave laws to independent contractors and worker safety and health.

The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division is presenting the conference, in coordination with the International Workers’ Compensation Foundation.

“This is a major opportunity to learn about current and emerging issues affecting the workers’ compensation system,” said Lou Savage, administrator of the Workers’ Compensation Division. “This conference will offer tools and resources to help improve processes and services that affect injured workers, employers, and others.”

On Oct. 18, Mark McMullen, Oregon’s state economist and the director of the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, will deliver the conference’s keynote presentation. Other speakers include Dr. David Harris, of Providence Medical Center, who will address non-opioid strategies in pain management.

The event’s breakout sessions include:

• Workers’ compensation 101
• Employment law update
• Independent contractors
• National perspective on legalized marijuana
• Safety programs
• Worksite modification
• Crossing language barriers

Registration for the conference is $350 per person. For more information or to register, go to https://wcd.oregon.gov/training/conference/Pages/index.aspx

Those who are interested in attending may also contact Conference Coordinator Addy Null, 503-947-7601, or .null@oregon.gov">adeline.r.null@oregon.gov.

###

The Workers’ Compensation Division, part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, administers and regulates laws and rules that affect participants in the Oregon workers’ compensation system, including workers, employers, insurers, claims examiners, attorneys, and medical providers. For more information, visit https://wcd.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.

 

The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help for information regarding the unlawful take of a buck deer north of Sisters.  A 4x4 buck deer was found shot with a rifle and left to waste near the intersection of Camp Polk Rd and Wilt Rd.  Investigators believe the deer was shot sometime around September 5th during the buck deer archery season.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact OSP Trooper Aaron Roth or through the Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or OSP (mobile).

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators 

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

Preference Point Rewards:

5 Points-Bighorn Sheep

5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

Or the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, Furbearers, Game Fish and Shellfish.  Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags.

CASH REWARDS:
$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose

$500 Elk, Deer and Antelope

$300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf 
$300 Habitat Destruction

$200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tag(s)

$200 Unlawful Lend/Borrow Big Game Tags(s) 
$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl 
$100 Furbearers 

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish 

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

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

TIP E-Mail: TIP@state.or.us (Monitored M-F 8:00AM - 5:00PM)

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ### 
Twitter: @ORStatePolice 
Facebook: @ospsocial

 

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – A local mother was arrested Sunday after a crash that sent her two children to the hospital.  Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies suspect alcohol impairment contributed to the crash. 

On October 13, 2019, at 1:55 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call reporting a rollover crash in the 2200-block of Kirtland Road, near the intersection with High Banks Road.  The caller reported one person had been ejected from the white 2008 Toyota Tercel during the crash. 

Deputies responded to the scene, along with personnel from Oregon State Police, Fire District 3, and Mercy Flights.  Deputies say the driver, Amanda Leigh Knutson, 31, of Gold Hill, and her two sons, ages 6 and 10, were the occupants of the vehicle.  The six-year-old was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. 

All occupants were transported to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center with injuries.  At the time of this release, the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. 

Knutson was issued criminal citations for the following charges:  driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII); assault in the third degree; recklessly endangering another person; and reckless driving.  She was released to the care of the hospital to receive medical treatment.  The case will be forwarded to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.  Anyone with information can call Deputy Ponder at (541) 774-6800. 

Case #19-21731

###

Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into Sunday evening’s two vehicle fatal crash in Highway 18 near Sheridan. 

On Sunday October 13, 2019 at about 10:15 PM, OSP troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle head-on crash on Highway 18 near milepost 35. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that a Chevrolet pickup, operated by Mark DALY, age 60, from Portland, was eastbound on Highway 18 when for unknown reasons it crossed the center line.  After crossing the center line, the Chevrolet pickup hit a westbound Ford F150 pickup, operated by Shawn SMITH, age 42, from Sheridan. 

Both drivers were pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

Highway 18 was closed for about four (4) hours following the crash.

OSP was assisted by Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT and Sheridan Fire Department.

Photograph provided by OSP. 

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ### 
Twitter: @ORStatePolice 
Facebook: @ospsocial

Summary: SAIF’s annual ag seminars will be held in 17 cities across the state and online in English and Spanish.

__________________________________

Farm work is a whole lot safer than it used to be. But as far as SAIF is concerned, even one injury or illness is too many.

That’s why SAIF is offering 29 free ag safety seminars in 17 cities across Oregon. The first will be in La Grande on October 28, and they’ll continue through March. Nine of the seminars will be presented entirely in Spanish. Last year, more than 2,180 workers and employers attended SAIF’s seminars.

“We purposely hold these in the off-season to encourage attendance,” said Courtney Merriott, senior safety management consultant at SAIF and presenter at this year’s seminars. “Our goal is to provide the latest safety content for the industry, so that every ag worker goes home safe and healthy each night.”

This year’s seminars will focus on four topics: respiratory personal protective equipment, working at elevation, safety leadership for anyone, and incident analysis—a structured process for identifying what happened and reducing recurrence of injuries moving forward.

In March, SAIF will also offer webinars online in English and, new this year, Spanish.

The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don’t have to be insured by SAIF.

In-person seminars will be held in Bandon, Central Point, Clackamas, Corvallis, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Madras, Milton-Freewater, Ontario, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

Spanish seminars will be held in Central Point, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

All will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

Employers with small ag businesses who attend the seminar, or watch the webinars, will meet OSHA’s instructional requirement—one of four requirements that exempt small agricultural operations from random OSHA inspections.

Three hours of technical and one hour of business continuing education credits will be offered if approved by the Landscape Contractors Board. Producer continuing education credit hours for licensed insurance agents have been requested and are pending approval by the Department of Consumer and Business Services.

More information—including registration details—can be found at www.saif.com/agseminars.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. Since 1914, we've been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.     

SALEM, Ore -- Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon, spoke at two separate mobilization ceremonies honoring units from the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they prepare for overseas assignments, Sunday Oct. 13, 2019.

The first ceremony was at 10 a.m. at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Oregon, for Citizen-Soldiers from 1-186th Infantry Battalion and the 141st Brigade Support Battalion, as they prepare to depart to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

The second ceremony was at 3:30 p.m. at St. Helens High School, Oregon, for Soldiers from Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion and the 141st Brigade Support Battalion, as they depart for the Middle East.

The two units are part of several deployments that the 41st IBCT are sending to different areas of the world. In total, the 41st is scheduled to deploy more than 1,600 Oregon service members to five different countries: Djibouti, Jordan, Kosovo, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

"These ceremonies offer an opportunity for our communities to show support for not only our service members, but also for our families and employers," said Col. Eric J. Riley, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, "we are proud to represent Oregon and the Oregon Army National Guard as we mobilize for overseas missions."

 

Captions:

191013-Z-YP317-0024

(From left to right) Brig. Gen. William J. Prendergast IV, Land Component Commander, Oregon National Guard, Oregon Representative Greg Walden, Maj. Gen Michael E. Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon and Oregon Governor Kate Brown stand for the national anthem during a mobilization ceremony for 1-168 Infantry Battalion at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Ore. Oct. 13, 2019.  1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.  (Oregon Military Department photo by Christopher L. Ingersoll)

191013-Z-YP317-0030

Oregon Governor Kate Brown passes the Oregon flag to Lt. Col. Paul Dyer, commander of 1-168 Infantry Battalion in a mobilization ceremony for the battalion at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Ore. Oct. 13, 2019.  1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.  (Oregon Military Department photo by Christopher L. Ingersoll)

191013-Z-YP317-0040

Oregon Governor Kate Brown gives brief remarks to the departing soldiers and their families during a mobilization ceremony for 1-168 Infantry Battalion at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Ore. Oct. 13, 2019.  1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.  (Oregon Military Department photo by Christopher L. Ingersoll)

191013-Z-YP317-0057

Maj. Michael E. Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon, gives brief remarks to the departing soldiers and their families during a mobilization ceremony for 1-168 Infantry Battalion at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Ore. Oct. 13, 2019.  1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.  (Oregon Military Department photo by Christopher L. Ingersoll)

20191013-Z-VK948-0001

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Division stand at attention for the mobilization ceremony October 13, 2019 in Ashland, Oregon. 1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. (Oregon National Guard photo by Capt. Jessica Clarke)

EEDSC06830

Capt. Jason Goodard with 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Division embraces his young daughter during a mobilization ceremony October 13, 2019 in Ashland, Oregon. 1-168 Infantry Battalion is scheduled to deploy to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.  (Oregon Military Department photo by Paul Rushing)

191013-Z-CM403-055

Oregon Governor Kate Brown (left) presents the flag to Captain Jake Allbright, Commander, Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion, during the unit’s mobilization ceremony held at St Helens Oregon High School, Sept. 13, 2019. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins)

191013-Z-CM403-059

Oregon Governor Kate Brown gives remarks to the audience and soldiers of Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion, during the unit’s mobilization ceremony held at St Helens Oregon High School, Sept. 13, 2019. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins)

191013-Z-CM403-074

Local and state representatives applaud the deploying members of Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion commander, during the unit’s mobilization ceremony held at St Helens Oregon High School, Sept. 13, 2019. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins)

191013-Z-CM403-083

Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General, gives remarks to the audience and soldiers of Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion, during the unit’s mobilization ceremony held at St Helens Oregon High School, Sept. 13, 2019. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins)

 

 

Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into Saturday afternoon’s fatal crash that occurred at the I-84 and US 395 Interchange in Umatilla County. 

On Saturday October 12, 2019, at approximately 2:18 PM, OSP troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a two vehicle crash on US 395 and I-84.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Dodge pickup, operated by Lynn Dale HIATT (M), age 73, from Pasco Washington, had been traveling westbound on I-84 and had taken the 188 exit when for unknown reasons failed to negotiate the turn onto US 395 northbound.  The pickup traveled across onto the southbound lanes of US 395 impacting with the left rear side of a semi-trailer.  The truck tractor/semi-trailer, operated by Andrei CEBAN, age 30, from Vancouver WA, was in process of getting onto the I-84 on-ramp heading westbound. 

HIATT was pronounced deceased at the scene.  HIATT was accompanied by his wife, Remedios HIATT (F), age 76, and Lucia CASEY (F), age 54, both from Pasco Wa.   Remedios HIATT and Lucia CASEY were transported to the Good Shepherd Medical Center by ground ambulance. 

CEBAN was not injured in the crash. 

The I-84 westbound off ramp, westbound on ramp and US 395 MP 12 was closed for approximately 2 hours during the investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s, Stanfield Police Department, ODOT and Umatilla Fire District 1. 

No photographs for release. 

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ### 
Twitter: @ORStatePolice 
Facebook: @ospsocial

Discover the Power of Taking Courage at Leadercast Women 2019

At Leadercast Women 2019, this power will be revealed. Leadercast Women is an event that will change you, not simply with “how to” advice that will make you a better leader, but also with long-term lessons in life and leadership that help you grow into the person you’ve always aspired to be.

When: Thursday, November 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Klamath Community College Conference Center
Registration: Online at bit.ly/LCW19KF or by calling the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce at (541) 884-5193

 

Attend Leadercast Women 2019 so you can:

• Learn how to take courage, and inspire those around you
• Join like-minded women and men who are committed to self-improvement and eager to lead
• Hear from world-renowned speakers who share a common goal—to help attendees like you take your leadership skills to the next level and beyond
• Focus on enhancing your leadership skills by removing yourself from your everyday work environment and all of its distractions
• Engage in constructive dialogue with women and men attendees in an environment that emphasizes equality, respect, and mutual leadership goals

 

Learn from 9 industry leaders on how to overcome fear, take courage and become a transformational leader. One speaker at Leadercast Women 2019 is Kendra Scott.

Kendra Scott is the founder, CEO and designer of jewelry brand Kendra Scott. Based in Austin, Texas, Kendra leads on the foundation of three core pillars: Family, Fashion and Philanthropy. Kendra’s commitment to innovation, quality and detail has grown her company, which started in 2002 with only $500, to a billion-dollar business. The Kendra Scott company has donated more than $25 million to local, national and international causes since 2010. Hear her and 8 other transformational leaders speak on November 7th.

Don’t miss out on this valuable leadership training event. To learn more and to register for the Leadercast Women conference 2019, visit bit.ly/LCW19KF or call the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce at (541) 884-5193.

On 10/12/19, at about 0635 hours, the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS) 911 Dispatch receieved a report of an assault in front of the 7/11 store, located at 790 SW 6th Street. It was mentioned a (36 year-old) female had been punched by a male and a cell phone was stolen. As GPDPS police units were responding, dispatch advised the male suspect had brandished a knife and made threats to stab the female after chasing her. The male suspect fled the area on foot in an eastbound direction.

Police units arrived and set a perimeter in the last known area for the fleeing male suspect. He was quickly located and ran from officers to the area of SE 8th and SE M Streets. He was placed in custody without incident after being challenged by police officers. The male suspect was identified as 46 year-old Brian Thornburg, who has a last known address of Selma. After witness statements were obtained, police units located the knife where Thornburg had thrown it when he saw officers arrive. The knife was seized for evidentuary purposes. Thornburg was lodged at the Josephine County Adult Jail on numerous charges to include Robbery 1, Assault, Unlawful use of a Weapon, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. The female victim sustained minor injuries.

October 11, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Lawsuits temporarily block the Trump Administration’s public charge rule

California, Washington and New York federal judges today issued injunctions temporarily blocking the Department of Homeland Security’s new public charge rule that would make it more difficult for immigrants to get green cards. The new rule was scheduled to take effect on Oct. 15 and, among other changes, expands the list of benefits that the federal government could consider in deciding whether a person can enter the United States or obtain lawful permanent residency. Non-emergency Oregon Health Plan coverage (i.e., Medicaid) for non-pregnant adults 21 and older could be one of the newly impacted programs.

The Oregon Health Authority is the state agency responsible for protecting the health of all 4 million people living in Oregon. In a previous statement issued after the original federal rule was announced, the Oregon Health Authority said, "We know that health coverage contributes to healthier pregnancies, births, and childhood outcomes. When people have health coverage, they are better able to work, go to school and contribute in other ways to their local economy. Employers benefit from a healthier workforce, insurance costs are lower, and there is less absenteeism. As a result, this rule is in direct conflict with our agency’s mission, which is to help people and communities achieve optimum physical, mental and social well-being and improve access to quality, affordable health care."

OHA wants to inform Oregon residents that under the current rule, the only public benefit programs in Oregon that are subject to public charge consideration are cash assistance programs (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Social Security Income) and long-term care. Today’s injunctions prevent the public charge definition from being extended to certain additional federally funded programs like non-emergency Medicaid for non-pregnant adults 21 and older.

OHA encourages anyone who has questions or concerns about how public charge may affect them or members of their family to seek counsel from a qualified immigration attorney.

• Call the Oregon Law Center-Legal Aid Services of Oregon Public Benefits Hotline at 800-520-5292.
• Find an immigration attorney at https://oregonimmigrationresource.org/resources/.

More information on the public charge rule is available here, including frequently asked questions in eight languages.

The Oregon State Marine Board will hold a work session on October 23, and conduct their quarterly Board meeting on October 24. The work session on October 23 will be held at the ODOT Motor Carrier Transportation Building, 3930 Fairview Industrial Dr. S.E., in Salem, beginning at 1 p.m. The general meeting on October 24 will be held at the Marine Board office, 435 Commercial St. N.E., in Salem, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

During the October 23 work session, the Board will evaluate and discuss the Newberg Pool rules that went into effect in February 2019. Various stakeholder groups have been invited to provide testimony to aid in the Board discussion.

On October 24, the Board will consider and discuss the following agenda items:

• Director’s report;
• Notification of temporary rulemaking and consideration for permanent rulemaking for OAR 250-020-0033, boating restriction in the vicinity of the PGE Faraday Powerhouse; and, OAR 250-018-0010, 250-021-0030, 250-021-0035 for the operation of Personal Watercraft by Youth;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-020-0032, boat operations on the Willamette River in Clackamas County to amend the rule to seasonally restrict boating in the vicinity of Sportcraft Marina;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-010-0010, 250-010-0650 and 250-010-0760, implementation of the Waterway Access Permit, amend definitions and update language in Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Permit rule; adopt Waterway Access Permit guidelines;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-010-0800, Livery Registration;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-016-0075, Whitewater Helmet Specifications, to amend safety and equipment requirements for Outfitter Guides operating in whitewater rapids with passengers for hire;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-018-0010 through 250-018-0110, Boating Safety Education Requirements, amend definitions, education standards, fees, and provisions for boating safety education cards, repeal temporary cards and phase-in provisions;
• Consideration for Rulemaking OAR 250-018-0010, 250-018-0200, 250-018-0205, 250-018-0210, Towed Watersports Education Program and Associated Endorsements. Amend definitions; adopt rules for fees, education requirements and Towed Watersports Education cards and boat decals;
• Consideration of petition to amend OAR 250-020-0221 to allow the use of electric motors at slow-no wake speed on Gold Lake in Lane County;
• Consideration of rulemaking to remove public record fees from administrative rules and leave in policy;
• Consideration of rulemaking on the Lower Willamette River;
• Consideration of rulemaking on the Newberg Pool, Willamette River.

The meetings will be live-streamed via the Marine Board’s YouTube Channel.

Public comments will be accepted on agenda items where the comment period has not closed.

To view the agenda, visit https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/info/Pages/Board-and-Public-Meetings.aspx. The agency staff report will be posted on October 21.

###

The Marine Board is directly funded by boaters in the form of registration, title, and permit fees, as well as through marine fuel taxes. No lottery, general fund tax dollars or local facility parking fees support the agency or its programs. Boater-paid fees support the boating public through boating safety services (on-the-water law enforcement, training, and equipment), boating safety education, grants for the construction and maintenance of boating access facilities, and environmental protection programs. For more information about the Marine Board and its programs, visit www.boatoregon.com.

The Grants Pass Dept of Public Safety has just learned of a scam involving our phone number. In it, the caller ID appears with 541-450-6260, and the caller is claiming to be an officer of our agency. The caller says they are assisting the Social Security Administration and asks for your social security number. Our agency will NEVER ask for your social security number over the phone. Additionally, if we call you, the caller ID will appear as Restricted or Anonymous; you will not see our phone number.  

If you have received one of these phone calls and would like to report it, call the FTC at 877-382-4357.

If you believe you are the victim of identity theft, contact our office. 

October 11, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Conference of Local Health Officials meets October 17

What: The monthly public meeting of the Conference of Local Health Officials (CLHO). The October meeting also serves as the annual CLHO meeting.

Agenda: Annual CLHO subcommittee reports; CLHO officer elections; public health system work to address funding and program element process improvements; overdose prevention funding; suicide prevention funding; Tobacco Prevention and Education Program funding; Executive Order 19-09 on Vaping; Environmental Health Intergovernmental Agreement work group.

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

When: Oct. 17, 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 177, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland. No conference call option is available for the public.

Background: The Conference of Local Health Officials provides recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority on the foundational capabilities and programs and any other public health program or activity under ORS 431.147. (ORS 431.340)

Program contact: Danna Drum, 503-957-8869, um@dhsoha.state.or.us">danna.k.drum@dhsoha.state.or.us.

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

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

If you need help or have questions, please contact Danna Drum at 503-957-8869, 711 TTY or um@dhsoha.state.or.us">danna.k.drum@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

On 10/11/19, shortly after 8AM Medford Police received a 911 call from a female who stated she had been robbed by an armed male suspect.  After the robbery, the victim chased after the suspect who fled in a vehicle.  Driving her vehicle, the victim pursued the suspect at high speeds through east Medford.  The victim crashed her vehicle at the intersection of E. Main St. and Eastwood Dr.  A witness to this chase then followed the suspect vehicle until it entered I-5 southbound.

The suspect vehicle is described as a silver colored VW SUV with Oregon license plates, 500EWT.  The suspect vehicle may have visible damage to the rear end.

The suspect operating this vehicle is potentially armed with a weapon.  There is no further suspect description available at this time.  This case is currently under investigation by MPD Detectives.

If you have information about the location of the suspect vehicle please contact MPD Dispatch at (541) 770-4783.

Did you know that scientists estimate that there is a 40% chance of an earthquake hitting Oregon, Washington, Northern California and the British Columbia in the next 20 years? Be prepared for this earthquake with Tipping Point Resilience’s Earthquake Preparedness Event. 

When: November 2nd, 2019 
Where: Ross Ragland Theater 
Cost: Free! 

Klamath Falls natives Steve Eberlein and Lydia Ledgerwood-Eberlein were living in Sri Lanka when a 9.1 quake near Indonesia triggered a tsunami that took 230,000 lives in 16 different countries, including 35,000 lives in Sri Lanka. Lydia served as a senior leader in Sri Lanka during one of the largest disaster relief operations in human history. Since returning to the US, Steve has served as a leading voice in West Coast earthquake preparedness. Together through their company, Tipping Point Resilience, they aim to spark cultures of preparedness in places waiting major earthquakes in the US. 

Scientists have found evidence of up to 43 earthquakes exceeding 8.0 and 9.0 on the Richter Scale in the Cascadia Subduction Zone (spanning Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia) over the last 10,000 years with an average recurrence of one catastrophic level quake every 250 years. As a major earthquake has not occurred since 1700, scientists believe there is a 40% probability that it will occur in the next 20 years. 

Steven and Lydia have developed a program for Klamath Falls that will explore the possible impacts of a Cascadia event on the Klamath Basin. A local panel of experts will contribute to our understanding of the science, disaster response, infrastructural and economic impacts of a Cascadia event. Steve and Lydia have become known as perhaps the leading experts across the Northwest for this important subject. Steve has shared his message with over 200 groups and over 20,000 people over the last several years. 

Please join us in preparing for this massive issue. 

Presenting sponsors for the event are Sky Lakes Medical Center, and The Herald and News.  

Additional sponsors include: The city of Klamath Falls, Avista, Wendt Family Foundation, Klamath Community Development Corporation, D. A, Davidson, Rotary and Windemere Real Estate.  

Media sponsors are Wynne Broadcasting and Klad. 

This is a vital community event, we hope you will attend. 

EDITORS: Representatives from Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission will discuss the new flavored vaping sales ban rules today (Oct. 11) during a media availability at 12:30 p.m. at OLCC Headquarters, 9079 SE McLoughlin Blvd., Portland. Conference line: 646-749-3122, access code 450-658-589; when prompted, use the hashtag symbol (#).

Oct. 11, 2019

Media contacts:

Jonathan Modie, OHA, 971-246-9139, phd.communications@state.or.us

Mark Pettinger, OLCC, 971-235-7561, k.Pettinger@oregon.gov">mark.pettinger@oregon.gov

OHA, OLCC file rules banning flavored vaping sales, including online

Rules put into effect Governor’s executive order aimed at reducing youth use

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission today filed temporary rules that put into effect Governor Kate Brown’s Oct. 4 executive order banning all flavored vaping product sales in the state.

The temporary rules, which will remain in effect for six months starting Oct. 15, prohibit the sale of all flavored vaping products — including online sales — to consumers in Oregon. The ban covers all tobacco and cannabis (marijuana and hemp) vaping products that contain natural or artificial flavors including, but not limited to, chocolate, coffee, cocoa, menthol, mint, wintergreen, vanilla, honey, coconut, licorice, nuts, fruit, any candy, dessert, alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, herb or spice.

Tobacco-flavored tobacco or nicotine products, as well as marijuana-flavored marijuana or THC products that use only marijuana-derived flavorings, including terpenes, are not included in the ban.

Retailers found violating the temporary rules will receive a warning letter and recommendations on coming into compliance. Continued violations could result in civil penalties of up to $500 per day, per violation. In addition, cannabis retailers or processors could face violations up to and including cancellation of their license.

Additional components of vaping products could be banned in the future. The Governor’s executive order directs OHA and OLCC to "take immediate action and adopt additional emergency rules" to prohibit any chemical or contaminant found to have caused or contributed to vaping-associated lung injuries being investigated in Oregon and 48 other states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are nine cases of this illness in Oregon, including two deaths.

OHA and OLCC officials say the temporary rules filed today are significant steps toward stemming the well-documented tide of e-cigarette use and vaping by youth, as well as keeping products that may expose people to unsafe chemicals and other contaminants off store shelves.

Among Oregon high school students who use e-cigarettes exclusively, nearly 90 percent use flavored e-cigarette products, OHA found. And there is strong evidence that e-cigarettes increase youth nicotine addiction and increase the risk that youth will start using combustible tobacco such as cigarettes.

"We have been warning Oregonians about the health effects of these products before this current outbreak of serious lung injury added more evidence of the dangers of vaping," said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., health officer and state epidemiologist. "These rules stop the sale of a potentially dangerous product, and they’re part of a comprehensive approach to curbing youth vaping and additional cases of vaping-associated lung injuries."

He points to additional directives in the Governor’s executive order that call on OHA and OLCC to develop consumer warnings for THC and non-THC products; expand easy access to FDA-approved cessation resources; implement a statewide prevention and education campaign; and submit legislative proposals with long-term solutions to reduce public health harms from vaping.

The temporary rules affect not only OLCC recreational marijuana-licensed retailers and processors, but also alcohol licensees that sell nicotine vaping products, including retailers that sell beer and wine, bars and taverns, and liquor store agents.

The OLCC said the flavor ban is just the latest step in its evolution from focusing on public safety to an agency with an equivalent focus on consumer protection. Through increased review of products sold in the OLCC-licensed retail market and the development of testing capacity, the OLCC will continue to work to refine consumer product disclosure.

"This commission is working very hard to ensure the cannabis industry can grow, thrive and compete in the Oregon marketplace," said Paul Rosenbaum, chair of the OLCC. "We are doing so with a clear focus on the integrity of the marketplace for businesses, consumers and public safety. However, it is our overwhelming responsibility to protect public health and our consumers from undue risk. This agency’s rapid and nimble action to implement the Governor’s executive order is exactly why regulated cannabis will always be a superior consumer choice over illegal markets."

Additional rules were filed earlier this week. On Wednesday OHA filed temporary rules that require health care providers to report hospitalizations and deaths due to "vaping-associated lung injury." Physicians have long had to report "uncommon illness of potential public health significance," but the new rules are intended to reduce confusion by specifically naming this new lung illness as reportable by Oregon law to public health agencies.

Due to the ongoing investigation of vaping-associated lung injuries, OHA health officials continue to recommend people stop vaping immediately. Those experiencing symptoms of the illnesses, such as shortness of breath, cough or chest pain should immediately seek medical attention.

Those needing help quitting vaping cannabis and nicotine can take advantage of a variety of cessation services, including the Oregon Quit Line, Truth Initiative, Oregon’s Alcohol and Drug Helpline, and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline. Information is available at http://healthoregon.org/vaping.

# # #

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, OHA, 971-246-9139, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us Mark Pettinger, OLCC, 971-235-7561, k.pettinger@oregon.gov">mark.pettinger@oregon.gov

Updated Time: Media Advisory

Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Liquor Control Commission will hold press conference on temporary vaping ban

Agencies will explain temporary rules and implementation process for banning the sale of flavored nicotine and THC vaping products

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will hold a joint press conference today, Friday, Oct. 11 at 12:30 p.m. to discuss the adoption of temporary rules resulting from an Executive Order issued by Governor Kate Brown to address the vaping health crisis.

Leaders and staff from OLCC and OHA's Public Health Division will explain the implication and implementation of their respective temporary rules, which establish a temporary ban on the sale of flavored nicotine and THC vaping products.

The press conference is at 12:30 p.m., or about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the OLCC's special meeting at OLCC headquarters in Portland. The OLCC special meeting will start 11:30 a.m. at OLCC Headquarters, 9079 SE McLoughlin Blvd.

To access the press conference by phone, dial 646-749-3122, access code 450-658-589; when prompted for a pin, use the hashtag symbol (#).There will not be a live video feed from the press conference.

October 11, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Recreational use advisory issued October 11 for Willow Creek Reservoir

The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use health advisory today for Willow Creek Reservoir due to the presence of a cyanobacterial (harmful algae) bloom and cyanotoxins (harmful algae toxins) above recreational guideline values for human exposure. The reservoir is in Morrow County.

People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the lake where blooms are identified. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities may experience a puffy red rash.

People are encouraged to visit Willow Creek Reservoir and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, and bird watching. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray, which could lead to inhalation risk.

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.

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

Children and pets

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. People who bring their pets to a lake with areas affected by a bloom for recreation activities, regardless of whether a recreational use health advisory is in place, should take special precautions to keep them from drinking from or swimming in these areas. Dogs can also be exposed to cyanotoxins when present by licking their fur, licking cyanobacteria off rocks or eating cells from a bloom.

Fishing

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacterial blooms are present should have fat, skin and organs removed before cooking or freezing, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and result in a range of symptoms, from those similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, to more serious symptoms like numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath that may require medical attention.

For health information or to report an illness, contact the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) at 971-673-0482.

Learn more here.

(Salem) – Come November, Oregon OSHA will present its first Spanish-language conference addressing workers and their needs. Topics include asserting their rights to a safe workplace, protecting their health and safety at work and at home, and protecting against wage theft.

Presenters at the free conference – to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem – will include workplace safety and health professionals, medical providers, and government representatives. The event will feature lunch, exhibits, and health screenings by Virginia Garcia.

“This conference reflects our ongoing mission to improve outreach to the most vulnerable workers by offering an event entirely in the language of many such workers,” said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood.

Supporters of the event include the Oregon Columbia Chapter of the Associated General Contractors, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, SAIF Corporation, and Oregon Business & Industry.

Other conference topics include:

• Identifying and addressing common workplace hazards
• Safety and health in agriculture, construction, food processing, and logging and forest harvesting
• The role of the supervisor in workplace safety

Those interested in attending must pre-register by Wednesday, Nov. 13. For more information or to register, go online –  https://osha.oregon.gov/conferences/espanol/Pages/default.aspx – or call 541-618-7920. Questions may also be submitted by email: egon.conferences@oregon.gov">oregon.conferences@oregon.gov

Oregon OSHA encourages those interested in attending to visit our Spanish-language event page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/881827425523509/

###

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.

 

Portland, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released today the environmental assessment for the reclassification of public domain lands as part of the implementation of the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act (Act).

President Trump signed the Act into law on Jan. 8, 2018. It directed the BLM to transfer 14,708 acres of public lands to be held in trust for the benefit of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. Additionally, it directed the BLM to hold in trust 17,812 acres for the benefit of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

In addition to transferring these lands into trust for the Tribes, the Act also requires the BLM to identify and convert approximately 32,500 acres of public domain lands to be managed under the Oregon and California Lands (O&C lands) Act of 1937. Reclassifying these lands as O&C lands will allow 18 western Oregon counties to share in a portion of receipts from timber sales on these lands, which directly benefit local communities that depend on timber for jobs and economic development.

The Act requires that the public domain lands be reclassified, approximately equal in acreage and condition as the Oregon and California grant lands that were conveyed to and are now held in trust for the tribes. The reclassification of public domain lands to O&C lands will not change the management of the land, which is covered under the 2016 Northwestern and Coastal Oregon Resource Management Plan and the Southwestern Oregon Resource Management Plan.

Timber sales on public domain lands do not result in any direct payments to counties, whereas the Oregon and California Lands Act of 1937 provides that 50 percent of receipts from the sale of timber on O&C lands be allocated annually among the 18 western Oregon counties. The allocation formula is based on each county’s proportion of the 1915 assessed value of the O&C lands and will not be affected by this effort. This effort will examine which public domain lands will be reclassified under the Oregon and California Lands Act of 1937 to best meet the statutory intent of the Act.

The reclassified lands may be within any of the following Oregon and California grant land counties: Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill Counties. The BLM will be accepting public

comments on the environmental assessment for 30 days. The comment period will close on Nov. 12, 2019. A copy of the environmental assessment and information about submitting comments is available at:

https://bit.ly/32YeWDD

An interactive map that details the location of the public domain lands that are being examined for reclassification, along with other planning materials, is available online at:

www.blm.gov/oregon-washington/serving-america/western-oregon-tribal-fairness-act

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

SALEM, Ore -- Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon are scheduled to attend two separate mobilization ceremonies honoring units from the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they prepare for overseas assignments, Sunday Oct. 13, 2019.

The first ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Southern Oregon University’s Raider Stadium in Ashland, Oregon, for Citizen-Soldiers from 1-186 Infantry Battalion and the 141 Brigade Support Battalion, as they prepare to depart to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

The second ceremony is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the St. Helens High School, Oregon, for Soldiers from Bravo Company, 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion and the 141 Brigade Support Battalion, as they depart for the Middle East.

The two units are part of several deployments that the 41st IBCT are sending to different areas of the world. In total, the 41st is scheduled to mobilize deploy more than 1,600 Oregon service members to five different countries: Djibouti, Jordan, Kosovo, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The events are open to the public and encouraged to attend for the sendoff.

"These ceremonies offer an opportunity for our communities to show support for not only our service members, but also for our families and employers," said Col. Eric J. Riley, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, "we are proud to represent Oregon and the Oregon Army National Guard as we mobilize for overseas missions."

 

Captions:

180806-Z-ZJ128-002

August 6th, Pvt. Joseph Green member of A Company, 741 Brigade Engineer Battalion protects a road from opposing force attack during the final brigade field training exercise at xCTC 2018 in Fort Hunter Liggett, California. The last fight of xCTC combined all the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s units in a coordinated fight against the opposing force, testing how well the the Brigade could communicate and deploy forces in a combat scenario. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, 41st IBCT Public Affairs)

 

180803-Z-XV454-001

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard practice loading onto a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter as they conduct air assault training August 3, 2018 during a field training exercise known as eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) at Camp Roberts, Calif. The brigade-level field training exercise is designed to certify platoon proficiency across the brigade in coordination with First Army. The XCTC program brings full training resource packages to National Guard and Active Duty Army bases around the country, allowing units to train on their schedule, closer to home, minimizing cost and time away from civilian jobs. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jennifer Lena, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

 

180805-Z-ZJ128-002

August 5th, Spc. Griffin Lowery a Satellite Communication System Operator with C Company, 741 Brigade Engineer Battalion checks the connection status of the Satellite Transportable Terminal (STT) providing satellite communication for the Command Post during the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) 2018 in Camp Roberts, California. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, 41st IBCT Public Affairs)

 

80727-Z-NO327-006

Staff Sgt. Chester Thomson (left) and Sgt. Kenneth Hardison, forward observers with 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team's 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry Regiment, call for indirect fire July 27, 2018 during a field training exercise known as eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) at Fort Irwin, California. The exercise is an instrumented brigade field training exercise designed to certify platoon proficiency across the brigade in coordination with First Army. “This exercise keeps our units trained and ready for federal missions and builds upon the brigade’s training from last year’s Warfighter Exercise,” said Col. Eric Riley, commander of the 41st IBCT. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tyler Meister, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Find farms offering pumpkins, apples with Oregon’s Bounty

Venture out into the countryside to buy pumpkins, apples, and the best of fall harvest directly from farms with Oregon’s Bounty at OregonFB.org.

Pumpkins, apples, pears, and squash are just a few examples of the favorites of fall harvest. If you want to venture out into the beautiful countryside and buy seasonal food directly from a farmer or rancher — where do you go?

“Everyone knows where their local farmers market is, but not everyone knows where to find roadside farm stands, pumpkin patches, u-pick orchards, and harvest events. That’s where Oregon’s Bounty comes in,” said Anne Marie Moss, Oregon Farm Bureau communications director.

Oregon’s Bounty at OregonFB.org is a searchable online directory of nearly 300 family farms and ranches that sell food and foliage directly to the public.

The Oregon’s Bounty website allows visitors to search for a specific agriculture product — like pumpkins or apples — and/or search for farms within a specific region of the state, such as Portland Metro, the Gorge, or the Willamette Valley. Visitors can also do a search for “u-pick” or “events” to locate those activities.

“Oregonians love farm-fresh food. Thanks to the diversity of Oregon agriculture, we can buy an enormous variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts, flowers, and much more directly from the families who grew it,” said Moss.

“Each of the farms listed in Oregon’s Bounty are owned and operated by Farm Bureau members, who are proud of what they’ve grown and are happy to answer questions about what they do and how they farm,” said Moss. “Fall is an ideal time to take a trip into the scenic countryside, meet a few of these family farmers, and experience Oregon agriculture firsthand.”

###

Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases.

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Sharon Waterman is an OFB Hall of Fame honoree and operates a Century Ranch raising sheep, cattle, and timber in Bandon. She is OFB’s 16th president.

 

MEDFORD, Ore.—Five people have been charged for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin manufactured in Mexico in and around Klamath Falls, Oregon, announced Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Rogelio Gomez-Arias, 23, Irving Beas Ceballos, 34, Alexis Chavez-Franco, 22, and Domingo Matias-Hernandez, 36, are each charged by indictment with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine between May and October 2018. Additionally, Ceballos is charged with possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute and Gomez-Arias, Chavez-Franco and Matias-Hernandez are charged with distributing methamphetamine.

Juan Rodriguez-Ramirez, 62, is charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

All defendants are known to reside in and around Klamath Falls and Dorris, California.

On October 9, 2019, a coordinated, multi-agency law enforcement operation was conducted to dismantle the drug trafficking organization. Five federal search warrants were executed in Klamath Falls and Dorris. Investigators seized more than 37 pounds of methamphetamine, 440 grams of heroin, 14 firearms, and nearly $50,000 in cash and arrested all five defendants.

All five defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke and were detained pending further proceedings. Conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a maximum sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (BINET) and the Siskiyou Unified Major Investigation Team (SUMIT). It is being prosecuted the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

An indictment and criminal complaint are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the department’s strategy for reducing the availability of drugs in the U.S. OCDETF was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack on drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in coordination with state and local law enforcement.

# # #

Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington acknowledges International Day of the Girl by Highlighting Local Gold Award Girl Scouts

PORTLAND, Ore. – Thursday, October 10, 2019 –In celebration of International Day of the Girl (Friday, October 11, 2019), Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington is highlighting the achievements of 24 local Gold Award Girl Scouts who together contributed more than 1,920 hours of service to communities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting and recognizes girls in grades nine through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership. These young women are catalysts for sustainable change: assessing needs in our communities, collaborating with organizations, developing innovative solutions and supporting a team of volunteers to implement a careful plan.

“I am always so impressed by the incredible projects our Gold Award Girl Scouts take on, and the complexity of the problems they tackle,” says Karen Hill, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “From STEM projects addressing pollinators or salmon education, to issues of income inequality and poverty in our community, the girls show empathy and a drive to make the world a better place. We’re incredibly proud of them, and can’t wait to see how they apply their leadership skills to our shared future.”

On average, only six percent of Girl Scouts nationwide earn the Gold Award. Recipients are part of a sisterhood of more than one million women who have earned the Gold Award or its equivalent since its inception in 1916.

Gold Award Girl Scouts apply leadership, passion, work ethic and creativity toward innovative solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. Each Gold Award Girl Scout contributes a minimum of 80 hours to the community—often significantly more—through her project, carrying out a plan that has sustainable and measurable, ongoing impact. The 2019 Gold Award Girl Scouts from Oregon and Southwest Washington are:

Ivory A.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Cap and Gown Pictures

Ivory worked with a professional photographer who guided three volunteer photographers as they took cap-and-gown photos for 11 classmates who needed them. In addition to submitting the photos to the Reynolds High School graduation slide show, she was able to give each new graduate copies of their photos so that they could always remember this important time in their lives.

 

Birgitta C.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Summer Program for Second Home

Birgitta created a summer program for an organization that arranges housing for homeless high school students. Every week she organized outings such as hikes, art exhibits and college visits to provide the students with a chance to try out new activities and explore future opportunities. She provided the organization with all of the information needed to operate the summer program again.
 

Meher C.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Music and Memory

Meher organized musicians and vocalists from her high school to perform over ten concerts for residents at a memory care facility. In addition to engaging with the seniors, she wanted to inspire her performers to consider music therapy as an outlet for their talents. Meher also organized a club at her school that will continue performing at senior centers.
 

Sofia D.—Beaverton, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Shelves of Hope

Sofia created libraries in several Portland-area homeless shelters. She wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy books despite not having a permanent home. Sofia and her team worked with various shelters to assess their needs, organized book drives, and designed and installed shelving for the libraries at each shelter. The shelters now have a permanent space to display and share books with their community members.

 

Lauren D.—Tigard, Oregon

Gold Award Project: WISE Program Planter Box and Gardening Skills Project

Lauren renovated and designed a garden for her high school’s special education program. She also taught the program’s students gardening skills and, with her volunteers, assisted them in planting the garden. She left a lesson plan with the program’s staff so that each year the students can plant and maintain the garden.

 

Katee E.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Gresham Youth Summit

Katee organized a Youth Summit focused around mental health and sexual harassment in schools. Katee and her team brought in students from all nine local Gresham high schools. She also invited local decision makers and lawmakers to attend and participate. These student advocates are hoping to break the stigma surrounding mental health and sexual harassment in schools.

 

Jasmin F.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Being Prepared for Portland Snow

Jasmin tackled the issue of winter safety and driving in the snow. Jasmin and her team worked with the local sheriff's office and interviewed experienced snow drivers to put together important safety tips. She created a website and distributed fliers around nearby neighborhoods to better inform the community about driving in winter weather.

 

Shefali G.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: STEM for All

Shefali created “maker kits” and project instructions for introducing STEM to fifth graders who might not otherwise have access. She recruited a team to help maintain the kits, mentor the students and teach concepts such as programming. She also created a website and uploaded the lesson plans and supply lists so that others can replicate the program.
 

Whitney G.—Sherwood, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Code Red

Feminine hygiene products are not only one of the most requested items at shelters and food pantries, but also the least donated. By founding Code Red, Whitney collected period products for local low-income women and raised awareness of the struggle many women face when it comes to affording the items they need. To make her project sustainable, Whitney left donation bins at food pantries so that the pantries would continue to receive donations after her project was over.

 

Mae G.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: SOS: Save Our Sharks

Mae founded an environmental education group and a club at her school called Save Our Sharks (SOS). She educated people about the importance of sharks in our food chain. In addition to founding SOS, she organized a beach cleanup, taught elementary school students about environmental activism, and even wrote a children’s book about this much-maligned species.

 

Rachel G.—Sherwood, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Dirksen Nature Park Ivy Pull

After noticing that many teenagers lacked interest in nature, Rachel worked with a science teacher at Fowler Middle School in Tigard, Oregon, to organize an ivy pull at Dirksen Nature Park. She created a curriculum guidebook with information on why English ivy is a problem, how to host a successful ivy pull, and a list of other nearby nature parks. A teacher plans to use Rachel’s guidebook to educate future students.

Jessica H.—Troutdale, Oregon

Gold Award Project: My Father’s House Crockpot Recipes

Jessica organized a small team to create, test and format a cookbook for a crockpot cooking class program at a homeless shelter for families. This cookbook provides recipes that are easily accessible, easily understood and easy to complete. She donated the format for the cookbook and several printed, bound copies for future use by the shelter.
 

Karoline H.—Salem, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Cloth Salmon Educational Tools

Karoline updated school curriculum about salmon for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. As part of the curriculum, she designed and—with the help of her team—sewed 25 anatomically accurate cloth salmon that the department will use when it presents its Salmon Trout Enhancement Program in classrooms.

 

Regan H.—Creswell, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Festival of Trees

Regan Humble created the Creswell Festival of Trees to bring awareness to the Creswell Library and support its expansion. Regan recruited community volunteers to decorate the trees and publicized the event, which took place the first week of December 2017. Using the “How-to Booklet” she created, a local group continued the tradition with a successful Second Annual Festival of Trees.

 

Rosalie J.—Clackamas, Oregon

Gold Award Project: A Bridge Across Two Worlds

Rosalie created a sustainable volunteer network for an elementary school serving hearing impaired students with cochlear implants. She identified volunteer opportunities and created a presentation to educate potential volunteers about the school, the hearing impaired community, and cochlear implants. Three Girl Scout troops and three Key Clubs plan to continue volunteering at the school.  

 

Sydney L.—Tigard, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Care Kits for Developing Nations

Sydney decided to take action and help families in developing nations whose health was impacted by a lack of hygiene products by holding a personal care kit drive. With the donations she received, Sydney and her volunteers assembled kits to distribute to families in need around the world. She worked with Medical Teams International to distribute the kits, and has provided the drive information and volunteer opportunity information to many eager volunteers hoping to continue the project.

 

Tovah M.—Fairview, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Bloom

Tovah hosted an event called Bloom, designed to engage, elevate and empower girls ages 8-16. With the support of several local professionals, Tovah taught girls about hair, skin, nutrition, exercise, personal safety, calming techniques and dressing confidently. To keep her project sustainable, Tovah passed a planning guide for Bloom to the Wallace Medical Concern, who are considering running it annually.

 

Quinn M-F.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Operation Tooth Fairy

Quinn and her volunteers collected dental care supplies and made over 1,200 tooth care kits that were distributed to low-income families. Each kit also contained a bilingual informational pamphlet, and the project’s website is available in seven languages. After being trained by Quinn, a younger Girl Scout troop has agreed to continue making these kits.

 

Kimberly M.—Gresham, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Protect the Pollinators

To educate the public about the importance of pollinators in the food chain, Kimberly hosted a Protect the Pollinators event where attendees planted flower seeds, crafted bee hotels, made pollinator buttons, and received information about pollinators and how to protect them. Kimberly also designed a Protect the Pollinators instruction manual which she passed onto the Gresham High School National Honor Society.

 

Kayl P.—Vancouver, Washington

Gold Award Project: Project Plant

Kayl recognized that the heavy foot traffic along the trail of Burnt Bridge Creek was causing creek bank erosion and decided something had to be done. Working with Vancouver’s Greenways Team, Kayl planned and executed a tree planting day during which volunteers planted hundreds of trees to naturally shore up the creek bed as well as provide trail users with shade. Kathryn also created a booklet to help other Girl Scout troops and other groups host their own planting day in the future.

 

Carmen R.—Beaverton, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Seaside Youth Activity Book

Carmen designed and produced activity booklets and patches to educate children about the flora and fauna of the Seaside area, the problem of marine debris on the beach, and suggested actions to combat the problem. She has provided the Seaside Visitor Center with detailed instructions on how to reorder both the booklets and patches.

 

Caylie R.—Albany, Oregon

Gold Award Project: It Starts with Us

Caylie addressed the issue of sexual abuse and neglect. She created a video describing what constitutes each, and how to identify if you or someone you know is the victim. She posted the video and provided a copy to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to help in training its advocates.

 

Sara S.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: The Sato Cranes

To help honor a new elementary school’s namesake—the Sato Family—Sara created a lesson plan about racism and how it harms a community. As part of the lesson, she taught the students how to make paper cranes—400 of which formed a chandelier that now hangs permanently in the school’s library. The chandelier will be the focus of the school’s continuing education about racism and discrimination.

 

Sammie W.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: School Supplies for those Impacted by Hurricane Harvey

Sammie organized the collection of school supplies for two second grade classrooms at a school in Port Arthur, Texas, that had been ravaged by Hurricane Harvey. She worked with a team to make and place donation bins to collect supplies, boxed and shipped the supplies, and partnered with a Girl Scout troop in Port Arthur to unpack the supplies in the classrooms. She also wrote “10 Steps to a Successful Supply Drive,” which she posted online for those interested in collecting disaster relief supplies in the future.

 

About Girl Scouts’ Highest Honors

To learn more about Girl Scouts’ highest honors—including the Bronze and Silver Awards—please visit: http://www.girlscoutsosw.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/girl-awards/highest-awards.html.

 

More information can be found online at:

https://www.girlscouts.org/en/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html

 

About Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington

In partnership with more than 8,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington prepares 14,500 girls in grades K-12 for a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. GSOSW’s programs in civic engagement, financial literacy, the outdoors and STEM serve girls in 35 counties in Oregon, and Clark, Klickitat and Skamania counties in Southwest Washington. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. For more information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.

The deceased is being idenitifed as Michael Thomas Veatch (32) of Washington.

On Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at approximately 5:26 A.M. the St. Helens Police Department responded to a shooting incident at the St. Helens Chevron located at 115 N. Columbia River Highway (Hwy 30).  

St. Helens Officers responded and located the vehicle suspected of being involved in the shooting incident.  When officers attempted to contact the operator of the vehicle it fled on Hwy 30 towards Deer Island and officers pursued.  The suspect vehicle became disabled on Hwy 30 near milepost 35 and the suspect fled on foot.  An officer from the St. Helens PD used force resulting in the suspects death. As per policy this officer has been placed on administrative leave.

Detectives are investigating the report of shots being fired from the suspect vehicle prior to and during this pursuit.

This was a very dynamic situation with several incident scenes, numerous witnesses, and a large volume evidence.  In an effort to maintain the integrity of the investigation information is being withheld until OSP can ensure that witnesses have been interviewed, next of kin notification made and outstanding victims identified and questioned.

OSP continues to ask any one that may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the Oregon State Police at OSP or 503-375-3555.

 

October 10, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan subcommittees meetings

What: Subcommittees of the 2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) are tasked with identifying strategies and measures, and developing work plans for implementing the SHIP. Each of the five subcommittees is focused on one of the following priority areas:

• Access to equitable preventive health care.
• Adversity, trauma and toxic stress.
• Behavioral health.
• Economic drivers of health.
• Institutional bias.

Agenda: Finalize priority goals, identify key indicators, and start exploring possible strategies.

Where: All meetings are held at the Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland. Meetings are also available remotely. For remote meeting attendance, visit the subcommittee meeting page:

• Institutional bias.
• Adversity, trauma and toxic stress.
• Economic drivers of health (including issues related to housing, living wage, food security and transportation).
• Access to equitable preventive health care.
• Behavioral health (including mental health and substance use).

When:

• Institutional Bias Subcommittee: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m. to noon, Room 1B.
• Behavioral Health Subcommittee: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2-4 p.m., Room 900.
• Economic Drivers of Health Subcommittee: Friday, Oct. 25, 1-3 p.m., Room 900.
• Access to Equitable Preventive Health Care Subcommittee: Monday, Oct. 28, 1-3 p.m., Room 900.
• Adversity, Trauma and Toxic Stress Subcommittee: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2-4 p.m., Room 1D.

All meetings are open to the public. A five-minute public comment period will be held near the end of each meeting; comments are limited to one minute.

Background: Oregon’s SHIP identifies interventions and strategies to address health-related priorities in the state. The SHIP serves as a basis for taking collective action with cross-sector partners to improve heath of people in Oregon. The SHIP is based on findings of the State Health Assessment.

Program contact: Christy Hudson, 971-678-4347, isty.j.hudson@dhsoha.state.or.us">Christy.j.hudson@dhsoha.state.or.us

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

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

If you need help or have questions, please contact Catherine Moyer at 971-673-1132, ine.moyer@dhsoha.state.or.us">catherine.moyer@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — The Southwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee will meet Thursday, Oct., 24 at the Oregon Department of Forestry office, 5357 Monument Drive in Grants Pass starting at 9 a.m. Topics to be covered include:

• Selection of Operator of the Year
• Updates on a variety of other topics, including:
  • Reforestation implementation study
  • Siskiyou project
  • Western Oregon Desired Future Condition/Large-wood project
  • Interagency work on water quality and mercury levels
  • Wildlife food plot rules
  • Interagency agreements regarding fish passage
  • Marbled murrelet protection rules

There will be an opportunity for public comment near the beginning of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to Susan Dominique at 503-945-7502 or susan.dominique@oregon.gov.

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

Oregon’s forests are among the state’s most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits.  Additional information about ODF’s Regional Forest Practice Committees is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s web site: http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/RFPC.aspx.

                                                                                 # # #

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed an agreement that will enhance protections for the Pacific fisher on nearly 184,000 acres of land owned by the Oregon Board of Forestry. This includes the Santiam, Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests as well as other Board of Forestry land in Lane, Douglas, Coos and Josephine counties.

Under this Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA), ODF will provide conservation measures for the Pacific fisher, a cat-sized member of the weasel family that lives in lower-elevation conifer forests. The Pacific fisher is a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Populations have been reduced over time due to trapping, habitat removal and other impacts. The USFWS will soon decide whether to list the animal as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

“Environmental benefits are a key factor in managing to achieve the greatest permanent value of our state forests,” State Forester Peter Daugherty said. “This agreement provides a great opportunity to work with our federal partners to proactively contribute to the conservation of a rare species that has historically made its home in Oregon’s state forests.”

"The Oregon Department of Forestry has put tremendous effort into conserving the Pacific fisher," said Paul Henson, Oregon State Supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Through their voluntary candidate conservation agreement, ODF will protect den sites, contribute to research and monitoring, and consider the possibility of future releases on their lands to increase the fisher population.  These voluntary efforts are essential to conserving our rare wildlife."

In return for providing these conservation benefits, the state receives assurances that no additional conservation measures or future restrictions will be required on Board of Forestry-owned land covered under the CCAA if the species is listed, so long as the CCAA remains in place and is fully implemented. The agreement runs through June 20, 2048.

Today, the Pacific fisher population in Oregon is believed to be confined to two separate areas in southwestern Oregon. While there are no known Pacific fisher dens on state forest lands, the acres covered under the CCAA fall within the fisher’s historic range.

A CCAA is a federal regulatory agreement with non-federal landowners for candidate species that have not yet been federally listed as threatened or endangered. By entering into a CCAA with the USFWS, the state voluntarily agrees to remove or reduce threats to the Pacific fisher on covered lands, assist in acquiring more accurate estimates of fisher densities, and facilitate the reintroduction and monitoring of fishers in Oregon where they no longer exist, with the aim of maintaining and encouraging conservation of the Pacific fisher throughout the historic range.

On Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at approximately 4:50 P.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to the I-5 southbound offramp at Delaney Rd. for a two vehicle crash. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a Dodge Intrepid, operated by Anthony Fisher (56) of Turner, was southbound on the I-5 offramp and failed to stop at the intersection with Delaney Rd.  The Dodge was struck by a westbound tow truck operated by Christopher Helige (37) of Aumsville. 

Fisher was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Helige was transported to the hospital for injuries.  

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

Oct. 9, 2019

Recreational use advisory issued October 9 for Lake Selmac

The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use health advisory today for Lake Selmac in Josephine County due to the presence of a cyanobacterial (harmful algae) bloom and cyanotoxins (harmful algae toxins) above recreational guideline values for human exposure.

People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating in areas of the lake where blooms are identified.

People are encouraged to visit Lake Selmac and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking and bird watching. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray, which could lead to inhalation risk.

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.

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

Children and pets

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. People who bring their pets to a lake with areas affected by a bloom for recreation activities, regardless of whether a recreational use health  advisory is in place, should take special precautions to keep them from drinking from or swimming in these areas. Dogs can also be exposed to cyanotoxins when present by licking their fur, licking cyanobacteria off rocks, or eating cells from a bloom.

 

Fishing

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacterial blooms are present should have fat, skin and organs removed before cooking or freezing, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and result in a range of symptoms, from those similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, to more serious symptoms like numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath that may require medical attention. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities may experience a puffy red rash.

For health information or to report an illness, contact the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) at 971-673-0482.

Learn more here.

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a final rule, effective October 1, 2019, which updates the cost recovery fees that the BLM charges for processing certain actions undertaken by its mineral programs. Specifically, this final rule updates the fees charged to recover costs incurred in processing certain documents associated with oil, gas, coal, and solid mineral activities on public lands, including fees associated with mineral patent adjudications. Consistent with updates to the fee schedules in prior years, this final rule increases the fee schedule based on inflation.

The BLM is authorized to charge cost recovery fees under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the 2005 Cost Recovery Rule. The fee schedule is adjusted annually based on the change in the Implicit Price Deflator for Gross Domestic Product, or IPD-GDP, from the 4th Quarter of one calendar year to the 4th Quarter of the following calendar year. The IPD-GDP is published annually by the Department of Commerce.

Under this final rule, 24 fees will remain the same and 24 fees will increase. Of the 24 fees that are being increased by this rule, 13 will increase by $5 each, seven will increase by $10 each, two will increase by $15 each, and two will increase by more than $15 each. The fees increasing by more than $15 are the fee for adjudicating a mineral patent application containing more than 10 claims, which will increase by $75, from $3,215 to $3,290, and the fee for adjudicating a patent application containing 10 or fewer claims, which will increase by $40, from $1,605 to $1,645.

The updated fees are based on a common mathematical formula used by businesses nationwide to adjust their expenses. This fee update rule uses the change in the IPD-GDP from the 4th Quarter of 2017 to the 4th Quarter of 2018, which reflects the rate of inflation over four calendar quarters.

--BLM--

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

WASHINGTON ­– As directed by Congress, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will adjust the fee it charges to process oil and gas drilling permits on public and Indian lands for inflation, effective October 1, 2019. That adjustment will increase the fee by $180, to $10,230.

The non-refundable processing fee is collected when an oil and gas operator submits a drilling permit (called an Application for Permit to Drill or APD), and is required whether or not a particular permit is subsequently approved. Congress established the fee and directed the BLM to adjust the APD fee annually for inflation over 10 years as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015.

To carry out this statutory requirement, the BLM has issued guidance to its field offices regarding the collection and handling of APD fees in the current fiscal year. The new guidance largely tracks prior guidance with respect to collection and handling policies such as when the fee is required; when the BLM will begin processing the APD; and acceptable forms of payment.

This fee is an important component of the funding for the BLM’s permitting program and enhances the agency’s ability to coordinate with other Federal and State agencies in connection with oil and gas permitting, streamlining permit review processes, and reducing permitting times. Fifteen percent of the fees are directly returned to the BLM field office that collected the fees to offset some of the costs of processing protests, leases, and permits. The remaining 85 percent is used to support project offices that perform the majority of the permit processing and inspection work across the BLM. In Fiscal Year 2019, the BLM collected almost $51 million in APD fees.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

For Immediate Release                                        

October 9, 2019

Contact:    Mona Riesterer  
                 (503) 378-2431

Notice of Meeting Cancelation

The Private Investigator Subcommittee meeting scheduled for October 10, 2019 from 10am-12pm has been postponed at this time. Next meeting TBA

For Immediate Release                                        

September 9th, 2019

Contact:    Chris Enquist
                 503-378-2309

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Parole & Probation Officer Field Training Manual Revision Workgroup will hold a regular meeting on October 21st, 2019 from 10:00a-2:00p.  The meeting will be held in room A235 at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem, Oregon. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for an interpreter for the deaf or hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made before the meeting by calling the contact listed above. 

Agenda Items:

I.   Welcome

II.  Review of Minutes and Prior Meeting

III. Review of Remaining Modules and Tasks

IV. Assignment of Learning Level by Task

V.  Global Review for FTM Product

VI.  Assess Need for Further Meetings

VII. Recommendation to Board, If Appropriate

VIII. Action Items for Subsequent Meeting, If Appropriate

       a.  Task Assignments for Members

IX.  Conclusion

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 Parole & Probation Officer Field Training Manual Revision Workgroup members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

SALEM, Ore. – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet October 17 at the Oregon Department of Energy Building for a tour and to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and October 18 at the North Mall Office Building to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Both the meetings and the tour are open to the public.

 

Thursday, October 17: SACHP will meet at 9 a.m. at the Oregon Department of Energy Building in the Meitner Room, 550 Capitol Street NE, Salem to consider nominations to the National Register. Following, a tour will depart at 2 p.m. from the Oregon Department of Energy Building for a tour of the Salem Pioneer Cemetery. The tour is expected to conclude by 5 p.m.

 

Friday, October 18: SACHP will meet at 9 a.m. at the North Mall Office Building, in Room 124A, 725 Summer St. NE, Salem, for a joint meeting with the Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries, and the Historic Assessment Review Committee. At 1:15 p.m. the SACHP will resume consideration of nominations to the National Register.

 

Thursday’s meeting agenda: hearings of four proposed nominations. Friday’s meeting agenda: hearings of three proposed nominations. For specific hearing times, refer to the online agenda: www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/NATREG/Pages/nrhp_sachphome.aspx

 

The committee will review seven proposed nominations: Multnomah School, Portland; Wheeldon Annex, Portland; Supreme Court Building, Salem; Elmer and Linnie Miller House, Portland; Britt Gardens Site, Jacksonville; John A. and Hattie Keating Residence, Portland; Portland Zoo Railway Historic District, Portland.

 

Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the Register under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

 

The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields.

 

The meeting site is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations for the meeting may be made with at least three days of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690.

 

More information about the National Register of Historic Places process is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on “National Register” at left of page).

Register for the Oregon Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference, Nov. 15-17 in Portland

Young farmers, ranchers, and others interested in agriculture are encouraged to register for the 2019 Oregon Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference, set for Nov. 15-17 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.  

Open to Farm Bureau members ages 16 through 35 (as of Jan. 1, 2019), the conference is geared toward young people interested in improving their leadership and communication skills, learning about the most important issues impacting Oregon’s agriculture community, gaining business tips from experts, networking with peers, and having fun!

“Last year’s conference was a huge success with nearly 100 attendees,” said Jenny Freeborn, chair of the Oregon Farm Bureau YF&R Committee. “The conference is a great opportunity for young people to learn about different aspects of agriculture and have a great time with new and old friends.”

To get the reduced rate for lodging, hotel reservations must be made by Oct. 28 — and the $50 conference registration fee is due by Nov. 7 (fee includes dinner on Friday and Saturday and lunch on Saturday).

Find the registration form and hotel information at OregonFB.org/yfrconference.

For more information, email yfr@oregonfb.org or call Jacon Taylor at 541.589.9694.

###

Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases.

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Sharon Waterman is an OFB Hall of Fame honoree and operates a Century Ranch raising sheep, cattle, and timber in Bandon. She is OFB’s 16th president.

SALEM, Ore. – The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet Friday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon in Salem. The meeting will be in the Sun Pass Room of Building D on the campus of the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street.  Updates the committee will receive include:

• Private Forest Division
• Board of Forestry’s retreat
• Governor’s Council on Wildfire Response
• Process for committee recommendations and charter changes

The meeting is open to the public. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting after approval of the minutes. The meeting space is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by calling Susan Dominique at 503-945-7502.

The 13-member committee researches policies that affect family forests, natural resources and forestry benefits. Based on its findings, the committee recommends actions to the Oregon Board of Forestry and the State Forester. You can find more information at 

https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/CFF.aspx

                                                                            # # #

October 9, 2019

What: A public meeting of the Public Health Advisory Board.

Agenda: Review 2017-19 public health modernization evaluation report and plan for the 2019-21 evaluation; discuss plans to modernize Oregon Health Authority public health survey systems in the 2019-21 biennium; review Oregon Health Policy Board-adopted definition of health equity; discuss wildfire policy development and health effects of wildfire smoke; and receive information about progress toward oral health and tobacco prevention goals in the State Health Improvement Plan and provide input on strategies.

When: Thursday, Oct. 17, 2-5 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 177, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland. Also available remotely by phone at 877-873-8017, access code 767068 and by webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/4888122320415752707.

Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and Oregon’s State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

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

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY, or a.m.biddlecom@state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

http://bit.ly/2p5D8p1